5. What surprises and confuses Koly on her ride with the benefactor of the widow's home the day after that lady comments on her good embroidery skills?

Short Essay Questions

1. Explain why Sass sells her house.

2. Describe Koly's introduction to Maa Kamala's home.

3. Explain Sassur's feelings regarding computers.

4. Describe how Koly's feelings of loneliness change after moving in to Maa Kamala's.

5. Describe Koly's financial situation in Chapter 8.

6. Describe Koly and Sass's first interaction with the rickshaw driver.

7. How and why does Koly try to please Sass after Chandra is gone?

8. What happens when Koly cannot find Sass at the temple after taking the 50 rupees to buy lunch?

9. How does the rickshaw driver help Koly in Chapter 8?

10. Describe Raji's plans for the future as he describes them to Koly in Chapter 9.

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

The metaphor of Koly as a homeless bird has significance in many places of the story. Choose one of the options below to write about.

1) Analyze the use of animals in the novel to symbolize Koly's plight, to ease her loneliness, and to serve other purposes.

2) Choose two other characters and use a metaphor to describe their situations in the story. Use examples to explain your choices.

3) Describe how Koly's journey towards freedom required her to break out of many cages.

Essay Topic 2

Sass is depicted as the epitome of an evil mother-in-law, while Sassur seems to be the stereotypical weak husband who lets his wife make all the decisions.

1) What would happen differently in the story if Sass was kind and yielding, and Sassur bitter and resentful toward Koly?

2) What positive outcomes are there for Koly that stem from negative events between her and Sass? Be specific.

3) Sass and Koly end up in the same position, as widows, yet Sass does not seem to soften her heart to Koly at all. Does Sass deserve to end up in this position? What do you predict lies in her future?