Behind the Scenes Section 1 Quiz

"If I have portrayed the dark side of slavery, I also have painted the bright side. The good that I have said of human servitude should be thrown into the scales with the evil that I have said of it."

_{Behind the Scenes by Elizabeth Keckley}

What does the word servitude mean as used in this excerpt?

• freedom

• slavery

• labor as punishment for a crime

• a waitress or waiter

"If I have portrayed the dark side of slavery, I also have painted the bright side. The good that I have said of human servitude should be thrown into the scales with the evil that I have said of it. I have kind, true–hearted friends in the South as well as in the North, and I would not wound those Southern friends by sweeping condemnation, simply because I was once a slave. They were not so much responsible for the curse under which I was born, as the God of nature and the fathers who framed the Constitution for the United States. The law descended to them, and it was but natural that they should recognize it, since it manifestly was their interest to do so. And yet a wrong was inflicted upon me; a cruel custom deprived me of my liberty, and since I was robbed of my dearest right, I would not have been human had I not rebelled against the robbery. God rules the Universe. I was a feeble instrument in His hands, and through me and the enslaved millions of my race, one of the problems was solved that belongs to the great problem of human destiny; and the solution was developed so gradually that there was no great convulsion of the harmonies of natural laws. A solemn truth was thrown to the surface, and what is better still, it was recognized as a truth by those who give force to moral laws. An act may be wrong, but unless the ruling power recognizes the wrong, it is useless to hope for a correction of it. Principles may be right, but they are not established within an hour. The masses are slow to reason, and each principle, to acquire moral force, must come to us from the fire of the crucible; the fire may inflict unjust punishment, but then it purifies and renders stronger the principle, not in itself, but in the eyes of those who arrogate judgment to themselves. When the war of the Revolution established the independence of the American colonies, an evil was perpetuated, slavery was more firmly established; and since the evil had been planted, it must pass through certain stages before it could be eradicated."

_{Behind the Scenes by Elizabeth Keckley}

Part A

Which statement best describes a claim the narrator makes about slavery?

• It will take time for people's opinions about slavery to change and new ideas to be put into practice.

• Slavery is in the past. People should focus on the future.

• Slavery is evil, and it should be eliminated immediately.

• People don't know anything about slavery unless they have been a slave.

Which of the following quotes BEST supports the previous claim Keckley makes about slavery?

• "If I have portrayed the dark side of slavery, I also have painted the bright side."

• "God rules the Universe. I was a feeble instrument in His hands, and through me and the enslaved millions of my race, one of the problems was solved that belongs to the great problem of human destiny . . ."

• "When the war of the Revolution established the independence of the American colonies, an evil was perpetuated, slavery was more firmly established . . ."

• "Principles may be right, but they are not established within an hour. The masses are slow to reason, and each principle, to acquire moral force, must come to us from the fire of the crucible . . ."

"And yet a wrong was inflicted upon me; a cruel custom deprived me of my liberty, and since I was robbed of my dearest right, I would not have been human had I not rebelled against the robbery."

_{Behind the Scenes by Elizabeth Keckley}

What claim does the author make about slavery? 

• Slaves were often seen as robbers because they were not trusted.

• Slavery takes away human beings' most important rights and slaves were right to fight against it.

• When slaves rebelled against the evils of slavery, they did not accomplish anything.

• The custom of slavery was cruel and inhuman.

"The young woman lifted one foot on the air. Then the other. She flew clumsily at first, with the child now held tightly in her arms. Then she felt the magic, the African mystery. Say she rose just as free as a bird. As light as a feather.

The Overseer rode after her, hollerin. Sarah flew over the fences. She flew over the woods. Tall trees could not snag her. Nor could the Overseer. She flew like an eagle now, until she was gone from sight."

_{"The People Could Fly" by Virginia Hamilton}

Part A

What does this excerpt reveal about the narrator's attitude toward Sarah?

• The narrator is envious that Sarah is able to escape.

• The narrator is happy that Sarah is able to escape.

• The narrator admires Sarah's bravery.

• The narrator fears that Sarah will fall.

Part B

Which quote best supports what is revealed about the narrator's attitude toward Sarah?

• "Tall trees could not snag her. Nor could the Overseer. She flew like an eagle now, until she was gone from sight."

• "The young woman lifted one foot on the air. Then the other."

• "She flew clumsily at first, with the child now held tightly in her arms."

• "The Overseer rode after her, hollerin."

Think about the texts Behind the Scenes by Elizabeth Keckley and "The People Could Fly" by Virginia Hamilton and answer the question that follows.

Which two of the following statements best describe a purpose for writing that both writers share?

• to explain the practice of slavery without offering any opinions about it

• to communicate that slavery was a practice that was cruel and unjust

• to provide basic facts about the practice of keeping slaves

• to highlight how slaves saw the human kindness of their masters

• to describe what life as a slave was like

Select all the phrases that have a positive tone.

• light as a feather

• secret magic

• black, shiny wings flappin' against the blue

• a hard, glinty coal

• flew like an eagle

Select all the phrases with a negative tone.

• a hard, glinty coal

• hard lump of clay

• light as a feather

• cracked his whip

• a slice-open cut of pain