📘 PACKING
By Jerome K. Jerome | Class 9 Beehive
✅ 1–40: Short Question-Answers (2–3 lines each, with colorful bullets)
- Who is the author of “Packing”?
🔵 The author is Jerome K. Jerome, a British humorist. - What is the chapter “Packing” about?
🟢 It’s about three friends packing for a trip, with hilarious results due to their confusion and incompetence. - Who are the three main characters in the story?
🟡 Jerome (the narrator), George, and Harris. - What kind of story is “Packing”?
🔴 It’s a humorous anecdote about disorganized packing. - Who offers to do the packing?
🔵 Jerome proudly says he will pack. - Why does Jerome offer to pack?
🟣 He thinks he is better than the others at it. - How do George and Harris respond to Jerome’s offer?
🟢 They agree and let him pack alone, relaxing on the sofa. - What does Jerome forget to pack initially?
🟡 He forgets to pack the boots. - What happens after the boots are packed?
🔴 Jerome is unsure whether he packed his toothbrush. - Why is Jerome worried about the toothbrush?
🔵 He has a habit of forgetting it and dreaming about it while travelling. - What does he do about the toothbrush?
🟣 He unpacks everything twice to check and finally finds it inside a boot. - What happens with the shaving cream?
🟢 He accidentally packs it in the bottom and has to repack. - What is George and Harris’s role in the packing?
🟡 They offer to pack the hampers (food items). - How do George and Harris perform the task?
🔴 They are even more clumsy, breaking things and creating a mess. - What happens with the butter?
🔵 Harris sits on it and they search for it everywhere. - Where is the butter finally found?
🟣 Stuck to Harris’s back. - What happens with the jam?
🟢 George puts it on top of everything, and it squashes. - Why is the story considered funny?
🟡 It’s full of comic blunders and exaggerated descriptions. - How does the narrator react to his friends’ packing?
🔴 He enjoys watching them struggle and fumble. - How long did they take to pack?
🔵 They took hours just to pack the basic items. - What is Jerome’s attitude while packing?
🟣 He considers himself a skilled packer, but proves otherwise. - What lesson does the story give indirectly?
🟢 It shows the importance of planning and teamwork. - What is the setting of the story?
🟡 A room where the three friends are preparing for a boat trip. - Is Montmorency mentioned in this story?
🔴 Yes, the narrator’s dog Montmorency tries to help but creates more chaos. - What does Montmorency do while they pack?
🔵 He puts his nose in everything and causes trouble. - What is the tone of the story?
🟣 Light-hearted, comic, and playful. - Who was the most disorganised among them?
🟢 All three were equally clumsy in different ways. - What shows that they lacked coordination?
🟡 They packed without a plan, messed up items, and had to unpack repeatedly. - What impression do you get of George and Harris?
🔴 They were lazy, careless, and overconfident. - What role does the narrator play in the story?
🔵 He is both a participant and observer, giving humorous commentary. - What’s the most hilarious moment in the story?
🟣 The moment when they struggle with the butter. - Why is “Packing” still relatable today?
🟢 Because everyone faces confusion while packing at some point. - How is humour created in the chapter?
🟡 Through situational comedy, exaggeration, and irony. - What was packed in the hampers?
🔴 Food items like jam, butter, pies, and tomatoes. - How do they treat fragile items?
🔵 Carelessly, they break cups, squash tomatoes, and smash things. - What is the climax of the story?
🟣 The total mess during food packing, especially butter and jam. - Why does the narrator enjoy watching his friends?
🟢 Because it gives him comic satisfaction to see them fumble. - What is Montmorency symbolic of?
🟡 He represents more chaos, adding to the humour. - Why is the chapter titled “Packing”?
🔴 Because the entire story revolves around the comic process of packing. - What message does the story leave the reader with?
🔵 That even everyday tasks can become funny when done without teamwork or planning.
✅ 41–45: Long Answer Questions (100–120 words)
41. Describe the narrator’s experience of packing.
🟦 The narrator, Jerome, volunteers to pack thinking he’s good at it. However, he forgets to pack the boots and cannot remember if he packed the toothbrush. His worry over the toothbrush makes him unpack and repack multiple times. After a long struggle, he finally finishes. Ironically, he had expected George and Harris to help, but they simply relax. His packing shows he is not as efficient as he claims. The whole episode becomes a comic disaster filled with forgetfulness, repetition, and lack of planning. The scene portrays Jerome as a relatable character with flaws, making the story humorous and enjoyable.
42. How did George and Harris pack the hampers?
🟩 George and Harris offer to pack the food hampers but make the process chaotic. They break cups, squash tomatoes, and create a mess. They put heavy items over delicate ones, causing damage. They misplace things, like the butter, which is found under a pile and later stuck to Harris’s back. They bicker, blame each other, and take much longer than expected. Their careless and disorganised packing leads to confusion and laughter. The whole scene becomes a perfect example of how not to pack. Through their actions, the author highlights human foolishness in a light-hearted and humorous manner.
43. How does Montmorency contribute to the chaos in packing?
🟥 Montmorency, the narrator’s dog, adds to the mess in the most amusing way. He gets in the way, puts his nose in everything, and tries to help by sitting on things or jumping into hampers. At one point, he pretends to fight with a lemon. His interference turns the already disorganised packing into total chaos. Though the men are annoyed, it adds a layer of comic relief for the reader. Montmorency’s actions show that even animals can sense disorder and try to participate in it. His mischievous nature adds to the fun and increases the story’s entertainment value.
44. Why is “Packing” considered a humorous piece?
🟨 “Packing” is full of situational comedy, exaggeration, and irony. The characters try to pack but keep making silly mistakes. The narrator forgets his boots and toothbrush, Harris and George break things, and the dog Montmorency adds to the mess. Their overconfidence and clumsiness make everyday tasks look ridiculous. The author uses witty narration to make ordinary packing extremely funny. The humour lies in the mismatch between what they believe and what they do. Their poor coordination, laziness, and silly behaviour make readers laugh throughout. It’s a timeless piece that shows how minor things can turn chaotic when taken lightly.
45. What message does the story “Packing” convey to the readers?
🟧 The story conveys that teamwork and planning are essential, even in simple tasks like packing. Overconfidence, laziness, and carelessness lead to confusion and disaster. The author uses humour to highlight how common tasks can turn into big messes if done without thought. It also teaches us not to take ourselves too seriously, as mistakes are part of human nature. The characters’ comic errors reflect real-life situations, making the story relatable. The story reminds us that life is filled with funny moments, and laughter can be found in the simplest situations. Humour makes the lesson more memorable.
✅ 46–50: Value-Based Questions
46. What value do we learn from the narrator’s overconfidence?
🟦 We learn that overconfidence without real planning leads to mistakes. It’s better to be humble and organised.
47. Why is cooperation important during tasks like packing?
🟩 Cooperation ensures efficiency, time-saving, and fewer mistakes. Lack of teamwork causes confusion, as shown in the story.
48. How does humour help in handling everyday challenges?
🟥 Humour teaches us to laugh at our mistakes and not stress over small things. It helps us stay positive.
49. What can we learn from Montmorency’s behaviour?
🟨 Sometimes trying to “help” without knowing what to do makes things worse. It’s best to stay out of the way if unsure.
50. Why should we plan simple tasks properly?
🟧 Because even ordinary tasks like packing need thinking and coordination. A little planning can save a lot of effort.