Writing skills task for class 10

Task for writing skills

Victoria Slater is truly attached to her Grandpa. As she sees the elders in her family
quarrel over the inheritance, she is bewildered and upset by their attitude. As Victoria
write a diary entry outlining the incident and your feelings. (150 words)

21
st
June, 2014
Monday
11:30 AM

Dear Diary,

Today was the saddest day I have ever experienced. In the morning, when I was playing
on the streets, my mother called me and shouted on me angrily for being so cheerful
when my grandfather was dead in the morning. The news of my grandfather shocked
me. I was sad to hear that. I saw grandfather early morning today going to the church. I
was definitely sad for the grandfathers death by the behavior of elderly people in my
family made me sadder. I saw that these elders are more concerned about the
grandfathers property. They do not want grandfather to leave with them. They feel that
grandfather is a burden on them. Instead of mourning on the death, my whole family of
elder people were interested in talking about tea and cup cakes, about making creative
obituary, about dividing the things up and about pinching some of the things. When
suddenly grandfather got up from his motionless sleep, all these elders started behaving
as if they care for the grandfather. Their materialistic attitude made them to reveal their
own nature to grandfather. Though finally I was happy that my dearest grandfather is
alive, I am sad to see that my own mother, father, uncle and aunt, wanted no
grandfather but only his money.

This has hurt me beyond repair.

Victoria Slater


Posted by amit kharat at 11:28 AM No comments:
Email ThisBlogThis!Share to TwitterShare to FacebookShare to Pinterest
The Dear Departed - Notes for Class 10
The Dear Departed
Question-Answers:

1. How does Mrs. Slater plan to
outshine the Jordans? What does it
reveal about her character?
Ans: Mrs. Slater plans to outshine the
Jordans by being half-ready for the
mourning thinking that Jordans would not
even get time for getting ready in
mourning. This incidence reveals that
Mrs. Slater is a cunning lady would go to
any extent in order to show her
competitors (Jordans) down.

2. Why does Mrs. Slater decide to
shift the bureau from grandfather's
room before the arrival of the Jordans?
How does Henry react to the suggestion?
Ans: Mrs. Slater is aware of her sisters
(Mrs. Jordans) cunning nature. She
knows that Mrs. Jordan would surely
divide the things that belong to
Grandfather. So, in order to make Mrs.
Jordan sure that the bureau belongs not
to Grandfather but to Slaters, and to
avoid losing the bureau, Mrs. Slater
decides to shift the bureau in their room
before the arrival of the Jordans.
Henry does not like the idea of pinching
the bureau down. He advises Mrs. Slater
to have a talk with Mrs. Jordan before
taking the bureau as Mrs. Jordan might
have her eyes on the bureau as well.

3. What is the reason for the Jordans
taking a long time to get to the house of
the Slaters? What does it show about
the two sisters' attitude towards each
other?
Ans: Jordans take a long time to get to
the house of Jordans because Mrs.
Jordan spent time in buying new mourning
clothes because she couldnt start her
journey.
This instance shows that both the sisters
are very competitive in nature. They feel
that they both are the competitor for
each other. So, this attitude make them
go to any extent that even on their
fathers death, they compete with each
other and seek a chance to over shine
each other.

4. What does Mrs. Jordan describe as
'a fatal mistake'? What is the irony in
the comment she makes on Mrs. Slater's
defense?
Ans: Not verifying from a doctor
whether the grandfather is dead or alive
is a fatal mistake described by Mrs.
Jordan.
Mrs. Jordan gives the example of many
such cases of dead persons restored to
life after they were thought to be dead.
The irony lies in Mrs. Jordans hope that
grandfather would have restored to life
if Mrs. Slater would have sent for
doctor. Even though both the sisters
equally wanted their father to die as
soon as possible, Mrs Jordan actually
comments it as a 'fatal mistake' on not
confirming Father's death.

5. Ben appreciates grandfather saying
'its' a good thing he did'. Later he calls
him a 'drunken old beggar'. Why does he
change his opinion about grandfather?
Ans: When Ben comes to know from Mrs.
Slater that grandfather has paid the
insurance premium, he appreciates
grandfather saying its a good thing he
did before dying because they would get
the insurance benefits after
grandfathers death.
Later, when Ben comes to know that
grandfather has not paid the insurance
premium, and they are not getting
insurance money as the premium wasnt
paid on time, Ben calls him drunken old
beggar.
His selfishness towards grandfathers
insurance money made him change his
opinion about grandfather.

6. What change does grandfather make
in his new will? What effect does it have
on his daughters?
Ans: Grandfather decides to alter his
will. According to the new will that he is
going to make, his entire property would
be given to the one who would take care
of him, and with whom he would stay and
die at his or her place.
This very decision gives birth to the
selfish and materialistic attitude of both
daughters. In order to have their
grandfathers property they show their
willingness to keep grandfather with them
till he die. So, sometime back, the
sisters who were not interested in
keeping the grandfather with them when
he was alive, they both fight with each
other for keeping grandfather with
themselves in order to get his property.

7. What are the three things that
grandfather plans to do on Monday next?
Ans: The three things grandfather plans
to do on Monday are
1. - Go to the lawyer and alter
the will
2. - Go to the insurance office
and pay the insurance premium
3. - Go to the church and get
marry to Ring-o-Bells Mrs. John
Shorrocks


8. Bring out the irony in the title of the
play.
Ans: The title of the play is The Dear
Departed. From the title, one can guess
that this is a tragic play about someone
dear of some family leaves them forever.
On the other hand, the play is about
someone, who is supposed as dead by the
family members, leave them forever
when he come to know about their
cunning, selfish and materialistic
attitude.
Also, the title tells us about someone
dear, but here the one who is departed,
i.e. grandfather, is not at all dear to
any of the members of the family except
little Victoria.

9. How does the spat between his
daughters lead to grandfather
discovering the truth?
Ans: Both the daughters are not on good
terms with each other. They do not
leave even one opportunity to show each
other down and blame each other. When
Elizabeth Jordan comes to know that the
bureau lying in Mrs. Slaters room
belongs to grandfather, she tells
grandfather that Slaters tried to steal
grandfathers property thinking that he
is dead. On the other hand, Mrs. Slater
tells grandfather that she had a fight
with Mrs. Jordan long back because Mrs.
Jordan wouldn't take grandfather off
hands at any price. Mrs. Slater also
mentioned that Mrs. Jordan said that
she (Mrs. Jordan) had enough of
grandfather to last a lifetime.

Thus, their attempt of saving themselves
made them to reveal the real character
of each other. This led to grandfather
discovering the truth.
Posted by amit kharat at 11:10 AM No
comments:
Tuesday, June 24, 2014
The Dear Departed : Extra Questions
1. What is the most surprising announcement made by Mr Abel in the end? How does it affect
the other characters? [C.B.S.E. 2011 (T-1)]
Ans: Abel makes a very dramatic announcement in the end that he is going to marry Mrs.
Shorrocks who keeps the Ring-O-Bells. Moreover he is going to take away his things and
leave nothing for his daughters.

2. Mrs Jordan, we want a verse that says how much we loved him and refers to all his good
qualities and says what a heavy loss were had. Point out the irony in this remark.
Ans : Mrs. Jordan, the daughter, wishes to show to the world how much they all loved their
father, by choosing such words for his obituary. But the irony is that in reality, they do not
love him nor do they care for any of his good qualities.

3. Discuss the significance of the title of the play. Bring out the irony inherent in it? [C.B.S.E.
2011 (T-1)]
Or
In what way is the play satirical? Comment on the nature of its characters. [C.B.S.E. 2011
(T-1)]
Ans. The title is very appropriate and packed with great irony and wit that makes a farce of
all relationships that are most intense and pious. Children like the Slaters and the Jordans are
a blot on humanity and on the bonds of love and affection. Both Amelia and her sister
consider their father Abel Merryweather a burden and his death is no loss to them. The father
is taken lightly.
Immediately after Abels supposed death, the elder daughter pinches his slippers, clock and
his bureau. For both the daughters, fathers death is a kind of competition to outshine each
other. There is no mourning in their hearts, but both the daughters vie with each other to
wear the best mourning dress. Mrs Jordan wants to have her tea and snacks rather then
looking at her dead father. Accusations are hurled at each other, death announcement is
planned but no one spares a thought for the father. An obituary should reflect their feelings,
that are non-existent. It is only the grand daughter
Victoria, who is a sole witness to this game of pinching things and benefits. In a lighter tone,
Abel Merryweather had sensed the mercenary nature of his daughter so he outwits them in
their planning. He finds a widow to marry who would look after him better. The lesson ends
on a humorous note but outlines a very tragic and pathetic concern care of the elderly that
is a glaring and ugly reality of todays world.

4. Compare and contrast Henrys character with his wife:
Ans. Henry is timid and honest by nature. Soft at heart, he tends to get bullied by his
dominating wife. Initially he protests against stealing the grandfathers slippers and bureau
but when Mrs Slater forces him, he gets carried away. He is a worried looking man who
believed what his wife says and ends up supporting her. Mrs Slater by contrast is vain,
pretentious and greedy. She makes the plans and he executes them with his wifes help of
course.

5. Henry says, I suppose its in the family. Why does Henry make this comment and what does
it reflect about the two sisters?
Ans : Henry is well aware that both the sisters Mrs Slater and Mrs. Jordan are very mean and
calculative, so they will not lose any chance to pinch things belonging to their family. When
his wife brings the new slippers of her father and gives to Henry, he makes this humorous
comment.

6. After all Ive done for him, having to put up with him in the house these three years. Its
nothing short of swindling who makes this remark and what does this reflect about the
speakers attitude?

Ans : Mrs. Slater makes the above remark in great agitation when Abel states that his entire
property will go to the person with whom he would be staying, at the time of his death, Mrs.
Slater feels cheated. She believes that looking after her father for these years has not
benefitted her at all.