Say the Right Thing Class 7 English Poorvi Summary
Chapter 6 Say the Right Thing Explanation Class 7 English
About the Story Say the Right Thing
- This humorous play, written by G.C. Thornley, tells the story of Mary Shaw, a young girl who wants to talk to guests visiting her home.
- Her mother, Mrs. Shaw, teaches her how to be polite and say kind things to make the guests feel welcome.
- However, when the guests arrive, Mary makes funny mistakes by saying the wrong things, upsetting them.
- The play shows the importance of speaking carefully and kindly to others.
 |
| Say the Right Thing Comic |
Explanation of the Story Say the Right Thing
Scene I: Preparing for the Guests
The story begins with Mrs. Shaw preparing the house for two guests, Mrs. Harding and Mrs. Lee. She asks her daughter, Mary, to put away a coat to keep the room tidy, as she wants to make a good impression. Mary complains that her mother always tells her to clean up and insists she’s not a child. Mrs. Shaw explains that Mrs. Harding is the wife of a wealthy man who recently moved to Lanfield, and Mrs. Lee is his sister, staying with them. Mary is curious about the visit and asks what they’ll talk about. Mrs. Shaw says it will be about various things and that Mary will need to visit people and talk politely in the future.
Mary boasts that she can talk well and wants to stay and speak with the guests. Mrs. Shaw is hesitant, worried that Mary might say the wrong things and ruin her chance to become friends with Mrs. Harding. Mary insists she knows how to be polite, saying phrases like “Good afternoon” and “How are you?” Mrs. Shaw agrees to let her stay but gives her advice: be kind, say things that make people happy, laugh to keep the mood light, and start conversations if everyone is quiet. She also tells Mary to ask guests to stay longer when they want to leave, like saying, “Must you go? Can’t you stay?” Mary promises to follow these rules, changes into a clean dress, and feels confident she can handle the visit.
Scene II: The Visit Goes Wrong
Mrs. Harding and Mrs. Lee arrive at Mrs. Shaw’s house. Mrs. Shaw welcomes them politely and is happy they like the new town, Lanfield. When the room becomes quiet, she looks at her daughter Mary to speak kindly as she was told earlier.
But Mary immediately makes a mistake. She compliments Mrs. Harding for having “beautiful children,” but Mrs. Harding replies that she has no children. Mary keeps insisting she saw a boy and a girl, which makes Mrs. Harding unhappy and everyone uncomfortable.
To change the topic, Mrs. Shaw talks about Mr. Best, a man who lives nearby. Mary jokes about him traveling to London every day, calling it a boring life. She also says that he only reads newspapers and makes a rude comment about bankers. Mrs. Lee then says that her brother is also a banker and does the same. Mary feels embarrassed and says sorry.
Mrs. Shaw brings up Mrs. Best to lighten the mood, but Mary laughs at her clothes—a blue dress with a red coat. Mrs. Harding then says she also wears the same clothes, which makes things awkward again.
Mary tries to keep talking but keeps saying the wrong things. She speaks badly about Mrs. Cotter for staying in bed and calling the doctor often. But then Mrs. Harding says she stays in bed in the morning, and Mrs. Lee says she goes to the doctor regularly. Mary quietly says sorry again.
Then, when Mrs. Shaw mentions her good friend Mrs. Grantley, Mary calls her "too talkative" and says such women aren’t interesting. Mrs. Lee calmly replies that her mother is very talkative. Mary is embarrassed once again.
Next, Mary sees a dirty dog outside and complains about it loudly. Mrs. Harding looks out and says that the dog, Towzer, belongs to her. Mary blushes and apologizes.
Still looking out, Mary sees Mr. Pomeroy riding a horse and makes fun of him for riding and practising shooting every day. But Mrs. Lee says her brother does the same and even moved to Lanfield for those activities.
Finally, Mrs. Harding says they must leave. Mrs. Shaw, trying to be polite, asks them to stay longer. But Mary forgets everything her mother taught her and says the wrong thing: “Oh, must you stay? Can’t you go?”
The visit ends in an uncomfortable silence, and Mary’s attempt to be helpful turns into a series of embarrassing moments for everyone.
Summary of Say the Right Thing in Hindi
यह हास्यपूर्ण नाटक मैरी शॉ और उसकी माँ, श्रीमती शॉ, के इर्द-गिर्द घूमता है, जो दो खास मेहमानों, श्रीमती हार्डिंग और श्रीमती ली, का स्वागत करने की तैयारी कर रहे हैं। श्रीमती शॉ, मैरी को मेहमानों को प्रभावित करने के लिए शिष्ट और विनम्र तरीके से बातचीत करने की सलाह देती हैं। लेकिन जब मेहमान आते हैं, तो मैरी अपनी मां की हिदायतें भूल जाती है और कई गलतियाँ कर बैठती है, जैसे अन्य बच्चों को श्रीमती हार्डिंग के बच्चे समझ लेना, स्थानीय लोगों की आलोचना करना और मेहमानों की ज़िदगी और पसंदों को लेकर अनुचित टिप्पणियां करना।
उसकी अनजाने में की गई टिप्पणियां स्थिति को और खराब कर देती हैं, और नाटक के अंत में, मैरी एक हास्यास्पद तरीके से विदाई देकर अपनी मां और खुद को शर्मिंदा कर देती है। यह नाटक शिष्टाचार और अधिक समझाने के नुकसानों को हास्यपूर्ण तरीके से प्रदर्शित करता है।
Moral of the Story
- The play teaches us that we should think before we speak and choose words that are kind and respectful.
- Mary’s mistakes show that being polite and careful in conversations helps make others feel welcome and avoids hurting their feelings.
- It reminds us to listen to good advice and practice speaking thoughtfully.
Difficult Words
Here are the meanings of some difficult words from the story, explained simply:
- Hilariously: In a very funny way.
- Blunders: Careless mistakes that cause problems.
- Embarrasses: Makes someone feel uncomfortable or shy.
- Wealthy: Having a lot of money or riches.
- Polite: Showing kindness and respect to others.
- Compliments: Kind words said to praise someone.
- Awkward: Uncomfortable or embarrassing.
- Mocking: Making fun of someone in a mean way.
- Apologises: Says sorry for doing something wrong.
- Disapprovingly: Showing that you don’t like or agree with something.