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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. Turner told Elwood that only boys with what quality were ever taken "out back" (103)?

2. Visitors from how many different states flocked to attend Nickel's Christmas Fair each year?

3. Turner told Elwood that any boy taken "out back" (103) at Nickel would end up in what state?

4. For how many years had the black boys held the Nickel boxing title prior to Griff's participation?

5. In Chapter 11, Denise and Elwood watched which movie together that starred Tony Curtis and Sidney Poitier?

Short Essay Questions

1. Describe the two different ways of "serving time" (144) outlined by the narrator in Chapter 12.

2. In what way does Whitehead employ foreshadowing in relation to the story about the escapee named Clayton Smith?

3. What quality did Harper name as the most important one for a Community Service work detail member to possess?

4. What does the set of "Chipwick's British Classics" (84) symbolize within the novel?

5. At what decision did Elwood arrive in relation to a date of release in Chapter 8?

6. What event caused Elwood to decide to put into motion his plan to "get rid of Nickel" (157)?

7. What "fifth way out of Nickel" (153) did Elwood devise in Chapter 12?

8. What happened on Christmas Day that caused the Nickel boys to feel "like boys from nice houses in nice neighborhoods" (116)?

9. What annual tradition existed at Nickel that involved one white inmate and one black inmate?

10. How did Elwood discover that Griff had been instructed by Superintendent Spencer to throw the boxing match?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Could The Nickel Boys be classified as a coming-of-age story? Why or why not?

Essay Topic 2

Discuss Whitehead's purpose for juxtaposing at least two different locations in a particular way within the text of The Nickel Boys. Examples could include locations such as the white side of the Nickel campus versus the black side of the Nickel campus or Marvin Griggs Technical College versus Nickel's ancient schoolhouse.

Essay Topic 3

What is Whitehead's message regarding the actions people must take in order to combat systematic racism built into the fabric of the United States?

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