Class 11 English Suggestion 2nd Semester:

Alias Jimmy Valentine

Short Type Questions Answers [2 marks]

Answer the following questions in not more than 40 words:

1. Who was Jimmy Valentine? What was he excellent at? Where did Jimmy work during his imprisonment?

2. Who came to get Jimmy at the prison shoe-shop?

3. What was Jimmy doing when the guard came to the prison shoe-shop? What does ‘uppers’ mean?

4. Who had pardoned Jimmy Valentine? Who handed Jimmy his pardon?

5. Why was Jimmy imprisoned? For how long was he condemned to be in prison?

6. How long had Jimmy expected to stay in the prison?

7. How much time did he actually serve in the prison?

8. What safecracking job was Jimmy arrested for?

9. What was the name of the guard of the prison? What did the warden order the guard to do?

10. Where did the warden ask Jimmy to meet him the next morning? When was the guard ordered to release Jimmy?

11. What did the warden give him at the time of his release?

12. Why did the clerk give Jimmy Valentine a railroad ticket and a five-dollar bill after his release from prison?

13. How did Jimmy enjoy the freedom immediately after being released from jail?

14. What did Jimmy enjoy in the restaurant?

15. Where did Jimmy arrive by using the railroad ticket? Whose cafe did he go to?

Long Type Questions Answers [6 marks]

Answer the following questions in about 120 words.

1. What is the significance of the title Jimmy Valentine’?

2. Briefly narrate in your own words the conversation between Jimmy and the warden inside the jail. Did Jimmy follow the advice of the warden?*

3. “I never was in Springfield in my life “-Who is the speaker? Who is he speaking to ? How was Springfield associated to his life 7 What was the context of this remark?* 

4. What did Jimmy Valentine do from the time he got out of jail till he met Mike Dolan? 

5. Retrace Jimmy Valentine’s course of action from the moment he is granted parole to the time he reaches his room. 

6. Describe the contents of Jimmy’s suitcase. Why do you think he ‘gazed fondly’ at them? 

7. “Ben Price investigated the scene of the robberies and was heard to remark…”-Who was Ben Price? What did he say? What did he know of Jimmy’s habits? 

8. “That’s Dandy Jim Valentine’s autograph.”-Who said this and why? How did he come to such a conclusion?

9. Who was Annabel Adams? How did Jimmy come to know about her? What influence did she have on Jimmy’s reformation? What new name did Jimmy Valentine assume at Elmore? What business did he open there? How did Jimmy fare at Elmore? 

10. “Mr Ralph D Spencer, the phoenix that arose from Jimmy Valentine’s ashes…”-Who is Ralph D Spencer? What is a phoenix? Why has the comparison been made? 

11. How did Jimmy become a successful man in Elmore both financially and socially?

12. What did Jimmy write to his old friend in St Louis? Why did he write so?*

13.  “That child-she can’t stand it long in there.”-Who is referred to here? Why was she in danger? How was she saved?* 

14.  “The frightened child, unharmed, fell into her mother’s arms”-Who was the child referred to here? Why was the child frightened? How did the child fall into her mother’s arms unharmed?* 

15. Who was Ben Price? Why did he ignore to recognise Jimmy at the end of the story?* [Textbook Exercise]

16. How does O Henry establish a contrast between Jimmy Valentine and Ralph D Spencer?* 

17. What elements of the story ‘Jimmy Valentine’ are ironic?*