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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 long ago did Mansfield's mistress return his belongings to his family?

2. In "The Store", how old was the protagonist when he decided to quit his first job?

3. How many members does the House of the Solitary Savior have?

4. How long have Joyce and Rickey been married?

5. Where does Mildred want to go during the conversation with the woman?

Short Essay Questions

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

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

3. Discuss the way the dreadlock man responds to Marvella's children.

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

5. Explain how Santiago makes money.

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

7. Describe the woman Mildred's husband had an affair with.

8. Describe the first job the protagonist has in "The Store".

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

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

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Selecting at least 3 stories, discuss the way in which Jones comments on marriage in this collection. Is his outlook on marriage positive or negative? Is it perhaps more nuanced than that? What factors does he explore in the marital relationship? How do these various factors explain the success or failure of the marriages in the stories? How do these stories work to form a broader commentary on marriage in American society?

Essay Topic 2

Relationships between women are central to many of the stories in this collection. Select three stories from the collection and discuss the way in which women form community amongst themselves. How does Jones portray the bonds between women in these stories? Are they mutually supportive? Antagonistic? Do these relationships fill any particular needs for the women who form them?

Essay Topic 3

Explore the role and characterization of the police officers in the work. How do the police interact with the characters in Jones' stories? Is the relationship between the characters and the police officers antagonistic? Respectful? What might Jones be saying about the treatment this community receives from its police officers in this collection?

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 828 words (approx. 3 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample