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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. What does Chief Nanga say a man ought to do if someone offers to make him a minister?

2. How many children do the Nangas have?

3. In what regard does John claim his country is improving?

4. What is Odili's father's first name?

5. Where does Odili go after Chief Nanga's important guest in Chapter 5 arrives?

Short Essay Questions

1. Why is Odili's father hated?

2. Why does Odili envy Peter?

3. Why is Odili surprised to be awakened early by Chief Nanga after his first night at the Minister of Culture's house?

4. On what does Odili focus during Chief Nanga's speech in Chapter 6?

5. What is significant about the languages spoken in the Nanga home?

6. How does "Push me down and take my threepence!" become a popular Anata joke?

7. Upon what does Odili reflect while lying in the bed of his guest suite at Chief Nanga's house?

8. How do Odili and Elsie meet?

9. What impression does Odili convey in his description of Chief Nanga's library?

10. How does Odili describe his reaction to being a prominent member of the dinner conversation?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

A subtle theme in "A Man of the People" is the disparity in sexual equality throughout Nigerian society. How are women portrayed as less important throughout the story? How is this status quo challenged? What female character embodies resignation to this standard, and what character challenges it? How is this shown in the story?

Essay Topic 2

As the chief protagonist and narrator of the story, Odili undergoes dramatic changes throughout the narrative, but as he is the one describing them, he does not explicitly state them. Trace the outline of Odili's character development and changes, being sure to answer the following questions:

1) In what regard does Odili primarily change?

2) In what ways does Odili seem to change, but ONLY seem?

3) What other characters and events have the biggest influence on Odili's changes?

Essay Topic 3

In Chapter 9, Timothy, the Christian carpenter, says that "Josiah has taken away enough for the owner to notice." Examine the relevance of this statement to the story. How is it shown to be true in Anata? Is it true in the country as a whole? Why is it noticed differently in a small village than in the whole country? Does this imply anything about large-scale democracy, and if so, what?

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