Get ASSEB/AHSEC Class 12 The Martyr’s Corner Question Answers prepared as per Academic Session 2024-2025. HS 2nd Year The Martyr’s Corner Solution with most important questions for Exams.
Assam Board Class 12th
Alternative English Notes 2025
Chapter: 4 The Martyr’s Corner
(A) Very Short Questions & Answers: Mark: 1
1. State whether the following statements are True or False:
(1)
Rama liked serving women.
Ans. False.
(ii)
Rama lived in a lane behind the market.
Ans. True.
(iii)
Soda bottles were used as missiles during the riot.
Ans. True.
(iv)
Rama came in time to catch the cinema crowd com- ing out after the night show.
Ans. False.
(v)
When Rama's business is finished he works at a restaurant named
'Establishment'.
Ans. False.
2.
What did Rama give free with every item?
Ans. Rama gave chutney free with every item.
3.
Whose arm searched for the perfect duck's egg?
Ans. The wrestler's arm searched for the perfect duck's egg.
4.
Where did Rama sleep?
Ans. Rama slept on the pyol of his house.
5.
How much did four chappatis cost?
Ans. Four chappatis cost an anna.
6.
Where did Rama work as a waiter?
Ans. Rama worked as a waiter at Restaurant Kohinoor.
7.
Where was Rama's shop located?
Ans. Rama's shop was located at the turning between market road and the lane leading to the chemist's shop.
8.
At what time did Rama wake up everyday?
Ans. Rama woke up at three o'clock in the morning everyday.
9.
How much does a cup of coffee cost in Rama's stall?
Ans. In Rama's stall a cup of coffee costs six pies.
10.
Where did Rama put the money he earned?
Ans. Rama put the money he earned into a little cloth bag dangling from his neck under his shirt.
11.
When did Rama put up his stall everyday?
Ans. Rama put up his stall at 8.15 in the evening everyday.
12.
Where did Rama hide when the riot took place?
Ans. Rama hid under a culvert when the riot took place.
13.
Who wrote the short story 'The Martyr's Corner'?
Ans. R. K. Narayan wrote the
short story 'The Martyr's Cor- ner'.
(B) Short Questions & Answers: Marks: 2
1.
What did Rama sell?
Ans. Rama's selling items include a heap of bondas, which seemed puffed and big but melted in one's mouth; dosais, white, round and limp, looking like layers of muslin; chappatis so thin that one could lift fifty of them on a little finger; duck's eggs-hard-boiled, resembling a heap of ivory balls, and perpetually boiling coffee on a stove.
2.
Who were Rama's customers?
Ans. Rama's regular customers include the jutka drivers, the boot polish boy, the wrestler, the waifs, the blind beggar, the grass-selling women, the cinema crowd coming out after the evening show and the population swarming the pavement.
3.
Why did the riot break out?
Ans. The riot broke out over the matter of someone being stabbed near the Sales Tax office when he was distributing notices about some votes or something.
4.
Why did Rama's customers like him?
Ans. Rama's customers liked him
because -
(i) Rama offered affordable prices for his goods.
(ii) The customers were entitled to pick up, examine and accept their stuff after proper scrutiny.
5.
Why did Rama have to move his stall two hundred yards away?
Ans. The spot where Rama put up his stall originally was handed over by the Municipality to erect a memorial for the leader who had fallen there during the riot. So, Rama had to move his stall two hundred yards away.
6.
What was Rama's initial reaction to the relocation of his stall?
Ans. Rama was initially upset and frustrated by the relocation of his stall.
7.
How did the opening of a new shop near Rama's stall affect his business?
Ans. The opening of the new shop near Rama's stall led to a decline in his customer base, as the customers were at- tracted by lower prices.
8.
What were some reasons for Rama's customers disappearing gradually?
Ans. Among Rama's regular
customers some moved away, while others found alternative options closer to
their new homes.
Thus Rama's customers began disappearing gradually.
9.
What is the theme of 'The Martyr's Corner'?
Ans. In the story 'The Martyr's Corner' R. K. Narayan has embedded the themes of diligence, dedication, compassion poverty, struggle and resilience.
10.
What is the significance of the title 'The Martyr's Corner'?
Ans. Although in conventional manner the spot had emerged out to be a 'Martyr's Corner', but ironically it was Rama only who paid the price by losing his livelihood, reputation and entire fortune. In true sense the real martyr is Rama him- self.
11.
How does people remark on Rama's business which irritate him?
Ans. Rama was irritated to hear people saying "Lucky fellow! He has hardly an hour's work a day and he pockets ten rupees what graduates are unable to earn! Three hundred rupees a month!"
(C) Long Questions & Answers : Marks: 4
1.
Briefly describe Rama's attitude towards the boot- polish boys.
Ans. Rama had a sympathetic and compassionate attitude to- wards the boot polish boys. He felt sorry for their difficult lives and poverty. He used to shout over the rich mer- chants when they bargain with them over the payment. He believes that if they will pay the boot-polish boys an anna, then they will be able to have a dosai and a chappati. It was not possible for Rama to give the boot polish boys food without any money. To some extent he helped them by measuring out their half glass of coffee correct to the fraction of an inch. He had a soft corner in his heart for these waifs.
2.
What did Rama's wife do upon his arrival at night?
Ans. Closing his food stall Rama returned home soon after the night show had started at the theatre. His wife opened the door, throwing into the night air the scent of burnt oil which perpetually hung about their home. She snatched from Rama's hands all his encumbrances, put her hand under his shirt to pull out his cloth bag and counted the cash imme- diately. She put back into his cloth bag the capital of five rupees for further investment on the morrow. Then she separated the gains and put them away in a little wooden box that she had brought from her parents house years ago.
3.
Describe in detail, how Rama's business was fin- ished.
Ans. Rama's business was
finished as a result of a series of events.
Firstly, the municipality moved his foodstall two
hun- dred yards away from its original spot due to the construc- tion of a
memorial. The new location was less favourable which resulted in a significant
drop in customers.
Secondly, a new shop opened nearby, offering similar
goods at lower prices, further diminishing Rama's cus- tomer base.
Thirdly, Rama became dispirited and started
neglecting his stall, resulting in poor maintenance and a decline in the
quality of his goods. As a result, his already dwindling customer base dwindled
even further.
Lastly, Rama's customers started vanishing gradually. Some of them moved away, while others found alternative options closer to their new homes. The remaining custom- ers were not enough to sustain Rama's business, and the lack of demand eventually led to its downfall.
4.
Do you think that Narayan has depicted many as- pects of typical Indian way of
life? Write a persua- sive answer.
Ans. It is thought Narayan has
depicted many aspects of typical Indian way of life. Narayan's works often
revolve around ordinary characters and their experiences, reflecting the lives
of common people in India. He explores themes such as family relationship,
societal norms, religion and the struggles of individuals in the face of social
and economic challenges. His stories provide valuable insights into the diverse
aspects of Indian culture and offer readers a glimpse into the intricacies of
everyday life in India.
Overall, Narayan's depiction of the typical Indian way of life is persuasive and comprehensive, making his words resonate with readers both within and outside of India,
5.
'But such security is unattainable in human life', Discuss the statement giving
illustration from the story 'The Martyr's Corner'?
Ans. The quoted statement means
that success cannot always be sustained for a long period of time. There were
people who were jealous of Rama. They said that hardly for an hour's work
everyday Rama earned ten rupees which even the graduates were not able to earn.
Rama, on account of some violence near the spot from where he sold his wares,
could no longer sell from this old spot.
As a result Rama had to move his stall further into the lane. As a result Rama moved out of sight of the customers from the cinema hall and jutka-drivers. This resulted in his business coming down so much that he had to close his business. Later, when his savings ran out Rama had to work in Restaurant Kohinoor for twenty rupees a month. Thus, this story illustrates the saying.
6.
Give a pen picture of Rama's character.
Ans. Rama was a hard working
food vendor. He lived with his wife happily. Rama was a sensible businessman
who charged his customers very reasonably for the food that he sold. He was
compassionate towards people taking the side of urchins who used to haggle with
rich customers. Rama was not educated. He had no sense of hygiene.