If I Were You - Q&A
Thinking about the TextI. Answer these questions.
1. "At last a sympathetic audience."
(i) Who says this?
Answer: Gerrard says this.
(Explanation: He says this ironically to the intruder who is listening to him, unlike others.)
(ii) Why does he say it?
Answer: He says it sarcastically because the intruder has been asking him many questions about his life. Gerrard pretends to be happy that someone is finally interested in his life story, although he knows the intruder has bad intentions.
(iii) Is he sarcastic or serious?
Answer: He is sarcastic.
(Explanation: He is not genuinely happy; he is using humor and sarcasm to stay calm and handle the dangerous situation.)
2. Why does the intruder choose Gerrard as the man whose identity he wants to take on?
Answer: The intruder chooses Gerrard because:
1. They are of similar build and height.
2. Gerrard lives alone and few people visit him.
3. Gerrard's lifestyle (erratic hours, disappearing suddenly) suits the intruder's need to hide from the police.
4. By taking Gerrard's identity, the intruder hopes to live peacefully without being chased for the murder he committed.
3. "I said it with bullets."
(i) Who says this?
Answer: Gerrard says this.
(ii) What does it mean?
Answer: It means that he used a gun to solve a problem or escape a situation. Gerrard is making up a false story that he is also a criminal who shot someone to escape the police.
(iii) Is it the truth? What is the speaker's reason for saying this?
Answer: No, it is not the truth. Gerrard is lying. His reason is to convince the intruder that he (Gerrard) is also a wanted criminal. If the intruder believes this, he won't kill Gerrard because taking the identity of another wanted criminal would not help him escape the police.
4. What is Gerrard's profession? Quote the parts of the play that support your answer.
Answer: Gerrard is a playwright or works in the theatre.
Supporting quotes:
- "This is all very melodramatic, not very original, perhaps, but..."
- "At last a sympathetic audience!"
- "In most melodramas the villain is foolish enough to delay his killing long enough to be frustrated."
- "I can't let you have the props in time for rehearsal, I've had a spot of bother - quite amusing. I think I'll put it in my next play." (This is the clearest evidence).
5. "You'll soon stop being smart."
(i) Who says this?
Answer: The Intruder says this.
(ii) Why does the speaker say it?
Answer: The speaker (Intruder) says this because Gerrard is answering his questions with wit, humor, and sarcasm instead of being afraid. The Intruder intends to kill Gerrard soon, which will definitely put an end to his "smart" talk.
(iii) What according to the speaker will stop Gerrard from being smart?
Answer: The fear of death or the act of being killed will stop Gerrard from being smart. The Intruder believes that once Gerrard realizes he is about to die, he will cease his witty remarks.
6. "They can't hang me twice."
(i) Who says this?
Answer: The Intruder says this.
(ii) Why does the speaker say it?
Answer: He says it to justify his plan to murder Gerrard. He has already killed one man (a policeman) and is wanted for it. Even if he kills Gerrard now, the punishment (hanging) remains the same. He cannot be hanged twice for two murders, so he has nothing to lose.
7. "A mystery I propose to explain." What is the mystery the speaker proposes to explain?
Answer: The "mystery" Gerrard proposes to explain is the made-up story about why he lives such a secretive and lonely life. He spins a tale that he is actually a criminal on the run, just like the intruder, and is expecting the police to arrive any minute. This is a trick to get the intruder to trust him and eventually trap him.
8. "This is your big surprise."
(i) Where has this been said in the play?
Answer: This is said by Gerrard near the end of the play. He says it after he has finished telling his fabricated story about being a criminal himself and needing to escape immediately.
(ii) What is the surprise?
Answer: The "surprise" Gerrard pretends to reveal is that he is not an ordinary man but a criminal on the run ("I said it with bullets"). However, the real surprise for the audience (and the intruder) is how Gerrard outwits the intruder by locking him in a cupboard, revealing that his story was a clever trap all along.
Thinking about Language
I. Consult your dictionary and choose the correct word from the pairs given in brackets.
1. The (site, cite) of the accident was (ghastly, ghostly).
The site of the accident was ghastly.
(Explanation: 'Site' refers to a location. 'Ghastly' means causing horror or fear.)
2. Our college (principle, principal) is very strict.
Our college principal is very strict.
(Explanation: 'Principal' refers to the head of a school. 'Principle' is a fundamental truth.)
3. I studied (continuously, continually) for eight hours.
I studied continuously for eight hours.
(Explanation: 'Continuously' means without interruption. 'Continually' means happening frequently/repeatedly.)
4. The fog had an adverse (affect, effect) on the traffic.
The fog had an adverse effect on the traffic.
(Explanation: 'Effect' is the noun meaning result. 'Affect' is usually a verb.)
5. Cezanne, the famous French painter, was a brilliant (artist, artiste).
Cezanne, the famous French painter, was a brilliant artist.
(Explanation: 'Artist' refers to a painter. 'Artiste' refers to a professional entertainer like a singer or dancer.)
6. The book that you gave me yesterday is an extraordinary (collage, college) of science fiction and mystery.
The book that you gave me yesterday is an extraordinary collage of science fiction and mystery.
(Explanation: 'Collage' implies a collection or combination. 'College' is an educational institution.)
7. Our school will (host, hoist) an exhibition on cruelty to animals and wildlife conservation.
Our school will host an exhibition on cruelty to animals and wildlife conservation.
(Explanation: 'Host' means to organize/present. 'Hoist' means to raise something, like a flag.)
8. Screw the lid tightly onto the top of the bottle and (shape, shake) well before using the contents.
Screw the lid tightly onto the top of the bottle and shake well before using the contents.
(Explanation: You shake a bottle to mix contents.)
II. Irony is when we say one thing but mean another, usually the opposite of what we say. When someone makes a mistake and you say, "Oh! that was clever!", that is irony. You also know what an ironic situation is. A situation is ironic when something happens that is the opposite of what was expected (if a poor man won a lottery, and died of shock... or if a fire station burns down).
Find the sentences in the play which carry irony. What is the real meaning of these sentences?
1. "At last a sympathetic audience!"
Context: Gerrard says this when the Intruder starts asking him personal questions.
Irony: The intruder is not sympathetic at all; he plans to kill Gerrard. Gerrard knows this but pretends to find him friendly.
2. "You have been so modest."
Context: Gerrard says this when the Intruder doesn't say anything about himself.
Irony: The intruder isn't being modest; he is simply refusing to share information because he is a criminal. Gerrard uses "modest" sarcastically.
3. "With you figuring so largely in it, that is understandable."
Context: The Intruder says he specializes in jewel robbery and says "your car will do me a treat." Gerrard replies that dandy buses are rare in his area. The Intruder says he has freedom to go places. Gerrard then makes this comment.
Irony: Gerrard means that the intruder's "freedom" involves him being a large figure (a wanted criminal) in the news/police files, not a free man.
4. "I'm glad you're pleased to see me. I don't think you'll be pleased for long."
Context: The Intruder says this at the beginning.
Irony: The irony here is situational. The Intruder thinks Gerrard won't be pleased because he is going to die. Ironically, by the end, the Intruder is the one who isn't "pleased" because he gets trapped.
5. "You won't kill me for a very good reason."
Context: Gerrard tells the intruder he shouldn't kill him.
Irony: The intruder thinks the reason is fear or pleading. The real reason (according to Gerrard's lie) is that killing him is dangerous for the intruder himself. The deeper irony is that the "good reason" is actually a trap Gerrard is setting.
6. "Sorry I can't let you have the props in time for rehearsal, I've had a spot of bother - quite amusing."
Context: Spoken by Gerrard on the phone at the very end.
Irony: He calls a life-and-death encounter with a murderer a "spot of bother" and "quite amusing." This understatement is ironic.
Dictionary Use
Look up the dictionary entries for the words sympathy, familiarity, comfort, care, and surprise. Use the information given in the dictionary and complete the table.
| Noun | Adjective | Adverb | Verb | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| sympathy | sympathetic | sympathetically | sympathize | feelings of pity/sorrow for someone else's misfortune |
| familiarity | familiar | familiarly | familiarize | close acquaintance with or knowledge of something |
| comfort | comfortable | comfortably | comfort | a state of physical ease and freedom from pain |
| care | careful | carefully | care | serious attention or consideration applied to doing something |
| surprise | surprising | surprisingly | surprise | an unexpected or astonishing event, fact, or thing |
Writing
I. Which of the words below describe Gerrard and which describe the Intruder?
smart, humorous, clever, beautiful, cool, confident, flashy, witty, nonchalant
Gerrard: smart, humorous, clever, cool, confident, witty, nonchalant.
Intruder: flashy, confident (over-confident), smart (thinks he is).
Write a paragraph each about Gerrard and the Intruder to show what qualities they have.
Gerrard: Gerrard is a cool and nonchalant man who does not panic even when facing a gun. He is witty and humorous, using sarcasm to unsettle his opponent. His cleverness is seen in how he quickly invents a story to trap the intruder. He remains confident throughout the ordeal, proving he is truly smart by outwitting a criminal.
The Intruder: The Intruder is a flashy criminal who believes he is smart. He is confident in his plan to steal Gerrard's identity, but his confidence borders on arrogance. Although he tries to be threatening, he is easily manipulated by Gerrard's words, showing he is not as clever as he thinks.
II. Convert the play into a story (150-200 words). Your story should be as exciting and as witty as the play. Provide a suitable title to it.
Title: The Trap
Gerrard was busy packing his bag for a rehearsal when a man holding a gun silently entered his cottage. He was an intruder, a criminal who looked strangely similar to Gerrard. Instead of panicking, Gerrard remained cool and started chatting with the man. The intruder revealed his sinister plan: he wanted to kill Gerrard and assume his identity to escape the police, as they were of the same build.
Gerrard listened patiently and then burst out laughing. "You're a fool if you think that will save you," he said. He spun a clever lie, claiming that he, too, was a criminal on the run and that the police were arriving any minute. "Why else do you think I'm packing?" he asked. The intruder hesitated, confused.
Seizing the moment, Gerrard urged, "Come with me in the car, I can help you escape!" He opened a door, which the intruder thought led to the garage. The moment the intruder stepped in to check, Gerrard pushed him inside and locked the door. It was a cupboard! As the intruder shouted from inside, Gerrard calmly picked up the phone to call the police, finding the whole incident "quite amusing" for his next play.