IGNOU MEG 8 Solved Question Paper

Welcome to our blog, In this post, we’re sharing the IGNOU MEG 8 Solved Question Paper of December 2021 examination, focusing on New Literatures in English.

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 8 from our website.

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Question 1

1. Do you see any difference between the use of the terms ‘‘Commonwealth Literature’’ and ‘‘New Literatures in English’’ ? Elucidate.

Yes, there is a clear difference between the terms “Commonwealth Literature” and “New Literatures in English.” Both refer to literature written in English by authors from countries other than Britain and the United States, especially countries that were once British colonies. However, the meanings, focus, and political implications of the two terms are not the same.

The term “Commonwealth Literature” became popular after World War II, when many former British colonies gained independence and formed the British Commonwealth of Nations. This term was used to group together literature written in English from countries like India, Pakistan, Nigeria, South Africa, Australia, Canada, and the Caribbean. The idea was to bring together the literary works of these countries under one label. However, this term reflects a colonial legacy, because it still connects the literature of these countries to their past under British rule.

Critics of the term “Commonwealth Literature” argue that it treats the former colonies as a single group, ignoring the vast differences in their cultures, histories, and identities. It also places British literature at the center, with the “Commonwealth” countries forming a kind of periphery. This creates a kind of literary hierarchy where the former colonies are always compared to the British standard.

On the other hand, the term “New Literatures in English” was introduced later, mainly in the 1970s and 1980s, to replace “Commonwealth Literature.” It reflects a more modern and open approach. This term does not focus on the colonial past but on the present creative output of countries that use English as a medium of expression. It includes the same regions as Commonwealth Literature but does not tie them to the Commonwealth organization or to Britain.

“New Literatures in English” recognizes that English is no longer the property of Britain alone. It is now a global language used in different ways by writers all over the world. The term gives importance to the local experiences, languages, and cultures of each country. It encourages the study of literature in its own context, not just in relation to British traditions.

Another key difference is that “New Literatures in English” allows for a plurality of voices—including those of postcolonial, indigenous, and diasporic writers. It sees English not just as a colonial language but also as a tool for resistance, identity, and cultural mixing. Writers like Chinua Achebe, Salman Rushdie, Margaret Atwood, and Derek Walcott are seen not just as “Commonwealth” writers but as creators of new forms of English expression rooted in their own lands.

In summary, while “Commonwealth Literature” is a colonial-era term that groups former British colonies under a single label, “New Literatures in English” is a postcolonial term that celebrates diversity, local identity, and independent literary traditions. It moves beyond colonial boundaries and reflects a more inclusive and modern understanding of English-language literature from around the world.

Question 2

2. Are the Aborigines an integral part of the Australian national identity ? Discuss.

The Aborigines, or Indigenous Australians, are the original inhabitants of the Australian continent. They have lived there for more than 60,000 years, with a rich culture, spiritual beliefs, art, and connection to the land. However, their role in the Australian national identity has long been ignored or marginalised. Today, there is a growing recognition that Aborigines are an essential part of Australia’s national identity, but this recognition is still a work in progress.

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Question 3

3. Interpret in political terms, Wole Soyinka’s A Dance of the Forests.

Wole Soyinka’s A Dance of the Forests is a deeply symbolic and powerful play that can be understood in clear political terms. It was written and performed in 1960, the same year that Nigeria gained independence from British colonial rule. The play was selected as the official play for the Nigerian independence celebrations, but instead of offering a happy or proud view of the future, Soyinka chose to present a strong warning about the dangers of repeating the past. In this way, the play becomes a political statement about the challenges facing a newly independent Nigeria.

The play is set during a celebration by the people of a fictional African community. They invite their ancestors to join them in a festival, but instead of receiving proud and glorious spirits, they are visited by two disturbed and suffering ghosts—The Dead Man and the Dead Woman. These ghosts represent the hidden truths of the past, including injustice, cruelty, and mistakes that people want to forget. Soyinka uses this device to show that political independence alone is not enough. A nation must also face its past honestly and learn from it.

In political terms, Soyinka is criticizing the Nigerian elite—the people who replaced colonial rulers after independence. Through characters like the Forest Head, Demoke, and Aroni, he explores the idea that the new leaders may repeat the mistakes of colonialism, such as corruption, pride, selfishness, and abuse of power. He warns that unless Nigeria’s new rulers choose honesty, self-reflection, and responsibility, the country will not truly progress.

The play also shows how ethnic divisions and personal ambitions can destroy unity. Nigeria, like many African countries, is made up of many different ethnic groups with their own languages and traditions. Soyinka uses the festival setting and its characters to represent different parts of society, showing how tensions, rivalries, and misunderstandings can easily lead to conflict. The political message here is that a nation cannot succeed unless its people find common purpose and mutual respect.

Another important political theme in the play is the idea of collective memory and historical accountability. The people in the play want to celebrate the future, but Soyinka insists that they must first acknowledge their past wrongs, including slavery, betrayal, and greed. This reflects Soyinka’s belief that African nations must not romanticize their traditions or history but must critically examine them to build a better political future.

Soyinka also introduces a spiritual and symbolic figure—the Forest Head—who seems to watch over everything and represents wisdom, time, and balance. This figure reminds both characters and the audience that true leadership must be wise, humble, and just, not simply powerful or loud.

In summary, A Dance of the Forests is more than just a theatrical performance—it is a political warning. Through its complex characters, symbols, and storyline, Wole Soyinka urges newly independent Nigeria to confront its past, reject corruption, and build a future based on truth, unity, and justice.

Question 4

4. Bapsi Sidhwa uses a child-narrator in Ice-Candy-Man. How does this affect the reading of this novel ? Explain with examples from the text.

Bapsi Sidhwa’s Ice-Candy-Man is a powerful novel set during the time of India’s Partition in 1947. One of the most unique and important features of the novel is its child-narrator, Lenny, a young Parsi girl growing up in Lahore. Using a child to tell the story has a big effect on how readers experience the novel. It makes the events more emotional, more personal, and sometimes more disturbing, as we see violence and tragedy through innocent eyes.

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Question 5

5. Examine A House for Mr. Biswas as a novel of the diaspora.

V.S. Naipaul’s A House for Mr. Biswas is widely seen as a powerful novel of the diaspora. The story is about Mohun Biswas, an Indo-Trinidadian man, and his lifelong struggle to build a house of his own. But the novel is not only about one man’s desire for a home—it also tells the larger story of a displaced community, their identity, and their search for belonging in a foreign land. In this way, the novel reflects the deep feelings and challenges of the Indian diaspora in the Caribbean.

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Question 6

6. Write a critical account of the relationship between history and language in Walcott’s poetry.

Derek Walcott, a Nobel Prize-winning poet from Saint Lucia in the Caribbean, explores history and language as two deeply connected themes in his poetry. As a writer from a region shaped by colonialism, slavery, and cultural mixing, Walcott uses his poems to express how history has affected the people of the Caribbean, and how language has been both a tool of oppression and a way to create identity.

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