SHORT STORIES

1. Neighbours - Tim Winton

Main Characters

1. The Macedonian family: living to the next door of the young couple
2. The Polish Widower: from Poland living to the next door of the young couple
3. The Young Couple: Newlywed young couple who have just moved to the place from the outer suburbs.

Summary

Tim Winton's short tale "Neighbours" is about a young couple who have migrated to a new neighbourhood with many European immigrants. At first, the young couple only sees their new neighbours’ strange and sometimes disgusting customs, which creates bias in both of them. However, as they become more familiar to their new surroundings, the young couple begin to like their neighbours and notice that they are not so bad after all. They discover that they can be friends and that they can assist one another in their daily lives

The young man stays at home to write his thesis on the evolution of the twentieth-century novel, while the young woman works in a hospital. Over time, their neighbours begin to speak with them and offer assistance. As a result, the young couple is proud of their neighbours. Despite the fact that the couple had not planned for a pregnancy, the young woman becomes pregnant in the spring, and their neighbours become aware of it after a short time. Everyone is willing to assist and is courteous. All of their neighbours are pleased and wish them well after the birth of their child. For the young man, the birth is a wonder, and at the end, he realizes that "the twentieth-century book had not prepared him for this."

The story shows how immigrants can contribute to Australia's human community. Their profound sense of community aids the couple in seeing that intolerance, prejudice, and discrimination all come from a lack of knowledge.

Understanding the text.

a. Describe how the young couple’s house looked like.

• The newlyweds' house, though small, has high ceilings and paned windows, which make it an elegant cottage. From the study window, the young man can see out over the rooftops, the car yards, and the Moreton Bay figs in the park where he walks his dog.

b. How did the young couple identify their neighbours in the beginning of their arrival?

• The young couple had spent their whole lives in the large outer suburbs, where nice neighbors were rarely seen or heard, before moving to the new location. Spitting, washing, and watering in the early morning hours disturbed them. The Macedonian family made a lot of noise by yelling, ranting, and screaming. It took them six months to realize that their neighbors were simply talking with each other and not committing murder. They also questioned why the pair got up so late in the mornings. They didn't like the fact that he stayed at home to finish his thesis while his wife was at work. They also saw the elderly Polish man's strange routine of repeatedly hammering nails into the wood.

c. How did the neighbours help the young couple in the kitchen garden?

• When autumn approached, the young couple cleared trash from their backyard and turned and manured the soil in order to plant leeks, onions, cabbage, Brussels sprouts, and broad beans. Seeing this, their watchful neighbours came to the fence and provided suggestions for spacing, hilling, and mulching. However, the young man was annoyed by the interruption, but listened patiently to what was said. In addition, a big woman with butcher’s arms handed the young woman a bag of garlic cloves to plant. In this way, the neighbours helped the young couple in the kitchen garden.

d. Why were the people in the neighbourhood surprised at the role of the young man and his wife in their family?

• The people in the neighbourhood were surprised at the role of the young man and his wife in their family because they noticed the young man stayed at home while his wife worked, which they did not like.

e. How did the neighbours respond to the woman’s pregnancy?

• The young couple had no intentions of having children. The girl did, however, get pregnant. Even though they were reluctant to tell their neighbors about the pregnancy, they came to know about it. Knowing this, they continued to smile at the young couple and assist them in various ways. For instance, the shop owner gave the young woman a small gift of chocolates and the young guy a package of cigarettes that he kept at home. Italian ladies started to suggest names in the summer. The young woman was stopped by Greek ladies who lifted up her skirt and checked her tummy, assuring her that the baby was going to be a boy. The next-door neighbor made the infant a suit at the end of the summer, complete with booties and a beanie. The Polish man approached them with a barrow full of firewood scraps.

f. Why did the young man begin to weep at the end of the story?

• At the end of the story, the young man began to weep as he noticed the anxious faces of the Macedonian neighbors cheering while the wife was in labor. He was undoubtedly touched by the neighbors' kindness and well wishes, which he never expected because he usually thought of them as loud, annoying, etc.

g. Why do you think the author did not characterize the persons in the story with proper names?

• I believe there are a few reasons why the author chose not to give the people in the novel proper names. For instance, this is not only the story of two people and their neighbors; it is also a reflection of what it is like to live in a multiracial community. It also explains why a particular person is unimportant in order to highlight the value of linguistic, cultural, and ethnic diversity. He also wants to apply the case to other circumstances. It would have been restricted to the stories of particular people if he had given the characters their true names. As a result, the story would lose its genuine meaning of the significance of interacting with neighbors while living in a multicultural society.

Reference to the context

a. The story shows that linguistic and cultural barriers do not create any obstacle in human relationship. Cite some examples from the story where the neighbours have transcended such barriers.

• The story clearly shows that differences in language and culture do not affect human relationships. There are a number of examples of how people from different cultures speaking different languages can have better understanding and live happily together. For instance, when autumn approached, the young couple cleared trash from their backyard and turned and manured the soil in order to plant leeks, onions, cabbage, Brussels sprouts, and broad beans. Seeing this, the neighbours came to the fence and provided suggestions for spacing, hilling, and mulching. In addition, a big woman with butcher’s arms handed the young woman a bag of garlic cloves to plant. More significantly, when the young woman got pregnant, the neighbours helped her in many ways. Some offered her some names, while others gave the couple some gifts. Some of them even knitted a suit for the baby. When the woman was in labour, they appeared on the other side of the fence, cheering.

b. The last sentence of the story reads “The twentieth-century novel had not prepared him for this.” In your view, what differences did the young man find between twentieth-century novels and human relations?

• In my opinion, the difference between twentieth-century novels and human relations that the young man found was that formal education, though important, does not prepare one to live a practical life. Furthermore, he may have discovered that only study does not provide a true education; it may impart knowledge of various aspects of life, assisting him in finding a good job, but it does not prepare him for how to live in a society. 

c. A Nepali proverb says, “Neighbours are companions for wedding procession as well as for funeral procession.” Does this proverb apply in the story? Justify.

• In the Nepali language, it is said that neighbors are companions for both wedding and funeral processions. This saying relates to the story in many ways. For instance, the young couple who moved to a new location first found their new neighbors irritating and annoying. Later, they adapted to the environment slowly and gradually. Their neighbors gave them tips on spacing, mulching, and other gardening practices when the young couple turned and manured the soil in their yard to grow vegetables. They received a bag of garlic cloves to plant from a big neighboring woman. An old neighbor rebuilt the couple's pen when it collapsed. When the young woman became pregnant, everyone smiled at the young couple because they were overjoyed as well. They offered her presents and knitted a suit for the newborn, among other forms of assistance. More crucially, when the young woman was in labor, they cheered from the opposite side of the fence.

d. The author has dealt with an issue of multiculturalism in the story. Why do you think multiculturalism has become a major issue in the present world?

• The author has dealt with an issue of multiculturalism in the story. The term "multiculturalism" is made up of two parts: "multi," which means many, and "culture," which describes the beliefs, customs, and norms that a group of people follows. The coexistence of several cultures in a community or country is hence referred to as "multiculturalism." I think multiculturalism has become a major issue in the present world for many reasons. Firstly, it creates a problem among people of different ethnic and cultural backgrounds as it invites various social problems, such as failure to assimilate. Secondly, it brings ethnic segregation into a society. For instance, people belonging to their own ethnicity form their own groups. It also causes adaptation problems for people who do not like to join other ethnic groups rather than their own. As a result, the rate of school dropouts, unemployment, and high crime may increase in a multicultural society.

Reference beyond the text

a. Write an essay on Celebration of Childbirth in my Community.
b. Do the people in your community respond with similar reactions upon the pregnancy and childbirth as depicted in the story? Give a couple of examples.

2. A Respectable Woman-Kate Chopin

Main Characters

1. Mrs. Baroda: is happily married but is somewhat disturbed by the arrival of Gouvernail, to whom she is physically attracted
2. Gaston Baroda: The husband of Mrs. Baroda who regards Gouvernail as a great friend and cannot understand his wife's apparent antipathy.
3. Gouvernail: a  journalist, a college friend of Mrs. Baroda’s husband who visits the Baroda plantation and becomes an object of interest to Mrs. Baroda

Summary

Mrs. Baroda finds that Gouvernail, her husband's friend, is staying with them on their farm. She is dissatisfied by this because they had been entertaining much and she had hoped for a break. She had never met the man but had heard many good things about him.

Upon seeing him, she develops a fancy to him right away. However, she notices that he has a mystery about him that she cannot describe and that she attempts to solve on a regular basis. She assures her husband that she would be better once the man has left because he is different from other visitors, who puzzles her. She makes the decision to depart till he has left. She sits on a bench outside that night, wondering why he makes her feel so uncomfortable. Gouvernail meets her late in the evening and tells her that her husband gave him a scarf to give her while she is outside. The two sit in silence after exchanging a few words. He starts talking, but she doesn't pay attention because her body is drawn to him. She wants to hug her, but her image as a "respectable woman" prevents her from doing so. She begins to pull away from him as a result of this feeling.

Next morning, she leaves before the others have even gotten out of bed. She returns after Gouvernail has left and initially objects to his reappearance. However, she advocates his visit within a year, much to her husband's amazement. She simply states that she has overcome all obstacles and will treat him with respect.

Figurative Language

Understanding the text.

Answer the following questions:

a. Why was Mrs. Baroda unhappy with the information about Gouvernail’s visit to their farm?

• The news of Gouvernail's visit to their farm upset Mrs. Baroda since she had planned to take some time off from her busy schedule and have private conversations with her husband.

b. How was Gouvernail different from Mrs. Baroda’s expectation?

• Mrs. Baroda disliked Gouvernail because she believed him to be tall, slender, and cynical, wearing eyeglasses, and having his hands in his pockets based on information provided by her husband, but when she saw him, he was not one of those characteristics. He also didn't have glasses on. She rather liked him. 

c. How does Mrs. Baroda compare Gouvernail with her husband?

• Mrs. Baroda uses some characteristics of Gouvernail and her husband to compare them. Her husband, for instance, enjoys fishing and hunting and is interesting, adaptive, kind, and adventurous. On the other side, she claims that Gouvernail is charming, calm, and loving. He is not quite as intelligent as her husband, though. He is not friendly or sociable, either.

d. Why and how did Mrs. Baroda try to change Gouvernail’s solitary habits?

• Mrs. Baroda made a few attempts to change Gouvernail's solitary habits, since she thought he might be more gregarious, open, and conversational. For this, she gave him company and engaged in conversation with him on the farm.

e. How does Gaston disagree with his wife on Gouvernail’s character?

• Regarding Gouvernail's personality, Gaston differs from his wife in a few different ways. Gouvernail was less captivating, engaging, and calm in nature for Mrs. Baroda. He also lacked intelligence. Gaston, on the other hand, describes Gouvernail as a wonderful, intelligent, chatty man who is being fatigued by overwork.

f. Why is Gaston surprised with his wife’s expression towards the end of the story?

• Gaston's wife made it clear she did not want Gouvernail to visit the farm at first, but she later changed her mind and said the next time he would visit and stay on their farm, she promised to treat him kindly. It is indeed unexpected that her attitudes toward him would have changed. Therefore, Gaston is surprised by his wife's expressions at the end of the story.

Reference to the context

a. What is the cause of conflict in Mrs. Baroda’s mind? What role does Mrs. Baroda ‘being a respectable woman’ play in the story?

• Mrs. Baroda's feelings for Gourvenail started to grow. However, she was so confined by the norms and values of society that she was unable to break them and have a relationship with him openly, as she was a married and respectable woman. As a result, she, as a married woman, was in a dilemma about whether she should continue the relationship with him. Therefore, her attraction to Gouvernail is the main cause of conflict in Mrs. Baroda’s mind. 

d. Sketch the character of Gouvernail and contrast it with Gaston.

• Gouvernail and Gaston are key characters in the story ‘A Respectable Woman’. These characters know each other since long as they are college friends. Gouvernail is charming, calm, and loving. He is not quite as intelligent as Gaston, though. He is not friendly or sociable, either. Gaston, on the other hand, is interesting, adaptable, friendly, and adventurous and likes to go fishing and hunting. He is also bright, kind, sociable, and an extrovert.

c. Why does Mrs. Baroda not disclose her feelings towards Gouvernail to her husband?

• Mrs. Baroda does not tell her husband about her feelings for Gouvernail because she is regarded as a respectable woman by both her husband and society, and since she is married, she is unable to engage in extramarital relationships. In other words, it would be immoral for her to have a relationship outside of her marriage. Hence, she is prevented from telling Gourvernail about her feelings by the rules of marriage as well as societal norms and values. 

d. The last three sentences of the story bring a kind of twist. After reading these three sentences, how do you analyze Mrs. Baroda’s attitude towards Gouvernail?

            ‘I have overcome everything…’

• In the end of the story, Mrs. Baroda says, ‘I have overcome everything…’ The statement is significant because it brings a kind of a twist. This signifies that Mrs. Baroda’s attitude toward Gouvernail has changed. In other words, when her feelings for him grew, she was able to express them without being constrained by morals, societal norms, ethics, etc. More importantly, it shows that she overcame her dislikes for Gouvernail and made a promise to treat him nicely in the future.

Reference beyond the text

a. The entry of an outsider into a family has been a recurring subject in both literature and films. Narrate a story real or imaginative where an outsider’s arrival destroys the intimate relationship between the husband and the wife and causes break up in marital relationship without direct fault of anyone. Anton’s Chekhov’s story ‘About Love’ is a story on this subject.

b. Mrs. Baroda makes an expectation about Gouvernail even before meeting him. Suppose you are a mature girl/boy, and your family members are giving you pressure for getting married. Write in about 200 words describing what qualities you would like to get in your future husband/wife.

3. A Devoted Son -Anita Desai

Main Characters

1. Rakesh: is the son of Mr. Varma and Mrs Varma, a devoted son, a responsible doctor
2. Veena: Rakesh's wife who is uneducated from an Indian village
3. Mr. Varma: Rakesh's father, kerosene seller, hardworking, happy with his son's progress, but blames his son for not giving him enough food according to his choice at the end of his life
4. Mrs. Varma: Rakesh's mother, an ordinary housewife

Summary

The story ‘A Devoted Son’ by Anita Desai is about duty and loyalty. It depicts the reality of a son's life in Indian culture.

Varma, who works at a kerosene depot, has a son named Rakesh. He works very hard to educate Rakesh. Finally, Rakesh, an obedient son becomes a doctor and looks after the old parents. However, a crisis arises when his father begins to misinterpret his son's treatment because of his old age.

Rakesh was the first son in his generation to obtain an education, and he made excellent use of it. The illiterate parents had sacrificed a lot to send their son to school and medical college. When he came first in the examination, villagers congratulated him and his parents. The thesis he wrote for this M.D. brought more glory. As a result, he was granted scholarship for his further study in the United States of America, but much to everyone's surprise, he came home to marry an Indian, putting an end to any fears about marrying a foreigner. He demonstrated his love for his parents by marrying an ignorant girl of their choice. 

Rakesh started working in the city hospital for some years where he reached the top of the administrative hierarchy. He owned his own clinic. He purchased a car and a house. He was not only a well-known but also rich doctor. Perhaps he was one of the happiest doctors; however, his happiness was short-lived. When his mother died, his father's health began to deteriorate. Similarly, his father became feeble due to getting old. 

Taking care of the old father was the duty of Rakesh. After returning from the clinic, he delivered his father’s morning tea, read the newspapers, and paid him a visit. Rakesh began to control his father’s diet. He cut down the oily, fried foods, sweets and beetle nut, which his father took as a kind of disrespect and maltreatment. He even shared the way his son behaved to his neighbours.

Plot Diagram

Understanding the text.

a. How did the morning papers bring ambiance of celebration in the Verma family? 

• The morning papers created a festive atmosphere in the Varma family since they revealed that Rakesh had excelled in the medical examination, which was a source of great pride for the entire family.

b. How did the community celebrate Rakesh's success?

• The community visited Rakesh’s little yellow house at the end of the road. They congratulated Rakesh and his parents on their son’s remarkable success. The whole house and garden were quickly filled with the sights and sounds of a festival, with beautiful garlands, party clothes, and gifts.

c. Why was Rakesh's success a special matter of discussion in the neighborhood?

• Rakesh was the first son in the family to acquire any education, therefore his success was a matter of special interest in the neighborhood. His parents had made important sacrifices to pay for his education and later admission at medical college. Both the family and the neighbors had reason to be proud. 

d. How does the author make fun with the words 'America and 'the USA'?

• Rakesh received a scholarship to study in the United States. His father taught the family to refer to the country as the "USA" rather than "America" because that is what his uneducated neighbors named it. He argued that "the USA" word was more prestigious than "America."

e. How does the author characterize Rakesh's wife?

• The author describes Rakesh's wife as an illiterate, old-fashioned and fat girl. She was incredibly calm, shy and lazy, but also overly kind and good natured.

f. Describe how Rakesh rises in his career.

• He began his work as a doctor in the municipal hospital after completing his medical degree. He was soon promoted to the director in the hospital. Later, he established his own clinic and rose to fame as the city's greatest and wealthiest physician.

g. How does the author describe Rakesh's family background?

• Rakesh was from a poor family in an Indian village. His mother was a housewife who spent her entire life in the kitchen, while his father worked for a kerosene dealer. His grandparents were  vegetable sellers. Despite their bad financial situation, his parents worked hard and sacrificed their life for their son, Rakesh's higher education and admission at a medical college.

h. What is the impact of the death of Rakesh's mother on his father?

• The loss of his wife made Rakesh's father so upset that led him suffer from mysterious illness.

i. What did Rakesh do to make his father's old age more comfortable?

• Rakesh used to read the morning news to his father while he sat at the foot of his bed, comfortably dressed in his father's nightshirt. Rakesh would bring his father his morning tea in the old man's favorite brass tumbler. He used to comfort and settle his father for a night under the stars by helping him down the stairs and into the bed.

j. Why did the old father try to bribe his grandchildren?

• Due to his worsening health condition, Rakesh prohibited his father from eating his favourit like fried and sweet. Therefore, the old father tried to bribe his grandchildren to buy sweets and jalebis for him. 

k. Are Mr. Varma's complaints about his diets reasonable? How?

• Mr. Varma's comments about his diets don't seem realistic to me. For him to lead a healthy life, his son had created a diet plan. Being a responsible son and physician as well, Rakesh can't let his father put his life in danger by consuming sugary and needless foods. Rakesh took this action because he didn't want to lose his father after losing his mother. As a result, Mr. Varma's complaints regarding his diet are unjustified.

Reference to the context:

a. How did the Varma couple make sacrifices for their son's higher education?

• Although the Varma couple struggled to make their needs meet and lacked formal schooling, they sent their only son Rakesh to school and university for his higher education. Mr Varma worked as a kerosene seller whereas his wife worked as a house wife her entire life. They sacrificed everything for their son's higher education. 

b. Mr. Varma suffers from diseases one after another after his wife's death. Would he have enjoyed better health if she had not died before him? Give reasons. 

• The loss of Mr. Varma's wife is one of the factors contributing to his deteriorating health. His mental condition worsened after the loss of his wife, and he had mysterious illnesses. He was unable to consume the meals he wanted as a consequence, which caused his worst condition. Therefore, if she hadn't passed away before him, he would have enjoyed his better health.

c. Dr Rakesh is divided between a doctor and a son. As a son, he loves his father and worries about his weakening health but as a doctor, he is strict on his  father’s diet and medicine. In your view, what else could Rakesh have done to make his father’s final years more comfortable?

• In my opinion, Rakesh could have done the following things to make his father's final years more comfortable:

1. He should have behaved his father more politely.
2. He should have convinced his father that he must be careful about what and how much to eat.
3. He should have understood his father's feeling.
4. He should have behaved him as his own close friend so that he could share more with his son.

d. What does the story say about the relationship between grandfather and grandchildren?

• The story demonstrates a positive bond between the grandfather and the grandkids. As Mr. Varma aged, he was forbidden from consuming fried and sweet meals. He did, however, pay his grandchildren to buy him jalebi. The grandchildren also assisted their grandfather buying him his favourite food. This shows the kids' innocent and kind actions for their grandfather.

e. Do you call Rakesh a devoted son? Give reasons. 

• Yes, I call Rakesh a devoted son because of the following reasons:
• He always carried out all his duties and responsibilities to his parents.
• He served his parents and motherland.
• He took care of his father till his death.
• He returned his village after completing his study in the US despite a lot of   opportunities there and serves his own people. 
• He obeyed his parents and wed an uneducated and ugly village girl. 

Reference beyond the text:

a. Write an essay on The Parents’ Ambition for their Children in Nepali Society. You must give at least five examples.

• All parents dream of educating their children so that they expect their children can

        -have fame and name in society
        -stand in their own way
        -help and serve them in need
        -respectful and devoted
        -uplift their economic and living standard

• They expect their children to be wealthy with their own house in more developed city, a car, bank balance, etc.
• For this, the parents:

        -sacrifice their entire lives in bringing up their children

        -work hard

        -suppress their urges, desires, etc. and fulfil their children's demands.

b. Medicines replace our diets at the old age. What can be done to make old age less dependent on medicine?

• Avoiding unhealthy foods: fried, oily, spicy and sugary food
• Drinking sufficient water
• Regular exercise
• Avoiding mental stress

c. Write an essay on “Care of Elderly Citizens” in about 300 words.

4. The Treasure in the Forest- H.G. Wells

Main Character 

1.     Evans:            One of the greedy persons who killed China man for the map
2.     Hooker:          Fellowman or friend of Hooker
3.     Chinaman:      Who had buried all treasures but killed by Evans and Hooker

Summary

“The Treasure in the Forest” is a short story by H. G. Wells (1866–1946), first published in the The Pall Mall Budget in 1894 and subsequently reprinted in The Stolen Bacillus and Other Incidents (1895) and The Country of the Blind and Other Stories (1911). The story, told as a third-person narrative, relates the fate of two men who murder a Chinaman to steal his treasure map.

The story begins with two men, Evans and Hooker, “stranded British wastrels”, heading in a canoe towards a coral island in the heat of the noon sun, after having paddled all night from the mainland. Hooker is studying a map, which the narrator reveals they have stolen from a Chinaman, Chang-hi, whom they murdered during the theft. Chang-hi had by chance discovered the treasure left behind by a shipwrecked Spanish galleon, and had decided to rebury it elsewhere, at a location revealed by his map. One aspect of the map puzzles Evans and Hooker though; part of it is covered by little dashes pointing in every direction.

Evans and Hooker identify the spot indicated on the map, and after beaching their canoe they strike into the interior of the island, through the forest. They soon discover the identifying pile of stones just as the map says, but alongside it lies the purple and swollen body of a Chinaman who had evidently himself been looking for the treasure, as they can see some half-exposed yellow bars of gold in the hole he had been digging. The men assume the Chinaman to have been one of Chang-hi’s associates, who had decided to try and claim the treasure for himself.

Evans starts to pick up the gold ingots to take them back to the canoe, but as he does so feels a thorn prick. The two men load as much of the gold as they can drag back to the boat in Evans’s jacket and set off, but after about a hundred yards Evans’s arms start to ache, he becomes sweaty and he begins to tremble. Hooker, in rearranging the ingots on the jacket after Evans’s collapse, himself feels a thorn prick, and at last realises the meaning of the little dashes on the map; Chang-hi had protected his treasure with thorns.

The story ends as Hooker lies dying alongside the “still quivering” body of his companion.

Plot Diagram

Understanding the text.

Answer the following questions.

a. Describe the expository scene of the story.

• Evans and Hooker on a canoe were going to an island.
• The bay opened out, and an opening in the white waves of the reef marked the spot where the tiny river flowed into the sea;
• The virgin forest was richer and deeper green spread to the beach
• The sun was shining brightly.

b. What does the map look like and how do Evan and Hooker interpret it?

•       The map looks like a rough map.
•       It was wrinkled and damaged due to much folding.
•     It was discoloured. The writing on the map was as if it was written with destroyed   pencil.

  According to them:

•    The curved and twisted line on the map is the river where they can easily get cold and freshwater.
•     They said the blue star's location is the exact spot of treasure where three palm trees are standing near the river somewhere deep in the forest.
•     They cannot understand the dashes on the map.
•     Finally, they consider the writing as Chinese because the people whom they met in the forest were Chinese men.

c. How did Evan and Hooker know about the treasure?

•     Through three Chinese men's quiet talks in the forest.
•     The map

d. Describe Evan’s dream.

• The dream- strange and mysterious
• In his dream, he saw different things in his dream at once after closing his eyes.
• He saw himself and his friend Hooker in the forest searching for something.
• They saw three Chinese men behind some bushes who were sitting in front of a fire     and talking quietly about the treasure in an English accent.
• The men’s faces were illuminated by the fire’s rays
• Both friends moved closer to them to hear them properly.
• They heard that the treasure was of the Spanish galleon which was shipwrecked nearly 200 years ago. Chang-hi reburied it in a secret and a safe place. It was his secret. He wants help to return and exhume it back.
• Suddenly Evans’ dream shifted to a moment where he had Chang-hi’s pigtail in his hand. Chang-hi threatens him.
• Then Chang-hi appeared like a terrible monster with a black tail
• He smiled mysteriously and called out Evans's name. 

e. What do the two treasure hunters see when they walk towards the island?

•        The two treasure hunters saw a dead body that looks like a Chinaman. Near the dead body, there was a dug hole where the treasure was.

f. What condition did the treasure hunters find the dead man?

• The dead man whose body was changed in blue like some poisonous snake bit the Chinaman. The neck was puffed and purple, and the hands and ankles were swollen.

g. How did the treasure hunters try to carry gold ingots to the canoe?

• Evans took his Jacket off and spread it on the ground and flung ingots into it. And then they both took each end of the collar of the coat in his hands to carry gold ingots to the canoe. This is how they carried gold ingots to the canoe.

h. How were Evan and Hooker poisoned?

• While clearing the soil, and taking out the ingots from the hole, Evans got pricked with poisonous thorn whereas Hooker was pricked when he picked up the ingots that fell from the coat. 

Reference to the text

a. How do you know the story is set on a tropical island?

• Setting: The treasure hunters feel thirsty and tired due to scorching sun
• Tropical forest: rainforest (dense/thick forest due to high rainfall)

b. Why do you think Evan and Hooker took such a risk of finding the buried treasure in a desert island?

• ‘Greed makes a man blind and foolish and makes him an easy prey for death.’
• wanted to become wealthy.

c. Do you think the narrator of the story is racist? If yes, what made him feel superior to other races

• used racist words like ‘the two Englishmen’ and ‘three Chinamen’
• One of the Chinamen was brutally killed.

d. What do you think is the moral of the story?

• Greed always leads one to destruction. Greed makes us more selfish, which finally leads to our demise. Therefore, we should not be greedy.

Reference beyond the context

a. Interpret the story as a mystery story.

• Mysterious place (setting) that arouses excitement in readers
• Map and its signs
• Crime and culprit
• Plot: suspense 

b. Treasure hunting is a favorable subject of children’s story. Remember a treasure hunting story you read in your childhood and compare and contrast it with ‘The Treasure in the Forest.

5. My Old Home- Lu Xun

Main Characters

1. Lu Hsun:         The young master who moved out from his old home in order to buy a new home.
2. Run Tu:            A shy yet “high in spirits” servant who used to work for Lu Hsun.
3. Mrs. Yang:       The owner of the bean curd store beside Lu Hsun's former house.
4. Hung erh:         Lu Hsun’s shy nephew.
5. Shu Sheng:       The 5th son of Runtu. He is very shy and rarely interacts in social occasions.

Plot Diagram

Summary:

The story ‘My Old Home’ by Lu Hsun (1881-1936) takes place in a village, China where the narrator grew up. One day he visited his old home after twenty years to bid the last farewell as he, along with his family was moving to another place forever, but he did not find it as he expected. He recalled so many things that he had during his childhood, especially he remembered his boyhood friend Runtu. 

Mother and the narrator talked about the subject of moving. He even informed his mother that he had already rented a place for them and bought some furniture. Mother, on the other hand, had also prepared to move, she had already sold some heavy furniture that could not be easily moved. She suggested the narrator to meet relatives after the rest of a day or so. Further, she asked him not to forget to meet Runtu.

The narrator recalled the day when he met Runtu first time. He explained that he met Runtu on his family’s big ancestral sacrifice ceremony where Runtu’s father (the only labourer) worked. He further said that he as a child always longed for New Year because he knew Runtu would come his home.

He happened to meet Mrs. Yang whom everybody called ‘Beancurd Beauty’, who used to run beancurd shop, however, he could not recognize her, and so she was angry.

During the next few days, the clansmen and relatives who used to live nearby visited them. In addition, one day, when the narrator was sitting after lunch, Runtu came to meet him. At first, he could not recognize Runtu as it was not Runtu who was in his mind. The narrator and his mother found Runtu was struggling with poverty, so they decided to help him out giving some necessary things.  That day, Runtu picked up two long tables, an incense burner, some candlesticks, and a set of scales. He also asked for the ashes from the kitchen stove. 

Finally, the narrator, his mother and nephew left the home with heavy heart.

Understanding the text.

Answer the following questions.

a. How does the narrator describe his feeling at the arrival of his old home?

•     The narrator was delighted and thrilled when he made his way home. However, when his old house appeared, he felt sad. His hometown was gorgeous and lovely as a child, but when he returned to his old house in his hometown twenty years later, he saw that everything had changed. The once-green sky gradually turned gray, becoming dreary, barren, and lacking all signs of life. Similarly, he found his residence in a miserable condition.

b. What were the three kinds of servants in China then? What does it indicate about contemporary Chinese society?

•    In China throughout the 20th century, there were three different types of servants: yearlongs, short-timers, and busy-monthers. They were referred to as "yearlongs" if they worked all year for one family; "short-timers" if they worked by the hour; and "busy-monthers" if they cultivated their own land but worked for a particular family just during the holidays or when rent was due. The category of servants suggests that there was once a system of slavery in Chinese society. Additionally, it demonstrates the radical transformation of a society dominated by slavery into modern Chinese society.

c. What makes the narrator nostalgic? What did he do with Runtu in the teenage?

•    The narrator gets nostalgic when his mother asks him to meet his boyhood friend Runtu because he flashes back on their friendship. As children, the narrator and Runtu used to play in the sandy field, catch birds with a trap, and kill the Zha. They also used to gather shells, including red, blue, and ghost-scarer shells.

d. How did Runtu hunt a Zha in his young age?

• A zha is a watermelon-eating animal. Runtu used a sharp tool, such as a knife, to hunt the zha. He usually stabbed it with his pitchfork.

e. How does the narrator make a humorous picture of Mrs. Yang?

•       The narrator paints a humorous picture of Mrs. Yang by comparing her with a compass while she is standing with her legs apart and her hands around her waist. He makes fun of the fact that she used to powder her face to look attractive, despite the fact that her lips were extremely thick, and her cheekbones were low.

f. According to the narrator, what were different factors that made Runtu a poor man throughout his life?

• The narrator claims that one of the main causes of his poverty is a poor harvest. Other circumstances that contributed to Runtu's poverty throughout his life were paying high taxes, having social obligations, having an excessive number of children, a famine, paying hard taxes, troops, bandits and officials.

g. How does the narrator help Runtu before leaving the old home?

• In order to make Runtu's life a little easier, the narrator provides him with a variety of domestic objects, including two long tables, an incense burner, several candlesticks, a set of scales, and a container for the ashes from our kitchen stove.

h. How does the author differentiate two kinds of idols?

• Two idols—superstitious gods and hope—are mentioned in the story. In terms of belief and time, the narrator draws a distinction between the two types of idols, asserting that people worship superstitious gods in the short term because they need something right away, but hope is defined as the long-term compassion that people need in most circumstances. The narrator distinguishes between the two types of idols using the examples of Runtu and his own ways of worship.

Reference to the text

a. While reading the friendship between the narrator and Runtu, Hindu readers remember the friendship between Krishna and Sudama. Which particular description reminds you of the mythological example?

• While reading the friendship between the narrator and Runtu, Hindu readers remember the friendship between Krishna and Sudama. The situation of Xun’s Friend Runtu shown in this story (My Old home) is similar to the situation of Krishna’s friend Sudama. Some of the particular descriptions of the story ‘My Old Home’ remind us of the mythological example. For example,

1. The story demonstrates the social class differences between Xun and Runtu. Runtu represents the lower class, while Xun the upper and governing class, and the same is true of Lord Krishana and his friend Sudhama. While Lord Krishna came from a family of the ruling class, Sudhama came from a lower-class family. 
2. Runtu, a friend of Xun's, and Sudhama, a friend of Krishna, both experience poverty.
3. Similar to how Sudhama was warmly welcomed to Krishna's palace, Runtu received a warm reception when he visited Xun.
4. Finally, Krishna came to Sudhama's aid by transforming his hut into a sumptuous home with all the amenities needed to live comfortably. While Xun was unable to improve Runtu's condition the way that Krishna did for Sudhama, he helped his friend Runtu with some household stuffs. 

b. How does the story support the proposition that the relationships of childhood are innocent, impartial and disinterested?

• The story argues in favor of the idea that relationships in childhood are innocent, impartial, and disinterested. The story shows that Xun and Runtu had a genuine friendship despite having a significant social status gap, showing that differences in social background, religion, culture, etc. do not prevent children from having genuine friendships. Children are innocent, unbiased, and uninterested by nature. Their friendship is purely unselfish and sincere.

c. After reading the story, what inferences can you make about contemporary Chinese economic and social system?

• We can make the following inferences about contemporary Chinese economic and social system: 

        -The condition of working class was miserable that they depended upon agriculture for their                      survival.                                                                                                                                            
        -People were divided into classes: working class and ruling class.
        -There was the slavery system in Chinese society in past.                                                                  
        -The poor were exploited and dominated by the so call ruling and upper-class people. 

Reference beyond the context

6. The Half-Closed Eyes of the Buddha and the Slowly Setting Sun- Shankar Lamichhane

Main Characters

1. Westerner:    Tourist, holds romantic vision of Nepal based on a study of its history, culture, and                         religion.
2. Tour Guide:  Nepalese
3. A Child:        Attacked by Polio

Summary

The story "The Half-Closed Eyes of the Buddha and the Slowly Sinking Sun" by Shankar Lamichhane depicts the art, culture, tradition, religion, beauty, and harmony among the people in and around the Kathmandu Valley. 

The story begins with a foreign tourist’s initial impression about art, culture, beauty and people living in the Kathmandu Valley. He is overjoyed to see the Kathmandu Valley's environs, which include geometric fields, numerous colorful residences, hills, and mountains. The traveler also adds that the West is grateful of the East for lovely things like the puranas, antique tools, palm leaves, etc. He also recounts the life of Manjushri, who contributed to the development of human civilisation in the Kathmandu Valley. He also admires the shaven heads of nuns and monks because of how pristine and unpolluted his perception is when he looks at them. He makes an attempt to outwit his Nepali tour guide by asserting that he is more knowledgeable about the area, its history, culture, etc. than his guide. He discusses the lives of Anshuvarma and Bhrikuti, and he enjoys food, music, art, and other forms of culture.

The tourist appreciates the houses of people, but they are unaware of their beauty and delight. He acknowledges the hospitality he receives wherever he goes. They explore different types of eyes: lattice windows (the eyes in the windows), the eyes on the door panels, the eyes on the stupas, the eyes of the people, the eyes of the Himalaya, referring to the land of eyes guarded by the half-closed eyes of the Lord Buddha. 

The tour guide drives the visitor to Chobhar, where visitors come to observe the cleft left by Manjushri's sword and the Bagmati River's discharge. They then visit the Adinath temple, which is surrounded by a Shiva temple, numerous Buddha statues, and numerous prayer wheels, serving as a tangible illustration of Nepalese tolerance and coexistence. The tour guide leads the visitor to a home where he encounters the reality of a farmer's family that includes a paralyzed boy who was affected by polio and whose entire body is useless; he is unable to speak, move his hands, chew his food, or even spit, and except for his eyes. The parents are happy as the tour guide introduces the visitor as a doctor. They look at him with a depth of faith, connection, generosity, and gratitude.

The guide says at the end of the story that those eyes are encircled by mountains and that their lashes are rows of fields where wheat and rice ripen in the winter and rainy seasons, respectively. Additionally, those are the eyes that welcome them and conceal death. They are equally magnificent as the Buddha's reflection of the sun setting.

Plot Diagram

Understanding the text.                                                                                              

Answer the following questions.

a. How does the tourist describe his initial impression of the Kathmandu valley?

• The tourist is impressed by the environments of Kathmandu Valley, which include geometric fields, numerous colorful residences, hills, and mountains.

b. According to the tourist, why is the West indebted to the East?

• According to the tourist, the West is indebted to the East because the East has contributed many things like: the Purans, ancient tools, images of brass and ornaments of ivory, manuscripts of palm leaves and inscriptions on copperplate.

c. How does the tourist interpret the gaze of the monks and nuns?

• The tourist interprets the monks' and nuns' gaze as samyak gaze, which is an unbiased and pure perception that sees everything in its true form.

d. Why do the tourists think Nepali people are wonderful and exceptional?

• Due to the consistently excellent hospitality they receive from Nepalis, tourists believe that Nepalis are wonderful and exceptional. Furthermore, the Nepali people are great and unique due to their culture, art, folk music, tolerance, coexistence, etc.

e. What are the different kinds of communities in the Kathmandu valley and how do they co-exist            with each other?

• The Kathmandu Valley is home to a variety of communities, including Hindus, Buddhists, and Aryans. They live in harmony and coexist with each other.

f. What does the tourist feel about the temple of Adinath?

• The tourist feels that the temple of 'Adinath' is a perfect example of religious tolerance and co-existence. 

g. Why does the guide take the tourist to the remote village?

• The tour guide takes the visitor to a rural village to show him how the residents there live so that he can see hard work, poverty, and a miserable lifestyle.

h. What does the innocent village couple think of the doctor?

• The innocent village couple think of the doctor as the rays of hope. They become optimistic that their son can be cured. 

i. What are the differences between the paralyzed child and his sister?

• The paralyzed child's sister can move her body, eat, and so on, however the paralyzed boy cannot do anything because of total paralysis caused by polio.

j. Why does the guide show the instances of poverty to the tourist? 

• The guide shows the instances of poverty to the tourist so that he can experience the bitter reality of people living in remote villages.

Reference to the text

a. Which narrative technique is used by the author to tell the story? How is this story different from   other stories you have read?

• The story is told using the "stream of consciousness" style by the author. This is a modern literary technique that helps readers understand what the narrator and the characters are thinking. This technique gives readers an idea of what is going on in the minds of the characters and the narrator. While the plot in other stores is linear, this approach does not exhibit the plot linearly. Additionally, unlike other conventional stories, which strictly adhere to syntactic structure and grammatical standards, this narrative does not do so since it is delivered in the stream of consciousness style. 

b. How is the author able to integrate two fragments of the narration into a unified whole?

• In the story, the author provides illustrations of a variety of eyes that stand in for the different perspectives from which we view the world. The author is able to integrate the two pieces of the narration into a coherent whole by using examples of eyes and their insights, experiences, viewpoints, etc. Tourists mostly focus on the Kathmandu Valley's natural beauty, as well as the people who coexist and practice religious tolerance there. The author exposes the terrible reality of Nepalese (and other Eastern) poverty, which the West is unable to experience for themselves, through the tourist guide. They only get to see the amazing grandeur of the Himalayas. They are unable to understand or feel the profound reality of the Eastern people, and their poverty and dismal lifestyles stifle their suffering. The author provides examples of the pain and sickness that the local people endure.

c. The author brings some historical and legendary references in the story. Collect these references and show their significance in the story.

• Some historical and legendary references in the story and their significance are given below:

1. Manjushri and civilization in Kathmandu Valley: shows the history of how civilisation in the Kathmandu Valley started 
2. The history of king Amshuvarma and Princess Bhirkuti: indicates how the King Amshuvarma was able to have a good relationship with neighbouring countries like Tibet 
3. The Purans, ancient tools, images of brass and ornaments of ivory: indicate that Nepal is rich in culture, art, music, tradition, etc.
4. manuscripts of palm leaves and inscriptions on copperplate: indicate tradition of writing, and the history 
5. The temple of Adinath: example of tolerance and coexistence

d. The author talks about the eyes in many places: the eyes of the shaven monks and nuns, eyes in the window and door panels, the eyes of the Himalayas, the eyes of the paralyzed boy, the eyes of the welcoming villagers and above all the half-closed eyes of the Buddha. Explain how all the instances of eyes contribute to the overall unity of the story.

• Particularly, the eyes of the shaven monks and nuns show pure perception or sight that perceives everything in its true form.

• Other eyes represent the overall cultures, traditions, civilization, status of people, however living together with racial harmony and mutual understanding. 

• In short, these all eyes show the unity of people in Nepal regardless difference in their status, culture, tradition, religion, etc.

7. A Very Old Man with Enormous Wings- -Gabriel Garcia Marquez

Main Characters

Summary

Gabriel Garcia Marquez’s story ‘A Very Old Man with Enormous Wings’ is based on the magical realism. It shows human behaviours to those who are weak, dependant and different. 

The story begins after three days of rain. Crabs are infesting Pelayo and Elisenda's house and causing a horrible stench, which is believed to be making their baby sick. When Pelayo comes back from throwing the crabs into the sea, he sees a very old man with wings lying face down in mud in his courtyard. Startled, Pelayo goes to get his wife and they examine the man. He is dressed in raggedy clothing and is very dirty. After staring at him for so long, Pelayo and Elisenda are able to overcome their initial shock of seeing the man with wings. They try to speak to him but the man speaks in an incomprehensible dialect. They decide he is a survivor from a shipwreck; however, a neighbor informs them that the man is an angel.

The following day, the entire town knows about the man with wings who is said to be an angel. Pelayo decides to chain up the man and keep him in the chicken coop. A day later, when the rain stops, the baby is feeling better and is able to eat. Pelayo and Elisenda want to send the old man out to sea with food and water for three days and let nature take care of him. However, when they go out to their courtyard, they see a mass of people gathered around the chicken coop to see the angel; they are harassing him by treating him like a circus animal instead of a person.

The priest, Father Gonzaga, comes by the house because he is surprised by the news of the angel. At this time, onlookers are making hypotheses about what should happen to the angel, saying things like "he should be the leader of the world," or "he should be a military leader in order to win all wars." However, Father Gonzaga decides to determine whether the man is an angel or not by speaking to him in Latin. Since the man with wings did not recognize Latin and looked too human, the priest decides the man could not be an angel. Father Gonzaga then warns the onlookers that the man is not an angel. However, the people do not care, and word spreads that the old man with wings is an angel.

People began coming from all over to Pelayo and Elisenda's house to see the angel. It reaches a point that they have to build a fence and charge people entry fee. However, the old man wants nothing to do with this act. His audiences attempt to get him to react, at one point poking him with hot iron pokers. The angel responds in anger, flapping his wings and yelling in his strange language.

Later, a new fair arrives in town bringing a woman who has transformed into a spider. The townspeople lose interest in the angel. However, Pelayo and Elisenda are able to build a mansion with the fortune they have gained by charging admission. The child grows older and is told not to go into the chicken coop. Yet the child does, and later the child and the old man have chicken pox at the same time.

Once the child is of school age, the chicken coop is broken down and the man begins to appear in Pelayo and Elisenda's house. He then moves into the shed and becomes very ill. Yet, he survives the winter and becomes stronger. One crucial day, Elsenda is making lunch and looks out the window to see the old man trying to fly. His first attempts are clumsy, but eventually he is able to gain altitude and fly away from Pelayo and Elisenda's house. Elisenda is relieved "for herself and for him", upon seeing him go. 

Plot Diagram

Understanding the text.                                                                                              

Answer the following questions.

a. How does the narrator describe the weather and its effects in the exposition of the story?

• The story begins with the exposition of the weather after continuous rain for about three days. This caused many crabs to die, causing a bad smell. Moreover, the sky changed into an ashy grey color, and the sand of the beach glimmered like powdered light. The light was so weak that it was hard to see.

b. Describe the strange old man as Palayo and his wife first encounter within their courtyard.

• The strange old man was very old, lying face down in the mud. He was bald with only a few faded hairs left and had a few teeth in his mouth. More surprisingly, he had huge buzzard wings, dirty and half-plucked, entangled in the mud. Pelayo and his wife thought of him as a rag picker.

c. Why did Pelayo and Elisenda imprison the old man in the chicken coop?

• Pelayo and Elisenda imprisoned the old man in the chicken coop because they believed a neighbor woman who told them that the old man was an angel who came to take their child.

d. Why was Father Gonzaga not sure about the old man being a celestial messenger?

• Father Gonzaga was unsure whether the elderly man was a celestial messenger because he was unable to speak God's language, which is Latin, and was unable to greet his ministers.

e. Many people gathered at Palayo’s house to see the strange old man. Why do you think the crowd assembled to see him?

• I think the main reason the crowd gathered at Pelayo's home was to see the strange old man, who had enormous wings and was thought to be an angel. He was also kept in the chicken coop, which led many to believe that he was an animal in a circus.

f. Some miracles happened while the crowd gathers to see the strange man. What are these miracles?

• The miracles that happened while the crowd gathered to see the strange man are:

            -The blind man who didn’t recover his sight, and three teeth grew.
            -The paralytic who didn’t get to walk but almost won the lottery, and
            -The leper whose sores sprouted sunflowers.

g. State the irritating things that the people did with the strange old man.

• The irritating things that the people did with the strange old man are:

            -They threw stones at him.
            -They pulled his feathers
            -They burned his side with an iron

h. How and why was the woman changed into a spider?

• When the woman was a young girl, she sneaked out of the house to attend a dance. As she was returning through the jungle after dancing all night without permission, a terrifying thunderclap tore the sky in two, and through the gap came the lightning bolt of brimstone that turned her into a spider.

i. Describe how Elisenda saw the strange man flying over the houses. 

• No one went to see the strange old man because people could see a spider man in a reasonable price at a festival. As a result, his feathers began to grow slowly. Elisenda was chopping some bunches of onions one morning for lunch when a breeze that seemed to originate from the high seas entered the room. She then proceeded to the window where she caught sight of the angel making his initial flight attempts. He was so clumsy that his fingernails created a line on the vegetable patch, and his massive flapping was about to collapse the shed.

Reference to the text

a. The arrival of a strange old man at Palayo’s courtyard arouses many suspicions and explanations. Explain how the neighbour woman, Father Gonzaga and the doctor speak of the strange man. Why do you think these three people give three different kinds of interpretations?

• Many explanations and interpretations are offered in response to the strange old man who shows up in Palayo's courtyard. The next-door neighbor says that the weird elderly man with the huge wings must be an angel who has come to claim Palayo's ill kid. Father Gonzaga disagrees with the woman and claims that the unusual old man cannot be an angel since he does not speak the language of God and does not even greet the ministers. She also urges that they beat the man to death. More significantly, he appears far too human. He smells horribly of the outdoors. His major feathers have been damaged by terrestrial winds, and the underside of his wings is covered in parasites. The doctor is perplexed as to how the strange old man has survived for so long with such loud heartbeat and kidney noises. According to the doctor, the wings are the most astonishing thing, and he can't figure out why other humans don't have wings. I think these three people have different kinds of interpretations of the strange old man with enormous wings because they are different from one another in terms of their perspectives, beliefs, and levels of understanding.

b. This story belongs to the genre of ‘magical realism’, a genre perfected by Gabriel Garcia Marquez in his novels and short stories. Magical realism is a narrative technique in which the story-teller narrates the common place things with magical colour and the events look both magical and real at the same time. Collect five magic realist happenings from the story and argue why they seem magical to you.

• The story "A very old man with enormous wings" is a piece of "magical realism," a style that Gabriel Garcia Marquez mastered in his novels and stories. The story's five magic realist happenings are as follows:

1. Enormous wings’ of old man: This implies that the old man is from another world or universe.
2. Incomprehensible Dialect: The language used by the strange old man is incomprehensible. This  serves as an illustration of magical realism in that the incomprehensible language is a part of an other, mysterious realm.
3. The neighbour woman called the old man an angel: The word ‘angel’ gives magical colour in the story.
4. The illustration of a woman turning into a spider also relates to magical realism.
5. The fact that the strange old man had survived for so long astonished the doctor. He attempted to heal him but was unsuccessful.  Eventually, his feathers grew and he flew away.  This is yet another instance of magical realism in the story.

c. The author introduces the episode of a woman who became a spider for having disobeyed her parents. This episode at once shifts people’s concentration from the strange old man to the spider woman. What do you think is the purpose of the author to bring this shift in the story?

•  I think the author's intent in making this change in the story is to maybe provide yet another illustration of magical realism. The author may also want to demonstrate how individuals act selfishly for financial gain, showing their greed, and to teach a lesson about how we should obey and respect our seniors as parents.

d. The story deals with the common people’s gullibility. How do Palayo and his wife take advantage of common people’s whim?

• Palayo and his wife take advantage of common people’s whims and inner nature by charging some fee for those who want to see their oddities, like the old man's huge wings. With the money they collected from the visitors, they built a mansion.