The Dear Departed - Notes for Class 10

The Dear Departed

Question-Answers:

1.    How does Mrs. Slater plan to outshine the Jordans? What does it reveal about her character?

Ans: Mrs. Slater plans to outshine the Jordans by being half-ready for the mourning thinking that Jordans would not even get time for getting ready in mourning. This incidence reveals that Mrs. Slater is a cunning lady would go to any extent in order to show her competitors (Jordans) down.

2.    Why does Mrs. Slater decide to shift the bureau from grandfather's room before the arrival of the Jordans? How does Henry react to the suggestion?

Ans: Mrs. Slater is aware of her sister’s (Mrs. Jordan’s) cunning nature. She knows that Mrs. Jordan would surely divide the things that belong to Grandfather. So, in order to make Mrs. Jordan sure that the bureau belongs not to Grandfather but to Slaters, and to avoid losing the bureau, Mrs. Slater decides to shift the bureau in their room before the arrival of the Jordans.

Henry does not like the idea of ‘pinching’ the bureau down. He advises Mrs. Slater to have a talk with Mrs. Jordan before taking the bureau as Mrs. Jordan might have her eyes on the bureau as well.

3.    What is the reason for the Jordans taking a long time to get to the house of the Slaters? What does it show about the two sisters' attitude towards each other?

Ans: Jordans take a long time to get to the house of Jordans because Mrs. Jordan spent time in buying new mourning clothes because she couldn’t start her journey.

This instance shows that both the sisters are very competitive in nature. They feel that they both are the competitor for each other. So, this attitude make them go to any extent that even on their father’s death, they compete with each other and seek a chance to over shine each other.

4.    What does Mrs. Jordan describe as 'a fatal mistake'? What is the irony in the comment she makes on Mrs. Slater's defense?

Ans: Not verifying from a doctor whether the grandfather is dead or alive is ‘a fatal mistake’ described by Mrs. Jordan.

Mrs. Jordan gives the example of many such cases of dead persons restored to life after they were thought to be dead. The irony lies in Mrs. Jordan’s hope that grandfather would have restored to life if Mrs. Slater would have sent for doctor. Even though both the sisters equally wanted their father to die as soon as possible, Mrs Jordan actually comments it as a 'fatal mistake' on not confirming Father's death.

5.    Ben appreciates grandfather saying 'its' a good thing he did'. Later he calls him a 'drunken old beggar'. Why does he change his opinion about grandfather?

Ans: When Ben comes to know from Mrs. Slater that grandfather has paid the insurance premium, he appreciates grandfather saying ‘it’s a good thing he did’ before dying because they would get the insurance benefits after grandfather’s death.

Later, when Ben comes to know that grandfather has not paid the insurance premium, and they are not getting insurance money as the premium wasn’t paid on time, Ben calls him ‘drunken old beggar’.

His selfishness towards grandfather’s insurance money made him change his opinion about grandfather.

6.    What change does grandfather make in his new will? What effect does it have on his daughters?

Ans: Grandfather decides to alter his will. According to the new will that he is going to make, his entire property would be given to the one who would take care of him, and with whom he would stay and die at his or her place.

This very decision gives birth to the selfish and materialistic attitude of both daughters. In order to have their grandfather’s property they show their willingness to keep grandfather with them till he die. So, sometime back, the sisters who were not interested in keeping the grandfather with them when he was alive, they both fight with each other for keeping grandfather with themselves in order to get his property.

7.    What are the three things that grandfather plans to do on Monday next?

Ans: The three things grandfather plans to do on Monday are

1. -      Go to the lawyer and alter the will
2. -      Go to the insurance office and pay the insurance premium
3. -      Go to the church and get marry to Ring-o-Bells Mrs. John Shorrocks

8.    Bring out the irony in the title of the play.

Ans: The title of the play is ‘The Dear Departed’. From the title, one can guess that this is a tragic play about someone dear of some family leaves them forever. On the other hand, the play is about someone, who is supposed as dead by the family members, leave them forever when he come to know about their cunning, selfish and materialistic attitude.

Also, the title tells us about someone ‘dear’, but here the one who is departed, i.e. grandfather, is not at all dear to any of the members of the family except little Victoria.

9.    How does the spat between his daughters lead to grandfather discovering the truth?

Ans: Both the daughters are not on good terms with each other. They do not leave even one opportunity to show each other down and blame each other. When Elizabeth Jordan comes to know that the bureau lying in Mrs. Slater’s room belongs to grandfather, she tells grandfather that Slaters tried to steal grandfather’s property thinking that he is dead. On the other hand, Mrs. Slater tells grandfather that she had a fight with Mrs. Jordan long back because Mrs. Jordan wouldn't take grandfather off hands at any price. Mrs. Slater also mentioned that Mrs. Jordan said that she (Mrs. Jordan) had enough of grandfather to last a lifetime.

Thus, their attempt of saving themselves made them to reveal the real character of each other. This led to grandfather discovering the truth.