Why does Morrison include excerpts of the Foreword—the Dick and Jane reader—throughout the text? What is the symbolic value of these excerpts, and what is the probable intended effect on the reader?

Teaching Suggestion: Create a three-column class chart that traces which excerpts appear and what plot action precedes and follows the excerpt. Label the columns “Before,” “Excerpt,” and “After.”

Differentiation Suggestion: To support thinking, provide students with the following frame for completion: Jane’s house is _____, but Pecola’s house is _____. Jane’s mother/father/brother/friend is _____, but Pecola’s mother/father/brother/friend is _____. Jane’s cat is _____, but Pecola’s encounter with a cat _____.