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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 old is Slim a the end of Chapter 19?

2. Where is Mama living in 1953?

3. What year is it when Slim is released from Leavenworth?

4. What is Mavis's job?

5. After leaving Leavenworth, Slim returns to Chicago. What is his first plan?

Short Essay Questions

1. Slim's life sinks deeper into violence after his jailbreak. How is pimping becoming less exciting and more violent in Chapter 19?

2. How does the Chapter 22 title "Dawn" reflect the evolution of Slim's life at this stage?

3. Mavis is a female drug dealer and one of the few women in the story who is not a prostitute. How does Mavis being female make her an appropriate target for Slim's robbery attempt in Chapter 17?

4. How does Slim's reliance on drugs catch up with him in the end of chapter 15?

5. Slim has two near-murder experiences in Chapter 20. Who does he nearly kill, how and why doesn't he?

6. What does the sewer in the chapter 15 title refer to?

7. While out on bail in Chapter 16, how does Slim show his true colors as a friend to Sweet Jones and why?

8. How does the relationship between Chris and Slim evolve during the 1940's in Chapter 14?

9. Why is image, represented by material things, so important to a pimp?

10. Slim finally feels like he is totally alone when he is released from Leavenworth in Chapter 16 and discovers Chris has married and had a baby. Is his reaction to this information purely selfish or is it possible that he has himself contemplated marrying Chris and is jealous of her ability to establish love and stability for herself?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Tuskegee University has an opportunity to turn Bobby Beck into a Harlem Renaissance man, a black man full of creative power and prolific ability. Instead, they turn him out of the school after Bobby cannot be convinced to obey the rules. Is the University "cutting off its nose to spite its face" with this rejection of talent and genius? Should the school take on the responsibility of preventing an obviously troubled youth from becoming another crime statistic, particularly in an era when opportunities for black men were so few and far between and the need for powerful black intellectuals was so critical in the social equality movement? Conversely, is it the school's responsibility to babysit ungrateful children who cannot simply comply with reasonable standards for straight living and personal achievement?

Essay Topic 2

Compare and contrast Runt and Chris. How do their backgrounds differ, particularly with respect to their involvement with Slim? How does this affect their personal interactions with Slim and his treatment and regard for them?

Essay Topic 3

When Slim finally uses his intelligence towards a good and legitimate cause (studying the law so he can obtain his own early release) he is rewarded with an immediate positive feedback loop: he is released from prison early as he requested. How does this positive reinforcement encourage him to continue to employ his talents in positive directions?

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