THE SCARECROW BY SATYAJIT RAY

28/03/202030/01/2019 by Mir Afzal

4. What did Mriganko Babu decide never to do again?
Ans. Mriganko Babu doubted Abhiram’s innocence on the basis of the words of a witch doctor. Therefore, he decided never to seek a witch doctor’s help if ever anything gets stolen from his house.

5. What happened Abhiram after he left Mriganko Babu?
Ans. When Abhiram was accused of stealing, he had to lose his job and move back to his village. There he was soon afflicted with dropsy. He suffered and dies. He was very sad that he could not prove his innocence to his masters.

6. What was the scene on the eastern side of the road where Mriganko Babu stood waiting for Sudheer, his driver?
Ans. On the Eastern side there stretched an empty field far away. In the far distance, a small hut could be seen standing next to a tamarind tree. There was no other sign of habitation. Still further stood a row of palm trees, beyond which lay a dense, dark forest.

7. What were Mriganko Babu’s thoughts on his fellow Bengalis? What made him think so?
Ans. Mriganko Babu thought that all Bengalis were selfish. They would never think of considering the welfare or convenience of others at least, not if it meant causing them any inconvenience.
He thought so because he got stranded in the middle of nowhere. A few cars passed by him but none of them bothered to stop and ask him if he needed any help.

8. What did he do in the car? What did he try to think of doing next?
Ans. He sat in the car and started to read a book but could not concentrate properly. Hence, he took out his notebook and started to write a story because the Bharat Magazine had asked him for one.

9. Describe Scarecrow.
Ans. A bamboo pole had been fixed vertically on the ground, and another was placed horizontally across it. The two ends of the second pole stretched out like two arms. A shirt had been slipped onto this structure. Its sleeves covered the ‘arm’. Over the free end of the vertical pole, an earthen pot had been placed, upside down.

10. Why was he reminded of something at the sight of the scarecrow?
Ans. He was reminded of something at the sight of the scarecrow because he felt that he had seen the shirt somewhere before which the scarecrow was wearing. He found the shirt familiar to him. Hence he tried to recollect where he had seen that.

11. What was it about the scarecrow that made his heart beat faster?
Ans. He felt that the scarecrow made some movement. But then he thought that was not possible. But again when he looked at the scarecrow he saw that it was moving towards him. All these made his heart beat faster.

12. What did Abhiram say to Mriganko Babu?
Ans. Abhiram told Mriganko Babu the truth of his stolen watch, that he was not the thief, he has always been loyal to them, and that the watch was still there in their house.

13. What made everyone is the household convinced that Abhiram was the only who had stolen Mriganko Babu’s gold watch?
Ans. When Mriganko Babu’s gold watch was found missing, his father called a local witch doctor who cast a spell and made an ordinary wicker tray spin and rotate until it stopped, pointing at Abhiram. It made everyone in the household convinced that Abhiram was the only who had stolen Mriganko Babu’s gold watch.

14. What happened to Abhiram after he lost his job at Mriganko Babu’s household?
Ans. When Abhiram was accused of stealing, he had to lose his job and move back to his village. There he was soon afflicted with dropsy. He suffered and died. He was very sad that he could not prove his innocence to his masters.

15. Why did Abhiram say, he become a scarecrow?
Ans. Abhiram told that he became a scarecrow for he knew that someday Mriganko Babu would be travelling that way and he would get the chance to talk to him once. And that’s how he would be able to speak for his innocence and made Mriganko Babu realize the truth.

16. What did Abhiram learn after his death?
Ans. Abhiram learnt after death that even the dead men could have a heart. If their longings were not fulfilled before death, they certainly try to fulfil them even after they die.

17. What made Mriganko Babu think that all the Bengali people were selfish?
Ans. When Mriganko Babu was sitting lonely in the car, two Ambassador Cars and a truck had gone past. One of the cars went in the direction of Calcutta. Mriganko Babu became angry thinking that none of the drivers stopped to ask if he needed any help. Then he thought, all Bengali people were selfish.

18. What thought came to his mind when Mriganko Babu had seen the shirt of the scarecrow?
Ans. – Mriganko Babu saw that the scarecrow was wearing a printed shirt. He suddenly felt that he had seen that shirt somewhere before. He saw someone had worn it before. He tried hard but failed to remember who had a worm shirt. He was quite sure that someone had worn that shirt a long time ago.

Answer the following Questions 3 Marks

1. Describe the western side of the road as seen by Mriganko Babu.
Ans. When Mriganko Babu was on his way back to his home from Durgapur, he got stuck in a road where there was nothing. He went out of the car and studied the whole area. There was no habitation. The western side of the road was covered with some plant and winter crops. There was a scarecrow in the middle of those crops. The shirt that the scarecrow was wearing was familiar with Mriganko Babu.

2. Why did Mriganko Babu feel a tremor?
Ans. When Mriganko Babu saw the scarecrow, he felt that he had seen the shirt before which the scarecrow was wearing. He tried to recall the person whom he had been wearing that particular shirt, but could not. Suddenly he felt as though the scarecrow made some movement. Then he thought that it was his imagination. But then he saw and the scarecrow actually came to life and moving towards him. The scarecrow came near Mriganko Babu and introduced him as Abhiram, an old servant who served Mriganko Babu and his family for long twenty years and lost his job due to some criminal activities which actually had nothing to do with Abhiram. Seeing a scarecrow coming to life, moving towards him and talking gave Mriganko Babu a tremor.

3. Describe the scarecrow as seen by Mriganko Babu from the beginning to the moment when it addresses him as ‘Babu!’.
Ans. When Mriganko Babu was on his way back to his home from Durgapur, he got stuck in a road where there was nothing. He went out of the car and studied the whole area. There was no habitation. He notices a scarecrow there in the midst of the paddy field. Soon he got bored as there was nothing around to interest him. Hence he decides to stay inside the car and relax. He even tries to write something but could not. He then notices the scarecrow wearing a red and blank printed shirt. Mriganko Babu felt as though he had seen someone wearing that shirt before. He tries to recall the person. Suddenly he saw the scarecrow coming to life, coming towards Mriganko Babu he addresses him as “Babu” and introduces himself as Abhiram, an old servant who had worked for Mriganko Babu’s family for long twenty years.

4. Narrate the circumstances that led Abhiram to leave Mriganko Babu. What did the later do on reaching home?
Ans. Abhiram was a servant of Mriganko Babu. He served his family for long twenty years. He was a trustworthy servant. Once one of Mriganko Babu’s watches, which he got as his wedding gift, was stolen. They searched everywhere but could not find. Hence they took the help of a witch doctor who told them that it was stolen by Abhiram. They believed the witch doctor so much that Abhiram ultimately had to lose his job. He begged justice for his innocence but was of no use.
On reaching home, Mriganko Babu searched for his watch under the wardrobe as directed by the scarecrow and found his watch there. He then realized his mistake and decides never to believe the witch doctors ever again.

5. What had happened three years ago at Mriganko Babu’s home?
Ans. Abhiram was a servant of Mriganko Babu. He served his family for long twenty years. He was a trustworthy servant. Once one of Mriganko Babu’s watches, which he got as his wedding gift, was stolen. They searched everywhere but could not find. Hence they took the help of a witch doctor who told them that it was stolen by Abhiram. They believed the witch doctor so much that Abhiram ultimately had to lose his job. He begged justice for his innocence but was of no use.

6. What did Mriganko Babu do on reaching home?
Ans. Abhiram told Mriganko Babu the truth of his stolen watch, that he was not their, he has always been loyal to them, and that the watch was still there in their house. On reaching home, Mriganko Babu searched for his watch under the wardrobe as directed by the scarecrow and found his watch there. He then realized his mistake and decided never to believe the witch doctors ever again.

7. What were the changes that come over the scarecrow even as Mriganko Babu kept looking at it?
Ans. Mriganko Babu noticed a lot of changes in the scarecrow while he was looking at it. At first he felt that the scarecrow was standing a little more stiffly and more like a scarecrow. But it suddenly looked less stiff and more like a man. Then he felt that instead of the bamboo poles there were real legs and hands. Even the pot used as the head of the scarecrow seemed smaller than before. Then Mriganko Babu felt that the scarecrow was moving towards him.

8. Was the scene on the western side of the road different from the eastern side? Describe the western side of the road.
Ans. Yes, the scene on the western side of the road was different from the eastern side. When Mriganko Babu was on his way back to his home from Durgapur, he got stuck in a road where there was nothing. He went out of the car and studied the whole area. There was no habitation. The western side of the road was covered with some plant and winter crops. There was a scarecrow in the middle of those crops. The shirt that the scarecrow was wearing was familiar with Mriganko Babu.

9. What change did he notice in the scarecrow when Mriganko Babu saw it for the second time?
Ans.- Mriganko Babu felt some unknown attraction towards it. He drew himself close to the scarecrow. He began to look steadily at it and to his surprise, he noticed a few things; his heart began to beat faster. He felt as if the appearance of the scarecrow had been changed. The two arms had been lowered a little and it was standing a little less stiffly like a real man.
Mriganko Babu felt there might be a second pole; standing upright, next to the first one and it looked as if those were not bamboo poles but legs of some human beings.
And the black pot too looked smaller than before.

10. ‘Mriganko Babu recalled what happened three years ago’. Mention what had happened three years ago?
Ans.- Mriganko Babu recalled the incident that had happened three years ago. Abhiram had worked for his family for thirty years. Everybody of his family trusted him. But one day, he seemed to lost his control. He stole the gold watch Mriganko Babu had been given as a wedding gift. Abhiram denied the charge. But he did not have time and opportunity to remove the fault from him. Mriganko Babu’s father called a local witch doctor and he practised a spell and made an ordinary wicker tray spin and rotate until it stopped. And this tray pointed towards Abhiram. After this, there could possibly be no doubt about the fact that Abhiram only stole the watch.

11. Describe how Mriganko Babu had to face a helpless situation in the midst of his journey.
Ans. – Mriganko Mukhopadhyay or Mriganko Babu was a famous and popular winter. A club in Durgapur invited him to a cultural function where he would be felicitated by them. He could not get a reserved seat on the train, so he decided to go by his car with his driver.
They were about to reach Panagarh. But, suddenly his car ran out of petrol. The fuel meter had not been working properly. Mriganko Babu pointed it out to the driver Sudheer before starting the journey in the morning. But Sudheer gave no importance to it. There was less petrol than shown in the meter. As a result, now the car stopped without petrol. So, Sudheer proposed that he would walk to Panagarh and come back with more petrol. Mriganko Babu gave him money to buy petrol. He took the money and left for Panagarh.
During the two and half hour time, Mriganko Babu felt too much boring and to escape his boredom, he smoked cigarettes read a detective novel and tried to frame a plot for his story. But when Sudheer returned back with petrol, he found his asleep in the car.

12. How does the author try to make a view against superstition through his story? Illustrate.
Ans. – The story is indeed a slogan against superstitious belief. If slows how bad could be the impact of superstitious practice in our society. Through the incident of Abhiram, the author tries to warn the society against its evil practice.
At the beginning of the story, the narrator in a reference says: “He was not one to believe in superstitions and certainly he never consulted the almanack before travelling anywhere.”
But the situation is ironical when we come to know that Abhiram had to leave his job because of such superstitious practice at Mriganko Babu’s house.
Abhiram had worked for his family for twenty years. Everybody of his family trusted him. But one day, he seemed to lost his control. He stole the gold watch Mriganko Babu had been given as a wedding gift. Abhiram denied the charge. But he did not have time and opportunity to remove the fault from him. Mriganko Babu’s father called a local witch doctor and he practised a spell and made an ordinary wicker tray spin and rotate until it stopped. And this tray also pointed towards Abhiram. After this, there could possibly be no doubt about the fact that Abhiram only stole the watch.
But later it, Mriganko Babu came to know that Abhiram was actually not the thief. The watch had been lying on the wardrobe for the last three years. Their belief in superstition resulted in the ultimate death of Abhiram.
Mriganko Babu decided that in the future if something got stolen from his house, he would never seek a witch doctor’s help.

13. Give a description of the eastern and western side of the road where Mriganko Babu’s car ran out of petrol.
Ans. – Mriganko Babu’s car ran out of petrol in a place, which is about three miles away from Panagarh. The time was the end of January. The fields were barren as all the crops had been removed from the fields. The empty barren fields stretched for miles. He saw a small but in the far distance. The hut could be seen standing next to a tamarind tree. There was no sign of people living there. Still, further, there was a row of palm trees, beyond which was a dense dark forest. It was the eastern side of the road.
On the western side of the road, things were almost the same as that of the eastern side. About forty away from the road was a pond. There was not so much water in it. Quite far away, a few trees were visible, only some thorny bushes were available near the road. There were also two huts, but no sign of people living there. In the middle of the field, was a scarecrow. To the north, in the sky, there were clouds; but it was quite sunny where Mriganko Babu was standing.

14. Describe the purpose of Mriganko Babu’s visit to Durgapur?

Ans. Mriganko Babu was invited by a club in Durgapur. He was to be felicitated there at a cultural function for his contributions towards literature.

He could not get a reserved seat on the train. Hence, the departure by car. He had left for Durgapur quite early in the morning because he had to return back to Calcutta before evening.

The Scarecrow

Answer the following Questions 5 Marks
1. He puts his notebook away, climbed out and lit another cigarette. Then he walked a few paces and stood in the middle of the road. It seemed as if he was the only human being in the whole world. He had never felt so completely desolate.
Ans. These lines occur when Mriganko Babu got stranded in the middle of nowhere. His car ran out of petrol. He sends Sudheer, his driver to a nearby place named Panagarh to fetch petrol. There was no companion for Mriganko Babu after Sudheer leaves. He was then all alone amidst the paddy field. He came out of his car to light a cigarette and to study the surrounding. He saw nothing but a deserted road endless stretching of barren paddy fields on both sides. On the other side of the road, there were only two huts in the distance. But he saw no sign of habitation. He also notices a scarecrow there in the midst of the paddy field. Soon he got bored as there was noting around to interest him. Hence he decides to stay inside the car and relax. He even tries to write something but could not.

2. But no, there was someone else.
It was the scarecrow.
Ans. These lines occur when Mriganko Babu studied the place he got stranded and took himself to be the only person there. But then only he noticed the scarecrow. A bamboo pole had been fixed vertically on the ground, and another was placed horizontally across it. The two ends of the second pole stretched out like two arms. A shirt had been slipped onto this structure. Its sleeves covered the ‘arms’. Over the free end of the vertical pole, an earthen pot had been placed, upside down.

3. Sunlight appeared through a crack in the clouds and fell on the scarecrow. Mriganko Babu saw that the scarecrow was wearing a printed shirt. He had seen the torn, red and black printed shirt before. Or, at least, it reminded him of someone.
Ans. These lines occur when Mriganko Babu could see the scarecrow clearly. A bamboo pole had been fixed vertically on the ground, and another was placed horizontally across it. The two ends of the second pole stretched out like two arms. A shirt had been slipped onto this structure. Its sleeves covered the ‘arms’. Over the free end of the vertical pole, an earthen pot had been placed, upside down. He was reminded of something at the sight of the scarecrow because he felt that he had seen the shirt somewhere before which the scarecrow was wearing. He found the shirt familiar to him. Hence he tried to recollect where he had seen that.

4. The Scarecrow. For some unknown reason, Mriganko Babu continued to feel strangely drawn towards the figure. He looked steadily at it. In a few minutes, he noticed a few things that made his heart beat faster.
Ans. These lines occur when Mriganko Babu felt that the scarecrow was making some movements. When Mriganko Babu saw the scarecrow, he felt that he had seen the shirt before which the scarecrow was wearing. He tried to recall the person whom he had seen wearing that particular shirt, but could not. Suddenly he felt as though the scarecrow made some movement. Then he thought that it was his imagination. But then he saw that the scarecrow actually came to life and moving towards him. The Scarecrow came near Mriganko Babu and introduced him as Abhiram, an old servant who served Mriganko Babu and his family for long twenty years and lost his job due to some criminal activities which actually had nothing to do with Abhiram. Seeing a scarecrow come to life, moving towards him and talking to him made Mriganko Babu’s heart beat faster.

More Questions of The Scarecrow

Q. Who was Mriganko Shekhar Mukhopadhyay?

Ans. Satyajit Ray who was an Indian Bengali filmmaker was widely regarded as one of the 20th century’s biggest filmmakers. He was also a great fiction writer, publisher, illustrator, calligrapher, composer of music, graphic designer and film critic. He has written numerous short stories and novels. Feluda, the sleuth, and Professor Shonku, the scientist in his stories about science fiction are popular fictional characters he has created. In 1992, the Indian Government honored him with “Bharat Ratna.”

In the present short story, the protagonist Mriganko Shekhar Mukhopadhyay was a well-known Bengali writer. He was invited by a club in Durgapur to a cultural function where he would be felicitated. He was an amiable man. He never believed in superstitions.

Q. Why was he stuck in the middle of nowhere?

In the present short story, the protagonist Mriganko Shekhar Mukhopadhyay was a well-known Bengali writer. He was invited by a club in Durgapur to a cultural function where he would be felicitated. He was stranded in the middle of nowhere because his car ran out of petrol. Even though he pointed out to his driver Sudheer to check the condition, he didn’t pay any attention. It was because of his driver’s negligence he sat alone in the car in the middle of nowhere for more than two and a half hours.

Q. What did Mriganko Babu notice while waiting for his driver to return? and

Q. How did Mriganko Babu pass time while waiting for his driver?

In the present short story, the protagonist Mriganko Shekhar Mukhopadhyay- a famous Bengali author, was stranded in the middle of nowhere when his car ran out of petrol. He sends his driver to Panagarh to fetch petrol. He had to while away the time till the driver returned. He lit a cigarette and looked around the barren land stretched out for miles. It was winter when the farmer completed his harvest. There was no sign of habitation on one side. He could see a small hut standing next to a tamarind tree and the row palm trees beyond which lay a dense, dark forest. On the other side he was greeted by a few trees and two huts where there was no sign of people living. In the middle of the field there was a scarecrow. He took out a detective novel from his bag to read but could not concentrate on it either.

Q. Describe Mriganko Babu’s reaction to the scarecrow?

Ans.Mriganko Babu was stranded in the middle of nowhere when his car ran out of petrol. While waiting for his driver to return, he saw a scarecrow in the middle of the field on the western side in winter. He experienced the selfish nature of fellow humans who never respond to the same human suffering. Unable to concentrate on anything, he walked a few faces in the middle of the road. It seemed the road was deserted. But he felt someone else was there in the cloudy evening. It was that scarecrow. It was fixed to the bamboo sticks right in the middle of the field. It was wearing a torn, red and black printed shirt. An earthen pot painted black, with huge white eyes had been placed upside down as its head. It was a weird figure. He felt as if this weird figure frightened birds to cause no harm to the crop.

Q. Who was the scarecrow?

Ans: Mriganko Babu was stranded in the middle of nowhere when his car ran out of petrol. While waiting for his driver to return, he saw a scarecrow in the middle of the field on the western side in winter. At the sunset, Mriganko Babu found the scarecrow came to life. He heard that it was calling him. He trembled that it had spoken with a human voice. He recognized it. It was Mriganko Babu’s old servant Abhiram. He remembered that Abhiram invited him to visit his village somewhere in this region at once. As the scarecrow headed towards him, he was terrified and took a few steps back. It enquired Mriganko Babu if he could recognize him. He mustered his courage and said it was Abhiram.

Q. Narrate the incident that occurred between Abhiram and Mriganko Babu?

Ans. Mriganko Babu was stranded in the middle of nowhere when his car ran out of petrol. He found a scarecrow in the middle of the field. He recognized it by its torn, red and black printed shirt that it was his old servant Abhiram. He spoke to Mriganko Babu as a normal human. Abhiram had lost his job on the of suspicion stealing the gold watch of Mriganko Babu which was given to him as a wedding gift. Abhiram asked him what had happened to him later. He could work nowhere and fell ill. He had no money to go to the doctor and died. After his death his son wore that red and black printed shirt for some time and kept it on me. And that he had become a scarecrow. He said that he had been waiting for this time to tell what had happened. His heart longed to prove that he was not a thief but trusted servant. He asked Mriganko Babu to find the watch under the wardrobe.

Q. Justify the title of the story ‘The Scarecrow”.

Ans: In the present short story “The Scarecrow”, a writer gets stranded near a paddy field on his way to the city and encounters the scarecrow in the field that becomes alive. It seemed to be a Ghost, which occupied an abandoned burnt bungalow told about its past life and how it was to be a ghost. In the case of Mrigaonko Babu, the protagonist felt that he had not evolved as a complete human being. The scarecrow which had come to life and talked to him what had happened before. Abhiram accused Mriganko Babu of being unjust toward him and made certain revelations that created a dramatic twist in the story. It was not his fault to lose trust least he was punished. He could not prove his honesty as he was a servant to his master. Unable to cope with poverty, he could do no job anywhere and die. The story presented the real human psyche where one had lost trust he could no longer survive. People were also indifferent to the fellow human suffering. It was a pathetic story of Abhiram who turned himself as a scarecrow and scared his master. His heart longed until he proved that he was innocent.