Neighbours (Story) Exercises

Neighbours (Story) Exercises

Understanding the text

a. Describe how the young couple's house looked like.

Answer: The house was small and beautiful. It was felt like an elegant cottage. It had high ceilings and paned windows. The young man could see out over the rooftops from his study window and used car yards the Moreton Bay figs in the park where they walked their dog. From the young man's study window, there was the fine sight of rooftops and park.  

b. How did the young couple identify their neighbours at the beginning of their arrival?

Answer: They didn't feel happy about their neighbours at the beginning. For them, the people, their languages, cultures and their activities were quite unfamiliar and disgusting. They felt quite irritated to spend their time in their house due to their neighbours' activities. The young couple was so cautious about their neighbours. Nearly all of the neighbours disturbed them.

c. How did the neighbours help the young couple in the kitchen garden?

Answer:  In the autumn season, when the young couple started planting different kinds of vegetables in their kitchen garden, the neighbours started to help them.  The neighbours advised them about the way of the plantation. A big woman from the neighbourhood even provided a bagful of garlic cloves to the young woman to plant. After some time, the young couple built a hen house. The hen house was not firmly built. It fell sooner. But, the old neighbour came and rebuilt the hen house without their invitation. In this way, the neighbours helped the young couple in the kitchen garden.

d. Why were the people in the neighbourhood surprised at the role of the young man and his wife in their family?

Answer: The people in the neighbourhood were surprised at the role of the young man and his wife in the family because the young man stayed in the house, prepared thesis and did household works whereas his wife used to go outside working in a bank. It was strange for them because men didn’t involve in household works and women didn’t go out for work or job.

e. How did the neighbours respond to the woman's pregnancy?

Answer: The neighbours responded the woman’s pregnancy by by caring more. The man offered her small presents of chocolates and packets of cigarettes. The Polish man gave them with wood scraps for their fire. In the summer, an Italian woman offered names for the upcoming child. In the same way the Greek woman assured her that she would get a male child after touching her belly. The woman who lived next door knitted the baby a suit in the late summer.

f. Why did the young man begin to weep at the end of the story?

Answer: The young man began to weep at the end of the story because he hadn’t understood the caring and sharing culture of the neighbours around him. They felt irritation in the neighbourhood at the beginning but later on they got support and care from them. He realized the humanity from the neighbours. It reflected the realisation of him after the child was born. His concept regarding his neighbours had been changed at last.

g. Why do you think the author did not characterize the persons in the story with proper names?

Answer: This is a multicultural and multilingual society. In such societies person's name is not very important because one's name is usually distinctive in such places. The activities and deeds are important so the author did not characterize the persons in the story with proper names.

Reference to the context

a.  The story shows that linguistic and cultural barriers do not create any obstacle in human relationship. Cite some examples from the story where the neighbours have transcended such barriers.

Answer: The plot of the story is multicultural and multilingual society. In such societies it is very hard to understand the culture and language for the new comers. They don't speak one other's languages and share a similar culture but the help and support is possible in such societies. The young couple started to live in the place where the neighbours always shout, scream and did many activities from which they felt irritation. After a period of adjustment, the couple figured out how to adjust in this society. They got support in many activities. In the autumn season, when the young couple started planting different kinds of vegetables in their kitchen garden, the neighbours started to help them.  The neighbours advised them about the way of the plantation. A big woman from the neighbourhood even provided a bagful of garlic cloves to the young woman to plant. After some time, the young couple built a hen house. The hen house was not firmly built. It fell sooner. But, the old neighbour came and rebuilt the hen house without their invitation. In this way, the neighbours helped the young couple in the kitchen garden. Similarly, they supported in pregnancy also. From these helps we can say that that the linguistic and cultural barriers do not create any obstacle in human relationships.

b. The last sentence of the story reads "The twentieth-century novel had not prepared him for this." In your view, what differences did the young man find between twentieth-century novels and human relations?

Answer: Although the couple had not planned for a pregnancy, the young woman became pregnant in the spring. They didn’t want to inform their neighbours about it but the neighbours became aware of it after a short time. Everyone of the neighbourhood was ready to help them. All of their neighbours were happy and courteous. They were delighted and wished them well after the birth of their child. The birth was great for the young man. He learnt in the end that the twentieth-century novel had not prepared him for it.

In my view, the major differences the young man found between the twentieth century novels and human relations are that, unlike characters in novels, humans have to deal with different circumstances, problems etc. and overcome a variety of unpredictable happenings and situations throughout their lives. The young man found humanity, support etc. in human relations which are different than twentieth century novels. Everything in human life is different than novel. The activities in novel are artificial where as the activities in human life are real.

c. A Nepali proverb says "Neighbors are companions for wedding procession as well as for funeral procession." Does this proverb apply in the story? Justify.

Answer: There is a notable proverb in Nepal i.e."Neighbors are companions for wedding procession as well as for funeral procession." Yes, the proverb is fully applied in the story. The young couple felt irritation at the beginning of their settlement in the new place. Later on they were adjusted in the society because of their neighbours support.

When the young couple began to grow a kitchen garden, the neighbours came there over the fence. The neighbours advised them about the way of the plantation. A big woman from the neighbourhood even provided a bagful of garlic cloves to the young woman to plant. After some time, the young couple built a hen house. The hen house was not firmly built. It fell sooner. But, the old neighbour came and rebuilt the hen house without their invitation. They invited each other to dinner and shared a lot of information. Also, the excitement of the young woman's pregnancy was shared by everyone in the neighbourhood. In this way there was harmony and support in the society like the Nepali proverb suggests.

d. The author has dealt with an issue of multiculturalism in the story. Why do you think multiculturalism has become a major issue in the present world?

Answer: Now a days the world has become a global village. There is very easy to settle in different parts of the world. So, there is the possibility of multiculturalism and multilingualism. Multiculturalism means mix up of different cultures. In different areas of the world there is the presence of diverse cultures in a community. It is possible because of different means of transportation. 

I think multiculturalism has become a major issue in the present world because people of different ethnic and cultural backgrounds get the chance to live together. Multiculturalism is a problem in the community because there may not be mutual understanding. It creates various social problems such as failure in adjustment or assimilation. There may be the possibility of ethnic segregation and adaptation issues also.

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