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Mukherjee/Two Ways to Belong in America

analyze the rhetorical strategies she uses to draw her comparison and then to generalize it beyond her immediate experience.

2. Argument. MukheIjee, who was born in India, contrasts her experience as an immigrant who became an American citizen with that of her sister, who chose to live in the United States for over thirty years without becoming a citizen. Mukherjee wrote: "The price that the im­migrant willingly pays, and that the exile avoids, is the trauma of self-transformation" (para­graph 15). Write an essay in which you defend, challenge, or qualify this statement. Support your viewpoint from your experience, observation, or reading.

MULTIPLE-CHOICE QUESTIONS

These multiple-choice questions refer to the entire essay.

1. Which of the following does Mukherjee 4. When Mukherjee says that she celebrates use in the essay? "mongrelization" (paragraph 5), she sug-

I. analogy gests that she II. personal experience a. is tolerant of different races

III. factual data b. believes that strength comes from dif-a. I only ference b. II only c. hopes her sister will change her per-c. II and III only spective d. I and II only d. does not believe in assimilation e. I, II, and III e. values the community over individuals

2. MukheIjee draws each of the following 5. Paragraph 7 includes examples of each of comparisons between her sister and her- the following EXCEPT

self EXCEPT a. simile a. their attitudes toward citizenship b. parallel structure b. the men they marry c. contrast c. the professions they've chosen d. paradox d. their political preferences e. periodic sentence e. where they have lived

6. Mukherjee's attitude toward her sister in 3. In paragraphs 2-6, MukheIjee uses which this essay is best described as

of the following organizational patterns? a. disapproving but affectionate I. chronology b. objective and understanding

II. cause and effect c. condescending but loving III. definition d. angry and sarcastic

a. I only e. ambivalent but respectful b. I and II only 7. Mukherjee's tone at the conclusion of the c. II and III only essay is d. III only nostalgic

I, II, and III a.

e. b. angry c. reflective d. assertive e. ironic

SUGGESTED WRITING ASSIGNMENTS

1. This essay includes a number of loaded terms to refer to people who move from one country to another. Write an essay exploring the denotative and connotative difference among these terms, including "aliens," "exiles," "expatriates," "foreigners," and "immigrants."

2. Which sister's position do you agree with? Imagine that you had chosen to live in another country for at least a decade, perhaps to study, perhaps to work. Would you want to become a citizen? Write an essay explaining your choice.

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Part l: Multiple-Choice Questions 143

Reading 35-Laura Bohannon

Number of questions: 14. Carefully read the following excerpt from "Shakespeare in theBush: An American Anthropologist Set Out to Study the Tiv of West Africa and WasTaught the True Meaning of Hamle( by Laura Bohannon before choosing your answers.

Storytelling is a skilled art among [the Tiv]; their standardsare high, and the audiences critical-and vocal in theircriticism. . . . This morning they wanted to hear a storywhile they drank. . . . Realizing that here was my chance toprove Hamlet universally intelligible, I agreed. . . .

I began in the proper style, "Not yesterday, notyesterday, but long ago, a thing occurred. One night threemen were keeping watch outside the homestead of thegrreat chiet, when suddenly they saw the former chiefapproach them."

Why was he no longer their chiefl""He was dead," I explained, "That is why they were

troubled and afraid when they saw him.""Impossible," began one of the elders, handing his pipe

on to his neighbor, who interrupted, "Of course it wasn'tthe dead chief. It was an omen sent by a witch. Go on."

Slightly shaken, I continued. "One of these three was aman who knew things"-the closest translation for scholar,but unfortunately it also meant witch. The second elderlooked triumphantly at the first. "So he spoke to the deadchief saying, 'Tell us what we must do so you may rest inyour grave,' but the dead chief did not answer. Hevanished, and they could see him no more. Then the manwho knew things-his name was Horatio-said this eventwas the affair of the dead chiefs son, Hamlet."

There was a general shaking of heads round the circle."Had the dead chief no living brothers? Or was this son thechief?"

No," I replied. "That is, he had one living brother whobecame the chief when the elder brother died."

The old men muttered: such omens were mafiers forchiefs and elders, not for youngsters; no good could comeof going behind a chiefs back; clearly Horatio was not aman who knew things.

Yes, he \Ay'as," I insisted. . . . "In our country the son isnext to the father. The dead chiefs younger brother hadbecome the great chief. He had also married his elderbrother's widow only about a month after the funeral."

He did well," the old man beamed and announced tothe others. . . . "In our country also," he added to me, "theyounger brother marries the elder brother's widow andbecomes the father of his children. . . . Did Hamlet's fatherand uncle have one mother?"

His question barely penetrated my min{ I was tooupset and thrown too far off balance by having one of themost important elements of Hamlet knocked straight out ofthepicture....

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1M Classroom Practice Exercises

The narrator in this piece does all of the following EXCEPT(A) appeal to her audience by using native vernacular.(B) appease her audience by assimilating their interpretations into

her storytelling.(C) remain steadfast in her culture's interpretation to avoid

confusion.(D) react in an erudite fashion by conjoining the two contrasting

cultures.(E) relish the opportunity to prove the universality of Hamlefs

appeal.

The author's tone is(A) demanding.(B) condescending.(C) scholarly.(D) tolerant.(E) disdainful.

To convey ideas, the structure of this piece depends heavily on(A) dialogue.(B) flashback.(C) narration.(D) humor.(E) irony.

The purpose of this structure is to(A) convey the frustration of the narrator as she attempts to tell a

story.(B) reiterate the narrative qualities employed by the Tiv.(C) provide consistency in relating the sequence of events in

Hamlet.(D) express the natural conversational interplay necessary to

convey and understand Hamlef in a foreign culture.(E) entice the reader into accepting the ideas of the narrator's

audience.

"Not yesterday, not yesterday, but long ago, athing occurred',0ines 6-7) illustrates the rhetorical device of(A) parallelism.(B) paradox.(C) repetition.(D) apostrophe.(E) alliteration.

"A man who knew things" (lines 17-18) refers to(A) tne ghost of the "dead chief."(B) Horatio, the scholar.(C) the elder who clarifies elements of the story.(D) Hamlet, the son of the "dead chief."(E) the witch who sends the "omen."

7.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

B.

9.

Part l: Multiple-Choice Questions 145

The use of the word "omen" (line 16) refers to(A) portents of evil.(B) evil spells concocted by a witch.(C) a prophecy.(D) foreshadowing of negative events.(E) predictions.

A shift in the narrator's confidence occurs with the line(A) "I began in the proper style . . ." fline 6).(B) "'He was dea4'I explained." 0ine 12).(C) "Slightly shaken, I continued." (line 17).(D) "'Yes, he was,'I insisted." (Iine 35).(E) "His question barely penetrated my mind." (Iine 44).

The first "error" the Tiv find in the tale of Hamlet is the(A) use of the word "chief'for king.(B) concept of the dead chief appearing.(C) idea of Horatio being a "scholar."(D) interpretation of the king's brother marrying his sister-in-law.(E) tradition of a funeral.

10. The elders'constant correction ofthe narrator's tale reveals theculture's belief that(A) a story like Ham,let is not plausible.(B) ttre namator's assumption about the universality of Hamlet is

correct.every event is open to interpretation and experience.this society's elders know what is best and true.one person's belief is not better than the beliefs of an entireculture.

11. The belief of the narrator that certain truths remain the sameregardless of time or location exemplifies the(A) fallacy of flawed notions.(B) ethos of Shakespeare's Hamlet.(C) sophistication necessary for an erudite understanding of

Hamlet.(D) essential skills involved in narration.(E) universality of Shakespeare.

12. The use of the word "muttered" (line 31) to describe the old men'sreaction to the omen(A) highlights the confusion of the men as they attempt to

understand these foreigrn concepts.(B) infers the fear the men feel at the intrusion of contradictory

beliefs.(C) highlights the pathos of the elders as they commiserate with

the brother of the "dead chief."(D) highlights the discordant interpretations of the various elders.(E) highlights the discontent of the elders as they attempt to clarif,i

matters for the narrator.

(c)(D)(E)

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146 Classroom practice Exercises

13. The overall tone of the piece is(A) serious.(B) dissonant.(C) whimsical.(D) ironic.(E) earnest.

,*. H:"H;?:Hdffilo" at leviry are apparent in au of the fouowins

^ oil::[}:rdav' not vesterdav, but long aeo, a thing occu*ed.,,

(B) "[N]o good coulcl-come of going behind a chiefs back; clearlyHoratio was not a man wtri tnEw tfrings.,, (lines 32_34).(C) "'One of these three was a ;;;;" knew things,_the closesttranslation for schorar, but unfortunatery it arso meant witch.,,0ines 18-20).(D) "'He did well,, the old man beamed and announced to the__- others.,, 0ines 3g_40).(E) "of

io.uil:j:ltriliirre aeaa chief. rt was an omen sent by a