Face Showing โ€“ Summary and Questions and Answers| Class 7th

Summary of Face Showing

Face Showing is a beautiful short story written by B.P. Sathe, a Dogri essayist, short story writer, and translator. The story is set in the context of a cultural tradition in which a gift is given to the newlywed bride to see her face for the first time. Rahimbibi, a newlywed bride, visited the authorโ€™s village. The authorโ€™s entire household went to see Rahimbibi. Each of them gave her a masahni. It is a gift given to the bride to see her. The author received bangles from his mother, anklets from his aunt, and toe rings from his elder brotherโ€™s wife. When they returned, they all lavished her with compliments, praising her eyes, face, and gait. According to the authorโ€™s elder brother, she was a Greek beauty to them. His sister-in-law objected, claiming that she had married a washermanโ€™s bride rather than a Brahmin or a Rajput bride. The aunt was offended by these remarks and retorted. The author was tempted to see her after hearing her praise.

After three or four days, Rahimbibi began helping with household chores. Her mother-in-law once took her daughter-in-law to a well near the authorโ€™s house to fetch water. The two came to their house before going to the well, and the mother-in-law made her daughter-in-law touch the authorโ€™s mother, aunt, and sister-in-feet. lawโ€™s They wished her well.

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After a few days, the mother-in-law ceased to accompany her daughter-in-law. Rahimbibi visited three times, once in the morning and once in the evening. They (other boys, people) would see her on their way to school, according to the author. I wanted to see her one day and told her she could show her face to him because he was small, but Rahimbibi kept walking and asked for masahni to show her face.

She wore the veil for many years. The author travelled to Srinagar. She inquired as to why he had returned after such a long time, what class he was reading, and so on. The author informed her that he failed ninth grade three times before being promoted to tenth. He told her that he would pass the time and get a job, and that he would pay Masahni and see her face after he received his first pay. Rahimbibi responded that he should give his mother his first payment and that she would wait for masahni.

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After a few years, the author married. The Rahinbibi did not lift her veil because he could not pay her masahni. His wife once asked him why Rahimbibi kept the veil for him. He told her that she would remove her veil once she received masahni from me. She introduced herself as a Muslim and inquired about his relationship with her. He told his wife that Rahimbibiโ€™s husband Ilamdin is like his older brother and that all religions share a common goal.

The holy month of Ramzan arrived. She once stated that she only fasted for one day because she was sick. The author offered to bring her sweets to break the fast, but she declined, claiming that he was not supposed to bring them for her.

Rahimbibi developed a fever after six months. Her condition deteriorated day by day. Doctors had given up on her. Shamsu came to the authorโ€™s house one day and told him that his aunt (Rahimbibi) is sinking and she wants him to see her face for the last time. The author returned home. She shifted her gaze to the author. She stated that she had removed her veil today in order to obtain masahni. She claimed that seeing his face was the most important thing in her life. She instructed the author to visit her grave and place a handful of soil on her face as masahni, or else her desire for masahni would go unfulfilled.

Questions and Answers

Working with the Text

Ans.ย The narratorโ€™s mother presented her with a set of bangles. Her aunt gave her a pair of anklets, and his elder brotherโ€™s wife gave her a pair of small silver toe rings.

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Q3. The narratorโ€™s sister-in-law said, โ€œOnly her complexion is fair, the face is full of freckles.โ€ This shows sheย (Narratorโ€™s sister-in-law)ย is:

a) Niceย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย b) Arrogantย ย 
c) Vainย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย  d) Humble

Ans.ย The narratorโ€™s sister-in-law was vain because she did not like another being praised.

Q4. What did the newly wedded bride do after three or four days?

Ans.ย The newlywed bride was given special treatment for three to four days, after which she participated in household duties.

Q5. Why did the sister-in-law keep quiet?

Ans.ย The sister-in-law kept quiet because either she was unable to find a proper response, or she did not deem it appropriate to continue the argument.

Q6. Where did the parents of the daughter-in-law live?

Ans.ย The parents of daughter-in-law lived in Saurinsar.

Q7. Why did the mother-in-law stop coming to the well?

Ans.ย Mother-in-law stopped coming to the well with her daughter-in-law as she was engaged in other domestic work at home.

Q8. How many years did the narrator spend in the ninth class?

Ans.ย The narrator spent three years in the ninth class.

Q9. What did Rahimbibi ask the narrator to give her as hisย masahniย when she was dying?

Ans.ย Rahimbibi asked the narrator to place a handful of soil on her face in the grave as hisย masahni.

Language Work

(A) Find from the lesson words which mean the following:

a) To want something or to want something to do.ย Tempt

b) Small pale brown spots on the skin, usually on the face.ย Freckles

c) Not able to walk correctly.ย Lameย 

d) Happening or doing at the same time.ย Together

e) Treated in a special way.ย Pamper

f) A piece of thin material worn by women to cover the face or head.ย Veil

g) A strong wish or longing.ย Desire

h) Something which makes a situation more difficult.ย Complication

(B) Fill in the blanks in the following sentences using co-relative conjunctions.

1.ย Whetherย he likes itย orย not, he has to move with his parents.

2.ย Bothย my brotherย andย my sister is a graduate.

3. She isย not onlyย beautifulย but alsoย intelligent.

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4. The fire destroyedย not onlyย the cloth storeย but alsoย the stationery shop.

5.ย Whetherย he likes itย or not, he has to undergo surgery.

6.ย Eitherย he is sincereย orย he is pretending to do so.

7. He borrowed a book from the library. Heย neitherย read itย norย returned it.

8. He speaksย bothย Englishย andย Hindi.

(He speaksย neitherย Englishย norย Hindi.)

9.ย Bothย Hafeezย andย Salma have taken the stationery to the class.

(Neitherย Hafeezย norย Salma has taken the stationery to the class.)

10. She isย neitherย a regular studentย norย she is ready to give up studies.

(C) Fill in the blanks wit idioms given in the box (You may change the sentence if necessary).

1. He told us an interesting joke. All of usย burst into laughter.

2. His father is a poor ma. It is difficult for himย to make both ends meet.

3. The rich man invitedย all and sundryย to the wedding of his daughter.

4. Gandhiji never told a lie. He alwaysย called a spade a spade.

5. This piece of land has becomeย a bone of contentionย between the two brothers.

6. When he heard the answer, he wasย cut to the quick.

7. When Rahimbibi told the narrator that the previous year he had also been in the ninth class, heย felt at a lossย for words and couldnโ€™t bear t stand in front of her.

8. If you donโ€™t study properly, you willย cut a sorry figureย in the examination.

ย Grammar Work

Fill in the blanks using future continuous or progressive tense of the verbs given in brackets.

1) Weย will be learningย English this time tomorrow. (learn)

2) The sunย will be shiningย this time tomorrow. (Shine)

3) I like cricket. Iย will be watchingย a cricket match at 9 p.m. tonight. (Watch)

4) When he reaches home, his sonย will be waitingย for him. (Wait)

5) Theyย shall be waitingย for us when the train arrives. (Arrive)

6) Theyย shall be playingย a match this time tomorrow. (Play)

7) Donโ€™t phone me after ten oโ€™clock, Iย shall be sleeping. (Sleep)

8. when you reach there, sheย will be readingย a book. (Read)9. Iย shall be listeningย to the news at 9 a.m. tomorrow. (Listen)

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