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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 the setting?

2. Who should Karen marry?

3. What is the beaded rattle used to leverage the spirit world?

4. This is done around ____________.

5. When "Sina," as Macena calls her, becomes pregnant, Mauvant and the men from the community do what?

Short Essay Questions

1. How does one feel regarding Karen? Is it easy to sympathize with her? Why or why not?

2. How are vodou ideals understood? Give an example from the text that supports this. How might a modern-day American reader feel about this?

3. What contrast is discussed in this chapter? Describe this contrast.

4. What is the connection between one's power and the will of the spirits in the world of Vodou?

5. Why is a manbo especially important in Haiti during the present time?

6. How does jealousy affect the plot of this story?

7. What does the author say is the purpose of every other chapter in the book? What does this reveal about the author's role in writing these chapters?

8. What is the moral of the story in this chapter? How is this a significant lesson to learn?

9. Describe Karen's understanding of Alourdes' "Queen Bee" behavior.

10. How is the legend of Joseph Binbin Mauvant important?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Jealousy is a theme.

Part 1) Describe jealousy as it is found in this book? How is jealousy a theme? How does jealousy affect the lives of the characters in this book and in the lives of Haitians in general?

Part 2) How frequently are you jealous? Is jealousy a concern in the U.S. as it is in Haiti? Why or why not?

Part 3) What are two other themes found in this book? Describe these themes. How are they tied to the book and to each other?

Essay Topic 2

The women in this culture are very strong.

Part 1) Describe Haitian women. How do they compare to women of other cultures? Why might these similarities and differences exist?

Part 2) How do Haitian women compare to Haitian men? Why are their roles designated in this way How do these gender roles compare to other cultures?

Part 3) How have the roles of women changed in Haiti? How does this compare to the changes of how women are viewed in other parts of the world today?

Essay Topic 3

There are four steps in the initiation ritual.

Part 1) What are these four steps? Describe and analyze each step. What is the purpose of each step? How does one step lead to another? What do these steps reveal or reinforce about Vodou?

Part 2) How does this initiation rite compare to rituals found in other religions and organizations? Why do these similarities exist?

Part 3) In what rituals have you participated? Why? How did you feel about these rituals and other religious rituals? Why is ritual important to humans?

(see the answer keys)

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