Tell Me a Riddle Quizzes

Tell Me a Riddle Quiz 1

By Virginia Farrell · Edited by S.R. Cedars · Last reviewed August 29, 2013

1 Why does Emily's father leave her mother?

He has found a mistress.

He leaves to take care of his parents.

He doesn't want to be poor any longer.

He is drafted into the army.
2 What was Emily like as a baby?

ugly

disabled

beautiful

a Shirley Temple-lookalike
3 Who is Emily's younger sister?

Sarah

Susan

Shelley

Sylvia
4 How old was Emily's mother when she had Emily?

fifteen

thirty

twenty-five

nineteen
5 Where does Emily's mother narrate from?

a restaurant

the kitchen

the ironing board

Emily's school
6 When was Emily born?

in the 1950s

in the late 1890s

during World War II

during the Depression
7 How did Emily feel about school as a child?

She had a lot of friends.

She made up excuses not to go.

She really liked her teachers.

She performed very well in it.
8 What does the old man tell Emily's mother to do?

smile more when she looks at Emily

send Emily away to foster care

feed Emily more

put Emily up for adoption
9 Why does Emily go to a convalescent home?

to recover from polio

to visit her father

to recover from red measles

to receive psychiatric help
10 What happens to Emily's friend at the convalescent home?

She is moved to Rose Cottage.

She attacks Emily and is removed.

She dies.

She gets better and leaves.
11 What upsets Emily about the convalescent home?

The staff physically punishes them.

The staff does not let her keep her letters.

She doesn't like the red hair bows.

The grounds around the home are very ugly.
12 What convinces the social worker to let Emily leave the convalescent home?

Emily has contracted another illness.

She has stopped talking.

She hasn't gained any weight back.

Emily throws fits all the time.
13 What does Emily look like as a child?

She is large for her age.

She is chubby and blonde.

She is pale and red-headed.

She is thin and dark.
14 How do Emily's teachers characterize her?

as a quick person

as a smart person

as a slow learner

as a drama queen
15 What disease does Emily have as an adolescent?

rosacea

asthma

tubeworms

mononucleosis
16 What does Emily collect?

stamps

beads

dolls

old pennies
17 What is Susan and Emily's relationship like?

mother-daughterly

poisonous

intimate

anxious
18 What is the name of Emily's youngest sibling?

Robert

Ronnie

James

Matthew
19 What word does Emily invent to mean comfort?

Binkie

Mallobie

Co-co

Shoogily
20 What is Emily's talent?

nurturing others

writing

sewing

impersonations
21 What painting does Emily compare her mother to?

Breakfast Table

American Gothic

Courier and Ives

Whistler's Mother
22 What is the name of the interviewer in "I Stand Here Ironing?"

James

Unspecified

Susan

Emily
23 What does Whitey mistakenly call himself?

Michael Jordan

M. Norbert Jacklebaum

Norbert Nichols

Jack Norberts
24 Where does "Hey Sailor, What Ship?" take place?

Santa Barbara

San Francisco

New York

Los Angeles
25 Who is Whitey staying with while in San Francisco?

Deeck

Earl

Smitty

Larry

Essays for Tell Me a Riddle

Tell Me a Riddle essays are academic essays for citation. These papers were written primarily by students and provide critical analysis of the short stories in Tell Me a Riddle by Tillie Olsen.

“…A Child of her Age, of Depression, of War, of Fear… ”: A Psychoanalytic Analysis of Emily in “I Stand Here Ironing”

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