Practice - "Pappachi’s Moth" by Arundhati Roy - 5.2
Practice Questions
Test your understanding with targeted questions
What specific narrative perspective does Arundhati Roy use in this story?
- Answer: A third-person omniscient voice.
- Hint: The narrator has a "God's eye view" of everyone's thoughts.
💡 Hint: The narrator has a "God's eye view" of everyone's thoughts.
Define Imagery as it is applied to the description of the moth.
- Answer: Descriptive language that appeals to the physical senses. Roy describes the moth as having "unusually long and furry tufts on its legs," making the symbol feel tangible and real.
- Hint: It’s the "furry" and "long" details.
💡 Hint: It’s the "furry" and "long" details.
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Interactive Quizzes
Quick quizzes to reinforce your learning
Which literary term refers to the use of a moth to represent Pappachi's unacknowledged achievement?
- Type: MCQ
- Options: Metaphor, Imagery, Symbolism, Personification
- Correct Answer: Symbolism
- Explanation: Symbolism is using a physical object (the moth) to represent a deeper, abstract concept (bitterness and failure).
- Hint: It’s the first term in the Glossary.
💡 Hint: It’s the first term in the Glossary.
In Roy's story, the moth is a "Big Thing" that represents "Small Things" like history.
- Type: Boolean
- Options: True, False
- Correct Answer: False
- Explanation: It is the opposite. The moth is a "Small Thing" (an insect) that represents "Big Things" (history, patriarchy, and colonial pride).
- Hint: Review the "Detailed Analysis" point 1.
💡 Hint: Review the "Detailed Analysis" point 1.
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Challenge Problems
Push your limits with advanced challenges
The Lens of the Narrator: If this story were told from Pappachi’s First-Person perspective instead of an Omniscient one, how would the Tone change?
- Solution: The tone would likely become much more Defensive and Biased. We would hear his justifications for his anger and his "right" to authority. We would lose the "God's eye view" that allows us to see the tragic impact on Mammachi and the children, making the story feel less like a poetic critique of patriarchy and more like the rant of a frustrated man.
- Hint: Think about the difference between "Knowing everything" and "Knowing only one person."
💡 Hint: Think about the difference between "Knowing everything" and "Knowing only one person."
The Unclaimed Trophy: Use the "Unclaimed Trophy" analogy to describe Mammachi's situation. If the moth is Pappachi's unclaimed trophy, what is Mammachi's "Pickle Factory"?
- Answer: The Pickle Factory is Mammachi's Actual Trophy—it is her real, tangible success. Because Pappachi's own "trophy" (the moth) was never recognized, he cannot stand to see Mammachi's success "shining" in the house. He treats her success as a reminder of his failure.
- Hint: Look at the "Memory Aids" section.
💡 Hint: Look at the "Memory Aids" section.
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