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Home to Heaven by Pearl S. Buck – Questions and Answers

About the Author

Pearl S. Buck was an American short story writer, poet, novelist, and playwright. She was awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1938 for her significant contributions.

About the Story

In the story Home to Heaven, Pearl S. Buck reflects on the importance of our cultural roots, including our mother tongue, personal preferences, and day-to-day life. As time passes, many of us aspire to a modern, sophisticated lifestyle, sometimes even pretending to have forgotten our heritage. We may speak foreign languages and embrace foreign customs. However, the story reminds us of the need to reconnect with our roots, speak our native language, and express our true emotions, ultimately leading to inner joy.

The themes of Home to Heaven include identity, culture, the artificial nature of modern lifestyles, and the challenges they pose. In the story, Phyllis and David Lin embark on a journey of self-discovery, realizing how they have adopted an artificial way of life. They reconnect with their culture, overcoming challenges to reclaim their true identities.

This fictional story is told from a third-person point of view.

The story’s central message encourages us not to forget our roots or our culture in the pursuit of a flashy modern life.

Characters in the Story:

  1. Mr. Fang – A leading banker in Shanghai, Mr. Fang is Phyllis’s father and Doris Li’s lover. He has a penchant for expensive things.

  2. Phyllis – The daughter of Mr. Fang, Phyllis is a schoolteacher who later develops feelings for David Lin.

  3. Doris Li – Mr. Fang’s concubine, Doris Li follows an artificial lifestyle and pretends to have forgotten her native language after living in Paris.

  4. David Lin – A young man who becomes interested in Phyllis.

Word Meanings:

  • gravely – seriously

  • concubine – mistress

  • barbarous – rude

  • amuse – entertain

  • desultorily – without interest or enthusiasm

  • pondered – thought

  • passionless – without emotion

  • approved – accepted

  • gloomily – sadly

  • seized – captured

Summary

David Lin, a young man, watches a dance in Mr. Fang’s lavish parlour in Shanghai, which is filled with expensive items and modern art. Mr. Fang is accompanied by Phyllis, his daughter, and Doris Li, his concubine. While Phyllis is tall, with a pale complexion and long, straight hair, Doris Li is an actress with a dramatic appearance. Doris Li speaks a mix of English and Chinese, pretending to have forgotten her native tongue after her time in Paris, which makes David dislike her. He finds Phyllis to be the most beautiful in the room.

David dances with several girls but feels a disconnection. When he dances with Phyllis, he notices her cold expression, which makes him question his feelings. Later, David realizes that Phyllis, like him, is uncomfortable with foreign customs. Both of them discover their shared dislike for modern ways of life and decide to reconnect with their roots. David proposes to Phyllis, and they agree to live according to their culture, free from foreign influences.

Multiple Choice Questions

  1. Pearl S. Buck is a _______ novelist.
    a) American b) Italian c) African d) Irish

  2. David is tired of _______ faces.
    a) boys’ b) girls’ c) actresses’ d) actors’

  3. How did Mr. Fang’s mistress look?
    a) Mr. Fang’s mistress looked like an actress.
    b) Mr. Fang’s mistress looked like a bamboo tree.
    c) Mr. Fang’s mistress looked like a queen.
    d) Mr. Fang’s mistress looked like an independent country.

  4. Phyllis looked like —
    a) an actress b) bamboo c) an anchor d) a beautiful lady

  5. Who said they would never wear leather shoes again?
    a) Phyllis b) Doris Li c) Mr. Fang d) Jerry

  6. Pearl S. Buck received the Nobel Prize in —
    a) 1900 b) 1938 c) 1825 d) 1854

  7. _______ presented Phyllis with a five-pound box of foreign chocolates.
    a) David b) Doris Li c) Mr. Fang d) An actress

  8. The word ‘perverted’ means —
    a) moral b) immoral c) active d) smart

  9. David worked as —
    a) a dentist b) a teacher in a school c) a manager in his father’s printing house d) a guide

  10. The language David secretly liked was —
    a) English b) Chinese c) Hindi d) French

Short Answer Type Questions

  1. Who was Mr. Fang?

    Ans: Mr. Fang was one of the leading bankers in the city of Shanghai.

  2. In which language would Doris Li chatter?

    Ans: Doris Li would chatter in a barbarous mixture of English and Chinese.

  3. Why did Phyllis come to her home?

    Ans: Phyllis came home to spend the spring holidays.

  4. Where did David work?

    Ans: David worked as a manager in his father’s printing house.

  5. Where did Phyllis work and why?

    Ans: Phyllis worked in a school to entertain herself.

  6. What language did David like the best?

    Ans: David liked Chinese very much.

  7. Name Mr. Fang’s daughter and mistress.

    Ans: Mr. Fang’s daughter is Phyllis, and his mistress is Doris Li.

  8. What are the true names of David and Phyllis, and what do their names mean?

    Ans: The true name of David is Yung An, which means Brave Peace, and the true name of Phyllis is Ming Shing, which means Shining Heart.

  9. “He danced desultorily in the afternoon with several girls.” What does ‘desultorily’ mean?

    Ans: The word ‘desultorily’ means without enthusiasm.

  10. Where did Phyllis work?

Ans: Phyllis worked in a school.

  1. Who had David decided earlier in the evening was the prettiest girl in the room?

Ans: David had decided that Phyllis was the prettiest girl in the room.

  1. When did David feel interested in Phyllis for the first time?

Ans: David felt interested in Phyllis for the first time when he came to know that she worked in a school to amuse herself, as told by Mr. Fang.

  1. What had David been planning for some ten minutes?

Ans: For about ten minutes, David had been planning to go and ask Phyllis to dance with him.

  1. When did Pearl S. Buck receive the Nobel Prize in Literature?

Ans: Pearl S. Buck received the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1938.

  1. Who accompanied Mr. Fang?

Ans: Mr. Fang was accompanied by two ladies: his daughter, Phyllis, and his latest concubine, Doris Li.

Long Answer Type Questions

  • What way did David use to express his love for Phyllis at the beginning?

    Ans: David used all the modern ways he could to express his love for Phyllis. He took her everywhere—to dance, to the theatre. He held her hand, seized her by the shoulders, and would have kissed her, using these gestures as techniques of love.

  • What did David realize about his love for Phyllis? What modern techniques did Phyllis not like?

    Ans: David realized that he had never truly been close to Phyllis. All the foreign words he had used and the modern techniques he employed to show his love had actually pushed them further apart. He realized that he should have spoken Chinese, which was their native language, and followed their own culture instead of relying on Western customs.

    Phyllis did not like dancing or eating foreign sweets. She did not like kissing either, as it made her feel ill to have anyone’s lips upon her face or hand.

  • Who was the prettiest girl in the room according to David Lin? How did she look?

    Ans: According to David Lin, Phyllis was the prettiest girl in the room.

    She resembled bamboo—tall, almost as tall as David, who wore a soft green long robe. She had not painted her face; her hair was long, straight, black, and curled, drawn back from her face into a firm knot on her neck.

  • Who was Doris Li? Why did David hate Doris Li?

    Ans: Doris Li was Mr. Fang’s latest concubine and a young actress.

    Doris Li had an artificial appearance. She moved her body dramatically, and her hair flared out from her too-pink, rounded face, which was painted and powdered. She pretended that she had forgotten how to speak her language because she had been in Paris for a long time. This pretentiousness and foreign affectations made David dislike her.

  • “This was how she truly was, this lovely natural creature.” How did David and Phyllis rediscover themselves at the end of the story? Or, what did Phyllis decide at the end of the story Home to Heaven?

    Ans: The day before Phyllis left for school, she and David rediscovered each other while dancing together at the Casino. They shared how they both disliked the modern way of dancing, foreign words, foreign sweets, and the foreign customs they had been using to express their love. They discussed how these things had pushed them apart. They shared their real names, and Phyllis decided that they would speak their mother tongue, discard their foreign garments, and wear their traditional robes again. They would return to old, comfortable ways. Phyllis decided she would smoke a water pipe, avoid eating butter or any foreign foods, and their table would always be set with bowls and chopsticks. Phyllis would have a house with courts and no stairs, and they would have many children.

  • Why do you think Phyllis and David Lin were never near to each other?

    Ans: Phyllis and David Lin were never truly close because their relationship was built on superficial and modern techniques of love. David’s use of foreign words and gestures, like dancing and kissing, pushed them apart instead of bringing them closer. They failed to communicate authentically and had little understanding of each other’s cultural values and personal preferences. The absence of genuine connection and reliance on Western customs instead of their native culture created a barrier that prevented closeness.

  • How does P. S. Buck show the need to go back to one’s roots in ‘Home to Heaven’?

    Ans: In Home to Heaven, P. S. Buck emphasizes the importance of returning to one’s roots through Phyllis and David’s rediscovery of their cultural heritage. After engaging in foreign customs, they realize that their true selves can only be expressed in their native language and traditional ways. Phyllis decides to discard modern garments and embrace the familiar comforts of their old lifestyle, symbolizing a return to simplicity and cultural authenticity, which ultimately brings them closer.

  • Justify the title ‘Home to Heaven’.

    Ans: The title Home to Heaven is symbolic of the journey back to simplicity, cultural heritage, and authenticity. The title reflects the sense of peace and fulfillment that Phyllis and David experience once they decide to abandon foreign influences and return to their roots. For Phyllis, it represents a place of comfort, stability, and happiness, where she can live according to traditional customs, free from the complexities and pretensions of modern life. Thus, “Home” becomes a metaphor for heavenly contentment.

  • “This was how she truly was, this lovely natural creature…” – How did David and Phyllis rediscover themselves at the end of the story Home to Heaven?

    Ans: At the end of Home to Heaven, David and Phyllis rediscovered each other by reconnecting with their true cultural selves. Through their conversation and shared experiences, they both realized that the modern ways of expressing love and affection had driven them apart. They chose to speak their native language, embrace their traditional clothing, and return to familiar practices. This rediscovery allowed them to understand each other more deeply and led them to decide to live authentically according to their cultural values.

  • What was the manner of Old Fang’s dance at the end of the program? How were the two ladies accompanying Mr. Fang different from each other?

    Ans: Old Fang’s dance at the end of the program was graceful and composed, embodying a traditional and dignified style. Unlike the modern, flamboyant performances of the other dancers, Old Fang’s movements reflected his deep connection to his cultural heritage. The two ladies accompanying Mr. Fang were very different in appearance and behavior. One lady was delicate and demure, embodying traditional values, while the other had a more artificial and exaggerated persona, reflecting Western influences.

    Textual Grammar

    a) Replace the underlined group verb with a suitable verb:

    1. I will take off these foreign garments.

      • Ans: I will remove these foreign garments.

    2. She was forever putting out her hand.

      • Ans: She was forever offering her hand.

    b) Replace the underlined verb with a phrasal verb:

    1. He seized his concubine and they were off.

      • Ans: He caught hold of his concubine and they were off.

    2. I will never wear leather shoes again.

      • Ans: I will never put on leather shoes again.

    3. She dropped her hand.

      • Ans: She brought down her hand.

    4. If I refused, you might not come again.

      • Ans: If I turned down your offer, you might not come again.

    5. The tea ended and people began to depart.

      • Ans: The tea ended and people began to take off.

    6. Mr. Fang would not tolerate anything that was not rich and expensive.

      • Ans: Mr. Fang would not put up with anything that was not rich and expensive.

    c) Change the voice:

    1. He could hear her voice.

      • Ans: Her voice could be heard by him.

    2. Her face was not painted.

      • Ans: Someone did not paint her face.

    3. He shouted at the musicians.

      • Ans: The musicians were shouted at by him.

    4. Do you truly like this?

      • Ans: Is this liked by you truly?

    5. Play three more numbers.

      • Ans: Let three more numbers be played.

    6. Words and touch only were pushing them apart.

      • Ans: They were being pushed apart by only words and touch.

    7. He loved her more all the time.

      • Ans: She was loved by him more all the time.

    d) Change to present perfect tense:

    • Mr. Fang was watching the young people dance.

      • Ans: Mr. Fang has watched the young people dance.

e) Do as directed:

  1. Mr. Fang sat now watching the young people dance. (split into two simple sentences)

    • Ans: Mr. Fang sat. He watched the young people dance.

  2. The tea ended and people began to go away. (Rewrite this sentence using gerund)

    • Ans: The tea ended with people beginning to go away.

  3. He could not break away from this barrier of modern technique. (Change into a complex sentence using relative clause)

    • Ans: He could not break away from this barrier that was created by modern technique.

  4. She looked like an actress. (Change into a complex sentence)

    • Ans: She looked like an actress who had been trained for the stage.

  5. She does not make enough money for me to be proud of her. (Rewrite using Past Perfect Tense)

    • Ans: She did not make enough money for me to have been proud of her.

  6. It’s good to get a good partner. (Rewrite using participle)

    • Ans: It’s good to have a good partner.

  7. He could speak Jargon. (Change the voice)

    • Ans: Jargon could be spoken by him.

  8. Did her face fall a little? (Change into an assertive sentence)

    • Ans: Her face did fall a little.

  9. He loved dancing, bounding about the room like a huge balloon in his floating silk robes. (Rewrite this sentence using infinitive)

    • Ans: He loved dancing, to bound about the room like a huge balloon in his floating silk robes.

  10. She came laughing. (Underline the participle)

    • Ans: She came laughing.

  11. She said in a pleasant voice. (Split into two simple sentences)

    • Ans: She said. Her voice was pleasant.

  12. He said, “Play three more numbers and you shall have a double tip!” (Change the narration)

    • Ans: He asked them to play three more numbers and said that they would receive a double tip.

Disclaimer: This content is created solely for educational and informational purposes. It draws upon publicly available educational materials, literary texts, and the author’s own interpretation. All summaries, analyses, and explanations are original and intended to support learning. No copyright infringement is intended.