Never Never Nest by Cedric Mount
“Never Never Nest”
by Cedric Mount
Summary of "Never Never Nest"
The “Never-Never Nest” by Cedric Mount is a one-act play about a young couple named Jack and Jill. This one act play humorously explains how people fall prey for the scheme of buy- now- pay- later" marketing strategy. .It is very relevant today as people buy most things in installments just because of the simple reason they don't need to pay the full amount. The playwright satirises people’s addiction for buying things in instalments. The play condemns the so called trend of young couples, who possess the habit of purchasing household items and houses in easy instalments. In the play, the young couple “Jack and Jill” make full use of the buy-now-pay-later marketing system.
Jack and Jill are a young married couple who had a small baby. One day Aunt Jane visits their residence. On reaching their home, Aunt Jane was astonished to discover that despite the low salary of Jack, they are living in a beautiful luxurious house with all sorts of comforts such as radiogram, a piano, a car and a refrigerator.
Aunt Jane was so shocked as the luxuries they had was far above their income.. For the marriage of Jill and Jack, she gave two hundred pounds as a wedding gift that she begins to wonder whether she had given them two thousand pounds. She questioned how could Jack and Jill purchase all these things if she had not given them two thousand pounds, because Jill was just a housewife while Jack earned a low salary. Then Jane understands the truth. Jill and Jack have purchased everything through instalment. They do not own anything. Jack's salary is 6 pounds a week. But his expense is 7 pounds a week. Income is less. But the expense is more.
When she asked about the rent of the house, Jack informed her that they do not pay rent as they own the house. He further informs that they had bought the entire house also on instalment just like they bought all the other things.
Aunt Jane realises that despite of possessing everything that is needed in every family, Jack and Jill actually do not own anything because they had bought everything on instalment. Jack and Jill own only one leg of the sofa. The bank owns the sofa. Jack and Jill own only the steering of the car. The bank owns the car. The earnings of Jack is only six pounds, while the total amount to be paid per week as instalments is more than seven pounds.
Aunt Jane is very very angry.She believes that one should not owe money to anyone in life. She believed that one should spend less than what he earned. She refused to sit on Jack’s sofa and travel in his car because the sofa and car was only partly owned by Jack and Jill.
On asking about how they would manage to pay such huge amount, Jack replied that he would take a loan. She scolded them severely and asked Jack to take her to the bus station. Before she left, she gave them a cheque for ten pounds while leaving their house. She requested the couple to make at least one item completely their own, using the given money. The irony of the play is that Jill sent the money to Dr. Martin, while Jack was out with Aunt Jane at bus stop. When Jack came back and asked Jill that he wanted to pay two months instalments on the car using the given money, Jill informed him that she had already sent the money to Dr. Martin to make sure that their baby would become completely theirs.This one act play emphasises the importance of efficient finance management for a happy life.The playwright feels that such couples would make a nest easily but they will never be able to settle in that nest happily.
Comprehension:
I Answer the following in two or three sentences each:
1. Who is Aunt Jane?
Aunt Jane is the aunt of the couple Jack and Jill
2. List the things that Jack and Jill have purchased.
The things that Jack and Jill have purchased were the furniture,car,piano, refrigerator and the radio.
4. Why does Aunt Jane refuse to sit on Jack's chair?
Aunt Jane believes that one should not owe money to anyone in life. According to her one should spend less than what one earns. She refused to sit on Jack’s sofa as Jack owned only its leg and rest of the sofa was owned by Mr.Sage and also refused to travel travel in his car because both the sofa and car was only partly owned by Jack and Jill.
5. How much was Jack's weekly instalment?
The weekly instalment of Jack come up to seven pounds eight and eight pence
6. Name the doctor who was responsible for delivering the baby of Jack and
Jill.
Dr. Martin. was the name of the doctor who was responsible for delivering the baby of Jack and Jill.
II Answer the following in a paragraph each:
1. What was Jack's justification for buying a house on installments? Do you agree?
Jack had his own justification of buying the house in installments. He told Aunt Jane that they realized how uneconomic it is to go on paying rent year after year, when he can buy and enjoy a home of his own for ten pounds—and a few quarterly payments. His justification was why one needs to be Mr. Tenant when one can be Mr. Owner.
No it was not right from Jack's part to buy so many things in installments when his salary was less than the installments he had to pay weekly.Jack's salary was six pounds a week.But the weekly instalment of Jack come up to seven pounds eight and eight pence.The point to be noted is that income is less. But the expense is more.
2. What worried Aunt Jane regarding Jack and Jill?
Aunt Jane reached Jack and Jill's house she was astonished to discover that despite the low salary of Jack, they were living in a beautiful luxurious house with all sorts of comforts such as furniture, radio, piano, car and a refrigerator.And they had purchased the house also they were living in instalment scheme.She was really shocked to find the way they were living. She never owed a penny in her entire life and she wanted them also to follow the same.Jack's salary was six pounds a week.But the weekly instalment of Jack came up to seven pounds eight and eight pence.She was worried how they will be going to manage so many installments with such low income.
3. What was unusual about Jack owning his car.
The way Jack owned his car was unusual.They have not owned the car fully as they bought the car also in instalment scheme..Only the steering wheel—and one of the tyres -- and about two of the cylinders were owned by them as they had to still complete their installments for fully owning the car.According to them although they could never buy a car outright, they can enjoy all the pleasures of motoring for a mere five pounds down and the rest by easy instalments,
4. Sketch the character of Aunt Jane.
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