A HOUSE IS NOT A HOME

Introductory Question

1. This story reflects the challenges of being a teenager, and the problems of growing up. How does the author overcome his problems?

Answer: The author initially feels lonely and insecure because he is new to high school and his close friends are in another school. His problems become worse when his house burns down and his beloved cat goes missing. However, his schoolmates show genuine concern for him. They collect money and give him clothes, school supplies and notebooks. They also introduce themselves and invite him to their homes. Their kindness helps him overcome his loneliness and insecurity. Later, he makes new friends and begins to participate in life. Finally, his cat is also found and returned to him.

Think About It

1. What does the author notice one Sunday afternoon? What is his mother’s reaction? What does she do?

Answer: One Sunday afternoon, the author notices smoke pouring in through the seams of the ceiling. The smoke quickly fills the room, and they run outside. Soon, the whole roof is engulfed in flames. His mother runs back into the burning house to save important things. She first brings out a small metal box containing important documents and then goes back into the house to save his father’s pictures and letters.

2. Why does he break down in tears after the fire?

Answer: The author breaks down in tears because he suffers several losses at the same time. His house has almost completely burned down, and his beloved cat is missing. He is also already unhappy about his new school and the loss of his old friends. He feels that all the security he had known from his old school, friends, house and cat has been taken away from him.

3. Why is the author deeply embarrassed the next day in school? Which words show his fear and insecurity?

Answer: The author is deeply embarrassed because he has lost almost everything in the fire. He goes to school wearing the dress he had worn to church and has no shoes. He has to borrow tennis shoes from his aunt. His clothes look strange, and his books, homework and backpack have also been destroyed.

The following words show his fear and insecurity:

• “The more I tried to fit in, the worse it got.”

• “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 going to be this way.”

• “I just wanted to curl up and die.”

4. 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?

Answer: The author and his cat are very fond of each other. He had rescued her when she was a kitten, and she was never far from him. She would lie on his papers while he studied and occasionally play with his pen. She would also follow him around and, in the early morning, climb up his robe and crawl into his pocket to sleep.

After the fire, the cat ran more than a mile away because she was frightened. Her collar had the family’s phone number, but their phones had been destroyed and disconnected. A woman found the cat, took her in and tried to find out whose cat she was. She eventually brought the cat back to the author.

5. 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?

Answer: The schoolmates collect money for the author and buy him school supplies, notebooks and different kinds of clothes. Students who had never spoken to him before introduce themselves and invite him to their houses. Their genuine concern deeply touches him.

Their kindness changes his understanding of people. He realises that there are many wonderful people around him who care about him. His loneliness disappears when he makes new friends and opens up to others. Later, he watches his house being rebuilt with two of his new friends. He starts participating in life instead of focusing on his feelings of insecurity.

6. 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?

Answer: The author had not gone anywhere physically. “My cat was back” means that his beloved cat had been found and returned to him. “So was I” means that he had emotionally recovered from his feelings of loss, loneliness and insecurity.

With the help and kindness of his new friends and the woman who returned his cat, he regained his happiness and confidence. His house was also being rebuilt, and he felt that his life was being rebuilt in the same way. Therefore, he says, “My cat was back and so was I.

EXTRA QUESTION

1. How did the fire affect the author’s life and feelings?

Answer: The fire had a deep effect on the author’s life. His house was almost completely burned down, and he lost his clothes, books, homework and backpack. Most painfully, his beloved cat was missing. He also felt embarrassed and insecure when he went to school because he had lost his belongings. He felt that all the security he had known from his old school, friends, house and cat had been taken away. However, the kindness of his schoolmates helped him overcome his loneliness and insecurity.

2. How did the author’s schoolmates help him after the fire? What effect did their actions have on him?

Answer: The author’s schoolmates collected money and bought him school supplies, notebooks and different kinds of clothes. Students who had never spoken to him before introduced themselves and invited him to their houses. Their genuine concern deeply touched him. Their kindness made him realise that there were wonderful people around him. He made friends that day, and his loneliness and insecurity gradually disappeared. He began to open up and participate in life.

3. Describe the author’s feelings when his cat was finally found. What does this incident teach him?

Answer: When the author saw a woman holding his cat, he could not believe his eyes. He immediately grabbed the cat and held her close to him, crying into her orange fur. His friends also shared his happiness. As he sat with his friends and his cat, his overwhelming feelings of loss and tragedy began to diminish. He felt grateful for his life, his new friends, the kindness of the stranger and the return of his beloved cat. The incident helped him regain his happiness and confidence.