ISC Class 12 Literature —A Gorilla in the Guest Room by Gerald Durrell

A Gorilla in the Guest Room by Gerald Durrell

About the author …….Indian students should read Durrell’s stories with keener interest, because this highly acclaimed British naturalist was born in Jamshedpur. John Durrell (1925 -1995) was a multi-faceted personality. He was both an avid watcher of the natural world, as he was an articulate communicator on animal matters. As a TV presenter, he made a name for himself, but like Salim Ali, he loved to wander in the world of flora and fauna. He observed the animals, their habits and habitats, and from this hobby, he derived all his creative energy. Right from his childhood, he took to collecting and rearing myriad species of animals from different parts of the world. He was passionate about the conservation of the animal world, and wrote many stories, travelogues and first-hand accounts of his expeditions to see the animals in the wild. ‘A Gorilla in the Guest Room’ is one such story that centers around the establishment of a zoo.
His childhood stay in Corfu proved to trigger and shape his lifelong pursuit of pleasure in watching, and learning the intriguing lives of animals. The book ‘My Family and Other Animals’ written by him bristles with humour and is lovingly read by young and old alike. As a TV anchor, he produced many shows that were vibrant, entertaining with great educational value.

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The story ..

Durrell is a zoo-keeper. Although, he is just a salaried man, his interests in the world of animals and plants go far beyound that. He connects with the animals with great warmth and passion. So, he enjoys his job. He lives with his mother, and wife, Jacquie.

The story starts with the letter of a writer pleading with Durrell to take possession of the Rhesus monkey that had caused considerable inconvenience to their family by its playful antics. The mother had been taken ill by the vigorous jumping around of the growing monkey.

After reading the letter, Durrell concluded that the decrepit zoo needed some good deal of renovation, and a facelift. After all, a zoo has to function as a model sanctuary of animals for the benefit of people. Durrell pondered over the idea of getting rid of the common species occupying the facility with some exotic ones. However, when he sat down to list the possible newcomers, he found that the list ran to three volumes, even excluding the reptiles.  Durrell found it difficult to short-list the ones that could be brought in. Around this time, an animal dealer called him to ask if he would be interested to buy a baby gorilla from him.

Looking for the ‘elusive’ gorilla ….

Gorillas don’t proliferate as much as other species do, so they are in rarity. African jungles are their natural habitats, but the continent had been caught in internecine conflicts, illegal trading in animals, and similar other causes that had pushed  the gorillas to the edge of extinction. Animal conservation was seldom in the governments’ agenda. No wonder, with fast dwindling numbers, gorillas became too elusive for animal collectors. Durrell was not quite convinced that the dealer was serious about his offer of a baby gorilla. Animal dealers, generally, had pathetic awareness about the species they trade in. So, Durrell assumed that the dealer possibly had a chimpanzee to offer. Nevertheless, he couldn’t dismiss the offer out of hand.

A gorilla is spotted ...

The dealer quoted twelve hundred pounds for the animal. Durell thought for a oment, and conveyed his readiness to cut a deal. He decides that he will inspect the animal at the London airport, and would take it if it was in relatively good shape. Durrell’s mother was excited about the prospect of having a baby gorilla around.  Durrell’s wife, Jacquie, however, weighed the idea carefully. She wanted to know the price being paid. Durrell skirted the query stating that gorillas are a rare species to acquire. But, Jacquie insisted on knowing the price. When she knew that the deal had been struck for twelve hundred pounds, she exploded in indignation. She felt, it was too high a price to be paid especially when they already had a large loan to repay to the bank. She said the idea was absurd, and the bank manager would surely refuse to give such a big amount for just a baby gorilla.

Durrell suggested that he could crowd-fund the purchase by approaching the rich and bored inhabitants in the island, who woud find the baby gorilla a good source of entertainment. Jacquie  was scathing in her comments about the acquisition idea. Durrell was not deterred by his wife’s strident disapproval. He rang up Hope to ask her for a list of the wealthiest people living in the island. When asked why he needed the list, Durrell explained how he planned to mobilize the twelve hundred pounds for acquiring the baby gorilla through donations from these people. An incredulous Hope laughed off the idea as a crazy one. Finally, after listening to Durrell’s laborious explanations, she gave up, and agreed to give him the list.

Durrell starts fund-raising. …

With the list in hand, Durrell began dialling up the affluent people one by one. First to receive Durrell’s call was Mrs. Mcgurgle. Durrell was at his persuasive best. With not much of haggling, she agreed to pay a part of the procurement cost of the baby gorilla. Durrell smelled success. By lunch time, the collection had touched a tidy 200 pounds. Still, there was the need for a thousand more. Durrell’s mood was upbeat. 

Next to be called was one Major Domo, whom Durrell had never met. With some hesitation, he called the Major and explained his project. Quite surprisingly for Durrell, the Major was excited about the idea of having a gorilla as an inmate in the tiny island. Quite readily, he told Durrell to come to him to collect the shortfall amount of a thousand pounds. Durrell was thrilled.

The windfall had caught Durrell completely unawares. Thanking his benefactor profusely, Durrell sprinted to the zoo telling everyone on the way that a baby gorilla would soon arrive to grace the zoo with its presence.

Durrell proceeds to London airport …

Durrell made quick plans to reach the London airport. The fear that the much-prized primate could be an ordinary chipanzee instead of the adorable gorilla lurked in his mind constantly, though.  He met the animal trader at the airport. The seller ushered him to the animal enclosure under the aegis of the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals. When the door opened, Durrell’s eyes fell on a few chimpanzees seated on a table and feating on bananas. Durrell’s worst fears had come true. Disappointment was palpable in his face. However, the dealer took him a little more inside and showed him an enclosure that had the cuddly N’Pongo. Durrell had got his prize. 

N’Pongo was one and half feet tall, cute, and bubbly. He stood up raising his hand upwards. N’Pongo was considerably much heavier than his size, apparently due to his boney frame and well-developed muscles. His coat had dense chocolate-coloured furs. N’Pongo took to his new master with remarkable ease, making no fuss, nor nuisance. He explored Durrells’s forehead with its fingers. The duo soon got along with ea ch other. The rapport developed in no time. N’Pongo ate the banana from Durrell’s hands gracefully. Durrell paid the amount to the trader, and the duo headed to catch the flight to Jersey.

Durrell and N’Pongo reach their home town. …

The two alighted from the aircraft, and drove to the zoo. During the drive, N’Pongo scanned the landscape both sides. He saw the cattle speed past their car. He was seated comfortably in Durrell’s lap. On arriving at home, Durrel decided to keep N’Pongo in the guest room as his cage was not sill ready. In very short time, N’Pongo endeered himself to Durrell’s mother and wife. They virtually fawned over him. He got some delicacies as welcome snack.

Durrell had an unpleasant experience with a chimpanzee guest earlier. The primate literally destroyed the room’s decor. This time, Durrell kept an eye on N’Pongo, so that he could not mess around the furniture. But, the guest wanted to know his room first. He walked around the place watching everything with keen interest. Happily for Durrell, his guest was well-behaved and didn’t fiddle with anything. Durrell was immensely impressed with his guest’s restraint and demeanour. In due course N’Pongo retired to sleep. By then, he had won the heart of Durrell’s mother’s heart. So impressed was she that she suggested that N’Pongo remain in the house permanently. Chumley, the chimpanzee, had left so much horror behind that Durrell had to turn down his mother’s plea outright.

N’Pongo had the airs of a ‘gentleman’….

N’Pongo did do some little nuisance in the guest room, but that was understandable, given his very young age. As with human toddlers, he used the wall to scribble something, patook of some raspberries on offer, messed up the floor, and damaged the door handle while struggling to open the door. But, all these damages were accepted by Durrell as normal childlike actions from a baby gorilla. Durrell was much more amused, than annoyed.

Durrell discovered that N’Pongo was far more restrained and gentle than a chimpanzee of its age. Chimpanzees revolted when taken into the cage again after an outing, expressing their disgust with visible body language, and angry outbursts. N’Pongo, when encaged, after an outing, seldom protested accepting the restriction on his freedom as normal and necessary. Unlike a chimpanzee of comparable age, N’Pongo remonstrated his fate with remarkable composure. In a short span of time, N’Pongo made his way into the hearts of the visitors, who adored him for demeanour and disposition. In the afternoon, N’Pongo was brought out to the zoo’s lawn where it showed off its playful antics. The visitors just loved to see his acrobatics.

N’Pongo steps into adulthood ..

N’Pongo was growing up. At the age of two, he looked far bigger than what he was when he was brought in.  At adulthood, a male needs a mate. Durrell realized it could be cruel to deprive Him from the companionship of his companion. Particularly for the primates, the need is more. ‘The zoo must pay for the second gorilla,’ felt Durrell. Without someone to play with, the apes become troublesome by trying their strengths on humans. By eleven or twelve, a gorilla’s hop can really be very hurtful. Keeping him in seclusion might preempt nuisance, but the loneliness can be very turtuous  for the primate. Durrell couldn’t countenance such a tragedy for N’Pongo. But, the zoo could ill-afford a new acquisition. 

A female partner is found ..

When Durrell contacted the dealer, he offered a female gorilla a little younger than N’Pongo. It was the best match for the lovelorn N’Pongo. But, the dealer said he wanted fifteen hundred pounds as Africa’s political turmoil had pushed up the prices of jungle animals. Durell knew the price was way too high. He wondered if he could make the dealer agree to take the money in installments. Durrell called him to suggest this, and to his great relief, the trader agreed. As per the arrangement, the trader’s representative would deliver the female gorilla in Jersey in a few days.

The newcomer was named Nandy. The zoo staff were agog with excitement to welcome the new arrival. But, the bank manager was lukewarm to Durrell’s request to give any money for the purpose. Durrell was irritated to see his unhelpful attitude. So, Durrell set out on his funds collection drive, again. Nandy arrived looking hale and hearty, like a damsel with beautiful eyes.

Nandy is wary of humans, understandably. …

Nandy had a deep scar on her head, apparently inflicted by her captor. It was a painful wound that told Nandy to steer clear of human beings. So, she sulked at her new owners when released from her cage. She was kept in a cage for a day to get over the effects of the unsettling change in the environment. Durrell knew it would take about six months to drive the fear of humans from Nandy’s mind.

Nandy enters N’pongo’s cage as expectations soar. …

N’Pongo had thus far assumed he was the lord of the zoo, and could deal with humans in equal terms. He was clueless about the way he would deal with the new cage-mate. Nandy was shy and withdrawn, and N’Pongo appeared detached and disinterested in his new companion. The first twenty four hours went barren and uneventful. The zoo staff came to inspect the two. They stood by with a few buckets of water, brush etc. Seated on a branch, N’Pongo looked aloof and dullard. Nandy appeared apprehensive and distrustful of everyone around her. Apparently, both were sizing up each other. 

The first encounter ..

Then something very frightening happened. N’Pngo lunged forward, grabbed Nandy’s hair, pulled it, and then stepped back. The zoo staff were shell-shocked to see such sudden aggression in N’Pongo. They virtually froze in fear. Nandy did react with disgust at such an overture, but by then, N’Pongo had stepped clear of her to a safe distance. N’Pongo had carried the day by asserting himself.

The zoo keepers then offered two plates of delicious juicy fruits, one each to N’Pongo and to Nandy. N’Pongo inspected Nandy’s plate to see if she had been served more. Nandy, peeved at N’Pongo’s earlier hostile pass at her, put on such an angry look that he decided to pull back. In the next half an hour, they ate the fruits with relish maintaining a good distance from one another.

The night fell. N’Pongo slept on the wooden shelf as usual. Nandy, a bit dejected perhaps, slept on the floor. The next day, the duo wanted to explore the order of precedence with regard to the use of the swing, the cross-beam etc. Quite predictably, minor shoving and jostling happened. It looked quite like the way children squabble over things. For the zookeepers, the scene brought great joy, and some relief. By evening, their interaction had shrunk the gulf between them. N’Pongo let Nandy share the wooden shelf with him. Unmistakably, they had cosied up to each other.

N’Pongo and Nandy get along well.  ..

Soon, it became clear that the two were made for each other. N’Pongo exhibitted masculine brawn and dominance, where as Nandy was subdued and silent. Despite their wide divergence of nature, their chemistry worked well. The bond seemed to get stronger by the day. N’Pongo would tease Nandy endlessly till she couldn’t take it any more. She would then explode with annoyance at her male partner. The cycle of teasing and reacting angrily continued the whole day.

Rearing worries ……

Acquiring the two gorillas was, no doubt, a feat, but rearing them wasn’t. Keeping them fit and free of ailments needed constant attention. Simple surveillance devices had to be installed in various parts of the zoo to locate the primates at any given time. Unfortunately for Durrell, one of the gorillas developed symptoms of diarhoea. The diseases had returned to them. The news came in when Durrell was having a small party at home. The bad news disrupted the party. However, it was a temporary setback. The pair got over such ailments and grew fast enough, leaving the infections behind.

Calamity strikes …..

While in France for a short duration, Durrell met a BBC man. After some coaxing by Durrell, the BBC man agreed to make a documentary of the N’Pongo-Nandy couple. Elaborate arrangements were made so that the BBC team had enough items to shoot. Unfortunately, just four days before the shoot, N’Pongo appeared to be sick. He became dull and indolent. His usual youthfulness was gone. His food intake dwindled to the barest minimum. The vet had no clue about his illness. Perhaps, a virulent diarhoea had afflicted him. He lost weight in an an alarming pace. He looked emaciated. There was blood in his stool. Things looked grim. The zoo keepers felt the end had come. 

Durrell and Jacquie try to rekindle N’Pongo’s appetite ..

Durrell, along with his wife Jacquie went to the market to buy smething that L’Pongo would eat, because making him eat something was the first priority then. They bought some exotic fruits at a high price. While returning, their eyes fell on a shop selling watermelons. Durrell felt N’Pongo might find the fruits appetizing due to its attractive apperance. Durrell bought a good quantity of watermelon and drove back home.

N’Pongo’s condition worsens.

Due to lack of food and dehydration, N’Pongo had become lifeless and still. It was a very sad sight to see. The zoo staff could make N’Pongo ingest some Dspirin and milk. N’Pongo showed no interest to eat the exotic fruits bought for him. He, however, evinced some interest in the watermelon, perhaps because of its flashy pink flesh. He felt the red, soft flesh of the slice of watermelon. The zoo keepers were somewhat happy to see N’Pongo eating the watermelon, although they knew it had little nutrition value except its water. The vet had by now diagnosed his illness as colitis. For this, N’Pongo had to be given some antibiotic. N’Pongo was stubbornly refusing to take any medicine orally, so he had to be injected with the antibiotic.

Efforts to inject antibiotic starts. …

Nandy was isolated, as the first step. N’Pongo was brought out of his cage. But, restraining him down even in such enfeebled state, was a daunting task. Jeremy distracted him with slices of watermelon, while Durrell pushed the syringe into his thigh and hastily injected the fluid. Curiously, N’Pongo appeared not to even feel the prick of the needle. With the antibiotic inside his system, N’Pongo was escorted back to his cage. Some slight change was seen in his condition the next morning, when he was given a second shot of the antibiotic using the same trick of deception. Progress in his condition was very slow and feeble. However, he did drink some skimmed milk — after days of virtual fasting.

Durrell is caught in a bind. ...

Barely a day was left for Durrell’s flight to Paris where an entire production team was being gathered  for the shooting of the film. Durrell was perplexed. Aborting the shooting at the eleventh hour would be hugely embarrassing. On the other hand, Leaving behind the ailing N’Pongo would be cruel and imprudent.

N’Pongo bounces back in the last moment …

Quite strangely, N’Pongo seemed to recover quite miraculously. He drank Complan and ate some fruits. With each passing hour, he seemed to get better and better. To make sure that N’Pongo was turning around, Durrell went to see him in the dawn, just a few hours before his 8.30am flight. N’Pongo still looked feeble and faint, although he ate the fruits with relish. 

Durrell leaves for France, with N’Pongo in mind. ….

While in the south of France, Durrell continually called the zoo for updates on N’Pongo’s condition. Jeremy informed him that L’Pongo had begun to eat voraciously feasting on the fruits, Complan and eggs. He was back to his old ways.

Durrell returns to see the bubbly N’Pongo again! ….

N’Pongo was on a fast-track recovery mode, gaining appetite, weight, and his jovial spirit. Durrell hugged him warmly.  Durrell’s trauma was over, finally. But, the travails he endured in nursing N’Pongo back to health left him rattled and circumspect. Breeding primates in captivity is no monkey business,’ he learnt.

QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS WILL BE POSTED IN DUE COURSE.

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Questions & answers …

a. Can you justify Durrell’s extra-ordinary interest in a guerilla? .. No doubt, Durrell was an avid animal lover. He had wanted to enrich his zoo by inducting a gorilla in to its herd. He did succeed in getting one after overcoming formidable odds. The arrival of the gorilla from Africa’s wild lighted up the zoo. However, the excitement soon gave way to considerable anxiety when N’Pongo, the adorable, sprightly gorilla fell sick. It caused great distress to Durrell. With remarkable effort, N’Pongo was brought back from the brink of death. Looking back, the whole episode brings to the fore many moral and ethical issues. Is uprooting a gorilla from its natural habitat desirable? The answer could t best be a very qualified ‘Yes’. Had the gorilla succumbed to its illness, the loss could have left a deep scar in Durrell’s mind. Gorillas relate to humans relatively easily, which makes the separation that more painful. So, in balance, while Durrell must be applauded for his great love for animals, considerable caution needs to be taken before keeping such species in captivity in a zoo.

b. Do you feel capture and sale of such species as gorillas from war-torn Africa is a good idea?.. Africa has been riven by internecine conflict for decades. It has caused deaths, injuries and poverty in large scale. The rich flora and fauna of the continent has not managed to stay unscathed. Forests have been exploited to the extremes, and whatever monetary value could be extracted from it, has been pillaged. Elephants have been killed for the ivory, tigers for their skins, deer for their meat, and live gorillas for decorating zoos. By being a part of this practice, we will be encouraging such cruel and greed-driven capture of animals from their habitats. This is a idea that runs counter to conservation of forest wealth. So, the practice should be curbed.wealth.

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Question…“The author says that the zoos must cease to be mere show pieces of animals and start to contribute something towards the conservation of wild life. Elucidate. How does he himself follow this idea? ”

Answer …As an animal lover, Mr. Durrell stands very tall. He adored N’Pongo, and went to extraordinary extent to procure it, safely transport it, and rear it. Durrell had his fingers on N’Pongo’s pulse and felt its pains and ecstasy as if he was a part of his pet gorilla. He made N’Pongo’s initiation to the zoo environment as smooth as was possible, and succeeded to build an intimate rapport with him. When N’Pongo fell sick, Durrell did his best to cure it. He got N’Pongo a female mate, so that the thrill of adolescent romance didn’t elude it.

But, the immense thrill and happiness Durrell derived from his rearing of N’Pongo was marred by anguish, retrospection, and self-doubt. N’Pongo’s battle with its stomach infection drove Durrell to despair, almost to breaking point. He realized gorillas are jungle animals, and uprooting them from their habitats was a cruel and un-natural act. “Jungle environment was the best buffer against infection, and untimely death,” learned Durrell the hard way. N’Pongo recovered, no doubt, but its close brush with death saddened Durrell. From the crisis, Durrell emerged wiser and chastened. He concluded, keeping wild animals in man-made zoos was against the principle of Nature. Such practice is fraught, cruel, and must be abjured.

In a nutshell, Durrell’s experiment with N’Pongo teaches us one very important lesson. Zoos are essential for long term conservation, because these facilities teach humans about animals– their diversity and their role in the ecosystem. Zoos provide us recreational scope. However, it’s a very limited objective. The best way to conserve wild life will be to make the zoo environment as close to that of Nature as possible. The animals should feel they are living in the wild. Overt affection from humans proves more of a provocation and irritant for them, than a concern for their well-being.

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    yashika

    is it N’ Pongo or L’Pongo????

    admin

    N’ Pongo is the name. I made the mistake. Thank you so much for pointing it out.

    Akshat kabra

    “The author says that the zoos must cease to be mere show pieces of animals ans start to contribute something towards the conservation of wild life . Elucidate. How does he himself follow this idea? ”
    Plese write the answer in about 300 words . It is a 20 marks question.

    admin

    July 30, 10pm

    Akshat kabra

    Ok..

    admin

    Posted. It appears at the end of the post.

    Akshat kabra

    Thank you sir. It was really helpful. 🙂

    Suhaib

    A : How would N’pongo annoyed with his partner Nandy?
    B: How were N’pongo and Nandy different from each other? Discuss the relationship shared by them.
    I want to know this answers immediately
    Can you help me pls?

    admin

    July 30, 11pm.

    admin

    The first question is grammatically wrong. Can you modify it?
    Whenever requesting an answer, specify the word limit.
    I am going to write the answer for the second question.

    Akshat kabra

    Sir will you also write notes on the chapters:
    a) The sound machine
    b) B.Wordsworth.?

    admin

    B.Wordsworth is already there. Click on

    https://www.englishcharity.com/icse-class10-literature-b-wordsworth-explanation/

    I didn’t like the lesson The Sound Machine’. So, I don’t intend to write on it.

    Akshat kabra

    Sir can you only discuss the theme of the sound machine?
    I cannot understand what the story wanted to convey its readers.

    Sneha

    sir, can you please write the difference between the attitude and behavior of nandy and n’ pongo. word limit-150-200 words

    admin

    By 11am Sunday.

    Radhika

    Besides giving us an insight into Durell’s love for humour bring out the subtle humour in the Gorilla in the guest room. The word limit being 300 words

    Radhika

    Besides giving us an insight into Durell’s love for animals bring out the subtle humour in the short story a gorilla in the guest room
    Word limit 300 words

    admin

    Nandy, being female, and new to the zoo was bashful, sulking, and suspicious. She was unsure of N’Pongo’s attitude towards her. So, she kept her distance from N’Pongo initially. She didn’t take kindly to N’Pongo lurching forward and pulling her hair. It was a rude overture that was unbecoming of a would-be lover. This was no way to romance a girl, she felt. Afterwards, she got along with N’Pongo well. In the bed room, i.e, the enclosure, she chose to sleep on the floor yielding the bed to N’Pongo. Thereafter, the duo got along really well-like young lovers and trues friends.

    N’Pongo was curious about Nandy — the newcomer. He observed her well, sized her up, but chose to hold himself for a while. The first day was eventless with the two showing disinterest in each other. But, N’Pongo couldn’t resist his urge to befriend Nandy, but his attempt to pull hr hair violently was uncivil, and brutal. Anyway, the initial hesitation got over soon, and the duo got along really well thereafter.

    Aru

    What were the political conditions in Africa due to which the price of gorilla increased when the author bought Nandy as a mate for N’pongo ?

    admin

    Specify the word limit.

    Radhika

    Sir can you write on how beside giving us an insight into Durrell’s love for animal the gorilla in the guest room brings outs subtle humour.
    Word limit -300 to 400 words

    admin

    Will post it by 10pm December 9.

    Radhika

    Sir it’s 10th now!

    admin

    Will surely post it by evening.

    Radhika

    Sir the answer?

    admin

    See the blog. It’s right before you.

    admin

    I have sent you the answer multiple times. Just scroll down and see.

    admin

    admin

    Read it and comment.

    Vishal Kumar

    The story talks about the anxieties and struggles of a zoo keeper.Illustrate with examples from the story.

    admin

    Vishal, Whenever asking for an answer, please specify the word limit and the last date by which you need it.

    Anjali

    Who was Jeremy?

    admin

    Are you referring to the Gorilla story?

    Anjali

    Yes

    Debapriya Saha

    Can u plzz tell me the cross reference of the story the gorilla in the guest room

    admin

    I don’t understand what you mean by ‘cross reference’.

    Natasha

    Sir can you please write the answer on question…”The Zoo must cease to be mere show place of animals and start to contribute something towards the conservation of wildlife.” in the light of this statement discuss the theme of the story “A gorilla in the guest room” In 600 words…

    admin

    I need time till Friday. If it’s OK, pl. tell me.

    Natasha

    Alright

    Natasha

    Sir it’s sunday now…!

    admin

    Tonight by 10pm

    admin

    POSTED

    admin

    ”The Zoo must cease to be mere show place of animals and start to contribute something towards the conservation of wildlife.” in the light of this statement discuss the theme of the story “A gorilla in the guest room”
    ————————————–.————–
    N’Pongo was a gorilla caught from the wild, and cruelly uprooted from its habitat. The misery it endured is possibly the worst that can befall a jungle animal. But, his gentlemanly conduct under Durell’s watch baffles the readers’ heart. Normally, a gorilla must instinctively resent its captivity, and do everything at its command to free itself. To rebel, and resist any encroachment to its freedom is a God-given instinct for an animal in the wild. N’Pongo was, however, a class apart. From the moment Durell took its custody in the airport from the poacher, the gorilla seemed determined to steal everyone’s heart through its dignified conduct. It seems N’Pongo knew it had a mission to fulfill. It knew it had to teach the humans around him a lesson or two in empathy, and eco-consciousness. It endeared itself to Mrs. Durell and her mother by being childlike, but responsible. It did very little mischief in the guestroom, and proved itself worthy of Durell’s adoration.
    In the cage, it engaged in antics, was playful, and tried its best not to inconvenience the keepers. The stomach infection came to it like a bolt from the blue, but it faced it with fortitude and calmness. Thanks to Durell’s untiring efforts, it turned around, just when all hopes seemed to be lost.
    The most enduring part of N’Pongo was the way it flirted with Nandy, its girlfriend. While going through this account, one begins to see N’Pongo as an adolescent lad experiencing the first gush of love for the opposite sex. The reader assumes N’Pongo is just a young lad in his teens cozying up to his newfound love. All these look so real, so human, and so natural and spontaneous.
    N’Pongo’s story is suffused with compassion, kindness, and mutual respect. N’Pongo lives in a zoo, but everyone around it and the many visitors who come to see the duo—N’Pongo and Nandy—it’s a lesson on how to live in harmony with Nature eschewing exploitative instincts, and cruelty to other life forms in the biosphere. The message to conserve Nature comes out loud and clear from the story.
    Humans must understand that they are not the sole bona fide occupants of this earth. Other life forms have as much claim on the earth’s resources as the humans have. Forcibly encaging a bird or a beast, culling an animal, burning down forests for agricultural use, poising the river or the sea through callous industrial practices are all coming back to hurt us. Reversing the damage looks impossible as we have fallen prey to our avarice, and allowed our moral sense to be numbed. N’Pongo reminds us that we are traversing a wrong path – towards gloom and doom. So, when we indulge in some soul-searching with N’Pongo’s misery in mind, we emerge wiser, and nobler. We realize that without conservation of Nature, we all are hurtling towards the doomsday. So, we must salute N’Pongo as our teacher in morality and a true crusader for Conservation.
    —————————-END——————-

    Natasha

    Thankyou so much sir..!

    Sakshi

    Sir can u please write the answer of the question…
    What is the ‘ hard way ‘ narrator learns that animal need native place to survive?
    I need this by 26th of August word limit 200..its a 10 marks question..

    admin

    9am 26th Aug

    admin

    What is the ‘hard way‘ the narrator learns that animal need native place to survive?
    N’Pongo had endeared itself to everyone in the zoo through its childlike and near-human manners. Durrell felt getting N’Pongo to the safety of the zoo away from the predators in the war-torn African jungles was a great act towards animal conservation. However, N’Pongo’s crippling illness and the excruciating pain it felt while fighting the chronic intestinal illness saddened Durrell greatly. N’Pongo became pale and emaciated and didn’t respond to the treatments given to it. It stopped eating. Durrell left no stones unturned to make N’Pongo turn around, but the effort proved futile. N’Pongo even refused to eat the fruits it otherwise would have relished during normal times.
    When N’Pongo appeared to be at the end of its tether, and Durrell had all but lost his hopes, an antibiotic shot worked, and the infection could be fought off. N’Pongo recovered dramatically, and regained its juvenile energy and cheerfulness.
    Durrell was relieved too, but the trauma of saving N’Pongo had left Durrell wise and circumspect. He understood, gorillas are species of the wild, and they are safest in their natural habitats. So, capturing animals from the zoo should be avoided at any cost. [206 words]

    Sakshi

    Thank u so much sir

    Kashish Doshi

    ‘cruelty to animals is a blot to the conscience of humanity’ with light to this this statement, analyse the text ‘ A Gorilla in the guest room’ which depicts this theme.

    admin

    What you want for this?

    Arjun

    Can you please answer this– ‘ Explore Durrell’s love for animals(excepting N’Pongo and Nandy).’ [Around 300 words]

    admin

    Durell had an inate love for animals of all descriptions. That is why he chose a career in the zoo. Being the zoo-keeper gave him uninterrupted access to animals , both aquatic and land-based. He took care of them equally and with keen interest. He got the gorilla because he felt, it would addd to the attractiveness of the facility. A gorilla was more akin to humans than any other species, and and that was going to be funny and fulfilling. But, after N’Pongo’s battle wth a rre infection, Durell became circumspect about his penchant for keeping animals in the zoo. He realized speciescaotured from the wild suffer immensely due to their translocation, and the humans were obvuiously guilty for inflicting such pain on the voiceless animals. He regretted his sction, and became a very wise conservationist. This shows how sagacious and sympathetic he was towards the animal world.

    Sarthak

    Plz tell the conclusion of the story
    A gorilla in the guest room …… In around 150 words….

    admin

    At the end, Durell emerges as a far more circumspect and pragmatist animal lover than he was at the beginning of his stint as the zoo keeper. He has realized that heeping animals from the wild encaged in the confines of a zoo is afraught and insensitive way of expressing human love for animals. The incarceration inflicts great adjustment difficulties on the animals. Many gappple with it often with deadly consequences. N’Pongo survved the infection because of the concerted effort of Durell. Otherwise, it would have succombed to the disease. In an artificial nvironment such as that in a zoo, animals suffer from impaired immunity to fall prey to diseases. Durell realizes that the best way to conserve animals is to watch them leaving them in their natural habitats.

    Sarthak

    Thank you

    Sarthak

    Plz provide a brief introduction of the story….
    “A gorilla in the guest room”.. ….. In around 90-120 words……

    admin

    A Gorilla in the Guest Room is a fascinating account of an animal lover’s foray into the heart and mind of a Gorilla. Durell is the zoo-keeper who goes to extra-ordinary lengths to bring in N’Pongo, the adorable gorilla. The tryst with the visitor captured from the jungles of Africa has been roller coaster journey for Durell, oscilatting between moments of ecstacy to utter despair. The story is captivating and illuminating. It throws light on the fraight practice of keeping animals in zoos, and leaves the reader chastened and wisened at the end.

    Sarthak

    Thank you so much

    Sarthak

    Please provide me an essay (containing a story) on the topic….
    “Value of integrity in individual’s life””
    …….
    (In 500 words)

    admin

    Requests for such writings and answers are entertained against payments only that can vary from Rs.1000 to Rs.5000 per year. I suggest you make a payment of Rs.1000 to get not only this essay but at least 10 more customised answers. The essay will be sent to you within a day of your remitting the amount.

    Sarthak

    Please provide me an essay(containing a story)…on the topic
    “” Value of integrity in individual’s life””
    …………
    ( in 500 words)……

    Sarthak

    Please provide me an essay(containing a story).. On the topic
    ” Value of integrity in individuals life”
    ……….
    (In 500 words)

    Sarthak

    Please provide me an essay(containing a story)… On the topic…
    ” Value of integrity in individuals life ”
    …….
    ( In 500 words)

    Sarthak

    Plz provide me an essay (containing a story)…. On the topic….
    ” Value of integrity in individuals life”
    ……
    (In 500 words)

    Sarthak

    It’s just a small essay….. 500 words is not much………. Plzz plzzz plzz……… Plz help me…… U helped me earlier also….. I request you….. Plz help me out……. I really don’t have Rs. 1000 …. …… Plz.. ……. It’s through your website only that all of us got enough knowledge………

    Or…… If u really want that all of us should use another website then…….. Plz provide me the link of that site.. Where I’ll get my essay (based on a story)….. Value of integrity in individuals life…

    …… U provided the link to other student also…. Pl help me by doing so…..

    I’ll be really thankful to you………………

    Sarthak

    I told about ur awesome site to my friends also….. …… Plz yr…… Plz help me….. By providing me that essay….. Please

    admin

    Value of integrity in an individual’s life

    God has made humans as a combination of vices and virtues. One can see that temptations for vice generally outweighs the same for virtue. This is why an individual strays, becomes dishonest and forsakes ethics. As a result, they lose their integrity, and falls in the eyes of their family members and society. Doing a deceitful and crooked act does bring immediate benefits. An individual might get some undeserved honour, respectability, or wealth, but the law soon catches up with them. Soon they would fall from grace in the public view, and might be hauled up before the police and the law courts. The law punishes immorality with an iron hand, and the errant person who willingly sacrificed their integrity would face life-long ignominy, and humiliation.

    We come across scores of such deviant individuals’ stories in newspapers daily. Bankers, industrialists, politicians, artists, sports persons and even scientists appear frequently in this ‘Hall of Shame’. If you analyze these cases, you will find it hard to discover any pressing reason why these people chose to sacrifice their integrity. The instances of defrauding banks, plagiarizing the works of other writers, stealing intellectual copy rights, taking performance-enhancing drugs, and manipulating research findings are ubiquitous these days. The only thing that is common in all such cases is the loss of integrity on the part of the perpetrator. They suffer times in jail, and their names go down in history as dishonorable persons.

    On the other hand, a person of high integrity finds their path to success and glory paved with innumerable difficulties. They fail, and face taunts from friends and family, but remain steadfast in their resolve not to compromise with their moral compasses. So, they falter, fall and fail, and suffer. Their agony could last from a few weeks to few years, and even their whole life. Yet, they don’t waver, and don’t sell their integrity for any inducement whatsoever. They emerge as heroes of the human race.

    If you look around, you will see some such people around you. They could be a humble police constable, a milk man or a bus conductor. These people never take bribes, do not exploit others, and do their duty very diligently. So, people around them trust them and love them. Officers in the government with impeccable integrity are soon spotted by their seniors and the public at large. For their integrity, they suffer financial hardship, frequent harassment by corrupt politicians, but they don’t bend. At the end they emerge triumphant. We have many examples before us who deserve our applause for their integrity. The Late Dr. Abdul Kalam, Sachin Tendulkar, Prof. Jean Dorze, Julio Ribeiro IPS are a few among them.

    Our public life will be grievously degraded if we lose our sense of integrity. The cumulative harm to the nation will be humongous. So, it’s imperative that the virtue of integrity is taught and practiced by young students from the school days. The teachers and parents have to play their part in it. [507 words]
    ——————————————–END——————————-

    Sarthak

    U r really awesome…… Thank you so much…………. U r great yr…….. Thanks a lot……

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