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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. During the winter, how does Ms. Johnson get water for washing?

2. How does Maggie respond to the attempts to shake her hand?

3. How does Hakim-a-barber feel about the group of people to which Ms. Johnson asks if he belongs?

4. How many rooms does the Johnsons' current house have?

5. What kind of shoes is Dee wearing for her reunion with her mother and sister?

Short Essay Questions

1. What religion is Ms. Johnson in "Everyday Use" and what does her religion indicate about her character?

2. What happened to the Johnsons' previous home and how has this tragedy affected the family?

3. In what era is "Everyday Use" set and how does this time period affect the story?

4. What do Dee's light skin and her white heel symbolize?

5. What is Ms. Johnson's relationship with her daughter Dee like?

6. What kind of life has Ms. Johnson lived?

7. What does Ms. Johnson think Maggie believes is her "portion" in life?

8. Although the exact setting of "Everyday Use" is never specified, what clues in the text indicate where the story takes place?

9. Explain the difference in what Dee wants to use her mother's quilts and the way Maggie wants to use the quilts.

10. To whom is Dee referring when she says "It's really a new day for us" at the end of the story?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Dee changes her name to Wangero in "Everyday Use." Discuss this name change citing examples from the text to support your arguments.

Part I: Discuss what Dee's name change indicates about her character.

Part II: Discuss what Dee's name change indicates about the era in which she lives.

Part III: Discuss what Dee's name change illustrates about her relationship with her family.

Essay Topic 2

Education is a theme in "Everyday Use." Discuss how Alice Walker depicts this theme and what you think she is saying about education in the story. Cite examples from the text to support your arguments.

Essay Topic 3

Ms. Johnson is the narrator of "Everyday Use." Do you think she is the most appropriate narrator for this story? Why or why not? Discuss her effectiveness as narrator and how the story would change if Dee or Maggie narrated it instead. Cite examples from the text to support your conclusions.

(see the answer keys)

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