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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 drink does Elsie get drunk off of in Section 1?

2. What is the name of the first short story in the novel?

3. What is Thomas's favorite drink?

4. How much do Olivia's kidnappers want for her return at first?

5. What is Melisande holding at the end of "The Port-au-Prince Marriage Special"?

Short Essay Questions

1. What do the narrator and Babette talk about when they meet?

2. What does Dede reveal to Elsie about Blaise in "Dosas"?

3. What does the female Haitian doctor tell the narrator and Melisande?

4. What does Anika do after she learns about the earthquake in Haiti?

5. How does Nadia's mother react when Nadia calls her after learning her father is dead?

6. How does the chapter get it's name, "The Port-au-Prince Marriage Special"?

7. What events lead up to Thomas and Anika pouring water on their heads?

8. How does Nadia describe her father's wife?

9. Who is Mona and how does Elsie describe her?

10. What does Anika say initially attracted her to Thomas?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Select four characters throughout the book and explain how they are static or dynamic characters. Analyze how their changes or lack thereof impact the arc of the story.

Essay Topic 2

What are the deeper meanings of the titles that Danticat selects for her stories? Select three titles and analyze the metaphorical meaning of each.

Essay Topic 3

How is the theme of love present in all 8 of the stories in the collection?

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