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This test consists of 5 short answer questions, 8 short essay questions, and 1 (of 3) essay topics.

Short Answer Questions

1. In line 16, what word does the speaker use to describe the feet of his own race?

2. What are the sex workers wearing on their feet?

3. In line 1, "footsteps of a lass" is an example of which technique?

4. In the first image of the sex workers, what is being emphasized?

5. What does the expression "feet of clay" in line 15 refer to?

Short Essay Questions

1. What does the poem conclude is the cause of the women's choice to pursue sex work?

2. Where is Harlem and why is it significant to the meaning of this poem?

3. How does the use of the word "prowling" contrast with the poem's previous descriptions of the women?

4. What is the poem's first image, and how does it set a tone for the rest of the poem?

5. How does McKay convey the idea that these women are sex workers?

6. What indications does the speaker give that he feels the sex workers' choices indicate something about all Black people in America?

7. Describe the form of this poem.

8. How does the second stanza set up a contrast between dark and light?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

There is a long tradition of visual and literary artists using sex workers as symbols. In a patriarchal society where sex work is largely dominated by women and the arts have historically been dominated by men, this means a large number of male painters and writers trying to convey something about the world through the figure of the female sex worker. Is this inherently problematic? Is Claude McKay's use of female sex workers problematic in any way? Do some research into how sex workers have been portrayed in art and literature. Use this background information to develop your own opinion about the reasons these female figures have been used symbolically and the ethical implications of this use. Then, decide to what extent McKay's use of sex workers as symbols falls in line with traditional uses and whether you find his particular use of them to be ethical or unethical. Write an essay in which you take and defend a position on these issues, supporting your assertions with evidence drawn from "Harlem Shadows" and from your background research. Be sure to cite your evidence in MLA format.

Essay Topic 2

Read Claude McKay's poem "On Broadway" (widely available online). In this poem, you will also see a speaker immersed in a New York environment, observing a nighttime scene. You will see the personification of desire as well as references to feet, the heart, and ceaseless motion. All of these elements are very like "Harlem Shadows"--but the intent of "On Broadway" is very different. Write an essay comparing and contrasting these two poems. Show how it is possible for two poems by the same author to have so many elements in common and yet convey very different ideas about life. Be sure to support your assertions with evidence from both poems and to cite your sources in MLA format.

Essay Topic 3

Choose another of McKay's poems and write an essay that compares and contrasts it with "Harlem Shadows," using biographical information about McKay to illuminate the similarities and differences between the two poems. (For the second poem, do not choose a McKay poem already discussed in class.) Your goal is not to analyze these poems but to demonstrate how the two poems reflect Claude McKay's era, his typical subject matter, and his style. Support your arguments with both quoted and paraphrased evidence from both poems, and be sure to cite all evidence--including outside sources--in MLA format.

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