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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 action does Belinda take when Mary burns her hands peeling the eggs?

2. What type of person is being beaten in Amma's story from her time in Ghana?

3. Belinda thinks to herself that school means what?

4. What kind of handles are said to be the most valuable at the market?

5. Who helps Mary come up with an alter ego who will help her pretend that she loves her work and life?

Short Essay Questions

1. What change in narrative perspective occurs at the start of Chapter 6?

2. What is Mary's perspective on karma?

3. What are the positive aspects that Belinda will miss about Mary?

4. In what way does the sound motif enter the narrative in relation to Belinda's feelings toward Mary?

5. Describe Donkor's use of allusion within Chapter 9.

6. What is the main source of Belinda's anxiety during the shopping trip on which Nana takes her?

7. For what reason does Nana bring Belinda to a shopping district in London?

8. What negative aspects of Mary's presence seem to affect Belinda?

9. Who is Amma and in what ways does she act as a foil to Belinda?

10. What sort of coping mechanism does Belinda suggest as a remedy for Mary's unhappiness?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

What lessons are readers of Housegirl meant to take with them from the reading of the novel and how does Donkor communicate that he wants readers to apply these lessons to their own lives?

Essay Topic 2

Write a critical essay about Housegirl while using the critical power theory lens of Marxist theory. Use textual evidence to back up your strong, specific claim regarding the novel's treatment of issues such as socioeconomic status, hierarchies, wealth, class, or any other issues related to Marxist theory that can be found in the novel.

Essay Topic 3

Sensory details are used frequently by Donkor in order to create vivid pictures of each character's progression through the narrative of Housegirl. Choose three scenes in which sensory details are heavily used and discuss how the sensory details used serve Donkor’s creation of vivid characters to populate the narrative.

(see the answer keys)

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