"Women of Brewster Place" Quiz

Answer: Basil

Mattie was enchanted by the summer smells of wild herbs and sugar cane, so she named her child Basil out of this sentimentality. Butch was her one-time lover's name, but she really didn't consider the baby his. Samuel was her father's name.

Answer: She had to forfeit it when her son failed to show up for his trial.

A woman named Miss Eva had taken Mattie in, and when Miss Eva died, Mattie took over the mortgage, and eventually had it paid in full. Basil later got into trouble, and Mattie put up her house as bail. Unfortunately, Basil skipped town and Mattie had to give up her house.

Answer: Her lover's father-in-law was the sherrif of that town.

This is rather amusing. She stole his car and knows he won't report her because, not only is her lover's father-in-law the sherrif, she also took his boxers! He'd have a lot to explain, now wouldn't he?

Answer: Melanie

There is a poignant scene where Kiswana's mother is telling her how much it hurt her when she changed her name to this new African name. She had given her the name Melanie because it was her grandmother's name, a woman Mrs. Browne thought very deserving of honor and pride.

Answer: she was electrocuted when she stuck a fork in an outlet.

Ceil and Gene were arguing in the bedroom, while Serena was left to play in the living room. Ceil thought she'd secured the area, but didn't notice the fork. The child stuck the fork in the outlet, hoping to catch a roach she'd been trying to play with. In the movie, it is a pair of scissors that she sticks in the outlet. It was a very sad scene in both the movie and the book.

Answer: 7

Dorian, Brucie, Sammy, Mabelline, Dierdre, Daphne, and Sonya. She is pregnant at the end of the novel, but that child has not been born yet. Cora Lee loves babies because they remind her of a fresh, new baby doll, which was an obsession she had as a child.

Answer: Miss Sophie

Mattie never bothers anybody, and Etta mMae sticks up for Lorraine at the tenants' meeting, as does Ben. Sophie is the busybody that always tries to make trouble.

Answer: the wall at the end

This should have been a "gimme". Mattie complains the wall blocks the sun from her plants, Etta's story mentions that the Reverend she just slept with wouldn't even come onto her street because of the wall, Kiswana could just barely see over the wall (indicative of her hopeful disposition), and the lesbian couple reached a dead end in their lives because of that wall.

It was also the wall one of them was raped beside. At the very end of the book, the women are teaming up to tear down the wall, an action symbolic of working to overcome their obstacles.

Answer: Linden Hills

Park Heights is a neighborhood Theresa mentioned having lived in before Brewster Place. Linden Hills is the upper class neighborhood close to Brewster. I made up the other names.

Answer: A Midsummer Night's Dream

Kiswana's boyfriend puts on a black production of the play, and Kiwana insists Cora Lee's children will love it because of the fairies.

I hope you enjoyed my quiz!