Shame

Who is the more powerful hypnotist, Omar or Sufiya? What is their symbolic relationship to hypnosis?

In what way does the novel portray the mindset of the state? How does this paranoia relate to the novel’s ideas about shame?

In what ways can Shame be described as a modern fairy tale? Select at least two characters and three scenes to support your analysis.

How does the idea of partition affect the lives of the characters? Examine this idea from both a political perspective and a personal perspective.

Which wedding is more disastrous, the wedding between Good News and Talvar or the wedding between Omar and Sufiya? Evaluate each wedding’s long-term effects while considering your response.

How does the dumbwaiter symbolize the three sisters’ relationship with the rest of the world? Why did Rushdie choose a dumbwaiter to symbolize this relationship instead of another object?

In what ways do Raza and Iskander function as mirrors of one another’s character?

Shame displays many metafictional elements. How does the novel provide a commentary of the very nature of fiction itself? Incorporate specific examples and quotations from the text to prove your point.