RISING SUN – III
IMPORTANT QUESTION ANSWERS
SECTION-A (10*2M)
- Did Dr. Raman ever believe that agreeable words saved lives? What was he known for?
Answer: Dr. Raman was an experienced doctor. He spoke plainly and always spoke the truth. So, his pronouncement held in high esteem. He never believed that agreeable words saved life and thought it was not his business to provide unnecessary hope to his patients as nature would tell them the truth in few hours.
- What was Gopal anxious about?
Answer: Gopal was Dr. Raman friend, he was very sick and asked Dr. Raman about his condition. He wanted to sign the will and settled the property before he dies in order to settle his will and avoid the “endless misery for his wife and children”. Gopal did not fear dying; he feared what Subbiah and his gang might do to his family if he would not sign his will.
- How do you know that doctor was expecting the sad end though he encouraged the patient?
Answer: Though Dr. Raman encourage Gopal by telling a lie for the first time that he would live till 90, Dr. Raman was expecting a sad end of Gopal as his condition was very bad. Dr. Raman was expecting the collapse of Gopal any second. So, he called his assistant on the way back home and said him to go to Gopal’s house, with a tube in hand and give it in case the struggle is too hard at the end.
- Why did the postmaster apply for a transfer?
Answer: The postmaster was exiled to live in Ulapur where he was alone and suffering from fever and was missing the loving womanhood of his mother and sister. Thus, he decided to apply for a transfer, on the grounds of unhealthiness .
- How did Ratan take care of postmaster when he was ill?
Answer: When postmaster was ill, Ratan took care of him like a mother. She called in the village doctor, gave pills as prescribed, sat up all night by the side of his pillow, cooked gruel for him, and was asking him whether he was well for every now and then.
- How did postmaster react of Ratan’s request of taking her to his home?
Answer: The postmaster laughed at Ratan’s request of taking her to his home and said her “What an Idea!” He did not think it was necessary to give her the reason of not taking her along. This haunted Ratan.
- How did the King of Siam celebrate his birthday?
Answer: Kings usually receive gifts on their birthdays. On his birthdays, the king Siam refused to accept any gift from those who came to felicitate him. The king had a peculiar habit which was quite unusual. Instead of receiving gifts on his birthday he gave gifts very generously to his loved ones.
- Why where other princess felling Vexed?
Answer: The eight Princess were not quite happy to see the affection the singing bird of Princess September got from everyone including the king and the queen. The sisters were overtaken by jealousy. They were felling vexed by the appreciation received by the singing bird.
- How did the little bird show its dislike to be within the Golden Cage?
Answer: When Princess September caged the little bird on the advice of her sister, the little bird stood in the corner of the Golden cage and stopped eating and singing songs . It didn’t like to be caged as the bird liked to fly in the sky and move around the meadows and sing the loveliest song.
- What request did Maggie make to Gupta when she came to know that her mother might not live?
Answer: Mr. Gupta goes to Maggie’s house to see Mrs. Clifford. Since Mrs. Clifford does not get any news about Frank, she is mentally disturbed and was not well. So, Maggie requests Mr. Gupta to tell a lie. He should look at the crystal ring in front of Mrs. Clifford and should tell that Frank is “alive” and “well”. He does the same and Mrs. Clifford gets her health back.
- Why did Maggie watch Mr. Gupta at the restaurant?
Answer: At the restaurant Maggie asked the cashier whether Mr. Gupta was an Indian. She enquired regarding him as she wanted to know about her elder brother, who is a soldier and working in India. If Mr. Gupta was an Indian he could give some information of her brother Frank.
- What do you think moved Mr. Gupta at the restaurant?
Answer: when Maggie asks the cashier whether Mr. Gupta is an Indian or not. Her statement makes Mr. Gupta to know about her. From the waitress, Mr. Gupta finds that the girl comes in the restaurant on every Saturday. On Saturday, Mr. Gupta comes to the same restaurant. He sees Maggie and greets her. She talks to him and ask whether he was an Indian and tells that her elder brother, who is a soldier, is working in India.
- What was the cause of Miss. Clifford’s illness?
Answer: From past three months Miss. Clifford didn’t get any letter from Frank. Since Mrs. Clifford does not get any news about Frank, she was mentally disturbed. Her condition was very serious and doctor said it was aggravated by her anxiety over Frank.
- Who did Mrs. Sappleton expecting to come home?
Answer: Mrs. Sappleton was expecting her husband along with her two brothers-in-law and little brown spaniel who had gone for hunting. She was waiting for them to walk in through the open window.
- What lie did Vera tell to Mr. Nuttel?
Answer: Vera told Framton a lie about Mrs. Sappleton’s family mishap three years ago. Mrs. Sappleton’s husband, along with her two brothers had gone for shooting(hunting). They were caught in a wet marshy land. They never returned. But her aunt was still hoping that they would return home and enter through the open window.
- Why was Mr. Nutel advised to enjoy the holiday in the country?
Answer: Framton Nuttel was suffering from nervous disorder and excitement. The doctor advised him complete rest and relaxation in the countryside. Thus, Framton retires to the rural retreat on the doctor’s advice as needed rest and relief from mental excitement.
- What was Hughie’s financial status?
Answer: Hughie was a young man of good profile. His financial status was very low as he had no profession. He tried his hand in different profession to earn money but was not successful. So the author referred him as “a delightful, ineffectual young man with a perfect profile and no profession”
- What was the condition laid down by the Colonel to allow Hughies engagement
Answer: Hughie wanted to marry Laura Merton, the daughter of retired Colonel. Although the Colonel was very fond of Hughie, he didn’t want his daughter to marry a poor man. So he put a condition that Hughie had to bring him ten thousand pounds of his own and he would see about the engagement.
- What was the Baron”s reaction to Hughie”s innocent act of rewarding him a coin?
Answer: Baron Hausberg liked Hughie for his kind heartedness. Though Hughie himself was poor, he generously offered a sovreign to a poor man. That act impressed the Baron and he deceided to reward Hughie. Kindness is always repaid with kindness.
- Explain the efforts of mother and son to reduce the suffering of Kunwar .
Answer: Kunwar was shersingh’s younger brother. He was suffering from serious illness. His mother said that she would wring out rags in boiling water and place them on Kunwar’s stomach. Sher Singh said that he would get sticks, dung and water. He wanted to tear up the rag. They fuel to boil the water. They placed hot cloth on the child’s little belly. Thus tried to reduce the sufferings of Kunwar.
- Describe shersingh’s father and his heroic deeds.
Answer: Shersingh’s father was known as shersingh bahadur –‘the brave’. He was a famous hunter. The title bahadur was added to his name like a medal because of all he had done. He had a scar on his body. It was made by the claws of a tiger while he was pulling a comrade away from a tiger. A snake bit him on his leg. He cut and burned out the wound. He had two fingers missing.
- Describe shersingh’s preparation to cross the second river.
Answer: Shersingh reached the second river carrying his brother. The river was full of water. The bridge moved like a monster. There was water over the bridge. Shersingh made a rope with the grass. He tied the rope round his brother and himself to keep themselves together. After making the preparation carefully, he began to cross the river.
- What are the things Connie failed to observe in her house?
Answer: Connie returning to house after a two-week holiday. When she arrives home she had developed a nervous feeling. She turns on the refrigerator and switch on all the lights of the rooms so that she could get rid of the uneasy feeling. Then she moves around the house and checks it but failed to look at the motorcycle which was leaning in the garage and the Pantry window.
- How did Connie come to know about the burglars?
Answer: After talking to Mrs. Winston, Connie takes her suitcase and goes upstairs to her bed room. Where she finds ashtray and cigarette ends on the rug and realize that someone might have sat on her bed and smoked and was using her house as a safe place by criminals/ burglars to keep their stolen goods.
- What does Connie finds in the bag?
Answer: Connie looks under the bed and finds a bag and drags it out. She dumps its content on the floor. There were cameras, silver, Sally Hamilton’s necklace and rings, watches and fountain pens which the burglars have looted and hidden them in her absence.
- Describe the daily routine of Fatehchand?
Answer: Daily Fatechand would go to the office at nine and return home at six. He never went out in the evening and had no knowledge of what was happening outside world. His entire life was revolved around his office. He never spoke to anyone after office hours. He would simply lie down and remain silent for 15-20 minutes before he opened his mouth.
- Who came to call Fatehchand? What did Sahib ask Fatehchand to get?
Answer: The office peon came to call for Fatechand. Saheb asked Fatechand to get the file from the office.
- What did Fatehchand do in the end?
Answer: In the end Fatechand gave a solid blow on Saheb’s head and made him pinch his ears and promise that he would never abuse anyone in his life.
- Who is the chairman of the ‘Rovers Football Club’?
Answer: Colonel Wortlebury was the Chairman of the “The Rovers” Football Club.
- How is Barker related to Beltwood?
Answer: John Beltwood, is the brother-in-law of Barker. In the absence of Mr. Potts, John Beltwood was asked to be the referee of the match.
- What is the unlucky number referred in the play?
Answer: In the play ‘The Referee’ Thirteen was considered as unlucky number. To get rid of that number/score both the teams were given many chances and penalty in the last minute, which both the team missed.
- What three things grandfather is going to do on next Monday?
Answer: The three things that the grandfather plans to do on Monday next are; meet his lawyer to change his will, pay his insurance premium and get married.
- Why does Mrs. Slater scold Victoria?
Answer: Mrs Slater was in mourning and she was getting ready to receive some guests. She scolds her daughter Victoria, who was ten year old, and instructs her to change into sober dress. Victoria’s grandfather had passed away and their family was getting ready to receive Aunt Elizabeth and Uncle Ben.
- Compare and contrast Henry’s character with his wife.
Answer: Henry Slater was a man who has no will of his own and says nothing in the house. He was Amelia’s husband, Victoria’s father and the son-in-law of Abel Merry Weather. He had a drooping moustache and a heavy built. He wears a black tail coat, grey trousers, black tie and a hat. Henry does what his wife tells him to do. He’s not bad and greedy in nature like his wife Amelia, but he hides some things of Grandpa before the arrival of Amelia’s sister. He did this because his wife asked him to. He also wears the slippers of his dead father-in-law because his wife asks him to do it.
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SECTION – B (5*16)
- Raman was not a mere doctor expressing an opinion, but also a judge pronouncing verdict. Explain.
INTRODUCTION:
The Doctor’s Word, is a short story from the collection of “Malgudi Days” by R K Narayan published in 1943. In “The Doctor’s Word” R.K.Narayan tells the story how a doctor’s word save the life of a patient, that’s very reason his opinion was valued; he was not a mere doctor expressing an opinion , but a judge pronouncing a verdict.”
CONTENT:
Dr. Raman was an experienced doctor. He spoke plainly and always spoke the truth. So, his pronouncement held in high esteem. Gopal was the dearest friend of Dr. Raman. They had been friends for 40 years. They spent their time in dinning, seeing pictures and talking. Their friendship was not at all affected by chang of time.
One day Dr.Raman was informed that Gopal was ill. He went to Gopal’s house. Gopal was lying on the bed as if asleep. Dr.Raman examined him and gave necessary treatment. He is exceptionally fond of him and scolds Gopal’s family for not notifying him earlier about Gopal’s illness. He was worried about his friend’s life and he had no hope of saving his life.
The patient asked the doctor about his condition He wanted to sign the will and settled the property before he dies to avoid the “endless misery for his wife and children”. If Dr. Raman reveals his pessimistic opinion, that Gopal will not survive the night, then it would “virtually mean a death sentence and destroy the thousandth part of a chance that the patient had of survival.” So, Dr. Raman decided to tell a lie. For the first time in life, he told his patient a lie. He informed Gopal that he would live for long time. Gopal was relieved to hear this information. The next morning the doctor was surprised to find Gopal alive with study pulse. How the patient survives would be a puzzle to him all his life.
CONCLUSION:
Throughout the story Dr. Raman’s genuine concern for Gopal was seen. The concern was not only with professional ethics but also with the tension that often arrives when personal ethics and professional ethics intersect. It is clear that Dr. Raman violates his usual practice of truth-telling so as to save the life of his friend ‘Gopal’. Dr. Raman still remained a man of his word though he does remain puzzled as how Gopal has survived.
“Human life is more important than the Science.”
- How did the postmaster feel about his stay in the remote village of Ulapur? What bought the postmaster and Ratan together? Discuss.
INTRODUCTION:
“The Postmaster,” a story by Rabindranath Tagore,( 1861-1941) a gifted Indian writer and thinker, achieved a world-wide reputation when he as awarded the Nobel Prize. The Postmaster is a story of a city-bred young man forced to live in a remote village. Necessity drove him to spend his evenings in the company of a simple orphan girl Ratan.
CONTENT:
The Postmaster short story is about an unnamed postmaster who was transfered to a remote post office in a small rural Indian village. The village was near a factory, and the owner of the factory where Englishmen. The postmaster was from the huge city of Calcutta and feels out of place in such a distant rural village. The post office seems to contain only two rooms: the office itself, and the postmaster’s living quarters made of “thatched shed” near a stagnant pond circled by thick foliage.
The workers in the nearby factory were so much busy with their work that they have no time to make friendship with anyone. Besides, they were not good company for “decent folk.” In addition, people from Calcutta were not particularly good at socializing. They appear to be arrogant or uncomfortable. In any case, the postmaster had few companions, and he does not have many activities to keep him occupied.
Occasionally he tried to write a bit of poetry. The rural landscape have inspired the kind of happy poetry he sought to compose. But the postmaster is uninterested in the landscape and would be happy if it were replaced by a paved road and numerous tall buildings. His salary was not great; so, he had to cook his own food and would share his suppers with Ratan – an orphan girl of the village. She did odd jobs for the Postmaster. In the evening, when the village was filled with appealing sights and sounds, the postmaster lights his lamp and called for Ratan.
Ratan, who has been waiting for the nightly call, typically asks whether she has indeed been called. She then routinely lights the fire needed for cooking. The postmaster tells her to wait till he smoke his pipe, which Ratan always lights for him. The postmaster used to talk with Ratan while smoking. He asked Ratan about her early life which She loved to share with him . The postmaster himself recalls his home, his mother and sister and discuss about them with Ratan.
She used to call the Postmaster “Dada” meaning ‘elder brother’. She obeyed her master. The postmaster taught her how to read. Ratan begins to learn about double consonants. They develop a bond of trust and friendship. They have meals together and Ratan runs small errands for the postmaster.
One day, postmaster falls ill due to the showers of the season. Ratan took care of him like a mother when he was sick. She sat beside him the whole night during the time until he was cured completely. The Postmaster decided to apply for a transfer back to Calcutta. His application for transfer gets rejected, thus he resigns from the job.
Finally the time came when our postmaster decided to return to his city. Ratan was deeply hurt but didn’t express it. She asked him to take her with him to his city. He laughed at her request. While leaving he offered her his entire salary but Ratan denied it and ran away crying. The kind gesture made her cry! She wandered about the post office with tears trickling down her cheeks. Poor Ratan! Her affection was not reciprocated. At the end, Ratan gets heart-broken to know that her master left her forever.
CONCLUSION:
This short story was full of pathos and moves the readers to tears. This story shows the difficulties which a city person faces when migrate to the remote place and the life of an orphan girl Ratan whose life is full of numberless meetings and partings. She knew no philosophy of life. Her fondness for the postmaster may be regarded as a one sided affection of a thirteen year old girl which indeed was selfless and innocent.
A woman’s heart is indeed difficult to understand!
- Discuss who was Princess September? How did she grew very beautiful?
INTRODUCTION:
William Somerset Maugham (1874-1965) holds a unique place among the English writers of this century as an entertainer. He wrote novels, plays and short stories and delighted his readers in every form of his art. Princess September is a delightful fairy tale. It is a short of fantasy, identity, jealousy, resentment, freedom, trust, control and innocence. It is a story of the girl, the youngest of nine sisters to the king of Siam.
CONTENT
The King of Siam had nine daughters named after the months of the year. The youngest daughter named September had a very pleasing personality. Her other sisters were all of sullen nature. One year on his birthday the King gave each of his daughters a beautiful green parrot in a golden cage. The parrots shortly learnt to speak. Unfortunately, the parrot of Princess September died. She was heartbroken.
Presently a little bird bounded into her room and sang a lovely song about the king’s garden, the willow tree and the goldfish. The princess was thrilled. The bird decided to stay with her and sing her beautiful songs. When the princesses’ sisters became jealous when they came top know of the sweet bird that sang better than their parrots. The malicious sisters urged Princess September to put the bird in a cage.
The innocent princess put the bird into a cage. The bird was bewildered but the princess justified caging the bird as she was afraid of the lurking cats. When the bird tried to sing, it had to stop midway as it felt wretched in the cage. The next morning the bird asked Princess September to release her from the cage, she did not listen to it. Instead she assured the bird that it would have three meals a day and nothing to worry all day. The bird was not happy with it and pleaded to let it out from the cage. September try to console the bird saying that she had caged the bird because of her love for it. The distraught bird did not sing the whole day and stopped eating its food.
The next morning the princess noticed the bird lying in the cage still. Thinking that the bird was dead, she started weeping. Then the bird rose and told the princess that t could not sing unless it was free and if it could not sing it would die. Taking pity on the bird, the kind princess released the bird. The bird flew away. Yet, it returned to enchant the princess with its sweet songs. The princess kept her windows open day and night for the bird to come and go whenever it wanted.
With time, September grew up to be a paragon of beauty. Her youth was exuberant. At the right age, she was married to the King of Cambodia. On the contrary, the eight sisters became uglier and uglier with time. They had never slept with their windows open. They were given away to the councilors with a pound of tea and a Siamese cat. Their wicked minds drove them to such disgrace.
CONCLUSION:
In the story Maugham is suggesting us that if a person do good things, then they live happily as the Princess September lived after marring the king. Good things will happen to a Good person. By keeping the window open she has learnt the importance of freedom and what freedom means. Thus she could learn many important lessons of life from that bird. Maugham has also shown us the other side of the ugliness of people through Princess September’s sisters who lived their life controlling their environment and driven by jealousy. Thus, couldn’t achieve much in their life.
“God Bless the good and Curse the bad!”
- Gupta should not have received a shelling from Maggie to purchase flower. Support your answer.
INTRODUCTION:
The Price of Flowers is a short story which is written by Prabhat Kumar Mukhopadhyay. It was written in Bengali and it has been translated into English by Lila Ray. The Price of Flowers is a touching story by Prabhat Kumar Mukhopadyay. The story was set in London during the pre independence era. In this story Mukhopadhyay had portrayed the life of a poor English family. Mr.Gupta is the narrator of this short story who was an Indian civil servant undergoing training in London.
CONTENT:
Gupta was an Indian living in London. Once he met an English girl in a vegetarian restaurant. Her name was Alcie Margaret Clifford. She was called Maggie. She was thirteen years old. She was working as a typist in a nearby office. She belonged to a poor family. She wanted to know if Gupta was an Indian. Her brother Frank was in Military service in India. Mrs Clifford, Maggie’s mother thinks that India was a land of tigers, snakes and fevers. So her mother was worried about her son.
Mr Gupta meets a teenaged girl in a restaurant. Her interest in him arouses his curiosity. He later becomes friends with her and learns her story. She lives with her widowed mother in a poor neighbourhood. Her only brother Frank is in India serving the British army. They have no information from him for several months and they are worried.
When Mr.Gupta visited their home, Mrs.Clifford requests him to look into the crystal of a ring sent by Frank from India. They believed that the ring has magical powers and a Hindu will be able to see the future and predicts if he concentrates on the crystal. Mr Gupta tries but fails. This disappoints her.
Later Mrs Clifford falls ill. Maggie requests him to come home and look once again into the crystal and tell her mother that Frank is alright. As this would help her to recover, he agrees to tell this harmless lie. But by the time he tells this, Frank was already dead. Later Gupta comes to know that Frank had died in the war. Gupta feels very sad. Then in the morning of his last day in London, Maggie came to see him. He was packing up things. She gave him a shilling to buy flowers and place them on her brother’s grave in Punjab and bid farewell to each other.
CONCLUSION:
The story is a really touching one. The one shilling that Maggie gives him is hard earned money. At first Mr Gupta thinks of returning it. But later he decides to take it as he does not want to deny her this joy of sacrifice. What is the price of those flowers? It is not certainly one shilling. The flowers are priceless when we consider Maggie’s feelings towards her brother. So the title of the story is an apt one. The story opens and ends with the meeting between Mr Gupta and Maggie.
- Attempt a character sketch of Vera from the story “Open Window”.
INTRODUCTION:
The open window is written by Saki(1870-1916). Saki is the pen-name of Hector Hugh Munro, a famous short stories and novels writer born in Scotland. ‘The Open Window’ is a short story that makes intensely interesting reading. It presents to us a very self possessed young lady of fifteen whose speciality is ‘mischief and framing tale at short notice’. Mr Nuttel who was supposed to be undergoing nerve-cure was terribly frightened by her story. The element of horror fades away, leading to a pleasant surprise at the end.
CONTENT:
Framton Nuttel, an eccentric (strange) hypochondriac (a person who is always worried about his health and belives he is ill even though he is alright), has moved to the country on his doctor’s advice to effect a cure for a nervous condition from which he was suffering. His sister has lived in the area he visits and has given him letters of introduction to his new neighbors. The story concerns his visit to the home of one of these neighbors, Mrs. Sappleton.
Mr. Nuttel first meets Mrs. Sappleton’s niece Vera, who entertains him until her aunt is available. She deceived him by telling false story about her aunt. She told him that her aunt’s husband and her two brothers had gone out with their dog for hunting three years ago and never came back and they are dead . The aunt was driven to distraction by her grief and loss, left the window open thereafter, anticipating that “they will come back some day” with “the little brown spaniel that was lost with them, and walk in that window just as they used to do.” She told the story in such a way that Framton believed it.
When Mrs. Sappleton comes to Mr. Nuttel she explains why she kept the window open, apparently confirming Vera’s story. He gives horrible expression when Mrs. Sappleton said that her husband and brothers would be home soon from the shooting. To avoid that horrifying discussion Mr. Nuttel then tells Mrs. Sappleton about his nervous disorder and his need to avoid any “mental excitement.” At that very moment Mrs. Sappleton sees her husband and brothers returning from their hunt. Veera was a good actor, she appears to be horrified by the sight of them. The nervous Mr. Nuttel is therefore terrified and believed them to be ghost and without waiting even a second he dashed outside the house.
Spinning another tale, Vera explains to the newly arrived hunting party and her aunt that Mr. Framton fled when he saw the brown spaniel because of his severe fear of dogs.
CONCLUSION:
This story shows Veera’s remarkable ability to create convincing fiction, instantly and crack practical jokes. She was very clever, resourceful and naughty. She was very good fabricator.
- Hughie Erskine was of a generous and who had rewarded him for his generosity. Illustrate.
INTRODUCTION:
The short story ‘The Model Millionaire’ was written by Oscar Wilde (1854-1900). He was a famous Irish writer. In this story Oscar Wilde describe about a boy Hughie Erskine who was a young man of good profile. His financial status was very low as he had no profession. He tried his hand in different profession to earn money but was not successful. So the author referred him as “a delightful, ineffectual young man with a perfect profile and no profession”
CONTENT:
Hughie Erskine was a poor young man who was good looking with crisp brown hair and gray eyes. He was not only popular among men but also among women. He failed to build a career although he kept changing everything. He had gone on the Stock Exchange for six months, he had been a tea-merchant for a little longer, then he had tried selling a dry sherry. He was in love with a girl named Laura Merton, daughter of a retired Colonel. The Colonel was against the engagement and would only allow them to get married if Hughie had ten thousand pounds of his own.
One day, Hughie visited his friend named Alan Trevor who was a painter. When Hughie came in, he found Trevor painting the finishing touches to a wonderful life size picture of a beggar man. The beggar himself was standing on a platform in a corner of the studio. He was a wizened old man with a face like wrinkled parchment and a most piteous expression. And then, at that night, Hughie went to the Palette Club about eleven o’clock, and found Alan in the smocking room. They had a talk about the model of a beggar-man which was painted by Alan Trevor. On the conversation, Alan said that the model of his picture was not a beggar, but a millionaire. Hughie was surprised and he did not believe about what he heard from Alan. The name of the millionaire was Baron Hausberg. Hughie went home unhappily, whereas Alan laughed loudly. Hughie had mistaken the Baron for a beggar and offered him a sovereign. He felt very bad for treating a rich man in that manner and feared that the Baron would have taken his act as an insult.
The next morning, a messenger from Baron Hausberg came and brought a letter to Hughie. The letter contained a cheque for ten thousand pounds which was a wedding present to Hugh Erskine and Laura Merton from Baron Hausberg. On the day of the marriage, Alan Trevor was the best man and the Baron made a speech at the wedding breakfast. Alan said, “Millionaire models are rare enough, but model millionaires are rarer still!”
CONCLUSION:
In The Model Millionaire, Oscar Wilde portrayed beautifully the theme of appearance, generosity, friendship, gratitude, love, compassion, charity, commitment, connection, struggle and happiness. In this story Hughie was fooled into thinking that the Baron was a beggar solely based on how the Baron was dressed and on what Alan Trevor has told him. It was for this reason that Hughie hands the Baron a sovereign. Hughie’s act of generosity is the fact that Hughie gives the Baron more than he can really afford. The Kindness of Hughie repaid him with kindness of Baron in the way of ten thousand pounds as wedding present.
- How does Sher Singh prove that he is ‘the son of his father’?
INTRODUCTION
My Brother, My Brother is a story written by Norah Burke. She was born in Bedford on August 2, 1997. Her father George Burke ,was a forest officer that’s why she spent the next twelve years traveling around the jungle at the foothills of the Himalayas. She started writing at the age of eight. ‘My Brother My Brother’ is a story of a one young brave boy and about the conditions of tribal and poor people who lived in jungle. We know that they don’t have facilities of hospitals or any kind of vehicle.
CONTENT:
Sher singh was only twelve years old and his brother was younger than Sher singh. He had many Brothers and sisters but they dead, carried off by cholera and influenza. Now there were only two of them. Sher singh and kuwar. In the beginning of the story it was found that Sher Singh’s Brother’ was suffering from stomach pain. Sher Singh and his mother tried a lot to cure kunwar but they were unsuccessful. When his mother said that “He must be carried to the hospital at kalaghat”, Then Sher singh understood that his brother kuwar was going to dying and Hospital was the last option for jungle peoples. Sher singh was about to run to call his father, the mother stops him saying that he cannot reach him as he was deep in the jungle for hunting.
Sher singh carried his brother to the hospital of Kalaghat, on the way of Hospital he faced many problem. There was no road in the jungle. He had to cross two river without any support. He did not care of himself and tries hard to save his younger Brother’s life. Sher Singh started for alight carrying his brother. He was walking through the jungle. He saw a cobra on the path. He stood still and the cobra slipped off into the grass. He became normal again and he walked on.
Sheer Singh was on his way to Callaghan carrying his brother. He was walking through the forest. He was tired. He lay against a tree with his eyes shut. Then he heard the sound of elephants. They came near him. It would be dangerous if he shouted. He was to the river bed. Later the elephant’s disappeared. He was relieved. Later he uttered a prayer of thanks and crossed the first river.
Towards midnight Sher Singh heard the second river ahead of him. He reached the second river ahead of him. He reached the river. It was full of water. The bridge moved like a monster. There was water over the rope round his brother and himself to keep themselves together. He kept his brother’s head above water and began to cross the river.
At the end of the story when he wake up he finds that he was in the hospital. He had no money. Every morning he went to the railway yard to get the work of loading coal. He labored all day and earned money to prepare food.
Conclusion
The story is about the life in the jungle. It is dangerous to live in a jungle. People have to fight for life. They have no medical facility. People die of diseases like cholera, influenza and such. Some are killed by cruel animals. Sher Singh’s father has a scar on his body. It has been made by the claws of a tiger. Shersingh was very much afraid when he sees a cobra and elephants in the jungle. He finds it difficult to cross the river when he is on the way to Kalaghat. Norah Bruke works reflect her experience and life in jungle. The story ‘My Brother’ is all about the heroism of a jungle boy.
- Explain Briefly how the atmosphere of fear and suspense is sustained throughout the story ‘Uneasy Home Coming’.
INTRODUCTION
“Uneasy Homecoming” by Will F Jenkins is a short story that has the effect of a particularly tense atmosphere. Will F Jenkins is a very popular writer of thrillers, short stories and science fiction. In this story, the author successfully creates the atmosphere of vague restlessness and fear which lands the reader in a world of suspense. This story is about a woman named Connie returning to an empty house after a two-week holiday.
CONTENT:
Connie returning to house after a two-week holiday and she was alone, as her husband will not be home until midnight. She feels a strong feeling of uneasiness which never really subsides throughout the story. Her house was the only one that had been built on the other side of the bay. Connie was alone, far from any other houses, which means that there was nobody close to her if she needed any help.
When she arrives home she had developed a nervous feeling. It continued while she heard the taxi moving away and purring down the road. When she arrived it was dusk and she could hear the noise of birds and the insects. Then she turned on the refrigerator and switched on all the lights of the rooms so that she could get rid of the uneasy feeling.
Connie moved around the house and checked it but failed to look at the motorcycle which was leaning in the garage and the Pantry window. To fell better she calls Mrs. Winston who was elderly woman, she tells Connie about the series of burglaries in the town and requests her to come to her house along with her son ‘Charlie’, for which Connie refuses as she don’t like Charlie.
After talking to Mrs. Winston, Connie takes her suitcase and goes upstairs to her bed room. She finds out that her house is being used as a safe house by criminals to keep their stolen goods. When she finds this out her uneasiness builds to fear and so when she escapes into the garage the reader is relieved. She manages to sets fire to the burglar’s motorbike, which is the key incident. The burglar comes running out of the house and gets caught by the authorities.
Conclusion
Throughout the “Uneasy Homecoming” the main character played a very important part in creating a tense atmosphere. The main character, Connie, developed a sense of fear about man hunting women. In this short story the author had beautifully described how Connie had used her quick wit and safe guard herself from the burglar.
- Bring out the significance of the title ‘Resignation’.
INTRODUCTION
‘The Resignation’ by Premchand is a real extension of the theme, ‘dignity in work place’. It tells us about the employer-employee relationship and how far the employee is bound to the employer.
CONTENT:
“The Resignation” is a very entertaining story that begins with these lines: “An office clerk is a dumb creature”. The narrator tells us that if you insult a coolie he will throw off his load and walk away, reprimand a beggar and he will walk away, and even an abused donkey will kick back. An office clerk, however, will take any form of abuse from his master and smile through it.
“The Resignation” The story tells us of the life of a clerk named Lala Fatechand, he was a failure at everything, he had only 2 daughters. At age 32 his health was already ruined. He goes to work at 9:00 AM and returns at 6:00 PM and he lacks the courage to go out at night. His whole life revolves around his office. He was constantly in fear of losing his job. He has no interest in religion, the poor, the arts, literature, sports, or movies. One night something very unusual happens. A messenger shows up from his office telling him to come into work to take care of an urgent matter. His wife tells him not to go as they ask too much from him. They fight over it and he goes in telling her his job could be at stake.
The office peon tells him to hurry into the boss’s office as he may be mad it took him so long to get there. The boss demands to know why he took so long to get there. When the clerk tries to explain the boss says he is lying and threatens to box his ears. When the clerk argues the boss threatens to flog him. Now the story turns interesting. The clerk can only take so much and everyone who has ever worked for an idiot they hated will love the closing of the story.
Fatechand will get back to home instead of the office to get the file thinking that the Saheb was drunk and even didn’t tell him the name of the file. After going home Fatechand tells how he was humiliated at Sahebs house to his wife. Wife ask Fatechand to quit the job saying that honour is man’s greatest possession. Fatechand realizes that it is stupid to raise the family at the cost of self-respect and walks towards Sahebs house by fetching a cane from his friend’s house.
Fatechand lifts the stick at Saheb and orders him to hold his hand on his ear and apologize and say that he would never abuse anyone again. When Saheb apologize, Fatechand leaves by handing over the resignation to him. Thus Fatechand had tested the pleasure of true victory. This was the first triumph of his life.
Conclusion
In this story ‘Resignation’ Premchand describes how a dumb cleark will react when his employer will abuse him. Though the employee is bound to the employer to safeguard his job, he rebels when something goes beyond his tolerance. “Never test the patience of any human”
- Write in your own words the story of ‘The Referee’.
INTRODUCTION:
The story “The Referee” written by W.H.Andrews and Geoffrey Dearmer is a hilarious comedy. In the story, a local derby match is going to be played between the Celtics and the Rovers. But the referee Mr. Potts had not yet arrived. When John Beltwood, the brother – in – law of Mr. Barker, the manager of the Rovers Football Club, turns up, he is mistaken to be the referee Mr. Potts. In the absence of Mr. Potts, Beltwood is asked to be the referee of the match. Then a series of hilarious events take place.
CONTENT:
The play takes place on a Saturday afternoon. Mr.potts a famous referee is late to the local derby match between “the rovers” and “the cletic”. Chairman Wortlebury and Robert barker manager of “The rovers” talk anxiously looking at their watches and waiting for Mr. Potts. Beltwood interrupts them in between. Wortlebury mistaking Beltwood as Potts hurries Beltwood to change his clothes and get ready for the match. Barker makes Wortlebury understand and tells him that he is Beltwood (barker’s brother in law) but Wortlebury asks Beltwood to become the referee as Potts is not available and tells Beltwood to make “the rovers” win. Beltwood does not know anything about the game and it’s rules. Barker asks sammy ( assistant trainer) to help Beltwood in handling the match. Sammy makes Beltwood understand the rules. It’s five minutes off the halftime and the match goes miserably bad. Diana (wife of barker) is upset to see her brother being replaced with Potts. It’s HALF-TIME, Beltwood is back into the referee’s room. Beryl (Wortlebury’s daughter) enters the referee’s room while Beltwood takes a shower. Beryl informs Beltwood that there are horrible nasty things happening outside: the newspaper men were criticizing and police had a terrible job to keep the crowd in control. Beryl leaves and Boffin (Celtic captain) comes to Beltwood to talk about the match: the six penalties and five goals which the Celtics well- deserved. Boffin warns Beltwood to not repeat the same in the next half. It’s time for the second half. Beltwood was ready to go to the ground but meanwhile kettle (rovers captain) pushes him back and asks for an explanation regarding the first half. Beltwood answers kettle.It’s time and Beltwood goes out; Kettle follows him. The match ends with a draw eventhough Beltwood gives chances for the players to score as the match has 13 score each which was considered as unlucky number. By the end of the match, potts arrives with anger as the match was referred by Beltwood meanwhile the manager and the chairman hides Beltwood in order to save him. Now, potts answers to the reporters about the match. Surprising was that everyone including reporters thought that the match was spoiled by the players and the genius potts with his mind had handled with much accuracy. Thus, the match was noted in the history. Beltwood was lucky and appreciated for his faulty reviewing.
CONCLUSION:
Mistaken identity is a popular device to generate comedy. “The referee” by W. H. Andrews and Geoffrey dreamer is one such play in which ignorant Beltwood is made to impersonate the celebrated referee Potts for a local derby match. The whole drama depicts about the perception, how people believed if the match was refeered by the famous potts… Although with all faults and mistakes, it was ignored before the caliber of potts.
- The play The Dear Departed shows inhuman attitude of Amelia and Elizabeth towards their father. Explain.
INTRODUCTION
The play ‘The Dear Departed’ by Stanley Houghton is a story that depicts the sad reality of the modern nuclear families that are strained with selfish interests and individual desires. Reflecting the society at large, the tale takes place at the house of the Slaters. Mrs Slater is one of two daughters of Mr Abel Merryweather who lives with her. The other daughter Elizabeth and her husband Ben stay separately.
CONTENT:
The scene of the play is set in the sitting room of a small house in a lower middle-class district of a provincial town. The setting of the play reveals that the tea-table has been laid. Mrs Slater, a plump and active lady is in mourning and she is getting ready to receive some guests. She beckons to her daughter Victoria, who is ten year old, and instructs her to change into something sober. It is revealed that Victoria’s grandfather has passed away and the Slater family is getting ready to receive Aunt Elizabeth and Uncle Ben. Victoria expresses surprise at this news because her aunt and uncle had not paid them a visit for years. Mrs Slater reveals that they were coming over to talk about grandfather’s affairs, on hearing of his death. In the meanwhile Mr Slater enters. He is a heavy man who stoops he is also in mourning dress.
Henry Slater is skeptical whether Elizabeth will come, for the last time when Mrs Slater and Elizabeth had quarrelled, she had vowed never to pay a visit again to their house. Mrs Slater gives Henry new slippers of her father. She also plans to take away the new bureau of the grandfather and shift it to their room, before Elizabeth and Ben arrive. Both the husband and wife, lock the front door and shift the bureau down and put their old chest of drawers there. Victoria wants to know why they were stealing grandfather’s things but her mother tells her to remain quiet. Grandpa’s new clock is also taken away. Meanwhile Grandpa was stirring and moving. After some time Mr Abel Merryweather enters and is surprised to see his other daughter and son-in-law, Mr and Mrs Jordan. He reveals that he was well and just had a slight headache he notices Henry wearing his new slippers and takes them. Abels wishes to know, why all were in mourning dresses. Mrs Jordan makes up some story to pacify him. Abel Merryweather enjoys tea and has a generous slice of the apple-pie. He grumbles and scolds Mrs Slater for taking away his bureau. Mrs Jordan gets agitated and accuses her sister of robbing her father. The husbands also join their wives in hurling accusations at each other Abel discovers about his death. He addresses his daughters directly and declares that he was going to change his will and all the money will go to the one, in whose house he dies. Both the daughters fight with each other to keep their father. Abel is amused and watches all the fun. At last he makes his announcement which shocks everyone. On Monday, he would go to the lawyer and alter his will, then he would go to the insurance office and pay his premium. After that he would go to the church and get married to Mrs Shorrock. Everyone is shocked. Abel reveals that he had at last found someone who was happy to keep him. He exits with an invitation of his marriage. He also thanks Mrs Slater for shifting the Bureau down-stairs for now it will be easy to cart it away to “Ring-O-Bells.’
They will marry each other and spend the rest of their days taking care of one another. In the end and with a cheek in his tone, he asks his daughters and their greedy husbands to attend the wedding and bless the bride and groom.
Conclusion
The play ‘The Dear Departed’ presents an interesting situation that has tragically become common place in the world of today. A true test of people is how they behave towards the elderly. The daughters in ‘Dear Departed’ are very materialistic and like beasts of prey, they are only ready to pounce on the money and belongings of their father. Keeping father at home has become a tiresome burden. Looking towards the elderly has become a matter of comfort and financial aid rather than for inspiration and emotional strength. The author asks us to remember that the difference between a helping hand and an outstretched palm is only a twist of the wrist.
English Study Material 