65 pages • 2 hours read
Shehan KarunatilakaThe Seven Moons of Maali Almeida
Fiction | Novel | Adult | Published in 2022A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more.
Essay Topics
How does Karunatilaka use magical realism to develop his critique of human society?
Is Sena a victim or a perpetrator of violence? Explain your reasoning.
How does Karunatilaka characterize Maali as a living being? How does he characterize Maali as a dead being? What does this contrast reveal about Karunatilaka’s theme and Maali’s character development?
Analyze Maali’s role as a photojournalist. In your opinion, does this role serve a greater, nobler purpose? Or does it perpetuate scenes of violence and loss of dignity?
How are the spirit world and the living world similar in this novel? How are they different? What does this reveal about life after death or the human consciousness?
If you were in Maali’s situation, would you wait to help Jaki find the negatives, or would you run to the Light before your Seventh Moon?
How do Sri Lankan history and socio-cultural norms factor into Maali’s character development? Analyze Maali as a product of his environment.
One of the questions Karunatilaka pursues in this novel is the worth of human life. In your opinion, how valuable is the life of a human being? Expand on your thoughts.
What happens to Maali after his first rebirth? What does this reveal about his character development?
Why does Maali decide to be reborn again? What does this reveal about his character development and/or Karunatilaka’s overarching theme(s)?
