Arundhati Roy Practice Questions
20 free Arundhati Roy practice questions for the English Literature. Tap an option to answer — you get instant feedback, the correct answer, and a detailed explanation for every question.
Which debut novel by Arundhati Roy won the Man Booker Prize in 1997?
- A The Ministry of Utmost Happiness
- B The God of Small Things
- C The End of Imagination
- D Walking with the Comrades
Correct answer: The God of Small Things
The God of Small Things was Roy's first novel and achieved massive international success. It explores themes of family, social obligation, and the 'Love Laws' in the state of Kerala.
In 'The God of Small Things', who are the 'two-egg twins' around whom the narrative revolves?
- A Rahel and Estha
- B Sophie Mol and Margaret
- C Ammu and Chacko
- D Mammachi and Pappachi
Correct answer: Rahel and Estha
Rahel and Estha are the fraternal twins whose childhood and adult lives form the core of the novel. The story uses a non-linear structure to examine their shared trauma and eventual reunion.
What is the primary setting for the majority of the events in 'The God of Small Things'?
- A Kochi, Kerala state
- B Ayemenem, Kerala
- C New Delhi
- D London
Correct answer: Ayemenem, Kerala
Ayemenem is the village in Kerala where the Ipe family lives and operates a pickle factory. The local landscape and the river Meenachil play a significant symbolic role in the narrative.
In Roy's first novel, what is the name of the 'Untouchable' character who has a forbidden affair with Ammu?
- A Vellya Paapen
- B Kottai
- C Velutha
- D Comrade Pillai
Correct answer: Velutha
Velutha is a skilled carpenter and a Paravan who works for the Ipe family. His tragic death highlights the brutal enforcement of caste hierarchies and social boundaries.
Which 2017 novel served as Arundhati Roy's second work of fiction, published twenty years after her debut?
- A The Cost of Living and other essays
- B Azadi: essays on freedom
- C Power Politics and Resistance
- D The Ministry of Utmost Happiness
Correct answer: The Ministry of Utmost Happiness
The Ministry of Utmost Happiness was Roy's long-awaited return to fiction. It features a sprawling cast of characters and moves between the graveyards of Delhi and the mountains of Kashmir.
Who is the protagonist of 'The Ministry of Utmost Happiness' who is a hijra (transgender woman) living in a graveyard?
- A Tilo
- B Saddam Hussain
- C Musa Yeswi
- D Anjum
Correct answer: Anjum
Anjum, born Aftab, is a central figure who establishes a sanctuary called the 'Jannat Guest House' in a Delhi cemetery. Her character explores themes of identity, marginalization, and resilience.
The second half of 'The Ministry of Utmost Happiness' focuses heavily on the political and military conflict in which region?
- A The Narmada Valley
- B Chhattisgarh
- C Punjab
- D Kashmir
Correct answer: Kashmir
The narrative shifts to the struggle for independence in Kashmir through the character of Tilo and her relationships with three men. Roy uses this to critique state power and the human cost of war.
Arundhati Roy’s non-fiction essay 'The End of Imagination' was written primarily in response to what event?
- A The 1998 Indian nuclear tests
- B The building of the Narmada Dam
- C The 9/11 attacks
- D The Gujarat Riots
Correct answer: The 1998 Indian nuclear tests
Published in 1998, the essay critiques the nuclearization of the Indian subcontinent. It marked Roy's transition into a prominent political activist and public intellectual.
Which social movement did Roy actively support, leading to her collection of essays 'The Cost of Living'?
- A The Chipko movement
- B The White Revolution in dairy farming
- C The Swadeshi Movement of 1905
- D The Narmada Bachao Andolan
Correct answer: The Narmada Bachao Andolan
Roy became a vocal opponent of the Sardar Sarovar Dam project on the Narmada River. She argued that the project displaced hundreds of thousands of tribal people without proper rehabilitation.
In 'The God of Small Things', what is the 'Paradise Pickles & Preserves' meant to symbolize in the context of the family?
- A The rapid modernization of Indian industry and trade
- B The family's deep historical connection to the British Raj
- C A symbol of the family's extreme wealth and luxury
- D The attempt to preserve and control life and social order
Correct answer: The attempt to preserve and control life and social order
The pickle factory represents the family's attempt to bottle and organize things. Metaphorically, it suggests the rigid social 'preservation' that eventually rots or leads to tragedy when the 'Love Laws' are broken.
What is the name of the 'Love Laws' frequently cited in Roy's debut novel?
- A The Ancestral Laws of Caste, Creed, and Social Religion
- B The Ancient Statutes of the Syrian Christian Church
- C The Ancient Rules and Customs of the Great House
- D The Laws that lay down who should be loved, and how
Correct answer: The Laws that lay down who should be loved, and how
The 'Love Laws' refer to the unspoken social codes that dictate who can love whom and how much. The breaking of these laws by Ammu and Velutha is the catalyst for the novel's central tragedy.
Which character in 'The Ministry of Utmost Happiness' is an architect who becomes entangled in the Kashmiri resistance?
- A S. Tilottama (Tilo)
- B Garson Hobart
- C Biplab Dasgupta
- D Nirmal Pandey, a photographer
Correct answer: S. Tilottama (Tilo)
Tilo is an architecture student who lives a nomadic and rebellious life. Her character serves as a focal point for the novel's exploration of various political struggles across India.
Arundhati Roy’s 2011 book 'Walking with the Comrades' is an account of her time spent with which group?
- A The senior leadership of the Indian National Congress party
- B Tibetan Buddhist monks living in exile in Dharamshala
- C Maoist Naxalite rebels in the forests of Chhattisgarh
- D Kashmiri separatist groups fighting in the valley
Correct answer: Maoist Naxalite rebels in the forests of Chhattisgarh
Roy trekked into the forests to meet the guerrillas fighting against the state and mining corporations. The book highlights the conflict between tribal rights and industrial development.
Before becoming a novelist, Arundhati Roy worked in the film industry. She wrote the screenplay for and acted in a low-budget 1989 film about architecture students, which won a National Film Award. What was this film called?
- A Mira Nair's Salaam Bombay!
- B Shekhar Kapur's controversial film Bandit Queen
- C In Which Annie Gives It Those Ones
- D Deepa Mehta's Water
Correct answer: In Which Annie Gives It Those Ones
This 1989 film was a low-budget project about architecture students. Roy not only wrote the screenplay but also acted in the film, which earned her a National Film Award.
In 'The God of Small Things', who is the English cousin whose accidental drowning triggers the climax of the childhood timeline?
- A Sophie Mol
- B Margaret Kochamma
- C Alice Ipe
- D Baby Kochamma
Correct answer: Sophie Mol
Sophie Mol's visit to Ayemenem and her subsequent death in the river Meenachil leads to a series of events that destroy Velutha and tear the twins apart. Her arrival represents the family's obsession with Western approval.
Which literary technique is most prominent in Roy's 'The God of Small Things'?
- A Epistolary narrative
- B First-person plural (we) narration
- C Non-linear, fragmented timeline
- D Strict chronological realism
Correct answer: Non-linear, fragmented timeline
The novel moves back and forth between 1969 and 1993. This structure emphasizes how the past is inextricably linked to the present and how small events have massive long-term consequences.
What award was Arundhati Roy granted in 2004 for her commitment to non-violence and social justice (though she initially declined the cash prize)?
- A The Sydney Peace Prize
- B The Nobel Peace Prize
- C The Sahitya Akademi Award
- D The Ramon Magsaysay Award
Correct answer: The Sydney Peace Prize
Roy was awarded the Sydney Peace Prize for her work in social campaigns and her advocacy for human rights. She has a history of declining state and mainstream awards to maintain her independent political stance.
In 'The Ministry of Utmost Happiness', the character 'Saddam Hussain' adopts this name because of:
- A A video of the leader's execution moved him
- B His personal admiration for the Iraqi leader's politics
- C It was his given family name from birth
- D He once worked as a double for the leader in a film
Correct answer: A video of the leader's execution moved him
Formerly a Dalit named Dayachand, he changes his name after witnessing the dignity of Saddam Hussain during his execution. He works as a security guard and later joins Anjum's guest house.
Arundhati Roy’s non-fiction collection 'Azadi' (2020) primarily explores the meaning of which concept?
- A Freedom in a world of rising authoritarianism
- B Globalization and its effects on trade and culture
- C The history of the Salt March in India
- D The architecture and design of modern global cities
Correct answer: Freedom in a world of rising authoritarianism
The title 'Azadi' means 'Freedom' in Urdu. The essays reflect on the pandemic, the situation in Kashmir, and the role of the writer in a world where language is being manipulated.
Which character in 'The God of Small Things' is the grand-aunt who becomes the primary antagonist and orchestrates Velutha's downfall?
- A Mammachi
- B Ammu
- C Baby Kochamma
- D Margaret Kochamma
Correct answer: Baby Kochamma
Baby Kochamma is a bitter and manipulative character who lies to the police to save the family's reputation. Her actions lead directly to the police brutality against Velutha and Estha's silence.