NCERT Solutions for Class 10 English Chapter 5 The Hundred Dresses I

Short Note:

• Wanda Petronski is a poor Polish girl who is mocked by her classmates, especially Peggy and Maddie, for claiming to own a hundred dresses despite always wearing the same faded blue dress to school.

• Wanda's classmates tease her daily by asking about her hundred dresses, not realising or caring how deeply their teasing hurts her, while Maddie, though uncomfortable, does not intervene out of fear of losing her own social position.

• One day, Wanda and her family suddenly move away, and the class later learns through a letter that Wanda's claim about a hundred dresses referred to a hundred beautifully drawn dress designs she had created herself, not actual dresses.

Short Note:

• Wanda Petronski: A quiet, poor girl who endures teasing with dignity, revealing hidden artistic talent and imagination that her classmates never bothered to discover.

• Peggy: A popular, somewhat thoughtless girl who leads the teasing of Wanda without fully realising the emotional harm she causes.

• Maddie: Peggy's friend who feels increasing guilt over her silence and failure to stand up for Wanda, torn between loyalty to her friend and her own conscience.

Short Note:

• The story addresses the themes of bullying, social class discrimination, and the importance of standing up against injustice rather than remaining a silent bystander.

• It teaches readers about empathy, the danger of judging others based on appearance or economic status, and the lasting impact that unkind words can have on another person.