‘The Eyes Have It’ by Ruskin Bond, questions and answers(L.A.Q.) Class – 12, WBCHSE

1)“Then I made a mistake.” – What mistake did the speaker make? Why was it a mistake? What removed the speaker’s doubts? What did the speaker do then? [1+2+1+2 = 6]  [H.S. – 2017]

Ans. The speaker in the story ‘The Eyes Have It made a mistake by asking the girl what it was like outside.

        It was a mistake because a normal man with eyesight cannot ask such a question. Perhaps he might forget that he was hiding his blindness from the girl.

       The next question of the girl removed the speaker’s doubt. She asked why he did not look out of the window.

      The speaker then moved along the birth and felt for the window ledge. He faced the window making a pretence of studying the landscape.

2)“I am tired of people telling me I have a pretty face.” – Who said this, to whom, and when? What did the person spoken to reply? [ 1+1+2+2 = 6]   [H.S. -2015, 2016 & 2022 ]                                                     Ans. The girl in Ruskin Bond’s ‘The Eyes Have It’ said this.

         The girl said this to the narrator.

          During their conversation, the narrator remarked that the girl had an interesting face. She was flattered by the compliment and made the comment.

          The narrator was very curious about her looks. When he was confirmed that the girl was beautiful, he replied that an interesting face could also be pretty.

3)“She would forget our brief encounter.” – Who said this about whom? What is the ‘brief encounter’ referred to here? Why did the speaker think so? [2+2+2 = 6] [H.S. – 2016]

Ans. The narrator in Ruskin Bond’s story ‘The Eyes Have It’ is the speaker. It was said about the girl who would get down at Saharanpur station.

         The narrator was going to Mussoorie and the girl boarded the train from Rohana. Both the narrator and the girl talked about many things concealing their blindness. The girl would get down at Saharanpur. So their short association in the train is referred to here as a brief encounter.

         It is natural. We do not remember such casual meetings with strangers. It happens so many times in our journey but they do not leave a deep impression on our mind. The speaker might think so because their journey was too short to be remembered.

4)“The girl got up and began to collect her thing.” – Who is the girl? When did she get up? Why did she collect her things? What had the speaker thought about the brief encounter he had with the girl? [1+1+1+3 = 6]  [H.S. – 2019 & 2022 ]

Ans.  The girl is the co-passenger of the narrator in the train from Rohana to Saharanpur.

          She got up when the carriage wheels changed their sound and rhythm to slow down near the Saharanpur station.

         She got up and began to collect her things because she would get down at Saharanpur station.

        The speaker had thought that as soon as the girl left the train she would forget their brief encounter. But it would stay with the speaker for the rest of the journey and even sometime after.

5) “She was an interesting girl.” – Who said this, to whom, and when? What else did the person say? What reply did he get? [ 3+1+2  = 6] [H.S. – 2018]

Ans.  The narrator of the story, ‘The Eyes Have It’, said this to a man who had just entered the train when he remarked that he was not nearly as attractive a travelling companion as the one who had just left.

         The narrator asked the new passenger if the girl had kept her hair long or short.

         The new passenger replied that he had not noticed her hair, but only her eyes which were beautiful. But those eyes were of no use because she was completely blind.

6) “Yes this is the best time.” – Who said this and to whom? What was the occasion of the remark? Why according to the narrator is the best time? [ 1+2+3 = 6]

Ans.  The narrator of the story, ’The Eyes Have It’, said this to the girl who got into the train from Rohana.

         When the girl asked the narrator where he was going, the narrator replied that he was going to Dehra and then to Mussoorie. The girl expressed her desire to go to the hills in October and she also exclaimed he was very lucky. This was the occasion when the narrator remarked this.

         October was the best time to visit Mussoorie because the hills were covered with wild dahlias. The sun was delicious and at night one could sit in front of a log fire and enjoy a little brandy. The roads were quiet and almost deserted as most of the tourists had left the place.

7) “Few girls can resist flattery” – Who said this? What was the flattery? What was the reaction of the spoken one?       [1+2+3 = 6]

Ans.  The narrator of the story ‘The Eyes Have It’ said this.

         The narrator said that the girl had an interesting face. This remark was flattery.

         At this compliment, the girl laughed pleasantly. It was a clear ringing laugh. She told the narrator that it was nice to be told that she had an interesting face. She further added that she was tired of people telling her that she had a pretty face.

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