Nectar in a Sieve
Where does Nectar in a Sieve take place?
In India, early 1950's
What is the dominant religion in India?
Hinduism
Who is the protagonist?
Rukmani
Why did Rukmani not get the "grand wedding" of her dreams?
Her father lost his position in the village and as a result, lost his wealth.
How does Rukmani show ingenuity and increase her family's food supply?
Cultivate and grow a garden
Deepavali resembles which US holiday?
July 4th
What do Thambi and Arjun instigate at the tannery?
a strike for higher wages
Who is the author of Nectar in a Sieve?
Kamala Markandaya
What is offered to a soon-to-be groom and his family?
dowry
Who is the story's narrator?
Rukmani
How old was Rukmani when she marries?
12
Who helps Ira find a husband?
Old Granny
How do we know that Deepavali was an important celebration? What did Rukmani do?
Rukmani splurges and buys fireworks.
Are they successful?
No
Which person is the story written in?
1st person narrative
India's social system is 3,000 years ago and is rooted in Hinduism..
Caste system
How did Kenny help Rukmani?
Kenny is a white doctor who helped Rukmani with infertility
Who was Rukmani's firstborn?
Ira
Why does Ira return home after she is married?
She is infertile
Which of Rukmani’s sons does Ira treat as her own?
Selvam
Where do they go and what do they do after they were fired from their jobs?
They go to work in Ceylon on a tea plantation.
What does the NECTAR represent in the title?
Sweetness or goodness of life
Who ruled India from 1757 to 1947?
Great Britain/England/United Kingdom
Describe Kunthi
Kunthi was a beautiful neighbor of Rukmani's who flaunted herself and was vain about her looks
How did Rukmani feel immediately after she gave birth to her firstborn?
disappointed
How does Rukmani feel about the tannery in the village?
She disliked it because she felt it was taking away from life in the village.
Why did Rukmani lay her hands on Kunthi?
Kunthi was accusing Rukmani of cheating on her husband (adultery) with Kenny?
What is a tenant farmer?
A farmer who rents the land and farms the land.
What does the SIEVE represent in the title?
Struggles of life
In which literary period was Nectar in a Sieve?
Post-modernism
Describe Nathan
Nathan is a tenant farmer who loves and adores Rukmani
What did Ira's parents and others in the village say about Ira?
She was a beauty
What talent does Rukmani have that she prides herself on and teaches her children to do?
reading and writing
After Ira was able to conceive, why did her husband not take her back?
He had remarried.
What are the names of the first three women Rukmani met and befriended?
Kali, Kunthi and Janaki
The title of Nectar in a Sieve was named and inspired by which poem?
Samuel Taylor Coleridge's Work Without Hope
Where did the author live when she wrote and published Nectar in a Sieve?
Great Britain/England/United Kingdom
Describe Rukmani.
Rukmani is Nathan's literate wife who cares deeply for her family.
Coconut water/milk
What catastrophic event occurred in chapter 7 and devastated the entire village?
Monsoon
Where do Thambi and Arjun work because they want to make more money?
the tannery
When Rukmani’s firstborn son was born, how did they respond?
Rukmani and Nathan invited the village for a celebration.