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Director : Prof. Harsh Gandhar

Subject Coordinator : Dr. Rajesh Kumar Jaiswal
Course Leader : Prof. Praveen Sharda

B.A. SEMESTER II, ENGLISH ELECTIVE

CONTENTS
 Introductory Letter
 Syllabus

L.No. Name of Chapter Name of Writer Page No.

Section A
Essays
1. Nehru the Democrat Dr. Mridula Sharma 1
2. Bores -do- 11
3. Freedom Dr. Neha Soi 19
4. What I Require From Life -do- 31
5. My Birthplace Dr. Mridula Sharma 39
6. Student Mobs Dr. Mridula Sharma 52
Short -Stories
7. The Three Dancing Goats Dr. Mridula Sharma 62
8. The Fortune Teller -do- 70
9. Grief Dr. Neha Soi 79
10. The Doll’s House -do- 87
11. How Much Land does a Man Need Dr. Mridula Sharma 95
12. The Adventure of the Blue Carbuncle Dr. Neha Soi 107
One-Act Plays
13. A Marriage Proposal Dr. Sumeet Gill 115
14. The Boy Comes Home Dr. Neha Soi 121
15. Refund Dr. Sumeet Gill 128
16. Monkey’s Paw Dr. Mridula Sharma 135
Literary Terms
17. Literary Terms (Essays, Short-Story, Prose) Dr. Neha Soi 145
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18. Literary Terms (Drama) Dr. Mridula Sharma 149

Section B
Applied Grammar
19. Correction of Sentences Dr. Sumeet Gill 156
20. Use of the same Word as Different -do- 164
Parts Of Speech
21. Translation from M.I.L. to English -do- 176

Vetter: Prof. Praveen Sharda

E-Mail of Department - [email protected]

Contact No. of Department - 0172-2534325
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Dear Students,

Welcome to B.A.l Semester II (English Elective). We are attaching the syllabus

along with the lesson for your ready reference. Carefully go through the testing
pattern in your syllabus. This new syllabus will provide you with an integrated
study of both literature and language. The book prescribed for you is Essays,
Short Stories and One-Act Plays. This paper will include literary terms/ concepts
related to the particular literary genre included in the paper. Section B of this
script will include questions on composition and grammar.
The objective of your course is to introduce you to a variety of literary texts and
genres so that you can respond to each one of them in a different way. The book is
divided into various units such as “Essays”, “Short Stories” and “One Act Plays.”
All these works have been dealt in a simple manner to enable you to understand
them well. The literary terms will help you to understand different genres. A brief
introduction to the author and the chapter is given at the beginning of each
chapter. Detailed exercises have been provided at the end of each chapter to
prepare you for the examination. Most of the language exercises and the
paragraphs or letters given at the end of every chapter are related to the prescribed
texts only. Some unsolved passages for comprehension and also some unsolved
questions are given with every chapter you’re your own practice. Please attempt
these unsolved exercises and come to us for any kind of help that you need.
Samples of paragraph writing are given at the end of lessons. Paragraphs are given
after a string of questions or an outline. Please go through the letter writing part as
well. It will be help you in paragraph writing.
The Department of English is extremely grateful to the team of editors in
the elaborate of this study material.

Happy Reading!
Course Leader
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Outlines of Tests, Syllabi, Courses of Reading and Testing for B.A/B.Sc

Second Semester, English (Elective) Examination 2017-18

Max Marks: 100

Theory: 90 Marks
Internal Assessment: 10 Marks
Semester II
Section A
The following Essays, Stories and Plays from the prescribed book ‘A Collection of
Essays, Stories and One Act Play’ are recommended for the Second Semester:
Essays 1-6
Stories 1-6
Plays 1-4
(Literary Terms:/concepts: Prose, Essay, Expository Essay, Analytical/Argumentative
Essay, Lyrical Essay, Descriptive Essay, Imaginative Essay, Philosophical Essay, Short
Story. Long Story. Drama, Dramatic Plot, Character, Incident, Setting, Structure,
Tragedy. Comedy. Tragi-Comedy).
Testing Pattern:
Q.1. Literary term/concepts (five out of eight) 15 marks
Q.2. Ten short questions to be attempted out of fourteen based on A Collection of
Essays, Stories and One Act Play’ (each to be answered in not more than 30-40
words) 15 marks
Q.3 Long questions five out of seven, again based on ‘A Collection of Essays,
Stories and One Act Play’ (each to be answered in not more than 100-120 words)
15 marks
Section B
Q.4 Paragraph Writing (based on outline, a situation, a string of questions etc)
15 marks
Q.5 Applied Grammar:
(a) Corrections 10 marks
(b) use of the same words as different parts of speech 10 marks
Q.6 Translation from Vernacular into English (10 sentences only) 10 marks
OR
(for foreign students, a paragraph on any one of the two given topics, Preferably,
proverbs or Idioms)
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Lesson-1
Essay-1

NEHRU THE DEMOCRAT

Structure
1.0 Objectives
1.1 Introduction
12 About the Author
1.3 Summary of the Essay
1.4 Short Answer Type Questions
1.5 Long Answer Type Questions
1.6 Composition Exercises
1.7 Letter Writing Exercises
1.8 Summary
1.9 Further Reading
1.10 Model Questions

1.0 Objectives
After reading this lesson you will be able to:
● understand Nehru’s idea of democracy
● summarize the discussion of the essay
1.1 Introduction
The essay “Nehru the Democrat” discusses the various qualities of Jawaharlal Nehru. I
am sure you would be very quick to recollect - ‘Jawaharlal Nehru was the first Prime
Minister of free India.’ What else do you know about him? Let us see. Do you know that :
● Nehru played a very important role in the Indian freedom struggle
● Nehru was a sincere follower of Mahatma Gandhi
● Nehru was a true democrat at heart. M. Chalapathi Rau has given a pen-portrait
of this great statesman in his essay. He has painted a vivid picture of all the qualities of
Nehru with the help of words instead of brushes and colours.
1.2 About the Author
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“Nehru the Democrat” is an essay written by Manikonda Chalapathi Rau (1910-1983). M.

Chalapathi Rau was an eminent Indian journalist. He was an authority on Nehruvian
(Nehru’s) thought. Rau was the editor of the English daily “National Herald” of Lucknow
for over thirty years. He also authored several books on Indian journalism, politics and
personalities. He was part of the underground press movement during the independence
struggle.
Rau had a close association with Nehru. He was the leader of the Indian Press
Delegation which accompanied Nehru on his historic 1955 tour of the USSR, Poland and
Yugoslavia. He was also a member of the Indian government’s goodwill mission to
China in 1952.
He worked on various UNESCO Commissions and had been India’s representative to
the United Nations General Assembly (1958). He was also a member of the Initiating
Committee of the International Press Institute.
1.3 Summary of the Essay
Unit I
Nehru was a democrat and strongly believed in the ideals of democracy. He did not
approve of rulers and leaders who became dictators. The author mentions many names
of dictators from history. Do you remember reading about them in your school history
books? Nehru said ‘We want no Caesers.’ Who was Caesar? Well, if you haven’t
consulted the notes at the end of the essay in your text-book, let me tell you that he was
a Roman General born in 100 century B.C., who was named Dictator for Life by his
fellow countrymen. Then, the author also makes a mention of Hitler, whom we all love to
hate, and Mussolini. A Little later, he takes the example of Napoleon Bonaparte. By now
you must have found the page with notes in your text-book which has a detailed
description of all these people. So, I would just say that all these were dictators who
never bothered about individual rights of the people of even their own country. On the
other hand, Nehru dreamt of democracy in free India after the authoritative British left
our shores.
He, however, knew that democracy could flourish in India only when Indians became
their own rulers. The Indians were millions in number even at that time. Yet, each Indian
was an individual in the eyes of Nehru. Individual liberty was of utmost importance for
him. The idea of freedom of the individual was more significant for him than even the
idea of national freedom. He was distrustful of the philosophy of dictators. It did not
matter to him that they were conquerors of the world for some time. They were unfit
examples because they had got carried away by power. They had forgotten that a good
ruler looks after the will and welfare of his people. Nehru’s sense of personal will made
him rebel even against Gandhian principles at times.
Nehru enjoyed power, but only to the extent that enabled him to change the course of
the history of his country. He was happy with the fact that he could influence the minds
of his countrymen. He had achieved that not by frightening them or by using any force
on them. His popularity and strength lay in working for the benefit and upliftment of the
common man. He worked tirelessly to bring about those social changes that had been
inspired and taught by Gandhi.
Nehru had great initiative and originality of thought. He was the first one to talk about the
idea of establishing a Constituent Assembly in the country. This thought came to him
even before India attained independence. Perhaps you are aware of the fact that a
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Constituent Assembly was formed to draft the Constitution of India after Independence.
Jawaharlal Nehru felt that a Constituent Assembly before Independence could be an
instrument of political revolution. All the learned members of the Assembly from various
communities and regions could devise new strategies to gain political freedom. They
could also use their experiences and intellectual energies to bring about social and
economic reforms. Most important of all, he believed in the idea of sovereignty of people
to be the basis of the Constituent Assembly. Sovereignty of people means that people
are the source of all power and authority: The government and the state can make no
discrimination on the basis of status. The people of India enjoy equality and social,
economic and political justice. They have freedom of thought and expression.
Unit II
What does Rau say in this unit? Rau is of the opinion that the stamp of Nehru’s deep,
futuristic i.e. innovative thinking can be felt on the Indian Constitution. The idea was to
make a practical and workable Constitution that would serve the needs of the people of
the country. It was also important to safeguard the unity of the country within its diversity.
Nehru aimed at preserving the long tradition of multiculturalism (simultaneous existence
of many cultures) in India. The blend of various cultures is something very unique and
beautiful about our country. Have you heard the song ‘Mile sur meratumhara’ on
television? Aren’t you filled with pride at the richness and variety of languages, costumes
and people in the song? Don’t you appreciate the soft, graceful movements of a
Manipuri dance as much as the vibrant energy of Bhangra and Giddha? All of us are as
much delighted at the sight of idli sambhar on our dining tables as sarson ka saag. All
this, as they say, happens only in India. Nehru understood Indian culture at a much
deeper level. He knew that a free India would flourish only when all shades of culture,
even the lightest ones, were given equal space in the fabric of the country.
In the latter part of this unit, Rau focuses on Nehru’s skills as a Member of Parliament.
He had always been a good speaker. He could rise to the occasion and speak according
to the situation. Rau says, ‘.. he showed unfailing respect for Parliament and raised the
level of debate.’ He was regular, punctual, reasonable and ‘ready to admit mistakes’. In
short, Rau stresses the fact that Jawaharlal Nehru was an exemplary Parliamentarian.
Unit III
Nehru considered the Parliament as the temple of Parliamentary Democracy. Perhaps,
that is why he held it in high esteem. Laws and policies aiming at the welfare of the
people and just governance of the state were framed there. The representatives elected
by the people framed these laws and policies. The Constitution of India gives the right to
vote to all adults, irrespective of religion, class, gender and even education. It is a victory
of the ideals of democracy as visualized by Nehru.
Any democracy in the world survives on a few essentials. These were enumerated by
Nehru as capacity for debate, possibility of criticism and correction, dedication, co-
operation, self-discipline and restraint.
Unit IV
In this last unit, Rau brings into focus for us the fact that Nehru was well aware of the
weaknesses of Indian democracy. These ranged from high costs of elections, to illiteracy
of the masses and their low participation levels. Yet, his faith in democracy remained
unshaken. He also continued to believe in the party system. He knew that a partial
solution to the difficulties of democracy lay in establishment of democratic institutions at
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the district and village levels. He also knew that the democratic process had to be freed
of vested interests. Despite the fact that much remained to be done, Rau feels that
Nehru largely fulfilled his dream of Parliamentary democracy.
1.4 Short- Answer Questions
Let us now try answering some of the questions from the text. The word-limit for such
answers is 30-40 words.
Q. 1 What did Nehru mean by ‘freedom to people’?
Ans. Nehru’s idea of freedom to people means that each individual has the freedom to
make personal choices in life and shape his/her distinct personality. In other words,
every person is free to be the creator of his own destiny without any undue interference
or external influence.
Q. 2 How did Nehru enjoy power?
Ans. Nehru enjoyed power when he could use it as an instrument of social change.
Power can be utilized in a positive manner to bring about revolutions, introduce reforms,
and alter the course of history. Nehru wanted to use power to make the world a better
place.
Q. 3 From what source did Nehru derive his power?
Ans. People were the source of Nehru’s power. He won over the love of the masses
by working for the upliftment of society. He worked under the guidance of Mahatma
Gandhi to realize his projects that made life better for the people.
Q. 4 What was Nehru’s view of the Constituent Assembly?
Ans. Nehru felt that the Constituent Assembly could lead to social, economic, and
political revolutions. This could be done by framing a constitution that contained the
guiding principles which could bring about positive changes in the country.
Q. 5 What was the attitude of the Muslim League to the Constituent Assembly?
Ans. The Muslim League remained uncompromising and rigid in its attitude towards
the Constituent Assembly. It was not open to new ideas. This caused hindrance in the
smooth functioning of the Constituent Assembly.
Q. 6 What objectives were approved by the Constituent Assembly?
Ans. The Constituent Assembly approved that India was to be an independent,
sovereign republic. People were to be the source of all power and authority. Social,
economic and political justice was to be guaranteed to the people of India. They were to
be given equality of status and opportunity. Freedom of thought and expression was to
be ensured.
Q. 7 How was the Indian Constitution made meaningful?
Ans. The Constitution was made after due consideration of problems that could be
faced by the country in the future. The constitution was practical and workable because
it was framed keeping in mind the needs of the people. It was also given an economic
base. All this made the Constitution a meaningful one.
Q. 8 How could one solve the problems facing India?
Ans. The main problem that India was facing was that people from different races,
religions and languages were to be a part of a new nation. They were distraught as they
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had suffered discrimination at the hands of the British for a long time. These problems
could be solved by bringing about unity through the provisions of the Constitution that
gave equal rights and freedom to all citizens of India.
Q. 9 Why was Nehru against the idea of ‘oneness of culture’?
Ans. India has been a land of diverse or various cultures since ancient times. Nehru
wanted to preserve this uniqueness. Moreover, he did not want the minority elements to
be crushed under any majority culture. All cultures had the right to flourish in free India.
Q. 10 How did Nehru win the respect of Members of Parliament?
Ans. Rau calls Nehru the greatest leader of Parliament because he adapted himself to
the role very well. He mixed humility with leadership qualities. He reacted suitably to
every situation in the House. He had unfailing respect for the Parliament. He raised the
level of debate by discouraging non seriousness and inefficiency. He showed a good
sense of humour while also being considerate, reasonable and ready to admit mistakes.
In addition to all these qualities, Nehru won the respect of Members of Parliament by
being regular and punctual.
Q. 11 How are elections an indication of democracy?
Ans. Elections indicate that democracy is working in the right manner. Elections are
the foundation of a democratic form of government. Free and fair elections are an
indicator of a good government. People have the right to vote and the freedom to choose
suitable and effective representatives to the Parliament. Parliament becomes the
reflection of the will of the people and frames rules and laws in accordance with it.
Q. 12 What virtues are essential in a democracy?
Ans. Parliamentary democracy demands the ability to do good work. In addition, it
demands dedication to work. The other virtues required for democracy are co-operation,
self-discipline and restraint.
Q. 13 What is essential to make democracy real?
Ans. Democracy can exist in the real sense of the term when there is social and
economic equality. No distinctions are made in terms of caste, class and social status.
People are aware of their right to vote and understand its true value. A real democracy
has no place for undemocratic habits.
Q. 14 What does the writer mean by ‘democratic decentralization’?
Ans. The term ‘democratic decentralization’ means that there should be law-making
agencies at the district and village levels. These agencies can understand better the
needs of the people at the local level. It would be easier to gather public opinion on a
problem at a smaller scale.
Q. 15 How can political parties strengthen the democratic system?
Ans. Political parties strengthen the democratic set-up by promoting principled
working. Political parties not only bring more awareness of the requirements of the
electorate but also keep checks and balances on the working of the government. This
way, political parties can promote the correct working of democracy.
Q. 16 What is the Jeffersonian concept of Democracy?
Ans. The Jeffersonian concept of democracy refers to the ideas of Thomas Jefferson.
He was the author of the American ‘Declaration of Independence’ signed on 4th of July
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1776 in America. This was the end of British rule in America. Jefferson had participated
in the American Revolution for Independence. He was in favour of progress and
enlightenment. He was against any kind of tyranny and exploitation of the human race,
irrespective of the colour of their skin.
Q. 17 Describe the Jacksonian concept of democracy in detail.
Ans. Andrew Jackson was the president of the United States twice. He was born in
poverty and the first to be elected through a direct appeal to the mass of voters. His
ideas on democracy came to be known as the Jacksonian concept of democracy. These
included the belief that voting rights should be extended to all white men. Many
Jacksonians held the view that rotating political appointees was a good way of ensuring
corruption-free working. They also held that long tenure in the civil service was
corrupting, so civil servants should be rotated out of office at regular intervals.
Jacksonians initially favoured a federal government of limited powers and generally
favoured an unrestrictive approach to the economy. Jackson fought to end the
government monopoly over banks. He went to all banks, because he believed they were
devices to cheat common people. He and his many followers believed that only gold and
silver could be money.
1.5 Long-Answer Questions (100-120 words)
These questions are meant to test your understanding of the topic and your knowledge
about related issues. You can write whatever you really believe in, provided it does
justice to the given topic. For example, here are my thoughts on the topic mentioned
below:
‘Self-Interest, not any policy difference, is the cause of the increase in the number
of political parties in India.’ Discuss.
India is a vibrant democracy. It has withstood the test of time and continued with its
success story decade after decade. Poverty, illiteracy and the large population may have
been obstacles in the path of democracy, but the onward march goes on. Any citizen of
India can take reasonable pride in this fact. However, one should not close one’s eyes to
the drawbacks of our system. One such defect emerges out of one of the true pillars of
any democracy — political parties.
Political parties are the life-breath of democracy, especially in a country as large as
India. Political parties have many roles to play. They are the watchdogs of democracy.
They take part in elections by sending their party-members to contest from different
seats. The representatives to the Parliament are chosen out of the members of various
political parties, though some candidates may be independent also. Their manifestos are
a source of education for the citizens. In addition to this, the manifestoes are framed
keeping in mind the requirements and aspirations of the people of the country. All parties
frame these manifestoes in keeping with their distinct aims, objectives, policies,
principles and philosophy of serving the nation. However, sometimes these manifestoes
turn into a joke as there is nothing substantially different being offered. This is because
parties are sometimes floated without any agenda of national interest. The leaders of
these parties want to grab power for furthering their self-interest. Some of them create a
party because they have nothing better to do. It seems that their policies are drafted
without any deep thinking and seem to be a copy of the popular sounding slogans of
other parties.
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Sometimes, certain leaders form a separate party just because they do not get a ticket to
contest elections from the previous one. In such cases, the policy remains almost the
same. This leads to a lot of confusion in the mind of the voter. The votes can get divided.
A single party with a strong and clear-cut agenda might not get a majority. This only
weakens the roots of democracy. It also hampers the progress of the nation. Therefore,
it is important that political leaders show more responsibility. The voters also need to be
more careful. They should reject the political parties with fake policies.
Note:
The answer exceeds the word limit prescribed for you (100-120 words). This is to enable
you to understand better and also to give you more points. Now let us try our hand at
another topic:
What role does education play in strengthening democracy?
Ignorance is the enemy of democracy. A democratic political order requires a stable
political culture and informed citizens. These citizens should be capable of making
intellectual choices freely. They should also have tolerance for the viewpoints of others.
Without such a culture, democracy will eventually collapse. The most important social
force contributing to such a stable political culture is education. Education is not a
preparation for some remote future. It is meaningful in its own right. The goal of
education is not just to produce informed citizens but also to inculcate a democratic
character through the means of moral education. Education and citizenship are
inseparable concepts. It has been said by a great scholar John Dewey that “democracy
has to be born anew every generation and education is its midwife”. The role of citizens
in a contemporary democracy is to be a solver of all those problems that may arise in
democracy. The skills to solve these problems can be acquired only through education.
Hence, education is the foundation of a strong democracy.
You can also add ideas of your own to this topic. Or, you can apply your mind to the
topics given below:
● How can village panchayats be helpful in a democracy?
● Do you think dictatorship is a quicker road to economic and social
reforms?

Self-Assessment Questions
1. The title of the essay is (a) ……………… the (b)……………
2. The writer of the essay is ………………………………..
3. The essay discusses Nehru’s view of ………………………..
4. Nehru used the examples of great rulers like (a) ………………….. and (b)
…………….. to justify his ideas of democracy.

1.6 Composition (150 - 200 words)

This question gives you an opportunity to express your own thoughts. The topics may be
related to the chapters but may not necessarily be text- based. Here’s a solved example:
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Write a message for Adolf Hitler with you as a citizen of India.

Dear Mr. Hitler
First of all, let me make it clear that you are not really dear to me. This word has been
used by me just because I have been educated to be polite in my communication.
Moreover, I live in a country where democratic ideals are held very dear. India is a
sovereign, socialist, secular, democratic republic. The Constitution is the foundation of
governance. It is, therefore, very difficult for me to like a person who has no respect for
either the laws and the constitution or individual freedom. We have a government for the
people, of the people and by the people. You see, it is the people who are important,
and not the whims and prejudices of a few. The state is run according to the wishes,
hopes and aspirations of its citizens. All issues, including elections, are decided by a
majority vote. No single person or group of persons can dictate terms and pass orders.
Our elected representatives to the legislative bodies bring about laws for the welfare of
the general public. The leaders are always answerable to us.
In my country, no discrimination is made on the basis of caste, class, gender, region,
language, or religious faith. Equal respect is given to all religions. Certainly, no religion is
considered unclean. You would not find any concentration camps or gas chambers here.
Most importantly, we follow the path of non-violence shown to us by the most adored
leader of the world — Mahatma Gandhi.
I am writing this message to tell you that it is a good thing that you are no longer in this
world. Things would have been very tough for you. Today, the world is awake to the
ideals of democracy. There are very few dictatorships left. We keep hearing of the
overthrow of dictators and the establishment of the golden principals of democracy
everywhere. Nobody misses you here. But we do remember you as a symbol of cruelty
and oppression. We talk about you only when we want to understand what should not be
done so that no one else is such a blur on the face of humanity as you.
May God grant you wisdom and compassion in the future! An Alert Citizen of Democratic
India.
For practice sake, you can also think of some things to write on the following topics:
● Student Council Elections in Your College.
● If I were a Politician
1.7 Letter Writing
As a citizen of a democratic country, it is your duty to remain alert. There are various
areas of the government which need monitoring and supervision of citizens. The citizens
also have the right to point out the drawbacks of the system to their elected
representatives. The suggestions of a well-informed citizen are valuable to bring about
improvements.
Have you ever tried to write a letter to the Member of Parliament from your
area/constituency? Let’s think of a topic that needs urgent attention. The topic of
‘Corruption’ seems like a good idea. So, here’s the question for you—
Write a letter to the Member of Parliament from your area requesting him to
take up the cause of framing strict laws to curb corruption.
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What would you write in. this letter? The first thing that you should remember is to
address him/her as ‘Honourable Member of Parliament’. I can offer some hints to set
your thinking process in motion:
● Start by stressing the fact that corruption is wide-spread in the country
● Bring to notice some recent incidents of corruption
● Briefly discuss the ill-effects of corruption
● Suggest some measures such as framing of strict law against corruption
● You can refer to the recent Anna Hazare movement and the participation of the
whole nation in it.
End the letter by imagining a corruption-free, prosperous India and urging the Member of
Parliament to take up the issue soon.
1.8 Summary:
In this chapter, you have learnt a great deal about Jawarhwal Nehru and his contribution
to democracy. Rau is of the opinion that the stamp of Nehru’s deep, futuristic i.e.
innovative thinking can be felt on the Indian Constitution.You have also learnt
thatParliamentary democracy demands the ability to do good work. In addition, it
demands dedication to work. The other virtues required for democracy are co-operation,
self-discipline and restraint. You have also understood the term ‘democratic
decentralization’ which means that there should be law-making agencies at the district
and village levels. These agencies can understand better the needs of the people at the
local level. Thus democracy should function at the grass-roots level.

1.9 Further Reading

"Nehru's View About Democracy"
https://www.mainstreamweekly.net/article6814.html
"Nehru and Democracy" https://www.asianage.com/360-degree/181118/nehru-and-
democracy.html
Nehru, Jawaharlal. The Discovery of India. Penguin India, 2004.
Nehru Jawaharlal. Glimpses of World History. OUP, 1985.
1.10 Model Questions
1 How did democracy flourish in India? Discuss in the light of the essay.
2 Why is individual freedom more important than national freedom according to
Nehru?
3 How did Nehru use the examples of great rulers from history to justify his views
on democracy?

Answers to Self-Assessment Questions

1. (a) Nehru (b) Democrat
2. Manikonda Chalapathi Rau
3. Democracy
4. (a) Caesar (b) Hitler
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Lesson-2

Essay-2

BORES
Structure
2.0 Objectives
2.1 Introduction
2.2 About the Author
2.3 Summary of the essay
2.4 Short Answer Type Questions
2.5 Long Answer Type Questions
2.6 Composition
2.7 Letter Writing
2.8 Summary
2.9 Further Reading
2.10 Model Questions

2.0 Objectives
This chapter will enable you to
● understand the different types of bores in society
● summarize the discussion of the essay.

2.1 Introduction
Here is an essay which is entirely different from the one you read previously. The tone of
‘Nehru the Democrat’ was serious. ‘Bores’ is a light-hearted essay. What kind of prose
would you call an essay? An essay is a brief composition in prose that discusses a
particular topic’. The essay can be formal as well as an informal one. The informal essay
is also termed as a ‘familiar’ or ‘personal’ essay. The author of this type of an essay
writes in an intimate tone. The topics of such essays pertain to everyday things rather
than serious, philosophical or problematic ones.
 15

In the essay ‘Bores’, E.V. Lucas talks about a variety of bores and the reasons for their
being so many of them. He also dwells briefly on whether it is possible to get rid of bores
at all. Lucas treats the subject in a humorous manner. It seems the agenda of the author
is also to correct some behavioural patterns of society.
2.2 About the Author
Edward Verrall Lucas (1868 —1938) was a versatile and popular English writer. He is
remembered best for his essays and books about London and travel abroad. He is
particularly known for his biography of Charles Lamb. Apart from this, he also published
poems, verses for children, and a few novels. Rupert Hart-Davis collected and published
a collection of his essays on cricket, Cricket All His Life, which John Arlott called ‘the
best written of all books on cricket.’
He wrote extensively for Punch magazine. He wrote under various pen names such as
EVL, VVV, E. D. Ward, and FF for film criticism. Some of his early work was in
collaboration with Charles Larcom Graves, another Punch writer. From 1924 he was
chairman of the London publishers Methuen and Co.

2.3 Summary of the essay

Let us read the unit-wise summary of the essay.
Unit I
E.V.Lucas begins his essay by a comment that to write about bores means that the
writer is confident and assured that he is not a bore himself. This brings him to the first
characteristic of a bore. A true bore never realises that he is boring. Rather, he actually
believes that he is very good company.
Everyone is a bore at one time or another. By saying this, Lucas points out a general
error that all of us commit sometimes. There are certain ideas that are very close to our
hearts. We believe in these ideas and refuse to change them. This can also be applied
to certain theories and philosophies. The believers of these may be small in number, but
they want to impose their ideas on everyone else. They do not like to listen to different
opinions or suggestions for improvement, that is how, as Lucas says, ‘the fixed ideas of
the few are the boredom of the many.’
Boredom in a conversation also arises when we think that our personal experience
would seem as interesting to others as it is to ourselves. We lose the sense of proportion
and make a big issue of a small matter concerning ourselves. We take it for granted that
the world wants to know everything about us. Lucas wants to convey that any
conversation that focuses on us alone is bound to be boring. This is followed by his
observation that ‘egotism is beyond question the bore’s foundation-stone.’
The author enlists quite a few topics that reflect the self-centeredness of a bore. A bore
perceives the whole world in relationship to him. Not only this, he has a great deal of
overconfidence in his supposed popularity, intelligence, smartness and open-
mindedness. A bore is happy to remain under the illusion that he is the central figure
around whom the whole world revolves. Since his conversation is so self-centered, he
ends up boring others. A good conversation consists of both - effective, intelligent
speaking skills and good listening skills. A one-track conversation on the supposed
brilliant qualities of one’s own self is dull.
 16

The last few lines of unit I are a good exercise in ‘reading between the lines’. You have
to understand not only what the author says directly, but also that which is left unsaid.
So, if Lucas chooses to leave out any description of female bores, it is not because
women are not boring. It is a strategic silence on the part of the essayist. The reasons
behind this silence could be
● To avoid controversy
● To stress the fact that women might be even more ego-centric than men
● To say that men and women can be equally boring if they make the same errors.
● It is for the readers to make their own guesses.
Unit II
Why do bores remain happy? Lucas gives two reasons. One is because bores have so
much to say and usually, they are able to say what they want to. The other, more
important reason is that they are always able to find their victims — people who would
listen to them. There is never a dearth of audience for bores. Lucas finds the reason to
be ‘the ineradicable kindness of human nature’. This can be explained as the general
desire not to hurt anyone’s sentiments by telling him/her that he/she is a bore. We either
tolerate it silently or think of ways to escape. Most of us lack the courage to speak the
truth that we are tired of a conversation.
This lack of courage is partially due to the fact that bores are usually simple, naive
people and mean no harm. Nobody wants to hurt them by speaking the truth. Very
cunning people cannot be boring because they are smart enough to judge the effect of
their conversation on other people. They are calculating and perceptive enough to say
the right thing at the right time to the right person. Similarly, very busy men can also not
be bores because they do not have the time to waste on unimportant issues.
Unit III
In this unit, Lucas classifies bores. Let us see which types he talks about. (It is possible
that you may know of many more.) The first category is that of ‘the buttonholing bore’.
What does ‘buttonholing’ mean? A buttonhole is a slit made in a garment to receive a
button for fastening the garment. But, when someone buttonholes you, he/she is
detaining you in a conversation that you are reluctant to hear. Such bores lean very
close and fix their eyes on you. It becomes impossible for the listener to escape from
what they are saying or even to give an expression of disinterest. That would be unkind.
These types of bores have been described further as those who spread ‘birdlime all over
you.’ Now, this phrase also needs to be understood. If you consult the textual notes in
your book, you would find the meaning given as ‘a sticky substance usually made from
the bark of the holly (an evergreen shrub), smeared on tree twigs to catch small birds.’
Did you notice the aptness of the writer’s expression? Imagine the helplessness of a tiny
bird with its little feet caught in the birdlime. It cannot escape. The helplessness of a
victim of a bore is similar.
Another category of bores are the ones who insist on telling a funny story even when
you have made it clear to them that you have heard it before. Still another category is of
those bores who pat themselves on the back for what they think is their great sense of
humour. Nothing could be more boring than having to listen to a joke that is not funny.
 17

The writer ends his essay with a hilarious but far-fetched story of an eccentric colleague
who had the habit of thinking aloud. He would think one thing in his mind (which could be
heard clearly by others) and say something quite opposite for the sake of politeness and
courtesy. The other person would naturally know what he actually meant. What the
writer wants to stress is that usually we cannot express what we really feel about bores
because of social good manners. Our thoughts and our utterances are entirely different.
So, there is no getting away from bores. The only option left then is to totally avoid the
company of bores.
Let us now apply our minds to a few textual questions!

2.4 Short-Answer Questions

Q. 1 Who is a true bore? What does the true bore think of himself or herself?
Ans. A true bore is a person who is unaware of the fact that s/he is boring. Rather, the
true bore thinks that s/he is very good company to people around him. S/he is not
perceptive or intelligent enough to know that whatever is said or done is of no interest to
others. The reason behind this is that a bore is too self-focussed. So, a true bore
continues with his habit of boring others.
Q. 2 Why is everyone a bore, at some time, in his life?
Ans. One tends to be a bore if one imposes his unwelcome ideas upon others. These
ideas may be out-dated, limited in perspective or simply narrow- minded. But, a bore
refuses to change such ideas. Unfortunately, all of us have our own share of such fixed
ideas. These may pertain to ourselves; our religion, society, country or the world. When
we try to convince others of these ideas, we end up being bores at some time in our
lives.
Q. 3 What is meant by egotism?
Ans. ‘Egotism’ means the quality of being excessively absorbed in oneself. An
egotistical person cannot think of the world beyond himself. He has a larger-than-life
opinion of himself. This means that he cannot place himself properly in the scheme of
things. The point-of-view of others does not hold any importance for him. He cannot
empathise with the condition of others. All those events and things which do not relate
directly to him are uninteresting and insignificant for an egotistical person.
Q.4 What does a bore think of others?
Ans. A bore suffers from the illusion that whatever interests him would be equally
interesting for others. His second folly is that any incident or event which relates to him
would also be very interesting and important for others. - This suggests that other people
do not occupy a position of importance for a bore. He does not give due importance to
their preferences, concerns, interests, problems and anxieties. Thus, a bore breaks the
primary rule of good manners. Therefore, others lose interest in him.
Q. 5 What are a bore’s favourite topics?
Ans. All the topics in which the bore is the central figure are his/her favourite. This
could relate to their family, environment or even their personal belongings. Bores also
like to talk extensively on any health problems they might be suffering from. At the same
time, bores consider themselves very sharp in finding antidotes to common ailments.
They applaud themselves for their fashion sense, broad perspective, knowledge of the
 18

arts, sense of humour, innovative ideas and unerring instinct for always hitting upon the
best solution and best places. In short, the favourite topics of bores are anything that
allows them to indulge in self-congratulation.
Q. 6 Why are bores mostly happy?
Ans. Bores remain happy most of the time because they have an unending store-
house of things they want to tell the world. However, the chief reason behind the
happiness of the bores is that they can always find listeners who would tolerate their
talk, however uninteresting it might be. Bores remain happy because they always get the
opportunity to express themselves without any curbs on their enthusiasm.
Q. 7 Why are bores always sure of an audience?
Ans. Bores can always be sure of an audience because human beings are inherently
kind. No one likes to hurt the bores by telling them openly that they are tiresome
company. People generally avoid being rude to others. They quietly bear the boredom of
others and only dream of ways to escape the bores. This ensures an all-time audience
for the bores.
Q.8 What device does the Writer recommend to avoid bores?
Ans. The author recommends a device used by one of his acquaintances. One can
strike an understanding with someone, may be a waiter at a club or a restaurant, to
interrupt with a message or a fake phone call whenever one is caught in the company of
a bore. This ensures escape, saves the person from further boredom without being out
rightly discourteous or hurtful to the bore.
Q.9 What is meant by spreading birdlime all over you?
Ans. The author uses this expression to convey the helplessness of a person caught
in a conversation with a bore. Birdlime is a sticky substance usually made from the bark
of the holly (an evergreen shrub), smeared on tree twigs to catch small birds. When a
bore buttonholes you by leaning on you and fixes his eyes on you, it is not possible for
you to escape listening to him/her. One has to manage one’s expression accordingly.
One is obliged to show interest for the sake of courtesy in whatever the bore says.
Q. 10 Why do the listeners laugh even when the stories are not funny?
Ans. Listeners laugh even when the stories are not funny because they do not want to
be impolite. The purpose of laughing without delight is to avoid hurting the sentiments of
the speaker. This behaviour on the part of the listeners arises due to the essential
kindness of humans for their fellow-beings, however boring they might be.
Q. 11 Where do bores get their topics from?
Ans. Lucas makes a reference to ‘Punch’, a weekly paper which he worked for. His
opinion is that bores get their stock of stale topics from this paper. The reference is a
humorous one. The author is making fun of that very paper in which this essay must
have appeared. This also shows his humility. He wishes to convey that he is not writing
the present essay with any sense of superiority. Thus, he takes the sting or the critical
tone out of the essay at the end to erase any hurt caused by the publication of the
essay.
Q. 12 Why does one require a sense of superiority, assurance and self-confidence to
write about bores?
 19

Ans. A writer would require some qualities to write about bores. If a writer is to look
down upon bores and make fun of them, one should have enough self-confidence to
know that one does not fall into the category of bores. One also has to be assured
enough that the written piece does not fall into the class of boredom. A writer should also
possess a sense of superiority over the bores to be able to pass comments on them.
Q. 13 What are some remedies to save oneself from bores?
Ans. The author feels that there are some remedies that can be very effective for
getting rid of bores. A sure-shot idea suggested by the author is to cultivate the habit of
thinking aloud truthfully instead of remaining quiet in the name of etiquette. That would
enable us to express whatever we really feel about the bores. Therefore, the remedy
against bores is to be ‘downright offensive’. The second remedy is to totally avoid the
company of bores. One can decide not to go where one is likely to find bores. One can
quickly leave a room or turn into side streets upon spotting a bore from a distance.
These remedies can save us from bores.
2.5 Long-Answer Questions
Q. 1 What are the various kinds of bores?
Ans. Lucas classifies bores into various categories. The first category is that of ‘the
buttonholing bore’. A buttonhole is a slit made in a garment to receive a button for
fastening the garment. Buttonholing a person means detaining that person in a
conversation that he/she is reluctant to hear. The buttonholing bores lean very close and
fix their eyes on their victims. It becomes impossible for the listener to escape from what
they are saying or even to give an expression of disinterest. The helplessness of a victim
of a bore is similar to that of a bird caught in birdlime who can only dream of flight.
Another category of bores are the ones who insist on telling a funny story even when the
listeners have made it clear to them that they have heard it before. They make it difficult
for their audience to observe the norms of politeness. Still another category is of those
bores who pat themselves on the back for what they think is their great sense of humour.
Nothing could be more boring for a listener than having to listen to a joke that is not
funny. Thus, Lucas talks about a variety of bores.
Q. 2 How did the ‘eccentric peer’ behave in order to get rid of bores?
Ans. The ‘eccentric peer’ was rather clever. He had contracted the habit of thinking
aloud. This meant that he spoke out whatever came to his mind. He did not wait before
speaking to decide what was appropriate. That author says that this was done
unconsciously. However, there is every possibility that he did it intentionally because the
habit got him rid of bores. Most of the time, we do not speak what is in our minds. This is
a safe thing to do from the point of view of society. However, the eccentric gentleman
would speak very loudly and clearly of his true feelings at having met a bore. His loud
thinking would make it clear to the listener that he did not like him actually. He also said
aloud that he would have to invite the bore to dinner due to social manners; even though
he hated the idea. This would make the bore know how the gentleman felt about him in
truth. In the next moment, the gentIeman would invite the bore to dinner in a very polite
manner. Obviously, the bore would decline the invitation. The unusual habit, therefore,
was like ‘a sheet of armour-plate against bores’.
Now, try attempting the following long-answer questions on your own:
 20

Q. 3 How is ‘the ineradicable kindness of human nature’ responsible for the happiness
of bores?
Q. 4 Why do you think clever and busy men can never be bores?
Self-Assessment Questions
1. The essay (a)…………………….. is written by (b)…………………….
2. The first name of the essayist is (a)………………………. And the middle name is
(b)…………………..
3. The tone of the essay is ………………………..
4. The term ………………………….. is used by Lucas to refer to those bores who
try to keep the people engaged in their conversation even if they don’t want to.

2.6 Composition
It’s time to put your thinking caps on. Given below are two assignments to test your
writing skills:
Write in about 150-200 words how you brought about changes in your behaviour
and conversation to avoid being a bore after noticing that people had begun
avoiding your company.
This question has been attempted for you. Read on!
The morning started all right. I settled in my armchair to read the newspaper. It was my
favourite time. I could comment on all the happenings of the world after reading about
them. I really felt very proud of my knowledge, intelligence and power of analysis. No
one in my family dared to challenge it, especially when I spoke in a loud voice suitable
for a leader on stage. After all, I was the boss of my house!
My wife and children seemed excessively busy that day. In fact, they had been busy for
quite some days now. Time was slipping by. I was a little disheartened at the lost
opportunity of showing off my learning, but I had to get ready for office. During lunch
hour, I noticed the repetition of the curious phenomena of people giving the same
excuse of being busy when they saw they were in my company. It greatly pained me to
see them chatting and laughing with others in some other room. I badly wanted to tell
them of the new breathing exercises that I was doing and which had made my skin glow
like a hero’s. I realised it now. I was a borel People were avoiding my company.
I subjected myself to a great deal of soul-searching. I realised my mistakes and decided
to work on them. Next morning, instead of talking all the time, I asked my wife why she
was looking so tired these days. She was surprised at first, but then shared her health
problems with me. She had been having a continuous headache for the past one week.
Encouraged by my new attitude, my children also started discussing their problems in
school and with friends. I let them speak and gave my opinions when they wanted. We
laughed together at the cartoon strips in the paper. The children read out reviews of
some new movie releases. I was pleasantly surprised to know that they had their own
views on serious issues also which broadened my vision as well. I had hit upon the art of
good conversation. It meant that one had to be a good listener and speak in a friendly,
less aggressive tone about topics that would interest others. I applied these principles in
my office and among my friends with great success. Today, I am sought after by
 21

everyone for my comments on wide ranging subjects. Needless to say, I am happier

than ever.
Try writing something on the following topic now:
Write in about 150 words the experience that you love to talk about again and
again. Describe how your friends react to this repetition.
2.7 Letter-Writing
After reading so much about bores, you must be eager to share your own experiences
about bores. After all, who hasn’t suffered at the hands of a bore sometime or the other?
So, here’s an opportunity for you to let off your pent up feelings.
Write a letter to your friend explaining how a friend bored you with a running
commentary on the film/match that you had gone to watch together.
Maybe, you would find the following hints helpful;
● The friend spoilt your fun by revealing every twist and turn of a thriller movie
beforehand
● The friend kept on whining about his/her break-up during a romantic movie
● H/ she complained of an upset stomach throughout an otherwise exciting match.
● The friend chose to back-bite about a mutual friend during the movie/match and
felt hurt at your disinterest
Finally, do let your friend know how you dealt with the situation and whether you are still
on talking-terms with your boring friend.

2.8 Summary
In this essay, you have read about the writer’s attempt to correct some behavioural
changes in society. The attempt is pleasant and the treatment of the subject is carried
out in a light-hearted manner. The writer has a laugh at himself when he says that we
end up being bores at some time in our lives. The use of irony to describe the various
categories of bores is remarkable. You have also been trained in composition writing as
well as letter-writing.

2.9 Further Reading

“E. V. Lucas” https://www.enotes.com/topics/e-v-lucas
“Bores by E. V. Lucas” https://iamenygma.wordpress.com/2011/03/25/bores/
2.10 Model Questions
1. What are the different types of bores which E. V. Lucas discussed in his essay?
2. How did people try to get rid of the company of bores?
3. What type of essay is this –formal or informal? And how?
 22



Answers to the Self-Assessment Questions

1. (a) Bores (b) E. V. Lucas
2. (a) Edward (b) Verrall
3. Humorous
4. Buttonholing bores

Lesson-3

Essay-3

FREEDOM
GEORGE BERNARD SHAW
Structure
3.0Objectives
3.1Introduction
3.2About the Author
3.3Summary of the Essay
3.4Comprehension Exercises
3.5Grammer
3.6Short Answer Type Questions
3.7 Long Answer Type Questions
3.8Letter Writing
3.9Composition
3.10Summary
3.11Further Reading
3.12 Model Questions
 23

3.0Objectives
After reading this paper you will be able to:
● comprehend the idea of freedom
● describe the main arguments of the essay.

3.1 Introduction
The significance of freedom can never be overstated. Throughout the history of
humankind, there have been struggles for freedom in every part of the world. Civil wars,
wars of independence, revolutions against enslaving powers and efforts at bringing
about equality can be observed throughout. Shaw’s essay is a detailed analysis of the
concept of freedom in the civilized world. Let us learn a little about the author and the
text.
3.2 ABOUT THE AUTHOR
George Bernard Shaw (26 July 1856 - 2 November 1950) was an Irish writer known for
his ready wit. Shaw received his early education at the Wesley College, Dublin, a
Methodist grammar school. He then joined a private school near Dalkey and further went
to Dublin’s Central Model School. He ended his formal education at the Dublin English
Scientific and Commercial Day School. He married Charlotte Payne-Townshend in 1898.
Shaw started his career in writing with music and literary criticism, but he received
acclaim as a playwright. He wrote more than 60 plays. His works exhibit a strong
criticism of social problems with a vein of comedy and witty humour. He wrote
extensively about education, marriage, religion, government, health care and class
privilege. A socialist ideologically, Shaw wrote many speeches for the Fabian Society, a
platform for advancing the principles of democratic socialism, known for its
groundbreaking work from the 19 th century to the post World War I Britain. An exquisite
orator, he received the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1925. His important works include
Plays Pleasant and Unpleasant; Pygmalion; Saint Joan along with short stories, novels,
political writings and works on social polemics. He received an Oscar award in 1938 for
his contributions to literature and for his work on the film Pygmalion (adaptation of his
play of the same name).
3.3 SUMMARY OF THE ESSAY
This essay is divided into five units which present five distinct thoughts on the concept of
freedom. Since the piece was delivered in the form of lectures on BBC Radio, the
language used is colloquial and the style is conversational. You should notice how the
beginning is marked with a sense of urgency and abruptness. Has your attention been
drawn towards the wealth of vocabulary and the treasure of rhetoric spread over the
entire essay? The entire piece can be termed as an analytical/argumentative essay in
which the writer is analyzing the concept of freedom in the society and arguing that
freedom in the real sense is not available to the masses. You should try and compare
Shaw’s unusual attitude towards freedom with that of other writers.
UNIT 1
Shaw begins with an urgency to develop his argument about freedom without beating
about the bush. He does not repeat the established significance of freedom. Rather he
begins straightaway to elaborate that a perfect state of freedom can never be achieved
 24

in which one is able to “do what he likes, when he likes, and where he likes, or do
nothing at all if he prefers it”. He explains to you that certain natural activities like eating,
sleeping, washing and commuting or traveling will always be forced upon human beings
and cannot be avoided. Women have the additional responsibility of child bearing which
cannot be passed on to someone else.
But these primary requirements can be fulfilled to a certain extent by employing others to
work for one. One can fulfill some of these necessary demands by the labour of others.
For example, by making someone cook for you, wash for you or getting a horse to take
you from one place to the other. This enslavement of others can be done by force or
through trickery.
Shaw warns his listeners to be careful against letting anyone get the “upper hand” on
you. It is understandable that when you are enslaved to others you find yourself
struggling much more through life. The duty of the governments is to safeguard against
such enslavement but they do quite the opposite. The governments force the people to
one type of enslavement or the other and fool them into believing that they are free.
Even elections allow one to vote for the rich and powerful few.
UNIT 2
You must be aware that slavery to nature is different from slavery to man. We are slaves
to nature for food, sleep, warmth etc. But the satisfaction of these needs gives us
pleasure. We do not hate the fulfillment of our natural demands, but enjoy it so much
that we overdo them at times. Even poets and artists praise the enslavement to nature.
But no artist praises the slavery of man. It lends no pleasure. The German Socialist
thinker Karl Marx worked hard to remove inequality and slavery among human beings.
Even Saint Thomas More of the 15th century in awakening Europe said that the world
cannot progress if slavery of men continues.
Shaw immediately addresses the actual issue when he says, “Naturally the master
class, through its parliaments and schools and newspapers, makes the most desperate
efforts to prevent us from realizing our slavery.” He explains historically how the British
capitalist system established itself by propagating the so-called glorious events as the
signing of the Magna Carta, which was England’s first charter of liberty, the defeat of the
Spanish Armada, which had been sent by Phillip II in 1588 to defeat England, and the
defeat of Napoleon in 1815. All these events are glorified in the history of England to
show that EngIand values freedom and liberty. Shaw explains that for its own vested
interests the government creates an illusion of freedom and blames the masses for
having chosen wrongly whenever they complain.
Referring to famous revolutionaries and promoters of freedom and equality from various
ages, Shaw explains that whenever a voice rises up against the system of power, it is
denigrated as that of an atheist or anarchist. Whenever a revolution begins against
enslavement of human beings, it is termed unlawful and nipped in the bud. If it succeeds
somewhere, it is transformed into a military regime and later the same revolutionists are
honoured by the governments as great men to fool the masses again.
UNIT 3
Let us now understand what Shaw explains in the third unit. This illusion of a belief in
human enslavement as a praiseworthy phenomenon is not only meant to fool the
enslaved masses but also to brainwash the ruling class. The ‘gentlemen’ education
system trains the young boys of rich families to believe that they are the superior citizens
 25

and that the poor are meant to serve them. They believe in it ardently and work
consistently towards preserving it. The poor of course find it tough to believe in the truth
of this theory and often fight against it out of disgust. But they only end up falling under
the enslavement of a substitute leader who is just as power hungry as the power
favouring governments before.
Shaw steers clear of drawing any conclusions as they may lead to controversy and also
disclaims that slavery is not an altogether bad thing. He refers to Aristotle in explaining
that law and order would become impossible without some sort of hierarchy in the world.
He explains that certain classes must be obeyed and humbly followed in order to have a
lawful regulation of the society. Further, people generally follow the rich and aristocratic
as economic prowess or power commands a sort of respect.
This can be proved in the elections, where the majority votes for the rich, and not a poor
candidate. Even women vote for a woman of great wealth and family rather than another
woman of their own class and community.
Shaw also suggests that this human nature of favouring the elite may be changed if an
alternate education is given to people right from their infancy or early childhood. But
once again, he doesn’t give a formula for making a better society. He says that the only
requirement is to work out a way for a better distribution of money in the society. Shaw
also says that the farmers working in the fields produce food whereas the workers
operating the scientific machines in the industries, which can perform the labour of many
men, produce goods which cannot be consumed. The latter however are paid much
more. He also adds that the human greed to increase natural production by intervening
in natural orders may give quick results but may also prove detrimental in the future.
UNIT 4
Thus Shaw explains the difference between two kinds of slavery and conclusively tells
the listeners/readers: “Wipe out from yours dreams of freedom the hope of being able to
do as you please all the time.” For, according to him, people have to remain occupied
doing the natural slavery for at least twelve hours a day, while their unnatural slavery is
controlled and regulated by the legal and administrative system of the country.
Further the employer and landlord can dictate what clothes to wear, what religion to
follow and what ideologies or opinions to maintain. If you disagree; they can turn you
out. The method of unionist strikes is the only method available to men and even that
has its own terms which must be followed for a successful result. If everybody goes on
strike together, humankind will perish in no time at all.
UNIT 5
We have now come to the last unit. Shaw says that with people working for twelve hours
a day, there is no free time left. If a person works for eight hours he may have some free
time, but his entertainment then is dependent upon the availability of money and the kind
of work he did for the eight hours. If his job is physically stressful, he wouldn’t be able to
enjoy his free time. The fact is that we all want more freedom. That can be achieved
primarily with more money, which is difficult for the common man to get. But first of all,
we must not talk about “freedom” as it is not available to us. We must only use the term
“leisure” as that is the only choice available to us till we have a leader or government
that really works towards freedom.
Finally, even if we had more money and more leisure than what we are used to, what
would we do with it? Excess of these things corrupts the mind and people end up
 26

destroying their happiness with their own excess. Shaw presents an offer to his listeners
to either work for a smaller number of hours and a greater part of life or for a greater
number of hours for a lesser part of life as that is the only option available to men and
women.
3.4 COMPREHENSION EXERCISES
Now that you have read a summary of the text and understood the various facets of
freedom that Shaw touches upon, let us try to answer certain comprehension questions
based on the text. They have been taken from various units of this chapter.
Q. 1 Who according to Shaw is a perfectly free person?
Ans. According to Shaw, a perfectly free person is one who can choose to do exactly.
what he pleases, where he pleases and when he pleases or not pleases. He is free to
live without any rules to follow.
Q. 2 Can there ever be such a person?
Ans. No, there can never be such a person.
Q. 3 How does man spend half his day?
Ans. Man spends half his day in fulfilling natural requirements like those of food, sleep,
cleansing etc.
Q. 4 How does man use animal or human slavery?
Ans. Man employs animals for the production of food and food products and also for
the purpose of traveling from one place to the other. Further, he employs human beings
to cook for him, wash for him and provide various manual services to him. This slavery
of men can be exercised by force or by tricking them into believing it is good for them.
Q. 5 What according to Shaw should be the object of all honest governments?
Ans. According to Shaw, all honest governments should function towards
safeguarding people from being enslaved by others. All honest governments should
focus their endeavors to maintaining equality and freedom for all citizens.
Q. 6 What according to Shaw is natural and unnatural slavery?
Ans. According to Shaw, natural slavery is the slavery that binds men in service to
natural demands such as that of food, water, shelter, sleep etc. whereas, unnatural
slavery is the slavery of men to fellow human beings. While the satisfaction of natural
demands is pleasurable and rejuvenating, unnatural slavery is hateful and frustrating.
Q. 7 What did the rebels of the eighteenth, nineteenth and twentieth century fight for?
Ans. The rebels of the eighteenth century like Voltaire, Rousseau and Tom Paine,
those of the nineteenth century like Cobbett, Shelley, Karl Marx and Lassalle and Lenin
and Trotsky in the twentieth century fought to bring about equality in society through
socialist means. They fought to end government approved slavery in the form of class
hierarchies.
Q. 8 Why do sons of gentlemen believe falsified history more readily than workers?
Ans. Sons of gentlemen who receive their education in schools, colleges and
universities meant for the upper classes are brought up in an environment of class
dependent hierarchies (or ranks). They read falsified histories which suggest that they
are superior beings and must be served by the working class. This ideology favours
 27

them and hence becomes more believable for them. The workers on the other hand find
a strong difference between falsified histories and their own experience and find them
hard to believe as they force them into an endless life of subjugation or slavery.
Q. 9 How can human nature be changed from an early age?
Ans. Human nature is highly impressionable or easy to influence. Education in the
formal and informal sense has created the ideologies (distinct ways of thinking) of the
society. If in the future, the young minds are trained early and taught in an alternate
ideology, human nature can be changed accordingly.
Q. 10 How do workers tend to lose in a general strike?
Ans. Workers tend to lose in a general strike as with the overall halting or stopping of
trade, the human kind wIll perish very soon. The workers being poor will be the first ones
to lose out. An intelligent method of strike should entail no work in one trade unit with
others working extra to support them.
Now that you have read and learnt how to answer questions, attempt the following
questions on your own.
Q 11. What additional slavery do wives undertake?
Q 12. How does an average man get a chance to govern his country?
Q 13. Can the poor really get a chance to govern their country?
Q 14. How is nature kind to her slaves?
Q 15. How does the master class react to rebels?
Q 16. Does Shaw see any difference between monarchy and democracy?
Q 17. Why must the rulers look and behave like gods?
Q 18. How do landlords and employers influence people’s lives?
Q 19. Why does Shaw say that we should not think about “freedom’?
Q 20. Why does Shaw advise Englishmen against voting?
3.5 GRAMMAR
While reading Shaw’s “Freedom”, you must have observed how he uses conjunctions
like ‘if’ to combine sentences and show their conditional possibility. Let us try to join
sentences using ‘if’.
1. Do as I tell you. You will succeed.
If you do as I tell you, you will succeed.
2. You have only yourself and your family to provide for. You can do it quite
comfortably.
If you have only yourself and your family to provide for, you can do it quite comfortably.
3. He always gets the upper hand on you. You will be his slave someday.
If he always gets the upper hand on you, you will be his slave someday.
Now you have learnt how to join sentences using ‘if’. Try combining the following
sentences.
 28

4. You like honey. You can let the bees produce it for you.
5. Catch human nature young enough. It will be the easiest thing to change.
6. Hit hard with the bat. The bowlers will forget their length.
3.6 SHORT-ANSWER QUESTIONS
You have learnt how to answer comprehension questions. Now let us practice some
short-answer questions. Please remember that you have to stick to the word limit in the
examination.
Q 1. Do all social and governmental regulations aim at regulating man’s slavery?
Ans. Yes, all social and governmental regulations aim at regulating or controlling
man’s slavery in one way or the other. As long as there are systems to regulate social
and political behaviour and demand a certain amount of order from the society, all
systems regulate man’s slavery.
Q 2. What does Shaw think of the right to vote?
Ans. According to Shaw, the right to vote is only an illusive (false) right given to the
masses to fool them into imagining themselves as free to choose their leader. He
believes that the right to vote only allows one to choose from among a selected class of
rich and powerful and does not allow any true freedom.
Q 3. What are Shaw’s views on working hours and retirement?
Ans. Shaw believes that if one works for a greater number of hours a day, they can
retire early in life, while if one works for a lesser number of hours, they will have to work
for a larger number of years in life. He thinks that it is up to every individual to decide
which course to take.
Q 4. How is the master class led to accept the righteousness of human exploitation?
Ans. The master class is taught right from infancy in education systems that are elitist
(take care of the needs of upper classes) and that insist on their superiority. The young
gentlemen are trained in falsified histories that glorify the upper classes and assert that it
is the duty of the weaker classes and workers to serve them. Such education moulds
them into genuinely believing in the righteousness of human exploitation,
Q 5. Why do most workers and women vote for their social superiors?
Ans. Most workers and women vote for their social superiors in fear of their superior
status. Society is trained to believe that the rich and powerful are god-like humans who
command the respect of the masses. It is due to this illusive or false sense that workers
and women also vote for their superiors rather than representatives from among them.
Now try to answer the following questions with short-answers in a similar way as you
have learnt.
Q 6. How is man’s slavery to nature pleasant?
Q 7. How can slaveiy be ended?
Q 8. What means does the master class use to maintain the upper hand of the slave
class?
Q 9. How does a civilized society protect its citizens?
Q 10. How should an intelligent trade union movement conduct its affairs?
 29

3.7 Long Answer Questions:

You have learnt how to attempt short-answer questions, now let us try some long-
answer questions. These questions require a detailed analysis of the question asked
and also demand a well rounded approach. You must read the question carefully and
then plan your answer before you write. While a short- answer question expects
precision, these questions expect the candidate to answer in detail.
Q. 1. How does Shaw distinguish between natural and unnatural slavery? What is his
stand on both these forms of slavery?
Ans. George Bernard Shaw, in his radio lecture “Freedom” explains the significance of
the concept and how it is denied to the masses in the so called civilized world. Shaw
says that true freedom is not available to anyone as all are susceptible (subject) to
enslavement by some rules and regulations or the other. Shaw categorizes slavery of
man under two heads: natural slavery and unnatural slavery.
While natural slavery is man’s bound slavery to natural demands, unnatural slavery is
man’s slavery to fellow human beings. Shaw defines natural slavery as one which is
indispensibie. All natural demands like those of food, shelter, sleep, mobility etc. fall
under this category. Shaw says that no matter how free a human being may be, these
demands of his natural existence cannot be denied and must be fulfilled as and when
they are commanded. Further, Shaw explains that natural slavery is enjoyable to man as
in the fulfillment of the demands of nature, man receives pleasure and even ends up
overdoing in these responsibilities as they are rejuvenating (energizing). When a man is
hungry, he doesn’t feel like he is oppressed to eat. He enjoys eating and even overeats
as food is both enriching and relished.
On the other hand, when man is enslaved by fellow human beings, the slavery is more
disgusting and oppressive. Man feels bound and does not get any pleasure in the
fulfillment of the duties he is forced to do. Such slavery is also not a natural indispensible
binding upon man but a forced burden on him which is most of the times given to him as
a necessity of his situation. Man is made to believe in the illusion of freedom to choose
his boss, while it is absolutely necessary for him to have one for his subsistence. The
enslavement of man by other men is also not a rejuvenating exercise and tires him out.
The governments all over the world maintain this enslavement of the workers by the rich
and powerful. As opposed to natural slavery which makes man bow down in front of a
power much stronger than himself, unnatural slavery makes him a slave to human
beings who are considered to be more powerful.
Shaw explains that natural slavery is a process that binds man in a joyful bondage which
is why poets and artists have been praising it in their works, whereas unnatural slavery
is condemned by the artists and thinkers alike for its unequal segregation or separation
of men.
Now write a long answer of about 350-450 words explaining why according to Shaw, a
perfect freedom is not possible. Discuss the role of government agencies in this context.
 30

Self-Assessment Questions
1. The essay Freedom was delivered as a (a) ………………at (b)……………
2. The first name of the writer/speaker is (a)……………..and the middle name is
(b)……………………….
3. The language used is (a) …………………….. and the style is (b)…………….
4. The beginning of the essay is marked with a sense of (a)………………… and (b)
……………………………….
5. The entire piece can be termed as an ………………………………. essay

3.8 LETTER WRITING

Letters of the personal or social type are written to friends, family members or authorities
expressing one’s views about certain matters which may be of personal or social
significance. Such letters are not written following a strict format but are more personal
in style. Letters to the Editor are written with the purpose of generating awareness in the
society and expressing our views about a socially relevant topic. Since these letters
focus on a serious issue, they are slightly formal in their approach. Such letters have to
be written in a language that is clear and grammatically correct and not hurtful to the
emotions of people of any gender, community and religious group. Such letters are
important in spreading a sense of responsibility and responsiveness among the masses.
Let us now Iearn how to write letters to the Editor.
Read the following letter to the Editor of a local newspaper stating how traffic conditions
in the city are deteriorating.
ABC Colony
XYZ City
Dated: 20th August, 2011

The Editor
Times of India
XYZ City

Sub: The Deteriorating Traffic conditions in the city

Dear Sir/ Madam
This is to bring to your notice the rapidly deteriorating traffic condition of our city. With
the extreme rise in the number of motorized vehicles on the roads in the last few years,
the roads of our city which were sufficient for the earlier traffic load now seem
inadequate. The roads are constantly blocked with traffic jams and accidents have
become a common phenomenon.
The number of traffic police enforcers on the road also seems poor compared with the
required staff on duty. As a result, people openly violate traffic rules; jump traffic lights
and do not remain observant to rules of speed and pollution checks. Whatever small
number of policemen are on duty, are generally found accepting bribes and letting
offenders free without even reprimanding them. In such a scenario, the offenders
 31

continue to violate the rules as their birthright and the entire traffic situation ends up
suffering. Even the traffic lights at most junctions are not functioning properly due to lack
of upkeep by the traffic department. To add to these are problems like minor drivers
driving without proper license and training. The potholes in main connective roads cause
greater clogging of traffic and the overall lack of civic sense in people. The instances of
road rage have also been on the high in the wake of the existing traffic condition.
The situation is worsening day by day with additional number of vehicles coming on
road. People must be educated in the use of carpools and the maintenance of law and
order coupled with a civic sense on the road. There is a strong need for the education of
young drivers in the rules of the road and a total boycott of mobile phones while driving
as they can prove highly hazardous on the road. The traffic police department also
needs to be brought under checks for failure of performing duty and for their unlawful
acceptance of bribes.
Sir, I would request you to kindly publish my views in your newspaper to generate
awareness among citizens towards maintaining proper traffic discipline for safer
commuting (traveling back and forth) in the city.
Thanking You.
Yours Sincerely
EFG.

Here is another example of a letter to the editor expressing your distress over
Inequality among various sections of the society.

EFG Enclave
PQR City
Dated: 15th March, 2011

The Editor
Hindustan Times
XYZ City

Sub: Problem of Inequality in the Society

Dear Sir
This is to express my views as a resident of the city and a citizen of this country on the
glaring (clear) inequality in the society today. I believe that in the absence of a society
that gives equal privileges to all, our nation can never progress.
It is a matter of grief, that in a free and democratic country, people are discriminated
against on grounds of caste, class, religion and gender. We may sing songs about the
glory of our country and may read books about the value system of our society, but the
 32

reality poses a different picture in which people are not considered equal or powerful.
The social picture is full of instances of exploitation of the masses. Despite the laws
which enforce equality and liberty for all, the fundamental mutual respect is lacking
among people. From job interviews to elections, from arranging marriages to celebration
of festivals, from socializing to shopping, one can observe discriminatory attitudes in
people in even the simplest of activities. Even choosing a shop for buying groceries can
be dependent on the shop owner’s caste or religion. Even casting of votes in elections is
determined by the candidate’s gender, class, caste and religion. Instead of assessing
people based on their capabilities and effort, we judge them on such grounds as these.
As long as we as a people continue to attach value to such attributes in an individual, we
cannot call ourselves civilized or humane. We must evolve from such orthodox
categories which segregate the society and observe our strength in unity and equality if
we desire to see our country rise. No development can be possible till the society offers
equal respect and regard to each member.
Sir, I would request you to kindly publish this letter in your newspaper so as to spread
awareness in the masses about the necessity of creating a world of equality. I would be
highly grateful to you.
Thanking You.
Yours sincerely
CDE.

Now that you have learnt how to write letters to the Editor, attempt one on your
own. Write a letter to the Editor of a local newspaper stating how your freedom is
being curbed in the present day society.

3.9 COMPOSITION
Composition exercises teach us to write in paragraph or essay format. Such exercises
give us a space to express our own opinions in a logical and well informed manner. We
have just read Shaw’s essay on “Freedom” and seen how he combines his vast
knowledge of world history and freedom movements with his own argument about the
issue. We will now learn how to compose a paragraph on a given topic. Read the given
questions and observe how their answers can be used to compose an effective
paragraph. You can also create paragraphs on any topic but it is useful to first make a
list of all the important questions that must be answered in a paragraph about it.
Are you in a free country?
Outline Questions: Are we politically free? — Are we free to lead our lives as we
please? — Are our fundamental rights sufficiently secured? — How are we enslaved? —
Does power dictate our speech and actions? — What is required to be free?
Now observe how the given questions can be used to compose a paragraph.

We may be citizens of a politically free nation, but we are not free citizens of our country.
Our life is governed by laws which seem to be liberating, but they work towards keeping
us in order and agreement with the government on various issues. We cannot live our
 33

lives as we please. Our fundamental rights of speech, religion, freedom etc. are
restricted by certain codes of conduct which allow us limited rights only. We are
enslaved by a system which is governed by the powerful members of the society. Power
dictates our opinion and choice and we are made to believe that it is of our own
choosing. In order to be fully free, we must begin to question the systems of power and
control and fight for our rights in their true execution.
Now that you have understood how to compose a paragraph, write a paragraph of
about 150 words on what qualities you would look for while voting for a certain
candidate in elections. Also supply a suitable title to your paragraph.
3.10Summary:
By now you are familiar with the views of George Bernard Shaw. Shaw says that true
freedom is not available to anyone as all are susceptible (subject) to enslavement by
some rules and regulations or the other. The enslavement of man by other men is also
not a pleasant exercise and tires him out. The governments all over the world maintain
this enslavement of the workers by the rich and powerful. As opposed to natural slavery
which makes man bow down in front of a power much stronger than himself, unnatural
slavery makes him a slave to human beings who are considered to be more powerful.
Thus you have been acquainted with the ideas of Bernard Shaw on freedom as well as
slavery.

3.11 Further Reading

http://www.englishcharity.com/freedom-by-bernard-shaw/
http://wbsscenglish.com/freedom-by-g-b-shaw-questions-and-answers/
3.12Model Questions
1. What does Shaw mean when he said that freedom is often denied to the people?
2. What are the differences between natural and unnatural freedom?
3. Critically discuss G. B. Shaw’s essay “Freedom” with suitable examples from the
text.


Answers to Self-Assessment Questions

1. (a) lecture (b) BBC radio
2. (a) George (b) Bernard
3. (a) colloquial (b) conventional
4. (a) abruptness (b) urgency
5. Analytical/argumentative
 34

Lesson-4
Essay-4

WHAT I REQUIRE FROM LIFE

J. B. S. HALDANE
Structure
4.0 Objectives
4.1 Introduction
4.2 About the Author
4.3 Summary of the Essay
4.4 Comprehension Exercises
4.5 Grammar
4.6 Short Answer Type Questions
4.7 Long Answer Type Questions
4.8 Letter Writing
4.9 Composition
4.10 Summary
4.11 Further Reading
4.12 Model Questions

4.0 Objectives
After reading this paper you will be able to:
● summarize the main discussion of the essay.
● understand the ideas presented in this essay
4.1 Introduction
Have you ever wondered what you want from life? It is very important to find the answer
to this question in order to lead one’s life successfully. There are some things that.we
want as individuals, while some things are required as a community for a happy life.
Haldane’s essay describes both these requirements. The essay is divided into four units
detailing four different ideas on the concept. The piece is in first person narrative but
details not only Haldane’s individual requirements, but those of any man universally.
 35

4.2 ABOUT THE AUTHOR

John Burdon Sanderson Haldane (5 November 1892 - 1 December 1964) was a British-
born Indian geneticist and evolutionary biologist. He was one of the founders of
population genetics. Born in an aristocratic family, Haldane was educated at Eton and
New College, Oxford. In 1924, Haldane met Charlotte Burghes, a young reporter for the
Daily Express, whom he married in 1926. He served in the British Army during the First
World War. In 1952 he received the Darwin Medal from the Royal Society. In 1956, he
was awarded the Huxley Memorial Medal of the Royal Anthropological Institute. In the
same year he left his post at University College London, and moved to Calcutta, where
he joined the Indian Statistical Institute (ISI). His essay, Daedalus; or, Science and the
Future (1924), was remarkable in predicting many scientific advances. Haldane wrote a
popular book for children titled My Friend Mr. Leakey (first published in 1937) which
contained the stories “A Meal With a Magician”, “A Day in the Life of a Magician”, “Mr.
Leakey’s Party”, “Rats”, “The Snake with the Golden Teeth”, and “My Magic Collar Stud”.
A Marxist by ideology, his works reflect a strong socialist view of things. He died of
cancer.
4.3 SUMMARY OF THE ESSAY
Haldane’s essay ‘What I require from Life?’ exhibits his desires for himself as an
individual and as a member of the larger society. He explains the significance of all his
requirements through the course of the piece. The essay is divided into four parts that
treat the topic from various aspects. Notice the conversational and free style of writing
employed by Haldane. The language used is simple and the thought is explained dearly.
Let us read a summary of the essay.
UNIT 1
Haldane begins by announcing that the world isn’t a perfect place and that he accepts it
the way it is. He says that in this imperfect world there are a few things he wants. Born in
peaceful times, Haldane has witnessed the turmoil of the First World War and has no
illusions of living in a perfectly peaceful world. He has a few requirements for a happy
life.
Haldane first desires work and an appropriate earning from that work. He desires hard
and interesting work. Haldane finds himself lucky to have the options of working in the
area of science, children’s books, reporting etc. He further desires freedom, which allows
him to enjoy his work. He asks for a greater freedom than other people so that he may
speak whatever he genuinely feels about things. Haldane also requires good health so
as to be able to enjoy his work and die when he can’t enjoy it anymore. He finally asks
for friendship of colleagues. He asks for friendship so that he may criticize people freely
and they may similarIy criticize him honestly. He also openly accepts that he finds
friendship with people richer or poorer than himself uncomfortable.
UNIT 2
The needs described so far are common to all human beings. Next Haldane explains
what he desires for himself. He asks for adventure. He explains that adventure may not
necessarily mean risk or thrill. He finds adventure even in reading great poetry. Further
he lists things that he wants for a luxurious and academically rich life but cannot
demand. He also accepts that he is luckier than most people as he has a lot in life which
others do not have.
UNIT 3
 36

Haldane now moves to the things he requires for the world. He wants every man and
woman in the world to have work. But he finds that in the capitalist world, there is a lot of
unemployment. He finds that the capitalist world-creates profits for the rich alone and not
well-being for the people in general. He also complains that his scientific research is not
put to good use if its does not entail profits for the capitalist world Whatever discoveries
or inventions scientists may make, they are put to use only if there is a possibility of
profit in them in financial terms.
Haldane asks for democracy in industry. He feels that work seems like a dull exercise if
people have no freedom and authority in their work. As a socialist he demands that
industry be controlled by workers in order to make work more fulfilling and create greater
well-being for the people. Further, he demands better health and basic infrastructure for
everyone.
In order to bring about a change, Haldane wishes for an economic revolution which will
ensure the development of equality among people. With a wish to see all human beings
happy, Haldane hopes for the downfall of capitalism and the development of socialism in
the society. He also feels that in the fascist world which is running after establishing
absolute power over others, peace and security cannot be found. Stressing upon the
importance of abolishing class distinctions, Haldane thinks that all good things will
happen in an equal society. He also wants education and a scientific approach towards
life for people.
UNIT 4
Finally, Haldane comes to his requirements of death and mentions the death of Socrates
as a perfect death for three reasons. Socrates died for his beliefs that went against the
popular belief system. He died fully healthy and aware at the old age of seventy. Further,
he died laughing. Haldane thinks that if he can have even two out of these three
conditions fulfilled in his death, he would call himself successful.
4.4 COMPREHENSION EXERCISES
Having read the text and the summary, you must be in position to answer a few
comprehension-based questions on the essay. Let us see some solved examples before
you attempt them yourself.
Q 1. Is the present world, according to the writer, perfect?
Ans. No. According to the writer, the present world is not perfect.
Q 2. How does the writer distinguish between a peaceful age and a heroic age?
Ans. The writer explains that the age of the World Wars is a heroic age as it demands
heroism and greatness of the people. Whereas in the absence of war, people may lead
their lives much more peacefully without any great demands from the world.
Q 3. How has Aristotle defined happiness?
Ans. Aristotle has defined happiness as a state of uninterrupted activity. He does not
define it as a sum total of joys received.
Q 4. Is the writer happy while others are unhappy?
Ans. No, the writer is not happy while others are unhappy. He is a socialist and wants
happiness for all men and women.
Q 5. Why are the writer's discoveries not used?
 37

Ans. The writer’s discoveries that can prove beneficial for the people are not used if
there is no profit in their execution for the capitalist world. The writer feels that he does
not see the results of his work if they are not employed.
Q 6. What is meant by Fascism?
Ans. Fascism refers to an authoritarian single party or individual rule in a nation which
is dictatorial in nature. Hitler and Mussolini are well known for being fascist rulers.
Q 7. What does the writer mean by Socialism?
Ans. The writer understands socialism as a development of an equal world or where
there is freedom for the people. It also means control of industries by workers and equal
health, education, economic, social and political standards for everyone.
Q 8. What were Socrates’ last words before his death? Why were they important?
Ans. Socrates’ last words before his death were to Crito, ‘Crito, we owe a rooster to
Asclepius. Please, don’t forget to pay the debt’. These words show that even in his
death, Socrates wasn’t afraid and was happy and positive spirited.
Now, try and attempt the following questions yourself.
Q 11. What does the writer require from life?
Q 12. Why does the writer want to have more freedom of speech?
Q 13. Why is good health necessary?
Q 14. Why is friendship not compatible with the boss-subordinate relationship?
Q 15. How does the writer distinguish between love of adventure and love of thrills?
Q 16. What does the writer mean by unemployment during the times of depression?
Q 17. What conditions does the writer want for his death?
4.5 GRAMMAR
You have already learnt how to join sentences using the conjunction ‘if’.
Now let us try to join the sentences using the present tense in one answer and the past
tense in the other in the ‘If...’ clause.
For example:
(i) She has a car. She can go wherever she pleases.
Ans 1. If she has a car, she can go wherever she pleases.
Ans 2. If she had a car, she could go wherever she pleased.
(ii) He has liberty, health and friendship. He is contented.
Ans 1. If he has liberty, health and friendship, he will be contented.
Ans 2. If he had liberty, health and friendship, he would be contented.
Now try the following sentences on your own.
(iii) Most work is dull and exhausting. Life becomes uninteresting.
(iv) You work hard. You succeed.
4.6 SHORT-ANSWER QUESTIONS
 38

Let us now attempt some short-answer questions. Precision and clarity of language is
very important in these questions. You must make sure that you follow the word limit
while answering these questions.
Q 1. Can most of us, like the writer, choose the work that we like to do?
Ans. No. Most of us are forced to stick to the line of work we choose for our lives. Most
of us are not fortunate enough like the writer to choose what we like to do at any time.
However, the writer wants society to allow people to do the work they like and not be
forced into a career for one’s whole life.
Q 2. What does the writer expect from his friends?
Ans. The writer expects his friends to criticize him honestly and truly. He wants his
friends to contribute towards making him a better man. Similarly he wants his friends to
accept his honest criticism in a positive spirit.
Q 3. What does the writer say about adventure?
Ans. The writer desires adventure in his life. He explains that adventure does not only
refer to activities which may be risky or violent. He says that adventure refers to those
activities which one feels passionately for. To him, adventure can also mean isolating
himself in the countryside to read books.
Q 4. How does the writer link socialism with general well-being?
Ans. The writer sees general well-being as a definite outcome of socialism. He says
that with ensured employment and a certain standard of economic capability for all,
health and nutrition can be assured for all men and women. He feels that in such a
scenario, the health and well-being standards of the masses will benefit.
As you have learnt how to attempt short-answer questions, try a few of them on
your own.
Q 5. Why does the writer want the workers to control industry?
Q 6. What does the writer expect from the abolition of class distinctions?
Q 7. Which three conditions did Socrates fulfill before his death?
4.7 LONG - ANSWER QUESTIONS
Q 1. What is the significance of adventure in the life of any human being?
Ans. Adventure is extremely significant in the life of human beings. The mundane
humdrum of life can never give a sense of achievement and confidence to a person
unless it is interspersed with phases of adventure. It is only in the indulgence of the
adventurous spirit of man that life can be made a beautiful and worthwhile experience.
Contrary to common belief, adventure may not necessarily entail risks. It is not
necessary that adventure has to include daredevil acts like jumping off a cliff or a plane,
diving into deep seas, driving at breakneck speeds or climbing up steep mountains and
cliffs. Even living wildly may not be pertinent to a life of adventure. Adventure lies in
doing something beyond the mundane life. It lies in fulfilling a wish which one may not
find space and time for in his usual routine. If some can find adventure in seeing foreign
lands, some others can ‘travel’ the world reading books in their isolated study. If some
find adventure in visiting historical places, certain others find romance in the countryside.
Some of the greatest poets and writers of the world have found their amazing
adventures in the company of nature.
 39

No matter where one finds it, the romance of adventure is ever significant for the
development of a lively spirit. Without adventure, life is restricted to a mechanical living
with no room for expression of the passionate and pulsating emotions in one’s heart.
Adventure not only helps develop a sense of achievement, it also inculcates in human
beings the spirit of belonging in the world and establishing an unbreakable connection
with it.

Self Assessment Questions

1. The first name of the writer is (a)…………….. second name (b)………………..
third name (c)…………………….. and the surname is (d)………………..
2. Haldane was a (a)………………………….. and (b)…………………………
3. The present essay exhibits his desire for (a)………………………….. and as a
member of the (b)…………………………….
4. The first requirement for a happy life is (a)……………………….and
(b)……………………

4.8 LETTER WRITING

You must have written letters to your friends and parents at some time or the other.
Letters written to people we are informal and friendly with are called personal/ informal
letters. Letters written for official purposes to formal or official authorities are called
formal letters.
Writing a personal letter requires the use of a style, format and language that is very
informal and intimate. The letter addresses personal issues and is rather long in
comparison to formal letters. In personal letters there is no subject column. Even the
address columns are less elaborate. There is also enough freedom to choose the style
and approach on a personal or individual level.
Read the following letter written to a friend discussing your doubts regarding choice of
career. Notice how the language used is simple and direct. There is no formality in the
approach of topics and there is a sense of warmth in the piece.

16th April, 2011

Dear ABC

Hello. Hope this letter finds you and everybody at home in the best of health. I am fine
here and have been wishing to write to you for a very long time.
Ever since college began, I have been really busy and just could not find the time to
write to you. I must say that the new place, new subjects, new classmates, extra
curricular activities and everything else about the routine can become a little
 40

overwhelming. But now I have adjusted to my life here and am feeling at home to quite
an extent. I am sure you must be finding college life exciting too!
But with the interactions I have had with my classmates here, a new doubt has risen in
my mind. I know it is rather early to be worried, but I am quite confused about what
career to take up after I complete my graduation. My parents want me to sit for the
Services Exam and I am also quite keen on that. But I am also interested in studying
literature and wonder how to combine the two. I wish we could maintain an option in our
careers too and switch over between jobs depending upon our liking. I am really keen on
entering a Master’s Course in European literature, but I am unsure about what to do.
What is more disturbing is that everyone here seems to have a clear idea about their
choice of career.
I really don’t know how to make up my mind. You know that ever since our childhood, I
have been discussing all my doubts and fears with you. I really think your opinion can
help me decide better. Please write back soon and let me know what you feel. Also, let
me know when you plan to come home for your vacations. Let us hope I can come back
that time too! Pay my regards to Aunty and Uncle and give my love to your sister. Also
let me know what career you are thinking of taking up. I must stop writing now. My
teacher is here and the class is about to begin.

Yours truly
XYZ.

You must have observed how a personal letter is written. Now try one for yourself.
Write a letter to a very close friend (who is also your cIass-mate) asking him/her to
give his/her frank opinion on your work in the college.
4.9 Composition:
You have tried writing paragraphs on given topics before. You can create an outline of
points on a given topic to write your paragraph. Read the given example of writing
paragraphs using outlines.
My Ambition
Outline: I have always wanted to become a writer — Reading has always interested
me — I have developed a good vocabulary — my dream is to become a writer — It is a
profession that will allow me a freedom to express myself
Now let us see how the outline is used to write a paragraph.
Right from my childhood I have nurtured only one ambition — to become a successful
writer one day. While my friends spent their leisure hours playing or fighting, I found my
greatest joy in reading books. The world of reading and writing not only gave me a
powerful imagination, but also made me desirous of expressing my ideas in words. Over
the years, I have participated eagerly in creative writing events and have managed to
acquire an extensive vocabulary that is pertinent for becoming a successful writer. I am
sure that as a profession, writing will not only give me a sense of fulfillment, but also
allow me to express my ideas about things with freedom.
Now compose a paragraph of about 150 words on the following situation:
 41

You have just passed the B. A. Examination and have to decide about your future.
Which of the following would you choose and why: further studies, taking up a job,
marriage, some professional course?

4.10 Summary: By now you have understood that adventure lies in doing something
beyond the mundane life. It lies in fulfilling a wish which one may not find space and time
for in his usual routine. If some can find adventure in seeing foreign lands, some others
can ‘travel’ the world reading books in their isolated study. If some find adventure in
visiting historical places, certain others find romance in the countryside. In this lesson,
you have also learnt the skill of writing a composition and composing letters. These are
very useful skills.
4.11 Further Reading
“Book Review: What I Require From Life, by J.B.S. Haldane”
https://scienceblogs.com/bookclub/2009/02/24/book-review-what-i-require-fro
“J. B. S. Haldane” https://www.britannica.com/biography/J-B-S-Haldane
4.12 Model Questions
1. How does the essay express Haldane’s desire for himself as an individual as well
as a member of the large community?
2. Why does Haldane think that the world is not a perfect place? And how does one
manage it?
3. What are the requirements of a happy life?

Answers to Self-Assessment Questions

1. (a) John (b) Burdon (c) Sanderson (d) Haldane
2. (a) British-born Indian geneticist (b) evolutionary biologist
3. (a) himself as an individual (b) large society
4. (a) work (b) appropriate earning


 42

Lesson-5
Essay-5

MY BIRTHPLACE
NIRAD C. CHAUDHURI

Structure
5.0 Objectives
5.1 Introduction
5.2 About the Author
5.3 Summary of the Essay
5.4 Short Answer type Questions
5.5 Long Answer Type Questions
5.6 Composition
5.7 Summary
5.8 Further Reading
5.9 Model Questions
5.0 Objectives
After reading this chapter you will be able to:
● summarize the childhood experiences of Nirad C. Chaudhuri.
● critically discuss the author’s description of his birthplace
5.1 Introduction
Have you ever realized how often all of us talk about our childhood? Many of you, who
are lucky to be with your grandparents, must have listened eagerly to their stories
centering on their life as children. You must have noticed how vividly and fondly they
remember their routine and their adventures, their quarrels and injuries, their inspirations
and phases of depression, their school life and their outings. The place of their birth is
the dearest to them. The sound thrashing that they might have received upon committing
a blunder is as unforgettable for them as the memory of the tender, soothing touch of an
elder. Festival celebrations and community get-togethers remain imprinted on their
minds in rich detail and colour. You cannot miss how their faces light up while going
down the memory lane of their childhood. The sparkle in their old eyes and the smile on
their wrinkled faces are indicators that childhood remains their most-loved and cherished
memory. It is almost that they become children once again.
Childhood experiences last a lifetime. The reason may be that a child is observant and
absorbs all that his senses teach him. ‘My Birthplace’ is an extract from The
 43

Autobiography of an Unknown Indian, a work mentioned in some detail above. You

guessed it right! The extract focuses upon the childhood memories of the author.
However, while describing his birthplace in detail, the author also gives us a glimpse of
the unique religious, cultural, and social life of undivided India. In the first essay of your
textbook, ‘Nehru the Democrat’, the author talks of the diverse culture of India. The
various shades of our multi-religion culture are quite evident in this autobiographical
extract ‘My Birthplace’ too. The energy, colour, and variety of the festivals of different
religions can only be outdone by the fact that people of all religions observe and enjoy
them. As a result, a child grows up in India savouring the different flavours together. Its
personality is shaped by all the experiences, educating the child with lessons of
harmonious coexistence, and making it open-hearted and tolerant. This is the most
remarkable feature of our country.
5.2 About the Author
Nirad C. Chaudhuri (1897-1999) was born at Kishorganj in Mymensingh district,
presently a part of Bangladesh, but previously known as East Bengal. He was educated
at Kishorganj and Kolkata. After graduation, he enrolled for the M.A. level course at the
Kolkata University. However, he did not attend all of his final exams, and therefore did
not earn his M.A. degree.
He started his career as a clerk in the Accounting Department of the Indian Army. At the
same time, he started contributing articles to popular magazines. He left the job in the
Accounting Department shortly and started a new career as a journalist and editor. He
was involved in the editing of the then well-known English and Bengali
magazines Modern Review, Probasi and SonibarerChithi. In 1938, he obtained a job as
secretary to Sarat Chandra Bose, a political leader from the freedom movement in India.
Later, he worked as a political commentator on the Kolkata branch of the All India Radio.
In 1941, he started working for the Delhi Branch of the All India Radio.
His masterpiece, The Autobiography of an Unknown Indian, published in 1951, put him
on the short list of great Indian writers in English. He, however, found himself in
controversy in the newly independent India due to the dedication of the book. The
dedication seemed to be praising the British rulers in the first reading but was actually
their condemnation for not treating the Indians as equals. It angered the political and
bureaucratic establishment, probably because it was not read deeply and properly.
Chaudhuri was hounded out of government service, deprived of his pension, blacklisted
as a writer in India and forced to live a life of poverty. Furthermore, he had to give up his
job as a political commentator in All India Radio.
In 1955, the British Council and the BBC jointly made arrangements to take him to
England for eight weeks. He was asked to contribute lectures to the BBC. He contributed
eight lectures on British life. Later these lectures were collected in the book Passage to
England (1959). Nirad C. Chaudhuri made England his home thereafter. His other works
include The Continent of Circe (1965), The Intellectual in India (1967), To Live or Not to
Live (1971), and Clive of India (1975). He wrote valuable books in Bengali also.
He was a prolific writer even in the very last years of his life, publishing his last work at
the age of 99. He died in Oxford in 1999, just two months short of his 102nd birthday.
5.3 Summary of the Essay
Let us briefly understand what the extract wants to convey!
Unit I
 44

This unit begins with the author describing the geographical details of his birthplace,
Kishorganj. A river flowed right in the middle of the town, dividing it into two almost equal
halves. However, the people living on the side where the author also resided as a boy
were quite dismissive of the residents of the other bank. The little boys, especially, felt a
sense of superiority and pride in belonging to this part of the town. This pride continued
despite the fact that all the important shops were located in the other area. There were
two reasons behind this. One was that the places of worship of all religions were situated
on this side. In addition, this side also boasted of other important landmarks of a well-
developed society such as school, public library, courts, hospital, police station, post
office etc. Moreover, the residents of this side kept the river clean whereas the people on
the other side had a poor sense of sanitation. They used the river for all their toilet
needs. All in all, the people on this side considered themselves more cultured and
sophisticated. It is noteworthy that the other side having a financial stronghold did not
impress them much. This clearly shows that these people had not yet slipped into the
grip of materialism.
The other reason which caused them to hate the other side was that about forty
huts belonging to prostitutes were also situated there. They could hardly bear the sight
of these women when they came to their part of the town for some work. Such were the
levels of hatred in their minds that they would even avoid talking about these women
amongst themselves, let alone take interest in them. The author remembers an incident
when he had actually closed his eyes and hid himself in a hut till a group of these
women had crossed the place where he had been standing with his group of friends.
However, this open show of ill-manners did not go down well with his friends. They
ragged him mercilessly afterwards and called him Lakshmana, the younger brother of
Lord Rama, who did not ever look up at his sister-in-law Sita’s face.
Unit II
The author then moves ahead saying that there were a couple of things that attracted
the boys to the other bank. One was a house with a name that might seem curious to the
readers. It was called Quarter-to-Four-Anna house. This name was given to the house
by virtue of the method of division of landed property among Hindus. The author says
that the Hindus did not follow the primogeniture system of inheritance. Primogeniture
means that the property is passed on to the eldest son of the family. They also did not
believe in entailment, which means settling the inheritance of property over a number of
generations so that ownership remains with a particular family. So, the only option was
to divide the property amongst all the sons. However, the divided property continued to
be referred to as the part or fraction of the original. The most common fraction that was
used in all kinds of communication in various parts of India, including Bengal, was in
terms of the rupee. Do you know what an anna is? Anna is a monetary unit that was
formerly used in India and Pakistan. It referred to one sixteenth of a rupee. Many things
could actually be bought in those days with an anna. I am sure that you find it
unbelievable. Ask your grandparents to confirm the fact, if you want. Now, let’s get back
to the Quarter-to-Four-Anna house. According to the system of calculation just
mentioned, the owner of the house had inherited 1564ths of a big estate.
So, we have understood that the children were fascinated by the house for reasons
other than the name, since this type of reference to a property was very common. The
first attraction was the water tank in the house which supplied cool, clear and safe water
even in the season of cholera. The term ‘cholera season’ points out to the fact that the
 45

health systems did not function very well. The use of the river for washing, cleaning and
bathing purposes was another factor responsible for cholera break-out.
The second, bigger attraction was that the grounds of the house were the venue for the
annual Car Festival of Krishna, known famously as Jagannath yatra, and the fair which
accompanied it. It was an eagerly awaited festival that brought much joy to the
participants. It also gave many happy memories. Here, the author makes a sarcastic
reference to the writings of some Englishmen who described the rathyatraas some
ominous, dangerous happening that resulted in many people getting crushed under the
giant, heavy wheels of the carriage, either by accident or by will. The people who threw
themselves under the wheels did it under the impression that they would attain instant
salvation or moksha. The English referred to the carriage as the Car of the Juggernaut.
The word ‘Juggernaut’ was not only a contortion of the name of the Hindu God,
Jagannath, but also conveyed the literal sense of the word as it exists in the English
dictionary. The dictionary gives the meaning as
1) A huge and overwhelming force
2) A large heavy vehicle
The rathyatrawas described as ‘inhuman progression’ in English accounts and portrayed
Indians as barbarians and foolishly religious. An exaggerated description of some stray
accidents and incidents of suicide that might have taken place was given. This must
have hurt the sentiments of Indians, especially Hindus. Nirad C. Chaudhuri writes in a
mocking tone that since the children had not read the English accounts, they were not
frightened of the Car Festival. In any case, they were sent to the fair in charge of a
servant and were not allowed to go near the car.
The children used to be given some money to enjoy the fair. There was a lot in the fair
that made the children happy. The first thing that the author mentions is the large variety
of dolls available at the fair. He then describes the famous Bengali doll named Spoilt
Baby. It was given this name because it was fat, indicating that it was pampered by
being made to eat too much. It was made of clay and was either bright pink or scarlet in
colour. The potter applied a coat of quick-drying varnish when the children made their
selection. Perhaps the smell of varnish on clay was very good. So, the children kept
smelling the doll and looking at it. There were many other clay toys and animal figures at
the stalls. The children loved them because they were quite life-like.
Reading this, don’t you think that the children of those days were easily pleased? The
technologically advanced gadgets of today were not available to them. Very simple
things could lift their hearts. A toy did not have to be expensive in order to give joy. I
would also like to bring to your notice how the children learnt from the book of life. This is
something we all need to do. We need to be more connected to the real world rather
than only the virtual world of play stations and Facebook. Notice how the author recalls
the minutest details of the Car Festival in this unit. He remembers how the gray,
monsoon skies contrasted with the colourful crowds below. Despite the contrast, the sky
participated in the festivities by sending down ‘sun-streaked showers’ or ‘haze-like
drizzle’ which must have added to the magic of the moment. Never were the
celebrations hampered by a heavy monsoon downpour. It was as if the heavens were
helping in the organization of the festival. The children on their part sent up in return the
noise of hundreds of palm-leaf trumpets which they blew upon almost continuously,
despite scolding from their elders, till the time the trumpets broke down. This was a time
of sheer bliss and peace for the children. The author says that the same kind of peace
 46

and bliss can also be felt while looking at Kangra and Pahari Rajput miniature paintings
devoted to Krishna. In other words, NiradC.Chaudhuri wishes to underline the unspoilt,
innocent, pure atmosphere of pleasure and playfulness of his childhood.
Unit III
In this part of the extract, the author describes the Swing Festival of Krishna held on the
other bank of the river. It was an annual feature held in the month of September or
October. Merchants, craftsmen and traders from all directions came to this fair. The fair
gave an opportunity to buy those things which could be termed as luxuries. The author
calls these things luxuries either due to the fact that they were of no use in ordinary,
daily living or because of being unavailable otherwise throughout the year. These
included commodities like musical instruments, furniture, and expensive garments.
There also were stalls of book-binders that were frequented primarily by Muslims. The
buyers bought the goods according to their will. No distinction was made between
foreign and local goods till the beginning of the nationalist movement. English trunks,
tables and chairs were eagerly sought after because of their attractiveness. The author,
however, is saddened that the native art of cabinet-making with the golden wood of the
jackfruit tree died out because of the craze for English furniture. This indirectly
underlines the validity of the nationalist movement which inspired Indians to use
swadeshi goods. The unit ends with the observation that the facets of art and craft are
indeed as unlimited as the population in the country.
Unit IV
This unit begins with the author’s comment on the calm routine of life in Kishorganj. The
monotony of routine was broken only by some festive occasions. The Muslim festival of
Id, as seen by Hindu children, has been described. Even though these children did not
go to the Idgah - the field where a large number of people offer prayers together - they
loved to watch the endless procession of people moving towards the Idgahin the
morning. The author notes that Muslim people of all classes were part of this procession.
The three stages of the procession were marked in the minds of the observing children:
i) The common people’s march towards the Idgah
ii) The elephant procession of the Muslim zamindar family
iii) The return of both the common people and the elite zamindar family
The Hindu boys felt that Id was earthly as well as ethereal. That is to say that it was
based on not only human activity, but also on participation of some heavenly agency.
This impression came to them due to the fact that Id was not associated with any earthly
season or weather. The occasion moved back and forth in the year, as if some divine
hand was making it move as per its will.
The people who could be seen the earliest on the road were the commoners – the
peasants and their families. Men of all ages and children, bathed and clothed in white,
walked with a great deal of sombreness and solemnity. The behaviour of these people,
loud under normal circumstances, seemed to have undergone a transformation on this
occasion. Even children, who are noisy and naughty otherwise, caught this solemnity
and had serious expressions on their faces.
The children then waited for the second movement i.e., the elephant procession. The
party always crossed the river from a place in front of the author’s house. The children
watched the procession till the time it was out of sight. The elephants were not objects of
 47

curiosity for them. This was because most of the elephants were tethered at an open
space almost in front of the author’s house during the dry season. Can you imagine the
scene? Several elephants parked in front of your house as a matter of routine.
Nowadays, we can only see cars parked in lanes and the only animals that we come
across are dogs and cats, besides cattle. The sight of the procession was memorable
due to the combination of the decorated elephants, their rich, ornamental coverings, the
aristocratic riders and the rhythmical swinging of all.
The author describes the way the elephants were specially decorated for the occasion. If
you have ever seen the Mysore Dussehra live or on television, you would understand
how gorgeous the elephants would have appeared to the children. The elegance of the
scene was a reflection of similar elephant marches depicted in Mughal miniatures. The
children were struck by the contrast between the austere simplicity and seriousness of
the commoners, and the display of wealth and power of the rich. They knew intuitively
that there was a connection between the two despite the difference. Their young minds
could not find the connection. Can you find it? I think the connection could be that all
humans, irrespective of their financial and social status, have to bow before the heavenly
power.
The third movement was that of the return. The zamindars looked tired even on their
elephants. Since the commoners were used to hard physical labour, they walked back
briskly, talking, looking relaxed and happy, ‘as if they had had all their desires fulfilled.’
5.4 Short-Answer Questions
It is time now to test how well we have understood the extract. Let us read the questions
and answers given below. Remember, the word-limit of this type of questions is 30-40
words.
Q. What divides Kishorganj into two halves?
Ans. A tributary of the river Brahmaputra divided Kishorganj into two almost equal
halves.
Q. What does the writer think of the other bank of the river?
Ans. The writer was openly contemptuous of the other bank of the river. He, along with
his friends, thought that the people and the facilities on the other bank were not as good
as the people, amenities, and social, cultural, and educational landmarks on their side of
the bank.
Q. Why did the writer and his friends look down upon the other bank?
Ans. The writer and his friends did not think highly of the other bank. They had this
attitude despite the fact that all important shops and bazaars were situated on that side.
They attached more importance to all the religious, cultural, political and aesthetic
landmarks that were situated on their own side.
Q. Which religious places are located on the writer’s side of the bank?
Ans. Religious places of many religions were situated on this side of the bank. While
there was a temple of Goddess Kali for the Hindus, the most important Muslim prayer
hall and Idgah, the venue for annual Id prayers was also there. The Brahmos, who were
Hindus who believed in one God, had their prayer hall on this side.
Q. What other things are located on the writer’s side of the bank?
 48

Ans. All the important places that are necessary in a well-developed society were
found on the writer’s side of the bank. Apart from the religious places belonging to
Hindus, Muslims and Brahmos, there also were schools, a cricket ground, a public
library, government dispensary and hospital. Government agencies such as courts,
treasury, police station, post office and dak bungalow were also situated there.
Q. What is meant by strand?
Ans. A strand in the context of ‘My Birthplace’ means a stretch of land deliberately left
between the residential area and the river, so that the dirt and stray articles from the
houses did not fall into the river to pollute it. Moreover, the view of the river could be
seen from the strand.
Q. Why did the writer dislike the houses on the riverfront?
Ans. Rivers are an important part of any civilization because they have a lot to offer to
humankind. Rivers are respected and worshiped in Indian culture. Not only does a
flowing river signify prosperity, it is also a source of beauty. The houses on the riverfront
had their backs to the river. The writer and his friends thought that the people of the
other bank had turned away from the bounty and beauty of the river. This indicated a
lack of aesthetic and cultural sense on their part.
Moreover, the bathrooms and toilets were usually situated at the back of the house in
those days. Consequently, it was quite possible that human waste of these houses was
also washed into the river. This gave the writer another reason to hate the houses on the
other bank.
Q. What else contributes to the writer’s prejudice against these houses?
Ans. The location of the prostitute quarters on the other bank prejudiced the boys on
the writer’s side of the bank. Prostitutes are never considered as respectable members
of society. Moreover, their coquettish behaviour and artificial smiles were quite hateful
for the writer.
Q. Why did the boys rag the writer as Lakshman?
Ans. The boys ragged the writer as Lakshman due to his exaggerated behaviour when
he saw a group of prostitutes coming on the road. Not only did the writer close his eyes,
he even hid himself in a nearby hut till the women had gone by. This prompted the boys
to make fun of him by calling him Lakshman. Lakshman was the younger brother of Lord
Ram. He is said to have never looked up at Sita’s face because she was the wife of his
elder brother. He behaved like this out of respect for both Ram and Sita. The writer’s
actions caused embarrassment to his friends. They, therefore, made fun of him,
comparing him to Lakshman.
Q. What is the Hindu law of inheritance?
Ans. The Hindus do not follow the primogeniture system of inheritance. Primogeniture
means that the property is passed on to the eldest son of the family. They also do not
believe in entailment, which means settling the inheritance of property over a number of
generations so that ownership remains with a particular family. So, the only option is to
divide the property among all the sons. However, the divided property continues to be
referred to as the part or fraction of the original.
Q. Why did the children look forward to the coming of the Krishna Festival?
 49

Ans. The children looked forward to the coming of the Krishna Festival because it
gave them many happy experiences. The Car Festival or the rathyatrawas an
opportunity for them to see the extraordinary carriage of Lord Krishna. The decorated
carriage with the idols of the God being drawn along by the devotees made them feel the
atmosphere of worship and celebration. Moreover, the fair that accompanied the festival
had a lot to offer to the children such as interesting and unusual dolls and other realistic
toys.
Q. What do toys of primitive design tell us about every age?
Ans. The toys of primitive design are timeless in their simplicity. Very less technology
and expertise were available in the primitive times. The toys must have been made with
a lot of creativity with the simplest of tools. The children must have felt happy playing
with those basic toys. Consequently, the toys have become symbols of the creative
energies and the very few needs of those times. Modern toys are not simple any longer.
Each succeeding age adds a little complexity in the name of sophistication to the toys
that are primarily meant for children. The primitive toys, therefore, serve as measuring
standards of whatever simplicity is left in each passing era of civilization.
Q. How were the dolls of the Car Festival different from the toys at the other
festivals?
Ans. A famous doll that was available at the Car Festival was called Spoilt Baby. The
Spoilt Baby had a fat belly unlike other dolls which are usually beautiful and perfect. The
fat belly was an indication that the baby had been pampered and spoilt by being overfed.
It was either bright pink or flaming scarlet in colour. The potter put a coat of quick-drying
varnish on the selected dolls before giving them to the children. This made the doll as
good to smell as to look at.
Q. What is meant by self-consciousness?
Ans. Self-consciousness means the realisation of one’s position in relation to the
environment and to time. We form our identities in reference to the past experiences and
weigh ourselves constantly as better as or worse than before. The identities are also
shaped by other people’s opinion of us. The consciousness of the totality of our being
therefore is self-consciousness. In another sense, it could mean the awareness of the
judgmental attitude towards us of people around us. Consequently, our actions and
reactions are governed by those around us.
Q. Why is self-consciousness essential for a conscious appreciation of the
primitive?
Ans. The primitive way of living had many positive aspects. Life was simple and need-
based. Materialism was not as overwhelmingly present as it is in the modern world. One
came across ethics and moral values quite frequently among people. Art existed as a
creative expression and not as a means of making money. When we become self-
conscious, we explore the depths of our personality. We also become aware of how
modernism has corrupted us. It is, therefore, possible to appreciate the primitive only
when we realise how we have regressed as humans while progressing materially.
Q. How did things on earth respond to the showers from the sky?
Ans. The earth responded to the showers from the sky during the Krishna Car Festival
with joy. The children on their part sent up as if in return the noise of hundreds of palm-
leaf trumpets which they blew upon almost continuously, despite scolding from their
elders, till the time the trumpets broke down.
 50

Q. What is meant by the idyllic note?

Ans. An idyll refers to a blissful or peaceful situation. It can also mean a description of
a beautiful, natural scene in rural surroundings. The celebration of the car festival
brought a lot of happiness and peace for its participants. It also added a touch of beauty
in the otherwise monotonous lives of the people. That is why, according to the author,
the festival had an ‘idyllic note’ to it.
Q. How is the idyllic note of the festival felt in the paintings of the Kangra or
the Pahari Rajput school?
Ans. The Kangra or the Pahari Rajput School of painting specialize in compositions
using the technique of double lighting. The paper used for painting has a primary coating
of gold or silver. The strokes in the painting are very delicate and wire-like. Most of the
themes are picked from the epics. Lord Krishna seems to be the favourite of the painters
of this school. The atmosphere depicted in these paintings is of sheer joy and peace.
The Krishna Car Festival also reflected the same joy and peace, especially when there
were ‘sun-streaked showers’ or ‘haze-like drizzle’ to add to the lush greenery of the
place and the magic of the moment. That is whythe idyllic note of the festival was felt in
the paintings of the Kangra or the Pahari Rajput school.
Q. When and where was the Swing Festival of Krishna held?
Ans. The Swing Festival was held annually during September and October in the
Southern outskirts of the town of Kishorganj which lay on the other bank of the river.
Q. How did this festival have an array of superfluities?
Ans. The festival is said to have an array of superfluities because all those things
which were very attractive but were not considered essential according to the standards
of living of Kishorganj were available at the fair.
Q. Describe the book-binding stall at the fair?
Ans. The book-binders occupied the stall in the very first row on the left hand side of
the entrance of the fair. These stalls remained busy all the time. The stalls were
frequented only by Muslim customers. New copies of the Koran were sold by the book-
binders. Damaged and worn copies of the holy book were rebound. Silver letters were
once again embossed on the cover with the help of hand tools. The well-educated
maulvis brought their books of serious literature to rebound. The less educated people
with comparatively poor tastes in literature brought novelettes for binding.
Q. What is meant by ‘game at the poulterer’s’ in the extract?
Ans. ‘Game’ refers to animals that are hunted for sport or food. These are then hung
on display in the butcher’s shop to attract customers. The violins hanging from long lines
of rope in the stalls at the Swing Festival fair looked like a game to the author.
Q. Describe the various musical instruments displayed at the fair.
Ans. There were many stalls selling various musical instruments at the Swing Festival
fair. Country-made violins were hung from long lines of rope. These violins were
available in different colours. In fact, no two instruments were of the same colour. There
were shades ranging from pale yellow to golden yellow; and golden brown to burnt
sienna. The next row was occupied with harmoniums. Some of the instruments were at
the stage of being assembled. Still others were kept ready for trial and tuning. At the
Southern end of the fair was a long row of people belonging to a caste that traditionally
deals in chemically treating the skin of animals for making footwear, bags and drums etc.
 51

These people are referred to as chamars. They had a large variety of drums that
included the kettle drum, the tom-tom, tabla, bayas and mridang.
Q. What were the two kinds of luxuries mentioned by the writer?
Ans. There were two kinds of luxuries that were available at the fair. The first one was
the category of those goods which were not at all useful for daily living. The other
category was those articles which were available only at the fair once a year. There was
no other way for the residents of Kishorganj to procure them. Hence, these goods were
also considered as luxuries.
Q. What does the writer regret having ignored as a child?
Ans. The writer regrets the fact that he, like other people of Kishorganj, was unaware
of the fact that local handicrafts were dying due to flooding of the markets with machine-
made, British goods. Since the English goods such as trunks, tables and chairs were
very attractive, the buyers did not appreciate the cabinets made of rich golden timber of
the jack-fruit tree in his village. It was too late by the time he realised his mistake. This
local craft had died down by then due to lack of buyers.
Q. Which three movements in the Id Festival were observed by the children?
Ans. The three stages or movements of the procession during the Id festival that were
marked in the minds of the observing children were the common people’s march towards
the Idgah, the elephant procession of the Muslim zamindar family and the return of both
the common people and the elite zamindar family from the prayer grounds.
Q. What changes did the writer observe in the peasants on Id day?
Ans. The behaviour of the peasants was usually very loud under normal
circumstances. They talked and argued noisily in the marketplace and elsewhere.
However, they seemed to have undergone a transformation on the occasion of Id. They
walked towards the mosque with a great deal of sombreness and solemnity. They were
also bathed, anointed and clothed in white, instead of being dressed in their everyday,
dirty, working clothes.
Q. What is meant by animistic emanations?
Ans. Animism refers to the belief or a philosophy that natural objects, natural
phenomena, and the universe itself possess souls. All these objects are supposed to
have a conscious life. Soul is, therefore, the most important principle of organic
development. Under this belief, spiritual beings or agencies have an existence and are
part of the world. All beliefs emerging out of the philosophy of animism are called
animistic emanations by the author.
Q. What is meant by Hindu pantheism?
Ans. Pantheism is a religious belief that identifies God with the universe and all natural
objects. God is abstract, without a personality, and beyond human knowledge. The
universe and even humans are a manifestation of God’s power. This belief is shared in
Hindu philosophy also. That is why it is called Hindu Pantheism.
Q. What made the passing elephants so memorable?
Ans. The sight of the elephant procession was memorable due to the combination of
the decorated elephants, their rich, ornamental coverings, the aristocratic riders and the
rhythmical swinging of all. The author describes the way the elephants were specially
decorated for the occasion. The elephants looked gorgeous with all the patterns painted
 52

on their heads and bodies. The elegance of the scene was a reflection of similar
elephant marches depicted in Mughal miniatures.
Q. How was the third movement different from the first two?
Ans. The third movement was that of the return of both commoners and the aristocrats
from the mosque. The zamindars looked tired, listless and indifferent after prayers even
when traveling on their elephants. This means that they were not looking as glamorous
and regal as they were in the morning. Since the commoners were used to hard physical
labour, they walked back briskly, talking all the while, and looking relaxed and happy, ‘as
if they had had all their desires fulfilled.’ The seriousness of their behaviour that could be
seen in the morning had been replaced by a gaiety of spirit.
Q. Who were the Brahmos?
Ans. Brahmos were followers of Brahmo Samaj. This was a society founded within
Hinduism by Raja Rammohan Roy in1828. Its literal meaning is ‘Society of Brahman’.
The philosophy behind the establishment of this society was to bring about reforms in
the Hindu system of thought and behaviour. The Brahmos believed in one God.
However, they rejected the authority of the Vedas and the doctrine of Avatars. They also
did not believe in rebirth and the theory of Karma. The caste system was viewed as the
reason behind the backwardness and exploitation of certain sections of Hindus. The
Brahmos campaigned against the Sati pratha and child marriage. They were in favour of
education for women.
Q. What was the difference between Hindu and Muslim festivals as observed
by the writer?
Ans. The writer observed that the Hindu festivals were governed by and associated
with particular seasons and weather. This was not the case with Id, a Muslim festival.
This was then the difference between the festivals of Hindus and Muslims.
5.5 Long-Answer Questions (100-120 words)
Q. What were the various articles that were available at the Swing Festival
fair?
Ans. There were many stalls selling various musical instruments at the Swing Festival
fair. Country-made violins were hung from long lines of rope. These violins were
available in different colours. In fact, no two instruments were of the same colour. There
were shades ranging from pale yellow to golden yellow; and golden brown to burnt
sienna. The next row was occupied with harmoniums. Some of the instruments were at
the stage of being assembled. Still others were kept ready for trial and tuning. At the
Southern end of the fair was a long row of people belonging to a caste that traditionally
deals in chemically treating the skin of animals for making footwear, bags and drums etc.
These people are referred to as chamars. They had a large variety of drums that
included the kettle drum, the tom-tom, tabla, bayas and mridang.
In addition to the musical instruments, there were silk clothes, and embroidered caps of
velvet or fine muslin. There also were furniture items such as English- style tables,
chairs and cupboards. All the articles were very beautifully made. The writer was aware,
however, that all these goods were not important or necessary from the point-of-view of
the standard of living at Kishorganj.
Q. Describe the difference in the movements of the men going to the mosque
and the elephant procession?
 53

Ans. The people who could be seen the earliest on the road on the day of Id festival
were the commoners – the peasants and their families. Men of all ages and children,
bathed and clothed in white, walked with a great deal of sombreness and solemnity. The
behaviour of these people, loud under normal circumstances, seemed to have
undergone a transformation on this occasion. Even children, who are noisy and naughty
otherwise, caught this solemnity and had serious expressions on their faces.
Afterwards, the family of the Muslim zamindars came on elephants. The elephant
procession always crossed the river from a place in front of the author’s house. The sight
of the procession was memorable due to the combination of the decorated elephants,
their rich, ornamental coverings, the aristocratic riders and the rhythmical swinging of all.
The elegance of the scene was a reflection of similar elephant marches depicted in
Mughal miniatures. The children were struck by the contrast between the austere
simplicity and seriousness of the commoners, and the display of wealth and power of the
rich.
You can now attempt the following long-answer question on your own:
Q. Describe the three occasions which change the calm nature of life at
Kishorganj.
Ans. You can describe the celebration of Krishna Car Festival, the Swing Festival and
Id by the residents of Kishorganj in three short paragraphs each.
Self-Assessment Questions
1. Nirad C. Chaudhuri was born at (a)…………………. In (b)…………………..
2. He started his career as a (a)…………………… in (b)……………………..
3. The title of his autobiography is (a)………………………………………………
which was published in (b)……………………………
4. The present essay (a)……………………………. is an (b)…………………………
from his work (c)………………………………………

5.6 Composition( 150-200 words)

Here are a few exercises in composition that you can very well attempt on the basis of
your experiences:
a) Describe how you prepare for the celebration of your favourite festival.
b) Describe your most-remembered childhood experience.
c) Write in your own words the description of a fair that you visited.
d) Write about an incident concerning yourself in the past that you find very funny
now.

5.7 Summary: In this chapter you have been made to focus upon the childhood
memories of the author. However, while describing his birthplace in detail, the author
also gives us a glimpse of the unique religious, cultural, and social life of undivided India.
Knowing about the cultural diversity of your country is an enriching experience for all of
you.
 54

5.8 Further Reading

Chaudhuri, Nirad C. The Autobiography of an Unknown Indian.
http://literaturenubd.blogspot.com/2012/03/kishorganj-my-birthplace-by-nirad-c.html
Nirad C. Choudhurihttps://www.britannica.com/biography/Nirad-C-Chaudhuri
5.10 Model Questions
1. How does Chaudhuri describe the unique religious, cultural and social life of
undivided India?
2. How does Chaudhuri describe the geographical details of his birthplace?
3. How does the writer present the day-to-day peaceful life of his birthplace?


Answers to Self-Assessment Questions

1. (a) Kishorganj (b) Mymensingh district
2. (a) clerk (b) The Accounting Department of the Indian Army
3. (a) The Autobiography of an Unknown Indian (b) 1951
4. (a) My Birthplace (b) extract (c) The Autobiography of an Unknown Indian
 55

Lesson-6
Essay-6

STUDENT MOBS
J.B.PRIESTLEY

Structure
6.0 Objectives
6.1 Introduction to the Essay
6.2 About the Author
6.3 Summary of the Essay
6.4 Short Answer Type Questions
6.5 Long Answer Type Questions
6.6 Composition
6.7 Summary
6.8 Further Reading
6.9 Model Questions

6.0 Objectives
A reading of this chapter will enable you to
 understand Priestley’s views of the modern day students and their
behavior
 summarize the discussion of the essay

6.1 Introduction
Young citizens are the hope of every nation. Their energies and capabilities, if
channelized properly, can transform the world. However, young people sometimes forget
their responsibilities. In doing this, they cause more harm than anything else to their
society, nation and environment. The author in this essay wants the readers to take
stock of the situation as it really exists. His aim seems to underline the seriousness of
the situation so that some measures can be taken to change it.
In this essay, J.B.Priestley criticizes the tendency of the modern-day students to be
violent. He feels that students can use their energies better in studying and in creative
pursuits. Society contributes a lot to their education. The students should, therefore, pay
 56

back the society in constructive terms rather than being destructive. It is interesting to
note that what Priestley wrote many decades back holds true even in the present times.
If we look around, we would find it rather ironic that even though the number of
educational institutions has increased worldwide, the students refuse to behave in an
educated and cultured manner. It seems that education is only making them literate. It
has not taught them to weigh a situation thoughtfully and react carefully.

6.2 About the Author

John Boynton Priestley (1894 –1984), known as J. B. Priestley, was an English novelist,
playwright and broadcaster. He published 26 novels as well as numerous dramas. His
output included literary and social criticism.
Priestley was educated at Belle Vue Grammar School, which he left at sixteen to work
as a junior clerk at a wool firm. During this time, he started writing at night and had
articles published in local and London newspapers. Priestley served during the First
World War in the 10th Battalion, the Duke of Wellington’s Regiment. He was wounded in
1916 by mortar fire. In his autobiography, Margin Released he is fiercely critical of
the British Army and in particular of the officer class.
After his military service, Priestley received university education at Trinity Hall,
Cambridge. By the age of 30 he had established a reputation as a humorous writer and
critic. Priestley’s first major success came with a novel, The Good Companions (1929),
which made him a national figure. His next novel, Angel Pavement (1930), further
established him as a successful novelist. In 1934 he published the travelog English
Journey, which is an account of what he saw and heard while traveling through the
country in the autumn of the previous year. Many of his works have a socialist aspect.
He became equally well known as a dramatist. Dangerous Corner, An Inspector
Calls and Time and the Conways are more varied in tone than the novels.
Here is a unit-wise summary for you to read and decide whether you agree with the
author’s views or not:
6.3 Summary of the Essay
Unit I
The essay begins with a frank admission by the author that he has a ‘slight prejudice’
against students. Other people might look back at student life with nostalgia. Their vision
may get hazy with nostalgia and due to this they may lose touch with the bitter reality.
However, the author is in no mood to do so. He thoroughly disapproves of those
students who turn into mischievously dangerous mobs. He is of the opinion that the law,
government and society should deal with them severely.
The students have no business being ignorant and stupid. After all, they receive
education at public expense. They should not be wasting other people’s time, energy
and money. It is their responsibility to behave in a better, reasonable and peaceful way.
Certainly, they should not indulge in violent demonstrations that end in destroying,
looting, and burning public property. They should also be sensible enough not to
become instruments of chaos and confusion in the hands of vested interests.
Sometimes, even the governments of certain countries use students as tools in order to
sway international opinion. The people in power allow the student mobs to indulge in as
much destruction as would terrify the world around. Once their purpose is served, the
 57

governments issue an apology at some international forum. All this politics might be
useful for them but it can only lead to make the future of students quite bleak.
Unit II
The world is sharply divided between good intentions and bad ones. On one hand, there
is the happy emergence of individuals and agencies such as UN, Oxfam etc. wanting to
make the world a better place. On the other hand, there are demonstrations by the
young student mobs which seem to be aimed at tearing apart the fabric of society.
International relations frequently suffer in the hands of selfish interests. Mob behaviour is
used as additional propaganda by them to deceive world opinion on some official policy.
Embassies and consulates are surrounded and attacked by angry-looking mobs of
students. Force and violence is used on the officials of the embassy, who should not be
harmed in any way in a foreign country as per law. International relations cannot remain
cordial and harmonious in such a scenario.
The author comments on the look on the faces of these students when they are in the
middle of madness. The look tells a horrifying story to the viewers of television where the
images of such demonstrations are flashed. The students seem to be enjoying the
destruction that they are in the process of causing. This is a disturbing trend. Rather
than a degree in some field of learning, the students seem to be getting prepared for a
degree in hooliganism and vandalism. The author opines that most of them may not be
even aware of the cause behind the demonstrations. Their apparent joy in this mindless
destruction is another reason for alarm.
Unit III
The author further opines that the students seemed to be more destructively inclined in
affluent/rich countries. This means that economic needs and frustrations are not the
reason behind it. The anger of the students is many times more than even that of the
young people during the years of the Great Depression from 1929-1939. The youngsters
are only interested in smashing everything. In fact, the author quotes a lady of his
acquaintance who had taught in junior schools for forty years. According to the lady, the
most recent children were the most destructive she had ever known.
Keeping this rate in mind, I would urge you to think deeply about the levels of destruction
in a child of the 21st century. Have you noticed the increase in number of incidents of
children killing their peers in schools as reported by the media? Do you think the author
is right in his evaluation and opinions?
Unit IV
The author says that there was violence among the young even when he was a boy.
But, there was none of the ‘malevolent destructiveness’ that characterizes the youth of
later years. There were certainly no ‘disturbing psychopathic elements’ then that now
makes the youth attack helpless victims for pleasure. Fights were between equals and
seemed to arise from surplus energy back then rather than any mental disorder. Young
people at that time did not suffer from cold heartlessness and hatred for life. They had
regard for other people’s lives and possessions. However, some young people of the
contemporary times of the author ‘don’t seem to belong to the human race’ because of
their inhuman and cruel actions.
Finally, Priestley expresses the fear that if it is so difficult to deal with such elements in
the present, the future would be even scarier. In the present, he says, ‘the students
never march to build a house but only to knock one down.’ Such students are a setback
 58

to the dream of creation of world civilization. Priestley wonders at the reasons behind
such a crop of youngsters. Though he takes into account reasons like bad parents, lack
of religion, boring jobs and environment etc, he still thinks it could be some unknown
factor causing students to behave in such a negative manner. He ends the essay by
expressing how refreshing it would be to see them on television making something, or
even studying, instead of breaking one thing or the other.
Now, let us go through the following questions that are based on the author’s ideas
summarized above:
6.4 Short-Answer Questions
Q. Is the writer’s attitude towards students favourable?
Ans. The writer expresses frankly that he is slightly prejudiced against students. It
means that he has more of a negative impression rather than a positive one. In fact, his
attitude is so unfavourable towards them that he does not get nostalgic while looking at
them. The reason is that the behaviour of these students is much worse than what it
used to be when the writer was a student.
Q. What is meant by nostalgic haze?
Ans. The term ‘nostalgic haze’ is used by the writer to convey how things and
incidents in the past acquire a charm when viewed after the passage of time. Memory
grows hazy and the unpleasantness of the memory, if any, loses its sting. In other
words, nostalgia blurs the vision so that the past acquires a rosy hue.
Q. Why does the writer call himself a battered soldier?
Ans. The writer, J.B.Priestley, had served in the infantry of the British army during the
years of World War I from 1914 to 1919. It is not easy being a soldier. War is a harsh
reality. The World War was a long-drawn, bitter experience which sapped the spirits of
people on the battle front. Physical injuries were obviously common. The writer was
wounded in 1916 by mortar fire. When the war was over, he went to Cambridge to
pursue his studies. But, he was already 26 years old, which was a slightly mature age as
compared to other students. Therefore, the writer calls himself a battered old soldier.
Q. What did the writer want to do in his college life?
Ans. The writer had already learnt many lessons of life by the time he entered the
university. War had disrupted his plans. He, therefore, wanted to complete his education
and get on with his normal life. He certainly did not want to behave like other students
who were just ‘lads released from school’ as compared to him and who were interested
in enjoying their new-found freedom.
Q. How would the writer like the authorities to deal with student mobs?
Ans. The writer is very sure that authorities should not be lenient with student mobs
which behave in a dangerous manner. Rather, they should be dealt with a lot more
severity than is shown against uneducated demonstrators. The reason that the author
gives for more strictness is that the students are not supposed to behave in an ignorant
and stupid manner, especially when so much money is spent on their education.
Q. How should ignorant students be treated?
Ans. The author is quite clear in his mind that if students persist in remaining ignorant
and stupid despite education, they do not deserve to stay in universities. They should be
sent back home as they are a burden on society.
 59

Q. What are such students doing to society?

Ans. The students who organizethemselves into destructive mobs do a lot of
disservice to society. They destroy private and public property. Their unruly behaviour
terrifies people and creates chaos. They become a burden on society when they burn
the books they are supposed to study. Instead of contributing positively to society and
nation-building, they cause damage to both by their violent attacks and angry
demonstrations.
Q. What hardships do parents undergo for their children’s education?
Ans. Parents forgo even their basic necessities like proper food and decent clothing to
educate their children. The parents make these sacrifices in the hope that the future of
their children would be brighter if they are given the gift of education.
Q. Are all the student demonstrations planned by students themselves?
Ans. Student demonstrations are not always planned by students themselves. Most of
them are designed by either the government or some other agencies. These agencies
use the students by provoking them into angry outbursts and violent behaviour. This is
done in order to further their own interests or to put undue influence on the international
community against some policies.
Q. Which agencies represent the coming up of a world civilization?
Ans. The agencies which represent the coming up of world civilization are the U.N.
special agencies and organizations like Oxfam. Oxfam was the name given to the
Oxford Committee for Famine Relief. It was founded in 1942 in Oxford, England. It was
aimed to raise funds for the relief of poverty-stricken and suffering people in under-
developed regions of the world. Apart from these formal agencies, there also are large
groups of selfless people working for the upliftment of humankind all over the world. The
political divisions of the globe into states and countries are not important for such
agencies. Their aim is to create one, better world.
Q. What do student mobs do to the cause of world civilization?
Ans. The student mobs erupt into violent demonstrations whenever there is a clash
between the official policies of two or more countries. They promptly surround and attack
foreign embassies, consulates and centers of information services. The officials working
at such places are also threatened and attacked. International law and custom prohibits
any attack on diplomats in a foreign country. This immunity is given to them in order to
strengthen ties between different countries and to promote peace and harmony in the
world. The foolish actions of student mobs disrupts harmony and causes bitterness in
international relations. The cause of world civilization suffers at the hands of students.
Q. Why do governments sometimes encourage student mobs?
Ans. Governments sometimes encourage student mobs as part of their policy in order
to fulfill their aims. They use the demonstrations as a pressure tactic and additional
propaganda against some international policy. The Governments project angry students
as the face of the common people and their opinions. With this, the governments seek to
mislead and sway world opinion in their favour.
Q. What does the writer see on the faces of angry students?
Ans. The angry faces of students do not reflect the glow of political enthusiasm. This
kind of enthusiasm needs a thorough knowledge of political affairs at the international
 60

level. According to the author, the students are not inspired by a desire to bring about
positive changes in the world. Rather, the writer can see a look of ‘frenzied delight in
destruction’ on their faces. It means that no deep political thought or valid reason pushes
them to indulge in protests. It is in fact the pleasure they derive from destruction and
violence that provokes them.
Q. What kind of education are these students giving themselves?
Ans. The students are educating themselves not in sciences, laws, medicine or arts
but in hooliganism. They are teaching themselves lessons in violence and destruction of
public and private property. In short, they are not learning any constructive skills but only
the ways of wrecking lives, property, societies and nations.
Q. Why, according to the writer, is our age a curious age?
Ans. The writer feels that our age is a curious age because of the play of contrasts in
the intentions of the citizens of the world. On the one hand, there are people who are
concerned about the sufferings on this earth. They want to erase poverty and disease
from the face of the globe. On the other hand, there are people who are only interested
in bringing suffering to others and destroying their property. The present age becomes
quite curious because of the conflicting actions of selfless and careless/selfish people.
Q. What has been the behaviour of students coming from an economically
rich background?
Ans. The young people belonging to economically rich backgrounds are the worst
behaved. They take pleasure in destroying national property. They do not realize their
responsibilities. They also do not value money, probably because they have never felt its
shortage.
Q. What did the school teacher say about the present-day students?
Ans. The school teacher said that the most recent children were the most destructive
that she had ever known. She had an experience of forty years of teaching at junior
schools. She felt that, as compared to previous generations, the recent children had an
overwhelmingly violent streak in their personalities. This prompted them to smash things
instead of nurturing them. Their destructive tendencies went as far as putting things as
obstructions on railway lines so that trains could be derailed.
Q. Where and in what conditions did the writer grow up as a boy?
Ans. The author grew up in the North of England. The boys in elementary schools
came wearing wooden shoes. There were drunken fights on Saturday nights. Football
matches, which the writer played in his middle teens, were very rough as the players as
well as spectators were always ready to get into a fight. However, this violence stemmed
from surplus energy. No sinister/ evil intentions were behind these fights. No harm or
hurt was caused just for amusement or due to hatred for life.
Q. What are the deeply disturbing psychopathic elements in the present-day
youth?
Ans. The deeply disturbing trends among the present-day youth are that the youth get
pleasure out of attacking helpless people. There seems to be the prevalence of some
mental disorder among them which makes them heartless and hateful towards life. It is
almost as if these people have given up the qualities of being human
Q. What is meant by the vast X in the dark?
 61

Ans. The author is unable to understand the reason behind the streak of evil
destructiveness among the youth. There are many factors that make modern life very
difficult. The breaking up of families, irresponsible parenting, general depression about
the job scenario, boredom and political factors such as the invention of deadlier bombs
with the passage of time are some of the reasons which make the youth pessimistic of
the future. However, the author feels that the extent of this mental disease is too large to
be justified by any of the factors. He then wonders that the real reason is unknown like a
vast X in the dark.
Q. What would the writer like students to do?
Ans. The writer would like the students to be creatively involved in the process of
nation building. He feels that they should be eager to create and not destroy. Instead of
knocking down the things around them, they should spend their energies and
capabilities in preserving and building them new.
Q. How would you distinguish between a rag and a demonstration?
Ans. A rag is only a prank designed to pull someone’s leg. It is basically harmless,
though it can get out of hand sometimes. Certainly, it is not meant to hurt or scare
anybody. Demonstrations, in the present context, are mindless processions
characterized by loud shouting. Sometimes, these demonstrations end up in breaking
windows, smashing cars, burning furniture and books. This results in terrifying women
and children. The chaos and confusion leads to breaking of international customs and
laws.
Q. How are the United Nations and other agencies helping the cause of a
world civilization?
Ans. The agencies which represent the coming up of world civilization are the U.N.
special agencies and organizations like Oxfam. Oxfam was the name given to the
Oxford Committee for Famine Relief. It was founded in 1942 in Oxford, England. It was
aimed to raise funds for the relief of poverty-stricken and suffering people in under-
developed regions of the world. Apart from these formal agencies, there also are large
groups of selfless people working for the upliftment of humankind all over the world,
irrespective of territorial divisions. The political divisions of the globe into states and
countries are not important for such agencies. Their aim is to create one, better world.
The idea is to bring about harmony, prosperity, equality and peace in the world by taking
the resources from where they are available in abundance to use them where they are
not available.
Q. How are students influencing relations between two countries?
Ans. International relations frequently suffer in the hands of selfish interests. The
vested interests generate and mobilize student mobs. Mob behaviour is used as
additional propaganda by them to deceive world opinion on some official policy.
Embassies and consulates are surrounded and attacked by angry-looking students.
They use force and violence on the officials of the embassy, who should not be harmed
in any way in a foreign country as per law. International relations cannot remain cordial
and harmonious in such a scenario. The students influence relations between two
countries in an adverse manner by their actions.
6.5 Long-Answer Questions (100-120 words)
 62

Q. Are all student demonstrations violent and destructive? Certainly not!

Write in your own words how some of the student movements have been both
peaceful and constructive.
Ans. Of course, the contribution of students to the Freedom Struggle of India is
unforgettable!You could focus on the involvement of students in causes such as justice
for a victim, uprooting of corruption or change in government policy. A few recent
instances that come to my mind are the candle marches for fair trial in Jessica Lal and
Priyadarshini Mattoo cases; and peaceful movements like Anna Hazare’s fast for the
Lokpal Bill. Students build human chains to express their opinion on varied issues such
as female foeticide and dowry deaths. They travel on cycles across the country to
spread the message of national unity. All these are also forms of demonstration.
Q. Express your views on how students can contribute in a positive manner
towards making a stronger India.
Ans. A big percentage of India’s population in the present day is made up of youth.
Imagine how much youngsters can contribute to nation-building with their fresh ideas,
bubbling enthusiasm and great stores of energy! They can make optimum use of the
modern systems of education and communication, if they want to. They have been
blessed with amazing learning opportunities. They are global citizens in the right sense
of the word, with their network across the world. The world is truly their stage. They can
bring the best ideas from all over and usher in a revolution in India that can put an end to
hunger and unemployment. They can open a new chapter of progress and prosperity. At
the same time, they can take pride in the ancient wisdom and heritage of their country.
To put it briefly, they have the capability to put India on the top.
These are just general ideas. You can be specific about the areas where students can
really make a difference.
So, put on your thinking caps and let us know what you have in you!
Self-Assessment Questions
1. The first name of the author is (a)……………………., middle name
(b)……………………..and surname is (c)…………………
2. J. B. Priestley was an English (a)………………, (b)……………, and
(c) ……………………….
3. In the present essay the author criticized the (a)…………………. for
being (b) …………………………….
4. The author preaches the students to be (a)………………………..
rather than (b)……………………………………………..
6.6 Composition
Q. Write about mob behaviour in 150-200 words.
Ans. A Virginia school in USA decided to sell their used Apple Book laptops
cheap. Panic and stampede ensued. Humans exhibited their worst behaviour. The local
newspapers printed pictures of people pushing, trampling on, and falling on fellow
human beings. This is just one indication that common decency and civil behaviour is
just a facade. At the core of human beings lies an animal that shows its true nature
whenever it has the chance.
 63

A mob can be very dangerous. A mob has no leader, logic, morals, reason, or ethics. It
is like a headless monster. People behave differently as individuals. In a mob,
responsibility is diluted and people act at the spur of the moment. Hence, mob behaviour
becomes cruel, destructive and unreasonable. Mobs may not necessarily mean
hundreds or thousands of people in the street raising slogans because of a political or
religious reason. Some mob behaviour can be exhibited in smaller groups also, e.g.,
students of a class bunking at the behest of other non-serious ones. We also see mob
behaviour in situations such as sports fans going on a rampage and destroying property
and even killing people. The football hooliganism of the 1980s was a well-publicized
example of sports violence. Crowds that gather on behalf of a grievance can involve
herding behaviour or mob behaviour that turns violent, particularly when confronted by
an opposing ethnic or racial group. The Los Angeles riots of 1992, New York Draft
Riots and Tulsa Race Riot are notorious in U.S. history, but those episodes are dwarfed
by the scale of violence and death during the Partition of India. The ensuing violence
produced an estimated death toll of between 200,000 and one million.
Q. Is it possible to protest peacefully? If your answer is yes, write in 150-200
words on ‘the Art of Peaceful Protest’.
Ans. Here’s what I have to say on:
‘The Art of Peaceful Protest’
Demonstration and protest are central to maintaining a democracy. They are also tools
to gain freedom and democracy. However, protests need to be peaceful in order to keep
up the high ideals of the civilized world. India has taught the world the art of peaceful
protest with the name of Satyagraha. Satyagraha is a philosophy and practice of
nonviolent resistance developed by Mahatma Gandhi. Satyagraha is a synthesis of the
Sanskrit words satya (meaning “truth”) and Agraha (“insistence”, or “holding firmly to”).
For Gandhi, Satyagraha went far beyond mere “passive resistance” and became a
strength in practicing non-violent methods. Gandhi believed that the satyagrahis must
undergo training to ensure discipline while using Satyagraha in a large-scale political
conflict involving civil disobedience. He wrote that it is “only when people have proved
their active loyalty by obeying the many laws of the State that they acquire the right of
Civil Disobedience.” He therefore made part of the discipline that satyagrahis appreciate
the other laws of the State and obey them voluntarily. Gandhi deployed Satyagraha in
the Indian independence movement and also during his earlier struggles in South Africa.
Satyagraha theory influenced Nelson Mandela’s struggle in South Africa under
apartheid, Martin Luther King, Jr.’s campaigns during the civil rights movement in the
United States, and many other similar movements for social justice.The peaceful
protesters in Egypt’s Tahrir Square succeeded where years of jihadi bloodshed had not
produced a single political change. The art of peaceful protest, therefore, needs to be
learnt to make our voice effective and get favourable results.

6.7 Summary: In this chapter you have been apprised of the problems facing the
youth.The breaking up of families, irresponsible parenting, general depression about the
job scenario, boredom and political factors such as the invention of deadlier bombs with
the passage of time are some of the reasons which make the youth pessimistic of the
future. The writer would like the students to be creatively involved in the process of
nation building. He feels that they should be eager to create and not destroy. Instead of
knocking down the things around them, they should spend their energies and
 64

capabilities in preserving and building them new. This lesson motivates you to do
positive things in life.

6.8 Further Reading

https://www.britannica.com/biography/J-B-Priestley
https://spartacus-educational.com/Jpriestley.htm
6.9 Model Questions
1. Why does Priestley think that modern day students don’t use their energies
properly?
2. How do the students pay back to their society?
3. What are the moralistic ways which Priestley wants the students to adopt?

Answers to Self-Assessment Questions

1. (a) John (b) Boynton (c) Priestley
2. (a) novelist, (b) playwright (c) broadcaster
3. (a) students (b) violent
4. (a) constructive (b) destructive



 65

Lesson-7

STORY-1

THE THREE DANCING GOATS

Structure
7.0 Objectives
7.1 Introduction
7.2 Summary of the Essay
7.3 Short Answer Type Questions
7.4 Long Answer Type Questions
7.5 Composition
7.6 Summary
7.7 Further Reading
7.8 Model Questions

7.0 Objectives
After reading this story, you will be able to:
● understand the main theme
● summarize the plot of the story
● understand its moral
7.1 Introduction
Welcome to the wonderful world of stories!
Stories are the delight of every childhood. And the child within us craves for a good story
even when we grow up. Everyone remembers a few stories by heart. Usually, one does
not come across such stories in books. They are passed on orally from one generation
to another and are a part of folk literature. These stories do not have an author. Every
storyteller adds his/her touch to the story before passing it on. That is why, the author of
the present story — ‘The Three Dancing Goats’ - is anonymous. I always thought that an
anonymous writer adds to the mystery. And there are a few elements that do seem
almost magical in ‘The Three Dancing Goats’.
7.2 Summary of the Essay
The story of The Three Dancing Goats is very interesting. The title itself seems very
unusual. Many of us have seen the monkeys dancing. Some of us have also seen the
snake-dance. Of course, the prettiest dance is that of the peacock. The Discovery
 66

channel shows us many more dances in the forest. But, I am sure, none of us have ever
seen the goats dancing. Are these goats some magical animals? Well, you decide.
Here’s the summary of the story for you:
The story of the three dancing goats is narrated to a group of children by Baba Trinco.
Like most of the folk tales, this story revolves around a poor, young peasant who lived
with his mother in a bamboo hut. His name was Sindhu. He owned a small plot of
grazing land. The only other possession that the mother and son had was a couple of
cows.
One particular year, there was such a bad drought that there was no fodder to feed the
cows. Sindhu’s mother told him with a heavy heart to sell the cows. Both of them loved
the cows so much! But, nothing else was possible except taking the cows to the market
town. On his way, Sindhu decided to rest under a tree. There he met an old woman who
was very impressed by his love for the cows. She offered to take the cows in return of
her three goats. Now, the goats were quite unique and beautiful. They had long hair,
long flapping ears and round noses. Still, Sindhu hesitated. The old lady then promised
that the goats would bring in fortune some day. As a final act to convince Sindhu, she
began playing a tune on a bamboo flute. And what did Sindhu see! Something quite
unbelievable! The goats started dancing to the tune!
Sindhu liked the dance but he still thought practically. He finally accepted the offer,
thinking that he could at least earn some money by entertaining the village folk with the
dance. His mother was not happy to see the bargain. They still had to feed the goats.
But, somehow, Sindhu believed the words of the old: lady that the goats would bring him
luck.
Soon enough, the beautiful daughter of the village landlord heard about the dancing
goats. She asked her father to call the owner of the goats. Sindhu went to the landlord’s
house and displayed the extraordinary skills of the three goats. The dance of the goats
was enchanting. They flapped their lovely long ears in rhythm and moved their limbs
very gracefully. The landlord’s daughter was so happy that she wanted to buy one goat.
Sindhu refused to take any money for the goat. Instead, he asked the girl to take a barrel
of foodstuffs for his mother. The girl agreed. The mother and son felt very happy.
Only a few days had gone by when Sindhu was called again by the landlord. This time,
the girl wanted another goat as a companion for the first one. She had failed to make the
first one dance even when expert musicians of the area had played the finest music.
Sindhu agreed to give another goat. This time, he asked the girl to give him the gold ring
which she was wearing in addition to a barrel of foodstuffs like before. The girl accepted
both the conditions immediately.
The third call from the landlord’s daughter came after a few days. The goats just would
not dance. Sindhu took the third goat along and played the flute. The goats responded
happily. The girl was delighted. She had come to know the secret of the goats’ dance.
She asked Sindhu for the flute as well as the third goat. Here, Sindhu made a smart
move. In return for his secret, he asked the girl to tell him the meaning of the three
different coloured stones in her ring. Of course, our practical Sindhu did not forget to ask
for a barrel of foodstuffs once more.
The girl remained thoughtful for a while. It was a strange request. Why did the young
peasant want to know this, she wondered. It seems the secret was somehow connected
to her marriage. Finally, she decided to tell the secret of her ring. She revealed that each
stone in the ring stood for the strange strands of hair hidden among her black, silken
 67

tresses. The diamond represented a pure white strand, the ruby stood for a dark red
one, and the emerald stood for a bright green strand. Surely, two of the three are very
unusual colours to have in one’s hair, don’t you think? Sindhu came back, happy that he
knew the secret. He started working as a labourer on the landlord’s farm. He was
satisfied that he could catch a glimpse of the landlord’s daughter, even if only for a
moment. Now, why would he behave like that? You guessed it right! He had fallen in
love with the girl.
After some time, the landowner announced his intention to marry off his daughter. The
condition that he set was that only the person who guessed correctly the colour of the
three hidden strands of hair would marry her. Sindhu knew the secret. He loved the girl.
But, he was not sure of the reactions of the landlord and his daughter if he went as a
suitor. A person is a girl’s suitor if he pursues her with the intention of marriage.
However, the words of the old lady rang in his ears. This might be the fortune that she
had been talking about. He grew hopeful of success.
Opportunity came his way in the form of a very well-dressed, handsome, young man
who asked Sindhu the way to the landlord’s house. He was going there to try his luck in
marriage. Sindhu was very helpful to him. He went with him to tell him the way. Why did
he do this? To tell you the truth, he had a plan in his mind. On the way, he mentioned
very cleverly that he knew the secret of the three strands. He insisted that he would
reveal it only in the presence of the girl. This was a trick on Sindhu’s part. The young
man, however, was fooled. He decided to take Sindhu along into the landlord’s house.
For this purpose, he even bought beautiful clothes and a silk turban for him.
Sindhu saw that there were many suitors inside the house. None could guess the secret.
What would have been your guess if you were a suitor? I am sure you would have
named your favouritecolours. Finally, Sindhu spoke out the secret in a very serious
voice. He then took off his disguise and told the story of the gold ring to the landlord. The
landlord was just. He declared that since his daughter had given him the gold ring and
told him her secret, she would marry him. The rest of the suitors were very unhappy and
jealous too. They called it an error of destiny, a trick of fate — even a curse of God.
Sindhu declared it ‘a triumph of faith, love and patience’. He had got what he wanted in
life — his desires were very few. He just wanted a little happiness and comfort for his
mother and a pretty wife for himself. So, the two got married and lived happily ever after.
Saying so, Baba Trinco rose and bade everyone goodnight, promising the children a
funny story the next day.
The children enjoyed the story. Hope you enjoyed it too!
Did you notice the significance of the number three in the story - three goats, three
gems, three strands of hair, Sindhu’s three visits to the landlord’s house? Can you think
of any reason behind it?
Have you also noticed that in almost all the folktales, it is the poor commoner who
always walks away with the prize? Just the way Sindhu walks away with the daughter of
the landlord. Folktales usually originate among the common folk. Do you think this could
be the reason behind it?
Who do you think is the old lady? Why did the lady give away such lucky goats?
I hope you can appreciate the fact that the hero of the story is so much in harmony with
nature. His love for his cows as well as the goats is part of this harmony. He lives in a
 68

bamboo hut. He plays on the bamboo flute. The goats dance to his tunes. He is a
peasant working very close to nature.
I think I have given you enough food for thought. Let us attempt some short answer
questions. Please remember that you must strictly follow the word-limit (30-40 words) in
your answers.
7.3 Short-Answer Questions
Q 1. Why were the peasant and his mother in trouble?
Ans. Sindhu and his mother were in trouble because of the drought. They had a small
plot of grazing land and two cows. Nothing could grow on the piece of land during the
drought. As a result, there was nothing to feed the cows. This caused a lot of pain and
trouble to the mother and the son.
Q 2. Why did Sindhu not want to sell his cows to the butcher?
Ans. Sindhu loved his cows very much. He was forced to sell them as he could not get
anything for them to eat during the drought. However, he did not want to sell the cows to
the butcher as he could not bear the thought of the cows getting killed.
Q 3. Why did Sindhu not like the bargain offered by the old woman?
Ans. Sindhu did not like the bargain offered by the old woman. The woman was
offering her three goats to Sindhu in return for his two cows. She promised that she
would take care of the cows very well. Sindhu felt that it would be difficult to feed the
goats during the drought. He thought that the goats would be a burden on him and his
mother. Moreover, he would lose the chance of earning some money by selling the
cows.
Q 4. How did the old woman convince Sindhu to take the goats?
Ans. The old woman told Sindhu in a very serious tone that the goats were much
better than money because they would bring him fortune some day. Then she took out a
flute from her basket and began to play a tune. To Sindhu’s great surprise and
amusement, the goats began to dance. Moreover, the goats were very beautiful. They
had long hair, long ears, and round noses. Sindhu thought that even if the goats did not
prove to be lucky, he could always earn a few pennies everyday by entertaining the
village folk with their dance. He thus made up his mind to take the goats in return for his
cows.
Q 5. What was the old lady’s advice to Sindhu?
Ans. The old lady gave a piece of advice to Sindhu to remain content with whatever he
had. She gave this advice because Sindhu was not very happy with the lady’s offer of
exchanging his two cows for her three dancing goats.
Q 6. What was it about Sindhu that impressed the old lady?
Ans. Sindhu was greatly attached to his cows. He took the trouble of plucking the
leaves of a tree to feed the cows when he was on his way to the market. The old lady
was touched by Sindhu’s love for the cows. She realized that Sindhu was forced to sell
his beloved pets due to the drought. She asked him all sorts of questions and
understood that Sindhu was a good, young man.
Q 7. What plans did Sindhu have about the goats?
 69

Ans. Sindhu was quite smart. He thought that the goats could be a source of income
for him. He could earn a few pennies everyday by entertaining the village folk with the
unique dance of the goats. In case this plan failed, he would still be able to get a
handsome price for the goats by selling them as they were quite lovely.
Q 8. Who wanted to be entertained by the goats?
Ans. The story of the three dancing goats became widespread in the whole of the
village. Very soon, the village landlord’s beautiful daughter also heard about the goats.
She was curious to see the famous goats’ dance with her own eyes and be entertained.
She, therefore, requested her father to summon the owner of the goats:
Q 9. Why did the landlord’s daughter want to buy a goat?
Ans. The landlord’s daughter wanted to buy one goat from Sindhu out of the three he
had because she was enchanted by their merry dance. The goats flapped their long ears
and moved their limbs gracefully. This performance made the landlord’s daughter very
happy.
Q 10. What price did Sindhu ask for the goat?
Ans. Sindhu refused to sell the goat for money. This was different than what he had
thought earlier while exchanging his cows with the goats. Now he told the landlord’s
daughter that she could have one of his precious pets after paying a visit to his widowed
mother. She would also have to take a barrel of foodstuffs for his mother.
Q 11. Why did the landlord’s daughter call Sindhu again?
Ans. The landlord’s daughter had to call Sindhu again because the dancing goat that
she had bought refused to dance after Sindhu left. The best musicians of the area with
their fancy instruments played beautiful tunes. However, the sole goat with the landlord’s
daughter refused to start its performance.
Q 12. What did the village soothsayer tell her about the goats?
Ans. The village soothsayer was unable to understand the real reason behind the
goat’s refusal to dance. He gave the opinion that the goat would not dance since it had
no companion. It enjoyed dancing only when it was with the rest of the goats.
Q 13. What price did Sindhu ask for the second goat?
Ans. Sindhu could understand that the landlord’s daughter was really fascinated by
the dancing goats. Moreover, he was also attracted to her beauty. He therefore asked
very politely for a barrel of foodstuffs like before. In addition, he also asked her for the
gold ring studded with three gems that she was wearing.
Q 14. What did the village priest tell the girl about making the goats dance?
Ans. The village priest told the landlord’s daughter that the goats would not dance
when their third companion was away. According to him, it was necessary to have all the
three goats together to encourage them to give a performance.
Q 15. What price did Sindhu ask for the third goat and the flute?
Ans. Sindhu asked for a barrel of foodstuffs like before for the third goat. However,
since the girl had come to know the secret of the magic flute, Sindhu asked for her
secret in return. He wanted to know the significance and meaning of the three different
coloured stones in the gold ring.
Q 16. Why was the girl embarrassed to reveal the secret of the three stones?
 70

Ans. The girl was embarrassed to reveal her secret because no other man knew about
it. It was related to her personally. She wondered whether the peasant was aspiring to
marry her since she was aware that the guessing of the secret would be the first
condition of her marriage.
Q 17. What were the colours of the three strands of hair? What did these colours stand
for?
Ans. The three strands that were hidden among the black tresses of the girl were pure
white, dark red and bright green. The white strand stood for the diamond; the red strand
for the ruby; and the bright green strand stood for the emerald. All these stones were
studded in the ring that the landlord’s daughter had given to Sindhu in return for the
second goat.
Q 18. What did the suitors have to do to marry the landlord’s daughter?
Ans. The suitors who came with the desire to marry the landlord’s daughter had to
correctly guess the colours of the three strands of hair hidden among her black hair.
Q 19. Why was it a curious way of finding a bridegroom?
Ans. It was a very unusual and curious way of finding a bridegroom. It was based
purely on guesswork and not on any personal qualifications of the suitor.
Q 20. Why did Sindhu not tell the secret to the young man?
Ans. Sindhu did not tell the secret of the three strands of hair of the landlord’s
daughter to the young man on the road intentionally. Sindhu wanted to marry the girl as
he was in love with her. He also knew the secret very well. So, he made the excuse that
he could tell the secret only in the presence of the girl. This was a clever trick on his part
in order to enter the landlord’s house with the young man’s help.
Q 21. Describe the atmosphere inside the house of the landlord on the day of.the
marriage of his daughter?
Ans. There was a lot of activity in the landlord’s house. The hall was crowded with a
number of suitors who had arrived there in the hope of marrying the beautiful girl. The
girl was sitting on a raised platform. Even though it was her marriage day, she was
dressed very simply. However, her grace and charm shone through that simplicity.
Q 22. How did the other suitors react to Sindhu’s success?
Ans. The other suitors were astonished at Sindhu’s success. They were also
disappointed at losing the contest. They began making fun of Sindhu as he was only a
poor peasant. They felt that he was not a fit bridegroom for a beautiful, rich girl. They
said openly that Sindhu’s success was an ‘error of destiny’ or ‘a trick of fate’. They were
so bitter that they even called the turn of events ‘a curse of God.’
7.4 Long-Answer Questions
A long answer question has been attempted for you below. Please note that the word-
limit for such questions is 100-120 words.
Q 1. Why did Sindhu want to marry the landlord’s daughter? How did he finally
succeed in winning her?
Ans. Sindhu was a sensible but poor peasant. He was very hard working too. His
repeated meetings with the landlord’s daughter stirred his emotions. She was a beautiful
girl. She was also fond of animals like Sindhu. She was even ready to part with her ring
for buying the goat. She agreed to go to Sindhu’s house and take a barrel of foodstuffs
 71

for his mother. Sindhu fell in love with this girl of many qualities. However, he tried to
remain content with her ring and its little secret of the three gems corresponding to the
colour of the three strands of her hair. It was enough for him to catch a glimpse of her
while he worked in the landlord’s farms.
When the landlord announced the marriage of his daughter to the person who guessed
the colour of the three hidden strands of his daughter’s hair, Sindhu knew that it was his
only chance. He managed to reach the landlord’s house with the help of a young man.
Nobody recognized him due to the fine clothes that he was wearing. These clothes had
been given to him by the young man. Once Sindhu reached in front of the girl, he spoke
out the secret in a clear and serious voice. There was no choice for the landlord but to
marry off his daughter to Sindhu. In Sindhu’s own words, his success was a ‘triumph of
faith, love and patience.’
Self-Assessment Questions
1. The story “The Three Dancing Goats” is written by an …………………………..
writer.
2. The story is narrated by (a)…………………………. to (b)…………………….
3. The story revolves around a (a) ……………………………….. whose name is
(b)…………………………..
4. Sindhu sold the (a)…………………………….. in exchange of (b)…………………..

7.5 Composition
Here’s a chance for all of us to be writers!
Imagine that as soon as Sindhu puts the garland around the girl’s neck, her hair
turns completely snow-white. Write what happens after this in about 150-200
words.
Got any ideas? What do you think Sindhu would do?
● Run out of the house at top speed screaming and shouting?
● Pull back the garland and pretend he had never put it around the girl’s neck?
● Rush to the lawyer and file a divorce case?
● Go to the market and buy some hair-dye?
● Demand the whole property of the landlord as compensation?
The possibilities are many. Here’s how I would like the story to unfold:
Sindhu was very happy. The girl glowed beautifully, and her black, silken tresses
gleamed in the light. With a heart beating excitedly, Sindhu garlanded his bride. As soon
as he did so, the glossy black hair of the girl instantly changed to snow-white. There was
a shocked silence. The musicians playing happy tunes stopped midway. Sindhu could
not believe his eyes and stood staring at the girl. Now, the unsuccessful suitors began
laughing. ‘Ha! Ha! You will need patience to love this girl now’, one said, mocking
Sindhu’s earlier words. ‘Serve him right for cheating me’, said the young man who had
brought Sindhu there. ‘He is stuck with an old hag. Old hag! Old hag!’ echoed the voices.
The girl stood with her head bent, tears flowing down her cheeks. The landlord looked
ashamed and distressed.
 72

After the initial shock, Sindhu moved. He gently took hold of the girl’s hands and made
her garland him. Later, the landlord told him that there was a curse on his daughter. He
did not know how to get rid of it. Sindhu consoled him and his wife. He then took the
three goats and his flute and went to the same tree where he had met the old lady
before. As he began playing the flute, the old lady appeared again. After listening to his
story, she took back his flute and gave him a sword. ‘Kill the goats with this and bathe
your wife’s hair with the goats’ blood’ she said. Sidhu refused to do so and turned to go
back. The old lady called him back again. This time she gave him a hoe. ‘Dig the earth in
front of your hut with this’, she said and disappeared. On reaching home, Sindhu found
his wife waiting for him, her hair black once again. He dug the earth and found a barrel
of seeds. He planted these seeds in his plot of land. The seeds gave him a rich harvest
year after year. Sindhu lived happily, a rich man now, with his mother, wife and the three
dancing goats.

Here are a few more composition questions:

Q 3. Describe the meeting between the landlord’s daughter and Sindhu’s mother.
Q 4. Imagine what would have happened if Sindhu had not accepted the offer of the
three dancing goats.
7.6Summary
By now you must have understood that folk tales are carried on by word of mouth and
are annonymous. Like most of the folk tales, this story revolves around a poor, young
peasant who lived with his mother in a bamboo hut. Like most of the folk tales, this story
has a happy ending. The moral of the story is that faith and patience help a person to
gain victory over other forces.

7.7 Further Reading

https://www.bartleby.com/essay/Three-Dancing-Goats-FKGTLK4KRZYA
https://geekroll.wordpress.com/2019/04/01/the-three-dancing-goats-ba-summary-and-question-answers/
7.8 Model Questions
1. Give the character sketch of Sindhu with examples from the story to
support your answer.
2. Give the character sketch of the landlord’s daughter with examples from
the story to support your answer.
3. Write a character sketch of Sindhu, based on your reading of the story.


Answers to Self-Assessment Questions

1. Anonymous
2. (a) Baba Trinco (b) a group of children
3. (a) a poor peasant (b) Sindhu
4. (a) two cows (b) three goats
 73

Lesson-8

STORY-2

THE FORTUNE TELLER

Structure
8.0 Objectives
8.1 Introduction
8.2 About the Author
8.3 A Detailed Summary of the Story
8.4 Short Answer Type Questions
8.5 Long Answer Type Questions
8.6 Composition
8.7 Summary
8.8 Further Reading
8.9 Model Questions

8.0 Objectives
After reading this chapter you will be able to:
 understand the main theme of the story
 summarize the story and delineate the characters-sketch of main
characters
8.1 Introduction
Future fascinates us all and more so, because we cannot know it. In our country, we
frequently come across sadhus and astrologers, all claiming to be blessed with a
capability to foresee. Many of us cannot resist the temptation of having our future
predicted. Have you ever noticed how people crowd around a jyotishi sitting under a tree
on the roadside? Or how a parrot picking up cards from a heap becomes the center of
attraction at a fair? Of course, there also is Tarot reading which has become very
popular even on the internet.
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Do you think the future can be really predicted? Have you ever had your future told? Has
any prediction come true in your case?
The previous story that you read – ‘The Three Dancing Goats’ — had a touch of magic,
of some unseen forces working in the lives of humans. The present story deals with
human affairs. It centers on the investigation and then the trial of a woman named Mrs.
Edith Myers. The ending however, gives us an idea that life is the biggest mystery and
therefore, we must learn to expect the unexpected. What offense does Mrs. Myers
commit? You would come to know very soon
The style of Karel Capek, the author, is very different. He does not always state
everything clearly. There is a subtlety in his manner of writing. The reader is pushed into
drawing his/her own conclusions. I will point out and explain such instances in the
course of the summary. First,let us begin with a brief introduction to the author.
8.2 About the Author
Karel Capek (1890 —1938) was one of the most influential Czech writers of the 20th
century. Capek was born in Bohemia, Austria—Hungary (now the Czech Republic).
He wrote with intelligence and humour on a wide variety of subjects. His works are
known for their interesting and precise descriptions of reality. He is perhaps best known
as a science fiction author, who wrote before science fiction became widely recognized
as a separate genre. Many of his works discuss ethical aspects of scientific inventions.
These include issues like mass production, atomic weapons, and robots. In addressing
these themes, Capek was also expressing fear of social disasters, dictatorship, and
violence. His other books and plays include detective stories, novels, fairy tales and
theatre plays, and even a book on gardening. His most important works attempt to
answer the question: What is knowledge?’ Examples include ‘The Tales from Two
Pockets’, and the first book of all the trilogy of novels Hordubal, Meteor, and An Ordinary
Life.
8.3 A Detailed Summary of the Story
Unit I
In the beginning, the author specifies that the story is about the trial of a lady, Mrs. Edith
Myers. The name of the judge who tried her is Mr. Kelly, J.P. The story takes place in
London in England. The author is not ready to reveal the exact place in London and
suggests various places such as Kensington, Brampton or Bayswater. Later, he also
adds one more probable place to the list in unit III. - Marylebone. It seems from the
writer’s style that he is actually trying to recall the place but cannot. Perhaps, he wishes
to convey that such an incident could happen anywhere - but only within England,
Czechoslovakia, France or Germany — incidentally, the three countries where the
author was educated.
Karl Capek is of the opinion that judgments in other countries are made strictly in
accordance with the specified law. However, in this particular case the judgment was
made on the basis of common sense and dictates of the conscience. This is not a
compliment either for the judge or the judgment. It suggests that the judge gave more
importance to his personal ideas rather than the law of the land. This is not a very good
situation, as you would agree. Imagine, an innocent person being hanged in a case of
murder just because he had quarreled with the judge sometime back in the market over
a petty issue such as the price of tomatoes! Why does Judge Kelly give this sort of
judgment? We will try to find an answer as we move on with the story.
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Unit II
Here, the author introduces two more characters — Detective Mac Leary and his wife.
MacLeary discusses a suspect, Mrs. Edith Myers, with his wife. MacLeary is curious to
know how the lady makes her living. It seems that he has been keeping a watch over
her. He has noticed that people of all levels of society visit her. The number of visitors,
which is between twelve and twenty every day, also bothers him.
He agrees that a person with such a wide variety of visitors could possibly be a fortune-
teller. That itself speaks of the popularity of fortune-tellers all over the world. However,
detectives are habitually suspicious. So, MacLeary thinks that the business of fortune-
telling might just be an eye-wash. Who knows that the lady might actually be a spy? Or,
she might be carrying on some disgraceful activity such as prostitution. In any case, the
police have to be very alert. And this justifies MacLeary’s concerns about her.
Unit III
Seeing her husband so worried, Mrs. MacLeary offers to find out things for him. The
events that follow later, however, point out to the possibility of Mrs. MacLeary being very
eager to have her fortune told. The next day, she goes to Mrs. Myers house. She takes
care to dress herself in a girlish manner and even takes off her wedding ring. When she
meets the lady, she gives her name to be Miss Jones. She also mentions that she would
be turning twenty the very next day. Of course, she is older in reality and her actual age
is twenty four. With a very scared expression on her face, she tells Mrs. Myers that she’s
very anxious about her future.
Unit IV
Mrs. Myers tells Miss Jones that she normally does not tell anyone’s fortune by cards. It
is only a pastime for her. All the same, she readily shuffles a pack of Tarot cards for Miss
Jones. Perhaps, Mrs. Myers is on the verge of telling her true profession at this stage.
But her attention is diverted by the unusually good cards that had been selected by Miss
Jones. Mrs. Myers reads the cards. Some cards indicate that the young woman would
be getting a lot of money shortly. A journey in the near future is also indicated.
Surprisingly, Mrs.Myers also makes the forecast that Miss Jones would get married
before the end of the year. Her husband would be a very rich young man and she would
perhaps move across the oceans with him. However, a bit of worry is also foreseen and
an elderly gentleman is seen to be the cause of that worry. Miss Jones says that that
person could be her uncle.
Mrs. Myers then asks for one guinea as her fee. This, she says, would be contributed by
her to the Christian mission for the Negroes. Here, Miss Jones takes out a pound and a
shilling from her handbag. She wants to know if the reasons for worry could be erased
out of her destiny with some extra money. In a very dignified manner, Mrs. Myers says
that the cards cannot be bribed. In other words, she means that money cannot change
one’s destiny. She asks Miss Jones who her uncle was. Miss Jones lies with an innocent
face that he worked with the secret service of the police. This is a very interesting lie. We
do not know anything about her uncle. But we do know that her husband works in that
position. Does it mean that her husband is old enough to be her uncle? Perhaps, he is.
And, does the young lady want to get married again to a younger man who would also
be rich? At least her offer of more money to Mrs. Myers to get rid of her ‘worries’ seems
to hint at that.
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The reaction of Mrs. Myers is equally interesting. She draws out three cards again. After
reading the cards, she tells Miss Jones that her uncle might face a great danger in the
future. She notes very keenly that he works with the secret service and reveals that
many people from Scotland Yard visit her regularly to discuss their probIems and tell her
whatever is in their minds. She instructs Miss Jones to send her uncle to her. The
character of Mrs. Myers appear quite mysterious here. Why does she want to meet the
uncle? Is MacLeary right in suspecting her, after all? Does she want to know what the
police think of her? Does she really carry out activities that are against the law? —
These are the questions that come to a reader’s mind.
Unit V
MacLeary is quite worried to know from his wife that Mrs. Myers had shown undue
interest in her so-called ‘uncle’. He has also dug up the information that the real name of
the lady is Meierhofer and she belongs to Lubeck in Germany. Now, he is sure that she
is a spy and fortune-telling is just a way of making people speak out their secrets. She
must be passing on those secrets to her own country, he thinks. He informs his bosses
about his findings. Taking due notice of MacLeary’s report, they pass orders for Mrs.
Myers to appear before a magistrate, Mr. Kelly, J.P.
Oddly, the charges against her are not for spying but for not reading the cards properly.
Perhaps the authorities do not have sufficient evidence to prove her a spy. The
magistrate is of the opinion that she should not read cards if she doesn’t know how to.
He says that the people are cheated of the money that they pay as her fee. Mrs. Myers
defends her case by saying that she is right ‘sometimes’ and some clients are very
happy with her for her good advice. It is another matter that the advice might be to get a
divorce. The judge finds fault with Mrs. Myers’ interpretation of the cards. It seems that
he has also been learning to read tarot cards. Mrs. MacLeary is produced as a witness.
Cornered, Mrs. Myers confesses that she had indeed ‘arranged’ the cards in such a
manner that the interpretation would make Miss Jones happy. Incidentally, she also
reveals that she decides on the arrangement of cards on the basis of guesswork about a
person’s state of mind from the expression and appearance. Since Mrs. Mac Leary had
introduced herself as an unmarried woman and had been wearing a torn glove, Mrs.
Myers had presumed that she would be happy with the forecast of a rich, young
husband. She openly admits that the talk about journeys and obstacles was just a pack
of lies to make the card —reading more interesting.
Unit VI
The magistrate pronounced the judgment that she would have to pay a fine of fifty
pounds for committing fraud. Since she does not know how to read cards, she would not
be allowed to read them for others. As a result, she would be without any means of
livelihood now in an alien country. Hence, she would be sent back to her own country.
The judgment also takes care of the suspicion of Mrs. Myers being a spy. She would not
pose any danger once she was sent away from the country. The judge however warns
her that the practice of inaccurate fortune-telling was ‘disgraceful’ and ‘unscrupulous
business’.
Unit VII
About a year has passed since this incident. Mr. Kelly meets Detective MacLeary and
asks him about his wife very courteously. MacLeary informs him glumly that she had left
him for a young millionaire settled at Melbourne in Australia. Though he had tried to stop
her, the young lady had sailed with her new husband to Australia the previous week.
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In this way, all the predictions that Mrs. Myers had made about Mrs. MacLeary come out
to be true. Mrs. Myers did not know how to read the cards properly. She was right only
‘sometimes’. It seems that her guess had turned out to be correct in case of Mrs.
MacLeary. What do you think of the coincidence?
The story has many instances of irony. Some actions of the characters lead to
unexpected results. Can you find out what these actions are? Mrs. Myers says
something which comes out to be true later. She is deported out of the country for an
offence she never committed. The judge displays his knowledge of cards so proudly.
But, he is proved wrong later. All this is ironic. It is a story which makes us wonder about
the ways of destiny and justice. It is also an indicator of the fact that we treat people
belonging to other countries with distrust.
Now let us attempt some questions. I hope you remember that short answer questions
have to be answered in 30-40 words.
8.4 Short - Answer Questions
Q 1. How do judges try criminals in Czechoslovakia, France or Germany?
Ans. Judges in CzechosIovakia, France or Germany work according to the book of
law. They conduct the trial and pass the sentence in keeping with the laws of the land.
They do not depend upon their own common sense, howsoever shrewd and sharp it
might be. They also do not allow their conscience to interfere, howsoever clear it might
be. In other words, the judges in these countries follow the law in letter and spirit.
Q 2. Where was the present case tried?
Ans. The present case of Mrs. Myers was tried at London in England. However, the
author does not specify the exact place in London. He names quite a few places within
London such as Kensington, Brampton, Bayswater and Marylebone as the probable
locations but doesn’t seem to be sure about any.
Q 3. Why did Inspector MacLeary suspect Mrs. Myers?
Ans. Inspector MacLeary was suspicious of Mrs. Myers because of the number of
visitors who visited her every day. Mrs. Myers received visitors from all classes of
society — from common workers to aristocrats. MacLeary also could not understand
why Mrs. Myers should be sending her servant to fetch asparagus in February. The plant
has edible shoots and grows in spring. It is generally available in the month of April. It is
too early to expect it in the market in February. This aroused MacLeary’s suspicion,
making him think that Mrs. Myers could be an alien to England since she did not know
the English seasons properly. There could be another reason for MacLeary’s suspicion.
Asparagus is a delicacy and therefore expensive. A mere fortune-teller might not be able
to afford it.
Q 4. What did Mrs. Myers do for a living?
Ans. It was not very clear to MacLeary what Mrs. Myers did for a living. He guessed
from the large number of visitors she received every day that she might be a fortune-
teller. Everyone has some or other problem and is curious to know of one’s future. Only
a person in this profession could have visitors ranging from commoners to members of
the nobility.
Q 5. What, according to MacLeary, was Mrs. Myers doing behind the cover of fortune-
telling?
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Ans. MacLeary thought that Mrs. Myers’ fortune-telling might just be a cover for some
other illegal activity. He suspected that the lady could either be a spy or carrying out a
disgraceful profession such as prostitution under the cover of fortune-telling.
Q 6. What did Miss Jones want to know from Mrs. Myers?
Ans. Miss Jones told Mrs. Myers that she was turning twenty the next day. She said
that she was very anxious to know about her future. She implied that she wanted to
know about her marriage prospects and the kind of husband she would get.
Q 7. What was the real identity of Mrs. Myers?
Ans. The real name of Mrs. Myers was Meierhofer. She was not a citizen of England.
She belonged to Germany.
Q 8. What was the charge against Mrs. Myers?
Ans. The charges against Mrs. Myers were not for spying but for not reading the cards
properly. Perhaps the authorities did not have sufficient evidence to prove her a spy. The
magistrate was of the opinion that she should not read cards if she didn’t know how to.
He said that this way people were cheated of the money that they had paid her as a fee.
Q 9. What did the judge tell Mrs. Myers?
Ans. The judge found fault with Mrs. Myers’ interpretation of the cards. He felt that her
offence was equivalent to selling adulterated products. It was like giving slabs of clay
when people asked for chocolates. He asserted that inaccurate fortune-telling was
disgraceful and unscrupulous.
Q 10. How did Mrs. Myers defend herself?
Ans. Mrs. Myers defended her case by saying that she foretold the things her clients
liked to hear. This gave them value for their money. She said that she was right
‘sometimes’ and some of her clients were very happy with her for her good advice. It
was another matter that the advice might have been to get a divorce.
Q 11. What judgment was given by the magistrate?
Ans. The magistrate pronounced the judgment that Mrs. Myers would have to pay a
fine of fifty pounds for committing fraud. Since she did not know how to read cards, she
would not have any means of livelihood any longer in an alien country. Hence, she
would be sent back to her own country by the authorities.
Q 12. What did MacLeary tell the judge when he met him after one year?
Ans. MacLeary was in a very glum mood when the judge, Mr. Kelly, met him after one
year. He felt very embarrassed when asked about his wife. All the same, he told the
judge that she had left him for a young man who was also a millionaire. She had sailed
with her new husband to Australia where he had his business. MacLeary also said that
she went away even though he had tried very hard to stop her.
Q 13. Why did Mrs. MacLeary leave her husband?
Ans. Mrs. MacLeary left her husband due to various reasons. She was a young
woman and MacLeary was considerably older than her. He was in the police department
and earned a modest salary. This is clear from a fact mentioned by Mrs. Myers in the
courtroom that when Mrs. MacLeary had gone to meet her as Miss Jones, she had been
wearing a torn glove. On the other hand, her new husband was young, rich and loved
her very much. This prompted Mrs. MacLeary to leave her husband.
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Q 14. Compare Mrs. Myers’ interpretation of certain cards with that of Magistrate Kelly.
Ans. Magistrate Kelly seemed to have some knowledge of Tarot cards. He strongly
disagreed with Mrs. Myers interpretation of the card with nine spades in the second
heap. According to the lady, this particular card meant that a long journey across the
ocean was in store. The Magistrate, however, was sure that the card meant hope.
Rather, he said, it was the jack of spades that meant journeys. If this card got paired with
the seven of diamonds in a heap, it meant long journeys likely to lead to something
worthwhile.
8.5 Long-Answer Questions (100-120 words)
Q 1. How did Mrs. Myers read the cards? What predictions did she make for Miss
Jones?
Ans. Mrs. Myers was quite astonished to see the cards that were divided into five
heaps by Miss Jones. She said that the cards were unusually good. She explained the
meaning of each card as she read them. The Knave of Diamonds meant that Miss Jones
would be getting a lot of money in the near future. The card with Ten of Spades was
interpreted by her as having a journey in store for the young lady. The Nine of Spades
indicated that the journey would be across the ocean. The card with clubs indicated
worries. But the cards with Knave of Hearts and Queen of Hearts meant a marriage of
love.
Seeing the cards, Mrs. Myers predicted that Miss Jones would get married before the
end of the year. The man whom she would be married to would be young as well as rich.
In fact, he would be a millionaire who would travel a lot. However, before the marriage
happened, a lot many obstacles would have to be crossed by the couple. An elderly
gentleman would cause the obstruction. The couple would have to overcome that
obstruction. Miss Jones would have to move a long way off, probably across an ocean,
after her marriage. In short, Mrs. Myers predicted a very eventful but happy life ahead for
Miss Jones.
Q 2. Describe the trial of Mrs. Myers in your own words.
I am sure you can attempt this question very well. Pay special attention to Judge Kelly’s
attitude in your answer.
Self-Assessment Questions
1. The writer of the short story (a)………………………… is the most influential
(b)…………………. writers of the 20th century.
2. The story is about the (a) ………….. of a lady (b)………………………….
3. The setting of the story is …………………………………….
4. The detective (a)…………………………… and his wife (b)………………………….
suspected the

8.6 Composition
Q 1. Write in about 150 words how one should not depend on fate.
Before beginning to write, let us examine these quotes on fate:
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● Each player must accept the cards life deals him or her. But once they are in
hand, he or she alone must decide how to play the cards in order to win the game.
● Men/women are not prisoners of Fate, but only prisoners of their own minds.
● How a person masters his/her fate is more important than what his/her fate is.
● Actions are the seed of fate. Deeds grow into destiny.
● When fate hands us a lemon, let’s try to make lemonade.
● Fate leads the willing, and drags along the reluctant.
● Throw a lucky person into the sea, and he/she will come up with a fish in his
mouth.
What message do these quotes give to you?
There is no chance, no destiny, no fate, that can hinder or control the firm resolve of a
determined soul. Fate is for those who are too weak to carve their own destiny. Each
person is the architect of his/her own fate. There are ample inspiring, real-life stories
around us which speak of people overcoming their weaknesses and drawbacks and
coming back to claim their share of success. These people refused to give up even in
the face of the most adverse/difficult circumstances. Others made fun of them and their
shortcomings. However, instead of being disheartened, they became stronger in their
hearts and minds. They worked so hard on their defects that fate had to change its
course and hand them what they most desired - glory, fame, money, success and love.
Mahatma Gandhi, the Father of the Nation, devised Satyagraha to fight the mighty
imperial power and changed the fate of an entire country. The British then knew better
than to call him a ‘naked fakir’. Who hasn’t heard of Helen Keller, the deaf, dumb, and
blind girl who overcame her handicap to become a writer? Hindi film actor Hritik Roshan
worked on his stammer to deliver fluent dialogues in his movies and became the
favourite of millions. Sourav Ganguly made a spectacular comeback in the world of
Cricket after becoming a victim of politics. Dhirubhai Ambani left the security of his small
hometown to follow his dreams in the big, bad world. Today, he is one of the most well-
known names all over the world. These, however, are not the only stories of conviction in
one’s own abilities and courage to alter the circumstances. People rebuild their houses
after an earthquake. Others, like Sudha Chandran, continue to dance even after losing a
leg in an accident. The idea is never to give up, never to ‘allow yourself to believe that
circumstances are stronger than you.
Here's a chance for you to write about your own experiences. Describe your
encounter with an astrologer in about 200 words. The following hints might be
useful:
● The appearance of the astrologer- his saffron clothes, long beard, a vermillion
mark on the forehead, and a small, tattered bag on his shoulder
● The feeling you got upon seeing him, since you were in some kind of trouble
● The description of your problem (You could think of some problem on your own.
Or you could use any of the following reasons - lost papers OR lack of success in
exams. OR bad health)
● The prediction by the astrologer
● The result of the prediction
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8.7 Summary:
The Story points to the unpredictability in human life.The ending gives us an idea that life
is the biggest mystery and therefore, we must learn to expect the unexpected. A
thorough reading of the story makes this amply clear.

8.8 Further Reading

http://degmat.blogspot.com/2019/10/the-fortune-teller-summary-karel-capek.html
https://ashortspell.com/the-fortune-teller-by-karel-capek/
http://spokenenglishabcd.blogspot.com/2016/12/essay-on-fortune-teller-by-karel-capek.html
8.9 Model Questions
1. Describe the meeting between Miss Jones and Miss Myers from the point-of-view
of the fortune-teller.
2. What was the offence of Mr. Myers? Describe in detail.
3. How did Mr. Myers tell the fortune of her clients? Discuss with examples

Answers to Self-Assessment Questions

1. (a) Karel Capek (b) Czech
2. (a) trial (b) Mrs.Edith Myers
3. London, England
4. (a) Mr. MacLeary (b) Mrs. MacLeary


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Lesson-9

STORY-3

GRIEF
ANTON CHEKHOV
Structure
9.0 Objectives
9.1 Introduction
9.2 About the Author
9.3 Summary of the Story
9.4 Comprehension Exercises
9.5Short Answer Type Questions
9.6 Long Answer Questions
9.7 Precis Writing
9.8 Letter Writing
9.9 Composition Exercise
9.10 Summary
9.11 Further Reading
9.12 Model Questions

9.0 Objectives:
After reading this paper you will be able to:
● understand the theme of the story
● delineate the character sketch of major characters
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9.1Introduction:
After reading about the uncertainty in life, you will now read about the unpredictable
nature of human life.In this story, you will notice how the writer shows that the world has
lost all kindness for fellow human beings. The Russian short story writer, Chekhov
highlights the plight of the downtrodden and the loneliness of spirit that surrounds human
beings in the world today.
9.2 ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Anton Pavlovich Chekhov (29 January 1860- 15 July 1904) was a Russian short-story
writer, playwright and physician. He is considered to be the greatest short story writer in
the world. His career as a dramatist consists of four plays: The Seagulls, Uncle Vanya,
The Three Sisters, and The Cherry Orchard. His popularity comes from the short stories
for which he received acclaim from all over the world. He used the stream of
consciousness technique, which included narration of the thoughts of the protagonist
with extreme detail. Born in a poor family, Chekhov attended a school for Greek boys,
followed by the Taganrog gymnasium. Chekhov’s main works include Lady with the
Lapdog and Other Stories, Selection of Humourous ‘Stories and Select Tales. He died of
tuberculosis.
9.3 SUMMARY OF THE STORY
The story ‘Grief' revolves around the sorrow of an old cab driver, lona Potapov in
Moscow, who has lost his son. Potapov cannot find one compassionate person in the
city, to hear his tale of woe. Disappointed with the behaviour of human beings, he finally
tells his story to his old horse. Notice the exquisite detail of Potapov’s sorrow described
by Chekhov. Also notice how the writer shows that the world has lost all kindness for
fellow human beings. Chekhov highlights the plight of the downtrodden and the
loneliness of spirit that surrounds human beings in the world today.
UNIT 1
The story begins with a desperate desire of lona Potapov to share his grief with
someone. It is the twilight or late evening scene in Moscow. The snow has begun to fall
and there is a thin layer of snow on the street, shoulders of the passers-by and the
horses pulling the cabs. Both Potapov and his white horse are extremely still and look
unreal objects. It is a cold evening and they haven’t received any customers till then,
when suddenly an officer in a great coat calls lona’s cab for Viborg way.
UNIT 2
lona picks up his whip slowly and ushers his horse to move. The snow falls down his and
the horse’s back. The horse begins to move reluctantly and almost loses direction. The
cab trudges (walks slowly) along the path, jostling (pushing or bumping into someone)
into the pedestrians. Another cab driver hurls abuses at lona and the officer also makes
fun of him saying: “What scoundrels they are... one would think they had all entered into
an agreement to jostle you or fall under your horse.”
lona begins softly to tell the passenger of his son Barin. He tells him that Barin died last
week. The officer asks what he died of and lona gets encouraged to talk his heart out.
He turns towards the passenger and explains that the doctors said it was fever, and that
God’s will must be done. Suddenly, the officer warns him to keep his attention on the
road as he is about to run into something. lona turns back and the officer snubs (ignores)
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the conversation telling him to hurry up. lona tries to talk several times, but the
passenger shows no interest in the conversation.
UNIT 3
After having waited for a long time at Viborg way, finally lona gets passengers to go to
the Police Bridge. This time he gets three young men. They offer a low fare, but lona
doesn’t mind as long as he has company. The young men use abusive language and
jostle into the cab and argue over who will remain standing as the cab has only two
seats.
They make fun of Potapov and urge him to go faster. While the young men talk of their
own adventures, Potapov tries to talk to them, but they make fun of him. Finally he blurts
out: “My son—died this week? The young men still don’t react kindly and tell him to go
fast. They even threaten to hit him if he doesn’t go any faster. lona talks of his grief, but
they show no interest and get off at their destination without any concern for the cab
driver.
UNIT 4
lona’s grief is now haunting (recurring) him even more immensely. There is a crowd of
people around him, but not one is disposed to listen to him. He feels that his heart is
filled with infinite grief and if all the grief poured out, it would flood the entire world. He
feels overwhelmed by his grief. He tries to start a conversation with a hall porter by
asking him the time, but the latter abuses him for standing there and asks him to move
away. He sits there for a while, but then concludes that he cannot find anyone to talk to
there. He thinks of going back to the stables and the horse, as if sensing his desire,
starts to trot (run) towards the stables.
UNIT 5
lona reaches the stables and begins to regret having returned so soon. He has not
earned enough money to feed himself or his horse. Around him in the stable, cab drivers
are sleeping and the air is thick with smoke. A young cab driver gets up to drink some
water. lona tries to strike a conversation with him, but he rudely ignores him. lona starts
telling him about his son’s death, but the young man turns his face away and goes off to
sleep.
lona feels absolutely desperate (anxious) in his sorrow. He feels that it is going to be a
week since his son died and he hasn’t been able to find someone to talk to about it. He
wanted to share the details of the son’s illness, his stay at the hospital, his pain and
death and how lona’s daughter was in the village and not with him at that time. But he
cannot find anyone with a kind heart to hear of his sorrow. He also thinks of finding a
woman to talk to as they are more emotional than men.
UNIT 6
lona decides to go and check on his horse as he is not feeling sleepy. He goes to the
horse and remembers that his son Barin was a good cab driver who could earn enough
for himself and his horse, while he has not earned much. Then he starts talking to the
horse about his son’s death and says that the horse would be able to understand lona’s
grief if it had lost its young one too. lona feels too sad and starts telling of his grief to his
horse.
9.4 COMPREHENSION EXERCISES
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After reading the story, you must be ready to answer some comprehension questions on
it. Read the following solved examples.
Q 1. Who is the old man looking for?
Ans. The old man is looking for someone with a kind heart, who he can tell the story of
his son’s death to.
Q2. ‘He is bent double as far as a human body can bend doubIe’. What does this
statement imply?
Ans. lona Potapov is sitting on his cab seat with his body bent down because of his
grief and the cold weather. He is bent down in a manner that his body seems to be
folded to half its size. He seems so bent and beaten down that no human being can be
more bent or beaten down.
Q 3. Who is lona’s first passenger? Where does he want to go?
Ans. lona’s first passenger is an officer in a huge sized coat. He wants to go to Viborg
Way.
Q 4. Why does lona forget his loneliness with the young men?
Ans. The young passengers are making fun of each other and langhing and merry
making. Even though they curse and threaten lona to make him move faster and show
no kindness to him, he forgets his sorrow to some extent when they are around because
they are having a good time.
Q 5. Why does lona hear rather than feel the young man’s blows?
Ans. lona is so deeply grief stricken that listening to the Iaughter of the young men
soothes him to some extent. It is for this reasen that he does not feel the pain of their
blows. He can hear their abuses but they do not affect him in any way.
Q 6. Why does lona think that death had gone to the wrong door?
Ans. lona thinks that it was his time to die as he was old and had lived his life. Death
however took away his young son Barin who had his whole life in front of him. lona
thinks that death came to the wrong door and took away the young son instead of the
old father.
Q 7. Why does lona’s grief hurt him when he is alone?
Ans. lona’s grief hurts him more when he is alone because then his loneliness haunts
him more than before. When he is in the company of people he feels a little secure and
also hopes that he will get a chance to vent out his sorrow.
Q 8. Why does Iona consider women to be stupid?
Ans. Iona considers women to be stupid as they cry even at the slightest bit of sorrow.
He also longs for a kind person to share his grief with and contemplates finding a woman
to tell his story to.
Q 9. Why does lona tell his whole story to the horse?
Ans. lona tells his whole story to the horse eventually as he realizes that no human
being has a kind heart to listen to his sorrow and console him. He finally feels that the
mute animal has greater compassion in it than the world of men.
 86

Now that you have read the solved examples, you are ready to attempt a few questions
on your own.
Q 10. What similarities are there between lona and his horse?
Q 11. Why does the officer shout at Iona?
Q 12. Why does Iona bless the young men?
Q 13. Does the hall porter give Iona a chance to tell his story?
Q14. Why does lona offer a drink to the cab driver?
Q 15. What does Iona say to his horse?

9.5 SHORT-ANSWER QUESTIONS

Let us try our hand at some short answer questions now. The answers must be precise,
to the point and clear. Read the solved example and then solve the given questions.
Q 1. Describe the setting of the evening?
Ans. It is twilight and the snow is beginning to fall on the streets, the rooftops of the
houses and the people walking around. The back of lona’s horse also has a thin layer of
snow on it. The scene is quite grim with the cold weather and the people walking
indifferent to those around.
Q 2. Describe the behaviour of the three young men in the story. (please attempt this)
Q 3. Describe every little detail of lona’s story.

9.6 LONG-ANSWER QUESTIONS

Q 1. One must talk of a painful event to someone. Describe how lona tries to talk
about his pain to others.
Ans. Any painful event in one’s life tends to cause grief and sorrow, which can be
diminished only upon sharing it with people and receiving consolation and comfort from
them. Man is a social animal and receives reassurance from social contact and
communication in a sorrowful state.
lona drives a horse-pulled cab. lona’s grief is enormous. His son Barin died of an
unexplained illness and he is left alone to find comfort in an indifferent world. His
daughter could not be there with him and that adds to his sense of isolation. His
alienation seems complete when he finds not a soul, in a city full of men, who is willing to
hear of his woe.
In his state of anguish, he waits at the road side for passengers. He hopes that he will be
able to talk to them about his son’s death. On a cold evening, when the snow is
beginning to cover everything in deathly whiteness, the inhumane attitude of the people
seems just as cold. lona waits on his cab in a drooping manner with himself and his
horse absolutely still. He tries to talk to his passengers: an officer and then three young,
merry men, about his son’s death. But they ignore his sorrow and remain unwilling to talk
to him.
Facing the indifference and rudeness of a hall porter too, lona decides to retire to the
stables hoping to find some willing ear there. He tries to talk to a fellow cab driver but he
 87

turns around to sleep indifferent to his story. lona decides to check on his horse and
ends up recounting his entire story to the horse.
The conclusion of the story, with lona finding only an animal to share his sorrow with
shows the indifference of human beings towards each other’s sorrow. Chekhov pin
points at the cruel and sell-centered behaviour of people in the so called “human
society”.

9.7 GRAMMAR
Prepositions are words like up, on, into, in, under, down etc. which establish the relation
between nouns and objects in the sentence. For example:
He was driving down the street.
He climbed up the stairs.
He is in the room.
These words are called adverb particles when they do not have an object following them
and are helping the verbs. For example:
Please sit down.
She is not up.yet.
You can come in.
Fill in the blanks in the following sentences using prepositions or adverb particles
after observing the given solved examples.
i. If a whole snowdrift fell on him, he would not find it necessary to shake it off.
ii. The cab-driver smacks his lips and sits down.
iii. lona gapes _____ like someone suffocating.
iv. The hump-back asked lona to hurry —.
v. The hump-back got mixed — in some elaborate six-foot oath.
9.8 PRECIS WRITING
Precis writing is the art of summarizing a given passage to approximately one third of its
original length. The summarized version must explain the main theme of the given
passage and must bring out the main points in it. Unnecessary details and examples
given must be avoided. Any quotations in the passage can also be avoided in the
summarized version.
To make an effective summary, read the given passage at least three times and mark
the parts which are extremely important. Then attempt to write a precis.
Read the given solved example carefully. This is a précis of the first paragraph of Unit 4
of Chekhov’s story “Grief”. It begins with, ‘His grief, which..? and ends with “...with a
light.”
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lona’s sorrow had diminished, but now it returns with greater intensity. He looks for
someone who would listen to his story, but the people around are indifferent to him. But
he is overwhelmed with his unbearable grief. People however do not notice it at all.
Now attempt to summarize a passage from Unit 5 of the stozy. It begins with “lona looks
to see what effect….” and ends with “...are enough to make them sob.”
9.9 LETTER WRITING
Letters written for official requests and suggestions must be written in a specific format.
The language used must be formal and the style of writing must be direct and not vague.
Unlike personal letters, these letters are precise and come straight to the point.
Letters of formal style are written with a specific subject and must not divert into
unnecessary detail. You must learn how to write such letters for official purposes. Here
is an example of a letter written to the Director of the Social Pension Department asking
for extension of pension services to an old destitute man in your neighbourhood. Read
the letter carefully and notice the format and style used.

The Director
Social Pension Department
XYZ City.
12th January, 2011.

Sub: Request for extension Pension services.

Dear Sir

This is to request you to extend pension services to an eighty-year old destitute man,
Rain Saran living near our house. Since this poor man is illiterate and his family is no
longer with him to take care of him, it is the responsibility of the government to help him
in his old age.
The Government of India allows old age pension to senior citizens and a Subsistence
Allowance to the destitute. I would request you to kindly extend these services to him so
as to ensure a healthy survival for him.
I would be highly grateful to you.

Thanking You.
Yours obediently
EFG.

Now that you have learnt how to write formal letters of request, write a letter to the
Director of the Social Welfare Department of your city urging him to open a
 89

‘listening service’ for people suffering from sadness and depression. Explain to
him/her the benefits that such a service can provide to the affected people.
Self-Assessment Questions
1. The writer of the story (a)…………………………….. is a (b) ………………..writer.
2. By profession Chekhov was a …………………………….
3. The story deals with the (a)………………………of (b)……………………….
4. Iona Popatov tells his story to ………………………………

9.10 COMPOSITION EXERCISE

Composition of short passages on a given topic requires a proper understanding of the
topic. Since the word limit is specified in such questions, candidates must adhere to that.
You have already tried a few paragraphs. Follow the given guidelines to write a 200
word paragraph on ‘What volunteers can do for homeless old people in the city hospital.’
● First make a list of the valid points to make on the given topic like: problems
faced by old and homeless people; responsibilities of the society towards such people;
what can be done to help them
● Then prioritize points as per significance
● Write a planned paragraph with a clear beginning and body
● Read and edit it carefully

9.10 Summary
You have by now read the conclusion of the story, with lona finding only an animal to
share his sorrow. This shows the indifference of human beings towards each other’s
sorrow. Chekhov pinpoints at the cruel and sell-centered behaviour of people in the so
called “human society”. Human beings who are supposed to be kind and compassionate
are quite indifferent to the grief of others. At a time when the snow is beginning to cover
everything in deathly whiteness, the inhumane attitude of the people seems just as
cold.Chekhov highlights the plight of the downtrodden and the loneliness of spirit that
surrounds human beings in the world today.

9.11 Further Reading

http://www.eastoftheweb.com/short-stories/UBooks/Grie.shtml
https://study.com/academy/lesson/misery-by-anton-chekhov-summary-characters.html
9.12 Model Questions
1. Why did Iona Potapov not find a single person to tell his story?
2. Whom did Iona Potapov tell his story?
 90

3. How does the story tell the plight of downtrodden people?

Answers to Self-Assessment Questions

1. (a) Anton Chekhov (b) Russian
2. Physician
3. (a) plight (b) Iona Potapov
4. Horse

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Lesson-10

STORY-4

THE DOLL’S HOUSE

KATHERINE MANSFIELD

Structure
10.0 Objectives
10.1 Introduction
10.2 About the Author
10.3 Summary of the Story
10.4 Comprehension Exercises
10.5 Short Answer Type Questions
10.6 Long Answer Type Questions
10.7 Grammar
10.8 Precis Writing
10.9 Letter Writing
10.10 Composition
10.11 Summary
10.11Further Reading
10.12Model Questions

10.0 Objectives
After reading this chapter you will be able to:
● summarize the plot and development of the story
● analyse the story in a critical way
● understand the message

10.1Introduction:
This story by Mansfield revolves around a doll’s house which has been gifted to three
young girls by their aunt. The story captures the excitement of the children, their own
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systems of hierarchy based on age and their cold (indifferent) attitude towards
underprivileged children. You will notice how Mansfield manages to skillfully reveal the
presence of evil even among innocent children. It must have troubled you too as a
reader to see how young girls can hurt each other based on social unevenness. The
kind heartedness of Kezia is noteworthy in contrast with the attitude of her sisters,
parents and society towards the unfortunate Kelveys.
10.2 ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Kathleen Mansfield Beauchamp Murry (14 October 1888 - 9 January 1923) was born in
Wellington, New Zealand and became one of the most important writers of short stories.
She used the pen name of Katherine Mansfield. She went to Great Britain in 1908. She
was influenced by great English writers like D.H. Lawrence and Virginia Woolf Her
stories depict a deep sense of human nature and behaviour and generaily begin
abruptly. You must have noticed that the story “The Doll’s House” also begins rather
suddenly and as if in the middle of some action. Among her most well-known stories are
“The Garden Party”, “The Daughters of the Late Colonel'', “The Fly”, “Miss Brill’,
“Prelude” and “The Doll’s House”. She contracted extra pulmonary tuberculosis during
the first World War and died of it at the age of 34.
10.3 SUMMARY OF THE STORY
Let us now read a Unit-wise summary of the story to refresh our reading.
UNIT 1
The story begins with Mrs. Hay sending a huge doll’s house to the Burnells after staying
with them for some time. The house is so big that it has to be carried by two men and
kept in the courtyard. Aunt Beryl says that the smell of fresh paint will also reduce by the
time summer is over and the doll’s house can be brought back in.
The house is rich green in colour, with yellow decorations. The chimneys are red and the
windows are bright green. There is also a yellow porch with decorations made out of
thick paint.
UNIT 2
Upon undoing the clasps in the front of the house, the front wall falls down revealing the
entire house together. Mansfield expresses her desire here that all houses should be
open spaces revealing all at once. She says that it is difficult to find out what is inside the
house peeping from the living room, but this way of opening the house is the best.
The Burnell children are extremely happy to receive the doll’s house as they have never
seen anything prettier than it. All the rooms had wallpapers. There were also framed
pictures on the walls. All rooms except the kitchen had red carpets and chairs of various
colours. There were dressing drawers, cutlery, crockery and every other item one can
find in a real house. But Kezia Burnell loved the tiny lamp with a white globe. The lamp
suited the house in terms of size and seemed to belong to that house perfectly. Other
items were too big or too small for the house.
There were dolls representing mother and father in the drawing room. The children's
dolls were upstairs. But all these dolls looked too big and stiff. But the lamp was perfect.
UNIT 3
The next morning the Burnell children went as quickly to the school as possible. They
wanted to tell everyone about the doll house before the school bell. Isabel, the eldest
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child, immediately said that she will tell everybody about the doll house as she was the
eldest. Lottie and Kezia timidly followed what Isabel decided. Isabel also said that she
would decide who is to see the house first.
It had been decided at home that the school girls could be asked to come and see the
house two at a time, as long as they behaved well and did not enter the house. Here too,
Isabel said that she would show the house to the visiting girls and Lottie and Kezia will
stand behind. You must have observed how the girls follow their elder dominating sister.
By the time they reached the school, the bell had already gone but Isabel behaved
mysteriously through the roll-call and told everyone that she had something interesting to
tell at break time. At play time, all the girls surrounded Isabel and wanted to hear what
she had to share. There were only two girls who didn’t come in the group but stood
apart. They were Lil and Else Kelvey. They did not dare to come anywhere close to the
Burnells.
UNIT 4
The school was the only one in the area and this forced all the children of the community
to study in the same class. There were children of judges, doctors, store keepers,
milkmen etc. all in the same school. But the Kelveys were the worst. Their mother was a
washerwoman and their father was said to be a convicted prisoner. No children were
allowed to come near the Kelveys or talk to them. Even the teachers maintained a
distance with them and treated them differently. Lil and young Else stayed together all
the time. Else always held the corner of Lil’s skirt and remained silent most of the time.
She followed her older sister wherever she went.
Now the Kelveys stood apart but eager to hear what Isabel had to say. Isabel told
everyone proudly of the doll house. Kezia eagerly added the details of the lamp.Isabel
finally chose Emmie Cole and Lena Logan to come and see the doll house that day. The
Kelveys moved away as they knew they wouldn’t be invited to see the doll house.
As children saw the house day after day, the fame of it spread. While the girls sat day
after day praising the doll house, the Kelveys overheard their conversation but never
dared to participate in it. Kezia wanted to invite the Kelveys to see the doll house, but
her mother plainly refused.
UNIT 5
One afternoon, as the girls sat eating under the pine trees and the Kelveys ate out of the
newspaper wrapping, Emmie and Isabel started saying that Lil will become a servant girl
when she grows up. Lena wanted to tease Lil. Then skipping and dancing she went up
to Lil and asked her if she would become a servant when she grew up. Lil didn’t answer
but smiled awkwardly. Lena’s plan didn’t work, so she asked Lil about her father being in
prison. After saying this, the girls felt extremely victorious and ran away in joy. You must
have noticed that the author uses a very sarcastic style to talk about the rich and famous
and mentions the joy felt by the children at hurting Lil as an example of their
heartlessness.
UNIT 6
In the noon time, Pat called for the Burnell girls to take them home early as they had
visitors. While Isabel and Lottie went up to check their dresses, Kezia went out into the
courtyard. She saw the Kelveys walking by and greeted them. Then confirming that no
one was around, she invited them to see the doll’s house. Else tugged at Lil’s skirt
 94

urging her to go in. you can imagine how much the underprivileged girls would wish to
see the doll house.
Kezia showed the doll’s house to them and they were excited beyond all measure to see
it. All of a sudden, Aunt Beryl came there and scolded Kezia for inviting the Kelveys. She
shooed the latter away as if they were animals. Lii and Else ran out and Aunt Beryl took
Kezia in scolding her. After the Kelveys ran out, they sat down on the drain pipe quietly.
Then suddenly, the innocent Else smiled and said, “I saw the little lamp.” Then they were
silent again.
10.4 COMPREHENSION EXERCISES
You must have observed the story carefully and seen how discrimination against the
poor is instilled right from the beginning of a person’s life. Both the Burnell and the
Kelvey children are aware of their differences and maintain distance from each other.
Now let us try some comprehension exercises based on text.
Q 1. What did Mrs. Hay send the Burnell children?
Ans. Mrs. Hay sent a very large doll’s house to the Burnell children.
Q 2. What was the colour of the paint on the doll’s house?
Ans. The house was rich green in colour with yellow outlines and red chimneys.
Q 3. What, according to the writer, is the best way for a house to open?
Ans. According to the writer, the best way for a house to open is altogether rather than
room by room. She says that it is best if the house reveals everything immediately.
Q 4. Why was there no carpet on the kitchen floor?
Ans. The kitchen of any house has a lot of use of water and carpets are not used in
such spaces. The doll’s house was very close to a real house in its properties.
Q 5. Why were the Burnell children eager to go to school?
Ans. The Burnell children were eager to get to school so that they could tell their
friends about the doll’s house.
Q 6. How did Isabel try to look mysterious and important?
Ans. Isabel remained silent and proud through the roll call to look mysterious and
important and told everyone to meet her at playtime.
Q 7. Why could the Burnell children not go to another school?
Ans. The Burnell children could not go to another school as that was the only school in
the area.
Q8. What did the parents of Lil and Else do?
Ans. Lil and Else’s mother worked from house to house as a washerwoman. Their
father was said to have been a prisoner.
Q 9. Why were the Kelvey children surprised to receive Kezia’s invitation?
Ans. The Kelvey children were not used to being treated well by the Burnells and they
did not ever expect to be greeted or invited by them. That is why they were surprised
when Kezia invited them to see the doll’s house.
 95

Q 10. What did Else like most in the house? What does this show?
Ans. Else liked the lamp the most in the house. This shows that children are innocent
at heart and like the same things whatever their sociaI status may be. As Else and Kezia
liked the same thing, we are told that they are similar but for their social standing.
Now don’t you feel that you are ready to answer some questions yourself? Here
are a few comprehension based questions for you to answer.
Q 11. What was there on the walls of the doll’s house?
Q 12. What did Kezia like most of all?
Q 13. What was in the lamp?
Q 14. Why did the girls want to be with Isabel?
Q 15. Why did the parents not let their children mix with the Kelveys?
Q 16. Who were the leaders among the children?
Q 17. What did Kezia want Isabel to explain the most to the girls about the doll’s
house?
Q 18. Why did Lil and Else stop eating when they saw Lena coming?
Q 19. What did Else see on the road when she was in the courtyard?
Q 20. Who spoiled the fun of the Kelvey children looking at the dollhouse?
10.5 SHORT-ANSWER QUESTIONS
Let us read some solved examples of short-answer questions from the text.
Q 1. What does the writer mean when she says, “No harm could come to it; it was
summer.”
Ans. By the given sentence, Mansfield meant that since it was summer, the doll’s
house was fine even if left outside. It is during the rains that the house could be spoiled if
left outside. The colour of the house could have been washed down if it were winter.
Q 2. Why does Kezia consider the lamp real?
Ans. Kezia considers the lamp real because it is the only thing in the house that has a
suitable size. Everything else in the house including the mother, father and children dolls
were too big for it and seemed out of place. The lamp was the only thing that seemed to
belong there.
Q 3. What is meant by: “The Kelveys never failed to understand one another.”
Ans. The statement means that the Kelveys shared a very strong bond with each
other and could understand what the other meant even without saying anything. Lil and
Else have not been shown talking anywhere, still they understand each other’s ideas
perfectly.
Q 4. Describe Kezia’s courage in inviting the Kelveys home?
Ans. Kezia seems eager right from the beginning to invite the Kelveys home to show
them the doll’s house, but her mother strongly refuses. Despite that, she invites them to
the courtyard when she sees them walking down the lane. This shows her courage.
Now try to answer the following questions yourselves.
Q 5. Describe, in brief, the perfect little house.
 96

Q 6. Describe the attitude of the teacher towards the Kelveys.

Q 7. How is Lena mean to the Kelveys?
10.6 LONG-ANSWER QUESTIONS
Q 1. Why, in your opinion, are poor people treated in a shabby manner?
Ans. Every society, no matter how advanced, is divided economically into the rich and
the poor. The rich and the poor constitute two disparate sections of the society which are
classified as the privileged and the underprivileged respectively. The poor are often ill
treated by the rich for various reasons.
To begin with, the poor cannot maintain a healthy and hygienic way of life, which repels
the rich from their company. Further, due to inferior education and etiquette, they exhibit
mannerisms (characteristics) and ignorance which does not suit the sensibility of the
rich. However, none of these reasons are justified in treating the poor shabbily.
The rich are most significantly conscious of their status and feel insecure about sharing
any common space with the poor for the fear that their friends may judge them as
inferior because of their poor company. The rich are materialistic by nature and tend to
translate economic power into a person’s worth. The rich remain blind to the fact that a
human being can be good or bad irrespective of his economic situation. It is as a result
of the sweeping belief of the rich that the poor are unworthy of their company, that they
ill treat them.
In my opinion, such shabby treatment of any fellow human being only reflects on the
shallowness of the character of the rich. It only shows their insecurity and lack of self-
worth. It also elaborates that materialistic power comes at the cost of humane kindness.
Try to elaborate the answer to the following question using the given hints.
Q 2. Do the poor in our country face such situations as the Kelveys did? Narrate
specific incidents to strengthen your point.
Hints:
● Poor are discriminated against in India
● Separate colonies and housing areas for the slum dwellers
● Separate schools for their children
● They are treated as animals and slaves and made to do menial jobs
● Ill-treatment of maids, servants and drivers in rich people’s houses
● Separatism and untouchability still in practice: separate utensils for them, they
are given old discarded clothes etc.
Now attempt a long answer on your own.
Q 3. Imagine yourself to be one of the Kelvey children. Make out a case for yourself
stating your right to be treated in a better way.
10.7 Grammar:
You have already learnt how to use prepositions in sentences. Read the following solved
examples to refresh your knowledge of the use of prepositions.
i. In the doll’s house, two solid little chimneys were glued onto the roof.
 97

ii. She held quite a court under the huge pine trees at the side of the playground.
Now try to fill in the blanks with suitable prepositions.
iii. The Kelveys were shunned ____________ everybody.
iv. They wanted to be horrid ______________ them.
v. She stepped ______________ the yard and shooed them out as if they were
chickens.

Q 8. Describe Else’s feelings when she sees the doll’s house.

10.8 PRECIS WRITING

You must remember how to write a precis. In order to summarize a passage, you must
repeatedly read it carefully and then shorten it to approximately one-third of the original
length. Observe how the following passage from Unit 2 of the story has been
summarized as an example. The passage begins with “The hook at the side...” and ends
with “...your hand on the knocker.”
Pat opened the side hook of the doll’s house with a pen knife and the front fell down
revealing the entire house at the same time. Real houses should open like that. When
one goes to a house, one wants to peep in from the doors of the living room, but cannot.
Now try to make a precis of the passage in Unit 4 of the story which begins with
“For the fact was...” and ends with “... dreadfully common- looking flowers.”
10.9 LETTER WRITING
You have already learnt how to write formal letters of request. You must know the format
of such letters already. Try to write a letter to the Director of the Education Department in
your city explaining to him/her the condition of the poor children in schools. Urge him/her
to provide for such children facilities like school uniforms, shoes, food and milk. You can
use the given hints to create the body of your letter.
● Poor children feel out of place
● Their problem with understanding in class
● Discrimination by fellow students and teachers
● Poor provision of books, clothes and food for them.
● Suggestions for a better environment: free food, books etc.; teacher training to
treat all students alike; special tutorials for their problems etc.
10.10 Composition Writing:
Based on the given outline, write a 200-word paragraph on the following topic:
“Social relations between the rich and the poor in India”
Outline: Inequality in the Indian society based on economic difference — Economic
discrimination — The rich are the privileged class while the poor are exploited — Cause
of rift in the social fabric — Without economic equalization, society cannot flourish —
Socialism is the only way out.
Self-Assessment Questions
 98

1. The story (a)………………………………. Is written by (b)………………………..

2. Katherine Mansfield is the most famous ………………………….. writer.
3. The story “The Doll’s House” revolves around the families of
(a)…………………….. and (b)……………………………….
4. Out of all three of the Burnell sisters, ………………………was kind and
compassionate.

10.11 Summary:
In this lesson you have learnt about the behaviour of the children. Children often follow
adults. Rich children behave in a very derogatory manner towards the poor. Shabby
treatment of any fellow human being only reflects on the shallowness of the character of
the rich. It only shows their insecurity and lack of self-worth. It also elaborates that
materialistic power comes at the cost of humane kindness.

10.12 Further Reading

https://www.litcharts.com/lit/the-doll-s-house/summary
https://www.enotes.com/topics/dolls-house-katherine-mansfield
https://www.bachelorandmaster.com/shortfiction/the-dolls-house-summary.html#.XlugxCEzZdg
10.13 Model Questions
1. How does the story talks about the privileged and unprivileged children?
2. How do the Burnell sisters treat the Kelveys?
3. How does Kezia’s treatment of the Kelveys differ from her sisters?

Answers to the Self-Assessment Questions

1. (a) The Doll’s House (b) Katherine Mansfield
2. New Zealand
3. (a) Burnell (b) Kelveys
4. Kezia

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 99

Lesson-11

STORY-5
HOW MUCH LAND DOES A MAN NEED?
LEO TOLSTOY

Structure
11.0 Objectives
11.1 Introduction
11.2 About the Author
11.3 Summary of the Essay
11.4 Short Answer Type Questions
11.5 Long Answer Type Questions
11.6 Composition
11.7 Summary
11.8 Further Reading
11.9 Model Questions

11.0 Objectives
After reading this chapter you will be able to:
● understand the plot of the story
● critically delineate and sketch the character of major characters

11.1 Introduction
Life is not a bed of roses. It cannot be perfect for any one of us. The only way to lead a
good life is to remain content while making efforts to make it better. All of us wish for
many things. But, one really must make a wish with care. Have you heard the story of
King Midas?
King Midas was a very kind man who ruled his kingdom fairly, but he was not one to
think very deeply about what he said. He had this desire to be even richer and powerful.
Once, he was rewarded for some kind deed by Dionysus with one wish. The king
thought for only a second and wished that everything he touched may turn to gold. And
so it was.
The beautiful flowers in his garden turned toward the sun for light, but when Midas
approached and touched them, they stood rigid and gold. The king grew hungry and
thin, for each time he tried to eat, he found that his meal had turned to gold. His lovely
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daughter, at his loving touch, also turned to gold. His water, his bed, his clothes, his
friends, and eventually the whole palace was gold.
King Midas saw that soon his whole kingdom would turn to gold unless he did something
right away. He asked Dionysus to turn everything back to the way it had been and take
back his golden touch. Because the king was ashamed and very sad, Dionysus took pity
on him and granted his request. Instantly, King Midas was poorer than he had been, but
richer, he felt, in the things that really count.
King Midas learnt his lesson well. He had the chance to set things right. Everyone is not
so lucky. Pahom, the main character of Tolstoy’s story, wasn't.

11.2 About the Author

Leo Nikolayevich Tolstoy (1828–1910) was a Russian writer who primarily
wrote novels and short stories. Later in life, he also wrote plays and essays. Tolstoy is
one of the giants of Russian literature. Many consider Tolstoy to have been one of the
world’s greatest novelists. His two most famous works, the novels War and
Peace and Anna Karenina, are acknowledged as two of the greatest novels of all times.
He also became noted as a moral thinker and social reformer. His ideas on nonviolent
resistance, expressed in such works as The Kingdom of God Is Within You, were to
have a profound impact on such pivotal twentieth-century figures as Mohandas
Gandhi and Martin Luther King, Jr.
Tolstoy’s earliest works, the autobiographical novels Childhood, Boyhood,
and Youth (1852–1856), tell of a rich landowner’s son and his slow realization of the
division between himself and his peasants. Though he later rejected them as
sentimental, a great deal of Tolstoy’s own life is revealed in these works. They retain
their relevance as accounts of the universal story of growing up. Tolstoy served as
a second lieutenant in an artillery regiment during the Crimean War. His experiences in
battle gave him material for realistic depiction of the horrors of war in his later work. His
fiction consistently attempts to convey realistically the Russian society in which he
lived.Tolstoy concentrated on Christian themes in his later novels such as The Death of
Ivan Ilyich (1886) and What Is to Be Done?
Let us read a summary of the story!
11.3 Summary of the Essay
The story begins with the visit of a woman to meet her younger sister in the village. This
woman was married to a trader. She lived in the town with her family. She boasted of the
merits of town life. The younger sister was married to a peasant. His name was Pahom.
The younger sister was very contented with her life. She felt that their life was simple but
without worries. She also said very forcefully in defense of country life that there were no
temptations there.
Pahom was a peasant working on his own small farm and sharing in the community
pastures. He was listening to the conversation of the two women and unknowingly
committed the blunder of expressing his weakness within the devil’s hearing: ‘If I had
plenty of land, I shouldn’t fear the Devil himself!’ The devil, who had been sitting behind
the fireplace, decided to play some tricks on him and make him his plaything.
Pahom did not get along very well with a rich lady in the neighbourhood. This lady was a
landowner and owned about 300 acres of land. She had employed an old soldier as her
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steward to manage her financial affairs. The steward was very strict. He charged a hefty
fine for any cattle trespassing into the lady’s land. Consequently, the peasants,
especially Pahom, were quite upset as they had to pay up a lot of money as fine.
One day, the peasants of the area were quite alarmed to hear that the lady was selling
her land to an innkeeper of the village. They feared that things would be worse if the
innkeeper bought the land. The peasants decided to buy the land collectively after
offering a higher price to the lady. Later, they came together twice to discuss the issue
but failed to reach an agreement. It was therefore decided that they would buy land
individually. Tolstoy writes that this discord was another trick on the part of the devil.
When Pahom saw everybody buying land, he got worried. He discussed the issue with
his wife. With a great deal of effort, he scraped together money to buy twenty acres and
became the proud owner of land. Soon enough, he began to have problems with his
trespassing neighbours. He lost his peace of mind and goodwill with the neighbours due
to frequent quarrels.
After some time, a stranger from beyond the Volga came to his house. He kindled desire
for more land in Pahom’s heart by describing how fertile and cheap the land was in his
area. Pahom bought 125 acres of land after this. So, Pahom kept on making new
schemes and executing them. Gradually, he became a large landowner – but with each
successive business deal that made him richer and gave him more land, he found
himself less and less satisfied. The land was never fertile enough.
After slowly accumulating more and more property, the greedy Pahom heard from a
passing dealer that the Bashkirs, a minority race in Russia, were practically giving their
land away. This was too good to be true – ‘There is more land there than you could
cover if you walked a year and it all belongs to the Bashkirs. They are as simple as
sheep, and land can be got almost for nothing.’
Of course, Pahom couldn’t resist such an opportunity. He accompanied the tradesman,
(actually the devil in disguise), who told him of this “deal of a lifetime” to the land of the
Bashkirs. There, he made a deal with a Bashkir chief. According to the deal, he could
have all the land he could walk around in a day for 1000 roubles. He had to start at
sunrise and return to the spot he had begun from by sundown. But a night of restless
sleep brought a dream. He dreamt that he was lying in that same tent and heard
somebody chuckling outside. He wondered in his dream who it could be, and went out to
see. He saw the Bashkir Chief sitting in front of the tent holding his sides and rolling
about with laughter. Going nearer to the Chief, Pahom asked: “What are you laughing
at?” But he saw that it was no longer the Chief, but the dealer who had recently stopped
at his house and had told him about the land. Just as Pahom was going to ask, “Have
you been here long?” he saw that it was not the dealer, but the peasant who had come
up from the Volga, long ago, to Pahom’s old home. Then he saw that it was not the
peasant either, but the Devil himself with hoofs and horns, sitting there and chuckling. A
barefoot man was lying prostrate on the ground before him, with only trousers and a shirt
on. As Pahom looked more attentively at the man, he saw that the man was dead. On a
closer look, he found that the man was none other but himself! He woke up from the
dream, horror-struck.
Pahom dismissed the dream as foolishness. He set out for the next sunrise. His greed
drove him to walk too far before starting back toward his starting point - the cap of the
Bashkir chief which sat upon the ground before the leader as he awaited Pahom’s
return. Running back, Pahom collapsed at the starting point just as the sun disappeared
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behind the horizon. Pahom’s servant came running up and tried to raise him, but he saw
blood flowing from his mouth. The Bashkirs tried to congratulate him, only to find him
dead. They clicked their tongues to show their pity. His servant picked up the spade and
dug a grave long enough for Pahom to lie in. Six feet long by two feet wide from his head
to his heels was all he needed.
There are many indications in the story that the Devil works his way into Pahom’s heart.
The dream that Pahom sees in the Bashkir camp is symbolic. It seems to be a clear
warning that all the strangers - the peasant, the dealer, and the Chief - who suddenly
appear in Pahom’s life are actually the various forms taken by the Devil. All of them plant
more and more greed in Pahom’s heart. The Bashkir Chief wears a fox-fur cap. Fox is
associated with cunningness. So is the Devil. At the end of his journey, just before his
death, Pahom actually sees the Chief holding his sides and laughing just as in his
dream.
Tolstoy’s message in the story is clear enough – Pahom destroys himself because he
allows the sin of greed to guide his life. He allows the Devil to work on his mind. He
makes choices of his own free will – and those choices lead him to destruction.
11.4 Short-Answer Questions
Q. Who were the two women described in the beginning of the story?
A. The two women in the beginning of the story were sisters. The elder sister had
come to pay a visit to the younger one. The elder sister lived in the town as she was
married to a tradesman. The younger sister was married to a peasant. His name was
Pahom. The couple lived in the village with their children.
Q. Was there any apparent difference in their social status?
A. It is quite clear to the reader that the two sisters differed from each other in social
status. The elder sister was rich. She was quite proud of the clothes she wore. She also
boasted of the better things she ate in the town. She felt that peasants were slaves
whereas traders lived a life of luxury in the town. The younger sister was poor. Her
husband worked hard to make both ends meet. They lead a simple life in the village.
Q. What did Pahom think when he heard the two women arguing?
A. Pahom agreed in his thoughts with his wife’s argument that people in the towns
were more prone to the Devil. This is because there were more temptations in the town,
such as, cards, wine and women. He thought that peasants remained so busy in tilling
land that they had no time for any nonsense. He felt that his only trouble was that he did
not have enough land. He thought in his mind that if he had plenty of land, he would not
fear the Devil himself.
Q. Who happened to hear Pahom’s thoughts? What did he decide to do?
A. The Devil, who had been sitting behind the stove, heard Pahom’s thoughts. He
thought that he would like to have a tussle with the peasant. He decided to put
temptation in Pahom’s way by giving him enough land. By doing so, the Devil wanted to
have Pahom in his power.
Q. What problem did Pahom face with the landlady of the village?
A. Pahom’s cattle strayed frequently into the estate owned by the lady and spoiled
her crops. The steward employed by the lady to look after the affairs of the estate was
an old soldier. He was a very strict man. He imposed heavy fines on Pahom for the
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damage caused by Pahom’s animals to the lady’s estate when they strayed accidently
into her farms, gardens and meadows. This irritated Pahom very much.
Q. Why was Pahom happy during winters?
A. Winters dried up the grass in the pastures. Pahom had to arrange fodder for the
animals. Still, Pahom was happy during the winter season because the cattle had to be
stabled. This meant that the animals could not stray into the lady’s estate even
accidently. So, he was saved from paying a fine.
Q. Which piece of news alarmed the villagers?
A. The villagers heard that the landlady of the village was selling her land to the
village innkeeper. This alarmed the village peasants. They knew that the innkeeper was
a worse man than the steward. They feared that he would impose even heavier fines for
every lapse on their part.
Q. What request did the peasants make to the lady?
A. The peasants depended on the lady’s estate. They went to the lady on behalf of
the Commune and requested her not to sell her land to the innkeeper as he was sure to
make life difficult for all of them. They offered to buy the land themselves in a collective
manner and quoted a better price for her land.
Q. How did the peasants plan to buy the land?
A. The peasants wanted the Commune to buy the land collectively. The land would
belong to them in common. In this way, it would remain available to all of them for
various purposes.
Q. Who spoiled the plan of the peasants?
A. The peasants held a meeting twice to discuss the matter of buying the lady’s land
collectively. The Devil caused discord and disagreement between them with his powers.
As a result, they could not decide the matter within the Commune. Finally, they decided
to buy the land individually, according to the capacity of each person.
Q. How was Pahom affected by this decision?
A. Pahom was a worried man when the peasants decided to buy land individually.
He saw all the rest of the farmers buying land. He expressed himself in front of his wife
saying that life was becoming impossible. There would be no land for him to till and his
cattle to graze. The steward would crush him with fines if he did not buy any land. He felt
forced to buy at least twenty acres.
Q. How did Pahom and his wife manage to buy land from the lady?
A. Pahom and his wife had to think really hard to collect the money for buying land.
They had savings of about one hundred roubles. They sold a colt and one half of their
bees. They hired one of their sons as labourer and took his wages in advance. They
borrowed some money from a relative. They succeeded in collecting half the purchase
money this way. Then, Pahom chose a piece of wooded land of about forty acres and
made a bargain with the lady. The papers were signed on his undertaking that he would
pay the remaining amount within two years. He was able to pay off his debts after a year
as he had good harvests.
Q. How did Pahom’s life change when he became a landowner?
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A. Pahom worked hard on his land after signing the deed. He sowed seeds and
reaped a rich harvest in time. He got a good price for his crop. He could pay the full
money to the lady and also repay his debt. Thereafter, he became a landowner. He
ploughed his land and sowed seeds. He also made his own hay and cut his own trees.
His cattle grazed on his own pastures. His heart filled with joy when he looked at
growing corn and grassy meadows. He felt that the flowers that bloomed in his fields
were the prettiest and the grass in his pastures the greenest. In short, Pahom’s life
changed for the better when he became a landowner.
Q. Did Pahom remain content after becoming a landowner?
A. Pahom was contented for a while after he became a landowner. However, many
things began troubling him after some time. His neighbours trespassed on his cornfields
and meadows. The Communal herdsmen let the village cows stray into his fields.
Sometimes horses from the night pasture got among his corn. When Pahom complained
against them to the District Court, they bore a grudge against him and purposely
troubled him. One peasant even cut five lime trees located in Pahom’s woods. Moreover,
Pahom thought that he could buy some more land as he felt too cramped to be
comfortable.
Q. How did Pahom’s relationship with people begin to suffer?
A. Pahom tried to be very considerate towards his trespassing neighbours in the
beginning. He tried to appeal to them very politely. Finally, he lost patience and
complained to the District Court. The neighbours reacted by purposely causing harm to
his fields and meadows. A neighbour even cut five lime trees on his property.
Pahomfiled a complaint against a neighbour called Simon without evidence. When the
judges acquitted Simon, Pahom quarreled with the judges, calling them corrupt. People
got so angry with him that they threatened to burn his building. Thus, Pahom lost his
position in the Commune despite being better-off than before.
Q. Describe the visit of the peasant from beyond the Volga.
A. One day, a stranger dropped in at Pahom’s house. The guest was given board
and lodging for the night. He said that he was a peasant and worked and lived in the
region beyond the Volga River. He told Pahom that many people were settling in that
area. Each man was given twenty five acres as a member of the Commune, besides the
unlimited freehold land that one could buy. The land was very cheap at two shillings an
acre. It was so fertile that the rye sown on it grew as high as a horse. It grew so densely
that five cuts of a sickle made a sheaf. Penniless peasants became owners of many
cows and horses within a short time. The peasant’s visit and his description of the land
ignited the desire to own more land in Pahom’s heart.
Q. How did Pahom reach the place mentioned by the peasant?
A. Pahom waited for summer before starting. He took a steamer that took him down
the Volga to a place called Samara. He walked 300 miles on foot from Samara to reach
the place which the stranger peasant had mentioned.
Q. Describe how Pahom settled in the new place.
A. Pahom applied for admission to the Commune of a large village as soon as he
reached his new home. He underwent the necessary formalities to get his documents.
He was given 125 acres of Communal land in different fields by the Commune on the
basis of five shares in the family. He was also allowed the use of Communal pasture.
Pahom constructed whatever buildings he needed and bought cattle. He had three times
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the Communal land that he had owned previously. He was ten times better off. The land
produced good corn and he could keep as many heads of cattle as he liked.
Q. Was Pahom happy at his new home?
A. Pahom was pleased with the gains he had made in property initially. Very soon,
however, he began to think that he did not have enough land.
Q. What bothered Pahom at the new place?
A. Pahom wanted to sow wheat every time on Communal land because he had got
a good crop the first time. But, more Communal land was not available. Every peasant
wanted to grow wheat. Wheat could only be sown on fallow land or virgin soil. A used
part of land was not considered suitable for a good crop. So, enough Communal land
was not there. This made Pahom discontented and he felt that he did not have enough
Communal land.
Q. What did Pahom do to get a wheat crop?
A. Pahom rented land from a dealer for a year. He had a good crop. But, the land
was too far from the village, almost ten miles. The wheat had to be brought on a cart and
carriage had to be paid for that.
Q. What did Pahom decide to do to grow wealthier?
A. Pahom decided that it would be a good idea to buy freehold land. This would
save him the trouble of renting land every year.
Q. Who offered freehold land to Pahom?
A. Pahom came across a peasant who had bought 1300 acres. He was facing a
difficult situation and so he wanted to sell it cheaply. A price of 1500 rubles was agreed
upon to be paid partly in cash and partly later.
Q. Who appeared all of a sudden when the deal was on the verge of being
finalised? What did he tell Pahom?
A. A passing dealer happened to stop at Pahom’s one day to get a feed for his
horses after Pahom had almost clinched the land deal with the peasant. While having his
tea with Pahom, the dealer mentioned that he was returning from the land of Bashkirs.
He said that the land was even cheaper there. He had bought thirteen thousand acres of
land in just 1,000 rubles.
Q. How did the dealer describe the Bashkirs and their land?
A. The dealer told Pahom that the Bashkirs had plenty of land which was fertile and
new. It was situated near a river. The Bashkirs were as simple as sheep. They did not
know the ways of the world. They sold their land for practically nothing. All that one
needed to do was to make friends with the chiefs of Bashkirs. The dealer said that he
had given them one hundred rubles worth of silk robes and carpets, besides a case of
tea and wine to make them happy. He had been able to get land for less than a penny
an acre.
Q. What was the first impression of the Bashkirs on Pahom?
A. The Bashkirs turned out to be exactly the way they had been described by the
dealer. They lived in felt tents on the steppes by a river. They had so much land but did
not cultivate any. They did not make any bread either. Their cattle and horses grazed in
herds nearby. The women fermented the milk of mares to make kumiss and cheese. The
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men wasted their time drinking kumiss and tea, eating mutton and playing on their pipes.
They were stout, good-natured and happy. They were quite ignorant and knew no
Russian.
Q. How did the Bashkirs treat Pahom?
A. The Bashkirs came out of their tents and gathered around Pahom as soon as
they saw him. Pahom was able to convey the purpose of his visit through an interpreter.
The Bashkirs were very glad to know Pahom’s intentions. They took him to their best
tent and seated him comfortably on a carpet with cushions. They served him tea, kumiss
and mutton. In short, the Bashkirs were very hospitable towards Pahom.
Q. How did the Bashkirs react when Pahom expressed his desire to buy their
land?
A. The Bashkirs looked amused upon hearing Pahom’s desire to buy their land.
They laughed and shouted. Shortly, they began arguing and disputing. It turned out that
some of them wanted to wait for their Chief before selling off the land. Others felt that it
was all right to decide the matter in the Chief’s absence.
Q. What gifts did Pahom give to the Chief? What did the Chief tell Pahom?
A. Pahom gave the best dressing gown and five pounds of tea to the Chief as gifts.
The Bashkirs told him of Pahom’s desire to buy land. The Chief told Pahom that he
could choose any piece of land that he wanted for himself.
Q. What did Pahom want the Bashkirs to do?
A. Pahom wanted the Bashkirs to sign a title deed and have it sealed by a person in
authority in the town. He thought that he would become the undisputed owner of the land
in this manner. He feared that in the absence of a secure deed, the Bashkirs might deny
selling off the land later.
Q. What price did the Chief quote for the land?
A. The Chief said that they would charge one thousand rubles a day for the land.
This meant that Pahom could have as much land as he could go around on his feet in a
day in one thousand rubles. The only condition was that Pahom had to return on the
same day before sunset to the spot from where he would begin in the morning.
Q. How was Pahom supposed to mark the land?
A. The Chief told Pahom that he could take a spade with him and mark wherever he
wanted. At every turning, he would have to dig up a hole and pile up the grass.
Afterwards, the Bashkirs would go from hole to hole with a plough. The land would then
be marked for Pahom.
Q. What plans did Pahom make about the land at night?
A. Pahom’s mind worked very fast as he lay down on his feather-bed. He thought
that he could mark a large tract of land in a day. He hoped to cover thirty-five miles. He
planned to sell or let out the less fertile land and cultivate the best parts. He calculated
that he would plough around one hundred and fifty acres and use the rest to pasture
cattle. He would need two ox-teams and two more labourers.
Q. What made Pahom’s eyes glisten?
A. Pahom’s eyes glistened with greed and excitement when he saw the soil of the
land of the Bashkirs in the morning. He saw that it was all virgin soil. The land was as flat
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as the palm of one’s hand. Its soil was so rich that it was as black as a poppy seed.
Different kinds of grasses grew breast high in the hollows, which could be good food for
the cattle.
Q. How did Pahom prepare to go around the land?
A. Pahom took out his money and put it on the fox-fur cap that the Chief had placed
on the ground. He took off his outer-coat but kept on wearing his sleeveless under-coat.
He unfastened his girdle and tied it below his stomach. Then he put a little bag of bread
in his coat and tied a flask of water to his girdle. He drew up the tops of his boots, took a
spade and considered which way to start.
Q. What blunders did Pahom commit on his way to mark the land?
A. Pahom made many blunders on his way to mark the land. The land was very
attractive. It made Pahom greedy. He kept on going further to mark one fertile spot or
the other. He did not turn back in time. He could not calculate that it would take longer to
get back as he would be tired. Consequently, he was left with no time to rest or even
drink water on his backward journey. This lead to his total exhaustion followed by his
death.
Q. What realisations came to Pahom on his way back?
A. Pahomrealised that he had ruined the whole effort in his greed to grab too much.
Sometime later, he was also seized with fear that he could die of strain of walking too
much and too hurriedly. He was also reminded of his dream of the Chief laughing at him
and then turning into the Devil when he saw him sitting on the hillock and laughing while
holding his sides.
Q. How did the Bashkirs react to his death?
A. The Bashkirs treated Pahom’s death quite indifferently. They simply clicked their
tongues to show their pity. It seems that Pahom’s run for the land was only a little game
for them. They did not make any efforts even to bury him.
Q. Is the title of the story appropriate?
A. The title of the story is in the form of a question – How Much Land Does a Man
Need? It makes the reader think about the ultimate end of all that one accumulates in
life. Greed is never-ending. Pahom keeps on buying more and more land but is never
satisfied. He cannot sleep on even a feather-bed. Finally, he dies in his effort to add
acres to his property and grow even richer. He is buried in a grave of six feet. That is the
land that we all need in the end.
Self-Assessment Questions
1. The present story (a)………………………………………………is written by
(b)…………………………………
2. Leo Tolstoy is a famous ……………………………. Writer.
3. The story deals with the life and experience of …………………….
4. Pahom died because of his …………………………

11.5 Long-Answer questions

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Q. Describe the argument between the two sisters at the beginning of the
story?
A. An argument started between the two sisters when the elder sister came to visit
the younger sister who lived in a village. She was married to a peasant, Pahom.
Naturally, they lead a very simple life. The elder sister, who was married to a tradesman,
lived in the town. She started boasting of the advantages of town life. The elder sister
said that life was more comfortable in the town. They could dress and eat better and go
to various places during their leisure hours such as the theater, promenades and other
entertainments. She said that city-bred people were well-mannered and elegant in their
behaviour whereas the country people lived and died on a ‘dung heap’ despite working
hard.
The younger sister was irritated by the unfavourable comparison. She criticized town life
saying that it was uncertain and prone to drastic, overnight ill-luck. People in the town
were prone to anxiety. She argued that even though the village life was rough, coarse
and hard, yet, there was a certainty that a peasant’s family would never go hungry. The
village people did not need to bow before anyone. Most important of all, she said that
village people were safe from evils while the townsmen were surrounded by temptations
such as cards, wine and women.
Q. Describe the dream that Pahom saw in his sleep?
A. Pahom sawa dream at night during his restless sleep. He dreamt that he was
lying in that same tent and heard somebody chuckling outside. He wondered in his
dream who it could be, and went out to see. He saw the Bashkir Chief sitting in front of
the tent holding his sides and rolling about with laughter. Going nearer, Pahom asked
the Chief what he was laughing at. He saw that it was no longer the Chief, but the dealer
who had recently stopped at his house and had told him about the land. Just as Pahom
was going to ask if he had been there for long, he saw that it was not the dealer, but the
peasant who had come up from the Volga to his old home. Then he saw that it was not
the peasant either, but the Devil himself with hoofs and horns, sitting there and
chuckling. A barefoot man was lying prostrate on the ground before him, with only
trousers and a shirt on. As Pahom looked more attentively at the man, he saw that the
man was dead. On a closer look, he found that the man was none other but himself. He
woke up from the dream, horror-struck.
Q. How did Pahom mark the land in the course of the day?
A. Pahom began his journey at sunrise. He walked neither slowly nor quickly. He
dug up a hole after covering a thousand yards and piled up grass on it to make it visible.
As it grew warmer, he took off his undercoat. Sometime later, he had his breakfast and
took off his boots to be more comfortable. He decided that it would be too soon to return.
He kept looking back to make out how far he had come. Tempting spots came on the
way. He walked on to include them in his property. Even though he rested and ate on
the way, he did not lie down for fear of sleeping.
It kept getting hotter, but Pahom bore that in his greed. He was quite late in turning back.
As he saw the sun setting, he grew worried. He turned to go back, but he had exhausted
himself. His feet were cut and bruised. His legs began to fail. He wanted to rest but could
not. On his way back, he realised that he had been greedy. He knew he couldn’t reach
back before sunset. He was getting desperate and fearful. He threw away everything he
was carrying and began running. He was soaked in sweat and getting breathless. He
thought that he was going to die. He could see the Bashkirs on the hillock, waving at him
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and cheering. He could also see that the Chief was laughing, holding his sides, just as
he had seen him in his dream. With a great deal of effort, Pahom reached the hillock –
the point from where he had begun. He fell forward as he reached out for the Chief’s fox-
fur cap. When his servant turned him around, he saw that Pahom was dead, blood
flowing from his mouth.
Now, here are some questions which you can answer on your own:
Q. Describe Pahom’s journey from a poor peasant to a wealthy landowner?
Q. What was Pahom’s condition during the course of marking the land of
Bashkirs?
Q. What did Pahom tell himself to move on and on?
11.6 Composition
You also must have cringed like me whenever Pahom makes a wrong decision in the
course of the story. Did you want to shake him into awareness at some crucial
junctures? Well, here’s your chance! Read the following question. I am sure you would
love to attempt it.
Q. It is said that a person is the writer of his destiny. But, if you were given the
opportunity to rewrite Pahom’s life-story and his destiny, how would you want him
to act?
Here’s what I would want him to do:
∙ Make reasonable decisions rather than be affected by what the others did
∙ Control his temper when dealing with his neighbors
∙ Remember the times when he was not a landowner
∙ Take his dream seriously
∙ Try to be content with whatever he had
∙ Carefully chart out his strategy to mark the land and weigh all factors rather than
waste the night making grand plans
∙ Give up the whole exercise to another day with a better plan, rather than collapse
and die. After all, he had only 1000 rubles to lose!
11.7 Summary:
The story makes the reader think about the ultimate end of all that one accumulates in
life. Greed is never-ending. Pahom keeps on buying more and more land but is never
satisfied. He cannot sleep on even a featherbed. Finally, he dies in his effort to add
acres to his property and grow even richer. He is buried in a grave of six feet. That is the
land that we all need in the end.

11.8 Further Reading

https://www.enotes.com/topics/how-much-land-does-man-need
https://www.litcharts.com/lit/how-much-land-does-a-man-need/summary
http://www.supersummary.com/how-much-land-does-a-man-need/summary/
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11.9 Model Questions

1. What lesson does the story teach about greed?
2. Why was Pahom unsatisfied with his conditions?
3. How did Pahom die? What was the reason of his death?


Answers to the Self-Assessment Questions

1. (a) “How Much Land Does a Man Need?” (b) Leo Tolstoy
2. Russian
3. Pahom
4. Greed

Lesson-12
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STORY- 6
THE ADVENTURE OF THE BLUE CARBUNCLE
ARTHUR CONAN DOYLE

Structure
12.0 Objectives
12.1Introduction
12.2 About the Author
12.3 Summary of the Story
12.4 Comprehension
12.5 Short Answer Type Questions
12.6 Long Answer Type Questions
12.7 Grammar
12.8 Precis Writing
12.9 Letter Writing
12.10 Composition
12.11 Summary
12.12 Further Reading
12.13 Model Questions

12.0 Objectives
After reading this paper you will be able to:
● understand the main theme of the story
● summarize the story in a critical way
12.1 Introduction: Carbuncle refers to a kind of precious stone, which is usually red in
colour. An adventure refers to any piece of literature which includes a plot that is
gripping and dramatic. The story “The Adventure of the Blue Carbuncle”, like any of
Arthur Conan Doyle’s detective stories centered on Sherlock Holmes, abounds in
suspense, thrilling situations, criminal investigations and minute observations. Notice
these elements in the story and observe how Doyle writes to create curiosity in the
reader. The story is a gripping and fast paced narrative. There will be major twists and
turns in the story and the episodes will be full of thrill.
12.2 About the author
Arthur Conan Doyle (22 May 1859 – 7 July 1930) was of Scottish origin. His stories of
Sherlock Holmes began the culture of detective writing. He received his early education
at a Roman Catholic Preparatory School and also studied medicine at the University of
 112

Edinburgh. The character of Sherlock Holmes is modeled after Doyle’s University

teacher Joseph Bell. His main works include Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, Casebook
of Sherlock Holmes, Professor Challenger Stories and Tales of Terror and Mystery.
12.3 Summary of the story
UNIT-1
The narrator is a friend of Sherlock Holmes who reaches the latter’s house one day and
finds that Holmes is inspecting a certain hat closely. The hat is terribly old and looks
quite worn out. The narrator apologizes for having disturbed him during an investigation.
But Holmes replies that the hat involves no crime, but only curiosity about the owner.
UNIT-2
Holmes tells him that Peterson had seen a man wearing the hat and holding a Christmas
goose in his hand one day. A few street ruffians attacked him and he dropped his hat
and the goose. On seeing Peterson approaching, the ruffians and the poor man ran
away. The goose had a tag on its leg which said “For Mrs. Henry Baker” and the hat had
the initials “H.B.” on it.
Peterson could not find the owner of the hat and wanted to return it. Since there were no
advertisements about the hat and the bird, and the bird would have gone stale soon,
Peterson decides to cook the bird for himself and gives the hat to Holmes for inspection.
Holmes then gives the hat to the narrator to give his deductions about it.
UNIT-3
Even though the narrator cannot see anything in the hat which can tell of its owner,
Holmes makes some very shrewd and personal observations about the owner based on
the condition of the hat.
Holmes concludes and shows that the owner of the hat, Henry Baker has definitely fallen
from a good financial situation. Baker must have been in a good financial position about
three years ago, as the hat is an expensive one and around three years old. Holmes
further says that the owner must have rough grey hair and his wife must not love him too
much now as his hat is not well cleaned.
These observations themselves suggest that Holmes is extremely intelligent and has a
great observation and deductive power.
UNIT-4
The door suddenly opens and Peterson comes in. He informs Holmes that he has found
a blue shiny stone in the crop (stomach) of the goose. Holmes and the narrator observe
it and are surprised to see that it is the blue carbuncle (a very precious stone) which was
reported lost by the Countess of Morcar, five days back. Holmes brings out the
newspaper cutting of the report which stated that the stone had allegedly been stolen by
a plumber who had come in for a minor repair at Hotel Cosmopolitan in which the
Countess was staying. The upper attendant of the hotel, James Ryder had found the
stone missing and raised an alarm upon it. Based on his report, the plumber John
Horner, had been arrested even though he refused to the theft constantly. As his name
was among the offenders of a previous crime as well, the judge also thought he must be
guilty.
Holmes informs the two people that the stone has an award of 1000 pounds and is worth
much more than that.
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UNIT-5
Holmes immediately drafts a precise advertisement regarding the goose and the hat and
gives it to Peterson for the next day’s newspaper. He also writes a letter to the Countess
of Morcar to give her the good news of the discovery of the blue carbuncle which was so
dear to her.
Then Holmes places the stone in his safe and asks the narrator to accompany him the
next day at dinner when he has asked Mr. Henry Baker to come as well to collect his
hat. He also asks Peterson to get him another bird which may be returned to Mr. Baker.
The next day, Mr. Baker comes and thanks Holmes for his stuff. He also informs Holmes
that he fell into a bad financial position and lost the love of his wife too. He is extremely
thankful for the hat. But when Holmes tells him that the bird has been cooked and used
by someone else, he is very disturbed. Then Holmes tells him that he has another fresh
bird for him, which comforts him. Just to check, if Baker knew anything about the stone,
he tells him that they still have the crop of the other bird, if he needs it. But Baker refuses
and takes the new bird home with him. Holmes also asks him where he had bought the
bird from. Baker tells him that he had bought the bird at Alpha Inn and then goes home
to his wife.
UNIT-6
Holmes concludes that Baker had no role to play in the crime and decides to postpone
dinner and go to Alpha Inn instead. The narrator and Holmes leave for Alpha Inn and
order beer there. They tell him about Henry Baker and the bird he had bought and ask
the owner about where he gets his birds from. The owner tells them that he had bought
two dozen birds from Breckinridge in Covent Garden.
Holmes and the narrator set out for Covent Garden and reach the salesman’s place.
They ask him about the bird and it irritates him shockingly. He loses his calm and
refuses to tell about the source of the bird. He also says that he has been crazed with
inquiries about the bird.
Holmes plays intelligently with him and makes a bet with him that the birds are village
bred. The salesman takes the bat and asserts that they are town bred. In the excitement
of the bet, the salesman takes his register out and shows the last entry of “Mrs.
Oakshott, 117, Brixton Road” in the purchase column. This tells Holmes of the next link
and he gives the salesman the five pounds for the bet and leaves.
Just when Holmes and the narrator are leaving, they hear an argument from
Breckinridge’s shop. A man is out in the street and the salesman is abusing him for his
constant enquiries about the bird. He asks him to go to Mrs. Oakshott if she sold away
his bird.
UNIT-7
Holmes follows this man sure of the fact that he is the thief. They catch him and ask him
to accompany them if he wants to know about his bird. The three men come back to
Holmes’ house in a cab. Holmes asks him his name and he answers “John Robinson”.
But Holmes is sure that he is lying. He asks him to tell his real name, and he answers
“James Ryder”. Holmes is certain now that Ryder, the hotel’s upper attendant is the real
culprit in the case.
Upon reaching home, Holmes directly asks him about a certain goose with barred tail
and its crop. Ryder is shocked to hear such a direct comment and then dumbfounded
 114

when Holmes shows him the blue carbuncle. Holmes guesses that Ryder must’ve
purposely called Horner for some small job as he was already a proven offender and
would be considered the suspect here as well.
Upon hearing this, Ryder gets down to his knees asking for forgiveness and promises to
leave the town saying that that way, Horner would also be acquitted.
UNIT-8
Then he asks Ryder to tell how and why he stole the carbuncle. Ryder tells him that he
stole the carbuncle with the help of Catherine Cusack, the Countess’ waiting-maid.
Then Ryder tells that he went to his sister’s Mrs. Oakshott’s place worried about where
to hide the gem. He took a bird from her poultry farm shoved the stone in his crop so as
to hide it and then asked his sister to give her the goose with the barred tail as a
Christmas gift. The sister gave the bird to him and when he cut open its crop, he did not
find the gem there. Then he asked his sister if there were more than one goose of the
description. His sister informed him that there were two. When he asked for the other
bird, she informed him that she had sold it to a salesman Breckinridge.
Since then, Ryder had been looking for the bird but was unable to find it.
UNIT-9
Ryder once again asks for forgiveness and Holmes, upon thinking about it, asks him to
leave saying that the police should make up for their own faults. He also adds that it is
the time of forgiveness (Christmas) and he wishes to forgive Ryder so as to give him a
chance to become a better human being.
Then he invites the narrator to the inspection of another bird, as they are about to eat the
goose cooked by Peterson now.
12.4 Comprehension
i. What does Sherlock Holmes do in the story?
Ans. Sherlock Holmes is a detective in the story.
ii. What was Holmes doing when his friend visited him?
Ans. Holmes was observing an old hat when his friend visited him.
iii. Why could Peterson not return the goose to its owner?
Ans. Peterson could not return the goose to its owner as there was no way to identify
him or locate him.
iv. Why did they decide to cook the goose?
Ans. They decided to cook the goose as it was getting stale and unfit for eating.
v. What did Holmes infer from the condition of the hat?
Ans. From the condition of the hat, Holmes inferred that the owner must have been
rich around three years back but must have fallen on unfortunate days financially as the
hat was very old, but of good quality.
vi. Why had the man covered the stains on the hat with ink?
Ans. The man had covered the stains on the hat with ink as he was poor to buy a new
one but was intelligent enough to make it look as good as it could by covering the stains.
 115

vii. What did Peterson’s wife find in the goose? Who did it belong to?
Ans. Peterson’s wife found a precious blue coloured carbuncle in the crop of the
goose. It originally belonged to the Countess of Morcar.
viii. Where was the diamond lost?
Ans. The diamond was lost from a room in Hotel Cosmopolitan where the Countess
was staying.
ix. Why was John Horner sent to the Countess’ room? Who was the first person to
report the theft?
Ans. John Horner was a plumber and he had been sent to the Countess’ room for a
minor repair job. The upper attendant of the hotel, James Ryder was the first person to
report the theft.
x. Who did Holmes want to find first of all? Why?
Ans. Holmes wanted to find Henry Baker first, because he was the person in
possession of the goose last. He wanted to find from him the place where he bought the
goose from to be able to find how the blue carbuncle got into the bird’s crop. He also
wanted to find out if Henry Baker was the thief.
xi. Why did Baker not advertise the theft of the goose?
Ans. Baker did not advertise the theft of the goose as he had no money to do so.
xii. Why did Breckinridge suddenly become angry on hearing Holmes’ question?
Ans. On hearing Holmes’ question, Breckinridge became angry because another man
had been troubling him about the whereabouts of the goose and he was irritated with the
excessive inquiries.
xiii. How did Holmes provoke Breckinridge to give him an answer?
Ans. Holmes provoked Breckinridge to give an answer about the place he got the
goose from by challenging him to a bet whether the goose was town bred or country
bred.
xiv. Who told Ryder about the blue stone?
Ans. Catherine Cusack, the Countess of Morcar’s waiting-maid, told Ryder about the
blue stone.
xv. Where did Ryder go after stealing the diamond?
Ans. Ryder went to his sister, Mrs. Oakshott’s place after stealing the diamond.
xvi. Why did Holmes let Ryder go?
Ans. Holmes let Ryder go because he did not want to make up for the mistakes of the
police. Further, he felt that Ryder was regretful of his crime and wouldn’t do such a thing
again. He felt that if he was sent to prison he might become a jail-bird. as it was the
season of forgiveness (Christmas), he thought it was best to let Ryder go.
Now answer the given comprehension-based questions on your own.
xvii. Why was Holmes glad to see his friend?
xviii. Why was Peterson returning so late that night?
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xix. What is the ultimate destiny of the goose?

xx. Why did Holmes consider the owner of the hat to be an intelligent man?
xxi. How did Holmes deduce that Baker had lost the affection of his wife?
xxii. What reward was offered on the missing diamond?
xxiii. Why did Holmes ask Peterson to buy a goose?
xxiv. What is the difference between a dinner and a supper?
xxv. Did Holmes win the bet with Breckinridge?
xxvi. What name did Ryder assume?
xxvii. Why was Ryder afraid of the police?
xxviii. Where did Ryder put the diamond?
xxix. Why did Ryder start crying?

12.5 Short-Answer Questions

i. Why did Holmes request his friend to consider the case as an intellectual
problem?
Ans. Holmes asked his friend to consider the case an intellectual problem as there
was no crime involved there, but such investigation will give them greater practice of the
art of investigation.
ii. Give an account of the diamond robbery as reported in the newspaper.
Ans. According to the newspaper, the Countess of Morcar was staying at the Hotel
Cosmopolitan. There was a small plumbing job to be done at her room for which John
Horner was sent to her room. After he left the room, the box which contained the blue
carbuncle was found empty. It was then that the upper-attendant of the hotel raised an
alarm which led to the arrest of Horner.
iii. How did Ryder get the wrong goose from his sister?
Ans. Ryder had shoved the diamond down the throat of a goose with a black and
white barred tail and the bird had run away and got mixed with the rest of the flock. His
sister then asked him to catch it, kill it and take it. But when he ran among the birds to
catch the one he wanted he caught another bird with a similar tail. Even his sister could
not make out the difference between the two. Then his sister sold of the rest of the
geese to Breckinridge and Ryder lost the bird.

12.6 Long-Answer question

Describe how Holmes handled the case of the theft of the blue carbuncle. Use the given
hints to rewrite the entire episode.
Advertisement in the newspaper to find Baker — a replacement goose to test Baker —
Address of Alpha Inn — Visit to Inn — address of Breckinridge — bet with him —
address of Mrs. Oakshott — fight of Breckinridge with a stranger — stranger is James
Ryder — Confession from Ryder.
 117

12.7 Grammar
You have already learnt how to change speech into reported form before. Convert the
given passage into reported speech. The first few lines have been solved as an example
for you. Rewrite the rest of the passage in reported speech.
Sherlock Holmes laughed. ‘Here is the foresight’, said he, putting his finger upon the little
disc and loop of the hat securer. ‘They are never sold upon hats. If this man ordered
one, it is a sign of a certain amount of foresight, since he went out of his way to take this
precaution against the wind. But since we see that he has broken the elastic and has not
troubled to replace it, it is obvious that he has less foresight now than formerly, which is
a distinct proof of a weakening nature. On the other hand, he has endeavoured to
conceal some of these stains upon the felt by dabbing them with ink, which is a sign that
he has not entirely lost his self-respect.
Sherlock Holmes laughed. He indicated that the little disc and loop of the hat-securer
showed foresight. He added that they were never sold upon hats and that if that man
ordered the hat, it was a sign of a certain amount of foresight as he went out of his way
to take that precaution against the wind….

Self-Assessment Questions
1. The present story is written by (a)……………………………… who is
famous for his (b) …………………………….. writings.
2. Arthur Canon Doyle created the character of ………………………… who
is the detective inmost of his stories.
3. The present story revolves around the case of a (a) ………………… and
the search of its (b)………………………….
4. …………………………… gives the hat to Sherlock Holmes to solve the
mystery involved in this case.

12.8 Precis Writing

You have already practiced précis writing for a number of passages. Write a precise for
the following passage from the text.
The passage can be found in Unit 4 of this story. It begins with “Hotel Cosmopolitan
Jewel Robbery…” and ends with “…was carried out of court.”
12.9 Letter Writing
Using the given questions as hints, write a letter to the Inspector General of your area
reporting a theft in your neighbourhood. Urge him to expedite the enquiries in the matter
and catch the thief at the earliest.
∙ What was stolen?
∙ What was the value of the thing?
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∙ Was anyone home?

∙ Are there any suspects?
∙ How did the thieves break in?
12.10 Composition
Using the given outline, write 250 words on “Why do citizens not cooperate with the
police in preventing crime?”
Scared of criminals — scared of being falsely accused themselves — can be harassing
— citizens themselves are often involved in small crime — can invite the anger of
criminals
12.11Summary:
By now you have understood that the story abounds in suspense, thrilling situations,
criminal investigations, and minute observations. Also, this lesson provides you enough
practice in precis-writing.
12.12 Further Reading
https://study.com/academy/lesson/the-adventure-of-the-blue-carbuncle-plot-summary-analysis.html
https://www.gradesaver.com/the-adventures-of-sherlock-holmes/study-guide/summary-the-adventure-of-
the-blue-carbuncle
https://www.shmoop.com/study-guides/literature/sherlock-holmes/summary
12.13 Model Questions
1. Draw the character sketch of Sherlock Holmes based on the short story “The
Adventure of the Blue Carbuncle”?
2. What was the case Holmes was trying to solve in this story?
3. How did Holmes solve the case of the hat entitled H B?

Answers to Self-Assessment Questions

1. (a) Arthur Canon Doyle (b) detective
2. Sherlock Holmes
3. (a) hat (b) owner
4. Peterson


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Lesson-13

PLAY-1

A MARRIAGE PROPOSAL
ANTON CHEKHOV

Structure
13.0 Objectives
13.1Introduction
13.2 About the Author
13.3 Summary of the Play
13.4 Comprehension Exercises
13.5 Short Answer Type Questions
13.6 Long Answer Type Questions
13.7 Letter Writing
13.8 Composition
13.9 Summary
13.10 Further Reading
13.11 Model Questions

13.0 Objectives
After reading this chapter you will be able to:
● understand the theme of the play
● draw the character sketch of major and minor characters
● summarize the play in a critical way
13.1Introduction:
The one-act play “A Marriage Proposal” revolves around the proposal of marriage which
Lomov wishes to extend to Natalia, the daughter of his neighbourTschubukov. Lomov is
a sickly man with good inheritance and wishes to marry Natalia. The proposal is
acceptable to Tshubukov but never gets mentioned in front of Natalia, as the two
neighbours get into arguments over issues like land ownership and dogs. In a light
hearted manner, Chekhov explores the dynamics of social relations in Russia. You must
 120

also notice the use of sarcastic phrases and sentences used for mud slinging and
taunting in the play.

13.2 ABOUT THE AUTHOR

You are already familiar with Anton Pavlovich Chekhov (29 January 1860- 15 July 1904)
and his works. You must remember his undeniable significance as a writer from the story
“Grief” in your syllabus.
Let us refresh our knowledge about Chekhov. He was a Russian short-story writer,
playwright and physician. He is considered to be the greatest short story writer in the
world. His fame as a dramatist rests on four plays: The Seagulls, Uncle Vanya, The
Three Sisters, and The Cherry Orchard. His popularity comes from the short stones for
which he received acclaim from all over the world. He used the stream of consciousness
technique, which included narration of the thoughts of the protagonist with extreme
detail. Born in a poor family, Chekhov attended a school for Greek boys, followed by the
Taganrog gymnasium. Chekhov’s main works include Lady with the Lapdog and Other
Stories, Selection of Humourous Stories and Select Tales. He died of tuberculosis.
13.3 SUMMARY OF THE PLAY
UNIT 1
The scene is set in the living room of Tshubukov’s house. Lomov, his neighbour, visits
him, wearing a very formal dress suit.
After exchanging courtesies, Tshubukov begins to ask his guest of the purpose behind
dressing in such a formal manner. Lomov is reluctant and shy for a while, but then he
tells Tshubukov that he wishes to ask for his daughter, Natalia’s hand in marriage.
Tshubukov is extremely happy to hear of the proposal and quickly blesses Lomov. He
then goes out to call Natalia in.
Meanwhile Lomov talks to himself and reveals that he is a 35 year old man with
palpitations and sleep disorders, and that Natalia being a good housekeeper, will be a
perfect wife for him.
UNIT 2
Natalia comes in and pleasantly asks Lomov why he is dressed in a formal manner.
Lomov begins to compliment her family and express great regard for them. He also
mentions that they are neighbours as his meadows touch their birch woods. Natalia
interrupts him in his speech and corrects that the meadows are their property, not
Lomov’s. At this, a heated argument begins in which they both claim that the small piece
of land of the meadow has always belonged to their family and could not be questioned
on ownership. Instead of proposing marriage, Lomov also begins to argue about the
ownership of the land and Natalia threatens to send her reapers to the meadow the next
day. Lomov counter-threatens to drive them out. At this point, Lomov has lost his cool
and begins to feel uneasy. You must have enjoyed reading the argument between them.
UNIT 3
Tshubukov enters and is surprised to see them fighting. Natalia asks him to tell Lomov
who the meadows belong to. Tshubukov claims them as his property and Lomov
ardently denies. Things take an ugly turn when they begin to defame each other's
ancestors and start taunting each other as liars, cheats and ‘land grabbers’. Finally
 121

Lomov threatens to file a case in the court about the dispute. Again, Lomov begins to
palpitate and rushes out of the Tshubukov residence.
UNIT 4
Tshubukov informs Natalia that Lomov had come to propose marriage to her. She
immediately asks him to call Lomov back. Natalia is desperate for a proposal and
overlooks the argument in a moment to call him back. Tshubukov expresses his disgust
over having a fickle minded daughter for his child and goes out to call him back.
Lomov comes back and complains that his leg has been lamed because of the
palpitation. To cool him down; Natalia says that the land in fact belongs to him. They
begin to chat again and Lomov mentions his dog Ugadi and praises it as the best dog
ever. Natalia suggests that Ugadi is not as good as her fathersOtkatai. Once again, they
begin to argue over which is a better dog. They discuss everything right from the breed,
to the background, from the size of the lower jaw to the speed with which they run, to out
show each other and prove that one’s dog is better than the other. Lomov tries to calm
Natalia down as the argument is giving him a palpitation again.
UNIT 5
Tshubukov enters again and finds it shocking to see them fighting again. Once again,
the argument over the better dog envelops all three and they begin to call each other
names. Once again, they seem to have forgotten about the proposal. From the dogs, the
argument moves on to mud slinging and abusing each other. Lomov feels incredibly sick
and falls down unconscious.
Natalia checks on him and shrieks that he is dead. But Lomov is not dead. He just faints
for a few moments and rises up again with slightly dimmed sense for a few moments.
Tshubukov quickly takes over the chaos and announces that Lomov and Natalia must
get married. Even before Lomov has come back to his senses entirely, Natalia accepts
the proposal and taunts him saying that he’d have to agree that, ‘Ugadi is worse than
Otkatai’. They again begin to argue over the dogs, but Tshubukov sarcastically calls this
argument, ‘domestic joys’. Finally they open a bottle of champagne to celebrate the
engagement.
13.4 COMPREHENSION EXERCISES
Now that you have read and understood the play, you must be prepared to attempt
some questions on comprehension. Read through the solved examples first and notice
how questions are answered through clear knowledge and observation of the text.
Q 1. What do Lomov’s good clothes suggest?
Ans. Lomov’s good clothes suggest that he is dressed to attend a formal party or visit
someone special.
Q 2. Why does Lomov find it difficult to express his request?
Ans. Lomov is anxious while making his request to Tshubukov to propose marriage to
his daughter as he is unsure of his reaction. He is also shy in making this request.
Q 3. How does Tshubukov react to Lomov’s request?
Ans. Tshubukov is thrilled to hear Lomov’s request and he also accepts the proposal
on behalf of his daughter Natalia. Then he hurriedly goes out to call her. He excitedly
says that he always wanted it.
 122

Q 4. Why does Lomov talk about family property first?

Ans. Lomov talks about family property first to set a foundation for his request and
also to impress upon Natalia that he is the master to a rich inheritance.
Q 5. What is Lomov’s proposal about the meadows?
Ans. Lomov proposes to gift the meadows to Natalia if she really likes them.
Q 6. What tone of voice is Tshubukov not used to?
Ans. Tahubukov is not used to being addressed in abusive or rude terms. He is used
to being addressed with politeness and courtesy.
Q 7. How does Tshubukov insult Lomov’s family?
Ans. Tshubukov insults Lomov’s family by calling them ‘intriguers’ and saying that they
were always looking for quarrels to pick.
Q 8. Why was Tshubukov’s uncle tried in court?
Ans. Tshubukov’s uncle was tried in court for embezzlement, or misappropriation of
funds.
Q 9. Why does Natalia ask her father to bring back Lomov?
Ans. Natalia asks her father to bring back Lomov when she finds that he had come to
propose marriage to her. She feels like she would miss the opportunity of marrying a rich
man if he didn’t come back.
Q 10. How does Tshubukov rate Lomov as a hunter?
Ans. Tshubukov says that Lomov is so weak and sickly and he cannot be a good
hunter. He says that such people should sit at home and not go out hunting.
Q 11. What did Tshubukov’s late wife do to him?
Ans. Tshubukov’s late wife used to beat him according to Lomov.
Now try to answer the following comprehension based questions yourselves.
Q 12. Why has Lomov come to Tshubukov’s house?
Q 13. Why does Lomov ask for water?
Q 14. What does Natalia say about Lomov’s clothes?
Q 15. Why do Lomov and Natalia quarrel?
Q 16. Why do Natalia and Tshubukov quarrel?
Q 17. Why does Tshubukov describe himself as cursed with bad luck?
Q 18. How does Natalia change the topic in her conversation with Lomov?
Q 19. Why does Natalia start crying?
Q 20. What does Tshubukov mean by domestic joys?
13.5 SHORT - ANSWER QUESTIONS
Let us now try to attempt some short-answer questions.
Q 1. How is Lomov beating about the bush?
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Ans. Lomov is beating about the bush by talking about general matters and by giving
compliments to Tshubukov as a good and generous neighbour who he can turn to at any
time.
Q 2. What does Lomov think of his own condition?
Ans. Lomov thinks that it is high time he gets married as he is already thirty five years
of age and is suffering from diseases like palpitation of the heart and sleeping disorders.
He finds Natalia a suitable match as she is an excellent house keeper and not bad to
look at.
Q 3. What are the limits of common decency as suggested by Natalia?
Ans. Natalia suggests that any neighbour should be decent enough to meet and greet
their fellow neighbours and treat those people with respect who welcome him and his
requests. She adds that one should not be rude enough to claim what belongs to
someone else as that is beyond the limits of common decency.
Now try to answer these questions yourselves.
Q 4. Describe in brief the quarrel about the ownership of the meadows.
Q 5. Describe how the quarrel shifts from the meadows to the members of the

13.6 LONG - ANSWER QUESTIONS

Q 1. From meadows to family to dogs: describe how the talk about marriage is
continuously delayed.
Ans. The conversation between Lomov and Natalia takes tumultuous (noisy and
confusing) twists and turns but fails to reach the main point of the marriage proposal.
The way they argue over property, family and dogs suggests how egoistic and arrogant
they both are. Their continuous fighting throws light on the arrogance of the land owner
class of Russia.
Lomov tries to talk of general matters like their relationship as neighbours and mentions
how his meadows touch their birch-wood. This simple comment triggers an argument
between them about the ownership of the meadows. They argue at length about the
original ownership, who had rented out the meadows to whom and was the rent paid.
Finally, they begin to insult each others’ family members and Tshubukov enters their
argument too.
Tshubukov could have saved the argument by calming Lomov and Natalia down, but he
also joins the argument and vehemently stresses that the meadows have belonged to
his family for ages. He is the one who begins to insult Lomov’s family as well, by saying
that they were quarrelers and intriguers. He also says that his family has always been
picking up arguments. Lomov retorts to that saying that Tshubukov is a “land grabbe”
and that his uncle had been tried in court for embezzlement.
Lomov begins to suffer from massive palpitation and leaves their house, only to be
called back by Tshubukov. Natalia sends him after Lomov on finding that he had come
to propose marriage to her. Once they are together again they begin to talk about their
dogs and once again they start arguing over whose dog is better. They quote everything
from dog races to hunting expeditions to prove their point and start pointing out the
weaknesses of each other’s pets only to show the other down.
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Finally, Lomov faints from all the pressure when he comes back to his senses,
Tshubukov takes over the argument and hurriedly tells them to get engaged. The entire
argument shows how important it is for the Russian land owner class to show their
superiority over the other. In the entire event, the main motive of Lomov’s visit gets
delayed and finally gets executed in the most unusual manner with Lomov only partially
conscious and Natalia still arguing about the dogs.
family.

13.7 LETTER WRITING

You have already tried to write personal letters. Use the following hints to write a letter
narrating a quarrel that you saw between a boy and a girl.
Hints:
● The boy and the girl are classmates
● They are part of a team deciding where to take the class trip
● The boy wants to go to a recreational center like a gaining zone
● The girl wants to take the trip to a nearby hill spot with natural beauty
● They start fighting over their choices and soon start becoming rude to each other
● They start abusing each other’s personalities and educational background
● Their friends finally settle to go for an educational movie, leaving out both options
13.8 COMPOSITION
You have read about a Russian couple fighting before their engagement. Describe an
imaginary quarrel between an Indian couple in the same situation in about 250 words.
You can use the following questions as hints to composing the passage.
Hint Questions:
● What property is the Indian couple fighting over?
● How do they move from polite argument to abusive quarreling?
● What do they say about each other’s family?
● How do their parents or family convince them to stop fighting?
Self-Assessment Questions
1. The play (a) ……………………………. Is written by (b) …………………………
who is the one the most famous (c)……………………………….. writers.
2. The story of the play revolves around the three persons (a)………………….
(b)………………………. And (c)…………………………….
3. Lomov wants to get married to ……………………………
4. The setting of the play is the ……………………………. Of Tschubukov’s house.
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13.9 Summary: The manner in which the main characters argue over property, family
and dogs suggests how egoistic and arrogant they both are. Their continuous fighting
throws light on the arrogance of the land owner class of Russia. The Play thus is About
social equations prevailing in Russia.

13.10 Further Reading

https://www.bachelorandmaster.com/globaldrama/summary-of-a-marriage-proposal.html#.Xlx2cSEzZdg
https://tyrocity.com/topic/a-marriage-proposal/
https://www.enotes.com/homework-help/proposal-by-anton-chekhov-please-provide-short-438788
13.11 Model Questions
1. Describe Tshubukov’s plight as the father of a grown up daughter.
2. Why did Tshubukov and Lomov fight?
3. How did Lomov get married to Natalia?

Answers to the Self-Assessment Questions

1. (a) A Marriage Proposal (b) Anton Chekhov (c) Russian
2. (a) Lomov (b) Natalia (c) Tschubukov
3. Natalia
4. Living room
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Lesson-14
PLAY-2
THE BOYS COME HOME
A. A. MILNE

Structure
14.0 Objectives
14.1 Introduction
14.2 About the Author
14.3 Summary of the Play
14.4 Comprehension
14.5 Grammar
14.6 Short Answer Type Questions
14.7 Long Answer Type Questions
14.8 Letter Writing
14.9 Composition
14.10 Summary
14.11 Further Reading
14.12 Model Questions

14.0 Objectives
After reading this chapter you will be able to:
● understand the central theme of the play
● delineate the character sketch of the different characters.
14.1 Introduction:
You have already read plays as a part of your syllabus. This play is a comedy, written in
a single act. Traditionally, plays have 5 acts which are sub divided into scenes. The play
we are about to read is a one-act play, with a single act. The play is a comedy which
means that it is a story which ends with everything turning good eventually. The main
characters of the play are Uncle James, Aunt Emily, Philip, Mary and Mrs. Higgins.
The play is set in a “morning” room in Uncle James’ house on the Cromwell Road. The
time is set a day after the war. The room is well furnished and has two doors. One of
them opens to the hall and the other to a dining room. Philip enters from the hall and
goes to the dining room. He seems to be looking for something. It is ten o’ clock. He
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rings the bell and asks for breakfast. Mary, the maid enters, while he is sitting in an
armchair, reading the paper.

14.2 About the author

Alan Alexander Milne (18 January 1882 – 31 January 1956), was an Englishman most
well known for his work Winnie the Pooh and many children’s poems. Taught by the
famous writer, H. G. Wells, Milne received his education at Westminster School and
Trinity College, Cambridge. His important works include a murder mystery, The Red
House Mystery, a book of poems, When We Were Very Young, and plays like Mr. Pim
Passes By.
14.3 Summary of the play
Unit-1
Mary comes into the room and asks Philip if he needs something. Philip tells her that he
wants his breakfast. She informs him that the breakfast is served sharp at eight in the
morning and that he is late. He asks for two boiled eggs and a cup of coffee. Mary
reluctantly informs him that Mrs. Higgins, the cook, will not appreciate a late order and
may get angry. She says that she does not know what “Mrs. Higgins will say to that”.
Philip asserts that his order be brought and asks for some ham too. Aunt Emily enters.
She is a mild hearted Victorian woman. She comes and inquires if Philip slept
comfortably. When she finds that he has just come down for breakfast, she is surprised
as being an army man, he should have been used to getting up early. He says that he
wanted to sleep after four years of army life. She also complains that he didn’t spend too
many holidays with them and that Uncle James really cared for him even though they did
not get along too well. We are also informed that Uncle James is his guardian. He
supplies jams and jellies to the army and has made a great fortune.
Mary enters again and informs them that Mrs. Higgins wishes to speak to Aunt Emily.
When the latter finds that Philip had ordered for breakfast that late, she is shocked and
afraid of how Mrs. Higgins may react to it. Philip is surprised to see how everybody is
scared of Mrs. Higgins. To the utter shock of the women, Philip calls Mrs. Higgins there.
The lady enters and tries to throw her tantrums by saying that breakfast is served at
eight sharp until further orders.
Mrs. Higgins even tries to threaten Aunt Emily with a notice for leaving the job. Philip
instead offers her a severance check and asks her to leave. That is when she becomes
calm and says that she would bring in the breakfast. Aunt Emily is surprised to see the
entire episode.
Unit-2
Uncle James comes in as Philip goes to the dining room to have his breakfast. He asks
Aunt Emily about Philip and is shocked to hear that he is having his breakfast at ten. He
tells her that he is late for work as he wishes to talk to Philip about his career after the
war. He proposes to tell him that he should join the business. Aunt Emily tells him to
discuss it rather than order, but he stays adamant that as long as he is supporting Philip
financially, the latter will have to agree with him. Aunt Emily tries to tell him that
something has changed about him and that he doesn’t seem like the kind of boy that can
be told what to do, but Uncle James doesn’t think so. He sends Aunt Emily to call Philip
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again and then tells her to go about her work. He sits down by the fire and begins to fall
asleep as they slept late the previous night listening to Philip’s stories.
Unit-3
Philip walks in and asks his uncle if they are going to “talk business”. Philip retorts back
at every comment his uncle makes about his laziness. Then he takes out a pipe to
smoke at which Uncle James is shocked and asks him to take permission for that from
Aunt Emily. Philip shouts to ask for her permission and she readily gives it from a
distance. James warns him to remain punctual and obedient if he is staying with them
and Philip immediately says that he intends to live elsewhere and that James should
give him an allowance or rather his inheritance as he is pretty grown up.
James is surprised at his behaviour and sarcastically asks him if he is twenty five years
of age. Philip then tells his uncle the story of the time when he and his men were in a
horrifying situation on the battlefield. Most of his men were dead and he had to take the
decision whether to go forward or to retreat. Philip says that when he was killing the
enemy and facing death he grew up to 25 or 35 or maybe 45. Philip obviously wishes to
scare Uncle James by telling him that the former is no more a young boy but rather a
grown man who has seen life and death more closely.
Uncle James tries to become more appreciative of Philip but still says that he must
choose a career wisely. Then he tells Philip that he must join his uncle’s jam business.
Philip laughs the proposal off and says that he wishes to become an architect. Uncle
James refutes saying that Philip is 4 years late in taking up a career but Philip replies
that so is everyone. Uncle James tries to order Philip but Philip coldly says that he once
had a brigadier who was very stern and cold and was really angry with the. Philip then
added that Uncle James was not half as scary as him.
Then Uncle James pulled out his final card and threatened Philip saying that since the
former had the money, his orders must be followed. Philip took out a revolver at this
point and threateningly pointed it towards Uncle James who was both angry and scared
at this moment. Uncle James tries to tell Philip that it is wrong for him to possess a gun
and behave like that, but Philip’s arrogance is too much for him. Philip even tells Uncle
James that he will have no trouble pulling the trigger if his demands were not met. He
says that he has not much respect left for human life after four years of killing.
Then Philip takes out a bomb from his pocket, pulls its pin our and threatens his uncle
with that. When Uncle James appeals to Philip not to continue with his charades, Philip
says that he will continue to do it all, till Uncle James agrees with him. He also says that
he might be forced to kill his uncle if he doesn’t behave “reasonably”. He hands Uncle
James a paper to sign and goes to the other room for a moment.
Unit-4
Just then, Uncle James wakes up and sees Philip entering the room munching a piece
of bread. Philip asks his uncle if he is feeling quite well and Uncle James is still
bewildered (confused) from his dream. He talks to Philip rather nicely and asks him to
choose a career that he likes. He even suggests the career of an architect. Philip refuses
saying that he is four years late on that. Then, when James proposes the jam business
to Philip, he readily agrees.
James asks him if he wants to keep his revolver, but Philip says he has had enough of
violence and now wishes to lead a peaceful life.
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This surprises Uncle James who is still dumbfounded enough to understand if what he
saw was a dream or a reality.
14.4 Comprehension
i. Where does Philip work?
Ans. Philip has come back after four years of battle with the Germans in France and is
currently not employed.
ii. Why, according to Aunt Emily, may Philip not be able to sleep?
Ans. Aunt Emily thinks that Philip may not be able to sleep in a warm and comfortable
bed now having been used to sleeping in the trenches for four years.
iii. What business is Uncle James engaged in?
Ans. Uncle James is a producer and supplier of jam and jellies to soldiers.
iv. Who gives ‘further orders’ to Mrs. Higgins?
Ans. Uncle James gives ‘further orders’ to Mrs. Higgins.
v. Why does Uncle James want to talk with Philip?
Ans. Uncle James wishes to talk with Philip regarding the latter’s career as he has
spent the last four years on the battlefield and now the war is over.
vi. What, according to Aunt Emily, has the army taught Philip?
Ans. The army has taught Philip to be more assertive. He has become confident and
is not a young boy any more.
vii. What does Uncle James want Philip to do? What does he want to do?
Ans. Uncle James wants Philip to join the jam business, whereas Philip wants to
become an architect.
viii. How does Uncle James try to use his authority on Philip?
Ans. Uncle James tries to get Philip to agree with him, telling him that since he is
dependent on him for money, he needs to obey his command.
ix. How is there a change in one’s ideas about the sanctity of human life after the
war?
Ans. After the war, the soldiers are so used to killing people and seeing so many
around them die, that they lose the sanctity of human life. They see so much death
around that they forget how to value human life and see death as a routine experience.
x. Why does Uncle James look at Philip’s pocket in horror? What does he take out
this time?
Ans. Uncle James looks at Philip’s pockets in horror because he dreamt that the latter
had a revolver and a bomb in his pocket. This time, however, Philip takes out a pipe to
smoke from his pocket.
xi. Why does Philip not need his revolver any more?
Ans. Philip says that he is done with warfare and killing business and he wishes not to
go anywhere close to it anymore.
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Now that you have seen some example comprehension answers, try to answer the
following questions on your own.
xii. What does Philip want for breakfast?
xiii. Why did Philip not spend his vacation with his uncle and aunt?
xiv. How does Philip reply to Mrs. Higgins’ notice?
xv. When can Philip be independent in money matters?
xvi. What, according to Uncle James, has the army not taught Philip?
xvii. Why should Philip not smoke in the house?
xviii. Whose money is Philip asking for?
xix. How is Philip used to shooting at people?
xx. How does Uncle James plan to use Philip in his business?
14.5 Grammar
When we are reporting what somebody said, we can repeat the words they used or
report the conversation in our own words. The play we just read was in direct speech as
the speeches of characters are given as they would have been speaking. When we
report what was said we convert the tense into past tense and report accordingly. Read
the following examples to understand how we rewrite sentences in reported speech.
Examples
Philip: You wanted to see me Uncle James?
Philip asked Uncle James if he wanted to see him.
James: That’s all right my boy, that’s all right. What have you been doing?
James comforted him saying it was all right and asked him what he had been doing.
Philip [surprised]: Breakfast. Rather late. I’m afraid.
Philip exclaimed in surprise that it was rather late for breakfast.
James: That’s all right. [He laughs awkwardly]
James laughed awkwardly and said it was all right.
Now that you have read a few examples, try to rewrite the given dialogue in reported
speech.
Philip: Anything the matter? You don’t look your usual bright self.
James: I —er— seem to have dropped asleep in front of the fire. Most unusual thing for
me to have done. Most unusual.
Philip: Let that be a lesson to you not to get up so early. Of course, if you are in the
Army, you cannot help yourself. Thank Heaven I am out of it, and my own master again.
14.6 Short-answer questions
i. How does Philip deal with Mrs. Higgins?
Ans. When Mrs. Higgins throws her tantrums and even threatens to leave the job,
Philip offers her a severance cheque with immediate effect and asks her to leave without
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any notice. Mrs. Higgins had not thought that her threat to quit her job would be taken so
seriously, and she immediately agrees to bring Philip breakfast.
ii. How has Uncle James done his duty for the country?
Ans. Uncle James has done his duty for the country by supplying jams and jellies to
the soldiers and by paying his taxes, including the “excess profit” tax honestly.
iii. Why does Uncle James agree to consider Philip’s terms?
Ans. Uncle James agrees to Philip’s terms because of his dream in which he sees that
Philip has become an arrogant man after the war and is capable of even killing him. The
fear of being killed or threatened by his nephew makes Uncle James agree with his
terms.
Now try to answer the given questions on your own.
iv. Describe the event that made Philip feel older than his age.
v. What is Philip not going to do anymore?
14.7 Long-Answer questions
Using the outline given below, answer the first question. Then write an answer on your
own, for the second question.
i. How does Philip get the upper hand of Uncle James?
Outline:
Uncle James’ dream— He sees Philip as an arrogant soldier with no respect for human
life— Philip tells his numbing experiences of the battle field — Philip denies the authority
of his uncle— take out his gun and a bomb to threaten Uncle James— then Uncle
James realizes it was all a dream— but fear is complete in his mind.
ii. Discuss the adjustments that a soldier has to make while returning to civilian life.

Self-Assessment Questions
1. The play (a)……………………………. Is written by (b)………………………
2. A. A. Milne is known for his writings for …………………………
3. The present play revolves around the characters of (a)………………………
(b)……………………….. and (c)…………………..
4. The episode in which Philip threats Uncle James is actually a
…………………….

14.8 Letter Writing

Write a letter to the Defense Minister of India suggesting to him what the public and the
government can do to help the handicapped soldiers get a new start in life.
[Before beginning to write, create a list of points which you must include in your letter.
Then place the points in order so as to create a valid argument in your letter. Also give
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options and suggestions which can be useful in giving a dignified start in life to soldiers
who have lost their faculties trying to protect their country.]
14.9 Composition
Write about 250 words on “The life of a soldier during war and during peace”. You may
use the outline given here for help in composing the passage.
War as a life altering experience— war can cause numbing of senses— soldiers often
become weapons of destruction — loss of sanctity of human life— in peace, soldiers
face a major change of environment— can cause anxiety and a feeling of alienation —
on the other hand, peace can be an effective medicine for the soul of the hardened
soldier.
14.9
14.10 Summary: By now you must have understood the adjustments that a soldier has
to make while returning to civilian life. Also the play is an excellent example of comedy.

14.11 Further Reading

https://www.risenotes.com/boy/The-Boy-Comes-Home-short-summary.php
http://englishnotesforba.blogspot.com/2010/10/boy-comes-home-by-a-milne.html
http://madhavessays.blogspot.com/2019/01/summary-of-a-milnes-boy-comes-home.html
14.12 Model Questions
1. Why was everybody afraid of Mrs. Higgins? How did Philip treat her?
2. What was the dream of Uncle James?
3. How did Philip react to his uncle’s wish that he joins his business?



Answers to Self-Assessment Questions

1. (a) The Boy Comes Home (b) A. A. Milne
2. Children
3. (a) Philip (b) Uncle James (c) Aunt Emily
4. Dream
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Lesson-15

PLAY-3
REFUND
FRITZ KARINTHY
Adapted by PERCIVAL WILDE

Structure
15.0 Objectives
15.1 Introduction
15.2 About the Author
15.3 Summary of the Play
15.4 Comprehension
15.5 Grammar
15.6 Short Answer Questions
15.7 Letter Writing
15.8 Composition
15.9 Long Answer Questions
15.10 Summary
15.11 Further Reading
15.12 Model Questions

15.0 Objectives
After reading this chapter you will be able to:
● summarize the story of the play
● critically analyse the theme of the play
● sketch the character of major characters
15.1 Introduction:
The one act-play we are about to read is titled “Refund”. The word refers to an act where
an amount once paid for a service or product is reclaimed for some reason. The term is
generally used with reference to products or services in a strictly economic fashion.
Here, however, a student has come back to his school asking for a refund of his tuition
fee, as he believes that he has not been educated properly by the school. Notice the
unusual humour and the unusual episode of the play. Notice how Karinthy shows
enormous drama in a scene which has hardly any physical action.
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15.2 About the author

Frigyes Karinthy [Fritz Karinthy] (25 June 1887 – 29 August 1938) was a Hungarian born
in Budapest. He began his career as a journalist and wrote short stories and plays
throughout his life. His work That’s How YOU Write got him immense popularity as a
writer. Please Sir is another well known collection of his short stories. He aspired to be a
teacher all his life. After the First World War he became more serious in his writing. He
also wrote an autobiographical novel called Journey Round my Skull.
Percival Wilde (1 March 1887 – 19 September 1953) was an American writer famous for
many novels, plays and short stories. His important works include Mystery Week-End,
Design for Murder, The Beautiful Story, According to Darwin etc.
15.3 Summary of the play
The play is in a single act and a single scene. It recounts the tale of a professional failure
who returns to his school asking for a refund on his tuition fees as he thinks his
education did not help him at all. The play takes a humourous turn when the teachers
come in with the intention to pass him in every examination so as to prove that the
school has done its job successfully. Notice the irony in the play. The failure of
Wasserkopf in the examination will prove to be his victory as it will bring him the right to
ask for a refund. The entire play is set in the Principal’s office.
Unit-1
The play begins with the servant entering the Principal’s office to inform him that a
bearded man named Wasserkopf has come to meet him. He also informs the Principal
that he is neither a parent nor a student and is “fairly intelligent”. The Principal remarks
that he cannot be an Education Inspector if he is “fairly intelligent” and asks the servant
to fetch him in.
Upon coming inside, Wasserkopf tells the Principal that he had left the school eighteen
years ago and has come to ask for a refund on his tuition fees as the school education
has done him no good. The Principal is completely taken aback by this unusual demand
and tries to send him away, but Wasserkopf is adamant that he wouldn’t leave without a
refund. Wasserkopf also informs the Principal that his friend Leaderer gave him the idea
of asking for a refund. Wasserkopf had just been fired and he ran into Leaderer, who
had made a huge sum of profit trading in the stock exchange. When Wasserkopf could
not understand how he could have made a profit in a slumping (falling) market, Leaderer
made fun of him and told him his education was a waste and he must ask for a refund on
his fees.
Unit-2
The Principal asks him why he thinks he hasn’t learnt anything and he says it is because
everyone says so and he gets fired from every job. Wasserkopf is a truly desperate man
who wishes to get some money from anywhere. He asks to take a re-examination and
says that if he fails it, the Principal will have to agree he knows nothing and will have to
give him a refund.
The Principal is appalled (shocked) at the proposal and asks Wasserkopf to wait outside
while he talks to his staff. He calls the staff in and tells them of the situation. Teachers of
Mathematics, History, Geography and Physics come in and try to assess the situation in
their own ways. Finally the mathematics master takes control of the situation and says
that they all must stick together and not fail him in any case.
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Unit-3
Wasserkopf is called in. He addresses the teachers very rudely and they still give him an
“Excellent” in Manners saying that he is well aware of the traditions of their culture in
which in the medieval times teachers and students met as equals.
The test begins with a question from the history master. He asks Wasserkopf how long
the Thirty Years’ War went on for. Wasserkopf instantly begins to answer “thirty” but
stops realizing they are trying to pass him in order to save themselves from paying him.
The teachers begin to prompt him the answer, but he refuses to take their help. He
rather answers “Seven meters”. At this the history master promptly says that the answer
is right. The mathematics master begins to explain that the student has applied the
theories of relativity of Planck and Einstein, which suggest that atoms can be collectively
measured in any units. So a year can be a meter. Then all the masters step in and say
that out of the thirty years, the soldiers fought during the days alone, which brings down
the actual fighting time to fifteen years only. Three hours were spent on meals daily and
that brings the total time to 12 years. Then again, the soldiers spend three to four hours
everyday on naps which means the time of actual combat was only 7 years which can
also be equated to 7 meters.
Then the Physics master comes to ask his question. Wasserkopf makes fun of him,
calling him a cannibal. The Physics master ignores his comments and asks whether the
clock in the church looks smaller upon moving away from it because it become smaller,
or because of an optical illusion. Wasserkopf answers saying that the physics’ master is
an ass. The masters again get together in their strategy to pass him and explain that the
ass is a sad animal and we are sad because of the illusions in the world, and hence the
answer is right that the clock doesn’t get small, it is an illusion and we are all made
asses.
The geography master comes in next. Wasserkopf calls him a hypocrite. He asks him
what city of the same name is the capital of the German province of Brunswick.
Wasserkopf tries to act smart and says that the name of the city is “Same”. The
geography teacher creates a tale about Brunswick in which the Emperor Barbossa had
come there chewing something and had asked a girl the name of the place. The girl
thought he was greeting her and said “Same to you” and for quite a few years after that
the city was known as “Same”.
Finally, the mathematics master comes in and announces that he would ask him two
questions: one easy and one difficult to answer. Wasserkopf is sure that he would be
able to defeat him. He asks him a senseless and confusing question with mixed
numbers and no meaning. Wasserkopf also gives an answer which is equally confusing.
But the mathematics master, instead of accepting the answer, terms it wrong and fails
him in the question by a slight mistake of a single number. Wasserkopf is elated and
excitedly begins to ask for a refund. Then the mathematics master asks him as a matter
of fact, how much the refund would be. Wasserkopf calculates it to the last coin and
quickly announces the correct total. The master then congratulates him on the right
answer and says that was his difficult question.
The hopes of Wasserkopf are completely crushed. He realizes that the masters were all
together in the plan to pass him. The teachers and the Principal then ask him to leave
and have a hearty laugh at the episode.
Unit-4
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The Principal calls in the servant to take Wasserkopf out and jokes that they would be
able to say in the future that no student fails in their school.
15.4 Comprehension
i. How does the servant know that Wasserkopf is not a student?
Ans. The servant knows that Wasserkopf is not a student as he is an adult and has a
beard.
ii. What does Wasserkopf want from the school? Why?
Ans. Wasserkopf wants a refund of his tuition fees from the school because he thinks
that he has learnt nothing from the school.
iii. Why does Wasserkopf consider himself good for nothing?
Ans. Wasserkopf considers himself good for nothing as everybody tells him that and
he gets fired from every job very soon.
iii. What do you know about Wasserkopf’s nationality from the title “Herr”?
Ans. The title “herr” is used to address men in Germany. This implies that Wasserkopf
is a German man.
iv. Why does Wasserkopf wish to take another examination?
Ans. Wasserkopf wishes to take another examination to prove to the school that he
knows nothing so that he may get his refund on the tuition fees.
v. How can the teachers defeat Wasserkopf in this game?
Ans. The teachers can defeat Wasserkopf in this game by proving that he is not a
failure and that he knows a lot. By working together as a team, they decide to make
sense out of whatever he says so as to defeat him.
vi. Why does Wasserkopf rebuke the teachers?
Ans. Wasserkopf rebukes his teachers because he wishes to make them angry
enough to ask him difficult questions that he cannot answer and hence fail him. He also
believes that he hasn’t learnt anything worthwhile from them and rebukes them out of
hatred for them.
vii. Why did the students call the physics master a cannibal?
Ans. The students called the physics master a cannibal as he used to chew his own
thumbs.
viii. Which question did Wasserkopf answer well?
Ans. When the mathematics master asks Wasserkopf how much his refund totals to,
he answers the question correctly to the last coin.
ix. Whom does the Principal congratulate on the result?
Ans. The Principal congratulates the staff on the result because they have managed to
show true intelligence and wit in the examination.
Now try to answer some comprehension based questions on your own:
x. Why can the servant not tell Wasserkopf about the visiting hours?
xi. Why can the visitor not be a school inspector?
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xii. Why is the Principal at a loss for words?

xiii. How is this an unusual case for the school?
xiv. What do the teachers agree on before starting the test?
xv. Why does Wasserkopf wish to fail in the exam?
xvi. What is the final judgment on Wasserkopf?
15.5 Grammar
You have already learnt how to write dialogues in reported speech. A few sentences
have been converted into reported speech as examples for you to revise. Try to change
the rest into reported speech on your own.
Example:
The Principal [rising]: What can I do for you?
Wasserkopf: I am Wasserkopf. [he pauses]. Don’t you remember me?
The Principal [shaking his head]: No.
Wasserkopf: Its possible I’ve changed. What the hell… your class records will show I’ve
got a right to come here.
The Principal rose up and asked what he could for the visitor. Wasserkopf introduced
himself and asked if the Principal remembered him. The Principal refused and
Wasserkopf said that it was possible that he had changed. But he vociferously added
that the school records would show that he had a right to come there.
Now try to rewrite the given dialogue in reported speech.
The Principal: The class records? How so?
Wasserkopf: Mr. Principal, if you please. I am Wasserkopf.
The Principal: Doubtless, doubtless — but what has that to do with it?
Wasserkopf: You mean to say you don’t even remember my name? [He thinks it over.]
No. I imagine you wouldn’t. You were probably glad to forget me. Well, Mr. Principal, I
was a student in this school eighteen years ago.
15.6 Short-Answer Questions
i. Why does Wasserkopf want his money back?
Ans. Wasserkopf wants his money back because he feels that education at the school
has made him good for nothing. He feels that he has learnt nothing from his education at
the school which is why he cannot remain at a job for too long without being fired.
ii. What, according to the Physics’ master, is the law of conservation of energy?
Ans. According to the Physics’ master, the law of conservation of energy states that
the amount of time that a teacher takes to drill the knowledge into the mind of a student
is the same time that is taken by him to lose the same learning.
iii. How does the Mathematics Master describe Wasserkopf’s character?
Ans. The Mathematics Master describes Wasserkopf as a sly and crafty person who is
trying to get the better of them. He says that Wasserkopf will try to defeat them by failing
the examination and demanding a refund.
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Now try to answer the given questions:

iv. How has education at school made an incompetent ass out of Wasserkopf?
v. Describe the teachers’ attempts to help Wasserkopf in his re-examination.
vi. Describe the manner in which the mathematics master traps Wasserkopf.
Self-Assessment Questions
1. The playwright of this play (a)……………………….. is a
(b)……………………….. writer.
2. The play was adapted by ……………………………. Into English.
3. The play revolves around the character of ……………………………
4. Wasserkopf demand (a)…………………. Of his (b)………………….

15.7 Letter Writing

Write a letter to your father/mother explaining to him/her how your education at college
will help you in planning your future. A string of questions is given below to help you
frame the body of the letter.
∙ What is your aim in life?
∙ Is college education meant for professional capability?
∙ What specialization would you wish to take?
∙ What are the benefits of college education?
15.8 Composition
You have written a number of paragraphs on given topics using outlines and hints. Write
about 250 words on ‘Areas of student participation in college affairs’ using the given
hints.
Hints:
∙ Co-curricular activities
∙ Student bodies like unions, to have a say in college decisions
∙ Interactive clubs and platforms for teacher-student communication
∙ Student managed activities and forums
15.9 Long-Answer Questions
i. Describe the teachers’ plan to outsmart Wasserkopf. Describe how they
implement their plan.
Hints:
∙ Teachers’ plan to act together
∙ Each of them ask questions
∙ Questions asked by various masters and answers given by Wasserkopf
 139

∙ The way the teachers twist the answers to make sense out of them
∙ The final verdict
ii. What would be your arguments if you were to ask for a refund of your tuition
fees?
15.10 Summary: By now you must have noticed the irony in the play. The play is a
criticism of the education system and the right to ask for a refund of the tuition fee is
supported by the playwright. The failure of Wasserkopf in the examination will prove to
be his victory as it will bring him the right to ask for a refund.
15.11 Further Reading
http://sujarithasaravanan.blogspot.com/2019/10/refund-fritz-karinthy-summary.html
http://oscareducation.blogspot.com/2013/08/refund-one-act-play-summary-02.html
http://kjtenglishnotes.blogspot.com/2015/10/refund-one-act-play-by-percival-wilde.html
15.12 Model Questions
1. How the play Refund is satirical and ironical?
2. Why did Wasserkopf demand a refund of his entire school fee?
3. How did the school tachers and the principal respond to Wasserkopf’sdeand of
the refund of his fee?


Answers to the Self-Assessment Questions

1. (a) KritzKarinthy (b) Hungarian

2. Precival Wilde

3. Wasserkopf

4. (a) refund (b) school fee




 140

Lesson-16

PLAY-4
THE MONKEY’S PAW
W.W. JACOBS

Structure
16.0 Objectives
16.1 Introduction
16.2 About the Author
16.3 Summary of the Play
16.4 Short Answer Type Questions
16.5 Long Answer Type Questions
16.6 Summary
16.6 Further Reading
16.7 Model Questions

16.0 Objectives
After reading this play, you will be able to:
● understand the theme of the play
● summarize the story and the plot of the play
16.1 Introduction:
The play’s moral is familiar: don’t tempt fate, and be careful what you wish for.
(Remember Pahom in ‘How Much Land Does a Man Need?’ and the story of King Midas
related in the notes of the same chapter?) Jacobs’s play sticks to the traditional belief
that we do not really want what we think we want and that wanting more than what’s
sufficient may bring ruin. The loud, threatening knocking at the door is like the writer’s
reminder to the readers to be careful in what they wish for because it may just come
true.
Like many other stories dealing with the theme of magic and supernatural, Jacobs’s
story is also structured around a pattern of ‘threes’. Let me remind you of ‘The Three
Dancing Goats’ where the significance of number three was brought to your notice. The
central force of ‘The Monkey’s Paw’ is of course, the monkey’s paw, which is supposed
to grant three separate owners three wishes each. You will get to know more on reading
the play.
 141

16.2 About the Author

William Wymark Jacobs (1863 –1943) was an English author of short stories and novels.
Jacobs is now most remembered for his macabre tale The Monkey’s Paw and The Toll
House. However, the majority of his output was humorous in tone. His favorite subjects
were marine life in works such as Many Cargoes, followed by the novel The Skipper’s
Wooing in 1897, and another collection of short stories, Sea Urchins (1898). Among his
other titles are The Lady of the Barge, Captains All, Sailors’ Knots, Night Watches, Deep
Waters and Sea Whispers.
Jacobs’ short story output declined somewhat around the First World War, and his
literary efforts between then and his death were predominantly adaptations of his own
short stories for the stage. ‘The Monkey’s Paw’ is one such story.
16.3 Summary of the Play
Part-I
Part I opens on a dark and stormy night. The three members of the White family are
seen relaxing inside their cozy house. Herbert White, a thoughtful and loving son of his
doting parents, plays chess with his father, Mr. White, and gently teases his mother, Mrs.
White, who sits near the fireplace and attends to a steaming kettle. Herbert is the only
member of the family who works and supports his parents in their old age. After Herbert
wins the game of chess, Mr. White complains about the terrible weather and the nearly
deserted road on which their house is situated.
A family friend, Sergeant-Major Morris, arrives for a visit. He narrates stories of his
adventures abroad, especially India, over whiskey. Mr. White expresses interest in going
to India. The Sergeant-Major says he would be better off staying at home. At Mr. and
Mrs. Whites’ insistence, Morris takes a small, mummified paw of a monkey out of his
pocket. He explains that a fakir (a mystic miracle worker in India) placed a spell on the
paw. The fakir wanted to prove that people’s lives are governed by fate and that it is
dangerous to meddle with fate. Three men can wish on the paw three times each. He is
the second person to have the paw and he has already had his three wishes. The first
man who got the paw used his third wish to ask for death. This gives an eerie effect to
the paw.
The Sergeant-Major says that he has considered selling the paw many times. But, he
doesn’t want it to cause any more trouble than it already has. Moreover, no one will buy
the paw without first seeing proof of its effect. Sergeant-Major Morris throws the paw into
the fire, calling it ‘the infernal thing’. Mr. White quickly rescues it. Morris warns him three
times to leave the paw alone. Eventually, however, he explains how to make a wish on
the paw.
The elderly Whites move between belief and disbelief. The whole atmosphere adds to
the element of the supernatural. It makes the paw look evil and dangerous, like an
instrument of the Devil. Their western education stops them from openly accepting the
claims of their friend, Morris. Mrs. White says the story reminds her of the Arabian
Nights. She jokingly suggests that her husband wish her a pair of extra hands to help her
with all her work. The Sergeant-Major doesn’t find this joke funny. He urges Mr. White to
use common sense if he insists on wishing. His troubled expressions and earnest
manner of talking make the Whites as well as the readers wonder if such a thing was
really possible.
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After supper and more tales of India, the Sergeant-Major leaves. Herbert says that he
thinks the Sergeant-Major is full of nonsense and jokes. He tells his father to wish to be
an emperor so that he doesn’t have to listen to Mrs. White’s nagging. In mock anger,
Mrs. White playfully chases her son. Mr. White says he has everything he wants and
isn’t sure what to wish for. Herbert says that two hundred pounds would enable them to
pay off the money owed for the house. Mrs. White urges him to leave the paw alone.
She is nervous and uncomfortable with the whole idea. All the same, Mr. White wishes
aloud for two hundred pounds as Herbert accompanies him with melodramatic chords
played on the piano. Mr. White suddenly cries out and says that the paw twisted like a
snake in his hand. Snake symbolises the Devil in mythology. Herbert lightens the
atmosphere by saying that no money has indeed appeared in the room. He adds that he
is sure that he never would see it. This statement acquires an ironic tone later as his
words turn out to be true. Herbert leaves for work. Mrs. White goes to bed. Mr. White sits
by the fire and sees some horrible faces in the flames. He calls out to his wife in fear.
She takes his arm and leads him to their room.
Part-II
Part II begins on the next morning, a sunny winter day. The room seems cheerful and
normal in contrast to the previous evening’s gloomy atmosphere and the mummified paw
now looks harmless. Mrs. White comments on how ridiculous the Sergeant-Major’s story
was but remarks that two hundred pounds couldn’t do any harm. Mr. White answers that
they would if they dropped in a lump on his head. A letter is seen to drop in the letter-box
followed by the postman’s knock. It is a thick envelope. The couple is cautiously excited
and expectant as they open the letter. They think that the envelope could be carrying
bank notes. However, all that the envelope is carrying is a thick, formal documents and a
receipt for interest on mortgages of 200 pounds on the house. Both are silent. Even
though Mrs. White had been as excited as her husband, now, she makes fun of him,
saying she would tell Herbert about it when he came back from work. It is remarkable
how the whole day and the activities of this old couple move around their son.
Later that day, Mrs. White notices a stranger outside dressed in black clothes. The
stranger hesitantly approaches their gate three times before opening it and coming up to
the door. Mrs. White thinks he could be a lawyer. She is still thinking of the two hundred
pounds. She is bothered about her untidy appearance but ushers him in. The name of
the stranger is Mr. Sampson. He is awkward and nervous. He tells the Whites that he is
a representative of Maw and Meggins, Herbert’s employer. Mrs. White asks whether
Herbert is all right, and the representative says he is hurt, but in no pain. For a moment,
Mrs. White feels relieved, until she realizes that Herbert feels no pain because he’s
dead. The representative says that Herbert was caught in the machinery while telling the
story of the Monkey’s paw. The parents are horrified and distraught. Mrs. White sinks in
the chair. She cannot take the shock. Mr. White mutters incoherently that Herbert was
the only child they had. Embarrassed, the representative stresses that he is simply
obeying Maw and Meggins’s orders. He then explains that the company will not take any
responsibility for the death but will give the Whites two hundred pounds for Herbert’s
services. Mrs. White lets out a shriek and Mr. White drops to the ground, senseless. The
grief and helplessness of the parents is brought out very vividly by the playwright. The
use of broken sentences by the parents while talking to Mr. Sampson represents their
shock and lends pathos to the situation.
Part-III
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The Whites have buried Herbert almost a week ago. Several days have passed. The
couple feels exhausted and hopeless. Mr. White sees his wife crying by the window. He
gently urges her to come back to bed, but she refuses. The couple have lost all account
of time since Herbert wouldn’t come home now. Mrs. White, the loving mother, feels that
her dead child would be very cold in the cemetery. She suddenly cries out that she
wants the monkey’s paw. She gets hysterical and tells Mr. White to wish Herbert back to
life. Mr. White resists and tells her that Herbert’s death and the two hundred pounds they
had received had nothing to do with his wish the previous night. He says that he didn’t
want to tell her before, but Herbert was so mangled that he had to identify the body by
looking at the clothes. Mrs. White doesn’t listen, however, and continues to insist on
wishing Herbert back to life with the monkey’s paw.
Mr. White retrieves the paw from its place. His wife orders him to make the wish two
more times until he finally complies. He makes the wish. The candle goes out
simultaneously. He lights another candle. Presently, a knock is heard at the door. Mr.
White dismisses it as the sound of a house rat. Another knock sounds, and Mrs. White
tries to dash for the door saying it’s Herbert. She realizes he hadn’t returned right after
the wish had been made because he’d had to walk two miles from the graveyard to their
house. Mr. White tries to hold her back and she desperately tries to get out of his grip.
Mr. White begs her not to open the door, but she breaks free and runs to the door. As
the knocking becomes more insistent, Mr. White searches frantically for the paw, which
he had dropped to the floor. Mrs. White struggles to pull back the bolt. Mr. White finds
the paw and makes a final wish. He wishes his son dead and at peace. The knocking
stops just as Mrs. White succeeds in opening the door. Mr. White dashes to the door
and sees that the street is empty beyond the door.
The monkey’s paw emerges as a symbol of desire and greed in the play. It is attractive
because of its powers. The Whites’ tragedy comes as a result of wishing more than what
they actually needed. Even though Mr. White feels content with his life—he has a happy
family, a comfortable home, and plenty of love—he nevertheless uses the monkey’s paw
to wish for money that he doesn’t really need. Careless greed leads to unhappiness and
unintended consequences. The writer seems to suggest through the play that making
one seemingly harmless wish only intensifies and magnifies desire. Mrs. White forces
Mr. White to wish to bring Herbert back to life, a wish far more serious than their first.
The play’s moral is familiar: don’t tempt fate, and be careful what you wish for.
(Remember Pahom in ‘How Much Land Does a Man Need?’ and the story of King Midas
related in the notes of the same chapter?) Jacobs’s play sticks to the traditional belief
that we do not really want what we think we want and that wanting more than what’s
sufficient may bring ruin. The loud, threatening knocking at the door is like the writer’s
reminder to the readers to be careful in what they wish for because it may just come
true.
Like many other stories dealing with the theme of magic and supernatural, Jacobs’s
story is also structured around a pattern of ‘threes’. Let me remind you of ‘The Three
Dancing Goats’ where the significance of number three was brought to your notice. The
central force of ‘The Monkey’s Paw’ is of course, the monkey’s paw, which is supposed
to grant three separate owners three wishes each. The White family is made up of three
people. Mr. White is the third owner of the paw. The first owner used his third wish for
death. Sergeant-Major Morris begins talking about his adventures in India after three
glasses of whisky and urges Mr. White three times not to wish on the paw. The
representative from Maw and Meggins approaches the Whites’ gate three times before
 144

he musters up the courage to walk up the path to their door. Mrs. White orders her
husband three times to wish Herbert alive again before he retrieves the paw. In addition
to permeating the plot, the number three gives “The Monkey’s Paw” its structure. The
story is broken up into three parts, which take place at three times of day, during three
types of weather. Part I occurs in the evening during a rainstorm. Part II takes place
during the morning of a bright winter day. Part III is set in the middle of a chilly, windy
night. Probably, the writer had the saying - ‘bad luck comes in threes’ –at the back of his
mind while writing the story of the play.
16.4 Short-Answer Questions
Q. Describe the White family in the beginning of the play?
A. The Whites are a happy and contented family in the beginning of the play. They
are simple, gracious and hospitable people. There are three members in this close-knit
unit. Mrs. White is a pleasant looking old woman who goes through her household duties
in a cheerful manner. Her husband, Mr. White is a lovable character despite his attempts
to cheat his son in a chess-game. The lives of these two elderly people revolve around
their son, Herbert, a ‘good, steady lad’ as his mother calls him. He works with a firm that
looks after the electricity supply of the town and earns enough to run the household.
Q. Where is the house of Whites situated?
A. The house of the White family is situated a little far from the town and is the only
house on the road. Mr. White mentions the address as Lover’s Lane at Fulham.
Perhaps, the name has been given due to its being a little secluded. According to Mr.
White, it is a ‘beastly’ and ‘slushy’ place to live in. The pathway becomes a torrent during
the rains. Moreover, there is a cemetery only a mile away from the house.
Q. How does Sergeant-Major Morrisdescribe his life in the army?
A. Sergeant-Major Morris had a tough life as a soldier. He lost his left arm in some
war. He feels thankful for the comfortable chair by the fireplace at the house of the
Whites because he has been used to the trenches that turned into puddles during the
rains, with the natives firing shots at him. Starvation, fever and other hardships, besides
the threat of death are the hallmarks of life in the army.
Q. Why does Herbert decline to drink?
A. Herbert does not have any drink with the guest in his house because he has to
report for a night-shift at work. The nature of his work is such that he has to keep a cool
head, a steady eye and a still hand, otherwise the machinery might gobble him up. He
cannot, therefore, afford to be even a little bit intoxicated.
Q. How does Sergeant-Major Morris describe Indian magic?
A. Sergeant-Major Morris describes a few Indian magic tricks to a disbelieving
Herbert. He first describes the basket trick. Then, he says that he has also seen an old
fakir sending up a rope in the air, climbing it, and disappearing out of sight.
Q. What is the attitude of the White family to his stories?
A. The family does not believe what the Sergeant-Major tells them about magic in
India. Herbert clearly says that all that magic is actually a trick of the hand. When Morris
tells them the story of the disappearing fakir, Herbert calls it a ‘yarn’, meaning that it is a
made-up story. The family nudge and wink at each other while urging Morris to tell his
stories. This clearly shows that they make him narrate these incidents only for fun. Mr.
 145

White asks him about the Monkey’s Paw only to erase his irritation at Herbert’s openly
disbelieving behaviour and get him in a better mood.
Q. How does Sergeant-Major Morris react to the mention of the Monkey’s
Paw?
A. Sergeant-Major Morris is clearly uncomfortable at the mention of the Monkey’s
Paw. He does not want to talk about it. He says he gets absent-minded even while
thinking about it. He carries it with him always for fear of what might happen otherwise.
Q. What does he tell the Whites about the paw?
A. The Sergeant –Major tells the Whites that there was a spell on the paw. It was
put by an old fakir, who was a very holy man. The fakir wanted to show that fate ruled
people. Destiny was pre-written and no one could get away from it. Anyone who tried to
avoid it was in for trouble. He put the spell on the paw because that was the first thing
that he came across. According to the spell, three different people could make three
wishes each. The wishes would be fulfilled in such a way that it would seem very natural
and coincidental. However, once the wishes were granted, those three people would
have reasons to think they hadn’t wished in the first place.
Q. Why did Morris not sell the paw?
A. Morris did not sell the paw primarily because he felt that it had done enough
mischief already. Moreover, most people did not believe that the paw had any magical
powers. Others wanted to try it first and pay afterwards.
Q. How does the paw come to Mr. White?
A. Sergeant-Major throws the paw quite violently into the fire, saying that it was an
‘infernal thing’. Mr. White, however, snatches it out. He tells Morris to give it to him if he
did not want it. Morris becomes quite agitated and says that he would not give it to him.
His hands were clear of it since he had thrown it in the fire. He urges Mr. White to throw
it back. Finally, he says that he should not be blamed for the consequences. Mrs. White
also tells her husband to let the paw burn. All the same, Mr. White decides to keep it
after consulting Herbert, who still takes it as a kind of a joke.
Q. What was the right method of making a wish?
A. Sergeant-Major Morris tells Mr. White to hold the paw in his right hand and wish
aloud. He also told him not to make a wish casually and wish in a sensible manner.
Q. Why does Morris leave in a hurry?
A. Morris feels uncomfortable, anxious and shaken up due to the paw. He said that
he wanted some fresh air. Moreover, he did not want to be present when Mr. White
made his wish. He was sure that Mr. White would make his wish as soon as he left their
house. However, he warns Mr. White once again before leaving and tells him to put it in
the fire.
Q. Describe Mrs. White’s behaviour after Morris shows the paw?
A. Mrs. White’s behaviour shows inconsistency throughout the episode. She seems
to be the most frightened in the audience. When Morris tells about the three wishes,
everyone laughs except her. She rather tells the rest to remain quiet and not laugh. At
the same time, she jokingly tells her husband to wish for an extra pair of hands for her to
carry out her daily chores. Later, she is insistent that the paw be thrown into the fire.
However, she is upset with her husband for having paid for the paw, saying that he
 146

should not be wasting money on trifles. When her husband wonders aloud if it would be
better to throw it in the fire, she expresses her displeasure since he had already spent
money on it. She again tells her husband to have nothing to do with it when he is on the
verge of making a wish.
Q. What does Mr. White want to wish for?
A. Mr. White says that he does not know what to wish for because he seems to
have all that he wants. This shows that the family is living in comfort, contentment, and
happiness. His son, Herbert, gives him the suggestion to wish for two hundred pounds to
clear the debt on the house.
Q. Why is Mr. White frightened after making his first wish?
A. Mr. White drops the paw with a cry after making his first wish. He is sure that the
paw had twisted in his hand like a snake after he had spelt out his wish. Later, when he
sits near the fireplace, he again cries out involuntarily for his wife because he sees some
horrible faces in the fire.
Q. How is the atmosphere the next morning? What do the Whites discuss at
the breakfast table?
A. The morning is bright and full of sunshine the next day after the previous night’s
storm. The couple waits for Herbert to return from work even though they decide to have
breakfast without him, since Herbert does not like their waiting for him. Mr. White looks
out of the window and both calculate the time it would take him to reach the house. Mrs.
White picks up the paw from the mantelpiece, looks at it with disgust and puts it back. As
they sit down for breakfast, the couple discuss the paw and dismiss it as one more story
cooked up by their friend, Sergeant-Major Morris.
Q. What reactions does the newly arrived letter get from the White couple?
A. Both Mr. And Mrs. White are very excited to see the letter. The thought that it
might contain two hundred pounds is hovering in their minds all the time. They, however,
try to suppress it. Mr. White opens the envelope while trying to dismiss the expectation
of money as nonsense. Mrs. White is so eager that she wants to open the letter herself.
She asks her husband to be careful not to tear it. She fears that the banknotes might get
damaged in the process. The excitement dies down quickly when they see that the
envelope contains some documents and a receipt.
Q. What does Mrs. White think when she sees a man in black approaching
their house?
A. Mrs. White notices the stranger dressed in black at their gate. The man is
indecisive and turns away three times before coming to the house finally. Mrs. White
thinks that he might be a lawyer, since he is dressed in black clothes, coming to talk
about two hundred pounds.

Q. What does Mr. Sampson tell the Whites about Herbert?

A. Mr. Sampson tells the Whites in an embarrassed and awkward tone that Herbert
was hurt very badly at work, but he was not in any pain. It is after a while that the full
implications of this information, that Herbert is dead, are understood by the parents. Mr.
Sampson then tells them that Herbert had been telling his mates the story of the
 147

monkey’s paw. He had been laughing all along. He got caught in the machinery because
he was careless and too engrossed in telling the story.
Q. What is the message from the Company where Herbert worked, as
conveyed by Mr. Sampson?
A. TheCompany had sent Mr. Sampson to convey their sincere sympathy with the
Whites in losing their son. Mr. Sampson also said that the Company disclaimed all
responsibility of the death. However, they had sent a sum of two hundred pounds as
compensation in consideration of Herbert’s services.
Q. How do the old people react when they hear about the two hundred
pounds?
A. Mrs. White gives a cry when she hears the amount. Her husband pays no
attention to her. He smiles faintly at the cruel joke played on him. He puts his hands out
like a blind man and falls to the ground, unconscious. Mrs. White stares at him blankly
for a while. Then her hands go out to him but it is clear that she cannot help him due to
her own condition of grief.
Q. What is the second wish that Mrs. White asks her husband to make? Why
does Mr. White refuse to make it?
A. Mrs. White asks her husband to wish Herbert alive again. Mr. White refuses to
make that wish as it would be very unnatural. He tells his wife that their son’s body was
so mangled that it could be recognized only by its clothes. Mrs. White was not allowed to
see it even before burial. He says that it would not be possible for Mrs. White to see it
now.
Q. How do the Whites feel after their son’s death?
A. The Whites feel that there is nothing left in their lives after Herbert’s death. They
are too old to begin a new life which revolved around their son earlier. There is only
emptiness, darkness, Herbert’s memories and each other. The only consolation is that
they do not have too many years to live. All the same, even a minute seems long in
Herbert’s absence. With his death, they have ceased to be mother and father.
Q. How do both the parents react to the knocking at the door?
A. Mrs. White gets desperate and hysterical when she hears the knocking at the
door. She struggles wildly to get out of her husband’s grip. She wants to open the door
as she thinks it is her son knocking. Mr. White holds her back. He warns her of what she
might see. She says that she will not fear the child she bore. All the time, she keeps
calling out to Herbert that she was coming to open the door.
Q. What is the third wish made by Mr. White?
A. Mr. White wishes his son dead and at peace as his third wish.
Self Assessment Questions
1. The play (a)………………….. is written by (b)………………………
2. The story of the play revolves around the………………………. Family.
3. The White family get (a) ……………………… from (b)…………………………
4. Accroding to the belief, a single person can make ……………………… from the
paw.
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16.5 Long-Answer Questions

Q. How is an atmosphere of horror created in the play?
A. ‘The Monkey’s Paw’ is a classic of the horror genre. Jacobs weaves many
common and recognizable elements of horror into the story. The story opens on a dark
and stormy night, the Whites live on a deserted street, doors bang unexpectedly, stairs
squeak, and silences are interrupted by the ticking of the clock. These elements
heighten the tension and inform readers that something dreadful could occur at any
moment. There is a sense of disaster waiting to happen in the play. As the Whites make
light-hearted jokes about the monkey’s paw, there is a feeling that disaster will soon
strike. Another element of classic horror is Jacobs’s transformation of the happy, loving
White family into people who live amidst death and misery. Herbert’s transformation is
the most obvious, from a joking and playful son to a living corpse. All this creates an
atmosphere of horror in the play.
Here are a few questions for you to answer:
Q. How does the monkey’s paw ruin the White family?
You can use the following hints:
∙ The contented and happy life of the Whites, their reasonably good financial
condition, and the love and understanding among all the three family members
∙ The entry of the paw in their lives through Sergeant Major Morris
∙ The beginning of desire to wish; the paw as a symbol of greed
∙ Herbert’s suggestion given jokingly to wish for 200 pounds to pay off the house-
debt
∙ The news of Herbert’s death; the circumstances leading to the death and the
condition of his body
∙ The parent’s loneliness and grief
∙ The second unnatural wish to have Herbert alive
∙ The horrifying knocking and the tussle between husband and wife
∙ The final wish to have Herbert dead and at peace
∙ The emptiness and dreariness on the street
∙ The wailing mother and the shaken, distraught father sitting in the doorway
You may find the next question interesting.
Q. Do you believe that one can change one’s destiny?
Are we the prisoners of our destiny? Should we give up struggling in life? Is it possible to
alter the circumstances of one’s life? Should we resort to things like black magic to
become more powerful than the circumstances? Can you think of any examples which
illustrate that a strong will is the key to success?
16.6 Summary:
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By now it must be clear to you that the monkey’s paw emerges as a symbol of desire
and greed in the play. It is attractive because of its powers. The Whites’ tragedy comes
as a result of wishing more than what they actually needed. Even though Mr. White feels
content with his life—he has a happy family, a comfortable home, and plenty of love—he
nevertheless uses the monkey’s paw to wish for money that he doesn’t really need.
Careless greed leads to unhappiness and unintended consequences. The writer seems
to suggest through the play that making one seemingly harmless wish only intensifies
and magnifies desire.
16.7 Further Reading
https://www.sparknotes.com/short-stories/the-monkeys-paw/summary/
https://www.shmoop.com/study-guides/literature/monkeys-paw/summary
https://www.gradesaver.com/the-monkeys-paw/study-guide/summary
16.8 Model Questions
1. How did the White family come to know about the monkey’s paw?
2. What atrocities did the monkey's paw bring to the life of the White family?
3. What message does the play The Monkey’s Paw teach?



Answers to the Self-Assessment Questions

1. (a) The Moneky’s Paw (b) W. W. Jacobs
2. White
3. (a) The monkey'sPaw (b) Sergeant-Major Morris
4. Three wishes
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Lesson-17

LITERARY TERMS/CONCEPTS

Structure
17.0 Objectives
17.1 Introduction
17.2 Prose
17.3 Essay
17.3.1 Expository Essay
17.3.2 Analytical/Argumentative Essay
17.3.3 Lyrical Essay
17.3.4 Descriptive Essay
17.3.5 Imaginative Essay
17.3.6 Philosophical Essay
17.4 Short Story
17.5 Long Story
17.6 Summary
17.7 Further Reading
17.8 Model Questions

17.0 Objectives
After reading this essay you will be able to:
● understand the different literary terms and concepts
● define the given literary terms
17.1 Introduction
You must have heard of literary terms while studying literature. They are the concepts
which are necessary to understand literature and appreciate it deeply. Literary terms can
be used to delineate genre or type of literature such as, novel, drama, poetry, essay,
story etc. Similarly, literary terms are also used to define certain tools and devices used
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in a piece of literature to enhance the impact of the content. Such literary devices can be
simile, metaphor, imagery etc. Let us learn some literary terms which will help you
understand the texts prescribed in your syllabus better.
17.2 PROSE
Prose is a term used collectively for all written and spoken discourse which is not
patterned in the form of verse or poetry. Prose is usually written in the form of
paragraphs and may be formal or informal in style. Various forms of prose can be
novels, short or long stories, essays, letters, speeches etc. Prose may be stylistic or
patterned, even rhythmic if the theme is formal. It is racy and colloquial if the theme is
informal. Descriptions of things and events, narratives (stories and novels) and opinions
of people (essays, letters and speeches) are mostly written in prose form. The freedom
in prose to choose from various styles, dictions (selection of words) and manners of
writing make it a popular medium of literary expression. It is commonly used in
newspapers, magazines, encyclopedias and books on various subjects.
You are familiar with essays and short-stories prescribed in your syllabus. They can be
clubbed together as prose. Try to observe how different pieces in your text can be
classified as different forms of prose.
17.3 ESSAY
The word ‘essay’ comes from the French word ‘essai’ which means a trial. An essay is
an attempt to express one’s personal views on a given topic. A good essay requires the
preparation and presentation of ideas on a topic in a sequential manner. Typically an
essay has an introduction that lays the foundation for how the topic shall be attempted, a
main body that contains the views of the writer in a detailed manner and finally a
conclusion that sums up the ideas explained. Essays can be descriptive, narrative,
philosophical, argumentative, biographical etc. These types refer to the manner in which
the given topic has been approached by the writer.
You have read essays in your textbook. You must have noticed how different writers
have employed different methods to express their views. You must have also observed
how essays do not summarize issues but rather give detailed explanations.
17.3.1 EXPOSITORY ESSAY
Expository essays, also referred to as informative essays, are written with the intention
to inform or explain. An expository essay is written with a specific audience in mind and
includes information about a specific topic. Such an essay must include a powerful
introduction which can grab the readers’ attention and make them gain more interest in
reading the essay. A powerful introduction could begin with an anecdote that relates to
the topic or it could include a posed question that sets the tone for the essay. Finally, the
introduction of an expository essay should include a main idea. It must also include
specific reasons or details associated with the topic. This is referred to as the body of the
essay. The body of this essay elaborates on what is being discussed. This might include
important facts, supportive examples, further explanations of a particular concept and
any other necessary details. The conclusion in this essay helps bridge a connection
between the main idea and the body of the essay. It can restate what has previously
been discussed, in a summary format.
Sir Richard Livingston’s “Essentials of Education” in your syllabus is an example of an
expository essay that details the necessary elements of a good education system point
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by point. Try and observe other characteristics of the expository essay in the mentioned
piece.
17.3.2 ANALYTICAL/ ARGUMENTATIVE ESSAY
An analytical or argumentative essay concerns itself with a critical analysis of a certain
topic and an argument of various viewpoints in it. An argumentative essay can also be
from a certain viewpoint and perspective and may be advocating for a certain approach
towards the given topic. The essay sounds like a debate and is filled with strong
statements which are often rhetorical in nature. Such essays must be planned well and
must contain logical and strong statements in order to convince the readers of the point
of view favoured by the writer. Such essays are generally on themes which are relevant
to a larger section of the society, for example, Need for co-education, Students and
Politics etc.
You must have observed that the essay “Freedom” by G.B. Shaw explains Shaw’s ideas
on freedom and how he believes that true freedom is not allowed to the common man in
the modern world. Shaw also argues for a socialist society which allows absolute
equality among all sections of the society.
17.3.3 LYRICAL ESSAY
The lyrical essay blends poetry and essay. It may be as short as a prose poem or much
longer. Such an essay includes elements of lyric poetry including imagery, strong verbs
and evocative language. It does not always include the logic of conventional essays.
There is very little argument, and even that is not based on theories but rather
suggestions or individual views. A lyrical essay generally uses the personal pronouns “l”
and “you” and is freer in its diction. The style used is poetic and abounds in metaphors,
similes and images.
Nirad C. Chaudhary’s essay “My Birthplace”, in your syllabus, has elements of the lyrical
essay in its narration and description of Kishorganj. You must notice how Chaudhary
remembers his experiences of his birthplace and describes them using similes and
metaphors which are poetic in nature.
17.3.4 DESCRIPTIVE ESSAY
Descriptive essays are those in which the writer gives a description of something, for
example, a building, a place, a person or a phenomenon. Descriptive essays offer great
detail and abound in knowledge about the topic. Such essays often contain details which
may appeal to the physical, emotional and intellectual faculties of the readers.
Descriptive essays often focus on a place, episode, person or thing and explain
elaborately various aspects of the central subject. The language used must be exact so
as to, bring out the desired impact in the readers’ mind.
Read carefully M. Chalapathi Rau’s “Nehru the Democrat '' prescribed in your syllabus.
Rau clearly describes Nehru as a true democrat in his essay. Chaudhary's “My
Birthplace” has elements of descriptive essay as he describes in vivid detail his
birthplace of Kishorganj.
17.3.5 IMAGINATIVE ESSAY
Imaginative essays are written out of the author’s imagination. They may be about a
mythical or unreal topic. They can also be about the writer’s imagination on a real issue.
Logic and fact are not as important to an imaginative essay, as the creativity of the writer
in creating detail which is interesting and arresting for the reader. Imaginative essays
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may not necessarily be about magical tales, but are often so. The author can experiment
with language in such essays and can create his own formats for writing. An important
aspect of writing an imaginative essay is to write with detail that can convince the reader
of the views of the author.
J. B. S. Haldane’s “What I Require from Life” is an imaginative essay that describes the
writer’s imagination of a perfect world where the basic requirements of every human
being are fulfilled. Notice how Haldane manages to convince his readers of the
possibility of such a perfect world.
17.3.6 PHILOSOPHICAL ESSAY
Philosophical essays concern topics and issues which are philosophical in nature. They
deal with rational investigations of truths and principles and aim to give conclusions
which can improve or reconstitute the given circumstances. Philosophical essays lay
forth the writer’s deep ponderings on a certain topic. Ideas are put together to critically
analyze a given situation and come up with solutions to problems which concern
perception or ideology rather than materialistic objects. Philosophical essays are written
with the purpose of laying bare a certain idea and probing it from all possible directions.
These essays are serious in their tone and diction and often concern important issues.
Aldous Huxley’s essay “Non-Violence” prescribed in your syllabus is patterned on the
style of a philosophical essay and elaborates the significance and value of the
philosophy of non-violence. Notice how the essay probes the culture of non-violence and
concludes on the significance of promoting its values.
17.4 SHORT STORY
A short story is a form of prose in which a story or fiction is narrated. Most of the
qualities of the novel, in terms of characterization, episode, dialogues, etc. are present in
the short story too. The only difference comes in terms of the length of the piece. While a
novel runs through various chapters or parts, the short story is restricted to a few pages.
The short story may be humorous, tragic, comic, romantic or thrilling depending upon the
subject of the story and the writer’s approach towards it. Usually, the length of a short
story is such that it can be read in a short period of time and a single sitting only.
A short story may be the story of an episode, like Mansfield’s “Doll’s House”, a
character, like Chekhov’s “Grief” or Kapek’s “The Fortune-Teller”. It may also be an
imaginative piece of folk-tale like “The Three Dancing Goats”.
17.5 LONG STORY
A long story falls between the short story and the novel. Like the short story, it has all the
elements of a novel and elaborates the subject with greater detail and examples than the
short story. The primary difference between the short and long story is that of detail and
length. While the short story focuses on fewer episodes and does not give many
instances to suggest a conclusion, a long story gives various instances to prove a
certain point. A long story is more detailed and has a lot of description of ideas which
may not be present in a short story. Usually, the episodes selected for a long story are
also spread over a greater time span. Unlike the short story, the long story also does not
restrict to a certain place for action.
Leo Tolstoy’s “How Much Land Does a Man Need” is a good example of a long story.
The story moves from one place to the other and explains through various examples the
growing greed of man. It does not jump from one part to the other but gradually shows
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the change in the character. Similarly, “The Adventure of the Blue Carbuncle” by Arthur
Conan Doyle is also a long story.
17.6 Summary:
By now you must have understood the importance of literary concepts in the
understanding of literature.They are the concepts which are necessary to understand
and appreciate it deeply. Literary terms can be used to delineate genre or type of
literature such as, novel, drama, poetry, essay, story etc. Similarly, literary terms are
also used to define certain tools and devices used in a piece of literature to enhance the
impact of the content.

17.7 Further Reading

A Glossary of Literary Terms by M.H. Abrams
Oxford Dictionary of Literary Terms
17.8 Model Questions
1. What do you mean by prose? What are the genres of prose writing?
2. What is an Essay? Discuss different types of essay?
3. What is the difference between a short story and a novel?

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Lesson-18

LITERARY TERMS/ CONCEPTS

Structure
18.0 Objectives
18.1 Introduction
18.2 Drama
18.2.1 Plot
18.2.2 Characters
18.2.3 Incident
18.2.4 Setting
18.2.5 Structure
18.3 Types of Drama
18.3.1 Tragedy
18.3.2 Comedy
18.3.3 Tragic-Comedy
18.4 Summary
18.5 Further Reading
18.6 Model Questions

18.0 Objectives
After reading this chapter you will be able to:
● understand the different elements of the genre of drama
● discuss the different types of drama
18.1 Introduction
Literary terms must be described in not more than 200 words each. You would notice,
however, that some of the terms described below exceed the word limit. This has been
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done to give a detailed description and ensure better understanding of the terms. The
division in points has also been done for the same purpose. You are expected to write
the description in paragraph form in not more than 200 words in your examination.
18.2 DRAMA
A Drama is a composition in prose or verse presenting a narrative. Playwrights usually
design dramas for presentation on a stage in front of an audience. Dialogue is the chief
means to carry forward the action, though stage setting and directions also play a prime
role. Aristotle called drama ‘imitated human action.’ Drama may have originated in
religious ceremonies. Thespis of Attica (sixth century BC) was the first recorded
composer of a tragedy. Tragedies in their earliest stage were performed by a single
actor who interacted with the chorus. The playwright Aeschylus added a second actor on
the stage to allow additional conflict and dialogue. Sophocles and Euripides added a
third. Medieval drama may have evolved independently from rites or ceremonies
commemorating the birth and death of Christ. During the late medieval period and the
early Renaissance, drama gradually altered to the form we know today. The mid-
sixteenth century in England in particular was one of the greatest periods of world
drama.
In traditional Greek drama, as defined by Aristotle, a play was to consist of five acts and
follow the three dramatic unities – unity of time, unity of place, and unity of action. Unity
of action means that the action represented in a play must be in proportion with the
actual conditions of staging a play. Unity of place means that the action must be limited
to a single location. Unity of time means that the time represented be limited to two or
three hours it takes to act the play, or at most to a single day of either twelve or twenty-
four hours. Shakespeare, however, is known to have disregarded all unities. In more
recent drama also (i.e., during the last two centuries), plays have frequently consisted of
three acts, and playwrights have felt more comfortable disregarding the confines of
Aristotelian rules.
DRAMATIC
Consider the following examples of the use of the word dramatic:
∙ They are members of the local dramatic society.
∙ He is a dramatic actor.
Generally speaking, Dramatic would mean pertaining to drama. Dramatic also applies to
situations in life and literature that stir the imagination and emotions deeply. The term is
used in the context of anything
characteristic of or appropriate to the drama, especially involving conflict or
contrast. It also means being like a drama in suddenness, emotional impact, or
employing the form or manner of the drama .
Consider the Sentence
∙ The silence following his impassioned speech was dramatic.
Also, weigh the following sentence:
∙ The book tells the dramatic story of her battle with cancer.
In the same vein, dramatic poetry is a form of writing which gives expression to deep
emotions. It is a verse composition for theatrical performance. The poet’s motive is to
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capture the audience’s attention and make them feel the writing. A Dramatic
Monologue designates a type of poem in which a single person addresses and interacts
with one or more other people. The reader, however, gets to know of the presence and
actions of other characters in the poem only from clues in the speech of the speaker of
the poem. The other characters remain silent throughout the poem. Hence the term
‘monologue’, which means speech by one person, is used. The dramatic speaker
unintentionally reveals his own nature and character in the course of what he says.
Robert Browning’s ‘My Last Duchess’ is an example of a dramatic monologue. Dramatic
Theme is a prominent idea that emerges not only from the actions of various characters
in the play but also the consequences of those actions. Dramatic costume can refer
both to the actual dress to be worn in a drama or to any dress that is flashy and
flamboyant.
Having a powerful voice and a declamatory style can earn the title of theatrical, which is
a synonym of the word ‘dramatic’. Theatrical can also imply a crude appeal through
artificiality or exaggeration in gesture or vocal expression. The word ‘melodramatic’,
another derivative of dramatic, means having a character or an effect like that of acted
plays, an exaggerated emotionalism. A powerful, expressive singing voice can be
described as having a dramatic tenor because such a voice is apt for the stage.
Exciting, tense, startling, sensational, breathtaking, and electrifying events in life are
also described as dramatic because these characteristics are part and parcel of some
kinds of drama, e.g. ‘He witnessed many dramatic escapes.’ In the same way, the term
‘Histrionic’ applies to tones, gestures, and motions and suggests a deliberate affectation
or staginess e.g. ‘a histrionic show of grief.’
18.2.1 PLOT
The plot in a play or a narrative work is the structure of its actions and the way these
actions are ordered and presented for achieving particular emotional and artistic effects.
Some plots are designed to achieve tragic effects while others to achieve the effects of
comedy, romance or satire. Many plots deal with conflict between the protagonist and
the antagonist. As a plot progresses, it arouses expectations in the audience or reader
about the future course of events. All incidents in the plot have to be closely connected
to form a single, complete and ordered structure. A work can have a main plot and a sub
plot – a second story that is complete and interesting in its own right but also manages
to broaden our vision of the main plot. A plot can be broadly divided into the following
stages:
1) Introduction or Exposition – The setting, characters, and main conflicts are
introduced to the reader. This is the beginning of a novel or story and may be short or
long, but is always flat with very little action or emotion.
2) Rising Action- The round characters are developed, the conflicts are increased
and acted out in many ways. Motives are introduced and things happen. Generally, it is
the major part of a novel or story.
3) Climax - the ‘high point’ of a story in which the major conflicts erupt in some kind
of final showdown (fight, argument, violent or physical action, very tense emotional
moment etc). At the end of the climax, the ‘winner’ will be clear though there may not
always be a winner.
4) Falling Action - The events immediately follow the climax; a kind of cleaning up.
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5) Resolution – The stage where everything ends. The reader may have some
sense of closure or may be asked to think about what might come next. In fairy tales,
there is the Happy Ending. In some novels, you will read about the characters many
years later.
18.2.2 CHARACTER
A Character is a representation of an individual in a dramatic or narrative work i.e. a
play, novel, story or a narrative poem. The reader can interpret characters through
dialogue and action, which establish their nature and qualities.
Characters can be discussed in a number of ways.
∙ The main character of a work of a fiction is typically called the protagonist who
is not necessarily a hero or a heroine. Sindhu is the protagonist of ‘The Three Dancing
Goats’. The character against whom the protagonist struggles or contends (if there is
one) is the antagonist. The antagonist, in other words,is the opponent. The antagonist
may be society, nature, a person, or an aspect of the protagonist.
The antihero lacks or seems to lack heroic traits. If a single secondary character aids
the protagonist throughout the narrative, that character is the deuteragonist (the hero’s
‘side-kick’). A character of tertiary importance is a tritagonist.
∙ A persona is a fictional character. Sometimes the term means the mask or alter-
ego of the author; it is often used for first person works and lyric poems, to distinguish
the writer of the work from the character in the work.
∙ Stock characters are characters who are usually found in a wide variety of plays
and display some stock, unchanging characteristics, e.g., the heroine disguised as a
man in Elizabethan drama, the hardboiled detective, the tightlipped sheriff, the girl next
door, the evil hunters in a Tarzan movie, the cruel stepmother and Prince Charming in
fairy tales.
∙ A foil is a secondary character who contrasts with a major character. In Hamlet,
Laertes and Fortinbras, whose fathers have been killed, are foils for Hamlet.
Characters may be classified as round or flat. Round Characters have many sides. They
are sometimes called three-dimensional. They are fully developed and grow or change
in several ways. They think and react on many levels. They are usually central to the
story, its conflicts, and its final message. We care about them and tend to react along
with them to the things that happen.
Flat Characters have only one side - they may be major characters, but they do not
change. They generally have only a few traits or only enough traits to fulfil their function
in the work. Flat characters are important to a story because the round characters
interact with them. All the same, we may feel strongly about a flat character because
he/she is a strong and consistent representative of Good or of Evil.
Characters can also be classified as Major and minor. Major characters appear
throughout the novel or in a major section of it. They are involved in the important
actions and conflicts. Minor characters enter the novel for a specific reason and may
then not be heard of again. They may exist throughout the novel in the shadow of the
major character. They may be involved in a conflict with a major character and are
essential to the plot, but only so that something can be learned or shown about the
major character.
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18.2.3 INCIDENT
Incident can be explained as one specific happening in a plot. Many short stories are
basically one incident described in detail. A novel usually consists of many incidents. All
incidents are important for the establishment of characters and for taking the action of
the plot further. There may, however, be some incidents that are more central to a work.
In R.K.Narayan’sThe Guide, theincidents where Raju, the protagonist, forges Rosie’s
signature and the miscommunication by Velan’s brother about Raju’s fast to the villagers
are the turning points of the novel. The incidents involving minor characters in a long
play are part of the sub-plot. These incidents serve the purpose of creating the
atmosphere of the play. Sometimes, such scenes are used to comment on the action or
the main characters of the play. The opening scene of Girish Karnad’s play ‘Tughlaq’
shows common people talking amongst themselves in front of Tughlaq’s palace. A
young man and an old man argue about the policies of Tughlaq. This argument
establishes the conflicting opinions about Tughlaq as a king as well as a person. This
conflict is central to the play and Tughlaq’s persona. Thus, the incident with minor
characters is of utmost importance in the play.
18.2.4 SETTING
The general locale, historical time, social and political circumstances in which the action
of a fictional or dramatic work occurs comprises the setting of a story, novel, play or
even a poem. It is the total environment for the action of a fictional work. The setting is
usually established through description—but sometimes narration or dialogue also
reveals the location and time.
The setting of the play, ‘A Marriage Proposal’, is some place in Russia. The time is late
nineteenth century. The names of the characters, their manners and mannerisms are in
accordance with the age and place they belong to. Leo Tolstoy’s story ‘How Much Land
Does a Man Need?’ is also based in Russia. This is established in the course of the
story through reference to places, rivers, such as the Volga, and people, such as the
Bashkirs. The mention of Kumiss, which is the Russian term for mare’s fermented milk,
also makes the story belong specifically to its particular setting. The author of ‘The
Fortune Teller’ makes it clear in the beginning of the story that its locale is London. ‘The
Three Dancing Goats’ is an Indian folktale. ‘The Doll’s House’ brings out the
discrimination against the economically underprivileged through the depiction of
children’s behaviour. The author reveals the prevalent social structure through the
atmosphere of her story.
Setting can be a central or peripheral factor in the meaning of a work. Some stories
would make an equal impact, irrespective of their setting. Sometimes, however, setting
adds a deeper meaning to the story. The story of a wounded soldier would carry a lot of
meaning in a war setting. The struggle of a poor person would come across very clearly
during the times of economic depression. The suffering of a homeless beggar would be
better understood if the setting is that of the winter season.
18.2.5 STRUCTURE
Structure means the framework of a work of literature; the organization or over-all design
of a work. The structure of a play may fall into logical divisions and also a mechanical
division of acts and scenes. Groups of stories may be set in a larger structure or frame,
like The Canterbury Tales and The Arabian Tales. W.W. Jacobs’s play ‘The Monkey’s
Paw’ is structured around a pattern of ‘threes’. The story is broken up into three parts,
which take place at three times of the day, during three types of weather. Part I occurs in
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the evening during a rainstorm. Part II takes place during the morning of a bright winter
day. Part III is set in the middle of a chilly, windy night. Probably, the writer had the
saying - ‘bad luck comes in threes’ –at the back of his mind while writing the story of the
play.
Some literary works follow the flashback technique. The storyline does not follow the
linear pattern of time. The story begins somewhere in the middle of the action. The past
is recalled by a character in order to understand the present situation in a better way.
The future action is then shaped in accordance with the developments in the past. The
Guide by R.K.Narayan is one such example. Some novels are structured in such a way
that different chapters give the point of view of different characters. A.K.Ramanujan, a
great Indian poet, sometimes structures the lines in his poems in such a way that the
visual impact of the poem resembles the thing being discussed in the poem. E.g. the
structure of one of his poems that talks of an orange tree gives the visual reflection of a
tree due to the arrangement of the lines.
A writer has the freedom to employ any structure in his work. There are no hard and fast
rules regarding this. Structure is basically a tool in the hands of the literary artist to
enhance the effectiveness of the work.
18.3 Types of Drama
The following are the major three types of drama:
18.3.1 TRAGEDY
Tragedy is a serious narrative representing the disastrous downfall of a central
character/protagonist. Aristotle, the famous Greek scholar gave the most influential
definition of Tragedy in his Poetics written in the 4th century B.C. as the imitation of an
action which is serious and complete. It engulfs all the characters that are there in the
play. The goal of a tragedy is achievement of Catharsis i.e. purification, through
incidents arousing pity and fear. He also observed that the protagonist is led into a fatal
calamity by ‘hamartia’ (error). Hamartia often takes the form of excessive pride leading
to divine retribution and nemesis. Nemesis is the Greek goddess of divine punishment.
Nemesis, in dramatic terms, means the inescapable agent of someone’s downfall,
especially when deserved. The tragic effect usually depends on our awareness of
admirable qualities in the protagonist which are wasted terribly in the fated disaster.
Macbeth by Shakespeare and The Mayor of Casterbridge by Thomas Hardy fall under
this category.
In general terms, any such work can be classified as a Tragedy that deals with sad
circumstances leading to death, downfall, destruction and suffering. ‘The Monkey’s Paw’
is a tragedy as it relates the story of a happy and contented family falling into bad times
due to their inability in resisting the promise of the paw. By the end of the play, the family
is reduced to two people as the son dies in a horrible accident. The old parents are seen
distressed and wailing helplessly at the end of the play. The story ‘How Much Land Does
a Man Need?’ is a tragedy triggered by greed. ‘Grief’, too, is a tragic story as it brings out
the pathos of a poor, grieving father who cannot find a sympathetic ear in the selfish
world to share his grief at the death of his young son.
18.3.2 COMEDY
A Comedy is a play or any other literary composition such as a novel, or even a movie,
written chiefly to amuse its audience. The comic effect is achieved by appealing to the
audience’s sense of superiority over the characters depicted. A comedy will normally be
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closer to the representation of everyday life and will explore common human failings
rather than Tragedy’s disastrous crimes. Its ending is usually happy for the leading
characters. Modern comedies are usually funny, while Shakespearean comedies just
end well. Shakespearean comedies achieve comic effect by using misunderstandings or
mistaken identities. Modern comedies throw their characters into peculiar situations.
Witty and clever lines are used in the dialogues of characters to make the piece
entertaining for the viewers or readers.
As a dramatic form, it dates back to the Greek playwright Aristophanes in the fifth
century B.C. At the end of the next century, Menander wrote a new comedy Young
Lovers. There are several kinds of Comedy. Romantic Comedies deal mainly with the
follies and misunderstandings of young lovers in a light hearted manner. A Romantic
Comedy is happily concluded with lovers getting united. This type of Comedy usually
avoids satire. Shakespeare’s As You Like It, Twelfth Night, and A Midsummer Night’s
Dream are examples of Romantic Comedy. Ben Jonson’s Volponeis an example of
satire. Another type is the Comedy of Manners which is characterised by sophisticated
verbal wit. A brilliant example of this is William Congreve’s play The Way of the World.
Yet another category is the Comedy of Ideas. Its examples are the plays of George
Bernard Shaw, such as The Apple Cart. The Sentimental Comedy became popular in
the 18th century. It usually involved an unbelievably good middle class couple. It showed
virtue rewarded by domestic happiness. It is also known as the tearful comedy since it
drowns the audience in tears with an overdose of sentiments. However, the ending is
happy and provides a lot of fun and laughter.
18.3.3 TRAGI-COMEDY
A Tragi-comedy is a play that combines elements of tragedy and comedy either by
providing a happy ending to a potentially tragic story or by some more complex blending
of serious and light moods. In other words, it is a drama in which the action moves
towards catastrophe like a tragedy, but fortunate events or actions intervene to bring
about a happy ending. Aristotle describes it as a kind of tragedy involving mistaken
identity among close relatives or friends, in which timely recognition prevents the
protagonist from killing a loved one. In its broadest sense, the term may be applied to
almost any kind of drama that does not conform strictly to comic or tragic conventions. In
a tragic-comedy, the high and low characters are mixed, which are otherwise kept apart
in the separate genres of tragedy and comedy. Shakespeare’s The Winter’s Tale has a
tragicomic plot in which Queen Hermione is falsely suspected of adultery and
condemned to death, but is reunited with her repentant husband in the last scene.
Another play by Shakespeare, The Merchant of Venice, is also a tragi-comedy as
Antonio escapes death because of the intelligent intervention of Portia, disguised as a
lawyer. The story, ‘How Much Land Does a Man Need?’ would have been tragicomic
had Pahom decided to quit the run for land after feeling unwell and somehow even got
his money back from the Bashkirs. ‘The Monkey’s Paw’ would also have been tragicomic
instead of being a tragedy had Herbert returned after some time, laughing and saying
that it was just a trick that he played on his parents.
18.4 Summary:
By now you have learnt to appreciate the use of literary terms by the writers. You have
studied the various types of drama as well as the constituents of a drama. This will
enhance your understanding of drama and its types.
18.5 Further Reading
 162

A Glossary of Literary Terms by M.H. Abrams

Oxford Dictionary of Literary Terms
18.6 Model Questions
1. What is drama? What are the major elements of drama?
2. What are the different types of drama?


Appendix
Lesson-19

APPLIED GRAMMAR
CORRECTION OF SENTENCES

Correction of sentences is a good way to learn a certain language. When you correct
sentences, you learn how to write and speak correctly. The exercise involves analyzing
a given incorrect sentence with respect to its syntax, structure and grammatical
arrangement. Whenever you get sentences to correct, you must check them for
correctness of tenses, articles, voice (active and passive), narration (direct and indirect)
etc. You must also check the correctness of the used parts of speech: nouns, pronouns,
verbs, adjectives, adverbs, prepositions, conjunctions and interjections. Punctuations are
also important in sentences. You must carefully observe the given sentence for any
errors in singularity or plurality of objects, homophones used incorrectly, or any other
erroneous use of words. Here are some text based examples and exercises, to help you
learn correction of sentences.
ESSAY 1: NEHRU THE DEMOCRAT
Examples:
i. He could not thought of democracy without transfer of power.
He could not think of democracy without transfer of power.
ii. He achieved leadership through rationally means.
He achieved leadership through rational means.
iii. The constitution must serve a need of the people.
The constitution must serve the needs of the people.
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Exercise:
i. India is a land of many religion and language.
ii. Democracy must ensured good government.
iii. The content is more importance than the form.
ESSAY 2: BORES
Examples:
i. He can always found his listeners.
He can always find his listeners.
ii. He always has something new to discussed.
He always has something new to discuss.
iii. We saw them on the distance.
We saw them at a distance.
Exercise:
i. Fewer men are strongly enough to admit.
ii. I have always dislike him.
iii. You’ll dine with us this evening, won’t you.
iv. I’ll avoid that man by future.
ESSAY 3: FREEDOM
i. I have no times to talk.
I have no time to talk.
ii. Are you free person?
Are you a free person?
iii. It is foolish of you to belief them.
It is foolish of you to believe them.
Exercise:
i. It is so pleasant to sleep.
ii. Certain jobs should not shirk.
iii. Did they elected their leader?
ESSAY 4: WHAT I REQUIRE FROM LIFE
Examples:
i. I look forward to the life full of happiness.
I look forward to a life full of happiness.
ii. Since last three days, I’ve been travelling.
For the last three days, I’ve been travelling.
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iii. The law prevent me from doing so.

The law prevents me from doing so.
Exercise:
i. I want friends which will criticize me.
ii. Unemployment is a essential feature of capitalism.
iii. I discover new facts but no use is make of them.
ESSAY 5 : MY BIRTHPLACE
Examples:
i. The bazaars and all the important shop were on the other bank.
The bazaars and all the important shops were on the other bank.
ii. I saw a group of woman coming.
I saw a group of women coming.
iii. Whatever they were saying was unhearable.
Whatever they were saying was inaudible.
Exercise:
i. A water of the pool was cool and clear.
ii. There were many kind of dolls.
iii. The festival was held annual.
ESSAY 6 : STUDENT MOBS
Examples:
i. He has some prejudice with students.
He has some prejudice against students.
ii. Students should began to develop a sense of responsibility.
Students should begin to develop a sense of responsibility.
iii. The whole fabric of civilization is rapidly being teared away.
The whole fabric of civilization is rapidly being torn away.
Exercise:
i. We are living in a curiously age.
ii. Some people among us don’t seem to belonging to human race.
iii. The young are eagerly not to create but to destroy.
STORY 1: THE THREE DANCING GOATS
Examples:
i. He was squatting on the flour.
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He was squatting on the floor.

ii. A couple of cows were their entire wealth.
A couple of cows was their entire wealth.
iii. The goats had long hairs.
The goats had long hair.
Exercise:
i. The movement of their limbs were very graceful.
ii. The girl sat besides her father.
iii. Some things cannot be purchased by money.
iv. Be content by what you have got.
STORY 2: THE FORTUNE-TELLER
Examples:
i. He has among twelve and twenty visitors every day.
He has between twelve and twenty visitors everyday.
ii. She had to wait for quiet a while.
She had to wait for quite a while.
iii. She opened her eyes as wide as she can.
She opened her eyes as wide as she could
Exercise
i. I am so grateful for you.
ii. The boss took a serious view at the matter.
iii. I thought that would-be better from anything else.
STORY 3: GRIEF
Examples:
i. The hubbub of the Street is got louder.
The hubbub of the street has got louder.
ii. He was in hospital from three days.
He was in hospital for three days.
iii. I did not understood why you lied.
I did not understand why you lied.
Exercise:
i. He is trying to find a person who will listen him.
ii. I cannot bear it any long.
iii. His daughter stayed in home.
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iv. He put his coat.

STORY 4: THE DOLL’S HOUSE
Examples:
i. There were pictures upon the wall.
There were pictures on the wall.
ii. The lamp stood at the middle of the dining room.
The lamp stood in the middle of the dining room.
iii. They could hardly walk to school fastly enough.
They could hardly walk to school fast enough.
Exercise:
1. Isabel told, “Got something to tell you at playtime.”
i This lamp is the more better than all.
iii. You are not allowed for talking to them.
STORY 5 : HOW MUCH LAND DOES A MAN NEED:
Examples:
i. The sisters sat on tea to talk.
The sisters sat over tea to talk.
ii. The land owner was in good terms with the peasants.
The land owner was on good terms with the peasants.
iii. The women finished their teas.
The women finished their tea.
Exercise:
i. He managed to pay of his debt.
ii. They must be taught lesson.
iii. There is no need for me for leave my land.
STORY 6 : THE ADVENTURES OF THE BLUE CARBUNCLE:
Examples:
i. I am glad to have a friend with who I can discuss my problems.
I am glad to have a friend with whom I can discuss my problems.
ii. He picked it up and looked on it.
He picked it up and looked at it.
iii. He is a man who leads the lazy life.
He is a man who leads a sedentary life.
Exercise:
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i. This hat have not been brushed for weeks.

ii. He found that his partner have disappeared.
iii. He was a big man of rounded shoulders.

PLAY 1: A MARRIAGE PROPOSAL

Examples:
i. I am so glad to seeing you.
I am so glad to see you.
ii. He has come to borrow moneys.
He has come to borrow money.
iii. I have come to ask you for a hand of your daughter.
I have come to ask you for the hand of your daughter.
iv. I shall permit no one to accuse me for such a thing.
I shall permit no one to accuse me of such a thing.
Exercise:
i. Do you think I am fool?
ii. On my opinion, it was very cheap.
iii. Everyone knows that your late wife beaten you..
iv. Now the domestic joys has begun.
Play 2 : The Boy Comes Home:
Examples:
i. I want some breakfasts.
I want some breakfast.
ii. Do you think she’ll say somethings?
Do you think she’ll say something?
iii. I always used to be frightened from him.
I always used to be frightened of him.
Exercise:
i. I don’t want to boast about my success.
ii. Your uncle is waiting to see you before he go to the office.
iii. You can rely at that.
Play 3 : Refund
Examples:
i. I am going to buy him present.
I am going to buy him a present.
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ii. I have never hear of anything like it.

I have never heard of anything like it.
iii. Tell us about itself.
Tell us about it.
Exercise:
i. The object is to prevent him of failing.
ii. We will fails him.
iii. We will examination you.
Play 4 : The Monkey’s Paw:
Examples:
i. His spectacles are high up at his forehead.
His spectacles are high up on his forehead.
ii. I don’t hold him responsible of it.
I don’t hold him responsible for it.
iii. It is as much as I can do to hold it opposite the wind.
It is as much as I can do to hold it against the wind.
Exercise:
i. But my work don’t go with it.
ii. Hand it over by him.
iii. He is talking of you.


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Lesson-20

USE OF THE SAME WORD AS DIFFERENT

PARTS OF SPEECH

You must have noticed at times that the same word in the exact same form is used in
different ways. The same word might be functioning as a noun in one sentence and may
function as a verb in another. Word formation exercises are performed to teach students
how to use the same word as different parts of speech. Without changing the spelling at
all, the given word can be used in different sentences differently.
Let us look at some text-based examples and try to solve some exercises side by side to
learn how to use the same word as different parts of speech.
ESSAY 1: NEHRU THE DEMOCRAT
Examples:
i. mean:
Verb: What do you mean by this?
Adjective: He is really mean to animals.
ii. scheme
Noun: The robbers hatched a scheme for robbing the bank.
Verb: He schemed with his allies to create the problem.
iii. arm
Verb: Arm the soldiers for the battle.
Noun: I am carrying no arms or ammunition.
iv. like
Verb: I like chocolate very much.
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Adjective: This is a life-like image.

Exercise:
i. process (noun, verb)
ii. form (noun, verb)
iii. correct (verb, adjective)
iv. use (noun, verb)
v. pain (verb, noun)
vi. dream (verb, noun, adjective)
ESSAY 2: BORES
Examples:
i. sense
Noun: There is no sense in this.
Verb: I can sense the danger.
ii. figure
Noun: Draw a figure on the piece of paper.
Verb: I could not figure out the problem.
iii. bore
Noun:He is a big bore.
Verb: Please don’t bore me with idle talk.
Exercise:
i. leave (noun, verb)
ii. cure (noun, verb)
lii. decrease (noun, verb)
iv. meet (noun, verb)
ESSAY 3: FREEDOM
Examples:
i. free
Verb: Free the birds.
Adjective: India is a free country.
ii. exact
Verb: Can you exact the amount of money from him?
Adjective: Give me the exact answer.
iii. name
Verb: Name the main rivers of India.
 171

Noun: What is your name?

iv. defeat
Noun: The army faced a huge defeat.
Verb: You can defeat the opponent with determination.
Exercise:
i. tax (noun, verb)
ii. order (noun, verb)
iii. cross (noun, verb, adjective)
iv. support (noun, verb)
v. rule (noun, verb)
vi. work (noun, verb)
ESSAY 4: WHAT I REQUIRE FROM LIFE
i. hope
Noun: One cannot win without hope.
Verb: Let us hope for the best.
ii. daily
Adjective: I write a daily diary.
Adverb: He exercises daily.
iii. deal
Noun: They got a good deal with the partner.
Verb: Deal with your problems yourself.
iv. reach
Noun: It is out of my reach.
Verb: Reach the destination on time.
Exercise:
i. spread (noun, verb)
ii. pity (noun, verb)
iii. lament (noun, verb)
iv. last (verb, adjective)
Essay 5 : My Birthplace
Examples:
i. bank:
Verb: You may bank upon me for support
Noun: He has gone to the bank.
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ii. name
Noun: What is your name?
Verb: Name the important rivers of Punjab.
iii. fair
Adjective: She has a fair complexion.
Noun: I am going to the fair.
iv. score
Verb: I scored full marks in the test.
Noun: What was your score?
Exercise:
i. march (noun, verb)
ii. balance (noun, verb)
iii. calm (verb, adjective)
iv. load (noun, verb)
v. look (verb, noun)
Essay 6 : Student Mobs:
Examples:
i. hand
Noun: There is a mole on my hand.
Verb: Please hand me the bag.
ii. waste
Noun: Waste management is important.
Verb: Do not waste food.
iii. clothes
Noun: My clothes were dirty.
Verb: She clothes her children well.
Exercise:
i. book (noun, verb)
ii. face (noun, verb)
iii. burn (noun, verb)
iv. work (noun, verb)
STORY 1 THE THREE DANCING GOATS
Examples:
i. floor
Noun: Clean the floor properly.
 173

Verb: Floor the audience with your talent.

Adjective: I like doing floor exercises.
ii. dance
Noun: I liked his dance.
Verb: Dance to the lilting music.
iii. question
Noun: What is your question?
Verb: Do not question your superiors.
iv. cheat
Noun: He is a cheat and a liar.
Verb: Do not cheat in an examination.
Exercise:
i. exchange (noun, verb)
ii. summon (noun, verb)
iii. play (noun, verb)
iv. merry (adjective, verb)
v. purchase (noun, verb)
vi. comfort (noun, verb)
STORY 2: THE FORTUNE-TELLER
Examples:
i. training
Noun: I have a month long training in Dethi.
Verb: He is training to be a soldier.
ii. influence
Noun: She is bad influence on her friends.
Verb: Use your knowledge to influence people.
iii. protest
Noun: There are different ways to protest.
Verb: You must protest against injustice.
iv. love
Noun: Everybody needs love in life.
Verb: Love your family unconditionally.
Exercise:
i. sentence (noun, verb)
ii. plain (noun, adjective)
 174

iii. living (noun, verb)

iv. ring (noun, verb)
v. divide (noun, verb)
STORY 3: GRIEF
Examples:
i. wet
Verb: Children wet their beds.
Adjective: The floor is wet.
ii. slow
Verb: Slow down your vçhicle.
Adjective: This is a slow train.
Adverb: He walks slow.
iii. look
Noun: There is a look of fear in her eyes.
Verb: Look at her.
iv. doubt
Noun: I don’t have the slightest doubt about it.
Verb: Don’t doubt your instincts.
Exercise:
i. move (noun, verb)
ii. whip (noun, verb)
iii. dark (noun, adjective)
iv. joke (noun, verb)
v. grace (noun, verb)
vi. early (adjective, adverb)
STORY 4: THE DOLL’S HOUSE
Examples:
i. stay
Noun: We hope for your comfortable stay at our house.
Verb: Stay away from cheats.
ii. harm
Noun: A lot of harm can come from war.
Verb: Do not harm nature.
iii. paint
Noun: I don’t like the smell of paint.
 175

Verb: Paint the fence green.

iv. long
Verb: I long for a vacation.
Adjective: He has long hair.
Exercise:
i. house (noun, verb)
ii. complete (verb, adjective)
iii. fast (adjective, adverb)
iv. cover (noun, verb)
v. walk (noun, verb)
vi. better (verb, adjective)
Story 5 : How Much Land Does a Man Need:
Examples:
i. land
Noun: I have a fertile land.
Verb: Land the plane on the runway.
ii. talk
Noun: I went for a talk with the experts.
Verb: Don’t talk in the class.
iii. turn
Noun: Her house is at the turn of the road.
Verb: Turn left from the end of the road.
iv. better
Adjective: He is a better dancer.
Verb: Better your performance before the exam.
Exercise:
i. need (noun, verb)
ii. living (noun, verb)
iii. finish (noun, verb, adjective)
iv. dress (noun, verb)
v. fear (noun, verb)
vi. close (adjective, verb)
Story 6 : The Adventure of the Blue Carbuncle:
Examples:
i. chair
 176

Noun: I have a blue chair.

Verb: He chaired the session.
ii. place
Noun: Let us go to some new place
Verb: Place the bowl on the table.
iii. interest
Noun: What is the total interest on the amount?
Adjective: It is an interesting movie.
iv. seat
Noun: This is my seat.
Verb: Seat the guests respectably.
Exercise:
i. fire (noun, verb)
ii. looks (verb, noun)
iii. strike (noun, verb)
iv. attempt (noun, verb)
v. stick (noun, verb)
Use of the same Word as Different Parts of Speech
You must remember that you have already practiced using the same word as different
parts of speech (noun, verb, adjective and adverb) in the previous batch. Let us try to
use the given words from your text in the prescribed parts of speech without changing
their forms.
PLAY 1: A MARRIAGE PROPOSAL
Examples:
i. right
Noun: I have a right to speech.
Adjective: Your answer is right.
ii. drink
Noun: I need a drink of water.
Verb: I want to drink water.
iii. request
Noun: I have sent a request to the authorities.
Verb: Request them to give you a leave.
iv. examination
Noun: I went for an examination today.
Adjective: Students are sitting in the examination hall.
 177

Exercise:
i. hope (noun, verb)
ii. sleep (noun, verb)
iii. left (verb, adjective)
iv. down (adjective, adverb)
v. dress (noun, verb)
vi. rain (noun, verb, adjective)
Play 2 : The Boy Comes Home
Examples:
i. clear
Verb: Clear your mind.
Adjective: Her eyes were clear.
ii. use
Verb: Use your hands to paint.
Noun: It has no use.
iii. sleep
Noun: We must take eight hours of sleep.
Verb: I want to sleep.
iv. shot
Noun: I heard a gun shot.
Verb: He shot at him.
Exercise:
i. time (noun, verb)
ii. leave (noun, verb)
iii. profit (noun, adjective, verb)
iv. feeling (noun, verb)
v. order (noun, verb)
vi. further (noun, verb)
Play 3 : Refund
Examples:
i. post
Noun: He works at the department of posts.
Verb: Post the letter.
ii. school
 178

Noun: I went to school today.

Verb: He is well schooled in manners
iii. record
Noun: I don’t have any record of it.
Verb: Record the sound.
iv. doubt
Verb: I doubt her ability.
Noun: My mind is filled with doubt.
Exercise:
i. wonder (noun, verb)
ii. exchange (verb, adjective, noun)
iii. exact (adjective, verb)
iv. present (noun, verb)
v. treat (noun, verb)
vi. matter (verb, noun)
Play 4 : The Monkey’s Paw
Examples:
i. laugh
Noun: I had a hearty laugh.
Adjective: Please don’t laugh at her.
ii. rule
Noun: I follow all rules.
Verb: He ruled for ten years.
iii. chat
Noun: I had a chat with my friend.
Verb: She is chatting with him.
iv. rise
Verb: Rise up and shine.
Adjective: This is a high-rise building.
Exercise:
i. promise (noun, verb)
ii. joke (noun, verb)
iii. slip (verb, noun)
iv. head (adjective, verb, noun)
 179

v. still (noun, verb)



Lesson-21

TRANSLATION FROM MODERN INDIAN

LANGUAGE TO ENGLISH
 180

In order to improve your knowledge of English Language, you must practice translation
from Modern Indian Language to English. For effective translation, you must ensure that
the meaning and tense of the sentence remains the same. You must also ensure that
the sentence to be translated must not change in its tone and form.
Let us now read and understand the solved examples given before every exercise for
translating various types of sentences. Notice now the given sentences are translated
from Modern Indian Language to English keeping the tense, meaning, tone and intent
intact.
Translation : Affirmative Sentences
Solved Examples
1. ogviuheuilaniqLrdi<+ jgkgSA
T[j ngDhwBg;zd g[;se gVfojk W.
He is reading his favourite book.
2. bl leL;k dk dksbZ lek/kuughagSA
fJ; w[ôfeb dk e'JhjbBj] W.
There is no solution to this problem.
3. f'k{kk gjckyd dk vf/dkjgSA
f;Zfynk jo pZu/ dk je W.
Every child has right to educations.
4. osdyjkrdksfQYe ns[kus x, FksA
T[j eb oks fcbw d/yDrJ/ ;B.
They went to watch a movie last night.
5. ogvPNk [kkukcukrhgSA
T[j tXhnkykDkpDkT[Adh W.
She cooks well.
6 ostYnhghfookgdjustkjgsgSaA
T[j ibdhjhftnkjeooj/ jB.
They are getting married soon.
7. ÑI;kcSBtkbZ,A
feogkp?mikT[.
Please sit down.
Exercise
1. gesacM+ksa dk vknjdjukpkfg,A
;kB{z tZfvnK dk ;fsekoeoBkukjhdk W.
 181

2. eSSaavkilsdyfeyusvkkm¡xkA
w?A s[jkB{z ebfwbDnktKrk.
3. pyksfØdsV [ksyuspysaA
ub' feqeN y/vDubhJ/.
4. eq>s dyrd ;g dke [kRedjukgSA
w?Aeb se fJjezwysweoBk W.
5. dylkseokjgSA
eb ;'wtko W.
6. ogvPNkO;fDrgSA
T[j uzrkwB[ô: W.
7. nks"khdksdM+hltkfeyuhpkfg,A
d'ôh B{z ;ys ;ikfwbDhukjhdh W.
8. lnSolR; cksyukpkfg,A
jw/ôK ;Zu p'bDkukjhdk W.
Translation : Interrogative Sentences
Solved Examples

1. rqemls dc feys \
s[;] T[; B{z ed'Afwb/ <
When did you meet him?
2. bl Vhe dk dIIrkudkSugS \
fJ; Nhw dk egskBe"D W <
Who is the captain of this team?
3. D;krqemlstkursgks \
eh s[;] T[; B{z ikDd/ j' <
Do you know him?
4. D;kvki eq>s <w¡<jgsgks \
eh s[;] w?B{z bGoj/ j' <
Are you looking for me?
5. vkifons'k dc tkjgsgSa \
s[;] ftd/ô ed'Aikoj/ j' <
When are you going abroad?
6. D;kdyvodk'kgS \
 182

eh eb S[ZNh W <
Is tomorrow a holiday?
7. vkidgk¡ jgrsgks \
s[;] feZE/ ofjzd/ j' <
Where do you live?
Exercise
1. vkiD;ki<+ jgsgSa \
s[;] eh gVoj/ j' <
2. D;keSavkidkstkurkgw¡ \
eh w?A s[jkB{z ikDdkjK<
3. D;keSa ;gk¡ cSBldrkgw¡ \
eh w?AfJZE/ p?m ;edkjK<
4. vkiusvkiuhNqVh;k¡ dSlsfcrkbZ \
s[;] nkgDhnK S[ZNhnKfet/A fpskJhnK<
5. D;kgeukVd ns[kustkjgsgS \
eh n;] BkNe d/yDikoj/ jK<
6. Hkkjr dc Lora=k gqvk \
Gkosed'Anikdj'fJnk<
7. vkidhvk;qD;kgS \
s[jkvh T[wo fezBh W <
8. buesa ls rqekjhiqLrddkSulhgS \
fJjBKftu'A s[jkvhfeskpfejVh W <

Translation: Exclamatory Sentences

Solved Examples
1. 'kkck'k] rqeusdjfn[kk;k !
ôkpkô, s{z eoftykfJnk !
Bravo you did it !
2. fdruhvPNhlqcggS!
fezBh ;'jDh ;t/o W !
What a lovely morning !
3. okg! fdruklqUnjfPk=k gS !
tkj! fezBh ;'jDhs;tho W !
 183

Wow ! What a beautiful picture !

4. mQ! geeSPkughathrik, !
T[j! n;] w?uBj] fiZs ;e/!
Alas ! We could not win the match !
5. ns[kks! eSa d{kk esaçFkevk;k A
t//y'! w?Aebk; ftugfjb/ ;EkB s/ nkfJnk !
See ! I stood first in the class.

Exercise
1. vjs!fdruhvPNhrjdhcgS!
T[J/! fezBhtXhnksoehp W !
2. vksg! rqevk x,!
T[j! s[;] nkrJ/ !
3. ;gfdruhjaxhugS!
fJjfezBkozrdko W !
4. ;gcPPksfdruseklwegS!
fJjpZu/ fezB/ wk;{w jB !
5. fdruhvPNhfQYegS!
fezBhtXhnkfcbw W !

Translation : Idiomatic/Proverbial Sentences

Solved Examples
1. eq>s fdlhHkhdherijthrukgS A
w?Afe;/ thehws s/ fiZsDk W .
I have to win at any cost.
2. rqedHkhliusesaHkh ;g ughadjldrs A
s[;] ;[gB/ ftuthfJjBj] eo ;ed/ .
It is beyond your dreams to achieve this.
3. mlus [kwuilhus ls esgur dh gSA
T[;B/ y{B g;hB/ BkbfwjBsehsh W .
His blood and sweat has gone into it.
4. rqEgkjseuesaD;kgS \
s[jkv/ wBftu eh W <
 184

What is in your mind ?

5. eSafdlhHkhlhekrdtkldrkgw¡ \
w?Afe;/ thjZd se ik ;edkjK<
I can go to any limits.
6. buPkwM+h;ksaijmldkfnyvkx;kgSAA
fJjBK u{VhnK s/ T[; dk fdbnkfrnk W .
She has set her heart on these bangles.
7. mlus ,d rhj ls nksf'kdkjfd, A
T[;B/ fJeshoBkb d' fôekoehs/ .
He killed two birds with one stone.
8. viusiSjksaij [kM+sgksus dh dksf'k'kdjksI
nkgD/ g?oK T[Zs/ yV/ j'D dh e'fôôeo' .
Try and stand on your own feet.
Exercises
1. Hkkjr us eSPkesaviuhidM+ etcwrdjyhgSA
Gkos B/ w?uftunkgDhgeVw÷p{s eobJh W .
2. vkidkvkHkkjO;Drdjus ds fy, esjsikl 'kCnughagSA
s[jkvkXzBtkdeoDbJh w/o/ e'bôpdBj] jB .
3. ,d ckjthrus ds cknmluseqM+ djugha ns[kkA
fJetkofiZsDs'Apkd T[;B/ w[V e/ Bj] t/fynk .
4. og ?kwlysrkgqvkjaaxsgkFkksaidM+kx;k A
T[j foôtsb?Adkj'fJnkozr/ jZE] cfVnkfrnk .
5. pksjhdjrsidM+stkusijmldkjax mM +x;k A
u'oheod/ cV/ ikD s/ T[; dk ozr T[Zvfrnk .
6. vUrHkys dk HkykA
nzs Gb/ dk Gbk.

TRANSLATION OF SENTENCES
1. ge lc LdwytkjgsgSaA
n;hA ;ko/ ;e{b ikoj/ jK.
We are all going to school.
2. vktD;krkjh[k gS \
 185

nZi eh sohe W <

What is the date today ?
3. D;kvkivktckt+kjtk,¡xs \
eh s[;hAnZip÷koikTr/ <
Will you go to the market today ?
4. eSavkidhogk¡ izrh{kk d:¡xkA
w?A s[jkvh T[ZE/ T[vheeoKrk.
I will wait for you there.
5. ogesjkcM+kHkkbZgSA
T[j w/ok tZvkGok W.
He is my elder brother.
6. rqefdl ls ckrdjjgsgks \
s[;hAfe; BkbrZbeooj/ j' <
Who are you talking to ?
7. vkteSacgqrizlUugw¡A
nZiw?Apj[s y[ô jK.
I am very happy today.
8. vkidk ?kjfdruhnwjgS \
s[jkvk xo fezBh d{o W <||
How far is your house ?
9. vkifdl le; ?kjigq¡psaxs \
s[;hAfe; t/b/ xo g[Zi'r/ <
What time will you reach home ?
10. pyksge lc [ksyuspysaA
ub' n;hA ;ko/ y/vDubhJ/.
Let us all go and play.
11. jkst+kukizkr% tYnhmBukpkfg,A
o'÷ ;t/o/ ibdh T[mDkukjhdk W.
One should get up early in the morning.
12. vkidhijh{kk dc gS \
s[jkvkfJwfsjkBed'A W <
When is your exam due ?
13. vUrHkys dk HkykA
 186

nzs Gb/ dk Gbk.

All is well that ends well.
14. dk'keSaogk¡ tkikrkA
ekôw?A T[ZE/ ik ;edk.
I wish I could go there.
15. eq>s cgqrHkw[k yxhgSA
w?Bz{ pj[s G[ZybZrh W.
I am feeling very hungry.
16. rqEgsaogk¡ ughatkukpkfg,A
s[jkBz{ T[ZE/ BjhAikDkukjhdk.
You should not go there.
17. ;g fdldhiqLrdgS \
fJjfe;dhfeskp W <
Whose book is this ?
18. D;krqEgsaxkMhpykuhvkrhgS \
eh s[jkBz{ rZvhubkT[Dh nkT[Adh W <
Do you know how to drive ?
19. D;keSatkldrkgw¡ \
eh w?Aik ;edkjK<
Can I go ?
20. D;krqe eq>s dqNiSls m/kj ns ldrsgks \
eh s[;hAw?Bz{ e[M g?;/ T[Xko d/ ;ed/ j' <
Can you lend me some money ?
21. cM+ksa dk vknjdjukpkfg,A
tZfvnK dk ;fsekoeoBkukjhdk W.
One should respect elders.
22. lnSolR; cksyukpkfg,A
jw/ôK ;u p'bDk ukjhdk W.
One should always speak the truth.
Now practise doing these sentences on your own :-
23. eq>s cgqrxehZyxjghgSA
w?Bz{ pj[s rowhbrojh W.
24. Hkkjr us 1962 esaphu ls ;q¼ yM+kFkkA
 187

Gkos B/ 1962 ftuuhBBkbizrbVQh ;h.

25. eSai<+kbZdjustkjgkgw¡A
w?AgVQDikfojkjK.
26. D;keSavUnjvkldrkgw¡ \
eh w?Anzdonk ;edkjK<
27. vkidk uke D;kgS \
s[jkvk BK eh W <
28. gevkilslgergSaA
n;hA s[jkv/ Bkb ;fjwsjK.
29. okg] fdrukvPNkekSlegS !
tkj, fezBktXhnkw";w W !
30. D;kvkiesajslkFk pk; fi,¡xs \
eh s[;hA w/o/ BkbukjghT[r/ <
31. cPpsQqVcky [ksyjgsgSaA
pZu/ c[Npkb y/vQoj/ jB.
32. eSavkt ?kjnsj ls igq¡pqaxkA
w?AnZi xo d/oh BkbgZ[iKrk.
33. ;g fQYecgqrvPNhgSA
fJjfcbwpj[s tXhnk W.
34. eq>s dljrdjukilUngSA
w?Bz{ e;oseoBkg;zd W.
35. eSavkilscgqrfnuksackn fey jgkgw¡A
w?A s[jkBz{ pj[s fdBKpkdfwbfojkjK .
36. esjhiqLrd [kksxbZgSA
w/oh feskprz[w j' rJh W.
37. Bgjks ! eSaHkhrqEgkjslkFkpyrkgw¡A
mfjo' ! w?Ath s[jkv/ BkbubdkjK.
38. d`I;kcSBtkbZ,A
feogkeoe/ p?mikT[.
39. Hkxoku ,d gSA
oZpfJZe W.
40. vkidksthr dh c/kbZgks !
s[jkBz{ fiZs dh tXkJhj't/ !
 188

41. ;g fdldhvkokt+ gS \
fJjfe;dhntk÷ W <
42. ifjJelQyrk dh dqathgSA
fwjBs ;cbsk dh ez[ih W.
43. eSalqcg ls i<+kbZdjjgkgw¡A
w?A ;t/o s'AgVQfojkjK.
44. vkitkldrsgSaA
s[;hAik ;ed/ j'.
45. D;kvkiBhdgSa \
eh s[;hAmhe j' <

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