Chapter
– 12
TWO GENTLEMEN OF VERONA
A.J. Cronin
Comprehension
I.
1) Where does the narrator first meet the two
boys?
Ans: The narrator first meets the two boys on
the outskirts of Verona.
2) Why doesn’t the driver approve of the
narrator buying fruit from the two boys? Does he succeed?
Ans: The driver doesn’t approve of the
narrator buying fruit from the two boys because of their shabby appearance. The
driver doesn’t succeed, the narrator buys a huge basket of fruits from the
boys, as the narrator fascinates by the earnest look in the eyes.
3) List the different things that the boys
did to earn their living.
Ans: The different things that the boys did
to earn their living were sold newspaper, shined shoes, ran errands, sold
strawberry, they were helpful to the narrator by providing opera tickets and
American cigarettes as well as they acted as guides for visitors.
4) In spite of working hard and earning
money, the two boys still looked poor because
a) they were saving money to go to America.
b) they had other plans.
c) they wanted to save the money for medical expenses.
Ans: c) they wanted to save the money for medical expenses.
5) What qualities in the two boys attracted
the narrator?
Ans: The qualities in the two boys attracted the
narrator were willingness to do work,
never complained ever about their work, always cheerful in spite of
hardship and q quiet dignity despite their poverty.
6) Nicola was not pleased when Jacopo asked
the narrator to drive them to Poleta as he
a) did not want a stranger to become involved with their plans.
b) preferred going to Poleta by train so that he: could enjoy the scenery.
c) did not want to ask anyone for favours.
d) did not want to take help from someone he did not know well.
Ans: (a) Did not want to ask anyone for
favours.
7) Why did the two boys go to Poleta and why
did they want the narrator not to follow them?
Ans: The two boys went to Poleta every week
to meet their sister who was admitted in hospital and getting treatment and
these two paying bills every weekend. They didn’t want the narrator to follow
them because the secret of their sister should not reveal to him.
8) The narrator did not follow the boys
because
a) he was not invited to join them.
b) he was not interested in knowing what the boys were up to.
c) he wanted to respect their privacy.
Ans: c) He wanted to respect their privacy.
9) What had made the two boys and their
sister homeless?
Ans: The German invaded Verona, during the war a
bomb was blasted and their house was destroyed, in that blast the two boys lost
their father and their sister was injured and all three became homeless.
10) What does the narrator learn from Lucia’s
nurse?
Ans: The narrator received lot of information
from Lucia’s nurse as, the two boys were orphans, only Lucia, their sister was
one from their family was alive. The boys visited every week to hospital and
paid bills for their sister’s treatment.
11) The author did not speak to the boys on
their return journey because he thought
a) the boys would prefer to keep their secret.
b) the boys were ashamed of their sister’s condition.
c) they wouldn’t tell him the truth.
d) the boys might ask him for money for their sister’s treatment.
Ans: a) The boys would prefer to keep their
secret.
II.
1) In what different ways were the boys
useful to the narrator?
Ans: The boys were very useful to the
narrator. Whenever the narrator demanded anything they were arranging it for
him quickly. They acted as guide and took narrator and his companion around
Verona. They arranged American cigarettes, tickets for opera for the narrator.
2) What do you understand about the boys’
character from their action and behaviour?
Ans: The 'Two Gentlemen of Verona' were the
young men in the story, Nicola and Jacopo. Nicola, matured 13, was the senior
sibling of Jacopo matured 12. Both the kin were extremely earnest and
benevolent. They buckled down for their sister Lucia to recuperate her from
tuberculosis. They carried on with a hard life. They embraced a wide range of
random temp jobs. They shined shoes, sold organic product, hawked news papers,
led sightseers round the town, and got things done for cash. They didn't spend
much on garments and food. They had arranged the cash for their sister's
treatment. Yet, they actually kept up their confidence. They don't have the aim
of discussing their family issue and need to stay quiet about it. The young men
didn't unveil their concern to the storyteller, since they didn't need anyone's
compassion or noble cause. They acknowledged their duties of life. They were
resolved to endeavor to acquire their living and for her sister's treatment. In
spite of the fact that they had experienced a ton the war, it had not broken
their soul. In this manner, their caring activity carries honorability to human
life. It gives guarantee of a more prominent trust in human culture.
3) The boys are evasive in disclosing their
plan to the narrator in the story because
a) they thought he could never understand their plight.
b) they did not want to share their problem with a stranger.
c) they did not want to gain anybody’s sympathy.
Ans: c) They did not want to gain anybody’s
sympathy.
III
1) Do you think the ending comes to you as a
surprise? Why?
Ans: No, the ending was not a surprise;
meanwhile the narrator had given many clues about the boys something enigmatic.
Whereas the boys were putting lot efforts to earn money that particular
instance had little wondered both narrator and readers that whey they were
earning money. The narrator had revealed many things time to time that the
readers would not get surprise about the end. But overall the story had
meaningful ending which makes reader to wonder.
2) “Appearances are deceptive.” How does the
story bring out this idea?
Ans: “Appearances are deceptive”. Nicola put on a worn jersey and cut-off khaki
pants. Jacopo wore a shortened army tunic gathered in loose
folds about his skinny frame. They had brown skins, tangled
hair and dark earnest eyes. The appearances of the boys was shabby
which represented that they worked hard and they learned so many things from
past. It was very difficult define them by their work; maturity level was equal
to an adult. Both boys’ shined shoes, sold fruit, hawked
newspapers, conducted tourists round the town, and ran errands. These
were the various jobs undertaken by the little boys. Both boys were putting
their lot of efforts not to fulfill their needs but to pay medical expenses of
their sister who was admitted in a hospital in Poleta.
3) ‘War may destroy one’s home but not one’s
heart.’ Discuss the statement with reference to the story of the two boys.
Ans: Prior to the war, Nicola and Jacopo's bereft dad was a notable vocalist.
He was executed in the early aspect of the war leaving Lucia, his girl behind
to deal with the young men. Not long after a bomb obliterated their home. The
three youngsters were tossed into the roads. They had consistently known an
agreeable and refined life. Lucia was preparing to turn into an artist.
Abruptly they were evacuated from their comfortable life. They had experienced
close to starvation and presentation to cold winter. The home they
reconstructed from the rubbles was not climate verification. The young men
joined the mystery administrations of obstruction second as they abhorred
Germans. At the point when they got back after the war, they discovered their
sister influenced by tuberculosis of the spine. They convinced a private clinic
to take Lucia in. Consistently they endeavored to pay for their sister's
clinical costs. To accomplish it they needed to forfeit a great deal. In the
war-hit Verona everything was troublesome. Food had gotten scant and dear. The
emergency clinic which offered to treat Lucia had to charge a week by week expense.
Work was scant. Yet, the young men were resolved to spare the life of their
dearest sister. The two young men assumed liability of bringing in cash by
doing random temp jobs to pay clinical costs for their sister
4) Do you think the story is a telling
comment on the true character of a gentleman? Elaborate.
Ans: In the story 'Two Gentlemen of Verona', the
two vagrant young men Jacopo and Nicola work enormously and thoroughly. They
sparkle shoes, sell papers, gotten things done and show sightseers round the
city. They take just figs and dark tea as food. They spare each penny for the
clinical treatment of their sister Lucia who is experiencing Tuberculosis of
the spine. The storyteller himself concedes that their ability to work
intrigued him. They show an abnormal dedication to their work. The goal of
their difficult work and reason behind their half-starved every day schedule
isn't known to numerous in Verona. Anybody may clean shoes or falcon papers
however it is the generosity of heart and nobleness of direction that really
decides if one is a genuine courteous fellow or a faker. Thus the title ''Two
refined men of Verona" is supported.
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1st PUC
