MCQ OF KAMLA DAS

1. Kamala Das is also known by which pen name

in Malayalam?
A. Nalini
B. Madhavi Kutty
C. Kamala Surayya
D. Sugatha Kumari
Answer: B. Madhavi Kutty

2. Kamala Das primarily wrote in which two

languages?
A. English and Tamil
B. English and Hindi
C. English and Malayalam
D. Malayalam and Bengali
Answer: C. English and Malayalam

3. The theme of Kamala Das’s poetry is

predominantly:
A. Nature and ecology
B. War and peace
C. Female sexuality and identity
D. Mythology and folklore
Answer: C. Female sexuality and identity

4. Kamala Das’s autobiography is titled:

A. A Childhood Remembered
B. The Silent Sunset
C. My Story
D. The Other Side
Answer: C. My Story

5. Which of the following is a famous poem by

Kamala Das?
A. An Introduction
B. A River
C. The Patriot
D. A Time to Change
Answer: A. An Introduction

6. In “An Introduction,” Kamala Das asserts her

identity through:
A. A political argument
B. A religious sermon
C. A declaration of her poetic voice and body
D. A mythological story
Answer: C. A declaration of her poetic voice and
body

7. Kamala Das converted to which religion later

in life?
A. Buddhism
B. Christianity
C. Sikhism
D. Islam
Answer: D. Islam

8. What is the tone of Kamala Das’s poetry?

A. Detached and rational
B. Satirical and ironic
C. Confessional and emotional
D. Patriotic and formal
Answer: C. Confessional and emotional

9. Kamala Das was nominated for which

international literary award?
A. Booker Prize
B. Nobel Prize in Literature
C. Man Asian Literary Prize
D. Neustadt International Prize
Answer: B. Nobel Prize in Literature

10. The poem “The Old Playhouse” deals with:

A. Childhood games
B. Colonialism
C. Marital dissatisfaction and loss of identity
D. A drama performance
Answer: C. Marital dissatisfaction and loss of
identity

11. Kamala Das’s poetry is often considered part

of which literary movement?
A. Indian Renaissance
B. Postcolonial Feminism
C. Romanticism
D. Neoclassicism
Answer: B. Postcolonial Feminism
12. “Summer in Calcutta” is the title of:
A. A play
B. A short story
C. A poetry collection
D. A novel
Answer: C. A poetry collection

13. Which of the following is NOT a theme in

Kamala Das’s work?
A. Alienation
B. Feminine desire
C. Indian mythology
D. Death and decay
Answer: C. Indian mythology

14. Kamala Das wrote her autobiography at the

age of:
A. 40
B. 25
C. 50
D. 20
Answer: A. 40

15. In “An Introduction,” Kamala Das refers to

her desire to speak in:
A. Sanskrit
B. Hindi
C. English
D. French
Answer: C. English

16. Kamala Das’s works reflect her protest

against:
A. British colonialism
B. Societal expectations on women
C. Religious rituals
D. Environmental degradation
Answer: B. Societal expectations on women

17. Kamala Das’s poetry is often described as:

A. Ironic
B. Mystical
C. Autobiographical
D. Mythical
Answer: C. Autobiographical

18. “My Grandmother’s House” is a poem filled

with:
A. Religious imagery
B. Nostalgia and longing
C. Political protest
D. Comic satire
Answer: B. Nostalgia and longing

19. Kamala Das’s conversion to Islam was

publicly announced in:
A. 1985
B. 2002
C. 1990
D. 1999
Answer: B. 2002

20. Kamala Das’s poetic persona often explores

the theme of:
A. National identity
B. Gender roles and personal freedom
C. Economic struggle
D. Nature worship
Answer: B. Gender roles and personal freedom

21. Which of the following best describes

Kamala Das’s poetic style?
A. Symbolic and impersonal
B. Confessional and autobiographical
C. Allegorical and philosophical
D. Didactic and traditional
Answer: B. Confessional and autobiographical

22. In “My Grandmother’s House,” the speaker

longs for:
A. Education
B. Fame
C. Love and emotional warmth
D. Wealth
Answer: C. Love and emotional warmth
23. Which of Kamala Das’s poems deals with the
assertion of a woman’s voice?
A. “Punishment in Kindergarten”
B. “The Freaks”
C. “An Introduction”
D. “The Looking Glass”
Answer: C. “An Introduction”

24. “The Looking Glass” by Kamala Das is

primarily about:
A. Aging and mortality
B. Female self-assertion in love
C. Spiritual enlightenment
D. A reflection on history
Answer: B. Female self-assertion in love

25. Which collection includes the poem “The Old

Playhouse”?
A. Summer in Calcutta
B. The Descendants
C. Alphabet of Lust
D. Only the Soul Knows How to Sing
Answer: B. The Descendants

26. Kamala Das’s poem “The Freaks” portrays:

A. Joyful romance
B. A loveless and mechanical relationship
C. Childhood innocence
D. Religious ritual
Answer: B. A loveless and mechanical
relationship

27. Which poem by Kamala Das refers to her

childhood experience of alienation at school?
A. “An Introduction”
B. “My Story”
C. “Punishment in Kindergarten”
D. “The Sunshine Cat”
Answer: C. “Punishment in Kindergarten”

28. The poem “The Sunshine Cat”

metaphorically explores:
A. A trapped woman in a loveless marriage
B. Religious awakening
C. The joys of motherhood
D. An artist’s growth
Answer: A. A trapped woman in a loveless
marriage

29. What poetic device is prominent in Kamala

Das’s work?
A. Rhyme and strict meter
B. Symbolism and direct expression
C. Epic similes
D. Dramatic monologue
Answer: B. Symbolism and direct expression

30. Kamala Das’s poems often critique:

A. Western culture
B. Political systems
C. Patriarchy and domestic life
D. Academic institutions
Answer: C. Patriarchy and domestic life

31. Kamala Das’s short stories are primarily

written in:
A. English
B. Malayalam
C. Hindi
D. Tamil
Answer: B. Malayalam

32. “Alphabet of Lust” is a:

A. Novel
B. Poetry collection
C. Drama
D. Memoir
Answer: A. Novel

33. Which of the following best characterizes

Kamala Das’s women characters?
A. Idealistic and religious
B. Passive and voiceless
C. Rebellious and emotionally expressive
D. Politically motivated
Answer: C. Rebellious and emotionally
expressive
34. The expression “I am sinner, I am saint, I am
the beloved and the betrayed” is from which
poem?
A. “The Freaks”
B. “An Introduction”
C. “The Looking Glass”
D. “The Old Playhouse”
Answer: B. “An Introduction”

35. Kamala Das’s My Story created controversy

because of its:
A. Political opinions
B. Religious criticism
C. Frank discussions of female sexuality
D. Use of English language
Answer: C. Frank discussions of female sexuality

36. In “The Old Playhouse,” the house is a

symbol of:
A. Ancestral pride
B. Domestic confinement
C. Intellectual growth
D. Religious faith
Answer: B. Domestic confinement

37. Kamala Das is often regarded as the:

A. Nightingale of India
B. Mother of Indian feminism in English poetry
C. Voice of colonial protest
D. First Indian novelist
Answer: B. Mother of Indian feminism in
English poetry

38. Kamala Das’s themes often include:

A. Nature and landscape
B. Artistic achievement
C. Love, loneliness, and the female body
D. Revolution and nationalism
Answer: C. Love, loneliness, and the female body

39. Kamala Das was born in which year?

A. 1932
B. 1929
C. 1940
D. 1934
Answer: A. 1932

40. Kamala Das passed away in:

A. 2005
B. 2009
C. 2011
D. 2013
Answer: B. 2009

41. Kamala Das's writings often bridge the gap

between:
A. Ancient and medieval poetry
B. Public and private female experiences
C. North and South Indian literature
D. Fantasy and realism
Answer: B. Public and private female
experiences

42. “Only the Soul Knows How to Sing” is a:

A. Short story collection
B. Novel
C. Anthology of English poems
D. Translation of Malayalam poetry
Answer: C. Anthology of English poems

43. The metaphor of “sunshine cat” in her poem

signifies:
A. A hopeful youth
B. A woman degraded and used
C. A symbol of purity
D. A cultural icon
Answer: B. A woman degraded and used

44. Kamala Das often shocked readers with her:

A. Use of foreign words
B. Erotic frankness and bold confessions
C. Minimalistic writing
D. Use of Sanskrit hymns
Answer: B. Erotic frankness and bold
confessions
45. What kind of feminism is reflected in
Kamala Das’s work?
A. Ecofeminism
B. Liberal feminism
C. Personal and confessional feminism
D. Marxist feminism
Answer: C. Personal and confessional feminism

46. In “The Freaks,” the poet expresses feelings

of:
A. Romantic euphoria
B. Physical and emotional alienation
C. Cultural celebration
D. Childhood nostalgia
Answer: B. Physical and emotional alienation

47. The poem “My Mother at Sixty-Six” deals

with the theme of:
A. Gender roles
B. The passage of time and fear of loss
C. Religious beliefs
D. Colonial experience
Answer: B. The passage of time and fear of loss

48. Which genre did Kamala Das NOT write in?

A. Poetry
B. Short stories
C. Drama
D. Novel
Answer: C. Drama

49. Kamala Das was shortlisted for which

prestigious literary award?
A. Jnanpith Award
B. Man Booker Prize
C. Sahitya Akademi Fellowship
D. Nobel Prize in Literature
Answer: D. Nobel Prize in Literature

50. Kamala Das’s work was deeply influenced by

her:
A. Political ideology
B. Personal life and emotional experiences
C. Religious teachings
D. Formal education in English
Answer: B. Personal life and emotional
experiences

51. Kamala Das’s later works showed an

increasing interest in:
A. Historical narratives
B. Islamic spirituality and philosophy
C. Epic poetry
D. Environmental themes
Answer: B. Islamic spirituality and philosophy

52. Which of the following titles is not associated

with Kamala Das?
A. Summer in Calcutta
B. The Descendants
C. My Days
D. Alphabet of Lust
Answer: C. My Days (It is by R.K. Narayan)

53. Kamala Das received the Kerala Sahitya

Akademi Award for her:
A. English poems
B. Malayalam short stories
C. Translation works
D. Political essays
Answer: B. Malayalam short stories

54. In “The Looking Glass,” the woman is

advised to:
A. Stay quiet in relationships
B. Assert herself sexually
C. Wear traditional clothes
D. Follow religious norms
Answer: B. Assert herself sexually

55. Kamala Das’s poetry often uses the

first-person voice to:
A. Recreate historical settings
B. Universalize personal female experience
C. Impersonate male figures
D. Argue for nationalism
Answer: B. Universalize personal female
experience

56. The “I” in Kamala Das’s poems typically

refers to:
A. A fictional woman
B. The collective Indian female voice
C. Herself, as a confessional persona
D. A religious seeker
Answer: C. Herself, as a confessional persona

57. What aspect of Kamala Das’s life was highly

debated after her death?
A. Her use of English
B. Her political affiliations
C. Her conversion to Islam
D. Her education
Answer: C. Her conversion to Islam

58. Which of the following statements is true

about Kamala Das’s poetry?
A. It avoids personal themes
B. It celebrates traditional womanhood
C. It challenges gender norms and expresses
desire
D. It imitates Western poetic forms without
originality
Answer: C. It challenges gender norms and
expresses desire
59. Kamala Das’s poetry contributed
significantly to:
A. British literature
B. Feminist writing in Indian English literature
C. Religious reform
D. Ecological activism
Answer: B. Feminist writing in Indian English
literature

60. Kamala Das’s legacy is best described as:

A. A conventional Indian housewife
B. A rebel voice in Indian poetry and feminism
C. A nationalist poet
D. A traditionalist in form and theme
Answer: B. A rebel voice in Indian poetry and
feminism

61. What is the central theme of the poem An

Introduction by Kamala Das?
A. Colonial history
B. Woman’s search for identity
C. Economic disparity
D. Childhood trauma
Answer: B. Woman’s search for identity

62. Summer in Calcutta, Kamala Das’s first

poetry collection in English, was published in:
A. 1959
B. 1965
C. 1970
D. 1975
Answer: B. 1965

63. The poem The Old Playhouse primarily

critiques:
A. Western influence on India
B. Spiritual emptiness
C. Patriarchal domination in marriage
D. Childhood education
Answer: C. Patriarchal domination in marriage

64. Which quote is from An Introduction?

A. “Be Amy, or be Kamala, or better still be
Madhavikutty...”
B. “My mind is an old playhouse...”
C. “I remember my grandmother’s house...”
D. “He did not beat me / But my body flinched.”
Answer: A. “Be Amy, or be Kamala, or better still
be Madhavikutty...”

65. The Descendants, a collection that explored

emotional vulnerability, was published in:
A. 1967
B. 1971
C. 1960
D. 1975
Answer: A. 1967
66. Which of the following best describes a
major theme in My Story (1976)?
A. Nationalism
B. Feminist self-expression
C. Post-independence politics
D. Technological advancement
Answer: B. Feminist self-expression

67. “It is I who drink lonely / Nights into dawns”

reflects a theme of:
A. Celebration
B. Liberation
C. Emotional isolation
D. Political protest
Answer: C. Emotional isolation

68. Which poetry collection includes The

Looking Glass?
A. Summer in Calcutta
B. The Descendants
C. Only the Soul Knows How to Sing
D. Alphabet of Lust
Answer: A. Summer in Calcutta

69. The famous line “Dress in sarees, be girl / Be

wife, they said” critiques:
A. Fashion trends
B. Urbanization
C. Gender roles imposed on women
D. Hindu rituals
Answer: C. Gender roles imposed on women

70. What year was My Story originally published

in Malayalam?
A. 1963
B. 1973
C. 1976
D. 1980
Answer: B. 1973

71. A central theme in The Sunshine Cat is:

A. Joyful marriage
B. Religious devotion
C. A woman’s emotional exploitation
D. Natural beauty
Answer: C. A woman’s emotional exploitation

72. In which poem does Kamala Das write:

"I am sinner, I am saint, I am the beloved and
the betrayed"?
A. The Freaks
B. The Old Playhouse
C. An Introduction
D. My Mother at Sixty-Six
Answer: C. An Introduction
73. The major theme in Punishment in
Kindergarten is:
A. Political violence
B. Social reform
C. Loss of innocence
D. Technological change
Answer: C. Loss of innocence

74. “Only the Soul Knows How to Sing” was

published in:
A. 1996
B. 1991
C. 2001
D. 1987
Answer: A. 1996

75. The poem My Grandmother’s House

explores:
A. Nostalgia and yearning
B. Political history
C. Urban chaos
D. Nature
Answer: A. Nostalgia and yearning

76. Which line reflects Kamala Das’s

confessional style?
A. “The river flows, unmindful”
B. “He does not beat me / But my body flinched”
C. “The stars are small gods”
D. “Let us walk on this red soil”
Answer: B. “He does not beat me / But my body
flinched”

77. Alphabet of Lust is a:

A. Short story collection
B. Novel with erotic and feminist themes
C. Poetic drama
D. Religious treatise
Answer: B. Novel with erotic and feminist
themes

78. The major theme in The Freaks is:

A. Freedom struggle
B. Loveless physical relationships
C. Migration
D. Communal harmony
Answer: B. Loveless physical relationships

79. Which of Kamala Das’s works was translated

into many Indian and foreign languages?
A. My Story
B. Alphabet of Lust
C. The Descendants
D. Only the Soul Knows How to Sing
Answer: A. My Story

80. “This is the house he built. Each brick, a

heartache...” is from which poem?
A. The Looking Glass
B. The Old Playhouse
C. The Sunshine Cat
D. The Freaks
Answer: B. The Old Playhouse

91. What is a dominant theme in Kamala Das’s

overall body of poetry?
A. Political resistance
B. Religious transcendence
C. Female desire and identity
D. National pride
Answer: C. Female desire and identity

92. “Don’t write in English, they said, English is

not your mother-tongue” appears in which
poem?
A. Punishment in Kindergarten
B. An Introduction
C. The Old Playhouse
D. The Looking Glass
Answer: B. An Introduction

93. Kamala Das’s memoir My Story was

originally written in which language?
A. Hindi
B. English
C. Malayalam
D. Tamil
Answer: C. Malayalam

94. Which theme best describes The Looking

Glass?
A. Spiritual rebirth
B. Urban loneliness
C. Female sexual agency
D. Nature worship
Answer: C. Female sexual agency

95. The Descendants was followed by which

notable collection?
A. Only the Soul Knows How to Sing
B. Alphabet of Lust
C. Summer in Calcutta
D. My Mother at Sixty-Six
Answer: A. Only the Soul Knows How to Sing

96. The following line is from which poem?

"…It is time again to come to terms with love /
With love’s seasons…”
A. The Sunshine Cat
B. The Looking Glass
C. The Old Playhouse
D. An Introduction
Answer: C. The Old Playhouse

97. What does the grandmother's house

symbolize in My Grandmother’s House?
A. Religious identity
B. Material wealth
C. Lost emotional comfort and warmth
D. Ancestral pride
Answer: C. Lost emotional comfort and warmth

98. The poem The Freaks shows a woman

feeling:
A. Rebellious and powerful
B. Detached and unloved in a sexual relationship
C. Inspired by mythology
D. Emotionally fulfilled
Answer: B. Detached and unloved in a sexual
relationship

99. Which of the following is not a theme in

Kamala Das’s poetry?
A. Gender politics
B. Religious rituals
C. Emotional longing
D. Confession and identity
Answer: B. Religious rituals

100. What is the publication year of Alphabet of

Lust?
A. 1974
B. 1977
C. 1980
D. 1983
Answer: A. 1974

101. “I speak three languages, write in two,

dream in one” reflects the poet’s:
A. Confusion in education
B. Multilingual reality and search for expression
C. Mockery of English
D. Detachment from India
Answer: B. Multilingual reality and search for
expression

102. Which poem describes emotional suffering

through metaphorical references to a pet
animal?
A. The Sunshine Cat
B. The Freaks
C. Punishment in Kindergarten
D. An Introduction
Answer: A. The Sunshine Cat

103. My Story was first published in English

translation in:
A. 1973
B. 1975
C. 1976
D. 1978
Answer: C. 1976
104. The line “Cowering / Beneath your
monstrous ego I ate the magic loaf” implies:
A. Religious rebirth
B. Domestic oppression
C. Cultural adaptation
D. Poetic struggle
Answer: B. Domestic oppression

105. Which of the following best captures the

tone of Punishment in Kindergarten?
A. Irony and satire
B. Nostalgia and quiet sadness
C. Triumph and hope
D. Celebration and joy
Answer: B. Nostalgia and quiet sadness

106. Kamala Das often portrays male characters

in her poems as:
A. Caring and generous
B. Silent and emotional
C. Emotionally absent or oppressive
D. Revolutionary leaders
Answer: C. Emotionally absent or oppressive

107. Which poem begins with a memory of a

school picnic?
A. An Introduction
B. My Grandmother’s House
C. Punishment in Kindergarten
D. The Sunshine Cat
Answer: C. Punishment in Kindergarten

108. The poem The Old Playhouse was published

in which collection?
A. The Descendants
B. Summer in Calcutta
C. Only the Soul Knows How to Sing
D. Alphabet of Lust
Answer: A. The Descendants

109. Kamala Das’s writing has been compared to

which American confessional poet?
A. Robert Frost
B. Sylvia Plath
C. Emily Dickinson
D. Walt Whitman
Answer: B. Sylvia Plath

110. The tone of most of Kamala Das’s poetry can

be described as:
A. Detached and logical
B. Playful and comic
C. Intimate and emotionally raw
D. Pessimistic and nihilistic
Answer: C. Intimate and emotionally raw

111. What emotion dominates My Mother at

Sixty-Six?
A. Jealousy
B. Political anger
C. Fear of loss and aging
D. Excitement for travel
Answer: C. Fear of loss and aging

112. Which of the following lines is from My

Mother at Sixty-Six?
A. “I saw my mother... doze, open mouthed”
B. “He does not beat me / But my body flinched”
C. “Don’t write in English, they said”
D. “Be Amy, or be Kamala”
Answer: A. “I saw my mother... doze, open
mouthed”

113. Kamala Das’s candid treatment of female

sexuality was groundbreaking in:
A. Postcolonial criticism
B. Indian patriarchal society
C. American literature
D. Political journalism
Answer: B. Indian patriarchal society

114. The major theme in The Looking Glass is:

A. Beauty and vanity
B. Sexual empowerment through submission
C. Political rebellion
D. Death and immortality
Answer: B. Sexual empowerment through
submission

115. “Come to me, my love / Out of your dreams”

suggests:
A. Longing and emotional hunger
B. Fear and isolation
C. Motherhood
D. Public shame
Answer: A. Longing and emotional hunger

116. What is the tone of the line: “This is the

house he built / Each brick, a heartache”?
A. Ironic
B. Tragic and bitter
C. Joyous and celebratory
D. Hopeful
Answer: B. Tragic and bitter

117. Which poem reflects the theme of emotional

betrayal?
A. The Old Playhouse
B. Punishment in Kindergarten
C. My Mother at Sixty-Six
D. An Introduction
Answer: A. The Old Playhouse

118. Kamala Das’s autobiography My Story

shocked readers due to:
A. Its complex structure
B. Its anti-nationalist views
C. Its erotic candor and personal revelations
D. Its use of Sanskrit quotes
Answer: C. Its erotic candor and personal
revelations

119. The repeated use of the first-person in her

poetry creates a tone of:
A. Detachment
B. Personal honesty and confession
C. Satire
D. Fictional distance
Answer: B. Personal honesty and confession

120. “He did not beat me / But my body flinched”

is a powerful example of:
A. Physical trauma
B. Psychological domination
C. Historical commentary
D. Religious guilt
Answer: B. Psychological domination

121. In which poem does Kamala Das reflect on

her childhood trauma at school?
A. An Introduction
B. The Sunshine Cat
C. Punishment in Kindergarten
D. The Freaks
Answer: C. Punishment in Kindergarten

122. Which work by Kamala Das is a novel?

A. The Descendants
B. Alphabet of Lust
C. Only the Soul Knows How to Sing
D. The Freaks
Answer: B. Alphabet of Lust

123. The recurring motif of mirrors and

self-reflection in her poetry shows:
A. Social anxiety
B. Religious meditation
C. Self-identity and female consciousness
D. War trauma
Answer: C. Self-identity and female
consciousness

124. Which of Kamala Das’s books is a collection

of selected poems?
A. The Alphabet of Lust
B. Only the Soul Knows How to Sing
C. My Story
D. The Sandal Trees
Answer: B. Only the Soul Knows How to Sing

125. The line “I who have lost / My way and beg

now at strangers’ doors…” reflects:
A. Spiritual devotion
B. Cultural nostalgia
C. Emotional dislocation and dependency
D. Political migration
Answer: C. Emotional dislocation and
dependency

126. Summer in Calcutta was revolutionary

because it:
A. Promoted colonial rule
B. Avoided personal topics
C. Openly expressed female sensuality
D. Focused on abstract philosophy
Answer: C. Openly expressed female sensuality

127. “The sunshine cat” is used as a symbol of:

A. Domestic comfort
B. A pampered yet powerless woman
C. Natural grace
D. Mythical beauty
Answer: B. A pampered yet powerless woman

128. Which Kamala Das work blends fiction and

sexuality?
A. My Mother at Sixty-Six
B. Alphabet of Lust
C. Punishment in Kindergarten
D. Only the Soul Knows How to Sing
Answer: B. Alphabet of Lust
129. The poetry of Kamala Das is largely:
A. Objective and nationalistic
B. Impersonal and mythological
C. Confessional and feminist
D. Satirical and comedic
Answer: C. Confessional and feminist

130. The main conflict in The Freaks is:

A. Woman vs Nature
B. Woman vs Culture
C. Woman vs Physical desire devoid of emotion
D. Woman vs Politics
Answer: C. Woman vs Physical desire devoid of
emotion

131. In Kamala Das’s poetry, the act of writing

becomes a metaphor for:
A. Escape from India
B. Religious salvation
C. Self-discovery and confession
D. Romantic escapism
Answer: C. Self-discovery and confession

132. “I am sinner, I am saint. I am the beloved

and the betrayed.” – This line reflects:
A. Political protest
B. Spiritualism
C. Duality of a woman's identity
D. Historical reference
Answer: C. Duality of a woman's identity

133. The poem An Introduction shows Kamala

Das rebelling against:
A. British rule
B. Caste hierarchy
C. Linguistic and gender norms
D. Classical Indian epics
Answer: C. Linguistic and gender norms

134. What does Summer in Calcutta primarily

depict?
A. War and politics
B. A religious pilgrimage
C. Urban female sensuality and emotional thirst
D. Village life
Answer: C. Urban female sensuality and
emotional thirst

135. “I knew you at once. Language is not an

impediment” – this quote shows:
A. Rejection of Indian culture
B. Power of silence
C. Intuition and emotional understanding
D. Political statement
Answer: C. Intuition and emotional
understanding
136. Kamala Das’s poems often contrast public
expectations and:
A. Political ideology
B. Female inner turmoil
C. Historical knowledge
D. Scientific development
Answer: B. Female inner turmoil

137. “Dress in sarees, be girl / Be wife, they said”

– the poet critiques:
A. Religious dogma
B. Political indoctrination
C. Gender roles in Indian society
D. Environmental norms
Answer: C. Gender roles in Indian society

138. Which poem is filled with sexual metaphor

and emotional vacancy?
A. The Freaks
B. My Mother at Sixty-Six
C. Punishment in Kindergarten
D. The Dance of the Eunuchs
Answer: A. The Freaks

139. Kamala Das was nominated for the Nobel

Prize in:
A. Literature
B. Peace
C. Economics
D. Science
Answer: A. Literature

140. The Dance of the Eunuchs symbolically

explores:
A. Politics of caste
B. Asexuality and sorrow
C. National pride
D. Colonial legacy
Answer: B. Asexuality and sorrow

141. “It’s I who drink lonely / Drinks at twelve,

midnight…” reveals:
A. Religious imagery
B. A female voice confronting loneliness
C. Mythic symbolism
D. Environmental decay
Answer: B. A female voice confronting
loneliness

142. What year was Summer in Calcutta

published?
A. 1959
B. 1965
C. 1971
D. 1975
Answer: B. 1965

143. Kamala Das’s use of free verse reflects her:

A. Loyalty to classical Sanskrit poetics
B. Political activism
C. Rejection of formal poetic structure in favor
of emotional honesty
D. Satirical mood
Answer: C. Rejection of formal poetic structure
in favor of emotional honesty

144. Which poem highlights a daughter's fear of

mortality?
A. Punishment in Kindergarten
B. My Mother at Sixty-Six
C. The Sunshine Cat
D. The Old Playhouse
Answer: B. My Mother at Sixty-Six

145. Kamala Das often used which narrative

voice in her poetry?
A. Omniscient third person
B. First-person confessional
C. Second-person dramatic
D. Formal objective
Answer: B. First-person confessional

146. My Story was controversial due to its:

A. Political propaganda
B. Vedic references
C. Open discussion of female body and
experiences
D. Western ideology
Answer: C. Open discussion of female body and
experiences

147. “A man is a season, you are eternity” – this

quote portrays:
A. Rejection of physicality
B. Idealization of the male form
C. Female longing for permanence
D. Political propaganda
Answer: C. Female longing for permanence

148. The overarching mood in Kamala Das’s

poetry is:
A. Detached rationality
B. Joyful celebration
C. Emotional turbulence and desire
D. Mystical abstraction
Answer: C. Emotional turbulence and desire

149. The title The Sunshine Cat is a:

A. Mythological figure
B. Euphemism for female passivity and sexual
exploitation
C. Critique of education
D. Spiritual metaphor
Answer: B. Euphemism for female passivity and
sexual exploitation
150. Kamala Das converted to Islam in:
A. 1985
B. 1993
C. 1999
D. 2003
Answer: C. 1999

151. Which line from An Introduction shows

rebellion against gendered expectations?
A. “Why not let me speak in / Any language I
like?”
B. “He does not beat me”
C. “The sunshine cat”
D. “My mother at sixty-six”
Answer: A. “Why not let me speak in / Any
language I like?”

152. The poem Punishment in Kindergarten

mainly explores:
A. Alienation and early trauma
B. Female desire
C. Ecological crisis
D. Political betrayal
Answer: A. Alienation and early trauma

153. What literary movement is Kamala Das

most often associated with?
A. Imagism
B. Confessional poetry
C. Beat generation
D. Symbolist movement
Answer: B. Confessional poetry

154. “The house he built” in The Old Playhouse

symbolizes:
A. Colonial power
B. A tomb of emotional suffocation
C. Spiritual awakening
D. Childhood memories
Answer: B. A tomb of emotional suffocation

155. In The Freaks, who are “the freaks”?

A. Rebels
B. Religious fanatics
C. Emotionally disconnected lovers
D. Politicians
Answer: C. Emotionally disconnected lovers

156. The poem The Sunshine Cat ends with the

image of:
A. A caged animal
B. A warrior
C. A burning house
D. A divine goddess
Answer: A. A caged animal

157. Kamala Das often uses which poetic

technique for emotional effect?
A. Enjambment and repetition
B. Iambic pentameter
C. Sestina structure
D. Epic similes
Answer: A. Enjambment and repetition

158. “They told me I had grown / For I had

breasts and pubic hair” highlights:
A. Political freedom
B. The female body as a social symbol
C. Mythic growth
D. Divine transformation
Answer: B. The female body as a social symbol

159. What role does language play in An

Introduction?
A. A symbol of colonial loyalty
B. A form of cultural imprisonment
C. A tool of personal liberation
D. A code of nationalism
Answer: C. A tool of personal liberation

160. Which language did Kamala Das primarily

write her poetry in?
A. Malayalam
B. Hindi
C. Tamil
D. English
Answer: D. English
161. Which of the following is NOT a work by
Kamala Das?
A. The Descendants
B. Summer in Calcutta
C. The Golden Threshold
D. The Old Playhouse and Other Poems
Answer: C. The Golden Threshold (written by
Sarojini Naidu)

162. Kamala Das’s poetry challenged Indian

readers by discussing:
A. Agriculture
B. Education
C. Female sexuality and desire
D. Environmental policies
Answer: C. Female sexuality and desire

163. The line “My mother at sixty-six”

symbolizes:
A. Colonial nostalgia
B. Fear of aging and loss
C. Religious devotion
D. A celebration of heritage
Answer: B. Fear of aging and loss

164. Kamala Das’s confessional style has been

compared to which American poet?
A. Allen Ginsberg
B. Sylvia Plath
C. Emily Dickinson
D. Robert Frost
Answer: B. Sylvia Plath

165. Kamala Das was born in which Indian

state?
A. Tamil Nadu
B. Maharashtra
C. Kerala
D. West Bengal
Answer: C. Kerala

166. What is the main theme of The Dance of the

Eunuchs?
A. Political satire
B. Fertility and celebration
C. Sterility and sorrow
D. Religious ritual
Answer: C. Sterility and sorrow

167. In her autobiography, My Story, Kamala

Das often discusses:
A. National politics
B. Her love for teaching
C. Her emotional and sexual experiences
D. Her scientific discoveries
Answer: C. Her emotional and sexual
experiences
168. “My Grandmother’s House” is a poem
about:
A. Rebellion
B. Loss and longing for affection
C. Urban life
D. Feminist protest
Answer: B. Loss and longing for affection

169. Kamala Das’s shift to Islam reflected:

A. Artistic rebranding
B. Deep spiritual crisis
C. A desire for cultural reinvention
D. Personal and religious transformation
Answer: D. Personal and religious
transformation

170. “Only the Soul Knows How to Sing” is:

A. A political speech
B. A novel
C. A collection of selected poems
D. A spiritual biography
Answer: C. A collection of selected poems

171. Which word best describes Kamala Das’s

poetic voice?
A. Detached
B. Restrained
C. Confessional
D. Classical
Answer: C. Confessional

172. The title My Story (1976) suggests:

A. A fictional novel
B. A spiritual handbook
C. A candid autobiography
D. A feminist manifesto
Answer: C. A candid autobiography

173. Which poem opens with a car ride and leads

to a meditation on death?
A. The Old Playhouse
B. My Mother at Sixty-Six
C. An Introduction
D. My Grandmother’s House
Answer: B. My Mother at Sixty-Six

174. “And it is I who laugh, it is I who make love /

And then feel shame” expresses:
A. Rebellion against nationalism
B. Conflict between desire and guilt
C. The joy of motherhood
D. The power of religion
Answer: B. Conflict between desire and guilt

175. In The Old Playhouse, the “playhouse” is a

metaphor for:
A. Childhood freedom
B. Intellectual pursuit
C. Confinement in marriage
D. Sacred rituals
Answer: C. Confinement in marriage

176. Kamala Das’s female speaker often seeks:

A. Power in politics
B. A return to classical roots
C. Emotional fulfillment and authentic love
D. Fame and recognition
Answer: C. Emotional fulfillment and authentic
love

177. Which of the following is NOT a theme in

Kamala Das’s poetry?
A. Alienation
B. Female identity
C. Colonial resistance
D. Longing
Answer: C. Colonial resistance

178. Kamala Das’s autobiography My Story was

first published in:
A. English
B. Malayalam
C. Tamil
D. Hindi
Answer: B. Malayalam
179. What is a recurring symbol in her poem My
Grandmother’s House?
A. A burning lamp
B. A closed window
C. A silent snake
D. A locked house
Answer: D. A locked house

180. The poem The Freaks ends with the speaker

feeling:
A. Enlightened
B. Fulfilled
C. Emotionally isolated
D. Vengeful
Answer: C. Emotionally isolated

181. “They do not seem to understand, / I am

Indian, very brown, born in Malabar” – This
asserts:
A. Nationalism
B. Colonial apology
C. Cultural identity and resistance to Western
norms
D. Scientific thought
Answer: C. Cultural identity and resistance to
Western norms

182. Kamala Das often contrasts emotional

nakedness with:
A. Political activism
B. Urban life
C. Religious devotion
D. Societal expectations
Answer: D. Societal expectations

183. Her conversion to Islam involved which

new name?
A. Ayesha Fatima
B. Kamala Noor
C. Suraiyya
D. Zulekha
Answer: C. Suraiyya

184. The poet often likens male desire to:

A. Fire
B. Lightning
C. Invasion
D. Poetry
Answer: C. Invasion

185. “And each time I tried to learn / Love, my

language failed” implies:
A. Political defeat
B. Intellectual arrogance
C. Emotional inarticulateness
D. Social revolution
Answer: C. Emotional inarticulateness
186. Her poetry can be seen as a woman’s search
for:
A. Revenge
B. Justice
C. Authentic selfhood
D. Cultural knowledge
Answer: C. Authentic selfhood

187. Which of the following best defines the tone

of The Sunshine Cat?
A. Humorous
B. Bitter and ironic
C. Optimistic
D. Spiritual
Answer: B. Bitter and ironic

188. Kamala Das’s first published collection of

poems is:
A. The Descendants
B. The Old Playhouse
C. Only the Soul Knows How to Sing
D. Summer in Calcutta
Answer: D. Summer in Calcutta

189. The persona in her poems is often:

A. A mythical goddess
B. A passive observer
C. A sensitive, wounded woman
D. A historical figure
Answer: C. A sensitive, wounded woman

190. Kamala Das uses English as a language of:

A. Colonial tradition
B. Religious expression
C. Emotional liberation
D. Academic discourse
Answer: C. Emotional liberation

191. The phrase “brown-skinned Indian” in An

Introduction emphasizes:
A. Shame about appearance
B. Pride in cultural and racial identity
C. A reference to caste
D. Physical illness
Answer: B. Pride in cultural and racial identity

192. In My Story, Kamala Das challenges the:

A. Christian dogma
B. Colonial rule
C. Traditional roles of Indian women
D. Education system
Answer: C. Traditional roles of Indian women

193. “I wore a shirt and my brother’s trousers”

in An Introduction expresses:
A. A tomboy identity
B. Rebellion against gender norms
C. Homelessness
D. Political satire
Answer: B. Rebellion against gender norms

194. Which theme is most common across

Kamala Das’s poetry?
A. Technology and modernism
B. Nature and rural life
C. Love, longing, and emotional alienation
D. Myth and legend
Answer: C. Love, longing, and emotional
alienation

195. Which of the following was published in

1973?
A. My Story
B. The Old Playhouse and Other Poems
C. Summer in Calcutta
D. The Descendants
Answer: B. The Old Playhouse and Other Poems

196. Kamala Das’s poem The Stone Age depicts:

A. Modern materialism
B. Life in rural India
C. A cold and mechanical marital relationship
D. A philosophical reflection on time
Answer: C. A cold and mechanical marital
relationship
197. In An Introduction, Kamala Das’s attitude
towards language is:
A. Nationalistic
B. Apathetic
C. Playful and rebellious
D. Devotional
Answer: C. Playful and rebellious

198. What is the significance of the eunuchs in

The Dance of the Eunuchs?
A. Celebration of diversity
B. Spiritual power
C. Metaphor for barrenness and emotional
suppression
D. Political commentary
Answer: C. Metaphor for barrenness and
emotional suppression

199. Kamala Das’s poetry rejects the image of

women as:
A. Artists
B. Rebels
C. Passive domestic beings
D. Intellectuals
Answer: C. Passive domestic beings

200. What does the speaker feel at the end of My

Mother at Sixty-Six?
A. Joy and relief
B. Envy and rage
C. Helplessness and fear of separation
D. Contempt
Answer: C. Helplessness and fear of separation

201. “Be Amy, or be Kamala” implies:

A. The poet’s anger at her friends
B. Conflict between Indian and Western identity
C. Multiple roles imposed on women
D. A statement on legal rights
Answer: C. Multiple roles imposed on women

202. Kamala Das’s language in her poetry is

often:
A. Sanskritized and formal
B. Highly metaphorical but emotionally raw
C. Political and dogmatic
D. Technical and abstract
Answer: B. Highly metaphorical but emotionally
raw

203. Kamala Das often questions marriage as:

A. A divine bond
B. A colonial residue
C. A patriarchal arrangement
D. A means to salvation
Answer: C. A patriarchal arrangement
204. The poem The Sunshine Cat metaphorically
critiques:
A. Indian cuisine
B. The burden of family values
C. Female sexual exploitation and submission
D. Urban pollution
Answer: C. Female sexual exploitation and
submission

205. The repeated use of domestic imagery in

her poems suggests:
A. Political rebellion
B. Domestic contentment
C. Entrapment and emotional suffocation
D. Agricultural tradition
Answer: C. Entrapment and emotional
suffocation

206. Kamala Das’s use of enjambment reflects:

A. Her desire to conform to rules
B. Rhythmic balance
C. Emotional overflow and urgency
D. Musical beauty
Answer: C. Emotional overflow and urgency

207. In My Story, she describes writing as:

A. A tool for national reform
B. A religious calling
C. A healing confessional act
D. A scientific process
Answer: C. A healing confessional act

208. Kamala Das's first short story collection in

English was:
A. Padmavati the Harlot and Other Stories
B. The Fairytale Princess
C. A Doll for the Child Prostitute
D. Alphabet of Lust
Answer: A. Padmavati the Harlot and Other
Stories

209. The poem A Losing Battle shows:

A. A struggle against time
B. A woman’s failed attempt at emotional
fulfillment
C. A political protest
D. Triumph of spiritual detachment
Answer: B. A woman’s failed attempt at
emotional fulfillment

210. Kamala Das’s lyrical intensity comes mainly

from her:
A. Use of iambic meter
B. Intellectual abstraction
C. Personal, emotional, and physical
experiences
D. Interest in Indian mythology
Answer: C. Personal, emotional, and physical
experiences

211. Kamala Das’s poem The Looking Glass

mainly deals with:
A. Self-exploration and identity
B. Political revolution
C. Nature imagery
D. Childhood memories
Answer: A. Self-exploration and identity

212. The phrase “I speak three languages, write

in one” in An Introduction highlights:
A. Multicultural confusion
B. Linguistic versatility and alienation
C. Colonial education
D. Religious identity
Answer: B. Linguistic versatility and alienation

213. Kamala Das’s poetry often expresses:

A. Political nationalism
B. Feminine pain and sexual desire
C. Scientific observations
D. Historical nostalgia
Answer: B. Feminine pain and sexual desire

214. Which of the following was Kamala Das’s

first poetry collection in English?
A. Summer in Calcutta
B. The Old Playhouse
C. Only the Soul Knows How to Sing
D. The Descendants
Answer: A. Summer in Calcutta

215. Kamala Das’s style is best described as:

A. Formal and classical
B. Confessional and candid
C. Abstract and symbolic
D. Mythological and epic
Answer: B. Confessional and candid

216. In her autobiography, My Story, Kamala

Das talks openly about:
A. Politics and economics
B. Her love life and struggles with marriage
C. Spiritual philosophy
D. Colonial history
Answer: B. Her love life and struggles with
marriage

217. Which poem by Kamala Das reflects the

theme of childhood trauma and alienation?
A. The Old Playhouse
B. Punishment in Kindergarten
C. My Grandmother’s House
D. The Freaks
Answer: B. Punishment in Kindergarten
218. The line “I’m Indian, very brown, born in
Malabar” asserts:
A. Cultural pride and identity
B. Colonial subjugation
C. Religious devotion
D. Feminine modesty
Answer: A. Cultural pride and identity

219. Kamala Das’s poetry challenges the

traditional Indian view of:
A. Childhood
B. Female sexuality and roles
C. Politics
D. Nature
Answer: B. Female sexuality and roles

220. Which poem deals with the poet’s fear of

her mother’s death?
A. My Mother at Sixty-Six
B. The Dance of the Eunuchs
C. The Old Playhouse
D. An Introduction
Answer: A. My Mother at Sixty-Six

221. Kamala Das’s poem The Sunshine Cat uses

the cat as a symbol of:
A. Freedom and wildness
B. Domestic entrapment and sexual exploitation
C. Political oppression
D. Childhood innocence
Answer: B. Domestic entrapment and sexual
exploitation

222. Kamala Das was born in which year?

A. 1924
B. 1934
C. 1940
D. 1950
Answer: B. 1934

223. Which language did Kamala Das start

writing in before switching to English?
A. Hindi
B. Tamil
C. Malayalam
D. Bengali
Answer: C. Malayalam

224. Kamala Das’s poetry is often marked by:

A. Detailed historical narratives
B. Emotional honesty and frankness
C. Scientific jargon
D. Religious allegory
Answer: B. Emotional honesty and frankness

225. Kamala Das’s collection Only the Soul

Knows How to Sing is:
A. A prose novel
B. A poetry anthology
C. A play
D. A political essay
Answer: B. A poetry anthology

226. Which of the following best describes

Kamala Das’s thematic focus?
A. Nature and environment
B. Feminism, identity, and love
C. Mythology and folklore
D. Historical events
Answer: B. Feminism, identity, and love

227. In An Introduction, Kamala Das uses the

metaphor of a “house” to represent:
A. Her country
B. Her family and upbringing
C. Societal constraints on women
D. Her mind
Answer: C. Societal constraints on women

228. Kamala Das’s shift to Islam took place in:

A. 1976
B. 1982
C. 1990
D. 2000
Answer: B. 1982
229. What does Kamala Das reveal about
language in her poetry?
A. It is a barrier to true self-expression
B. It is only useful for formal education
C. It is a tool of colonial oppression
D. It liberates her emotional self
Answer: D. It liberates her emotional self

230. Kamala Das’s poetry is often categorized as:

A. Romantic poetry
B. Confessional poetry
C. Epic poetry
D. Narrative poetry
Answer: B. Confessional poetry

231. Kamala Das is also known by what pen

name after her religious conversion?
A. Suraiyya
B. Fatima
C. Anjuli
D. Leela
Answer: A. Suraiyya

232. Which of these is a major theme in Kamala

Das’s poetry?
A. Patriarchal oppression
B. Mythological valor
C. Historical events
D. Environmentalism
Answer: A. Patriarchal oppression

233. Kamala Das’s poetry often features which

kind of narrative voice?
A. Detached observer
B. Personal and intimate first-person
C. Third-person omniscient
D. Allegorical speaker
Answer: B. Personal and intimate first-person

234. In which Indian state was Kamala Das

born?
A. Tamil Nadu
B. Kerala
C. Maharashtra
D. West Bengal
Answer: B. Kerala

235. The poem My Grandmother’s House

expresses:
A. Nostalgia and loss
B. Political rebellion
C. Childhood innocence
D. Rural life celebration
Answer: A. Nostalgia and loss

236. Kamala Das’s use of confessional style

made her poetry:
A. Impersonal
B. Emotionally revealing
C. Mythical
D. Abstract
Answer: B. Emotionally revealing

237. Kamala Das translated some of her poems

from Malayalam to:
A. Hindi
B. English
C. Tamil
D. Bengali
Answer: B. English

238. Which poem by Kamala Das critiques the

institution of marriage?
A. The Old Playhouse
B. My Mother at Sixty-Six
C. The Freaks
D. The Stone Age
Answer: A. The Old Playhouse

239. Kamala Das’s poetry has been influential in

the development of:
A. Indian Romanticism
B. Indian confessional poetry
C. Indian classical poetry
D. Indian epic poetry
Answer: B. Indian confessional poetry
240. What literary technique is prominent in
Kamala Das’s poetry?
A. Allegory
B. Stream of consciousness
C. Confessional directness
D. Epic similes
Answer: C. Confessional directness

241. Kamala Das’s poem The Freaks explores:

A. Social alienation and marginalization
B. Political power
C. Mythical tales
D. Childhood joy
Answer: A. Social alienation and
marginalization

242. Kamala Das often writes about:

A. The natural world
B. The political landscape
C. Female sexuality and emotional struggles
D. Religious festivals
Answer: C. Female sexuality and emotional
struggles

243. In An Introduction, the poet states that she

is not:
A. A good daughter
B. A good wife
C. A good Indian
D. A good poet
Answer: B. A good wife

244. Kamala Das’s autobiography My Story was

controversial because:
A. It criticized political leaders
B. It openly discussed her personal life and
sexuality
C. It was written in English
D. It was banned in India
Answer: B. It openly discussed her personal life
and sexuality

245. Which of the following is a metaphor

frequently used by Kamala Das?
A. The locked house
B. The rising sun
C. The flowing river
D. The burning flame
Answer: A. The locked house

246. Kamala Das’s poem The Dance of the

Eunuchs is a commentary on:
A. Religious rituals
B. Emotional suppression and gender roles
C. Childhood memories
D. Political oppression
Answer: B. Emotional suppression and gender
roles
247. Kamala Das’s writing style is best
characterized by:
A. Use of complex classical diction
B. Simple, candid language with emotional
depth
C. Highly symbolic and cryptic imagery
D. Formal academic prose
Answer: B. Simple, candid language with
emotional depth

248. The phrase “I am the lover and the loved”

in her poetry highlights:
A. Duality of identity
B. Political allegory
C. Religious devotion
D. Childhood innocence
Answer: A. Duality of identity

249. Kamala Das’s poetry breaks social taboos

by openly discussing:
A. Religion
B. Sexuality and female desire
C. Politics
D. Nature worship
Answer: B. Sexuality and female desire

250. Which poem by Kamala Das is often read as

an expression of feminist identity?
A. The Old Playhouse
B. An Introduction
C. The Stone Age
D. The Freaks
Answer: B. An Introduction