class 10 English - Very Important & Question Anwers

Short Answer Type Questions (2-3 Marks)

Word limit: 30-40 words

Q1. Why was Sulekha called ‘Bholi’?

Ans: When she was ten months old, Sulekha fell off the cot on her head, which damaged some part of her brain. This made her a slow learner. Moreover, she started speaking very late and used to stammer. Because of her simple-mindedness and lack of sharp wit, everyone called her ‘Bholi’ (the simpleton).

Q2. Why did Bholi’s father, Ramlal, agree to send her to school?

Ans: The Tehsildar had performed the opening ceremony of the girls’ primary school and asked Ramlal, as a government official, to set an example by sending his daughters to school. Ramlal’s wife felt that since Bholi had no chances of getting married anyway due to her looks and lack of sense, it wouldn’t hurt to send her to school.

Q3. How did the teacher play a pivotal role in Bholi’s life?

Ans: The teacher was kind, patient, and soft-spoken, unlike anyone Bholi had met at home. She encouraged Bholi to speak without stammering and gave her books to read. This affection and belief transformed the terrified girl into a confident individual.

Q4. Why did Bishamber’s marriage proposal seem like a “godsend” to Bholi’s parents?

Ans: Bishamber was a rich grocer with a big shop and his own house. He was about the same age as Ramlal and had grown-up children from his first wife. Since he didn’t ask for any dowry initially and didn’t know about Bholi’s pock-marks, her parents thought it was the best match they could get for her.

Q5. Why did Bholi refuse to marry Bishamber at the last moment?

Ans: When Bishamber saw Bholi’s pock-marked face during the garland ceremony, he demanded five thousand rupees as dowry. Seeing her father humiliated and crying at Bishamber’s feet, Bholi realized that Bishamber was a “mean, greedy, and contemptible coward.” She refused to marry such a man to protect her self-respect.

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Long Answer Type Questions (5 Marks)

Word limit: 100-120 words

Q1. Describe Bholi’s first day at school. How did it change her life?

Ans: Bholi’s first day at school was the beginning of her transformation. Initially, she was terrified, remembering how their old cow, Lakshmi, was sent away and sold. She was dressed in clean clothes for the first time, which made her feel that she was going to a better place than home. At school, she was fascinated by the colorful pictures of animals on the wall. When the teacher called her name in a soft, soothing voice, Bholi felt a spark of hope. The teacher’s assurance that she would one day be more learned than anyone else in the village gave Bholi a new life and a new heart.

Q2. Compare and contrast Bholi’s parents’ attitude towards her with that of her teacher.

Ans: There is a sharp contrast between the two. Bholi’s parents viewed her as a burden and a “backward child.” They neglected her, gave her old clothes, and never bothered to wash or oil her hair. They sent her to school only to satisfy the Tehsildar and to get rid of their responsibility. On the other hand, the teacher treated her with dignity and love. She recognized Bholi’s potential and worked patiently on her speech and confidence. While the parents saw her pock-marks as a disability, the teacher saw them as a challenge to be overcome through education. The teacher’s “investment” of kindness yielded a much greater result than the parents’ “neglect.”

Q3. “Education is the best tool for women’s empowerment.” Discuss with reference to the story Bholi.

Ans: The story is a powerful testimony to the power of education. Education changed Bholi from a silent, stammering girl into a woman who could speak up for her rights. It gave her the wisdom to distinguish between a “bridegroom” and a “greedy coward.” Because of her education, she was able to reject a humiliating marriage and decide to serve her parents and teach in the same school where she learned. Education gave her the “light” that removed the “dampness” of her fears. It proves that an educated woman is not a burden but an asset to herself and society.

Q4. Give a character sketch of Bholi (Sulekha) at the end of the story.

Ans: By the end of the story, Sulekha (no longer Bholi) emerges as a courageous, dignified, and independent woman. She is no longer the girl who stammers or hangs her head in shame. She shows immense strength of character when she throws the garland into the fire. She is grateful to her teacher but also firm in her decision to stay single. Her decision to become a teacher shows her desire to give back to society. She proves that physical beauty is secondary to the beauty of the mind and the strength of the soul.

Q5. Discuss the significance of the ending of the story. Why did the teacher feel like an artist?

Ans: The ending is symbolic of a “masterpiece” being completed. The teacher had spent years “painting” confidence, knowledge, and self-respect onto the blank canvas of Bholi’s mind. When Bholi stood up to Bishamber, the teacher watched from a corner with deep satisfaction. She felt like an artist contemplating her best work because she had successfully turned a “simpleton” into a woman of substance. The “light” in the teacher’s eyes reflected the victory of education over social evils like the dowry system and gender discrimination.