Write a summary (about ½ page) of Good Advice Is Rarer than Rubies. Then go on to suggest what you regard as the central theme. Some stories are sometimes written simply for entertainment, others because the writer wants to address an important issue, often expressing his opinion on this issue in the shape of a message. Does Good Advice have a message to the reader? Conclude by stating your own opinion of the story.
Write character studies of Miss Rehana and Muhammad Ali. How are they influenced by each other? How do they change in the course of the story? Account for the different actions of the two. Why do you think Miss Rehana actually seemed relieved at the end in spite of having her application for a visa rejected?
Write a comment on the ways in which Miss Rehana deals with stereotypical expectations of female behaviour.
Relate Miss Rehana’s story as you imagine she would have told it to her best friend after returning to her village. You may also present this task as a dialogue or a letter.
The encounter with Miss Rehana puzzled Muhammad Ali a great deal. How would he relate the incident to his wife Ravina, at the dinner-table in the evening? Write the dialogue.
Some people argue that Good Advice is mainly a story of an arranged marriage, others suggest that it is much more. Write an essay where you discuss what you think are the most interesting aspects of the story (e.g. themes, characters, setting).
Write a literary analysis of the short story. Take into account how the author creates suspense and reveals the characters' feelings. Consider point of view, setting and the choice of words.