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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 Steele often accused of being?

2. What is the reason for the accusation against Steele in Chapter 2?

3. What group do many blacks say 'failed to recognize' what Steele failed to recognize?

4. What type of anxiety does Steele say is especially a problem for blacks?

5. What did Steele say is the driving force when one gives utmost attention to race?

Short Essay Questions

1. How does Steele define the self-inflicted mindset of anti-self?

2. Steele talks about forgetting that he is black while writing this book. What did he mean by that?

3. How did Steele mention individualism is powerful? What did he say it requires people to do? What could be the drawbacks of it?

4. In line with Steele's experience, how are individualistic blacks received by those who have conformed to the 'black identity'?

5. In Chapter 1, Steele said the only way to do away with racial problems is for all to move from a racial consciousness to a moral consciousness. What does that mean?

6. What did Steele mean when he said the discussion of race relations has become scripted?

7. How did Steele say the black students in his classes react to discussions of racism?

8. Why did Steele say race is a source of shame for blacks, but didn't say the same for whites?

9. Steele quoted a former professor by saying, 'Ideas themselves come a dime a dozen.' Why is understanding this relevant to understanding this book?

10. As per Steele's philosophy, why do blacks many times avoid opportunities?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

What is integration shock, according to Steele? How does race-fatigue lead to integration shock? How do blacks' attitude change with regard to racism? How does this attitude about racism lead to race-holding? Are whites just as susceptible to integration shock as blacks? Why or why not?

Essay Topic 2

Steele identified four themes of re-composition. Define the term themes of re-composition. What are the four themes outlined? Describe each theme and characterize how each of them affects blacks.

Essay Topic 3

How did Steele define white guilt? How are whites challenged by this guilt? Do blacks use this as a tool to get ahead? If so, how? How does black power produce white guilt? How do whites attempt to escape from the guilt? How is white guilt an especially big problem at the university level?

(see the answer keys)

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