Chapter- 4.2               To Sir, with Love


Question 1: Who was Eustace Edward Ricardo Braithwaite?
Answer: Eustace Edward Ricardo Braithwaite, known as E. R. Braithwaite, was a Guyanese-born British-American novelist, writer, teacher, and diplomat.

Question 2: When was E. R. Braithwaite born and when did he pass away?
Answer: He was born on 27th January 1912 and passed away on 12th December 2016.

Question 3: For what kind of stories is Braithwaite best known?
Answer: He is best known for stories about social conditions and racial discrimination against black people.

Question 4: What is the title of Braithwaite’s famous 1959 novel?
Answer: To Sir, with Love is his famous 1959 autobiographical novel.

Question 5: Name other works by Braithwaite.
Answer: Other works include A Kind of Homecoming, A Choice of Straws, and Reluctant Neighbors.

Question 6: What themes do Braithwaite’s writings generally deal with?
Answer: His writings deal with the difficulties of being an educated black man, a black social worker, a black teacher, and challenges in inhumane circumstances.

Question 7: What is the profession of the narrator in To Sir, with Love?
Answer: The narrator is an engineer.

Question 8: Why does the narrator accept a teaching job?
Answer: He accepts a teaching job to make ends meet financially.

Question 9: Where is the school located in the novel?
Answer: The school is located in the rough London East End.

Question 10: What kind of students does Braithwaite teach?
Answer: He teaches troublemaker students who had been rejected by other schools.

Question 11: How are the students’ initial reactions toward the narrator?
Answer: The students initially ridicule and bully him.

Question 12: How does the narrator earn the students’ respect?
Answer: His calm demeanor and desire to see them succeed gradually earn their respect.

Question 13: What prior profession did Braithwaite have before teaching?
Answer: He worked as an engineer in an oil refinery.

Question 14: Which military service did Braithwaite join during the war?
Answer: He served in the Royal British Air Force (R.A.F.).

Question 15: Why was Braithwaite unable to find employment after the war?
Answer: Being a black person, he faced racial discrimination and could not find employment.

Question 16: At which school was Braithwaite accepted as a teacher?
Answer: He was accepted at Greenslade School in London’s East End.

Question 17: Which classes was Braithwaite assigned to teach?
Answer: He was assigned to teach the senior classes of the school.

Question 18: How does Braithwaite expect students to behave?
Answer: He expects students to be treated as adults and respectable persons.

Question 19: How should students address their teacher according to Braithwaite?
Answer: Students should call him ‘Sir’ and refer to every girl as ‘Miss’.

Question 20: How did the students react to these rules initially?
Answer: They found the rules ridiculous and unnecessary at first.

Question 21: How did the students’ attitudes change over time?
Answer: After a few weeks, their hygiene and behavior improved, and they respected the rules.

Question 22: How did Braithwaite increase the students’ cultural exposure?
Answer: He took them on field trips and excursions to museums and theatres.

Question 23: What was surprising about these excursions?
Answer: Many students had never visited museums or theatres before.

Question 24: Who accompanied Braithwaite and the class on excursions?
Answer: A white female teacher, Gillian Blanchard, accompanied them.

Question 25: What did the excursions mark in the story?
Answer: They marked the beginning of a friendship between Braithwaite and Gillian Blanchard.

Question 26: What type of novel is To Sir, with Love?
Answer: It is an autobiographical novel.

Question 27: What is the central theme of the novel?
Answer: The novel focuses on education, racial discrimination, and personal growth.

Question 28: How does Braithwaite handle difficult students?
Answer: He handles them with patience, respect, and encouragement.

Question 29: What personal challenges did Braithwaite face in his life?
Answer: He faced racial discrimination and difficulty finding employment after the war.

Question 30: What lesson does the novel convey about teachers and students?
Answer: The novel conveys that respect, patience, and dedication can transform troubled students.

Answer by Dimpee Bora