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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 is the name of Maggie's husband?

2. Whose propaganda are the newspapers full of?

3. What does Richard use to make deliveries?

4. What does Granny forbid in her house?

5. What kind of church does Richard attend with his mother?

Short Essay Questions

1. Why can Richard not believe in God?

2. Why does Richard get baptized in Chapter 6?

3. What does Wright think about his writing career in retrospect?

4. Why does Richard threaten Addie with a knife in Chapter 4?

5. Why does Richard dislike his job with the white family?

6. Why does Richard continue working for the second white family, even though he dislikes them?

7. What job does Richard find in Chapter 5?

8. Why does Richard think Grandpa is so bitter?

9. Why does Richard leave his job in the sawmill?

10. How does Richard burn down his grandparents' house?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Identify the main themes of the book. Why do you think these themes are so important to the book? How does Wright use character and setting to express his themes?

Essay Topic 2

Discuss differences between the novel and autobiographical formats. What are the main elements of a novel? What are the main elements of an autobiography? What can Wright not express in an autobiography that he can in a novel? How does Wright use these limitations to his advantage?

Essay Topic 3

Examine Wright's views on religion.

1) What does he mean by religion on a emotional level?

2) What does he mean by religion on an intellectual level?

3) Why does Wright accept God on both an emotional and intellectual level? Is it the same for everyone?

(see the answer keys)

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