I.) Answer the following questions briefly:
1.) The writer speaks of the ‘smile’ that welcomes anyone who enters Haneef’s house. What more do we know about this ‘smile’?
Answer: Anyone who enters Haneef’s house are welcomed with a bright smile. But the smile is confined in a picture frame. The smile is of a brave twenty-five-year-old martyr lieutenant Haneef Uddin . The smile shows that Haneef was happy boy and was determined towards his work.
2.) What did Haneef choose as his mission? Why did he do so?
Answer: Haneef belonged to a family of musicians.But he knew that his life was short so decided to gently change his life and join army. He needed to repeatedly remind himself of his mission.
During his Indian Military Academy (IMA) training, he was gently changed.
3.) Life for Haneef in the beginning was never a smooth sail. Why was it so?
Answer: At the very young age of eight, Haneef lost his father. His mother had touring job which made her sons to take care of themselves and responsible. They had to work for themselves and this shows that since young age, he worked hard.
4.) The absence of mother from home taught the children something. What was that?
Answer: Haneef’s mother Hema Aziz, was a vocal artiste. She would often have to leave Haneef and his brothers alone, as she travelled with the performance wing of the Information and Broadcasting Ministry. The absence of their mother made them self-dependent and work hard for themselves. Also their mother going to work without excuses gave them the message that one’s duty is the most important thing in life.
5.) How does the writer describe the ‘introvert’ Haneef?
Answer: Haneef was an introvert boy. He began to make friends only by the time he was
14 years of age. He would often go out of his way to help people because that gave him a certain kind of joy.