CBSE Class 12 English Going Places A R Barton Assignment Set B

About the Author

A.R. Barton is a modern writer, who lives in Zurich and writes in English. His stories are based on problems concerning adolescents. In ‘Going Places’, Barton explores the subject of adolescent fantasising and hero worship.

Theme

The whole story is about unrealistic dreams that have little possibility of coming true. This is when disappointment makes its entrance into life. The story seem to hint that it is okay to dream, but dream with limits.

Justification of the Title

The title of the lesson is justified, as ‘Going Places’ is a idiomatic expression meaning ‘to be successful in one’s career.’ The lesson is about Sophie’s wish and fantasy to come out of the drudgery of belonging to the lower strata of society and to go places. Sophie also goes ‘places’ in her fantasies.

Message

It is a good thing to dream. However, dreams should be realistic. Merely fantasising and daydreaming will cause disillusionment. Unless one is hardworking and persevering, mere dreams will only lead to disappointment.

Summary

Going Places is a story written by A.R. Barton that discusses teenagers and their dreams. Far from the real world, the teenage period is all about the desire to reach the sky. Most people, at this age, have role models whom they worship.
In the story, Sophie, who comes from a lower middle class family is a teenager who believes in her dreams. Her dream is to own the finest boutique in the city. But there is no money or means by which she can do it. Her friend and classmate, Jansie, is a practical girl well aware of the realities of life. She asks Sophie not to indulge in such fantasies. In order to have a boutique, one needs a lot of money Sophie aspires to run a store where she will work as a manager and she will save the money to have her own boutique. She happens to be an incorrigible dreamer. Sometimes she dreams to be an actress and sometimes a fashion designer. Sophie’s hero is a young football player named Danny Casey. She began to believe that she had actually met Danny Casey. Her continuous thoughts of Danny Casey becomes the cause of her hopes and disappointments. Sophie’s father disapproves of her dreams. Sophie’s elder brother Geoff is an apprentice mechanic and an enigmatic character. She reveals her dream of having met Danny Casey. She describes it as a chance encounter. Geoff does not believe her. She tells Geoff not to tell anyone about the fact that Danny Casey had asked her to meet him. The family goes to see the weekly football match. Danny Casey plays exceptionally well. Sophie’s father, Geoff and Derek express their happiness and celebrate the victory. Sophie’s is shocked to find out that Jansie knows of her meeting with Danny. Sophie is evasive, but she finds out that Jansie does not know anything about the date between her and Danny. Sophie is happy that Geoff had kept her faith in him. She explains to Jansie that she had asked for an autograph but Danny could not give it as there was no paper or pen. Jansie assures her that she can be trusted.
Sophie waits for Danny at her favourite spot along the canal. She tries to balance the prospects of his coming with the prospects of his not coming. Her thoughts make her sad. She thinks how she will face her family especially when no one believes what she had said. Sophie once again dreams of meeting Casey at Royces. She fails to come out of her fantasy and is overwhelmed by the memories of the match. This was the only time she had seen Danny Casey in actuality.

CHAPTER IN A NUTSHELL

Unrealistic Dreams
Adolescent fantasizing–hero worship–adolescent on–verge of adulthood often lives in world of fantasy–helps–realize what one cannot achieve in reality–easily take–hero worship hoping–make–big in life like–heroes–helps one to think wide–promote creativity–forget their mundane, ordinary lives for a while–escapism in moments of stress and turmoil–when harsh realities of life dawn–becomes frustrating and difficult to come to terms with life. Living in world of fantasy–cannot achieve set goals–at times–fail to differentiate between reality and fantasy–however natural for students–to have unrealistic dreams and to identify with.

Sophie protagonist in ‘Going Places’.
1. belongs to weak socio-economic background.
2. doesn’t have decent house.
3. distaste - absurd situation - incongruity.
4. escapes from her boring, working class existence.
5. Sophie - romantic nature.
6. fond of hero worship and fantasizes meeting Irish player Danny Casey.
7. so much obsessed with meaning-starts believing her imagination as real.
8. nobody believes her-feels disappointed.
9. In her adolescent mind “fantasy and real world merge to an extent - actually goes sits on bench by canal waiting date to show up.”
10. despondent and dejected - yet dreams on. Jansie her friend simple - sharp contrast to Sophie’s romantic nature.
11. practical-realistic-balanced-honest.
12. wishes Sophie becomes sensible and practical.
13. tries to pull her back to reality-earmarked to work in biscuit factory.
14. Cannot be trusted with secretes-gossips.

Geoff
1. Symbolizing freedom for Sophie - brother.
2. apprentice mechanic.
3. dresses up shabbily, carelessly-not conscious of his good looks.
4. understands the harsh realities of life-adult.
5. independent-evasive-reserved-man of few works.
6. Jansie jealous of his silence.
7. keen desire to enter into the deep recesses of mind.
8. imagines he goes to places she has never been.
9. meets exotic - interesting people.
10. Sophie trusts - shares secrets with him. Geoff - big fan of Danny Casey.

Danny Casey
Young Irish football prodigy-brilliant playercelebrity- playing for the English club United. 
Sophie’s hero figure.
• Parent’s Outlook and Level of Indulgence

Sophie’s Dad
1. strong, very practical hardworking.
2. signs of labor reflected face.
3. humble living - yearns to make his family comfortable.
4. feels helpless due to paucity of resources.
5. does not indulge into self pity.
6. realistic does not humor Sophie for her concocted stories.
7. reminds her of their appalling living conditions.
8. makes the best of his life – weekly pilgrimage to watch united. 

Sophie’s Mother
1. bent-burden of household chores.
2. oblivious to comfort-needs.
3. suffers harsh realities of life.
4. sigh symbolic of suppressed desires.
5. upset on hearing rows.

Read the extracts given below and attempt the questions that follow:

1. “Jansie, knowing they were both earmarked for the biscuit factory, became melancholy. She wished Sophie wouldn’t say these things. When they reached Sophie’s street Jansie said, “It’s only a few months away now, Soaf, you really should be sensible. They don’t pay well for shop work, you know that, your dad would never allow it.” “Or an actress. Now there’s real money in that. Yes, and I could maybe have the boutique on the side. Actresses don’t work full time, do they? Anyway, that or a fashion designer, you know — something a bit sophisticated”. And she turned in through the open street door leaving Jansie standing in the rain. “If ever I come into money I’ll buy a boutique.” “Huh - if you ever come into money... if you ever come into money you’ll buy us a blessed decent house to live in, thank you very much.”

Questions

(i) Why did Jansie become melancholy?
(a) Sophie dominated the conversation.
(b) Sophie talked about being glamourous but she knew they had to work in the biscuit factory.
(c) Sophie would not tell her any secrets and she longed to know what secrets sophie had
(d) Their life ahead seemed weary and deary to her.

Answer: B

(ii) What was Sophie daydreaming about?
Sophie was daydreaming to become an actress or start a boutique

(iii) What did Sophie’s father want very much?
(a) A decent house to live in
(b) Enough money to live a sophisticated life.
(c) To be rich enough to travel round the world.
(d) A jug full of icecream made of nuts and raisins.

Answer: A

(iv) Why would you consider Jansie a practical person?
Answer: Jansie was a practical person as she was level-headed and did not dream like Sophie.

(v) From the remark made by Sophie’s father in the last line he appears to be-
(a) kind and considerate
(b) sensitive and loving
(c) rough and harsh
(d) dignified and cheerful

Answer: C

(vi) The word ‘earmarked’ means ...
(a) to mark the ears with a piece of jewellery.
(b) to be worked as a secretive person by one’s friends.
(c) to be chosen for something important in the future.
(d) to be expecting some reward in future.

Answer: C

2. He was kneeling on the floor in the next room tinkering with a part of his motorcycle over some newspaper spread on the carpet. He was three years out of school, an apprentice mechanic, travelling to his work each day to the far side of the city. He was almost grown up now, and she suspected areas of his life about which she knew nothing, about which he never spoke. He said little at all, ever, voluntarily. Words had to be prized out of him like stones out of the ground. And she was jealous of his silence. When he wasn’t speaking it was as though he was away somewhere, out there in the world in those places she had never been. Whether they were only the outlying districts of the city, or places beyond in the surrounding country —who knew? — they attained a special fascination simply because they were unknown to her and remained out of her reach.

Questions

(i) Why was Sophie jealous of Geoff’s silence?
(a) He talked less.
(b) He did not daydream and air it about.
(c) He was always immersed in his work.
(d) He had an exotic life outside their home.

Answer: D

(ii) Where did Geoff travel to everyday?
(a) To the museum where he worked.
(b) To the theatre where he had taken up acting.
(c) To the far side of the city where he worked as an apprentice mechanic.
(d) To the author’s club where he discussed books with others.

Answer: C

(iii) Why did Geoff’s life have a special fascination for Sophie?
Answer: Geoff’s life had a special fascination for Sophie because it remained outside her reach.

(iv) Why did Sophie go to look for her brother Geoff?
Answer: Sophie went to look for her brother Geoff because she just wanted to make him talk to her.

(v) The phrase ‘tinkering with’ means ...
(a) playing with something interesting.
(b) trying to repair or improve something without much knowledge about it.
(c) moving the bell to get some sound out of it.
(d) fixing things like electrical fuses, etc.

Answer: B

(vi) Which of the following show Sophie’s feelings for her brother and father?
(a) Father-love; brother-indifference
(b) Father-dislike; brother-fascination
(c) Father-fascination; brother-dislike
(d) Father-expectation; brother-love

Answer: B

3. “It was nothing like that, Geoff — it was me spoke first. When I saw who it was, I said, “Excuse me, but aren’t you Danny Casey?” And he looked sort of surprised. And he said, “Yes, that’s right.” And I knew it must be him because he had the accent, you know, like when they interviewed him on the television. So I asked him for an autograph for little Derek, but neither of us had any paper or a pen. So then we just talked a bit. About the clothes in Royce’s window. He seemed lonely. After all, it’s a long way from the west of Ireland. And then, just as he was going, he said, if I would care to meet him next week he would give me an autograph then. Of course, I said I would.” “As if he’d ever show up.” “You do believe me now, don’t you?”

Questions

(i) Why did Sophie talk about Danny Casey to Geoff?
Answer: Geoff was a fan of Danny Casey and would only talk to Sophie if she had something interesting to share.

(ii) What did Sophie ask Danny Casey for?
(a) His autograph.
(b) A walk through the arcade.
(c) Some news about football.
(d) About his next match.

Answer: A

(iii) Where was Danny Casey from?
(a) London
(b) Scotland
(c) Ireland
(d) Finland

Answer: C

(iv) What did Danny Casey ask Sophie?
(a) About herself and her plans for the future.
(b) For a date with her.
(c) About her friends.
(d) About her views on life.

Answer: B

(v) What was Geoff’s first reaction to Sophie’s story about meeting Danny Casey?
(a) Fascination
(b) Belief
(c) Indifference
(d) Disbelief

Answer: D

(vi) According to Sophie why could she not get Danny’s autograph?
Answer: Sophie could not get Danny’s autograph because neither of them had any pen or paper.

Short Answer Type Questions

Question. Why does Jansie say : “Soaf, you really should be sensible” ?
Answer: Jansie knows Sophie’s family background and financial position. She knows that both of them are earmarked for that biscuit factory. Sophie dreams of big and beautiful things like having a boutique or becoming an actress or a fashion designer. All these things need a lot of money and experience. Sophie has neither of them. So Jansie being down-to-earth advises her to be sensible and stop having wild dreams.

Question. What was Sophie’s ambition in life? How did she hope to achieve that?
Answer: Sophie’s ambition in life was to become rich and important. She wanted to take up some sophisticated professions, like that of an actress or a fashion designer.

Question. What job is Geoff engaged in? How does he differ from his sister, Sophie?
Answer: Geoff is a grown up boy. He left school three years ago. Now he is an apprentice mechanic. He has to travel to his work each day to the far side of the city. He speaks little but listens to his sister’s ‘wild stories’. But he is not a day dreamer like her. He knows the financial limitations of his family. He cautions Sophie against entertaining dreams for a celebrity like Danny Casey.

Question. How does Sophie’s father react when Geoff tells him about her meeting with Danny Casey?
Answer: Geoff informs his father that Sophie had a meeting with Danny Casey. He turns his head on his thick neck to look at her in disbelief. His expression is one of disdain. He ignores the news and goes on to talk about Tom Finney. He hopes that Danny will be like Tom Finney one day. When Sophie says that Casey is going to buy a shop, he reacts sharply and says, “This is another of your wild stories.”

Question. What does Sophie dream of doing after she passes out of school? Why do you call it a ‘dream’ and not a ‘plan’?
Answer: Sophie dreams to have a boutique of her own. It will be the most amazing shop the city has ever seen. She says that she will buy a boutique if ever she comes into money. She does not mind becoming an actress to run a boutique as a side business. Since she has no money or experience, it is called a ‘dream’ and not a ‘plan’.

Question. Compare and contrast Sophie and Jansie?
                             Or
Jansie is Sophie’s classmate and friend but doesn’t entertain any ‘wild dreams’ like her. Why?
Answer: Sophie and Jansie are classmates and friends, but the similarity ends here. They are poles apart in thinking and temperament. Sophie is an incurable dreamer and escapist. She dreams of big and beautiful things, which are beyond her reach.
On the other hand, Jansie is realistic and practical. She knows that they are poor and will have to work in the biscuit factory after leaving school. She is well aware that big things require big money and experience, which they don’t have. It is better to live in reality and think accordingly. 

Question. Why was Sophie jealous of Geoff ’s silence?
Answer: Geoff was almost grown up now. He spoke little. Words had to be extracted out of him like stones out of the ground. Sophie was jealous of his silence. She knew that when he was not speaking, he was away somewhere. He was out in the surrounding country—in those places she had never been. She wanted to share her brother’s affection.

Question. Why did Jansie discourage Sophie from having dreams?
Answer: Sophie was a girl of unrealistic dreams. On her way home, she told her classmate Jansie that she would open a boutique. She would be like Mary Quant and will be having the most amazing shop this city had ever seen. She had another option of becoming actress along with her boutique. She also thought of becoming a fashion designer. But Jansie asked Sophie to be sensible Jansie discouraged her because she knew that both were earmarked for the biscuit factory as both belonged to lower middle class families of low financial standing.

Question. What does Sophie tell Geoff about her meeting with Danny Casey? How does Geoff react to it?
Answer: Sophie tells Geoff that she met Danny Casey. Geoff is surprised. He looks round abruptly and asks ‘where?’ Sophie replies that she met him in the arcade. Geoff can’t believe her. He says, “It’s never true.” He asks her, “What does he look like?” She replies that he has green eyes and is not very tall. Geoff is still not convinced.

Question. What are the other dreams of Sophie in addition to having a boutique?
Answer: The greatest dream of Sophie is to have a boutique. She wants to be a bit sophisticated and rise above her lower-middle class status. Her other dream is of being an actress as “there’s real money in that”. Moreover, actresses don’t work full time. She can look after her first love i.e. boutique as a side business. She has another option. She can be a fashion designer, and do something sophisticated.