Question and Answer of Chapter 3: After Twenty Years

Q.1: Describe the scene in the beginning of the story?
Ans: A policeman can be seen on duty in an area. He is on foot patrol. It is 10 p.m. The cold wind is blowing. The area, where the policeman is performing his duty, seems deserted. Almost all the shops are closed.

Q.2: Was the place a business center only?
Ans: The place was a business center, of course. But it does not seem the business center only. Most shops were business places as the author says that the majority of the door belonged to business places. The author has mentioned a cigar store and an all-right lunch counter. It shows that besides a business place, it provided common items of eats and drinks also.

Q.3: What kind of character does the story "After Twenty Years" have?
Ans:  There are three characters in the story "After Twenty Years". One is Bob who is a true and sincere friend. He want to fulfill his promise at any cost. His friend Jimmy Wells has joined the police department. the two friends meet each other after twenty years. Bob does not know that the man in the police uniform is his old friend Jimmy Wells. Jimmy is dutiful and honest person. He gives preference to duty over friendship. The third character who comes to arrest Bob is also a police officer. He is dressed in plain clothes. He is sent by Jimmy Wells to arrest Bob.

Q.4: What is most significant happening in the story to be analyzed?
Ans: The most significant happening in the story is when Jimmy Wells sends a police officer in plain clothes to arrest Bob. He comes near Bob and pretends to be his old friend Jimmy Wells. The two starts up the street arm in arm. Near a drug store, Bob see the face of the other man.he Stop suddenly and releases his hand because the other man is not his old friend Jimmy.

  
Q.5: What is the climax of the story "After Twenty Years"?
Ans: The climax of the story "After Twenty Years" is when Bob sees that eh man he is talking to is not his friend. Actually, the man is a police officer in plain clothes. he gives Bob a letter from Jimmy. Bob learns from the letter that the police officer whom he met earlier was Jimmy, his old friend.

Q.6: How would you describe Jimmy and Bob's personalities in the story?
Ans:  Jimmy and Bob are close friends. Jimmy is a police officer whom we see on his routine patrol duty. He is a dutiful as well as an honest officer. When he comes to know that his friend is wanted in Chicago, he does not have the courage to arrest him himself. He sends another policeman who arrest Bob. As far as Bob is concerned, he is man having pale face. He is fond of smoking cigars. He want to collect money. For this he is ready to commit crimes. He is a true friend. He want to fulfill his promise at any cost.

Q.7: The ending of "After Twenty Years" fill the reader with poignancy, (Strong effect of feeling -sad) making the story effective. Discuss?
Ans:  The reader expects that Bob and Jimmy Wells, the two close friends, would meet each other after long separation. they would share their experiences of the past twenty years. But instead, the ending of the story fill him with poignancy when one of the friends is arrested by police. In spite of the tragic end, the author makes the story very effective. Bob is not arrested by Jimmy Wells directly. he sends another police officer to arrest him.

Q.8: How does the writer prepare for the end of the story?
Ans:  The writer prepares for the end of the story contrary to the expectations of the readers. The story begins very interestingly. Two close friends Bob and Jimmy meet each other after twenty years. Bob does not recognize Jimmy in the police uniform. After Jimmy's departure, another police officer in plain clothes comes whom Bob considers to be his Jimmy. The police officer arrests Bob because he is wanted in Chicago.

Posted By: Wasim Javed