The Woman on Platform No 8 by Ruskin Bond || Grade 11 || Optional English || Summary and Exercise

About the author:
•Ruskin Bond(born 19 May, 1934) is an Indian author of British descent.
•He has written novellas and over 500 short stories.

About this story:
•It is a story about love and affection that transcends all barriers of kinship.
•Setting(time and place): the platform no 8 at Ambala Station at midnight
•Narrator: Arun(a 12 year-old school boy)
•Moral: Love transcends all the barriers.
•Love: love, humanity, dignity, arrogance and vanity.

Characters:
1. Arun - He is a 12-year-old school boy. He is the narrator of this story.
2. Satish- Arun's school fellow
3. Satish's mother-
4. A woman in white saree- She is a stranger and mysterious woman. She invited Arun to eat something together in the dining room at the . She behaved so politely and kindly to Arun. She treated him like a son.

Summary
"The Woman on Platform 8" is a short story written by an Indian writer Ruskin Bond. It is about a schoolboy's encounter with a kind stranger woman at the railway station.

Arun was a 12-year-old boy. After leaving his parents, he travelled by bus and arrived at the station at 12noon. He sat on platform no.8 . So he continued to watch the changing scene around. He felt lonely and bored. Suddenly, Arun heard a soft voice from behind. It was a woman in a white saree. She wore no jewels. After a brief introduction, she invited Arun to the station dining room. Arun did not refuse the invitation as he felt it would be too impolite to reject it. She offered him tea and samosa. She helped him feel comfortable. The woman seemed to be pleased in watching him eat. While eating, he opened up and told her about his school, his friends, and his likes and dislikes. The woman spoke very little and listened to him intently.

Arun's school fellow Satish, along with his mother, appeared on the platform. Satish's mother asked Arun if the lady was his mother. Before Arun uttered a word, the woman came to his rescue and said she was his mother. Satish's mother, said that there were many suspicious characters hanging around. She behaved like one should be very careful of strangers. The woman did not feel embarrassed. Sathish's mother looked at Arun and advised him to be cautious in the absence of his mother, and never talk to strangers. Arun irritated her by saying  her, "I like strangers."

After some time, the train steamed in. Satish's mother and the stranger were standing on the platform talking to the boys. The train started and Satish said, "Good-bye, mother." They waved to each other. Arun also uttered the farewell words, Good-bye, mother. He continued to gaze at the woman until she disappeared into the crowd. Arun's calling her 'mother' at the time of parting is a sweet gesture of recognition of a loving relationship.
The story deals with the themes of love, humanity, dignity, arrogance and vanity.

MCQs:
1. The setting of the story is on platform 8 in the city
i. Ahmedabad
ii. Ahmednagar
ii. Ambala
iv. Ajmer

2. The lady in white, told Satish's mother that she was Arun's
i. guardian
ii. mother
in. aunt
iv. friend

3. Arun was waiting on platform8 to take a train to go ......
i. home
ii. to his friend's house
iii. on a sight-seeing trip
iv. to boarding school

4. Satish's mother was...
i. a kind lady
ii. a domineering lady
iii. an old lady
iv. a beautiful lady

5. Arun was travelling alone because..
i. his parents considered him old enough to travel alone
ii. he was lost
iii. he didn't want anyone to accompany him
iv. there was no one to accompany him

6. The story ‘The Woman on Platform 8’ is about......
A) a boy who had an encounter with a woman on platform 8
B) the stranger a boy meets while traveling in a train
C) the people a boy comes across and his feelings for them
D) the strangers a boy meets on platform 8
7. The woman Arun met at the railway station
A) had a dark face and pale kind eyes
B) wore lot of jewels.
C) was dressed in a white saree
D) was very young

Important Question-Answers:
1. How did the bond between Arun and the stranger develop?
Ans:
Arun liked the stranger because she seemed kind, sympathetic and understanding. She spoke to him affectionately. She took him to the station dining room and made him eat some food. Arun felt comfortable in her company.

2. What was the reason behind Arun ‘s instinctive dislike towards Satish’s mother?
Ans:
Satish’s mother was an imposing woman. She did not care for other people’s sentiments. Her authoritative manner made him develop an instinctive dislike for her.

3. Mention three things that Arun liked about this woman.
Ans:
The woman was dressed in a simple manner. She had dark kind eyes. There was a dignity about her that commanded respect. The serenity of her face, the deep soft soothing voice impressed Arun.

4. What was Arun doing all alone on the platform why?
Ans:
Arun was waiting on platform 8 at Ambala station for the Northbound train to go to the boarding school. He was alone because his parents thought he was old enough to travel alone.

5. Why did not the narrator like Satish's  mother?
Ans:
Satish's mother was an imposing woman who gave unnecessary suggestions. She had an air of superiority about her and when she gave advice or suggestions it seemed like she was patronising to Arun.

Grade 12 Optional English Reference Book