Section (C) Literature



VISTAS Supplementary Reader

Lesson .1. The Third Level

Author: Jack Finney

Long-answer-type questions:

Q.1. “The modern world is full of insecurity, fear, war, worry and stress.” What are the ways in which we attempt to overcome them?

Ans: We are all living in the modern world. It is full of insecurity, fear, war, worry and stress. We have lost all our peace of mind. The time ha been changed now. We do not have safety now. The crimes are increasing day by day. There is utter chaos, confusion, fear, trouble and unemployment in the society. The modern time and competitions have human being put in a vicious circle and there is no escape from it. The present world has become a rat race and everybody is after power, money, fame and success. So his mind and life have become unsafe and insecure. In order to overcome them, he starts day dreaming and adopts an escapist theory like Charley.

Charley is the product of the modern consumerist world. He starts imagining that he has gone in the Third Level of Grand Central Station, New York. There he finds everything old of 1894. He wants to go to Galesburg through the Third Level where people are free all worries. He imagines that his grandfather came from a village Galesburg. He finds proof of his experience and realities that from Grand Central Station, trains go to Galesburg as well. He thinks that this has been the point where meets the present, past and future. Though it is imagination to combat the stress of the modern consumerist world. We can adopt different hobbies and busy schedules to combat the painful realities of the modern world.

Q.2.Describe some of the unusual things that the narrator noticed at the Third Level of the Grand Central Station, New York.

Ans: There does not exist any Third Level at the Grand Central Station, New York. It is Charley’s own imagination and fantasy that he is involved in. In reality it is Charley’s into the past and the Third Level might have existed a century ago. He noticed that something was different there as the people were dressed differently and the area was lit not with the electric lights of the modern times but with open gas fires. There the room was smaller. There were fewer ticket windows and train gates. There was an old-looking wooden booth in the centre. A man was sitting there wore a green eye-shade and a long black sleeve protectors. The lights were dim and they were flickering like open flame gas-lights. There were brass spittoons on the floor. He saw a man glancing at his watch. He wore a derby hat, a black for button suit with small lapels. He had a big black handlebar moustache. Other people had worn dresses like eighteen nineties. They had beards, side –burns and fancy mustaches. He glanced at a very small Currier and Ives Locomotive with a funnel-shaped stack. He saw a news-boy having ‘The World’ and the same was published on June, 11, 1894. Charley had bumped into the past.

Q.3. Why do you think that the Third Level was a medium of escape for Charley?

Ans: Jack Finney’s story ‘The Third Level’ interweaves between fantasy and reality. The Third Level is medium of escape for Charley from the present harsh realities of modern life which is full of insecurity, fear, war, worry and tension. It is a safe route for Charley to go to Galesburg in order to escape from trouble. So he tries to purchase two tickets for Galesburg, Illinois from the Third Level at Grand Central. The Third Level is merely a fantasy that exists in Charley’s mind only. His psychiatrist friend, Sam calls it a waking-dream-wish-fulfillment. In reality Charley fails to cope up with the modern world which is full of fears and worries. He just wants to escape. He takes it for a reality and plans to go to Galesburg. He even exchanges his new bills of three hundred dollars for old style bills. But he is never able to find the Third Level. It is because the Third Level has existed in his fantasy only. Thus it can be said that the Third-Level is a medium of escape for Charley.

Short-answer questions:

Q.1. What does the Third level refer to?

Ans: For Charley, Grand Central Station has three levels. Actually there are two levels. The modern world is full of insecurity, fear, war and worries. He just wants to escape. So, he wanders into the fanciful world of 1894 which is much away from the harsh realities of life. The author used the Third level on Grand Central Station as a medium of escape. His psychiatrist friend, Sam calls it just a waking dream wish fulfillment.

Q.2. Why does Charley say that the Grand Central Station is growing like a tree in the story?

Ans: Whenever he enters the Grand Central Station, he finds new corridors, stairs case and tunnels. He finds the station like a huge tree, which keeps on spreading roots and branches all over.

Q.3. How did Charley happen to reach the Third Level of Grand Central Station?

Ans: After becoming late in his office, Charley went to Grand Central to reach home early. There he entered a tunnel that ended in a corridor. The corridor turned left and started downward. He went on walking and reached a flight of stairs that took him to another level of the station.

Q.4. What is a “first day cover” and what a specific about it?

Ans: When a new stamp is issued, the stamp collector buys that stamp and uses them to the envelope on the very first day of the sale. The new stamp gets the post mark and the date. This is called the ‘first day cover’. The receiver never opens it because he knows that he has himself just put a blank paper in it. Charley found this type of cover in his stamp collection.

Lesson .2. The Tiger King

Author: Kalki

Long-answer-type questions:

Q.1. What prediction was made by the astrologers about the Tiger King? How did it come true?

Ans: The Maharaja of Pratibandpuram was hero of this story. He was a firm ruler of his state. When he was born, the astrologers had predicted his death with a tiger. They told that he was born in the hour of bull. Since the bull and the Tiger are both core enemies, the King would be certainly killed by a tiger. When the king came of the age, the prediction was also heard by his ears. He killed a tiger and sent for the astrologers who in turn advocated that the killing of one tiger was not enough. It did not mean that king was safe. Then, the King decided to kill one hundred tigers. In ten years he killed all the seventy tigers of his forests. Thus the forests became extinct of the tigers. He married a royal girl whose father’s state had a large tiger population. The king continued his campaign. Whenever he visited his father-in-law, he would kill five or six tigers each time. Finally he had killed ninety nine tigers and the king was perturbed for the hundredth tiger. His dewan somehow arranged for the hundredth tiger. The King shot at it and it collapsed but did not die. The King did not know the reality. Thinking himself safe, he was happy and he presented a wooden tiger to his son on his birthday. The wooden tiger was not carved properly. It had small slivers of wood on its surface. One such sliver entered his right hand. It tuned up into infection and the infection flared in his complete hand and he died. In this way the hundredth tiger was the wooden one that killed the King. Thus the prediction proved to be true.

Q.2. The story is a satire on the conceit of those in power. How does the author employ the literary device of dramatic irony in the story?

Ans: The author has used the device of irony in order to highlight the satire on the conceit of those who are in power. An irony is a literary device used by the authors to show the fact that provides the result which is quite opposite in nature. The King tries his best to falsify the prediction of the astrologers, since his state astrologers has foretold the King death by a tiger. Consequently, the King banned the hunting of all the tigers on his state. With in a span of ten years, the King was able to kill seventy tigers. His aim was to kill the hundred tigers. Even he married a royal daughter whose father’s state had a large tiger population. Thus he could kill only ninety-nine tigers and his father-in-law’s state too became extinct with tigers. His dewan somehow arranged for the hundredth tiger. The King shot at it and it collapsed with the bullet. It survived but later on it was killed by the guards. The irony lies in the point that the tiger which caused the death of the Tiger King was a wooden tiger. The wooden tiger was not carved properly. It had small slivers of wood on its surface. One such sliver entered his right hand. It tuned up into infection and the infection flared in his complete hand and he died. Thus the hundredth tiger of wood took its revenge upon the Tiger King.

Short-answer questions:

Q.1. In what way was the Prince Jun Jung Bahadur brought up?

Ans: The crown Prince Jung Jung bahadur was brought up with a silver spoon in his mouth. He drank milk of an English cow. An English nurse was engaged to look after the baby. He was tutored by an English teacher and he watched English films. When he came at the age of twenty, he became the Maharaja of hi state.

Q.2. What predictions did the astrologers make at the birth of the tiger king?

Ans: They predicted that the newly born prince will grow up to become the hero of heroes, brave of the bravest and a great warrior. He also predicted that the baby was born in the hour of the bull. The bull and tiger were enemies. Therefore, he would die because of the tiger.

Q.3. How was the hundredth tiger arrange by dewan for the King’s hunting?

Ans: feeling the harsh consequence, the dewan arranged a tiger from People’s park in madras. He brought it secretly direct to forest where the King was hunting. Next day the same old tiger wandered into the King’s presence and stood amicably for aiming at by the king.

Q.4. How did the hundredth tiger take its revenge upon the Tiger King?

Ans: The King got a wooden gift of a tiger from a shop which was made by an unskilled carpenter. It had small slivers of wood on its surfaces. While playing with his son with the tiger, a sliver got pricked in his right hand. He pulled it out but infection spread all over the arm. After the operation, the doctor said, “The operation is successful but the Maharaja is dead.” Thus, a small toy tiger caused the death of the Tiger King and took its revenge upon the King.

Lesson .3. Journey to the End of the Earth

Author: Tishani Doshi

Long-answer-type questions:

Q.1. Why is Antarctica the place to go to understand the earth’s present, past and future?

Ans: At present we all are worried about the global warming and climatic changes. A visit to Antarctica makes it quite clear and there one can see the ice shelves melting. ‘Students on Ice’ is a programme headed by Canadian Geoff Green. The author tells a detailed account of his experience about his visit to Antarctica. It has helped him in studying as well as understanding about the present, past and future of the earth. About 650 million years ago, there was a southern super-continent named Gondwana. India and the Antarctica were the parts of the same landmass. There was no life except huge variety of flora and fauna. According to him Antarctica is the only place on the earth that has never sustained human life and therefore, it is pure. It holds in it ice-core, half million year old carbon record and thus provides clues of our past, present and future. On the Antarctica, he got an opportunity to walk on the frozen sea and he saw ice-berg, seals and miles of snow all round. The study suggested our future possibilities. He felt the need of making changes in our present life style and practices. There is an urgent need to check on the rising of global temperature. We must feel the need of maintaining the world future world.

Q.2. What are Geoff Green’s reasons for including high school students on Ice Expedition?

Ans: A visit to Antarctica makes it quite clear and there one can see the ice shelves melting. ‘Students on Ice’ is a programme headed by Canadian Geoff Green. His aims at organizing this programme by taking high school students to the ends of the world. He thins it most essential to provide the students with inspiring educational opportunities to know more about the Antarctica. Through this they will generate a new understanding and respect for our planet. Earlier Geoff Green had organized programme with celebrities and rich people which gave him back only in a limited way. Since the students are young minds and full of adventurous activities they can learn, act and absorb much by visiting the Antarctica. They can see through their own eyes glaciers retreating and ice-shelves collapsing. They can realize the future dangers, catastrophic effect of climatic changes and the global warming. The Antarctica provides the young students a perfect place to study the varied changes occurring in the environment. These little changes can have significant consequences. The students can see those grasses of the sea that flourish, nourish and sustain the entire Southern Ocean’s food chain. Thus the programme provides a lively study of changes and the realities going on the Antarctica.

Short-answer questions:

Q.1. What is Gondwana? What happened to it?

Ans: It is the huge landmass-a super continent, the undivided Earth, which existed millions of years ago. Gondwana was centered roughly present day Antarctica. It had no human life but only flora and fauna. It existed for 500 million years ago and then started drifting away slowly, giving rise to different land masses called continents and different water bodies called oceans etc.

Q.2. How is our survival in danger?

Or

What are the reasons for increasing the global temperature?

Ans: People have dominated over nature with villages, towns, cities etc. Human population has increased and there is the depletion of natural resources. The burning of fossil-fuels has created a blanket of carbon dioxide around the world and the global temperature is on increase. The atmosphere is becoming polluted day by day. Thus our survival is in danger.

Q.3. How can a visit to the Antarctica be an enlightening experience?

Ans: It is the most appropriate place to understand and study the earth’s present, past and future. In the beginning it was a giant super continent that forced to form different countries. It had no human population except ice-caves half million years old carbon records. Thus Antarctica tells us of the present state. It can tell us the Earth’s past. The receding glaciers and falling ice-shelves can give us an indication of the future.

Q.4. How does the global warming affect Antarctica?

Or

What do you know about Phytoplankton’s?

Ans: Phytoplanktons are the grasses of the sea of the southern Ocean. These are single celled plants use the Sun’s energy. With the process of Photosynthesis, they supply food and oxygen for all the marine life of the sea. But the global warming can affect the activities of these plants and life of all the creatures depending on them. Global warming also causes the melting of the ice-bergs and collapsing of ice-shelves in this region.

Lesson .4. The Enemy

Author: Pearl S. Buck

Q.1. How did Dr. Sadao overcome the difficulty that came in his way to save the wounded soldier? How did Hana help her husband?

Ans: Dr. Sadao was an expert surgeon. He was living on a beach with his family. He was very generous and loyal to his country. His wife was also a sympathetic, kind obedient and faithful wife. While standing outside of their house, they saw something crawled on the beach. They rushed and found that he was a wounded and an escaped prisoner of war. At one time they thought to throw him back in the sea. On the other hand, they thought that the fellow would die if handed over to the police. As a doctor he was trained to save a life if he could do. Seeing him badly wounded, the doctor and his wife brought him home and risked himself for the enemy’s treatment. But the servants were against them. Dr. Sadao performed the operation and his wife stood by him and helped hem every moment. There was a great risk of Dr. Sadao being arrested for harbouring a prisoner of war. Being a loyal to his nation, he declared everything to the General and was ready to face the consequences. The General assured him to help him but he forgot to send his men. At last Dr. Sadao arranged for a boat, food and clothing to send the enemy back to the nearby island. The man took the Korean Boat and escaped to freedom.

Q.2. Individuals who belong to enemy countries tend to hate each other even if they do not know each other personally. At times it is seen that some of them rise above such prejudices. What makes a human being do so?

Ans: It is quite natural as well as acceptable beyond doubt that individuals who belong to enemy countries tend to despise and show jealousy towards each other even if they are quite unknown and ignorant about each other. Among them only the few people behave above narrow mindedness and petty prejudices. Rather the milk of sympathy , kindness, humanity and solace flows in their pure veins and they fail to realize that after all the affected person is a man like them. He too possesses the same personality, feelings, traits and exceptions like others. In the story ‘The Enemy’, Dr. Sadao and his wife provide a fine example of this kind who rises above narrow mindedness and petty prejudices. Their inner urge overpowers them and they save the life of a fatally wounded soldier duly flung away through the sea waves near the house of Dr. Sadao. They bring home and find him to be an enemy but Dr. Sadao has got sufficient mastery in his training to save the dying humanity. The milk of human kindness flows both in Dr. Sadao and his wife Hana though there is every chance of being called him as a traitor. The domestic servants too object and leave the house till the stay of the soldier. In the end Dr. Sadao helps his safe return as well. Thus we can see some people rise above petty prejudices and narrow mindedness.

Short-answer questions:

Q.1. Who was Dr. Sadao? What did his father expect from him?

Ans: He was a Japanese person. His house was built on a sea beach. His father had great expectations from his only son. He never played or joked with his son. Sadao’s education was the main concern of his father. His father sent him to America to study medicine and surgery. He was very ambitious about Sadao’s future as well as Japan’s future. By the time Sadao’s father died, he had established himself as a famous surgeon and scientist.

Q.2. Why was Sadao not sent with the troops?

Ans: He was a famous surgeon and scientist. He had mastered the art of healing wounds. The old General of Japan had full faith in his abilities as a surgeon. He did not believe any other doctor. He was not keeping good heath and could require a surgery any time, so Sadao was not sent with the troops abroad.

Q.3. What suggestions did the General give to Sadao to get rid of the America?

Ans: The General told Sadao that the best thing would be killed the soldier quietly. The General volunteered to help Sadao in it. He told Sadao that he would send his personal assassins to kill the soldier to Sadao’s house. They were experts in killing a person, without even making a noise or even not a drop of blood flowing.

Q.4. why did the servants leave Dr. Sadao’s house?

Ans: When Dr. Sadao told his servants about the enemy soldier. They were frightened. They thought that the enemy must die. In case Sadao saved him, they would avenge. But Sadao did not change his decision. They showed their resentment and threatened to leave. Ultimately, they left Dr. Sadao’s house.

Lesson .5. Should Wizard Hit Mommy?

Author: John Updike

Q.1. What is the moral issue that the story ‘Should Wizard Hit Mommy’ raises?

Or

What difference do you find in the thinking of both Jo and Jack on moral issues?

Ans: Jo is a little daughter of four years. She is engaged with her father in a story session. When she was two years old Jack used to tell her an imaginary story every evening. Every new story had little alteration of a basic story. The story was always about an animal. A small creature, named Roger, used to be the central character of the story and the same could be Roger Fish, roger Squirrel etc. It had always the same problem. Roger Skunk smells very bad so other animals hate him and do not like to accompany him for playing together. They will run away from him and thereby Roger Skunk feels unhappy. On the advice of an owl, he meets the wizard. With the help of his magic spell, the wizard fills Roger with the smell of roses. This has a healthy effect on other animals. They collect round him and play happily. Roger skunk is also happy with this. In the evening, Roger Skunk goes back to the house but his mother shows her displeasure. Roger Skunk tells everything. She takes him to the Wizard and without saying any word she hits the Wizard on the head with her umbrella. At this point the story raises a moral question “Should Wizard Hit Mommy”? Jo feels that he must. But according to Jack, Mommy is always right. She should be loved and respected. Thus we can note two different views. Jo cannot think beyond her age. Jack is a mature and seasoned person. He had higher level of intelligence than his daughter.

Q.2. An adult’s perspective is different from that of a child? Answer with reference to the story “Should Wizard Hit Mommy”?

Ans: The author, John Updike has presented a very fine world-view of a little child as well as that of the adult’s view. It is an acceptable fact that adults are more mature, sensible, considerate and wise than that of child. They are better judge of good or bad events so they form a very judicious opinion on every matter. They give a well thought, analyze and form opinion. On the other hand, children are ignorant, innocent and inexperienced. Their whims and aspirations roam in the romantic world of their own. Thus, a child symbolizes innocence and spontaneity while an adult has a practical approach. In the story “Should Wizard Hit Mommy”? a four year girl, Jo, represents innocence and immaturity. She wants Wizard to hit mommy as he has forced the Wizard to transit the offensive smell in Skunk rather than the rose smell. The girl does not think appropriate that the mommy should hit the Wizard. From her perspective, it has been worthy if the wizard hits mommy since Skunk too needs company to play. On the other hand, Jack tries to justify that what he does, has been the sanctified view. Thus in the world of children, ugliness and hatred have no place.

Short-answer questions:

Q.1.What type of stories did Jack usually tell his daughter? “Each new story was a slight variation of a basic one.” What used to be the common features of Jack’s stories?

Ans: His stories used to be the product of his own mind. The basic line was the same but there was a little variation. Each story described a creature named Roger. It could be Roger Fish, Roger Squirrel, Roger Chipmunk or Roger Skunk. It had a wise owl and Wizard as the chief characters.

Q.2. How did the Wizard help Roger Skunk?

Ans: Roger Skunk went to meet the Wizard to get rid of his bad smell. The Wizard also got annoyed with his dirty smell and told him not to close to him. Roger requested him to change his smell. The Wizard took a magic wand and chanted a spell. All of a sudden, the inside of the Wizard’s house was filled with the smell of roses. Roger Skunk too started smelling like roses.

Q.3.Why did the ‘mommy’ go to the Wizard and with what result?

Ans: Roger Skunk’s mommy was very annoyed at the changes made in the smell of Skunk. She resented it sternly. She took an umbrella in her hand and went o see the Wizard. She hit the Wizard right over his head. He changed Roger into its foul smell. Now he began to smell very bad again.

Q.4.How does Jo want to end the story like and why?

Ans: Jo had a keen desire that mommy should not take Roger Skunk back to the Wizard for changing his smell. She must realize his problems of playing and having the company of other animals. She was unhappy at the end of the story. She wanted that the Wizard should hit the mommy.

Lesson .6. On the Face of it

Author: Susan Hill

Q.1. How did Mr. Lamb’s meeting with Derry become a turning point in Derry’s Life?

Ans: Mr. Lamb is an old man with a big house having a decent garden full of flowers, weeds and crab apples. His one leg is blown off in the war and has a tin leg. The gate of his garden is always open and there are no curtains in the windows. When Derry enters his garden over a wall, Mr. Lamb does not become angry. He rather points out that the door is open and everyone is welcome there. There goes further discussion but Derry feels that Mr. Lamb is a peculiar man with decency as well as miraculous things. So he is irresistibly drawn towards him. He realizes that Mr. Lamb is quite happy with so much impairment of his body. There is neither any irritation nor any shrinkage over his face. He also notices that children call him ‘Lamey-Lamb’ when he goes down the streets. He does not show any kind of bitterness towards them. They have got no fear and they come to him for apples and pears. All this inspires great confidence in Derry. Side by side Mr. Lamb tells Derry the way to overcome his physical deformity. He points out that he should consider himself blessed, because he has got two arms, two legs, ears, eyes, a brain and a tongue etc.except the burnt face. In case he chooses and makes his mind, he can got on better than all the rest. He tells the story of the ‘Beauty and the Beast’ and so many other points. Then he tells Derry how to get on in this world in spite of physical disability. All this draws Derry towards Mr. Lamb and this meeting becomes a turning point.

Q.2.Explain: “Derry is a victim of his own complex.” How does there come a change in his thinking?

Ans:Derry is a young boy of fourteen years. One side of his face is badly burnt due to falling of the acid. He thinks it ‘the ugliest thing’ in the world. When he sees his face in the mirror, he gets afraid of himself. He has heard ladies saying ‘What a terrible face!’ None will like him. He becomes dejected, withdrawn and defiant. He is unable to face the world. He avoids the general public. All these facts turn Derry a victim of his own inferiority complex and negative attitude. By chance he sneaks into the garden of Mr. lamb thinking it to be a secluded place. But Mr. Lamb interrupts him and tells that his door is always open. People can come and he has got so many friends. Consequently a surge of relief starts flowing in the mind of Derry. He is drawn towards him. Mr. Lamb tells that children tease and call him ‘Lamey Lamb’ but he never minds. He plays with them and gives them toffees. His viewpoint brings a great change in Derry. He becomes free from inferiority complex and decides to face the realities of life.

Short-answer questions:

Q.1.How does Mr. Lamb react on seeing Derry in his garden?

Ans: Mr. Lamb sees Derry entering the garden by climbing over a wall. He immediately questions Derry’s arrival. Derry replies that he has entered thinking it a lonely place. He has no desire to steal but Mr. Lamb tries to comfort him. He asks him not to afraid of any thing. His gate is always open for all.

Q.2. How does the conversation with Mr. Lamb affect Derry’s views about his life and the world?

Ans: Derry’s conversation with Mr. Lamb has a great effect on Derry. He realizes that he should not confine himself. Rather he should come out in the world. He should see the world, face it and emerge as a winner. Now he wants to live, he wants to forget about his ugly face, and makes his own wishes and his priorities.

Q.3.Why does Derry tell Mr. lamb that he is afraid of seeing himself in the mirror in story ‘On the Face of It’.

Ans: Derry is a boy of fourteen years of age. He got a burnt and cut on his face due to fall of acid. His face has turned scarred and disfigured. He feels low. He is even scared of looking himself in the mirror. He has got a strong hatred for himself.

Q.4. “You will get on the way you want , like all the rest”. How does Mr. Lamb encourage Derry?

Ans: Mr. Lamb was a wise man but he had one physical deformity of leg. Still he always led a happy life and was satisfied with what was left. He told Derry that he had two arms, two legs, eyes, ears, tongue and brain. He could get on the way he wanted like all the rest. If he set his mind to it, he could excel others.

Lesson .7. Evans Tries an O-Level

Author: Colin Dexter

Q.1How did Evans and his friends carry out the escape of Evans very successfully and meticulously?

Ans:Evans was a boy of deep intelligence, planning , resourcefulness, wit and wisdom. He starts learning German and is permitted to appear for O Level test in a separate and well guarded cell. The prisoner Evans long hair so he had to clip it short for carrying out his plan of impersonating Mclerry. But the prison officials took away his nail-scissors and nail-file. It took him a long time to get his hair short with a blade. So he wore a bobble hat to hide his short hair under it. Mr. Jackson asked to remove the hat but Evans requested that he had to hide his short hair. The police officer adopted a soft view and allowed the hat. The friends of Evans overpowered McLerry and one of them impersonated him and worked as an invigilator. He brought with him extra clerical paraphernalia for Evans. There was a semi-inflated rubber ring with a pig blood and he pretended to use it for sitting due to pile’s pain. The correction-slip in the examination helped Evan to know the exact time of paper and it gave a clue for the name of the hotel. The prison van was also made available giving a hoax call and it was needed by a magistrate office. Through a hoax call, Stephens was removed from the cell for a few minutes before the end of the examination. Evans took the prison officials in by pretending to be injured McLeery . Evans acted too swiftly to get into the police van. Thus the plan was very successfully carried out to escape.

Q.2.Reflecting on the story, what did you feel about Evans having the last laugh?

Ans:Having the last laugh means to be successful and making the opponent stupid. Here the phrase finds a suitable place in the story. We can see that the Governor initiates all precautionary measures for the smooth conduct of the examination and ensure that Evans won’t escape. He arranges for a microphone in the cell of Evans and appoints two Senior Police Officers for his vigil. And in spite of all his toil, Evans has the last laugh. His cell is thoroughly searched and it is reported that nothing is hidden there. Still Evans is able to hide a false beard, a pair of spectacles, a dog collar and some sort of weapon that has hurt McLerry. Further McLeery is found securely bound and gagged in his study. It becomes clear that Evans has been impersonating McLerry who had stayed in. Even after his arrest at a hotel The Golden Lion, the Governor could not bring him back to the cell. He had some good friends who helped his escape. In examination and police department he had close friends who arranged things for him. With his intelligence and the help of his friends, Evans was able to have the last laugh in the story.

Short-answer questions:

Q.1.Who was Evans and what was his desire about his education?

Ans: Evans was a jolly good fellow. Being a prisoner, he had escaped three times from the jail. He had a keen desire to acquire some academic qualification and started taking night classes in the prison. He was preparing in an ‘O’ Level in German and arrangements for his examinations were done in his cell.

Q.2. Why does people doubt Evans sincerity towards taking the ‘O’ Level examination?

Ans: Evans was a very cunning, experienced and intelligent and a careful run away prisoner. He had escaped from the prison many times so he was called “Evans the Break”. Now he was preparing and appearing for ‘O’ Level examination in the jail premises. So people were doubtful about Evans’ sincerity for taking the examination.

Q.3. How did Evans manage to get blood in the cell?

Ans: McLeery was the close friend of Evans. He had come for invigilating Evans. He had a rubber ring for getting rest against piles. The ring was semi-inflated. It had a pig’s blood that was kept by the person in his suitcase. It has some chemicals and some real blood to prevent it from clotting. It was filled in the rubber-ring so it was looking semi-inflated.

Q.4. How did Evans mange his final escape?

Ans: He was almost rearrested by the Governor in the hotel. He was handcuffed and made to sit in a prison van. But the people sitting inside the van were the close friends of Evans. They opened his handcuff on Evans’ instructions. They took the van towards Dewsbury and Evans had his final escape. Thus Evans outwitted the Governor by dodging him at every step.

Lesson .8. Memories of Childhood

Author: Zitkala-Sa and Bama

Q.1. what oppression and discrimination did Zitkala Sa and Bama experience during their childhood? How did they respond to their respective situations?

Ans: The lesson presents a good account of two different girls living at distant places. Both the women belong to the marginalized communities.Zitkala-Sa is a Native American. She is taken away from her mother forcibly because the white people want the native Indians to adopt their culture. Zitkala revolts the way the Indian girls were forced to wear dresses in an immodest way. She was much perturbed that the brave shingled hair. But she could do nothing when they took her bravely, tied in a chair and cut off her hair. But her spirit could not be suppressed.

On the other hand, Bama was a low –caste girl. She saw the upper caste people showing discrimination against the low caste people. They could not touch food and other items of the upper caste people. They had to work for them and bow their heads. Her spirit too revolted against this injustice. She could not understand this human treatment since all are human beings. She wanted honour for all. Her brother Annan told her that she could do away with these indignities if she worked hard. Bama studied hard and stood first in her class. Many people became her friends.

Q.2. Write down the picture of the streets and the bazaar as stated by Bama in ‘We Too are Human Beings’.

Ans: The house of Bama was not at a far off place from her school and it was hardly a ten minutes walk. But Bama took a long time to reach home from school. Many things attracted her on the way to school and she stopped to watch them. She could stop to see the monkeys performing, snake charmer and a cyclist. She would watch the huge bell banging at the temple and Pongal offerings at the temple attracted her much. Different things gave her many attractions. She liked some entertainment going on in the way-like a street play, a puppet and a magic show. She much fascinated to see a man carrying a package of vadais. He held it by the strings. She thought it strange when the man still acted in a funnier manner. He bowed to the landlord and extended the package towards him. Instead he cupped his hand holding the strings with his other hand; the landlord took the package and began to eat it. Bama felt like laughing at the silly actions of the man. She went home and narrated the incident to her elder brother Annan.

Short-answer questions:

Q.1. Who was ‘Zitkala –Sa’? Where was she born?

Ans: She was an American –Indian woman. She was an extraordinarily talented and educated Native American Indian woman. She suffered discrimination on the basis of her sex and nationality. She struggled against all this. She wrote criticizing the dogma and evils of oppression. She belonged to a marginalised community.

Q.2. Why was the girl, Zitkala tied to a chair in ‘Memories of Childhood’?

Ans: Zitkala Sa tells about her first day in school. She had long hair. According to the culture of the whites they wanted to cut her long hair. But she refused to obey their decision. She was dragged out and tied fast with a chair for cutting her hair. She resisted but all in vain.

Q.3.What did Bama watch while going back from school to her house?

Ans: Bama took thirty minutes to reach her home from school though she could be there in ten minutes. In the way she used to see dancing monkeys, snake charmers, vegetable sellers, shops, political processions, pedaling the cyclists and so on.

Q.4. What advice did Annan give to Bama to get honour and dignity for her people?

Ans: He advised Bama to study hard and learn all she could since education was the only thing to do away with all inequalities. Through education she would be able to throw away the indignities. He inspired her to study hard and stand first in her class. She did the same and attained repute. Many people became her friends.

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