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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 does Miss Ola allow Essie to sleep in?

2. What do the whites claim started the fire at the Taplins' house?

3. What are the chickens attached to as they go past?

4. Why does Essie stop working for Mrs Jenkins in this chapter?

5. Who is killed in this chapter?

Short Essay Questions

1. How do Essie's old, tight-fitting clothes benefit her in Chapter 8?

2. In what way is life getting better for Essie and her family in Chapter 4?

3. How does Essie get her name changed in Chapter 9?

4. Why does Essie refuse to eat Miss Ola's food?

5. What rumors spread about who started the fire in Chapter 11?

6. Describe the house Raymond builds in Chapter 4.

7. Describe the working conditions at the chicken factory.

8. In what way is Linda kind to Essie in Chapter 7?

9. How does Essie's family afford to buy her a new dress as Homecoming Queen in Chapter 8?

10. What does Essie Mae think of the Centreville Bapist Church?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Look at the structure of the book.

1) Discuss elements of the narrative structure: Exposition, conflict, complication, climax, resolution and conclusion. Do all the elements make for a logical and linear story? How does the story's structure express the book's ideas?

2) Examine the way Moody uses other people in the story to express her ideas.

Essay Topic 2

Discuss the values of 1960's.

1) Why did Afro American politics come to the fore during this time ?

2) What significant changes do you think occurred during this period?

3) Does today's society share any values with 1960's America?

Essay Topic 3

Choose one of the demonstrations Moody describes in the book and examine how impact this event had on the Civil Rights Movements as a whole. What was the public's initial reaction to the demonstration? What media attention did it receive?

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 780 words (approx. 3 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample