My Old Home

My Old Home Toppelp


Understanding the text

Answer the following questions.

a. How does the narrator describe his feeling at the arrival of his old home?

→ The narrator has many exciting and happy feelings regarding his old home before his arrival but his exciting feelings convert into depressing ones as he sees surroundings and environment unprogressive, desolate and scattered under the clouds which seems lifeless to him

b. What were the three kinds of servants in China then? What does it indicate about contemporary Chinese society?

→The then three kinds of servants in China were:

1. Full timers: Those who worked the whole year long for one family.

2. Dailies: Those who were hired for the daytime.

3. Part-timers: Those who plough their own land but work for a specific family just during the holidays, new year, festival time or rents time.

It indicates that contemporary Chinese society had a slavery system and different classes of slaves and their hierarchy.

c. What makes the narrator nostalgic? What did he do with Runtu in the teenage?

→ The information expresses by the narrator's mother to Runtu makes him nostalgic. He enjoyed and passed time by playing and learning different strange things in the teenage.

d. How did Runtu hunt a Zha in his young age?

→Runtu hunted a Zha by stabbing at it with his pitchfork in his young age.

e. How does the narrator make a humorous picture of Mrs. Yang?

→The narrator makes a humorous picture of Mrs. Yang through his humourous descriotion by associating her as a bean curd lady and a compass of geometry box who accuses him of being miserly because he does not want to give his furniture to poor Runtu.

f. According to the narrator, what were different factors that made Runtu a poor man throughout his life?

→According to the narrator, the different factors that made Runtu a poor man throughout his life were big family, the heavy taxes, social responsibilities, famines, bandits, officials, landed gentry and class differences etc.

g. How does the narrator help Runtu before leaving the old home?

→The narrator helps Runtu by providing old furniture items and other household things before leaving the old house. He also asks Runtu to take the things of his needs from his old house.

h. How does the author differentiate two kinds of idols?

→ The author differentiates two kinds of idols through his realization. He says that superstitious idols are worshipped for a short time for something immediate but hope isn't an idol but a long-time desire which people need in most situations. He gives examples of Runtu and his own ways of worshipping idols in two different ways. Runtu worships the idols but he requires hope for a faraway land.

 

Reference to the Context

a. While reading the friendship between the narrator and Runtu, Hindu readers remember the friendship between Krishna and Sudama. Which particular description reminds you of the mythological example?

→ While reading the friendship between the narrator and Runtu, Hindu readers remember the friendship between Lord Krishna and poor Sudama. Sudama was Lord Krishna's classmate and a very intimate friend. Lord Krishna was a King and Sudama was a poor Brahmin. Poor Sudama once came to Dwarka to meet his friend Lord Krishna after many years. The same case is found in the friendship and relationship between Lu Xun and Runtu the former is from the rich and upper class as master and the latter one is very poor. Sudama felt very shy when he visited Krishna like this Runtu felt ashamed and nervous when he met his friend, Lu Xun. Lu Xun helped Runtu like Krishna helped Sudama at the end by providing several household things at the end. Lord Krishna knew about the difficulties faced by Sudama so he helped by providing the blessing which turned him to richness. This amazing help is always remembered by Hindus.

 b. How does the story support the proposition that the relationships of childhood are innocent, impartial and disinterested?

→ The story "My Old Home" supports the proposition that relationships of childhood are innocent, impartial and disinterested. As we go through the story, we come to know that the narrator, Lu Xun and Runtu had a childhood friendship beyond various social barriers and class divisions. They had an innocent relationship. They passed their time playing, learning and sharing their ideas without biasness. We don’t find any impartiality between them though they had a master and part-time worker relationship. They didn’t have any selfish behaviour. Their friendship and relation were pure, innocent, impartial and disinterested.