English Notes

I Believe That Books Will Never Disappear

2019-11-04T21:32:00.000+05:30

I Believe that Books Will Never Disappear -Interview with Jorge Luis Borges

I Believe That Books Will Never Disappear Summary:

I Believe That Books Will Never Disappear. This is an excerpt from Twenty-four Conversations with Borges by Roberto Alifano. We get views of Borges about his reading, his mother, his blindness idea of poetry, Metaphors, books and literature. The interviewer asks the writer many questions about poetry, books and literature to which the answer with great thought-provoking ideas Borges reveals that his early literary reading took place in his father's library. Regarding his feelings towards his mother, he says that he feels very guilty for not having made his mother sufficiently happy, and for taking her for granted. He feels he should have been more understanding.

When asked about his blindness, he says that he is not unhappy about it because he takes it as a resource. In his opinion all that happens to us, including humiliations, our misfortunes, our embarrassments, all are given to us as raw material as clay, so that we may shape our art. We may give them different shape. His vision left him but fortunately it was replaced by other things. He mentions that in spite of being blind, he fills his house with books and pretends that he is not blind. The interviewer asks him about books and he replies that every book goes beyond its author's intention.

When we read an ancient book, we are actually reading all time that has passed from the day it was written to our present day. He maintains that no matter how many errors the book has, whether we accept or reject the author's opinions, the book always retains something sacred, mortal and magical and brings happiness.

When asked about poetry, Borges says that it cannot be defined without oversimplifying it because it is so intimate and essential Poetry is the poetic act that takes place and the poet writes it, when the reader reads it, and it always happy in a slightly different manner. He says that poetry is a magical, mysterious and Unexplainable — though not incomprehensible - event. If one doesn't feel the poetic event upon reading it, the poet has failed.

He also stresses that it is very important to find correct words in poetry because they elicit the emotion. He quotes a line from Emily Dickinson: "This quiet dust was gentlemen and ladies". He feels the word dust' is quite banal and common place, but the phrase ‘gentlemen and ladies’ were exceptional and gave the line magic and poetic quality. Talking about metaphors, he says they can be reduced to five essential metaphors of time and a river: life and dreams: death and sleep: stars and eyes: flowers and women.

Regarding books he maintains that they will never disappear because unlike the other inventions that are extensions of our bodies, the book is an extension of our imagination and memory. About literature, he says that we owe literature almost everything we are and what we have been, also. What we will be. Books are the great memory of all centuries. If books disappear, surely history would disappear, and surely man would disappear.

Jorge Luis Borges

I Believe That Books Will Never Disappear notes

Comprehension 1

1. I was educated by my father's library says Borges. He means_____

a. school or the university did not educate him.

b. he educated himself by reading on his own.

c. he learnt through private tuitions held in his father’s library.

Answer. (b) he educated himself by reading on own

2. Why did Borges feel guilty about his mother?

Answer. Because he did not keep her happy peaceful he did not make her comfortable.

3. According to the author, blindness is

a. just a physical handicap

b. not a liability

c. actually a resource

Answer. (c) Actually a resource

4. What according to Borges is the ultimate function of writing?

Answer. It is to give a different shape to all humiliation, misfortune and discord so that from miserable circumstance of the writer's life eternal works are created.

5. Why does Borges prefer to believe that he is not blind?

Answer: Because, though the visible world has moved away from his eyes, fortunately it has been replaced by other things. He feels it his duty to accept and, as far as possible, to enjoy those things.

6. Borges feels, that when we read a book what matters is not the author's intention, but what sense we get out of it. True /False?

Answer. True.

7. When does the poetic act happen, according to Borges?

Answer. Borges says that the poetic act happens when the poet writes it, and when the it always happens in a slightly different manner.

8. What cannot be defined without oversimplifying it?

Answer. Poetry be cannot be defined.

9. Which is the most astounding invention of man?

Answer. The book is the most astounding invention of man because, while others are extensions of our bodies, only the book is an extension of our imagination and memory.

Read: To The Foot from Its Child

Comprehension II

1. What is the observation of Borges about his mother? Is it a common experience of everyone?

Answer. Borges feels that his mother was an extraordinary person, and she was very kind towards him. Yet he feels guilty for not having been a happy man in order to have given her a deserved happiness. He thinks he should have been more understanding and not taken her for granted. He says this is true of all children that when our mother dies, we feel that we have taken her for granted as we do with the moon or the sun or the seasons: we feel we have abused her. This is surely a common experience of many children. His mother was an intelligent and a gracious woman. She had no enemies.

2. What, in your opinion, does Borges learn from Goethe's saying all that is near becomes far'?

Answer. It refers to the sunset and also to life. He feels that all that he could see have been replaced by knowledge given by books bringing in far insights. He feels that he has been able reach things which are far and wide in this universe.

3. Can humiliation and misfortune be transmuted?

Answer. According to Borges, yes, they can be transmuted to create eternal works of art and literature. We should look at things with different perspective.

4. In what way do you think poetry is an aesthetic act?

Answer. Poetry is aesthetic act because it involves description of life, beauty, precise words expression and feelings.

5. Why is it important for poetry to use language precisely? What example does Borges demonstrate this aspect of poetic language?

Answer. Borges says that it is the precise words that elicit the emotion. He quotes Emily Dickinson's line: “This quiet dust was gentlemen and ladies". He says though the idea of 'dust' meaning ‘the dust of death’ is common, what surprises is the use of the phrase 'gentlemen and ladies which gives the magic and poetic quality. Just the phrase ‘men and women' would not been equally remarkable.

6. Why does Borges say that the books will not disappear in spite of modern modes of communication?

Answer. Borges believes that books will never disappear because among the many inventions of man, the book is the most outstanding because, while others, like the telephone, telescope and microscope. The sword and the plough are extensions of our bodies, only is an extension of our imagination and memory. It is record of our dreams and our past history. So nothing can replace them.

I Believe That Books Will Never Disappear

Comprehension 3

1.'A book goes beyond its author's intention.' Do you agree?

Answer. Borges says that the author's intention behind book is a meager thing -a fallible thing. In a book, there is a need for something more, which is always mysterious. When we read an ancient book, it is as though we were reading all time that has passed from the day it was written to our present day. A book can be full of errors, we can reject its author's opinions, disagree with him or her, but the book always retains something sacred, something mortal, something magical which brings happiness. This opinion is certainly correct because any book encompasses more meaning than the writer intended. Besides, it depends on the reader to extract the meaning the author desired.

2. 'Poetry is magical, mysterious and unexplainable'. How does Borges explain the strange aspect of poetry?

Answer. Borges believes that poetry is something so intimate, so essential, that it cannot be defined without oversimplifying it. It would be like attempting to define the color yellow, love and the fall of leaves in the autumn. He believes that poetry is the aesthetic act: that poetry is not the poem, for the poem may be nothing more than a series of symbols. Poetry, he believes, is the poetic act that takes place when the poet writes it, when the reader reads it, and it always happens in a slightly different manner. He feels that when the poetic act takes place, we become aware of it. He says that poetry is a magical, mysterious and unexplainable although not incomprehensible-event, if one does not feel the poetic event upon reading it, the poet has failed.

3. What value does Borges see in literature? Why is important for the future of mankind?

Answer. Borges says that literature is a controlled dream we are able to get the knowledge of past future and live in the present. He thinks that we owe literature almost everything. Books are the great memories of all centuries so they are irreplaceable. If books disappear, surely history would disappear, and surely man would disappear. We have to protect our culture and literature.

Read:Heaven, If You Are Not Here On Earth

Vocabulary

Word Pairs:

Nonreversible word pairs always appear in same order, e.g., back and forth. It would sound awkward if we read forth and back. The following is a list of some common word pairs.

1. Trial and Error 11. Forgive and Forget

2. Pride and Prejudice 12. Pros and Cons

3. Null and Void 13. Body and Soul

4. Flora and Fauna 14. Flesh and Blood

5. Whims and Fancies 15. Hale and Hearty

6. High and Dry 16. Hue And Cry

7. Time and Again 17. Black and white

8.'Pick and Choose 18. Virtue and voice

9. Time and Tide 19. Leaps and bounds

10. Tooth and Nail 20. Part and parcel

Also Read :Japan And Brazil Through A Traveler’s Eye

Japan And Brazil Through A Traveler’s Eye

2019-10-28T20:12:00.001+05:30

Japan And Brazil Through A Traveler’s Eye

-George Mikes

Japan And Brazil Through A Traveler’s Eye

Summary:

This is a tongue-in-cheek account of the writer's travel; in Japan and Brazil. The excerpts talk about some practices unique to these two countries. First, in the excerpt titled Manners', the writer talks about his visit to Japan.

Upon arriving there, he is impressed by, the extremely well-mannered people. He also notices that, since the country is a very small one in terms of area, the people there have no privacy, even to talk on the phone. But people respect others' privacy by not listening to their private talks they compensate for their lack of privacy by showing courtesy.

Next, the writer comments on the habit of the Japanese to bow to everyone. This act of bowing is very dignified but the writer finds it difficult to learn the right manner He bows either too low or does not bow at all. He learns that there is a hierarchy in bowing: who bows to whom, how deeply and for how long. If two Japanese bow, neither is to straighten up before the other stands erect in front of him.

The Japanese manage this without difficulty and even the smallest difference in rank, standing, age, social position will be subtly reflected in that split second one man's bow is shorter than the other's. There are clears cut rules in the family too, as to who should bow to whom. There are bowing girls who bow to all and sundry; coach conductors before they check the tickets; and the writer mentions that even a deer bowed to him before it snatched the food-bag from his hand. Even at the bus-stops, people bowed to each other in dignity, but the moment the bus arrived, all dignity was thrown to the winds and people pushed one other in their hurry to board the bus. With regard to eating soup, the writer says that noise has to be made while eating the soup in order to show appreciation. However, when a foreigner does make noise, the Japanese hostess might look at him with contempt.

In the next excerpt 'Traffic in Brazil', talking about footpaths in Brazil, the writer say’s that they are very beautiful, well-decorated places, reflecting the sense of beauty of the citizens. The Brazilians do not hurry about at all, as along as they are walking. They amble around leisurely. But the same citizens, when they are behind a steering wheel, are entirely different people. They drive murderously fast, and target pedestrians who dare to step off the pavement. They compete bitterly with their fellow drivers, cutting in, from both sides and forcing them to commit many crimes. But there is no hostility or ill will between the drivers or between them and the pedestrians. They smile at one another, just like they smile at the pedestrian they forced to run for his life.

The writer says that the main roads in Brazil are so crowded that the traffic that pedestrians find it impossible to cross from one side of the road to the other. He narrates a humorous occasion where a person, on seeing his friend on the other side of the road, asks with surprise how he managed to cross over, and the friend replies that he could be there only because he was born on that side.

Japan And Brazil Through A Traveler’s Eye

Comprehension I

1. 'Exquisitely well-mannered people' refer to

a. Indians

b. Japanese

c. Americans

Answer. b. Japanese

2. What behavior substitutes privacy in Japan?

Answer. Courtesy

3. The reference to public telephone suggests:

a. How overcrowded Japan is

b. How Japanese respect privacy

c. How busy Japanese are

Answer. b. How Japanese respect privacy

4. Why is called 'quaint?

Answer. 'Quaint' means old fashioned and yet attractive. Bowing is old fashioned when compared to the practice of shaking hands. In Japan, everybody keeps bowing to everybody else, with the ceremonious solemnity of a courtier, yet with a great deal of natural and inimitable grace. Bowing is more formal and more oriental, and also infectious.

5. Hierarchy in bowing demands

a. youngsters bow to their elders.

b. wife bows to her husband.

c. sisters bow to their brothers.

Answer. all of them

6. What is the sign of appreciation in eating soup?

Answer. When eating soup, one must make a fearful noise as a sign of appreciation. Otherwise, the host/hostess will be offended

7. How are pavements in Brazil decorated? What does it tell us about the people there?

Answer. The grey pavements in the streets of Copacabana are often decorated with beautiful black mosaics — a unique type of decoration. It tells us that only a people alive to beauty in their surroundings and who have plenty of time for contemplation during their meditative, ambulatory exercises would take the trouble to decorate the pavements they walk on.

8. What happens when leisurely people in Brazil get a steering wheel in their hands?

Answer. When leisurely people in Brazil get a steering wheel in their hands, no speed is fast enough for them. Onlookers would be inclined to believe that gaining a tenth of a second is a matter of great importance for all of them all the time.

9. Who do the drivers look out for when they are driving? Why?

Answer. The author says that the drivers look out for pedestrians. As soon as a driver notices a pedestrian step off the pavement, he regards him as fair game: he takes aim and accelerates. The pedestrian has to jump, leap and run for dear life.

10. What distinguishes war between drivers?

Answer. The war between drivers themselves is murderous but good-tempered. They cut in, they overtake on both sides they force you to brake violently and commit all the most heinous crimes of the road and twenty times every hour. But they smile at you the same time: there is no anger, no hostility, no mad hooting.

Japan And Brazil Through A Traveler’s Eye

Comprehension II

1. Why is bowing in Japan a complicated process?

Answer. The author found bowing very difficult to learn because the act involved lot of intricacies. Either he bowed too deeply or not at all. He bowed to the wrong man at the wrong time. Either he clasped his hands too tightly in front of him or not at all. Bowing in Japan has a complicated hierarchy: who bows to whom, how deeply and for how long. If two Japanese bow, neither is to straighten up before the other stands erect in front of him. The Japanese manage it without difficulty and even the smallest difference in rank, standing, age, social position will be reflected in that split second, ore man's bow is shorter than the other.

2. Why does bowing, a natural practice in Japanese culture, look so 'quaint' and puzzling to the author?

Answer. Being a European, the author feels that bowing is more formal and oriental than shaking hands or kissing the cheek. It is also infectious. What makes it look so 'quaint' to the author is the fact that foreigners cannot get the bowing exactly right. They bow to the wrong man at the wrong time; they do not clasp their hands in front of them which is bad; or they do clasp which is worse. The Japanese, on the other hand, manage to show the subtlest difference in rank, standing, age and social position in the degree and duration of their bowing. The writer found it very difficult to understand these intricacies.

3. Do you think the author is finding fault with/making fun of the culture of bowing in Japanese and speeding cars in Brazil.

Answer. The author is finding fault with bowing in Japan only to a slight extent because he finds it difficult to understand how much to bow, for how long, and whom to bow to. He makes fun, in a light-hearted manner, firstly, of the baby who bows from a majestic height, having been tied to its mother's back; next, of the two conductors on the coach, who bow in both the directions and then start checking the tickets.

He certainly makes fun of the deer which he feels bowed deeply to him before snatching the little bag from his hand. He pokes fun at the Japanese he compares the deer to the people in the bus-stop. A bit sarcastically, he says that the deer is a true Japanese. Both of them, the deer and the people, first bow ceremoniously and later behave violently. The deer jumps at the author and snatches the food-bag from his hand. The people, as soon as the bus arrives, push each other, tread on each other's toes and shove their elbows into each other's stomachs.

With regard to finding fault with and making fun of the speeding cars in Brazil, the author does both. He does joke about the way the drivers target pedestrians stepping on to the road, but describes vividly how horrible the experience can be to a pedestrian. He also remarks that, with the increase in the number of cars on the roads, the life of pedestrians is becoming more hazardous every day.

Similarly, he finds fault with the way the drivers compete with each other. However, he finds it funny that the drivers can smile, in a good-humouredly manner, at each other and at pedestrians whom they have terrified out of their skins. While finding fault with the heavy traffic that does not allow pedestrians to cross the road, the author uses humor to deal with the situation by saying that a fellow should be born on the other side to reach there. Otherwise, there is no possibility of crossing the road on the main streets of Brazil.

Japan And Brazil Through A Traveler’s Eye

Comprehension Ill

1. Bowing in Japan is quainter; more formal, more oriental.' Do you agree?

Answer. The author, George Mikes, says that bowing as a form Of greeting, is neither less nor more silly than shaking hands or kissing the cheek, but it is quainter; more formal, more oriental. As the author, himself a European, describes later on, bowing in the right manner takes some time to learn: either you bow too deeply or not deeply enough; you bow to the wrong person or at the wrong time; you do not clasp your hands in front of you which is bad; or you do which is worse. The Japanese have a complicated hierarchy in bowing: who bows to whom, how deeply, and for how long.

When two Japanese bow, neither straighten up before the other stands erect in front of him. They manage this without difficulty, and even the smallest difference in rank, standing, age, social position will be subtly reflected in that split second one man's bow is shorter than the other's. In many cases, there are clear-cut differences in position but no difficulties in following them because there are the basic rules inside the family: 'the wife bows to the husband, the child bows to the father, younger brothers to elder brothers, the sister bows to all brothers of whatever age.’ The Japanese followed this practice of bowing in all places - girls at the top of escalators, conductors on coaches and people at the bus stop.

2. Describe how traffic in Brazil leads to humorous observations.

Answer. The writer first describes the habit of pedestrians not to hurry at all in Brazil. They do not bother whether they reach their destination hour too soon, a day late or not at all. He then contrasts this behavior with their behavior when they get a steering wheel in their hands. Then no speed is fast enough for them. They drive as if gaining a tenth of a second is a matter of great importance for all of them all the time.

The author says that drivers care about pedestrians. The care they show is in the form of targeting pedestrians who step off pavement, as if punishing them for doing so. The moment the driver sees a pedestrian step onto the road, he aims at him straight and accelerates his vehicle. The pedestrian has to jump, leap and run for dear life, Later, the writer reminds us humorously that both the driver and the pedestrian — hunter and prey smile amicably at each other.

Thus, the pedestrian's life is becoming more hazardous every day.

The author refers to the rivalry between drivers. With other drivers, they are murderous and overtake on both sides, cut in and force the other driver to brake violently and commit all the most heinous crimes of the road, and twenty times every hour. But they keep smiling at the other drivers. There is no ill-will, hostility, anger or mad hooting. The writer describes a particular place called Avenida Presidente Vargas where, if one tried to cross the road, it would be almost impossible. Looking at the traffic, one would also wonder: how can crawling traffic proceed at such terrifying speed? As hour after hour passes, without a ray of hope of the opportunity to cross, one may witness a scene, something like this: a man, on your side of the Avenida Vargas suddenly catches sight of a friend of his on the other side and starts waving to him, at the same time looking completely mystified: "How on earth did you get over there?" he shouts across, trying to make himself heard above the traffic. The other fellow is surprised by this naive question and yells back: "How? I was born on this side!"

3. What aspects of our social life, do you think, would appear quaint and odd to a foreign tourist?

Answer. India consists of a multi-cultural, multi-ethnic and multi- lingual society. Different customs and traditions are followed in different parts of the country. This variety itself would puzzle many foreigners. Many other things would appear odd to a foreign tourist: our manner of greeting with folded palms; our sitting down cross-legged and eating with our fingers; our innumerable languages; our different ways of dressing, our festivals, our ways of worship etc.

Many shameful habits coming from even educated people might make foreigners disgusted with Indians: our tendency to speak very loudly everywhere; urinating and spitting everywhere; our ways of jumping the signal and driving without following any rules of the road, (nowadays driving on the footpath, upon the dividers too); our tendency to litter all places; jumping queues; jaywalking on the road; talking to strangers in a familiar tone and intruding upon everyone's privacy.

The recent aspects of our social life like: frequent rapes of women of all ages; sexual molestation and harassment of women on streets; drunken driving; gang wars and frequent rioting would put any nation to shame.

Left click on your mouse on the click to see the post

And if you have not seen our latest post of Heaven, If You Are Not Here On Earth chapter notes then click here

Heaven, If You Are Not Here On Earth

2019-10-23T16:56:00.002+05:30

Heaven, If You Are Not Here On Earth

-Kuvempu

Photo by Lakshay Jain from Pexels

Summary:

This poem is a translation of the Kannada poem Swargave, Bhoomiyoliradire Neenu. It reveals the rationalistic outlook of the poet who sees God in Nature. There is no other god for him since he has not been able to see any god nor has anyone else. Addressing heaven, the poet says that it cannot he far away in the sky or elsewhere; it has to be on the earth because there no other suitable place for it. We human beings have to be god and heavenly nymphs because there are no other gods and nymphs. Nobody has seen them. Nature is God to him, and worship of Nature is worship of God. Nature is bountiful and generous towards Man. All the beautiful things of the earth- the rushing, roaring stream with its sparkling water, the rolling surface at the edge of waves, the tender sunshine falling upon lush green gardens. The gentle sun warming the earth, the splendor of harvest and of moonlight — all these make the earth a heaven. He feels that surely, there cannot be anything more beautiful to constitute a heaven. As the proverb goes, beauty is in the eyes of the beholder. Poets, being more sensitive, can see more than others. It is the poet, who, as the Kannada saying reveals, can see what the sun cannot see, and, by expressing everything in wonderful language, points out the beauty of earth to everyone. . By articulating his profound, noble thoughts, he crates heaven here itself.

Comprehension 1:

1. According to the poet ‘Heaven’ is

a. on earth.

b. with us.

c. elsewhere.

Ans .a. on earth

2. Who creates ‘heaven on the earth’?

Ans. the poet

3. The poet finds god in

a. nature

b. earth

c. temple

Ans. a. nature

4. What does the line 'Heaven lies all over!' suggests?

Ans: Everything around is heavenly if only the eyes are ready to look at them.

Comprehension 2:

1. Describe the beauty in nature that makes the earth a heavenly place.

Ans. In order to stress his claim that heaven can be nowhere but this earth, the poet points to the many beauties of nature. He says the roaring, rushing stream with crystal-clear with water, the rolling milky-white surface at the edge of waves, the tender sunshine shining through the lush green leaves on verdant gardens, the gentle sun warming the earth, the golden splendor of harvest and the cool, divine moonlight — all these make the earth a heavenly place. He feels that there cannot be anything more beautiful to constitute a heaven elsewhere.

2. Why does the poet feel that earth is more beautiful than heaven?

Ans. The poet feels that heaven cannot be anywhere else but on earth because everywhere around him, he sees wonderful scenes of pristine nature. Besides, he is amidst this beautiful nature and he has not seen heaven. Hence, instead of pining for something he might never get to know, the poet feels all of us should thrill in being on this earth where nature is bountiful in every respect. Further, he is satisfied with himself because he is imbibing and spilling the song of nectar, thereby creating heaven on earth. That is to say, unlike others who cannot be poetic. he has the ability to recognize the beauty, of nature and express it vividly in well-measured lines. Through his articulation of his joy, he creates heaven on earth, for himself and for everyone else.

Comprehension Ill

1. How does the poet break the myth of heaven in this poem?

Ans. The poet says that heaven cannot be anywhere else but on earth because the earth is such a beautiful place that heaven deserves to be here and nowhere else. He believes that there cannot be anything more beautiful than what is found on earth. Besides, till now, nobody has seen heaven' or gods or nymphs. They are all creations of man's imagination. Therefore, he says that we have to be gods and heavenly nymphs. The poet, being a rationalist, believes in what he can see and touch, not in what he cannot see. He sees the bounty of nature all around him. So he says that nature is to the worshipped, and nature is the true God.

2. How does the poem celebrate the power of the poet?

Ans. The poet, being a rationalist, believes that heaven is on earth. In order to prove his claim that heaven is only on this earth and not anywhere else, the poet gives many examples. He points to the roaring, rushing stream with crystal-clear water, the rolling milky-white surf at the edge of waves, the tender sunshine shining through the lush green leaves on verdant gardens, the gentle sun warming the earth, the golden splendor of harvest and the cool, divine moonlight — and says that all these make the earth a heavenly place. There cannot be anything more beautiful than all these. Thus, there cannot be another other place called heaven. Common people who are not very observant or articulate, miss the beauties of nature and carry on their mundane lives passively. The poet, being more sensitive and observant than others, imbibes and spills the song of nectar, pointing out the wonders of nature to everyone. In this manner, he creates heaven on earth through his poetry and invites everyone to experience the joy of being amidst bountiful nature. He says it is the poet who makes the earth appears heavenly.

Also don’t forget to see the To the Foot from Its Child chapter notes to see it click here

To The Foot from Its Child

2019-10-18T11:42:00.000+05:30

To The Foot from Its Child -Pablo Neruda

Summary:

The poem is about a child's foot which has various dreams when it is small, but soon understands that it cannot achieve any of them because it is condemned to live in a shoe like a prisoner. Separated from its fellow, it slowly gets used to the dark world of the shoe, and moves around life like a blind man. Over a period of time, the soft nails of the foot become hard and the tiny, petaled toes of the child 'take on the form of eyeless reptiles with triangular heads, like worms'. They become coarse. As it grows and becomes big, the foot this blind thing', gets involved in the mechanical act of walking without respite, hour after hour. The foot never rests in love or sleep. It walks until the whole man chooses to stop’, i.e., die and then descends into the grave with the dead man. However, even then the foot is unaware that it is no longer a foot. In its innocence, or ignorance, it wonders whether it is being buried so that it can fly like a butterfly or become an apple. Here the foot symbolizes a human being who has to move forward, reach many places in his lifetime. But when the foot itself is confined to being a prisoner in a shoe and moving around like a blind thing, the human being cannot achieve much. Very soon his life becomes mechanical, moving up and down, to and fro relentlessly. He never stops even for love or sleep: he stops only when he dies. And even then, he will be wondering whether he is dying so that he can realize his dreams in the next life. Basically, the poem talks about the loneliness of man who cannot share his dreams or achieve them in his lifetime because, as he grows, he is expected to perform many roles and duties that are totally different from his dreams. One's whole life becomes mechanical and meaningless without any opportunity to think about one's dreams or share them with others.

Comprehension I:

1. What would the foot like to be?

Ans. it would like to be a butterfly or an apple.

2. Line 1 of the poem conveys a. the immense possibilities of life b. the unrestricted nature of a child's imagination

c. the child's ignorance of harsh realities

Ans. All the three.

3. What does time teach the child?

Ans. Time teaches the foot that it cannot fly or be a fruit hanging on the branch of a tree.

4. The line 'stones and bits of glass, streets, ladders and the paths in the rough earth

a. indicates hardships one has to face in life.

b. provides a mere description of a road.

c. suggests the good and bad experiences of growing up.

Ans. a. Indicates hardships one has to face in life.

5. Why does the child's foot feel defeated?

Ans. When the foot learns that it cannot fly or be a fruit bulging on the branch, it feels defeated.

6. Which words convey the real experiences of the foot?

Ans. But in time, stones and hits of glass, streets, ladders, and the paths in the rough earth go on teaching the foot that it cannot fly, cannot be a fruit bulging on the branch.

7. Which lines in the poem suggest transformation of the foot?

Ans. These soft nails of quartz, bunched together, grow hard, and change themselves into opaque substance, hard as horn,'

8. “...condemned to live in a shoe" suggests that the foot is

a. prisoner

b. a criminal

c. forced to give up its dreams

Ans. a. prisoner

9. Identify some examples of the mundane activities of an adult.

Ans. Walking without respite, never stopping for hour after hour, up above, down below, through fields, mines, markets and ministries, backwards, far afield, inward, forward.

10. What does the line "until the whole man chooses to stop" mean? Ans. The line means 'until the man dies', when along with the man's body, the foot also enters the dark underground.

Comprehension II

1. We think of a foot as belonging to a person; but Neruda says To the Foot from its Child'. Why?

Ans. The foot of a child is being considered in the poem. The child is not yet aware of its body, and hence each part is treated as independent and having feelings of its own.

2. Pick out the expressions that suggest the child's imagination is fertile.

Ans. The child's foot would like to be a butterfly or an apple. Later, the child's foot is defeated, falls in the battle, is a prisoner condemned to live in a shoe.

3. What contrasting descriptions of the foot does the poem offer? Why?

Ans: In the beginning the child's foot is dreaming of being a butterfly or an apple. Later it 'falls in the battle, is a prisoner condemned to live in a shoe'. The soft nails of quartz of the foot soon change into 'opaque substance, hard as horn'. The tiny, smooth toes become big and take on the, appearance of eyeless reptiles, with triangular heads, like worms'. The `petalled' toes become callused and coarse. All these Changes in the foot are symbolic of the changes that take place in an individual as he grows from an infant into an adult. There are many desires and aspirations when he is a small child, but life's realities teach him that those desires and aspirations cannot be fulfilled at all. What was clear (nails) and soft (toes) becomes opaque and coarse. This change points to the rough quality of life which makes the most sensitive creature hard-hearted as he grows up. A child, when it is born, has immense potential, and can grow up in a variety of ways, achieving great things in its lifetime. But the reality of life with its competition and the attendant insensitivity, selfishness and meanness, soon ensures that all imaginative individuals are reduced to moronic, mechanical beings with the passage of time. However, neither life nor death can destroy the dreams of people. Dreams die hard.

4. The poem begins with the idea that child's foot is not yet aware that it is a foot; at the end the foot is unaware that it had ceased to be a foot. What is the poet trying to convey through these statements?

Ans: The poet presents a series of contrasts in the beginning in order to draw our attention to the fact that, as a child grows up into an adult. many things change—the reality around the individual, life, opinions about life, the child's appearance itself - but one thing doesn't change, and that is the dreams which the child had envisioned in its early, innocent years. When the child is small, the foot has various dreams and is not aware that it is a foot. It has aspirations of becoming a butterfly or an apple. As the foot grows, stones, bits of glass, streets, ladders and the paths in the rough earth teach it that it can never be a butterfly or a fruit on the branch of a tree. It is separated from its fellow, enclosed within a shoe. Nevertheless, it learns to understand the dark world in its own way, 'feeling out life like a blind man'. As days pass, its appearance changes: 'soft nails of quartz', which were hitherto bunched together, become hard and opaque. The tiny, soft toes become big like 'eyeless reptiles with triangular heads', very much like worms. The foot finds this change hard to accept. Yet, throughout life, it moves around like 'a blind thing'. It does all the routine walking of the man or the woman without respite. It toils in its shoe, and keeps walking, scarcely taking time to bare itself in love or sleep. Then, when the whole man chooses to stop, i.e.., dies, along with the dead man, it descends into the grave. But even there, it is unaware that it has ceased to be a foot. It keeps on wondering whether it has been buried only so that it can transform itself and soon become a butterfly or an apple. This shows that dreams die, hard. It also shows that life is lived in such a routine manner that man does not understand the significance of his various body organs, and thus their potential is never realized.

5. How can the foot fly or become an apple after it is buried?

Ans. The foot, in its innocence or ignorance, thought that since it had been buried, its life as a foot was over, and it was now free to change its form and become a butterfly or an apple. It thought it was no longer 'a prisoner condemned to live in a shoe'. It was unaware that its existence on this earth was over.

6. How does Neruda describe the busy life of the individual as represented by the foot?

Ans. Neruda calls the foot this blind thing' and says it walks without respite, never stopping for hour after hour, the one foot, the other, now the man's, now the woman's, up above, down below, through fields, mines, markets and ministries, backwards, far afield; inward, forward, this foot toils in its shoe, scarcely taking time to bare itself in love or sleep; it walks, they (both the feet and the man) walk, until the whole man chooses to stop'. Here the poet refers to people in all fields — farmers, miners, businessmen, the church government — as toiling continuously without stopping to ponder over what life is all about. Probably, the poet wants to point out the fact that, in spite of endless walking, people haven't really gone anywhere. They are where they were when they started — innocent, with unfulfilled dreams in their eyes, like the foot that had dreams when it was small and the same dreams when it was underground with the dead man. They do their 'walking' without thinking and succumb to the pressures of life. Thus, they live their lives like 'a blind man' and do not 'see' much during their

lifetimes.

7. What does the last stanza of the poem mean? Can you think of parallels in nature?

Ans. The last stanza means that the foot thinks it is being buried so that it can fly later or become an apple. It feels this is an opportunity for it to release itself from its earlier form and achieve whatever new form it desires. Parallels of this kind are: a seed becomes a plant; a caterpillar weaves a cocoon around it and flies out as a butterfly after a few days; a swimming tadpole becomes a jumping frog. The foot is waiting for such a transformation.

Comprehension III:

1. Examine how Neruda's poem works out the contrast between colorful dreams and humdrum reality of life.

Ans. The foot when it was small, did not know that it was a foot, and dreamt of becoming a butterfly or an apple. As it grew, stones, bits of glass, streets, ladders and the paths in the rough earth teach it that it cannot fly or be a fruit bulging on the branch. Very soon, it feels defeated and accepts the fate of a prisoner, condemned to live in a shoe. Enclosed in that darkness, it gets to know the world in its own way, out of touch with its fellow. Physically many changes take place in the foot, with its soft, transparent nails becoming hard and opaque, and the 'tiny, petaled toes of the child take on the form of eyeless reptiles with triangular heads, like worms'. This coarsening becomes very hard to accept. Here, the coarsening may refer to the body parts or the quality of life that becomes rough and ugly as the individual grows up. Still nurturing the 'dream' in its heart and yet, accepting the fate of the 'prisoner', the foot, 'this blind thing' walks continuously throughout the human being's life, up above, down below, through fields, mines, markets, and ministries, scarcely taking time to rest or sleep. This goes on till the whole man 'chooses to stop' or die. When it descends into the grave along with the dead man, it is still unaware of what is destined for because even there everything is dark. In its innocence, or perhaps, ignorance, the foot goes on wondering whether, by being buried, it has been given an opportunity to finally become a butterfly or an apple. Perhaps the poet wants to highlight the fact that man lives his life in such a mundane manner that, in spite of spending a whole lifetime, he is unaware of what he has achieved and he has also not realized any of his dreams. The pressures of life force everyone to go around in life mechanically, like a zombie, insensible to everything around him.

2. Neruda's poem is a salute to the ordinary human being, who continues with life braving all odds. Do you agree? Give reasons.

Ans. When the foot of the child is treated as a symbol of an ordinary human being who has innumerable dreams but is unaware of the reality, and goes through life like a 'blind thing', it is a salute to the ordinary human being. As the foot grows, or the human being grows, its dreams are slowly crushed by various sad experiences of life, and it gets slightly detached from reality. As it grows further, life becomes a mindless routine with absolutely no time to rest or sleep. Living thus, very soon the human being 'chooses to stop', i.e., dies, but even then doesn't realize what he was born for or meant for. Thus the ordinary human being, with so many expectations in his heart, continues with life braving all odds, and hoping that one day his dreams will come true. Even his death promises to open a new door to him, taking him to horizons he couldn't reach during his lifetime. Though such a being is called `the ordinary human being’, he is not ordinary at all because the human being referred to here has colorful dreams but has accepted the moves along with it, no matter how boring and tedious it is. However, he keeps his dreams alive in his heart, treating even death as an opportunity to achieve the dreams that could not be fulfilled in his lifetime.

3. Is Neruda criticizing how society crushes childhood dreams and forces people into rigid moulds?

Ans. Yes, definitely Neruda is criticizing society for crushing the dreams of children, and forcing them into rigid moulds. It doesn't give much opportunity for people to explore their dreams or realize them. Soon people move around like 'blind things', mechanically doing their duties, no matter how painful they are. Their minds become hardened, just like their bodies. They have not a moment, to rest of sleep. They rest only when they 'choose to stop' or die, with the hope that the after-life at least allows them to fulfill their dreams.

4. 'Foot' is a key word in the poem. Comment on Neruda's skilful use of the word and its associations in terms of imagery to convey his ideas.

Ans. A person's foot is a very strong organ, supporting the whole body and taking it forward, towards the person's destination. But here, in the poem, the feet own dreams are crushed very soon in life, and it is condemned to live like a prisoner in a shoe. When the foot that has to move freely, allowing the person to run, leap, jump and dance, is bound in a shoe, obviously those joyous movements cannot be performed. Only the mechanical act of walking, endlessly, untiringly through the person's life is done. The full potential of even the foot is not realized in the person's life. Clearly, we can understand that his potentialities will not have been realized at all.

Important note : If you have any queries related to the context or any doubts then be free to comment down your queries or contact us we will try to solve it.

And don’t forget to see the Gardener chapter post written by P. Lankesh to see it click here

The Gardner

2019-10-07T15:14:00.000+05:30

The Gardner

-P. Lankesh

Add caption

Summary:

The narrator met an old man standing in coconut farm near Channarayapatna. The old man was tall, had a long beak-like nose and strong arms. He had to tend coconut trees. He carried a news paper. The narrator saw in him a laborer, philosopher and overseer.

There was a big farm. For his farm came the old man from far. He got a job to work. He knew all about agriculture. He maintained the farm as his own. The result of his hard work was that, the Owner's life-style changed. He became lazy and didn't work but the income, from the garden improved a lot. The owner's wife fell in dilemma whether it was due to the arrival of the old man or something else. The life of the owner became colorful. His prestige improved. He became a known figure. The owner's wife was happy to see expansion of their farm but at the same time worried about her husband. The old man understood all this. So he came to her and a story.

There lived in a far-off place a man named Tammanna. He had everything. He commanded all the respect. But he had a rival called Basavaiah who envied Tammanna always. He couldn't see Tammanna up in life. He envied his prosperity. He did whatever Tammanna did in the village. At the first instance it appeared as healthy competition but later it took a difference turn. Basavaiah couldn't tolerate Tammanna possessing. One thousand acres of land because he had only hundred acres. One day he went with his me and acquired 200 acres of Tammanna's land forcibly. He put a fence around. The onlookers advised Tammanna to go to court, some suggested to contact police, some told they had people to punish Basavaiah but Tammanna didn't pay any attention to all this because he had a different plan. He had in his mind to annihilate Basavaiah.

He composed all his experiences in the form of ballads and sang them. The songs contained information about Basavaiah's cruelty and manners. Many scholars came and analyzed the songs. The reputation of Tammanna increased and Basavaiah feel uncomfortable. He organized many things He called people to practice him. He accumulated wealth. He possessed everything. The only problem was that Tammanna’s books were not there in his palatial building. Basavaiah came to know Tammanna was ill. He was happy Tammanna’s disease was Basavaiah’s health.

Tammanna knew that a nation is capable of withstanding strains but human temperament doesn’t allow this. So he refers to Russia and America. But a man can’t live without a rival.. He thought that his death alone could destroy Basavaiah . So he gave up everything and started oil He made her clear that he was Tammanna. The people thought that Tarnmanna died. When Basavaiah learnt this, he didn't feel like living. He found no meaning in his existence. So he passed away. When Tammanna came to know this, he forgot all his songs and ballads. He told all this to her and her husband is not amenable to any advice because he is rich now. He talks of all these and tells her not think of otherwise and goes out to pay a visit to the workers.

Comprehension 1:

1.What qualities of the old man impressed narrator?

Ans: The old man was tall, had a long beak like nose and muscular arms. The narrator observed that he was a laborer, overseer and philosopher. He found all this in the old man.

2.Is it a significant factor that the old man came to the garden after walking hundreds of miles?

Ans: The old man had come to this farm after walking hundreds of miles to avenge him and he succeeded in it. So this is a significant factor.

3. The owner of the garden became lethargic because

a) The income of the garden improved dramatically.

b) He had become dependent upon the gardener.

c) There was nothing much left for the owner to do.

Ans: (a) The income of the garden improved dramatically.

4. Why did the owner's wife start worrying about the strange ways of her husband?

Ans: The income from the garden increased but it affected the owner in a strange way. He became lethargic and shied away from hard work. His life became crowded with colorful events. So the owner's wife became apprehensive about his adultery and umpteen other vices.

5. When did the old man decide to narrate his story?

Ans: When the old man noticed the plight or the apprehension of the owner's wife about her husband, he started narrating his story in the evening.

6. Tammanna considers his rival, Sangoji/ Basavaiah, an important possession because

a) Competition helps in the development of an individual.

b) Sangoji/Basavaiah leads a more colorful life.

c) Rivalry offers new possibilities of life for him.

Ans: (c) rivalry offers new possibilities of life for him.

7. "No, his name was not Sangoil, but Basavaiah” told the old man because

a) he had really forgotten the name",

b) he wanted to keep the identity of his rival a secret

c) he was fictionalizing his past_

Ans: (c) he was fictionalizing his past.

8. What unique strategy was evolved by Tammanna to annihilate Basavaiah completely?

Ans: He composed all his experiences in the form of ballads and sang them. All his poems described the enmity, jealousy and meanness of Basavaiah. This was the unique strategy.

9. Why does Basavaiah start inviting scholar’s musicians to his place? Ans: He wanted to invest his home with meaning, so he started inviting scholars, poet and musicians to his place.

10. What was Basavaiah's ray of hope in his attempt to outwit Tammanna?

Ans: When Tammanna fell ill, he felt happy. It was a ray of hope for him. Tammanna's disease was his health.

11. Tammanna decides to give up everything and leave the place because

a) he sees no Purpose in living there.

b) he wants to create an impression that he is dead.

c) he wants to put an end to the rivalry.

Ans: (b) he wants to create an impression that he is dead.

12. Tammanna forgets his sons and ballads because

a) He finds them futile.

b) He doesn't need them anymore.

c) He avenges himself.

Ans: (c) he avenges himself.

Comprehension II:

1. How did the owner's life change after the arrival of the old man?

Ans: There was a owner of a farm. He had ten acres of land. He was in need of a man who could look after his farm. As desired, an old came to the farm. He was well-versed in agriculture. He knew all about the farms and about the workers also. He looked after everything neatly. After his arrival, the petty thefts in the garden came to an end. The income from the garden increased in leaps and bounds. The plantation expanded. The ten acres farm grew beyond their imagination. Equally, there was a drastic change in the life of the owner. He became lethargic and didn't do any work. He developed contacts with new friends and his life became crowded with colorful events. The owner’s wife became apprehensive about her husband's adultery and other umpteen vices because he was gradually getting out of hand.

2. What advice did the supporters to Tammanna give for getting his land back?

Ans: Basavaiah was not happy about Tammanna who had one thousand acres of land. This was because he had only 800 acres of land. He asked Tammanna to sell 200 acres but he didn't. This enraged Basavaiah. So he went to Tammanna with his people and took 200 acres of land forcibly and had protection by putting a fence. This was known to all. Tammanna had a lot of followers. They suggested various ways to Tammanna of getting his land back. Some suggested him to approach court of law. Others informed him to file a complaint to the police. Some also suggested to man handle Basavaiah and snatch all the property. But Tammanna didn't go for any of these measures and planned a different trick.

3. How did Tammanna react to Basavaiah's encroachment of his land?

Ans: When Basavaiah took 200 acres land of Tammanna, forcibly Tammanna didn’t lose his temper. He kept mum and pondered over. Tammanna’s followers suggested him various ways to be followed in order to get the land back. For these things, also, Tammanna did not pay any importance. He had different plan. He composed all his experiences in the form of ballads and highlighted the cruelty, and meanness of Basavaiah. He sang them. Many critics came there. They analyzed the poem and Tammanna was regarded as the best poet. This again made Basavaiah jealous.

4. How did Basavaiah try to overcome his humiliation?

Ans: Basavaiah, never looked the prosperity of Tammanna. So he went on doing one or the other things. He was shrunk in humiliation. So he tried to overcome his humiliation by doing following things:

(1) He started filling his life with all kinds of material wealth.

(2) He got a palatial mansion built for himself.

(3) He appointed a number of persons just to praise him.

(4) He bedecked himself with gold, diamonds and other precious stones.

(5) His visitors told him that his house looked dull and empty because Tammanna's books were not there. So he started inviting scholars, poets and musicians to his place.

Comprehension III:

1. The rivalry between Tammanna and Basavaiah keeps moving from the visible domain to the invisible. Comment.

Ans: Tammanna was a rich farmer. He had comfortable house and all that he wanted. Thousand were at his bidding command. He was totally happy. There was another farmer named Basavaiah. He saw all the prosperity of Tammanna. Instead of feeling happy, he felt sad and envied. He followed to do whatever Tammanna did. Ultimately Tammanna had one thousand acres of land and Basavaiah had only eight hundred acres. He couldn't tolerate this. So he asked Tammanna to sell his 200 acres of land but Tammanna didn't agree. Then Basavaiah went there with his people and took 200 acres of land forcibly. Then he put a fence. 'Tammanna tolerated all this at first. His followers suggested various measures to get his land back from Basavaiah. All came to know this. It was visible for all. Tammanna made plan to annihilate Basavaiah. He wrote poems in the form of ballads and expressed his experiences and also about the cruelty and meanness of Basavaiah. He sang all those songs. So the rivalry moved from the visible to the invisible. Many critics came there and analyzed the poems and Tammanna was felicitated as the best poet of all times.

2. How does Tammanna adopt counter strategy to challenge the material wealth of Basavaiah?

Ans: Tammanna wrote poems and sang them. Many people came to know all about the rivalry. The poems defamed Basavaiah. But Basavaiah went on collecting money and appointed people to praise him but didn't succeed. At this time Tammanna adopted counter strategy to challenge the material wealth of Basavaiah.

Tammanna thought that if he continued his rivalry at the level of body, Basavaiah would go on offering a stiff competition. So he wanted separate his song from his body. He knew the human nature. He thought that his death would give him solace and his death alone could destroy Basavaiah. So he gave up everything and started off. All thought that Tammanna passed away. Basavaiah was happy for a short time. Then he didn't find any reason to live. So he passed away. Without vengeance, mar; can't find any reason to live and Tammanna also forgot all its songs.

2. A manipulator like Tammanna turns reflective towards the end of his life. What does this tell us about human nature?

Ans: Man is never satisfied with his lot. He craves for more. He becomes greedy. He doesn't tolerate other's prosperity. He longs for what he doesn't get. Yet he pines for it. If we come out of this we become Gods. But we don't think that it is our goal. Instead we live for some kind of unbearable vengefulness. Without it, there would be no reason for his existence. Tammanna knows this human temperament. Yet he succeeds in his manipulation. Basavaiah passes away when he learns that Tammanna is no more, because he doesn't find any reason to live. Tammanna becomes reflective in the end, because he forget all his songs and ballads. He becomes non-entity. He says that after a particular age, man loses his name because his age becomes important and his name vanishes into thin air. He says that man is so complicated that till the day of his death, he goes on living for some revenge or the other, confronting one challenge or the other.

3. How does the reference to Russia and America provide another dimension to the story

Ans: Russia told America "I am not your enemy. I shall not wage a war against you". Russia declared that it is his friend. America being the sworn enemy of Russia went in agony and boredom. America did not think of waging the war, because it did not find any reason to fight because of Russia's declaration. Tammanna went on manipulating without exposing his enmity openly. Basavaiah also didn't take drastic steps but only went on collecting material wealth. At last Tammanna came to the conclusion that his death alone could destroy Basavaiah. So he left the place. But Basavaiah didn't find any reason to live. So he passed away. So the story takes this dimension.

5. Observe how the story employs multiple narratives. How does this technique unveil the mystery of human relationship?

Ans: At first we notice P. Lankesh meeting an old man and narrates about him. Through his narration we understand the character of the old man. When the owner's wife becomes apprehensive Tammanna narrates a story about himself and basavaiah bringing to light. Many facts of human personality. He goes on unveiling the mystery of human relationships, i.e. taking vengeance, manipulation, living with supporters grabbing forcibly, imitating without any gain undergoing humiliation. So we notice multiple narrations. Towards the end, Tammanna becomes reflective and tells the end of enmity or rivalry between himself and Basavaiah.

Vocabulary:

1. Antonyms:

Ans: 1 Impoverish x enrich

2. Elaborate x concise

3. Petty x grand

4. Suffused x removed

5. Lethargic x active

6. Annihilate x preserve

7. Vengeful x benevolent

8. Agony x ecstasy

9. Flourish x languish

10. Wealth x poverty

11. Famous x obscure

12. Cruelty x kindness

13. Best x worst

14. Enemy x friend

15. Stiff x flexible

2. What do the following expression from the lesson mean?

Ans: 1. in a flash - suddenly, immediately

2. Flesh and - the berry soul, kith and kin

3. Out of hand - beyond control, going out of reach

4. Vanish into thin air- disappear.

When You Are Old

2019-10-06T13:59:00.002+05:30

When You Are Old

-W.B. Yeats

When You Are Old

Summary:

This is an exquisite, touching poem, expressing the fleeting nature of love. The poem is essentially romantic in character Its wistfulness dream like atmosphere, melancholy and melody are the romantic qualities. How wistful the memory of past loves must be to an old woman and how effectively that wistfulness has been expressed.

“How many loved your moments of glad grace,

And loved your beauty with love false or true.”

The poem is addressed to Maud Gonne with whom the poet was passionately in love but who never responded to his passion.

The poet addresses Maud Gonne and asks her to think sometimes of her youth when she has grown old. When she is grey-haired, ages woman, sitting by the fireside, feeling sleepy and drowsy, let her read this book and visualize her past. Let her then picture to herself her youthful days. When her eyes looked so deep and so black and when they had such a heart-warming expression in them.

We see a contrast, the physical charms of his beloved in her youth with the grey hair, the worn-out look and the infirmity of the same woman when she has grown old.

When this woman was young and beautiful, many men loved her for her grace. Many admirers made love to her old courted her. Some of them were inspired by genuine sentiment and others by a fickle or inconstant passion. But there was one man, namely the poet, who had a spiritual kind of love for her. He was able to look through her physical charms and perceive the sacred soul that was on a brief pilgrimage to this earth. He loved her not only in her youth but at every stage of her life. He loved her when the sorrows and griefs of life had settled down upon her face and left a mark there. He loved her even when the ears brought wrinkles to her face.

The poet asks her to picture to her mind the between what was and what is. She will then, in a mood of reflection and melancholy, bend beside the red hot coals in the fire place and tell herself in a low voice that all her lovers except one had proved inconstant. She will then realize that those men who loved her bodily attractions and physical charms had completely forgotten her and that all their love had taken wing and hidden itself among the stars above. Love is her personified. When the beloved has become old, the love of a man travels upwards and is lost among the mountains overhead and among the stars in the sky. The idea is that love evaporates. Only the man who loved the pilgrim soul of the beloved still loves her in her old age.

Comprehension I:

1.The poet is addressing

a. a young woman the poet has loved.

b. an old woman that he has met now

c. the woman that he has admired in his life.

Ans: (a) a young woman the poet has loved.

2. In line two, the word 'book' refers to

a. memories

b. book of poems

c. an album

d. diary

Ans: (b) book of poems.

3. The word 'glad grace' suggests

a. her physical beauty

b. her inner beauty

c. her goodness.

Ans: (a) her physical beauty.

4. `Pilgrim soul' means the soul

a. which is immortal

b. that has gone on a pilgrimage

c. which is in quest of true love.

Ans: c. which is in quest of true love.

5. What does the phrase 'your changing face’ suggest?

Ans: The poet has loved her through thick and thin, through all the sorrows and grief’s which befell her with passing of years.

6. 'Love fled' connotes

a. the death of the man who loved her

b. the fleeing of her lover to the mountains

c. the loss endured by her.

Ans: (a) the death of the man who loved her.

Comprehension II

1. How is the 'one man' different from the many others who loved the lady

OR 2. Does the poem bring out the transient nature of beauty as against permanence of love Ans: "When You are Old" is a poem addressed to the woman whom he loved 'Maud Gonne'. This is a touching poem expressing the fleeting nature of love.

When Maud Gonne was young and beautiful, many men loved her for her physical charm. Many admirers made love to her and courted her some of her lovers were inspired by worthy sentiment and some others by fickle or inconstant passion. But there was 'ONEMAN', namely the poet who had a spiritual kind of love for her. Because this man loved her not only in her youth but at every stage of her life. He loved her even when the sorrows and griefs of life had settled down upon her face and left a mark there. The poet loved her even when the years brought wrinkles to her face. He makes it clear that he loved her for her pilgrim soul.

The poem brings out the transient nature of beauty as against permanence of love. The very desire of the poet that his beloved should read his book when she is old and weak, suggests the transient nature of beauty. The physical charm disappears and now she is alone without any admirers. But his love towards her is immortal. It is permanent. It lives forever. It doesn't die. He is only the man who loved the pilgrim soul of the beloved still loves her in her old age.

Comprehension III

1. Comment on the usage of time frame by the, poet.

Ans: The usage of time frame is convincing. We find the poet very young and are in love with a women `Maud Gonne' who is also young. The lady is loved by many admirers because of her physical charm. She doesn’t respond the love expressed by the poet. So he tells her to read his poems when she is old and gray. He thinks that she will understand the genuine of love the poet. We see here the present and the future. When she is old, he tells her to remember her lovers who love for her physical charm who are not there with her at present. They have all deserted her. But his love of pilgrim's soul is noble, divine and pure. He doesn't love her for her physical charm. His love is not infatuation. It is divine kind of love. The poet always loves her. So here we notice the past and present time frame mingled by the poet.

2. 'When You Are Old' is a poem of contrasts. What contrasts do you find in the poem? What purpose do they serve?

Ans: 'When You Are Old' is a short lyric. We notice only twelve lines. It is a love poem. He addresses his beloved Maud Gonne. The poet giving a piece of advice asks her that in her old age she should take up the book and read slowly. She should dream of her youthful beauty. Here we notice both the poet and his beloved are young. The poet's advice refers to old age. It is a contrast.

When the lady is young, she is loved by many admirers but when she becomes old, her beauty is vanished, and her admirers are no longer there, because there is no physical charm. So here we notice the contrast regarding appearance. The third contrast is between her admirers and the poet. The poet's love is true, divine and noble but the love of her admirers is transient. Then we notice the contrast between the presence of the poet and the love fled. We also notice the contrast between the feelings of the poet and his beloved.

To conclude, we find various contrasts, relating to time age, feelings and the beauty.

A Sunny Morning

2019-10-05T21:05:00.003+05:30

A Sunny Morning

-Serafin & Jaoquin Alvarez Quinter

Summary of the play

A Sunny Morning by the Quintero brothers is a refreshingly new romantic comedy. It tells the story of Don Gonzalo and Dona Laura, who were ardent lovers at their young age. But their affair was not a successful one as they had to part with each other in life. They meet each other in a park in Madrid during their old age. The story is presented in a new pattern unlike the conventional romantic stories.

The play begins on a sunny morning in a park in Madrid. An old woman, named Dona Laura enters the scene and she is described by the authors as "a handsome, white-haired old lady of about seventy, refined in appearance." She leans upon the arms of her maid Petra. At the first reference itself the old lady is described quite differently as 'handsome' which is a word usually associated with men. The woman is happy about feeding pigeons with bread crumbs.

It is at that point an old man enters with his attendant. The old man is none other than Don Gonzalo, who is seen to be quite irritated as he finds no bench in the park to be vacant. Moreover the one that he usually uses during his visit to the park is occupied by three priests. Quite grudgingly he comes near Laura and shares her bench. Laura gets infuriated as the old man has tried to scare the pigeons and she calls him "an ill-natured man." But after a few moments of disagreement, both of them have a pinch of snuff and reconciles with each other. Gonzalo says that he is from Valencia and to his surprise Laura reveals that she is from Maricela, where she lived in a villa. Gonzalo is startled by the revelation and he says that he knows a woman named Laura Liorente who lived in a villa there, who was perhaps the most beautiful woman he had ever seen. Both Laura and Gonzalo realise that they were young lovers once. But they pretend not to reveal their identities.

Laura and Gonzalo devise stories of their own deaths. The old Laura says that she knows the woman named Laura, known as ‘The Silver Maiden' and that she was her friend during her young age. She also lies that she knows the tragic story of her love affair with a gallant young man named Gonzalo. The old Gonzalo says that he is the cousin of the young man. According to him the young Gonzalo had to leave his place as he was involved in a fight with a merchant, the suitor of Laura. Then he joined the army and went to Africa where he met with a glorious death. The old woman reveals that without finding her lover the young beautiful Laura committed suicide. Both realise that they are lying but pretend to be unaware.
The play ends with a promise that they will meet the very next day with a feeling of harmony. The authors Serafin and Jaoquin Alvarez Quintero have succeed in presenting a story which is quite free from stereotypical depictions.

A Sunny Morning

Comprehension I:

1. Do you think Laura was a regular visitor to the park? What makes you think so?

Ans: Laura came to the park with a fear whether she would get her usual bench to sit.

2. Why ate Don Gonzalo and Laura annoyed with each other ? Ana: Gonzalo disturbs the birds which are eating bread crumbs given by Laura. So Laura is annoyed. Both exchange hot words.

3. Dona Laura reads without her glass as

a. she has keen eyesight.

b. she wants to impress Gonzalo.

c. she knows every word by heart.

Ans: (c) she knows every word by heart.

4. Gonzalo and Laura keep up humorous conversation because they:

a. have nothing else to do.

b. enjoy being with each other.

c. have the same temperament.

Ans: (c) have the same temperament.

5. Laura and Gonzalo's friendly conversation begins with

a. Gonzalo reading the poems.

b. Laura's witty remarks.

c. a pinch of snuff.

Ans: (c) a pinch of snuff.

6. Do you think Laura is an effective narrator

Ans: She is a successful narrator.

7. Gonzalo does not reveal his identity because

a. he no longer loves her.

b. his appearance has changed.

c. he looks grotesque and old.

Ans: (c) he looks grotesque and old.

A Sunny Morning

Comprehension 2

1. Precisely at what point of time, do you think, Laura and Gonzalo begin to recognize each other?

Ans: We find Laura coming to the park and feeding the birds with bread crumbs. Don Gonzalo arrives there with his dragging leg. The birds are scared, So Laura blames Gonzalo. Both of them accuse each other and blame. Then they talk of many things. Don Gonzalo mentions of his history of visiting America and he belongs to Valencia. Dona Laura tells about her place Maricela. Then Gonzalo refers to the most beautiful woman he noticed. He tries to recollect her name by calling Laura-Laura. At this point Dona Laura comes to know about Don Gonzalo. When Don Gonzalo explains the story of his friend, he comes to know the real identity of Dona Laura. So both recognize each other like this in the play.

2. What were the circumstances that led Gonzalo to flee Valencia?

Ans: Gonzalo told Laura about a beautiful woman who lived in Maricela and precisely she was called ‘The Silver Maiden.’ He praised her beauty. Then he told about his cousin who loved that Maiden. Actually it was himself who loved Dona Laura. A merchant loved her and he insulted him and there was a quarrel and later a duel took place. He had to flee then so he came to Valencia.

3. Did Laura and Gonzalo pine for each other after they were separated by circumstances? Who is more passionate? How do they react to each other now?

Ans: We notice from the conversation between Don Gonzalo and Dona Laura that they were separated by circumstances. When Gonzalo begins reading from the book he brought, we come to know everything. We feel Dona Laura very passionate which is evident through her narration of the incidents. Both of them came to know their real identity but they didn't reveal. They concealed their emotions. In the end they go smiling. So we understand that they pine for each other. They decide to meet next morning. Dona asks him if he would go to his bench. He answered her that he would come to the same bench if she didn't object. Then she says, "This bench is at your disposal" and he says, "I will surely bring the crumbs." Laura picks up the violets and gives to him. They smile and disappear.

4. What makes Dona Laura conclude that Don Gonzalo is an ill-natured man?

Ans: Don Gonzalo comes to park and finds his bench occupied by three priests. He becomes impatient. He comes to know that they do not get up and go. He tells Juanito to take him to the right. There Dona Laura is giving bread crumbs for the birds. Here Don Gonzalo drags his feet and the birds are scared. So Laura is angry with him and accuses him. He says to her that he doesn't care about the birds as she does. Then both talk of public park and Laura asks him why he complains about the priests who occupied his seat. At this point, Don Gonzalo speaks to her rudely and tells her not to take any liberty of addressing him. He goes right this behavior of Don Gonzalo makes Laura calling him an ill-natured old man.

5. Laura and Gonzalo create themselves so that they can:

a) fool each other

b) forget the past

c) conceal their emotions.

Ans: (a) fool each other.

A Sunny Morning

Comprehension III

1. Trace how the irony is built in the play? Did you guess the characters' past even before they did so?

Ans: The play "A Sunny Morning' is a comedy of Madrid in one act. Dona Laura is feeding the pigeons in the Park. Don Gonzalo appears there. The conservation between the two seventy years old begin sarcastically. Both of them had loved each other yet they go for fictitious stories in order to fool each other. This is an example of irony. We find some ironic remarks in the one act play. Don Gonzalo wanted a bench to sit for himself makes him selfish and ironic. So also the case of Dona Laura.

2. Why do Dona Laura and Don Gonzalo spin fictitious stories about themselves?

Ans: We meet Dona Laura and Don Gonzalo when they are seventy years old in the park. Don Gonzalo reads from a book and passes it to Laura. She also reads. They remember their past days. She talks of Maricela and he remembers the name Laura. Both of them come to know that they were lovers. Laura wants to hide the fact that she had married the merchant after two years waiting for Don Gonzalo. Don Gonzalo ran off to Paris with a ballet dancer. So they hide their real identities. For this they go on for fictitious stories.

3. Bring out the feelings of Laura and Gonzalo as they leave the park. Is it different from what they felt about each other in the beginning of the play? Ans: In the beginning of the play both Laura and Gonzalo are irritated. Laura blames Gonzalo. He also blames her. Both are at logger heads. When they come to know about their real identities, their attitude change about each other. They show more concern and affection. They behave in a congenial way. As they leave the park, they decide to meet each other next day. Dona Laura asks him, "Will you go to your bench?" Don Gonzalo replies her, "No, I will come to this - If you do not object." Dona Laura says, "This bench is at your disposal." When we see the above conversation between them, they are reconciled and they have come to know the circumstances that separated them. In the end, Gonzalo tries to pick up the violets, but Laura turns her head and surprises him picking up the flowers. Both smile and wave farewell. They smile once more as if she was again at the window and he below in the rose garden.

4. What do you think would have happened if they had revealed their identity? Do you think they know who they are towards the end of the play?

Ans: Gonzalo doesn't reveal his identity because he looks grotesque and old. Laura creates stories to fool Don Gonzalo. Dona Laura says aside "What an atrocious lie". Don Gonzalo says aside, "I could not have killed myself more gloriously." Both tell lies. So Gonzalo says, "She lies worse than I do". Both say, “Poor Laura, poor Gonzalo." Now their appearance has changed. They have come to know about their real identity. Both know the circumstances that separated them. Had they revealed their identity. They wouldn't have gone for cock and bull stories. There was no necessity of spinning stories.

5. Do you think a blend of romance and comedy justifies the title of the play "A Sunny Morning"?

Ans: "A Sunny Morning" is a humorous one act play in which we see a blend of romance and comedy. The senile old lady is Dona Laura. The ill-natured old man is Gonzalo. But they really loved each other but circumstances separated them. They used to be active, agile, romantic and lively which suits the atmosphere of sunny morning but now they inactive, moody and irritated.. But the past it experiences make them forget their age and think that it is a sunny morning. Even in the end. Offering of flowers is romantic and comic. There are many incidents in the story which evoke laughter.

Everything I Need To Know I Learned In The Forest -Vandana Shiva

2019-10-05T14:04:00.000+05:30

Everything I Need To Know I Learned In The Forest -Vandana Shiva

Everything I Need To Know I Learned In The Forest

Summary:

In this informative essay, Vandana Shiva tells us how she learnt about environmentalism from the uneducated women of Garhwal, Himalaya. Her father was a forest conservator and her mother was a farmer. She learnt a lot about ecology from the Himalayan forests. Her involvement began with `Chipko'. In the 1970s. peasant women from her region had come out to save trees. All women declared that they would hug the trees and the loggers would have to kill them before killing the trees.

Vandana Shiva decided to become a volunteer for the Chipko Movement and went for pada yatras documenting the deforestation and the work of the forest activities and created awareness about Chipko Movement, Bachni Devi, a village woman led resistance against her own husband who had obtained a contract to cut trees. The women told the officials that they had Come to teach them forestry. From Chipko, she learnt about bio-diversity and she described the importance of bio-diversity in her book, 'Monoculture of the Mind'. She started saving seeds and started Navadanya Farm in 1994 in the Doon Valley. They conserve and grow 630 varieties of rice, 150 varieties of wheat and hundreds of other species and got more yield which became a solution to the problem of food and nutrition crisis. Then she started seed banks across India and instructed and pleaded the farmers to make transition from fossil fuel and chemical based monocultures to bio-diverse ecological systems nourished by the sun and the soil.

The United Nations General Assembly organized a conference on harmony with Nature as part of Earth Day Celebration. It is significant to note that Ecuador has recognized the rights of nature in its constitution. The discussion was about the ways to transform systems based on domination of people over nature, men over women and rich over poor into new systems based on partnership. The importance of reconnecting with Nature is stressed all human beings are an inseparable part of nature and if we do any harm to nature it is harming ourselves. Cormac Cullinan says that we need to overcome the wider and deeper apartheid-an-eco--apartheid based on the illusion of separateness of humans from nature in our minds and lives.

Today it is the need of hour to stop thinking that our living Earth is transformed into dead matter. One should look at nature as a living nurturing mother. We need to move away from the paradigm of nature as dead matter. We should take a shift from anthropocentrism to ecocentrism. We should recognise, protect and respect the rights of other species.

Tagore in his essay ‘Tapovan' speaks of the forest as the source of regeneration and the source of India's best ideas. The peace of the forest has helped the intellectual evolution of man. He speaks of unity in diversity and the forest as a source of knowledge and freedom. The forest teaches us union and compassion.

We have to enjoy the gifts of nature without exploitation and accumulation. We should find enjoyment through renunciation and certainly not through greed of possession. If at all we want the joy of living, we need to put an end to consumerism and accumulation. Thus Vandana Shiva says that the forests teach us the values of diversity, freedom and co-existence.

Everything I Need To Know I Learned In The Forest

Comprehension I:

1. Trace the childhood experiences that shaped the author's interest.

Ans: Vandana's father was a forest conservator and her mother was a farmer. They lived in the forests of Himalayas. So it was from the Himalayan forests and ecosystems that shaped the author's interest in ecology.

2. How does the scarcity of water, fodder and fuel affect women?

Ans: They have to walk for longer distances to collect water and firewood. It has become a big burden. The scarcity of water, fodder and fuel arise because of a cutting trees, or large scale deforestation.

3. What features of the `Chipko' movement does the author highlight?

Ans: Vandana Shiva mentions one of the dramatic Chipko actions which took place in the Himalayan village of Adwani in 1977. A woman by name Bachani Devi led resistance against her own husband. The women held up lighted lanterns and told the officials "We have come to teach you forestry".

4. The real value of forest for women was

a) Timber from dead trees,

b) Source of basic need.

c) Springs and streams.

Ans: (c) springs and streams.

5. List the activities that she undertook after her involvement with ‘Chipko’ movement.

Ans: As a volunteer for the Chipko Movement, she spent every vacation doing pad yatras documenting deforestation and the work of the forest activists spread the message of `Chipko Movement'.

6. The conservation of bio-diversity in the agriculture leads to

a) increase in quantity of food production

b) developing variety of food grains

c) more quality food and higher nutrition.

Ans: (c) more quality food and higher nutrition.

7. Why is it important to change the fossil fuel and chemical based monoculture?

Ans: Navadanya Farm was started in 1994 and there took place conservation and growing 630 varieties of rice, 150 varieties of wheat and other grains. Here the people practice and promote a bio-diversity intensive form of farming which yielded more crops. There came seed banks. So the farmers were asked to go for transition from fossil fuel and chemical based monocultures to bio-diverse ecological systems nourished by the sun and the soil.

8. What prompted the UN to initiate a discussion on the rights of Mother Earth?

Ans: We should understand the rights of nature on the global stage. The UN was inspired by the constitution of Ecuador and organized a conference on harmony with Nature and a part of Earth Day Celebration. It was decided to maintain eco-friendly attitude towards Nature.

9. The conference organized by UN General Assembly aimed at transforming domination of

a) people over nature

b) men over women

e) rich over poor

d) all the above.

Ans: (d) all the above.

10. What, according to the author, is eco-apartheid? Why is it important to end this?

Ans: Man is today separated from Nature. Living Earth is looked as dead matter. So man disregards nature. The separation of people with nature is eco-apartheid. We need to overcome it and to live with nature in harmony.

11. What event in human history marked the beginning of separation of humans from nature?

Ans: Vandana Shiva refers to the event "Industrial Revolution".

12. How do the views of Carolyn Merchant differ from that of Francis Bacon?

Ans: Looking at Nature as nurturing mother would lead to capitalism because one does not readily sky a mother, dig into her entrails for gold or mutilate her body. This is the opinion of carolyn Merchant. But Francis Bacon is of the opinion that science and inventions have the power of conquer and subdue nature and to shake her to her foundations.

13. What ideas of Tagore inspired the author to start the Earth University.

Ans: Tagore says that the peace of the forest has helped the intellectual evolution of man and the forest is a unity in its diversity. The forest teaches us union and compassion. These ideas inspired the author to start the Earth University.

14. In what ways are Unity and diversity related each other ?

Ans: Unity in diversity is the basis of ecological sustainability and democracy. Diversity without unity becomes the source of conflict and contest. Unity without diversity becomes the ground for external control.

Everything I Need To Know I Learned In The Forest

Comprehension II:

1. How did the women led by Bachni Devi put up resistance to felling of trees? Do you think it was effective?

Ans: When there was large scale deforestation, peasant women had come out in defense of the forests. Women knew the real value of forests. Vandana Shiva and other women spread the message of Chipko. A dramatic action took place in the Himalayan village of Adwani in 1977. A woman by name Bachni Devi led resistance against her own husband who had obtained a contract to cut trees. When the officials arrived at the forest, the women held up lighted lanterns and told them that they had come there to teach forestry. But the officials retorted calling the women foolish and asked how they could prevent tree feeling by those who know the value of the forest. Again the women sang back in chorus about the importance of the forest.

2. Why is It important to promote bio-diversity intensive farming? How did the author achieve it?

Ans: It is important because it is beyond monoculture. Vandana Shiva started saving seeds from farmer's fields. She started "Navadanya Farm" and conserved and grew a lot of varieties, of rice, wheat and other grains. The farmers practice and promote a bio-diversity intensive form of farming. It produced more food and nutrition per acre. It helped the people to come out of food and nutrition crisis.

3. "Rights of Nature" means

a) the right of people to use nature.

b) the duty of human beings to conserve nature.

c) preserving nature for self protection.

Ans: (b) the duty of human beings to conserve

4. What does the idea of the Earth University convey? How is it different from other universities?

Ans: According to Vandana Shiva, Earth is our mother and not just a raw material to be exploited; we need to live in harmony with nature. The Earth University teaches Earth Democracy. It is the freedom for all species to evolve within the web of life and the human beings must protect and respect the rights of other species. It should move from anthropocentrism to ecocentrism. Here in this University course like "the A-Z of Organic Farming, and Agro-Ecology, and Gandhi and Globalization" run here. The Earth University calls for eco-friendly attitude towards nature.

Comprehension III:

1. "Tagore saw unity with nature as the highest stage of human evolution." Do you think consumerism and

accumulation of wealth comes in the way of realizing Tagore's vision of human evolution?

Ans: Consumerism and accumulation of wealth always comes in the way of realizing our perfect vision of our evolution. In this composition Vandana Shiva says that the forests teach us the values of diversity, freedom and co-existence. Tagore says that the culture of the forest is the true Indian culture. He started Shantiniketan as a forest school. He wants inspiration from nature and to create an Indian Cultural renaissance. The peace of the forest has helped the intellectual evolution of man. The forest is a unity in its diversity. For Tagore, the forest is the source of knowledge, freedom, beauty, joy aesthetics, harmony and perfection. We should enjoy the gifts of nature without exploitation and accumulation. We should find enjoyment through renunciation and not through greed of possession. But today man is exploiting nature and looking at it as a dead matter. He has become materialistic. He is running after accumulation of money and consumerism. For this he is alienated from nature. We should learn the lesson of renunciation and not greed of possession.

2. "The conservation of bio-diversity is the answer to the food and nutrition crises.” Discuss.

Ans: Vandana Shiva says that diversity of life forms and the need to accept diversity as the principle of life. From Chipko movement she learned about diversity and bio-diversity living economics. She brings to light our failure to understand bio-diversity book “Monocultures of the Mind”. She started "Navadanya Farm " and conserved and grew 630 varieties of rice, 150 varieties of wheat and hundreds of other species. The people practice and promote a bio-diversity intensive form of farming that produces more food and nutrition per acre. So the conservation of bio-diversity a solution to the problem of food and nutrition crisis. This is widely used now. There are more seed banks and to go for bio-diverse ecological systems nourished by the sun and the soil.

3. "Conservation of diversity is crucial for the sustenance of both nature and human society.” Discuss.

Ans: In this composition we come to know that forests teach us the value of diversity, freedom and co-existence. If we do not understand these things, the very sustenance of both nature and human society are at stake. We have received best ideas because of man's communion with nature that is trees, rivers and lakes away from the crowds. The unifying principle of life in diversity has become the Principle of Indian Civilization. For ecological sustainability and democracy Unity in diversity is needed and it is crucial even in human society. “United we stand; Divided we fall.” The source of conflict and contest is diversity without unity. The forest teaches us union and compassion. The principle of equity is in the forest which is very important for the survival of nature and human society. Let us not run away from Nature. Let us live together with Nature and be Perfect creatures For the future.

4. In the light of this essay how does one synthesize the wisdom of the past with the modern knowledge systems?

Ans: Rabindranath Tagore quotes from the ancient texts written in the forest, "know all that moves in this, moving world as enveloped by God; and find enjoyment through renunciation, not through greed of possession.”

It is really the wisdom of the past, present and future. People in the past understand this and lived a happy and peaceful life. They worshipped every element in Nature. They lived in communion with Nature. They never thought the Earth is a separate entity. It is a part of their life. The people in the past never even dreamt of consumerism and accumulation. They knew the real joy of living. We know that it is the wisdom of the past. Today we think that Nature is a separate entity and we move away from Nature and if at all we look at it, we look with greed. We have become greedy instead of needy. In the name of progress, we have compromised our culture. The modern knowledge system never aims at looking Nature as one part of our life.

Everything I Need To Know I Learned In The Forest

Vocabulary

A prefix is a word or syllable added to a word, to add or to change the meaning of that word.

1. Look up a dictionary and find suitable prefixes for the following words:

Ans: Words given Prefixes

responsible - irresponsible

human - inhuman

practical - impractical

natural - unnatural

active - inactive

material - immaterial

civilized - uncivilized

perfect - imperfect.

•••

On Children chapter 3 notes and summary

2019-10-04T13:43:00.000+05:30

On Children

-Kahlil Gibram

an example of the image given in text book

On Children

Summary

The theme of the poem “On Children” by Kahlil Gibran is stewardship. Stewardship is someone caring for something or taking care of it but it does not belong to them. In the poem “On Children” Kahlil is trying to tell us how Parents cannot act like their children are their puppets. They will be free to do as they please and have a mind of their own. They are free to think for themselves. When "Kahlil writes "children as living in the house of tomorrow" he is telling us how children are important to the future. Parents merely act as "guiding lights" for their children.

Children have the will to act as who they are and not someone else, to lead their own life and not how their parents want them to. The child that comes from the parent is a gift from God but since they merely "come through you but not from you" stating that the parents do not own them. In stewardship whatever that person is taking care of has the free will to do as they want as the person is only taking care of them.

The poetic devices that are used in the poem include: personification, alliteration, connotation, metaphor and enjambment; and each of these add significant ideas to the poem's message. The author uses personification in line 5 to say that children are alive because of life alone. Alliteration is used for effect in the third line of stanza 3, in which connotation was 'incorporated. It shows how quickly children will become adults.

In this way, the author emphasizes that the children will determine the fate of the world in the future or "the house of tomorrow". The entire fourth stanza is one metaphor explaining in length that children are born through their parents, not to their parents. The birth of each child fulfills "Life's longing for itself, as phrased earlier in line 5.

Enjambment is used in the third last line to elaborate on why parents should enjoy being their children's parents, although they do not belong to them: they are also loved as children, and will always be loved as much as they love their own children. These devices connect the author's beliefs on children and to whom they belong.

On Children Comprehension 1:

1. And a women who held a babe against her bosom said, “Speak to us of Children.” And he said: Here ‘he’ refers to

a. her child

b. the Prophet.

c. The poet.

Ans: b. the Prophet.

2. `Your children are not your children’ means

a. they do not belong to their parents only

b. the children showed have their own space.

c. parents should not be possessive of their children

Ans: (c) parents should not be possessive of their children

3. “They come through you, but are not from you” means

a. through parents give birth to their children they do nol own them.

b. children have independent personalities.

c. parents should be indifferent to their children.

Ans: (a) though parents give birth to their children they do not own them.

4. According to the prophet, what may be given to the children

Ans: We may give our love to our children.

5. 'their souls dwell in the house of tomorrow' means

a. children belong to the future

b. parents cannot shape their children's future

c. children have a different vision of life.

Ans: (c) children have different vision of life.

6. ‘The bows' and 'living arrows' refer to ———— and ―――.

Ans: parents and children

7. 'For even as He loves the arrow that flies. So He loves also the bow that is stable.' Discuss the contrast between the underlined words.

Ans: The bow stands for parents. The arrows stand for children. The archer is God himself. Here it is the metaphor. Bows and arrows signify parent-children relationship. Everything is looked after by God. He keeps the bow stable. The archer sees the mark upon the path

of the infinite and God bend parents with might so that his arrows (the children) may go swift and far.

On Children

Comprehension 2 and 3

1. Why does the Prophet categorically state “Your Children are not your children? OR

2. According to Prophet, what attitude should parents have towards their children? OR

3 In the light of the poem, think of different levels of freedom children must have in shaping their lives.

Ans: No person truly belongs to another. After all, each person is unique, his/her fingerprints are only his/ hers; his/her mind is solely his/her own. Moreover, each person is formed by the era in which birth occurs "Life's longing" for the future. This wonderful poem is really beyond its time and is a must read for every parent. It starts off with "Our children are not our children". How many parents actually think about the same? Our children are not our ways and means to get over the imperfections in our own life. Many parents goad their kids apparently without even sparing a glance as to what the child wishes or wants. One wants the child to be a musical genius when they do not know a note, another wants the child to become what he/she could not be. Is that what children are for?

They have come through us for a purpose of their own and some of them are very different from their parents...... in thoughts, attitudes, wishes, etc. 'Kalil Gibran says-they stay with you, but they do not belong to, you. Each one of us have to chart out our own paths and not one of us resembles the other. God and nature are so brilliant that we cannot find even one fingerprint resembling another. Parents can only give them love so as to make them confident for tomorrow but, our thoughts well we cannot give them that. We can offer opinions as choices but freewill should always be the way we allow them to grow and transcend what personality we are, even if we are good. They are our future and the future cannot be stagnant with the past.

It can only reference the past, but not carry baggages of the past. The future can only be better and brighter because all beings strive for perfection and that is not possible with reference to the past because in focusing on the past, the present gets distorted. We can only be the bow and our children arrows and we have to stretch the limits of our thinking and living in order for them to move ahead much beyond what we have.

The respect that any adult gets should not be because he/she is an adult, but it should be because the next generation feels we deserve it due to our thoughts which have become a foundation for their character and one day we should look at them and wonder....... these were my thoughts but my child has superseded me and I should hope to become like him/her one day...... That is the day that any parent should be proud that the parenting has been good when he/she aspires to become what his child is and not because he was forced to but of his/her own accord.

4. What does the metaphor bows and arrows signify with regard to parent-children relationship? OR

5. The poem does not focus merely on the lives of children, but also talks about the responsibility of parents. Discuss?

Ans: In the poem "On Children" Kahlil is trying to tell us how parents cannot act like their children are their puppets. They will be free to do as they please and have a mind of their own. They are free to think for themselves. When Kahlil writes "children as living in the house of tomorrow" he is telling us how children are important to the future. Parents merely act as "guiding lights" for their children. Children have the will to act as who they are and not someone else, to lead their own life and not how their parents want them to. The child that comes from the parent is a gift from God but since they merely "come through you but not from you" stating that the parents do not own them. In stewardship whatever that person is taking care of has the free will to do as they want as the persons is only taking care of them. Parents are the "bows” that send the "arrows of their children into this future. Each is beloved by God who is their creator. Parents must respect this order of creation for it is done in Love

Comprehension III

1. In this poem, `Parents' could stand as a metaphor for

a. the older generation.

b. leaders.

c. religious heads.

d. teachers.

Having considered the above options, offer different readings of the poem.

Ans: All the above persons can certainly guide the younger generations to reach their goals. They are only bows and the children are the arrows. The archer is God. When Kahlil writes "children as living in the house of tomorrow" he is telling us how children are important to the future. Parents merely act as "guiding lights" for their children. Children have the will to act as who they are and not someone else, to lead their own life and not how their parents want them to. The child that comes from the parent is a gift from God but since they merely "come through you but not from you" stating that the parents do not own them.

Important Note:- If there are any query about lesson or any mistake then please comment down freely we are ready to help you and slove you query as soon as possible

Notes of Too Dear/2019-2020

2019-10-03T20:30:00.000+05:30

Too Dear -Leo Tolstoy

an example of the kingdom and prisoner

Too Dear

Summary:

Too Dear! Is a short story by Russian author Leo Tolstoy first published in 1897. It is a humorous account of the troubles of dealing with a criminal in the kingdom of Monaco.

Monaco is small kingdom and the population is 7000. There is Real kinglet that has courtiers, ministers, bishop and generals. It is an army of 60 men. There is a tax on Tobacco, wine and a poll tax. The king receives special revenue from a gaming house

where people play, roulette. The owner of the gaming house receives money whether the players lose or win, he gets the percentage. And out of his profits, the owner pays a large sum to the prince because it is the only gambling establishment left in Europe. The Germans banned this play because people committed suicide but the prince of Monaco continued it because there is no another source to draw revenue. The king knows that it is a dirty business but he is helpless and runs it.

All is well in the kingdom of Monaco until a man commits a murder. The king had never had to deal with a murderer before, and after the judicial process had run its course and the man had been sentenced to death, he runs into considerable trouble trying to carry out the sentence. Monaco has no guillotine and no executioner, so they ask the government of France to see if they could borrow them. France offers to send a guillotine and an executioner for 16,000 francs. This would require levying more taxes, so the king tries requesting help from the king of Italy, but the cost would only be somewhat lower at 12.000 francs. The decision is made to simply keep the murderer imprisoned for life.

Life imprisonment, however, presents its own set of problems. There needs to be a guard at all times, and the man has to be fed. The yearly Costs are calculated to be 600 francs, which would still necessitate an increase of taxes. It is decided that the guard should be dismissed, even at the risk of losing the prisoner.

The Prisoner, however, does not try to escape and continues to eat the food provided by the government. The Minister of Justice decides that the criminal is not worth the trouble and asks him why he does not escape. The criminal responds that, he has nowhere to go in Monaco and that his reputation is ruined. He is finally given a pension by the government to remain in exile just outside of the country. It is a good thing that the murderer didn’t commit his crime in a country where they do not grudge expense to cut a man’s head off to keep him in prison for life.

Comprehension I:

1. Why ‘Monaco’ was called a `toy Kingdom'?

Ans: Because the population was very less. It was only 7000.

2. Name the commodities taxed in Monaco.

Ans: There was a tax on tobacco, on wine and spirits and a poll tax.

3. What was the source of the King's special revenue? Who were its beneficiaries?

Ans: It was from a gaming house where people play Roulette. The owner of the game house and the king were the beneficiaries.

4. Why did the Germans stop gaming houses in their country and how did it benefit Monaco?

Ans: Because the gaming house was caused much harm and the people risked their money. Some who lost it, committed suicide. The king of Monaco allowed it and received a large sum because it was an only gambling house left in Europe.

5. What was the punishment given to the murderer?

Ans: The murdered was condemned to have his head cut off.

6. The death sentence was converted into life imprisonment because

a. Monaco had abolished death penalty.

b. Carrying out death sentence was expensive.

C. Monaco wanted to show mercy on the criminal.

Ans: b. Carrying out death sentence was expensive.

7. How much did the king spend on the criminal, annually?

Ans: 600 francs annually.

8. On what condition did the criminal agree to go away from the prison? Why was his demand fulfilled?

Ans: On a condition that he should be given pension regularly. It was too dear to keep the criminal. So his demand was fulfilled

Comprehension II

1. Though gambling is a dirty business, why does the king of Monaco resort to it?

Ans: Monaco is a small kingdom and the population is 7000. There is Real kinglet that has courtiers, ministers, bishop and generals. It is an army of 60 men. There is tax on Tobacco, wine and a poll-tax the king receives special revenue from a gaming house where people play roulette. The owner of the gaming house receives money whether the players lose or win, he gets the percentage. And out of his profits, the owner pays a large sum to the prince because it is the only gambling establishment left in Europe. The Germans banned this play because people committed suicide but the prince of Monaco continued it because there is no another source to draw revenue. The king knows that it is a dirty business but he is helpless and runs it.

2. Why did the King of Monaco keep changing his mind in dealing with the criminal?

Ans: A few years ago, a murder was committed in Prince's domains. Such a thing had never earlier. At last, after trials and arguments the men of law condemned the criminal to cut his head off and had submitted the sentence report to the prince. The prince ordered for execution of the criminal. But there was an obstacle in the matter. They had neither a guillotine for cutting heads off, nor an executioner. The ministers decided to order an enquiry to the Italian and French Government regarding a guillotine and an expert to cut off the criminal's head. The French Govt. quoted 16000 francs and that of Italy 12000 francs. The ministers considered it a costly affair. They assembled a commission, and a committee, and a Sub-Committee, and at last they decided to alter the death sentence to imprisonment for life. After one year, the kinglet was looking over the account of his income and expenditure one day and noticed additional expenditure of 600 francs spent towards the criminal and his food. It also seemed costly and the council decided to offer a pension to the criminal. So the matter was settled and the criminal was let free with 600 francs pension.

3. Why was the criminal reluctant to go out of the prison?

Ans: The prisoner, however, does not try to escape and continues to eat the food provided by the government. The Minister of Justice decides that the criminal is not worth the trouble and asks him why he does not escape. The criminal responds that, he has nowhere to go in Monaco and that his reputation is ruined. He agreed with all the things without complaining and he didn't think of going away because the people would turn their backs on him. Besides he has forgotten work.

4. How did the criminal lead his life after his release?

Ans: He bought a bit of land, started market gardening and lived with happiness. He went to the king regularly to receive his pension. While coming back, he played Roulette with 2 or 3 francs. Sometimes he won and lost sometimes. Anyway, he lived comfortably.

Comprehension 3

1. "You can't earn stone palaces by honest labour.” In what context is this statement made?

Ans: Too Dear! is a short story by Russian author Leo Tolstoy first published in 1897. It is a humorous account of the troubles of dealing with a criminal in the kingdom of Monaco. Monaco is a small kingdom and the population is 7000. There is Real kinglet that has courtiers, ministers, bishop and generals. It is an army 60 men. There is tax on Tobacco, wine and a poll tax. The king receives special revenue from a gaming house, where people play roulette. The owner of the gaming house receives money whether the players lose or win, he gets the percentage. And out of his profits, the owner pays a large sum to the prince because it is the only gambling establishment left in Europe. The Germans banned this play because people committed suicide but the prince of Monaco continued it because there is no another source to draw revenue. The king knows that it is a dirty business but he is helpless and runs it. He gives permission because honest labour cannot fetch more money as it does. He thinks so because he believes the above proverb.

2. Though the trial and imprisonment of the criminal is depicted in a comic mode in this story, it does give rise to serious questions. What are they?

Ans: 1. Is it just to encourage gambling only because of large sum money?

2. Why did not the king find out new ways of raising funds?

3. Is it good to send a criminal by giving pension?

3. Were there other ways of dealing with crime and the criminal? Discuss in the light of the story.

Ans: There are many other ways of dealing with crime and criminals. To stop crimes, we should never encourage chewing tobacco, drinking alcohol and playing Roulette because these are the sources of crime. The criminals should have been punished without altering the verdict so that they would be more careful.

Vocabulary:

(A) Look at the following sets of sentences. The possible meanings of the homonyms used are given in brackets. Match them.

1. a. The valedictory address of the Chief guest impressed everyone.

b. She made a mistake in the address while posting the letter. (Location, speech)

Ans: a) address - speech

b) address - location

2. a. The poor man's mind was full of worry.

b. Do you mind passing the jam? (have objection to, brain) Ans: a) Mind - thoughts

b) Mind - Have objection to

3. a. The soldier gave a complete account of the prisoner's escape.

b. The officer checked the ledger account. (financial record, description)

Ans: a) account - description

b) account - financial record

4. a. He went to the ATM to draw some money.

b. The teachers draw pictures on the blackboard.

C. Don't draw hasty conclusions without ample proof.

d. The offer of free balloons draw children to the park.

(attract, sketch, Infer, take out)

Ans: a) draw - takeout

b) draw - sketch

c) draw - infer

d) draw - attract.

Also see On Children chapter 3 notes and summary by Clicking here:

A Summary of Romeo and Juliet

2019-10-03T13:30:00.000+05:30

A Summary of Romeo and Juliet

-William Shakespeare

william Shakespeare

Short description

The two rival families of Verona, the Capulet’s and the Montague’s were staunch enemies. Romeo and Juliet belonged to rival families. Old Lord Capulet hosted a grand supper. Through Romeo belonged to the family of Montague’s, he attends the supper in disguise to see Rosaline. There he sees Juliet on the dance floor and is fascinated by her beauty. After the dance he learns that she is the daughter of Lord Capulet. She too feels a prodigious birth of love for a man from the enemy family the following verses express their implicit feelings for one another

Summary

sketch of Romeo and Juliet play

Romeo:

In the great hall of Capulet’s, there servants work feverishly to make sure all runs smoothly and set aside some food to make sure they have some enjoyment of the feast as well . Capulet makes his rounds through groups of guests, joking with them and encouraging all to dance.

From across the room Romeo sees Juliet, and asks a serving man who she is. The serving man does not know. Romeo is transfixed; Rosaline vanishes from his mind and he declares that he has never been in love until this moment.

When Romeo sees Juliet for the first time, he is struck by her beauty and breaks into a sonnet. The imagery Romeo uses to describe Juliet gives important insights into their relationship. Romeo initially describes Juliet as a source of light, like a star, against the darkness:

“She doth (does) teach the torches to burn bright! It appears she hangs upon the cheek of night. “She shone like a precious jewel in a black women’s ear. He says that her beauty is very precious because it has heavenly Quality. Romeo uses another simile that Juliet shines above the other ladies as much as a white dove shines among a group of crows. He comes near her and wants to touch her hand so that he could sanctify his rough hand. He exclaims that he has never seen such a beautiful woman till that night.

Juliet:

Juliet wishes the sun would hurry up and set and night would come immediately. When the night comes and everyone goes to sleep, Romeo will leap into her arms, and no one will know.

She wishes night would come, like a window dressed in black. She says Come, night. Come, Romeo. He is like a day that comes during the night. He is whiter than snow on the black wings of a raven. She invites gentle night to come. She tells to give her, her Rome.

She says that when she dies, turn Romeo into stars and form a constellation in his image. His face will make the heavens so beautiful that the image.

His face will make the heavens so beautiful that the world will fall in love with the night and forget about the garish sun.

Important note: the word phrase is wrongly written turn of phrase in all the question don’t get confuse.

Comprehension I

1. the turn of phrase, `teach the torches to burn bright' suggests:

A. Juliet's glow is brighter than the light of torch.

B. her beauty is capable of enabling the torches to burn bright.

C. her beauty surpasses the brightness of light.

Ans: c. her beauty surpasses the brightness of Light.

2. 'for earth too dear' this turn of phrase suggests that the lady's beauty isㅡㅡㅡ .

a. Divine

b. Rare

c. Expensive

Ans: a. Divine

3. 'the measure done', connotes the completion of

a. Romeo's admiration of Juliet's beauty.

b. dance organized by Lord Capulet.

C. glorification of Juliet's charm.

Ans: C. glorification of Juliet's charm.

4. the line up, 'Did my heart love till now?' convey

a. Romeo feels he has fallen in love.

b. Romeo has been attracted before.

C. Romeo feels this is true love

Ans: a. Romeo feels he has fallen in love.

5. The turn of phrase ‘new snow’, suggest

A. love as pure as snow

B. description of Romeo’s charm

C. Juliet’s discreet love for Romeo.

Ans: B. description of Romeo’s charm

6. What do you think the turn of phrase face of heaven signifies?

Ans: the sun shining bright

Comprehension 2

11. What similes does Romeo use to convey Juliet’s beauty and to what effect?

Ans: Romeo watches Juliet and he falls in her love with her immediately. He is struck by her beauty and breaks into a sonnet. Romeo firstly describes Juliet as source of light, like a star. Against the darkness: “she doth teach the torches to burn bright! It seems she hangs upon the cheek of night." She is so beautiful that, the brightness of her face exceeds the light of the torches. Against the darkness of the night, she seems to shine like a valuable jewel in a black woman's ear. Her beauty is too impressive to be used daily. Her beauty is unlimited, that it should be reserved for special occasions and should not be open to view every day. Her beauty is heavenly. She shines above the other ladies as a white dove shines among a flock of crows.

Here, Romeo employs a most appropriate simile. He compares the brightness of Juliet. It seems she hangs upon the cheek of night/ as a rich jewel in Ethiop's ear to the brightness of a precious jewel. Juliet shines as brilliantly as a precious jewel shines in the ear of a Negress (girl of black African origin).

So shows a snowy dove trooping with crows -Here is another simile, Juliet shines as brightly as white colored dove shines in the center of black crows. In this way the similes convey Juliet’s beauty.

2. how, according to Juliet, would Romeo be immortalised to the world?

Ans: Juliet wishes the sun would hurry up and set and night would come immediately. When the night comes and everyone goes to sleep. Romeo will leap into her arms, and no one will know. She wishes night would come, like a widow dressed in black. She says Come, night. Come, Romeo. He is like a day that comes during the night. He is whiter than snow on the black wings of a raven. She invites gentle night to come. She tells to give her, her Romeo. She says that when she dies, turn Romeo into stars and form a constellation in his image. His face will make the heavens so beautiful that the world will fall in love with the night and forget about the garish sun.

Comprehension III

1.Comment on the imagery of 'night-day, black-white' in the poem. What purpose do they serve in highlighting the intensity of love? Ans: We find lovely images when Romeo says that Juliet seems to hang upon the cheek of night like a rich jewel in an Ethiop's ear. He says that Juliet looks like a snowy dove in the midst of crows. Romeo on seeing Juliet says that her beauty is brighter than the light of all the torches. To Juliet, Romeo appears like day in night; to Romeo, Juliet is the sun rising in the east. In the trance of love each pictures the other as stars in heaven. Romeo says that if Juliet's eyes were to shine in the sky, the whole region would become bright and Juliet imagines that when Romeo dies, his body could be cut into little pieces which would become stars shining in the sky and lighting the whole world. Light and dark imagery play important roles in making mood, revelation action and highlight the intensity of love.

2. Between romeo and juliet whose love , do you think is more passionate and intense?

Ans: Shakespeare is said to have created a masterpiece in the development of the character of Juliet. Her exquisite beauty and personal charms are amongst the finest in literature. In describing Juliet, Romeo captures the depth of her loveliness. "Juliet is the sun and the brightness of her cheek would shame the stars" She addresses the night to bring Romeo to her and when she dies Romeo should be taken and his body should be cut into pieces which will shine like little stars. She says the pieces of his body shine in the sky and the sky will look lovely that the entire world will fall in love with night because people will love the night. Like this she talks about Romeo passionately. She immortalizes him. So between Romeo and Juliet, we prefer Juliet's love as more passionate and intense.

Important note: to the entire student please tell in the comment section if you have any quires about it or any words you feel they are wrong comment down we will help you.

Also see Notes of Too Dear chapter by clicking here: