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A Dog Named Duke - Study MaterialShort SummaryIn 1953, Chuck Hooper was a hard working zonalsales manager of a chemical company.He was altogether a blessed man with his blondewife Marcy, his achievements in football and withhis love Duke. Suddenly one day fate played abrutal turn with him – Chuck was hospitalizedfollowing a car accident.A note on DukeDuke was a rough-playing Doberman Pinscher, fouryear old, 23 kilos. His coat was red with a fawnvest. Chuck Hooper had doubts at first aboutbuying him because his wife, Marcy, was not reallya dog lover. She’s a tiny blonde; Pomeranian washer idea of the right-size dog for a colonial house ona small plot. This Duke needed a hectare. ChuckDoberman Pinschervisited Duke at the kennel several times before hemade up his mind. After about three months, he decided he had to have the big Doberman.Duke’s appeal for Chuck was his rambunctiousness. It took a long time before Marcy wasmore than polite to the dog.1953 Autumn – AccidentDuke taken to a neighbor’s kennelChuck on critical list for a MonthOn wheelchair after 1.5 monthsMarch 1954 – Discharged from the hospitalDuke brought home from the neighbor’s kennelDuke inspires Chuck to walkDuke starts training ChuckDay One – One stepDay Two – Four StepsSecond week – Reached the porchMid April, 1954 – Training in front of the houseJune 1 – Reached far awayJanuary 4, 1955 – Chuck visits the local office and resumes his job. 1 hour a day.March 1, 1955 – Joins the company for full day work.April 1, 1956 – Regional manager of four states.Shift to a new town.October 12, 1957 – Duke killed in a motor accidentExcel Classes : Arvind Vihar, Baghmugalia, BhopalDownloaded from: www.excelclassesbhopal.weebly.comSuggestions to : excelclassesbhopal@gmail.com ; 94243 65475Page 1

Excel Classes – A Dog named DukeQuestion & AnswersQ.1. How well did Chuck Hopper’s life go before he met with the accident?Ans. Before he met with the accident, Chuck was a successful man. Being a veryhardworking man with precisely set goals in life, Chuck was already a zonal manager for afamous chemical company. With his wife Marcy and his pet and friend Duke, a Doberman,Chuck was a happy man in all sense.Q.2. Explain the nature of the accident that crippled Chuck Hooper and his risingprosperity.Ans. One autumn twilight, a car suddenly stopped in front Chuck Hooper’s car and left himwith a subdural hemorrhage in his brain’s motor section and paralyzed his left side,entirely including his left arm and left leg.Q.3. How did Duke survive while Chuck was in the hospital?Ans. Duke was taken to a neighbor’s kennel and he remained there till Chuck’s return.Q.4. Describe Chuck’s making his first step after the accident.Ans. With Marcy by the side, Duke’s leash in his paralyzed hand, and Duke prancing,Chuck fought for balance. He moved his right leg out in front and then, straightening hisright leg he made the left drag forward alongside the right and made his first step.Q.5. Do you think that Marcy’s presence and support encouraged Chuck Hooper in thecomeback? Support your answer with instances from the story.Ans. Unfortunately Chuck’s wife Marcy presents a sad picture of a wife. Though dedicatedand sincere towards her family and husband, she failed to encourage Chuck in hiscomeback. She was silent and sad which in turn created a feeling of loss, despair and doomin the family. If she were cheerful in spite of the sad turn of events, Chuck could haveresurrected earlier and faster from his paralysis.Q.6. Why was Hooper much undecided about bringing Duke home?Ans. Hooper had great love for Duke and he wished to bring the big dog home on meetinghim the first time at the pet shop but because Marcy didn’t like big dogs, he was quiteundecided about bringing Duke home.Q.7. What immediate impression did Chuck receive when he moved to the new place?Ans. When Chuck and family moved home to a new locality, people saw him being trainedby Duke. Not knowing anything about Chuck’s accident and the consequent incidents,seeing the authoritative expressions that Duke had about his behavior, the neighbors sawthat it was the dog who owned the man.Q.8. “Back in the company’s headquarters Chuck’s move presented problems.” What movedid Chuck make? Why was it a matter of grave concern at the headquarters?Ans. The chemical company that Chuck had been working for before the accident faced atough situation as to reappoint a semi lame man as a traveling business executive. On oneside the company was not in any position to deny his appointment while on the other handthe company was not convinced about Chuck’s health.Q.9. Describe Marcy’s change of her approach to Duke towards the end of the story.Excel Classes : Arvind Vihar, Baghmugalia, BhopalDownloaded from: www.excelclassesbhopal.weebly.comSuggestions to : excelclassesbhopal@gmail.com ; 94243 65475Page 2

Excel Classes – A Dog named DukeAns. From the very beginning, Marcy had not been impressed by the idea of bringing a bigdog like Duke. When Chuck was in the hospital, she sort of entirely forgot Duke and feltrelieved that the big dog was in a neighbor’s kennel. Duke’s homecoming didn’t cheer heraltogether. But seeing what Duke had done for her husband, she began to love the beast.She had endless gratitude for the big dog yet was sorry for having ignored him for a while.When Duke was bleeding and dying, she carried him to the vet with a broken heart, almostsure that the dog would not survive. It goes without saying that Marcy’s pain at Duke’sunexpected death was not less than Duke’s. She loved the Dog for many reasons.Q.10. What was the special tribute that the chemical company pay to Duke? How far isthat justified?Ans. The Chemical company had nothing like a commitment to Duke yet what the companydid for Chuck Hooper served the best tribute to the dog. It was neither Marcy nor thechemical company that brought Chuck back to life, it was Duke. Because Duke returnedChuck to the company, because the company needed Chuck, anything that the companydid for Chuck was a tribute to Duke. By promoting Chuck to the assistant national salesmanager, the company acknowledged Duke’s great service to Chuck.Q.11. What makes you think that Chuck’s chemical company was caring for his recovery?Ans. Chuck’s colleagues as well as the headquarters were keeping a watch on Chuck’sdevelopments. It was Chuck’s district managers who drove him to the hospital. After thefifth week some men from his company came to the hospital and told Hooper to take a yearoff. Later, when Chuck reported at the local branch office of the company, the headquarterstook Chuck seriously and accepted his resumption. On learning the Duke-Chuck story, thecompany respected Duke’s services to his master and companion – Chuck Hooper.Q.12. What changes came over the once-rivals – Marcy and Duke – when the latter was runover by the vehicle?Ans. Though Marcy had been opposed to bring Duke home, in the course of time she hadbegun to value Duke for his great inspiration to make Chuck stand on his own. When Dukewas bleeding and dying, the great dog had no stubbornness and Marcy was overcome withlove for the dog.Q.13. Briefly provide an account of the treatment that Chuck received at the hospital.Ans. The hospital provided maximum care for Chuck Hooper. Once he was out of thecritical list, about six weeks after the accident, the hospital put him in a wheelchair. Everyday there was someone working his paralyzed arm and leg followed by baths, exercise and awheeled walker. Though Chuck didn’t make much headway, the hospital awaitedimprovements till March, almost six months after the accident.Q.14. A biographical sketch of Charles Hooper (Imaginary)Ans. Born on 12 March, 1923, Charles Edward Hooper, more commonly called Chuck byhis best friends, was one of the most efficient sales manager of Beta Chemicals Ltd. with itsheadquarters in Washington. Educated in Eton and Harvard, Charles Hooper tried his luckin three chemical companies as secretaries but could not make any fortune. It was in 1950,August, that Hooper joined Beta’s Florida division as zone sales manager, a bitsophisticated designation for a man of his age. Things were going pretty well for Chuck inthe years that followed but in 1953 he was hospitalized following an unfortunate roadaccident. After this autumnal tragedy, Hooper remained in the hospital and later at hisExcel Classes : Arvind Vihar, Baghmugalia, BhopalDownloaded from: www.excelclassesbhopal.weebly.comSuggestions to : excelclassesbhopal@gmail.com ; 94243 65475Page 3

Excel Classes – A Dog named Dukehome in Northern Florida for months. Out of a critical list to a wheelchair, home andthrough loneliness, Hooper counted his worst days through uncertainties. Having made themost impossible comeback in America’s history, on 4 January, 1955, Chuck resumed joband soon worked as a normal man. It is to be remembered that his dear pet, Duke, had aremarkable role in his comeback. The most memorable incident in Hooper’s life Duke’sdeath on 12 October, 1957. Though Chuck’s life after Duke’s death was pitiful, he proved tobe a man of great determination and strength. The company’s appointing him as theAssistant National Sales Manager tells nothing but this. Chuck Hooper retired in 1999 andlived a few more happy years with his second wife Mary Hooper and two sons, Vicky andRoger till he breathed his last in 2012, 30 December.Q.15. Why did the chemical company raise Chuck Hooper to the assistant nationalmanager of the company? (2 marks)Reference to ContextHe was a 23 kilo missile of joy. He hit Chuck above the belt, causing him to fight to keep hisbalance. Those who saw it said that the dog knew instantly. He never jumped on Chuckagain. From that moment, he took up a post beside his master’s bed around the clock. Buteven Duke’s presence didn’t reach Chuck. The once-iron muscles slacked on the rangy frame.Secretly, Marcy cried as she watched the big man’s grin fade away. Severe face lines set inlike cement as Chuck stared at the ceiling for hours, then out of the window, then at Duke.Q.1. Who was the 23 kilo of missile of joy. Why?Ans. Duke was the 23 kilo of missile of joy because on seeing Chuck back from thehospital, Duke sprang on him in great excitement.Q.2. What did the dog know instantly?Ans. The dog, Duke, knew that Chuck was ill and he was not to play with him as before.Q.3. Duke went through a state of helplessness for a while. What brought him to thisstate?Ans. Like Chuck, Duke too was anticipating Chuck’s homecoming but once Chuck washome, Duke knew that the two would not be playing as they used to do earlier. Duke didn’tlike Chuck to lie paralyzed nor did Chuck like to keep Duke at a distance but Duke decidedto accept the resignation for Chuck’s sake.When two fellows stare at each other, day in and day out, and one can’t move and the othercan’t talk, boredom sets in.Q.1. Who are the two fellows mentioned here?Ans. Chuck Hooper and Duke are the two fellows.Q.2. Who could not speak and who could not move?Ans. Chuck Hooper could not move and Duke could not speak.Q.3. How did the excitement of Chuck’s homecoming wear off so abruptly?Ans. Though Chuck was greatly excited after he got discharged from the hospital, hisexcitement was short-lived. At the hospital there had been other injured people, but now,Excel Classes : Arvind Vihar, Baghmugalia, BhopalDownloaded from: www.excelclassesbhopal.weebly.comSuggestions to : excelclassesbhopal@gmail.com ; 94243 65475Page 4