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Their Eyes Were Watching God

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Their Eyes Were Watching God

Zora Neale Hurston

Quiz

1. When the novel begins, Janie is

(A) A young girl living with her grandmother

(B) About to marry Logan Killicks

(D) A middle-aged woman returning to Eatonville alone

2. To whom does Janie tell the story of her life?

(A) The townspeople on the porch

(B) Her friend Pheoby Watson

(D) Nobody

3. Janie's grandfather was

(A) A slave-owner who raped Nanny

(B) Jody Starks's father's best friend

(D) Captain Eaton

4. Whom does Janie marry first?

(A) Jody Starks

(B) Logan Killicks

(D) Stubby Clapp

5. Why does Janie leave her first husband?

(A) To go to the Everglades with Tea Cake

(B) To marry Jody Starks and go to Eatonville

(D) To sail a ship out to sea

6. After Jody and Janie's arrival, what becomes the center of Eatonville's social life?

(A) Jody and Janie's house

(B) Sam Watson's porch

(D) Jody's store

7. What does Jody, out of jealousy, force Janie to do?

(A) Stay at home every weekend

(B) Never talk to another man

(D) Wear a veil over her face

8. About what do the other men tease Matt Bonner?

(A) His sexual prowess

(B) His mule

(D) His big butt

9. For what implied reason does Jody buy Matt's mule?

(A) To make Janie happy

(B) To scam Matt Bonner

(D) To get a cheap meal

10. What reason does Jody give for excluding Janie from the mule's funeral?

(A) Because such a “common” gathering is unfit for the mayor's wife

(B) Because he is afraid that she is too weak to handle the sight of the dead mule

(D) Because she needs to save her energy for working in the store

11. What do Sam and Lige argue over after the mule's funeral?

(A) The mule's name

(B) Whether or not Matt Bonner treated it right

(D) Whether lemon-lime soda is sweet or sour

12. On the store porch, why does Janie break her silence?

(A) To insult Jody's appearance

(B) To tell the men on the porch that they don't know as much about woman as they think they do

(D) To tell Pheoby Watson and the other women how poorly Jody treats her

13. Why, primarily, does Jody insult Janie's appearance?

(A) To appease his jealousy by making other men think that Janie is unattractive

(B) To deflect attention from his own deteriorating appearance

(D) To make Janie laugh

14. What does Jody do after Janie insults him in front of the other men?

(A) He hits Janie as hard as he can

(B) He laughs in a futile attempt to diffuse the tension

(D) He violently throws her out of town

15. What do the townspeople think as Jody grows sicker?

(A) That Janie is cheating on him

(B) That his years of fast living have finally caught up to him

(D) That Janie is poisoning him

16. What does Janie do while visiting Jody on his deathbed?

(A) She mercilessly berates him

(B) She forgives him for the way that he treated her

(D) She sleeps with him one last time

17. Why does Janie reject so many suitors after Jody's death?

(A) Because she is too upset about Jody's death

(B) Because they only want her money

(D) Because she is secretly dating Tea Cake

18. What is Tea Cake's given name?

(A) Robert Zimmerman

(B) Amos Hicks

(D) Stubby Clapp

19. What does Tea Cake show Janie on the evening of their first conversation?

(A) A map of his land in the Everglades

(B) How to shoot a gun

(D) How to play checkers

20. Why is the town suspicious of Janie's relationship with Tea Cake?

(A) Because Tea Cake has a criminal past

(B) Because Tea Cake is too common for the mayor's widow

(D) Because Tea Cake is secretly working for Dr. Evil

21. What term does the novel use to refer to the Everglades?

(A) “The muck”

(B) “The Goop”

(D) “Jersey City”

22. During the first week of their marriage, how many times does Tea Cake leave Janie alone for an extended period of time while she worries?

(A) Never

(B) Once

(D) Four times

23. What is Mrs. Turner's opinion of black people?

(A) That they are all individuals deserving respect

(B) That they should try to be more like white people

(D) That white people should be more like them

24. What is the direct cause of Tea Cake's death?

(A) The hurricane

(B) The bite of a rabid dog

(D) A rifle shot by Janie

25. How do Janie's black friends act toward her during her trial?

(A) They are supportive of her but don't testify because of racist pressure

(B) They testify on her behalf despite racist pressure

(D) They sit quietly and refrain from judging her

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