Early Autumn Question and Answers - Story No. 1 - B.Com English - The Learning Art

'Early Autumn' Questions and Answers - Story No. 1 -  B.Com English - The Learning Art

Question 1: Why did Mary and Bill not marry when they were young?

Answer: Although Mary and Bill were in love with each other when they were young but something which was not very important came between them and they stopped talking to each other and parted their ways. Hence, they did not marry each other when they were young.

Question 2: What effect did this youthful breakup have on each of them?

Answer: After their break-up. Bill moved away with a broken heart, having bitter thoughts about women.

Mary got married with a man whom she thought she loved.

Bill focused his career later and became a lawyer in a nice firm. Bill married Lucille and was happy with his married life.

On the other-hand, Mary was not happy with her married life. She did not mention any thing about her husband when asked by Bill, while Bill told her the name of his wife and mentioned his family. Mary still had the same feelings for Bill, even after many years of her marriage.

YouTube Video of Early Autumn Reading and Translation

 

Question 3: Did Mary and Bill experience similar emotions when they met after several years? Give textual evidence to support your answer.

Answer: When Mary and Bill met after many years, they had different emotions.

Mary seemed more emotional than Bill. While Bill was calm and composed and showed no sign of emotions towards Mary. It was Mary who saw Bill and stopped him on the way. Bill even did not recognize her at first sight.

The emotions of Mary can be understandable with the line of the story ‘unconsciously, she lifted her face as though wanting a kiss, but he held out his hand. She took it.’

Mary wanted Bill to kiss her. However, Bill settled it by only hand shaking.

In the last para, we read, ‘[she forgot to] tell him that her youngest boy was named Bill, too’

In the loving memory of her ex-love, she named her youngest son as Bill.

All these signs show that they both had different feelings when they met each other after many years.

Question 4: What was the last thing that Mary wanted to say to Bill which she was unable to express? What do you think she actually wanted to say?

Answer: Probably Mary wanted to ask when they would meet again and also wanted to tell him that she named her youngest son as ‘Bill’ as well.

She wanted to say that she strongly missed him. And that she is not happy with her married life. She even did not mention her husband’s name and profession, when asked by Bill and instead, she told Bill about her job and children. Mary wanted to express her love for Bill, but she could not do so in the first meeting which was so brief   and even she forgot to tell him the address where she lives or ask for his.

 

Question 5: Why does Mary not mention anything about her husband?

When asked by Bill Walker about Mary’s husband, she didn’t mention anything about her husband because she married him thinking that she loved him but actually she loved Bill Walker. And apparently she was not happy with her husband. That is why she did not mention anything about her husband.

 

Question 6: Why has the story been named ‘Early Autumn’? Discuss in the light of Mary’s character.

At first, it seems obvious that Mary is the one who is in her "autumn." She looks noticeably old, and in fact, she looks older than Bill.

Autumn represents a time of loss, and Mary clearly feels a sense of loss as she "desperately reaches back into the past." Her emotional loss is emphasized by the setting of the story. The day is almost over and it's getting cold. Leaves fall inevitably from the trees, and throngs of strangers pass Bill and Mary as they talk.

Mary actually had the feeling of loss when she met Bill Walker at the Washington Square. 

Keeping in view the loss of Mary in the story, it has been named as 'Early Autumn'.

Question 7: What was the cause of the break-up between Mary and Bill? Why Mary’s youngest son was named Bill in the story ‘Early Autumn’? (2011 Private Q No. 4.1)

Answer: The cause of break-up between Mary and Bill as mentioned in the story was something which was not very important which came between them and they stopped talking to each other.

Mary named her youngest son as Bill in the memory of her ex-lover ‘Bill Walker’ because she could never remove him from her mind & thoughts and she still had the same feelings for him.