Questions and answers of Karma

Karma broad / long / descriptive important questions and answers for Class - 11th ( WBCHSE and other board )

Q.How far the title of the story Karma justified?

                       OR

Justify the title of the story Karma?

Ans :- Karma is a story about Sir Mohan Lal (Native Indian) who looks down on his fellow countrymen including his wife and embraces the English ways and culture. He had a reservation on everything Everything English like English cigarette, Whiskey, The Times News Paper and clothing. When the train was about to leave two English soldier goes to the cabin the he is occupying and threw him out of the train with his lag-gauge.It may be true that moral-seekers are apt to find Khushwant Singh’s “Karma” a little too predictable, even simplistic. For them, Sir Mohan Lal’s is just another story of pride that goes before a fall. In its widely understood sense, “karma” is “the sum total of the ethical consequences of a person’s good and bad actions . . . that is held in Hinduism and Buddhism to determine his specific destiny in his next existence” (“Karma”). On this count, Lal’s sin of pride is punished when two British soldiers throw him out of a first-class compartment.His wife’s karma, it would seem, enables her to have a safe and comfortable journey in a ladies’ compartment.

Q.Sketch the character of Sir Mohan Lal in your own words.

                         OR

Write a short note on the Character of Sir Mohan Lal.

Ans :- In the short story, "Karma", Khushwant singh has elaborately sketched the character of Sir Mohan Lal and Lachmi,his wife. The character of Sir Mohan Lal is revealed through his thoughts and feelings. When he thinks about his personality and image, he appears snobbish and proud. He calls himself as distinguished, efficient and handsome. He regards Indians as inefficient, dirty and indifferent. This discloses his hypocrisy. Further the author gives the physical description and behavior of the character. He has acquired the manners and attitudes of the upper class, he imitates Englishmen and likes to talk on books politicks and people. He considers his wife as dirty and smelling like any other countryman in India He thinks that being Indian is shameful. This reveals his frivolous nature. He can be called as flat character as he does not change throughout the story.

Q.Sketch the character of Lady Lal in your own words.

                          OR

Write a short note on the character of Lachmi.

Ans :- The character of Lachmi is contrasted with him. It is more authentic. She represents a common Indian. This character is revealed through description. Author describes her as she is more than forty five,fat,fair and short. She wares a dirty white sari with a red border. One side of her nose gistened a diamond ring and she had several gold bangles on her arms. After this physical description author describes her behavior, that she is talkative. She chews betel leaves, eats chapattis with mango pickle. She reflects typical Indian ness trough her dialogues and behavior, hence she is a type or stereotypical character. The minor characters are the coolie,Bill and Jim and the bearer. By this way the characterization is done and it helps the story to proceed further and enables the reader to draw a conclusion.

Q. Comment on the relationship between sir Mohan Lal and his wife.

Ans :- In the story “ Karma” by Khuswant singh, sir Mohan Lal is an Anglicized Indian who is very fond of British in his attitude. On  the otherhand his wife Lachmi is a typical Indian village woman, a housewife.

                   They live in the same house but Sir Mohan in the ground floor and lady Lal in the first floor. They travel in the same train but in different compartment.Sir Mohan has no time to spare for his wife. She is alone.Sir Mohan does not even like her to spend time with her native realtives and they do not visit their house.Lachmi can not speak English and she has no knowledge about the English manners.she does not feel comfortable in their company.Consequently Sir Mohan dislikes her.He comes to her once in blue moon. He orders her to do as he likes.She passively follows him, almost unwillingly or without any mental attachment.Obviously , the husband wife relationship is anything but normal.

Q.Compare and contrast the character of Sir Mohan Lal and Lady Lal.

Ans :- In the story “ Karma” , sir Mohan Lal appears  before us as a dignified gentleman who appears  to be very English in his attitude.He dislikes everything Indian, including his wife Lachmi.He prefers to spend time rather alone ruminating about his five years spent in London.He is very reluctant to spend a word more than necessary to his fellow native people although he is very eager to have an impressive conversation with an Englishman.

            Lady lal, Lachmi, is on the otherhand a complete contrast to her husband.She prefers to stay with the common people and to have a little gossip with them.She does not hesitate to eat chappattis and mango pickle sitting on a railway platform. When her husband is dressed is costly attire and fragrance, she wears a dirty white saree with red border and a few ornaments like a typical Indian house wife.She calls the bearers or the coolie as ‘brother’ when such people get nothing more than a sneering look from her husband.

              When sir Mohan Lal represents the Anglicized calss who blindly admires and imitates the British culture, his wife stands for an Ordinary Indian womanfaithful to her culture.

Q.Write a short Character Sketch of Sir Mohan Lal from his conversation with himself in front of the mirror.

Ans :- Mr. Mohan Lal looked himself in the mirror of a first class waiting room at the railway station and talked to him.The  soliloque revealed his character. He smiled at the mirror with an air of pity and patronage. This is the observation about the indian  things and the Indian.The mirror lost its smoothness and visibility here and there.The Oxford educated high brow Mohan thinks that in India everything is like that old dirty mirror.

                 Then Mr. Mohan lal looked at his own image reflected on the mirror.He liked it with its neatly trimmed moustache, smart, and expensive dress and scent of costly perfume and talcum powder.

              Actually Mr Mohan lal a pro English arrogant aristrocat who prides himself on his own Anglicized manner, education and affectation.On the other hand he is cynical about his native country en, culture, heritage and lifestyle.

Q. How did Sir Mohan Lal feel when he saw two Englishmen coming up to the coupe? Why was he half smiling and half protesting?

Ans :- Sir Mohan Lal felt comfortable when he saw the approaching British soldiers and his heart warmed up at the prospect of a good conversation with them. He thought of welcoming them by talking to the guard though they were entitled to travel only second class. He felt assured that his journey would not be a boring thing after all.

               Sir Mohan was half smiling because he wanted to welcome the British soldiers in the coupe and play the gracious host. He wanted to show them his generosity and wanted them to be thankful. He was half protesting because the soldiers did not care for taking his permission and barged inside the first class compartment and spoke ill of Sir Mohan and wanted him out of the train.