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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 name do Rukmani and Nathan give to their son?

2. When Arjun and Thambi leave for Ceylon, what is Rukmani afraid of?

3. How does Nathan characterize Rukmani?

4. How old is Rukmani when she marries Nathan?

5. What is Deepavali?

Short Essay Questions

1. What is a positive consequence of the construction workers suddenly appearing in the village?

2. Rukmani muses that her husband is indeed a patient man for putting up with her in the early days of her marriage. Why does she feel this way?

3. How does Rukmani learn that there is trouble at the tannery?

4. At the beginning of Chapter 21, Rukmani says that Selvam has ceased to belong to her and Nathan. Why?

5. The monsoon season strikes early. How does the village fair?

6. At first, Nathan pays no attention to his new daughter. Why?

7. In the early days of their marriage, Rukmani and Nathan feel blessed. Why?

8. After being returned to her family by her husband, how is Ira welcomed back into the family?

9. What advice does Kali give to Nathan and Rukmani regarding Ira?

10. What do both Nathan and Kenny tell Rukmani regarding Ira's child and they manner in which it was conceived?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

There were a number of coping methods that helped the various characters in the story deal with situations in their lives. How did the following people cope? Be sure to describe a particular situation in the story and tell how they dealt with the situation.

a. Rukmani

b. Ira

c. Kunthi

d. Kenny

Essay Topic 2

Rukmani and Nathan travel to the city to find their son. Instead of finding their son, however, they find his wife and learn that their son has deserted her. Ammu is now a single mother, as is Ira back in the village. Single parenthood drastically changes both of their lives.

a. Compare and contrast the lives of Ammu and Ira as single parents.

b. Compare and contrast single parenthood in the novel and in our society.

c. How did living in the city versus being in the village impact the situations of both Ammu and Ira?

Essay Topic 3

Puli plays a very important and pivotal role in the latter part of the story.

a. Why do Nathan and Rukmani become attached to Puli? How does Puli benefit from their relationship? How do Nathan and Rukmani benefit from their relationship?

b. Puli is both a hardened city dweller and a little boy at the same time. Describe incidents of each side of the boy.

c. The introduction of Puli to Rukmani's family is significant. How is Puli introduced to Rukmani's family and what is significant about the introduction?

(see the answer keys)

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