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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. Who wipes the blood from the woman's face?

2. What day of the week does Violet invite Felice to dinner?

3. What other girls are "after" Acton?

4. What is inside Joe's sample case in Chapter Eight?

5. What does Golden Gray do before caring for the naked woman?

Short Essay Questions

1. Describe what Joe and Violet do together at night in Chapter 10.

2. In Chapter Seven, why does Joe think Wild is his own mother?

3. Describe Acton's reaction to the shooting of Dorcas in Chapter Eight.

4. In Chapter 10, why do Joe and Violet often go to the roof? What do they do up there together?

5. In Chapter Seven, what does Henry Lestory find when he gets back to his cabin?

6. Describe the birthing scene of the naked black girl in Chapter Seven.

7. In Chapter 10, why does Joe get a new job? Does this help his relationship with Violet?

8. How does the narrator describe Acton?

9. Why does Dorcas break up with Joe?

10. What is your understanding of the relationship between Joe, Violet, and Felice in Chapters Nine and Ten?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

The title of the work is "Jazz." Why does Morrison choose such a title for this book? What is the significance of jazz music in this novel?

Essay Topic 2

What is the symbolism Morrison includes in her novel of Violet releasing the birds? What events lead up to this, and how is Violet different afterward?

Essay Topic 3

Compare and contrast the characters of Joe and Acton. Are they similar in any way, or are they mostly different? What does Dorcas find appealing in each man? How does her relationship with each man change throughout the novel?

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