The Ballad of Black Tom: Literary Analysis Quiz

What figurative language is used when Tommy describes the sun's effect on him after hearing of his father's death? ("Inwardly he felt the sun close its distance from the earth; it came near enough to melt the great majority of Tommy's internal organs. A fire ran through his body, but he couldn't show it. He couldn't his open mouth to ask what happened to Otis, because he'd for- gotten he had a mouth.")

• Simile
• Metaphor
• Personification
• Hyperbole

Which literary device is employed in the phrase 'Malone's long face slackened'?

• Alliteration
• Onomatopoeia
• Synecdoche
• Personification

How does the author use imagery to convey the crowded state of Harlem?

• By comparing it to a flood
• By describing the noise
• By focusing on individual faces
• By listing street names

What is the significance of Tommy's repeated playing of the song 'Don't you mind people grinning in your face'?

• It's a way to earn money
• It represents his emotional state
• It's practice for a performance
• It's to annoy other passengers

How does the author use sensory details to enhance the scene at Robert Suydam's party?

• By describing the taste of the food
• By detailing the various languages spoken
• By focusing on the smell of the library
• By emphasizing the texture of the furniture

What is the primary conflict in the story?

• Man vs. Society
• Man vs. Nature
• Man vs. Supernatural
• Man vs. Self

Which element of the plot serves as the inciting incident?

• Tommy's meeting with Robert Suydam
• The death of Tommy's father
• Tommy's performance in the subway
• The party at Suydam's mansion

What role does the Victoria Society play in the story?

• It's the main setting
• It's a symbol of Tommy's aspirations
• It's a neutral ground for characters to interact
• It's the antagonist's headquarters

How does the author build tension throughout the story?

• Through fast-paced action scenes
• By withholding key information
• Through detailed descriptions of violence
• By alternating between different characters' perspectives

What is the significance of the 'Sleeping King' in the story?

• It's a metaphor for social change
• It's a literal mythical being
• It's a code name for a criminal organization
• It's a hallucination caused by stress