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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 does the warden believe about Firdaus?

2. What does Firdaus do when Sheikh Mahmoud beats her?

3. How did Firdaus manage her life at the Sheikh Mahmoud and her uncle's homes?

4. Where did Bayoumi insist Firdaus sleeps in the winter?

5. Why did Firdaus' uncle not want to send her to the university?

Short Essay Questions

1. How did Sharifa Salah el Dine help Firdaus after she escaped from Bayoumi?

2. Who did Firdaus spit on and why?

3. What happened after Firdaus' graduation?

4. What happened the night Firdaus saw Miss Iqbal crying?

5. Why is El-Saadawi interested in studying prison settings?

6. How did Firdaus react after spending the night with Sheikh Mahmoud ? Why did she react this way?

7. What happened at Firdaus' graduation ceremony? Why did she freeze?

8. How did Firdaus cover up her fears as a prostitute?

9. How did El Saadawi finally meet Firdaus?

10. Why did Firdaus' uncle return Firdaus to Sheikh Mahmoud?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

How does the setting effect the reader's experience of the story? Does it matter that the story is set in another country? Describe the setting of the story and explain how it is intertwined with the plot.

Essay Topic 2

Discuss the events of Firdaus' life. How does she change from the beginning to the end of the book? Why? Do you believe Firdaus is innocent at the start of the book? Choose one other character in the book (other than El Saadawi) and explain their relationship with Firdaus.

Essay Topic 3

Define the term flashback. How does El Saadawi use flashbacks in her book? Provide two examples of flashbacks and how they help the reader relate to Firdaus.

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 694 words (approx. 3 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample