NCERT Solutions for Class 9th: Ch 14 The Bishop's Candlesticks Literature Reader English
By Norman McKinnel
Page No:128
1. Copy and complete the following paragraph about the theme of the play in pairs:
ready to lend a _________________hand to anyone in distress. A _________________
breaks into the Bishop’s house and is ___________________________and warmed. The benevolence of the Bishop somewhat _____________________the convict, but, when he
sees the silver candlesticks, he ____________________ them, and runs away. However, he is _______________________and brought back. He expects to go back to jail, but the Bishop informs the police they are a _______________________________. The convict is ___________________by this kindness of the Bishop and before he leaves he seeks the priest’s blessing.
Answer
The play deals with a kind and charitable Bishop who is always ready to lend a helping hand to anyone in distress. A convict breaks into the Bishop’s house and is fed and warmed. The benevolence of the Bishop somewhat confounds the convict, but, when he sees the silver candlesticks, he steals them, and runs away. However, he is arrested and brought back. He expects to go back to jail, but the Bishop informs the police they are a gift. The convict is moved by this kindness of the Bishop and before he leaves he seeks the priest’s blessing.
5. (a) Working in pairs give antonyms of the following words
kind- hearted
|
unscrupulous
|
forgiving
|
stern
|
benevolent
|
credulous
|
generous
|
pious
|
suspicious
|
sympathetic
|
understanding
|
wild
|
innocent
|
penitent
|
clever
|
brutal
|
cunning
|
caring
|
sentimental
|
trusting
|
protective
|
concerned
|
honourable
|
embittered
|
Answer
(i) Kind-hearted − nasty, unkind, cruel
(ii) Unscrupulous − ethical, moral, good
(iii) Forgiving − censure, charge, punish
(iv) Stern − cheerful, funny, lenient
(v) Benevolent − greedy, malevolent, mean, selfish
(vi) Credulous − skeptical, suspecting, suspicious
(vii) Generous − greedy, mean, miserly
(viii) Pious - atheist, impious, irreligious
(ix) Suspicious − innocent, trustworthy, trusty
(x) Sympathetic − callous, merciless, uncaring, unconcerned
(xi) Understanding − misunderstanding, intolerant
(xii) Wild − civilized, controlled, delicate, gentle
(xiii) Innocent − bad, blamable, corrupt
(xiv) Penitent − happy, unashamed
(xv) Clever − awkward, foolish, idiotic, ignorant,
(xvi) Brutal − generous, humane, kind, nice
(xvii) Cunning − gullible, kind, naive
(xviii) Caring − disregarding, ignoring, neglecting
(xix) Sentimental − hard-hearted, indifferent, pragmatic, unemotional
(xx) Trusting- disagree, dispute, reject, renounce
(21) Protective − attacking, harmful, hurtful, injurious
(22) Concerned − happy, undisturbed, unperturbed
(23) Honourable − not respectful, unhonourable
(24) Embittered − pleasant, content, genial
Page No: 129
(b) Select words from the above box to describe the characters in the play as revealed by the following lines from the play.
Lines from the play
|
Speaker
|
Quality revealed
|
| 1. “You told him she was feeling poorly, did you? And so my brother is to be kept out of bed, and go without his supper because you told him she was feeling poorly.” | ||
| 2. __________ “take my comforter, it will keep you warm.” | ||
| 3. “If people lie to me they are poorer, not I.” | ||
| 4. “You are like a child. I can’t trust you out of my sight. No sooner my back is turned than you get that minx Marie to sell the silver salt-cellars.” | ||
| 5. “My dear there is so much suffering in the world, and I can do so very little.” | ||
| 6. “My mother gave them to me on − on her death bed just after you were born, and − and she asked me to keep them in remembrance of her, so I would like to keep them.” | ||
| 7. “I am too old a bird to be caught with chaff.” | ||
| 8. “You have your soul to lose, my son.” | ||
| 9. “Give me food or I’ll stick my knife in you both and help myself.” | ||
| 10. “__________they have made me what I am, they have made me a thief. God curse them all.” | ||
| 11. “Why the devil are you kind to me? What do you want?” | ||
| 12. “I − I − didn’t believe there was any good in the world…but somehow I − I − know you’re good, and − and it’s a queer thing to ask, but could you, would you bless me before I go?” |
Answer
Lines from the play
|
Speaker
|
Quality revealed
|
| 1. “You told him she was feeling poorly, did you? And so my brother is to be kept out of bed, and go without his supper because you told him she was feeling poorly.” |
Persome
|
Stern, Unsympathetic
|
| 2. __________ “take my comforter, it will keep you warm.” |
Bishop
|
Kind-hearted, caring
|
| 3. “If people lie to me they are poorer, not I.” |
Bishop
|
Pious, Understanding
|
| 4. “You are like a child. I can’t trust you out of my sight. No sooner my back is turned than you get that minx Marie to sell the silver salt-cellars.” |
Persome
|
Caring
|
| 5. “My dear there is so much suffering in the world, and I can do so very little.” |
Bishop
|
Sympathetic
|
| 6. “My mother gave them to me on −on her death bed just after you were born, and − and she asked me to keep them in remembrance of her, so I would like to keep them.” |
Bishop
|
Sentimental
|
| 7. “I am too old a bird to be caught with chaff.” |
Convict
|
Cunning
|
| 8. “You have your soul to lose, my son.” |
Bishop
|
Pious
|
| 9. “Give me food or I’ll stick my knife in you both and help myself.” |
Convict
|
wild, brutal
|
| 10. “__________they have made me what I am, they have made me a thief. God curse them all.” |
Convict
|
pitiless, brutal
|
| 11. “Why the devil are you kind to me? What do you want?” |
Convict
|
Suspicious
|
| 12. “I − I − didn’t believe there was any good in the world…but somehow I − I − know you’re good, and − and it’s a queer thing to ask, but could you, would you bless me before I go?” |
Convict
|
repentant
|
Page No: 130
6. Answer the following questions briefly
(a) Do you think the Bishop was right in selling the salt-cellars? Why/why not?
Answer
Yes, the Bishop was right in selling the salt-cellars because he was an ideal person. He could not bear the thought of an old and sick lady to be thrown out of the house due to non-payment of rent. He always helps people in times of need.
(b) Why does Persome feel the people pretend to be sick?
Answer
Persome felt that people pretended to be sick to take undue advantage of the Bishop. She was of very protective nature and pained to see that the entire humanity is turning upon them for charity and kindness.
(c) Who was Jeanette? What was the cause of her death?
Answer
Jeanette was the wife of the convict. She died due to illness and starvation.
(d) The convict says, “I am too old a bird to be caught with chaff.” What does he mean by this statement?
Answer
The convict meant that he has is experienced so that he couldn't be misleaded. He ordered the Bishop to stay put because he couldn’t trust anyone not to report to the police and get him arrested.
(e) Why was the convict sent to prison? What was the punishment given to him?
Answer
The convict was sent to prison for stealing a loaf of bread. He was sentenced to ten years in a prison hulk.
(f) Do you think the punishment given to the convict was justified? Why/ why not? Why is the convict eager to reach Paris?
Answer
The punishment given to the convict was not justified. It is too inhuman for someone who was caught stealing just to feed his sick wife. He was guilty of stealing only to feed his wife who was dying of starvation. But they showed him no mercy and treated him like a beast. They chained him like a wild animal, lashed him like a hound and fed him filth. He was covered with vermin and had to sleep on boards. This kind of treatment is inhuman and not justified.
The convict is eager to reach Paris because it was a big city and the Police would never be able to find him there.
(g) Before leaving, the convict asks the Bishop to bless him. What brought about this change in him?
Answer
The Bishop’s benevolent, kind and caring attitude had brought about a change in the convict. That is why before leaving for Paris, he asks the Bishop to bless him.
7. Read the following extract and answer the questions that follow by choosing the
correct options.
A. Monseigneur the Bishop is a ------------ahem!’
(a) Why does Persome not complete the sentence?
(i) she used to stammer while speaking.
(ii) she was about to praise the Bishop.
(iii) she did not wish to criticise the Bishop in front of Marie.
(iv)she had a habit of passing such remarks.
(i) she used to stammer while speaking.
(ii) she was about to praise the Bishop.
(iii) she did not wish to criticise the Bishop in front of Marie.
(iv)she had a habit of passing such remarks.
Answer
(iii) She did not wish to criticise the Bishop in front of Marie.
(i) The Bishop has sold her salt-cellars.
(ii) The Bishop has gone to visit Mere Gringoire.
(iii) He showed extra concern for Marie.
(iv) She disliked the Bishop.
Answer
(i) The Bishop has sold her salt-cellars.
Page No: 131
B. ‘She sent little Jean to Monseigneur to ask for help, and—’
(a) Who sent little Jean to the Bishop?
(i) Mere Gringoire
(ii) Marie
(iii) Persome
(iv) Marie's mother
Answer
(i) Mere Gringoire
(b) Why did she send Jean to the Bishop?
(i) so that he could pray for her
(ii) as she knew that he was a generous person
(iii) as she was a greedy woman
(iv) as she was a poor woman
Answer
(ii) as she knew that he was a generous person
C. ‘I offered to take her in here for a day or two, but she seemed to think it might distress you.”
The Bishop wanted to take Mere Grngoire in because _________.
(a) The Bishop wanted to take Mere Grngoire in because _________.
(i) she was sick
(ii) she had no money
(iii) she was unable to pay the rent of her house
(iv) she was a close friend of Persome
Answer
(iii) she was unable to pay the rent of her house
(b) Persome would be distressed on Mere Gringoire's being taken in because ________.
(i) she did not want to help anyone
(ii) she felt that Mere Gringoire was taking undue advantage of the Bishop
(iii) she was a self-centred person
(iv) she would be put to a great deal of inconvenience
Answer
(ii) she felt that Mere Gringoire was taking undue advantage of the Bishop
Page No: 133
9. Identify the situations which be termed as the turning points in the convict's life?
Answer
The Convict, when was caught and brought to the Bishop’s house, was asked to be released by the Bishop saying that he is a friend to him. The Bishop also gives him his mother’s only memory i.e. candle-sticks. This entire incidence makes convict believe that there still exists humanity. This is the turning point in the convict’s life.
Study Material and Summary of The Bishop's Candlesticks
Go Back To Chapters