Showing posts with label O. Henry's 'After Twenty Years'. Show all posts
Showing posts with label O. Henry's 'After Twenty Years'. Show all posts

Friday, September 20, 2024

Balancing Professional Skills and Friendship in O. Henry's 'After Twenty Years'

In O. Henry's story "After Twenty Years," a policeman patrols a quiet street on a chilly night. He encounters a man named Bob waiting in the doorway of a hardware store. Bob explains he is waiting for his old friend Jimmy Wells, with whom he made a promise to meet exactly twenty years after their last dinner together at "Big Joe" Brady's restaurant.

As they talk, Bob shares that he has done well in the West, while Jimmy, he believes, would still be in New York. The policeman, intrigued, wishes Bob luck and continues his patrol. After twenty minutes, a tall man approaches, and Bob eagerly thinks he is Jimmy. However, as they talk, Bob realizes this man is not his friend, but a police officer who has come to arrest him.

The officer reveals that he is actually Jimmy Wells and has been watching Bob. He shows Bob a note he wrote, explaining that he recognized Bob’s face when he struck a match. Although Bob was his old friend, Jimmy could not bring himself to arrest him directly. Instead, he got another officer to take him in.

The story illustrates themes of friendship, loyalty, and the impact of time on relationships. It highlights the tension between personal loyalty and moral duty, showcasing how circumstances can change people profoundly over the years.


Thinking about professional skills:

1. What do you understand by the word professionalism?

Ans: Professionalism means behaving well and being responsible in a job. It includes being reliable, respectful, and skilled. It’s about doing your best and treating others right.

2. Whom would you call professionals? Give at least five examples.

Ans: Professionals are individuals with specialized skills or knowledge in a particular field. Examples include:

1. Doctors

2. Teachers

3. Engineers

4. Lawyers

5. Accountants

3. Whom would you classify as being non-professionals? Give at least five examples.

Ans: Non-professionals are individuals who may not have specialized training or certification in a specific field. Examples include:

1. Retail workers

2. Waitstaff

3. Janitors

4. Delivery drivers

5. Construction laborers

4. Why do some professionals behave unprofessionally sometimes?

Ans: Some professionals act unprofessionally because of stress or burnout. Personal problems and a bad work environment can also play a role. Sometimes they just forget their responsibilities or values.



Workplace Skills:

1. How does an effective understanding of professionalism help in performing one's job satisfactorily and successfully?

Ans: When we understand professionalism, we learn how to behave well at work. It helps us do our job better and earn respect from others.

2. How can individuals develop their professional skills continuously throughout their career and their lives?

Ans: People can keep learning new things by reading, taking courses, and listening to others. Practice and hard work also help them grow in their job.

3. What are some of the ways in which professionalism has been enshrined in a code of conduct of certain organisations such as the Indian Medical Association (IMA) and State Bank of India Officers Association (SBIOA)?

Ans: These groups have rules that tell members to be honest, helpful, and respectful. They also ask members to care for others and work with discipline.

4. What are some of the ways in which you feel you can be more professional in your own life? Do you think you can achieve a balance between duty and personal considerations?

Ans: I can be more professional by being on time, speaking politely, and doing my work well. I think with good planning, I can manage both my duties and personal life.



Real-life Experience / Case Study:


Duty Before Self

My uncle is a doctor. He works at a big hospital. He is very good at his job and helps many people every day. But because of his work, he often misses family events. Once, during my cousin's wedding, he got an emergency call from the hospital. He left the wedding and went to treat a patient. Everyone was sad because he could not stay. But we also felt proud because he saved someone’s life. He works even on holidays and weekends. He cannot spend much time with his children. They sometimes feel lonely. But he always says that his duty is important. His story shows how being professional can take away time from personal life. It is not easy, but some jobs need full-time care. We must respect such people. They make sacrifices for others.


📘 After Twenty Years – Multiple Choice Questions (MCQs)

1. Who wrote the story “After Twenty Years”?
A. Mark Twain
B. O. Henry
C. William Shakespeare
D. R.K. Narayan

2. What was the time when the story started?
A. 8 PM
B. 9 PM
C. 10 PM
D. 11 PM

3. What was the weather like?
A. Hot and sunny
B. Cold and rainy
C. Snowy and bright
D. Windy and dusty

4. What was the policeman doing?
A. Running after a thief
B. Walking his beat
C. Taking rest
D. Talking to people

5. Where was the man waiting for his friend?
A. Coffee shop
B. Hardware store doorway
C. Park
D. Train station

6. What was the name of the old restaurant?
A. Joe’s Place
B. The West Inn
C. Big Joe Brady’s
D. The Central Café

7. How many years ago had the two friends met?
A. 10
B. 15
C. 20
D. 25

8. What was the name of the man waiting in the doorway?
A. Bob
B. Jimmy
C. Joe
D. Harry

9. Where did Bob go to earn money?
A. East
B. South
C. North
D. West

10. How was Bob dressed?
A. In old clothes
B. In fine clothes with a diamond pin
C. In rags
D. In uniform

11. What did Bob light while talking to the policeman?
A. A lantern
B. A cigarette
C. A cigar
D. A fire

12. What did Bob say about Jimmy Wells?
A. He was rude
B. He was lazy
C. He was his best friend
D. He was a stranger

13. What kind of watch did Bob have?
A. Gold
B. Plain
C. Fancy with diamonds
D. Pocket calendar

14. Did Bob and Jimmy stay in touch for long?
A. Yes, for many years
B. No, only a few years
C. No, not at all
D. Yes, they met often

15. What kind of person was Jimmy, according to Bob?
A. Smart and fast
B. Strong and clever
C. True and honest
D. Rude and selfish

16. What did the policeman do after talking to Bob?
A. Arrested him
B. Walked away
C. Shouted at him
D. Took him to a café

17. What happened 20 minutes later?
A. A crowd came
B. A stranger crossed the street
C. A car arrived
D. Bob left the place

18. What did the tall man ask Bob?
A. "Are you a policeman?"
B. "Is this a shop?"
C. "Is that you, Bob?"
D. "Do you need help?"

19. How did Bob feel when he met the man?
A. Angry
B. Surprised and happy
C. Sad
D. Silent

20. Where did the two men go after meeting?
A. To a drugstore
B. To the police station
C. To a hotel
D. To a nearby restaurant

21. Why did Bob stop walking suddenly?
A. He got tired
B. He was shocked
C. He saw the man’s face
D. He lost his wallet

22. What made Bob realize it was not Jimmy?
A. The man’s eyes
B. The way he walked
C. His height
D. His nose

23. What was different about the man’s nose?
A. It was Roman
B. It was flat
C. It was pug-shaped
D. It was long

24. What did the tall man say to Bob?
A. "You are free to go."
B. "Jimmy will meet you later."
C. "You are under arrest."
D. "Let’s have coffee."

25. What crime had Bob committed?
A. Robbery
B. Murder
C. Fraud
D. Unknown, but wanted in Chicago

26. Where did Chicago police want Bob?
A. For an interview
B. For questioning
C. For a reward
D. For a crime

27. How long had Bob been under arrest before being told?
A. 5 minutes
B. 10 minutes
C. 15 minutes
D. 1 hour

28. What did the plain clothes officer give Bob?
A. A gift
B. A warning
C. A letter
D. A police badge

29. Who wrote the note Bob read?
A. A lawyer
B. Jimmy Wells
C. A judge
D. A stranger

30. What did Jimmy say in the note?
A. He would meet Bob later
B. He missed Bob
C. He saw Bob and sent someone else
D. He was scared

31. How did Bob feel while reading the note?
A. Calm
B. Happy
C. Angry
D. His hands trembled

32. What kind of ending does the story have?
A. Sad
B. Funny
C. Surprising
D. Peaceful

33. What does the story mainly show?
A. Friendship and loyalty
B. Crime and justice
C. Fun and laughter
D. Hard work

34. What was the scarfpin made of?
A. Gold
B. Silver
C. Diamond
D. Iron

35. What is the theme of the story?
A. Wealth
B. Love
C. Duty vs Friendship
D. Travel

36. Why didn’t Jimmy arrest Bob himself?
A. He was off duty
B. He didn’t recognize him
C. He still cared about him
D. He was sick

37. How old were Bob and Jimmy when they parted?
A. Bob 18, Jimmy 20
B. Both 20
C. Bob 20, Jimmy 18
D. Both 18

38. What kind of person was Bob?
A. Honest
B. Loyal
C. Wanted criminal
D. Policeman

39. How long did Bob wait for Jimmy?
A. 10 minutes
B. 20 minutes
C. 30 minutes
D. 1 hour

40. What city does the story take place in?
A. Chicago
B. Boston
C. Los Angeles
D. New York

41. What was the street mostly filled with?
A. Shops
B. Restaurants
C. Closed businesses
D. Parks

42. What did Bob think about the West?
A. Easy life
B. Hard life
C. A place to grow
D. A boring place

43. What did Jimmy think about New York?
A. It was too busy
B. Best place on Earth
C. Expensive
D. Not safe

44. What did Bob say about Jimmy's character?
A. Lazy
B. Talkative
C. Plodder but loyal
D. Smart and greedy

45. What was the tone of the story in the end?
A. Joyful
B. Mysterious
C. Serious and emotional
D. Comedic

46. Who was the real hero of the story?
A. Bob
B. Jimmy
C. The plain clothes officer
D. The policeman

47. What kind of ending is “After Twenty Years”?
A. Tragic
B. Romantic
C. Twist ending
D. Open ending

48. Why did Bob believe Jimmy would come?
A. He was poor
B. He was a loyal friend
C. He wanted to meet
D. He had free time

49. Why is the story called “After Twenty Years”?
A. The story took 20 years to write
B. Two friends met after 20 years
C. It happens over 20 years
D. A man lived 20 years in jail

50. What does the story teach us?
A. Always trust strangers
B. Success is easy
C. Loyalty and justice can conflict
D. Wealth is most important

✅ Answer Key

  1. O. Henry

  2. 10 PM

  3. Cold and rainy

  4. Walking his beat

  5. Hardware store doorway

  6. Big Joe Brady’s

  7. 20

  8. Bob

  9. West

  10. In fine clothes with a diamond pin

  11. A cigar

  12. He was his best friend

  13. Fancy with diamonds

  14. No, only a few years

  15. True and honest

  16. Walked away

  17. A stranger crossed the street

  18. "Is that you, Bob?"

  19. Surprised and happy

  20. To a drugstore

  21. He saw the man’s face

  22. His nose

  23. It was pug-shaped

  24. "You are under arrest."

  25. Unknown, but wanted in Chicago

  26. For a crime

  27. 10 minutes

  28. A letter

  29. Jimmy Wells

  30. He saw Bob and sent someone else

  31. His hands trembled

  32. Surprising

  33. Crime and justice

  34. Diamond

  35. Duty vs Friendship

  36. He still cared about him

  37. Bob 18, Jimmy 20

  38. Wanted criminal

  39. 20 minutes

  40. New York

  41. Closed businesses

  42. A place to grow

  43. Best place on Earth

  44. Plodder but loyal

  45. Serious and emotional

  46. Jimmy

  47. Twist ending

  48. He was a loyal friend

  49. Two friends met after 20 years

  50. Loyalty and justice can conflict


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