1. Chapter Introduction
Hello students! Today we are going to read a very thrilling and humorous play, Class 9 English Chapter: “If I Were You” by Douglas James. Have you ever wondered what you would do if a criminal entered your house with a gun? Panic? Scream? Well, the protagonist of our story, Gerrard, does neither. He uses his exceptional presence of mind, quick wit, and a brilliantly cooked-up story to outsmart a murderer. This chapter teaches us that staying calm during a crisis is the greatest weapon one can have.
2. Characters Detail
- Gerrard: A cultured, smart, and quick-witted playwright who lives alone in a lonely cottage in Essex. He handles a life-threatening situation with absolute coolness.
- The Intruder: A flashy criminal and a jewel thief who has murdered a policeman. He happens to look very similar to Gerrard and breaks into his cottage with a wicked plan.
3. Full Summary
The Uninvited Guest
The play opens with Gerrard, a playwright, packing a traveling bag in his lonely cottage in Essex. Suddenly, an intruder silently enters from the right. He is dressed in a flashy outfit and holds a revolver in his hand. He accidentally bumps into a table, which alerts Gerrard. Surprisingly, Gerrard does not panic at all. He greets the intruder warmly and starts talking to him as if he were an unexpected guest.
The Intruder’s Wicked Plan
The intruder threatens Gerrard with his gun and asks him a series of questions about his lifestyle, his car, and his habits. He reveals his evil plan: he is a wanted criminal who is being chased by the police for murdering a cop. Because he bears a strong physical resemblance to Gerrard, he plans to kill Gerrard and take on his identity. By living as Gerrard, the intruder hopes to escape the police forever and live a peaceful, free life.
Gerrard’s Brilliant Masterstroke
Gerrard realizes that he needs to act quickly. Using his sharp mind, he cooks up a brilliant false story. He laughs at the intruder and tells him that taking his identity would be a huge mistake because Gerrard himself is a dangerous criminal on the run! Gerrard claims that things went wrong for him recently, one of his men was caught, and the police are planning to raid his cottage tonight. To make the story believable, Gerrard points to the traveling bag he was packing, saying he was just about to escape. (In reality, he was packing props for a theatre play).
The Trap is Sprung
The intruder is confused and slightly convinced by Gerrard’s confident lie. Gerrard tells the intruder not to waste time and to escape with him in his car through the garage. Gerrard opens a door and tells the intruder to step inside the “garage.” As the intruder leans forward to look inside, Gerrard pushes him hard. The door was actually not a garage, but a cupboard! Gerrard quickly slams the door shut, locks it from the outside, and grabs the intruder’s fallen revolver. He then casually picks up the telephone and calls the police to arrest the criminal.
4. Multiple Choice Questions (10 MCQs)
Q1. Who is the author of the play “If I Were You”?
(a) William Shakespeare | (b) Douglas James | (c) Isaac Asimov | (d) Ruskin Bond
Answer: (b) Douglas James
Q2. Where did Gerrard live?
(a) In a crowded city | (b) In a lonely cottage in Essex | (c) In a hotel | (d) In a forest cabin
Answer: (b) In a lonely cottage in Essex
Q3. What was the Intruder holding in his hand when he entered?
(a) A knife | (b) A rope | (c) A revolver | (d) A bag
Answer: (c) A revolver
Q4. What crime had the Intruder committed before coming to Gerrard’s house?
(a) Bank robbery | (b) Murdered a policeman | (c) Kidnapping | (d) Forgery
Answer: (b) Murdered a policeman
Q5. Why did the Intruder want to kill Gerrard?
(a) Because of personal revenge | (b) To rob his money | (c) To steal his identity and escape the police | (d) Because he hated playwrights
Answer: (c) To steal his identity and escape the police
Q6. What was Gerrard’s actual profession?
(a) A doctor | (b) A playwright / associated with theatre | (c) A criminal | (d) A police officer
Answer: (b) A playwright / associated with theatre
Q7. What did Gerrard tell the Intruder about himself?
(a) That he is a police officer | (b) That he is a ghost | (c) That he is also a wanted criminal | (d) That he is very rich
Answer: (c) That he is also a wanted criminal
Q8. What was Gerrard actually packing in his traveling bag?
(a) Stolen money | (b) Theatre props and disguises | (c) Groceries | (d) Weapons
Answer: (b) Theatre props and disguises
Q9. Where did Gerrard push the Intruder?
(a) Out of the window | (b) Into the garage | (c) Into a locked cupboard | (d) Down the stairs
Answer: (c) Into a locked cupboard
Q10. What is the central theme of the play?
(a) Crime never pays | (b) Magic works wonders | (c) Presence of mind and calmness can save one’s life | (d) Always carry a weapon
Answer: (c) Presence of mind and calmness can save one’s life
5. Short Answer Questions (30-40 Words)
Q1. Why does the Intruder choose Gerrard as the man whose identity he wants to take on?
Ans. The Intruder chooses Gerrard because they are similar in physical build and appearance. Also, Gerrard lives a lonely life in an isolated cottage, meets very few people, and never receives tradesmen, making it easy to impersonate him.
Q2. How did Gerrard behave when he saw the Intruder with a gun?
Ans. Gerrard did not panic at all. He remained absolutely cool, calm, and composed. He behaved normally and engaged the Intruder in a polite conversation as if he were an uninvited but welcome guest.
Q3. What story did Gerrard cook up to save himself?
Ans. Gerrard lied that he himself was a dangerous criminal and a murderer. He claimed that the police had surrounded his cottage and were about to raid it that very night, which is why he was packing his bag to escape.
Q4. How did Gerrard convince the Intruder that his story was true?
Ans. Gerrard showed the Intruder his traveling bag, which contained a false moustache and other disguises (which were actually theatre props). Seeing the “disguise” kit and Gerrard’s supreme confidence, the Intruder believed the fake story.
Q5. How did Gerrard finally trap the Intruder?
Ans. Gerrard offered to escape with the Intruder. He pointed towards a door, claiming it led to the garage. When the Intruder leaned in to check, Gerrard gave him a hard push into the cupboard and locked it from the outside.
6. Long Answer Questions (60-80 Words)
Q1. “Presence of mind is a more powerful weapon than a gun.” Justify this statement with reference to the play “If I Were You.”
Ans. This statement is completely true in the context of the play. The Intruder had a loaded gun and a wicked plan to murder Gerrard. If Gerrard had panicked or begged for his life, he would have been killed. Instead, Gerrard used his presence of mind. He kept his cool, engaged the criminal in conversation, and spun a brilliant false story about being a criminal himself. His sharp intellect outsmarted the Intruder’s brute force, proving that a clever mind is the greatest weapon in a crisis.
Q2. Write a brief character sketch of Gerrard.
Ans. Gerrard is a cultured, intelligent, and quick-witted playwright who lives alone in an isolated cottage. He is a man of remarkable courage and presence of mind. When faced with an armed intruder, he does not lose his nerve. Instead, he maintains his sense of humor and talks politely. He is highly creative, as seen when he instantly cooks up a believable story about being a wanted criminal. His psychological manipulation of the Intruder shows his deep understanding of human behavior, making him a true hero.
Q3. Describe the Intruder’s plan. Why did it fail?
Ans. The Intruder was a wanted criminal who had murdered a policeman. He noticed that he looked very similar to Gerrard. His plan was to break into Gerrard’s cottage, murder him, and take on his identity. By living as Gerrard, he hoped to live freely without the fear of the police. However, his plan failed miserably because he underestimated Gerrard. The Intruder lacked intelligence and was easily fooled by Gerrard’s fake story of being a fellow criminal. Ultimately, his foolishness led him straight into Gerrard’s locked cupboard.
