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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 weapon does Spunk carry with him?

2. Who is Spunk dating after his trial?

3. From whose point of view is the story told?

4. What weapon does Spunk claim Joe had, in Chapter 2?

5. How do people in the town treat Spunk?

Short Essay Questions

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

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

3. How does the point of view affect the reader's perspective in Chapter 1?

4. What does the black bobcat represent?

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

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

7. How do others in the town treat Spunk? Why do they treat him this way?

8. What role do Walter and Elijah play in this story?

9. Describe the differences between Joe and Spunk.

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

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

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

Essay Topic 2

There are several instances of irony in Hurston's book. Identify at least one of these instances and describe why Hurston may have used irony when describing this particular situation.

Essay Topic 3

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?

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This section contains 600 words (approx. 2 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample