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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. Why is Maureen hurt by July in Section 5?

2. What does Maureen realize the people in town will see about July?

3. What is July’s reaction to the medication his wife gave Maureen?

4. Why does Maureen not enter July’s hut?

5. Who warns Bam of an impending bank crisis?

Short Essay Questions

1. What does Maureen mean when she thinks that the balance between love and duty is maintained differently based on the lovers’ place in the economy?

2. What types of items does July continue to bring the Smalls family, even in his village?

3. What do Maureen and Bam argue about in Section 3?

4. Explain Maureen’s reaction to meeting Martha and July’s mother in Section 2.

5. Describe the bakke, and its use in the Smalls family, both previously and currently.

6. Describe the photograph of young Maureen and her housekeeper Lydia, and why it is important.

7. What is happening in South Africa at the time of the novel?

8. Explain where the Smalls find themselves in the opening section, and where they came from.

9. How does Maureen get the car keys in Section 4, why, and what is July’s reaction?

10. What happened to the blacks under the Small’s employ, including July?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Compare and contrast July’s character at the beginning of the novel with his behaviors at the end of the novel. How did July change over the course of the novel, and why? What are his true feelings for Maureen? For Bam? Why did he hate his true resentment for so long? Why is his resentment so deep? Could Maureen have avoided his fury?

Essay Topic 2

Compare and contrast July’s life in town with his life in his own village. What does he have in town that he doesn’t have at home? How does this change him? Which life does he prefer? How can you tell? How does his refusal to use African medicine, and his constant comments that the whites don’t need to work show his underlying resentment and humiliation for his life in his village?

Essay Topic 3

July plays up his power role in his home community, telling the Smalls he is listened to in his village and that he is powerful. However, Maureen accuses him of attempting to use them, and their belongings, to further his power. Why would July need the Smalls, or their things, to improve standing in his community, and what does this imply about July as a person?

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 970 words (approx. 4 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample