| Name | A House Is Not A Home |
| Type | Question Answer |
| Class | 9th |
| Subject | English |
| Book | Moments |
| Board | CBSE (NCERT) |
| Author | Polly Adler |
A House Is Not A Home Questions Answers
Q1: What does the author notice one Sunday afternoon? What is his mother’s reaction? What does she do?
Ans: One sunday afternoon, the author while doing his homework smelled something strange, and then he noticed smoke pouring in through the seams of the ceiling. The author and his mother ran outside to save their life. His mother ran out of the house with a small metal box full of important documents. She dropped the case on the lawn and ran back into the house to bring pictures of the author’s dead father, which was the only thing that she had to remember him by.
Q2: Why does he break down in tears after the fire?
Ans: The author’s house was completely burned down. After five hours when the fire was finally out, the author realized that his cat was nowhere to be found. He had to face the loss of old school, his house and cat. In such a state, he cried and broke down in tears. He had suffered big losses.
Q3: Why is the author deeply embarrased the next day in school? Which words show his fear and insecurity?
Ans: The next day in school, the author is embarrassed because the clothes he was wearing looked weird, he had no books or homework, and his backpack was gone. He had the feeling of insecurity. All things appeared strange to him. He was shocked deeply and seems frustated. The words that show his fear and insecurity are “Was I destined to be an outcast and a geek all my life? I didn’t want to grow up, change or have to handle life, if it was to going to be this way. I just wanted to curl up and die”.
Q4: The cat and the author are very fond of each other. How has this been shown in the story? Where was the cat after the fire? Who brings it back and how?
Ans: The author loved his cat very much. He never considered her far from him. She kept sitting beside him when he did his homework and other household work. When the author found his cat back, his happiness was beyond the limits. He grabbed her quickly and felt relieved. This proved that they were very fond of each other. When the house was on fire the cat ran over a mile away as it was so freaked by the fire. A stranger lady brought the cat back. As the phone number was written on the collar of the cat but the phones were destroyed and disconnected.
Q5: What actions of the schoolmates change the author’s understanding of life and people, and comfort him emotionally? How does his loneliness vanish and how does he start participating in life?
Ans: The author’s schoolmates showed genuine concern towards him. On the second day after the fire broke out school people were insisting that hurry up and go to the gym. The author reached the gym. He found a table there with stuff on it. His schoolmates bought up school supplies, notebooks, all kinds of different clothes for the author in order to help him. It was a matter of surprise and too difficult to believe fro him. People who had never spoken, introduced themselves one by one. All things seemed new and created his interest in life. The incident changed the author’s understanding of life and people. That is the day when he made friends at school. That’s how his loneliness vanishes and the started participating in life.
Q6: What is the meaning of “My cat was back and so was I”? Had the author gone anywhere? Why does he say that he is also back?
Ans: The author had not gone anywhere. Here the author wants to point out that life without affection is useless. He was depressed after a great loss in all fields. His old school and teachers, the house got burnt in fire and he lost his cat. In such circumstances he considered himself dead and had no interest in life. Gradually, he made new friends in the new school and saw his house getting rebuilt. When a stranger woman gave him his cat back, he says, “My cat was back and so was I”. He means that now his life was complete again. He recovered from his gloomy state and started enjoying life when he got his cat back.
FAQs on A House Is Not A Home Class 9
What is the story “A House Is Not A Home” about?
“A House Is Not A Home” is a story about a family that moves into a new home, but discovers that it is not the happy place they had hoped it would be. Despite the house being in a good location and having all the necessary amenities, the family finds themselves feeling lonely and disconnected.
What is the main message of the story?
The main message of the story is that a house is not a home unless it is filled with love and warmth, and that true home is not just a physical structure, but a place where one feels safe, comfortable, and loved.
Why do the family members feel lonely and disconnected in their new home?
The family members feel lonely and disconnected in their new home because they have left behind their friends, family, and community, and have not yet formed new connections in their new location.
How does the family eventually make their new home feel like a real home?
The family eventually makes their new home feel like a real home by reaching out to their neighbors and forming new relationships, and by decorating the house and personalizing it with their own possessions and memories.
What is the importance of community and relationships in making a house a home?
The importance of community and relationships in making a house a home is highlighted in the story, as the family discovers that it is the connections and relationships they form with others that make the house feel like a true home.
How does the story relate to the theme of belonging and identity?
The story relates to the theme of belonging and identity by showing the struggle of the family to find a sense of belonging in their new home and how they eventually find it by forming new relationships and making the place their own.
What can we learn from this story about finding home?
We can learn from this story that finding a true home is not just about having a physical structure, but about feeling connected and belonging to a community, and that it is important to make an effort to form connections and relationships.