English Literature Made Easy for Students

   Kanthapura Representative of Indian Villages Kanthapura is Raja Rao’s first novel written in English. In many ways, the novel is known for its merits. The novelist chooses an imaginary village ‘Kanthapura’, situated on the slopes of the Western Ghat facing the Arabian Seas. Raja Rao did not select any city for the centre of action of the novel. Rather he picked a sleeping village ‘Kanthapura’. He knew it well that most of India lived in villages in that pre-independent period. He made this village alive with the best characterisation and narrative style adopted by him. This novel can be read and understood at different angles and levels of its merits. In addition, it can be read and understood as the novel of the village Kanthapura that represents any Indian village of its times. We find Kanthapura a microcosm of Indian villages. In the very opening chapter, we have a very minute detail of its surroundings and also we have a glimpse of the whole village...

Poets & Pancakes Q1.  What does the writer mean by ‘the fiery misery of those subjected to make-up?    Ans. The makeup room had a lot of hot bulbs always burning inside and a number of mirrors to reflect the heat. It was really very difficult and miserable for the artists to sit there for make-up. There were no cooling systems in those days. So the artists had to bear all that. Q2. What is the example of national integration that the author refers to?   Ans. The members of the make-up department were from various parts of India. Anyone could be the head of the make-up room. Once there was a Bengali as the head of this department. He was succeeded by a Maharashtrian. His assistant was a Dharwar Kannadiga. So it was the best example of national integration. Q3. What work did the ‘office boy’ do in the Gemini studio? Why did he join the studios? Why was he disappointed?  Or Who was the office boy? What was his duty in the make-up department? How did he join the...