The Hack Driver

Hack Driver

CHAPTER: THE HACK DRIVER

By Sinclair Lewis

HACK DRIVER

The Story ‘the Hack Driver’ by Sinclair Lewis is about a man whose name is Oliver Lutkins. He is a cunning man who is a witness in a case; however, he overlooks all the requests for appearing. A young lawyer is given the duty to discover this man in New Mullion. There he meets a helpful and cheerful hack (cart) driver. The driver takes him around the village looking for Lutkins yet can't discover him

Later on, the lawyer comes to realize that the hack driver is Oliver Lutkins himself. The young lawyer becomes the laughing stock of all.

SINCLAIR LEWIS

CHARACTERS:

Narrator: A young legal advisor (lawyer) who is artless. The hack driver makes a fool out of him.

Oliver Lutkins: A deceptive man who tricks others and gets a summon from the court. He is an incredible storyteller. He takes up the name of Bill Magnuson to trick the lawyer.

Hack Driver

SUMMARY:

The narrator, a young lawyer worked in a law office and was allotted the duty to serve summons to a witness required in a court case. The narrator graduated with distinction in law and longed for practising law. But all his hopes were dashed since he didn't get any case to deal with however was sent to serve the summons. As this work was troublesome and risky, he hated it. He thought of returning to his town to become a lawyer.

One day he went to a village named New Mullion to serve the summons on Oliver Lutkins. He expected to locate a delightful and peaceful village. But his expectations were proved false as the village had streets brimming with mud. There were pitiful wooden shops all around. The only cheerful thing that the lawyer discovered was a man at the station. This man was a hack driver and offered to help him find Oliver Lutkins.

The hack driver informed him that Lutkins was difficult to get. He was always caught up with doing something. He told him that Lutkins even owed him some cash. The lawyer was very intrigued by the friendly conduct of the hack driver. The lawyer hired his carriage for a couple of hours to find Lutkins. He even told him that he had the summons to serve on Lutkins.

The hack driver suggested that he would get information concerning Lutkins as Lutkins might flee on seeing the lawyer. The driver took him to fritz’s shop. Then he took him to Gustaff’s barbershop. After that, they went to Gray’s and the poolroom. But they missed Oliver Lutkins every time.

The lawyer did not mind that he had not found Lutkins because he was enjoying the company of the hack driver. The lawyer was impressed by the intelligence of the man. The driver revealed to him everything about New Mullion. His simplicity and humour influenced the lawyer so much that he intended to settle down in the village. He ended up paying the hack driver for six hours.

The driver proposed that they should search for Oliver at his mother’s place. She was portrayed as a frightening lady. The woman chased them away with a burning iron and threatened to burn them. The two ran away to save themselves.

When the lawyer came back to town without serving the summons his chief got very angry with him. The following day he sent another man get who knew Lutkins with the lawyer to the village to bring Lutkins.

The lawyer and partner went to the town the following day. They found the hack driver at the station laughing and joking with Lutkin’s mother. He pointed out the driver to his companion and explained how the driver helped him in attempting to discover Lutkins. Shockingly, his companion told the lawyer that the driver was Lutkins himself. The lawyer served the summons on Lutkins who made fun.

Hack Driver

WORD MEANINGS:

Page 47

Summons - an order to appear before a judge.

Country -   outskirts.

Agreeable sight - pleasant sight.

Rejoice - feel or show great joy or delight.

Page 48

Cent - a monetary unit in various countries, equal to one-hundredth of a dollar.

Page 49

Part with – to give up.

Lingered – to take a longer time to leave.

Swede – a native of Sweden.

Earnestly – sincerely and seriously.

Scarcely – hardly.

Page 50

Creek – a narrow area of water that flows into the land from the sea.

Meadow – a piece of grassland.

Page 51

Retired – went back.

Seized – got hold of.

Retreat – an act of moving back or withdrawing.

Barn – a large farm building used for storing hay/grain etc.

Swearing – rude or offensive language that someone uses, especially when

                   they are angry.

Peering – to look carefully or with difficulty.

Page 52

Loafing – to spend one’s time in an aimless, idle way.

1. Why is the lawyer sent to new Mullion? What does he first think about the place?

Answer: The lawyer has been sent to New mullion to serve summons on Oliver Lutkins, who is required as a witness in a law case.

He first thinks that the place must be a beautiful and simple country village.

2. Who befriends lawyer? Where does he take him?

Answer: A hack driver at the station, who called himself Bill Magnuson, befriends the lawyer. He told the lawyer that he knew Lutkins and would help in discovering him.

Bill took him to all the spots where Lutkins was Known to hang out.  He took the lawyer to Fritz’s shop, where Lutkins played a lot of poker, to Gustaff’s barbershop and afterwards to Gray’s barbershop; to the poolroom and a few different places before finally taking him to Lutkins' mother’s homestead. However, Oliver Lutkins was not found.

3. What does Bill say about Lutkins/

Answer: Bill told the lawyer that Lutkins was a hard individual to discover as he was constantly occupied in some action or the other.

He owed money to many people, including Bill, and had never paid back anyone. He also said that Lutkins played a lot of poker and was good at deluding people.

4. What more did Bill say about Lutkins and his family?

Answer: Bill told the lawyer that he knew the mother of Lutkins. He said that she was a terror. He narrated an episode when he took a trunk to her once and she nearly took his skin off because he did not carry it cautiously. He also said that she was extremely tall and bulky. She was speedy and could talk a lot. He said that Lutkins must have heard that someone was pursuing him and subsequently would have gone into hiding at his mother’s place.

5. Did the narrator serve the summons that day?

Answer: No, the narrator did not serve the summons that day.

6. Who is Lutkins?

Answer: The hack driver himself is Lutkins yet claims to be Bill Magnuson. He deceives the lawyer to keep away from the summons to be a witness in a case.

7. When the lawyer reached New Mullion, did ‘Bill’ know that he was looking for Lutkins? When do you think ‘Bill’ came up with his plan for fooling the lawyer?

Answer: No, ‘Bill’ did not know at first that the lawyer was searching for him.

He must have made his plan for deceiving the lawyer when the lawyer disclosed to him that he was searching for Lutkins, as he realized that he was required as a witness however did not want to give his declaration.

8. Lutkins openly takes the lawyer all over the village. How is that no one lets out the secret? Can you find other such subtle ways in which Lutkins manipulates the tour?

Answer: Lutkins never allows the lawyer to arrive at where the nonexistent Lutkins should be available at a given time. The way he weaves tales about Lutkins’ vagabond nature and the manner in which he alerts the lawyer about Lutkins’ mother are strategies for deceiving the lawyer devised by the hack driver. Everywhere he does not allow the lawyer to get some information about Lutkins but he himself claims to ask about him, which the villagers are knowing is a misrepresentation. So, the villagers also take an interest in the whole drama.

9. Why do you think Lutkins’ neighbours were anxious to meet the lawyer?

Answer: Nearly the whole village had delighted in Lutkins making a fool of the lawyer. Only Lutkins’ neighbours had not seen the lawyer however had come to realize what occurred. They wanted to see the naïve man who Lutkins had a good time with. That is the reason they wanted to meet him.

10. After his first day’s experience with the hack driver, the lawyer thinks of returning to New Mullion to practice law. Do you think he would have reconsidered this idea after his second visit?

Answer: No, absolutely not. Subsequent to knowing how Lutkins had made fool of him, he would stay away from the idea of returning to New Mullon to practice law.

11. Do you think the lawyer was gullible? How could he have avoided being taken for a ride?

Answer: Indeed, the lawyer was gullible.

He accepted every word of what Oliver Lutkins said. He ought to have got some information about Lutkins from different villagers. Rather, he relied completely upon the hack driver.

12. Do we come across persons like Lutkins only in fiction or do we encounter them in real life as well? You can give examples from fiction, or narrate an incident that you have read in the newspaper, or an incident from real life.

Answer: People like Lutkins are found in real life as well. They do not simply appear in stories. They are very much real. are brimming with reports of such cheats. There is this well-known con man in ‘David Copperfield’ written by Charles Dickens. His name is Uriah Heep. He traps a simple, rich elderly person. The old man relies upon him altogether. He takes advantage of his trust and takes all his money. He makes the old man someone who is addicted to alcohol. Then he forces the old man to marry his daughter to him.

13. Who is a ‘con man’, or a ‘confidence trickster’?

Answer: A ‘con man’ or a ‘confidence trickster’ is a man who makes a fool out of others. He wins their trust first and subsequently, he gets from them something he wishes.

Hack Driver

14. Why did the narrator call his work unpleasant?

Answer: The narrator was sent to serve the summons. He needed to go to all sorts of filthy and risky places. Now and again, he was also beaten by those very individuals. That is the reason he called his work unpleasant.

15. Describe the hack driver’s appearance in your own words.

Answer: The hack driver appeared to be around forty years in age. His face was red. He wore grimy and worn garments however he was cheerful. His simplicity and humour could influence anybody.

16. Why does the hack driver offer to ask about Oliver Lutkins?

Answer: The hack driver pretended to be a hack driver and offered to help the lawyer with the goal that the lawyer could not come to know about him from another person because he did not wish to take the summons and go as a witness.

17. ‘But he was no more dishonest than I.’ Explain.

Answer: The narrator intended to state that the hack driver was as deceptive as him since he was getting paid for riding him on his cart on the pretence of helping him. But in this way, he was trying to save him from the narrator.

18. The narrator was happy though he had not found Lutkins. Why?

Answer: The narrator was glad however he had not found Lutkins because he had hated city life. This ride through the village made him cheerful. He was excited to meet the hack driver. Indeed, even he wanted to settle down in that village.

19. What impressed the narrator most about Bill? Mention any two things.

Answer: The main quality that struck the narrator was that Bill was a cheerful, friendly or inviting and helpful man. Also, he cherished Bill for his simple and philosophical wisdom as he had helped the narrator to find Lutkins.

20. Why did Lutkins pretend to be Bill Magnuson?

Answer: Lutkins claimed to be Bill Magnuson he would not like to acknowledge the summons and be a witness in the case. 

21. What did the hack driver tell the narrator about Lutkins’ mother?

Answer: The hack driver told the narrator that Lutkins’ mother was a genuine terror. He portrayed her as a huge and heavy woman with a wild temper. He also said that she was as quick as a cat. He recommended the lawyer to keep himself away and safe from her.

22. In life people who easily trust others are sometimes made to look foolish. One should not be too trusting. Describe how Oliver Lutkins made a fool of the young lawyer.

Answer: Oliver Lutkins made a fool of the young lawyer throughout his first visit to the village. First, he introduced himself as Bill at the railway station and assured the lawyer that they would together search for Lutkins. He told the lawyer that he knew most of the places where Lutkins used to hang out. In succession, he took the narrator to Fritz, then to the barber’s shop, then Gray’s shop and finally Lutkins’ mother. He deceived the lawyer all through and furthermore made money by taking the lawyer around. Thus, he was able to make a fool of the lawyer by taking him all over the village without success, as the lawyer neither recognised Lutkins nor realised that it was Lutkins himself who was taking him around.

23. Do you think Lutkins was right in befooling the lawyer and earning money by using unfair means? What precautions should one take to avoid a situation like the one in which the lawyer was placed?

Answer: Lutkins was not right in befooling the lawyer and procuring money by using unfair means. This shows that Lutkins did not care for the law at all. If we are in the lawyer’s place, we should not believe in things as they are seen.

We should judge every action taken by the other person carefully before accepting it. Instead of depending on others, we would carry out our enquiries ourselves. The lawyer was befooled because he left Lutkins to do the finding and questioning and did not do anything himself. This brought about his inability to serve the summons on Lutkins.

If we do our duty without being personal and judge everything very carefully, we can get a better result. As lawyer did not ask anyone about Lutkins and allowed the hack driver to do the same, he became a victim of Lutkins’ tricks. 

Hack Driver

24. Draw a character sketch of Oliver Lutkins as told by the hack driver, Bill.

Or

How did the hack driver sketch the character of Lutkins?

Answer: Bill, The hack driver, who was Oliver Lutkins himself, does help us draw Oliver Lutkins'  character-sketch. Bill was a good talker and gave the narrator a detailed overview of Oliver Lutkins and his activities. to the narrator. Bill said to the narrator that Lutkins was a hard-to-catch fellow. He was always up to something or the other. He had a strong interest in poker. Perhaps, in the back of Fritz’s shop, he was trying to start up a poker game. Bill said Oliver Lutkins had never given one cent to anyone. He also owed Bill fifty cents on a game of poker. Lutkins was not bad but it was difficult to make him part with his money. Bill also said that Lutkins was dishonest. 

The actual character of Oliver Lutkins’ was brought to light when his true identity was revealed. Bill behaved as Oliver Lutkins. As summons was served, Lutkins and his mother chuckled at the narrator, as if he were a seven-year-old child. The narrator was shocked, outwitted and outsmarted by Lutkins. Clever and cunning, Lutkins proved that before a professional crook like him, the gullible protagonist was merely a novice. 

25. Give a character-sketch of the narrator or the lawyer of the story, ‘The Hack Driver’.

Answer: The narrator had been a junior assistant clerk in a magnificent law firm. His work consisted not in writing legal briefs but in issuing the summons. The narrator was fed up with his work, as he had to visit the city's many dirty and shadowy corners. He was assaulted and battered on many occasions by the muscular and toughs of those places. He also thought of fleeing to his homeland.

The narrator was extremely gullible. He was not behaving like a professional legal mind. Bill impressed him so much that he was reliant on him. He had failed to keep a secret of his work. By disclosing that he had come to serve a summons on Oliver Lutkins, he gave enough space and time to confuse and misdirect his quest to the crafty and clever Bill. Bill, who himself was Oliver Lutkins, drove him aimlessly without letting the narrator speak directly to the people. 

The narrator had a nostalgic longing for country life and the people there. He did not mind his failure after his first visit but intended to come back to New Mullion to begin his law practice there. The narrator proved to be a novice, rather than a professional legal mind. Lutkins and his mother stared at him as he received the summons, as if he were a child of seven years.

26. How did the hack driver outwit and befool the lawyer (the narrator)? What impression do you form of the narrator after both visits to New Mullion?

Or

Bill or Oliver Lutkins was a complete contrast to the narrator. How did a seasoned crook like Lutkins outwit the gullible lawyer proving him a novice and just a bright boy of seven?

Answer: The two central characters in the story are distinct. Under the garb of friendliness, Bill or Lutkins schemes and plots. The narrator was outwitted and misled due to his gullibility. The narrator’s search for Oliver Lutkins was confused and misled by Bill (Lutkins). He befriended the lawyer convincing him that he was the only person in New Mullion to help him locate Oliver Lutkins. He overpowered the narrator’s capacity for reasoning and thinking. The narrator became a soft target of cunning Lutkins. He helped Lutkins to prepare and schedule things for all the time that he needed. The narrator was just a willing puppet in Bill’s hands. He danced in his songs. Bill’s arguments clouded the insight and judgement of the narrator. The cunning Lutkins had the last laugh. Lutkins and his mother laughed as though he was a seven-year-old boy when the narrator served him the summons.

27. Give a character sketch of Bill, the hack driver, in your own words.

Answer: Bill had a distinct personality as a hack driver, while he was Oliver Lutkins. Bill was the only ‘agreeable sight’ about the place according to the narrator. He was about forty, red-faced, cheerful. He had dirty and well-worn clothing. His manners were friendly. Bill was able to gain the confidence of such gullible people as the narrator with him. He befriended the narrator and convinced him that without his help, he could not locate Oliver Lutkins. 

Bill knew how to confuse and deceive the people from their actual mission. As he became aware that the narrator had come to New Mullion to serve a summons on Oliver Lutkins, he decided to fool the narrator by introducing him to various people and locations. Everybody was tutored by Bill to say what he wanted them to say, whether Fritz, Gustaff or Gray. 

Bill was a brilliant schemer. He didn’t encourage the narrator to contact the people directly and question them about Oliver Lutkins. He told him to stand behind him all the time. Like a great actor, Bill played a double role. He chuckled at the narrator as his identity was revealed as if he was a boy of seven years. Ultimately, the stupid narrator was outwitted and outmanoeuvred the gullible narrator by Bill or Oliver Lutkins himself.

28. Describe the encounter of the young lawyer with the hack driver in the village.

Or

Narrate the narrator’s first visit to New Mullion.

Answer: The narrator/lawyer was sent to New Mullion to serve summons to Lutkins. At the station, he met Lutkins himself, a cheerful hack driver. The narrator who never knew Lutkins before could not recognise him, so Lutkins took advantage of the situation. Lutkins, a fun-loving, portrayed himself as Bill. He provided the narrator with all his support. He took him throughout, but in vain. With his vivid description of the village people, he amused the narrator, charging him two dollars an hour and a half for food. Bill with his love, kindness and helpfulness impressed the narrator. He was so much impressed by the hospitality and cooperation of the villagers that he thought of leaving his present job and starting his legal practice at New Mullion.

Hack Driver

29. How did the hack driver sketch the character of Lutkins?

Answer: The hack driver said that Lutkins was an incredibly dishonest man. He was good at deceiving people. It was difficult to catch him. He just liked to play poker. He owed money to many but did not pay anybody a cent as he would not like to part with money.

30. What did the narrator tell Bill and what was his reply about Oliver Lutkins?

Answer: Bill was told by the narrator himself the purpose of his New Mullion visit. He told him that he had come here to find Oliver Lutkins. Bill seemed to be a little shocked and asked, “Lutkins?” Then he answered that about an hour ago he saw Lutkins there. It was hard to catch him. He was always up to something or the other. Perhaps he could be found trying to set up a poker game at the back of Fritz’s shop. Bill told the lawyer that he generally knew the locations in which Lutkins could be found.

31. Why could the lawyer not find Lukens?

Answer: The lawyer could not find Lutkins because Bill, the hack driver was himself Lutkins. The lawyer had not seen or met him before so he could not identify him.

32. Discuss the character of the young lawyer as depicted in the chapter The Hack Driver’.

Answer: The narrator who is a lawyer is a man who can be easily taken for a ride. The love and kindness will easily flatter him and he does not apply logic to even important issues. The hack driver who is Lutkins himself, whom the narrator wants to meet, thus dupes him very easily. The narrator's gullible character encourages us to sympathize with him. 

33. On his way back, the narrator did not worry about his failure to find Lutkins. What was the reason behind his carefree attitude?

Answer: On his way back the lawyer was not worried about his mission's failure, because he was too busy thinking of the hack driver, Bill Magnuson. He also considered his return to New Mullion to practice law. In the village, he found Bill deep and richly human and expected an honest and happy life there.

34. The narrator wasn’t very fond of new mullion when he reached the place. What made him grow fond of the village and its people?

Answer: The narrator did not like the village at all. He felt deeply disappointed with his keen expectations of a sweet and simple country village, but Bill's friendly behaviour made him love the village and its people. He was so open and affectionate that the narrator was touched.

35. After doing graduation with honours, what job did the narrator get?

Answer: The narrator became a Junior Assistant Clerk in a law firm after doing graduation with honours.

36. What job was assigned to the narrator in the law firm?

Answer: The narrator was assigned the job to serve the summons.

37. Who offered the narrator to help in locating Oliver Lutkins?

Answer: Bill, the hack driver offered the narrator to help in locating Oliver Lutkins.

38. Who was the Hack Driver actually?

Answer: The hack driver was Oliver Lutkins himself. 

39. Who was sent with the narrator on his second visit to New Mullion?

Answer: A man who had worked with Lutkins was sent with the narrator on his second visit to New Mullion.

40. What was Gustaff?

Answer: Gustaff was a barber.

Hack Driver