B.A-1 Plays English notes

Smokescreens by Harold Brighouse

                                                      Smokescreens by Harold Brighouse             

Summary

The play “Smokescreens” has at least three basic ideas or themes. The first theme is that every character in the play has a duel personality. They hide their real personality behind smokescreens. The second theme is the bad effects of broken families on children. The third theme is the generation gap.

Susan has come to London to see her sister Lucy. Primrose is her niece and very modern. She goes to nightclubs late at night. She smokes cigarettes and wears lipstick.

Susan is conservative and does not like this. She hides her bag so that she may not go out. Actually, she wants to have a talk with her. Primrose needs her handbag because there are cigarettes and lipstick in it. Then she comes to know that her Aunt Susan has her handbag. She takes her handbag and leaves.

Susan objects that Lucy has not disciplined her daughter but Lucy defends herself. They exchange their views as how children should be brought up.

Lucy is a self-made woman. She has divorced her husband, because he is unfaithful. She starts a business of taxicabs. She gives all her time to her business and ignores her daughter. Primrose is against her mother because of that. She does not like her mother’s views on the institution of marriage. She sends her friend Clarice to tell her mother and aunt that she is going to marry John. John is Clarice’s brother and is very ugly.

Clarice tells Lucy and Susan about her ugly brother in detail. Later Primrose also comes there and breaks the news of her marriage. Her mother is shocked but hides her feelings. Primrose and Lucy have a talk and then Primrose leaves telling her that John is waiting in the dining room.

1.            What are the basic ideas or themes of the play “Smokescreens”.

The play “Smokescreens” has at least three basic ideas or themes. The first theme is that all the characters in the play have duel personalities. They hide their real personalities behind smokescreens. The second theme is the bad effects of broken families on children. The third theme is the generation gap.

When we read the play carefully, we see that all the three main characters hide themselves behind smokescreens. They pretend what they are not. Primrose pretends to be a rude and spoiled girl. However, later in the story she begs her aunt’s forgiveness and tells her that she does so only to avoid conversation. She tells her aunt that she behaves just like a cuttlefish that squirts out a flood of ink to hide it from attack.

Aunt Susan pretends to have the Victorian morality. However, surprisingly she tells a lie about her headache just to stop Primrose from going out. Lucy pretends that she does not have any care or love for her daughter, but actually, she is a loving and caring mother.  The writer shows her love for her daughter at the end of the play.

The second theme is that a broken family has very bad effects n children. They are spoiled. They are rude and disrespectful to their elders and do what they like. They are confused and do such things as are not good for them.

The third theme is the generation gap. The writer has depicted the generation gap very successfully. The old generation is hard and harsh towards the young generation and has the Victorian morality. However, the young generation is rude. The people of this generation want to live according to the demands of their society. (285)

2.            Bring out the conflict between Primrose and Aunt Susan or generation gap in the play.

The conflict between Primrose and Aunt Susan is that Aunt Susan wants Primrose not to go out at night, whereas Primrose is not ready to listen to her. Actually, they have conflict because of the generation gap.

Aunt Susan has come to London to see her sister. She is 50 and believes in the Victorian morality. She is conservative and believes that children should be treated very harshly. They should be spanked to teach discipline. She also believes that parents should use power of the purse to prevent children from doing undesirable things. Therefore, she decides to talk to Primrose rather harshly. That is why she hides to talk to Primrose’s handbag just to stop her from going out and to talk to her.

Primrose is a representative of the young generation. She wants to do what she likes. She wants to go out wearing lipstick and smoking cigarettes. She is not ready to listen to her aunt and she behaves rudely to her. She wants to live own life. She is not ready to be dictated by the old generation.

Therefore, this is the conflict between Primrose and Aunt Susan. Actually, it is a conflict between the old and the young generation. (203)

3.            Bring out the conflict between Lucy and Susan.

The conflict between Aunt Susan and Lucy is that Aunt Susan thinks that Lucy spoiled Primrose. She has not brought her up according to the Victorian morality. She has spoiled her by telling wrong things about her father. However, Lucy defends herself and says that what she did was right.

Aunt Susan believes in the Victorian morality. She is conservative and believes that children should be treated very harshly and they should be spanked to teach discipline. She also believes that parents should use power of the purse to prevent children from doing undesirable things.

Lucy represents old but liberal minded generation and does not believe in the Victorian morality. The people of this generation believe: “Give our children a better time than we had ourselves.” Therefore, the people like Lucy do not try to discipline their children. That is why Lucy does not stop Primrose from doing anything.

Aunt Susan says that she has spoiled Primrose by telling her that her father was a scoundrel and her mother was a fool who married him. Lucy says that she did that because she had to justify her divorce before Primrose.

Therefore, we can conclude that the conflict between Aunt Susan and Lucy is that Aunt Susan thinks that Lucy has spoiled Primrose. She has not brought her up according to the Victorian morality. She has spoiled her by telling her wrong things about her father. However, Lucy defends herself and says that what she did was right. (247)

4.            Why did Primrose decide to marry ugly John instead of marrying a charming man?

Primrose decided to marry ugly John instead of a charming man because of the following reasons:

Firstly, she decided to marry ugly John because it would be an insult to her mother if she married a charming man. She said, “I’ve not insulted you. If I’d picked a charming man….” Actually, her father was a charming man. Probably, she had told her daughter that all charming men were unfaithful. She divorced her father because of that. If fact, Lucy had told her so to justify her divorce. Now Primrose was a grown up girl and she knew that not all men were equal. That was why she decided to marry ugly John.

Secondly, she thought that if she married a charming man, her mother would exert her influence on her and would not let her marry. She said to her mother, “Well, for a Charles, you’d have had the right to exert your influence….”

Thirdly, she thought that her mother made a mistake, when she married a charming man. She said that she was marrying an ugly man who was different from her charming father. Therefore, it was a different mistake.

Fourthly, she thought that her mother had been sentimental when she married a charming man, whereas she was not being sentimental. She meant to say that her decision of marrying an ugly man was quite sensible.

Lastly, she decided to marry ugly John because she was in love with him. She told her mother that she was going to marry ugly John because he made her feel all funny inside.

Therefore, these were the reasons behind her marrying ugly John. (271)

5.            Bring out the conflict between Primrose and Lucy.

The conflict between Primrose and Lucy is on two levels and they have strained relation because of this conflict.

Firstly, there is conflict because Lucy and Primrose have different views on the institution of marriage. Lucy has been talking against the institution of marriage. That is why Primrose says, “Oh, I know what it means to talk about marriage in this house! It is like talking about something decent people don’t mention.” Lucy may be telling Primrose that the institution of marriage is not a good institution. Primrose says, “…I think marriage is a jolly fine institution.”

She tells that Lucy will not let her marry because Lucy is very young to be a mother-in-law. She says, “I think my mother would prefer me to remain unmarried.” She also thinks that she is a marrying woman, whereas her mother is not.

Secondly, Primrose thinks that her mother neglects her and gives more time to her business. Her business is more important to her than her daughter is. She says to her mother about taxicabs, “They mean more to than I do.” At this Lucy says, “They have their uses.” Primrose gets angry at this answer and says, “I’ve been an awful ass?”

Actually, Lucy has been neglecting Primrose with a purpose. She does not want to impose strict discipline on her. She wants that Primrose should have every chance of enjoying life. However, Primrose misunderstands her. At the end of the story Lucy says, “Taxicabs! Taxicabs, and she believed me!”

Therefore, we can conclude that the conflict between Primrose and Lucy is on two levels and they have strained relation because of his conflict. We can say that mostly Lucy is responsible for this conflict. (285)

6.            How is an independent career a living protest against the necessary of marriage?

Lucy was a self-made woman but against the institution of marriage.

Primrose was a marrying woman like her Aunt Susan. Discuss.

When we read the play “Smokescreens” carefully, we see that Lucy and Primrose had conflicting views on the institution of marriage. She said to her mother, “I’m a marrying woman. It’s tough to be a marrying woman….”

Actually, Lucy, her mother, had divorced Primrose’s father and set him away. At that time, he had a car. She hired it out and drove it. She worked very hard for fifteen years. Now she owned three garages and numberless taxicabs. She did not marry again because she was trying to expand her business. She had no time for marriage. Actually, she did not need to marry a man because she had everything. It is in this sense that Primrose thought that an independent career was a living protest against the necessary of marriage.

Unlike her mother, Primrose was a marrying woman, because she had no interest in business or independent career. She said to her mother, “My mother worked, and I didn’t. I haven’t the brains. I think I’m like Aunt Susan in one way. I’m a marrying woman.” Therefore, she compared herself with Aunt Susan because Aunt Susan did not have an independent career. She had a happy family life with a husband and two good sons. This was also according to Primrose’s nature. (213)

7.            Primrose is a child of a broken family. Discuss.

No doubt, Primrose is a child of a broken family. The child of a broken family is usually spoiled. He is rude and disrespectful to his elders and does whatever he likes.

When we read the play “Smokescreens” carefully, we find that Primrose is just like that. She goes out at night wearing lipstick and smoking cigarettes. She probably goes to nightclubs that are very bad places. She is rude and disrespectful to her elders. When Aunt Susan hides her handbag, she talks to her rudely. She threatens her that she will spill her on the ground if she does not give her the handbag. She does not listen to her aunt and goes out. When she talks to her mother, she calls her by her name.

We see that Primrose does what she likes. Once when she decides to go out, she does not listen to her aunt and mother. She does not give up smoking in spite of the advice of her aunt. Similarly, when she decides to marry an ugly man, she does not listen to her mother who does not like her decision.

Lucy, her mother is mainly responsible for that. She gives all her time and energies to her business. She neglects her daughter who is very sore about it. Primrose says to her mother about the taxicabs, “They mean more to you than I do?” At this Lucy says, “They have their uses.” Lucy tells her sister, I couldn’t be a domestic mother to my daughter while I was running a business.”

Primrose sums up all this by telling her aunt that it is not particularly easy to be Primrose. Actually, she means to say that she is like that because she belongs to a broken family. (293)

8.            The title of the poem is justified. Discuss.

The title of the play “Smokescreens” is quite justified. It is very meaningful and symbolic. ‘Smokescreens’ in the context of the play means a veil of smoke behind which a character hides his real personality and feelings.

When we read the play, we find that there are three main characters in the play and they all have their own smokescreens. They hide their real feelings and personalities and pretend to be what they are not.

The first main character is Aunt Susan. She pretends to be a very civilized and conservative woman. She pretends to have the Victorian morality. However, surprisingly she tells a lie about her headache just to stop Primrose from going out. Apparently, she sympathizes her sister but inwardly she enjoys hers sister’s bad condition. Lucy notices that and asks her not to look so complacent.

The second main character is Primrose. She pretends to be a rude and spoiled girl. She is rude to her aunt and even threatens to spill her on the ground. She is not ready to listen to her aunt. She wears lipstick and goes to nightclubs. However, later in the story she begs her aunt’s forgiveness and tells her that she did so only to avoid conversation. She tells her aunt that she behaved just like a cuttlefish that squirts out a flood of ink to hide it from attack.

The third main character is Lucy. She pretends that she does not have any care or love for her daughter. Actually, she is a loving mother. She wants that her daughter should have every chance of enjoying life. The writer shows her love for her daughter at the end of the play.

Therefore, we see that the title of the play is quite justified. (293)

Something to Talk About by Eden Phillpotts

Something to Talk About by Eden Phillpotts

Summary

The play “Something to Talk About” conveys the idea that very rich people become sick of their monotonous lives. So just for a change, they welcome everything, even burglary. Secondly, we also see that it is very difficult to bear the loss of things, it does not matter how rich a person is. To save his things he ready to harm others.

At three on Christmas morning the Wolf, a burglar, comes to Sydneys’ residence to steal Christmas presents. Lord Redchester is the head of the family. Lady Redchester is his wife Guy and Lettice are his children. Bishop is his brother.

The Wolf is trying to open the safe when Guy comes in. Wolf levels his revolver at him, buy Guy wins his confidence with his clever talk. He takes his permission to bring Lettice there. He tells him that Lettice wants to watch him at work.

Preston, the butler, comes there. The Wolf ties him. Guy promises that the butler will not do anything wrong and unties him. Soon all the members of the family come to room one by one. The Wolf tries his best to open the safe but fails.

Lord Redchester tells him the password “Sophy” and he opens the safe in no time. He brings out all the presents one by one. Everybody tries his gifts. The Wolf takes back the presents and decides to go, but Bishop tries to exploit his religious feelings.

Then he tempts him to leave their presents and take more costly things of their neighbor. They promise to help him in stealing. Buy describes the location. The Wolf agrees and gives back their presents and leaves. Everybody shakes hands with him.

1.            What is the theme of the play “Something to Talk About”?

The theme of the play “Something to Talk About” is the attitude of very rich people. The theme is that very rich people become so tired of their monotonous lives that just for a change or some excitement they enjoy even a burglary. The title of the play also suggests that. We also see that it is very difficult to bear the loss of things. It does not matter how rich a person is. To save his things he is ready to harm others.

The Sydney family lives outside a Cathedral town. This family’s nest-door neighbor lives at a distance of three miles. This shows how isolated life this family is leading. They are living away from common people. They have nothing different or new to do. That is why, when the ‘Wolf’ comes to steal their Christmas presents they welcome him warmly. They treat him just like a guest of honour. Guy says to the Wolf, “You are manna in the wilderness – you are indeed.” This means that they are considering the burglar a blessing from God.

We see that Sydneys are very rich but in spite of being so much rich, they cannot bear the loss of their things. They are ready to harm others. On one occasion, Lettice requests the ‘Wolf’ to let her keep the tiara and take her Uncle Charles’ crosier. Therefore, just to save her tiara she tries to harm her uncle. When the Sydneys see that the ‘Wolf’ is going to take the Christmas presents after all, they ask their neighbour’s costly tings instead. Therefore, they try to harm their neighbor. This is also the theme of the play. (276)

2.            Bring about the humour in the play “Something to Talk About”.

“Something to Talk About” is a light comedy. Discuss.

The play “Something to Talk About” is a perfect example of a light comedy. The writer has created humour through very comic comments by the characters and through some very comic situations. Although there is a revolver and a constant threat to life by the burglar, yet the situation remains light and does not become serious anytime.

When Guy asks the Wolf if he is a burglar, he gives a humorous answer. He says, “What d’you think I was. A piano-tuner?” It is also very funny to call a burglar ‘manna in the wilderness’. The Wolf tells Guy about the treatment of American law with criminals with such a funny way that we cannot help laughing. He says, “It’s worthwhile in the States. When they catch you, if you’re bad enough, you go to Sing Sing, and they give you flower gardens and Bridge parties….” When Lord Redchester finds Wolf in his house, he says, “Who the deuce is?” When we read the words ‘deuce’ and ‘imposter’, we laugh heartily.

The play is full of many funny situations too. We see a funny situation when Guy introduces his sister, Lettice, to the Wolf as though he were a guest of honour. It is very funny when Lettice praises Wolf’s tools and he explains them to her. We find another situation when they sing just to encourage the burglar. After that, we find a funny situation when Wolf leaves and everybody shakes hands with him and expresses god wishes.

Therefore, the play “Something to Talk About” is a light comedy and it is full of comic comments and situations. (268)

3.            Discuss the elements of irony in the play “Something to Talk About”.

The play “Something to Talk About” is full of elements of irony.

Firstly, we find irony when Wolf tells Guy how American law courts treat criminals. He says, “It’s worthwhile in the States. When they catch you, if you’re bad enough, you go to Sing, Sing and they give you flower gardens and Bridge parties…” Apparently, Wolf is appreciating American law courts, but inwards he is making fun of their lenient treatment towards criminals.

Secondly, we find irony when Guy tells Wolf, “We’re the most trustworthy family in England.” But later in the play we find that they ask Wolf to leave their presents and take their neighbour’s costly things.

Thirdly, at the start of the play, Wolf tells Guy, “The safe isn’t built to beat me.” However, later we see that fails to force open the safe. Fourthly, we find irony in the attitude of Bishop. He advises Wolf to leave worldly wealth and join the ranks of the trustworthy, honourable, and virtuous, but he himself is not ready to leave his gold crosier. To save his gold crosier, he not only tries to exploit Wolf’s religious feelings, but also puts temptation in his way.

Lastly, irony is found in the attitude of the Sydnys. Outwardly, they appreciate Wolf but inwardly they consider him an ‘enemy of society’. They want to get rid of him to save their Christmas presents. (230)

4.            Discuss the elements of satire in the play.

Firstly, satire is on rich people who lead a monotonous life and do nothing. They have no sense of morality and are ready to do anything to save their things.

Secondly, satire is on religious people who have become so worldly. They cannot bear the loss of worldly things and are ready even to tempt others and exploit their religious feelings. They preach one thing and practice another. When Wolf says that he does not like clergy, Lady Redchester says, “More does he – finds them most difficult and lawless.” She further says, “He never criticizes anybody; and never does anything; but just sits on the fence and prays for everybody.”

Thirdly, the satire is on English made things that are inferior. Lord Redchester tells Wolf, “We stick to home-made things as a rule, though they are so inferior.” Fourthly, satire is on English roads. Guy says, “Rather bad roads in England, I’m afraid.” At this Wolf says, “You’re right. Worst roads in England.”

Therefore, the play is full of satire. (170)

5.            The Sydneys’ greatest desire is to have some novelty in their monotonous lives. Discuss.

No doubt, the play “Something to Talk About” is a clever and pleasant representation of the temperament of modern English people, who might well find nocturnal alarm a matter of objective entertainment. They are so much desirous of some novelty and change in their lives that burglary is not a serious matter. The burglar with a revolver does not frighten them; rather he is “manna in the wilderness”. They enjoy his presence in their home.

They are so much fond of entertainmet that everyone wants to join in. One by one all the members of the family come there. No one appears to be afraid or alarmed. To them the burglar is some sort of actor who is going to give some astounding performance.

Lettice wants her mother to join in. She says to Lord R, “Do you thing I might wake mama? She’ll never forgive us if she misses this. You know how she is always yearning for something to happen. It will be cruel, papa, to enjoy Wolf without her.” The words spoken by Lettice tell us about the temperament of a modern English people, who might well find nocturnal alarm a matter of objective entertainment.

They arrange chairs in a semi-circle. They thank the burglar on coming to their home for stealing. Lady Redchester says, “The terror of England! And under our roof! How nice of him! How do you do?” Therefore, they receive the burglar rather warmly. They treat him just like a guest of honour.

Therefore, from the above discussion, we can conclude that the play “Something to Talk About” is a clever and pleasant representation of the temperament of modern English people. (278)

The Boy Comes Home by A. A. Milne

The Boy Comes Home by A. A. Milne

Summary

The play “The Boy Comes Home” is a light comedy. It throws light on the generation gap. The old generation thinks that the young generation is immature just like a schoolboy. It should obey the old generation. In fact, the young generation is mature and it can take the right decision.

Philip is a young man of 23. He lives with Uncle James who is his patron. He has returned after four years of war. On the very first morning, he comes for breakfast at ten. Uncle James keeps a strict discipline in the house. According to his orders, breakfast is served at eight.

Philip has row with Mrs. Higgins because of this. She threatens to leave the job if she is asked to prepare breakfast at ten. Philip handles her very cleverly.

Uncle James comes to see Philip. He wants to ask him to join his jam business; however, just before Philip’s entry into the room, he goes to sleep. In his dream, he meets with Philip. He orders him to join jam business. However, Philip wants to learn some profession. Uncle James thinks that Philip is just like a schoolboy and he cannot choose a career for himself.

To prove that he is mature, Philip relates his experience at Somme. However, Uncle James still insists on his own decision. He threatens to use the power of the purse. At this, Philip takes out a revolver and a bomb out of his pocket and frightens Uncle James to death. He agrees to do what Philip wants.

In the meanwhile, Uncle James wakes up. He is now a changed man. When Philip actually comes to talk to him, he is rather confused and repeats the same things what Philip has said in his dream. Philip at once agrees to join the jam business. Uncle James is not sure about his dream.

1.            What are the conflicts between Philip and Uncle James?

The first conflict between Philip and Uncle James is that Philip does not like his Uncle’s authoritative attitude and his strict discipline in the house. Philip says to Uncle James, “Well, we don’t get on too well together…”

When we read the play “The Boy Comes Home” carefully, we find the authoritative attitude of Uncle James. He treats Philip as an inexperienced schoolboy. He thinks that he will decide everything for Philip. He says to Emily, “I have decided that the best thing he can do is to come into the business at once. He further says, “He’ll fall in with my wishes.”

He is ready to use his authority as a patron. Aunt Emily asks him to let Philip decide his career. However, he says, “He may, but I don’t see how he proposes to do it so long as I hold the purse strings.” This is what he has in his mind when he calls Philip. He just wants to tell Philip about his decision. Secondly, Philip wants the money left by his father to learn some profession. However, Uncle James does not want to give him the money until he is 25.  Philip does not like it and says, “Look here, Uncle James do you really think that you can treat me like a boy who’s just left school?” Uncle James tells Philip that he will use the power of purse if he does not submit to his orders. Then Philip uses the power of revolver and bomb. He frightens Uncle James to death and Uncle James is ready to do what Philip wants.

Therefore, these are the conflicts between Philip and Uncle James. (277)

2.            What is the importance of dream in the play “The Boy Comes Home”?

The dreams sequence has great importance in the play “The Boy Comes Home” for a number of reasons. The first and the most important reason is that it looks very awkward and immoral for a nephew to aim a revolver at his uncle and to make him kneel down and beg for his life. That is why the writer has used the dream sequence to relate this awkward and immoral situation. He makes the reader believe that all this has happened in a dream and he should not take it seriously.

Secondly, we see that dream sequence ends the conflict between Philip and Uncle James. Philip does not like Uncle James’s authoritative attitude and strict discipline. He wants to live somewhere else. He wants his money and wants to learn some profession. While Uncle James does not want to give him the money until he is 25. We see that after his dream Uncle James is a new man. Now there exists no conflict between them. He is now a reasonable man. Now he understands the problems of the young generation.

Thirdly, dream sequence is a source of comedy. After the dream, Uncle James repeats the same words as Philip has spoken in his dream. In the dream sequence, Philip say, “If I’m four years behind, so is everybody else.” After the dream sequence, Uncle James speaks the same words. He says, “Well, if you’re four years behind, so is everybody else.” These kinds of sentences create comedy and the reader laughs when he reads these sentences.

Therefore, with the help of the dream sequence, the writer has related a very awkward and immoral incident. It resolves the conflict between Philip and Uncle James and provides comedy to the play. (290)

3.            How has the war affected Philip’s personality?

The war has greatly affected Philip’s personality. The words spoken by Aunt Emily are very important and meaningful. She says to Uncle James, “Well, I think that Philip’s four years out there have made him more of a man, he doesn’t seem somehow like a boy who can be told what to do. I’m sure they have taught him something.” She further says, “You’ll find him different.”

Before going to the war, Philip was just like an inexperienced boy. Now he is like a grown up man. Before going to the war, he used to do what he was asked to do. Now he makes his own decisions and nobody can dictate him. Army has taught him something. He is different now.

Now he has learned how to handle people. He handles Mrs. Higgins so successfully that she is taken aback. She tells a lie to save her job. When she leaves, she is speechless. At the end of the Philip says that he does not know if he will be any good. At this, Uncle James says, “It’s your experience in managing and…er…handling men which I hope will be of value.”

He has also learned to use power against power. Uncle James threatens to use the power of purse, but suddenly Philip takes out a revolver and levels at him. Uncle James tells Philip that it is not good to settle arguments by force. At this, Philip tells him about war and says, “We used force to put down force. That is what I’m doing now.”

Therefore, we can conclude that war has greatly affected Philip’s personality. He is now like a grown up man. He has learned to handle people and to use force against force. (288)

4.            How does Philip prove himself a mature and responsible man?

Philip proves himself a mature and responsible man to Aunt Emily by handling Mrs. Higgins and to Uncle James by relating the incident of Somme.

Philip handles Mrs. Higgins, the cook, so successfully that when she leaves she is speechless. Aunt Emily is very much impressed and tells Uncle James, “Well, I think that Philip’s four years out there have made him more of a man.” This shows that is quite convinced that Philip is mature and responsible.

Uncle James is not ready to give Philip the money left by his father until he is 25. He thinks that Philip is just like a schoolboy. To prove that he is mature enough Philip relates the event that took place at Somme during the war.

It happened that Philip’s company was in a trench. The German knew about them. The Germans killed the company commander. After his death, now Philip was the company commander. They had lost about half the company by that time. It was a very difficult situation and he had great responsibility on his shoulders. Lives of many soldiers depended on him. He took a very mature and responsible decision. He moved the company to the other trench. Then he went back to the C.O. and told him that he had moved.

Uncle James appreciated him and said, “I’m glad that you did well out there and I’m sure your colonel would speak kindly of you….” The words spoken by Uncle James show that Philip has proved himself mature and responsible very successfully. (255)

5.            Relate the incident of Somme in your words.

It happened at Somme, the front, which Philip’s company was to attack next day. They were in a trench. The Germans knew about them. Therefore, they were firing at them. The company commander wanted to move from that place. He asked his C.O. about that. The C.O. ordered them to stay there and wait until the next day.

Later, the Germans killed the company commander. After his death, now Philip was the company commander. He knew something about scouting too. Therefore, he found another trench. That was better than the first trench. He sent two men one after the other to ask if he could move that trench. However, they did not come back.

They had lost about half the company by that time. Now Philip had three options. Firstly, he might stay there and wait until the next day. Secondly, he might move to that other trench against orders. Thirdly, he might go back himself and explain the situation to the C.O.

It was a very difficult situation. He had great responsibility on his shoulders at that time. Lives of many soldiers depended on him. He took a very mature and responsible decision. He moved the company to the other trench. Then he went back to the C.O. and told him that he had moved. After that, he went back to the company again. (225)

6.            Discuss the comic elements in the play “The Boy Comes Home”.

The play “The Boy Comes Home” is a light comedy.

Firstly, we find comic element at the start of the play. Philip comes down for breakfast at 10 o’clock, whereas the breakfast is served at 8. Philip asks Marry, the parlor-maid, to bring breakfast. Marry tries to frighten him and says, “I’m sure I don’t know what Mrs. Higgins will say?” She starts repeating this sentence. This sentence creates a lot of humor.

Mrs. Higgins comes and shows her anger. However, Philip handles her so artfully that she has to tell a lie to save her job. She says, “Who said anything about going?” There is a great difference between how she comes and goes. This situation is very funny and makes us laugh.

Secondly, Uncle James tells about his sacrifices in a very funny way. He says that he has done his part for the country by giving his nephew to the country, by suffering the shortage of potatoes and by paying the excess profits tax. His claims are very funny.

Thirdly, in the dream sequence, Philip talks about choosing a career. He says, “If I’m four years behind, so is everybody else.” After the dream, Uncle James repeats the same words. He says, “Well, if you’re four years behind, so is everybody else.” This is funny.

At the end of the play, Uncle James’s condition creates a lot of comedy when he laughs with a forced heartiness. Philip says about the strict manager, “Perhaps I’d better bring my revolver….” At this Uncle James says, “Ha, ha! A good joke that! Ha, ha, ha! A good joke – but only a joke, of course.”

Therefore, the play is full of comic elements.

The Bear by Anton Chekhov

Summary

The play “The Bear” is a farce. It is full of many absurd situations and remarks. There are three main characters in the play and they all make us laugh with their absurd behavior and comments.

Popova is a widow. Her husband died seven months ago, but she is still in mourning. Her servant, Luka advises her to give up her mourning. He advises her to see her neighbors, but she says that she will keep on mourning until her death.

In the meanwhile, Smirnov comes to take 1200 roubles from Popova. Her husband used to buy oat from him. Popova tells him that her steward is out and she will pay him the day after tomorrow.

However, Smirnov insists on taking the money that day. He behaves rudely. He even makes fun of Popova’s mourning and her state of mind. Popova also becomes rude. They speak against each other’s sex and use insulting words. Smirnov thinks that he has been insulted. He challenges Popova to fight a duel.

Popova accepts the challenge and brings her husband’s revolver. However, she does not know how to fire. She asks Smirnov to teach her how to fire. The situation changes and Smirnov is impressed by her boldness and beauty. He says that he does not want to fight the duel. He expresses his love for her. He offers her his hand.

First, she insists on fighting, but then asks him to go. She changes her decision repeatedly and then decides to marry him. When Luka returns with other servants to beat Smirnov, he is surprised to see them touching each other.

1.            Describe the reasons behind the marriage of Popova and Smirnov.

Both Popova and Smirnov had their own reasons of marriage. We shall discuss them one by one.

Popova had been mourning the death of her husband for the last seven months. She had been leading a lonely and sad life since then. Seven months was a long period. Now time had conquered her grief. Inwardly, she wanted some change in her life. She did not want to continue this mourning any more. Besides, it is human psychology that man gets sick and tired of doing the same thing for a long period.

The second reason may be the advice of her servant Luka. He shocked her by making her understand that in ten years’ time, she would not be beautiful anymore and no man would look at her. It was shocking for Popova.

The third reason was that Popova had a very romantic nature. Her mourning the death of her husband for seven months shows this. However, when Smirnov assured her of his love, she was greatly moved. It was very romantic that a man was on his knees, was offering her his hand, and was speaking very romantic dialogues. Smirnov said, “…I’m on my knees like a fool, offering you my hand…” It was all according to her romantic nature. She could not resist it and accepted the proposal.

Smirnov decided to marry Popova because he fell in love with her. He was greatly impressed by her beauty and boldness. He said, “But what a woman!” and, “That’s the sort I can understand!” He further says, “I’ve never in my life seen one like her!” He also says, “I love you as I’ve never loved before!”

Therefore, these were the reasons behind the marriage of Popova and Smirnov. (289)

2.            What was the main issue or conflict between Smirnov and Popova?

When we go through the play “The Bear”, we find that at first, the main conflict between them was money, but later this conflict changed into another conflict – insult.

Popova’s late husband was to pay some money to Smirnov. He used to buy oats for his horses. However, before paying the money he died. Seven months had passed. Now Smirnov and come to Popova to take his money. Unfortunately, Popova’s steward was not present. Therefore, she was unable to pay his money that day. She plainly told Smirnov about this situation. She promised that she would pay his money the day after tomorrow. However, Smirnov insisted on taking the money on that day. Smirnov talked to her rudely and in an uncivilized manner. He made fun of her mourning. Popova also made fun of him. She even abuses him and calls him a bear. She said, “You’re a boor! A coarse bear! A bourbon! A monster!”

Smirnov thought that Popova had insulted him. On the other hand, Popova thought that Smirnov did not know how to behave before women. She wanted to kill him for that. This was the second main conflict between them. This conflict between them grew serious and they decided to fight a duel. Popova brought her late husband’s revolver.

Therefore, we can say that at first the main conflict between them was money. However, later this conflict changed into another conflict – insult. Both of them thought that they had been insulted. Luckily, these conflicts did not bring any serious consequences. (254)

3.            The play “The Bear” is a farce (ridiculous situation). Discuss.

Describe the comic elements of the play “The Bear”.

When we go through the play “The Bear”, we find that it is a farce. A farce is full of many absurd situations and remarks. These situations and remarks make the readers laugh. There are three main characters in the play and they all make us laugh with their absurd comments. There are also many absurd situations. When the play starts, we see that Luka is advising Popova to leave her mourning and go out to see her neighbours. However, his way of advising her is very absurd. He gives the examples of cats, midges, and spiders. We simply laugh at these examples. Popova looks at the photograph of her husband and calls him a ‘bad child’. The word ‘bad child’ makes us laugh.

When Popova refuses to give Smirnov the money, he says, “I have not the pleasure of being either your husband or your finance, so please don’t make scenes.” These remarks are very funny and absurd and we laugh at them. When Popova accepts the challenge of duel from Smirnov, he says that he will bring her down like a chicken. The word ‘chicken’ is very funny.

We find the most comic and absurd situation in the play when Popova brings her husband’s revolvers and asks Smirnov to teach her how to fire. This is very absurd that she asks her enemy to teach her how to fire. It is also very absurd that Smirnov starts teaching her. What a funny and absurd situation it is! He not only teaches her how to fire, but he also tells her the prices of different revolvers. Another situation is very funny when Popova changes her mind repeatedly. At one time, she asks him to leave and at another asks him to stay.

From the above discussion, we can conclude that it is a farce and there are many comic and absurd elements in the play. The writer has created comedy through funny comments and absurd situations. (327)

4.            Discuss the title of the play “The Bear”.

The title of the play “The Bear” is quite justified. This title suggests the attitude of Smirnov who is just like a bear. In everyday language, we call ‘bear’ to a person who is rude, bad mannered and bad tempered.

When we go through the play, we find that Smirnov is bad-tempered and rude. On his first appearance in the play, he calls Luka, the servant of Popova, fool and ass. Popova tells him that her steward is not present and so she cannot pay the money that day but Smirnov does not listen to her. When Popova tells him that she is in a state of mind, Smirnov makes fun of her state of mind. He even makes fun of her mourning. He makes fun of her wearing lipstick and powdering her face.

Then he talks against women. Popova is right when she says that he does not know how to behave before women. When Luka asks him to leave, he gets angry and threatens him. He says, “Shut up! Who are you talking to? I’ll chop you into pieces!” these words spoken by Smirnov clearly show how bad-tempered he is.

He is so rude that he challenges Popova to fight a duel. Now it is very rude to challenge a woman to fight a duel. He is ready to kill her and says, “I’ll bring her down like a chicken! I’m not a little boy or a sentimental puppy; I don’t care about this “softer sex.”

Therefore, from the above discussion we can conclude that the title of the play is quite justified. It suggests the attitude of Smirnov who is just like a bear in his attitude. (280)

5.            Justify the end of the play “The Bear”.

No doubt, the end of the play “The Bear” is very sudden and unexpected. We see that both Smirnov and Popova have revolvers in their hands. They are going to fight a duel and to kill each other but suddenly they decide to marry. This is unexpected. However, when we go through the play, we find that this sudden and unexpected end has many reasons. We shall discuss them one by one.

The reason of Popova’s change of mind was that Popova had been mourning the death of her husband for the last seven months. She had been leading a lonely and sad life since then. Seven months was a long period. Now time had conquered her grief. Inwardly, she wanted some change in her life. She did not want to continue this mourning any more. Besides, it is human psychology that man gets sick and tired of doing the same thing for a long time.

The second reason may be the advice of Luka, her servant. He shocked her by telling her that in ten year’s time, she would not be beautiful anymore and no man would look at her. It was shocking for Popova. The third reason was that Popova had a very romantic nature. When Smirnov assured her of his love, she was greatly moved. It was all according to her romantic nature.

Smirnov decide to marry Popova because he fell in love with her. He was greatly impressed by her beauty. When Popova accepted his challenge of fighting a duel, he was greatly impressed by her boldness too. So, he changed his mind and decided to marry her.

The most important point in that it is a comedy and the end of a comedy cannot be serious. Its end must be funny and pleasant.

 Therefore, we can conclude that although the end of the play is sudden and unexpected, yet it is quite justified. (318)

6.            Both Smirnov and Popova have the same qualities of character. Discuss.

Both Popova and Smirnov are the chips off the same block. Discuss.

It is quite right to say that both Smirnov and Popova have the same qualities of character.

When we go through the play “The Bear” carefully, we find that both are rude, romantic, quarrelsome and hot-tempered. Both swear not to marry all their lives, but they change their decision.

When the play starts, we see that Smirnov comes right in without getting any permission. He calls Luka fool and ass. Later, he makes fun of Popova’s mourning and her state of mind. He speaks against women and uses insulting words. It is also very rude to challenge a woman to fight a duel. He threatens that he will chop Luka into pieces. He is romantic by nature. He falls in love with Popova. He tells Popova that he had fought duels three times because of women. He changes his decision and decides to marry Popova.

Popova is also just like Smirnov. She is rude too. She abuses Smirnov. She talks against men. When Smirnov challenges her to fight a duel, she at once accepts the challenge. She goes and brings revolvers. Smirnov wants to avoid the duel, but she insists on fighting it. This shows how quarrelsome and hot-tempered she is.

She is romantic by nature. She mourns the death of her husband for seven months. She talks to his photograph and promises to continue mourning until her death. This is romantic but she also changes her decision of mourning until her death and decides to marry Smirnov.

Therefore, we can conclude that both Smirnov and Popova are the chips off the same block and they have the same qualities of character. (272)

 

Take pity by Bernard Malamud

Take pity by Bernard Malamud

Summary

Two cultures are at conflict in the story “Take Pity”. These cultures are the Polish and the American. Eva represents the Polish culture and Rosen represents American culture. Because of different cultures, Eva and her husband are not ready to trust anyone.

Rosen is an ex-coffee salesperson. He tries to commit suicide. Davidov is a census taker. He has come to find out the reason of his attempt to commit suicide. First reason teases Davidov, but then tells him Axel’s story to explain the reason of his attempts to commit suicide.

Axel Kalish is a Polish refugee. He has come to America to take refuge and for better career. He works very hard and starts a grocery store, but it fails. He asks for credit from a company. The company sends Rosen to analyze the business. He recommends okay out of pity. However, he tells Axel that his business will fail. He advises him to get rid of it. First Axel does not listen to him but then decides to act upon his advice. However, all of a sudden he dies of heart attack.

After his death, his wife, Eva, gets the insurance money. She invests that money in the business. Rosen has advised her not to do that. Her business fails. She and her daughters have nothing to eat. Rosen tries to help her, but she rejects every offer of help. Eva is not ready to accept Rosen’s help because of his idea of self-respect. Rosen wants to help her at every cost. He leaves everything to Eva in his will and tries to commit suicide. At the end, Eva comes to him but he abuses her and asks her to go back.  

1. What does Rosen advises Eva; why does she not act upon it?

Rosen is an ex-coffee sales man and has a good deal of experience about business. From his experience, he knows that Eva’s business would not flourish there.

He advises Eva to take the money and her children and run away from there. However, Eva refuses to act upon his advice because she thinks that with the insurance money she can establish her business. She says that with the insurance money she will stock up and fix the store. She believes that she will be able to attract the customers by decorating the store. Therefore, she rejects this advice because of her optimistic approach.

Secondly, he advises to marry someone, but she again refuses. She believes that nobody will marry her because she is a widow with two daughters. She believes that she cannot have happiness because all her life she has been suffering. Here she refuses because of her pessimistic point of view. (153)

2. Why does Eva refuse offers of help from Rosen?

Eva refuses offers of help from Rosen for various reasons.

When we read the story “Take Pity” carefully, we find that Eva invests the insurance money, but the business does not flourish. Now she and her daughters do not have anything to eat. Rosen takes pity on them and tries to give something to eat to her daughters. However, she does not like it. She rejects the offer because of self-respect.

Secondly, when her business fails miserably, Rosen asks her to leave the shop for creditors. He offers her to shift in his two-family house. She refuses this offer of help taking it charity. She also thinks that Rosen will ask for some kind of payment in return.

Thirdly, Rosen proposes her and promises to take care of her and her daughters but she refuses. Its reason is that Rosen proposes her out of pity not out of love. She wants love not pity. Fourthly, he requests her to let him stock up the store, but she refuses taking it a charity.

Fifthly, Rosen makes a plan and sends her money by post. He informs her that he is an old friend of her husband. He is returning the money taken as a loan from her husband. Eva does not open the second envelope. Perhaps she comes to know that Rosen is behind all this.

Therefore, we can conclude that Eva refuses Rosen’s help because of various reasons. She thinks that her business will flourish someday, nobody will marry her, and Rosen’s help is charity. She misunderstands Rosen. The most important reason is that she is obstinate and is not ready to think reasonably. (274)

3. Why does Rosen want to help Eva?

Rosen wants to help Eva out of pity. The title of the story also suggests that.

Axel Kalish is a Polish refugee. He runs a grocery store. When his business fails, he asks for credit from a company. The company sends Rosen to see the condition of his business. Rosen recommends okay out of pity. He has experience of such business so he advises Kalish to leave the business. He asks him to do some job. He advises him purely out of pity. There is no other motive behind it.

After his death, his wife does not listen to him either. She invests the money. The store fails and things worsen. She and her daughters starve. He cannot look at their faces. He is deeply moved by their suffering. That is why he tries to give something to eat to Eva’s daughters. He is even ready to marry her out of pity. He tells her that he wants to marry her because he wants to take care of her daughters. It is because of this pity that Eva rejects the offer. She wants love not pity.

When we read the story carefully, we find that he wants to help them because he cannot stand their misery. His heart bleeds for them. Moreover, he is sick and knows that he will not live long. That is why he wants to help Eva even with his whole money and with his life. He tries to commit suicide to help her.

Therefore, we can conclude that Rosen tries to help her only out of pity. There is no other motive behind it. (269)

4. Was Eva responsible for her tragic failure?

Yes, Eva was responsible for her tragic failure. She was obstinate and too much optimistic. She was not ready to listen to any advice from Rosen.

Firstly, when her husband died, Rosen advised her to take the money and the children and run away from there. Eva said that she had no place to go. At this, he offered her to shift in his two-family house. He also advised her to find some job so that she might take care of her and her daughters but she did not listen to him. She was hopeful that her business would flourish some day.

Secondly, he proposed her. Eva rejected his proposal. Rosen had promised her that after the marriage he would take care of her and her daughters. It was a good chance. No doubt, he was sick hand his proposal was based on pity, but he could be very helpful to her and to her daughters. We can say that she should not have refused. It was a great mistake.

Thirdly, after that God gave her another chance. Rosen again came to her. He suggested that if she did not want to marry him, he would find a suitable man for her. He said that he would give the dowry. Alas! She again refused. How obstinate she was. There was a man who wanted to help her and her starving daughters, but she refused repeatedly.

Therefore, we can conclude that Eva was responsible for her suffering after the death of her husband. She should have realized that she could not live on her own with her two starving daughters. She was too optimistic and too obstinate. She did not listen to Rosen’s pieces of advice. She vainly hoped that her business would flourish some day. (295)

5. Write a character sketch of Eva.

Eva may be called the heroin of the story “Take Pity”. She was a Polish refugee. She and her husband came to America to take refuge. Her husband started a grocery store but it failed. Later, he died of heart attack. After his death, she tried to re-establish the grocery store but she could not. When we go through the story, we find the following qualities in her character.

Firstly, she had very optimistic nature. We see that she was too much optimistic, rather to the extent of foolishness. Rosen was an ex-coffee salesperson. He advised her not to invest the insurance money, but she did not listen to him. She thought that her business would flourish some day. She kept on believing that until the end of the story.

Secondly, she was a stubborn woman. She did what she decided to do. She did not listen to any advice from Rosen. Some offers mad by Rosen were quite reasonable, but she ignored every offer very stubbornly. Thirdly, she was a woman of great self-respect. To accept anything in charity was disgrace to her. She just could not do that. She would rather die. At one place in the story, Rosen wanted to give something to eat to her daughters, but they refused to take it. They said, “We can’t take, Momma says today is a fast day.” They had become so weak of hunger that Rosen could not look at their faces. The same was the condition of Eva. She was also starving. In spite of all that, she rejected all the offers of help from Rosen. Its reason was that they were based on pity not love.

She rejected Rosen’s proposal of marriage because it was also based on pity. She wanted love not pity. It hurt her self-respect. At the end to the story, when Rosen tried to commit suicide, she misunderstood him. She through that Rosen had done that out of love of hers. That is why she went to Rosen at the end of the story with raised arms. (344)

6. Why does Eva come to Rosen with haunted, beseeching eyes, and raised arms at the end of the story?

It is very surprising that Eva comes to Rosen with hunted, beseeching eyes, and raised arms at the end of the story. Previously, she has been rejecting every offer of help from Rosen. However, when we read the story carefully, we find that Eva does so because of a very dominant quality of her character.

We see that Eva is a woman of greet self-respect. To accept anything in charity is disgrace to her. She just cannot accept it. She would rather die. At one place in the story Rosen wants to give something to eat to her daughters, but they refuse to take it and say, “We can’t take, Momma says today is a fast day.” They have become so weak of hunger that Rosen cannot look at their faces. The same is the condition of Eva. She is also starving.

In spite of all that, she rejects all the offers of help from Rosen. Its reason is that they based on pity not on love. She rejects Rosen’s proposal of marriage because it is also based on pity. She wants love not pity. It hurts her self-respect.

When Rosen tries to commit suicide leaving everything to Eva, she thinks that Rosen has done this out of love of hers. That is why she goes to him with haunted, beseeching eyes and raised arms. Actually, she has decided to marry Rosen. She is quite convinced that Rosen no loves her and does not pity her. (246)

7. What is the cause of conflict between Rosen and Eva?

The cause of conflict between Rosen and Eva is that Eva has too much self-respect. She wants love, but Rosen feels only pity for her.

When we read the story carefully, we find that she is a woman of great self-respect. To accept anything in charity from anybody is disgrace to her. She just cannot accept it. She would rather die.

On the other hand, Rosen cannot understand that. He keeps on trying to help Eva out pity. He tries to give something to eat to her daughters but they refuse to take it. Actually, she has taught her daughters not to accept anything in charity. This shows that she is not ready to accept anything given to her and to her daughters out of pity or in charity.

When Rosen proposes her, she rejects that offer because she knows that this offer is based on pity. Rosen proposes her saying, “For myself, Eva, I don’t want a thing, absolutely not a thing. For you and your girls – everything.” These are shocking words for a woman who believes in love and not in charity. A time comes when she tells him to go away and he should not come back.

Therefore, the cause of conflict between Rosen and Eva is self-respect of Eva. She wants love not pity but Rosen does not understand that. (224)

8. Why is Rosen angry with Eva at the end of the story and why does he abuse her?

It is very surprising that Rosen has been trying to help Eva, but when she comes to him at the end of the story, he abuses her. When we read the story “Take Pity” carefully, we find that Rosen does so because of a very strong reason.

Rosen has been trying to help Eva out of pity. He does everything to help her. He advises her not to invest the money but she does not listen to him. He gives her loan out of his own pocket. He proposes her out of pity but she rejects this proposal. He has a very soft heart. He cannot see her daughters starving. He tries to give them something to eat. He tries to send money to Eva with a fake name. He does all that out of pity. He tries everything, but Eva rejects his every offer.

He is a sick man and he knows that he will not live long. Therefore, as a last attempt, he tries to commit suicide leaving everything to Eva and to her daughters. Fortunately, he is saved. However, still he does not have any interest in life. It appears that he again wants to commit suicide. He tells Davidov that he does not need light. Davidov is a census taker. This shows that he not interested in life.

When Eva comes to him, he misunderstands her. He thinks that she has come to reject his will. He gets angry. He has tried everything to help her and she is still the same stubborn woman. Therefore, he loses his temper, abuses her, and asks her to go back to her children. (274)

9. Describe Eva’s life before her husband’s death.

Eva led a very hard life even before the death of her husband. Her native country was Poland and she belonged to Jewish family. However, she had to leave Poland because of Hitler’s invasion of Poland. Therefore, to save the lives of his family and for better career, her husband took her and their two daughters to America.

However, the condition of her life did not get better. Her husband worked very hard and started a grocery store with his savings, but the store did not flourish and their condition became worse. Now they did not have anything to eat. They applied for loan. Rosen recommended the loan out of pity. In spite of that, his store failed.

After two months, he tried to sell the store but nobody bought. Now they were starving. They did not have anything to spend. They got poorer. Because of hunger and starvation, they became so weak that no one could look at their faces. He decided to go in auction but because of continuous worries, tension and failures he died of heart attack. (180)

10. Discuss Eva’s life after the death of her husband.

After the death of her husband, Eva took over the charge of everything. Although Rosen advised her not to invest the money in the store, yet she did that. She invested the insurance money in the store. She bought all kinds of goods on cash. It took her a week to arrange things in the store. She worked very hard. She packed things on the shelves. She mopped the floors. She mad decorations with tissue paper. In short, she arranged and decorated the store very well.

However no customer came. They used to come only when the main shops were close. They used to buy only minor things. Therefore, her store failed miserably. She did not make any profit. She had no money. She and her daughters at up the food present in the store. After that, they were starving again. Once more, they had become so weak that no one could look at their faces.

In spite of that, they had great self-respect, did not accept anything from anyone, and went on starving. Rosen made many offers to help her and her daughters but she rejected every offer. She thought that Rosen was making those offers out of pity. At the end when Rosen tried to commit suicide, she went to Rosen, but he abused her and asked her to go back. It means that her life of struggle and misery would go on. 

The Fly by Katherine Mansfield

The Fly by Katherine Mansfield

Summary

The story “Fly” throws light on the fact that time is a great healer and it conquers grief.

Mr. Woodifield comes to see his ex-boss. He is retired and is a heart patient. He praises the new setting and furniture of the office. Then the boss offers him whisky. After drinking it, Mr. Woodifield remembers what he has forgotten. He tells the boss that his daughters have visited the graves of the boss’s as well as Mr. Woodsfield’s son. Actually, they have died in a war.

When Mr. Woodifield has gone, the boss remembers his dead son. He tries to have the same feelings of grief as he felt on the day of his death. However, he fails. For the last try, he decides to go to the photograph of his son, but a fly in an inkpot attracts his attention. He forgets all about his son.

He takes the fly out of the inkpot and puts it on a blotting paper. As soon as the fly is about to fly, he drops a drop of ink on it and enjoys its struggle. At last, the fly dies of drops of ink. The boss throws it away and orders for a fresh blotting paper. Then he tries to remember what he was thinking before attending to the fly. It means he forgets his dead son again.

1. What is the theme of the story “Fly”?

This is a quite established fact that the story “The Fly” is about the conquest of time over grief. 

No doubt, this is quite established fact that the story “The Fly” is about the conquest of time over grief. This is the first theme of the story.

To show that time conquers grief the writer presents two characters, Mr. Woodifield and his ex-boss. Both of them lost their only sons six years ago. It was a long period and it had healed up their grief.

First, the writer tells us about the state of grief of Mr. Woodifield. He has forgotten everything. He is able to remember about the grave of his some after drinking whisky. He talks about his son and his grave, but does not feel any pang of grief. This clearly shows that the time has made him forget his grief.

Then the writer talks about the state of grief of the boss. The Boss believed that time would not make any difference to his grief. Now his present state of grief is different. After the departure of old Woodifield, he sits in the chair. He wants to feel the same pang of grief that he used to feel. The writer expresses his feelings very beautifully: “He wanted, he intended, he arranged to weep…. But no tears came yet.” This is the present condition of his grief. Time has conquered his grief.

He wants to feel the pang of grief. As a last try, he decides to get up and have a look at his son’s photograph. However, a fly in the inkpot attracts his attention and he forgets about his son and the grief in a moment. He starts dropping drops of ink on the fly to enjoy its struggle. After the death of the fly, he tries to remember what he was thinking, but cannot. This clearly shows that time has conquered his grief. (303)

2. What is the second theme of the story “Fly”?

Discuss the writer’s views about life, death, and fate as given in her story “The Fly”.

“As flies to wanton boys are we to the gods; they kill us for their sport.” Discuss.
What does the Boss do to the fly at the end of the story and what does the death of the fly signify to him?

The second theme of the story “The Fly” is “As flies to wanton boys are we to the gods; they kill us for their sport.”

When we read the story carefully, we find that the fly in the story symbolizes helplessness of man before fate. Just like the fly, man tries hard and gets out of the grip of death for the time being, but fate captures him again. Man has no power to defy fate and fall an easy prey to it. When we read the story, we find that the writer and all the characters in the story stand for the fly.

To convey this idea, the writer tells a brief incident. A fly falls into an inkpot. The Boss sees it, puts it on a blotting paper, and enjoys its strength again. At last, the fly dies of those drops of ink.

This incident of the fly highly symbolic. The writer herself died of T.B that was incurable at that time. Many people were dying at that time. Later, man discovered a cure for the disease and thought that he had escaped death and had defied fate. However, just like the Boss, fate dropped another drop – AIDS. Now many people are dying of it. Now it is the last drop. Just like the fly, people cannot survive it. We hope that man will discover a cure for it. However, who knows what the next drop is like.

Therefore, we are just like the fly in the story and the Boss is just like a god who kills it just for his sport. This is the second theme of the story. (275)

3. What does the fly stand for?

Bring out the symbolism in the short story “The Fly” by Katherine Mansfield.

The fly in the story “The Fly” symbolizes helplessness of man before fate. Man may try hard to escape his death, but he is not given a chance to escape. Just like the fly, man tries hard and gets out of the grip of death for the time being, but fate again captures him. He has no power to defy fate and fall an easy prey to it. When we read the story, we find that the writer and all the characters in the story stand for the fly.

To convey this idea, the writer tells a brief incident. A fly falls into an inkpot. The boss sees it, puts it on a blotting paper, and enjoys its struggle. Just when the fly is able to escape death, drops a drop of ink onto the fly and enjoys its struggle again. At last, the fly dies of those drops of ink.

This incident of the fly is highly symbolic. The writer herself died of T. B that was incurable at that time. Many people were dying at that time. Later, man discovered a cure for the disease. He thought that he had escaped death and had defied fate. However, just like the boss, fate dropped another drop – the drop of AIDS. Now many people are dying of it. Now it is the last drop. Just like the fly, people cannot survive it. We hope that man will discover a cure for it. However, who knows what the next drop is like. (253)

4. Describe the reaction of the Boss when he comes to know that Mr. Woodifield’s daughters have visited the grave of his son.

The reaction of the Boss is that of a father over the death of his only son. However, he does not express his grief before Mr. Woodifield.

When Mr. Woodifield has gone, he sits in his chair. He asks Mr. Macey that he will see nobody for half an hour. He wants to feel the same pang of grief. The writer describes his condition, “He wanted, he intended, he had arranged to weep…” It is a terrible shock to him when Mr. Woodifield mentions the grave of his son. He imagines his son lying in his grave. He groans, “My son!” However, no tears come yet.

In the past, in the first months and even years after the death of his son he could not control his tears. He thought that the time would never change the condition of his grief. He had developed his business for his son. Everybody liked his son. However, he went to a war and died. When he received a telegram about his death, he felt the whole place crashing about his head.

Now the situation is different. Six years have passed and he does not feel the same pang of grief. As a last try, he decides to get up and have a look at his son’s photograph. He thinks that by looking at the photograph he will feel the same pang of grief as he used to feel. However, a fly in the inkpot attracts his attention and he forgets about his son in a moment. He starts enjoying the struggle of the fly by dropping drops of ink on it. After the death of the fly, he tries to remember what it was he thinking before attending to the fly, but cannot. 

A Conversation with My Father by Grace Paley

A Conversation with My Father by Grace Paley

Summary

This story presents the generation gap between the past and the present writers. The writer represents the young generation, whereas her father represents the old generation.  The conflict between them is that they have their own ideas of reality and are not ready to change them.

Her father is eighty-six and is a heart patient. He asks the writer to write a simple story like the Russian writers used to write.

She writes a story. It is a true story. It is about a woman who is a neighbor of the writer.

This woman had a son and they both lived nicely in a small apartment in Manhattan. Her son became a drug addict at the age of fifteen. She also became a drug addict just to have a close contact with her son. However, for a number of reasons, her son gave up drugs and left the city and his mother. Now the mother was hopeless and alone. The writer went to see her.

However, her father does not like the story. He raises some objections. He says that she has not written the story according to the Russian writers who could write a plain, ordinary story.

She writes the second version of the story. She changes it completely. Still he does not like the story and raises some more objections. He objects that she does not want to face the reality. He believes that no character can change. If there is any change, it cannot last long.

Therefore, the daughter tries to write a story according to the wishes of her father but fails.

1. The writer Grace Paley has demonstrated the generation gap in the story “A Conversation with My Father”. Discuss.

What is the conflict between the father and the daughter?

The writer has demonstrated the generation gap in the story “A Conversation with My Father”. The reason of conflict between the father and the daughter is that they are rigid and are not ready to accept what is wrong to them. They have their own ideas of reality and are not ready to change them.

The father represents the old generation. For him life is simple, nice and family oriented. He believes in marriage. He also believes that a character in a story has some individuality and it does not change. He believes that the life story of each character should have some reasonable end. He has his own idea of reality. The reality presented by the writer is just a joke to him. He is not going to accept it. The young generation is not ready to look the truth in the face.

Whereas, the young generation considers the life story unfinished, complex, and depressing. To them family life of bond of marriage is not important. They believe that every person can change. That is a truth to them. The writer hates the stories that start with the sentence: “There was a…” She fully believes that every character can change with time.

Therefore, both have sensibilities of their own times – the old and the modern. They are rigid and are not ready to accept what is wrong to them. (230)

2. The writer, Grace Paley loves her father and is willing to write a simple story for him, but cannot, why?

The writer fails in writing a story in keeping with the sensibilities of her father’s time. Comment.

When we go through the story “A Conversation with My Father”, we find that the daughter has great love for her father. She wants to please him. She does not want to argue. Even if there is an argument, she is always willing to let her father have the last word. That is why she is willing to write a simple story for him. She writes two stories according to her father’s wishes, but fails to please him.

Its reason is that the daughter is the representative of the young generation of writers. She considers the life story unfinished, complex, and depressing. To her family life or person can change. That is a truth to her. When her father does not agree, she says, “No Pa, it could really happen that way, it’s a funny world nowadays.”

She hates the stories that start with the sentence: “There was a…..” She does not hate such stories because of literary reasons. She thinks that every person or character of a story should have the open destiny. She feels a kind of responsibility for the characters in this respect. She fully believes that every character can change with time.

Therefore, we can conclude that the daughter has great love and care for her father. However, she cannot write a simple story for him. She has sensibilities of her own times. She is rigid and is not ready to accept what is wrong to her. (241)

3. What was the first version of the story written by the writer and what were her father’s objections?

The writer’s father asked her to write a simple story for him. The writer did like to write a simple story, but she wrote a story just to please him. It was a true story. It was about a woman who was a neighbor of the writer.

This woman had a son and they both lived nicely in a small apartment in Manhattan. Her son became a drug addict at the age of fifteen. It was not usual in that area. She also became a drug addict just to have a close contact with her son. However, for a number of reasons her son gave up drugs and left the city and her in disgust. Now the woman was hopeless and alone. The writer went to see her.

The writer’s father did not like the story and he raised many objections. Firstly, he said that she had not written the story according to his wishes. She misunderstood him on purpose. Secondly, she had left everything out. Thirdly, she had not written the story according to the Russian writers who could write a plain, ordinary story. She had not written the story for ordinary people.

Fourthly, she had not told about the physical appearance of the woman and about her hair. Fifthly, she had not told about the parents of the woman. If she had told, it would have been possible to tell why she had become such a person. Sixthly, she had not told about her husband and whether her boy. He believed that the bond of marriage was very important. Therefore, these were the objections of the father to the first version of the story. (281)

4. What was the second version of the story written by the writer and what were her father’s objections?

The father of the writer raised some objections to the first version of the story and asked the writer to write the story again. Therefore, the writer wrote the story again. This time she added many things.

The story was about a woman. She had a son whom she loved very much. He became a drug addict in his adolescence. He was a writer and wrote articles in newspapers.  I order to keep a close contact; she also became a drug addict. However, in spite of that she took great care of her son. She kept many orange juice, honey, milk and vitamin pills at home.

Once her son went to a cinema where he met a girl because of the girl, he gave up drugs and started his normal life again. The son asked his mother to give up drugs, but she could not.  The son left her and went away. The mother was alone now and she wept for her son. The writer visited her.

The writers’ fatter did not like the second version of the story either. He raised several objections. Firstly, he ironically objected that she had nice sense of humor. Secondly, he objected that she could not tell a plain story. Thirdly, he objected to the end of the story. He did not like that, the woman was left alone, and she had no hope. Fourthly, he objected that the writer did not want to face the reality. He believed that no character could change. It was a joke to show that in a story. If there was any change, it could not last long. It was the only truth for him. Therefore, these were the objections of the writer to the second version of the story. (292)

5. What kind of story does the writer’s father want her to write?

The father of the writer of the story “A Conversation with My Father” asks her to write a simple story for hmm once more. The writer used to write simple stories.

He wants that the story should have all the good qualities of a simple story. Firstly, he likes the stories of the Russian writers, so he wants her daughter to write the story according to these writers. Secondly, the story should be written about the real, recognizable people. Thirdly the physical appearance of the characters should be given. The writer should tell even about the hair of the characters fourthly the background of the character must be given. In this way, it will be possible for the reader to find out why the character had become such a person.

Fifthly, the bond of marriage must be given a lot of importance in the stories. Sixthly, he believes that the sense of humor must be nice. The writer of the story should face the reality and should give a convincing end to the story. The end of the story must be finished. The characters in a story cannot change and the writer must not try to change them. It is a joke if a writer does therefore. According to him, such a story is against reality and it is not true. He believes that if a character changes it is only for the time being.

Therefore, the father wants her to write a story according to his own sensibility. (249)

6. Why does the writer not like to write a simple story about real and recognizable people?

The father of the writer of the story “A Conversation with My Father” asks her to write a simple story for him once more. From a simple story, he means such story as the famous Russian writers used to write. According to him these writer used to write simple stories about real and recognizable people.

However, the writer does not like to write a simple story because of certain reasons. She is a representative of the young generation. The young generation considers the life story unfinished, complex, and depressing. To them family life or bond of marriage is not important. They believe that every person can change. That is a truth to them. When her father does not agree, she says, “No Pa, it could really happen that way, it’s a funny world nowadays.”

The writer hates the stories that start with the sentence: “There was a ….” She does not hate such stories because of literary reasons, but because she thinks that, every person or character of a story should have the open destiny of life. She feels a kind of responsibility for the characters in this respect. She fully believes that every character can change with time.

Therefore, we can conclude that the daughter has great love and care for her father. However, she does not like to write a simple story. She has the sensibilities of her own time. She is rigid and is not ready to accept what is wrong to her. (246)

7. What is the theme of the story “A Conversation with My Father”?

The theme of the story “A Conversation with My Father” is the generation gap between the old and the young writers.

The father of the writer represents the old generation of writers. For him life is simple and family oriented. He values in marriage. He also believes that a character in a story has some individuality and it does not change. He believes that the life story of each character should have a reasonable end.

He has his own idea of reality. The reality presented by the writer is just a joke to him. He is not going to accept it. He also believes that evasion is a characteristic of the young generation. The young generation is not ready to look the truth in the face.

Whereas, the young generation consider the life story unfinished, complex, and depressing. To them family life or the bond of marriage is not important. They believe that every person can change. That is a truth to them. The writer hates the stories that start with the sentence: “There was a….”

She does not hate such stories because of literary reasons. She thinks that every person or character of a story should have the open destiny of life. She feels a kind of responsibility for the characters in this respect. She fully believes that every character can change with time.

Therefore, the theme of the story is the generation gap between the young and the old writers. We see that the daughter has great love and care for her father. However, she cannot write a simple story for him. Both have sensibilities of their own times. They are rigid and are not ready to accept what is wrong to them. (285)

The Duchess and the Jeweler by Virginia Woolf

The Duchess and the Jeweler by Virginia Woolf

Summary

The story “The Duchess and the Jeweler” reflects the English society of writer’s time. It was an age of change. The high-ups were coming down because of their moral decadence and the commoners were coming up.

Once Oliver Bacon was very poor and lived in a filthy, little alley. He worked very hard and used fair and unfair means to become the richest jeweler of the England. He enjoys his present position. He is suffering from inferiority complex. There is a great difference between his present and past condition. He has become so important that each day he receives invitation cards from the aristocracy of the city. He has become very rich, but he is so greedy that he wants more and more wealth.

One day the Duchess of Lambourne comes to sell some fake pearls.  She induces him into buying those fake pearls very cleverly. She uses her daughter Diana as bait. She also invites him to the party where all the aristocracy will be present.

Oliver Bacon buys the fake pearls because he wants to attend the party and spend the weekend with Diana. He loves Diana very much. Besides, he wants to move among aristocratic circles.

He signs the cheque for twenty thousand pounds. The Duchess takes the cheque and leaves. Later, he asks pardon of the picture of his mother.

1. The story “The Duchess and the Jeweler” by Virginia Woolf mirrors the society of England. Discuss.

Whenever there is an age of change, the higher come down and lower downs go up. Discuss.

The story describes the decadence of the aristocracy and the rise of the commoners. Comment.

The story is a criticism on Victorian Society.

No doubt, the writer of the story “The Duchess and the Jeweler” reflects the English society of her time. It was an age of transition. The high-ups were coming down because of their moral decadence and the commoners were taking lead in spite of their psychological fixations.

To fulfill her purpose, the writer introduces characters – the Duchess and the jeweler. The Duchess represents the high-ups. The jeweler represents the commoners. His name is Oliver Bacon. At the start of the story, the writer talks about commoners through Oliver Bacon, the jeweler. She tells the reader how the commoners took lead. Oliver Bacon was a commoner because he used to live in a filthy, little alley. Then slowly he took lead and became one of the high-ups of the English society. Now he lived at Piccadilly. It was the most fashionable and expensive place in London.

He had become so important that each day he received invitation cards from the aristocracy of the English society. Even the Duchess of Lambourne waited for his pleasure outside his private office.

Then the writer talks about the high-ups. To get her desired twenty-thousand, the Duchess had forgotten all her nobility. She was always in financial difficulties because of her moral decadence. She gambled. To arrange for the money she sold fake pearls to Oliver twice but this was not all. She had so much moral decadence that she used Diana, her daughter, to entrap Oliver Bacon.

Therefore, we can conclude that the writer has very beautifully reflected the English society of her time. The high-ups were coming down because of their moral decadence and the commoners were taking lead. (276)

2. Did the Duchess of Lambourne sell the pearls to Oliver Bacon real?  If not, why did the jeweler buy them?

No doubt, the pearls sold by the Duchess of Lambourne to Oliver were false. Oliver Bacon bought them and paid twenty thousand because of two very strong reasons.

Firstly, Oliver Bacon wanted to move among aristocratic circles. It was his greatest desire. He was a commoner. He used to live in a filthy, little alley. He worked hard to get to that position of the richest jeweler of England. Now it was his greatest desire to attend parties of the aristocrat. The Duchess induced him into buying fake pearls by telling him that the Prime Minister was going to attend the party.

The second reason of buying his fake pearls was that he loved Diana. She was the daughter of the Duchess. The Duchess induced him by referring to Diana repeatedly. She said, “The Prime Minister – his Minister – his Royal Highness…” She stopped. “And Diana…” She added. Now he started imagining the party and its atmosphere.

He still hesitated. Now the Duchess addressed him by his Christian name. He offered him to come for a long weekend. There he would be able to go to the woods alone with Diana fro riding. He could not resist and wrote the cheque for twenty-thousand. His words spoken at the end of the story are very important. He said, “For it is to be a long weekend.”

Therefore, we can conclude that Oliver Bacon bought the fake pearls because he wanted to attend the party. He wanted to spend a weekend with Diana. He loved Diana very much. (259)

3. Why did the jeweler dismantle himself?

Why did the jeweler remember his past life when he was very poor and lived in a filthy, little alley?

It was very surprising that Oliver, who was one of the richest jewelers of England, dismantled himself repeatedly. However, when we read the story “The Duchess and the Jeweler” carefully, we find that he dismantled himself because of his inferiority complex. There was a great difference between his present and past life. He used to live in a filthy, little alley. His greatest ambition was to sell stolen dogs to fashionable women at that time. Therefore, he sold stolen dogs. Then he became a salesperson and sold cheap watches. Therefore, he was a commoner.

Now Oliver Bacon was the richest jewelers of England. He lived at Piccadilly, the most fashionable and expensive place in London. He wore expensive clothes. The best tailors in Seville Row stitched those clothes. He had become so rich and important that each day he received invitation cards from the aristocracy of the city. Therefore, he dismantled himself just to enjoy his present life of a very rich jeweler. The writer describes his feelings in these words, “…at the memory he would chuckle – the old Oliver remembering the young.”

When the Duchess of Lambourne came to see him, he kept her waiting outside his office and dismantled himself again. He wanted to enjoy his present condition. It was a great achievement that a boy, who used to live a filthy, little alley, was keeping a Duchess waiting. The writer describes his feelings very beautifully. It appeared to him that keeping her waiting; he was enjoying a very big feast.

Therefore, we can conclude that the jeweler dismantled himself because of his inferiority complex. He wanted to enjoy the present condition of the richest jeweler of England. (282)

4. Why did Oliver Bacon, the jeweller keep the Duchess of Lambourne waiting?

The jeweller kept the Duchess of Lambourne waiting because of his inferiority complex. He wanted to enjoy his present position of the richest jeweler of England.

When we read the story “The Duchess and the Jeweller”, we find that Oliver Bacon used to live in a filthy, little alley. At that time, his greatest ambition was to sell stolen dogs to fashionable women and he did sell. Then he became salesperson and sold cheap watches. Then he did some other jobs to become rich. Therefore, he was a commoner. He did not anything common with the aristocratic class of that time. Now by working hard, he was the richest jeweler of England. There was a great difference between his past and present life but he has not forgotten his past. Therefore, when the Duchess of Lambourne came to see him, he kept her waiting just to enjoy his present position of the richest jeweler of England. It was a great honor for a boy of a filthy, little alley. The writer comments, “The Duchess of Lambourne, the daughter of a hundred Earls. She would wait for ten minutes on a chair at the counter. She would wait his pleasure. She would wait till he was ready to see her.” It was as if he was enjoying a very big and desirous feast. The jeweler who was once a commoner was now keeping a Duchess waiting. What a great achievement that was!

Therefore, we can conclude that the jeweler kept the Duchess waiting just to satisfy his inferiority complex. He wanted to enjoy his present position of the richest jeweler of England. (272)

5. Throw light on the greedy nature and inferiority complex of the jeweler.

What psychological fixation did Oliver Bacon have in spite of becoming one of the richest jewelers of England?

Psychological fixation means a strong unhealthy feeling of love or obsession. We find that the jeweler had two obsessions. Firstly, he wanted more and more wealth. It appears that his greed did not have an end. Secondly, he had inferiority complex and wanted to move among aristocratic circles to satisfy this complex.

When we the story “The Duchess and the Jeweler” carefully we find that to show how greedy Oliver Bacon was the writer gives the examples of a giant hog and a camel. Oliver was greedy like a hog that always wants a bigger and blacker truffle. The writer means to say that Oliver Bacon wanted to become more and richer. Then the writer gives the example of a camel and says, “The camel is dissatisfied with its lot…” Therefore, Oliver Bacon had a strong, unhealthy love for wealth. He was very greedy and was never satisfied.

Secondly, Oliver Bacon had a very unhealthy feeling of inferiority complex. To satisfy his inferiority complex, he kept the Duchess of Lambourne waiting outside his private office. He accepted the fake pearls because he wanted to move in aristocratic circles.  He wanted to go to the party where he could see the Prime Minister and Diana.

Therefore, we can conclude that the jeweler had two obsessions. Firstly, he wanted more and more wealth and it appears that his greed did not have an end. Secondly, he had inferiority complex and wanted to move among aristocratic circles to satisfy this complex. (248)

6. How did the Duchess deceive Oliver Bacon, the jeweler?

How did the Duchess induce Oliver Bacon into buying fake pearls?

The Duchess induced Oliver Bacon, the jeweler, into buying fake pearls very cleverly. Oliver Bacon hesitated thrice, but each time she induced him by using different tactics. She had many cards up her sleeve. She also had a trump card that she played at the last moment.

She started inducing Oliver very cleverly. Firstly, she started in a very friendly way. She called him ‘dear Mr. Bacon’. Secondly, she mentioned the name of her daughters and told him that she was selling the pearl only for them.  She knew that Oliver loved Diana. She was her daughter. Thirdly, to impress him, she started shedding tears. Fourthly, she called him an ‘old friend’ four times just to induce him.

Oliver hesitated. He was doubtful about the pearls. He wanted to test them to know whether they were real. When she saw him hesitating, she used some different tactics. She invited him to a party at her estate. She induced him by telling him that the Prime Minister, his Minister, his Royal Highness, and Diana would be there. Therefore, she tried to take advantage of his inferiority complex and of his love for her daughter. He wrote twenty on the chequebook but hesitated again.

When the Duchess saw him hesitating, she again used some tactics. Firstly, she called him by his Christian name just to create frankness. Secondly, she used her trump card. She again invited him to her estate for a long weekend. There he would go for riding in the woods alone with Diana. He could not resist any more. He wrote thousand and signed the cheque.

Therefore, that was how the Duchess induced Oliver into buying fake pearls. (279)

7. They were friends, yet enemies; he was master, she was mistress; each cheated the other, each needed the other, each feared the other. Comment.

This question has three parts and we shall discuss them one by one.

Firstly, we discuss “They were friends; yet enemies.” When we read the story “The Duchess and the Jeweler”, we find that Oliver Bacon was a commoner. Later, he became the richest jeweler of England. On the other hand, the duchess was the member of the aristocracy by birth. Therefore, there was a great class difference between the two. These two classes could never be friends. However, the duchess was forced to call him an ‘old friend’ because o her moral decadence and financial problems. That was how they were friends; yet enemies.

Secondly, we discuss “He was master, she was mistress.” When we read the story “The Duchess and the Jeweler” carefully, we find that Oliver became the richest jeweler of England by using fair and unfair means. Therefore, he was a master in the sense that he a great cheat. On the other hand, the Duchess was a mistress. She was a cheat too. She induced the jeweler into buying the fake pearls so cleverly that she appears to be a mistress in this sense.

Lastly, we discuss “Each cheated other the other, each needed the other, and each feared the other.” When we read the story, we find that each cheated the other. The Duchess cheated the jeweler and sold the fake pearls. The jeweler cheated the duchess in a sense that he kept her waiting without any proper reason. Similarly, both needed each other. She needed him for money and he needed her to go the party and to the woods with her daughter. In spite of that, both feared each other because each knew the secrets of the other. (286)

8. Write a note comparing the characters of the Duchess and the Jeweler.

When we compare the characters of the Duchess and the jeweler, we find that the following statement is true for both of them:”They were friends, yet enemies; he was master, she was mistress; each cheated the other, each needed the other, each feared the other.” We shall discuss some points of this statement.

Firstly, we discuss the second part of the statement:  “He was master, she was mistress.” When we read the story “The Duchess and the Jeweler carefully we find that Oliver became the richest jeweler of England by using fair and unfair means. Therefore, he was a master in the sense that he was a great cheat. On the other hand, the Duchess was a mistress. She was a cheat too. She induced the jeweler into buying the fake pearls very cleverly.

Secondly, we discuss the third part of the statement: “Each cheated the other, each needed the other, and each feared the other.” When we read the story, we find that each cheated the other. The jeweler cheated the duchess in a sense that he kept her waiting without any proper reason. He knew that the Duchess was telling a lie about the pearls, but he did not show it. It reason was that he wanted to go alone with Diana to the woods for riding. This was a kind of cheating.

Similarly, both the jeweler and the Duchess needed each other. She needed him for money and he needed her to go to the party. In spite of that, both feared each other because each knew the secrets of the other. (265)

9. Describe the meeting between the Duchess and the jeweler.

The Duchess of Lambourne came to sell ten fake pearls to Oliver Bacon, the jeweler. However, the jeweler kept her waiting for ten minutes. During those ten minutes, he enjoyed his present position of the richest jeweler of England. After ten minutes, the Duchess came in and tried to sell his fake pearls. She started inducing the jeweler and used different tactics.

Firstly, she started in a very friendly way. She called him ‘dear Mr. Bacon’. Secondly, she mentioned the names of her daughters and told him that she was selling the pearls only for them. Thirdly, to impress him, she started shedding tears. Fourthly, she called him an ‘old friend’ four times just to induce him.

Oliver hesitated. He was doubtful about the pearls. He wanted to test them to know whether they were real. When she saw him hesitating, she used some different tactics. She invited him to a party at her estate. Therefore, she tried to take advantage of his inferiority complex and of his love with her daughter Diana. She tried to move him by telling him that her honor was at stake. Now she was not an ordinary woman, she was the mother of Diana.  He wrote twenty on the chequebook, but he hesitated again.

When the Duchess saw him hesitating, she again used some tactics. Firstly, she called him by his Christian name just to create frankness. Secondly, she used her trump card. She again invited him to her estate for a long weekend. There he would go for riding in the woods alone with Diana. He could not resist any more. He wrote thousand and signed the cheque. The Duchess of Lambourne took the cheque and departed. (284)

10. Write a note on Oliver Bacon’s journey from filthy, little alley to the Bond Street.

By birth, Oliver Bacon was a commoner. He was very poor. He used to live in a filthy, little street. At that time, his greatest ambition was to sell stolen dogs to fashionable women and he did sell.

However, his mother stopped him from doing that. Then he became a salesman and sold cheap watches.

After that, he took a wallet to Amsterdam. He earned a lot of money from three diamonds. He earned commission on the emerald. He bought a shop in Hatton Garden. He started sitting into the private room behind the shop. In the room, there were scales, a safe and thick magnifying glass.

As soon as he became rich, he started dressing better and better. First, he bought a handsome cab then a car. He also bought a villa at Richmond. Then he bought a grand house at Piccadilly. It was the most central position in London. After that, he bought a shop in the street off Bond Street. His shop was famous in France, Germany, Austria, Italy, and in America.

Now he had become so important that people from the aristocratic circle started sending him invitations to their parties. Even the Duchess of Lambourne waited for his pleasure outside his private office.

Therefore, that was how Oliver Bacon became the richest jeweler of England. (219)

The Necklace by Guy de Maupassant

The Necklace by Guy de Maupassant

Summary

The story “The Necklace” is about the fact that even a small thing can change the life of a person. Chance or fate plays very important role in human life. It is more powerful than human resolution. It is man’s destiny.

Mathilda is the central character of the story. She was very pretty. She thought that she was born in the family of clerks by the error of destiny. Her husband, Losiel was also a clerk.

She believed that she was born for all the luxuries of life. She did not like her poor house. She always dreamed of a big house.

One day her husband brought an invitation card for a ball at the residence of the Minister of Education. She was not happy at the invitation because she had no good dress to wear at the party. Loisel gave her 400 francs to buy the dress. However, she was still unhappy. Now she wanted some jewels to wear.

She went to her friend to borrow some jewel. She borrowed a necklace. She went to the party and enjoyed it. On her return, she lost the necklace. Her husband tried to find it but failed. Later they borrowed money and bought a new necklace to replace the lost one.

Now Loisel worked day and night to return the borrowed money. Mathilda discharged the maidservant and did everything of the household by herself.

They were able to return the money after ten years. Now Mathilda had lost all her beauty. She had changed so much that her friend could not recognize her. Mathilda told her the whole story but her friend told her that the necklace she had borrowed was not real. (282)

1. The story “The Necklace” is a superior work and its plot is conceived in terms of an affecting ironic reversal. Discuss.

No doubt, the story “The Necklace” is a superior work of art and its plot has been conceived in terms of an affecting ironic reversal.

First, when we go through the story, we find that Mathilda was not satisfied with her life. She was very beautiful and thought that she was born for all delicacies and luxuries of life. Therefore, she wanted to marry a rich man. However, it is ironic reversal that she was married to a poor a petty clerk against her wishes.

Secondly, she always dreamed living in a palace. She thought of big houses having eastern construction and luxuries. However, her expectation of living in a big house did not come true. She got a poor apartment. Ironically, she had to leave that apartment too. She had to rent some rooms.

Thirdly, she thought that she was born for all delicacies and luxuries. However, what did she get? She had to send away the maidservant. She had to wash the dishes. She had to wash clothes. She lost her beauty and ten years of her life. She had become the poor household woman. She seemed older now.

Fourthly, when she lost the necklace, she thought that it was real. However, ironic reversal is that the necklace was false. Fifthly, she went to the ball. She wore expensive clothes and jewellery. She expected that she would be very happy. But ironic reversal is that she had to lead a life of misery and sufferings. (247)

2.  How singular is life and how full of changes! How a small thing will ruin or save one,” Mathilda thinks. Do you agree?

In the drama of human life, chance or fate, sometimes, is more powerful than human resolution. It is man’s destiny. Do you agree?

How was chance, luck, or fate at the basis of the suffering of Mathilda and Loisel?

Yes, I fully agree that a small thing or a chance or fate can ruin or save a person. Chance is more powerful than human resolution and it is man’s destiny.

When we go through the story carefully, we find that Mathilda’s life was going on very well. Although she was not satisfied with her life, het she was living better than most of the middle class women. She had a loving husband. She had a maidservant who did everything for her. She was very beautiful and looked out of her dress. All this suggests that her life was all right.

Now chance played its role and changed all her life. Her husband brought an invitation to the ball at the Minister’s residence. She had no jewel to wear on the party. She went to her friend and borrowed a necklace to wear. She was very happy, but a small thing happened. She lost her necklace. It was necessary to replace that necklace. Her husband borrowed the money from every possible source and brought the necklace.

Chance again played its role. When she went to return the necklace, her friend did not open the jewel box. Actually, the necklace she had borrowed from her friend was false and she was returning the real one. If she had opened the jewel case, she would have come to know that fact and Mathilda would have been saved from future sufferings. However, chance or fate did not let her friend open the jewel case. Now their life changed and they lost everything.

It proves that chance is more powerful than human resolution. It is man’s destiny. (273)

3. It is said that Madam Loisel was responsible for her tragedy. Do you agree?

When I read the story “The Necklace”, I quite agree that Madam Loisel was responsible for her tragedy.

Firstly, she should have accepted the fact that she was a poor woman and she would be misfit among people of high class. She was completely wrong when she thought that she was born of all delicacies and luxuries because she was the wife of a petty clerk. Her high ideas about the luxuries of life were the first reason of her tragedy. She should not have gone to the ball. It was her mistake.

Secondly, she should not have borrowed the necklace from her friend. This was her second mistake and it was the main reason of her tragedy. Wearing that necklace, she wanted to make a show of her riches. Thirdly, she acted quite carelessly. She should have taken great care of the necklace. However, she was in a world of dream. This was what she always wanted. At that time, no one and nothing had any importance for her. She had even forgotten her husband. That was her third mistake. She lost the necklace because of her carelessness.

Fourthly, she should have told her friend that she had lost her necklace. If she had told her friend about the loss of the necklace, she would have come to know that the necklace she had borrowed was false. In this way, she would have been saved of her tragedy. It was her greatest mistake.

Therefore, we can conclude that Madam Loisel was responsible for her tragedy. She committed four mistakes that resulted in her tragedy. (265)

4. It is said that Mr. Loisel was also responsible for his and his wife’s tragedy. Do you agree?

When I go through the story “the Necklace”, I agree that Mr. Loisel was also responsible for his and his wife’s tragedy.

Firstly, Mr. Loisel should not have brought the invitation to the ball. He knew that he was only a clerk and he would be quite misfit among the people of high class. However, he wanted to please his wife. When his wife told him that she did not have anything to wear, he should not have insisted on going to the ball. It was a great mistake on his part. He should have dropped the idea of going. However, he did not do so. 

Secondly, he should not have advised his wife to borrow some jewel from her friend. His wife did not have any idea about that. It was his second great mistake. Thirdly, when the necklace was lost he asked his wife to tell a lie. He asked her to write to her friend that she had broken the clasp of the necklace and she would have it repaired and then return it. Now it was his greatest mistake because it resulted in his and his wife’s tragedy.

Therefore, we can conclude that Mr. Loisel was responsible for his and his wife’s tragedy. He committed three mistakes. (211)

5. What is the theme of the story “The Necklace”?

The theme of the story is that even a small thing can change the life of a person. Chance or fate plays a very important human life. It is more powerful than human resolution. It is man’s destiny.

When we go through the story carefully, we find that Mathilda’s life was going on very well. Although she was not satisfied with her life, yet she was living better than most of the middle class women. She had a loving husband. She had a maidservant who did everything for her. She was very beautiful and looked out of her class. All this suggests that her life was all right.

Now chance played its role and changed all her life. Her husband brought her invitation to the ball at the Minister’s residence. She had no jewel to wear on the party. She went to her friend and borrowed a necklace to wear on the party. She was very happy, but a small thing happened, she lost her necklace. It was necessary to replace that necklace. Her husband borrowed the money from every possible source and bought the necklace.

Chance again played its role. When she went to return the necklace, her friend did not open the jewel case. Actually, the necklace she had borrowed from her friend was false and she was returning the real one. If she had opened the jewel case, she would have come to know that fact and Mathilda would have been saved from future sufferings. However, chance or fate did not let her friend open the jewel case. Now their life changed and they lost everything. It proves that chance is more powerful than human resolution. It is man’s destiny. This is the theme of the story. (290)

6. “The necklace” is a tragedy. Discuss.

According to Aristotle, a tragedy is a story of suffering over a long period. The hero of the tragedy is better than ordinary people are. He suffers because of a mistaken act. He exhibits great endurance in the face of sufferings. He may die or fail miserably at the end. His sufferings may arouse pity and terror.

In the light of the above definition, when we read the story, “The Necklace”, we find that Mathilda was higher in the sense that she was very beautiful. She suffered because of her four mistaken acts. Firstly, her high ideas about the luxuries of life were the first reason of her tragedy. She should not have gone to the ball. It was her mistake. Secondly, she should not have borrowed the necklace from her friend. This was her second mistake and it was the main reason of her tragedy.

Thirdly, she acted quite carelessly. She should have taken great care of the necklace. She lost the necklace because of her carelessness. Fourthly, she should have told her friend that she had lost her necklace. In this way, she would have been saved of her tragedy.

We see that she suffered for ten long years, but like the heroine of a tragedy, she exhibited great endurance in the face of all the sufferings. We see that she failed in the end in a sense that all her struggle proved useless. The end of the story arouses pity and horror.  We see her older than her friend of the same age. When her friend revealed that the necklace was false, we pity her. It is a shock not only for Mathilda but also for readers.

Therefore, we can conclude that “The Necklace” is a tragedy and it fulfills all its requirements. (297)

7. What is the moral of the story “The Necklace”?

There are at least three lessons or morals in the story “The Necklace”.

The first lesson is that we should be contented. We should learn to live according to our circumstances. When we read the story careful, we find that Mathilda was very beautiful. She was not contented. She thought that she was born for all the luxuries of life. She wanted to live in grand houses. She wanted to marry a rich man.

That was why she was always depressed. She did not enjoy her household life and food. When her husband praised the food, she thought of elegant dinners. She had neither frocks nor jewels and she felt that she was made for them. Therefore, she suffered for ten long years for her high ideas. No doubt, we should have high ideas but we should cut our coat according to our cloth.

The second lesson is that we always suffer if we try to get happiness through borrowed things. Shakespeare was right when he said that neither a borrower nor a lender be. Mathilda should not have borrowed the necklace from her friend. In this way, she should have been saved from her tragedy.

The third lesson is that we should always tell the truth. Truth always saves us. By telling a lie, we invite sufferings and misfortune. We see that when they lost the necklace, they should have told Mathilda’s friend about that. In this way, they would have come to know that it was a fake necklace. However, they told a lie and suffered for ten long years. In the end they found out that, they did not have anything to be proud. The necklace was not real and their struggle was just useless. What a pity! (292)

8. Write a note on the vanity of Mathilda Loisel.

No doubt, Mathilda Loisel was proud and self-loving. She was very beautiful and charming and she was proud of her beauty. Because of this beauty, she thought that she was born in a family of clerks through the error of destiny. She felt that she was born for all delicacies and luxuries. She also felt that she was made for expensive frocks, jewels and other such things.

As she belonged to a family of clerks, she was married to a petty clerk, but she was not happy at this marriage. She thought that she was out of her class and she belonged to upper class. That was why she did not like the poverty of her house. She thought that because of her beauty she had a right to live in a grand house. This house should have graceful furniture, footmen, and perfumed rooms. She wanted to chat with rich friends at five o’clock in those rooms.

When she and her husband sat to eat, she did not enjoy the food. Her husband praised the humble food but she thought of elegant dinners. She imagined that she would enjoy the food with a smile. There would be expensive wall cloth on the walls.

Therefore, we can conclude that Mathilda was very vain and proud because of her beauty. She was not happy with her life of poverty. She thought that she was born in the family of clerks through an error of destiny. As she was born for all the delicacies and luxuries of life, she should be among the people of high class. When we read the story we find out that, she suffered because of this vanity. (279)

9. How did Mathilda lose the necklace and what efforts did Loisel make to search it?

    What caused the loss of the necklace?

When we read the story “The Necklace” carefully, we find that Mathilda might have lost the necklace in the cab or somebody might have stolen it during the party. The thief might have thought that it was a real and expensive necklace.

Mathilda was very careless about the necklace. She enjoyed the party. Her greatest desire had come true. She was in a world of dream and she had forgotten everything, even her husband. Therefore, it was probable that either someone had stolen it during the party or she might have dropped it there. She might not have lost it on the road. If she had dropped it on the road, she, and her husband would have heard it fall. Therefore, if she had not lost it at the party she might have lost it in the cab while returning home.

When they found out that Mathilda had lost the necklace, they looked in the folds of the dress and in the pockets. In short, they searched for it everywhere, but could not find it.

After that, Loisel went to search the necklace on the track where they had walked on foot. He returned at 7 o’clock without any success. Then he went to the police and to the cab office. He put an advertisement in the newspaper and offered a reward. He did everything that he could do but failed to find the necklace. The continued their search for one week but lost all their hopes. (247)

10. What did Loisel and Mathilda do to buy a necklace to replace the lost one?

When they could not find the necklace, they decided to get some more time. First Mathilda wrote to Madam Forestier that she had broken the clasp of the necklace and she would return it after getting it repaired. In this way, they got some time to search the necklace but they could not find it even after one week.

Now they decided to replace the necklace. They took the box of the necklace to the jeweler whose name was written inside the box. However, he told them that he had not sold that necklace; he had only supplied the box. Then they went from jeweler to jeweler to find a necklace like the lost one.

At last, in a shop they found a necklace that seemed like the lost one. Its value was forty thousand francs, but they could it four thirty-six francs. They begged the jeweler not to sell the necklace for three days. They hoped that they would the necklace. Therefore, they arranged with the jeweler that if they found the lost necklace before the end of February they would return the necklace in thirty-four thousand francs.

Mr. Loisel had eight thousand francs and he borrowed some of the amount form his friends and relatives. The rest he took form usurers and lenders. He signed bond that he could not fulfill. At last, he bought for thirty-six francs and gave it to Madam Forestier. (236)

11. How did Mr. Loisel and Mathilda suffered to return the borrowed money?

To return the borrowed money Mr. and Mrs. Loisel suffered for ten long years.

First, they sent away the maidservant. Then they changed their lodging and rented some rooms. Now Mathilda learnt heavy cares of household life. She had to do the difficult chores of her kitchen. She had to wash dishes, greasy pots and stew pans. She had to use her rosy nails to wash the greasy pots and the bottoms of the stew pans. She had to wash dirty clothes and to hang them on the line to dry. Then each morning she had to take down the refuse to the street. She also had to bring up the water for daily use. She had to stop at each lending to breath. She did not have much money so she haggled with the shopkeepers to get reduction in prices.

Once she was very beautiful and used to wear beautiful dresses. Now she seemed old. Now she looked a common household woman. She had badly dressed hair and dirty dresses. Her hands were red and she spoke in a loud tone. She washed the floors in large pails of water.

Mr. Loisel had to work in the evenings after his office hours. He put the books of some merchants in order. At nights, he did copying for five sous a page.

Therefore, Mr. and Mr. Loisel led a life of difficulty after the loss of the necklace. They suffered for ten long years. However, that was not all. When they had returned the borrowed money, they came to know that they were suffered for nothing. The necklace they had lost was not real and its price was not over five hundred francs. We take pity on them for that. (291)

12. Was the necklace real or fake? How Mathilda come to know of this?

      Discuss the end of the story.

      Reproduce the talk between Madam Loisel and Madam Forestier.

On one Sunday Madam Loisel was taking a walk to free her of the cares of the week. Suddenly she saw Madam Forestier who was also taking a walk with a child. She decided to talk to her. She was meeting her after ten years. Now that she had paid up for the necklace, she could talk to her without any fear.

She approached her and said good morning to her very frankly. However, Madam Forestier could not recognize her because Mathilda had changed completely. She was not beautiful any more. She looked an ordinary poor woman. On the other hand, her friend was looking young and attractive. Madam Forestier said that she did not know her and she must be mistaken. Mathilda introduced herself. Madam Forestier was surprised. She told her that she had changed very much.

Mathilda told her that she faced many hardships because of Madam Forestier. She reminded her that she had borrowed a diamond necklace from her and then later lost it. She told her friend that she had returned her another necklace. She was happy because she had paid all the borrowed money.

Madam Forestier asked her if she had returned her a real diamond necklace. When Madam Forestier came to know that it was real, she was greatly moved. She took Mathilda’s both hands and told her that her necklace was not real and it was not worth over five hundred francs.

Therefore, that was how Mathilda came to know that the necklace she had borrowed was false and all her struggle was useless. (263)

13.   Write a note on the cultural background of the story.

        The writer has satirized the French life of his time.

        The writer has reflected the life style of French people of his time. Discuss.

When we read the story carefully we find that the story as a strong cultural background. The writher has presented woo classes of people – middle class and the upper class. There was a great gap between the two.

The people of high class were enjoying all the luxuries of life. They had ball parties. They enjoyed themselves by dancing, chatting, and playing indoor games. They wore fake jewellery. However, they tried to show off that they were wearing real and expensive jewellery. Madam Forestier’s fake diamond necklace proves this point. They made a show of their costly dresses. They were so carefree that they enjoyed parties until late at night.

On the other hand, people of middle class were suffering. They wanted to close the gap but could not do so. They suffered and because of these sufferings, they lost their beauty and looked old. On the other hand, rich people of the same age looked younger and more attractive. At the end of the story, we see that Mathilda’s rich friend of the same age was still beautiful and attractive.

Therefore, the writer has presented class difference vey satirically. The talk between Mathilda and her friend at the end of the story throws light on the class difference. (209)

The Little Willow by Francis Tower

The Little Willow by Francis Tower

Summary

“The Little Willow” is a story of silent love.  Both Lisby and Simon love each other, but they do not express their love each other. The army officers on leave are always welcomed in courthouse. Three sisters Charlotte, Brenda, and Lisby live in that courthouse. Lisby is the youngest. She is different from her sisters. Her sisters are insincere and hollow.

When Simon Byrne comes to the courthouse for the first time, he stands there on the threshold for some time. Lisby looks at him and realizes that he was his kind of person.  They have common interests. Both Lisby and Byrne love each other, but do not express their love to each other.

When he comes to say goodbye, she gives him a little Willow tree as a gift. Later he is killed in a war prison camp. The war ends and the lovers of Charlotte and Brenda return safely.

Once a guest tells Lisby that, he was with Simon when he died. He tells her that Simon loved he girl who had given her a willow tree. Lisby tells him her secret that Simon was her love.

When she comes to know that Simon loved her she feels very good. She is waiting for this. When her sister tells her that there is no letter for her, she tells her that she has received her letter.

1.            Lisby Avery is different from her sisters. Discuss.

Lisby has genuine emotions of love and sympathies for others and she loves things because of their spiritual values. Discuss.

Compare the characters of Lisby and her two elder sisters.

No doubt, Lisby Avery is difficult from her two elder sisters. She has genuine emotions of love and sympathies for others. She loves things because of their spiritual beauty.

When we read the story carefully, we find that Lisby loves painting, the willow tree, and Simon Byrne because of their spiritual beauty. She loves the picture for its holiness and not for aesthetic reasons. The willow tree has spiritual values too. She has bought the willow tree with her fist term’s salary. Its apparent beauty does not impress her. Actually, she bought it because of the idea in the mind of the Chinese artist.

She loves Simon Byrne because he also appreciates spiritual beauty of things. He is just like her. That is why she thinks: “It almost seems as if he might be my kind of person.”

As for her elder sisters, they do not like things because of their spiritual values. The picture is in the room because of Lisby. Her sisters think; “Lisby would die if we banished the picture.” They do not like the willow tree either. They do not like Simon Byrne because he does not talk much.

They do not have genuine emotions of sympathy either. Brenda is a hypocrite and she can change the tone of her voice just to entrap others. As for Lisby, she has genuine emotions of sympathy. Sometimes, she gives company to a neglected gets just out of sympathy.

Therefore, we can conclude that Lisby Avery is different from her two elder sisters. She has genuine emotions of love and sympathies for others. She loves things because of their spiritual beauty. (272)

2.            Discuss the characters of the three sisters in the light of the Charlotte’s comments: “I feel we rather swamp her, you know – like two arc lamps putting out the moonlight. Now, isn’t that a tribute to our Lis?”

The two elder sisters are charmers but Lisby is not. Discuss.

Discuss the characters of three sisters in comparison and tell clearly whom you like the most and why?

Write a character sketch of Lisby Avery.

Lisby Avery is not a charmer liker her elder sisters. Discuss.

When we have a comparative study of the characters of the three sisters, we find that Lisby Avery is quite different from her elder sisters.

Lisby Avery is not a charmer like her elder sister. She does not try to impress others by her way of speaking. She does not like to play the cello like Brenda. She does not change the tone of her voice just to entrap others. Brenda agrees when Charlotte says, “I feel we rather swamp her, you know – like two arc lamps putting out the moonlight.  Now isn’t that a tribute to our Lis?”

Unlike her sisters, she is a sincere lover. She does not love Simon because of his apparent personality. She loves him because he is her kind of person. The two elder sisters are hollow and superficial. They do not love others sincerely. They do not have any taste for spiritual beauty of things.

Brenda keeps the pictures of all her dead lovers, but she feels no grief for them. She at once forgets her dead lover and starts loving a fresh one.

Charlotte is just like Brenda. She tells her sisters about the death of Simon very casually. However, Lisby takes it so seriously that her legs tremble and she hides her feelings with a great difficulty.

In short, Brenda and Charlotte are “…the types of the seductive women in any age.” However, Lisby is “…like a watching a girl who holds a basket on her hand in the background of El Gore’s Christ in the Temple.”

I think this remark of the writer throws ample light on the character of Lisby. I like Lisby for her good qualities of character. (280)

3.            Why Lisby does falls in love with Simon Byrne?

How do Lisby and Simon get attracted to each other?

What is the reason behind the love of Lisby and Simon?

Lisby loves Simon Byrne not for his physical appearance, but for his inner qualities. When Simon comes for the first time, she sees extraordinary delight on his face. Therefore, she at once senses his inner qualities. She comes to know that he is her kind of person.

Later she gives a little start when Simon appreciates the picture and tells her, “The picture has been loved by people who are dead…” She thinks, “It almost seems as if he might be my kind of person.” She starts loving him passionately. When he listens to Brenda playing spellbound, she feels jealous. She does not want him impressed by Brenda. He appreciates the willow tree that nobody else has appreciated. She thinks that he is a person one can talk to him.

The things that make Lisby laugh make him laugh too.  Sometimes he catches her eyes and they go off a silent fit of laughter. He hums the same tunes as are liked by her.

Therefore, we can conclude that Lisby falls in love with Simon because he is his kind of person. They have same likes and dislikes. (188)

4.            What are the symbolic meanings of the picture and the willow tree?

What is the significance of the picture and the willow tree?

The picture and the willow tree have great symbolic meanings and significance in the story “The Little Willow”. The picture represents the characters of Lisby and Simon. The willow tree represents not only their characters, but also the nature of love between them.

Her two elder sisters are hollow and do not like the picture and the willow tree. Lisby and Simon like them because of their spiritual values. Lisby thinks about Simon, “It almost seems as if he might be my kind of person.” Therefore, it means that both Simon and Lisby are impressed by the spiritual value of things. It throws light on their characters.

The little willow tree represents not only their characters but also the nature of love between them. Lisby loves Simon because he is a man of ideas. He is a man who can look beyond the surface of things. He is not impressed by the physical appearance of things, but only by their spiritual beauty. He is ‘cool’ just like the Willow tree. It does not broadcast its beauty just like Lisby and Simon.

Lisby gives the little willow tree to Simon on his departure. Therefore, it is a token of unexpected love between them.

Its breaking represents the death of physical love. It also symbolizes the strength of love that consoles and comforts lovers when they are in some kind of difficulty.

Therefore, we can conclude that the picture and the willow tree have great symbolic meaning and significance in the story. (250)

5.            “The Little Willow” is a story of silent love. Discuss.

No doubt, “The Little Willow” is a story of silent love. When we read the story carefully, we find that both Lisby and Simon love each other very passionately, but they do not express their love to each other.

This love is so silent that Simon is not sure about Lisby’s love until his death. When he comes for the last time to say good-bye, he tries to express his love, but does not. Its reason is that he is not sure about Lisby’s love.

Similar is the case with Lisby. She is not sure about Simon’s love. She thinks that he is in love with her sister Brenda. It was after his death she comes to know that Simon loved her and not her sister. Therefore, this is silent love.

They both fall in love with each other on first sight. When Lisby sees Simon for the first time, she thinks about Simon, “It almost seems as if he might be my kind of person.” However, she does not express it to him. She starts loving him passionately. When he listens to Brenda playing the cello spellbound, she feels jealous and does not want him impressed by Brenda.

Simon appreciates the willow tree that nobody else has appreciated. She thinks that he is a person one can talk to him. The things that make Lisby laugh make him laugh too. Sometimes, he catches her eyes and they go off into a silent fit of laughter. He hums the same turns as are liked by her.

Therefore, they love each other. However, it is silent love and nobody knows about it. Lisby’s elder sisters do not know about it either. Even Lisby and Simon themselves are not sure about it. (290)

A Conversation with My Father by Grace Paley

A Conversation with My Father by Grace Paley

Summary

This story presents the generation gap between the past and the present writers. The writer represents the young generation, whereas her father represents the old generation.  The conflict between them is that they have their own ideas of reality and are not ready to change them.

Her father is eighty-six and is a heart patient. He asks the writer to write a simple story like the Russian writers used to write.

She writes a story. It is a true story. It is about a woman who is a neighbor of the writer.

This woman had a son and they both lived nicely in a small apartment in Manhattan. Her son became a drug addict at the age of fifteen. She also became a drug addict just to have a close contact with her son. However, for a number of reasons, her son gave up drugs and left the city and his mother. Now the mother was hopeless and alone. The writer went to see her.

However, her father does not like the story. He raises some objections. He says that she has not written the story according to the Russian writers who could write a plain, ordinary story.

She writes the second version of the story. She changes it completely. Still he does not like the story and raises some more objections. He objects that she does not want to face the reality. He believes that no character can change. If there is any change, it cannot last long.

Therefore, the daughter tries to write a story according to the wishes of her father but fails.

1. The writer Grace Paley has demonstrated the generation gap in the story “A Conversation with My Father”. Discuss.

What is the conflict between the father and the daughter?

The writer has demonstrated the generation gap in the story “A Conversation with My Father”. The reason of conflict between the father and the daughter is that they are rigid and are not ready to accept what is wrong to them. They have their own ideas of reality and are not ready to change them.

The father represents the old generation. For him life is simple, nice and family oriented. He believes in marriage. He also believes that a character in a story has some individuality and it does not change. He believes that the life story of each character should have some reasonable end. He has his own idea of reality. The reality presented by the writer is just a joke to him. He is not going to accept it. The young generation is not ready to look the truth in the face.

Whereas, the young generation considers the life story unfinished, complex, and depressing. To them family life of bond of marriage is not important. They believe that every person can change. That is a truth to them. The writer hates the stories that start with the sentence: “There was a…” She fully believes that every character can change with time.

Therefore, both have sensibilities of their own times – the old and the modern. They are rigid and are not ready to accept what is wrong to them. (230)

2. The writer, Grace Paley loves her father and is willing to write a simple story for him, but cannot, why?

The writer fails in writing a story in keeping with the sensibilities of her father’s time. Comment.

When we go through the story “A Conversation with My Father”, we find that the daughter has great love for her father. She wants to please him. She does not want to argue. Even if there is an argument, she is always willing to let her father have the last word. That is why she is willing to write a simple story for him. She writes two stories according to her father’s wishes, but fails to please him.

Its reason is that the daughter is the representative of the young generation of writers. She considers the life story unfinished, complex, and depressing. To her family life or person can change. That is a truth to her. When her father does not agree, she says, “No Pa, it could really happen that way, it’s a funny world nowadays.”

She hates the stories that start with the sentence: “There was a…..” She does not hate such stories because of literary reasons. She thinks that every person or character of a story should have the open destiny. She feels a kind of responsibility for the characters in this respect. She fully believes that every character can change with time.

Therefore, we can conclude that the daughter has great love and care for her father. However, she cannot write a simple story for him. She has sensibilities of her own times. She is rigid and is not ready to accept what is wrong to her. (241)

3. What was the first version of the story written by the writer and what were her father’s objections?

The writer’s father asked her to write a simple story for him. The writer did like to write a simple story, but she wrote a story just to please him. It was a true story. It was about a woman who was a neighbor of the writer.

This woman had a son and they both lived nicely in a small apartment in Manhattan. Her son became a drug addict at the age of fifteen. It was not usual in that area. She also became a drug addict just to have a close contact with her son. However, for a number of reasons her son gave up drugs and left the city and her in disgust. Now the woman was hopeless and alone. The writer went to see her.

The writer’s father did not like the story and he raised many objections. Firstly, he said that she had not written the story according to his wishes. She misunderstood him on purpose. Secondly, she had left everything out. Thirdly, she had not written the story according to the Russian writers who could write a plain, ordinary story. She had not written the story for ordinary people.

Fourthly, she had not told about the physical appearance of the woman and about her hair. Fifthly, she had not told about the parents of the woman. If she had told, it would have been possible to tell why she had become such a person. Sixthly, she had not told about her husband and whether her boy. He believed that the bond of marriage was very important. Therefore, these were the objections of the father to the first version of the story. (281)

4. What was the second version of the story written by the writer and what were her father’s objections?

The father of the writer raised some objections to the first version of the story and asked the writer to write the story again. Therefore, the writer wrote the story again. This time she added many things.

The story was about a woman. She had a son whom she loved very much. He became a drug addict in his adolescence. He was a writer and wrote articles in newspapers.  I order to keep a close contact; she also became a drug addict. However, in spite of that she took great care of her son. She kept many orange juice, honey, milk and vitamin pills at home.

Once her son went to a cinema where he met a girl because of the girl, he gave up drugs and started his normal life again. The son asked his mother to give up drugs, but she could not.  The son left her and went away. The mother was alone now and she wept for her son. The writer visited her.

The writers’ fatter did not like the second version of the story either. He raised several objections. Firstly, he ironically objected that she had nice sense of humor. Secondly, he objected that she could not tell a plain story. Thirdly, he objected to the end of the story. He did not like that, the woman was left alone, and she had no hope. Fourthly, he objected that the writer did not want to face the reality. He believed that no character could change. It was a joke to show that in a story. If there was any change, it could not last long. It was the only truth for him. Therefore, these were the objections of the writer to the second version of the story. (292)

5. What kind of story does the writer’s father want her to write?

The father of the writer of the story “A Conversation with My Father” asks her to write a simple story for hmm once more. The writer used to write simple stories.

He wants that the story should have all the good qualities of a simple story. Firstly, he likes the stories of the Russian writers, so he wants her daughter to write the story according to these writers. Secondly, the story should be written about the real, recognizable people. Thirdly the physical appearance of the characters should be given. The writer should tell even about the hair of the characters fourthly the background of the character must be given. In this way, it will be possible for the reader to find out why the character had become such a person.

Fifthly, the bond of marriage must be given a lot of importance in the stories. Sixthly, he believes that the sense of humor must be nice. The writer of the story should face the reality and should give a convincing end to the story. The end of the story must be finished. The characters in a story cannot change and the writer must not try to change them. It is a joke if a writer does therefore. According to him, such a story is against reality and it is not true. He believes that if a character changes it is only for the time being.

Therefore, the father wants her to write a story according to his own sensibility. (249)

6. Why does the writer not like to write a simple story about real and recognizable people?

The father of the writer of the story “A Conversation with My Father” asks her to write a simple story for him once more. From a simple story, he means such story as the famous Russian writers used to write. According to him these writer used to write simple stories about real and recognizable people.

However, the writer does not like to write a simple story because of certain reasons. She is a representative of the young generation. The young generation considers the life story unfinished, complex, and depressing. To them family life or bond of marriage is not important. They believe that every person can change. That is a truth to them. When her father does not agree, she says, “No Pa, it could really happen that way, it’s a funny world nowadays.”

The writer hates the stories that start with the sentence: “There was a ….” She does not hate such stories because of literary reasons, but because she thinks that, every person or character of a story should have the open destiny of life. She feels a kind of responsibility for the characters in this respect. She fully believes that every character can change with time.

Therefore, we can conclude that the daughter has great love and care for her father. However, she does not like to write a simple story. She has the sensibilities of her own time. She is rigid and is not ready to accept what is wrong to her. (246)

7. What is the theme of the story “A Conversation with My Father”?

The theme of the story “A Conversation with My Father” is the generation gap between the old and the young writers.

The father of the writer represents the old generation of writers. For him life is simple and family oriented. He values in marriage. He also believes that a character in a story has some individuality and it does not change. He believes that the life story of each character should have a reasonable end.

He has his own idea of reality. The reality presented by the writer is just a joke to him. He is not going to accept it. He also believes that evasion is a characteristic of the young generation. The young generation is not ready to look the truth in the face.

Whereas, the young generation consider the life story unfinished, complex, and depressing. To them family life or the bond of marriage is not important. They believe that every person can change. That is a truth to them. The writer hates the stories that start with the sentence: “There was a….”

She does not hate such stories because of literary reasons. She thinks that every person or character of a story should have the open destiny of life. She feels a kind of responsibility for the characters in this respect. She fully believes that every character can change with time.

Therefore, the theme of the story is the generation gap between the young and the old writers. We see that the daughter has great love and care for her father. However, she cannot write a simple story for him. Both have sensibilities of their own times. They are rigid and are not ready to accept what is wrong to them. (285)

The Duchess and the Jeweler by Virginia Woolf

The Duchess and the Jeweler by Virginia Woolf

Summary

The story “The Duchess and the Jeweler” reflects the English society of writer’s time. It was an age of change. The high-ups were coming down because of their moral decadence and the commoners were coming up.

Once Oliver Bacon was very poor and lived in a filthy, little alley. He worked very hard and used fair and unfair means to become the richest jeweler of the England. He enjoys his present position. He is suffering from inferiority complex. There is a great difference between his present and past condition. He has become so important that each day he receives invitation cards from the aristocracy of the city. He has become very rich, but he is so greedy that he wants more and more wealth.

One day the Duchess of Lambourne comes to sell some fake pearls.  She induces him into buying those fake pearls very cleverly. She uses her daughter Diana as bait. She also invites him to the party where all the aristocracy will be present.

Oliver Bacon buys the fake pearls because he wants to attend the party and spend the weekend with Diana. He loves Diana very much. Besides, he wants to move among aristocratic circles.

He signs the cheque for twenty thousand pounds. The Duchess takes the cheque and leaves. Later, he asks pardon of the picture of his mother.

1. The story “The Duchess and the Jeweler” by Virginia Woolf mirrors the society of England. Discuss.

Whenever there is an age of change, the higher come down and lower downs go up. Discuss.

The story describes the decadence of the aristocracy and the rise of the commoners. Comment.

The story is a criticism on Victorian Society.

No doubt, the writer of the story “The Duchess and the Jeweler” reflects the English society of her time. It was an age of transition. The high-ups were coming down because of their moral decadence and the commoners were taking lead in spite of their psychological fixations.

To fulfill her purpose, the writer introduces characters – the Duchess and the jeweler. The Duchess represents the high-ups. The jeweler represents the commoners. His name is Oliver Bacon. At the start of the story, the writer talks about commoners through Oliver Bacon, the jeweler. She tells the reader how the commoners took lead. Oliver Bacon was a commoner because he used to live in a filthy, little alley. Then slowly he took lead and became one of the high-ups of the English society. Now he lived at Piccadilly. It was the most fashionable and expensive place in London.

He had become so important that each day he received invitation cards from the aristocracy of the English society. Even the Duchess of Lambourne waited for his pleasure outside his private office.

Then the writer talks about the high-ups. To get her desired twenty-thousand, the Duchess had forgotten all her nobility. She was always in financial difficulties because of her moral decadence. She gambled. To arrange for the money she sold fake pearls to Oliver twice but this was not all. She had so much moral decadence that she used Diana, her daughter, to entrap Oliver Bacon.

Therefore, we can conclude that the writer has very beautifully reflected the English society of her time. The high-ups were coming down because of their moral decadence and the commoners were taking lead. (276)

2. Did the Duchess of Lambourne sell the pearls to Oliver Bacon real?  If not, why did the jeweler buy them?

No doubt, the pearls sold by the Duchess of Lambourne to Oliver were false. Oliver Bacon bought them and paid twenty thousand because of two very strong reasons.

Firstly, Oliver Bacon wanted to move among aristocratic circles. It was his greatest desire. He was a commoner. He used to live in a filthy, little alley. He worked hard to get to that position of the richest jeweler of England. Now it was his greatest desire to attend parties of the aristocrat. The Duchess induced him into buying fake pearls by telling him that the Prime Minister was going to attend the party.

The second reason of buying his fake pearls was that he loved Diana. She was the daughter of the Duchess. The Duchess induced him by referring to Diana repeatedly. She said, “The Prime Minister – his Minister – his Royal Highness…” She stopped. “And Diana…” She added. Now he started imagining the party and its atmosphere.

He still hesitated. Now the Duchess addressed him by his Christian name. He offered him to come for a long weekend. There he would be able to go to the woods alone with Diana fro riding. He could not resist and wrote the cheque for twenty-thousand. His words spoken at the end of the story are very important. He said, “For it is to be a long weekend.”

Therefore, we can conclude that Oliver Bacon bought the fake pearls because he wanted to attend the party. He wanted to spend a weekend with Diana. He loved Diana very much. (259)

3. Why did the jeweler dismantle himself?

Why did the jeweler remember his past life when he was very poor and lived in a filthy, little alley?

It was very surprising that Oliver, who was one of the richest jewelers of England, dismantled himself repeatedly. However, when we read the story “The Duchess and the Jeweler” carefully, we find that he dismantled himself because of his inferiority complex. There was a great difference between his present and past life. He used to live in a filthy, little alley. His greatest ambition was to sell stolen dogs to fashionable women at that time. Therefore, he sold stolen dogs. Then he became a salesperson and sold cheap watches. Therefore, he was a commoner.

Now Oliver Bacon was the richest jewelers of England. He lived at Piccadilly, the most fashionable and expensive place in London. He wore expensive clothes. The best tailors in Seville Row stitched those clothes. He had become so rich and important that each day he received invitation cards from the aristocracy of the city. Therefore, he dismantled himself just to enjoy his present life of a very rich jeweler. The writer describes his feelings in these words, “…at the memory he would chuckle – the old Oliver remembering the young.”

When the Duchess of Lambourne came to see him, he kept her waiting outside his office and dismantled himself again. He wanted to enjoy his present condition. It was a great achievement that a boy, who used to live a filthy, little alley, was keeping a Duchess waiting. The writer describes his feelings very beautifully. It appeared to him that keeping her waiting; he was enjoying a very big feast.

Therefore, we can conclude that the jeweler dismantled himself because of his inferiority complex. He wanted to enjoy the present condition of the richest jeweler of England. (282)

4. Why did Oliver Bacon, the jeweller keep the Duchess of Lambourne waiting?

The jeweller kept the Duchess of Lambourne waiting because of his inferiority complex. He wanted to enjoy his present position of the richest jeweler of England.

When we read the story “The Duchess and the Jeweller”, we find that Oliver Bacon used to live in a filthy, little alley. At that time, his greatest ambition was to sell stolen dogs to fashionable women and he did sell. Then he became salesperson and sold cheap watches. Then he did some other jobs to become rich. Therefore, he was a commoner. He did not anything common with the aristocratic class of that time. Now by working hard, he was the richest jeweler of England. There was a great difference between his past and present life but he has not forgotten his past. Therefore, when the Duchess of Lambourne came to see him, he kept her waiting just to enjoy his present position of the richest jeweler of England. It was a great honor for a boy of a filthy, little alley. The writer comments, “The Duchess of Lambourne, the daughter of a hundred Earls. She would wait for ten minutes on a chair at the counter. She would wait his pleasure. She would wait till he was ready to see her.” It was as if he was enjoying a very big and desirous feast. The jeweler who was once a commoner was now keeping a Duchess waiting. What a great achievement that was!

Therefore, we can conclude that the jeweler kept the Duchess waiting just to satisfy his inferiority complex. He wanted to enjoy his present position of the richest jeweler of England. (272)

5. Throw light on the greedy nature and inferiority complex of the jeweler.

What psychological fixation did Oliver Bacon have in spite of becoming one of the richest jewelers of England?

Psychological fixation means a strong unhealthy feeling of love or obsession. We find that the jeweler had two obsessions. Firstly, he wanted more and more wealth. It appears that his greed did not have an end. Secondly, he had inferiority complex and wanted to move among aristocratic circles to satisfy this complex.

When we the story “The Duchess and the Jeweler” carefully we find that to show how greedy Oliver Bacon was the writer gives the examples of a giant hog and a camel. Oliver was greedy like a hog that always wants a bigger and blacker truffle. The writer means to say that Oliver Bacon wanted to become more and richer. Then the writer gives the example of a camel and says, “The camel is dissatisfied with its lot…” Therefore, Oliver Bacon had a strong, unhealthy love for wealth. He was very greedy and was never satisfied.

Secondly, Oliver Bacon had a very unhealthy feeling of inferiority complex. To satisfy his inferiority complex, he kept the Duchess of Lambourne waiting outside his private office. He accepted the fake pearls because he wanted to move in aristocratic circles.  He wanted to go to the party where he could see the Prime Minister and Diana.

Therefore, we can conclude that the jeweler had two obsessions. Firstly, he wanted more and more wealth and it appears that his greed did not have an end. Secondly, he had inferiority complex and wanted to move among aristocratic circles to satisfy this complex. (248)

6. How did the Duchess deceive Oliver Bacon, the jeweler?

How did the Duchess induce Oliver Bacon into buying fake pearls?

The Duchess induced Oliver Bacon, the jeweler, into buying fake pearls very cleverly. Oliver Bacon hesitated thrice, but each time she induced him by using different tactics. She had many cards up her sleeve. She also had a trump card that she played at the last moment.

She started inducing Oliver very cleverly. Firstly, she started in a very friendly way. She called him ‘dear Mr. Bacon’. Secondly, she mentioned the name of her daughters and told him that she was selling the pearl only for them.  She knew that Oliver loved Diana. She was her daughter. Thirdly, to impress him, she started shedding tears. Fourthly, she called him an ‘old friend’ four times just to induce him.

Oliver hesitated. He was doubtful about the pearls. He wanted to test them to know whether they were real. When she saw him hesitating, she used some different tactics. She invited him to a party at her estate. She induced him by telling him that the Prime Minister, his Minister, his Royal Highness, and Diana would be there. Therefore, she tried to take advantage of his inferiority complex and of his love for her daughter. He wrote twenty on the chequebook but hesitated again.

When the Duchess saw him hesitating, she again used some tactics. Firstly, she called him by his Christian name just to create frankness. Secondly, she used her trump card. She again invited him to her estate for a long weekend. There he would go for riding in the woods alone with Diana. He could not resist any more. He wrote thousand and signed the cheque.

Therefore, that was how the Duchess induced Oliver into buying fake pearls. (279)

7. They were friends, yet enemies; he was master, she was mistress; each cheated the other, each needed the other, each feared the other. Comment.

This question has three parts and we shall discuss them one by one.

Firstly, we discuss “They were friends; yet enemies.” When we read the story “The Duchess and the Jeweler”, we find that Oliver Bacon was a commoner. Later, he became the richest jeweler of England. On the other hand, the duchess was the member of the aristocracy by birth. Therefore, there was a great class difference between the two. These two classes could never be friends. However, the duchess was forced to call him an ‘old friend’ because o her moral decadence and financial problems. That was how they were friends; yet enemies.

Secondly, we discuss “He was master, she was mistress.” When we read the story “The Duchess and the Jeweler” carefully, we find that Oliver became the richest jeweler of England by using fair and unfair means. Therefore, he was a master in the sense that he a great cheat. On the other hand, the Duchess was a mistress. She was a cheat too. She induced the jeweler into buying the fake pearls so cleverly that she appears to be a mistress in this sense.

Lastly, we discuss “Each cheated other the other, each needed the other, and each feared the other.” When we read the story, we find that each cheated the other. The Duchess cheated the jeweler and sold the fake pearls. The jeweler cheated the duchess in a sense that he kept her waiting without any proper reason. Similarly, both needed each other. She needed him for money and he needed her to go the party and to the woods with her daughter. In spite of that, both feared each other because each knew the secrets of the other. (286)

8. Write a note comparing the characters of the Duchess and the Jeweler.

When we compare the characters of the Duchess and the jeweler, we find that the following statement is true for both of them:”They were friends, yet enemies; he was master, she was mistress; each cheated the other, each needed the other, each feared the other.” We shall discuss some points of this statement.

Firstly, we discuss the second part of the statement:  “He was master, she was mistress.” When we read the story “The Duchess and the Jeweler carefully we find that Oliver became the richest jeweler of England by using fair and unfair means. Therefore, he was a master in the sense that he was a great cheat. On the other hand, the Duchess was a mistress. She was a cheat too. She induced the jeweler into buying the fake pearls very cleverly.

Secondly, we discuss the third part of the statement: “Each cheated the other, each needed the other, and each feared the other.” When we read the story, we find that each cheated the other. The jeweler cheated the duchess in a sense that he kept her waiting without any proper reason. He knew that the Duchess was telling a lie about the pearls, but he did not show it. It reason was that he wanted to go alone with Diana to the woods for riding. This was a kind of cheating.

Similarly, both the jeweler and the Duchess needed each other. She needed him for money and he needed her to go to the party. In spite of that, both feared each other because each knew the secrets of the other. (265)

9. Describe the meeting between the Duchess and the jeweler.

The Duchess of Lambourne came to sell ten fake pearls to Oliver Bacon, the jeweler. However, the jeweler kept her waiting for ten minutes. During those ten minutes, he enjoyed his present position of the richest jeweler of England. After ten minutes, the Duchess came in and tried to sell his fake pearls. She started inducing the jeweler and used different tactics.

Firstly, she started in a very friendly way. She called him ‘dear Mr. Bacon’. Secondly, she mentioned the names of her daughters and told him that she was selling the pearls only for them. Thirdly, to impress him, she started shedding tears. Fourthly, she called him an ‘old friend’ four times just to induce him.

Oliver hesitated. He was doubtful about the pearls. He wanted to test them to know whether they were real. When she saw him hesitating, she used some different tactics. She invited him to a party at her estate. Therefore, she tried to take advantage of his inferiority complex and of his love with her daughter Diana. She tried to move him by telling him that her honor was at stake. Now she was not an ordinary woman, she was the mother of Diana.  He wrote twenty on the chequebook, but he hesitated again.

When the Duchess saw him hesitating, she again used some tactics. Firstly, she called him by his Christian name just to create frankness. Secondly, she used her trump card. She again invited him to her estate for a long weekend. There he would go for riding in the woods alone with Diana. He could not resist any more. He wrote thousand and signed the cheque. The Duchess of Lambourne took the cheque and departed. (284)

10. Write a note on Oliver Bacon’s journey from filthy, little alley to the Bond Street.

By birth, Oliver Bacon was a commoner. He was very poor. He used to live in a filthy, little street. At that time, his greatest ambition was to sell stolen dogs to fashionable women and he did sell.

However, his mother stopped him from doing that. Then he became a salesman and sold cheap watches.

After that, he took a wallet to Amsterdam. He earned a lot of money from three diamonds. He earned commission on the emerald. He bought a shop in Hatton Garden. He started sitting into the private room behind the shop. In the room, there were scales, a safe and thick magnifying glass.

As soon as he became rich, he started dressing better and better. First, he bought a handsome cab then a car. He also bought a villa at Richmond. Then he bought a grand house at Piccadilly. It was the most central position in London. After that, he bought a shop in the street off Bond Street. His shop was famous in France, Germany, Austria, Italy, and in America.

Now he had become so important that people from the aristocratic circle started sending him invitations to their parties. Even the Duchess of Lambourne waited for his pleasure outside his private office.

Therefore, that was how Oliver Bacon became the richest jeweler of England. (219)

The Necklace by Guy de Maupassant

The Necklace by Guy de Maupassant

Summary

The story “The Necklace” is about the fact that even a small thing can change the life of a person. Chance or fate plays very important role in human life. It is more powerful than human resolution. It is man’s destiny.

Mathilda is the central character of the story. She was very pretty. She thought that she was born in the family of clerks by the error of destiny. Her husband, Losiel was also a clerk.

She believed that she was born for all the luxuries of life. She did not like her poor house. She always dreamed of a big house.

One day her husband brought an invitation card for a ball at the residence of the Minister of Education. She was not happy at the invitation because she had no good dress to wear at the party. Loisel gave her 400 francs to buy the dress. However, she was still unhappy. Now she wanted some jewels to wear.

She went to her friend to borrow some jewel. She borrowed a necklace. She went to the party and enjoyed it. On her return, she lost the necklace. Her husband tried to find it but failed. Later they borrowed money and bought a new necklace to replace the lost one.

Now Loisel worked day and night to return the borrowed money. Mathilda discharged the maidservant and did everything of the household by herself.

They were able to return the money after ten years. Now Mathilda had lost all her beauty. She had changed so much that her friend could not recognize her. Mathilda told her the whole story but her friend told her that the necklace she had borrowed was not real. (282)

1. The story “The Necklace” is a superior work and its plot is conceived in terms of an affecting ironic reversal. Discuss.

No doubt, the story “The Necklace” is a superior work of art and its plot has been conceived in terms of an affecting ironic reversal.

First, when we go through the story, we find that Mathilda was not satisfied with her life. She was very beautiful and thought that she was born for all delicacies and luxuries of life. Therefore, she wanted to marry a rich man. However, it is ironic reversal that she was married to a poor a petty clerk against her wishes.

Secondly, she always dreamed living in a palace. She thought of big houses having eastern construction and luxuries. However, her expectation of living in a big house did not come true. She got a poor apartment. Ironically, she had to leave that apartment too. She had to rent some rooms.

Thirdly, she thought that she was born for all delicacies and luxuries. However, what did she get? She had to send away the maidservant. She had to wash the dishes. She had to wash clothes. She lost her beauty and ten years of her life. She had become the poor household woman. She seemed older now.

Fourthly, when she lost the necklace, she thought that it was real. However, ironic reversal is that the necklace was false. Fifthly, she went to the ball. She wore expensive clothes and jewellery. She expected that she would be very happy. But ironic reversal is that she had to lead a life of misery and sufferings. (247)

2.  How singular is life and how full of changes! How a small thing will ruin or save one,” Mathilda thinks. Do you agree?

In the drama of human life, chance or fate, sometimes, is more powerful than human resolution. It is man’s destiny. Do you agree?

How was chance, luck, or fate at the basis of the suffering of Mathilda and Loisel?

Yes, I fully agree that a small thing or a chance or fate can ruin or save a person. Chance is more powerful than human resolution and it is man’s destiny.

When we go through the story carefully, we find that Mathilda’s life was going on very well. Although she was not satisfied with her life, het she was living better than most of the middle class women. She had a loving husband. She had a maidservant who did everything for her. She was very beautiful and looked out of her dress. All this suggests that her life was all right.

Now chance played its role and changed all her life. Her husband brought an invitation to the ball at the Minister’s residence. She had no jewel to wear on the party. She went to her friend and borrowed a necklace to wear. She was very happy, but a small thing happened. She lost her necklace. It was necessary to replace that necklace. Her husband borrowed the money from every possible source and brought the necklace.

Chance again played its role. When she went to return the necklace, her friend did not open the jewel box. Actually, the necklace she had borrowed from her friend was false and she was returning the real one. If she had opened the jewel case, she would have come to know that fact and Mathilda would have been saved from future sufferings. However, chance or fate did not let her friend open the jewel case. Now their life changed and they lost everything.

It proves that chance is more powerful than human resolution. It is man’s destiny. (273)

3. It is said that Madam Loisel was responsible for her tragedy. Do you agree?

When I read the story “The Necklace”, I quite agree that Madam Loisel was responsible for her tragedy.

Firstly, she should have accepted the fact that she was a poor woman and she would be misfit among people of high class. She was completely wrong when she thought that she was born of all delicacies and luxuries because she was the wife of a petty clerk. Her high ideas about the luxuries of life were the first reason of her tragedy. She should not have gone to the ball. It was her mistake.

Secondly, she should not have borrowed the necklace from her friend. This was her second mistake and it was the main reason of her tragedy. Wearing that necklace, she wanted to make a show of her riches. Thirdly, she acted quite carelessly. She should have taken great care of the necklace. However, she was in a world of dream. This was what she always wanted. At that time, no one and nothing had any importance for her. She had even forgotten her husband. That was her third mistake. She lost the necklace because of her carelessness.

Fourthly, she should have told her friend that she had lost her necklace. If she had told her friend about the loss of the necklace, she would have come to know that the necklace she had borrowed was false. In this way, she would have been saved of her tragedy. It was her greatest mistake.

Therefore, we can conclude that Madam Loisel was responsible for her tragedy. She committed four mistakes that resulted in her tragedy. (265)

4. It is said that Mr. Loisel was also responsible for his and his wife’s tragedy. Do you agree?

When I go through the story “the Necklace”, I agree that Mr. Loisel was also responsible for his and his wife’s tragedy.

Firstly, Mr. Loisel should not have brought the invitation to the ball. He knew that he was only a clerk and he would be quite misfit among the people of high class. However, he wanted to please his wife. When his wife told him that she did not have anything to wear, he should not have insisted on going to the ball. It was a great mistake on his part. He should have dropped the idea of going. However, he did not do so. 

Secondly, he should not have advised his wife to borrow some jewel from her friend. His wife did not have any idea about that. It was his second great mistake. Thirdly, when the necklace was lost he asked his wife to tell a lie. He asked her to write to her friend that she had broken the clasp of the necklace and she would have it repaired and then return it. Now it was his greatest mistake because it resulted in his and his wife’s tragedy.

Therefore, we can conclude that Mr. Loisel was responsible for his and his wife’s tragedy. He committed three mistakes. (211)

5. What is the theme of the story “The Necklace”?

The theme of the story is that even a small thing can change the life of a person. Chance or fate plays a very important human life. It is more powerful than human resolution. It is man’s destiny.

When we go through the story carefully, we find that Mathilda’s life was going on very well. Although she was not satisfied with her life, yet she was living better than most of the middle class women. She had a loving husband. She had a maidservant who did everything for her. She was very beautiful and looked out of her class. All this suggests that her life was all right.

Now chance played its role and changed all her life. Her husband brought her invitation to the ball at the Minister’s residence. She had no jewel to wear on the party. She went to her friend and borrowed a necklace to wear on the party. She was very happy, but a small thing happened, she lost her necklace. It was necessary to replace that necklace. Her husband borrowed the money from every possible source and bought the necklace.

Chance again played its role. When she went to return the necklace, her friend did not open the jewel case. Actually, the necklace she had borrowed from her friend was false and she was returning the real one. If she had opened the jewel case, she would have come to know that fact and Mathilda would have been saved from future sufferings. However, chance or fate did not let her friend open the jewel case. Now their life changed and they lost everything. It proves that chance is more powerful than human resolution. It is man’s destiny. This is the theme of the story. (290)

6. “The necklace” is a tragedy. Discuss.

According to Aristotle, a tragedy is a story of suffering over a long period. The hero of the tragedy is better than ordinary people are. He suffers because of a mistaken act. He exhibits great endurance in the face of sufferings. He may die or fail miserably at the end. His sufferings may arouse pity and terror.

In the light of the above definition, when we read the story, “The Necklace”, we find that Mathilda was higher in the sense that she was very beautiful. She suffered because of her four mistaken acts. Firstly, her high ideas about the luxuries of life were the first reason of her tragedy. She should not have gone to the ball. It was her mistake. Secondly, she should not have borrowed the necklace from her friend. This was her second mistake and it was the main reason of her tragedy.

Thirdly, she acted quite carelessly. She should have taken great care of the necklace. She lost the necklace because of her carelessness. Fourthly, she should have told her friend that she had lost her necklace. In this way, she would have been saved of her tragedy.

We see that she suffered for ten long years, but like the heroine of a tragedy, she exhibited great endurance in the face of all the sufferings. We see that she failed in the end in a sense that all her struggle proved useless. The end of the story arouses pity and horror.  We see her older than her friend of the same age. When her friend revealed that the necklace was false, we pity her. It is a shock not only for Mathilda but also for readers.

Therefore, we can conclude that “The Necklace” is a tragedy and it fulfills all its requirements. (297)

7. What is the moral of the story “The Necklace”?

There are at least three lessons or morals in the story “The Necklace”.

The first lesson is that we should be contented. We should learn to live according to our circumstances. When we read the story careful, we find that Mathilda was very beautiful. She was not contented. She thought that she was born for all the luxuries of life. She wanted to live in grand houses. She wanted to marry a rich man.

That was why she was always depressed. She did not enjoy her household life and food. When her husband praised the food, she thought of elegant dinners. She had neither frocks nor jewels and she felt that she was made for them. Therefore, she suffered for ten long years for her high ideas. No doubt, we should have high ideas but we should cut our coat according to our cloth.

The second lesson is that we always suffer if we try to get happiness through borrowed things. Shakespeare was right when he said that neither a borrower nor a lender be. Mathilda should not have borrowed the necklace from her friend. In this way, she should have been saved from her tragedy.

The third lesson is that we should always tell the truth. Truth always saves us. By telling a lie, we invite sufferings and misfortune. We see that when they lost the necklace, they should have told Mathilda’s friend about that. In this way, they would have come to know that it was a fake necklace. However, they told a lie and suffered for ten long years. In the end they found out that, they did not have anything to be proud. The necklace was not real and their struggle was just useless. What a pity! (292)

8. Write a note on the vanity of Mathilda Loisel.

No doubt, Mathilda Loisel was proud and self-loving. She was very beautiful and charming and she was proud of her beauty. Because of this beauty, she thought that she was born in a family of clerks through the error of destiny. She felt that she was born for all delicacies and luxuries. She also felt that she was made for expensive frocks, jewels and other such things.

As she belonged to a family of clerks, she was married to a petty clerk, but she was not happy at this marriage. She thought that she was out of her class and she belonged to upper class. That was why she did not like the poverty of her house. She thought that because of her beauty she had a right to live in a grand house. This house should have graceful furniture, footmen, and perfumed rooms. She wanted to chat with rich friends at five o’clock in those rooms.

When she and her husband sat to eat, she did not enjoy the food. Her husband praised the humble food but she thought of elegant dinners. She imagined that she would enjoy the food with a smile. There would be expensive wall cloth on the walls.

Therefore, we can conclude that Mathilda was very vain and proud because of her beauty. She was not happy with her life of poverty. She thought that she was born in the family of clerks through an error of destiny. As she was born for all the delicacies and luxuries of life, she should be among the people of high class. When we read the story we find out that, she suffered because of this vanity. (279)

9. How did Mathilda lose the necklace and what efforts did Loisel make to search it?

    What caused the loss of the necklace?

When we read the story “The Necklace” carefully, we find that Mathilda might have lost the necklace in the cab or somebody might have stolen it during the party. The thief might have thought that it was a real and expensive necklace.

Mathilda was very careless about the necklace. She enjoyed the party. Her greatest desire had come true. She was in a world of dream and she had forgotten everything, even her husband. Therefore, it was probable that either someone had stolen it during the party or she might have dropped it there. She might not have lost it on the road. If she had dropped it on the road, she, and her husband would have heard it fall. Therefore, if she had not lost it at the party she might have lost it in the cab while returning home.

When they found out that Mathilda had lost the necklace, they looked in the folds of the dress and in the pockets. In short, they searched for it everywhere, but could not find it.

After that, Loisel went to search the necklace on the track where they had walked on foot. He returned at 7 o’clock without any success. Then he went to the police and to the cab office. He put an advertisement in the newspaper and offered a reward. He did everything that he could do but failed to find the necklace. The continued their search for one week but lost all their hopes. (247)

10. What did Loisel and Mathilda do to buy a necklace to replace the lost one?

When they could not find the necklace, they decided to get some more time. First Mathilda wrote to Madam Forestier that she had broken the clasp of the necklace and she would return it after getting it repaired. In this way, they got some time to search the necklace but they could not find it even after one week.

Now they decided to replace the necklace. They took the box of the necklace to the jeweler whose name was written inside the box. However, he told them that he had not sold that necklace; he had only supplied the box. Then they went from jeweler to jeweler to find a necklace like the lost one.

At last, in a shop they found a necklace that seemed like the lost one. Its value was forty thousand francs, but they could it four thirty-six francs. They begged the jeweler not to sell the necklace for three days. They hoped that they would the necklace. Therefore, they arranged with the jeweler that if they found the lost necklace before the end of February they would return the necklace in thirty-four thousand francs.

Mr. Loisel had eight thousand francs and he borrowed some of the amount form his friends and relatives. The rest he took form usurers and lenders. He signed bond that he could not fulfill. At last, he bought for thirty-six francs and gave it to Madam Forestier. (236)

11. How did Mr. Loisel and Mathilda suffered to return the borrowed money?

To return the borrowed money Mr. and Mrs. Loisel suffered for ten long years.

First, they sent away the maidservant. Then they changed their lodging and rented some rooms. Now Mathilda learnt heavy cares of household life. She had to do the difficult chores of her kitchen. She had to wash dishes, greasy pots and stew pans. She had to use her rosy nails to wash the greasy pots and the bottoms of the stew pans. She had to wash dirty clothes and to hang them on the line to dry. Then each morning she had to take down the refuse to the street. She also had to bring up the water for daily use. She had to stop at each lending to breath. She did not have much money so she haggled with the shopkeepers to get reduction in prices.

Once she was very beautiful and used to wear beautiful dresses. Now she seemed old. Now she looked a common household woman. She had badly dressed hair and dirty dresses. Her hands were red and she spoke in a loud tone. She washed the floors in large pails of water.

Mr. Loisel had to work in the evenings after his office hours. He put the books of some merchants in order. At nights, he did copying for five sous a page.

Therefore, Mr. and Mr. Loisel led a life of difficulty after the loss of the necklace. They suffered for ten long years. However, that was not all. When they had returned the borrowed money, they came to know that they were suffered for nothing. The necklace they had lost was not real and its price was not over five hundred francs. We take pity on them for that. (291)

12. Was the necklace real or fake? How Mathilda come to know of this?

      Discuss the end of the story.

      Reproduce the talk between Madam Loisel and Madam Forestier.

On one Sunday Madam Loisel was taking a walk to free her of the cares of the week. Suddenly she saw Madam Forestier who was also taking a walk with a child. She decided to talk to her. She was meeting her after ten years. Now that she had paid up for the necklace, she could talk to her without any fear.

She approached her and said good morning to her very frankly. However, Madam Forestier could not recognize her because Mathilda had changed completely. She was not beautiful any more. She looked an ordinary poor woman. On the other hand, her friend was looking young and attractive. Madam Forestier said that she did not know her and she must be mistaken. Mathilda introduced herself. Madam Forestier was surprised. She told her that she had changed very much.

Mathilda told her that she faced many hardships because of Madam Forestier. She reminded her that she had borrowed a diamond necklace from her and then later lost it. She told her friend that she had returned her another necklace. She was happy because she had paid all the borrowed money.

Madam Forestier asked her if she had returned her a real diamond necklace. When Madam Forestier came to know that it was real, she was greatly moved. She took Mathilda’s both hands and told her that her necklace was not real and it was not worth over five hundred francs.

Therefore, that was how Mathilda came to know that the necklace she had borrowed was false and all her struggle was useless. (263)

13.   Write a note on the cultural background of the story.

        The writer has satirized the French life of his time.

        The writer has reflected the life style of French people of his time. Discuss.

When we read the story carefully we find that the story as a strong cultural background. The writher has presented woo classes of people – middle class and the upper class. There was a great gap between the two.

The people of high class were enjoying all the luxuries of life. They had ball parties. They enjoyed themselves by dancing, chatting, and playing indoor games. They wore fake jewellery. However, they tried to show off that they were wearing real and expensive jewellery. Madam Forestier’s fake diamond necklace proves this point. They made a show of their costly dresses. They were so carefree that they enjoyed parties until late at night.

On the other hand, people of middle class were suffering. They wanted to close the gap but could not do so. They suffered and because of these sufferings, they lost their beauty and looked old. On the other hand, rich people of the same age looked younger and more attractive. At the end of the story, we see that Mathilda’s rich friend of the same age was still beautiful and attractive.

Therefore, the writer has presented class difference vey satirically. The talk between Mathilda and her friend at the end of the story throws light on the class difference. (209)

The Tell tale Heart by Edger Allen Poe

The Telltale Heart by Edger Allen Poe

Summary

The story “The Tell-Tale Heart” throws light on the fact that a criminal cannot conceal his crime and the voice of one’s conscience cannot be subdued. It is impossible to ignore its pricking for long.

The narrator of the story decides to kill and old man just because of one of his eyes. That eye is very ugly. He also wants to prove that he is not mad, so he tells the reader how he killed the old man and why.

Whenever the old man’s eye fell on him he felt afraid, and so he decided to kill him. He kept on going to the old man’s room for seven nights. However, he did not kill him because his was always close.

On the eighth night, he was very careful. He found the eye open. He took a lot of time to kill the old man. He enjoyed the fears of the old man and laughed at him. Then he killed the old man. The old man screamed before dying. After killing him, he dismembered the dead body. He concealed the pieces under the flooring of the room.

Some neighbor had heard the screams and he had informed the police. Two police officers came to check the premises. He welcomed them and satisfied them that nothing wrong had happened. He took them to the old man’s rom.

Then suddenly he started hearing the heartbeat of the old man. This sound went on increasing. He tried to overcome it but failed. He thought that the police officers knew about his crime and they want him to confess to his crime. He could not bear this situation for long. At last, he confessed to his crime before the police officers.

1. Discuss the elements of horror in the story “The Telltale Heart”.

The story “The Telltale Heart” is a horror detective and crime story. Discuss.

The Story “The Telltale Heart” is full of elements of horror.   It also fulfils the requirements of a detective and crime story.

First, the motive of the murder creates horror. The killer did not want to kill the old man because of some object or passion. The killer loved the old man. The old man had never wronged him. He had not insulted him. The killer had no desire for the old man’s gold. The height of cruelty was that he wanted to kill the old man because he did not like one of his eyes. This motive of the killing creates horror.

The process of the killing also creates horror. When he went to kill the old man on the eighth night, he was very proud of his sagacity. Therefore, he laughed quietly and the old man heard him. He jumped on his bed with fear. It is very horrible that the killer enjoyed the fear of the old man. Then he yelled and jumped into the room the old man shrieked with terror. The killer dragged the old man to the floor, and pulled the heavy bed over him. When the old man died, he removed the bed and tried to feel the heartbeat of the old man. When the reader reads about the fear of the old man and the process of killing, he feels afraid.

We find the most horrible situation when the killer dismembered the dead body to conceal it. He cut off the head, the arms, and the legs. It is very horrible. We feel near nausea. How cruel the killer is! After killing the old man his own condition is a very horrible. The way his conscience pricks him is also very horrible. (290)

2. Discuss the elements of suspense in the story.

Suspense starts from the start of the story. The start of the story is very sudden. The word ‘nervous’ and ‘mad’ create a lot of suspense.

The narrator of the story sets the reader to a task. He wants him to find out whether he is mad or not. He keeps talking to the reader. He asks our opinion repeatedly. He gives arguments in his favour and keeps the suspense alive until the end of the story. This suspense is not satisfied. The reader is left to guess whether the narrator is mad or not. This is first element of suspense.

When the narrator kills the old man, the reader wants to know whether he will be caught or not. When the police officers come, the suspense reaches the highest point. This is the second element of suspense.

This element of suspense is satisfied when the killer confesses to his crime. Therefore, the story is full of suspense. (158)

3. Was the killer a mad man?

Why did the killer kill the old man? Was he a mad man?

We can rightly say that the killer was not mad, although he was very nervous and sensitive. Perhaps he had some sort of disease. That disease had made him too sensitive.

When we read the story “The Telltale Heart” carefully, we find that he was not mad at all. In our daily life, sometimes we do not like certain things without any serious reason. Sometimes we express our dislike and sometimes we do not. Therefore, the killer’s dislike of the old man’s eye was not abnormal. Problem was that he was too sensitive and nervous. When he looked at the old man’s eye, his blood ran cold. Therefore, by degrees he made up his mind to get rid of the old man’s eye by killing him.

The process of killing also suggests that he was not mad. He kept on going to the old man’s room for seven nights. However, he did not kill the old man, because he found his eye open. It means he had full control over his nerves. The killer was right when he said that he was not mad because a mad man knows nothing. On the other hand, he knew the safest way of killing. He put the heavy bed over the old man. The way he concealed the dead body also proves that he was not mad.

The most important pint is that he told a lie to the police officers that the old man was not present and it was his own shriek. Now we do not expect that from a mad man. Besides, the way he handled the police officers also proves that he was not mad. Therefore, the killer was not mad. (282)

4. Discuss the title of the story. OR Why did the killer confess to his crime?

Justify the title of the story. OR How was the murderer caught?

Confession of the killer at the end of the story is very sudden and unexpected. However, the title of the story suggests that the killer will make this confession. In the title, “The Tell-Tale Heart” the word “heart” means the guilty conscience of the killer. That “heart” forced him to confess to his crime.

At the start of the story, the killer was very nervous. We find him sensitive too. We see that after committing the crime he was quite satisfied and proud at his work. He even laughed.

When the police officers came, he satisfied them with his lies and peaceful manners. Everything was all right for him. However, suddenly, he grew pale. Now he wanted to get rid of the police officers. His head ached. He imagined a ringing in his ears. This ringing became louder. He was so nervous that he said, “Oh God! What could I do?” He talked wildly. He swore, and grated the chair on the floor. He wanted to overcome the ringing, but could not. He feared that the police officers might hear the ringing.

He thought that it was old man’s heartbeat. Actually, it was his guilty conscience. Its pricking was unbearable. He said. However, anything was better that this agony! I felt that I must ream of die.” And he screamed.

It was all due to his heart or guilty conscience that he confessed to his crime. The title of the story suggests this. (243)

5. How did the killer kill the old and how did he conceal the body?

How did the killer execute the murder and conceal the dead body?

The killer had been going to the old man’s room to kill him for seven nights. However, he did not kill him because he found his eye close. Actually, he wanted to kill the old man because he did not like one of his eyes. That eye was very ugly.

On the eighth night, he was very cautious in opening the door. He opened the door very slowly. He was proud of his sagacity. Therefore, he laughed quietly and the old man heard him. He moved on his bed. When he was about to open the lantern, his thumb sloped, and the old man sprang up in the bed. He started enjoying the fear of the old man and he chuckled again. He threw a thin ray of light on the old man’s eye. It was open. However, he delayed in killing the old man. Then suddenly with a loud yell, he jumped into the room. The old man shrieked. The killer dragged him onto the floor and pulled the heavy bed over him. When the old man died, he removed the bed. He tried to feel the heartbeat of the old man’s heart. He was dead.

To conceal the dead body first he dismembered it. He cut off the head, the arms, and the legs. He took up planks from the flooring of the room. He put the dead body in the hole and then replaced the planks. Therefore, in this way he killed the old man and concealed the dead body. (253)

6. What is the lesson or moral of the story/

The lesson or moral of the story “The Tell-Tale Heart” is that a criminal cannot conceal his crime and subdue the voice of his conscience. It is impossible to ignore it s pricking for long.

When we read the story carefully, we find that the killer is quite satisfied after killing the old man. In fact, he is proud of his successful work. He has killed the old man in the safest way. There is no blood spot. He had also concealed the dead body under the flooring. No one can detect anything wrong. Therefore, he laughs ha! Ha! Everything is all right. He is rather enjoying.

When the police officers come, he receives them with complete peace of mind. He is confident that there is nothing to fear. He satisfies them that nothing wrong has happened. He tells a lie. He tells them that the old man is not present. He also tells them that he shrieked in his dream. Now the police officers are satisfied.

Suddenly, he grows pale. Now he wants to get rid of the police officers. He feels headaches. He imagines a ringing in his ears. This ringing becomes louder. He is so nervous that he says, “Oh God! What could I do?” He talks wildly. He swears. He grates the chair on the floor just to overcome the ringing, but cannot. He fears that the police officers may hear this ringing. He thinks that it is the sound of old man’s heartbeat. Actually, it is his guilty conscience. Its pricking is unbearable. He says, “But anything was better that this agony!” he further says, “I felt that I must scream or die.” And he screams. It is all due to his heart or guilty conscience that he confesses to his crime. The title of the story suggests that. (304)

7. Discuss the atmosphere of the story.

There is an atmosphere of horror and suspense in the story “The Tell-Tale Heart”.

 To create the atmosphere of horror first the writer presents the motive of the murder. The killer did not want to kill the old man because of some object or passion. The killer loved the old man. The old man had never wronged him. He had not insulted him. The killer had no desire for the old man’s gold. The height of cruelty was that he wanted to kill the old man for one of his eyes. This motive of the killing creates horror.

The process of the killing also creates horror. When he went to kill the old man on the eighth night, he was very proud of his sagacity. Therefore, he chuckled and the old man heard him. He moved on his bed. It is very horrible that the killer enjoyed the fear of the old man. Then he yelled and jumped into the room. The old man shrieked with terror. The killer dragged the old man to the floor, and pulled the heavy be over him. When the old man died, he removed the bed and tried to feel the heartbeat of the old man. When the reader reads about the fear of the old man and the process of killing, he feels afraid.

We find him most horrible situation in the story when the killer dismembered the dead body to conceal it. He cut off the head, the arms, and the legs. It is very horrible. We feel near nausea. How cruel the killer is! His own condition after committing the murder and the way his conscience pricked him are also very horrible.

We find the atmosphere of suspense right from the start of the story. The start of the story is very sudden. The word ‘nervous’ and ‘mad’ create a lot of suspense. The writer sets the reader to a task. He wants him to find out whether he is mad or not. He keeps talking to the reader and asks his opinion repeatedly. He gives arguments in his favour and keeps the suspense alive until the end of the story. When he commits the crime, the reader wants to know whether he will be caught or not. When the police officers come, the suspense reaches the highest point. This suspense is satisfied when the killer himself confesses to his crime. Therefore, there is an atmosphere of horror and suspense in the story.41

Araby by James Joyce

Araby by James Joyce

Summary

The story “Araby” conveys the idea that the personal feelings of a person and the real world are two different things. First, we do not understand this difference but when we come to understand that, we are disillusioned. Then we are sad.

The narrator of the story is a schoolboy and lives with his uncle. He plays with his companions in the street until dusk and then they return their homes.

Mangan is his playmate. He falls in love with his sister. However, he cannot express his love to her. He keeps looking at her from a distance. He keeps on thinking about her all the time. Her image is always before his eyes. He is very intense in his love. Tears fill his eyes but he does not know why.

Once she talks to him and asks him to go to Araby. Araby is a bazaar. He promises that he will bring something for her if he goes there. Now going to Araby becomes his business. He takes permission to go. He waits for the appointed day impatiently. Now everything appears to him unimportant and a child’s play.

On the appointed day, he leaves for Araby very late with a very little money. He goes to a shop, looks at things. However, he cannot buy anything because of his little money.  He repents on his promise and his eyes burn with anger and anguish. (235)

1. With reference to “Araby”, discuss the intensity of the schoolboy’s love.

Describe narrator’s attitude towards Mangan’s sister.

The schoolboy is a passionate lover. Discuss.

James Joyce shows the effect of love on its victims.

The writer has described the intensity of the schoolboy’s love at various places in the story. From his description, the schoolboy appears to be a passionate lover. We also come to know the effect of love on its victims.

The schoolboy is a teenager. He loves Mangan’s sister very passionately, but he cannot express it. Therefore, he looks at her from a distance without saying anything. He wants to be around her. At school time as soon as she comes out of her house, he takes his books, rushes out and follows her without letting her know. The narrator says, “I had never spoken to her, except for a few casual words, and yet her name was like a summons to all my foolish blood.” He keeps on thinking about her even in the classroom. Her image comes between him and the pages he tries to read.

He keeps on thinking about her even in the market. He is so intense in his love that he cannot understand his prayers and praises for her. He cannot understand why his eyes are full of tears. He says about his condition: “But my body was like a harp and her words and gestures were like fingers running upon the wires.”

Sometimes he wants to get rid of his senses too. He usually murmurs “O love! O love!” Sometimes form the window of his house he looks at her house. He had become so much intense in his love that now her image is always before his eyes.

Therefore, we see the intensity of the schoolboy’s lover. His love had become his whole business. This is the effect of love on its victims. (280)

2. What were feelings of Mangan’s sister for the narrator and what did she talk to him?

The narrator used to watch Mangan’s sister from a distance. She used to come at the doorstep of her house to call Mangan to his idea. He watched her in fascination. Slowly he started liking her. On the other hand, she was unaware of his liking. She did not pay any special attention to him.

No doubt, she talked to him once but she did not talk about anything except Araby. Her talking proves tht she was completely unaware. The narrator of the story was confused when she talked to him. He did not know what to answer. However, she was quite normal. She asked him if he was going to Araby. She further told him that Araby would be s splendid bazaar and she would like to go there. The narrator asked her why she could not go to Araby. She answered that she could not go to Araby because there would be a retreat that week in her convent.

When she was talking, the narrator was looking at her in fascination. He was looking at her neck, hand, and dress that were lighted by the light. She said that if he went to Araby, it would be good for him. She meant to say that he would enjoy there. The narrator promised her that if he went there he would bring something for her. After that, their talk ended and they departed. (234)

3. Write a note on the mental condition of the schoolboy after his talk with Mangan’s sister.

Why were the schoolboy’s teachers annoyed with the schoolboy?

After his talk with Mangan’s sister, he started thinking about Araby all the time. He thought about that not only during daytime but also in his dreams. He was so impatient that he could not wait. He wanted to go to Araby at once.

He was to go on the next Saturday and a few days were left. He wanted to destroy these few days to go to Araby. He lost interest in everything else. Now he was annoyed with his schoolwork. Even in the classroom, he thought about her. Her image came between him and the pages he tried to read. He answered a few questions in the classroom. Before that, his teacher used to like him. Now he was very strict with him and thought that he was becoming idle.

He remained so absorbed in his thoughts that he could not concentrate on his studies. He had no patience for his work because he could not go to Araby because of this work. Now his class work seemed to him child’s play.

When he was, alone he recalled the syllable of the world Araby. As Araby was an eastern word, he thought he was under eastern enchantment. He asked for leave to go to Araby on Saturday. (209)

4. How did the schoolboy behave on Saturday when he was to go to Araby? Describe his feelings.

The writer has described the feelings of the narrator soon before leaving for Araby very beautifully.

On Saturday, he was very restless and impatient. He wanted to go at once. Nevertheless, he had to wait the whole day. He had to go to school and he had to wait for his uncle’s return. Before leaving for school, he reminded his uncle that he wished to go to Araby that day. He was not in a good mood when he left. His uncle did not return until dinnertime. He wanted money from him. Therefore, he had to wait.

First, he sat staring at the clock. When its ticking began to irritate him, he left the room. He went upstairs. He was feeling cold and gloomy. He went from one room to another singing. From the front window, he saw his companions playing. He looked at the dark house of the girl. He started imagining that the girl was standing and before him. He saw light touching her neck, her hand, and her dress. He stood there for an hour.

Then he came down. He saw Mrs. Mercer sitting at the fire. She had come to see his uncle. He was so impatient that he did not want to talk to her.

When she left, he started walking up and down the room. At nine O’clock, his uncle returned home. At the dinner table, he asked for money. His uncle said in a funny way that people were in their beds and after their first sleep. However, the boy did not enjoy the joke and did not smile. His aunt asked his uncle to give him the money and let him go. His uncle gave him one florin and started reading a poem, but he did not listen to it and started for Araby. (302)

5. Describe the schoolboy’s departure, feelings and visit to Araby in your own simple English.

The narrator’s visit to Araby proved useless because he could not buy anything for the girl. Therefore, he was very disappointed and angry and his eyes burned with anguish.

He got one florin from his uncle and went to the station. He was in a state of absent-mindedness. He got a seat in a third class carriage. The train was deserted because there were no passengers. He wanted to reach Araby very soon but the train left very late. It was a special train for Araby so the porters did not let the crowd of people gets into the train. He remained alone in the carriage.

When he reached Araby it was ten minutes to ten. Therefore, he was too late. He entered the bazaar by handling a shilling to a weary looking man. Most of the shops and stalls were close. The boy went to an open stall and looked at vases and tea sets. Three shop assistants were arguing. A young lady came over to him and asked what he wanted to buy. Perhaps he had read the prices written on the vases. He had come to know that he did not have enough money, so he told her that he did not want to buy anything. He was very much disappointed now. He stayed at the stall for some time and then turned away.

Now the upper part of the hall was completely dark. He touched the little money in his pocket. He had realized his foolishness. He should not have promised the girl to bring something for her. Therefore, his eyes burnt with anger and anguish. (270)

6. The schoolboy of the story “Araby” is the representative of the adolescence. Discuss.

The schoolboy is the representative of his class. Discuss.

No doubt, the schoolboy of the story “Araby” represents the adolescence. It is an age when boys are not mature. They are inexperienced and sentimental. They do not know anything about the bitter realities of life. To them their subjective world is everything. They want such things as are out of their reach. However, they do not come to know their real position until they are face-to-face wit bitter realities.

We see that the boy or the protagonist is just like that. He is immature and inexperienced and only a schoolboy. He is sentimental too. He falls in love, but does not know how to express it. He looks at his beloved in fascination from a distance. He keeps on thinking about her not only at night but also during the daytime. He remembers her when he is in his classroom and even when he goes to market with his aunt. Her image always remains before his eyes. His eyes are full of tears and he does not know why he is weeping. Now the serious work of life seems to him child’s play.

He does not know anything about the bitter realities of life. He promises to the girl that he would bring something for her. He forgets that he depends on his uncle and he does not have any money with him. He does not realize that until he stands at the shop and perhaps sees the high prices of things written on them. Now he is face to face with the bitter realities of life. He comes to know that he has very little money and with that money, he cannot buy anything for the girl. (279)

7. How does the schoolboy come to know that he is wrong and he should not have promised to bring something for the girl?

Why is the protagonist angry at the end of the story and why do his eyes burn with anguish?

“Araby” describes a conflict between the subjective feeling of the protagonist and the objective world.

What is the disillusionment of the schoolboy or the protagonist?

Discuss the narrator’s mental condition and the gap between his hopes and their fulfillment.

Conflict is a state of disagreement between opposing ideas. When we read the story “Araby” carefully, we find that two opposing ideas have been presented. The first idea is schoolboy’s subjective feelings and the second idea is his objective or real world. There is a conflict between the personal feelings of a person and the real world.

The boy falls in love with his friend’s sister. To him his subjective feeling of love is the only reality. All the other things have no importance for him. To him the serious work of live is a child’s play. He keeps on thinking about her all the time. Even when he goes to market, he thinks about her.

In the classroom, he cannot pay attention to his studies. Nothing is important for him now. He usually weeps without knowing why he is weeping. He promises to buy a gift for the girl. These are the subjective feelings of the boy. This is his illusion. His objective world is that he is just a schoolboy. Perhaps he is an orphan too. His uncle is his patron. He should not have promised the girls to bring something for her. He cannot buy anything for her because he himself is dependent on his uncle.

Therefore, we see that there is a big disagreement between his subjective feelings and objective world.

It is only at the end of the story that he comes to know what he is and what he should not have done. He is disillusioned. With his little money, he cannot buy anything for her. It was his vanity when he promised to bring something for her. It is the sense of reality that makes his eyes burn with anguish and anger. (289)

8. What is the theme of the story “Araby”?

The theme of the story “Araby” is that the subjective feelings of a person and the objective world are two opposing things. There is no agreement between them. First, we do not understand this disagreement, but later we come to understand that, and we are disillusioned. Then we are sad and dejected.

When we read the story carefully, we see the subjective feelings of a schoolboy. He is in love with his fried’s sister. To him his subjective feeling of love is the only reality. All other things have no importance for him. To him the serious work of life is child’s play. He keeps on thinking about her all the time. Even when he goes to market, he thinks about her. In the classroom, he cannot pay attention to his studies. Nothing is important for him now. He usually weeps without knowing why he is weeping. These are the subjective feelings of the boy. This is his illusion.

His objective world is that he is just schoolboy. Perhaps he is an orphan too. His uncle is his patron. He should not have promised the girls that he would bring something or her. He cannot bring anything for her, because he is himself dependent on his uncle.

We see that is a great disagreement between his subjective feelings and the objective world. First, he does not understand this disagreement, but later he comes to understand that and he is disillusioned. Then he is sad and dejected.

It happens to all of us. Sometimes we wish for such things as are out of our reach. We keep on thinking about them, but at the end, we are disillusioned. (277)

9. What are symbolic meanings of the deserted train and dark bazaar in the story “Araby”?

The deserted train and the dark bazaar have great symbolic meanings in the story “Araby”.

The deserted train is one of the means that can take him to his most serious place ‘Araby’. It also symbolizes gloom and a kind of disappointment that the schoolboy is going to face.

Writers always set the situation for the end of the story. The setting of story always foretells the end of the story. If the end is pleasant, the writer always talks about light, day, and good things. If the end is tragic, the writer always talks about night, darkness, cold, gloom, death and other bad things. Therefore, the desertedness of the train, its delay, and slowness all symbolize the tragic end and the disappointment that the boy is going to face.

The dark bazaar symbolizes the narrator’s ignorance. He promises to the girl that he will bring something for her from “Araby”. He does not know that he cannot buy a gift for the girl with his little money. Therefore, the darkness of the bazaar shows his ignorance. The darkness of bazaar also symbolizes the bitter realities of life. It is a reality that he is immature and inexperienced and does not know anything about the power of money. Therefore, by looking into the darkness, he realizes his foolishness. This darkness also symbolizes that we cannot fulfill all wishes. Various things that are out of our reach and we cannot get them.

Therefore, we see that the deserted train and the dark bazaar are highly symbolic. (255)

Take pity by Bernard Malamud

Take pity by Bernard Malamud

Summary

Two cultures are at conflict in the story “Take Pity”. These cultures are the Polish and the American. Eva represents the Polish culture and Rosen represents American culture. Because of different cultures, Eva and her husband are not ready to trust anyone.

Rosen is an ex-coffee salesperson. He tries to commit suicide. Davidov is a census taker. He has come to find out the reason of his attempt to commit suicide. First reason teases Davidov, but then tells him Axel’s story to explain the reason of his attempts to commit suicide.

Axel Kalish is a Polish refugee. He has come to America to take refuge and for better career. He works very hard and starts a grocery store, but it fails. He asks for credit from a company. The company sends Rosen to analyze the business. He recommends okay out of pity. However, he tells Axel that his business will fail. He advises him to get rid of it. First Axel does not listen to him but then decides to act upon his advice. However, all of a sudden he dies of heart attack.

After his death, his wife, Eva, gets the insurance money. She invests that money in the business. Rosen has advised her not to do that. Her business fails. She and her daughters have nothing to eat. Rosen tries to help her, but she rejects every offer of help. Eva is not ready to accept Rosen’s help because of his idea of self-respect. Rosen wants to help her at every cost. He leaves everything to Eva in his will and tries to commit suicide. At the end, Eva comes to him but he abuses her and asks her to go back.  

1. What does Rosen advises Eva; why does she not act upon it?

Rosen is an ex-coffee sales man and has a good deal of experience about business. From his experience, he knows that Eva’s business would not flourish there.

He advises Eva to take the money and her children and run away from there. However, Eva refuses to act upon his advice because she thinks that with the insurance money she can establish her business. She says that with the insurance money she will stock up and fix the store. She believes that she will be able to attract the customers by decorating the store. Therefore, she rejects this advice because of her optimistic approach.

Secondly, he advises to marry someone, but she again refuses. She believes that nobody will marry her because she is a widow with two daughters. She believes that she cannot have happiness because all her life she has been suffering. Here she refuses because of her pessimistic point of view. (153)

2. Why does Eva refuse offers of help from Rosen?

Eva refuses offers of help from Rosen for various reasons.

When we read the story “Take Pity” carefully, we find that Eva invests the insurance money, but the business does not flourish. Now she and her daughters do not have anything to eat. Rosen takes pity on them and tries to give something to eat to her daughters. However, she does not like it. She rejects the offer because of self-respect.

Secondly, when her business fails miserably, Rosen asks her to leave the shop for creditors. He offers her to shift in his two-family house. She refuses this offer of help taking it charity. She also thinks that Rosen will ask for some kind of payment in return.

Thirdly, Rosen proposes her and promises to take care of her and her daughters but she refuses. Its reason is that Rosen proposes her out of pity not out of love. She wants love not pity. Fourthly, he requests her to let him stock up the store, but she refuses taking it a charity.

Fifthly, Rosen makes a plan and sends her money by post. He informs her that he is an old friend of her husband. He is returning the money taken as a loan from her husband. Eva does not open the second envelope. Perhaps she comes to know that Rosen is behind all this.

Therefore, we can conclude that Eva refuses Rosen’s help because of various reasons. She thinks that her business will flourish someday, nobody will marry her, and Rosen’s help is charity. She misunderstands Rosen. The most important reason is that she is obstinate and is not ready to think reasonably. (274)

3. Why does Rosen want to help Eva?

Rosen wants to help Eva out of pity. The title of the story also suggests that.

Axel Kalish is a Polish refugee. He runs a grocery store. When his business fails, he asks for credit from a company. The company sends Rosen to see the condition of his business. Rosen recommends okay out of pity. He has experience of such business so he advises Kalish to leave the business. He asks him to do some job. He advises him purely out of pity. There is no other motive behind it.

After his death, his wife does not listen to him either. She invests the money. The store fails and things worsen. She and her daughters starve. He cannot look at their faces. He is deeply moved by their suffering. That is why he tries to give something to eat to Eva’s daughters. He is even ready to marry her out of pity. He tells her that he wants to marry her because he wants to take care of her daughters. It is because of this pity that Eva rejects the offer. She wants love not pity.

When we read the story carefully, we find that he wants to help them because he cannot stand their misery. His heart bleeds for them. Moreover, he is sick and knows that he will not live long. That is why he wants to help Eva even with his whole money and with his life. He tries to commit suicide to help her.

Therefore, we can conclude that Rosen tries to help her only out of pity. There is no other motive behind it. (269)

4. Was Eva responsible for her tragic failure?

Yes, Eva was responsible for her tragic failure. She was obstinate and too much optimistic. She was not ready to listen to any advice from Rosen.

Firstly, when her husband died, Rosen advised her to take the money and the children and run away from there. Eva said that she had no place to go. At this, he offered her to shift in his two-family house. He also advised her to find some job so that she might take care of her and her daughters but she did not listen to him. She was hopeful that her business would flourish some day.

Secondly, he proposed her. Eva rejected his proposal. Rosen had promised her that after the marriage he would take care of her and her daughters. It was a good chance. No doubt, he was sick hand his proposal was based on pity, but he could be very helpful to her and to her daughters. We can say that she should not have refused. It was a great mistake.

Thirdly, after that God gave her another chance. Rosen again came to her. He suggested that if she did not want to marry him, he would find a suitable man for her. He said that he would give the dowry. Alas! She again refused. How obstinate she was. There was a man who wanted to help her and her starving daughters, but she refused repeatedly.

Therefore, we can conclude that Eva was responsible for her suffering after the death of her husband. She should have realized that she could not live on her own with her two starving daughters. She was too optimistic and too obstinate. She did not listen to Rosen’s pieces of advice. She vainly hoped that her business would flourish some day. (295)

5. Write a character sketch of Eva.

Eva may be called the heroin of the story “Take Pity”. She was a Polish refugee. She and her husband came to America to take refuge. Her husband started a grocery store but it failed. Later, he died of heart attack. After his death, she tried to re-establish the grocery store but she could not. When we go through the story, we find the following qualities in her character.

Firstly, she had very optimistic nature. We see that she was too much optimistic, rather to the extent of foolishness. Rosen was an ex-coffee salesperson. He advised her not to invest the insurance money, but she did not listen to him. She thought that her business would flourish some day. She kept on believing that until the end of the story.

Secondly, she was a stubborn woman. She did what she decided to do. She did not listen to any advice from Rosen. Some offers mad by Rosen were quite reasonable, but she ignored every offer very stubbornly. Thirdly, she was a woman of great self-respect. To accept anything in charity was disgrace to her. She just could not do that. She would rather die. At one place in the story, Rosen wanted to give something to eat to her daughters, but they refused to take it. They said, “We can’t take, Momma says today is a fast day.” They had become so weak of hunger that Rosen could not look at their faces. The same was the condition of Eva. She was also starving. In spite of all that, she rejected all the offers of help from Rosen. Its reason was that they were based on pity not love.

She rejected Rosen’s proposal of marriage because it was also based on pity. She wanted love not pity. It hurt her self-respect. At the end to the story, when Rosen tried to commit suicide, she misunderstood him. She through that Rosen had done that out of love of hers. That is why she went to Rosen at the end of the story with raised arms. (344)

6. Why does Eva come to Rosen with haunted, beseeching eyes, and raised arms at the end of the story?

It is very surprising that Eva comes to Rosen with hunted, beseeching eyes, and raised arms at the end of the story. Previously, she has been rejecting every offer of help from Rosen. However, when we read the story carefully, we find that Eva does so because of a very dominant quality of her character.

We see that Eva is a woman of greet self-respect. To accept anything in charity is disgrace to her. She just cannot accept it. She would rather die. At one place in the story Rosen wants to give something to eat to her daughters, but they refuse to take it and say, “We can’t take, Momma says today is a fast day.” They have become so weak of hunger that Rosen cannot look at their faces. The same is the condition of Eva. She is also starving.

In spite of all that, she rejects all the offers of help from Rosen. Its reason is that they based on pity not on love. She rejects Rosen’s proposal of marriage because it is also based on pity. She wants love not pity. It hurts her self-respect.

When Rosen tries to commit suicide leaving everything to Eva, she thinks that Rosen has done this out of love of hers. That is why she goes to him with haunted, beseeching eyes and raised arms. Actually, she has decided to marry Rosen. She is quite convinced that Rosen no loves her and does not pity her. (246)

7. What is the cause of conflict between Rosen and Eva?

The cause of conflict between Rosen and Eva is that Eva has too much self-respect. She wants love, but Rosen feels only pity for her.

When we read the story carefully, we find that she is a woman of great self-respect. To accept anything in charity from anybody is disgrace to her. She just cannot accept it. She would rather die.

On the other hand, Rosen cannot understand that. He keeps on trying to help Eva out pity. He tries to give something to eat to her daughters but they refuse to take it. Actually, she has taught her daughters not to accept anything in charity. This shows that she is not ready to accept anything given to her and to her daughters out of pity or in charity.

When Rosen proposes her, she rejects that offer because she knows that this offer is based on pity. Rosen proposes her saying, “For myself, Eva, I don’t want a thing, absolutely not a thing. For you and your girls – everything.” These are shocking words for a woman who believes in love and not in charity. A time comes when she tells him to go away and he should not come back.

Therefore, the cause of conflict between Rosen and Eva is self-respect of Eva. She wants love not pity but Rosen does not understand that. (224)

8. Why is Rosen angry with Eva at the end of the story and why does he abuse her?

It is very surprising that Rosen has been trying to help Eva, but when she comes to him at the end of the story, he abuses her. When we read the story “Take Pity” carefully, we find that Rosen does so because of a very strong reason.

Rosen has been trying to help Eva out of pity. He does everything to help her. He advises her not to invest the money but she does not listen to him. He gives her loan out of his own pocket. He proposes her out of pity but she rejects this proposal. He has a very soft heart. He cannot see her daughters starving. He tries to give them something to eat. He tries to send money to Eva with a fake name. He does all that out of pity. He tries everything, but Eva rejects his every offer.

He is a sick man and he knows that he will not live long. Therefore, as a last attempt, he tries to commit suicide leaving everything to Eva and to her daughters. Fortunately, he is saved. However, still he does not have any interest in life. It appears that he again wants to commit suicide. He tells Davidov that he does not need light. Davidov is a census taker. This shows that he not interested in life.

When Eva comes to him, he misunderstands her. He thinks that she has come to reject his will. He gets angry. He has tried everything to help her and she is still the same stubborn woman. Therefore, he loses his temper, abuses her, and asks her to go back to her children. (274)

9. Describe Eva’s life before her husband’s death.

Eva led a very hard life even before the death of her husband. Her native country was Poland and she belonged to Jewish family. However, she had to leave Poland because of Hitler’s invasion of Poland. Therefore, to save the lives of his family and for better career, her husband took her and their two daughters to America.

However, the condition of her life did not get better. Her husband worked very hard and started a grocery store with his savings, but the store did not flourish and their condition became worse. Now they did not have anything to eat. They applied for loan. Rosen recommended the loan out of pity. In spite of that, his store failed.

After two months, he tried to sell the store but nobody bought. Now they were starving. They did not have anything to spend. They got poorer. Because of hunger and starvation, they became so weak that no one could look at their faces. He decided to go in auction but because of continuous worries, tension and failures he died of heart attack. (180)

10. Discuss Eva’s life after the death of her husband.

After the death of her husband, Eva took over the charge of everything. Although Rosen advised her not to invest the money in the store, yet she did that. She invested the insurance money in the store. She bought all kinds of goods on cash. It took her a week to arrange things in the store. She worked very hard. She packed things on the shelves. She mopped the floors. She mad decorations with tissue paper. In short, she arranged and decorated the store very well.

However no customer came. They used to come only when the main shops were close. They used to buy only minor things. Therefore, her store failed miserably. She did not make any profit. She had no money. She and her daughters at up the food present in the store. After that, they were starving again. Once more, they had become so weak that no one could look at their faces.

In spite of that, they had great self-respect, did not accept anything from anyone, and went on starving. Rosen made many offers to help her and her daughters but she rejected every offer. She thought that Rosen was making those offers out of pity. At the end when Rosen tried to commit suicide, she went to Rosen, but he abused her and asked her to go back. It means that her life of struggle and misery would go on. (235)

Breakfast by John Steinbeck

Breakfast by John Steinbeck

Summary

The story “Breakfast” throws light on the fact that the most important thing is contentment. If man has contentment, he can be happy even if he has no house, no permanent job, and no good food to eat.

Once, the writer is going somewhere. On his way, he sees a young woman working outside her tent. The writer is feeling cold and hunger. He goes to the tent. He finds the woman preparing breakfast.

An old man and a young man came out of the tent. They offer the writer to join them for breakfast. The writer agrees. All of them sit on the ground and enjoy a good breakfast. The old man and the young man thank God for that good breakfast. They have been eating good food only for twelve days, but they are happy.

After the breakfast, the young man offers the writer a job, but the writer denies and departs saying thanks for the breakfast. At the end, the writer expresses his feelings.

1. What is the theme of the story “Breakfast”?

The theme of the story “Breakfast” is that if man has contentment, he can be happy even if he has no house, no permanent job, and no good food for long.

The writer relates his personal experience to prove that things do not bring happiness. It is our attitude towards life and God that ensures it. Once, the writer met a family. This family was living in a tent just like gypsies who do not have any permanent job or house. These gypsies are always on the move. They pitch up their tent where they find work.

This family was just like them. This family did not have a grand house. They were poor. When they sat to eat, they used a packing box as a table. They sat on the ground to eat because they do not have any chairs, but they were happy. They did not have any complaint or anger against any person or agency because of their poverty. They were happy with the little living they had.

They had been eating good food just for twelve days, but they were grateful to God. The older man said while eating, “God Almighty, it’s good.” Contentment and gratefulness to God was their wealth. After working for twelve days, they were able to get good clothes. They were happy. It was very easy for them to become happy on little favours from God. They did not need much to be happy.

Therefore, the story presents the theme that we are at wrong when we think that things bring happiness. The writer has proved that money is not wealth, but contentment is. (272)

2. Elaborate the last remark in the story “Breakfast”.

What were the reasons that it was pleasant and there was some element of beauty in it?

In his last remarks, the writer has talked about the theme of the story very beautifully. He has not tried to draw the theme for the reader. He has just given the hint that there is some element of beauty in the story.

The writer has narrated a very short and common event. This event does not have any thrill, surprise of suspense in it. However, something has made this event pleasant. There is some element of great beauty. A long time has passed but this element of beauty still fills his heart with pleasure whenever he thinks of it.

When we go through the story, we find that the element of great beauty was contentment of those people. Besides, they were simple, and were thankful to God on what they had. We see that the family presented by the writer lived in a tent just like gypsies. This family did not have any permanent house or job. The two men pitched up their work where they found work.

They were so much poor that when they sat to eat, they used a packing box as a table. They sat on the ground to eat because they did not have any chairs, but they were happy. They had been eating food just for twelve days, but they were grateful to God. The older man said while eating, “God Almighty, it’s good.” The family did not need much to be happy. This was the element of beauty in the story, which the writer has mentioned in the last lines of the story. (261)

3. Read the story “Breakfast” carefully and describe the experience and feelings of the writer about the family of cotton pickers.

Describe in your own words the writer’s chance meeting with the family of cotton pickers.

The writer had an experience of meeting with the family of cotton pickers. That experience had an everlasting impact on the writer.

One day, the writer was walking down a country road. He was feeling cold. He saw a grey tent at a distance. A woman was preparing breakfast nearby. The writer approached the tent. After some time two men came out of the tent. One was young while the other was old. They said good morning to the writer. The young man said “Keerist” when he smelt the hot bread.

They offered the writer to join in the breakfast. The writer accepted the offer. They all sat down on the ground and ate to their fill. The young and the old man both were happy at their new dungarees. The old man thanked God. When the writer thanked the cotton picker for the breakfast, he waved his hand in a negative. The young man offered the writer to join in their work, but the writer told them that he had to go along.

The writer expressed his feelings at the start and at the end of the story. According to the writer, this short event still brings curious warm pleasure. He indirectly refers to his pleasant feeling on the simplicity and contentment of cotton pickers. He was impressed by their thankfulness to God. (225)

4. “Breakfast” is a criticism on the materialistic modern age particularly on city people. Discuss.

No doubt, the story “Breakfast” is a criticism on the materialistic modern age, particularly on city people.

In this story, the writer has indirectly criticized the people who think that only things can bring happiness. The writer relates his own personal experience to prove that things do not bring happiness. It is our attitude towards god and life that ensures it.

Once, the writer met a family. The family was living in a tent just like gypsies who do not have any permanent house or job. These gypsies are always on the move. They pitch up their tent where they find work. This family was just like them. They did not have a grand house. They were poor. When they sat to eat, they used a packing box as a table. They sat on the ground to eat because they did not have any chairs, but they were happy.

They did not have any complaint or anger against any person or agency because of their poverty. They were happy with the little living they had. They had been eating good food just for twelve days, but they were grateful to God. The older man said while eating, “God Almighty, it’s good.” Contentment and gratefulness to God was their wealth. They were able to buy new clothes, after working for twelve days. It was very easy to them to become happy on little favours from God. They did not need much to be happy.

Therefore, the story is a criticism on the materialistic modern age, particularly on city people who think that things bring happiness. (264)

5. Write a note on the atmosphere and setting of the story.

The setting of a story means time, place, and social circumstances in which its action occurs. When we read the story, we find that the time of the story is present. The writer wants to promote the idea that things do not bring happiness. Nevertheless, it is our attitude towards God and life that ensures it.

The place of the action of the story is a hilly area or a village. The family of cotton pickers is living in a tent just like gypsies. They pitch up their tent where they find work. When they sit to eat, they use a packing box as a table. They sit on the ground because they do not have any chair. They have been eating good food just for twelve days. However, they were happy and have contentment and gratefulness to God.

In this story, the writer presents the social circumstances of a poor family. He presents their poverty by describing the things like the tent, the rusty stove, packing box, the humble food and the cotton skirt of the woman. The action of the story takes place outside the tent where the family meets the writer. They have their breakfast there. (199)

6. What did the younger man offer the writer in the story? What effect did this offer has on his mind?

Discuss the attitude of cotton pickers with the writer.

Why does the writer decline the offer of a job but could never forget these people?

After having breakfast, the younger man offered the writer to join in their work of cotton picking, but the writer rejected the offer. However, he thanked for the breakfast.

The writer expressed his feelings at the start and at the end of the story. At the start of the story, the writer says that the remembrance of the offer of work and the attitude of the cotton pickers fill him with pleasure. He can remember these in the smallest detail. This memory is so good that he finds himself recalling it repeatedly. Each time he remembers something new. He gets curious warm pleasure.

At the end, he thinks that there was a great element of beauty. That element of great beauty makes him happy whenever he thinks about it.

Therefore, we see that the offer of work and the attitude of the family of cotton pickers had a very good effect on the writer. He still remembers it and it appears that he will always remember it. Whenever he remembers it, he gets happiness.

He is impressed by the simplicity, contentment, and the sincerity of the cotton pickers. They had only twelve days of work; still they offer the writer to join in. They were very kind with the writer. Although the writer was a complete stranger to them, yet they received him very kindly. They exchanged greeting with the writer and received him with a smile. They were very poor but they offered the writer to join in the breakfast. (251)

7. Write a note on the characters of the story “Breakfast”.

Characters are the persons presented in a story. A character may remain unchanged in his outlook from beginning to end or he may change. If a character remains unchanged, it is called a flat or type character and if it changes it is called a round character.

When we read the story “Breakfast” carefully, we find that the characters presented in the story are flat. They remain unchanged from the beginning to the end. There are five characters in the story. The members of the family of cotton pickers represent village people. The fifth one is the writer himself. He takes the role of a narrator. He receives the favours of the family of cotton pickers.

The first quality of the cotton pickers is that they are kind and good-hearted people. Their circumstances do not allow them to offer a stranger to join in the breakfast. They are very poor and they have been eating good food just for twelve days. They have seen and tasted good food after a long time. It is very difficult to offer somebody else. However, they are not just ordinary people. They are symbols of good qualities. The writer has presented them to prove that a person can be kind even to a stranger if he wants to. It is not difficult at all.

Their second quality is their contentment. They are contented people. They are so poor that they live in a tent just like gypsies. When they sit to eat, they use a packing box because they do not have any table. They sit on the ground to eat because they do not have any chair. However, they are happy and smile when they look at each other.

Their third quality is their gratefulness to God. In spite of all their poverty, they are happy and grateful to God on his favours.  Their gratefulness to God is very touching and impresses the writer very much.

In the present circumstances, it is very difficult to find such people. However according to the writer there are such people in the world. One may come across them on one’s way. (355)   

8. The story “Breakfast” is a symbolic story. Discuss.

The story “Breakfast” has an allegorical interpretation. Discuss.

The qualities are personified in the story “Breakfast”

No doubt, the story “Breakfast” is a symbolic story and it has an allegorical interpretation. In this story, the good qualities of contentment and gratefulness to God have been personified as persons. The writer has presented a family of cotton pickers. The writer has not told the names of the characters because they are type characters. They are symbol of contented and grateful village people.

Firstly, they are symbol of kindness and good-heartedness. Their circumstances do not allow them to offer a stranger to join in breakfast. They are very poor and eating good food only for twelve days. They have seen and tasted good food after a long time. It is very difficult to offer someone else. However, they are not just ordinary people. They are the symbol of good qualities. The writer has presented them to prove that a person can be kind even to a stranger if he wants to.

Secondly, they are the symbol of contentment. They are contented people. They are so poor that they live in a tent just like gypsies. They pitch up their tent where they find work. When they sit to eat, they use a packing box because they do not have any chair. However, they are happy and smile when they look at each other.

Thirdly, they are symbol of gratefulness to God. In spite of all their poverty, they are happy and grateful to God on His favours. Their gratefulness to God is very touching and impresses the writer very much.

In the present circumstances, it is very difficult to find such people. However, according to the writer, there are such people in the world. One may find them on one’s way. Such people are really symbol of good qualities. (291)

The New Constitution

The New Constitution by Saadat Hasan Manto

Summary

The story “The New Constitution” conveys the idea that a little knowledge is a dangerous thing. It also tells the reader about the true feelings of the common people of India for the British.

Ustad Mangu is a tongawala and lives in Lahore. He is illiterate. He is in the habit of overhearing his fares. Once he overhears from his fares about the communal violence. He is worried and tells his friends about the reason of this communal violence.

He hates the English because of their arrogance and insulting behavior. Once a gora soldier insults him and Ustad bears the insult silently. In rage, he abuses the English.

Once he overhears about the introduction of the new constitution. He is very happy. He returns to the Tonga stand and tells his companions about the news. After that, he overhears about the changes. He overhears that the Indians would be free. He thought that the new constitution would force the English to go back to England. The Indian would have elected assemblies. They would have equal rights. He waits for the introduction of the new constitution very impatiently.

On 1 April, he gets up early in the morning and comes on road to see the new constitution in force. However, he is disappointed to see no change. He meets a Gora soldier there and picks up a quarrel with him. He beats the Gora soldier. Two police officers lock him up. They tell him that nothing has changed and it is the same old constitution. (254)

1. What were the expectations of Ustad Mangu? Did these expectations come true?

Ustad Mangu was a tongawala. He was illiterate and did not know what the new constitution was. All his expectations were based on what he overheard from his fares. The most striking point is that he believed in all those expectations. He was sure that these expectations would come true.

He expected that a lot would change. The Indians would be free. The new constitution was going to be like boiling hot water, which would destroy the moneylenders. The new constitution would force the English to go back to England and they would not infest the earth anymore. The Russian king was bound to show them his paces. The things were going to open up.

The Indians would have elected assemblies and people would get government jobs. Everyone would be able to lay his hand on something. The number of thousands of unemployed graduates would reduce. The present system of allotting Tonga number plates would change.

He also expected that Indians would have equal rights. Ustad Mangu beat the Gora soldier under this illusion. According to Ustad Mangu now, it was the new constitution and he had the same rights as the Gora soldier had. If he could beat Ustad Mangu, so could Ustad. However, it was surprising for Ustad Mangu that he was locked up.

Therefore, all these were the expectations of Ustad Mangu and none of these came true. (231)

2. What were the feelings of the people of common working class of India for the English?

Write about the feelings of people like Ustad Mangu for the English.

The Indians hated British Imperialism. Discuss.

People like Ustad Mangu hated the British and their imperialistic system. Ustad Mangu was a tongawala and belonged to a lower working class of India. People like him were illiterate. They were unaware of the changes that were being made in India. They hated the British because of their personal insults.   The English used to abuse the Indians as if they were some lower creation of God, even worse than a dog. The English were proud too.

Under the circumstances, the Indians hated the British and their imperialistic system. Even after abusing them for hours, they used to feel enraged. They used to call them lepers, something dead and rotting. They wanted to knock them all out. They were sick of their arrogance. The English were just like human monkeys to them. The English treated the Indians as if the Indians were their father’s slaves.

The people of lower working class felt that the English were ruling India against the will of the Indians. According to Ustad Mangu, “Came to the house to fetch a candle and before you knew, they had taken it over.” For the Indians, the English were usurpers and they did not have any right of ruling India. They wanted them to leave India and set the Indians free. They were so sick of the English that they used to experience near nausea when they met them.

These were the real feelings of the people of common working class of India against the English. (248)

3. Why did Ustad Mangu hate the British?

Ustad Mangu was a tongawala. He lived in Lahore before the establishment of Pakistan. The English were ruling India then. He hated the English because of a personal reason. Once it happened that Ustad Mangu had a quarrel with a drunken Gora soldier. The Gora soldier abused Ustad Mangu. Ustad had to bear the insult silently. This made him depressed for days and he developed feelings of hatred towards the English.

He used to tell his friends that he hated the British because they were ruling Hindustan against the will of the Indians. Besides, they missed no opportunities to commit atrocities. However, the true reason was his personal insult.

This hatred went on increasing because of the treatment of the English. They used to treat him as if he were some lower creature of God, even worse than a dog. They were very proud. They ordered him as if he was their father’s slave.

Therefore, we can conclude that the Gora soldier of the cantonment was responsible for Ustad Mangu’s hatred. This hatred went on increasing. Later it changed into a hatred for the British. (185)

4. What did Ustad Mangu look forward to on 1 April?

What did Ustad Mangu expect on 1 April?

Ustad Mangu looked forward to many things on the first April.

On the first April, he was very happy because he was going to see the coming of the new constitution with his own eyes. He wanted to see colour and light. He expected that everything would change. The shop signs, the lampposts, and even people would change. He wanted to see something colourful and dramatic. He wanted to see the new constitution as clearly as he could see his horse. He wanted to see the new constitution brought out with razzle-dazzle.

His most important expectation was that the Indians would have equal rights. Ustad Mangu beat the Gora soldier under the illusion that he had equal rights after the enforcement of the new constitution.

He also expected that the new constitution was going to be like boiling hot water. It would destroy the moneylenders who sucked the blood of the poor. The new constitution would force the English to go back to England. They would not infest the earth any more. The Russian king would show them his paces. The things were going to open up. The Indians would have elected assemblies. The unemployed graduates would get government jobs. Everyone would be able to lay hands on something. The present system of allotting Tonga number plates would change.

Therefore, Ustad Mangu was looking forward to these changes on 1 April. The most important thing was that he thought that the Indians would be free. They would have equal rights and everything would change. (254)

5. What was Ustad Mangu’s reaction to communal violence between the Hindus and the Muslims?

Ustad Mangu looked disturbed on communal violence between the Hindus and the Muslims.

Actually, Ustad Mangu was not an educated person. He did not know exactly what was going on in India. All his knowledge of things depended on what he overheard from his fares. His fares were just like newspapers to him. The most interesting point is that he believed in all what he overheard. That was why he was looking disturbed after overhearing from his fares about the communal violence.

He sat down with his friends. He took a long drag on the Hookah. He removed his khaki turban and gave his own reason of the communal violence. He believed that the communal violence acts were the result of a holy man’s curse. Then he told the whole story to his friends. According to him, once Akbar Badshah showed disrespect to a saint. That saint cursed him. He said that his Hindustan would always be troubled by riots and disorder.

Therefore, we conclude that Ustad Mangu was worried about communal violence. He believed that they were the result of a holy man’s curse. (185)

6. How was Ustad Mangu disillusioned about “The New Constitution”?

How did Ustad Mangu come to know that he was wrong about the New Constitution?

How was Ustad Mangu disappointed about the New Constitution?

Disillusion means disappointed in somebody or something that one had admired and believed in.

When we go through the story “The New Constitution”, we find that Ustad Mangu had many wrong expectations about the new constitution. He was illiterate and did not know exactly what the new constitution was. All his wrong expectations were based on what he overheard from his fares. The most interesting point is that he believed that all these expectations would come true.

His first wrong expectation was that the Indians would have equal rights. He English would not be able to infest the earth any more. Ustad Mangu beat the Gora soldier under the illusion that he had equal right after the enforcement of the new constitution. The same Gora soldier had abused Ustad Mangu. Ustad Mangu had to bear the insult. However, this time he thought that it was now the new constitution in force and he had the same right as the Gora soldier had. If Gora soldier could beat Ustad Mangu, so could he; but he was disillusioned. He was locked up. He was told that it was the same old constitution.

Therefore, that was how he was disillusioned of his false belief of equal rights. He also had the false belief that everything would change, but he was disillusioned of that too. He came to know that nothing had changed. Even it was the same old constitution. (236)

7. Discuss that a little knowledge is a dangerous thing in the context of the story “The New Constitution”.

When we read the story “The New Constitution” carefully, we conclude that it is a fact that a little knowledge is a dangerous thing.

At the start of the story, the writer talks about the knowledge of Ustad Mangu very ironically. According to the writer, “He had never seen the inside of a school, and in strictly academic terms was no more than a cipher, but there was nothing under the sun he did not know something about.”

We find that Ustad Mangu had a little knowledge about things. We see that he was in the habit of overhearing his fares. His fares were just like newspapers to him. The most important thing was that he believed in all what he used to overhear from his fares. He was illiterate so he did not know exactly what was going on around him.

Firstly, he believed that communal violence between the Muslims and the Hindus was because of some holy man’s curse. It was just lack of knowledge. Secondly, he believed that every country was ruled over by a king. The new constitution was being introduced because of the Russian king.

Thirdly, he wrongly expected that because of the new constitution everything would change. He would have equal rights after the enforcement of the new constitution. Nevertheless, the new constitution was not just that. Ustad had a little knowledge about that too. Because of this little knowledge, he did a very dangerous thing. He beat the Gora soldier and he was locked up.

Therefore, we can conclude that a little knowledge is a dangerous thing. (264)

8. What kind of man is Ustad Mangu? Discuss his ideas.

Ustad Mangu is the central character of the story “The New Constitution”. He is a middle-aged person and is illiterate. He is a tongawala. He lives in Lahore. He is in the habit of overhearing his fares. That is why he knows something about everything. He shares these things with his friends.

Ustad has many friends and cuts jokes with them. In normal circumstances, he is a humorous fellow.

Ustad Mangu hates the English. He does not like their arrogance. Once, a Gora soldier abuses him. From that point onward, he also starts abusing them. He remains depressed for hours. He wants to get rid of the English. He wants equal rights. For this reason, he greets the new constitution warmly.

He knows very little about what is going on around him in India. He believes that the communal violence is because of some holy man’s curse. He also believes that a king rules every country. He is interested in communist system.

Therefore, we can say that Mangu is a good character. He is simple. He hates the English and wants India free. He believes that he will get equal rights because of the new constitution. (196)

9. Describe Ustad Mangu’s observations on 1 April.

On 1 April, Ustad Mangu got up early in the morning. He set up his Tonga and took to road. He wanted to see the introduction of the new constitution with his own eyes.

He was disappointed to see that nothing had changed. Everything had the same old and worn-out look. He wanted to see colour and light. However, there was nothing. Even the lampposts looked the same. The shop signs had not changed. People were moving here and there as if nothing new had happened. Then he thought that was no change because it was very early in the morning. Most of the shops were closed.

In front of the Government College, he saw many students. They were nicely dressed but it appeared to him that they were wearing dirty clothes. Ustad Mangu wanted to see something colourful and dramatic. He reached Anarkali but he saw nothing new. He saw shopkeepers busy with their customers as usual. He wanted to see the new constitution as clearly as he could see his horse. He also wanted to see it brought out with razzle-dazzle.

He picked up a fare and started towards the cantonment. He was hopeful that he might learn something about the new constitution there. However, he was disillusioned and did not see anything that could prove that the new constitution had been introduced. (225)

10. Describe the quarrel of Ustad Mangu with the Gora soldier.

Ustad Mangu was a tongawala. He lived in Lahore. The English were ruling India then. The English were very arrogantly and treated the Indians as if they were their father’s slaves. The Indians did not like their attitude.

Once, a Gora soldier abused Ustad Mangu without any excuse. Ustad Mangu bore the insult because he knew that he would not get any justice from an English judge.

On 1 April, he was in the cantonment when he saw the Gora soldier. The Gora soldier asked to take him somewhere. Ustad Mangu recognized him. The same Gora soldier had abused him one year ago. He again talked to Ustad Mangu in the same arrogant manner.

On 1 April, the situation was different for Ustad. He thought that the new constitution was in force and now he had equal rights. Now if the Gora soldier could beat him so could he. Therefore, under the wrong impression he picked up a quarrel with the Gora soldier. Ustad wanted to take a revenge of his previous insult. He demanded five rupees as fare. The Gora soldier could not believe it. He came close to Ustad Mangu. He also recognized Ustad Mangu. He decided to beat Ustad Mangu with his stick.

Ustad Mangu was a strong and well-built man. He started beating the Gora soldier with his powerful blows. He was in rage. The Gora soldier tried to save himself but could not. He could not believe that Ustad Mangu was beating him. In desperation, he began to shout for help. A crowd had gathered.

Two policemen appeared from somewhere. They rescued the Gora soldier from Ustad with great difficulty. Ustad Mangu was very angry and was shouting, “New constitution, new constitution!” but the two policemen told him that it was the same old constitution. He was locked up. (304)

11. What did Ustad Mangu overhear about political changes in India?

What did Ustad Mangu overhear from his fares?

No doubt, Ustad Mangu was illiterate and just a tongawala, but he was greatly interested in political changes in India. He had his own views about everything. He was in the habit of overhearing his fares. The most important was that he believed in what he used to overhear from his fares. They were just like newspapers to him. Sometimes his fares discussed things in English, but even then, he tried to make something out of it.

Once, Ustad Mangu picked up to moneylenders. They started discussion about government of India Act 1935. Ustad Mangu gathered from their discussion that this Act would be introduced on the 1 April and because of this Act, many things would change. The moneylenders were not sure about interest and they wanted to ask a lawyer about it. Ustad was very excited on listening to this discussion. He thought that the Russian king had forced the English to introduce this Act.

After some days, he picked up to barristers. They were arguing about the new constitution. One of them was saying that he could not understand section 2 of the Act. He said that it related to the freedom of India. No such federation existed, so it would be a disaster from a political angle. As their discussion was going on in English, Ustad could not follow it. However, it was his idea that they were against the new constitution. He did not like them.

Three days later, he picked up three students. They were discussing about the new constitution. They said many good things about the Act. They said that because of the Act, things were going to open up. The Indian would have elected assemblies. They would get government jobs. Everybody would be able to get something. Unemployed graduates would get jobs. After that, he heard many things about changes. Some fares talked in favour and some talked against them. (318)