Class 9 NCERT Solutions English Chapter D.1 - Villa for Sale

It is recommended that the points below be used to fill in the empty spaces.

• Utilisation of Space

• Architecture

• Interior designing

• Neighbourhood

• Proximity to malls

This is a discussion to be held among the students based on the previous answer.

Students will have to read the play. 

Juliette, the owner of a Villa wants to sell it as she is in need of money. Moreover, she is not in favourof the house. Jeanne and Gaston, a couple visits her with the aim of buying the Villa. While Jeanne is enthusiastic about buying, Gaston detests the idea as he does not want his in laws in that house. Also, he finds the asking price of house to be expensive. When Jeanne and Juliette go around the house, another customer walks in and starts talking to Gaston taking him to be Juliette's husband. Gaston strikes a deal with the customer by which he is able to give 200 thousand francs to the owner and keep one thousand francs for himself. 

Jeanne wants to buy a villa so that she can let her father and mother live in it. Apart from this, she also wanted to spend the month of August with her husband Gaston in the villa.

Gaston is not interested in buying the villa in the beginning because he knew that it was not being bought for their personal use. He knew that Jeanne's parents would take possession of it every year from the beginning of April until the end of September and they would take the whole tribe of her sister's children with them. He was not so fond of her family to want to share his villa with his in laws.

i) You French people have a cute way of doing business.

Explanation: You French people have quite a unique/ clever way of doing business. You first advertise that a house is on sale and once the buyer gets interested, only then will you negotiate the price. You never put up the price along with the sign for sale.

ii) You are an exception. Frenchmen usually have to consult about ten people before they get a move on.

Explanation: You are different from other French men. Most Frenchmen are indecisive. They have to discuss something with several people before they make up their minds on anything.

Juliette does not stick to her words. When she discovers that Jeanne is impressed with the house, she raises the price to two hundred and fifty thousand francs even though, initially she had told the maid that she was willing to sell it for much less . She goes on to explain she was selling it at this low price only because she liked the couple. She finally sold it to them for two hundred thousand francs. Her greed lead to her losing a hundred thousand francs and an expensive painting to an absolute stranger who profited through the entire transaction.

Gatson is the better of the two in business. He managed to make a hundred thousand francs on a property he never owned. He sold the villa that belonged to Juliette to a Mrs. Al Smith and also acquired a picture by an artist named Corot in the deal.

This answer depends on your preference and understanding of the character. Hence, please use the points below to frame your answer.   

Why I like Gatson: 

• He is intelligent.

• He is very clear in his thinking. He has no intention of buying the house and informs everyone about it.

• He does not believe in beating around the bush. He informs his wife immediately about knowing her intentions for buying the villa.

• He pretends to be the husband of the owner and manages to swindle the rather smart Mrs. Al Smith.

• He has a good sense of humour.

• He is a shrewd businessman.

• He takes advantage of the situation and-makes a hundred thousand francs.

• He is a diplomat who manages to keep everyone happy at the end Juliette, Mrs. Al Smith and his wife Jeanne.

Why I dislike Gatson: 

• He is manipulative.

• He is mean to his wife.He keeps telling her that he knows the true reason why she wants to purchase the house.

• He is a selfish man and has no love for his wife's family.

• He is convinced that Juliette is trying to sell of her villa for too large an amount of money.

• He is shrewd and conniving.

• He is dishonest as he cheats Mrs. Al Smith.

• He is an opportunist.

(iii) she is unable to find a suitable buyer for her villa.  

(iii) she had bought the villa for more than it was worth.  

(i) her parents would stay with them for a long time. 

(i) Earlier he did not want Juliette's parents to stay with them but now he is showing concern for them.

(ii) he is an opportunist.

This is an activity that has to be carried out by the student.

This answer depends on your imagination. Please use the following points to frame your answer.  

Begin your diary entry with the date.

Beginnings

• Dear Diary today began as the happiest and ended as the worst day of my life.

• Dear Diary, how can I explain to you the anger, frustration and helplessness I feel today?

• Dear Diary, today I am angry...really very angry! I have been let down and betrayed by someone I trusted --my own husband.

Explain in short 

• How you were longing to buy a villa and suddenly came across this particular one for sale.

• Describe the villa- "It was love at first sight".

• How you pleaded and tried to convince your husband to buy the villa; after all it had to be a joint decision.

• His views on why he didn't want to buy it.

• The landlady taking you on a tour of the villa.

• When you return, your husband has changed his mind.

• He negotiates with the landlady and buys the villa.

• You are ecstatic about the prospects of owning the house.

• All excited, you return home and your husband tells you the truth.

• Your dreams are shattered.

• You feel betrayed, angry and disappointed.

• He tries to convince you saying it is a good business deal and thathe would buy you another place.

• You rush to your bedroom and cry yourself to sleep.

• Your anger and frustration is not at the loss of the villa but at being betrayed by your own husband.

This is a group activity, and should be carried out in the classroom.