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My Old Home by Lu Xun: Summary | Questions and Answers | Class 12 English
My Old Home by Lu Xun
Table of Contents
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DETAILED INFORMATION ABOUT MY OLD HOME BY LU XUN
DETAILED SUMMARY
"My Old Home" is a short story about the conflict between memories and realities. This story was written by the Chinese writer Lu Xun. This story is based on the writer's memories regarding his old home and friend.
This story has presented the writer's dual feelings before and after his arrival at his old home. He had a deep longing for his homeland while being away from his old home. But, after he arrives at his old home, his memories are forced to come to confront the realities. His prior conceptions and understandings of the world come into conflict with his reality.
This story has presented the major themes of relationships, friendship, childhood memories, class differences, and memories versus realities.
This story presents the setting of the Chinese village where the narrator grew up.
MAIN PLOT
NARRATOR'S ARRIVAL AT HIS OLD HOME
The narrator was quite far from his old home. He had been away from his old home for twenty years. During this gap, he was heartily connected to his old home and his childhood memories.
When he returned to his homeland after twenty years of travelling more than six hundred miles during late winter, he started feeling depressed to see the desolate and scattered village, which seemed lifeless on that overcast day.
His old home was quite fine in the past, where many people of his clan used to live. He didn't have words to describe his old home's beauty. He found a need for a bit of improvement in his old home. He returned to his old home this time with no illusions. He had the sole purpose of saying 'Goodbye' to his relatives. His old home had already been sold to another family. He wanted to hand over his house before New Year's Day.
At dawn, when he arrived at his home, he saw withered grass on the roof and a silent environment. He found his mother at the door to welcome him. He saw his nephew, Hong'er, for the first time, who was behind his mother.
He informed his mother about a rented house at his workplace where they were going to migrate. He had even bought a few furniture items for his rented house. He wanted to sell his old home's furniture to buy new furniture items for his rented house.
The narrator's mother told him about the immovable old furniture in the house and even her almost-ready luggage. She desired to meet her relatives. She informed him about Runtu's curiosity about him. She had already informed Runtu about the arrival time of the narrator.
NARRATOR'S MEMORIES RELATED TO RUNTU
He saw a small kid over ten on the seashore with a silver necklet. He had a pitchfork in his hand and was trying to thrust zha (a fast and cunning creature with oily feathers) with his full might. The zha dodged his blow and escaped between his legs. Runtu was appointed to guard the sacrificial vessels by the narrator's father. The narrator's family had been charged with ancestral sacrifice during that time, after thirty years. There were three types of labourers in the district, according to their tasks. They were called full-timers, dailies, and part-timers. The narrator was eagerly waiting to meet Runtu, who was almost the same age as him. The narrator first saw Runtu standing in his kitchen. He had a round, crimson face. He seemed high in spirits but very shy. He talked with the narrator in others' absence. They soon became friends.
When they met the next day, the narrator learned a variety of strange things from Runtu. Runtu even invited the narrator to come to his home during the summer season. Runtu informed him about the trap of birds, the best time for catching different kinds of birds, different types of seashells, the way of guarding watermelons against zha, the use of pitchforks against zha, flying two-leg frog-like fish in the seashore, etc.
The narrator cried a lot when Runtu left the place. He stayed in his kitchen, crying. Runtu left seashells and feathers as a present for the narrator. The narrator even provided him with presents once or twice. After that separation, they never met again.
NARRATOR'S MEETING WITH MRS. YANG
The narrator met Mrs. Yang at his home. He addressed her as the compass of a geometry box. She was about fifty years old and had thin cheekbones and lips. He was surprised to see her. She held the narrator in her arms. Later, his mom informed him about Mrs. Yang, a beancurd shop lady from across the road. The narrator remembered her later on. In her childhood, she used to sit in her beancurd shop powdering herself and was quite famous by her name, "A Beancurd Beauty." She used to do fine business at that time. The narrator was quite small then, so he couldn't have gotten much of an impression of her. Mrs. Yang requested that the narrator let her furniture items into the home for free. She referred to the narrator as a rich man. But the narrator denied being rich. When the narrator revealed his intention of selling furniture items, she threw lots of words at the narrator regarding miserliness.
NARRATOR'S MEETING WITH RUNTU AFTER MANY YEARS
After many years, the narrator met Runtu again. He found him quite different. His face was wrinkled. He came along with his fifth son, Shuisheng. The narrator felt bad to hear the word 'Master' from his mouth. The narrator's mother asked him to call the narrator 'Brother Xun' but he talked about his past mistakes and childhood understandings. When all of them talked, the narrator and his mother learned about the various hardships of Runtu's life, along with that of many of his children. His poverty led him to this stage. The problems of famines, taxes, soldiers, bandits, officials, and landed gentry had all squeezed him. Both the narrator and his mother decided to help Runtu. They asked Runtu to take the items he needed from the house. Runtu chose two long tables, four chairs, an incense burner and candlesticks, and one balance. He also asked for all the ashes from the stove.
NARRATOR'S DEPARTURE AND REALISATION
After nine days, they left their old home in the evening. Both the narrator and his mother became nostalgic. The invitation of Runtu's son Shuisheng to Hong'er made the narrator feel sadder. He realised idols as superstitious idols and the idol of hope. He started thinking about human life, memories, and relationships. He realised the value of social responsibilities and blurred relationships between humans. He expected his nephew and Runtu's son to have a fine relationship.
At the end of the story, as he was leaving, he realised that all of the memories and even his old home were left behind. He moved ahead towards his destination, leaving his past in his memories.
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SHORT STORIES IMPORTANT QUESTIONS' SOLUTION PACK
SHORT SUMMARY
This short story, "My Old Home," is a story of the conflict between childhood memories and present realities. This story was written by the Chinese writer Lu Xun. The main narrator of this story is the writer himself, who has presented his childhood memories and present realities.
According to the narrator, he returned to his hometown after more than twenty years of travelling more than six hundred miles. He was deeply connected to his hometown. He had a deep longing for his old home. But when he saw his hometown under the clouds upon his arrival, he started feeling depressed about its unprogressive, desolate, and scattered state. For him, his old home was quite beautiful in the past, and many people of his clan used to live there. He even added that his attitude towards his hometown changed as he came to it in an unhappy mood. He returned to his hometown with the sole purpose of saying "goodbye" at that time.
When he arrived at his old home, his mother welcomed him. He saw his nephew, Hong'er, for the first time. He informed his mother about a rented house in his workplace where they were going to migrate sooner. He wanted to sell old furniture items from the house to buy some items for his rented house. His mother informed him about Runtu and his curiosity to meet him. The narrator had a deep longing to meet his childhood friend Runtu too. The narrator started seeing his childhood memories along with Runtu. He saw an image of Runtu with a silver necklet and a pitchfork in his hand. He saw Runtu trying to thrust zha with his full might. But the cunning and fast creature, zha, dodged his blow and escaped between his legs. He remembered working-class people and their divisions as full-timers, dailies, and part-timers. In his memories, the narrator saw himself and Runtu playing on a sandy bank and guarding watermelons against zha. He remembered all the strange things that Runtu taught him. After his childhood memories, many relatives, as well as people, came to his old home. Mrs. Yang was the one who was such a talkative and funny lady. The narrator described her quite humorously. He described her as the compass of a geometry box. Mrs. Yang surprised the narrator with her act. She held the narrator in her arms. The narrator remembered her later on. In her childhood, Mrs. Yang used to sit in her beancurd shop powdering herself and was quite famous by her name, "A Beancurd Beauty." Mrs. Yang threw her words related to miserliness when she knew the narrator's intention of selling his old home's furniture. Later, the narrator met Runtu after many years. He didn't feel good to hear the word "master" in his mouth. Both the narrator and his mother knew about Runtu's poverty and hardships in his life, along with those of his many children. Runtu had been squeezed by various factors such as responsibilities, high taxes, soldiers, bandits, government officials, landed gentry, social differences, etc. These various factors led him to poverty throughout his life. The narrator and his mother decided to help Runtu by providing him with some old items from the house he needed. Runtu selected a few items from the old house. He even laughed behind Runtu's back in his selection.
After nine days, when the narrator departed, he became quite nostalgic. He thought about Runtu and his act of worshipping superstitious idols. He realised the hope that people always desired. He expected his nephew Hong'er and Runtu's son Shuisheng to have a fine relationship in the future. He realised his present realities against his memories. He left his memories in his past and moved towards his new destination.
TEACHERS' GUIDE
▪︎ "My Old Home" by Chinese Lu Xun is a story of the conflict between memories and realities.
The story is based on the writer's memories regarding his old home and friend Runtu.
▪︎ He had a deep longing for his homeland to be far away. Upon his arrival, his memories are forced to come to confront the realities.
▪︎ Themes: relationship, friendship, childhood memories, class differences, and memories versus realities.
▪︎ Setting: a Chinese village where the narrator had grown up.
▪︎ The narrator returned, travelling more than six hundred miles after more than twenty years.
▪︎ He felt depressed to find the desolate condition of his village. His village seemed scattered without any sign of life. His old home was much better in the past.
The main reason he arrived at his old home was to hand over his home and say goodbye to his relatives.
▪︎ When he arrived at his home at dawn, he found his mother at the door, welcoming him. His eighth-year's nephew, Hong'er, was also there.
▪︎ He informed his mother about a rented house along with a few furniture items. He planned to sell his old home's furniture to buy more things for his rented house.
▪︎ His mother informed him about a person named Runtu, his childhood friend.
▪︎ He moved into his flashback and saw eleven-year-old boy Runtu on the seashore with a silver necklet. Runtu was hunting a zha with his steel pitchfork.
▪︎ He met Runtu when Runtu was just over ten, thirty years old. His father was alive at the time. The narrator's family had to take charge of a big ancestral sacrifice. During that time, the labourers were divided into three classes: full-timers, dailies, and part-timers.
▪︎ Runtu got charged with guarding the sacrificial vessels.
▪︎ He met Runtu during his childhood. He saw him in the kitchen. Runtu had a round and purplish face and was so high in spirits. He was so shy.
▪︎ The narrator learned various things along with Runtu. He heard amazing things as well as a way of guarding watermelons against Zha, a fast and cunning creature whose feathers were so oily and slippery.
▪︎ When Runtu departed, he cried a lot in his kitchen.
▪︎ Both shared gifts: Runtu provided a packet of shells and a few beautiful feathers as presents. He also provided him with gifts once or twice. After that, they never met again.
▪︎ The people came over to buy furniture in the narrator's home. He met a woman of about fifty with prominent cheekbones and thin lips. She seemed like the compass as she stood in front of the narrator. His mother informed him about that woman named Mrs. Yang, a bean curd shop lady.
▪︎ The woman referred to herself as poor, whereas the narrator referred to herself as rich.
▪︎ Runtu arrived. The narrator found him quite changed. His face had deep lines and wrinkles.
▪︎ Both the narrator and Runtu remained speechless. Runtu addressed him as Master.
▪︎ Runtu came there along with his son Shuisheng, who was so shy and awkward.
▪︎ Runtu had spent his life in poverty and hard times, along with many children. He faced problems of famine, taxes, soldiers, bandits, officials, and landed gentry. All had squeezed him.
▪︎ The narrator's mother desired to offer him the things of the old home. She allowed Runtu to choose the things for himself.
▪︎ Runtu selected: two long tables, four chairs, an incense burner and candlesticks, and one balance of ashes from the stove.
▪︎ After nine days, during the evening, they left the place by boat. Runtu arrived.
▪︎ The narrator realised there were two types of idols: a superstitious idol and an idol of hope.
▪︎ He realised the value of social responsibilities, blurred relationships among humans, and that all his memories and even his old home were left behind.
QUESTIONS & ANSWERS
Answer the following questions.
a. How do you feel if you visit a place after an interval of ten years?
Answer:
I feel very excited if I visit a place after an interval of ten years. I feel extremely happy to revisit the place that I visited once.
b. Who is your best childhood friend? What special memories do you share with him/her?
Answer:
My best childhood friend is Ramesh. I share our past days' picnic memories with him. Those moments of our picnics are so entertaining and unforgettable for both of us.
UNDERSTANDING THE TEXT
a. How does the narrator describe his feeling at the arrival of his old home?
Answer:
On the arrival of his old home, the narrator describes his feelings in both negative and positive ways. He expresses his depressed feelings at first to see an unprogressive, desolate, and scattered village under the clouds, which seems lifeless to him. Next, he describes his positive feelings regarding the past beauty of his old home, which he used to recall time and again in his life. He adds that his attitude has changed after a long time, and he has come in an unhappy mood.
b. What were the three kinds of servants in China then? What does it indicate about contemporary Chinese society?
Answer:
The three kinds of servants were full-timers, dailies, and part-timers in China then. They were divided into three classes. At that time, those who worked all the year for one family were called full-timers; those who were hired by the day were called dailies; and those who farmed their lands and only worked for one family at New Year, during festivals, or when rents were being collected were called part-timers.
It indicates the poverty as well as the feudalistic system of contemporary Chinese society. Rich people used to keep servants for their different kinds of tasks. Poor labourers were divided according to their tasks. They had a lot of hardships in their lives. There were various factors, such as high government taxes, bandits, soldiers, government officials, landed gentry, etc., that squeezed them bitterly most of the time.
c. What makes the narrator nostalgic? What did he do with Runtu in the teenage?
Answer:
The information about the narrator's mother's relationship to Runtu makes the narrator nostalgic. When his mother tells him about the curiosity of Runtu to meet him, he sees Runtu in his reminiscence. In his teenage years, he passed his time and enjoyed a lot with Runtu, playing and learning various strange things from him.
d. How did Runtu hunt a zha in his young age?
Answer:
Runtu hunted a zha with his pitchfork at a young age. He tried his best to thrust zha with his full might using his tricks. He used to guard watermelons on the sandy shore of the sea.
e. How does the narrator make a humorous picture of Mrs. Yang?
Answer:
The narrator makes a humorous picture of Mrs. Yang through his humorous descriptions. Mrs. Yang appears quite surprisingly in front of the narrator. She is in her pair of trousers, hands on her hips, and stands there with her legs wide apart in a balanced way. The narrator describes her as a pair of compasses in a geometry box with thin cheekbones and lips who is so talkative. He calls her a powdering lady who used to sit in her beancurd shop and was quite famous by her name, "A Beancurd Beauty" in his childhood. She chatters much about miserliness after knowing the narrator's intention.
f. According to the narrator, what were different factors that made Runtu a poor man throughout his life?
Answer:
According to the narrator, poverty, a big family, social responsibilities, class differences, and different other factors made Runtu a poor man throughout his life. He had been squeezed by various factors in his life. Those factors were famines, taxes, soldiers, bandits, officials, landed gentry, etc. Due to all those factors, he faced lots of hardships in his life.
g. How does the narrator help Runtu before leaving the old home?
Answer:
Before leaving the old home, the narrator helps Runtu by providing him with the old furniture items and other things from his old house. He asks Runtu to take the things he needs from his old house.
h. How does the author differentiate two kinds of idols?
Answer:
The author differentiates between two kinds of idols through his realization. He says that superstitious idols are worshipped for a short time for something immediate, but hope isn't an idol but a long-time desire that people need in most situations. He gives examples of Runtu and his own ways of worshipping idols in two different ways. Runtu worships the idols, but he requires hope for a faraway land.
REFERENCE TO THE CONTEXT
a. While reading the friendship between the narrator and Runtu, Hindu readers remember the friendship between Krishna and Sudama. Which particular description reminds you of the mythological example?
Answer:
In the Hindu mythological story of Bhagwat Purana, we find a tremendous story of friendship between Lord Krishna and his poor friend Sudama. Poor Sudama once came to Dwarka to meet his friend Lord Krishna after many years. As a god, Lord Krishna knew all about the hardships faced by Sudama. Sudama's gift of the last grains of beaten rice to Lord Krishna brought unbelievable changes in Sudama's life. His poverty turned into extreme wealth. This amazing help between friends is always remembered by the Hindus.
Here, in this story, we find the same example of friendship between Lu Xun and his poor friend Runtu. We can't find any miracles here in this story, but only the unselfish help of the narrator to his friend Runtu. When the narrator knows about all the hardships and problems in Runtu's life, he asks him to take away the things he needs from his old home. Runtu gets two long tables, four chairs, an incense burner and candlesticks, and one balance according to his choice. He even asks for the ashes from the stove.
b. How does the story support the proposition that the relationships of childhood are innocent, impartial and disinterested?
Answer:
This story supports the proposition that the relationships of childhood are innocent, impartial, and disinterested by presenting various examples of this relationship between the childhood friends Xun and Runtu. In the story, we find their friendship beyond various social barriers. In their childhood, we find them passing their time playing and sharing their ideas, free from bias. Their friendship is so sacred that there are no feelings of class differences. They play with each other without having any concept of master and servant. They are seen as quite unaware of the so-called societal concepts of class differences. We don't find any impartiality between them. They enjoy each moment freely, being innocent. We can only find true friendship between them. In most cases, childhood friendship always has similar aspects, as seen in the text. There is always a deep relationship between the kids. Childhood friendship always remains far away from societal so-called negative aspects. It is a pure relationship where there are no negative aspects like class differences, bias, discrimination, etc. Childhood friendship depends on enjoyment, care, love, and affection.
c. After reading the story, what inferences can you make about the contemporary Chinese economic and social system?
Answer:
After reading the story, I can make the following inferences about the contemporary Chinese economic and social system:
1. The working-class people, or peasants, were in a quite miserable state in contemporary Chinese society.
2. The working-class people were divided into three classes according to their tasks.
3. They were exploited by various factors such as responsibilities, high taxes, soldiers, bandits, government officials, landed gentry, social indifference, etc.
4. There was a trend towards the slavery system, and most working-class people were seen working in rich people's houses.
5. Most of them were poor. They had to face various hardships in their lives due to their poor economic status.
6. The concept of class differences was highly prevalent.
7. Apart from feudalists, the problems of famines, high taxes on government, bandits, officials, etc. were there.
8. Feudalists and people who worked for the government were quite rich. They used to oppress poor people.
9. There was bias among the people according to their social and economic status.
Thus, the economic and social system of contemporary Chinese society wasn't good for the working-class people of that time.
d. What does the story indicate about the geographical features of the narrator’s hometown?
Answer:
The story is based on present realities as well as memories. The story moves along with the narrator's description of his hometown and his old home. We find differences in the narrator's memories and the present realities, especially in the matter of geographic description. The story is presented at the end of the Qin Dynasty. If we talk about the geographical features of the narrator's hometown during his childhood, we find quite lovely as well as favourable features. The story indicates quite a lovely hometown near the sea. During that time, there was greenery everywhere. Most people used to live happily and peacefully in the village. The sandy bank of the sea was also green due to the cultivation of watermelons. The village looked quite beautiful, with sloppy hills. The narrator and his friend Runtu enjoyed the beautiful environment of their hometown a lot.
But with the narrator's gap and his arrival after more than twenty years, he finds his hometown quite desolate and scattered under the clouds. He feels depressed to find its unprogressive state during late winter. He finds no favourable features after his long journey of six hundred miles. The village near the sea seems lifeless to him.
REFERENCE BEYOND THE TEXT
a. Human beings are on the road from time immemorial, always migrating to new places. Write an essay on The Trend of Migration in Nepal in about 300 words.
Answer:
The Trend of Migration in Nepal
The term "migration" refers to the movement of people over some distance (or at least from one "migration-defining area" to another) and from one "usual place of residence" to another. People always try to change their living places for various reasons. They migrate from one place to another for the sake of their betterment. The trend of migration is seen all over the world. People keep changing their living places with their different views or opinions.
In the context of Nepal, the trend of migration is at its peak. We can see both local as well as foreign migration in Nepal. Most Nepalese people are seen migrating from rural areas to urban areas. Most of the villages are less populated due to this trend of migration. In recent times, most villages have faced a lack of youth. Youths from villages are leaving villages for the sake of their better opportunities as well as the education of their kids. We find only old citizens in most of the houses in villages. This trend has had a kind of negative impact on relationships among people. Villages are ignored and biassed, whereas urban areas are given much preference by most of the people in Nepal. People prefer to live their lives in attractive cities, leaving peaceful and healthy lives in villages.
Apart from this local migration, the foreign migration of people is also on trend. Most Nepalese people and families are seen migrating from Nepal to foreign lands. Due to the lack of opportunities, people prefer to live their lives in foreign lands, leaving their homeland, Nepal. This trend of migration itself is a big problem for all. Due to this trend, humans are seen quite far away from the concepts of their relationships, patriotism, and humanity. This problem has brought a lack of active manpower to the whole country.
People in the present time prefer to work in foreign lands to uplift their lifestyle. The government of Nepal should think about this trend of migration and try its best to find a proper solution. The government should launch various opportunities for the citizens and provide them with a fine environment to work and earn in the country.
Thus, the trend of migration in Nepal is at a high speed. This trend of migration should be controlled for the future of Nepal and its people.
b. Find one of your relatives or friends, who has migrated to a new place leaving his/her old home. Talk to him/her and prepare a report on what he/she felt while leaving the old home.
Answer:
My Relatives' Nostalgia
My cousin, along with his family members, have recently left their hometown of Baitadi and come to live their lives in the city of Mahendranagar. Before arriving here in this city, they sold their ancestral home along with all the old things from that house. They even distributed the things in the house to their relatives for free. They were quite excited to move to the city.
After arriving in the city, they started living in a rented house for a few months. Later, my brother bought a big house near the cinema hall. I recently met him and asked him about his life in the city. He expressed his nostalgic feelings a lot. According to him, he is quite upset here in this city. He is still nostalgic after spending one year over here. He remembers his homeland and his relatives all the time. He thinks that he has made a blunder in his decision to leave his homeland. He is still regretting his quick decision. His family members are also feeling the same. They are feeling bad about being away from their homeland. They have found the city life quite different from their expectations. My brother still remembers his relatives' crying faces and their gloomy farewells.
After hearing their recent opinions, I don't think that they will spend much time over here.
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