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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 Ellen contemplate before leaving the bathroom to give everyone something to talk about?

2. Who are Rudolph and Ellis?

3. A drive through what part of town is necessary to reach the location where the funeral service is being held?

4. What well-to-do relative of Ellen's attends the funeral?

5. Who does Ellen plan on living with after her stay at Starletta's?

Short Essay Questions

1. How is Ellen's obsessive side shown in Chapter 6?

2. Why does Ellen feel that her relatives are phonies?

3. In what way does Ellen use reading?

4. How does Ellen's selection of gifts show that Ellen has to take responsibility for herself?

5. Why does Ellen have to make sure that she retrieves the envelope of money from the mailbox before her father can get to it?

6. What gifts does Ellen buy herself for Christmas?

7. How can a reader tell that Ellen may harbor some prejudices toward African American people?

8. In Chapter 1, Ellen contemplates killing someone. How does Ellen plan to kill this person and respond to the death if she actually goes through with it?

9. Why does Ellen choose Starletta's parents when asked by the school board if Ellen has someone to take care of her?

10. How is Ellen's grandmother's removal of Ellen's mother's clothes symbolic to the story?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

List and discuss several ways that Ellen's character evolved throughout the novel.

Essay Topic 2

Using the discussions from class and details from the text list some of the ways Ellen had to fend for herself.

Essay Topic 3

In two instances of the story Ellen describes her Christmas celebrations. Compare and contrast the two occasions using details from the text as an aid.

(see the answer keys)

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