IGNOU MEG 3 Solved Question Paper | June 2024
- Last Updated On August 12, 2025
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Welcome to our blog, In this post, we’re sharing the IGNOU MEG 3 Solved Question Paper of June 2024 examination, focusing on British Novel.
This guide is here to help you prepare for your exams with clear answers and explanations. Whether you’re just starting or revising for your exams, this resource will make studying easier and more effective.
In this post, we’ll discuss all the answers including the short and long answer questions.
You can also download all previous year question papers of MEG 3 from our website.
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Question 1
1. Comment on Fielding’s style of narration with reference to Tom Jones.
Henry Fielding’s Tom Jones is widely regarded as a milestone in the development of the English novel, and much of its uniqueness lies in Fielding’s distinctive narrative style. His approach combines omniscient narration, authorial intrusion, satirical commentary, and dramatic irony, which not only entertain but also guide the reader through the moral and social landscape of 18th-century England.
One of the most notable features of Fielding’s narrative style is his authorial presence. He frequently addresses the reader directly, particularly in the introductory chapters of each book. These digressions often include philosophical reflections, literary criticism, or social commentary. For instance, in the opening chapter of Book I, Fielding compares the novel to a feast and himself to a host, welcoming the reader and setting the tone. This technique, while seemingly interruptive, actually helps the reader navigate the novel’s themes and interpret events with the guidance of a reliable, intelligent narrator.
Fielding’s narration is also marked by a strong sense of dramatic irony. The narrator often knows more than the characters, and this knowledge is subtly passed to the reader. This allows for comic tension and moral insight. For example, the reader is aware of Tom’s true parentage long before he is, which adds layers of meaning to his actions and the judgments made by other characters.
Another important aspect is satire and wit. Fielding uses his narrator to critique social conventions, hypocrisy, and affectation. Characters like Blifil and Thwackum are mocked for their self-righteousness and duplicity. The narrator’s ironic tone helps expose their moral failings while maintaining a humorous, light-hearted surface.
Additionally, Fielding’s style is classically influenced. He often refers to ancient writers like Homer and Virgil, and he structures the novel similarly to an epic, with its division into books and a journey motif. His use of a well-plotted, picaresque structure enables him to develop both character and action simultaneously, with the narrative voice keeping the threads coherent and connected.
Lastly, Fielding’s narrative is imbued with a moral vision. While he entertains, he also instructs, encouraging readers to look beyond appearances and judge characters by their actions and intentions rather than by social status or outward virtue.
Question 2
2. Discuss Jane Austen’s treatment of the theme of love and marriage in Pride and Prejudice.
Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice offers a nuanced and insightful exploration of love and marriage, set against the backdrop of the British gentry in the early 19th century. Austen does not treat marriage as a mere romantic ideal or social convention but rather examines it as a union requiring mutual respect, compatibility, and emotional maturity. Through various characters and relationships, she critiques marriages based solely on physical attraction, economic convenience, or social advancement, advocating instead for unions rooted in genuine affection and understanding.
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Question 3
3. Do you agree that at the heart of the novel Wuthering Heights, lies the tumultuous Heathcliff-Catherine relationship ? Comment on the significance of this relationship in the novel’s plot.
Yes, it is absolutely true that at the heart of Wuthering Heights lies the intense and tumultuous relationship between Heathcliff and Catherine Earnshaw. Their bond is the emotional and thematic center of Emily Brontë’s novel, shaping not only the actions and choices of the two characters themselves but also significantly influencing the lives of those around them and driving the entire plot forward.
Catherine and Heathcliff’s connection is portrayed as deeply spiritual and passionate, transcending conventional definitions of love. Catherine’s famous declaration—“I am Heathcliff”—is a testament to how intertwined their identities are. Their love is not gentle or harmonious but elemental, fierce, and ultimately destructive. It defies societal norms and expectations, yet it is constrained by them, as seen when Catherine chooses to marry Edgar Linton, seeking social status and stability rather than following her heart.
This decision is the turning point in the novel. It triggers Heathcliff’s transformation from a wronged and neglected orphan into a cold, vengeful man determined to destroy those who wronged him. His revenge is directed not just at Edgar and the Linton family but at the very structure of the world that took Catherine away from him. He marries Isabella Linton not out of love, but to hurt Edgar and assert dominance. He also manipulates the lives of the next generation—Cathy, Hareton, and Linton—as part of his long plan of retribution.
The significance of Heathcliff and Catherine’s relationship lies in how it affects every major event in the novel. Catherine’s early death due to emotional turmoil leaves Heathcliff devastated, and her absence haunts him throughout his life. His obsession with her, even after death, creates a chilling, gothic atmosphere. His longing for reunion with Catherine in the afterlife adds to the novel’s exploration of love that defies death.
Moreover, their tragic love is contrasted with the more balanced and redeeming relationship between the younger Cathy and Hareton. Where Heathcliff and Catherine’s love brought destruction, Cathy and Hareton’s union brings hope and healing, suggesting the possibility of renewal and closure.
Question 4
4. Many critics have expressed the view that deep down, Great Expectations (like many of Dickens’ novels) is a fairy tale. Do you agree with this view ?
Yes, many critics are right in viewing Great Expectations as having the structure and spirit of a fairy tale, though deeply rooted in Victorian realism. At its core, Charles Dickens’ novel follows a classic fairy tale arc: an orphan boy rises from poverty to wealth and respectability through mysterious means, only to discover that true worth lies in character, not class. This narrative is reminiscent of Cinderella-like stories, though it is filtered through Dickens’ critical lens on society, morality, and personal growth
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Question 5
5. How does George Eliot engage with ‘the woman question’ in Middlemarch ?
George Eliot’s Middlemarch engages deeply with “the woman question,” a major Victorian – era debate concerning women’s roles, their rights, education, and place in society. Eliot portrays this theme through the lives and limitations of her central female characters, particularly Dorothea Brooke and Rosamond Vincy, who represent the contrasting models of femininity and whose experiences highlight the societal constraints faced by women.
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Question 6
6. Examine the symbolic significance of the title Heart of Darkness.
The title Heart of Darkness by Joseph Conrad holds profound symbolic significance, encapsulating the novel’s exploration of colonialism, human nature, and moral corruption. At a literal level, the title refers to the geographical journey into the Congo, often described as the dark, impenetrable heart of Africa. However, its symbolic depth extends far beyond mere geography, delving into the psychological and existential “darkness” that resides within individuals and civilizations.
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