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How to Excel in Literature: The River Between

Rebecca Samuel · June 8, 2023 · Leave a Comment

"A savior had come. He had opened the eyes of the people. He had awakened the sleeping lions. They would now roar, roar to victory."

- Ngũgĩ wa Thiong'o, The River Between

Written in 1965, the novel by prolific Kenyan author Ngũgĩ wa Thiong’o was published as part of the African Writers Series. The River Between is the story of the separation of two neighbouring villages in Kenya instigated by differences in faith. The novel explores life in the mountains of Kenya during the early days of white settlement and is set in the decades of the early 20th century. This eye-opening novel captures a moment in time of a people whose world goes into turmoil. Faced with a choice between a new religion and their own ancient customs, the Gikuyu people are torn between those who fear the unknown and those who see beyond it.

Photo by scribd.com

Download these chapter summary questions and try them out. If you need them to be marked and returned to you with detailed comments on how to improve, try out the ‘Independent’ Marking & Feedback only plan on Curio.sg!

The-River-Between_Chapters-1-4 Download
The-River-Between_Chapters-5-7 Download
The-River-Between_Chapters-8-10 Download
The-River-Between_Chapters-11-13 Download
The-River-Between_Chapters-14-19 Download
The-River-Between_Chapters-20-25 Download

How to Excel in Literature: Hullabaloo In The Guava Orchard

Rebecca Samuel · June 8, 2023 · Leave a Comment

"It was a terrible thing to be awake while some people flew, carrying the world over his head, and others slept, claiming it from under his feet.”

- Kiran Desai, Hullabaloo in the Guava Orchard


Hullabaloo in the Guava Orchard is best read with a glass of guava juice and a pot of laughs. Written by Kiran Desai and set in the Indian village of Shahkot, the author based her novel on the real life story of a man named Kapila Pradhan, who actually lived in a tree for 15 years.

In Hullabaloo, the protagonist Sampath gets fed-up with the world of men and climbs up into a tree to be at peace. It turns out to be an even more disturbing life to lead, as his family attempts to coax him down with all manner of appeals and tricks, while people in the region begin to make pilgrimages to see Sampath, in the mistaken notion that he is a holy man.

The characters peppered throughout the novel, from Pinky the passionate ear biting sister of Sampath, to his drunken monkey bodyguards, take the reader on a wild ride. India’s history, superstitions, religions, social structures and the struggles of the everyday man are woven into the narrative with skill and humour.

Some overarching themes students should take note of are:

  • Tradition vs Modernity
  • Freedom vs Control
  • Individual vs Society
  • The Spiritual Quest

Excelling in Literature tests and exams takes a lot of practice. You might want to try reading the novel at least twice, as well as ensuring that your annotations are relevant. Your teacher may not have time to annotate the entire novel with you, so you can try working them out with your friends in a Literature study group. Bring some snacks, find a comfortable spot, and sit back and enjoy the novel too. Enjoying it is the key to truly understanding the key themes and being able to write about it with real enthusiasm!

Download the following passage based questions and try them out! If you need them to be marked and returned to you with detailed comments on how to improve, try out the ‘Independent’ Marking & Feedback only plan on Curio.sg!

PBQ-Test-1_-Hullabaloo-in-the-Guava-Orchard-Chapter-1Download
PBQ-Test-2_-Hullabaloo-in-the-Guava-Orchard-Chapter-1Download
PBQ-Test-3_-Hullabaloo-in-the-Guava-Orchard-Chapter-1Download
PBQ-Test-4_-Hullabaloo-in-the-Guava-Orchard-Chapter-2Download
PBQ-Test-5_-Hullabaloo-in-the-Guava-Orchard-Chapter-3Download

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