A Selection of Modern English Essays

(Compiled by Irfan Raza & Dedicated to my beloved father & Nauman Athar)

“On Saying Please” by “Alpha of the Plough”

Introduction:

Infectious means liable to be transmitted to people. In his Essay "On Saying Please" Alpha of the
Plough has very aptly-commented on good and bad manners as infectious. I also agree that manners
are infectious; whether they are good or bad, if bad manners of one person influence others and
make them rude and ill-tempered. Similarly, good manners of one person also affect others and make
them polite and kind.
    The writer narrates an incident that brought him across a cheerful bus conductor. One day the
writer boarded a bus without any money in his pockets. He told the conductor that he would not pay
the fare. He was afraid that the conductor would make him get off the bus contemptuously. But he
was surprised when the good-mannered conductor gave him the ticket and told him to pay the fare
next time. This good-humored conductor was so nice and helpful to his passenger that it was a
pleasure to travel on his bus. His civility radiated comfort, joy and peace. As a result his passenger
could not help being nice and polite. 
     Therefore, the writer has rightly said that good or bad manners are like infections that travel from
person to person leaving their sweet or bitter taste in the environment. In other words, good and bad
manners spread quickly from one person to the other like a contagious disease. As we live in a society
the ways and manners of people are bound to affect others.

Q#1 If bad manners are infectious, so also are good manners,' Elaborate.

Answer: The writer says that the effects of good and bad manners pass from one person to another just
like some infectious disease. Firstly, we see that a bad mannered person makes other people bad
mannered. To prove his point, he tells that once a bad mannered person asked the lift-man to take him
to the top floor. He said 'Top' and not 'top, please'. The lift-man demanded 'please' but the man
refused. The lift-man turned bad mannered and threw him out of the lift. The writer suggests a long
chain reaction that started from a housemaid. Her bad manners infected all the people in turn. Similar
is the case with good manners. To prove his point the writer gives the example of a good mannered bus
conductor. The writer, other passengers and the conductor also produced a chain reaction of good
manners that started from the courtesy of the conductor and spread in all directions. The writer says
that his good manners must have infected all his passengers. His good manners must have touched

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their spirits. He must have taken his sunshine wherever he went. So we can conclude that if bad
manners are infectious, so also are good manners.

Q#2 What is the importance of saying 'please' i.e. good manners?

Answer: Saying the word 'please' is very important. Firstly, if we want to get some favour, we can get it
with 'please'. It is also our duty to return favours with 'thank you’. These are little courtesies. By saying
'please' we give birth to a good and pleasant atmosphere. Secondly, by saying please we get a friendly
co-operation. It is a kind of give and take rule. Thirdly, the word please plays an important role in
offices and other places of work. An officer can get more willing services of his subordinates by saying
'please'. Otherwise, the co-operation of his subordinate might be based on ill will. Fourthly, if we do
not use the word 'please' we may give birth to a chain of bad manners. This may work like an infectious
disease and make everyone bad mannered. Fifthly, today most of the people are suffering from the bad
economical condition. There is unemployment, insufficient pays and a kind of race to earn more and
more. This age of materialism has made us forget all the courtesies. It is high time that we used the
words like 'please' and 'thank you'. We can make the world ideal with these little courtesies.

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