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WorksheetsThe Interview by Ruth Prawer Jhabvala
Total questions: 20
Worksheet time: 24mins
From the very beginning, the reader realizes the power dynamics of the house are different....
because the narrator enjoys the company of his wife
since the narrator's wife barely has a voice
as the narrator is eager not to displease his mother and sister-in-law
since the narrator believes the idea of living in his own home with his wife and kids is odd
The job of the female adult characters is
(a)
In The interview, what is the main theme of the story?
The complexity of human relationships.
The anxiety before an interview.
Disappointment and Failure.
The fact that the narrator's sister-in-law saves all the tidbits for him instead of her own children and husband...
is just natural, considering that he is completely dependent.
shows a blatant and a bit odd preference considering what is traditional.
makes him a little uncomfortable even though he's happy for being spoiled.
makes his wife glad he is so well-loved.
Women, in general, seem to develop a soft spot for him...
thus they are always trying to catch his eye.
and the same goes for all men.
because he is absolutely pitiful.
which usually enables him to get away from responsibilities.
How does the narrator see his wife? Minimum 3 adjectives, max 5.
"Now my wife was watching me while I ate. She was squatting on the floor, washing our youngest baby; (...) My wife did not watch me as openly as my sister-in-law did; only from time to time she raised her eyes to me, I could feel it, and they were very worried and troubled. She too was thinking about the job for which I was going to be interviewed, but she was anxious that I should get it."
Why was the wife so anxious and for what reason does he not seem to understand/empathize?
Even though he does not agree with the ill-treatment his wife gets at home, he chooses not to interfere.
False, he stands up for his wife but with zero results.
True, he is way too comfortable and content to jeopardize his present situation.
True, he is too busy thinking about his interview.
False, he is planning to discuss this with the family.
"There's no pleasure for me in the work". Why was he fired from the insurance office?
He was always crying.
There was a downsizing and they had to let go some employees.
His mind constantly wandered away from his tasks.
Despite being given a second chance he still did not try his best.
Was he really worried about losing his job and the possibility of not getting a new one?
Of course he was, he needed to support his family as his expected by society.
Not really, he could always rely on his diligent brother to provide for him and his family.
Yes, his brother could always refuse to continue having him in his household.
No. Working would deprive him of "thinking his own thoughts".
Instead of going to the interview, he'd rather go to the
(a)
At the place of the interview...
everybody seemed to know their places and tasks, except for him.
he felt perfectly at home and talked to the peons.
the narrator seems to highlight the social differences, being from an upper class.
he's praised for his punctuality.
While waiting for the interview, he becomes awfully anxious
due to the inner conflict between his interests and societal expectations.
as he fears his brother's reaction, should he fail to get the job.
because of the whole deferential treatment towards his superiors.
"(...) I am afraid of them, and I cannot understand properly what they are saying, so I answer what I think they want me to answer, but it seems that my answers are not after all the right ones (...)
Who is he afraid of and what is the consequence of not doing what "they" want? (no more than 20 words)
The narrator says his brother never makes
(a)
For what reason was the man with the dhoti so embarrassed when called?
He had been taking a nap.
His new dhoti was now ruined and it was very important to look smart.
He had forgotten his CV.
When he catches a glimpse of the interviewer the narrator confides
"I realized at once that this man would be my enemy and that he would make things very difficult for me and perhaps even shout at me. Then I knew it was no use for me to stay there."
so he runs away and out of the building but after a while he feels guilty when he sees he's one of those with nothing to.
True
False
Whilst having his cake and tea he observes two Sikhs. Although he felt superior to them because he knew English and was educated, what did the narrator decide about people who worked with their hands like the Sikhs? They were (a) than him.
In the end, the narrator reflects on "Unhappiness" and how it affects different people. He thinks all could be beautiful and OK if he could "think his own thoughts" when he is interrupted by an unpleasant realization.
He will have to go to another interview.
His sister-in-law will make him feel how useless he is.
He has to face his wife and she will not be happy.
He spent all his money on the tea and cake and now he has to walk all the way home.
How would you describe the narrator of The Interview? (max. 15 words - minimum 5)
