The Dear Departed Part 2
AP SSC 10th Class English Solutions
Unit 2B The Dear Departed Part 2
Comprehension
I. Answer the following questions.
1. Justify the view that the husbands of Mrs. Slater and Mrs. Jordan are men with no individuality.
Henry and Ben are men with no individuality. They simply follow their wives’ instructions. When Mrs. Slater asks Henry to wear the old man’s slippers, he wears them even though they are smaller in size. When she asks him to shift the bureau from her father’s room, he obeys her and does as she likes. He doesn’t say even a word against her will. In the same way, Ben too is a man with no individuality. Both Henry and Ben try to stop the quarrel between their wives but fail. Though they have concerns for their father-in-law, they can’t express it.
2. Discuss the irony in the title ‘The Dear Departed’.
The irony is the use of words to express something other than what is said or meant and especially the opposite of the literal meaning. The title “The Dear Departed” conveys just the opposite as the main character of the play (Abel Merry Weather) does not seem to be “dear” to his own daughters. The old man is not dear to anyone. They only want his property.
3. List the arguments the two sisters gave to keep their father in their care.
Mrs. Slater tells her father that it is quite time he comes to live with them again and they will make him very comfortable if he comes. But Mrs. Slater argues that he has not been with them as long as he was with the Jordans. Mrs. Jordan replies that she does not think their father will fancy living with the Slaters after they steal his things. They even say sorry for what they have done. Thus, both the sisters argue to keep their father in their care.
4. How does the spat between the old man’s daughters lead to the father discovering the truth?
The spat happens between the two sisters when their father Abel asks Mrs. Slater why his bureau and clock are brought downstairs. Mrs. Jordan understands that her sister tries to steal those things before their arrival. This leads to a quarrel between the two sisters. Mrs. Jordan tells her father that Mr. and Mrs. Slater have shifted the bureau and the clock from his room to the sitting room because they think he is dead. They have shifted things so that Mrs. Jordan can’t lay a claim on them. After discovering the truth, Abel becomes angry because he feels that his daughters don’t even wait till his funeral and have tried to divide things between them.
5. List the comic elements in the play ‘The Dear Departed’.
- Following his wife’s instructions, Henry wears the old man’s new slippers.
- The Slaters hurry to steal the old man’s bureau and clock, thinking that the Jordans will arrive.
- The Slaters and the Jordans are shocked to see Abel coming into the room.
- Ben skips back and retreats with Mrs. Jordan to a safe distance when Abel thrusts his hand at Ben.
- Abel announces that he will change his will and marry John Shorrocks.
6. In what way is the play ‘The Dear Departed’ a commentary on the hollowness of human relationships?
Stanley Houghton, in his one-act play, tries to bring out the qualities of the two daughters, Mrs. Slater and Mrs. Jordan towards their father. The author tries to show how the sisters are interested in the property of their father rather than their care and affection toward him. When the two sisters think that their father is dead they are complaining of what a burden he is to them. The moment Abel announces his new will in which he will leave everything to the person he is living with when he dies, they both fight for him to live with them. Thus, this play shows us the hollowness of human relationships. This is a social play on the condition of the old people who are being neglected and abandoned by their own children. Here we see the degradation of moral values in respect and care among the members of the family itself.
7. What are the three things that the father plans to do on Monday next? What effect does it have on his daughters?
The three things that the father plans to do on Monday next are:
- At first, he wants to go to the lawyer and alter his will.
- Then he wants to go to the insurance office and pay his premium.
- Finally he wants to go to St. Philip’s Church and get married.
If Mr. Abel does all these three things, the daughters will lose their share in their father’s assets.
II. Arrange the following sentences in sequence so that a continuous narrative of the story of ‘The Dear Departed’ could be made.
1. One day Mrs. Slater felt that Abel Merryweather had died.
2. Suddenly Victoria came into the room telling that grandfather was moving.
3. The Slaters and the Jordans wanted to ascertain if Abel Merryweather had paid his insurance premium.
4. Abel Merryweather found fault with the two daughters and wanted to change his will.
5. Before the arrival of the Jordans, the Slaters had pinched Abel’s bureau and clock.
6. Victoria was sent to Abel Merryweather’s room to bring the key bunch of the bureau.
7. Abel Merryweather informed that he was going to marry Mrs. John Shorrocks.
8. The Slaters sent a telegram to the Jordans about the death of Abel Merryweather.
Answer:
1. One day Mrs. Slater felt that Abel Merry weather had died.
8. The Slaters sent a telegram to the Jordans about the death of Abel Merry weather.
5. Before the arrival of the Jordans, the Slaters had pinched Abel’s bureau and clock.
3. The Slaters and the Jordans wanted to ascertain if Abel Merry weather had paid his insurance premium.
6. Victoria was sent to Abel Merry weather’s room to bring the key bunch of the bureau.
2. Suddenly Victoria came into the room telling that grandfather was moving.
4. Abel Merry weather found fault with the two daughters and wanted to change his will.
7. Abel Merry weather informed that he was going to marry Mrs. John Shorrocks.
III. Here is a list of traits of a personality. Tick (✓) the traits that describe Mrs. Slater’s character.
a) Greedy ✓
b) Overpowering ✓
c) Honest
d) Sensitive
e) Dominating ✓
f) Blunt ✓
g) Straight talking ✓
h) Humble
i) Impolite ✓
j) Insensitive ✓
The traits that describe Mrs. Slater’s character are:
Greedy: Mrs. Slater’s pinching her father’s bureau and clock before the arrival of her sister Elizabeth Jordan and her husband; her asking Henry to wear her father’s slippers.
Overpowering: Mrs. Slater’s asking Victoria to close the door if her aunt Elizabeth and uncle Ben come.
Dominating: Her dominating attitude towards her husband Henry.
Blunt: Her saying to her sister, “Be quiet, Elizabeth”; her asking Victoria to change her dress.
Straight talking: When Victoria says that perhaps grandpa didn’t go to pay his insurance premium, Mrs. Slater snubs her saying “He went out”.
Impolite:
i) Mrs. Slater’s talking to Henry, “Henry, why shouldn’t we bring that bureau down here now ? We can do it before they come,
ii) When Henry says to her, “I wouldn’t care to,” she says to him, “Don’t look so daft. Why not ?”
Insensitive:
i) When Victoria says to her, “That’s grandpa’s clock,” she replies, “Be quiet! It’s ours now.”
ii) When Mrs. Jordan says to her, “I’ll tell you what’s been going on in this house, father. Nothing short of robbery,” she says, “Be quiet, Elizabeth”.
IV. The following are the features of a one act play. Which of the following characteristics does the play ‘The Dear Departed’ have? Justify.
a) Minimal characters
b) Single setting or unity of place
c) One act with one or more scenes
d) Focus on one incident
e) Limited time
f) Twist ending
“The Dear Departed” is a one-act play; so it naturally has all the above-mentioned characteristics.
a) Minimal characters: The total number of characters we see in this play is only six. They are Mrs. Amelia Slater, Mrs. Elizabeth Jordan, Henry Slater, Ben Jordan, Victoria Slater, and Abel Merry weather. Hence, the play has the feature of “Minimal characters.”
b) Single setting or unity of place: All the story takes place in the house of Mrs. Slater, particularly in the sitting room and Abel’s bedroom. Hence, the play has the characteristic of “Single setting.”
c) One act with one or more scenes: All the story happens in one act and only one scene. Hence, it has this feature.
d) Focus on one incident: All the story moves around the death of Abel Merry weather. Hence, the play’s focus is on one incident only.
e) Limited time: The story lasts for only one or two hours. Hence, it has the feature of “limited time.”
f) Twist ending: At the end of the play, Abel announces that he will change his will and marry Mrs. John Shorrocks. This announcement was a real shock for the two sisters and their husbands. It is really an unexpected thing for them. Hence, it has the feature of a “Twist ending”. The audience too can't guess this twist.
Vocabulary
I. Irregular Plurals
Now write the plural forms of the following nouns given in the table and say whether each of them is ‘Latin’ or ‘Greek’ word.
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