My Old Home
📚 Answer the following questions
a. How does the narrator describe his feeling at the arrival of his old home?
=> Answer: The narrator's return to his birthplace does not bring him pure happiness. Instead, his arrival produces mixed feelings because the village he sees is very different from the one preserved in his childhood memory. Earlier, he remembered the place as green, beautiful, and full of life. Now, the surroundings appear dull, deserted, and lifeless, while his old house is also in a badly deteriorated condition. This contrast between memory and reality makes him feel nostalgic and disappointed.
b. What were the three kinds of servants in China then? What does it indicate about contemporary Chinese society?
=> Answer: The three types of servants mentioned in the story are dailies, yearlong and busy-mothers. Dailies were workers employed for a day or a short period. Yearlong servants stayed with the same household for a whole year or longer. Busy-mothers were landowners who worked for a particular family on special occasions, especially around the New Year festivals or rent-paying time.
Their classification reveals the existence of a strong social and economic hierarchy. People's work depended greatly on their economic position and social status. It also suggests that poorer members of society had to depend on different forms of service to survive.
c. What makes the narrator nostalgic? What did he do with Runtu in his teenage years?
=> Answer: The mention of Runtu by the narrator's mother brings his childhood vividly back to mind. He remembers the freedom and excitement he once experienced with his friend. During their youth, they caught birds, hunted Zha, collected colourful shells, and searched for badgers and porcupines. These shared adventures remind him of a time when their friendship was unaffected by social and economic differences.
d. How did Runtu hunt a Zha at a young age?
=> Answer: Runtu used to protect the watermelon field from the Zha. While standing guard, he carefully watched for the animal. Whenever it appeared, he would attack it suddenly with a sharp pointed knife.
e. How does the narrator make a humorous picture of Mrs Yang?
=> Answer: The narrator gives Mrs Yang an exaggerated and comic appearance. He describes her narrow cheekbones and lips and mentions that she used to apply powder to her face. To make the description humorous, he compares her face to two compasses in a geometry box. The unusual comparison creates a memorable comic image of her appearance.
f. According to the narrator, what were different factors that made Runtu a poor man throughout his life?
=> Answer: Runtu's poverty results from a combination of personal burdens and wider social conditions. He has very few opportunities to improve his position and suffers from social discrimination. His already weak economic condition is further affected by bad harvests, famine, heavy taxes, numerous children, social obligations, and the pressure of the gentry. These circumstances continuously prevent him from escaping poverty.
g. How does the narrator help Runtu before leaving the old home?
=> Answer: Before leaving, the narrator thinks about Runtu's difficult financial circumstances and decides to give him some useful possessions. He leaves two large tables, a few candles, an incense burner, and a set of scales for him. Through this simple act, the narrator tries to reduce some of the difficulties faced by his old friend.
h. How does the author differentiate two kinds of idols?
=> Answer: The author makes a distinction between superstitious idols and hope. Superstitious idols are associated with people's desire for immediate results and temporary satisfaction. Hope, however, has a broader and more enduring significance because it allows people to continue believing in a better future even during difficult circumstances. Thus, the two represent temporary belief and lasting expectation respectively.
🌏 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?
=> Answer: The bond between Xun and Runtu resembles the famous relationship between Krishna and Sudama in several ways. The clearest similarity is the economic difference between the two friends. Xun is prosperous while Runtu is poor, just as Krishna is a wealthy king and Sudama is a poor Brahmin.
Runtu's poverty is so severe that he struggles to satisfy the basic requirements of his family. Sudama faces a similar condition in the mythological story. When Runtu comes before Xun, he becomes hesitant and ashamed because of his poverty. Sudama also feels embarrassed when he meets Krishna after experiencing a life of hardship.
The reaction of the wealthier friend provides another parallel. Krishna receives Sudama with affection and helps him overcome his miserable condition. In the same way, Xun treats Runtu kindly and gives him useful household possessions.
The two relationships demonstrate that genuine friendship rises above wealth, fame, and social position. True friends value one another for their affection and character rather than their economic circumstances.
b. How does the story support the proposition that the relationships of childhood are innocent, impartial and disinterested?
=> Answer: The childhood relationship between Xun and Runtu illustrates the natural purity of children's friendships. As children, they do not judge each other according to wealth, class, occupation, or family background. Their relationship develops simply because they enjoy spending time together.
They share numerous experiences, including playing, collecting shells, catching birds, hunting, and exploring their surroundings. There is no expectation of financial gain behind their companionship. Their friendship is based entirely on mutual affection and shared childhood experiences.
Adulthood changes their circumstances. Xun and Runtu gradually become separated by economic inequality and social status. Runtu's poverty places him in a much weaker position, while Xun becomes comparatively prosperous. Despite this difference, Xun still remembers their old bond and helps Runtu when he can.
Therefore, the story demonstrates that childhood relationships are often innocent, impartial, and free from selfish motives, while social structures can later create barriers between people.
c. After reading the story, what inferences can you make about the contemporary Chinese economic and social system?
=> Answer: The story provides an impression of a Chinese society affected by poverty, class inequality, and rigid social structures. The contrasting lives of Xun and Runtu demonstrate how differently people could live depending on their economic circumstances.
A large part of the population appears to depend on agriculture, but agricultural workers face severe difficulties. Poor harvests, famine, taxation, family responsibilities, and the influence of the gentry make survival difficult for people like Runtu.
The classification of servants into dailies, yearlong and busy-mothers also reveals an organized hierarchy of labour. Different forms of service were connected with different social and economic conditions.
Furthermore, the story suggests that class distinctions could interfere with personal relationships. Although Xun and Runtu were close during childhood, their adult lives become separated by social position. The story therefore presents a society characterized by economic disparity, social discrimination, class barriers, and restricted opportunities for the poor.
d. What does the story indicate about the geographical features of the narrator’s hometown?
=> Answer: The narrator's memories portray his hometown as a quiet, green, rural landscape. During childhood, he remembers greenery covering the land, vegetables growing around the area, birds flying near the garden and house, and a blue-black sky above everything.
The seaside also forms an important part of the setting. The narrator remembers visiting it with Runtu to gather shells of different colours. The surrounding natural environment also provided a place where they could observe birds and hunt Zha.
His return many years later reveals a completely different landscape. The freshness and beauty of his childhood memories have disappeared, replaced by a grey, gloomy, empty, and desolate environment. The village seems to have lost the liveliness that once made it special to him.
Thus, the geographical description serves two purposes: it presents the natural features of the hometown and emphasizes the dramatic change brought by time.