Oru Manushyan Questions and Answers

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Comprehension I

1. How far was the big city from the narrator’s home-town?

Ans: The city was some thousand five hundred miles from home.

2. Where did the narrator stay in the big city?

Ans: The narrator stayed in a very small, dingy room on a dirty street.

3. For money, people would do anything, even ......................... . (Fill in the blank.)

Ans: commit murder.

4. What was the narrator doing to earn a living?

Ans: The narrator was teaching English to some migrant labourers.

5. .................. was considered great education there.

Ans: b. Learning to write an address in English.

6. What reason did the narrator give for sleeping all day and having food in the evening?

Ans: The reason was to save the expense of drinking his morning tea or eating the noon meal.

7. How much money did the narrator have in his pocket as his life’s savings?

Ans: The narrator had fourteen rupees.

8. The man who came forward to pay the narrator’s bill was

Ans: a. a man with a red turban.

Comprehension II

1. Describe the people and the place where the incident took place.

Ans: The story “Oru Manushyan” is written by Vaikom Muhammed Basheer, an Indian writer who wrote in Malayalam language. He was a writer, humanist, freedom fighter, novelist and short story writer. His stories have been translated into English and various other Indian languages. In the story the narrator stayed in quite a big city in the valley of a mountain, some thousand five hundred miles from home. The inhabitants there were very cruel. They hardly understood the importance of the quality of mercy. Murder, robbery, pick-pocketing were daily occurrences. By tradition the people were professional soldiers. Some of them went to distant places and lent out money on interest. Many others served as watchmen in the banks, mills and large commercial establishments in big cities. Money was highly valued by them and they would do anything for it. They would even not hesitate to commit a murder.

2. What was the routine of the narrator in the city?

Ans: The narrator stayed in that city teaching English to some migrant labourers. He taught them how to write addresses in English. His routine would begin at 4 p.m. He would sleep all day and wake up at four in the evening to save the expense of drinking his morning tea. Then he would finish his daily chores and step out for his tea and a meal. He would teach the migrant labourers from nine- thirty till eleven in the night.

3. Give an account of the embarrassing experience of the narrator at the restaurant.

A stranger saved the day for the narrator. How?

One day the narrator got up at 4 p.m. as usual, finished his daily chores and walked out for his tea and a meal. He was in a suit. He had fourteen rupees in his wallet. He entered a crowded restaurant and ate a full meal consisting of chapatis and meat curry. He drank tea as well. The bill came to eleven annas. When he checked his pocket to pay, the wallet was not there. His pocket was picked. He tried to explain it to the owner of the restaurant. But, he did not believe in it. He threatened to gouge his eyes out. He then asked the narrator to take off his coat, shirts, shoes and then the trousers as well. It was really embarrassing. The narrator said he had nothing. Everyone started laughing. Then, he started unbuttoning. Exactly then, he heard a voice, ‘Stop’. I shall pay the money!’ There stood a fair-complexioned man, six foot tall, with a red turban and white trousers. He sported a handle-bar moustache and had blue eyes. He paid the amount. The narrator thanked him and asked him for his name. He replied that he had no name. Then at a deserted bridge the stranger took out five wallets from his various pockets. One of them belonged to the narrator. The money was intact. Thus he was saved from the harrowing experience.

III.

1. Does this story talk about transformation in a person? Discuss.

Do you think the restaurant keeper was overreacting when the narrator could not pay the bill? If so, what accounts for his behaviour?

The story “Oru Manushyan” is written by Vaikom Muhammed Basheer, an Indian writer who wrote in Malayalam language. He was a writer, humanist, freedom fighter, novelist and short story writer. His down-to-earth style of writing made him very popular. His stories have been translated into English and various other Indian languages.

This story talks about the quality of mercy which is evoked even in the wickedest hearts who often seem to be hard and cruel. We notice such a transformation in a man in the story.

One day the narrator got up at 4 p.m. as usual, finished his daily chores and walked out for his tea and a meal. He was in a suit. He had fourteen rupees in his wallet. He entered a crowded restaurant and ate a full meal consisting of chapatis and meat curry. He drank tea as well. The bill came to eleven annas. When he checked his pocket to pay, the wallet was not there. His pocket was picked. He tried to explain it to the owner of the restaurant. But, he did not believe in it. He threatened to gouge his eyes out. The owner was rather overreacting because normally one would not stoop to this level. He then asked the narrator to take off his coat, shirts, shoes and then the trousers as well. It was really embarrassing. The narrator said he had nothing. Everyone started laughing. Then, he started unbuttoning. Exactly then, he heard a voice, ‘Stop’. I shall pay the money!’ There stood a fair-complexioned man, six foot tall, with a red turban and white trousers. He sported a handle-bar moustache and had blue eyes. He paid the amount. The narrator thanked him and asked him for his name. He replied that he had no name. Then at a deserted bridge the stranger took out five wallets from his various pockets. One of them belonged to the narrator. The money was intact. Thus he was saved from the harrowing experience. The pickpocket felt empathy towards the narrator suffering untold humiliation and eventually came to the rescue. Thus, there was a transformation in the man.

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