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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. Which of Corinne’s possessions are given to Nettie after her death?

2. Why does Celie want to see Pa before she moves to Memphis?

3. Who does Mary Agnes ask to look after Suzy Q while she is away?

4. For whom does Sofia work when she is released from prison?

5. Why was Shug so harsh with Celie when they first met?

Short Essay Questions

1. How does life change for Celie when she moves to Memphis?

2. What is Nettie’s first impression of the Senegalese people she meets during her travels?

3. Why was Shug so mean to Celie when she first moved in?

4. How does Shug picture God?

5. What is the most eye-opening experience for Nettie when she is in New York?

6. How did the reverend and his wife treat Nettie when they first met her?

7. What does Celie imagine that God looks like, and how does this affect her relationship with Him?

8. Where are Celie’s parents buried, and what marks their headstones?

9. How is the outside world changing Olinka?

10. What is the “surprise” that Shug brings home for the family at Christmas, and how does Mr. react?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Describe the theme of fatherhood in the novel. Which character do you think is the best father in the novel? Why? Which character do you think is the worst? In what ways can you see parenting styles, specifically fatherhood, affecting characters as they mature into adulthood? Be sure to include examples from the text to strengthen your arguments.

Essay Topic 2

Compare / contrast Celie’s family life at the beginning of the novel and the end of the novel. What causes the major changes that affect Celie’s life? Do you think the ending whitewashes the effects of the abuse and trauma Celie suffered? Why or why not? Be sure to include examples from the text to strengthen your arguments.

Essay Topic 3

How does Nettie’s life change when she moves in with Samuel and Corinne? What suspicions do the reverend and his wife have about their new charge? How are these suspicions ultimately resolved, and how does that change Nettie’s life once again? Be sure to include examples from the text to strengthen your arguments.

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 875 words (approx. 3 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample