3.3.1 - The Fortune Teller by Karel Capek
Book Back Questions
1. Write an essay on the irony in “The Fortune Teller”.
“The Fortune Teller” by Karel Čapek is a story filled with irony. Mrs. Myers is a fake fortune teller who cheats people by making common predictions. Inspector MacLeary traps her by sending his wife in disguise. Mrs. Myers is arrested, proved guilty, and punished by the court. Everyone believes that her predictions are false. However, the real irony appears at the end of the story. A year later, Mrs. MacLeary actually elopes with a rich businessman and goes to Australia, exactly as predicted. Though Mrs. Myers is exposed as a fraud, her prophecy comes true. The inspector and the judge succeed in judging the astrologer but fail to understand life itself. Thus, the irony lies in the fact that a false astrologer’s prediction becomes true.
2. Sketch the character of Miss Jones.
Miss Jones is actually Mrs. MacLeary in disguise. She pretends to be a 20-year-old unmarried girl to trap Mrs. Myers. She behaves like an anxious young woman who wants to know about her future. She carefully listens to the fortune teller’s predictions without showing her real identity. Her role is important because she helps her husband gather evidence against the fake astrologer. She appears innocent, patient, and obedient during the prediction session. Later, she surprises everyone by eloping with a young rich businessman and crossing the ocean. This unexpected action proves the prediction to be true. Thus, Miss Jones appears simple at first but becomes a key character who brings out the irony of the story.
3. Bring out the importance of the trial scene in the court.
The trial scene is very important in the story as it exposes Mrs. Myers as a fraud. Inspector MacLeary files a case against her and brings her to court. During the trial, Mrs. Myers tries to defend herself by saying that she made predictions based on how the girl appeared before her. However, the court proves her guilty of cheating people by fortune telling. The magistrate, Mr. Kelly, sentences her to deportation and fines her fifty pounds. This scene shows the victory of law and human intelligence. At the same time, it prepares the ground for the irony that follows later. Thus, the trial scene is the turning point of the story.
4. What is the irony of life depicted in “The Fortune Teller”?
The irony of life in the story is that human judgment fails, but destiny succeeds. Mrs. Myers is a fake fortune teller, and the inspector and judge expose her successfully. They believe that her predictions are meaningless. However, after one year, Mrs. MacLeary actually marries a young rich businessman and crosses the ocean to Australia. This happens exactly as predicted by Mrs. Myers. The inspector and judge are shocked by this unexpected truth. Though they could judge and punish the astrologer, they could not judge life itself. The story shows that destiny overrules human intelligence. Thus, the irony lies in the fact that a false prophecy turns out to be true.
5. What were the predictions by Mrs. Myers?
Mrs. Myers predicted that the young girl would marry a young rich businessman before the end of the year. She also said that an elderly man would stand as an obstacle in her way, but she would overcome it. According to her prediction, the girl would cross the ocean after marriage. These predictions were made by reading cards, and a fee of one pound and one shilling was collected. At first, these predictions appeared to be false and were used as evidence against Mrs. Myers in court. However, later events prove that all her predictions come true. Thus, her simple predictions form the base of the story’s irony.