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Extra Questions, Notes, Assignment and study material for Class 9th as Per CBSE Syllabus
Chapter- 11
Class 9 English If I Were You Extra Questions
By– Douglas James
Introduction of the lesson- If I Were You
This is the story of an intruder breaking into a house. He lives in solitude and spends most of his life contemplating plays he will write. The intruder is a criminal who has killed a policeman and is trying to stay protected while on the run. He takes some physical resemblance to the person named Gerrard. He plans to kill Gerrard and live at the man’s address after killing him but then, Gerrard becomes smarter than the intruder and recognizes him for who he really is.
Gerard claims that he has also killed someone and that the police are after him. He says he will take you in his car to safety, which happens to be inside the garage. Gerard quickly locks the door to a tiny closet and his phone immediately alerts the police, who show up and arrest you.
(यह नाटक एक घुसपैठिए की कहानी है । यह एक सुनसान घर में घुसता हैं । यहाँ जिरार्ड नामक व्यक्ति रहता है । वह एक नाटककार है । घुसपैठिया एक अपराधी है । उसने एक पुलिस वाले की हत्या की थी और अब वह भाग रहा था । इस व्यक्ति की जिरार्ड के साथ कुछ शारीरिक समानता है । उसकी योजना है कि वह जिरार्ड को मार देगा और उसके नाम के साथ वहाँ पर रहेगा, लेकिन जिरार्ड अपराधी से भी ज्यादा होशियार है । यह घुसपैठिए को बताता है कि उसने भी किसी का खून किया है और पुलिस उसके पीछे है । वह घुसपैठिए को अपनी कार में सुरक्षित स्थान पर ले जाने का प्रस्ताव रखता है । वह एक दरवाजा खोलता है और घुसपैठिए को बताता है कि यह रास्ता गैराज की तरफ जाता है । जैसे ही घुसपैठिया प्रवेश करता है, जिरार्ड दरवाजे का ताला लगा देता है । वास्तव में यह गैराज का रास्ता नहीं है, बल्कि एक अलमारी का दरवाजा है । तब वह पुलिस को आने और घुसपैठिए को गिरफ्तार करने के लिए फोन करता है । )
Introduction of If I Were You
“If I Were You” by Douglas James has the qualities of mystery, suspense, surprise and humor. The story revolves around an intruder who intends to kill Gerrard so as to escape law enforcement and has switched places with him but is actually trapped because of Gerrard’s wit. The play highlights the importance of intelligence and quick thinking in a complex situation.
Theme of If I Were You
The play, One Flew Over The Cuckoo’s Nest, emphasizes the importance of intelligence, a cool head, and presence of mind in times of crisis. Panic can make things difficult for people but being able to keep your composure will help you to get out of tight situations with ease.
Criminals who perpetrate deceitful crimes can be outwitted because they fear being caught by the law. Thus, a clever planning and handling of a situation can trap even the so-called smart criminals.
If I Were You Title Justification
“If I Were You” is an apt title that refers to the wishful thinking of the criminal who faces jail time and wants to escape punishment by assuming Gerrard’s identity. His plan for eluding the law by borrowing a man’s identity fails when he gets outsmarted and caught before assuming his life.
t is quashed and the “If” in “If I Were You” is a reality without hopefulness for being a concrete idea. The title, therefore, hints at the basic idea of the story, and is, therefore, very apt.
If I Were You Message
This play shows the danger of overconfidence. One shouldn’t underestimate their opponent as the intruder thought Gerrard was no match for him. The play also describes how intelligence, having a well-thought out plan, and a cool head can help you overcome problems.
CHARACTERS If I Were You
What are the characteristics of intruder in if I were you?
The intruder is a villainous scoundrel, a confirmed criminal who makes intriguing plans to evade the police. He has malevolent motives and clever plans to achieve his aims. Savage, cold-hearted and cruel as he is, he doesn’t hesitate from murdering innocent people for his self-interests. But his wickedness can’t sustain him for long.
The intruder is a criminal who has been eluding the police ever since he killed a cop. Having no sense of remorse for the crime he has committed, he is further sinking in the mire of criminal activities. Over-confidence makes him feel that he has made a brilliant plan of murdering Gerrard and escaping the law by impersonating him. However, he is soon outwitted by Gerrard and he unsuspectingly walks into the latter’s trap. All his tall claims about his intelligence prove to be hollow. This heartless and hardened criminal meets a befitting end.
Character Sketch of Gerrard Class 9
Gerrard, the protagonist of “If I Were You” is portrayed as a man of many virtues. He is endowed with a brilliant wit, a sharp mind, smart thinking, and a sense of humour. All these qualities, combined with a cool temperament enable him to handle even a life-threatening situation very successfully and easily.
Gerrard is associated with the theatre. He writes, acts and provides props for plays. He is a refined and a cultured man, who keeps his cool even in the most difficult situations. The sight of an intruder doesn’t ruffle him and he talks to him very courteously and pleasantly. His sense of humour irritates the intruder many times. Even when acting funny, he keeps his presence of mind and lays a trap for the intruder. Everything comes so naturally and spontaneously to him that the intruder walks into his trap unsuspectingly. Gerrard’s intelligence not only outwits the intruder and saves his own life, but also helps the police in nabbing a wanted criminal. In fact, Gerrard, with his unagitated, composed mind stands as a foil to the cruel and villainous intruder
If I Were You Character Sketch of Humour
Though the play deals with a criminal and a playwright caught unaware by him, there is a thread of humour in the very texture of the play. The humour is neither boisterous nor unnatural. It is refined and subtle. Gerrard’s cool-headedness and presence of mind make him come out with such witty and sarcastic remarks that the criminal feels irritated and the audience feels amused. When the intruder asks him to talk about himself, rather than panicking, he says he is happy to have a sympathetic audience. When the intruder proposes to live in his cottage, Gerrard, rather than being shocked, says, You have not been invited”. Talking about the intruder’s looks, Gerrard remarks, “You are not particularly decorative”. Such humour runs throughout the play and makes it a gripping and amusing drama.
If I Were You Class 9 Word Meaning
(PAGE 1383 : Lonely = solitary, अकेला ; cottage = a small bungalow,छोटा बंगला ; intruder = one who enters forcibly,घुसपैठिया ; criminal =one who commits crime, अपराधी ; bears = maintains, कायम रखना ; resemblance = similarity,समानता ; interior = inner part,आंतरिक भाग ; entrance = door, दरवाज़ा ; curtained = covered with curtains, पर्दों से ढका ; practical = of daily use, व्यावहारिक ; consisting = made, बना हुआ ; divan = a kind of bed, दीवान ; upstage = on the the side of the stage, स्टेज के पीछे का भाग I
[PAGE 139] : Rimmed = frame,फ्रेम वाला ; lounge = sitting room,बैठक ; cultured = refined,सुसंस्कृत; count on = depend on, निर्भर होना ; engaged = busy, व्यस्त ; flashily = in a gaudy manner,तड़क –भड़क से ; bumps = strikes, टकराना , accidentally = by chance,संयोग से ; put those paws up = raise your hands, हाथ ऊपर करो ; Melodramatic = sensational,सनसनीखेज ; original = genuine ; मूलभूत nonehalant= careless manner,लापरवाह ; smart = clever, चालाक ; crawl = creep, रेंगना I
[PAGE 140] : Funny = humorous,हास्यप्रद ; motions = gestures, इशारे ; sympathetic = kind, दयालु ; audience = listeners, श्रोता ; gypsies = nomads,खानाबदोश ; inflection = change of voice,लापरवाह ; unfamiliar = not intimate, परिचित न होना ; emphasis = stress,जोर देना ; hurt = injured, घायल ; guy = man,व्यक्ति ; imitation = copy, नकल assist = help,सहायता करना ; garage = covered space for parking cars,गैराज ; rarely = very infrequently,बहुत कम ; baker = one who bakes,बेकर ; greengrocer = vegetable seller,सब्जी वाला ; charming = attractive,आकर्षक I
[PAGE 141] : Considerable= a lot of, बहुत अधिक ; modest = humble, विन्रम ; plenty = much, अधिक ; precisely = exactly,एकदम ; require = need, आवश्यकता होना ; to break into = to intrude,घुसपैठ करना ; figuring = appearing,नजर आना ; embrace = have adopted,अपनाना ; treat = joy, प्रसन्नता ; dandy = excellent,शानदार ; jewels = diamonds,हीरे ; cops = policemen,सिपाही ; retire = live in comfort,आराम से रहना ; trifle =a bale,कुछ I harsh = cruel,क्रूर ; sarcasm = bitter satire, व्यंग्य; taken a fancy = have started liking,चाहना आरंभ कर देन ा; grave =serious, गंभीर; hunted =chased, पीछा करना ; gratuitous = without good reason,बिना कारण के ; admitted = confessed,स्वीकार करना ; at the sight of = on seeing,देखने पर ; melodrama = sensational drama, सनसनीखेज नाटक ; villain = bad character, खलनायक ; frustrated = disappointed,निराश I
[PAGE 142J : Posh = belonging to the upper class,उच्च वर्ग का ; stuff = material,माल ; pantomime = silent imitation,खमोश नक़ल ; decorative = fine looking,अच्छा देखने वाला ; specs = eyeglasses, चश्मा ; tribute = praise,प्रशंसा ; intelligence = wisdom,बुद्दिमत्ता ; on your mind = in your thoughts,तुम्हारे विचारों में ; conversation = talk,बातचीत ; elude = escape,बचना ; dodge = escape, बचना ; queer = strange,अजीब ; mystery = strange/ unexplained, रहस्य ; propose = suggest,सुझाव देना ; invested in (here) = adopted,अपनाया
[PAGE 143]: Crook = rogue, ढंग; disguise = hiding in a false identity, भेष; musingly – thoughtfully,विचारशीलता स े; muddled = confused, परेशान; leans = bends, झुकता है
[PAGE 144]: Slams = shuts, बंद करता ह ै; cupboard = almirah, अलमार ी; rattles = knocks, खटखटाता ह ै; props = lines spoken in a drama, नाटक में बोली गई पक्तिया ँ; probably = perhaps,शायद
If I Were You Summary
The play starts in the house of Gerrard, who is a playwright. We see that Gerrard is on the phone with someone. After ending the conversation, he begins packing for travel. Suddenly, a man enters and orders Gerard to put up his hands. When Gerard complies and nears him, we realize that the man is like Gerard, who talks pleasantly and is not afraid anymore. The stranger commands Gereard to tell him what he has in his bag but he refuses.
The intruder asks the main character several questions, which he replies. The protagonist says he cannot feel safe while his hands are up. The intruder gives him instructions on what to do and tells him more about himself. We learn that the protagonist’s name is Vincent Charles Gerrard, that he lives alone and is a mystery man who sometimes gives orders on the phone but always keeps out of sight from tradesmen.
The stranger knowing him as Gerrard tells the criminal to stop talking, but continues to say that he has killed a policeman. Then the stranger says that he has come up with an idea. He wants to kill Gerrard and he would like to live in his identity so there is no chance for anyone else to get in touch with him. After listening to the plan, it is evident that this man does not think through his plans thoroughly. It would not be hard to punish such a crime.
Gerrard makes up a story that he is also a criminal and a murderer. The police are also in search of him, so he lives in a mysterious way. He often disappears from his current location and sometimes makes it easy for the people around him to kill him; if not himself, then as Gerrard. The intruder begins to think about this new opportunity. He tells the intruder that it would be foolish for him to kill him, as information about his other life could quickly get out and lead to him being hanged when caught by the police. So Gerrard offers to take the intruder somewhere safe in his car. He asks the intruder to hurry up and find someplace where they won’t get caught before it’s too late by the police.
The intruder is taken in. Gerrard opens the door before him and says that the door passes to the garage and that they will escape in his car. He asks him to enter and steps outside, only for Gerrard to push the handgun out of his hand. Then he shuts the door, moving it back into his own cupboard with a force strong enough to break it off its hinges. The would-be intruder starts shouting from inside but Gerrard gets down on one knee and then calls the police to come over without ever opening the door again. In this way, Gerrard saved his life by a clever trick.
If I Were You Summary in English
Gerrard is a typical English gentleman who is an actor-playwright. He is well-educated, fearless and full of humour. The play opens with Gerrard answering a phone call which is from a client whom he promises to deliver the props for rehearsal. He is busy packing for travel in this connection when an intruder, flashily dressed in an overcoat and a soft hat and carrying a revolver in his hand, surprises him from behind. But Gerrard keeps his cool and tries to figure out who the intruder is when the latter threatens him with dire consequences if his questions are not answered. However, the intruder declares that he is not there to tell him about himself but to know the personal details of Gerrard. The intruder tells Gerrard that he is a robber who specialises in the theft of jewels and that he plans to use Gerrard’s house and car for his schemes. The intruder then announces that he is going to kill Gerrard and later assume his identity as there is a good resemblance between the two of them. In this way, he can evade the police and lead a peaceful life. The intruder further surprises Gerrard by telling him that he has noticed his (Gerrard’s) manner of speech and has taken care to adopt a resemblance to him in looks too. He needs to change his identity because the cops are searching him for having killed one of their colleagues. He also tells Gerrard how he has come to know about him by overhearing a conversation between two people. But it is Gerrard who has the last laugh when he fools the intruder into believing that he too is running from the law and is about to flee. He completely befools the intruder by making him check for himself if everything is safe outside before they escape. He makes him peep into a dark cupboard giving the impression that it leads to the garage. The moment the intruder peeps in, Gerrard pushes him into the cupboard, knocking the revolver out of his hand. While the intruder keeps rattling the door and shouting, “Let me out of here!”, Gerrard gets down to business. Very coolly he answers a phone call, apologising that he wouldn’t be able to deliver stage props in time for rehearsal. At the same time, he requests the caller to send the sergeant to his place. All this while he guards the cupboard with the intruder’s revolver. Gerrard is so amused by this incident that he decides to use it as the plot for his next play.
Summary of If I Were You in Hindi
नाटक जिरार्ड के घर में शुरु होता है । वह एक नाटककार है । हम देखते हैं कि जिरार्ड किसी से फोन पर बात कर रहा है । वह कहीं बाहर जा रहा है । इसलिए बात खत्म करने के बाद वह अपना यात्रा का बैग तैयार करना शुरु कर देता है । अचानक एक व्यक्ति चुपके से दाईं और से प्रवेश करता है । वह देखने में जिरार्ड जैसा है । उसके हाथ में बंदूक है । यह घुसपैठिया एक अपराधी है । वह जिरार्ड को अपने हाथ ऊपर करने के लिए कहता है । जिरार्ड उसका कहना मानता है, लेकिन वह डरा हुआ नहीं है । वह घुसपैठिए से बहुत अच्छी तरह से बात करता है । घुसपैठिया उसे धमकी देता है कि वह अपने-आपको चालाक समझना बंद करे और उसके सवालों का जवाब दे । जिरार्ड कहता है जब तक उसके हाथ ऊपर हैं तब तक यह अपने-आपको आरामदायक महसूस नहीं कर सकता । घुसपैठिया उसे कुर्सी पर बैठने के लिए कहता है ।
उनकी वार्तालाप से हमें घुसपैठिए और जिरार्ड के भी बारे में पता चलता है । हमें पता चलता है कि जिरार्ड का पूरा नाम विंसंट चार्ल्स जिरार्ड है। वह वहाँ पर अकेला रहता है । उसके पास एक कार भी है । वह एक किस्म का रहस्यमयी व्यक्ति है । कई बार वह यहीं होता है और अगले ही दिन वह कहीं भी दिखाई नहीं देता है । वह अपने आदेश फोन पर देता है और कभी भी किसी व्यापारी से नहीं मिलता है ।
तब घुसपैठिया जिरार्ड को अपने बारे में बताता है । वह एक अपराधी है । वह गहने लूटने में माहिर है । उसने एक पुलिस वाले का खून किया था । अब पुलिस उसके पीछे है । वह जानता है कि उसकी जिरार्ड से शक्ल मिलती है । तब वह जिरार्ड को अपनी योजना बताता है । उसने जिरार्ड को मारने और जिरार्ड की पहचान के साथ वहाँ रहने का फैसला किया था । घुसपैठिए के बात करने के तरीके जिरार्ड ने अनुमान लगाया कि यह बेवकूफ और र्डीगें मारने वाता व्यक्ति है । इस व्यक्ति से छुटकारा पाना मुश्किल नहीं होगा ।
जिरार्ड एक कहानी बनाता है । वह कहता है कि वह भी एक अपराधी और एक खूनी है । पुलिस वाले उसकी भी तलाश कर रहे हैं । यही कारण है कि वह रहस्यमयी ढंग से रहता है । वह अकसर वहाँ से गायब हो जाता है । वह घुसपैठिए को कहता है कि उसको मारना बेवकूफी होगी । यह उसको मारेगा तो उसे फाँसी हो जाएगी, अगर उसे अपने नाम से नहीं तो जिरार्ड के रुप में हो जाएगी । घुसपैठिया सोचने लगता है । जिरार्ड के लिए यह एक मौका है । वह घुसपैठिए को अपनी कार में सुरक्षित जगह ले जाने का प्रस्ताव रखता है । वह उसे जल्दी करने के लिए कहता है, क्योंकि पुलिस किसी भी समय यहाँ जा सकती है । घुसपैठिया उसकी बातों में जा जाता है । जिरार्ड एक दरवाजा खोलता है और घुसपैठिए को उसमें प्रवेश करने के लिए कहता है । वह उसे बताता है कि यह दरवाजा गैराज की ओर जाता है और वे उसकी कार से भाग जाएँगे । जैसे ही घुसपैठिया अंदर कदम रखने के लिए अपना सिर घुमाता है तभी जिरार्ड उसे धक्का देता है और उसके हाथ से बंदूक छीन लेता है । तब वह दरवाजा बंद करता है और उसे ताला लगा देता है । वास्तव में दरवाजा किसी गैराज की तरफ नहीं जाता है । यह एक अलमारी का दरवाजा है । घुसपैठिया उसे बाहर निकालने के लिए अंदर से चिल्लाता है । लेकिन जिरार्ड फोन उठाता है और पुलिस को यहाँ जाने के लिए कहता है । इस प्रकार जिरार्ड एक चालाक चाल से अपना जीवन बचाता है ।
If I Were You Extract Based Questions
Read the following extracts and answer the questions that follow in one or two lines each.
(I)
I’m glad you’re pleased to see me. I don’t think you’ll be pleased for long. Put those paws up!
1. Who is speaking these lines and to whom? Where is the conversation taking place?
to The intruder is speaking to Gerrard. The conversation is taking ill place in Gerrard’s lonely cottage situated in the wilds of Essex.
2. Why is the speaker’ so sure that ‘his listener’ won’t be pleased for long?
The speaker is sure that his listener’s pleasure is going to disappear into thin air the moment he hears about the speaker’s wicked plan to kill and then (later) to impersonate him to dodge the law.
3. What does ‘paws’ mean here?
‘Paws’ here stands for ‘hands’.
4. Why is the speaker asking the listener ‘to put those paws up’?
The intruder asks Gerrard to put his ‘paws up’ to threaten and intimidate him. He wants to ensure that Gerrard is not able to use his hands for self- defence.
(II)
Thanks a lot. You’ll soon stop being smart. I’ll make you crawl. I want to know a few things, see.
1. Who is the speaker? Why is he thanking the listener?
The intruder was the speaker here. He was thanking the listener, Gerard, as the latter had helped in while he was fumbling for a word and Gerard had suggested the word “nonchalant,” which is correct after all.
2. Why does the speaker think that the listener is trying to be smart?
The intruder feels that Gerrard is trying to be smart because instead of displaying any signs of fear, he helps the intruder complete his sentence when the former fails to find the right word -nonchalant’.
3. Why does the speaker expect the listener to soon stop being smart?
The speaker feels that Gerrard will be frightened out of his wits the moment he discloses his intention of killing him and will then forget all the witty retorts that he had been making till then.
4. What does the speaker mean by ‘I’ll make you crawl’?
The speaker means that he would bring the listener down on his knees and make him beg for mercy.
(III)
“At last a sympathetic audience!” (Textual)
1. Who speaks these words?
Gerrard, the protagonist of the play, speaks these words.
2. Why does he say it?
He says it because he wants to pretend that he does not feel threatened by the intruder’s presence. Actually, at a later stage, he intends to fool the intruder into believing that the former too is a criminal like him and is quite suave at such hostage games.
3. Is he sarcastic or serious?
He is sarcastically sarcastic because we know that the intruder did not want to help him sympathize. Rather, they wanted to access his personal information and misuse it.
(IV)
I’m sorry. I thought you were telling me, not asking me. A question of inflexion; your voice is unfamiliar.
1. Who is the speaker and who does he speak to?
The speaker is Gerrard. He is speaking to the intruder.
2. What had the listener asked the speaker?
The listener had asked the speaker if he lived in the cottage all by himself.
3. What do these lines tell us about the speaker?
These lines show that the speaker is a very cool-headed man who can think of many ways to elude a question. His presence of mind and smartness are unparalleled.
4. What does ‘inflexion’ mean here? What logic does the speaker give for misinterpreting the inflexion of his voice?
‘Inflection’ here means ‘a tone of voice’. Gerrard says that since the intruder’s voice was unfamiliar, he couldn’t know whether he was asking a question or telling something.
(V)
That’s a lie. You’re not dealing with a fool. I’m as smart as you and smarter, and I know you run a car. Better be careful, wise guy!
1. Who is the speaker? Which ‘He’ is he talking about?
The speaker is the intruder. He is talking about the lie that Gerrard told him, which was that he didn’t run a car.
2. Why did the speaker think he was smarter than the listener?
The intruder considered himself smarter because he thought that he had made a very clever plan to kill Gerrard and impersonate him to elude the police. Apart from it, he had gathered all the information about Gerrard before coming to his cottage.
3. Why did he warn the listener to be careful?
The intruder wanted to make it clear that Gerrard could not befool him by telling a lie because the intruder had already gathered information about him. So, he told Gerrard to be careful.
4. What does the extract reveal about the intruder?
The extract reveals that the criminal intruder is overconfident about his abilities, and overestimates his escape from the law.
(VI)
I could tell you plenty. You think you’re smart, but I’m the top of the class around here. I’ve got brains and I use them. That’s how I’ve got where I have.
1. Who speaks these words to whom and in what context?
These words are spoken by the intruder to Gerrard. He utters these words when Gerrard asks him to tell him something about himself.
2. Why does the speaker say “I could tell you plenty”?
The intruder says so because he is over-confident and thinks that he is smart enough to execute his plan successfully. There is a ring of pride in his words and his ego makes him over-estimate himself.
3. What does he mean by ‘the top of the class around here’?
The intruder means to say that no one else is as smart as he is. Gerrard, too, is no match for him.
4. How does the speaker use his brains? Where has he got to by using his brains?
The speaker uses his brains by planning and committing crimes without getting caught by the police. He had now got to a point where he intends to kill Gerrard and assume his identity to escape the law further.
(VII)
I’m not taking it for fun. I’ve been hunted long enough. I’m wanted for murder already, and they can’t hang me twice.
1. Who is the speaker? What is ‘it’ that he claims he is not taking for fun?
The speaker is the intruder. ‘It’ is the grave step to kill Gerrard that the intruder claims not to be taking for fun. It is his dire need to avoid being chased by the police.
2. Why has the speaker been hunted long enough?
The speaker has been hunted long enough because he had killed a cop when something went wrong with the job that he did in the town. It has been quite a while since then and he is still dodging the police.
3. Explain: ‘they can’t hang me twice.’
The intruder has already murdered a cop for which he is sure to get a death sentence. Now, if he commits another murder, he will not be sentenced more than once because a person can be put to death only once.
4. What light do these lines reflect on the speaker’s state of mind?
The lines reveal that the intruder does not have any conscience to prick him. He weighs the crime done by him not by its wickedness but by the punishment that he will be awarded by the court of justice.
(VIII)
I’ve got the freedom to gain. As for myself, I’m a poor hunted rat. As Vincent Charles Gerrard I’m free to go places and do things. I can eat well and sleep and without having to be ready to beat it at the sight of a cop.
1. Why does the intruder call himself ‘a poor hunted rat’?
The intruder is being chased by the police for having killed a cop. The apprehension of being arrested by the police keeps him on the run and he feels that his condition is as miserable as that of a rat being chased.
2. Why is he longing for freedom?
The intruder’s criminal acts have made his life a miserable dodging game. He has to be on the run always and he can neither sleep nor eat well. Therefore, he is longing for freedom.
3. Why does he have to run at the sight of a cop?
Having killed a cop, the intruder lives in constant fear of being nabbed by the police. So, he has to run at the sight of a cop in order to avoid being caught.
4. What will he gain as Vincent Charles Gerrard?
By impersonating himself as Vincent Charles Gerrard, the intruder will be able to dodge the police. This way he will be able to live in peace and without any fear of the cops.
(IX)
This is your big surprise. I said you wouldn’t kill me and I was right. Why do you think I am here today and gone tomorrow, never see tradespeople?
1. Who speaks these lines and to whom?
Gerrard speaks these lines to the intruder.
2. What was the big surprise given by the speaker?
Gerrard told that he too lived under the threat of being arrested as he too was involved in crime. The intruder was naturally surprised at this revelation since he was unaware of this aspect of his victim.
3. What was the speaker right about? Why was he right?
Gerrard, the speaker here, was right about the statement that he had made earlier that the intruder wouldn’t kill him. He was right because the intruder intended to kill an ordinary person and impersonate him to evade the police. But Gerrard turned out to be a criminal like him. So killing and impersonating a criminal would not serve the intruder’s purpose.
4. What impression did the speaker wish to give the listener by claiming to have an irregular schedule?
The speaker wished the listener to believe that his irregular schedule was a deliberate move to dodge the police so that he could evade arrest for the crimes that he claimed to have committed.
(X)
“I said it with bullets and got away”. (Textual, Modified)
1. Who says this?
Gerrard, the protagonist of the play “If I Were You”, says this
2. What does it mean?
Gerrard, by these words, means that he committed a murder with a gun.
3. Is it the truth? What is the speaker’s reason for saying this?
No, it is not the truth. The speaker has concocted a story to befool the intruder. He shows himself to be a murderer wanted by police so that the intruder should give up his plan of killing him and taking up his identity.
IMPORTANT PASSAGES FOR COMPREHENSION If I Were You
PASSAGE 1
Gerrard: Nonchalant’ is your word, I think.
Intruder: Thanks a lot. You’ll soon stop being smart. I’ll make you crawl. I want to know a few things, see.
Gerrard: Anything you like. I know all the answers. But before we begin I should like to change my position; you may be comfortable, but I am not.
Intruder: Sit down there, and no funny business. (Motions to a chair, and seats himself on the divan by the bag.) Now then, we’ll have a nice little talk about yourself!
Gerrard: At last a sympathetic audience! I’ll tell you the story of my life. How as a child I was stolen by the gipsies, and why at the age of thirty-two, I find myself in my lonely Essex cottage, how…
Questions :
(i) What threat does the intruder give to Gerrard?
(ii) Why was Gerrard in an uncomfortable position?
(iii) Did Gerrard give correct answers to the intruder?
(iv) Was the intruder really a sympathetic audience?
(v) Find a word in the passage which means ‘humorous’.
Answers :
(i) The intruder threatened that he would make Gerrard crawl.
(ii) He was standing with his hands up.
(iii) No, he gave him the wrong answers.
(iv) No, he was not really a sympathetic audience.
(v) Funny.
PASSAGE 2
Intruder: Keep it to yourself, and just answer my questions. You live here alone? Well, do you?
Gerrard: I’m sorry. I thought you were telling me, not asking me. A question of inflexion; your voice is unfamiliar.
Intruder : (with emphasis) Do you live here alone?
Gerrard: And ill don’t answer?
Intruder: You’ve got enough sense not to want to get hurt.
Gerrard: I think the good sense is shown more in the ability to avoid pain than in the mere desire to do so. What do you think? Mr—er—
Intruder: Never mind my name. I like yours better, Mr Gerrard. What are your Christian names?
Gerard: Vincent Charles.
Questions :
(i) From which chapter have these lines been taken?
(ii) Why was the intruder’s voice unfamiliar to Gerard?
(iii) What did the intruder want Gerrard to keep to himself?
(iv) What was Gerrard’s full name?
(v) Find a word in the passage which means ‘stress’.
Answers :
(i) These lines have been taken from the play ‘If I Were You’.
(ii) His voice was unfamiliar to Gerrard as he had never met him before.
(iii) He wanted Gerrard to keep his life history to himself.
(iv) His full name was Vincent Charles Gerrard.
(v) Emphasis.
PASSAGE 3
Intruder: Do you run a car?
Gerard: No.
Intruder: That’s a lie. You’re not dealing with a fool. I’m as smart as you and smarter, and I know you run a car. Better be careful, wise guy!
Gerard: Are you American, or is that merely a clever imitation?
Intruder: Listen, this gun’s no toy. I can hurl you without killing you, and still get my answers.
Gerard: Of course, if you put it like that, I’ll be glad to assist you. I do possess a car, and it’s in the garage around the corner.
Intruder: That’s better. Do people often come out here?
Gerard: Very rarely. Surprisingly few people take the trouble to visit me. There are the baker and the greengrocer, of course; and then there’s the milkman — quite charming, but no one so interesting as yourself.
Questions :
(i) Does Gerrard possess a car?
(ii) Why did the intruder want to hurt, not kill Gerard?
(iii) Where is Gerrard’s car?
(iv) Why did the intruder want to know if people came to visit Gerrard or not?
(v) Find a word from the passage which means ‘copy’.
Answers :
(i) Yes, he possesses a car.
(ii) He wants to hurt him and get answers to his questions, before killing him.
(iii) It is in the garage around the corner.
(iv) He wanted to lead a solitary life.
(v) Imitation.
PASSAGE 4
Intruder: My speciality’s jewel robbery. Your car will do me a treat. It’s certainly a dandy bus.
Gerard: I’m afraid jewels are few and far between in the wilds of Essex.
Intruder: So are the cops. I can retire here nicely for a little while.
Gerard: You mean to live with me? A trifle sudden isn’t it; you’ve not been invited.
Intruder: You won’t be here long; so I didn’t trouble to ask.
Gerard: What do you mean?
Intruder: This is your big surprise. I’m going to kill you.
Gerard: A little harsh, isn’t it?
Intruder : (with heavy sarcasm) Yeah. I’ll be sorry to do it. I’ve taken a fancy to you, but it’s just got to be done. Why add murder to your other crimes? It’s a grave step you’re taking.
Questions :
(i) What is the name of the chapter from which these lines have been taken?
(ii) Why does the intruder think that he can live at Gerrard’s house for some time?
(iii) What is a big surprise for Gerrard, according to the intruder?
(iv) Why does Gerrard call the intruder’s step ‘grave’?
(v) Find a word from the passage which means ‘serious’.
Answers :
(i) These lines have been taken from the play ‘If I Were You’
(ii) He thinks so because that area is lonely and police do not often come there.
(iii) He tells Gerard that he is going to kill him.
(iv) He tells him that murder is a serious crime.
(v) Grave.
PASSAGE 5
Intruder: I’ve got the freedom to gain. As for myself, I’m a poor hunted rat. As Vincent Charles Gerrard I’m free to go places and do nothing. I can eat well and sleep and without having to be ready to beat it at the sight of a cop.
Gerrard: In most melodramas, the villain is foolish enough to delay his killing long enough to be frustrated. You are much luckier.
Intruder: I’m O.K. I’ve got a reason for everything. I’m going to be Vincent Charles Gerrard, see. I’ve got to know what he talks like. Now I know. That posh stuff comes easy. This is Mr V.C. Gerrard speaking. (Pantomime of phoning, in imitation cultured voice.) And that’s not all. (He stands up.) Get up a minute
(Gerrard stands.) Now take a look at me.
Questions
(i) What will the intruder gain as Gerrard?
(ii) How does the intruder describe himself?
(iii) How is the villain in most melodramas?
(iv) Why does the intruder imitate Gerard’s voice?
(v) Find a word in the passage which means ‘sensational play’.
Answers :
(i) The intruder will gain freedom.
(ii) He describes himself as a poor hunted rat.
(iii) The villain in most melodramas is foolish.
(iv) He imitates Gerrard’s voice to show that he can talk like him.
(v) Melodrama.
PASSAGE 6
Gerrard: You’re not particularly decorative.
Intruder: No! Well, that goes for you, too. I’ve only got to wear specs and I’ll be enough like you to get away with it.
Gerard: What about your clothes? They’ll let you down if you’re not careful.
Intruder: That’ll be all right. Yours will fit me fine.
Gerrard: That is extremely interesting, but you seem to miss the point of my remark. I said you were luckier than most melodramatic villains. It was not a tribute to your intelligence. You won’t kill me for a very good reason.
Intruder: So that’s what you think.
Questions :
(i) What does Gerrard mean when he says that the intruder is not decorative?
(ii) Name the chapter from which these lines have been taken.
(iii) What has the intruder to do to look like Gerrard?
(iv) What does the intruder say about clothes?
(v) Find a word in the passage which means ‘a bad character’.
Answers :
(i) He means to say that the intruder’s personality is not attractive.
(ii) These lines have been taken from the play ‘If I Were You’.
(iii) He thinks that he has only to wear spectacles to look like Gerrard.
(iv) He says that Gerrard’s clothes will fit him.
(v) Villain.
PASSAGE 7
Gerard: Apparently you haven’t the intelligence to ask why I am invested in this cloak of mystery.
Intruder : (preparing to shoot) As I said before, this conversation bores me.
Gerard: Don’t’ be a fool. If you shoot, you’ll hang for sure. If not as yourself, then as Vincent Charles Gerrard.
Intruder: What is this?
Gerard: This is your big surprise. I said you wouldn’t kill me and I was right. Why do you think I am here today and gone tomorrow, never see tradespeople? You say my habits would suit you. You are a crook. Do you think I am a Sunday-school teacher?
Questions :
(i) What is the name of the chapter from which these lines have been taken?
(ii) What has the intruder not asked Gerard?
(iii) What would happen, according to Gerrard, if the intruder killed him?
(iv) Why, according to him, has Gerrard, behaves in a mysterious way?
(v) Find a word in the passage which means the same as ‘a criminal’.
Answers :
(i) These lines have been taken from the play ‘If I Were You’.
(ii) The intruder has not asked Gerrard why he lives in mystery.
(iii) He would be hanged, if not as himself, then as Gerrard.
(iv) He behaves in a mysterious way to escape the police.
(v) A crook.
Passage-8
Gerard: For God’s sake clear that muddled head of yours and let’s go. Come with me in the car. I can use you. If you find it’s a frame, you’ve got me in the car, and you’ve still got your gun.
Intruder: Maybe you’re right.
Gerard: Then don’t waste time. (Goes and picks up but and bag.)
Intruder: Careful, boss, I’m watching you.
Gerard: I have got a man posted on the main road. He’ll ring up if he sees the police, but I don’t want to leave ………(telephone bell rings) Come on! They’re after us. Through here straight to the garage.
Intruder: How do I know that you are telling the truth?
Gerard: Oh, don’t be a fool. Look for yourself.
Questions :
(i) Name the chapter this passage has been taken from.
(ii) What could be the ‘frame’, according to Gerard?
(iii) Why, according to Gerrard, he has posted a man on the main road?
(iv) Why do they plan to go straight from the room?
(v) Find a word in the passage which means ‘confused’.
Answers :
(i) This passage has been taken from the play ‘If I Were You’.
(ii) He could deceive the intruder in order to save himself.
(iii) He has posted a man on the main road to inform him about the police.
(iv) They plan to go to the garage straight from the room.
(v) Muddled.
PASSAGES FOR PRACTICE
PASSAGE 9
Intruder: I could tell you plenty. You think you’re smart, but I’m the top of the class around here. I’ve got brains and I use them. That’s how I’ve got where I have.
Gerard: And where precisely have you got? It didn’t require a great brain to break into my little cottage.
Intruder: When you know why I’ve broken into your little cottage, you’ll be surprised, and it won’t be a pleasant surprise.
Gerrard: With you figuring so largely in it, that is understandable. By the way, what particular line of crime do you embrace, or aren’t you a specialist?
Questions :
(i) What could the intruder tell Gerrard in plenty?
(ii) Why has the intruder broken into Gerrard’s cottage?
(iii) What does the intruder think about himself?
(iv) Use ‘precisely’ in a sentence of your own.
(v) Find a word in the passage which means as ‘expert’.
PASSAGE 10
Gerard: Your idea is to elude the police by killing me and taking on my identity?
Intruder: Yes, I like the idea.
Gerard: But are you sure it’s going to help you?
Intruder: Now listen here. I’ve got this all planned. I did a job in town. Things went wrong and I killed a cop. Since then I’ve done nothing but the dodge.
Gerard: And this is where dodging has brought you?
Intruder: It brought me to Aylesbury. That’s where I saw you in the car. Two other people saw you and started to talk. I listened. It looks like you’re a bit queer kind of mystery man.
Questions :
(i) Name the play and its author.
(ii) What is the intruder’s idea?
(iii) Whom did the intruder kill in the town?
(iv) Where did the intnider see Gerrard?
(v) Find a word in the passage which means the same as ‘strange’
Go to the NCERT Solution “The Fun They Had”
If I Were You Very Short Question Answer
1. Who enters Gerrard’s cottage?
Ans. An intruder enters Gerrard’s cottage.
2. Why did the intruder enter Gerrard’s cottage?
Ans. He wanted to kill Gerrard and disguise himself as Gerrard.
3. How did Gerrard react to find the intruder in his room?
Ans. He was cool and calm to see the intruder.
4. What did Gerrard tell the intruder about his childhood?
Ans. Gerrard told the intruder that in childhood he was stolen by the gipsies.
5. What was Gerrard’s Christian name?
Ans. His Christian name was Vincent Charles.
6. What did the intruder tell Gerrard about his speciality?
Ans. ‘Hie intrudes told Gerrard that his speciality was jewel robbery. ‘
7. What did the intruder want to know of Gerrard?
Ans. lie wanted to know of Gerrard, how he talked and how he met people.
8. Why did the intruder want to hurt but not to kill Gerrard?
Ans. He wanted to hurt him and get an answer to his questions before killing him.
9. What is Gerrard’s profession?
Ans. Gerrard is a playwright.
10. What crime had the intruder committed?
Ans. ‘the intruder had killed a policeman.
11. Where did Gerrard imprison the intruder?
Ans. Gerrard imprisoned the intruder in the cupboard.
If I Were You Short Questions and Answers
1. Describe Gerrard’s appearance.
Ans:- He is a man of medium height, who keeps his glasses on his face. He appears in a lounge suit and a great coat at the beginning of the play. In his voice, he talks with a cultured accent and looks confident.
2. What did Gerrard tell the intruder about himself? Was he telling the truth? Why/Why not?
Ans:- Gerrard told the intruder that as a child, he was stolen by the gipsies and now in his thirties, he was all alone in life. He was not telling the truth; he was just being funny as he wished to make it clear that he was not afraid of a gun-toting criminal. In fact, Gerrard had already started concocting stories about himself.
3. What sort of information does the intruder want from Gerrard?
Ans:- The intruder wants personal details from Gerrard like whether in the lives alone, what his Christian name is, whether he has a car and whether people visit him. All this information is necessary for the execution of his plan to dodge the police by disguising it himself as Gerrard.
4. What made Gerrard ask the intruder, Are you an American”?
Ans:- Gerrard asked the intruder if he were an American as he had called him a ‘wise guy’. The guy is colloquial American expression for a man. Hence, the usage of this word by the intruder made Gerrard ask him this question.
5. What sort of a person is the intruder? Give examples to illustrate.
Ans:- The intruder is a dangerous person as he is carrying a pistol and claims to have killed a cop. He is mean, heartless and crafty, for he plans to kill Gerrard and assume his identity in order to escape the police. He is over-confident because he claims that Gerrard is no match for him. He is also boastful, uncouth and uncultured so as is evident from a remark he makes, ‘Put up your paws’.
6. The intruder announced, “I’m going to kill you”. Was Gerrard in nervous? How would you describe Gerrard’s reactions?
Ans:- Confident of his presence of mind, Gerrard remained unruffled of on being threatened by the intruder. He remained so calm and too nonchalant that the intruder was irritated. His sense of humour also enraged the intruder. Thus, Gerrard reacted in a calm and composed way.
7. Why does the intruder intend to kill Gerrard?
Ans:- The intruder is a criminal who is being chased by the police for having murdered a cop. As per his plan, the intruder intends to kill Gerrard in order to take on his identity and avoid being caught by the police. In this way, he can lead a peaceful life without being haunted by the fear of arrest and punishment.
8. Who was the intruder in Gerrard’s house? Why did he break into his house?
Ans:- An intruder broke into Gerrard’s house. He had killed a police officer and was being chased by the police. The intruder burst into Gerrard’s home with the intention to murder him and assume his identity to escape the police.
9. How did Gerrard behave on seeing a gun-toting stranger in his cottage?
Ans:- Gerrard kept his cool and remained absolutely unruffled when he saw the gun-totting stranger in his cottage. There was neither any panic nor any ring of tension in his voice. He remained his normal self and talked to him casually.
10. Why does the intruder not kill Gerrard immediately?
Ans:- The intruder does not kill Gerrard immediately because he first wants to get all the necessary information from him. Without this information, his plan to disguise and act as Gerrard will not succeed.
11. Where did Gerrard live? Why was it a suitable place for the intruder’s plan?
Ans:- Gerrard lived in a lonely cottage in a secluded place in the wilds of Essex. With hardly any population around, it was easy for one to commit a crime without getting detected. In addition, the place was visited by only a few people. Therefore, it was suitable for the intruder to carry out his plan successfully over here.
12. Why does the intruder call himself ‘a poor hunted rat’?
Ans:- The intruder describes himself as ‘a poor hunted rat’ because he is being chased by the police and he has to keep dodging them. He has killed a cop and is trying to escape punishment by hiding like a rat being chased by a cat.
13. Why did the intruder choose Gerrard as the man whose identity he wanted to take on?
Ans:- The intruder picked Gerrard because both of them were of the same physical structure. Moreover, as Gerrard lived alone, did not meet any people, and had irregular hours and habits, he thought it would be easy to kill him and assume his identity, and this way lead a life of peace. He will be away from the reach of the law.
14. Why has the criminal been called an intruder all through the play?
Ans:- An intruder is a person who forces his way uninvited and unwelcomed like a criminal. He is called an intruder throughout the play as after forcing his way into Gerrard’s cottage, he is trying to grab Gerrard’s identity as well. Moreover, he refuses to tell Gerrard anything about himself, even his name.
15. Bring out the contrast between Gerrard and the intruder.
Ans:- Coarse, crude, boastful and an irritable egoist, the intruder is overconfident and thinks that he is the smartest one around. Gerrard, on the other hand, is pleasant, cool-headed, refined, lively and very intelligent, but a modest and humble person. Although Gerrard does not brag, he proves to be much smarter and more intelligent than the intruder.
16. Why did very few people come to Gerrard’s house? Who were the few people who visited him?
Ans:- Gerrard lived all alone in a secluded place and his theatrical performances made his schedule irregular. He was hardly at home, so very few people came to his house. He was visited only by his regular suppliers like the baker, the greengrocer and the milkman.
17.”They cannot hang me twice.” Who says this and why? (Textual)
Ans:- The intruder says this because he is already wanted for having murdered a cop. If he manages to kill Gerrard, as per his plan, the punishment for this murder too, like the first one, will be a death sentence. Hence, he cannot be hanged twice by the police.
18.”A mystery I propose to explain.” What is the mystery the speaker proposes to explain? (Textual)
Ans:- Gerrard, the speaker, proposes to explain the mystery about his queer life in which he has an irregular routine, refuses to see tradesmen, goes away and comes back to the house hurriedly. Gerrard has already concocted a story attributing his strange behaviour to his being a criminal wanted in many cases of crime.
19.”This is your big surprise”. Who says these words in the play? When and where? What is the surprise? (Textual)
Ans:- This has been said by Gerrard when the intruder asks him to clarify how he could still be killed after assuming Vincent Charles Gerrard’s identity. This is a surprise for the intruder who never suspected Gerrard to be a criminal. According to his information, Gerrard seemed to be the perfect person who could be easily eliminated and then impersonated.
20. Why and how did Gerrard persuade the intruder to get into the cupboard?
Ans:- Gerrard concocted a story about his own criminal background. He gave the intruder the impression that the police were looking for him and he expected a telephone call from a friend informing the police’s arrival. So when the telephone rang, he hurried the intruder into the cupboard and told him that it was connected to the garage which was an escape route.
21. How does Gerrard propose to use the intruder’s episode?
Ans:- Being a man of the theatre, Gerrard is amused at being able to turn the tables on the intruder. He finds the episode of outwitting a criminal by a clever but an innocent man so interesting that he proposes to use it as a plot for his next play.
22. Gerrard describes this encounter with the intruder as an amusing spot of bother’? What light does this attitude reflect on Gerrard?
Ans:- Any other person in Gerrard’s place would have been paralysed with fear under such circumstances. But Gerrard finds it an amusing spot of bother’ as his nonchalant (calm and casual) approach makes him handle the situation comfortably and outwit the intruder with ease.
23. What is Gerrard’s profession? Quote the parts of the play that (Textual)
Ans:- support your answer. Gerrard is associated with theatre as a writer, producer and director. He also supplies props and makeup materials to other theatre agencies. The following facts reveal his profession clearly.
- He tells the intruder that his actions are ‘melodramatic’ but not ‘very original’.
- He welcomes the intruder as a ‘sympathetic audience’.
- He comments on the intruder’s ‘inflexion of voice’.
- He tells someone over the phone that he cannot deliver the props in time.
- He also tells that person that he had ‘an amusing spot of bother’ which he might put into his next play.
24. Why was Gerrard’s schedule so irregular?
Ans:- Having a theatrical background, Gerrard devoted time to writing, producing and directing the plays. He also supplied other theatrical companies with props and make-up items. Therefore, his schedule was irregular as it had to suit the requirements at the theatres.
25. Gerrard said, ‘You have been so modest’. Was Gerrard being ironical or truthful?
Ans:- Gerrard’s remark ‘you have been so modest’ was ironical. The intruder had been boasting of his intelligence and smartness. Hence, Gerrard taunted him about his modesty and asked him to say something about himself.
26. Why did the intruder enter Gerrard’s cottage?
Ans. The intruder resembled Gerrard. He had committed a murder. He made a plan to save himself from the police. He decided that after killing Gerrard he would take on his identity and live without any fear. So he entered Gerrard’s cottage,
27. Why did the intruder want Gerrard to speak to him?
Ans. The intruder wanted to take on Gerrard’s identity after killing him. But before killing him he wanted to know how Gerrard talked and how he dealt with people. He could know this only when Gerrard spoke with him. So he wanted him to speak with him.
28. What crime had the intruder committed?
Ans. ‘the intruder was a jewel thief. When he was being chased by the police, he killed a policeman. So he was wanted for murder also
29. Why did he send for the sergeant?
Ans. A jewel thief and murderer entered Gerrard’s cottage. He wanted to kill Gerrard also. Gerrard shut the murderer in a cupboard. Then he phoned the police. Ile sent for the sergeant to get the intruder arrested.
30. How does Gerrard imprison the intruder and save his life?
Ans. Gerrard asks the intruder to run away from there with him because the police may come at any time. He opens a door. He says that this door leads to the garage. The intruder steps in. It was the cupboard door. Gerrard pushes the intruder in and shuts the door. Thus he imprisons the intruder and saves his life.
If I Were You Long Question Answer
Q.1. Gerrard talks pleasantly with the intruder. Was he really pleased to see the criminal?
Ans. Gerrard is living alone in his house. One day an intruder enters his room. There is a gun in his hand and he threatens to kill Gerrard. But Gerrard does not panic. He is a clever man. He has understood that the criminal has evil intentions. He knows that if he fights with the intruder, he will be killed. So his best chance is to talk with the intruder in a friendly manner. Even the intruder notes it and says that Gerrard is trying to be calm and careless. By talking pleasantly, Gerrard makes the intruder delay his plan of killing him. So Gerrard tells him that he is pleased to see him. We know that this is a lie. He was not really pleased to see the criminal. By engaging the intruder in talks, Gerrard comes to know that he is not an intelligent man and it is not difficult to befool him. Gerrard’s behaviour shows that he is a sensible person. He knows how to behave in a crisis. In the end, he is able to lock the intruder in a cupboard and calls the police.
Q.2. The intruder is boastful. He threatens Gerrard, “I’ll make you crawl” Was he able to carry out his threat? What happened to him?
Ans. An intruder forcibly enters Gerrard’s room. There is a revolver in his hand. His intentions are evil. He threatens to kill Gerard. But Gerrard talks pleasantly to him. The intruder is surprised. He thinks that Gerrard is playing a trick. He tells him to stop playing smart. He boasts that he is intelligent. He threatens Gerard, “I’ll make you crawl.” But the subsequent happening shows that an intruder is a foolish person. Instead of making Gerard crawl, he finds himself shut in a cupboard in the end. The intruder wanted to know more about Gerrard. But Gerrard makes him talk about himself. He discloses that he is a jewel thief. He has murdered a policeman. Now he is running from the police. He resembles Gerrard. His plan is to kill Gerrard and live in his room under his name. Gerrard guesses rightly that the intruder is not intelligent. He plays a clever game and shuts him in a cupboard. Then he calls the police. Thus the boast of the intruder is proved wrong
Q.3. Gerrard says, “In most melodramas, the villain is foolish enough to delay his killing long enough to be frustrated. Does this statement holds good for the play ‘If I Were You’?
Ans. In most melodramas, the playwright wants to make the hero successful. The villain in the play wants to kill the hero. But he presented as someone who is foolish. He goes on delaying the killing for one reason or the other. In the end, his plans are frustrated and the hero is able to get the better of him. The same thing holds good of this play. In this play, the villain is the intruder. He resembles Gerrard. So he wants to kill Gerard and live under his name. He has gathered a lot of information about Gerard. But he does not know that Gerrard is a stage actor. He can act well. Gerrard poses to be pleased on seeing the intruder. He talks to him in a tactful way. He makes the intruder talk about himself Thus he goes on delaying the killing. This gives Gerrard enough time to plan to get rid of him. In the end, the intruder’s plan of killing Gerrard is frustrated and he is shut up in a cupboard.
Q.4. The best way to deal with a crisis is not to lose your calm. Discuss this statement with reference to the behaviour of Gerrard in the play.
Ans. A cool person is more successful than a person who loses his temper or acts rashly. In this play, Gerrard saves his life by acting calmly. Moreover, he is able to catch the murderer also. It would not be possible if he lost his calm. An ordinary person is terrified of seeing an intruder with a gun in his hand. He acts foolishly. The person fears that he may not harm him. So, generally, in such cases, the criminal kills his victim. But Gerrard does not lose his calmness and patience. He poses that he is pleased to see the intruder. He talks to him a friendly manner. He makes the criminal talk about himself. This gives Gerrard enough time to plan his line of action. Thus Gerrard was not frightened to see the intruder: This calmness saved his life.
Q.5.Why was Gerrard packing a bag at the beginning of the play? How did it help him to outwit and trap the intruder?
Ans:-Gerrard was packing a bag at the beginning of the play as he had to deliver some props to some theatrical company for rehearsal. When the intruder broke into his cottage and threatened to kill him, Gerrard did not lose his cool. He spontaneously concocted a story that he himself was a criminal and was trying to dodge the police. This story was supported by the bag, the gun, the disguise outfit, false moustaches etc. All this misled the intruder into believing that Gerrard was telling the truth. He was so convinced that he got ready to escape along with Gerrard. He did not doubt him any longer and unsuspectingly did what he was told to, eventually getting trapped. Hence, the bag played an important role in convincing the intruder that Gerrard too was a criminal like him and was preparing to flee when he broke into his cottage.
Q6. Bring out Gerrard’s intelligence, the presence of mind and sense of humour. How did these traits help him outwit the intruder?
Ans:-Being an intelligent person, Gerrard did not show even the slightest of nervousness at the sight of the gun-toting criminal. He knew that his cool-headedness and presence of mind would not only help him to manage the crisis but would also contribute towards unnerving the intruder, who too must be having some fear lurking in his mind. Keeping the atmosphere light and lively with his sense of humour and funny remarks, Gerrard instantly cooked up a story about his criminal background. Convincing the intruder that the police would arrive any minute to nab them, he impressed upon the intruder that they would have to escape immediately. Cleverly, he made him peep into a cupboard saying that it was an escape route. The moment the intruder leaned forward to inspect it, Gerrard pushed him into the cupboard and knocked the revolver out of his hand. He then closed and locked the door. Thus, his intelligence, sense of humour, and presence of mind turned the tables on the intruder.
Q.7.Why did the intruder find Gerrard’s cooked up the story of his criminal background convincing?
Ans:-Far from being gullible the intruder suspected every move of Gerrard. He snubbed him when Gerrard tried to begin a conversation regarding the intruder’s identity and curtly told him to answer only what was asked. However, he unsuspiciously walked into Gerrard’s trap because the latter did not lose his cool and employed his presence of mind to cook up the story that he too was wanted by the police. Actually, Gerrard supported his claim of being a criminal by showing the intruder his bag full of disguise outfits and false moustaches etc. The intruder did not know about the theatrical background of Gerrard and hence found his story convincing. He believed that Gerrard was actually trying to evade the police. Hence, the unsuspecting intruder walked into Gerrard’s trap. This indicates that although he claimed himself to be the smartest person around, he was in fact not very intelligent. He was outwitted by a smarter Gerrard who foiled his evil plan.
Q 8. Imagine you are Gerrard. Write a letter to your friend describing what happened when the intruder broke into your house. (Textual, Modified)
You may describe:
- the intruder’s appearance
- his way of speaking, mannerism and movement
- his plan to evade the law
- your success in outwitting him
Ans:-
(Address)
(Date)
Dear ……….
Today I am feeling extremely excited to share with you a very interesting experience which I think may form the plot for my next play.
It so happened that today, in the afternoon, when I was about to leave my cottage with my bag to supply props and make-up at the Globe Theatre, I heard somebody hit against the table in my room. On turning, I saw a man with a physique like mine, wearing a very gaudy overcoat. Aiming his gun at me, he told me in an uncultured manner to put my “paws up”. He did not. shoot me at once because he needed some information about me. He told me that he had killed a cop and was having a difficult time dodging the police. He wanted to kill me and take up my identity to escape arrest.
But will you believe it that I foiled his plan by outwitting him through a concocted story? I maintained my cool and told him that I myself was a criminal charged with murder. I warned him that if he assumed my identity after killing me, he would still be arrested and executed. I told him that I was expecting an alert call from one of my friends, and just then the phone rang. Actually, the call was from one of my clients at the theatre who wanted confirmation about the props that I had assured to supply.
My story worked perfectly and when I offered the man to escape with me in my car, he agreed readily. I asked him to peep into the cupboard which I claimed was connected to the garage and the secret escape route. When he learned to peep, I pushed him in the cupboard, snatched his gun, and locked him.
I then answered the phone and asked the caller to send the sergeant to arrest the criminal.
I’m sure you too will find this a smart enough act to be used as a plot for the next play. We can plan the details when we meet on Sunday.
Your loving friend
Gerrard
Q.9.The intruder’s plan was clever but not feasible. Do you agree? Give reasons in support of your answer.
Ans:-On the face of it, the intruder’s plan to kill Gerrard and assume his identity appeared to be a very clever one. However, its execution was not a feasible one. In the first place, had Gerrard been killed, the disposal of his body would have created problems for the intruder and there are chances that his crime would have been detected and he would have been caught. If by chance, he could have managed to deal with this part of the drama, suspicions would have risen in the minds of his theatrical clients on being unable to contact Gerrard. They would have certainly sought help from the police in this regard and eventually, the intruder would have been arrested. Hence, the plan of the intruder, however perfect according to him, was not a feasible one. Theoretically, it appeared simple and fool-proof but it was far too complicated in reality to be carried out flawlessly.
QUICK REVIEW OF THE CHAPTER If I Were You
1. Who was the intruder?
(A) a thief (B) a criminal
(C) a priest (D) a soldier
Ans. (B) a criminal
2. Who did Gerrard live with?
(A) his wife (B) his son
(C) hiS friend (D) alone
Ans. (D) alone
3. What did the intruder have in his hand?
(A) a revolver (B) a knife
(C) an iron rod (D) none of the above
Ans. (A) a revolver
4. How did Gerrard behave to see the intruder with a revolver in his hand?
(A) he started crying (B) he remained calm
(C) he was nervous (D) he Has fainted
Ans. (B) he remained calm
5. Who did the intruder want to get information?
(A) Gerrard (B) the police
(C) himself (D) all of the above
Ans. (A) Gerrard
6.According to Gerrard who comes to visit him?
(A) the banker (B) the greengrocer
(C) the milkman (D) all of the above
Ans. (D) all of the above
7. What does the intruder say about his speciality?
(A) murder (B) kidnapping
(C) jewel robbery (D) all of the above
Ans. (C) jewel robbery
8. What was the intruder’s plan?
(A) to kill Gerrard and disguise himself as Gerrard (B) to rob Gerard
(C) to stay with Gerrard (D) all of the above
Ans. (A) to kill Gerrard and disguise himself as Gerrard
9. What was the intruder already wanted for?
(A) theft (B) robbery
(C) murder (D) kidnapping
Ans. (C) murder
10.According to Gerrard who was luckier than most melodramatic villains.
(A) Gerrard (B) the intruder
(C) both A and B (D) none of the above
Ans. (B) the intruder
11. What was Gerrard’s full name?
(A) Bill Gerrard (B) William Gerrard
(C) Henry Gerrard (D) Vincent Charles Gerrard
Ans. (D) Vincent Charles Gerard
12. What did Gerrard do to the intruder?
(A) he killed him (B) he knocked him down
(C) he locked him up in a cupboard (D) all of the above
Ans. (C) he locked him up in a cupboard
13. Do you think Gerrard was actually a murderer?
(A) Yes (B) No
(C) Maybe (D) Not known
Ans. (B) No
14. Who was cleverer?
(A) Gerard (B) Intruder
(C) Sergeant (D) all of the above
Ans. (A) Gerrard
15. Who is the author of the lesson ‘If I Were You’?
(A) Vikram seth (B) Douglas James
(C) A.P.J. Abdul Kalam (D) Jawaharlal Nehru
Ans. (B) Douglas James
