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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. How does Gogol feel after leaving the courthouse with a changed name?

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

3. What does Gogol decide to do a few weeks after moving away from his family and starting college?

4. What place does Ashima recall while in labor?

5. How does Ashima's family keep in touch with her after Gogol's birth?

Short Essay Questions

1. Why aren't Ashoke and Ashima concerned that they don't have a name picked out before the birth of their child?

2. What do the Gangulis do differently when naming their daughter Sonali than they did when Gogol was born?

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

4. What does Gogol do during the traditional rice ceremony when he is six months old?

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

6. What do the Ganguli family do during Ashoke's sabbatical?

7. What happens when Gogol takes an English class in high school?

8. What happens when Gogol wants to see his girlfriend, Ruth, over the Christmas holidays?

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

10. At college after changing his name, how does Gogol react to being called by his new name?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Ashoke's near-death experience is a theme of the novel. Describe this experience and how it affects his later decisions in life. Tell how those decisions affect the lives of the people close to him. Cite scenes or situations in the novel to support your answer.

Essay Topic 2

Gogol and Moushumi ended up divorcing. Tell why this happened and then follow the problems in the marriage that were there from the beginning. Be sure to include those problems that were directly related to the fact that they were both second-generation Indian immigrants. Do you think the author succeeded in separating the problems that were unique to immigrants from those that can be found in any marriage in America today? Why or why not? Cite examples to support your answer.

Essay Topic 3

Moushumi experiences much the same cultural ambivalence as Gogol. Explain why this is so and cite scenes from the book that show this ambivalence.

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