Long Questions and Answers of Jimmy Valentine / William Sidney Porter/ Class IX/

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1.Write a few words about Phoenix. Why was Jimmy compared to a Phoenix?
Ans : Phoenix is a mythological bird. It is believed to be born out of its own ashes. When the birth soars high up in the sky it starts burning and before its ashes fall on the ground a new Phoenix is born.
Jimmy Valentine is the central character of O Henry’s ‘Jimmy Valentine’. He was a notorious safe burglar. He had his own invented tools to crack safe. He was accused of safe cracking in Springfield. He was jailed. Then he came out. Again for his burglary famous detective Ben Price was engaged.
Meanwhile Jimmy reached Elmore. After winning the heart of Miss Annabel, Jimmy got transformed into a pure soul. In Planter’s hotel he registered himself as Ralph D Spencer. Changing his name he forgot his past. He promised not to touch other’s money. He established his own shoe store at Elmore. He wanted to give his valuable tools to his friend Billy. Thus Jimmy Valentine burnt his own identity and earned respect as an honest businessman.

2.’There he tasted the sweet joys of liberty’- Who was ‘he’? Where and how did he taste sweet joys of liberty? Why was it sweet to him? Ans. In the text Jimmy Valentine written by William Sydney Porter, there ‘he’ was Jimmy Valentine who was released from the jail after 10 months imprisonment. After his release from the jail Jimmy headed straight to a restaurant disregarding the song of the birds, the waving green trees and the smell of the flowers. There he tasted his sweet liberty in the form of a broiled chicken and a bottle of white wine. After that he enjoyed smoking with a cigar of superior quality. Jimmy was a fashionable man.But he had to eat whatever was given to him as a prisoner. He had no choice there. So eating something as his heart’s content after his release appeared sweet to him.

3. ‘Guess you are mistaken’ – Who said this to whom? Why did the speaker say this?
Ans- ‘ Guess you are mistaken’ – this line has been taken from Jimmy Valentine written by famous American writer William Sidney Porter. This line was told to Ralph D Spencer (Jimmy Valentine) by the eminent detective Ben Price.
After Jimmy’s arrival in Elmore there was a clear climax in his life. From a notorious safe cracker Jimmy turned into a gentle businessman for the love of Annabel. But for his previous cases Ben Price was engaged behind him. In the the Elmore bank Jimmy’s real identity was exposed before everyone including Ben Price. But noticing Jimmy’s real change Ben Price decided not to arrest him rather he denied it to recognise him.

4.’ That child- she cannot stand in long in there’ – who is referred to here? Why was he/she in danger? How was he /she saved? Ans : In the short story ‘Jimmy Valentine’ taken from’ Roads of destiny’ the younger daughter of Annabel’s elder sister Agatha is referred to here. When the Elmore Bank setup a new safe and vault with patented door and time clock, Mr Adams’ family including Jimmy went to visit it. When the adults were busy in their talks, May trapped Agatha in the vault. The girl was in danger because there was not enough air inside. There was not also a man to unlock the door. At this very crucial moment when everyone was unable to do something, Annabel insisted Ralph to do it. Ralph could not deny the request of his beloved. Though he knew his real identity would be disclosed to everyone, for the shake of the life of the innocent child Agatha he took out his own invested instrument and opened the vault instantly. Thus the girl was saved.

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