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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. Why doesn't a fire truck intervene during the house fire in Dorcas's home?

2. What does Joe see in Dorcas's picture?

3. How does Violet decide to get back at Joe?

4. What does Alice Manfred do for a living?

5. What does the author suppose Violet does while Joe is looking out the window and crying?

Short Essay Questions

1. In Chapter Five, what does Joe think of when he imagines Dorcas?

2. How does the narrator describe the way Joe and Violet meet in Chapter Four?

3. In Chapter Four, how does the narrator describe the way Violet feels after she attacks Dorcas's body?

4. Why do Joe and Violet fall into such deep debt in Chapter Five?

5. How does Violet learn more about Dorcas in Chapter One? What does she learn?

6. Describe the series of thoughts in Joe's mind the night he shoots Dorcas in Chapter Five.

7. In what ways does Alice try to protect Dorcas?

8. Describe the death of Dorcas's mother.

9. In Chapter Two, what does Joe tell Dorcas that he never tells Violet?

10. In Chapter One, how does the narrator describe Violet Trace?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

How is Violet described in the initial portion of the novel? Do you think this is a fair description of Violet's character? Why or why not?

Essay Topic 2

How do you describe the development of the relationship between Alice and Violet? Why do you think Violet is so determined to befriend Alice? What benefits do both women derive from the relationship?

Essay Topic 3

How is racism explored and conveyed in Morrison's work? Why do you think Morrison writes about it in this way?

(see the answer keys)

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