UPSC Prelims 2015 CSAT Paper II · Q22 of 74 Comprehension medium

Passage

Passage – 2 Set against a rural backdrop, 'Stench of kerosene' is the story of a couple, Guleri and Manak, who have been happily married for several years but do not have a child. Manak's mother is desperate to have a grandchild to carry on the family name. Hence, she gets Manak remarried in Guleri's absence. Manak, who acts as a reluctant but passive spectator, is meanwhile, informed by a friend that Guleri, on hearing about her husband's second marriage, poured kerosene on her clothes and set fire to them. Manak is heartbroken and begins to live as if he were a dead man. When his second wife delivers a son, Manak stares at the child for a long time and blurts out, "Take him away ! He stinks of kerosene."

This is a sensitive issue-based story which tries to sensitise the readers about

  1. (a) Male chauvinism and infidelity
  2. (b) Love and betrayal
  3. (c) Lack of legal safeguards for women
  4. (d) Influence of patriarchal mindset ✓ UPSC's answer

Why the answer is (d)

• The story centers on Manak's mother forcing a second marriage to secure a male heir, reflecting a societal obsession with lineage and male offspring.

• Manak's passive acceptance of the remarriage despite his existing marriage highlights his complicity in upholding patriarchal norms rather than challenging them.

• Guleri's tragic suicide is a direct consequence of the family's decision to prioritize the patriarchal demand for a son over her rights and dignity.

• The phrase 'stinks of kerosene' symbolizes the inescapable trauma inflicted by this rigid social structure on the family unit.

• Therefore, the narrative serves to critique the deep-rooted patriarchal mindset that subordinates women's well-being to the preservation of family name and male lineage.

Why the other options are wrong

(a) Male chauvinism and infidelity
The story does not focus on Manak's infidelity as a personal moral failing but rather as a structural consequence of societal pressure, and 'male chauvinism' is too narrow a term for the systemic issue depicted.
(b) Love and betrayal
While love and betrayal are present, the core theme is not a romantic drama but a social critique of the gendered power dynamics that caused the tragedy.
(c) Lack of legal safeguards for women
The passage does not mention legal frameworks or the absence of specific laws; it focuses on the social and cultural mindset driving the actions, not the legal system.

Asked in the CSAT Paper II of the UPSC Civil Services Preliminary Examination 2015, held on 23 August 2015. Question and answer key: Union Public Service Commission. Explanation: UPSC Answer Check.

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