Class 10 English Notes Chapter 8 (The Hack Driver) – Foot Prints Without Feet Supp. Reader Book

Alright class, let's delve into Chapter 8, "The Hack Driver" by Sinclair Lewis. This is an interesting story, often enjoyed for its humour, but it holds important lessons about perception, naivety, and the difference between appearance and reality – crucial points for your exam preparation.

Chapter 8: The Hack Driver - Detailed Notes

1. Introduction & Narrator's Task:

• Author: Sinclair Lewis (Remembering the author can sometimes fetch marks).
• Narrator: A young, junior assistant clerk in a city law firm. He dislikes his job, especially serving summons, finding it unpleasant and sometimes dangerous.
• Assignment: He is sent to a country town called New Mullion to serve summons on a man named Oliver Lutkins.
• Purpose of Summons: Lutkins is needed as a witness in a law case. He has been ignoring all letters from the firm.
• Narrator's Initial Impression of New Mullion: He finds the town disappointing upon arrival – muddy streets, wooden shops, looking dull and drab. He romanticized country life, but the reality seems underwhelming initially.

2. Meeting the Hack Driver (Bill Magnuson):

• First Encounter: At the station, the narrator meets a cheerful, friendly, red-faced, middle-aged man driving a hack (a horse-drawn carriage for hire).
• The Offer: The narrator explains his purpose – finding Oliver Lutkins. The hack driver immediately claims to know Lutkins and offers his services (and his hack) to help find him, charging two dollars an hour.
• Building Trust: The hack driver introduces himself as Bill Magnuson. He is very talkative, open, and seems genuinely helpful. He quickly gains the narrator's confidence. The narrator is charmed by Bill's apparent simplicity, friendliness, and wisdom about country life.

3. The "Search" for Oliver Lutkins:

• Bill's Strategy: Bill (who is actually Lutkins) takes the narrator on a tour of the town, claiming to look for Lutkins in all his usual haunts. This is a deliberate deception.
• Places Visited:
  • Fritz's: Bill suggests Lutkins might be playing poker in the back. Fritz confirms Lutkins was there a little while ago but left.
  • Gustaff's Barber Shop: They go there next. The barber (Gustaff) and another customer confirm Lutkins was just there and likely went to Gray's barber shop.
  • Gray's Barber Shop: They are told Lutkins just left, probably for the poolroom.
  • Poolroom: Lutkins had apparently just bought cigarettes and left.
• Narrator's Perception: Throughout this "search," the narrator is increasingly impressed by Bill's helpfulness, his knowledge of the townspeople, and the seemingly friendly, cooperative nature of the villagers. He starts to admire New Mullion and its people, contrasting it favorably with the city. He enjoys Bill's company and commentary.
• Lunch: Bill arranges lunch from his wife (at a cost to the narrator), and they eat on Wade's Hill, enjoying the view. Bill continues to charm the narrator with his insights into country life and people.

4. Visiting Lutkins' Mother:

• The Plan: Bill suggests Lutkins might have gone to his mother's farm, three miles north. He warns the narrator that Lutkins' mother is a terrifying woman ("she's nine feet tall and four feet thick").
• The Encounter: They reach the farm. Bill goes in first. Lutkins' mother confronts them fiercely, armed with an iron rod from the stove, denying Lutkins is there and threatening them. Bill cleverly plays the role of being scared alongside the narrator.
• Reinforcing the Deception: This encounter further solidifies the narrator's belief in Bill's story and makes Lutkins seem even more elusive and difficult.

5. Return and Failure:

• Time Runs Out: By late afternoon, they haven't found Lutkins. The narrator has to catch the train back to the city.
• Narrator's Feelings: Despite failing the mission, the narrator isn't upset. He feels he has had a wonderful day, enjoyed Bill's company immensely, and found a new appreciation for country life and people. He even considers leaving his job to practice law in New Mullion. He sees Bill as a wise, kind, and helpful friend.

6. The Revelation:

• Back at the Firm: The narrator faces his angry boss for failing to serve the summons.
• Second Attempt: The firm sends the narrator back to New Mullion the next day, but this time with a colleague who knows Oliver Lutkins by sight.
• The Truth: As they arrive at the station, the narrator proudly points out the helpful hack driver, Bill, to his colleague. The colleague immediately identifies him: "That fellow? He's Lutkins!"
• The Climax: The narrator is shocked and embarrassed. Lutkins and his mother laugh at him, treating him like a naive boy. It becomes clear that Bill (Lutkins) and the entire town (Fritz, Gustaff, Gray, etc.) were in on the joke, enjoying fooling the city lawyer.

7. Themes:

• Appearance vs. Reality: The central theme. Bill appears friendly and helpful but is deceptive. New Mullion appears simple but harbors collective cunning.
• Naivety and Gullibility: The narrator is easily fooled due to his romantic notions about the countryside and his trusting nature.
• City vs. Country Life: The story contrasts the narrator's idealized view of the country with the reality he encounters (both the initial drabness and the later deception). It subtly questions stereotypes about simple country folk and shrewd city dwellers.
• Human Judgment: The story highlights how easily first impressions and biases can mislead us.
• Humour and Irony: The situation is deeply ironic (searching for Lutkins with Lutkins) and humorous, mostly at the narrator's expense.

8. Character Analysis:

• The Narrator: Young, educated but inexperienced in worldly matters, naive, romanticizes country life, easily impressed and manipulated, learns a harsh lesson about gullibility.
• Bill Magnuson / Oliver Lutkins: Cunning, manipulative, enjoys playing tricks, a good actor and storyteller, charismatic, seems well-liked or at least tolerated in his community (as they participate in his deception). Represents the shrewdness hidden beneath a simple exterior.

9. Key Takeaways for Exams:

• Remember the narrator's purpose and initial feelings.
• Know the sequence of places visited during the "search."
• Understand Bill's true identity and his manipulative tactics.
• Be clear about the main themes, especially Appearance vs. Reality and Naivety.
• Recognize the central irony of the plot.
• Understand the narrator's final realization and embarrassment.

Multiple Choice Questions (MCQs):

1. Why was the narrator sent to New Mullion?
   a) To investigate a crime
   b) To serve summons on Oliver Lutkins
   c) To buy property for his law firm
   d) To take a vacation

2. What was the narrator's initial impression of New Mullion?
   a) Charming and picturesque
   b) Bustling and modern
   c) Dull, muddy, and disappointing
   d) Mysterious and frightening

3. The hack driver the narrator hired introduced himself as:
   a) Oliver Lutkins
   b) Fritz Magnuson
   c) Bill Magnuson
   d) Gustaff Peterson

4. Oliver Lutkins was needed as a:
   a) Defendant in a case
   b) Plaintiff in a case
   c) Juror in a case
   d) Witness in a case

5. Which of these places did Bill not take the narrator to look for Lutkins?
   a) Fritz's shop
   b) Gustaff's barber shop
   c) The Post Office
   d) The Poolroom

6. How did the narrator feel about the hack driver during most of his first visit?
   a) Suspicious and wary
   b) Annoyed and impatient
   c) Charmed and impressed
   d) Indifferent and bored

7. What "weapon" did Lutkins' mother threaten the narrator and Bill with?
   a) A shotgun
   b) A pitchfork
   c) An iron rod from the stove
   d) A rolling pin

8. The central irony of the story is that the narrator:
   a) Hated country life even more after the visit.
   b) Spent the day searching for Lutkins with Lutkins himself.
   c) Decided to quit his job immediately.
   d) Managed to serve the summons despite Bill's interference.

9. Who finally revealed the hack driver's true identity to the narrator?
   a) Fritz, the shop owner
   b) Lutkins' mother
   c) The narrator's colleague from the firm
   d) Bill confessed at the end

10. The story primarily highlights the narrator's:
    a) Bravery
    b) Legal expertise
    c) Gullibility
    d) Dislike for his boss

Answer Key:

1. b
2. c
3. c
4. d
5. c
6. c
7. c
8. b
9. c
10. c

Study these notes carefully, focusing on the plot progression, character traits, and underlying themes. Understanding the irony is key to appreciating the story fully. Good luck with your preparation!