Name: ______________________________________________ Date of Assignment: ___________

Period: ________ Date Due: ___________

Nightjohn
Reading Guide

Directions: As you read, respond to the following questions; they will give you a purpose for reading. Comprehension
questions can be short answer, but each extended response should be at least one paragraph long (5-7 sentences).

Chapter 1:

1. Who is Waller? How does Sarny feel about him?

2. Why is Sarny’s mother not around? Who raised Sarny?

3. How old is Sarny?

Chapter 2:

4. What was Sarny’s job in the flower garden? What does this job allow her to do?

5. How much money did Waller pay for Nightjohn? What does this tell you about Nightjohn?

6. How did Mammy pray?

Chapter 3:

7. Describe Nightjohn’s physical appearance.

8. What were meals like on the plantation?

9. What was traded between Nightjohn and Sarny?

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Extended Response One: Chapters 1-3

Read the following ex-slave narrative and write a response comparing your experience of learning to read with the
experience of both Sarny and Mr. John W. Fields.

Mr. John W. Fields, age 89, ex-slave interviewed September 17, 1937

“In most of us colored folks was the great desire to [be] able to read and write. We took advantage of every
opportunity to educate ourselves. The greater part of the plantation owners were very harsh if we were caught
trying to learn or write. It was the law that if a white man was caught trying to educate a Negro slave, he was
liable to prosecution entailing a fine of 50 dollars and a jail sentence. We were never allowed to go to town, and
it was not until after I ran away that I knew that they sold anything but slaves, tobacco, and whiskey. Our
ignorance was the greatest hold the South had on us. We knew we could run away, but what then? An offender
guilty of this crime was subjected to very harsh punishment.”

Federal Writer’s project, United States Work Projects Administration (USWPA); Manuscript Division, Library of
Congress

Extended Response One:

Chapter 4:

10. What happened with the following characters?

a. Alice:

b. Jim:

c. Pawley:

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 11. How did Mammy react when she catches Nightjohn teaching Sarny? Why?

12. How does her attitude change after Nightjohn explain his reason for teaching Sarny?

13. Why did Nightjohn come back to slavery after being free?

Chapter 5:

14. What letters has Sarny learned so far? What was her first word?

15. What was Nightjohn’s punishment for teaching reading and writing?

Extended Response Two: Chapters 4-5

This section of the book portrays acts of violence. Write a paragraph explaining the role that violence played in the slave
system.

Extended Response Two:

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Chapter 6:

16. Mammy says to Nightjohn, “You are born to leave.” What do you think she means?

17. What does Nightjohn promise Sarny? Does she believe him? Do you?

Chapter 7:

18. What has happened to Sarny since Nightjohn left?

19. What is a pit school?

Words:

20. What is meant by the last line on pg. 92, “Late he come walking and it be Nightjohn and he bringing us the way
to know”?

Extended Response Three: Chapters 6-7

Chapters Six and Seven document Nightjohn’s return and the establishment of the pit school. In one paragraph, discuss
why slaves would risk extreme punishment to attend the pit school and compare it to your own motivation to attend
school.

Extended Response Three:

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Extended Response Four: Culminating Response

In the end of Chapter Four, Nightjohn explains to Mammy why he is willing to risk the worst punishment to teach
reading and writing to his fellow slaves. Read the quote below and reflect in a short paragraph why Nightjohn feels so
strongly about teaching slaves to read and write.

“They have to read and write. We all have to read and write so we can write about this—what they doing to us. It has
to be written.”

Extended Response Four: