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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 does the slave, Stamford, insist on only consorting with young women rather than women his own age?

2. What does Alice often do as she walks down the road?

3. What has Fern's mother taught her about the man she should marry?

4. What causes a fight between Stamford and his cabin mate, Clement?

5. Who becomes Henry's mentor despite Augustus' disapproval?

Short Essay Questions

1. Why does Robbins continually raise his asking price for Henry Townsend's freedom?

2. Who asks Fern to take Henry on as a student? Why?

3. What causes the feud between Harvey Travis and Clarence Wilford?

4. Where is Henry buried?

5. For whom does Elias carve a doll? What is significant about this doll?

6. Who was Henry Townsend's first slave?

7. Who is Augustus Townsend?

8. Why do landowners, such as Robbins, become unhappy with Patterson's reign as sheriff in Manchester County?

9. What punishment did Henry demand for Elias after he attempted to run away? Why?

10. What is Caldonia's twin brother, Calvin's, opinion on the slaves? Why?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Discuss morality. What is morality? Are moral issues black and white? Should people own slaves? Should only whites own slaves? Should only black own slaves? Does it make more sense, morally, for a black to own a slave? Why or why not? Should slaves supervise and punish one another? Why or why not?

Essay Topic 2

Discuss one of the following, citing references from the book:

1) Caldonia has the choice to free or continue owning her slaves. Which does she choose and why?

2) Caldonia's mother stresses that slaves are a legacy. Discuss this opinion.

3) Calvin, Caldonia's twin brother, wants to free the slaves. Discuss why and how his opinion impacts his actions throughout the novel

Essay Topic 3

Discuss the treatment of slaves in this novel. Who treated the slaves worse, the white plantation owners, the white lawmen, the black slave owners, or the slave overseers? What are the differences between the various treatment of the slaves? Who thought they treated the slaves better? Did they? Why or why not? Is it possible to treat a slave kindly? Should slaves have been freed by their black owners? Is it more morally corrupt for a freed slave to own a slave than a white man who has always been free? Why or why not?

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