Balbharti Yuvakbharati English 12th Digest Chapter 4.2 To Sir, with Love Notes, Textbook Exercise Important Questions and Answers.
Maharashtra State Board Class 12 English Yuvakbharati Solutions Chapter 4.2 To Sir, with Love
12th English Digest Chapter 4.2 To Sir, with Love Textbook Questions and Answers
Character:
(A1)
Question (i)
From the options given below, choose the name of the teacher and write a couple of lines from the extract in support of your answer.
(a) Denham
(b) Miss Joseph
(c) Sapiano
(d) Dale-Evans
Answer:
Dale-Evans is the teacher. The lines to support this are: The names were called Mr. Weston, Mrs. Dale-Evans, Miss Phillips. Denham and Miss Joseph led the others off the stage and the teachers took their seats.
Question (ii)
Complete the table highlighting the various traits of the major characters in the extract.
Answer:
Question (iii)
The narrator played a crucial role in bringing a significant change in the students. Discuss the statement by citing some references from the extract.
Answer:
The narrator initially had a very difficult time with the students who were disrespectful, ill- mannered and mischievous. They considered him to be an arrogant outsider, unfamiliar with the social environment in which they I have grown up. They harass him from day one; however, they come around after only a few weeks, completely changing both their hygiene and their attitudes towards one another.
This marks the success of the narrator in handling the students in a very amicable way. This is proved on the day of the half-yearly report of the Students’ Council. The narrator’s students allocate tasks in a business-like way. They present their reports confidently and clearly. They are cool and efficient in their work. They are courteous towards each other and the teachers, and they accept the verdict of the teachers. This shows the significant and crucial change brought about by the narrator in his students.
Question (iv)
Femman brought a comic relief in the Students’ Council programme. Explain with an incident.
Answer:
In order to explain a point, Fernman made a signal to someone off-stage. Two students, Welsh and Alison, appeared bearing a skeleton between them, with a sort of gallows. When this arrangement had been set up there was the skeleton hanging from a hook screwed into the top of its skull, gently revolving at the end of a cord. This brought some comic relief to the proceedings, and the students laughed uproariously.
(v) Give a brief character-sketch of –
Question (a)
Denham.
Answer:
Denham is business-like and confident while allocating tasks and fitting in the j programme. He is an important official for the function and sits confidently beside the Head. He courteously addresses the girls as ‘Miss’. While discussing P.T. and Games, he shocks the audience with his views. He is a trained boxer and does not want to do P.T. exercises which he feels are unnecessary for him. His tone is initially blunt, critical and argumentative. However, when Miss Phillips gently replies to his arguments and outwits him, he graciously and politely accepts his defeat.
Question (b)
Miss Joseph.
Answer:
Miss Joseph is business-like and confident while allocating tasks and fitting in the programme. She is an important official for the function. She sits on the stage beside Mr. Florian with composure. She also addresses the audience with confidence.
Question (c)
The Narrator.
Answer:
Ricky Braithwaite, the narrator, is a very sensitive person. He is very upset at the racism that he has to face after serving in the army. He gets a job in a school, and initially has a very difficult time with the students who are disrespectful, ill-mannered and mischievous. They harass him from day one. However, his novel and creative ideas, innovative techniques and understanding of the students’ psychology, ultimately wins their hearts.
Though he was bullied, harassed, mentally and physically tortured many times, he didn’t lose his patience and continued implementing his novel ideas and techniques that helped him to bring a significant change in his students’ lives. On the day of the half-yearly report of the Students’ Council, he is very anxious to see how they behave. When they are business-like, confident, cool and courteous, he feels proud of them.
Question (d)
Miss Dare.
Answer:
Miss Dare spoke about the problems which all humanity has to face in terms of sickness and disease, and of the advantages gained by interchange of knowledge, advice and assistance. Her contribution was something of an anticlimax after Femman’s performance, and she seemed to realise it, but continued with her speech.
Question (e)
Miss Phillips.
Answer:
Miss Phillips, whom everyone had thought to be frilly and brainless, proves while answering Denham’s questions that she is the best-informed of the three teachers on the stage. She intervenes skilfully when the other two teachers are at a loss, without embarrassing them. She speaks coolly, honestly and with authority.
She is very slightly built but she controls her class very well. She tells Denham that the whole timetable in the school was meant to help the students in the world after they left school, and doing what one was told in spite of not liking it, is part of the training. She confidently asserts that she was sure that Denham saw the importance of what she had said, and why he had to do P.T. Thus, she put ‘ Denham in his place very coolly.
Question (vi)
Compare the following characters:
Answer:
Miss Joseph and Denham:
Miss Joseph and Denham are both business-like and efficient while allocating tasks and fitting in the programme. They are important officials for the function and sit on the stage confidently beside Mr. Florian. Both address the audience with confidence.
However, Denham is blunt, critical and argumentative while discussing the P.T. exercises that everyone has to do in school. He argues with Miss Phillips, but when Miss Phillips pleasantly and coolly puts him in his place, he graciously accepts defeat. He is also courteous in his dealing with the ladies.
Miss Phillips, whom everyone had thought to be frilly and brainless, proved while answering Denham’s questions that she was the best-informed of the three teachers on the stage. She intervened skilfully when the other two teachers were at a loss, without embarrassing them. She spoke coolly, honestly and with authority.
When Denham is blunt, critical and argumentative while discussing the P.T. exercises that everyone has to do in school, she tells Denham that the whole timetable in the school was meant to help the students in the world after they left school, and doing what one was told in spite of not liking it, is part of the training. She gives her views confidently and puts Denham in his place very coolly. Denham accepts his defeat courteously.
Fernman and Miss Dare:
Fernman is clear, precise and dramatic. He keeps the audience spell-bound by his speech. Miss Dare and Fernman discuss the subject of physiology, with Fernman stealing the show by exhibiting a model of a human skeleton and stressing the class conclusion that “basically all people were the same.” Miss Dare speaks about the problems which all humanity has to face in terms of sickness and disease, and of the advantages gained by interchange of knowledge, advice and assistance.
Her contribution was something of an anticlimax after Fernman’s performance, and she seemed to realise it, but continued with her speech. Fernman was also adroit while questioning the teachers.
The narrator, a teacher, is sensitive, and upset about racism, which has affected him directly. He initially had a very difficult time with the students who were disrespectful, ill-mannered and mischievous. However, he didn’t lose his patience and continued implementing his novel ideas and techniques. This helped him to bring a significant change in his students’ lives. He is very anxious about the students and later proud of their confidence, understanding and behaviour.
The Head of the school, Mr. Florian, addressed the school on the day of the half-yearly report of the Students’ Council. He spoke about the aims and policy of the school and of the important contribution each child could make. He gave praise wherever necessary, but insisted that there was yet a great deal to be done. His remarks showed that he identified himself with the school and everyone in it. At the end he expressed his pride in all the children and his deep appreciation of their efforts.
PLOT:
(A2)
Question (i)
Arrange the incidents in correct sequence as per their occurrence in the extract.
(a) Denham was outwitted by Miss Phillips.
(b) The head of the school closed the proceedings.
(c) Denham asserted that P.T. periods were a waste of time.
(d) The slips were folded and placed in a hat.
(e) Fernman was as usual a trump card.
(f) Denham called out the names of the representatives.
(g) Students’ Council was held every year on November 15th.
Answer:
(g) Students’ Council was held every year on November 15th.
(f) Denham called out the names of the representatives.
(e) Fernman was as usual a trump card.
(d) The slips were folded and placed in a hat.
(c) Denham asserted that P.T. periods were a waste of time.
(a) Denham was outwitted by Miss Phillips.
(b) The head of the school closed the proceedings.
Question (ii)
Describe in brief the purpose of organising the half-yearly report programme of Students’ Council.
Answer:
During the half-yearly report programme of Students’ Council, each class would report, through its representatives, on the studies pursued during the half year which began after Easter. A representative was chosen for each subject. When all the classes had completed their reports a panel of teachers would be invited to occupy the stage and answer questions from the body of the hall on matters arising out of the various reports. Throughout all the reports, the emphasis was on what they understood rather than on what they were expected to learn.
Question (iii)
Write in your words the entire half- yearly report programme of Students’ Council.
Answer:
In the half-yearly report of the Students’ Council, the students report to the faculty and other students on what they have been studying thus far. The representatives of the narrator’s class spoke knowledgeably about their coursework and placed a considerable amount of emphasis on how much they had learnt about different people, cultures, customs, and the importance of international and interracial cooperation.
Miss Joseph and Denham, both students of the narrator’s class, presided over the meeting. Mr. Florian, the headmaster, addressed the meeting with a lengthy presentation. After this, one after another, each class gave a brief report of their progress, through their chosen representatives, on what they had been studying in each subject so far. A panel of teachers was then chosen to answer any questions put by the students.
The lowest class began first; the narrator’s class, being the oldest, was the last to present their report. Miss Joseph began the highest class’s proceedings by clarifying that the common theme underlying all their studies that term was the interdependency of mankind. Potter spoke in the field of math, focusing on how greater understanding in the world is fostered by the use of common weights and measures.
Miss Pegg and Jackson spoke on geography, and Miss Dare and Fernman discussed the subject of physiology, with Fernman stealing the show by exhibiting a model of a human skeleton and stressing the class conclusion that “basically all people are the same.” Miss Dodd reported on history, and Miss Joseph on domestic science. Denham created a stir by speaking on the subject of P.T. and games, complaining that the class ‘was ill-conceived and pointless.’
Mr. Weston, Mrs. Dale-Evans, and Miss Phillips were chosen at random to answer students’ questions. When Denham pursued his inquiry on the necessity of requiring all students to take P.T., Mr. Weston responded quite ridiculously, trying to bluster his way out of the subject, and offering no sensible argument. Unexpectedly, the quiet and hesitant Miss Phillips stepped in and gave a strong defence of the practice. Finally, Denham, knowing that he had been outwitted, had no choice but to respectfully accept his defeat. The narrator was immensely satisfied with the progress of the students of his class.
Question (iv)
Describe the question-answer session that took place at the end of the extract.
Answer:
The questions were mostly from the two top classes. The teachers had no briefing, and were often caught out stammering in their indecision. One of the teachers, Miss Euphemia Phillips proved to be the coolest and best informed of the three teachers on the stage. She dealt with questions put to her with honesty and with authority, and would often intervene skilfully to assist one of the others without causing embarrassment.
While Femman was skillful in his questioning, Denham was blunt in his criticism. He severely criticised the general pattern of P.T. and games. Denham was a trained boxer, and insisted that such exercises were only advantageous if practised daily and for more sustained periods; P.T. twice weekly for twenty minutes was a waste of time, he asserted.
Miss Phillips reminded the school that every subject, including P.T. and games, , had been carefully considered and fitted into the teaching timetable so that each student received maximum benefit from it. The school considered it in terms of the greatest good for the greatest number. She added, hinting at Denham, that while some were fortunate in their own fine physical development and did not really need the few meagre helpings of P.T. and games which the school could offer, there were others for whom the programme was ideally suited. It would be beyond anyone’s powers to please everybody.
She suggested that some of the older boys might even be able to help in that respect. Denham, not put off by these sugary remarks, replied that only the kids who needed it could take it, while the others could have a game of football or something, instead of doing something useless.
This was a difficult question to answer, but Miss Phillips replied pleasantly that it should be considered as much an exercise of the mind as it is of the body. The whole timetable in the school was meant to help them in the world after they left the school, and doing what one was told in spite of not liking it, was part of the training. That answer defeated Denham and he accepted his defeat gracefully.
Question (v)
Describe the discussion that took place between Miss Joseph and Denham.
(There is no discussion between Miss Joseph and Denham.)
SETTING:
(A3)
Question (i)
Identify the event that took place in the extract. Give reason/s to support your answer:
(a) Annual Sports Day on November 15th
(b) Annual Social and Cultural Gathering on November 15th
(c) Half-yearly report of Students’ Council on November 15th
(d) Farewell Programme on November 15th
Answer:
(c) Half-yearly report of Students’ Council on November 15th
The following lines support this:
The half-yearly report of the Students’ Council was on November 15th, and was one of the important days in the calendar of Greenslade School.
Question (ii)
The event in the extract was held at the Choose the correct alternative. Give reason/s to support your answer.
(a) author’s house
(b) auditorium of the school
(c) market
(d) garden
Answer:
(b) auditorium of the school
The following lines support this:
A bell was rung at 10.00 a.m. and everyone trooped into the auditorium to sit together in classes.
Question (iii)
The incidents in the extract occurred at a particular place. Explain the significance of that place in your own words.
Answer:
The extract confines itself to narrating the incidents that take place on the important day of the half-yearly report of the Students’ s Council. This report takes place in the presence of the Head of the school, the teachers and the students. It is a serious and formal programme, and the setting is the auditorium, with a stage and a formal atmosphere. This is just right.
Question (iv)
Explain how the setting of the extract contributes to the theme of the novel.
Answer:
One of the themes of the novel is the teacher- student relationship, and the change in the behaviour of the students after the narrator’s patient dealing. The narrator initially had a very difficult time with the students who were disrespectful, ill- mannered and mischievous. He finds that the students belong to a background that is not suitable for learning and for their overall development and progress.
They are in no mood to change their attitude and behaviour. The narrator, with his novel and creative ideas, innovative techniques and understanding of the students’ psychology, ultimately wins their hearts. The narrator is now anxious to see how far his teaching has been effective.
He can judge it from the behaviour and attitude of his students on the important day of the half-yearly report of the Students’ Council. This report takes place in the presence of the Head of the school, the teachers and the students. It is a serious and formal programme, and the setting of the auditorium, a stage and a formal atmosphere, is just right. The discussion and the question . and answer session also contributes to the theme.
THEME:
(A4)
Question (i)
‘When the turn of my class came I sat up anxiously’.
Explain the reasons of the narrator’s anxiety hy citing suitable references from the extract.
Answer:
The narrator initially had a very difficult time with the students who were disrespectful, ill-mannered and mischievous. They were in no mood to change their attitude and behaviour. The narrator with his novel and creative ideas, innovative techniques and understanding of the students’ psychology, ultimately wins their hearts. The narrator later grew very fond of his students and wanted them to do well in their lives. He wanted them to shine. He is now anxious to see how far his teaching has been effective.
He can judge it from their behaviour, conduct and attitude on the important day of the half-yearly report of the Students’ Council. He also wanted to see how they would express themselves and how much they had understood during the given period. The programme takes place in the presence of the Head of the school, the teachers and the students. It is a serious and formal one. Hence he sat up anxiously when the turn of his class came.
Question (ii)
Select two statements that describe the theme of the extract:
(a) Half-yearly report of the Students’ Council was not an important event for the students and teachers of school.
(b) The writer was immensely pleased to notice the progress of his students.
(c) The students showed a remarkable change in their behaviour and were progressing in all the subjects.
(d) The head of the institution was against I conducting such activities in the school.
Answer:
(b) The writer was immensely pleased to notice the progress of his students.
(c) The students showed a remarkable change in their behaviour and were j progressing in all the subjects.
Question (iii)
The relationship between the teacher and the students is highlighted in the extract. Illustrate with suitable examples from the extract.
Answer:
In the extract, the narrator describes the day on which the half-yearly report of the Students’ Council takes place. It is entirely the students’ affair; the students are given full freedom. Denham and Miss Joseph conduct the whole programme and preside over it. The students and teachers all listen attentively to the reports made by the student representatives on what they have been studying till then. At the end of the students’ presentation, three teachers are chosen at random to answer the students’ questions. They have to answer whatever questions are put to them by the students. Fernman questions them adroitly; Denham is blunt, critical and argumentative.
Two of the teachers are flustered by the questions, which they find difficult to answer. However, Miss Phillips intervenes skilfully when the other two teachers are at a loss without embarrassing them. She speaks coolly, honestly and with authority. Denham counter-questions her; she is cool and pleasant. The programme is serious, formal and frank. It is a democratic set up. There is freedom of expression, fearlessness on the part of students, honesty and analysis of issues.
Question (iv)
Explain in brief the theme of the extract.
Answer:
The theme of the extract is the student- teacher relationship and the proceedings of the half-yearly report of the Students’ Council. The extract shows the improvement in the conduct of the students, the increase in their level of confidence and courtesy. It also shows the freedom and candour in student-teacher interaction in the school.
Question (v)
Describe the atmosphere of the school described in the extract.
Answer:
In the extract, the narrator describes the day on which the half-yearly report of the Students’ Council takes place. Here, the students of the school report to the faculty and other students on what they have been studying thus far. It is entirely the students’ affair; the students conduct the whole programme and preside over it. At the end of the students’ presentation, three teachers are chosen at random to answer the students’ questions.
The programme is serious, formal and frank. The students honestly give their reports and ask questions fearlessly. The selected teachers do their best to answer the critical and blunt questions put to them. It is a democratic set up. There is freedom of expression, honesty, and analysis of issues on that day.
LANGUAGE:
(A4)
(i) Explain the following statements that enrich the language and create a powerful impact.
Question (a)
Miss Phillips is transformed into a very convincing personality.
Answer:
Miss Phillips is earlier considered as ‘frilly and brainless’; but she was the best- informed of the three teachers on the stage, She intervened skilfully when the other two I teachers were at a loss without embarrassing them. She spoke coolly, honestly and with authority. When Denham is blunt, critical and argumentative while discussing the P.T. exercises, she tells Denham that the whole timetable in the school was meant to help the students in the world after they left school, and doing what one was told in spite of not liking it, is part of the training.
She confidently asserted that she was sure that Denham saw the importance of what she had said, and why he had to do P.T. Thus, she put Denham in his place very coolly and pleasantly, and Denham accepted his defeat courteously. The teacher who was considered brainless is transformed into a s . very convincing personality at the end.
Question (b)
There are many features of language that contribute to the smooth sailing of ) the plot.
Answer:
With reference to the extract, the words used by the narrator contribute to the smooth sailing of the plot. Expressions and sentences like ‘the school showed its approval by laughing uproariously’, ‘Fernman was wonderful; he had them eating out of his hand’, ‘frilly and seemingly brainless’ ‘Miss Phillips took the reins and her stock promptly shot up a hundredfold’, ‘sugary remarks’, ‘her baby-blue eyes twinkling in her delight at this crossing of staves’, ‘this frilly, innocent-looking puss had gobbled her canary without leaving the tiniest feather’ lend beauty and interest to the writing. Apt words and expressions have been used to give the reader a compete idea of the situation. The programme has also been described clearly.
(ii) Following are some dialogues of the major characters in the extract. Find out who the speaker is, his/her tone, the style, significance etc. of the dialogues:
Question 1.
“Then why do we have to do P.T.? Why don’t they take only the kids who need it?”
Answer:
The speaker is Denham. His tone is initially blunt, critical and argumentative. He is a trained boxer and does not want to do P.T exercises which he feels are unnecessary for him. However, when Miss Phillips gently replies to his arguments and outwits him, he has the grace to accept his defeat. The blunt and critical Denham turns into a gracious loser.
Question 2.
“Let’s say it is as much an exercise of the mind as it is of the body, Denham.”
Answer:
The speaker is Miss Phillips. She answers Denham’s questions coolly, honestly and with authority. She tells him that the whole timetable in the school was meant to help the students in the world after they left school, and doing what one was told in spite of not liking it, is part of the training. She confidently asserted that she was sure that Denham saw the importance of what she had said, and why he had to do P.T. This piece of advice was not meant only for Denham but for the whole school and the reader as well.