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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. Who else is at the meeting that Oceola has with Mrs. Ellsworth?

2. What complaint does Mrs. Ellsworth have about a soprano?

3. Who did Oceola receive piano lessons from as she grew up?

4. What activity does Mrs. Ellsworth disapprove of most that Oceola did?

5. What is Mrs. Ellsworth's financial status?

Short Essay Questions

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

2. How did Oceola manage to attend college?

3. What information causes Mrs. Ellsworth to become disgruntled after her investigation into Oceola's boarder?

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

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

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

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

8. Why does Mrs. Ellsworth decide to do these things for Oceola?

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

10. What kind of music does Oceola end up playing for Mrs. Ellsworth at their last meeting in the story?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Various characters add different shades of complexity to "The Blues I'm Playing." They all provide something worth analyzing in the context of the main events of the plot as well as their influence on the main characters. Choose a character from the story other than Mrs. Ellsworth and Oceola, and explore their influence on the main characters (Oceola and Mrs. Ellsworth). How has this character affected Mrs. Ellsworth and/or Oceola? How does this character influence the events of the story?

Essay Topic 2

"The Blues I'm Playing" takes place in another time period, and its setting provides an interesting backdrop that adds depth to the story. Describe the time period that this short story takes place in as well as the different places. How does the time period influence the characters? How does each place reflect Oceola or Mrs. Ellsworth? Make sure you answer each part of the question and use examples from the story to support your answer.

Essay Topic 3

Harlem causes tension in the artist/patron relationship between Mrs. Ellsworth and Oceola. Both characters attach certain meanings to the places they prefer. Mrs. Ellsworth tries many different things to fix this problem, but she does not ever fully succeed in her efforts. Why does Mrs. Ellsworth dislike Oceola's residence in Harlem? How does Mrs. Ellsworth try to remove Oceola from Harlem, and how does Oceola respond to these actions? Make sure you answer each part of the question and use examples from the story to support your answer.

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This section contains 665 words (approx. 3 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample