Class 9 English Notes Chapter 3 (Iswaran the Storyteller) – Moments Supplimentary Reader Book

Alright class, let's focus on Chapter 3, 'Iswaran the Storyteller' from your 'Moments' book. This story by R.K. Laxman is quite interesting, especially regarding the power of narrative and imagination. For your exam preparation, pay close attention to the characters, Iswaran's unique talent, and the story's climax.

Detailed Notes: Iswaran the Storyteller (Chapter 3)

Author: R.K. Laxman

Setting: Various temporary construction sites where Mahendra is posted (coal mining area, railway bridge construction site, chemical plant). The key events unfold at one such site, described as being built on a former burial ground.

Characters:

1. Mahendra:

   • Profession: Junior supervisor in a firm offering supervisors on hire for construction sites.
   • Lifestyle: Bachelor, simple needs, adjusts easily to odd conditions. His job requires frequent relocation.
   • Personality: Practical, initially skeptical of ghost stories, enjoys listening to Iswaran's tales, relies heavily on Iswaran. Becomes susceptible to fear and suggestion later.
   • Relationship with Iswaran: Views Iswaran more as an asset and companion than just a cook. Listens patiently, sometimes critically, to his stories.

2. Iswaran:

   • Role: Mahendra's cook and domestic help.
   • Skills: Excellent cook (can conjure delicious dishes from basic ingredients), manages household chores efficiently, incredibly loyal and attached to Mahendra.
   • Key Trait: Storytelling:
     • Master storyteller with a vivid imagination.
     • Technique: Highly dramatic, uses voice modulation, facial expressions, hand gestures, pauses for effect, builds suspense masterfully.
     • Content: Often based on real events but heavily embellished and exaggerated for dramatic effect. Reads Tamil thrillers, which influence his style.
     • Examples: The story of the uprooted tree on the highway, the escaped tusker (wild elephant) entering the school grounds and being controlled by him single-handedly (highly improbable).
   • Personality: Resourceful, imaginative, dramatic, loyal, enjoys captivating his audience (Mahendra).

Plot Summary & Key Events:

1. Introduction: We meet Mahendra and learn about his transferable job and his dependence on his cook, Iswaran.
2. Iswaran's Routine & Talents: Description of how Iswaran manages the household, procures vegetables seemingly out of nowhere, cooks delicious meals, and tidies up. His leisure activity involves reading popular Tamil thrillers.
3. Iswaran's Storytelling Prowess: Mahendra highlights Iswaran's amazing ability to narrate stories. He doesn't just tell a story; he performs it, making even mundane incidents seem thrilling.
4. Example Stories:
   • The Uprooted Tree: An anecdote about encountering a fallen tree on a deserted road, initially mistaken for a beast, told with suspense and drama.
   • The Mad Tusker: A highly exaggerated tale where Iswaran claims to have faced a rampaging elephant that had escaped its mahout, entered his school grounds, and caused chaos. He narrates how he, as a young boy, supposedly paralysed the elephant by striking its third toenail (a detail likely borrowed from Japanese martial arts or fiction). Mahendra listens critically but enjoys the performance.
5. The Ghost Story:
   • Setting the Scene: Iswaran informs Mahendra that the current site was once a burial ground and he has seen human skulls.
   • The Tale: He then narrates seeing ghosts, specifically a "horrible ghost of a woman" which appears off and on at midnight during the full moon. He describes it as ugly, with matted hair, a shrivelled face, and holding a foetus in its arms.
   • Mahendra's Reaction: Mahendra initially scolds Iswaran for believing in ghosts and dismisses the story, telling him to get himself checked. However, the story plants a seed of fear.
6. The Climax:
   • Mahendra starts feeling uneasy at night, subconsciously checking the window, unnerved by Iswaran's tale despite his outward dismissal.
   • One night, he hears a low moan near his window. Initially dismissing it as a cat, the sound becomes louder and guttural.
   • Overcoming his fear, he looks out and sees a "dark cloudy form clutching a bundle" – closely resembling Iswaran's description of the female ghost.
   • Terrified, Mahendra breaks into a cold sweat and collapses back onto his pillow.
7. The Resolution:
   • The next morning, Mahendra is shaken. Iswaran greets him cheerfully but then mentions hearing the moan the previous night and seeing Mahendra looking out the window, adding that Mahendra must have seen the ghost himself. He even mentions Mahendra shivering.
   • This confirmation (or perceived confirmation) terrifies Mahendra completely. He doesn't wait; he resolves to leave the place immediately and hands in his resignation papers.

Themes:

• The Power of Storytelling: How narratives can influence perception and evoke strong emotions.
• Imagination vs. Reality: The blurred line between what is real and what is imagined, especially under the influence of a powerful narrative.
• Fear and Superstition: How easily fear can take root, even in a seemingly rational person. The story explores the psychological impact of ghost stories.
• Suggestion: Iswaran's vivid description plants a suggestion in Mahendra's mind, which likely causes him to interpret the night sounds and sights fearfully.
• Companionship and Dependence: The relationship between Mahendra and Iswaran.

Key Takeaways for Exams:

• Remember the specific details of Iswaran's storytelling technique (gestures, voice, suspense).
• Know the details of the tusker story and the ghost story.
• Understand Mahendra's transformation from skeptical listener to terrified believer.
• Consider whether Mahendra actually saw a ghost or if it was his fear and Iswaran's suggestion playing tricks on him. The story leaves this ambiguous.
• Iswaran's role is central – he is not just a cook but the catalyst for the entire climax.

Multiple Choice Questions (MCQs):

1. What was Mahendra's profession?
   a) Construction worker
   b) Junior supervisor
   c) Cook
   d) Teacher

2. Which of these was NOT a skill possessed by Iswaran?
   a) Cooking delicious meals
   b) Tidying up the shed
   c) Narrating captivating stories
   d) Driving Mahendra's jeep

3. What did Iswaran often read in his leisure time?
   a) English adventure novels
   b) Popular Tamil thrillers
   c) Science magazines
   d) History textbooks

4. According to Iswaran's exaggerated story, how did he control the mad tusker?
   a) By shouting loudly at it
   b) By hitting its trunk with a stick
   c) By striking its third toenail
   d) By offering it bananas

5. What specific detail did Iswaran add to make the story of the uprooted tree dramatic?
   a) He claimed it was struck by lightning.
   b) He said it looked like an enormous bushy beast.
   c) He mentioned finding treasure beneath it.
   d) He described seeing ghosts near it.

6. According to Iswaran, the place where Mahendra was currently posted used to be a:
   a) Royal palace
   b) Dense forest
   c) Burial ground
   d) Battlefield

7. What did Iswaran claim the female ghost looked like?
   a) A beautiful woman in white
   b) An old man with a stick
   c) An ugly figure with matted hair, holding a foetus
   d) A skeleton rattling its bones

8. What was Mahendra's initial reaction to Iswaran's ghost story?
   a) He was immediately terrified.
   b) He laughed heartily.
   c) He scolded Iswaran and dismissed it as imagination.
   d) He asked Iswaran for more details.

9. What did Mahendra see (or think he saw) outside his window that terrified him?
   a) Iswaran playing a prank
   b) A large cat making noise
   c) A dark, cloudy form clutching a bundle
   d) The branches of a tree swaying violently

10. What was the final consequence of the ghost incident for Mahendra?
    a) He asked Iswaran to stop telling stories.
    b) He decided to confront the ghost himself.
    c) He resolved to leave the haunted place immediately.
    d) He reported the incident to his company.

Answer Key:

1. b) Junior supervisor
2. d) Driving Mahendra's jeep
3. b) Popular Tamil thrillers
4. c) By striking its third toenail
5. b) He said it looked like an enormous bushy beast.
6. c) Burial ground
7. c) An ugly figure with matted hair, holding a foetus
8. c) He scolded Iswaran and dismissed it as imagination.
9. c) A dark, cloudy form clutching a bundle
10. c) He resolved to leave the haunted place immediately.

Study these notes carefully. Understanding Iswaran's character and the impact of his storytelling is crucial. Good luck with your preparation!