Class IX: Keeping It From Harold

Keeping it from Harold

Text-Book Exercises:

1.      What was strange about the manner in which Mrs. Bramble addressed her son? What did he feel about it?

Answer: Mrs. Bramble used to refer to herself in the third person as if she were addressing a baby. This was strange about the manner in which she addressed her son. Harold didn’t like this habit of his mother as he felt that he was not a baby but a young man of ten who had won the spelling and the diction prize.

2.      Why was it necessary to keep Harold's father's profession a secret from him?

Answer: Harold was a prodigy. He was different from ordinary kids of his age. He would keep himself busy in reading, and would exhibit a model and admirable behavior. So, his very perfection, made his parents to keep his father’s profession a secret for him.

3.                  When Mr. Bramble came to know that he was to become a father what were some of the names he decided upon? Why?

Answer: Mr. Bramble expressed a desire that the child should be named John after Mr. John L. Sullivan and if it was a girl, then she should be named Marie, after Miss Mary Lloyd.

4. Describe Mr. Bramble as he has been described in the story.

Answer

Mr. Bramble was thirty one years old, of athletic built and weighed eight stone four. There was no one whom
he could not defeat in the twenty round contest of boxing. Very famous, his feats in the ring were well known. But by nature he was too timid and could never have his way with his wife. He was a very devoted and an overprotective father.


(e) Why was Mrs. Bramble upset when she came to hear that Bill had decided not to fight?

Answer

Although Mrs. Bramble did not like her husband's profession as a boxer, she didn't want him to quit because it earned them good money and made it possible for them to educate Harold. If he beat Murphy at the final match, he would win prize money of five hundred pounds .Even if he lost, he would still get a hundred and twenty, and this money would have been a blessing because it was enough to give Harold a better start in life.

(f)  Who was Jerry Fisher? What did he say to try and convince Bill to change his mind?

Answer

Jerry Fisher was Bill’s trainer and he had been working hard at White Hart to train Bill for the boxing match, scheduled next week. Jerry tried to tempt Bill with the prize money and when he failed then he tried to emotionally blackmail him. If Bill withdrew, even Jerry’s career and reputation as a trainer would suffer. All the hard work they had put in together would go down the gutter.

(g) How did Harold come to know that his father was a boxer?

Answer

Jerry Fisher, Mrs. Bramble and her brother were trying to convince Bill not to back out from the fight. When Harold entered, Jerry Fisher told him the truth that his father was a professional boxer.

(h) Why was Harold upset that his father had not told him about his true identity? Give two reasons.

Answer

He was very upset with his father for not telling him his true identity for two reasons.

(i) Harold was very hurt to know that his parents kept such a secret from him.

(ii) Harold felt that he had missed the golden chance of winning respect and being the subject of envy of his classmates if they had known that his father was the famous boxer, ‘Young Porky’.

(i)  Do you agree with Harold's parents decision of hiding from him the fact that his father was a boxer? Why/Why not?

Answer

I agree with Harold’s parents’ decision of hiding from him the fact that his father was a boxer. Parents always think for the well being and good caring of children. They considered that a professional boxer was looked upon as a low-profile entertainer, and most of the people in the society did not respect a boxer. Therefore, they had a very good intention about their plan to keep it away from harold.

5. The sequence of events has been jumbled up. Rearrange them and complete the given flowchart.

1) Major Percy and Bill come to the house.

2) Harold comes to know that his father is a boxer.

3) Bill tells his wife that he is doing it for Harold.

4) Jerry Fisher tries to convince Bill to reconsider.

5) Mrs. Bramble is amazed to think that she has brought such a prodigy as Harold into the world.

6) Harold wants to know what will happen to the money he had bet on Murphy losing.

7) Mrs. Bramble is informed that Bill had decided not to fight.

8) Mrs. Bramble resumes work of darning the sock.

9) Harold is alone with his mother in their home.

Answer

Here is the correct sequence:

(9) Harold is alone with his mother in their home.

(5) Mrs. Bramble is amazed to think that she has brought such a prodigy as Harold into the world.

(8) Mrs. Bramble resumes work of darning the sock.

(1) Major Percy and Bill come to the house.

(7) Mrs. Bramble is informed that Bill had decided not to fight.

(3) Bill tells his wife that he is doing it for Harold.

(4) Jerry Fisher tries to convince Bill to reconsider.

(2) Harold comes to know that his father is a boxer.

(6) Harold wants to know what will happen to the money he had bet on Murphy losing.

Page No: 41

6. Choose extracts from the story that illustrate the characters of these people in it.

Person	Extracts from the story	What this tells us about their characters
Mrs. Bramble	(Para 12) “Bill we must keep it from Harold”	She was not honest and open with her son; concerned mother
Mr. Bramble	(Para 33)
Percy	(Para 109)
Jerry Fisher	(Para 110)

Answer

Person	Extracts from the story	What this tells us about their characters
Mrs. Bramble	(Para 12) “Bill we must keep it from Harold”	She was not honest and open with her son; concerned mother
Mr. Bramble	(Para 33) “The scales have fallen from his eyes”	Mr. Bramble was a caring father; he chose his son over his profession
Percy	(Para 109) “My dear sir...a father’s feelings.”	A man who understood a father’s feelings well; a little dramatic
Jerry Fisher	(Para 110) “Tommy...’Young Porky’.”	Blunt; did not care about how his words might affect the relation of a father and his son.