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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 time period does "The Blues I'm Playing" take place in?

2. Who did the Oceola's family travel with when Oceola was young?

3. How does Oceola feel about art for art's sake?

4. Where does Oceola live after the incident that occurred after the second move since a death in the family?

5. Where does Oceola meet Mrs. Ellsworth about the offer?

Short Essay Questions

1. How does Mrs. Ellsworth react to Oceola's news at the end of Section 4 of the story?

2. Why does Mrs. Ellsworth think Oceola is a victim?

3. What does the last chapter of "The Blues I'm Playing" represent?

4. What belief of the artists, specifically, does Oceola have a problem with while she is abroad?

5. What does Mrs. Ellsworth try to get Oceola to do after she finds out information about the boarder?

6. How has Oceola chosen to view art after her experiences with Mrs. Ellsworth?

7. What does Oceola say when Mrs. Ellsworth states, "Art is bigger than love"?

8. What did Oceola's parents do for a living?

9. How is Oceola brought to Mrs. Ellsworth's attention?

10. What does Mrs. Ellsworth choose to see art as after her experiences with Oceola?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Mrs. Ellsworth is one of the main characters of "The Blues I'm Playing." Describe her background and explore how her passion for art may be related to her background. Why does Mrs. Ellsworth spend so much of her time and resources? Why has she lost interest in her own life? Make sure you answer each question and use examples from the story to support your answer.

Essay Topic 2

There are many different themes in "The Blues I'm Playing," and one of them is gossip. How does gossip play a role in "The Blues I'm Playing"? What does Mrs. Ellsworth find out through gossip? How do her findings that stem from gossip influence her decisions? Make sure you answer each question and use examples from the story to support your answer.

Essay Topic 3

In "The Blues I'm Playing," there are two main characters who have very different outlooks on life, even though they both cherish the same art. Their different motivations drive their actions. What motivates Mrs. Ellsworth's actions? What motivates Oceola's actions? How do their different outlooks on music affect their motivations? Make sure you answer each question and use examples from the story to support your answer.

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This section contains 642 words (approx. 3 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample