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CBSE Class 9 English Question 12 of 14

Packing — Question 12

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12
Question
Of the three, Jerome, George and Harris, who do you think is the best or worst packer? Support your answer with details from the text.
Answer

Of the three, Harris is the worst packer in this world. But none of them is the perfect packer. All of them are confused and do not know what is to be placed and where. So far as Jerome is concerned he unpacked the bag to find his toothbrush in a boot. He also packs his spectacles in the bag. Harris and George start their work in a light hearted spirit. There are piles of plates, cups, kettles, bottles, jars, pies, stoves, cakes and tomatoes. They break a cup. Harris packs the strawberry jam on top of a tomato and squashes it. They have to pick out the tomato with a teaspoon. George treads on the butter. He gets it off from his slipper and puts it in the kettle. He puts it down on a chair and Harris sits on it. It sticks to him and then they look for it all over the room. In this way they created chaos in the room.

Overview: Packing

The narrator, Harris, and George need to pack for a trip. The narrator volunteers, priding himself on his packing skill, but ends up forgetting boots, sitting on butter, and repeatedly unpacking and repacking. When Harris and George take over the food hampers, they create even worse chaos: squashing tomatoes, breaking cups, stepping on butter. The dog Montmorency adds to the mess by sitting on things and putting his leg in the jam. The story is a masterclass in comic writing through irony, exaggeration, and characterisation.

Key Points

  • Narrator proudly claims to be an expert packer
  • He forgets boots, has to reopen the bag multiple times
  • Sits on the bag to close it; forgets his toothbrush
  • Harris and George are even worse — break cups, squash tomatoes
  • George steps on butter; Harris packs jam on top of tomatoes
  • Montmorency (the dog) sits on things, puts paw in jam
  • The narrator mocks his friends but is equally incompetent
  • Key devices: irony, hyperbole, understatement, comic timing
  • Theme: human incompetence, laziness, blame-shifting
  • From "Three Men in a Boat" by Jerome K. Jerome

Frequently Asked Questions

How does Jerome create humour in "Packing"?
Jerome uses multiple comic techniques: irony (the narrator thinks he's good at packing but isn't), hyperbole (the scale of the mess escalates absurdly), characterisation (each person fails differently), and comic timing (disasters pile up in quick succession). Even the dog contributes to the chaos.
What is the role of Montmorency?
Montmorency is the dog who adds to the chaos by sitting on things, getting in the way, and putting his paw in the jam. He represents the final layer of comic disaster — even the pet is incompetent.

Common Mistakes

  • Not reading the text carefully before attempting questions.
  • Giving vague answers without specific textual references.
  • Confusing characters, events, or themes from different chapters.
  • Writing too much for short-answer questions (should be 30-40 words).

Scoring Tips

  • For extract-based MCQs: read the passage carefully; eliminate wrong options systematically.
  • For short answers: be concise (30-40 words), use key vocabulary from the text.
  • For long answers: structure with introduction, body, conclusion. Quote from the text.
  • Always identify the chapter/poem name and author when answering.