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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. The second poem within Vintage Hughes focuses on the stories of whom?

2. What literary technique is used throughout the poem "Ballad of the Fortune Teller"?

3. What is the middle initial of the speaker in the poem "Madam's Past History"?

4. What advice does the gypsy give to the speaker of the poem entitled "Bad Luck Card"?

5. How much money does the subject of the poem "Brass Spittoons" make per day?

Short Essay Questions

1. In what way is repetition used within the poem entitled "Brass Spittoons"?

2. To what element does Hughes compare the object of a drum in the poem entitled "Drum"?

3. In what way is the theme of peace depicted in the poem called "Death of an Old Seaman"?

4. In what way does the speaker of the poem "Daybreak in Alabama" want to commemorate the beauty of the titular subject?

5. In what way is the theme of isolation depicted within the poem entitled "Little Old Letter"?

6. The poem entitled "I, Too" is a response to a poem by what famous American author?

7. Which two marginalized groups are focused upon within the poem "America"?

8. In the poem entitled "Widow Woman," how is the technique of hyperbole utilized?

9. In what way is the water motif included within the very first poem in the collection?

10. What action does the speaker of the poem entitled "October 16:The Raid" want the reader to take regarding John Brown?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Could a particular poem or story within the collection entitled Vintage Hughes be classified as a coming-of-age story? Why or why not?

Essay Topic 2

Write a critical essay about the collection Vintage Hughes while using the critical power theory lens of Marxist theory. Use textual evidence to back up your strong, specific claim regarding the novel's treatment of issues such as socioeconomic status, hierarchies, wealth, class, or any other issues related to Marxist theory that can be found in the collection.

Essay Topic 3

How do the themes of deception and secrecy function within the collection and what is Hughes’s message regarding these themes?

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