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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 are the three major section of the "Primer for White Folks?"

2. Who names Ellison?

3. What is the Negro child taught to see the white man as?

4. What are the three themes of "Shadow and Act" according to the Introduction?

5. Where and when is "The World and The Jug" published?

Short Essay Questions

1. When Ellison accepts the American National Book Award for "The Invisible Man" what does he say that the award is recognizing?

2. How does Ellison leave the rather bitter dialogue with Howe?

3. In "Richard Wright's blues" how does Ellison describe the blues?

4. What were the two greatest influences upon Crane's life, in Ellison's estimation?

5. Who was it that suggested to Ellison that he review a book and write a short story?

6. Why does Ellison choose to write about Faulkner?

7. Why was the young Ellison drawn to reading?

8. What is the common image of the Negro in contemporary literature according to Ellison?

9. What does Ellison compare Wright's personal journey of blooming to?

10. What is different about Oklahoma and the relationship of different races when compared to the South or even to Texas?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Why does Ellison choose "The Shadow and the Act" as the title of the entire book? What is the theme which this film review contains that Ellison finds suitable to place the entire set of writings within? What framework does this title provide for the other essays, articles, speeches, interviews and stories?

Essay Topic 2

"The Way It Is" is the earliest example of Ellison's writing which appears in "Shadow and Act." In what ways is it different from the other essays? Do you see the beginnings of Ellison's philosophy and understanding it? If no dates were show, do you think it would have been clear that this was an early work? Why or why not?

Essay Topic 3

In "Living with Music" Ellison literally finds himself overwhelmed by the group of people who live around him. His struggle to find his own peace within a larger and very noisy society is a metaphor for the way he sees the individual constantly struggling against the group in life. How does he find peace? What method does he use to carve out his space and literally "be heard?"

(see the answer keys)

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