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This test consists of 5 multiple choice questions, 5 short answer questions, and 10 short essay questions.

Multiple Choice Questions

1. The narrator describes Delia's shoulders as thin and what?
(a) Stooped.
(b) Bent.
(c) Sloped.
(d) Strong.

2. The narrator describes Delia as giving "a little scream of" (2) what when Sykes steps upon her laundry?
(a) Outrage.
(b) Rage.
(c) Surprise.
(d) Dismay.

3. What simile does Hurston use to characterize Delia's throwing off of her most habitual character trait?
(a) Like a lace collar.
(b) Like an old snakeskin.
(c) Like a blown scarf.
(d) Like a swatch of chiffon.

4. For how long has Delia been doing people's laundry to bring in money?
(a) 10 years.
(b) 20 years.
(c) 15 years.
(d) 7 years.

5. When Joe Lindsay says that there ought to be a law about Sykes's behavior, he says that Sykes "ain't fit tuh carry guts to a" (3) what?
(a) A hyena.
(b) A seagull.
(c) A bear.
(d) A vulture.

Short Answer Questions

1. When Joe Clarke says that there is no law in the world that will make a man act a certain way, what is that certain way he mentions?

2. For how long has Delia been married to Sykes?

3. What day of the week is considered the Sabbath within traditional Christianity?

4. What instruction does Sykes insist that he has given Delia over and over again without her capitulation?

5. When Delia picks up an object and strikes a pose after being threatened by Sykes, what does the narrator state as the action that Sykes refrains from performing, though he usually would perform it right away in such a situation?

Short Essay Questions

1. Describe the symbolism of the iron skillet.

2. How does the author make a change in Delia's speech in order to portray her newly-won defiance toward Sykes and his attempts to control her?

3. In what ways do the men on Joe Clarke's porch express admiration of Delia?

4. What is ironic about Sykes's stating that his reason for ordering Delia to cease taking in laundry from white folks is that he has promised God that she will do so?

5. In what ways do the men on Joe Clarke's porch express contempt for Sykes?

6. Why does Delia stay up so much later on Sunday nights than on any other night of the week and how does Sykes find fault with this practice?

7. What is shown about Delia's character traits in the very first paragraph of the story?

8. What does Sykes's bullwhip symbolize within the story?

9. How is foreshadowing incorporated into the very first encounter between Delia and Sykes?

10. What behaviors does Delia display that demonstrate her familiarity with Sykes's abusive behaviors?

(see the answer keys)

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