(a) One day last summer
the author was travelling to Pittsburg by chair car. What does he say
about his co-passengers?
Answer
The compartment was full of affluent people, men and women, sitting in
their chair-cars. Women were fashionably dressed in brown silk dresses
with laces and veils. Men appeared to be travelling on account of
business.
business.
(b) Who was the
passenger of chair No.9? What did he suddenly do?
Answer
The passenger of Chair No. 9 was a man from Pittsburgh named John, an old friend of writer.
He suddenly threw his book between his chair and window. The name of
book was the 'The Rose Lady and Trevelyan', one of the bestselling
novels of the present day.
(c) What was John A.
Pescud's opinion about best sellers? Why?
Answer
Pescud believed that the stories about best-sellers were not realistic. The themes revolved around
romances between royals and commoners, fencing, imaginative encounters and all the stuff that never happens in real life. In real life, one would always select a prospective bride from a similar background.
romances between royals and commoners, fencing, imaginative encounters and all the stuff that never happens in real life. In real life, one would always select a prospective bride from a similar background.
(d) What does John say
about himself since his last meeting with the author?
Answer
John, since his last
meeting with the author was on the line of general prosperity. He had
his salary doubled twice and had bought “a neat slice of real
estate.” His company was to sell him some shares of stock the
coming year. Much settled in life, he had even taken some time off to
experience some romance of which he tells the author next.
(e) How did John's first
meeting with Jessie's father go? What did the author tell him?
Answer
John’s first meeting with Jessie’s father was successful, since it set the tone for a possible alliance in
future. John not only made his proposal, stated his intentions in clear terms, but also made Jessie’s father
laugh with his anecdotes and stories.
future. John not only made his proposal, stated his intentions in clear terms, but also made Jessie’s father
laugh with his anecdotes and stories.
(f) Why did John get off
at Coketown?
Answer
Jessie had fancied some petunias in one of the windows and she wanted to plant them in her new house. So Pescud thought of dropping at Coketown to dig or get some cuttings of flowers for her.
(g) John is a hypocrite. Do you agree with this statement? Substantiate your answer.
Answer
Yes, I believe that John is a hypocrite. The word hypocrite means the person tries to shows what he is not. John is such type of man. He said that he did not believe in the romance portrayed in best sellers. He believed the stories too good to be true. However, his own story was fantastical. His wife, the only daughter of the oldest family in Virginia, met him, an ordinary travel salesman of a plate glass company, in a journey where he would have least expected to find his life partner. Their courtship also was too fantastical, and even after all the episode, the fashion in which Pescud criticised love stories of best sellers proves him to be a hypocrite.
Answer
Jessie had fancied some petunias in one of the windows and she wanted to plant them in her new house. So Pescud thought of dropping at Coketown to dig or get some cuttings of flowers for her.
(g) John is a hypocrite. Do you agree with this statement? Substantiate your answer.
Answer
Yes, I believe that John is a hypocrite. The word hypocrite means the person tries to shows what he is not. John is such type of man. He said that he did not believe in the romance portrayed in best sellers. He believed the stories too good to be true. However, his own story was fantastical. His wife, the only daughter of the oldest family in Virginia, met him, an ordinary travel salesman of a plate glass company, in a journey where he would have least expected to find his life partner. Their courtship also was too fantastical, and even after all the episode, the fashion in which Pescud criticised love stories of best sellers proves him to be a hypocrite.
(h) Describe John A.
Pescud with reference to the following points:
Physical appearance
............................................................................................
His philosophy on
behaviour
...............................................................................
His profession
......................................................................................................
His first impression
of his wife
...........................................................................
His success
..........................................................................................................
Answer
Physical appearance:
John was not particularly good looking
His philosophy on
behaviour: A man should be decent and law abiding in her/his hometown
His profession: A
travelling salesman for a plate glass company
His first impression
of his wife: A very fine girl, whose job was to make this world
prettier just by residing in it
His success: Much
successful John had had his salary raised twice in the previous year
and his company was to give him a few shares as well.
5. Complete the flow chart in the correct sequence as it happens in the story.
Hint: it begins
from the time John Pescud first saw Jessie till the time they marry.
(1)
|
Jessie
takes a sleeper to Louisville.
|
(2)
|
Pescud
sees a girl (Jessie) reading a book in the train.
|
(3)
|
Pescud
speaks to the girl (Jessie) for the first time.
|
(4)
|
Pescud
follows her but finds it difficult to keep up.
|
(5)
|
Pescud
goes to the village to find out about the mansion.
|
(6)
|
Jessie
arrives at Virginia.
|
(7)
|
Pescud
meets Jessie's father.
|
(8)
|
They
get married a year later.
|
(9)
|
Pescud
instantly gets attracted to the girl (Jessie)
|
(10)
|
Jessie
informs Pescud that her father would not approve of them meeting.
|
(11)
|
They
meet alone two days later.
|
Answer
(2)
|
Pescud
sees a girl (Jessie) reading a book in the train.
|
(9)
|
Pescud
instantly gets attracted to the girl (Jessie)
|
(1)
|
Jessie
takes a sleeper to Louisville.
|
(4)
|
Pescud
follows her but finds it difficult to keep up.
|
(6)
|
Jessie
arrives at Virginia.
|
(5)
|
Pescud
goes to the village to find out about the mansion
|
(3)
|
Pescud
speaks to the girl (Jessie) for the first time.
|
(10)
|
Jessie
informs Pescud that her father would not approve of them meeting.
|
(7)
|
Pescud
meets Jessie's father.
|
(11)
|
They
meet alone two days later
|
(8)
|
They
get married a year later.
|
Page No: 53
6. Irony refers to the use of words to convey a meaning that is the opposite of their literal meaning. Working in pairs, bring out the irony in the following:
(a) The title of the story, “The Best seller”.
Answer
The Best Seller is supposed to be most popular and likeable. But John Pescud throws the best seller “The Rose Lady and Trevelyan” to the floor of the chair car. He later says that all bestsellers have the same unrealistic romantic stories.
(b) Pescud's claim, “When people in real life marry, they generally hunt up somebody in their own station. A fellow usually picks out a girl who went to the same high-school and belonged to the same singing-society that he did.”
Answer
Pescud told the author that unlike the stories of the bestsellers, in real life people marry somebody in their own place. Someone who has been educated in a similar type of school and has
grown up in a similar background. Yet the irony behind his
claim is seen in his own life history. The moment he saw the
unknown girl on the train, he fell in love with her, without much knowledge
about her. He followed her to her destination and even after finding out that
she lived in Elmcroft, Virginia, in a 50 room
mansion, belonged to the oldest family in the state and her father was a
descendent of the belted Earls he did not give up his pursuit. In spite of
coming from totally different walks of life-he being an ordinary travelling
salesman, their paths met and he went
on to marry her.
(c) The name Trevelyan.
Answer
Trevelyan
is the hero of the bestseller novel “The Rose Lady and Trevelyan.”
Pescud condemns such best sellers and makes fun of its unrealistic
characters. But at the end of the story, the author calls Pescud a
Trevelyan because he had behaved almost like the hero of the bestseller.
