Important Questions Chapter 6 English Rainbow Part 2 Class 12 Bihar Board बिहार बोर्ड

The Artist

Short Questions with Answers

1. Who is the author of “The Artist” ?

Answers : Shiga Naoya is the author of “The Artist.”

2. What is the main theme of “The Artist” ?

Answers : The story highlights how the adult world can harm a child’s passion and creativity.

3. Who is the main character in the story?

Answers : The main character of the story is a twelve-year-old boy named Seibei.

4. What was Seibei’s hobby?

Answers : Seibei’s hobby was collecting and polishing gourds with great care.

5. How old was Seibei in the story?

Answers : Seibei was twelve years old in the story.

6. What did Seibei do with the gourds after buying them?

Answers : Seibei cleaned, polished, and treated the gourds with great passion.

7. Where did Seibei live?

Answers : Seibei lived in a small harbor town in Japan.

8. What kind of gourds did Seibei like?

Answers : Seibei liked gourds that were plain, even, and symmetrical.

9. How did Seibei react to the Bakin gourd?

Answers : Seibei found the Bakin gourd clumsy and unattractive.

10. Why did Seibei laugh all the way home one day?

Answers : Seibei laughed because he mistook an old man’s bald head for a gourd.

11. What did Seibei’s father think about his hobby?

Answers : Seibei’s father disapproved of his hobby and thought it was a waste of time.

12. What did the teacher do when he saw Seibei polishing a gourd?

Answers : The teacher got angry, confiscated the gourd, and scolded Seibei.

13. Why did the teacher visit Seibei’s home?

Answers : The teacher went to Seibei’s home to complain about his behavior in school.

14. How did Seibei’s father punish him?

Answers : Seibei’s father beat him and destroyed all his gourds with a hammer.

15. What happened to Seibei’s confiscated gourd?

Answers : The teacher gave it to a school porter, who later sold it for fifty yen.

16. How much did a wealthy collector pay for the confiscated gourd?

Answers : A wealthy collector bought the confiscated gourd for six hundred yen.

17. What new hobby did Seibei take up after giving up gourds?

Answers : After giving up gourds, Seibei became engrossed in painting pictures.

18. What was Seibei’s father’s reaction to his new hobby?

Answers : Seibei’s father began scolding him for painting pictures.

19. Did Seibei harbor bitterness towards his teacher or father?

Answers : No, Seibei did not feel bitterness towards his teacher or father later in life.

20. What does the story teach about hobbies and passion?

Answers : The story teaches that hobbies and passion can bring joy, but societal pressures may challenge them.

Medium Questions with Answers

1. Why was Seibei passionate about gourds?

Answers : Seibei was passionate about gourds because he admired their symmetry and beauty. He enjoyed cleaning and polishing them with great care. This hobby brought him joy, even though others didn’t understand it.

2. How did Seibei spend his time after school?

Answers : After school, Seibei would wander around town looking for gourds to add to his collection. Once home, he would spend hours working on the gourds, polishing and treating them. This routine became his daily habit.

3. Why did Seibei’s teacher scold him in class?

Answers : Seibei’s teacher scolded him for polishing a gourd during an ethics class. He considered this behavior unfit for a boy and thought it was an unmanly hobby. The teacher confiscated the gourd as punishment.

4. What kind of gourds did Seibei prefer, and why?

Answers : Seibei preferred plain, symmetrical gourds because he found them pleasing to the eye. He didn’t care for the more unusual, gnarled ones that other collectors liked. He appreciated the simple beauty of the even-shaped gourds.

5. Why did Seibei’s father destroy his gourds?

Answers : Seibei’s father destroyed his gourds after hearing about the teacher’s complaint. He thought Seibei’s hobby was a waste of time. In his anger, he smashed the gourds with a hammer.

6. What did the porter do with the confiscated gourd?

Answers : The teacher gave the confiscated gourd to a porter at the school. The porter took it home and later decided to sell it to a curio dealer. He was able to sell it for fifty yen.

7. How did the confiscated gourd gain value?

Answers : The curio dealer sold the gourd to a wealthy collector for six hundred yen. This showed that the gourd, which Seibei had lovingly worked on, was valuable in the eyes of others. It was worth far more than initially thought.

8. Why did Seibei stop collecting gourds?

Answers : Seibei stopped collecting gourds because of the harsh reactions from his teacher and father. His father destroyed the gourds, and the teacher scolded him. Seibei eventually moved on to painting pictures.

9. What did Seibei do after he stopped collecting gourds?

Answers : After giving up gourds, Seibei became focused on painting pictures. His passion for art replaced his old hobby. This new interest kept him engaged and absorbed.

10. How did Seibei’s father react to his new hobby of painting?

Answers : Seibei’s father scolded him again for his new hobby of painting. Just like with his gourd collection, Seibei’s father did not support his artistic pursuits. He expressed disappointment in Seibei’s choice of hobbies.

11. What made Seibei’s heart beat faster when he saw the gourd?

Answers : Seibei’s heart raced when he saw a seemingly ordinary gourd that caught his attention. He felt a deep connection to it and was eager to buy it. The gourd had something special about it that he couldn’t explain.

12. How did Seibei react when the teacher took away his gourd?

Answers : Seibei didn’t cry when the teacher took his gourd away. He remained silent and stared ahead with a pale face. His emotions were muted, though he was deeply affected by the teacher’s actions.

Long Questions with Answers

1. Who was Seibei, and what was his hobby?

Answers : Seibei was a twelve-year-old boy who loved collecting and working with gourds. He would spend hours polishing and treating them, finding joy in their symmetry and simplicity. His passion for gourds was something he cherished deeply. This hobby was misunderstood by the adults around him, who criticized it.

2. Pick out instances from the story to show that Seibei was passionate about gourd collection.

Answers : Seibei would often wander around town after school looking for new gourds to add to his collection. He spent a lot of time cleaning, polishing, and treating them, ensuring they were well taken care of. His love for gourds was evident when he would even polish them secretly in class and cherish every moment with them.

3. Explain the views of Seibei’s father about him and his hobby.

Answers : Seibei’s father did not understand or approve of his hobby. He thought that his son’s obsession with collecting gourds was a waste of time. He was disgusted by Seibei’s behavior and destroyed all the gourds in a fit of anger, not realizing that it was an important part of Seibei’s creative self-expression.

4. Why did Seibei’s teacher become angry with him? Was his anger justified?

Answers : Seibei’s teacher became angry when he found Seibei polishing a gourd during class, especially in an ethics class. He thought that Seibei’s hobby was unmanly and inappropriate. While the teacher’s anger was excessive, it reflects the societal norms that placed little value on unconventional hobbies, especially for young boys.

5. Seibei’s teacher held his parents responsible for Seibei’s mistake. Do you agree with the teacher? Explain.

Answers : The teacher blamed Seibei’s parents for allowing their son to pursue such a hobby. While it’s understandable to want children to focus on studies, the teacher was too harsh in his judgment. It is not always a parent’s fault when a child’s hobby does not fit societal expectations, as creativity and interests should be encouraged.

6. Describe the attitude and reaction of the teacher to Seibei’s passion.

Answers : The teacher reacted angrily to Seibei’s passion for gourds, calling it effeminate and useless. He saw Seibei’s hobby as a waste of time and believed it was a sign of weakness. His overreaction was not based on understanding the child’s creativity, showing how societal norms can stifle individual expression.

7. Why and how did Seibei change his hobby? Describe in your own words.

Answers : Seibei changed his hobby due to the constant criticism from his father and teacher. After his gourd collection was destroyed, he gave up on it and turned to painting as a new outlet for his creativity. This shift shows how external pressure can force someone to abandon their true passions in favor of more socially acceptable activities.

8. Do you have similar experiences? Describe in your own words.

Answers : Like Seibei, many people face criticism or discouragement for their hobbies or interests. For instance, one may love art or music, but society might push for more practical pursuits like science or math. Overcoming such challenges often requires finding strength in one’s passion despite external disapproval.