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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 significant event occurs at the end of Chapter 4?

2. What does Koly imagine doing as she daydreams in Chapter 4?

3. How does Koly feel about not being allowed to help Chandra dress on her wedding day?

4. What object of Hari's does Koly ask Sassur if she can have?

5. What is one reason that Sass gives for being so resentful of Koly?

Short Essay Questions

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

2. Describe the evening of, and the events leading up to, Hari's death.

3. Explain Chandra's expectations of her family's trip to the Ganges River.

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

5. 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.

6. Describe Koly's first morning as a married woman.

7. How does Sass justify her refusal to give Koly her pension money when Koly tells her she wants it?

8. Explain the reaction of Koly's parents to their first meeting with the Mehtas.

9. In Chapter 2, Koly learns details of her marriage and Hari's illness from Chandra that greatly upset her. Explain.

10. Describe Koly's wedding gift to Chandra.

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Loneliness in this story is evident, not only with Koly, but with many characters in Homeless Bird. Choose a character from the story, other than Koly, and answer the following questions:

1) Explain why you believe that loneliness is a motivating factor in this character's decisions or actions.

2) Identify connections that this character makes, refuses to make, or misses out on that could have eased his or her loneliness.

3) What substitutes for human closeness does this character use, and how effective are they?

Essay Topic 2

Imagine that the story has taken some different turns and answer the questions below with support for your conclusion:

1) What would have happened if Koly had not traded the silver earrings for the Tagore book?

2) What would have happened if Koly took her pension money back from Chandra's dowry?

3) What would have happened if Koly did not have the ability to embroider?

Essay Topic 3

Finances and money dictate the lives of the majority of characters in this novel. From the viewpoint of the impact of money, answer the questions below.

1) How does a dowry work for and against the characters in the story? How does it work for or against this society overall?

2) Explain the attitude toward women and work in Koly's society. Choose a character and explain how that attitude impacts her life.

3) Compare and contrast the economic situation in Koly's society to that of your own. Describe the similarities and differences and where you believe they come from. How would Koly's story be different if taken out of the context of her location?

(see the answer keys)

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