The Last Lesson

Writer: Alphonse Daudet

The Last Lesson Summary

The story is narrated by a French boy, Franz. He is lazy but sensitive and likes to play. He
dislikes studying French and hates his teacher M. Hamel.
After overpowering their districts of Alsace and Lorraine in France, Berlin has ordered that
German language instead of French be taught in the schools there.
It is the last day of their French teacher M. Hamel, who has been there for forty years. He
is full of grief, nostalgia and patriotism. As a mark of respect to his hard work, the village
men also attend his ‘last lesson’. They are sad as they did not learn their mother tongue,
French in their childhood.
Franz is shocked to know that it’s his last lesson, as he does not know French. Now,
suddenly, he gets interested in learning it and understands everything taught on that day!
He develops an instant liking for the teacher, M. Hamel and respects him for his sincerity
and hard work. He feels sad at departing from him and is ashamed for not being able to
recite the lesson of participles. M. Hamel tells them that they all are at fault for not being
eager enough to learn, putting it off to the next day. He blames himself for not teaching
them sincerely.
His patriotism is reflected in his praise for the French language as being the most beautiful
and most logical language in the world. He tells the class to guard their language as being
close to one’s language is the key to escape from the prison of slavery. It will help them
in getting free from the Germans.
They realize the importance of learning their mother tongue and that they have been
defeated by the Germans because of their illiteracy.
Franz feels that it is not possible to take away one’s language from a person as it is natural
to each being, may it be the “coo” to the pigeons or “French” to the Frenchmen.

Question.1. What tempted Franz to stay away from school?

Answer. Franz feared a scolding at school as he had not prepared the lesson on
participles, on which his French teacher M Hamel was to question the class that day.
Besides* the warm and bright weather, the chirping of birds and the watching the drill
of Prussian soldiers also tempted Franz to stay away from school.

Question.2. What was unusual about M Hamel’s dress on his last day in the
school?
Answer. M Hamel had put on his ceremonial clothes on his last day in the school. He
was wearing a beautiful green coat, a frilled shirt, and a little black embroidered silk
cap. This was a special ceremonial attire which he usually wore on days of inspection
and prize distribution.
Question.3. Why is the order from Berlin called a thunderclap by Franz?
or
“What a thunderclap these words were to me!” What were the words that
shocked and surprised the narrator?
Answer. M Hamel told his students that it was their last French lesson, as an order
had come from Berlin that henceforth only German was to be taught in the schools of
Alsace and Lorraine. This announcement seemed to be a thunderclap to Franz. He
was left in surprise and shock to learn that a new master was going to arrive the next
day and they would learn German instead of their mother tongue.

Question.4. Who were sitting on the back benches during M Hamel’s last
lesson? Why?
or
Why had the villagers come to school on the day of the last lesson?
or
Why were the elders of the village sitting in the classroom?
Answer. Some of the elderly people from the village were sitting on the back benches
during M Hamel’s last lesson. The villagers had come there to attend his last lesson
as it was their way of paying respect to the master, who had given forty years of faithful
service to the school.

Question.5. Why does M Hamel reproach himself for his students,

unsatisfactory progress in Studies?

Answer. M Hamel had been rather irregular as a teacher. He took leave whenever he
wanted to. Besides, he had often sent the students to water his plants, and whenever
he wanted to go fishing, he just gave them a holiday. So, he reproaches himself for
his students’ unsatisfactory progress in studies.

Question.6. What shows M Hamel’s love for the French language?

or
What did M Hamel tell them about the French language? What did he ask them
to do and why?

Answer. In his last lesson, M Hamel told the students that the French language was
the most beautiful language in the world—the clearest and the most logical. He asked
them to guard it amongst themselves and never forget it, because when a people were
enslaved, as long as they held fast to their language, it was as if they had the key to
their prison.

Question.7. What words did M Hamel write on the blackboard before dismissing
the last class? What did they mean?

Answer. Before dismissing the last class, M Hamel turned to the blackboard, and
wrote the phrase, ‘Vive La France!’ as large as he could. These words meant ‘Long
live France’, and spoke of M Hamel’s great love for his country and his deep sense of
patriotism.
Question.8. What made M Hamel cry towards the end of his last lesson?
Answer. M Hamel had taught French at the school for the last forty years. He was
emotionally attached to the school and everything in and about it. He was really
heartbroken to leave it all. Besides, his own predicament reminded him that his country
would soon lose its independence. All this made him cry towards the end of his last
lesson.

Question.9. How did Franz react to the declaration that it was their last French
lesson?
or
What announcement did M Hamel make? What was the impact of this on Franz?

or
‘‘This is your last French lesson.” How did Franz react to this declaration of M
Hamel?
or
What changes came over little Franz after he heard M Hamel’s announcement?

or
What did the French teacher tell his students in his last French lesson? What
impact did it have on them?
Answer. The French teacher M Hamel announced that he would be teaching his last
French lesson that day because the orders had come from Berlin to teach only German
in the schools of Alsace and Lorraine. On hearing this, all the students as well as Franz
felt very sorry that they would not be learning their mother tongue in future. Franz
regretted not having learnt his lessons. Earlier his books seemed a nuisance to him,
but at that moment they became very dear to him.

Question.10. What was the order from Berlin and what changes did it cause in
the school?

or
What changes did the order from Berlin cause in the school?
or
What was the mood in the classroom when M Hamel gave his last French
lesson?

Answer. The order from Berlin stated that only German will be taught in the schools
of Alsace and Lorraine. The order effected many changes, as an unusual silence
prevailed in the school, compared to the hustle and bustle earlier. M Hamel became
soft in speaking to the students, while the people realised the importance of their
language. The villagers even attended the school to show respect to M Hamel.

Question.11. How did M Hamel say farewell to his students and the people of the
town?

Answer. At the end of his ‘Last Lesson’, M Hamel stood up to say farewell to his
students and the people of the town. He tried to speak, but overwhelming emotion
choked his voice. He then wrote as large as he could on the blackboard ‘Vive La
France’; then he dismissed the class with a gesture with his hand.

Question.12. What was Franz expected to be prepared with for the school that
day?
Answer. Franz was expected to be prepared with participles that day. His teacher M
Hamel, was to question him on the topic. Franz had not learnt his lessons and feared
to be scolded by him.

Question.13. What had been put up on the bulletin-board?

Answer. Since the last two years the bulletin-board had news of lost battles, the draft
and the orders of the commanding officer. On that day a notice had been put up stating
that orders from Berlin were to teach only German in the schools of Alsace and
Lorraine.

Question.14. Who did M Hamel blame for the neglect of leaning on the part of
boys like Franz?

Answer. M Hamel blamed himself for the neglect of learning on the part of boys like
Franz. He himself was not quite regular and took leave whenever he needed it, which
reflected on the behaviour and studies of the students. He also blamed their parents
for not taking interest in their education.

Question.15. Franz thinks, “Will they make them sing in German, even the
pigeons?” What does this tell us about the attitude of the Frenchmen?

Answer. This shows that the Frenchmen were full of hatred and desperation against
the Germans. Besides, they feared German atrocities. They thought that they would
be forced to read German and no one will be spare”

Or

It is meant that the German can impose German language on the people of Alsace
and Lorraine but they can’t impose this language on the birds etc. They can enslave
the people but have no authority to compel the cooing pigeons.

Question.16. Mention two things about M Hamel that surprised Franz on his last
day at school.

Answer. M Hamel didn’t scold Franz for being late; instead he told him very kindly to
go to his place. Also, that day he was dressed in his best clothes; he was in his
beautiful green coat, frilled shirt and little black silk cap with embroidery, which he wore
only on inspection or prize days.

Question.17. How was the scene in the school in the morning of the last lesson
different from that on other days?
Answer. Usually, there used to be great hustle and bustle when the school began.
The din of opening and closing of the desks, lessons being repeated in unison and the
rapping of the teacher’s ruler on the table, could be heard out in the street. But that
day, it was all very quiet and still as on a Sunday morning.

Lost spring: Stories of Stolen Childhood

Writer: Anees Jung

SUMMARY

The first part tells the author’s impressions regarding the life of poor rag pickers. The rag
pickers have come from Dhaka. Furthermore, the settlement of the rag pickers is in the
area of Seemapuri. Destruction has come in their fields and homes due to the storms.
They had come to the big city in the hope of finding living there. However, the reality was,
in fact, painful for them and they had to face many hardships. They are certainly poor
and lack various resources.

The writer watches Saheb every morning as he scrounges for “gold” in the
neighbourhood. The means of survival for these rag pickers is the
garbage. Furthermore, for the children, it is a wondrous thing. The children are able to
find a coin or two from it. These people have ambitions and desires. The problem is that
they do not know the way to make them possible. There are quite a few things that they
are unable to reach. Later Saheb joins a tea stall where there is a possibility for him to
earn 800 Rupees and all the meals. However, this job has deprived him of his freedom.
As such their condition is pretty hopeless and full of misery.

The second part explores the life of Mukesh. Mukesh is a boy who belongs to the family
of Bangle-makers. Firozabad is famous for its amazing glass-blowing industry. There is
an engagement of nearly 20,000 children in this particular business. Furthermore, no one
over there understands or respects the law that forbids child labour. Moreover, the living
condition, as well as the working environment, are both horrendous.

These children live in dreary cells. Also, they work close to hot furnaces. This is certainly
very dangerous as it makes these children blind when they enter adulthood.
Furthermore, these children have to deal with the pressure of debt. Moreover, they are
unable to think of a solution to solve this problem. There is no way for these children to
come out of this trap.

The policemen, bureaucrats, middlemen, and politicians will all hinder their way of
progress. The women in the household consider it to be their destiny or fate. As a result
of such thinking, they just follow the established tradition. There is something different
about Mukesh. He is not like the rest of the folk there. This is because Mukesh has big
dreams. He has a desire to become a motor mechanic in future. The garage is far away
from where he lives but he has the determination to walk.

Lost Spring summary gives us an analysis of the impoverished condition faced by

many children that condemn them to a life of pain, oppression, and lack of education.
Question.1. To which country did Saheb’s parents originally belong? Why did
they come to India?
or
Why did Saheb’s parents leave Dhaka and migrate to India?
or
Why had the ragpickers come to live in Seemapuri?
Answer. Saheb’s parents belonged to Dhaka in Bangladesh, where they lived
amidst green fields. They and the other ragpickers left their homes many years ago
and migrated to India in search of a livelihood, as their homes and fields were
destroyed in storms. This forced them to come to India, where they settled in the
slums of Seemapuri.
Question.2. What job did Saheb take up? Was he happy?
Answer. Saheb took up work at a tea stall, where he had to perform several odd jobs,
including getting milk from the milk booth. He was not happy, as he had lost his
independence. Though he earned Rs.800, and got all his meals free, he was no longer
his own master.

Question.3. In what sense is garbage gold to the ragpickers?

or
Garbage to them is gold; why does the author say so about the ragpickers?
Answer. Garbage is gold to the ragpickers of Seemapuri because it provides them
items which can be sold for cash, which can buy them food and is a means of survival.
Moreover, it is gold also because the ragpickers can find stray coins and currency
notes in it.

Question.4. How is Mukesh different from the other bangle makers of

Firozabad?
Answer. Mukesh has the courage to dream big in spite of all adversity, whereas the
other bangle makers of Firozabad have resigned to their fate, and have suppressed
all their hopes and desires. Mukesh refuses to follow the ‘God-given lineage’ of bangle
making and wants to be a motor mechanic when he grows up.

Question.5. Whom does Anees Jung blame for the sorry plight of the bangle
makers?
Answer. Anees Jung blames the middlemen, the policemen, the lawmakers, the
bureaucrats and the politicians for the sorry plight of the bangle makers. These people
conspire against and exploit the poor bangle makers. They pay them meagre wages,
do not let them form co-operatives, and compel their children to join the same trade at
an early age.
Question.6. What is Mukesh’s dream? Do you think he will be able to fulfil his
dream? Why? Why not?

or

What was Mukesh’s dream? In your opinion, did he achieve his dream?
or
Is it possible for Mukesh to realise his dream? Justify your answer.
Answer. Mukesh’s dream is to become a motor-mechanic. It is no doubt difficult for
Mukesh to achieve his dream, as he is torn between his desires and his family tradition,
which he cannot escape. Besides, he has to face a number of obstacles in the form of
sahukars, middlemen, bureaucrats, law makers, politicians etc. However, his will to
work hard, and his strong determination could make him achieve his dream. ‘

Question.7. In spite of despair and disease pervading the lives of the slum
children, they are not devoid of hope. How far do you agree?
Answer. In spite of growing up amidst despair and disease, children who live in the
slum have the desire to achieve something big in life, like Mukesh. This shows that
they are not devoid of hope. Saheb, a ragpicker, is eager to go to a school and learn.
Mukesh, who works in dark, dingy cells making bangles, dreams of becoming a motor
mechanic, which is very much against his family tradition.

Question.8. Who is Mukesh? What is his dream?

Answer. Mukesh is a child labourer who Works in a glass bangle making factory that
is situated in Firozabad. Though Mukesh belongs to a poor family which is engaged in
bangle making, he dreams of becoming a motor mechanic when he grows up.

Question.9. Why could the bangle makers not organise themselves into a
cooperative?
Answer. The bangle makers could not organise themselves into a cooperative
because they were trapped in the vicious circle of sahukars, middlemen, policemen,
up bureaucrats and politicians. If they tried to organise themselves, they would be
beaten by up the police and put in jail.

Question.10. Mention any two hazards of working in the bangle industry.

Answer. The glass bangle industry offers a very unhealthy and hazardous
environment to the people working in it. They have to work in the glass furnaces with
high temperature in dingy cells without air and light. Workers, including child labourers,
lose their eyesight at an early age. Slogging for long, relentless hours also has adverse
effects on their bodies.
Question.11. Why does the author say that the bangle makers are caught in a
vicious web?
Answer. The bangle makers in Firozabad are exploited at the hands of the Sahukars,
middlemen, policemen, law makers, bureaucrats and politicians. They toil day and
night, but are not paid appropriate wages and are steeped in poverty. They cannot
form cooperatives for their betterment. Moreover, their children are also compelled to
join the same trade at an early age and cannot dare to take up any other profession.
Question.12. Is Saheb happy working at the tea stall? How do you know?
Answer. Saheb is not happy working at the tea stall. He is paid a fixed wage of Rs 800,
and also receives all his meals free. But the author notices that his face has lost its
carefree look, which makes it evident that he is not happy. He has lost his
independence, and is no longer his own master.

Long Answer Type Questions

Question.1.’Lost Spring’ explains the grinding poverty and traditions that

condemn thousands of people to a life of abject poverty. Do you agree?
Why/Why not?
Answer. ‘Lost Spring’ is a good narration of grinding poverty and traditions to which
thousands of people have succumbed. The story revolves around the pitiable condition
of poor children who have been forced to live in slums and work hard in dirty
conditions. The story is divided into two parts. The first part tells the writer’s impression
about the life of poor ragpickers who have migrated from Bangladesh, but now have
settled in the Seemapuri area of Delhi.
The second part narrates the miserable life of the bangle makers in the town of
Firozabad. The stark reality of these families is that in spite of back-breaking hard work
that they put in, they cannot have two square meals a day. Besides, they are victims
of exploitation by those above them and also suffer the consequences of blind belief
in traditions.

Question.3. The bangle makers of Firozabad make beautiful bangles and make
everyone happy but they live and die in squalor. Elaborate.
Answer. Firozabad is the hub of India’s glass-blowing industry where families have
spent generations making bangles to adorn married women. The stark reality of these
families is that in spite of the back breaking hard work that they put in, they cannot.
have two square meals a day.
They work in deplorable conditions and many lose their eyesight early. To top it all,
they live in unhygienic conditions where there is a lack of basic amenities too.
The sad reality is that the workers cannot organise themselves into a cooperative.
They are devoid of all enthusiasm and do not dare to dream of anything better. The
fear of the police and lack of leadership among themselves have confined them to a
vicious circle of poverty, indifference and greed. Thus, while they bring happiness to
everyone’s life, their own life is steeped in poverty and squalor.

DEEP WATER

WRITER: WILLIAM O DOUGLAS

SUMMARY

The story, “Deep Waters” tells us how the writer overcame his fear of water and
learned swimming with sheer determination and will power. He had developed a
terror of water since childhood. When he was three or four years old, the writer had
gone to California with his father. One day on the beach, the waves knocked the
child down and swept over him. The child was terrified but the father who knew,
there was no harm, laughed. The experience bred a permanent fear of water in the
child’s sub-conscious mind. Still another incident, more serious, increased his terror.
The writer was trying to learn swimming in the Y.M.C.A. swimming pool in Yakima.
One day while he was waiting for other boys, a big boy suddenly played a dangerous
prank and pushed him into the water. The writer was terribly frightened. He went
down nine feet into the water. When he reached the bottom, he jumped upward with
all his strength. He came up but very slowly. He tried to catch hold of something like
a rope but grasped only at water. He tried to shout but no sound came out. He went
down again. His lungs ached, head throbbed and he grew dizzy. He felt paralyzed
with fear. All his limbs were paralyzed. Only the movement of his heart told him that
he was alive. Again, he tried to jump up. But thistime his limbs would not move at all.
He looked for ropes, ladders and water wings but all in vain. Then he went down
again, the third time. This time all efforts and fear ceased. He was moving towards
peaceful death. The writer was in peace. When he came to consciousness, he found
himself lying on the side of the pool with the other boys nearby. The terror that he
had experienced in the pool never left him. It haunted him for years and years to
come. It spoilt many of his expeditions of canoeing, swimming and fishing. It spoilt
his pleasures in Maine Lakes, New Hampshire, Deschutes, Columbia and Bumping
Lake etc. But the writer was determined to conquer his terror. He took help of a
swimming instructor to learn swimming. The instructor taught him various actions
necessary in swimming part by part. He put his face under water and exhaled and
inhaled raising it above water. He practiced it for several weeks. He had to kick with
his legs a few weeks on the side of the pool. At last he combined all these actions
and made the writer swim. He learned swimming but the terror continued. So deep
goes our childhood experiences! So fearful is the fear of fear! Whenever he was in
water the terror returned. Hence forward the writer tried to terrorize terror itself. He
tried to face the new challenge. When terror came, he confronted it by asking it
sarcastically as to what it can really do to him? He plunged into the water as if to
defy the fear. Once he took courage the terror vanquished. He faced the challenge
deliberately in various places like the Warm Lake. He conquered it at last.

Question.1. Which two incidents in Douglas’ early life made him scared of
water?
Answer. When Douglas was three or four years old, his father took him to a beach in
California. There he was knocked down by strong waves, was almost buried under
water, and got breathless. Though he hung on to his father, he was quite frightened.
Secondly, when Douglas was ten or eleven, a big bully of a boy tossed him into the
deep end of the YMCA pool. He could not come to the surface, in spite of all his efforts,
and became panicky. These two incidents made Douglas scared of water.

Question.2. Why did Douglas prefer to go to YMCA swimming pool to learn

swimming?
or
Which factors made Douglas to decide in favour of YMCA pool?
Answer. According to Douglas, the YMCA pool was safer compared to the Yakima
River. The river was quite deep and there were several cases of drowning reported
about it. As against the uncertain depth of the river, the pool was only two or three feet
deep at the shallow end. Though its depth was about nine feet at the deeper end, yet
the drop was gradual, and Douglas could rely on it.

Question.3. What did Douglas feel and do when he was pushed into the
swimming pool?
or
What were the series of emotions and fears that Douglas experienced when he
was thrown into the pool?
Answer. When Douglas was thrown into the pool, he did not lose heart and planned
to push himself up with all his force. He thought that once he came to the surface, he
would paddle to the edge of the pool. Thrice, he tried to come to the surface, but
unfortunately his strategy did not work and terror gripped him. His lungs were ready
to burst; he was breathless and instead of air, sucked water.

Question.4. How did his swimming instructor ‘build a swimmer’ out of Douglas?
or
How did the instructor turn Douglas into a swimmer?
Answer. The instructor adopted a systematic method to turn Douglas into a swimmer.
He first made Douglas shed his initial fear of water by making him cross a pool
suspended by a rope attached to a pulley. The instructor held the other end of the rope
and relaxed and tightened it from time to time. Then he taught the narrator to breathe
while swimming, and finally the leg movements and other strokes.

Question.5. How did Douglas make sure that he conquered the old terror?
Answer. After the instructor had trained Douglas in the art of swimming, Douglas was
still not sure of himself. He felt tiny vestiges of the fear now and then. So, he went to
Lake Wentworth and swam. Once when terror returned, he challenged it and did not
let it overcome him. Finally, Douglas went to the Warm Lake. There he swam and the
fear didn’t return to haunt him again.

Question.6. What efforts did Douglas make to get over his fear of water?
Answer. After several individual attempts to overcome his fear, Douglas finally
engaged an instructor. The instructor built a swimmer out of him. But Douglas was not
sure. To confirm that the terror would not strike him when he was swimming alone,
Douglas decided to go to Lake Wentworth in New Hampshire. At last, he made his
terror fly away by swimming across the Warm Lake.

Question.7. Why was Douglas determined to get over his fear of water?
Answer. The misadventure of having a near-drowning experience left a deep mark
on Douglas’ mind.
The phobia of water hampered all his joys of enjoying different water sports like
fishing, canoeing, boating and swimming. He did not want to live with this handicap
and so was determined to overcome his fear of water.

Question.8. What did Douglas experience when he went down to the bottom of
the pool for the first time?
Answer. When the author was going down to the bottom of the pool for the first time,
those nine feet felt almost like ninety feet. His lungs were ready to burst, but somehow,
he summoned all his strength and sprang upwards, hoping to reach the surface, but
he didn’t pop up to the surface like a cork, as he had imagined. When he opened his
eyes, he saw nothing but water, his hands too grabbed only water.

Question.9. Why did Douglas go to Lake Wentworth in New Hampshire?

Answer. Douglas was not satisfied with his practice so he decided to go to Lake
Wentworth. There when he was swimming in the middle of the lake, only once did the
terror return, but he finally overcame it, and it made him feel better.

Question.10. When Douglas realised that he was sinking, how did he plan to
save himself?
Answer. When a big boy threw Douglas into the water, he went straight down. He
was completely frightened. Still, he did not lose his wits and thought of a strategy to
make a big jump when his feet touched the bottom, so that he could reach the
surface. He even thought that he would lie flat on the surface and finally paddle to
the edge of the pool.

Question.11. What sort of terror seized Douglas as he went down the water
with a yellow glow?

OR
How could he feel that he was still alive?
Answer. When Douglas found himself deep down into the water with a yellow glow,
stark terror gripped him. The terror ripped him apart and he had no control over it. He
felt paralysed, stiff and rigid with fear. Even the screams in his throat were frozen. It
was only his throbbing heart that made him realise that he was still alive.

Long Answer Type Questions

Question.1. “I crossed to oblivion, and the curtain of life fell.” What was the
incident which nearly killed Douglas and developed in him a strong aversion to
water?
Answer. The incident which nearly killed Douglas occurred when he was ten or
eleven years old. He had decided to learn swimming at the YMCA pool, and thus get
rid of his fear of water. One morning, when he was alone at the pool, waiting for
others, a big bully of a boy tossed him into the deep end of the pool. Though he had
planned a strategy to save himself as he went down, his plan did not work. He went
down to the bottom and became panicky. Thrice he struggled hard to come to the
surface, but failed each time. He was almost drowned in the pool. He lost his
consciousness and felt that he would die. Though he was ultimately saved, this
misadventure developed in him a strong aversion to water.

Question.2. Douglas fully realised the truth of Roosevelt’s statement, “All we

have to fear is fear
itself.” How did this realisation help him brush aside his fear and become an
expert swimmer?
Answer. Douglas had experienced both the sensation of dying and the terror that the
fear of death can cause. Strong will, hard determination, courage and toil as well as
honest labour won over all his terrors and fears. The will to live brushed aside all his
fears.
In reality all our fears are only psychological, and can be easily won over, if we can
control our mind. This realisation makes Douglas resolve to learn swimming by
engaging an instructor. This instructor, piece by piece, built Douglas into a swimmer.
However, his first step was to drive away Douglas’ fear of water, before training him in
swimming techniques. When Douglas tried and swam the length of the pool up and
down, small traces of his old terror of water would return. So, he went to Lake
Wentworth, dived at Triggs Island and swam two miles across the lake to Stamp Act
Island. Finally, he was certain that he had conquered his fear of water.

Question.3. Desire, determination and diligence lead to success. Explain the

value of these qualities in the light of Douglas’ experience in ‘Deep Water.
Answer. The terror of water followed Douglas wherever he went. To get rid of it, he
made a strong determination. He decided to overcome his fear through his “will.” He
engaged an instructor who would perfect him in swimming. The instructor first helped
him drive away his fear, and then gave him many exercises besides teaching him to
exhale and inhale in water.
The practice went on for months together, during which his fear came back to haunt
him, but his desire and firm will made him persist in his- efforts. It was only through
sheer determination and diligence that Douglas could not only counter his terror, but
also become an expert swimmer.
He swam across and back lakes to ensure that his fear of water did not return. He had
now completely lost his fear. His desire, determination and diligence succeeded in
banishing his fear of water.

THE RATTRAP

WRITER: SELMA LAGERLOF

SUMMARY

The Rattrap is a story about a rattrap seller who leads a very poor life as his earnings
are very low. He has to resort to thievery and begging to make both ends meet.
He is alone in this whole world and leads a miserable life. So he starts knitting up
various kinds of thoughts. One of these thoughts is of supposing the whole world as a
big rattrap. His views are that the world offers us various types of baits in the form of
comforts of life. This in return traps us into the rattrap of the world and leads us to
various types of miseries.
Every night, the peddler had to search for shelter as he has no home. One evening he
was offered shelter by an old crofter. The next morning he stole the crofter’s money
which he had earned by selling his cow’s milk. To safeguard himself, the peddler chose
the path through the forest which was secluded, but soon found himself trapped in the
forest as he wasn’t able to find the way out of the dense forest. Later on, he finds a way
to a forge and takes shelter there. Something unusual happens. The ironmaster
mistakes him as an old friend and invites him to his house. The poor peddler rejects the
offer due to the fear of being caught. Soon he is invited by the ironmaster‘s daughter.
The next morning he is somehow stopped by the ironmaster’s daughter for Christmas
Eve even after being caught that he was a peddler and not Captain Stalhe.
The next day after Christmas, when the iron master and his daughter visit the church,
they come to know that the man is a thief who had stolen money from the old crofter.
The iron master and his daughter repent for sheltering a thief and wonder at what all
things he would have stolen by that time. Here comes a twist as instead of stealing, the
peddler gifts the ironmaster’s daughter a rattrap. She finds a letter of thanks and the
stolen money inside the rattrap. The peddler thanks Edla for her kindness and requests
her to return the stolen money to the crofter. This story gives us the message that
goodness in a human being can be awakened at any time with your own good deeds.

QUESTION/ANSWERS

Q1. What did the rattrap seller think of the world?

The rattrap seller thought that the world is a rattrap which attracts the people towards it
through riches, joys and entertainment. Moreover, he thought that he would once get trapped
in this world as a rat gets trapped in the greed of a piece of cheese & pork.

Q2. How did the crofter behave with the peddler? Had he expected that much of
hospitality?

The crofter behaved genuinely with the peddler by sheltering, offering him food, serving him
tobacco & sharing his sentiments with him. No, he had not expected any hospitality from him
since he was looked down upon wherever he went.

Q3. What other business was the peddler engaged in?

The peddler got engaged in a couple of business except rattrap selling. He got involved in
begging and petty thieveries for his survival. He begged the material from the scrap shop and
made rattraps from that material.

Q4. How did he respond to the hospitality shown by the crofter?

He responded negatively to the hospitality shown by the crofter. He stole his thirty kronors
that he had earned by selling the milk of his bossy cow. In this way, he cheated on the crofter.

Q5. Why did the peddler choose woods instead of public highway?
He chose woods because he had fear of being caught by the police. In order to escape, he
diverted himself towards the woods instead of going through public highway.

Q6. What did the peddler notice after running through the woods all the day? Could he
escape?

The peddler noticed that he was at the same place where he started in the morning. He once
again felt that the world was a rattrap & he was a rat who had got trapped in that world. Yes,
he escaped when he heard the sound of thumping iron; he moved towards its sound &
reached Ramsjo Ironworks.

Q7. What did the ironmaster mistake while inspecting his iron mill?

Ironmaster, while inspecting, got to see a man sleeping in front of the furnace. He mistook
him as an old acquaintance that once used to work him in his regiment. He requested the
peddler to come along with him to his home.

Q8. Why did the peddler forbid him to go to his home?

The peddler knew that he was not the friend of ironmaster. He thought going to his home
would be to put himself deliberately in lion’s den. In order to avoid his arresting by the
sheriff, he forbade him to go to ironmaster’s home.

Q9. When did the ironmaster realize his mistake?

The ironmaster realized his mistake when he saw the peddler after having taken bath & been
shaved. He threatened him to leave his home otherwise he would get him arrested.

Q10. Why did the ironmaster send his daughter to the peddler?

When ironmaster’s adamancy reached its peak, he thought it would be a better idea to send
his daughter to his friend to convince him. He knew his daughter had better persuasion
powers & she could easily convince anyone. Therefore, he sent his daughter over there.

Q11. Who was Edla Willmanson? Why did she want the peddler to stay with them?

Edla Willmanson was the only daughter of the ironmaster. When she saw that her father
wanted that man to be out of their home, she interfered & requested him to let him stay at
their home since the next day was Christmas. Seeing her assurance, the ironmaster acceded to
her request.

Q12. What did the ironmaster and his daughter get to hear at Church?

The ironmaster & his daughter get to hear that one of their employees had been robbed by a
man who went around selling rattraps. They doubted the man who was staying at their home.
Q13. What had the peddler left for Edla Willmanson?

The peddled had left a packet containing a rattrap, 30 kronors to be returned back to the
crofter & a letter for Edla Willmanson in jagged letters. Moreover, he signed himself as
Captain Von Stahle.

Q14. Why did the peddler sign himself as Captain Von Stahle?

The peddler signed himself as Captain Von Stahle because he was treated as a captain at
Ironmaster’s home. He was not only offered delicious food to eat but a due respect which
changed him from a wild beast into a man.

Q15. What did the peddler write in the letter?

The peddler wrote that he had been transformed into a man by Edla Willmanson with her
love. She changed him completely. Now he had stopped robbing people and stealing their
money.

Q16. What two things did the peddler do throughout the day?

The peddler got engaged in two activities throughout the day. First one was to sleep and
second was to eat. He slept all the day as if he slept for the first time in his life and eat as
though it was the first time, he ate such delicious food.

Q17. “If it’s me today, it’s you tomorrow” when did the peddler utter those words?
How did he justify himself?

The peddler uttered those words when he was threatened by the ironmaster to be handed over
to the police. He justified himself stating that was not his fault rather the fault of him and his
daughter who deliberately wanted to bring him to their homes.

Q18. Why did the peddler want to get into the iron mill?

The peddler wanted to get into the iron mill since it had been raining outside. Moreover, it
was extremely cold outside & he was wearing rage. In order to protect himself from coldness,
he had to get into the iron mill.
 (Long Answer Type Questions)
Q1. Give a brief character sketch of the rattrap seller.

The rattrap seller was a tramp who kept on wandering here and there for selling his hand
made rattraps. He always wore rags and looked for a place for shelter. But he was neither
welcome not respected anywhere. As a result, he thought that the world was a rattrap & they
all were rats who had to get trapped into that rattrap that day or the previous day. He cheated
on the man who sheltered him, offered him food and shared his emotions with him. He stole
his thirty kronors and ran away through the woods where he found himself trapped. Later on,
he reached Ramsjo iron mill where he was mistaken as an old acquaintance by the owner. He
was brought to the home with the help of iron master’s daughter. He had gone there with an
intention of stealing something but when he saw the hospitality of Edla, he mended his way
and got changed into a man from a wild beast. In the end, he returned all the stolen kronors
back to the crofter and thanked Edla for changing him into a man. In the end, he signed
himself as Captain Von Stahle and returned back to his work.

Q2. Anyone can be changed with love and care? Do you agree with this statement? Give
reasons in support to your answer.

Yes, I think anyone can be changed with love and affection. One can be made to understand
by showing concern and attention towards him. Love is the only one that can help converting
a wild beast into a man as we read in the chapter ‘The rattrap’ that how a man who was used
to stealing and robbing the people. How he was transformed into a human by Edla through
her love and respect. The man who thought of stealing others returned the stolen money and
assured her of not repeating such mistakes again. In this way we can say that not only the
rattrap seller but everyone in this world can be set to right way through love and respect
towards him. Moreover, one should be given proper time and care to see the change in one’s
life.

INDIGO
LOUIS FISCHER
SUMMARY
This story portraits Gandhi’s struggle for the poor peasants of Champaran. In those days
most of arable land in the Champaran district was divided into large estate owned by
Englishmen and worked by Indian tenants. The chief commercial crop was Indigo. The
landlords compelled all tenants to plant 15% of their Indigo and surrender the entire Indigo
harvest as rent. This was done by long term contract. The British didn’t need the Indigo
crop any more when Germany had developed synthetic Indigo. Just to release the
peasants from the 15% agreement they demanded compensation. Some illiterate
peasants agreed but the others refused.
One of the sharecroppers named Rajkumar Shukla met Gandhiji in this regard and
compelled him to visit Champaran because of the long-term injustice of landlords. Then
the two of them boarded a train for the city of Patna in Bihar. From there Shukla led him
to the house of a lawyer named Rajendra Prasad. Mahatma Gandhi’s humble and simple
attire made the servants mistook him as another poor peasant. He surveyed before taking
any vital step in order to get those peasants justice. It was the time when British
government punished those who in any condition gave shelter to national leaders or
protesters.

Gandhi’s arrival and the nature of his mission spread like a wildfire. Many lawyers and
peasant groups came in large numbers to support him. The lawyers accepted the fact that
their charges were high and for a poor peasant it will be irksome. Gandhiji rebuked them
for collecting big fee from the sharecroppers. He stressed on counselling as this would
give the peasants enough confidence to fight their fear. He managed to get justice after a
yearlong battle for the peasants. He also made arrangements for the education, health,
and hygiene for the families of the poor peasants. He gave them the lesson of self-
reliance.

Indigo Important Questions Short Answer Type Questions

1.Question
Why did Gandhiji agree to the planters’ offer of a 25 percent refund to the farmers?
Answer:
Gandhiji had asked the indigo planters for a 50 percent refund to the farmers but they
offered only 25 percent. Gandhiji still agreed to their offer because for him the amount
of the refund was of less importance. More important was the fact that the planters
had been forced to surrender part of their rights. So, he agreed to their settlement.

2.Question
How was Gandhiji able to influence the lawyers at Champaran?
Answer:
Gandhiji chided the lawyers for over-charging the poor peasants. When the peasants
were so poor and crushed, it was inhuman to charge heavy fees from them. Gandhiji’s
selfless service and devotion to the cause of the peasants put the lawyers to shame.

3.Question
How did Gandhiji help the peasants of Champaran?
Answer:
At Champaran, the British landlords forced all the tenants to plant 15 per cent of their
holding with indigo and then surrender the entire harvest as rent. This increased the
misery of the poor tenants. But when synthetic indigo was developed and indigo
plantation was no longer profitable, the landlords obtained fresh agreements from
sharecroppers to pay them compensation for releasing them from the 15%
arrangement. Gandhiji came in at this time and through non-violent civil disobedience
he forced the landlords to refund 25 per cent of the compensation money to the
peasants.

4.Question
Why did the servants think Gandhiji to be another peasant?
Answer:
In Patna, Rajkumar Shukla led Gandhiji to the house of Rajendra Prasad who was a
lawyer. The servants knew Shukla as a poor peasant of Champaran who often came
to Rajendra Prasad’s house and pestered him to take up the cause of the indigo
sharecroppers of Champaran. Since a simple-clad Gandhiji accompanied Shukla the
servants mistook him to be another peasant.

5.Question
Why did Gandhiji agree to the planters’ offer of a 25% refund to the farmers?
Answer:
Gandhiji had asked the indigo planters for a 50 percent refund to the farmers but they
offered only 25 percent. Gandhiji still agreed to their offer because for him the amount
of the refund was of less importance. More important was the fact that the planters
had been forced to surrender part of their rights. So, he agreed to their settlement.

6.Question
How were Shukla and Gandhiji received in Rajendra Prasad’s house?
Answer:
In Patna Shukla led Gandhiji to the house of a lawyer, Rajendra Prasad. He was out
of town but his servants knew Shukla as a poor peasant who pestered Rajendra
Prasad (their master) to help the indigo sharecroppers. So, he was allowed to stay
there with his companion. But Gandhiji was not permitted to draw water from the well
lest he be an untouchable and some drops of water from his bucket pollute the entire
source.

7.Question
What made Gandhiji demand 50% refund from the British landlords?
Answer:
Gandhiji demanded 50% refund from the British landlords in the form of repayment of
money which the landlords had illegally and deceitfully extorted from the poor
sharecroppers.

8.Question
Why did Gandhiji accept 25 percent compensation?
Answer:
Gandhiji had asked the indigo planters for a 50 percent refund to the farmers but they
offered only 25 percent. Gandhiji still agreed to their offer because for him the amount
of the refund was of less importance. More important was the fact that the planters
had been forced to surrender part of their rights. So, he agreed to their settlement.

9.Question
While at Champaran how did Gandhiji keep a long-distance watch on his ashram?
Answer:
During his long stay in Champaran, Gandhiji kept a long-distance watch on his
Ashram. He sent regular instructions by mail and asked for financial accounts. He even
wrote to the residents that it was time to fill in the old latrine trenches and dig new
ones.

10.Question
“The battle of Champaran is won.” When and why did Gandhiji exclaim this?
Answer:
When several prominent lawyers told Gandhiji that they were ready to follow him to
jail, Gandhiji exclaimed, “The battle of Champaran is toon”. Gandhiji made this
statement because he had been able to shake the lawyers out of their stupor and they
were ready to support Gandhiji.

11.Question
Why did Gandhiji feel that taking the Champaran case to the court was useless?
Answer:
Gandhiji felt taking the Champaran case to the court was useless as taking such cases
to the courts did little good. Where the peasants are so crushed and fear-stricken, law
courts prove useless. The real relief for these peasants was to be free from fear.

12.Question
What made the Lieutenant Governor drop the case against Gandhiji?
Answer:
The Lieutenant Governor was forced to drop the case against Gandhiji because the
lawyers had told Gandhiji that they would follow him into jail. So, the Lieutenant
Governor wrote to the Magistrate ordering him to drop the case against Gandhiji.

13.Question
How did the Champaran peasants react when they heard that a Mahatma had come
to help them?
Answer:
As the news of Gandhiji’s advent and the nature of his mission spread, the peasants
began arriving on foot and by conveyance to get a glimpse of their champion. The
lawyers, who had represented the peasant groups in court, also came to brief Gandhiji.
Question

14.Question
How did Rajkumar Shukla establish that he was resolute?
Answer:
Rajkumar Shukla wanted Gandhiji to visit Champaran to take up the cause of the poor
sharecroppers who were being exploited by the English landlords but Gandhiji said he
had appointments in various parts of India. Shukla started following Gandhiji
everywhere the latter went and for weeks he never left Gandhiji’s side thus
establishing his resoluteness.

15.Question
How was Gandhi treated at Rajendra Prasad’s house?
Answer:
In Patna Shukla led Gandhiji to the house of a lawyer, Rajendra Prasad. He was out
of town but his servants knew Shukla as a poor peasant who pestered Rajendra
Prasad (their master) to help the indigo sharecroppers. So, he was allowed to stay
there with his companion. But Gandhiji was not permitted to draw water from the well
lest he be an untouchable and some drops of water from his bucket pollute the entire
source.

16.Question
What were the terms of the indigo contract between the British landlords and the Indian
peasants?
Answer:
The arable land in the Champaran district was divided into estates which were owned
by Englishmen and worked by Indian tenants. The chief commercial crop was indigo.
The landlords compelled all tenants to plant 15 per cent of their holdings with indigo
and surrender the entire indigo harvest as rent.

17.Question
Why is Raj Kumar Shukla described as being ‘resolute’?
Answer:
Shukla wanted Gandhiji to visit Champaran to take up the cause of the sharecroppers
but Gandhiji said he had appointments in Cawnpore and other parts of India. Shukla
did not leave Gandhiji’s side for weeks begging him to fix a date for Champaran.
Gandhiji was impressed by his determination and resoluteness and Shukla finally
managed to convince Gandhiji to accompany him to Champaran.

18.Question
Why was Gandhiji opposed to C.F. Andrews helping him in Champaran?
Answer:
Though Gandhiji’s lawyer friends thought it would be a good idea for C.F.Andrews to
stay in Champaran and help them, Gandhiji vehemently opposed it. He said that if they
had an Englishman on their side it would show the weakness of their heart. They
should not attempt to seek a prop in Andrews just because he happened to be an
Englishman. Gandhiji wanted Indians to be self-reliant.

19.Question
Why did Gandhiji agree to a settlement of mere 25 percent?
Answer:
Gandhiji had asked the indigo planters for a 50 percent refund to the farmers but they
offered only 25 percent. Gandhiji still agreed to their offer because for him the amount
of the refund was of less importance. More important was the fact that the planters
had been forced to surrender part of their rights. So, he agreed to their settlement.

20.Question
Why was Gandhiji unhappy with the lawyers in Muzzafarpur? Why was he against
taking cases to the law courts?
Answer:
Gandhiji was unhappy with the lawyers in Muzzafarpur as they were collecting a huge
fee from the peasants. He was against taking the case to the law courts as he knew
the fear-stricken peasants would be further crushed and exploited in the court.
Gandhiji wanted to free the farmers from the fear of Britishers.

Indigo Important Questions Long Answer Type Questions:

21.Question
Describe the difficulties faced by Gandhi at Champaran.
Answer:
Gandhiji came to Champaran to fight against the injustice of the landlord system there.
Most of the land in Champaran was divided into large estates owned by Englishmen
who hired Indian tenants to grow indigo there. The Indian peasants were
sharecroppers and had to surrender 15 per cent of the indigo harvest as rent to the
British. After synthetic indigo was developed the Englishmen obtained fresh
agreements from sharecroppers to pay them compensation. Many refused to sign and
others wanted their money back. At this point Gandhiji arrived in Champaran with an
aim to free the peasants from fear. He collected all the facts and met the commissioner
who tried to bully him and advised him to leave the place. Gandhiji did not leave. In
the course of securing justice for the oppressed farmers of Champaran, Gandhiji had
to clash with the British authorities several times before he could persuade them to
agree to his viewpoint.

22.Question
How was a solution to the problem of indigo sharecroppers of Champaran found?
Answer:
The entire harvest of indigo, the chief commercial crop produced by the peasants in
the 15 per cent of their land had to be paid as rent to the British landlords. After
Germany developed synthetic indigo, it brought a steep fall in indigo prices. Now the
landlords very cleverly wished to give up this arrangement and get compensation for
releasing the farmers land. Gandhiji at this time appeared in Champaran and fought a
yearlong battle to get the poor peasants justice. Gandhiji decided to accept a
settlement of 25 per cent of the compensation money to break the deadlock between
the landlords and their tenants. The moral victory of the farmers to make the landlords
own-up their dishonesty and surrender their money and prestige mattered more to
Gandhiji. So, he was successful in defeating the nefarious designs of the British
landlords and also made the farmers courageous and conscious of their rights.

23.Question
Why and how did Raj Kumar Shukla persuade Gandhiji to visit Champaran?
Answer:
Raj Kumar Shukla was an illiterate and oppressed indigo farmer from Champaran who
came to invite Gandhiji to visit his district where injustice and oppression was rampant.
He wished Gandhiji to accompany him to Champaran and sort out the problems of the
miserable peasants. Gandhiji mentioned about his prior engagements to Shukla but
he did not give up and followed Gandhiji everywhere. He kept urging Gandhiji to visit
Champaran. Finally, his persistent and patience bore fruits and Gandhiji agreed to
accompany him to Champaran immediately after his Calcutta visit. Gandhiji’s
truthfulness, sincerity of purpose and undeterred efforts spelled the triumph of the
campaign against the unjust British rulers. What began as an attempt to fight for justice
against the hapless peasants later turned out to be a clear proclamation that the
Indians would not submit to British tyranny meekly.

24.Question
How was the Champaran incident a turning point in Gandhiji’s life?
Answer:
Gandhiji came to Champaran to fight against the injustice of the landlord system there.
Most of the land in Champaran was divided into large estates owned by Englishmen
who hired Indian tenants to grow indigo there. The Indian peasants were
sharecroppers and had to surrender 15 per cent of the indigo harvest as rent to the
British. After synthetic indigo was developed the Englishmen obtained fresh
agreements from sharecroppers to pay them compensation. Many refused to sign and
others wanted their money back. At this point Gandhiji arrived in Champaran with an
aim to free the peasants from fear. He collected all the facts and met the commissioner
who tried to bully him and advised him to leave the place. Gandhiji did not leave. In
the course of securing justice for the oppressed farmers of Champaran, Gandhiji had
to clash with the British authorities several times before he could persuade them to
agree to his viewpoint.

The Champaran episode turned out to be Gandhiji’s loud pronouncement that the
Britishes could not order him about in his own country. It established the effectiveness
of non¬cooperation as a means of fighting for justice. The Champaran episode
revealed Gandhiji’s principles in the political field. Even after winning the peasants’
battle against the English landlords Gandhiji stayed in Champaran for the cultural and
social upliftment of the poor and the backward of the villages of Champaran.

25.Question
Why do you think Gandhiji considered the Champaran episode to be a turning-point in
his life?
Answer:
Gandhiji came to Champaran to fight against the injustice of the landlord system there.
Most of the land in Champaran was divided into large estates owned by Englishmen
who hired Indian tenants to grow indigo there. The Indian peasants were
sharecroppers and had to surrender 15 per cent of the indigo harvest as rent to the
British. After synthetic indigo was developed the Englishmen obtained fresh
agreements from sharecroppers to pay them compensation. Many refused to sign and
others wanted their money back. At this point Gandhiji arrived in Champaran with an
aim to free the peasants from fear. He collected all the facts and met the commissioner
who tried to bully him and advised him to leave the place. Gandhiji did not leave. In
the course of securing justice for the oppressed farmers of Champaran, Gandhiji had
to clash with the British authorities several times before he could persuade them to
agree to his viewpoint.

The Champaran episode turned out to be Gandhiji’s loud pronouncement that the
Britishes could not order him about in his own country. It established the effectiveness
of non¬cooperation as a means of fighting for justice. The Champaran episode
revealed Gandhiji’s principles in the political field. Even after winning the peasants’
battle against the English landlords Gandhiji stayed in Champaran for the cultural and
social upliftment of the poor and the backward of the villages of Champaran.

26.Question
How did Gandhiji use satyagraha and non-violence at Champaran to achieve his goal?
Answer:
Gandhiji reached Champaran with a goal to alleviate the peasants’ sufferings at the
hands of the British landlords. He met the Secretary of the Landlords’ Association and
the Commissioner who told him to leave Champaran. They signed the order but also
wrote that Gandhiji would disobey it and sent a full report to the Viceroy. This was
followed by spontaneous demonstrations by thousands of peasants around the court
house. The lawyers too resolved to follow Gandhiji to jail forcing the case against him
to be dropped. This was the first victory of Civil Disobedience. Then an official enquiry
into the indigo sharecroppers’ situation was instituted and the landlords agreed to
refund the peasants. The sharecropper accepted the 25 per cent refund. The landlords
surrendered a part of the money with a part of their prestige. So Gandhiji achieved his
objective in removing the fear of the poor peasants and getting justice for them through
‘satyagraha’ and ‘non-violence’.

27.Question
Give an account of Gandhiji’s efforts to secure justice for the poor indigo
sharecroppers of Champaran.
Answer:
Gandhiji took up the cause of the indigo sharecroppers at Champaran. He fought
against the injustice of the cruel British landlords who extorted money from the poor
sharecroppers. Gandhiji collected all the facts and met the Commissioner. He tried to
threaten Gandhiji and advised him to leave from there. But Gandhiji was undeterred.
He decided to launch a peaceful ‘satyagraha’ and non-violent movement. This led to
spontaneous demonstra¬tions in Motihari. Thousands of peasants challenged the
Britishers and the government was baffled. Despite earlier hesitations the prominent
lawyers declared their uncondi¬tional support to Gandhiji. Finally, Gandhiji’s peaceful
and non-violent civil disobedience bore the desired results. The indigo share¬croppers
at Champaran secured justice and the landlords agreed to refund 25 per cent of the
compensation money.

28.Question
The Champaran episode was a turning point in Gandhiji’s life. Elucidate.
Answer:
Gandhiji came to Champaran to fight against the injustice of the landlord system there.
Most of the land in Champaran was divided into large estates owned by Englishmen
who hired Indian tenants to grow indigo there. The Indian peasants were
sharecroppers and had to surrender 15 per cent of the indigo harvest as rent to the
British. After synthetic indigo was developed the Englishmen obtained fresh
agreements from sharecroppers to pay them compensation. Many refused to sign and
others wanted their money back. At this point Gandhiji arrived in Champaran with an
aim to free the peasants from fear. He collected all the facts and met the commissioner
who tried to bully him and advised him to leave the place. Gandhiji did not leave. In
the course of securing justice for the oppressed farmers of Champaran, Gandhiji had
to clash with the British authorities several times before he could persuade them to
agree to his viewpoint.

The Champaran episode turned out to be Gandhiji’s loud pronouncement that the
Britishes could not order him about in his own country. It established the effectiveness
of non¬cooperation as a means of fighting for justice. The Champaran episode
revealed Gandhiji’s principles in the political field. Even after winning the peasants’
battle against the English landlords Gandhiji stayed in Champaran for the cultural and
social upliftment of the poor and the backward of the villages of Champaran.

29.Question
Why did Rajkumar Shukla invite Gandhiji to Champaran? How did Gandhiji solve the
problem of the indigo farmers?
Answer:
Rajkmar Shukla who was an illiterate and oppressed indigo farmer from Champaran
invited Gandhiji to visit his district so that he could alleviate the problems faced by the
miserable peasants at the hands of the British landlords. He kept urging Gandhiji to
visit Champaran. Gandhiji’s truthfulness, sincerity of purpose and undeterred efforts
enabled him to solve the problem of the indigo farmers. He began by trying to get the
facts. The British landlords as well as Commissioner of Tirhut were non-cooperative.
Lawyers from Muzaffarpur briefed him about court cases of these peasants. Gandhiji
and the lawyers collected depositions by about ten thousand peasants. Notes were
made on other evidence. Documents were collected. The whole area throbbed with
the activities of the investigators and forceful protests of landlords. The Lieutenant
Governor summoned Gandhiji. After four protracted interviews an official commission
of inquiry was appointed to look into the indigo sharecroppers’ situation. Gandhiji was
the sole representative of the peasants. The official inquiry assembled huge quantity
of evidence against the big planters. After negotiation a settlement of 25 per cent
refund to the farmers was agreed on. This was a moral victory of the peasants. They
recognised their rights and learned courage.

30.Question
Exploitation is a universal phenomenon. The poor indigo farmers were exploited by
the British landlords to which Gandhiji objected. Even after our independence we find
exploitation of unorganized labour. What values do we learn from Gandhiji campaign
to counter the present-day problems of exploitation?
Answer:
Gandhiji’s campaign in Champaran is relevant even in the present day to counter the
problems of exploitation. What we must keep in mind is to teach the downtrodden to
be courageous. Unless the labour class overcomes the fear within them, they will
never be able to fight for their rights. Therefore, priority has to be given to empowering
and making the labour class bold and fearless and to give them the courage to oppose
injustice and exploitation. Another thing we must remember is to focus not on the
problems of the labour class but on the solution of their problems. We must possess
a humanitarian approach and should be ready to brave hardships with non-violence,
patience and perseverance. Only then can we overcome the present-day problems of
exploitation.
31.Question
Why did Gandhiji agree to a settlement of 25 per cent refund to the farmers? How did
it influence the peasant-landlord relationship in Champaran?
Answer:
Gandhiji had demanded the indigo planters for a 50 per cent refund to the farmers but
they offered only 25 per cent. But Gandhiji agreed to their offer because for him the
amount of the refund was of less importance. More important was the fact that the
planters had been forced to surrender part of their rights. It was a moral victory for the
farmers. Gandhiji’s main aim was to break the deadlock between the landlords and
their tenants and to enable the peasants to recognise their legal rights. Within a few
years the British planters abandoned their estates, which reverted to the peasants and
finally indigo sharecropping disappeared.

32.Question
Attempt the following in about 100 words:
Our scriptures tell us that determination and perseverance are cardinal virtues of a
good human being. Raj Kumar Shukla succeeded in taking Gandhiji to Champaran
with the help of these two.
How can young students today use these two qualities to make successful careers for
themselves?
Answer:
Determination is your decision to do something against all odds. Perseverance is to
keep doing something for the time needed to achieve your goal no matter how long or
difficult the path is. No wonder these two qualities should be the ‘mantra’ for young
students to make a successful career for themselves. If there is one quality, one
personal trait that is most correlated with success it is the trait of persistence—the
ability to endure till the end. With a little more perseverance what once seemed a
hopeless failure may turn to glorious success. Determination and perseverance give
us hope that the righteous suffer no other failure except that of giving up and no longer
trying.

33.Question
Why is the Champaran episode considered to be the beginning of the Indian struggle
for Independence?
Answer:
The Champaran episode was a landmark in the Gandhian style of fighting against the
British. It was a long-drawn out but peaceful agitation. It was also a turning point in
Gandhiji’s life. During this struggle Gandhiji decided to urge the departure of the
Britishers. It did not begin as an act of defiance but it grew out of an attempt to make
the sufferings of the poor peasants less severe. It was the triumph of the first civil
disobedience movement. The Champaran episode taught the farmers to be
courageous and made them aware of their rights. It was a spontaneous demonstration
around the courtroom and the beginning of the peasant liberation from the fear of
Britishers. In the Champaran episode, self-reliance and freedom struggle went hand
in hand.

34.Question
Gandhiji’s was not a loyalty to abstractions; it was a loyalty to living human beings.
Why did Gandhiji continue his stay in Champaran even after indigo sharecropping
disappeared?
Answer:
Gandhiji never contented himself with large political and economic solutions. He saw
the cultural and social backwardness in the villages of Champaran and wanted to do
something about it immediately. So, he continued his stay in Champaran even after
indigo sharecropping disappeared. He appealed to two young men, who were
teachers and their wives to engage volunteers for improving conditions of health and
hygiene. Since the health conditions were miserable in Champaran, Gandhiji got a
doctor to volunteer his services for six months. He noticed the filthy state of women’s
clothes and asked his wife, Kasturba to talk to them about it. During his long stay in
Champaran Gandhiji also kept a long-distance watch on the ashram. In everything
Gandhiji did, he tried to mould a new free India that could stand on its own feet.

35.Question
Describe how, according to Louis Fischer, Gandhiji succeeded in his Champaran
campaign?
Answer:
According to Louis Fischer, the Champaran campaign began as an attempt to fight
against the injustice towards the helpless peasants to alleviate their sufferings. It later
turned out to be Gandhiji’s loud pronouncement that the Britishers could not order him
about in his own country. Gandhiji took up the cause of the indigo sharecroppers at
Champaran. He fought against the injustice of the cruel British landlords who extorted
money from the poor sharecroppers. Gandhiji collected all the facts and met the
Commissioner. He tried to threaten Gandhiji and advised him to leave from there. But
Gandhiji was undeterred. He decided to launch a peaceful ‘satyagraha’ and non-
violent movement. This led to spontaneous demonstrations in Motihari. Thousands of
peasants challenged the Britishers and the government was baffled. Despite earlier
hesitations the prominent lawyers declared their unconditional support to Gandhiji.
Finally, Gandhiji’s peaceful and non-violent civil disobedience bore the desired results.
The indigo sharecroppers at Champaran secured justice and the landlords agreed to
refund 25 percent of the compensation money.

36.Question
What did Gandhiji do to remove the cultural and social backwardness in the
Champaran villages?
Answer:
Gandhiji never contented himself with large political and economic solutions. He saw
the cultural and social backwardness in the villages of Champaran and wanted to do
something about it immediately. So, he continued his stay in Champaran even after
indigo sharecropping disappeared. He appealed to two young men, who were
teachers and their wives to engage volunteers for improving conditions of health and
hygiene. Since the health conditions were miserable in Champaran, Gandhiji got a
doctor to volunteer his services for six months. He noticed the filthy state of women’s
clothes and asked his wife, Kasturba to talk to them about it. During his long stay in
Champaran Gandhiji also kept a long-distance watch on the ashram. In everything
Gandhiji did, he tried to mould a new free India that could stand on its own feet.

Also add: Gandhiji was different from other politicians. His politics was concerned with
the day to day problems of the people. His aim was to mould the Indians who could
stand on their own feet and make India free. The purpose of
Gandhiji’s visit to Champaran was to bring justice to the sharecroppers. But after that
was achieved, he stayed on to alleviate the sufferings of the people in Champaran. He
started schools and clinics. His friends, wife and sons volunteered to help him.
Gandhiji stayed nearly for a year in Champaran.

37.Question
How did a visit to Champaran become a turning point in Gandhi’s life? How does this
show Gandhi’s love and concern for the com¬mon people of India?
Answer:
The Champaran episode began as an attempt to fight against the injustice towards the
hapless peasants to alleviate their sufferings. It later turned out to be Gandhiji’s loud
pronounce-ment that the Britishers could not order him about in his own country. It
established the effectiveness of non-cooperation as a means of fighting for justice.
Gandhiji did not get intimidated either by the British officials or by their offers. The
Champaran episode was not an outcome of defiance of authorities but it was a result
of sincere efforts to relieve the suffering of the masses. It revealed Gandhiji’s principles
in the political field. After winning the peasants’ battle against the English landlords
Gandhiji stayed on in Champaran for the cultural and social upliftment of the poor and
backward villages of Champaran.

38.Question
Gandhiji had great love for the poor. What did he do for the indigo farmers of
Champaran?
Answer:
The indigo sharecroppers in Champaran were being exploited by the British landlords.
Gandhiji was called for help to alleviate their sufferings. At first, he removed the
peasants’ fear and united them. He then changed the professional mindset of the
lawyers. He also made the landlords agree to return 25 per cent of the compensation.
The landlords finally left Champaran. Then Gandhiji started his second mission of
solving the problem of the cultural and social backwardness in Champaran. He spread
awareness regarding sanitation, health and education. Since the health conditions
were miserable, he got a doctor to volunteer his services for six months. After winning
the peasants’ battle Gandhiji started working for the cultural and social upliftment of
the poor and backward villagers.

39.Question
Gandhiji, Father of our nation, is a great leader whose values have been admired by
one and all. Describe at least three characteristics of Gandhiji you get to know from
‘Indigo’, which you wish to adopt into your own life quoting suitable instances from the
story.
Answer:
There is no denying the fact that Gandhiji’s values and ideologies have been admired
by one and all. In the lesson ‘Indigo’ we get a glimpse of his certain traits that we
should adopt in our own life. When Gandhiji reached Champaran, his main aim was
to solve the problem of the sharecroppers and he worked towards that cause
relentlessly. This quality enabled him to overcome all obstacles. Despite his
unassuming and simple personality Gandhiji did not get intimidated by the British. He
dared to face each situation fearlessly and nothing could deter him from his path. After
having resolved the issue of compensation of the sharecroppers he focussed his
attention on the social and cultural problems of the people of Champaran. Here too he
displayed an extreme sense of sincerity towards this mammoth task. If we adopt these
characteristics of Gandhiji in our life we too are bound to achieve success in our
endeavours.

40.Question
Leadership is all about a strong concern for others. What light does Champaran
episode throw on Gandhiji’s leadership?
Answer:
There is no doubt about the fact that a good leader is one who has a strong concern
for others. Not only does he have a mass appeal but he even rises from the masses.
He is a man of principles and his life is an open book. Gandhiji’s sincere efforts to get
justice for the Champaran sharecroppers and his conscientious endeavours to uplift
the people there are proof enough of the true leadership qualities that he possessed.
His primary concern was the welfare of the common man because Gandhiji never
contented himself with large political or economic solutions. Seeing the cultural and
social backwardness in the Champaran village he wanted to do something about it
immediately. His politics was always intertwined with the practical day-to-day problems
of the millions and through his selfless actions he displayed what true leadership was
all about.

GOING PLACES

A.R. BARTON

SUMMARY

Sophie is a teenage girl who has big dreams. She comes from a poor family background.
She wishes to own her own boutique after school. If not that, she is very certain that
she can become an actress or a fashion designer. Her friend, Jansie, tells her that
dreams come true if you have money or experience. She also tells her that they are
expected to work in a biscuit factory after school ends because of their family
background. Sophie lives in a house, which is very small for the number of people in
her family. Her family does not believe her, as she is known to make up stories and
scenarios in her head that are far from reality. Her elder brother Geoff, who does not
let anyone enter his life, fascinates her. He is strong, handsome and tall. She is jealous
of his silence and wants him to take her on bike rides.

Sophie is attracted to Casey who is a soccer player. She tells her brother that she met
him at the arcade, which is not true. Geoff does not believe her as he finds it to be
unlikely. She also tells him that Casey had asked her to meet him somewhere else, too.

Sophie keeps building the story up in such a manner that she starts believing in it. She
walks by the canal along the path that was sheltered. This is in the same
neighbourhood as that of her house. This is a place where she used to play as a child.
She waited for him on the wooden bench under the elm tree. She spends time waiting
for him to come, but he never does. She then goes back home and feels sad on thinking
that her brother would be so unhappy and disappointed. However, she never really
comes out of the fantasy and believes that Casey will come to meet her.

Question.1. Why is Sophie attracted to Danny Casey?

Answer. Danny Casey is a young and successful football player from Ireland. He is
also quite handsome, which adds to his popularity among his fans, especially young
girls of Sophie’s age. Naturally, Sophie is attracted to him. Besides, her family
members are also huge football fans and Casey is a hero for them.

Question.2. How are Jansie and-Sophie different from each other?

Answer. Jansie and Sophie have contrasting characters and an altogether different
approach towards life. Jansie is quite practical and her feet are grounded in reality,
whereas Sophie is a daydreamer and lives in an imaginary world. Jansie is mature
and accepts the truth that people of their stature can only become workers in a biscuit
factory. On the other hand, Sophie tries to escape from reality and dreams of becoming
an actress, a manager or a fashion designer.

Question.3. Why did Sophie long for her brother’s affection?

or
Why did Sophie like her brother Geoff more than any other person?
Answer. Sophie found in her brother, Geoff a patient listener to all her fantasies and
also one she could confide in. The other members of her family and even her friend
Jansie made fun of her fantastic stories. This made her quite fond of Geoff. She also
looked upon Geoff as someone widely travelled. His world remained a fascination for
her and she longed that someday he might take her there.

Question.4. Did Geoff keep up his promise? How do you know?

or
Did Geoff keep his promise to Sophie? How do you know?
Answer. Geoff didn’t keep his promise to Sophie. Sophie told Geoff about her meeting
with Danny Casey at the Royce’s. Geoff told the story to Frank who in turn told his
sister, Jansie, about it. However, Geoff never revealed the full story, as he did not tell
anyone about Sophie’s supposed date with Danny Casey.

Question.5. Why was Sophie jealous of Geoff’s silence?

Answer. Geoff never spoke much. Sophie always pondered over the areas of his life
which he never talked about. His world remained a fascination for her. She felt that
when he was not speaking, his mind was away at some unknown place, and so she
felt jealous of him.

Question.6. Why did Sophie not want Jansie to know anything about her
meeting with Danny Casey?

or
Why didn’t Sophie want Jansie to know about her story with Danny?
Answer. Sophie did not want Jansie to know anything about her meeting with Danny
Casey because she knew that Jansie was a blabber mouth. The moment Jansie knew
of someone’s secret, the whole neighbourhood would get to know of it. Sophie did not
want to be ridiculed before others.

Question.7. How did Sophie’s father react when Geoff told him about her
meeting with Danny Casey?
Answer. Sophie’s father is a realist to the core. He does not believe in Sophie’s story
at all and dismisses it as another of her wild fantasies. When Geoff tells him about
Sophie’s chance encounter with Danny Casey, the Irish prodigy, he expresses disdain
and rubbishes her story. He changes the topic by saying that he once knew a man
who knew another famous English footballer named Tom Finney. He warns Sophie
that such concocted stories would land her into trouble someday.

Question.8. What thoughts came to Sophie’s mind as she sat by the canal?
Answer. Sophie felt doubts stirring inside her, as she sat by the canal waiting for
Danny Casey. When she saw no sign of him, she remembered Geoff’s words that
Casey would not come. She wonders what she would tell her family. She thinks that
Geoff would be disappointed. She is saddened by the fact that she will never be able
to show her family that they are wrong to cast doubts on her.

Question.9. Which was the only occasion when Sophie got to see Danny Casey
in person?
Answer. The only occasion when Sophie got to see Danny Casey in person was when
she went to watch the match with her family. Sitting amongst the spectators, Sophie
saw Casey from a distance. The power of her imagination was such that she
concocted a story of her brief encounter with him and almost got an autograph from
him.

Question.10. Why did Jansie discourage Sophie from entertaining thoughts

about the sports- star, Danny Casey?
Answer. Jansie was a realist, and not a daydreamer like Sophie. She discouraged
Sophie from having such dreams because her dreams were wild and impossible. She
had neither the means nor the skills to achieve them. She feels sad because she
knows that both of them will have to work at the biscuit factory after they pass out of
school. It was preposterous for her to live in such a dream world and it could lead to
depression or low self-esteem.

Question.11. Why did Sophie wriggle when Geoff told her father that she had
met Danny Casey?
Answer. When Geoff told her father about Sophie’s chance encounter with Danny
Casey, Sophie wriggled because she knew that her father wouldn’t believe it. Her
father was a practical, realistic person and Sophie was sure that he would be angry
with her and reprimand her for concocting such stories. She feared that she would
have to add more details to the story to make it sound authentic.

Question.12.” Damn that Geoff, this was Geoff thing, not a Jansie thing,” Why
did Sophie say so?
Answer. Sophie knew that her classmate Jansie poked her nose into every matter,
she was a rumour monger. Jansie came to know about the Sophie-Casey encounter
through Frank, her brother, who was friends with Geoff. Sophie was annoyed with
Geoff because this story was meant only for him. Sophie knew that Jansie would
spread this information like wildfire and it could draw lots of people to her house to
enquire about Casey.

Question.13. Does Geoff believe what Sophie says about her meeting with
Danny Casey?
Answer. Geoff does not believe Sophie’s story about her meeting with Danny Casey,
the Irish football star. Although he had a strong bond with his sister, as she shared all
her secrets with him, he dismissed the whole story as a most unlikely thing. He does
not hesitate to tell her that Casey would never keep his promise of meeting her again
to give her his autograph.

Question.14. What did Sophie imagine about her meeting with Danny Casey?
Answer. Sophie imagines that she has met Danny Casey, the Irish football prodigy,
at Royce’s. She cooks up details about his appearance and says that she asked him
for an autograph but could not get it as neither of them had paper or pen. They talked
for a while about the clothes in the shop. Casey promised to meet her again next week.

Long Answer Type Questions

Question.1. Has Sophie met Danny Casey? What details of her meeting with
Danny Casey did she narrate to her brother?
or
Did Sophie really meet Danny Casey?
Answer. No Sophie has never really met Danny Casey. She has just seen Danny
Casey on the field when she went to watch team United play a football match. There,
she was one of the spectators and could see Casey playing only from a distance.
However, Sophie lives in an imaginary world. Casey was a young sport star and
Sophie worshipped him as her hero. Her meeting with Casey was just another of her
wild fantasies. She was so engrossed in her daydreams that what she imagined
seemed real to her.
Sophie told her brother Geoff that she met Casey near Royce’s. As she was looking
at the clothes, Casey came and stood beside her. She wanted to take his autograph
for her younger brother Derek, but neither of them had a pen or paper. Casey then
suggested that they could meet again next week, and then he would also give his
autograph.

Question.2. What were Sophie’s plans for her future? Why would you call her
dreams unrealistic?
Answer. Sophie planned to open a boutique after she passed out of school. When
Jansie told her that it would require a lot of money, she said that she would become a
manager and save money! for her boutique. She later also added that she would either
become an actress or a fashion designer. For a girl from a lower middle-class family
such dreams are certainly far from reality. Sophie’s friend Jansie, who is quite
practical, knows that they will ultimately have to work in the biscuit factory. She even
dissuades Sophie from indulging in such childish fantasies. Sophie wants to
materialise all those things which were simply not possible practically. Never for once
in the story does the girl think practically or come out of her dream world.

Question.3. Sophie was a dreamer. The lesson ‘Going Places’ reminds us that
mere dreams will not help us to accomplish anything. What qualities, do you
think, would help Sophie to realise her dreams?

Answer. Sophie lives in a world of dreams, which is far from reality. It is not
unreasonable to have high hopes and ambitions for one’s future, but such dreaming
can be justified only when one is prepared to work hard to realise one’s dreams.
Sophie too needs to work hard to achieve her dreams, instead of just imagining a
bright and successful future for herself, or fantasising about her meeting with Danny
Casey. She should accept the reality that she belongs to a middle-class working
family. Initially, she would face some difficulties because of her poor financial
condition, but if she persists with sincere devotion, she could certainly raise her status
to the level from where she would actually have the company of successful. people
like Danny Casey. Besides, with better educational qualifications, increased
opportunities, hard work and more savings, she could even own a boutique in future.

Question.4. Attempt a character sketch of Sophie as a woman who lives in her

dreams.
Answer. Sophie has been portrayed as the central character in the story ‘Going
Places’. She perfectly represents the girls of her age who live in poor families.
Sophie always lives in a dream world, dreaming impossible things. The opening scene
of the story clearly tells what sort of girl she is. She is not ready to accept the reality of
her family’s condition and dreams of having a boutique of her own.
She makes up the story of meeting Danny Casey, a charming and upcoming footballer.
Nobody believes her but she refuses to accept that it is her dream. Rather, she starts
believing that she has met him and to prove that she is telling the truth, she makes up
another story that she has fixed a date with him.
She is so lost in her dreams that she actually goes to the canal and waits for him. He
does not show up. She knows that he will not come, but still she becomes sad. Such
is the character of Sophie.

Question.5. Contrast Sophie’s real world with her fantasies.

Answer. The story ‘Going Places’ is a journey into the dream world of the protagonist,
a schoolgirl named Sophie who drifts from one dream to another. The world of dreams
is so fascinating for her that even her wildest thoughts can find refuge it.
Sophie finds the reality of her life too harsh to accept. She belongs to a lower middle-
class family where nobody encourages her to dream of better prospects. Still she
dreams of owning the best boutique, becoming a manager in some store or at other
times becoming an actress or a fashion designer.
In her dream world, she visits the Royce’s, meets Danny Casey, the sports icon, and
even fixes up a date with him. It’s all in her mind but she considers it true and actually
waits for him to show up at a specified spot and time. The flight of her imagination is
such that it flips from one dream to another, from one place to the other.