Class 10 Literature Reader Chapter 4 Extra Question Answers - Chapter 4 - A Shady Plot

Long Answer Type Question
Q1. How does Helen’s appearance in the party make Lavinia get rid of her superstitious belief in Ouija Boards?
Ans: Helen was quite superstitious and she bought an Ouija Board from the sale and organised an Ouija board party. The author was also forced to participate in the party. All the boards in the party screamed the author’s name and called him a traitor. Everyone in the party believed that the narrator was having an affair with a woman called Helen. Lavinia was very angry and she made up her mind to leave the author. But when Lavinia entered the author’s room and saw Helen, the ghost, she forgave her husband. She then told the ghost, she forgave her husband and told her maid to burn the Ouija Boards in the kitchen fire.

Q2. How does the lesson? ‘A Shady Plot’ reminds us that man has no right to invoke supernatural powers through Ouija boards, Tarot cards, etc. to solve his problems and that one should face life boldly and overcome difficulties using wit and intelligence. Write in 80-100 words.
Ans: Man must honor the balance between earthly creatures and supernatural power as it has been made by Nature. He has no right to intrude into the placid world of the ghosts. Compelling the ghosts to answer the questions using an Ouija board is an immoral activity. They don’t get time to take rest, nor do they get time for recreation. In this scientific world man is not supposed to believe in ghosts. God has given man immense power of thinking and made him next to Him. Man must have the confidence in solving all sorts of problems instead of hankering after superstitions and antiquated ideas. Using his wit and courage he himself can do wonders.

Q3. What does Helen, the ghost, demand from John Hallock? Why does she do so?
Ans: Helen was a member of ‘The Writer’s Inspiration Bureau’. She had to go to the writers with no idea of writing ghost stories to help them. For this purpose only, she came to John. She explained her problem saying that she and other ghosts had to respond to the questions asked by the people using Ouija boards. All the ghosts had to work even at odd times and for a longer time. They had no time for their own entertainment. Expressing her problems, she began to weep.
Helen requested the author to persuade the people to stop using Ouija boards using his own influence. If he did so, she would help him by providing ideas for writing a ghost story. If Helen succeeded in her mission, she and other ghosts would lead a peaceful life. So for getting rid of her problems as well as the problems of the other ghosts, she showed her eagerness to help John and get his help.

Q4. What problems did Helen, the ghost, because in John Hallock’s life?
Ans: Helen came to John to get rid of her own problems. So she showed her eagerness to help John in writing a ghost story. In return, she wanted John’s help. John had to persuade the people to stop the use of Ouija boards. So John and Helen promised to help each other. But John’s wife arranged an Ouija board party in her house. It was a violation of the promise made by John. So when the party was going on Helen appeared and called John a traitor. It was wrongly interpreted by everyone and John felt humiliated as everybody blamed that he had fallen in love with Helen. His wife warned John that she was going to leave his house and divorce him very soon.
The maidservant was also going to leave his house. John was already in extreme stress as the publisher was putting pressure on him to write the ghost story and John was unable to have an idea for writing the same. So we can say that Helen was the root cause of the various problems being faced by John Hallock.

Q5. As Lavinia, John Hallock’s wife, write a letter to your sister on Helen, the ghost and how you misunderstood your husband.
Ans:182 Z Block
G.K.9
New Delhi
15 June 20XX
Dear Robinia
Hope this letter finds you in the pink of health. I am going to explain how I misunderstood my gentle husband who has been so loyal to me since our marriage.
Recently, I arranged an Ouija board party and invited many couples. When it was going on a lady appeared on all the Ouija boards and started calling my husband a traitor. I felt so bad as I was publicly humiliated. All the couples were saying that my husband had fallen in love with a lady named Helen and he deceived her later on. The ignominy became so intolerable for me that I decided to leave the house of my husband and divorce him.
My eyes were opened the next day when the reality came before my eyes. I saw that Helen was so ugly. She was a ghost. So there was no question of a love affair between her and my husband. As he knew that I would be extremely afraid to see a ghost he always hid her from me and never told me about her arrival. So I was mistaken and doubted my loyal husband. Now I am repenting for what I did.
Convey my regards to elders and love to children.
With heaps of love.
Yours lovingly
Lavinia

Q6. How did the ‘Ouija board party’ prove disastrous for John Hallock?
Ans: In the Ouija board party, several couples had been invited by Lavinia. As Mrs. Laura Hinkle was without her husband, Lavinia requested her husband to use the Ouija board along with Mrs. Hinkle. All of a sudden, a piece of news spread in the party that Mr. John had fallen in love with a lady named Helen. As he deceived her, she was calling him a traitor. Some ladies in the party tried their level best to make Lavinia know the rumor that had spread. It was a very humiliating experience for John. Lavinia doubted the loyalty of her husband and warned that she would leave his house and divorce him. Gentle and loyal John was unable to prove himself innocent. He was of the view that Lavinia would faint if she came to know that Helen was a ghost. Later, the maidservant also announced that she was going to leave the house. On the other side, Helen was angry thinking that John had not kept his promises as the Ouija party was organised in his house. So she would not help John in writing a ghost story. His publisher Jenkins was putting pressure on him to write the ghost story as soon as possible and John was unable to get ideas for writing a ghost story. So the Ouija board party proved so disastrous for John.