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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 is Nusswan's wife's name?

2. What vegetable does Maneck encourage Dina to eat?

3. What does Shankar encourage the tailors to call him as a nickname?

4. What are the villagers doing on the railroad tracks in Chapter 4?

5. What does Ashraf's father own, giving both himself and Dukhi work?

Short Essay Questions

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

2. How is the village, where the train makes its sudden halt, described?

3. What happens after Om is hit by the car while following Dina's taxi?

4. What kindness does Dina show Om in Chapter 7?

5. Who is Ibrahim and what does he demand?

6. How does Mrs. Gupta feel about The Emergency?

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

8. How do Ishvar and Om meet Maneck?

9. How do Om and Ishvar find shelter after they lose their home in Chapter 7?

10. What happens to Om's trunk of belongings?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

The societal structure set up in the novel is one of authority. It seems that most people want authority over others, and once they have it, find themselves exploiting it. Choose one relationship with the novel and explain how both authority and exploitation are large factors in the way that these two people relate. Does it seem that only one person is benefiting in the relationship, or is it possible to find a balance, even when exploitation is involved?

Essay Topic 2

The government within this novel is presented as entirely false. A very telling scene of the novel came when the Prime Minister gave her speech to the slum residents. How was that speech presented to the public, and how was it received? How does the government work to present a particular image of themselves to the people? Is this image a fair representation? Or is the government attempting to fool its people? Explain.

Essay Topic 3

Three very powerful images within the novel are Dina's quilt, the Beggarmaster's bag of coins, and Maneck's chess set. Choose one of these images and explain what they symbolize within the novel. How does Mistry use these items to convey a particular message to his audience?

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This section contains 652 words (approx. 3 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample