31 pages 1 hour read

Gwendolyn Brooks

We Real Cool

Fiction | Poem | Adult | Published in 1960

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Literary Device Questions

1. What literary device is exemplified by the repeated line breaks after “We”? (short answer)

2. How many speaker perspectives are in the poem?

A) one

B) two

C) three

D) four

3. Which of these is an example of alliteration?

A) “Thin gin.”

B) “Left school.”

C) “Jazz June.”

D) “Die soon.”

4. Which of these ideas best describes the theme of the poem?

A) Young men shouldn’t drop out of school.

B) Young Black men face systemic racism every day.

C) Youthful rebellion is something to be celebrated, not criticized.

D) Youthful rebellion is self-aware and often comes with its own anxieties.