Roots

Roots by Alex Haley

(Background Information - Connections to Today's World)

P. 202 - Thematic Connection

1. What year was Roots published?

P. 202 - Alex Haley

2. What was Alex Haley's first big writing success?

3. How many people viewed the Roots mini-series when it was on television?

P. 203 - Roots

4. What is a "griot"? (Footnote #1)

P. 204 - Roots

5. What do the villagers begin to do around Haley?

6. What do the women in the village want Haley to do?

7. Build Vocabulary: What is the definition of "congealed"?

P. 205 - Roots

8. Critical Viewing - Look at the painting on page 205. How does the artist convey the vibrancy of African dance without depicting movement? Does Haley's description of Africa convey the same feeling?

P. 206 - Roots

9. Build Vocabulary: What is the definition of "cacophony"?

Check Your Comprehension

10. Before Haley visited Juffure, what information did he have about his ancestor?

11. Why did the African mothers hand their babies to Haley? What were the villagers telling Haley through this gesture?

Critical Thinking

12. Interpret: What does being addressed as "Meester Kinte" represent to Haley?