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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. How long does Sarny say it took Waller and his dogs to catch Jim when he ran in Chapter 4?

2. When did Abraham Lincoln issue the Emancipation Proclamation proclaiming the freedom of slaves in the ten states that were still in rebellion?

3. What is "the next letter" that John introduces to Sarny on the second night of his recovery in Chapter 6?

4. By what order does John teach Sarny to learn letters?

5. How many slaves are estimated to have escaped to freedom in American History?

Short Essay Questions

1. How does Sarny describe the circumstances of the slaves in the beginning of Chapter 5?

2. What is foreshadowed by Alice's treatment and abuse from Waller in Chapter 4?

3. How does Mammy respond when Sarny runs to her at the spring house in Chapter 5?

4. How is John's departure described in Chapter 6? What does Sarny make of John's farewell?

5. How does Sarny describe the first day of John's recovery in Chapter 6?

6. What causes Master Waller to send Old Delie to the spring house in Chapter 5?

7. What happens after Alice's whipping in Chapter 4? How are Alice's wounds treated?

8. What leads up to Alice being being whipped by Waller in Chapter 4? How is her whipping described?

9. What element of the novel's plot structure is seen in Chapter 5?

10. Why do you think it is important for John to teach the slaves to read and write as opposed to teaching them other information?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Discuss the meaning and the value of money as seen through Sarny’s eyes in Nightjohn. What does Sarny remark about the monetary value that her mother brought for Waller? How does this perception of people as having a monetary value impact Sarny’s view of the world around her? What negative impacts might this outlook cause in a person’s self worth?

Essay Topic 2

Analyze the character of Mammy, or Old Delie, in the novel. About how old do you imagine Mammy to be? What is Mammy’s essential function on Waller’s plantation? How would you describe the bond between Sarny and Mammy?

Essay Topic 3

Analyze and discuss the narrative style of Nightjohn. Who is the narrator of the story? Is the narrator involved in the action of the narrative? In what tense is the narrative related? Why do you think that the author chose this narrative style? How would the story differ if it were told from a different point of view?

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