Goodbye Mr.

Chips
Notes by Naveed Bernard Sohni

Notes by: Naveed Bernard Sohni

03219999615

Good-Bye Mr Chips

James Hilton

Question Anwer Chapter 1

Q.1. How did Chips measure time?

Ans: Mr. Chips did not keep Greenwich time. He measured time according to the bells of
Brookfield. Brookfield had been the center of his life, so he kept Brookfield time instead of
Greenwich time

Q.2. What was the name of Chip's doctor and how often did he visit Chips?

Ans: The name of Mr. Chip's doctor was Merivale. He visited Mr. Chips every fortnight or
so.

Q.3. What was the problem with Mr. Chips as diagnosed by Dr. Merivale? What did
Chip’s doctor say about him?

Ans. Doctor Merivale said there was really nothing the matter with him. He was very old
now and that he thought was the most deadly complaint of all in the end.

Q.4. Why did Chips like summer?

Ans: Mr. Chips suffered from Bronchitis. In winter, when Chips had a cold, his chest put a
pressure on his heart. Therefore, he liked summer.

Q.5.Why did Chips not like Melbury school? / Why did Chips join Brookfield?

Ans: Chips did not like Melbury school because he was ragged there a good deal. But he had
liked Brookfield from the start, so he joined it.

Q.6. How did Mr. Wetherby advise Mr. Chips?

Ans: Mr. Wetherby advised Mr. Chips not to let anyone play tricks with him. Wetherby urged
him to take up a firm attitude from the start.

Q.7. Who was Colley? Why and how did Chips punish him?

Ans: Colley was the first boy that Mr. Chips punished. Colley was punished, for he dropped
the desk lid mischievously. Colley was asked to write hundred lines as a punishment.
Goodbye Mr. Chips
Notes by Naveed Bernard Sohni

Q.8. Describe Mr. Chips first meeting with Mr. Wetherby? Who was Mr. Wetherby?
What kind of person Mr. Wetherby was?

Ans: Chips had a clear memory of his first meeting with Mr. Wetherby. He was very fatherly
and courteous headmaster. Wetherby gave Mr. Chips useful words of advice on discipline.

Q.9. How did Mr Chips take his first class?

Ans: When Mr. Chips entered the class, he met with utter silence. He assumed a scowl to
cover his nervousness. Someone dropped the desk lid mischievously. Mr. Chips caught and
punished the culprit. There was no problem after that.

Q. 10. Who was Mr. Wetherby?

Ans: Mr. Wetherby was a headmaster when Mr. Chips joined Brookfield. He was fatherly
and courteous. He had died before Chips joined Brookfield.

Chapter 2

Q.1. Where was Brookfield situated?

Ans: Brookfield was situated across the road behind the wall of very old elm trees. It was a
group of eighteenth century building. There were acres of playing fields beyond.

Q.2. Write a note on Brookfield as a school? What type of school was Brookfield? How
was Brookfield in its reputation?

Ans: Brookfield was established in the rule of Queen Elizabeth as a grammar school.The
school was dwindling at one time and very famous at another.

Q.3. What was the contribution of Brookfield to England? What kind of people did
Brookfield supply?

Ans: Brookfield contributed greatly by supplying history making men of the age: judges,
members of parliament, colonial administrators, a few peers and bishops. It also produced
merchants, manufacturers, professional men, squires and parsons.

Q.4. What were the similarities between Brookfield and Mr. Chips? What was the
socio-academic background of Mr. Chips?

Ans: Chips was as respectable as Brookfield in any social or academic sense. Mr. Chips’
degree was not good. Likewise, Brookfield was not a school of the first rank. Moreover,
snobbish people considered Brookfield as a low rank school. In addition, Chips did not have
family connections of any importance.

Q.5. When did Mr. Chips retire? What was he presented with on his retirement?

Ans: Mr Chips retired from teaching at the age of 65 in 1913. He was presented with a
cheque, a writing desk and a clock.
Goodbye Mr. Chips
Notes by Naveed Bernard Sohni

Q.6. What were the shortcomings of Mr. Chips that did not let him achieve his goal?

Ans: Mr. Chips realized that his degree was not good. His discipline was not reliable under
all conditions. He had no private means and no family connections of any importance. These
shortcomings did not let Mr. Chips achieve his goal.

Q.7. What did Chips dream of in his twenties?

Ans: Chips was very ambitious in his twenties. He dreamed to get headship at any rate or a
senior masterahip in a really first class school.
Q. 8. What was Chips’ status when he was fifty and sixty?
Ans: At forty, he was rooted, settled and quite happy. At fifty, he was doyen of the staff. At
sixty, he was guest of honour at dinners and the court of appeal in all matters affecting
Brookfield history and traditons.
Q. 9. When did the reputation of Brookfield decline?
Ans: After Napoleonic wars and until mid Victorain days, the school declined in numbers
and repute.

CHAPTER 3

Q.1. Who was Mrs. Wicket ? What job did Mr. Wickets do at Brookfield ?
Ans: Mrs. Wicket was Mr. Chip’s landlady. She had been in charge of linen room at
Brookfield before she saved money. She looked after Mr. Chips and entertained his guests.

Q.2. Where did Mr. Chips live after retirement?

Ans: Mr. Chips lived at Mrs. Wicket’s house after his retirement. Mr. Chips chose Mrs.
Wicket’s house, for it was close to Brookfield.

Q.3. How did Mr.Chips welcome the new comers? How did Mr. Chips entertain his
guests? Write a note on Chip’s hospitality.

Ans: Mr. Chips was very hospitable. He entertained his guests with a walnut cake with pink
icing, and crumpets soaked in butter. He himself made tea for his guests.

Q.4. What kind of books were read by Mr. Chips?

Ans: Mr. Chips read classical books. He also read books on history and belle letters. He had a
pile of detective novels like Inspector French and Doctor Thorndyk.

Q.5. How was Chip's room furnished at Mrs. Wicket? What kind of room was rented to
Chips by Mrs. Wicket?

Ans: Mr. Chip's room was furnished simply and with school masterly-taste: a few book
shelves and a few sporting trophies, a shelf above the fireplace
crowded with fixture cards and signed photographs of boys and men, a worn turkey carpet,
big easy chairs, pictures on the wall of the Acropolis and the Forum.

Q. 6. What sort of life did Mr.Chips enjoy at Mr. Wicket after retirement?
Goodbye Mr. Chips
Notes by Naveed Bernard Sohni

Ans: Mr. Chips enjoyed a very pleasant and placid life at Mrs.Wickets after retirement. He
had no worries, his pension was good enough and there was little money saved up besides.

Q.7. Who was Collingwood?

Ans: Collingwood was a student of Mr. Chips. Chips thrashed him once for climbing onto
the gymnasium roof to get a ball out of the gutter. He was very rude with Mrs. Wickets.
Collingwood became major and was killed in Egypt and was given the DSO.

Q. 8. Narrate the activities of Mr. Chips after retirement.

Ans: Reading, talking, remembering, drinking tea, receiving guests, busying himself with
corrections for the next editions of Brookfieldian directory and writing occasional letters
were activities of Mr. Chips after retirement.

Chapter : 4

Q.1. Why was spring of 1896 very dear to Chips?

Ans: Mr. Chips met his would-be wife, Katherine Bridges, in the spring of 1896. Therefore,
it was important to Mr. Chips.
Q.2. How did Mr. Chips come across Katherine Bridges for the first time?

Ans: It was an accidental meeting. Katherine Bridges and Mr. Chips were on summer
vocation in Wasdale. Chips saw a girl signalling from a dangerous looking ledge).He thought
that she was in trouble and rushed to help her but in doing so he got his ankle twisted. It
turned out later she was not in problem. She came down and helped him.

Q. 3. What was Chips’ idea about women? / How did Chips feel about the modern
women?

And: Chips was a misogynist (‫) عورتوں سے نفرت کرنے والا شخص‬.He considered women “a monstrous
creature” and did not like the modern newness and freedom of the New Woman of nineties.

).
‫نک‬
According to Chips, nice women were weak, timid and delicate( ‫ د ھنے میں خوبصورت‬/ ‫نرم ونارک‬

Q. 4.Why did Chips not like Bernard Shaw and Ibsen and bicycling? / What were
Chip’s views about modern women?

Ans: Chips was a conventional person whereas Henrik Ibsen and George Bernard Shaw were
‫ت‬
iconoclasts(‫ خیالات نا مقبول عام عقاند نر تنقید کرنے والا‬، ‫ ) سلیم شدہ بظر نات‬and feminist ( ‫یہ بظر یہ رکھیا کہ مردوں اور عورتوں کے لنے حقوق اور‬
‫)مواقع نرانر ہونے چا ہ نے‬ writers. Therefore, Chips did not like them. Chips thought that nice women
did not ride a bicycle, so he deplored(‫)شخت نا تسید کر نا اور سرعام تنقید کرنا‬bicycling of women.

Q.5. Give physical description of Katherine Bridges.

Goodbye Mr. Chips
Notes by Naveed Bernard Sohni

Ans: She had blue, flashing eyes and freckled cheeks and smooth straw-coloured( ‫) ہلکے ررد رنگ کے‬
hair.
Q.6. What was the most interesting event in the novel?

Ans: The accidental meeting (‫ )انقاق سے ہو نے ملاقات‬of Mr. Chips with Katherine was the most
interesting incident in the novel in my opinion. This unplanned meeting was a turning point(
‫ہ‬
‫)وہ وقت خت ا م تیدنلیاں واقع ہوں اور یہ بہتری لانیں‬ in his life.

Q. 7.What kind of political views did Katherine have? / What rights did Catherine
demand for women?

Ans: In politics she was radicle. She read and admired Ibsen, Bernard Shaw, and William
Morris. She believed that women should be admitted to the universities and they should have
a vote.

Chapter 5

1. What were Katherine’s views about Chips’ profession of teaching?

Ans: Katherine viewed teaching as different and important. According to Katherine, a

teacher influenced(‫ )اثر انداز ہونا‬those who were going to grow up and matter to the world.

2. What did Katherine guess about Chip’s profession in the beginning?

Ans: she incorrectly guessed that he was a lawyer, or a broker (‫)خو دوسروں کے لنے چتر یں تیچے اور خر ندے‬, or a
dentist, or a big businessman.

3. How did Chip’s depreciate himself ? / What did Chips tell Katherine about his
weakness?

Ans: Mr. Chips depreciated(‫ )غیر اہم یا حقیر دکھانا‬himself and his achievements )‫ )کامیابیاں‬. He
told her of his mediocre(‫ )ادنی ۔ حقیر‬degree, of his difficulties of discipline, of certainty that he
would never get a promotion and of his complete ineligibility(‫ )ناقابل‬to marry a young and
ambitious(‫ امیر اور طاقتوربننے کے لیے پرعزم ہو‬، ‫ )جو زند گی میں کا میاب‬girl.

4. What did Katherine say to Chips on the night before their wedding?

Ans: Katherine said with mock gravity( ‫ )بنا وٹی سنجیدگی‬that she felt like a new boy
beginning his first term with Mr. Chips. And that she was not afraid. She asked him
whether she should address him as ‘Sir’ or ‘Mr. Chips’. She decided to address him as
‘Mr. Chips’ and bade(‫ )کہنا‬him a farewell as ‘goodbye Mr.Chips’.

5. Where did they get married?

Ans: she had no parents. She was married from the house of an aunt in Ealing.

Chapter 6
Goodbye Mr. Chips
Notes by Naveed Bernard Sohni

1. How much popular was Katherine in Brookfield? How was Katherine received
on the arrival of Katherine?

Ans: Katherine was highly popular with boys and masters of Brookfield. She won
Brookfield as she had won Mr. Chips. At first, wives of the masters felt jealous of
Katherine, but they could not withstand(‫ )ڈٹے رہنا‬her beauty for long and befriend her.

2. How was Chips’ marriage with Katherine? Was Chips’ marriage successful or
not?

Ans: Chips’ had a happy and successful marriage with Katherine.

3. What kind of fellow was Mr. Chips before marriage?

Ans: Before his marriage, Mr. Chips was a boring and an impartial(‫ )غیرجا نبدار‬person. He
was a conscientious(‫ ) محنتی‬teacher, yet he was not a teacher who stimulated(‫)تحریک دینا‬
love. He was a decent fellow and a hard worker ,but he was not an inspiration( ‫کوئی ایسا شخص یا‬
‫)چیز جو آپ کو اچھا یا کامیاب شخص بننے پر مجبور کر دے۔‬.
4. What changes did Katherine bring in Chips?

Ans: Katherine transformed Mr. Chips into ‘a new man’. His eyes gained sparkle, his
mind began to think boldly, his humour blossomed, and his discipline improved. He had
got obedience, and honour had been given to him; but only now came love.
5. What is the ultimate pitfall of teaching? / What is a creeping dry rot of
pedagogy?

Ans: When a teacher gives same lessons year after year, it will inevitably( ‫جسں کا ہونا یقینی‬
‫ )ھو‬result in the formation of a comfort zone—a place where teachers feel safe and
comfortable and they do not try to work harder or achieve more. This is the ultimate(‫)حتمی‬
pitfall(‫ )چور گڑھا۔ پوشیدہ خطرہ‬of teaching.
6. How did Chips deal with the Lex Canuleia?

Ans: Lex Canuleia was a law in ancient Rome that allowed a person from the highest
social class (Patrician) to marry a person from lower social class (Plebeian).

7. What was joke about Lex Canuleia?

Ans : Mr. Chips made a joke about a cheating Patrician who refused(‫ )انکارکرنا‬to marry his
plebeian girlfriend. The girl who was aware of Lex Canuleia replied, “Oh, yes, you can,
you liar!”

8. What were the arguments given by Katherine Bridges to convince Chips

regarding match? / How did Katherine persuade Chips for the football match?

Ans: She spoke against the callousness(‫ )بے حسی‬of Brookfield towards the poor and
emphasised personal contact. She told Mr. Chips that boys from the mission were as
important as boys from Brookfield. Moreover, they could not have a clear conscience ( ‫یہ‬
‫ )محسوس کرنا کہ آپ نے اچھا کام کیا ھے‬by giving a little money and old ideas of class-
consciousness (‫ )سماجی اور طبقاتی فرق سے با خبر‬required unsticking.
Goodbye Mr. Chips
Notes by Naveed Bernard Sohni

9. Who was Gribble?

Ans: Gribble was a butler in Brookfield. He was the last person in Brookfield who knew
Katherine.

Chapter 7

1. How did Katherine help Chips in the matters of discipline?

Ans: Katherine taught Chips how to instil discipline in his students. She would offer
logical arguments to let students off and ask him to be forgiving. At times, she urged
severity.

2. How did Katherine urged Chips to forgive the students for their mistakes?

Katherine was not in favour of punishment. When the problem was minor, Katherine
would ask Chips to be lenient and give the students a chance. When there was a serious
problem, she would offer logical reasons and ask Mr. Chips to talk to the boy.

3. What were the difficulties Chips faced when he tried to write down a book on
Brookfield? / Why could Chips not write a book on his memories?

Ans: He could not write a book on his memories for two reasons. First, writing tired him both
mentally and physically. Secondly, his recollections lost their flavour when they were written
down.

4. Who was Dunster? How did he die? / Who was old Ogilvie?
Ans: Dunster was a student while old Ogilvie was a choirmaster at Brookfield. Dunster put a
rat in the organ-loft while Ogilvie was taking a choir practice. Ogilvie was dead and Dunster
was drowned at Jutland.

5. How did Katherine help Chips in his job?

Ans: Katherine helped Chips in maintaining discipline. She tendered her advice in any little
problem that arose. She actively participated in Chips’ decision making process.

6. What memories of Katherine haunted Chips?

Ans: There were many memories of Katherine that continued to haunt (‫)جو ہر وقت زہین میں رہے‬
Mr. Chips. He remembered Katherine scampering(‫ )تیز چلیا‬along the stone corridors,
laughing beside him at some error in an essay he was marking, playing Cello, and
Katherine giving her advice to solve a problem.

7. When did Chips recall his memories? What did Mr. Chips do when the bell rang
for call-over?

Ans: Chips recalled his memories when the school bell rang for call over. These
memories were stirred by the warmth of the fire and the gentle aroma of tea.
Goodbye Mr. Chips
Notes by Naveed Bernard Sohni

Chapter 8
Q.1. When did Katherine and her new-born baby die?

Ans: Katherine and her new-born baby died on 1st April, 1898.

Q.2. Who was Faulkner and what did he ask from Chips?

Ans: Faulkner was a student of Chips. He asked Mr. Chips if he could have his afternoon
off, miss the chapel and receive his family at the station.

Q.3. Why did Chips not want to receive condolences? Why did Chips take class on
the day his wife and child died?

Ans: Chips did not want to receive condolences, for he wanted to get used to things
before facing the kind words of others. Therefore, he took his class as usual.

Q.4. What was the April foolery Chips faced?

Ans: Chips received many letters on 1st April, 1898. Each letter contained a a blank sheet
of paper. He realized later that it was a piece of April foolery.

Q.5. Describe Katherine’s tragic death.

Ans: Katherine and her new-born baby died on 1st April, 1898. He was so heartbroken when
they died that he wanted to die himself.

Chapter11

Q.1. What sort of person was Ralston?

Ans. Ralston was efficient, ruthless and ambitious. He was a livewire and fine power
transmitter. He was thoroughly unpopular, he was feared and respected but not liked. He
raised the status of Brookfield as a school. He was trying to run Brookfield like a factory.

Q.2. Why did Mr. Chips not like Ralston? What did Ralston aim to make Brookfield? Why
was Ralston not liked at Brookfield?

Ans. Mr. Chips did not like Ralston because he was ruthless, authoritarian and harsh.
Moreover, he was trying to run Brookfield like a factory and changing the traditions of
Brookfield.

Q.5 Why did Ralston dislike Mr. Chips?

(OR)
Goodbye Mr. Chips
Notes by Naveed Bernard Sohni

What allegations did Ralston level on Chips? Why did Ralston accuse Chips of having
slovenly habits?

(OR)

Why did Ralston want to get rid of Mr. Chips?

Ans: Ralston did not like Mr. Chips because he believed that his teaching methods were slack
and old-fashioned. His personal habits were slovenly and he was insubordinate. These were
the reasons that led to the quarrel between Mr. Chips and Mr. Ralston.

Q.5 Why did Ralston accuse Chips of being old-fashioned?

Ans: Ralston accused Chips of being old fashioned because he believed his teaching methods
were outdated. Also, Mr. Chips refused to use new style of Latin Pronunciation.

Q. What did Ralston tell Ralston at the end of the quarrel?

Ans: When Chips had had enough of the argument, he turned at the door and said that he did
not intend to resign and challenged him to do whatever he liked.

Q. What sort of gown did Mr.Chips wear?

Ans: Mr. Chips wore a tattered gown. Ralston did not like it because it was a subject of
continual amusement throughout the school.

Q.9 How did the students and their parents come to know about the row between Mr. Chips
and Ralston? / Who broke the news of the quarrel between Ralston and Mr. Chips?

Ans. A small boy overheared the argument between Mr. Chips and Mr. Ralston. Soon it was
common knowledge that Ralston had insulted Chips and had demanded his resignation.

Q.What did Sir John Rivers, say to Chips on his visit to Brookfield? (OR) Who was Sir John
Rivers?

Ans. Sir John Rivers was the Chairman of the Board of Governors. He had been a student of
Chips. On his visit to Brookfield, he ignored Ralston, and went direct to Chips and told him
that he was sorry to hear about the row. He said that the Governors were with him and they
did not want him to resign.

Q.. How did Chips serve Ralston?

Ans: Chips served Ralston willing enough and quite loyally. Or rather, he served Brookfield.

Chapter 12
Goodbye Mr. Chips
Notes by Naveed Bernard Sohni

Q.1. What was the result of the quarrel between chips and Ralston?
Ans: The result of the quarrel between Mr. Chips and Mr. Ralston was that Mr. Chips
continued working at Brookfield and he had as little to do with Ralston as possible.
Moreover, Ralston left Brookfield, for he was offered headship of one of the greater public
school.

Q.2. Who was Chatteris?

Ans: Chatteris was successor of Ralston. He was thirty four. He was Natural sciences Tripos.
He was brilliant, friendly and sympathetic. He recognised in Chips a Brookfield institution.

Q.3. why did Chips retire in 1913?

Ans: Mr. Chips decided to retire in 1913 for two reasons. First, he had bronchitis and was off
duty nearly the whole of the winter term. Secondly, Ralston’s straight words had left an
effect.

Q.4. What were the activities of Mr Chips after retirement?

Ans: Mr. Chips found plenty to do after retirement. He invited all the new boys to tea. He
watched all the important matches on the Brookfield ground. He dined with the head and the
masters. He accepted the presidency of Old Boys’ Club and went to dinners in London. He
read Times and novels.
Q.5. Describe the farewell speech of Mr Chips.

Ans: The farewell speech of Mr. Chips was very long because of jokes and laughters. There
were several Latin quotations as well as a reference to the captain of the school.

Q.6. Who was Herr Staefel?

Ans: Herr Staefel was a German master at Brookfield. Chips had become friendly with him.
Herr Staefel was thirty years younger than Mr. Chips, but the two men got on excellently.

Q.7. Who was Mrs Brool?

Ans: Mrs. Brool’s worked in Brookfield's tuck-shop. She served there until an uncle in
Australia left her a lot of money.

Q.8. What did Chips remark about the captain of the school in his farewell speech?

Ans: Chips said that the captain of the school belonged to a exaggerating family. He thrashed
his father for exaggerating the one into seven in

Chapter 13

Q.1. Who was Forrester and how did he die?

Q.2. What was the request of Mr.Chatteris Mr chips?

Q.3. What did Chatteris read out on every Sunday?

Q.4. What sort of problems did she triss face during war?
Goodbye Mr. Chips
Notes by Naveed Bernard Sohni

Q.5. Describe the contribution of Brookfield towards England during war.

Q.6. Discuss some changes in Brookfield after the war (1915).