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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 beverage do Julian and Kate drink while they are watching the news?

2. How much older is Mireille than Silas?

3. What is the abbreviation for the underground movement Silas and Kate were a part of?

4. Which of Mikey's relatives is the only one permitted to call him "Michael"?

5. What color eyes does Du Boise have?

Short Essay Questions

1. What does Kate think about when she pulls away from Mikey's house, after he asks her to gather papers on Du Boise?

2. How does Mikey come to find himself in possession of his mother's diary?

3. Why does Mikey travel to Shirley Graham's home and what is her reaction to hosting him?

4. What event does Lydia admit to Silas when she hears that Du Boise is back in town?

5. Why do Kate Jessup and Julian Solomon come to stay at the Ali household?

6. How did Lydia find out about Silas's affair?

7. How does Kate react to Mikey while she is staying with him?

8. What is the truth behind Mikey's parentage?

9. What two revelations does Lydia make when the letter arrives to her from Martha in Toronto.

10. How does the Ali family react to Silas's seizure?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

The marriage between Silas and Lydia is marked by infidelities. Create a timeline of infidelities committed by both Silas and Lydia, and explain what effect these infidelities had on their marriage. Then, explain why the two decide to stay together when it is obvious they no longer love each other.

Essay Topic 2

At the end of the novel, both Lydia and Michael have left their hometown to relocate from their memories of Du Boise. Explain why each of these characters has chosen a life on the run, rather than a settled life. Then, explain what measures each character takes to ensure that Silas will never be able to find them.

Essay Topic 3

The novel is entitled "Bitter Fruit" and the cover depicts a split-open pomegranate spilling its seeds or two pomegranates that are red below and green at the top depending on the edition. These elements provide rich symbolism for the story of the Ali family as a whole. Briefly describe what symbolism is held in the title of this novel, and explain how the state of the pomegranate can symbolize the plight of the Ali family throughout the text.

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