eZine · Nigerian exams
Textual analysis
JAMB Literature in English topic guide with 2 practice questions.
What to revise
- theme
- plot
- setting (temporal/spatial)
- socio-political context
You should be able to
- determine the thematic preoccupation of the prescribed text
- indicate the plot of the novel
- identify the setting and period/timing of the novel
- relate the prescribed text to social reality
From JAMB's Literature in English syllabus official. Full syllabus →
eZine's published bank has 22 questions on this topic (counted 29 October 2026).
Practice questions
Question 1 · Textual analysis
In To Kill a Mockingbird, Atticus Finch defends Tom Robinson, a Black man accused of
Show answer and explanation
Answer: B. raping Mayella Ewell
Tom is falsely accused of raping Mayella Ewell. Bob Ewell dies later, attacking the children; the Radleys and Miss Maudie's fire are separate strands of the plot.
eZine practice question (original, teacher-reviewed)
Question 2 · Textual analysis
The political background of Purple Hibiscus is reflected mainly in
Show answer and explanation
Answer: A. a coup, Ade Coker's murder and strikes at Nsukka
Adichie's Nigeria under military rule appears through the coup, Ade Coker's assassination and the strikes and shortages at Nsukka. The other options belong to other texts or contexts.
eZine practice question (original, teacher-reviewed)
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