NCERT Questions & Answers + Important Extra Questions
NCERT Textbook Questions
Where in the classroom does Wanda sit and why?
Answer
Wanda sat in the last row, in the corner of the room where the rough boys who didn't get good marks usually sat. She sat there because she was quiet, shy, and poor. She came from Boggins Heights (the poorer part of town), her feet were usually muddy, and her dress was always faded and ill-fitting. She didn't want to draw attention to herself and preferred to blend into the background. No one paid much attention to her or noticed her absence.
Where does Wanda live? What kind of a name is Petronski?
Answer
Wanda lives in Boggins Heights, a poor area on the outskirts of town where mostly immigrant families lived. "Petronski" is a Polish name — it immediately identifies Wanda as coming from an immigrant background, different from the American-sounding names of her classmates (Peggy, Maddie). The unusual name makes her an easy target for teasing. The other girls find the name funny and use it to single her out — highlighting how names and origins can become bases for exclusion.
What do you think "__( having a hundred dresses" means?
Answer
Wanda claims to have a hundred dresses "all lined up in my closet." In reality, she has only one faded blue dress that she wears every day. Her claim has two possible meanings: (i) She may be referring to the hundred beautiful dress designs she has drawn — these are her dresses in imagination, created through her artistic talent. (ii) She may be trying to fit in with the other girls who discuss their dresses and possessions. By claiming to have a hundred dresses, she tries to be part of a conversation from which her poverty excludes her. Her claim is not a lie — it's a creative, dignified response to bullying, as proved when her stunning drawings are revealed.
Why didn't Maddie ask Peggy to stop teasing Wanda?
Answer
Maddie didn't stop Peggy because: (i) Peggy was her best friend and the most popular girl in class. Maddie was afraid of losing Peggy's friendship if she defended Wanda. (ii) Maddie herself was poor — she wore hand-me-down clothes from others. She feared that if she stood up for Wanda, Peggy might start picking on her instead. She didn't want to become the next target. (iii) She told herself that Peggy was not really being mean — Peggy was just having fun, not being cruel (a form of self-deception to ease her guilt). (iv) Despite her discomfort, Maddie chose silence over courage — she was a passive bystander who knew the teasing was wrong but didn't act.
Important Extra Questions
How did the girls tease Wanda?
Answer
The teasing started with the "dresses game": Peggy (the ringleader) would wait for Wanda and ask her how many dresses she had. When Wanda said "a hundred," the girls would laugh and ask follow-up questions: "What colour? All silk? Velvet?" Wanda would answer seriously — "all lined up in my closet" — and the girls would laugh more. They also made fun of her name ("Wanda Petronski") — saying it slowly and emphasising each syllable to make it sound funny. They didn't directly call her names but used questions and laughter to humiliate her. The teasing was subtle but consistent — a form of bullying through ridicule.
Compare the characters of Peggy and Maddie.
Answer
Peggy: The most popular and prettiest girl in class. She starts the teasing game with Wanda. She convinces herself she's not being cruel — "she's only asking Wanda, she never calls her names." Peggy is not intentionally malicious but is thoughtless and insensitive. She doesn't realise how her behaviour affects Wanda because she has never experienced exclusion herself.
Maddie: Peggy's best friend and a silent bystander. She knows the teasing is wrong because she herself is poor and could easily be the target. She feels guilty and uncomfortable during the teasing but doesn't speak up out of fear. Maddie represents the most common and most culpable role in bullying — the bystander who knows something is wrong but stays silent. Her guilt makes her more morally aware than Peggy, but her inaction makes her complicit.
What is the significance of the title "The Hundred Dresses"?
Answer
The title works on multiple levels: (i) Literally, it refers to Wanda's claim of having a hundred dresses — a claim that seems like a lie from a poor girl. (ii) It is revealed to be true — Wanda had indeed created a hundred beautiful dress designs, showing extraordinary artistic talent. Her "dresses" existed in her imagination and on paper. (iii) The title symbolises the gap between appearance and reality — what seemed like boasting was actually creative genius. (iv) It highlights how people judge others based on outward appearances (Wanda's faded dress) rather than inner worth (her incredible talent). (v) The hundred dresses become a lasting symbol of quiet dignity in the face of bullying.