Understanding the text:

1. Why does Wasserkopf demand a refund of his tuition fees from the school?

Wasserkopf demands a refund of his tuition fees from the school as he had learnt nothing useful at school and he is now good-for-nothing. He claims that he was not taught and trained properly. In this regard, he feels that his education is worthless.

1. Why does Wasserkopf consider himself good for nothing"? 

Wasserkopf considers himself good for nothing because he could not get any employment. The people told him that he was not suitable for anything wherever he went for a job. He blames his alma mater for his unemployment and financial bankruptcy.

1.  What did the teachers decide to do when Wasserkopf asked for a refund?

After an urgent staff meeting, they decided to conduct a re-examination for Wasserkopf. Accordingly, the sand re-evaluation will dismiss the ex-pupil's claim that he has not received any knowledge from their institution.

1. Why did Wasserkopf give ridiculous answers? Why did the teachers accept these answers?

Wasserkopf gave ridiculous answers as his intention was to fail, thereby seeking a refund of his school tuition fee. The teachers wanted to ensure that the old pupil passed the re-examination. Firstly, they prepared simple questions. Then, they accepted the silly answers as they wanted to prove the challenger as an excellent student and help the principal out of the present complication.

1. How does the Mathematics Master describe Wasserkopf's character?

The Mathematics Master describes Wasserkopf as an extremely clever individual, who will try to get the better of the teachers and trick the school into refunding his fees by any means

f. How did the teachers outwit Wasserkopf?

After the Mathematics Master's briefing, all the teachers understood that Wasserkopf was intending to fail the re-examination. They decided that whatever answers he gave would be judged right. They asked him very easy questions and accepted all of the ridiculous answers. Towards the end of the test, the Mathematics Master asked the examiner to calculate the amount to be refunded by the school. Wasserkopf's figure stood at 6450 crowns. He was then told that the calculation was part of the test and outwitted on account of his sound mathematical genuineness.

g.What is the final judgment on Wasserkopf's demand for refund?

Wasserkopf's demand of refund is overruled as he succeeds in the re-examination conducted by his old school teachers.

Reference to the context

1. Read the extract from the play given below and answer the questions that follow

"It's possible I've changed. What the hell…!Your class records will show I've got a right to me here.”

I. Who is the speaker? Who is he speaking to?

Wasserkopf is the speaker. He is speaking to the Principal of his alma mater

II.  Why is the speaker say these words?

He says these words as the Primal fails to recognize the visor. 

Iii. Where is the speaker at this moment? 

The speaker is at the Principal's office (school) 

B.Read the extract dialogue ghen below and answer the questions that follow

"THE STAFF (bowing, heartily) How do you do? 

WASSERKOPF: Who the hell are you? Sit down, you loafers (He gris waiting to be thrown out)

THE PRINCIPAL: How dare you”

I. What is to be the response to 'How do you do’?

 "How do you do'' is a courteous way of greeting a person. We answer either I'm fine. Thank you, or yes, or nothing much or all good.

II Is Wasserkopf's response polite enough to the staff?

Wasserkopf response to the staff is absolutely impolite

III,How does Wasserkopf rebuke the staff?

He rebukes the staff as the idle time water.

iv. What does the principal mean by "How dare you?

He means that Wasserkopf's response is not suitable to the norms and etiquette of the school. He wants his pupil to be disciplined and mild in his response to the staff.

C. Explain the following line of the play:

"Because I didn't get my money's worth, that's why!"

 The above given line is extracted from a modern one act play entitled Refund by Hungarian novelist, short story writer, poet, essayist and playwright Fritz Karinthy. The author is well known for his satirical wrong. The Refund written 1938 is about a man about forty who goes back to the school in which he had stood and demands a refund of the fees he had paid eighteen years back claiming that he had nothing useful at school and he is now good for nothing. 

Wasserkopf addresses the above statement to the principal of the institution from where he has received his education. He speaks these words after the Principal demands an explanation for the visitor's proposal of getting back his tuition for Accordingly, he did not receive proper education from his school. As a result, he could not get any employment. He thinks his claim is valid and demands a re reexamination to substantiate his demand.

d.What is the theme of the play?

3 The major theme of the play is 'failure of present-day education. The playwright satirizes the modern education system, which fails to prepare productive and skillful graduates.

e.Sketch the character of Wasserkopf.

Wasserkopf is the male lead of Fritz Karinthy's one-act play 'Refund. He is a forty-year-old man. He goes back to the school in which he had studied and demands a refund of the foes he had paid eighteen years back claiming that he had learnt nothing useful at school and he is now good-for-nothing. He is portrayed as a hopeless and sad man by the playwright. The unemployed broke blames his school for not preparing him well during his school life. He believes that his teachers have made him a failure. He presents himself very roughly and insolently in front of the staff of the school. His character is also a reflection of the poor education system. His behaviours show that he has not leant anything about discipline while he was a student. He sounds clever to some extent. His Mathematics Master also regards him as a cunning student. However, his wit stands secondary to his teachers'' as he is tricked into returning home empty-handed. The writer presents Wasserkopf as a stereotype to show the failure of modern-day education.

Reference beyond the text

a.The play is a satire on the present-day education system. Do you think that our education system does not prepare students for life? Discuss.

'Refund' is a modern western one-act play by a Hungarian novelist, short story writer, poet, essayist and playwright, Fritz Karinthy. The author is well known for his satirical writing. The play 'Refund' written in 1938 is about a man about forty who goes back to the school in which he had studied and demands a refund of the fees he had paid eighteen years back claiming that he had learnt nothing useful at school and he is now good-for-nothing. Through the characterization of Wasserkopf, the author casts a satire on the present-day education system.

I think our education system has some flaws. Firstly, it is theory-heavy. The students are not imparted with skill-based practical knowledge. As a result, a great of Nepalese students remain unemployed or under-employed. They even can't deal with other practical matters that they come across during the course of their life. Hence, I feel our education system does not prepare students for life.

b. Our education system focuses on memorisation rather than creative thinking. Do you think the knowledge imparted by education may not have practical relevance in one's day-to-day life? Who do you blame for this?

The purpose of an education system is to prepare a skilled and thoughtful nation. builders. These young school products should possess a sound set of problem solving and creative life skills. However, our education system prioritizes theory and memorization over practice and creativity. I don't think theory-heavy knowledge can meet the learners' requirement of their future orientation. Resultantly, they become the prey of unemployment and brain-drain, respectively. I blame all the stakeholders (state, administrator, teacher and student) for this sort of failure.

c. Most of the students want to learn just for examination rather than knowledge. Do you think that certificate will help them in their future career?

Most of the modem students follow rote-learning just to pass an exam. If one reads just for examination, s/he will miss out on important knowledge required to deal with practical situations in the future. The present readers will need jobs to survive in their working age. Again, every job requires knowledge. In our context, a learner is encouraged to chase higher grades or marks. Certificates become the determinant of one's successful future. However, a certificate without knowledge is just like a well without water. As far as my view is concerned, schooling should be considered as a building block of one's future. In this regard, we must focus on knowledge full of life skills to address the learners' future employability.