Class 11 English Notes Chapter 2 (Short Stories – A Pair of Mustachios) – Woven Words Book

Detailed Notes with MCQs of the second short story in your 'Woven Words' book, "A Pair of Mustachios" by Mulk Raj Anand. This story is deceptively simple but carries significant weight, especially concerning social structures and human vanity, making it important for your understanding and potentially for competitive exams.

Here are the detailed notes:

A Pair of Mustachios by Mulk Raj Anand: Detailed Notes

1. About the Author: Mulk Raj Anand (1905-2004)

• A prominent Indian writer in English, known for his realistic and sympathetic portrayal of the lives of the poorer castes and classes in traditional Indian society.
• Often focused on themes of social injustice, exploitation, poverty, and the impact of the caste system.
• His notable works include 'Untouchable', 'Coolie', and 'Two Leaves and a Bud'.
• His writing style is characterized by social realism and often carries a strong element of social critique.

2. Setting and Context:

• The story is set in a small town or village in India, likely during a period when traditional feudal hierarchies were still influential, though perhaps beginning to erode due to changing economic structures (post-independence era or late colonial period).
• It reflects a society deeply conscious of caste, class, and the outward symbols associated with social status.

3. Characters:

• Seth Ramanand: A prosperous grocer and moneylender. He belongs to the Vaishya (merchant/bania) caste/class. He represents the newly affluent commercial class, pragmatic but also susceptible to social pressures regarding honour. Initially, his upturned mustache is a sign of his prosperity and perhaps a subconscious challenge to the old order.
• Khan Azam Khan: A descendant of an old, aristocratic Pathan family. He is impoverished but fiercely proud of his lineage and the associated symbols of honour. He represents the declining feudal aristocracy, clinging desperately to past glory and its symbols, even in poverty. His "lion" mustache is a symbol of his perceived high status.
• Narrator: An observer who recounts the incident, providing context and commentary on the characters' behaviour and the underlying social dynamics.

4. Plot Summary:

• The story revolves around a confrontation between Seth Ramanand and Khan Azam Khan over the style of their mustachios.
• Ramanand, the grocer, sports an upturned mustache, described as resembling a "tiger's".
• Khan Azam Khan, the impoverished aristocrat, takes offense, believing that only someone of noble birth (like himself, with his "lion" mustache) has the right to wear such a proud, upturned style. He feels Ramanand, being a mere grocer, is transgressing social boundaries.
• Khan confronts Ramanand, demanding he lower his mustachios as they are an affront to Khan's honour and lineage.
• Ramanand initially resists, arguing that in independent India (or a changing society), anyone can wear any style. He sees it as a matter of personal choice reflecting his own standing achieved through wealth.
• Khan, unable to physically force Ramanand or pay him off conventionally, resorts to a dramatic gesture rooted in feudal honour. He offers his valuable possessions – first a family ring, then his wife's gold nose-ring – essentially as 'payment' for the insult Ramanand's mustache represents and as compensation for Ramanand lowering it.
• The pressure of this 'honourable' transaction, combined with the underlying social weight Khan represents (despite his poverty), forces Ramanand's hand. He reluctantly agrees to lower his mustachios, first one side, then the other.
• Khan walks away, having preserved his 'honour' and upheld the symbolic social order in his own mind, despite his penury. Ramanand is left materially richer (by acquiring the valuables) but symbolically defeated and perhaps slightly humiliated.

5. Themes:

• False Pride and Vanity: Both characters exhibit pride, but Khan's is based on lineage (which is now economically defunct), while Ramanand's is based on wealth (which is socially new). Khan's pride is portrayed as particularly hollow and obsessive.
• Caste and Class Conflict: The central conflict is a direct result of the rigid social hierarchy. The story highlights the tension between the declining aristocracy (Khan) and the rising merchant class (Ramanand).
• Social Hierarchy and Symbols: The mustachios serve as a potent symbol of social status, honour, masculinity, and tradition. The specific style dictates one's place in the social order, according to Khan.
• Tradition vs. Modernity: Ramanand's initial resistance represents a move towards modernity where individual achievement (wealth) might dictate status, while Khan embodies clinging to outdated traditions and birthright.
• Poverty and Honour: Khan's desperate attempt to maintain his honour despite his extreme poverty is a key element. He sacrifices his last material possessions for a symbolic victory.
• Social Change and Resistance: The story subtly explores the dynamics of social change, where old power structures resist yielding to new economic realities. Ramanand's eventual submission shows the enduring power of traditional social norms.

6. Symbolism:

• The Mustachios: The central symbol.
  • Khan's "Lion" Mustache: Represents aristocratic lineage, inherited status, pride, and traditional authority.
  • Ramanand's "Tiger" Mustache (initially): Represents acquired wealth, the rising power of the merchant class, and a potential challenge to the old order.
  • Lowering the Mustache: Symbolizes submission, acceptance of lower social status (in Khan's view), and the defeat of the new money by old honour.
• Khan's Possessions (Ring, Nose-ring): Symbolize the last vestiges of his family's former wealth and status, sacrificed at the altar of pride.

7. Tone and Style:

• Satirical: Anand uses satire to critique the absurdity of clinging to outdated social hierarchies and the vanity associated with symbols of status.
• Ironic: There is irony in the fact that the impoverished Khan dictates terms to the wealthy Ramanand over a matter of appearance. The 'victory' Khan achieves is purely symbolic and leaves him materially worse off.
• Realistic: Despite the slightly exaggerated scenario, the underlying social dynamics and attitudes depicted are rooted in the realities of Indian society.

8. Significance for Exams:

• Understand the symbolic significance of the mustachios.
• Analyze the characters of Khan Azam Khan and Seth Ramanand as representatives of conflicting social classes/values.
• Identify and explain the major themes, particularly pride, social hierarchy, and tradition vs. modernity.
• Be aware of the author's critique of the social system.
• Note the use of satire and irony.

Multiple Choice Questions (MCQs):

1. Who is the author of the short story "A Pair of Mustachios"?
   a) R.K. Narayan
   b) Khushwant Singh
   c) Mulk Raj Anand
   d) Vikram Seth

2. What is Seth Ramanand's profession in the story?
   a) Landlord
   b) Farmer
   c) Grocer and Moneylender
   d) Priest

3. What is the central point of conflict between Ramanand and Khan Azam Khan?
   a) A property dispute
   b) A debt owed by Khan
   c) The style of Ramanand's mustachios
   d) Religious differences

4. Khan Azam Khan belongs to which social group?
   a) The rising merchant class
   b) The impoverished peasantry
   c) The declining aristocracy
   d) The working class

5. What does Khan Azam Khan believe the upturned mustache signifies?
   a) Modern fashion
   b) Poverty and humility
   c) Aristocratic status and honour
   d) Commercial success

6. What does Khan Azam Khan offer Ramanand in exchange for lowering his mustachios?
   a) A verbal apology
   b) Land
   c) A family ring and his wife's nose-ring
   d) Future favours

7. What does Ramanand's initial resistance to lowering his mustachios represent?
   a) His deep respect for Khan
   b) His belief in traditional hierarchy
   c) His assertion of status based on wealth and changing times
   d) His fear of physical confrontation

8. The story primarily critiques:
   a) The British colonial rule
   b) The vanity associated with social status and outdated hierarchies
   c) The dishonesty of moneylenders
   d) The struggles of industrial workers

9. What is the dominant tone of the story?
   a) Romantic
   b) Tragic
   c) Satirical and Ironic
   d) Nostalgic

10. What does the final act of Ramanand lowering his mustachios symbolize?
    a) His victory over Khan
    b) His indifference to social norms
    c) The triumph of wealth over tradition
    d) His submission to the pressure of traditional honour, despite his wealth

Answer Key:

1. c) Mulk Raj Anand
2. c) Grocer and Moneylender
3. c) The style of Ramanand's mustachios
4. c) The declining aristocracy
5. c) Aristocratic status and honour
6. c) A family ring and his wife's nose-ring
7. c) His assertion of status based on wealth and changing times
8. b) The vanity associated with social status and outdated hierarchies
9. c) Satirical and Ironic
10. d) His submission to the pressure of traditional honour, despite his wealth

Study these notes carefully. Focus on the interplay between the characters, the symbolism, and the underlying social commentary. Mulk Raj Anand often packed deep meaning into seemingly simple interactions. Let me know if any part needs further clarification.