112 pages 3 hours read

Jesmyn Ward

The Fire This Time

Nonfiction | Book | Adult | Published in 2016

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Essay Topics

1.

The Fire This Time is dedicated to Trayvon Martin and other members of the African diaspora. Why is Martin such an important figure, according to the anthology’s authors? How do they describe him and the aftermath of his death? 

2.

Describe the influence of James Baldwin upon this anthology. How do his words, quoted in several pieces, speak to current events? Select at least three Baldwin quotes from three separate works in The Fire This Time to support your answer. 

3.

The theme of public grief emerges often in this anthology. What events provoke this grief? How do the authors express their despair and frustration in words and in action? How does grief unite people?