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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 kind of dresses does Mrs. Ellsworth have her dressmaker come up with?

2. Where does Mrs. Ellsworth live?

3. What is the occupation of Oceola's boarder?

4. What did Oceola do in college?

5. Who gave Oceola her first lessons in playing piano?

Short Essay Questions

1. Why does Oceola respond to Mrs. Ellsworth's suggestion about Harlem the way that she does?

2. What news does Oceola have for Mrs. Ellsworth when she comes back from a trip?

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

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

5. What does Mrs. Ellsworth do to find out more information about Oceola's boarder?

6. What does Mrs. Ellsworth arrange for Oceola after she realizes she will not give up her passions?

7. What does Oceola continue to do that Mrs. Ellsworth does not approve of?

8. Describe the soprano that Mrs. Ellsworth does not take interest in.

9. What did Oceola's mother do when they moved to St. Louis?

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

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Symbolism is a device used in many literary pieces, including "The Blues I'm Playing." What symbols are in the story, and what do they mean? Which characters are associated with certain symbols? What do Mrs. Ellsworth and Oceola symbolize? Make sure you answer each question and use examples from the story to support your answer.

Essay Topic 2

Usually, a clear transformation can be seen in the characters of piece of a literature, but it is not so apparent in "The Blues I'm Playing." Have Oceola and Mrs. Ellsworth transformed in any way? How has Mrs. Ellsworth changed, and how has she stayed the same? How has Oceola changed, and how has she stayed the same?

Essay Topic 3

Beauty is a theme that resonates throughout "The Blues I'm Playing," and it means different things to different people. To Mrs. Ellsworth, beauty comes in the form of art and their creators but the lines between the two become blurred sometimes. Others may find beauty in life itself. How does Mrs. Ellsworth view beauty? How does Oceola view beauty? Does Mrs. Ellsworth find more beauty in art or the artist? Make sure you answer all the questions and support your answers with evidence from the story.

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