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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. Why does Randolph tell Harriet to show the letter he sends her to Martha?

2. According to Sally, in The Middle of August 1822, what is making Jefferson sad?

3. How does Harriet meet her fiance?

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

5. Why does Sally say she came back from Paris to Monticello with Jefferson?

Short Essay Questions

1. What does Beverly tell Harriet to prove to her that Jefferson will never acknowledge that they are his children?

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

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

4. In October of 1821, why is Harriet spending her free time walking around the plantation?

5. In the section titled May 15, 1822, what decision has Beverly made that pleases Harriet?

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

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

8. What about Sally's attitude toward Beverly's decision on the subject of his freedom bothers Harriet?

9. When Harriet visits Mammy Ursula in That Same Day, May 17, 1822, how does Mammy Ursula respond to Harriet's revelation that she'll be leaving the plantation soon?

10. What is Jefferson's personal conflict regarding his attitude toward Sally and her children?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Which characters play a role in making Harriet see how important it is to take her freedom? What do they do that helps to convince her? Why are these characters successful in convincing her even when her own mother is not?

Essay Topic 2

The question of Harriet's paternity is an overlying theme in this book. Why is who Harriet's father is so important to her? Do we ever know for certain that Jefferson is her father? Why do you think the author deals with the question of her paternity in this manner?

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?

(see the answer keys)

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