Caste and Memory in Indian Literature

Description: This quiz is designed to assess your understanding of the themes, characters, and historical context of works of literature that explore the topic of caste and memory in Indian society.
Number of Questions: 15
Created by:
Tags: indian literature caste memory culture history
Attempted 0/15 Correct 0 Score 0

In the novel "Untouchable" by Mulk Raj Anand, the protagonist Bakha belongs to which caste?

  1. Brahmin

  2. Dalit

  3. Kshatriya

  4. Vaishya


Correct Option: B
Explanation:

Bakha, the protagonist of "Untouchable," is a member of the Dalit caste, which is considered the lowest in the Hindu caste system.

In the novel "The God of Small Things" by Arundhati Roy, the central conflict revolves around the forbidden love between which two characters?

  1. Estha and Rahel

  2. Estha and Ammu

  3. Rahel and Velutha

  4. Ammu and Velutha


Correct Option: D
Explanation:

The central conflict in "The God of Small Things" is the forbidden love between Ammu, a Syrian Christian woman, and Velutha, a Dalit man.

In the novel "Annihilation of Caste" by B.R. Ambedkar, the author argues that the caste system is:

  1. A social construct

  2. A religious necessity

  3. A natural order

  4. A divine creation


Correct Option: A
Explanation:

Ambedkar argues in "Annihilation of Caste" that the caste system is a social construct that has no basis in religion or divine law.

In the novel "The Caste Divide" by Isabel Wilkerson, the author explores the history of caste discrimination in which country?

  1. India

  2. United States

  3. South Africa

  4. Brazil


Correct Option: B
Explanation:

Wilkerson's "The Caste Divide" examines the history of caste discrimination in the United States, drawing parallels between the caste system in India and the racial hierarchy in America.

In the novel "A Suitable Boy" by Vikram Seth, the protagonist Lata Mehra is torn between which two suitors?

  1. Haresh Khanna and Amit Chatterji

  2. Kabir Durrani and Amit Chatterji

  3. Haresh Khanna and Kabir Durrani

  4. Amit Chatterji and Kabir Durrani


Correct Option: C
Explanation:

Lata Mehra, the protagonist of "A Suitable Boy," is torn between two suitors: Haresh Khanna, a wealthy businessman, and Kabir Durrani, a Muslim poet.

In the novel "The White Tiger" by Aravind Adiga, the protagonist Balram Halwai is a:

  1. Dalit

  2. Brahmin

  3. Kshatriya

  4. Vaishya


Correct Option: A
Explanation:

Balram Halwai, the protagonist of "The White Tiger," is a Dalit, a member of the lowest caste in the Hindu caste system.

In the novel "The Namesake" by Jhumpa Lahiri, the protagonist Gogol Ganguli struggles with his:

  1. Cultural identity

  2. Family expectations

  3. Career aspirations

  4. Romantic relationships


Correct Option: A
Explanation:

Gogol Ganguli, the protagonist of "The Namesake," struggles with his cultural identity as a Bengali-American and the expectations of his Indian immigrant parents.

In the novel "The Lowland" by Jhumpa Lahiri, the protagonist Subhash Mitra is a:

  1. Poet

  2. Scientist

  3. Journalist

  4. Politician


Correct Option: A
Explanation:

Subhash Mitra, the protagonist of "The Lowland," is a poet and political activist who is forced to flee India during the Naxalite movement.

In the novel "The Inheritance of Loss" by Kiran Desai, the protagonist Sai Parulekar is a:

  1. Judge

  2. Teacher

  3. Journalist

  4. Politician


Correct Option: A
Explanation:

Sai Parulekar, the protagonist of "The Inheritance of Loss," is a judge who is haunted by the memories of his childhood in India during the Partition.

In the novel "The Great Indian Novel" by Shashi Tharoor, the author retells the history of India through the eyes of which character?

  1. Mahatma Gandhi

  2. Jawaharlal Nehru

  3. Sardar Patel

  4. B.R. Ambedkar


Correct Option: C
Explanation:

Tharoor's "The Great Indian Novel" retells the history of India through the eyes of Sardar Patel, one of the key leaders of the Indian independence movement.

In the novel "Midnight's Children" by Salman Rushdie, the protagonist Saleem Sinai is born at the stroke of midnight on the day of India's independence. What is his special ability?

  1. Telepathy

  2. Telekinesis

  3. Clairvoyance

  4. Precognition


Correct Option: A
Explanation:

Saleem Sinai, the protagonist of "Midnight's Children," is born with the ability to communicate telepathically with other children who were born at the same time as India gained independence.

In the novel "The Satanic Verses" by Salman Rushdie, the protagonist Gibreel Farishta is a:

  1. Poet

  2. Actor

  3. Musician

  4. Journalist


Correct Option: A
Explanation:

Gibreel Farishta, the protagonist of "The Satanic Verses," is a poet and former Bollywood actor who is transformed into an angel after a plane crash.

In the novel "The Moor's Last Sigh" by Salman Rushdie, the protagonist Moraes Zogoiby is a:

  1. Painter

  2. Writer

  3. Musician

  4. Dancer


Correct Option: A
Explanation:

Moraes Zogoiby, the protagonist of "The Moor's Last Sigh," is a painter and art critic who is haunted by the memories of his childhood in Bombay.

In the novel "The Ground Beneath Her Feet" by Salman Rushdie, the protagonist Vina Apsara is a:

  1. Singer

  2. Dancer

  3. Actress

  4. Model


Correct Option: A
Explanation:

Vina Apsara, the protagonist of "The Ground Beneath Her Feet," is a singer who rises to fame in the music industry.

In the novel "Shalimar the Clown" by Salman Rushdie, the protagonist Max Ophuls is a:

  1. Journalist

  2. Politician

  3. Businessman

  4. Diplomat


Correct Option: A
Explanation:

Max Ophuls, the protagonist of "Shalimar the Clown," is a journalist who is sent to Kashmir to cover the conflict between India and Pakistan.

- Hide questions