I Were You Summary and Important Questions for class 9th

Douglas James wrote a one-act drama titled If I Were You. It tells the tale of an intruder who breaks into playwright Gerrard's cottage with the goal to kill him and assume his identity since he resembles him. But Gerrard gets rid of him by turning him over to the authorities.

I Were You Summary

The playwright Gerrard is getting ready to leave his house in order to go to a rehearsal at the beginning of If I Were You. He has just finished a phone call and is getting ready to pack his suitcase when he sees someone breaking in from his right side.

Gerrard notices that he has a stark resemblance to Gerrard and is holding a revolver in his hands. Thus, he learns that he is a criminal who directs him to put his hands in the air. However, Gerrard is surprisingly cool even at a gunpoint and chats pleasantly with him. Finally, the intruders make Gerrard sit on a chair.

After hearing their conversation, we learn that Gerrard is a man who lives alone and owns a car. It is clear that he is kind of mysterious in some ways because he is constantly in and out. We see that Gerrard stays at his home and for some days isn’t there.

I Were You Summary and Important Questions-Furthermore, he doesn't actually meet his tradesmen—he only speaks with them over the phone. After discovering all of this, we also learn about the invader. He is a felon whose primary offense is stealing jewels. He is running from the police after killing a policeman, and because of the similarity to Gerrard, he intends to kill him and take his identity in order to get rid of the cops.

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Gerrard makes out that the intruder is not so smart but only over-confident. Thus, he plans something witty and lies to the intruder. He makes up a story that Gerrard is also a criminal and murderer himself. Much similar to the intruder, the police are also after him and if he ends up killing Gerrard, the intruder will be killed either way.

As a result, Gerrard persuades the burglar to walk into the garage so they may both escape in his car once the intruder believes his narrative. We find out that it was actually a cupboard after opening the garage door, where Gerrard locks up the invader and lets the police know where he is. Thus, it is evident how Gerrard's life was spared by a little cunning and awareness. 

Characters In I Were You

1. Intruder

The trespasser is a cunning rascal, a proven criminal who schemes to avoid capture. He has nefarious goals and risky schemes to accomplish them. Despite his inherent viciousness and cold-blood, he fights for control in a chaotic world. However, his immorality cannot hold him for very long.

Since killing a police officer, the invader has been a criminal who has evaded the authorities. He is becoming even more entangled in the web of illegal activity since he has no regrets about the crime he has committed.

His overconfidence gives him the impression that he has come up with a wonderful scheme to kill Gerrard and use his impersonation to get away from the cops. But Gerrard quickly outsmarts him, and he unwittingly steps into his trap. His grandiose assertions of his intelligence turn out to be untrue. This ruthless and experienced crook receives a just punishment.

2. Gerrard

The main character in "If I Were You," Gerrard, is shown as a man of many virtues. He has a great sense of humor, a keen mind, quick thinking, and a fantastic wit. With all of these traits plus his calm demeanor, he can manage even the most dire circumstances with ease and success.

Theater is connected to Gerrard. He composes, performs, and makes play props. Even under the most trying circumstances, he maintains his composure as a sophisticated and cultured guy.

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He speaks to the intruder politely and cheerfully, not seeming alarmed by his presence. His sense of humor frequently annoys the intruder. Despite his humorous demeanor, he remains composed and sets up a trap for the trespasser. He does everything with such ease and spontaneity that the intruder unwittingly steps into his trap. In addition to saving his own life and outwitting the burglar, Gerrard's cleverness aids the authorities in apprehending a wanted individual. In actuality, Gerrard's calm, collected demeanor acts as a counterbalance to the malevolent and vicious visitor.

3. HUMOUR

Even though the play centers on a criminal and a dramatist who is taken by surprise, humor throughout the entire work. The humor isn't overly loud or strange. It is subtle and elegant. The offender gets agitated and the audience is pleased by Gerrard's smart and scathing remarks because of his composure and presence of mind.

Rather than panicking, he responds that he is glad to have a sympathetic audience when the intruder invites him to explain about himself. Rather than being horrified when the intruder offers to move into his cottage, Gerrard responds, "You have not been invited." "You are not particularly decorative," Gerrard says, referring to the intruder's appearance. The play is plenty of this kind of humor, which keeps it a compelling and entertaining drama.

I Were You Important Questions and Answers

1. They cannot hang me twice. Who says this and why?

The intruder says this because he is already wanted for having murdered a cop. If he manages to kill Gerrard, as per his plan, the punishment for this murder too, like the first one, will be a death sentence. Hence, he cannot be hanged twice by the police.

2. A mystery I propose to explain. What is the mystery the speaker proposes to explain?

Gerrard, the speaker, proposes to explain the mystery about his queer life in which he has an irregular routine, refuses to see tradesmen, goes away and comes back to the house hurriedly. Gerrard has already concocted a story attributing his strange behaviour to his being a criminal wanted in many cases of crime.

3. This is your big surprise. Who says these words in the play? When and where? What is the surprise?

This has been said by Gerrard when the intruder asks him to clarify how he could still be killed after assuming Vincent Charles Gerrard’s identity. This is a surprise for the intruder who never suspected Gerrard to be a criminal. According to his information, Gerrard seemed to be the perfect person who could be easily eliminated and then impersonated.

4. Why and how did Gerrard persuade the intruder to get into the cupboard?

Gerrard concocted a story about his own criminal background. He gave the intruder the impression that the police were looking for him and he expected a telephone call from a friend informing the police’s arrival. So when the telephone rang, he hurried the intruder into the cupboard and told him that it was connected to the garage which was an escape route.

5. How does Gerrard propose to use the intruder’s episode?

Being a man of the theatre, Gerrard is amused at being able to turn the tables on the intruder. He finds the episode of outwitting a criminal by a clever but an innocent man so interesting that he proposes to use it as a plot for his next play.

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