3.1. Dreams and Discoveries - My Brother’s Great Invention - Class 7 - Poorvi
- BhashaLab
- Jun 22
- 3 min read
Updated: Jun 23

📘 Chapter Title :My Brother’s Great Invention
Author: by Anita Rau Badami
Textbook: Poorvi
Genre: Fiction
📝 Summary
This humorous and imaginative story is narrated by a 14-year-old girl named Anita, who lives with her younger brother Anand and their parents. Anand is a self-proclaimed inventor, always tinkering with gadgets and building contraptions that rarely function as planned. His latest invention—a burglar alarm—accidentally drenches their father instead of catching a thief, creating chaos at home. However, Anand doesn’t give up. Inspired by a movie, he next builds a time machine, secretly working on it despite opposition from his parents. When their parents go out of town, Anita and Anand face a real crisis—a burglar breaks in! Anand cleverly tricks the burglar into entering his room, where the time machine accidentally activates. The thief mysteriously disappears, leaving only a green scarf behind. Though adults are skeptical, Anand proudly believes the time machine worked. The story ends with Anand planning another invention—a phone to contact aliens—showing his unstoppable curiosity and creative spark.
👤 Character Sketch
Anand –
A curious and enthusiastic young boy who dreams of becoming a scientist. He is imaginative, inventive, and often causes trouble at home with his experiments. Though his inventions rarely work, he remains optimistic and passionate about innovation.
Anita –
The narrator and Anand’s elder sister. She is practical, responsible, and often gets caught up in Anand’s schemes. Despite her skepticism, she supports her brother and plays a crucial role during the burglary.
📚 Themes
Theme | Description |
Creativity and Innovation | The story showcases the inventive spirit of young minds through Anand’s experiments. |
Family and Support | Despite the chaos Anand causes, his family is patient and protective. |
Courage and Presence of Mind | Anita and Anand display quick thinking and bravery during the break-in. |
Imagination vs. Reality | Anand’s inventions blur the line between fantasy and real-world consequences. |
✨ Literary Devices
Device | Example | Description |
Onomatopoeia | "clanging", "crash", "humming" | Words that imitate real sounds. |
Idiom | “frighten me half to death”, “get on our nerves” | Phrases with meanings not deducible from individual words. |
Binomial Expression | “peace and quiet”, “pros and cons” | Common word pairs used in a fixed order. |
Humour | Anand’s inventions going hilariously wrong | Adds a comic effect to the story. |
📖 Title Justification
The title “My Brother’s Great Invention” is fitting as it centers around Anand’s self-declared groundbreaking innovation—a time machine. Though his inventions often end in chaos, this particular incident leads to the disappearance of a thief, leaving readers wondering if his invention truly worked. The word "Great" is used with a touch of irony and affection, encapsulating the imaginative and adventurous spirit of Anand.
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✅ One-Mark Questions
Who is the narrator of the story?
→ Anita, a 14-year-old girl, is the narrator.
What inspired Anand to build a time machine?
→ The movie "Back to the Future" inspired him.
What was Anand’s first invention in the story?
→ A burglar alarm that dropped a water bag.
What did the thief leave behind?
→ A green scarf.
Who helped Anita and Anand during the burglary?
→ Mrs. Sharma, Mr. Sharma, and Dr. Mohan.
✅ Three-Mark Questions
What was the purpose of Anand’s burglar alarm and what went wrong?
→ Anand designed the burglar alarm to catch a thief by making a loud noise and dropping a water bag. However, it mistakenly drenched their father instead, causing great anger and embarrassment.
How did Anita react to Anand’s inventions?
→ Anita was often skeptical and reluctant to participate. Though she warned Anand about the consequences, she always ended up supporting him during crises.
Describe how Anand managed to fool the thief.
→ Anand cleverly misled the thief into entering his own room, pretending it was his father’s. The room had the time machine, which activated and caused the thief to disappear mysteriously.
🧠 Value-Based Question
Q: What lesson can we learn from Anand's attitude toward failure and experimentation?
A: Anand’s attitude teaches us to embrace creativity and persistence. Despite repeated failures and criticism, he continues inventing with enthusiasm and confidence. This highlights the importance of resilience, curiosity, and believing in one's ideas.
End
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