Question
Toni Morrison
B. Haq
Toni Morrison sported many hats, and she looked noteworthy in every hat that she wore. Morrison was at once a novelist, essayist, book editor, college professor, Pulitzer Prize winner, and Nobel laureate. She authored 11 novels, a handful of children’s books, and essay collections. Among her best-known novels are The Bluest Eye, Song of Solomon, Beloved, and A Mercy.
Street art depicting Morrison in Vitoria, Spain.
Early Life and Education
Morrison was born on February 18, 1931, in Lorain, Ohio. Growing up, her underprivileged family faced the menace of discrimination. She focused her mind on her studies and became an avid reader from a very young age. In her teen years, to make ends meet, she cleaned houses for affluent families and worked as a secretary at the local library. After graduating from high school, she first attended Howard University in Washington, D.C., and then earned a Master of Arts in English from Cornell University.
The Making of a Great Writer
After graduating in 1955, she taught at Texas Southern University but returned to Howard University as a professor. Later, she took up a job as a textbook editor at Random House publishing in Syracuse, New York. Soon, she began editing works of fiction by African American writers.
She published her first novel, The Bluest Eye, in 1970. Within ten years, she had written two more novels and had become a household name. A promising response from the public and literary critics or book reviewers inspired her to leave her job as an editor and take up writing full time. In 1998, she joined Princeton University as a professor and held that position until her death.
Her Impact
Morrison’s novels were based on the lived experiences of African American characters and contained ambitious themes and compelling narration. Black identity in America was embedded in her work, which, in particular, explored the experiences of African American women.
Portrait of Morrison for the
back cover of her novel,
The Bluest Eye (1970).
Her books were successful both as literary masterpieces as well as lucrative projects. In other words, her work was highly acclaimed by literary critics and sold well in the market. Her work is included in high school and college literary programs. Morrison left a treasure-trove of essential values for middle school readers as well. Though she didn’t write specifically for them, many of the characters in her novels were adolescents, and her themes explored the experiences of the youth.
Accolades
Among her best-known novels are The Bluest Eye and Beloved. She was awarded the Pulitzer Prize for the latter, which is based on the real-life story of Margaret Garner – an African American who lived in the pre-Civil War era.
In 1993, she became the first African American woman to win a Nobel Prize in Literature. In 1998, Morrison appeared on the cover of Time magazine. She earned the Presidential Medal of Freedom from President Barack Obama in 2012.
She died in 2019, at the age of 88, due to complications of pneumonia. She left a legacy behind, inspiring young writers to follow in her footsteps.
Question
Which detail from the article describes the focus of Morrison’s work?
Responses
A literary masterpieces as well as lucrative projectsliterary masterpieces as well as lucrative projects
B best-known novels are The Bluest Eye and Belovedbest-known novels are The Bluest Eye and Beloved
C first African American woman to win a Nobel Prizefirst African American woman to win a Nobel Prize
D lived experiences of African American characterslived experiences of African American characters
B. Haq
Toni Morrison sported many hats, and she looked noteworthy in every hat that she wore. Morrison was at once a novelist, essayist, book editor, college professor, Pulitzer Prize winner, and Nobel laureate. She authored 11 novels, a handful of children’s books, and essay collections. Among her best-known novels are The Bluest Eye, Song of Solomon, Beloved, and A Mercy.
Street art depicting Morrison in Vitoria, Spain.
Early Life and Education
Morrison was born on February 18, 1931, in Lorain, Ohio. Growing up, her underprivileged family faced the menace of discrimination. She focused her mind on her studies and became an avid reader from a very young age. In her teen years, to make ends meet, she cleaned houses for affluent families and worked as a secretary at the local library. After graduating from high school, she first attended Howard University in Washington, D.C., and then earned a Master of Arts in English from Cornell University.
The Making of a Great Writer
After graduating in 1955, she taught at Texas Southern University but returned to Howard University as a professor. Later, she took up a job as a textbook editor at Random House publishing in Syracuse, New York. Soon, she began editing works of fiction by African American writers.
She published her first novel, The Bluest Eye, in 1970. Within ten years, she had written two more novels and had become a household name. A promising response from the public and literary critics or book reviewers inspired her to leave her job as an editor and take up writing full time. In 1998, she joined Princeton University as a professor and held that position until her death.
Her Impact
Morrison’s novels were based on the lived experiences of African American characters and contained ambitious themes and compelling narration. Black identity in America was embedded in her work, which, in particular, explored the experiences of African American women.
Portrait of Morrison for the
back cover of her novel,
The Bluest Eye (1970).
Her books were successful both as literary masterpieces as well as lucrative projects. In other words, her work was highly acclaimed by literary critics and sold well in the market. Her work is included in high school and college literary programs. Morrison left a treasure-trove of essential values for middle school readers as well. Though she didn’t write specifically for them, many of the characters in her novels were adolescents, and her themes explored the experiences of the youth.
Accolades
Among her best-known novels are The Bluest Eye and Beloved. She was awarded the Pulitzer Prize for the latter, which is based on the real-life story of Margaret Garner – an African American who lived in the pre-Civil War era.
In 1993, she became the first African American woman to win a Nobel Prize in Literature. In 1998, Morrison appeared on the cover of Time magazine. She earned the Presidential Medal of Freedom from President Barack Obama in 2012.
She died in 2019, at the age of 88, due to complications of pneumonia. She left a legacy behind, inspiring young writers to follow in her footsteps.
Question
Which detail from the article describes the focus of Morrison’s work?
Responses
A literary masterpieces as well as lucrative projectsliterary masterpieces as well as lucrative projects
B best-known novels are The Bluest Eye and Belovedbest-known novels are The Bluest Eye and Beloved
C first African American woman to win a Nobel Prizefirst African American woman to win a Nobel Prize
D lived experiences of African American characterslived experiences of African American characters
Answers
GPT-4o mini
D) lived experiences of African American characters