1. When she is about to stay overnight in the haunted room at school, what does the narrator's mother tell the other girls at medical school to do if they find her very afraid in the morning?

2. What are some of the "battles" the narrator feels she must face as a woman warrior in modern society? Name at least two.

3. How the narrator feels about the quiet girl at school?

4. Describe the events leading up to the narrator's mother's decision to become a doctor.

5. What do Brave Orchid's daughters learn from watching what happens between Moon Orchid and her husband?

6. In "White Tigers," who does the woman feel is riding with her while she is with her army?

7. According to Moon Orchid, which of Brave Orchid's children are happy?

8. Why do you think the narrator feels that her American success is sometimes useless? Give an example to support your position.

9. How does the title of the section, "Shaman," relate to the stories told in the section?

10. What is the reason the narrator's family tells ghost stories when the laundry gets too hot?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

This novel has several autobiographical elements, but we never learn if the narrator and the author are the same person.

Part 1) After learning about autobiographies in class, do you view this novel as an autobiography? Explain why or why not using at least three examples from the text to support your position.

Part 2) Do you think the author and the narrator are the same? Explain why or why not.

Essay Topic 2

A significant portion of this novel deals with storytelling and ghost stories, many of which are told by the narrator's mother. Choose and answer two of the following questions.

1) Do you think the narrator's mother's stories are mostly true? Explain why or why not using specific examples.

2) Why does the narrator's mother tell these stories? Do you think she achieves her purpose in telling them?

3) Which of these stories is your favorite? Explain why or why not. The story you choose must be one the narrator's mother tells, and must not be one you use to answer the other question you choose.