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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 happened after Oceola and her mother moved the second time after the death in their family?

2. What did Oceola try to save up for in her teenage years?

3. What does Oceola share with Mrs. Ellsworth in the beginning of Chapter 2?

4. Who boarded with Oceola when she lived on her own?

5. How does Mrs. Ellsworth receive the news of Oceola keeping a boarder?

Short Essay Questions

1. How does Mrs. Ellsworth think she will remedy the situation with the boarder?

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

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

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

5. How does Mrs. Ellsworth try to get rid of Oceola's penchant for jazz music?

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

7. How does Oceola respond to Mrs. Ellsworth's suggestion about Harlem?

8. What does Oceola think of the artists she meets in Europe?

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

10. What does Mrs. Ellsworth find out about the boarder through her inquiries to Mr. Hunter?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

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 2

Art, specifically music, is the center of this short story. All the characters are connected to art in some form, but Mrs. Ellsworth and Oceola both devote their lives to it. What does Mrs. Ellsworth think of art? What kind of belief does she wish to instill in Oceola? How does Oceola view art? What are the differences in the characters' perceptions of art? Make sure you answer each part of the question and use examples from the story to support your answer.

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.

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This section contains 651 words (approx. 3 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample