NCERT Solutions Class 10 English (Footprints without Feet)
The NCERT Solutions in English Language for Class 10 English (Footprints without Feet) Chapter – 7 (The Necklace) has been provided here to help the students in solving the questions from this exercise.
Chapter – 7 (The Necklace)
Read and Find Out
1. What kind of a person is Mme Loisel—why is she always unhappy ?
Answer – Matilda had a romantic nature. She was lost in dreams. Matilda was unhappy because she had no dowry. She had no hope, no means of becoming known. She was pretty. She wanted to be known and loved by rich men. But she was born in a poor family.
2. What kind of a person is her husband ?
Answer – Her husband M Loisel, is an ordinary and average young man. A mere clerk by profession, he is still contented with his job. Also, he is a caring man as he is excited to show the dinner invitation to his wife.
Read and Find Out
1. What fresh problem now disturbs Mme Loisel ?
Answer – The fresh problem is : Mme Loisel doesn’t have a pretty and proper dress for the party.
2. How is the problem solved ?
Answer – The problem is solved when her husband gives her four hundred francs. It is to buy a pretty dress for the said party.
Read and Find Out
1. What do M. and Mme Loisel do next ?
Answer – M. and Mme Loisel decide to borrow a diamond necklace. It is from her friend Mme Forestier.
2. How do they replace the necklace ?
Answer – They borrow money. They shift to a cheap house. They save every sou possible. Mme Loisel does all her work herself. They buy a new real diamond necklace to replace the lost one which is fake.
Think About It
1. The course of the Loisels’ life changed due to the necklace. Comment.
Answer – It is true that the course of the Loisels’ life changed due to the necklace. After the loss of the necklace, the Loisels shifted to a cheap house. Mme Loisel started doing all work herself. She went to buy things. She haggled for the last sou. She wore ordinary clothes. Her husband worked evenings. He copied at five sous a page. They somehow saved every sou. This life of hardships went on for ten years.
2. What was the cause of Matilda’s ruin ? How could she have avoided it ?
Answer – Matilda’s pride and her materialistic aspirations coupled with her dishonesty pave the way for her ruin. She could have avoided it by learning to accept her current situation and being content with what she had.
3. What would have happened to Matilda if she had confessed to her friend that she had lost her necklace ?
Answer – It could have changed her life. She could not have seen the day of want and misery. She was the woman of the people. She grew old in her youth. She suffered a lot due to the harsh life of want. If she had confessed before Mme Forestier, she could have been excused. It was because the lost necklace was a fake one.
4. If you were caught in a situation like this, how would you have dealt with it?
Answer – Foremost of all, I would have done my best not to become a victim of my own pride and aspirations. If, I was caught in such a situation, I would have let the truth out and then face the consequences. Honesty would have been the way out for me.
Talk About It
1. The characters in this story speak in English. Do you think this is their language ? What clues are there in the story about the language its characters must be speaking in ?
Answer – The characters in this story speak in English. But this is not their language. There are many clues in the story that show this. The characters speak French because the story was originally written in French. It is translated into English. These clues are :
- names of characters : Mme Loisel, Mme Forestier, minister’s name is George Ramponneau
- currency : franc, sou
- shop’s location : Palais-Royal
- walk in the Champs Elysees
2. Honesty is the best policy.
Answer – Honesty is definitely the best policy. Falsehood and hypocrisy seem very attractive and rewarding at first. But, the path they tread on leads to nothing but misery, evil and utter gloom. Honesty, on the contrary, seems to be a difficult choice in pursuit of material happiness. However, it is the only choice for a life of contentment, peace and everlasting happiness.
3. We should be content with what life gives us.
Answer – It is a great virtue that we should be content with what life gives us. Life doesn’t give equal to all people. Some are bom great, some are born in poverty. We should not overlook the fact that life is different for different people.
