View a FREE sample

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

Short Answer Questions

1. What is the second meditation that Morrison suggests an American group offers itself up as a surrogate for?

2. What is the white image related to the erasure of, according to Morrison?

3. What are the two characters who discuss sex in Hemingway's work?

4. What type of possibilities does Morrison think slavery enriches in America?

5. According to Morrison, what highlights freedom?

Short Essay Questions

1. Why does Morrison suggest that Dunbar's finer sensibilities have been dulled?

2. What characteristics does Morrison describe as being the distinguishing features of non-Americans?

3. What does Morrison try to make it clear that she is not doing?

4. According to Morrison, what does American literature represent a commentary of?

5. According to Morrison, what does Poe's work show?

6. Why is the act of ignoring race in literature a racist act?

7. What is the significance of nurses in Hemingway's work?

8. Describe the unmanageable slips throughout Poe's work.

9. How is Hemingway's work distant from African Americans?

10. Describe the quote Morrison uses from James Snead's book on Faulkner?

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

Analyze Morrison's comments about Willa Cather's novel Sapphira and the Slave Girl. What does Morrison have to say about the novel? Why does she say it would be meaningless without Africanist characters and the pedestal of racial degradation? Is this true?

Essay Topic 3

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

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 677 words (approx. 3 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample