1 Why was Nilo Cruz's father imprisoned when Nilo was a boy? For attempting to help others flee Communist Cuba For attacking a Communist in the middle of Havana For failing to show up to his work as a shoemaker Because of his resistance to Cuba's increased militarization 2 Cruz's birthplace of Matanzas is well known as a center of ___. agriculture technology sportsmanship the arts 3 An early role model and mentor for Cruz was ___. Eduardo Machado Susan Sontag Harriet Sohmers Zwerling Maria Irene Fornés 4 Anna in the Tropics was notable in winning the Pulitzer Prize for Drama, for all of the following reasons EXCEPT: Cruz was the first Latino writer to win the prize. The play was the first intertextual play to win the prize. Cruz beat out seasoned playwrights like Edward Albee to win the prize. Prior to its win, the play had never shown in New York. 5 Cruz often compares the experience of being a writer to that of being ___. a prisoner a teacher a parent an exile 6 Cruz's fascination with cigars dates back to ___. his adolescence, when he fell in love with a roller at a cigar factory his adult life, when he found out that his ancestors worked in cigar factories his childhood, when he was surrounded by the artistic and exotic imagery of cigar boxes his early adulthood, when he briefly worked as a lector at a cigar factory 7 In the context of the cigar factory, the job of the lector was ___. to cooperate with unions and represent their interests to factory owners to read the workers literature and news, to keep them abreast of world and cultural trends to make sure that worker productivity did not fall below a set point to garner support abroad for the cause of Cuban independence 8 One notable lector who fascinated Cruz was ___. José Martí Heberto Padilla Fidel Castro Alejo Carpentier 9 While writing "Anna in the Tropics," why did Cruz abandon his initial historical setting for the play? He was intimidated by the social problems that plagued the Cuban-American community of this time. He was reluctant to dishonor the historical figures who lived during this time. He worried that all of the historical data in such a play would dwarf the intimate human drama of the project. He thought that setting the play in the original timeframe would require too much research of him. 10 Why did Cruz eventually choose to set the play in 1929? It was during this period that cigar production scaled to its most immense levels in history. It was at this time that the lector tradition started to fade in favor of mechanization. It was at this time that Cuban Americans started a major push towards civil rights. This was the time period in which government policy conflicted with cigar production most strongly. 11 Cruz was originally going to have his characters read ___ instead of "Anna Karenina." Goethe's "Faust" Zola's "Nana" Hugo's "Les Miserables" Dostoyevsky's "Crime and Punishment" 12 The fact that the play opens at a cockfight is representative of what? The chicken-like attitude Santiago takes to confronting his half-brother Cheché's animalistic anger over losing his wife The excessive masculinity and machismo that define many of the play's male characters The impending fight between Santiago and Ofelia over his gambling debts 13 What is something unconventional about the hiring of Juan Julian? It was done by Santiago, rather than the workers. It was done by Ofelia, rather than Santiago. It was done by Ofelia, rather than the workers. It was done by Marela, rather than Ofelia. 14 As of Act 1, Scene 1, what do we know about the fate of the last lector who worked for the Alcalars? We know only that he "didn't last," but we only find out why later on. We know that he seduced Ofelia. We know that he got in an argument with Palomo. We know that he died of old age. 15 When Santiago runs out of money at the cockfight, how does he get more money from Cheché? He tells Cheché that he will let him marry Marela. He carves a "contract" into the sole of Cheché's shoe, promising to pay him back. He promises to give Cheché a gamecock of his own. He promises Cheché that he will fire any lectors who join the factory. 16 Why do Ofelia and Conchita chastise Marela at the harbor? She has already announced her intention to marry the lector, no matter what he looks like. She has sent for a different lector than the one desired by Ofelia. She left town to look up the lector who is about to arrive. She put Juan Julian's name in a glass of water with sugar and cinnamon, putting a kind of folk spell on him to "sweeten" his journey. 17 What do Ofelia and Conchita say happened to the local witch Rosario? After putting a curse on the local crops, her community died out in a famine. After putting a curse on the local crops, her community ostracized her and had her killed. After inadvertently killing her lover with a spell, she moved to Spain and was never seen again. After inadvertently killing her lover with a spell, she ran to the sea naked each night, possessed by a fever. 18 What is Santiago's final wager with Cheché at the cockfight? If he fails to pay Cheché back, he will give Cheché a year's worth of cigars. If he fails to pay Cheché back, he will pay for his trip to Cuba. If he fails to pay Cheché back, he will give him a large share in the factory. If he fails to pay Cheché back, he will leave town. 19 The fact that Cheché refuses to put his shoe back on is symbolic of ___. the lack of trust between Santiago and Cheché the fact that Cheché, like Cruz himself, is the son of a shoemaker the fact that Cheché is a neat freak the fact that Cheché is attempting to restrict Santiago's economic mobility 20 How does Marela embarrass herself at the harbor in front of Juan Julian? She slips and falls in the harbor. She wets herself in front of everyone. She has a wardrobe malfunction. She gets tongue-tied while talking. 21 How does Cheché act towards Juan Julian at the beginning of Act 1, Scene 2? He welcomes him to the factory with open arms. He tries and fails to relate to him. He acts coldly towards him and tries to dismiss him. He tries to intimidate him with a physical threat. 22 What is the relationship between Cheché and Santiago? They are uncle and nephew. They are half-brothers. They are cousins. They are former company mates from the war. 23 What is behind Cheché's dislike for lectors? He is from the North, where the lector tradition is frowned upon. His former wife, Mildred, ran off with the factory's last lector. He was once shot by a lector in Cuba. His mother eloped with a lector, leaving his father. 24 What does Juan Julian say when asked how he likes Tampa? He says that the weather is worse than in Cuba, but that the standard of living is much higher. He says that it is far flatter and more expansive than Cuba, and that it doesn't seem like one can hide there. He says that he thinks the city is a bit boring, but nice overall. He says that the weather is far better than in Cuba, but that the cities are far less developed. 25 According to the Alcalar women, what is the most difficult type of light to hide from or escape? The light of fires The type that reflects off of the skin Light that penetrates through cracks The light of stars
