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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. Where does Morrison teach?

2. What does Morrison claim has impoverished literature?

3. What does Morrison claim that critics do not say about Sapphira and the Slave Girl?

4. Which author does Morrison mention first as containing black references?

5. What is the main theme in Sapphira and the Slave Girl?

Short Essay Questions

1. What matters seem to challenge most as a writer and what effect does this have on her?

2. Describe The Words to Say It and its subject matter.

3. What does the term Africanism mean?

4. How does Morrison describe references to the novel Sapphira and the Slave Girl?

5. What is the book Playing in the Dark based on?

6. What risk does Morrison accept in discussing studies of racism?

7. What can happen if we learn about the way Africanism functions in the literary imagination?

8. What does Morrison believe studies of racism focus on?

9. Until recently, what did Morrison assume about all readers of American fiction?

10. What are Morrison's intentions in studying Africanism?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

How does early America distinguish itself by pressing toward a future of freedom? What does this mean? How does this movement help Americans escape oppression? How does romance help to evade history?

Essay Topic 2

Morrison describes the world as being genderized, sexualized, and racialized. Explain the effect these characteristics of the world have on Morrison as a writer as well as on people in general. Give three specific examples of how the world is genderized, sexualized, and racialized, one for each characteristic. Explain the consequences of living in a world with these qualities.

Essay Topic 3

Morrison claims that ignoring race in literature is a racist act in itself. Why is this true or untrue? Point out at least two of her arguments and provide support for them and criticize them.

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