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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 kind of people are the people of Bellona?

2. Did the Richards ever have any intention of paying Kidd?

3. Why is Kidd attacked and beat up by "scorpions?"

4. What is the first line of the novel Dhalgren by Samuel R. Delany?

5. The next day, while Mrs. Richards and Kidd talk, what happens?

Short Essay Questions

1. Why does Kidd agree to stay at the Richards' place until Mr. Richards gets home?

2. In Chapter II, what else does Kidd realize about his past?

3. Does the reader know what is very curious about Bellona?

4. Why is Frank's introduction important in this part of the novel?

5. Who fills Kidd in on the riots that have occurred in Bellona?

6. What does Kidd discover when he goes exploring throughout the Richards' apartment?

7. By whom is Kidd beaten up and why does this happen?

8. What surprises Kidd about the sample book copy?

9. What event does Kidd hope changes Mrs Richards and forces her to see reality?

10. What is odd about the people who stay in Bellona after the event?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Tak is one of the only African American characters mentioned, outside of the black gangs.

Why do you think that none of Delany's main characters in the book are black?

Was this purposeful?

Essay Topic 2

Captain Kamp describes Bellona as being extremely similar to the moon. Once you have to ask why you are there, you should not be there anymore.

What do Captain Kamp's words mean?

Why are Captain Kamp's words about Bellona so important?

Essay Topic 3

Delany's Dhalgren is thought to be one of the best Science Fiction books of the 1970s and 1980s. Consider what thematic elements classify this book as Science Fiction.

1. How does this book differ from others in the Science Fiction genre?

2. What classifies a book as Science Fiction? How does this book seem to fall short of some of these criteria?

(see the answer keys)

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