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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. Why does Joseph tell U.S. immigration officials he is requesting asylum?

2. Where does Joseph stay when he first flees his house in October 2004?

3. Why does Joseph come to New York in the summer of 1983?

4. When did Haitians begin arriving in Florida in large numbers by boat?

5. Who is the neighbor that Joseph hears was thrown off the roof for trying to save the church's generator from thieves?

Short Essay Questions

1. How does Danticat's brother Karl react to her when she first arrives in New York?

2. How does Joseph eventually convince Maxo to leave the house under cover of darkness in October 2004?

3. When Joseph visits New York in 1983, what life-changing device does he receive from the hospital?

4. How does Marie Micheline die?

5. What factor about Danticat's pregnancy causes her some anxiety?

6. What does Danticat's father say when, as a child, she asks him what he would like to do if he could do something other than his actual job?

7. What does Danticat's father have to say about having an only child?

8. Why does Danticat suspect her brother Bob asks for seconds of dinner on their first night in New York back with their parents?

9. What story about Marie Micheline does Danticat tell her Uncle Joseph the night of Marie Micheline's funeral?

10. What does Danticat's brother Bob tell their other brothers Kelly and Karl on their first night in New York all together?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Why does Danticat's Uncle Joseph turn to religion? By the end of the book, does Joseph seem to have found the meaning he was searching for in his religious work? Write an essay explaining your answer.

Essay Topic 2

Write an essay analyzing some of the factors that Danticat explains went awry that led to her Uncle Joseph being detained by the U.S. Customs and Border Patrol in 2004. How does Danticat feel about the events of that time period in the United States that ultimately led to Joseph's death?

Essay Topic 3

At several points in the book, traditional Haitian food is brought out to provide comfort and security. Write an essay exploring the importance of traditional dishes, cooking, and Haitian food to Danticat and her family.

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