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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. In what year does the CIA suggest replacing the Congolese government?

2. What new name was the Congo given?

3. What does Leah wish that she could give to her father?

4. Where does Adah go to school?

5. What does Ruth May have to do to get her spirit in the bone, according to Nelson?

Short Essay Questions

1. Why do you think Adah says that the loss of life isn't always unwelcome?

2. Who is Brother Fowles? How is he different from Nathan?

3. Where does each of the girls go after Ruth May's death?

4. What happens to Rachel in her life? Do you think she is happy?

5. Orleanna characterizes Nathan as someone who stands still. What does she mean by this?

6. What regrets does Orleanna voice about her family and the situation in the Congo?

7. What does Anatole find in his hut? What is this a sign of? What happens to Anatole?

8. What living creature invades Kilanga? What do the villagers do?

9. What does Orleanna do after Ruth May's death? Why does she do this?

10. What does Tata Ndu want from the family in Book 3? How does the family respond?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Trace the development and changes in Leah's relationship with her father throughout the novel. How does Leah feel about her father in the beginning of the novel? When do her feelings toward him start to change? How does she end up feeling about and relating to Nathan?

Essay Topic 2

Nathan Price can be viewed as a symbol of colonial oppression. Discuss the similarities and differences between Nathan's treatment of the villagers in Kilanga and the Belgium's treatment of the Congo. How does Nathan illustrate the racial tension and intolerance that was often practiced in Africa by colonial powers?

Essay Topic 3

The Prices change during their time in the Congo. Discuss how the changes affect the family, including:

1) Which character do you think changed the most? How did this character change?

2) Which character changed the least? In what ways does the character remain the same?

3) How does the family itself change from the beginning of the book to the end?

(see the answer keys)

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