Class 12 English (Elective) Fiction – The Financial Expert Important Question Answers
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The Financial Expert Questions Answers
Q1. What kind of relationship does Margayya enjoy with his brother and his family? [CBSE PYQP 2024, 30-40 words]
Ans. Margayya’s relationship with his brother is strained and distant post-partition, marked by a contentious shared well and hostile wives. While they observe familial duties during ceremonies, underlying bitterness persists. Margayya views his brother’s family with suspicion, their interactions seemingly thriving only during crises.
Q2. Why did Margayya sell his share of book-publishing to Madan, his partner? [CBSE PYQP 2024, 30-40 words]
Ans. Growing tired of publishing, especially of “Domestic Harmony,” and eager to pursue his own theories on money lending at high interest rates, Margayya sold his share of the book-publishing business to Madan for a lump sum to finance his new venture.
Q3. Why were Balu and his wife given a separate house to live? [CBSE PYQP 2023, 30-40 words]
Ans. Balu and his wife were given a separate house in Lawley Extension by Margayya with the intention of making Balu a responsible and independent man after his marriage. Margayya hoped this would help Balu mature and manage his own life.
Q4. How did the Police Inspector help Margayya trace his son Balu? [CBSE PYQP 2023, 30-40 words]
Ans. The Police Inspector actively listened to Margayya and used his police network and resources to investigate. By gathering information and following leads, he and his team successfully located Balu and brought him back to his parents, demonstrating a proactive and efficient approach.
Q5. How does Margayya’s initial success as a financial expert contribute to his downfall later in the story? [CBSE SQP 2024-25, 30-40 words]
Ans. Margayya’s initial success as a financial expert fostered arrogance and a relentless pursuit of wealth through risky ventures, making him susceptible to exploitation. His inflated ego blinded him to the dangers of Dr. Pal’s scheme, ultimately leading to his financial ruin and social downfall.
Q6. Explain the meaning of the name ‘Margayya’ in the novel ‘The Financial Expert’. [CBSE SQP 2023-24, 30-40 words]
Ans. ‘Margayya’ meaning “one who shows the way” is ironic. Despite initial success guiding villagers financially, he loses his own way, succumbing to greed and a ruinous scheme. His name highlights misplaced trust and the fallibility of guides.
Q7. Describe No 14 D Vinayaka Street. [CBSE SQP 2023-24, 30-40 words]
Ans. No. 14 D Vinayaka Street is Margayya’s initial modest dwelling, symbolizing his humble beginnings before wealth. Associated with his early struggles and banyan-tree business, it contrasts with his later grander, lost lifestyle.
Q8. Discuss the character of Brinda in the novel ‘The Financial Expert’. [CBSE SQP 2022-23, 30-40 words]
Ans. Brinda, Balu’s wife, is a headstrong, modern woman who clashes with Margayya’s traditional values. Independent and vocal, she defies his expectations. Her eventual departure with Balu underscores generational conflict and evolving societal norms within the family.
Q9. Give an account of Balu the pampered son. [CBSE SQP 2022-23, 30-40 words]
Ans. Balu is a spoiled and irresponsible son, indulged by his parents. Lacking ambition and maturity, he shows no interest in work. His tantrums highlight his pampered upbringing, causing family tension and Margayya’s worries about his future.
Q10. Why did the temple priest ask Margayya to procure a red rose? [CBSE PYQP 2024, 50-60 words]
Ans. The temple priest asked Margayya to get a red rose as a specific requirement for a ritual to appease Lakshmi, the goddess of wealth. This ritual was part of the priest’s plan to help Margayya recover his lost fortune. The red rose, likely symbolizing auspiciousness for the goddess, was essential for the offerings and procedures intended to bring him financial prosperity through divine favor.
Q11. Comment on the ending of the novel — ‘The Financial Expert’. [CBSE PYQP 2024, 50-60 words]
Ans. The ending of “The Financial Expert” is ironically ambiguous. Margayya, after fortune and ruin, returns to his banyan tree spot, seemingly wiser but still flawed. Resuming his old profession, it’s unclear if he’s learned or if the cycle of ambition and downfall will repeat. This open ending prompts reflection on fortune’s cyclical nature and human fallibility.
Q12. What is the significance of the name ‘Margayya’? [CBSE PYQP 2023, 50-60 words]
Ans. ‘Margayya’, meaning “guide,” is ironic. Initially a financial guide for villagers, his own pursuit of wealth leads to ruin. His name highlights the fallibility of guides and how even well-intentioned people can lose their way chasing success. It underscores the novel’s exploration of human nature and wealth’s deceptive enticement.
Q13. What suspicions did Margayya have about the temple priest? [CBSE PYQP 2023, 50-60 words]
Ans. Margayya grew suspicious of the temple priest’s motives and the effectiveness of his costly rituals. He became wary of the priest’s increasing demands for money and materials like the red rose and the promised fee. Questioning the priest’s sincerity, Margayya doubted if the rituals were genuine or a way to exploit his desperation for financial gain, especially as his situation didn’t improve.
Q14. What role did Dr. Pal play in the successful career of Margayya? [CBSE PYQP 2020, 50-60 words]
Ans. Dr. Pal significantly boosted Margayya’s career by introducing him to the profitable, though unethical, publishing of “Domestic Harmony.” This quickly made Margayya wealthy. However, Dr. Pal’s influence also led to Margayya’s greed and recklessness, culminating in a disastrous fertilizer business partnership that caused his financial ruin. Thus, Dr. Pal was key to Margayya’s rise and fall.
Q15. What is the significance of the name ‘Margayya’? How did he live true to his name in front of the Cooperative Bank ? [CBSE PYQP 2020, 50-60 words]
Ans. ‘Margayya’ means “guide.” Ironically, he initially lived up to his name by helping villagers with loan applications at the Cooperative Bank, guiding them through the process. However, his later unethical pursuit of wealth starkly contrasts with this helpful role, representing a tragic deviation from the positive meaning of his name.
Q16. Margayya’s rise and fall in life makes the readers introspect on various notions of ethics and integrity. Elaborate. [CBSE SQP 2022-23, 50-60 words]
Ans. Margayya’s journey from a helpful guide to wealth through unethical means, followed by ruin, forces readers to consider ethics and integrity. His initial good deeds contrast with his later exploitation, showing how the lure of quick wealth can corrupt and lead to downfall, emphasizing ethical conduct for lasting success.
Q17. Describe briefly Margayya’s new found career in the publishing house. [CBSE SQP 2022-23, 50-60 words]
Ans. Margayya’s entry into the publishing world, facilitated by Dr. Pal, marked a significant shift in his career. He became the publisher of the controversial book “Domestic Harmony,” which, despite its scandalous nature, proved to be a highly profitable venture and elevated his social standing. However, it also exposed him to a world of questionable ethics and set the stage for his later, more devastating financial ventures.
Q18. Describe the business agreement between Captain and Madan. [CBSE SQP 2022-23, 50-60 words]
Ans. Captain, portrayed as a shrewd businessman, finalized an agreement to purchase Margayya’s former book-publishing enterprise in its entirety from Madan. This transaction likely involved a specific financial arrangement for the business’s assets and goodwill. Consequently, Madan exited the publishing venture initially founded by Margayya, and Captain assumed full ownership and control, effectively marking his entry into the publishing industry.
Q19. The creation of the role of Master is intended to serve as an ideal. Justify. [CBSE SQP 2022-23, 2024-25, 40-50 words]
Ans. The Master’s role is designed as an ideal, representing wisdom, selfless guidance, and prioritizing student well-being. Offering knowledge without personal gain and acting as a moral compass, his detachment and spiritual focus serve as an aspirational model, highlighting the value of knowledge and selfless action.
Q20. Comment on the father-son relationship in the novel ‘The Financial Expert.’ [CBSE SQP 2023-24, 40-50 words]
Ans. Margayya and Balu’s father-son relationship is strained by Margayya’s wavering between wanting responsibility for Balu and over-indulging him. Balu is rebellious and unappreciative. Their interactions lack understanding, highlighting the conflict between parental expectations and the impact of Balu’s immature, flawed upbringing.
Q21. The novel ‘The Financial Expert’ has two themes — a passion for money and personal love. How are these themes interconnected? [CBSE PYQP 2024, 120-150 words]
Ans. Margayya’s intense desire for wealth profoundly shapes his relationships, particularly with his wife and son, Balu. Initially, his pursuit of financial stability is driven, in part, by a desire to provide for his family. However, as he achieves success, his obsession with accumulating more money overshadows his familial bonds. His relationship with his wife becomes transactional; her worth seems tied to his financial status. He indulges Balu materially but neglects his emotional needs, leading to the boy’s spoiled and irresponsible behavior. Margayya’s focus on monetary gain blinds him to the importance of genuine connection and affection. His disastrous ventures, fueled by greed, ultimately lead to financial ruin, further straining his family relationships. The novel suggests that an unchecked passion for money can erode personal love, demonstrating how one can be sacrificed at the altar of the other, leaving behind emotional wreckage alongside financial collapse.
Q22. In his novel ‘The Financial Expert’ the novelist has tried to say that excessive lust for money ends in disaster. Do you agree with this observation? Support your answer with reference to the events in the novel. [CBSE PYQP 2024, 120-150 words]
Ans. Yes, excessive lust for money ends in disaster, a central theme powerfully illustrated in R.K. Narayan’s “The Financial Expert.” Margayya’s trajectory serves as a potent example of this truth. Initially a humble moneylender, his ambition escalates into an insatiable greed for wealth. His foray into the controversial publishing business, while initially successful, is driven purely by profit motive, disregarding ethical considerations.This unchecked desire propels him into the risky and ultimately ruinous fertilizer business promoted by Dr. Pal. Blinded by the prospect of quick riches, Margayya invests heavily, ignoring warning signs and sound judgment. His obsession with multiplying his wealth leads to his complete financial collapse, social humiliation, and the fracturing of his family relationships. The novel starkly portrays how Margayya’s excessive lust for money overrides prudence, ethics, and personal well-being, culminating in a devastating disaster that impacts every aspect of his life.
Q23. Do you agree with the view that Margayya was only a comic character and by no means a villain? Elaborate. [CBSE PYQP 2023, 120-150 words]
Ans. Margayya’s story features funny situations that arise from his naivety, ambition, and poor judgment. He is not just a comic character; he also has depth. He is not a true villain; his flaws come from his strong desire for wealth and his tendency to be easily led, rather than from any evil intent. His comedy includes simple financial ideas, blind faith in silly rituals, and an exaggerated sense of self-importance when things go well for him. His relationship with his son, Balu, often leads to humorous misunderstandings because of Margayya’s inconsistent parenting. However, his relentless chase for wealth pushes him into questionable actions, like publishing “Domestic Harmony” and investing poorly in a fertilizer scheme. While he doesn’t mean to cause harm, his choices have negative effects. So, Margayya is a flawed protagonist whose misguided ambitions bring both laughter and sympathy, showing that he is more complex than just a comic figure.
Q24. What made Margayya discontinue his business of helping the poor peasants to take loans from the cooperative bank? [CBSE PYQP 2023, 120-150 words]
Ans. Margayya stopped helping poor farmers get loans from the Cooperative Bank because of a clash of egos and his growing self-importance. At first, he was a helpful guide for illiterate villagers, assisting them with the complex loan application process and earning a small commission. He became a familiar and trusted figure under the banyan tree in front of the bank. As his moneylending business grew, Margayya became arrogant. He looked down on the bank officials, especially the Secretary, and saw the bank’s procedures as annoying and its staff as less knowledgeable than he was, leading to a heated argument with the Secretary, likely due to Margayya feeling superior or disagreeing about his methods or fees. The Secretary, upset by Margayya’s disrespectful behavior, eventually banned him from conducting business at the bank and cutting off the access to his main clients, the poor peasants who came to the bank for loans.
Q25. All through his life, Margayya was obsessed with money. Comment. [CBSE PYQP 2020, 120-160 words]
Ans. Margayya’s life in ‘The Financial Expert’ is deeply influenced by his obsession with money driving his actions and shaping his fate. Beginning as a humble moneylender, he becomes fixated on accumulating wealth, particularly after being expelled from the bank. His venture into publishing “Domestic Harmony” is fueled by the desire for financial gain, sidelining ethical concerns. This obsession intensifies, leading to disastrous investments, particularly in Dr. Pal’s fertilizer scheme, blinding him to prudent judgment. Margayya’s relationships, especially with his wife and son, are tainted by his financial preoccupation, often feeling transactional rather than affectionate. His story serves as a warning about how an all-consuming greed can result in moral compromises and eventual downfall, highlighting the novel’s theme of the dangerous allure of wealth.
Q26. What were the consequences of Margayya’s exchange of hot words with the Secretary of the Cooperative Bank? [CBSE PYQP 2020, 120-160 words]
Ans. Margayya’s heated exchange with the Cooperative Bank Secretary, fueled by arrogance from his early success, resulted in his permanent expulsion. This immediately impacted his livelihood, disrupting his established business location under the banyan tree and damaging his reputation among the villagers who trusted his presence near the bank. His perceived association with the reputable bank, which lent him credibility, was also damaged. This humiliation ignited Margayya’s intense ambition to achieve greater, independent financial success, perhaps even surpassing the bank. This became the driving force behind his later ventures, including the temple priest’s rituals and his fateful partnership with Dr. Pal in the unethical publishing business. While initially lucrative, these ventures ultimately led to his financial ruin, demonstrating the profound and long-lasting consequences of his impulsive confrontation. Thus, a single moment of uncontrolled anger and a clash of egos set in motion a chain of events that irrevocably shaped Margayya’s trajectory and led to his profound downfall.
Q27. In “The Financial Expert,” discuss the evolution of Margayya’s character from his early success as a moneylender to his ultimate downfall. Analyze the key factors and decisions that contribute to this transformation, and explain how the novel portrays the consequences of his actions on both a personal and societal level.” [CBSE SQP 2024-25, 120-150 words]
Ans. Margayya undergoes a significant evolution from a respected, modest, moneylender to a ruined and somewhat humbled figure. His early success stems from understanding the villagers’ needs and providing accessible loans, earning him respect. The turning point is his exploration into publishing the scandalous “Domestic Harmony,” which brings him rapid financial success but also exposes him to a world of questionable ethics. It inflates his ego and fuels his reckless decisions, most notably his disastrous investment in Dr. Pal’s fertilizer scheme. Blinded by greed he ignores prudent advice, leading to his complete financial collapse. Personally, Margayya’s transformation results in strained family relationships, social humiliation, and the loss of status. Societally, his downfall serves as a cautionary tale about the corrupting influence of unchecked ambition and the fragility of wealth acquired through dubious means. His journey highlights the consequences of prioritizing personal gain over ethical conduct and sustainable practices, ultimately leaving him back where he started.
Q28. Lakshmi Holmstrom in “The Novels of R. K. Narayan” Calcutta: Writers Workshop Publication, 1973, comments “Different abilities and values are opposed and matched until Pal becomes a “nightmare to Margayya”. Keeping the above statement in mind, trace the evolution of Margayya and Mr. Pal’s relationship. [CBSE SQP 2023-24, 120-150 words]
Ans. Holmstrom accurately describes the relationship between Margayya and Mr. Pal. At first, their skills complemented; Pal’s unique ideas, while Margayya’s financial expertise made them profitable. Pal gives Margayya the manuscript of “Domestic Harmony,” knowing Margayya runs a small publishing business. Their partnership in publishing “Domestic Harmony” benefits them both, as they aim for financial success. Pal’s marketing and Margayya’s ability to distribute the book lead to significant sales. Margayya, despite getting involved in controversial publishing, mainly wants financial security and social respect, while Pal is opportunistic and cares less about societal norms. This difference becomes clear when Pal suggests a fertilizer business. Margayya, excited by the chance for great wealth, ignores Pal’s questionable character and the risks involved. Pal’s manipulative nature and Margayya’s greed ultimately leads to Margayya’s financial downfall. Pal takes advantage of Margayya’s ambition and becomes the “nightmare” Holmstrom mentions, showing the shift from a beneficial alliance to one of exploitation and deep resentment.
Q29. “A man whom the goddess of wealth favours need not worry much. He can buy all the knowledge he requires. He can afford to buy all gifts that Goddess Saraswathi holds in her palm” In the light of the above lines, elaborate the relation of the human and divine realms in R.K. Narayan’s, The Financial Expert. [CBSE SQP 2023-24, 120-150 words]
Ans. The line shows a materialistic view of the divine, suggesting that people believe they can buy intellectual and artistic gifts, usually linked to Goddess Saraswathi, with worldly wealth. It reveals how characters in the novel relate to the divine; they see it as a way to achieve earthly desires, especially money. Margayya wants wealth, so he seeks blessings from Lakshmi through rituals and offerings by the temple priest, treating the goddess as a source of material success. Margayya’s quest for wealth leads to his downfall, even as he tries to please the divine. While characters have faith, it is often mixed with a desire for worldly gains. The novel suggests that true wisdom and understanding, represented by Saraswathi, cannot be bought with money. A deeper, less transactional relationship with the divine might be needed for real fulfillment. Margayya’s story warns against treating the divine as just a tool for achieving personal goals.
Q30. Margayya, the hero of ‘The Financial Expert’ is probably Narayan’s greatest single comic creation. Justify. [CBSE SQP 2022-23, 120-150 words]
Ans. While Margayya’s story ends in financial and social ruin, his character in “The Financial Expert” is a mix of ambition, innocence, and flawed thinking that often makes us laugh. He genuinely believes in simple financial ideas, trusts the temple priest and Dr. Pal too easily, and faces dramatic ups and downs in his fortunes. Narayan uses gentle irony to show a character who is both sad and funny. Margayya’s drive for wealth often leads him to absurd or questionable choices, and he displays an exaggerated sense of importance when he is successful, which is comical. Even when he is desperate, his situation has a certain silliness, highlighting the foolishness of ambition. His journey, filled with ups and downs, is told lightly, allowing readers to find humor in his flaws and misadventures, making him one of Narayan’s most memorable and funny characters.
Q31. In what way is Margayya ruined through his own son? Trace the path of their relationship and discuss. [CBSE SQP 2022-23, 120-150 words]
Ans. Margayya’s downfall is not directly caused by his son, Balu. However, Balu’s upbringing and behavior play a big role in Margayya’s worries and, eventually, his failure. At first, Margayya wants to succeed financially to take care of Balu. But his parenting style swings between being lenient and trying to control Balu, leading to Balu becoming spoiled and irresponsible. Balu doesn’t respect his father’s authority. A key moment happens when Balu loses the bank passbook that holds Margayya’s savings, which begins Margayya’s financial troubles, causing him to look for wealth through the temple priest’s ritual and Dr. Pal’s scheme. Though Balu does not try to ruin his father, his careless actions and spoiled upbringing create problems that lead to his financial collapse in the fertilizer business. The relationship between Margayya and Balu shows a cycle where Margayya’s misguided efforts to secure his son’s future end up leading to his own downfall.