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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. Healers such as Alourdes are specialists who are for hire in order to do what?

2. ______________ is the mother, the one who bears the children.

3. Second is called ____________, to transform suffering into power.

4. Why must this be dislodged?

5. After losing this, she subsequently had a dream of what?

Short Essay Questions

1. Who does Aunt Emma represent? Why is this important?

2. Compare the focus on morality and sexuality in the Vodou culture as compared the many people in America? How do these differences affect many Americans' views of Vodou?

3. What is Alourdes' main role in Vodou? Describe her actions in this role. Why does she act this way?

4. What do all the women in this family have in common?

5. How is myth important in Alourdes' life of Vodou?

6. How has Alourdes been like Ezili?

7. What is learned about participating in the initiation rite?

8. What does this chapter reiterate about the responsibility of serving the spirits?

9. What understanding does this chapter give us regarding Alourdes and her daughter?

10. How does Philo feel about Alourdes? Why might she feel this way?

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

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?

Essay Topic 3

Karen and Alourdes are greeted in Haiti with a mix of fascination and expectation.

Part 1) Describe Alourdes and Karen's trip to Haiti. Why are they greeted in this way? What does this reveal about Karen, Alourdes, and the Haitian people?

Part 2) How does this greeting to one's greeting upon arriving in a community in the U.S.? Why would these similarities and/or differences exist?

Part 3) How might you be greeted in Haiti? Why might you be greeted in this way? How are people greeted in this way? How are people greeted into various countries and cultures around the world? Why do these differences exist? How do these differences reflect the relationships between various groups of people?

(see the answer keys)

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