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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. In "Elements of Style" Parks urges playwrights to find what in the lines of the characters?

2. What term refers to a vacation or leave of absence granted to an enlisted person?

3. What is the speaker at the podium referred to as in scene "B" of "Snails"?

4. In "Elements of Style," Parks suggests that every playwright begin by asking why a story needs to be what?

5. The children in the beginning of "Open House" are worried about who will take care of what when Aretha is gone?

Short Essay Questions

1. How does the theme of assimilation manifest in "Greeks (or the Slugs)"?

2. What action takes place between Lucius and Mare in scene "B" of "Betting on the Dust Commander"?

3. What imagery opens the play "Open House"? What characters are present?

4. What does Mr. Sergeant Smith write to his daughter in scene "C" of "Greeks (or the Slugs)"?

5. What is the relationship like between the younger and older Smiths in "Greeks (or the Slugs)"? How does this relate to other plays in the collection?

6. What metaphor is central in the play "Open House"?

7. In what way did Mr. Sergeant Smith receive his greatest wish in "G" of "Greeks (or the Slugs)"?

8. In "An Equation for Black People Onstage," what does Parks urge the reader to reconsider?

9. What objectives do Mrs. Smith and Buffy reveal in scene "B" of "Greeks (or the Slugs)"?

10. In what ways does Parks leave metaphorical interpretation to the audience in "Snails"?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Identify and analyze the central characters, themes, symbols and structural elements in "Open House." What is the author's overall statement in Aretha's metaphor?

Essay Topic 2

Discuss the theme of assimilation depicted in "Greeks (or the Slugs)." What symbols represent assimilation in the narrative?

Essay Topic 3

Describe the themes, imagery, and symbolism in "The Death of the Last Black Man in the Whole Entire World." How does the symbolism reflect the theme of identity in the play?

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