Question 10
NECO
•
2018
•
LITERATURE_IN_ENGLISH
•
objective
A summary of the short story *The Broken Mirror* is given below.\n"Amara returns to her hometown after ten years abroad. She discovers that the old school she attended has been converted into a community centre. While helping to repaint the walls, she confronts memories of her childhood and the expectations of her family, ultimately deciding to reconcile her past with her present ambitions."\n(a) Identify the central theme of the story.\n(b) Explain how the literary devices of symbolism (the broken mirror) and juxtaposition (old school vs. community centre) support this theme.
Answer Options
A.
a) The central theme is the loss of cultural heritage (nostalgia and regret). b) The broken mirror symbolizes lost memories, while the juxtaposition of the old school and the community centre highlights the decline of traditional values in favor of modern communal life.
Correct Answer
B.
a) The central theme is the reconciliation of past and present (identity and belonging).\nb) The broken mirror symbolizes a fragmented identity that needs mending, while the juxtaposition of the old school and the community centre underscores the tension between heritage and future, both underscoring the theme of reconciling past with present.
C.
a) The central theme is the triumph of personal ambition over familial expectations (self‑realization). b) The broken mirror represents the protagonist's ambition reflecting multiple possibilities, and the juxtaposition of the old school with the community centre illustrates the conflict between personal goals and communal duties.
D.
a) The central theme is the inevitability of change and adaptation (growth). b) The broken mirror stands for inevitable change, and the juxtaposition of the old school and the community centre emphasizes the shift from past to future, reinforcing the theme of change rather than reconciliation.
Correct Answer
B
Correct Option:
a) The central theme is the reconciliation of past and present (identity and belonging).\nb) The broken mirror symbolizes a fragmented identity that needs mending, while the juxtaposition of the old school and the community centre underscores the tension between heritage and future, both underscoring the theme of reconciling past with present.
About This Question
This is
Neco
2018
Literature In English
Question 10.
It is one of the
objective
questions from the
2018
Neco
Literature In English
examination.
Difficulty level:
Medium
.