Govt. Sr. Sec. School, Jethantri

The lawyer is sent to New Mullion to serve a summons on Oliver Lutkins, who is needed as a witness in a court case. The lawyer initially expects New Mullion to be a sweet, simple, and charming village. When he first arrives, he is somewhat disappointed by the muddy streets and the dull-looking shops. However, meeting the cheerful hack driver (Bill) changes his impression, and he ends up thoroughly enjoying his day in the village.

Bill is the hack driver the lawyer meets at the New Mullion train station. He introduces himself as Bill Magnuson and claims to know everyone in the village. When the lawyer asks about Oliver Lutkins, Bill describes him as a tricky, elusive fellow who is always hard to find — he owes money to everyone, plays poker, and moves around a lot. Bill offers to help the lawyer find Lutkins for two dollars an hour. In reality, Bill IS Oliver Lutkins, and his description of Lutkins is a clever self-portrait designed to make the lawyer trust him while avoiding the summons.

The narrator was most impressed by Bill's warmth, friendliness, and storytelling ability. Bill was a large, cheerful man who seemed to know everyone in the village and had entertaining stories about each person. He was incredibly helpful, driving the lawyer around, buying him lunch, and making the whole day feel like an adventure rather than a work assignment. The lawyer also admired Bill's easy-going nature and his love of the simple village life. Ironically, all of Bill's charm was part of his elaborate deception.

When the lawyer went back to New Mullion the second time, he was accompanied by a colleague who knew Lutkins by sight. As soon as they arrived at the station, the colleague pointed to the hack driver and said, "That's Lutkins!" The lawyer was shocked and deeply embarrassed to discover that the man who had driven him around all day was the very person he had been looking for. He felt uncomfortable because he had been completely fooled, had wasted the firm's time and money, and now Lutkins and his mother were openly laughing at him. His professional credibility was shattered.

When the lawyer and Bill (Lutkins) went to Lutkins' farm to look for him, they encountered Lutkins' mother — a large, fierce woman. Bill warned the lawyer that she was terrifying. When they approached her, she came out with a hot iron rod and threatened them aggressively. She chased them away, refusing to let them search the premises. The lawyer was genuinely frightened and they retreated quickly. Of course, this was all part of the act — Lutkins' mother was in on the deception and was helping her son avoid being served the summons by scaring the lawyer away from the farm.

(a) Who is being described here?
The hack driver, Bill Magnuson, who is actually Oliver Lutkins in disguise, is being described.

(b) What was the narrator's first impression of him?
The narrator found him warm, friendly, and likeable. He was drawn to Bill's cheerful personality and open manner. He felt Bill was a genuine, trustworthy person who loved people.

(c) How does this description contribute to the deception?
Bill's warm, trustworthy appearance makes the lawyer lower his guard completely. The lawyer never suspects that such a friendly, helpful person could be the very man he is searching for. This is how Lutkins successfully deceives him.

(a) Why was the narrator relieved?
The narrator was unhappy with his monotonous city job of serving summons and dealing with unpleasant people. The trip to New Mullion felt like a refreshing escape from the city grind.

(b) What does this tell us about the narrator?
It reveals that the narrator is young, idealistic, and somewhat unprofessional. He prioritizes personal enjoyment over his work duties. His dissatisfaction with city life makes him easy to manipulate.

(c) What is ironic about his not minding losing the case?
It is ironic because the lawyer was literally taken for a ride — both physically (driven around all day) and figuratively (deceived). He didn't find Lutkins because Lutkins was sitting right next to him, and he was too enchanted by the experience to notice.

Lutkins fooled the lawyer through a combination of charm, clever acting, and village cooperation. He introduced himself as Bill Magnuson, a hack driver, and offered to help find Lutkins. He drove the lawyer to various places — Fritz's shop, the barber shop, the poolroom, Gustaff's shop — always going in first to "check" and coming back to say Lutkins had "just left." At every stop, he ensured the lawyer never spoke directly to people who might reveal his true identity. He entertained the lawyer with stories, bought him lunch, and created such a pleasant experience that the lawyer never suspected anything. Even his mother helped by chasing them away with a hot iron rod.

The story highlights an interesting contrast between city and village life. The city-educated lawyer considers himself sophisticated and intelligent, yet he is easily fooled by a village hack driver. City education and professional qualifications do not guarantee practical wisdom. On the other hand, Lutkins, despite being a simple villager, demonstrates remarkable intelligence, quick thinking, and acting skills. The story suggests that rural people should not be underestimated — their understanding of human nature and practical cleverness can outmatch any formal education. The entire village participates in the deception, showing their solidarity and communal bond.

The story "The Hack Driver" by Sinclair Lewis is a perfect illustration of the saying "Appearances are deceptive."

The hack driver's appearance: Bill Magnuson appears to be a friendly, honest, and helpful village hack driver. He is warm, cheerful, and seems to have no hidden agenda. The lawyer immediately trusts him and even admires him. But beneath this pleasant exterior, Bill is actually Oliver Lutkins — the very man the lawyer has come to find. His friendly appearance is a carefully crafted disguise.

The village's appearance: New Mullion appears to be a simple, charming village with honest, straightforward people. The lawyer falls in love with the place and its residents. In reality, the entire village is in on the deception — the shopkeepers, the barber, and even Lutkins' mother all play along to protect Lutkins from the summons. The village's innocent appearance hides a web of collective trickery.

The lawyer's appearance: The young lawyer appears to be an educated, competent professional. He has a law degree and works at a reputable firm. Yet he is thoroughly naive and gullible. His professional appearance masks his complete lack of practical wisdom and street-smartness.

The "search" appearance: The all-day ride around the village appears to be a genuine search for Lutkins. It looks like Bill is working hard to help the lawyer. In reality, it is an elaborate performance designed to waste the lawyer's time and earn Lutkins two dollars an hour while avoiding the summons.

The story thus teaches us that we should not judge people by their outward appearance. The most helpful-looking person may have ulterior motives, the simplest-seeming village may be full of cunning people, and professional credentials do not guarantee common sense.