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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. Who were described as having an "insane free chummy cackle"? (Poem 1-"Drywater")

2. What, according to the third poem in the section "Drywater", what wasted and swayed forever?

3. At the end of the second poem in the "Drywater" section, who was described as "winning"?

4. What, according to the fifteenth poem in the "Village Tapes" section, would happen if "the writer can write & the farmer can sow"?

5. In the three-line poem, poem eighteen "Village Tapes", what did the people describe a race toward?

Short Essay Questions

1. In the second poem of the "Village Tapes" section, Morrison claimed that pilots are a problem. Why?

2. Morrison described the appearance of the the inhabitants of the island. How did Morrison describe the appearance of the men and women? ("Jamaica")

3. What did the poem that began "Silver shaken in the gloom" speak about?

4. Who did Morrison describe in the poem "Jamaica"?

5. Why did Morrison have the principal of the school holding his nose? ("Jamaica")

6. In the fourth poem from the "Drywater" section, how did Morrison bring religious imagery into the poem?

7. What did Morrison say needed to be done about the situation that the pilots were in? (Poem 2-"Village Tapes")

8. How did Morrison describe the vultures in the poem from the section "Jamaica"?

9. What is happening in the poem "Cassandra at the Well"?

10. In the ninth poem from the "Village Tapes" section, who is Morrison looking for?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Rarely did Morrison title his poetry. Discuss how this lack of standard titling either helped or hindered your understanding of the book. Did this lack of apparent labeling confuse you as a reader or solidify what was known about Morrison as a writer? How did the lack of titling affect your understanding?

Essay Topic 2

Morrison was very influenced by Nietzsche. Nietzsche's main philosophy was based upon living in reality and the advancement of an individual's culture. Although Morrison was enamored and influenced by Nietzsche, he did not live in reality given his extensive drug and alcohol use. Therefore, how did Morrison try to align his life (poetry) with the philosophy of Nietzsche? What poems spoke to living in reality? Which poems spoke to advancing one's culture? Did Morrison's drug/alcohol use create a reality for him? Use textual evidence from the poems to support findings.

Essay Topic 3

Morrison claimed that "real poetry doesn't say anything". Do you agree with his statement after reading his book? Why/Why not? Is Morrison's poetry "real"?

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