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. Who killed Vasu and how?

2. How does Nataraj's wife feel about Rangi coming to see Nataraj at home?

3. Which of the following best characterizes the effect of the police inspector on Vasu?

4. What date do Nataraj and Sastri choose for the celebration?

5. What is the state of the arrangements the morning of the celebration?

Short Essay Questions

1. What happens between Vasu and Nataraj with Vasu's purse?

2. How does Vasu come to help with the collection of funds for the celebration? What do people say about him?

3. What incident with Nataraj happens in the crowds during the mayor's speech?

4. How did the police investigation turn out? What was the common belief about Vasu's death?

5. What does Rangi's visit to Nataraj change at Nataraj's house? How?

6. How does Sastri say that demons usually meet their demise?

7. Describe the uncomfortable interaction between Nataraj and the poet when Nataraj sees the poet passes by the fountain.

8. What is the celebration that is planned, and who is planning it?

9. How is Sen able to help Nataraj?

10. What happens when Nataraj travels to Mempi with the information about the animal hospital?

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

Rangi is a minor, but pivotal, character in The Man-Eater of Malgudi. Write an essay about Rangi.

Part 1. Who is Rangi? What might she symbolize or represent?

Part 2. Rangi exerts great personal influence wherever she goes, even though she is seen as a "lowly" character. She is also participating as a important figure in the center of the festival and the procession. Explain what R.K. Narayan means by this.

Part 3. Rangi is closest to Vasu when he dies, and has the most plausible plan of all involved to save Kumar. What does R.K. Narayan mean to tell us by this?

Essay Topic 3

The author of The Man-eater of Malgudi is a respected and prolific author. Write an essay about R.K. Narayan.

Part 1. Biography. Where did R.K. Narayan grow up and study? When did he live and what important events did he witness?

Part 2. What influence on his work did the political situation of era he lived in have?

Part 3. What others works has he produced and what recognition has he received?

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 1,010 words (approx. 4 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample