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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. This spirit is never satisfied, always craving more ____________________.

2. It is explained to these four that after the initiation, Alourdes will be what?

3. What does Alourdes ask Karen?

4. Alourdes tells the story of a potential client who is a member of a devil-worship group, and she explains that she is a ______________.

5. In this chapter, Alourdes, Maggie, Karen, Big Daddy and Maggie's children arrive at Karen's new ______________ apartment in Manhattan.

Short Essay Questions

1. How do each of the four initiates handle the initiation rites? Who handles it the best?

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

3. How has Alourdes been like Ezili?

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

5. What is learned about the choices made regarding the women in this culture?

6. What is one of the most important lessons learned about the practice of Vodou from reading this book? How is Karen's involvement in Mama Lola's story important to most readers of this book?

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

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

9. Why do the initiates do the answer to number 55 in the cemetery?

10. How is the similarity described in number 45 significant?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

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 2

Dreams are important in Vodou culture.

Part 1) Describe the dreams that are discussed in this book. How are they tied to Haitian Vodou culture? How are these dreams important in this culture?

Part 2) Are dreams important in our own culture? Why or why not? How does a Western interpretation of dreams compare to that of a Vodou interpretation? Why?

Part 3) What types of dreams are important to Americans? Why is this type of dreaming compare to the dreams one has during sleep? What does this reveal about our culture?

Essay Topic 3

There is a growing need for Manbos.

Part 1) What is a manbo? How is this person important in Vodou culture? Why are manbos increasingly more important in Haiti? What does this reveal about Vodou culture and life in Haiti?

Part 2) How are these cultural changes seen in other cultures around the world? How is religion becoming more important in some cultures? Why?

Part 3) Would you want to be a manbo? Why or why not? Would you be able to accept a role such as this in another religious organization, if it were offered to you or asked of you? Why or why not? How do manbos reflect the role of religious leaders in a community?

(see the answer keys)

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