View a FREE sample

This test consists of 5 short answer questions, 10 short essay questions, and 1 (of 3) essay topics.

Short Answer Questions

1. What happens to the soprano that Mrs. Ellsworth had a complaint about?

2. Where did Oceola's family settle after traveling?

3. Who sets up the appointment for Oceola to meet Mrs. Ellsworth?

4. What did Oceola do in college?

5. What is Oceola's last name?

Short Essay Questions

1. Why does Mrs. Ellsworth think that her artist/patron relationship with Oceola cannot be reconciled at the end of the story?

2. What does Oceola think about Mrs. Ellsworth's attitude at the end of the story?

3. What happened the last time Oceola played for Mrs. Ellsworth?

4. What does Mrs. Ellsworth announce to Oceola after their first meeting?

5. What information startles Mrs. Ellsworth during Oceola's personal narration of her life?

6. What does Mrs. Ellsworth succeed in doing concerning Oceola in Section 4 of the story?

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

8. How does Mrs. Ellsworth find out more about Oceola's relationship with the boarder in section 3 of the story?

9. What does Mrs. Ellsworth do while Oceola plays piano for her in the last section of the story?

10. How does Mrs. Ellsworth feel about her decision on the soprano later on?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Oceola is another main character of "The Blues I'm Playing." Her complex character has different traits in comparison to Mrs. Ellsworth, though they share a passion for music. What is Oceola's personal background? How does her background affect her view on art? How has her background formed the person she is now? Make sure you answer each question and use examples from the story to support your answer.

Essay Topic 2

There are many themes that run through "The Blues I'm Playing," and one of them is irony. Mrs. Ellsworth tries hard to erase Oceola's tendency to improvise jazz music, thinking that this deters her from pure music. What is irony, and how does it play a role in this story? Explore the irony in the fact that Mrs. Ellsworth has many ideas on art but does not play it as well as the fact that Oceola does play, but Mrs. Ellsworth doesn't think she understands it. Make sure you use evidence from the story to support your answer and answer all questions.

Essay Topic 3

Love is a theme that runs through many literary pieces, and it is a prominent theme in "The Blues I'm Playing." The two main characters view love as differently as they view art. What value does Mrs. Ellsworth place on love? Why? What value does Oceola place on love? Why? Compare and contrast the two characters' perceptions of love. Make sure you answer each question and use examples from the story to support your answer.

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 685 words (approx. 3 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample