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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. Why did Malcolm get fired from his job on the railway?

2. What is the name of the Jewish man for whom Malcolm works?

3. What does Malcolm say Harlem has lost in this chapter?

4. What is Malcolm's father's job?

5. Who does Sammy contact in this chapter?

Short Essay Questions

1. How did Malcolm deal with the trouble he has with Archie?

2. Why does Malcolm think hustling is preferable to a normal, straight life?

3. In what way did Malcolm's prison education mold his later ideas?

4. What is the main thing Malcolm says he gets out of dating a white woman?

5. How does Malcolm get started on narcotics?

6. How are Malcolm and his gang able to get into the houses to rob them?

7. Summarize Chapter 6.

8. How does Malcolm avoid the draft?

9. What do Malcolm's early life experiences teach him?

10. In Chapter 7 how does Malcolm get deeper into illegal activity?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

What is Islam? How are its teachings different from Christianity? Why did Malcolm identify so much with Islam? Why do the teachings of Islam and the teachings of Christianity seem to clash? Is it just to do with religion?

Essay Topic 2

Compare the characters of Malcolm X and Elijah Muhammad.

1) In what ways are their ideas different?

2) What is their relationship to each other?

3) Why do you think they cannot sort out their differences?

Essay Topic 3

Look at the structure of the novel.

1) Discuss elements of the narrative structure: exposition, conflict, complication, climax, resolution and conclusion. Do all the elements make for a logical and linear story? How does the story's structure express the book's ideas?

2) Examine the way both Malcolm and Alex Haley use the other people in the story to express Malcolm's ideas.

(see the answer keys)

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