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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 Celie feed Henrietta when she is sick, a trick she learned from Nettie’s letters?

2. How does Celie picture God?

3. Why does Shug suddenly decide to take Mary Agnes to Memphis with her as well?

4. Where does Shug own a beautiful new home?

5. Who is the only person Celie has ever loved, aside from Nettie?

Short Essay Questions

1. What is rootleaf and why is it important to the Olinkans?

2. How does Billy get hurt on the day that Celie visits Sofia at the mayor’s house?

3. How do the Olinka people first react to their new missionaries (including Nettie)?

4. How does Celie react to the news that Pa has died?

5. What does Nettie do her first evening in Olinka?

6. How is the outside world changing Olinka?

7. How did the reverend and his wife treat Nettie when they first met her?

8. How has Grady’s life changed since moving to Memphis?

9. How does Shug picture God?

10. Why is Olivia the only girl at the Olinka School?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Compare / contrast Celie’s family life at the beginning of the novel and the end of the novel. What causes the major changes that affect Celie’s life? Do you think the ending whitewashes the effects of the abuse and trauma Celie suffered? Why or why not? Be sure to include examples from the text to strengthen your arguments.

Essay Topic 2

What is significant about the day that Celie and Nettie are reunited? What major obstacles did they overcome to be together again in America? How does Celie feel at the end of the novel, and what message does this send to the reader about the value of family? Be sure to include examples from the text to strengthen your arguments.

Essay Topic 3

What is the main difference between life in Olinka and life in America? How do the Olinka people react to the new missionaries when they arrive? How does this dynamic inform the race relations of America, where Shug and Celie are living? Be sure to include examples from the text to strengthen your arguments.

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 884 words (approx. 3 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample