Chapter 5- Best Seller

A newspaper reporter hears of the marriage of Pescud and Jessie. He interviews them and writes an article for the paper entitled: A Modern Romance

Working in groups of four, write the article.

Irony refers to the use of words to convey a meaning that is the opposite of their literal meaning. Working in pairs, bring out the irony in the following:

The name Trevelyan.

Irony refers to the use of words to convey a meaning that is the opposite of their literal meaning. Working in pairs, bring out the irony in the following:

Pescud's claim, “When people in real life marry, they generally hunt up somebody in their own station. A fellow usually picks out a girl who went to the same high-school and belonged to the same singing-society that he did.”

Irony refers to the use of words to convey a meaning that is the opposite of their literal meaning. Working in pairs, bring out the irony in the following:

The title of the story, "The Best seller".

Complete the flow chart in the correct sequence as it happens in the story.

Hint: it begins from the time John Pescud first saw Jessie till the time they marry.

Describe John A. Pescud with reference to the following points:

Physical appearance ............................................................................................

His philosophy on behaviour ...............................................................................

His profession ......................................................................................................

His first impression of his wife ...........................................................................

His success ..........................................................................................................

John is a hypocrite. Do you agree with this statement? Substantiate your answer.

Why did John get off at Coketown?

How did John's first meeting with Jessie's father go? What did the author tell him?

What does John say about himself since his last meeting with the author?

What was John A. Pescud's opinion about best sellers? Why?

Who was the passenger of chair No.9? What did he suddenly do?

One day last summer the author was travelling to Pittsburg by chair car. What does he say about his co-passengers?

The narrator says that life has no geographical bounds implying that __________.

(i) human beings are essentially the same everywhere

(ii) boundaries exist only on maps

(iii) one should work towards the good of mankind

(iv) he was happy to travel to other countries

"Bully", said Pescud brightening at once. He means to say that ____________.

(i) he is a bully

(ii) his manager was a bully

(iii) he was being bullied by his co-workers

(iv) he was doing very well at his job

Pescud felt that best-sellers were not realistic as____________.

(i) American farmers had nothing in common with European princesses

(ii) men generally married girls from a similar background

(iii) American men married girls who studied in America

(iv) American men did not know fencing and were beaten by the Swiss guards

The narrator says that John was "______ of the suff that heroes are not often lucky enough to be made of." His tone is sarcastic because __________.

(i) he hated John

(ii) he felt that John was a threat to him

(iii) John was not particularly good-looking

(iv) nobody liked John