The Blind Men and the Elephant

1. PART A: Which of the following best summarizes a central theme of the text? (Theme)

• A. In order to understand something entirely, it must be viewed from different perspectives.

• B. Learning is not a noble pursuit if it only leads to controversy and debate.

• C. Comedy can teach people how to see themselves and those around them more clearly.

• D. Nature is designed to confuse and frighten mankind and is often misunderstood.

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2. PART B: Which of the following best supports the answer to Part A? (Theme)

• A. “It was six men of Indostan / To learning much inclined” (Lines 1-2)

• B. “Who went to see the Elephant / Though all of them were blind” (Lines 3-4)

• C. “And so these men of Indostan / Disputed loud and long, / Each in his own opinion / Exceeding stiff and strong.” (Lines 43-46)

• D. “Though each was partly in the right, / They all were in the wrong!” (Lines 47-48)

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3. Which of the following best describes the overall tone of the poem? (Diction)

• A. Suspicious, as speaker relates that the men seem guarded about what they sense

• B. Playful, as the speaker recounts the men’s comedic attempts to understand an elephant

• C. Mocking, as the speaker criticizes the men for their failed attempt to see an elephant

• D. Angry, as speaker describes the men arguing over what the elephant looks like

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4. In lines 4 and 32, what do the words “blind” and “blindest” suggest about the six men other than that they physically cannot see? (VIC)

• A. They are ignorant of basic ideas because of their focus on becoming scholars.

• B. They lack respect for nature and act without thinking.

• C. They are unable to recognize the full picture and focus on small details.

• D. They are incapable of being sympathetic to the feelings of other people and animals.

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5. PART A: Which statement best describes how the structure of “The Blind Man and the Elephant” allows the reader to imagine what is happening in the poem? (Structure)

• A. Separate stanzas help the reader picture the unique observations and personality of each man.

• B. Short lines help the reader to imagine how quick and superficial the men’s observations are.

• C. The rhythm of the lines helps the reader compare the feelings of the blind men and how they get along.

• D. The rhyme scheme helps the reader imagine the suspenseful mood throughout the poem.

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6. Based on the poem, how are the Second and Fifth Man’s points of view different? (POV)

• A. The Second Man believes the elephant is very strong, while the Fifth Man believes the elephant has sharp qualities.

• B. The Second Man believes the elephant has pointed features, while the Fifth Man believes the elephant has wide ears.

• C. The Second Mam believes the elephant is uninteresting, while the Fifth Man believes that the elephant is interesting.

• D. The Second Man believes the elephant believes the elephant’s tusks are sacred, while the Fifth Man believes that its tail is sacred.

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7. Why do the men of Indostan travel to see the elephant? (Retell)

• A. To prove their knowledge of nature to each other.

• B. To engage in a dispute of wisdom.

• C. To gain knowledge through observations.

• D. To test their senses despite their blindness.

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8. Which line supports the correct answer to Part A? (Retell)

• A. “to learning much inclined” (line 2)

• B. “though all of them were blind” (line 4)

• C. “ can tell what this resembles most” (line 33)

• D. “disputed loud and long” (line 44)

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