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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. Who built the judge's house?

2. Why is Noni sometimes jealous of Lola?

3. What is the GNLF?

4. How do Biju and Saeed Saeed feel about each other when they first meet?

5. How were Sai's parents killed?

Short Essay Questions

1. What does the first chapter reveal about the social structures that exist between the introductory characters?

2. In chapter 17, when Biju and Saeed part ways, why does Biju vow never to let anyone get close to him again?

3. In chapter 24, how does Harish-Harry's comments about his workers contrast with the way he treats them?

4. What effect does Gyan have on Sai when they first meet in chapter 13?

5. In chapter 19, why does the author have both the cook and Lola experience difficulty communicating with a loved-one abroad?

6. In chapter 3, why doesn't Bijou consider himself a man?

7. In chapter 29, why does Gyan betray Sai?

8. In chapter 21, how do Noni and Lola's views of the Nepalese liberation movement differ?

9. In chapter 27, in what ways do Sai and Gyan view Christmas differently?

10. What is the significance of the elaborate Christmas celebration in chapter 25?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

The judge and Biju are both victims of very different types of Indian tokenization while they are abroad. The judge is allowed to join the ICS only because they want more Indian members. Biju is not permitted to apply for a green card only because he is an Indian, and there are too many Indians who want one. How is each character ultimately affected by the knowledge that he is being categorized solely on the basis of his ethnicity? Does the judge see his experience as good luck and Biju see his as bad? How do these experiences relate to the two characters' feelings about their Indian identity? How do the experiences affect their character development later on?

Essay Topic 2

What are the two types of foods the Indian patrons at the Ghandi Cafe consume? How does the balance of the two symbolize the dual identity they wish to display in front of the American patrons?

Essay Topic 3

What is the significance of the fact that there are a number of characters who behave like the British, but there are no actual British characters specifically mentioned in the novel? Why are they so totally absent, and what is the end result of their absence for the characters who've tried to emulate them? At the end of the novel, do you think life is better for the Anglicized characters or those who view themselves purely as Indians, and why? Use examples of specific characters.

(see the answer keys)

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