Jazz Lessonplans

Lesson Plans
Jazz by Toni Morrison

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Lesson Plans
Introduction
The Jazz lesson plan contains a variety of teaching materials that cater to all learning styles. Inside you'll find 30 Daily Lessons, 20 Fun Activities, 180 Multiple Choice Questions, 60 Short Essay Questions, 20 Essay Questions, Quizzes/Homework Assignments, Tests, and more. The lessons and activities will help students gain an intimate understanding of the text; while the tests and quizzes will help you evaluate how well the students have grasped the material. Target Grade: 7th-12th (Middle School and High School) Length of Lesson Plan: Approximately 112 pages. Page count is estimated at 300 words per page. Length will vary depending on format viewed.
Completely Customizable!
Each lesson plan is downloadable in PDF and Word. The Word file is viewable with any PC or Mac and can be further adjusted if you want to mix questions around, add your own headers for things like "Name," "Period," and "Date." The Word file offers unlimited customizing options so that you can teach in the most efficient manner possible. Once you download the file, it is yours to keep and print for your classroom.
Lesson Plan Calendars

The Lesson Plan Calendars provide daily suggestions about what to teach. They include detailed descriptions of when to assign reading, homework, in-class work, fun activities, quizzes, tests and more. Use the entire lesson plan, or supplement it with your own curriculum ideas. Calendars cover one week, two week, four week and eight week units. Determine how long your Jazz unit will be, then use one of the calendars provided to plan out your entire lesson.
Chapter Abstracts
Chapter abstracts are short descriptions of events that occur in each chapter. They highlight major plot events and detail the important relationships and characteristics of important characters. The Chapter Abstracts can be used to review what the students have read, or to prepare the students for what they will read. Hand the abstracts out in class as a study guide, or use them as a "key" for a class discussion. They are relatively brief, but can serve to be an excellent refresher of the text for either a student or teacher.
Character and Object Descriptions

Character and Object Descriptions provide descriptions of the significant characters and objects/places in the book. These can be printed out and used as an individual study guide for students, a "key" for leading a class discussion, a summary review prior to exams, or a refresher for an educator. The character and object descriptions are also used in some of the quizzes and tests in this lesson plan. The longest descriptions run about 200 words. They become shorter as the importance of the character or object declines.
Introduction
Multiple Choice Questions

The 180 Multiple Choice Questions in this lesson plan will test a student's recall and understanding of the text. Use these questions for quizzes, homework assignments or tests. The questions are broken out into sections, so they focus on specific chapters or acts within a book or play. This allows you to test and review the book as you proceed through the unit. Typically, there are 5-15 questions per chapter, act or section.
Short Essay Questions

The 60 Short Essay Questions listed in this section require a one to two sentence answer. They ask students to demonstrate a deeper understanding of the text by describing what they've read, rather than just recalling it .The short essay questions evaluate not only whether students have read the material, but also how well they understand and can apply it. They require more thought than a multiple choice question, but are shorter than the essay questions.
Essay Questions/Writing Assignments

These 20 Essay Questions/Writing Assignments can be used as essay questions on a test, or as stand-alone essay topics for a take-home or in-class writing assignment. Students should have a full understanding of the unit material in order to answer these questions. They often include multiple parts of the work and ask for a thorough analysis of the overall text. They nearly always require a substantial response. Essay responses are typically expected to be one (or more) page(s) and consist of multiple paragraphs, although it is possible to write answers more briefly. These essays are designed to challenge a student's understanding of the broad points in a work, interactions among the characters, and main points and themes of the text. But, they also cover many of the other issues specific to the work and to the world today.
Daily Lessons
This section of the lesson plan contains 30 Daily Lessons. Daily Lessons each have a specific objective and offer at least three (often more) ways to teach that objective. Lessons include classroom discussions, group and partner activities, in-class handouts, individual writing assignments, at least one homework assignment, class participation exercises and other ways to teach students about the text in a classroom setting. You can combine daily lessons or use the ideas within them to create your own unique curriculum. They vary greatly from day to day and offer an array of creative ideas that provide many options for an educator.
Fun Classroom Activites

Fun Classroom Activities differ from Daily Lessons because they make "fun" a priority. The 20 enjoyable, interactive classroom activities that are included will help students understand the text in fun and entertaining ways. Fun Classroom Activities include group projects, games, critical thinking activities, brainstorming sessions, writing poems, drawing or sketching, and countless other creative exercises. Many of the activities encourage students to interact with each other, be creative and think "outside of the box," and ultimately grasp key concepts from the text by "doing" rather than simply studying. Fun activities are a great way to keep students interested and engaged while still providing a deeper understanding of the work and its themes.
Quizzes/Homework Assignments
The Quizzes/Homework Assignments are worksheets that can be used in a variety of ways. They pull questions from the multiple choice and short essay sections, the character and object descriptions, and the chapter abstracts to create worksheets that can be used for pop quizzes, in-class assignments and homework. Periodic homework assignments and quizzes are a great way to encourage students to stay on top of their assigned reading. They can also help you determine which concepts and ideas your class grasps and which they need more guidance on. By pulling from the different sections of the lesson plan, quizzes and homework assignments offer a comprehensive review of the text in manageable increments that are less substantial than a full blown test.
Tests
Use the Test Summary page to determine which pre-made test is most relevant to your students' learning styles. This lesson plan provides both full unit tests and mid-unit tests. You can choose from several tests that include differing combinations of multiple choice questions, vocabulary questions, short answer questions, short essay questions, full essay questions, character and object matching, etc. Some of the tests are designed to be more difficult than others. Some have essay questions, while others are limited to short-response questions, like multiple choice, matching and short answer questions. If you don't find the combination of questions that best suits your class, you can also create your own test.
Create Your Own Quiz or Test

You have the option to Create Your Own Quiz or Test. If you want to integrate questions you've developed for your curriculum with the questions in this lesson plan, or you simply want to create a unique test or quiz from the questions this lesson plan offers, it's easy to do. Cut and paste the information from the Create Your Own Quiz or Test page into a Word document to get started. Scroll through the sections of the lesson plan that most interest you and cut and paste the exact questions you want to use into your new, personalized lesson plan.
Evaluation Forms
Use the Oral Reading Evaluation Form when students are reading aloud in class. Pass the forms out before you assign reading, so students will know what to expect. You can use the forms to provide general feedback on audibility, pronunciation, articulation, expression and rate of speech. You can use this form to grade students, or simply comment on their progress. Use the Writing Evaluation Form when you're grading student essays. This will help you establish uniform criteria for grading essays even though students may be writing about different aspects of the material. By following this form you will be able to evaluate the thesis, organization, supporting arguments, paragraph transitions, grammar, spelling, punctuation, etc. of each student's essay.
Quizzes/Homework Assignments
Lesson Plan Calendar

Lesson plan calendars give you daily suggestions about what to teach. Determine how long your Jazz unit will be, then use one of the following calendars to plan out your entire lesson. In some cases, you may want to assign some of the reading over the weekend preceding the unit. This will give students some context for the start of the unit.
Definitions:
Review Chapter Abstracts - Chapter abstracts are synopses of each chapter that you can use to review the reading assignments with your students. Daily Lessons - There are 30 daily lessons detailed in this lesson plan. Select a new daily lesson each day. Fun Activities - There are 20 fun activities in this lesson plan. They serve as a way for students to interact with the material in an enjoyable, educational way. Read Aloud in Class - Ask students to take turns reading aloud from where they left off in their most recent reading assignment. Use the Oral Reading Evaluation Form in this lesson plan to evaluate their reading skills. In-Class Handout - An in-class handout can be one of the quizzes/homework assignments, vocabulary games, worksheets, or an essay/writing assignment. It's something the students can comple and turn in during class, or begin in-class and take home to finish as a homework assignment.
One Week Lesson Calendar

Before the Unit Begins Homework: Read through Chapter 3 of Jazz.
Lesson Plan Calendar
Day 1 - Introduce Unit Review Chapter Abstracts up to Chapter 3 1 Lesson from Daily Lessons 1-8 1 Fun Activity from Fun Activities 1-10 Students Read Aloud in Class Homework Assignment: Read through Chapter 6
Day 2 - Review Unit Review Chapter Abstracts up to Chapter 6 1 Lesson from Daily Lessons 7-16 1 In-Class Handout Homework Assignment: Read through Chapter 8 and choose a homework assignment from one of the Daily Lessons
Day 3 - Quiz Review Chapter Abstracts up to Chapter 8 Quiz 1 Lesson from Daily Lessons 17-23 1 In-Class Handout 1 Fun Activity from Fun Activities 2-10 Homework Assignment: Read through Chapter 10 and assign an essay, due the week following the test
Day 4 - Review Unit
Day 5 - Final Test
Review Chapter Abstracts up to Test Chapter 10 1 Lesson from Daily Lessons 24-30 1 In-Class Handout Homework Assignment: Study for the test
Two Week Lesson Calendar

One Week Lesson Calendar
Day 1 - Introduce Unit Review Chapter Abstracts up to Chapter 2 1 Lesson from Daily Lessons 1-3 Students Read Aloud in Class Homework Assignment: Read through Chapter 3
Day 2 - Review Unit Review Chapter Abstracts up to Chapter 3 1 Lesson from Daily Lessons 4-6 1 Activity from Fun Activities 1-5 Homework Assignment: Read through Chapter 4
Day 3 - Review Unit Review Chapter Abstracts up to Chapter 4 1 Lesson from Daily Lessons 7-9 1 In-Class Handout Homework Assignment: Read through Chapter 5
Day 4 - Review Unit Review Chapter Abstracts up to Chapter 5 1 Lesson from Daily Lessons 10-12 1 Activity from Fun Activities 6-10 Review for Quiz Homework Assignment: Read through Chapter 6 and study for quiz Day 9 - Review Unit
Day 5 - Quiz Review Chapter Abstracts up to Chapter 6 Quiz Homework Assignment: Read through Chapter 7 and assign an Essay, due the week following the final test
Day 6 - Review Unit Review Chapter Abstracts up to Chapter 7 1 Lesson from Daily Lessons 13-16 1 Activity from Fun Activities 11-15 Homework Assignment: Read through Chapter 8 and choose a homework assignment from one of the a Daily Lessons
Day 7 - Review Unit Review Chapter Abstracts up to Chapter 8 1 Lesson from Daily Lessons 17-20 1 In-Class Handout Read Aloud in Class Homework Assignment: Read through Chapter 9 and choose a homework assignment from one of the a Daily Lessons
Day 8 - Review Unit Review Chapter Abstracts up to Chapter 9 1 Lesson from Daily Lessons 21-25 1 In-Class Handout 1 Activity from Fun Activities 16-20 Homework Assignment: Read through Chapter 10
Day 10 - Final Test
Review Chapter Abstracts up to Test Chapter 10 1 Lesson from Daily Lessons 26-30 1 In-Class Handout Review for Test Homework Assignment: Study for the test
Four Week Lesson Calendar

Two Week Lesson Calendar
Day 1 - Introduce Unit
Day 2 - Review Unit
Day 3 - Review Unit Review Chapter Abstracts up to Chapter 2 Review Homework 1 Lesson from Daily Lessons 3-4 1 Activity from Fun Activities 1-3 Homework Assignment: Choose a homework assignment from one of the Daily Lessons Day 8 - Review Unit Review Homework Daily Lesson 11 1 Activity from Fun Activities 9-10 Homework Assignment: Read through Chapter 5 and choose a homework assignment from one of the Daily Lessons
Day 4 - Review Unit Review Homework Daily Lesson 5 1 Activity from Fun Activities 4-6 In-Class Handout Homework Assignment: Read through Chapter 3
Day 5 - Quiz Review Chapter Abstracts up to Chapter 3 Quiz 1 Lesson from Daily Lessons 6-7 Read Aloud in Class Homework Assignment: Choose a homework assignment from one of the Daily Lessons Day 10 - Mid Unit Test Test Homework Assignment: Read through Chapter 6 and assign an Essay, due the week following the final test
Review Chapter Abstracts up to 1 Lesson from Daily Lessons Chapter 1 1-2 Students Read Aloud in Class In-Class Handout Homework Assignment: Read through Chapter 2 and choose a homework assignment from one of the Daily Lessons
Day 6 - Review Unit Review Homework Daily Lesson 8 1 Activity from Fun Activities 7-8 Homework Assignment: Read through Chapter 4 and choose a homework assignment from one of the Daily Lessons
Day 7 - Review Unit Review Chapter Abstracts up to Chapter 4 Review Homework 1 Lesson from Daily Lessons 9-10 1 In-Class Handout Read Aloud in Class Homework Assignment: Choose a homework assignment from one of the Daily Lessons
Day 9 - Review Unit Review Chapter Abstracts up to Chapter 5 Review Homework 1 Lesson from Daily Lessons 12-13 1 In-Class Handout Review for Test Homework Assignment: Study for the test
Four Week Lesson Calendar
Day 11 - Review Unit Review Chapter Abstracts up to Chapter 6 Review Test 1 Daily Lesson from Daily Lessons 14-15 Students Read Aloud in Class
Day 12 - Review Unit 1 Lesson from Daily Lessons 16-17 1 Activity from Fun Activities 12-13 Homework Assignment: Read through Chapter 7 and choose a homework assignment from one of the Daily Lessons
Day 13 - Review Unit Review Chapter Abstracts up to Chapter 7 Review Homework Daily Lesson 18 1 In-Class Handout Homework Assignment: Choose a homework assignment from one of the Daily Lessons
Day 14 - Review Unit Review Homework 1 Daily Lesson from Daily Lessons 19-20 1 Activity from Fun Activities 13-14 Homework Assignment: Read through Chapter 8 and choose a homework assignment from one of the Daily Lessons
Day 15 - Quiz Review Chapter Abstracts up to Chapter 8 Quiz 1 Lesson from Daily Lessons 21-22 Read Aloud in Class 1 Activity from Fun Activities 15-6 Homework Assignment: Choose a homework assignment from one of the Daily Lessons Day 20 - Final Test Test
Day 16 - Review Unit Review Homework 1 Lesson from Daily Lessons 23-24 1 Activity from Fun Activities 17-18 Homework Assignment: Read through Chapter 9 and choose a homework assignment from one of the Daily Lessons
Day 17 - Review Unit Review Chapter Abstracts up to Chapter 9 Review Homework 1 Lesson from Daily Lessons 25-26 1 In-Class Handout Read Aloud in Class Homework Assignment: Read through Chapter 10 and choose a homework assignment from one of the Daily Lessons
Day 18 - Review Unit Review Chapter Abstracts up to Chapter 10 Review Homework 1 Lesson from Daily Lessons 27-28 1 In-Class Handout 1 Activity from Fun Activities 19-20
Day 19 - Review Unit 1 Lesson from Daily Lessons 29-30 1 In-Class Handout Review for Test Homework Assignment: Study for the test
Eight Week Lesson Calendar

Day 1 - Introduce Unit
Day 2 - Review Unit
Day 3 - Review Unit Review Homework Daily Lessons 2 Fun Activity 1 Homework Assignment: Complete the Daily Lesson Day 8 - Quiz Quiz Review Homework Daily Lesson 6 Read Aloud in Class Homework Assignment: Read through Chapter 3 and complete the Daily Lesson Day 13 - Review Unit Review Chapter Abstracts up to Chapter 4 Review Homework Daily Lesson 10 1 In-Class Handout Homework Assignment: Complete the Daily Lesson
Day 4 - Review Unit Review Homework Daily Lesson 3 In-Class Handout Homework Assignment: Read through Chapter 2 Day 9 - Review Unit
Day 5 - Quiz Review Chapter Abstracts up to Chapter 2 Quiz Fun Activity 2 Read Aloud in Class Day 10 - Review Unit
Review Chapter Abstracts up to Daily Lesson 1 Chapter 1 In-Class Handout Students Read Aloud in Class Homework Assignment: Complete the Daily Lesson Day 6 - Review Unit Daily Lesson 4 Fun Activity 3 Homework Assignment: Complete the Daily Lesson Day 7 - Review Unit Review Homework Daily Lesson 5 1 In-Class Handout Read Aloud in Class Homework Assignment: Complete the Daily Lesson Day 12 - Quiz Quiz Daily Lesson 9 Fun Activity 6 Homework Assignment: Read through Chapter 4 and complete the Daily Lesson
Review Chapter Abstracts up to Fun Activity 5 Chapter 3 In-Class Handout Review Homework Daily Lesson 7 Fun Activity 4 1 In-Class Handout Day 14 - Review Unit Review Homework Daily Lesson 11 Fun Activity 7 Homework Assignment: Complete the Daily Lesson Day 15 - Quiz Quiz Read Aloud in Class Fun Activity 8 Homework Assignment: Complete the Daily Lesson
Day 11 - Review Unit Daily Lesson 8 Students Read Aloud in Class Homework Assignment: Study for quiz
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Day 16 - Review Unit Daily Lesson 12 Fun Activity 9 Homework Assignment: Read through Chapter 5 and complete the Daily Lesson Day 21 - Review Unit Daily Lesson 15 Review the Test Homework Assignment: Read through Chapter 6
Day 17 - Review Unit Review Chapter Abstracts up to Chapter 5 Review Homework Daily Lesson 13 1 In-Class Handout Read Aloud in Class Day 22 - Review Unit Review Chapter Abstracts up to Chapter 6 Daily Lesson 16 1 In-Class Handout Homework Assignment: Complete the Daily Lesson Day 27 - Review Unit Review Homework Daily Lesson 20 1 In-Class Handout Read Aloud in Class Homework Assignment: Complete the Daily Lesson
Day 18 - Review Unit Review Homework Daily Lesson 14 1 In-Class Handout Fun Activity 10 Homework Assignment: Complete the Daily Lesson Day 23 - Review Unit Review Homework Daily Lesson 17 Fun Activity 11 Homework Assignment: Complete the Daily Lesson Day 28 - Review Unit Review Homework Daily Lesson 2 Fun Activity 14 Homework Assignment: Complete the Daily Lesson
Day 19 - Review Unit Review Homework 1 In-Class Handout Review for Test Homework Assignment: Study for test Day 24 - Review Unit Review Homework Fun Activity 12
Day 20 - Mid-Unit Test Test on first half of Jazz Homework Assignment: Assign an Essay, due on Day 38
Day 25 - Quiz Quiz Daily Lesson 18 Fun Activity 13 Homework Assignment: Read through Chapter 7 and complete the Daily Lesson Day 30 - Mid-Unit Test Review Chapter Abstracts up to Chapter 8 Quiz Fun Activity 15
Day 26 - Review Unit Review Chapter Abstracts up to Chapter 7 Review Homework Daily Lesson 19 Homework Assignment: Complete the Daily Lesson
Day 29 - Review Unit Review Homework Daily Lesson 22 1 In-Class Handout Homework Assignment: Read through Chapter 8 and study for quiz
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Day 31 - Review Unit Daily Lesson 23 Read Aloud in Class
Day 32 - Review Unit Daily Lesson 24 Fun Activity 16 Homework Assignment: Complete the Daily Lesson
Day 33 - Review Unit Review Homework Daily Lesson 25 1 In-Class Handout Homework Assignment: Read through Chapter 9 and complete the Daily Lesson Day 38 - Review Unit Collect Essay Assignments Daily Lesson 29 Fun Activity 20 Homework Assignment: Complete the Daily Lesson
Day 34 - Review Unit Review Chapter Abstracts up to Chapter 9 Review Homework Daily Lesson 26 Fun Activity 17 Day 39 - Review Unit Review Homework Daily Lesson 30 1 In-Class Handout Review for Test
Day 35 - Quiz Quiz Read Aloud in Class Daily Lesson 27 Fun Activity 18 Homework Assignment: Complete the Daily Lesson Day 40 - Final Test Final Test
Day 36 - Review Unit Review Homework Daily Lesson 28 Fun Activity 19 Homework Assignment: Read through Chapter 10 and complete the Daily Lesson
Day 37 - Review Unit Review Chapter Abstracts up to Chapter 10 1 In-Class Handout Homework Assignment: Finish Essay assignment
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Chapter Abstracts
Chapter abstracts are short descriptions of events that occur in each chapter. They highlight major plot events and detail the important relationships and characteristics of characters and objects. The Chapter Abstracts can be used to review what the students have read, or to prepare the students for what they will read. Hand the abstracts out in class as a study guide, or use them as a "key" for a class discussion. They are relatively brief, but can serve to be an excellent refresher of the text for either a student or teacher.
Chapter 1 Abstract
* The book opens by describing the place where Violet and Joe live on Lenox Avenue. * Violet goes to the funeral parlor to disfigure Dorcas's face, but the men at the funeral parlor throw her out. * Violet goes home and releases her birds into the snow. * She tries to have an extramarital affair out of revenge, but she is not satisfied.
Chapter 2 Abstract
* Violet wants to learn more about Dorcas, so she goes to visit Dorcas's aunt. * Violet develops an uncomfortable friendship with Dorcas's aunt, who gives Violet a picture of Dorcas. * Violet puts the picture of Dorcas on the mantle, where it bothers both she and Joe.
Chapter 3 Abstract
* Violet wonders if she is crazy or not and thinks back to when she steals a baby out of a pram. * Joe does not know that she has crazy episodes, but knows she sometimes says crazy things. * Violet finds a knife in the bottom of the parrot's cage and does not know how it gets there.
Chapter 4 Abstract
* The chapter begins with a description of Joe's feelings toward Dorcas and how he kills her to keep the sweet feeling from slipping away. * Joe thinks back to when he and Violet leave Virginia, and notes that he has trouble remembering emotions from that time. * During the train ride to Maryland, Joe and Violet don't leave each others' sides, as they cannot stand the thought of being separated by a table.
Chapter 5 Abstract
* Joe thinks of how he tells Dorcas important, emotional things about himself such as his yearning to connect with his mother. * Dorcas understands how Joe feels because she is abused by her mother, who dies in a house fire when Dorcas is a girl. * When the fire happens, Dorcas saves her clothespin dolls from the fire. * The relationship between Joe and Dorcas revolves around his desire to please her and Dorcas's power over Joe.
Chapter Abstracts
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Chapter 6 Abstract
* Joe convinces Malvonne to rent her second bedroom for several hours a week for Joe and Dorcas. * Malvonne's nephew, Sweetness, recently moves out and leaves a sackful of stolen mail behind Malvonne's refrigerator. * Malvonne sorts through the mail and tries to make amends to those people whose mail doesn't reach the destination, such as a young black girl who applies to law school.
Chapter 7 Abstract
* The chapter opens in 1917, nine years earlier, with Dorcas and her aunt Alice attending a parade protesting the St. Louis race riots. * The men are silent and carry banners while drums beat loudly, which scare Alice. * Alice tries to protect Dorcas from white men and "lowdown sticky music," though Dorcas loves that type of music and the way it makes her feel.
Chapter 8 Abstract
* During her mother's funeral, Dorcas finds it impossible to cry for her dead parents and focuses on her clothespin dolls instead. * During the day, Dorcas is left with the Miller sisters, who constantly call the police to report places that sell alcohol, despite the Prohibition. * Dorcas is struck by Neola Miller's left arm, which is paralyzed since her fianc left her.
Chapter 9 Abstract
* Dorcas and Joe formally meet when Joe comes to deliver cosmetics to Alice. * Alice does not know about the affair until after Dorcas is dead, and she does not want anything to do with the Traces. * Violet earns the nickname "Violent" since she tries to attack Dorcas's body at the funeral. * Alice eventually allows Violet to visit, and she becomes a sort of caretaker and friend for Violet.
Chapter 10 Abstract
* After she attacks Dorcas, Violet feels as if she splits into two different people: her normal self and a violent person. * Violet means to slash Dorcas's face but only nicks her neck * The funeral ushers stop Violet, and Violet fights back and then runs home to release her birds from their cages.
Abstract
* Violet wonders why Joe loves Dorcas, and imagines him doting on her and giving her lots of presents. * Violet acknowledges that when she meets Joe, she is instead looking for a boy her grandmother, True Belle, cares for. * Violet's father goes to the North to look for work, and her mother becomes incapacitated. * True Belle moves from Baltimore to care for her five grandchildren and Violet's mother, Rose Dear, eventually kills herself. * True Belle sends Violet to another town to pick cotton, and Violet meets Joe there.
Chapter 6 Abstract
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* Joe and Violet eventually marry and move to the city thirteen years later. * Violet and Joe never want children, but Violet begins to desire a daughter. * The chapter describes Harlem in the springtime and mentions the blues musicians playing on the sidewalks. * Joe is crying as he remembers seeing Dorcas for the first time, buying candy at the drugstore. * He feels new, as he does when he names himself Trace after people tell him his parents disappear "without a trace". * As a boy, Joe is chosen by a well-known hunter in town to be an apprentice. * Joe and Violet marry and try to buy land, but are fooled by white men who punish him with debt. * Joe and Violet decide to move to the city at the end of World War I. * Joe again imagines Dorcas and thinks of eating a sweet apple. * Joe becomes jealous of all the young men in the streets and tracks Dorcas down with his gun. * After Dorcas is shot, Joe wants to stay near her in order to keep her from falling and hurting herself. * True Belle moves to Vesper County, Virginia, to care for her grandchildren, including Violet, and gives up a good job in Baltimore. * She finds the children in an abandoned shack and foraging for food in the woods while their mother is incapacitated. * True Belle tells Violet about the golden boy she cares for in Baltimore. * The golden boy is actually the bi-racial son of Vera Louise Gray and a black man. * When Vera Louise's parents find out, they are hurt and angry and give her money to go to Baltimore to have the baby. * True Belle goes with Vera Louise to the city to wait on her during her pregnancy. * The baby grows up not knowing who his father is until Vera Louise tells him and True Belle gives him his father's name and address. * Golden Gray sets out for his father's cabin in Virginia and spots a naked, pregnant, black woman in the forest near the cabin. * The woman runs into a tree and is knocked unconscious. * The cabin is deserted when Golden Gray reaches it, and thinks of the woman only after he changes his own clothes and cares for his horse. * Golden Gray's father, Henry Lestory, gets back to his cabin to find Golden Gray and the naked woman. * The girl goes into labor and has a very difficult birth. * She is named Wild after she bites Lestory's hand. * Golden Gray is angry with his father and leaves the cabin with the intention of shooting Lestory the next day. * Thirteen years later, the plantation burns and the black residents go to nearby towns for work. * Joe becomes obsessed with the legend of Wild. * Joe is convinced that Wild is his mother after Lestory tells him that Wild is "somebody's mother". * Joe thinks he hears a woman singing in the forest and thinks it is Wild. * Another day, he finds a burrow with several items on the other side, including Golden Gray's clothing. * Joe returns to that place after he marries Violet and listens again for his mother. * This chapter describes Joe's attack of Dorcas from Dorcas's point of view. * Dorcas is dancing with Acton, a young and handsome man, and is happy. * She likes Acton because he does not try to impress her with gifts and flattery, unlike Joe.
Abstract
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* When Dorcas is with Joe, he dotes on her and gives her lots of presents. * Dorcas is turned off by this and breaks up with Joe, telling him that she is tired of sneaking around. * Dorcas knows Joe comes looking for her and she hopes he sees that she is finally happy. * Joe does find Dorcas, and he is crying. * Dorcas is suddenly falling but she does not know why. * Acton brushes the blood off his jacket before seeking medical care for Dorcas. * Dorcas does not tell anyone who shoots her because she is afraid Joe gets in trouble. * It is springtime in Harlem and the narrator recounts the jazz music that is played on the rooftops. * Violet returns Dorcas's picture to Alice. * Felice, Dorcas's best friend, comes to visit Violet and Joe to ask for her ring, but they tell her Dorcas is buried wearing the ring. * Felice is disappointed about the ring because it is given to her by her mother, who steals it from a Tiffany's store. * Felice tells the Traces about Dorcas and how she is manipulative and always getting others in trouble. * Felice says Dorcas likes being with Joe because it is a secret. * Felice tells Joe that Dorcas wants to be with Acton because all the other girls want him. * Dorcas does not want anyone to call the ambulance after she is shot because she doesn't want Joe to get in trouble. * Felice calls the ambulance, but they don't come until the next day because black people call them. * Felice accepts Violet's invitation to dinner and allows Violet to trim her hair. * The narrator discusses the nature of pain and the complex relationship between Joe, Violet, and Felice. * Felice grasps a new sense of self-confidence. * Dorcas's aunt, Alice, moves back to Springfield to work for a white woman. * Joe starts working at a speakeasy called Paydirt. * He now comes home in the afternoons to spend time with Violet. * They often meet for a malt milkshake at the local drugstore. * Joe and Violet eat dinner together and play poker or listen to Malvonne gossip. * They also go up to the roof, taking their new bird with them, to listen to the jazz music. * At nighttime, Joe and Violet curl up together under the covers and whisper to each other.
Abstract
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Character Descriptions
This section provides a short description of all the major characters in the book. This can be printed out as a study guide for students, used as a "key" for leading a class discussion, or you can jump to the quiz/homework section to find worksheets that incorporate these descriptions into a variety of question formats.
Characters
The Narrator - This entertaining, insightful and lyrical character knows and sees much more than any one character, yet is not aware of everything. Violet Trace - This character is fifty-years-old, toothpick-thin and works as an unlicensed hairdresser. Joe Trace - This character is adopted by Rhoda and Frank Williams and works as a waiter and part-time salesman for Cleopatra cosmetics. Malvonne - This character is the antagonist of the novel and cleans office buildings at night. Dorcas - This seventeen-year-old character is shot at a party and dies. Alice Manfred - This character is a widow, a skilled laborer, and a seamstress in the garment district who does fine work by hand. Felice - This character is the best friend of waiter and part-time salesman's girlfriend who eventually becomes close to the main family in this novel. Acton - This character is arrogant, self-centered, and critical, yet is admired by others and given gifts. Golden Gray - This character is the illegitimate child of "the hunter's hunter". Henry Lestory - This skillful and intelligent character is called a witch doctor by white men. True Belle - At the age of twenty-seven and still a slave, this character is compelled to move to Baltimore as a servant for her pregnant owner. Wild - This character has a difficult labor and gives birth to the character who later becomes a part-time salesman, but refuses to care for him. Rose Dear - This character is left to raise five children alone with no income and eventually commits suicide.
Character Descriptions
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Object Descriptions
This section provides a short description of all the major objects in the book. This can be printed out as a study guide for students, used as a "key" for leading a class discussion, or you can jump to the quiz/homework section to find worksheets that incorporate these descriptions into a variety of question formats.
Objects
Harlem - This interdependent black community is home to every comfort and form of assistance, as well as to unthinkable violence. The Trace's Apartment - This place has a spacious dining room featuring houseplants against the windows, deep comfortable chairs, and plenty of space for Violet to fix her customers' hair. The Birds - These symbolize the meager hope, joy, and love in Violet's life. The Apple - Joe compares his love for Dorcas to this object. The Knife - Violet finds this object in the bottom of the parrot's cage. Vespers County, Virginia - Joe and Violet are originally from this place, which is also the original home of Rose Dear, True Belle, Vera Louise Gray, and Henry Lestory. Malvonne's Apartment - This place is where Joe Trace brings his young girlfriend without Violet's knowledge. The Black Opal Ring - On the night of her death, Felice lends this object to Dorcas and wants it back months after Dorcas's death. Hair - This object of Violet's profession is how Joe finds out that Dorcas is lying to him about seeing someone else. Speakeasies - These places are common in Harlem and where Joe takes Dorcas at night.
Object Descriptions
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This section contains 180 multiple choice questions about Jazz. Multiple choice questions test a student's recall and understanding of the text. Use these questions for chapter quizzes, homework assignments or tests. Jump to the quiz/homework section for the multiple choice worksheets.
Multiple Choice - Chapter 1

1. Who lives with Joe on Lenox Avenue? a) Violet. b) Dorcas. c) Alice. d) Golden Gray. 2. Which of the following are in Violet's apartment? a) Birds and houseplants. b) Dogs and cats. c) Piles of newspapers. d) Shotguns and cocaine. 3. In the beginning of the book, why does Joe say he shoots Dorcas? a) He wants to keep the feeling of love going. b) He wants to capture her forever. c) He is trying to shoot someone else. d) She tries to rob him. 4. Where does Violet go when she finds out about Joe's affair? a) Massachusetts. b) Under their bed. c) The funeral parlor. d) To her mother's house. 5. What does Violet try to do to Dorcas's face? a) Apply more makeup. b) Make it look younger. c) Disfigure it with a knife. d) Make it look older. 6. How is Violet described by the author? a) Wrinkly and harsh. b) Chubby and pleasant. c) Skinny and over fifty. d) Attractive and haunting. 7. How does Violet decide to get back at Joe? a) Kill his pet dog. b) Have an affair in their home.
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c) Become pregnant. d) Leave Joe forever. 8. Who tells Violet Dorcas's address? a) True Belle. b) Alice. c) Joe. d) Malvonne. 9. What type of Dorcas's makeup does Violet find out about? a) Mascara. b) Eyeshadow. c) Powder. d) Lipstick. 10. What does Violet steal during one of her crazy episodes? a) Knives. b) A baby. c) Candy. d) A television. 11. What does Joe think about Violet's crazy episodes? a) He ignores them completely. b) He thinks they are incredibly annoying. c) He thinks they are charming. d) He does not know about them. 12. What does Violet do in response to her crazy episodes? a) She goes to find a priest. b) She becomes more and more silent. c) She writes in her journal. d) She becomes a musician. 13. What does Violet find in the bottom of the parrot's cage? a) A necklace. b) A pen. c) A knife. d) A shoe. 14. How is Alice Manfred related to Dorcas? a) Alice and Dorcas are second cousins. b) Alice is Dorcas's aunt. c) Dorcas is Alice's daughter. d) Alice and Dorcas are sisters. 15. How does Alice describe Dorcas? a) Beautiful but hardheaded. b) Plain but fun-loving.
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c) Ugly but pleasant. d) Funny but quiet. 16. Where does Violet put the picture of Dorcas? a) Under Joe's pillow. b) On the mantel. c) In the oven. d) On the front door. 17. What does Joe see in Dorcas's picture? a) An aged, harsh woman. b) A beautiful, sweet girl. c) A scraggly, shy teenager. d) A woman who looks just like Violet. 18. What does Violet see in Dorcas's picture? a) A stubborn girl needing a haircut. b) An angry, disturbed teenager. c) A sweet, beautiful woman. d) A friendly, mature girl.

1. Why doesn't Violet sleep at night? a) She sleeps too much during the day. b) The birds are gone. c) Joe snores loudly. d) She is awakened by nightmares. 2. What does Joe buy Dorcas the first day they meet? a) A dress. b) Peppermint candy. c) Beer. d) A horse. 3. What does Joe not recall from his early days with Violet? a) Feelings. b) The dresses that she wears. c) What they buy as a couple. d) Specific dates. 4. What does the train conductor announce when he walks through the cabin where Joe and Violet are standing? a) All blacks must leave the train car. b) It is time to separate from the white customers. c) No black couples remain together. d) Breakfast is being served.
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5. Why do Joe and Violet continue to dance standing in the train car? a) They are afraid to sit down for fear they are punished. b) They do not want to lose their places. c) They aren't hungry. d) They do not want to be separated by the table. 6. Who does Joe pray sends him a sign as he sits in the bushes? a) His sister. b) Violet. c) Dorcas. d) His mother. 7. Who understands, like Joe, what it feels like to feel nothing inside? a) Dorcas. b) Violet. c) Rose Dear. d) Alice. 8. What happens to Dorcas's mother? a) She dies in a housefire. b) She is killed by a boyfriend. c) She gradually becomes insane. d) She runs away to Mexico. 9. What does Dorcas rescue from her home as a small child? a) Her clothespin dolls. b) Her pet kitten. c) She decides not to rescue anything. d) A photo album. 10. What does Dorcas put on Joe's hands? a) Cream and clear nail polish. b) White paint. c) Butter and sugar. d) Aloe vera. 11. Where does Dorcas insist Joe take her? a) A jazz club. b) New York City. c) The beauty parlor. d) The zoo. 12. Who rents Joe and Dorcas a bedroom once a week? a) Alice. b) Malvonne. c) Rose Dear. d) Dorcas's mother.
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13. How much does Joe pay for the bedroom he and Dorcas meet in? a) Two dollars a month. b) Nothing. c) He trades handiwork for the use of the bedroom. d) Five dollars an hour. 14. What does Malvonne do for a living? a) Cleans offices. b) Delivers newspapers. c) Runs a daycare. d) Cooks for neighbors. 15. What does Malvonne find behind her refrigerator? a) A box of money. b) A sack of stolen mail. c) A coin collection. d) An old diamond ring. 16. Who moves to Chicago? a) True Belle. b) Sweetness, Malvonne's nephew. c) Rose Dear. d) Violet. 17. Why does Malvonne want to make sure the young black girl's letter gets to the law school? a) She is afraid the girl has to get a low-paying job instead. b) She is afraid she is reported for having stolen mail. c) She is threatened by the police. d) The young black girl is Malvonne's daughter. 18. What does Malvonne include in the letter from Hot Steam to Daddy Sage? a) A Bible passage. b) Violet's phone number. c) Five dollars. d) An article about adultery.

1. Who attends the parade with Dorcas in 1917? a) Joe only. b) Joe and Violet. c) Alice Manfred. d) No one. 2. What is the 1917 parade protesting? a) Desegregation. b) Abortion. c) Child abuse.
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d) The St. Louis race riots. 3. What happens the same day Dorcas's mother is burned in the house fire? a) Dorcas's father is killed during a race riot. b) Dorcas is fired from her job. c) She is arrested by the police for murder. d) She overdoses on medication. 4. Why doesn't a fire truck intervene during the house fire in Dorcas's home? a) It is waiting for a fire in a white neighborhood. b) It is out of gas. c) All the firemen are on strike. d) It is broken down. 5. What instrument is constantly played during the parade? a) Drums. b) Trumpet. c) Flute. d) Tuba. 6. Who does Alice try to teach Dorcas to avoid? a) White male teenagers and adults. b) All other blacks. c) The wealthy. d) Social workers and teachers. 7. What does Alice protect Dorcas from? a) Racism. b) Television. c) Seductive and violent music. d) Unhealthy habits. 8. Where do Dorcas's clothespin dolls lay? a) On the floor of the burnt-down home. b) Within an old oak tree. c) In a cigar box. d) Under her pillow. 9. Who does Dorcas cry for during her mother's funeral? a) Her father. b) Herself. c) Her dolls. d) Her mother. 10. What does Alice Manfred do for a living? a) Cleans wealthy people's homes. b) She is a seamstress. c) Cooks in a nearby restaurant.
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d) She is a nurse for a black doctor. 11. Who does Dorcas stay with when Alice goes to work? a) True Belle. b) Joe's mother. c) No one. d) The Miller sisters. 12. Why do the Miller sisters call the police station repeatedly? a) They are crazy. b) As a way to keep Dorcas from misbehaving. c) To report restaurants serving alcohol. d) They imagine they hear thieves in their home. 13. What is special about Neola Miller? a) Her hair is bright yellow. b) Her left arm is paralyzed over her heart. c) She is deaf. d) She is a genius. 14. Why is Dorcas rejected by teenage boys her own age? a) She is smarter and sharper. b) She is much more mature than they. c) She wears unfashionable clothing. d) She is tall and beautiful. 15. What is Joe selling when he meets Dorcas? a) Brooms. b) Coffee. c) Cosmetics. d) Encyclopedias. 16. What are the Civic Daughters planning when Joe delivers the cosmetics? a) An Easter Egg hunt. b) Dorcas's engagement party. c) A Thanksgiving fundraiser. d) The debutante ball. 17. When does Alice realize Dorcas and Joe are having an affair? a) Never. b) The first night Dorcas and Joe meet. c) Thanksgiving dinner. d) After Dorcas is dead. 18. Who does Alice eventually allow to come visit her at home? a) Dorcas's pet dog. b) Felice. c) Joe.
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d) Violet.

1. What does Violet wear that makes her look crazy? a) Long stockings. b) An overcoat. c) Boots. d) A hat. 2. Where does Violet stop to have two malts? a) Her home. b) A jazz club. c) The local bar. d) The drugstore. 3. Why is Violet committed to gaining weight? a) She thinks it makes Joe feel sorry for her. b) She is trying to get the hips and backside she has as a young woman. c) She wants to be admitted to the hospital. d) She thinks it makes her look crazier. 4. What happens to Violet after she attacks Dorcas's body? a) She is arrested and tried. b) She becomes more compassionate. c) She loses her affinity for violence. d) She feels split into two people. 5. What does Violet do after she runs from the funeral home? a) Takes a train back to Virginia. b) Tries to commit suicide. c) Attacks Joe while he is sleeping. d) Releases all the birds from their cages. 6. What does the green and yellow parrot repeat? a) "Please help me". b) "You're an angel". c) "You're the best man I ever met". d) "I love you". 7. What does Violet envision Joe giving Dorcas? a) Underwear. b) Flowers. c) Chinese food. d) An adopted baby. 8. What is True Belle's relationship to Violet? a) She is Violet's nanny.
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b) She is Violet's grandmother. c) She is Violet's older sister. d) She is Violet's school teacher. 9. Where does Violet's father travel to look for work? a) The North. b) The Midwest. c) Georgia. d) Mexico. 10. What happens to Violet's mother after her father leaves the family? a) She becomes insane and tries to kill her children. b) She earns an education. c) She becomes incapacitated. d) She remarries and becomes abusive. 11. How does Rose Dear eventually die? a) No one is sure. b) She dies of a heart attack. c) She convinces her boyfriend to kill her. d) She throws herself down a well. 12. What does Violet's father bring the children when he visits? a) Books. b) Candy. c) Toys. d) Puppies. 13. How does Violet meet Joe? a) He falls out of tree she is sleeping under. b) They are both lost while trying to get to Chicago. c) They grow up in the same church together. d) They go on a blind date. 14. Why does True Belle send Violet to Palestine? a) Violet becomes pregnant. b) To go to beauty school. c) To get away from Joe. d) To pick cotton. 15. What do Violet and Joe do all night the first time they meet? a) Dance. b) Fight. c) Talk. d) Eat. 16. What does Violet do when the cotton crop is harvested? a) She goes back to Virginia.
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b) She becomes a teacher. c) She raises children. d) She stays in the neighborhood and works for a family. 17. What is the reaction from Joe's friends and family when he and Violet move to the city? a) They are surprised. b) They are glad Joe and Violet are moving away. c) They are disappointed and vow never to speak to Joe again. d) They are overjoyed for the couple. 18. What does Violet regret when she turns forty? a) Getting married so early. b) Never having children. c) Not taking better care of her skin. d) Not having been loved deeply enough.

1. What area does the author describe in springtime? a) California. b) Virginia. c) Central Park. d) Harlem. 2. Who sits on every street corner, according to the author? a) Blind beggars. b) Blues musicians. c) Young prostitutes. d) Single mothers. 3. What does Joe wipe his tears with? a) His hands. b) Dorcas's picture. c) A red handkerchief. d) Nothing. 4. What does the author suppose Violet does while Joe is looking out the window and crying? a) Cook breakfast for him. b) Set his hair on fire. c) Put her arms around him and comfort him. d) Pack up her belongings and leave. 5. What happens when Dorcas eats candy? a) She becomes bloated. b) She breaks out. c) She gets hives. d) She becomes depressed.
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6. Who adopts Joe at birth? a) Rhoda and Frank Williams. b) Rose Dear. c) True Belle. d) Violet's parents. 7. Who does the best hunter choose to be his apprentices? a) Joe and Dorcas. b) Joe and his father. c) Joe and Victory. d) Golden Gray and Lestory. 8. How does the white men refer to the best hunter? a) As a genius. b) As a hypnotist. c) As a witch doctor. d) As a farce and a scam. 9. How long does it take for Joe and Violet to pay off the debt on their farm? a) Twenty-two years. b) Six months. c) They never pay it off. d) Five years. 10. How much debt does Joe and Violet have on the land? a) It is not clear. b) $20,000.00. c) $180.00. d) $1,800.00. 11. What year does Joe and Violet move to the city? a) 1965. b) 1919. c) 1952. d) The author does not include a date. 12. Why does Joe begin to feel distanced from Violet? a) He senses that she longs for a child. b) She begins to drink excessively. c) She tells him she wants to get a divorce. d) She is having an extramarital affair. 13. What does Joe think of when he imagines Dorcas? a) A babydoll. b) A sweet apple. c) A strong axe. d) A newborn cat.
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14. What does Joe think about Adam and the Garden of Eden? a) He thinks the apple is worth the expulsion. b) He thinks Eve should never offer the fruit. c) He thinks Adam is incredibly stupid. d) He thinks it is all a made-up story. 15. Why does Joe begin tracking Dorcas down with a gun? a) He never wants the sweet taste of the apple to end. b) He finds out she is cheating on him. c) He is slowly going insane and is having delusions. d) He thinks she is trying to kill him. 16. Why is Joe jealous of the young men on the street? a) They have lots of money and good jobs. b) They do not have to go searching for women. c) They do not have to worry about segregation and racism. d) They have living parents and loving wives. 17. What does Joe take with him to the park? a) A picture of Dorcas. b) His walking cane. c) His sample case of cosmetics. d) A sandwich and his gun. 18. Why does Joe want to stay near Dorcas after he shoots her? a) He wants her to keep from falling. b) He wants her to die in his arms. c) He doesn't want anyone else to touch her. d) He wants to be arrested and taken to prison.

1. Why does True Belle return to Vesper County? a) Her husband dies. b) To care for her grandchildren. c) She is running from the law. d) Her job takes her there. 2. What does True Belle sew to the hem of her dress? a) A one-dollar bill. b) Twenty-two years' wages. c) Her fine silver. d) A picture of her daughter. 3. How much money is True Belle's savings worth? a) Five hundred dollars. b) Ten golden eagle dollars. c) A boullion of gold.
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d) A pound of silver. 4. Where are Violet and her siblings living with their mother? a) In the basement of an occupied home. b) In an old motel. c) In an abandoned shack. d) In a treehouse. 5. What does Rose tell people about why her husband leaves? a) He is running from the police. b) He is fed up with the price of coffee and his daughter's physical ailments. c) He is very sick and has to get professional help. d) He is going to college in New York City. 6. How long does True Belle stay with the children? a) About a year. b) Six days. c) Eleven years. d) Three years. 7. Who does True Belle constantly describe to Violet? a) Joe. b) Her dead husband. c) Violet's mother. d) Golden Gray. 8. How does True Belle know Vera Louise Gray is pregnant? a) True Belle does Vera Louise's laundry. b) She reads Vera Louise's diary. c) She sees it in a dream. d) She eavesdrops on Vera Louise's conversation. 9. Where does Vera Louise go until she has the baby? a) Chicago. b) Baltimore. c) Boston. d) California. 10. What does True Belle hope Vera Louise does with the extra money her mother gives her? a) Donate it to a good cause. b) Spend it on nice clothes. c) Invest it in a bank. d) Use it to buy True Belle's husband and children out of slavery. 11. What does Vera Louise do with True Belle's wages? a) Gives them to her for Christmas. b) Keeps them "in trust" for her. c) Gives them to local servants.
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d) Spends them on the baby. 12. When does Golden Gray find out who his father is? a) When he is on his deathbed. b) He never finds out. c) The age of two. d) When he is eighteen. 13. Who tells Golden Gray where his father lives? a) True Belle. b) Vera Louise. c) The town gossip. d) Rose Dear. 14. What does Golden Gray find in the trees near his father's home? a) A naked pregnant woman. b) A rare flower. c) A large sum of money. d) A dying dog. 15. As Golden Gray approaches his father's house, what does he wish to do to his father? a) Hug him and make amends. b) Fight him. c) Threaten him with his gun. d) Kill him. 16. What does Golden Gray do before caring for the naked woman? a) He cares for his horses and changes clothes. b) He starts a fire and boils hot water for tea. c) He finds a doctor. d) He cooks a meal and eats it. 17. What does Golden Gray cover the woman's body with? a) Nothing. b) A green dress. c) The curtain. d) Aluminum foil. 18. Who wipes the blood from the woman's face? a) A young black boy caring for Lestory's stock. b) The woman wipes her own face. c) An unidentified character. d) Golden Gray.

1. What does Lestory find when he gets back to his cabin? a) Golden Gray is passed out in the corner.
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b) His house is on fire. c) Honor is washing blood off the girl's face. d) His posessions are stolen. 2. How does Golden Gray become drunk? a) He and Honor are sharing a case of beer. b) He brings his own wine. c) The pregnant woman spikes his drink. d) Lestory's corn liquor. 3. What does Golden Gray call Lestory when he sees him? a) Your Honor. b) My Savior. c) Daddy. d) Papa. 4. What does Lestory say in response to Golden Gray? a) He doesn't know he has a child. b) He cries and embraces Golden Gray. c) He falls down and faints. d) He wants Golden Gray to leave his property as soon as possible. 5. What sort of birth does the naked pregnant girl have? a) An easy, short one. b) The girl leaves the cabin while she is in labor, so the reader doesn't know. c) An uneventful one. d) A difficult one. 6. How does the girl respond to the baby immediately after it is born? a) She tries to smother it. b) She refuses to hold it. c) She holds it to her chest. d) She cries and nurses it. 7. What does the girl do to Lestory? a) Kicks him in the shin. b) Bites his hand. c) Spits in his face. d) Kisses him on the cheek. 8. What does Lestory name the girl in his cabin? a) Loving. b) Secret. c) Wild. d) Fire. 9. What does Golden Gray ask Lestory? a) Why Lestory never tries to contact him.
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b) Why he never loves Golden Gray's mother. c) Why he finds Golden Gray's mother so attractive. d) Why he is still single. 10. What is the reason Golden Gray comes to see Lestory? a) To invite his father to come live with him. b) To see how black he is. c) To understand more about his heritage. d) To ask his father for money. 11. What happens to the plantation thirteen years after Golden Gray meets his father? a) It is sold to commercial builders. b) It is sold to Violet and Joe. c) It burns down. d) It becomes an orphanage for unwanted children. 12. How old is Joe when the plantation burns? a) Twenty. b) An infant. c) Thirteen. d) Fifty-two. 13. How does Henry say one knows when Wild is near? a) The sky turns bright white. b) The ladybugs start buzzing. c) It begins to rain. d) Several redwings congregate in one spot. 14. What does Joe hear in the woods after fishing? a) A fire burning. b) Dogs barking and fighting. c) Violet screaming. d) A woman singing in the forest. 15. What does Joe find behind a hibiscus bush? a) A parrot. b) A picture of his grandmother. c) Dorcas's old dress. d) A burrow. 16. What does Joe find near the cooking fire? a) Flour, sugar, and water. b) Rope, wood, nails, and a hammer. c) Knives and guns. d) A dress, a doll, and a cigar case. 17. Who does Joe think is his mother? a) Wild.
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b) True Belle. c) Malvonne. d) Rose Dear. 18. Why does Joe want to find Dorcas again? a) So she is safe. b) So they are happy together again. c) So he can tell her all about his childhood. d) So he can divorce Violet and run away.

1. Why does Dorcas like Acton better than Joe? a) He doesn't abuse her like Joe. b) He is more handsome and funnier. c) He is young and has power over her. d) He is rich and talented. 2. What sort of present does Acton buy Dorcas? a) A dress. b) A book. c) A ring. d) He doesn't buy her anything. 3. What is Dorcas feeling as she is dancing with Acton? a) Miserable. b) Disconnected. c) Facetious. d) Completely happy. 4. What, in Dorcas's mind, is wrong with Joe? a) He adores Dorcas, no matter what she does. b) He is cognitively impaired. c) He has no sensitive side. d) He has no musical talent. 5. Why does Dorcas have to be careful about how she looks and acts around Acton? a) He moves on to another girl. b) He suspects she is not really in love with him. c) He demoralizes her and hit her. d) He has the power to make or break her career. 6. Why does Dorcas tell Joe she wants to break up with him? a) She is tired of sneaking around. b) She falls in love with someone else. c) She needs room to focus on her career. d) She is moving far away.
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7. What is the true reason Dorcas breaks up with Joe? a) Her parents forbid her from seeing him. b) She feels intimidated by him. c) She is ready to go to college. d) She has too much power over him. 8. What sort of person does Dorcas want to be with? a) Someone funny and generous. b) Someone sweet and caring. c) Someone older and refined. d) Someone young and admirable. 9. Who else is at the party with Dorcas and Acton? a) Political figures. b) Other young adults. c) Acton's parents. d) Wealthy black folk. 10. How does the author describe Acton's appearance from Dorcas's point of view? a) There is no description of Acton's physical appearance. b) He is handsome and his hair has no gray in it. c) He is plain-looking, but has thick hair. d) He is tall and athletic. 11. What other girls are "after" Acton? a) No other girls desire Acton. b) A group of white girls. c) Dorcas's best friend, Felice. d) All of them. 12. Why does Dorcas hope Joe comes looking for her after she breaks up with him? a) So they make up. b) She he is jealous and starts a fight. c) So he understands her decision. d) So he realizes she is happy. 13. What does Dorcas notice about Joe when he shoots her? a) He looks insane. b) He is crying. c) He is unrecognizable. d) He looks like her father. 14. Why does Dorcas think she is falling at the party? a) She does not know why. b) She has too much to drink. c) She is in love with Acton. d) Someone trips her.
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15. What does Acton do before seeking medical care for Dorcas? a) Cleans the blood off his jacket. b) Kisses her. c) Drinks another beer. d) Runs after her attacker. 16. What is inside Joe's sample case in Chapter Eight? a) Drugs and guns. b) A red handkerchief. c) Dorcas's clothespin dolls. d) Flowers. 17. Who does Dorcas tell her friends attacks her? a) Her brother. b) She does not tell them. c) Her father. d) Joe. 18. When does Dorcas say she reveals the true attacker? a) Never. b) Right before she dies. c) In her next life. d) Tomorrow.

1. During what season does Violet return the photo to Alice? a) Summer. b) Winter. c) Spring. d) Fall. 2. What does Violet Felice carry as she climbs the stairs? a) Some bags and boxes. b) A photo and a guitar. c) A record and some stew. d) Some jewelry and iced tea. 3. How is Felice related to Dorcas? a) They are sisters. b) They are best friends. c) They are cousins. d) They never know each other. 4. How is Felice's ring described? a) Silver and black opal. b) Rhinestones and white gold. c) Turquoise and coral.
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d) Silver and gold. 5. What does Felice learn about the ring's location? a) Joe keeps the ring with him at all times. b) It is sold to a local auction house. c) Dorcas is buried wearing the ring. d) It is lost in the club where Dorcas is shot. 6. Why is Felice's ring so special to her? a) It symbolizes her friendship with Dorcas. b) It is the only thing of monetary value she owns. c) Her first husband buys it for her. d) Her mother gives it to her. 7. How often does Felice see her parents growing up? a) Only on holidays. b) Two or three days every two weeks. c) Every day. d) Once a year. 8. Why do Felice and her mother go to Tiffany's? a) To run errands for a white lady. b) To create an uproar in the store. c) They are bored. d) To show that they can buy expensive jewelry. 9. What does Felice's mother have to show in order for her to be able to go inside the store? a) A picture of her employer. b) A note from a white person. c) Her driver's license. d) The amount of cash in her wallet. 10. Who tells Felice and her mother they must stop trying on rings? a) Felice's father. b) The president of Tiffany's. c) A little girl. d) A white man in a nice suit. 11. Why does Felice's mother end up stealing the ring? a) To get even with the white man. b) Because she is angry with the little girl. c) She plans to sell it for cash. d) To show Felice's father that she has courage. 12. What does Felice tell the Traces about Dorcas? a) She has the best of intentions. b) She is always getting others into trouble. c) She is innocent and sweet.
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d) She has no true style. 13. What does Felice say Dorcas likes having? a) Secrets. b) Her own space. c) A true love. d) Lots of money and food. 14. Why does Dorcas often sneak over to Felice's house? a) To drink alcohol without anyone else knowing. b) To write secret love notes to send to Joe. c) To make private phone calls to Joe. d) To try on the lingerie Joe gives her. 15. What does Felice compare Dorcas to? a) A movie star. b) An old woman. c) A bird. d) A snake. 16. What does Felice say Dorcas does for Acton? a) Cuts her hair. b) Murders her friend. c) Buy him presents. d) Sells her car. 17. Who doesn't want an ambulance to be called after Joe shot Dorcas? a) Dorcas. b) Felice. c) Violet. d) Alice. 18. Who ends up calling an ambulance for Dorcas? a) Joe. b) Felice. c) Dorcas. d) Acton.

1. When does the ambulance arrive to help Dorcas? a) One hour after it is called. b) Five minutes after it is called. c) The morning after she is shot. d) Several days after she dies. 2. What reason does the ambulance staff give for their delayed arrival? a) Ice.
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b) Thunderstorms. c) They do not give a reason. d) Traffic. 3. What is the real reason the ambulance is delayed? a) It is black people calling. b) Joe tries to stop the ambulance from helping. c) They run out of gas. d) They know of Dorcas's reputation. 4. Who tells Joe about Dorcas's last words? a) Dorcas's mother. b) No one. c) Violet. d) Felice. 5. What are Dorcas's last words? a) "Listen to the jazz". b) "Tell Joe there's only one apple". c) "Thank you for loving me". d) "Tell Joe I love him". 6. What day of the week does Violet invite Felice to dinner? a) The narrator does not tell us. b) Tuesday. c) Monday. d) Friday. 7. What is Felice's response to Violet's invitation? a) She ignores Violet. b) She says she never eats Violet's food. c) She accepts. d) She hugs Violet. 8. What does Violet offer to do to Felice's hair? a) Unbraid it. b) Curl it. c) Trim the ends. d) Wash it. 9. What is the relationship between Felice, Joe, and Violet like after Dorcas's death? a) Felice moves in with Joe and Violet and the three become inseparable. b) Felice and Joe begin having an affair without Violet knowing. c) Felice becomes a sort of foster daughter. d) Violet and Felice become best friends. 10. Why does Alice move back to Springfield? a) She is running from the Harlem police.
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b) She falls in love with a man there. c) She is too sad staying in Harlem. d) To work for a white woman she knows. 11. What is the name of the speakeasy where Joe gets a job? a) Paydirt. b) Jazz. c) Easy Money. d) Musicland. 12. Why does Joe get a job at the speakeasy? a) So he earns lots of extra tips. b) So he remembers the times he spends with Dorcas. c) So he spends time with Violet in the afternoons. d) Because Felice is also working there. 13. What do Joe and Violet do when they meet at the drugstore? a) Shop for hair supplies. b) Have a malt. c) Fight incessantly. d) Fill their neighbors' prescriptions. 14. What do Joe or Violet do after supper near the end of the story? a) Call their parents. b) Wash dishes. c) Go for a walk. d) Play poker. 15. Why does Malvonne gossip to both Joe and Violet near the end of the story? a) She wants to help them resolve their differences. b) To pretend she doesn't betray either of them. c) To tell them all of Dorcas's secrets. d) Because everyone is bored. 16. What do Joe and Violet take up on the roof with them? a) A picnic. b) A photograph. c) A record player. d) A bird. 17. Why do Joe and Violet go up on the roof together? a) To read a book. b) To listen to music. c) To look at the stars. d) To jump off. 18. At the end of the story, what do Joe and Violet do together? a) Play checkers.
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b) Run away to Chicago. c) Cook over a fire. d) Whisper under the covers.
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Multiple Choice Answer Key

Chapter 1
1. a. 2. a. 3. a. 4. c. 5. c. 6. c. 7. b. 8. d. 9. d. 10. b. 11. d. 12. b. 13. c. 14. b. 15. a. 16. b. 17. b. 18. a.
Chapter 2
1. b. 2. b. 3. a. 4. d. 5. d. 6. d. 7. a. 8. a. 9. a. 10. a. 11. a. 12. b. 13. a. 14. a. 15. b. 16. b. 17. a. 18. d.
Chapter 3
1. c. 2. d. 3. a. 4. a. 5. a. 6. a. 7. c. 8. c. 9. c. 10. b. 11. d. 12. c. 13. b. 14. c. 15. c. 16. c. 17. d. 18. d.
Chapter 4
1. d. 2. d. 3. b. 4. d. 5. d. 6. d. 7. a. 8. b. 9. a. 10. c. 11. d. 12. b. 13. a. 14. d. 15. c. 16. d. 17. a. 18. b.
Chapter 5
1. d. 2. b. 3. c. 4. b. 5. b. 6. a. 7. c. 8. c. 9. d. 10. d. 11. b. 12. a. 13. b. 14. a. 15. a. 16. b. 17. c. 18. a.
Chapter 6
1. b. 2. b. 3. b. 4. c. 5. b. 6. c. 7. d. 8. a. 9. b. 10. d. 11. b. 12. d. 13. a. 14. a. 15. d. 16. a. 17. b. 18. a.
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Chapter 7
1. c. 2. d. 3. c. 4. a. 5. d. 6. b. 7. b. 8. c. 9. a. 10. b. 11. c. 12. c. 13. d. 14. d. 15. d. 16. d. 17. a. 18. b.
Chapter 8
1. c. 2. d. 3. d. 4. a. 5. a. 6. a. 7. d. 8. d. 9. b. 10. b. 11. d. 12. d. 13. b. 14. a. 15. a. 16. c. 17. b. 18. d.
Chapter 9
1. c. 2. c. 3. b. 4. a. 5. c. 6. d. 7. b. 8. a. 9. b. 10. d. 11. a. 12. b. 13. a. 14. d. 15. a. 16. c. 17. a. 18. b.
Chapter 10
1. c. 2. a. 3. a. 4. d. 5. b. 6. d. 7. c. 8. c. 9. c. 10. d. 11. a. 12. c. 13. b. 14. d. 15. b. 16. d. 17. b. 18. d.
Chapter 7
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Short Answer Questions

Directions: Answer each question with the appropriate short response.
Short Answer Questions - Chapter 1

1. Who lives with Joe on Lenox Avenue?
2. Which of the following are in Violet's apartment?
3. In the beginning of the book, why does Joe say he shoots Dorcas?
4. Where does Violet go when she finds out about Joe's affair?
5. What does Violet try to do to Dorcas's face?
6. How is Violet described by the author?
7. How does Violet decide to get back at Joe?
8. Who tells Violet Dorcas's address?
9. What type of Dorcas's makeup does Violet find out about?
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10. What does Violet steal during one of her crazy episodes?
11. What does Joe think about Violet's crazy episodes?
12. What does Violet do in response to her crazy episodes?
13. What does Violet find in the bottom of the parrot's cage?
14. How is Alice Manfred related to Dorcas?
15. How does Alice describe Dorcas?
16. Where does Violet put the picture of Dorcas?
17. What does Joe see in Dorcas's picture?
18. What does Violet see in Dorcas's picture?
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1. Why doesn't Violet sleep at night?
2. What does Joe buy Dorcas the first day they meet?
3. What does Joe not recall from his early days with Violet?
4. What does the train conductor announce when he walks through the cabin where Joe and Violet are standing?
5. Why do Joe and Violet continue to dance standing in the train car?
6. Who does Joe pray sends him a sign as he sits in the bushes?
7. Who understands, like Joe, what it feels like to feel nothing inside?
8. What happens to Dorcas's mother?
9. What does Dorcas rescue from her home as a small child?
10. What does Dorcas put on Joe's hands?
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11. Where does Dorcas insist Joe take her?
12. Who rents Joe and Dorcas a bedroom once a week?
13. How much does Joe pay for the bedroom he and Dorcas meet in?
14. What does Malvonne do for a living?
15. What does Malvonne find behind her refrigerator?
16. Who moves to Chicago?
17. Why does Malvonne want to make sure the young black girl's letter gets to the law school?
18. What does Malvonne include in the letter from Hot Steam to Daddy Sage?

1. Who attends the parade with Dorcas in 1917?
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2. What is the 1917 parade protesting?
3. What happens the same day Dorcas's mother is burned in the house fire?
4. Why doesn't a fire truck intervene during the house fire in Dorcas's home?
5. What instrument is constantly played during the parade?
6. Who does Alice try to teach Dorcas to avoid?
7. What does Alice protect Dorcas from?
8. Where do Dorcas's clothespin dolls lay?
9. Who does Dorcas cry for during her mother's funeral?
10. What does Alice Manfred do for a living?
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11. Who does Dorcas stay with when Alice goes to work?
12. Why do the Miller sisters call the police station repeatedly?
13. What is special about Neola Miller?
14. Why is Dorcas rejected by teenage boys her own age?
15. What is Joe selling when he meets Dorcas?
16. What are the Civic Daughters planning when Joe delivers the cosmetics?
17. When does Alice realize Dorcas and Joe are having an affair?
18. Who does Alice eventually allow to come visit her at home?

1. What does Violet wear that makes her look crazy?
2. Where does Violet stop to have two malts?
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3. Why is Violet committed to gaining weight?
4. What happens to Violet after she attacks Dorcas's body?
5. What does Violet do after she runs from the funeral home?
6. What does the green and yellow parrot repeat?
7. What does Violet envision Joe giving Dorcas?
8. What is True Belle's relationship to Violet?
9. Where does Violet's father travel to look for work?
10. What happens to Violet's mother after her father leaves the family?
11. How does Rose Dear eventually die?
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12. What does Violet's father bring the children when he visits?
13. How does Violet meet Joe?
14. Why does True Belle send Violet to Palestine?
15. What do Violet and Joe do all night the first time they meet?
16. What does Violet do when the cotton crop is harvested?
17. What is the reaction from Joe's friends and family when he and Violet move to the city?
18. What does Violet regret when she turns forty?

1. What area does the author describe in springtime?
2. Who sits on every street corner, according to the author?
3. What does Joe wipe his tears with?
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4. What does the author suppose Violet does while Joe is looking out the window and crying?
5. What happens when Dorcas eats candy?
6. Who adopts Joe at birth?
7. Who does the best hunter choose to be his apprentices?
8. How does the white men refer to the best hunter?
9. How long does it take for Joe and Violet to pay off the debt on their farm?
10. How much debt does Joe and Violet have on the land?
11. What year does Joe and Violet move to the city?
12. Why does Joe begin to feel distanced from Violet?
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13. What does Joe think of when he imagines Dorcas?
14. What does Joe think about Adam and the Garden of Eden?
15. Why does Joe begin tracking Dorcas down with a gun?
16. Why is Joe jealous of the young men on the street?
17. What does Joe take with him to the park?
18. Why does Joe want to stay near Dorcas after he shoots her?

1. Why does True Belle return to Vesper County?
2. What does True Belle sew to the hem of her dress?
3. How much money is True Belle's savings worth?
4. Where are Violet and her siblings living with their mother?
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5. What does Rose tell people about why her husband leaves?
6. How long does True Belle stay with the children?
7. Who does True Belle constantly describe to Violet?
8. How does True Belle know Vera Louise Gray is pregnant?
9. Where does Vera Louise go until she has the baby?
10. What does True Belle hope Vera Louise does with the extra money her mother gives her?
11. What does Vera Louise do with True Belle's wages?
12. When does Golden Gray find out who his father is?
13. Who tells Golden Gray where his father lives?
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14. What does Golden Gray find in the trees near his father's home?
15. As Golden Gray approaches his father's house, what does he wish to do to his father?
16. What does Golden Gray do before caring for the naked woman?
17. What does Golden Gray cover the woman's body with?
18. Who wipes the blood from the woman's face?

1. What does Lestory find when he gets back to his cabin?
2. How does Golden Gray become drunk?
3. What does Golden Gray call Lestory when he sees him?
4. What does Lestory say in response to Golden Gray?
5. What sort of birth does the naked pregnant girl have?
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6. How does the girl respond to the baby immediately after it is born?
7. What does the girl do to Lestory?
8. What does Lestory name the girl in his cabin?
9. What does Golden Gray ask Lestory?
10. What is the reason Golden Gray comes to see Lestory?
11. What happens to the plantation thirteen years after Golden Gray meets his father?
12. How old is Joe when the plantation burns?
13. How does Henry say one knows when Wild is near?
14. What does Joe hear in the woods after fishing?
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15. What does Joe find behind a hibiscus bush?
16. What does Joe find near the cooking fire?
17. Who does Joe think is his mother?
18. Why does Joe want to find Dorcas again?

1. Why does Dorcas like Acton better than Joe?
2. What sort of present does Acton buy Dorcas?
3. What is Dorcas feeling as she is dancing with Acton?
4. What, in Dorcas's mind, is wrong with Joe?
5. Why does Dorcas have to be careful about how she looks and acts around Acton?
6. Why does Dorcas tell Joe she wants to break up with him?
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7. What is the true reason Dorcas breaks up with Joe?
8. What sort of person does Dorcas want to be with?
9. Who else is at the party with Dorcas and Acton?
10. How does the author describe Acton's appearance from Dorcas's point of view?
11. What other girls are "after" Acton?
12. Why does Dorcas hope Joe comes looking for her after she breaks up with him?
13. What does Dorcas notice about Joe when he shoots her?
14. Why does Dorcas think she is falling at the party?
15. What does Acton do before seeking medical care for Dorcas?
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16. What is inside Joe's sample case in Chapter Eight?
17. Who does Dorcas tell her friends attacks her?
18. When does Dorcas say she reveals the true attacker?

1. During what season does Violet return the photo to Alice?
2. What does Violet Felice carry as she climbs the stairs?
3. How is Felice related to Dorcas?
4. How is Felice's ring described?
5. What does Felice learn about the ring's location?
6. Why is Felice's ring so special to her?
7. How often does Felice see her parents growing up?
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8. Why do Felice and her mother go to Tiffany's?
9. What does Felice's mother have to show in order for her to be able to go inside the store?
10. Who tells Felice and her mother they must stop trying on rings?
11. Why does Felice's mother end up stealing the ring?
12. What does Felice tell the Traces about Dorcas?
13. What does Felice say Dorcas likes having?
14. Why does Dorcas often sneak over to Felice's house?
15. What does Felice compare Dorcas to?
16. What does Felice say Dorcas does for Acton?
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17. Who doesn't want an ambulance to be called after Joe shot Dorcas?
18. Who ends up calling an ambulance for Dorcas?

1. When does the ambulance arrive to help Dorcas?
2. What reason does the ambulance staff give for their delayed arrival?
3. What is the real reason the ambulance is delayed?
4. Who tells Joe about Dorcas's last words?
5. What are Dorcas's last words?
6. What day of the week does Violet invite Felice to dinner?
7. What is Felice's response to Violet's invitation?
8. What does Violet offer to do to Felice's hair?
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9. What is the relationship between Felice, Joe, and Violet like after Dorcas's death?
10. Why does Alice move back to Springfield?
11. What is the name of the speakeasy where Joe gets a job?
12. Why does Joe get a job at the speakeasy?
13. What do Joe and Violet do when they meet at the drugstore?
14. What do Joe or Violet do after supper near the end of the story?
15. Why does Malvonne gossip to both Joe and Violet near the end of the story?
16. What do Joe and Violet take up on the roof with them?
17. Why do Joe and Violet go up on the roof together?
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18. At the end of the story, what do Joe and Violet do together?
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Short Answer Key

Chapter 1
1. Who lives with Joe on Lenox Avenue? Violet. 2. Which of the following are in Violet's apartment? Birds and houseplants. 3. In the beginning of the book, why does Joe say he shoots Dorcas? He wants to keep the feeling of love going. 4. Where does Violet go when she finds out about Joe's affair? The funeral parlor. 5. What does Violet try to do to Dorcas's face? Disfigure it with a knife. 6. How is Violet described by the author? Skinny and over fifty. 7. How does Violet decide to get back at Joe? Have an affair in their home. 8. Who tells Violet Dorcas's address? Malvonne. 9. What type of Dorcas's makeup does Violet find out about? Lipstick. 10. What does Violet steal during one of her crazy episodes? A baby. 11. What does Joe think about Violet's crazy episodes? He does not know about them.
Short Answer Key
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12. What does Violet do in response to her crazy episodes? She becomes more and more silent. 13. What does Violet find in the bottom of the parrot's cage? A knife. 14. How is Alice Manfred related to Dorcas? Alice is Dorcas's aunt. 15. How does Alice describe Dorcas? Beautiful but hardheaded. 16. Where does Violet put the picture of Dorcas? On the mantel. 17. What does Joe see in Dorcas's picture? A beautiful, sweet girl. 18. What does Violet see in Dorcas's picture? A stubborn girl needing a haircut.
Chapter 2
1. Why doesn't Violet sleep at night? The birds are gone. 2. What does Joe buy Dorcas the first day they meet? Peppermint candy. 3. What does Joe not recall from his early days with Violet? Feelings. 4. What does the train conductor announce when he walks through the cabin where Joe and Violet are standing? Breakfast is being served. 5. Why do Joe and Violet continue to dance standing in the train car?
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They do not want to be separated by the table. 6. Who does Joe pray sends him a sign as he sits in the bushes? His mother. 7. Who understands, like Joe, what it feels like to feel nothing inside? Dorcas. 8. What happens to Dorcas's mother? She dies in a housefire. 9. What does Dorcas rescue from her home as a small child? Her clothespin dolls. 10. What does Dorcas put on Joe's hands? Cream and clear nail polish. 11. Where does Dorcas insist Joe take her? A jazz club. 12. Who rents Joe and Dorcas a bedroom once a week? Malvonne. 13. How much does Joe pay for the bedroom he and Dorcas meet in? Two dollars a month. 14. What does Malvonne do for a living? Cleans offices. 15. What does Malvonne find behind her refrigerator? A sack of stolen mail. 16. Who moves to Chicago? Sweetness, Malvonne's nephew. 17. Why does Malvonne want to make sure the young black girl's letter gets to the law school?
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She is afraid the girl has to get a low-paying job instead. 18. What does Malvonne include in the letter from Hot Steam to Daddy Sage? An article about adultery.
Chapter 3
1. Who attends the parade with Dorcas in 1917? Alice Manfred. 2. What is the 1917 parade protesting? The St. Louis race riots. 3. What happens the same day Dorcas's mother is burned in the house fire? Dorcas's father is killed during a race riot. 4. Why doesn't a fire truck intervene during the house fire in Dorcas's home? It is waiting for a fire in a white neighborhood. 5. What instrument is constantly played during the parade? Drums. 6. Who does Alice try to teach Dorcas to avoid? White male teenagers and adults. 7. What does Alice protect Dorcas from? Seductive and violent music. 8. Where do Dorcas's clothespin dolls lay? In a cigar box. 9. Who does Dorcas cry for during her mother's funeral? Her dolls. 10. What does Alice Manfred do for a living? She is a seamstress.
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11. Who does Dorcas stay with when Alice goes to work? The Miller sisters. 12. Why do the Miller sisters call the police station repeatedly? To report restaurants serving alcohol. 13. What is special about Neola Miller? Her left arm is paralyzed over her heart. 14. Why is Dorcas rejected by teenage boys her own age? She wears unfashionable clothing. 15. What is Joe selling when he meets Dorcas? Cosmetics. 16. What are the Civic Daughters planning when Joe delivers the cosmetics? A Thanksgiving fundraiser. 17. When does Alice realize Dorcas and Joe are having an affair? After Dorcas is dead. 18. Who does Alice eventually allow to come visit her at home? Violet.
Chapter 4
1. What does Violet wear that makes her look crazy? A hat. 2. Where does Violet stop to have two malts? The drugstore. 3. Why is Violet committed to gaining weight? She is trying to get the hips and backside she has as a young woman. 4. What happens to Violet after she attacks Dorcas's body?
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She feels split into two people. 5. What does Violet do after she runs from the funeral home? Releases all the birds from their cages. 6. What does the green and yellow parrot repeat? "I love you". 7. What does Violet envision Joe giving Dorcas? Underwear. 8. What is True Belle's relationship to Violet? She is Violet's grandmother. 9. Where does Violet's father travel to look for work? The North. 10. What happens to Violet's mother after her father leaves the family? She becomes incapacitated. 11. How does Rose Dear eventually die? She throws herself down a well. 12. What does Violet's father bring the children when he visits? Candy. 13. How does Violet meet Joe? He falls out of tree she is sleeping under. 14. Why does True Belle send Violet to Palestine? To pick cotton. 15. What do Violet and Joe do all night the first time they meet? Talk. 16. What does Violet do when the cotton crop is harvested?
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She stays in the neighborhood and works for a family. 17. What is the reaction from Joe's friends and family when he and Violet move to the city? They are surprised. 18. What does Violet regret when she turns forty? Never having children.
Chapter 5
1. What area does the author describe in springtime? Harlem. 2. Who sits on every street corner, according to the author? Blues musicians. 3. What does Joe wipe his tears with? A red handkerchief. 4. What does the author suppose Violet does while Joe is looking out the window and crying? Set his hair on fire. 5. What happens when Dorcas eats candy? She breaks out. 6. Who adopts Joe at birth? Rhoda and Frank Williams. 7. Who does the best hunter choose to be his apprentices? Joe and Victory. 8. How does the white men refer to the best hunter? As a witch doctor. 9. How long does it take for Joe and Violet to pay off the debt on their farm? Five years.
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10. How much debt does Joe and Violet have on the land? $1,800.00. 11. What year does Joe and Violet move to the city? 1919. 12. Why does Joe begin to feel distanced from Violet? He senses that she longs for a child. 13. What does Joe think of when he imagines Dorcas? A sweet apple. 14. What does Joe think about Adam and the Garden of Eden? He thinks the apple is worth the expulsion. 15. Why does Joe begin tracking Dorcas down with a gun? He never wants the sweet taste of the apple to end. 16. Why is Joe jealous of the young men on the street? They do not have to go searching for women. 17. What does Joe take with him to the park? His sample case of cosmetics. 18. Why does Joe want to stay near Dorcas after he shoots her? He wants her to keep from falling.
Chapter 6
1. Why does True Belle return to Vesper County? To care for her grandchildren. 2. What does True Belle sew to the hem of her dress? Twenty-two years' wages. 3. How much money is True Belle's savings worth?
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Ten golden eagle dollars. 4. Where are Violet and her siblings living with their mother? In an abandoned shack. 5. What does Rose tell people about why her husband leaves? He is fed up with the price of coffee and his daughter's physical ailments. 6. How long does True Belle stay with the children? Eleven years. 7. Who does True Belle constantly describe to Violet? Golden Gray. 8. How does True Belle know Vera Louise Gray is pregnant? True Belle does Vera Louise's laundry. 9. Where does Vera Louise go until she has the baby? Baltimore. 10. What does True Belle hope Vera Louise does with the extra money her mother gives her? Use it to buy True Belle's husband and children out of slavery. 11. What does Vera Louise do with True Belle's wages? Keeps them "in trust" for her. 12. When does Golden Gray find out who his father is? When he is eighteen. 13. Who tells Golden Gray where his father lives? True Belle. 14. What does Golden Gray find in the trees near his father's home? A naked pregnant woman. 15. As Golden Gray approaches his father's house, what does he wish to do to his father?
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Kill him. 16. What does Golden Gray do before caring for the naked woman? He cares for his horses and changes clothes. 17. What does Golden Gray cover the woman's body with? A green dress. 18. Who wipes the blood from the woman's face? A young black boy caring for Lestory's stock.
Chapter 7
1. What does Lestory find when he gets back to his cabin? Honor is washing blood off the girl's face. 2. How does Golden Gray become drunk? Lestory's corn liquor. 3. What does Golden Gray call Lestory when he sees him? Daddy. 4. What does Lestory say in response to Golden Gray? He doesn't know he has a child. 5. What sort of birth does the naked pregnant girl have? A difficult one. 6. How does the girl respond to the baby immediately after it is born? She refuses to hold it. 7. What does the girl do to Lestory? Bites his hand. 8. What does Lestory name the girl in his cabin? Wild.
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9. What does Golden Gray ask Lestory? Why Lestory never tries to contact him. 10. What is the reason Golden Gray comes to see Lestory? To see how black he is. 11. What happens to the plantation thirteen years after Golden Gray meets his father? It burns down. 12. How old is Joe when the plantation burns? Thirteen. 13. How does Henry say one knows when Wild is near? Several redwings congregate in one spot. 14. What does Joe hear in the woods after fishing? A woman singing in the forest. 15. What does Joe find behind a hibiscus bush? A burrow. 16. What does Joe find near the cooking fire? A dress, a doll, and a cigar case. 17. Who does Joe think is his mother? Wild. 18. Why does Joe want to find Dorcas again? So they are happy together again.
Chapter 8
1. Why does Dorcas like Acton better than Joe? He is young and has power over her. 2. What sort of present does Acton buy Dorcas?
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He doesn't buy her anything. 3. What is Dorcas feeling as she is dancing with Acton? Completely happy. 4. What, in Dorcas's mind, is wrong with Joe? He adores Dorcas, no matter what she does. 5. Why does Dorcas have to be careful about how she looks and acts around Acton? He moves on to another girl. 6. Why does Dorcas tell Joe she wants to break up with him? She is tired of sneaking around. 7. What is the true reason Dorcas breaks up with Joe? She has too much power over him. 8. What sort of person does Dorcas want to be with? Someone young and admirable. 9. Who else is at the party with Dorcas and Acton? Other young adults. 10. How does the author describe Acton's appearance from Dorcas's point of view? He is handsome and his hair has no gray in it. 11. What other girls are "after" Acton? All of them. 12. Why does Dorcas hope Joe comes looking for her after she breaks up with him? So he realizes she is happy. 13. What does Dorcas notice about Joe when he shoots her? He is crying. 14. Why does Dorcas think she is falling at the party?
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She does not know why. 15. What does Acton do before seeking medical care for Dorcas? Cleans the blood off his jacket. 16. What is inside Joe's sample case in Chapter Eight? Dorcas's clothespin dolls. 17. Who does Dorcas tell her friends attacks her? She does not tell them. 18. When does Dorcas say she reveals the true attacker? Tomorrow.
Chapter 9
1. During what season does Violet return the photo to Alice? Spring. 2. What does Violet Felice carry as she climbs the stairs? A record and some stew. 3. How is Felice related to Dorcas? They are best friends. 4. How is Felice's ring described? Silver and black opal. 5. What does Felice learn about the ring's location? Dorcas is buried wearing the ring. 6. Why is Felice's ring so special to her? Her mother gives it to her. 7. How often does Felice see her parents growing up? Two or three days every two weeks.
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8. Why do Felice and her mother go to Tiffany's? To run errands for a white lady. 9. What does Felice's mother have to show in order for her to be able to go inside the store? A note from a white person. 10. Who tells Felice and her mother they must stop trying on rings? A white man in a nice suit. 11. Why does Felice's mother end up stealing the ring? To get even with the white man. 12. What does Felice tell the Traces about Dorcas? She is always getting others into trouble. 13. What does Felice say Dorcas likes having? Secrets. 14. Why does Dorcas often sneak over to Felice's house? To try on the lingerie Joe gives her. 15. What does Felice compare Dorcas to? A movie star. 16. What does Felice say Dorcas does for Acton? Buy him presents. 17. Who doesn't want an ambulance to be called after Joe shot Dorcas? Dorcas. 18. Who ends up calling an ambulance for Dorcas? Felice.
Chapter 10
1. When does the ambulance arrive to help Dorcas?
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The morning after she is shot. 2. What reason does the ambulance staff give for their delayed arrival? Ice. 3. What is the real reason the ambulance is delayed? It is black people calling. 4. Who tells Joe about Dorcas's last words? Felice. 5. What are Dorcas's last words? "Tell Joe there's only one apple". 6. What day of the week does Violet invite Felice to dinner? Friday. 7. What is Felice's response to Violet's invitation? She accepts. 8. What does Violet offer to do to Felice's hair? Trim the ends. 9. What is the relationship between Felice, Joe, and Violet like after Dorcas's death? Felice becomes a sort of foster daughter. 10. Why does Alice move back to Springfield? To work for a white woman she knows. 11. What is the name of the speakeasy where Joe gets a job? Paydirt. 12. Why does Joe get a job at the speakeasy? So he spends time with Violet in the afternoons. 13. What do Joe and Violet do when they meet at the drugstore?
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Have a malt. 14. What do Joe or Violet do after supper near the end of the story? Play poker. 15. Why does Malvonne gossip to both Joe and Violet near the end of the story? To pretend she doesn't betray either of them. 16. What do Joe and Violet take up on the roof with them? A bird. 17. Why do Joe and Violet go up on the roof together? To listen to music. 18. At the end of the story, what do Joe and Violet do together? Whisper under the covers.
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The 60 short essay questions listed in this section require a one to two sentence answer. They ask students to demonstrate a deeper understanding of the text. Students must describe what they've read, rather than just recall it.
Short Essay Question - Chapter 1

1. In Chapter One, how does the narrator describe Violet Trace?
2. How does Violet learn more about Dorcas in Chapter One? What does she learn?
3. Describe Violet's "crazy episodes" as they are presented in Chapter One.
4. How does the narrator describe Harlem of the 1920s in Chapter One?
5. Describe what Violet does with the picture of Dorcas in Chapter One.
6. Describe the different things Joe and Violet see in the picture of Dorcas.
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7. In Chapter Two, what reason does the narrator give for Joe killing Dorcas?
8. Describe Joe's recollection of the train ride to Maryland in Chapter Two.
9. In Chapter Two, what does Joe tell Dorcas that he never tells Violet?
10. Describe the death of Dorcas's mother.
11. Briefly describe the nature of Joe and Dorcas's relationship as described in Chapter Two.
12. In Chapter Two, recount the surprise that Malvonne finds behind her refrigerator and her response to it.
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13. Describe the relationship between Alice Manfred and Dorcas.
14. In what ways does Alice try to protect Dorcas?
15. What is the significance of Dorcas's clothespin dolls in Chapter Three?
16. Describe the first time Joe officially meets Dorcas.
17. Why is Violet known as "Violent" Trace in town?
18. Describe the relationship between Violet and Alice as presented in Chapter Three.

19. In Chapter Four, how does the narrator describe the way Violet feels after she attacks Dorcas's body?
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20. How does the narrator describe the scene in which Violet attacks Dorcas's body?
21. In Chapter Four, how does Violet imagine Joe's relationship with Dorcas?
22. In Chapter Four, why does True Belle come to Virginia to care for her grandchildren?
23. Describe how Dorcas's mother dies.
24. How does the narrator describe the way Joe and Violet meet in Chapter Four?

25. In Chapter Five, how does the author describe Harlem in the springtime?
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26. Describe the time Joe sees Dorcas for the very first time.
27. What is the story the narrator gives behind Joe's last name?
28. Why do Joe and Violet fall into such deep debt in Chapter Five?
29. In Chapter Five, what does Joe think of when he imagines Dorcas?
30. Describe the series of thoughts in Joe's mind the night he shoots Dorcas in Chapter Five.

31. Describe the way True Belle's grandchildren are living when she comes to care for them in Chapter Six.
32. Describe the relationship between True Belle and Golden Gray.
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33. Who are the only people who do not know that Vera Louise has a son with a black man?
34. Describe Vera Louise's father's reaction when he is told Vera Louise is pregnant.
35. What does Vera Louise's mother do when she finds out Vera Louise is pregnant?
36. Describe what Golden Gray sees in the forest as he approaches his father's cabin in Chapter Six.

37. In Chapter Seven, what does Henry Lestory find when he gets back to his cabin?
38. Describe the initial meeting between Golden Gray and his father in Chapter Seven.
39. Describe the birthing scene of the naked black girl in Chapter Seven.
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40. What happens to the cotton plantation thirteen years after Golden Gray confronts his father?
41. In Chapter Seven, why does Joe think Wild is his own mother?
42. In Chapter Seven, how does Henry say you can always find Wild?

43. Describe the way Dorcas is feeling at the party in the beginning of Chapter Eight.
44. How does the narrator describe Acton?
45. In Chapter Eight, why does the narrator say Dorcas is getting tired of Joe?
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46. Why does Dorcas break up with Joe?
47. In Chapter Eight, what does Dorcas notice about Joe?
48. Describe Acton's reaction to the shooting of Dorcas in Chapter Eight.

49. Describe what Violet sees when she first spots Felice in Chapter Nine.
50. In Chapter Nine, why does Felice come to visit Violet and Joe?
51. Describe the way Felice obtains the ring, as presented by the narrator in Chapter Nine.
52. In Chapter Nine, how does Felice describe Dorcas?
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53. Why doesn't Dorcas want anyone to call an ambulance for her after she is shot?
54. Why do you think the ambulance takes such a long time to come help Dorcas? What excuses do they give?

55. What is your understanding of the relationship between Joe, Violet, and Felice in Chapters Nine and Ten?
56. In Chapter 10, why does Alice Manfred move back to Springfield? What do you think is the real reason she moves back to Springfield?
57. In Chapter 10, why does Joe get a new job? Does this help his relationship with Violet?
58. What sorts of things to Joe and Violet do together once their relationship is renewed?
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59. In Chapter 10, why do Joe and Violet often go to the roof? What do they do up there together?
60. Describe what Joe and Violet do together at night in Chapter 10.
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Short Essay Answer Key

1. In Chapter One, how does the narrator describe Violet Trace? The narrator describes Violet as a woman living with her husband, Joe, on Lenox Avenue. She is skinny and over fifty years old. 2. How does Violet learn more about Dorcas in Chapter One? What does she learn? Violet learns more about Dorcas by befriending Dorcas's aunt, Alice. Alice tells her about Dorcas's habits as well as her appearance. 3. Describe Violet's "crazy episodes" as they are presented in Chapter One. The narrator describes Violet's crazy episodes as the times she does things without knowing why, such as the time she steals a baby out of a stroller for no reason. 4. How does the narrator describe Harlem of the 1920s in Chapter One? The narrator describes 1920s Harlem as dangerous, exciting, violent, and nurturing. It is a place full of life, yet is also intimidating. 5. Describe what Violet does with the picture of Dorcas in Chapter One. Violet puts the picture of Dorcas on the mantle in the parlor so both she and Joe can see it. 6. Describe the different things Joe and Violet see in the picture of Dorcas. In Dorcas's picture, Joe sees a beautiful and sweet girl. In the same picture, Violet sees a stubborn young girl who needs a haircut. 7. In Chapter Two, what reason does the narrator give for Joe killing Dorcas? The narrator says that Joe kills Dorcas in order to preserve the sweetness he feels when he thinks of Dorcas. 8. Describe Joe's recollection of the train ride to Maryland in Chapter Two. During the train ride to Maryland, Joe and Violet dance with each other the entire time because they cannot stand the thought of being separated by a table in the dining car. 9. In Chapter Two, what does Joe tell Dorcas that he never tells Violet? Joe tells Dorcas about how he prays for any sign from his mother and how he remembers smelling the hibiscus bushes at that time. 10. Describe the death of Dorcas's mother.
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Dorcas's mother dies in a house fire while Dorcas is sleeping across the street. 11. Briefly describe the nature of Joe and Dorcas's relationship as described in Chapter Two. Joe and Dorcas's relationship is based on the power that Dorcas has over Joe. He buys her presents and agrees to whatever wishes she has. 12. In Chapter Two, recount the surprise that Malvonne finds behind her refrigerator and her response to it. Malvonne finds a sack of stolen mail behind her refrigerator. She reads the mail and attempts to interfere in the lives of those who send and are meant to receive the letters. 13. Describe the relationship between Alice Manfred and Dorcas. Alice is Dorcas's aunt who informally adopts her after Dorcas's mother dies. 14. In what ways does Alice try to protect Dorcas? Alice tries to protect Dorcas by dressing her in modest clothes and forbidding her from listening to music. 15. What is the significance of Dorcas's clothespin dolls in Chapter Three? Dorcas's clothespin dolls are the target of Dorcas's focus during her mother's funeral. She mourns over their injuries rather than the loss of her mother. 16. Describe the first time Joe officially meets Dorcas. Joe meets Dorcas when he comes by her aunt's house to deliver cosmetics and stays for dinner. 17. Why is Violet known as "Violent" Trace in town? Violet is nicknamed "Violent" because she tries to attack Dorcas's body in her coffin during her funeral. 18. Describe the relationship between Violet and Alice as presented in Chapter Three. Violet and Alice develop an awkward friendship after Dorcas's death, and Alice helps Violet care for her appearance. 19. In Chapter Four, how does the narrator describe the way Violet feels after she attacks Dorcas's body? After Violet attacks Dorcas's body, she feels as if she splits into two people, one of whom is very violent. 20. How does the narrator describe the scene in which Violet attacks Dorcas's body? The narrator says that Violet's knife leaves only a tiny dent under one ear, and that the funeral ushers hesitate before they stop her. Violet fights back and then runs home. 21. In Chapter Four, how does Violet imagine Joe's relationship with Dorcas?
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Violet imagines Joe giving presents to Dorcas and granting her lots of luxuries. 22. In Chapter Four, why does True Belle come to Virginia to care for her grandchildren? True Belle comes to Virginia to care for her grandchildren because Dorcas's father leaves to go to the North and Dorcas's mother becomes incapacitated. 23. Describe how Dorcas's mother dies. Dorcas's mother dies when she throws herself into the bottom of a well. 24. How does the narrator describe the way Joe and Violet meet in Chapter Four? The narrator says that Joe and Violet meet when they are in Palestine picking cotton. Joe falls out of a tree under which Violet is sleeping. 25. In Chapter Five, how does the author describe Harlem in the springtime? The author describes Harlem in the springtime in a lyrical way, presenting the way musicians play the blues on every street corner. 26. Describe the time Joe sees Dorcas for the very first time. Joe sees Dorcas for the very first time while she is buying candy in a drugstore. 27. What is the story the narrator gives behind Joe's last name? The narrator says that Joe's last name is Trace because he is told that his parents disappear "without a trace". 28. Why do Joe and Violet fall into such deep debt in Chapter Five? Joe and Violet fall into debt because the land they farm is sold and interest accumulates. 29. In Chapter Five, what does Joe think of when he imagines Dorcas? When he imagines Dorcas, Joe thinks of biting into a sweet apple. 30. Describe the series of thoughts in Joe's mind the night he shoots Dorcas in Chapter Five. The night Joe shoots Dorcas, he tracks her down by asking people where she is. He becomes jealous of all the young men he sees, and after he shoots her, Joe wants to protect her to keep her from falling. 31. Describe the way True Belle's grandchildren are living when she comes to care for them in Chapter Six. When True Belle comes to care for her grandchildren, they are foraging for food in the woods and are living in an abandoned shack. 32. Describe the relationship between True Belle and Golden Gray.
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True Belle cares for Golden Gray, the child of Vera Louise Gray, for the majority of his youth in Baltimore. 33. Who are the only people who do not know that Vera Louise has a son with a black man? The only people who don't know that Vera Louise and a black man have a son are Golden Gray and Vera Louise's father. 34. Describe Vera Louise's father's reaction when he is told Vera Louise is pregnant. When Vera Louise's father finds out she is pregnant, he is hurt and angry. 35. What does Vera Louise's mother do when she finds out Vera Louise is pregnant? When she finds out Vera Louise is pregnant, Vera Louise's mother sends Vera Louise and True Belle to Baltimore to live in a house until the baby is born. 36. Describe what Golden Gray sees in the forest as he approaches his father's cabin in Chapter Six. As he approaches his father's cabin, Golden Gray sees a naked pregnant woman in the forest. 37. In Chapter Seven, what does Henry Lestory find when he gets back to his cabin? When he gets back to his cabin, Lestory finds the neighbor boy washing the girl's face and a drunk white man standing in the room. 38. Describe the initial meeting between Golden Gray and his father in Chapter Seven. During the initial meeting between Golden Gray and his father, Golden Gray asks his father why he never contacts him. Lestory accuses Golden Gray of coming only because Golden Gray wants to see how black his father is. 39. Describe the birthing scene of the naked black girl in Chapter Seven. The naked black girl goes into a difficult labor in Lestory's cabin. When the baby is born, the girl refuses to hold or nurse the child. 40. What happens to the cotton plantation thirteen years after Golden Gray confronts his father? Thirteen years after Golden Gray confronts his father, the entire plantation burns and all the black residents flee to other areas. 41. In Chapter Seven, why does Joe think Wild is his own mother? Joe thinks Wild is his own mother because of the way Henry Lestory tells him that Wild is "somebody's mother". 42. In Chapter Seven, how does Henry say you can always find Wild? Henry says you can always find Wild because the redwing blackbirds love her. 43. Describe the way Dorcas is feeling at the party in the beginning of Chapter Eight.
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At the party, Dorcas is feeling completely happy. 44. How does the narrator describe Acton? The narrator describes Acton as handsome, confident, and the object of many girls' affection. 45. In Chapter Eight, why does the narrator say Dorcas is getting tired of Joe? Dorcas is getting tired of Joe because she has all the power over him. 46. Why does Dorcas break up with Joe? Dorcas breaks up with Joe because she doesn't like the sense of power she gets from the relationship and wants to date someone younger. 47. In Chapter Eight, what does Dorcas notice about Joe? When Dorcas sees Joe at the party, she notices that he is crying. 48. Describe Acton's reaction to the shooting of Dorcas in Chapter Eight. When Dorcas is shot, Acton first attempts to clean off his jacket before giving Dorcas medical care. 49. Describe what Violet sees when she first spots Felice in Chapter Nine. When Violet first spots Felice, she sees a beautiful girl carrying a record and some stew meat up the stairs. 50. In Chapter Nine, why does Felice come to visit Violet and Joe? Felice comes to visit Violet and Joe for the first time to ask if they know anything about her silver and black opal ring. 51. Describe the way Felice obtains the ring, as presented by the narrator in Chapter Nine. Felice obtains the ring when she and her mother go to Tiffany's to run errands for her mother's employer. Felice's mother steals the ring from the store and gives it to her daughter. 52. In Chapter Nine, how does Felice describe Dorcas? Felice describes Dorcas as always getting in trouble, urging others to steal things, and keeping secrets. 53. Why doesn't Dorcas want anyone to call an ambulance for her after she is shot? Dorcas does not want anyone to call an ambulance for her after she is shot because she is afraid Joe gets into trouble. 54. Why do you think the ambulance takes such a long time to come help Dorcas? What excuses do they give? The ambulance takes such a long time to come help Dorcas because black people call for help. The ambulance drivers claim they are delayed because of ice.
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55. What is your understanding of the relationship between Joe, Violet, and Felice in Chapters Nine and Ten? The relationship between Joe, Violet, and Felice is complicated. Felice becomes a sort of foster daughter for Joe and Violet, and Joe and Violet begin to reconnect after a period of conflict. 56. In Chapter 10, why does Alice Manfred move back to Springfield? What do you think is the real reason she moves back to Springfield? Alice Manfred moves back to Springfield to work for a white woman she knows, but also because Dorcas is dead and she has no one to care for in Harlem. 57. In Chapter 10, why does Joe get a new job? Does this help his relationship with Violet? Joe gets a new job so he can spend more time with Violet in the afternoons. The author indicates that it does help his marriage because he and Violet spend lots of time together. 58. What sorts of things to Joe and Violet do together once their relationship is renewed? Once their relationship is renewed and peaceful, Joe and Violet go to the drug store for malts, play poker, or listen to Malvonne gossip. 59. In Chapter 10, why do Joe and Violet often go to the roof? What do they do up there together? Joe and Violet often go to the roof to listen to the music in the neighborhood together. They bring their bird and sit on the roof. 60. Describe what Joe and Violet do together at night in Chapter 10. At night, Joe and Violet curl up under the covers and whisper to each other.
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Essay Topics/Writing Assignments

These 20 essay questions can be used as essay questions on a test, or as stand-alone essay topics for a take-home or in-class writing assignment. Students should have a full understanding of the text in order to answer these questions. They ask for a thorough analysis of the text. 1. Compare and contrast the characters of Violet and Dorcas. How are their lives different? How are the characters the same?
2. How is Violet described in the initial portion of the novel? Do you think this is a fair description of Violet's character? Why or why not?
3. How do you describe the development of the relationship between Alice and Violet? Why do you think Violet is so determined to befriend Alice? What benefits do both women derive from the relationship?
4. Describe the significance of Malvonne's presence in Morrison's novel. What does the character of Malvonne add to the plot? What is the story like if Morrison does not include such an antagonist?
5. How is racism explored and conveyed in Morrison's work? Why do you think Morrison writes about it in this way?
6. Briefly summarize the incident when Malvonne finds the mail behind the refrigerator. What does she do in response? Why does she spend time doing these sorts of things, and what irony do you find in the events?
7. What impact do you think Alice Manfred has on Dorcas? Do you think Dorcas is the same sort of person id she is not being raised by Alice? Why or why not?
8. What is significant about Dorcas's clothespin dolls? What role do they play throughout Dorcas's life? Why do you think Morrison chooses this particular symbol?
9. Describe the significance of Golden Gray in Violet's life. How does it affect her childhood as well as her marriage with Joe?
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10. The mothers of Violet, Joe, and Dorcas die tragically, abandon their children, or kill themselves. Why do you think Morrison includes this similarity between these three characters? What does the loss of one's mother symbolize? Do you think it effectively unites the characters, or does it pull them apart?
11. What is the symbolism Morrison includes in her novel of Violet releasing the birds? What events lead up to this, and how is Violet different afterward?
12. Why does Violet decide she never wants to have children? What impact does this have on her marriage? How does her desire to have children change throughout the book and why?
13. How does Morrison introduce the topic of sexism in her book? How do sexist attitudes impact the wives of both female and male characters?
14. How do the stories of Dorcas's death differ as they are told by Joe, Dorcas, and Felice? What aspects are the same? How do the differences in perception accentuate the difference between these three characters?
15. Why do you think Joe and Violet move from the country to the city? What reasons does Joe give for the move? Do you think these reasons are accurate? Why or why not?
16. Describe the relationship between True Belle and Vera Louise Gray. Do the events they share bring them together or pull them apart? How does each of their relationships with Golden Gray compare to the other?
17. Why do you think Morrison includes the confrontation between Golden Gray and his father? What purpose does the scene serve? Do you think the reader has just as thorough an understanding of the characters without this description of events?
18. Felice has a strong attachment to the ring Dorcas is buried wearing. What does the ring signify, and why is it so important to Felice? What greater concepts are initiated in the story about the ring?
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19. Compare and contrast the characters of Joe and Acton. Are they similar in any way, or are they mostly different? What does Dorcas find appealing in each man? How does her relationship with each man change throughout the novel?
20. The title of the work is "Jazz." Why does Morrison choose such a title for this book? What is the significance of jazz music in this novel?
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Daily Lessons
This section contains 30 daily lessons. Each one has a specific objective and offers at least three (often more) ways to teach that objective. Lessons include classroom discussions, group and partner activities, in-class handouts, individual writing assignments, at least one homework assignment, class participation exercises and other ways to teach students about the text in a classroom setting. Use some or all of the suggestions provided to work with your students in the classroom and help them understand the text.
Lesson 1
Objective: Morrison begins her novel by summarizing the entire plot in the first several sentences, then gradually retells the story throughout the book. The objective of Lesson #1 is to explore the effect this method of introducing the story has on the reader's overall experience of the plot and characters. 1) 1) Class Discussion: Morrison opens her book by introducing a main character, Violet, in a gossipy way. What is the author's purpose of introducing Violet this way? What does Morrison include in this initial introduction, and what does she leave out? 2) Small Group Activity: Divide the class into groups of three to four and ask them to summarize the first chapter in bullet points. Have them write down these points in one column, and in another column ask them to write their understanding of the author's purpose in including these events. 3) Writing Assignment: Create a new introduction for Morrison's novel without changing the major events of the story. Summarize your writing in one to two pages. 1) Homework Assignment: Imagine Morrison decides to eliminate this introduction before the book is published. How does that change the readers' perception of the characters? Summarize your ideas in two to three paragraphs and be prepared to share with the rest of the class.
Lesson 2
Objective: The significance of place, or setting, in a novel, such as Harlem as described in Chapter One, can contribute to the overall effect and meaning of a work of literature. The objective of Lesson #2 is to discuss the choice of setting in the book and how it contributes to the theme of the work. 1) 1) Classroom Discussion: What description does Morrison give about Harlem? What does she seem to think is most important about the area? 2) Writing Assignment: In two to three paragraphs, summarize how the setting prepares the reader for the events and characters in the book. Why do you think Morrison presents the setting in this way rather than placing the characters in an unnamed location? 3) Small Group Activity: Divide students into groups of two to three and ask them to share their essays with each other (see Writing Assignment, above). Does group members describe similar ways in which the setting impacts the novel? If so, discuss why one reader may think one aspect of setting is more significant than another
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1) Homework Assignment: What do you learn about Harlem from reading Morrison's novel? Do you think it sounds like a nice place to be? Why or why not?
Lesson 3
Objective: The antagonist in a work of literature is a person or character who typically opposes the main character. For example, Malvonne is one antagonist in Morrison's work because she is nosy, loves to gossip, and sacrifices her moral character in order to obtain worthy gossip. The objective of Lesson #3 is to explore the role of the antagonist in the novel and understand how he or she adds to the reader's experience of the work. 1) 1) Small Group Discussion: Break students up into groups of three to four. Ask them to identify any antagonists in Morrison's work. Can they think of more than one? For each character they identify, have students list qualities of those characters that identify them as antagonists. 2) Written Activity: Why do you think Morrison includes one or more antagonists? What does the presence of an antagonist do for the remainder of the work? 3) Classroom Discussion: Do you think Morrison does a good job of characterizing any antagonist in her book? Which antagonist do you think has the most influence over the characters in the novel? Is there anything Morrison does differently to make the presence of the antagonist more effective? 1) Homework Assignment: Pretend you are an antagonist in Morrison's novel. What is it about you that others don't like? Summarize your answer in two to three paragraphs and be prepared to share with the class.
Lesson 4
Objective: Authors often use relationships to emphasize certain aspects of characters. Joe's relationship with Dorcas is contrasted in some ways by Joe's relationship with Violet. Both women find themselves with Joe, and the negative aspects of their characters are accentuated by the relationship. The objective of Lesson #4 is to explore the two relationships in Morrison's work and to identify how their differences and similarities contributed to the development of characters. 1) 1) Small Group Activity: Break up students into groups of three to four and ask them to make a list of ways the two relationships in this story mirror one another. In other words, what similarities exist between Violet and Dorcas? 2) Classroom Discussion: Have students discuss their findings from the small group activity. Do you notice the similarities as you are reading the story, or does it take a more in-depth look at Morrison's work? Do you think Violet and Dorcas have more in common with one another, or are they more different? 3) Writing Assignment: Are there other aspects of Morrison's story in which relationships or characters are accentuated by relationships? Write a one-paragraph summary for each instance you can think of. 1) Homework Assignment: Write a one to two page essay comparing the relationship between Joe and Violet with the relationship between Joe and Dorcas. In what ways are they the same? Be prepared to share your thoughts with the rest of the class.
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Lesson 5
Objective: Dramatic irony occurs when there is a discrepancy between two events. For example, Malvonne feels obliged to send a warning against adultery to a stranger, yet allows Joe and Dorcas to rent her extra bedroom to secretly meet. The objective of Lesson #5 is to explore the use of irony in literature and identify the uses of irony in Morrison's story. 1) 1) Classroom Discussion: What is the purpose of irony in literature? How does Morrison use irony in this particular story? How does it add to the reader's experience? 2) Writing Assignment: Think about Malvonne's motivation to rent her extra bedroom versus her moral obligation to warn a complete stranger about adultery. In one to two paragraphs, explain the irony of this situation. Can you think of any other instances of irony in Morrison's story? 3) Small group activity: Break students up into groups of three to four and ask them to share their essays (see Writing assignment, above). Discuss the significance of Malvonne's decisions as well as any additional instances of irony you noticed in the story. 1) Homework Assignment: In a one-page essay, explain how Morrison's story has helped you understand the concept of irony more thoroughly. Why, in Malvonne's situation, does irony work particularly well? Are there other points in the novel you think benefit from irony as well?
Lesson 6
Objective: Morrison's novel revolves around racism toward African-Americans in the 1920s. Incidents of racism and segregation, such as during Joe and Violet's train ride north, occur frequently in the background of the book. The objective of Lesson #6 is to discuss how racist and biased ideas are emphasized in Morrison's book and how they impact the reader's emotions. 1) 1) Small Group Activity: Divide students into groups of three to four. Give each group a large piece of paper and ask students to write the word "RACISM" in the middle. Around the middle, have students write the impact that racism and prejudices have on African-Americans in the early 1900s in Morrison's novel. 2) Classroom Discussion: What sorts of things do you write on your group's paper (see Small group activity, above)? Have you ever thought about prejudice or racism affecting a group of people like this before? 3) Written Activity: Write a two to three page dialogue between Joe, Violet, Dorcas, and Alice about racism, discrimination, and prejudice using examples found in Morrison's novel. Ask for volunteers to share their dialogues with the rest of the class. 1) Homework Assignment: Write a two to three page essay describing your own experiences with discrimination and/or racism. How do these experiences relate to those of Joe, Violet, and other African-American characters in Morrison's novel?
Lesson 7
Objective: Characterization is used by authors in literature to fully describe the personality and qualities of a specific character. For example, Alice Manfredis characterized in Chapter Three as an honorable, though overly vigilant, woman
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striving to raise Dorcas in an upstanding manner. The objective of Lesson #7 is to explore the characterization Morrison uses in the novel to present characters to the reader. 1) 1) Classroom Discussion: What do you think are the important parts of an author's characterization of a figure in his or her work? Does Morrison include these important parts? How does he help the reader 'get to know' the characters? 2) Written Assignment: Choose one character in Morrison's novel and summarize the way he or she is characterized. Do you feel like you really 'know' this character after reading the book? Why or why not? 3) Small Group Activity: Divide students into groups of two to three and ask them to discuss their paragraphs from the writing assignment. Brainstorm about what Morrison adds to his story to provide a deeper understanding of each character. 1) Homework Assignment: Who is your favorite character in Morrison's novel? Why? Do you think if he or she is characterized differently, or from an alternate point of view, you feel differently about the character? Summarize your thoughts in three to four paragraphs.
Lesson 8
Objective: A foil is a character who is the exact opposite of another character in the work. The presence of a foil often serves the purpose of emphasizing contrasting qualities of another character, as the presence of Violet can highlight certain aspects of Dorcas's character, and vice versa. The objective of Lesson #8 is to discuss the purpose of foil in Morrison's work. 1) 1) Classroom Discussion: What is a foil? What is the purpose of including foils in this particular work? Are there any particular characters with foils in Morrison's novel that seem particularly significant to you? 2) Small Group Activity: Break students up into groups of two to three. Ask them to choose one character and his or her particular foil. Draw a chart that outlines qualities of one character on the left, and the opposite qualities of the other character on the right. Have groups share their lists and discussions with each other. 3) Writing Assignment: Choose one character and his or her foil. Write a three to four paragraph essay in which you address specific qualities of the first character, specific qualities of that character's foil, and how the presence of this particular foil adds to the literary quality of Morrison's work. How does it make the reader's experience more enjoyable? 1) Homework Assignment: in a one to two page essay, address the following: What is a foil? In your opinion, does Morrison adequately meet this definition in her characters? Be sure to include specific examples from the text to support your argument.
Lesson 9
Objective: A narrative point of view typically provides an omnipotent perspective of all characters in the story. The point of view in Morrison's novel constantly switches from one character to another. The objective of Lesson #9 is to understand how this change in point of view can influence readers' opinions of other characters. 1) 1) Writing assignment: Ask students to write a 1-2 page summary of Chapter 3 told from Dorcas's point-of-view rather than Alice's. What are the differences between the two versions? What is the same? Summarize in 3-4 paragraphs.
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2) Small group activity: Break the class into groups of 2-3 students. Allow them to read their summaries to each other, and have them discuss how (or if) the exercise changed their opinions of any of the other characters. How could they use what they've learned to relate to people different from themselves? 3) Classroom discussion: Why do you think Morrison may have written her novel in this way? What benefits or drawbacks are there to including so many different points of view? 1) Homework: Ask students to summarize in two to three paragraphs the major advantages and drawbacks to examining a story from different points of view, using Chapter 3 as an example. How does it change the students' initial understanding of the event?
Lesson 10
Objective: The characters in this story have widely different views of what love means. For example, Dorcas's perception of love is that it is about pleasing another person and taking on a challenge, while Joe's idea of love is wanting to constantly be with and dote on someone else. The objective of Lesson #10 is to begin to explore the reasons why people have such differing views on the same, seemingly universal, topic. 1) 1) Writing Assignment: Have each student write a paragraph defining "love" according to a specific character. Briefly present these to the class. 2) Classroom Debate: Split the class into three groups, and assign one character (Joe, Violet, and Dorcas) to each group. Then, with the students in character, lead a debate about "the meaning of love." What sorts of things do students learn from supporting the views of their own character? Is it difficult to take on a point of view you do not necessarily agree with? 3) Classroom Discussion: Why do you think characters define love differently? Does it have anything to do with their past experiences, as described in Chapters three and four? Why or why not? 1) Homework: Ask students to contrast their own views on the meaning of love with the ideas of at least two characters in Morrison's novel, and summarize their thoughts in a two-page essay. Be prepared to share with the rest of the class.
Lesson 11
Objective: Sexism is explored in Morrison's work through the female characters such as Violet, Dorcas, and Vera Louise. For example, in Chapter Four Morrison highlights the disparate differences in pay between male and female cotton-pickers. The objective of Lesson #11 is to further explore the impact of sexism on both male and female characters in the work. 1) 1) Small Group Discussion: Break students up into groups of three to four. Ask them to identify any incidents of sexism they can think of or have witness personally. What about incidents of sexism in Morrison's novel? For each incident of sexism in the book, have students list the events or characters and why they qualify as sexist. 2) Written Activity: Why do you think Morrison includes sexism in her book while also including racism? What does the presence of both constraints have on characters?
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3) Classroom Discussion: Do you think Morrison does a good job of explaining the impact of sexism in her book? Which character(s) do you think suffer the most due to sexism? Do you think any particular characters are unaware that sexism exists in the book? 1) Homework Assignment: Pretend you are a reporter writing about sexism in early 20th century Harlem. What impact does it have on both women and men? Summarize your answer in two to three paragraphs and be prepared to share with the class.
Lesson 12
Objective: Symbolism is often used in works of literature as a way of artfully presenting a concept to a reader. In Morrison's work, the apple symbolizes sin; specifically, it symbolizes the sin of adultery. The objective of Lesson #12 is to identify specific symbols in the story and discuss the ways symbols inform the reader about dynamics within the story. 1) 1) Writing Assignment: What specific symbols does Morrison introduce in this novel? Make a list of all the symbols you recall and what you think they might symbolize. 2) Small Group Activity: Divide students into groups of three to four. Share your lists of symbols and their meanings with each other. Does everyone make the same list? Are there some symbols that come up that you initially don't think of? 3) Classroom Discussion: Ask each student to identify one major symbol in Morrison's story that stands out to them. Is there one particular item or concept that is more prevalent than others? Encourage discussion among students about the purpose of symbols in literature and the reason for including specific symbols in Morrison's novel. 1) Homework Assignment: Choose one symbol, such as the apple, that Morrison uses in her book and write a two-page essay about its significance to the overall meaning of the novel.
Lesson 13
Objective: In literature, ethical dilemmas often occur, causing varying responses from the reader. Both Joe, a married man who falls in love with Dorcas and has an affair, and Malvonne, who is asked to rent out a bedroom for Joe and Dorcas, are examples of characters experiencing ethical dilemmas. The objective of Lesson #13 is to discuss the ethical dilemmas addressed in Morrison's novel and explore the effect they may have on readers' future moral opinions. 1) 1) Classroom Discussion: What is an ethical dilemma? What ethical dilemmas do you see in this book? Include Malvonne's struggle to be morally upright yet still knowingly helping the affair between Joe and Dorcas, or Joe sleeping with Dorcas behind Violet's back. 2) Small Group Activity: Divide students into groups of two or three and ask them to discuss one ethical dilemma in the book. What are the circumstances surrounding the situation to classify it as a 'dilemma'? Do they find some way to rationalize the thoughts or actions that, in some situations, may be ethically immoral? 3) Writing Assignment: Choose an ethical dilemma in the book and explain why you think Morrison includes it. What does it teach us about mankind and human nature? What does it reveal to us about the qualities of the characters? Summarize your answers in one to two pages.
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1) Homework Assignment: In three to four paragraphs, summarize how you think Morrison's story is different is she does not include ethical dilemmas in the book. What do they add to the story? Do the dilemmas force you to think more about your own point of view?
Lesson 14
Objective: The tragic hero is a character who is capable of greatness, yet is doomed to fail as a result of circumstances and a tragic personal flaw. Joe is a character who is described as honorable, yet he is flawed because he tries too hard to create an ideal romance with Dorcas. Golden Gray may also be considered a tragic hero because he is intelligent, handsome, and capable, yet is blinded by his own racism. The objective of Lesson #14 is to explore the concept of the tragic hero and discuss the tragic heroes present in Morrison's work. 1) 1) Small Group Activity: Divide students into groups of three to four. Ask them to answer the following questions: Which of the characters do you identify as a tragic hero? Why do you think this particular character fits the definition of tragic hero? 2) Classroom Discussion: Ask students to discuss which characters they choose for the small group activity and why. Do groups identify more than one character? Is it difficult to think of any of the characters in the novel as a 'hero'? What is different about the concept of a 'tragic hero'? 3) Writing Assignment: Choose one character from Morrison's novel and think about what makes that character a 'tragic hero' rather than a 'hero' in the usual sense of the word. Which type of hero makes for a more interesting character? Summarize your answers in one to two pages. 1) Homework Assignment: Write a two-page essay told from the perspective of a tragic hero in Morrison's story explaining the character's struggle with his or her flaws. Be sure to include why he or she is considered a tragic hero as well, and be prepared to share with the rest of the class.
Lesson 15
Objective: A metaphor is a literary device in which the author connects two things that are seemingly unrelated. Morrison consistently links Harlem and jazz together, substituting one for the other and inextricably linking the two throughout her novel. The objective of Lesson #15 is to explore Morrison's use of metaphor and begin to understand how it contributes to the presentation of the story. 1) 1) Classroom Discussion: What is a metaphor? Do you think Morrison uses any metaphors in her story? Why does she use these particular ones? 2) Small Group Discussion: Break students up into groups of three to four. Ask them to choose one metaphor in Morrison's story and describe how that particular metaphor helps the reader understand more about important concepts. 3) Written Activity: Which metaphor do you think is the most important to Morrison's novel? What does the use of metaphor contribute to the work? Summarize your answers in two to three paragraphs. 1) Homework Assignment: Using the same metaphor you mention in your in-class writing activity, expound upon Morrison's use of the metaphor. Do you think she is able to use a different metaphor to explain the same concept? Be prepared to share with the class.
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Lesson 16
Objective: Morrison often uses repetition of stories in this novel as a way of emphasizing certain concepts. For example, she tells the story in Chapter Six twice, once through Golden Gray's eyes and the next with the narrator. The objective of Lesson #16 is to discuss the purpose behind this repetition of events as well as Morrison's decision to emphasize certain concepts throughout her work. 1) 1) Small Group Discussion: Break students up into groups of three to four. Ask them to identify any instances of repetition in Morrison's work. For each instance or story they identify, have students list reasons they think Morrison repeats this portion of the story. 2) Written Activity: Why do you think Morrison uses repetition in a story like this? How does the technique help the reader to understand the significance of certain events in the book? 3) Classroom Discussion: Do you think Morrison effectively communicates her ideas by using repetition? Is she able to do it another way? Which part of the book do you think is helped the most by being repeated? 1) Homework Assignment: Compose a one to two page essay defending Morrison's use of repetition in the book to communicate certain ideas. Be prepared to share with the class.
Lesson 17
Objective: Magical realism is the technique of incorporating illogical or magical elements into an otherwise believable scene. Morrison uses the technique of magical realism when describing Wild and her encounter with Golden Gray. The objective of Lesson #17 is to discuss the use of magical realism in this particular part of the story and understand how it adds to the overall effect of the work. 1) 1) Small Group Discussion: Break students up into small groups. Ask them to define magical realism as they understand it, and choose any instances of magical realism in Morrison's work. Do they think of any other instances besides Wild? For each instance they identify, have students list qualities of the events that qualify them as magical realism. 2) Written Activity: Why do you think Morrison includes magical realism in her book? What does its presence do for the characters as well as the remainder of the work? 3) Classroom Discussion: Do you think Morrison's use of magical realism is effective? What instances of magical realism does your group come up with? How is Morrison's book different is she does not include this element? 1) Homework Assignment: Using Morrison's work as an example, compose a three to four paragraph essay explaining the appropriate times when magical realism effectively is used in a literary work. Be prepared to share with the class.
Lesson 18
Objective: The conflict of man versus self is an age-old struggle often depicted in literature. Characters such as Joe, who experiences inner conflict when he realizes his relationship with Dorcas is over, wrestles with difficult decisions. The objective of Lesson #18 is to explore how Joe experiences conflict within himself as he tries to understand how to move forward after his heart is broken.
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1) 1) Classroom Discussion: What consists of Joe's inner struggle regarding Dorcas? How does this struggle emerge in the first several chapters? How prevalent do you think this struggle is among people in a relationship? 2) Writing Assignment: In two to three paragraphs, summarize Joe's thoughts regarding why Dorcas ends their relationship. Why do you think Joe feels this way? Is there any reason it might affect Joe more than another man? 3) Small Group Activity: Divide students into groups of two to three and ask them to share their essays with each other (see Writing Assignment, above). Do you think Joe's struggles are founded on reality or on perceptions? Why or why not? 1) Homework Assignment: Pretend you are Joe, writing in his journal after Dorcas tells him she wants to end the relationship. How do you describe the scene as well as Joe's reaction afterward? Be sure to properly express Joe's inner struggles.
Lesson 19
Objective: The tone Morrison uses in her story greatly influences a reader's experience of the work. The objective of Lesson #19 is to explore the different methods the author uses to set the tone for the reader. 1) 1) Small Group Activity: Divide students into groups of three to four. Ask them to discuss their perception of the tone in Morrison's work. Does the tone change throughout the novel or does it stay the same? Why do you think this is so? 2) Classroom Discussion: Ask students to discuss the tone of the novel and why Morrison chooses this particular approach to the book. Do groups identify more than one tone throughout the book? Why are people's understanding or description of tone different? Does tone have more to do with the author or with the reader? 3) Writing Assignment: In one to two pages, summarize your own understanding of the tone in Morrison's work. Do you think the tone is appropriate for the content? 1) Homework Assignment: Choose a specific event in the novel, and write a two-page summary of the event in a completely different tone from that used by Morrison. Does using a different tone change the meaning of the text? Be sure to include specific lines from the text if possible, and be prepared to share with the rest of the class.
Lesson 20
Objective: At times, authors leave certain elements of a story unclear for various reasons. Morrison uses a certain amount of ambiguity when describing the relationship between Wild and Golden Gray. The objective of Lesson #20 is to understand the reasons Morrison may have for leaving certain elements in her story untold. 1) 1) Small Group Activity: Break students into groups of three to four and ask them to discuss their own understanding of the relationship between Wild and Golden Gray. Why do you think this way? What indicators does Morrison give to suggest elements of their relationship? 2) Classroom Discussion: Why does an author leave parts of their stories unclear rather than clarifying all aspects? In the case of Morrison's story, does it add any element to the experience of the book that you do not get if you are certain about all the relationships?
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3) Writing Assignment: Imagine you are asked to add a one-page entry into Morrison's novel explaining more in depth the relationship between Golden Gray and Wild. What do you choose to include? Be sure to include elements that may refer to other parts of the story. 1) Homework Assignment: Pretend you are Morrison, and you are being interviewed about your book. In two to three paragraphs, write down your answer (as Morrison) to the following question: Do you ever consider describing the relationship between Golden Gray and Wild in more detail? Why do you choose to make it so ambiguous?
Lesson 21
Objective: Characters' names are typically chosen for specific reasons, such as to symbolize a greater concept or to evoke images and thoughts of something. Wild and Golden Gray have names that signify ideas greater than the person. The objective of Lesson #21 is to explore the meanings of these characters names and suggest reasons for Morrison's selection of these particular names in the story. 1) 1) Writing Assignment: Identify all the names in the book that you believe have a particular significance. Make a chart of all the possible meanings you can think of as well as any reasons why Morrison chooses those specific names for his characters. 2) Classroom Discussion: Why are names so important in literature as well as in real life? Do you have any particular opinions about any of the names Morrison used for his characters? Why do you feel this way? 3) Small Group Activity: Break student up into groups of three to four and assign each group a different name of a character in the story. Have the groups write the character's name on a piece of poster board or large piece of paper, and ask them to write any meanings associated with that name underneath. Ask the groups to share with the rest of the class. 1) Homework Assignment: Write a one to two page essay discussing whether you think Morrison chooses appropriate names for his characters. If you are going to rename the characters, what do you name them? Why? Be prepared to share with the rest of the class.
Lesson 22
Objective: Morrison seems to express the opinion that feelings are best expressed through actions rather than words. For example, though Dorcas feels as if she is in a healthy relationship with Acton, immediately after she is shot, Acton pays more attention to the blood on his jacket rather than Dorcas's well being. The objective of Lesson #22 is to explore Morrison's use of actions to express certain elements of her characters in this work. 1) 1) Small Group Discussion: Break students up into three or four groups. Ask them to identify times in Morrison's book in which actions, rather than words, communicate characters' feelings or qualities. For each instance they identify, have students list the actions. 2) Written Activity: Why do you think Morrison focuses on actions rather than words at times? What sort of power can actions have over the characters in her book? 3) Classroom Discussion: Does Morrison effectively communicate strong messages when actions are used rather than language? Which instance do you think is the most powerful?
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1) Homework Assignment: Compose a one to two page story in which characters communicate with each other only through actions. Is this easy or difficult to do? Be prepared to share with the class.
Lesson 23
Objective: Juxtaposition is the technique of placing two literary events or characters side by side as a way of contrasting them and showing how they are different. Joe and Acton are introduced as targets of Dorcas's romantic interest, and the differences between the two are readily apparent. The objective of Lesson #23 is to discuss how the juxtaposition of Joe and Acton communicates information about each character to the reader. 1) 1) Small gGoup Activity: Break students up into groups of three to four. Give them about 15 minutes to draw a chart on a piece of paper that shows the differences between Joe and Acton as well as the similarities. 2) Classroom Discussion: Ask students about the similarities and differences between Joe and Acton they find during the Small Group Activity (see above). Do you think these differences and similarities are important in this story? Why or why not? 3) Writing Assignment: Compose a one to two page essay answering the following prompt: Describe how the juxtaposition of Joe and Acton contributes to the readers' overall understanding of each character. Which characteristics of the characters are most obvious? Which are more subtle? 1) Homework Assignment: Ask students to compose a newspaper or journal article emphasizing the differences between two characters. Be prepared to share with the class.
Lesson 24
Objective: Syntax is the way an author puts words and sentences together to form ideas and meanings. It includes the complexity of terms, the number of syllables in a sentence, and the length of paragraphs, for example. The objective of Lesson #24 is to explore various aspects of Morrison's use of syntax and discuss how these techniques contribute to the work. 1) 1) Classroom Discussion: Is there anything different or unique about the way Morrison uses syntax in this novel? Why do you say this? Can you think of other works of literature in which the syntax is different? 2) Small Group Activity: Divide students into groups of three to four. Assign each group one specific chapter and ask them to jot down their ideas about the characteristics of the particular syntax used by Morrison in that portion of the book. After 15 minutes, ask groups to share with each other what they find. Is this an easy assignment? Why is it difficult or easy? 3) Written Activity: Choose one medium-length paragraph (8-10 sentences) from Morrison's book and rewrite it using a different syntax. When you are finished, read it to yourself and think about how the changes you make have an impact on the entire work. Ask students to share their revisions with each other. 1) Homework assignment: Summarize the following in a one to two page essay: What is your understanding of syntax before this lesson? What do you learn from Morrison about the usage of syntax and its importance in literature? How do you describe the syntax Morrison uses in this novel?
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Lesson 25
Objective: The climax of a story is the culmination of all previous events into the most significant point in the work. Main characters are typically united around some meaningful event, as Joe and Dorcas are at the scene of Dorcas's death. The objective of Lesson #25 is to explore the climax of Morrison's novel and understand how it affects readers' emotions about the characters. 1) 1) Writing Assignment: Summarize the climax in Morrison's novel in one to two paragraphs. Be sure to include only the events included in the climax. 2) Small Group Activity: Break up into groups of two to three and discuss your summaries with each other. Are your summaries mostly the same? What events do you purposefully include or leave out? Make a chart organizing the specific events that constituted the climax. 3) Classroom Discussion: What is the purpose of this particular climax in this story? Is it difficult to isolate the climax without thinking about the events that lead up to it? Why or why not? What is significant about the climax in relation to the rest of the story? 1) Homework Assignment: Imagine Morrison's story without the climax. Is it still be as enjoyable? Does it have as much meaning? Why or why not? Summarize your opinions in three to four paragraphs and be prepared to share with your classmates.
Lesson 26
Objective: A flashback is a point in a story when a character thinks back to an earlier scene in order to give more information about the present story. Morrison's novel is full of episodes in which the story rewinds to several years earlier. The objective of Lesson #26 is to discuss the purpose of flashbacks in this story and identify the meaning they bring to the work. 1) 1) Classroom Discussion: What is the purpose of a flashback in literature? What do you already know about flashbacks? What are the specific flashbacks Joe, Violet, and Dorcas experience in Morrison's story? 2) Writing Assignment: Make a list for each of the flashbacks, as described by the narrator, including who, what, when, where, and why references. Be sure to include names of specific characters as well as any vivid images the narrator gives readers to experience the flashbacks more thoroughly. 3) Small Group Activity: Break up the class into groups of three to four students and ask them to discuss their lists of flashbacks (see Writing Assignment, above). Which aspects of these particular flashbacks are most important to the reader's understanding of the story? 1) Homework Assignment: Think about what information is missing from Morrison's story if the flashbacks are not included. Write a brief summary of the information that the narrator gives readers through the flashbacks.
Lesson 27
Objective: After Dorcas dies, Joe and Felice share their difference perceptions of Dorcas. Morrison uses these differences to tell the reader more about the beholder rather than the character in question. The objective of Lesson #27 is
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to identify how the varying perceptions of Dorcas's character and intentions contribute to the reader's thorough understanding of other characters in this work. 1) 1) Small Group Discussion: Break students up into groups of two to three. Ask them to discuss the different perceptions that Joe and Felice have of Dorcas. Why do they think these ways? What does it say about Joe and Felice rather than Dorcas? 2) Written Activity: Which description, Joe's or Felice's, do you think is a more accurate picture of who Dorcas really is? Why do you think this? 3) Classroom Discussion: What purpose is Morrison trying to serve by exhibiting drastically different understandings of Dorcas's character near the end of the book? Which explanation do you think is more accurate? Why? 1) Homework Assignment: Pretend you are Joe hearing about Felice's impression of Dorcas for the first time, or vice versa. What is your response? What do you think about the other character? Does it change your perception of Dorcas? Summarize your answer in two to three paragraphs and be prepared to share with the class.
Lesson 28
Objective: A motif is a repeating idea or concept within a story that is interwoven into the larger work. For example, birds are a recurring theme motif in Morrison's story and allude to qualities of characters and meaning of events in the novel. The objective of Lesson #28 is to identify major motifs in Morrison's novel and to discuss how those motifs relate to the larger work. 1) 1) Classroom Discussion: What is your understanding of a motif in terms of Morrison's novel? What concept in the story do you think is identified as a motif? Examples may be birds, apples, or music. 2) Writing Assignment: Identify what you believe to be a significant motif in this story. In two to three paragraphs, describe the motif, what it represents, and why it is significant to the overall theme of the work. 3) Small Group Activity: Break students up into groups of three to four. Ask students to share their paragraphs (see Writing Assignment, above) with each other. Does everyone choose the same motif or do they choose different ones? Of those presented within your group, which motif do you think is the most important to this particular work? Have group members explain to the rest of the class why they settle on this particular motif. 1) Homework Assignment: Using your group's motif as an example, explain in one to two pages why motifs are so important to literature. What do they add to the experience of the work? More specifically, what does this particular motif add to the experience of Morrison's novel?
Lesson 29
Objective: The title of a work is one of its most important aspects. It is the first communication the author has with the reader, sets the tone of the work, and may greatly impact the reader's attitude. The objective of Lesson #29 is to discuss Morrison's choice of title for this book and how it relates to the theme of the work. 1) 1) Small Group Activity: Divide students into groups of three to four. Ask them to discuss the title of the book and suggest possible reasons Morrison uses this particular title. What does it tell readers about the story?
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2) Classroom Discussion: What is the purpose of the title for this particular novel? How does the title relate to major themes of the work? 3) Writing Assignment: Compose a one-page essay explaining your initial understanding of the title before you read the book, and how that understanding changes now that you complete the novel. What do you think Morrison is trying to tell the reader through the title? Does he succeed in communicating his message? Why or why not? 1) Homework Assignment: Tell the title of this work to three different people who have not read the book, and ask them to briefly summarize what they think the book is about based solely on the title. How do their answers compare to the title's actual meaning? Summarize your findings in two to three paragraphs.
Lesson 30
Objective: The resolution is the point in the story in which the conflict is settled. It is not always comfortable or pleasing to the reader and may not completely "mend" the conflict. The objective of Lesson #30 is to understand the function of resolution in Morrison's novel. 1) 1) Classroom Discussion: What is the resolution in this work? Do you think it is sufficient, or should Morrison include more detail? Why or why not? 2) Small Group Activity: Break students up into groups of four or five. Ask them to discuss the resolution and whether it gives an adequate ending to the novel. Why do you think she chooses these particular events to end the story? What information does it provide that we otherwise not have? 3) Writing Assignment: Explain why you think or do not think that the resolution Morrison gives is adequate for this novel. What do you change if you change the resolution and why? 1) Homework Assignment: Write a one-page essay addressing the following: How does the resolution in Morrison's work compare to resolutions in other works of literature you read? What changes do you make to the resolution to make it more suitable? Be prepared to share your writing with others.
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Fun Classroom Activities

The 20 enjoyable, interactive classroom activities that are included will help your students understand the text in amusing ways. Fun Classroom Activities include group projects, games, critical thinking activities, brainstorming sessions, writing poems, drawing or sketching, and more that will allow your students to interact with each other, be creative, and ultimately grasp key concepts from the text by "doing" rather than simply studying. 1. Journal Pretend you are one of the main characters in this story, and write a journal entry about one of the major events. 2. Love Letter Write a letter from Dorcas to Joe, explaining why she is breaking up with him, or write a letter from Joe to Violet, explaining his affair with Dorcas. 3. Research Project Briefly research what Harlem is like in the 1920s, and summarize your findings in 10-15 bullet points. 4. Pictures Break up into groups of three to four students. Based on Morrison's descriptions, draw pictures of Violet and Dorcas and share them with the rest of the class. 5. Newsletter Pretend you are Malvonne, and you are publishing a gossip newsletter for the neighborhood. Be sure to include headlines, interviews, and anything else you think reveals more about the characters. 6. History of Jazz Using the Internet, research the history of jazz music in the African-American community. Summarize your findings in two or three paragraphs. 7. Love poem Write a short poem from Joe to Dorcas, and one from Violet to Joe. Be sure it accurately demonstrates qualities of Joe's relationship with each woman. 8. Charades Ask students to write down five to ten names, symbols, or objects found in Morrison's story. Put the ideas in a hat, split the students into two teams, and have them play a game of charades. 9. Poll
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Have students survey teachers and students at their school about what they think about when they think of jazz music. Summarize answers into one to two paragraphs and share with the rest of the class. 10. Role Play Have students break up into groups and pretend they are one of the character's in Morrison's story. The student tries to act like that character (without saying his or her name) while other students try to guess which one is being demonstrated. 11. Author Research Have students research Toni Morrison and ask them to write a short, one-page biography about her. Discuss how "Jazz" fits into her greater body of work. 12. Reenactment Break up students into small groups, and ask them to reenact a scene from the novel for the rest of the class. 13. Dressing the Part Find out what kind of clothing is worn by African-American men and women in 1920s Harlem, and have students create outfits from that time period out of old clothes. 14. Collage Ask students to work together to make a collage out of pictures and words accurately depicting the theme of Morrison's work. 15. Scrapbook Make a scrapbook of Joe and Violet's life together. Be sure to include photographs, letters, and any other memorabilia you think applies to their relationship and tells the story of their life together. 16. Letter from Harlem Write a letter from an African-American resident of Harlem in the 1920s to someone living in another place. The writer is not be a specific character in Morrison's work; rather, the letter explains from a stranger's point of view what it is like to be living there at that time. 17. Clothespin Dolls Make your own clothespin dolls based on those that Dorcas treasured as a young girl. 18. Lynchings Lynchings are mentioned only briefly in Morrison's novel, though they frequently occur in the 1920s. Research the history of lynching, its implications, and when the practice is finally stopped. 19. Speculation
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Morrison leaves readers at the closing of the novel a sense of mystery about what is coming next for Joe and Violet. Write a short chapter following up with all the characters one year later. Be sure to include what major events happen in the lives of the characters over the past year. 20. Wild and Golden Gray Imagine a lost chapter to Morrison's work is found that describes more in-depth about the relationship between Wild and Golden Gray. What significant events transpire? Do they end up falling in love or not?
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Worksheets and Evaluation Forms

The following worksheets may come in handy for grading in-class student performance. Note: These forms are included as printable Word and PDF files with your purchase. Oral Reading Evaluation Sheet Reading Assignment Sheet Writing Evaluation Form
Worksheets and Evaluation Forms
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Oral Reading Evaluation Sheet

Name: _____________________________ Period: ___________________________
5 = Above Average
3 = Average
1 = Below Average
Audibility - Projecting your voice so your audience can hear and understand you.
Pronunciation - Ability to recognize words before you say them and pronounce all the sounds correctly.
Articulation - Using your tongue, mouth and lips to pronounce all the sounds correctly.
Vocal Variety/Expression - Using appropriate pitch, volume and flow.
Rate - Reading a speed, or pace that is easy to follow.
Comments:
Reading Assignment Sheet

Name: _____________________________ Period: ___________________________
Reading Assignment
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Writing Evaluation Form

Name: _____________________________ Period: ___________________________
5 = Above Average
3 = Average
1 = Below Average
Clear thesis or position
Relevant supporting arguments
Transitions between paragraphs
Clarity of expression
Strong conclusion
Grammar
Spelling
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Quizzes & Homework Assignments

Use these as possible quizzes for your lesson plans. Alternatively, they can be used as homework assignments. They are designed to test your students' understanding or the material at different stages throughout the unit. You may easily create your own tests using our Quiz and Test Generator related to this product. One Week Lesson Plan Quiz - Chapter 1 to Chapter 8 Two Week Lesson Plan Quiz - Chapter 1 to Chapter 6 Four Week Lesson Plan Quiz - Chapter 1 to Chapter 3 Four Week Lesson Plan Quiz - Chapter 6 to Chapter 8 Eight Week Lesson Plan Quiz - Chapter 1 to Chapter 2 Eight Week Lesson Plan Quiz - to Eight Week Lesson Plan Quiz - Chapter 3 to Chapter 3 Eight Week Lesson Plan Quiz - Chapter 4 to Chapter 4 Eight Week Lesson Plan Quiz - Chapter 6 to Chapter 6 Eight Week Lesson Plan Quiz - Chapter 7 to Chapter 8 Eight Week Lesson Plan Quiz - Chapter 9 to Chapter 9
Quizzes & Homework Assignments
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Quiz: Chapter 1 to Chapter 8

Name: _____________________________ This quiz consists of 5 multiple choice and 5 short answer questions. Period: ___________________________

Directions: Circle the correct answer. 1. What does the girl do to Lestory? a) Kisses him on the cheek. b) Spits in his face. c) Bites his hand. d) Kicks him in the shin. 2. When does Golden Gray find out who his father is? a) He never finds out. b) When he is on his deathbed. c) The age of two. d) When he is eighteen. 3. What is the 1917 parade protesting? a) The St. Louis race riots. b) Desegregation. c) Abortion. d) Child abuse. 4. What does Rose tell people about why her husband leaves? a) He is very sick and has to get professional help. b) He is running from the police. c) He is going to college in New York City. d) He is fed up with the price of coffee and his daughter's physical ailments. 5. What does Joe find behind a hibiscus bush? a) A burrow. b) A picture of his grandmother. c) A parrot. d) Dorcas's old dress.

Directions: Answer the question with a short answer. 1. Which of the following are in Violet's apartment?
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2. How is Violet described by the author?
3. What happens to Violet's mother after her father leaves the family?
4. What does Joe not recall from his early days with Violet?
5. Where does Dorcas insist Joe take her?
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Quiz Answer Key: Chapter 1 to Chapter 8

1. c. 2. d. 3. a. 4. d. 5. a.
Short Answer Key

1. Which of the following are in Violet's apartment? Birds and houseplants. 2. How is Violet described by the author? Skinny and over fifty. 3. What happens to Violet's mother after her father leaves the family? She becomes incapacitated. 4. What does Joe not recall from his early days with Violet? Feelings. 5. Where does Dorcas insist Joe take her? A jazz club.
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Directions: Circle the correct answer. 1. What does Rose tell people about why her husband leaves? a) He is very sick and has to get professional help. b) He is going to college in New York City. c) He is fed up with the price of coffee and his daughter's physical ailments. d) He is running from the police. 2. Who adopts Joe at birth? a) Violet's parents. b) True Belle. c) Rhoda and Frank Williams. d) Rose Dear. 3. Who does Alice eventually allow to come visit her at home? a) Violet. b) Joe. c) Dorcas's pet dog. d) Felice. 4. In the beginning of the book, why does Joe say he shoots Dorcas? a) He wants to keep the feeling of love going. b) She tries to rob him. c) He wants to capture her forever. d) He is trying to shoot someone else. 5. What does Violet wear that makes her look crazy? a) Long stockings. b) An overcoat. c) Boots. d) A hat.

Directions: Answer the question with a short answer. 1. What is the 1917 parade protesting?
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2. What does the train conductor announce when he walks through the cabin where Joe and Violet are standing?
3. What does Violet wear that makes her look crazy?
4. How does True Belle know Vera Louise Gray is pregnant?
5. What does Dorcas put on Joe's hands?
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1. c. 2. c. 3. a. 4. a. 5. d.
Short Answer Key

1. What is the 1917 parade protesting? The St. Louis race riots. 2. What does the train conductor announce when he walks through the cabin where Joe and Violet are standing? Breakfast is being served. 3. What does Violet wear that makes her look crazy? A hat. 4. How does True Belle know Vera Louise Gray is pregnant? True Belle does Vera Louise's laundry. 5. What does Dorcas put on Joe's hands? Cream and clear nail polish.
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Directions: Circle the correct answer. 1. What does Joe buy Dorcas the first day they meet? a) A dress. b) A horse. c) Beer. d) Peppermint candy. 2. Who attends the parade with Dorcas in 1917? a) Alice Manfred. b) Joe and Violet. c) No one. d) Joe only. 3. What does Malvonne do for a living? a) Cleans offices. b) Runs a daycare. c) Cooks for neighbors. d) Delivers newspapers. 4. What does Alice Manfred do for a living? a) Cooks in a nearby restaurant. b) She is a seamstress. c) She is a nurse for a black doctor. d) Cleans wealthy people's homes. 5. Why doesn't Violet sleep at night? a) The birds are gone. b) She sleeps too much during the day. c) She is awakened by nightmares. d) Joe snores loudly.

Directions: Answer the question with a short answer. 1. How much does Joe pay for the bedroom he and Dorcas meet in?
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2. Where do Dorcas's clothespin dolls lay?
4. Which of the following are in Violet's apartment?
5. What does Joe buy Dorcas the first day they meet?
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1. d. 2. a. 3. a. 4. b. 5. a.
Short Answer Key

1. How much does Joe pay for the bedroom he and Dorcas meet in? Two dollars a month. 2. Where do Dorcas's clothespin dolls lay? In a cigar box. 3. What does Violet do in response to her crazy episodes? She becomes more and more silent. 4. Which of the following are in Violet's apartment? Birds and houseplants. 5. What does Joe buy Dorcas the first day they meet? Peppermint candy.
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Directions: Circle the correct answer. 1. Why does Dorcas like Acton better than Joe? a) He is more handsome and funnier. b) He is rich and talented. c) He doesn't abuse her like Joe. d) He is young and has power over her. 2. What does the girl do to Lestory? a) Spits in his face. b) Kisses him on the cheek. c) Bites his hand. d) Kicks him in the shin. 3. How does the author describe Acton's appearance from Dorcas's point of view? a) He is plain-looking, but has thick hair. b) There is no description of Acton's physical appearance. c) He is tall and athletic. d) He is handsome and his hair has no gray in it. 4. What, in Dorcas's mind, is wrong with Joe? a) He has no musical talent. b) He adores Dorcas, no matter what she does. c) He has no sensitive side. d) He is cognitively impaired. 5. What sort of person does Dorcas want to be with? a) Someone older and refined. b) Someone young and admirable. c) Someone funny and generous. d) Someone sweet and caring.

Directions: Answer the question with a short answer. 1. How old is Joe when the plantation burns?
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2. Why does Joe want to find Dorcas again?
3. What does True Belle hope Vera Louise does with the extra money her mother gives her?
5. What other girls are "after" Acton?
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1. d. 2. c. 3. d. 4. b. 5. b.
Short Answer Key

1. How old is Joe when the plantation burns? Thirteen. 2. Why does Joe want to find Dorcas again? So they are happy together again. 3. What does True Belle hope Vera Louise does with the extra money her mother gives her? Use it to buy True Belle's husband and children out of slavery. 4. What does Golden Gray do before caring for the naked woman? He cares for his horses and changes clothes. 5. What other girls are "after" Acton? All of them.
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Directions: Circle the correct answer. 1. What does Joe see in Dorcas's picture? a) An aged, harsh woman. b) A woman who looks just like Violet. c) A scraggly, shy teenager. d) A beautiful, sweet girl. 2. Where does Violet go when she finds out about Joe's affair? a) To her mother's house. b) Massachusetts. c) The funeral parlor. d) Under their bed. 3. How does Violet decide to get back at Joe? a) Leave Joe forever. b) Have an affair in their home. c) Kill his pet dog. d) Become pregnant. 4. What does Violet find in the bottom of the parrot's cage? a) A necklace. b) A pen. c) A knife. d) A shoe. 5. In the beginning of the book, why does Joe say he shoots Dorcas? a) She tries to rob him. b) He wants to capture her forever. c) He is trying to shoot someone else. d) He wants to keep the feeling of love going.

Directions: Answer the question with a short answer. 1. Why do Joe and Violet continue to dance standing in the train car?
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136

1. d. 2. c. 3. b. 4. c. 5. d.
Short Answer Key

1. Why do Joe and Violet continue to dance standing in the train car? They do not want to be separated by the table. 2. Who understands, like Joe, what it feels like to feel nothing inside? Dorcas. 3. Who lives with Joe on Lenox Avenue? Violet. 4. What does Violet do in response to her crazy episodes? She becomes more and more silent. 5. How does Alice describe Dorcas? Beautiful but hardheaded.
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Quiz:

Directions: Circle the correct answer.

Directions: Answer the question with a short answer.
Quiz:
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Quiz Answer Key:

Multiple Choice Answer Key Short Answer Key
Quiz Answer Key:
139
Quiz: Chapter 3

Directions: Circle the correct answer. 1. What is special about Neola Miller? a) She is a genius. b) She is deaf. c) Her left arm is paralyzed over her heart. d) Her hair is bright yellow. 2. What does Alice Manfred do for a living? a) Cleans wealthy people's homes. b) She is a nurse for a black doctor. c) She is a seamstress. d) Cooks in a nearby restaurant. 3. Where do Dorcas's clothespin dolls lay? a) In a cigar box. b) On the floor of the burnt-down home. c) Within an old oak tree. d) Under her pillow. 4. What are the Civic Daughters planning when Joe delivers the cosmetics? a) A Thanksgiving fundraiser. b) The debutante ball. c) An Easter Egg hunt. d) Dorcas's engagement party. 5. What instrument is constantly played during the parade? a) Tuba. b) Flute. c) Drums. d) Trumpet.

Directions: Answer the question with a short answer. 1. Why doesn't a fire truck intervene during the house fire in Dorcas's home?
Quiz: Chapter 3
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2. What is special about Neola Miller?
3. Who does Alice try to teach Dorcas to avoid?
4. Why is Dorcas rejected by teenage boys her own age?
5. When does Alice realize Dorcas and Joe are having an affair?
Quiz: Chapter 3
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Quiz Answer Key: Chapter 3

1. c. 2. c. 3. a. 4. a. 5. c.
Short Answer Key

1. Why doesn't a fire truck intervene during the house fire in Dorcas's home? It is waiting for a fire in a white neighborhood. 2. What is special about Neola Miller? Her left arm is paralyzed over her heart. 3. Who does Alice try to teach Dorcas to avoid? White male teenagers and adults. 4. Why is Dorcas rejected by teenage boys her own age? She wears unfashionable clothing. 5. When does Alice realize Dorcas and Joe are having an affair? After Dorcas is dead.
142
Quiz: Chapter 4

Directions: Circle the correct answer. 1. What does Violet's father bring the children when he visits? a) Books. b) Candy. c) Toys. d) Puppies. 2. What happens to Violet's mother after her father leaves the family? a) She becomes insane and tries to kill her children. b) She remarries and becomes abusive. c) She becomes incapacitated. d) She earns an education. 3. What does the green and yellow parrot repeat? a) "Please help me". b) "You're an angel". c) "I love you". d) "You're the best man I ever met". 4. How does Rose Dear eventually die? a) She throws herself down a well. b) No one is sure. c) She dies of a heart attack. d) She convinces her boyfriend to kill her. 5. What does Violet do after she runs from the funeral home? a) Attacks Joe while he is sleeping. b) Takes a train back to Virginia. c) Releases all the birds from their cages. d) Tries to commit suicide.

Directions: Answer the question with a short answer. 1. What does Violet do when the cotton crop is harvested?
Quiz: Chapter 4
143
4. What happens to Violet after she attacks Dorcas's body?
5. Why is Violet committed to gaining weight?
Quiz: Chapter 4
144

1. b. 2. c. 3. c. 4. a. 5. c.
Short Answer Key

1. What does Violet do when the cotton crop is harvested? She stays in the neighborhood and works for a family. 2. Why does True Belle send Violet to Palestine? To pick cotton. 3. Where does Violet's father travel to look for work? The North. 4. What happens to Violet after she attacks Dorcas's body? She feels split into two people. 5. Why is Violet committed to gaining weight? She is trying to get the hips and backside she has as a young woman.
145
Quiz: Chapter 6

Directions: Circle the correct answer. 1. What does True Belle hope Vera Louise does with the extra money her mother gives her? a) Donate it to a good cause. b) Invest it in a bank. c) Use it to buy True Belle's husband and children out of slavery. d) Spend it on nice clothes. 2. Where does Vera Louise go until she has the baby? a) California. b) Chicago. c) Baltimore. d) Boston. 3. How much money is True Belle's savings worth? a) Ten golden eagle dollars. b) Five hundred dollars. c) A boullion of gold. d) A pound of silver. 4. What does Rose tell people about why her husband leaves? a) He is very sick and has to get professional help. b) He is fed up with the price of coffee and his daughter's physical ailments. c) He is running from the police. d) He is going to college in New York City. 5. What does Golden Gray find in the trees near his father's home? a) A rare flower. b) A naked pregnant woman. c) A large sum of money. d) A dying dog.

Directions: Answer the question with a short answer. 1. Who tells Golden Gray where his father lives?
Quiz: Chapter 6
146
2. What does Vera Louise do with True Belle's wages?
3. What does True Belle sew to the hem of her dress?
4. Where are Violet and her siblings living with their mother?
Quiz: Chapter 6
147

1. c. 2. c. 3. a. 4. b. 5. b.
Short Answer Key

1. Who tells Golden Gray where his father lives? True Belle. 2. What does Vera Louise do with True Belle's wages? Keeps them "in trust" for her. 3. What does True Belle sew to the hem of her dress? Twenty-two years' wages. 4. Where are Violet and her siblings living with their mother? In an abandoned shack. 5. What does Golden Gray do before caring for the naked woman? He cares for his horses and changes clothes.
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Directions: Circle the correct answer. 1. Who does Dorcas tell her friends attacks her? a) Joe. b) Her father. c) Her brother. d) She does not tell them. 2. What does Golden Gray ask Lestory? a) Why he finds Golden Gray's mother so attractive. b) Why he never loves Golden Gray's mother. c) Why he is still single. d) Why Lestory never tries to contact him. 3. What sort of present does Acton buy Dorcas? a) A ring. b) A dress. c) A book. d) He doesn't buy her anything. 4. What does Lestory find when he gets back to his cabin? a) Honor is washing blood off the girl's face. b) Golden Gray is passed out in the corner. c) His posessions are stolen. d) His house is on fire. 5. What does Acton do before seeking medical care for Dorcas? a) Drinks another beer. b) Runs after her attacker. c) Kisses her. d) Cleans the blood off his jacket.

Directions: Answer the question with a short answer. 1. What does Golden Gray call Lestory when he sees him?
149
2. What is the true reason Dorcas breaks up with Joe?
4. What happens to the plantation thirteen years after Golden Gray meets his father?
5. Why does Dorcas like Acton better than Joe?
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1. d. 2. d. 3. d. 4. a. 5. d.
Short Answer Key

1. What does Golden Gray call Lestory when he sees him? Daddy. 2. What is the true reason Dorcas breaks up with Joe? She has too much power over him. 3. What does Acton do before seeking medical care for Dorcas? Cleans the blood off his jacket. 4. What happens to the plantation thirteen years after Golden Gray meets his father? It burns down. 5. Why does Dorcas like Acton better than Joe? He is young and has power over her.
151
Quiz: Chapter 9

Directions: Circle the correct answer. 1. Why is Felice's ring so special to her? a) Her mother gives it to her. b) Her first husband buys it for her. c) It is the only thing of monetary value she owns. d) It symbolizes her friendship with Dorcas. 2. Who doesn't want an ambulance to be called after Joe shot Dorcas? a) Dorcas. b) Violet. c) Felice. d) Alice. 3. Why do Felice and her mother go to Tiffany's? a) To create an uproar in the store. b) To show that they can buy expensive jewelry. c) They are bored. d) To run errands for a white lady. 4. What does Felice say Dorcas does for Acton? a) Murders her friend. b) Buy him presents. c) Cuts her hair. d) Sells her car. 5. Who tells Felice and her mother they must stop trying on rings? a) Felice's father. b) The president of Tiffany's. c) A white man in a nice suit. d) A little girl.

Directions: Answer the question with a short answer. 1. What does Violet Felice carry as she climbs the stairs?
Quiz: Chapter 9
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2. What does Felice say Dorcas likes having?
3. What does Felice compare Dorcas to?
4. Why does Dorcas often sneak over to Felice's house?
5. Who tells Felice and her mother they must stop trying on rings?
Quiz: Chapter 9
153

1. a. 2. a. 3. d. 4. b. 5. c.
Short Answer Key

1. What does Violet Felice carry as she climbs the stairs? A record and some stew. 2. What does Felice say Dorcas likes having? Secrets. 3. What does Felice compare Dorcas to? A movie star. 4. Why does Dorcas often sneak over to Felice's house? To try on the lingerie Joe gives her. 5. Who tells Felice and her mother they must stop trying on rings? A white man in a nice suit.
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Tests
Six pre-generated tests are included for your convenience. There is a mid-book test and a final test produced with three distinct levels of difficulty. You may easily create your own tests using our Quiz and Test Generator related to this product. Easy Mid-Book Test - Chapter 1 - Chapter 5 Easy Final Test - Complete Book Medium Mid-Book Test - Chapter 1 - Chapter 5 Medium Final Test - Complete Book Hard Mid-Book Test - Chapter 1 - Chapter 5 Hard Final Test - Complete Book
Tests
155
Mid-Book Test (up to Chapter 5)

Name: _____________________________ This test consists of 15 multiple choice and 5 short answer questions. Period: ___________________________

Directions: Circle the correct answer. 1. What instrument is constantly played during the parade? a) Trumpet. b) Flute. c) Tuba. d) Drums. 2. Why does Joe begin tracking Dorcas down with a gun? a) He finds out she is cheating on him. b) He is slowly going insane and is having delusions. c) He never wants the sweet taste of the apple to end. d) He thinks she is trying to kill him. 3. Who does Alice eventually allow to come visit her at home? a) Violet. b) Joe. c) Dorcas's pet dog. d) Felice. 4. How does Alice describe Dorcas? a) Ugly but pleasant. b) Plain but fun-loving. c) Beautiful but hardheaded. d) Funny but quiet. 5. Why do the Miller sisters call the police station repeatedly? a) To report restaurants serving alcohol. b) They are crazy. c) They imagine they hear thieves in their home. d) As a way to keep Dorcas from misbehaving. 6. Why is Joe jealous of the young men on the street? a) They have lots of money and good jobs. b) They do not have to worry about segregation and racism. c) They do not have to go searching for women. d) They have living parents and loving wives. 7. What does Joe not recall from his early days with Violet? a) The dresses that she wears. b) What they buy as a couple. c) Feelings. d) Specific dates.
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8. What does Violet do after she runs from the funeral home? a) Attacks Joe while he is sleeping. b) Takes a train back to Virginia. c) Tries to commit suicide. d) Releases all the birds from their cages. 9. Who does Dorcas cry for during her mother's funeral? a) Her mother. b) Herself. c) Her dolls. d) Her father. 10. What does Joe take with him to the park? a) His sample case of cosmetics. b) A sandwich and his gun. c) A picture of Dorcas. d) His walking cane. 11. What does Alice protect Dorcas from? a) Seductive and violent music. b) Unhealthy habits. c) Television. d) Racism. 12. Who tells Violet Dorcas's address? a) Alice. b) Malvonne. c) Joe. d) True Belle. 13. What does Joe think about Adam and the Garden of Eden? a) He thinks it is all a made-up story. b) He thinks Eve should never offer the fruit. c) He thinks the apple is worth the expulsion. d) He thinks Adam is incredibly stupid. 14. Who does Dorcas stay with when Alice goes to work? a) The Miller sisters. b) Joe's mother. c) No one. d) True Belle. 15. Why does Joe begin to feel distanced from Violet? a) He senses that she longs for a child. b) She is having an extramarital affair. c) She begins to drink excessively. d) She tells him she wants to get a divorce.

157
1. Who does the best hunter choose to be his apprentices?
2. How does Violet meet Joe?
4. What does Malvonne do for a living?
5. What is the reaction from Joe's friends and family when he and Violet move to the city?
158
Easy Mid-Book Test - Answer Key

1. d. 2. c. 3. a. 4. c. 5. a. 6. c. 7. c. 8. d. 9. c. 10. a. 11. a. 12. b. 13. c. 14. a. 15. a.
Short Answer Key

1. Who does the best hunter choose to be his apprentices? Joe and Victory. 2. How does Violet meet Joe? He falls out of tree she is sleeping under. 3. Who understands, like Joe, what it feels like to feel nothing inside? Dorcas. 4. What does Malvonne do for a living? Cleans offices. 5. What is the reaction from Joe's friends and family when he and Violet move to the city? They are surprised.
Easy Mid-Book Test - Answer Key
159
Final Test
Name: _____________________________ This test consists of 15 multiple choice and 5 short answer questions. Period: ___________________________

Directions: Circle the correct answer. 1. Where does Violet go when she finds out about Joe's affair? a) Under their bed. b) To her mother's house. c) Massachusetts. d) The funeral parlor. 2. What is the relationship between Felice, Joe, and Violet like after Dorcas's death? a) Felice moves in with Joe and Violet and the three become inseparable. b) Felice and Joe begin having an affair without Violet knowing. c) Felice becomes a sort of foster daughter. d) Violet and Felice become best friends. 3. Which of the following are in Violet's apartment? a) Dogs and cats. b) Piles of newspapers. c) Shotguns and cocaine. d) Birds and houseplants. 4. What does Violet try to do to Dorcas's face? a) Disfigure it with a knife. b) Make it look older. c) Apply more makeup. d) Make it look younger. 5. Who wipes the blood from the woman's face? a) Golden Gray. b) An unidentified character. c) A young black boy caring for Lestory's stock. d) The woman wipes her own face. 6. Why does Joe get a job at the speakeasy? a) So he earns lots of extra tips. b) So he remembers the times he spends with Dorcas. c) Because Felice is also working there. d) So he spends time with Violet in the afternoons. 7. What does Golden Gray find in the trees near his father's home? a) A dying dog. b) A rare flower. c) A large sum of money. d) A naked pregnant woman.
Final Test
160
8. Who does Dorcas stay with when Alice goes to work? a) No one. b) True Belle. c) The Miller sisters. d) Joe's mother. 9. What does Dorcas rescue from her home as a small child? a) A photo album. b) Her clothespin dolls. c) Her pet kitten. d) She decides not to rescue anything. 10. How long does it take for Joe and Violet to pay off the debt on their farm? a) Six months. b) Five years. c) They never pay it off. d) Twenty-two years. 11. When does the ambulance arrive to help Dorcas? a) The morning after she is shot. b) Five minutes after it is called. c) One hour after it is called. d) Several days after she dies. 12. Why does Dorcas tell Joe she wants to break up with him? a) She is tired of sneaking around. b) She needs room to focus on her career. c) She falls in love with someone else. d) She is moving far away. 13. As Golden Gray approaches his father's house, what does he wish to do to his father? a) Kill him. b) Hug him and make amends. c) Fight him. d) Threaten him with his gun. 14. What happens when Dorcas eats candy? a) She becomes bloated. b) She gets hives. c) She breaks out. d) She becomes depressed. 15. What does Golden Gray call Lestory when he sees him? a) Your Honor. b) Daddy. c) Papa. d) My Savior.

Final Test
161
1. How much money is True Belle's savings worth?
2. What sort of birth does the naked pregnant girl have?
3. What are the Civic Daughters planning when Joe delivers the cosmetics?
4. What is inside Joe's sample case in Chapter Eight?
5. When does Dorcas say she reveals the true attacker?
Final Test
162
Easy Final Test - Answer Key

1. d. 2. c. 3. d. 4. a. 5. c. 6. d. 7. d. 8. c. 9. b. 10. b. 11. a. 12. a. 13. a. 14. c. 15. b.
Short Answer Key

1. How much money is True Belle's savings worth? Ten golden eagle dollars. 2. What sort of birth does the naked pregnant girl have? A difficult one. 3. What are the Civic Daughters planning when Joe delivers the cosmetics? A Thanksgiving fundraiser. 4. What is inside Joe's sample case in Chapter Eight? Dorcas's clothespin dolls. 5. When does Dorcas say she reveals the true attacker? Tomorrow.
Easy Final Test - Answer Key
163

Name: _____________________________ Period: ___________________________ This test consists of 5 multiple choice, 5 short answer, and 10 short essay questions.

Directions: Circle the correct answer. 1. Why does True Belle send Violet to Palestine? a) To go to beauty school. b) To pick cotton. c) Violet becomes pregnant. d) To get away from Joe. 2. What area does the author describe in springtime? a) California. b) Harlem. c) Central Park. d) Virginia. 3. Why does Joe begin tracking Dorcas down with a gun? a) He never wants the sweet taste of the apple to end. b) He thinks she is trying to kill him. c) He is slowly going insane and is having delusions. d) He finds out she is cheating on him. 4. Who lives with Joe on Lenox Avenue? a) Golden Gray. b) Violet. c) Dorcas. d) Alice. 5. Why doesn't Violet sleep at night? a) She sleeps too much during the day. b) She is awakened by nightmares. c) The birds are gone. d) Joe snores loudly.

Directions: Answer the question with a short answer. 1. Why does Joe begin to feel distanced from Violet?
164
2. Who tells Violet Dorcas's address?
5. Who attends the parade with Dorcas in 1917?

Directions: Answer the questions with a short paragraph. 1. In Chapter Four, how does the narrator describe the way Violet feels after she attacks Dorcas's body?
3. In Chapter One, how does the narrator describe Violet Trace?
165
4. Describe what Violet does with the picture of Dorcas in Chapter One.
5. Why do Joe and Violet fall into such deep debt in Chapter Five?
6. In Chapter Two, what reason does the narrator give for Joe killing Dorcas?
7. In Chapter Five, what does Joe think of when he imagines Dorcas?
8. In Chapter Four, how does Violet imagine Joe's relationship with Dorcas?
9. Describe Violet's "crazy episodes" as they are presented in Chapter One.
10. How does the narrator describe Harlem of the 1920s in Chapter One?
166
Medium Mid-Book Test - Answer Key

1. b. 2. b. 3. a. 4. b. 5. c.
Short Answer Key

1. Why does Joe begin to feel distanced from Violet? He senses that she longs for a child. 2. Who tells Violet Dorcas's address? Malvonne. 3. How does Alice describe Dorcas? Beautiful but hardheaded. 4. Why does True Belle send Violet to Palestine? To pick cotton. 5. Who attends the parade with Dorcas in 1917? Alice Manfred.

1. In Chapter Four, how does the narrator describe the way Violet feels after she attacks Dorcas's body? After Violet attacks Dorcas's body, she feels as if she splits into two people, one of whom is very violent. 2. Describe the relationship between Alice Manfred and Dorcas. Alice is Dorcas's aunt who informally adopts her after Dorcas's mother dies. 3. In Chapter One, how does the narrator describe Violet Trace? The narrator describes Violet as a woman living with her husband, Joe, on Lenox Avenue. She is skinny and over fifty years old. 4. Describe what Violet does with the picture of Dorcas in Chapter One.
167
Violet puts the picture of Dorcas on the mantle in the parlor so both she and Joe can see it. 5. Why do Joe and Violet fall into such deep debt in Chapter Five? Joe and Violet fall into debt because the land they farm is sold and interest accumulates. 6. In Chapter Two, what reason does the narrator give for Joe killing Dorcas? The narrator says that Joe kills Dorcas in order to preserve the sweetness he feels when he thinks of Dorcas. 7. In Chapter Five, what does Joe think of when he imagines Dorcas? When he imagines Dorcas, Joe thinks of biting into a sweet apple. 8. In Chapter Four, how does Violet imagine Joe's relationship with Dorcas? Violet imagines Joe giving presents to Dorcas and granting her lots of luxuries. 9. Describe Violet's "crazy episodes" as they are presented in Chapter One. The narrator describes Violet's crazy episodes as the times she does things without knowing why, such as the time she steals a baby out of a stroller for no reason. 10. How does the narrator describe Harlem of the 1920s in Chapter One? The narrator describes 1920s Harlem as dangerous, exciting, violent, and nurturing. It is a place full of life, yet is also intimidating.
168
Final Test
Name: _____________________________ Period: ___________________________ This test consists of 5 multiple choice, 5 short answer, and 0 short essay questions.

Directions: Circle the correct answer. 1. What does Dorcas rescue from her home as a small child? a) A photo album. b) Her pet kitten. c) She decides not to rescue anything. d) Her clothespin dolls. 2. What does Joe find near the cooking fire? a) Rope, wood, nails, and a hammer. b) Flour, sugar, and water. c) Knives and guns. d) A dress, a doll, and a cigar case. 3. Why do the Miller sisters call the police station repeatedly? a) As a way to keep Dorcas from misbehaving. b) They are crazy. c) To report restaurants serving alcohol. d) They imagine they hear thieves in their home. 4. What does Malvonne do for a living? a) Cleans offices. b) Delivers newspapers. c) Cooks for neighbors. d) Runs a daycare. 5. What does Golden Gray call Lestory when he sees him? a) Your Honor. b) Papa. c) Daddy. d) My Savior.

Directions: Answer the question with a short answer. 1. What does the train conductor announce when he walks through the cabin where Joe and Violet are standing?
Final Test
169
2. What is True Belle's relationship to Violet?
3. Who doesn't want an ambulance to be called after Joe shot Dorcas?
4. Why does Dorcas think she is falling at the party?
5. What does Violet find in the bottom of the parrot's cage?

Directions: Answer the questions with a short paragraph. 1. In Chapter Two, what does Joe tell Dorcas that he never tells Violet?
3. In Chapter 10, why do Joe and Violet often go to the roof? What do they do up there together?
Final Test
170
5. In Chapter Nine, why does Felice come to visit Violet and Joe?
7. Describe the relationship between Violet and Alice as presented in Chapter Three.
8. In Chapter Eight, why does the narrator say Dorcas is getting tired of Joe?
9. Describe Vera Louise's father's reaction when he is told Vera Louise is pregnant.
10. Why does Dorcas break up with Joe?
Final Test
171
Medium Final Test - Answer Key

1. d. 2. d. 3. c. 4. a. 5. c.
Short Answer Key

1. What does the train conductor announce when he walks through the cabin where Joe and Violet are standing? Breakfast is being served. 2. What is True Belle's relationship to Violet? She is Violet's grandmother. 3. Who doesn't want an ambulance to be called after Joe shot Dorcas? Dorcas. 4. Why does Dorcas think she is falling at the party? She does not know why. 5. What does Violet find in the bottom of the parrot's cage? A knife.

1. In Chapter Two, what does Joe tell Dorcas that he never tells Violet? Joe tells Dorcas about how he prays for any sign from his mother and how he remembers smelling the hibiscus bushes at that time. 2. Describe the relationship between Alice Manfred and Dorcas. Alice is Dorcas's aunt who informally adopts her after Dorcas's mother dies. 3. In Chapter 10, why do Joe and Violet often go to the roof? What do they do up there together? Joe and Violet often go to the roof to listen to the music in the neighborhood together. They bring their bird and sit on the roof. 4. In Chapter Two, recount the surprise that Malvonne finds behind her refrigerator and her response to it.
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Malvonne finds a sack of stolen mail behind her refrigerator. She reads the mail and attempts to interfere in the lives of those who send and are meant to receive the letters. 5. In Chapter Nine, why does Felice come to visit Violet and Joe? Felice comes to visit Violet and Joe for the first time to ask if they know anything about her silver and black opal ring. 6. Describe the time Joe sees Dorcas for the very first time. Joe sees Dorcas for the very first time while she is buying candy in a drugstore. 7. Describe the relationship between Violet and Alice as presented in Chapter Three. Violet and Alice develop an awkward friendship after Dorcas's death, and Alice helps Violet care for her appearance. 8. In Chapter Eight, why does the narrator say Dorcas is getting tired of Joe? Dorcas is getting tired of Joe because she has all the power over him. 9. Describe Vera Louise's father's reaction when he is told Vera Louise is pregnant. When Vera Louise's father finds out she is pregnant, he is hurt and angry. 10. Why does Dorcas break up with Joe? Dorcas breaks up with Joe because she doesn't like the sense of power she gets from the relationship and wants to date someone younger.
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Name: _____________________________ Period: ___________________________ This test consists of 5 short answer questions, 10 short essay questions, and 1 (of 3) essay topics.

Directions: Answer the question with a short answer. 1. Who does Alice try to teach Dorcas to avoid?
2. Why do Joe and Violet continue to dance standing in the train car?
3. What does Malvonne include in the letter from Hot Steam to Daddy Sage?
4. What does Alice Manfred do for a living?
5. What do Violet and Joe do all night the first time they meet?

Directions: Answer the questions with a short paragraph. 1. How does Violet learn more about Dorcas in Chapter One? What does she learn?
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2. Briefly describe the nature of Joe and Dorcas's relationship as described in Chapter Two.
5. Describe how Dorcas's mother dies.
6. In Chapter Two, what does Joe tell Dorcas that he never tells Violet?
7. In Chapter Four, how does the narrator describe the way Violet feels after she attacks Dorcas's body?
8. Why is Violet known as "Violent" Trace in town?
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10. Describe the death of Dorcas's mother.
Essay Topics
Directions: Select JUST 1 of the 3 essay topics and write a few paragraphs of response. 1. Briefly summarize the incident when Malvonne finds the mail behind the refrigerator. What does she do in response? Why does she spend time doing these sorts of things, and what irony do you find in the events? 2. Felice has a strong attachment to the ring Dorcas is buried wearing. What does the ring signify, and why is it so important to Felice? What greater concepts are initiated in the story about the ring? 3. Why does Violet decide she never wants to have children? What impact does this have on her marriage? How does her desire to have children change throughout the book and why?
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Hard Mid-Book Test - Answer Key

Short Answer Key
1. Who does Alice try to teach Dorcas to avoid? White male teenagers and adults. 2. Why do Joe and Violet continue to dance standing in the train car? They do not want to be separated by the table. 3. What does Malvonne include in the letter from Hot Steam to Daddy Sage? An article about adultery. 4. What does Alice Manfred do for a living? She is a seamstress. 5. What do Violet and Joe do all night the first time they meet? Talk.

1. How does Violet learn more about Dorcas in Chapter One? What does she learn? Violet learns more about Dorcas by befriending Dorcas's aunt, Alice. Alice tells her about Dorcas's habits as well as her appearance. 2. Briefly describe the nature of Joe and Dorcas's relationship as described in Chapter Two. Joe and Dorcas's relationship is based on the power that Dorcas has over Joe. He buys her presents and agrees to whatever wishes she has. 3. Describe the series of thoughts in Joe's mind the night he shoots Dorcas in Chapter Five. The night Joe shoots Dorcas, he tracks her down by asking people where she is. He becomes jealous of all the young men he sees, and after he shoots her, Joe wants to protect her to keep her from falling. 4. Describe the time Joe sees Dorcas for the very first time. Joe sees Dorcas for the very first time while she is buying candy in a drugstore. 5. Describe how Dorcas's mother dies. Dorcas's mother dies when she throws herself into the bottom of a well. 6. In Chapter Two, what does Joe tell Dorcas that he never tells Violet?
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Joe tells Dorcas about how he prays for any sign from his mother and how he remembers smelling the hibiscus bushes at that time. 7. In Chapter Four, how does the narrator describe the way Violet feels after she attacks Dorcas's body? After Violet attacks Dorcas's body, she feels as if she splits into two people, one of whom is very violent. 8. Why is Violet known as "Violent" Trace in town? Violet is nicknamed "Violent" because she tries to attack Dorcas's body in her coffin during her funeral. 9. In Chapter Four, why does True Belle come to Virginia to care for her grandchildren? True Belle comes to Virginia to care for her grandchildren because Dorcas's father leaves to go to the North and Dorcas's mother becomes incapacitated. 10. Describe the death of Dorcas's mother. Dorcas's mother dies in a house fire while Dorcas is sleeping across the street.
Essay Topics Answer Key

Answers for Essay Topics are not included as there are an unlimited number of possible responses.
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Final Test
Name: _____________________________ Period: ___________________________ This test consists of 5 short answer questions, 10 short essay questions, and 1 (of 3) essay topics.

Directions: Answer the question with a short answer. 1. What does Dorcas put on Joe's hands?
2. At the end of the story, what do Joe and Violet do together?

Directions: Answer the questions with a short paragraph. 1. In Chapter Two, what does Joe tell Dorcas that he never tells Violet?
Final Test
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2. In Chapter Seven, what does Henry Lestory find when he gets back to his cabin?
4. In Chapter Five, how does the author describe Harlem in the springtime?
5. What is your understanding of the relationship between Joe, Violet, and Felice in Chapters Nine and Ten?
7. In Chapter 10, why does Joe get a new job? Does this help his relationship with Violet?
Final Test
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9. In Chapter Seven, how does Henry say you can always find Wild?
10. What sorts of things to Joe and Violet do together once their relationship is renewed?
Essay Topics
Directions: Select JUST 1 of the 3 essay topics and write a few paragraphs of response. 1. How is racism explored and conveyed in Morrison's work? Why do you think Morrison writes about it in this way? 2. Describe the relationship between True Belle and Vera Louise Gray. Do the events they share bring them together or pull them apart? How does each of their relationships with Golden Gray compare to the other? 3. Why does Violet decide she never wants to have children? What impact does this have on her marriage? How does her desire to have children change throughout the book and why?
Final Test
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Hard Final Test - Answer Key

Short Answer Key
1. What does Dorcas put on Joe's hands? Cream and clear nail polish. 2. At the end of the story, what do Joe and Violet do together? Whisper under the covers. 3. What does Acton do before seeking medical care for Dorcas? Cleans the blood off his jacket. 4. Who lives with Joe on Lenox Avenue? Violet. 5. Where does Violet's father travel to look for work? The North.

1. In Chapter Two, what does Joe tell Dorcas that he never tells Violet? Joe tells Dorcas about how he prays for any sign from his mother and how he remembers smelling the hibiscus bushes at that time. 2. In Chapter Seven, what does Henry Lestory find when he gets back to his cabin? When he gets back to his cabin, Lestory finds the neighbor boy washing the girl's face and a drunk white man standing in the room. 3. In Chapter Two, recount the surprise that Malvonne finds behind her refrigerator and her response to it. Malvonne finds a sack of stolen mail behind her refrigerator. She reads the mail and attempts to interfere in the lives of those who send and are meant to receive the letters. 4. In Chapter Five, how does the author describe Harlem in the springtime? The author describes Harlem in the springtime in a lyrical way, presenting the way musicians play the blues on every street corner. 5. What is your understanding of the relationship between Joe, Violet, and Felice in Chapters Nine and Ten? The relationship between Joe, Violet, and Felice is complicated. Felice becomes a sort of foster daughter for Joe and Violet, and Joe and Violet begin to reconnect after a period of conflict.
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6. In Chapter Four, why does True Belle come to Virginia to care for her grandchildren? True Belle comes to Virginia to care for her grandchildren because Dorcas's father leaves to go to the North and Dorcas's mother becomes incapacitated. 7. In Chapter 10, why does Joe get a new job? Does this help his relationship with Violet? Joe gets a new job so he can spend more time with Violet in the afternoons. The author indicates that it does help his marriage because he and Violet spend lots of time together. 8. Describe the series of thoughts in Joe's mind the night he shoots Dorcas in Chapter Five. The night Joe shoots Dorcas, he tracks her down by asking people where she is. He becomes jealous of all the young men he sees, and after he shoots her, Joe wants to protect her to keep her from falling. 9. In Chapter Seven, how does Henry say you can always find Wild? Henry says you can always find Wild because the redwing blackbirds love her. 10. What sorts of things to Joe and Violet do together once their relationship is renewed? Once their relationship is renewed and peaceful, Joe and Violet go to the drug store for malts, play poker, or listen to Malvonne gossip.
Essay Topics Answer Key

Answers for Essay Topics are not included as there are an unlimited number of possible responses.
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Lesson Plans

Jazz by Toni Morrison

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Day 31 - Review Unit Daily Lesson 23 Read Aloud in Class

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Multiple Choice Questions

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