Show:
Who am I?
Setting
Hodge-Podge
Vocabulary
Critical Thinking
100
Mr. Falk
Who is the Irish Catholic coworker who helped Richard Wright borrow books with his library card?
100
The city where this story takes place
What is Memphis, Tennessee?
100
Why is the essay is titled "The Library Card."
Because it is about Wright's struggle to read library books despite unjust laws.
100
Advocate
What is "to support" or "defend."
100
What inspired Richard to read Mencken's books?
See para 1-3
200
Bess
Who is Richard Wright's girlfriend who he considers marrying at the end of the essay?
200
The historical period during which this story takes place
What is the 1960's/the Jim Crow era?
200
Name 1 book that inspired Wright.
What is Sinclair Lewis' Main Street/Mencken's A Book of Prefaces
200
Genial ("I could submit and life the life of a genial slave")
What is submissive and cheerful?
200
Examine Wright's interaction with the librarian. How does he behave? What does this reveal about his personality?
He pretends to be the genial slave by acting as if he is slow and knows his "place."
300
Mr. Gerald
Who is Richard Wright's boss?
300
Where Richard Wright considers moving to at the end of the essay.
What is the North?
300
Name 3 men Mencken describes "so passionately" in his books.
Who are Joseph Conrad, Dostoevski, and Mark Twain? (Or any 3 from paragraph 62).
300
Denounce ("consumed with hate, denouncing everything American")
What is criticizing?
300
Describe Wright's reaction upon reading Mencken's writing. Does he seem to admire him? Dislike him? Explain.
See para 61.
400
Don
Who is a Jewish coworker Richard Wright thinks of asking for help?
400
Where Richard Wright says he works.
What is an Optical Company?
400
Why did Wright fear telling his coworkers about his plans to move (para 89)?
He feared they would change toward him and think that he was "challenging" them.
400
Extolling ("extolling everything European or German")
What is praising?
400
Of the writers listed in paragraph 62, what do they all have in common? How might they appeal to Wright?
Varies (but students should demonstrate a knowledge of Wright's discussion on realism and naturalism. They should also explain how this type of writing would appeal to Wright.)
500
Mrs. Moss
Who is Richard Wright's landlady?
500
What does Richard have to do to borrow books by H.L. Mencken?
What is convince Mr. Falk to lend him a library card AND forge a letter asking the librarian to let him borrow the books for Mr. Falk.
500
Patronize ("Negroes were not allowed to patronize its shelves")
What is shop/browse?
500
How does Richard Wright demonstrate growth mindset?
Varies but must demonstrate critical thinking