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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. Where did Morrison go to school as a child?
2. In "The Nobel Lecture in Literature," What does Morrison refer to with the phrase "tongue-suicide"?
3. In the story that opens "The Nobel Lecture in Literature," where does the old woman say the answer to the children's question is?
4. In "The In "The Nobel Lecture in Literature," Morrison speculates about how much more knowledge we would have if scholarship was not held back by what?
5. The Radiance of the King is a novel by Camara Laye, an author of what origin?
Short Essay Questions
1. In “Tribute to Martin Luther King, Jr.," what does Morrison say that she wonders about MLK, and why?
2. In her speech “Cinderella’s Stepsisters," what is the purpose of the allusion to Cinderella?
3. In “The Dead of September 11,” Morrison alludes to a famous speech. What speech does she allude to and what is the purpose of this allusion?
4. In “War Against Error," what does Morrison propose as a new "curriculum," and what does she hope it will accomplish?
5. In “Racism and Fascism,” what does Morrison say are the characteristics of fascism?
6. In “The Individual Artist," what is the paradox that Morrison says artists face?
7. In “The Future of Time: Literature and Diminished Expectations," why does Morrison say it is important for us to turn our attention to the future?
8. In “A Race in Mind: The Press in Deed," how does Morrison connect the idea of "special interests" with the racial identification of subjects in news stories?
9. In “Race Matters," what story does Morrison tell about the ending of Beloved, and why does she tell this story?
10. In “Black Matter(s)," in what ways does Morrison say Africanism has become a "disabling virus"?
Essay Topics
Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:
Essay Topic 1
In “Gertrude Stein and the Difference She Makes,” Morrison offers a critique of the relationship of Mark Twain, Ralph Waldo Emerson, Herman Melville, and Edgar Allan Poe to the natural world. Explain the basis of her critique and evaluate the strength of the evidence she offers in her discussion of each author.
Essay Topic 2
In “The Nobel Lecture in Literature,” Morrison uses a folktale to structure her lecture. Explain how she interprets and then reinterprets this folktale.
Essay Topic 3
In “Literature and Public Life,” Morrison claims that television has a narrative power that is harmful to society. Do you agree with this in whole or in part, or do you disagree? What is your reasoning for your position?
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This section contains 959 words (approx. 4 pages at 300 words per page) |
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