Character Sketch from Class 7 English Poorvi Book Unit 2 – Wit and Humour Chapter 3 Say The Right Thing of Mrs. Shaw, Mary Shaw, Mrs. Harding and Mrs. Lee
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 Mrs. Shaw, Mary Shaw, Mrs. Harding and Mrs. Lee from Class 7 English Poorvi Book Unit 2- Wit and Humour Chapter 3 Say The Right Thing
- Character Sketch of Mrs. Shaw
- Questions related to the Character of Mrs. Shaw
- Character Sketch of Mary Shaw
- Questions related to the Character of Mary Shaw
- Character Sketch of Mrs. Harding
- Questions related to the Character of Mrs. Harding
- Character Sketch of Mrs. Lee
- Questions related to the Character of Mrs. Lee
Related:
- Say The Right Thing Summary, Explanation
- Say The Right Thing Question Answers
- Class 7 English Summary and Lesson Notes
Character Sketch of Mrs. Shaw
She is the central figure who tries to manage the social situation. She is a woman eager to expand her social circle in Lanfield and hopes to cultivate a friendship with the wealthy Mrs. Harding. Her character is defined by her attempts to be polite, proper, and strategic in her social interactions. She provides advice to Mary, reflecting her understanding of social etiquette, even if her advice is sometimes overly prescriptive. She consistently tries to smoothly navigate awkward moments created by Mary, attempting to change the subject or offer conciliatory remarks. Her quiet sighs and quick interjections show her underlying anxiety and embarrassment over Mary’s gaffes. She represents the well-meaning but ultimately frustrated parent trying to uphold appearances.
Questions related to the Character of Mrs. Shaw
Q1. Describe Mrs. Shaw’s character.
Q2. How does Mrs Shaw try to navigate her daughter’s awkward moments?
Character Sketch of Mary Shaw
She is Mrs. Shaw’s daughter, who is the primary source of the play’s humor. She is portrayed as a young girl, perhaps a pre-teen or early teenager, who is confident in her ability to talk but utterly lacks social graces, tact, and empathy. Despite her mother’s detailed instructions, Mary hilariously misinterprets or forgets the essence of politeness, instead blurting out her unfiltered observations and opinions, which invariably offend the guests. Her literal interpretation of instructions, her tendency to make personal criticisms, and her repeated, albeit sincere, “Oh, I’m sorry. I didn’t know” apologies after each blunder, define her character. She is the innocent but destructive force in the social interaction, highlighting the comedic potential of a child’s unfiltered honesty.
Questions related to the Character of Mary Shaw
Q1. What do the awkward moments tell about Mary’s character?
Q2. Describe Mary Shaw.
Character Sketch of Mrs. Harding
She is one of the two guests and the wife of a wealthy man. She represents the desired social connection for Mrs. Shaw. Initially polite and agreeable, her character gradually reveals increasing discomfort and thinly veiled annoyance as Mary repeatedly offends her and her family. Her reactions, such as “not very pleased” or her decision to end the visit, show her growing irritation and the complete failure of Mrs. Shaw’s social aspirations due to Mary’s behavior. She maintains a veneer of politeness, but her expressions and eventual departure convey her true feelings.
Questions related to the Character of Mrs. Harding
Q1. How does Mrs. Harding react to Mary’s awkward moments?
Q2. How does Mrs Harding veil her true feelings?
Character Sketch of Mrs. Lee
She is Mrs. Harding’s sister and the other guest. She serves a similar function to Mrs. Harding in being the target of Mary’s unintentional insults. Her character is less expressive than Mrs. Harding’s, often reacting with silence or a simple acknowledgment of Mary’s gaffes (blunders). However, the fact that her brother (a banker who commutes and reads newspapers), her mother (talkative), and her own health habits (visits the doctor) are all inadvertently criticized by Mary makes her a significant, albeit reactive, character in illustrating Mary’s blunders. She observes Mary’s behavior and implicitly shares Mrs. Harding’s discomfort, culminating in her quick departure alongside her sister.
Questions related to the Character of Mrs. Lee
Q1. How is Mrs Lee different from Mrs Harding in reacting to Mary’s acts?
Q2. Describe Mrs Lee’s character.