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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 does Sula fret over?

2. What place is this grandmother trying to keep the woman away from?

3. What does Eva sit on?

4. The neighborhood used to be where people would hear singing and music and see what?

5. Who does Eva credit with saving her life?

Short Essay Questions

1. What is happening to Sula when Nel finally visits her for the first time in three years?

2. Why does Helene's grandmother want her away from Sundown House?

3. How would the neighborhood be described as in the past?

4. Why does Helene return to see her grandmother?

5. What has Eva done to her house over the past five years?

6. What is Shadrack given when he leaves the hospital after his year long stay?

7. What are some signs that the Bottom is improving after Sula's death?

8. What is the story of Tar Baby?

9. What amazes Nel as she considered the way things have changed?

10. What does Sula overhear when she is using the toilet at her house?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Sula's reputation in the town becomes the thing of rumors and whispers. What are some of the things people of the town are saying she is? What does this do to the rest of the town? What affect does Sula have on the town as a whole? What begins to change in the Bottom? What does this seem to show? Can one person really affect a town that much?

Essay Topic 2

Eva leaves for 18 months and then comes back to her children, though she is missing a leg and comes back with money. What do you think has happened to Eva in this time period? Was she right for abandoning her children? Why or why not? Could Eva have survived if she hadn't left? Why or why not? Does Eva seem to be a strong person or one who is weak? Why?

Essay Topic 3

The use of fire is symbolic in many ways to this story. Give two examples of how fire is used in this story. What does the fire symbolize to the story? How does it help the characters? How does it harm the characters? Conversely, what is the symbolism of water in this story? How is it used and what does it mean?

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This section contains 603 words (approx. 3 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample