View a FREE sample

This test consists of 5 short answer questions, 10 short essay questions, and 1 (of 3) essay topics.

Short Answer Questions

1. How does Fra Antun say he was related to Arlo in Chapter 10: "The Crossroads"?

2. Who is described as helping Luka's fiancee escape to be with the man she loves instead of marrying Luka in Chapter 7: "The Butcher"?

3. What did Natalia look for but not find among her grandfather's belongings, as described in the Epilogue?

4. The abandoned village that Natalia follows the man from the crossroads to in Chapter 13: "The River" was supposedly abandoned after what war?

5. The narrator describes Darisa the Bear's father as being renowned in what profession in Chapter 9: "The Bear"?

Short Essay Questions

1. How does Natalia describe the apothecary's death in Chapter 12: "The Apothecary"? Why is this significant?

2. What led the apothecary to attempt to help the tiger's wife, according to the narrator in Chapter 12: "The Apothecary"?

3. How does Natalia describe the actions of her fellow citizens and of the zoo animals during the bombing raids in Chapter 11: "The Bombing"?

4. What is revealed of the apothecary's childhood and early adulthood in Chapter 12: "The Apothecary"?

5. What information leads Luka to return to Galina in Chapter 7: "The Butcher"? What is Luka's objective in returning?

6. Where does Natalia's grandfather describe going on the night he last met the Deathless Man in Chapter 11: "The Bombing"?

7. Who does Luka intend to marry in Chapter 7: "The Butcher"? How would you describe the basis of Luka's relationship with his fiancee?

8. What does Gavran Gaile say about the suddenness of death in Chapter 11: "The Bombing"?

9. What does Natalia anticipate happening when she keeps vigil overnight in Chapter 10: "The Crossroads"? What does she encounter at this setting?

10. What leads to Amana's illness in Chapter 7: "The Butcher"? What is done for her when she becomes ill?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Discuss the different rituals surrounding death that are explored in The Tiger’s Wife. What are the origins and history of these rituals? How do these rituals compare with the rituals of death in your own culture? What are the benefits of these rituals, as seen in the narrative?

Essay Topic 2

Discuss the character of Gavran Gaile in the narrative. What are the grandfather’s impressions of Gavran Gaile when he first meets him? What does the grandfather lose in his bet with Gavran Gaile? Why do you think Gavran Gaile reminds the grandfather of his bet but does not take The Jungle Book in their subsequent encounters?

Essay Topic 3

Discuss the setting of The Tiger’s Wife. Where is author Tea Obreht from and how is this setting reflected in the novel? Why do you think the author chose to set the story in a “fictional” Balkan country as opposed to using actual names of places? How does the author differentiate the settings of “the city” versus those of rural areas?

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 1,072 words (approx. 4 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample