Where was it most likely that the two girls would find work after school ?
They were most likely to find work in a biscuit factory. They had already been earmarked for it. It was also possible that they could get work in some shop.
What were the options that Sophie was dreaming of ? Why does Jansie discourage her from having such dreams ?
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Sophie was dreaming so many things in her life. What were they ?
She was dreaming of buying a boutique. She also dreamt to be an actress or a fashion designer. She dreamt that she could be a manager to begin with. But Jansie had her feet on the ground. She knew Sophie belonged to a poor family and all her plans were nothing but imaginary dreams.
What were Sophie’s plans after school ?
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What was Sophie’s ambition in life ? How did she hope to achieve that ?
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What was Sophie’s first choice of job after completing her school ? How did she hope to succeed in her aim ?Sophie planned to have a nice boutique in the city. She wanted it to be the best in the city. But Jansie said it would need a lot of money. At this, Sophie said that she would work as a manager until she had saved enough money.
Why did Sophie wriggle when Geoff told the father that she had met Danny Casey ?
Sophie had great fear of her father. She knew he didn’t like her mixing with outsiders. When Geoff told him about her meeting with Danny, the father was very angry. He looked at Sophie in disdain. It was her fear that made Sophie wriggle.
Sophie flits from one dream to another. What trait of her character is brought out by this action ?
Sophie is a highly ambitious girl. She belongs to a poor family. She has no source of any money. Yet she dreams of having the finest boutique in the city. She also wants to become an actress. She says that there is a lot of money in it. This shows that Sophie is a girl who lives in her dreams.
Does Geoff believe what Sophie says about her meeting with Danny Casey ?
No, Geoff doesn’t believe what Sophie says. When Sophie tells about the meeting, he at once says, “It’s never true.” When Sophie insists that she has met him, he asks her, “All right, what does he look like ?” These words clearly show that Geoff very much doubts what Sophie says.
How does Sophie’s father react when he learns of Sophie’s meeting with Danny Casey ? Does he believe her story ?
The father is very angry to learn that Sophie has met Danny. He doesn’t believe it to be true. But he expresses his displeasure by looking at her in disdain. Later he says, ‘‘This is another of your wild stories.’’
How does the father react when Sophie says that Danny Casey is going to buy a shop ?
The father doesn’t believe a word of what Sophie says about Danny. When she says that Danny is going to buy a shop, the father says, “This another of your wild stories ?” He further adds, “One of these days, you are going to talk yourself into a load of trouble.”
What did Sophie imagine about her meeting with Danny Casey ?
Sophie imagines that she has met Danny Casey who was a very famous Irish league player. She imagines she met him at a shop, and the two had a lot of intimate talk. She even imagines that Danny has promised to meet her alone.
What secret does Sophie tell her brother about her meeting with Danny Casey in the arcade ?
Sophie tells her brother that she had asked Danny Casey for an autograph. But neither of them had any paper or a pen. So they just talked a bit. And just as he was leaving, he offered to meet her the coming week.
Why didn’t Sophie want Jansie to know about her meeting with Danny Casey ?
She feared that if Jansie knew the story, the whole neighbourhood would also come to know of it. Then thousands of people would flock to her house to know what the thing was all about. And when her father saw all this, he could then be very angry with her and even murder her.
Which was the only occasion when Sophie got to see Danny Casey in person ?
United was playing a match on Saturday. Sophie, with her father and brothers, went to see the match. Sophie sat near the goal. She saw how Danny scored a brilliant goal for his team. It was the only occasion when she saw him in person.
Write a character-sketch of Jansie.
Jansie is a practical girl. She has no false dreams. She is quite wise and sensible. She gives Sophie a very sincere advice. Like a true friend, she promises to keep Sophie’s meeting with Danny a secret, though she doesn’t quite believe it.
Why did Jansie discourage Sophie from having dreams ?
Jansie had her feet on the ground. She knew Sophie was from a middle-class family and all her dreams were nothing but sweet imaginations. So she discouraged her from having such dreams.
Why was Sophie jealous of her brother Geoff’s silence ?
Sophie used to think that her brother had seen a lot of places while she had hardly seen any. But her brother would never talk to her freely about his outdoor exploits. That was why she felt jealous of his silence.
What thoughts come to Sophie’s mind as she sits by the canal ?
Sitting by the canal, Sophie keeps waiting for Danny. In her heart of hearts, she knows that he won’t come, yet she keeps waiting for him. At last, she begins to feel sad and leaves the place. She feels broken-hearted. She also has a fear in her mind that she will become a butt of ridicule in the neighbourhood.
Did Geoff keep his promise to Sophie ? How do you know ?
Sophie had asked her brother Geoff not to tell anyone about how Danny Casey had shown interest in her. But later when Jansie met Sophie, she said, ‘‘Your Geoff told our Frank you met Danny Casey.’’ Thus we know that Geoff had not kept his promise.
‘‘Damn that Geoff, this was a Geoff thing not a Jansie thing.’’ Why did Sophie say so ?
Sophie had told her brother Geoff that she had met Danny Casey, the famous league player. Geoff talked of it to Frank who was Jansie’s brother. And then Jansie came to know of it from her brother. Sophie had meant it to be a secret between her and Geoff. She is angry when she comes to know that Jansie, too, had come to know of it. That is why she says, ‘‘Damn that Geoff, this was a Geoff thing not a Jansie thing.’’
Why is Jansie so critical of Sophie ?
Sophie is a highly ambitious girl. She belongs to a poor family and has no source of money. Yet she dreams of having the finest boutique in the city. She also dreams of becoming a fashion designer or an actress. Jansie doesn’t want her friend to have false ambitions.
Why is Sophie attracted to Danny Casey ?
Sophie is a highly ambitious girl. She belongs to a poor family but she dreams of big things. She lives in her fantasies. This is the reason that she is attracted to Danny Casey who is a famous Irish player. She is an ordinary girl but she dreams of remaining with Danny Casey.
Attempt a character-sketch of Sophie as a girl who lives in her dreams.
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Contrast Sophie’s real world with her fantasies.
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Sophie lives in a world of dreams which she does not know she cannot realize. Comment.
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Maintaining a balance between one’s fantasies and the real world is the key to the survival. Give your opinion on Sophie’s character in the light of the above statement.
Sophie is a highly ambitious girl. She belongs to a poor family. She has no source of any money. Yet she dreams of having the finest boutique in the city. Her friend Jansie tells her that it would take her a long time to save that much money. At this, Sophie says that she will become a manager to begin with. She never stops to think who will take her as a manager straight off. Then she says she will become an actress. There is a lot of money in it. She will run the boutique side by side because actresses don’t work full time. She even thinks of becoming a fashion designer. Such a girl is bound to meet disappointment when she falls back to the ground of reality. And all this happens when her fantasy about Danny Casey breaks in the end. One should maintain a fine balance between one’s fantasies and the actual world. This is the key to the survival.
What idea do you form of Sophie’s friend, Jansie, from the story ?
Jansie is Sophie’s classmate. They are fast friends. They go to school together. In a short while, they are going to leave school. Both of them have been earmarked for the biscuit factory. Jansie is a practical girl. She has no false dreams. She is quite wise and sensible. She tries to make Sophie give up her false ambitions. Sophie talks of her plan to buy a boutique. At this, Jansie says that it will take her long to save that much money. Sophie says she will become a manager to begin with. But Jansie knows that no one will take her as a manager straight off. Thus we see that there is a difference of poles between the two friends. Jansie knows that Sophie’s story about Danny Casey is also one of her dreams. When Sophie says that she has met Danny, Jansie says bluntly, “You never did.” But she is a true friend. She starts believing when Sophie insists with her story. She says that it is meant to be a secret. Then like a true friend, Jansie says, “You can trust me, Soaf, you know that.”
How would you describe the character and temperament of Sophie’s father ?
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Describe the character of Sophie’s father and the role played by him.
Sophie’s father seems to be a carefree person. He belonged to the labour class. He has only an old bicycle. But he often goes to the pub to enjoy himself. He is fond of watching football matches also. His manner of eating the pie also shows that he has rough eating manners. However, he understands well the nature of his daughter, Sophie. He knows that she makes up wild stories to impress others. When he is told that Sophie has met Danny Casey, he looks at her in disdain. He ignores her completely and continues watching the television. But when Sophie insists with her story of Danny, he loses his temper. He says, “This another of your wild stories ? .......... One of these days, you are going to talk yourself into a load of trouble.” And we know that the old man’s estimate proves quite true in the end.
What estimate do you form of Geoff’s character from the story ?
Geoff is Sophie’s brother. He is the only one in the family with whom Sophie seems to be intimate. But he does not take her seriously. He does not believe many of the stories she tells him. When she tells him that she has met Danny Casey, he at once says, “It is never true.” However, he loves her as a sister. He takes her side when their father gets angry with her. Geoff does not talk much. He likes being with himself only. He does not talk to anyone about what he does or where he goes. We only know that he is an apprentice mechanic. He travels to his work each day to the far side of the city. Sophie feels irritated by her brother’s silence. She wants to talk to him and share her secrets with him. She also wants him to take her out on his motorcycle and show her the places she has never seen. But Geoff never opens up to her.
It is good to dream big, but one must have concrete plans and determination to turn dreams into reality. Comment.
To dream big is not bad. It’s good to dream big. But simply having a dream is not enough. One’s dream or goal must be clear-cut and realistic. One must have concrete plans, determination and fire in the belly to turn dreams into reality. Until the dream has been realized, one should not sit idle. In the words of Dr A. P. J. Abdul Kalam, “Dreams are not which we see while sleeping, dreams are those which don’t let us sleep.” In the story, ‘Going Places’, we see that Sophie is a highly ambitious girl. She belongs to a poor family. She has no source of any money. Yet she dreams of having the finest boutique in the city. Here the dream is unrealistic and is not supported by concrete plans. Such a person is bound to meet disappointment when he / she falls back to the ground of reality. One should maintain a fine balance between one’s dreams, fantasies and the actual world.
Jansie is just as old as Sophie, but she is very different from her. Bring out the contrast between the two friends, citing relevant instances from the story, ‘Going Places
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In one’s approach to life, one should be practical and not live in a world of dreams. How is Jansie’s attitude different from that of Sophie ?
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How are Jansie and Sophie different from each other ?
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Compare and contrast Sophie and Jansie, highlighting their temperament and aspirations.
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What was Sophie’s dream ? How was it unrealistic ? How was she different from Jansie ?
Sophie and Jansie are classmates and friends. But they are poles apart in their character and temperament. Both of them belong to poor families. But Sophie is very ambitious. She has no source of any money. But she plans to have the finest boutique in the city. Jansie reminds her that it will take her long to save that much money. At this, Sophie says she will become a manager to begin with. But she has no idea who will make her a manager straight off. On the other hand, Jansie is a very practical girl. She has her feet on the ground. She has no false ambitions. She is a straightforward girl. When Sophie tells her about her meeting with Danny Casey, she at once says, ‘‘You never did.” However, she is a true friend. Sophie says that her meeting with Danny was meant to be a secret. At this Jansie says, “You can trust me, Soaf, you know that.”
What did Sophie tell her father and her brother about her ‘meeting’ with Danny Casey ? How did each of them react ?
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Has Sophie met Danny Casey ? What details of her meeting with Danny Casey did she narrate to her brother ?
Sophie did not tell her father directly about her meeting with Danny Casey. He came to know about it through Geoff. On coming to know about her meeting with Danny Casey, he looked at her in disdain. But when Sophie insisted with her story of Danny, he lost his temper and said, “This another of your wild stories ? ......... One of these days, you are going to talk yourself into a load of trouble.” His reaction made Sophie wriggle. And when she told Geoff about her meeting with Danny Casey at a fashion shop, he at once said, “It is never true.” He again asked her how he looked in order to confirm his doubt. This shows clearly that Geoff very much doubted what his sister, Sophie, said.
What are Sophie’s dreams ? How are they unrealistic ? What is her family’s reaction to them ?
Sophie dreams of owning the finest boutique in the city. She also dreams to be an actress or a fashion designer. She dreams that she can be a manager to begin with. All of these dreams of hers are unrealistic since she belongs to a poor family. To open the finest boutique, a lot of money is required and she doesn’t have any source of money. She never stops to think who will appoint her as a manager straight off. Such a girl is bound to meet disappointment on falling back to the ground of reality. When her father comes to know about her meeting with Danny Casey, he looks at her with disdain. Her brother Geoff also doesn’t believe her.
What socio-economic background did Sophie belong to ? What are the indicators of her family’s financial status ?
Sophie belongs to a lower middle-class family. We can say that they are a poor family. They live in a small house. It is smoky and untidy. There is a heap of dirty washing in a corner. They have no servant. The mother has to do all the household work. The father has only an old bicycle. He seems to be quite rough in his manners. He often goes to the pub. The son Geoff is three years out of school. Yet, he is only an apprentice mechanic. He travels daily to his work at the far end of the city. The daughter Sophie seems to be a imaginative girl. She has not a penny but dreams of having the best boutique in the city. She has never met Danny, but dreams of being with him. All these are the indicators of the socio-economic background of Sophie’s family.
It is not unusual for a lower-middle-class girl to dream big. How unrealistic were Sophie’s dreams ?
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What were Sophie’s plans for her future ? Why would you call her dreams unrealistic ?
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Unrealistic dreams often lead to a great deal of unhappiness. Justify the statement on the basis of the story, ‘Going Places’.
Sophie belongs to a lower-middle-class family, but she is highly ambitious. She dreams big but has no means to realise these dreams. The only thing that lies in store for such souls is despair and disappointment. And that is what happens to Sophie also. She has no money with her, yet she dreams to have the finest boutique in the city. Her friend Jansie tells her that it would take her a long time to save that much money. At this, Sophie says that she will become a manager to begin with. She never stops to think who will take her as a manager straight off. Then she says she will become an actress. There is a lot of money in it. She will run the boutique side by side because actresses don’t work full time. She even thinks of becoming a fashion designer. All this shows what a dreamy girl she is. She has her head in the skies. Such a girl is bound to meet with disappointment when she falls back to the ground of reality. And all this happens when her fantasy about Danny Casey meets the fate of a sandcastle.
Teachers always advise their students to dream big. Yet, the same teachers in your classrooms find fault with Sophie when she dreams. What is wrong with Sophie’s dreams?
It is true that teachers advise their students to dream big, but they never advise them to live in a fool’s paradise. While dreaming, we should keep our feet firmly on the ground. What is the use of dreaming that we have grown wings and have started flying in the air ? This is what Sophie does and when she wakes up from her dream, she finds herself fallen flat on the hard ground, and all her airy-fairy castles gone with the wind. She belongs to a lower-middle-class family, but she is highly ambitious. She dreams big, but has no means to realise these dreams. She has no money with her, yet she dreams to have the finest boutique in the city. Her friend, Jansie, tells her that it would take her a long time to save that much money. At this, Sophie says that she will become a manager to begin with. She never stops to think who will take her as a manager straight off. Then she says she will become an actress. She even thinks of becoming a fashion designer. All this shows what a dreamy girl she is. The fate she meets in the end doesn’t come as a surprise to the reader.
Every teenager has a hero / heroine to admire. So many times, they become role models for them. What is wrong if Sophie fantasises about Danny Casey and is ambitious in life ?
Every teenager has a hero / heroine to admire, and looks upon him / her as a role model. There is nothing wrong about it. But the way Sophie fantasises about Danny Casey is definitely wrong. There is nothing wrong in being ambitious, but the way Sophie is ambitious, is definitely wrong. The wrong with her is that her dreams and her ambition are far removed from reality. She belongs to a lower-middle-class family, but she is highly ambitious. She dreams big, but has no means to realise these dreams. She has no money with her, yet she dreams to have the finest boutique in the city. Her friend, Jansie, tells her that it would take her a long time to save that much money. At this, Sophie says that she will become a manager to begin with. She never stops to think who will take her as a manager straight off. Then she says she will become an actress. She even thinks of becoming a fashion designer. All this shows what a dreamy girl she is. The fate she meets in the end doesn’t come as a surprise to the reader.
