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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 kidnaps Sylvia?

2. Who is Mrs. Zulu?

3. What does Isa put on objects around her house?

4. Who is Matha's mother?

5. Who is the narrator?

Short Essay Questions

1. What happens when Sibilla leaves the house for the first time?

2. Who finds Jacob and his friends when their mothers worry that they are missing?

3. Who is Percy M. Clark?

4. Who does Isabella marry?

5. Why does Isabella reluctant to have more children after the first one?

6. Why does Edward Mukuka Nkoloso get sent to prison?

7. Why does Agnes stop playing tennis for a while?

8. Where does Adrianna take Sibilla to live?

9. What business does Isabella start with her children?

10. What does Isabella fight with her husband about after their marriage?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Write an essay in which you examine the theme of motherhood. What are the various shades of motherhood that are presented in the novel? What does motherhood entail? How do the women in the novel challenge, understand, or exceed the expectations of motherhood? Use evidence from the text to explain your thoughts.

Essay Topic 2

Write an essay in which you examine the significance of hair in the novel. Why is hair important for several characters, and across several generations? What function does hair serve in the novel, narratively and figuratively? Use evidence from the text to explain your thoughts.

Essay Topic 3

Write an essay in which you examine the theme of money in the novel. What role does money play for families across generations? Choose one or two families or individuals in the novel and explore the function and significance of money in their lives. Use evidence from the text to explain your thoughts.

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This section contains 552 words (approx. 2 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample