- P.G. Wodehouse was a renowned British-American novelist, playwright, and lyricist best known for his fictional characters Bertie Wooster and Jeeves. - His story "Keeping It From Harold" is about a 10-year-old boy named Harold whose parents try to keep it a secret that his father is a boxer, fearing it may hurt Harold's sensitive mind. - However, Harold discovers the secret and is upset not because his parents lied, but because he couldn't take pride in his father's profession as a well-known boxer.

2. Writer P.G. Wodehouse
• Full name :- Sir Pelham Grenville
Wodehouse
• Born on 15 October 1881
• Nationality :- British, American
• Career :- Novelist, Playwright
and Lyricist
• Died On :- 14 February, 1975

3. •
Nicknamed as “Plum” Wodehouse, this
legendary comic novelist is most famous for his
fictional characters of Bertie Wooster and his
unflappable valet Jeeves.
•
Apart from the various eminent works
of fiction, Wodehouse had been successful in earning
recognition as a lyricist by largely contributing to
various musicals in collaboration with Jerome Kern.
With as many as 200 novels, 15 plays, 250 lyrics, 30
musical comedies and numerous short stories under his
kitty.

5. Introduction
P.G. Wodehouse’s “Keeping It From
Harold” is an interesting story that
highlights the psychology of a ten-year
old boy called Harold and his parents
who feel their child is a “prodigy” and
don’t want him to know that his father
is boxer, fearing it would hurt his
sensitive mind. However, the child has
normal interest in sports specially
boxing.

6. Incidentally, the “Young Porky” (public
name of his father as a boxer) is his
favourite boxer. The story narrates
how in spite of their best efforts, the
boy gets to know of the secret and
feels hut and cheated not because, his
parents had lied to him but because he
could not take due pride in his father
being a well-known Boxer…

7. Theme…
The story is built around the theme of
differences in the view points of
parents and their children. Most
parents unnecessarily worry about the
growth and development of their child
and go all lengths to ensure that their
child does not have to face anything
bad, objectionable or hurtful life.

8. They keep worrying themselves to
death as, to what is appropriate for
their child to learn and know about.
Although they would want him/her to
be truthful, they do not mind telling
lies themselves to closely guard certain
‘secrets’ they think their child must
not know. In doing so, they often end
up teaching their child wrong values or
depriving him/her of something he/she

9. Might have reasons to be proud of. In
short, the story suggests that children
must be allowed to grow up as naturally
as possible and should be told that
there is nothing undignified about
their parents profession or economic
status. Besides excellence in
academics, a lot of self-esteem should
be instilled into them.

11. • Mr. and Mrs. Bramble
were immensely proud
of their son, Harold,
10 year old an
exceptional child.
• Very classy so
superior that even his
parent develop a
complex.
• Mr. Bramble, his
father - a
professional boxer
kept this secret ever
since Harold was born.

12. • Harold was told that his
father was commercial
traveler.
• His parents little afraid
of their son and did not
wish to fall in his
esteem.
• Mr. Bramble decide to
have his last boxing
match and then retired.
• One day in Harold’s
absence Mr. Bramble and
Major Percy stokesBrother of Mr. Bramble
stepped in

13. • Mr. Bramble told that he
had decided not to fight
as it may lead to his son
discovering the secret.
• Mrs. Bramble found his
decision unacceptable as
he could win a fortune
which was necessary for
Harold’s education.
• Jerry Fisher – trainer –
was shocked when he
discovered that he had
decided to back out at
eleventh hour.

14. • Jerry begs and tempts
Bill but remains
unsuccessful.
• He told secret of Mr.
Bramble to Harold to
take a revenge.
• When Harold discovered
that his father was
withdrawing from his
last match’ surprised
everyone by saying he
was betting.

15. • He said that his
friends would have
been proud of him if
they would know
that his father was
a ‘Young Porky’.
• This encourage ‘Bill
and Jerry Fisher’ to
complete his
training and Harold
reverts back to
playing games.

16. IMPORTANT
CHARACTERS
OF THE CHAPTER

17. Harold
• Harold was ten years
old, a prodigy and an
exceptional child by all
standards.
• An intellectual, he won
prizes in competitions.
He was very classy and
so superior that even
his parents developed
a complex.
• Harold was a model of
excellent behavior and
he respected his
parents a lot.

18. Mr. Bill Bramble
• Mr. Bramble was a
proficient professional
boxer who was proud of
his skills and liked to be
admired and appreciated
for his technique in
boxing.
• Bill was somewhat rash
in taking his decision
and he could be easily
influenced by others.
• Bill earned a lot of name
and fame but lived with
a false identity for the
sake of Harold.

19. Mrs. Bramble
• Mrs. Bramble was a wife of
Mr. Bramble’s wife and
Harold’s wife and Harold’s
mother.
• This caring wife and doting
mother was all the time
busy in catering to the
needs of her husband and
son.
• She was a truth- loving
woman, she didn’t mind
resorting to falsehood to
save her son from the
embarrassment of being
known as a boxer’s son.

20. Now, you have
watched the full
presentation…

21. So, Answer
My
Questions

22. Read the following
extracts and
answer the
questions.

23. “You do study so hard, dearie, you’ll give
yourself a headache. Why don’t you take a nice
walk by the river for half an hour, and come
back nice and fresh?”
1. Who speaks these lines to whom?
2. What does this extract show about
the characters of the speaker and
the listener?
3. When does this conservation take
place?

24. Answers…
1. Mrs. Bramble to her son.
2. The speaker is very loving, caring
and doting mother and the listener
is a very serious and hardworking
student.
3. The conversation takes place in the
beginning of the story when Harold
was just recited the poem to his
mother.

25. I’ve never known you do such a thing. You such a
pleasure to train as a rule. It all comes of getting
with bad companions.
1. ‘I’ and ‘you’ here stand for ……
2. By ‘such a thing’ the speaker means?
3. The speaker’s expression ‘bad
companions’ obliquely refers to ……

26. Answer…
1. Jerry Fisher, the trainer and Bill
bramble, the respectively.
2. Bill Bramble’s leaving the boxing
training session at the eleventh
hour.
3. Major Percy Stokes, Bill’s Brotherin-law.

27. “How about money?” repeated Mrs. Bramble. “Goodness
knows I’ve never like your profession , but there is this
to be for it, that it’s earned you good money”
1. What Money is Mrs. Bramble is
talking about?
2. What does Mrs. Bramble not like
Bill’s profession?
3. How has Bill’s profession been useful
in a particular way?

28. Answers…
1. She is talking about the money that
boxing with Murphy would fetch Bill.
2. She doesn’t like Bill’s profession
because it was too violent to be
considered respectable.
3. The money Bill has earned from his
professional boxing has been
instrumental in funding his son,
Harold’s education.

29. Short Answer Question
1. What was the constant source of
amazement to Mrs. Bramble
regarding her son Harold?
2. What sort of relationship did the
mother and child enjoy?
3. Why was Bill and Mrs. Bramble a
little afraid of Harold?

30. THANK YOU
FOR
WATCHING…