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Giant Despair: MBOSE Class 11 English Core notes, answers
Get summaries, questions, answers, solutions, notes, extras, PDF of Class 11 English Core textbook (Resonance), chapter 4. Giant Despair by John Bunyan which is part of the syllabus of students studying under MBOSE (Meghalaya Board). These solutions, however, should only be treated as references and can be modified/changed.
If you notice any errors in the notes, please mention them in the comments
Summary
The story “Giant Despair” by John Bunyan, from “The Pilgrim’s Progress,” narrates the plight of Christian and Hopeful, two pilgrims who find themselves trespassing on the grounds of Doubting Castle, owned by Giant Despair. Upon discovering them, Giant Despair captures and imprisons them in a dark, filthy dungeon without food or water. The prisoners endure severe physical and emotional suffering, exacerbated by Christian’s guilt for leading them into this predicament.
Giant Despair, advised by his wife Diffidence, initially beats the pilgrims and later suggests they end their lives to escape their misery. Despite their torment, Hopeful persuades Christian not to commit suicide, emphasizing that murder, even of oneself, is against their faith. He reminds Christian of the hardships they have already overcome and encourages patience and hope for eventual rescue.
Throughout their imprisonment, the giant continues to harass them, showing them the bones of his previous victims to instill fear. However, Hopeful maintains his resolve, urging Christian to stay strong. On the third night, after praying fervently, Christian remembers a key called Promise, which he believes can unlock any door in the castle. Using this key, they manage to escape their dungeon, the castle yard, and the iron gate, making their way back to the King’s highway and safety.
Their escape is aided by one of Giant Despair’s fits, which immobilizes him and prevents pursuit. The story concludes with Christian and Hopeful regaining their freedom and continuing their journey, symbolizing the triumph of faith and perseverance over despair and hopelessness. This allegorical tale underscores the importance of resilience, faith, and the belief in divine intervention to overcome life’s trials.
Textual questions and answers
Fill in the blanks
1. When Giant Despair woke up in the morning, he saw _______ sleeping in his grounds.
Answer: Christian and Hopeful
2. The sight of Christian and Hopeful sleeping made the giant _______.
Answer: angry
3. When questioned, Christian and Hopeful informed the giant that _______.
Answer: they were pilgrims and had lost their way
4. The giant complained that they had _______.
Answer: trespassed on his grounds
5. The dungeon Christian and Hopeful were put in was _______ and _______.
Answer: dark and stinking
6. It was actually _______ that had now brought them to _______ this dungeon.
Answer: unadvised counsel, distress
7. Giant Despair was advised by his wife to _______.
Answer: beat them without mercy
8. Christian and Hopeful spent the first night in the dungeon _______.
Answer: in sighs and bitter lamentations
9. On their third day in the dungeon, Giant Despair suggests that _______.
Answer: they should make an end of themselves
10. The references to Apollyon and the Valley of the Shadow _______ of Death show us that Christian had been _______.
Answer: brave and heroic
State whether true or false
1. Christian never gave up hope and courage.
Answer: False
2. Prayer helps you to regain confidence and hope.
Answer: True
3. Giant Despair always acted independently.
Answer: False
4. The path to the Heavenly Kingdom is easy to cross.
Answer: False
Answer these questions briefly
1. Why were Christian and Hopeful far from ‘friends and acquaintances’?
Answer: They were far from friends and acquaintances because they were in a very dark dungeon, nasty and stinking to their spirits.
2. What did Christian and Hopeful say to the giant when he suggested that they should end their lives?
Answer: They desired him to let them go.
3. Why was Christian saying that he would rather die?
Answer: Christian was saying that he would rather die because the life they were leading was miserable and the grave seemed easier than the dungeon.
4. How did Hopeful convince Christian not to end his life?
Answer: Hopeful convinced Christian not to end his life by reminding him that it is forbidden to commit murder, even upon oneself, and that God might yet provide a way for them to escape.
5. Do you think Christian had faced trying experiences before meeting Giant Despair – how do you know this?
Answer: Yes, Christian had faced trying experiences before meeting Giant Despair, as evidenced by Hopeful’s reminder of Christian’s valiant behavior against Apollyon and in the Valley of the Shadow of Death.
6. How did the giant threaten Christian and Hopeful on Saturday?
Answer: The giant threatened Christian and Hopeful by showing them the bones and skulls of those he had already despatched and told them he would tear them in pieces within ten days.
7. How did Christian react to all the torture the giant inflicted on him before he prayed?
Answer: Christian was filled with fears and seemed to contemplate ending his life, but was moderated by Hopeful’s counsel.
8. What kind of a change came about in Christian after he prayed?
Answer: After he prayed, Christian remembered the key in his bosom called Promise, which he believed would open any lock in Doubting Castle, leading to their escape.
Answer these questions in detail
1. What do you think the journey of Christian and Hopeful represents-life/faith/hope/seeking?
Answer: The journey of Christian and Hopeful represents the spiritual journey of faith.
2. How does the story tell us that finally Christian had awakened to his spiritual calling?
Answer: The story tells us that finally Christian had awakened to his spiritual calling when he remembered the key called Promise in his bosom, which symbolises his realisation of the power of faith and God’s promises.
Beyond the text
1. What do you think happens to a person when his spirit is restored by faith?
Answer: When a person’s spirit is restored by faith, they gain renewed strength, hope, and the courage to overcome challenges and adversities. Faith provides a sense of purpose and direction, allowing the individual to face difficulties with resilience and a positive outlook.
2. Prayer gives strength and hope. Does this story justify this statement? How?
Answer: Yes, this story justifies the statement that prayer gives strength and hope. In the story, Christian and Hopeful are in a dire situation, but after they pray, Christian remembers the key called Promise. This leads to their escape from Doubting Castle, demonstrating how prayer can lead to renewed strength, hope, and solutions to seemingly insurmountable problems.
Appreciating form and language
This is a story whose characters and incidents are intended to convey a meaning other than the literal one, implying a moral lesson. Such a story is called an allegory. An allegory is a story, play or poem in which the events and characters function as symbols to express a moral, religious or political idea. One of the most famous examples of allegory in English Literature is the Pilgrim’s Progress by John Bunyan. The story Giant Despair is taken from it. (For a summary of the storyline of The Pilgrim’s Progress, refer to the section Learning Support.)
Name all the characters in the story and explain what each character symbolises.
Answer: Here are the characters in the story “Giant Despair” and their symbolic meanings:
- Christian: Represents the individual believer on a spiritual journey. He struggles with doubts and temptations but ultimately finds strength and hope through faith.
- Hopeful: Represents the unwavering faith and optimism that guides the believer through difficult times. He encourages Christian and helps him to overcome despair.
- Giant Despair: Represents the forces of doubt, fear, and hopelessness that can threaten to overcome the believer’s faith. He embodies the darkness and despair that can plague the spiritual journey.
- Diffidence: Represents the inner doubts and insecurities that can undermine faith. She reinforces Giant Despair’s cruel plans and encourages him to crush Christian and Hopeful’s spirits.
- The Lord of the Country: Represents God, the ultimate destination and source of hope for the believer. He is the one who ultimately rescues Christian and Hopeful from Giant Despair.
- Promise (the Key): Represents the promises of God and the power of faith to unlock the doors of doubt and despair.
Writing
1. When Christian’s courage is restored by faith and hope, he feels that he can unlock even the toughest of doors and locks. He does finally manage to get away from the Doubting Castle. Do you think the names Christian, Hopeful and Doubting Castle represent the state of mind of a believer who is in the process of acquiring complete faith in God? Write your own interpretation of the message from this story.
Answer: The names Christian, Hopeful, and Doubting Castle indeed represent the states of mind of a believer who is in the process of acquiring complete faith in God. Christian signifies a person who follows the path of faith, Hopeful represents the optimism and belief in divine intervention, and Doubting Castle symbolizes the obstacles and uncertainties that challenge one’s faith. The message from this story is that even in the darkest times of doubt and despair, faith and hope can provide the strength to overcome any difficulties. The journey of Christian and Hopeful illustrates the power of unwavering belief and the ultimate triumph of the faithful over despair.
2. ‘On Saturday, about midnight, they began to pray and continued in prayer till almost break of day.’
a. What happens to Christian after he prays?
Answer: After Christian prays, he realizes that he has a key called Promise in his bosom that can unlock any door in Doubting Castle.
b. Do you think that the author is communicating a message to his readers through the change he shows in Christian after he prays? What is it?
Answer: Yes, the author is communicating a message through the change in Christian after he prays. The message is that faith and prayer can provide enlightenment and solutions to seemingly insurmountable problems. Through prayer, Christian gains the clarity and strength needed to escape his predicament, highlighting the transformative power of faith.
Extra fill in the blanks
1. When Giant Despair woke up in the morning, he saw ________ and ________ sleeping in his grounds. (Christian/Hopeful)
Answer: Christian, Hopeful
2. The sight of Christian and Hopeful sleeping made the giant ________. (Angry/Happy)
Answer: Angry
3. When questioned, Christian and Hopeful informed the giant that they were ________. (Pilgrims/Travellers)
Answer: Pilgrims
4. The giant complained that they had ________ on his grounds. (Trespassed/Walked)
Answer: Trespassed
5. The dungeon Christian and Hopeful were put in was ________ and ________. (Dark/Nasty)
Answer: Dark, Nasty
6. It was actually ________’s unadvised counsel that had now brought them to this dungeon. (Christian/Hopeful)
Answer: Christian
7. Giant Despair was advised by his wife to ________ them without mercy. (Beat/Punish)
Answer: Beat
8. Christian and Hopeful spent the first night in the dungeon in ________ and ________. (Sighs/Lamentations)
Answer: Sighs, Lamentations
9. On their third day in the dungeon, Giant Despair suggests that they should ________. (End their lives/Run away)
Answer: End their lives
10. The references to Apollyon and the Valley of the Shadow of Death show us that Christian had been ________. (Valiant/Cowardly)
Answer: Valiant
11. When the giant beat them, Christian and Hopeful were unable to ________ or ________. (Help themselves/Move)
Answer: Help themselves, Move
12. Christian was saying that he would rather ________ than live in the dungeon. (Die/Suffer)
Answer: Die
13. Hopeful convinced Christian not to end his life by reminding him of ________ and ________. (Faith/Consequences)
Answer: Faith, Consequences
14. The giant threatened Christian and Hopeful on Saturday by showing them ________ and ________. (Bones/Skulls)
Answer: Bones, Skulls
15. After praying, Christian remembered he had a key called ________ that could open any lock in Doubting Castle. (Promise/Hope)
Answer: Promise
Extra true or false
1. Giant Despair caught Christian and Hopeful asleep in his grounds.
Answer: True
2. Christian and Hopeful were caught by Giant Despair in the evening.
Answer: False
3. Giant Despair spoke to Christian and Hopeful in a friendly manner.
Answer: False
4. Christian and Hopeful were placed in a well-lit and clean dungeon.
Answer: False
5. Christian felt double sorrow because it was through his advice they were in distress.
Answer: True
6. Giant Despair’s wife is named Confidence.
Answer: False
7. Diffidence advised Giant Despair to beat the prisoners without mercy.
Answer: True
8. Christian and Hopeful had food and water while in the dungeon.
Answer: False
9. Hopeful suggested that they should consider the giant’s counsel to end their lives.
Answer: False
10. Christian and Hopeful spent the day in sighs and lamentations.
Answer: True
11. Giant Despair showed Christian and Hopeful the bones and skulls of other pilgrims.
Answer: True
12. Christian had never faced any hardships before meeting Giant Despair.
Answer: False
13. Christian remembered he had a key called Promise after praying.
Answer: True
14. The key Promise could not open any of the locks in Doubting Castle.
Answer: False
15. Giant Despair often fell into fits during rainy weather.
Answer: False
16. Christian and Hopeful escaped from Doubting Castle by using the key Promise.
Answer: True
Extra question and answer
1. What is the name of the castle where Christian and Hopeful were captured?
Answer: Doubting Castle.
Q. Who is the owner of Doubting Castle?
Answer: Giant Despair.
Q. What were Christian and Hopeful doing when Giant Despair found them?
Answer: They were sleeping in his grounds.
Q. What did Giant Despair do with Christian and Hopeful after capturing them?
Answer: He put them into a dark dungeon.
Q. How long did Christian and Hopeful stay in the dungeon without food or drink?
Answer: From Wednesday morning till Saturday night.
Q. Who advised Giant Despair on how to deal with the prisoners?
Answer: His wife, Diffidence.
Q. What did Diffidence suggest Giant Despair should do to Christian and Hopeful in the morning?
Answer: She suggested he should beat them without mercy.
Q. What did Giant Despair suggest Christian and Hopeful do to escape their misery?
Answer: He suggested they should end their lives.
Q. What key did Christian find that could open any lock in Doubting Castle?
Answer: A key called Promise.
Q. What happened to Giant Despair when he tried to pursue Christian and Hopeful?
Answer: He fell into a fit and lost the use of his limbs.
Q. Why did Giant Despair put Christian and Hopeful into a dark dungeon?
Answer: Giant Despair put Christian and Hopeful into a dark dungeon because they had trespassed on his grounds by sleeping there. They were forced to go with him because he was stronger, and they had little to say in their defense, knowing they were at fault.
Q. How did Christian and Hopeful spend their time in the dungeon after being beaten by Giant Despair?
Answer: Christian and Hopeful spent their time in the dungeon in misery and lamentation. They endured severe beatings, were deprived of food and water, and faced constant threats from Giant Despair, making their situation unbearable and causing them great sorrow and suffering.
Q. What advice did Hopeful give to Christian regarding Giant Despair’s suggestion to end their lives?
Answer: Hopeful advised Christian against taking Giant Despair’s suggestion to end their lives, reminding him that the Lord forbids murder, including self-murder. He encouraged patience and faith, suggesting that they might still find a way to escape or that Giant Despair might have another fit, giving them a chance to flee.
Q. What was Christian’s reaction when he realized he had a key to escape the dungeon?
Answer: Christian was initially astonished when he remembered he had a key called Promise that could open any lock in Doubting Castle. He quickly acted on this realization, and with Hopeful’s encouragement, he used the key to open the dungeon door, the outer door, and the iron gate, ultimately escaping the castle.
Q. How did Giant Despair react when he found Christian and Hopeful still alive after suggesting they end their lives?
Answer: When Giant Despair found Christian and Hopeful still alive after suggesting they end their lives, he became extremely enraged. He threatened them further, saying that it would be worse for them than if they had never been born. His frustration and anger grew as they continued to defy his counsel and survive.
Q. Describe the conditions of the dungeon where Giant Despair imprisoned Christian and Hopeful.
Answer: The dungeon where Giant Despair imprisoned Christian and Hopeful was extremely dark, nasty, and stinking, which greatly distressed their spirits. They were kept there from Wednesday morning till Saturday night without any food, water, light, or company to ask about their well-being. The dungeon’s deplorable conditions were compounded by their isolation and the psychological torment of being far from friends and acquaintances. The lack of basic necessities and the oppressive environment added to their misery, making their imprisonment unbearable and causing Christian to feel double sorrow for leading them into such distress.
Q. How did Giant Despair’s wife, Diffidence, influence his actions towards the prisoners?
Answer: Diffidence played a significant role in influencing Giant Despair’s actions towards the prisoners. When Giant Despair informed her about capturing Christian and Hopeful, she advised him to beat them without mercy the next morning. Following her counsel, Giant Despair fetched a grievous crab-tree cudgel and severely beat the prisoners. Later, when Giant Despair told her that the prisoners were still alive despite the beatings, she suggested he should persuade them to end their lives. Diffidence’s advice escalated the cruelty inflicted upon Christian and Hopeful, as Giant Despair followed her suggestions to torment them further.
Q. What was the turning point that led to Christian and Hopeful’s escape from Doubting Castle?
Answer: The turning point that led to Christian and Hopeful’s escape from Doubting Castle occurred when Christian remembered he had a key called Promise in his bosom, which could open any lock in the castle. This realization came after a prolonged period of suffering and prayer. Encouraged by Hopeful, Christian used the key to unlock the dungeon door, the outward door leading to the castle-yard, and finally the iron gate. Despite the difficulty in opening the iron gate, they succeeded and managed to escape while Giant Despair was incapacitated by one of his fits, rendering him unable to pursue them.
Q. How did Hopeful help Christian maintain his resolve during their imprisonment?
Answer: Hopeful helped Christian maintain his resolve during their imprisonment by offering constant encouragement and reasoning. When Christian considered ending their lives to escape their misery, Hopeful reminded him of the Lord’s commandment against murder, including self-murder. He also pointed out that others had escaped Giant Despair before and that they might have a chance to do the same. Hopeful urged patience and endurance, reminding Christian of his past bravery and the trials he had overcome. This support helped Christian resist despair and ultimately find the strength to use the key Promise to escape.
20. What does the story of Christian and Hopeful in Doubting Castle symbolize in a broader context?
Answer: The story of Christian and Hopeful in Doubting Castle symbolizes the struggles and challenges faced by believers in their spiritual journey. Giant Despair represents the feelings of hopelessness and doubt that can imprison individuals, making them feel trapped and isolated. Diffidence symbolizes the discouraging thoughts that exacerbate despair. The key Promise signifies faith and the divine assurances that provide the means to overcome these spiritual trials. The escape from the dungeon illustrates the power of faith, hope, and prayer in overcoming despair and finding freedom in the path of spiritual enlightenment. This allegory underscores the importance of perseverance, trust in divine promises, and the support of fellow believers in overcoming life’s adversities.
