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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. Where does the war between the Pakistanis and Indians resume during the hot season?

2. What is the name of Iskander's cousin who loots the Harappa family estate?

3. Who is the Chief Minister in the region of Q when Raza Hyder first arrives?

4. Upon what do Bilquis' hands rest when she sleeps alone?

5. Into where are the Muslims herded for their own safety, following the death of Bilquis' father?

Short Essay Questions

1. In what idea do Raza and Bilquis put an undue amount of faith, and why is this a troublesome belief?

2. Why does Raza Hyder stake himself to the ground in Iskander Harappa's yard?

3. Of what sort of development is Omar Khayyam Shakil deprived in his formative years?

4. Why is Raza Hyder sent to the Needle Valley?

5. Why are the children of the British colonials sent back to England after the age of eight to continue their educations?

6. How do Raza Hyder and Maulana Dawood come to trust one another immediately?

7. What characterizes Bilquis' reaction to the Loo?

8. Describe the end of Bilquis' father's business.

9. What are the circumstances surrounding the death of Mistri Yakoob Balloch?

10. How does Raza Hyder describe his courtship of Bilquis?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Near the end of the book, Omar's mothers tell him a story about his great-grandfather Hafeezullah and great-grand-uncle Rumi. This story reflexively illuminates another major theme in the story of Shame, the dishonoring of family. In a carefully structured essay, analyze how this story illuminates past events in the book as being dishonorable to one's family. Why do the long-dead brothers treat one another poorly? How is this comparable to the lives of the principal characters in Shame? What does this indicate about Pakistani society as a whole? What is the significance of this sort of behavior to the whole of the story?

Essay Topic 2

Develop a character analysis of Maulana Dawood in an analytical essay on the archetypal religious zealot. In what ways does Maulana Dawood contrast with the rest of the characters in the story? Do his positions and arguments seem reasonable, or are they mere rantings of a fanatic? Are any of Dawood's objections, arguments, or opinions valid even when and if they are not fully reasonable? How do his actions and opinions influence others in the story (consider characters in addition to Raza Hyder)? What is his ultimate significance to the whole of the story?

Essay Topic 3

Examine, in a carefully thought-out analytical essay, the usage of the motif of narrative asides employed by the author throughout the book. What do these asides accomplish? How do they add to the story? In what regard does the author use them to the story's benefit? Do they serve any purpose beyond enhancing the imagery and method of the story's delivery?

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This section contains 905 words (approx. 4 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample