Dusk

Dusk

2. Answer the following questions in 30-40 words. 

a) Norman Gortsby views dusk as the hour of the defeated. The people who had fought and lost came out at this time so that their shabby clothes, bowed shoulders and unhappy eyes might pass unnoticed and unrecognised by those who were successful. 

b) Gortsby did not believe the young man’s story. However, he wanted to see how far the young man would act or talk to prove his point and get some sympathy and money. He told the youth that the weak point of the story was that the youth couldn’t produce the bar of soap which would have given some credence to the story. 

c) Gortsby linked the young stranger’s story and the bar of soap together and concluded that the soap had fallen out of the youth’s overcoat pocket when he had flung himself down on the bench. 

d) On arriving at a new hotel in London, the young man had gone out to buy a bar of soap. On his way back, he could not remember the name of the hotel or the street. Therefore, he was looking for monetary help as he had no money, nor friends or any connections in London. 

3. Answer the following questions in 100-120 words. 

a) The young man was agitated as he sat on the bench to gain Gortsby’s attention. He frankly stated that he had done the silliest thing in his life. His reference to the mix up in hotel bookings is often a genuine problem faced by travellers. His stepping out to buy an essential item such as a bar of soap lent further credence to the story. Thus, by blaming himself and behaving frankly, he presented himself as a genuine person.

b) The young man had come to London with the intention of staying at the Patagonian Hotel in London but on arrival discovered that it had been razed. He checked into another hotel and stepped out to buy a bar of soap. It seemed that he had forgotten to pack soap and he hated using hotel soaps. When he turned to go back, he didn’t remember the name of the hotel or its location. He had just two pence left with him and no friends or connections in London to lend him money. 

c) Gortsby realised that the young man was out to extract money from him, and hence refused the young man a loan. However, after the young man left hurriedly, Gortsby found a bar of soap lying next to the bench and thought that it was the young man’s. He ran and caught up with the young man, apologised and gave him the soap and one sovereign. The young man who looked hostile suddenly looked surprised, friendly and thankful. He hastily took the money and Gortsby’s address and fled the scene. When Gortsby walked past the park bench, the elderly gentleman was searching for his bar of soap. It was then that Gortsby realised that he had been fooled by the young man. 

d) Yes, ‘Dusk’ is an appropriate title for this story. It is a part of the day, when the light is dim and murky, at times there is light whereas some places are covered with shadows. It is a time of the day when every living thing is hurrying to go back home or find a safe place before the nightfall and darkness. This mood is reflected in all the three people of the story. It also refers to the darkness - feelings, thought of the human being - the young man - the age of the gentleman who lost his soap. No, dusk is not an appropriate title for this story. Norman Gortsby should have listened to his instinct and not made haste in locating the young man. Dusk is a beautiful time of the day, when after frantic activity, everybody in the world retires for rest. It is a peaceful and beautiful experience which prepares us for the next glorious day. There is no need to associate Gortsby’s bad experience with such a time. This incident could have happened anytime, anywhere 

e) The young man was a master at spinning tales to extract money from people. The reasons why the young man built a story around a bar of soap could be as follows: i.It is very common for people to have preferences for everyday items of use like shampoos, towels, soaps, tea, breakfast, etc. A cake of soap is very normal and common reason for people to go shopping. ii.He could have seen the bar of soap fallen out of the old man’s pocket when he got up to go from the bench. He seized the opportunity and immediately sat down in place of the old man to relate his woes. It is possible he was keeping an eye on the old man in case he returns to retrieve the bar of soap. In that case he would have quietly moved off obscured by the lack of light.