A HOUSE IS NOT A HOME - Q&A

THINK ABOUT IT

1. What does the author notice one Sunday afternoon? What is his mother's reaction? What does she do?
Answer:
What the author notices: While doing his homework on a Sunday afternoon, the author notices smoke pouring in through the seams of the ceiling. The room quickly fills with thick smoke.

Mother's reaction and action: His mother reacts calmly but quickly at first to get them out of the house. However, once outside, she runs back into the burning house. First, she brings out a metal box full of important documents. Then, she runs back in a second time to rescue pictures and letters of her late husband, which were the only memories she had left of him.

2. Why does he break down in tears after the fire?
Answer:
The author breaks down in tears because, amidst the chaos of the fire, he suddenly realizes that his pet cat is missing. He cannot find her anywhere and fears that she has died in the fire. The combination of losing his house and the thought of losing his beloved pet makes him cry.

3. Why is the author deeply embarrassed the next day in school? Which words show his fear and insecurity?
Answer:
Why he is embarrassed: The author is embarrassed because he has to go to school looking very strange. He has no uniform, no books, and no backpack because everything was burnt. He is wearing the dress clothes he wore to church on Sunday and borrowed tennis shoes that don't fit well.

Words showing fear and insecurity: The words that show his state of mind are: "I was a zombie," "Everything felt surreal," and "I just wanted to curl up and die." He also felt like an "outcast" and a "geek."

4. The cat and the author are very fond of each other. How has this been shown in the story? Where was the cat after the fire? Who brings it back and how?
Answer:
Fondness: The bond is shown by how the cat is never far from the author. She lies on top of his homework papers, purrs loudly, and swats at his pen. The author also rescued her as a kitten and feels responsible for her.

Where the cat was: The cat had been so freaked out by the fire that she ran over a mile away from the house.

Who brings it back: A kind woman brings the cat back. She found the cat and saw the phone number on its collar. Although the author's phone was destroyed, the woman used a telephone directory to locate the author's temporary address and returned the cat to him.

5. What actions of the schoolmates change the author's understanding of life and people, and comfort him emotionally? How does his loneliness vanish and how does he start participating in life?
Answer:
Actions of schoolmates: His schoolmates collected money and bought him school supplies, notebooks, and all kinds of different clothes (jeans, tops, sweatsuits). They surprised him with these gifts in the school gym.

Change in understanding: This genuine outpouring of concern and kindness changed his understanding. He realized people actually cared about him. His fear and insecurity vanished, and he made new friends that day. He started participating in life by watching his house being rebuilt, not with sadness, but with the company of his new friends.

6. What is the meaning of "My cat was back and so was I"? Had the author gone anywhere? Why does he say that he is also back?
Answer:
Meaning: "My cat was back and so was I" means that just as his cat had physically returned, the author had emotionally returned to a state of normalcy and happiness.

Did he go anywhere? No, the author had not gone anywhere physically.

Why he says he is back: He says this because after the fire, he felt dead inside—depressed, insecure, and isolated (like a "zombie"). The return of his cat, along with the kindness of his new friends, restored his gratitude for life. He no longer felt lost; he felt "whole" again.

TALK ABOUT IT

Have any of your classmates/schoolmates had an experience like the one described in the story where they needed help? Describe how they were helped.
Answer:
(This is a discussion-based question. Here is a sample answer you can use):
Yes, one of my classmates once lost his school bag and all his books were stolen. He was very worried because exams were approaching and he couldn't afford to buy a new set immediately.

How he was helped:
Our class teacher explained the situation to the class. Everyone decided to contribute a small amount of money from their pocket money. Within two days, we collected enough to buy him a new bag and a full set of textbooks. Some seniors even donated their old reference books. He was very relieved and thanked everyone for their support.