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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 is the name of Pecola’s brother in the novel?

2. What kind of car is Rosemary sitting in while she eats bread and butter in the beginning of Part II?

3. In the third narrative of the Jane story in Part I, what has been taken away?

4. Who does Frieda say told her about menstruation in Part II?

5. Who arrives to play with Jane at the end of the story in Part I?

Short Essay Questions

1. Who takes control of the situation when Pecola suddenly begins menstruating in Part II? How?

2. How are Claudia’s feelings about Shirley Temple and about baby dolls illustrated in “Autumn”?

3. Is the setting of the novel focused on a specific societal group, or is the setting inclusive of different racial groups?

4. Describe the narrative style of the novel. Who narrates the opening passages before “Autumn”?

5. Describe the “Dick and Jane” reader presented in Part I. How does this excerpt change in each retelling?

6. How is the MacTeer home described in “Autumn”? How are the relationships between the children and the adults characterized?

7. How is Mr. Henry described in “Autumn”? What is his role in the MacTeer home?

8. According to some critics, the three versions of the reader presented on the first page of The Bluest Eye represent three lifestyles presented in the novel. What does the first version represent?

9. According to some critics, the three versions of the reader presented on the first page of The Bluest Eye represent three lifestyles presented in the novel. What does the third version represent?

10. How did author Toni Morrison perceive the Civil Rights Movement’s slogan “Black is Beautiful”? How is this seen in the novel?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Discuss the theme of “the other” in The Bluest Eye. How is Pecola a metaphorical representation of “the other”? How is her outsider status important to the novel’s narrator? Why do Frieda and Claudia attempt to make Pecola feel less like an outsider?

Essay Topic 2

Discuss the character of Claudia MacTeer as the narrator of much of the novel. How old is Claudia in the opening of the narrative? Do you like this character? Why or why not? How does Claudia change in the course of the story?

Essay Topic 3

Describe and discuss the major movie stars discussed in the narrative in Part II. When was Shirley Temple’s height of fame? What other actresses are discussed? What do they share in common? How is Pecola’s name related to the movies?

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