All about a Dog
by Alfred George Gardiner
1. What was the narrator's perception of the conductor? Who did he compare him to? Why?
= According to the narrator's perception the conductor was intended to get into the trouble and was perhaps waiting for it.
The narrator compared the conductor with a 'Resentful Employee'.
A 'Resentful Employee' is the one who is internally angry about some issue in his organization and this affects the employee's productivity. Here the conductor was delaying the journey of all the other passengers only for the young woman and her dog.
2. What according to the conductor was the rule about dogs? How did the passengers react towards the conductor enforcing this rule?
= According to the conductor, the bus would not go until that dog was brought out.
The passenger were under great distress and they became angry about that rule. They started shouting and suggesting to call the police and also expecting the conductor to be in the army as his behaviour was like a dictator.
3. Tick the events that occurred both times the conductor stopped the bus.
a. The conductor spotted the lady with the dog. [✓]
b. The conductor walked up and down on the pavement. [✓]
c. A policeman stopped by to check why the bus had stopped. [ ]
d. The driver drummed his fingers on the steering wheel. [✓]
e. A passenger asked for the conductor's number to report him. [✓]
f. A young woman raised her voice threateningly. [ ]
g. The little dog blinked at the lights. [✓]
h. The lady with the dog refused to go up. [ ]
i. The lady's friend agreed with her. [ ]
j. The lady went to the top level of the bus. [ ]
Reference to context:
4. "I saw trouble brewing."
a) Who is the 'I' in this line?
= The narrator is the 'I' in this lines.
b) Between whom was the trouble brewing ?
= The trouble was brewing between the conductor and the young woman who was carrying one of those little Pekingese dog.
c) Why did the 'I' expect trouble?
= The 'I' expected trouble because the narrator had marked that the conductor was a man with a general vague grievance against passengers who came and sat his bus.
5. "They stick by each other - the villains," was the comment.
a) What happened to make the speakers express this opinion?
= An another bus was passing by. The passengers shouted to stop it. But the bus did not stop. This made the speakers to express this opinion.
b) Who are being called 'villains'?
= The bus drivers and conductors of those two buses are being called 'villains'.
c) Is it fair of the speakers to use the word 'villain'? Why or why not?
= According to me, It is fair of the speakers to use the word 'villain'. The bus they were travelling in, was standing at one place only for an insignificant reason. It was night and the weather was very cold. There were no other means to reach their destination. The other bus also did not stop for them.
6. "Who's conductor of this bus?"
a) Who asked this question?
= The driver of the bus asked this question.
b) Why does the speaker ask this question?
= Someone pulled the stop bell of the bus. That brought the driver around to the door and he asked this question.
c) What is the response the speaker receives?
= The speaker did not receive any response from the passengers. He returned to his seat and resumed drumming a rhythm on the steering wheel.
Read, reflect and answer:
7. The narrator makes a couple of digs at the 'Pekingese party' but it is evident that he sympathizes with them. How can this be confirmed with evidence from the story?
= The narrator sympathizes with the 'Pekingese party' which is evident in his long speech for the conductor at the end of the story. He said that the rules of the conductor is for the comfort and not for the discomfort the passengers. The other passengers were not feeling uneasy or discomfort for the dog. But the conductor was stick to his temper and stopped the bus letting the passengers in discomfort.
8. 'His embittered soul was having a real holiday'. Why do you think the conductor's soul might be embittered ? Can you explain why he might behave the way that he does?
= The conductor was stuck to his temper and was trying his best to execute the rule. He was convincing the young woman to get out of the bus with the dog. But he failed again and again. I guess this embittered his soul.
I think, the conductor was only responsible to abide by his duty. He did not have any practical knowledge. He wanted to make sure that the other passengers do not feel discomfort because of the dog. But he rather increased their discomfort.
9. "You have kept the rule and broken its spirit". Sum up the message being conveyed in this essay. Do you agree? Elaborate upon this.
= Rules are necessary things for our good and comfort. We should obey all the rules to live a smooth life. But we should not forgot the aim or spirit of any rule. The basic aim of any rule is to keep ourselves and others in peace and comfort. We should not violet that thing in just executing the rule or law. The conductor wanted the young woman to get out of his bus with the dog so that the other passengers do not feel discomfort because of the dog. But while doing so, he created more bigger trouble or discomfort for all the passengers by stopping the bus in the middle of their journey in that cold night.
10. What was the narrator's perception of the conductor? Who did he compare him to? Why?
= According to the narrator's perception the conductor was intended to get into the trouble and was perhaps waiting for it.
The narrator compared the conductor with a 'Resentful Employee'.
A 'Resentful Employee' is the one who is internally angry about some issue in his organization and this affects the employee's productivity. Here the conductor was delaying the journey of all the other passengers only for the young woman and her dog.
11. What according to the conductor was the rule about dogs? How did the passengers react towards the conductor enforcing this rule?
= According to the conductor, the bus would not go until that dog was brought out.
The passenger were under great distress and they became angry about that rule. They started shouting and suggesting to call the police and also expecting the conductor to be in the army as his behaviour was like a dictator.