Important Question and Answers
Q. ‘They can’t hang me twice’. Who said this and to whom in ‘If I were you’? What did the speaker mean?
Ans. The Intruder said this to Gerrard. The Intruder said this because he was a criminal and was wanted by the police for a murder he had committed. So, he felt it would not matter if he murdered Gerrard also because the punishment given by the police would be the same, i.e., he couldn’t be hanged twice for two murders.
Q. ‘I said it with bullets.’ What is the speaker’s reason for saying this?
Ans. Gerrard said these words to convey that he had fired a bullet in return. Gerrard said these words because the Intruder wanted to kill him to use his identity and escape from the police. Gerrard wanted to mislead the Intruder. He wanted to show that he himself was a criminal.
Q. What does Gerrard mean by ‘Sunday-school teacher’?
Ans. By Sunday-school teacher, Gerrard meant a hardworking man of rare honesty who worked even on Sunday. Although he mentions ‘teacher’, it refers to anyone who goes out of his or her way to perform his or her duty even on holidays. In short, he means a man of uncommon goodness.
Q. What work does Gerrard do? How do you know this?
Ans. Gerrard is a dramatist who works for a theatre. The disguise outfit, false moustaches and other similar items in his cottage support this point. The last dialogue in which he says, ‘‘ Hello. Yes, speaking. Sorry I can’t let you have the props in time for rehearsal, …….’’ also supports this point.
Q. Why did the Intruder come to Gerrard’s house?
Ans. Gerrard lived alone in a house at a solitary place and he sometimes suddenly went off and came back just the same. The Intruder was most wanted criminal and so he wanted to assume Gerrard’s identity by killing him and then live in his house to escape the police.
Q. What was Gerrard’s profession? Do you think Gerrard’s profession had influenced him or become a part of him ?
Ans. Gerrard’s profession was something related to drama and theatre. Yes, his profession had become a part of him. One can say this from the heroic way in which he outwitted the intruder, took him to the door, pushed him outside and slammed the door.
Q. Sometimes we think we cannot be cheated since we consider ourselves over-smart. Was this proved correct for Gerrard, in the play If I were you? Discuss the values required to be stronger and not be cheated.
Ans. It is true that our over smartness fails sometimes. This was proved correct for Gerrard. As once, he was alone in his cottage. All of a sudden an Intruder entered there. He had a revolver in his hand and he wanted to kill Gerrard. At that time, Gerrard was busy on the phone. Seeing the Intruder, Gerrard did not lose his peace of mind. The Intruder revealed that he was a jewel thief. He had killed a policeman and the police was after him. He wanted to avoid the police by taking Gerrard’s identity. Gerrard concocted a story and told that he too was a criminal like him. As a proof, he showed his travelling bag. He told the Intruder that by killing him he would be accused of double murder. He told the Intruder that his friend was standing below on the road. As soon as the police arrived, he would inform Gerrard. Gerrard took the Intruder to the door to show the man. When they reached near the cupboard, Gerrard pushed him into the cupboard and locked it from outside. Gerrard called the police to arrest the Intruder.
Q. How did Gerrard befool the Intruder to be able to save himself?
Ans. Once Gerrard, the playwright, was alone in his cottage. All of a sudden an Intruder entered his cottage. He had a revolver in his hand and he wanted to kill Gerrard. At the time, Gerrard was busy over the phone. Seeing the Intruder, Gerrard did not lose his peace of mind. The Intruder revealed that he was a jewel thief. He had killed a policeman and the police was after him. He wanted to avoid the police by taking Gerrard’s identity. Gerrard concocted a story and told that he too was a criminal like him. As a proof, he showed him his travelling bag. He told the Intruder that by killing him he would be accused of double murder. He told the Intruder that his friend was standing below on the road. As soon as the police arrived, he would inform Gerrard. Gerrard took the Intruder to the door to show the man. When they reached near the cupboard, Gerrard pushed him into the cupboard and locked it from outside. Gerrard called the police to arrest the Intruder.
