NCERT Solutions for Class 9 English - Best Seller

3. Based on your reading of the story, answer the following questions by choosing the correct option.
(a) The narrator says that John was “_____ of the suff that heroes are not often lucky enough to be made of.” His tone is sarcastic because _____
(i) he hated John.
(ii) he felt that John was a threat to him.
(iii) John was not particularly good-looking.
(iv) nobody liked John.
Ans: (iii) John was not particularly good-looking.
Explanation: The narrator's tone is sarcastic because he is implying that John is not the typical hero material, specifically highlighting his lack of good looks. This sarcastic remark suggests that John doesn't fit the stereotypical image of a "hero."

(b) Pescud felt that best-sellers were not realistic as
(i) American farmers had nothing in common with European princesses.
(ii) men generally married girls from a similar background.
(iii) American men married girls who studied in America.
(iv) American men did not know fencing and were beaten by the Swiss guards,
Ans: (i) American farmers had nothing in common with European princesses.
Explanation: Pescud’s criticism of best-sellers is based on his belief that they portray unrealistic relationships, such as a farmer from America falling in love with a European princess. He feels that these stories are disconnected from real-life experiences.

(c) “Bully”, said Pescud brightening at once.
He means to say that____
(i) he is a bully.
(ii) his manager was a bully.
(iii) he was being bullied by his co-workers.
(iv) he was doing very well at his job.
Ans: (iv) he was doing very well at his job.
Explanation: The term "Bully" in this context is used positively by Pescud, suggesting that things are going well for him in his job. He brightens up because he is pleased with the situation and feels successful.

(d) The narrator says that life has no geographical bounds implying that
(i) human beings are essentially the same everywhere.
(ii) boundaries exist only on maps.
(iii) one should work towards the good of mankind.
(iv) he was happy to travel to other countries.
Ans: (i) human beings are essentially the same everywhere.
Explanation: By saying that life has no geographical bounds, the narrator implies that the essence of human life transcends physical borders. The idea is that people, no matter where they are, share common emotions, experiences, and humanity.

4. Answer the following questions briefly.
(a) One day last summer the author was travelling to Pittsburg by chair car. What does he say about his co-passengers?
Ans: One day last summer, the author was travelling to Pittsburgh by chair car on business. Most of the passengers were ladies. They were in brown-silk dresses cut with square yokes, laces and dotted veils. There were men who looked as if “they might be in almost any business.” However, his attention was drawn by the black, bald- spotted head just visible above the back of seat No. 9.

(b) Who was the passenger of chair No. 9? What did he suddenly do?
Ans: John A. Pescud was the passenger of chair No. 9. Suddenly he hurled a book on to the floor between his chair and the window. The book was named “The Rose Lady and Trevelyan”. It was one of the best-selling novels of the present day.

(c) What was John A. Pescud’s opinion about best sellers? Why?
Ans: John A. Pescud didn’t hold a very high opinion about best sellers. The fiction writers are not consistent with their scenes and characters. They are far removed from reality. Their account is highly unreal, exaggerated and romantic. Sometimes the American hero falls in love with a royal princess from Europe. He follows her to her father’s kingdom. But in real life people choose life- partners belonging to their own status.

(d) What does John say about himself since his last meeting with the author?
Ans: The author asked John how he was getting along with the company. John replied that he was getting on pretty well. He had his salary raised twice since they met last time. He got a commission too. He had bought a “neat slice of real estate”. The firm was going to sell him some shares of stock. He was “in on the line of General Prosperity”. He also broke the news that he got married eighteen months ago.

(e) How did John’s first meeting with Jessie’s father go? What did the author tell him?
Ans: John met Jessie’s fatter at his ancestral house. At eleven sharp, he rang the bell. An old man about eighty showed up and asked what he wanted. John showed him his business card. He told the old man how he followed his daughter from Cincinnati, his business, salary and prospects. Then the old man related anecdotes and humorous occurrences. The Colonel expressed that he had never been so fortunate as he felt after meeting him.

(f) Why did John get off at Coketown?
Ans: John got ready to get off at Coketown. The author was surprised as the place didn’t hold much prospect for selling plate-glass. However, John told that while coming back from Philadelphia, his wife Jessie saw some petunias in a pot in one of the windows there. She used to raise such flowers in her old Virginia home. So he thought of getting off there to dig up some of the cuttings or blossoms for her.

(g) John is a hypocrite. Do you agree with this statement? Substantiate your answer.
Ans: John is a hypocrite. What he says, he does the opposite. He expresses his uncharitable views regarding the best-sellers as they are far removed from reality. They are too romantic. But in real life people marry somebody in their own status. But John is another Trevelyan. He is just a commercial traveller but runs after Jessie whose father is a lineal descendant of belted earls. He is searching petunias for his ‘princess’.

(h) Describe John A. Pescud with reference to the following points:

• Physical appearance
• His philosophy on behaviour
• His profession
• His first impression of his wife
• His success

Ans: 

• Physical appearance- A small man with a wide smile and an eye fixed on the end of the nose. A bald-spotted head.
• His philosophy on behaviour- When a man is in his home town, he ought to be decent and law-abiding.
• His profession- Travelling salesman for a plate-glass company.
• His first impression of his wife- ‘___the finest looking girl. Nothing spectacular but just the sort you want for keeps’.
• His success- Salary raised twice in a couple of years. Got a commission. Bought real estate. The firm going to sell some shares of stock. On the line of‘General Prosperity’.

5. Complete the flow chart in the correct sequence as it happens in the story.
Hint: It begins from the time the author first saw Jessie till the time they marry.

Ans:

6. Irony refers to the use of words to convey a meaning that is the opposite of their literal meaning. Working in pairs bring out the irony in the following:
(a) The title of the story, “The Best Seller”.
(b) Pescud’s claim, “When people in real life marry, they generally hunt up somebody in their own station. A fellow usually picks out a girl who went to the same high school and belonged to the same singing-society that he did.”
(c) The name Trevelyan.
Ans: (a) Ram: The title of the story, “The Best Seller” is ironical.
Sita: That it is. Irony refers to the use of words to convey a meaning that is opposite to their literal meaning.
Ram: John A. Pescud doesn’t like ‘best-sellers’ like “The Rose Lady and Trevelyan.”
Sita: He thinks that they present a highly unreal, exaggerated and romantic version of life.
Ram: But he himself is the “Best Seller”.
Sita: After all, he is a travelling salesman. He knows all the tricks and arts of selling.
Ram: And he sells such an incredible story.
Sita: He criticises Trevelyan but imitates his real life.
Ram: He is another Trevelyan hunting for petunias for his princess Jessie Allyn.

(b) Ram: Don’t you feel John A. Pescud is a hypocrite.
Sita: Without any doubt, he is.
Ram: Pescud claims “When people in real life marry, they generally hunt up somebody in their own station.”
Sita: He thinks that “A fellow usually picks out a girl who went to the same high school and belonged to the same singing society that he did.”
Ram: What John A. Pescud claims, he does just the opposite.
Sita: This is what irony is. He criticises best¬sellers.’ They present a highly unreal, exaggerated and romantic version of life.
Ram: But John doesn’t marry a sales girl. He falls in love with the “finest looking girl, a descendant of belted earls. She was the owner of a grand mansion as big as the Capitol at Washington

(c) Ram: In the end, the narrator wishes good luck to John, calling him Trevelyan.
Sita: The address is ironical.
Ram: Trevelyan falls in love with a royal Princess from Europe. He follows her to her father’s kingdom or principality.
Sita: And John A. Pescud does exactly the same.
Ram: John criticises the hero of “The Rose and Trevelyan” but imitates him.
Sita: He doesn’t run after a sales girl but after the finest girl, a descendant of belted earls.
Ram: And this modem Trevelyan hunts petunias for her princess Jessie Allyn in Coketown.

7. A newspaper reporter hears of the marriage of Pescud and Jessie. He interviews them and writes an article for the paper entitled: A Modern Romance.
Working in groups of four, write the article.

It happens. It may defy logic or reason but it happens. This is what they call a “modern romance”. It happens not only in the best sellers like “The Rose Lady and Trevelyan” but even elsewhere. Our hero is John A. Pescud. He is a travelling salesman of a plate-glass company. He is doing rather fine in his professional life. He had had a raise in salary twice in two years and bought some real estate. Our hero strongly believes in traditional middle class values. He hates running after princesses and thinks that a person should choose a girl of his background and status. He hates Trevelyan, the American hero from Chicago falling in love with a royal European princess and following her to her father’s kingdom.
So far so good. But our hero, John A. Pescud is clean-bowled when he sees “the finest looking girl” in the train while going to Cincinnati. He falls in love at the first sight. He follows her right up to Elmcroft, a place deep in Virginia. He finds that she is the daughter of Colonel Allyn who is a lineal descendant of betted earls. The Allyns live in a huge mansion as big as the Capitol at Washington. The girl pretends to be a princess who doesn’t want to talk to a commoner. She even threatens him not to meet her father who can feed him to his fox hounds if he does so. Pescud meets the Colonel. He hides nothing and tells him that he wants to win the love ofhis daughter. The Colonel makes him comfortable and relates anecdotes and humorous occurrences. John and Jessie meet again. And lo! They are married after a year. Do you know what is our hero doing now? Our Trevelyan is hunting for petunias in Coketown for his princess. Good luck, Trevelyan! I mean, John A. Pescud.