PLAYING THE ENGLISH GENTLEMAN
Summary:
Playing the English Gentleman is an account of Gandhi’s efforts to mingle in English society. For being the English Gentleman, Gandhi does several things such as wearing all things like, he wears a new suit and also tries to learn dancing, violin, and elocution but all in vain. After some days he realized that he was a student and he ought to go on with his studies. This realization made him be aware of his studies. He stops trying to become the English Gentleman and begins to concentrate on his studies.
Questions and Answers:
Q1. What were the initial reasons because of which Gandhi took to vegetarianism?
In Playing the English Gentleman, Gandhi explained his love for vegetarianism. Gandhi read some books and vegetarianism and did experiments with his diet. Health was his principal consideration for taking up vegetarianism. He was convinced that vegetarianism is healthy by reading books and doing experiments on vegetarianism.
Q2. Gandhi’s friend was worried about his vegetarianism. What were the reasons for his worry?
Gandhi’s friend was worried about his vegetarianism because of two important reasons. He thought that if Gandhi objected to eating meat, he would not grow strong. Eventually, Gandhi would become weak as he was eating only vegetarian food. His friend loved his so much that he wanted Gandhi to mingle in English society. He was sure that a man who did not eat meat could be an outcast in English society. He also worried that Gandhi would become a crank by reading books on vegetarianism.
Q3. Describe the episode at Holborn Restaurant.
Gandhi’s friend was determined to put a stop to his vegetarianism. One day, Gandhi’s friend invited him to the theatre. Before going to the theatre they had to dine in a high-class restaurant. He thought Gandhi would not ask any questions in the palatial hotel. As the soup was served, Gandhi called the waiter to know whether it was vegetarian or not. Before the waiter could answer, his friend said that Gandhi was too clumsy for a decent society and allowed him to eat at some other restaurant.
Q4. How did Gandhi change his style of dressing, and why?
Gandhi wanted to please his friend and assure him that he would no longer be clumsy and unsuitable for English society. He got new clothes at the Army and Navy Stores as his Bombay cut clothes were unsuitable. He bought a top hat for nineteen shillings. He also paid ten pounds for an evening suit made in Bond Street. He asked his brother to send him a watch with a gold chain. He learned the art of wear a tie and started spending time before a mirror to arrange his hair.
Q. Why did Gandhi decide to give up dancing classes? Was his decision justified?
Gandhi changed his style of dressing and started taking dance lessons, learning French and attended classes to learn French and elocution. He did all this to behave like an English gentleman. He found out that he could not achieve rhythmic motion and follow the piano. So, he wanted to learn violin to understand Western music. After some days he realized that he was a student and he ought to go on with his studies. His decision was justified as he stopped trying to become the English Gentleman and began to concentrate on his studies.
Q6. Explain the meaning of the like, ‘Mr. Bell rang the bell of alarm in my ear and I awoke.’
Gandhi changed his style of dressing and started taking dance lessons, learning French and attended classes to learn French and elocution. He did all this to behave like an English gentleman. He paid a preliminary fee of a guinea to a teacher to teach him elocution. The teacher suggested Gandhi buy Bell’s Standard Elocutionist as the textbook. As he began to read a speech of Pitt, he realized that he was a student and he ought to go on with his studies. Gandhi described the realization as ‘Mr. Bell rang the bell of alarm in my ear and awoke’.
Q7. What were the steps Gandhi took in a new direction after he had decided on concentration on his career?
As he began to read a speech of Pitt from Bell’s Standard Elocutionist, he realized that he was a student and he ought to go on with his studies. He should qualify himself to join the Inns of Court. He also realized that his character should make a gentleman of him. He wrote letters to his teachers to excuse him from further classes. He met his violin teacher personally and explained his position. She encouraged him in his determination to make a complete change. He stopped trying to become the English Gentleman and began to concentrate on his studies.
