FOE A NOVEL BY J M COETZEE (Important for UGC NET English Literature 2020)

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FOE  A NOVEL BY J M COETZEE (Important for UGC NET English Literature 2020)

J. M. Coetzee retells a familiar story in Foe yet challenges that very familiarity. Even people who have never read the novel Robinson Crusoe are relatively well acquainted with its iconic portrait of survival after a shipwreck, as well as with Crusoe’s dependence upon Friday, his black companion. But what if there were another castaway who played a vital role in that island tale, but whose part in the drama was excised?

Coetzee introduces this fascinating and challenging theme by having his version narrated by a brand new addition to the deserted island, Susan Barton. Even more challenging and fascinating is the addition of the title character to a tale which in its very familiarity is transformed into an unfamiliar, postmodern metafiction. Eventually, this narrative forces those who actually have read Robinson Crusoe to want to go back and check it against Coetzee’s version.
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It turns out that Daniel Defoe (Foe) bought the tale of Crusoe, Friday, and Barton from a Barton on the verge of desperation. Defoe betrays Barton by editing the tale to make it his own. Friday cannot provide a version because his tongue has been cut out. Barton decides to write the narrative, but has trouble communicating with the mute Friday.

Important for understanding the full context of this version is Coetzee’s standing as a white man in Africa. As such, the themes of a black person being unable to relate the narrative of his own experience, and the battle between commerce and art in the rush to get a story told, take on a new level of significance, thus making Foe far more than just another postmodern reinvention of a story told from a slightly different perspective.
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MCQS based on this novel. 

1Who wrote Foe?

ROBINSON CRUSOE

DANIEL DEFOE

MIGUEL DE CERVANTES

JM COETZEE
Ans4

2What novel is Foe based on?

DANIEL DEFOE

ROBINSON CRUSOE

MOLL FLANDERS

DON QUIXOTE
Ans2

3When was Foe published?

1719

1906

1986

2017
Ans3

4Who is the protagonist of Foe?

SUSAN BARTON

FOE

CRUSO

ROBINSON CRUSOE
Ans2

5Who is Friday?

THE CAPTAIN OF THE SHIP THAT SUSAN TAKES TO LISBON

A BLACK MAN WITH NO TONGUE

FOE'S ASSISTANT

A SLAVE ON THE SHIP THAT SUSAN TAKES TO ENGLAND
Ans2

6How does Susan meet Friday?

SHE RESCUES HIM OFF A SLAVE SHIP.

SHE MEETS HIM IN BAHIA.

SHE WASHES UP ON THE SHORE OF THE ISLAND WHERE HE LIVES.

HE'S A FICTIONAL CHARACTER WHO SHE NEVER MEETS.
Ans3

7Who is Cruso?

THE CAPTAIN OF THE SHIP THAT RESCUES SUSAN

A FICTIONAL CHARACTER FROM FOE'S NOVEL

A FAMOUS WRITER IN ENGLAND

A SENILE WHITE CASTAWAY
Ans1

8What does Cruso do all day on the island?

LEVELS THE LAND INTO TERRACES

WRITES TALL TALES

WEEDS HIS GARDENS

CATCHES FISH AND MAKES MUSIC
Ans1

9How would you best characterize Cruso?

CHARMING AND KIND

MEASURED AND THOUGHTFUL

HUMOROUS AND ECCENTRIC

IRASCIBLE AND IRRATIONAL
Ans4

10What does Foe wear on his head?

A DIRTY BEANY

NOTHING

A PEAKED STRAW HAT

A PIRATES HAT
Ans3

11What does Friday wear on his feet?

HE HAS NO FEET.

HIGH LEATHER BOOTS

WOVEN SANDALS

NOTHING
Ans4

12How would you best characterize Susan Barton?

THOUGHTFUL AND PERSEVERING

IRASCIBLE AND DEFENSIVE

SENILE

LOST AND CONFUSED
Ans1

13Where was Susan coming from when she arrived on the island?

JAMAICA

AFRICA

BAHIA

ENGLAND
Ans4

14Where was she going to when she arrived on the island?

BRAZIL

FLANDERS

JAMAICA

LISBON
Ans4

15Why was she in Bahia?

SHE WAS SELLING COTTON.

SHE WAS SELLING SLAVES.

SHE MARRIED A BRITISH SLAVE TRADER.

SHE WAS LOOKING FOR HER DAUGHTER.
Ans4

16Where is Susan from?

ENGLAND

BRAZIL

AMERICA

LISBON
Ans1

17What happened to Susan's ship?

THERE WAS A PLAGUE.

IT CAPSIZED.

THERE WAS A SLAVE REVOLT.

THERE WAS A MUTINY.
Ans4

18What was Susan's relationship to the captain?

SHE HAD NO RELATIONSHIP WITH HIM.

SHE WAS SLEEPING WITH HIM.

SHE WAS HIS WIFE.

HE HATED HER AND THREW HER OVERBOARD.
Ans1

19What did the crew do to the captain?

PUT A STAKE THROUGH HIS EYE

MADE HIM WALK THE PLANK

FORGAVE HIM

HANGED HIM
Ans1

20How does Susan get to shore?

SHE SWIMS THE WHOLE WAY.

SHE ROWS AND THEN SWIMS.

THEY DROP HER OFF.

A MIRACLE HAPPENS.
Ans2

21What is there to eat on the island?

CASSAVA AND RICE THAT CRUSO GROWS ON THE TERRACES

BITTER LETTUCES AND FISH

BANANAS, FISH, AND GREENS

WILD BOAR AND SHELLFISH
Ans2

22What is the weather like on the island?

SUNNY WITH INCESSANT WIND

RELENTLESSLY RAINY WITH MOMENTARY SUNNY BREAKS

ICY AT NIGHT, TEMPERATE IN THE DAY

CALM WINDS, TROPICAL CLIMES
Ans1

23How can the island best be described?

A SMALL GREEN NUB

TROPICAL PARADISE

A FLAT EXPANSE OF SAND

ROCKY AND HILLY WITH THORNY WEEDS
Ans4

24What animals are on the island?

WILD DOGS

GORILLAS

GIANT TORTOISES

WILD CATS
Ans2

25What does Cruso believe is on the island?

SASQUATCH

CANNIBALS

ELEPHANTS

ELVES
Ans2

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