Thinking About Your Thinking

Metacognitive Reading Worksheet

R.K. Narayan's The Ramayana — Chapter Five: “The Grand Tormentor”

NAME

DATE

A DAY

B DAY

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BEFORE READING: Preparing My Mind

1. We are about to meet Ravana properly for the first time. So far we only know him by reputation — he is the most powerful being in the universe, the ruler of Lanka, and Soorpanaka’s brother. What do you expect him to be like? What makes a powerful villain actually interesting to read about, rather than just scary?

2. Think about a time when you — or someone you know — ignored a warning that turned out to be right. What made it easy to dismiss at the time? In this chapter, several characters ignore clear warnings. Keep that experience in mind as you read.

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: Ravana in his court — gods enslaved to do menial jobs; Soorpanaka crashes in and shows her injuries; she describes Sita to shift Ravana’s interest from revenge to desire
Part B: Ravana can’t sleep; he orders the weather changed, has the moon brought down, causes total darkness — none of it helps; the whole world is thrown into confusion by his personal suffering
Part C: Ravana visits his uncle Mareecha; Mareecha warns him three times to stay away from Rama; Ravana threatens to kill him; Mareecha gives in and agrees to become the golden deer
Part D: The golden deer lures Rama away; Lakshmana warns him twice, but Rama ignores him; Rama kills Mareecha; the dying cry tricks Sita; Sita forces Lakshmana to leave by threatening to kill herself
Part E: Ravana arrives disguised as an old holy man; his conversation with Sita; the abduction; Sita’s defiance in the chariot; Jatayu’s battle and death; his dying message to Rama

Double-Entry Journal: Choose two moments that made you stop — whether from surprise, discomfort, recognition, or confusion.

Describe the moment in your own words. You do not need to quote directly. 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?

The Ignored Warning Tracker: Three characters in this chapter ignore a warning they have been clearly given. For each one, explain why they ignored it and what it cost them.

Think about what the character wanted, and how that made the warning easy to dismiss.

Who ignores the warning?	Why do they ignore it? What did they want more than safety?	What does it cost them?
Ravana — warned three times by Mareecha to stay away from Rama and Sita
Rama — warned twice by Lakshmana that the golden deer is a trick
Lakshmana — warned by his own judgment not to leave Sita alone, but Sita threatens to kill herself if he stays

AFTER READING: Reflecting on My Understanding

3. Look back at your Comprehension Check-In ratings. Which section was hardest to follow? Be specific about what caused the difficulty. What did you do, or what could you do now, to clear it up?

4. Ravana controls the weather, the sun, the moon, and the gods. But he cannot sleep, cannot sit still, and cannot stop thinking about a woman he has never even met. What does this tell you about power and its limits? Have you ever seen someone very powerful or in control be completely undone by a feeling?

5. During the abduction, Sita does not go quietly. She argues with Ravana, calls him a coward for not facing Rama directly, and calls on the trees and animals to witness what is happening. She cannot stop what is happening — but she still speaks. Why do you think Narayan gives her this voice? What does it add to the story?

6. Ravana cannot touch Sita directly — an ancient curse means he would die instantly if he did. So instead he lifts the ground beneath her feet and carries that. He finds a loophole. What does this tell you about who Ravana really is, underneath all his power?

7. Thinking About Your Thinking: Go back to your Before Reading answer about what makes a powerful villain interesting. Was your prediction accurate? What surprised you most about how Narayan actually presents Ravana? Also — of the three characters who ignored a warning in this chapter, whose decision did you find easiest to understand? What does that tell you about your own values?

The Ramayana Unit — Metacognitive Reading Practice Chapter Five: The Grand Tormentor Monitor. Question. Clarify. Connect.