Nectar in a Sieve
Reading Questions
For test and quiz preparation- NOT AN ASSIGNMENT!!
Chapter 1
1. Why is the speaker comforted when she looks at Puli’s hands?
2. What is the speaker’s husband like? What does her family think of him?
3. How does the narrator feel abut leaving her family?
4. What is the narrator’s new home like? How does she feel when she sees it?
5. Identify and describe the three village women the narrator meets while doing her wash.
6. What does the narrator learn about her home?
7. What doesn’t the narrator’s husband own? What do they own?
8. In what way is Kunthi different from other women?
9. Why does Nathan call Rukmani a clever woman?
Chapter 2
1. How does Kunthi react when she sees that Rukmani has come to help deliver her child?
2. Why is Nathan angry?
3. What does the narrator do with her leisure time?
4. Why does Rukmani practice reading and writing?
5. Why might it have been difficult for Nathan to see Rukmani Writing? What could he have done
that he did not do?
6. How does the narrator react to her growing garden?
7. How does the narrator react when she touches the snake?
8. Describe the narrator’s reaction when she sees that her first child is a girl.
9. Why does Kali say it is a shame Nathan killed the snake? What is Nathan’s reaction?
10. What do people remark on?
Chapter 3
1. Why is the narrator worried?
2. What does Rukmani’s mother give her shortly before she dies? What premonition does she have?
3. Who is Kenny?
4. What does Kenny say he will try to do for Rukmani? How does she react to the idea of going to
see him?
5. Who is missing from the festivities? Why does this bother the narrator?
6. Why doesn’t the narrator tell her husband the truth about Kenny?
7. How many children does the narrator have in the four years after Arjun is born? Why is it better
to be the first-born?
8. Why does Rukmani sell to Biswas instead of Old Granny? Why would she rather sell to Old
Granny?
Chapter 4
1. What kind of change is the narrator used to? What examples does she give of this kind of change?
2. How is the overseer different from the other men?
3. How does the overseer react when the white man arrives? What does he order the crowd to do?
4. Name two changes that occur in the village during the building of the tannery.
5. What does Nathan advise Rukmani to do?
6. Why isn’t Rukmani happy with the changes in the village?
Review chapters 1-4
1. What predictions might Rukmani be making about her life based on what she sees when she
arrives? Why does her new knowledge change her opinion about her home? How does it affect
her feelings toward her husband?
2. In what way is Rukmani able to contribute to her familiy’s income? What does Nathan do when
she touches the snake?
3. Why are sons more highly prized than daughters are? What does the way Rukmani deals with her
infertility tell you about her beliefs?
4. Explain how Rukmani’s feelings about the tannery differ from the feeling of other people.
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5.
6.
List positive and negative changes that stem from the building of the tannery.
Evaluate the roles of women and men and the attitudes toward gender in the society portrayed in
the novel.
Chapter 5
1. Why are Nathan and Rukmani lucky?
2. How does Rukmani welcome Kenny?
3. What do the village women do with dung?
4. What does Kenny think they should do with it?
5. Why is the narrator nervous when Kenny speaks to Nathan about her?
6. How does Kenny help the narrator again?
Chapter 6
1. Why is Old Granny the perfect go-between?
2. Why does Rukmani fear Old Granny might refuse?
3. What qualities do Nathan and Rukmani like in the young man they select?
4. Why does Old Granny believe the dowry will be enough?
5. What does Nathan insist about the wedding?
6. Why is Rukmani still able to prepare a suitable feast?
7. How do people feel about the match?
Chapter 7
1. To what does the narrator compare nature?
2. Why had the family not prepared for monsoon season?
3. Why did the children cry?
4. How much damage did the monsoon cause?
5. What sound begins at dusk?
6. What does this sound echo?
7. How do the two shopkeepers treat Nathan and Rukmani?
8. What does Kenny say about the situation?
Chapter 8
1. Why does Kunthi find the tanner to be a “boon”?
2. What changes has the narrator noticed in the town?
3. Does she prefer the quiet village life of the past or the growing town in which she now lives?
4. What happens to the small shop as a result of the new tannery in town? Why are the other
shopkeepers glad?
5. What kinds of people are officiates at the tannery?
6. Where do some of them live?
7. Why does the narrator feel sorry for the wives of the Muslim officials?
8. Why doesn’t Kali feel sorry for them as well?
9. What talk does Kali’s husband feel is useless? Why doe he feel this way?
10. Why doesn’t the narrator ever return to the Muslim woman’s house to sell vegetables?
Chapter 9
1. What is unusual about the way Ira and her husband are walking?
2. What does Rukmani think?
3. Why have Ira and her husband come?
4. How does Ira feel about the situation? About herself?
5. What expectations does Rukmani have for Arjun?
6. What expectations does Nathan have for Arjun?
7. What does Arjun say he will do instead?
8. What, according to Arjun, is the most important thing?
9. Why does Rukmani say she will ask Kenny to help Arjun?
10. What does Arjun imply?
11. Why won’t Thambi work the land with Nathan?
12. How does Rukmani and her family benefit from Arjun and Thambi working at the tannery?
Chapter 10
1. What luxury does the narrator permit her children during Deepavali?
2. How does she feel about spending money this way?
3. What briefly casts a shadow on the narrator’s pleasure?
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4. What is Nathan doing?
5. How does Rukmani react to his behavior?
6. Why is Nathan happy?
Chapter 11
1. Why does Rukmani wait until Nathan is away to see Kenny?
2. How does Kenny react when Rukmani comes to him for help?
3. Who surprises Rukmani as she returns from seeking Kenny’s help?
4. What does Kunthi think Rukmani has been doing?
5. Why won’t Ira’s husband take her back?
6. What change does Ira undergo when Kuti is born?
7. Why does Rukmani worry about Ira?
8. What has Rukmani come to accept? When doesn’t she accept these things?
Chapter 12
1. What does Arjun and Thambi’s money pay for?
2. What doesn’t Rukmani have enough money for?
3. Why do Rukmani and Nathan go to the tannery?
4. What happens one day that concerns them?
5. What does the guard say has happened?
6. What have the workers done? Why?
7. Why doesn’t Rukmani understand their actions?
8. Why are Arjun and Thambi bitter? What do they say?
9. What happens now that Arjun and Thambi no longer work at the tannery?
10. Of what does Selvam’s announcement remind Rukmani?
11. Why do Arjun and Thambi want to work in Ceylon?
12. What kind of work will Rukmani’s third son do?
13. What does Kenny say about his comings and goings?
Review chapters 5-12
1. Does Old Granny find a good match for Ira? Explain
2. What do you learn about laborers’ rights in chapters 5-12? Think about the rights of Nathan on
the land and the rights of Arjun and Thambi at the tannery.
3. What does Rukmani notice about Kunthi when they meet on the path at night?
4. What does Kunthi imply about Rukmani’s relationship with Kenny? Why is Kunthi out at night?
5. Why does Kenny’s point of view differ from Rukmani’s? How does his perspective help the
reader understand the situation in the village?
6. Compare and contrast the marriage arranged for Rukmani and the marriage arranged for Ira.
Judge whether each is a good match.
Chapter 13
1. What happened at harvest time?
2. What will happen if Nathan and Rukmani cannot make the payment?
3. What does Sivaji agree to do?
4. What must Nathan and Rukmani do in order to make a payment?
5. Why does Biswas think he has the upper hand?
6. What does Rukmani say she will do if Biswas does not offer a fair price?
7. What does Nathan say they must do? Why is this a drastic measure?
8. What does Sivaji agree to do? What explanation does he make?
9. What do the women do in greed?
Chapter 14
1. In what did Rukmani’s family’s hope lie?
2. What two forces tug at them?
3. What does Rukmani do with her secret store?
4. How long will this store feed them?
5. What does Rukmani dream of?
6. What effect do these dreams have on her?
7. How has Kunthi changed?
8. Why has Kunthi come to Rukmani?
9. What threat does Kunthi make?
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Why does Rukmani give in to Kunthi’s threat?
How much rice does Rukmani expect to find? How much does she find instead?
Whom does Rukmani accuse of stealing the rice? Who confesses?
Why did Kunthi go to Nathan?
What are many farmers’ families doing? What does their competicion put an end to? Who
suffered the most from hunger?
15. Who care for him?
Chapter 15
1. What happens to Raja?
2. Why have the tannery representatives come?
3. How does the meeker man feel about the situation and his role in it?
Chapter 16
1. Why will the reaping be difficult?
2. How did the family watch the growing paddy?
3. What change does Rukmani notice in Kuti?
4. Who doe Rukmani assume she hears?
5. Who has Rukmani attacked?
6. What caused the wounds that Rukmani did not cause? Why does she have trouble understanding
this?
7. What falls into the water as Rukmani washes the sari?
8. What doe Rukmani understand about the change in Kuti?
9. What are the two truths that Rukmani has been told are unpalatable?
10. What does Nathan demand that Ira stop doing?
11. Why does she refuse to stop?
12. To what new change does Rukmani adjust?
13. How does Rukmani feel about the death of Kuti?
Chapter 17
1. What happens once Kuti is gone? Why is it surprising?
2. Of what do Nathan and Rukmani dream?
Review chapters 13-17
1. Why do both Rukmani and Nathan give rice to Kunthi?
2. How does Rukmani feel when she learns the truth about Kunthi? Why does she feel this way?
3. Why are Nathan and Rukmani unable to pay the rent? What will happen to them if they do not
make the payment? How do they get the money? What does Sivaji say when he comes back the
second time?
4. Analyze Rukmani’s reactions to the death of Raja and to the death of Kuti. Why do you thing her
reaction differs?
5. Why does Ira become a prostitute? Why do Rukmani and Nathan accept her decision?
Chapter 18
1. Why does the narrator no longer sell to Biswas?
2. Why is Rukmani glad to hear Kenny is back?
3. What does Biswas imply?
4. How does Rukmani feel about her offering?
5. What would Kenny have done if he had been there? For what two reasons was he missed?
6. What has happened to Kenny’s family?
7. What does Rukmani think a man must do? What does she think a woman must do?
8. What does she see for the first time?
9. Why isn’t Rukmani happy that Ira is pregnant?
10. How does Kenny react to the situation?
Chapter 19
1. What is Kenny building?
2. What job has he offered Selvam?
3. What warning does Rukmani want to give Selvam?
4. Where did Kenny get money for his project?
5. Why does the source of the money puzzle Rukmani?
6. What advice does Kenny give again?
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11.
12.
13.
14.
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7. What do people in the city have to pay attention to?
8. What don’t they notice?
9. What fears does Rukmani have?
10. What are the child’s most noticeable features?
11. What does Ira think of her child? Why do people come to see the baby?
12. How does Nathan propose to stop the parade of people?
13. Why doe Old Granny feel responsible?
14. How does Selvam break the tension?
Chapter 21
1. What do Selvam and Kenny not know about the hospital?
2. Why might it be better that they do not know?
3. What happens to Old Granny?
4. Why does Rukmani feel guilty about Old Granny’s death?
5. What problems slow the progress of the hospital?
6. What question does Rukmani ask Kenny?
7. What favorite saying is his reply?
Chapter 22
1. Why doesn’t Kali approve of learning?
2. How does Selvam treat Sacrabani?
3. How do others treat him?
4. Why would Sacrabani be unable to survive on his own?
5. What kinds of questions does Sacrabani begin to ask?
6. How do these questions make Ira feel?
Chapter 23
1. From what ailments does Nathan suffer?
2. What does Kenny say is the cause of Nathan’s health problems?
3. What might help Nathan?
4. Why doesn’t Rukmani plan for the future?
5. What blow befalls Rukmani and Nathan?
6. How long do they have before they must leave?
7. Why is it useless to try to stop the tannery?
8. What truths doe people who live by the land know? How does Selvam react when he hears the
news?
9. Where will Rukmani and Nathan go?
10. What does Selvam offer to do?
11. Why doesn’t Nathan accept his offer?
12. What will Ira and Sacrabani do?
Review Chapter 18-23
1. What does Rukmani say when Kenny claims her views are limited or oversimplified?
2. Why is Rukmani both pleased and hurt by the commendation in Kenny’s eyes?
3. How does Ira feel when she first sees her child?
4. In general, how do the villagers react to Sacrabani?
5. Assess the effect the tannery has had on Rukmani’s family.
Chapter 24
1. What do Rukmani and Nathan take with them?
2. What attitude does the cart man have toward the sick bullock?
3. How far is the street where Murugan lives?
4. What is it like in the city?
5. What happens that shows Rukmani and Nathan are not used to city ways?
6. Where will Rukmani and Nathan spend the night?
7. Why might Rukmani expect people to know her son?
8. What does this question reveal about her and Nathan?
9. How will Nathan and Rukmani get their dinner?
10. What change occurs when it is time for food to be distributed?
11. How do the others react to Rukmani’s request?
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12. What has happened to Rukmani and Nathan’s belongings?
13. What does Rukmani feel while she is sleeping?
Chapter 25
1. How does Rukmani learn their money is missing?
2. How do people react when they hear what has happened?
3. In what way do the children change when a piece of food falls in the road?
4. What deals does the boy make with Nathan?
5. What does Rukmani notice about the boy?
6. What does the servant say about Murugan?
7. Why is Nathan confused by the doctor’s appearance?
8. What does the doctor tell them about their son?
9. What gives Rukmani renewed hope?
10. Why are Rukmani and Nathan able to eat the generous meal free of guilt?
Chapter 26
1. What are Rukmani and Nathan told when they arrive at the Collector’s house?
2. What does Ammu say about Murugan?
3. What does Rukmani learn about the younger child?
4. What does Ammu repeat?
5. Why does Ammu emphasize the words “myself” and “my children?”
6. Why does the man shout at Nathan and Rukmani?
Chapter 27
1. How do people react when they see Rukmani and Nathan back at the temple?
2. How do Rukmani and Nathan begin to look at newcomers?
3. What do Rukmani and Nathan long for?
4. How do they feel about the city?
5. How does Rukmani propose to make money?
6. What additional trouble does Nathan face?
7. Why does Puli assume Rukmani has money?
8. What work does Puli suggest they try?
9. What danger is there at the quarry?
10. Why doe Puli suggest the spot for them to begin?
11. What surprises Rukmani?
12. What do Rukmani and Nathan do with their money?
13. What problems does Puli see with Nathan and Rukmani returning to the village?
Chapter 28
1. How does Rukmani feel after she has bought the fried pancakes?
2. Why does Rukmani give in to Puli’s pleas?
3. What happens when Nathan smells the food?
4. On what are everyone’s plans built?
5. Why does Rukmani stop despite her determination not to?
Chapter 29
1. What do the others do for Rukmani?
2. Why does Rukmani grieve for herself?
Chapter 30
1. Who went home with Rukmani?
2. How does Rukmani introduce Puli?
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