Character Sketch of Private Quelch, Corporal Turnbull from class 9 Communicative English Chapter 3 The Man Who Knew Too Much
Character Sketch of Private Quelch
Private Quelch was the man who knew “Too Much,” yet he was unable to win the trust and affection of his superior officers and his fellow soldiers. He had a reputation for sharing his knowledge with others. Due to his lanky, stooped looks and habit to lecture others about his education, he had earned the nickname “Professor.” He never hesitated to correct an error made by his superior officer. He frequently interrupted the instructors during training sessions and even gave officers advice on how to approach a subject. He gradually came to be disliked by his coworkers because of his habit. He humiliated them by pointing out their errors in front of everyone. His coworkers felt embarrassed by this. He was taught a lesson by Corporal Turnbull by assigning him permanent cookhouse duties. There also he showed off his knowledge. He proved that old habits die hard.
The Man Who Knew Too Much Overview – The story is about a young soldier named Quelch. He has been recently admitted into the army but has a vast and detailed knowledge of various things – guns, planes, etc. He is keen to earn medals and positions and so keeps on increasing his knowledge. He is over confident, shows off his knowledge to his seniors and shows his peers down. Everyone dislikes him and finally, one of the officers puts him on a permanent duty in the army kitchen. It is due to these negative qualities of Quelch that the officer puts an end to his bright career. The lesson teaches us that we must remain grounded, down – to – Earth. Even if we are a storehouse of knowledge, we must keep it to ourselves until asked for. Overconfidence and showing off are bad for a person and we must keep ourselves away from them.
Related: The Man Who Knew Too Much Summary, Explanation
Some Questions on Character Sketch of Private Quelch
Q1. How was Private Quelch’s knowledge exposed even further as the Sergeant’s classes went on?
Q2. Why was private quelch nicknamed as professor?
Q3. How did Private Quelch manage to anger the Corporal?
Character Sketch of Corporal Turnbull
Corporal Turnbull was a young man who had come back from Dunkirk, France to deliver a lecture on hand grenades. He was a wise and practical man. Despite his youth, he was not a man to be taken lightly. It was known that he had all of his gear properly accounted for when he came back from the war. He served as a role model for the entire platoon. Highly admired, he was personified by saying that one could hammer nails into him without his noticing it. He was a tough and rugged man. He was a fastidious person. He did not have a tendency to belittle those who displayed their knowledge. He adhered to discipline, attentively observed, and then approached a person with determination. He correctly assessed Private Quelch’s personality and assigned him to the cookhouse to curb his tendency to brag and attempt to outdo others. Turnbull was reputed to be a cool-headed individual who did not tolerate being agitated. Even though he appeared to be calm, he actually performed effectively in his duty.
Some Questions on Character Sketch of Corporal Turnbull
Q1. What kind of a person was the Corporal?
Q2. How did Corporal get his revenge?