16. The Sneeze Solutions
A.
Think Quick
Complete
the sentences in your own words.
- One evening Ivan Illych Cherdykov went
to the theatre to watch a play.
- After he sneezed he looked around
nervously, worried that he had disturbed someone.
- Though he continued to look at the
stage, he was unable to focus on the play and kept thinking about the
person he had sneezed on.
- Cherdykov thought he saw a stern and
annoyed expression on General Brizzhalov’s face.
- When his wife heard what had happened,
she became concerned and told him that he should apologize properly.
- In almost a whisper, the general told Cherdykov
that his apologies were unnecessary and that he should stop bothering him.
B.
Write Short Answers
- Why did Cherdykov feel very pleased with
himself?
Cherdykov felt pleased with himself because he had become someone important enough to watch an Opera at the theatre. - How has the author described Cherdykov’s
face just before he sneezed?
Just before he sneezed his face suddenly puckered up, his eyes disappeared and his breathing was arrested. - Mention two things that he did after the
first sneeze.
After his first sneeze he looked around to see if anybody had been disturbed by it. Then he bent forward and whispered and apologized in the ear of the general, whom he had splattered. - What was the general’s reaction when
Cherdykov apologized repeatedly?
The general initially ignored the apology, then said it was fine, and later became irritated when Cherdykov kept apologizing unnecessarily. - What did Cherdykov do when he went to
Brizzhalov’s office?
Cherdykov tried to apologize again, but the general became angry and dismissed him rudely, making him feel deeply humiliated. - In two or three sentences, explain what
happens right at the end of the story.
At
the end of the story, after being repeatedly dismissed by General Brizzhalov,
Cherdykov becomes extremely distressed. He returns home feeling defeated,
collapses onto his sofa, and dies from overwhelming anxiety and humiliation.
C.
Think and Answer
- The story begins with the line
"Ivan Ilich Cherdykov was a government clerk, no less!" What is
the significance of the phrase ‘no less’ in this sentence?
The
phrase ‘no less’ emphasizes that Cherdykov took great pride in his position as
a government clerk, even though it was not a very high-ranking job. It suggests
that he saw himself as important and wanted to be respected.
- Why do you think Cherdykov no longer
felt good when he looked at the stage?
Cherdykov
no longer felt good because He realized he might have offended an important
person like the general by sneezing upon him..
- Why did he continue to feel restless and
uncomfortable even after he had apologized?
He
continued to feel restless because Even after apologizing, he thought that the
general still remembered the incident, even when he did not.
- Did the general really have a cruel and
unpleasant look in his eyes or was Cherdykov imagining it? Give two
reasons for your answer.
No,
the general did not have cruel look in his eyes but Cherdykov imagined
it. although a sneeze is not harmful it is natural for people to sneeze
anywhere and anytime.
- Why was his wife worried at first and
then reassured?
His wife was worried at first because if he had worked in the Generals Department he could be harassed as per her thinking. But later on she got reassured as she got to know that the general was not Cherdykov’s department’s manager. - The story ends tragically for Cherdykov.
Was his dejection justified? What does this tell us about people like him?
Answer in five to six sentences.
Cherdykov’s
dejection was not entirely justified because the general never truly punished
him. His downfall was caused by his own insecurities and overthinking. He
exaggerated a minor incident and allowed his anxiety to consume him. This tells
us that people like Cherdykov place too much importance on social status and
fear authority excessively. His story is a reflection of how self-doubt and
unnecessary worry can lead to one’s downfall.
D.
Reference to Context
1. ‘He
gazed and gazed and felt so pleased with himself.’
a. Who is ‘he’?
‘He’ refers to Ivan Illych Cherdykov.
b. Where is he now?
He is at the theatre, watching a play.
c. What is he gazing at?
He is gazing at the stage and enjoying the performance.
d. Why is he feeling pleased with himself?
He is pleased because he got good seats and was enjoying the play.
e. What does he do just after this?
Just after this, he sneezes unexpectedly, which leads to a series of
unfortunate events.
- ‘I
did apologize, but he acted strangely.’
a. Who is the speaker?
The speaker is Ivan Illych Cherdykov.
b. Who is the speaker speaking to?
He is speaking to his wife.
c. Who is the speaker referring to in these lines?
He is referring to General Brizzhalov.
d. Why did the speaker apologize?
He apologized because he accidentally sneezed on the general.
e. Why does the speaker think that the person being spoken about acted strangely?
He thinks so because the general initially dismissed the incident but later became irritated when Cherdykov kept apologizing.
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