Class 10 A Triumph of Surgery by James Herriot
Q. Why is Mrs Pumphrey worried about Tricki?
Ans. Mrs Pumphrey is worried because her dog Tricki has become very fat, lazy, and weak. He refuses to eat his food, has no energy, and spends most of his time lying on the rug. She thinks he is seriously ill.
Q. What does she do to help him? Is she wise in this?
Ans. She gives Tricki more food, including rich items like malt, cod-liver oil, cream cakes, and chocolates. She even gives him extra bowls of Horlicks at night. No, she is not wise, because overfeeding made Tricki’s condition worse instead of improving it.
Q. Who does ‘I’ refer to in this story?
Ans. The ‘I’ in the story refers to the narrator, James Herriot, a veterinary surgeon.
Q. Is the narrator as rich as Tricki’s mistress?
Ans. No, the narrator is not as rich as Mrs Pumphrey. She is a wealthy lady who lives in a grand house with servants, while the narrator lives a simple life.
Q. How does he treat the dog?
Ans. The narrator does not give Tricki any medicine. He only keeps him under observation, restricts his food, and allows him to play with other dogs. This simple treatment helps Tricki to recover quickly.
Q. Why is he tempted to keep Tricki on as a permanent guest?
Ans. The narrator is tempted to keep Tricki because Mrs Pumphrey keeps sending large amounts of food, eggs, wine, and brandy for her dog’s recovery. The narrator and his staff enjoy these luxuries.
Q. Why does Mrs Pumphrey think the dog’s recovery is “a triumph of surgery”?
Ans. Mrs Pumphrey wrongly believes that some complicated medical treatment or surgery has cured Tricki. She does not realize that the dog recovered only because of proper diet and exercise.
Longer Questions
Q.1. What kind of a person do you think the narrator, a veterinary surgeon, is? Would you say he is tactful as well as full of common sense?
Ans. The narrator is a kind, sensible, and practical man. He understands that Tricki is not really ill but overfed. Instead of scolding Mrs Pumphrey, he politely takes the dog with him. He uses his common sense by giving Tricki a simple diet and exercise. He is also tactful because he never hurts Mrs Pumphrey’s feelings.
Q.2. Do you think Tricki was happy to go home? What do you think will happen now?
Ans. Yes, Tricki was happy to see Mrs Pumphrey and jumped into her arms with joy. However, since Mrs Pumphrey is too indulgent, she may again start overfeeding him, and Tricki might fall sick once more.
Q.3. Do you think this is a real-life episode, or mere fiction? Or is it a mixture of both?
Ans. It seems to be a mixture of both. The story is written by James Herriot, who was a real veterinary surgeon, so such cases could have happened. However, some parts, like Mrs Pumphrey’s extreme behaviour, might be exaggerated for humour.
Value-based Questions
Q.1. This episode describes the silly behaviour of a rich woman who is foolishly indulgent, perhaps because she is lonely. Do you think such people are merely silly, or can their actions cause harm to others?
Ans. Such people are not just silly but also harmful. Their over-indulgence spoils others, whether children or pets. It can make them unhealthy, lazy, and dependent.
Q.2. Do you think there are also parents like Mrs Pumphrey?
Ans. Yes, many parents are like Mrs Pumphrey. Out of love, they pamper their children by giving them too much money, junk food, or gadgets. This makes children careless and unhealthy.
Q.3. What would you have done if you were: (i) a member of the staff in Mrs Pumphrey’s household, (ii) a neighbour? What would your life have been like, in general?
Ans.
- (i) If I were a staff member, I would advise Mrs Pumphrey to feed Tricki less and take him for walks. My life would be busy serving her orders.
- (ii) If I were a neighbour, I would find her behaviour amusing but sometimes irritating. My life would be normal, but I would feel she was wasting money.
Q.4. What would you have done if you were in the narrator’s place?
Ans. If I were in the narrator’s place, I would do the same—take Tricki away, keep him on a simple diet, and let him play freely. I would also try to explain to Mrs Pumphrey in a kind but firm way how to take care of her pet.