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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 part of Harpo’s body does Celie notice is changing due to his excessive habit?

2. Who does Celie suggest Harpo hire to help at the new bar?

3. Why is Celie jealous of Mr. and Shug at Harpo’s bar?

4. Why does Harpo fear his new business will fail?

5. What does Mr.’s brother, Tobias, bring for Shug when he visits?

Short Essay Questions

1. How does Mr.’s family feel about having Shug in the house?

2. Why does Harpo start working in the fields, and how does he feel about it?

3. How does Harpo’s juke joint fare when it first opens?

4. How does Sofia end up in jail?

5. What brings on Celie’s terrible beating from Pa after church?

6. Why does Celie suddenly feel jealous of Mr. and Shug when she sees them at the juke joint?

7. What changes about Harpo’s life after Sofia leaves him?

8. What lesson does Shug teach Celie about her sexuality?

9. What happens when Harpo and Sofia see each other for the first time at the juke joint?

10. What obsessive behavior does Harpo start, and what does this suggest about his character?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Describe the theme of fatherhood in the novel. Which character do you think is the best father in the novel? Why? Which character do you think is the worst? In what ways can you see parenting styles, specifically fatherhood, affecting characters as they mature into adulthood? Be sure to include examples from the text to strengthen your arguments.

Essay Topic 2

Discuss Celie’s sexuality. How was she first introduced to sex, and how did that introduction affect her future relationships? What did Shug teach Celie about her sexuality, and how did this lesson change Celie for the rest of the novel? Be sure to include examples from the text to strengthen your arguments.

Essay Topic 3

All throughout her life, Shug struggles to commit to those she loves – from Mr. to Grady to Germaine to Celie, and even to her children. What has caused Celie to avoid close relationships? Choose two of her relationships and discuss why she might have pushed this person away and how her rejection affected her jilted lover. Be sure to include examples from the text to strengthen your arguments.

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