View a FREE sample

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

Short Answer Questions

1. How does Mrs. Ellsworth speak about Oceola to her dressmaker?

2. What did Oceola promise Pete?

3. Where does Oceola find an appreciation for her type of music?

4. How long is Oceola gone?

5. Why does Mrs. Ellsworth take Oceola out of the city?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Considering the time period that "The Blues I'm Playing" takes place in, race plays a prominent role in different ways. How is the theme of race reflected throughout the story? What examples of racism have you found in the story? How do members of different races interact with each other in the story? Make sure you answer each question and use examples from the story to support your answer.

Essay Topic 2

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.

Essay Topic 3

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?

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 337 words (approx. 2 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample