On Saying 'Please' - A.G. Gardiner | BOSEM Class 10 English

 Class X

English Literature Reader

Chapter - 5

On Saying 'Please'

A.G. Gardiner

I. Answer the following questions in a sentence each.

1. Does law recognise bad manner as a legally punishable offence?

Ans.: - The legal system does not consider bad manners to be a punishable offense.

2. According to the writer, are damages done to one's self-respect negligible?

Ans.: - The writer emphasizes that the harm inflicted on one's self-respect should not be underestimated.

3. According to the writer, what poisons general life in society more than all the crimes in the calendar?

Ans.: -The writer suggests that bad manners have a more detrimental impact on society's overall well-being than all the crimes listed in the calendar.

4. What, according to Gardiner, is the first requirement of civility?

Ans.: - According to Gardiner, the first rule of civility is to say "please."

5. What kind of mind will wish to command where one can have the service more willingly only on asking?

Ans.: - A person with a crude mindset will desire to be in control, whereas others would willingly offer their help if only they were asked.

6. What is the writer's general opinion about conductors as a class?

Ans.: - The author's overall perspective on conductors as a group was that they perform a challenging role with significant patience.

7. The conductor gave a ticket to the writer although he had no money. Where did the conductor say he should pay the money?

Ans.: - The conductor mentioned that the writer could settle the payment during their next meeting.

8. When did the writer feel a curious pleasure whenever he travelled in the bus of the polite bus conductor?

Ans.: - The author experienced a strange sense of satisfaction whenever he rode on the bus with the courteous bus conductor, who consistently displayed good manners. The conductor was exceedingly patient and had a remarkable ability to keep all his passengers content.

9. According to the writer, what is responsible for the loss of the little everyday civilities of behaviour that sweetens the general air?

Ans.: - The author asserts that the war has led to a decline in civility among the younger generation. Witnessing extreme cruelty during the war has caused both men and women to lose their gentle and civil manners that typically enrich the overall atmosphere.

II. Answer each of the following questions briefly.

1. Why did the liftman push out the passenger?

Ans.: - The passenger displayed rudeness towards the lift operator by refusing to say "Top Please" instead of just "Top." This behaviour hurt the liftman's self-respect, making him feel disrespected and belittled. Consequently, he lost his temper and forcefully removed the passenger from the lift.

2. What legal right does a man have if a burglar breaks into his house?

Ans.: - If a burglar breaks into a person's home, the homeowner has the legal right to defend their property. This is because trespassing into someone's residence is legally recognized as a criminal offense.

3. The law found the liftman wrong. Why does the author say that the law was reasonable? Why>

Ans.: - The author argues that although the liftman's behaviour may have been discourteous, it does not justify or excuse the physical assault that occurred. According to the author, while discourtesy may not be a legal offense, it does not provide a legal basis for responding with physical violence. Therefore, the law was correct in finding the liftman legally at fault.

4. Why does law not compel a man to say 'please'?

Ans.: - The law does not require an individual to say 'please' because it cannot effectively regulate the wide range of behaviours that could be considered 'discourteous'. If discourtesy were to be considered a legal offense, it would lead to endless conflict and legal disputes.

5. "The pain of a kick on the shins soon passes away but the pain of a wound to our self-respect or our vanity may poison a whole day." Explain.

Ans.: If someone kicks us in the shins, the physical pain will eventually fade. Additionally, one can seek compensation for physical pain. However, an injury to one's self-respect or vanity can linger like poison for a long time, as there is no legal recourse for this type of harm.

6. According to the author, what might the liftman have done if he was denied the relief of throwing the uncivil passenger out of the lift?

Ans.: - The author believes that had the liftman not ejected the passenger from the lift, the passenger would have felt upset all day. Upon arriving home in the evening, he might have taken out his frustration on his wife as a form of retaliation against the passenger.

7. "Bad manners probably do more to poison the stream of general life than all the crimes in the calendar." Explain.

Ans.: - The prevalence of bad manners is extensive. Numerous husbands exhibit not physical violence, but rather rudeness towards their wives, leading to significant misery in the lives of many women. While we may believe that crimes such as murder are the primary source of distress throughout the year, in reality, it is the widespread nature of bad manners that contaminates the lives of a far greater number of individuals.

8. The writer says that most people will have certain sympathy with the liftman. Why does he say so in spite of saying that he was legally wrong?

Ans.: - The liftman was undoubtedly in the wrong from a legal standpoint for removing the passenger. However, many individuals may feel empathy for him. This sentiment arises from his violation of a social norm dictating that we should treat others with politeness, a practice considered more significant than legal regulations.

9. "Please" and "Thank you" are the small changes with which we pay our way as social being. Why does the writer say so?

Ans.: - Making minor adjustments may not seem significant or necessitate a substantial investment. However, in the everyday operations of commerce, they are indispensable. Likewise, "please" and "thank you" may appear as simple courtesies, yet without them, social interaction would be impossible.

10. Why does the writer say that the bus conductor's job is a trying job?

Ans.: - The term "trying job" refers to a job that a person finds challenging to perform. The writer describes the bus conductor's job as a trying one because it is difficult to collect bus fare in a crowded bus. Additionally, managing passenger complaints and tantrums while remaining composed would be extremely challenging.

11. Under what circumstances did the author meet the polite conductor?

Ans.: - While on a bus journey, the writer realized that he had forgotten to bring any money with him. However, the bus conductor kindly provided the writer with a ticket and requested that the fare be paid during their next encounter.

12. How did the author expect to be treated at the hand of the police conductor when he found that he had no money?

Ans.: - When the author realized he didn't have enough money to pay the bus fare, he felt anxious, fearing that the conductor might treat him disrespectfully, or that he could be perceived as foolish or dishonest.

13. The conductor's boot had hurt the author. Yet he assured him that he had not. Why did he do so?

Ans.: - The author was hurt by the conductor's boot. However, the conductor apologized so politely that the author reassured him that he had not caused any harm.

14. How did the conductor treat blind men aboard his bus?

Ans.: - If there was a blind man on board, the courteous conductor wouldn't just ensure that the blind man was safely placed on the pavement. He would also request the driver to wait while he escorted the blind man across the road or around the corner, making sure that the blind man was safely on his way before the bus departed.

15. The author missed the polite conductor from his bus. But he did not mind it. Why?

Ans.: - When the writer realized the kind bus conductor was not on his bus, he didn't mind because he understood that it meant the conductor had taken his friendly nature elsewhere. He expressed that the cheerful attitude the conductor brought couldn't be found everywhere.

16. "The policeman is a necessary symbol..." Why does the writer say so?

Ans.: - The presence of the policeman as a necessary symbol indicates that even though people have become highly civilized, society is not yet free from crime, hence requiring the presence of law enforcement as a necessity.

17. What is the story of Lord Chesterfield who had a sweet revenge upon the boorish man?

Ans.: - It was one of those days in England when people who took the wall had the driest footing. Lord Chesterfield too was taking the wall to avoid the muddy road until a person approached from the opposite direction and remarked "I don't give the wall to a scoundrel". Lord Chesterfield instead of confronting him retorted "But I do" and stepped aside. This is how Lord Chesterfield had a sweet revenge upon the boorish man.

III. Answer the following questions in about 80 words each.

1. "There is no allowance for moral and intellectual damage." Why does the writer say so in the context of the liftman and the rude passenger?

Ans.: - In a London office, a man instructed the lift operator to "top" without using the word 'please'. The lift operator requested the man to say "top please", but the man refused. As a result, the lift operator, feeling offended, forcibly removed the man from the lift. Subsequently, the man filed a complaint in court, and the court found the lift operator guilty of assaulting the passenger. The author explains that the legal decision was based on the fact that being impolite is not a criminal offense. Therefore, no one has the right to physically harm another person for being discourteous. The law does not mandate individuals to use the word 'please', and hence the court had to take action against the lift operator.

2. "This does not mean that the damages are negligible." Why does the writer say so in spite of the fact that incivility is not a legal offence?

Ans.: - The elevator operator in a London office ejected a passenger from the elevator after the passenger refused to address him with the word 'please'. Subsequently, the passenger took the elevator operator to court, and the court fined the operator on charges of assault. The author argues that the court was right in punishing the elevator operator, asserting that discourtesy is not a legal offense. However, the author also contends that this does not imply that the harm caused by discourtesy is insignificant. According to the author, incivility has a more profound impact than physical pain. While the physical pain of a kick on the shin may quickly fade, the damage to one's self-respect can linger for a much longer time and disrupt a person's mental well-being.

3. "But all the same the law cannot become the guardian of our private manners." Explain why the writer says so in spite of the fact that the damages caused by incivility are not negligible.

Ans.: - The author asserts that although incivility is not a punishable offense in the eyes of the law, its impact should not be underestimated. Despite the absence of legal consequences, the detrimental effects of incivility are significant and widespread, affecting numerous individuals. For instance, there are many instances where individuals, particularly wives, suffer due to the rudeness of their spouses, even though it may not manifest as physical violence. Nonetheless, the author argues that it is impractical for the law to regulate private manners, as attempting to do so would result in an endless cycle of conflicts over what constitutes civility. This would ultimately disrupt the normal functioning of society.

4. "While it is true that there is no law that compels us to say 'Pleas' there is a social practice much older and much more sacred than any law which enjoins us to be civil." Explain why civility is more important in the light of the above remark.

Ans.: - The absence of a law mandating the use of 'please' and 'thank you' does not imply that we should refrain from using them or be impolite in our daily interactions. This is because being polite and civil has been a long-standing tradition that holds great significance since ancient times. Expressions such as 'thank you' and 'please' can be likened to small coins, facilitating smooth social interactions and fostering an environment of mutual respect and cooperation, rather than creating a dynamic of superiors giving orders to inferiors.

5. Write about the author's encounter with the polite conductor when he found he had left home without any money.

Ans.: - One day, the author got on a city bus, only to realize that he had left home without any money. This situation left him feeling very uneasy and anxious about how the conductor might react. He was afraid of being judged as foolish or even dishonest. Even if the conductor let him off lightly, he would still have to deal with the inconvenience of returning home. However, to his surprise, the conductor reassured him that he didn't need to disembark. The conductor offered to provide him with a ticket and suggested that he could pay the fare the next time they crossed paths. This unexpected act of kindness made the author realize that the conductor was a remarkably good-natured and polite man.

6. "I found that he irradiated such an atmosphere of good-temper and kindness that a journey with him was a lesson in natural courtesy and good manners." Explain the activities of the polite bus conductor in the light of the above remark.

Ans.: - While getting onto a city bus, the author encountered an exceptionally courteous and amiable bus conductor. The author began to pay attention to the conductor and took delight in noticing his consistently cheerful demeanour. The conductor demonstrated a great deal of patience, which had a positive impact on the passengers. In instances of rain, he would inform passengers on the upper deck that there was space available inside. He treated elderly individuals as he would his own father and interacted with children as if they were his own. With younger passengers, he engaged in light-hearted banter. Furthermore, if there was a visually impaired individual, he not only assisted them in finding a seat but also ensured that they safely disembarked at their destination. The author observed that the conductor's good nature fostered an environment of amiability and kindness on the bus.

7. "In lightening their spirits, he lightened his own task." Explain how the conductor lightened his task as a bus conductor.

Ans.: - The author encountered a friendly bus conductor during his bus journey. This conductor displayed kindness, politeness, and a pleasant demeanour. He treated elderly passengers as he would his own father, and interacted with children as if they were his own. He also engaged in cheerful banter with younger passengers. His courteous conduct contributed to a joyful atmosphere on the bus, akin to a sunny day. Consequently, all the passengers developed a rapport with him, making his fare collection duties effortless. Despite the typically tiring nature of a conductor's responsibilities, the considerate conductor managed to alleviate the burden of his tasks.

8. What was the author's recommendation for getting back the lost sense of civility in society?

Ans.: - The author believes that modern society has lost its sense of politeness and civility, which can be attributed to the impact of World War. The widespread exposure to cruelty during the war has led to the disappearance of civility among people. The author emphasizes the need to reintroduce civility in order to create a kind, pleasant, and tolerant daily life. According to the author, relying on the law to restore civility and polite behaviour is not feasible, as the law cannot dictate our conduct. Similarly, resorting to violence is not a viable method for reclaiming these virtues. Instead, the author suggests that the most effective approach to reinstating politeness is to respond to rude behaviour with an abundance of politeness.