Do They Hear You When You Cry Summary

10 questions on the main ideas. Each answer comes with a short explanation.

Take it one question at a time

1. Question 1

   What was the traditional ritual Fauziya Kassindja was forced to prepare for after her father's death and arranged marriage?

   1. Suttee
   2. Kakia
   3. Foot-binding
   4. Scarification
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   B. Kakia The book explicitly states that Fauziya was told to prepare for 'kakia, the ritual also known as female genital mutilation.'

2. Question 2

   Which country did Fauziya Kassindja flee from to seek asylum?

   1. Nigeria
   2. Ghana
   3. Togo
   4. Benin
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   C. Togo The synopsis clearly states her childhood was in 'Togo, West Africa' and she fled Africa.

3. Question 3

   Who was the law student who became Fauziya's friend and advocate during her time in U.S. prisons?

   1. Karen Musalo
   2. Layli Miller Bashir
   3. Hillary Clinton
   4. Ruth Bader Ginsburg
   Show answer

   B. Layli Miller Bashir The text states: '...meeting Layli Miller Bashir, a law student who became Fauziya's friend and advocate during her horrifying sixteen months behind bars.'

4. Question 4

   How long was Fauziya Kassindja imprisoned in the U.S. before her asylum was granted?

   1. Six months
   2. Ten months
   3. Sixteen months
   4. Two years
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   C. Sixteen months The synopsis specifies 'horrifying sixteen months behind bars' referring to her imprisonment.

5. Question 5

   What significant legal precedent was set by Fauziya Kassindja's asylum case?

   1. It established the right to a public defender for all asylum seekers.
   2. It was a landmark decision in immigration history, recognizing gender-based persecution as grounds for asylum.
   3. It led to the immediate banning of female genital mutilation in all U.S. states.
   4. It allowed all undocumented immigrants to automatically gain citizenship.
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   B. It was a landmark decision in immigration history, recognizing gender-based persecution as grounds for asylum. The text describes it as a 'landmark decision in immigration history' for asylum, implying its significance in establishing new grounds, specifically related to the persecution she faced.

6. Question 6

   Who was Karen Musalo's role in Fauziya's case?

   1. She was the presiding judge in Fauziya's asylum hearing.
   2. She was Fauziya's sister who also fled Togo.
   3. She was an expert in refugee law and acting director of the American University International Human Rights Clinic, who assembled a legal team.
   4. She was a journalist who first reported Fauziya's story to the public.
   Show answer

   C. She was an expert in refugee law and acting director of the American University International Human Rights Clinic, who assembled a legal team. The synopsis clearly states that 'Layli enlisted help from Karen Musalo, an expert in refugee law and acting director of the American University International Human Rights Clinic. Musalo assembled a team to fight with her on Fauziya's behalf.'

7. Question 7

   What was the primary reason Fauziya Kassindja's childhood ended abruptly?

   1. Her family moved to a different country.
   2. She was sent away for schooling.
   3. Her beloved father's sudden death.
   4. A civil war broke out in Togo.
   Show answer

   C. Her beloved father's sudden death. The text states: '...an idyllic childhood in Togo, West Africa... ended with her beloved father's sudden death.'

8. Question 8

   The book highlights the conflict between traditional tribal practices and individual human rights. Which specific practice is at the core of this conflict in Fauziya's story?

   1. Polygamy and arranged marriage.
   2. Female genital mutilation (kakia).
   3. Exile for defying elders.
   4. Forced labor.
   Show answer

   B. Female genital mutilation (kakia). While polygamy and arranged marriage are mentioned, the central conflict and the ritual Fauziya dared to refuse, leading to her flight and asylum case, was 'kakia, the ritual also known as female genital mutilation.'

9. Question 9

   How does Fauziya Kassindja's experience in U.S. prisons complicate the narrative of seeking refuge in a 'free' country?

   1. It shows that U.S. prisons offered her better protection than she had in Togo.
   2. It highlights the irony and harsh reality that asylum seekers, fleeing persecution, can face further confinement and hardship in the country they seek safety from.
   3. It suggests that her imprisonment was a necessary step to confirm her identity.
   4. It demonstrates the efficiency of the U.S. immigration system in processing asylum claims quickly.
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   B. It highlights the irony and harsh reality that asylum seekers, fleeing persecution, can face further confinement and hardship in the country they seek safety from. The phrase 'seeking asylum in America only to be locked up in U.S. prisons, and of meeting Layli Miller Bashir... during her horrifying sixteen months behind bars' points to the unexpected and harsh reality of detention, which complicates the ideal of immediate freedom upon arrival.

10. Question 10

    What does the title 'Do They Hear You When You Cry' primarily convey about the central theme of the memoir?

    1. It refers to the literal sound of crying within the prison walls.
    2. It signifies the struggle to be heard and understood by authorities and the international community when facing persecution, especially as a voiceless individual.
    3. It is a direct quote from a judge during her asylum hearing.
    4. It relates to the lack of communication with her family back in Togo.
    Show answer

    B. It signifies the struggle to be heard and understood by authorities and the international community when facing persecution, especially as a voiceless individual. The title suggests a plea for recognition and empathy, reflecting the plight of individuals who suffer silently or whose voices are ignored by those in power, which aligns with Fauziya's struggle to have her story and fear of persecution acknowledged by the U.S. immigration system.