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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. Tita refuses to throw away the ___________, and decides to use them in a recipe.

2. What does Pedro do in order to help Rosaura with her labor?

3. Tita feels a strong love for the ______________, something which completely surprises her.

4. Who frantically announces that Rosaura has gone into labor?

5. Where does Tita stay as her fate is decided between the man and Mama?

Short Essay Questions

1. Why does Mama Elena burn Gertrudis' birth certificate upon hearing news of her life?

2. What does Pedro say to Tita when they are dancing together, making her cry?

3. Why does the solider initially go to see Gertrudis when she is out in the field?

4. What happens when Tita screams at her mother's ghost, letting out all of her rage?

5. What does Pedro do when he sees Tita sitting on the steps, covered in mole?

6. Why do Pedro and Tita's eyes meet for an eternity in the kitchen as she is cooking another meal?

7. What happens when a strong cold gust of air blows into the room as Tita is preparing bread?

8. What do the rebels take from the ranch, which greatly upsets Tita as they were a part of her childhood?

9. When Tita tells Rosaura that she married her boyfriend, what is Rosaura's response to this?

10. Why has Tita lost her interest in cooking at this time of the book, causing her to avoid her kitchen duties?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

When Tita has cried into the wedding cake, her tears seem to have a magical effect on the guests, causing them to feel their lost loves and to become violently ill.

Part 1: Do you think the sickness described in this particular scene could have actually happened? Why or why not?

Part 2: If the author is simply using magical realism to tell the story, why would they have done so?

Part 3: Does the fact that this scene does not seem possible affect its importance to the story or to the reader?

Essay Topic 2

Mama seems to put Pedro and Tita into a position where they will always experience sexual and emotional tension.

Part 1: Why do you think Mama doesn't want Tita to be with Pedro, aside from her given excuse?

Part 2: Why do you think Mama puts Tita and Pedro together so often anyway, even though she knows how they feel about each other?

Part 3: Do you think mama perhaps wants the two to be together? Why or why not?

Essay Topic 3

While at times, it seems some of the characters surrender to Mama, these are actually points at which the daughters are standing up to her.

Part 1: Why is Tita actually becoming saner when she has spent a night up in the dovecote?

Part 2: When Gertrudius takes off her clothes and runs, why is this not as crazy a thing as it seems? Or is it?

Part 3: In what ways does Rosaura also lose her 'sanity,' though it's actually a sign of her strength? And if this is not the case for her, what makes her different from the others?

(see the answer keys)

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