Class 9 - Story 4

Treasure Chest

Story 4

The Home-coming 

Extract 1

Ans 1: Makhan was the younger brother of Phatik, the protagonist of the story. He was by the riverside. 'Sauntered up' means walking slowly and silently.

Ans 2: The 'fun' was that Phatk and his companions planned to shift a log into the river. This would make the owner angry and the boys could laugh at the owner. To spoil 'the fun' Makhan sat on the log and it couldn't be moved.

Ans 3: One of the boys pushed Makhan from the log to carry out their plan. Makhan didn't react to it and continued sitting on the log.

Ans 4: Phatik was furious because Makhan spoiled their plan of having fun. He asked his companions to push the log together with Makhan on it.

Ans 5: No, Phatik didn't hit Makhan. He knew that Makhan would run to their mother and he would get into trouble. It reveals that Phatik was quick to anger and he had foresight.

Extract 2

Ans 1: The 'critical juncture' was when Phatik had pushed aside his mother to stop her from hitting him and she was furious. Before this 'critical juncture' Makhan had accused Phatik of hitting him.

Ans 2: The grey-haired man was Phatik's maternal uncle. He had come there to meet his sister. He had been doing business in Bombay since his siter's marriage and came back to Calcutta recently. He wanted to get back in touch with her after he found out that her husband was dead.

Ans 3: Earlier, the stranger had enquired of Phatik where the Chakravortis lived and Phatik had rudely given an unclear answer. This is why Phatik felt ashamed when he saw the stranger.

Ans 4: Phatik was elated at the stranger's offer. It shows his youthful optimism. He believed that his life would be better at Calcutta.

Ans 5: Bishamber was a kind and compassionate man who was concerned about the welfare of his nephews. He offered to take Phatik to Calcutta to help out his sister who had trouble in raising two sons by herself.

Extract 3

Ans 1: 'He' refers to Phatik. Phatik's mother complained that he was a nuisance. She added that he was lazy, disobedient and wild.

Ans 2: According to Phatik's mother, Makhan was the exact opposite of Phatik. She said that Makhan was a good boy whereas Phatik was lazy, disobedient and wild.

Ans 3: Bishamber offered to take Phatik to Calcutta and educate him with his own children. He wanted to help his sister as she had trouble raising two sons by herself, especially as the elder one was quite troublesome.

Ans 4: Phatik was not welcome in Bishamber's family. Bishamber's wife was upset at the thought of having a naughty village boy along with three of her own. Phatik felt lonely and homesick at Bishamber's house. He missed his mother and his friends at the village.

Ans 5: Phatik never got any love or appreciation from his mother. She regarded him as lazy, disobedient and wild. When he went to his uncle's house, he was treated as an unwelcome guest there. In the village he was the ringleader of his friends but at Calcutta he couldn't make any friends and became a victim of bullying. He felt abandoned by his mother, aunt and his cousins. Through these incidents the story explores the theme of abandonment.

Extract 4

Ans 1: Phatik's mother was prejudiced against him as she thought that he was lazy, disobedient and wild. She preferred Makhan as he was obedient and studious. She was also tired of the fights between her sons. She was afraid that Phatik might drown Makhan in the river. So, she agreed to send Phatik to Calcutta.

Ans 2: Phatik was tired of Makhan interfering in his affairs. He was also sick of the thrashings he got when his brother told false complaints to their mother. He wished to escape from this unbearable situation. Thus, he was excited to go to Calcutta.'He meant it' means that Phatik was serious about going to Calcutta.

Ans 3: According to me, Phatik's mother's decision was incorrect. By going to Calcutta, poor Phatik lost his share of love from his mother forever. He felt as an unwelcome guest at his uncle's house. He was lonely and homesick at Calcutta.

Ans 4: At first, Phatik's mother felt relief, but later felt sad when she saw that Phatik was excited to go to Calcutta. Her relief shows that she was a human being dealing with more than she could handle. Her sorrow shows he motherly love for her son.

Ans 5: Phatik was the ringleader amongst his friends in the village while in Calcutta, he felt neglected like 'a stray dog that has lost its master.' He was once obeyed by his peers, but now he was mocked and insulted. In this way his hopes were dashed on reaching his uncle's house.