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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 does Adan do sometimes on good days with Lala?

2. What problem was in Mira's and Peter's relationship when Peter died?

3. Who does Adan sometimes sell coconuts to?

4. What is at the bottom of the steps to Adan's house?

5. How does Wilma describe the circumstances of her own marriage?

Short Essay Questions

1. Why does Mira repeatedly take the children to the convenience store in the middle of the night?

2. What does Mira want more than anything after she marries Peter?

3. Why does Lala go out to find Adan in the middle of the night early in Part I?

4. How does Baby die?

5. What interrupts the robber in Mira's house in Part I?

6. How does Mira Whalen behave for the first five days after the murder of her husband Peter?

7. What does Mira Whalen sometimes feel she is being punished for?

8. What problems does Sam have following Peter's death?

9. What is Tone's idea to try to avoid the consequences of Baby's death?

10. Why does Lala have to leave the hospital with Baby alone?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

How does Jones explain and describe the rapid disintegration of Tone's and Adan's relationship in the latter part of this novel? Write an essay explaining your answers, citing specific references to the text to help support your conclusions.

Essay Topic 2

Write an essay exploring Jones's treatment of the theme of sacrifice throughout this novel, citing specific references to the text to help support your conclusions.

Essay Topic 3

Why does Tone come up with the idea of pretending Baby was kidnapped following baby's accidental death, and what is he trying to achieve with his plan? Write an essay explaining your answers.

(see the answer keys)

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