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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. When Ms. Johnson snatches Grandma Dee's quilts from Wangero's hands, into whose hands does she place them?

2. Who hates the current Johnson house as well as the old Johnson house?

3. When boys and girls hang around Dee in her youth, what does she do to entertain them?

4. Who makes the dining benches on which the Johnsons and Hakim-a-barber sit during dinner?

5. What hairstyle is Dee wearing when she arrives at her family's home?

Short Essay Questions

1. Explain the difference in what Dee wants to use her mother's quilts and the way Maggie wants to use the quilts.

2. Although the exact setting of "Everyday Use" is never specified, what clues in the text indicate where the story takes place?

3. What is Ms. Johnson's relationship with her daughter Maggie like?

4. Why does Ms. Johnson agree to call Dee by the African name Wangero after reminding Dee of the family heritage behind her birth name?

5. Why are the hairstyles of Hakim-a-barber and Dee/Wangero described in such detail in the story while Maggie and Ms. Johnson's hairstyles are not described?

6. Ms. Johnson's dream involves appearing on television with Dee and having Dee thank her for her role in Dee's succee. Is there any evidence in "Everyday Use" that Dee appreciate her mother's role in her success?

7. How do African Americans change from the days of Ms. Johnson's youth in the 1920s to the era of the 1960s in which the story "Everyday People" is set?

8. Describe the Johnson family home.

9. Explain Ms. Johnson's feelings about white people.

10. Are the Johnsons in "Everyday Use" typical or atypical for rural southern Black families living in the era in which the story is set?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Discuss the references to church and religion in "Everyday Use." Give at least three examples of how religion is used in the text. What do you think Alice Walker is saying about the influence of religion on southern Black culture and on African American culture in general?

Essay Topic 2

Maggie and Dee have very different ideas of what their family heritage is. Compare and contrast how each sister defines heritage and the role Grandma Dee's quilts and the family butter churn and other heirlooms play in their concepts of heritage. Cite examples from the text to support your conclusions.

Essay Topic 3

The predominant characters in "Everyday Use" are women. Male characters have minor roles and only one male character, Hakim-a-barber, actually appears on stage in the story. Discuss the role of male characters in the story and what you think the author is saying about Black culture by having female characters dominate her story. Cite examples from the text to support your arguments.

(see the answer keys)

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