Part C — Supplementary Reading
Chapter 2: A Chameleon
Class 12 General English | PSEB | A Rainbow of English
Author: Anton Chekhov
1. Introduction and Summary
“A Chameleon” is a satirical short story by the Russian writer Anton Chekhov. It exposes the hypocrisy, cowardice and opportunism of people who change their opinions according to the social status of others.
The story takes place in a marketplace. Police Superintendent Otchumyelov is walking through the square when he notices a crowd gathered near a timber-yard. A man named Hryukin, a goldsmith, is holding up his bleeding finger and complaining that a small dog has bitten him. The frightened dog is surrounded by the crowd.
At first, Otchumyelov supports Hryukin and orders that the dog’s owner should be punished. He also declares that the dog must be destroyed. However, when someone suggests that the dog might belong to General Zhigalov, he immediately changes his attitude. He begins defending the dog and blames Hryukin for provoking it.
As the crowd provides conflicting information about the dog’s owner, Otchumyelov repeatedly changes his opinion. Whenever he believes the dog belongs to the General, he praises it and criticises Hryukin. Whenever he thinks it belongs to someone less powerful, he condemns it and demands punishment.
Finally, Prohor, the General’s cook, arrives and explains that the dog belongs to the General’s brother, Vladimir Ivanitch, who has recently arrived for a visit. Otchumyelov becomes delighted, praises the dog and allows Prohor to take it away. The crowd laughs at Hryukin, while Otchumyelov threatens him and walks away.
The story’s title refers to a chameleon, an animal known for changing its colour. Otchumyelov behaves in a similar way: he changes his opinions according to the identity and influence of the dog’s owner. Through humour and irony, Chekhov criticises people who sacrifice honesty and justice to please the powerful.
2. Short-Answer Type Questions
Q1. Where was the police superintendent Otchumyelov walking? What was he carrying under his arm?
Answer: Otchumyelov was walking across the marketplace or square. He was carrying a parcel under his arm.
Q2. Who was walking after him?
Answer: A red-haired policeman was walking behind Otchumyelov.
Q3. What was the red-haired policeman carrying in his hands?
Answer: The red-haired policeman was carrying a sieve filled with confiscated gooseberries.
Q4. Who was chasing the dog?
Answer: Hryukin, the goldsmith, was chasing the dog.
Q5. Why was Hryukin chasing the dog?
Answer: Hryukin was chasing the dog because it had bitten his finger. He wanted to complain about the incident and demand compensation for his injury.
Q6. What was Hryukin wearing?
Answer: Hryukin was wearing an unbuttoned waistcoat.
Q7. What did Hryukin display to the crowd?
Answer: Hryukin displayed his bleeding finger to the crowd to show that the dog had bitten him.
Q8. How was Hryukin’s bleeding finger a flag of victory?
Answer: Hryukin held up his bleeding finger like a flag of victory to show the crowd that he had been bitten and believed he had a strong case against the dog’s owner. He expected to receive compensation for his injury.
Q9. Why did Hryukin think that he must have damages?
Answer: Hryukin believed he deserved compensation because the dog had bitten his finger and might prevent him from working for a week. As a working man, he feared that the injury would affect his livelihood.
Q10. What was Otchumyelov’s first reaction to Hryukin’s complaint?
Answer: Otchumyelov reacted sternly. He said that the dog’s owner should be punished for allowing it to roam freely and ordered that the dog be destroyed. He also instructed the policeman to investigate the matter and prepare a report.
Q11. Why did Otchumyelov later refuse to take any action against the owner of the dog?
Answer: Otchumyelov changed his attitude when someone suggested that the dog might belong to General Zhigalov. Fearing that action against the dog might offend the influential General, he began defending the animal and blaming Hryukin instead.
Q12. What was the police superintendent’s opinion about the dog bite when he came to know that it was the General’s dog?
Answer: When Otchumyelov believed the dog belonged to General Zhigalov, he treated it as a valuable and delicate animal. He suggested that Hryukin must have provoked it and that the dog could not have bitten him without a reason.
Q13. What did the policeman tell the superintendent about the General’s dog?
Answer: The policeman told Otchumyelov that the General did not own a dog of that kind and that his dogs were mostly setters. This information made Otchumyelov reconsider his opinion.
Q14. Who was Prohor?
Answer: Prohor was the cook of General Zhigalov.
Q15. What information did Prohor give about the dog?
Answer: Prohor explained that the dog did not belong to General Zhigalov himself. It belonged to the General’s brother, Vladimir Ivanitch, who had arrived the previous day. Prohor also said that the General’s brother was fond of dogs.
Q16. Why did the crowd laugh at Hryukin at the end of the story?
Answer: The crowd laughed at Hryukin because Otchumyelov had turned against him and allowed the dog to be taken away. Hryukin’s complaint was dismissed, and he was left humiliated. The crowd found his defeat amusing, especially after witnessing Otchumyelov’s repeated changes of attitude.
3. Long-Answer Type Questions
Q1. Give a brief character-sketch of Otchumyelov.
Answer:
Otchumyelov is the central character of Anton Chekhov’s short story “A Chameleon.” He is a police superintendent whose changing opinions reveal his hypocrisy, cowardice and desire to please influential people.
1. An opportunist: Otchumyelov changes his decisions according to the identity of the dog’s owner. He is ready to punish the animal when he thinks its owner is an ordinary person, but he protects it when he suspects that it belongs to General Zhigalov.
2. Hypocritical: He does not follow one consistent principle of justice. Instead, he adjusts his opinions to suit the circumstances and protect his own position.
3. Afraid of powerful people: Otchumyelov is unwilling to take action that might offend the General. His fear of authority influences his judgement more than the facts of the case.
4. Unjust: At first, he appears to support Hryukin’s complaint. Later, he blames Hryukin without establishing the facts. His decisions depend on the owner’s social position rather than on fairness.
5. Changeable in behaviour: Like a chameleon that changes its colour, Otchumyelov repeatedly changes his attitude as new information about the dog is presented.
6. Concerned with appearances: He speaks in an authoritative manner and threatens punishment, but his actions reveal that his authority is not guided by integrity.
7. Servile towards the influential: When he learns that the dog belongs to the General’s brother, he becomes friendly towards the animal and praises it. He wants to remain on good terms with the powerful family.
8. A symbol of corrupt authority: Otchumyelov represents officials who misuse their positions and abandon fairness to please those above them.
Conclusion: Otchumyelov is a hypocritical and opportunistic official who values influence over justice. Through his character, Chekhov exposes the weakness and corruption of people who change their principles to suit the powerful.
Q2. Give a brief character-sketch of Hryukin.
Answer:
Hryukin is a goldsmith who becomes the centre of a public dispute after a small dog bites his finger. His behaviour and treatment by Otchumyelov reveal the unfairness of a society in which justice depends on social influence.
1. A working man: Hryukin describes himself as a working man who earns his living through his trade. He is concerned that an injured finger may prevent him from working.
2. Injured and angry: After the dog bites him, Hryukin displays his bleeding finger to the crowd. He wants people to recognise his injury and support his complaint.
3. Demands compensation: He believes he deserves damages because the bite may affect his ability to work for several days.
4. Seeks official support: Hryukin appeals to Otchumyelov and expects the police superintendent to investigate the incident and punish the dog’s owner.
5. Argumentative: Hryukin argues that he should not have to tolerate being bitten by an animal. He insists that the matter should be dealt with according to the law.
6. Self-interested: His main concern is his injury and the compensation he believes he deserves. He repeatedly stresses the possible effect of the bite on his work.
7. A victim of injustice: Although he has a bleeding finger, his complaint loses importance when Otchumyelov suspects that the dog belongs to General Zhigalov.
8. Humiliated at the end: When the dog is taken away and Otchumyelov threatens Hryukin, the crowd laughs at him. He becomes the victim of an authority that values social position more than fairness.
Conclusion: Hryukin is a working man who seeks compensation for an injury but is ultimately humiliated by an unjust official. His experience reveals how ordinary people can suffer when those in authority abandon impartiality.
Q3. Why did Otchumyelov’s statements keep changing regarding Hryukin’s complaint?
Answer:
Otchumyelov’s statements keep changing because he is more concerned about the social status of the dog’s owner than about finding out the truth. His behaviour exposes his hypocrisy and fear of powerful people.
1. Initial support for Hryukin: When Otchumyelov first hears the complaint, he becomes stern and orders the dog to be destroyed. He also demands that its owner be punished for allowing it to roam freely.
2. Suspicion that the dog belongs to the General: Someone suggests that the dog might belong to General Zhigalov. Otchumyelov immediately changes his attitude because he does not want to offend the General.
3. Defence of the dog: He begins describing the dog as a delicate and valuable creature. He suggests that Hryukin may have provoked it and that the animal could not have bitten him without a reason.
4. Information from the policeman: The policeman says that the General’s dogs are mostly setters and that this small dog does not look like one of them. Otchumyelov again changes his opinion and demands that the dog be punished.
5. Another change of opinion: When someone suggests that the dog might still belong to the General, Otchumyelov once again becomes cautious. He continues to change his statements whenever the information about the owner changes.
6. Arrival of Prohor: Prohor, the General’s cook, explains that the dog belongs to the General’s brother, Vladimir Ivanitch. Otchumyelov becomes delighted and praises the dog.
7. Fear and self-interest: Throughout the incident, Otchumyelov avoids taking a position that could harm his relationship with the influential General’s family. His decisions are guided by personal advantage rather than justice.
8. Lack of integrity: The repeated changes show that Otchumyelov has no firm principles. He does not carefully investigate the complaint or treat the people involved equally.
Conclusion: Otchumyelov’s statements change because he is a chameleon-like official who adjusts his opinions to suit the power and influence of the dog’s owner. Chekhov uses this behaviour to criticise hypocrisy and the misuse of authority.
Q4. Otchumyelov took off or put on his coat with every new statement. What does this show?
Answer:
Otchumyelov’s repeated actions of putting on and taking off his coat symbolise his changing opinions and uncertain attitude. The physical action reflects his inability to remain firm in his judgement.
1. A sign of changing opinions: Each time new information about the dog’s owner emerges, Otchumyelov changes his position. His changing coat becomes a visible symbol of his changing statements.
2. Nervousness and discomfort: When he suspects that the dog may belong to General Zhigalov, he becomes uneasy. His behaviour suggests that he is worried about the consequences of offending an influential person.
3. Fear of authority: Otchumyelov is afraid that taking action against the General’s dog could create trouble for him. His concern for his own position influences his decisions.
4. Lack of consistency: A responsible official should examine the facts and make a fair decision. Otchumyelov does the opposite: he repeatedly changes his opinion according to the information provided by the crowd.
5. Symbol of hypocrisy: The coat becomes a symbol of his opportunism. Just as he changes what he wears, he changes his public attitude to protect himself.
6. Comic effect: The repeated action also makes the story humorous. Readers can see the absurdity of an official whose decisions change whenever someone mentions a different possible owner.
7. Connection with the title: A chameleon changes its colour to suit its surroundings. Otchumyelov similarly changes his opinions to suit the social position of the person involved.
Conclusion: Otchumyelov’s changing coat symbolises his instability, fear and hypocrisy. It reinforces the story’s criticism of officials who abandon justice in order to please powerful people.
Q5. Justify the title of the story “A Chameleon”.
Answer:
The title “A Chameleon” is appropriate because Otchumyelov behaves like a chameleon. A chameleon is known for changing its colour, while Otchumyelov repeatedly changes his opinions and behaviour according to the identity of the dog’s owner.
1. The literal meaning of a chameleon: A chameleon is an animal associated with changing colour. The word is also used figuratively to describe a person who changes attitudes or opinions to suit circumstances.
2. Otchumyelov’s first reaction: When he hears that a dog has bitten Hryukin, he orders that the dog be destroyed and its owner punished.
3. His attitude changes: When someone suggests that the dog might belong to General Zhigalov, Otchumyelov immediately begins defending it.
4. Changes with new information: When the policeman says the dog is unlikely to be the General’s, Otchumyelov again condemns it. When the possibility of the General’s ownership is raised once more, he changes his attitude again.
5. The role of Prohor: Prohor finally explains that the dog belongs to the General’s brother. Otchumyelov becomes cheerful and praises the dog instead of punishing it.
6. Fear of powerful people: Otchumyelov’s changes are driven by his fear of offending the influential family. He cares more about social status than about the truth.
7. Symbol of hypocrisy: Like a chameleon, he adapts his outward behaviour to suit the situation. His changing opinions reveal his lack of integrity and fairness.
8. Satirical purpose: Chekhov uses humour to criticise officials who abuse their authority and treat people differently according to their connections and influence.
Conclusion: The title “A Chameleon” perfectly describes Otchumyelov’s changeable and opportunistic behaviour. It highlights the story’s central criticism of hypocrisy, cowardice and injustice in society.
4. Important Points for Revision
- Author: Anton Chekhov.
- Main character: Otchumyelov, the police superintendent.
- Hryukin: A goldsmith whose finger is bitten by a dog.
- The incident: A crowd gathers in a marketplace after the dog bites Hryukin.
- The dog: A small white puppy with a sharp muzzle and a yellow patch on its back.
- General Zhigalov: The influential person whose possible ownership of the dog changes Otchumyelov’s attitude.
- Prohor: The General’s cook, who explains that the dog belongs to the General’s brother, Vladimir Ivanitch.
- Main conflict: Hryukin demands compensation, but Otchumyelov changes his decisions according to the dog’s supposed owner.
- Symbolism: The changing coat reflects Otchumyelov’s changing opinions.
- Meaning of the title: “A Chameleon” describes a person who changes attitudes to suit circumstances.
- Main themes: Hypocrisy, opportunism, social inequality, abuse of authority and the failure of justice.
Exam preparation tip: For long answers, explain Otchumyelov’s changing reactions in sequence. Use the changing identity of the dog’s owner to show how his decisions depend on social influence rather than fairness.