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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. The author writes to the letter recipient in "My Dungeon Shook," "You come from a long line of" what?

2. Of white people, the author says in "My Dungeon Shook," "You must accept them and accept them with" what?

3. The author claims in his conclusion of "My Dungeon Shook" that "we can make America" what?

4. What word from "My Dungeon Shook" refers to desire and determination to achieve success?

5. How does the author describe the letter recipient as a baby in "My Dungeon Shook"?

Short Essay Questions

1. What paradox does the author describe in "My Dungeon Shook"?

2. How does the author impress the importance of history on his nephew in "My Dungeon Shook"?

3. How does the author describe his relationship with his brother in "My Dungeon Shook"?

4. What does Baldwin claim to be "the root of my dispute with my country" in "My Dungeon Shook"?

5. What does the author claim to be the only way you can be destroyed in "My Dungeon Shook"?

6. How does the author rally his nephew in the conclusion of "My Dungeon Shook"?

7. What does the author write about the words "acceptance" and "integration" in "My Dungeon Shook"?

8. How does the author describe the temperament and attitudes of the letter recipient in "My Dungeon Shook"?

9. How does the author describe his mother in "My Dungeon Shook"?

10. Who is Charles Dickens and why does the author cite him in "My Dungeon Shook"?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Discuss the language style of The Fire Next Time. How would you describe the author's fluidity and lyricism in his language in the essays? What are examples of literary devices such as similes, metaphors, etc. employed by the author? How does the language style reflect upon the author?

Essay Topic 2

Describe the life and career of author James Baldwin. What role did Baldwin play in the Civil Rights Movement? What are the major themes and subjects of Baldwin's essays, plays, and novels? Where did Baldwin live for most of his life?

Essay Topic 3

Describe and analyze the structure of "Down at the Cross." What is the thesis presented by the author in this essay? How does Baldwin go about proving his thesis? What is illustrated in the conclusion of the essay?

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