Question

(a) Write down the positive and negative traits of Private Quelch’s character instances from the story.

Positive traits	Instances from the story
i.
ii.
iii.
iv.
Negative traits	Instances from the story
i.
ii.
iii.
iv.

(b) Now, share your notes with the class. Add details if you need to.
(c) Attempt a character sketch of Private Quelch using your notes in about 100 words.

Answer 1

Positive traits	Instances from the story
i. Knew ‘too much’	All doubts on the subject lost after five minutes’ conversation with him.
ii. Very specific	When a Sergeant told the trainees that a bullet leaves the rifle at the speed of over two thousand feet per second, the Professor immediately interrupted him. He corrected him by saying, “Two thousand, four hundred and forty feet  per second.”
iii. Meant to get on	‘He was sure to get a commission, before long.’
iv. Diligent	Borrowed training manuals and stayed up late at night reading them.
Negative traits	Instances from the story
i. Disturbing	‘A voice interrupted.’ The Professor interrupted when a Sergeant was delivering his lesson.
ii. Badgered the instructors	He irritated and badgered the instructors with questions.
iii. Air of superiority	‘…………….. how condescending he was’.
iv. Exhibitionism	His fellow soldiers fled to avoid his exhibitionism.

(b) Attempt yourself.
(c) Character Sketch of Private Quelch
Private Quelch was a soldier without a rank. He was a tall and stooping man. He appeared frowning through horn-rimmed spectacles. His appearance, his reading habit and his deep knowledge earned him a nickname of the Professor.

Private Quelch meant to get on in life. He had brains. He was sure to get a commission before long. But as on first step, he meant to get a ‘ V’-shaped stripe. Private Quelch was not only ambitious but also very diligent. Even his fellow soldiers gave him credit for that. He borrowed training manuals and read late at nights. He had a flair for details and hated vague generalisations. He was always correct to the last digit.

The great defeat in Private Quelch was his sense of exhibitionism. He utilised his “intelligent reading” only to badger the instructors with questions. He irritated a Sergeant by his interruption during the lesson. In the hope of revenge, he turned with his questions again and again to the Professor. Similarly, he annoyed Corporal Turnbull hying to correct him publicly. He was punished and nominated for permanent cookhouse duties. Private Quelch was too showy. He always tried to show that he was much superior to all his fellow soldiers. He was always condescending. In the end his colleagues tried to avoid him. They feared his sermonising and fled when he was nearby.