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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. Who is sitting on the veranda while Raja departs the family home?

2. What is the first discussion the sisters have that shows how different they are from each other?

3. Which neighbors do Bakul, Bim and Tara decide to visit that night?

4. Why can't they visit more often?

5. Who does Dr. Biswas admire above all others?

Short Essay Questions

1. What is symbolic about the father's car that was left in the garage after his death?

2. What is the importance in the plot of the Misras brother, Mulk, and his drunkeness

3. Why is Tara so disturbed by Bim's remarks on the lawn with Bakul and the Misras?

4. Why is Raja so upset about the whereabouts of the family of Hyder Ali Sahid?

5. Why do you think Bim believes she is seeing Aunt Mira's ghost in the garden?

6. Why is Bim's conversation with the elder Misras important to the plot?

7. How does Tara feel about her youth? What makes her feel that way?

8. Why does the tea party with Dr. Biswas, his mother and Bim go badly?

9. Why are Muslims no longer safe in India? What has caused this problem?

10. Describe the family home and the feeling you get about it.

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

What is the symbolism of the cow in the plot? Does it represent the innocence of the children, the indentured servitude of Aunt Mira, lost hopes, or is it just a cow?

Essay Topic 2

When Raja and Bim are children, they are close, best friends. As he ages, Raja turns away from Bim, until he finally leaves her. Describe the evolution of this relationship, and your explanation for Raja's decision to leave the family home?

Essay Topic 3

This novel is set over a number of years, but almost always in summer. How does the author use the oppressive heat, the wild noisy birds, and the overgrown foliage to create imagery and the feeling of heavy weight on her characters, their actions and their decisions?

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 653 words (approx. 3 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample