Where was it most likely that the two girls would find work after school?
Sophie and Jansie were classmate and belonged to lower middle class family. These girls are about to finish school and were most like to work at the biscuit factory after school. Sophie was a girl with lot of dreams and wanted to become rich and famous whereas on Jansie was a very practical and knew very well that to buy anything they required money which their families couldn’t afford.
What were the options that Sophie was dreaming of? Why does Jansie discourage her from having such dreams?
Sophie was dreaming to start her own boutique and probably be an actress too. She wanted to become famous and successful as Mary Quaint who was a famous English fashion designer. Jansie discouraged Sophie from having such dreams as Jansie was very realistic and knew that after school they were destined to work in the biscuit factory. She knew that to buy things they need money which they don’t have.
Look for other stories or movies where this theme of hero worship and fantasising about film or sports icons finds a place.
i. Dangal,
ii. M S Dhoni,
iii. Harry Potter
Why did Sophie wriggle when Geoff told her father that she had met Danny Casey?
Sophie wriggles sitting on the table when Geoff told her father that she had met Danny Casey as she knew her father will not believe and will shout at her for imagining things as he is a very realistic person . He doesn’t like Sophie to live in world of dreams as he believed she would get into trouble because of her dreaming one day.
Does Geoff believes what Sophie says about her meeting with Danny Casey?
No, Geoff does not believe Sophie when she tells him about her meeting with Danny Casey. Even though Geoff listens to all Sophie’s stories he also keeps warning her not to dream of things that are not possible to happen in reality. They both are very closely bonded with each other and Sophie trusts him a lot when she told about meeting Danny he told her to go and talk to her father about the meeting if she was saying the truth as he thought this also to be one of her fantasy.
Does her father believe her story?
No, Sophie’s father doesn’t believe her story. Sophie’s father was a very practical man and was temperamental. He believes that Sophie lives in a fantasy world and he discourages Sophie from day dreaming. He also warns her not to have such fantasies as he believes they would land her in trouble one day.
How does Sophie include her brother Geoff in the fantasy of her future?
Sophie dreams of entering the world along with her brother Geoff where she fantasizes Geoff wearing shining black leathers and imagines her wearing a yellow dress with a cape behind. She also dreams of people standing up and applauding them.
Which country did Danny Casey play for?
Danny Casey played football for Ireland.
Why didn’t Sophie want Jansie to know about her story with Danny?
Sophie didn’t want Jansie to know about her story with Danny as she knew Jansie will make fun about it and Jansie would go about telling this story to everybody. Jansie is a blabber mouth she has a tendency to go and tell other person’s secrets to other people around her. Knowing this habit Sophie did not want to share her story with Jansie as she was scared of being embarrassed by everyone.
Did Sophie really meet Danny Casey?
No, Sophie doesn’t really meet Danny Casey. She imagines herself to meet him and take an autograph from him when they go to see the United play a football match.
Which was the only occasion when she got to see Danny Casey in person?
The only occasion when Sophie got to see Danny Casey in person was when she went to see the match along with her other family members.
Sophie and Jansie were class-mates and friends. What were the differences between them that show up in the story?
Sophie and Jansie were class-mates and friends but both of them were completely different from each other. Sophie was a person who day dreamed, was ambitious, she had a lot of fantasizes and was not realistic. Sophie dreamt of earning a lot of money and becoming a famous person. Whereas, on the other hand, Jansie was realistic, grounded and knew what was in her fate.
How would you describe the character and temperament of Sophie’s father?
Sophie’s father was a very realistic person and gets angry when he hears of Sophie’s fantasy dreams. He was described as a plum-faced and a sweaty man with no sophisticate behavior and proper eating habits. He was a big fan of football and goes to a pub to celebrate the victory.
Why did Sophie like her brother Geoff more than any other person? From her perspective, what did he symbolize?
Sophie liked her brother Geoff more than any other person, he was the only person who would listen to her fantasy stories with patience and she believed that he knew more than her about the city, people, and other things that she was always interested and fascinated to know about. She was jealous of his silence and she knew he was grown up always thinking about the surrounding things in the world.
What socio-economic background did Sophie belong to? What are the indicators of her family’s financial status?
Sophie’s family was a lower-middle-class family. While describing the setting of the house which was small with a messy sink having a pile of dirty dishes and while Jansie thinks of working in the biscuit factory after school indicates their financial status. Also, Geoff’s occupation as a mechanic and Sophie’s dreams, ambition to become famous earn lot of money another situation in the story when her father goes to the pub riding his bicycle indicates their financial background.
Sophie’s dreams and disappointments are all in her mind.
Sophie dreams of becoming a successful person with a lot of money and fame. She dreams of opening a boutique of her own not realizing that she would require a lot of money to invest if she needs to open a boutique and she also aspires to become an actress. She also develops a romantic relationship with her idol football player in her dream world not knowing that she cannot meet him. She tells her brother that she met him which actually is a dream that can never come true in reality. Her father also warns her to stop living in her dreams as they would get her into trouble one day. She later realizes at the end that she was meeting her idol in her dreams and becomes sad and disappointed.
It is natural for teenagers to have unrealistic dreams. What would you say are the benefits and disadvantages of such fantasizing?
Teenage is a period in life where we tend to decide about our future and work religiously to achieve our goals in life. It is during this time of life when we get to fantasies about achievements, love and aspire to become famous. Without having to dream our goals are never set. As in the story, our main character Sophie also had her own fantasies and always dreamt to become famous and rich. She also was in teenage love with the popular football player Danny where her dreams take her close to her idol giving her happiness. These are those dreams which are very hard to be fulfilled that would lead to disappointment and would, in turn, hurt our self-esteem. It is always good to dream about those things and set a goal which is within our reach and can be fulfilled instead of dreaming big that are unrealistic leading to despair. Dreaming to become big in life is good as they motivate you to work harder but forgetting the reality and living in the dream land is always harmful.
• Words had to be prized out of him like stones out of a ground.
• Sophie felt a tightening in her throat.
If he “keeps his head on his shoulders.”
• On Saturday “they made their weekly pilgrimage” to the United.
• She saw… him ghost past the lumbering defenders.
• “Words had to be prized out of him” means to talk very less and when he talks the words are worthy.
• “Tightening in her throat” means to feel suffocated or to choke and to feel sad.
If he keeps his head on his shoulders mean to make the right decisions.
• “They made their weekly pilgrimage” means visiting their favorite place every week which they consider to be holy.
• “Ghost past” means To walk silently behind someone.
Pick out five other sentences from the story in which present participles are used in this sense.
The solution gives the example of five sentences in which present participles are used:
1. She saw herself riding there behind Geoff.
2. If he keeps his head on his shoulders. If they look after him properly.
3. He’s very young yet.”
“He’s older than I am.
4. For some while, waiting, she imagined his coming.
5. Sitting here waiting and knowing.
Notice these words in the story.
• “chuffed”, meaning delighted or very pleased
• “nosey”, meaning inquisitive
• “gawky”, meaning awkward, ungainly.
These are words that are used in an informal way in colloquial speech.
Make a list of ten other words of this kind.
1. Boutique
2. Bell
3. Bad Mouth
4. Scooping
5. Dim
6. Stooped
7. Plum
8. Chastened
9. Thick neck
10. Reverently.
– Think of a person who you would like to have as your role model.
– Write down the points to be discussed or questions to be asked, if you were asked to interview that person on a television show.
My role model is Amitabh Bachchan
Amitabh Bachchan
A hearty welcome to our television show sir. It’s an honor and privilege to have you amongst us in our chat show. After all the achievements, numerous titles and awards that you have received how do you feel sir?
What is the motivation that makes you achieve more and more in your life?
How is the one personality you feel is your role model?
What is the other profession you would like to choose if you were not an actor?
What according to you is your greatest achievement?
What according to you was the turning point in your life?
Any future projects that are coming up?
Are you interested in joining any political party or would you form a new one?