Chapter 3 Refund

 

Chapter 3 Refund 

Class 11 English

 Exercise 

Fritz Karinthy 

Understanding the text 

Answer the following questions. 

a. Why does Wasserkopf demand a refund of his tuition fees from
the school? 

Answer: Wasserkopf demands a refund of his tuition fees from the
school because he claims that he didn’t learn anything from the
school and his 18 years education made him nothing but an
incompetent ass. 

b. Why does Wasserkopf consider himself good for nothing?

Answer: Wasserkopf considers himself good for nothing because his
school taught him nothing and he becomes failure many times in
his life in the matter of getting a job too. 

c. What did the teachers decide to do when Wasserkopf asked for a
refund? 

Answer: The teachers approved Wasserkopf’s request for a reexamination and pass him in all subjects, even if his answers were
incorrect. They agreed to prove Wasserkopf’s answers to their
questions correct. 

d. Why did Wasserkopf give ridiculous answers? Why did the
teachers accept these answers? 

Answer: Wasserkopf gave ridiculous answers so that he could fail
the exam by any means necessary and receive a refund. Teachers
accepted his answers because they wanted him to pass the exam to
preserve the school’s reputation. 

e. How does the Mathematics Master describe Wasserkopf’s
character? 

Answer: The Mathematics Master describe Wasserkopf’s character as a sly and crafty individual who intends to deliberately fail his
exam in order to recoup his tuition fee. He is a unique individual
who irritates all of the teachers with his abusive language.

f. How did the teachers outwit Wasserkopf? 

Answer: He gave wrong and ridiculous answers to fail the test. But
the teachers were cleverer than him. After asking Wasserkopf the
easy question, the mathematics teacher said that he failed the
exam and asked him to calculate the amount the school had to
refund. He did it very well. The mathematics teachers said that he
solved the difficult question as he was a mathematical genius. The
teachers declared that he passed the exam. In this way, they
outwitted Wasserkopf.

g. What is the final judgment on Waserkopf’s demand of refund? 

Answer: At last, he gets nothing on his demand of refund. The
principal declares that Wasserkopf has passed the re-examination
with distinction in every subject, and has again shown that he is
entitled to the certificate they awarded him on his graduation.

Reference to the context 

a. Read the extract from the play given below and answer the
questions that follow:
“It’s possible I’ve changed. What the hell…! Your class records will
show I’ve got a right to come here.” 

i. Who is the speaker? Who is he speaking to? 

Answer: Wasserkopf is the speaker. He’s speaking to the principal of
his former school.

ii. Why is the speaker say these words? 

Answer: The speaker says these words because he is dissatisfied
with his educational records from his previous school, which he
obtained eighteen years ago. 

iii. Where is the speaker at this moment? 

Answer: The speaker is in the Principal’s office at this moment.

b. Read the extract dialogue given below and answer the questions
that follow: 

“THE STAFF: (bowing, heartily) How do you do? 

WASSERKOPF: Who the hell are you? 

Sit down, you loafers! (He
grins, waiting to be thrown out) 

THE PRINCIPAL: How dare you –” 

i. What is to be the response to ‘How do you do?’ 

Answer: ‘I am fine’ is to be the response to ‘How do you do’. 

ii. Is Wasserkopf’s response polite enough to the staff? 

Answer: No, Wasserkopf’s response to the staff isn’t polite enough.
He uses derogatory language against them. 

iii. How does Wasserkopf rebuke the staff? 

Answer: Wasserkopf rebukes the staff, calling them “loafers” and
asking, “Who the hell are you?” 

iv. What does the principal mean by ‘How dare you -’? 

Answer: The Principal is referring to Wasserkopf’s dare to make
abusive remarks about masters when he says, ‘How dare you?’ 

c. Explain the following line of the play: “Because I didn’t get my money’s worth, that’s why!” 

Answer: This line was spoken by the main character of the play,
Wasserkopf. In this line, Wasserkopf explains his reason for his
arrival and demand a refund to the school’s principal. According to
him, his education from school did provide him nothing. He is fired
from the job and is in financial crisis. Wasserkopf is, therefore,
justified in claiming for a refund. He adds that a re-examination
will prove that his demand is valid. 

d. What is the theme of the play? 

Answer: This play is a satire on today’s educational system, which
has failed to prepare students for life. This play showcases teachers’
wit in the face of an ill-natured old pupil Wasserkopf who returns to
his old school with an absurd demand of a refund as he has got
nothing reading there. 

e. Sketch the character of Wasserkopf. 

Answer: Wasserkopf is a forty-year-old poor and greedy man who was born in Hungary. He is a short-tempered man who has been
fired several times for his bad manners and rude behaviour.
Wasserkopf seems to be the type of person who does not do his
duty and blames others. While at school, he just wanted to pass
and did not study well. He does not even know about foreign
exchange. That is why he did not get a good job. He himself says he
is good for nothing. Wasserkopf also sounds like an undisciplined
man with no good manners. He does not respect his teachers and
uses bad words and derogatory language with them. He thinks that
he is clever enough to get the refund but because of his foolishness
and stupidity, he falls in his Mathematics teachers’ trap.

Reference beyond the text 

a. The play is a satire on the present day education system. Do you
think that our education system does not prepare students for life?
Discuss. 

Answer: Yes, I believe that our educational system does not
adequately prepare students for life. I think that our education
system does not prepare students for life. Our education system is
based on memorization. Students hardly learn skills useful for real
life. But today’s students also do not care about real knowledge.
They just want to pass the exams with good marks rather than
learning. Courses are more theoretical than practical. Our
curriculum doesn’t prepare us for our future struggle and survival.
For example, we are taught the things which are useless in our real
life. It makes students dull and less creative in practical life. Hence,
sadly it is true that our education system does not prepare us for
life. 

b. Our education system focuses on memorisation rather than
creative thinking. Do you think the knowledge imparted by
education may not have practical relevance in one’s day-to-day
life? Who do you blame for this? 

Answer: Yes, I believe that the knowledge imparted by education
may not be practical in daily life. Our education system is more
based on memorization then on learning the skills useful for real
life. I think that our government is mainly responsible for the cause. The government should make curriculum more practical than
theoretical so that the students can learn the thing practically rather
than from writing into the papers. Students are focused on
remembering than in doing the things creatively. Creativity has no
place in their lives. They just want to pass the exams with good
marks rather than learning. Students too are responsible for this
because they are doing the things blindly whatever they are said
and taught without focusing on learning things practically. They are
doing their job as an elephant in a circus. Thus I blame the
government and the students for this. 

c. Most of the students want to learn just for examination rather
than knowledge. Do you think that certificate will help them in their
future career? 

Answer: It’s true that most of the students want to learn just for
examination rather than knowledge. They want to get higher marks
only by hook or crook. But that certificate won’t help them in their
future career. Students who only prepare for exams won’t enjoy
credentials throughout their future careers. They’re far from the
concept of knowledge, but they trust quick solutions to pass your
exams. The method they have chosen doesn’t benefit their future.
Since certificates never demonstrate genuine knowledge or skills,
true knowledge will certainly be lacking in the future. Many
certificate holders don’t get proper job due to insufficient skill and
hence they are forced to do manual jobs in foreign countries
although they have degree in Nepal. By this we can say that the
certificate is just a piece of paper and gaining certificate by
memorizing rather than learning would lead a person to a dead
end.