When the lawyer reached New Mullion, did ‘Bill’ know that he was looking for Lutkins? When do you think Bill came up with his plan for fooling the lawyer?
Lutkins was a clever and cunning man. He did the whole act of helping the lawyer by finding Oliver lutkins. This tells that he never disclosed his true or real identity to unknown persons. Moreover, being a cheat as he is it seems his regular practice to dupe people who are the newcomers.
Lutkins openly takes the lawyer all over the village. How is it that no one lets out the secret? (Hint: Notice that the hack driver asks the lawyer to keep out of sight behind him when they go into Fritz’s.) Can you find other such subtle ways in which Lutkins manipulates the tour?
What does he say about Lutkins?
Why do you think Lutkins’ neighbours were anxious to meet the lawyer?
Who is Lutkins?
Does the narrator serve the summons that day?
Who befriends him? Where does he take him?
What more does Bill say about Lutkins and his family?
Why is the lawyer sent to New Mullion? What does he first think about the place?
After his first day’s experience with the hack driver the lawyer thinks of returning to New Mullion to practise law. Do you think he would have reconsidered this idea after his second visit?
Do you think the lawyer was gullible? How could he have avoided being taken for a ride?
Why is Mrs Pumphrey worried about Tricki?
How is Ausable different from other secret agents?
What does Horace Danby like to collect?
How did the invisible man first become visible?
How did a book become a turning point in Richard Ebright’s life?
What kind of a person is Mme Loisel — why is she always unhappy?
Why is Bholi’s father worried about her?
Why was the twentieth century called the ‘Era of the Book’?
Who does ‘I’ refer to in this story?
What does she do to help him? Is she wise in this?
How did a book become a turning point in Richard Ebright’s life?
How does the thief think Anil will react to the theft?
What does he get from Anil in return for his work?
Bholi’s real name is Sulekha. We are told this right at the beginning. But only in the last but one paragraph of the story is Bholi called Sulekha again. Why do you think she is called Sulekha at that point in the story?
You must have read about cells and DNA in your science books. Discuss Richard Ebright’s work in the light of what you have studied. If you get an opportunity to work like Richard Ebright on projects and experiments, which field would you like to work on and why?
Why did Bholi at first agree to an unequal match? Why did she later reject the marriage? What does this tell us about her?
If you were caught in a situation like this, how would you have dealt with it?
What would have happened to Matilda if she had confessed to her friend that she had lost her necklace?
Bholi had many apprehensions about going to school. What made her feel that she was going to a better place than her home?
Why are books referred to as a man’s best companion? Which is your favourite book and why? Write a paragraph about that book.