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प्रश्न
The unexpected presence of a criminal wielding a gun triggers different reactions in the two men who entered the room. In this light, discuss the appropriacy of the title.
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उत्तर
A visitor usually comes during the wakeful hours. Nocturnal visitors are usually thieves. They don’t inform one in advance because the purpose of their visit is never noble enough to inform in advance. People involved in shady businesses only choose midnight to break into someone’s house. In this story, a spy is after an important report about missiles, a secretly guarded report, which is expected to be delivered to the private detective Ausable at 12.30 am. The spy gets the secret information from his trusted connections. So, he arrives earlier than Ausable and sneaks into his room using a passkey. The spy is brandishing his pistol to coerce the private detective to pass on the report as and when it arrives. Ausable outsmarts him by cooking up a story about a non-existent balcony beneath his window which extends from the neighboring apartment. He connects brilliantly the knock of Henry the waiter to that of police who might fire at Max as he is armed. So, the title of the story, “The Midnight Visitor” is very pertinent.
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संबंधित प्रश्न
What made Aksionov leave the inn before dawn?
What were the circumstances that led to Aksionov’s imprisonment?
Why didn’t Makar disclose that he had killed the merchant?
Why did Aksionov’s wife suspect him of involvement in the murder?
Did the police officer have sufficient evidence to convict Aksionov?
Pick out the clues that convey that Makar Semyonich recognized Aksionov.
Describe the life of Aksionov in prison.
Forgiveness is the best form of revenge. Substantiate the statement with reference to the story
Describe the lifeboat.
When we see a few coins scattered on the ground, we would probably pick them up on the sly or walk away ignoring them. What if it was an envelope full of ` 2000 bills? How are people likely to react in such a situation?
Discuss with a partner and share your views.
What made Martha withdraw her money from the bank?
John feels Gresham deserves punishment. Why?
Explain the significance of the words ‘I don’t remember’.
Why does John turn wild on hearing that Gresham had offered his father money?
Why was John filled with shame?
What was Mr. Marshall’s offer to Baldwin?
Now match the idioms under column A with their meanings in column B:
| A. IDIOMS | B. MEANINGS |
| save one’s skin | a sudden unexpected event or news |
| make both ends meet | to be the most powerful |
| a bolt out of a clear sky | viewed with suspicion and distrust |
| go to grave | to protect oneself from difficulty |
| have the whip hand | manage one’s expenses within one’s income |
| under a cloud | to exit the world |
How did Ausable describe the balcony and the manner in which one could get into his room, through it?
How, according to Ausable, had Max entered the room?
How did the three men react to the knocking at the door?
Ausable planned to get rid of Max the very moment he noticed him. Explain with supporting evidence from the story
Given below are pictures of fictitious detective characters in English & Tamil short stories. Match them with the authors who created them.
Why does Margot wish to return to the earth?
How long did the Sun shine on Venus?
What is the significance of the particular day described in the story “All summer in a day”?
What happens to Margot while the teacher is out of the classroom?
How do the children react to the long awaited event in the story?
Complete the summary of the play, choosing the appropriate words from the list given below the passage.
Lord Weston was a (1)______ judge in England. Being pompous and vain, he told his secretary Roger that he had attained glory by hard work and (2)______. He expressed his displeasure over Roger’s request for a half-holiday. Suddenly, he discovered a piece of paper with the words (3)______ in his pocket, and he feared that the message was a warning conveyed by his enemies who had received legal punishments from him. As the message was sent on the 15th of March, (the day Julius Caesar was assassinated), he was (4)______ that someone affected by his fair judgement was plotting his murder. Sensing the definite attack, Lord Weston ordered his secretary to (5)______ all the doors and windows. But his wife remained (6)______ by the threat. So, Lord Weston was angered by her (7)______ reaction. He ordered Roger to send the cook and the (8)______ away. Both Weston and Roger took elaborate precautionary measures to thwart the (9)______ attempt. Finally, Weston was able to recollect that he had written the message “Remember Caesar” himself as a (10)______. Caesar was actually a gardener who had an appointment to visit Weston’s garden. The play revolves around Weston’s absent-mindedness which is the crux of the play.
| callous | unperturbed |
| well-known | gardener |
| reminder | zealous service |
| Remember Caesar | assassination |
| shut | convinced |
How did Lord Weston describe himself?
