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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. After the incident with the trunk, how long does Dina stay mad at Maneck?

2. What has the train hit, causing the delay in transportation?

3. What occupation did Ishvar's father have while the family was living in the village?

4. After five years of sewing, what part of Dina's body begins to fail?

5. What is Dina's relationship with her brother like?

Short Essay Questions

1. Why does Om rent a bicycle?

2. Who is Shankar and what is significant about his body?

3. Why does Dina put a padlock on the door?

4. What is the subject of the speech that the Prime Minister is giving to the villagers?

5. When do Om and Ishvar first meet Rajaram?

6. In Chapter 7, what happens to the slums that Om and Ishvar are living in?

7. What is Ishvar and Om's reaction to the work that they must do in the relocation camp?

8. Why does Maneck say that he is going to college?

9. What happens to young Maneck when he is away for the first time at boarding school?

10. How do the passengers on the train react to the sudden halt in their travel?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

The final chapter of this novel is entitled "The Circle is Complete". Do you agree with this statement? Why or why not? Choose one of the main characters: either Dina, Maneck, Om, or Ishvar, and explain why their circle is or is not complete. If you are arguing that their circle is not complete, explain what is missing. Be sure to use ample material from the text to support your argument.

Essay Topic 2

The worm that Om is carrying around inside him is a powerful symbol for the way that communities, and people, within this novel leech off of each other.

Part 1.) Explain the worm's symbolism, and give examples from the text that support this claim.

Part 2.) Explain the way that Om's life changes after the worm is removed from his body. What message was Mistry was sending with this change?

Part 3.) Rajaram is portrayed as a parasitic character within the novel. Explain the ways that he feeds off of other characters, and explain the ways that his life, like both Om's and the worm's, changes by the end of the novel.

Essay Topic 3

The "Emergency" is a very powerful force of destruction within the novel.

Part 1.) Briefly explain what the state of Emergency within the novel was.

Part 2.) Explain the catastrophic results this state of Emergency had on the lives of the main characters.

Part 3.) Explain why you think calling the situation an emergency was validated within the novel.

(see the answer keys)

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