The narrator in ‘We Too Are Human Beings’ is amused at the way the elder of her street carried the food packet by its string without touching it. But the same girl is provoked and becomes angry when Annan makes her aware of the social inequality

Question: The narrator in ‘We Too Are Human Beings’ is amused at the way the elder of her street carried the food packet by its string without touching it. But the same girl is provoked and becomes angry when Annan makes her aware of the social inequality and untouchability in the social system. Describe how the narrator attains honour and dignity in spite of her humble birth.

Answer: The narrator in ‘We Too Are Human Beings’ passes through different phases of mental and physical development. The role of her elder brother (Annan) in shaping her personality can’t be minimised. He inspired her to fight against inequality and untouchability. The narrator saw a threshing floor set up at one corner of her street. An old man of her street attracted her attention. The elder came along from the direction of the bazaar. He was a big man carrying a small packet of food by its string without touching it. She thought it quite funny. She narrated the incident to her elder brother but he was not amused. The man was not being funny. He belonged to a ‘low caste’. He couldn’t touch the food packet. She felt terribly sad. She felt provoked and angry that she wanted to touch those vadais herself straightaway. Annan described that the people of their caste were not respected and given importance. Education, learning and prosperity bring honour and dignity. The narrator was inspired by his words. She studied hard and stood first in the class. Then many friends came to her on their own accord.

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1. What made Jack realise that his custom of telling a story was turning futile?
2. Do you think Jack shared an affinity with Roger Skunk? Explain
3. Why does Jo want the wizard should hit the mommy? Does her stand reflect a child’s perspective on life? What is your choice?
4. Draw the character sketch of Jack
5. Roger Skunk’s mother hit the wizard on his head. Do you think it was right on her part to do so? Should the wizard hit Roger Skunk’s mother?
6. How does Derry interpret the fairy tale ‘Beauty and the Beast’? What does he feel about himself?
7. If you were to give a different ending to the story ‘On the Face of It’, how would you end it?
8. What peculiar things does Derry notice about the old man, Lamb?
9. Why does Mr Lamb leave his gate always open?
10. Mr Lamb told Derry the story of a man who hid himself in his room. Why did the man do so and with what result?
11. People are insensitive to those who have disabilities. Give instances from the story, ‘On the face of it’
12. Mr Lamb’s advice to Derry was the product of his goodness of heart or to befriend him to overcome his loneliness. Give reason
13. Why does Derry tell Mr Lamb that he is afraid of seeing himself in the mirror in the story ‘On the Face of it’?
14. How does Mr Lamb keep himself busy when it is a bit cool?
15. What are the ways by which Mr Lamb tries to overcome the feelings of loneliness and disappointment?
16. How was the 'injured' McLeery able to befool the prison officers?
17. What purpose did the question paper and the correction slip serve? How did they help both the criminal and the Governor?
18. What kind of a person was the governor of the prison in 'Evans tries an O- level'? Mention any four lapses in his arrangement for Evans' O-level exam that helped Evans escape?
19. Why did Sadao Hoki go to America? Narrate his experiences there
20. Draw a character sketch of the old General in the lesson, ‘The Enemy’
21. Dr Sadao was compelled by his duty as a doctor to help the enemy soldier. What made Hana, his wife, sympathise with him in the face of open defiance from the domestic staff?
22. Why did Dr Sadao take the man in and save him?
23. Why did Sadao help the American soldier to escape? How did he do it?
24. What explains the attitude of the General in the matter of the enemy soldier? Was it human consideration, lack of national loyalty, dereliction of duty or simply selfabsorption?
25. Dr Sadao faced a dilemma. Should he use his surgical skills to save the life of a wounded person or hand an escaped American P.O.W. over to the Japanese police? How did he resolve this clash of values?
26. How did Dr Sadao overcome the difficulty that came in his way to save the wounded soldier? How did Hana help her husband?
27. The fog in the story ‘The Enemy’ is symbolic. Elucidate
28. What impression do you form about Dr Sadao as a man and as a surgeon on your reading the chapter, ‘The Enemy’?
29. Dr Sadao was a patriotic Japanese as well as a dedicated surgeon. How could he honour both values?
30. What was his German teacher’s opinion of Evan’s proficiency in German?
31. What could the Governor have done to securely bring Evans back to the prison from the ‘Golden Lion’?
32. Jackson found a puzzling thing in McLeery’s suitcase. How did McLeery explain it?
33. “Beneath all the bluster and the bullshit” a tiny core of compassion was buried somewhere in Jackson. Justify the statement
34. Who do you think made the call to announce a correction in the question paper? What was its purpose?
35. What did the Detective Superintendent inform the Governor about Evans?
36. What were the contents of the small brown suitcase that McLeery carried?
37. Who was Carter? What did the Governor ask him to do?
38. How did the Governor react to the two phone calls he received in quick succession?
39. What clues did the answer sheet of Evans provide to the Governor?
40. Who do you think has outwitted the other—Evans or the Governor? How?
41. How did McLeery explain the semi-inflated rubber ring in his suitcase? How was the ring ultimately used?
42. Which do you think is a better ending of Roger Skunk’s story, Jo’s or her father’s? Why?
43. What did Jo want Roger Skunk’s mother to be punished for?
44. How did Roger Skunk pay the wizard?
45. Why was Roger Skunk’s mummy angry with him? What did she finally tell him?
46. Why did Jo think Roger Skunk was better off with the new smell?
47. What impression do you form of Jack as a father in the story, ‘Should Wizard Hit Mommy?
48. Why did Jo disapprove of Jack’s ending of the story of Roger Skunk? How did she want it to end?
49. What help did Roger Skunk get from the wizard?
50. How did Skunk’s mother get Roger Skunk’s old smell back?