Short stories
4. The Dinner Party (Mona Gardner)
6. Match any four of the following words in column-A with their meaning/definition in column-B [4 x 1=4]
| Words | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 1. attaches | persons who work in embassies |
| 2. naturalist | one who studies all living beings |
| 3. spacious | big, vast |
| 4. spirited | energetic |
| 5. era | a period of time with particular characteristics |
| 6. unfailing | changeless |
| 7. crisis | problem |
| 8. gesture | body movement as a token of communication |
| 9. summons | calls |
| 10. realizes | understands |
| 11. impulse | sudden desire |
| 12. commotion | noise |
| 13. arresting | attracting, captivating |
| 14. forfeit | lose as punishment |
| 15. emerge | come out |
3. Answer ANY TWO of the following in 100 Words each. [2x 4 =8M]
1) Describe the role of the American naturalist in the story, The Dinner Party.
2) Describe the scene of the dinner party.
3) “A Spirited discussion springs up between a young girl and a colonel.” Discuss.
The story “The Dinner Party” is written by Mona Gardner. She is an American author. She had her story “The Dinner Party” published in “The Saturday Review of Literature” in 1941.
The story “The Dinner Party” is a short but sweet narrative, The colonial official and his wife, Mrs Wynnes host a large dinner party for army officers and government attaches, as well as an American naturalist and their wives. They are seated with the guests in their spacious dinning room. All guests, expect the naturalist, are busy with animated discussions. A lively debate occurs between a young girl and a Colonel, discussing whether the woman or a man has more nerve control in which the girl feels that women have progressed beyond their fear of seeing a mouse, they are ready to face challenges in their lives while the colonel disagrees claiming that males have better control in all situations. He underestimates the power of women. He insists that a woman’s unfailing reaction in any crisis is just to scream.
The American then, observes that the hostess is extremely quiet, she directs a servant boy, who rushes out of the room and sets a bowl of milk on the veranda outside the door. He understands that milk from a bowl is snake bait. So to calm down everyone, he plays a game of control where they cannot lose or they would lose their money. He searches the hall for it and concludes that it is under the table. He doesn’t want to ruin the celebration, and he also doesn’t want the guest to get bitten by the cobra. The cobra emerges from beneath the table, heading for the bowl of milk outside, and the American locks it out of the room and started counting down the final twenty seconds to end the game.
His strategy works, the guest believes that the American was the hero instead of Mrs.Wynnes because of a quiet, composed, and controlled action. she finally reveals that she is a true hero who remained calm as the snake crawled over her foot.
Thus it is a strong statement that women are not inferior to men in any aspect. In fact, they show more nerve control than men, during a crisis.
“A strong woman is one who is able to smile even in the midst of chaos.”
(OR)
The story “The Dinner Party” is written by Mona Gardner is an American author. The colonial official and his wife gave a dinner party for army officers and government attaches.
An American naturalist at the party is watching the argument and observe the hostess who is acting strangely, gestures for bowl of milk to be put outside the door. The American understand that, their is a cobra in the room, So, to calm down everyone, he plays a game of control where they cannot move or they would lose money. When the cobra moves out for the milk, he shuts they door. Then he finds out that the hostess had the most control in the room, proving that the women can act bravely in a crisis.
Thus it is a strong statement that women are not inferior to men in any aspect.
