11th English : The Never – Never Nest
Unit 6.3 > The Never – Never Nest
Warm Up
A. What are the essentials one needs to lead a comfortable life? Fill in the empty bubbles with some of them.
B. List six gadgets that you want to purchase. Write them according to your priorities and state the reasons
| Gadgets | Reasons |
| Gas Stove | For preparing food, saving time and fuel |
| A Mixer | For getting different powders, chutneys and fruit juices |
| A Grinder | For grinding flour for idlies and dosas etc. |
| A Fridge | For keeping things fresh |
| A Washing Machine | For washing clothes |
| A Water Purifier | For converting ground water into R. O. water |
C. Answer the following questions.
a) Do you think you can afford to buy all of these at once?
No, I cannot afford to buy all these at once. With savings, I can buy them one by one based on my priorities.
b) We may not have money to buy all our wants at the same time. In such a situation, what are the options available?
We can buy the most necessary appliance first. Then one by one others may be bought according to requirements. The other option is to buy them on installment basis.
c) Expand EMI.
Equated Monthly Installment.
GLOSSARY
- lounge – a place in a home or public building for leisure activities, living room
- cosy – comfortable
- instalment – one of the parts into which a debt is divided when payment is made at intervals
- absurd – ridiculously unreasonable and meaningless
- propose – intend to do something realise – to understand or become aware of
- thingummies – small articles the names of which are not remembered
- motto – a short sentence or phrase that expresses a rule guiding the behaviour of a particular person or group
- endorse – to make over to another
- tartar – a person of irritable temper
- possessed – completely controlled by an evil spirit
A. Reading Comprehension Questions.
1. What did Aunt Jane like about Jack’s little nest?
Aunt Jane liked the charming comfortable little room and the furniture.
2. Aunt Jane seemed to think that there was mistake in the wedding present she had given
Jack. Why?
Aunt Jane had presented a cheque for two hundred pounds as a wedding gift to Jack. Jack told her
they could live in such a wonderful house with cosy furniture because of her wedding gift. She knew
that with just two hundred pounds they could not buy all their items and the house. So she thought by
mistake she might have written two thousand instead of two hundred.
3. What would make jack the owner instead of being the tenant?
Jack bought everything in installment and the house he bought only for ten pounds. The remaining
money he would pay in installments. He need not pay rent. So he became the owner instead of being
the tenant.
4. What sounded absurd to Aunt Jane?
Jack had to pay every month seven pounds and eight and eight pence every week as installment but
his salary was only six pounds. This sounded absurd to Aunt Jane.
5. How did Jack manage to pay seven pounds and eight and eight pence out of six pounds?
He borrowed the remaining money from Thrift and Providence Trust Corporation.
6. What advice did Aunt Jane offer the couple?
She advised them not to get anything in installments and asked them to buy things with cash in hand.
7. For what purpose did Jill wish to use the cheque given by Aunt Jane?
Jill wished to use the cheque to clear the account of the doctor from whom they bought the child.
8. ‘Just one more installment and the BABY’S REALLY OURS.’ This tells us that the couple
does not have a child.
B. Answer the following questions in about a paragraph of 100 – 150 words each.
1. Why is there a double negative in the title: ‘The Never – Never Nest’? Elucidate with reasons from the play.
‘The Never – Never Nest’ by Cedric Mount – modern life – installment system – not owners – feeling of ownership – family of Jack and Jill – everything in installment – seems to belong to them – Never – Never – their own – borrows again and again
Cedric Mount in his play ‘The Never – Never Nest’ gives his opinion on the modern life. People are happy with the system of installments and without any thinking of the consequences they go for buying things – necessary and unnecessary – in installments. They are given to understand they are the owners of the articles they possess. But in reality it is not true. In his play he introduces a family of Jack and Jill. They buy everything – a cosy house, a car, a refrigerator, a radiogram and furniture – in installments without having enough income to pay monthly installments. The comfortable nest seems to belong to them but in reality it belongs to someone who has given the loan to them. The author uses double negative – Never, Never – in the title to emphasise the point that it will never become the property of Jack. The double negative is used for the sake of emphasis. Jack’s weekly pay is only six pounds but he has to pay seven pounds and eight and eight pence every week. To make up the balance he again borrows from Thrift and Provident Trust. In this way he will never pay back his debt and they will never own the house. So it will always remain a ‘never – never nest’
2. Bring out the humorous elements in the play.
‘The Never – Never Nest’ by Cedric Mount – modern life – installment system – not owners – feeling of ownership – family of Jack and Jill – buy everything installment – Aunt Jane’s visit – comes to know installment – refuses to use anything – owner of some parts – Jill pays to own the child
Cedric Mount in his play ‘The Never – Never Nest’ gives his opinion on the modern life. People are happy with the system of installments and without any thinking of the consequences they go for buying things – necessary and unnecessary – in installments. They are given to understand they are the owners of the articles they possess. But in reality it is not true. In his play he introduces a family of Jack and Jill. They buy everything – a cosy house, a car, a refrigerator, a radiogram and furniture – in installments without having enough income to pay monthly installments. Aunt Jane visits their house and without knowing that it was bought in installment basis she appreciates Jack. Then slowly she comes to know that everything has been bought in installments and nothing belongs to him in whole. With the money he has paid, he has the claim for some parts in everything. Aunt Jane refuses to sit on the sofa because it belongs to someone else. The steering wheel, one of the tyres and two cylinders of the car only belong to Jack. Jack is trying to manage to pay seven pounds and eight and eight pence from his salary of six pounds. At the end Jill pays the last installment to the doctor to own the child.
3. How does the play ‘The Never – Never Nest’ expose the harsh reality of modern living?
‘The Never – Never Nest’ by Cedric Mount – modern life – installment system – not owners – feeling of ownership – family of Jack and Jill – buy everything installment – owner of some parts – reality of many house – wish for luxury – loan for everything – seven pounds and eight and eight pence – six pounds – borrows from Thrift and Provident Trust
Cedric Mount in his play ‘The Never – Never Nest’ gives his opinion on the modern life. People are happy with the system of installments and without any thinking of the consequences they go for buying things – necessary and unnecessary – in installments. They are given to understand they are the owners of the articles they possess. But in reality it is not true. In his play he introduces the family of Jack and Jill. They buy everything – a cosy house, a car, a refrigerator, a radiogram and furniture – in installments without having enough income to pay monthly installments. This is reality of many households in the modern world. Men and women are pulled here and there with their wish to lead a luxurious life and the loan agencies utilise this mentality for their benefits. They come forward to give loan of any amount to such people. They borrow money beyond their capacity. In this play Jack has to pay every week seven pounds and eight and eight pence but his salary is only six pounds per week. To make up the balance he borrows from Thrift and Provident Trust. In this way the modern man is in the vicious circle of borrowing and paying.
4. Jill said that they owned the steering wheel of car, one of the tyres, two of the cylinders and leg of a sofa. What does this convey?
‘The Never – Never Nest’ by Cedric Mount – modern life – installment system – not owners – feeling of ownership – family of Jack and Jill – everything in installment – seems to belong to them – Never – Never – their own – owner of some parts – borrows again and again
Cedric Mount in his play ‘The Never – Never Nest’ gives his opinion on the modern life. People are happy with the system of installments and without any thinking of the consequences they go for buying things – necessary and unnecessary – in installments. They are given to understand they are the owners of the articles they possess. But in reality it is not true. In his play he introduces a family of Jack and Jill. They buy everything – a cosy house, a car, a refrigerator, a radiogram and furniture – in installments without having enough income to pay monthly installments. With the money he has paid, he has the claim for some parts in everything. He has a car but he cannot claim the car as his own. So far what he has paid for the car loan is only for the steering wheel, one of the tyres, two of the cylinders. In the same way he has paid only for one leg of the sofa. It clearly conveys that Jack cannot claim the ownership of anything. He may have many articles in his house but he has paid only for some parts of them.
LISTENING ACTIVITY
Listen to the passage read out aloud by the teacher or played on a recorder and answer the questions that follow.
Questions:
i. The speaker says that our income is sufficient to meet our needs. Is it true or false?
Ans: False.
ii. EMI is the only ______ for people who buy very expensive things.
- consolation
- setback
- option
- debt
Ans : option
iii. One is able to buy costly things with ______ power offered by EMI.
- physical
- withstanding
- honorary
- monetary
Ans : monetary
iv. If people fail to pay EMIs, they may be subjected to ______.
- expulsion
- high pressure
- legal action
- dejection
Ans : legal action
v. People should learn to spend ______ their means.
- within
- beyond
- above
- beneath
Ans : within
SPEAKING ACTIVITY
Based on your understanding of the play ‘The Never – Never Nest’, organise a classroom debate on the topic ‘Is Equated Monthly Installment Scheme’ a boon or a bane to middle-class families.
The ‘Equated Monthly Installment Scheme’ is for those who want to buy things beyond their financial capacity. Everyone wants to enjoy a luxurious life with a big house, a car and all other amenities for the house. We try to imitate others in this regard. Is it a boon or a bane to middle class families is a difficult question to answer. It is difficult for a middle class family to own a house with the money they have. Now a question comes how much he can borrow to build or buy a house. Is it within his capacity or beyond his capacity? Can he pay the EMI with the salary he has? Is the interest he pays worth? If he can plan according to this, it is a boon. But most of the time people go for a big house which they don’t need. So they have to pay higher EMI which may be difficult for them to pay from their salary. If a situation arises like this it is a bane. Most of the time the EMI scheme has become a bane for many middle-class families.
WRITING TASK
Aunt Jane was shocked to see the life of Jack and Jill during her visit to their place. Put yourselves in the place of Aunt Jane and write a letter to the couple advising them not to spend beyond their means. Make more suggestions to enable them lead a debt-free life.
Coimbatore,
28 December, 2018.
Dear Jack,
My visit to your house was pleasant. Thank you for your hospitality. I do appreciate your wife for the way she manages your family. But I feel I should, as a good cousin, put forth certain things to you in detail. I could not talk to you because of the presence of your wife; I was not sure how she would take my words. This is regarding the things you have bought in installments. I think many things are not that necessary for a family. Moreover your house need not be that big for your small family. Of course, we need a car. Should we need such a big car which demands a huge EMI? I am sure that what you earn may be just enough for EMIs or little less than that. It is not fair for any family to get loan for daily needs. It will put you in a big financial crunch. Your EMIs and your daily expenditure should be within your salary. If some urgent need comes what will you do? Again you will go for borrowing money. Then it is endless. Now you cannot do anything with the articles you have bought. Try to be prudent in spending money. It may be difficult in the beginning; as time goes it will become your habit. Don’t bring your expenditure more than what you receive monthly. Otherwise try to go for some extra job to earn some more money monthly. Please don’t take it in the bad sense. I am interested in your life so I am writing to you. My wishes to your wife too.
Yours lovingly,
Aunt Jane.
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