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This test consists of 5 short answer questions, 10 short essay questions, and 1 (of 3) essay topics.

Short Answer Questions

1. What misunderstanding occurs between Vasu and Nataraj?

2. What starts a friendly conversation between Nataraj and the tea-shop man?

3. What new problem brought on by Vasu bothers Sastri at the press?

4. What makes Vasu change and become soft and agreeable?

5. What answer does Vasu give Nataraj about whether he found a house to live in?

Short Essay Questions

1. What does Nataraj do when he has difficulty finding a puppy for the septuagenarian's grandson? How does his own son get involved?

2. What is the financial situation between Nataraj and the adjournment lawyer?

3. How does Nataraj feel about Vasu living upstairs?

4. What goes on the front room of the shop that Nataraj runs?

5. Who does Vasu bring to the press to meet Nataraj, and what happens?

6. How does Vasu get along with the poet and Babu? Give examples.

7. What is the affair regarding the septuagenarian and a dog?

8. When Nataraj goes into the attic with Vasu, what does he see? What transpires then between Vasu and Nataraj?

9. What kind of events unfold in chapter one of "The Man-eater of Malgudi?"

10. What does Nataraj do resolve his concerns about Vasu's tenancy?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

"The universe," says Sastri, "has survived all the rakshasas that were ever born. Every demon carries within him, unknown to himself, a tiny seed of self-destruction, and goes up in thin air at the most unexpected moment."

This quote by Sastri represents a central theme of the book: the conflict of good and evil. Write an essay about the sentiment behind this quote.

Part 1. Do you agree with Sastri's sentiment? Does evil carry the seed of its own destruction?

Part 2. Cite other works, religious or fictional, that address this concept. What do they have to say?

Essay Topic 2

The elephant Kumar was a central character in the book The Man-Eater of Malgudi. Even though he was not an active character, he was one of great importance.

Part 1. Why was Kumar so important? What did he represent?

Part 2. Why did R.K. Narayan choose an elephant for the role of Kumar? Could it have been an tiger? What do elephants in general represent?

Part 3. What saved Kumar in the end? How close was Kumar to being lost? What would have been the symbolic consequences of losing Kumar?

Essay Topic 3

The Man-Eater of Malgudi is a piece of fiction that acts as a political commentary. Write an essay about artistic political commentary.

Part 1. How is the book The Man-Eater of Malgudi a political commentary? What is its message?

Part 2. What other art forms commonly act as political commentary? How?

Part 3. Cite or show another work that is also meant as a political commentary. How is it recognizable as such? What does it mean?

(see the answer keys)

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