The Cactus by O. Henry || Class 11 || Optional English || Summary and Exercise

 

About this story:
-O. Henry is the pen name of an American writer William Sydney Porter
-Published in 1917 AD
-Setting(time and place) : apartment building
-Moral of this story: Truth will always be revealed. Lies are deceitful. Always pay attention to the details.

Characters:
1. Trysdale- He is the protagonist of the story. He is a pretentious, egoistic and vain young man who loved a girl. He told a lie to his girlfriend that he knew Spanish language. He did so just to impress her but he lost her due to his lie.
2. Trysdale's girlfriend- She is a sweet young lady that loved Trysdale. She married to another man because Trysdale couldn't understand her message written in Spanish.
3. Girl's brother- Trysdale's friend

Summary:
The Story Cactus by O. Henry is a story of a boy named Trysdale. He was in love with a girl. Later on, he had to separate with her due his own lie.
At the beginning of the story he was seen drinking alone at an apartment and his friend, the girl's brother came there and asked the reason of drinking alone. Then he tells him the story how he happened to broke up with his beloved.
Trysdale, actually had told her a lie that he knows Spanish well to impress her. However, when when he proposed she did not give the answer immediately to him and asked him to wait till next day.
Trysdale waited impatiently for the answer of the girl. But the next day, the girl sent him a red vessels with a cacti plant. There was a tag which he thought that was the vernacular name of the plant. There was no note at all.
His friends asked him if he knew English well. He said no. Neither he knew what was written on the vessel. Actually the word written on the vessel was Ventomerame, which means come and take me.
Tysdale did not get what was it until the girls brother or his friend told him about this. Just because of his white lie, he had to be apart from his love. If he had not told the lie, the girl would have sent the message in some common language. But due to his one mistake he lost her.
Even if the lie is insignificant and small it sometimes can create a big and undesirable result.

Multiple Choice Questions:
1. In the short story ''The Cactus'' by O. Henry, Trysdale proposes to the woman. How does she respond?
a. She sends him a cactus with its name in Spanish.
b. She sees him at dinner and says yes.
c. She doesn't; she ignores his proposal.
d. She sees him at dinner and says no.
Correct Answer: option A

2. In the short story ''The Cactus'' by O. Henry, Trysdale is:
A. the groom
B. the bride's ex
C. the brother of the bride
D. the cousin of the bride
Correct Answer: option B

3. What was the reason the relationship ended between Trysdale and his girlfriend?
A.There had been a huge argument.
B. She had caught him cheating on her.
C. She realized he was a liar.
D. She betrayed him.
   Correct Answer: Option C

4.  What type of person is Trysdale?
A. very humble
B. egotistical
C. innocent
D. rude
Correct Answer: Option B

Question-Answers:
1. What problem did Trysdale face?
Ans: Trysdale lost his girlfriend due to his own lie. He had told a lie that he knew Spanish language though he did not know. He had done so to impress the girl. When the girl sent him a not telling him to come and take her away, he couldn't understand the word written in Spanish. As a result, the girl was married to another man. It was the problem he faced.

2. Why is Trysdale upset?
Ans: Trysdale is upset because his girlfriend married another man leaving him. It happened so because he had told a lie to her. Actually, he told her that he knew Spanish language to impress her. When she sent him a message to take her away and marry, he thought it was the local name of the plant. He lost his girlfriend due to his lie.

3. What is the theme of the story?
Ans: The main theme of the story is that we should not tell lies. Though they are sweet in the beginning, they are deceitful. Rather bitter truth is better that sweet lie. Similarly, another theme is that we should pay attention to the details of everything we come across.

4. Explain the huge mistake Trysdale made. When does he find this out?
Ans: The huge mistake that Trysdale committed is telling a lie about Spanish language. He had done so to impress the girl. He realized his mistake at the end when his girlfriend married another man. His failure to understand the message written in Spanish was the main cause of their relation's end.

5. What does The Cactus symbolize in The Cactus by O. Henry?

Ans: Cactus is a thorny plant. Traditionally, it is the symbol of repulsion and distancing, suffering and wound. 

6. What is the irony in The Cactus by O. Henry?

Ans: The irony is the gap between the reality and the statement or saying. Here, Trysdale told a lie to impress the girl. It cost his relationship. The thing which was supposed to make his relationship stronger actually ruined his relationship. It is ironical in the story. 

7. How did Trysdale's girlfriend respond when he proposed to her?
Ans: When Trysdale proposed to the woman, she sent him a cactus with a message in Spanish. She saw him at a dinner and said  yes.

8. What can be described about Trysdale's character?
Ans: Trysdale's character is egoistic. He is a self-centered man that believes his girlfriend worships him. During the story, Trysdale views himself superior to others. He is a pretentious man who tells a lie to impress his girlfriend.