Chapter -10
The Undeserved Reward
Word Meaning
Misconstrued misunderstood
Predicament difficult and unpleasant situation
Obligatory compulsory
Snooty a person who considers himself to be superior to others
Naib-tehsildar a naib-tehsildar was an assistant officer in a district
Seditious that would provoke people against the government
Canons principles
Pies an old coin
Overwhelmed overpowered by a strong emotion
Seer unit of weight slightly less than a kilogram
Implicate involve in a criminal case
Blemish charge
Reprimanded scolded
Maligning bringing bad name to someone without any basis
Undeserved unfair, unworthy
Fed up tired
Hefty strong
In a great fix confusion
Let me down insult
Acquaintance a person who knows slightly
Q.1. Why is the narrator a secret admirer of the district officer?
The narrator is a secret admirer of the district officer because he is a man of learning. He has done a considerable research in History and in old coins. The writer is impressed with his works.
Q.2. What did the Indian officer do when his father-in-law insisted on prolonging his daughter’s stay at his house?
The
Indian officer issued summons for the arrest of father-in-law when his
father-in-law insisted on prolonging his daughter’s stay at his house.
Q.3.
When the narrator was invited by the district officer to see him, his friends
said that it was an insult to him. Why?
The
friends felt that the officer had acted in a snobbish way. According to his
friends if the district officer really wanted to meet the writer, he should
come to him.
Q.4. Why
was the narrator happy that the district officer to see him, his friends said
that it was an insult to him. Why?
The
narrator was happy because he knew if it would happen, he would not be able to
entertain him and serve him at his home properly.
Q.5. ‘I
considered this as downright mean and dishonest.’ What did the narrator
consider to be mean and dishonest?
‘I
considered this as downright mean and dishonest.’ The narrator did not like to
take help or advantage of his relationship with the district officer. Taking
favours from the high officials was against his principles.
Q.6. How
did the narrator and Baldev become friends in their childhood?
The
narrator and Baldev had studied together. They were then eight or nine years
old. Baldev was dull minded whereas the narrator was very intelligent. Baldev
never understood anything in class. The narrator began to help him in his
studies and he began to help him in his studies and he began to do well.
Q.7. Why
had the police involved Baldev’s son in a false case of dacoity?
Baldev’s
son was well built, stout person. Many a time he quarrelled with the police.
The police was searching for an opportunity to involve him in a criminal case.
They got a chance to involve him in a false case.
C.
Baldev presented many arguments before the narrator to convince him to speak to
the district officer. State a few arguments and identify the one which you
think to be the most convincing, giving reasons to justify your choice.
Baldev
gave several arguments to convince the narrator. He told that his son was
innocent. He also told that the entire family and son’s life would be ruined.
He appealed that he approached him for help only because his son was innocent
otherwise he could have never disturbed him. The son’s mother was crying and
had not eaten anything since his arrest. Baldev asked the narrator what could
he have done if his own innocent son was arrested like that. In my opinion, the
last argument is most convincing. If it would have been the matter of the
narrator’s own innocent son, he might have approached the district officer for
the sake of his son. It was the matter of an innocent life.
HOTS
Q. ‘I
feel sorry at the mentality of my countrymen,’ says the narrator. Why does the
narrator feel sorry for it? Explain.
The
narrator felt sorry at the mentality of the countrymen. The weaker always give
too much respect to the stronger or rich. They think that they need their help
to lead a smooth life though they seldom get their help. People should learn to
live independent and decent life in whatever condition they are.
LIFE
SKILLS
‘Every
deserving action should be rewarded , likewise every reward should be well
deserved. Does this statement always holds true in real life? Substantiate your
answer with examples.
Every deserving
action should be rewarded , likewise every reward should be well deserved. But this statement does not always hold true
in real life. For instance, in our country hockey players do not get deserved
reward wheresas cricketers are over rewarded.
‘One
should listen to all but take one’s own decision guided by both intellect and
conscience.’ Discuss.
It is
true that one should listen to all but take one’s own decision guided
by both
intellect and conscience. Otherwise later one
has to repent over the decision made on the
basis of others suggestions or requests. In the story the narrator decided help
Baldev free his son from the police but later he
regretted doing so because he knew that his
son was not a good person and that was the reason that the district officer did
not consider it proper to interfere in
the case.
Values
A.’ I could not gather the courage to tell them
that I had done nothing.’
Should the narrator have accepted the credit for
saving Baldev's son from imprisonment or
should have he admitted openly that he had done nothing in the matter? Discuss
In the class.
Ans. It is a right statement - ’I could not gather the courage to tell them that I
had done nothing.’ No, the narrator should not have accepted the credit for
saving Baldev’s son from imprisonment. He should have admitted openly that he
had done nothing in the matter. The truth is a great virtue. He should be
truthful and have courage to speak the truth.
B. (i) Where the teacher's cane failed, my
sympathetic approach yielded results'. It was not uncommon to see children being subjected to corporal punishment
earlier. Do you think it was relevant in
these times?
Ans. Where the teacher's cane failed, my
sympathetic approach yielded results'. It was common to see children being subjected to corporal punishment in earlier
times. It is not relevant because where love and sympathy can play a good role,
there is no need to give punishment.
(i) Do you think capital punishment is
justified?
Ans. No, capital punishment is not justified because
there are more ways to deal with the students rather than giving them capital
punishment.
v. Writing Skills
A. Baldev is extremely rejoiced at the help
rendered by his old friend. On behalf of Baldev
prepare a thanksgiving card for the narrator thanking
him for his help.
Ans. Dear Premchand
Accept my thanks for what you have done to save
my son 's life. I know ’thanks’ is
a very small word for such type of help. You
have also proved this dicum right that a friend in need is a friend indeed.
Yours
Baldev
B. You are the narrator . You are overcome with a
feeling of gullt after Baldev and his son leave your house. Write a letter to
Baldev expressing your guilt over
accepting the
honour that you did not deserve.
Ans. Examination Hall
16TH November, 2020
Dear Baldev
I was really overwhelmed to see that your son
was released by the police because he was
innocent. He deserved this. But I would like to apologise that I had not
done any favour. You know well my principles that
I do not like taking any obligation. So I did not visit the district officer.
Your son had been released because he did not commit any crime. Hence, he was
not punished. I am really feeling guilty
for accepting the reward which I didn't deserve. I would also like to send back
all the gifts that you brought.
taking any
Yours
Premchand
ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS SOLVED
Q1. Do you think the narrator was a true friend
of Baldev? Comment.
Ans. 1he narrator was a man ol principles. He
did not like taking obligations in his life.
When he was approached by an old friend Baldev
for a favour from district officer, he
found himself helpless in this situation. But it
does not prove that he was not a true
friend of Baldev. He had sympathy for Baldev and
his son. So he became overwhelmed
seeing the release of Baldev’s son as he was innocent.
Q2. What is your opinion about Baldev’s friendship
with the narrator?
Ans. Baldev who called himself the narrator’s
bosom friend did not appear before talling into a trouble. He came to him only after getting knowledge of the narrator's
relations with the district officer. He showed his intimacy to flatter the
narrator and brought gifts for him to pay back his obligations. Overall, Baldev
does not appear to be a true and close friend to the narrator.
93. Write character sketch of the district
officer on the basis of your reading of the story.
Ans. The district officer in the story is a
wise, and well learned person, who manages time to study history and coins from
his busy schedule. He is an amiable person who invites the narrator as he is a
writer and talks to him in a very polite manner. It is his keen observation and wisdom that the son of
the narrator’s friend has been let off without any charge. He scolds the daroga
and warns him if in future he indulges in bringing bad name to anyone without
any base, he would be dismissed. Thus, the district officer is a true human being and just in his decisions.
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