Reading Check and Short Answer Questions on key points are designed for guided reading assignments, in-class review, formative assessment, quizzes, and more.

CHAPTERS 1-2

Reading Check

1. What is the primary setting of the novel?

2. What is Violet’s job?

3. What do Joe and Dorcas have in common?

4. How long did the affair between Joe and Dorcas last?

5. What did Malvonne find that was hidden by her nephew?

Short Answer

Answer each question in at least 1 complete sentence. Incorporate details from the text to support your response.

1. What are examples of some of Violet’s strange behaviors?

2. Where did Joe first see Dorcas?

Paired Resource

“Harlem in the 1920s”

• This 4-minute video from PBS discusses how Harlem changed during the 1920s and points out the influence of the city on Black people’s experiences.
• How did Harlem’s changes shape Black people’s lives? Based on this video, why might Morrison have selected this place and moment in history? How does the move to the city influence characters like Violet, Joe, and Dorcas?

CHAPTERS 3-4

Reading Check

1. What does Alice blame for the “Imminent Demise” of America?

2. How did Violet’s mother, Rose Dear, die?

3. How did Joe and Violet first meet?

Short Answer

Answer each question in at least 1 complete sentence.