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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. The author indicates in "My Dungeon Shook" that "people find it very difficult to act on" what?

2. The author writes to the letter recipient in "My Dungeon Shook," "You come from a long line of" what?

3. When was the Emancipation Proclamation issued?

4. Of the letter recipient's father, the author says in "My Dungeon Shook," "Let him laugh and I see" what?

5. The author says in "My Dungeon Shook," " There is no reason for you to try to become like" what?

Short Essay Questions

1. How does the author describe his relationship with his brother in "My Dungeon Shook"?

2. How does the author describe the circumstances of white society and history in "My Dungeon Shook"?

3. How does the author describe aspirations toward excellence or mediocrity in "My Dungeon Shook"?

4. How has the black man functioned in the white man's world, according to Baldwin in "My Dungeon Shook"?

5. Who is E. Franklin Frazier and why does the author cite him in "My Dungeon Shook"?

6. What "is the danger in the minds of most white Americans," according to the author in "My Dungeon Shook"?

7. How is the title of the essay employed in "My Dungeon Shook"?

8. Who is Charles Dickens and why does the author cite him in "My Dungeon Shook"?

9. What does Baldwin claim to be "the root of my dispute with my country" in "My Dungeon Shook"?

10. What does the author say the world has done to his brother in "My Dungeon Shook"?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Discuss the language style of The Fire Next Time. How would you describe the author's fluidity and lyricism in his language in the essays? What are examples of literary devices such as similes, metaphors, etc. employed by the author? How does the language style reflect upon the author?

Essay Topic 2

Discuss the theme of anger in The Fire Next Time. How is the author's own anger revealed in the essays? What does the author remark about the anger of others? How does the author perceive his own anger?

Essay Topic 3

Describe and analyze the structure of "Down at the Cross." What is the thesis presented by the author in this essay? How does Baldwin go about proving his thesis? What is illustrated in the conclusion of the essay?

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