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This test consists of 5 short answer questions and 1 (of 3) essay topics.

Short Answer Questions

1. Who is Braimoh?

2. What common convenience can the poor people Chris is staying with not afford?

3. What has Ikem done in the past with his writing, according to the visitors?

4. Which of the following is true about Elewa?

5. What does Ikem say is the title of his speech?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Ikem says that "Writers don't give prescriptions, they give headaches."

1) Discuss what he means by this statement and tell whether you agree. Should writers provide solutions to the social problems they see, or is it their duty to simply bring these problems to light?

2) How does Ikem create "headaches" throughout the novel?

3) Do Ikem's headaches ever lead to solutions? If so, how?

Essay Topic 2

Write an essay about the use of West African Pidgin dialect in the dialogue.

1) Who uses the dialect? Why do some characters use it all the time while others switch back and forth?

2) What attitude is shown toward the dialect by various characters? For instance, consider how Ikem talks "deliberately over the head" of Elewa, and how Emmanuel speaks Pidgin to Adamma on the bus.

Essay Topic 3

Examine Ikem's theory of "New Radicalism" as presented in his speech at the university.

1) What is the problem with the idea of a proletarian-led democracy?

2) Who needs to clean up their act before democracy can be achieved?

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 310 words (approx. 2 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample