A Respectable Woman : Summary + Question Answer
A Respectable Woman
BY --- Kate Chopkin
1. Main Characters :
- Mrs. Baroda : The Central Character
- Mr. Gatson : Mrs. Baroda's Husband
- Mr. Gouvernail : Mr. Gatson's college friend, and their guest
2. Plot Summary :
'A Respectable Woman' is the story of inner struggle of Mrs. Baroda.
When she comes to know that her husband's friend is coming to stay with them for a week or two, she didn't like it. Before meets him, she makes a prejudiced image of him, and decides she won't like him.
But when he comes, she finds he is not as she had imagined him to be. She wants to make him comfortable and at home by talking and accompanying him.
Gouvernail is a reserved person, so Mrs. Baroda finds it impossible to penetrate his silence although she honestly tries for it. She feels puzzled by his personality, and decides to leave for her aunt in a city the next morning.
That evening as she was sitting on a bench under a tree, Gouvernail comes near him, and sits beside her.
Here he speaks softly and nicely to her. Here she feels drawn to him, and to come physically near to him.
But she controls her emotions thinking it to be immoral for a respectable married woman like her. This is the inner struggle of her heart.
The next morning she leaves for her aunt's house, and returns only after her husband's friend goes back from her place.
By the end of the story we find she has found her way out of her inner struggle, she has overcome her conflict. She declare she has overcome her 'every thing', and next time she will be nice to him.
3. Summary :
This story presents the inner conflict of a woman who feels attracted by her husband's friend, but stops her impulse (urge/ strong desire) only because she thinks herself to be a respectable woman. But the conflict runs in her mind. By the end of the story we find her coming to a conclusion which is just opposite to her earlier values.
The lead character of this story is Mrs. Baroda. It is her conflict and her story.
One day she learnt that her husband's friend Gauvernail was coming to stay with them for some days. Initially she didn't like the idea of the friend's coming. The main reason of it was that they had been busy all winter, entertaining guests, and now she needed some uninterrupted time with her husband.
Gauvernail was her husband's college friend, and was a journalist. Even before she had seen him, she had made a biased image of him in her mind.
She had pictured him tall, slim, cynical (selfish/concerned only with one's own interests), with eye glasses, and keeping his hands in his pockets.
But when she saw him, she found that he was not as she had pictured him. He was slim, but wasn't tall. Neither he was cynical, nor he wore glasses, nor he carried his hands in his pockets. As she saw him first she felt a type of liking for him.
But soon, however, she herself was worried thinking why she liked him. She didn't find any of those brilliant and promising traits (qualities/characteristics) in him, which her husband had said he possessed.
The more she knew him, the more she was confused. He didn't speak very much. He was mute (silent/ not speaking much), and was receptive most of the time. She found her rather uninteresting.
Of course he had good manners. He was courteous and respectable to her. He was a lovable and inoffensive person.
She wanted to be good at her husband's friend by giving him a nice company, and talking to him. But sometimes it seemed as if he didn't take any notice of her conversation with him, or even her presence before him. She was puzzled by his personality, and sometimes she even felt irritated by him.
It seemed as if he had enveloped (covered/ wrapped up) himself in a reserved and she couldn't penetrate (to move into something) it.
One day she asked her husband when his friend was returning back, and came to know that he might stay one more week. She thought she couldn't stay in his company any more. So she told her husband that she would go to her aunt and would return only after he left the place.
That night she was sitting on a bench under a tree. Gouvernail slowly came there, and sat beside her. He gave her a white scarf sent by her husband. Then he started to talk with her. He talked about his past and present. His manner of talking and voice were great. This time it had an appeal to her.
Here she felt an impulse to touch him, she wanted to come closer to him, and to whisper in his ear.
But she stopped her impulses (urge/ strong desire) thinking that a married and respectable woman should not do that. She immediately rose and left the place leaving him alone there. Early next morning she left her place for her aunt, and didn't return till Gouvernail had left her place.
Next summer her husband wanted to invite Gouvernail once more, she bitterly opposed to it. So her husband dropped the idea.
But surprisingly, before the year ended, she herself proposed from the bottom of her heart to invite him again. She said she had overcome everything, and she would be nice to him next time.
4. Pointwise break down of the story:
1. Expecting Guest :
One day Mrs. Baroda learnt from her husband that his friend Mr. Gouvernail was coming to spend a week or two with them.
She was annoyed at the news. As they had been busy the last winter entertaining guests, now she wanted to pass an uninterrupted time with her husband.
2. The prejudiced Baroda :
Mr. Gourvernail had been her husband's college friend. He was a journalist. He was not a very social person. Before she met him, she had made a prejudiced image of him.
She had imagined him to be 'tall, slim and cynical, with eyeglasses, and carrying his hands in his pockets. So, before he had met him, she didn't like him.
3. The Difference :
Later when she met him, she found Mr. Gouvernail not as she had imagined him to be. Although he was slim, he wasn't very tall, nor was he cynical. He didn't wear eye glasses, and he didn't carry his hands in his pockets. She rather liked him when she first saw him.
4. Gouvernail's Demeanor (manner/ behaviour) :
Gouvernnail didn't possess any of those brilliant or promising traits which Gaston had told his wife. He was mute (not speaking much) and receptive (here -- more likely to listen only) in nature. He listened attentively to everything that Gaston or Mrs. Baroda said, but rarely responded to them.
He had solitary habits. He didn't have any interest in either fishing or hunting.
He was of course a courteous person, who knew to respect women. He was a lovable, inoffensive person.
5. The Puzzled Woman :
His personality made Mrs. Baroda disappointed. She found him reserved and rather uninteresting.
Gouvernail didn't seem to be very much attentive to either to her presence and her conversations, or even to her absence. He had such a cold response.
She tried to penetrate his reserve and silence and to understand him. She tried to be nice to her guest making him comfortable with themselves. But she couldn't.
She couldn't understand why she liked him. She was puzzled and remained piqued (irritated) by his behaviour.
6. She Decides of Going to her Aunt :
One day as she asked her husband when his guest would return back, she came to know that he would stay for about one more week. This knowledge irritated her all the more. She told her husband in that case she was going to the city next morning to her aunt. She would return only after Gouvernail had gone.
7. That Night : The Incident on the Bench :
That night she was sitting on a bench under a tree. Gouvernail arrived and sat there beside her. He handed her over a white scarf which her husband had sent for her.
In the beginning he observed the nature, and uttered a sort of poetry to the nature. He didn't have his usual silence that time. Sitting by her side, his usual silence had melted for the time.
He talked to her freely and intimately, and in a low pleasant tone. He talked about his past and present. He talked of old college days, of activities and intentions etc. It was a different mood.
His talk and voice were so great. This conversation opened up and revealed his real personality. It was like an appeal to her.
8. Her Impulse and Temptation :
Here she felt a strong physical attraction for him.
She felt a strong urge and temptation to come near and touch his face, his lips. She wanted to come closer to him, and whisper against his cheek.
But however, she stopped herself. She stopped her impulse thinking that a respectable married woman shouldn't do that. It would be unbecoming, indecent and inappropriate for a lady like her.
She immediately rose up and left the place, leaving him alone there.
9. She Leaves for her Aunt :
Reaching home, first she thought of sharing the event and her desire with her husband.
But as she was a sensible woman, she didn't disclose her feelings to him. She knew well that this disclosure might ruin their relationship as wife and husband. She also knew that there are some battles in life which a human being must fight alone.
Early next morning she had left for her aunt. She returned only after Gouvernail had left their place.
10. Gaston's Desire :
One day Gaston expressed his desire to call his friend once more during the next summer. But she was bitterly opposed to it. So the plan had to be dropped there.
11. Before a Year :
But before the year ended, she made her husband quite surprised by proposing from the bottom of her heart to invite Gouvernail to visit them again.
She said she had overcome everything, and she would be very nice to him next time.
Thus the story takes a surprising turn in the end.
12. The Vague (unclear/ambiguous) Ending :
Although the story has a nice ending, but it is somewhat vague too. The vagueness comes when she says she has 'overcome everything'.
This sentence can either mean that she has overcome her (physical) attraction for Gouvernail. She has been able to get victory over her temptation, and now his presence would not disturb her.
On the other hand, it might also mean that she has won her conflict. Now she wouldn't remain confined to the traditional feminine expectation that a married woman should refrain (stop oneself from doing something) from coming into touch with another man.
She might have gained the confidence to initiate (begin) an affair with Gouvernail, putting her marriage and reputation at risk.
If this be the case, the story encourages women to defy social norms and values.
4. Exercises:
Understanding the text :
Answer the following questions :
Question a: Why was Mrs. Baroda unhappy with the information about Gouvernail's visit to their farm ?
Answer : She was unhappy with the information because last winter they had been busy in entertaining several guests, and were also busy with some other engagements. So now she wanted to pass an uninterrupted, undisturbed time with her husband.
Question b: How was Gouvernail different from Mrs. Baroda's expectations ?
Answer : Even before Mrs. Baroda had seen Gouvernail , she had made an image of him. She had imagined her to be 'tall, slim, cynical with eyeglasses', and his hands in pockets.
But when she met him, she found that he was not as as she had imagined him to be.
He was slim enough, but was not very tall, nor cynical. He didn't wear eye-glasses, he didn't carry his hands in his pockets.
Question c. How does Mrs. Baroda compare Gouvernail with her husband ?
Answer : Mrs. Baroda has compared her husband with his friend in several ways. There are lots of differences between the two.
Her husband is frank and talkative, whereas Gouvernail speaks less and is receptive most of the time. Gaston is interested in fishing and hunting birds, whereas Gouvernail is not interested in them. He is a sedentary person. Gouvernail is a smoker whereas Gaston does not smoke.
Question d. Why and how did Mrs. Baroda try to change Gouvernail's solitary habits ?
Answer : She tried to change his solitary habits because he was her husband's friend, so it was her responsibility to accompany him and being hospitable to him. She wanted to be a good host. She wanted to make him feel at home.
So she used to talk with him, and accompany him in his walks.
At the same time we can also say that she had started to like her, and so she liked to be near him.
Question e. How does Gaston disagree with his wife on Gouvernail's character ?
Answer : Mrs. Baroda didn't like Gouvernail at all. She found him uninteresting and felt irritated by him. But her husband disagreed with her saying that he didn't give her any trouble.
Question f. Why is Gaston surprised with his wife's expression towards the end of the story ?
Answer :From the time of Gouvernail's arrival at theirs, Gaston found his wife feeling discomfort and irritated by his presence.
After Gouvernail had gone from there, one day he had even proposed to invite him the next summer. But she had opposed to it strongly.
In this situation, when she proposed herself to invite Gouvernail, Gaston was surprised at the sudden change of her attitude at him.
Reference to the context :
Question a. What is the cause of conflict in Mrs. Baroda's mind ? What role does Mrs. Baroda 'being a respectable woman' play in the story ?
Answer : It is the story of a woman torn between her sexual desires she feels for her husband's friend, and staying faithful to the marriage.
Here we find her internal conflict about controlling emotions and feelings for her husband's best friend.
Although in the beginning she found him dull and uninteresting , his presence appealed her in their last meeting on a bench in an evening. There she felt an urge to come physically closer to him.
But having an affair outside marriage was a taboo (prohibition/ not acceptance) and immoral and ungodly, so she suppressed her desire.
By the last of the story, we find she has overcome her conflict, and tells her husband to invite him once more, and this time she would be nice to him.
Question b : Sketch the character of Gouvernail and contrast it with Gaston.
Answer : Gouvernail's character is most mysterious out of the three characters in the story. He is not as Gaston had told his wife to be, he was not even as Mrs. Baroda had thought him to be.
He is Gatson's college friend and is now a journalist. He is not a society man (a social person). He is not very tall and not cynical. He is neither intelligent, nor interesting as Gatson had mentioned him to be.
He is a sedentary (a person who likes sitting most of the time, physically more inactive) with solitary habits.
On the other hand, Gaston is a social person. He likes sports like hunting, fishing etc. Gouvernail likes enjoying nature, sitting in one place.
He is a lovable and inoffensive person. Unlike Gaston, Gouvernail doesn't do much of talking. He is rather mute and receptive, loves listening to rather than talking. He has mysteriously enveloped (covered) himself in a reserve.
But that night when he met her on the bench, he reveals another side of his personality. Here he is poetic and expressive.
Question c. Why does Mrs. Baroda not disclose her feelings towards Gouvernail to her husband ?
Answer: Along with being a respectable woman, she is a sensible woman too. She felt an urge to come physically closer to Gouvernail. But she checked it thinking being a married woman it was only immoral to establish any such relationship with any other person.
Later, she wants to tell her husband about this foolishness, but again she stops herself thinking it might not only hurt her husband, but also the confession (admitting a guilt) might ruin her married life.
Question d : The last three sentences of the story bring a kind of twist. After reading these three sentences, how do you analyze Mrs. Baroda's attitude towards Gouvernail ?
Answer : The last three sentences of course bring a kind of twist, at the same time they bring a vagueness to the ending, making it ambiguous .
That night she felt an impulse to come to physical contact with him. But she controlled herself being aware that it was immoral and ungodly.
Although she had to struggle to suppress her sensuous desire, finally she overcame it. She felt it was only a momentary impulse.
Thus we can say that her attitude towards him was only that of momentary passion and infatuation (feeling of love).
Reference beyond the text :
Question a : The entry of an outsider into a family has been a recurring subject in both literature and films. Narrate a story real or imaginative where an outsider's arrival destroys the intimate relationship between the husband and wife and causes break up in marital relationship without direct fault of anyone. Anton Chekhov's story 'About Love' is a story on this subject.
Answer : They were the happiest couple of the world. This was a love turned arranged marriage, and they had the blessings of both the families.
As Kamala (name changed) came to live with her in-laws, she had won the heart of every one in the family. She was very caring and loving to every member of the family.
Ramesh (name changed) was yet a struggler. He was working in a private company, and trying for a better job opportunity. Kamala was his source of inspiration.
To cut a long story short, Ramesh got a better job with a better pay. They celebrated the first salary in a reputed hotel.
With the passage of time, however, Ramesh became more and more busy with his work. The down side of it was that most of his time started to go into work, giving himself entirely to the success of his company.
This slowly had a negative effect on his conjugal (married) life. She has complained several occasions that he didn't have any time for her. Gradually their relationship became tensed. Quarrels were frequent between them.
One day his friend gave him a news which shocked him. He said that Kamala was seeing a certain boy in a café. At first Ramesh didn't give his ears to it. But this information completely disturbed him.
One day he followed her very secretly, and found that the information was true. She was sitting in a café quite close to a boy. After some time they came out of the café, hand in hand, near a car. Then they hugged and kissed and bade farewell. Ramesh was heart broken and furious.
That night he couldn't sleep out of anger and restlessness. He thought of quarreling with her, and of taking divorce from also.
That night they had a big row (quarrel), followed by a long silence of several weeks.
He gave the matter a second thought. He knew several instances when the the entry of an outsider had ruined the family. He couldn't ruin his married life. So he thought the whole matter in a new way.
He thought of taking a chance. He decided to take the help of a councilor. He even talked with Kamala about it. Although it was a very difficult task, he got success.
Finally he won her heart once more. In this way Ramesh saved his familial life very prudently.
Question b. Mrs. Baroda makes an expectation about Gouvernail even before meeting him. Suppose you are a matured girl/ boy and your family members are giving you pressure for getting married. Write in about 200 words describing what qualities you would like to get in your future husband/wife.
Answer : Well, considering qualities one would like to get in one's future partner !! Very tough question, and answers will vary (be different).
Here I am before you with my idea of what qualities I'd like to get in my future wife.
First of all about physical look -- I've never dreamt of a princess. No fair skin, no sharp features required. No western fashion, or heavy make up is needed. Of course she should have a good sense of dressing. Here I don't mean costly dresses, I only mean she should have the sense of wearing them in a suitable way.
A simple girl with a little smile is that I think of. Being simple is being beautiful. A girl with matured thoughts, proper understanding, and supportive attitude is beautiful.
She should be at least a graduate.
We have a joint family, so my future partner should know the values of a joint family. She should be less selfish. She should have respect for all the family members in our family.
My future wife should be an equal partner. She should be there to help me through the storms of life, and not to weaken me.
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