We do not choose our family

Summary

The story is about a pet tiger. The story is told by the Grandchild-India’s most loved writer Ruskin Bond. Grandfather found a tiger cub in the jungle. Grandmother brought him up as his own child and named him Timothy. Timothy companions were a monkey and a puppy. Timothy was scared of the puppy initially. The monkey had the courage to pull Timothy's tail and if Timothy lost his temper he would climb up the curtain. Timothy loved to play with someone so the writer was his favorite when he came to live in grandfather’s house. Timothy’s favorite place was the drawing - room on the long sofa. At night he would sleep in the cook quarters. He kept himself clean and scrubbed himself like a cat. One of these days, said grandmother in a prophetic manner “we are going to find Timothy sitting on Mahmoud’s bed and no sign of the cook except his clothes and shoes”. Of course it was never true. When Timothy was six months old he started growing less friendly and more dangerous. Grandfather decided to transfer Timothy to a Zoo. In a special reserved compartment he took Timothy to Lucknow. After six months, when grandfather was visiting relatives in Lucknow he also went to the Zoo to see Timothy. At the zoo he went to his cage. Timothy was fully grown. Grandfather stroked his forehead and tickled his ears. Timothy licked grandfather’s hand and only sprang away when a leopard next door snarled at him. Grandfather would shooed away the leopard. It happened many times. Grandfather told a Zoo keeper to change Timothy’s cage as the leopard frightened the tiger. The grandfather then went in search of the superintendent to complain. He didn’t find him so Grandfather went to say bye to Timothy when another keeper who had been there when grandfather had got Timothy. He said “Why don't you transfer Timothy in another cage?” “But sir replied the keeper he is not your tiger.” “I know he no longer mine but at least take my suggestion.” “I remember your tiger very well he died two months ago” said the keeper. “Died” exclaimed grandfather. “Yes sir of pneumonia and this tiger is very dangerous he was trapped in the hill last month”.Grandfather left saying “Goodnight Timothy.

When Timothy was about six months old,a change came over him. The phrase in italics means that (i) Timothy had grown to his full size. (ii) Timothy grew more friendly. (iii) Timothy grew less friendly, in fact more dangerous

Q.1: “He had the distinction of being the only member of the party to have bagged any game...”The phrase in italics means… (i) Grandfather was the most distinguished member of the party. (ii) Grandfather was the only sportsperson in the party. (iii) Grandfather was the only successful member of the hunting party. Mark the right answer.

Q.5: The tiger was still licking his arm,with increasing relish. The phrase in italics suggests that Timothy (i) was good natured. (ii) recognised an old friend. (iii) smelt fresh food.

Answers: 1. iii) would one day make a meal of Mahmoud. 2. iii) Timothy grew less friendly, in fact more dangerous. 3. (i) False (ii) False (iii) True (iv) False 4. (ii) a leopard in the next cage would constantly rush at Timothy. 5. (iii) smelt fresh food.

Reunion (short story)

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Reunion is a short story by the American writer John Cheever, first published in 1962,^[1] and later included in The Stories of John Cheever (1978).

Contents

[hide]

· 1 Summary

· 2 Themes

· 3 Characters

· 4 Setting

· 5 References

Summary[edit]

Charlie recalls his final, 90-minute meeting in New York City with his father, an alcoholic, who is unnamed. Charlie describes himself as a boy, but we do not get his exact age. The boy hopes to reconnect with his father because he has not seen him for three years, but he slowly comes to the realization of his father's obvious character flaws, which are centered around his poor treatment of service workers and his abuse of alcohol. Although the father orders one "Gibson Beefeater" for himself and one for his son at the restaurants, the reader is left to assume that the father drinks both because of the worsening of his speech and behavior. After four progressively more abusive exchanges with waiters and a fifth with a newspaper stand seller, the boy leaves his father with a curt goodbye, leaving the reader to assume he has decided never to meet his father again.

Themes[edit]

We do not choose our family

The first-person narrator writes early in the story, "He was a stranger to me [...] but as soon as I saw him I felt that he was my father, my flesh and blood, my future and my doom" (183). Our parents determine our genetics, which in turn help determine our personality, traits, and habits. Even though the narrator says "that was the last time I saw my father" (185), his father will "return" every time he finds himself acting similarly to his father.

Date: 2016-01-14; view: 1069