By Any Other Name

​By Any Other Name

By Santha Rama Rau

How do we engage with others while staying true to ourselves?

​

​Essential Question

Open Ended

How important is your name? How would you react if someone took your name away and assigned you a new name?

Genre Elements: Memoir

A memoir is...

• A true story told as a memory, usually in the past tense

• The author is the narrator that uses the first person point of view

• A selected memory or memories reflect a message or lesson

• A memoir does not retell the author’s entire life

Multiple Choice

Which of the following best describes a memoir?

• A fictional story written in third person

• A true story told as a memory, usually in past tense.

• A biography written by someone else

• A detailed account of world events

Multiple Choice

What point of view is most commonly used in a memoir?

• Third person limited

• Second person

• First person

• Third person omniscent

Analyze Historical Context

At the time of this story, India was a colony of Great Britain, meaning that Britain occupied India and controlled their government.

During this time…

• Educated Indians were expected to learn English in addition to their native languages

• Most of the students and teacher at Santha’s school were English, children of English Civil Servants

• Great Britain ruled the subcontinent from 1858 to 1947

How can knowing the details of the story infer Santha’s perspective on these details?

Multiple Choice

What does it mean that India was a colony of Great Britain at the time of Santha Rama Rau’s memoir?

• India had its own independent government but followed British traditions

• India was temporarily allied with Britain during a war

• Britain occupied India and controlled its government and institutions

• India had already gained independence but still spoke English

Multiple Choice

Why were most students and teachers at Santha’s school English?

• English families preferred to live in India for the weather

• Santha attended a private school meant only for foreign children

• They were children of English civil servants working under British colonial rule

• English students were part of a cultural exchange program with India

Multiple Choice

How does knowing the historical context of British rule in India help readers understand Santha’s experience in the story?

• It shows why she admired British culture and wanted to change her identity

• It explains her discomfort and resistance to being renamed and treated as inferior

• It proves that she preferred English education over her native traditions

• It helps readers understand why she felt proud to be part of the British Empire

Analyze Author's Purpose

An author’s purpose is the reason the author write a particular piece - this can be to inform, persuade, or entertain the audience. 

As you read…

• Mark details about history and culture 

• Think about why Rama Rau shares these details - what do they reveal about her purpose for writing?

Based on her choices, what can you infer about her purpose for writing?

Multiple Choice

What is the most likely purpose of Santha Rama Rau's memoir "By Any Other Name"?

• To entertain the readers with a humorous school story

• To inform readers about the British school system.

• To persuade readers to attend school in India

• To share her personal experience with cultural identity and colonialism

Multiple Choice

Why does Rama Rau include details about being given an English name at school?

• To show how difficult it was to learn English names

• To highlight how British rule tried to erase Indian identity

• To explain why English names are easier to pronounce

• To entertain readers with a funny story about name changes

Multiple Choice

What can readers infer about the author’s purpose based on her descriptions of school life under British rule?

• She is proud of the education she received from the British

• She wants to show that colonial schools were better than Indian ones

• She is reflecting on how colonialism impacted her identity and sense of belonging

• She believes that learning English helped her become successful

Vocabulary

​Word	​Definition	​Sentence
​Precarious	dependent on chance; uncertain ot not securely held in position or likely to collapse​	​
​Insular	​ignorant of or uninterested in cultures, ideas, or people outside of one's own	​
​Sedately	​in a calm, quiet, composed, and undisturbed manner	​
​Tepid	​showing little enthusiasm or to describe something as meaning mellow	​

Multiple Choice

What does the word precarious most likely mean in the sentence below?

"She climbed the precarious ladder, which wobbled with every step and looked like it might collapse at any moment."

• Strong and sturdy

• Dangerous and unstable

• Long and narrow

• Smooth and slippery

Multiple Choice

Which sentence best demonstrates the meaning of insular?

• After moving to the big city, he became more open-minded and curious about other cultures.

• The small village was so insular that outsiders were rarely welcomed or trusted.

• She traveled across the world and loved meeting people from different backgrounds.

• He joined a group that discussed global issues and international politics.

Multiple Choice

What does the word sedately suggest in this sentence?

"The elderly couple walked sedately through the garden, enjoying the quiet afternoon."

• Quickly and with excitement

• Loudly and with laughter

• Slowly and calmly

• Nervously and awkwardly

Multiple Choice

What is the best definition of tepid in this sentence?

"He took a sip of the tepid coffee and made a face, it wasn’t hot enough to enjoy."

• Extremely Hot

• Ice cold

• Warm but not hot

• sweet and flavorful

Language Conventions: Appropriate Verb Tense

• Memoirs are typically written in the past tense, because they reflect on events that have already happened — "By Any Other Name" follows this convention.

• Santha Rama Rau uses past tense verbs to describe her childhood experiences under British colonial rule, such as being sent to an Anglo-Indian school.

• When discussing events that happened in the memoir, students should also use past tense — e.g., "Santha felt out of place in the school" rather than "Santha feels out of place."

Multiple Choice

Which sentence correctly uses verb tense when describing an event from the memoir "By Any Other Name"?

• Santha feels confused when her name is changed by the teacher.

• Santha was confused when her name was changed by the teacher.

• Santha is confused when her name gets changed by the teacher.

• Santha feels confused because her name gets changed by the teacher.

Multiple Choice

Why is past tense typically used in memoirs like "By Any Other Name"?

• Because memoirs are always fictional stories

• Because the events are happening in real time

• Because memoirs reflect on personal experiences that have already occurred

• Because past tense makes the story sound more exciting

Answer the following questions after reading and annotating "By Any Other Name"

Multiple Choice

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

• She disaproves 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 aren't allowed to

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

Multiple Choice

Which of these does Santha learn at school?

• How to spell simple English words like "bat" and "cat"

• How her name is properly pronounced in English

• That English children play more competitively than she does

• That a midday siesta is unnecessary for older children

Multiple Choice

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 girl's father is on his way home from a business trip

• Santha isn't paying attention in her classes