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

2. Where does Rachel go after Ruth May's death?

3. Who gets left behind as the family flees?

4. What does Anatole find in his bed before the big hunt?

5. Why can't the mother and daughters go to Kilanga?

Short Essay Questions

1. What do Rachel and Adah learn? From where do they each learn this?

2. What happened to Patrice Lumumba?

3. What does Nelson give to Ruth May? What does he tell her to do with it?

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

5. How has the Congo changed the Prices?

6. Why do you think that Leah now feels uncomfortable in the United States?

7. What happens during the big hunt?

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

9. How is Orleanna changed when she finally gets up from bed? Who does she influence?

10. What does Leah want to do with the men in the village? Who is not happy about this? How does Leah get her way?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Discuss the character of Anatole and what he represents. What is Anatole's background and what does he become? What does he symbolize at a national level? Why is someone like Anatole often viewed as dangerous?

Essay Topic 2

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?

Essay Topic 3

What is the importance of names in the novel? How are names important for people in the novel? What is the importance of naming something wrong in the novel?

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 908 words (approx. 4 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample