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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. Why doesn't Equiano become ordained?

2. Why does Equiano brings turkeys on the ship instead of bulls?

3. What happens to John Annis on the boat to Turkey?

4. What happens to the first season of crops at Dr. Irving's plantation?

5. When the crew think they see cannibals, what are they really looking at?

Short Essay Questions

1. Explain Equiano's economic argument for ending slavery.

2. Is there an implicit argument being made in Equiano's description of the time he spent in Turkey?

3. Describe and comment on Equiano's experiences with the Sierra Leone settlement.

4. Why does the episode with John Annis affect Equiano's quest for a religion?

5. Describe Equiano's trip to New York and Philadelphia in 1784.

6. Do you think it makes sense for Equiano to believe that he made the ship wreck by cursing it?

7. Why does Equiano want to become ordained?

8. Is Equiano's encounter with Pascal when he returns to England the way you expected it to be?

9. How does the episode in which Phillips's crew see a flock of flamingos characterize the crew?

10. Why does Equiano decide to leave Dr. Irving's plantation?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Discuss the role of Miss Guerins in the book, including both (a) her role in Equiano's life and (b) the effect of the presence of this figure in the book on the white eighteenth-century reader.

Essay Topic 2

Equiano's life story exposed him to many different cultures. His book explores African culture, English culture, plantation culture, maritime culture, military culture, and religious culture, among others. Select three different cultural or subcultural groups that Equiano describes and compare and contrast them.

Essay Topic 3

In Chapter 1, Equiano states that he wants to avoid being either vain or boring in writing his own life story, but that instead he wants to provide "satisfaction" and "promote the interest of humanity." How well does he avoid being vain or boring? How well does he achieve his goals of providing "satisfaction" or entertainment to readers and promoting "the interest of humanity"?

(see the answer keys)

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