Textbook Solutions: The Boy Who Broke the Bank | Gul Mohar Class 8: Book Solutions, Summaries & Worksheets PDF Download

Before You Read

The internet has made it possible for news to travel swiftly across the globe. However, we cannot believe everything we read or see on social media or the internet.
Q. Pair up with your partner. Discuss and write down one rumour or false news you may have heard. Discuss the answer to these questions with reference to the example you chose.

Q1. Why did people spread this rumour or false news? Was it panic, fear, concern or excitement that prompted them?
Ans: People spread the rumour mainly out of excitement and fear. Excitement came from wanting to share something new and dramatic without checking facts, while fear made others pass it on quickly, thinking it might affect their lives. Often, rumours travel faster than truth because people enjoy exaggeration. In the story, the news about unpaid wages spread widely as gossip, fuelled by curiosity rather than genuine concern.

Q2. What were the consequences?
Ans: The consequences of spreading false news were serious. A simple fact about the sweeper not being paid grew into panic about the bank collapsing. People rushed to withdraw money, rumours about Seth fleeing spread, and soon chaos filled the town. Stones were thrown, windows smashed, and the bank faced violent protests. This shows that unchecked gossip can create unnecessary fear, damage reputations, and harm innocent people like Nathu.

While Reading

Q1. Nathu feels …
Ans: Nathu feels angry, frustrated, and helpless because he had not been paid his salary for two months. His annoyance came not only from unpaid wages but also from being overworked without recognition. As a poor sweeper-boy, his survival depended on his small income, and when it stopped, he became irritated with everyone around him. His frustration shows the struggles of ordinary workers who live hand-to-mouth.

Q2. Sitaram tries to help Nathu though he didn’t need to. What do we learn from his gesture?
Ans: Sitaram’s gesture reveals his kindness, generosity, and sense of friendship. Though not directly affected by Nathu’s problem, he still thought about finding him another job. This shows that true friendship is about standing by someone in need and offering help without expecting anything in return. His willingness to go out of his way makes him a caring and thoughtful character in the story.

Q3. Mrs Prakash felt she had to tell her friend about the bank because …
a. It was important news.
b. It was the latest gossip.
Ans: (b) It was the latest gossip: She was excited to share what she had heard, not because it was important news. Instead of verifying facts, she spread gossip casually, enjoying the thrill of passing it on.

This shows how rumours grow—not out of concern but because people like to talk and exaggerate stories.

Q4. Mrs Bhushan is exaggerating what she heard because …
Ans: Mrs Bhushan exaggerated the news by assuming the bank was going bankrupt, even though she only heard the sweeper had not been paid. Instead of keeping the information accurate, she added her own conclusions. This shows how easily people add “spice” to a story, turning a small issue into something sensational. Her exaggeration acted like fuel that made the rumour spread much faster in the town.

Q5. The writer is conveying sympathy / humour through the customer. Which sentence tells you this?
Ans: The sentence is: “The customer yelped with pain and distress: pain because of the cut and distress because of the awful news he had just heard.” This is humorous because the customer was more upset about the bank rumour than his bleeding ear. It also shows irony—he cared more about money than his own injury, highlighting people’s priorities in moments of panic.

Q6. What do you feel for Nathu as he sits down on the steps of the bank?
Ans: One feels deep sympathy for Nathu, because he was innocent yet became linked with the chaos. All he wanted was his salary, but his complaint unknowingly triggered a rumour that spread wildly. As he sat on the steps of the bank, tired and worried, he was completely unaware that half the town blamed him indirectly for the crisis. His helplessness makes the reader feel pity for him.

Understanding the Text

A. Rumours have an interesting growth. Study this diagram and complete it with details of how the rumour led to wide protests.

Ans:

B. Answer these questions.

Q1. Why was Nathu, the sweeper-boy, annoyed?
Ans: Nathu was annoyed because his salary had not been paid for two months. For someone poor like him, even a small delay meant hunger and difficulty in surviving. His irritation grew stronger as he swept angrily, complaining about his situation. The unfairness of working hard without wages made him bitter, and though he did not realize it, his frustration became the root of a rumour that shook the town.

Q2. How did news about the bank change from Mrs Prakash’s telling to Mrs Bhushan’s? (para 11, para 13 and 15)
Ans: Mrs Prakash told her friend that the bank could not pay its sweeper. This was still close to the truth, though incomplete. Mrs Bhushan, however, exaggerated it into “the bank is going bankrupt.” This small twist completely changed the meaning of the news. Instead of one employee’s problem, it became a story of financial collapse, showing how gossip distorts facts and spreads panic in society.

Q3. How did the barber and his customer react to the news about the bank? What words in para 17 tell you that the customer was more worried about his money than his injury?
Ans: The barber was startled by the rumour and, in his shock, accidentally cut his customer’s ear. But the customer ignored the pain and immediately panicked about his savings. The words “distress because of the awful news he had just heard” prove he was more upset about the bank than his bleeding ear. This shows how money worries can overshadow even personal health or safety.

Q4. Seth Govind Ram was known in town as a man of wealth whose haphazard business dealings had often brought him to the verge of ruin. Answer these questions about him.
a. What made the townspeople think that the Seth had run away because of the bank’s collapse? (para 17)
Ans:  The townspeople thought Seth had run away because they heard he was holidaying in Kashmir. Instead of treating it as a normal trip, they assumed he had fled to escape responsibility for the supposed collapse of the bank. This assumption reflected their fear and their readiness to believe negative news, especially when it involved someone with a reputation for careless business dealings.

b. What were the absurd rumours that were spreading about Seth Govind Ram? (para 21)
Ans: Absurd rumours spread that Seth Govind Ram had fled the state, escaped the country, or was secretly hiding somewhere in town. None of these had any proof, but people repeated them as if they were facts. The exaggerations grew wilder with each telling, showing how gossip quickly turns into unbelievable stories that fuel mass panic and distrust.

c. Do you think the Seth’s reputation made the rumours easier to believe? Why?
Ans: Yes, his reputation made the rumours believable. Seth was already known for haphazard business dealings and being careless with money. People did not trust him fully and were ready to assume the worst. So when news of the bank’s trouble spread, it was easy for them to believe that Seth had run away, even though the truth was entirely different.

Q5. “Everyone seems to have gone mad!” (para 22)
a. Who said these words and why?
Ans: A bank clerk said these words when he saw half the town rushing to withdraw their money in panic. He was shocked at the chaos created by rumours. To him, the people’s fear and the mob-like behaviour looked like madness because there was no real financial collapse—only exaggerated gossip had caused the crowd to lose control.

b. According to you, what incident in the story reflected the madness of the town at its peak?
Ans: The peak of madness was when the crowd turned violent—throwing stones, smashing windows, and threatening to break into the bank. What began as small gossip ended in mob fury. This incident reflected how collective fear can quickly grow into destructive action, harming both property and peace, even when there is no real reason behind it.

Q6. Read paras 24 and 30 again and answer these questions.
a. Do you think the town residents show any concern for workers like Nathu, the sweeper-boy? How do you know this?
Ans: No, the town residents showed no real concern for Nathu’s problem. His unpaid wages were the root of the issue, but instead of worrying about him, people only worried about their own money. Nathu remained unnoticed and unhelped, even though his situation was genuine. This reveals society’s indifference to the struggles of poor workers, whose problems are often ignored in times of crisis.

b. Who do you think will be more affected by the collapse of the bank? Businessmen like Seth Govind Ram or workers like Nathu?
Ans: Workers like Nathu would be more affected, because they depended entirely on small salaries for survival. Businessmen like Seth had other resources and savings, but for poor workers, even one missed payment meant hunger and hardship. The collapse of a bank would devastate ordinary people far more severely, as they lacked the security or influence to protect themselves from financial loss.

Q7. In your opinion, who was truly responsible for ‘breaking’ the bank? Was it Nathu, Sitaram, the bank clerk, Seth Govind Ram or the town? Give reasons for your answer.
Ans: The real responsibility lay with the town as a whole, not any single individual. Gossip spread from one person to another, each adding exaggeration until mass panic erupted. Nathu’s complaint started the talk, but it was the people’s habit of believing and spreading rumours without checking facts that “broke” the bank. This shows how collective irresponsibility and careless words can create chaos even without real danger.

Appreciating the Text

Q1. Do we, the readers, know something about the collapse of the bank that Nathu and Sitaram do not? How do we know this? How do you think this adds humour to the text?
Ans:  Yes, readers know that the bank did not collapse; it was only ruined by rumours. This dramatic irony adds humour because the innocent sweeper-boy Nathu was indirectly blamed while he remained completely unaware. The humour lies in the contrast between what readers know and what characters believe—the exaggerated chaos outside the bank compared to the simple truth about unpaid wages.

Q2. ‘The Boy Who Broke the Bank’ is the story of a rumour that turned a town upside down. The writer describes the behaviour of the town’s residents during this ‘crisis’ and makes some interesting remarks on human nature. Read these statements. Discuss in pairs and tick (✔) those beliefs that you think the writer expresses in the story and give examples from the text to support your answers.

Ans: (a) When we retell a story, we tend to add spice to it and exaggerate. ☑
(b) We are unfair and unkind to people who are different from us. ☒
(c) We are interested in other people’s concerns, even when it does not affect us. ☑
(d) Many behave poorly when in a crowd because they can remain safe and anonymous. ☑
(e) There are many who take pleasure in other people’s misfortunes. ☑
(f) We are inclined to believe negative news rather than positive. ☑
(g) We ignore the facts that do not support our views about the world. ☑
(h) Panic and violence come quickly and easily to humans. ☑

Q. Do you agree with the writer's views? Do you think humans always behave in the way he has described? Can you think of any people who do not behave this way? 
Ans: I agree with many of the writer’s views because people often exaggerate stories, believe negative news quickly, and behave recklessly in crowds. However, humans do not always act this way. There are thoughtful and responsible individuals who remain calm, verify facts before reacting, and avoid spreading rumours. For example, some community leaders, teachers, or socially aware citizens act sensibly in tense situations and encourage others to stay rational instead of giving in to fear or panic.