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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. Which school is the protagonist of "The First Day" zoned for?

2. To what does the protagonist compare the admissions worker's pearls in "The First Day"?

3. Who do the girls see moving into an apartment on 9th street?

4. What kind of car does Cassandra's brother-in-law drive?

5. In "The Girl Who Raised Pigeons," how many years pass before Betsy Ann wants to see the pigeons again?

Short Essay Questions

1. Describe the final interaction between Caesar and Carol.

2. In "The First Day", why does the protagonist's mother have her heart set on taking her to a particular school?

3. Describe the conditions in which Betsy Ann's cousin Ralph grows up.

4. Describe Robert's reaction to becoming a widower and single father in "The Girl Who Raised Pigeons."

5. How does Rhonda Ferguson's father treat Cassandra?

6. What do the pigeons symbolize?

7. Why does the protagonist's mother slap her across the mouth in "The First Day"?

8. Discuss the girls' encounter with Pearl and Joyce. What unconventional decision have they made?

9. Describe the character of Cassandra G. Lewis in "The Night Rhonda Ferguson Was Killed".

10. In "The First Day", how does the protagonist's mother prepare her for the first day of school?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Analyze the role of community in the stories throughout this collection. How do people form community in Jones' work? What do their communities mean in their daily lives? What is Jones' commentary about the significance of community and social interaction?

Essay Topic 2

Selecting at least 3 stories, discuss the way in which Jones comments on marriage in this collection. Is his outlook on marriage positive or negative? Is it perhaps more nuanced than that? What factors does he explore in the marital relationship? How do these various factors explain the success or failure of the marriages in the stories? How do these stories work to form a broader commentary on marriage in American society?

Essay Topic 3

Religion emerges as a significant theme throughout the collection as Jones presents a nuanced approach to this central element of the African-American community. Discuss Jones' commentary on the institution of religion in the community he describes. How does Jones comment on the influence of religion in the African-American community? Is it a purely spiritual institution in the community? Or, does the church also serve a social purpose in the community?

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