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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. To what object does Kimiâ compare punk music?

2. At whom is a soldier pointing a pistol when Mina vomits on the soldier's pant leg?

3. What adjective does Kimiâ use to describe her partner Anna's smile near the end of Side B: Chapter 2?

4. Mina is said to have "inherited" her "sharp sense of humor" (261) from which character?

5. What is NOT an adjective Kimiâ uses to describe Dr. Gautier?

Short Essay Questions

1. For what reason does Kimiâ allude to the Hollywood actresses Ava Gardner and Susan Hayward in Chapter 9?

2. What do the Sadr family's photograph albums discussed in Chapter 8 symbolize?

3. For what different reasons do four different groups launch public attacks on Darius once the family flees to France?

4. What event does Kimiâ associate with the "the day [Sara and Darius] became part of the political opposition" (167)?

5. What does Kimiâ name as her "only country" and her "only homeland" (267) during her teens?

6. For what purpose does Djavadi weave the music motif into the footnote for the title page of Side B?

7. What transformation does Mina undergo as a result of the family's relocation to France and why is it ironic?

8. What is unusual about the footnote on page 263 within Side B: Chapter 2 and with what theme does it dovetail?

9. Compare Mina's reaction with Leïli's reaction as they both struggle to adapt to a whole new life in France.

10. What does Khomeini mean when he says publicly that "The pens must be broken" (210)?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Read a lengthy interview with Djavadi. Write an essay explaining the connection between several of Djavadi’s answers and a major theme presented within the text of Disoriental.

Essay Topic 2

Write a critical essay about Disoriental while using the critical power theory lens of feminist theory. Use textual evidence to back up your strong, specific claim regarding the novel's treatment of gender roles, the objectification of women, female empowerment, misogyny's role within society, or any other issues related to feminist theory that can be found in the novel.

Essay Topic 3

Choose an object from Disoriental, such as the baseball cap, the striped tee shirt, or some other symbolic object and discuss its overall meaning and its connection to themes within the text.

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