Answer the questions

b.      What did the narrator think the unusual sound was?

At first, the narrator thought the unusual sound was a burglar. Later he felt it was a ghost.

c.       What were the various sounds the brothers heard when they went downstairs?

When they went downstairs the brothers heard the footsteps circling the dining-room table like a man running and it started up the stairs towards them.

d.      Who were the narrator’s neighbours ?

Mr. Bodwell and his wife were the narrator’s neighbours.

e.       How did the Bodwells react, when a shoe was thrown into their house?

When a shoe was thrown into their house, Mr. Bodwell was shouting angrily. Mrs. Bodwell said that they would sell the house and move to Peoria.

f.       What did the Bodwells think when they heard the mother shout?

The Bodwell’s thought that there was a burglar in their house.

g.      What was the grandfather wearing?

The grandfather was wearing a long flannel nightgown over long woolen pants, a nightcap, and a leather jacket around his chest.

h.      What conclusions did grandfather jump to when he saw the cops?

Grandfather thought that the cops were the deserters from General Meade’s army.

i.        Were the policemen willing to leave the house?

No, the policemen were not willing to leave the house.

j.        What made the reporter gaze at the author?

A. Answer the following questions in a sentence or two.

1.           Why was the narrator sorry to have paid attention to the footsteps?

The narrator was sorry because his imagination of considering his Grandfather as a ghost

2.           Why did Herman and the author slam the doors?

Herman and the author slammed the door because of their fear of the ghost.

3.           What woke up the mother?

Slamming of the doors by the narrator and his brother woke up their mother.

4.           What do you understand by the mother’s act of throwing the shoe?

Author’s mother did not want to take risk by getting down. At the same time, she wanted the police to come there. So, she threw the shoe at neighbour’s home to seek help.

5.           Why do you think Mrs. Bodwell wanted to sell the house?

Mrs. Bodell wanted to sell the house because she was disturbed often.

6.           How did the cops manage to enter the locked house?

The cops broke the front door. Thus they manged to enter the locked house.

7.           Why were the policeman prevented from entering grandfather's room?

Grandfather mistook the police as General Meade’s men who were retreating. With that thinking, he harmed them. So, the police were prevented.to enter grandfather’s room.

8.           Who used the zither and how?

The narrator’s pet Guinea pig used the zither. It used to sleep on it.

9.           Mention the things that the grandfather imagined.

Grandfather imagined that the cops were General Meade’s men. He thought that they were beginning to retreat and even desert

B. Answer the following questions in about 100-150 words.

1.           Describe the funny incident that caused the confusion in the house.

Prose : THE NIGHT THE GHOST GOT IN

Author : James Grover Thurber

Theme : Chaos in the house

Characters : The narrator’s family, Mrs. Bodwell, Joe, Reporter, Herman

Outline : Narrator - strange sound - thought - burglar or ghost - Mother - seek help -Bodwell - called police- Grandfather misunderstood - General Meade’s men - shot - grand father - walked - for water

It was about a quarter past one o’ clock in the morning. The narrator was in the bathroom. He heard a strange sound. He was scared. He thought it was a burglar or a ghost. So, he went to his brother, Herman’s room. They came out and looked downstairs. Nothing was there. They heard the footsteps circling the dining-room table like a man running and it started up the stairs towards them. So they rushed to their rooms and slammed the doors. The narrator’s mother was aroused by the sound. They thought that there was a burglar in the house. So she threw her shoe at their neighbour, Mr.Bodwell’s window to seek help. Mr. Bodwell called the police. When the police broke into the door, the narrator’s grandfather mistook them as General Meade’s men who were retreating. So he grabbed the gun from them and shot at the police. The police left the house empty handed finally. Next morning, grandfather told that he came to the dining room for water, the previous night. These are the incidents that caused the confusion in the house.

ESSAY

• Introduction 

• A strange sound

• Call for the police

• Entry of the police

• Mystery behind the chaos

• Conclusion

Introduction

James Grover Tburber was an American cartoonist, best known for his cartoons and short stories. This lesson clearly tells that too much of imagination will, mislead the situation. Though the theme is trivial, the story provokes all elements of a horror drama.

A strange sound

It was about a quarter past one o’ clock in the morning. The narrator was in the bathroom. He heard a strange sound. He was scared. He thought it was a burglar or a ghost. So, he went to his brother Herman’s room. They came out and looked downstairs. Nothing was there. They heard the footsteps circling the dining-room table like a man running and it started up the stairs towards them. So they rushed to their rooms and slammed the doors.

Call for the police

Their mother was aroused by the sound. They thought that there was a burglar in the house. So she threw her shoe at their neighbour Mr.Bodwell’s window to seek help. Mr. Bodwell called the police.

Entry of the police

When the police broke open the door, the narrator’s grandfather mistook them as General Meade’s men who were retreating. So he grabbed the gun from them and shot at the police. The police left the house empty handed finally.

Mystery behind the chaos

The next morning grandfather told that he had walked in the kitchen to have some water the previous night.

Conclusion

It finally becomes clear that the narrator mistook his grandfather walking in the dark for a burglar and then a ghost. Their imagination rewarded them a sleepless night of chaotic activities.

Moral: What you see can be a lie; what you hear can be a lie;

what you investigate is real/true

2.           Narrate the extensive search operation made by the policemen in the house.

Prose : THE NIGHT THE GHOST GOT IN

Author : James Grover Thurber

Theme : Supernatural

Characters : Mr. Bodwell, Mrs. Bodwell, Joe, Reporter, Herman

Prose outline : police broke - opened - main door- search - operation - ruined - spilled - objects - drawers- furniture- ransacked - tom - suitcase- zither - Guinea pig - sleep-Chaos -grandfather misunderstood - deserters of general Meade’s army- grab -shot - Pitty - old man- great disappointment- cops - empty handed

The narrator and his family heard a strange sound at his home. They thought that there was a burglar in the house. They called for the police with the help of their neighbour. The police broke open the main door. During the search, the police ruined the whole house. They spilled all the things from the drawers, the windows were shut up and pulled down, furniture fell with dull thumps. The floor was ransacked and clothes were tom. While pulling a suitcase, they found a zither. Five or six policemen sprang for the attic door, where the narrator’s grandfather was sleeping. Chaos came when Grandfather mistook the police as General Meade’s men who were retreating. He managed to grab a gun from the police and shot at them. It led to crack the rafters. Smoke filled the attic. They all finally got downstairs and locked the door against the grandfather. It was a pity that the police could not get the gun from the old man. With great disappointment, the cops left the home empty handed.

ESSAY 

• Introduction

• Search of the police

• Chaos in the attic

• Disappointed policemen

• Conclusion

Introduction

The narrator and his family heard a strange sound at his home. They thought that there was a burglar in the house. They called for the police with the help of their neighbour.

Search of the police

The police broke open the main door. During the search, the police ruined the whole house. They spilled all the objects from the drawers, the windows were shot up and pulled down, furniture fell with dull thumps. The floor was ransacked and clothes were tom. While pulling a suitcase, they found a zither

Chaos in the attic

Five or six policemen sprang for the attic door where the narrator’s grandfather was sleeping. Chaos came when Grandfather mistook the police as General Meade’s men who were retreating. He managed to grab a gun from the police and shot at them. It led to crack the rafters. Smoke filled the attic.

Disappointed policemen

They all finally got downstairs and locked the door against the grandfather. It was a pity that the police could not get the gun from the old man. With great disappointment, the cops left the home empty handed.

Conclusion