NCERT Solutions For Class 11 English Core Chapter 5 The Summer of the Beautiful White Horse

Definitely luck is necessary for success in life. But it comes to you only when you work hard. Without making honest efforts you don’t even know whether you are lucky or not. Putting efforts is the most important thing in life. If you are lucky, you may get more than your efforts can earn. Even if you are unlucky you will definitely get something for your efforts, if not more.

Paul was the eldest child of Ms. Hester. He was upset with the sound that filled their house, “There must be more money.” He wanted to make his mother happy. He sought a way to be lucky. In his anxiety he started betting on racing horses. Hester noticed her son getting too much involved in gambling. She was worried for him as her own family had lost everything in gambling. She could notice that Paul was going through some tension. She advised him to go to the seaside and relax but he was not willing. Paul demanded his rocking horse to be kept in his room though he was quite grown up for that. Hester sensed that everything was not right with Paul. So, she was anxious about her son.

a. Sure as eggs: When a person is sure about something, we say that he is as sure as eggs.

Example: I would not bet till the time I am as sure as eggs.

b. Spinning yarns: Narrating a long and wonderful story.

Example: He grabbed the attention of all in the party when he started spinning yarns.

c. Turned to dust: Completely ruined.

Example: The Twin Towers turned to dust after the terrorist attack.

a. The proverb originates from the tradition of falconry. It means that what you possess is more important than your possibilities to possess more.

b. Paul and Uncle Oscar decides to gift 5,000 pounds to Hester, by giving her 1,000 pounds on her birthday every year. She becomes eager and argues with the lawyer to give her all the 5,000 pounds in once. When Paul comes to know about this, he decides to give the entire amount to his mother at once so that she is free of her debt. He was sure to win in the upcoming races with the remaining amount. At this time his uncle advises him that ‘A bird in hand is worth two in the bush’.

c. Yes. In Hindi there is a similar proverb that says, ‘Nau Nagad Na Terah Udhaar’.

Paul says to his mother, “Mother till I can have a real horse, I like to have some sort of animal about.” Paul thinks that his rocking horse brings him luck. Luck, as his mother tells him is necessary for success in life.

Rocking-horse is a symbol of determination. He rides the rocking-horse, slashes him, till he gets a prediction regarding the winning horse in the race. Author wants to state that we must relentlessly pursue our targets till we achieve success.

Smile: amused expression, typically with the corners of the mouth turned up and the front teeth exposed

Grin: a broad smile

Grimace: an ugly, twisted expression on a person's face, typically expressing disgust, pain, or wry amusement

Sneer: a contemptuous or mocking smile, remark, or tone

Paul's mother had a craze for money to live a lavish life, but she never tried to work hard to earn or to reduce her expenses... Rather she blamed her husband for all the misfortunes. Though she wanted to lead a splendid lifestyle, she did not like her son to be indulged in gambling. She asked him to keep away from gambling as her own family lost everything in this. She advised Paul to stay away from the gardener who was a gambler. She also decided to ask her brother not to talk about races in front of Paul. Like any other ideal mother, she also did not want her children to be indulged in bad practices. That is why she did not approve betting on horses.

Paul wants his mother’s love. He thinks that only money can make her happy. Finally, he gets into gambling and wins huge amounts and tries to make his mother happy. But the mother is still not satisfied. At the end of the story he wins an amount as big as 80,000 pounds but the irony is that he loses his life. He tries hard to earn his mother’s love by making money. But when he actually makes a huge amount, he dies without being able to enjoy his mother’s love.

If Paul had not died at the end, then the real message of the story would not have been conveyed to us. Money is important but money is not the ultimate source of happiness. A person who is contented with what he has is happy.

For maintaining their extravagant lifestyle, Paul’s parents needed money. Mother realized that children were growing, and they had to be sent to school. So, she decided to do some work. She tried many things but succeeded in nothing. Instead of accepting her failures and to be contented with what they earned, she blamed her husband’s unluck. At this point of time Paul started feeling that the house was whispering to him. Every corner of the house was whispering that, “There should be more money!” Upset with the constant whisper Paul started betting on racing horses. He had won a few bets. Like any other gambler he lost some bets. After gifting his mother 5000 pounds the became louder. At the end of the story he won his final bet and earned more than 80,000 pounds but he lost his life. The voices helped him to earn money but, in his effort, to earn money, he lost his life. So, we cannot say that those voices lead him to success in the real sense.

Paul was a very sensitive child. He sought for his mother’s love more than other children. When he realized that he could win his mother’s love by getting her money, he started secretly betting on racing horses. He felt that his rocking horse was able to give him a tip about winning horse. He rode it before every race until he got a hint about the winning horse. He was fed up of the whispering, “There should be more money.” These were clear signs of his mental stress. His anxiety increased when he lost money in few races. All he wanted was money to satisfy his mother’s greed so that she considered someone in the family lucky. Losing in races meant, no luck, no money and no love. This fear drove him crazy. A night before Derby he rode his wooden rocking horse the whole night until his mother called on him. Because of high tension and over-exertion, he became unconscious. He had brain fever. He was speaking to himself, “Malabar! It’s Malabar!” Malabar was a racing horse. His prediction proved to be right. Paul won 80,000 pounds in his last bet. His family became rich with the cost of his life.

Paul’s mother always wanted money to suit her extravagant lifestyle. She was not satisfied with the yearly birthday gift of 1,000 pounds for five years. This incident speaks a lot about Hester’s character. In the beginning of the story the narrator tells that in the center of her heart there was a cold place. She did not love her children and they too sensed the same. She always fretted the lack of money. She was a beautiful woman and the mother of three children. But even then, she considered herself unlucky as she got married to an unlucky man. She considered her husband unlucky as he was unable to afford a lavish lifestyle. Paul, her first born wanted his mother to be happy. He wanted to experience his mother’s affection. He wanted her to consider him lucky. So, he wanted to give 5,000 pounds to his mother discretely. His Uncle Oscar and Paul devised a scheme in which Hester would receive 1000 pounds for five years on her birthday. Paul thought that she would be happy to receive such a big amount as her birthday gift. But on the contrary, she was all the more dissatisfied. She wanted all 5000 pounds at once in the name of repaying a debt. Paul wished for her happiness most, so he let all 5000 pounds paid to her as she wished. However, she spent all the money for her lavish lifestyle. She did not save a penny for the rainy days.

So, this incident proves that she is an unsatisfied lady who always blames others for her dissatisfaction. Love is not dependent upon money. It is a feeling which can be shown easily even without splendid gifts. A mother naturally loves her children. But Hester is a different lady. She doesn’t love her children, never supports her family and blames her husband for being unlucky.

Paul was the eldest son of Hester. When he heard his mother saying that luck was the most desirable thing in one’s life, he also wished to be lucky, not only for himself but for his family, especially for his mother. He wanted her mother to be happy. The mother considered herself unlucky as she had married an unlucky man. She was a spendthrift beyond her family income. She wanted to follow a lavish lifestyle which was not possible with her income; so, she was dissatisfied with her life. She did not love her family and children. Paul sensed this tension and dissatisfaction in his mother. He used to hear the whole house whispering, “There should be more money! There should be more money!” Now anyhow Paul wanted to get rid of the melancholy. He wanted to prove to his mother that he was not unlucky like his father and could bring happiness to the family. In that anxiety he rode his rocking horse. Through his clairvoyance he predicted the winning horse and bet upon it. His desire, to be loved by his mother, to remove poverty and to bring happiness and luck by riding on a wooden horse made him tired and restless.

a. Paul and his mother: In the beginning of the story author says that it was the children and the mother alone who knew that there was no love in their relation. But we can see that it is not true. Paul is ready to do everything just to keep his mother happy. And mother too carries love in her heart. When she receives 5,000 pounds, she engages one tutor for Paul. When she comes to know that Paul is into gambling, she tries to keep him away from it. At the end of the story, we see some examples of her motherly love and concern. She is anxious at the party about the well-being of her son.

b. Paul and Bassett: Paul and Bassett share an affectionate relationship. They share secrets. Bassett knows all the secrets about Paul which is not known to anyone else. He brings news of racing horses to Paul and then Paul predicts the winner with his clairvoyance. He keeps the price money safe for Paul and bets on horses on behalf of Paul.

c. Paul and Uncle Oscar: When Uncle Oscar realizes that Paul is able to give accurate prediction of winning horse, they become partners. Uncle Oscar loves him and believes in him without having any clue about the source of his predictions.

d. Bassett and Paul’s uncle: Bassett and Oscar share a good bonding. Bassett has promised to Paul that he would never share their secret of betting with anyone. So, he does not tell anything about it to Uncle Oscar as well. But later when he finds Paul himself explaining things to his Uncle, the three of them become partners.

e. Paul’s mother and his uncle: Hester is a loving and caring mother. When she learns that her first born son Paul is getting obsessed with gambling, she sets her brother responsible for it. She even tries to keep Paul away from him. Though she loves her brother she is ready to risk her relationship with her brother for the well-being of her son.