Going Places, Summary, Theme, Glossary, Questions & Answers

CHAPTER: 8

Going Places                                                                                  A.R. Baron

SUMMARY The story explores the theme of adolescent fantasizing and hero worship. The protagonist of the story Sophie is always lost in fantasies far removed from the world of reality. She thinks of opening a boutique, becoming a fashion designer or an actress which is almost impossible for her. Her friend Jansie is quite a practical girl and feels sorry for Sophie. She tries to make her understand but it is all in vain. Sophie is quite close to her brother Geoff and confides her secrets in him. She tells him that she met Danny Casey at Royce’s window and she could not get an autograph because neither of them had any paper or pen. Geoff discloses this matter to their father which makes Sophie upset. Father knows her habit well and doesn’t believe her stories. He advises her to keep away from such fantasizings. When Jansie comes to know about it, she asks Sophie. Though Sophie dislikes sharing it with Jansie because she is a kind of newspaper, she tells her. She feels very much angry with Geoff that he let out the secret. After bidding bye to Jansie, Sophie moves away to the other side of a canal and sitting on a bench wait for Casey. After waiting for a long while she starts balancing the idea of his arrival with his not-arrival. It becomes difficult for her to accept that he will not come.

Theme

The story talks about adolescent fantasizing and hero worship through its main character Sophie who was always lost in unrealistic dreams of having a lot of money and meeting Danny Casey.

Setting

The locale of the story has not been mentioned. The action specifically takes place in the small town where Sophie and his family lives.

Characters

Sophie -                      She is the protagonist of the story. She is a school-going girl and is always lost in the dreams of Danny Casey and having high fortunes in life.

Jansie -                       She is Sophie’s schoolmate and friend. Unlike Sophie she is a practical girl and always connected to reality.

Geoff -                He is Sophie’s elder brother. He is three years out of school, an apprentice mechanic. He is a laconic person, Sophie shares her secrets with him.

Derek -                       He is Sophie’s younger brother. He is also a great fan of Danny Casey.

Sophie’s Father -       He is a plump-faced practical man. He is a man of simple means and a football fan.

Danny Casey -           He is a famous Irish footballer who plays for United.

Main Points

1.         After leaving school, Sophie dreams of opening a boutique.

2.         She wishes to be a manager; to be like Mary Quant; to be an actress.

3.         Jansie knows that they both are earmarked for the biscuit factory so shewishes her to be more sensible.

4.         Sophie’s elder brother Geoff is an apprentice mechanic. He is three years out of school.

5.         He speaks very less and Sophie feels quite jealous of his silence.

6.         Sophie also wishes to go to such places where Geoff goes.

7.         She wants herself to be admitted more deeply into Geoff’s affections.

8.         She feels that one day Geoff will take her along with him to the city and the world will greet them.

9.       She tells Geoff that she met Danny Casey in the arcade while she was looking at Royce’s window.

10.     She tells him that he has green and gentle eyes and he is not very tall. She asks for an autograph for little Derek but neither of them had any paper or pen.

11.       At home, Geoff breaks this news to their father who disapproves of it.

12.       She tells them that Casey is going to buy a shop but Dad doesn’t believe her.

13.       Sophie tells Geoff that not tell anything about Casey to Dad.

14.       Geoff makes fun of her and says that there is nothing to tell.

15.       On Saturday, they went to see the match. United won two nil and Casey drove in the second goal.

16.       All were happy. Father went to pub to celebrate.

17.     Later when Jansie met Sophie she asked about Sophie’s meeting with Casey. This annoyed Sophie.

18.       She told Jansie about the meeting and autograph and also told her that her dad shouldn’t know about that.

20.       After that both of them part and Sophie crossing the canal waits for Casey under the solitary elm tree.

21.       After some time she starts balancing the idea of his arrival with his not arrival. But resignation is no sudden thing.

22.       While returning home, she again pictures the whole thing.

23.       Next Saturday, they again go and watch the United’s match.

GLOSSARY

Earmarked                               -           Set aside, Reserved

Melancholy                             -           Sadness, Unhappiness

Scoop                                      -           Taking up, Gulping

Crooked                                  -           Twisted, Curved

Cluttered                                 -           Untidy, Littered

Tinkering                                 -           Mending, Repairing

Prize out                                  -           Pull out, Force out

Exotic                                      -           Unusual, Striking

Cradle                                     -           Hold, Support

Arcade                                                -           A roofed passage, Gallary

Chastened                               -           Insulted, Sorry

Wriggle                                   -           Wiggle, Turn or twist the body

Grimace                                   -           Frown, Scowl

Prodigy                                   -           Genius, Extraordinarily skilled person

Blend                                      -           Mixture, Amalgamation

Inquisition                               -           Inquiry, Investigation

Nosey                                      -           Prying, Curious

Gawky                                                -           Clumsy, Ungainly

Chuffed                                  -           Pleased, Delighted

Envisage                                  -           Envision, Imagine

Freckled                                  -           Spotted, Dotted

Surrender                                -           Acceptance, Submission

Gazelle                                    -           Antelope

Shimmer                                  -           Twinkle, Gleam

Lumbering                               -           Heavy, Ponderous

Melodious                               -           Sweet, Mellifluous

Exultant                                  -           Joy, Jubilance

Approbation                            -           Approval, Support

SHORT ANSWER TYPE QUESTIONS

1.         Sophie and Jansie were class-mates and friends. What were the differences between them that show up in the story?

Ans:    Sophie was a dreamer and lived far removed from the world of reality. She dreamt of opening a boutique; becoming an actress and meeting Danny Casey. On the other hand Jansie was a realist. She knew that such dreaming is of no use as it would result only in pain. She had accepted the fact of their poverty.

2.         How would you describe the character and temperament of Sophie’s father?

Ans:    Sophie’s father was a realist and a practical person. His comments about Danny Casey      and Sophie prove it. He despised Sophie’s indulging in wild fantasies. He appears to be a foodie and a fat man. He didn’t have any high aspirations. He loved football.

3.     Why did Sophie like her brother Geoff more than any other person? From her   perspective, what did he symbolize?

Ans:    Sophie liked her brother Geoff more than any other person because he always lent an ear   to all her nonsense and never criticized her for indulging in wild fantasies though he never believed her.

From her perspective he symbolized hope and mystery. She always thought that he would take her to the city one day as she always wanted to know where he went and whom he met.

4.        What socio-economic background did Sophie belong to? What are the indicators of    her family’s financial status?

Ans:    Sophie belonged to a poor middle class family. She had a small house without any servants. Her brother had to leave his studies. Her father used bicycle for conveyance. All these things including Sophie’s unrealistic dreams of becoming rich and famous point well to her poor financial status.

5.         What were Sophie’s dreams about her future?

Ans:    After quitting school, Sophie wanted to open a boutique. When Jansie asked about the money to open a boutique, she said that she would become a manager for a while. She wanted to be a fashion designer or an actress, something a bit sophisticated.

6.         “This another of your wild stories?” Who said this to whom? Why?

Ans:    Sophie’s father said this to Sophie because he knew her habit well that she was always lost in wild fantasizing and there was never a grain of truth in those stories. He might have felt that her story about Danny Casey would not be an exception.

7.          Why does Sophie not want her father to know about her meeting with Danny Casey?

Ans:   Sophie doesn’t want her father to know about her meeting with Danny Casey because he would be very angry and would scold or beat her. He would also quarrel which made her mother quite upset.

8.          How does Sophie include her brother Geoff in her fantasy of her future?

Ans:   Sophie thinks of sharing all her secrets with Geoff and him approving them all without expressing any contempt. She also imagines riding to the city on his bike and the world     rising to greet them.

LONG ANSWER TYPE QUESTIONS

1.         It is natural for teenagers to have unrealistic dreams. What would you say are the benefits and disadvantages of such fantasizing?

Ans:    Such fantasizing has some very good aspects. They act as a driving force and keep one motivated even in adverse situations. They are a way out of all the problems and sorrows. They give one aims and ambitions so that one can keep on moving out of the drudgery of life. But on the other hand there are negatives too. Unrealistic dreams can cordon one off from reality leading one into a load of troubles. It may make one unable to accept the realityand dump down into the pits of depression. Such dreams enfeeble one draining all the energy to act and leaving one all passive.

2.         Sophie’s dreams and disappointments are all in her dreams. Discuss in detail.

Ans:    Sophie was a dreamer who always in wild fantasies and cooked up stories. The story of Danny Casey was also a cock and bull story which she had made just to grab the attention of her brother. But slowly she got so much engrossed in her dream that she started living it. She dreamt of her meeting with Danny Casey and reveled in that. Though she knew that he was not going to come yet she didn’t want to come out of the sweet pain which the dreaming offered to her. She had got into dreaming so much so that she wanted others to believe her stories. Her dreams made her happy and they disappointed her as well.

PREVIOUS YEARS' QUESTIONS

(2018)    In one’s approach to life one should be practical and not live in a world of dreams. How is Jansie’s attitude different from that of Sophie?                                                         [6 Marks]

(2017)    What was Sophie’s ambition in life? How did she hope to achieve that?                 [3 Marks]

(2016)    Every teenager has a hero/ heroine to admire. So many times they become role models for them. What is wrong if Sophie fantasises about Daney Casey and is ambitious in life?

(2015)  Sophie lives in a world full of dreams which she does not know she cannot realise. Comment.                                                                                                                   [6 Marks]

              How different is Jansie from Sophie ?                                                                       [6 Marks]

              It is not unusual for a lower middle class girl to dream big. How unrealistic were Sophie's dream's?                                                                                                                      [6 Marks]

(2014)    Why did Sophie long for her brother's affection?                                                     [2 Marks]

(2013)    Why was Sophie jealous of Geoff's silence?                                                             [2 Marks]

(2012)    Attempt a character sketch of Sophie as a woman who lives in her dreams.

                                                                                                                                                [10 Marks]

(2011)    Why didn't Sophie want Jansie to know about her story with Danny?                     [2 Marks]

(2010)    Why did Sophie like her brother Geoff more than and other person?                       [2 Marks]

(2009)    Jansie is just as old as Sophie but she is very different from her. Bring out the contrast between the two friends cities relevant instances from the story, 'Going Places'.                                                                                                                                                         [10 Marks]