The Adventures of Toto Ruskin Bond 19 May

The Adventures of Toto Ruskin Bond (19 May 1934)) 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. INDEX About the Author Introduction Theme & Sub-theme Characters Summary Points to ponder Assignments

The Adventures of Toto Ruskin Bond (19 May 1934) About the Author : Ruskin Bond (born 19 May 1934) is an Indian author of British descent. He lives with his adopted family in Landour, Mussoorie, India. The Indian Council for Child Education has recognised his role in the growth of children's literature in India. He was awarded the Sahitya Academy Award in 1992 for Our Trees Still Grow in Dehra, his novel in English. He was awarded the Padma Shri in 1999 and the Padma Bhushan in 2014.

The Adventures of Toto Theme : The theme thus deals with the outcome of the interaction between humans and animals. It shows that not all animals can adapt themselves to the human way of life. Sub-Theme : CHARACTERS : q Grandfather q Grandmother q Author q Toto q Tonga driver q Aunts q Nana q Tortoise q Ticket Collector

The Adventures of Toto Introduction: This is a humorous and an adventurous story of a naughty monkey named ‘Toto’. The writer’s grandfather bought the monkey from a tonga-driver. The pranks played by Toto have been narrated in an interesting way and make the story a must read for us. The narrator’s Grandfather was fond of animals. One day he bought a baby monkey from a tonga driver and named it Toto. He wanted Toto because he had already possessed several animals, big and small such as tortoise, squirrel, a pair of rabbits and a goat. But he didn’t have a monkey. He loved Toto too much. Slowly and steadily the monkey grew mischievous and began to create troubles. Finally, Grandfather sold it to the tonga driver.

The Adventures of Toto SUMMARY : The narrator’s Grandfather was very fond of animals. He had a nice collection of animals such as a tortoise, a tame squirrel, a pair of rabbits and a goat. But he didn’t have a monkey. So, one day, he bought a baby monkey from a tongadriver and named it Toto’s arrival not only gladdened him but also enriched his private zoo. Toto was an attractive monkey with sparkling eyes and pearl white teeth. He would take special delight in scaring elderly Anglo-Indian ladies. His tail added to his good look, and also served as a third hand. Since Grandmother did not have any interest in animals, she never welcomed grandfather with a new bird or animal in the house. So, it was decided that Toto’s presence should be kept a secret until Grandmother was in a good mood. Toto was temporarily kept in a little closet opening into the narrator’s bedroom wall, where he was tied securely to a peg fastened into the wall. Being mischievous by nature, Toto began to create a nuisance from the very first day. He removed the ornamental wallpaper, pulled out the peg and tore off the narrator’s blazer. Grandfather was quite happy to see Toto’s performance. Toto was now transferred to a big cage in the servants’ quarters where Grandfather’s other animals lived together. But Toto would create troubles for them.

The Adventures of Toto SUMMARY : He did not let them sleep peacefully. His pernicious activities were increasing day by day. So when Grandfather had to go to Saharanpur to collect his pension, he carried Toto with him in a big black canvas kit-bag. Since there was no opening in the bag to allow his hands or face to come out, he would often jump inside the bag, making the bag roll about on the floor of the Dehradun railway platform. On reaching Saharanpur Toto was caught by the ticket-collector who classified him as a dog so that Grandfather had to pay for his (Toto’s) fare. Toto was finally accepted by the Grandmother. He was then shifted to the stable, where Nana, the family donkey lived. But Toto continued teasing her as a result of which they could never become friends. Toto loved to take bath in hot water in winter. One day, he nearly succeeded in boiling himself alive by jumping in a large kitchen kettle that had been left on the fire to boil for tea. It was Grandmother who came to his rescue and saved him. Toto continued his antics by tearing clothes to shreds, breaking plated and other utensils. Everyone in the family got fed up with his mischievous activities. Even Grandfather began to think seriously about him. And finally he took a hard decision to get rid of the monkey. He found the tongadriver and sold Toto back to him for only three rupees.

The Adventures of Toto CHARACTER SKETCH : TOTO Toto, a mischievous baby monkey, is one of the main characters in the story 'The Adventures of Toto' written by Ruskin Bond. Toto is a little red monkey with bright eyes, sparkled with mischief beneath deep set eyebrows and his pearly-white teeth. His smile was too scary to make old ladies afraid. He had hands that looked dried-up, his fingers were quick and wicked and his tail served him as a third hand. Toto received Grandfather's sympathy and empathy as he was tied to a feeding-trough by the tongadriver from whom he was bought, where he seemed to be a fish out of water due to which Grandfather bought him for the sum of five-rupees. Toto is considered intelligent as he could have escaped from the window by tying the torn pieces of the narrator's blazer into a rope. Toto is a very troublesome and annoying monkey as he didn't let any of his companions to sleep at night at Grandfather's private zoo and he also troubled Nana, the family's pet donkey. Toto loves bathing in warm water in cold winter evenings. During his performance, if anyone laughed at him, his feelings would be hurt and he would refuse to go on bathing which shows his sensitive and shy behaviour. Toto is very notorious and destructive as he was responsible for frequent loss of dishes, clothes, curtains and wallpaper. He seemed to be very greedy too as he wanted to pounce on everything he wanted to eat. He is a good imitator as he copied the narrator and his acts. At last, he was sold to the same tonga-driver from whom he was bought, which reveals that he is imperfect to be kept as a pet. In a nutshell, Toto is a playful, restless, naughty and curious monkey. Mischievousness is the prime reason that made him difficult to keep as a pet, still his adventures are humorous and makes the reader laugh all the time.

The Adventures of Toto POINTS TO PONDER Grandfather was fond of animals and had a private zoo He bought Toto, a monkey from a Tonga driver for five rupees Toto was a pretty monkey Toto’s presence was kept a secret from Grandmother Toto turned to escape, author’s coat was torn Toto was kept in a big cage with other pets who lived very sociably together Toto wouldn't allow any of the other pet animals to sleep at night Grandfather had to collect pension from Saharanpur, decided to take him along Toto poked his head out from the bag when Grandfather was producing his tickets Ticket collector was annoyed Grandfather had to pay three rupees as his fare Toto was finally accepted by Grandmother, gave him warm water for his bath Toto was a very mischievous monkey and caused a lot of damage They could not afford the frequent loss of things Grandfather realised that Toto was not the type of pet to be kept in the house He found the tonga-driver, and sold Toto back to him for Rs. 3

The Adventures of Toto ASSIGNMENT : QUESTIONS TO TEST COMPREHENSION Short Answer Questions (30 -40 words) 1. How does Toto come to grandfather’s private zoo? 2. “Toto was a pretty monkey. ” In what sense is Toto pretty? 3. How does Toto’s tail serve as his third hand? 4. Who is Nana? Why Toto and Nana never became friends? 5. How did the ticket-collector come to know about Toto’s presence? 6. What did Toto do in the writer’s room? 7. Why does the ticket collector insist on calling Toto a dog? Long Answer Questions (100 -150 words) : 1. Why does grandfather take Toto to Saharanpur and how? 2. How does Toto take a bath? Where has he learnt to do this? How does Toto almost boil himself alive? 3. Why does the author say, “Toto was not the sort of pet we could keep for long”? Imp : Read the story thoroughly and write all the difficult words from the story and their meanings in your Vocabulary Note-book as part of your preparation for UPSC (NDA)