The Pendulum - English Literature

Summary





John Perkins is bored with his routine life. As he returns home, his wife greets him with a kiss. But he does not like

the cream and butter scotch flavor of her mouth. He does not like the noise coming from his neighbors. He does not relish his dinner. At 8:15sharp, he goes out to play a game of pool with his friends.



On returning home one evening he finds Katy (his wife) missing. A note on the gas jet shows that she had gone to see her mother who was sick. Perkins gets a jolt. Katy had never left him like that before. Her absence made him feel miserable. Now he realized her importance in his life. Earlier he had never cared for her. His world comes to a stand still. He now grows guilty. He resolves to make amends for his past neglect of her.



However, as soon as Katy returns, John forgets his resolutions completely. The old routine habit overpowers him. At 8:15pm he goes out again for the pool game. Poor Katy is left alone at home as usual.



Sample Q's And A's

Question 1

Question: Who is the shepherd in blue? Why are the citizens referred to as sheep? [paragraph 1 and 2].

Answer: The shepherd in blue is the conductor. The citizens follow each other out in herds - unthinking like sheep. They are mechanical.

Question 2

Question: What does the author mean by 'there was no such word as perhaps'.

Answer: John's life was the same everyday.

Question 3

Question: What does Katy like to eat?

Answer: Katy likes to eat butter scotch cookies.

Question 4

Question: Why did they spread newspapers?

Answer: To catch the plaster that fell off the roof.

Question 5

Question: What change did Perkins encounter when he returned from work one day?

Answer: Katy was surprisingly not at home. All things were in disarray.

Question 6

Question: What did the note say?

Answer: The note was left by Katy. She said that she was leaving in a hurry to see her mother who was unwell.

Question 7

Question: Why did Katy's absence shock him so much?

Answer: Their life was scheduled and ordered. They did things the same way everyday. In the two years of married life Katy had never been away at the time of his return. Her sudden absence confused him.

Question 8

Question: Why did the city not interest him any more?

Answer: Katy's absence robbed him of all joy. He fell helpless and insecure.

Question 9

Question: What decision does John take?

Answer: John decides to be very nice to Katy in future. He also plans to stop meeting the 'gang' at the club.

Question 10

Question: What is surprising about the end of the story?

Answer: We are led to believe that John has changed. We expect Katy and John to have a happy reunion and a different kind of evening. But old habits resume and John leaves as usual for the club!

Question 11

Question: Read Katy's letter again. What impression of Katy do you get?

Answer: Dutiful wife - has kept supper for John or has left a note so that he would not be worried or even remembers to tell him where the socks are.



Concerned daughter - rushes to mother when she needs her.



Good at housekeeping - well aware of all the pending bills.

Question 12

Question: What kind of occupants does Frogmore flats have?

Answer: All the occupants of Frogmore Flats are hardworking men and women. They have a humdrum existence which is tightly scheduled. They seem to do the same things everyday. A life that is monotonous and dull.

Question 13

Question: Why is the story called Pendulum?

Answer: The pendulum swings from one extreme position to the other. Then swings back again to its original one.



John Perkins has a loving and caring wife. She cares for his needs and provides him with a comfortable home. He hardly notices all this, and lives only for his own comfort. Her sudden departure triggers remorse and guilt feelings. He is ashamed of himself and vows to change himself. He will be more loving and kind towards his wife.



This swing in the pendulum of his emotions does not last long. He becomes his original self once Katy returns

Question 14

Question: What did Perkins decide to do to make up for the deficiencies with regard to the house and Katy?

Answer: John Perkins was really a changed person now he realized the value of Katy in her absence. He sensed that Katy had become an integral part of his life. He was nothing without her. She was the very air that he breathed. She had become annexed to him. He resolved to make it up to his girl. He decided that he wouldn't go to Mc Closkey's -instead he would help her in her domestic duties. He would take her out and amuse her. He also decided to pay more attention to her and keep her happy.

Question 15

Question: Katy writes a diary about her married life especially the neglect by her husband John Perkins. Write her dairy entry.

Answer: Day

Date

Dear Diary,



My life seems to have come to a dead stop. There doesn't seem to be a single moment when I feel joy or happiness. I feel I have become fixed like any immovable fixture in the house with my husband John Perkins. It has not been long since we married, but the monotony that has entered our lives has become unbearable. He goes to his job in the morning and returns only in the evening, then we have dinner and he promptly goes to Mc Closkey's to play pool and be with his friends and then returns very late. It has been ages ever since we went out. He never feels the need to spend time with me. I have merely become his housekeeper; he never helps me in the housework or buys any gifts for me. Ironically, he had married me out of love, but now he has turned out to be such a cold person. I seem to have ceased to exist for him. I pray to god that he changes for the better and that our dull life changes to be a more lively one.



Katy.