10.(c) Mrs. Slater : Henry, why shouldn’t we bring that bureau down here now ? We could do it before they come. Henry (stupefied) : I wouldn’t care to. Mrs. Slater : Don’t look so daft. Why not ? Henry : It doesn’t seem delicate, somehow. Mrs. Slater : We could put that shabby old chest of drawers upstairs where the bureau is now. Elizabeth could have that and welcome. I’ve always wanted to get rid of it. (She points to the drawers.) (The Dear Departed) (iii) What piece of furniture does Mrs. Slater want to move upstairs ?
10.(c) Mrs. Slater : Henry, why shouldn’t we bring that bureau down here now ? We could do it before they come. Henry (stupefied) : I wouldn’t care to. Mrs. Slater : Don’t look so daft. Why not ? Henry : It doesn’t seem delicate, somehow. Mrs. Slater : We could put that shabby old chest of drawers upstairs where the bureau is now. Elizabeth could have that and welcome. I’ve always wanted to get rid of it. (She points to the drawers.) (The Dear Departed) (iii) What piece of furniture does Mrs. Slater want to move upstairs ?
Mrs. Slater wants to move the shabby old chest of drawers upstairs, into the place where the grandfather's new bureau currently stands.
Marking Scheme
- 11 mark: correctly names the 'chest of drawers' (accept 'the shabby/old chest of drawers').
- 2No mark for naming the bureau, which moves in the opposite direction (downstairs).
Hint
It is the old, worn-out item she has 'always wanted to get rid of'.
Quick Oral Answer
She wants to shift the shabby old chest of drawers upstairs so that she can bring the grandfather's valuable new bureau down into her own room.
Analysis & Explanation
This line exposes Mrs. Slater's calculating plan to swap furniture in her own favour.
Concept
- She wants the valuable new bureau (Grandfather Abel's) brought down for herself, and her own "shabby old chest of drawers" moved up in its place.
Key points
- The bureau moves DOWN; the chest of drawers moves UP.
- The chest of drawers is the specific item she wants shifted upstairs, into the bureau's old spot.
Common mistakes
- परीक्षा में सावधानी: students often confuse the two objects and name the bureau instead — remember the direction of movement carefully.
Real-world
- The furniture swap is a small but telling symbol of the family's hypocrisy and materialism around the "dead" man's belongings.
Common Mistakes
- 1Answering 'the bureau' — but the bureau is brought downstairs, not up.
- 2Missing the descriptive word 'shabby/old', which shows why she wants it out of sight.
- 3Confusing the direction of each item's movement in the swap.
Interesting Facts
A 'chest of drawers' was an everyday storage item, whereas a 'bureau' (writing desk) was a status symbol — the swap symbolises the family trading dignity for material gain.
Houghton stages the entire greedy 'furniture swap' before the second daughter arrives, heightening the comic irony when Grandfather turns out to be alive.
The word 'shabby' (worn and dingy) is Mrs. Slater's own honest verdict on her belongings, yet she has no shame in passing it to her sister's family.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Why does Mrs. Slater want to swap the furniture?
By moving her worn-out chest of drawers upstairs and bringing the grandfather's new bureau down, she cleverly acquires the valuable piece for herself while disposing of an item she has 'always wanted to get rid of' — all before her sister can claim a share.
What is the difference between a bureau and a chest of drawers?
A bureau is a superior writing desk fitted with drawers and is more valuable, while a chest of drawers is a plain storage unit. The contrast underlines Mrs. Slater's greed in grabbing the costlier item.