ENGLISH LITERATURE

CLASS 9
An Angel in Disguise
- T.S. Arthur

Extract 1: She had fallen upon the threshold of her own door in a drunken fit, and died in the
presence of her frightened little ones.
Death touches the spring of our common humanity.

Q.1. Whom had death touched upon? How did the person die? Explain- “Death touches the
spring of our common humanity.”
Ans:The mother of three children John, Kate and Maggie who was hated by everyone in the
village was touched upon by death.
The woman died of idleness, vice and intemperance. She had fallen upon the threshold of her
own door in a drunken fit and died in the presence of her little ones.
The above line refers to the fact that all human beings are afflicted by death. ‘Spring of our
common humanity’ suggests that all men and women are like flowers blossomed in the spring
season. Death is the blight that withers these flowers. Man being mortal and his life being a
transient one, death is inevitable for all.

Q.2. How was the woman treated by the villagers? Why do you think it was so?
Ans: The woman was despised, scoffed at and angrily denounced by nearly every man, woman
and child in the village.
The people in the village hated her because of her idleness, vice and intemperance.

Q.3.What change occurred in the behaviour of the neighbours after the woman’s death?

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Ans: As the fact of the woman’s death was passed from lip to lip in subdued tones the behaviour
of the neighbours changed- pity took the place of anger and sorrow of denunciation.

Q.4.What kind of living conditions were the woman and her children subjected to?
Ans: The woman and her children were subjected to pathetic living conditions. They lived in an
old tumble-down hut in which she had secured little more than a place of shelter from summer
heats and winter cold, some with grave clothes for a decent interment of the body and some with
food for the half-starving children.

Q.5. Describe the children. What was the prospective future of the children after the death of
their mother?
Ans: John, the oldest, a boy of twelve, was a stout lad who was capable of earninghis living with
any farmer. Kate, between ten and twelve, was a bright and active girl, out of whom something
clever might be made, if in good hands. Poor little Maggie was the youngest and hopelessly
diseased. Two years before she had injured her spine due to a fall from a window. She had not
been able to leave her bed since, except when lifted in the arms of her mother.
The prospective future of the children was decided by the neighbours. Farmer Jones after
considering the matter with his wife decided to take John and do well by him as his mother was
out of the way now. Mrs. Ellis, who had been looking out for a bound girl concluded that it
would be charitable in her to make choice of Katy, even though she was too young to be of much
use for several years. Maggie, who was crippled was not taken by anyone though later Joe
Thompson, the wheelwright took her to his home as he and his wife Jane Thompson were
childless.

Extract 2: Pitying glances were cast on her wan and wasted form and thoughts were troubled
onher account.

Q.1. Who was glanced at with pity? Why?

Ans: Maggie was glanced at with pity.
Maggie looked innocent but nobody wanted to take her as she was crippled for life. That is why
she was glanced at with pity.

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Q.2.Which incident had made the child bed-ridden? Why did the mothers bring cast-off garments
for Maggie?
Ans: Two years before Maggie had a fall from a window and injured her spine. This incident had
made the child bed-ridden. She had not been able to leave her bed since, except when lifted by
someone.
The sad eyes and the patient face of little Maggie touched many hearts. So, the mothers brought
cast-off garments for her, removed her soiled and ragged clothes and dressed her in clean attire.

Q.3.Which shelter was suggested by one of the neighbours for the ‘bed-ridden’ child? Why?
Ans: One of the neighbours suggested Maggie, the bed-ridden child should be taken to the
poorhouse.
The poorhouse would prove to be a blessed change for Maggie as she would be kept clean, have
healthy food and be doctored which was more than could be said of her past condition.

Q.4. Who took on Maggie’s responsibility finally?

Ans: Joe Thompson, the wheelwright took Maggie’s responsibility.

Extract 3:Just beyond the threshold Joe Thompson, the wheelwright, paused, and said to the
blacksmith’s wife, who was hastening off with the rest, -
“It’s a cruel thing to leave her so.”

Q.1. What is the main topic of the conversation between Joe and the blacksmith’s wife?
Ans: The main topic of the conversation between Joe and the blacksmith’s wife is the fate of the
orphaned and disabled child named Maggie. The villagers instead of helping her only mouthed
verbal sympathy for the disabled child and left her in the hovel. Joe felt that the villagers showed
cruelty in leaving her like that.

Q.2.What thought terrified Maggie? What did she exclaim to Mr. Thompson?
Ans: The thought of being left alone and helpless in the hovel terrified Maggie.
Maggie exclaimed to Mr. Thompson pitifully begging him not to leave her all alone in the hovel.

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Q.3. Why do you think the man stood with a ‘puzzled air’? What did he do when he went into
the hovel?
Ans: Mr. Thompson was unable to decide whether to leave Maggie alone in the hovel or take her
with him. Neither had he wanted to leave Maggie alone nor wished to send her to the poorhouse.
He knew that if he took her home his wife would not accept her and treat her badly.
Joe wrapped Maggie with the gentleness almost of a woman in the clean bedclothes which some
neighbour had brought. He lifted her in his strong arms; bore her out into the air and across the
field that lay between the hovel and his home.

Q.4.What kind of man was Joe Thompson? Give reasons to justify your answer.
Ans: Joe Thompson was a rough and strong man but unlike his external appearance, he was a
kind-hearted and compassionate man because it was only he who chose to take care of the
disabled and helpless Maggie whereas everybody in the village wanted her to be sent to a
poorhouse. He was an intuitive man who was aware of a woman’s nature in general and his
wife’s feelings in particular. Joe Thompson knew that his wife would gradually accept Maggie
into their home as their daughter.

Extract 4: Mrs. Thompson saw him approaching from the window, and with ruffling feathers
met him a few paces from the door, as he opened the garden gate, and came in.

Q.1. Why was Joe Thompson doubtful about the manner of greeting he should receive on his
arrival?
Ans: Joe Thompson’s wife who happened to be childless was not a woman of saintly temper, nor
much given to self-denial for others’ good for which Joe had well-grounded doubts touching the
manner of greeting he should receive on his arrival.

Q.2.What ‘precious burden’ was Joe Thompson carrying? Why was the burden precious?
Ans: Maggie was considered to be the ‘precious burden’ Joe was carrying.
Joe’s arms held the sick child to his breast; a sphere of tenderness went out from her and
penetrated his feelings. A bond had already corded itself around them both and love was
springing into life. Maggie was a ‘precious burden’ because Joe thought that she was a ray of
hope who will bring love and happiness in their lives as he and his wife were childless.

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Q.3.How did Joe Thompson react to his wife questioning him sharply about what he had there?
Ans: To Jane’s sharp question Joe could feel the child shrink against him. He did not reply
except by a look that was pleading and cautionary that asked her to wait a moment for
explanations and be gentle. He carried Maggie to the small chamber on the first floor and laid her
on a bed. Shutting the door, he stood face to face with his vinegar-tempered wife in the passage-
way outside.

Q.4.What reason did Joe Thompson give his wife for bringing the child home?
Ans: Joe told his wife that he had brought Maggie home because she could not have walked by
herself to the poorhouse. He would take her there the next day after speaking to the guardians of
the poorhouse regarding this.

Q.5.What was the reaction of Mrs. Thompson when the sick child was brought in? How did her
attitude change later?
Ans: Mrs. Thompson appeared to be a harsh, ill-tempered and irritable woman with little
compassion for anyone. She reacted with anger and astonishment when the sick child was
brought in. Initially she displayed little compassion for Maggie and called her a ‘sick-brat’. She
asked her husband to take Maggie to the poorhouse without waiting for the next day.
When Mr. Thompson tried to convince his wife of the miserable condition of the motherless
child, she became calm. She had been a childless woman for years. Perhaps that seemed to have
made her short-tempered and bereft of motherly feelings but Maggie’s innocent looks evoked in
her tender maternal feelings. She not only gave Maggie her supper but like a mother sat
throughout with her while she was relishing it. She gave up the thought of sending Maggie to the
poorhouse and began to take care of her. Maggie’s nature, patience and gratitude brought a
change of heart in Mrs. Thompson and she whole-heartedly accepted Maggie as her child.

Extract 5: Mrs. Thompson did not reply, but presently turned towards the little chamber where
her husband had deposited Maggie; and, pushing open the door, went quietly in.

Q.1.What made Mrs. Thompson move towards Maggie in the little chamber?
Ans: Joe begged Jane to look at Maggie kindly and speak to her kindly. He invoked compassion
in her by making her think of Maggie’s dead mother, the loneliness, the pain and the sorrow that
the child would face. He quoted texts from the Bible to appeal to Jane’s compassion telling her
how Christ rebuked those who would not receive children with happiness. The tone of Joe’s
voice was so impressive that it subdued his wife. The tremble of his voice and the moisture in his
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eyes were effective in melting her heart and compelled her to move towards Maggie in the little
chamber.

Q.2.What did Joe see when he came back from his shop?
Ans: Joe saw Maggie lay, a little raised on the pillow with the lamp shining full upon her face.
Mrs. Thompson was sitting by the bed, talking to the child; but her back was towards the
window, so that her countenance was not seen.

Q.3.Why did Joe consider light shining through the windows as a good omen?
Ans: Joe was worried about the uncertainty of Maggie’s future. On his way back home the very
first object that attracted his attention was light shining through the little chamber windows. This
was considered as a good omen because it suggested that his wife must be spending time with
the child. The light here stands for hope and positivity. The light symbolized the sunshine of love
that would now fall upon their home.

Q.4.What did Joe gather from Maggie’s facial expression? To what extent, did it relieve him?
Ans: Maggie’s facial expression showed that she was sad and tender, but Joe did not notice any
sign of bitterness or pain. Joe gathered that his wife’s kind and considerate behaviour towards
Maggie was being reflected in her expressions.
Joe was relieved, and he felt as if a weight had lifted from his heart.

Q.5.How did Joe behave on coming back from his shop? What did he ask his wife?
Ans: On coming back, Joe did not immediately go to the little chamber where Maggie was but
went straightaway into the kitchen. He behaved as if it was just another day.
Joe asked his wife how soon supper would be ready.

Q.6.How is Maggie ‘an angel in disguise’ in the lives of Joe Thompson and Jane Thompson?
Ans: The sick and helpless child brought light and blessing to the home of Joe Thompson. It had
been dark, cold and miserable there for a long time just because Jane Thompson had nothing to
love and care for out of herself, and so became sore, irritable, ill-tempered and self-afflicting in
the desolation of her woman’s nature. The sweetness of that sick child looking ever to her in
love, patience and gratitude was as honey to her soul and she carried her in her heart as well as in
her arms, a precious burden. As for Joe Thompson, there was not a man in the whole
neighbourhood who drank daily of a more precious wine of life than he. An angel had come into

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his house, disguised as a sick, helpless and miserable child and filled all its dreary chambers with
the sunshine of love.

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