View a FREE sample

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

Short Answer Questions

1. In "Friday," Chapter Four, Officer Armijo watches the performance of the siblings, particularly Rufina. What does he think as he watches her?

2. What does Rosalinda hope the plates and bowls can do for her?

3. To whom does Rufina head straight into the house on Friday?

4. Rafa repeats his mother’s name over and over again, like what, to remind himself that he is still alive?

5. What is Rosalinda's nightly routine?

Short Essay Questions

1. How has the death of their mother affected Rufina and Rafa, at the beginning of the story?

2. When does the narrator say the angel will return, in "Friday," Chapter Ten? Why?

3. How do Rufina and Rafa treat their mother, upon returning to their home in "Friday," Chapter Six?

4. What does Rafa want to do in "Friday," Chapter Nine?

5. Describe the angel.

6. What does "Friday," Chapter Ten reveal about Rafa?

7. What does "Friday," Chapter Ten continue to reveal about Rufina and her desires?

8. Why is Rufina concerned that the angel has arrived in "Friday," Chapter Seven?

9. What does the reader know about the Explorer, based on the "Friday" section of the book?

10. How does Rafa deal with the presence of his dead mother?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

At the end of Chapter Thirteen, it is highly suggested that Rafa will take his own life. What leads up to this? How is the reader prepared for this? Does Rafa, in fact, take his own life? Why would this author choose to do this? How different would the story be with a different outcome for Rafa?

Essay Topic 2

Child abuse becomes much more apparent in “Saturday.” What abuse is described by the narrator? How are the various characters affected by it? How does this abuse affect the story? How is abuse related to the theme of resiliency?

Essay Topic 3

Rafa’s birth saves Rosalinda. How does this affect their relationship? How does their relationship keep Rafa from finding romantic love? What might be the correlation between this and the bath incident after Rosalinda’s abortion? How does her inappropriate behavior with her son mimic that of the relationship between the Explorer and Rufina?

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 975 words (approx. 4 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample