3. When the narrator states that Delia lies awake thinking about debris cluttering a certain kind of trail, what adjective is used to describe that trail?

4. The bullwhip is described by the narrator as long, round, limp, and what?

5. What does Delia call Sykes's action of scaring her with the bullwhip?

Short Essay Questions

1. What is meant by the piece of narration that states, "It was plain that the breaches must remain agape" (6)?

2. At what point does the author show the first change in Delia's character and how does she portray this change?

3. How does the author depict Sykes as being childish?

4. Before Delia's decision to stand up to Sykes by raising the iron skillet in a defensive pose, how does she react to his verbal abuse?

5. 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?

6. Why does Delia's knowledge that Sykes is out with her pony and carriage worry her?

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

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

9. How is the role of community portrayed within the scene on Joe Clarke's porch?

10. In what ways does Sykes's character emerge within the story's very first featured encounter between Sykes and Delia?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Discuss the significance of the Chorus within the short story. What is the author's purpose for including the group of men who gather on the porch of Joe Clarke's store?