Mother and daughter relationships in 'Sweetness'

Mother and daughter relationships in 'Sweetness'

Lesson details

Key learning points

  1. In this lesson, we will examine the mother/daughter relationship between Sweetness and Lula Ann and think about what has happened to it now Lula Ann has grown up. We will also think about the sense of duty both characters feel towards one another.

Content guidance

  • Contains depictions of discriminatory behaviour.

Supervision

Adult supervision suggested.

Licence

This content is made available by Oak National Academy Limited and its partners and licensed under Oak’s terms & conditions (Collection 1), except where otherwise stated.

Loading...

5 Questions

Q1.
A moment where our expectations are reversed is called what?
Correct answer: Irony
Metaphor
Perspective
Simile
Q2.
Why does Sweetness want Lula Ann to call her 'Sweetness'?
She believes 'mother' and 'mama' are informal terms.
She does not think that Lula Ann is her own daughter.
She feels she should be recognised for her kind and caring characteristics.
Correct answer: She thinks people will be surprised if they hear a black child with dark skin call a black parent with light skin, 'mother'.
Q3.
Which term is defined as 'prejudice or discrimination against individuals who are dark skinned, typically, but not exclusively, among people of the same ethnic or racial group'?
Correct answer: Colourism
Discrimination
Prejudice
Racism
Q4.
What is 'the practice of discriminating against people based on their race or ethnic background' called?
Discrimination
Prejudice
Correct answer: Racism
Segregation
Q5.
Instead of a motherly figure to Lula Ann, Sweetness is more of a what?
Aunt
Enemy
Friend
Correct answer: Teacher

5 Questions

Q1.
In the story, Sweetness sees Lula Ann as what?
A stranger
Correct answer: A student
An enemy
Her daughter
Q2.
What is irony?
A moment where our expectations are proved correct.
Correct answer: A moment where our expectations are reversed.
A moment where our expectations are shown to be partly correct.
Q3.
Which term is defined as 'the action or state of setting someone or something apart from others'?
Colourism
Prejudice
Racism
Correct answer: Segregation
Q4.
Which word is best used to describe the type of person Lula Ann has become?
Brave
Correct answer: Confident
Ignorant
Quiet
Q5.
Which word best describes the mother and daughter relationship between Sweetness and Lula Ann?
Close
Correct answer: Distant
Loving
Tense

Lesson appears in

UnitEnglish / Contemporary Short Stories (2/2): Sweetness by Toni Morrison

English