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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 is the name of the river that flows nearby Camara's village?

2. Why do women who want a golden trinket hire a praise-singer to have the trinket made well and on time?

3. Who cuts the first swath of rice from the field on the day of the harvest?

4. What do the reapers do while they work?

5. Why doesn't Camara's family member want to get too far ahead of the rest of the reapers?

Short Essay Questions

1. After the snake encounter, Camara finds it amusing to yell to his mother, "There's a snake!" How does his mother react when he yells like this?

2. How are Camara's father's apprentices treated, and how does Camara feel about this?

3. Describe the behavior of Camara's school teacher in the French school he attended as a child.

4. How do Camara's mother's special powers manifest themselves as physical protection?

5. Describe the initial relationship between Camara and Fanta?

6. What do you know about Tindican? Where is it located, and how does Camara get there? What is special about the trip?

7. One day, Camara finds a little black snake with a strikingly marked body. What is special about this snake?

8. What happens in Tindican during the rice season in December?

9. What do the reapers do while they work on the fields, and how is their relationship?

10. According to Camara, what do many people think about country people, and what is Camara's opinion about them?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

In the African culture, rituals are important. Describe the preparatory ritual of Camara's father before he does gold work. What does this ritual involve? Why is this ritual important? Compare this ritual to other rituals Camara's father performs throughout "The Dark Child."

Essay Topic 2

Towards the last chapters of the book, the ocean plays an important role in Camara's life. What does the ocean symbolize? What happens at the ocean? How is love related to this theme? Why is the ocean special and different from what he knows? What does his love of the ocean foreshadow? How is the ocean important in the last chapter? Relate Camara's actions in chapter 12 to his aspirations in chapter 10.

Essay Topic 3

In chapter 9, Camara leaves home for Conakry. This is an important change in his life in relation to his environment, lifestyle and companions. Compare/contrast all these changes to his life before he turned fifteen.

(see the answer keys)

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