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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. Which of the dichotomies is shown in the example of a slave woman being kind to her mistress's children but her own mother is not good to her?

2. Who was Cardinal warned against having relationships with?

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

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

5. Who is the author of What Maisie Knew?

Short Essay Questions

1. What is the most significant question that stems from Morrison reading Cardinal's book?

2. What does it mean when Morrison says that her vulnerability lies in romanticizing blackness?

3. Describe the dichotomies Morrison presents as being necessary for black people to fulfill.

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

5. What does Toni Morrison think about Marie Cardinal's book?

6. Who does Morrison blame for literary whiteness and blackness?

7. What is the Byatt quote from Possession about?

8. Describe Morrison's statement that the subject of the dream is the dreamer.

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

10. Why doesn't Sapphira and the Slave Girl allow readers to ignore race?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Describe the difference between denotative and connotative definitions involving the term Africanism. Describe both definitions. Then explain the denotative and connotative definitions of another term that Morrison uses in response to American literature.

Essay Topic 2

What is the purpose of Morrison writing this book? What message did Morrison want to convey? What type of action did Morrison call for?

Essay Topic 3

According to Morrison, what are literary whiteness and literary blackness? What are the consequences of literary whiteness and blackness? How were literary whiteness and blackness created? How does Morrison avoid these two concepts?

(see the answer keys)

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