CHAPTER-8

THE HACK DRIVER

CLASS -X
 SINCLAIR LEWIS- American
novelist and social critic.
 Won the Nobel Prize for
Literature in 1930.
 Wrote mostly satirical novels.
 Also wrote interesting short
stories.
 Characters are witty and
humorous.
 The story revolves around two important
characters- the lawyer (narrator) and Oliver
Lutkins (Bill)
 The plot is set in a countryside named New
Mullion
 The lawyer is sent to serve summons on Oliver
Lutkins.
 The narrator meets a pleasant man named Bill in
the station who introduces himself as the ‘hack
driver’.
 He also agrees to take him round the town- at
Fritz, Gustaf’s shop owner, the barber-possible
places to search for Lutkins.
 The lawyer is befooled by Bill into believing that
it is a futile search and Lutkins is not an easy
man to find.
 Although an entire day is wasted and the
narrator returns empty-handed he feels satisfied
and impressed by the honesty and simplicity of
Bill.
 He decides to return to New Mullion to practice
law and wishes to lead a simple and happy life
among Bill’s wise neighbours.
 Unfortunately, in the end the lawyer is
devastated to know that he has been
manipulated and deceived by Lutkins alias Bill.
 An honours graduate
 Got a job as a junior assistant clerk in a
magnificent law firm
 In his training period was sent to serve
summons which disappointed him
 He did not like his work and the shady city
life
 He was quite excited when he was finally
sent to a countryside, New Mullion, to serve
the summon of a man named Oliver Lutkins
 Young, inexperienced, could not see through
the tricks played by Bill (Lutkins)
 Was easily duped by Lutkins and all the local
people.
 Was under the misconception that people
from the city were simple, honest and
helpful
 Finally his belief was shattered when he fell
an easy victim to Lutkin’s tricks.
 He felt humiliated and deeply hurt when his
innocence was made fun of by Lutkin and his
mother in the court.
 Was gullible and did not cross check or verify
Bill’s statements
A shrewd and cunning man who made his
living by duping people in a small town
called New Mullion
 A crook by nature who was needed by the
court to serve as witness to many cases but
he was neglecting the letters sent by the law
firm. So a young lawyer was sent to find him
and bring him to court
 As soon as he met the lawyer he instantly
understood that he was a simple and
inexperienced person who could be easily
fooled
 He took this opportunity and pretended to be
the hack driver and offered to help find
Lutkins
 A perfect conman who took advantage of the
situation very well
 He also was an expert in cooking up stories
about the villagers and made the lawyer
believe in him blindly
 He also earned a good amount of money by
duping the lawyer
 DO NOT BELIEVE IN STRANGERS EASILY
 ALWAYS CROSS-VERIFY WHAT THE OTHER
PERSON TELLS
 DO NOT JUMP INTO HASTY CONCLUSION OR
TAKE DECISIONS EASILY
 APPEARANCES ARE DECEPTIVE
 BE INNOCENT BUT NOT FOOLISH
 BEWARE OF CONMANS WHO ARE PLENTY
AVAILABLE AROUND US
 Why was the lawyer happy when he was
sent to a town called New Mullion?
 How did Bill impress the lawyer in their
first meeting at the station?
 What treatment was received when they
drove into Oliver’s mother’s farmyard?
 Why does the lawyer say “I had
discovered a new way of life”?
 How was the lawyer disappointed at the
end?