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. Where do the men bring the sheriff from, in Chapter 2?

2. Why do Walter and Elijah feel sorry for Joe?

3. Where does Spunk lead the men in Chapter 2?

4. How do Joe's clothes fit him?

5. How long is Spunk's trial?

Short Essay Questions

1. Who is your favorite character in Chapter 1? Why?

2. Why do you think the court decided that Spunk acted out of self-defense?

3. What does Spunk say right before he dies? Why is this significant?

4. What is Spunk's reaction immediately following Joe's death? How is it different from Lena's reaction?

5. Describe the events leading up to the end of Chapter 1 and the confrontation between Joe and Spunk.

6. What is the wake for Spunk like?

7. Describe the setting for this story as given in the beginning of Chapter 1.

8. What is the climax of Hurston's story?

9. Who narrates the final chapter? Is this effective?

10. What does the black bobcat represent?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

What is the purpose of a foil in literature? Describe one character in Hurston's work that you believe is a foil of another character. Why do you think Hurston may have created characters that emphasize each other's qualities?

Essay Topic 2

Hurston uses a narrative point of view throughout the entire play. Why do you think it was written this way? What are the pros and cons of using this point of view in this particular story?

Essay Topic 3

The title of Hurston's work, "Spunk," seems straightforward, yet it indicates a particular significance about one character. In your opinion, why does Hurston choose this particular title? What does this title signify? What does it tell readers about the story?

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 668 words (approx. 3 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample