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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. To which of the following illnesses did Lessing's brother often succumb?

2. How was Aunt Betty Cleverly like most women of her generation?

3. According to Lessing, where do most of the good biographers live?

4. In which book did Lessing write about Mr. Whitehead?

5. Which of the following historic examples does Lessing use to support her claims about human nature?

Short Essay Questions

1. Describe the circumstances that led to Alfred's depression.

2. Quoting a recent historian, to what major event does Lessing attribute current feelings of mistrust toward the government?

3. What did Lessing do one night when she was forced to remain in the cabin while her parents attended a dance?

4. According to Lessing in Chapter 2, what is the role of truth in autobiographical writing?

5. After tracing the history of her parents' lives, what does Lessing ponder?

6. According to Lessing's memory, how did she learn to interact with people around her?

7. In Chapter 7, what did Lessing and her brother do in the bush?

8. How did Lessing's mother explain the bout of illness that kept her confined to bed?

9. In your opinion, why does Lessing trace her lineage in the opening chapter?

10. Describe the conflict between Lessing's parents regarding the servants.

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Growing up in two distinct regions of the British Empire, Lessing received a very intimate portrait of race relations in the British territories before the dissolution of the Empire. Analyze the way in which Lessing approached race and race relations in her autobiography. How did she define the term, race, among the people living in Persia and Southern Rhodesia at that time? How did the different races interact in Southern Rhodesia? How did Lessing's understanding of race compare or contrast with the opinions of those around her?

Essay Topic 2

Analyze the way in which Lessing discussed children and childhood in her autobiography. Children appeared throughout the work, as Lessing explored her own childhood, as well as the children who she had with her various partners. How did she present childhood in the text? How did Lessing feel that children should be treated? How did she treat them in her portrayal of them? How did having children affect Lessing's life?

Essay Topic 3

After her experiences of living in Persia and Southern Rhodesia, Lessing formulated an opinion on "The Native Problem" - the dilemma that the English settlers in various Commonwealth holdings experienced in interacting with the people whose lands they occupied. Discuss Lessing's position on "The Native Problem". How did Lessing feel about that particular issue? How did her opinion compare to the opinions of her contemporaries? What was the underlying reasoning for her beliefs? Was she justified in her opinion?

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