Chapter no: 1 Button Button
Richard
Matheson – American Author
Birth: February
20, 1948 Death: June 23, 2013
Short
Answers
Q 1: Why did Norma consider the tone and attitude of Mr.
Steward Offensive?
Ans. Norma considered the
tone and attitude of Mr. Steward Offensive because she was busy and Mr. Steward
was insisting to talk about the button unit. Norma disliked his rude behavior.
Norma thought his expressive style very odd and disrespectful. Moreover Mr.
Steward thought that she was ignoring him, so his tone was offensive.
Q 2: Why did Arthur disagree with his wife?
Ans. Arthur disagreed with
his wife because he thought it was a murder to kill someone by the pushing
button for $ 50,000. Also, it was immoral. He had a humane heart. He knew the
importance of moral values. His wife wanted to improve their life style by hook
or by crook.
Q 3: Why did Norma try to persuade her husband to agree
with her?
Ans. Norma persuaded her
husband to agree with her because she wanted $50,000 to improve their life
style by hook or by crook. She wanted to buy a cottage on the island, to buy
nicer furniture, nicer apartment, nicer clothes and a car. She had a wish to
spend a luxurious life.
Q 4: What were the reasons Norma gave to her husband to
accept the offer?
Ans. Norma gave many
tempting reasons to her husband. Norma
told her husband that they should accept the offer of $50,000 because it would
help them to change their life style and they can buy an Island cottage and can
have a trip of Europe. Moreover, she was of the view that it would make no
difference to kill an unknown person.
Q 5: Why did Mr. Steward continue persuading Norma?
Ans. Mr. Steward continued
persuading Norma because as a good salesman he judged her to be greedy. He was
well aware of the fact that women usually take a great interest in such
schemes. He had noted from her conversation that she was taking interest in his
arguments.
Q 6: What was the massage Norma received on pushing the
button?
Ans. After she had pushed
the button, Norma received a
telephone call from the Lenox Hill Hospital. She received a shocking and tragic
death of her husband’s death in the subway accident. It seemed unreal to her.
Q 7: What is the significance of Arthur’s life-insurance
policy?
Ans. Arthur’s life was
insured for twenty-five thousand dollars. It was to be doubled in case of such
an accident. As he had died in an accident, his wife was to receive fifty
thousand dollars. Ironically, the amount of his insurance policy with double
indemnity was equal to the money that Norma desired to get from the offer given
by Mr. Steward.
Q 8: Did Norma remain normal on hearing the news of the
accident of her husband?
Ans. No, Norma did not
remain normal on hearing the news of the accident of her husband. She was in
the condition of great shock. She could neither seem to breathe nor walk. She
felt unreal and something cold pressed at her skull. It was hard for her to
believe what she was listening.
