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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. Where was James' mother supposed to meet James after kindergarten?

2. What is the name of the boy Ruth meets in this chapter?

3. What was Ruth's maiden name?

4. Who finds Ruth's bracelet?

5. What does Ruth says she suffers from because of her grandfather's death?

Short Essay Questions

1. Why is music important to James?

2. What incident confirms to James that the color of his mother's skin puts her in danger?

3. Why did James think his mother was strange?

4. How do things begin to go downhill for James when Hunter Jordan dies?

5. How does Sam's leaving home affect Ruth?

6. How does Ruth's friend, Frances, support her?

7. How does Peter change Ruth's life?

8. In what way was church always a joyous affair for both James and his mother?

9. Describe Sam's life.

10. How does Ruth's life take a turn for the worse when the family moves to Virginia?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Discuss differences between the novel and autobiography formats. What are the main elements of a novel? What are the main elements of an autobiography? What can novelists express that an autobiographer cannot? How can autobiographies keep to the facts while still maintaining a level of entertainment?

Essay Topic 2

What major events had a profound affect on McBride's life and how did they change him?

Essay Topic 3

Why does Ruth treat her past with such disregard? How has Ruth's view of the past affected James and his siblings? How has Ruth harmed herself by disregarding her past?

(see the answer keys)

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