Most Beautiful: ISC Class 11 Modern English notes
Get summay, questions, answers, solutions, notes, extras, PDF, competency-based questions of Ruskin Bond’s story Most Beautiful: ISC Class 11 Modern English (Goyal Brothers Workbook), which is part of the present syllabus. These solutions, however, should only be treated as references and can be modified/changed.
Summary
The story begins with the narrator in a town he finds heartless. He sees a group of boys bullying a physically deformed and mentally challenged boy named Suresh. Suresh is small for his age, with bowed legs, long arms, and a face scarred by smallpox. He cannot speak clearly, which makes the bullies tease him more. The narrator hesitates at first but steps in when a stone injures Suresh. He scares the bullies away and takes Suresh home.
At Suresh’s house, the narrator meets his mother, a kind and beautiful woman. She loves her son deeply but admits her husband is disappointed in him. Suresh’s father is distant and seems to have given up on his son. The narrator starts visiting Suresh regularly. He takes Suresh for walks in the fields and forests, away from the market. He teaches Suresh to swim in a stream, which helps the boy gain confidence. The narrator begins to see Suresh as a unique person, not just as a boy with disabilities.
One day, Suresh finds a small turtle. He is fascinated by it because it hides its head in its shell, much like how Suresh wants to hide from a cruel world. Later, a baby goat follows them home. Suresh loves the goat and takes care of it. However, when other people admire the goat’s beauty, Suresh becomes jealous and angry. He feels the goat is receiving the affection he never got. In a sudden rage, he kills the goat with a brick. This act reveals his deep inner pain and frustration.
The narrator gets a job offer and must leave for Delhi. On the day of his departure, Suresh acts cold and distant. But just as the train starts to move, the narrator sees Suresh at the station, searching for him. Suresh runs desperately along the platform, waving his arms. He stumbles and falls. In that moment, the narrator understands the boy’s true feelings and sees him as the most beautiful boy in the world, realizing that true beauty comes from the heart.
Workbook solutions
Multiple Choice Questions
1. Why was Suresh being bullied by the boys at the bazaar?
(a) He had stolen something from them.
(b) He looked different and could not speak properly.
(c) He had fought with them earlier.
(d) He was new to the town.
Answer: (b) He looked different and could not speak properly.
2. Why does the narrator take Suresh away from the bazaar after rescuing him?
(a) He wants to punish Suresh for shouting at the boys.
(b) He wishes to take Suresh to the police.
(c) He understands that Suresh is vulnerable and needs protection.
(d) He wants to buy something from a nearby shop.
Answer: (c) He understands that Suresh is vulnerable and needs protection.
3. What does Suresh’s fascination with the turtle symbolize?
(a) His desire for freedom despite his limitations.
(b) His fear of water and new experiences.
(c) His hatred towards animals that are different from him.
(d) His interest in collecting small creatures.
Answer: (a) His desire for freedom despite his limitations.
4. What does the narrator mean when he calls Suresh “the most beautiful boy in the world” at the end?
(a) Suresh’s physical deformities made him unique and beautiful.
(b) The narrator realised that true beauty lies in inner strength and resilience.
(c) The narrator was being sarcastic about Suresh’s appearance.
(d) The narrator wanted to console Suresh’s mother.
Answer: (b) The narrator realised that true beauty lies in inner strength and resilience.
5. What does the story suggest about the father’s attitude towards Suresh?
(a) He is protective and loving but unable to express it.
(b) He is indifferent and emotionally disconnected from his son.
(c) He is supportive and tries to help Suresh become independent.
(d) He is ashamed of Suresh and keeps him hidden from society.
Answer: (b) He is indifferent and emotionally disconnected from his son.
6. Why does Suresh kill the pet goat?
(a) He was hungry and wanted to eat it.
(b) He was jealous of the admiration it received.
(c) He was angry with his mother.
(d) He was scared that it would run away.
Answer: (b) He was jealous of the admiration it received.
7. Why does the narrator take Suresh to the fields and river instead of the bazaar?
(a) He wants Suresh to experience the beauty of nature and freedom.
(b) He thinks Suresh needs fresh air to recover from his wounds.
(c) He wants to teach Suresh how to swim.
(d) He is afraid the bazaar boys will attack Suresh again.
Answer: (a) He wants Suresh to experience the beauty of nature and freedom.
8. Why does Suresh’s mother invite the narrator to visit again?
(a) She believes the narrator can help Suresh feel accepted.
(b) She wants the narrator to tutor Suresh in school subjects.
(c) She wants to thank the narrator with gifts.
(d) She wants the narrator to convince her husband to accept Suresh.
Answer: (a) She believes the narrator can help Suresh feel accepted.
9. What does Suresh’s final attempt to reach the narrator at the train station symbolize?
(a) His anger at the narrator for leaving.
(b) His emotional growth and desire for connection.
(c) His refusal to accept change.
(d) His realisation is that he will never be normal.
Answer: (b) His emotional growth and desire for connection.
10. Read the two statements from Rusty Comes Home and choose the correct option from the ones that follow.
Statement 1: Suresh shows deep interest in the turtle he finds near the stream.
Statement 2: Suresh feels a connection with the turtle because it hides inside its shell like he hides from the world.
(a) Statement (i) is independent of Statement (ii).
(b) Statement (i) is the reason for Statement (ii).
(c) Statement (i) and Statement (ii) are similar.
(d) Statement (i) is the result of Statement (ii).
Answer: (d) Statement (i) is the result of Statement (ii).
11. Read the two statements from Rusty Comes Home and choose the correct option from the ones that follow.
Statement 1: The narrator stops the bazaar boys from tormenting Suresh.
Statement 2: Suresh is injured by a stone thrown by one of the boys.
(a) Statement (i) is independent of Statement (ii).
(b) Statement (i) is the reason for Statement (ii).
(c) Statement (i) and Statement (ii) are similar.
(d) Statement (i) is the result of Statement (ii).
Answer: (d) Statement (i) is the result of Statement (ii).
12. Read the two statements from Rusty Comes Home and choose the correct option from the ones that follow.
Statement 1: Suresh’s mother welcomes the narrator and offers him tea.
Statement 2: Suresh’s mother appreciates the narrator for treating Suresh like a normal person.
(a) Statement (i) is independent of Statement (ii).
(b) Statement (i) is the reason for Statement (ii).
(c) Statement (i) and Statement (ii) are similar.
(d) Statement (i) is the result of Statement (ii).
Answer: (d) Statement (i) is the result of Statement (ii).
Fill the blanks/Complete Sentences
1. The main character decides to stop the bullying because ______
Answer: a stone strikes the boy on the face and cuts his cheek open.
2. The description of the mustard fields and trees helps the reader imagine the place because ______
Answer: the author uses vivid imagery to create a clear picture of the natural landscape.
3. Suresh likes the turtle because he feels it is similar to him because ______
Answer: of its squat legs, rounded back, and its tendency to hide its head from the world.
4. At first, the narrator does not stop the bullying because he is unsure of what to do because ______
Answer: he lacked the courage to interfere.
5. Suresh and his mother look very different, which shows that beauty means different things to different people because ______
Answer: his mother is strikingly handsome while he is considered ugly by normal standards, yet the narrator comes to see the beauty in Suresh’s unique spirit.
6. Suresh throws a brick at the goat because he is feeling angry and jealous because ______
Answer: he feels the goat is receiving more admiration and love for its beauty than he ever has.
7. The narrator starts to see Suresh differently after spending time with him because ______
Answer: he begins to see beyond the boy’s deformities and recognizes him as a unique individual with feelings and curiosity.
8. The change in the colour of the mustard fields shows ______
Answer: the passage of time.
9. When Suresh falls at the train station, it makes the reader feel ______
Answer: a sense of his deep loneliness and symbolises his isolation in a world that doesn’t understand him.
10. The last sentence, “the most beautiful boy in the world,” is surprising because ______
Answer: Suresh does not fit conventional standards of beauty, and the statement reveals that the narrator has learned that true beauty lies in inner qualities, not outward appearance.
11. The narrator’s friendship with Suresh changes how he thinks about people because ______
Answer: he learns to look beyond physical attributes and see the uniqueness and humanity in a person.
12. The story makes people think about how society treats people who look different because ______
Answer: it contrasts the cruelty and indifference of society with the kindness and acceptance that can change a person’s life.
13. The narrator was scared to stop the bullying at first because ______
Answer: he lacked the courage to interfere with a gang of schoolboys.
Short Answer Type Questions
1. What events led the narrator to help Suresh when he was being bullied? Write your answer in about 100-150 words, incorporating the following details:
(a) How the narrator first reacted to the bullying.
(b) What finally made him step in.
Answer: The narrator was initially an uneasy observer of the scene where Suresh was being bullied. He felt that he ought to do something to put a stop to it, but he lacked the courage to interfere and hesitated to step in.
The event that finally made the narrator act was when a stone struck Suresh on the face, cutting open his cheek. It was only at this point that the narrator lost his normal discretion. He then ran in amongst the boys, shouting at them and clouting those he could reach until they scattered.
2. How does the author describe Suresh’s physical appearance, and how does it influence the way others treat him? Write your answer in about 100-150 words, incorporating the following details:
(a) The features that make Suresh stand out.
(b) How people react to him because of his appearance.
Answer: The author describes Suresh as a boy of twelve or thirteen who was small for his age, having the height of an eight or nine-year-old. His legs were thick, short, and bowed. He had a small chest, but his arms were long, making him appear rather ape-like in his attitude. Furthermore, his forehead and cheeks were pitted with the scars of smallpox, and he was considered ugly by normal standards.
Because of his physical deformities and the unclear gibberish he spoke, Suresh was treated cruelly by others, especially the children in the bazaar. They would jeer at him, torment him, and throw mud and stones at him. His appearance made him a target for bullying and social rejection.
3. How does the setting (bazaar, mustard fields, and stream) play an important role in the story? Write your answer in about 100-150 words, incorporating the following details:
(a) The differences between these places.
(b) How Suresh behaves in each setting.
Answer: The different settings in the story are very important as they represent contrasting worlds for Suresh. The bazaar is a crowded, claustrophobic, and hostile environment where Suresh faces cruelty and torment from other children. In sharp contrast, the mustard fields, forest, and stream represent a world of nature, freedom, and acceptance, where he is safe from judgment and can explore new experiences.
Suresh’s behavior changes completely with the setting. In the bazaar, he is defensive and confrontational, shouting abuses at his tormentors. However, when he is in the fields and by the stream, he becomes joyful and expressive. He runs towards the trees, shouting and clapping his hands with excitement. By the stream, he overcomes his self-consciousness to learn to swim, an activity that gives him a new sense of confidence and joy.
4. How does the narrator’s friendship with Suresh help him understand beauty in a new way? Write your answer in about 100-150 words, incorporating the following details:
(a) What the narrator first thought about beauty.
(b) How Suresh changed his perspective.
Answer: Initially, the narrator thought of beauty and ugliness as subjective terms. He told Suresh’s mother that ugly is just a word, like beauty, and that they mean different things to different people. He did not believe they were absolute qualities, stating that the only absolutes are birth and death.
Suresh’s friendship changed the narrator’s perspective significantly. As he got to know Suresh, the narrator became less conscious of the boy’s deformities and began to see him as the norm. In contrast, the children of the bazaar seemed abnormal in their similarity to each other. The narrator realised that true beauty is not about outward appearance but about a person’s inner qualities, uniqueness, and spirit. This shift in understanding is what allows him to see Suresh, in the end, as the most beautiful boy in the world.
5. How does Suresh’s reaction to the goat’s presence show his inner struggles? Write your answer in about 100-150 words, incorporating the following details:
(a) Why Suresh becomes jealous of the goat.
(b) What his actions reveal about his emotions.
Answer: Suresh’s reaction to the goat reveals his deep inner struggles with feelings of being different and his need for acceptance. At first, he loves and takes care of the goat, which becomes his main obsession. However, his resentment begins when others start admiring the pet. He becomes jealous and insecure, suspecting that people find the goat better looking than its owner and feeling that the goat is receiving more love than he ever has.
His actions show his deep pain and frustration. In a sudden and uncontrollable rage, he kills the goat with a brick and shows no regret for what he has done. When asked if he enjoyed it, he smiles and nods his head vigorously. This act demonstrates that he is capable of emotions like rage and cruelty, which result from his frustration with the way the world treats him. He then, perhaps feeling regretful, offers a knife to the narrator in a desperate act, gesturing for him to stab him as a form of violent punishment.
6. Why does Suresh react negatively when others admire the goat? Write your answer in about 100-150 words, incorporating the following details:
(a) His emotions before getting the goat.
(b) Why he starts feeling jealous of it.
Answer: Before the goat’s arrival, Suresh’s life is one of loneliness and constant bullying. Although he is deeply emotional and curious about the world, he is mostly isolated due to his physical deformities and society’s cruelty. The friendship with the narrator is his first real connection and brings him some happiness and new experiences.
Suresh reacts negatively when others admire the goat because he becomes intensely jealous. He feels that the goat is receiving more love and positive attention for its beauty than he ever has. This admiration from others highlights his own insecurities and feelings of being left out. He suspects that people find the goat better looking than him, a feeling that is confirmed when the narrator finds him comparing his and the goat’s reflections in a mirror. The attention the goat receives makes his own pain of rejection feel even more acute.
7. How does the narrator’s opinion of Suresh change throughout the story? Write your answer in about 100-150 words, incorporating the following details:
(a) His first impression of Suresh.
(b) How spending time with him changes his thoughts.
Answer: At the beginning of the story, the narrator’s first impression of Suresh is that of an “uneasy observer.” He sees a “deformed retarded boy” being bullied and feels he should do something but lacks the courage. He feels sympathy and pity for Suresh. Even after taking him home, the narrator decides to visit again more out of sympathy for Suresh’s mother and pity for the boy, whom he views as a “poor, unfortunate boy” and not as an equal.
As the narrator spends more time with Suresh, his opinion changes significantly. He becomes less conscious of Suresh’s deformities and begins to see him as the norm, while the children of the bazaar seem abnormal in their similarity. The narrator stops seeing Suresh as just a “deformed boy” and recognizes his unique personality and emotions. He realizes that Suresh has his own thoughts, feelings, curiosity, and a need to be accepted, just like anyone else.
8. How does the narrator’s quote, “Ugly is just a word,” relate to the main theme of the story? Write your answer in about 100-150 words, incorporating the following details:
(a) What does the narrator mean by this statement?
(b) How does it connect to his view about Suresh?
Answer: By stating that “Ugly is just a word,” the narrator means that terms like ‘ugly’ and ‘beauty’ are not absolute. They are subjective and mean different things to different people. He explains that the only true absolutes in life are birth and death, and concepts of appearance are merely words that can be interpreted in many ways.
This statement connects directly to his evolving view of Suresh and the story’s central theme that true beauty is not about outward appearance. While society judges Suresh as ugly because of his physical deformities, the narrator learns to see beyond them. He discovers Suresh’s inner self, with his unique personality, emotions, and struggles. The quote shows the narrator’s realization that a person’s real value lies in who they are inside. For the narrator, Suresh may be considered ugly by normal standards, but in the end, he is “the most beautiful boy in the world” because of his spirit and their connection.
Long Answer Type Questions
1. How does Suresh’s journey from isolation to self-confidence reflect the story’s central theme?
Write your answer in about 200 to 250 words.
Answer: Suresh’s journey from isolation to self-confidence directly reflects the story’s central theme that true beauty lies in inner qualities and human connection, not in outward appearance. Initially, Suresh is completely isolated due to his physical deformities and speech impediment. He is tormented by boys in the bazaar and treated with indifference by his own father, leaving him lonely and withdrawn from a hostile world.
This journey begins when the narrator intervenes and shows him kindness. By taking Suresh away from the cruel bazaar and into the freedom of nature, the narrator helps him experience a world beyond his confined existence. The most significant step in building Suresh’s confidence is when the narrator teaches him to swim. The story states that knowing how to swim, something the bazaar boys never learned, gave Suresh a certain confidence and made his life more than a one-dimensional existence. As Suresh gains this confidence, the narrator’s perception of him changes. He stops seeing a “deformed boy” and begins to see a unique individual, realizing that the other boys in the market seemed abnormal in their similarity to each other. This transformation illustrates the theme that acceptance and kindness can unlock a person’s true self. Suresh’s final, desperate attempt to reach the narrator at the train station, despite his earlier coldness, shows the depth of the bond he formed, marking his growth from complete isolation to someone capable of deep emotional connection.
2. How does the metaphor of the turtle symbolize Suresh’s life and struggle?
Write your answer in about 200 to 250 words.
Answer: The metaphor of the turtle powerfully symbolizes Suresh’s life and his struggle for survival in a harsh world. When Suresh discovers the turtle near the stream, the narrator immediately notes the physical resemblance, pointing out its squat legs and rounded back, which mirror Suresh’s own deformities. However, the symbolism goes much deeper than physical appearance. The turtle’s tendency to hide its head inside its shell is a direct metaphor for Suresh’s own emotional and physical withdrawal from a society that constantly bullies and rejects him. The shell represents a protective barrier, a safe space from the cruelty of the world, just as Suresh hides from others to avoid torment.
Furthermore, the turtle’s behavior of thrusting its head out with “extreme circumspection” reflects Suresh’s own cautious and hesitant nature. Having been mistreated his entire life, he is fearful and slow to trust anyone, as seen when he initially draws away from the narrator. The text states that the turtle can be seen as a metaphor for Suresh, representing his inner self or emotional state. Suresh’s fascination with the creature stems from a deep, unspoken identification. He sees in the turtle a reflection of his own vulnerability, his instinct for self-preservation, and his constant struggle to navigate a world that sees him as different and unworthy. The turtle, like Suresh, is simply trying to exist and protect itself, making it a perfect symbol of his life and struggles.
3. How does Suresh’s act of killing the goat reveal his emotional struggle?
Write your answer in about 200 to 250 words.
Answer: Suresh’s act of killing the goat is a violent outburst that reveals the depth of his emotional struggle with insecurity, jealousy, and the pain of being different. Initially, Suresh loves the goat, which becomes his “main obsession.” He feeds it and cares for it, showing his capacity for affection and his deep-seated need for companionship. However, his feelings change when he sees others, including his mother and the narrator, admiring the goat for being “pretty.” The text explains that he suspected they found the goat better looking than its owner. This admiration for the goat’s conventional beauty triggers his own profound insecurities about his appearance and the constant rejection he faces.
The act of killing the goat in a “sudden and uncontrollable rage” is not just about the animal; it is a manifestation of his accumulated frustration and sadness. He feels that the goat is receiving the love and positive attention that he has been denied his entire life. His subsequent lack of regret and his nod when asked if he enjoyed killing it is described as a “primitive” cruelty, born from his suffering and undisguised by “civilizing restraints.” The most telling part of his struggle is when he offers the narrator a knife and motions for him to stab him. This is not an act of remorse for the goat but a desperate, self-destructive reaction to having offended his only friend. The entire incident shows the immense emotional turmoil of a boy who feels worthless and unloved, leading him to destroy the very thing that brought him a moment of happiness.
4. How does the narrator’s perception of beauty change throughout the story?
Write your answer in about 200 to 250 words.
Answer: Throughout the story, the narrator’s perception of beauty undergoes a significant transformation, moving from a conventional, surface-level understanding to a much deeper one. Initially, the narrator perceives Suresh through the lens of societal norms, describing him as “ugly by normal standards.” He notes Suresh’s physical deformities, such as his short, bowed legs, long arms, and a face pitted with smallpox scars. At this stage, the narrator’s feelings are a mixture of pity and unease, and he sees Suresh as a “poor, unfortunate boy” rather than an equal.
As the narrator spends more time with Suresh, his perspective begins to shift. He starts to see beyond the physical appearance and recognizes Suresh as a person with feelings, curiosity, and a need for acceptance. The narrator’s growing friendship makes him less conscious of Suresh’s deformities. He begins to find the so-called normal boys of the bazaar abnormal in their similarity, while Suresh becomes his new norm. This change is articulated in his conversation with Suresh’s mother, where he states that “Ugly is just a word,” and that beauty and ugliness are not absolute terms but mean different things to different people. By the end, the narrator realizes that true beauty is not about outward appearance but about a person’s inner qualities, uniqueness, and spirit. His final thought of Suresh as “the most beautiful boy in the world” shows that his understanding of beauty has completely evolved to value inner strength, emotion, and human connection over physical looks.
5. Why does Suresh chase the train at the end, and what does it symbolise?
Write your answer in about 200 to 250 words.
Answer: Suresh chases the train at the end of the story because it is his last, desperate attempt to hold on to the narrator, the only person who has ever shown him true friendship and acceptance. Although Suresh initially appeared indifferent and cold when the narrator announced his departure, his actions at the station reveal his true feelings. He had run the gauntlet of the bazaar during the busiest hour to find the narrator. As the train begins to move, he breaks into a stumbling run, waving his arms in frantic, restraining gestures, showing how much the narrator’s companionship meant to him and his fear of being left alone again.
This act of chasing the train is highly symbolic. It represents Suresh’s deep-seated loneliness and his desperate desire for human connection in a world that has consistently rejected him. The narrator was his only escape from the cruelty of the bazaar and the indifference of his own father. The chase symbolizes his emotional growth; he is no longer just a passive victim but someone who actively fights to keep a meaningful relationship. Furthermore, the final image of Suresh stumbling and falling against someone’s bedding symbolizes his ultimate isolation and the difficulty of his struggle. It suggests that despite the confidence he has gained, he is still vulnerable and alone in a world that does not understand him, and his one connection to kindness and acceptance is moving away, leaving him behind.
Extras/additionals
MCQs: Knowledge-based
1: What was the approximate age of the boy named Suresh, judging by his face?
A. Eight or nine
B. Twelve or thirteen
C. Thirty-five
D. Fourteen
Answer: B. Twelve or thirteen
28: After killing the goat, Suresh was found near the stream, lying on his belly in the soft mud, chasing __________ with a stick.
A. frogs
B. fish
C. tadpoles
D. insects
Answer: C. tadpoles
MCQs: Competency-based
29: (I) Suresh’s mother invited the narrator to visit again.
(II) She realized the narrator could be a positive influence and friend to her lonely son.
A. I is independent of II.
B. I is a contradiction of II.
C. II is the reason for I.
D. I is the reason for II.
Answer: C. II is the reason for I.
42: The narrator’s final thought, seeing Suresh stumble on the platform, evokes a feeling of:
A. Relief and closure
B. Anger and frustration
C. Pathos and unresolved loneliness
D. Joy and hope for the future
Answer: C. Pathos and unresolved loneliness
Questions and Answers
1. How does the narrator’s initial reaction to the bullying scene reflect a common societal response? You are required to answer in 100-150 words by incorporating the following details:
- The narrator’s initial hesitation to intervene.
- The reasons behind his final decision to act.
Answer: The narrator’s initial reaction reflects a common societal response of hesitation and uncertainty when faced with cruelty. At first, he hesitates to step in, possibly because he was scared or unsure of what to do, which is a frequent reaction when people witness bullying.
His final decision to act is triggered by a specific event. He intervenes only when a stone hits and injures Suresh. This compassionate response shows that while hesitation is common, a direct act of harm can move a person to overcome their fear and offer help to someone who is vulnerable.
33. How does learning to swim mark a turning point for Suresh’s self-confidence? What does this activity represent for him? You are required to answer in 200-250 words by incorporating the following details:
- Suresh’s initial self-consciousness about his body.
- The sense of freedom and joy he discovers in the water.
- How this newfound confidence contrasts with the powerlessness he feels in the market.
Answer: Learning to swim marks a turning point for Suresh because it helps him overcome his deep insecurities. At first, he is hesitant to get in the water because he is self-conscious about his body, which has been the source of so much bullying and shame.
As he learns to swim, he discovers a sense of freedom and joy. This newfound confidence is something the bullies in the market never learned. In the water, his physical deformities do not hold him back, and he can experience a feeling of control and happiness that he lacks in his daily life.
For Suresh, the activity of swimming represents growth and liberation. It shows that people with disabilities can enjoy life and grow, just like anyone else, if they are given love and support. The confidence he gains in the stream contrasts with the powerlessness he feels in the market, making it a key moment in his journey toward self-acceptance.
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