My Old Home Summary and Exercise Grade 12 Compulsory English Literature

My Old Home Summary and Exercise Grade 12 Compulsory English Literature

 

Short Stories

My Old Home

-Lu Xun

 

About the Writer:

v Zho Shuren born in 1881 and died in 1936, Known as Lu Xun (pen name)

v His family belonged to the strong Confucius background,

v His father was a scholar and his grandfather was a high official in Beijing,

v He is known as China's greatest writer in 20th century,

v He is also called the Father of Modern Chinese literature, and he wrote short stories, essays and translated many books,

v He was an important thinker as well as known as a pioneer of modern vernacular Chinese literature

v His Works include:

o   A Madman's Diary (1918)

o   Kong Yiji (1919)

o   Medicine (1919)

o   Tomorrow (1920)

o   An Incident (1920)

o   The Story of Hair (1920)

o   A Storm in Tea Cup (1920)

o   Hometown (1920)

 

Summary

This is story is taken from the famous short story collection "Hometown" published in 1921. It tells the story of narrator's memories, from youth to old age, and the conflict of the misunderstandings created when memories challenge the realities. Being away from home for so many years, the images of glamour, beauty, and decorum framed the narrator's childhood, diminishing his memories. The he arrives at his long-lost home the narrator's memories are forced to come to terms with the truth, thereby shattering his prior conceptions and understandings of the world.

The narrator declares, "Ah! Surely this is not the old home I have been remembering for the past twenty years?" as he stands in front of his old, broken-down home. The house is old and needs repairments that's why the splendor is invisible to the eye but only is in the mind of the narrator. Rationalizing the disagreement between memory and that reality before him, he tries to convince himself that his old home has always been like this, and although it has not improved it was is not so depressing as he imagined. It is only his mood that has changed, because he is coming back to the country without illusions. Despite his rationalization, it is clear that his memories have deceived him. Having transformed his past home into a grand building it has never been, only to be torn down for re-evaluation along with his other assumed childhood memories that had been built into the magnificent illusions. After recovering from the shock of seeing his old home, he is informed that his old friend, Runtu, will be returning to town to visit him. Over thirty years has passed since the narrator last saw his friend, Runtu, and at first, memories are scarce.

 

After pausing for a moment, "a strange picture suddenly flashes into his mind". Stories, ripe from the passing of time, fill the narrator's mind. He is full from the fleshy details he recalls, from the glory of his friend, Runtu's sea-side childhood. Oh, how he wished he could be Runtu. His stories were like candy, appealing to a child and idealized in every way, shape, and form.

 

The narrator can no longer wait to meet with Runtu; he wants to hear more of the sea-side glamour. Upon his long-awaited arrival, the narrator flusters from anticipation. "Runtu stands there, mixed joy and sadness showing on his face. His lips move, but not a sound he utters. Finally, assuming a respectful attitude, he says, "Master! . . ." The narrator's memories deceive him once again. Had Runtu not been his friend? Had they not played together and shared stories with one another? As a child, the narrator was unable to understand class differentiation. He remembers, due to his childhood naivety, that his time with Runtu was that of a mutual friendship. This memory grew until it reached utopian standards. Their friendship had been perfect, he had believed.

The narrator's childhood was shattered. His house was not as it seems. Runtu has not even been his equal, living a glorified, sea-side life. Memories has deceived the narrator, blurring truth, ignoring class boundaries, forgetting the power money possessed. How such a divide can form between himself and Runtu, memories and truth is profound to the narrator. The true indecisiveness of one's mind and one's memories, of one's past, become apparent. One can not trust one's recollections of the past. The mind changes the past, glorifies it, in order to glorify the individual. By seeing himself as Runtu's equal, the narrator was able to separate himself from the wrongs associated with class differences. His having to face the truth, having to face Runtu, means having to face poverty within China. His memories have provided a means of protection, a way to detach himself from the inequalities Chinese society produced. Only by confronting his memories, by discovering the truth behind the memories, is he able to see the realities of China.

 

Understanding the text

Answer the following questions.

a. How does the narrator describe his feeling at the arrival of his his old home?

Ans:- The place at where the narrator returns back is quite different from his expectation. He supposes that the area has been turned into a lovely and beautiful place but even after 20 years, there is no sign of progress. The place is still unprogressive, desolate and scattered. This reality is quite different to his expectation which makes him sad.

 

b. What were the three kinds of servants in China then? What does it indicate about contemporary Chinse society?

Ans:- The story takes us back 20 years presenting the hierarchy in the society. There was a vast gap between people: Masters and servants. Even workers/servants were divided into three categories: i) yearlongs-servants working the whole year for a family, ii) Short-timers- workers working on a day basis, and iii) busy-mothers- workers working for a specific family just during the holidays or rents. This shows the class division as well as slavery system in China in the past.

 

c. What makes the narrator nostalgic? What did he do with Runtu in the teenage?

Ans:- His mother reminds him about his childhood friend Runtu and asks him not to forget to meet Runtu before they leave the house. This makes the narrator nostalgic and recalls the days with Runtu in his child hood. Runtu was like his age then, and was a boy with a silver ring around his neck. Runtu was his close friend and both of them played and enjoyed a lot together. Runtu taught the narrator about how to set snares and catch birds. Runtu would catch a kind of sea creature Zha with his pitchfork and the narrator would enjoy watching him.

 

d. How did Runtu hunt a Zha in his young age?

Ans:- Runtu would hunt a zha in his young age with the help of a pitchfork. He would use his might to stab at a zha but it was clever and cunning and would easily escape running between his legs.

 

e. How does the narrator make a humorous picture of Mrs. Yang?

Ans:-  The story also includes a humorous picture of a fifty years old woman Mrs. Yang. Her cheekbones are protruded and her lips are thin. She was wearing a pair of trousers without a skirt. While she was standing in front of the narrator she looked like a pair of compasses. When she was young, she used to spend whole day sitting at the beancurd shop. People used to call her "Beancurd Beauty". She comes at the narrator and demands some stuffs. When the narrator denies she blames him to be a mean person and, on her way, back she steals his mother's gloves. Even at last she takes a dozen plates and a dog crazer forcefully.

 

f.  According to the narrator, what were different factors that made Runtu a poor man throughout his life?

Ans:- Runtu has been changed quite a lot now. His condition is miserable now. He has become poor because of too many children, poor family background, lack of education, famine, harsh taxes, soldiers, bandits, officials, gentry folks etc.

 

g. How does the narrator help Runtu before leaving the old home?

Ans:- Before leaving, the narrator gave two long tables, an incense burner, some candlesticks, a set of scales. He even asked for the ashes that provides good fertilizer for the sandy soil.

 

h. How does the author differentiate two kinds of idols?

Ans:- The author talks about the two important things at the last of the story. The two things that determine people's fate. One is the way of living being superstitious. People worship superstitious idol expecting immediate benefit. Another is 'hope' which is not an idol but it is a long run expectation. The narrator is progressive kind of person because he is guided by hope and for a better life he migrates to faraway land. But Runtu, a superstitious person, has still been living in poverty lacking hope. 

 

Reference to the Context

a. While reading the friendship between the narrator and Runtu, Hindu readers remember the friendship between Krishna and Sudama. Which particular description reminds you of the mythological example?

Ans:- We have heard several stories of unconditional love between two friends in different mythologies. The friendship between Lord Krishna and Sudama is such an inspirational one. Their friendship is an example of true and eternal friendship. Lord Krishna is born into a rich family and Sudama was in a poor family. During childhood, social status, economy, cast and such things, don't matter. But when people grow up, social status, economy, power, position matter a lot. But true friends are those who forget everything and keep their intimate relation as same as in their childhood. Lord Krishna and Sudama are the example of this. Lord Krishna helps his friend Sudama while he was going through extreme poverty.

 

The friendship between Lu Xun and Runtu is same as the friendship between Lord Krishna and Sudama. Both of them were childhood friends. But Lu Xun and Runtu are in different conditions. Lu Xun is rich but Runtu is still in poverty. Different things account for their own conditions. But even after many years their friendship is still same. When Lu Xun comes to visit his childhood friend Lu Xun, he treats him as he used to treat him in his childhood. Before leaving his old home Lu Xun gives him something. This helping of Lu Xun to his miserable friend Runtu reminds us the description of friendship between lord Krishna and Sudama.

 

b. How does the story support the proposition that the relationships of childhood are innocent, impartial and disinterested?

     Ans:- It is said that childhood relationships are innocent, impartial and disinterested. In childhood, there is no biasness regarding social status, caste, religion, economy, culture, etc. Children are like God. They don't discriminate anyone. They are simple, pure, unspoiled of greed, arrogance, jealousy etc. Such kind of things are depicted in the autobiographical story "My Old Home" written by Lu Xun. The narrator and character Lu Xun himself used to spend lots of time with his childhood friend Runtu though he was brought to help his family. By relation Lu Xun was the child of Master and Runtu was the son of servant however they were close friends. They used to pass time in the patched of watermelon farm together. Lu Xun never thought that Runtu was a son of their servant. The relation never dies however both of the are grown up. Lu Xun still loves his friend Runtu as same as in his childhood. Now Lu Xun and a nephew and he hope the same kind of relationship between his nephew and Runtu's son.

    

c. After reading the story, what inferences can you make about contemporary Chinese economic and social system?

     Ans: - When we read the story "My Old Home" we can a clear picture of class division in contemporary Chinese society. People were classified into have and haves not: master and servant. Even there was hierarchy among servants. People belonging to well to do family used to employ servants. Poor people had to work for rich families. Children of rich people had access to education but children of poor people were deprived of education and from the childhood they had to assist their father and mother in their work. Because of lack of education, poor people were superstitious and lived on their hard toil. The writer Lu Xun belonged to rich family, got education and was able to earn lots of money. But Runtu became even poorer in his youth because of poor economic back ground, ignorance, lack of knowledge and gripped in superstition. Though there was class division, rich people were not so much cruel to their servants. If Lu Son's father and mother were cruel to their servants, the friendship between Lu Xun and Runtu was not possible.

 

 

d. What does the story indicate about the geographical features of the narrator's hometown?

     Ans:-