To Sir With Love – 2

(i)   Which   event   took   place   in   the   extract?   Choose   the   correct   one.   Give reason/s to support your  answer.

(a) Annual Sports Day on November 15th

(d) Annual Social and Cultural Gathering on November 15th

(c) Half-yearly report of Students’ Council on November 15th

(d) Farewell Programme on November 15th

Ans: c) Half-yearly report of Students’ Council on November 15th

The lines to support this: “The half-yearly report of the students council was on November 15th and was one of the important days in the calendar of Greenslade School.”

(ii) The event in the extract was held at the _____. Choose the correct alternative. Give reason/s to support your answer.

(a) Author’s house

(b) Auditorium of the school

(c) Market

(d) Garden

 Ans: (b) auditorium of the school.

The lines from extract to support: “A bell was rung at 10 am and every one trooped into the auditorium to sit together in classes.”

(iii) The incidents in the extract occurred at a particular place. Explain the significance of that place in your own words.

Ans: The incidents in the extract took place in the auditorium of Greenslade School. Since the major theme of the extract is student-teacher relationship, the school serves as the perfect setting. The students present their half-yearly reports and question the panel of teachers. Another aspect of the setting is the stage where they are taking active participation in their school. Finally, the stage also represents the perfect platform for the students to showcase their skills.

(iv) Explain how the setting of the extract contributes to the theme of the novel.

Ans: The teacher- students relationship is one of the most important theme of the novel.  Racism is another theme. He describes here the school where the narrator felt difficult time with students. The students harassed him mentally. They were disrespectful and mischievous. The narrator tried to handle them peacefully with his novel techniques. He tolerated them and forgive. He used respectful words ‘Miss’ and ‘sir’. There was shocking change in the behaviour of the students. It was observed on the day of Students Council. They performed confidently and cleverly. Thus the setting rightly contributes to the theme of the novel.