6.

An Angel in Disguise
Timothy Shay Arthur

Context Questions

I. (i) The woman died of intoxication. ·

All the human beings ·irrespective of their financial status,
morals, etc. have to di'e one day.
(ii) She did not have cordial relations with others. She was hated
by nearly everyone in his · village. The reason for this . could
be her idleness, her immoral behaviour and her habit of
excessive drinking.
,(iii) Before the woman's death everyone despised her but after her
death everyone felt pity instead. Some of all neighbours took
grave clothes for the woman decent burial, while some carried
food for the starving children. ,
(iv) The woman and her there children were subjected to pathetic
 livmg
. conditions Th .
conditi · err hut was old and ·
on. The woman did m a tumble d
own to be used for her b ; : even have deceitt clothes or°:

(v) ~ohn, the oldest a bo . ,

KaMte, a girl be~een t;'no~~eellve was adopted by farmer Jones
aame wh even was taken · b ·
.,.,. o was crippled f, lifi m y Mrs. Elli
the end Ma .e or e, was not wanted b an s.
Sh ggi was adopted by J Th , Y sone. In
e was the only one surrounded boel ompson his wife Jane.
D. (i) Maame w I . y ove of the childless coupIe.
. ...,.
but nobody Wanted to tak
(ii) (a) Mau«rie th
:'ty
as g anced at with .
because she looked innocent
e er, as she was crippled for life
andt:>t>'"thin.
' e youngest child of the' dead woman
. looked pale .

(b) Maggie's
them to inn'ocence
tak h ,and sadness
. attracted
. . . requesting
·evezybody
e er. .
(iii) Two years ago Maggie h d fall . .
her spine, . this made a en _from a window and had injured
and ragg d th £
she
co
u1: her ~-ndden, Her clothes were soiled
b drere ore ~ast-~ff g~ents ·were brought so. that
e essed m clean garments.
(iv) It was suggested that M~e ~hould be tJ;~ to the poorhouse
because for her it would ·be,a "blessed •chartge"·where-she would
be kept clean, given healthy food -and 1provided ·medical care.
(v) Refer•to Themes Page '121. ,.
m. (i) Joe Thompson and the blacksmiths' wife Were Hisc\lssing the
·options that would be best for Maggie•Since her-mother>had died.
(ii) It was becaUse she 'Yilii a crippled child who Md injured her
spine two years ago by falling from· a window.
(iii) The thought of being left alOne terrified Maggie. She cried out
to Mr. Thompson that she should not be' left there· all alone.
(iv) He was puzzled because he did not know_what to do. Neither,
did he want to leave Maggie alone, nor did he wish to send
her to the poorhquse. , ,
when he .went into the hovel,, )le supported ,Maggie and told
her she would not be left there alone, He wrapped her gently
in clean bedclothes and took her h9me.
(v) Refer to Joe 'fhompson, under Characterisation, Page 1i 9.
IV. (i) She saw her husband, ~oe Thompson approaching, Maggie is the
•precious burden". She seemed 'precicius' because, the moment
Joe took her in his arms, he felt as if love had sprung into

his life.
 rcss-sHORT STORJts)
JL4HPS001' (
TEACIIERS'
50 Joe Thompson sharply
d's 8J111,
. busbatl ,,
hild in his there? . . .
(ii) Seeing a c t have you tioned his wife with his
. ed· "WJ}a but cau h'
question · . ediately poke to 1s angry Wife
Iy unIIl ·tl Joe s
Joe did not rep be gen e. bed.
asked her to . Maggie on a
looks. He nuortably placing . soon as he lifted her
. only after co 'th the child as .
, d bond Wl
(iii) • Joe fonne a . .
. hi arms ilent in front of his Wife
m s · · 'dly s
all Joe,Thompsop kept ngt 1r -set countenance and a
• Usu Y . la ed a firtn Y
but that daY. 1he disp y · ·
resol~te pair of eyes. . al indignation for Maggie,
h' wife with re
. • He also answered is d' d before.
thin hich he neyer. 1 -
-some g .W M •e home because she
th t he had brought aggt -
(iv) Joe told his wifie a If t the poorhouse. He would
h alked by herse -o
colilld not ave_w · . aki . • to the guardians of
take her' there the next day after spe ng .
the poorhouse regarding 'it. ··
· -· ' .. , 121
(v) Refer to Love as ~edeemer, un~_e r Themes, Page .
'l ,, I

v. (i) Mrs. Thoms~~n did not replyJ o,Joe's request to treat Maggie kindly.
Maggie was a recently orphaned ,invalid .child whom nobody
wanted. The love and concern., that Joe Thompson reflected for
Maggie
.
made his wife move• towards Maggie
,I
in the little chamber.
(ii) Joe realisedithat beiIJ,g1 childless ·h ad rriade Jane a bitter person . .
He left her- with the child sq that sh~ could see the innocence
and love in the child. On· coming back Joe Thompson saw
Maggie 1J1ng iIJ a little raise~)-position with_the lamp shining
full upon her face. He saW; his. wife sitting by th M . ,
and talking to her. e aggie 8 ~ed
(iii) The 'light shining through the window w .
b . - as seen as a good .
ecause 1t suggested to Joe that h' . omen,
t;...... "th ' is wife must b d.
..uu._e WI the child. The "Light" ave . . e spen mg
The "Light" symbolised to him th! •su hu~ hope and positivity.
now fall upon their home. nshine of love that would
(iv) • Intuitive - Joe>recogru·s d th . I
. e e chan • . •
towards Maggie. He left th . ge In his wife's d
e child arid hi . erneanor
• Su~erstitio4s - On retu . . s Wife alone to ho d
h ' 111ing horn h n ·
c amber as a good omen i e e took the ligh ·.
· , , t m the
(v) From Maggie's expressions Joe gathered that Jane was sad and
tender but not bitter toward the child.
This relieved him and he felt as if a weight had lifted from his heart.
Refer to Ambiguous Angel in Disguise, under Critical Appreciation,
Page 126.