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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 Maggie wear for Dee's arrival in "Everyday Use"?

2. What does Ms. Johnson believe Maggie thinks her portion from God is?

3. After dinner, who goes into Ms. Johnson's room and riffles through the trunk at the foot of Ms. Johnson's bed?

4. What is Ms. Johnson's religion?

5. When their school closes after the second grade, why don't the local Blacks protest?

Short Essay Questions

1. What level of education does Dee have and how does it differ from the educational levels of her mother and sister?

2. What is revealed about Aunt Dicie/Big Dee in "Everyday Use" even though she doesn't appear onstage?

3. Which character in "Everyday Use" is a foil character and what helps identify that character as a foil character?

4. How does Dee differ from her mother and sister?

5. Describe Dee's relationship with Jimmy T and what it indicates about her.

6. 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?

7. What does Maggie's smile at the end of "Everyday Use" indicate?

8. What is the history behind Dee's birth name?

9. Explain how Ms. Johnson looks in real life and how her actual appearance differs from how she appears in her dreams.

10. What does Maggie wear for Dee's visit and what does her outfit illustrate about her character?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Grandma Dee, Aunt Dicie or Big Dee, Grandpa Jarrell, Great-Grandpa Ezra and John Thomas are mentioned in "Everyday Use" but never appear on stage. Discuss these minor characters from the story and how the author uses them to illustrate her themes of family and community. Are there any other themes you think the author uses the characters to convey? Cite examples from the text to support your arguments.

Essay Topic 2

Compare and contrast the way the characters in "Everyday Use" think of white people and interact with them. Give at least three examples from the text to illustrate your conclusions.

Essay Topic 3

The Johnson family's quilts are a recurring motif throughout "Everyday Use." Cite three examples from the text of the use of this motif and discuss what you think it represents in each example.

(see the answer keys)

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