NCERT Class 9 English Chapter 24 Iswaran the Storyteller

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NCERT Class 9 English Chapter 24 Iswaran the Storyteller

Also, you can read the NCERT book online in these sections Solutions by Expert Teachers as per Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) Book guidelines. CBSE Class 9 English Solutions are part of All Subject Solutions. Here we have given NCERT Class 9 English Chapter 24 Iswaran the Storyteller and After, NCERT Class 9 English Textbook of Beehive and Supplementary Reader (Moments). for All Chapters, You can practice these here.

Iswaran the Storyteller

Chapter: 24

SUPPLEMENTARY READER – MOMENTS

TEXTUAL QUESTIONS

THINKING ABOUT THE TEXT

Q. 1. In what way is Ishwaran an asset to Mahendra? 

Ans: The cook was quite attached to Mahendra who was a bachelor. Iswaran followed him wherever Mahendra was posted. He cooked, washed clothes and entertained Mahendra with his stories. He produced vegetables out of nowhere. Thus he was an asset to Mahendra.

Q. 2. How does Ishwaran describe the uprooted tree on the highway? What effect does he want to create on his listeners? 

Ans: Iswaran’s descriptions were greatly influenced by the books that he read. Describing an uprooted tree, he would say that he saw a huge animal lying across the road. He was half willing to go back. But as he came closer, he discovered that it was a fallen tree. Thus Iswaran tried to create suspense and give a surprise ending to his story.

Q. 3. How does he narrate the story of the tusker? Does it appear to be plausible? 

Ans: He narrated the story of the Tusker that escaped from the timber yard and began to roam about. He stamped on bushes, tore up the creepers and broke the branches at his will.

Then the elephant smashed shops. People ran helter and shelter in panic. He entered the school ground and the boys shut the doors. Ishwaran grabbed a cane from a teacher and ran down. He kicked its third toenail. The elephant looked stunned and then collapsed. This account does not seem plausible as it is all imaginary. 

Q. 4. Why does the Author say that Iswaran seemed to more than make up for the absence of a T.V. in Mahendra’s living quarters? 

Ans: Mahendra was a bachelor. Iswaran alone was his constant companion at the worksite. He was a multipurpose helper. Above all, he used to entertain Mahendra with his horror and adventure tales. In this way he more than make up for the absence of TV in his lodging.

Q. 5. Mahendra calls ghosts or spirits a figment of the imagination. What happens to him on a full-moon night? 

Ans: Mahendra took Iswaran to task for narrating ghost stories. Such stories, however, horrified him. One night he heard a moaning sound close to his window. He looked out of the window. He saw a dark figure carrying a bundle. He sweated with fear and started panting. It was, in fact, Iswaran’s doing to frighten Mahendra. 

Q. 6. Can you think of some other ending for the story? 

Ans: The story could end like: ‘Mahendra now decided to take Iswaran to task. He told Iswaran that whatever people talk and think about, remain in the subconscious mind for long. When situations relating to the past experiences arise, subconscious mind churns out strange fancies. In reality there are no ghosts.’

Q. 7. Is Ishwaran a fascinating storyteller ? Discuss with your friends the qualities of a good story teller? Try to use these qualities and tell a story.

Ans: Ishwaran is a fascinating storyteller. He seems to be a good dramatist. He would add a great suspense and surprise to his story. He would arch his eyebrows and raise his hands in gestures. Instead of saying he saw an uprooted tree he would say he saw huge bushy beast lying across the road. Thus he would present the same with dramatic gestures. The audience would fall into a thrall to hear his endless tale.

Some qualities of a good storyteller can be summed up as under:

(i) using suspense and surprise. 

(ii) entertaining the listeners and acting himself with gestures.

(iii) putting the audience in thrall.

(iv) presenting a meaningful narrative with rapt attention. 

(v) keeping the interests of the listeners lively.

The students can develop a story of their own.

IMPORTANT QUESTIONS FOR EXAMINATION

SHORT ANSWER TYPE QUESTIONS

Answer the questions in about 30-10 words each:

Q. 1. Why did Mahendra have to move from place to place?

Ans: Mahendra’s job was to keep an eye on the activities at construction sites like factories, bridges, dams and so on. He had to keep on moving from place to place every now and then as ordered by his head office.

Q. 2. Write two amazing qualities which Iswaran as a cook and storyteller have.

Ans: Iswaran has an amazing capacity to produce vegetables and cooking items. In no moment he could prepare most delicious dishes with fresh vegetables. Iswaran has an amazing power to narrate. Even the smallest incidents he would work with romance, suspense, horror and adventure.

Q. 3. How did Mahendra behave when Iswaran described ghost seen at midnight during the full moon light?

Ans: Mahendra was feeling restlessness. He pretended to be bold but every night she peered into the darkness outside try-ing to make sure that there was no such creature in the vicinity on the full moon night. He avoided looking out of his window. He decided to leave the haunted place as soon as possible.

Q. 4. What are the qualities of a good storyteller? 

Ans: A good storyteller should be expressive. Even while narrating the smallest of incidents, he should try to work in suspense and weave in the element of surprise as far as the end of the story is concerned.

Q. 5. Describe the ghost seen by Iswaran on full moon nights.

Ans: Iswaran saw the ghost of a woman in the mid of the full moon nights. He described it as an ugly creature with matted hair and a shrivelled face, “like a skeleton holding a foetus in its arms.”

Q. 6. Iswaran was an excellent story-teller. How did he describe the uprooted tree on the highway?

Ans: Iswaran related how he was all alone on a deserted road, when he suddenly saw something resembling an enormous bushy beast lying sprawled across the road. When he hesitantly approached it, he discovered it to be a fallen tree.

Q. 7. What was the auspicious day on which Iswaran prepared special dinner?

Ans: Iswaran prepared special dinner on the auspicious day. When special dishes were prepared to feed the spirits of ancestors. That night Iswaran prepared the most delicious dinner and Mahendra also complemented for that.

Q. 8. What happened when elephant entered Iswaran’s school? 

Ans. When elephant entered the school ground all ran helter and skelter in panic. The elephant entered the school ground where children were playing. All the boys ran into the classroom and shut the doors tight. The beast pulled out the football goal-post, tore down the volleyball net, kicking and flattening the drum kept for water. All the teachers climbed on the terrace.

Q. 9. What happened to Mahendra during the full moon night?

Ans: Mahendra calls ghosts or spirits a figment of the imagination. He is a rational thinker on the full moon night, he hears a low cry and sees a dark, cloudy form which matches Iswaran’s decision. He is terrified and falls back on the pillow, panting.

Q. 10. Why was Iswaran called  Mahendra’s asset?

Ans: The author calls Iswaran the cook, an asset to Mahendra. He was attached to him. He followed him wherever Mahendra was posted. He washed his clothes. He gossipped with his master at night. He told Mahendra ghost stories. 

Q. 11. How did Iswaran describe the female ghost?

Ans: Iswaran told Mahendra that he had seen a female ghost appearing off and on at Midnight during the full moon. It was an ugly creature with matted hair and shrivelled face. It could be, seen around with a foetus in its arms.

Q. 12. Why did Mahendra decide to resign from his job?

Ans: Mahendra’s job was to keep an eye on the construction sites like factories, bridges etc. He had to keep on moving for his work. When during full moon night Mahendra saw the sight of female foetus. Thus being scared he decided to resign from his job.

Q. 13. What all was expected to be done on that particular auspicious day mentioned in the story?

Ans. On an auspicious day, it was expected by people to prepare various delicacies to feed the spirits of their ancestors.

Q. 14. Explain how Mahendra changed after hearing the ghost story of a woman from Iswaran.

Ans: After hearing the ghost story Mahendra avoided looking out of the window when the moon was full. But still the outside sound tempted him to look out at white sheet of moonlight. Mahendra broke into cold sweat and fell back on the pillow.

THOUGHT PROVOKING MODULE

Study the following Questions: 

Q. 1. Do you think storytelling is an art? How far do you justify action of Iswaran as a storyteller? 

Ans: Storytelling is a great skill. The same story can be told by different people and each will get different appreciation. Storytelling is no different from acting. In fact story = telling is more difficult task than acting. Same person has to act different roles.

We really rate Iswaran as a very good storyteller. Iswaran weaved out endless stories on different subjects. He created suspense even when describing the uprooted tree. To describe the fallen tree he used the expression of bushy beast. So Iswaran has created suspense.

Q. 2. You have listened to the story as told by Iswaran. Enlist some of the qualities which a good storyteller must possess.

Ans: Iswaran creates the interest of all while telling the story. He is indeed a very good dramatist.

A good storyteller must be able to create suspense and surprise. He should not only involve himself but also the audience. The interest of the listeners must always be kept in consideration. The interest of the listener must be able to keep the audience in thrall.

Q. 3. Suppose you observed a ghost on a full moon night, how would you react? How does Mahendra react after hearing the ghost story?

Ans: Observing ghost really gives us shudders and makes us fearful. Once I was going to far away place to attend a wedding, when I saw a flicker of light. When I reached near I could see some face in the flicker of light. The face resembled a friend of mine who had died in an accident. I was almost about to faint on realising that it was some spirit. Mahendra had also acted very absurd on seeing the ghost, When Mahendra saw ghost of foetus he almost broke into cold sweat and fell on pillow.

LONG ANSWER TYPE QUESTIONS

Answer the questions in about 100-150 words each:

Q. 1. Mahendra did not believe in ghosts. What happened to him on the last full moon night?

Ans: One day Iswaran told him about a female ghost. It made him uneasy. He did not have the courage to look out of the window on full moon night. He was woken up from his sleep by low moan. He was very afraid to look out. But out of curiosity he looked out of the window. He was shocked to see a cloudy form clutching a bundle. His mind was under grip. He was frightened. He broke into a cold sweat and fell back on his pillow panting. 

Q. 2. How was the wild elephant brought under control by Iswaran?

Ans: Iswaran was in school when the mad wild elephants entered the school. Children stopped playing, got panicked and ran to their classrooms and shut the doors tight. The elephant pulled the football goal-post, tore volleyball net, kicked and flattened the water drum. Teachers climbed the terrace of the school and watched the ravaging scene from there. Iswaran was studying in the junior To class then. He snatched a cane from a teacher’s hand and went straight to the elephant. The elephant tried to terrify him and was ready to attack him but he gathered courage and quickly hit the third toenail of the elephant who got paralysed at once and collapsed.

Q. 3. What two amazing qualities did Iswaran as a cook and storyteller have?

Ans: Iswaran was Mahendra’s cook but he was a wonderful and resourceful cook. He could procure fresh vegetable even at places where no vegetables were in sight. He could make tasty dishes in no time. He was wonderful storyteller too. He added horror, adventure and suspense to his stories to make them more interesting.

He was so excited about the descriptions that he would tell them with dramatic gestures and movements. Often he left the story without a logical end, and told about it only when asked. Mahendra listened to his stories with rapt attention and ignored the flaws. Iswaran’s art of narration was influenced by the Tamil thrillers he read.

Q. 4. Draw the character sketch of Ishwaran as a storyteller. 

Or

Iswaran had all the qualities of a good storyteller. Justify.

Ans: Iswaran was a superb story-teller. He had mastered the art of narrating a story, an anecdote or an incident. He made his stories look real. His prologue or introduction to the story prepared ground of his story. To it, he added convincing details. Before telling the ghost story he told Mahendra that factory area was once a burial ground and added convincing details – that he had found many skulls in the area. 

Again his style of narration and involving way made his stories all the more interesting. He exciting manner, acting and gestures – all made the scenes alive and the story more engrossing interesting and realistic. 

Q. 5. Write the character-sketch of Mahendra?

Ans: Mahendra is an educated and bold person. He is a supervisor at some construction firms that hires supervisors for some construction sites. His duties include to keep an eye on the activities of the work sites.

He has Ishwaran as an experienced cook. Ishwaran is asset to Mahendra. Needs of Mahendra are simple. He is able to adjust in every odd situation. He does not believe in ghosts and other super natural powers. He lacks courage to believe the ghost story. He leaves the place the very next day.

Q. 6. “Iswaran was a fascinating story = teller”. What are the qualities that make him a good storyteller?

Ans: Iswaran is a fascinating story teller. He seems to be a good dramatist. His story is full of great suspense and surprise. He told his story in a dramatic manner. Instead of saying uprooted tree, he would say that he saw huge bushy beast lying across the road. 

Iswaran had all the good qualities of a good story teller. While telling the story, he entertained the listeners. His quality of telling stories puts the audience in thrall. He keeps the interest of the listener lively.