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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. In "The Store", where was the protagonist's first job?

2. What toy does Madeleine bring with her as Maddie drags the children out of the house?

3. Which of the couple's children could not forgive his decision to leave their mother?

4. Where is Jack Lawrence originally from?

5. How many pages is the trial manuscript?

Short Essay Questions

1. Explain how Santiago makes money.

2. Discuss the way the dreadlock man responds to Marvella's children.

3. How does Mansfield's mistress talk to Lydia about her husband?

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

5. Describe Lydia's lifestyle in "Lost in the City".

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

7. In "A Butterfly on F Street", describe Mildred's mental state.

8. How does Samuel Jr. react when he learns that his sister has kept contact with their father over the years?

9. Explain why the judge tells Samuel Williams Sr.'s lawyer that he cannot defend a man who will not defend himself.

10. Why does Santiago's grandmother ban him from her house?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Throughout the collection, Jones presents a fairly nuanced portrayal of gender roles in the African-American community of Washington, D.C. Select at least 3 short stories from the collection and discuss the ways in which the characters in these stories respond to the roles imposed on them based on their gender. Do these characters conform or rebel? What do we learn about them based on their compliance or defiance? What might Jones' message regarding gender roles be?

Essay Topic 2

In the background of each of the stories in the collection, the framework of the government and legal structure appears to hinder or support the characters. Selecting at least 2 or 3 of the stories in the collection, analyze Jones' commentary regarding the success or failure of the U.S. government to provide for the people of this community. Does Jones seem to think that the government has failed its people? Or, that it does a good job protecting their rights? Or, is his commentary perhaps more nuanced? Provide details from the text to support your argument.

Essay Topic 3

Explore the role of geography, space, and place in two or more of the stories in Jones' collection. How does Jones capture, explore, and comment on the urban environment of Washington, D.C.? How does Jones enlarge conventional notions of the nation's capitol city? In what ways do the depictions of the city in these stories interact with or build upon on another? Support your answer with evidence from the text.

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This section contains 951 words (approx. 4 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample