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Pink Bow Tie Short Story Questions and Answers ,Summary and Analysis PDF Download

Pink Bow Tie Short Story Questions and Answers ,Summary and Analysis PDF Download The intriguing and entertaining story Pink Bow Tie by Paul Jennings was first published in his 1987 collection of short stories “Unbelievable.” The story follows a teenage kid who, after getting into difficulty with his school’s administration for having blonded his hair, is forced to explain the peculiar events involving a device that might alter one’s age that led to the behavior for which he is being punished. Since Pink Bow Tie is written in the boy’s first-person perspective, along with a description of the events that happened to him, we also get a peek into his thoughts and reactions to the objects and people in his environment.

Pink Bow Tie  Summary and Analysis

At the very beginning, we are told that the narrator is sitting outside the Principal’s office of his new school, apparently waiting for a punishment for the second time in the two days he has been there. The first time he got into trouble was not for breaking any rules, but rather because he had made fun of an old man’s pink bowtie, unaware of the fact that the person he had so ridiculed was the Principal of the school, Old Splodge. What was intended as a joke turned out to be a cause of trouble for him for no apparent fault of his. As he thinks about this unfair treatment meted out to him, his attention moves to the Principal’s gorgeous, young secretary on whom he has a major crush, but owing to the age difference between them, sees no future with. It is then revealed that he was summoned to the Principal’s office for having dyed his hair blonde which was against the school rules. The old Principle, who is unwilling to accept his retirement which is due next year, already holds a grudge against the narrator for the previous incident and is all set to punish him once again.
As he addresses the boy and demands an explanation from him for breaking the school rules, the narrator tells him that he had not dyed his hair, which the Principal believes to be a white lie as he had seen the boy with black hair just the previous day.

However, the boy is ready with an explanation and begins to narrate the events that turned his hair blonde. He tells the Principal that while he was travelling by train the previous day some strange things occurred which scared him so much that his hair turned white with fright. He then describes his fellow passenger which included an extremely old lady, a mean-looking guy and a kid, approximately the same age as him, was smoking in the compartment, in total disregard of the law that prohibited underage smoking. He was soon confronted by the ticket collector for breaking the law but he did not stop smoking. Instead, he picked up a radio-like machine and turned the knobs after which, to everyone else’s utter surprise, he started ageing, transforming into a man right in front of their eyes. He tells the others that the machine he used was called an Age Rager and possessed the power to tweak the user’s age and make him grow as old or young as he desired. Handing over the machine to his co-passengers, he jumps off the train. The machine is immediately grabbed by the old lady who uses it to turn herself into a sixteen-year-old girl and after throwing the machine at the narrator, leaves the train. The narrator was quite timid by nature and refrained from any kind of violence as he was very easily scared. And so, upon getting hold of the Age Rager, he instantly hands it over to the mean guy to avoid any fight with him over the machine.

Now, this guy mishandles the machine as a result of which he turns into a small, one-year-old infant. The narrator attempts to retrieve the machine from him before any further mishap occurs but the boy is too stubborn and refuses to let go. He then turns the knob right up to the OLDER end and soon he starts getting older and older, eventually dying and being turned into a decaying skeleton. Scared out of his wits upon witnessing this gruesome sight, the narrator frantically tries to escape but is unable to as the doors are jammed. He is stuck in that horrible place, frightened to his very bones. In just fifteen minutes of this entire incident, his hair turns blonde due to the utter fright of the terrible scene he had just witnessed. With this, he ends his tale, claiming it to be the absolute truth behind what the Principle considered his insolence and disregard of rules.

However, the Principal refuses to believe him, finding the entire thing a cock-and-bull story made up by the boy to escape from punishment. But the boy proves his honesty by presenting to him the Age- Rager and thus, having no choice but to accept his tale, Splodge lets him go home with a warning that he shall be suspended from the school. Worried about his parents’ reaction when they come to know of his suspension, the boy anxiously waits for the arrival of the Principal’s letter but to his surprise, no such letter arrives. It appears to him that no action has been taken against him and he is saved because, in the coming days, nothing actually happens. The only unusual events that happened in those two weeks following his meeting with the Principal were that one, Principal Splodge seemed to have disappeared completely and two, Miss Newham, his secretary, got a new boyfriend. The story ends with the narrator being completely befuddled by the pink bow tie sported by Miss Newham’s new boyfriend. This highly unexpected twist, not only baffles the speaker, but also the readers who until this revelation were under the impression that the entire incident narrated by the boy was nothing more than a fragment of his imagination; a story concocted by him to save himself from getting punished. But as is insinuated in the end, his story was very much the truth and in all likeliness, Miss Newham’s new boyfriend was none other than the old Principal Splodge who had, upon acquiring it from the narrator, used the Age Rager to transform into a handsome, eighteen-year-old boy.

Pink Bow Tie is written in a simple, easy-going, and colloquial tone that reads almost as if someone is recounting an actual incident in front of an audience. It manages to keep the readers hooked until the very end with various exciting twists and turns right from the very beginning till the very last line.

Be it the revelation of the boy’s first encounter with the principal, his explanation for his blonde hair, the entire incident with the Age Rager or the ending twist- the story keeps surprising the readers with an absolutely unprecedented turn of events at every stage. These incidents not only make the story more interesting but also add to the element of humour. The entire chain of events that happens has been presented in a uniquely entertaining manner, especially because despite being so bizarre, they seem quite probable and thus, there is a constant tug-of-war in the reader’s mind between whether to believe it to be the truth or not which adds to the thrill of the story. All in all, the story is indeed very enthralling and manages to keep the readers at the edge of their seats throughout, without any dull moment at any stage. It is crisp, interesting and funny- a perfect example of Paul Jennings’ style.

Pink Bow Tie Short Story Questions and Answers pdf

Questions and Answers

1. Question: How did the narrator end up in trouble during his first two days at his new school?Answer: The narrator first landed in trouble for making fun of the principal’s pink bowtie, not realizing that the man he was mocking was the principal of the school. The second time he was called to the principal’s office was because he dyed his hair blonde, which was against the school rules.
2. Question: What is the Age Rager and how does it affect the characters in the story?Answer: The Age Rager is a machine that has the power to change a person’s age, making them older or younger according to the user’s wish. It affected several characters in the story: a kid used it to age himself into an adult, an old lady used it to become a sixteen-year-old girl, and a mean guy turned himself first into an infant, then aged rapidly and died. The principal, Old Splodge, also appears to have used it to become a young man, as suggested by the ending.
3. Question: How does the narrator justify his violation of school rules?Answer: The narrator justifies his blonde hair by recounting an extraordinary story involving an Age Rager that resulted in his hair turning white with fear, which then turned blonde.
4. Question: What are the unexpected twists in the story?Answer: Several unexpected twists occur in the story. Firstly, the boy’s tale of how his hair turned blonde is quite surprising. The most significant twist is at the end of the story, where it is suggested that the principal, Old Splodge, has used the Age Rager to become a young man and is possibly dating his secretary, Miss Newham.
5. Question: What is the significance of the pink bowtie in the story?Answer: The pink bowtie is initially significant as it’s the reason the narrator gets into trouble on his first day, for mocking it while unaware that its wearer is the school’s principal. At the end of the story, it takes on new significance when Miss Newham’s boyfriend sports a pink bowtie, suggesting that he might be the transformed Principal Splodge.
6. Question: How is humor used in “Pink Bow Tie”?Answer: Humor in “Pink Bow Tie” is derived largely from the absurdity of the situations, the main character’s irreverent attitude, and the unexpected twist at the end. The exaggerated use of the Age Rager and its bizarre effects on the characters also contribute to the humorous tone of the story.
7. Question: What does the story’s ending suggest about the narrator’s previous account?Answer: The ending suggests that the narrator’s tale about the Age Rager, which initially seemed made up, might have been true. The principal’s disappearance and the appearance of a young man wearing a pink bow tie and dating Miss Newham hint that Principal Splodge used the Age Rager to become young.
8. Question: How does the author create suspense in the story?Answer: The author creates suspense by presenting a series of unusual events, including the narrator’s encounter with the Age Rager, and maintaining a certain level of ambiguity about whether the events truly happened. The ending also leaves readers wondering about the truth of the narrator’s story and the fate of the principal.
9. Question: How does the narrator’s character evolve throughout the story?Answer: The narrator begins as a somewhat rebellious student, mocking the principal’s bowtie and violating school rules by dyeing his hair. As the story progresses, he shows himself to be creative and quick-thinking, coming up with an imaginative story to explain his hair color. Despite facing potential punishment, he remains steadfast in his truth. The narrator also exhibits empathy when he tries to prevent the mean guy from misusing the Age Rager. By the end, he appears somewhat bewildered by the strange turn of events but remains resilient and adaptable in the face of the unexpected.
10. Question: How does the author, Paul Jennings, use tone and style to engage the reader in “Pink Bow Tie”?Answer: Paul Jennings uses a simple, colloquial tone in “Pink Bow Tie”, making the narrative sound like a personal recounting of an actual incident. This, combined with the surprising twists, bizarre incidents, and element of humor, keeps the readers engaged and invested in the story. Despite the fantastical elements, the narrative remains plausible enough to keep readers guessing and adds to the story’s thrill. This balance between the absurd and the believable is a key aspect of Jennings’ distinctive style.

Questions and Answers from Previous Question Papers

Answers:

(a) C/ A man √

(b) D/ Monetary value √

(c) A/ Time machine √

(d) B/ The Principal

Questions and answers:

1. Refer to line 1. (‘Well, here I…the Principal’s office.’) (a) Give a reason why the word ‘again’ is underlined in the sentence. (1) (b) How does the word ‘Well’ in line 1 contribute to the tone of the narrator’s voice? (1)
   • (a) The bow tie is compared to a pink butterfly because of its colour and shape. √
   • (b) A butterfly is seen as a gentle insect. It portrays beauty and tenderness instead of the harsh work of attacking. √√
2. Refer to line 6. (‘It looks like…attacking his neck.’) (a) Explain the simile in this line. (1) (b) Write down TWO things why the word ‘attacking’ is not fitting in this comparison. (2)
   • (a) The bow tie is compared to a pink butterfly because of its colour and shape. √
   • (b) A butterfly is seen as a gentle insect. It portrays beauty and tenderness instead of the harsh work of attacking. √√
3. Refer to line 17. (‘Miss Newham and…a real knockout.’) When the narrator refers to the secretary as a ‘real knockout’ (line 17) he means that she is… A) taking part in a boxing match. B) extremely beautiful. C) fearful. D) typing fast. (1)
   • B/Extremely beautiful. √
4. Refer to line 18. (‘I wish she…is seventeen and…’) Write down TWO reasons that prevent the narrator from having Miss Newham as his girlfriend. (2)
   • She is employed at the school and he is a student. √√ He is too young.
5. From your knowledge of the story as a whole: Write down ONE good thing and ONE bad thing that happened at the end of the story. (2)
   • Spodge disappeared. √ Miss Newham got a boyfriend. √
6. The principal was angry because the boy’s hair changed from black to white. In your opinion, is it necessary for the Principal to call the boy to the office for changing the color of his hair? Discuss your view. (3)
   • The boy has disobeyed the rules of the school. The school’s code of conduct says that boys may not change the colour of their hair. Respectable hair rules accompany good discipline; that explains why the boy is in the Principal’s office ‘again’. The boy was taken out of class during academic time. √√√ Open-ended.
   • OR It is not necessary for the Principal to summon the boy to the office. Changing the color of hair is an everyday occurrence. The school should relax its rules and concentrate more on academics.
     • (a) It indicates that it is not the first time that the narrator is in trouble. √ (b) It gives a tone of meditativeness/reflectiveness/thinking. √

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