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

2. Who does Aretha urge to smile in scene "A" of "Open House"?

3. In scene "A" of "Snails," Molly insistently asks Charlene where what are?

4. Aretha recalls a conversation with a slave-master named what in scene "D" of "Open House"?

5. Where does Mr. Sergeant Smith say he's been posted in scene "C" of "Greeks (or the Slugs)"?

Short Essay Questions

1. What does Parks relate about the contemporary theatre in "Elements of Style"?

2. What opening statement defines the essay "An Equation for Black People Onstage"? What does Parks' mean with the statement?

3. What imagery and sounds are depicted in the opening of "Betting on the Dust Commander"?

4. What is the central premise of the essay "Possession"? What play was inspired by a dream?

5. Who are the characters and what do they reveal in the play "Third Kingdom"?

6. What does Lucius criticize Mare for doing improperly in scene "B" of "Betting on the Dust Commander"? What is her criticism of him?

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

8. What issues are discussed between Molly and Charlene in "C" of "Snails"?

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

10. Who does the Naturalist describe as needing help in scene "D" of "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 motif of transformation in "Third Kingdom," "Open House" and "Third Kingdom, Reprise." How do these plays relate to the theme of identity?

Essay Topic 3

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

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 899 words (approx. 3 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample