Question a. Who is Todd? What kind of relationship exists between Todd and the narrator?
Answer a. In the story “My Lost Dollar” by Stephen Leacock, Todd has introduced it as a friend of the narrator. He is a major in the army and a member of the University Club of Montreal. Major Todd shares an intimate relationship with the narrator. He is a close acquaintance of the narrator who borrows a dollar from him to pay the taxi fare as he is about to leave for Bermuda.
Question b. When and why did Todd borrow a dollar from the narrator? How much time has passed since then?
Answer b.When and why did Todd borrow a dollar from the narrator? How much time has passed since then? Ans: major Todd borrowed a dollar from the narrator to pay his taxi fare because he did not have any chance with him. One year has passed since he has borrowed the dollar from the narrator.
Question c. Why has Todd failed to return the loan? What does it tell us about him??
Answer a.Todd was about to leave for Bermuda who did not have the change to pay the taxi fare. Therefore he borrowed a dollar from the narrator.T odd has failed to return the loan because of his nature of forgetfulness. This event about Todd tells us that he is a careless and forgetful man.
Question d- Give the meaning of :
1-It will make no difference.
Ans a. The given line has been taken from the short story “My Lost Dollar” by Stephen Leacock. In the given line the word ‘it’ meant the event of a dollar that was borrowed by the narrator’s friend Todd and still not returned to him will not make any difference to their friendship.
2-I carry the recollection of it to the grave.
Ans a. Ans: The given line has been taken from the short story “My Lost Dollar” by Stephen Leacock. In the given line the narrator meant that he will carry the amount of money borrowed from him along with the borrower who did not return it to his death.
Question e- As far as the memory is concerned, how do the borrowers differ from the lenders? Give an example from the story to support your opinion.
Ans e.The human memory has been created in such a manner that in the case of lenders the mind remembers it firmly whereas in the case of borrowers it diminishes with time.
The story “My Lost Dollar” is based on the theme of memory of lenders and borrowers. The narrator of the story narrates about the event in which his friend Todd borrows a dollar from him and forgets to return it.
Question f- Relying on what is said in the story, does the narrator have any hope of being paid back? Why?
Answer f. No, the narrator doesn’t have any hope of getting the money back because whenever the narrator met with his friend, Todd the dollar did not come into the mind of him that he had borrowed from the narrator. Sometimes the narrator tried to remind his friend about the dollar indirectly but Todd did not pay any attention to it.
2.”Todd came back within three weeks …………But he answered, “No let’s walk.”
Ans a.Major Todd, the close friend of the narrator was on his tour to Hamilton, Bermuda.
Todd wrote to the narrator in the letter about the weather conditions about the place especially the temperature. Bermuda used to experience extreme temperatures that used to reach near about a hundred degrees centigrade.
b- b-Why has the narrator gone to receive Todd at the railway station? What does this incident tell us about the character of the narrator?
Ans b.The narrator has gone to the railway station to receive his friend Todd who was returning from his tour. The narrator felt that Todd may feel happy to see him waiting for him at the station after being away for three weeks.
The benevolent act of receiving the friend by narrator reflects that he used to pay importance to a friendship that is rare in today’s world. Also, it delineates that the narrator used to do that stuff which made him happy. This shows the significance of being happy which is also extremely required in this life of stress and anxiety.
c-What kind of friendship was there between Todd and the narrator?
Ans c.Todd and the narrator used to share an intimate kind of friendship. They liked each other’s company and therefore, met each other practically every day at the university club of Montreal. Trust and mutual understanding existed between the two.
d- Which club is referred to here? Why does the narrator suggest that they take a taxi?
Ans d.The University Club of Montreal has been referred here where the narrator and his friend Todd used to meet each other daily.
The narrator suggested taking a cab because he was putting efforts to make his friend remember the taxi fare. He indirectly tried to give hint to Todd but It seemed that his dear friend had forgotten everything about the dollar.
a- e-What do the two talk about at the club? What is going on in the narrator’s mind during the conversation?
Ans e.Major Todd and narrator talked about the currency used in Bermuda and whether it is at par with the American dollar or not. The narrator seemed to engage in conversation with his friend but the reality was that the thought of borrowed dollars was ringing his mind at all times.
3-“It took me some time to realise that he had completely forgotten……….that I could forget.”
Ans a. The trip to Bermuda of Major Todd has been referred here in the given extract. The trip lasted for three weeks that was enjoyed by Todd. It is humorous to know that the Major forgot everything about the trip that reflects the forgetfulness nature of him.
b- What does the extract tell us about Todd’s character?
Ans b.The given extract highlights the forgetful and careless demeanour about the narrator as he failed to remember about the dollar borrowed from his friend and every stuff regarding his trip to Bermuda.
c- Give the meaning of :
1- bear Todd no grudge.
Ans: The given clause has been taken from the short story “My Lost Dollar” written by Stephen Leacock. The given clause predominantly means that the narrator does not possess any negative feelings for his friend Todd though he has forgotten to return his dollar.
2- demeanour.
Ans .The word ‘demeanour’ means behaviour or attitude.
d- What does the extract tell us about the narrator’s borrowers? What was the narrator’s attitude towards them?
Ans d.The given extract depicts about the forgetful behaviour of the borrower as he totally fails to recall about the money borrowed as well as the trip to Bermuda.
The narrator’s attitude did not undergo any change though his borrower failed to return the money as they shared a good bond of friendship.
e- What can you conclude from the above extract about the practice of lending and borrowing?
Ans e.The given extract from the story ‘My Lost Dollar” illustrates a dominant fact about the practice of lending and borrowing money in society. In the case of lenders, they remember every detail about the borrowed money whereas the borrower fails to remember about the money borrowed by them that makes a negative impression about them on the lenders as well as the society.
4-“There may be a list of them ……….write their names down on paper.”
Ans a.The word ‘them’ in the given extract of the story “My Lost Dollar” has been referred to as the people to whom the narrator owes some money.
The given phrase predominantly means that the narrator remembers every stuff about the money but he is not going to return them back as people who borrowed from him did not return the money to him while he is alive.
b- What does the narrator’s writing down names in the alphabetical order suggest about him?
Ans b.The act of writing down names in alphabetical order by the narrator that he is serious about repaying the money to his lenders. The narrator is only serious but this does not depict whether he is sure to return the money or not. This portrays the undecided nature of the narrator.
c- Who are the people whom the narrator does not feel it necessary to payback? Why?
Ans c.The people to whom the narrator does not feel to return the money to the lender over a bridge table and the man who lent him thirty cents for a bottle of plain soda in the Detroit Athletic Club last month.
The narrator mentioned the reason regarding the bottle of soda only and has forgotten to mention the reason for the money lent on the bridge table. As per the narrator, nothing is as freshening as the plain soda after a tiring ride across the Canada frontier.
d- What movement does the narrator want to start? What does this plan of his, reveal about the character?
Ans d.The narrator desired to start the Back to Honesty Movement which will call for repayment of all the money borrowed in times of need. This statement of the narrator reveals that he is meek and eccentric.
e- State briefly how far the title of the story is appropriate.
Ans e.The title of the short story “My Lost Dollar” is quite appropriate as the entire story revolves around a dollar borrowed from the narrator by his dear friend. The friend fails to return the amount of borrowed money back and the narrator also considers that his dollar is lost forever.
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