The Earth Subjective Question

1. Who is a tenant farmer?

Ans. Johnson is a tenant farmer.

2. What did the doctor advise Benjy’s parents to ensure his mental growth?

Ans. Doctor had advised Benjy’s parents to keep him engaged in some work as that would help in his mental development. He suggested that Benjy should start with the business of hens.

3. What did Benjy understand about a hen?

Ans. The only thing Benjy understood about a hen was that it existed for the purpose of laying eggs.

4. What did Benjy understand about the business of hens?

Ans. Benjy understood that the eggs laid by hens would be sold easily to the callers at the back door of their house. He, therefore, started collecting eggs in scores and sold them from the back door of his house.

5. What silent belief did Benjy’s parents cherish about their land?

Ans. Benjy’s father was a local preacher, a gifted speaker and a staunch believer in God. He cherished the idea that the earth was designed, created and nourished by God. For that reason he did not pay any attention to the piece of land they had at the back of their house.

6. Why had their land not yielded much?

Ans. The land did not yield much because Johnson never put in hard work to develop the land. He simply believed that the God had designed and created land and he alone would take care of the land and nourish it.

7. How did Benjy’s parents feel when he silently put the pass-book in his pocket?

Ans. Benjy’s father had given the pass-book to Benjy as a reward of thrift and industry set by himself. Benjy took the pass-book saw the amount in it and quietly put it into his pocket. He did not utter a word. Benjy’s parents also did not speak. They experienced a strange feeling of disappointment, fear, pride and pain.

8. What had Benjy’s parents expected when they handed him the pass-book?

Ans. They had expected a word of thanks from him. In their sub-conscious mind, they also had a feeling that Benjy would offer to share the amount with them which he had been able to save because of their help.

9. What did Benjy want to do with money?

Ans. Benjy wanted to buy four acres of land which was next to his house. Mr. Whitmore was the owner of that piece of land and he had spoken to Benjy about his intention to sell it. Benjy wanted to buy that piece of land to raise more number of hens.

10. Who had Johnson rented their land from?

Ans. Johnson had rented their land from Sanders.

11. What information did Sanders give them that made them happy?

Ans. Sanders told them that it was their son Benjy who was going to purchase the land, they felt that it was the most important moment of their lives. It seemed like the moment of reward.

12. Who was Florence ?

Ans. Florence was a girl employed by Benjy to look after the poultry farm.

13. Why did Benjy want to marry Florence?

Ans. Benjy wanted a woman who would help him in running the poultry farm. For that reason, he wanted to marry Florence.

14. Did Benjy treat his parents justly? What would you do if you were Benjy?

Ans. Benjy’s parents did not provide proper help, guidance and education to him. As a result he remained simple minded through out his life and consequently did not develop any love, affection or attachment towards his parents. In that context it can be said that Benjy treated his parents justly. However on moral grounds it can never be considered proper to drive out the parents out of the house towards the end of their life when they are completely helpless and without any means for subsistence. I would never ask my parents to leave the house under any circumstances.

15. On how many occasions were Benjy’s parents disappointed with Benjy’s behaviour? Describe each occasion briefly in your own words.

Ans. Benjy’s parents were disappointed with his behaviour firstly when he did not show any signs of progress in studies and also did not mix up with the other students in school. Secondly when he took the pass-book without expressing his gratitude or any signs of emotions. Thirdly when he married Florence much against the wishes of his parents. Fourthly when he asked them to leave the house as it was now owned by him.

16. ‘Looks are deceptive’. How does this apply to Benjy?

Ans. Benjy’s looked innocent and simple minded when he was a child. His parents believed that he was not like other children and only lacked normal intelligence. But that all proved out to be wrong when he decided to marry Florence who had below average looks. Besides, he kept on depositing his savings into the bank and consistently expanded his poultry farm business. And, finally he forced his parents to leave the house which he had purchased from Sanders. All that proved that looks were highly deceptive.

17. What is the role of Florence in the story? How did she affect Benjy’s life?

Ans. When Benjy’s business flourished he employed several people to help him. One of those persons was a girl named Florence. She was not good looking and had thick heavy legs, loose lips and unreflective grey eyes. Ignoring those features Benjy decided to marry her. She started guiding him and made his life, purposeful. However her relations with Benjy’s parents were not good. There were frequent quarrels between her and Benjy’s parents. She supported Benjy when he asked his parents to vacate the house and move to lodgings in the town. She made Benjy a henpecked husband.

18. Johnson himself was responsible for his tragedy and troubles. Do you agree with this? Give reasons.

Ans. Yes, I fully agree that Johnson himself was responsible for his tragedy and troubles. He believed more in words than in action. While he preached congregations in chapels but failed to give proper attention to his own son. Besides, he was lazy and never tried to cultivate his land. Further he did not learn any lesson from the selfish behavior of Benjy. Had he been wiser be would not have suffered in the last stage of life.

19. How is a simple minded man defined in the story? Do you agree with this definition?

Ans. A simple minded person in the story is described as a person who is dull, lacks understanding and unsocial. Benjy’s parents believed that he was simple minded and looked different from others and therefore neglected his unusual behaviour. I do not subscribe to this point of view because in many cases simple minded persons are extremely intelligent and socially well accepted. In case of Benjy he also flourished in the business of poultry.

20. Sketch the character of Johnson.

Ans. Johnson was basically a simple, lazy religious and talkative person who relied more on words than in action. He was a tenant farmer and owned four acre of plot, a plough, a mare, a cart and tools. He had a very poor opinion about his son in his mind and did practically nothing to improve his behaviour. Even though Johnson was kind, anxious and caring towards his son Benjy but he failed to guide and motivate him and as a result the young boy grew from bad to worse day by day. In the end he suffered because of his laziness, which he rightly deserved.

21. Sketch the character of Benjy.

Ans. Benjy as described in the story was a person of strong determination, hard-working, consistent and methodical in his approach. He was simple, conservative and not a spendthrift. Unlike his father he did not believe in words but in action. Initially, he started his business by keeping about a score of hens, he deposited all the money received through sale of eggs in the bank and gradually built up a large flock of hens. However, he never received proper guidance, help and encouragement from his parents. His efforts were never appreciated by his parents. As a result Benjy became indifferent towards his parents. His proposal to marry Florence was also not liked by his parents. When Benjy purchased the land and expanded his business, his parents felt proud of him. But their pride was mingled with a feeling of fear and anxiety. Benjy always remained pre-occupied with hens and emotions and sentimental feelings of a normal person never existed in him. The dark side of his character is fully exposed when he drives out his old parents out of the house.