2. Arn says there are many things to be afraid of at night, and now he has one more thing to be afraid of after they have shot everyone in the village below. What is that thing?

3. When the radio makes clear that the Vietnamese soldiers really are coming, chaos erupts and many children run away in the melee. Sombo asks Arn why he doesn't run away to find his family. Why does Arn not run away?

4. After Arns separates from the other boys, he wants to get to Thailand. What is the only landmark he knows about that will signal him he's about to get to Thailand?

5. What is Arn's reaction to seeing his sister again?

Short Essay Questions

1. Why do Arn, Siv, and Kha kick dirt over their excrement after they eat the sweet potato Arn brings back from the leader's house?

2. What is the author's purpose for including Arn's comment that "now even the earth is our enemy"? (126)

3. When Arn determines that he has been away from his home village for two and a half years, how does he reach this conclusion?

4. Arn and Missus Gotobed, the headmistress of the Children's Center, become furious with Mr. Pond for his behavior on two separate occasions for two different reasons. How do those reasons differ?

5. When Arn hears the conflicting reports on Sombo's radio, with the Voice of Angka saying that a victory for the Khmer Rouge is imminent and the American station saying that the Vietnamese are in control of the East and are taking more land every day, Arn doesn't know which report to believe. He does, though, hold on to one fact that he hears. What is that fact and why does he choose to keep it in mind?

6. For what reasons does Arn choose Sojeat and Ravi as his two favorites when Mr. Pond asks him for two names?

7. Conditioning is the automatic response of one's body that happens over a period of time when one is subjected to repeated negative and/or positive reinforcement in order to facilitate a particular response. The soldiers tell Arn and Siv that he has a new job for them, lead them to a temple, make them watch as they murder the elderly prisoners there, and order Arn and Siv to urinate on the bodies of the dead and dying old men. Arn thinks that there is no way he'll be able to comply, but when he looks down, he sees that urine is pouring out of his body onto the dead men's heads. What is the author's purpose in including this incident?

8. What words does the dying lady in the village spit at Arn and why do her words hurt him so much?

9. When the leader allows Arn to ride his white horse to a neighboring camp to deliver a letter, why does Arn not run away?

10. Why does Arn begin to shake after he boards the bus with the other refugees?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Oftentimes in Western culture, volunteerism is looked at in terms of only helping those in need, but the novel seems to put forth the proposition that service to others can also be a means to the provider's own personal happiness. Find examples within the novel that would prove this conclusion regarding the author's message about service to others and discuss the message's overall effect on the reader.

Essay Topic 2

Many instances of irony are included in the novel's narrative, including the fact that while Arn has to hide the fact that his parents were musicians to keep from being labeled an imperialist, his life is saved by his inclusion in the Khmer Rouge's musical band. Find three other instances of irony within the novel and discuss each instance's significance.

Essay Topic 3

Arn often refers to the subject of fame at different points within the novel. Trace these mentions, explain each instance's circumstances, and discuss the overall message the author sends about the subject of fame.

(see the answer keys)

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