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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. What do some suggest is a way to evade history?

2. What is the name of the author Morrison opens up with in Chapter 3?

3. Which work features Harry Morgan?

4. What group of America's population offers itself up as a surrogate, in Morrison's point of view?

5. What country is William Dunbar from?

Short Essay Questions

1. What role do black men play in Hemingway's works?

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

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

4. What is Morrison's deliberation entirely about?

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

6. According to Morrison, when is mankind bereft?

7. What does William Carlos Williams's Adam describe?

8. How does early America distinguish itself by pressing toward a future of freedom?

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

10. The common claim that white America has considered many things without reference to the black population includes what concepts?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

In Morrison's Playing in the Dark, she discusses the dichotomies that black people are encouraged to fit into. Black people in literature are seen as markers for the benevolent and wicked, spiritual and voluptuous, sinful and enticing, and pure and restrained. Discuss an example of each of these dichotomies. Then explain why it is harmful for black people to be pushed into these roles constantly in literature.

Essay Topic 2

Morrison started a file to document instances of black people igniting moments of discovery in literature not written by them. Why is this significant? Why did Morrison begin doing this? Is this a positive or negative thing for Morrison to do? Why? What effect did doing this have on Morrison?

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?

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