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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. Around how many Indian boarding schools at one time existed in the United States, all inspired by the Carlisle School?

2. In what year did Dr. McIntosh write an essay called "White Privilege: Unpacking the Invisible Knapsack" (86)?

3. Irving describes her childhood neighborhood as being "almost exclusively" (24) what?

4. What was the first name of the woman who established New Salem Academy through the acquisition of a land grant?

5. Irving remembers a family member telling her that Indians "were lovely people who became" what "when they drank liquor" (15)?

Short Essay Questions

1. Compare and contrast the answer Irving's mother gave her in Chapter 1: What Wasn't Said with the answer Irving believes should have been delivered.

2. Discuss an instance when Irving uses statistics to back up one of her points regarding racism.

3. Discuss the impact of the philosophy of colorblindness as it relates to the fight for social justice.

4. What is the motivation for the dominant culture's stance regarding America as either a melting pot or a mosaic?

5. What is the symbolism of the set of diplomas described in Chapter 16: Logos and Stereotypes?

6. Which movement within history does Irving wish her parents had discussed with her?

7. What is another term for inattentional blindness and what do the two terms mean?

8. What solution does Irving offer for creating a more complete picture of American history?

9. For what purpose does Irving include an allusion to Norman Rockwell in Chapter 2: Family Values?

10. What message does Irving send in Chapter 3: Race Versus Class about the distinction between those two elements of society?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Choose an object from Waking Up White, such as an electrical shock or some other symbolic object and discuss its overall meaning and its connection to themes within the text.

Essay Topic 2

Write an essay examining how the text portrays the American Dream. Is there one American Dream or are there many different ones, according to Irving? What is the text saying about the American dream in the 21st century?

Essay Topic 3

Discuss the messages sent about the theme of appearance versus reality within Waking Up White.

(see the answer keys)

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