Print
Word
PDF
|
| Name: _________________________ | Period: ___________________ |
This test consists of 5 short answer questions, 10 short essay questions, and 1 (of 3) essay topics.
Short Answer Questions
1. In "The Source of Self-Regard," what does Morrison say is a problem with writing novels that are based in history?
2. Who was James Baldwin?
3. In "Chinua Achebe," Morrison says that she learned what from Achebe?
4. In "God's Language," what does Morrison say is the place of religion in African American culture?
5. In "The Site of Memory," Morrison says that slave narratives had two purposes: one was to record the life of an individual human being, and the other was what?
Short Essay Questions
1. In “Unspeakable Things Unspoken," what does Morrison say she is trying to evoke with the image of nightshade in the beginning of Sula?
2. In “The Site of Memory," what reasons does Morrison give for finding her inclusion in an anthology about memoir to be both strange and appropriate?
3. In “James Baldwin Eulogy,” what does Morrison describe as Baldwin's contribution to language?
4. In "On Beloved," Morrison discusses Sula and Beloved in the context of feminism; what is the relationship of these two texts to feminism?
5. In “The Source of Self-Regard," what does Morrison say made her uncomfortable about the letters she received from students, and why did it make her feel this way?
6. According to “The Writer Before the Page," why does Morrison use allusions to folktales in her writing?
7. What point is Morrison trying to illustrate when she brings up the origins of Ancient Greece in “Unspeakable Things Unspoken"?
8. In “James Baldwin Eulogy,” Morrison explains that Baldwin brought "three gifts." What is this an allusion to, and how does it function in this piece?
9. In “The Site of Memory," what does Morrison say about how image and memory interacted for her in relation to her father's death and Song of Solomon?
10. In “Gertrude Stein and the Difference She Makes," what confuses Morrison about Stein's portrayal of Rose?
Essay Topics
Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:
Essay Topic 1
In “Unspeakable Things Unspoken,” Morrison says that she almost used the title “Canon Fodder” instead. Analyze the impact that this change might have had on tone and meaning.
Essay Topic 2
In “The Habit of Art,” Morrison alludes to the plot of the Ancient Greek play Antigone. Explain this allusion and evaluate its function in “The Habit of Art.”
Essay Topic 3
In "God's Language," Morrison suggests that religious ideas, and the idea of paradise particularly, are difficult to convey in a modern context. Why does she believe this and what is her proposed solution?
|
This section contains 957 words (approx. 4 pages at 300 words per page) |
|
