NCERT Solutions for Class 9 English - Villa for Sale

TEXTBOOK QUESTIONS (SOLVED)

1. Complete the following paragraph about the theme of the play using the clues given in the box below. Remember that there are more clues than required.

Juliette, the owner of a villa wants to _________ it as she is in need of _________ . Moreover, she is not in _________ of the house. Jeanne and Gaston, a couple visit her with the aim of _________ the villa. While Jeanne is _________ about buying, Gaston detests the idea as he does not want his __________ in that house. Also, he finds the asking price of _________ to be expensive. When Jeanne and Juliette go around the house, another customer _________ and starts talking to Gaston _________ him to be Juliette’s husband. Gaston _________ a deal with the customer by which he is able to give _________ to the owner and _________ one thousand francs for himself.

Ans: Juliette, the owner of a villa wants to sell it as she is in need of money. Moreover, she is not in Favour of the house. Jeanne and Gaston, a couple visit her with the aim of buying the villa. While Jeanne is enthusiastic about buying, Gaston detests the idea as he does not want his inlaws in that house. Also, he finds the asking price of house to be expensive. When Jeanne and Juliette go around the house, another customer walks in and starts talking to Gaston taking him to be Juliette’s husband. Gaston strikes a deal with the customer by which he is able to give 200 thousand francs to the owner and keep one thousand francs for himself.

Q2. Read the following extracts and answer the questions that follow by choosing the correct options.

(I)  But the sign has been hanging on the gate for over a month now and I am beginning to be afraid that the day I bought it was when I was the real fool.

a) Why is Juliette disappointed?
(i) she is unable to get the role of a cook in the films.
(ii) her maid is leaving as she has got a role in the films.
(iii) she is unable to find a suitable buyer for her villa.
(iv) Gaston is offering a very low price for the villa.
Ans. (iii) she is unable to find a suitable buyer for her villa.

b) Why does she call herself a fool?
(i) she has decided to sell her villa.
(ii) there are no buyers for the villa.
(iii) she had bought the villa for more than it was worth.
(iv) the villa was too close to the film studios.
Ans. (iii) she had bought the villa for more than it was worth.

(II)  ‘But your parents would take possession of it, every year from the beginning of spring until the end of September. What’s more they would bring the whole tribe of your sister’s children with them.’
(a) What does Gaston mean by ‘take possession’?
(i) her parents would stay with them for a long time.
(ii) Juliette’s sister has many children.
(iii) Gaston does not like children.
(iv) Juliette’s sister’s children are badly behaved.
Ans. (i) her parents would stay with them for a long time.

(C) ‘While you were upstairs, I have been thinking a lot about your Papa and Mamma.
(a) What is the discrepancy between what Gaston said earlier and what he says now?
(i) Earlier he did not want Juliette’s parents to stay with them but now he is showing concern for them.
(ii) Earlier he wanted Juliette’s parents to stay with them but now he does not want them to come over.
(iii) Earlier he wanted to buy a house for them but now he wants them to come and stay in their villa.
(iv) Earlier he stayed in Juliette’s parents’ villa but now he wants them to stay with him and Juliette.
Ans. (i) Earlier he did not want Juliette’s parents to stay with them but now he is showing concern for them.

(b) What does the above statement reveal about Gaston’s character?
(i) he is selfish.
(ii) he is an opportunist.
(iii) he is a caring person.
(iv) he is a hypocrite.
Ans. (ii) he is an opportunist.

Q3. Answer the following questions.

(a) Why does Jeanne want to buy a villa?

Ans : Jeanne wants to buy the villa so that her parents can stay in it. Moreover, her sister along with her children could also visit and stay there.

(b) Why is Gaston not interested in buying the villa in the beginning?

Ans : Gaston is not fond of his wife’s family. He believes that her parents would occupy the villa for quite some time and her sister would also visit there. He believes that buying the villa is a bad investment and has no desire to buy it.

(c) Mrs Al Smith makes many statements about the  French. Pick out any two and explain them.

Ans : (i) “You French have a very cute way of doing business”.
(ii) “Frenchmen usually have to consult about ten people before they get a move on”. Mrs Al Smith believes that French are not very business-minded and they don’t go into any details. Moreover, she also believes that the French are fickle-minded and they cannot make their own decisions.

(d) Juliette says, “..... want to get this wretched place off my hands. I would sacrifice it at any price”. Does she stick to her words. Why / Why not?

Ans: Juliette changed her stand totally when Jeanne and Gaston arrived. At first, she quotes three hundred and fifty thousand francs and when Gaston shows disinterest, she settles down for two hundred thousand. She is in no way ready to reduce the cost of the villa anymore.

e) Who is a better business person – Juliette or Gaston? Substantiate with examples from the text.

Ans. Gaston proves himself better in business compared to Juliette. He negotiates a deal with Mrs. Al Smith from scratch and earns a substantial amount of money. Additionally, he secures a Corot painting as part of the deal.

f) The ending of the play was a win-win situation approach for Gaston, Juliette, and Mrs. Al Smith. Explain.

Ans. Gaston, who initially has no interest in the villa, cleverly sells it to Mrs. Al Smith at a profit. Juliette, the frustrated villa owner, finally manages to sell the property. Mrs. Al Smith, an American actress, happily acquires the villa she desires. Despite the unexpected twists, all three characters achieve their goals, making the outcome beneficial for everyone involved. 

Q4. Answer in detail.

a) Social Satire is a style of fictional representation that uses humor, irony, exaggeration, or ridicule to expose and criticize people’s behavior, particularly in a social context. Substantiate how Villa for Sale reflects this style.

Ans. In Villa for Sale, Juliette and Gaston exhibit social satire through their interactions. Gaston reacts to discovering a bath in the bathroom and dismisses the villa as merely "Twenty-five yards of Cretonne and a dash of paint." The maid suggests that Juliette take up acting to solve her financial woes. These instances highlight the play's use of satire to critique societal norms and behaviors.

b) Passive characters are often considered ‘weak’ and ‘uninteresting,’ but can also be the true driving force of a story. Do you feel that the maid and Jeanne were the driving force of this play? Rationalize with evidence from the play.

Ans. In Villa for Sale, the maid and Jeanne play an important role in keeping the story grounded. Both of them show positive attitudes, determination, and a strong work ethic, which is different from the more emotional and dramatic nature of Juliette and Gaston. Although they seem less involved in the main action, their steady presence helps keep the story on track. They connect the main characters and allow the plot to move forward smoothly. Even though they may appear passive, their role is key to keeping the story together. 

Q5. Select words from the box to describe the characters in the play as revealed by the following lines.

 Answer: