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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 does Dee want to match a green suit she makes from an old suit someone gives her mother?

2. At the beginning of "Everyday Use," what kind of tree does Ms. Johnson say she likes to sit outside and look up into while enjoying the breeze?

3. When Ms. Johnson snatches the quilts from Wangero's hands, who sits on the bed with her mouth open in shock?

4. When Ms. Johnson finds Wangero's name hard to pronounce, what does Wangero say?

5. How does Ms. Johnson describe Maggie's fiance?

Short Essay Questions

1. Describe Dee's relationship with Jimmy T and what it indicates about her.

2. What does Maggie's smile at the end of "Everyday Use" indicate?

3. What religion is Ms. Johnson in "Everyday Use" and what does her religion indicate about her character?

4. What happens when Dee tries to share her educational knowledge with her mother and sister?

5. What does Maggie wear for Dee's visit and what does her outfit illustrate about her character?

6. Discuss the role of Great Grandpa Ezra in "Everyday Use."

7. What happened to the Johnsons' previous home and how has this tragedy affected the family?

8. Why does Ms. Johnson prefer that the hand-stitched quilts go to Maggie instead of Dee?

9. Explain the difference in what Dee wants to use her mother's quilts and the way Maggie wants to use the quilts.

10. What level of education does Dee have and how does it differ from the educational levels of her mother and sister?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

In Alice Walker's "Everyday Use," the character of Dee is romantically involved with Johnny T and later with Hakim-a-barber. Compare and contrast Dee's relationship with Johnny T and her relationship with Hakim-a-barber. Which one seems more harmonious and why? What does each relationship reveal about Dee at the stage in her life when she was involved with each man? Does Dee demonstrate any character growth from one relationship to the other? Cite examples from the text to support your arguments.

Essay Topic 2

Compare and contrast the way the characters in "Everyday Use" think of white people and interact with them. Give at least three examples from the text to illustrate your conclusions.

Essay Topic 3

Maggie and Dee have very different ideas of what their family heritage is. Compare and contrast how each sister defines heritage and the role Grandma Dee's quilts and the family butter churn and other heirlooms play in their concepts of heritage. Cite examples from the text to support your conclusions.

(see the answer keys)

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