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This test consists of 5 short answer questions, 10 short essay questions, and 1 (of 3) essay topics.

Short Answer Questions

1. What did Magda do that signaled to her family that her fever had broken and she was going to be fine?

2. What did Magda threaten to do if Rebecca did not stop meddling in her life?

3. What did Manny suspect was Albert's real reason for joining the boxing team?

4. What did Manny list as Nardo's sole physical flaw?

5. What did Manny see when he opened the bathroom door when Rebecca and Magda were inside?

Short Essay Questions

1. Why is it ironic for Lencho to be kicked out of the Berets after losing his boxing match to Boise?

2. Why was Manny so reluctant to let Nardo go into Grandma Rosa's house to fix them some Kool-Aid?

3. Who were the Berets?

4. What made Chico want to back out of his scheduled boxing match at the last minute?

5. Why was it so important to Miguel that Lencho win the boxing match against Boise?

6. What did the argument between Magda and her mother Rebecca concerning Magda ruining her future show about Magda's character?

7. What actions did Manny hope Rebecca would take in response to Manuel's abusive actions that resulted in his being jailed?

8. What actions did Manuel take on the day Magda went to the hospital that were indicative of his usual tendency to take a hands-off approach to his family's problems?

9. Why was Manny particularly concerned about his parents finding out about Nardo getting drunk and sneaking back into the house?

10. How does Miss Van der Meer's classroom represent the theme of racial inequality?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Victor Martinez cites one of his main literary influences as the poet William Carlos Williams, who is famous for his philosophy of literature that states, “There are no ideas but in things” (216). Discuss the meaning of this literary philosophy and explain how Parrot in the Oven displays its use. Use textual details to support your discussion.

Essay Topic 2

How is the topic of materialism treated within the novel? Create a claim stating the author’s message regarding materialism and wealth. Prove your claim with concrete details from the novel.

Essay Topic 3

Write a feminist criticism essay of the novel, using textual evidence to back up your strong, specific claim regarding the treatment of gender roles in the book.

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 1,598 words (approx. 6 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample