A House is not a Home

                                                   A House is not a Home

Competency Based Q&Ans

 

1. The cat and the author are very fond of each other. How has this been shown in the story?

Answer: The red tabby cat had been rescued by the author when she was a helpless kitten. She would never be far from him and knew that he was the one responsible for giving her a good life. He would get up early in the morning and teasingly disturb her. She would then tag along after him, climb up his robe and crawl into his pocket to fall asleep. Zan loved her so much that he would allow the cat to sit over his papers and swat at his pen while he did his homework. He missed her terribly after losing her and would go over to watch the clearing of debris with the hope to find her somewhere. When she was restored back to Zan, the cat purred as happily as the author felt elated to get her back. Even the woman who rescued the cat knew that she was loved and sorely missed.

2. What actions of the schoolmates change the author’s understanding of life and people, and comfort him emotionally? How does his loneliness vanish and how does he start participating in life?
Or
What role did Zan’s school play in normalising his life after the fire accident?

Answer: After the loss of all his belongings in the fire that ravaged his house, Zan, the narrator, started feeling depressed and embarrassed. At this time, the friendly and helpful actions of his schoolmates changed his understanding of life and people and comforted him emotionally. His schoolmates took up a collection and bought him school supplies, notebooks, and all kinds of clothes – jeans, tops, and sweats. Those who had never spoken to him before came up to him and introduced themselves. Many invited him to their houses. Their genuine concern touched Zan. He felt relieved and began to believe that everything would be okay. He stopped focussing on his feelings of insecurity and opened up to all the wonderful people around him. The company of his new friends and sharing joys with them made his loneliness vanish and reconnected him to live.

3. Describe the fire tragedy that struck Zan’s house?

Answer: What was stoked to keep the house nice and warm, triggered a major fire break out that turned Zan’s house to cinders and left him and his mother devastated. At first, Zan only smelled something strange but soon noticed smoke pouring in through the seams of the ceiling. The smoke filled the room quickly and Zan and his mother could barely see. Somehow, they groped their way to the front door and ran out into the front yard.

No sooner had they made their way outside than the whole roof was engulfed in flames, and the fire spread quickly. Zan ran to his neighbours to call the fire department and his mother ran back into the house and soon came out carrying a small metal box full of important documents. She rushed back into the house to retrieve his husband’s pictures and letters – the only things she had to remember him by. Zan tried to run after her but was stopped by a fireman. The fire truck had already arrived and was busy dousing the fire. Some firefighters ran into the house and safely brought out Zan’s mother and gave her an oxygen mask because she had inhaled smoke. It took five hours to finally put out the fire but the house was almost completely burnt and there was the sign of Zan’s pet cat. Zan feared that she was burnt alive.

4. Sometimes, unexpected trouble strikes our life. But people around us come to our aid. Describe this with reference to the lesson ‘A House Is Not a Home’.

Answer: In ‘A House Is Not a Home’, the narrator falls into deep trouble. His house is burned down in a fire. He has also shifted to a rented house. His joining in a new school also makes him feel isolated. But very soon, all his problems came to an end. His schoolmates contribute all the things he needs, including books and clothes. Further, he is greatly sad about the loss of his pet cat. A woman in the neighbourhood locates his cat and gives it to him. The narrator feels very happy. He feels that normalcy had been restored in his life. Thus, people around him played a big role in making him happy again.

5. The value of a person in one’s surrounding is truly known in one’s hardship. Comment with reference to the story ‘A House is not a Home’.

Answer: People in one’s surroundings are sometimes indifferent and less co-operative. They keep busy in their own business but they are truly known in one’s hardship when they come forward to support whole-heartedly to the sufferer. In the story ‘A House is not a Home’, the author felt uncomfortable in the new school because he was not familiar with the school environment, teachers and classmates. When he lost each and everything in the fire, he felt insecure and in this harsh time, his schoolmates introduced themselves to him. They all contributed and gifted his school supplies. As everyone was aware of his plight, all the teachers knew about his hardship. Thus the sympathy and co-operation in school comforted him. Now his opinion changed about his new school and he started making friends.

6. How is a Home different from a House? Explain with reference to the lesson ‘A House Is Not a Home’.

Answer: Life without love is not life. Human relationship is based on love. The title itself indicates it clearly that a house is not a home without love. The author had to face adverse circumstances in his life. He was a fatherless boy. He led a satisfactory life with his old friends and teachers. But when he changed his schools, he could not adjust to the new environment. He felt alienated. Later, his house caught fire and he lost all the things including his cat. He started feeling dejected and isolated. Life had no interest in him anymore. He started building a new house. But it was not home, as a house is a home only when there is love and happiness. The author did not have any attachment to the new house. His reunion with his cat, his new friends and the new house made his house a home.