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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 does Ellen describe her family before the funeral?

2. What type of employment does Starletta's parents do?

3. What season does the funeral take place in?

4. What bad habit does Dora have?

5. What luxuries does Ellen have in her new life that did not exist in her old life?

Short Essay Questions

1. How does Ellen's selection of gifts show that Ellen has to take responsibility for herself?

2. How does the fact that Ellen is concerned with snakes in her new life hint at how she feels about the members of her family?

3. In Chapter 2, how does Ellen hint at favoritism towards her mother's family?

4. What gifts does Ellen buy herself for Christmas?

5. How can a reader tell that Ellen may harbor some prejudices toward African American people?

6. The author never indicates the time period of when the events in Ellen's life are taking place. How can one tell from the context about clues that Ellen's story happens in fairly modern times?

7. In what ways does Ellen justify not telling anyone about the circumstances of her mother's death?

8. Why does Ellen choose Starletta's parents when asked by the school board if Ellen has someone to take care of her?

9. In what ways has Ellen's mother's family shown that they do not care if Ellen is being neglected?

10. In Chapter 6, how does Ellen's prejudiced nature show up?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Compare and contrast the elements of Ellen's personality. How does Ellen exhibit a dualism in her personality?

Essay Topic 2

Using details from class discussions and from the text, describe how the author created a dualism in Ellen's life.

Essay Topic 3

In several instances in the text, Ellen tries to control the small things around her. Why does Ellen need to control these things?

(see the answer keys)

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