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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. Why doesn't Celianne's baby cry?

2. What did the soldiers make Celianne's brother do?

3. Who is the first narrator referring to in this sentence? "She is short and speaks in a singsong that reminds me of the villages of the north."

4. Why does the male narrator refer to Agwé?

5. Who said, "Now we will never be mistaken for Cubans?"

Short Essay Questions

1. Describe the conditions on the boat.

2. Think about the male narrator's references to skin color. How does this reflect the social prejudices prevalent in the story?

3. What does the female narrator ask of her boyfriend? How does this differ from his request to her?

4. Why does Celianne jump overboard?

5. Describe the conflict between the female narrator's parents.

6. Describe the last time the male narrator saw his mother.

7. Describe the male narrators life before he fled Haiti. What did the male narrator do?

8. At what point does the female narrator's opinion of her father change entirely? Who helps her come to understand his actions?

9. Why is the first narrator happy there are no children on board?

10. How do the two houses the female narrator lives in differ?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Think about the elements of the story that are repeated. What literary function does this serve? What is its effect on the narrative? Be sure to use examples.

Essay Topic 2

Think about the old man on the boat. What do you think his presence represents? Why do you think he is always looking over the narrator's shoulder as he writes? Why do you think the narrator asks him to tell his story to his parents? What do you make of the old man's vision?

Essay Topic 3

Think about how the female narrator's conflict with her father comes to a close. What does this conflict tell us about the narrator? Be descriptive.

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