The Champaran episode was a turning point in Gandhiji’s life. Elucidate. [CBSE (AI) 2013]

Question: The Champaran episode was a turning point in Gandhiji’s life. Elucidate. [CBSE (AI) 2013]

Answer: Before the Champaran episode, Gandhiji was not aware of the reality of the peasants of his motherland. On the insistence of Rajkumar Shukla, a sharecropper, Gandhiji went to Champaran and saw the miserable condition of the poor illiterate farmers. It was an eye-opener for him. The Britishers exploited the farmers to grow indigo. When it was not needed, they had to render compensation in order to be freed from the old agreement. Gandhiji was shocked to see them going to the court. He gathered them. This was the first step to free them from their fear of the British. The officials felt powerless without Gandhiji’s co-operation. He made them realise that the power of the British could be challenged by India were The peasants were made to realise they too had rights. The British landlords left the estate to the peasants and returned to their land after some time, thus ending indigo sharecropping. Through the Champaran episode, he made it clear to the British that they could not order Indians in their own country and through his personal example taught masses to be self-reliant and motivated them into civil disobedience.

More Question-

1. What ideology does Aunt Jennifer’s poem propound?
2. Greed is the greatest evil force that has tempted man into doing a lot of misdeeds
3. How can we transform and clean an evil-doing person? Give example from the story
4. Have you known/heard of an episode where a good deed or an act of kindness has changed a person’s view of the world?
5. The story ‘The Rattrap’ focuses on human loneliness and the need to bond with others. Explain
6. The story also focuses on human loneliness and the need to bond with others
7. Why did the crofter repose confidence in the peddler? How did the peddler betray that and with what consequences?
8. How did the peddler betray the confidence reposed in him by the crofter in ‘The Rattrap’?
9. Edla proved to be much more persuasive than her father while dealing with the peddler. Comment.
10. The peddler declined the invitation of the ironmaster but accepted the one from Edla. Why?
11. Describe the peddler’s meeting with the ironmaster. Why did he decline his invitation?
12. Attempt a character sketch of the peddler in the story ‘The Rattrap’
13. The peddler enjoys the sympathy of readers right from the beginning of the story. Draw a character sketch of the peddler justifying the sympathy he generates among the readers.
14. Do you think the title ‘The Rattrap’ is appropriate? Give examples from the text in support of your view
15. Describe the events which led to the change in the peddler’s way of life
16. 'All' we have to fear is fear itself. When did Douglas learn this lesson?
17. What deep meaning did his experience at the YMCA swimming pool have for Douglas?
18. Mention any two long term consequences of the drowning incident on Douglas
19. How did the instructor turn Douglas into a swimmer?
20. What efforts did Douglas make to get over his fear of water?
21. Why did Douglas go to Lake Wentworth in New Hampshire? How did he make his terror flee?
22. Which factors led Douglas to decide in favour of the Y.M.C.A. pool?
23. Why did Douglas go to Lake Wentworth in New Hampshire?
24. What sort of terror seized Douglas as he went down the water with a yellow glow? How could he feel that he was still alive?
25. When Douglas realised that he was sinking, how did he plan to save himself?