Class 12 English Guide A Devoted Son By:- Anita Desai Exercise Question Answer With Solution

 Class 12 English Guide A Devoted Son  By:- Anita Desai 

3.A Devoted Son                            By:- Anita Desai

      

Main Summary

           'A Devoted Son' is a famous story written by Anita Desai, a well-known Indian writer which is  set in an Indian town about a middle-class Indian family. The tale demonstrates how parents value their children's ambition and how a son should honor his parents' wishes. Rakesh, a loyal son, is mentioned in the story title, and the storyline focuses on him. He is from a rural Indian village. Varma's father used to be a salesperson for vegetable. So, he did not get any education. So, he has high ambitions towards his son Rakesh.

The narrative begins with the good news that he passed his medical test, followed by a family gathering with the neighbors. He leaves when he is offered the opportunity to continue his education in the United States. Mr. Varma is proud of his son since he did well in the exam. Although some people say that he will forget about his past and become egoistic.

Despite being offered a job at one of America's most prominent hospitals, Rakesh declines because he wants to help his parents and his nation. Rakesh enjoys his time in America, but his family comes first. He still longs to return to his homeland. When he gets enough experience and money, he returns to his hometown and starts a clinic shop. His parents were dissatisfied with him. They are perplexed by his wish to return home and discard what he has accomplished. Rakesh returns from the United States and marries a low-educated woman from the rural South. There is fairly strong evidence of a familial feud. Unfortunately, his mother passes away, and as a consequence, his father suffers from severe depression.

Rakesh is unable to dedicate enough time to his father now that he has his own family. Soon later, his father becomes very ill. He tells his wife Veena to provide him with medicine and food at the proper times in order to care for his ill father. Despite Rakesh's restriction, his father tries to bribe Rakesh's kid with sweets. Rakesh is worried about his son's untrustworthiness. His father bemoans his inability to eat enough and eat according to his desires. Their relationship deteriorates, but he develops a stronger bond with his father. At last, we are shown the Mr. Varma who is extremely worried by his son’s behaviour for not letting him eat what he wants and begs to die rather than eating the medicines that his son brings for him.

Answer the following questions.

a. How did the morning papers bring an ambience of celebration to the Varma family?

➜ The morning papers displayed the result of Varma's son, Rakesh who scored the highest rank in the country for his Medical Examination and brought ambience of celebration in the Varma family as it was a matter of pride for the family.

b. How did the community celebrate Rakesh’s success?

➜ The community people celebrated Rakesh’s success by visiting his small yellow house, congratulating the parents, filling his house and garden with the sound and colour festivals and offering gifts like fountain pens and watches.

c. Why was Rakesh’s success a special matter of discussion in the neighbourhood?

➜ Rakesh’s success was a special matter of discussion in the neighbourhood because he was the first son in the family to receive an education, and he further topped in the Medical examination as well.

d. How does the author make fun with the words ‘America’ and ‘the USA’?

➜ The author makes fun with the words "America" and "The USA" by associating them with Verma’s nature of dealing with the words as he considered "the USA" as more prestigious than "America". He said that America is the term to be called by his ignorant neighbours.

e. How does the author characterize Rakesh’s wife?

➜ The author characterizes Rakesh’s wife as an old fashioned, plump and uneducated girl. She was so placid, complaisant and lazy but too good-natured and pretty fat one.

f. Describe how Rakesh rises in his career.

➜ Rakesh started his career as a doctor in the city hospital and quickly reached the top of administrative: organization and was made a director. Then, he opened his own private clinic, bought a car and became known not only as of the best but also the richest doctor in town.

g. How does the author describe Rakesh’s family background?

➜ The author describes Rakesh's family background as a man born to illiterate as well as very poor parents. His father worked for a kerosene vendor and his mother spent her life in a kitchen and his grandparents worked as vegetable sellers.

h. What is the impact of Rakesh’s mother’s death on his father?

➜ Rakesh's father was stricken with grief by the death of his wife as well as his retirement. The old father very quickly went to pieces and fell ll so frequently with such mysterious disease named a peevish whim (sudden irritation in mind) that even his son could no longer make it out.

i. What did Rakesh do to make his father’s old age more comfortable?

➜ Rakesh brought his father his morning tea in the old man’s favourite brass tumbler, and sat at the edge of his bed, comfortable and relaxed his father’s night-shirt, and read out the morning news to him to make even more comfortable in his old age.

j. Why did the old man try to bribe his grandchildren?

➜ The old man tried to bribe his grandchildren by the trick so that he could get a chance to eat Jalebis because his oy fried food and sweets were prohibited by his son.

k. Are Mr. Varma’s complaints about his diets reasonable? How?

➜ From the point of view of an old father, Mr. Verma's complaints about his diets may be reasonable to some extent but in fact, Rakesh as a devoted and obedient son and by profession, a doctor is right in his performances and activities because he conducts such activities for the healthy and better life of his sick father.

l. How did the Varma couple make sacrifices for their son’s higher education?

➜ Verma couple was from a poor background and they were illiterate as well. His father worked for a kerosene dealer and his mother in the kitchen. Even his grandparents worked as vegetable vendors. His parents worked hard and sacrificed their life, time, money and everything they have for the higher education and medical college of his child, Rakesh.

m. Do you call Rakesh a devoted son? Give reasons.

➜ Yes, I call Rakesh a devoted son because of the following reasons:

• ·         He shows a great degree of tender regard for his mother.
• ·         He touches his father on his every good occasion.
• ·         Even though he studies in America, Rakesh does not bring back a foreign bride to his parents' home.
• ·         He marries an uneducated, old-fashioned village girl of his mother's choosing.
• ·         Though he treats his father as a medical professional, he does this for the better health and life of his father.

           Thus, he is a perfect son, a loving father and husband, and a good physician.