Marigolds + Osage Orange Trees Test

Where is the story set?

Rural Maryland during the Great Depression

How does the setting influence the children in the story?

It creates boredom, frustration, and mischief

What point of view is used in the story?

First-person from adult Lizabeth reflecting on her childhood

What is the main external conflict between Lizabeth and Miss Lottie?

Lizabeth and other children torment Miss Lottie

Which best describes Lizabeth’s internal conflict?

Balancing childhood innocence and emerging maturity

Who is the protagonist of the story?

Lizabeth

What do the marigolds symbolize?

Hope, beauty, and dignity

Why is Lizabeth deeply affected when she hears her father crying?

Father crying reveals his weakness and shatters Lizabeth's view of adulthood and shows her a world that is bleak/oppressive

What action represents the climax of the story?

Lizabeth destroying Miss Lottie's marigolds

What realization does Lizabeth have after destroying the marigolds?

Lizabeth understands compassion and the pain of others

Which literary device is used when adult Lizabeth reflects on her childhood?

Flashback

Which phrase is an example of imagery?

I think now that we must have made a tragicomic spectacle, five or six kids of different ages, each of us clad in only one garment—the girls in faded dresses that were too long or too short, the boys in patchy pants, their sweaty brown chests gleaming in the hot sun. A little cloud of dust followed our thin legs and bare feet as we tramped over the barren land.

What literary device is used in “Poverty was the cage in which we all were trapped in, and our hatred of it was still the vague, undirected restlessness of the zoo-bred flamingo who knows that nature created him to fly free”?

Metaphor

Which example best demonstrates Lizabeth's father's dialect?

God damn Mr. Ellis’ coat! And God damn his money! You think I want white folks’ leavings? God damn, Maybelle—and suddenly he sobbed, loudly, and painfully, and cried into the dark night. I had never heard a man cry before.

What is the significance of Miss Lottie’s reaction?

Miss Lottie shows pain rather than anger, prompting empathy

What theme is best expressed in the story?

Maturity comes through compassion and understanding the suffering of others

What does Lizabeth mean that “[She] too [has] planted marigolds”?

Lizabeth has contributed beauty and hope to the world

Which event marks Lizabeth’s loss of innocence?

Destroying the marigolds and seeing Miss Lottie’s pain

What role does poverty play in the story?

Central force shaping characters’ actions

Which best describes the structure of the story?

Flashback framed by adult reflection

Setting

A small prairie town in the United States during the early to mid 20th century

Point of View

First-person narration from an unnamed young boy

Internal Conflict

The narrator struggles to understand Evangeline and his own feelings toward her

External Conflict (Society)

Characters face poverty throughout the story

External Conflict (Person vs Person)

The narrator is confronted and yelled at by an old woman at Evangeline’s house

Protagonist

The unnamed young boy narrator

Antagonist

Poverty and the old woman (likely Evangeline’s mother)

Exposition

The narrator is a high school senior, a paperboy, and meets a lonely girl named Evangeline

Rising Action

The boy and Evangeline grow closer outside school while hiding their friendship at school

Climax

The narrator visits Evangeline’s house and is yelled at by an old woman

Falling Action

The narrator reflects at the Osage orange tree and observes the town from a bridge

Resolution

The narrator discovers the discarded newspapers and realizes Evangeline’s struggles and intentions

“I could see everything” meaning

The narrator realizes Evangeline’s hardships and understands her actions

Narrator Character Trait

Observant

Evidence for Observant

He notices small details about Evangeline’s appearance and behavior

Evangeline Character Trait

Shy

Evidence for Shy

She stands alone at school and avoids interacting with others

Symbolism (Osage Orange Tree)

Represents beauty and growth in a harsh, poor environment, like Evangeline

Tone

Heavy, especially during graduation when the narrator realizes his feelings

Mood

Somber, as the narrator discovers Evangeline’s struggles

Imagery Example

Description of Evangeline’s physical appearance (pale face, blue eyes)

Flashback Example

The narrator remembers when Evangeline first arrived at school

Evidence Narrator Likes Evangeline

He notices small details, goes out of his way to deliver papers, and searches for her at graduation

Theme

You never know what struggles others endure to build a connection with you

Main Character Change

He becomes aware of hardship, poverty, and emotional complexity

Lesson Learned

People’s actions are often shaped by unseen struggles

Title Significance

The Osage orange tree is where the boy connects with Evangeline

Loss of Innocence

The narrator realizes the world is not fair and understands deeper struggles

Relationships Theme

People often hide their true feelings and fail to express emotions

William Stafford

American writer (1914–1993) known for poetry and teaching, won National Book Award