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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. In what state does Broome grow up?

2. In Part II, what does Broome say he learned as a boy detracted from his Blackness?

3. In Part II, where is one of the first places Broome goes that is specifically meant for gay men to socialize and have sex?

4. Who is Broome's good platonic friend in "Sandalwood"?

5. Who is the first person Broome remembers having a crush on?

Short Essay Questions

1. How does Broome think Mr. Nye views him?

2. Why does Broome's father like Corey so much in the section titled "Colder"?

3. In "The Rent," what do Broome's roommates at college confront him about?

4. What does Broome think about the reasons his mother told his father to leave?

5. How does Broome feel the first time he goes to the Arena Health Club?

6. What does Broome's mother tell him after the incident at the Red Caboose?

7. Why does Broome want to go to the Red Caboose so badly?

8. Why does Corey want Broome to have sex with a girl in front of other boys in the section "Colder"?

9. How does Broome initially feel about the fire that destroys his family's house?

10. What does Broome think will happen to his father after the fire?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

In Part I, why is the spelling bee so important to Broome, and what does he understand almost intuitively about his teacher Mr. Nye's perceptions and expectations of him? Write an essay explaining your answers.

Essay Topic 2

What influence do the writings and philosophies of James Baldwin have on Broome, as both Broome and the writer of the Introduction, Yona Harvey, explain them? Write an essay describing your answers, citing specific references to the text to help support your conclusions.

Essay Topic 3

Why does Broome seem to identify so closely with Tuan, the young Black boy on his bus journey who he revisits throughout the memoir? Write an essay explaining your answers, citing specific references to the text to help support your conclusions.

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 640 words (approx. 3 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample