Little Ironies - The Taximan's Story (Questions)

1.What is the irony in the story?

Ans: The irony is that Lay Choo was fooling around. It was unexpected that Lay Choo would have done such a thing as her studies were excellent and was the taximan's favourite child. Also, the irony is that the taximan disagreed with the teenagers' behaviour but still ferried them around and did not take any action to try to stop these teenagers. However, when he found out that Lay Choo fooled around, he scolded Lay Choo and punished her by locking her in her room so that Lay Choo would not do it again.

2.What are the themes raised in the story?

Ans: The themes are the lack in moral values of teenagers these days etc.

3.How realistic is this story?

Ans: It is actually quite a true story nowadays. The newspapers also showed that the number of youngsters fooling around has been on the increase. Therefore, this story is quite true among many people now.

4.What do you think of the taximan? Do you feel sympathy for him?

Ans: I think that the taximan is quite a sociable man as he actually told the lady, whom he did not know at all, about his personal issues, which are quite shameful. He also talked to the lady alot and told her about his past experiences. Actually, I sympathise with him as his daughter did such a thing to make him so infuriated. His daughter should have known better than to do such a thing that disgraces him.

5.Do you agree with his lamenting?

Ans: Yes, I agree with his lamenting. Youngsters nowadays should know that they should not do such a thing that does not benefit them at all. They should be concentrating on their studies and not do all these when their parents are working so hard to pay for their school fees. By doing so, they are letting down their parents' efforts to carve them into being useful people in the future. Therefore, we must not do such a thing to let down our parents and make them feel that their efforts have paid off.

6.What about the other characters in the story? Do you feel sympathy for them?

Ans: I sympathise with the taximan's wife too as she would not have expected that her daughter who was the best in her studies among her siblings would have turned out to be like this, doing such a disgraceful thing. I do not sympathise with the taximan's daughter even if she gets punished severely by her father. She should have been wise enough not to do such a disgraceful thing. I feel that if her father had punished her severely, it is her just desserts and there is no need to sympathise with her.