Unit Test (Solutions): Iswaran the Storyteller

Time: 1 Hour  M.M.: 30

Instructions: Attempt all questions.
Question number 1 carries 6 marks.
Question numbers 2 to 5 carry 3 marks each.
Question numbers 6 to 7 carry 6 marks each.

Q1. Read the extract and answer the following questions. (6 Marks)

Extract:
"One night Mahendra was woken up from his sleep by a low moan close to his window... There, not too far away, was a dark cloudy form clutching a bundle. Mahendra broke into a cold sweat and fell back on the pillow, panting."

(a) What had caused Mahendra to wake up?
(b) Why does the sight of the "dark cloudy form" frighten him so much?
(c) How does this incident relate to Iswaran's earlier storytelling?

Ans:
(a) Mahendra heard a low, guttural moaning sound near his window. At first he thought it was a cat, but the sound grew louder and stranger, waking him fully.
(b) Mahendra had been deeply influenced by Iswaran's earlier story about the ghost of a woman carrying a foetus. Seeing a dark form holding a bundle made the scene appear exactly like the ghostly figure in that tale, filling him with terror.
(c) The incident shows the psychological impact of Iswaran's storytelling. Though Mahendra rejected the idea of ghosts, the vividness of Iswaran's description planted fear in his mind, leading him to imagine supernatural shapes at night.

Q2. Why was Iswaran considered an "asset" to Mahendra? (3 Marks)
Ans: Iswaran cooked delicious meals, washed clothes, managed the living space, and adapted to every new workplace without complaint. He also entertained Mahendra with endless stories and anecdotes, making life bearable in remote, lonely locations. His presence added comfort, companionship, and practicality to Mahendra's otherwise difficult job.

Q3. How does Iswaran narrate the story of the mad tusker? What effect does he create? (3 Marks)
Ans: Iswaran narrates the tusker story dramatically, using gestures, voice modulation, suspense, and vivid description. He jumps about, stamps his feet, and mimics the elephant's behaviour, painting a thrilling and action-filled picture. This creates excitement, suspense, and a sense of awe in the listener, making even simple events feel extraordinary.

Q4. What makes Mahendra uneasy after Iswaran's story about the ghost? (3 Marks)
Ans: Although Mahendra dismisses ghosts as imagination, Iswaran's detailed description haunts him. From that night onwards, he feels uneasy before sleeping, avoids looking outside on full-moon nights, and constantly checks for dark shapes. His rational mind is shaken by the vivid supernatural imagery Iswaran creates.

Q5. Why does the author say Iswaran made up for the absence of a TV in Mahendra's living quarters? (3 Marks)
Ans: Iswaran's storytelling was lively, animated, suspenseful, and imaginative. His tales were filled with adventure, ghosts, danger, and humour-much like the entertainment a TV would provide. Mahendra never felt bored because Iswaran's narratives brought drama and excitement into daily life.

Q6. Explain the characteristics that make Iswaran a fascinating storyteller. Use examples from the text. (6 Marks)
Ans:
Iswaran is compelling because:
1. Dramatic style:
He raises his eyebrows, uses gestures, changes tone, and even physically imitates characters-like stamping his feet to enact the mad elephant.
2. Suspense and build-up:
He introduces stories with mysterious phrases ("The place I come from...") and describes events in a way that keeps the listener hooked.
3. Vivid imagination:
He turns simple events-an uprooted tree, a tusker's escape-into thrilling adventures with dramatic exaggeration.
4. Narrative flow influenced by Tamil thrillers:
Reading long Tamil novels shapes his style, adding twists and surprise endings.
5. Ability to mix the ordinary with the extraordinary:
He casually blends practical life with supernatural tales, such as the ghost of the woman clutching a foetus.

All these qualities make him captivating, entertaining, and unforgettable.

Q7. Mahendra calls ghosts a "figment of imagination," yet he resigns after his experience. Discuss. (6 Marks)
Ans:
Mahendra prides himself on being rational. He openly scolds Iswaran for believing in ghosts and calls the supernatural nonsense. However, the power of storytelling influences his subconscious. At night, alone in a quiet worksite, fear overrides reason.
When he hears a moan and sees a cloudy form holding a bundle, the memory of Iswaran's ghost story overwhelms him. Even after trying to reason with himself, he cannot escape the fear. When Iswaran casually mentions seeing him witness the ghost, Mahendra panics and decides to resign.
The episode highlights:

1. how imagination can overpower logic,
2. how fear grows from suggestion, and
3. how deeply Iswaran's tales impacted Mahendra's mind.