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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 is true of Sassur after Chandra leaves to get married?

2. What happens to the food in the Mehta household as Sass eats less and less?

3. What is true of Sassur's job in Chapter 6?

4. Why doesn't Maa Kamala allow Koly to go to Mala's party?

5. Who is Tanu?

Short Essay Questions

1. How does the rickshaw driver help Koly in Chapter 8?

2. What happens on the day that Koly sees the rickshaw driver at the train station, before he brings her to the widow's home?

3. Describe Koly's financial situation in Chapter 8.

4. Describe Koly's first night in Vrindavan after Sass abandons her.

5. Describe Raji's plans for the future as he describes them to Koly in Chapter 9.

6. Explain why Sass sells her house.

7. How and why does Koly try to please Sass after Chandra is gone?

8. What is the importance of Koly's visit to the government office in Chapter 6?

9. Describe Koly's introduction to Maa Kamala's home.

10. Describe Koly and Sass's first interaction with the rickshaw driver.

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Hari and Koly are both very young people forced into marriage.

1) What foreshadowing exists in the novel that predicts the outcome of their marriage?

2) How does Hari's existence continue to affect Koly after he is gone?

3) What positive and negative outcomes result from Hari and Koly's marriage?

Essay Topic 2

Quilts and saris represent femininity and elegance in a world that otherwise dismisses any female as being of little value. Compare Koly's life to a quilt or a sari. Explain why you chose the item you did.

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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