Class:- 7th English ( Honeycomb ) Chapter - 5 Quality Summary, Word Meanings, NCERT Solutions & Frequently Asked Questions

Class:- 7th English 

( Honeycomb )

Chapter - 5

Quality 

Summary, Word Meanings, NCERT Solutions & Frequently Asked Questions  

-- Summary --

⭐ Summary in English:- This story is about a German shoemaker whose name is Mr. Gessler. He is acquainted with the author from his days of youth, when the shoemaker used to make boots for the author’s father. The shoemaker used to live with his elder brother in his shop. His shop was a small by-street shop which was located in the fashionable part of London. However, the shop was a bit different than the rest of the shops. There was no sign on the shop except for the name written on it and there were a few pairs of boots in the window. The shoemaker made only what was ordered by the customer and the shoemaker was so skilled that the boots he made always fit the customer perfectly. The author comments that the boots he made and how he made them seemed mysterious and wonderful. The author had even asked the shoemaker if it was hard to make such boots. The shoemaker smiled and replied, saying that it was an art. The author said that going to his store often was not possible because his shoes lasted longer than expected, such was the quality. The atmosphere inside the shop was different as well. It was like going inside a church. The customer had to wait by sitting on a single wooden chair. A guttural sound would come from upstairs and tip tap of the shoemaker’s slippers as he would descend the stairs. Mr. Gessler had an unprofessional look. He would stand a little bent towards the customer in his leather apron and the sleeves of his shirt turned back. He would blink as though he had just been awakened by some dream of boots. The author would then put forward his order and the shoemaker would bring a piece of leather. In his German accent, the shoemaker would admire the piece and the author would do so too. Then the shoemaker would ask the author when he would want his order and he would say as conveniently as he could. The shoemaker would keep the date as the next fortnight but if it were his elder brother who would be attending the author, he would say that he would ask his brother and then let him know. They would then bid each other goodbye and the shoemaker would go back to his dream of boots. One day, the author told Mr. Gessler that the last pair of shoes creaked. The shoemaker however said that they shouldn’t have creaked and became sorrowful. He then asked the author to bring that pair of boots back and he promised to look at it. He explained that there were some boots which were bad from the start and if those boots happened to be damaged beyond repair, he would take them off his bill. The author once went to Mr. Gessler’s store to complain about boots he bought at a large firm. He took his order and observed each and every part of his boots. He firmly said that he had not made those boots and even pointed where the boot was hurting the author’s feet. The shoemaker harshly commented on the big firms and how the advertisements had been taking away his customers. For the time, he talked of his hardships. The author felt so bad for the shoemaker that he ordered many pairs of boots which last him two years because of the good quality. After a few months when he visited Mr. Gessler’s store, he got to know that Mr. Gessler’s elder brother was dead. Again, out of sorrow, the author ordered many pairs. After that, the author spent over a year abroad. When he came back, he visited Mr. Gessler’s store and ordered boots of all kinds.

After receiving his orders, the author decided to visit Mr. Gessler and thank him for his service. However, when he reached the location, the name of the shoemaker was not written on the shop. Soon, he got to know from the new owner that Mr. Gessler had died of starvation. The owner went on saying that Mr. Gessler lost all his customers because of his slow speed and because he never advertised. Mr. Gessler would never stop working on boots and would never use a penny to feed himself. He said that Mr. Gessler had the best leather and made good boots. The author with a heavy heart also said that Mr. Gessler made good boots.

⭐ Summary in Hindi:- यह कहानी एक जर्मन शूमेकर की है जिसका नाम मिस्टर गेसलर है। वह लेखक से उसकी युवावस्था के दिनों से परिचित है, जब शूमेकर लेखक के पिता के लिए जूते बनाता था।

शूमेकर अपने बड़े भाई के साथ उसकी दुकान में रहता था। उनकी दुकान एक छोटी सी बाई-स्ट्रीट की दुकान थी जो लंदन के फैशनेबल हिस्से में स्थित थी।

हालांकि, दुकान बाकी दुकानों से थोड़ी अलग थी। दुकान पर नाम के अलावा कोई निशान नहीं था और खिड़की में कुछ जोड़ी जूते थे। शूमेकर ने केवल वही बनाया जो ग्राहक ने आदेश दिया था और शूमेकर इतना कुशल था कि उसके द्वारा बनाए गए जूते हमेशा ग्राहक को पूरी तरह से फिट होते थे।

लेखक टिप्पणी करता है कि उसने जो जूते बनाए और उन्हें कैसे बनाया वह रहस्यमय और अद्भुत लग रहा था। लेखक ने शूमेकर से यहां तक पूछा था कि क्या इस तरह के जूते बनाना मुश्किल है। शूमेकर ने मुस्कुराते हुए जवाब दिया कि यह एक कला है। लेखक ने कहा कि उनके स्टोर पर जाना अक्सर संभव नहीं होता क्योंकि उनके जूते अपेक्षा से अधिक समय तक चलते थे, ऐसी गुणवत्ता थी।

दुकान के अंदर भी माहौल अलग था। यह एक चर्च के अंदर जाने जैसा था। ग्राहक को लकड़ी की एक ही कुर्सी पर बैठकर इंतजार करना पड़ता ।शूमेकर की सीढ़ियों से उतरने की आहात सुनाई देती – टिप टॉप । मिस्टर गेसलर का लुक अनप्रोफेशनल था।

वह अपने चमड़े के एप्रन में ग्राहक की ओर थोड़ा मुड़ा हुआ होता और उसकी कमीज की आस्तीन पीछे की ओर मुड़ जाती। वह ऐसे पलकें झपकाता जैसे कि वह अभी-अभी जूते के किसी सपने से जागा हो। लेखक तब अपना आदेश देता और शूमेकर चमड़े का एक टुकड़ा लाता। अपने जर्मन लहजे में, शूमेकर चमड़े के टुकड़े की प्रशंसा करता और लेखक भी ऐसा करते ।

तब शूमेकर लेखक से पूछता था कि उसे उसका आर्डर कब चाहिए और वह कहते जितनी आसानी से वह कर सके। शूमेकर अगले दो सप्ताह का समय के रूप में तारीख रखता था, लेकिन अगर यह उसका बड़ा भाई होता, तो वह कहता कि वह अपने भाई से पूछेगा और फिर उसे बता देगा। फिर वे एक-दूसरे को अलविदा कहते और शूमेकर अपने जूते के सपने में वापस चला जाता।

एक दिन, लेखक ने मिस्टर गेसलर को बताया कि जूते की आखिरी जोड़ी चरमरा गई। शूमेकर ने हालांकि कहा कि उन्हें चरमराना नहीं चाहिए था और दुखी हो गए।फिर उन्होंने लेखक से उस जूते कि जोड़ी को वापस लाने को कहा और उन्हों ने इसे देखने का वादा किया। उसने समझाया कि कुछ जूते थे जो शुरू से ही खराब थे और अगर वे जूते मरम्मत से परे क्षतिग्रस्त हो गए, तो वह उन्हें अपने बिल से हटा देंगे।

लेखक एक बार मिस्टर गेसलर के स्टोर में एक बड़ी फर्म में खरीदे गए जूतों की शिकायत करने गया था। उसने अपना आर्डर लिया और अपने जूतों के एक-एक हिस्से को देखा। उन्होंने दृढ़ता से कहा कि उन्होंने उन जूतों को नहीं बनाया था और यह भी बताया था कि बूट लेखक के पैरों को चोट पहुँचा रहा था।

शूमेकर ने बड़ी फर्मों पर कठोर टिप्पणी की और कैसे विज्ञापन उसके ग्राहकों को छीन रहे थे। कुछ समय के लिए, उन्होंने अपनी कठिनाइयों के बारे में बात की। लेखक को शूमेकर के लिए इतना बुरा लगा कि उसने कई जोड़ी जूते मंगवाए जो अच्छी गुणवत्ता के कारण उसे दो साल तक चलते हैं।

कुछ महीनों के बाद जब वे मिस्टर गेसलर के स्टोर पर गए, तो उन्हें पता चला कि मिस्टर गेसलर का बड़ा भाई मर चुका है। फिर से, दुख से बाहर, लेखक ने कई जोड़ियों का आदेश दिया। उसके बाद, लेखक ने विदेश में एक वर्ष से अधिक समय बिताया। जब वह वापस आया, तो उसने मिस्टर गेसलर के स्टोर का दौरा किया और सभी प्रकार के जूते मंगवाए।

उनके आदेश प्राप्त करने के बाद, लेखक ने मिस्टर गेसलर से मिलने और उनकी सेवा के लिए उन्हें धन्यवाद देने का फैसला किया। हालांकि जब वह उस जगह पहुँच तो दूकान पे शूमेकर का नाम नहीं लिखा था।

जल्द ही, उसे नए मालिक से पता चला कि मिस्टर गेसलर की मौत भूख से हुई है। मालिक ने कहा कि मिस्टर गेसलर ने अपने सभी ग्राहकों को उसकी धीमी गति के कारण खो दिया और क्योंकि उसने कभी विज्ञापन नहीं दिया तो पाए ग्राहक नहीं मिले । मिस्टर गेसलर ने कभी भी जूतों पर काम करना बंद नहीं किया और खुद को खिलाने के लिए कभी भी एक पैसे का इस्तेमाल नहीं किया ।

उन्होंने कहा कि मिस्टर गेसलर के पास सबसे अच्छा चमड़ा था और उन्होंने अच्छे जूते बनाए। लेखक ने भारी मन से यह भी कहा कि मिस्टर गेसलर ने अच्छे जूते बनाए ! 

-- Difficult Words --

• Extreme - बहुत ज्यादा 

• Youth - जवान

• Distinction - पहचान.

• Shy - शर्मिला 

• Awfully - बहुत ज्यादा 

• Beard - दाढ़ी

• Lasted - काफी देर तक चलना

• Terribly - भयानकता से

• Essence - महक 

• Creak - कड़कड़ाना

• Penetrate - भेदना

• Circumstances - हालात 

• Worn - घीसा हुआ , फटा हुआ, थका हुआ

• Give up - छोड़ना , त्याग करना 

• Splendidly - बहुत अच्छी तरह से

• Take over - कब्जा कर लेना 

• Starv - भुखमरी 

-- NCERT Solutions --

Question 1:- What was the author’s opinion about Mr Gessler as a bootmaker?

Solution:- The author was very impressed with Mr Gessler. He liked the boots made only on order and those boots perfectly fitted the customers. Their boots had the best materials and lasted long. He found the work mysterious and wonderful.

Question 2:- Why did the author visit the shop so infrequently?

Solution:- The author visited the shop so infrequently because the boots made by Gessler brothers lasted too long.

Question 3:- What was the effect on Mr Gessler of the author’s remark about a certain pair of boots?

Solution:- Mr Gessler at first found the remark unbelievable. He argued that the author might have got them wet. He was shocked. He told the author that he will either repair them or adjust the money in his bills.

Question 4:- What was Mr Gessler’s complaint against ‘big firms’?

Solution:- Mr Gessler complained that the big firms didn’t value the money of the customers. They were capturing the markets from advertisements and not from the quality of their work. He was mostly out of work because of those firms and day by day the volume was getting reduced.

Question 5:- Why did the author order so many pairs of boots? Did he really need them?

Solution:- The author felt bad for Mr Gessler who was really talented and made great boots. He ordered so many pairs to help the bootmaker. No, he didn’t really need them.

-- Previous Year Questions --

Question 1:- Why did author preferred boots made by Mr Gessler than that of big firms?

Solution:- The author preferred boots made by Mr Gessler than that of big firms because Mr Gessler’s boots were durable, were made from best leathers and they fitted perfectly well. The author was very attached to Mr Gessler.

Question 2:- The author felt sorry for complaining about his boots. What made him feel so?

Solution:- Mr Gessler was shocked at the complaint. He failed to believe it. He became silent and then started thinking deeply where he went wrong. This made the author regret making such a complaint.

Question 3:- Why the author called those boots bought from big firm ‘ill-omened’?

Solution:- Seeing those boots Mr Gessler for the first time informed the author about the hardships of his trade and the hard times he was going through. Finding Mr Gessler in pain, the author called those boots bought from big firm ‘ill-omened’ ones.

Question 4:- Describe the boots made by Mr Gessler.

Solution:- Mr Gessler made boots only on orders. His boots were perfect in size. They lasted long and wpre made from the best leathers.

For Mr Gessler boot making was an art which was exhibited perfectly in each pair carved by him.

Question 5:- Mr Gessler in his last wasn’t in good health. Give three examples to prove this.

Solution:- Author had mistaken Mr Gessler for his elder brother because he looked too old. There was very thin lining of hair left on the top portion of his head. During the last meeting with the author within a period of one year, Mr Gessler had grown older by around 10 years. He looked tired and exhausted.The hardships of the trade have taken a toll on his health. He even failed to recognise the author at first.

Question 6:- Mr Gessler was spending his days with great difficulty. Give suitable arguments in favour of this.

Solution:- Mr Gessler was having a tough time in his final years. He had lost his customers because of the delay in delivery of his orders.

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