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This quiz consists of 5 multiple choice and 5 short answer questions through Section 6: Part II--God’s Language, including the essays “James Baldwin Eulogy” through “The Writer Before the Page”.

Multiple Choice Questions

1. In "The Site of Memory," Morrison proposes to show how memoir is similar to and different from what?
(a) Poetry.
(b) Literary criticism.
(c) Fiction.
(d) History.

2. In "Academic Whispers," who does Morrison say should be asked to speak about racism?
(a) Writers.
(b) Racists.
(c) Victims of racism.
(d) Historians.

3. According to Morrison's "Black Matter(s)," the slave population became the focus of what fundamental feeling of the colonists?
(a) The "Pilgrim's awe and piety."
(b) The "immigrant's hope."
(c) The "outcast's terror."
(d) The "Romantic yearning for freedom."

4. In "Unspeakable Things Unspoken," Morrison introduces Rogin's commentary on Moby Dick for what purpose?
(a) As part of her explication of the timeline of Western literature.
(b) So that she can rebut Rogin's reading of Moby Dick.
(c) As an example of how a canonical piece can be enriched by reading for the Black presence.
(d) To highlight the importance of Black scholarship.

5. In the story that opens "The Nobel Lecture in Literature," where does the old woman say the answer to the children's question is?
(a) In their hands.
(b) She doesn't actually answer their question.
(c) In their hearts.
(d) In her eyes.

Short Answer Questions

1. In "Black Matter(s)," Morrison retells the story of William Dunbar as an example of what?

2. In "Unspeakable Things Unspoken," Morrison credits what group with beginning to open up the canon?

3. In "Unspeakable Things Unspoken," Morrison notes that she almost titled the essay something else--what?

4. What is one of the consequences that Morrison blames on minstrelsy?

5. In "Unspeakable Things Unspoken," Morrison says that what is different about the discussion of including African-American literature in the canon is that unlike earlier arguments over expanding the canon, this one does what?

(see the answer key)

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