BEST SELLERS(Q1.) What was John A. Pescuds opinion about bestsellers? (Ans)Pescud felt that the bestsellers were all alike. According to him, thestories in the so-called bestsellers were a far-cry from reality.

(Q2.) What was Pescuds first impression about his beloved? Was he badly mistaken? (Ans)Pescud initially thought that the girl he was chasing, hailed from a humble background.There is no doubt that he was badly mistaken. This is because Pescud soon discovered that the girl belonged to an aristocratic family.(Q3.) Pescuds father-in-law had a unique habit. What was it and whendid Pescud come to know about it? (Ans)Pescuds father-in-law had the habit of telling stories. Pescuddiscovered this in his very first meeting with the old man.

(Q4.) What happens when Pescud first meets his beloveds father? (Ans)When Pescud first meets his beloveds father, he is rattled. Pescudsays that he comes mighty close near getting cold feet and trying tosell some plate-glass to the girls father.

(Q5.) What was John A. Pescuds philosophy on behavior? (Ans)John believed that one should always be decentand right in ones home town.

(Q6.) What was John A. Pescuds opinion about bestsellers? Why? (Ans)Pescud had an aversion for best-sellers. He felt that the stories in best-sellers were all alike. The stories often had a girl and a boy from two completely different backgrounds which did not normally happen in real life. He felt that in reality, a boy normally courted a girl who was somewhat familiar. He wondered why people bought bestsellers so much despite the fact that they never heard the same stories in real life.

(Q7.) John is a hypocrite. Do you agree with this statement? Substantiate your answer. (Ans)Johns behavior is definitely hypocritical. He openly denounces bestsellers claiming that they are quite unrealistic. He believes that the stories involving a boy and a girl in the so-called bestsellers are a far cry from reality. He tells the narrator that in real life, a boy normally looks for a girl who is somewhat familiar and wonders why people have an affinity for bestsellers. However, when John narrates his love story to the narrator, we come to know that his love story was akin to what was normally written in the best sellers. John marries a girl who is not from her community or native place and who hails from an aristocratic family. This shows that John did not practice what he believed.

(Q8.) 1. 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:a) The title of the story, "The Bestseller". b) Pescuds 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." (Ans)a)The storys title brings out its irony. The character John in the story tells the narrator that in real life, a boy normally looks for a girl who is somewhat familiar. A couple comprising a boy and a girl from two separate communities is a rarity. Yet John says that people have a penchant for books that have such fanciful stories. These books are read so much that they become best- sellers. People read such books despite knowing very well that the same never happens in real life which is really ironical.b)These words said by Pescud sound really ironical once he narrates his own love story. This is because similar to what is written in the so-called best sellers, which Pescud denounces openly, Pescud sees a girl and stalks her right to her house. He meets the girls father and later manages to win her hand. The irony here lies in the fact that Pescud did something totally opposite to what he believed.

(Q9.) Describe John A. Pescud with reference to his Physical appearance. (Ans)John was not that good-looking. The narrator is sarcastic in describing Johns appearance. He first tells us that John had a small, black and bald-spotted head. Later, the narrator sarcastically says that John was of the stuff that heroes are not often lucky enough to be made of. He further discloses that Johns eyes were fixed in one direction.

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