IGNOU MEG 8 Solved Question Paper | December 2023

Table of Contents

Welcome to our blog, In this post, we’re sharing the IGNOU MEG 8 Solved Question Paper of December 2023 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. Africa at one point in time was referred to as the ‘dark continent’. What do you think are the implications of the term ‘dark’ in this context ?
 
The term “dark continent” was used by European explorers and colonizers during the 19th century to describe Africa. This label was not just about geography or the unknown, but carried deep and harmful meanings that affected how Africa and its people were viewed by the rest of the world. The word “dark” in this context had many negative implications, including ignorance, mystery, danger, primitiveness, and backwardness. These ideas were not based on truth but on colonial attitudes and racial superiority.
 
One major implication of calling Africa the “dark continent” was the suggestion that the land and its people were uncivilized, wild, and in need of saving. European powers used this image to justify colonization. They claimed they were bringing light, knowledge, and progress to a land full of darkness. In reality, this was a way to hide their real motives—economic gain, exploitation of resources, and political control. Africa was rich in gold, diamonds, and other natural resources, and calling it “dark” made it easier for colonizers to present their actions as noble or helpful.
 
Another important meaning of “dark” was ignorance or lack of history. Many Europeans believed that Africans had no culture, no written history, and no achievements worth mentioning. But this was completely false. Africa has a long and rich history, with great kingdoms like Mali, Ghana, Ethiopia, and Egypt, and contributions in art, science, mathematics, and trade. The label of “dark” ignored all of this and made it seem like Africa only began to exist when Europeans arrived.
 
The word “dark” also reinforced racist thinking. It suggested that Blackness itself was a sign of inferiority, and that white Europeans were naturally superior. This idea affected not only how African people were treated during colonialism but also how they were represented in literature, art, and media. Africans were often shown as savages, wild people, or helpless victims. These stereotypes have continued to affect global views about Africa even today.
 
Moreover, the label “dark continent” created a sense of mystery and fear about Africa. It made Africa seem like a land of danger—full of wild animals, strange diseases, and violent people. This made it easier for colonial writers and travelers to create stories that excited European audiences, even if they were based on lies or exaggerations. Joseph Conrad’s novel Heart of Darkness is one such example, where Africa becomes a symbol of fear, madness, and the unknown.
 
However, modern African writers, thinkers, and historians have strongly challenged this idea. Writers like Chinua Achebe, Ngũgĩ wa Thiong’o, and Wole Soyinka have worked hard to reclaim Africa’s voice and show its diversity, richness, and humanity. They argue that Africa was never “dark”—only misunderstood and misrepresented by outsiders.
 
In short, the term “dark continent” was not just about unknown lands, but a powerful tool used to dominate, exploit, and silence. Understanding its implications helps us see the importance of challenging old colonial views and recognizing the true light of African history, culture, and wisdom.

Question 2

2. Would you consider A Grain of Wheat to be a resistance novel ? Elaborate.
 
Ngugi wa Thiong’o’s A Grain of Wheat is widely considered a resistance novel, and rightly so. It tells the story of Kenya’s fight for independence from British colonial rule and focuses on the lives of ordinary people who are caught in the storm of political change, betrayal, sacrifice, and hope. The novel highlights the spirit of resistance against colonial oppression, making it not just a story of individuals, but a powerful voice for a nation rising against injustice.

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Question 3

3. How is human loss depicted in Bapsi Sidhwa’s Ice-Candy Man ? Explain
 
Bapsi Sidhwa’s novel Ice-Candy Man (also published as Cracking India) gives a powerful and emotional picture of human loss during the time of the Partition of India in 1947. The story is told through the eyes of Lenny, a young Parsi girl living in Lahore. While she is innocent and playful, the events around her reveal the pain, suffering, and destruction that come when nations are divided, and when communities turn against each other. Through personal stories and tragic events, the novel shows how Partition led to deep and unforgettable human loss.
 
One of the most powerful ways the novel shows human loss is through the character of Ayah, Lenny’s beautiful Hindu nanny. She is loved by many men from different religious backgrounds, including the Ice-Candy Man, a Muslim man who later becomes a cruel figure. As communal violence grows in Lahore, Ayah is kidnapped and taken to a house where women are used and abused. Lenny sees this happen but is helpless. This event represents the loss of safety, dignity, and womanhood that many women experienced during Partition. Thousands of women were abducted, raped, or forced to change their religion, and Ayah’s story is a painful reminder of that truth.
 
The novel also shows the loss of childhood and innocence through Lenny herself. At first, she is protected from the world’s cruelty, but as violence enters her city, she starts to see the hatred, bloodshed, and fear all around. The friendships she once enjoyed with people of different religions start to break. She learns that people can turn into enemies overnight just because of their religious identity. This is a loss of unity and human trust that was once a part of daily life.
 
Bapsi Sidhwa also presents the emotional loss experienced by families. Homes are burned, people are forced to leave, and entire communities are uprooted. Friends become enemies, and neighbors turn into strangers. The pain of being separated from one’s home, culture, and loved ones is shown through many characters. The mass migration between India and Pakistan was not just a movement of people—it was a movement of broken hearts and destroyed lives.
 
The character of the Ice-Candy Man also reflects human loss on a deeper level. He changes from a gentle, poetic man into someone who joins the mob and participates in violence. His transformation shows how political events and personal anger can change people forever, leading to loss of morality and humanity.
 
Ice-Candy Man does not show war in a heroic way. Instead, it shows how ordinary people—especially women and children—suffer the most. The novel speaks of lost love, broken relationships, ruined communities, and stolen futures. Through personal stories, Bapsi Sidhwa helps readers feel the real cost of Partition.
 
In this way, Ice-Candy Man becomes a moving and unforgettable picture of human loss, reminding us that behind every political decision, there are real people whose lives are changed forever.

Question 4

4. How is Wole Soyinka’s A Dance of the Forests a departure from western dramatic tradition and convention ?
 
Wole Soyinka’s A Dance of the Forests is a remarkable play that clearly moves away from the Western dramatic tradition and conventions. It represents a new kind of African drama that blends myth, ritual, history, and symbolism. Instead of following the clear structure of Western plays—such as linear plots, clear heroes and villains, and logical endings—Soyinka creates a complex, layered, and symbolic performance that reflects African beliefs, traditions, and problems.

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Question 5

5. Would you agree that Naipaul uses the same material used in his earlier fiction, in A House for Mr. Biswas ? Comment with examples. 
 
Yes, it is true that V. S. Naipaul uses many of the same themes, ideas, and cultural material from his earlier fiction in A House for Mr. Biswas. In fact, this novel can be seen as a more detailed and personal exploration of issues that he had already touched upon in his earlier short stories and novels like Miguel Street, The Mystic Masseur, and The Suffrage of Elvira. However, in A House for Mr. Biswas, Naipaul presents these themes with greater depth, emotional complexity, and seriousness.

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Question 6

6. Does Caribbean poetry reflect the region’s colonial past ? Give examples in support of your answer.
 
Yes, Caribbean poetry strongly reflects the region’s colonial past. The Caribbean is a group of islands and coastal countries that were colonized by European powers like Britain, France, Spain, and the Netherlands for hundreds of years. During colonization, millions of Africans were brought as slaves, and indentured workers came from India and China. As a result, the region has a complex history of slavery, racism, cultural loss, and identity struggles. Caribbean poets have used poetry as a way to remember the past, express pain, and reclaim their identity.

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