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. What does Carolina buy from the butcher shop on June 23rd?

2. What does the first place prize winner of the race receive?

3. How old is the child in the favela who dies on October 7th?

4. In what year does Pedro Cardoso die?

5. Who does the Welfare Department come to investigate?

Short Essay Questions

1. According to Carolina's October 1958 entries, describe Dona Julita's personality.

2. How does Carolina feel when she has enough to eat?

3. Why does Carolina have so few friends?

4. Describe Brother Luiz's personality.

5. Why does Carolina register to vote?

6. How does Carolina feel about Father's Day?

7. Why do the women in the favela mistreat Caronlina's children?

8. Why does Carolina never show remorse for harshly punishing her children?

9. What happens after the election?

10. How does Carolina feel about her heritage?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Carolina is a woman full of pride. She holds herself above most of the people she lives near. At times, however, her pride can work against her. Write an essay that explores Carolina's feelings of pride throughout the diary. How does her pride work to protect her in times of struggle? If Carolina were not prideful, what would her life be like? In which events does her pride work against her? Be sure to provide examples to support your work.

Essay Topic 2

The relationships of men and women are tenuous at best in certain parts of the book. Carolina often writes of domestic violence and other similar conflicts. Write an essay that analyzes whether or not Carolina's portrayal of the male/female dynamic is accurate. Think about some of the incidents Carolina writes about. How do they pertain to the subject of male and female relationships? Is she fair when she writes of such conflicts, or is she biased? Use examples from the book to support your argument.

Essay Topic 3

The tone of the writing changes at different parts of Child of the Dark. Usually these changes reflect what is going on in Carolina's life at the time of the entry. Write an essay that explains when the tone of Carolina's entries changes. What events happen that cause Carolina to feel one way or another? In what way do the changing tones in the entries make her writing more interesting or dynamic? Be sure to provide examples to support your work.

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 716 words (approx. 3 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample