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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 "E.&O.E." stand for?

2. What does the narrator in "Beta" claim you can explore art with?

3. What places does the narrator discuss in "Alpha"?

4. What does the narrator see at the end of "Tapestries of Time"?

5. What does "ex" stand for in "Beta"?

Short Essay Questions

1. What does the poem "Libretto for the Republic of Liberia" mean when it suggests that America is the narrator's mother and Liberia is his wife.

2. What is the significance of the Harlem Gallery according to Tolson?

3. How does the narrator define himself in "E.&O.E."?

4. How does the nickname African-China come about in the poem "African China"?

5. What is the significance of the Curator in Harlem Gallery distinguishing the importance of the word "ex"?

6. Why does Doctor Nkomo feel that life and art are linked?

7. Why does the poem "The Idols of the Tribe" open with a quote from Hitler?

8. What is the danger of worshiping false idols according to Tolson?

9. In "Pi" it is written that art without limits can climb mountains. What is meant by this?

10. Explain your interpretation of the line "You are / Black Lazarus risen from the White Man's grave" from the poem "Libretto for the Republic of Liberia."

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Discuss one of the characters in the Harlem Galleries. How does this character change from the beginning to the end of the collection? Do you believe Tolson allows the character to change if he or she does? Why does Tolson choose to allow the character to remain stagnant if he or she does? Choose one other character in the Harlem Galleries and explain their relationship with the initial character you chose.

Essay Topic 2

What is metaphor? Define this term and cite three examples of where Tolson uses metaphor in his poetry. Explain how this metaphor lends to the overall message of the poem.

Essay Topic 3

Tolson creates and discusses many interesting people in his poems. Choose one person or couple he mentions in a poem explain how those people or characters help deliver the message of the poem.

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