Class 9th Eng, (Beehive) Ch-1" If I Were You" Theme Message Characters explanation Questions and answers,

Ch-11

 If I Were You

By Douglas James 

     

Introduction of the Author

Douglas James (born 1937) is an American writer, activist and Christian theologian honoured with the Pacem in Terris Award in 1997.

Summary of the Chapter

It is a one act play about a complicated situation which is resolved by Gerran composed nature and presence of mind.

Intruder at Gerrard's Cottage

When the curtain rises, we see that Gerrard is talking on the phone to someone. From the conversation, it becomes clear that he would leave the place in some time. But it seems that before leaving, he expects someone to ring him up. He puts down the phone and begins to pack a travelling bag. Suddenly a man, who resembles Gerrard in build, with a revolver in his hand enters from the right side of the stage. He orders Gerrard to put his hands up. Gerrard obeys his order but remains calm and composed. He talks to the intruder without losing his cool. The intruder warns Gerrard not to act too smart with him and answer his questions directly. Gerrard insists that he will answer all his questions but he should be allowed to change his position because he is not feeling comfortable with his hands lifted up. The intruder permits Gerrard to sit on a chair and himself sits on the divan beside Gerrard's bag.

Conversation between Gerrard and the Intruder

The intruder asks Gerrard to tell him about himself. Gerrard, at once, starts telling him the story of his life. Hearing it, the intruder immediately interrupts him and instructs to just answer his questions. He asks if he lives there alone. He asks Gerrard some more questions whose answers he already knows. Gerrard asks him very cleverly to say something about himself. Gerrard concludes that the intruder is a foolish and boastful person from the way he talks. He feels that he can easily fool the intruder. He doesn't give serious attention to any of his threats and keeps talking to him in a casual way.

Intruder's Motive Revealed

The intruder informs Gerrard that the real purpose of his coming there was to murder Gerrard. On hearing this, Gerrard doesn't get worried and asks him why he wants to add murder to his list of crimes. At this the intruder answers that he is wanted for murder already and the authorities can't hang him twice. Gerrard asks him the motive for killing him. At this, the intruder reveals his whole plan. He tells Gerrard that after killing him, he would take on his identity and start living as Gerrard. To resemble Gerrard, he would only have to wear specs and his clothes. Then he would be a free man

Gerrard's Trap

Gerrard weaves a ingenious story. He tells the intruder that he is also a criminal like him and that he has murdered someone and the police are looking for him. If the intruder kills Gerrard and takes his identity, he will be hanged as Gerrard, if not as himself. He tells the intruder that he can assist him in getting away from that place in his car. He informs him that he has a man on the road who will call him up if he sees the police. Soon the phone rings. Gerrard tells the intruder that it can be the police. Hearing this, the intruder gets anxious. Gerrard opens a door and asks the intruder to get inside. That door supposedly leads to the garage and from there they can escape in his car. When the intruder turns his head to step inside, Gerrard pushes him in and snatches the revolver from him and locks him inside the room.

Problem Solved

Later it is revealed that it was the door of a cupboard, not a door to the garage. The intruder keeps pounding on the door. When the phone rings, Gerrard picks up the call and tells the man at the other end to find the Sergeant and bring him there.

Answer Type Questions

Q1. "You'll soon stop being smart." Why did the intruder think that Gerrard was being smart?

Ans. The intruder entered with a revolver in his hand and ordered Gerrard to put his hands up otherwise he would be killed. But Gerrard kept talking to him in a casual manner. So, the intruder believed that Gerrard was trying to act smart to escape from him.

Q2. Why does the intruder say, "They can't hang me twice"?

Ans. The intruder has already murdered a policeman. He will be hanged for it if caught. So if he commits another murder, that is Gerrard's, he will lose nothing as he can't be hanged twice.

Q3. What crime had the intruder committed?

Ans. The intruder was a jewel thief. He had also killed a cop. So, he was wanted for murder.

Q4. Why did Gerrard send for the sergeant?

Ans. Gerrard had cleverly got all information out about the intruder from him. He knew that he had killed a cop and the police were after him. He weaved a trap for him and locked him in his cupboard. Then he called in the sergeant to have the intruder nabbed.

Q5.Why did Gerrard say, "You have been so modest"?

Ans. The intruder had been boasting about himself to Gerrard, Gerrard realised that he was not very bright and can easily be overtaken. So, he sarcastically made this remark

Q6. Why had the intruder planned to kill Gerrard? Did he succeed in his plan? Why?

Ans. The intruder was a jewel thief. He had also killed a cop So, the police were chasing him. He noticed that he resembled Gerrard very much. He devised a plan that if he killed Gerrard, he could live as Gerrard and not be arrested by the police. So, he entered Gerrard's house with a revolver But Gerrard defeated him with a trick and locked him in his cupboard and called the police.

Q7. Describe Gerrard's appearance

Ans. Gerrard has medium height. He wears horn-rimmed glasses. In the play, he is dressed in a lounge suit and a great coat. He is sophisticated and his voice is cultured

Q8. What sort of information does the intruder want from Gerrard?

Ans. The intruder wants to get Gerrard's personal details like if he lives alone, what his Christian name is, if he has a car and whether people visit him often. All this information is necessary for the success of his plan of killing Gerrard and assuming his identity

Q9. Why did Gerrard ask the intruder, "Are you American"?

Ans. Gerrard asked the intruder if he was an American because he had called him a wise guy, Guy is colloquial American expression for a man. Hence, the usage of this word made him think that the intruder was an American.

Q10. What kind of a person is the intruder?

Ans. The intruder is a dangerous person because he is carrying a pistol and claims to have killed a cop. He is a criminal who plans to kill Gerrard and assume his identity in order to escape the police. He is over-confident as he claims that Gerrard is no match to him. He is also boastful and uncultured

Q 11. How did Gerrard react when the intruder announced that he was going to kill him?

Ans. When the intruder threatened to kill him, Gerrard reacted in a calm and composed way. He remained so calm that the intruder was irritated with him. He was cool because he knew that the intruder would not kill him without knowing all the answers.

Q12. Why does the intruder not kill Gerrard immediately?

Ans. The intruder does not kill Gerrard immediately because he wants to get all the necessary information from him. Without this vital information, his plan to kill and take on Gerrard's identity will fail.

Q13. Where did Gerrard live? Why was it a suitable place for the intruder's plan?

Ans. Gerrard used to live in a lonely cottage in an isolated place in the wilds of Essex Very few people lived in that area. So, it was very easy to commit a crime and escape Moreover, his cottage was visited by only a few people. So, it was suitable for the Intruder to execute his plan successfully

 Message -The play gives the message that over-confidence can lead to disastrous results. One should never consider oneself to be smarter than the opponent as is done by the intruder who thinks that Gerrard is no match for him.

 Theme -The theme of the play is necessity of being witty and usefulness of being calm and composed. Gerrard, the protagonist, was witty enough to save his life from the Intruder by cunningly making up a plan to distract him and trap him in his house.

 Character sketch of Gerrard -

Gerrard, is the protagonist of Play “If I Were You” is described as a man of many virtues. He is endowed with a brilliant wit, a sharp mind, smart thinking, and a sense of humour. All these qualities, combined with a cool temperament enable him to handle even a life-threatening situation very successfully and easily.

  Intruder -The intruder is a villainous scoundrel, a confirmed criminal who makes intriguing plans to dodge the police. He has evil intentions and crafty plans to achieve his aims. Cold blooded and cruel as he is, he does not hesitate from murdering innocent people for his selfish gains.

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