THE PIECE OF STRING by Guy De Maupassant

 

The Piece Of String

Introduction: The lesson, The piece of string by Guy De Maupassant is the story of an old man who is suspected of picking up a lost leather pocketbook owned by Mr. James, the caretaker of the Public Hall. Mr. Hubert, the old man tries to convince the people that he had not picked up the pocketbook rather it was a piece of string that he had picked up but nobody was ready to accept his story of the piece of string. Although the pocketbook was handed back by Mr. George but people did not stop insulting him. He was so much shocked by such allegations that he died reiterating, “a piece of string, a piece of string”. After some time a flood destroyed everything except the grave of Hubert. This story shows the incredulous attitude of the people towards an innocent man.

 

SHORT QUESTIONS

QNO1: Why did Manana accuse Hubert of picking up the lost pocketbook?

Answer: Manana had seen Hubert picking something from the road. He thought it might be a pocketbook. So, he accused Hubert of picking up the pocketbook.

QNO2: What did the people think of Hubert when they heard the return of the pocketbook by some other person?

Answer:  When they heard about the return of the pocketbook by some other person, they thought that Hubert had thrown the stolen pocketbook on the road. So, he was a liar.

QNO3: Why did George give the pocketbook to his employer?

Answer: George gave the pocketbook to his employer because he did not know how to read it.

QNO4: What made Hubert shameful?

Answer:  False allegations about Hubert's character made him shameful. He was an honest man but nobody was ready to believe him.

QNO5: Why did the people make fun of his innocence?

Answer:  People started to make fun of him to amuse themselves. They were not ready to believe him because he was a simple countryman.

QNO6: Why did he keep claiming his innocence before his death?

Answer:  He was an honest man. He could not bear false allegations about his character. So, he kept claiming his innocence.

LONG QUESTION

QNO1: Write down a note on the character of Hubert?

Answer:  Hubert was a simple countryman. He was an honest person. He could not bear false allegations about his character.

QNO3: Why did the Mayor not believe the innocence of Hubert?

Answer:  The mayor did not believe the innocence of Hubert because Manana had seen Hubert picking something from the road. He was not ready to believe him because he was a simple countryman.

QNO4: Was it necessary for Hubert to continue pleading his innocence?

Answer:  No, It was not necessary for Hubert to continue pleading his innocence because people enjoy blaming others. He was an honest man. He had no need to continue pleading his innocence.

QNO5: What suggestion can you give to Hubert to save him from such a humiliating situation?

Answer:  Hubert must not have told his story to all the people because they did not believe him rather they tried to make fun of him. He was an honest man. He had no need to continue pleading his innocence.

IMPORTANT ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS FROM THE LESSON

THE PIECE OF STRING

QNO1: Why did the people gather at a great big Hall?

Answer: The people gathered at a big Hall of the marketplace to enjoy a meal. There were chickens, pigeons, and legs of mutton in the roast. The smell of roasted beef made everybody’s mouth water.

QNO2: What was the announcement made by the drum beater?

Answer: The drum beater announced that a black leather pocketbook had been lost on the road to the marketplace. It contains some business papers and 500 shillings.

QNO3: What was the reward for returning the pocketbook?

Answer: The finder was requested to return the pocketbook to Mr. James, the caretaker of the public hall. There would be a reward of 20 shillings.

QNO4: How did the people tell the story of string?

Answer: The people told the story of string to amuse themselves. They told it in a manner of a soldier who had been in a war.

QNO5: How was Hubert’s innocence proved?

Answer: After his death, a great flood in its full wrath came and carried away the people and their belongings. Only the grave of Hubert withstood before the havoc of flood. So, it was the flood that proved his innocence.

QNO6: What was written on the tombstone of Hubert?

Answer:  It was engraved on his tombstone:

“Here lies the man who would not prove his innocence but the flood proved it”.

Important Information/MCQs of the lesson “The Piece of String”

1.     The weather was favourable for the green things but not for wheat.

2.     The pocketbook contained five hundred shillings and a few business papers.

3.     The pocketbook was lost between 9:00 and 10:00 in the morning.

4.     Mr. James was the owner of the pocketbook.

5.     Mr. James was the caretaker of the public Hall.

6.     There would be a reward of 20 shillings.

7.     Mr. Manana was a harness man.

8.     Mr. Hubert was a Peasant.

9.     George found the pocketbook.

10.                         Towards the end of the month, he took to his bed.

Important synonyms from the lesson, THE PIECE OF STRING

	WORD	SYNONYMS
1	Appetizing	Increasing hunger, tasty
2	Odour	Fragrance, smell
3	Purchase	Buying
4	Cease	Stop, finished
5	Impatiently	Eagerly, anxiously
6	Inhabitants	Natives, locals
7	Stout	Fat, heavy, huge
8	Astounded	Surprised, amazed
9	Suspicion	Doubt, incredulity
10	flushed	Reddened,
11	worthy	Valuable, honorable
12	Credence	Trust, belief,
13	Cord	String
14	Peasant	Farmer
15	Furiously	angrily
16	Exasperating	Aggressive, infuriating
17	Salvation	Redemption, safety hereafter
18	Choked	Suffocate,
19	Indignation	Anger, fury, irritation
20	Maintained	Insisted, persisted
21	Discharged	Left, let him go
22	Prosecutor	lawyer
23	Curiosity	Interest, inquisitiveness
24	Rascal	Knave, rogue, villain
25	Incredulity	Disbelief,
26	Triumph	Victory, success, joy, satisfaction
27	Self-esteem	Self honour, self-respect
28	Consume	Exhausted, wasted
29	Campaign	Battle, Adventure
30	Delirium	Restlessness, disturbed
31	Reiterate	Repeatedly, said again and again
32	Wrath	Anger, fury
33	Havoc	Destruction,
34	Engraved	Carved