Black Boy by Richard Wright
- 1. Black Boy by Richard Wright is a powerful autobiographical account that vividly narrates the author's experiences growing up as an African American in the Deep South during the early 20th century. The book explores the themes of racial discrimination, poverty, and the struggle for identity, as Wright recounts his tumultuous childhood and adolescence in a world marked by oppression and violence. Through his poignant storytelling, he highlights the harsh realities faced by black individuals, including the brutality of racism and the relentless quest for dignity and self-expression. The narrative is not only a depiction of Wright's personal journey but also a broader commentary on the systemic injustices of society, as he grapples with his familial relationships, the influence of the Jim Crow laws, and his eventual move to Chicago in search of a better life. The prose is intensely emotional and reflective, revealing the triumphs and tribulations that shaped Wright's worldview and fueled his passion for writing, making Black Boy a seminal work in American literature that continues to resonate with readers today.
What is the protagonist's name?
A) James Baldwin
B) Frederick Douglass
C) Bigger Thomas
D) Richard Wright
- 2. What traumatic event happens to Richard's family early in the book?
A) Their house burns down.
B) They are sold into slavery.
C) They are forced onto a chain gang.
D) His father is lynched.
- 3. How does Richard get the money to eventually move North?
A) He wins money gambling.
B) His grandmother gives him an inheritance.
C) He wins a scholarship.
D) He saves money from various jobs and steals.
- 4. What is the main theme of 'Black Boy'?
A) The struggle for individual identity against racism
B) A mystery set in the Great Depression
C) A celebration of Southern culture
D) A comedy about family life
- 5. What literary genre is 'Black Boy' primarily classified as?
A) Autobiography
B) Science fiction
C) Historical fiction
D) Satire
- 6. What is the religion of Richard's grandmother?
A) Seventh-day Adventist
B) Catholic
C) Methodist
D) Baptist
- 7. What is a major source of conflict between Richard and his relatives?
A) His desire to become a farmer
B) His support of segregation
C) His rejection of their religious beliefs
D) His refusal to go to school
- 8. How does Richard feel about the white world as a child?
A) He is eager to join it and make white friends.
B) He is completely unaware of it.
C) He feels superior to white people.
D) He is confused and fearful of its arbitrary violence.
- 9. What does Richard use to get a library card in Memphis?
A) His birth certificate
B) His school identification
C) A forged note from a white coworker
D) He steals books instead.
- 10. What author has a profound impact on Richard's thinking?
A) William Shakespeare
B) H.L. Mencken
C) Mark Twain
D) Ernest Hemingway
- 11. What is Richard's final destination at the end of the book?
A) Chicago
B) Detroit
C) Boston
D) New York
- 12. How does young Richard accidentally set his family's house on fire?
A) By experimenting with chemicals
B) By knocking over a kerosene lamp
C) By starting a cooking fire
D) By playing with matches near the curtains
- 13. Richard's father abandons the family for what?
A) A job up North
B) Religious reasons
C) Another woman
D) The war
- 14. What major organization does Richard become involved with in Chicago?
A) The Black Panthers
B) The NAACP
C) The Communist Party
D) The UNIA
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