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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. After the story about Boy Charles' death, what does the family hear Maretha doing at the end of the first act?

2. What does Wining Boy carry with him that has a weight as heavy as a piano?

3. What color is the ghost wearing?

4. Lymon wants to go to what city, hoping for better treatment from white people?

5. Which of the following characters is NOT involved in stealing the piano from the Sutter home?

Short Essay Questions

1. What happens when Berniece threatens Boy Willie with the gun?

2. What lesson does Boy Willie give Maretha on the piano?

3. How did Avery get the idea to switch his profession to preacher?

4. What role does Berniece play in the exorcism of Sutter's ghost?

5. How does Wining Boy say that ghosts have affected his life?

6. Why does Avery believe that Berniece should start a choir in her home?

7. After a long day selling watermelons and trying to pawn clothing, how do the men in the Charles family settle down to relax?

8. How did Sutter react to the disappearance of his prized piano?

9. What happens when Wining Boy goes to the city to pawn his belongings?

10. What events have prompted Doaker to believe that Berniece should sell the piano as soon as possible?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Dreams prove to be an interesting and important way for characters in the text to receive divine messages. Avery's dream, in particular, is given the most symbolic weight within the story. Explain the symbolism of Avery's dream as it relates to his future and the themes within the play as a whole.

Essay Topic 2

Storytelling proves to be one of the most powerful elements of information transfer throughout the play. Choose one story that was told during the course of the play, explain the story's significance, and discuss how this story is an example of the importance of storytelling in the Charles family culture.

Essay Topic 3

The piano itself is arguably the strongest symbol in the entire play, standing in as a symbol for the Charles family as a whole but also for the members of the family as individuals. Choose one member of the Charles family and explain how the piano acts as a unique symbol for that character's storyline. Briefly discuss that character's relationship with the piano as a result of that symbolism.

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This section contains 846 words (approx. 3 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample