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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. What does Gunnar say most people are not ready to do?

2. Who comes to ask Gunnar about his speech?

3. What is Yoshiko doing when Gunnar arrives at his apartment following his class?

4. Who arrives at Gunnar's house while the writing class is there?

5. What does Nick say Gunnar forgot to factor in when Gunnar spoke of music being finite?

Short Essay Questions

1. What does the recruiter from Boston University do to woo Gunnar?

2. Who comes to talk to Gunnar about his speech the next day and what do they ask him about?

3. What does Nick complain about Boston and what does he do about it?

4. Where is Gunnar's wedding reception and where does he go for a honeymoon?

5. What kind of social life does Gunnar, Yoshiko and Nick have in Boston?

6. To what is Gunnar invited to speak and how does Gunnar feel about the introductory speaker?

7. When does Gunnar's wedding take place and who performs the ceremony?

8. Who arranges a marriage for Gunnar and how does he come up with a bride? Where does the wedding take place?

9. What does Gunnar's creative writing class want him to do?

10. What happens when Gunnar leaves his creative writing class in Chapter Ten when Gunnar is going home?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Many black people are as prejudiced against white people as the other way around.

1. Do you think Gunnar's feelings towards white people are justified?

2. Some people call the idea of minorities hating the majority "reverse prejudice." What do you think this means and do you believe it exist?

3. Discuss why it is almost inevitable that an oppressed minority would be prejudiced against their oppressors. Use examples from The White Boy Shuffle and your own life to support your response.

Essay Topic 2

The White Boy Shuffle could be said to be a "bildungsroman" of Esi. Discuss the following:

1. Define the concepts "bildungsroman" and "coming of age."

2. Thoroughly trace and analyze The White Boy Shuffle as a bildungsroman of Gunnar. Give specific examples. What does Gunnar learn? How has he changed? Is the change for the better?

3. Thoroughly trace and analyze The White Boy Shuffle as a black power story. Give specific examples. What does Gunnar learn? What does Nick learn? What would blacks say about Gunnar's actions?

Essay Topic 3

Discuss one of the following:

1. Do you think racism still exists in the United States? Why or why not? Use examples from the text and your own life to support your answer.

2. Discuss in depth several things that you can do in your own life to help stop prejudice against any group of people. Use examples from the text and your own life to support your answer.

3. According to the hate crime law any person harming another person and the primary motivation is prejudice or hatred that crime is more serious than the same act against a person that does not have that motivation. Do you think this is a good law? Why or why not? Use examples from the text and your own life to support your answer.

(see the answer keys)

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