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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 bad news does Ashima receive from her family in India soon after Gogol's birth?

2. As a young boy, how does Gogol feel about his name?

3. What terrifies Ashima about having a child?

4. What does the judge ask Gogol when he goes to court to change his name?

5. After Gogol gives his reasons for changing his name, how do his parents respond?

Short Essay Questions

1. What is Ashima doing when her water breaks?

2. What does Ashima think about while in labor?

3. How does Gogol react to the gifts he receives at his fourteenth birthday party?

4. What does Ashima think of the name Gogol that is chosen by her husband for their baby?

5. How does Gogol feel about his family during visits home from college?

6. Who befriends Ashima at the hospital and how?

7. When Gogol is six, what event changes in the Ganguli family?

8. Why don't Ashima and Ashoke have a name picked out for their baby?

9. How do Ashima and Ashoke feel about Ruth when they learn of their son's girlfriend?

10. What happens when Gogol's train coming home from college is late?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

This book is the story of the lives of the Ganguli family that are both intertwined and separate. Tell how each family member's story is affected and changed by the actions of other members of the family. Explain how these interactions changes the outcome of the story.

Essay Topic 2

The author uses the character of Gogol's sister Sonia as a counterpoint to Gogol's character. Follow the development of her character throughout the book and show how her character differed from Gogol's and what the author accomplished through Sonia's character. Cite examples from the book to support your answer.

Essay Topic 3

Gogol's resistance to Indian traditions is a theme in this novel, but several times he return to those traditions. One time is after his father's death but there are others. Cite at least three times he returned willingly to his Indian traditions and what resulted from those choices. Do you think the author's decision to keep him coming back to those traditions helped or hindered the story? Support your answer with examples from the book.

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 662 words (approx. 3 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample