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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. What must Milkman promise in order to find out more from Guitar?

2. How does Milkman get to see his best friend?

3. What is another name for the hospital in the story?

4. What is the goal of the organization?

5. Where does Milkman go to hide from Hagar?

Short Essay Questions

1. Why does Guitar leave Milkman alone, even though Guitar is certain Hagar is coming to kill him?

2. Why did Pilate and Macon go into hiding?

3. What does First Corinthians' job mean to her?

4. What does Guitar do when he finds Hagar frozen as she stands over Milkman?

5. What is the surprise Milkman encounters when he goes to Susan Byrd's house?

6. How does Hagar try to kill Milkman as he is lying on the couch?

7. How does Hagar get the money to buy things to make herself pretty?

8. What hinders Milkman's journey to his father's old house?

9. What is the progress of Milkman's trip back home?

10. What is the job that First Corinthians takes?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

In the end, Milkman 'flies' off into a chasm, but it's not certain what happens after that. Following in his great grandfather's footsteps, it seems Milkman wants to make a leap as well.

Part 1 - Why do you think Milkman decided to leap off into the chasm? What was his motivation?

Part 2 - Do you think Milkman actually flew at the end of the story? Or perhaps you think it was a figurative flight? Explain your answer.

Part 3 - What do you think happens to Guitar after this scene? What does he do when he can not kill Milkman as he planned?

Essay Topic 2

Pilate does something shocking when Milkman returns from speaking to Susan Byrd about Sing and his family. The reader is shocked at this point, but there is method to the madness.

Part 1 - What does Pilate do upon Milkman's arrival? What does this seem to say about Pilate's opinion of Milkman's actions?

Part 2 - Why does Pilate change her mind so quickly about Milkman's situation? What does this say about Pilate?

Part 3 - Why do you think Milkman is so certain Pilate will not kill him?

Essay Topic 3

The concept of love is a strange one in this novel as it seems to be out of proportion for the relationships that are described.

Part 1 - Describe Macon's love for Ruth.

Part 2 - Describe Ruth's love for her son and for her father.

Part 3 - Describe Hagar's love for Milkman.

Part 4 - What do these examples of love seem to indicate about the novel's ideas of love? Is love a good thing? A bad thing? A strange thing? Why?

(see the answer keys)

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