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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. In "Noon," what example of Baroka's corruption does Lakunle give?

2. What confession does Baroka make to Sadiku that he says he has told no one else?

3. In the opening of "Noon," to what does Sidi compare Lakunle?

4. When Lakunle hears Baroka's plans for Sidi, what does he say about Baroka?

5. Whom does Sidi credit with having taught her to value herself and think critically about her choices?

Short Essay Questions

1. What evidence is there in "Noon" that there might be genuine affection between Baroka and Sadiku?

2. When Sadiku conveys Sidi's refusal to Baroka, what is his first reaction, and what changes his feelings?

3. Describe Baroka's bedroom.

4. What is Sidi's reasoning for turning down the proposal that Baroka sends to her through Sadiku?

5. Explain how Baroka diverted the railroad, and why.

6. When Lakunle tells the story of Baroka's corruption, what conflicting emotions does he display?

7. When Sidi says, "The stranger took my beauty/and placed it in my hands" (20), what claim is she making for the power of the photographs?

8. When, in the beginning of "Noon," Lakunle compares Sidi to women in the Bible, what message is he trying to send, and what is Sidi's response?

9. When the scene in "Noon" shifts to Baroka's bedroom, what is his favorite wife doing, and how does she use this task to communicate her feelings?

10. What argument does Sadiku present to Sidi for marrying Baroka?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Write an essay in which you make a claim about what The Lion and the Jewel is saying about loyalty and betrayal. Which characters are loyal, and what are they loyal to? In what ways do the characters betray others and themselves? Use textual support to provide evidence for your claims.

Essay Topic 2

Choose a time in the history of your own country in which the forces of modernization struggled with the forces of tradition over a specific social or technological change. Write about this change, explain the arguments on both sides, and explain how the struggle was similar to and different from the struggle in The Lion and the Jewel. Be sure to cite your sources in MLA format.

Essay Topic 3

Write an essay in which you examine what The Lion and the Jewel is saying about the responsibilities of those in positions of authority. Who shows responsibility, and who fails to take responsibility seriously enough? What are the consequences? Be sure to offer textual support for your claims.

(see the answer keys)

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