Blackberry Winter by Margaret Mead - Exam
  • 1. Blackberry Winter, a poignant and evocative work by Margaret Mead, explores the intricate relationships between culture, environment, and human behavior. Set against the backdrop of a transformative period in American history, Mead delves into the lives of individuals and communities, using the metaphor of a 'blackberry winter'—a late spring cold snap that affects the burgeoning blackberry crops—as a symbol for the unexpected challenges and setbacks that can arise in the cycle of life. Within this narrative, Mead reflects on the resilience of the human spirit, the interconnectedness of all living things, and the profound impact of cultural practices on our understanding of nature. Through rich anthropological insights and vivid storytelling, Blackberry Winter invites readers to ponder the delicate balance between tradition and change, as well as the ways in which our collective experiences shape our identities and futures. Mead's unique perspective as a pioneering anthropologist shines through, offering a deep sense of empathy and understanding for the complexities of human existence.

    What is the primary genre of Margaret Mead's 'Blackberry Winter'?
A) Poetry collection
B) Novel
C) Autobiography
D) Anthropological study
  • 2. Mead's grandmother, who was a significant influence, had a career in what field?
A) Agriculture
B) Law
C) Medicine
D) Education
  • 3. Mead's first major anthropological fieldwork was conducted in which location?
A) The American Southwest
B) Samoa
C) Bali
D) Papua New Guinea
  • 4. What was the title of Mead's first and most famous book, based on her Samoan research?
A) Coming of Age in Samoa
B) The Chrysanthemum and the Sword
C) Patterns of Culture
D) Argonauts of the Western Pacific
  • 5. Mead's mother was actively involved in which social movement?
A) Women's suffrage
B) Labor unions
C) Abolition of slavery
D) Temperance
  • 6. Which of Mead's three husbands was also a famous anthropologist?
A) Gregory Bateson
B) Reo Fortune
C) Ruth Benedict
D) Luther Cressman
  • 7. In addition to her grandmother, which other family member was a particularly strong intellectual influence on Mead?
A) Her grandfather
B) Her father
C) Her mother
D) An aunt
  • 8. Mead did significant research on the importance of what in shaping personality?
A) Diet
B) Genetics
C) Climate
D) Culture
  • 9. Where did Margaret Mead earn her PhD?
A) Yale University
B) University of Chicago
C) Columbia University
D) Harvard University
  • 10. Mead held a curatorship at which major American museum for most of her career?
A) Smithsonian Institution
B) American Museum of Natural History
C) The Metropolitan Museum of Art
D) The Field Museum
  • 11. Which close friend and colleague of Mead is also a renowned anthropologist featured in the book?
A) Ruth Benedict
B) Bronisław Malinowski
C) Franz Boas
D) Claude Lévi-Strauss
  • 12. Mead's work often challenged Western assumptions about what?
A) Adolescence and gender roles
B) Religious doctrines
C) Economic systems
D) Political structures
  • 13. What was the profession of Mead's father?
A) Farmer
B) Medical doctor
C) Businessman
D) Professor of economics
  • 14. The book 'Blackberry Winter' was published in which decade?
A) 1960s
B) 1980s
C) 1950s
D) 1970s
  • 15. Which university did Mead attend for her undergraduate studies?
A) Barnard College
B) Bryn Mawr College
C) Wellesley College
D) Vassar College
  • 16. Mead's fieldwork with Gregory Bateson was conducted in which location?
A) Bali
B) Samoa
C) Morocco
D) New Guinea
  • 17. What was a primary methodological innovation Mead used in her Bali research?
A) Statistical analysis
B) Excavation
C) Photography
D) Genealogical mapping
  • 18. Mead was a prolific writer for which popular magazine?
A) Redbook
B) The New Yorker
C) Time
D) National Geographic
  • 19. Mead's work has been criticized in later decades for what reason?
A) Lack of publication
B) Fabrication of data
C) Methodological oversimplification
D) Political bias
  • 20. What was the name of Mead's only child?
A) Elizabeth Fortune Mead
B) Sarah Cressman Mead
C) Mary Catherine Bateson
D) Anna Benedict Mead
  • 21. Who was Mead's doctoral advisor and a major figure in American anthropology?
A) Edward Sapir
B) Franz Boas
C) Robert Lowie
D) Alfred Kroeber
  • 22. In the book, Mead describes her father as primarily being what?
A) An engineer
B) An economist
C) A minister
D) A farmer
  • 23. Mead's second husband was from what country?
A) New Zealand
B) England
C) Canada
D) Australia
  • 24. What was the name of Mead's second husband?
A) William Fielding
B) Gregory Bateson
C) Reo Fortune
D) Luther Cressman
  • 25. Mead argued that personality is largely a product of what?
A) Genetic inheritance
B) Individual free will
C) Cultural conditioning
D) Economic class
  • 26. What was a key methodological approach in Mead's anthropology?
A) Laboratory experiments
B) Statistical analysis
C) Participant observation
D) Textual criticism
  • 27. What year was 'Blackberry Winter: My Earlier Years' first published?
A) 1960
B) 1972
C) 1984
D) 1952
  • 28. The title 'Blackberry Winter' refers to a late spring cold snap that coincides with the blooming of what?
A) Cherry blossoms
B) Blackberry bushes
C) Lilac bushes
D) Apple trees
  • 29. Who was Margaret Mead's famous anthropologist grandmother, a major influence mentioned in the book?
A) Martha Ramsay Mead
B) Margaret Mead Sr.
C) Emily Fogg Mead
D) Ruth Benedict
  • 30. What major world event occurred during Mead's early childhood, which is mentioned as a backdrop?
A) The Great Depression
B) The Spanish Flu pandemic
C) World War II
D) World War I
  • 31. Mead describes her family's intellectual environment as being particularly strong in what area?
A) Social sciences
B) Natural sciences
C) Fine arts
D) Classical literature
  • 32. How many husbands did Margaret Mead have, as mentioned in her autobiographical reflections?
A) Four
B) Two
C) Three
D) One
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