A Sunny Morning Exercise: Questions & Answers Class 11 English

A Sunny Morning by Serafin and Joaquin Alvarez Quintero Exercise: Questions & Answers Class 11 English

 Understanding the text 

Answer the following questions.

a. What makes Dona Laura think that Don Gonzalo is an ill-natured man? Why do neither Dona Laura nor Don Gonzalo reveal their true identities?

➜ Gonzalo’s rude behaviour, as well as his demeanour, lead Laura to believe that he is a bad-tempered man. Gonzalo frightens all the pigeons Laura is feeding breadcrumbs to in a park. He even responds to Laura’s question in an impolite manner. Dona Laura and Don Gonzalo do not reveal their true identities because they are aware that they were lovers in the past. They are both quite old now and have outlived their youth. They believe that it is preferable to conceal their identities and to be happy through admirable words from both sides.

b. At what point of time, do you think, Laura and Gonzalo begin to recognise each other?

➜ When Dona Laura takes the book from Don Gonzalo and begins to read aloud, I believe Laura and Gonzalo begin to recognize each other. When she reads the line “Twenty Years Pass,” they both look at each other with scepticism.

c. When does Dona Laura realise that Don Gonzalo was her former lover?

➜ When Dona Laura tells him about the villa in Maricella and Gonzalo tells her about the Silver Maiden named Laura Llorente, Dona Laura realizes that Don Gonzalo was her former lover. To hear his admirable description of her, she recognizes him as her former lover.

d. Why do Dona Laura and Don Gonzalo spin fictitious stories about themselves?

➜ Dona Laura and Don Gonzalo make up stories about themselves because they don’t want to reveal their true identities to one another. They are now quite old and have moved on from their romantic past. They are dissatisfied with their ageing appearance. In this old age, they prefer to hear admirable words from one another. They believe it is better to interact with each other when they are unfamiliar with each other.

e. How do Dona Laura and Don Gonzalo feel about each other?

➜ Dona Laura and Don Gonzalo are irritated with each other at the start of the play. They lash out at each other with harsh and stinging words. However, when they establish a friendly relationship, they discover that they are former lovers. They begin telling their past stories while concealing their true identities. They don’t want to reveal their reality at the age of seventy, preferring to reminisce about their happy romantic past through their conversations. They like each other and enjoy their admiration and past stories through fictitious means. They’d rather meet again in the park.

 Reference to the context 

a. Look at the extract below and answer the questions that follow:

 “Yes, you are only twenty. (She sits down on the bench.) Oh, I feel more tired today than usual. (Noticing Petra, who seems impatient.) Go, if you wish to chat with your guard.”

i. Who is the speaker?

➜ Dona Laura is the speaker.

ii. Who does ‘you’ refer to?

➜ ‘You’ refers to Dona Laura’s maid Petra.

iii. Who is the ‘guard’ the speaker is talking to?

➜ The ‘guard’ is the ‘park’s guard’ the speaker is talking to.

b. Read the extract dialogue from the play and answer the questions that follow:

DONA LAURA: (Indignantly.) Look out!

DON GONZALO: Are you speaking to me, senora?

DONA LAURA: Yes, to you.

DON GONZALO: What do you wish?

DONA LAURA: You have scared away the birds who were feeding on my crumbs.

DON GONZALO: What do I care about the birds?

DONA LAURA: But I do.

DON GONZALO: This is a public park.

c. Who is Dona addressing by saying “Look out”?

➜ By saying “Look out”, Dona is addressing Don Gonzalo.

d. What was Dona doing?

➜ Dona was in the park feeding breadcrumbs to pigeons.

e. Who scared the birds? Are they pet birds?

➜ Don Gonzalo scared the birds. They are not pet birds.

f. Where are the speakers at the time of the conversation?

➜ At the time of the conversation, the speakers are in a park.

g. What is the effect of flashback in the play when Dona Laura and Don Gonzalo knew that they were the lovers in the past?

➜ A flashback is a dramatic device in which earlier events are interjected into a narrative’s normal chronological flow. Flashback has played an important role in making this romantic comedy very interesting in this play. When Don Gonzalo and Dona Laura discovered that they had been lovers in the past, their flashback stories began to tell us about various events from their romantic youth. This play has been expanded with a variety of hidden facts as a result of their flashback. Because of its use, the play has a variety of concealing and revealing twists, as well as a satisfying climax. Both characters continue to use flashback stories with various information, which has made the entire audience pay attention and enjoy every single dialogue of the play. The foundation of this amusing play can be thought of as a flashback.

h. Discuss how the play is built around humour and irony.

➜ This play is built around irony and humour. The play is the ideal combination of humour and irony. This romantic comedy was created with the goal of entertaining all audiences through humour and irony. This play begins with old Dona Laura’s amusing dialogue. Following Don Gonzalo’s entrance into the park, the sarcastic arguments between both old people created an extremely humorous environment in the play. There’s a lot of irony in both characters’ pinching words. When they realize they know each other, they begin telling their flashback stories, which piques the readers’ interest and makes them want to hear more from the characters. Their way of interacting with ironic remarks, their false stories about their deaths, their methods of concealing their identities to fool each other, their promise to meet the next sunny morning, and so on have added to the humour and irony of the play.

i. How is the title ‘A Sunny Morning’ justifiable? Discuss.

➜ This play is set in a park in Madrid, Spain on a sunny morning. In this setting, the entire play has been presented. A sunny morning has provided an ideal setting for a reunion of two former lovers in their golden years. They argue, know each other, conceal their identities, admire, tell fabricated stories about their deaths, prefer to meet again the next sunny morning, and so on. From start to finish, the entire play continues to make us laugh hysterically while remaining in this setting of a sunny morning. As a result, the title ‘A Sunny Morning’ is quite appropriate, as it depicts a reconciliation of former lovers in a park with great humour. In this way, the title ‘A Sunny Morning’ is justifiable.

 Reference beyond the text 

a. What do you predict will happen in the next meeting between Dona Laura and Don Gonzalo? Discuss.

➜ I predict they will be much more enthusiastic at the next meeting. They will once again express their emotions through fictitious means. They will both try to make each other happy. Don Gonzalo will undoubtedly be more forthright this time. He will make an effort to show his appreciation for her. Readers will be able to see their shyness. They will undoubtedly have a lot more fun with their pretentious acts.

b. Was it wise for Dona Laura and Don Gonzalo to keep their identities secret? How might their secrets affect future meetings?

➜ Yes, Dona Laura and Don were wise to keep their identities hidden. They both realized, at the age of seventy, that they were former lovers who had split up due to their misfortune. They did, however, a good job of concealing their true identities. They were both quite old and in poor physical condition. They were dissatisfied with their old appearance. The revelation of their true nature would be futile at this age. They reasoned that it would be best if they concealed their identities and pretended to be strangers. They decided that the best way to relive their sweet youthful memories was through deception. If they continue to lie in this manner, their secrets may have an impact on future meetings. Secrecy is never maintained for an extended period of time. Because of their older age, they are at a high risk of revealing secrets. If they unknowingly reveal their realities, they will not attempt to meet in the near future.

c. Write the summary of the play.

➜ Goto: Summary of A Sunny Morning