1. Footprints without Feet.
2. An Excellent Father.
3. From the Diary of a Young girl.
4. Long walk to Freedom.
5. The Sermon at Benares.
6. Pappachi's Moth.
7. The Merchant of Venice.
8. The Ghat of the Only World.
POETRY
1. Prayer.
2. Miracles
3. When you are old
4. Speak up
5. Snowdrop
6. My Mother at Sixty-six.
7. An Evening wet with Rain
8. The Tale of Custard The Dragon
9. Last Lesson of the Afternoon
10. From: I Explain a Few things.
STORIES
1. The Necklace
2. Bholi
3. Abhiley
4. Out of business
5. The servant
6. Dusk
PLAY
1. The Proposal
Chapter - Footprints without Feet
(PDF Source: MBD English Guide-D.P BHANOT)
vocabulary
outspoken: صاف بات کرنے والا
Pacifist: امن پسند
Didactic: intended to teach, particularly in having moral instruction as an ulterior motive.
realistic حقیقت پسندانہ
Genres: قسم
apprentices: شاگردی
draper: بزاز
Imprints: چهاپ
Remarkable : نمایاں
Fascinated : متوجہ
Fainter : دھندلا
Bewildered : حیران
Summary: This chapter is an excerpt from the famous novel "An Invisible man" written by H.G.Wells. The novel deals with the adventures of a scientist “Griffin” who discovers a way by which a human body can become invisible. He faces many hardships but overcomes each one of them by one way or the other.
The chapter commences when two boys become surprised and fascinated on seeing muddy imprints of a pair of bare feet on the steps of a house in London. These imprints are of a brilliant scientist Griffin, who discovers the method of making a human body invisible. He carries out many experiments and finally swallows certain rare kinds of drugs to become transparent. He is presented in the novel and our chapter a lawless person. His landlord, being dissatisfied with him tries to expel him but he in return sets fire to his house and escapes by becoming invisible. He chooses to be a homeless rogue in mid winter, when it becomes unbearable for him to wander without clothes. He enters a big London store and uses various garments to wear, and feeds himself with food and Wine. Then he sleeps comfortably on a pile of quilts. Next morning, when he does not wake up in time, the assistants of the store chase him and he escapes by removing the garments. Thus, he again becomes invisible.
Next, he enters a theatrical company and uses its stock to cover himself. Moreover, he knocks down shopkeeper and robs him off his money. He then goes away from London to a countryside village of Iping, where he books two rooms in a local inn. His arrival surprises everyone because of his strange get up and appearance and awkward time of arrival. His landlady tries to be friendly with him. But he avoids her and tells her that his motive of coming to Iping is seclusion. So, His landlady excuses his irritable nature considering him an eccentric person and mainly due to his advance payment.
Soon, Griffin’s stolen money finishes and he puts off his landlady for the payment of rent by pretending to expect a cheque. Shortly afterwards, a clergyman and his wife get awakened by some noises in the study. They creep downstairs and find the clergyman’s desk open and housekeeping money missing. Later, in the morning, Mrs. and Mr. Hall find the scientist’s door wide open and decide to investigate his belongings. Suddenly, Mrs. Hall hears a sniff close to her cur. Then
Griffin’s hat leaps up and dashes itself in her face. A little later, the bedroom chair becomes alive and pushes the landlord and the landlady out of the room and slams the door behind them. Mrs. Hall becomes very much emotional because of her mother’s furniture rising up against her. She blames Griffin for creating some evil spirits to enter her mother’s furniture. The neighbours believe the abnormal behaviour of the furniture because of witchcraft but the news of theft at the clergyman's house and Griffin's presentation of ready cash create suspicion on him.
Finally, the village constable is called but Mrs. Hall starts asking the scientist about the abnormal behaviour of her furniture. The scientist becomes very furious at these queries and removes his disguising costumes. In a moment, the people at the place find themselves staring at a headless man. Now the constable tries very hard to catch the person who goes on becoming more and more invisible. Finally, he is knocked down and Griffin shakes himself free by becoming invisible once again.
Textual Questions
Q1. How would you assess Griffin as a scientist?
Ans: As a scientist, Griffin seems to be appreciable. He is a brilliant scientist who is very determined about his experimental skill. He strives very much to make his experiment, of making a human body invisible, a success. Ultimately, when he is not able to get his desired results from his experiments, he ingests several unusual and rare drugs and makes his efforts a success by becoming invisible.
Q2. The two boys in London were surprised and fascinated. Why?
Ans: The two boys got surprised on observing the fresh muddy imprints of a pair of bare feet on the steps of a house in the middle of London. They were fascinated when they saw some new foot marks appearing one after the other without the feet being visible at all.
Q3. What did Griffin do inside the shop?
Ans. Griffin slipped into a big London store and as soon as the shop was closed, he put on warm clothes, shoes, an overcoat and a wide brimmed hat. Then he ate cold meat with coffee followed bysweets and wine. Finally, he settled down to sleep on a pile of quilts.
Q4. How did he escape from the London store?
Ans: in a London store, Griffin took rest on a pile of quilts after feeding himself at night. He was fast asleep and was not able to wake up before the store was opened by the assistants in the morning. On seeing them, the scientist got into a panic and began to run. The assistants gave him a chase. He quickly took off his clothes and escaped out of the store invisibly.
Q5. He entered the shop of a theatrical company. What did he do there?
Ans: After escaping from the London store, Griffin entered the shop of a theatrical company. He wore bandages round his forehead, put on dark glasses, false nose, big bushy side whiskers and a large hat. Then he attacked the shopkeeper from behind and robbed him of all the money he had.
Q6. Why was the arrival of this stranger in a village inn an unusual event? Give two reasons.
Ans: The arrival of this stranger in a village inn was an unusual event because it was mid-winter and the atmosphere was very chilly and deserted. Moreover, Griffin had disguised himself in a strange way. So, his strange appearance and arrival surprised everyone.
Q7. How did the scientist look when he came to the inn?
Ans: The scientist looked very strange when he came to the inn. He had his forehead covered with bandages, big bushy side whiskers and dark glasses and talked to everyone in an irritable manner. He preferred solitude and thus appeared to be an eccentric person to everyone at the inn.
Q8. The landlord’s wife was convinced that Griffin was “an eccentric scientist”. What made her think of Griffin in these terms?
Ans. Griffin had an uncommon and a very strange appearance. Mrs. Hall tried to be friendly with him but he avoided her and asked her not to disturb him. Besides this, his strange habits and irritable temper made her believe that he was an eccentric scientist.
Q9. What was “the curious episode” that took place in the Clergyman’s study?
Ans. Very early in the morning, the clergyman and his wife heard some noises which revealed that someone was stealing money from the clergyman’s desk in the study. On entering the room, they were surprised to see it empty and the money was missing from the desk.
Q10. The landlord and his wife were surprised to see the scientist’s door wide open. Why were they surprised?
Ans: The landlord and his wife were surprised to see the scientist’s door wide open because it was shut and locked all the time and the scientist used to get furious if anyone entered his room , as he preferred solitude. On finding the door open, Mr. and Mrs. Hall entered the room and started to investigate it. All of a sudden, Mrs. Hall heard a sniff close to her ear. After a while, Griffin‘s hat jumped on its own and hit her in the face. Then the bedroom chair moved, jumped and pushed them out of the room.
Q11. Mrs. Hall almost fell down the stairs in hysterics. Pick out an example of humor from what follows this incident.
Ans. Mrs. Hall was terrified by the strange incident. She believed that Griffin had made her mother‘s spirit enter the chair which attacked her and she felt quite disturbed on thinking that her mother’s spirit rose up against her. This is a humorous incident.
Q12. The Scientist was furious. What did he do in anger? Why were the people in the bar horrified?
Ans. Mrs. Hall questioned Griffin and enquired about the incident that had happened in his room. He became furious. He shouted at her and told her that he would show her his real identity. Within just a minute, he threw off his bandages, whiskers, spectacles and false nose, due to which his head disappeared. All the people present in the bar were greatly horrified to see a headless man in front of them.
Q13. What happened to the constable?
Ans: The constable was called to capture Griffin. The scientist was putting off his clothes one by one and ultimately became totally invisible. The brave constable still tried to get hold of the invisible scientist, but he was hit by him and he fell unconscious.
Q14. The scientist was a man of “irritable temper”. Give an example to prove this.
Ans: The scientist was a man of irritable temper. It has been clearly shown by many incidents. One
such incident is when Mrs. Hall interrogates him about the abnormal behaviour of her furniture, he
loses his temperament discloses his identity. Moreover, he dislikes friendly atmosphere and prefers
loneliness which depicts that he was unsociable and a man irritable temper.
Discussion:
Q1. Do you think Griffin misused his discovery? How?
Ans. Griffin is sketched in our perception as a brilliant scientist for he discovered the formula of becoming invisible, but he was a lawless person as well. He misused his discovery in many ways. Firstly, he slipped into the ‘London store and gave himself the pleasure of clothing and feeding illegally. Secondly, he went to the shop bearing the stock of a theatrical company and disguised himself with its stock. He also attacked the shopkeeper mercilessly and robbed him of his money. He stole money from clergyman’s house and finally, he had an encounter with the constable, the landlord and the landlady and escaped invisibly to further clarify his lawless nature.
Chapter- An Excellent Father
(PDF Source: MBD English Guide-D.P BHANOT)
Introduction: - An “Excellent father’ is an excerpt from a famous novel by Jane Austen ‘Pride
and Prejudice’. The important characters of this passage are Mr. and Mrs.Bennet, Jane, Elizabeth and Mr. Bingley.Mr. Bennet: - A gentleman, who lives with his wife and five daughters at Long bourne house.
Mr. Bennet seldom shows anger; he prefers to laugh at people’s weaknesses.
Mrs. Bennet: - Mr. Bennet’s wife; a foolish, quick tempered woman. Her chief aim in life is to and rich husbands for her daughters.
Jane: - The eldest of the Bennet daughters and also the prettiest.
Elizabeth: - The second of the Bennet daughter. She is shrewder than Jane and is always
ready to speak her mind. Kitty: - The fourth of the Bennet daughters.
Charles Bingley: - A rich handsome, eligible and single gentleman.
Summary: This prose extract has been taken from Jane Austen’s famous novel “Pride andprejudice" which after considerable revision appeared as “Pride and Prejudice” in 1813. This novel tells the story of the gradual union of two people - one held back by unconquerable pride and the other blinded by Prejudice - thus the name “Pride and Prejudice”. Mr. Bennet seems to be a careless father who is not bothered about the marriage of his daughters who have attained a marriageable age. The chapter starts when Mr. Bingley rents Nether fields Park which is in the neighbourhood of Mr. Bennet’s’ house. Mrs. Bennet becomes very cautious about her daughter because she does not want to lose this opportunity of marrying one of her daughters to Mr. Bingley. Actually, this novel is written in 19th century when there was a custom that the proper) was taken over by only male members. Since Mr. Bennet had no son, so his property was to be owned by any of his close relative. That is why Mrs. Bennet was very much worried about the fate of her daughters. On hearing about the arrival of Mr. Bingley, she tells her husband to develop some familiarity with him. But he reacts very lightly to this news. He starts teasing his wife and comments that should send the girls to meet Mr. Bingley but should not go her-self for she is very beautiful even in her old age.
Finally, Mrs. Bennet gets very disappointed because of her husband’s loose reaction. As a result of anger, she scolds her daughter Kitty for coughing. Ultimately, when she comes to know that her husband Mr. Bennet had visited Mr. Bingley, she feels relaxed and overwhelmed. At the end she told her daughters “You have an excellent father, girls” because she comes to know that Mr. Bennet had actually paid the visit to Mr. Bingley unbeknownst to all of them.
Thinking About the text
Q1. What does Mrs. Bennet tell her husband?
Ans: Mrs. Bennet tells her husband to visit Mr. Bingley, a rich young gentleman, who rent a house in their neighbourhood.
Q2. Who takes over Netherfield Park? Why is Mrs. Bennet happy about it?
Mr. Bingley, a rich, handsome and eligible young man of North of England takes over Netherfield Park. Mrs. Bennet is happy about it because Mr. Bingley is a bachelor and she looks forward for marrying one of her daughters to him.
Q3. Why does Mrs. Bennet insist her husband to meet Mr. Bingley?
Ans: Mrs. Bennet insists her husband to meet Mr. Bingley because she does not want to miss this golden opportunity of giving one of her daughters, a happy, prosperous life by marrying her to Mr. Bingley. Moreover, she is sure that many ladies would try to exploit this chance. So she tries to persuade and insist her husband to meet Mr. Bingley.
Q4. “You take delight in vexing me. You have no compassion on my poor nerves”. Explain.
Ans: Mr. Bennet is a lazy and cool minded person and he enjoys harassing his wife. He suggests his wife not to accompany her daughters for she can be chosen for marriage because of her beauty. Mrs. Bennet gets irritated and condemns her husband for making her angry. She further adds that her husband Mr. Bennet is not at all sympathetic to her sensitive feelings regarding the marriage of her daughters.
Q5. Why does Mrs. Bennet think Mrs. Long is selfish?
Mrs. Bennet thinks Mrs. Long is selfish because she has two nieces and she would not lose the chance of marrying one of them to Mr. Bingley. She would also not give Mrs. Bennet any opportunity to marry one of her daughters to the said gentleman.
Q6. How does Mr. Bennet react to the plan designed by his Wife?
Ans: Mr. Bennet does not show any excited reaction towards his wife’s plan. He appears to be uninterested in this affair. He teases his wife and does not seem to be serious about this plan at all.
Q7. Why does Mrs. Bennet tell her girls that they have an excellent father?
Ans: Mrs. Bennet and girls get astonished when they come to know that the Mr. Bennet had actually paid the visit to Mr. Bingley for acquaintance. She comes to know that although Mr. Bennet appears to be least interested in the marriage of his daughters, but in the heart of hearts, he really cares for them. Mrs. Bennet is very happy with all this, that is why she tells her daughters, “What an excellent father you have girls”.
Q8. Character sketch of Mrs. Bennet:
Ans. Mrs. Bennet is one of the interesting characters in the lesson. She is very different from her husband. While we laugh with Mr. Bennet, we laugh at Mrs. Bennet. Mrs. Bennet is a woman of little intelligence. She has a bad temper. She has never understood husband’s character. Even when he teases her, she does not understand it, for instance when he warns her against visiting Mr. Bingley lest he might fall in love with her. Mrs. Bennet takes it in all seriousness. She feels flattered by the reference to her beauty instead of feeling offended by the ridicule. She has only one interest in life. That is getting her daughters married to rich people.
For achieving her end she is ready to stoop to any level. She behaves in a funny and ludicrous way all the time that she becomes almost a comic character. Mrs. Bennet’s always complaining about her weak nerves and the indifferent attitude of Mr. Bennet towards important family matters renders her a comic character, when readers know it fully well the real situation. Mrs. Bennet is too much talkative. She cannot keep herself in check. So the character of Mrs. Bennet is a source of entertainment for the readers to a great extent.
Q9. Character sketch of Mr. Bennet:
Ans. Mr. Bennet is a strange mixture of intelligence, humour and reserve. Every word he says is full of wit and humour. Some of the best jokes in the lesson come through his lips. Mr. Bennet is the head of the family. As husband and father he does not assert his authority very much. instead of preventing follies of his wife he is habitual of amusing himself with them. Mr. Bennet’s attitude towards his wife is one of mocking submission. Mrs. Bennet is very talkative by nature. She wants to give detailed reports of all her experiences to her husband. But Mr. Bennet is not in the least interested in listening to her loose talks. For instance when she starts talking about Netherfield Park, Mr. Bennet says. “You want to tell me. I have no objection to hearing it”. Mr. Bennet does not like to talk much. When he talks it is mostly for teasing people. The person whom he teases most is his wife. He enjoys at her cost. He has visited the place of Mr. Bingley. But he keeps his visit a secret. He springs surprises at the right moment. We distinguish Mr., Bennet not by his appearance but by his talk. Every sentence he speaks is typical of Mr. Bennet. He leaves a good impression upon the reader.
Chapter - From the Diary of a young girl
1. Intimate: Closely acquainted: گہرا
2. Association: دوستی
3. A Chatterbox: بک بک کرنے والا
4. Justifies: Show or prove to be right or reasonable.: دلائل پیش کرنا
5. Strange: Experience :عجیب تجربہ
6. Musings: غور و فکر سوچ بچار
7. Listless: Characterised by lack of interest, energy, or spirit-دلچسپی نہ لینے والا
8. Brooding: Engaged in or showing deep thought about something that makes one sad, angry, or worried.
9. Grandly: In a proud, impressive, or ambitious manner. شان و شوکت سے
10. Stiff-backed: not easily bent or changed in shape; rigid.
11. Stiff: سخت
12. Unless: جب تک
13. Probably: شاید
14. Prompted: آمادہ کرنا
15. Confide: بهروسا کرنا
16. Plunge: چھلانگ لگانا
17. Immigrated : ہجرت کرنا
18. Plunked down: نیچے گرا
19. Right away: فوری طور پر
20. Solemn: پختہ
21. Dedication: لگن
22. Angry outbursts: بھڑک اٹھنا
23. Dummies: احمق
24. Quarter: چوتھائی
25. Unpredictable: غیر متوقع
26. Pretty Well: پانا ساتھ
27. Fogey ضعیف,
28. Tucked: push, fold, or turn (the edges or ends of something, especially a garment or bedclothes) so as to hide or secure them. -سمیٹنا
29.Ramble ono:
To talk or write for a long time in a way that other people find boring
30. Convince:- یقین دہائی
31. Trait: خصلت
32. Inherited: وراثت میں ملا ہوا
33. Supposed to be: فرض کرنا
34. Incorrigible: ناقابل اصلاح
35. Ingenuity: The quality of being clever, original, and inventive.-قوت اختراع
36. Ridiculous: مضحکہ خیز
Glossary
Listless (adj.) with no energy or interest (lethargic, enervated, spiritless, lifeless, vigourless,
languid, inactive, inert, sluggish, torpid). She was pale and listless.
Confide (verb) to tell personal things to a person that one trust (reveal, disclose, divulge,
declare, unburden, open one’s heart to). He confided his fears to his mother.
Plunked down Put down in a casual way, plunk down (Br.E), plunk down (Am.E). He plunked
himself down on the bench, sat heavily quacking in his hoots shaking with fear
and nervousness.
old foggy an old fashioned person (unfashionable, passe - absolute antiquated; motheaten;
(informal) old hat, out of the ark)
Ramble on talk or write meaninglessly for long. What is she rambling on about?
Convincing argument statement made in such a manner that people believe it.
Inherited traits qualities that one gets from one’s parents
incorrigible (adj.) something that cannot he corrected (usually a bad quality) (inveterate;
habitual, conformed, incurable, hardened)
Ingenuity (n) originality and inventiveness
Ingenious (adj.) inventive, creative, imaginative, innovative, shrewd
Chatterbox (n) an abnoxious and foolish talker (babbler, spouter chatterer)
Thinking about the text
Q1. Was Anne right when she said that the world would not be interested in the musings of a thirteen year old girl?
Ans) No, she was wrong in saying so. It is the politically and socially insecure atmosphere and her own introvert nature made her think in these terms. Praise flooded from every corner of the world for the musings of the thirteen year old girl.
Q2. In which language was “the Diary of Anne Frank” originally written?
Ans) The diary of Anne Frank was originally written in die Dutch language.
Q3. Why does Anne need to give a brief sketch of her family? Does she treat “Kitty” as an insider or an outsider?
Ans) Anne thought that no one would understand a word of her stories to Kitty if she started Straight way with her story. Therefore, she thought that it would be better to give a ‘brief sketch of her family before giving vent to her inmost feelings. She treats Kitty as an insider and a very close friend. She wants to share her innermost feelings with Kitty.
Q4. Haw does Anne feel about her father, her grandfather, Mrs. Kuperus and Mr. Keesing?
Ans) Anne liked her father and her grandfather. She found her father very much adorable. Mrs. Kuperus, the headmistress of the nursery school where Anne studied, loved her very much. Mr. Keesing, the math teacher, on the contrary, was very strict to Anne. He thought she talked too much in the class for which she has to bear the burden of writing extra home work.
Q5. What does Anne write in her first essay?
Ans) In her first essay, Anne wrote that talking was a student’s trait. She justified her habit of talking
by calling it a trait that she inherited from her mother, because her mother also talked as much as she did. She further substantiated her stand by saying that there is not much that can be done about inherited traits.
Q6. Anne says teachers are most unpredictable. Is Mr. Keesing unpredictable? How?
Ans: Anne says so out of her own mannerism and attitude towards her teacher. Mr. Keesing, though known for his strictness, at times can’t help a rapture descend on him. Mr. Keesing proves himself unpredictable, when he is so amused by Anne’s poem that he allows her to talk in the class.
Language Work
Match the words in column A with their meaning in column B, and then use each in a sentence.
Ans:
Word Meaning Sentence
Heartbreaking producing great sadness Shouldering the coffin of his young son
was heartbreaking for him.
Homesick Missing home and family
very much.
When the boy first went to boarding
school he was very homesick.
Blockhead (An informal word) a very
stupid person
He is a blockhead and won’t understand
your metaphysics.
Law-abidy Obeying and respecting the
law.
He is a law-abiding citizen.
Overdo Do something to an excessive
degree
I overdid the sympathy.
Daydream Thing about pleasant things
forgetting about present
Oblivious of the surroundings, John was
lost in a daydream.
Breakdown An occasion when vehicles or
machines stop working
Our car had a breakdown on the
highway. Output
output Something produced by an
organization, a person or a
machine.
The output of our factory has increased by
20%.
Q. Match the phrasal verbs in column A with their meanings in column B.
Ans:
Column A Column B
Plunge in Go straight to the topic
Kept back Not promoted
Move up Go to the next grade
Ramble on Speak or write without focus
Get along with Have a good relationship with
Calm down Make (them) remain quit
Stay in Stay indoors
Makeup for Compensate
Hand in Give an assignment (homework) to a person
in authority (the leader)
Chapter – Long walk to Freedom
Glossary
Besiege: Surround closely by (round, swarm around, throng around, ring around, encircle)
Dignitaries: Those who possess exalted rank or hold a position of honour worthy, personage, VIP,
grandee, notable, luminary, big name)
Amphitheatre: an oval or circular building with rising tiers of seats ranged about an open space and
used in ancient Rome for contests and spectacles; auditorium
Podium: a raised area on which a person stands to speak to a large number of people (dais,
platform, stage, rostrum, stand, soapbox)
Awe: a feeling of great respect sometimes mixed with fear or surprise (wonder,
wonderment, admiration, reverence, respect, dread, fear). The sight fills me with awe.
Awe some: breathtaking, awe - inspiring, mind - blowing.
Bedeck: decorate
Cheveron: a shape like V or an upside down V
Confer: bestow on, present to, grant, award to
Outlaw: rebel (fugitive, criminal. Bandit)
Emancipation: freedom from restriction
Questions
Q1. Why was the May 10 an autumn day in South Africa?
Ans: On May 10, 1994 South Africa established its first non-racial government to taste the fruit of a long struggle against the white rule. The phrase “autumn day” has symbolical connotations. It symbolizes the “day of harvest” or the day of fruits. It is the fruit of freedman South Africa will taste.
Q2. At the beginning of his speech, Mandela mentions “an extra ordinary human disaster? What does he mean by this? What is the “glorious human achievement” he speaks of at the end?
Ans: The white rule for over hundreds of years and the discrimination on the bases of the colour of the skin has been called” an extraordinary human disaster. The political and social emancipation has been termed as “glorious ....human achievement”
Q3. What ideals does Nelson Mandela set out for the future of South Africa?
Ans: Nelson Mandela has a vision of a South Africa without poverty, deprivation, suffering or any kind of discrimination.
Q4.Why did such a large number of international leaders attend the inauguration? What did it
signify the triumph for?
Ans: The leaders from all over the world had come to honor the first democratic and non racial government of South Africa. It was a common victory for justice, peace and human dignity. It signified a victory not only for the nation of South Africa but for the whole mankind.
Q5. What does Mandela mean when he says he is “simply the sum of all those African patriots” who had gone before him?
Ans: Mandela means to say that what South Africa had achieved was not a one-man job. The establishment of a non-racial government and Mandela’s becoming the first black President would have never been possible without the sacrifices of all those people who had gone before him. The victory was not the result of Mandela’s struggle only, but that of all the people who had sacrificed for the cause.
Q6. Would you agree that the depths of oppression create heights of character? How does Mandela illustrate this?
Ans: I agree with the statement of Nelson Mandela We know that the greatest men have emerged in the most difficult times. When the going gets tough, the tough get going. It proved true in the case of Mandela himself. With mounting oppression, Mandela’s character scaled new heights. His compassion, the oppressed as well as the oppressor. He wanted to free the oppressor from the chains of hatred.
Q7. What twin obligation does Mandela mention?
Ans: According to Nelson Mandela everyman has twin obligations the obligation towards one’s kith and kin and the obligation towards one’s people.
Q8. How did Mandela’s understanding of freedom change with age and experience?
Ans: The young Mandela was growing up his understanding of freedom was also evolving. For period, freedom meant to him the freedom to run in the fields, During his days as a student, freedom meant the freedom to read what he pleased and go where he liked. Then as a young man it meant the freedom to develop ones potential and live a happy life. But then he realized that the real freedom meant the freedom for every one w ho looked like him. All other freedoms were transitory.
Q9. How did Mandela’s “hunger for freedom” change his life?
The hunger for freedom made Mandela a bold person. He became a man sans fear. His candid attitude towards the racial government forced him to become homeless and live a life of a monk. He was not less than a criminal in their eyes. '
Q10. Match the expressions in column A with the reasons in column B.
Column A Column B
A rainbow gathering of different
colours and nations.
A beautiful coming together of various people, and
nations like the colours in a rainbow
The seat of white supremacy The centre of racial superiority.
Be overwhelmed with a sense of
history
Feel deeply emotional, remembering all the past
events that have led up to the moment.
Resilience that defies the imagination A great ability to remain unchanged by suffering
(not losing hope goodness or courage)
A glimmer of humanity A sign of human feelings (goodness, kindness)
A twilight existence A half-secret life, a life lived in the jading light
between sunset and darkness.
Chapter – THE SERMON AT BENARAS
Glossary
Aims charitable donations or money of food to the poor
Dipping places bathing place
Inscrutable mysterious; impenetrable
Procure acquire (secure; gain; earn; win)
Kinsman a member of one’s own tribe or group
Afflict with affected by suffering, disease or pain
Lamentation passionate expression of grief; (sobbing, weeping wailing, mourning, keening)
Fraternal pertaining to a brother
Flicker to shine for a short time, flash.
Heretofore before this time; formerly
Ascetic a person who practices extreme self denial or austerity (monk, hermit)
Meditation the action of profound spiritual or religious reflection or mental
contemplation. (reflection, thought, contemplation
Think about the text
Q1. What is a Sermon? How is it different from a lecture?
Ans: A sermon is a talk on a moral or religious subject, usually given by a religious leader during a service. A lecture is a talk given to a group of people by a learned person to inform them about a subject.
Q2. When her son dies, Kisa Gotami goes from house to house what does she ask for? Does she get it? Why not?
Ans. Kisa Gotami asks for medicine to bring her dead son back to life. No, she does not get the medicine because there is no medicine to bring the dead back to life. .
Q3. Kisa Gotami again goes from house to house after she speaks with the Budha. What does she ask for the second time around? Does she get it? Why not?
Ans. The Buddha had asked Kisa Gotami to get a handful of mustard seed from a house where no death had ever taken place. Kisa Gotami could find no such house. Therefore, she failed to get what the Buddha had asked for.
Q4. What does Kisa Gotami understand the second time that she failed to understand the first time? Was this what the Buddha wanted her to understand?
Ans. After going through the trial, Kisa Gotami understood that there could be no house where death had never taken place. She understood that death was common to all. She learned that every soul must drink from the goblet of death. The Buddha wanted her to understand this very fact of life.
Q5. Why do you think Kisa Gotami understood this only the second time? In what way did the Buddha change her understanding?
Ans. When Kisa Gotami son died she asked for medicine. People told her that child was dead. She could not comprehend it. She understood the reality of life and death only after the Buddha set her on a trial. Now, she understood that there could be no house where death had never taken place. She understood it at death as common to all and she was not the only mother whose son had died. Therefore, Buddha changed her understanding of death.
Q6. How do you usually understand the idea of selfishness? Do you agree with Kisa Gotami that she is being selfish in her grief?
Ans. Selfishness usually means thinking of one’s own welfare only without any regard for others Kisa Gotami was not selfish in that sense. She realizes that though every house had lost someone, she wanted only her son to bring back to life. Therefore, she calls herself selfish.
Thinking about Language
Q1. This text is written in an old-fashioned style, for it reports an incident more than two millennia old. Look for the following words and phrases in the text, and try to rephrase them in more current language, based on how you understand them.
i. give thee medicine for thy child
ii. Pray tell me
iii. Kisa repaired to the Buddha
iv. there was no house but someone had died in it
v. kinsmen
vi. Mark!
Ans:
i. Give you medicine for your child.
ii. Please tell me.
iii. Kisa went to the Buddha.
iv. There was no house where no one had died.
v. Relatives.
vi. Listen
Q2. You know that we can combine sentences using words like and, or, but, yet and then. But sometimes no such word seems appropriate. In such a case was can use a semicolon (;) or a dash (-) to combine two clauses. She has no interest in music; I doubt she will become a singer like her mother. The second clause here gives the speaker's opinion on the first clause. Here is a sentence from the text that uses semicolons to combine clauses. Break up the sentence into three simple sentences. Can you then say which has a better rhythm when you read it, the single sentence using semicolons, or the three simple sentences? For there is not any means by which those who have been born can avoid dying; after reaching old age there is death; of such a nature are living beings.
Ans: The single sentence using semicolons has a better rhythm. This is because the three parts of the sentence are connected to each other in their meanings. The second clause gives further information on the first clause. The third clause is directly related to both the first and the second. Their meanings are better conveyed when they are joined by semicolons.
Chapter – PAPACHI’S MOTH
VOCABULARY
Slouch to stand, sit or walk with the shoulders hanging forward and the head bent
slightly over so that you look tired or bored (slump, hunch, droop)
Sullen angry and unwilling to smile or be pleasant to people (resentful, glum, moody,
gloomy, uncommunicative, uncivil sour, morose)
Immaculately perfectly clean or tidy (immaculate = clean, pristine, unsoiled, unblemished,
untarnished)
Mound a large pile of earth, stones, etc like a small hill (heap, mountain, mass, hump)
Bow a thin piece of wood with hair from the tail of a hose stretched along it, which
is used to play musical instrument that have strings. Violins are played with
bows.
Smash to cause smoothing to break noisily into a lot of small pieces (break, shatter,
splinter, crack, crash)
Intermediary some one who carries message between two people who are unwilling or
unable to meet (mediator, go-between, negotiator, middleman, linkman)
Entomologist the scientist who studies insects.
Dorsal of a near the back of an animal.
Tuft a number of short pieces of hair or hair or grass which closely grow together
or are held together near the base (clump, cluster)
Taxonomic systematic naming and organizing of things especially plants and animals into
groups which share similar qualities.
Pernicious having a very harmful effect or influence (harmful, damaging, detrimental,
deleterious, inimical, malignant, noxious)
Ignominy disgrace, shame, dishonour, infamy, ignobility, loss of face.
Thinking about the text
Q1. Sketch the characters of Pappachi and Mammachi.
Ans: Character sketch of Pappachi: Pappachi was a retired government officer. During the British period he worked as an imperial Entomologist. After independence he was raised to the post of Joint of Director. He had had, once discovered a new species of moth, but the credit was given to someone else. It was the greatest set back of his life. After Pappachi’s retirement, his wife started making pickles commercially. She was quite successful in her business. Pappachi began to feel jealous of her success and growing popularity. He would often lose his temper and start beating his wife.
Once, when he was beating his wife, his son caught hold of him and admonished him. Pappachi never spoke to her after that. He would sit on the verandah and pretend to sew buttons that were no missing onto his shirts, to create an impression that he was being neglected. Pappachi died of a severe heart attack and his death was reported in the Indian Express.
Character sketch of Mammachi: Mammachi was Pappachi’s wife. She was seventeen years younger than her husband. She was still young when her husband retired from the government service. After her husband’s retirement, she started making pickles commercially. Her business flourished every day. Her husband began to feel jealous of her success. He never gave her a helping in hand in the business. He would even beat her off and on. When his son saw him doing this, he admonished him. She was a victim of her husband’s ill temper cruelty though. Mammachi cried over her husband’s death, she had no love for him.
Q.2 “I never want this to happen again,” he told his father, “Ever” who says it and why?
Ans: Pappachi's son, Chacko, says these words. Chacko, who is a scholar at Oxford, comes home during summer vacation. One day, he saw his father beating her mother with a brass vase. He snatches the vase from his father and warns him never to do that again.
Q3. “Ammu told the twins that Mammachi was crying more because she was used to him than because she loved him”. In the light of the statement of a Mammachi’s daughter, comment on the relationship between Mammachi and Pappachi.
Ans: Pappachi and Mammachi did not have a cordial relationship with each other. Pappachi was almost never intimate with his wife. He would even beat her whenever he liked. Mammachi bore all her husband’s cruelty patiently. With the passage she had become used to her husband’s cruelty Mammachi, cried at Pappachi’s death not because she loved him but because she had become used to him. Though there was no love between the husband and the wife, but the later cried at his funeral.
Q4. How does Mammachi stand out as an independent and resilient woman in the text?
Ans: Mammachi on the one hand is an oppressed woman. She patiently bears all the beatings and cruelty of her husband. But, on the other hand she is a very self-confident and resilient woman. She starts making pickles commercially. She works very hard without getting any help from her husband. Her husband feels jealous of her, and even stops talking to her. But she doesn’t give up. She works single handedly to carry on with her business of pickle making.
Q5. Pick out the elements of irony from the lesson.
Ans: Pappachi discovers a new species of moth but ironically it is named after a person who was junior to Pappachi and whom Pappachi hated. Pappachi breaks his favorite rocking chair but ironically it has no effect on any one. And, although there was no love between the husband and wife, Mammachi wept bitterly at his death.
Q6. Identify instance of humour in the story.
Ans: Pappachi buys an old Play mouth. In order to impress others, he tries to drive the car. But as he drives the car, he sweats freely inside his woolen suits. This event can be called an instance of humour in the story. Besides this, Pappachi’s trying to sew the buttons that were not, missing onto his shirt is an instance of a tragic comic element in the story.
Language Work
Match the following:
i. Epitaph
ii. Abstract
iii. Citation
iv. Obituary
v. Postscript
vi. Glossary
vii. Appendix
viii. Epigraph
ix. Manuscript
i. A short piece of writing or a poem about a dead person, especially
written on their grave stone.
ii. A shortened from of a speech, article, book etc giving only the most
important facts.
iii. A particular part of a book, poem, etc that in chose so that it can be
used in a discussion, article etc.
iv. News of someone’s death in a newspaper.
v. a short remark or message added to the both ends of a letter after you
have signed your name, usually introduced by PS.
vi. Meanings of difficult words and phrases in a text.
vii. A separate part at the end of a book or magazine that gives additional
information.
viii. A saying or a part of a poem, play or book at the beginning of a piece
of writing to five the reader some idea of what the piece is about.
ix. The original copy of a book or article before it is primed.
Q. What do the following scientists do? Match the following:
Column A Column B
i. Dermatologist
ii. Endocrinologist
iii. Ornithologist
iv. Gerontologist
v. Cytologist
vi. Ergonomist
vii. Paleontologist
viii. Herpetologist
ix. Ichthyologist
i. Skin
ii. Hormones
iii. Birds
iv. Old Age
v. Cells
vi. Technology
vii. Fossils
viii. Reptiles
ix. Fish
Character sketch of Pappachi and Mammachi: Pappachi was a retired government officer. He was a well-known imperial Entomologist. After his retirement from the Govt. service, he had come to live in Aymanem in Kerala. He had a wife and two children. But after his retirement there was a drastic change in his behaviour. He always wore black moods. He was ill-humoured and ill-tempered. He had grown into a sullen and sulky husband. He felt jealous of his wife’s success in her business. He never gave her any help in her work because he thought it below his dignity to do so. On the contrary, he would often beat her with a brass flower vase. In order to get her bad name, he would often sit in the open and start sewing the buttons that were, in fact, not missing. In fact, there was a reason behind his bitterness in temper. He was denied the credit of discovering a new species of moth, and then credited to the present, Acting Director who used to be far junior to Pappachi. This was the reason for his abusive tendencies towards his family, especially his wife, Mammachi. This life of bitterness after retirement continued for many years. He died of a heart attack. Through his character, the writer in a suggestive way tries to convey how small things build up one’s behaviour and affect lives of people.
Character sketch of Mammachi: Mammachi was Pappachi’s wife. She was seventeen years younger than her husband. She was a hard-worker. After the retirement of her husband, she started the business of pickle making. She devoted herself to the business completely. She was quite successful in her business. She was a woman of high patience and a humble wife. She did not have a cordial relationship with her husband. Her husband often gave her beating, but she never protested. She had become used to these beatings. She was the victim of her husband’s wrath. Besides giving her beating, he did not speak to her. When her husband died, she cried over his death. But this was not because she loved him, but because she had become used to live with him. Thus, through the character of Mammachi, the writer has raised the issues that plague our society. She is a ready victim of male chauvinism. In fact, the readers feel sympathy for Mammachi for the maltreatment she gets in her own home.
Chapter – THE GHAT OF THE ONLY WORLD
Thinking about the text.
Q1. What were the common things between Ghosh and Shahid?
Ans: Amitav Ghosh and Agha Shahid Ali had a large number of common friends in India, America and elsewhere. They had a-common love for music and old Mumbai films. Both had a love for Roshanara and Kishore Kumar. Roganjosh was the dish they loved. They had a natural indifference to cricket
Q2. What are the things that Shahid loved?
Ans: He loved music and old Mumbai films Roshanara and Kishore Kumar were among his favorites. He was a sort of party animal. He was very fond of good food especially Roganjosh.
Q3. How does Shahid face death? Describe the hospital scene.
Ans: Shahid knew about his approaching death. I-le was never scared of it he took it calmly. He was even philosophical about it he only said to the writer. "I love to think that l will meet my mother in the afterlife. Once Shahid had to go through a surgical procedure in a hospital. When he was relieved, a hospital escort arrived with a wheelchair. Shahid said that he was strong enough to walk on his own. But his knees buckled after a few steps. He was weaker than thought. Leaning against the hospital wall a kind of joy descended upon Shahid. When the escort brought the wheel chair. Shahid gave him a beaming smile and asked him where he was from. The escort said that he was from Spain. Shahid clapped his hands and said that he always wanted to learn Spanish to read Lorca. (Garica Lorca) Spanish poet and dramatist.
Q4. Who is James Merill?
Ans: James Merill is an American poet who radically changed Agha Shahid’s poetic style. Under his influence, Shahid started experimenting with strict metrical pattern and verse forms.
Q5 Pick out the elements of humour from the lesson.
Ans: Shahid. although aware of his approaching death, never gave up his amusing and friendly nature. Once at the Barcelona airport, he was stopped by a guard. This guard asked "What do you do?" Shahid said “I am a poet”. "What were you doing in Spain? “Writing poetry.” Shahid said. The guard felt irritated and asked whether he was carrying anything harmful, Shahid clapped his hand to his chest and cried, “Only my heart”.
Once he was leaving hospital after a surgical procedure. When the hospital escort brought him a wheelchair Shahid gave him a beaming smile and asked him where he was from. The man said that he was from Spain. Shahid clapped his hand and amusingly said at the top of his voice, “I always wanted to learn Spanish. Just to read Lorca.” When an Indian student walked in late while Shahid was delivering a lecture at Baruch college. He greeted her with the cry; “Ah my little sub continental has arrived.” Clasping his hands he feigned a swoon. '
Q6. What facilitated Ghosh to fulfill his pledge? How did it help him?
Ans: Amitav Ghosh had pledged to Agha Shahid that the latter would write about him after his death. Ghosh, in order to fulfill his promise, started keeping a record of every moment that he had spent with Shahid. He gathered all the information that he could about Shahid within a couple of months. All this helped Ghosh to fulfill his pledge.
Q7. How was Shahid’s reputation among his students?
Ans: Shahid’s students loved and respected him. At Baruch college in Manhattan, where Shahid delivered his last lecture, students printed a magazine and dedicated it to Shahid.
Q8. What does “The ghat of the only world” mean?
Ans: Ghat is a Hindi word which means the place at a river bank from where boats sail off with passengers for the other banks. Here the ghat of only world is a symbol of man’s life on his death and the Ghat is the bank (point of death) from which man sails off for the other World.
Chapter - PRAYER
Glossary
dwell (v) to live ‘in a place or in a particular way; inhabit, reside, live.
wailing (v) to cry because of pain or sadness (scream, cry out, screech, wail, squeal, howl,
yelp)
plea urgent and emotional request
sloth unwilling to work or make any effort (in activity, slowness, tardiness)
infirmity weakness
surcharge to supply with an extra amount (of energy, etc)
zest enthusiasm, eagerness (vigour, dynamism, spark, gusto)
chant to sing a religious prayer or song to a simple quality
vernal relating to or happening in the spring (coming, appearing, or occurring in spring)
infuse to fill someone or something with an emotion or quality
wither fade away
trials tough tests
for sake to leave someone forever, especially when they need you; give up something;
renounce; abandon.
desert abandon;
Summary: The poem, ‘prayer’ by Shair-e-Kashmir Mehjoor, is the Poet’s evocative and emotional
account of feelings addressed to God. The poet makes certain wishes before the almighty. He prays
to God to lead him to the path of truth and pour on him the nectar of knowledge. He requests him to
save him from idleness and weakness. Being, a firm believer of God, the poet asks him to always
keep him under his protection. The poet wants to sing a song that would bring people closer, fill their
hearts with love and make the element of hatred vanish away. The poet has been waiting for God’s
bounty since long. He wants God to shower his mercy and blessings on him and awaken him with the
awakening of the flower and of the day. The poet begs God not to subject him to trials as he is weak
in form and substance poet does not bother if people betray or desert him but he can’t bear any kind
of separation of his Lord.
Thinking about the text A
Q1. Which way the poet implores his Lard to lead him to?
Ans: The poet implores to lead him to the path of truth.
Q2. Name the blessings the poet prays for:
Ans: The poet prays for:
1) The nectar of knowledge. 2) A heart full of passion, zest and hope.
3) Inspiring song of love. 4) The substance of humanity.
5) The cure from ills and pains.
Q3. What is the song that poet wants to sing?
Ans) The poet wants to sing songs that can infuse life into the dead. He wants to sing songs that can inspire people and fill their hearts with love, and make all hatred vanish away.
Q 4. The poem is in the form of prayer. Write a prayer you often pray.
Ans: ------------ self evaluative -----------------
Q5. “Subject me not to trials, shame not my human form.” Explain.
Ans: The poet, with a down to earth attitude, says that he has been a man only in form, not in substance. The humanity has been far from him. The poet prays to his Lord not to subject him to difficult tests in his life as his frailty might surface.
Chapter – MIRACLES
(PDF Source: MBD English Guide-D.P BHANOT)
Glossary
Miracle a marvelous event not ascribed to human natural agency, and therefore
attributed to the intervention of a supernatural agent.
Makes much of greatly admires, gets excited about.
As to me a way of saying “if you ask me”
The whole referring, all these things are closely connected with each other, but at the same
yet each distinct time, each is separate.
Interior the interior of the earth
Dart send out suddenly or rapidly; make a rapid movement
Exquisite picturesque; attractive; scenic; charming
Swarm a large number of honey bees which gather about the hive; a large or dense
group of people or animals.
Continual Continues/constant.
Beach Sea coast
Summary: The poem Miracles written by Walt Whitman in the expression of artist’s ability to transform mundane into magical. According to general view miracles are hard to believe and they happen very rarely. But Whitman in this poem presents to us all together a different point of view of miracles. He believes that miracles are not events that happen very rarely. For poet miracles occur every movement and everywhere. The poet sees nothing else around him but miracles. A thing of joy and beauty is a miracle for him. The creation of all people, animals, birds and all animate and inanimate things are all miracles for the poet. The setting of the sun and the rising of the new moon are the best examples of miracles. But people don’t take them as miracles because these events happen quite often and people are used to them.
Q1. The usual view of miracle is that it seldom happens. What does Walt Whitman think about miracles?
Ans. To Walt Whitman miracles do not happen rarely and unexpectedly. According to him miracles happen very often and everywhere. To him talking to someone with love is a miracle, the setting of the sun and the rising of the moon are miracles. A thing of joy is nothing but a miracle for the poet.
Q.2 When you read the poem, you notice that some miracles are from nature, others are connected with people and city-life. Make lists of these. Notice how Whitman moves from one to another.
Ans. The poet is surrounded with miracles everywhere he goes in the company of nature, with people or walking down a street in a metropolis. The poet sees miracles in people he talks to with love, in people he dines with and in people sitting opposite him in the subway train. He can see miracles in the city life also. He sees miracles in the streets of Manhattan city. He sees miracles even over the roofs of the houses. And when in a pastoral setting he can see miracles all around. The trees, the honey bees moving around their hives, the animals feeding in the field, the beauty of the sunset and that of the new moon the silent and bright stars are all miracles to the poet. Though all these miracles are unique and distinct in their identity and happen in their own settings and occasions, the poet does not face any difficulty in moving from one to another.
Q3 What do the lines about Manhattan and the subway car tell us about Whitman’s feeling for people?
Ans. These lines show that the poet loves people from all walks of life and belongings of the different social strata. Whether they are from a big city or from country sides, he has no. malice towards them. He finds as many miracles in the streets of Manhattan as he finds in the lap of nature. People dining with him and the strangers opposite him in the subway train are all miracles. All these things affirm that Whitman is a great lover of humanity.
Q4. Have you ever came across a miracle in your life? If yes, write an account of it in 150 words. OR
Are you waiting for a miracle to happen in your life? Write about your feelings in 150 words.
Ans: ----------------Self Evaluatory--------------------
Q5. What are the images used by the poet?
Ans: Imagery: Imagery is the use of mental pictures by the use of typical words to signify all the objects and qualities of sense perceptions referred to in a poem or other work of literature.
The images used by the poet are:
(i) Walking through the streets of Manhattan.
(ii) Wading with naked feet along the beach
(iii) Looking at strangers opposite in a car
(iv) Dining with friends.
(v) Animals feeding in the fields.
(vi) Setting of the sun.
(vii) Rising of the new moon and shining of stars
(viii) Honey bees surrounding a hive
Rhyme Scheme: It is the sequence of rhyming words at the end of every line of a poem. Whitman
used to write in free verse. This poem does not follow any regular rhyme scheme.
Free Verse: Free verse (also called “open form”) is a kind of poetry that does not follow any regular rhyme or rhythm.
Chapter – WHEN YOU ARE OLD
Summary: The poem "When you are old” is a lyric by W. B Yeats, which is an expression of Yeats intense emotions. The poem is addressed to Maud Gonne, the poet’s beloved. The poet dramatizes his unrequited love by offering a future command for his beloved to take down his book of poems and read it when she becomes very old. He wants his beloved, after she has become ‘old and grey and full of sleep’ to read his poems and think about his love for her.
The poet leaves no stone unturned to convince his beloved that he loves her from the depths of his heart. The poet is not just fascinated by his beloved’s physical charms and external beauty that forms the basis of the lover’s passion. The poet's love is above all these parameters. Thus one could genuinely find an elegance of spirituality in this poem.
Exercise
Q1. How is the journey from youth to old age described in the poem?
Ans: The journey from youth to old age has been described a sad one. Youth is the time of beauty, joy
and strength. It is the time when one has all the charms and graces. But as we grow old, we become
frail. The hair turns grey. All the liveliness and youthful energy vanishes. We feel sleepy and tired all
the time. We lose our physical strength and beauty. The deep and dark eyes lose their luster. The old
age is full of sorrows. We are left in the lurch by our false admirers. Then we are left alone and the
bitterness of life dawns upon us.
Q2. What does the phrase ‘full of sleep’ mean?
Ans: The phrase ‘full of sleep’ is a symbol of old age. It means being drowsy and listless all the time. In our old age, we always feel sleepy and tired. The agility of youth remains no longer with us. The life becomes monotonous as we wish to keep sitting, down.
Q3. How is the poet’s love different from those who also loved his beloved?
Ans: The poet’s love is different from others who loved his beloved. The others loved her physical charm and outward appearance. Their love ended as soon as she lost her physical charm/grace. But the poet loves his beloved from the bottom of his heart. His love for her is sincere. He is not Just fascinated by her physical charms; but his love is above all these parameters. He loves the holy soul within her. Thus his love is spiritual.
Q4. What is Maud Gonne reminded of in the poem?
Ans: She is reminded that she will realize the worth of the poet’s love for her when she becomes old.
She will then realize that those who loved her in her youth for physical charms have forsaken her completely. She will then feel sad for the poet whose love she had not requited. Also she is reminded of her youthful beauty. When she possessed grace and beauty. Her eyes had it an enchantment for them. She is also reminded that she carried a pious soul behind her physical charms.
Q5. ‘But one man loved the pilgrim soul in you’. Explain.
Ans: The poet reminds her beloved that there were many who loved her when she was young and
beautiful. They loved her outward appearance. Their love was selfish which could not be called love,
but lust. The poet tells his beloved that she will realize in her old age the true quality of his love. He
loved the pilgrim soul in her. In other words, the poet’s love was spiritual in nature. He would love
her constantly.
Q6. Write a short paragraph on the emotions portrayed in the poem.
Ans: The poem ‘When you are old’ is an emotional outburst of the speaker - the poet. The poet has felt sad for not getting his love responded by his beloved. The whole poem is pervaded with melancholy, and it arouses the feeling of pathos. The poet contrasts two kinds of love in the poem. The love based on mere beauty is superficial love and it disappears when the beloved becomes old and grey. But the love of soul i.e. true love remains constant and never changes. The poet expresses the quality of his love for his beloved. It is sincere and from the bottom of his heart. She will realize it when she grows old. Lovers of her physical charm shall leave her. Then she will realize that it was only the poet who loved her soul. Thus, the poet leaves no stone unturned to convince his beloved that he loves her from the depths of his heart.
Q7. Discuss the ‘image’ used in the poem: ‘When you are old’.
Ans: The poem has been made rich with a number of images. The poem begins with the building up of the image of a lady in old age. She is nodding by the fire. Another image is that of a young and beautiful girl with beautiful eyes and glad grace. Poet has also created an image of fading nature of love. The old lady ‘bending down beside the glowing bars’ is another image. Likewise ‘crowd of stars’ is one more image created by the poet.’
Chapter – SPEAK UP
Glossary
sealed locked: closed
upright straight; honest, erect
smithy a place where things are made out of metal especially iron or steel by heating or
hammering
padlocks a small metal lock with a U-shaped bar
fetter a chain or shackle for the feet
skirting avoidance; dodging; escaping
Summary: The poem, Speak up, written by Faiz Ahmad Faiz, is the poet’s artistic way of encouraging the poor Indians succumbing under British oppression. The poem is addressed to those people who lived a life of fear under the British rule. The poet encourages the people to speak up against oppression. The poet says that the people have lips that are their own. They have soul that is still their own. They have an upright body that is also their own. So they should stand against the colonial oppression. And they should speak boldly against the British rule. Only then they can break the fetters of slavery. Before the time will run out and their body and mind will fade away they should summon up their courage to stand against the cruel.
Q1. The poet instigates the reader to speak up. Why does he do so?
Ans: The poet addresses the people under the yoke of colonial oppression. The poet encourages them to be bold enough to give vent to their resentment against the cruel British rule.
Q2. The poet addresses the reader to come up with the truth. How does he do so?
Ans: The poet wants the reader to have an unwavering faith in truth “for truth is not yet dead”. Faiz wants the reader to stand for truth and speak for it.
Q3. How will the chains break?
Ans: All it needs to break the chains is considerable courage and manliness. The chains will break if people refuse to live in them. The chains of oppression will break if people unite and revolt courageously against the cruel rulers.
Q4. Why does the poet urge the reader to speak up now?
Ans: The poet urges the reader to speak up now because he feels it is the proper time to so. As the struggle against the British rule is gaining momentum, people should take advantage of the moment and make the revolt strong enough to make the British flee.
Q5. Do you think “Speak up” is an effort of the poet to give voice to the voiceless? How?
Ans: Yes, the poet wants to give voice to the voiceless. The poet advises the people who are too oppressed to speak up. The poet wants the people to shun all fear and be bold. The poet wants them to realize their potential and right to freedom. So, they must speak up and say what they have to say.
Learning about the literary devices
Metaphor: A thing considered as representative of some other thing.
Q1. What are the metaphors used in the poem?
Ans: The poet uses smithy, the oven, the flames, the padlocks and the fetters as metaphors to describe the struggle for freedom.
Q2. What images does the poet draw from the blacksmith’s shop?
Ans: The poet draws very powerful images of a “red oven” and “fierce flames” from the blacksmith’s shop to represent the anti-colonial revolution. The images of the melting of old useless things and molding it into something new and useful flash before our mind’s eye.
Chapter - SNOWDROP
Vocabulary
Globe world.
Shrunk tight decreased
Dulled wintering heart severe winter has reduced the functioning of mouse’s heart.
Weasel a small mammal with reddish brown fur and a long body
Molded in brass frozen with cold and nearly immobile
Brutal cruel; without emotions.
She too pursues her ends nature knows how to achieve goals.
Her pale head the heavy head of snowdrop
Summary: The poem is written by Edward James Hughes. In this poem the poet describes in a few words a very tough and cruel image of nature. He creates an atmosphere of a hard winter and uses images from nature to portray the toughness and brutality that a severe winter brings. The poet describes in a few words the way the winter has reduced the horizon of many creatures. He says the world has shrunk and many outdoor creatures are on the verge of death. They no longer scurry or fly as they used to.
Textual Questions
Q1. How has nature shrunk the globe?
Ans. Nature has shrunk the globe by the toughness and brutality that a severe winter brings. It has restricted the movement of all animals. They no longer scurry or fly as they used to winter has reduced their horizon. They live in the fear of death.
Q2. What has dulled the mouse’s heart?
Ans: It is the severe winter that has dulled the mouse’s heart. The mouse is generally a very lively creature. It remains very alert and skipping about. But now due to the intense cold, it is feeling dull at heart. All its sportive activities have come to an end.
Q3. What sufferings do the animals undergo in the poem?
Ans. Animals feel very dull in winter. All their sportiveness comes to an end. They find no place of shelter. They see death all around them. They remain in the fear that death could come to them also anytime. They seem to have been cast in a mould of brass.
Q4. Write a short note of 50-100 words on Hughes’ view of nature.
Ans. Hughes’ attitude to nature distinguishes him from almost all other poets. He presents nature as very cruel and heartless. It remains indifferent to the sufferings of poor little creatures. it goes on with its deadly course without caring what happens to them. It takes away their sportiveness and makes them dull. But by giving the example snowdrop the poet gives a message also. In nature, only those will survive who have the courage and determination to continue to live. The snowdrop pushes its stem up even through the thick layers of snow. Thus it is able to bloom even in the intense cold.
Q5. ‘Her pale head heavy as metal’. Explain.
Ans: Here the poet refers to the snowdrop flower. Its head is quite heavy. It keeps hanging down. It seems to be made of heavy metal. But this heaviness and hardness of head is the secret of its strength. It is the secret of its survival even in the intense cold. This strength enables it to push its stem up even through the thick layers of snow. Thus, to the poet, the snowdrop is a symbol of the survival of the fittest in nature.
Q.6 Pick out image from the poem:
Ans. Nature = Mouse, Weasel, Crow, Snowdrop
Universe = Globe, Stars, Outer darkness
Metal = brass.
Q7. ‘Weasel and crow, as if molded in brass’. Explain the simile used by the poet.
Ans: The simile expresses the brutality of winter. The bitter cold has restricted the movement of a Weasel and a crow. They have lost their usual sportiveness. They are frozen with cold. This frozen stillness of a weasel and a crow has been compared to brass.
Q8. Trace two lines in which ‘ou’ sound is used. Also write down the words with ‘ou’ sound.
Ans. The two lines having ‘ou’ sound are.
(i) Round the mouse’s dulled wintering heart.
(ii) Move through an outer darkness. .
Words with the ‘ou’ sound are: round, mouse, outer.
Q9. Pick out two examples of alliteration from the poem.
Ans. The two examples of alliteration are
(i) Wintering heat weasel and crow
(ii) Her pale head heavy as metal,
Chapter – MY MOTHER AT SIXTY SIX
Vocabulary
Doze to sleep lightly for a short time. .
Corpse dead body of a human being
Ashen pale
Sprinting running very fast
Spilling to move
Wan colourless / looking pale
Familiar usual, known
Summary: The poem ‘My Mother At Sixty -Six’ written by Kamla Das is a short poem, without a full stop; the poem is like a long sentence punctuated by commas but overflowing with thought process.
The poem revolves around the theme of aging and the fear that adheres to its loss and separation. It is a sentimental account of the mother’s approaching death through the love of a daughter. The daughter is deeply disturbed with the thought of imagining life without her mother. The poet is on her way to the airport at Cochin with her mother sitting beside her. Her mother looks pale which makes the daughter realize about the numbered days of her mother. Relationship is the nucleus of the poem and its love that creates an unfading relationship between two people. The silent agony of the poem reaches its climax when the airport passengers are requested to filter through the security checkup and a helpless mother with a wrenching heart and a swelling emotion, bids a helpless goodbye to her helpless daughter. The poet has used many poetic devices to put across her ideas.
Textual Questions:
Q1. How does the poet describe her mother in the poem?
Ans: The poet says that her mother is very weak. She has grown as pale as a dead body. Her weakness makes the poet realize about the numbered days of her mother.
Q2. Why does the poet look outside? What activities does the poet see outside the car window?
Ans. The poet’s mind is filled with the painful thoughts of her mother. She looks outside to do away with these thoughts. Outside, she sees a world full of life and activity. She sees trees that seem to be running fast. Then she sees children running joyfully out of their homes. The poet uses these images for the purpose of contrast i.e. to show the declining days of her mother.
Q3. Why are the young trees in the poem described as spiriting?
Ans: The poet is on her way to the Cochin airport in a car. She looks outside and finds the trees coming fast towards her. They seem to be running fast, but in reality it is only the car that is running.
Q4. Why is the mother compared to the late winter's moon?
Ans: Old age is the last phase of human life just as winter is the last phase of the year. In old age a man grows pale like death, just as the moon in late winter looks pale white. This image has been used to indicate that the days of life of poet’s mother are numbered. She is at the verge of death.
Q5. What childhood, fears do you think the poet is referring to in the poem ‘My Mother at Sixty
Six?
Ans. A child never wants to part with its mother. It does not want to lose sight of its mother even for a moment. It is these childhood fears that filled the Poet’s heart at the moment of seeing her mother in her old age. She feared that she would never again see the face of her mother. The poet is deeply disturbed with the thought of imaging her without her mother.
Q6. What does Kamala Das do after the security check up? What does she notice?
Ans. After the security check up, the poet again looks at her mother who is a few yards away. She looks at her wan, pale face. She notices that her mother has stepped into the last phase of her life.
Q7. But all said was, see you soon Amma; all I did was smile and smile and smile........
(a) What does the poet actually feel at this moment? h
Ans. She feels that she would perhaps never see her mother again. She smiles to hide her pain. It is merely to reassure her mother.
(b) Why did the poet say ‘see you soon Amma? What does the poet actually mean by ‘smile
and smile and smile ........ .?
Ans: The words spoken by the poet signify some hope to see her mother again. In fact, these words were just a formality. The poet smiled to give impression that she would certainly see her mother again. It was a kind of moral support and an assurance to meet her again very soon. It was a way to hide her pain that the poet felt on the thought of her mother’s death.
Q.8 (a) Where was the poet driving to? Who was sitting beside her?
Ans: She was driving to the Cochin airport. Her mother was sitting beside her.
(b) What did the poet notice about the mother?
Ans: The poet noticed that her mother looked as pale as death. She looked very old. She was dozing with her mouth open. .
(c) Why did the mother’s face look like that of corpse?
Ans: Because it was colourless, lifeless and pale like that of a corpse.
Q9. Discuss mother-daughter relationship as described in the poem.
Ans. Relationship is the nucleus of the poem. The poem expresses the feelings of a daughter who looks at the pale, ashen, corpse like face of her mother and feels troubled. The sight of her old mother’s pale face arouses her childhood fears. The fear is that with aging comes decay and death. She does not want to lose her mother. She puts on a brave face and assures her through her smiling that they will meet again. Thus the poem is an example of inexpressible and indefinable love a daughter has for a mother who is deeply disturbed with the thought of imagining life without her mother.
Q10. My mother at sixty-six is an emotional account of the poet towards the numbered days of her mother. Discuss.
Ans. The poem is an emotional account of the poet’s fear about the numbered days of her mother. The poem overflows with the thought process. It revolves round the theme of aging. The poet feels deeply disturbed upon seeing the weak, pale and corpses like face of her mother. She realizes that her days are numbered. But she does not want to lose her. The thought of imagining life without her is very painful. However, she composes herself and tries to hide her pain. She bids adieu to her mother with the hope to see her soon. Thus, we can safely say that the poem is a sentimental account of the mother’s approaching death through the lens of a daughter.
QI1. The poet compares her mother to many things. Pick out two similes which reinforce this
comparison.
Ans. The two similes are:
(i) Her face ashen like that of a corpse
(ii) Wan, pale as a late winter’s moon
The poet describes the face of her mother ‘ashen’ like a dead body. She was like a withered moon of the late winter.
Q12. What image does the poet use to describe death in the poem?
Ans. The poet uses the image of ‘ashen face of a corpse’ to describe the death in the poem.
Q13. Cite an example of one device of contrast that the poet uses in the poem.
Ans. The poet gives the image of ‘merry children spilling out their homes’. This image helps to bring out the contrast between childhood and old age. While childhood is a period of merry-making, old age is a period of decay and sadness. ‘
Q14. 'smile and smile and smile' is a poetic device. What is it called?
Ans. It is called repetition. Sometimes the words are repeated to give musical effect.
Chapter – AN EVENING WET WITH RAIN
Vocabulary
Lane narrow country road
Beckons summons; calls
Subtle not noticeable in any way
Waft to move gently through the air
Awnings sheets of canvas, stretched on a flame as a shelter against the sun or rain.
Stir move slightly
Yonder over there
Reigns rules
seeping ooze out; percolate
Exhausted very tired
Cymbal a flat round musical instrument made of brass
Hem edge / rim
Inn a small old hotel / Cottage
Summary: The poet here reproduces the atmosphere of an evening wet with rain. He is all alone in the lane and here is perfect silence. The poet is in a depressed state of mind. He is extremely tired and wary. He has lost all hope in the evening of his life. Memories of childhood begin to flood the poet’s mind. He is reminded of the time when he used to stand in the courtyard, listening to the sound of cymbals. But now those are the things of the past. The poet regrets that he cannot call back the times that are past and gone. Now the only things the poet can hope for is sleep in the lap of night (i.e. death). The poet now knows his days are numbered. so he has left himself to his fate. The poet draws numerous images from nature to heighten the effect of silence and solitude.
Q1. What are the memories that the poet talks about in the poem?
Ans: The poet recalls the childhood days which he cherished. He remembers the childhood day when he used to sit in his courtyard. A cool breeze would be blowing. The waves of air would ring the sound of cymbals to his ears. This would give him extreme Joy.
Q2. What kind of atmosphere is created in the poem?
Ans: The atmosphere created in the poem is that of melancholy. It is marked by a note of sadness, helplessness, regret and depression. The poet is in a desperate mood. He is quite unaware of his destination. He is in a depressed state of mind, wandering in the deserted and empty lane wet with rain.
Q3. What makes the poet tired?
Ans) The hopelessness has made the poet tired. The poet is extremely depressed. He is in the evening of life. No hope has been left for him. It has filled his old age with darkness. Clouds of depression have gathered in his mind. All this makes him tired.
Q4. What has darkened the evening of poet's life?
Ans: Loss of hope has darkened the evening of poet’s life. A pall of gloom has descended on him and the clouds of despair and hopelessness have gathered in his mind. In this stage of his life, he finds no way out.
Q5. Discuss the poet’s regret in the poem?
Ans: The poet regrets that the days gone by do not return. The poet recalls the days“ gone by do not return. The poet recalls the childhood days. Those were the days when life was ill joy for him. In contrast, the present life of the poet is all despair. The mental weariness and physical exertions are the characteristics of his present life. There is no joy or hope left for him. The poet regrets that he cannot call back the times that are past and gone.
Q6. Comment on the image used by the poet in the poem.
Ans: The poet is a great pictorial artist. He has given us a vivid picture of sights and sounds on an evening wet with rain. We can see clearly in our mind’s eye wet doors, windows and awnings. We can see the leaves stirring with the cool breeze. We can see water seeping through the poet’s shoes and also the wet collar of his coat. Each description given by the poet springs alive before our imagination. We can visualize clearly the child poet standing alone in his courtyard and listening to the sweet sound of cymbals.
Chapter - THE TALE OF CUSTARD - THE DRAGON
Vocabulary
Regalia, Truly rhyming words for ‘really’ and ‘Truly’
Coward a person who lacks courage
Spikes something long and thin with sharp point.
Scales designs etc as are found on the skin of snakes.
Daggers a short pointed knife which is sharp on both sides.
Tickle to touch a body part lightly so as to cause uneasiness or laughter.
Percival a character who is supremely innocent / childish in habits
Wanda window or verandah
Yelp to shout
Trickle to move slowly
Snorting a loud sound made by forcing air through the nose when sleeping.
Strategically with some aim.
Clatter to make continuous loud noises by hitting hard objects against each other
Squirm to move from side to side in an awkward way because of nervousness etc.
Pirate robber
Cutlass a small sword
Gulp to drink/eat liquid or food quickly by swallowing it in large amounts.
Grog a strong alcohol
Flagon a container especially for alcoholic drinks.
Gobble to eat food too fast
Gyrate move round in circle
Fluster upset and confused.
Summary: The poem is a ballad wherein the poet, Ogden Nash, ridicules persons who pose to be very brave and courageous, but in times of crisis prove big cowards. On the other hand, those who make no proud professions and are looked down upon as lazy and coward prove their worth, when the occasion demands it. They turn out to be heroic and courageous. A lady named Belinda had four pets — Ink (a black kitten), Blink (a grey mouse), Mustard (a yellow dog) and Custard (a little dragon). While Ink, Blink and Mustard boasted about their bravery, Custard remained content in his cage. Ink, Blink and Mustard made a mockery of Custard and called him a coward. Belinda, too, kept Custard in neglect and gave all care to the other three. On day a robber broke into Belinda’s house. Ink, Blink and Mustard ran away in fear and hide themselves. But Custard faced the robber bravely and killed him. Belinda and her three pets danced with joy. But soon all of them started again their usual boasting, while Custard never boasted about his strength and was content in his cage.
Textual questions
Q1. Who are the characters in this poem? List them with their pet names.
Ans: The characters in this poem are
(i) Little black kitten with pet name as Ink.
(ii) Little grey mouse called as Blink.
(iii) Little yellow dog named as Mustard
(iv) The dragon with pet name as Custard.
Q2. Why did Custard cry for a nice safe cage?
Ans: Being a coward, the dragon (Custard) always cried for a cage. All other animals called him a cowardly dragon and laughed at him. He doesn’t like it. So he cried for a nice safe cage.
Q3. Why the dragon is called cowardly dragon?
Ans: The dragon is called ‘cowardly dragon’ because he lacks courage. He is lazy and always wants to be in a nice safe cage.
Q4. “Belinda Tickled him, she tickled him unmerciful”. Why?
Ans: Belinda thought that Custard (the dragon) Was very coward. He never wanted to be out of his cage. Belinda made a mockery of him. She teased him and all other animals laughed at him. Teasing Custard gave them pleasure when he behaved childishly.
Q5. Do you find the poem a serious or funny poem? Give reasons in support of your' answer?
Ans: The poem “The Tale of Custard the Dragon” is a humorous poem. It gives us a very interesting story of Custard the dragon who was teased for being a coward but who later proved brave and turned out t to be courageous by saving the life of those who made him a butt of ridicule. There is a lot of fun, humour and entertainment in the story.
Q6)- What is the rhyme scheme of the poem?
Ans: The poem is in the form of quatrains. The rhyme scheme of each quatrain is aa bb.
Q7. Pick out the lines from the poem that contains similes?
Ans: The lines which contain similes are:
(1) The little yellow dog was sharp as Mustard
(2) Mouth like a fireplace.
(3) Belinda was a brave as a barrel full of bears.
(4) Mustard was a brave as a tiger in a rage.
(5) ......... ..snorting like an engine.
(6) ...........like irons in a dungeon.
(7) ...........like a robin at a worm.
Q8: What images does the poet use in the poem?
Ans: The images used in the poem are:
(1) Chimney for a nose.
(2) Ink and Blink chased lions down the stairs.
(3) image of a pirate.
(4) Image of an engine.
(5) Eating of pirate by the dragon
Q9. Which line/stanza is used as a refrain in the poem?
Ans: Refrain means a securing line or a group of lines or a phrase especially at the end of each stanza. Here in this poem the last stanza has been used as a refrain.‘
Chapter – LAST LESSON OF THE AFTERNOON
Summary: The poem expresses the bitter feelings of a teacher. The teacher expresses his deep concern over the uselessness of his efforts to teach the students who refuse to learn and who have no interest in acquiring knowledge. They are indifferent, inattentive and totally disinterested. So the teacher has lost all interest in his teaching. The only thing he can do is to wait for the last bell to go.
The teacher compares himself to a hunter and his students to hounds. If the hounds are travelling to hunt, what can the poor hunter do? Similarly if the students are unrolling to hunt for knowledge, what can the poor teacher do? Thus, the poem conveys the message that teaching-learning can never be one way affair. There can be no teaching if the learner is not willing to learn. Here one is reminded of a proverb: you can take the horse to the pond but you cannot make it drink
Textual Questions
Q1. What is the tone in the opening line of the poem?
Ans: The tone in the opening line of the poem is that of tiredness boredom and weariness. The speaker of the poem who happens to be teachers is fed up with teaching his unruly students. He has been teaching them for a long time now but is disillusioned because of their lack of interest to learn. This gives him a feeling of weariness.
Q2. Who is the speaker of the poem?
Ans: The speaker of the poem is a teacher.
Q3. What are the pupils regarded as? Why has the teacher failed to ‘haul them and urge them’ any mere?
Ans: The pupils are regarded as a pack of unruly hounds who are trying to get free from the chains which they are tied. The teacher has failed to ‘haul them and urge them, because they are not interested in acquiring knowledge. They always try to break loose from their chains of the classroom. They are totally indifferent, inattentive and disinterested towards their studies. They harbour a kind of hatred for gaining knowledge. That is why the teacher has failed to persuade or coax them to learn.
Q4. Which words and phrases in stanza 2 convey the mood of the speaker?
Ans: The words and phrases that convey the mood of the speaker are:
(i) No longer now can I endure the brunt.
(ii) I am sick.
Q5. Why doesn’t the speaker want to consume his fuel anymore?
Ans: The speaker, a teacher, realizes that he has been wasting his energy so far on a fruitless exercise. He has failed to inspire his pupils who do not want to chase knowledge. Now he does not want to do so anymore. He wants to keep his energy for himself and to utilize it portably. He does not want to consume it for the students who are unwilling to acquire knowledge.
Q6. What do you think ‘take the toll of their insults in punishment’ means?
Ans: This is a metaphor used by the poet here. ‘toll’ is a kind of tax to be paid for using a road. The teacher in the poem projects himself as a road on which the students run their insults. Arid for ferrying these insults, they have to pay the toll in the form of punishments. In other words, the teacher punishes the students for their cold indifference towards their studies.
Q7. Why does the teacher feel that his teaching and pupils’ learning are both purposeless? Pick
out words and phrases which show that he shares his pupils’ indifference to their work.
Ans: The teacher finds his students utterly indifferent towards leaning. His efforts have not borne fruits. He has failed to inspire them. So he loses interest in teaching also. He thinks that his teaching and the pupil’s learning are both purposeless as he can no longer haul them and urge them anymore. The following words and phrases show that the teacher shares his pupils’ indifference to their work:
(i) I will not waste my soul and strength. %
(ii) What do I care for.
(m) What is the point of their teaching of mine.
(iv) What does it matter to me.
(v) I do not and will not
Q8. Do you find any connection between the beginning and the ending of the poem?
Ans: In the beginning there is the tone of boredom and weariness on the part of the teacher. He is sick of his pupils as they show disinterest towards learning. He has failed to inspire them. By the end of the poem, the poet has resolved not to waste his time and energy on a useless exercise. He will no longer care for the teaching of his pupils. S0 he eagerly waits for the bell to go. Thus, there is a connection between the beginning and the ending of the poem.
Q9. After reading this poem, write an account of your opinion about this poem.
Ans: The poem records the feelings of a teacher. He is sick of his students. They are not interested in learning . they are wild, uncontrolled and in disciplined. Isle has failed to inspire them. A teacher is supposed to give his best to his students. But there is another point to be considered. Teaching can never be one-way affair. Effective and successful teaching can take place only when the students are willing to learn. A student will learn if and only if he is interested to learn. What will the poor teacher do if the student is not willing to learn? We can take a horse to the pond but we cannot make it drink. So in a situation when the students have no interest in learning, a teacher prefers to while away the hours in the school. And this is what the teacher is the poem decides to do. He decides to keep his energy for himself and use it in his own way. Thus, the indifference and lack of interest on the part of pupils darkens his spirit. So, he decides to discontinue his efforts and waits anxiously for the bell to go. In this way, the poet has beautifully portrayed the bitter feelings of a teacher at the thanklessness of his work.
Q10. What is the metaphor used by the poet in stanza 1?
Ans: In stanza 1 the poet has used the metaphor of hunting. The teacher has been compared to a hunter and his students have been compared to hounds. But here the hounds are unruly and refuse to follow the direction of the hunter. Every time they tug the leash and try to be free.
Q11. Identify the metaphor in stanza 3.
Ans: There are two metaphors in stanza 3
(i) Here the poet has used the metaphor taken from metallurgy. The energy of the teacher is compared to the fuel. T re teacher uses the fuel of his life to strengthen his will power and to overcome the dross of indifference of the students.
(ii) The metaphor used by the poet is that of toll to describe how the teacher deals with his unruly students. Toll is a kind of tax to be paid for using a road on which students ferry their insults. And for ferrying these insults, they have to pay the toll in the form of punishments. In other words students are being punished for their mistakes.
Chapter – I EXPLAIN A FEW THINGS
Summary: 'The poem is a lamentation on Spanish civil war in which the noted poets Federico Garcia Lorca and Rafael Albert were killed. The poet lived in Madrid, Spanish capital that symbolized prosperity, beauty and promising future. But the civil war destroyed it. Blood gushed out where from flowers used to burst/sprout. The poet describes despair and devastation/tyranny and vandalism through the symbols of jackals, bandits, stones, vipers, fire, blood and bullets. But the poem ends with a note of hope. The poet hopes that there would be an uprising in Spain. The common people would rise up in arms against those perpetrators of bloodshed and have a befitting revenge. In the end, the poet questions his own attitude by not composing poems about dreams and beauties of his homeland. But he clarifies that how he could do it when there was blood everywhere in the streets of Madrid, the blood of Spain’s posterity, blood of children.
Textual Questions
Q1. Why does the poet use the title ‘I explain a few things’?
Ans: The poet used to write poems about dreams, nature beauty, fantastic themes, the earth etc. But since the Spanish civil war, he is a changed man. He no longer writes the poems about the sweet dreams. That has filled him with disgust. He laments the destruction caused by the war. The bloodshed of children in Spanish civil war has filled his heart with grief. As a consequence, he has changed the theme of his poetry. It is in this poem ‘I Explain a few Things’ that the poet explains why he has change theme of his poems. That is why he has used the title ‘I Explain a few Things’. Here in this poem, the poet clarifies that how could he write (compose) poems about dreams and beauties of his homeland when there was blood everywhere in the streets of Madrid, the blood of children.
Q2. What are the memories that the poet talks about in the poem?
Ans: The poet recalls the time when he lived in Spain. The poet lived in Madrid - the capital city of Spain in 21 house called ‘the house of flowers‘ because it was full of geraniums. The poet recalls the time when peace prevailed in Spain. It was a symbol of prosperity, beauty and a promising future. He also recalls the poets of Spain he had made friends with. During the times of peace, there used to be great hustle and bustle in the markets of Spain. The land was fertile and one could see vast stretches of bumper crop. The city hummed with activity all the time. It was surrounded with rich natural beauty. All these things flash across his mind.
Q3. What happened later and why?
Ans: The peaceful period in Spain did not last long. The peace and prosperity gave a way to bloodshed one day. The whole Spain was burnt. A civil war broke out in Spain. The whole Spain was destroyed. Everything was engulfed by the war. The hooligans and violent criminals massacred children. They robbed people and killed them. They were bandits who had the support of religious friars. The bloody revolutionaries of Spain slaughtered people. Among those killed ones, there were his (the poet’s) friends also. The heartless revolutionaries drowned the whole of Spain in blood. They were blind in their pride and stabbed people to death. They were traitors. Thus, the peaceful life of Spain was spoiled.
Q4: Why doesn’t the poet write the poetry of sweet dreams?
Ans: The terrible bloodshed during the Spanish civil war has changed the mindset of the poet. It is haunting his mind. He is terribly shocked by the mass killing of people including children. His heart is heavy with grief. He has changed the theme of his poems. He no longer writes the poems about the sweet dreams and natural beauty That he used to write. The poet makes it clear himself that how he can write poems about set dreams when blood is gushing out everywhere in the streets of Spain. It is the blood of innocent people and children. The poet is simply shocked by all this bloodshed and therefore, has stopped writing poems on the beauty of nature.
Q-5,) Explain the lines: My house was named .
The house of flowers........moment blood.
Ans: In these lines the poet gives description of the place where he used to live in Madrid, the capital of Spain. It was a charming place. His house was named the house of flowers as there geraniums blooming everywhere. It was a beautiful house with dogs and children flocking everywhere. The poet recalls some of his friends who were killed in the civil war. They included poets like Rafael, Raul and Federico Garcia Lorca. All these poets were lying dead under the earth. The poet invokes their names to seek confirmation about what he has said about his house. The poet’s house was a symbol of charm where flowers grew so high. The building of his house was marvelous with balconies and it had a weather-vane at the top. There were vast stretches of bumper crop in Spain extending upto sea. All this symbolizes the peace and prosperity of Spain. But one day the peaceful life of Spain was spoiled when suddenly big fires broke out. These fires of civil war engulfed large number of men. From that moment it was fire and gunpowder exploding everywhere. From that moment blood is seen in the streets of Spain.
Q6. How has the civil war affected Spain?
Ans: The civil war has caused utter destruction in Spain. It has changed its face. The fertile country has turned into a fire place. It has become a graveyard. The blood is gushing out in the streets. The peaceful days have gone. The bandits, vipers, jackals have taken the reigns of the country. Spain has become a battle field after the civil war. Everywhere one can see blood in the streets. Civil war has changed Spain from a land of flowers into a land of dead bodies. Many noted poets have been assassinated. The posterity of Spain has been slaughtered.
Q7. Explain the journey of the poet from happiness to agony?
Ans: The poet undergoes a change of mood from happiness to agony. In the beginning of the poem, he seems to be very delighted with what Spain symbolizes. It is the symbol of peace, prosperity and life. The poet is happy with the hustle and bustle of life in Spain. The poet is joyous / pleased to live with his friends in Spain. But all his hope and joy gives place to agony and grief as soon as he recalls the infamous civil war. The poet is pained to see the bloodshed of innocent masses. He is agonized to watch to be a witness of colossal destruction of property by the bandits. The poet is so heavy hearted, that he no longer writes the poems about sweet dreams or natural beauty of his native land.
Q8. What is the mood the poet in the poem? How do you feel after reading this poem?
Ans: The poet is very sad. He feels sorry for people in Spain. He laments the loss of life and property in Spain. Being a witness to the destruction caused by the civil war, the poet experiences it as a nightmare. He is moved by the assassination of posterity of Spain -the children. The poet is utterly agonized to see Spain caught in the flames. After reading the poem, we share the grief of the poet. Our eyes are full of tears. One can hardly believe that man, the crown of creation, can turn into a violent beast and callous to wreak havoc. Verily, the poem gives us a shock.
Q9. What are the symbols used by the poet? What do they symbolize?
Ans: There are plenty of symbols and unique phrases in the poem which enrich it. In this instance, the poet has used the words like ‘bells’, clocks, trees’ and the phrase ‘a sea of leather’. All these expressions symbolize the charm and glory of Spain. It also indicates that Spain hummed with life and activity. Again, ‘the light of June drowned flowers in your mouth’ and ‘the frenzied ivory of potatoes & tomatoes symbolize the vitality and fertility of Spanish soil. These expressions can also be taken to mean peace and happiness. In order to describe the bloody revolution, the poet has used the symbols of jackals, stooge and vipers. Similarly, the poet describes despair and devastation/tyranny through the symbols of blood and bullets.
Q10. Pick out the images used by the poet to describe peace and war in the poem.
(OR)
Discuss the ‘imagery’ of the poem.
Ans: The poem ‘I explain a few things’ by Pablo Neruda is rich in the imagery. The poet has created the images both of peace and war. The images of peace used by the poet are:
(i) Everywhere geraniums sprouted
(ii) The endless expanse of land with potatoes and tomatoes growing on it.
The images of war used by the poet are: Bonfire leaping from the earth devouring human beings, bandits, moors, thugs, jackals, vipers and the blood in the streets. "
(PDF Source: MBD English Guide-D.P BHANOT)
Q1. The course of the Loisels’ life changed due to the necklace comment.
Ans: The necklace, unmistakably, changed the course of the Loisels’ life. It was the necklace that mined them. The Loisel had to borrow money at very high rate of interest. In order to compensate the loss, Mr. Loisel worked overtime for some merchants. To economize their meager income they sent away the maid. They changed their lodgings and rented some rooms in an attic. Now Matilda has to do the odious work of a kitchen. She washed the dishes, dishcloths and soiled linen which she hung on the line to dry. She went to the grocer’s the butcher’s and the fruiterer’s, with her basket on her arm haggling to the last sun of her money. Matilda’s youthful beauty and charm has gone. She was no more having grace and beauty of earlier days. She looked older them her years. She had become a strong and crude woman of a poor household. Her hair was badly dressed and her skirts were awry. She talked in a loud rude tone like an uncivilized person. In short, the way of living of the Loisels was completely altered due to the loss of the necklace. Their life was miserable and it lasted for ten long years.
Q2. What was the cause of Matilda ’s ruin? How could she have avoided it?
Ans. Matilda belonged to a poor family. But she always longed for things of luxury. She always imagined these things. She had big dreams but no means to realize those dreams. Matilda never lived down to the earth. She always thought about the life style of the rich without considering the fact that she could not afford it. That was the cause of her unhappiness as well as ruin. She could have avoided the ruin if she had remained contented with what life had given her. She should have known that “one should cut one’s coat according to one’s cloth”. Thus she could have avoided her ruin.
Q3. What would have happened to Matilda if she had confessed to her friend that she had lost her necklace?
Ans. If Matilda had confessed the loss, she would have been saved from the ruin. Matilda should have frankly confessed the loss. Then, if her friend had asked for the replacement of the necklace, she could have easily paid for it. There is another possibility that Madame Frostier would not have minded it at all as it was worth a meager amount of 500 francs. However, human nature is very weak. At times we lose the trust of our friends. In this perspective, if Matilda had confessed to her friend that she lost her necklace. The latter might have through that she was robber and in this way. she would have lose even her dignity.
Q4. If you are caught in a situation like this, how will you deal with it?
Ans: If I were caught in a situation like this, l would have gone immediately to Madam Frostier and told her honestly all that happened. I would have asked her at the very start what its cost was. Had the cost been actually too much, there would have been no looking back, something had got to be done. Then as it would have turned out to be a prestige point, the challenge was to be accepted. So, in this way, I would not have lost my dignity, and also much of the trouble could have been saved. Moreover, Madame Frostier would have been glad as everything could have possibly been avoided to her entire satisfaction.
Q5. Draw a character sketch of ‘Matilda’.
Ans: Matilda was a young beautiful woman. She was born in a poor family. She always wished to have things of luxury. She wanted to move in rich society. But she was to marry a small clerk. She was not happy with him. She had big dreams but no means to realize those dreams, which was the cause of her unhappiness.
However, Matilda was cooperative and hardworking by nature. She was a courageous woman. She worked shoulder to shoulder with her husband in adversity. Though she had always wished to married a man either rich or distinguished but she married petty clerk. She, however, soon learnt to cope up with what she had got in order to save the prestige of the family, she sacrificed her own way of living. She, like a brave soldier to help her husband paid the debt. Thus, we admire her courage and the support she extended t0 her husband.
Additional Questions
Q6. Draw character sketch of Mr. Loisel.
Ans: Mr. Loisel was a petty clerk in the office of the Board of Education. But he was contented with his lot. He never cursed his luck. He was a loving husband. He loved his wife very much. He always tried to keep her happy. He would do anything for her pleasure. One day he brought her on an invitation to the Minister’s ball. Matilda refused the invitation angrily. She said she had not suitable dress for the occasion. Loisel gave her all his savings for the new dress. When Matilda lost the borrowed necklace, Loisel had to borrow 18,000 francs to replace that necklace. He had to suffer a lot because of his wife. But he never got angry with her. It shows he was a loving husband. He was also very simple and courageous.
Q7. What is the theme of the story, “The Necklace”?
Ans. The story conveys a clear message that we should be content with what life gives us. Contentment gives peace of mind. It is the surest way to happiness. Our happiness does not depend upon the number of material things we possess, but it depends upon our capacity to limit our desire. Moreover, we should not cherish the dreams which we cannot realize. We should remember that one should cut one’s coat according to one’s cloth.
Q8. Comment on the ending of the story ‘The Necklace’.
Ans: The end of the story is ironical. Matilda lost the borrowed necklace. Both Matilda and her husband were broken down by the loss. They were ruined. They were determined to get a new necklace as a substitution for the lost one. They worked from dawn to dusk to make good the loss. They changed their lodgings, borrowed money at a very high rate of interest and Mr. Loisel worked overtime for some merchants. They bought finally a necklace for thirty six thousand francs. But at the end, Mrs. Frostier told Matilda that her necklace was not worth over live thousand francs.
Writing work
Q1. What are the things that are important to you to make you happy in life?
Ans: Man is a machine of desires. His desires are countless. Every desire cannot be fulfilled. So the happiness lies in limiting our desires. We should remain contented with what life gives us and this gives us peace of mind. We should feel relaxed and satisfied with whatever we have. A contented man knows how to do without a thing he doesn’t have or can’t have. He never complains about his fate nor does he imagine things which he cannot afford to have. Thus, a contented person is the happiest man on the earth. Such a person surely wins divine happiness for himself.
LANGUAGE WORK:
Q1. These are notes about starting a new hobby club in Gestalt Public School. Read them and
complete the information below:
Notes:
New Club: The caravan
Aim: Understanding and enjoying nature. ‘
Activities: Fortnightly hiking trips/expeditions to neighboring woods, hills, countryside
Membership: Classes ix to xii
Preliminary : Discussion in common room on August 20th after school hours, interested
students can sign up.
Permission: granted by the Principal.
Ans. The school is planning to start a new hobby club. The aim of the club will be to make students
understand and enjoy nature and activities include fortnightly hiking trips or expeditions to
Class 10th - English Page 40 of 56
neighbouring woods. hills and countryside. Membership of the new club will be open only to students
of classes ix to xii.
Preliminary discussion will be held in the common room. On August 20th at 2:30 P.M
Interested students are welcome to sign up for the discussion .The principal has granted permission
for the new club.
Q2. In an unprecedented space tragedy, the U.S space shuttle Columbia, Carrying an Indian born
American astronaut Kalpana chawla and six other, broke apart in flames as it streaked over Texas towards its landing strip on Saturday 1st February 2003 killing all the seven on board. The shuttle lost contact with NASA at about 3:00 A.M (10.30 IST) as it came in for landing. It was flying at an altitude of over 200,000 feet and traveling over 20,000 kms per hour when ground control lost contact with the shuttle. Columbia had lifted off on 16 January, 2003 from the Kennedy space centre, Florida. It has stayed. in orbit for 16 days and the seven members crew conducted 80 experiments before it began its downward journey, which ended in the tragedy. This was Columbia’s 20th space flight and the shuttle was said to be good for 100 flights.
Ans. NOTES:
Space tragedy .
Name of space shuttle: Columbia
Took off from Kennedy on 16 Jan, 2003
Space centre Florida
Time spent in orbit 16 days
No. of crew 7, including India born American astronaut Kalpana Chawla.
No. of experiments 80
Speed before crash 20,000 Km/hr at alt. of200,000 ft.
Crash On Sat, 1 Feb, 2003; broke apart in flames as it streaked over
Texas after losing contract with NASAO at 9.a.m.
This was Columbia’s 20th space flight; was said to be good for l00 flights.
Q3 Following are the notes about the Bactrian camel found is Ladakh. Develop a paragraph of
about 100-150 words from these notes:
Zoological Name Camelus Bactrianus
Herbivore Prefers grass leaves and shrubs by will eat dry vegetation and salt
bush that other mammals avoid.
Habitat Grassland, valleys and mountainous areas.
Life span 40 years
Description
Length 10 feet V
Height 7 feet
Weight 1500 pounds
Appearance Light to dark brown coat, short in summer with thin names on chin,
shoulder, hind legs and humps. Winter coat longer, thicker and
darker.
Adaptation Snow shoe effect prevents sinking in sand, long leg allow camel to
travel long distances easily tow humps contain 36 Kgs of fat to be use
when food is scarce.
Status Endangered.
Ans: Bactrian camel is found in the grasslands, valleys and mountainous areas of Ladakh. Its zoological name is “Camelus Bacterianus”. It is herbivorous and prefers grass leaves and shrubs but can eat dry vegetation and salt bush as well that other mammals avoid. it can live upto 40 years. The Bactrian Camel is 10 feet long and 7 feet high. Its weight is about 1500 pounds. its colour of coat is light to dark brown. There are thin manes on its chin, shoulder, hind legs and humps. The summer coat is shorter than the winter coat. Snow shoe effect helps the animals to walk comfortably without sinking into the sand. It has two humps that contain about 36 kgs of fat, which s used by the animal when food is scarce. This animal is an endangered species.
Chapter - BHOLI (By K. ABBAS)
Q1. For what unusual reason is Bholi sent to school?.
Ans: When tehsildar inaugurated the school in" the village. he urged Ramlal to send his daughters to school to set an example for others. But Ramlal’s wife is against sending girls to school. She thinks that there is little chance for girls getting married who go to school. Bholi is mentally a retarded child. She lacks sense. She is not good looking. Her parents send her to school because they feel there is little chance of her getting married.
Q2. How does Bholi find her teacher different from other people?
Ans :- Bholi is a neglected child at home. She is not cared for at home. As she is mentally retarded and has ugly black pockmarks on her face. They think her mere a burden. So they neglect her completely. The other children in the house make fun of her. But at school it is quite different. Bhili’s teacher gives her all love and affection. She encourages her to speak. She tells her that one day Bholi will be able to speak like anyone else. She also tells her that one day she will became more learned than anyone else in the village. Then nobody will laugh at her. In this way Bholi finds her teacher very kind and sympathetic.
Q3. Why do Bholi’s parents accept Bishamber's marriage proposal ?
Ans: Bishamber is a rich man. He owns a big shop, a house and a lot of wealth. Bholi is a simpleton. She doesn’t have sense. She is ugly too. She has pockmarks on her face. Her parents have apprehension that nobody will marry her because of her ugly look. When Bishamber proposes to marry her, Bholi’s parents consider it a golden opportunity for her. They fear that if they don’t accept Bishamber’s proposal. she may remain unmarried all her life. Another reason for accepting the proposal is that Bishamber does not ask for any dowry.
Q4. The ending of the story is very dramatic. Do you think her decision not to marry Bishamber makes her an outcast /rebellious or is it an assertion of her being an individual and a woman of substance?
Ans: The ending of the story is unmistakably dramatic. Bholi’s parents have been much worried about her marriage since her childhood because she has pockmarks all over her face. They think nobody will marry her. They send her to school for an unusual reason. A middle aged man, Bishamber proposes to marry Bholi. But at the time of marriage, Bishamber demands a dowry of five thousand rupees. Bholi's father places his turban at Bishamber’s feet. But Bishamber is adamant. Bholi refuses to marry Bishamber whom she calls a greedy and mean person. She decides to serve her parents in their old age. This shows that Bholi is a girl of great courage and confidence. She is not ready to suffer any disgrace or injustice. Thus, her refusal to marry Bishamber is an assertion of her being an individual and a woman of substance. Her teacher had changed here into a masterpiece of courage and confidence. She is not a ‘dumb cow’ anymore.
Q5. Bholi’s real name is Sulekha. We are told this right at the beginning, but only in the last but one paragraph of the story is Bholi called Sulekha again. Why do you think she is called Sulekha at that point in the story?
Ans. Bholi’s real name was Sulekha. When she was ten months old, she had fallen off the cot on her head and it had damaged some part of her brain. As a result, she remained a mentally backward child. That is why she was called Bholi, the simpleton. She was sent to school. At the school, the teacher showered her kindness and affection on her. She encouraged her. She filled her with confidence. Now she was no longer a girl who lacked sense. She was wise, confident, courageous and self respecting. That is why in the end of the story, she is referred to by her real name, Sulekha not Bholi, the simpleton.
Additional Questions
Q1. Character sketch of ‘Bholi’.
Ans. Bholi’s real name was Sulekha. As ill luck would have bi en it, she fell off the cot when she was only ten months old. it damaged a part of her brain. As a consequence, she was mentally retarded. She lacked sense, and hence came to be known as Bholi, the simpleton. At home the other children made a mock of her for stammering. As a result of it she talked very little. She felt scared. She was like a ‘dumb cow’. She was completely neglected at home and, being very timid, she never revolted. But a dramatic change occurred in her alter she was sent to school. Because of the sympathetic and kind treatment of her teacher, her heart was filled with a new hope and a new life. She regained confidence and courage. She was no longer a ‘dumb cow’. She was turned into a brave and bold woman. She was now a woman of substance. We see this when Bholi refuses to marry a mean and greedy person like Bishamber. She would no longer bear any disgrace or injustice. Thus, she came up to the expectations of her teacher.
Q2. Character sketch of Bholi ’s parents.
Ans. Bholi's parents were well-to-do. In their household there was plenty to eat and drink. Ramlal was a revenue official. They took good care of their healthy children , but were very unkind to Bholi. Though they were anxious about Bholi’s marriage, they never tried to provide her with such things which would have made her marriageable. They had lost hope in her. They never thought about the remedy to her ills. They never troubled themselves to encourage her and spoke kindly to her. Their ill-treatment made her life more miserable. If they had loved and encouraged Bholi, the condition could have been different. They were old-fashioned and blind followers of tradition. They thought nobody marries the girls who have been to school. They had not the courage to stand up against bad customs of the society.
Q3. Character sketch of ‘Bishamber’.
Ans. Bishamber was a middle aged grocer. He walked with a limp. He was a well to do man. He was a widower and had grown-up children from his first wife. Even then Bh0li's parents accepted his marriage proposal. They had their own reasons for it. He was a prosperous person and was not demanding dowry. But at the time of marriage, seeing the pockmarks on Bholi’s face, he started demanding a big dowry. In this way his mean nature instantly surfaced. He wanted to black- mail the situation. In spite of the pitiable pleadings by Bholi’s father. this mean fellow refused to budge. He cannot be called a human being. He was a crooked and crude person. He was greedy and mean. He had no sense of respect of others. He was harbouring a callous heart that was empty of human feelings.
Q4. Character of ‘Bholi’s teacher.
Ans. The teacher was a very kind and sympathetic person. She knew her profession quite well. She gave right education to her pupils. She worked with patience. She played a crucial role in Bholi's life. Bholi could not talk. She was shy and lacked confidence. But when she was sent to school. Her teacher gave her all love and affection. She filled her heart with a new hope. She encouraged her to learn. She boosted her confidence. Finally. she was successful in carving out her masterpiece of courage and outspoken personality in the form of Bholi.
Q5. Theme of the story.
Ans. The story ‘Bholi’ has many themes. But the main motif of the story is role of education in a person’s life. It depicts how education boosts one’s confidence and makes one outspoken. Education changes the way of thinking of a person. Bholi was an outcast because of her lack of sense and ugly face. She could not talk properly. She was scared and bore everything without resistance. She was sent to school. Her teacher treated her with love and affection. She encouraged her to learn. She guided her properly. She filled her mind with wisdom and, as a result of this education, Bholi turned into a woman of substance. She became brave and courageous. She had now courage to rise against the injustice in society.
Chapter - OUT OF BUSINESS (R.K.NARAYAN)
Q1. What was Rama Rao’s business? How did it collapse?
Ans: Rama Rao did not have any big business. He worked as the Malgudi agent of a gramophone company. He had deposited the little money he had inherited with the company as security. For five years his business brought him enough money to help him keep his wife and children in good comfort. But then suddenly the company collapsed. The gramophone company which had its factory somewhere in Northern India, automatically collapsed when a bank in Lahore crashed. which was itself the result of a Bombay financer’s death?
Q2. What effect did the collapse of Rama Rao’s business have on him and his family?
Ans: Rama Rao suddenly found himself in the streets. At first he could hardly understand the full significance of this collapse. There was a little money in the bank and he had some stock on hand. But the stock moved out slowly. He could not even get back his security from the gramophone company. Rama Rao’s wife tried some measures of economy. She sent away the cook and the servant, withdrew the children from a fashionable nursery school and sent them to a primary school. And they let out their bungalow and moved to a very small house behind the market. Rama Roa moved from pillar to post in search of a job for himself. But all in vain. Thus. the condition of the family went from bad to worse.
Q3. What is the stock referred to in line I3?
Ans. Roma Roa worked as Malgudi agent of a gramophone company. He dealt in the gramophone records manufactured by this company. The stock referred to here is the stock of gramophone records he had on hand with him when the company failed.
Q4. Why did Rama Rao worry less about his family after he came across The Captain?
Ans. The Captain was the name of a journal. It consisted of four pages and all of them were devoted to crossword puzzles. It offered every week a first prize of four thousand rupees. For the next few days his head was free from family cares as he was intensely thinking of his answers for the puzzles.
After sending down his solutions, he waited for the results. He had all hope of winning the prize. But he was badly disappointed when the results came. Week after week he invested a little money and sent down his solution and every week he waited the results with a palpitating heart. All the time Rama Roa remained lost in thinking of the answers to be for filled in the puzzles. He became indifferent to his wife and children.
Q5. Why did Rama Rao decide to send in at least four entries for the ‘special’ offer crossword competition?
Ans. Before this competition, Rama Rao had been sending his single entry for the crossword puzzles week after week. He always hoped to win a prize but never got any. One day, when he caught the sight of a special offer of eight thousand rupees in the journal, he was excited. As he badly needed money, he didn’t want to lose it. He studied the puzzle thoroughly. There were only four doubtful corners in it. This time he did not want to take risk. He didn’t want to leave anything to chance. He wanted to be sure of winning a prize. So, he decided to send in at least four entries this time.
Q6. Why did Rama Roa plan to go to Madras?
Ans: Rama Roa had sent in four solutions for the special offer in crossword puzzle competition. This time he was dead sure of winning the prize because there were only four doubtful corners and he had covered them all
by sending four entries. With this certainty, he started making plans for future. He thought he would send away the tenants and take his wife and children back to the bungalow. He would leave all the prize money in his wife’s hands for her to manage the home affairs and run the family for a couple of years. For himself, he would take only a small amount and go away to Madras. There he would try to find some profitable work for himself. That was why Roma Rao planned to go to Madras.
Q7. What made Rama Rao believe that God had shown him mercy?
Ans. Rama Rao had tried his best to find a job for himself but all in vain. He then sent in the solutions for the crossword puzzles with the hope to win. But here too he could not win. He had’ now all hope that he would win a big prize in the ‘special offer crossword competition’. This time he had taken no chances. But when the results came, there was no prize for him. It was too big a shock for him. He decided to end his life on the railway line. He laid down across the railway line. A train was due in a few minutes. Roma Rao kept lying for quite some time but the train didn’t come. He got tired and rose up. He walked towards the station. Rama Roa came to know that there had been an accident in which a goods carrying train had derailed. As a result the train was three hours late. Thus Rama rao was sure that God had shown him mercy.
Q8. How did Rama Rao alternate between hope and despair?
Ans. Rama Rao desperately tried to overcome his financial difficulties. He followed the short cut method of solving the crossword puzzles. He would send an entry every week and then waited for the results. But when the results came, he would never find his name among the names of the winners. He was thus filled with despair. For hours he would remain in a state of shock. The only way to forget it was to plunge into the next week’s puzzle. He would give all time to think of correct solutions. There would begin another week of hope after he had sent in his entry. But this previous hope would again change into despair when the results came. Thus Rama Rao alternated between hope and despair.
Q9. Keeping in view the theme of the story, do you think that short cut methods should be followed in life? Why?
Ans. Man is the crown of creation. He should not lose hope at any stage. Even if success eludes him for some time. He should not get despaired. He should keep clam and try hard for success. He can succeed only if he plans his actions. There are people who use some shortcuts to do something and ignore sustained efforts. Short cuts may given some success but it is all temporary. There is risk involved in short cut methods. If we work and put in sustained efforts, we are sure to win and feel satisfied. A sustained effort is the only key to real and everlasting success. Therefore, we must never form the habit of following short cut methods. This is what we learn from Rama Rao’s story. He follows short cut methods to overcome his financial problems. These methods ultimately take him to the railway line. It is only God’s mercy that holds up the train. Otherwise, Rama Rao’s shortcut methods would have cut his life short.
Q10. Give character sketch of Rama Rao:
Ans Rama Rao is a caring father and husband Rama Rao works in a gramophone company. He has wife and children whom he loves very much. He lives a comfortable life. But one day his bitterness collapses. He finds himself in the streets. Roma Rao goes from pillar to post in search of a job for himself. But all in vain. He now becomes a symbol of despair. He loses courage. He desperately needs a job to feed his family. But he cannot find one He follows a short cut method of solving puzzles to overcome the problems of his life. But he fails there too. He is in utter hopelessness. He does not know what to do. Finally, he decides to commit suicide. But it is God’s mercy that saves him. We feel sorry for him over his pitiable condition. But one thing worth to be noted is that he fails to maintain his cool to fight out the crisis. instead he resorts to shortcut methods that min him. He never thinks about temperament solving his problems by any other just way.
Q11. What is the theme of the story ‘out of business’?
Ans. The story. ‘out of business strikes a very clear theme that we should not follow shortcut methods in life to solve our problems. These short cuts become the cause of our ruin. A short cut method means doing something quickly. It is said that haste makes waste. When we are in haste, we are sure to commit mistakes. Shortcut approach is not a sound approach for any work. Instead we must understand that the real success lies in the sustained efforts and hard work. Dedication and honesty give us strength. We should maintain our cool mind and fight out the crisis. There is no substitute to hard work. It pays in the long run.
Chapter – THE SERVANT
Q1. Why had Gerasim been going about in vain in the village?
Ans: Gerasim had been working for a merchant in Moscow. But then he was summoned back to his village for military duty. However, he had not been drafted. So he had nothing to do in the village. It seemed dull to him in the village. He was not used to village life. He didn’t like to work in the village. Therefore. he didn't feel happy living in the village. That was why he had been going about in vain in the village.
Q2. Where had he been working? Why did he return to his village?
Ans: Gerasim had been working in Moscow. He was from a village. but he had been living in Moscow since early boyhood. When still a mere child, he had gone to work in a brewery as bottle washer, and later as a lower servant in a house. In the last two years he had been a merchant’s employee. But then he was summoned back to his village for military duty. So he had it give up his job and return to his village.
Q3. What did the coachman tell Gerasim when he narrated his village?
The coachman gave Gerasim a long sermon on honesty and faithfulness. He said that the workers serve their employers diligently. The employers in return lose their trust in them. When they leave their jobs, they usually muddle up their way back to them. Soon the coachman added that they (the workers) should serve their masters in a way that their masters should think a lot of them and take them willingly again when they come back to them. The coachman gives his own example. He says that if ever he leaves again his place and goes home, his master would gladly take him back. Thus he tells Gerasim indirectly that if he had served his master sincerely. He would not have to hanker for a job them.
Q4. How will the coachman persuade his master inn employ Gerasim?
Ans: The coachman had a glib tongue. He first tried to convince his master that it was no longer worth to keep Polykarph as a servant. He had become too old to do his job well. The coachman sat Polikarpych never shoveled the snow away on time. Thus he could bring his master trouble from the police. And when it was his turn to be a night watchman. He slipped away at least ten times a night. Thus the coachman painted Polikarpych in very dark colours. The master had real sympathy for his old servant who had sincerely served him for fifteen years. He thought it a sin to leave him to starve his old age. But the coachman was perfect in his glib art. He succeeded at last in persuading his master to dismiss Polikarpych and instead employ Gerasim who, he said, was a young man from his village with no job.
Q5. Why was the master reluctant to disengage the old servant?
Ans: The master was a very noble man. He had all love and sympathy for his old servant. The servant had served him For fifteen years. He had never any complaint against him. He had the concern that where would he go in his old age if he was sacked from the service. He knew that he had a wife to feed. He thought it to be sin to leave the old man and woman to starve in their old age. He was conscience-stricken. His conscience didn’t allow him to disband him from service. Above all there wasn‘t any cause whatsoever to dismiss him.
Q6. What did Gerasim hear while crossing the yard?
Ans) Gerasim heard voices coming from a room. They were the voices of a man and a woman. They were the old servant and his wife who were being disengaged from there. They were wailing over the way they had been dismissed. They had served their master honestly and faithfully. But now in their old age they had been asked to go. They had nowhere to go to. They could do nothing but beg. Gerasim heard the man saying that the coachman was the real devil on whose insistence it had happened. At this the wife called him a serpent. She said that she would go to the master and tell him how the coachman had been stealing his things. The old woman burst out sobbing. She said that the coachman had ruined them.
Q7. What did the old couple think about the master?
Ans: The old couple was very angry with the master. They thought that their master was so mean. They had served him honestly and faithfully for fifteen years. But now he had dismissed them in their old age. The old woman said that their master was selfish who cared only for his own advantage. He had no sympathy for them. But the husband said that the master was not so much to blame. He called the Coachman the real culprit. But finally, it was the master who had to take the decision of dismissal of the old man. Thus, they were not happy with their master at all. They felt that he was equally wicked.
Q8. What was the effect of old couples’ conversation on Gerasim?
Ans: Gerasim had heard all that the old couple had said. Their conversation stabbed him like a dagger. He realized what misfortune he would be bringing the old couple, and it made him sick at heart. He stood there for a long while, saddened, lost in thought. He felt sorry For the old couple. He was remorse stricken. He was in fix finally he turned and went back to Yegor, the coachman. He thanked him for all the trouble he had taken for him. but said that he didn't like the place. He would look for another one for himself
Q9. How does the story reflect humility of Gerasim?
Ans: Gerasim is full of modesty is reflected all through the story. In the very beginning, Gerasim hankers after a job in Moscow. But he fails to find one. While finding the job there, he stays with some of his friends and relatives. When he finds that some of his friends suffer unpleasantness from their masters on his account. He decides not to be a burden on them. Because of this, sometimes he goes a hole day without eating. But he never says a word against any one. He comes to a man from his village who is a coachman with a rich merchant. The merchant starts giving him a sermon on faithfulness and honesty. He indirectly blames Gerasim because his previous master had refused to take him back. Gerasim listens to all this with downcast eyes. This shows his humility. The humility is at its climax at the end of the story. He hears the old couple wailing over the dismissal of the old servant from his service. He feels very sorry for the old couple. He comes back to the coachman and refuses to take the place which he needs badly. Truly Gerasim is very humble character.
Writing work
Q1. Compare and contrast the characters of the Gerasim and the Coachman?.
Ans: Gerasim and the coachman have nothing common except that they are from the same village. The two are poles apart in their character. One is the opposite of the other. Gerasim is humble. simple-hearted, kind and loving. self-sacrificing and less talkative. On the other hand. the coachman is proud. Cunning, hard-hearted, selfish and abusive. No doubt the coachman helps Gerasim to get a job with his master but the entire episode shows more of his cunningness than helpfulness. And the contrast becomes so clear at the end of the story when Gerasim overhears the old couple's conversation and refuses to take their place. The coachman becomes furious and calls him an idiot. In nutshell. we see a devil in one and an angel in the other.
Q2. Theme of the story. ( The servant)
Ans: The theme of the story. “The servant" is sincerity and humility. This theme runs across the whole story. Humility and sincerity are the real wealth of a person. The material wealth though needed by a person is not everything. One cannot achieve all happiness from wealth. Sincerity gives a long lasting pleasure. It makes us light hearted. Sincerity in a person makes him a human being. If we lack sincerity, we are worse than a beast. We see in the story at the end that Gerasim feels light hearted even though he loses the position which he badly needs.
Chapter – DUSK {Saki}
Q1. What was the atmosphere at the Hyde park?
Ans: It was an early March evening at around half past six. The dusk had fallen heavily over the scene. There was a wide emptiness over road and sideways, and yet there were many figures moving throw the half light. It was hard to distinguish people from each other in such an atmosphere. Beyond the sheltering screen of bushes and palings came a realm of brilliant lights. In short, we can say that the atmosphere at the hyde park was that of a glowing. The mood of the people completely mharmonized with the scene at the park.
Q2. Do the atmosphere and the mood at the pain justify the title of the story? Or Justify the title of the story, Dusk.
Ans: The title of the story is very apt. It is the evening time of an early March day. Dusk has fallen heavily on the scene. This is the setting the story. Not only the park is envelope in the dusk. but it is also cost on the mental and spiritual level. The people who have visited the park at this time seem to have been defeated in their lives. They are those who are no longer wanted or needed anywhere. They are the people of fallen fortunes and dead hope which come out at this time to hide all their failures from the scrutiny of the curious conscience. In a way they have reached the dusk of their life. They are gloomy and hopeless. So the scene at the park harmonises with the present mood of the people there. Thus, the title of the story precisely reflects the mood and the atmosphere at the time of dusk.
Q3. Draw a profile of the person who first sat near Gortsby on the bench.
Ans: The person who first sat near Gortsby on the bench was an elderly gentleman. He seemed to have lost interest in life. He looked defeated. But he would not admit it. It seems that he was mostly not cared of by anybody. The gentleman looked a self-respecting person. He could never bow to anything or anybody even in that stage of life. His clothes could scarcely be called shabby. But one could not call them fine also. It seems he was in the dusk of life.
Q4. What according to Gortsby was the weak point of young man's story?
Ans: The young man told Gortsby that he was a new comer in the town. He stayed in a hotel some way off Berkshire square. As he hated using hotel soap, he had left his hotel to buy a cake of soap. He had only a shilling in his pocket. He spent it on buying the soap and having a drink at a bar. The young man added when he came to turn his steps back to the hotel, he suddenly realized that he had forgotten the name of the hotel and the street it was in. Gortsby demanded the young man to produce the cake of soap as an evidence for his story. But the young man had no soap with him. It was this lack of evidence that Gortsby called the weak point of the young man’s story.
Q5. While walking back to his seat in the park, what did Gortsby see?
Ans: As Gortsby retraced his steps past the seat he saw an elderly gentleman. He was poking and peering beneath the seat and on all sides of it as he seems to have lost something. Gortsby recognized him to be the same old man who had been sitting by his side on the bench that evening. He enquired of him what he was looking for. The old man answered that he had lost a cake of soap and was looking for it, Gortsby at once realize that he had been fooled by the young man.
Q6. How did Gortsby feel when he realized he had been fooled ?
Ans: The story does not tell us how Gortsby felt when he realized that he had been fooled. But one can guess he must have felt very silly. The Youngman had spun a yarn to extort money from Gortsby. Though he did not believe his story in the beginning, but he believed him after finding the cake of soap as evidence. But it was only in the end that Gortsby was able to sift grain from the chaff.
Q7. What did Gortsby imagine about the people who visited the Hyde park?
Ans. Gortsby imagined about the people who visited the Hyde Park as defeated in life. They were the people who had fought and lost their battle of life. They were the people whose fortunes were fallen. They had no hopes. They visited the park at dusk to hide their shabby clothes, fallen fortunes and bowed shoulder from the scrutiny of the curious silence and the gloom of the atmosphere harmonized with their feelings. Gortsby compares them with bats who also come out in the dark only.
Q8. What is irony? Bring out the elements of irony in the story?
Ans: Iron is a technique used by writers in many situations such as, a statement made that is obviously contradicted by the tone of voice or the context the expectations aroused by a situation are reversed. In the story, Dusk, the writer has used this technique a couple of times. First, when the young man remarks with a curse: “you wouldn't be in a good temper if you were in the fix”. Immediately thereafter is Gortsby in a fix instead of the young man. Again, when the young man speaks eloquently: “l suppose you think I have spun you rather an impossible yarn”. Later on, the same ‘impossible yarn‘ became possible. Again the argument of Gortsby that the weak point of the story was that he could not produce the soap, proves providently helpful for the purpose. Finally, the greatest of ironies in the plot is Gortsby admonishing himself for being too clever in Judging by circumstances, but ultimately he falls prey to his own statement.
Q9. What is Juxtaposition? Has Saki been able to Just oppose humour and pathos in ‘Dusk’?
Ans: Juxtaposition means putting opposite things together to show the contrast. In the story, ‘Dusk’. Saki has Juxtaposed humour and pathos in a very subtle manner. There is pathos in the description of people who visit the Hyde Park at dusk. Their hopes are dead and fortunes fallen. There is also the presence pathos in the description of the elderly gentleman ‘to whose piping no one dances. There is the juxtaposition of the improbable story that the young man tells. The weak points in his story make us laugh. A roar of laughter escapes us at the end of the story when the elderly gentleman tells Gortsby that he has lost a cake of soap. Thus there is both humour and pathos in the story intertwined skillfully by the writer.
Additional Questions:
Q1. Discuss the theme of the story ‘Dusk’.
Ans: The story ‘Dusk’ is an interesting story. The theme of the story is that we should never let ourselves to be fooled by the false stories of others. In the story Gortsby falls prey to the improbable tale of the Youngman. Thus, the story conveys the message that we should always remain vigilant about our surroundings. We should never be swayed by the pathetic stories of strangers. In short, we should stop being gullible.
Q2. Write a short ironical dialogue.
Ans: A: We went to the river this morning to enjoy swimming.
B: Very nice. How long did you swim?
A: All day, there was no water in the river.
B: Fool, then how could you swim?
A: You fool, our eyes swam.
B: Your eyes swam?
A: Yes, with tears:
B: So you enjoyed yourself with tears. Ha! Ha!
Q3. Do you approve of the behaviour and approach of Gortsby in the story? Explain.
Ans: Gortsby's behaviour and approach in the story are quite natural. His actions and reactions are all natural. He proves himself an intelligent person. He seems to be very sympathetic towards the people in distress. This intelligent character comes to surface in the story when he at once picks the weak point in the young man’s story. No doubt he gets fooled at the end of the story. But it is his goodness that he agrees to help the young man. He understands his problem which made him pity him. In short we can say that he does everything rightly.
Language Work
Use the following in sentences:
(i) Youthful figure: She has managed to maintain her youthful figure.
(ii) Shabbily dressed: The beggar was shabbily dressed.
(m) Decent chap: A decent chap is loved by everyone.
(iv) Pale moonlight: The Taj looks all the more beautiful in the pale moonlight.
(v) Stroll about: we were strolling about laughing and Joking.
(vi) Wandering about: Some people were wandering about aimlessly the streets.
Chapter – THE PROPOSAL
Thinking About Language
Question1.
1. This play has been translated into English from the Russian original. Are there any expressions or ways of speaking that strike you as more Russian than English? For example, would an adult man be addressed by an older man as my darling or any treasure in an English play?
2. Read through the play carefully, and find expressions that you think are not used in contemporary English, and contrast these with idiomatic modern English expressions that also occur in the play.
3. Look up the following phrases in a dictionary to find out their meaning, and then use each in a sentence of your own.
(i) You may take it that
(ii) He seems to be coming round
(m) My foot’s gone to sleep
Answer:
1. Expressions not used in contemporary English
1.“my darling”, “my beauty”, “my precious", “my angel”, “my beloved” (here, an older man is
addressing an adult man).
2. “...and so on..." (here, it is used after a sentence in order to complete it)
3. “...and all that sort of thing.” (not explaining what it is, just leaving it as it is)
4. “...and all that." (again leaving the sentence as it is)
5. “the scarecrow”, “the stuffed sausage", “the wizen—faced frump" (In this way, they hurled
insults at each other)
6. “And how may you be getting on?" (Here, Lomov is asking Chubukov about his well—being)
2. Modern English expressions
1. “Madam”, “my heart", “honoured Natalya Stepanovna" (used by Lomov forNatalya)
2. “Honoured Stepan Stepanovitch” (used by Lomov for Chubukov)
3. “I beg your pardon...”
4. “My dear fellow" (Chubukov addressing Lomov)
5. “malicious, double-faced intriguer”, “fool” (Chubukov insulting Lomov)
3. Sentence of phrases:
(i)You may take it that I am lying, but in fact it will help you in the long run
(ii) He seems to be coming round after the trauma of his father's death.
(m) After the three hour long yoga session, my foot's gone to sleep.
Thinking About the Play
Q1. What does Chubukov at first suspect that Lomov has come for? Is he sincere when he later says “And I've always loved you, my angel, as if you were my own son"? Find reasons for your answer from the play.
Answer: At first, Chubukov suspected that Lomov had come to borrow money. He was not sincere when he told Lomov that he had always loved him and that he was like his own son. He had decided that he would not give Lomov any money if he tried borrowing from him. If he truly meant what he had said, then he would not have thought of not giving him money. He said so only because Lomov had come with the proposal to marry his daughter.
Q2. Chubukov says of Natalya: “... as if she won't consent! She’s in love; egad, she's like alovesick cat...” Would you agree? Find reasons for your answer.
Answer:- Chubukov thought that Lomov was a good marriage prospect for his daughter. He had been waiting for this proposal. When Lomov expressed his doubt regarding Natalya's consent to the proposal, Chubukov immediately told him that she was in love with him. However, this was not true. Natalya did not seem to be in love with Lomov at any point in the play. It seemed like she was more attached to her land, meadows and dogs than to Lomov. In fact, the way they kept getting into arguments about trivial matters suggests that neither Lomov nor Natalya was in love with the other.
Q3. (i) Find all the words and expressions in the play that the characters use to speak about each other, and the accusations and insults they hurl at each other. (For example, Lomov in the end calls Chubukov an intriguer; but earlier, Chubukov has himself called Lomov a “malicious, double faced intriguer." Again, Lomov begins by describing Nayalya as “ an excellent housekeeper, not bad-looking, well—educated.”)
Answer: (i) Several words and expressions have been used by the characters to describe each other.
Some of them are as follows:
Chubukov: grabber; intriguer; old rat; Jesuit
Natalya: a lovesick cat; an excellent housekeeper; not bad-looking, well—educated
Lomov: a good neighbour; a friend; impudent; pettifogger; a malicious, double-faced intriguer;
rascal; blind hen; turnip-ghost; a villain; a scarecrow; monster; the stuffed sausage; the wizen-faced
frump; boy; pup; milksop; fool
Thinking About Language
Question 2. You mush have noticed that when we report someone's exact words, we have to make some changes in the sentence structure. In the following sentences fill in the blanks to list the changes that have occurred in the above pairs of sentences. One has been done for you.
1. To report a question, we use the reporting verb W (as in Sentence Set 1).
2. To report a declaration, we use the reporting verb .
3. The adverb of place here changes to .
4. When the verb in direct speech is in the present tense, the verb in reported speech is in the tense (as in Sentence Set 3).
5. If the verb in direct speech is in the present continuous tense, the verb in reported speech changes to tense. For example, changes to was getting.
6. When the sentence in direct speech contains a word denoting respect, we add the adverb in the reporting clause (as in Sentence Set 1).
7. The pronouns I, me, our and mine, which are used in the first person in direct speech, change to third person pronouns such as, or in reported speech.
Answer: 1. To report a question, we use the reporting verb asked.
2. To report a declaration, we use the reporting verb declared.
3. The adverb of place here changes to there.
4. When the verb in direct speech is in the present tense, the verb in reported speech is in the past tense.
5. If the verb in direct speech is in the present continuous tense, the verb in reported speech changes to past continuous tense. For example, am getting changes to was getting.
6. When the sentence in direct speech contains a word denoting respect, we add the adverb respectfully in the reporting clause.
7. The pronouns I, me, our and mine, which are used in the first person in direct speech, change to second person pronouns such as he/she, him/her, theirs or his/hers in reported speech.
Q3. Here is an excerpt from an article from the Times of India dated 27 August 2006. Rewrite it, changing the sentences in direct speech into reported speech. Leave the other sentences unchanged. “Why do you want to know my age? If people know I am so old, I won't get work!”laughs 90- year-old A. K. Hangal, one of Hindi cinema’s most famous characteractors. For his age, he is rather energetic. “What's the secret?” we ask. “My intake of everything is in small quantities. And I walk a lot,” he replies. “I joined the industry when people retire. I was in my 40s. So I don't miss being called a star. I am still respected and given work, when actors of my age are living in poverty and without work. I don't have any complaints," he says, adding, “but yes, I have always been underpaid.” Recipient of the Padma Bhushan, Hangal never hankered after money or materialistic gains. “No doubt I am content today, but money is important. I was a fool not to understand the value of money earlier," he regrets.
Answer: 90-year-old A.K. Hangal, one of Hindi cinema’s most famous character actors, laughingly asked why we wanted to know his age. If people knew he was that old, he would not get work. For his age, he is rather energetic. We asked him what the secret was. He replied that his intake of everything was in small quantities and he walked a lot. He said that he had joined the industry when people retired. He had been in his 40s. So he did not miss being called a star. He was still respected and given work, when actors of his age were living in poverty and without work. He said he did not have any complaints, adding that he had always been underpaid.
Recipient of the Padma Bhushan, Hangal never hankered after money or materialistic gains. He said that no doubt he was content at present, but money was important. He said regretfully that he was a fool not to understand the value of money before.
Chapter – ABHILAY
Character Sketch of Abhiley : The writer ‘Abdul Gani Sheikh’ has beautifully portrayed a rendezvous of simplicity andignorance with modernity in his short-story-Abhiley. The character of Abhiley is worth contemplating and we come across many such Abhileys in our day-to-day life. A woman who has led her entire life in sheer ignorance and simplicity is suddenly exposed to the complicated and abstruse world of modernity. Her reaction obviously would be sometimes humorous and sometimes pathetic. The very beginning of the story shows the apprehensions and fears that haunt in the old age. At the same time, we are also introduced to the indifference of others towards Abhiley. The younger generations mostly fail to understand elders love for them and when they realize it is already too late. While other family members take it easy, Abhiley is not ready to accept the separation from her loved ones. She always misses Ruksana her granddaughter and keeps asking everyone about her whereabouts. Abhiley is simple at heart. She knows nothing about modern technology and outside world. So her, Srinagar is as distant a place as Turkey. She is truly a very innocent and ignorant woman. If she hears of a mishap anywhere, she at once, becomes worried about her granddaughter, Ruksana.
She is a talkative lady and loves to chatter with her friends about familiar matters. She loves to gossip. Once she went to see a movie. The movie bored her. It was a horrible experience to see moving images on the screen. Someone told her that it was about mother-in-law and their bad treatment of their daughter-in-law. The next day she sat on roof top with other lady and spewed poison on all mother-inlaws. Such was her innocence that she failed to understand that she herself was someone’s mother-in law. Abhiley also suffered from the fear of crowds. Once she had gone to annual dormice festival. The hustle and bustle squeezed breath out of her and she decided never to go there again. She is a loving granny. Once she heard that there were floods in Srinagar, such was her love for her granddaughter, she ventured out of hamlet (which she would have never done before owing to some fears) just to know about the well-being of her granddaughter. Once convinced, she became so restless to go back to her home that compelled the author to purchase return tickets on the very same evening.
THEMES: The short story ‘Abhiley’ revolves around two grand themes: Tradition verses modernity, and the simplicity and innosence of rustics. The writer ‘Abdul Gani Sheikh’ has beautifully portrayed a rendezvous of simplicity and ignorance with modernity in his short story-Abhiley. Abhiley has led her entire life in sheer ignorance and simplicity. Her reaction obviously would be sometime humorous and sometimes pathetic. Her too much ignorance makes her a laughable character. Even the members of her own family giggle at her ignorance. Abhiley represents the simplicity of Ladakhi women. She is simple at heart. She knows nothing about modern technology and outside world. Respecting one’s tradition is a good thing but it shouldn’t mean that we don’t know even the difference between Srinagar and Turkey, or between Delhi and Srinagar. Generation Gap is another theme of the story. The younger generations are indifferent towards Abhiley. They fail to understand Abhiley’s love and concern. Instead of seeing things from her point of view, they make fun of her.
GENERATION GAP: With the emergence of a new Generation, new values, new traditions, new ideologies and new aspirations also take birth. Youth stands for adventure and enterprise. It is full of energy and enthusiasm; initiative and activities. It believes in going forward. It is bubbling with new ideas on the other hand; age stands for old order or traditions. The younger generations fail to understand the morals and values to which the oldies stick to. They do not want to believe in readymade beliefs. At the same time, the older generations are not ready to change and accept the new ideologies of younger folks, with result, the two generations-old and new, are at loggerheads with each other. This gives birth to Generation Gap, or a conflict or clash between the father and the son, or between age and youth. With the result, distances are created leading to communication barrier. Parents can play a vital role in minimizing communication Barrier. This problem is found more in working parents they don’t have much time to spend with their wards. When they realize the problem, it’s already too late. So, parents must ensure to spend extra time with their children. The elders should change their mentality and attitude towards youngsters. Generation Gap can be abridged by sympathy and better understanding minor faults on both sides must be overlooked and shortcomings should be forgiven. The key to this problem is one word ‘ADJUSTMENT’. Parents must appreciate children for what they are and not for what they want to be. Parents should enter into an open discussion with their children regarding various issues- religious, morals, political, ethical, etc. Quoting examples and narrating stories of great men can be helpful in grooming the moral self of youngsters. What is needed is friendship, not animosity; sympathy, not criticism; understanding, not judgment; to abridge the Generation Gap.
Q. HOW’LL YOU RELATE BACKWARDNESS TO ILLITERACY:-
Some unfortunate folks unable to receive proper education because of poverty, gender or other such reasons tend to be illiterate. As we know, education helps in unfolding the mind. An educated man doesn’t simply know a few facts, he knows himself and his place in the society. Sadly an illiterate knows nothing about his status in a society. For him all faces remain insulated. He fails to understand the realities. He can’t differentiate between good and bad, and stays away from his responsibilities. An illiterate fellow lacks the qualities of the refinement of perception, depth of insight and sureness of perception. His illiteracy plugs him into the dark wells of superstition and blind beliefs. An illiterate is more gullible and gets easily cheated. Slavery, untouchability, dowry system, and other such social evils are prevalent only in literate societies. An illiterate farmer knows nothing of latest technologies and fails to improve the yield of crops. An illiterate businessman is not aware of latest market trends and fails to boost it resulting in huge losses. Be it a farmer, a businessman, or any other person, illiteracy halts their progress and thus keeps them backward thus, illiteracy itself is the root cause of backwardness of a person, a society or a nation. If we want to progress and curb backwardness, we need to be confident, responsible, and full of knowledge which can be attained only through proper education.
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