Fiction

Chapter 17 - Nadine Gordimer : A Guest of Honour

Objective Type Questions

For each of the following questions, four alternatives are given for the answer. Only one of them is correct. Choose the correct alternative.

1. What is the central theme of "A Guest of Honour" by Nadine Gordimer?
   (a) Love and Romance
   (b) Political Struggle
   (c) Family Drama
   (d) Historical Fiction

2. Who is the author of "A Guest of Honour"?
   (a) Chinua Achebe
   (b) Nadine Gordimer
   (c) Gabriel Garcia Marquez
   (d) J.M. Coetzee

3. What event serves as a backdrop for the narrative in "A Guest of Honour"?
   (a) World War II
   (b) Apartheid
   (c) The French Revolution
   (d) The Renaissance

4. What is the name of the main character's spouse?
   (a) Olivia
   (b) John
   (c) Margaret
   (d) Michael

5. Why is the protagonist considered a "Guest of Honour"?
   (a) Nobel Prize
   (b) Political Exile
   (c) Wedding Invitation
   (d) Royal Invitation

6. Who plays a significant role as a supporting character in the story?
   (a) The maid
   (b) The neighbor
   (c) The childhood friend
   (d) The political mentor

7. What genre does "A Guest of Honour" belong to?
   (a) Science Fiction
   (b) Mystery
   (c) Historical Fiction
   (d) Fantasy

8. What is the name of the main character in "A Guest of Honour"?
   (a) Colonel James Evelyn Bray
   (b) John
   (c) David
   (d) Richard

9. What is Bray's occupation?
   (a) Doctor
   (b) Journalist
   (c) Politician
   (d) Teacher

10. What is the name of James Bray's wife?
    (a) Olivia
    (b) Linda
    (c) Susan
    (d) Mary

11. Why does Michael become a political exile?
    (a) Corruption charges
    (b) Opposition to the government
    (c) Personal scandal
    (d) Health reasons

12. What is the primary setting of the story?
    (a) Small village
    (b) Urban city
    (c) Coastal town
    (d) Mountain retreat

13. How does the political climate impact James Bray family?
    (a) They become wealthy
    (b) They face persecution
    (c) They remain neutral
    (d) They flee the country

14. What is James Bray initial reaction to the political changes in the country?
    (a) Supportive
    (b) Indifferent
    (c) Opposed
    (d) Confused

15. How does the story explore the theme of race relations?
    (a) Interracial marriage
    (b) Apartheid laws
    (c) Cultural festivals
    (d) Religious conflicts

16. What literary device does Gordimer use to convey Michael's internal struggles?
    (a) Flashbacks
    (b) Stream of consciousness
    (c) Allegory
    (d) Foreshadowing

17. What is the significance of the title "A Guest of Honour"?
    (a) Michael is invited to a party
    (b) Michael is given a prestigious award
    (c) James Bray is celebrated by the government
    (d) Michael is welcomed warmly by the community

18. What symbolic item represents Michael's connection to his homeland?
    (a) A flag
    (b) A passport
    (c) A letter
    (d) A photograph

19. What is the turning point in Bray's political career?
    (a) His resignation
    (b) A failed assassination attempt
    (c) A successful election campaign
    (d) A change of political ideology

20. How does the narrative explore the impact of political decisions on personal relationships?
    (a) Through flashbacks
    (b) Through dialogue
    (c) Through letters
    (d) Through dreams

21. What role does the media play in shaping public opinion in the story?
    (a) Advocate for change
    (b) Government propaganda
    (c) Objective reporting
    (d) Ignored by the characters

22. What is the significance of the setting in the protagonist's home?
    (a) Represents stability
    (b) Symbolizes oppression
    (c) Reflects political chaos
    (d) Serves as a sanctuary

23. How does Oliva, Bray's wife, cope with the challenges they face?
    (a) Becomes politically active
    (b) Withdraws from society
    (c) Collaborates with the government
    (d) Encourages Michael to flee

24. How does the theme of exile manifest in the story?
    (a) Physical displacement
    (b) Emotional isolation
    (c) Cultural assimilation
    (d) Political alliance

25. What is the role of dreams and nightmares in Michael's experience?
    (a) Predict future events
    (b) Serve as a form of escapism
    (c) Reflect subconscious fears
    (d) Represent political propaganda

26. How does the narrative address the theme of betrayal among friends?
    (a) Flashbacks
    (b) Dialogue
    (c) Letters
    (d) Symbolic imagery

27. What role does James Bray daughter play in the story's resolution?
    (a) Sacrifices herself for Michael
    (b) Joins the political opposition
    (c) Represents the next generation
    (d) Becomes a government informant

28. What impact does James Bray political activism have on his family relationships?
    (a) Strengthens family bonds
    (b) Causes irreparable rifts
    (c) Has no effect
    (d) Leads to their exile

29. What motivates James Bray to become involved in politics initially?
    (a) Desire for power
    (b) Personal vendetta
    (c) Ideological beliefs
    (d) Pressure from his family

30. How does the narrative explore the theme of identity in the face of political upheaval?
    (a) Through flashbacks
    (b) Through letters
    (c) Through dialogue
    (d) Through symbolism

31. What does Michael lose during the political upheaval in the story?
    (a) His wealth
    (b) His family
    (c) His health
    (d) His political ideals

32. What is the significance of the recurring motif of birds in the story?
    (a) Symbolizes freedom
    (b) Represents government surveillance
    (c) Indicates impending danger
    (d) Sign of good fortune

33. What role does religion play in the characters' lives in the story?
    (a) Source of comfort
    (b) Tool for political control
    (c) Ignored by the characters
    (d) Promotes tolerance

34. Who is the author of “A Guest of Honour”?
    (a) Chinua Achebe
    (b) Wole Soyinka
    (c) Nadine Gordimer
    (d) Ngugi wa Thiong'o

35. What is the profession of the protagonist, Colonel James Bray, in “A Guest of Honour”?
    (a) Doctor
    (b) Teacher
    (c) Colonial Administrator
    (d) Lawyer

36. Which theme is predominantly explored in “A Guest of Honour”?
    (a) Romance
    (b) Technological advancements
    (c) Postcolonial African politics
    (d) Medieval history

37. “A Guest of Honour” is set in which type of location?
    (a) A fictional African country
    (b) Historical Europe
    (c) Modern-day America
    (d) Ancient Asia

38. Who was recognised as a writer "Who through her magnificent epic writing has been of very great benefit to humanity"?
    (a) Nadine Gordimer
    (b) Sujata Bhutto
    (c) Kamala Das
    (d) R.K. Narayan

39. Where was Bray invited in “A Guest of Honour”?
    (a) For independence celebration in the African country from England.
    (b) For a farewell of party of Armies
    (c) For a get together Party
    (d) None of these

40. What does Edward Shinza represent in the novel?
    (a) Foreign investment
    (b) Revolutionary ideals and grassroots empowerment
    (c) Colonial power
    (d) Technological innovation

41. Nadine Gordimer, the author of “A Guest of Honour,” is from which country?
    (a) Nigeria
    (b) South Africa
    (c) Kenya
    (d) Ghana

42. What is a major theme in Gordimer’s “A Guest of Honour”?
    (a) Magic realism
    (b) Space exploration
    (c) The legacy of colonialism
    (d) Medieval warfare

43. How does Colonel James Bray feel about his return to Africa in “A Guest of Honour”?
    (a) Indifferent
    (b) Terrified
    (c) Nostalgic and hopeful
    (d) Angry

44. What literary genre best describes “A Guest of Honour”?
    (a) Science fiction
    (b) Fantasy
    (c) Historical fiction
    (d) Political novel

45. In “A Guest of Honour,” what does the fictional African country recently achieve?
    (a) Technological innovation
    (b) Independence from colonial rule
    (c) Economic collapse
    (d) Victory in a civil war

46. What is a significant aspect of Gordimer’s writing style in “A Guest of Honour”?
    (a) Simple and straightforward narration
    (b) Extensive use of fantasy elements
    (c) Rich, descriptive prose
    (d) Focus on dialogue over description

47. Who is Colonel James Bray’s friend who becomes president in the novel?
    (a) Edward Shinza
    (b) Thomas Fisk
    (c) President Mweta
    (d) John Kani

48. What is the central dilemma for Colonel James Bray in “A Guest of Honour”?
    (a) Choosing between two lovers
    (b) Finding a lost treasure
    (c) Balancing his past with the current political reality
    (d) Winning a sports competition

49. What role does the setting play in “A Guest of Honour”?
    (a) Minimal impact on the story
    (b) Serves as a historical backdrop
    (c) Acts as a metaphor for change
    (d) Provides comic relief

50. How is President Mweta’s approach to governance described in the novel?
    (a) Focused on environmental issues
    (b) Oriented towards economic development and foreign investment
    (c) Centered around traditional values only
    (d) Based on isolationist policies

51. What kind of political transformation is depicted in “A Guest of Honour”?
    (a) Transition from monarchy to democracy
    (b) Shift from colonial rule to independence
    (c) Change from dictatorship to socialism
    (d) Move from capitalism to communism

52. What narrative perspective is used in “A Guest of Honour”?
    (a) First person
    (b) Second person
    (c) Third person omniscient
    (d) Multiple perspectives

53. What is the primary focus of Edward Shinza’s character in the novel?
    (a) Military strategy
    (b) Art and culture
    (c) Social justice and grassroots empowerment
    (d) Scientific innovation

54. What is Colonel James Bray’s nationality in “A Guest of Honour”?
    (a) American
    (b) British
    (c) South African
    (d) French

55. What literary technique is prominent in Gordimer’s depiction of the African landscape in the novel?
    (a) Irony
    (b) Personification
    (c) Hyperbole
    (d) Allegory

56. In “A Guest of Honour,” what is a major challenge faced by the newly independent African country?
    (a) Alien invasion
    (b) Balancing modernization with traditional values
    (c) Time travel paradoxes
    (d) Magical curses

57. What aspect of postcolonial society is highlighted through Bray’s personal relationships in the novel?
    (a) Economic disparities
    (b) Cultural fusion
    (c) Technological advancement
    (d) Interpersonal conflicts stemming from political changes

58. What is the overall message of “A Guest of Honour”, regarding postcolonial African politics?
    (a) Optimism for a utopian future
    (b) Critique of foreign intervention and exploration of complex political dynamics
    (c) Emphasis on returning to colonial rule
    (d) Celebration of technological progress

59. When was the Nadine Gordimer born?
    (a) 5 November, 1925
    (b) 20 November, 1923
    (c) 8 October, 1923
    (d) 23 November, 1920

60. What was the Nationality of Gordimer?
    (a) American
    (b) South African
    (c) South American
    (d) None of these

61. Who was the first spouse of Nadine Gordimer?
    (a) Gerald Gavron
    (b) Reinhold Cassirer
    (c) Nelson Mandela
    (d) None of these

62. Who was Isidore Gordimer?
    (a) A Lithuanian Jewish immigrant watchmaker from Zago
    (b) Father of Nadine Gordimer
    (c) All of the above

63. Which writing did Gordimer deal?
    (a) Moral and Racial issues
    (b) Particularly apartheid in South Africa
    (c) Spirituality
    (d) (a) and (b) both

64. Who was the mother of Nadine Gordimer?
    (a) Hannah "Nan" Gordimer
    (b) Mannah "Pan" Gordimer
    (c) Pannah "Son" Gordimer
    (d) Nagina Gordimer

65. Which was Nadine’s first published stories in 1937?
    (a) The Quest for seen Gold
    (b) The Conservationist
    (c) Burger’s Daughter
    (d) July’s People

66. Which was Gordimer’s first novel?
    (a) The Conservationist
    (b) The Lying Days
    (c) The Quest for seen Gold
    (d) July’s People

67. What was the name of Nadine’s birth place?
    (a) Springs Transvall
    (b) Johannesburg
    (c) Start Avon
    (d) Warwickshire

68. What was Gordimer’s first book?
    (a) Face to Face
    (b) The Lying Days
    (c) July’s People
    (d) None of these

69. When was Nadine received the Nobel Prize in Literature?
    (a) 1990
    (b) 1991
    (c) 1992
    (d) 1989

70. When did Gordimer die?
    (a) 2004
    (b) 2009
    (c) 2014
    (d) 2015

71. Which prize Nadine won for ‘A Guest of Honour’?
    (a) Booker Prize
    (b) James Tait Black Memorial Prize
    (c) Rome Prize
    (d) Nelly Sachs Prize

72. For which work, Nadine, won Booker Prize?
    (a) The Conservationist
    (b) A Guest of Honour
    (c) Burger’s Daughter
    (d) July’s People

73. Nadine received Rome Prize in -
    (a) 1980
    (b) 1981
    (c) 1984
    (d) 1985

74. In 1961, Nadine received … … … for Friday Footprint.
    (a) W.H. Smith Commonwealth Literary Award
    (b) Booker Prize
    (c) Central News Agency Literary Award
    (d) Rome Prize

75. For which work, Nadine received ‘Central News Agency Literary Award’?
    (a) A Guest of Honour
    (b) Burger’s Daughter
    (c) July’s People
    (d) The Conservationist

76. Who wrote ‘My Son’s Story’?
    (a) Nadine Gordimer
    (b) Virginia Woolf
    (c) Mulkraj Aanad
    (d) T. S. Eliot

77. In 1991, Nadine wins -
    (a) Nobel Prize for Literature
    (b) Rome Prize
    (c) Bennett Award
    (d) Central News Agency Award

78. Nadine got Commonwealth Writer’s Prize for the best book from Africa for ‘The Pickup’ in -
    (a) 2000
    (b) 2001
    (c) 2002
    (d) 2004

79. How many honourary degrees Nadine got?
    (a) 10
    (b) 12
    (c) 15
    (d) 20

80. Nadine got International Botev Prize Laureate in -
    (a) 1996
    (b) 1990
    (c) 1995
    (d) 1991

81. In which year Nadine became American Philosophical Society Member?
    (a) 2004
    (b) 2002
    (c) 2008
    (d) 2001

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