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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 has Andrew be nicknamed by some of the boys that hang out at Asphalt Hill?
2. What does Vic show Andrew?
3. How does Shirley respond to Yolanda talking to her?
4. What do they call Yolanda on the bus?
5. How old is Andrew?
Short Essay Questions
1. What are the skaters at Asphalt Hill's reactions to Andrew's harmonica playing?
2. What is the other terrible thing that has happened recently?
3. How is the cake when Yolanda returns from the park with Andrew?
4. How does Yolanda steer Shirley's interest away from talking about jump roping?
5. What gives Yolanda comfort in her new home?
6. What is Yolanda thinking about as the novel opens?
7. How does Yolanda feel in Michigan and why?
8. Who is impressed by Yolanda and why?
9. Why is the darker side of Asphalt Hill, and what are Andrews thoughts about that?
10. How does Yolanda go about getting Andrew a new harmonica?
Essay Topics
Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:
Essay Topic 1
Discuss one of the following:
1. Define irony in literary terms. Discuss the irony of the situation of how Yolanda is prejudice towards a white girl and thinks stereotypically when most people think of racism in the United States as being white prejudice towards blacks.
2. Define symbolism in literary terms. Discuss the use and meaning of five symbols you choose to analyze from "Yolonda's Genius". What do they symbolize? Is the symbolism obvious? Effective? Does the symbolism contribute to the enjoyment of reading?
3. Discuss five literary devices that occur in "Yolonda's Genius" and how they are used. Are they effective? Do they add or detract from the reading of the book? Why or why not. Some possible techniques: allusion, connotation, denouement, dialogue, flashback, figurative language, motif, metaphor, narrator, point of view, simile, mood, and puns.
Essay Topic 2
Over the course of "Yolonda's Genius", Yolanda grows as a person in both complexity and understanding. "Yolonda's Genius" might be considered a slice of Yolanda's larger story of her "coming of age." It might be said that the story is a "bildungsroman" of the narrator. Discuss the following:
1. Define Bildungsroman, or "Coming of Age," and give several examples from literature you have read.
2. Trace and analyze Yolanda as she changes from a somewhat rigid, bigoted girl to a wiser, less rigid girl. What are the significant events that change her?
3. After thoroughly analyzing the narrator's growth throughout "Yolonda's Genius", do you think the novel could be considered Yolanda's Coming of Age story? Why or why not?
4. Are there any other characters in "Yolonda's Genius" who go through a Coming of Age experience? Who? Why do you think so?
Essay Topic 3
Discuss one of the following:
1. Trace and analyze the theme of growth in "Yolonda's Genius". Consider the following questions as you write: What characters are most concerned with growth? Why? What are some symbols of growth? Symbols of rigidity? What characters seem rigid?
2. Trace and analyze the theme of human genius in "Yolonda's Genius". Which characters struggle with this issue? Why? Which characters seem to possess courage? Why? What do you think Yolanda would label as genius?
3. Trace and analyze the themes of bullying and prejudice in "Yolonda's Genius". Who are bullies? Who stands up to bullies? Who does not? Why do those who bully do so? Who is prejudice? What type of prejudice? What do you think is the result of Yolanda's prejudice? Who is able to change from being a bully? From prejudice?
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This section contains 1,076 words (approx. 4 pages at 300 words per page) |
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