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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. How many children does Mrs. Ellsworth have?

2. What else does Mrs. Ellsworth insist on doing for Oceola?

3. What is the ethnicity of the person Oceola receives piano lessons from?

4. What is Mrs. Ellsworth's financial status?

5. What does Mrs. Ellsworth think of Oceola's piano playing during their first meeting?

Short Essay Questions

1. What does Oceola continue to do that Mrs. Ellsworth does not approve of?

2. What does Mrs. Ellsworth think about Oceola's situation with the boarder?

3. What information startles Mrs. Ellsworth during Oceola's personal narration of her life?

4. What does Oceola say when Mrs. Ellsworth states, "Art is bigger than love"?

5. How does Mrs. Ellsworth feel about her decision on the soprano later on?

6. What does Mrs. Ellsworth do that is considered inappropriate behavior during her first meeting with Oceola?

7. What does Mrs. Ellsworth do when she hears Oceola's response to her suggestion about Harlem?

8. What does Mrs. Ellsworth try to get Oceola to do after she finds out information about the boarder?

9. What does Mrs. Ellsworth enjoy spending her resources on?

10. How did Oceola learn piano?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

There are many different themes in "The Blues I'm Playing," and one of them is gossip. How does gossip play a role in "The Blues I'm Playing"? What does Mrs. Ellsworth find out through gossip? How do her findings that stem from gossip influence her decisions? Make sure you answer each question and use examples from the story to support your answer.

Essay Topic 2

There are many themes that run through "The Blues I'm Playing," and one of them is irony. Mrs. Ellsworth tries hard to erase Oceola's tendency to improvise jazz music, thinking that this deters her from pure music. What is irony, and how does it play a role in this story? Explore the irony in the fact that Mrs. Ellsworth has many ideas on art but does not play it as well as the fact that Oceola does play, but Mrs. Ellsworth doesn't think she understands it. Make sure you use evidence from the story to support your answer and answer all questions.

Essay Topic 3

Marriage is usually a very happy occasion, but Mrs. Ellsworth reacts unhappily to news of Oceola's engagement. There are various reasons that could explain why she is so unsupportive of the engagement. List some of those reasons, and explain why. Why does Mrs. Ellsworth think Oceola's career will be over once married? What did marriage mean to Mrs. Ellsworth in her own life? Make sure you answer all questions using examples from the story to support your answer.

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This section contains 628 words (approx. 3 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample