Podcast
Questions and Answers
What are all the members of the family at the start of the book?
What are all the members of the family at the start of the book?
Diddly, the father, and Toosweet, the mother, have two kids, Anne, the oldest, and Adline, the youngest.
What are Toosweet and Diddly's jobs?
What are Toosweet and Diddly's jobs?
They are sharecroppers.
Whose plantation do they live on?
Whose plantation do they live on?
Mr. Carter's.
What do the main characters live in?
What do the main characters live in?
Who is George Lee?
Who is George Lee?
What happens after George Lee announces he is going hunting?
What happens after George Lee announces he is going hunting?
Who threatens George Lee to come home?
Who threatens George Lee to come home?
What does George Lee do after Diddly sees Anne's injury?
What does George Lee do after Diddly sees Anne's injury?
Who sets the house on fire?
Who sets the house on fire?
What does George Lee do when Diddly inquires about the fire?
What does George Lee do when Diddly inquires about the fire?
Who dies early in Chapter 1 and how?
Who dies early in Chapter 1 and how?
What game does Diddly love?
What game does Diddly love?
Who is Bush's widow?
Who is Bush's widow?
Who does Diddly cheat on Toosweet with?
Who does Diddly cheat on Toosweet with?
What does Anne notice in Toosweet?
What does Anne notice in Toosweet?
What is the real cause of Toosweet's weight gain?
What is the real cause of Toosweet's weight gain?
What is the baby's name and who is he named for?
What is the baby's name and who is he named for?
Where does the family go in the wagon?
Where does the family go in the wagon?
Where is Toosweet's first job while living at Aunt Cindy's, and how is she paid?
Where is Toosweet's first job while living at Aunt Cindy's, and how is she paid?
Where does Toosweet get a good job?
Where does Toosweet get a good job?
Where is the new house, and what are the conditions?
Where is the new house, and what are the conditions?
Why does Toosweet forbid them from the woods at Ms. Cook's house?
Why does Toosweet forbid them from the woods at Ms. Cook's house?
Where does Anne go to school?
Where does Anne go to school?
Who is the minister of the church?
Who is the minister of the church?
How do the girls skip Rev. Cason's class?
How do the girls skip Rev. Cason's class?
Where does Grandfather Moody stay all day?
Where does Grandfather Moody stay all day?
What does Grandfather Moody do when Toosweet has no money for food?
What does Grandfather Moody do when Toosweet has no money for food?
What does Diddly have in the yard?
What does Diddly have in the yard?
What does Toosweet do with Diddly's money?
What does Toosweet do with Diddly's money?
What does their Uncle Ed give them?
What does their Uncle Ed give them?
Why do they like Uncle Ed so much?
Why do they like Uncle Ed so much?
Where does Ed live?
Where does Ed live?
Who does Ed live with?
Who does Ed live with?
Who is George Lee now living with?
Who is George Lee now living with?
What is shocking to Anne about Sam and Walter?
What is shocking to Anne about Sam and Walter?
What is the name of Toosweet's second baby?
What is the name of Toosweet's second baby?
What happens to James?
What happens to James?
What high school does Anne attend?
What high school does Anne attend?
What embarrassing thing happens to Adline and Junior?
What embarrassing thing happens to Adline and Junior?
Who sets the house on fire the second time?
Who sets the house on fire the second time?
What is lost in the fire?
What is lost in the fire?
What does Anne discover about the differences between white people's and black people's lives, and how?
What does Anne discover about the differences between white people's and black people's lives, and how?
Who visits the house once a week?
Who visits the house once a week?
How does Toosweet act after Raymond visits?
How does Toosweet act after Raymond visits?
What do Raymond's family think of Toosweet?
What do Raymond's family think of Toosweet?
Why does Toosweet quit her job working for the white woman?
Why does Toosweet quit her job working for the white woman?
Who does Mama find a job with after quitting working with the white woman and what is his job?
Who does Mama find a job with after quitting working with the white woman and what is his job?
Who is Mr. Johnson's wife and what is her job?
Who is Mr. Johnson's wife and what is her job?
Where do they live when Mama is working for Mr. Johnson?
Where do they live when Mama is working for Mr. Johnson?
Who do the kids make friends with?
Who do the kids make friends with?
How do they experience segregation in the town?
How do they experience segregation in the town?
What happens when Anne tries to ask Mama about her two white uncles?
What happens when Anne tries to ask Mama about her two white uncles?
When Mrs. Johnson is away, who does Anne stay with?
When Mrs. Johnson is away, who does Anne stay with?
Why do they like Miss Ola?
Why do they like Miss Ola?
What does Anne learn about white people from Miss Ola?
What does Anne learn about white people from Miss Ola?
How does Miss Ola help Anne?
How does Miss Ola help Anne?
Who visits the house every other night?
Who visits the house every other night?
How does Anne help Toosweet with her money problems?
How does Anne help Toosweet with her money problems?
What is Anne's second job?
What is Anne's second job?
What does Anne learn from Ms. Claiborne?
What does Anne learn from Ms. Claiborne?
Who does Anne eat dinner with?
Who does Anne eat dinner with?
Who does Toosweet have a baby with?
Who does Toosweet have a baby with?
Where does the family move?
Where does the family move?
What bed does Anne want, and what does she get?
What bed does Anne want, and what does she get?
Raymond's family likes Toosweet.
Raymond's family likes Toosweet.
What does Anne join during the school year?
What does Anne join during the school year?
Anne helps her team win the game.
Anne helps her team win the game.
Who are the two women who deliver the babies of all the black women in the area, including Toosweet's?
Who are the two women who deliver the babies of all the black women in the area, including Toosweet's?
Christmas is a much better experience in Raymond's house.
Christmas is a much better experience in Raymond's house.
What church does Raymond take them to?
What church does Raymond take them to?
What is Reverend Polk's background?
What is Reverend Polk's background?
Why does Toosweet quit Centreville Baptist?
Why does Toosweet quit Centreville Baptist?
What does Toosweet pester Anne about?
What does Toosweet pester Anne about?
What does Anne do at the church?
What does Anne do at the church?
What does Ray find in his field?
What does Ray find in his field?
How do Ray's cotton plants do at first?
How do Ray's cotton plants do at first?
What does Anne have a bad dream about?
What does Anne have a bad dream about?
How does Ray's farm have a positive effect on the family?
How does Ray's farm have a positive effect on the family?
Besides picking cotton, how do the kids earn money?
Besides picking cotton, how do the kids earn money?
What is Anne's job after school starts?
What is Anne's job after school starts?
Who is Linda Jean/Ms. Jennings's mother?
Who is Linda Jean/Ms. Jennings's mother?
Who is Mr. Jenkins?
Who is Mr. Jenkins?
Mr. Jenkins is just as mean as his father.
Mr. Jenkins is just as mean as his father.
Who has a baby right before Mama has hers?
Who has a baby right before Mama has hers?
What happens after Mama has her baby?
What happens after Mama has her baby?
Who does Mama hide her marriage from?
Who does Mama hide her marriage from?
What does Mama name her first baby she has while married to Raymond?
What does Mama name her first baby she has while married to Raymond?
Raymond's farm does worse the second year than the first.
Raymond's farm does worse the second year than the first.
What trend does Anne set at the school?
What trend does Anne set at the school?
What are the results of the first election for homecoming queen?
What are the results of the first election for homecoming queen?
Who wins the contest for homecoming queen and how does she feel about it?
Who wins the contest for homecoming queen and how does she feel about it?
Does she get a dress, and if so, how?
Does she get a dress, and if so, how?
How does her name get changed from Essie to Annie?
How does her name get changed from Essie to Annie?
Anne is the class valedictorian.
Anne is the class valedictorian.
Where does Raymond go and why?
Where does Raymond go and why?
How many babies does Mama have at this point?
How many babies does Mama have at this point?
What is the name of the baby?
What is the name of the baby?
What is Raymond's new job?
What is Raymond's new job?
Where does she start working?
Where does she start working?
Who is Ms. Burke's mother?
Who is Ms. Burke's mother?
Study Notes
Family Overview
- Diddly (father) and Toosweet (mother) have two daughters: Anne (oldest) and Adline (youngest).
- They live as sharecroppers on Mr. Carter's plantation.
Living Conditions
- The family resides in a two-room shack next to Mr. Carter's house.
- Diddly is known for gambling, especially enjoying shooting dice.
Key Characters
- George Lee is Toosweet's 8-year-old brother, who dramatically impacts the family's events.
- Bush, Diddly's friend, dies after being thrown off his wagon by his horses, marking a tragic moment in the narrative.
Family Dynamics
- Tension arises when Diddly threatens George Lee after he injures Anne.
- Toosweet exhibits signs of depression, attributed to her pregnancy, eventually giving birth to a son named Junior.
Moves and Employment
- The family travels to Aunt Cindy's in a wagon, where Toosweet works for the Cooks, compensated with leftover food.
- A transition to a black cafe job offers better wages in town, but involves helping Ms. Cook in exchange for housing.
Education and Community
- Anne attends Mt. Pleasant Elementary, which is 4 miles from home, and Reverend Cason serves as the church minister.
- The family faces educational constraints, as Anne and peers skip Rev. Cason's class by hiding in the bathroom.
Relationships and Friendship
- Anne encounters segregation, making friends with neighborhood white kids while being denied seating together at the movies.
- Miss Ola becomes a supportive figure, helping Anne achieve good grades.
Struggles and Support
- Toosweet frequently faces financial hardships, prompting Anne to contribute by working cleaning jobs.
- Despite challenges, the family experiences better food quality living near Raymond, despite the disapproval of his family toward Toosweet.
Major Events
- Anne's ambitious involvement in school includes joining the basketball team, but she struggles to perform due to anxiety.
- A significant shift occurs as Toosweet marries Raymond after the birth of their child, Raymond Jr., leading to more changes in family structure and dynamics.
Social Issues
- The narrative highlights the ingrained racism of the time, viewed through Anne's experiences and observations regarding the food and living conditions of white families compared to black families.
- Tensions with Raymond’s family and their dislike of Toosweet illuminate societal prejudices.
Academic Achievements
- Anne's popularity in school grows with a trend of wearing tight blue jeans, and she competes in a homecoming queen contest.
- Although she wins, financial constraints leave her feeling disappointed regarding her ability to dress for the occasion.
Conclusion and Family Growth
- The story progresses through significant familial changes, with Mama having a total of seven children by the end.
- Raymond's job in plywood represents economic mobility attempts, while Anne's job at Ms. Burke's symbolizes continued growth and adaptation in a challenging environment.
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Description
Explore key concepts and characters from Part 1 of 'Coming of Age in Mississippi'. This quiz features flashcards focusing on crucial details about the family structure, occupations, and living conditions presented in the book. Test your knowledge and understanding of the early narrative elements.
