NCERT Solutions 09th English Chapter 14 The Bishop’s Candlesticks

1.What would you do in the following situations? Give reasons for your answer:
A.If you were travelling by bus and you saw someone pick another passenger’s pocket.
B.If you found a wallet on the road.
C.If you were in a shop and you saw a well- dressed lady shoplifting.
D.If your best friend is getting involved with an undesirable set of friends.
E.If you were in school and you saw one of your classmates steal another child’s pen.
Answer:
A.I would raise an alarm to ask others to overpower him.
B.I would return it to its rightful owner or hand it over to the police.
C.I would inform the police and the owner.
D.I shall advise him to give up the company of the bad boys.
E.I would inform the class teacher or the principal.
2.Copy and complete the following paragraph about the theme of the play in pairs:
The play deals with a 1. and 2. Bishop who is always ready to lend a 3. hand to anyone in distress. A 4. breaks into the Bishop’s house and is 5. and warmed. The benevolence of the Bishop somewhat 6. the convict, but, when he sees the silver candlesticks, he 7. them, and runs away. However, he is 8. and brought back. He expects to go back to jail, but the Bishop informs the police they are a 9. The convict is 10. by this kindness of the Bishop and before he leaves he seeks the priest’s blessing.
Answer:
1. convict
2. a
3. helping
4. convict/thief
5. given food
6. changes the heart of
7. steals
8. caught.
9. gift given to him
10. converted/impressed
3.Answer the following questions briefly:
(a) Do you think the Bishop was right in selling the salt cellars? Why/Why not?
(b) Why does Persome feel the people pretend to be sick?
(c) Who was Jeanette? What was the cause of her death?
(d) The convict says, “I am too old a bird to be caught with chaff.” What does he mean by this statement?
(e) Why was the convict sent to prison? What was the punishment given to him?
(f) Do you think the punishment given to the convict was justified? Why/Why not? Why is the convict eager to reach Paris?
(g) Before leaving, the convict asks the Bishop to bless him. What brought about this change in him?
Answer:
(a) The Bishop was right in selling the salt cellars. Like” a true Christian, the Bishop always tried to help the needy. Mere Gringoire was ill and had not paid the rent. The bailiff would not wait any longer and threatened to throw her out. So she sent little Jean to the Bishop for help. He had no money. So he had to dispose of the salt cellars to help her.
(b) Persome is made of different stuff. She lacks the basic understanding and sympathy for men. She only believes in safeguarding her and her brother’s interests. She believes that people are not really sick. They only pretend to be so to get help from the Bishop.
(c) Jeanette was the wife of the convict. It was a bad year and Jeanette fell ill. The convict had no job and money even to buy food. She was ill, starving and dying. So, he stole to buy her food. At last, she died of illness and starvation.
(d) The convict tries to give a message to the Bishop and Persome that he is a hard-hearted and cunning person. He is not an innocent fool who can be caught by chaff like a new bird. He had lived in prison or ‘the hell’ for quite a long time. He had learnt all the tricks and cunningness of seasoned criminals. The Bishop’s outwardly soft behaviour and kind gestures can’t trap him in their net.
(e) It was really a bad year for the convict. He had no job and no money. His wife Jeanette fell ill. She was starving. He had to steal to buy her food. He was caught stealing and sent to prison. He told them why he stole, but they laughed at him. He was sentenced to ten years in the prison hulks.
(f) I think, the punishment given to the convict was not justified. He was not a seasoned or habitual criminal. He had no money and had to steal for food for his ill wife. He was sentenced to ten years in the prison hulks. He should have been let off with a mild fine or a token punishment. He is eager to reach Paris as it is abig city. He cannot be easily traced by the police in such a big city and would be able to lead a new life.
(g) Love and human sympathy are great healers. The large-heartedness of the Bishop saved the convict from going to ‘hell’ again. The Bishop told the police that those candlesticks were given by him as a gift. It left a deep impression on the convict. The wild beast was a man again. He was a reformed and transformed man now. Therefore, he asked the Bishop to bless him before leaving him.