POETS AND PANCAKES

ASOKAMITRAN
1. What does the writer mean by ‘the fiery misery’ of those subjected to make
up?
2. What is the example of national integration that the author refers to?
3. What work did the office boy do? Why did he join the studio? Why was he
disappointed?
4. Why did the author appear to be doing nothing at the studio?
5. Why was the office boy frustrated? Who did he show his anger on?
6. Who was Subbu’s principal? What made him identify with his principal?
7. List Subbu’s four special talents?
8. Why was the legal adviser referred to as the opposite by others?
9. What made the lawyer stand out among others at Gemini studios?
10. Did the people at Gemini studio have any particular political affiliations?
11. Why was a moral Re-armament Army welcomed at the studio?
12. Cite some examples to show that Gemini studio was influenced by the plays
staged by MRA?
13. Who was the Boss of Gemini studio?
14. What caused the lack of communication between the Englishman and the
people at Gemini Studio?
15. Why is the English man’s visit referred to as ‘unexplained mystery’?
16. Who was the English visitor to the studio?
17. How did the author discover who the English visitor was?
18. What does the God That Failed refer to?
19. Describe about the composition of the make up department of Gemini
Studios?
20. How does the hierarchy maintained in the make up department?
21. What did the narrator feel about the office boy?
22. Describe the story department of Gemini studios?
23. Why did the Boss close the story department? What was its result?
24. What was the attitude of a communist?
25. What did the MRA refer to? What did it do at Gemini studios?
26. What was the narrator’s conviction about prose writers?
27. Where did the narrator find the book The God that Failed’ and how?
28. What was the book The God that failed all about? How did it prove to be
significant for the author?
29. Why do you think the English man had been invited to the Studios?
30. How does the author make a mockery of the make-up room at Gemini
studios?

Lali Mathew M.A. M.Ed 9810312549 , 27492907

31. Why was Gemini studios a favourite haunt of poets?
32. What kind of people, according to the author, is meant for prose writing?
33. What was the influence of the poets visiting Gemini studios on the employees
of the studio?
34. Why does the author mention the names of four heroines? What does he
want to emphasize by singling out one of them?
35. What purpose does the description of the location of the make up department
and interior of the make up room of Gemini studios?
36. “A strict hierarchy was maintained in the make up department “ Explain.
37. What explanation does Asokamitran offer for the practice of the make-up men
who played who couldn’t ‘turn any decent-looking person into a hideous
crimson hued monster?
38. “Soon I was praying for a crowd-shooting all the time? What forced
Ashokamitran to make this remark?
39. What general observation does the author make abut the behaviour of the
frustrated people and why?
40. “Here was a man who could be inspired when commanded” What example is
given to illustrate it and what does it highlight?
41. Why does Ashokmitran call Subbu “a charitable and improvident man?
42. What explanation does the author offer for Subbu having enemies?
43. What did the lawyer do when an extremely talented but temperamental actress
once blew over the sets? What were its results?
44. What made the lawyer lose his job? Why does the writer find so funny about
the situation?
45. What does Asokmitran consider a prerequisite for poetry? What evidence do
you find of its existence at the Gemini studios?
46. ‘They were all averse to the term communism”. What notion prevailed in
south India about Communists at that time?
47. What notion was in the air about the Moral Rearmament Army? How did it
prove absurd? What did the author learn later about the MRA?
48. How did the people of Madras and those at the Gemini Studios respond to the
plays staged by the MRA?
49. How did the staff of Gemini studios react to the MRA’s arrival?
50. What was the suspense about ‘another visitor Gemini studios was to
welcome?
51. What do you learn about the literary taste of Gemini studio as for English
poetry was concerned?
52. What did even ‘the most well informed among the staff come to know about
the visiting poet?
53. “Prose writing is not and cannot be the true pursuit of a genius” Who does the
author, think if fit for and why?

Lali Mathew M.A. M.Ed 9810312549 , 27492907

54. Discuss Poets and Pancakes as a work of Satire (Long)
55. Why was Kothamangalam Subbu considered No.2 in Gemini studio? (Long)
56. The Office Boy in the make up department of Gemini studios has the shades
of a typical universal character lured by glitter and glamour and doomed to
frustration. Discuss. (Long)
57. How would you describe Subbu – a troubleshooter or a sycophant?
58. Narrate the incident in which the legal adviser was instrumental in causing
the end of a brief and brilliant acting career? (Long)
59. Narrate how the Moral Rearmament army was welcomed at the Gemini
Studio. What impact did the MRA have on people of Madras in general and
those at Gemini studios? (Long)
60. “In a moment I felt a dark chamber of my mind lit up by a hazy illumination”
Which incident is being referred to by the author, Asokamitran? What
conclusion does he arrive at? (Long)

Lali Mathew M.A. M.Ed 9810312549 , 27492907