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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. Whose name is Harriet going to take when she leaves the plantation?

2. When Harriet goes to visit Mammy Ursula in May 17, 1822, what is Mammy doing?

3. What does Harriet have bad dreams about shortly before she leaves the plantation?

4. What is the name of the inn Harriet will travel to?

5. What reason does Harriet give for Jefferson not admitting he is the father of Sally's children?

Short Essay Questions

1. Why is it so important to Harriet that Mammy Ursula and Thruston approve of her decision to leave the plantation and pass as white?

2. Why is it clear that Peter Carr is not Harriet's or Beverly's father?

3. What do Harriet and her siblings hope Sally will admit before Harriet leaves, but Sally never does?

4. In The Middle of August 1822, what reason does Sally finally tell her children is the reason she left France and returned to Monticello?

5. What does Harriet finally realize when she considers that the other slave girls have only getting married and having babies in their futures?

6. Why doesn't Martha like Madison?

7. Why does Harriet's fiance say that Jefferson lies about slavery?

8. What about Jefferson's fulfilling of his promise to Sally to free her children makes Sally sad?

9. How does Harriet explain to Beverly her belief that she is not turning her back on her family and race by passing for white?

10. What reason does Harriet give Martha for her decision to pass as white?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Name and discuss three instances of foreshadowing in Wolf by the Ears. What are the events that occur and what future actions do they foreshadow?

Essay Topic 2

At different points in the book we see background characters who don't play a major role in the story, but who are placed there for important reasons. For example, at one point Harriet sees two girls chasing after one of the young men on the plantation. Why does the author put characters such as these in the book? What do they represent?

Essay Topic 3

Slavery is painted in a fairly rosy light in Wolf by the Ears. Yet, we know that this was not the norm. Why do you think the author glosses over the grittier aspects of slavery? What purpose does this serve in terms of the novel? If slaves had been treated poorly at Monticello, how might Harriet's journey toward freedom have been different?

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This section contains 700 words (approx. 3 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample