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His First Flight Summary in English by Liam O’Flaherty

His First Flight by Liam O’Flaherty About the Author

His First Flight Summary in English

‘His First Flight’ written by Liam O’ Flaherty is a story of a young seagull who is afraid of flying. A family of seagulls lived on a ledge. A young seagull is left alone as he is afraid to fly and is one among the slow learners. All that this young seagull needed was motivation. By way of punishment, his family left him alone on the ledge and flew away. They upbraided him, taunted him for cowardice and even threatened to let him starve. He remained hungry for twenty-four hours and was unable to shed off his fright of flight. He cried begging his mother to bring him some food.

She picked up a piece of fish in her beak and flew across him and stood just in front of him. The piece of fish in her beak was almost within the reach of his beak. The young seagull was mad with hunger. He dived at the fish. The next moment he found himself falling outwards and downwards into space. Instinctively, he spread his wings and flapped them. He soared upwards and all his fear is gone. It was a joyous moment for his family. He forgot that he was ever afraid of flying.

His First Flight Summary Questions and Answers

Question 1.
For how long had the seagull been alone?
Answer:
The seagull had been alone for twenty-four hours.

Question 2.
Why did the seagull not go with the rest of his family?
Answer:
The seagull did not go with the rest of his family because he was afraid to fly.

Question 3.
(i) What were the ways the seagull had thought of to join his family?
(ii) Did he try any one of them?
Answer:
(i) The seagull thought of joining his family without having to fly. He ran from one end of the ledge to the other. The ledge ended in a steep fall in precipice. He thought of walking upto them but there was a deep chasm between him and them.
(ii) No, he didn’t try anyone of them.

Question 4.
Did the seagull think the sea was like a land? Pick out the words from the text that suggest this.
Answer:
Yes, the seagull thought the sea was like a land. He landed on the sea. When his legs sank into it, he screamed with fear and tried to rise again flapping his wings. This clearly indicates that he thought the sea was like a land.

Question 5.
(i) When did the seagull’s flight begin?
(ii) Where did it end?
Answer:
(i) His flight began when he was falling outwards and downwards into space. His wings spread outwards. Now, he was not falling headlong. He was moving gradually downwards and outwards.
(ii) His flight ended floating on the sea.

Question 6.
When did the seagull get over his fear of the water?
Answer:
The seagull thought the sea was like a land. When he landed on the sea, his feet sank into it. He was seized with fear. He was too tired to rise again. His belly touched the water and he sank no further. Now, he was floating on the sea. He had got over his fear of the water.

Question 7.
Do you sympathise with the seagull? Give reasons.
Answer:
Flying is a natural instinct of birds. But the young seagull develops a fright of flight. We sympathise with him because he has to suffer a lot before he gets over his fear of flying. He has to bear the taunts of his family. He has to go without food for twenty-four hours.

Question 8.
How did the seagull express his excitement when he saw his mother bringing food for him?
Answer:
The seagull was very hungry. When he saw his mother bringing food for him, he was greatly excited. He expressed his excitement by uttering a joyful scream. He leaned out eagerly. He tapped the rock with his feet. He tried to get nearer to her as she flew across. ‘

Question 9.
How did the young seagull’s parents teach him the art of flying?
Answer:
Birds have a natural instinct to fly. However, some birds, like the young seagull in the story are afraid to fly. Then their parents teach them how to fly. The seagull’s parents fly about with their children curveting and banking and soaring and diving and thus, perfecting them in the art of flying.

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Nelson Mandela Long Walk to Freedom Summary in English by Nelson Mandela

Nelson Mandela Long Walk to Freedom by Nelson Mandela About the Author

Nelson Mandela Long Walk to Freedom Summary in English

Nelson Mandela, the first black President of South Africa, fought for the freedom of his people. In his autobiography, he describes in detail the pains he had to suffer from the time when he was young. He was discriminated against by the whites along with other black people. He was an enthusiastic young boy who considered staying away from his home to get freedom. He wanted to marry the person of his choice. But gradually he realised that freedom is more meaningful. He decided to bring freedom for his own people. On 10 May 1994 he was able to materialise his dreams long cherished by the black people who sacrificed their lives to give dignity to their coming generations.

He gives two contradictory pictures of his country: one, in which the black people were tortured and had to suffer quietly; second, when the blacks will be free to live a life of their own. In this extract, Mandela speaks about a historic occasion, ‘The Inauguration’.

Nelson Mandela Long Walk to Freedom Summary Questions and Answers

Question 1.
When did Nelson Mandela become the President?
Answer:
Nelson Mandela became the President of South Africa on 10 May 1994.

Question 2.
Where did the inauguration ceremony take place?
Answer:
The inauguration ceremony took place at Union Buildings amphitheatre in Pretoria.

Question 3.
What was the pledge taken by Nelson Mandela?
Answer:
To liberate all the black people from the continuing bondages of poverty, deprivation, suffering and racial discrimination.

Question 4.
Which colours were used in the new flag of South Africa?
Answer:
Black, red, green, blue and gold.

Question 5.
What were the two anthems sung on ‘that day’?
Answer:
‘Nikosi Sikelel Africa’ and ‘Die stem’.

Question 6.
Which party did Nelson Mandela join?
Answer:
Nelson Mandela joined African National Congress.

Question 7.
Nelson Mandela joined the African National Congress as a young man. It transformed his life. What made him join it? What does it show about his character?
Answer:
Nelson Mandela joined the African National Congress because even the basic freedom was not available to blacks. They could not live as human beings. They were punished and isolated from the society. He brought a transformation by achieving freedom for his people to live their lives with dignity and self-respect.

Nelson Mandela was a simple law abiding person but his people were not happy in a slave society. They were not given the basic rights of a citizen. They had to endure much pain and endure racial discrimination. They were not free on their own land. All these sufferings ignited the fire in Mandela. He left his home and began living like a monk. He taught boldly and fearlessly. Adherence to patriotism, self-respect and dignity transformed him completely. It shows that Mandela had a strong character. He was determined in his action. He had sympathy and compassion for his people.

Question 8.
Man is a social animal. He has some obligations to society. What twin obligations does Mandela mention? How can one fulfill these obligations?
Answer:
Man is a social animal and has some social obligations to society. Nelson Mandela understood the importance of being social. Mandela talks about twin obligations—obligation to his family, to his parents, to his wife and children. This is the first and the most important obligation that every man has to fulfil in his life. Another obligation is to his people, to his community and to his nation. He emphasises that in a civil society, each one of us should fulfil these obligations. It is the responsibility of the government to provide an atmosphere where a person can fulfil these obligations.

But in a country like South Africa, it was not possible to fulfil these obligations because of discrimination. It was an era of oppression and torture for the black Africans in their own country. They were not allowed even the basic freedom of living a dignified life.

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A Letter to God Summary in English by Gregorio Lopez y Fuentes

A Letter to God by Gregorio Lopez y Fuentes About the Author

A Letter to God Summary in Enlgish

‘A Letter to God’ is a story of a farmer’s extreme faith in God. The writer G.L. Fuentes has tried to depict the faith of a poor and simple farmer in God in an impressive manner. Lencho was an honest and hardwork¬ing farmer. He was shocked to notice that his crop was ruined in a hailstorm. He turned to God for getting some help. He wrote a letter to God. On Sunday, he posted the letter. When an employee of the post office chanced to see the letter addressed to God, he made fun of the man who had written that letter but his boss, the postmaster was a serious man and did not take the letter lightly. He was impressed by the extreme faith of the man and wished to have the same faith. He decided to answer the letter.

He collected money from his employees to give in charity to the needy farmer. He was able to collect only seventy pesos and thought that the farmer would be glad to receive the money. But to his utter disappointment, the postmaster was shocked to notice that it had made Lencho angry, who wrote another letter to God but with a warning not to send the money by post as he considered the postal employees ‘a bunch of crooks’ who had stolen thirty pesos from the hundred pesos sent by Him.

A Letter to God Summary Questions and Answers

Question 1.
(i) Where was ‘the house’ located?
(ii) Why do you think it is called ‘the’ house and not ‘a’ house?
Answer:
(i) The house was located on the top of a low hill.
(ii) It is called ‘the house’ because it is the only house on the top of the hill.

Question 2.
Why did Lencho keep gazing at the sky?
Answer:
Lencho knew that his fields needed water immediately. He was eagerly waiting for the rain, therefore he gazed at the sky.

Question 3.
“Now we’re really going to get some water, woman.” Is Lencho sure that it is going to rain? Give a reason for your answer.
Answer:
Lencho was sure that it was going to rain because he kept watching the sky throughout the day. Through his experience, he knew that the clouds would certainly bring rain.

Question 4.
(i) How did Lencho feel when it started raining?
(ii) What was the effect of the rain on the crops?
Answer:
(i) Lencho was excited when he came out of his house to have the pleasure of feeling the rain on his body. He compared the raindrops with coins, as he knew that a good rain would mean a good crop and a good crop would mean a lot of money.
(ii) The rain brought with it destruction. There was hailstorm for about an hour and it covered the field. The corn was totally destroyed.

Question 5.
What are the raindrops compared to and why?
Answer:
Raindrops are compared to coins. He compares big raindrops to ten-cent coins and smaller ones to five-cent coins. He knew that the raindrops would certainly be helpful in giving him rich harvest. Naturally, it would make him get more money.

Question 6.
Lencho had only ‘one hope’. What was it?
Answer:
Lencho was a God-fearing man and had a firm faith in the benevolence of God, who he thought would certainly help him. God was his only hope.

Question 7.
Did the letter reach God? Why did the postmaster send a reply to Lencho?
Answer:
The letter did not reach God but it certainly reached the postmaster who was a God-fearing and kind-hearted man. He decided to send a reply to Lencho as he was moved by the firm faith of a farmer in God, and he did not want to disappoint him.

Question 8.
Lencho describes the post office employees as ‘a bunch of crooks’.
(i) Were they ‘a bunch of crooks’?
(ii) How would you describe them?
Answer:
(i) The post office employees were really very good people who tried to help a poor farmer. They were not a bunch of crooks.
(ii) They can be described as kind-hearted, generous, helpful and God-fearing men.

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The Beggar Summary in English by Anton Chekhov

The Beggar by Anton Chekhov About the Author

Anton Pavlovich Chekov was a Russian playwright and short story writer. Chekov shared a strained relationship with his abusive father and this influenced his writing. After his father went bankrupt, Chekov had to pay for his own education by selling his family’s possessions, tutoring and selling short sketches to newspapers. After enrolling in a medical school, he became the sole financial support for his family. After he became a physician, he continued writing and eventually started gaining popularity. Chekov’s works have established him as one of the most famous figures in literature, hailed for his contribution to the form of the modem short story. He also wrote plays, many of which continue to be staged all over the world. His simple style of writing, his probing of human nature and his refusal to provide easy solutions continue to make his works relevant even today.

The Beggar Summary in English

The story begins with a beggar’s pleas to an advocate, Sergei. The beggar says that he has not eaten in three days. For eight years he was a village schoolteacher and fell victim to a conspiracy that cost him his reputation and his job. For a year he has had no employment. Sergei looks at the beggar’s overcoat and face; he thinks he has seen him elsewhere.

The beggar further explains that he has been offered a position in the province of Kaluga; but to take it up, he needs money. Sergei observes the beggar’s overshoes: one is higher than the other. He suddenly remembers where he had seen the beggar before. He tells the beggar that two days ago, he had met him In Sadovya Street and the latter had claimed that he had been a student who had been expelled. The beggar is surprised and claims that he has papers to prove that he was a village schoolteacher. Sergei turns away from him, disgusted.

Sergei says that for this fraud, he will call the police. At this, the beggar confesses that he used to be part of a Russian choir and had been expelled for drunkenness. He says he has no choice but to lie as no will help him if he tells them the truth.

Sergei tells him to work; he asks the beggar if he would like to chop wood for him. The beggar accepts. Sergei takes the beggar home and tells his cook, Olga, to take him to the woodshed. It becomes apparent from the beggar’s body language that he has accepted this job only out of pride and shame and not because he wants to work. It is also apparent that the beggar has become frail because of drinking vodka and does not have the slightest will to do hard work.

Sergei observes Olga and the beggar from the window in the dining room. He sees them making their way through the snow to the woodshed. Olga does not seem to take kindly to the beggar. Upon reaching the shed,

Olga shoves the beggar aside with her elbow and angrily bangs the door. He then sees the beggar seat himself upon a log and look lost in thought. Olga flings an axe at his feet, spits angrily and appears to be scolding him. At this point, the beggar begins to make half-hearted attempts to chop a piece of wood. By now Sergei’s anger has vanished and he begins to feel ashamed at having sent a spoiled, drunken and perhaps sick man to do hard labour in the cold weather.

After an hour, Olga informs Sergei that all the wood has been chopped. Sergei tells her to pay the beggar half a rouble and also tell him that he can come back to cut wood on the first day of every month. There would always be work for him to.

On the first date of the next month, the waif comes to chop wood and earns half a rouble again, though he can barely stand steady on his feet. After that, he returns to Sergei’s yard many times and is given work every time— he shovels snow, organises the woodshed and dusts the rugs and mattresses. Every time he is paid 20 to 40 copecks, and one time he is also given a pair of old trousers. When Sergei moves to a new house, the waif is hired to help with the packing and moving of furniture. This time, he comes silent, sober and gloomy. He does not even pretend to be working. He shivers in the cold and becomes embarrassed when the carters laugh at his behaviour and his tattered overcoat.

Sergei sends for him and says he is happy that the waif is working and is sober. He asks the latter for his name. The waif says his name is Lushkoff. Sergei offers him a better job and asks Lushkoff if he can write. When Lushkoff says that he can write, Sergei asks him to take a letter to someone the next day where he will be given copying work. Sergei reminds him to work hard, be sober and remember his words. Sergei is happy at having set Lushkoff on the right path. Lushkoff takes the letter and after that day, does not return to work for Sergei.

Two years go by. One day, when Sergei is buying tickets at a theatre’s ticket window, he notices a small man beside him, wearing a coat collar of curly fur and a worn sealskin cap. This man timidly asks for a ticket and pays in copper coins. Sergei realises this man is Lushkoff and asks him what he has been doing. Lushkoff says he is doing well; he is a notary and earns 35 roubles a month. Sergei is delighted and tells Lushkoff that he is almost like a godson to him. He reminds Lushkoff of the scolding he had given him and thanks him for not forgetting his words.

Lushkoff thanks Sergei as well and says that had it not been for Sergei’s help, Lushkoff would probably still be lying and begging. He expresses his gratitude to Sergei but says that it was Olga who saved him. He explains that when he used to go to Sergei’s house, Olga would sit opposite him, become sad and weep saying that Lushkoff was an unfortunate drunkard who would find no happiness in this life or the next. She would cry and be miserable, but most importantly, she would chop the wood for him. He confesses that he never chopped a single piece of wood and that she had done it all. He cannot explain how this act changed him and saved him. All he knows is that her words and kind deeds changed his heart; set him on the right path and he would never forget that. Then the theatre’s bell rings and Lushkoff bows and goes inside the gallery.

The Beggar Title

The title ‘The Beggar’ is symbolic. On the surface, it appears to be a story about a beggar, a young man who had no aim or ambition, who had taken to lying to make some money. He is fully entrenched in thisTife until he is redeemed by the compassion of a lady who feels so sorry for him that she sheds tears and works in his stead so that he can earn money and save himself from starvation. The transformation that takes place due to her kindness forms the crux of the story. Thus, the title is thought-provoking, as it leaves the reader to dwell on the human failing of judging people and labelling them for life.

The Beggar Setting

The story is set in a city of the erstwhile USSR. The story spans a period of two years with most of the action concentrated in the winter months.

The Beggar Theme

The story revolves around the theme of kindness and compassion. It also highlights the human failing of being judgmental and labelling people, while highlighting the ability of a person to change with the right motivation.

The Beggar Message

The strongest message of the story is the effect that kindness can have on another human being. It shows how a selfless act can have a life-changing effect on the receiver, to the extent that it gives him the incentive to change a way of life that he had become entrapped in.

The Beggar Characters

The Beggar, Lushkoff: The character of Lushkoff undergoes a great transformation during the story. Initially, he appears to be a good for nothing liar, whose only work is to get some money to buy himself a few drinks.

He is thin, emaciated, with a waif-like appearance, weak and listless. He dressed in cast-off clothes and shoes. However, as the story progresses, his character transforms. He becomes sober and accepts Sergei’s offer of working as a copier with his friend. By the end of the story, we find him wearing a coat collar of fur, and a work sealskin cap, buying himself a seat at the theatre. From a beggar, he has become a notary earning 35 Roubles a month. He remains grateful to Sergei, and especially to his cook Olga, who he reveals actually did all the work Sergei had paid him to do. He reveals that it was the selflessness and nobility of the cook that saved his life and inspired him to become a better person. Her empathy and the tears she shed for his sake had helped him change.

Sergei: He is a wealthy advocate with a kind heart. Though he is observant enough to recognise the beggar, he offers him some work at his house in return for money. He even offers the beggar a way of redeeming himself by giving him odd jobs to do. In the end he sends him to him friend, who needs someone to do some copying work. This helps the man to get a stable job and make a decent living.

At first, he takes the credit for the beggar’s transformation, but later he is humble enough to accept that though he provided the opportunity, it was his cook Olga who deserved the credit for inspiring the beggar to change. Sergei appears to be a practical man who tries to stop Lushkoff from begging by giving him an alternative method of earning a living. He is also resourceful as he keeps engaging Lushkoff in different tasks, which are helpful for both the beggar and him.

The Cook: The cook is the most noble and compassionate character in the story. Initially, she appears to be angry with the arrival of the beggar, and seems to ill-treat and abuse him. In reality, however, she is the one performs all the tasks for the beggar and lets him take the credit and money for them. She is empathetic to the extent that she cries seeing the state the beggar is in, and his fate if he continues to be a wastrel and drunkard. It is her selflessness and compassion that brings about a change in the beggar’s character. Because of her empathy, he is able to remain sober and starts working hard, becoming a notary earning a stable salary within two years. She is thus able to save the life of the beggar, even though she isn’t actually aware of the profound effect she has on him.

The Beggar Summary Questions and Answers

Question 1.
What is the excuse that the beggar gives Sergei for begging when he meets him for the second time?
Answer:
He says he had been a village schoolmaster for eight years but had lost his job due to intrigues at his place of work. He had not eaten for three days and had no money for lodging. ^

Question 2.
How did Sergei respond to the beggar’s request for money?
Answer:
He looked closely at him and recognised him as the same person who he had seen on Sadovya Street a few days back, when he had introduced himself as a student who had been expelled.

Question 3.
Why was Sergei disgusted with the beggar?
Answer:
He was disgusted at his dishonesty because he had seen him on another street pretending that he had was an expelled student in need of money, and now he claimed to be a village schoolmaster who had lost his job due to intrigues at the school. His lies disgusted Sergei.

Question 4.
What was the beggar’s real identity?
Answer:
He had been part of the Russian choir, but had lost his place there due to drunkenness.

Question 5.
How does the beggar react to Sergei’s offer to chop wood for him in return for money?
Answer:
The beggar accepts the offer readily and follows Sergei home. He says that he can’t refuse because in those days even skilled woodcutters found themselves sitting without food and work.

Question 6.
Who did Sergei hand over the beggar to on reaching home? What were his instructions?
Answer:
He called his cook, Olga, and handed over the beggar to her. He asked her to take him to the wood-shed and get him to chop some wood.

Question 7.
Why has the beggar been described as a scarecrow?
Answer:
He has been described as a scarecrow because he was as thin as a scarecrow and shabbily dressed in ill- fitting, mismatched clothes.

Question 8.
What was the real reason the beggar agreed to work for the writer?
Answer:
The real reason was that he was a proud man and he felt ashamed at having been trapped by his own words in front of Sergei. He wanted to prove that he could do honest work when given the opportunity.

Question 9.
How did the narrator realise that the beggar had not come willingly with him?
Answer:
The narrator realised this from his gait. He shrugged his shoulders as if in perplexity and went irresolutely after the cook. It was also obvious that he was unhealthy and under the influence of liquor. It did not seem as though he had the strength to chop wood.

Question 10.
How did Olga react to the beggar?
Answer:
She glanced at the beggar with anger, shoved him aside with her elbow, unlocked the shed and angrily banged the door. She then flung down an axe at his feet, spat angrily and appeared to be scolding him.

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The Accidental Tourist Summary in English by Bill Bryson

The Accidental Tourist by Bill Bryson About the Author

Bill Bryson (full name: William Maguire Bryson) is an Anglo-American author, based in the United Kingdom.

He is one of the most popular writers of non-fiction and has written books on travel, history and science, among others. Some of his most famous books include Notes from a Small Island, The Lost Continent and a Short History of Nearly Everything. Before becoming a full-fledged writer, Bryson worked as a journalist for The Times and The Independent. From 2005-2011 he served as Chancellor of Durham University. He was President of the Campaign to Protect Rural England for five years. He is also an Honorary Fellow of the Royal Society. His clever crafting of witty, light-hearted sentences has made him a favourite with readers all over the world.

The Accidental Tourist Summary in English

At the outset, the author claims that he is not very good at living in the real world. He says that he finds it difficult to do the simplest things that other people seem to do with ease. For instance, whenever he stays at a hotel, he has to visit the hotel desk multiple times to remember what his room number is. He finds locating lavatories at cinema halls immensely difficult. He claims that he is easily confused.

The author narrates the story of his last family trip that took place during Easter. They were flying from Boston to England for a week. While at the Logan Airport in Boston, the author remembered that he had enrolled in the British Airways’ frequent flyer programme and that the card was in the bag he was carrying around his neck. This was the beginning of his troubles.

The zip of the bag was stuck; the author pulled at it harder and harder till suddenly the side of the bag flew open and its contents were strewn all over the floor. These included about a hundred pages of documents, his passport, English money, film and a 14-ounce tin of pipe tobacco. He was horrified at the thought of how expensive tobacco would be in England. He then noticed that he had cut his finger on the zip and it was now bleeding heavily. Being uncomfortable with bleeding in general, he felt it was justified to be hysterical since it was his blood that was shedding. He says that even his hair had become so confused and helpless that it went into panic mode. At this point, his wife looked at him with pure wonder: she found it hard to believe that he travelled to make a living.

The author says that mishaps of such kinds occur frequently when he travels. He recalls an incident on an aeroplane where he had bent to tie his shoelace at the exact moment that the person seated in front had reclined his seat—the author was stuck in the crash position and only managed to free himself by clawing at the leg of the passenger seated next to him.

He says that on another flight, he spilled a soft drink onto the lap of a lady seated next to him. When the flight attendant handed him another drink, he spilled that on the lady as well. He says that he still does not understand how it happened. All he remembers is that his arm had acted out of control—like a cheap prdp in a typical 1950s horror movie.

The author then narrates his worst travel experience. On one flight, the author was writing down important thoughts, and while doing so, he was absent-mindedly sucking on the end of his pen. He then spoke to an attractive young lady sitting beside him for about twenty minutes, after which he made his way to the restroom. There he saw that his pen had leaked and his mouth, chin, tongue, teeth and gums had been coloured navy blue and would remain so for several days.

The author confesses that it is his dream to be polished and sophisticated. Just for once, he wants to be able to rise up from a dinner table without upsetting everything on it; fold his coat properly while seating himself into a car and not close the door while half of it lies outside; and wear light-coloured trousers without staining it with things like ice cream, motor oil, etc. He says that now when he travels with his family on planes, his wife asks the children to remove the lids from boxes of food and warns them when he cuts pieces of meat. When he flies alone, he does not eat or drink at all. He simply sits still and quiet, sometimes on his hands to prevent them from going out of control and causing accidents. This method, according to him, is very effective in keeping his clothes clean.

Even though he flies 100,000 miles a year, the author never gets his frequent flyer miles. He finds this quite disheartening, especially when he sees people flying off to exotic places like Bali in first class, thanks to their flyer miles. This is because he mostly forgets to ask for it when he checks in; and even when he does, the airlines fail to record it. He has also frequently been told that he is not entitled to any flyer miles. For instance, on a flight to Australia, he had expected to gain a large number of frequent flyer miles. To his dismay, the clerk told him that since the card is in the name of a W. Bryson and the ticket was in the name of a B. Bryson, he was not entitled to gain any miles. He tried to explain that William and Bill have a very close relationship, as they are the same person, but the clerk dismissed him.

The author is resigned to the fact that perhaps he will not be flying off to Bali soon; but finds consolation in the thought that he could not survive such a long flight without food anyway.

The Accidental Tourist Title

The title suggests that the writer is a tourist, not by choice, but by accident. It is a pun on the word accident, as he has several accidents while travelling. In fact, this effectively captures the various misadventures that he has while travelling with his family. It also suggests that the anecdotes and events described are humorous and should be taken in a lighter vein.

The Accidental Tourist Setting

The story is set in modem times, and describes several places frequented by a modem traveller, such as airports, hotels and places of tourist interest.

The Accidental Tourist Theme

The story highlights the predicament of a modem traveller, the issues that he has to face in a bid to look smart and suave like the other people who travel along with him.

The Accidental Tourist Message

The message that we get from the anecdotes in this story, is to look at events in a lighthearted way. It suggests that we should not become too serious about any setbacks we may face. Throughout the chapter, the writer faces one disastrous situation after another, but none of it mins his trip, because he is able to view each situation with humour.

The Accidental Tourist Characters

The Writer: He appears to be a positive, funny, and self-deprecating man who does not mind highlighting his shortcomings. In fact, every instance that could have embarrassed other people has been shown in a humorous light. He has found humour in the most disastrous and frustrating situations. Even when he loses the chance to go to Bali when the airline refuses to give him air miles on a technical reason, he does not lose his temper. He does not take himself too seriously and readily accepts his clumsiness. He doesn’t try to hide any of the embarrassing accidents he has had, but honestly admits to them. His family also appears to have accepted him the way he is, and leamt to handle him along with his ‘accidents’.

The writer’s most endearing quality is how comfortable he is with his own self. Even though he talks about wanting to be suave and gentlemanly like other travellers, he is not too worried when he is unable to do so, in spite of his best efforts. He thus comes across as a clumsy, accident- prone, but good natured person.

The Accidental Tourist Summary Questions and Answers

Question 1.
Bill Bryson says “I am, in short, easily confused.” What examples has he given to justify this?
Answer:
He gives the example of returning to his hotel desk two or three times a day, asking what his room number was. He also talks about looking for a lavatory and ending up standing in an alley on the wrong side of a self¬locking door.

Question 2.
What happens when the zip on his carry-on bag gives way?
Answer:
The side of the bag flew open and everything inside it, like newspaper cuttings, other loose papers, a 14-ounce tin of pipe tobacco, magazines, passport, English money, film, etc, were scattered all over the place. He also injured his finger, which bled profusely.

Question 3.
What causes his finger to bleed? How does his wife react?
Answer:
His finger was cut on the zip when he was trying to open it. His wife looked at him with an expression of wonder and commented that she couldn’t believe that he did that for a living.

Question 4.
How does Bill Bryson end up in a ‘crash position’ in the aeroplane?
Answer:
This happened when he bent down to tie his shoelaces while seated in the plane, and the person in the seat ahead of him threw back his seat back in a full recline. As a result, Bill Bryson found himsglf doubled over and pinned helplessly in the ‘crash position’.

Question 5.
Why do the writer’s teeth and gums turn navy blue?
Answer:
This happens when the writer was penning down important thoughts in his notebook during a flight. He had been sucking thoughtfully on the end of his pen while doing so. He had not realised that in the process, his teeth and gums had turned navy blue because of the ink.

Question 6.
Bill Bryson ‘ached to be suave’. Is he successful in his mission?
Answer:
No, he is not suave in spite of his best efforts, because he always looks as though he has been through an earthquake when he rises from a dinner table. He can never get inside a car without having at least 14 inches of his coat hanging outside the door. He can never wear light coloured trousers without having chewing gum, ice cream, cough syrup, or motor oil stains on them.

Question 7.
Why do you think Bill Bryson’s wife says to the children, ‘Take the lids off the food for Daddy’?
Answer:
She says this because her husband is so accident-prone that she expects the food to go all over the place or some such accident to happen if he is allowed to open the lid himself. This is because of his earlier accidental incidents that always happen whenever he tries to perform simple actions, especially during flights.

Question 8.
What is the significance of the title?
Answer:
The title suggests that the writer is a tourist, not by choice, but by accident. It is a pun on the word accident, as he has several accidents while travelling. In fact, this effectively captures the various misadventures that he has while travelling with his family. It also suggests that the anecdotes and events described are humorous and should be taken in a lighter vein.

Question 9.
Why does the writer say ‘living in the real world’ is challenging for him?
Answer:
He says this because he has had several experiences of doing something wrong in instances where normal people have no problems. For instance, things like remembering his room number in an hotel, or finding the lavatory at a movie theatre.

Question 10.
Why did the writer feel the need to open his carry-on bag at Logan Airport?
Answer:
He wanted to open the bag to take out his frequent flyer card, which he had kept inside it.