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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 has Ellen's mother's absence forced Ellen to obtain for herself?

2. What present does Ellen receive from Starletta's family?

3. Why does Ellen wear her coat to bed?

4. Who is the only member of Starletta's family who can read?

5. What item spills out of Ellen's mother's purse?

Short Essay Questions

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

2. Up to Chapter 7, what are some of the ways Ellen covers up for her father?

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

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

5. How does Ellen's grandmother cause a scene at the funeral?

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. How is Ellen's former life and her new life an example of dualism?

8. What event leads to Ellen's removal from her father's care?

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

10. How is Ellen wearing her mother's clothes symbolic to the story?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Using the text and class discussions as an aid describe some of Ellen's fears and how she overcame them.

Essay Topic 2

Using the context clues located in the story, how can the reader determine the setting even though the author and narrator never explicitly provides the reader with the information?

Essay Topic 3

The author's use of foreshadowing and flashbacks was prevalent throughout the novel. List 3-5 examples of the author's use of these literary elements and how they were effectively used by the author.

(see the answer keys)

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