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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 is Guitar drinking?

2. What does Guitar think all white people are? ______ waiting to happen.

3. Are Ruth and Milkman's sisters happy with him for beating up on his father?

4. What did Ruth hope she and Milkman would have?

5. Guitar feels the group is a perfectly ________ and natural reaction to unnatural white people.

Short Essay Questions

1. What does Circe reveal about Macon that Milkman does not already know?

2. Why is Guitar having troubles with his assignment with The Seven Days?

3. What is the explanation that Susan Byrd gives for her behavior the previous time that Milkman visited?

4. What does First Corinthians' job mean to her?

5. What is the result of Robert Smith's 'flight' from the top of Mercy Hospital?

6. With what greeting does Pilate welcome Milkman upon his return?

7. How does Hagar try to kill Milkman as he is lying on the couch?

8. What is Hagar's reaction to Milkman's breakup letter?

9. What is the job that First Corinthians takes?

10. What breaks Hagar from her three day trance?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

The idea of bad luck is one that runs through this novel, and culminates in Chapter 13, not coincidentally.

Part 1 - Describe the bad luck of Pilate and how it affects her in the novel.

Part 2 - Describe the bad luck of Reba and how it affects her in the novel.

Part 3 - Describe the back luck of Hagar and how it affects her in the novel.

Part 4 - List any other instances of bad luck you noticed in this novel.

Essay Topic 2

The Seven Days organization is one that seems to be based on the idea of revenge, rather than making things better. Morrison has created a system that seems to be evil, though a reader can understand the frustration.

Part 1 - Describe The Seven Days organization, what it does, and how it does it.

Part 2 - Name the characters who are in the organization as well as the days they are assigned to, if mentioned in the book.

Part 3 - Do you believe there are organizations that exist in this world like The Seven Days? Why or why not?

Part 4 - Are the members of The Seven Days bad people? Why or why not?

Essay Topic 3

Gold seems to be the thing on many of the men's minds in this book. But while they are all unsuccessful, they still seem to long for that which they can not have.

Part 1 - Describe Macon's search for the gold in the story. What are his motivations for getting the gold?

Part 2 - Describe Milkman's quest for the gold in the story. What are his motivations?

Part 3 - Describe Guitar's quest for the gold. What are his motivations? What does it cause him to do? Why do you think he resorted to violence?

(see the answer keys)

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