B.A. 6th Semester English Honours MJC-15 Suggestion 2026 Bankura University

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BANKURA UNIVERSITY

B.A. 6th Semester Honours End-Semester Examination

ENGLISH — Core Course: MJC-15

Course Title: Science Fiction and Detective / Crime Fiction

Time: 2 Hours Full Marks: 40
* The figures in the margin indicate full marks. Candidates are required to give their answers in their own words as far as practicable.
Section - A (Unit I)
1. Answer any ONE of the following long questions (within 400-500 words): [10 × 1 = 10]
  1. Critically evaluate H.G. Wells’ The War of the Worlds as a powerful satirical response to late-Victorian British imperialist expansions and territorial aggression.
  2. How does H.G. Wells build up a sense of global biological vulnerability through the mechanical actions and absolute destructive nature of the Martian invaders?
  3. Examine the themes of bureaucratic control, individual alienation, and geographic dislocation in Manjula Padmanabhan’s science fiction short narrative "Exile".
  4. Analyze how Manjula Padmanabhan treats corporate authority and futuristic human transformations in the dystopian world of "2099".
Section - B (Unit II)
2. Answer any ONE of the following long questions (within 400-500 words): [10 × 1 = 10]
  1. Discuss Arthur Conan Doyle’s The Sign of Four as an imperialist detective novel that mirrors British cultural anxieties about colonial wealth and foreign elements entering London.
  2. Analyze how Agatha Christie uses a locked-room framework and a snowbound setting to construct an intricate puzzle in Murder on the Orient Express.
Section - C (Unit III)
3. Answer any ONE of the following long questions (within 400-500 words): [10 × 1 = 10]
  1. How does Saradindu Bandyopadhyay adapt classic western crime conventions to establish a distinctly domestic, middle-class social framework in Shajarur Kanta?
  2. Analyze the character profile and deductive methods of Byomkesh Bakshi in Shajarur Kanta. How does his approach as a "Satyanweshi" define his analytical trajectory?
Section - D (Short Answer Type - Units I & II)
4. Answer any FIVE of the following short questions from Unit I and Unit II (within 30-40 words each): [02 × 5 = 10]
  1. What biological explanation does the narrator offer for the sudden defeat of the Martians at the end of Wells' novel?
  2. Identify the significance of the "Heat-Ray" as a technological weapon used by the Martian forces.
  3. Briefly comment on the spatial isolation experienced by the main character in Manjula Padmanabhan’s "Exile".
  4. What structural change does the year "2099" denote regarding human society in Padmanabhan's narrative?
  5. Why does Mary Morstan bring a complex case to Sherlock Holmes at 221B Baker Street in The Sign of Four?
  6. Identify the relationship between Jonathan Small and the hidden Agra Treasure in Doyle's narrative.
  7. What major alibi challenge does the geographic stalling of the train present to Hercule Poirot in Murder on the Orient Express?
  8. State the symbolic significance of the twelve separate stab wounds found on Ratchett's body.
  9. Who is Thaddeus Sholto, and what specific discovery does he reveal regarding Bartholomew Sholto's death?
  10. Briefly explain the role of the narrator’s brother in illustrating the mass evacuation of London during the initial panic.
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BANKURA UNIVERSITY

B.A. 6th Semester Honours End-Semester Examination

ENGLISH — Core Course: MJC-15

Course Title: Science Fiction and Detective / Crime Fiction (Set 2)

Time: 2 Hours Full Marks: 40
* The figures in the margin indicate full marks. Candidates are required to give their answers in their own words as far as practicable.
Section - A (Unit I)
1. Answer any ONE of the following long questions (within 400-500 words): [10 × 1 = 10]
  1. Analyze the character profile and narrative function of the Artilleryman in H.G. Wells’ The War of the Worlds. How do his radical views reflect human adaptation under catastrophe?
  2. "Science fiction acts as a mirror to modern technological anxieties." Validate this statement with reference to the treatment of memory and state control in Manjula Padmanabhan’s "2099".
  3. Examine how the breakdown of institutionalized religion and mental stability is illustrated through the character of the Curate in Wells' The War of the Worlds.
  4. Explore how Manjula Padmanabhan uses the tropes of spatial imprisonment and bureaucratic dehumanization in her dystopian narrative "Exile".
Section - B (Unit II)
2. Answer any ONE of the following long questions (within 400-500 words): [10 × 1 = 10]
  1. Critically read Arthur Conan Doyle’s The Sign of Four as an analytical text exploring the contrast between Sherlock Holmes’s systematic rationality and Dr. Watson’s romantic perspectives.
  2. Trace how the hidden moral rot of the Armstrong kidnapping case serves as the foundational motive behind the collective execution plot in Agatha Christie’s Murder on the Orient Express.
Section - C (Unit III)
3. Answer any ONE of the following long questions (within 400-500 words): [10 × 1 = 10]
  1. Examine the psychological profiling of the serial killer in Saradindu Bandyopadhyay’s Shajarur Kanta. What makes the killer's selection of weapon and execution method unique to mid-20th-century urban Bengal?
  2. Analyze the structural development of the domestic plot involving the romantic triangle of Deepa, Debashis, and Surapati in The Quills of the Porcupine.
Section - D (Short Answer Type - Units I & II)
4. Answer any FIVE of the following short questions from Unit I and Unit II (within 30-40 words each): [02 × 5 = 10]
  1. What initial atmospheric sign indicates the approaching arrival of the Martian cylinders in The War of the Worlds?
  2. State the symbolic significance behind the fast-growing "Red Weed" in H.G. Wells' science fiction text.
  3. Identify the primary method of identity surveillance used in the futuristic city of Padmanabhan's "Exile".
  4. What structural choice does the elite class make regarding spatial extensions in the short story "2099"?
  5. What famous chemical solution does Sherlock Holmes inject at the beginning of The Sign of Four, and why?
  6. Briefly comment on the colonial stereotyping evident in the character description of Tonga in Doyle's text.
  7. What clue does the discovering team find on the burnt paper fragment inside Ratchett's compartment in Christie's novel?
  8. What is the actual criminal background and hidden identity of the traveler calling himself Samuel Ratchett?
  9. What written inscription or markings are found on the paper map linked to the stolen Agra Treasure?
  10. State the two alternative legal solutions proposed by Hercule Poirot to M. Bouc at the conclusion of the investigation.
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BANKURA UNIVERSITY

B.A. 6th Semester Honours End-Semester Examination

ENGLISH — Core Course: MJC-15

Course Title: Science Fiction and Detective / Crime Fiction (Set 3)

Time: 2 Hours Full Marks: 40
* The figures in the margin indicate full marks. Candidates are required to give their answers in their own words as far as practicable.
Section - A (Unit I)
1. Answer any ONE of the following long questions (within 400-500 words): [10 × 1 = 10]
  1. Evaluate the climax of H.G. Wells' The War of the Worlds. How does the abrupt biological destruction of the Martians by terrestrial bacteria undermine human scientific arrogance and pride?
  2. How does Manjula Padmanabhan combine speculative technology with acute postcolonial critique in her futuristic short story "2099"?
  3. Analyze the structural significance and thematic value of the shifting narrative perspectives used by Wells to capture the total panic and social breakdown of London.
  4. Examine the representation of environmental decay, corporate control, and identity fragmentation in Padmanabhan’s short fiction "Exile".
Section - B (Unit II)
2. Answer any ONE of the following long questions (within 400-500 words): [10 × 1 = 10]
  1. Critically analyze how the multi-ethnic identities and diverse social classes among the passengers on the trapped train are utilized to complicate the investigation in Agatha Christie's Murder on the Orient Express.
  2. Examine the colonial anxieties, racial stereotypes, and systemic greed linked to the history of "The Agra Treasure" in Arthur Conan Doyle's The Sign of Four.
Section - C (Unit III)
3. Answer any ONE of the following long questions (within 400-500 words): [10 × 1 = 10]
  1. Discuss how the urban setting of mid-20th-century Calcutta acts as an active narrative element rather than a static backdrop in Saradindu Bandyopadhyay’s Shajarur Kanta.
  2. Examine the themes of commercial greed, socio-cultural transition, and moral choices within the middle-class families portrayed in The Quills of the Porcupine.
Section - D (Short Answer Type - Units I & II)
4. Answer any FIVE of the following short questions from Unit I and Unit II (within 30-40 words each): [02 × 5 = 10]
  1. Why does the natural ecosystem of Earth prove deadly to the technically advanced Martian invaders in Wells' novel?
  2. Mention the exact roles played by the narrator's brother during the panic-stricken evacuation of London.
  3. State the central theme regarding temporal control and identity erasure found in Manjula Padmanabhan's "2099".
  4. How is individual isolation and alienation represented spatially in the short narrative "Exile"?
  5. Why does Thaddeus Sholto seek out Mary Morstan, and what unexpected news does he provide her in The Sign of Four?
  6. What specific, cryptic clue or text is found written on the paper map attached to the Agra Treasure?
  7. What is the narrative significance of the specific number of stabs (twelve wounds) discovered on Ratchett's body?
  8. Briefly describe how the sudden snowdrift changes the legal scenario for Hercule Poirot's investigation in Christie's novel.
  9. What unique habit or method does Sherlock Holmes use at 221B Baker Street to cope with the boredom of routine life?
  10. Who is Bartholomew Sholto, and what causes his tragic death in Doyle's detective fiction?
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BANKURA UNIVERSITY

B.A. 6th Semester Honours End-Semester Examination

ENGLISH — Core Course: MJC-15

Course Title: Science Fiction and Detective / Crime Fiction (Set 4)

Time: 2 Hours Full Marks: 40
* The figures in the margin indicate full marks. Candidates are required to give their answers in their own words as far as practicable.
Section - A (Unit I)
1. Answer any ONE of the following long questions (within 400-500 words): [10 × 1 = 10]
  1. Analyze the structural significance of the title of H.G. Wells’ The War of the Worlds. How does the choice of terminology highlight the vast existential conflict between planetary societies?
  2. "Dystopian literature amplifies the latent moral corruption of contemporary legal frameworks." Evaluate this statement with reference to the treatment of memory deletion protocols in Manjula Padmanabhan’s "Exile".
  3. Examine how the sensory imagery of geographical decay, industrialized landscapes, and burning suburbs enhances the atmospheric terror in Wells' The War of the Worlds.
  4. Critically read Manjula Padmanabhan’s "2099" as a sharp postcolonial critique directed against modern trends of elite corporate dominance, privatization, and environmental manipulation.
Section - B (Unit II)
2. Answer any ONE of the following long questions (within 400-500 words): [10 × 1 = 10]
  1. "In classic British detective fiction, the ultimate goal is the restoration of domestic normalcy rather than the pure moral punishment of the culprit." Debate this view with reference to Arthur Conan Doyle's The Sign of Four.
  2. Analyze the complex theme of private retribution versus structural legal authority in Agatha Christie's Murder on the Orient Express, focusing on how Hercule Poirot justifies his ultimate decision.
Section - C (Unit III)
3. Answer any ONE of the following long questions (within 400-500 words): [10 × 1 = 10]
  1. Discuss Shajarur Kanta (The Quills of the Porcupine) as a critique of industrial modernization, changing moral codes, and shifting marital expectations in mid-20th-century post-colonial Bengal.
  2. Analyze how the relationship between Byomkesh Bakshi and Ajit functions to humanize the investigator while driving forward the narrative momentum of the mystery plot.
Section - D (Short Answer Type - Units I & II)
4. Answer any FIVE of the following short questions from Unit I and Unit II (within 30-40 words each): [02 × 5 = 10]
  1. What does the tactical use of the Martian "Black Smoke" reveal about the mechanical advancement of the invaders in Wells’ novel?
  2. Briefly describe the contrasting viewpoints held by the Narrator and the Artilleryman regarding human resistance.
  3. Identify the main corporate dynamic or class stratification highlighted in Manjula Padmanabhan’s speculative text "2099".
  4. What specific form of social banishment or sensory deprivation is associated with the term "Exile" in Padmanabhan's narrative?
  5. Why does Sherlock Holmes criticize Dr. Watson's published account of their analytical cases in The Sign of Four?
  6. Identify the character of Captain Morstan and describe his historical connection to the Agra Treasure.
  7. What item or physical clue found inside Ratchett's compartment links the crime directly to the Armstrong case in Christie's novel?
  8. State the real purpose behind the specific travel itinerary chosen by Hector MacQueen on the Orient Express.
  9. What biological phenomenon explains why the natural environment of London acts as an obstacle to Martian survival?
  10. Why does Hercule Poirot describe the layout of the murder plan as an expression of a unified collective intent rather than an individual act?
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BANKURA UNIVERSITY

B.A. 6th Semester Honours End-Semester Examination

ENGLISH — Core Course: MJC-15

Course Title: Science Fiction and Detective / Crime Fiction (Set 5)

Time: 2 Hours Full Marks: 40
* The figures in the margin indicate full marks. Candidates are required to give their answers in their own words as far as practicable.
Section - A (Unit I)
1. Answer any ONE of the following long questions (within 400-500 words): [10 × 1 = 10]
  1. How does H.G. Wells handle the concept of biological Darwinism and "survival of the fittest" in The War of the Worlds by flipping the position of humans from apex predators to helpless prey?
  2. Analyze the stylistic narrative choices Manjula Padmanabhan employs to blend clinical sci-fi vocabulary with a deeply moving portrayal of psychological trauma in "Exile".
  3. Examine how The War of the Worlds serves as a historical record of late 19th-century technological transitions, highlighting the limitations of human weaponry against Martian mechanics.
  4. Discuss the underlying warnings concerning environmental exploitation, resource inequality, and elite privileges that form the thematic core of Manjula Padmanabhan's "2099".
Section - B (Unit II)
2. Answer any ONE of the following long questions (within 400-500 words): [10 × 1 = 10]
  1. Analyze how the character of Thaddeus Sholto in Arthur Conan Doyle's The Sign of Four embodies the complex intersection of aesthetics, luxury, and the moral guilt associated with stolen colonial wealth.
  2. "Hercule Poirot acts more as a moral philosopher than an agent of state law." Critically assess Poirot’s final evaluation of the crime in Agatha Christie's Murder on the Orient Express.
Section - C (Unit III)
3. Answer any ONE of the following long questions (within 400-500 words): [10 × 1 = 10]
  1. Evaluate Sreejata Guha's English translation of Saradindu Bandyopadhyay’s Shajarur Kanta. How effectively does the translation preserve the subtle domestic textures and local psychological tension of the Bengali text?
  2. Trace the steps of Byomkesh Bakshi's investigation in The Quills of the Porcupine, focusing on how he decodes the distinct logic behind a seemingly chaotic string of random street murders.
Section - D (Short Answer Type - Units I & II)
4. Answer any FIVE of the following short questions from Unit I and Unit II (within 30-40 words each): [02 × 5 = 10]
  1. What significant observation does the Narrator make regarding the physical lack of human-like emotions in Martian physiology?
  2. Why does the Narrator find himself hidden in a ruined house alongside the frantic Curate in Wells' text?
  3. State the psychological consequence of the total sensory memory erasure that the protagonist faces in "Exile".
  4. What does the term "re-location" imply regarding human value inside the corporate landscape of Manjula Padmanabhan’s "2099"?
  5. How does Dr. John Watson's romantic perspective manifest in his initial reaction to Miss Mary Morstan in The Sign of Four?
  6. Identify Major Sholto and state his specific role in the initial concealment of the Agra Treasure.
  7. What unique clue is provided by the discovery of a discarded pipe cleaner inside Ratchett's cabin in Christie's novel?
  8. Briefly comment on the significance of the Swedish lady Greta Ohlsson's emotional outburst during Poirot's interrogation.
  9. What does the ultimate collapse of the human military machine against the Martians demonstrate about human hubris in Wells' text?
  10. Why does Hercule Poirot interview the conductor Pierre Michel so thoroughly during the early stages of the Orient Express puzzle?
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BANKURA UNIVERSITY

B.A. English Honours (6th Semester) • MJC-15

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📋 Exam Pattern & Marks Distribution (Total: 40 Marks)

Question Type Syllabus Units Covered Choices Given To Attempt Marks
Long Questions Unit I (Sci-Fi Prose) 04 Questions 01 Question 1 × 10 = 10
Long Questions Unit II (British Crime Fiction) 02 Questions 01 Question 1 × 10 = 10
Long Questions Unit III (Translated Indian Crime) 02 Questions 01 Question 1 × 10 = 10
Short SAQ Questions Units I & II Only 10 Questions 05 Questions 5 × 02 = 10
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🚀 Unit I: Long Questions (10 Marks Each)

Texts: Manjula Padmanabhan ("Exile", "2099") & H.G. Wells (The War of the Worlds)

  1. Critically examine H.G. Wells’ The War of the Worlds as a scathing satire on late-Victorian British imperialism and colonial expansion.
  2. How does H.G. Wells utilize scientific realism and the "evolutionary panic" of the late 19th century to build existential terror in The War of the Worlds?
  3. Analyze the role and psychological transformation of the unnamed Narrator as he witnesses the systematically swift destruction of human society.
  4. Discuss the thematic and symbolic significance of the "Martian Tripods" and the "Red Weed" in Wells' pioneering science fiction novel.
  5. Evaluate the climax of The War of the Worlds. How does the defeat of the Martians by terrestrial bacteria critique human scientific hubris?
  6. Analyze Manjula Padmanabhan’s short story "Exile" as an architectural blueprint of dystopian isolation and bureaucratic dehumanization.
  7. How does Manjula Padmanabhan handle the concepts of temporal dislocation, technological control, and systemic memory erasure in the futuristic short story "2099"?
  8. Compare and contrast the representation of "The Alien/Other" as a tool to mirror contemporary human socio-political failures in Wells' novel and Padmanabhan's short fiction.
  9. "Science fiction is never completely about the future; it is an amplification of the anxieties of the present." Validate this statement with reference to Unit I texts.
  10. Examine how issues of corporate dominance, ecological degradation, and physical displacement run common through both "Exile" and "2099".
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🔍 Unit II: Long Questions (10 Marks Each)

Texts: Arthur Conan Doyle (The Sign of Four) & Agatha Christie (Murder on the Orient Express)

  1. Discuss Arthur Conan Doyle’s The Sign of Four as an imperialist crime narrative that reflects British anxieties regarding colonial loot, contamination, and native vengeance.
  2. Critically analyze Sherlock Holmes’s "science of deduction" in The Sign of Four. How does his structural rationality contrast with the chaotic emotionality of the plot?
  3. Examine the character of Jonathan Small. To what extent does his backstory highlight the moral murkiness and systemic greed embedded in the British rule in India?
  4. Analyze how Agatha Christie uses a closed, static setting to construct an complex locked-room puzzle in Murder on the Orient Express.
  5. Evaluate the complex moral dilemma faced by Hercule Poirot at the conclusion of Murder on the Orient Express regarding natural justice versus codified legal obligations.
  6. Compare and contrast the detective methodologies, psychological profiles, and narrative roles of Sherlock Holmes and Hercule Poirot.
  7. How does the dynamic history of the Daisy Armstrong kidnapping case act as the emotional anchor and operational driver of the plot in Christie's novel?
  8. Analyze the representation of class structures, domestic service, and multi-ethnic identities among the suspects on the trapped train in Murder on the Orient Express.
  9. Examine how "The Agra Treasure" serves as a structural plot device and a shifting symbol of corruption and tragedy in Doyle's text.
  10. "In classic detective fiction, the restoration of social order is more important than the punishment of the criminal." Argue this statement using both Unit II novels.
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🗡️ Unit III: Long Questions (10 Marks Each)

Text: Saradindu Bandyopadhyay ("Shajarur Kanta" / The Quills of the Porcupine)

  1. How does Saradindu Bandyopadhyay adapt the conventions of Western detective fiction to construct a uniquely domestic, socially grounded Bengali mystery in Shajarur Kanta?
  2. Analyze the character of Byomkesh Bakshi in Shajarur Kanta. How does his self-proclamation as a "Satyanweshi" (seeker of truth) elevate him above typical fictional detectives?
  3. Examine the psychological motivations and complex profiling of the serial killer in The Quills of the Porcupine. What makes the choice of weapon uniquely terrifying?
  4. Discuss the complex thematic exploration of unfulfilled love, marital discord, and social expectations within the Deepa-Debashis-Surapati romantic triangle.
  5. Critically evaluate how the urban space of mid-20th-century Calcutta acts as a living, breathing character rather than a mere backdrop in Shajarur Kanta.
  6. Analyze the narrative role played by Ajit as a foil, constant companion, and chronicler of Byomkesh Bakshi’s analytical genius in the novel.
  7. Trace Byomkesh Bakshi’s investigative itinerary in the novel. How does he systematically decode the cryptic pattern behind the bizarre porcupine quill murders?
  8. Discuss Shajarur Kanta as a socio-cultural critique of corporate ethics, commercial greed, and shifting moral parameters in post-colonial Bengal.
  9. Examine the structural significance of the opening murder scene in setting up the suspense and stylistic texture of the text.
  10. Analyze Sreejata Guha’s translation of the text. How effectively does it preserve the colloquial idiom, local nuances, and psychological suspense of Saradindu’s original work?
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📝 Short Answer Type Questions (02 Marks Each)

📌 From Unit I (Science Fiction Focus)

  • Why do the Martians abandon their own planet to invade Earth in H.G. Wells’ novel?
  • What is the significance of the "Heat-Ray" as a weapon of futuristic warfare?
  • Briefly comment on the behavior and mental state of the Curate in The War of the Worlds.
  • What unexpected ecological mutation is caused by the spread of the "Red Weed"?
  • How does the Artilleryman visualize the future of the human race under permanent Martian occupation?
  • Identify the central dystopian feature of the world described in Padmanabhan's "Exile".
  • What does the numerical title "2099" signify regarding corporate development and human evolution?
  • Name the two major narrative voices or perspectives used in Padmanabhan’s science fiction stories.
  • State how the natural environment of Earth proves fatal to the biologically superior Martians.
  • What role does the narrator's brother play in documenting the mass panic and evacuation of London?

📌 From Unit II (Detective Fiction Focus)

  • Why does Mary Morstan visit Sherlock Holmes at 221B Baker Street at the start of The Sign of Four?
  • Briefly explain the physiological and cultural significance of Tonga’s character sketch in Doyle's text.
  • What is the famous chemical or pharmacological substance Holmes uses to escape absolute boredom?
  • What written inscription is found on the paper map attached to the stolen Agra Treasure?
  • Who is Thaddeus Shalto, and what unexpected news does he break to Mary Morstan?
  • Identify the real identity and criminal background of the victim Samuel Ratchett in Christie's novel.
  • Why is the physical geography of the train's route critical to the alibis of the passengers in Murder on the Orient Express?
  • What clue does the burnt fragment of paper containing the name "Armstrong" offer to Hercule Poirot?
  • State the significance of the number of knife wounds discovered on Ratchett's body.
  • What are the two distinct solutions proposed by Hercule Poirot to M. Bouc and Dr. Constantine at the end?
💡 Academic Advice for Exam Success: Focus closely on mastering any two units fully to effortlessly navigate the choice blocks in the long question sections[cite: 1]!
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BANKURA UNIVERSITY

B.A. 6th Semester English Honours Examination Suggestion

Core Course: MJC-16 | Paper Type: MJC-15

Syllabus Focus: Science Fiction and Detective / Crime Fiction

Prepared by: PKG SIR | Contact/WhatsApp: 9547142653

📌 Question Pattern Blueprint

Question Type From Unit No. Total Choices Provided To Attempt Total Marks
Long Question Unit I 04 Questions 01 Question 01 x 10 = 10
Long Question Unit II 02 Questions 01 Question 01 x 10 = 10
Long Question Unit III 02 Questions 01 Question 01 x 10 = 10
Short Question Units I and II 10 Questions 05 Questions 05 x 02 = 10
Unit I: Long Questions (10 Marks)
Texts Covered: Manjula Padmanabhan ("Exile", "2099") & H.G. Wells (The War of the Worlds)
  1. Discuss H.G. Wells' The War of the Worlds as an imaginative critique of late-Victorian British imperialism and technological hubris.
  2. Examine the psychological journey and survival strategies of the unnamed Narrator in Wells' The War of the Worlds.
  3. Analyze how H.G. Wells introduces "evolutionary panic" and biological determinism through the devastating presence of the Martians.
  4. Evaluate the symbolic and narrative function of the "Red Weed" and the "Martian Tripods" within Wells' science fiction text.
  5. "The real savior of humanity in The War of the Worlds is nature, not human technology." Critically comment on the novel's resolution.
  6. Analyze Manjula Padmanabhan’s short story "Exile" as a profound study of spatial displacement, alienation, and dystopian bureaucracy.
  7. How does Padmanabhan treat corporate dominance, human commodification, and temporal shifts in the futuristic story "2099"?
  8. Explore the concept of the "Alien/Other" as a mirror to contemporary socio-ecological crises in both Wells' and Padmanabhan's writings.
  9. Discuss how both writers utilize science fiction as a critical tool to address structural weaknesses in contemporary human civilization.
  10. Critically read the narrative structures used by Padmanabhan to blend technological speculation with post-colonial concerns.
Unit II: Long Questions (10 Marks)
Texts Covered: Arthur Conan Doyle (The Sign of Four) & Agatha Christie (Murder on the Orient Express)
  1. Discuss Arthur Conan Doyle’s The Sign of Four as an imperialist crime narrative reflecting anxieties about colonial greed and domestic contamination.
  2. Analyze Sherlock Holmes’s "science of deduction" in The Sign of Four. How does his rational mind navigate the emotional chaos of the plot?
  3. Evaluate the character of Jonathan Small. To what extent does his backstory serve as a moral indictment of British military actions in India?
  4. How does Agatha Christie use the constrained, snowbound setting of a train to structure a classic locked-room mystery in Murder on the Orient Express?
  5. Analyze the moral dilemma faced by Hercule Poirot at the climax of Christie's novel regarding natural justice versus institutional legal frameworks.
  6. Compare and contrast the investigative philosophies, eccentricities, and narrative functions of Sherlock Holmes and Hercule Poirot.
  7. Examine how the legacy of the Daisy Armstrong kidnapping case acts as the hidden structural axis of Murder on the Orient Express.
  8. Discuss the representation of class divides, international backgrounds, and hidden identities among the passengers in Christie's novel.
  9. How does "The Agra Treasure" function as both a narrative plot device and a shifting symbol of moral corruption in Doyle's text?
  10. "Classic detective fiction is fundamentally about restoring social stability and moral order." Trace this theme through both Unit II texts.
Unit III: Long Questions (10 Marks)
Text Covered: Saradindu Bandyopadhyay ("Shajarur Kanta" / The Quills of the Porcupine, translated by Sreejata Guha)
  1. How does Saradindu Bandyopadhyay localized Western detective tropes to create a distinctly domestic, socially complex mystery in Shajarur Kanta?
  2. Analyze the character of Byomkesh Bakshi in Shajarur Kanta. How does his self-definition as a "Satyanweshi" (seeker of truth) differ from conventional detectives?
  3. Examine the psychological profiling and complex motives of the serial killer in The Quills of the Porcupine. What makes the choice of murder weapon uniquely significant?
  4. Discuss the thematic treatment of unfulfilled desires, marital discord, and middle-class social expectations within the Deepa-Debashis-Surapati romantic triangle.
  5. Critically examine the urban setting of mid-20th-century Calcutta. How does the city function as an active structural presence in Shajarur Kanta?
  6. Evaluate the role of Ajit as a foil, trusted sidekick, and dedicated chronicler of Byomkesh Bakshi’s analytical deductions in the text.
  7. Trace Byomkesh's analytical path in the narrative. How does he decode the cryptic pattern behind the porcupine quill killings?
  8. Discuss Shajarur Kanta as a socio-cultural commentary on modern business ethics, corporate ambition, and changing moral standards in post-colonial Bengal.
  9. Examine how the opening murder sequence sets up the psychological tension and thematic depth for the rest of the novel.
  10. Analyze Sreejata Guha’s translation. How successfully does it retain the vernacular tone, local color, and narrative suspense of Saradindu's original work?
Unit I: Short Questions (02 Marks)
  • Why do the Martians choose to abandon Mars and target Earth in Wells’ novel?
  • What features make the Martian "Heat-Ray" an effective weapon of mechanized warfare?
  • Briefly describe the deteriorating psychological condition of the Curate in The War of the Worlds.
  • What ecological impact does the unchecked growth of the "Red Weed" have on the British landscape?
  • How does the Artilleryman plan to sustain human survival under Martian colonization?
  • Identify the main feature of spatial control in Manjula Padmanabhan’s "Exile".
  • What does the temporal reference "2099" mean regarding corporate evolution in Padmanabhan's story?
  • Name two major narrative viewpoints used in Padmanabhan's speculative short stories.
  • Why did the biological environment of Earth prove fatal to the advanced Martian invaders?
  • What role does the narrator's brother play in documenting the panic and migration out of London?
Unit II: Short Questions (02 Marks)
  • What brings Mary Morstan to 221B Baker Street at the opening of The Sign of Four?
  • Briefly comment on the colonial assumptions embedded in the character sketch of Tonga in Doyle's text.
  • What specific chemical compound does Holmes use to handle periods of complete inactivity?
  • What map detail or sign identifies the location of the hidden Agra Treasure?
  • Who is Thaddeus Shalto, and what unexpected information does he share with Mary Morstan?
  • Reveal the true criminal identity and background of the victim Samuel Ratchett in Christie's novel.
  • Why is the physical delay of the Orient Express critical to the passengers' alibis?
  • What specific insight does the charred scrap of paper containing the name "Armstrong" offer to Poirot?
  • Comment on the significance of the number and placement of wounds found on Ratchett's body.
  • What are the two alternative versions of the crime presented by Hercule Poirot to the authorities at the end?
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