UGC NET English Aug 2024 Shift 2 Solved: American & World Literature

Correct Answer: 1 (A novel by William Faulkner)

Explanation: Absalom, Absalom! (1936) is a masterpiece of Southern Gothic literature by William Faulkner. It uses complex modernist techniques like multiple narrators and stream of consciousness to explore the rise and fall of Thomas Sutpen.

Distinction from other works:

• John Dryden: Wrote the famous satirical poem Absalom and Achitophel.
• G.B. Shaw: Known for plays like Pygmalion and Man and Superman.
• P.B. Shelley: Known for Romantic poems like Ode to the West Wind.

Correct Answer: 4 (Amazing Stories)

Explanation: Launched in 1926 by Hugo Gernsback (the "Father of Science Fiction"), Amazing Stories was the first magazine dedicated solely to "scientifiction." It paved the way for the genre's golden age.

Why the others are incorrect:

• Time and the Conways: A play by J.B. Priestley.
• Henceforward: A play by Alan Ayckbourn.
• New Worlds: A British sci-fi magazine that became influential later, in the 1960s.

Correct Answer: 4) D, B, A, E, C

Explanation: The chronological order of these major 20th-century American plays is:

• The Iceman Cometh (Written 1939): Eugene O’Neill's heavy existential drama.
• The Glass Menagerie (1944): The breakthrough memory play by Tennessee Williams.
• Death of a Salesman (1949): Arthur Miller’s Pulitzer Prize-winning critique of the American Dream.
• Twelve Angry Men (1954): Originally a television play by Reginald Rose, focusing on jury deliberation.
• Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf? (1962): Edward Albee’s sharp psychological drama.

Correct Answer: 2 (Cat on a Hot Tin Roof by Tennessee Williams)

Explanation: Big Daddy (Harvey Pollitt) is the central patriarch in Tennessee Williams’ Pulitzer Prize-winning play Cat on a Hot Tin Roof (1955). He is a wealthy plantation owner who symbolizes both raw power and the struggle against "mendacity" (hypocrisy) as he faces terminal illness.

Why the other options are incorrect:

• Nineteen Eighty-Four: Features the totalitarian figure Big Brother.
• Look Back in Anger: The protagonist is Jimmy Porter; there is no character named Big Daddy.
• Brave New World: Features characters like Bernard Marx and Mustapha Mond.

Correct Answer: 3) C, D, E, B, A

Explanation: Nobel Laureate Toni Morrison is celebrated for her poetic portrayals of the African-American experience. The chronological order of these works is:

• The Bluest Eye (1970): Morrison's debut novel exploring internalized beauty standards and racial identity.
• Song of Solomon (1977): Her breakthrough novel that won the National Book Critics Circle Award.
• Tar Baby (1981): Explores racial tension and love in a Caribbean setting.
• Beloved (1987): Her Pulitzer Prize-winning masterpiece about the trauma of slavery and memory.
• Jazz (1992): Set in 1920s Harlem, a novel structured to reflect the improvisation of jazz music.

Correct Answer: 3 (Rita Frances Dove)

Explanation: Rita Dove made history in 1993 when she was appointed the U.S. Poet Laureate. She was the first African American to hold the title since the position was officially renamed in 1986, and she was also the youngest person ever appointed to the role at that time.

Clarification on Other Options:

• Lucille Clifton: While a celebrated Black poet and a two-time Pulitzer finalist, she served as the Poet Laureate of Maryland, not the United States.
• Meri Nana-Ama Danquah: Primarily known for her memoirs (e.g., Willow Weep for Me) and essays.
• Kyra Davis: A contemporary novelist known for mystery and suspense fiction.

Correct Answer: 4 (Lucille Clifton)

Explanation: Lucille Clifton is the author of "Poem in Praise of Menstruation." Her work is legendary for its minimalist style and its celebration of the Black female body, motherhood, and resilience. This specific poem is a seminal feminist text that reclaims a biological taboo as a source of power and sacred rhythm.

Why the other options are incorrect:

• Gloria Steinem: A leading feminist activist and journalist, but not a poet.
• Seamus Heaney: An Irish Nobel Laureate whose work typically focuses on the land, history, and the "bog poems."
• Francis Thompson: A 19th-century Victorian poet famous for the religious work The Hound of Heaven.

Correct Answer: 2) D, E, A, B, C

Explanation: The correct birth order for these iconic African American writers is:

• Langston Hughes (1902): Central figure of the Harlem Renaissance.
• James Baldwin (1924): Prolific essayist and novelist (Go Tell It on the Mountain).
• Maya Angelou (1928): Acclaimed poet and memoirist (I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings).
• Toni Morrison (1931): Nobel Laureate known for Beloved and Song of Solomon.
• Alice Walker (1944): Author of The Color Purple and activist.

Correct Answer: 2) E, A, B, C, D

Explanation: The chronological publication order of Dostoyevsky's major works is:

• Poor Folk (1846): His debut epistolary novel.
• Notes from Underground (1864): A foundational text of existentialism.
• Crime and Punishment (1866): A psychological exploration of morality and guilt.
• The Idiot (1869): Featuring the Christ-like Prince Myshkin.
• The Brothers Karamazov (1880): His final masterpiece addressing faith and free will.

Correct Answer: 3 (Oodgeroo Noonuccal's We Are Going)

Explanation: Oodgeroo Noonuccal (formerly known as Kath Walker) made history in 1964 with the publication of We Are Going. This collection was the first book of poetry ever published by an Aboriginal Australian, focusing on dispossession, identity, and the resilience of Indigenous culture.

Why the other options are incorrect:

• David Unaipon: While a pioneer, his Native Legends (1929) consists of prose and mythological narratives rather than poetry.
• Tracey Moffatt: Primarily an acclaimed visual artist and filmmaker (known for the film mentioned in the option).
• Doris Pilkington Garimara: Famous for Follow the Rabbit-Proof Fence; Caprice is a novel/narrative work.

Correct Answer: 3

Correct Matches:

• Wahngin Country → Jack Davis (Poet and playwright focusing on land and rights)
• Plains of Promise → Alexis Wright (Contemporary novelist exploring intergenerational trauma)
• My Place → Sally Morgan (Landmark life narrative uncovering Aboriginal heritage)
• Not Meeting Mr. Right → Anita Heiss (Witty rom-com exploring modern Indigenous identity)

Correct Answer: 3 (Ghosts)

Explanation: Ghosts (1881) is famous for being one of the most controversial plays in theatrical history. Upon its release, it was condemned by Victorian critics for its unflinching realism regarding taboo subjects. The phrase "an open sewer" appeared in a notorious review by The Daily Telegraph in 1891, reflecting the era's disgust with the play's themes.

Key Taboo Themes in Ghosts:

• Inherited venereal disease (Syphilis)
• Euthanasia and Mercy Killing
• Religious hypocrisy and restrictive social morality
• Incestuous undertones

Notes on other Ibsen plays:

• A Doll's House: Scandalous for Nora leaving her children, but focused on gender roles.
• An Enemy of the People: Written as a response to the backlash of Ghosts, focusing on the individual vs. the corrupt majority.
• The Wild Duck: A more symbolic play exploring the "life-lie" and the consequences of idealistic truth-telling.

Correct Answer: 4

Correct Matches:

• International Year of the World's Indigenous People → 1993 (Declared by the UN to raise global awareness).
• Apology to the Stolen Generation → 2008 (Historic speech delivered by PM Kevin Rudd).
• End of White Australia Policy → 1973 (Official dismantling of restrictive immigration policies).
• First National Sorry Day → 1998 (Commemorating the Bringing Them Home report).

Correct Answer: 4) A, D, B, E, C

Explanation: The chronological publication order of Margaret Atwood's novels is:

• The Edible Woman (1969): Atwood’s debut novel exploring gender roles and consumer culture.
• Lady Oracle (1976): A comic gothic novel about a woman leading a double life.
• The Handmaid's Tale (1985): Her iconic dystopian work set in the Republic of Gilead.
• The Robber Bride (1993): A narrative focused on the complexities of female friendship and betrayal.
• The Blind Assassin (2000): Her Booker Prize-winning novel blending historical drama with pulp sci-fi.

Correct Answer: 3) B, E, C, A, D

Explanation: The chronological order of Chinua Achebe’s major novels, including the African Trilogy, is:

• Things Fall Apart (1958): Depicts the clash between Igbo tradition and British colonialism.
• No Longer at Ease (1960): Follows Okonkwo’s grandson, Obi, in a postcolonial city.
• Arrow of God (1964): Explores traditional religion and colonial influence on leadership.
• A Man of the People (1966): A sharp satire on corruption in post-independence Nigeria.
• Anthills of the Savannah (1987): A later novel examining dictatorship and civic resistance.