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 does the Welcoming Committee offer to do?

2. Travis wants to be:

3. What does Mama compare Big Walter to?

4. What is Beneatha's nickname?

5. What, according to Mama, happened to Walter Lee in this scene?

Short Essay Questions

1. Mama serves sweet potato pie to Mrs. Johnson. What is sweet potato pie?

2. Travis says that he wants to be a bus driver. How do Walter Lee's dreams for Travis differ from his son's?

3. Before this scene we hadn't realized the scope of Walter Lee's dreams. What are they?

4. Why does Walter Lee ask Karl Lindner to come back to the apartment?

5. How does Ruth react to Mama giving up on the move to the new house?

6. At the end of the play, Mama tells Ruth that Walter Lee "finally come into his manhood today." What does it mean to come into your manhood?

7. Why does Walter Lee finally decide not to take Karl Lindner's money?

8. Instead of going to his job for several days, Walter Lee spent the time driving away from the city. Why did he do this and where did he go?

9. Is Mrs. Johnson sincere when she says, "I'm soooo happy for y'all"? Explain.

10. What does Beneatha want to do at the end of the play?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Does racism perpetuate poverty, or does poverty intensify racism? Or are the two problems completely separate? Explore these questions in an essay.

Essay Topic 2

All of the characters in this play have specific relationships to money or the lack thereof. Examine the theme of money in this play and how it affects the various characters.

Essay Topic 3

Examine the symbolism of the props in this play, including Mama's plant, the poison being spread to kill the cockroaches, and the Nigerian clothing that Joseph Asagai brings.

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 621 words (approx. 3 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample