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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. Who claims he was attacked from behind?

2. What is Spunk's occupation?

3. Who lies dead, in Chapter 2?

4. Who do Elijah and Walter see walking down the street in Chapter 1?

5. Which character is described as a giant, brown-skinned man?

Short Essay Questions

1. Describe how Spunk dies in Chapter 4.

2. What offer from Spunk does Lena refuse in Chapter 1? Why do you think she does this?

3. Why does Spunk move Lena into the Bradley house?

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

5. Describe the differences between Joe and Spunk.

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

7. Do you admire Spunk or despise him? Why?

8. When Joe enters the store in Chapter 1, how is he treated?

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

10. What is the resolution of Hurston's story?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

What is the tone of "Spunk"? Why would Hurston choose to write the story in this type of tone? What impact does the tone have on the way the reader perceives the characters and sequence of events?

Essay Topic 2

How is the concept of the supernatural implemented throughout Hurston's novel?

Essay Topic 3

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?

(see the answer keys)

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