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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 do the residents of Eatonville hold a barbecue in celebration of?

2. Where does Janie get married?

3. Where is Tea Cake from?

4. What does Janie do instead of finishing breakfast?

5. Why does Joe buy the mule?

Short Essay Questions

1. What does Janie say to Joe as he is dying?

2. What does Janie do immediately after Joe dies?

3. Describe your impression of the relationship between Pheoby and Janie.

4. How does Janie initially feel about Joe's getting old?

5. What is Joe's opinion of Eatonville when he first arrives?

6. What things about Janie make Joe jealous?

7. Explain how Janie earns the name "Alphabet."

8. Describe Nanny's reaction, in Chapter 3, to hearing that Janie is unhappy.

9. Describe what happens with the mule in Chapter 6.

10. Describe how Janie behaves after Joe's death.

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Explain how and why Janie is consistently disappointed throughout her life. Which characters disappoint her? What were her initial expectations of these characters, and how do they let her down?

Essay Topic 2

Describe how the tone of the novel changes as Janie experiences highs and lows in the story.

Essay Topic 3

Discuss violence as a theme in Their Eyes Were Watching God. Is it shown in a positive or acceptable light? Explain how Janie's reaction to the violent situations she experiences reveal something about her character. Would the violence in the novel be acceptable today?

(see the answer keys)

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