Class 9 Moments Supplementary Reader Chapter 3 Question Answers - Iswaran the Storyteller

Q.1. Iswaran was a master storyteller. Describe his amazing capacity of narrating stories and anecdotes.

Ans. Iswaran was a brilliant storyteller with a unique flair for narration. His love for Tamil thrillers greatly influenced the way he told stories, adding suspense and drama even to ordinary events. For instance, rather than simply stating that he saw an uprooted tree on the road, Iswaran would build tension by describing the scene as eerie and isolated, making it seem like an enormous beast lay ahead. His dramatic gestures, expressive tone, and surprise endings made even the simplest tales captivating. Sometimes, he would intentionally leave stories unfinished to heighten his listener's curiosity, demonstrating his exceptional narrative skills. 

Q.2. Describe lswaran’s encounter with the elephant.

Ans. Iswaran narrated an exciting story about a rampaging elephant. He told Mahendra about how a tusker had escaped from the timber yard, causing havoc as it entered a school playground. The frightened children ran for safety while the elephant destroyed the goalposts and water drums. Iswaran, who was a junior student at the time, bravely confronted the elephant with nothing but a stick. He claimed that a strike to the elephant’s third toenail caused it to collapse, and a veterinarian was later called to treat the animal. Iswaran attributed his success to using techniques from martial arts like karate or ju-jitsu, adding a touch of exaggeration to his heroic tale. 

Q.3. What did Iswaran tell Mahendra about a ghost? Describe Mahendra’s horrible experience one night. Why did he resolve to leave that place?

Ans. Iswaran told Mahendra that the factory area was once a burial ground and that he had frequently seen ghosts, including a terrifying woman carrying a foetus. While Mahendra dismissed these tales as superstition, they planted a seed of unease in his mind. One night, Mahendra was startled awake by a low moaning sound. Looking out of his window, he saw a shadowy figure resembling a woman holding a bundle, which frightened him deeply. The next morning, Iswaran confirmed that he had also heard the eerie sound. Overwhelmed by fear, Mahendra immediately decided to leave the place, submitting his transfer request. 

Q.4. How does Iswaran describe the uprooted tree on the highway? What effect does he want to create on his listeners?

Ans. Iswaran described the uprooted tree in a highly suspenseful and dramatic way. He portrayed the scene as if he was alone on a deserted road and encountered what seemed to be a huge, menacing creature. Only upon closer inspection did he reveal that it was merely a fallen tree with sprawling branches. His aim was to engage and captivate the listener by building suspense, transforming an ordinary incident into a thrilling story. This technique, influenced by the Tamil thrillers he read, kept his audience hooked, showcasing his mastery of storytelling. 

Q.5. How does Iswaran narrate the story of the tusker? Does it appear to be plausible?

Ans. Iswaran narrated the tusker's rampage with his usual flair for dramatization. He described how the elephant escaped, wreaked havoc in the town, and terrorized the children at his school. He built suspense by detailing the fear gripping everyone around him, only to step into the role of a hero himself. He claimed that, armed with just a stick, he bravely confronted the elephant, striking it in a way that caused the enormous beast to collapse. The story's beginning, involving the tusker's destruction, seems plausible, as such incidents are known to occur. However, the idea of a young student subduing an elephant with a single blow is far-fetched but amusing, adding a humorous touch to his exaggerated tale. 

Q.6. Mahendra calls ghosts or sprits a figment of the imagination. What happens to him on a full-moon night?

Ans. Though Mahendra initially dismissed Iswaran’s stories of ghosts as figments of imagination, one full-moon night tested his skepticism. Awoken by a strange moaning sound, he first brushed it off as a cat’s cry. However, as the sound intensified, curiosity got the better of him. Peering out of the window, Mahendra was horrified to see a shadowy figure resembling a woman carrying a bundle. The sight left him drenched in cold sweat, terrified and trembling. His fear grew stronger the next day when Iswaran claimed to have also heard the sound. This eerie experience left Mahendra so shaken that he decided to leave the place immediately. 

Q.7. “Iswaran is a fascinating storyteller”. Discuss.
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Iswaran was a master storyteller. Describe his amazing narrative’ skills.

Ans. Iswaran was a captivating storyteller who could effortlessly weave entertaining stories and anecdotes. His flair for storytelling was influenced by the Tamil thrillers he read daily. Iswaran had a unique ability to add suspense and excitement even to ordinary events. His use of dramatic expressions, gestures, and surprise endings kept his listener, Mahendra, fully engaged. Often, he would narrate stories in instalments, leaving them unfinished to maintain the listener’s curiosity. With a fresh story every day, he brought adventure, horror, and humor into Mahendra’s life, making him more entertaining than any television show. 

Q.8. What human values form the essence of Iswaran’s character?

Ans. Iswaran was a multi-talented and dedicated individual, demonstrating values such as loyalty, creativity, and cheerfulness. He was deeply committed to his duties, cooking delicious meals and maintaining the household without complaint. His creativity shone through his storytelling, where he entertained Mahendra with suspenseful, dramatic tales. Iswaran was a loyal companion who never let Mahendra feel lonely, even offering his entertainment in the form of captivating stories. Despite his master’s occasional scolding, Iswaran remained kind-hearted and continued to serve him dutifully. His positive attitude and creative spirit made him a memorable and lovable character.

Q.9. What are the qualities of a good storyteller? How can you say that Iswaran was a fascinating storyteller?

Ans. A good storyteller captivates their audience by creating suspense, adding surprise, and using vivid imagination. Iswaran possessed all these qualities, making him a fascinating storyteller. He had a knack for turning ordinary incidents into thrilling stories by introducing suspenseful twists and dramatic endings. His imaginative descriptions, such as comparing an uprooted tree to a gigantic beast, made his stories engaging. Iswaran’s expressive gestures and enthusiasm added depth to his narration, ensuring his listener remained hooked till the end. His storytelling was not just about content but also about the style in which he delivered it. 

Q.10. Iswaran, the story-teller, had a sensational way of telling his stories. Do you think he did the right things by adding sensation to his stories?

Ans. Iswaran had a natural flair for storytelling, and sensationalizing his stories was a part of his charm. By adding suspense and surprise to even the most ordinary events, he captivated his audience and kept them entertained. His exaggerated tales, like taming a wild elephant with a single blow, may not have been entirely truthful, but they served the purpose of engaging and amusing his listener, Mahendra. While some might argue that exaggeration borders on dishonesty, in the context of storytelling, Iswaran’s approach was more about entertaining and keeping the listener interested than about sticking to facts.

Q.11. Storytelling is an art. Comment with reference to the story `Iswaran the Storyteller’.

Ans. Story-telling is an art. The story-teller must have a grim tone, suitable expression of face and dramatic gestures of hands and body to leave a long-lasting impact on listeners. Stories can be made vivid by telling them in a unique style. Though stories are a figment of the imagination a perfect storyteller presents the facts. A good story has suspense in small things and has a surprise ending. Iswaran is a good storyteller. He used to read Tamil thrillers; it affected his behaviour. He used to narrate a small incident in a detailed way. He created suspense in small things and gave surprise endings. He was an expert in narrating stories in an elaborate way.

Q.12. Right from childhood, we hear ghost stories. What should be our opinion about ghosts? Answer with reference to the story `Iswaran the Storyteller’.

Ans. Since our childhood, we hear the stories of a ghost. Sometimes we become frightened and fall asleep quickly. And sometimes we think about the action of ghosts. As children, we believe in the existence of ghosts. We become confident that ghosts exist in the world and become afraid of dark even if we see any horrible sight. Our belief in ghosts deepens further. In the story, Iswaran told Mahendra that he had seen a female ghost one day. He further told him that the ghost appeared off and on at midnight during the full moon. The ghost seemed an ugly creature with thick hair and a shrivelled face and it gave the impression of a skeleton holding a foetus in its arms. Although Mahendra called Iswaran a crazy fellow, he was frightened inside. However, at night he conjured up the ghost and started shivering. Thus, his belief in ghosts deepened and he decided to leave the place at once.

Q.13. Iswaran served his master Mahendra with devotion and honesty. Do you think he was an ideal servant to his master?

Ans. Iswaran was an obedient person. He was Mahendra’s cook. He was very caring and hardworking. He did all the jobs such as cooking meal, washing clothes and chatting with Mahendra at night. He obeyed his master with full dedication. So, he was an asset to Mahendra. Any ideal servant should take every care of his master. He should keep his master satisfied in every way. As Mahendra was unmarried he was leading a lonely life. There was no one in the house who could give him company. Only Iswaran was in his house. Only he was his guide and friend. He was the source of entertainment for him. Thus, he was really an ideal servant of his master.

Q.14. Iswaran narrated ghost stories to his master, Mahendra, which created fear in Mahendra’s mind. Was it right on the part of Iswaran to create fear in Mahendra’s mind?

Ans. Mahendra’s mind was influenced by the ghost stories told by Iswaran. Iswaran told Mahendra that the place was a former burial ground and he had seen a female ghost. Mahendra was influenced by this story and he too saw a similar female ghost outside his window. This made him leave the present house he was staying in. It is horrible that it was only a figment of his imagination and there was no real ghost. So he must have confirmed himself that he really saw a ghost before vacating his place. Mahendra felt frightened and ran to his office. Further, he decided to leave the haunted place at once. It was his art of telling stories which helped him to convince Mahendra that he should believe in the ghosts.

Q.15. Even an educated person sometimes realises the existence of a ghost. Illustrate this with reference to Iswaran the Storyteller’.

Ans. A well educated and well-informed person would not believe in the existence of the ghost but sometimes the fear of their heart and effect of horror tales and haunted movies make them realise the existence of the ghost. Due to a psychological effect, the horrible scene does not get out of his mind, and keeps on thinking about the existence of a ghost. When one is in deep thoughts about a certain scene, the things related to the scene appear like real before our eyes. The same is the story of the ghost. In the story, the skilled storyteller, Iswaran, makes his successful effort to make Mahendra realise about the ghosts’ world and he started to believe that the ghosts were really existed and decided to leave the place, taking it as haunted.