CBSE Class 10 English Footprints without Feet Assignment Set 02

Short Answer Type Questions
 

Question. Griffin’s brilliance as a man of science fades before his darker traits. Give reasons from the text to support your answer. Or Griffin’s brilliance as a man of science fades before his darker traits. Comment.
Answer: Griffin was a lawless person, he was disliked by most people, was quick tempered, burnt the house of the landlord to take a revenge on him, stole money at priest’s house. Thus we can say that he was undoubtedly brilliant scientist but his brilliance eclipsed by his negative traits.

Question. Scientists contribute to make the world a better place. Griffin is an antithesis to this statement. Justify.
Answer: Griffin was a brilliant scientist but he was an antithesis because he use his mind for making a good drug that is which can make anyone body invisible but he use that drug in wrong way.

Question. Why did Griffin go inside a big London store ?
Answer: Griffin went inside a big London store to gain some warmth, find a place for the night, and also to put on some clothes.

Question. Why were the two boys surprised when they saw the imprints of a pair of bare feet ?
Answer: The two boys could see muddy footprints on the steps of a house in central London, descending towards the street. It was surprising to see the footprints without seeing anybody making them.

Question. How did Horace fulfil his desire of reading books after he was arrested ?
Answer: After Horace was arrested, he became the assistant librarian in the prison and fulfilled his desire of reading books.

Question. Though Horace planned everything meticulously, why did he fail ?
Answer: Though Horace planned everything meticulously, he failed because of the smart lady. She posed herself to be the owner of the house and convinced him to open the shelf as she had forgot the password of the shelf. Horace got trapped in her plot.

Question. How did Griffin try to get rid of Mrs. Hall’s accusations?
Answer: Griffin got furious with Mrs. Hall’s accusation of stealing money and of not paying her rent. He threw off his bandages, spectacles and became invisible. He hit everyone and escaped from there.

Question. Why did Griffin set the landlord’s house on fire ?
Answer: Griffin was not liked by his landlord. He decided to take revenge on him, so one day he set his house on fire. Moreover, he did not want anyone to know about his secret discovery.

Question. How did Griffin escape from the London store ?
Answer: When two attendants of the store discovered Griffin, they chased him. Hence, in order to protect himself he threw away his clothes and became invisible and escaped from the London store.
 

Long Answer Type Questions

Question. A character arc is the transformation or development of a character throughout a story and refers to the changes a character undergoes as a result of his/her experiences, challenges and interactions with other characters. In light of the above information, trace the character arc of Griffin in H.G. Wells’ ‘Footprints without Feet’.
Answer: Griffin in H.G. Wells’ ‘Footprints without Feet’ undergoes a significant character arc throughout the story. Initially, he is portrayed as a brilliant yet eccentric scientist obsessed with achieving invisibility. However, as the narrative progresses, his obsession leads him down a path of moral degradation. Griffin’s character arc is marked by his descent into madness and amorality as he abuses his newfound power of invisibility for personal gain and revenge. By the end of the story, Griffin’s transformation is complete, culminating in his tragic demise as a cautionary tale about the dangers of unchecked ambition and hubris.

Question. Imagine that Griffin’s conscience pricks him and he decides to write a diary entry, about misusing science and endangering society, in the context of his own experience. Write this diary entry, as Griffin, in about 120 words.
Answer: 10 March 20XX, Monday 9:00 pm
Dear Diary,
Today, as I reflect on my actions, I am overwhelmed by a profound sense of guilt and remorse. My pursuit of scientific discovery has led me down a dark path, blinding me to the ethical implications of my experiments. In my quest for power and invisibility, I have misused science to satisfy my own selfish desires, heedless of the consequences for society. My actions have endangered countless lives and unleashed chaos upon the world. The weight of my transgressions bears heavily upon my conscience, and I am haunted by the realization that I have become the very monster I sought to create. I can only hope that future generations will learn from my mistakes and wield science responsibly, for the betterment of humankind.
Griffin

Question. Based on your reading of the textual cue given below, write a conversation between the two characters – Mrs. Hall and Griffin. “Mrs. Hall, the landlord’s wife made every effort to be friendly, but Griffin had no desire to talk.”
Answer: Conversation between Mrs. Hall and Griffin
Mrs. Hall : It is such a pleasure to have you as my guest, Mr. ....
Griffin : Never mind my name, Madam. I guess I have made my payment in advance, and you should not bother me any further.
Mrs. Hall : Well, yes of course. Thanks a lot for the payment. I was just wondering if you would need any help with something since you seem to be in a terrible state, these bandages and all.
Griffin : O h, n o! All is fine with me. N o concern required at all. Now, if you may please leave me to do my important work for which I sought solitude in this village on the outskirts of the city.
Mrs. Hall : Sure. Its fine with me. Still, ... I mean in case you ever need any assistance, feel free to call me...
Griffin : Madam, stop being overindulgent. I can manage all my needs. Please leave and close the door behind you.

Question. Did Griffin from ‘Footprints without Feet’ follow the saying ‘With great power comes great responsibility’? Justify your answer in 120 words.
Answer: No, Griffin did not follow the saying ‘with great power comes great responsibility’. Since Griffin did not think of anyone else except himself, this saying is not what he followed. After he managed to make himself invisible, he did not use his powers of invisibility for good. Instead, one of the first things he did was set fire to his landlord’s house in an act of revenge. He did not think of helping anyone with his newfound powers; instead, he harmed other people for his own gain. He stole clothes and food for himself without feeling any remorse. When his money ran low once more, he again resorted to stealing and robbed a clergyman. Finally, when the police were about to catch him, instead of going quietly and accepting his arrest, he fought back and escaped. At no time did Griffin take any responsibility for his actions.

Question. Readers believe that Griffin was a man without a conscience. You have a class discussion on why our conscience plays a vital role in shaping our character. Present a summary of your views on this.
Answer: Griffin was a man without conscience. It is true he was not a law abiding citizen of his country. He broke one law after another and made himself an undesirable person. He did not hesitate robbing the vicar at Iping for money he needed. He should have left a religious priest. When he was short of money he continued his experiments, without any thoughts of the consequences, he robbed his own father, who committed suicide because the money was not his. He attended his father’s funeral without feeling sorry for his own act; instead he blamed his father for being a sentimental fool.
He experimented on a cat, with no concern for the poor creature’s cries of pain. He threw it out and never tried to find whether it was alive or dead. He burnt down the house at Great Portland Street when the landlord and his sons found about his experiments and were horrified. He was only worried about covering his trail. After becoming invisible he committed one brutal act after another, not because they were necessary for his survival, but simply because he enjoyed doing them. The way he looted the owner of a small costume shop, and left him helpless after striking him on his head, spoke volumes about his inhumanity.
He terrorized Marvel when he was on the run, fought with the policemen. His plan to spread reign of terror among people using his powers of invisibility really shocked Dr. Kemp. He even tried to kill him for betraying him. In his final run from the people hunting him, he killed an old man with a rod because he bumped into him. Before his death, he had sunk to the lowest depth a man could go and was truly a monster in human form. All the bad and immoral things that Griffin did could have been avoided if he had abided by the law of his country.

Question. How did the invisible scientist first become visible? What compelled him to become invisible again in the chilly air of January?
Answer: The invisible scientist first became visible when he slipped into a big London store for warmth from the bitterly cold weather. There he broke open boxes and wrappers and fitted himself into warm clothes. Fully dressed he was now also a fully visible person. Finally he settled down to sleep but he did not manage to get up on time, before the shop assistants arrived. Seeing them approach Griffin panicked and began to run. The shop assistants began chasing him and he could only escape by quickly taking off his newly found clothes. So once more he became invisible in the chilly January air.

Question. Describe the landlord’s and his wife’s experience with the strange scientist.
Answer: Both Mrs. Hall and her husband were surprised to find the scientist’s room door open because normally it was always locked. So they peeped in, but found nobody there. The clothes and bandages that he always wore were lying about the room. Suddenly Mrs. Hall heard a sniff close to her ear and the hat on the bedpost leapt up and dashed itself into her face. Then the bedroom chair sprang into the air and pushed them both out of the room and then appeared to slam and lock the door after them. Mrs. Hall became hysterical and almost fell down the stairs. She thought that her furniture was haunted. They decided to confront the scientist next time when they met him.

Question. How would you assess Griffin as a scientist and a human being ? What qualities or values would you suggest will make him a better person ?
Answer: Griffin was an eccentric scientist who had discovered a rare drug which could make him invisible. Griffin became invisible not for the welfare of the society but to satisfy his own ego and carry out satanic deeds. He was a brilliant scientist but not a law abiding person. He was a criminal scientist who had no respect for humanity. He stole money from the clergyman’s house, set the landlord’s house on fire and even killed his father for his own benefit. He was not also a good human being. He was rude to everyone. When everyone asked about his secret, he hit them and escaped becoming invisible.
I would like to suggest him to imbibe empathy, kindness, helpfulness, honesty, generosity, social responsibility, etc. These values will make him a better person. He should have used his discovery for the benefit of the society and his country.

Question. Mrs. Hall found the scientist rather eccentric. How can he be helped to lead a normal life ? Highlight the values that can help him become a better person.
Answer: Griffin was an eccentric scientist who had come to Iping in a desire for solitude. He did not wish to be disturbed and moreover, he had come to the town at that time of winter when no one comes. Mrs. Hall found him eccentric also because of his looks. He was over dressed with all parts of his body covered. He was wearing dark glasses, big bushy side whiskers and a large hat all the time, even at night.
He could be helped to lead a normal life by guiding him patiently. He should be counselled to work for the welfare of the society.
The values of empathy, social responsibility, kindness, helpfulness, honesty to his profession, generosity can help Griffin to become a better person.

Question. One must be a law abiding citizen of the country. Griffin lacked this value in his character. How did it make him an undesirable person ? How did lawlessness overshadowed his greatness as a scientist?
Answer: One must be a law abiding person. Those who don’t follow rules become a nuisance for society. Griffin was no doubt a brilliant scientist but his lawlessness overshadowed his brilliance. He misused his discovery and disturbed the peace of society. He robbed a storehouse, hit the landlady and the shopkeeper, had a fight with the constable. All these lawless activities of Griffin made him an undesirable person in society. He used his invention for self-interest and for taking revenge upon the people around him.
 

Extract Based Questions

1. Read the extract given below and answer the questions given below :
The arrival of a stranger at an inn in winter was in any case an unusual event. A stranger of such uncommon appearance set all tongues wagging. Mrs. Hall, the landlord’s wife, made every effort to be friendly. But Griffin had no desire to talk, and told her, “My reason for coming to Iping is a desire for solitude. I do not wish to be disturbed in my work. Besides, an accident has affected my face.” Satisfied that her guest was an eccentric scientist, and in view of the fact that he had paid her in advance, Mrs. Hall was prepared to excuse his strange habits and irritable temper.

Question. State any one inference about Griffin from the given context : “My reason for coming to Iping is a desire for solitude. I do not wish to be disturbed in my work. Besides, an accident has affected my face.”
Answer: An inference about Griffin from the given context is that he is a private person who values his solitude, is possibly working on something that requires concentration and isolation, and has experienced some misfortune or incident that has disfigured his face, which he is sensitive about.

Question. State True or False : Even though Mrs. Hall was satisfied with Griffin, she was skeptical to excuse his strange habits and irritable temper.
Answer: False

Question. It was not difficult for Griffin to convince the landlord and his wife about his strange appearance and eccentric behaviour. Elaborate in about 40 words with reference to the context.
Answer: It was relatively easy for Griffin to convince the landlord and his wife about his need for privacy due to his upfront payment and the explanation that he was an eccentric scientist affected by an accident, which seemed to provide a sufficient reason for his unusual behavior and appearance.

Question. Which phrase would correctly substitute ‘set all tongues wagging’ in the given sentence from the extract ? A stranger of such uncommon appearance _____.
Answer: sparked everyone’s curiosity.

2. Read the extract given below and answer the questions given below :
Mrs. Hall almost fell down the stairs in hysterics. She was convinced that the room was haunted by spirits and that the stranger had somehow caused then to enter into her furniture.

Question. Mrs. Hall tripped because
(a) the floor was oily.
(b) she was standing on a chair.
(c) she was in a state of panic.
(d) the door was slammed.
Answer: (c) she was in a state of panic.

Question. Mrs. Hall suspected everything in the room was put under a spell of witchcraft by _____.
Answer: Griffin

Question. Fill in the blank with one word only : Mrs. Hall was afraid that spirits had entered _____.
Answer: the furnitures

Question. According to the extract, the feeling of Mrs. Hall can be best described as : 1. stunned 2. happy 3. awestruck 4. nervous 5. outraged 6. agitated Select the correct option :
(a) (2) and (4)
(b) (3) and (6)
(c) (5) and (6)
(d) (1) and (6)
Answer: (d) (1) and (6)

Question. ‘Spirits’ in the above lines means the same as :
(a) ghosts
(b) conscience
(c) ego
(d) attitude
Answer: (a) ghosts