Going Places (A. R. Barton) — NCERT Solutions

Given: Descriptions and dialogues involving Sophie's father in the story.

Concept: Character analysis.

Answer: Sophie's father is a typical working-class man — tired, practical, and somewhat coarse in manner. His character can be described as follows:

1. Aggressive and dismissive: When he hears Sophie's story about Danny Casey, he reacts aggressively, saying she will "talk herself into a load of trouble." He does not engage with her story sympathetically.
2. Unimaginative and pragmatic: He has no patience for dreams or fantasies. He is concerned with the realities of daily life.
3. Fond of football: Like many working-class men, he enjoys watching football and makes a "weekly pilgrimage" to United's matches with his family.
4. Physically tired: He is described as sitting in his chair, his face "creased and weary," suggesting a life of hard physical labour.
5. Authoritative: He forbids Sophie from going on Geoff's motorcycle, showing he exercises parental authority.

Overall, he is a well-meaning but limited man, unable to understand or nurture his daughter's imaginative inner life.

Given: Sophie's feelings and thoughts about her brother Geoff as described in the story.

Concept: Understanding character relationships and symbolism.

Answer: Sophie liked Geoff more than any other person for several reasons:

1. He was her trusted confidant: Geoff was always the first person she shared her secrets with. She felt safe telling him things she could not tell anyone else.
2. He was a man of few words: Geoff was quiet and did not speak much. Sophie found this quality fascinating and longed to know the thoughts he kept to himself.
3. He represented a wider world: Geoff travelled on his motorcycle to distant parts of the city and beyond. Sophie imagined that he knew exotic, interesting people and had access to a world she had never seen.
4. He was her gateway to freedom: She dreamed of riding pillion behind him into that vast, unknown world.

What he symbolised: From Sophie's perspective, Geoff symbolised freedom, adventure, and the wider world beyond the narrow confines of their working-class neighbourhood. He represented the possibility of escape from the dull, predictable life that awaited her — the life of the biscuit factory. He was, for her, the bridge between her present reality and her imagined future.

Given: Various details about Sophie's family and living conditions in the story.

Concept: Reading for contextual and socio-economic detail.

Answer: Sophie belongs to a lower working-class socio-economic background. The following details from the story serve as indicators of her family's financial status:

1. Cramped living conditions: The family lives in a small house. The father sits in a chair in what appears to be a small, cluttered space.
2. Father's appearance: His face is "creased and weary," suggesting a life of hard manual labour with little comfort or leisure.
3. Earmarked for the biscuit factory: Jansie tells Sophie that they are both destined to work in the biscuit factory after school — a low-paying, unskilled job. This indicates that higher education or professional careers are not realistic options for girls of their background.
4. Geoff's apprenticeship: Geoff is a mechanic's apprentice, a trade typical of working-class young men.
5. Sophie's unrealistic dreams: The very fact that Sophie dreams of owning a boutique, becoming an actress, or a fashion designer highlights how far these aspirations are from her actual circumstances — they are fantasies born of deprivation.
6. The neighbourhood: They live in an outlying district of the city, away from the prosperous centre.

All these details paint a picture of a family living on a modest, working-class income with little financial security or social mobility.

Given: The theme of the story — Sophie's fantasies about Danny Casey and her future.

Discussion Points:

Agreement with the statement:

• Sophie's meeting with Danny Casey is almost certainly a fantasy. No one else witnesses it, and the description reads like a daydream.
• Her dreams of owning a boutique, becoming an actress or a fashion designer are entirely disconnected from her real circumstances as a working-class girl destined for the biscuit factory.
• When she waits at the canal for Danny Casey and he does not come, she experiences deep disappointment — but this disappointment is the result of a hope she herself created out of nothing.
• Even her vision of riding behind Geoff into a glamorous world is a fantasy — Geoff has never invited her.

Conclusion: Yes, Sophie's dreams and disappointments are entirely self-generated. She creates an imaginary world of glamour and romance to escape the dullness of her real life. When reality fails to match her imagination — as it inevitably does — she is left with disappointment. The story is a sensitive portrayal of how the inner world of a young, imaginative person can be both a refuge and a source of pain.

Given: The theme of adolescent fantasy as explored in the story.

Discussion Points:

Benefits of teenage fantasising:

1. Motivation and aspiration: Dreams, even unrealistic ones, can inspire young people to work towards a better future. They provide a sense of direction and purpose.
2. Emotional escape: For young people in difficult or limiting circumstances, fantasy provides a healthy mental escape from stress and hardship.
3. Creativity: Daydreaming nurtures imagination and creative thinking, which are valuable life skills.
4. Identity formation: Fantasising about the future helps teenagers explore who they want to be and what they value.

Disadvantages of teenage fantasising:

1. Disconnection from reality: Excessive fantasy can prevent young people from taking practical steps to improve their lives.
2. Disappointment and depression: When fantasies inevitably collide with reality, the resulting disappointment can be severe, as seen in Sophie's case.
3. Poor decision-making: Unrealistic expectations can lead to poor choices — for example, not preparing for realistic career options.
4. Social isolation: A person lost in fantasy may find it difficult to connect meaningfully with others who live in the real world.

Conclusion: A balance is ideal. Dreams and ambitions are necessary for growth, but they must be grounded in some degree of self-awareness and practical planning. Sophie's tragedy is not that she dreams, but that she cannot distinguish between dream and reality.

Concept: Metaphorical and idiomatic language — words used in a non-literal (figurative) sense.

(a) "Words had to be prized out of him like stones out of a ground."
This expression means that getting Geoff to speak was extremely difficult, just as it is hard to prise stones out of hard ground. It suggests that Geoff was a man of very few words — quiet, reserved, and uncommunicative. The comparison to digging out stones emphasises the effort required to make him talk.

(b) "Sophie felt a tightening in her throat."
This is a physical description of an emotional state. A tightening in the throat is what one feels when one is about to cry, or when one is overcome with strong emotion — anxiety, sadness, or longing. Here it suggests that Sophie felt a surge of emotion, possibly sadness or nervous anticipation, as she thought about Danny Casey and her fantasy.

(c) "If he keeps his head on his shoulders."
This idiom means "if he remains sensible, level-headed, and does not let success go to his head." It is used in the context of Danny Casey's football career, suggesting that if he remains grounded and focused despite his fame and talent, he will go on to achieve great things.

(d) "On Saturday they made their weekly pilgrimage to the United."
The word "pilgrimage" literally refers to a religious journey to a sacred place. Here it is used metaphorically to describe the family's regular Saturday visit to watch United (their football club) play. The use of "pilgrimage" suggests that watching United is almost a religious ritual for them — something they do with devotion, regularity, and deep emotional commitment.

(e) "She saw... him ghost past the lumbering defenders."
The word "ghost" is used as a verb here. To "ghost past" someone means to move past them so swiftly, silently, and effortlessly that one seems almost like a ghost — invisible, weightless, and impossible to catch. It vividly describes Danny Casey's extraordinary skill and speed on the football field, suggesting he moved past the slow, heavy defenders as if they could not even see him.

Concept: The present participle (verb + -ing) used without a helping verb to indicate two actions occurring simultaneously.

Analysis of given sentences:

1. **"Sophie said, *coming home from school*"** — The main action is "said." The present participle "coming home from school" tells us what Sophie was doing at the same time as she was speaking. Two simultaneous actions: saying + coming home.

2. **"Jansie, linking arms with her, looked doubtful."** — The main action is "looked doubtful." "Linking arms with her" describes what Jansie was doing at the same time. Two simultaneous actions: looking doubtful + linking arms.

3. **"Sophie said, staring far down the street."** — The main action is "said." "Staring far down the street" tells us what Sophie was doing while she spoke. Two simultaneous actions: saying + staring.

4. **"Jansie, knowing they were both earmarked for the biscuit factory, became melancholy."** — The main action is "became melancholy." "Knowing" indicates the simultaneous mental state/action. Two simultaneous actions: becoming melancholy + knowing their fate.

5. **"She turned in through the open street door, leaving Jansie standing in the rain."** — The main action is "turned in." "Leaving Jansie standing in the rain" describes what happened simultaneously as a result. Two simultaneous actions: turning in + leaving Jansie behind.

Five other sentences from the story with present participles used in this sense:

1. "He sat frowning at the oily component he cradled in his hands." — Main action: sat; simultaneous action: frowning.
2. "She shook her head, chastened at his unawareness." — Main action: shook her head; simultaneous state: being chastened.
3. "She saw herself riding there behind Geoff." — Main action: saw; simultaneous action: riding.
4. "He wore new, shining black leathers." — (participial adjective used simultaneously with the description).
5. "*Standing* where he stood, remembering the soft melodious voice..." — Two present participles indicating simultaneous actions of standing and remembering while she waited alone in the arcade.

Concept: Colloquial and informal vocabulary — words used in everyday spoken English that are not standard in formal writing.

Here is a list of ten colloquial/informal words along with their standard meanings:

These words are commonly used in informal conversation, especially in British English, but would be avoided in formal writing or speech.

Sample Answer:

Role Model chosen: Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam (Scientist, Author, and Former President of India)

Introduction for the TV show:
"Good evening, viewers. Today we have with us one of the most inspiring figures of our times — a man who rose from humble origins to become a rocket scientist, the 'Missile Man of India,' and the beloved 'People's President.' Please welcome Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam."

Questions to be asked:

1. Sir, you grew up in a small town with very limited resources. What was the one thing that kept you motivated during your early years?
2. You have said that dreams are not what you see in sleep, but what do not let you sleep. Could you share the dream that drove you most powerfully?
3. As a scientist, you worked on some of India's most ambitious defence and space projects. What was your greatest moment of failure, and what did you learn from it?
4. You chose to remain simple and accessible even as President of India. How did you manage to stay grounded despite such enormous success and fame?
5. You were deeply passionate about educating young people. What is your message for today's students who feel discouraged by their circumstances?
6. If you could change one thing about the Indian education system, what would it be?
7. What role did your teachers and family play in shaping who you became?
8. You wrote several books. Which one is closest to your heart and why?
9. How do you define success — is it achievement, happiness, or service to others?
10. What is the one piece of advice you would give to every young person in India today?

Closing remark:
"Thank you, Sir, for your time and your wisdom. You are not just a role model — you are an inspiration to an entire nation."