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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. When does Koly work on the activity she undertakes to remember Hari and soothe her soul?

2. Why does Sass take Chandra and Koly to town at the end of their first summer together?

3. What does Koly see after Hari's cremation that makes her think of him?

4. How does Koly travel to meet her groom?

5. Where does Chandra's wedding sari come from?

Short Essay Questions

1. What does Koly do to try to soothe her grief over being a widow and her poor treatment by Sass in Chapter 4?

2. What is Koly's relationship with Sassur like in Chapter 4, after Hari's death?

3. How does the train ride to Varanasi seem to indicate that the outcome of this journey will be a poor one?

4. Sass demands, for the second time, that Koly give her the silver earrings. Explain why keeping these earrings is so important to Koly in Chapter 5.

5. How is Hari's death addressed?

6. Tell about Koly's first meeting with her new husband.

7. Describe Koly's first night in her new home after she is married.

8. What is Koly's impression of Varanasi?

9. Explain what Hari's doctor has to say about the family's trip to the Ganges, and his parents' response.

10. Explain Koly''s reaction to hearing Sass and Sassur discuss the use of her widow's pension.

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Despite the obvious poor treatment of women in Koly's society, many strong and even influential women appear in the novel. Answer the questions below with support from the novel.

1) Which woman in the story do you consider the strongest, and why?

2) Which woman in the story has the greatest positive impact on Koly? Negative?

3) Which woman in the story seems the happiest? The saddest?

Essay Topic 2

Imagine that Hari had recovered and lived.

1)What would Koly's life have been like then?

2) Would she be happy living with the Mehtas?

3) Would Hari have been a good husband?

4) Would Sass be any more kind-hearted if her son had not died?

Essay Topic 3

The metaphor of Koly as a homeless bird has significance in many places of the story. Choose one of the options below to write about.

1) Analyze the use of animals in the novel to symbolize Koly's plight, to ease her loneliness, and to serve other purposes.

2) Choose two other characters and use a metaphor to describe their situations in the story. Use examples to explain your choices.

3) Describe how Koly's journey towards freedom required her to break out of many cages.

(see the answer keys)

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