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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 many times this week has Caesar dreamed of the mentally disabled woman he plans to defraud?

2. What experience has taught Cassandra that asking questions can be dangerous?

3. What is the only reason Cassandra does not think it would be fair to shoot the fathers of Joyce's and Pearl's babies?

4. Where did Caesar first see the mentally handicapped woman?

5. A woman in "The First Day" has fashioned hair curlers out of which of the following?

Short Essay Questions

1. Discuss Caesar's feelings for Carol.

2. In "The First Day", how well prepared is the protagonist's mother to enroll her child in school?

3. How does Cassandra respond to teachers' attempts to set her straight?

4. What does Betsy Ann do to lose her father's trust? Why does he become so angry?

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

6. How does Robert treat his daughter Betsy Ann?

7. How does Caesar con Carol into participating in his plot to rob the disabled woman?

8. What do the pigeons symbolize?

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

10. How does Cassandra response to Roger's attempt to rape Melanie?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Music is often an integral part of much African-American literature. Analyze the way in which music appears in this collection. Which stories most prominently feature music or musical elements? How does this music structure or shape the story? What does the music contribute to the characters or to the story itself?

Essay Topic 2

Discuss the significance of education in two or more of the stories in this collection. How does education play a role in these stories? What is Jones' commentary regarding education itself and the role education plays in this particular community? Provide details from the stories to support your argument.

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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This section contains 1,000 words (approx. 4 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample