View a FREE sample

This test consists of 5 short answer questions, 10 short essay questions, and 1 (of 3) essay topics.

Short Answer Questions

1. In Chapter 4, what is being built in the village?

2. Why does Rukmani take Ira to see Kenny?

3. How far have the construction workers traveled to reach the village?

4. Who does Rukmani trust to find a suitable husband for Ira?

5. What role do Rukmani's sons play in the tannery trouble?

Short Essay Questions

1. When Rukmani learns that Ira is barren, what does she immediately think of?

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. Why does Nathan refuse to eat any of the food that Ira brings into the house?

4. In Chapter 14, why does Rukmani give Kunthi what she has demanded?

5. What realization does Rukmani find ironic as she mourns for Old Granny?

6. Chapter 3 opens with the village women insisting Rukmani not worry about something. What is she worried about and why?

7. After her son's death, why do two tannery officials visit Rukmani?

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

9. When Rukmani first meets the village doctor, why does she stare at him?

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

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Both Ira and Kunthi turn to prostitution to earn money.

a. Describe Ira's motives for prostituting her body.

b. Describe Kunthi's motives for prostituting her body.

c. Do their motives make their actions any less objectionable? Why or why not?

Essay Topic 2

Old Granny and Biswas are both customers of Rukmani's. Compare and contrast Old Granny and Biswas in terms of their ability to pay, relationship to Rukmani, and standing in the village community.

Essay Topic 3

Rukmani's parents arrange her marriage to Nathan.

a. Why do her parents select Nathan as her husband?

b. Why is her mother upset with their choice of Nathan?

c. What is the economic impact of the arranged marriage, for Nathan, for Rukmani, and for her parents?

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 723 words (approx. 3 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample