Character Sketch from JKBOSE Class 10 English Short Story 4 – Dusk of Norman and the Young Man
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 Norman and the Young Man from JKBOSE Class 10 English Tulip Book Short Story 4 – Dusk
- Character Sketch of Norman
- Questions related to the Character of Norman
- Character Sketch of the Young Man
- Questions related to the Character of the Young Man
Related:
Character Sketch of Norman Gortsby
Norman Gortsby, the main character in Saki’s Dusk, is a young office worker in London who spends his evenings sitting alone on a park bench. He tends to be reflective and often doubtful, spending time watching the people around him. Gortsby thinks of himself as a sort of judge of character and finds enjoyment in observing others.
When a stranger asks for soap to prove his tough situation, Gortsby’s first reaction is to doubt him. But later, when he finds a bar of soap, he feels guilty and his kinder side comes out showing that he really does have some decent instincts. Through Gortsby, Saki paints a picture of someone who’s both judgmental and genuinely kind, blending smarts, doubt, and the ability to learn from his misjudgments.
Questions related to the Character of Norman Gortsby
- Who is Norman Gortsby and what is he doing in the story “Dusk”?
- Why does Gortsby prefer to sit on the park bench during dusk?
- How does Gortsby describe the people who come out at dusk?
- What kind of personality does Gortsby show when he talks to the young stranger?
- Why does Gortsby not believe the young man’s story at first?
- What makes Gortsby change his mind and believe the stranger?
- How does Gortsby show kindness and sympathy in the story?
- What mistake does Gortsby realize at the end of the story?
- What does the character of Gortsby teach us about judging others quickly?
Character Sketch of the Young Man
The young man in Saki’s story “Dusk” is a clever, smooth-talking, and confident character who came suddenly in the park and asked for help from Norman Gortsby. He pretends to be in a difficult situation saying he lost the address of his hotel and has no money to spend the night. His appearance and manner are well-groomed and polite, which help him sound believable. The young man is manipulative, using sympathy and urgency to convince strangers to help him. However, his overconfidence got down when he could not prove his story. When Gortsby later finds a bar of soap, he mistakenly believes the young man was truthful, showing how smartly the man planned his side. The young man represents deception and the idea that not everything or everyone is as honest as they appear. He is a perfect example of how appearances can be misleading.
Questions related to the Character of the Young Man
- Who is the young man in the story “Dusk” and how does he meet Norman Gortsby?
- What story does the young man tell Gortsby to gain his sympathy?
- How does the young man’s appearance help him seem trustworthy?
- How does the young man try to use emotion to trick Gortsby?
- What qualities make the young man a clever liar?
- What mistake does the young man make that leads Gortsby to doubt him?
- What do we learn about human behavior from the young man’s actions?
- What is the author trying to teach us through the young man’s character?