4.4 My Financial Career - Std 9 - Kumarbharati
- BhashaLab
- Aug 17
- 4 min read
Author: Stephen Leacock
Genre: Humorous Essay / Autobiographical Anecdote
Textbook: English Kumarbharati – Std X
Board: Maharashtra State Board
English Summary
Stephen Leacock humorously narrates his nervous experience in a bank. Every aspect of the bank unsettles him—the clerks, the money, the atmosphere. When his salary increases, he decides to open an account but ends up embarrassing himself. His request to see the manager alone creates suspicion, and he even steps into the safe by mistake. While depositing $56, he mistakenly writes a cheque for the entire amount instead of six dollars. Unable to explain, he withdraws all the money and leaves in shame. The incident makes him decide never to return to a bank. The essay highlights how anxiety and lack of confidence can turn simple tasks into disasters.
Theme / Central Idea
The essay reflects how fear, nervousness, and overthinking can complicate simple actions. It humorously shows the struggles of ordinary people when dealing with formal institutions like banks.
Character Sketches
1. Narrator (Stephen Leacock):
Diffident and timid, easily rattled.
Nervous and awkward in public situations.
Ignorant about banking procedures.
Careless due to anxiety (mistakenly writes $56 instead of $6).
Economical but lacks confidence in handling money.
2. Manager:
Calm, serious, but suspicious of the narrator’s behaviour.
Professional yet slightly alarmed by his secretive manner.
Relieved when he learns the truth but maintains distance.
3. Accountant:
Cool and intimidating in the narrator’s eyes.
Performs his duty strictly without showing emotion.
Word Meanings
Word | Meaning |
Rattled | Made nervous or confused |
Sepulchral | Gloomy or sorrowful |
Jay | Foolish or inexperienced person |
Conjuring | Performing a trick or illusion |
Ghastly | Horribly pale or dreadful |
Astonished | Very surprised |
Roar | Loud burst of laughter |
Reckless | Without thinking of consequences |
Withdraw | Take money out of an account |
Diffident | Shy, lacking confidence |
Grammar Questions
Infinitive/Gerund:
Sentence: “I intend to keep all my money in this bank.”
Q: Identify the infinitive.
Answer: “to keep” is the infinitive.
Passive Voice:
Sentence: “He gave me a fifty-dollar bill.”
Q: Rewrite in passive voice.
Answer: “A fifty-dollar bill was given to me by him.”
Modal:
Sentence: “Can I see the manager?”
Q: Replace can with another modal.
Answer: “May I see the manager?”
Tense Transformation:
Sentence: “I keep my money in cash in my trousers pocket.”
Q: Change to past tense.
Answer: “I kept my money in cash in my trousers pocket.”
Wh-question:
Sentence: “The manager led me to a private room.”
Q: Frame a Wh-question.
Answer: “Where did the manager lead you?”
Personal Response Questions (2 marks)
Do you think fear can make simple tasks complicated?
Answer: Yes, fear often clouds our thinking and creates unnecessary mistakes. Like the narrator, people may overreact, feel nervous, and make errors even in simple tasks. Confidence and calmness are necessary to handle such situations.
Is the narrator’s decision to stop banking wise?
Answer: No, it is not wise. Avoiding banks due to fear only harms his financial security. Instead, he should have learned banking procedures patiently and gained confidence. Escaping is not a solution.
What lesson does this essay teach about human behaviour?
Answer: The essay teaches that nervousness and lack of confidence can ruin opportunities. One should not allow fear to dominate simple tasks. Facing challenges calmly helps in overcoming difficulties.
True or False
The narrator deposited $60. – False
The manager thought he was a detective. – True
The narrator wrote $56 instead of $6 on the cheque. – True
The narrator kept his savings in a locker after the incident. – False
The accountant frightened the narrator. – True
Probable Board Questions
Why did the narrator feel nervous inside the bank?
Answer: The narrator was timid and lacked confidence. Every sight and sound of the bank rattled him, making him feel foolish and uneasy.
How did the manager misunderstand the narrator?
Answer: The narrator’s secretive behaviour made the manager think he was a detective with a serious mission. This misunderstanding created unnecessary tension.
Why did the narrator decide to withdraw all his money?
Answer: The narrator mistakenly wrote $56 instead of $6 on the cheque. Feeling too embarrassed to explain, he withdrew all the money and left.
What is the significance of the humorous tone in the essay?
Answer: The humour lightens the situation and highlights how ordinary fears can look exaggerated. It makes readers laugh while also reflecting on human nervousness.
Do you think the narrator’s last decision was justified?
Answer: No, it was not justified. Keeping money in a sock is unsafe. It shows how fear can lead to irrational decisions instead of practical solutions.
Appreciation / Reflection Paragraph
My Financial Career is a humorous essay that makes a simple banking experience memorable through exaggeration and wit. Stephen Leacock captures the universal fear of formal institutions in a relatable way. The narrator’s nervousness, mistakes, and blunders create laughter but also sympathy. The essay teaches that fear and lack of confidence can ruin even simple tasks. It shows the importance of self-confidence, clarity, and calmness in dealing with responsibilities. The essay is memorable for its humour, relatability, and moral lesson about overcoming nervousness.
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