NCERT Solutions for Class 9 English Moments Chapter 8 – A House Is Not a Home

Who is the narrator of the story?
Answer: The narrator is a teenage boy who shares his personal experience of loss and recovery after his house caught fire and everything changed.

What incident changed the narrator’s life?
Answer: A fire broke out at his house, destroying all his belongings, including his school supplies and pet cat, making him feel lost and alone.

How did the narrator feel at his new school?
Answer: He felt like an outsider, isolated and uncomfortable, missing his old friends and routine, which made it hard for him to adjust.

What made the narrator feel emotionally weak after the fire?
Answer: Losing his home, personal memories, and especially his cat made him feel broken. The sudden change left him feeling helpless and empty.

Why was the narrator worried about his cat?
Answer: He loved his cat deeply, and it went missing after the fire. He feared it had died, which added to his emotional pain.

How did the narrator’s schoolmates react to his situation?
Answer: They showed empathy and kindness, brought him clothes, notebooks, and helped him feel welcomed, which restored his confidence.

What does the title ‘A House Is Not a Home’ mean?
Answer: It means a house is just a building, but a home is made of love, warmth, and emotional connections—like family, pets, and memories.

What role did the narrator’s mother play in his recovery?
Answer: She stayed strong and supportive, encouraging him to go to school and stay calm. Her reassurancehelped him cope with the trauma.

How did the narrator’s feelings change over time?
Answer: Initially, he felt depressed and hopeless, but later, due to his friends’ support and the return of his cat, he found hope again.

Why did the narrator feel grateful at the end of the story?
Answer: He felt grateful for the support of friends, his mother, and especially the return of his pet, which made him feel complete again.

How does the story highlight teenage struggles?
Answer: It reflects how teenagers deal with identity, loss, and fitting in. The narrator’s journey shows that emotional resilience comes with support and kindness.

What was the narrator’s biggest emotional loss?
Answer: Though he lost his home, his biggest loss was his cat, which was like a family member to him, giving him emotional comfort.

How did the return of the cat affect the narrator?
Answer: It filled him with joy, relief, and a renewed sense of hope, helping him believe that things would get better.

What lesson does the narrator learn from the incident?
Answer: He learns that people, love, and support are more important than material possessions, and that kindness can help heal emotional wounds.

Why did the narrator struggle to make new friends?
Answer: He was shy and still holding onto his past school life, making it hard to open up until others showed him care and support.

What is the tone of the story?
Answer: The story has an emotional and hopeful tone, showing pain and loss, but ending with healing, gratitude, and personal growth.

What role do pets play in our emotional life, according to the story?
Answer: Pets give emotional support, comfort, and a sense of companionship, especially during tough times, just like the narrator’s cat did for him.

Why is friendship important in this story?
Answer: Friendship helps the narrator recover emotionally, showing that the love and kindness of others can heal even the deepest pain.

How does the story show the value of community?
Answer: The narrator’s new classmates came together to help him, showing that a caring community can make someone feel loved and accepted.

What challenges did the narrator face after the fire?
Answer: He faced emotional trauma, loss of belongings, trouble adjusting at a new school, and the heartbreak of losing his pet cat.

What helped the narrator adjust to his new school?
Answer: His classmates’ kindness, small gestures, and making him feel included helped him slowly open up and adjust to the new environment.

Why is the ending of the story satisfying?
Answer: The ending is satisfying because it shows emotional healing, the return of the cat, and the narrator regaining his confidence and happiness.

What does the cat symbolize in the story?
Answer: The cat symbolizes emotional comfort, continuity, and the bond of love that ties the narrator to his home and memories.

How does the narrator mature by the end?
Answer: He becomes more emotionally resilient, values people over things, and learns to find strength in community and compassion.

Summarize the moral of the story.
Answer: The story teaches that love, support, and emotional bonds make a house a home. With the right people around, healing is always possible.