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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 does Rajaram want to do with his life after he moves?

2. Which relatives does Maneck visit in Chapter 14 before he leaves on vacation?

3. Who does Dina visit to ask for money in Chapter 9?

4. What type of weather keeps Maneck and Om from leaving the house during their vacation?

5. What lie does Dina tell Mrs. Gupta about the tailors?

Short Essay Questions

1. Why does Dina lose her apartment?

2. How does the reunification between Dina and Maneck transpire?

3. What happens when the debt collector visits Dina?

4. What happens to Rajaram that prompts him to leave his job at the government?

5. Why does Dina go to speak to Mrs. Gupta and what does she tell her?

6. Why are the police called to Shankar's funeral?

7. How does the Beggarmaster know that he is related to Shankar?

8. What happens when the Beggarmaster comes to visit the relocation camp in Chapter 9?

9. How does it come to pass that the tailors begin eating dinner in the main house?

10. How is Shankar killed?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

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 2

The idea of social hierarchy is very strong within this novel.

Part 1.) Explain the ways that the main characters fit into the social hierarchy.

Part 2.) Choose one character and give three examples of ways that they attempt to claw their way up the social ladder.

Part 3) Explain the outcome of the character's struggle. Did it turn out to be a success, or a failure?

Essay Topic 3

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?

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This section contains 775 words (approx. 3 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample