12th English Unit 1 Prose Solution Guide - Two Gentlemen of Verona

12TH ENGLISH UNIT 1 TWO GENTLEMEN OF VERONA - PROSE ANSWERS

1. Answer the following questions in one or two sentences each based on your understanding of the story. (Text page : 5)

a) Who did the narrator meet at the outskirts of Verona?

The narrator met the two boys named Nicola and Jacopo at the outskirts of Verona.

b) Why did the driver not approve of the narrator buying fruits from the boys? The driver did not approve of the narrator buying fruits from the boys because they sold wild strawberries and they looked very dirty.

c) The boys did not spend much on clothes and food. Why?

The boys did not spend much on clothes and food because they had to pay money to the treatment. for their sister.

d) Were the boys saving money to go the States? How do you know?

No, the boys were not saving money to go to the States. I know from Nicola's words that he would love to go but they had other plans.

e) Why did the author avoid going to Lucia's room?

The author avoided going to Lucia's room because he did not want to interfere in the privacy of the boys. Moreover the boys were not willing to disclose the secrets with the author.

f) What was Lucia suffering from?

Lucia was suffering from Tuberculosis

g) What made the boys join the resistance movement against the Germans? (PTA3)

The Germans made Jacopo and Nicola fatherless and homeless. The boys' miscries made them join the resistance movement against the Germans.

h) What made the boys work so hard?

The boys sister was suffering from tuberculosis. The two boys had to work very hard to pay the hospital fee for their sister. This made the boys to work so hard.

i) Why didn't the boys disclose their problem to the author?

The boys didn't want their problem to be known to others. They were self reliant. So they did not disclose their problem to the author.

2. Answer the following questions in three or four sentences each. (Text page: 5)

a) Describe the appearance of Nicola and Jacopo. (PTA 1.6)

Nicola and Jacopo were two brothers. They wore shabby clothes. They had their brown skins, tangled hair and dark earnest eyes. They were childlike.

b) What were the various jobs undertaken by the little boys?

The little boys shined shoes. They sold fruits, hawked newspapers and conducted tourists round the town. They also ran errands.

c) How did the narrator help the boys on Sunday?

The narrator helped the boys on Sunday by taking them to Poleta in his car driving himself.

d) Who took the author to the cubicle?

The nurse took the author to the cubicle.

e) Describe the girl with whom the boys were talking to in the cubicle.

The girl seemed to be twenty years old. She listened to her brothers' chatter. She was gentle. She resembled both Nicola and Jacopo.

f) Recount the untold sufferings undergone by the siblings after they were rendered homeless.

After the siblings were rendered homeless, they lived among rubble for months. They had exposure to the cold winter. Their sister was suffering from tuberculosis of spine.

g) The narrator did not utter a word and preferred to keep the secret to himself. Why?

Substantiate the statement with reference to the story. The narrator did not utter a word and preferred to keep the secret to himself because the boys did not disclose about their sister to the author. They considered him a stranger.

3. Answer the following in a paragraph of 100–150 words each. (Text page: 5)

a) What was the driving force that made the boys do various jobs?

 Before the war, Nicola, Jacopo and their sister-Lucia had a cultured family. They always led a

comfortable and respectable life. Their father was a famous singer. He was killed in the early part of the war. A bomb destroyed their home. So, they were rendered homeless. They lived among rubble for months. They had exposure to the cold winter. The boys grew to hate the Germans. When the resistance movement started, they joined it. Their sister was suffering from tuberculosis of spine. She was admitted at hospital in Poleta. So they decided to earn money to pay for the medical expenses. They did various jobs to meet out these expenses. The blend of young boys’ love towards their sister and their continuous miseries was the driving force that made the boys do various jobs.

b) How was the family affected by the war?

 Before the war, Nicola, Jacopo and their sister Lucia had a cultured family. They always led a comfortable and respectable life. Their father was a famous singer. He was killed in the early part of the war. A bomb destroyed their home. So, they were rendered homeless. They lived among rubble for months. They had exposure to the cold winter. They suffered from starvation. The boys grew to hate the Germans. When the resistance movement started, they joined it. Their sister was suffering from tuberculosis of spine. She was admitted at hospital in Poleta.

c) Write a character sketch of Nicola and Jacopo. (PTA 4)

Nicola: Nicola was 13 years old. He wore shabby dress. He had brown skins, tangled hair and dark earnest eyes. Nicola’s smile was steady and engaging. There was seriousness in his boyish face .He answered the narrator’s few questions. He took care of his younger brother kindly. He did not disclose his problems to the narrator. He was self-reliant. He disliked troubling others with any plea. He was very affectionate to his sister –Lucia. She was suffering from tuberculosis of spine. He worked hard with his brother to pay her sister’s medical treatment fee. He met his sister every weekend. He was more matured than his brother.

Jacopo: Jacopo was 12 years old. He wore shabby dress. He had brown skins, tangled hair and dark earnest eyes. Jacopo was lively as a squirrel. There was seriousness in his boyish face. He was taken care fondly by his brother- Nicola. He requested the narrator to drive them off to Poleta, when he was asked any help. Both brother’s had more self pride and self respect. They faced more miseries even during childhood. So, they were more matured. The narrator wanted to help them but they refused except going in his car to Poleta. The narrator wanted to know about their plans behind earning money. But they told nothing to him. It may be because they trusted no one or they were self reliant.

d) What message is conveyed through the story “Two Gentlemen of Verona”?

 “Two Gentlemen of Verona” is a story of two young brothers. The two brothers were selfless, kind and hard-working. They sacrificed their boyhood joy for their sister. They were the victims of war. The invasion of the Germans devastated their family, killed their father and orphaned the three. Then, they were about to starve and became homeless. They had to look after their ailing sister Lucia. War had strengthened their attitude to life. They were graceful, dignified and smooth in moving with others. They showed sense of integrity and maturity to others. They teach us to be devoted which justifies ‘Fortune always favours the brave’ and ‘Tough times never last but tough people do’. So the message conveyed to us through the story is, ‘love, devotion, sacrifice, sincerity and maturity never last soon but last long’.

e) Justify the title of the story “Two Gentlemen of Verona”.

 One who is simple, innocent, loyal, respectful, humane, law-abiding, hard-working, honest, soft-spoken etc is a gentleman. In this story, “Two Gentlemen of Verona”, the two orphaned boys Jacopo and Nicola possess the above qualities. They had lived with their father- a widower and with their sister, Lucia. During the German invasion, their home was destroyed by a bomb. Their father was killed in a war. Their sister was suffering from Tuberculosis. So she was hospitalized. They sold wild strawberries, shined shoes, hawked newspapers, conducted tourists round the town and also ran errands for the tourists. Thus they earned money and paid for their ailing sister. They never earned for themselves. Love towards their sister, sacrifice of childhood joy and dedication towards work attracted the author to call the boys ‘Gentlemen’.

f) Adversity brings out the best as well as the worst in people. Elucidate this statement with reference to the story.

 In “Two Gentlemen of Verona”, adversity brings out the best as well as the worst in two brothers namely Nicola and Jacopo. Generally, boys during childhood, love playing. The two brothers are not able to think about fun. They are made responsible at young age. They experience more problems. They are not able to eat and dress properly. So adversity has brought out the worst in the brothers. Both the brothers have been lifted to noteworthy level due to adversity. They attract the narrator through their great manners. They are willing to sacrifice their life for their sister. Had they not faced adversity, they would not have been more matured. Because of adversity, they show their affection and hard-working attitude. Adversity initiated them to be more hopeful of betterment in life. They behaved like gentlemen. So the author was happy to call them Gentlemen. Hence, adversity has the power to bring out both the best as well as the worst in people.

g) Which character do you like the most in the story and why?

 Of the characters mentioned in this short story, I like Nicola the more because he looked matured, gentle, genteel, humane, moral, uncomplaining, lovable, devoted, etc. He was the elder of the two orphaned siblings. He was more matured than his brother. He was 13 years old. He wore shabby dress. He had brown skins, tangled hair and dark earnest eyes. Nicola’s smile was steady and engaging. There was seriousness in his boyish face .He answered the narrator’s few questions. He was kind to his younger brother and elder sister. He did not disclose his problems to the narrator. He was self-reliant. He disliked troubling others with any plea. He was very affectionate to his sister –Lucia. She was suffering from tuberculosis of spine. He worked hard with his brother to pay his sister’s medical treatment fee. He met his sister every weekend.