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1. Imagine you are the attorney prosecuting Spunk for murder. What evidence would you bring up to attack his self-defense claim? What witnesses would you call? Be sure to refer to specific evidence provided by the story. Do you think the fictional prosecuting attorney did a good job?


2. Find a definition of "dialect" online or off. What dialect does Hurston employ in her writing here? How can you apply this information to "Spunk"? In other words, how does dialect function within the story?


3. Go through the four parts of the story, making a "tone map." That is, carefully note the shifting tones throughout. How does this help your understanding of the story? Why is the story divided into four parts?