END OF TERM

Q 1. What was David Daiches attitude towards the week end as a school boy? Why
did he long for it?
A 1. David Daiches had a feeling of great relief at the arrival of weekend. Having been
ground by the daily routine, the writer thought that the weekly holidays would provide
opportunity for relaxation and chance for an extra doze. This state of bliss made David
Daiches long for the week- ends.
Q 2. What was his general view of school life?
A 2. School life wasnt all that bad. In fact, classroom activities were interesting.
However, the writer opined that school life was strenuous because of abundant home
assignments (daily grind). Weekends, unexpected half days off, Christmas and Easter
holidays and summer vacations were looked at with great relish and expectations. These
were a great relief in the lives of school boys.
Q 3. What sort of freedom the writer got on holidays?
A 3. Holidays promised freedom from the daily grind at school to the writer. He was
free to stay in bed and have sleep more than the usual hours. He was also free, for the
time being, from the fierce competition among students. He also felt himself an escaped
prisoner once he was out of school on holidays.
Q 4. How did he spend his summer holidays?
A 4. The writer romanticized summer holidays and waited for them very fondly. To him
the whole Year moved towards these holidays, i.e great expectations were attached to
them (though the truth is that the thought of holidays was rosier than the actual holidays).
The earlier part of the holidays was wonderful as the vacations were intact and seemed
promising.
Q 5. Wishes dont come true in this life, writes Daiches. What are the things he
longed for but could not have?
A 5. Daiches had plenty of unfulfilled desires of childhood. He wanted a tricycle which
later became a bicycle. Each time the economic constraint of parents did not let the
dreams come true. The same constraint came into play when he stood in front of the
sweet shop or the ice cream barrow.
Q 6. What did he do with his pocket money?
A 6. David Daiches had little hold upon the few pence he received every week from his
parents. No sooner the pocket money was received, it was put in a money box for saving
purpose. Thus, his own money remained out of his reach and he never got a chance of
spending it at his own.