View a FREE sample

This test consists of 5 short answer questions, 10 short essay questions, and 1 (of 3) essay topics.

Short Answer Questions

1. What does Sister Taylor think of Mrs. Blunt's reaction to the trial and the associated gossip?

2. How does Daisy respond to the question of whether she prefers Jim Weston or Dave Carter?

3. What part of Joe Clarke's appearance does Sister Thomas criticize?

4. What complaint does Deacon Simms have about snakes?

5. How does Deacon Lindsay respond to Sister Taylor's and Sister Thomas' actions in Act 1, Scene 2?

Short Essay Questions

1. What does the crowd on the porch suggest to Dave and Jim about Daisy's intentions, and how do the men respond?

2. How do the Methodists and Baptists continue their argument into Act 3?

3. What outcome does Deacon Simms expect from the trial?

4. How does Mrs. Thomas' show herself to be hypocrite with her response to Mrs. Blunt's request?

5. Compare the greeting that Sisters Thomas and Taylor give Reverend Childers and Joe Lindsay to the greeting that they give Deacon Simms and Joe Clarke.

6. What does Sister Thomas keep saying she needs to do throughout Act 2, Scene 1? Why does it take so long for her to finally do it?

7. What evidence throughout Act 2, Scene 2, suggests that Joe Clarke is unfamiliar with court procedures?

8. How do the men of the town suggest that Mrs. Roberts be dealt with?

9. Describe Reverend Childers' successful prosecution argument. How does he convince Joe Clarke that Jim is guilty of assault with a weapon?

10. Describe Daisy's reaction to Dave's and Jim's fight.

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Aside from the satire and the description of small-town life, "Mule Bone" is also a play about the strength of a friendship. Analyze the strength of Jim's and Dave's friendship. What challenges does their friendship survive, and what allows their friendship to survive these challenges? Provide evidence from the text to support your observations.

Essay Topic 2

Analyze the authors' treatment of women in the play. What roles do the women play, and what stereotypes do they fall into? How do the characters perpetuate traditional gender roles and stereotypes? Be sure to use evidence from the text to support your point.

Essay Topic 3

Hughes and Hurston wrote "Mule Bone" as a homage to the use of humor in overcoming adversity. Oppressed cultures often rely on humor as a means of survival, and among Southern post-slavery African-Americans, humor and sarcasm were a means of attacking others and of expressing affection. Describe how this concept emerges in "Mule Bone." In what ways does humor strengthen bonds, and in what ways is it used to attack others? Provide specific examples from the text to support your answer.

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 1,236 words (approx. 5 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample