Prose 10: Dolly at the Dentist
Original notes — ready Bihar Board — BSEB • Class 11 • English • Book: Rainbow Bhag-1 (Purani pustak — 2025 se pehle wali)
Dolly at the Dentist — EG's own notes, in simple English
Book: Rainbow Bhag-1 (Purani pustak — 2025 se pehle wali) (BSEB, Class 11) | Prose 10 | Type: Prose | Author: G. B. Shaw
This page carries Educational Galaxy's own original notes — a theme-level summary in simple English, not a copy of the textbook. No official textbook PDF is given here.
Diagram (labels are printed on the image): A calm dentist's room with a nervous young visitor — a general picture of the play's setting, not a book scene.
A father and daughter walking to a clinic — a general picture of facing a fear together.
What the chapter is about
Dolly, a young girl, is terrified of the dentist, so her father takes her for a tooth extraction. The humour builds as Dolly delays, argues and tries every excuse, while the adults try patience, trickery and firmness in turn.
Shaw laughs gently at human fear and at grown-ups' clever plans. In the end, the dreaded moment passes quickly, and Dolly finds it was not as terrible as she imagined. Fear, the play suggests, is often bigger in the mind than in reality.
What you should learn
Fear looks huge before it happens and small afterwards; courage is facing it anyway.
Key Terms
- Dentist — A doctor who treats teeth.
- Extraction — Taking out a tooth.
- Excuse — A reason given to delay or avoid something.
- Dread — Great fear of something about to happen.
- Comedy — A funny play or story.
Remember
- Dolly is terrified of having a tooth taken out.
- Her father takes her to the dentist.
- Dolly delays with excuses and arguments.
- Adults try patience, trickery and firmness.
- The dreaded moment passes quickly in the end.
Exam Tip / Common Mistake
Common mistake: summarising only Dolly's fear. The humour is in the ADULTS too — their plans and patience.
Chart / Table
| Point | Detail |
|---|---|
| Dolly | Fear, excuses, delay |
| Father | Patience, then firmness |
| Dentist | Calm, quick work |
| Lesson | Fear is bigger in the mind |
Practice set (try on your own)
- Why is Dolly taken to the dentist?
Hint: Think about a bad tooth. - How does Dolly try to delay the visit?
Hint: Think about excuses and arguments. - How do the adults handle Dolly?
Hint: Think about patience, trickery and firmness. - What happens in the end?
Hint: Think about how quickly it passes. - What does the play teach about fear?
Hint: Think about imagined versus real pain.
Questions with Answers
- Why is Dolly afraid?
She is afraid of the dentist and of having her tooth taken out. Like many children, she imagines the pain to be far worse than it is. - How does the comedy grow in the play?
Through Dolly's delays and excuses and the adults' changing tactics — patience, clever tricks and finally firmness. Each attempt adds humour. - What do the adults learn about handling fear?
That scolding alone does not help; patience and a firm, kind approach work better with a frightened child. - What happens when the tooth is finally taken out?
The dreaded moment passes quickly, and Dolly discovers it was not as terrible as she had feared. - What is Shaw's message?
Fear grows in imagination. Facing a feared thing calmly shows it is smaller than we thought — a lesson for exams, visits and life.
How to use this page: First read the summary, say the key terms in your own words, then try the practice set without looking. Finally check yourself with the questions and answers. Get your answers checked by your teacher or parents.