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This blog on NCERT solutions for Class 11 Woven Words Chapter 5: Pappachi’s Moth offers clear and simple answers to the questions. It will help students to understand the themes, characters and emotional depth of this short story. These solutions help in exam revision by highlighting the complexities of family dynamics and societal expectations. You can also download the free PDF for quick revision.
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Explore Notes of Class 11 English Woven Words
NCERT Solutions Class 11 English Woven Words Chapter 5: Pappachi’s Moth
Here are the NCERT Solutions for Class 11 English Woven Words Chapter 5: Pappachi’s Moth, designed to support effective revision and deepen understanding of the story’s themes and characters.
UNDERSTANDING THE TEXT
- Comment on the relationship shared by Mammachi and Pappachi.
Solution: The relationship between Mammachi and Pappachi is complex, marked by emotional distance, patriarchal dominance, and underlying tension. Pappachi, a retired Imperial Entomologist, is authoritarian and abusive, physically beating Mammachi with a brass vase until their son Chacko intervenes. His frustration and sense of failure, particularly over the moth discovery that was not credited to him, manifested in controlling and belittling Mammachi. Mammachi, despite her resilience and talents, endures this oppression, reflecting the societal constraints of their time. Her pickle-making business, which Pappachi initially dismisses, becomes a source of pride and independence, highlighting their contrasting aspirations. The relationship is strained by Pappachi’s insecurities and Mammachi’s suppressed potential, yet they remain bound by marriage and social norms, with Mammachi’s strength subtly challenging Pappachi’s authority.
- How does Mammachi stand out as an independent and resilient woman in the text?
Solution: Mammachi emerges as an independent and resilient woman through her ability to carve out her identity despite oppressive circumstances. Despite Pappachi’s physical and emotional abuse, she nurtures her talents, such as playing the violin and establishing a successful pickle-making business. Her entrepreneurial spirit shines when she transforms her kitchen-based hobby into a commercial venture, Paradise Pickles & Preserves, defying Pappachi’s initial scorn. After Pappachi’s death, Mammachi’s resilience is further evident as she manages the business and navigates family dynamics, maintaining her dignity. Her ability to endure personal and societal challenges while pursuing her passions underscores her strength and independence in a patriarchal setup.
- Why does John Ipe consider retirement to be a dishonour?
Solution: John Ipe, known as Pappachi, considers retirement a dishonour because his identity and self-worth are deeply tied to his professional status as an Imperial Entomologist. In the societal context of colonial and post-colonial India, his position commanded respect and authority, reinforcing his patriarchal role. Retirement strips him of this prestige, leaving him feeling purposeless and emasculated, especially since his significant discovery of a unique moth was not recognised during his lifetime. This loss of recognition and authority fuels his bitterness, making retirement a humiliating reminder of unfulfilled ambitions and diminished social standing.
- What was the underlying reason for John Ipe’s disgust with the world?
Solution: John Ipe’s disgust with the world stems from his unfulfilled aspirations and the lack of recognition for his entomological discovery. As an Imperial Entomologist, Pappachi discovered a moth with unique characteristics, which he believed would be named after him, securing his legacy. However, the scientific community dismissed its significance during his lifetime, and it was only acknowledged posthumously as a distinct species. This rejection, coupled with his retirement, which he perceived as a loss of status, deepened his bitterness and sense of injustice, projecting his personal frustrations onto the world around him.
Also Read: NCERT Solutions Class 11 English Hornbill Chapter 1: The Portrait of a Lady (Free PDF)
TALKING ABOUT THE TEXT
Discuss the following in pairs or in small groups
- Chacko’s firmness in dealing with the irrational behaviour of his father.
Solution: Chacko’s firmness in addressing Pappachi’s irrational behaviour, particularly his physical abuse of Mammachi, highlights his role as a protector within the family. When Chacko, a Rhodes Scholar studying at Oxford, returns home and witnesses Pappachi beating Mammachi with a brass vase, he decisively intervenes, warning his father that further abuse will not be tolerated. This confrontation marks a shift in family dynamics, as Chacko, the son, asserts authority over Pappachi’s patriarchal control. His firmness stems from a sense of justice and love for his mother, challenging the traditional deference to elders. In pairs, students can discuss how Chacko’s education and exposure to progressive ideas influence his actions and how this moment reflects changing generational attitudes toward domestic violence.
- The contrast between the outward elegance of a person and his private behaviour.
Solution: The story illustrates a stark contrast between Pappachi’s outward elegance and his private behaviour. Publicly, Pappachi is perceived as a dignified Imperial Entomologist, carrying the respectability of his colonial-era position and polished appearance, such as his “smart suit and pipe.” Privately, however, he is abusive and tyrannical, beating Mammachi and belittling her achievements, driven by his own insecurities and frustrations. This dichotomy highlights the hypocrisy of maintaining a respectable facade while harbouring cruelty, reflecting broader societal themes of appearances masking personal flaws. In groups, students can explore how this contrast critiques societal expectations and discuss real-life examples where public personas differ from private realities.
- Approval from the outside world and approval within the family.
Solution: The story contrasts the pursuit of external approval with the lack of validation within the family. Pappachi craves recognition from the scientific community for his moth discovery, equating it with personal worth, but its dismissal fuels his domestic tyranny. Within the family, his need for control overshadows any genuine approval, as seen in his disdain for Mammachi’s pickle business and his abusive behaviour. Conversely, Mammachi seeks approval through her talents but finds validation primarily after Pappachi’s death, when her business thrives. This tension underscores how external validation often conflicts with familial dynamics, where personal insecurities can hinder mutual support. In pairs, students can discuss how these dynamics reflect societal pressures and the impact of seeking external versus internal approval.
APPRECIATION
- How does the author succeed in raising crucial social issues not through open criticism but through subtle suggestion?
Solution: Arundhati Roy raises crucial social issues like patriarchy, domestic violence, and unfulfilled aspirations through subtle suggestion rather than overt criticism, enhancing the story’s emotional impact. By depicting Pappachi’s abuse of Mammachi through understated details, such as the routine beatings with a brass vase, Roy conveys the normalcy of such violence in patriarchal societies without explicit condemnation. The posthumous recognition of Pappachi’s moth subtly critiques the societal tendency to overlook individual contributions, while Mammachi’s quiet resilience in her pickle business highlights women’s suppressed potential. These understated elements invite readers to reflect on gender roles, societal validation, and personal struggles, making the critique more poignant and thought-provoking.
- Within a few pages the author has packed the important events in the lives of John Ipe and his wife. Discuss how conciseness and economy of expression can achieve effective portrayal of entire lives.
Solution: Arundhati Roy employs conciseness and economy of expression to vividly portray the lives of John Ipe (Pappachi) and Mammachi within a few pages. Key events, Pappachi’s moth discovery, his retirement, his abusive behaviour, Mammachi’s pickle business, and Chacko’s intervention, are distilled into precise, evocative details. For instance, the moth symbolises Pappachi’s unfulfilled ambitions, while the brass vase encapsulates the domestic violence. Roy’s selective focus on these pivotal moments, paired with rich imagery, conveys the emotional and social complexities of their lives without extraneous details. This brevity creates a powerful narrative arc, capturing their struggles, resilience, and societal constraints. The economy of expression ensures every word contributes to character development and thematic depth, effectively sketching entire lives in a compact form.
- Identify instances of ironical comment in the story.
Solution: The story is rich with ironical comments that deepen its thematic resonance:
- Pappachi’s moth discovery: It is ironic that Pappachi’s moth, dismissed as insignificant during his lifetime, is recognised as a distinct species after his death, highlighting the cruel belatedness of the validation he craved.
- Pappachi’s public versus private persona: Pappachi’s outward elegance as a respected entomologist contrasts ironically with his private cruelty, exposing the hypocrisy of societal respectability.
- Mammachi’s pickle business: Pappachi’s scorn for Mammachi’s pickle-making as a trivial pursuit is ironic, as it becomes a thriving enterprise, symbolising her resilience and success where he failed.
These ironies underscore the story’s critique of societal values, personal aspirations, and gender dynamics, inviting readers to reflect on the contradictions within the characters’ lives.
Download NCERT Solutions Class 11 English Woven Words Chapter 5: Pappachi’s Moth
You can download the free PDF of NCERT Solutions Class 11 English Woven Words Chapter 5: Pappachi’s Moth for effective revision.
Download more NCERT Solutions of Class 11 English ‘Woven Words’ here!
| Chapter 1: The Lament Solution |
| Chapter 2: A Pair of Mustachios Solutions |
| Chapter 3: The Rocking-horse Winner Solution |
| Chapter 4: The Adventure of the Three Garridebs Solution |
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