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This test consists of 5 short answer questions, 10 short essay questions, and 1 (of 3) essay topics.

Short Answer Questions

1. What do the people do when Sue speaks to them?

2. What is Sue primarily afraid of that night?

3. What has the sheriff discovered that has him upset?

4. What does Sue say when the Sheriff ask where Johnny-Boy is?

5. What is one of the most consistent situations we read about in Sue's life?

Short Essay Questions

1. What does Sue first think she should do?

2. What does Sue do when her son falls asleep and what does she decide?

3. What do Reva and Sue wonder about concerning the sheriff?

4. What does Sue think about her sons?

5. How does Sue feel about facing down the sheriff and what does she do?

6. Why can't Sue quit worrying about her son?

7. How does Reva feel about Sue's answers to her questions?

8. What does Johnny-Boy do when he arrives home?

9. What does Sue realize about Johnny-Boy and his work?

10. What does Sue resolve to do as they take her to the sheriff?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

As we have suspected from nearly the beginning of the story, Johnny-Boy is killed. The death of Sue, on the other hand, comes as a bit of a surprise.

1. Were you surprised when Sue was killed? Why or why not?

2. Do you think Sue's death was foreshadowed in the story? Why or why not? Use examples from the story to support your answer.

3. Do you think the death of Sue and her son could have happened in the present time? Why or why not?

Essay Topic 2

In this section, we also see Sue handle the first of many decisions she will need to make during this story. Recall how, when deciding to tell Johnny-Boy about the potential for trouble, Sue decides to first wait until he has had his dinner and then delays even further by waiting until he has had a chance to rest.

1. Do you think Sue has a difficult time making decisions? Why or why not?

2. If you were in Sue's position, would you have handled the situation with Johnny-Boy the same way? If not, how would you have done it? If so, why?

3. Do you think procrastinating about almost any decision is a way of making a decision? Why or why not?

Essay Topic 3

Another character we meet in this section is a young woman named Reva. We don't learn very much about her here or in the rest of the story, only that she is white and in love with Johnny-Boy.

1. How do you think a relationship between a African American man and white woman would have caused problems in the era in which this story takes place?

2. Do you think that inter-racial relationships are more accepted today than when this story took place? Why or why not?

3. With some research find a true incident in history of a African American man and white woman marriage and what happened in their lives.

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 900 words (approx. 3 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample