Q1. Who is the author of "The Man-Eater of Malgudi"?
R.K. Narayan is the author of "The Man-Eater of Malgudi"/The novel was written by R.K. Narayan.
Q2. When was the novel published?
It was published in 1961.
Q3. Who is the narrator of the story?
The story is narrated by Nataraj, the owner of a small printing press in Malgudi.
Q4. Who is the "Man-Eater" referred to in the title?
It refers to Vasu, a taxidermist, who is metaphorically compared to a man-eating tiger due to his destructive nature.
Q5. Where does Nataraj live and work?
He lives and works in a building on Market Road in the fictional town of Malgudi.
Q6. What is Vasu’s profession?
Vasu is a taxidermist who kills animals and stuffs them for a living.
Q7. Who is Sastri?
Sastri is Nataraj’s loyal employee and compositor at the printing press, representing orthodox Hindu values.
Q8. How does Vasu enter Nataraj’s life?
Vasu comes to the press to order visiting cards and forcibly occupies the attic above the press.
Q9. What separates Nataraj’s press from his house?
A blue curtain separates the printing press (public space) from his private domestic life.
Q10. Who is the poet friend of Nataraj?
His friend is simply referred to as "the poet," who is writing a biography of God Krishna in monosyllabic verse.
Q11. Who is Sen?
Sen is a journalist who often visits Nataraj’s press to criticize the government and Nehru’s policies.
Q12. Why does Nataraj tolerate Vasu initially?
Nataraj is too timid and polite to confront Vasu, who imposes his presence through physical intimidation.
Q13. What mythological figure does Sastri compare Vasu to?
Sastri compares Vasu to a "Rakshasa" (demon), specifically Bhasmasura, who destroys himself.
Q14. What nuisance does Vasu create in the attic?
He processes dead animals, causing a terrible stench of rotting flesh and chemicals to permeate the neighborhood.
Q15. Who is Kumar?
Kumar is the temple elephant brought from Mempi Hills to lead the festival procession.
Q16. Why does Nataraj bring the vet to see Kumar?
Kumar falls ill and sits down, refusing to move, threatening the schedule of the festival.
Q17. What is Vasu’s plan for the elephant Kumar?
Vasu plans to shoot Kumar during the procession so he can sell the elephant's ivory and legs.
Q18. Who reveals Vasu’s evil plan to Nataraj?
Rangi, a temple dancer who is associated with Vasu, secretly informs Nataraj of the plot.
Q19. Who is Rangi?
Rangi is a notorious woman and temple dancer whom Vasu brings to the attic, scandalizing the neighborhood.
Q20. What is the Heidelberg?
It is an old, majestic printing machine in Nataraj's press that he is very proud of.
Q21. Why does the Forestry Officer visit Nataraj?
He comes to investigate Vasu for poaching game in the Mempi Forest without a license.
Q22. How does Vasu treat Nataraj’s friends?
He bullies and mocks them, calling them fearful and useless, effectively driving them away from the press.
Q23. What legal action does Vasu take against Nataraj?
Vasu files a complaint with the Rent Controller, claiming he is a tenant and Nataraj is harassing him.
Q24. Who is Muthu?
Muthu is a tea-shop owner who helps organize the festival and asks Nataraj for help with the elephant.
Q25. What does Vasu hunt?
He hunts everything from tigers to eagles, often illegally, to taxidermy them for sale.
Q26. What does "Ahimsa" mean in the context of the novel?
It means non-violence, a principle Nataraj believes in, contrasting sharply with Vasu’s violence.
Q27. How does Vasu demonstrate his strength?
He snaps thick chains with his bare hands and breaks furniture effortlessly.
Q28. Why does Nataraj feel isolated before the festival?
Vasu’s threats make everyone suspicious of Nataraj, and his friends stop visiting him.
Q29. What happens on the night of the procession?
Nataraj sneaks into the attic to stop Vasu but finds him dead in his chair.
Q30. Who is suspected of killing Vasu?
Nataraj becomes the prime suspect, along with his friends and Rangi.
Q31. How did Vasu actually die?
He died by hitting his own forehead while trying to crush a mosquito that settled on it.
Q32. What is the irony of Vasu’s death?
A man who killed mighty tigers was ultimately killed by a tiny mosquito and his own strength.
Q33. What does Vasu’s death symbolize?
It symbolizes that evil contains the seeds of its own destruction (self-destruction).
Q34. Where did Vasu learn his skills?
He learned taxidermy and wrestling under a master (pahelwan) whom he later attacked.
Q35. Why does Sastri not worry about Vasu?
Sastri believes in the moral order of the universe and that a demon like Vasu will inevitably fall.
Q36. What is the relationship between Nataraj and Vasu?
It is a parasitic relationship where Vasu exploits Nataraj’s hospitality and inability to say "no."
Q37. What role does Mempi Forest play?
It is the source of nature and wildlife that Vasu plunders for his commercial greed.
Q38. Why does Vasu bring dead animals to the attic?
To stuff them in his "studio," turning Nataraj’s home into a slaughterhouse.
Q39. How does Vasu view marriage?
He despises it and claims only fools marry, yet he constantly pursues women like Rangi.
Q40. What happens to the printing press after Vasu’s arrival?
It stops being a peaceful gathering place for intellectuals and becomes a place of tension.
Q41. What excuse does Vasu give for staying in the attic?
He claims he will stay only until he finds a suitable house, but he never intends to leave.
Q42. How does Nataraj’s wife react to Vasu?
She is annoyed by his presence, the smell, and the women he brings, constantly scolding Nataraj.
Q43. What is the significance of the "blue curtain"?
It symbolizes the thin line between public chaos (Vasu/Market Road) and private sanctity.
Q44. Does Vasu pay rent?
No, Vasu never pays rent and instead threatens Nataraj when asked about it.
Q45. Why did Vasu participate in the Freedom Movement?
Not for patriotism, but purely to break rules and use violence against authorities.
Q46. What does the "mosquito" represent?
It represents a trivial, insignificant force of nature that can defeat human arrogance.
Q47. How is the ending of the novel traditionally Indian?
It restores order (dharma) after chaos, reaffirming the belief that evil destroys itself.
Q48. What genre does this novel belong to?
It is a comic novel with allegorical elements (referencing the Bhasmasura myth).
Q49. Why is Nataraj considered a "passive" hero?
Because he rarely takes action and allows events to happen to him rather than controlling them.
Q50. What is the final image of the novel?
Life returns to normal; Sastri and Nataraj resume work at the press as if Vasu never existed.
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