NCERT SOLUTIONS FOR CLASS 10 - ENGLISH NOTES - THE DEAR DEPARTED - STANLEY HOUGHTON - QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS - CBSE

 

THE DEAR DEPARTED

STANLEY HOUGHTON

 Answer the following questions briefly.

a) How does Mrs. Slater plan to outshine the Jordan? What does it reveal about her character?

Ans: Mrs. Slater is doubtful about her sister and her husband, Jordan arrival at grandfather’s demise. Mrs. Slater is also anxious about grandfather’s insurance premium and looks for it. She also brings grandfather’s bureau down from his room. Before her sister arrived, she tried to have every asset of grandfather in possession. She is a ruthless and self-centered person.

 

b) Why does s Mrs. Slater decide to shift the bureau from grandfather’s room before the arrival of the Jordan? How does Henry react to the suggestion?

Ans: Mrs. Slater wants to shift the bureau down because this was a recent purchase and was eye-catching. Moreover, she did not want her sister to even have a look at it. Henry suggested that she should divide the grandfather’s assets mutually between herself and her sister.

 

c) What is the reason for the Jordan taking a long time to get to the house of the Slater? What does it show about the two sisters’ attitude towards each other?

Ans: Jordan took a long time in getting to reach the Slater because they had to arrange for the mourning dresses for themselves. Since the readymade did not work for Elizabeth, she might have to get them stitched. Both the sisters had rivalry between them for every worthless thing. They could not stand each other.

 

d) What does Mrs. Jordan describe as ‘a fatal mistake’? What is the irony in the comment she makes on Mrs. Slater’s defence?

Ans: Mrs. Jordan meant by ‘fatal mistake’ that Slater had not called another doctor to examine when grandfather was lying with his eyes closed. She called this as ‘professional etiquette; But Mrs. Jordan is a hypocrite as she is chiding Mrs. Slater for not calling the doctor but her herself could not make it on time for such a grave occasion.

 

e) Ben appreciates grandfather saying ‘it’s a good thing he did’. Later he calls him ‘drunken old beggar’. Why does he change his opinion about grandfather?

Ans: Ben learnt that grandfather went in the morning to pay his insurance premium, he said ‘it’s a good thing he did’ but later when he came to know from Victoria that he had not gone to pay premium but went to meet Mrs. Shorrocks, he commented that he was a drunken beggar.

 

f) What change does grandfather make in his new will? What effect does it have on his daughters?

Ans: The grandfather announced that he would bequeath his wealth to Mrs. Shorrocks whom he was going to marry on the coming Monday and that he would look after him in old age. He also reminded both his daughters about how eager they were to divide his assets when he was still alive. His daughters were aghast to hear this.

 

g) What are the three things that grandfather planned to do on Monday next?

Ans: Three things he planned to do are that he would go to his lawyer and change his will, he would go to insurance company and pay his premium, and he would also go to St. Philips Church and marry Mrs. John Shorrocks.

 

ANSWER THE FOLLOWING IN DETAIL.

1) Bring out the irony in the little of the play.

Ans: The title of the play ‘The Dear Departed’ literally means that somebody dear has departed/ died and is no more with us. It makes everyone closely connected with the departed person sad and upset. Everyone is at a loss and tries to cope up with the situation. In this case, the title is ironical because nobody in the family loved grandfather. He was dear to no one. They all are relieved that he is no more.

They talk of everything from mourning outfit to what all he has left behind but nobody it in a hurry to even go and see him. He is supposed to be dead and lying in his room. They all decide to have tea, discuss the obituary that should go in the newspapers but no one either has tears in his/ her eyes or is missing the grandfather. They are very businesslike and their business seems to be what each one of them will get now that the old man is dead. In no way was he ‘dear’ to his daughters or their husbands. Mrs. Jordan had not even visited her father! If she was there today, it was to show off in the society and to ensure that she gets her share of whatever he has left behind. Ironical, isn’t it.

 

2) How does the spat between his daughters lead to grandfather discover the truth?

Ans: Both the sisters are discussing about their share and Mrs. Slater spills the beans when she tells grandfather that it was her husband who was wearing his slippers and they had brought his bureau downstairs. She also tells him that she was the one who had declared that he was dead. Grandfather is shocked when he comes to know all this. He is upset that his daughters want him to die. He also sees his clock downstairs. He understands that his daughters do not love him. They only want his wealth and belongings. He understands that his daughters do not love him. They only want his wealth and belongings. They have no interest, whatsoever, in his ell being. For them he is nothing more than a nuisance and thy wish that he is out of their lives at the earliest. They are very happy that he is dead; Mrs. Slater does not even call the doctor to confirm. She decides, informs her sister and gives the tailor order for the mourning outfits.

 

3) Compare and contrast Henry’s character with that of his wife. Support your answer with evidence from the play.

Ans: Mrs. and Mr. Slater are seen as a couple who complement each other. But this is on the surface. Mrs. Slater is a domineering lady and always wants to have the last word. Henry follows her instructions diligently. When she asks him to wear the grandfather’s slippers, as his are torn, he does not say a word. When it comes to shifting the bureau from grandfathers’ room it is her decision. He walks behind her like a lamb. Mrs. Slater does not allow him to give his opinion on any issue. He is a meek character who is scared of saying anything in front of his wife.

 

ANSWER THE FOLLOWING WITH THE REFERENCE TO THE CONTEXT.

1) “Are we pinching it before Aunt Elizabeth comes?”

a) What does ‘it’ refer to here?

Ans: ‘It’ here refers to grandfather’s bureau which Mrs. Slater plans to keep for herself.

 

b) How does Vicky conclude that her parents are ‘pinching it’?

Ans: Vicky’s parents wanted to get the bureau before Mrs. Slater’s sister arrived for the funeral.

 

c) Mention the two reasons that Mrs. Slater gives for her action.

Ans: According to her, she wanted the bureau because she liked it very much. Second reasons for wanting it were out of jealousy. She did not want her sister to get it.

 

d) What does it reveal about the difference between the attitude of the elders and that of Vicky?

Ans: Vicky genuinely loved her grandfather. She did not like the way elders are fighting over petty things. They are all money-minded and there is no sensitivity.

 

2) “I don’t call that delicate, stepping into a dead man’s shoes in such haste.”

a) Who makes this comment?

Ans: Mrs. Jordan makes this comment.

 

b) What prompts the speaker to say this?

Ans: She says this because Henry had started wearing grandfather’s slippers even before he was medically declared dead.

 

c) Bring out the significance of this statement.

Ans: It reveals the pettiness of all the adult characters. They all are trying to show the others, in bad light. Also, here, it is truly in haste as the grandfather is very much alive and not dead.

 

3) “Now, Amelia, you mustn’t give way. We’ve all got to die some time or other. It might have been worse”.

a) Who is the speaker of these lines?

Ans: Ben is the speaker of these lines.

 

b) What prompts the speaker to say these words?

Ans: The speaker says these words when he meets Mrs. Slater. He is trying to console her.

 

c) What does he mean when he says ‘it might have been worse’?

Ans: Grandfather had died without giving any trouble to anybody. If he had been bedridden, it would have been worse for everybody.

 

d) What does it reveal about the speaker’s character?

Ans: These lines reveal that the speaker is able to talk about death without getting upset.