Module: General Practice
Q11: Consider the following statements regarding the objectification of the mother during the dinner preparations:
1. The Shamnaths discuss the placement and concealment of the mother with the same logistical detachment as they discuss moving their odd pieces of furniture.
2. Shamnath conducts a cruel rehearsal with his mother, dictating exactly how she must sit, fold her legs, and avoid snoring.
3. The mother forcefully rebels against this rehearsal, demanding to be treated with the respect due to the elder of the house.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
2. Shamnath conducts a cruel rehearsal with his mother, dictating exactly how she must sit, fold her legs, and avoid snoring.
3. The mother forcefully rebels against this rehearsal, demanding to be treated with the respect due to the elder of the house.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
✅ Correct Answer: A
The correct combination is statements 1 and 2. This question addresses the psychological dehumanization of the elderly.
Structurally, the text explicitly parallels the mother with the household clutter; just as Shamnath hides odd trinkets, he physically maneuvers his mother, debating where to put her so she is out of sight (Statement 1). The rehearsal scene is a masterclass in filial cruelty, where Shamnath barks orders at her posture and bodily functions (Statement 2). Contextually, this highlights the utilitarian approach of the new middle class toward the elderly—they are burdens to be managed.
Statement 3 is incorrect because the mother does not rebel; she submits to the humiliation out of deep fear of angering her son and a tragic internalization of her own perceived worthlessness.
Structurally, the text explicitly parallels the mother with the household clutter; just as Shamnath hides odd trinkets, he physically maneuvers his mother, debating where to put her so she is out of sight (Statement 1). The rehearsal scene is a masterclass in filial cruelty, where Shamnath barks orders at her posture and bodily functions (Statement 2). Contextually, this highlights the utilitarian approach of the new middle class toward the elderly—they are burdens to be managed.
Statement 3 is incorrect because the mother does not rebel; she submits to the humiliation out of deep fear of angering her son and a tragic internalization of her own perceived worthlessness.