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This test consists of 5 short answer questions, 10 short essay questions, and 1 (of 3) essay topics.

Short Answer Questions

1. How does Sarny describe Mrs. Waller's sister in Chapter 2?

2. Where does Sarny demonstrate the "letters" that she discovered on the feed sack for John in Chapter 3?

3. What does John cover in his first "lesson" with Sarny in Chapter 3?

4. From what device do Sarny and the other slaves eat their meals at the plantation?

5. In whose memory is Nightjohn dedicated by the author in the opening pages?

Short Essay Questions

1. How is Sarny's birth and early childhood described in Chapter 1? Are Sarny's experiences common for slaves at this time?

2. How does Mr. Waller behave toward John as he brings him into the plantation in Chapter 3?

3. How does Sarny describe Mammy's method of praying in Chapter 2? Why does Mammy pray this way?

4. What imagery and/or symbolism is used in describing the slaves on the plantation in Chapter 2?

5. How would you describe the narrator of the story? Is the narrator directly involved in the action of the narrative?

6. What does Mammy measure on the sticks that she keeps for each child on the plantation? Why?

7. What was Mammy's response when she discovered Sarny copying the symbols from the grain sack into the dirt when she was a child? Why did she react in this manner?

8. What job or jobs does Sarny do around the plantation in Chapter 1?

9. What does Sarny describe thinking about as the others sleep in the slave quarters at night in Chapter 1?

10. What is the trade that John offers to make with Sarny in Chapter 3? How does Sarny feel about the offer?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Discuss the language style of Nightjohn. How would you describe the dialect of Sarny’s narrative? How does John’s dialect differ from Sarny’s? How is it similar? How does the language style of the novel help the reader to connect with its themes?

Essay Topic 2

Discuss the author’s dedication in the beginning of the novel and the lives of Sally Hemings and Thomas Jefferson. What was Jefferson’s stance regarding slavery in the U.S.? Why did Gary Paulsen dedicate Nightjohn to the memory of Sally Hemings? Why is Sally Hemings significant in American history?

Essay Topic 3

Analyze the character of Sarny as the protagonist and narrator of Nightjohn. How does Sarny describe her role in the story in Chapter 1? What aspects of Sarny’s character stand out for you as a reader? How old is Sarny’s character when she is first introduced? How does Sarny’s character evolve in the course of the story?

(see the answer keys)

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