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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 pages is the trial manuscript?

2. What school does Lonney attend part-time?

3. What does the police officer force the protagonist to do as punishment for crossing the street illegally?

4. What does Maddie think the blood seeping out of Angie's body represents?

5. On which ring does Lydia pick up the telephone?

Short Essay Questions

1. Discuss the significance of the title of "His Mother's House".

2. What does the protagonist of "The Store" do when Penny decides to sell the store?

3. In "The Store", why does Kentucky criticize the protagonist?

4. In "An Orange Line Train to Ballston", describe the opening of the story.

5. Explain why Marvella scolds Avis at the opening of the story.

6. Describe the woman Mildred's husband had an affair with.

7. Discuss the infighting that occurs amongst the Gospelteers.

8. In "Gospel", describe Vivian L. Slater's Sunday morning ritual.

9. In "The Store", how does the protagonist begin his employment at the grocery store?

10. Discuss Lydia's mother's reaction to the first boy she brings home.

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

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 2

Relationships between women are central to many of the stories in this collection. Select three stories from the collection and discuss the way in which women form community amongst themselves. How does Jones portray the bonds between women in these stories? Are they mutually supportive? Antagonistic? Do these relationships fill any particular needs for the women who form them?

Essay Topic 3

Analyze the way in which Jones portrays poverty in this book. Through a close examination of at least three characters in the book, discuss Jones' approach to the sensitive topic of poverty in the African-American community. Are these characters defined by their socio-economic status? How does he treat characters who live in poverty? Does their economic standing seem a reflection of their own actions or of a flawed system?

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This section contains 976 words (approx. 4 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample