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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. How does Marion feel when he learns Genet is in America?

2. Why does Stone tell Marion his life story?

3. What surprises Marion about his arrival in New York?

4. Why has Tsige seen Genet?

5. How has Thomas felt most of his life?

Short Essay Questions

1. What does Marion notice about Ghosh when Marion is in medical school, what does Ghosh tell him and what does Ghosh ask him?

2. How does Deepak feel about the famous doctor's suggestion and what does Marion learn from Deepak about the doctor?

3. Why is Genet in America, and why does Marion not beat her?

4. Who does Marion meet because of her baby, what does he do with her and what is her response?

5. Where does Marion go when he is missing Genet, and what happens there?

6. How is Marion's life saved after he becomes critically ill?

7. Who does Marion and Shiva run into a few days after Genet returns, what does she suggest to Marion, what is his response and how does Shiva feel about Marion's response?

8. What does Rosina do about Genet's sex drive and what happens as the result of that action?

9. What is Marion doing about Ghosh being in prison?

10. What does Marion do when he finds out where Dr. Stone is?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Oftentimes, a book has more of a character-driven plot rather than action driven, and sometimes it is the other way around. Some books seem to balance the two. Discuss the following:

1. What do you think it means to say that a plot is character driven? Action driven?

2. How do you think a plot differs if it is character driven versus action driven?

3. Which type of plot do you find more interesting? Why?

4. Do you think it is possible to have a plot where action and character development share equal time? Why or why not.

5. What type of plot do you think "Cutting for Stone" is? Explain your response.

Essay Topic 2

Often, authors will write about "what they know," and sometimes knowing a little about the author makes the books more interesting. Discuss the following:

1. Research and give a brief biographical sketch of Abraham Verghese.

2. What in Verghese's background may have helped him in writing "Cutting for Stone"? What may have influenced the way he depicts various characters and scenes?

3. Do you think there is always some of the author's own life in his/her novels? Why or why not? Give examples.

Essay Topic 3

"Cutting for Stone" belongs to fictional memoir genre. Discuss the following:

1. Define the literary term "genre" and give several examples of three other genres in addition to the fictional memoir genre.

2. Discuss two reasons why it might be useful to label a text by genre and two reasons it might be disadvantageous to label a text by genre.

3. What do you think is the difference between a fictional memoir and a historical novel mystery?

(see the answer keys)

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