The Bishop's candlesticks-Norman McKinnel| Question and answers|Character Sketch

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The Bishop's candlesticks

Norman McKinnel

Short answer questions

1.Where did the Bishop go?

Marie's mother was ill and Bishop had gone to Marie's house to see her mother and pray for her. 

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2.Why were the silver salt cellars sold?

The bishop was  a very noble and kind-hearted   person, who was  always ready to help anyone in distress.He sold his silver salt-cellars in order to help Mere Gringoire, who was unable to pay her house rent. He used the money that came from selling the salt-cellars to pay off the poor woman's house rent.

3.The convict stealthily entered the bishop's home

a.to eat some food(Correct answer)

b.to steal the silver salt-cellars

c.to kill the bishop

4."I have a wolf inside me tearing at my entrails". The wolf here means hunger.True/False

True.The wolf here means hunger.The convict is saying so because he was very hungry and was starving and could tear anything apart like a hungry wolf.

5.What food does bishop offer to the convict

The escaped convict, was starving, and he entered the bishop's room one night and demanded food at the point of knife.The Bishop being very kind, generous and loving towards him, gave him some cold pie, a bottle of wine and some bread.  

6.Why does the convict say i am a number?

The convict was leading a normal life just like any other man before he became a criminal.But his life in prison was like hell which made him forget that he was a human being .He was chained up like a wild animal and lashed like a hound. He was fed on filth, covered with vermin and slept on boards.When he complained, he was lashed again.In prison, he was  called by his  number instead of his name.Long ten years in prison had changed him into a beast and all that he could remember after the tragic life in jail was only the number given to him.

7.what does the convict take along with him as he escapes from the bishop's home?

As the convict was escaping from the bishops house, he happens to see the candlesticks and decides to steal them as he had the thought that , he could use them to start a new life. He does think of the Bishop's kindness and his fondness towards the candlesticks, but he hardens his heart and stuffs the candlesticks in his coat, and escapes.

8.How does the bishop rescue the convict from the police?

The Bishop  tells the police that, the gentleman he had brought was his good friend and he, himself, has given the candlesticks to him the previous night.Though the police finds it difficult to accept bishop's explanation, he releases the convict and goes out.

9.What gift was given by the bishop to the convict at the end of the play?

At the end of the play the bishop is gifting  the convict his candlesticks saying that they might help him  and tells him a safe route to Paris.

Paragraph answer questions

1.Give a character sketch of 

a. Persome

Persome is Bishop's sister but her character totally oppose that of her brother.She is just like any normal human being and is not sensitive like Bishop when it comes to moral values like mercy, charity, forgiveness and generosity.  She always felt that the simplicity and nobility of the bishop had been misused by the people . She is slightly  rude  against oppressed people and  is totally against her brother's kind-hearted  and sympathetic nature towards others .She gets angry at  bishop when she comes to know that he has sold the silver salt-cellars to help Mere Gringoire, an old distressed woman for paying her rent. Similarly, she doesn't want her brother to give Marie his comforter, to keep warm in the bitter cold outside.She was actually worried that they would be left with nothing as he had already sold his estate,savings, furniture  and everything for the purpose of charity. Likewise her reactions when the convict breaks in to the bishop’s cottage are all quite ordinary.However, as a sister she is quite caring and loving. She loves him very much and really cares for her brother’s comfort and well-being. Because of her  utmost care for her brother she used to quarrel with him for helping people as she felt that he was like a child and didn't want them to take advantage of her brother.Even though ,many times she gets angry with him for his helping nature, finally she always obeys her brother as deep inside her heart, she knows he is the ‘best man in all France’.

b.Marie

Marie is the cook at the Bishop’s house. She is a very gentle, polite and humble girl who always behave well.Even when Persome,Bishop's sister, scolds her, she won't get angry and never says any back reply to her. Her mother was ill and  Bishop had gone to her house to see her mother and pray for her. Hearing from Marie where Bishop has gone Persome is angry towards Marie for telling Bishop about her mother's sickness. But Marie is not irritated or angry about Persome scolding her and is still answering her in a humble manner. The Bishop trusts her a lot. She also ran errands for the Bishop. The Bishop sent her to Monseigneur Gervais to sell silver salt cellars to him to help Mere Gringoire. She is a sincere and grateful girl and  revered the Bishop quite sincerely.

c.The Bishop

The Bishop is a very noble , kindhearted, forgiving and simple person, who is always ready to help anyone in distress. He has all the characteristics needed for a good religious leader as well as that of a good human being. When Marie's mother was ill , Bishop had gone to her house to see her mother and pray for her ignoring the cold weather.He sold his silver salt-cellars in order to help Mere Gringoire, an old distressed woman who was unable to pay her rent  He used the money that came from selling the salt-cellars to pay off the poor woman's house rent. Similarly, he gives Marie his comforter, to keep warm in the bitter cold outside.All these examples prove how caring  the Bishop was.He had already sold his estate,savings, furniture  and everything for the purpose of charity.When he hears the story of the convict, he is feeling sympathy for him. He understood that the beastly attitude of the convict was due to  the bad treatment he suffered in prison. Though he was a little sad in seeing that the convict had stolen his candlesticks he still forgive him and help him from being sent to jail again by telling the police that the gentleman police had brought was his good friend and he, himself, has given the candlesticks to him the previous night  At the end of the play the bishop is gifting  the convict his candlesticks saying that they might help him  and tells him a safe route to Paris. It was the mercy,  kindness  and love of bishop which touches the heart of convict and  brought transformation to him. The convict is leaving the bishop's house as a changed man.All these acts of the Bishop prove that he is really a ‘man of God’.

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d.The convict

The convict was a good man leading a normal life just like any other man before he became a criminal. He was an ordinary man with a loving wife who lived respectably before he became a hard-hearted criminal. The truth is the cruelty of the society turned him into a beast.Once, when he did not have any job and his wife was ill and he did not have any money to get even food for her, he stole some money to buy food for her. He was caught by the police and given ten years’ imprisonment for such a minor theft.Even the cruel judge did not hesitate passing such a harsh sentence against him. l.But his life in prison was like hell which made him forget that he was a human being .He was chained up like a wild animal and lashed like a hound. He was treated like a beast for such a minor and pardonable offence .He was fed on filth, covered with vermin and slept on boards.When he complained, he was lashed again.  His wife died in his absence that turned him into a criminal. He had no faith in religion. However, the inborn goodness always remained suppressed in his heart. The kindness of the bishop touched his heart and again brought his goodness to the surface, and he became a  transformed man.

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2.Do you think the bishop was justified in selling the silver salt-cellars.Explain

The Bishop was right in selling the salt-cellars.  To the Bishop, people were more important than material things.He could not stand the pain and suffering of people just because of the lack of money and was ready to do whatever  possible for him.He had already sold his estate,savings, furniture  and everything for the purpose of charity. He sold his silver salt-cellars to pay for the rent of Mere Gringoire’s house. She was sick and bedridden and not in a condition to work. If the rent was not paid, the bailiff would not wait any longer and threaten to turn her out of the house that day itself. When bishop came to know about her condition he only wanted to help her and is selling his salt cellars.As a kind hearted,loving and caring person,he could not bear the thought of an old, ailing lady to be thrown out of her house just because she cannot pay the rent .This act of kindness beholds a priest like him.In such a situation he can be completely justified in selling the silver salt-cellars.

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3.Why does Persome feel that people pretend to be sick?

Persome is very caring and protective about her brother. She feels that people take advantage of the simplicity and kindheartedness of the Bishop who extends his helping hand to anybody who is in distress. She is pained to see that the entire humanity is turning upon them for charity and benevolence. The bishop had already sold his estate, savings, furniture  and everything for the purpose of charity. Persome is worried that if he continues to do like this they will have to starve. He sold his silver salt-cellars to pay for the rent of Mere Gringoire’s house as she was unable to pay the rent and was bed ridden. Persome feels that Marie's mother is not so ill and  Mere Gringoire is just too lazy to work and  they all pretend to be ill just to have the bishop call on them and take undue advantage of him. She is irritated that they have no thought of the bishop.She never approved her brother's habit of being philanthropist. She even had a notion that people exploit her brother's simplicity, innocence and honesty and call him unnecessarily pretending to be sick, never thinking about the troubles they are putting  him into.

4.The bishop had a strong attachment to candlesticks .Why?

The bishop had a strong attachment to candlesticks.The candlesticks were a parting gift from the Bishop’s mother, when she was on her deathbed just after Persome was born. His mother had asked him to keep them as a remembrance of her.The silver candlesticks were a prized possession for both the Bishop and his sister .The Bishop could never think of parting with it and wanted to keep it with him. In fact, the candlesticks were the only thing he was emotionally attached to.When Persome says that the candlesticks will be the next thing he will be selling for charity, he assures his sister that he would always take care of them.

5.What are the reasons behind bishop's habit of leaving his doors and windows unshuttered?

The reason behind bishop's habit of leaving his doors and windows unshuttered was that if it is always open, anyone could come inside at any time.The Bishop had dedicated his entire life to charity and benevolence. He was always prepared to welcome any needy and deprived person. He was not afraid of thieves and instead felt sorry for them.He was a true Christian and was always ready to offer all kinds of help to the ailing and the sick. To remain accessible to all, he does not lock his doors or close any windows. Moreover, he is not afraid of any evil or crime and had immense faith in God.

6.Explain the two incident's which changed the convict's life?

The convict's life was changed twice with two incidents.The convict was a good man leading a normal life just like any other man before he became a criminal. He was an ordinary man with a loving wife who lived respectably before he became a hard-hearted criminal. The truth is the cruelty of the society turned him into a beast.Once, when he did not have any job and his wife was ill and he did not have any money to get even food for her, he stole some money to buy food for her. He was caught by the police and given ten years’ imprisonment for such a minor theft.Even the cruel judge did not hesitate passing such a harsh sentence against him. l.But his life in prison was like hell which made him forget that he was a human being .He was chained up like a wild animal and lashed like a hound. He was treated like a beast for such a minor and pardonable offence .He was fed on filth, covered with vermin and slept on boards.When he complained, he was lashed again.  His wife died in his absence that turned him into a criminal. Thus the first incident changed  him into a wild beast and he lost his faith in himself and others completely. 

When the convict escaped from the jail and entered bishop's house, the warmth and love he received from the Bishop  changed his entire life in a totally unexpected way.The Bishop  addressed the convict as 'My Son' and  when the convict demanded food at the point of knife, the Bishop  was still very kind, generous and loving towards him. He gave him some cold pie, a bottle of wine and some bread.  The way Bishop treated the convict was absolutely marvellous.When Bishop hears the story of the convict, he is feeling sympathy for him. He understood that the beastly attitude of the convict was due to  the bad treatment he suffered in prison.He is asking the convict to take rest and offering him the couch and is also giving him some coverings. As the convict was escaping from the bishops house, he happens to see the candlesticks he steals them though he does think of the Bishop's kindness and know  his fondness towards the candlesticks.But he hardens his heart and rake them with him and escapes.But the Bishop still forgives him and help him from being sent to jail again ,by telling the police that he was his good friend and he had given the candlesticks to him the previous night  At the end of the play the bishop is gifting  the convict his candlesticks saying that they might help him  and tells him a safe route to Paris. All these acts of kindness, love and compassion, greatly touched the heart of convict  and he is becoming a reformed man. The convict is leaving the bishop's house as a changed man.Although it may not seem to be a very practical thing, but it is undoubtedly correct that true love and compassion of the Bishop only reformed the convict, preventing him from committing crimes further.

7.Why does the bishop allow the convict to take away the candlesticks and escape to Paris?

The bishop had a strong attachment to candlesticks.The candlesticks were a parting gift from the Bishop’s mother, when she was on her deathbed When the convict told the Bishop that he wanted to go to Paris as it was a big place and the police would not easily recognise him there, the Bishop supported him. He wanted the convict to sell the candlesticks and start his life all over again in Paris. He considered saving a human life is more important than his emotional attachment towards a material thing.If he doesn't give the candlesticks, there are many chances that the convict may have to steal again for a living, which can put him back to a miserable and sinful life. He understood from the convict's story that the beastly attitude of the convict was due to  the bad treatment he suffered in prison.The Bishop sincerely wanted the convict to be a good human being and lead a normal life by giving up all the sufferings of his past.

8.The human body is the temple of living god.How does the bishop prove this?

The human body is the temple of living god. The bishop proves this through his life.The Bishop's selflessness, forgiveness,compassion,and love for God and his fellow human- beings, makes him help everyone in need irrespective of whom they are .When the convict had entered the Bishop’s house, he was a criminal with no feeling for humanity .He was more of a beast than a man.  Before the convict became a criminal he was just an ordinary man with a loving wife who lived respectably . The truth is the cruelty of the society turned him into a beast.The Bishop understood from convict's story that he was not born that way, but his circumstances  and the torture he had in jail had changed him into an evil man. By helping the convict to give a relief to his sufferings and by protecting him from the police, the Bishop has touched the convict’s heart to such an extent , that, after many years  he realises that he is a ‘human being’ and not a ‘beast’ as he had started thinking himself to be. The kindness and selflessness of the bishop is touching the heart of the convict that it is bringing him into tears, an  emotion he had totally forgotten. He finds the strength to start a new life owing to the forgiveness and kindness of the Bishop.

The play sends a strong message of love and compassion for all. The attitude of the society towards criminals must be changed.No one is born as criminal nor wants to be a criminal.Even the convict was a very good human being, living an ordinary life with his wife.His financial condition made him  to steal, which was a pardonable offence.But he was given a punishment for ten years torture in jail by the cruel judge.One must hate the crime and not the criminal, for it's the situation that forces one to commit any such heinous deeds. We must know for ourselves their turmoil and be empathetic to such people, caught in this web of misfortune and distress. Goodness, dwells in all human beings and no one is born a criminal. The Bishop's compassion and generosity,is bringing out the goodness hidden in the convict,and  help him to regain his faith, in humanity, after ten years of hell. If at least a few can think and act like  Bishop, the world can become a better place, to live in For Bishop all wealth belonged to God and all are the children of the same God. The convict is the product of the society he lived in, both in terms of suffering, that led him to steal, for want of food, as well as the cruel punishment, for such a meagre crime. By his loving act which transforms the convict into a new man, the Bishop sets the message that it is the sin that we must hate and not the sinner and thus proves the human body is the temple of living God.

9.Before leaving the convict asks the bishop to bless him.What brought about this change in him?

The Bishop’s benevolent, kind and caring attitude had brought about a change in the convict.When the convict first entered the Bishop’s house, he was a criminal with no feeling for humanity .He was more of a beast than a man.  Before the convict became a criminal he was just an ordinary man with a loving wife who lived respectably . The truth is the cruelty of the society turned him into a beast.The Bishop understood from convict's story that he was not born that way, but his circumstances  and the torture he had in jail had changed him into an evil man. The Bishop  addressed the convict as 'My Son' and  when the convict demanded food at the point of knife, the Bishop  was still very kind, generous and loving towards him. He gave him some cold pie, a bottle of wine and some bread. As the convict was escaping from the bishops house, he happens to see the candlesticks he steals them though he does think of the Bishop's kindness and know  his fondness towards the candlesticks.But he hardens his heart and rake them with him and escapes.But the Bishop still forgives him and help him from being sent to jail again ,by telling the police that he was his good friend and he had given the candlesticks to him the previous night  At the end of the play the bishop is gifting  the convict his candlesticks saying that they might help him which was the highest level of mercy and love and tells him a safe route to Paris. All these acts of kindness, love and compassion, greatly touched the heart of convict  and he is becoming a reformed man. By helping the convict to give a relief to his sufferings and by protecting him from the police, the Bishop has touched the convict’s heart to such an extent , that, after many years tears comes into his eyes and   he realises that he is a ‘human being’ and not a ‘beast’ as he had started thought himself to be.This entire incidence makes convict believe that there still exists humanity. This is the turning point in the convict’s life. The convict who proclaimed his hatred and strong dislike towards church and preaching at the beginning , regains his faith in God. So he asks the Bishop to bless him, to walk on the new path for a better and reformed life.

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