Answer the questions

WHILE READING QUESTIONS:

a. When did Aditya leave the local school?

Aditya left the local school after he had passed the matriculation examination.

b. Why did Aditya think that the school would not be recognisable?

Aditya was going to visit the school after twenty nine years. The school may have undergone many changes in these years. So he thought that the school would not be recognizable.

c. Who were Aditya’s ancestors?

• Aditya’s ancestors were zamindars.

d. How was the landscape through which they travelled?

The landscape was spotted with paddy fields on either side of the road.

e. What did Aditya visit?

f. Where was Nagen uncle’s shop?

Nagen uncle’s shop was next to a grocery shop and opposite to Lord Shiva’s temple.

g. Besides tea, what did Nagen uncle have in his shop?

Besides tea, Nagen uncle had biscuits and savouries in his shop.

h. What did Nagen uncle tell about Sanyal?

Nagen uncle told that Sanyal could not hear and see well and he had no money to buv spectacles.

i. In what way was Mr. Sanyal’s behaviour strange?

Mr. Sanyal suddenly stood up, stretched himself and raised his lean right arm. With eyes dilated, he began to recite the poem ‘Panraksha’ ('Keeping of a Promise’) by Tagore. In this way, his behaviour was strange.

j. What did Nagen uncle tell about Sanyal’s past life?

Nagen uncle told that Sanyal led a cursed life. He had sold his lands for 'm daughter’s marriage and lost his wife and only soft the year before.

k.  How did Sanyal show that he had a sense of self-respect?

l ) Why was the attic 4a favourite place’ for the children?

The attic was a favourite place for the children because they seem to be in a world or their own.

m) What did Aditya do on reaching the attic?

On reaching the attic, Aditya pushed his hand inside the ventilator and searched for something(the medal).

l. What did the jeweller say about the article?

The jeweller said that the article was an antique.

o) Was Sanyal happy about his visitors?

No. Sanyal was not happy about his visitors.

p) Why did Sanyal recite the poem in the tea shop earlier?

Sanyal recited the poem so that Aditya could remember and recognize him and feel his mistake.

q) What was engraved on the medal?

The words ‘Sriman Sasanka Sanyal - Special Prize for Recitation -1948’ was clear? engraved on the medal.

A. Answer the following questions in two or three sentences.

1.           Write a few lines about the owner of the shop.

The owner of the tea shop was over sixty. He was rustic in appearance with white neatly combed hair and clean look. He was wearing a dhoti and a blue striped shir* under a green shawl.

2.           What was the daily routine of Sanyal?

Sanyal went to the tea shop and had tea and biscuits there. He never failed to pay for them. This was the daily routine of Sanyal.

3.           Why was there a sudden change in Aditya’s expression?

When Sanyal recited the poem, Aditya could recognise that the man was Sanyal whom he had deceived a long time ago. He felt his mistake. So there was a sudden change in his expression.

4.           Why did Aditya decide to visit his ancestral home?

Initially, Aditya decided to visit his ancestral home trying to revive his old childhood memories. After seeing Sanyal, he decided to go there to get the medal he once stole from Sanyal.

5.           What was the condition of the attic?

The wall of the attic had crumbled down. In the whole house, the attic had been the worst hit by wind and weather. The floor was strewn with twigs, straw and pigeon droppings.

6.           When did Aditya heave a sigh of relief? Why?

When Aditya had got the medal in the attic, he heaved a sigh of relief. Twenty nine years ago, Aditya had stolen it from Sanyal and kept it in the attic. Now he felt guilty and wanted to return it to Sanyal. It was safe till then.

7.           Why did Aditya and his friend go to the jeweller?

Aditya and his friend went to the jeweller to find out the weight of Sanyal’s medal. They wanted to know the value so that Aditya could pay Sanyal the money for the medal.

8.           What did Aditya offer Sanyal?

Aditya offered Sanyal a sum of one hundred and fifty rupees.

9.           “Your grievances are absolutely justified.” Who says this to whom? Why?

Aditya says to Sanyal, “Your grievances are absolutely justified.” Aditya felt guilty of stealing Sanyal’s medal. So he justified Sanyal’s anger and grievance.

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

1.           Give a detailed account of all thoughts and questions in the narrator's mind while accompanying Aditya from the tea shop to Sanyal’s house?

Prose  : THE ATTIC

Author  : Satyajit Ray

Theme  : Thoughts and questions in the narrator's mind

Characters : Aditya, Narrator, Nagen uncle and Sanyal

Outline  : Narrator’s visit to Aditya’s home town - Meet with Sanyal - Aditya’s expression - Aditya’s relief - Answers to the narrator’s questions. 

The narrator and Aditya had visited Aditya’s village after twenty nine years. They went to Nagen uncle’s tea shop. They met Sasanka Sanyal there. Sanyal suddenly stood up and began to recite the poem ‘Panraksha’ by Tagore. The narrator doubted that Sanyal was a little crazy. And also, he could notice a sudden change in Aditya’s expression, while hearing Sanyal’s recitation. So he asked Aditya the reason for it, to which he didn’t answer. Aditya inquired Nagen about Sanyal. On their way to go to meet Sanyal again, Aditya expressed his wish to visit his old house. The .narrator asked him whether he really wanted to visit his house. In his house, the narrator witnessed Aditya heaving a sigh of relief, when he had got a medal in the attic. Not knowing the fact, the narrator eagerly asked the reason for it. Aditya did not answer him there as well. Later they went to the jeweller to find out the weight of the medal. The narrator could not understood why Aditya behaved like that. They went to Kabiraj’s house, where Sanyal stayed. Aditya confessed Sanyal for his act of stealing his medal which he got for recitation. Only then, the narrator knew the answers for all the questions in his mind.

ESSAY

• Introduction

• Narrator’s doubt about Sanyal

• Narrator’s observation

• Narrator’s confusion

• Answers to the narrator’s questions

• Conclusion

Introduction:

In the story ‘The Attic’, the narrator and Aditya went to visit Aditya’s village after twenty nine years. While accompanying Adilya from the tea shop to Sanyal’s house, the narrator had lot of thoughts and questions regarding Aditya’s behaviour. Let us see them in detail.

Narrator’s doubt about Sanyal:

They met Sasanka Sanyal in the Nagen uncle’s tea shop. Sanyal suddenly stood up and began to recite the.poem ‘Panraksha’ by Tagore. The narrator doubted that Sanyal was a little crazy. 

Narrator’s observation:

The narrator could notice a sudden change in Aditya’s expression, while hearing Sanyal’s recitation. So he asked Aditya the reason for it to which he didn’t answer. Adithya inquired Nagen about Sanyal.

Narrator’s confusion:

On their way to meet Sanyal again, Aditya expressed his wish to visit his old house. The narrator asked him whether he really wanted to visit his house. In his house, the narrator witnessed Aditya heaving a sigh of relief, when he had got a medal in the attic. Not knowing the fact, the narrator eagerly asked the reason for it. Aditya did not answer him there as well. 

Answers to the narrator’s questions:

Later they went to the jeweller to find out the weight of the medal. The narrator could not understood why Aditya behaved like that. They went to Kabiraj’s house where Sanyal stayed. Aditya confessed Sanyal for his act of stealing his medal which he got for recitation.

Conclusion:

Only then, the narrator knew the answers for all the questions in his mind.

Moral: Some times questions are complicated, and answers are simple.

2.           ‘Man does change with time’-What were the various changes that came about in Aditya?

Prose : THE ATTIC

Author : Satyajit Ray

Theme : Man does change with time

Characters : Aditya, Narrator, Nagen uncle and Sanyal

Prose outline : Aditya’s visit to his home town - Aditya met Sanyal - Aditya’s expression - Twenty nine years ago - Sanyal’s anger - Aditya’s change

Aditya and the narrator went to visit Aditya’s village after twenty nine years. They went to Nagen uncle’s tea shop. They met Sasanka Sanyal there. On seeing them, Sanyal began to recite the poem ‘Panraksha’ by Tagore. Aditya inquired Nagen about Sanyal. He could recognise that the man was Sanyal who he had deceived a long time ago. So there was a sudden change in his expression. He felt his guilt. Once Aditya was jealous of Sanyal, when Sanyal got a medal for recitation of Tagore’s poem. Then Aditya took the medal from Sanyal to show his father and never returned it. When Sanyal demanded his medal, Aditya replied that he had missed it. Aditya remembered all these. But Sanyal got angry with Aditya. Aditya justified Sanyal’s anger and grievance, since he committed the mistake. Now he wanted to prove that he was not the same as he had been earlier. He said to Sanyal that man changes with time. Aditya too changed and realized his mistake. So he gave Sanyal the cost of the medal one hundred and fifty rupees. As Sanyal refused, Aditya handed over the silver medal to him and proved that he has changed with time.

ESSAY

• Introduction

• Narrator’s visit to Aditya’s home town

• Meet with Sanyal 

• Aditya’s expression 

• Twenty nine years ago 

• Sanyal’s anger 

• Aditya’s change

3.           Give a brief character sketch of Sasanka Sanyal.

Prose : THE ATTIC

Author : Satyajit Ray

Theme : Character sketch of Sasanka Sanyal

Characters : Aditya, Narrator, Nagen uncle and Sanyal

Prose outline : Author Introduction - Sanyal’s life - Sanyal’s self respect.- Sanyal’s recognition - Sanyal’s innocence - Sanyal’s self esteem

Sasanka Sanyal led a cursed life, He sold his lands and his house for his daughter’s marriage. He lost his wife and only son the year before. He was forced to stay in Jogesh Kabiraj’s house who was his father’s friend. In spite of his suffering, he showed his sense of self respect by paying money for his tea and biscuits in the tea shop. He recognised Aditya at the tea shop itself. He recited the poem for which he got the medal. He recited it so that Aditya could remember and recognize him. He could not forgive Aditya, who never returned the silver medal. Sanyal became helpless due to old age and poverty. He was a man of innocence who expressed his grievances politely. He admitted that he got angry at the tea shop. Finally he acknowledged that he could not control his anger and behaved indifferently. He did not accept the money for his medal from Aditya. He frankly asked Aditya that he Wanted his medal back. For him, the silver medal and the recognition were more valuable than anything else. Though Sanyal suffered a lot, he proved that he had an acute sense of self-respect.

ESSAY

• Introduction

• Sanyal’s life

• Sanyal’s self respect

• Sanyal’s remeniscences

• Sanyal’s innocence

• Sanyal’s dignity

• Conclusion

Introduction:

In the story ‘The Attic’, the narrator pictured the genuine character of a poor village man Sasanka Sanyal. Let us see it.

Sanyal’s life:

Sasanka Sanyal led a cursed life. He sold his lands and his house for his daughter’s marriage. He lost his wife and only son the year before. He was forced to stay in Jogesh Kabiraj’s house who was his father’s friend.

Sanyal’s self respect:

Sanyal showed his sense of self respect by paying money for his tea and biscuits in the tea shop.

Sanyal’s remeniscences :

He has not forgotten the unpleasant incidents of the past. He recognised Aditya at the tea shop and recited the poem that he recited on the prize-giving day. He recited it so that Aditya could remember and recognize him. He could not forgive. Aditya who never returned the silver medal.

Sanyal’s innocence:

Sanya! became helpless due to old age and poverty. He was a man of innocence who expressed his grievances politely. He admitted that he got angry at the tea shop. Finally he acknowledged that he could not control his anger and behaved indifferently.

Sanyal’s dignity’:

He did not accept the money for his medal from Aditya. He frankly asked Aditya that he wanted his medal back. For him, the silver medal and the recognition were more valuable than anything else.  '

Conclusion:

Thougn Sanyal suffered a lot, he proved that he had an acute sense of self-respect.

Moral: Self-respect is the root of discipline.