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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 Sparkplug die from?

2. Who is the woman that tries to sell Darlene on going to work on a farm in Chapter 4: "We Named the Goat"?

3. In what Houston neighborhood does Eddie live with his mother when she goes missing in Chapter 6: "Your Own Cord"?

4. Where is Tuck when he is hit by a drunk driver?

5. Near what Louisiana city did Darlene grow up?

Short Essay Questions

1. How does the narrator describe the evolution of Eddie's relationship with Tuck in Chapter 14: “Lost Years”?

2. What does Darlene see Jackie doing at night in Chapter 11: “Eclipse”?

3. When does Darlene first "meet" Scotty? How is this encounter described?

4. How is Eddie's life in Houston described in Chapter 2: “Blackbirds”?

5. How does Sparkplug describe Nat's murder to Eddie before he dies?

6. Why does Darlene choose to work with the men when she arrives at Delicious? What do they do?

7. How are the accommodations at Delicious Foods described?

8. What happens when Sextus asks about Eddie's age in Chapter 14: “Lost Years”?

9. How are the workers' wages at Delicious described in Chapter 9: “An Improvement”?

10. How does Eddie manage to track down Bethella in the Prologue: "Little Muddy"?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Describe and analyze the character of Sextus in the novel. How is Sextus's home described? What is his family like? How does Sextus treat his workers?

Essay Topic 2

Discuss the motif of "hoodoo" or superstitions in the novel. What are some examples of characters believing in superstitions? How does superstition guide these characters' actions?

Essay Topic 3

Discuss the elements of symbolism and imagery in Delicious Foods. What do Darlene's yellow shoes represent symbolically? How is Charlie the rat employed as a symbol in the novel? What are other prominent symbols and images?

(see the answer keys)

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