Thinking About Your Thinking

Metacognitive Reading Worksheet

R.K. Narayan's The Ramayana — Chapter Four: “Encounters in Exile”

NAME

DATE

A DAY

B DAY

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BEFORE READING: Preparing My Mind

1. Chapter Three ended with Rama, Sita, and Lakshmana walking away from everything they knew. This chapter is called “Encounters in Exile” — the word “encounters” suggests meetings, not just hardship. Think about a time when you were in an unfamiliar situation — a new school, a trip, a difficult period. Did you meet people or have experiences that surprised you? Do you think being away from your normal life can sometimes change a person in a good way?

2. In this chapter, a character puts on a disguise — she pretends to be kind and good — in order to get close to someone she wants. Think about why people sometimes present a false version of themselves when they want something. Why does this happen? Does the disguise ever tell you something true about the person wearing it?

DURING READING: Monitoring My Understanding

Comprehension Check-In: Rate your understanding of each section as you read (1 = confused, 5 = clear).

Section	1	2	3	4	5
Part A: Rama leaves Chitrakuta and moves deeper into the forest; visiting sages including Athri and Anusuya; meeting Jatayu the giant eagle, an old friend of Dasaratha
Part B: Setting up home at Panchvati on the Godavari river; Lakshmana builds the cottage; Rama’s tenderness toward Sita; Rama’s stated purpose — to destroy the demons and bring peace
Part C: Soorpanaka arrives disguised as “Kamavalli”; she tries several approaches to win Rama over; Rama turns her down gently each time; she notices Sita
Part D: Soorpanaka attacks Sita; Lakshmana cuts off her nose and ears; she continues to beg Rama even after the mutilation; her threats about what Kara will do
Part E: Kara and his army march on Panchvati; Rama defeats them; Soorpanaka leaves the battlefield and heads to her brother Ravana in Lanka

Double-Entry Journal: Choose two moments in the chapter that made you stop and think — surprise, confusion, discomfort, or recognition all count.

You do not have to quote exactly — describe the moment in your own words and explain your reaction to it. Include a page number if you can.

The moment (in your own words, with page number if possible)	My reaction: what did this make me think or feel?

Cause and Effect Tracker: This chapter is built like a chain — each decision leads directly to the next crisis. For each action below, describe what it sets off and what it tells you about the character who made it.

Think about not just what happens next, but why that particular response was chosen.

The Action	What does it directly cause?	What does the choice reveal about this character?
Rama turns Soorpanaka down gently and with humour instead of driving her away immediately
Lakshmana mutilates Soorpanaka rather than killing her, and lets her leave
Soorpanaka goes to Ravana and describes Sita’s beauty in detail to make him want her

AFTER READING: Reflecting on My Understanding

3. Look back at your Comprehension Check-In ratings. Which section did you find hardest to follow? Be as specific as you can about what caused the difficulty — was it the number of characters, a cultural reference, the sequence of events, or something else? What did you do, or what could you do now, to clear it up?

4. Soorpanaka approaches Rama with different arguments three separate times. When one doesn’t work, she tries another. Even after being badly hurt by Lakshmana, she keeps talking to Rama. What does her persistence tell you about her? Is it something you find understandable, sad, frightening, or something else entirely?

5. Lakshmana cuts off Soorpanaka’s nose and ears, but he does not kill her. He mutters “Oh! a woman!” before deciding to spare her life. Do you think this punishment was appropriate given what she did? Does the fact that she had just tried to attack Sita change your answer? Be honest about your reaction, even if it feels complicated.

6. Jatayu was an old eagle who had promised to protect Rama’s family. When he sees Ravana carrying Sita away, he attacks — even though he knows he will very likely lose. He fights until his wings are cut off. Why do you think Narayan includes this story? What does it say about what it means to keep a promise?

7. Thinking About Your Thinking: Go back to your Before Reading answer about people who put on a disguise to get what they want. After reading Soorpanaka’s story, did your thinking about this change? Also — which character in this chapter did you judge most harshly, and is that judgment based on something in the text, or something you already believed before you started reading?

The Ramayana Unit — Metacognitive Reading Practice Chapter Four: Encounters in Exile Monitor. Question. Clarify. Connect.