By Any Other Name

1. What conflict do Santha and Premila experience when they meet the headmistress?

• She disapproves of their Indian clothing and food.

• She changes their names to make them easier for her to pronounce.

• They want to take a siesta but are not allowed to.

• She does not want them to interact with the English children

Which of these does Santha learn at school?

• How to spell simple English words like “bat” and “cat.”

• How her name is pronounced properly in English.

• That English children play more competitively than she does.

• That a midday siesta is unnecessary for older children

Why does Premila take Santha out of school in the middle of the day?

• Premila’s teacher says that Indians cheat.

• Premila is nervous about her afternoon test

• The girls’ father is on his way home from a business trip.

• Santha isn’t paying attention in her classes.

Name two ways in which the Indian girls who have been at the school for a while imitate the English girls. How do these examples reflect the historical context of the memoir?

•Many ideas are passed from generation to generation. How might Premila’s teacher have passed on a prejudice to her students? What values did Santha’s mother pass on to her children? Based on your responses, what do you think is the story’s theme or insight about life?

What do the headmistress’s gestures and expressions tell you about her motivation for changing the girls’ names?

Which statement represents an insular attitude?

• a. No place is as great as my home town.

• b. The world is full of interesting places.

Which of these could be described as precarious?

• a. a house painter who forgot to bring brushes and dropcloths

• b. a house painter standing on one foot on a wobbly ladder

Which of the following might happen sedately?

• a. a canoe trip on a rocky river

• b. a canoe trip on a quiet lake

Which of the following is likely to be tepid?

• a. juice that was left out all night

• b. a freshly-poured cup of coffee