Summary & Question-answers of The Chapter:5-Quality with the concerned video

Quality Summary In English

Soul of the Chapter 

Gessler Brothers and the Art of Boot Making
The author had known the shoemaker for many years because he used to make boots for his father. Mr Gessler was the shoemaker who lived with his elder brother in their shop in London. The shop didn’t have any signs apart from the name of the Gessler Brothers. He used to make boots only on orders. Once the author questioned Mr Gessler if it wasn’t awful to make those shoes perfectly fitting into the feet they were meant for. The man answered with a heavy German accent that it is an art.

Mr Gessler will be engrossed in his boot making art most of the time and won’t talk much with his customers. He strongly admired every piece of material he used to work with. The boots made by Gessler brothers were of supreme quality and lasted very long. But on one occasion the author had a different experience. He complained about it to Mr Gessler. To this the old man promised that he will repair the shoe and if couldn’t he will return the money to the author.

Nir Gessler’s Grief and the Hard Times is his life

On one occasion while placing an order for a shoe, the author was a bit absent-minded. He was wearing a pair of boots bought in an emergency from a large shop. Mr Gessler looked carefully and pressed at a point where the left boot wasn’t comfortable. With a sad face he commented that it hurts the customers but still the big firms don’t have any self-respect. They lure customers with their advertisements and not with their works. Because of this Mr Gessler was losing on business. The author has heard such things for the first time from Mr Gessler he felt bad and ordered many pairs of boots instantly. After several months he went to their shop again, but this time he mistook Mr Gessler for his elder brother. After a while he realised his mistake and learnt that the elder brother had passed away. He again ordered many pair of shoes and soon after that he left for abroad. After coming back, he went to his favourite boot shop again. This time Mr Gessler looked more aged this time, only a year had passed but from his face it appeared as though he has covered a journey of a decade.

The Artist’s End but with a Bitter Truth

Mr Gessler failed to recognise the author. The author as usual placed his orders and this time the boots were better than ever. The author one evening went personally to thank Mr Gessler for such a splendid work. But the name plate was missing from the shop. He found an Englishman inside. The man informed him that Mr Gessler had passed away and they have taken up the shop. The man further added that Mr Gessler died of starvation.

The man used to make all the boots himself, he never allowed anyone else to touch them. He used the finest quality leather and worked hard day and night to complete the orders in time. He made the best boots in London with the finest leather yet he lost it to competition. Everything that he earned went on paying rent for the shop and on buying leathers. He skipped his meals working for hours for each pair of boots.

Page No: 78
Working with the Text
Answer the following questions.

1. What was the author’s opinion about Mr Gessler as a bootmaker?

Ans: According to the author, Mr. Gessler was the best shoemaker in the city. He made only what was ordered and what he made never failed to fit. The boot made by him yet seems mysterious and wonderful. He was the perfect artist in this job.

2. Why did the author visit the shop so infrequently?

Ans: The boots made by Mr. Gessler lasted terribly longer than the usual like having something beyond temporary. Therefore, the author visited the shop so infrequently.

3. What was the effect on Mr Gessler of the author’s remark about a certain pair of boots?

Ans: On author’s remark about a certain pair of boots, Mr Gessler surprisingly looked at him for a time to withdraw or qualify his statement. After that, he asked the author to get the pair back and if he could do nothing of them, he would take them off his bill.

4. What was Mr Gessler’s complaint against “big firms”?

Ans: Mr Gessler’s complaint against “big firms” that they didn’t have self respect. They got their business by advertisement not by work. Every year, the sale of Mr Gessler is getting down because of them and soon he will be left with no job.

5. Why did the author order so many pairs of boots? Did he really need them?

Ans: The author got shocked and filled with sorrow when he knew about the death of Mr Gessler’s elder brother. In order to help him, he ordered so many pairs of boots. No, he did’t really need them.

Working with Language
I. Study the following phrases and their meanings. Use them appropriately to complete the sentences that follow.
look after: take care of
look down on: disapprove or regard as inferior
look in (on someone): make a short visit
look into: investigate
look out: be careful
look up: improve
look up to: admire
(i) After a very long spell of heat, the weather is …… at last.
(ii) We have no right to ……. people who do small jobs.
(iii) Nitin has always ……… his uncle, who is a self-made man.
(iv) The police are …….. the matter thoroughly.
(v) If you want to go out, I will ……. the children for you.
(vi) I promise to …… on your brother when I visit Lucknow next.
(vi) …… when you are crossing the main road.

Ans: (i) After a very long spell of heat, the weather is looking up at last.
(ii) We have no right to look down on people who do small jobs.
(iii) Nitin has always looked up to his uncle, who is a self-made man.
(iv) The police are looking into the matter thoroughly.
(v) If you want to go out, I will look after the children for you.
(vi) I promise to look in on your brother when I visit Lucknow next.
(vii) Look out when you are crossing the main road.