English III – Batz/Richardson Name: ______________________________

“Sweet Potato Pie” by Eugenia Collier Date:_______________________________

TEXT BASED QUESTIONS: Answer the following questions directly on this paper if you
are “in class” or download this document to your computer if you are fully remote. Add quotes
whenever possible, and be specific. Fully develop your answers; answer in compete sentences.

1. Characterize Charley. Include five specific details that make the narrator love Charley.

Charley is a taxi driver who lives in Harlem. Although poorer than Buddy, Charley is
humble, proud, and still protective of his little brother. Charley’s wife, Bea, and their
daughters also appear in the story. Buddy and Charley’s siblings - Lil, Alberta, and Jamie -
their parents, Jess (Buddy’s wife), and Jake (Lil’s husband) are also mentioned in the story.

Charley is unforgivingly himself, he is very humble, an eccentric being, kindhearted, and

considerate to others. “For there, following a few steps behind, came Charley, proudly
carrying a brown paper bag full of sweet potato pie.”

2. Characterize Buddy and Charley’s parents. What do they value?

Their parents are very distant and occupied. They value outsiders viewing them as good
parents but they truly care about actually being consistent parents to their children. “The
other time when my parents were solid entities was at church.”

3. Characterize Lil. Include at least five details that Buddy remembers about her.
1) Oldest sister
2) Mother figure
3) Determined
4) Good singer
5) Loud laughter that made others laugh
6) Loud screechy voice
Buddy remembers that Lil was a Loud screechy voice, she feed and took care of the kids,
good singer, oldest sister, hardworking and determined

4. Why does Buddy go to school and graduate but his siblings do not? How do Buddy’s siblings
feel about this? How does Buddy feel about this?
Buddy was the only one who went to school because his older siblings had to help support
the family. They’re very happy for him, Charley get upset because he feel like he;s not very
smart and did achieve as much ad Buddy did.

The older siblings worked for Buddy to be able to be able to finish school, he feels very lucky
to have had that opportunity but also feels really bad for them “I loved school with a
desperate passion, which became more intense when I began to realize what a monumental
struggle it was for my parents and brothers and sisters to keep me there”
5. What does Buddy do for a living as an adult? How does he view himself?

He gives speeches and owns a company, he views himself as a very lucky person to have
gotten his education and becoming successful.

He gives speeches and owns a company, he views himself as a very lucky person to have
gotten his education and becoming successful. As much as he loved school he still feels very
sad for his siblings because they had to work on the farm. “I loved school with a desperate
passion, which became more intense when I began to realize what a monumental struggle it
was for my parents and brothers and sisters to keep me there.”

6. What does Buddy wish Charley said to Buddy’s student? (p. 73)

Buddy wished Charley told his student the truth, because he his brother not a cab driver. He
didn’t want to embarrass himself and his brother. This shows Charley is very caring.
“Charley explained patiently as he had explained things when I was a child and had missed
an obvious truth. “I didn’t want your students to know your brother wasn’t nothing but a
cab driver.
You somebody.”

7. Why won’t Charley let Buddy take the leftover pie with him to his hotel room?
He doesn’t want people to see him with a brown paper bag because people will see him s
country and undignified. “You got to look right, Buddy. Can’t nobody look dignified
carrying a brown paper bag.” He didn’t want his brother to look poor.

Charley explained why he didn’t want Buddy to carry the paper bag. “Charley’s eyes were
miserable. “Folks in that hotel don’t go through the lobby carrying no brown
paper bags. That’s country. And you can’t neither. You somebody, Buddy. You got to be
right.
Now, gimme that bag.”

8. What does Charley do with the leftover pie? How does Buddy react to this?
Buddy gave Charley the leftover pie and he liked it because it fills him up with their love. “I
was bewildered. “That? You mean this bag? That’s a piece of sweet potato pie Bea fixed for
me.”
Buddy was really mad because he lost his snack, but came to realize Charley was caring for
him. ‘I had to admit that of all the herd of people who jostled each other in
the lobby, not one was carrying a brown paper bag. Or anything but expensive attaché cases
or slick
packages from exclusive shops. I suppose we all operate according to the symbols that are
meaningful to us, and to Charley a brown paper bag symbolizes the humble life he thought I
had
left. I was somebody.
9. Who is the narrator of this story?
Buddy is the narrator of the story. “From up here on the fourteenth floor, my brother Charley
looks like an insect scurrying among other insects.”