They opened the door and turned to the half-smiling half-protesting Sir Mohan – Who are referred to as they

“They opened the door and turned to the half-smiling, half-protesting Sir Mohan.”-Who are referred to as ‘they’? Why has Sir Mohan been mentioned as ‘half-smiling’ and ‘half protesting? Class 11 | English (Karma) 6 Marks

Ans:

Here, ‘they’ refers to the two British soldiers, Bill and Jim.

Sir Mohan Lal was as refined and gentlemanly in his manners, as an Englishman. He was thinking of inviting the two soldiers cordially to be his fellow passengers with a smile as there was no Englishman in his compartment to give him company. But they called him a ‘nigger’ and told him to get out of the compartment as they thought themselves to be superior to the Indians. He himself had this opinion about the Indians and always wanted to be thought of differently. But he was shown his true place in their eyes by the British soldiers. He was startled at this insult and wanted to protest, maintaining his acquired calm and composure like a well-mannered Englishman. That is why he was ‘half-smiling’ and ‘half-protesting’.