FIRST PART
Directions: Define ten of the following terms in a solid paragraph of three to five sentences each, discussing the significance of the characters, elements, and/or objects succinctly and thoroughly, explaining the relevance to the novel, and the development of the plot. Quoted material from the book should be properly cited, including page numbers in parentheses. Summarized and paraphrased materials should also be marked with parenthetical citations. Please indicate clearly the questions you are answering.
1. Chinatown
2. 108 outlaws
3. Larry Louie
4. Tai Chi
5. Mr. Meanwright
6. P-26A
7. Kwan Kung
8. Eight Irishmen
9. Fred Astaire
10. Kingdoms rise and fall, Nations come and go
11. Fifty-pound sack of rice
12. Mr. Durant
13. Lay see
SECOND PART
Write one essay of at least five paragraphs based on one of the six questions below, with a solid thesis statement and concrete support from the novel. Each paragraph should have a clear topic sentence and develop sub-points of the thesis. Quoted material from the book should be properly cited, including page numbers in parentheses. Summarized and paraphrased materials should also be marked with parenthetical citations. Please clearly indicate which question you are answering.
1. Who is Fred Astaire, and what is his relationship with the protagonist? How does Fred Astaire become another character in the novel to whom the protagonist and the other characters relate?
2. The setting is clear from the beginning, taking place in Chinatown in San Francisco. What kind of community, or lack of it, is depicted in each chapter? How does the image of Chinatown, which also can be seen as another character in the novel, change, and develop?
3. The building of the Union Pacific Railroad by the Chinese and Irish recurs in the novel. How do characters such a Donald Duk, his teacher, and the mysterious girl relate to the historical fact that the Chinese were erased from history?
4. Dreams are a major theme for Donald Duk who cannot seem to control and manage his dream life. Of what does Donald Duk dream? How do his dreams reveal problems or issues that he is struggling with in real life?
5. Chinese New Year is a main event in the plot of the novel. How do the characters celebrate this holiday, and how does the event mark a crisis in Donald Duk’s identity, as he turns twelve years old?
6. The novel ends with “Kingdoms rise and fall, Nations come and go, and food” (172). Explain the significance.