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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 Avis ask the dreadlock man when she first sees him?

2. What makes Vivian pause to think how many days she had been on a diet?

3. What is Mildred following through the city?

4. How many pages is the trial manuscript?

5. In "The Store", where is the protagonist when he realizes he has left some of his personal belongings at the job he just quit?

Short Essay Questions

1. In "An Orange Line Train to Ballston", describe the opening of the story.

2. In "Gospel", describe Vivian L. Slater's Sunday morning ritual.

3. Why does Marvella keep her children at the school in Northwest?

4. Explain why Marvella scolds Avis at the opening of the story.

5. How do the Gospelteers respond to the fire at the church?

6. Discuss Lydia's mother's reaction to the first boy she brings home.

7. Why does Santiago's grandmother ban him from her house?

8. How does Samuel Jr. react when he learns that his sister has kept contact with their father over the years?

9. How does the protagonist of "The Store" garner promotion within the store?

10. Discuss Lydia's desire to get "lost in the city" in order to deal with her grief at her mother's death.

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Religion emerges as a significant theme throughout the collection as Jones presents a nuanced approach to this central element of the African-American community. Discuss Jones' commentary on the institution of religion in the community he describes. How does Jones comment on the influence of religion in the African-American community? Is it a purely spiritual institution in the community? Or, does the church also serve a social purpose in the community?

Essay Topic 2

Discuss the significance of education in two or more of the stories in this collection. How does education play a role in these stories? What is Jones' commentary regarding education itself and the role education plays in this particular community? Provide details from the stories to support your argument.

Essay Topic 3

Examine the way in which race emerges as a theme in the stories. Although the book is comprised of a majority of black characters, Jones still approaches and interrogates notions of race in the United States. Using evidence from at least four stories, discuss the way in which Jones treats the topic of race. Why does he choose to focus entirely on African-American characters? How do these characters perceive their own racial identity and place with the society of the United States? Is this perception influenced by generation or class?

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This section contains 973 words (approx. 4 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample