The Summer of the Beautiful White Horse -William Saroyan
Summer of the Beautiful White Horse Answer Questions
1. Why was it difficult for Aram to believe the sight of his cousin Mourad with the beautiful white horse?
Ans:
When Aram looked through the
window, he saw his cousin Mourad with a beautiful white horse and it was a
sight which was very difficult for him to believe for two reasons:
First, the whole of the Garoghlonian
family to which the two boys belonged were extremely poor and therefore it was
not possible for Mourad to buy that horse. Secondly, in that case, it would
mean that Mourad had stolen that horse. But that was also not possible, because
the Garoghlonian family was also very much famous for their honesty and
therefore Mourad could not steal that horse either.
2. Where had Mourad been hiding the horse?
Answer:
Mourad had been hiding the
horse in the barn of a deserted vineyard which was owned by a farmer named
Fetvajian.
3. What did the farmer John Byro tell the two boys when one day they accidentally met him with his horse in their custody?
Answer:
The farmer examined the horse
when one morning he found it with the two boys and he told them that he could
swear that the horse was his very horse which had been stolen from him many
weeks before if he did not know about their parents. He added that the fame of
their family for honesty was very well known to him and therefore he liked to
say that the horse could be the twin of his stolen horse.
4. What did John Byro tell Aram's mother and Uncle Khosrove when he got his horse back?
Answer:
After John Byro got his horse
back mysteriously one day, he came to Aram's house and told Aram's mother and
Uncle Khosrove that he did not know what to think about the whole matter. It
was because the horse was stronger that ever and was better tempered too and
therefore he thanked God.
5. What were the two things for which the Garoghlonian family was famous?
Answer: The Garoghlonian family was
famous for the following two things:
1. Their poverty
2. Their honesty
6. What points were put forward by Aram in defense of Mourad's act of stealing the horse?
Answer:
Aram argued to himself that
stealing a horse for a ride was not the same thing as stealing something else,
such as money. And then he went a little ahead by saying that if one was so
much crazy about horses the way Mourad and he himself were, it was not stealing
at all. It would not become stealing until they offered to sell the horse and
he was sure that last thing they would never be doing.
7. Which excuses were given by Aram to himself for taking a ride on the horse despite knowing fully the truth about the theft of the horse by Mourad?
Ans:
Aram dismissed stealing a horse
as much grave a crime as stealing money. Secondly, he believed that if it was
something like a horse for which both he and his cousin were crazy then it
couldn't be stealing. Additionally, it was not going to become stealing until
they offered to sell the horse.
8. Why was Aram unwilling to return the horse so soon?
Ans:
Aram was crazy for horse and he
wanted to learn horse riding at all costs. The horse would not let him to ride
over it and hence he was unwilling to return the horse at least till he would
learn to ride it.
Summer of the Beautiful White Horse Long Answer Questions
1. Why did the two boys ultimately return the horse all of a sudden although they had planned to keep it at least for six months?
Answer:
Although the two boys had
planned to keep the horse for at least six months, they returned it all of a
sudden the morning after they accidentally met the farmer John Byro from whom
Mourad had stolen the horse. The farmer examined the horse and told them that
he could swear that the horse was his very horse which had been stolen from him
many weeks before if he did not know about their parents. He added that the
fame of their family for honesty was very well known to him and therefore he
liked to say that the horse could be the twin of his stolen horse. What John
Byro told them served as an eye opener for the two boys especially Mourad and
they became conscious how precious and strong their family's fame for honesty
was and therefore they did not want to tarnish that name and prestige and
immediately returned the horse.
2. Mourad was the natural descendant of the crazy streak of uncle Khosrove. Explain the statement giving instances from the story, 'The Summer of the Beautiful White Horse'.
Ans:
Uncle Khosrove was considered in
the Garoghlanian tribe as one of the craziest persons. It was also believed
that the tribe that Mourad was the natural descendant of the crazy streak in
their tribe. Uncle Khosrove's craziness was out of the world. He had the
largest moustache in the surrounding. His talk was not less than roaring, which
was but natural for him. Once when his son came running to tell him about his
house on fire, he simply said, 'It is no harm; pay no attention to it'. The
barber who reminded him that it was his own house also got rebukes. Khosrove
also asked John Byro not to worry about the horse or the loss of money or even
for his paining legs and answered in the same way.
Mourad was considered the natural
descendant of this man though not a biological descendant mainly because of the
crazy acts he was involved in. The act of stealing a horse because he was crazy
about it is an example to prove the same. Like the punch line of uncle khosrove
i.e. 'It is no harm; pay no attention to it' Mourad used to say that he had a
way with the things, animals and even people. Thus Mourad said that he had a
way with the horse, with the dogs and with the farmers too.
3. I knew my cousin Mourad enjoyed being alive more than anyone else who had ever fallen into the world by mistake.' Explain the statement with help of the instances from the story.
Answer:
Value Points:
- Mourad's nature
- His crazy deeds
- Having a way with the things
- Considerate towards animals
- A true member of the tribe
4. Write a brief note on the
Garoghlanian tribe.
Value Points:
-The traits of the tribe
-Economic condition
-The members of the tribe
-Its uniqueness
1. You will probably agree that this story does not have breathless adventure and exciting action. Then what in your opinion makes it interesting?
Ans:
There are various elements in a
story that makes it interesting and a page- turner for the readers. Sometimes a
simple language but an intriguing plot makes the story successful. A climax is
a point in the story where the plot takes an unexpected turn. Having one or two
climaxes in the story makes the reader almost forced to read ahead and hence is
an interesting element to add to the story.
In this story too the language keeps
us in suspense about whom the horse belongs to and gives it a mystical element.
Adding trivial daily habits and emotions makes the reader connected with the
story and it becomes more relatable. The relationship between the cousin and
the author is something we came across in this story. It was interesting to see
how their relationship developed over time. Also it was interesting to see how
effortlessly Aram and Mourad maintained the two hallmarks, namely trust and
honesty of their tribe is proudly known for till the end. The natural and
subtle pace with which the story flowed, along with lucid description, and a
captivating writing style makes this story engaging and fun for the reader.
2. Did the boys return the horse because they were conscience-stricken or because they were afraid?
Ans:
The boys return the horse
because they were conscience-stricken. We all have dreams and aspirations to
try something different from what we normally encounter. For the boys riding a
horse was one such dream. They were innocent and had no heart to hurt anyone.
John Byro, the farmer, did not think for once that the boys were trying to
steal the horse. He trusted the people of his clan and his heart even refused
to admit that the kids could indulge in something like that and hence claimed
that the horse was the twin of his horse. The kids themselves were
guilt-stricken when they realized what heinous act they were about to commit.
Stealing something is a crime.
The kids are often taught in their
homes that stealing is an act they must not indulge themselves in. Realizing
they did something like that would have thrown them in a pit of guilt. They
would have also felt that this would eventually ruin their family reputation
too which would have led to unfavorable consequences.
3. "One day back there in the good old days when I was nine and the world was full of every imaginable kind of magnificence, and life was still a delightful and mysterious dream..." The story begins in a mood of nostalgia. Can you narrate some incident from your childhood that might make an interesting story?
Ans:
There are various childhood
experiences which are still imprinted in my mind and soul, but there is one
that stands out the most. I still remember that day our school announced the
school trip to Nainital, a hill station near our school. The bus ride was the
most memorable part of the ride. The ride was pleasant, and there were many
rivers we passed by. We stopped at a petrol station, and we were asked to get
down if we wanted to. My friends and I got down just to relax a bit and pack up
our energy for the ride ahead. When we were just hanging around, one of my
friends called and said she saw a camel. We rushed to that place and there was
a camel resting. He would have been with the nomads. We touched it and the
excitement with which we saw it was almost like one seeing a unicorn. After
that, our teacher called us back and we rushed onto the bus and our journey
continued ahead.
4. The story revolves around
characters who belong to a tribe in Armenia. Mourad and Aram are members of the
Garoghlanian family. Now locate Armenia and Assyria on the atlas and prepare a
write-up on the Garoghlanian tribes. You may write about people, their names,
traits, geographical and economic features as suggested in the story.
Ans:
Garoghlanian tribe is from
Armenia. They are mostly settled in the areas of California. It is a part of
the tribe's tradition to be loyal, honest, and truthful. Hospitality is also an
important part of Armenian culture. They are most likely to be Christian and
are proud of their culture and heritage that they carry. Some sources also
suggest that this tribe is fictitious and was formed by William Saroyan in his
book "My Name is Aram" (1940). They follow the basic concepts of
Christianity and believe in the forgiveness of sins.
Summer of the Beautiful White Horse Important Answer Questions
Question 1:
“I couldn’t believe what I saw,” says the narrator. What was so unbelievable? Why?
Answer:
The narrator saw his cousin Mourad
sitting on a beautiful white horse. It was unbelievable, for they belonged to
poor families and buying such a beautiful horse was beyond their means.
Question 2:
What two character-traits of Mourad are hinted at by the narrator in the initial part of the story?
Answer:
Mourad was considered crazy by
everybody who knew him except the narrator. He was quite crazy about horses.
Secondly, he enjoyed being alive more than anybody else.
Question 3:
“This was the part that wouldn’t permit me to believe what I saw.” What ‘part’ does the narrator hint at?
Answer:
The narrator refers to their poverty.
They had no money. They lived in extreme poverty and it was difficult to
understand how they got food to satisfy their hunger. He frankly admits that
every branch of the Garoghlanian family was living in the most amazing and
comical poverty in the world.
Question 4:
What traits of the Garoghlanian family are highlighted in this story?
Answer:
The Garoghlanian family though now poor, were famous for their honesty even when they were wealthy. They were proud of their family first, honest next and after that they believed in right and wrong. None of them would take advantage of anybody in the world. They would not steal. No member of the Garoghlanian family could be a thief.
Question 5:
How did the narrator react on seeing the horse and Mourad?
Answer:
The horse was magnificent to look at,
gave out a lovely smell and its breathing was quite exciting. Yet he couldn’t
believe that the horse had anything to do with Mourad, because he couldn’t have
bought it.
Question 6:
What conflicting thoughts passed through the narrator’s mind on seeing Mourad on a beautiful white horse early one morning?
Answer:
The narrator was surprised. He knew
that his cousin Mourad couldn’t have bought the horse. Since he couldn’t have
bought it, he must have stolen it. However, family pride came in the way. He
refused to believe that he had stolen it.
Question 7:
What feelings did the sight of cousin
Mourad and the horse arouse in the narrator?
Answer:
The narrator stared first at his
cousin and then at the horse. There was a pious stillness and humour in each of
them. He was delighted as well as frightened.
Question 8:
“It was true, then. He had stolen the
horse. There was no question about it. He had come to invite me to ride or not,
as I chose.” How did the narrator convince himself to enjoy a horseride with
cousin Mourad?
Answer:
It seemed to him that stealing a
horse for a ride was not the same thing as stealing something else, such as
money. Since he and Mourad were quite crazy about horses, it wasn’t stealing.
He convinced himself with the thought that it would become stealing only when
they offered to sell it.
Question 9:
Give examples to show why cousin Mourad was considered one of the craziest members of the narrator’s family?
Answer:
Cousin Mourad had a crazy streak. He was quite crazy about horses. He kept the stolen white horse for about six weeks, rode it, loved it, fed it well and hid it in a deserted yard. When he sang in the open countryside, it seemed as if he were roaring.
Question 10:
Why does the narrator mention uncle Khosrove? Which characteristic features of the man are highlighted?
Answer:
Cousin Mourad seemed to inherit the
crazy streak of uncle Khosrove. He was a big man with a powerful head of black
hair and very large moustache. He was quite furious in temper, very irritable
and impatient. He would stop anyone from taking by roaring his pet phrase, “It
is no harm; pay no attention to it”.
Question 11:
Give an example to illustrate how uncle Khosrove’s impatience sometimes worked to his own disadvantage?
Answer:
Once uncle Khosrove was getting his
moustache trimmed in a barber’s shop. Suddenly their house was on fire. His own
son Arak ran eight blocks to the barber’s shop to inform him. Khosrove got
impatient and roared at his son. When the barber reminded him that his house
was on fire, Khosrove roared at him and stopped him from talking.
Question 12:
“The distribution of the various
kinds of spirit of our tribe had been from the beginning capricious and
vagrant.” Elucidate.
Answer:
The Garoghlanian family had a crazy
streak. Mourad was considered the natural descendant of uncle Khosrove as far
as the crazy streak was concerned. Mourad’s father, Zorab was practical and
nothing else. But Mourad was his son only in flesh; in spirit, he was similar
to uncle Khosrove.
Question 13:
Give a brief account of Mourad’s joy ride.
Answer:
Mourad kicked his heels into the horse and shouted, “Vazire run!” The horse stood on its hind legs, snorted, and ran forward at full speed. Mourad raced the horse across a field of dry grass to an irrigation ditch. He crossed the ditch on the horse. When he returned five minutes later he was dripping wet.
Question 14:
How did Aram, the narrator, fare in his solo ride?
Answer:
Aram leaped to the back of the horse,
but it did not move. Then he kicked into the muscles of the horse. It reared
and snorted. Then it began to run. Aram did not know how to ride. The horse ran
down the road to a vineyard. It leaped over seven vines, threw the rider and
ran away.
Question 15:
“We’ll either take him back or hide him until tomorrow morning”. Which course of action did the speaker take and why?
Answer:
Mourad took the latter option. He hid
the horse in the barn of a deserted vineyard which at one time had been the
pride of farmer named Fetvajian. There were some oats and dry alfalfa in the
bam. So Mourad did not seem worried about the horse.
Question 16:
“I have an understanding with a
horse.”
“Horses understand me.”
“I have a way with a horse. ”
How do you think, had Mourad developed
an understanding with the horse and what was the result?
Answer:
Mourad had been quite tender and
affectionate towards the horse. He would put his arms around it, press his nose
into the horse’s nose and pat it. It was not easy to tame someone else’s horse
and get it to behave nicely. At first, it wanted to run wild. Gradually, Mourad
was able to control the horse and do what he wanted. Even John Byro, the
rightful owner, admitted that the horse had become better-tempered and stronger
than ever.
Question 17:
Contrast the two visitors to narrator’s house who visited them one afternoon.
Answer:
Uncle Khosrove was irritable,
impatient and furious in temper. He stopped anyone from talking by roaring:
“It’s no harm; pay no attention to it”. Farmer John Byro was a lonely Assyrian.
He was sad at the loss of his horse and the uselessness of his surrey without a
horse.
Question 18:
How did uncle Khosrove react to John Byro’s complaint about the steal of his horse?
Answer:
John Byro was sad that his white
horse had been stolen last month and it was missing even then. Instead of
showing any sympathy, uncle Khosrove became very irritated and shouted: “It’s
no harm. What is the loss of a horse?… What is this crying over a horse?”
Question 19:
What arguments did farmer John Byro advance to prove the usefulness of a horse to a country dweller?
Answer:
First, his surrey was no good without
a horse. Second, he had to walk ten miles to get there and his left leg pained
him. Thirdly, that horse had cost him sixty dollars. A city dweller like
Khosrove may not realise the importance of a horse.
Question 20:
Why did farmer John Byro stalk out of the house, slamming the screen door?
Answer:
Farmer John Byro visited the
narrator’s house. He was homesick, sad and lonely. His horse had been stolen
for over a month. Instead of showing any sympathy or concern for his loss,
uncle Khosrove repeated his catchword: “It’s no harm. Pay no attention to it”.
When John Byro talked about the cost of horse, uncle Khosrove commented: “I
spit on money.” This was too much for John Byro to bear and so he left the
house in disgust.
Question 21:
How did Mourad help the wounded Robin to fly? What does this incident indicate?
Answer: The narrator noticed Mourad
trying to cure the hint wing of a young robin which could not fly. He was
talking to the bird. After sometime, he threw the bird into the air. The bird
tried hard and almost fell twice. However, at last it flew away, high and
straight. This incident shows that in spite of having a crazy streak, Mourad
was kind at heart and gentle towards God’s creatures.
Question 22:
What request did the narrator make to his cousin Mourad about the horse? How did he react to it? What does this reveal?
Answer:
The narrator requested his cousin
Mourad not to return the horse to farmer John Byro till he learnt to ride.
Mourad observed that it might take him a year. The narrator suggested to keep
the horse for a year. Mourad shouted that he was inciting him to steal. He
declared that the horse must go back to its true owner. This shows his honesty
and sense of family pride.
Question 23:
What did farmer John Byro observe after studying the horse the two boys had with them?
Answer:
The farmer studied the horse eagerly
and asked its name. Mourad said that they called it “My Heart’. John Byro
appreciated it as a lovely name for a lovely horse. He was ready to swear that
it was the horse that was stolen hum him many weeks ago.
Question 24:
“A suspicious man would believe his eyes instead of his heart.” In what context was this observation made and by whom?
Answer:
This observation was made by farmer
John Byro after looking into the mouth of the horse. It matched his horse tooth
for tooth. He would have claimed it as his own horse if he had not known their
parents or the fame of their family for honesty. The resemblance was so
striking that he called it the twin of his horse.
Question 25:
What do you think, induced the boys to return the horse to its owner?
Answer:
The boys were impressed by John
Byro’s attitude towards their parents and family. He knew their parents very
well and so believed whatever the boys said. Secondly, the fame of their family
for honesty was well-known to him. The boys returned the horse to him for the
sake of family pride and dignity.
