Theme for English B

"Theme for English B" is told from which point of view?

• a. first person

• b. second person

• c. third person omniscient

• d. third person limited

The tone of "Theme for English B" shifts from

• a. frustrated and confused to insightful and assertive

• b. fearful to empowered

• c. ignorant to informed

• d. none of these

The speaker in the poem "Theme for English B" is ___________.

• Langston Hughes

• the instructor of a college course

• an African American college student

• a musician during the Harlem Renaissance

Paraphrase the following line from the poem: "Being me, it will not be white."

• a. He is turning in his theme on colored paper.

• b. His life experiences make him what he is, and that will come out in his writing.

• c. The teacher will automatically be prejudiced against his paper.

• d. The teacher will be able to tell it was written by a black person.

In literary analysis, how is the theme of a story different from its plot?

• The theme is the sequence of events, while the plot is the underlying message.

• The theme is the underlying message, while the plot is the sequence of events.

• The theme describes the characters, while the plot describes the setting.

• There is no difference; theme and plot are the same.

Which lines in the poem emphasize how Hughes and the teacher are connected?

• lines 1 - 5

• lines 30, 32, 34, and 35

• Lines 40 & 41

• none of these

Which of the following best articulates the theme of the poem?

• a. Race does not determine our worth, nor does anyone.

• b. In all circumstances, rise above your race.

• c. Despite differences, including race, we learn from one another and are connected.

• d. Teachers don't always have the answers

Which line from “Theme for English B” most clearly conveys the idea that the speaker is like everyone else?

• I am the only colored student in my class. (line 10)

• Well, I like to eat, sleep, drink, and be in love. (line 21)

• Sometimes perhaps you don't want to be a part of me. (line 34)

• I am twenty-two, colored, born in Winston-Salem. (line 7)

Read this section from “Theme for English B” to make and support an inference from the passage. It's not easy to know what is true for you or me at twenty-two, my age. But I guess I'm what I feel and see and hear, Harlem, I hear you: hear you, hear me—we two—you, me, talk on this page. (I hear New York, too.) Me—who? Well, I like to eat, sleep, drink, and be in love. I like to work, read, learn, and understand life. I like a pipe for a Christmas present, or records—Bessie, bop, or Bach. I guess being colored doesn't make me not like the same things other folks like who are other races. So will my page be colored that I write?

• The speaker is asserting that being colored does not dictate their likes and dislikes.

• The speaker believes that being colored defines their preferences.

• The speaker is expressing hatred towards other races.

• The speaker is indifferent to his cultural background.

Based on the evidence in the poem, what was Hughes’ attitude towards his assignment that his professor gave him?

• His attitude was nonchalant; he did not care because he was going to pass the class regardless.

• His attitude was frustrated because his assignment would not look like everyone else's due to his race.

• His attitude was elated because he could finally show his professor that he could do more than just play basketball.

• His attitude was angry due to the fact that his route to school was exhausting and he did not have the energy to write an assignment.