(Page 54)
Question 1.
Why is Bholi’s father worried about her?
Answer:
Bholi
was not like other children. She fell off a cot as a child due to which her
brain was slightly damaged. She learnt to speak very late and used to stammer.
Her face and whole body was covered with pockmarks. Thus, her father was
worried about her marriage prospects.
Question 2.
For what unusual reason is Bholi sent to school?
Answer:
As
Ramlal was a government official and the Tehsildar had asked Ramlal to send
his daughters to the new school in his village, Bholi was sent to school just
to satisfy the Tehsildar. As Randal’s wife felt that sending girls to school
affected their marriage prospects adversely, she did not want to send any of
her daughters to school. However, Bholi, with her pock-marked face and dull
brain would not be possible to get married anyway, so Bholi’s parents decided
to send her to school to satisfy the Tehsildar.
Page 55
Question 1.
Does Bholi enjoy her first day at
school?
Answer:
Bholi was afraid at first. She even wept when the
teacher asked her name. She just sat in a corner. But, the beautiful pictures
on the clttssroom wall attracted her. The gentle, kind and loving manner of
her teacher made her comfortable. She was looking forward to her new life by
the time the first day ended. Thus, although initially she did not enjoy it,
but by the time she went home she had liked school.
Question 2.
Does she find her teacher to be different from the people at
home?
Answer:
Bholi had been a neglected child at home. She was
never bathed nor her clothes washed. She was criticised and everyone made fun
of her. But, she found her teacher to be entirely different. Her teacher did
not make fun of her ugliness or her stammering. She encouraged her tenderly.
Her affection deeply touched Bholi’s heart.
Page 58
Question 1.
Why do Bholi’s parents accept
Bishamber’s marriage proposal?
Answer:
Bholi’s parents accepted
Bishamber’s marriage proposal as he was a well-to-do grocer and had not asked
for any dowry.
Question 2.
Why does the marriage not take place ?
Answer:
At
the time of marriage, Bishamber asked for a dowry of five thousand rupees
because he saw Bholi’s pock-marked face. Ramlal had no choice but to pay. But,
Bholi refused to marry the greedy man. She asserted her rights and dignity.
Thus the marriage party was turned away.
Think About It (Page 62)
Question 1.
Bholi had many apprehensions about going to school.
What made her feel that she was going to a better place than her home?
Answer:
The
day she was going to school forced her parents to dress her nicely. She was
bathed and her hair was properly done. Until then she was not being taken care
of. The special treatment she received made her feel that she was going to a
better place.
Question 2.
How did Bholi’s teacher play an important role in changing
the course of her life?
Answer:
Bholi stammered and was just a
bundle of nerves when she attended school in the beginning. Her teacher
treated her kindly and encouraged her to have confidence and be bold. She
taught her to read and write and made her an independent girl who was aware of
her rights. Thus, she changed her life.
Question 3.
Why did Bholi at first agree to an unequal match? Why did she
later reject the marriage. What does this tell about her?
Answer:
Bholi
agreed to the match at first to fulfil her parents’ wishes. Later on, she
rejected the marriage when the bridegroom asked for dowry. This tells us that
Bholi was not a timid – and dumb girl. She was aware of her rights. She also
knew how to fight for her own dignity and feared no one.
Question 4.
Bholi’s real name is Sulekha. We are told this right at the
beginning. But only in the last but one paragraph of the story is Bholi called
Sulekha again. Why do you think she is called Sulekha at that point in the
story?
Answer:
The word Bholi means a simpleton. Throughout the
story she had been a simpleton who hardly expressed her opinion on any matter.
The word Sulekha means ‘a person with a beautiful sense of letters’. In this
story this word has a larger meaning of being a literate,_ intelligent and
mature individual. After her education, Bholi has really changed to Sulekha
and her assertion at the time of her marriage is her announcement to the world
that she is no more a Bholi, but is a Sulekha.
Talk About It (Page 62)
Question 1.
Bholi’s
teacher helped her overcome social barriers by encouraging and motivating her.
How do you think you can contribute towards changing the social attitudes
illustrated in this story ?
Answer:
We can contribute by saying no
to taking or giving dowry. We must not discriminate between a boy and a girl.
Both should be given equal rights and opportunities to grow. We must also
learn to respect those who are differently abled and treat them at par.
Question 2.
Should girls be aware of their rights and assert them? Should
girls and boys have the same rights, duties and privileges? What are some of
the ways in which society treats them differently? When we speak of ‘Human
rights’, do we differentiate between girl’s rights and boy’s rights?
Answer:
Yes,
there is a differentiation between girl’s and boy’s rights. Although equal in
the eyes of law, society treats them differently. Parents spend more on a
boy’s education than that of a girl. A girl is just trained to be a wife and
mother. Boys have special privileges in matters of food, career or freedom.
Girl’s must be aware of their rights to exercise them. They must utilise their
education to preserve their self – reliance and dignity. They must be ready to
demand their due and even fight for it.
Question 3.
Do you think the characters in the story were speaking to
each other in English? If not, in which language were they speaking? (you can
get clues from the names of the persons and the non-English words used in the
story.)
Answer:
No, we do not think so. They spoke in Hindi. Several
words like ‘numbsrdar, tehsildar sahib, izzat and pitaji’ are ample proof of
that. Even the names of characters like ‘Randal’ and ‘Bholi’ support that.