Cry the Peacock Quiz : 20 MCQs

Cry the Peacock Quiz : Anita Desai’s Cry, the Peacock (1963) follows Maya, a sensitive woman trapped in an emotionally barren marriage. Raised in luxury by her overprotective father, she struggles to adjust to her husband, Gautama, a detached lawyer who values logic over love.

Maya longs for affection, but Gautama’s indifference isolates her. Her fears intensify after an astrologer’s prophecy predicts death within four years of marriage. Haunted by this, she spirals into paranoia, hallucinations, and despair, believing Gautama is doomed.

Convinced she must act, Maya pushes Gautama off the parapeet, succumbing to insanity. The novel ends with her being taken away, a victim of loneliness, fear, and unfulfilled love. Anita Desai powerfully explores the fragility of the human mind when denied emotional warmth.

Cry the Peacock Quiz

Welcome to Cry the Peacock

Name

1. Who is the protagonist of Cry, the Peacock?

Maya

Gautama

Toto

Ram

2. What is the central theme of the novel?

Colonial oppression

Political turmoil

Economic struggle

Marital discord and psychological breakdown

3. What was Maya’s childhood prophecy about?

She would become a queen

She would live a long life

She or her husband would die within four years of marriage

She would marry a rich man

4. What is Gautama’s profession?

Businessman

Lawyer

Politician

Doctor

5. What kind of relationship does Maya share with her husband?

Respectful but joyful

Cold and detached

Passionate and loving

Filled with adventure

6. How does Maya perceive her husband?

As an affectionate and caring man

As an abusive and cruel partner

As someone deeply devoted to her

As a cold, rational, and emotionless person

7. What major event occurs towards the end of the novel?

Gautama dies

Maya gains enlightenment

Maya leaves her husband

Maya moves to another city

8. How does Gautama die?

In a road accident

By drowning in a river

Maya pushes him off the parapet

He dies of illness

9. What does the peacock symbolize in the novel?

Beauty and grace

Love and marriage

Gautama’s wisdom

Maya’s neurotic behavior and suffering

10. What narrative style does Cry, the Peacock use?

Stream of consciousness

Epistolary format

First-person narration

Third-person omniscient

11. What is the significance of the novel’s title?

It represents nature's beauty

It is unrelated to the novel’s themes

It symbolizes Maya’s anguish and loneliness

It refers to a famous Indian folktale

12. What does Maya's name symbolize in Hindu philosophy?

Knowledge

Illision

Power

Hapiness

13. How does the novel portray masculinity?

As nurturing and sensitive

As cold, logical, and detached from emotions

As aggressive and violent

As weak and dependent

14. The novel highlights the impact of:

Blind faith in astrology and superstitions

Colonial rule on Indian identity

Economic struggles in India

Western philosophy on Indian culture

15. Why does Maya ultimately kill Gautama?

To free herself from her mental anguish

Because he was abusive

Because she never loved him

Out of revenge

16. What does the title Cry, the Peacock suggest metaphorically?

The joy of marriage

The beauty of life and nature

The importance of birds in Hindu mythology

The tragic fate of the protagonist

17. What does Maya do in a moment of frenzy?

She collapses in fear

She pushes Gautama over the parapet

She screams at the cat

She runs away

18. What does Maya’s act suggest about her mental state?

She is driven by revenge

She is delusional and unstable

She is calm and calculating

She is acting in self-defense

19. Who is described as the patient of father fixation in 'Cry, The Peacock'?

Pom

Maya

Mrs Lal

Gautam

20. What is the actual name of Anita Desai?

Anita Chattarjee

Amrita Mazumdar

Anita Mazumdar

Anita Benarjee

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Cry the Peacock Quiz : 20 MCQs

Cry the Peacock Quiz

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