UP Board Class 10 English Chapter 5 – Footprints without Feet (Supplementary Reader)

“Footprints without Feet” is taken from the novel ‘The Invisible Man’ by H.G. Wells. It tells the story of Griffin, a scientist who discovers how to become invisible. Griffin was a great scientist, but a lawless person. His landlord did not like him and tried to evict (throw out) him from the house. So, Griffin set fire to his landlord’s house.

To escape from this situation, Griffin removed his clothes and became invisible. Later, he became a homeless wanderer in London without any clothes and money.

The story begins when two boys found fresh muddy footprints in London on the doorstep but they could not see the person who was making the footsteps. They followed the footmarks but the footprints soon disappeared. The footprints had been made by Griffin, an eccentric scientist who had discovered a drug to make his body invisible. Griffin managed to escape from the boys but faced more trouble. He found himself in need of clothes due to the chilly weather. So, he entered a big London store, where he not only found clothing but also food. He decided to spend the night there. Next morning, the shop assistant opened the store. On being seen, Griffin started running. He again took off his clothes. Again in need of clothes, he went to a theatre company’s stockroom, where he disguised himself with bandages, glasses, a false nose, bushy side-whiskers and a hat. To avoid being seen, Griffin attacked and robbed the shopkeeper before disappearing again.

‘Footprint without Feet’ एच.जी. वेल्स के उपन्यास ‘The Invisible Man’ से ली गई है । यह उपन्यास ग्रिफिन, एक वैज्ञानिक की कहानी बताता है, जिसने अदृश्य कैसे हो सकते हैं इसकी खोज की थी। ग्रिफिन एक महान वैज्ञानिक था, लेकिन वह कानून की अवमानना करने वाला व्यक्ति था । उसका मकान मालिक उसे पसंद नहीं करता था और उसने उसे घर से निकालने की कोशिश की। इसलिए ग्रिफिन ने मकान मालिक के घर में आग लगा दी। इस परिस्थिति से बचने के लिए, ग्रिफिन अपने कपड़े उतार देता है और अदृश्य हो जाता है कुछ समय बाद, वह लन्दन में बिना कपड़ों और पैसों के बेघर यात्री बन जाता है।

‘कहानी तब शुरू होती है, जब दो लड़कों को लन्दन में दरवाजे पर ताजे कीचड़ से बने पैरों के निशान मिले, लेकिन वे उस व्यक्ति को देख नहीं सके, जो पदचिह्न बना रहा था। उन्होंने पदचिह्नों का पीछा किया, लेकिन पदचिह्न शीघ्र ही गायब हो गए। पदचिन्ह ग्रिफिन नामक एक विलक्षण वैज्ञानिक ने बनाए थे, जिसने अपने शरीर को अदृश्य करने के लिए एक दवा की खोज की थी। ग्रिफिन लड़को से बचने में कामयाब रहा, लेकिन उसे और अधिक परेशानी का सामना करना पड़ा। ठण्ड के मौसम के कारण उसे कपड़ों की आवश्यकता महसूस हुई। इसलिए उसने लन्दन के एक बड़े स्टोर में प्रवेश किया, जहाँ उसे न केवल कपड़े, बल्कि खाना भी मिला। उसने वहीं रात बिताने का फैसला किया। अगली सुबह, दुकान के कर्मचारी ने दुकान खोली। देखे जाने पर ग्रिफिन भागने लगा। उसने फिर से अपने कपड़े उतार दिए। फिर से कपड़ों की आवश्यकता पड़ने पर वह एक नाटक कम्पनी के संग्रह कक्ष में गया, जहाँ उसने पट्टियाँ, चश्मा, एक नकली नाक, घनी मूछं और एक टोपी पहनकर स्वयं का भेश बदल लिया। ग्रिफिन ने दिखाई देने से बचने के लिए, दुकानदार पर हमला किया और उसे लूट लिया।

(a) A brilliant but eccentric scientist

(b) Criminal

(c) A mysterious person

(d) None of the above

Ans. (a) A brilliant but eccentric scientist

(a) He took the drug

(b) He took off his clothes

(c) He became invisible and went out

(d) All of the above

Ans. (d) All of the above

(a) In an inn

(b) In a church

(c) In a hotel

(d) In a temple

Ans. (a) In an inn

(a) London

(b) Paris

(c) Berlin

(d) France

Ans. (a) London

(a) red

(b) transparent

(c) blue

(d) flexible

Ans. (b) transparent

(a) Lawless person

(b) Griffin

(c) Griffin’s landlord

(d) Mr. Jaffers

Ans. (b) Griffin

(a) A dutiful policeman of Iping village

(b) Invisible scientist

(c) Superstitious person

(d) None of the above

Ans. (a) A dutiful policeman of Iping village

(a) a head

(b) legs

(c) eyes

(d) glasses

Ans. (a) a head

(b) Burgers and fries

(c) Pizza and coke

(d) All of the above..

Ans. (a) Meat, coffee, sweets and wine

(a) brilliant scientist

(b) lawless person

(c) Both (a) and (b)

(d) None of these

Ans. (c) Both (a) and (b)

(a) Left the house

(b) Began to abuse

(c) Set fire to the house

(d) Started jumping

Ans. (c) Set fire to the house

(a) spirits.

(b) evil souls

(c) dead bodies

(d) ghosts

Ans. (a) spirits

Ans. The two boys in London were surprised and fascinated by the fresh muddy footprints they saw at the steps of a house. When they followed the footprints (Griffin), they were shocked to see that footprints were appearing but there was no person around.

Ans. The mystery of the footprints was simple enough. They were the footprints of a scientist who had just discovered how to make the human body transparent. The scientist, Griffin, had swallowed certain rare drugs and his body had become as transparent as a sheet of glass.

Ans. When the two attendants discovered him at the store, they ran after Griffin. In order to protect himself, he had to throw off his clothes, to become invisible again..

Ans. Griffin was a brilliant scientist but he was a lawless person. After becoming invisible because of his experiment. He not only set his landlord’s house on fire but also robbed a theatrical shop in London. Later in Iping, he robbed the clergyman and also hit the village including Mrs. Hall, her husband, constable Jaffers, etc. With his criminal bent of mind, he used his invisibility for his own benefit.

Ans. To save himself from Mrs. Hall, Griffin opened up his bandages whiskers, spectacles and even nose to show that he was invisible.

Ans. Griffin found himself invisible but naked in the chill January air for the second time when two employees of the London store discovered him hiding in their store and tried to chase him. Hence, in order to protect himself, he threw away all his clothes and became invisible again.

Ans. In the shop of a theatrical company, the invisible Griffin dressed himself to become visible. He wore bandages, sunglasses, whiskers and a fake nose. Also to avoid being seen, he attacked the shopkeeper and robbed all the money that he could find.

Ans. Griffin wanted to get away from the crowded London so he took a train to the village of Iping.

The arrival of a stranger at an inn in the winter was an unusual event for the villagers and his appearance was also uncommon. Thus, all the people started wagging their tongues.

Ans. The invisible man first became visible after he had stepped on mud which made his footprints visible on the steps of a house in London. These footprints were noticed by two boys who followed them till they disappeared.

Ans. He was wandering down the streets because he had set his landlord’s house on fire to take his revenge for trying to evict him. Now, he had nowhere to go and no money thus becoming a homeless person. He wandered around the streets of London in the chilly weather.

Ans. Mrs. Hall found the scientist eccentric because of his strange behaviour. When she tried to be friendly with him, he rejected her by telling her that he had come there for peace and did not want to be disturbed in his work.

Ans. The curious episode occurred in the study of the clergyman’s house. One day, very early in the morning, the clergyman and his wife heard noises coming from their study. They heard the sound of money being taken. However, when they entered the study, nobody could be found but the money was stolen.

Ans. Many extraordinary things happened at the inn with Mrs. Hall and her husband. One day early in the morning, they found the scientist’s door to be open and went inside while there was nobody in the room.

Suddenly, Mrs. Hall heard a sniff. Soon, a hat that was kept on the bedpost was thrown on her face. Then, a chair was thrown at her legs and it pushed both Mrs. Hall and her husband out of the room. This made Mrs. Hall think that the furniture was haunted.

Ans. Griffin was a brilliant and competent scientist. He discovered that the human body could become invisible and transparent as a result of long and constant experimentation. However, he was a lawless person. He misused his invisibility only for his personal gains. He committed thefts and beat innocent persons for his own benefits.

His great discovery could have made him popular and respectable. But he degenerated into a criminal. He became a disaster for himself as well as society. He lacked respect for humanity and as a consequence became a homeless wanderer without any clothes or money.

As a result, his great discovery is reduced to nothing. His greatness and brillance was lost with his criminal activities which not only included thefts but also material damage. His condition was such that he had to wander without clothes in middle of winter. In other words, instead of any popularity and respect, his great discovery brought him disrepute and dishonour.

Ans. Griffin decided to slip into a big London store to get warmth. It was mid-winter season and the weather was chilly. Hence, it became difficult for him to wander around without clothes in London.

As the door of the big London store shut, Griffin enjoyed the clothing and food of the store without regarding the expense. He took warm clothes, shoes, an overcoat and a wide-brimmed hat. After that, he enjoyed cold meat, coffee, sweets and wine. Finally, he settled down to sleep on a pile of quilts. Thus, he enjoyed in the big London store.

Ans. Griffin was a brilliant scientist. His great capabilities come forward when he continuously conducts experiments to prove that the human body can become invisible. After a lot of efforts, he proves so by making himself invisible. However, his greatness is reduced because of his lawless actions. This discovery could have been used to benefit the socięty but is only used by him for his own benefit.

As a result, his great discovery is reduced to nothing. His greatness and brillance was lost with his criminal activities which not only included thefts but also material damage. His condition was such that he had to wander without clothes in middle of winter. In other words, instead of any popularity and respect, his great discovery brought him disrepute and dishonour.

Ans. Griffin was a brilliant and competent scientist. He discovered that the human body could become invisible and transparent as a result of long and constant experimentation. However, he was a lawless person. He misused his invisibility only for his personal gains. He committed thefts and beat innocent people for his own benefits.

His great discovery could have made him popular and respectable. But he degenerated himself into a criminal. He became a disaster for himself as well as society. He lacked respect for humanity and as a consequence became a homeless wanderer without any clothes or money.

As a result, Griffin’s great discovery is reduced to nothing. His greatness and brillance was lost with his criminal activities which not only included thefts but also material damage. His condition was such that he had to wander without clothes in middle of winter. In other words, instead of any popularity and respect, his great discovery brought him disrepute and dishonour.