Character Sketch from WBBSE Class 10 English Chapter 1 – Father’s Help of Swami, His Father, and Samuel
A character sketch defines what the character is like and how he/she evolves or develops throughout the story. In this post you can find the Character Sketch of Swami, His Father, and Samuel from WBBSE Class 10 English Bliss Book Chapter 1 Father’s Help
- Character Sketch of Swami
- Questions related to the Character of Swami
- Character Sketch of Swami’s Father
- Questions related to the Character of Swami’s Father
- Character Sketch of Samuel
- Questions related to the Character of Samuel
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Character Sketch of Swami
Swaminathan, or Swami, is a schoolboy in the fictional town of Malgudi. He is portrayed in the story as imaginative, mischievous, and somewhat lazy. He regularly makes excuses to avoid school, such as pretending to have a headache. His imagination is so vivid that he misconstrues events to the greatest extent, for example, when he accuses Samuel, his teacher, of a brutal assault, which he knew was not true at all. Like many schoolboys, he concocts a credible excuse to his fictional schoolboy audience to gain sympathy for the guilt he felt after lying. If revealed, the consequences of his action puzzled him. His sense of right and wrong was the highlight of his character and made him relatable and lovable.
Questions about the Character of Swami:
- What role does Swami’s imagination play in his decision-making in the narrative?
- What other internal conflicts does Swami seem to wrestle with when he accuses his teacher?
Character Sketch of Swami’s Father
Swami’s father is depicted as strict, authoritative, and serious. In his mind, discipline and education are important, and he thinks his son should abide by the same principles. When Swami deceives his parents, his parents are misled to believe he is sick and doesn’t have to go to school, but Swami’s father sees right through it. He insists that Swami go to school and even writes a note to the headmaster stating that Samuel had been doing wrong based on Swami’s exaggeration. Despite his being strict, he believes he is showing Swami accountability and honesty. Unfortunately, his rules got in the way of the nuances of a young child’s way of seeing a few things.
Questions related to the Character of Swami’s father:
- How does Swami’s father demonstrate that he believes in discipline?
- How do Swami’s father’s responses during the ordeal portray his parenting style?
Character Sketch of Samuel
Samuel, the teacher of Swami, is characterised as a strict but fair teacher. Although Swami tells his story as if he had been violent, he indicates that Samuel had been fair in maintaining order, which occurred without being unfair. An innocent Swami indicates that Samuel addressed Swami’s being late calmly and did not use excessive punishment. Samuel’s calmness is similar to Swami’s overblown description- there is a difference between perception and reality. He is a caricature of the difficult position that teachers are in, trying to manage the behaviours of students while also being fair.
Questions related to the Character of Samuel:
- How does Samuel’s actual behaviour contrast with Swami’s description of him?
- What do Samuel’s actions indicate about his attitude towards teaching?
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