Previous Year Brief Questions & Answer of 20th Century Novel (2014-2020)
20th Century Novel
Exam Year : 2014
a. What object did the Belgian Trading Company collect in Congo?
Ans: Ivory.
b. What is the Nellie?
Ans: ‘The Nellie’ is the name of a cruising yawl, swung to her anchor on the bank of the Thames. It is waiting for the turn of the tide to set sail. The story of Heart of Darkness is told by Marlow and his friend (first narrator) to the persons on board the ship.
c. What is the setting of the novel A Passage to India?
Ans: The setting of Forster’s novel, A Passage to India is the imaginary city of Chandrapore, a few miles north of the Marabar hills. It is situated on the bank of the Ganges.
d. What does Richard Dalloway present as a gift to Mrs. Datloway?
Ans: Richard Dalloway presented a gift of flowers to Mrs. Dalloway.
e. Where was Kurtz buried?
Ans: Kurtz was given a burial in a muddy hole by the river.
f. What is the name of Clara’s husband? .
Ans: Baxter Dawes.
g. What is Mr. Fielding by profession? ”
Ans: Cyril Fielding is the Principal of the Govt. College in Chandrapore.
h. What was the former name of Zimbabwe?
Ans: Southern Rhodesia.
i. Why does Septimus kill himself in Mrs. Dalloway?
Ans: Septimus imagines Holmes and Dr. Bradshaw to be “human nature” coming to possess his souls, grows panic and in order to escape jumps from the window and kills himself.
j. How many children did the Morel couple have? Name them.
Ans: The Morel couple had four children – William, Paul, Anne and Arthur. re 4
k. What is imperialism?
Ans: Imperialism is a policy of extending a country’s power and influence through colonisation, use of military force, or other means.
l. How many novels in your syllabus deal with the theme of imperialism? What are those?
Ans: Three : Heart of Darkness, A Passage to India, and The Grass is Singing.
Exam Year : 2015
a. Where was the Bridge Party held?
Ans: The Bridge Party was held in the garden of the British officers’ club in Chandrapore.
b. Mention one of the major themes of Mrs. Dalloway.
Ans: One of the major themes of Mrs. Dalloway is ‘communication VS. privacy’.
c. What was Kurtz’s mission in Congo?
Ans: Kurtz was employed at the Central Station of the company. His mission was to collect ivory with the help of the native of the Congo.
d. Who is Adela Quested?
Ans: Miss Adela Quested is the young woman newly arrived along with Mrs. Moore from England, expecting to be the fiancee of Rony Heaslop, the city magistrate of Chandrapore.
e. Why does Clara love Paul?
Ans: Clara loves Paul for his quick, unexpected movements, like that of a young animal. Their union is merely physical but it is not so intense that at moments the physical itself is sublimated into the spiritual.
f. Whom did Septimus marry?
Ans: Septimus married Lucrazia.
g. How was Rhodesia divided by the British?
Ans: The British divided Rhodesia into Northern Rhodesia and Southern Rhodesia in 1911.
h. Why was the manager envious of Kurtz?
Ans: Kurtz’s abundant supply of ivory and his success as the company’s agent made the manager of the Central Station envious of him.
i. Why did Mary hate her father?
Ans: Mary hated her father for his drinking habit.
j. What does ivory stand for?
Ans: Ivory stands for the greed of the white men and also imperialism.
k. What kind of novel is Sons and Lovers?
Ans: Sons and Lovers is a semi-autobiographical novel. Paul Morel, the hero of the novel, is Lawrence himself but the resemblance between the two does not occur in every detail.
l. How does Mary face her death?
Ans: When the last night in Mary’s life appears, she is not terrified; she only wants to explain her side of the case to Moses before he kills her. But Moses puts his hand on her mouth, and stabs her.
Exam Year : 2016
a. What is the source of the title The Grass is Singing?
Ans: The title of the novel The Grass is Singing has been taken from a line in T. S. Eliot’s Waste Land, Section V “What the Thunder Said’.
b. What does the word ‘passage’ mean in the novel, A Passage to India?
Ans: The word ‘passage’ in the novel A Passage to India means journey.
c. Who is Elizabeth Dalloway?
Ans: Elizabeth Dalloway is the beloved daughter of Clarissa and Richard. She is often compared to a flower.
d. When was Doris Lessing awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature?
Ans: Doris Lessing was awarded the Nobel Prize for literature in 2007.
e. Why is Aziz arrested?
Ans: Aziz is arrested by the police inspector under the instruction from S. P. Mr. McBryde on the charge of molesting Miss Adela Quested in one of Marabar Caves.
f. What was Conrad’s original name?
Ans: Conrad’s original name was Teodor Jozef Konrad Korzen – iowskKi.
g.What is Oedipus Complex?
Ans: ‘Oedipus Complex’ is a theory built by the modern psychologist Freud on the basis of the ancient myth of Oedipus Rex. He illustrates his theory by saying that a mother’s love for her son or son’s love for his mother is fundamentally based upon the attraction between opposite sexes.
h. What does the Marabar Cave symbolise?
Ans: The Marabar Caves represents the primitive world of evil, chaos, and annihilation. It also stands for summer, for man’s intellect and also for failure in mutual friendship between the East and the West.
i. What does Ivory stand for?
Ans: Ivory stands for the greed of the white men and also imperialism.
j. What is the Nellie?
Ans: ‘The Nellie’ is the name of a cruising yawl, swung to her anchor on the bank of the Thames. It is waiting for the turn of the tide to set sail. The story of Heart of Darkness is told by Marlow and his friend (first narrator) to the persons on board the ship.
k. Where was Kurtz buried?
Ans: Kurtz was given a burial in a muddy hole by the river.
l. What is the setting of the novel A Passage to India?
Ans: The setting of Forster’s novel, A Passage to India is the imaginary city of Chandrapore, a few miles north of the Marabar hills. It is situated on the bank of the Ganges.
Exam Year – 2017
a. What was Kurtz’s mission in Congo?
Ans: Kurtz was employed at the Central Station of the company. His mission is to collect ivory with the help of the native of the Congo.
b. Why was the Bridge Party arranged?
Ans: The Bridge Party was arranged to enable Mrs. Moore and Adela Quested to meet the Indians.
c. Whom did Fielding marry?
Ans: Fielding married Stella Moore, daughter of Mrs. Moore.
d. Who are ‘The Faithless Pilgrims’?
Ans: The faithless pilgrims are some unprincipled and disloyal white ment at the Belgian Trading Company’s Central Station, who are involved in abusing the natives to satisfy their covetousness for ivory.
e. What is Arabella?
Ans: ‘Arabella’ is the name of Annie’s lovely big doll. Paul is distraught after accidentally smashing the face of the doll. To pacify the grief-stricken Annie, Paul sacrifices the broken doll, burning it up with Annie looking on in fascination. Who is Bankes? Ans. Bankes is a 60 years old botanist.
f. Who is called papier-mache Mephistopheles?
Ans: The Brickmaker of the Central Station is called papiermache Mephistopheles.
g. What was the news caption of Mary’s murder?
Ans: The news caption of Mary’s murder was “Murder Mystery’.
h.What is Bluebell?
Ans: Bluebell is the name of a flower.
i. Where did Paul join first as a clerk?
Ans: Paul joined first as a clerk at Thomas Jordan and Son’, a manufacturer of surgical appliances.
k. What is Suffragette Movement?
Ans: The Suffragette Movement is a movement to achieve the voting rights for women in the United States.
l. What kind of girl is Miriam?
Ans: Miriam is a romantic type of girl who 1s beautiful, pious and fond of romantic characters created by Walter Scott. She lives immersed in a world of fantasy.
Exam Year – 2018
a. Why did Mariow need the Brickmakers help?
Ans: Marlow needed the Brickmakers help because he required to repair his boat.
b. What do the knitting women signify to Marlow?
Ans: The two knitting women appear to Marlow as ‘Sin and Death’ guarding the ‘Gates of Hell’, similar to what we find in ‘Paradise Lost’.
c. Who is the first white man that Marlow meets at the Company’s Station?
Ans: The first white man Marlow meets at the Company’s Station is the Chief Accountant.
d. Who is Hamidullah?
Ans: Hamidullah is the Muslim barrister and uncle of Dr. Aziz, the protagonist of the novel A Passage to India.
e. How was Rhodesia divided by the British?
Ans: The British divided Rhodesia into Northern Rhodesia and Southern Rhodesia.
f. What does the word ‘Passage’ mean in the novel, A Passage to India?
Ans: The ‘Passage’ means journey in the novel A Passage to India.
g. Who is steering the boat To the Lighthouse?
Ans: Mr. Ramsay is steering the boat To the Lighthouse.
h. Who is Charles Tansley?
Ans: Charles Tansley is an atheist, a philosopher and pupil of Mr. Ramsay.
i. Who is the protagonist To the Lighthouse?
Ans: Mrs. Ramsay is the protagonist in To the Lighthouse.
j. How many children did the Morel couple have? Name them.
Ans: The Morel couple had four children – William, Paul, Anne and Arthur.
k. Wht is the difference between Clara and Mirium?
Ans: Miriam and Clara stand in sharp contrast in their attitude to life. Miriam is over possessive and Clara is just free in giving and receiving love.
l. What is Mary’s obsession?
Ans: Mary is obsessed with Moses, the native houseboy and she cannot shake off this obsession. She lives virtually a nightmarish existence in her own house.
Exam Year – 2019
a. What does the ‘Marabar Cave’ symbolize?
Ans: The Marabar Caves symbolize the venerable world of evil, mess and destruction. It also indicates for summer, for man’s intellect and also for failure in mutual friendship between the East and the West.
b. What does ivory stand for?
Ans: Ivory stands for the greed of the whitemen as well as imperialism.
c. What town do the Morels live in?
Ans: The Morels live in Bestwood town.
d. How many children do Mr. and Mrs. Ramsay have?
Ans: Mr. and Mrs. Ramsay have four sons and four daughters.
e. Why is 7o the Lighthouse called the triple-decker novel?
Ans: To the Lighthouse is called a tripple-decker novel because it is decided into three sections.
f. Who personifies the dark side of every man in The Heart of Darkness?
Ans: Kurtz personifies the dark side of every man in Heart of Darkness.
g. What does Dick try to breed other than turkey and chicken?
Ans: Dick tries to breed rabbit other than turkey and chicken.
h. How does Moses comfort Mary?
Ans: Moses comforts Mary by behaving friendly towards her.
i. Why does Clara love Paul?
Ans: Clara loves Paul for his agility. His movement is quick and unexpected, like that of a young animal.
j. What is ‘Eldorado Exploring Expedition’?
Ans: ‘Eldorado Exploring Expedition’ is a group of explorers which is secretly associated with the Manager of the Central Station of the Belgian Trading Company.
k. Why was the Bridge party arranged?
Ans: The Bridge Party was arranged to enable Mrs. Moore and Adela Quested to meet the Indians.
l. What is the Nellie?
Ans: The Nellie’ is a cruising yawl, swung to her anchor on the bank of the Thames. The yawl is waiting for the turn of the tide so that it can set sail.
Exam Year: 2020
a. What is imperialism?
Ans: Imperialism is a policy of extending a country’s power and influence through colonisation, use of military force, or other means.
b. What was Kurtz’s Mission in Congo?
Ans: Kurtz was employed at the Central Station of the Company. His mission was to collect ivory with the help of he native of the Congo.
c. Why is Aziz arrested?
Ans: Aziz is arrested by the police inspector because of molesting Miss Adela quested in one of Marabar Caves.
d. What does the word ‘Passage’ mean in the novel A Passage to India?
Ans: The word ‘passage’ in the novel A Passage to India means journey.
e. Why is not Mr. Ramsay liked by his children?
Ans: The children of Mr. Ramsay do not like him as he always makes sarcastic remarks and takes strange pleasure in disillusioning the clildren and pouring ridicule upon his wife.
f. Who is steering the boat to the Lighthouse?
Ans: James is steering the boat to the Lighthouse.
g. Who introduces Clara to Paul?
Ans: Miriam introduces Clara to Paul at the Castle gate in Nottingham city.
h. Where did Paul join first as a clerk?
Ans: Paul joined first as a clerk at “Thomas Jordan and Son’, a manufacturer of surgical appliances.
i. Why does Mary spend her savings?
Ans: Mary makes the house a bit comfortable by spending all her savings.
j. What is the source of the title The Grass is Singing?
Ans: The title of the novel The Grass is Singing has been quoted from a line in T. S. Eliot’s Waste Land, Section V. “What the Thunder Said.”
k. Why was the manager envious of Kurtz?
Ans: Kurtz’s profuse supply of ivory and his success as the agent of the company made the Manager envious of him.
l. Who takes the initiative for the tour to the Marabar Hills?
Ans: Dr. Aziz takes the initiative for the tour to the Marabar Hills.
7College – 2018
a. How is Marlow’s ship attacked by the natives?
Ans: When Marlow’s ship is about a mile and a half below Kurtz’s station, some arrows come flying about all around the passengers and the crew from the nearby forest.
b. What is Paul’s favourite subject of study?
Ans: Painting sketches is Paul’s favourite subject.
c. Why does Mary whip a native worker?
Ans: Mary whips native worker mercilessly for his silently defying her and speaking in English.
d. Who leads the ceremony of Janmasthami?
Ans: Professor Godbole leads the mysterious ceremony of Janmasthami (Sri Krishna’s birth) at the palace of Mau.
e. Who among the children is fond of Mr. Walter Morel?
Ans: Mr. Walter Morel’s only consolation is that Arthur, his youngest son, Arthur is fond of him to some extent.
f. How does Tansley insult Lily?
Ans: Tansley insults Lily by saying that women cannot write or paint.
g.Where were the Marabar hills located?
Ans: The Marabar Hills are located twenty miles away towards the south of Chandrapore.
h. What do you mean by “Hell Row”?
Ans: In the novel ‘Hell Row’ refers to the kind of dwellings which were inhabited by the miners in Eastwood.
i. Who is the murderer of Mary?
Ans: Moses is the murderer of Mary.
j. What was Kurtz’s mission in Congo?
Ans: Kurtz is initially sent to the Congo to bring back ivory for the company.
k. Where is the Bridge Party held?
Ans: In the garden of the British officer’s club in Chandrapore the Bridge Party was held.
l. What is the source of the title The Grass is Singing?
Ans: The title of the novel The Grass is Singing has been quoted from a line in T. S. Eliot’s Waste Land, Section V. “What the Thunder Said.”
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