Arundhati Roy – “The God of Small Things” – Exam Based MCQs
1. “The God of Small Things” is written by: (UGC NET 2018; SET 2020; PGTRB 2022)
A) Anita Desai
B) Arundhati Roy
C) Kiran Desai
D) Shashi Deshpande
Ans: B) Arundhati Roy
2. “The God of Small Things” won the ______ Prize in 1997. (UGC NET 2019; SET 2021; PGTRB 2022)
A) Pulitzer
B) Booker
C) Nobel
D) Sahitya Akademi
Ans: B) Booker
3. The novel is mainly set in: (SET 2019; PGTRB 2021)
A) Ayemenem, Kerala
B) Delhi
C) London
D) Mumbai
Ans: A) Ayemenem, Kerala
4. The twin central characters of the novel are: (UGC NET 2017; SET 2018; PGTRB 2020)
A) Estha and Rahel
B) Munoo and Bakha
C) Ravi and Nalini
D) Velutha and Ammu
Ans: A) Estha and Rahel
5. “The God of Small Things” primarily deals with themes of: (SET 2020; PGTRB 2022)
A) Love, caste, and social oppression
B) Mythological wars
C) Royal court life
D) Romantic pastoral life
Ans: A) Love, caste, and social oppression
6. Velutha in the novel belongs to the: (UGC NET 2016; SET 2019; PGTRB 2021)
A) Upper caste
B) Paravan (Untouchable) community
C) Royal family
D) Foreign community
Ans: B) Paravan (Untouchable) community
7. Ammu is the mother of: (UGC NET 2018; SET 2020; PGTRB 2022)
A) Estha and Rahel
B) Sophie Mol
C) Baby Kochamma
D) Margaret Kochamma
Ans: A) Estha and Rahel
8. Sophie Mol is: (SET 2018; PGTRB 2020)
A) The English cousin of the twins
B) Ammu’s sister
C) Velutha’s daughter
D) Baby Kochamma’s niece
Ans: A) The English cousin of the twins
9. The narrative structure of the novel is known for being: (UGC NET 2017; SET 2019)
A) Linear and chronological
B) Non-linear and fragmented
C) Written only as letters
D) Purely epistolary
Ans: B) Non-linear and fragmented
10. The novel critiques the “Love Laws” which determine: (SET 2020; PGTRB 2022)
A) Who should be loved, and how, and how much
B) How kings should rule
C) How wars should be fought
D) How poems should be written
Ans: A) Who should be loved, and how, and how much
11. The river associated strongly with the novel’s setting is: (UGC NET 2019; SET 2021)
A) Meenachal River
B) Ganga
C) Yamuna
D) Narmada
Ans: A) Meenachal River
12. Baby Kochamma is best described as: (SET 2019; PGTRB 2022)
A) Ammu’s aunt, controlling and manipulative
B) Ammu’s sister
C) Ammu’s daughter
D) A foreign visitor
Ans: A) Ammu’s aunt, controlling and manipulative
13. The novel is noted for its use of: (UGC NET 2018; SET 2020)
A) Playful language and word formation
B) Strict classical diction only
C) Purely scientific vocabulary
D) Medieval archaic language
Ans: A) Playful language and word formation
14. Ammu’s forbidden relationship is with: (UGC NET 2017; SET 2019; PGTRB 2021)
A) Velutha
B) Chacko
C) Pappachi
D) Comrade Pillai
Ans: A) Velutha
15. The political background in the novel includes: (SET 2020; PGTRB 2022)
A) Communist politics in Kerala
B) Tudor monarchy
C) French Revolution
D) American Civil War
Ans: A) Communist politics in Kerala
16. Chacko is: (UGC NET 2016; SET 2018; PGTRB 2020)
A) Ammu’s brother
B) Ammu’s husband
C) Velutha’s brother
D) Estha’s father
Ans: A) Ammu’s brother
17. The “History House” in the novel symbolizes: (UGC NET 2019; SET 2021)
A) Colonial history and haunting memory
B) Pure romance
C) Mythic paradise
D) Royal palace
Ans: A) Colonial history and haunting memory
18. The tragic death in the novel is of: (SET 2019; PGTRB 2021)
A) Sophie Mol
B) Baby Kochamma
C) Margaret Kochamma
D) Rahel
Ans: A) Sophie Mol
19. The twins are separated mainly because of: (UGC NET 2018; SET 2020; PGTRB 2022)
A) The trauma and family punishment after the tragedy
B) A royal command
C) A war order
D) A business plan
Ans: A) The trauma and family punishment after the tragedy
20. The novel’s dominant narrative technique is: (SET 2018; PGTRB 2020)
A) Non-linear time shifts
B) Pure stream-of-consciousness only
C) Strictly chronological narration
D) Dramatic monologue only
Ans: A) Non-linear time shifts
21. The “Love Laws” concept is used to critique: (UGC NET 2017; SET 2019)
A) Caste/class restrictions on relationships
B) Medieval chivalry
C) Metaphysical wit
D) Romantic idealism
Ans: A) Caste/class restrictions on relationships
22. The novel is an important work in: (SET 2020; PGTRB 2022)
A) Postcolonial Indian English fiction
B) Old English poetry
C) Renaissance drama
D) Victorian romance
Ans: A) Postcolonial Indian English fiction
23. The “pickle factory” is associated with: (UGC NET 2019; SET 2021; PGTRB 2022)
A) The Ipe family business
B) A royal industry
C) A foreign company
D) A war factory
Ans: A) The Ipe family business
24. “The God of Small Things” is best described as: (UGC NET 2020; SET 2021; PGTRB 2022)
A) A postcolonial novel blending politics, memory, and social critique
B) A medieval romance
C) A metaphysical poem
D) An Elizabethan drama
Ans: A) A postcolonial novel blending politics, memory, and social critique
25. The novel’s language is often noted for: (SET 2019; PGTRB 2021)
A) Innovation, repetition, and wordplay
B) Only classical Latin phrases
C) Strict archaic diction
D) Scientific technical writing
Ans: A) Innovation, repetition, and wordplay
26. The novel strongly explores: (UGC NET 2018; SET 2020)
A) Memory, trauma, and social oppression
B) Courtly love only
C) Mythic heroism
D) Pastoral joy
Ans: A) Memory, trauma, and social oppression
27. The forbidden love in the novel triggers: (UGC NET 2017; SET 2019; PGTRB 2021)
A) Tragedy shaped by caste/class boundaries
B) Royal succession
C) Mythic war
D) Comic resolution
Ans: A) Tragedy shaped by caste/class boundaries
28. The novel can be categorized under: (SET 2020; PGTRB 2022)
A) Postcolonial literature
B) Old English heroic epic
C) Restoration comedy
D) Metaphysical poetry
Ans: A) Postcolonial literature
29. The “small things” in the title suggests focus on: (UGC NET 2019; SET 2021)
A) Minor events and private lives shaping big tragedies
B) Only royal affairs
C) Only political speeches
D) Only mythic battles
Ans: A) Minor events and private lives shaping big tragedies
30. Arundhati Roy is also known as: (SET 2019; PGTRB 2022)
A) Novelist and political essayist/activist
B) Metaphysical poet
C) Victorian dramatist
D) Old English epic poet
Ans: A) Novelist and political essayist/activist
31. The novel critiques social structures like: (UGC NET 2018; SET 2020; PGTRB 2022)
A) Caste hierarchy and patriarchy
B) Medieval feudalism in Europe only
C) Greek mythology
D) Renaissance art
Ans: A) Caste hierarchy and patriarchy
32. The novel’s tone is often: (SET 2018; PGTRB 2020)
A) Tragic and ironic
B) Purely comic
C) Purely celebratory
D) Purely mythical
Ans: A) Tragic and ironic
33. The novel is significant in Indian English literature for: (UGC NET 2017; SET 2019)
A) Its award, style, and strong social critique
B) Its medieval setting
C) Its metaphysical conceits
D) Its pastoral romance
Ans: A) Its award, style, and strong social critique
34. The novel “The God of Small Things” is published in: (SET 2021; PGTRB 2022)
A) 1997
B) 1951
C) 1936
D) 2005
Ans: A) 1997
35. The novel’s structure is best described as: (UGC NET 2019; SET 2021; PGTRB 2022)
A) Non-linear with flashbacks/flashforwards
B) Strictly chronological
C) Only diary entries
D) Only letters
Ans: A) Non-linear with flashbacks/flashforwards
36. The novel is often studied under: (SET 2020; PGTRB 2022)
A) Postcolonial studies
B) Old English studies
C) Renaissance drama
D) Medieval epic
Ans: A) Postcolonial studies
37. The novel’s portrayal of Velutha highlights: (UGC NET 2018; SET 2020)
A) Caste oppression
B) Royal privilege
C) Mythic power
D) Pastoral joy
Ans: A) Caste oppression
38. “The God of Small Things” is best classified as: (UGC NET 2020; SET 2021; PGTRB 2022)
A) A postcolonial Indian English novel
B) A Victorian romance
C) A metaphysical poem
D) An Elizabethan tragedy
Ans: A) A postcolonial Indian English novel
39. The novel’s concern with “Big Things” vs “Small Things” suggests: (SET 2019; PGTRB 2021)
A) Public history vs private lives
B) Only royal events
C) Only wars
D) Only myths
Ans: A) Public history vs private lives
40. The novel’s dominant mood is: (UGC NET 2017; SET 2019)
A) Tragic with social critique
B) Comic with happy ending
C) Purely romantic
D) Purely mythical
Ans: A) Tragic with social critique
41. Arundhati Roy’s debut novel is: (SET 2018; PGTRB 2020)
A) The God of Small Things
B) The Ministry of Utmost Happiness
C) Nectar in a Sieve
D) The Guide
Ans: A) The God of Small Things
42. The novel exposes how society punishes: (UGC NET 2019; SET 2021; PGTRB 2022)
A) Transgression of caste/class “Love Laws”
B) Only scientific errors
C) Only royal disobedience
D) Only mythic betrayal
Ans: A) Transgression of caste/class “Love Laws”
43. The title “The God of Small Things” is closely linked with: (SET 2020; PGTRB 2022)
A) Velutha’s position and the novel’s focus on the marginal
B) A royal deity
C) A mythic warrior
D) A medieval saint
Ans: A) Velutha’s position and the novel’s focus on the marginal
44. The work is widely recognized for its: (UGC NET 2018; SET 2020)
A) Innovative style and political/social themes
B) Strict classical rules
C) Medieval court setting
D) Pastoral romance
Ans: A) Innovative style and political/social themes
45. The novel is important for understanding: (UGC NET 2017; SET 2019; PGTRB 2021)
A) Caste, gender, and postcolonial society in Kerala
B) Old English metrics
C) Renaissance drama
D) Medieval romance
Ans: A) Caste, gender, and postcolonial society in Kerala
46. The novel’s “History House” can be read as a symbol of: (SET 2019; PGTRB 2021)
A) Colonial burden and memory
B) Romantic fulfillment
C) Mythic paradise
D) Royal glory
Ans: A) Colonial burden and memory
47. The narrative viewpoint frequently shifts between: (UGC NET 2019; SET 2021)
A) Past and present timelines
B) Only future timeline
C) Only present timeline
D) Only letters
Ans: A) Past and present timelines
48. The novel’s tragedy is intensified by: (SET 2020; PGTRB 2022)
A) Social prejudice and family politics
B) Mythic wars
C) Courtly chivalry
D) Pastoral joy
Ans: A) Social prejudice and family politics
49. The Booker Prize is associated with: (UGC NET 2019; SET 2021; PGTRB 2022)
A) Literary award for English-language fiction
B) Scientific award
C) Music award
D) Sports award
Ans: A) Literary award for English-language fiction
50. Overall, the novel demonstrates: (UGC NET 2020; SET 2021; PGTRB 2022)
A) How “small things” and private choices shape major social tragedies
B) That society is always fair
C) That caste has no impact
D) That time is strictly linear
Ans: A) How “small things” and private choices shape major social tragedies
Let me know your doubts