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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. What do Mama and Papa do on occasional evenings at the club?

2. What does Papa do every day after work?

3. Who often give Uma something to add to her collection?

4. What happens when Uma is told she has the mark of the Lord?

5. Why does Anamika suffer a miscarriage?

Short Essay Questions

1. How does Uma feel about Mira-Masi?

2. Who are the main Indian characters?

3. In the opening to the book, what does Uma do while her parents are sitting on the veranda?

4. What does Mama do each day to prepare Papa for the day?

5. Why do Mama and Papa not approve of Ramu?

6. How do Aruna's wedding plans differ from those taken when Uma was to marry?

7. What do Uma and Ramu do one evening that causes Mama and Papa to be angry?

8. What does Uma do one night when Mama and Papa have gone out?

9. What does Uma feel about the time she fell into the Ganges and was sinking?

10. What happens when Aruna comes of age for marriage?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Discuss the following:

a) Who is/are the protagonists of Fasting, Feasting, and how do you determine this?

b) Who is/are the antagonists of Fasting, Feasting, and how do you determine this?

c) Which 3 secondary characters have the greatest impact on the plot of Fasting, Feasting?

d) Are any of the characters in Fasting, Feasting dispensable? If so, which ones? Why or why not?

Essay Topic 2

Chapter 6 makes very clear the questionable prospects of young girls who are married off to seemingly suitable husbands. Anamika's fate is sealed at the hands of her abusive husband and mother-in-law. She cannot leave the marriage because leaving would bring shame on her own family according to Indian culture. Even Uma notes the irony in the situation that the beautiful and gifted Anamika, to whom life has always been kind, suffers a miserable fate, even more miserable than the suffocating and hopeless existence lived by Uma.

a) Do you think arranged marriages should be legal? Why or why not? Use examples from Fasting, Feasting to support your answer.

b) Discuss the concept of family honor in the context of Anamika leaving her marriage. Use examples from Fasting, Feasting to support your answer.

c) Compare and contrast Anamika’s fate with Uma’s fate.

Essay Topic 3

Chapter 4 is important because of the presence of Mira-Masi, a strong female character, in Uma's life. Uma is not quite sure why Mira-Masi's visits have always been so appealing, but she begins to understand that Mira-Masi represents an independent female figure that is very rare in Indian society and culture.

a) Do you think Mira-Masi could have done more to help Uma? Why or why not?

b) How did visits from Mira-Masi change Uma?

c) Discuss ways in which Mira-Masi might have been able to use her position in India to help change the plight of women in that country.

(see the answer keys)

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