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

Short Answer Questions

1. In the essay Equal in Paris, what are we told lead police to know that one of the Parisian hotels had their property stolen?

2. Where did Baldwin and his white friend from New York go on Baldwin's last night in New Jersey?

3. Where was Baldwin's father born?

4. What food was always in the reoccurring nightmares that Baldwin had while in Fresnes?

5. When was Baldwin's father born?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

In Carmen Jones: The Dark is Light Enough, Baldwin criticizes the all-black version of Carmen Jones for its unrealistic portrayal of African American life, its emphasis on negative stereotypes, and it's "whitening" of African American life. However, this film was considered a major breakthrough venue of African American actors in the 1950s. What were Baldwin's criticisms? Why do you think Baldwin criticizes this film? How do the roles in the film affirm Baldwin's criticisms? Please use examples from the book to support your answer.

Essay Topic 2

Isolation is a major theme throughout Baldwin's book Notes of a Native Son. What reasons do you think African Americans abroad had for choosing to isolate themselves from other African Americans abroad? Please use examples from the book to support your answer.

Essay Topic 3

Notes of a Native Son is a collection of essays written by James Baldwin to illuminate the life conditions of the Negro people during the 1940s and 1950s pre-civil rights era.

In your opinion, what audience did Baldwin want to read this book? Who was his target audience? Did he write his book for African Americans, Whites, Non-Americans, etc? Why do you think he wrote the book for the audience you have identified as his target audience? Please use examples from the book to support your answer.

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