ST TERESA SCHOOL

BHOLI CLASS-X
Theme
The story of ‘Bholi’ , deals with a number of themes related to the girl child. It also underlines the
need of dealing with handicapped children in a sympathetic manner. It shows how through proper
education, through love and encouragement, a handicapped child can outdo even normal children.
The story revolves around the theme of education. When Bishamber demands dowry, Bholi reacts
boldly and refuses to marry. She gained this courage and confidence because of education. Without
education she would have been a dumb girl and also had suffered for rest of her life because
Bishamber was very greedy. The major theme of the story Bholi is the impact of family on children.
Bholi is a little girl who fails to develop self-confidence because of her parents’ attitude towards her.
The story hints at why family support and emotional security are essential for proper child
development. Also, disabled children must be given encouragement, love and, education like their
normal counterparts.
Synopsis
This story is about a girl who is ugly and who stammers. As she is different from her siblings, she does
not get proper care in her family. Her father sends her to a school because of a command from the
‘tehsildar’. The teacher in the school becomes the true mentor of Bholi and helps her gain some
confidence. Time flies and with that Bholi becomes a young woman who is educated; unlike her
sisters. Because of her ugly looks and a pockmarked face, her father agrees to marry her off to a
person who is double her age. Bholi agrees with her parents’ decision. But when the bridegroom
arrives he demands a hefty dowry to marry her. Her father somehow manages that money. Bholi is
aghast at this development and decides to rebel against all. She decides to spend the rest of her life to
serve her parents and to teach in the school.
SHORT ANSWER QUESTIONS
Q1. In what respect was Bholi different from her sisters?’
Ans. Bholi was the weakest and youngest child of Ramlal. Bholi had ugly looks and absence of brain. Her
sisters Radha Mangla and Champa were healthy, strong and good looking. They had been happily married.
Q2. How did Bholi react when her father caught her by the hand to take her to school?
Ans. Bholi’s father caught her by her hand to take her to school. She was scared as she did not know what
the school was like. She remembered how her old cow had been turned out of the house and sold. Therefore
she was frightened and reluctant to go to school.
Q3. Why was Sulekha nicknamed Bholi?
Ans. When Sulekha was 10 months old, she fell from the cot. Due to that accident, her head and some part
of brain got damaged. She also stammered. She remained a backward child. Being simple, she was
nicknamed Bholi.
Q4. How did Bholi’s fear disappear after she had gone to school?
Ans. Bholi, the weakest child of the family, was suffering from physical disability and mental infirmity,
because of which she didn’t want to go to school. But then, her teacher proved a gem to her who always
provided all possible help and assistance to her and turned her into a bold and confident girl. The teacher
always encouraged her and asked her to come to school daily.
Q5. When and why did Bholi feel that her heart was throbbing with a new hope and a new life?
Ans: Bholi had achieved what she could have never even dreamed. With the encouragement and help of her
teacher she could pronounce her name Bholi” and say Yes within a week. She knew that she would he more
learned than anyone in the village. Then, nobody would ever dare to laugh at her. Bholi felt her heart
throbbing with a new hope and new life.
Q6. How does Bholi become her teacher’s masterpiece?
Ans. Bholi was definitely her teacher’s masterpiece because under her guidance, she overcame her handicap
of stammering. The shy and reluctant child bloomed into a bold and confident girl. She was a true
masterpiece because she had the courage to revolt against a social evil of dowry and refused to marry the
greedy Bishamber Nath.
Q7. Did Bholi enjoy her first day in school? What made her happy on this very day?
Ans.It was a mixed day for Bholi. She was happy to see the girls of her age. She was fascinated with the
colourful pictures on the wall of the classrooms. But when the teacher asked her name she could not answer
properly and other girls laughed at her. She cried. But her teacher’s soft words made her happy on this very
day.
LONG ANSWER QUESTIONS
Q1.What social attitudes are presented in the story, ‘Bholi’? How does Bholi’s teacher help her overcome
these barriers?
Ans: Bholi was neglected by her parents on account of her looks and lack of intelligence. She was sent to
school as her mother thought her to be a burden and let the teachers at school worry about her. Ironically, the
teachers transformed her life completely. God created this world but teachers create human beings.
Bholi did not know what exactly a school was and what happened there, in the class when her teacher asked
her name, she stammered and began to cry. She kept her head down throughout the class. The teacher was
very encouraging and friendly to her and this made her gain confidence to speak.
She started seeing a ray of hope for a new life. After years of gaining education and with the help of her
teacher, Bholi turned into a confident girl. She no longer stammered and could speak properly. She even had
the courage to refuse marrying the lame old man because he was greedy and asked money from her father to
marry her.
Q2. School education turned Bholi from a dumb cow into a bold girl. How did she save her father from a
huge expense and become his support in his old age?
Ans: Ironically, Bholi was sent to school as her mother believed she was a burden and let the teachers at the
school worry for her. The teacher showed affection and encouraged her to shed her fear. She was assured by
her teacher that she would speak like others one day.
Years of hard work transformed Bholi into a bold and confident young woman. Bishamber refused to marry
Bholi due to her appearance and demanded five thousand rupees. Bholi saw how her father was humiliated
for no reason. She refused to marry a greedy, mean and contemptible coward. She assured her father that she
would serve him and her mother in their old age. She had a mission in her life; she would spread the light of
education in her village.