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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 Yolanda find in her search at the park?

2. How does Yolanda's mother's hair look?

3. Where does Yolanda take Andrew after her encounter with Foster?

4. What does Yolanda manage to do?

5. Who does Yolanda decide is the only person who can help Andrew?

Short Essay Questions

1. What idea does Momma bring up while they are traveling that disturbs Yolanda?

2. Who admires Yolanda standing up to Romulus, and what is Yolanda's response to his admiration?

3. How does Yolanda feel after Shirley leaves and what does she say to her aunt Tiny about Shirley?

4. Why does Yolanda not say goodbye to anyone when her family is leaving to go visit Aunt Tiny?

5. What does Yolanda do when she sees two female security guards?

6. What does Momma want Yolanda to study in college and what are Yolanda's ambitions?

7. How do Yolanda and Andrew play in their concert for Aunt Tiny and Yolanda's momma, and how do the two women respond to the performance?

8. How does Yolanda explain all her questions to the security guards?

9. Why does Yolanda volunteer to reserve her family's seats for the concert that evening?

10. What disturbs Yolanda about how Aunt Tiny fixes Yolanda's mother's hair?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Over the course of "Yolonda's Genius", Yolanda grows as a person in both complexity and understanding. "Yolonda's Genius" might be considered a slice of Yolanda's larger story of her "coming of age." It might be said that the story is a "bildungsroman" of the narrator. Discuss the following:

1. Define Bildungsroman, or "Coming of Age," and give several examples from literature you have read.

2. Trace and analyze Yolanda as she changes from a somewhat rigid, bigoted girl to a wiser, less rigid girl. What are the significant events that change her?

3. After thoroughly analyzing the narrator's growth throughout "Yolonda's Genius", do you think the novel could be considered Yolanda's Coming of Age story? Why or why not?

4. Are there any other characters in "Yolonda's Genius" who go through a Coming of Age experience? Who? Why do you think so?

Essay Topic 2

There are a number of interesting questions raised by "Yolonda's Genius"--questions that Fenner may wish readers to consider and think through carefully. Discuss the following:

1. What does the term "author agenda" mean?

2. Name one idea/concept you think may have been a part of the Fenner's agenda. Analyze that idea throughout the book and discuss Fenner's probable agenda concerning that idea.

2. Do you think writers who have an agenda for writing should point it out in a preface?

3. How often do you think fiction is written with a clear agenda in mind by the author?

Essay Topic 3

Discuss one of the following:

1. Trace and analyze the theme of growth in "Yolonda's Genius". Consider the following questions as you write: What characters are most concerned with growth? Why? What are some symbols of growth? Symbols of rigidity? What characters seem rigid?

2. Trace and analyze the theme of human genius in "Yolonda's Genius". Which characters struggle with this issue? Why? Which characters seem to possess courage? Why? What do you think Yolanda would label as genius?

3. Trace and analyze the themes of bullying and prejudice in "Yolonda's Genius". Who are bullies? Who stands up to bullies? Who does not? Why do those who bully do so? Who is prejudice? What type of prejudice? What do you think is the result of Yolanda's prejudice? Who is able to change from being a bully? From prejudice?

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