A House is Not a Home Summary notes (2)

A House is Not a Home ------By Zan Gaudioso
Summary
The story revolves around Zan. He was sad as he got into a new high school. He
did not have his old friends and was a junior there. He missed the old school and
would visit it often. He had enjoyed being a senior there. To add to his miseries,
one Sunday afternoon, his house caught fire. Other than a few papers and
photos of his father that were retrieved by his mother, they lost everything. Zan
did not even have a pair of shoes. His pet cat was also missing.
Zan got depressed and did not want to attend school. He realized that he could
not soak up in his sadness as they had to rebuild their life. They needed a new
house, clothes, books, etc. They did not have any cash, credit cards or identity
proofs and had to borrow money from his grandparents.
One day at school, Zan was astonished to see a table full of things - books,
stationary items, clothes, etc which had been collected by his classmates. They
were helping Zan. Zan was overwhelmed and made friends. He came out of the
depression and realized that life was beautiful. Zan saw his house being rebuilt
and felt that same was happening with his life too.
A kind woman returned his cat which had run away on being scared of the fire.
Zan became full of life when he realized that life was not about material
possessions but about love, affection and being with one’s loved ones.
Question and Answers

1. What does the author notice one Sunday afternoon? What is his mother’s
reaction? What does she do?
A. While he was doing his homework, Zan saw smoke coming in through the
ceiling. The room was full of smoke in a few seconds. They rushed out of the
house and saw that the roof was on fire. Zan’s mother ran inside and rescued
some documents. She went again to get his father’s photographs and letters
which were his only memories with them.
2. Why does he break down in tears after the fire?

A. Zan felt that everything was going the wrong way. He was in a new school, did
not have his friends. Now, the fire snached all his possessions, namely, his
house, clothes, books and even his pet cat.
3. Why is the author deeply embarrassed the next day in school? Which words
show his fear and insecurity?
A. The author was embarrassed because he did not have his shoes, his clothes
were unusual. He did not have his school bag and books. The words showing his
fear and insecurity are - I was totally embarrassed by everything. The clothes I
was wearing looked weird, I had no books or homework, and my backpack was
gone. I had my life in that backpack! The more I tried to fit in, the worse it got.
Was I destined to be an outcast and a geek all my life? That’s what it felt like. I
didn’t want to grow up, change or have to handle life if it was going to be this
way. I just wanted to curl up and die.
4. The cat and the author are very fond of each other. How has this been shown
in the story? Where was the cat after the fire? Who brings it back and how?
A. The cat and its master, Zan were attached to each other. Every morning Zan
would disturb the cat and wake it. The cat would follow him, climb up his robe, sit
in his pocket and sleep there. The cat would remain with Zan all the time. While
he studied, it would hit its tail on his pen for entertainment.
5. What actions of the schoolmates change the author’s understanding of life and
people, and comfort him emotionally? How does his loneliness vanish and how
does he start participating in life?
A. Zan’s classmates were sympathetic and understood his situation. They
arranged all necessities for him like clothes, books, stationary items. They invited
him over to their place. All this comforted Zan. He came out of the negativity and
made new friends. He realized that he was getting a new life.
6. What is the meaning of “My cat was back and so was I”? Had the author gone
anywhere? Why does he say that he is also back?
A. “My cat was back and so was I” means that just like Zan got his cat back,
similarly, he also got a new life. He came out of the gloom that had surrounded
him. No, he had not gone anywhere. He says that he was back which implies that
he got a new life which was full of affection and warmth.
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Freaked: behaved irrationally
Milling around: moving around aimlessly
Shove: push hard
Curb: edge of the pavement
Plight: sad story
Vulnerable: weak, easy to influence
Zombie: a dull and apathetic person
Surreal: unreal, strange, bizarre
Ripped away: torn apart
Weird: strange
Destined: future developed as per a predestined plan
Outcast: a person rejected by society
Geek: an unfashionable or socially inept person
In tow: behind
Stoking the fire: feeding and tending the fire
Groping: to search blindly
Engulfed: flooded, surrounded by
Purring: sound made by cat
Swatting: to hit something
Awkward: strange
Freshman: a student in the first year of high school, college or university
Isolated: lonely

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A House is Not a Home ------By Zan Gaudioso

Question and Answers

2. Why does he break down in tears after the fire?

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