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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. What does Samuel Sr. say to his sister after he kills Angie?

2. What school does Lonney attend part-time?

3. What makes Vivian pause to think how many days she had been on a diet?

4. Where does Mildred want to go during the conversation with the woman?

5. How many husbands has Jesse Mae had?

Short Essay Questions

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

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

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

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

5. How do the Gospelteers respond to the fire at the church?

6. Discuss the infighting that occurs amongst the Gospelteers.

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

8. Describe the first job the protagonist has in "The Store".

9. How does the protagonist of "The Store" garner promotion within the store?

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

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Explore the ways in which class is portrayed in the collection. Referencing at least three different characters and/or stories, discuss the presentation of the upper-, middle-, and lower-classes in this collection. With whom does Jones seem to side? Which characters are portrayed with the most sympathy? Which seem to be most constrained or affected by their class status? What is Jones' message regarding class in this collection?

Essay Topic 2

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.

Essay Topic 3

Crime is a central theme in many of the stories in this collection. Explore Jones' commentary on the type(s), severity, and impact of crime on the African-American community in Washington, D.C. What is the central message regarding crime? How does Jones convey this message in the stories in the collection? Are the stories effective in carrying this message to the reader?

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 896 words (approx. 3 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample