Question

What does Jerome say was Montmorency's ambition in life? What do you think of Montmorency and why?

Answer 1

Hint: The question belongs to the chapter ‘Packing’ of class 9th English textbook. In the narrative, four characters were present. The names of the characters were Jerome (the narrator), George, Harris and a dog named Montmorency. Montmorency was a mischievous little dog who always loved to trouble others.

Complete answer:
According to Jerome, Montmorency’s ambition in life was to create disturbance for other people while they are working and be sworn at. He was a mischievous little dog who always loved to trouble others. If he can squirm in any place where he especially is not required, and be an absolute annoyance, and make people go mad, and have things thrown at his head, then he feels that his day has been utilised. His biggest aim and objective was to get somebody to stumble over him, and curse him constantly for an hour, and when he has succeeded in achieving this, his self-satisfaction gets quite unbearable.

Montmorency does not mean to create trouble intentionally. He was born with such silly characteristics or say the natural, original sin that made him do things like that. His mischievous tactics to grab attention can be compared to that of a child.

Note: The packing escapade was already an untidy task and the contribution of Montmorency made it even more tiresome. He tried his level best to be a “perfect annoyance”. Whenever the things were going to be packed, he came and sat down on them. According to Jerome, the dog believed that whenever Harris or George reached out their hand to grab something, it was his cold damp nose they wanted.