Maharashtra Board Class 12 English Section 4 Genre Drama Chapter 4.1 History of Novel Solutions

Class 12 English Chapter 4.1 History of Novel Question Answer Maharashtra Board

12th Std English Chapter 4.1 Brainstorming Question Answer

1. Match the columns:

Question 1. Match the columns:

🎯 Exam Tip: For matching questions, it's crucial to know key literary figures, terms, and their most famous works. Eliminate known pairs first to simplify the remaining options.

Question 2. Pick out the odd element from each group:
(i) Arun Joshi, Vikram Seth, Graham Greene, Kiran Nagarkar
Answer: Graham Greene (Graham Greene was an English novelist; the others are Indian writers)
(ii) Place, Period, Theme, Climate, Lifestyle
Answer: Theme (the others are aspects of the setting)
(iii) Theme, Plot, Character, Novella
Answer: Novella ('Novella' is a 'novel'; the others are the elements of a novel)In simple words: This question requires you to identify the item that doesn't belong to the same category as the others in each given group, based on literary knowledge.

🎯 Exam Tip: Pay attention to classifications in literature, such as nationalities of authors, elements of a story's setting, or components of a novel, to correctly identify the odd one out.

3. Complete the following statements:

Question 1. Complete the following statements:
Answer:
(i) The two types of conflicts that the plot may have are internal (inside the mind of the character) or external (with other characters or entities).
(ii) The word 'picaresque' is originated from the Spanish word 'picaro,' which means a rogue.
(iii) The epistolary novel presents the narrative through a series of correspondence or other documents like letters or diary entries.
(iv) In the eighteenth century, the middle class could get the time for reading and discussing the novels because the spread of machines helped them in their work and could provide them with some spare time.In simple words: This section assesses your understanding of fundamental literary concepts and historical context related to the novel.

🎯 Exam Tip: Be precise with definitions and historical facts. Understanding key literary terms and their origins is essential for questions of this type.

4. Write short notes on:

Question 1. Write short notes on:
(i) Style of the novel
(ii) Stream of consciousness novel
(iii) Novella
(iv) Indian tradition of novels.
Answer:
(i) Style of the novel: The language and the techniques used by the author for the narration of the course of events is known as the 'style'. An author can use extensive vocabulary and difficult phrases or he may be brief and could write only to the point or he may mix both according to the requirement of his story. He may use linguistic devices like figures of speech to make the narrative effective. All these factors decide the 'texture' of the narration and create an impact on the readers.
(ii) Stream of consciousness novel: The phrase 'Stream of consciousness' means the flow of thoughts in the minds of the characters. This phrase was coined by William James in his treatise 'Principles of Psychology.' (1890). In such a novel, incidents in the plot are in the sequence of their occurrence. The novelist narrates them just as they occur in the minds of the characters. Sometimes they do not make sense; but they truthfully represent the thoughts without any censoring or editing.
(iii) Novella: The word 'Novella' which means new is originated from the Italian word 'novelle'. A Novella is a type of prose fiction which is shorter than a full length novel and longer than short stories. It is a well-structured yet short narrative, often satiric or realistic in tone. Novella usually focuses on one incident or issue with one or two main characters and takes place at a single location. Given below are some of the famous novellas in English:
1. 'The Heart of Darkness' by Joseph Conrad
2. 'The Turn of the Screw' by Henry James
3. 'Billy Budd' by Hermann Melville
4. 'Death in Venice' by Thomas Mann
5. 'Seize The Day' by Saul Bellow
6. 'Pearl' by John Steinbeck
(iv) Indian tradition of novels: Indians have also played a major role in the writing of English Novels. 'Rajmohan's Wife', by Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyaya was the first novel in English written by an Indian. The period after that is marked by a few more navels written by Indian writers. These novels were based on either nationalistic virtues or social issues. Mulkraj Anand, R.K. Narayan and Raja Rao were the major trio who prevailed in the period after that. Novelists like Anita Desai, Nayantara Sahgal, Arun Joshi and Manohar Malgaonkar changed the current of Indian English novel through their works. Amitav Ghosh, Vikram Seth and Upamanyu Chatterjee improved upon the Indian novel in English by adding new features to it. In recent years, Indian novelists like Salman Rushdie, Arvind Adiga, Arundhati Roy, Kiran Desai and Kiran Nagarkar have come into the limelight. The tradition of the Indian English novel has undergone a vital change since its birth and has undoubtedly a very bright future.In simple words: This question requires you to explain specific concepts related to novels, including narrative style, a particular type of novel (stream of consciousness and novella), and the historical development of novels in India.

🎯 Exam Tip: When writing short notes, define the concept clearly, provide key characteristics, give relevant examples (if applicable), and briefly discuss its significance or historical context. Structure your answers with distinct points for each sub-topic.

Yuvakbharati English 12th Digest Chapter 4.1 History of Novel Additional Important Questions and Answers

Question 1. Pick out the statements that are False. Rewrite them correctly:
1. Setting describes the behaviour of the characters in the story.
2. The main character in the story is referred to as the 'novella'.
3. The struggle between the opposite forces in the story is called 'conflict.'
4. Theme is the central idea in the novel which can be expressed in a nutshell.
5. The plot and character are affected due to the setting.
6. 'Plot' is the narrative style of the author.
Answer:
False statements:
1. Setting describes the behaviour of the characters in the story.
2. The main character in the story is referred to as the 'novella'.
6. 'Plot' is the narrative style of the author.
Corrected statements:
1. Characterization describes the behaviour of the characters in the story.
2. The main character in the story is referred to as the 'protagonist'.
6. Plot is the course of events that make up the theme.In simple words: This question tests your ability to distinguish between true and false statements regarding elements of a novel and correct the incorrect ones with accurate information.

🎯 Exam Tip: Read each statement carefully, identifying the core concept it addresses. Correct false statements by replacing the incorrect term or idea with the precise literary term or fact.

Question 2. Rewrite the following statements in chronological order:
1. Mulkraj Anand, R.K. Narayan and Raja Rao were the major trio who prevailed in the period after that.
2. The novel originated as the literary form in England.
3. Indian novelists like Arvind Adiga, Arundhati Roy and Kiran Desai have dazzled with their writing.
4. Many stalwart novelists such as Charles Dickens, Walter Scott became famous.
Answer:
2. The novel originated as the literary form in England.
4. Many stalwart novelists such as Charles Dickens, Walter Scott became famous.
1. Mulkraj Anand, R.K. Narayan and Raja Rao were the major trio who prevailed in the period after that.
3. Indian novelists like Arvind Adiga, Arundhati Roy and Kiran Desai have dazzled with their writing.In simple words: This question requires you to arrange historical events related to the development of the novel in their correct time sequence.

🎯 Exam Tip: Focus on the general historical progression of literary movements and the emergence of authors. Identify the earliest event first and then build the timeline progressively.

Question 3. List the types of novels.
Answer:
The types of novels are: Realistic Novel, Picaresque Novel, Historical Novel, Epistolary Novel, Gothic Novel, Autobiographical Novel, Allegorical Novel, Utopian/Dystopian Novel, Psychological Novel, Stream of Consciousness Novel, Bildungsroman Novel.In simple words: This question asks you to enumerate different categories or genres into which novels can be classified based on their themes, styles, or structural characteristics.

🎯 Exam Tip: Ensure your list is comprehensive and accurately reflects the major types of novels discussed in your curriculum. Practice recalling these classifications from memory.

Question 4. Choose the correct options from the brackets and fill in the blanks :
Answer:
1. The characters in the Realistic novel interact with other characters and undergo plausible and everyday experiences. (Realistic/Utopian)
2. A Picaresque novel narrates the adventures of the protagonist, who is an eccentric or a disreputable person, in an episodic form. (Picaresque/Realistic)
3. The Dystopian novel is about an imaginary community or society possessing the ideal qualities. (Dystopian/Picaresque)
4. In the Stream of Consciousness novel, the novelist narrates the character's thoughts as they enter the mind of the character. (Stream of Consciousness/ Utopian)
5. The Bildungsroman novel is a fictional biography or autobiography which is concerned with the growth of the protagonist's mind, spirit and character from childhood to adulthood. (Bildungsroman/Gothic)
6. The Gothic novel includes terror, mystery, horror, thriller, supernatural, doom, death or decay or haunted buildings. (Dystopian/Gothic)In simple words: This question requires you to select the appropriate literary term from the given options to complete sentences describing various types of novels.

🎯 Exam Tip: Understand the defining characteristics of each novel type. Pay close attention to keywords in the sentence that point to the correct classification, such as "plausible experiences" for Realistic or "eccentric/disreputable person" for Picaresque.

Glossary:

1. genre - a style, especially in the arts, that involves a particular set of characteristics,
2. embellishing - decorating.
3. adopted - followed,
4. precursor - something that happened or existed before another thing,
5. profoundly - deeply,
6. elite - upper class.
7. aspirations - ambitions, desires,
8. encompass - include,
9. plenteous - plentiful,
10. stalwart - (here) a person who has achieved great recognition and appreciation,
11. innovative - new and original,
12. pageant - a colourful or impressive procession of people.
13. ameliorate - to make something better,
14. dazzling - shining.
15. satiric - sharp or sarcastic.
16. interweaving - combining; twisting together,
17. thumbnail sketch - brief description,
18. antagonist - a person who is opposed to the hero,
19. laconic - short and crisp.
20. plausible - believable,
21. eccentric - peculiar; crazy; out-of-the-way.
22. disreputable - not respectable.
23. speculative - unproven, unreal,
24. extraterrestrial - of or from outside the earth or its atmosphere.
25. amateur - inexperienced; unprofessional.

Class 12 English Questions And Answers

12th Std English Questions And Answers: