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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 did the letter from Lutie's father say?

2. As the story begins, what is Lutie looking at?

3. What does Jones do when Lutie tries to unchain him in her dream?

4. How does Lutie feel about Mrs. Chandler?

5. What disturbs Lutie about the woman sitting at the open window at the apartment building?

Short Essay Questions

1. How does Lutie feel after being offered the job of singer in Boots' band? What does she know for sure after the offer?

2. Describe how Jones and Lutie view one another.

3. Why does Lutie refuse to wear the blouse crushed by Jones?

4. How does Jones's decision to kick Min out after visiting Lutie's apartment reflect his mental instability?

5. How did the white bartenders treat the patrons of Junto's? How did this treatment differ from the treatment they received in the workforce?

6. In Chapter 2, Lutie returns from Mrs. Chandler's and arrives in Harlem relieved to be away from white people. How does Lutie believe that white women and men look at her?

7. The author paints Jones as an obsessive character. He snoops around Lutie's apartment fantasizing about her and bothering her possessions. What does this behavior seem to foreshadow?

8. Chapter 1 outlines the dynamics of Lutie's household. Lutie's father's girlfriend, Lil, has Bub lighting her cigarettes and tasting her gin. How does Lil's behavior reflect and amplify Lutie's fears for her son?

9. Chapter 2 provides Lutie with a valuable lesson: "Anybody could be rich if he wanted to and worked hard enough and figured it out carefully enough." Still, Lutie is often discouraged by the world around her. How does the external world affect Lutie's internal life?

10. Lutie leaves the butcher shop and is in light spirits. As she walks home, she notices that the women are burdened by marketing bags and on their way home to take care of their families after a long day of work. She also notes that the men lounge around watching the women. How does Lutie feels about this distinction?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Min is a fairly docile character. Even though her mind is hard at work, she rarely voices an opinion, even about her own treatment. She juxtaposes other women who are quite different in nature. Mrs. Hedges is overtly vocal about what she thinks--giving unwarranted advice at times. Lutie may not always condemn things aloud, but she does not stand for them and will respond with some sort of action. In your opinion, which of the three characters best handles life? Whose approach has brought the most freedom? In contrast, which character's life choices have resulted in a less than desirable life? Support your ideas with evidence from the text.

Essay Topic 2

At the book's end, Lutie makes the decision to abandon her son. In her mind, she will be of no use to Bub as a murderer. Bub, who has been the center of her concern for the entire book, is suddenly and seemingly dismissed. As a reader, was this an action you could have predicted? If so, which of Lutie's qualities led you to believe she was capable of this type of behavior? If not, do you think this behavior is believable? Has the author acted within the limits of the character's personality?

Essay Topic 3

Up until the novel's end, Lutie can be heralded as a virtuous character. Then, she kills Boots. In an essay, chart Lutie's decline and go further to explain it. What is the author's message in the demise of her main and moral character?

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