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. What goals does the talkative man have for himself and his music?

2. What time does Shanta expect to go to the movies?

3. How many times has Iswaren failed his exam?

4. Who is Ranga?

5. What is the name of the town that Velan walks to?

Short Essay Questions

1. Why is Rao so frustrated when he gets home after Shanta is sleeping?

2. What happens to Naga after the boy rescues him (after he initially abandons him)?

3. What happens with Rama Rao's suicide attempt?

4. What kind of relationship do Mohan and Selvi have?

5. Why does the cobbler refuse the gift the hippie offers as he leaves?

6. What act finally causes Swami to get caned by his teacher?

7. What does the cobra symbolize in "The Snake-Song"?

8. Why is everyone so afraid of Soma's statue of the god?

9. Why does Swami feel the need to make up such a complicated story about why he doesn't want to go to school?

10. What leads to Iswaren's death?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Choose two examples of the government and/or government programs present in "Malgudi Days." Discuss 1) what was going on in India at the time this novel takes place, and 2) how this may have affected Narayan's portrayal of the government and government programs in "Malgudi Days."

Essay Topic 2

Using direct evidence from the text, write a paper arguing that the short story "Selvi" does or does not fit in with the larger novel. Does its theme connect to the larger theme of "Malgudi Days"? Are the characters similar to other characters? Does the writing style and literary devices used reflect the rest of the text?

Essay Topic 3

Choose 3 "good" acts done by 3 different characters in "Malgudi Days." Discuss 1) what happens to each character as a result of this act and 2) what message Narayan is trying to convey through these events.

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 810 words (approx. 3 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample