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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. Irving remarks that when she was Jared's age, she had already decided that she would be taking which action someday?

2. How old was Irving when her aunt moved to Cambridge?

3. How many years into her "waking-up process" (199) did Irving have the experience of seeing her appearance differently?

4. Irving recounts in Chapter 28: I Am the Elephant a conversation she had with her friend Kathy, who hails from which country?

5. Irving reports that she finally came to undersand the adage, "You can only change" (208) what?

Short Essay Questions

1. What major goal discussed in Chapter 22: did it take Irving years to accomplish?

2. How did the magic step activity change Gerrard's behavior and why?

3. What did Irving learn from her experience with the mirror one year into her "waking-up process" (199)?

4. For how many years had Irving been associated with the preschool when she took a proactive step to address inequity? Why is this fact significant?

5. Before Irving learned about conflict resolution, how did she deal with uncomfortable feelings?

6. In what way does the theme of isolation arise within Chapter 25: Belonging?

7. How did Irving first become familiar with the city of Cambridge and for how many years had she lived there at the time of her writing?

8. In what way does Irving indicate in Chapter 28: I Am the Elephant that growth can be painful?

9. How does Irving describe the experience of letting go of her self-image in Chapter 32: Getting Over Myself?

10. What is the symbolism of the calabash fruit, as discussed in Chapter 33: Perception and Fear?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

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

Essay Topic 2

Discuss Irving's choice to construct the text of Waking Up White using events from her own life as catalysts for discussion. What elements of the book's themes lend themselves to this choice and what are Irving’s intended effects on the reader?

Essay Topic 3

Discuss Irving’s messages concerning the nature of optimism. Does the text indicate that it is dangerous or crucial? Choose one adjective and prove its validity using concrete details from the text.

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