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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. Who does Caldonia marry three years after her husband's death?

2. Whose birth does Moses claim to have been present at, even though the reader knows Moses was not in Manchester County until many years later?

3. Why does Caldonia begin making silent visits to the slave quarters every night?

4. What does Counsel run into as he enters Texas and finds himself surrounded by a pack of dogs?

5. What happens to the sick slave who Moses forces to work in the fields despite an illness?

Short Essay Questions

1. What disease does Saskia Wilhelm contract that she exposes all the people on Counsel's plantation to?

2. Why does Moses force his way into Caldonia's house? What does he demand to know?

3. Who buys Jebediah Dickinson upon learning that he is not free, but is a slave owned by a cruel pastor?

4. Who does Fern meet on the road as she returns home from consoling Caldonia over her loss for the past five weeks?

5. How does Mildred get killed?

6. Why does a man named Hiram Jenkins want to kill Counsel after offering him shelter and food the night before?

7. Who does Caldonia put in charge of the slaves after Moses runs away?

8. Why does Saskia Wilhelm's husband force her into prostitution? Where does Saskia end up?

9. Why does Counsel burn his own plantation house down in Chapter 7?

10. Why does Skiffington go to Mildred's house looking for Moses.

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Discuss the underground railroad. What was the underground railroad? Who did it help? Was it dangerous? Who was in the most danger? What evidence of the railroad is found in this novel? Who was working the underground railroad in this novel? Why? Were these people caught? Why or why not? Who might these people have helped? What evidence is there?

Essay Topic 2

Discuss Elias. Why did Elias want to run away when Henry Townsend first bought him? What caused him to settle down? Who did Elias marry and how did she influence his behavior? Did her influence continue as Elias grew older? Why was Elisa made overseer of the plantation? Was this a good choice? Was it hypocritical of Elias to accept the position after her fought so hard to be free? Why did Elias' wife disagree with his decision to become overseer?

Essay Topic 3

Who is Fern? Why does it never occur to Fern to pass as white? Why does Fern remain married to Ramsey? What kind of husband is Ramsey? What is Ramsey's favorite pastime? Does this make Ramsey a bad person? Is Ramsey bad to Fern? What does Fern learn from a slave about Ramsey's fidelity? How does this affect Fern's marriage? Why? How does Fern feel about being a slave owner? Why does she not feel shame at owning slaves? Should she?

(see the answer keys)

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