View a FREE sample

This test consists of 15 multiple choice questions and 5 short answer questions.

Multiple Choice Questions

1. Who is the second author Morrison mentions as including black references in his or her work?
(a) Du Maurier.
(b) Proust.
(c) Faulkner.
(d) Lawrence.

2. What does Morrison wonder most about Cardinal?
(a) Why she went to a Louis Armstrong concert.
(b) Why she wrote a book.
(c) When she felt she had to panic.
(d) When she knew she was in trouble.

3. What analogy does Morrison use to describe what studies of racism should focus on?
(a) Study the masters as well as the slaves.
(b) Study the children as well as the parents.
(c) Study the students as well as the scholars.
(d) Study the women as well as the men.

4. How many lectures is Playing in the Dark based on?
(a) 1.
(b) 7.
(c) 5.
(d) 3.

5. What does Morrison start a file to document?
(a) Instances of white people causing disturbances in Africanist literature.
(b) Instances of Africanist literature that do not acknowledge racial superiority.
(c) Instances of black people being impressed by white people.
(d) Instances of black people igniting moments of discovery in literature.

6. How many years back did the presence of African-Americans in the US begin?
(a) 600.
(b) 400.
(c) 500.
(d) 300.

7. For Morrison, when a writer is challenged and activities are more difficult, what else do they become?
(a) More exciting.
(b) Less significant.
(c) Less valuable.
(d) More rewarding.

8. What accusations does Morrison accept the risk of when discussing studies of racism?
(a) She has vested interest in the topic.
(b) She has never studied racism.
(c) She is racist.
(d) She has never studied literature.

9. What is Morrison interested in determining about domination?
(a) Who encourages domination.
(b) How domination spreads.
(c) Where domination comes from.
(d) How domination becomes possible.

10. Who wrote The Words to Say It?
(a) Mason Conte.
(b) Marilee Coxwell.
(c) Maxine Christenson.
(d) Marie Cardinal.

11. What does Morrison determine is the cause of Nancy's mother's lack of maternal love?
(a) Her hair color.
(b) Her skin color.
(c) Her kindness.
(d) Her personality.

12. According to Morrison, what does Willa Cather not allow readers to ignore?
(a) Setting.
(b) Time period.
(c) Race.
(d) Class.

13. Until recently, what did Morrison assume about all readers of American fiction?
(a) They are women.
(b) They are men.
(c) They are white.
(d) They are raceless.

14. What does Morrison claim is not representative of a black woman for her?
(a) All of the above.
(b) Dread.
(c) Love.
(d) Anarchy.

15. Which of the following elements of racism does Morrison say studies of racism focus on?
(a) Origin of racism.
(b) Why literature is racist.
(c) People who have failed as a result of racism.
(d) Consequences of racism.

Short Answer Questions

1. Who is Sapphira jealous of?

2. Which of the following does Morrison say studies of racism focus on?

3. What does Morrison believe we need to learn about to discover the nature and cause of literary whiteness?

4. What does Morrison consider the consequences of?

5. What hidden signals does Morrison look for?

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 488 words (approx. 2 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample