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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. For how long did the author remain on the pulpit as a Young Minister?

2. What does the author describe school revealing itself to be to the black community passing through adolescence in "Down at the Cross"?

3. What kind of athletic career does the author describe pursuing but not succeeding at in "Down at the Cross"?

4. When did Rudyard Kipling live?

5. What word from "Down at the Cross" means something continuing without pause or interruption?

Short Essay Questions

1. What hypocrisies in Christianity and the Nation of Islam does Baldwin point out in "Down at the Cross"?

2. What does the author describe discussing with his driver after leaving Elijah Muhammad's home in "Down at the Cross"?

3. How does the author describe the setting of Elijah Muhammad's home in "Down at the Cross"?

4. How would you describe the author's sense of anger in the beginning of "Down at the Cross"?

5. How would you describe the central subject and structure of the first part of "Down at the Cross"?

6. Who was Elijah Muhammad? What was his role within the Nation of Islam?

7. What is the subject of the hymn that opens "Down at the Cross"? How does this quote tie in with the essay's themes?

8. What does the author point out as the failings of Christianity and Islam in "Down at the Cross"?

9. What does the author remark about the Holocaust in "Down at the Cross"?

10. What differences does the author point out between Christianity and Islam in the second section of "Down at the Cross"?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Describe the author's encounter with the driver after leaving Elijah Muhammad's home in "Down at the Cross." What did the two discuss? What conclusions did they reach in their discussion? How did the author feel about this exchange?

Essay Topic 2

How does the author compare Christianity with the beliefs and ideals of the Nation of Islam? In what ways are these religions similar to the author? How do they differ?

Essay Topic 3

Describe and discuss the author's descriptions of his mother and other female African Americans in The Fire Next Time. How are these depictions juxtaposed against the depictions of males in African American society? What is the basis of these differences in character?

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This section contains 987 words (approx. 4 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample