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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. How old are Fonny's sisters?

2. Where do Joe and Sharon meet?

3. What does Ernestine do to Mrs. Hunt in Section 2 before Mrs. Hunt goes down the elevator?

4. What does Sharon tell to open the bottle and pour it, in Section 2?

5. What word does Tish use to describe Fonny's mother?

Short Essay Questions

1. What is Ernestine's nickname for Tish? Why?

2. It is very clear in Section Two that Tish and Joseph have a close relationship. How does Baldwin make it clear Joseph adores Tish?

3. How do Sharon and Joseph meet?

4. What are the detials of Tish and Fonny's first conversation in Section One?

5. How does Tish respond when Adrienne says to her, "I can't believe that you are that stupid" in Section Two?

6. How do Tish and Fonny meet in Section One?

7. How does Tish describe the Spanish Restaurant that Fonny takes her to in Section Two?

8. In Section Two, when the Hunts come to the Rivers', how is Mrs. Hunt dressed and why does this stand out?

9. What does Fonny tell Tish about his art in Section Two?

10. According to Tish in Section Two, why does Ernestine know their father better than she does?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

How does Fonny change over the course of the novel? What causes this change?

Essay Topic 2

Compare and contrast the Rivers family and the Hunt family. How are each a product of their environments?

Essay Topic 3

How does the theme of suffering exist in the novel? Consider different ways that the characters suffer and why.

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This section contains 973 words (approx. 4 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample