TS Board Telangana SCERT Class 9 English Solutions Unit 7C Mahatma Gandhi, Pushed out of Train Textbook Questions and Answers.
TS 9th Class English Guide Unit 7C Mahatma Gandhi, Pushed out of Train
Questions and Answers:
Answer the following questions.
Question 1.
Why was Gandhi puzzled when, he heard that there were no coloured attorneys in South Africa?
Answer:
The European’s remark that there were no coloured attorneys in South Africa was insulting to Gandhi. He travelled widely in England and he always travelled first calss. In spite of his possession of a ticket he was not allowed to travel. He never knew that people were discriminated on the basis of colour.
Question 2.
How did the conductor address Gandhi?
Answer:
The conductor addressed Gandhi ‘coolie’ when he first saw him in the first class compartment.
Question 3.
The porter who was talking to Gandhi suddenly stopped talking without completing his sentence. What was he frightened of? If he had not seen the conductor, what would he have said?
Answer:
The porter stopped talking without completing the sentence as he saw the European and the conductor coming towards the compartment. He was frightened of being scolded by the conductor or the European. If they saw him talking to Gandhi, they might cancel his porter license. If he had not seen the conductor he would have told Gandhi how impossible it was for an Indian to get a ticket in a first class compartment and about the discrimination against the coloured people in South Africa.
Question 4.
Why was Gandhi thrown out of the train?
Answer:
Gandhi was a coloured man. Even though, he was an attorney, he was not expected to travel in a first class compartment just because he was a coloured man. Gandhi did not follow the instructions of the conductor and did not go out of the compartment. So, Gandhi was thrown out of the compartment.
Question 5.
If you were in Gandhi’s place, how would you react?
Answer:
If I were in Gandhiji’s place, I would do just what Gandhi did because it is inhuman to send a man out of the compartment because of the colour of the skin.
(Or)
I were in Gandhi’s place, I would simply obey what the conductor had told him. I would not argue with them, because that was not my place and the people were not my people. Nobody would come to help in such conditions. So I would make to third class compartment thanking the conductor and the European.
Question 6.
Find out from ‘The Autobiography of Mahatma Gandhi’ of from internet, what did Gandhi do when he was thrown off the train.
Answer:
After Gandhi had been pushed out of the train, he spent the night shivering in the dark waiting room. Gandhi took this experience to heart and decided that it would be cowardice to mn back to India without fulfilling his obligation and he would fight against such injustices.
The next day he travelled by stage-coach to Johannesburg. But the conductor of that train also insulted Gandhi. Some of the passengers supported Gandhi and made him travel in that train. That night he reached Johannesburg. He spent that night in a merchant’s house. The next day he bought a first class ticket and continued his journey to Pretoria.
In that train also the conductor objected Gandhi to sit in the first class compartment. But with the support of an Englishman, he travelled in that train and reached the place. Gandhi called a meeting of the Indians in Pretoria with the help of an Indian merchant. He appealed the Indians to form a league to fight against the injustices done to Indians. Everybody agreed to Gandhi’s proposed. The spirit of Gandhi awakened the Indians in South Africa. On their request Gandhi stayed in South Africa for three years and fought for the rights of the Indians.
Project Work:
Collect one drama!play and list out the characters, their costumes, stage de¬sign, positioning of the characters and the props used for reinforcement. Then get into groups and create stage setting for the screen-play, which you may like to perform on the Republic Day.
Answer:
Note :
Costumes, stage design, positioning of the characters and props are described in the script.
THE BEGGAR AND THE KING
a play in one-act
by Winthrop Parkhurst
CHARACTERS:
THE KING OF A GREAT COUNTRY ‘
HIS SERVANT
A BEGGAR
[A chamber in the palace overlooks a courtyard. The season is midsummer. The windows of the palace are open and from a distance there comes the sound of a man’s voice crying for bread.]
[THE KING sits in a golden chair. A golden crown is on his head, and he holds in his hand a sceptre which is also of gold. A SERVANT stands by his side, fanning him with an enormous fan of peacock feathers.]
The Beggar : (outside) Bread. Bread. Bread. Give me some bread.
The King : (languidly) Who is that crying in the street for bread?
The Servant : (fanning) O king, it is a beggar.
The King : Why does he cry for bread?
The Servant : O king, he cries for bread in order that he may fill his belly.
The King : I do not like the sound of his voice. It annoys me very much. Send him away.
The Servant : (bowing) O king, he has been sent away.
The King : If that is so, then why do I hear his voice?
The Servant : O king, he has been sent away many times, yet each time that he is sent away he returns again, crying louder than he did before.
The King : He is very unwise to annoy me on such a warm day. He must be punished for his impudence. Use the lash on him.
The Servant : O king, it has been done.
The King : Then bring out the spears.
The Servant : O king, the guards have already blooded their swords many times driving him away from the palace gates. But it is of no avail.
The King : Then bind him and gag him if necessary. If need be cut out his tongue. I do not like the sound of the fellow’s voice. It annoys me very much.
The Servant : O king, your orders were obeyed even yesterday.
The King : (frowning) No. That cannot be. A beggar cannot cry for bread who has no tongue. .
The Servant : Behold he can—if he has grown another.
The King : What! Why, men are not given more than one tongue in a hifetime. To have more than one tongue is treason.
The Servant : If it is treason to have more than one tongue, 0 king, then is tihis beggar surely guilty of treason. .
The King : (pompously) The punishment for treason is death. See to it tha t the fel¬low is slain. And do not fan me so languidly. I am very warm.
The Servant : (fanning more rapidly) Behold, 0 great and illustrious king, all your com¬mands were obeyed even yesterday.
The King : How! Do not jest with your king.
The Servant : If I jest, then there is truth in a jest. Even yesterday, 0 king, as I have t old you, the beggar which you now hear crying aloud in the street was slain by your soldiers with a sword.
The King : Do ghosts eat bread? Forsooth, men who have been slain with a swo rd do not go about in the streets crying for a piece of bread.
The Servant : Forsooth, they do if they are fashioned as this beggar.
The King : Why, he is but a man. Surely he cannot have more than one life in a lifetime.
The Servant : Listen to a tale, 0 king, which happened yesterday.
The King : I am listening.
The Servant : Your soldiers smote this beggar for crying aloud in the streets for bread, but his wounds are already healed. They cut out his tongue, but he imme¬diately grew another. They slew him, yet he is now alive.
The King : Ah! that is a tale which I cannot understand at all.
The Servant : O king, it may be well.
The King : I cannot understand what you sayest, either.
The Servant : O king, that may be well also.
The King : You are speaking now in riddles. I do not like riddles. They confuse my brain.
The Servant : Behold, 0 king, if I speak in riddles it is because a riddle has come to pass.
[THE BEGGAR’S voice suddenly cries out loudly.]
The Beggar : (outside) Bread. Bread. Give me some bread.
The King : Ah! He is crying out again. His voice seems to me louder than it was before.
The Servant : Hunger is as food to the lungs, 0 king.
The King : His lungs I will wager are well fed. Ha, ha!
The Servant : But alas! his stomach is quite empty.
The King : That is not my business.
The Servant : Should I not perhaps fling him a crust from the window?
The King : No! To feed a beggar is always foolish. Every crumb that is given to a beggar is an evil seed from which springs another fellow like him. (outside) Bread. Bread. Give me some bread.
The Servant : He seems very hungry, O king.
The King : Yes. So I should judge.
The Servant : If you will not let me fling him, a piece of bread your ears must pay the debts of your hand.
The King : A king can have no debts.
The Servant : That is true, O king. Even so, the noise of this fellow’s begging must annoy you greatly.
The King : It does.
The Servant : Doubtless he craves only a small crust from your table and he would be content.
The King : Yea, doubtless he craves only to be a king and he would be very happy indeed.
The Servant : Do not be hard, O king. You are ever wise and just. This fellow is exceed¬ingly hungry. Dost you not command me to fling him just one small crust from the window?
The King : My commands I have already given you. See that the beggar is driven away.
The Servant : But alas! O king, if he is driven away he will return again even as he did before.
The King : Then see to it that he is slain. I cannot be annoyed with the sound of his voice.
The Servant : But alas! O great and illustrious king, if he is slain he will come to life again even as he did before.
The King : Ah! that is true. But his voice troubles me. I do not like to hear it.
The Servant : His lungs are fattened with hunger. Of a truth they are quite strong.
The King : Well, propose a remedy to weaken them.
The Servant : A remedy. O king?
[He stops fanning.]
The King : That is what I said. A remedy—and do not stop fanning me. I am exceed¬ingly warm.
The Servant : (fanning vigorously) A crust of bread, O king, dropped from yonder win¬dow—forsooth that might prove a remedy.
The King : (angrily) I have said 1 will not give him a crust of bread. If I gave him a crust today he would be just as hungry again tomorrow, and my troubles would be as great as before.
The Servant : That is true, O king. Your mind is surely filled with great learning.
The King : Therefore, some other remedy must be found.
The Servant : O king, the words of your illustrious mouth are as very meat-balls of wis¬dom.
The King : (musing) Now let me consider. You say he does not suffer pain.
The Servant : Therefore he cannot be tortured.
The King : And he will not die—
The Servant : Therefore it is useless to kill him.
The King : Now let me consider. I must think of some other way.
The Servant : Perhaps a small crust of bread, O king—
The King : Ha! I have it. I have it. I myself will order him to stop.
The Servant : (horrified) O king!
The King : Send the beggar here.
The Servant : O king!
The King : Ha! I rather fancy the fellow will stop his noise when the king commands him to. Ha, ha, ha!
The Servant : O king, you will not have a beggar brought into your royal chamber!
The King : (pleased with his idea) Yea. Go outside and tell this fellow that the king desires his presence.
The Servant : O great and illustrious king, you will surely not do this thing. You will surely not soil your royal eyes by looking on such a fill your creature. You will surely not contaminate your lips by speaking to a common beggar who cries aloud in the streets for bread.
The King : My ears have been soiled too much already. Therefore go now and do as I have commanded you.
The Servant : O great and illustrious king, you will surely not—
The King : (roaring at him) I said, Go! (THE SERVANT, abashed, goes out.) Forsooth, I fancy the fellow will stop his bawling when I order him to. Forsooth, I fancy he will be pretty well frightened when he hears that the king desires his presence. Ha, ha, ha, ha!
The Servant : (returning) O king, here is the beggar.
[A shambling creature hung in fill your rags follows THE SERVANT slowly into the royal chamber.]
The King : Ha! A magnificent sight, to be sure. Are you the beggar who has been crying aloud in the streets for bread?
The Beggar : (in a faint voice, after a slight pause) Are you the king?
The King : I am the king.
The Servant : (aside to THE BEGGAR) It is not proper for a beggar to ask a question of a king. Speak only as you are spoken to.
The King : (to THE SERVANT) Do you likewise. (To THE BEGGAR) I have ordered you here to speak to you concerning a very grave matter. You are the beggar, I understand, who often cries aloud in the streets for bread. Now, the complaint of your voice annoys me greatly. Therefore, do not beg any more.
The Beggar : (faintly) I—I do not understand.
The King : I said, do not beg any more.
The Beggar : I—I do not understand.
The Servant : (aside to THE BEGGAR) The king has commanded you not to beg for bread any more. The noise of your voice is as garbage in his ears.
The King : (to THE SERVANT) Ha! An excellent flower of speech. Pin it in your buttonhole. (To THE BEGGAR) Your ears, I see,, are in need of a bath even more than your body. I said, Do not heg any more.
The Beggar : I—I do not understand.
The King : (making a trumpet of his hands and shouting). DO NOT BEG ANY MORE.
The Beggar : I—I do not understand.
The King : Heavens! He is deafer than a stone wall. .
The Servant : O king, he cannot be deaf, for he understood me quite easily when I spoke to him in the street.
The King : (to THE BEGGAR) Are you deaf? Can’t you hear what I am saying to you now?
The Beggar : Alas! I can hear every word perfectly.
The King : Fft! The impudence. Your tongue shall be cut out for this.
The Servant : O king, to cut out his tongue is useless, for he will grow another.
The King : No matter. It shall be cut out anyway. (To THE BEGGAR) I have ordered you not to beg any more in the streets. What meanest you by saying you dost not understand?
The Beggar : The words of your mouth I can hear perfectly. But their noise is only a foolish tinkling in my ears.
The King : Fft! Only a—! A lash will tinkle your hide for you if you dost not cure your tongue of impudence. I, your king, have ordered you not to beg any more in the streets for bread. Signify, therefore, that you will obey the orders of your king by quickly touching your forehead thrice to the floor.
The Beggar : That is impossible.
The Servant : (aside to THE BEGGAR) Come. It is not safe to tempt the patience of the king too long. His patience is truly great, but he loses it most wondrous quickly.
The King : Come, now: I have ordered you to touch your forehead to the floor. (nudging him) And quickly.
The Beggar : Wherefore should I touch my forehead to the floor?
The King : In order to seal your promise to your king.
The Beggar : But I have made no promise. Neither have I any king.
The King : Ho! He has made no promise. Neither has he any king. Ha, ha, ha. I have commanded you not to beg any more, for the sound of your voice is grievous unto my ears. Touch your forehead now to the floor, as I have commanded you, and you shall go from this palace a free man. Refuse, and you will be sorry before an hour that your father ever came within twenty paces of your mother.
The Beggar : I have ever lamented that he did. For to be born into this world a beggar is a more unhappy thing than any that I know—unless it is to be bom a king.
The King : Fft! Your tongue of a truth is too lively for your health. Come, now, touch v your forehead thrice to the floor and promise solemnly that you will never beg in the streets again. And hurry! .
The Servant : (aside) It is wise to do as your king commands you. His patience is near an end.
The King : Do not be afraid to soil the floor with your forehead. I will graciously for¬give you for that.
[THE BEGGAR stands motionless.]
The Servant : I said, it is not wise to keep the king waiting.
[THE BEGGAR does not move.]
The King : Well? (A pause.) Well? (In a rage) WELL?
The Beggar : O king, you hast commanded me not to beg in the streets for bread, for the noise of my voice offends you. Now therefore do I likewise command you to remove your crown from your forehead and throw it from yonder window into the street. For when you hast thrown your crown into the street, then will I no longer be obliged to beg.
The King : You command me! You, a beggar from the streets, command me, a king, to remove my crown from my forehead and throw it from yonder window into the street!
The Beggar : That is what I said.
The King : Why, dont you not know I can have you slain for such words?
The Beggar : No. You canst not have me slain. The spears of your soldiers are as straws against my body.
The King : Ha! We shall see if they are. We shall see!
The Servant : O king, it is indeed true. It is even as he has told you.
The Beggar : I have required you to remove your crown from your forehead. If so be you will throw it from yonder window into the street, my voice will cease to annoy you anymore. But if you refuse, then you will wish you had never had any crown at all. For your days will be filled with a terrible boding and your nights will be full of horrors, even as a ship is full of rats.
The King : Why, this is insolence. This is treason!
The Beggar : Will you throw your crown from yonder window?
The King : Why, this is high treason!
The Beggar : I ask you, will you throw your crown from yonder window? (aside to THE KING) Perhaps it were wise to humor him, O king. After you hast thrown your crown away I can go outside and bring it to you again.
The Beggar: Well? Well? (He points to the window.) Well?
The King : No! I will not throw my crown from that window—no, nor from any other window. What! Shall I obey the orders of a beggar? Never!
The Beggar : (preparing to leave) Truly, that is spoken like a king. You are a king, so you wouldst prefer to lose your head than that silly circle of gold that so foolishly sits upon it. But it is well. You are a king. You couldst not prefer otherwise.
[He walks calmly toward the door.]
The King : (to THE SERVANT) Stop him! Seize him! Does he think to get off so easily with his impudence!
The Beggar : (coolly) One of your seivants cannot stop me. Neitner can wn uiousauu of them do me any harm. I am stronger than a mountain. I am stronger than the
The King : Ha! We will see about that, we will see about that. (To THE SERVANT) Hold him, I say. Call the guards. He shall be put in chains.
The Beggar : My strength is greater than a mountain and my words are more fearful than a hurricane. This servant of yours cannot even touch me. With one breath of my mouth I can blow over this whole palace.
The King : Dost you hear the impudence he is offering me? Why dost you not seize him? What is the matter with you? Why dost you not call the guards?
The Beggar : I will not harm you now. I will only cry aloud in the streets for bread where with to fill my belly. But one day I will not be so kind to you. On that day my mouth will be filled with a rushing wind and my arms will become as strong as steel rods, and I will blow over this palace, and all the bones in your foolish body I will snap between my fingers. I will beat upon a large drum and your head will be my drumstick. I will not do these things now. But one day I will do them. Therefore, when my voice sounds again in your ears, begging for bread, remember what I have told you. Remember, O king, and be afraid!
[He walks out. THE SERVANT struck dumb, stares after him. THE KING sits in his chair, dazed.]
The King : (suddenly collecting his wits) After him! After him! He must not be allowed to escape! After him!
The Servant : (faltering) O king—I cannot seem to move.
The King : Quick, then. Call the guards. He must be caught and put in chains. Quick, I say. Call the guards!
The Servant : O king—I cannot seem to call them.
The King : How! Are you dumb? Ah!
[THE BEGGAR’S voice is heard outside.]
The Beggar : Bread. Bread. Give me some bread.
The King : Ah. (He turns toward the window, half-frightened, and then, almost instinctively. raises his hands toward his crown, and seems on the point of tossing it out the window. But with an oath he replaces it and presses it firmly on his head.) How! Am I afraid of a beggar!
The Beggar : (continuing outside) Bread. Bread. Give me some bread.
The King : (with terrible anger) Close that window!
[The Servant stands stupidly, and the voice of The Beggar grows louder as the curtain falls.]
CURTAIN – THE END
For more plays for children, visit the following website:
hllp.//www.one-act-plays.com
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Mahatma Gandhi, Pushed out of Train Summary in English
The play was written by Richard Briley, an American writer.
The play is about a young Indian, Gandhi. He went to South Africa and reserved a ticket in a train to travel to Pretoria as he had argued the case of business firm. He got into a first class compartment, as he bought a first class ticket. He was reading a book written by Leo Tolstoy. He was not aware of what was happening around.
In the mean time a European found Gandhi in the first class compartment. Black people have no right to travel in a first class compartment, even though they have a first class ticket. Keeping this in view the European went to the conductor and reported-the matter to him.
The European and the conductor came to the compartment that Gandhi was travelling in. The conductor addressed Gandhi a coolie and asked why he was travelling in a first class compartment. Gandhi said he had a first class ticket. He also said that he was an attorney and as such sent for the ticket in post. The. conductor became angry and the European cut off the ticket angrily.
The European said that there were no coloured attorneys in South Africa and asked him to sit in other compartment. Then Gandhi took out the card from his waist coat and showed it to the conductor. The card had his details – his name and profession. He told the conductor that he was called to the bar in London and enrolled in High Court of Chancery and therefore there could not be any doubt that he was not an attorney. There was every reason to say that there was a black attorney in South Africa.
The conductor asked him to get out of the first class compartment and go to a third class compartment. He warned him that he would send him, if he didn’t go. But Gandhi protested that he used to travel first class even in England.
It was night. The train reached Maritzburg station. Gandhi’s lugguage was thrown on the platform. A policeman and the conductor pulled Gandhi from the first class. The European cracked on Gandhi’s fist that was holding safety rails of the door.
Finally they succeeded in throwing Gandhi out. There was anger, and insult on Gandhi’s face. The conductor threw the book at his feet and the train moved.
About the Author:
Richard Briley (b. 25 August 1925) was educated at the University of Michigan. As an American writer he is best known for screenplays of biopics. He won the Academy Award for the Best Original Screen¬play at the 1982 Oscars for Gandhi. Briley also won the Academy Award for the Best Original Screenplay and the Golden Globe Award for the Best Screenplay – Motion Picture.
Glossary:
sensuous (adj) : giving pleasure to senses
Intrigue (v) : draw interest
grin (v) : smile widely
insight (n) : ability to understand
glance (v) : a quick look
pivot (v) : turn or balance
sophomore (n) : a student in the second year of the course
abruptly (adv) : suddenly
bass : South African term for ‘boss’
stride (v) : walk
incredulous (adj): unbelieving
attorney : lawyer
bluster (n) : protest
rebuff (n) : rejection
gesture (v) : move hands or head to show what one wants
non-plussed (adj) : puzzled
coloured (adj) : black
belligerence : violent behaviour
deduce (v) : guess
Kaffir : an insulting term used for any black African
cling (v) : catch hold of tightly
clutch (v) : catch hold of tightly
demean (v) : to do something that makes people have less respect for you
humiliation (n) : insult
Impotence (n) : inability