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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 does Nataraj admire about Vasu even when they are no longer friends?

2. What does the old Moslem tell Nataraj about his paper?

3. In chapter one, what part of the life Nataraj lives do we see?

4. How does Nataraj return to Malgudi from Mempi?

5. How does Nataraj feel about having the taxidermy business upstairs?

Short Essay Questions

1. What does Vasu receive in the mail from the forestry department, and what is his reaction to it?

2. Describe the business that Nataraj runs.

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

4. How does the business transaction unfold between Nataraj and Vasu?

5. Where does Nataraj seek help in resolving his legal affairs?

6. How does Vasu respond to Nataraj's first efforts to remove him from the attic?

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

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

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

10. What does Nataraj fear that Vasu will do in order to retaliate regarding the forestry officer and what does he do about it?

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 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?

Essay Topic 3

At the end of the book The Man-eater of Malgudi, the townspeople assume that Nataraj has murdered Vasu. Write an essay about this topic.

Part 1. Why do the people assume Nataraj has murdered Vasu? What is the historical statement that R.K. Narayan is trying to make?

Part 2. How does Nataraj feel about being accused of the murder? What does he do to establish his innocence?

Part 3. If Vasu had been alive when Nataraj went up to his room to save Kumar during the procession, do you think Nataraj would have succeeded? What would the outcome of that show down have been?

Part 4. How does the accusation of murder affect Nataraj after the affair is over? What are the long term consequences for him?

(see the answer keys)

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