The Portrait of a Lady - Khushwant Singh
Gist of the lesson
Critical summary:
Our Earth is a living organism–an enormous being, of which we are parts. This is our planet; its destruction will make us all homeless. We are dependent on Earth and not the other way round. However, the thankless creature, man, is unconcerned about the dangers that pose threats to our survival. The article by Nani Palkhivala deals with the concerns of the environmentalists at this eleventh hour and talks about the new awareness that has dawned upon our race. A holistic and ecological view of the world has been brought into consideration. The Green Movement launched in 1972 has never looked back. There is a growing need of sustainable development, which was popularised by World Commission on Environment and Development in 1987.
Man is the most dangerous creature, as it was declared by a Zoo in Lusaka, Zambia. Human beings are taking too much time to realize the need of the hour. One of the members of Brandt
Commission, Mr L.K.Jha, raised a vital question, “are we to leave our successors a scorched planet of advancing deserts, impoverished landscapes, and ailing environment?” Mr Lester R.
Brown expressed his worry over the fact that our four biological systems are reaching an unsustainable level. The tropical forests, “the powerhouse of evolution”, as Dr. Meyers called them, are being destroyed causing extinction of several species. The fear hovers, what if the words, “forests precede mankind, and deserts follow”, come true. And the reality is that India is losing its forests at the rate of 3.7 million acres a year.
The Article 48A of the Indian Constitution provides that the State shall endeavour to protect and improve the environment and safeguard the forest and wildlife of the country. To conserve the environment and to bring down the population of the world, which is 5.7 billion, Palkhivala suggests that development is the only solution. Fertility falls as the income rises, education spreads, and health improves.
Nani supports compulsory sterilisation and defends it by saying that there is no other alternative but coercion. The population of India today is 920 million, which is more than the entire population of Africa and South America. What is happening today is that rich are getting richer and poor are begetting children, which begets them to remain poor. Now the folks have realised what endangers our race. It is not about the survival of human race but the survival of the planet Earth. It is an Era of Responsibility. The industrialists have to understand the present concern with most consideration. The view of the Chairman of Du Pont, Mr Edgar S. Woolard is much appreciable, “Our continued existence as a leading manufacturer requires that we excel in environmental performance.” Let us be grateful to Mother Nature and keep Margaret Thatcher's felicitous words, “No generation has a freehold on this earth. All we have is a life tenancy– with a full repairing lease”. In the words of Mr Lester Brown, “We have not inherited this earth from our forefathers; we have borrowed it from our children.”
(The Data used here are all related to the chapter, it is not as per the present survey)
1. What do you mean by the concept of ‘Sustainable development’?
Answer: Sustainable development means: development that meets the needs of the present, without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their needs”, i.e., without stripping the natural world of resources future generations would need.
2. ‘What goes under the pot now costs more than what goes inside it’ what does that suggest?
Answer: It suggests that the cost of firewood has become higher than cost of rice and other staple food.
3. What is the role of industries in the preservation of environment?
Answer: Industries and industrialists have to exercise control in use of natural resources. The top officials need to become the guardians of our environment if we have to think about our future generations
Long Answer Questions:
1. What are the factors as enumerated by Nani Palkivala that have made our earth an ailing planet?
Answers: In the lesson Nanai Palkivala has discussed the different factors that have made our earth an ailing planet, needing immediate attention from and treatment from the human race.
One major factor that has left our planet earth ailing is that the claim of human race on fisheries, forests, grasslands, and croplands, which comprise the earth’s principal biological system, has become an unsustainable level. They have been consumed in such a way that there cannot be fresh resources for consumption for the future generation. Thus, farmlands have become infertile, and there has been overfishing. And then for reasons like demand for firewood, industrialization and urbanization, huge areas of forests have been been cleared all over the world in alarming rate everyday.
The factor responsible for such mindless and mad exploitation of all the natural resources is uncontrollable growth of population. Although it took thousands of years for the world population to hit the first billion mark, now every ten years is burdening the earth with a billion population. The problem of overpopulation is greater in countries like India. Such overpopulation is the root cause of our planet earth becoming deceased needing treatment in the form of care and concern and population control and lower carbon emissions.
2. ‘We have not inherited this earth from our forefathers: we have borrowed it from our children.’ Discuss.
Answer: Value Points:
-earth’s resources are limited.
-The resources have been almost exhausted by the generations so far
Uncontrollable populations growth is responsible for such demand on the available resources
-Every generation needs to think about the future generations
-Borrowed things are treated and handled with care
-Thus the resources are not to be exhausted as they belong to the future generations.
3. What is the remarkable shift in our attitude towards the earth brought on by the Green Movement?
Answer:
Value Points:
-a remarkable change in the attitude of the human race towards the earth
Shift from the mechanistic view to the holistic and ecological view
Mechanistic view- that the earth is an inanimate thing like a brick, a rock etc.
-Holistic view- that the earth is a living organism, like a human being, an animal.
-Thus earth is considered to be ailing, suffering from diseases.
-Needs treatment from human beings
-Treatment- population control, control of carbon emissions .
Questions for practice:
Long Questions:
1. Why does Nani Palkhiwala call the Earth an ailing planet and what is the role of the Green Movement?
2. Nani Palkhivala in his essay ‘The Ailing Planet’: The Green Movement’s Role’,calls man ‘the worlds’ most dangerous animal’. How does he defend his viewpoint and at he same time holds out hope for the world?
3. What picture of the future of the planet does the author paint? What can thwart that scenario?
Short Questions :
1. What causes endless anguish to common man?
2. What are the unusually alarming statistics about the population that the author talks about?
3. Why is the Green Revolution important?
4. Justify the title of the essay.
5. Explain the statement ‘forests precede mankind; deserts follow’.
By Terrence Rattigan
A critical summary:
The Browning Version is the play that cemented Terence Rattigan’s reputation as a serious, mature playwright. It is viewed as one of his best works, and one of the best one-acts ever written. (The actual play,The Browning Version, opens in the sitting room of the home of Mr.Andrew Crocker-Harris and Mrs Millie Crocker-Harris. A young student, John Taplow, knocks at the front door, and then lets himself inside. He steals a chocolate from an open box, and then uses his walking stick to practice his golf swing. )
Frank Hunter, a young schoolmaster, watches Taplow’s moves unseen. Finally, he interrupts and gives Taplow pointers on his swing. They converse for a few moments. Taplow has come for his tutoring session with Mr. Andrew Crocker-Harris, although it is the last day of school. The young man is worried, however, that Andrew will not give him his ‘‘remove.’’ He plans to study science, which is Hunter’s subject.
Taplow does a wicked impersonation of Andrew, which he almost immediately regrets. However, Frank asks him to do it again, and then suggests that since Crocker-Harris is rather late, Taplow should go play golf. Taplow is appalled at the suggestion. Despite his problems with Andrew, Taplow does like him and fears him enough to stay. Taplow relates an incident and again mimics Andrew for Frank’s benefit. This time, Millie Crocker- Harris appears at the door, and she listens for a moment before coming inside. Taplow is afraid that Millie has overheard his imitation. Millie informs Taplow that her husband will be tied up at the Bursar’s for a while and that he could go, but he decides to wait. Millie sends him on an errand.
Short Answer Questions:
1. Why does Taplow says Mr. Crocker Harris cannot be a sadist?
Answer: A sadist is a person who gets pleasure out of giving pain. Taplow says that Mr. Cracker Harris cannot be even a sadist because that would mean that he has some feelings but he has not at all. He is all shriveled up inside like a nut.
2. What did Mr. Crocker Harris do after Taplow laughed out at the joke that Mr. Crocker Harris made to the class?
Answer: Mr. Crocker Harris told Taplow that he was pleased at the advance that Taplow’s Latin had made because it was only Taplow who understood what the rest of the class could not. Therefore, Mr. Crocker Harris told Taplow to explain the joke to the whole class so that they could share the pleasure with him.
3. What does Millie Crocker Harris ask Taplow to do?
Answer: Millie Crocker Harris asked Taplow to take a prescription to the chemist and get the medicine made up.
4. Why was Taplow horrified to find Mrs. Crocker Harris standing by the door screen and watching Taplow and Frank?
Answer: Taplow had all the way been talking to Frank about Mr. Crocker Harris. Therefore he was horrified to find Mr. Crocker Harris’s wife standing by the door screen and watching the two as he feared that she might had overheard what he have been saying.
5. Mention two character traits of Taplow
Answer:
a. Taplow is humorous. He has keen power of observation.
b. He is critical about Mr. Crocker Harris for whom he has got a soft corner also in spite of his crankiness.
Long Answer Questions:
1. Make a character sketch of Mr. Crocker Harris.
Answer: The small excerpt ‘The Browning Version’ revolves around the character of the school teacher Crocker Harris although we do not meet him in the play directly. Whatever we get to know about him is his impression in the mind of his student Taplow as described by Taplow to Mr. Frank who is another teacher from the school where Taplow studies.
As it is described by Taplow, Mr. Crocker Harris is an unusual teacher. He is pictured as a heartless teacher without any feelings and emotions. He is set apart from the other teachers because like the other teachers he never lets the results of examinations known to the students even a day before the formal announcement of the results. He abides by the rules perfectly. He is such a person that he does not hesitate to call a student for extra duty as punishment even on the last day of his tenure in a school as it is the case with Taplow that day. He has no compassion and he never takes pain to pass a student by giving his extra marks out of compassion. For such harshness on his part, he has been nicknamed the ‘Crock’ by the students.
Taplow opines that Mr. Crocker Harris is not even a sadist. Sadist is a person who obtains pleasure from inflicting pain on others. It is so because had Crocker Harris been a sadist, it would mean that he has a heart and emotion. But Crocker Harris has no emotion at all. Taplow
says that in spite of all these, he has got a soft corner for Crocker Harris and Crocker Harris knows that and does not like it. That is why he has taken pain that Taplow actually hate him. As a whole, Taplow’s description of Crocker Harris is very humourous.
2. Discuss the humorous elements in ‘The Browning Version’
Hints:
-The play is replete with humourous description of a teacher by student
-Crocker Harris is pictured as an unusual teacher and an unusual human being
-He is a person who loves to be hated and makes attempts for that.
-He feels that Taplow likes him and so he tries to make him hate him.
-He is not even a sadist because that would mean that he has got feelings but he has got no feelings
-Only Taplow, out of compassion, laughs out at the joke Mr. Harris cracks in the class in the Latin language to which none responds. As a punishment Taplow is made to make the class understand the joke.
-Taplow’s frightened reaction when he finds Crocker Harris’s wife looking at them thinking she might have overheard them.
Value based Question:
Do you feel it is proper for students to present their teacher the way Taplow does? What is your opinion the relation between teacher and student should be like?
Questions for Practice
Long Questions
1. What kind of teacher student relationship does the lesson portray?
2. What is the universal aspect of the characters portrayed in the Browning Version?
Short Questions:
1. What is your opinion about Frank that you form from his conversation with Taplow?
2. Do you really feel Mr. Crocker Harris is absolutely like the way he has been presented by Taplow or Taplow is exaggerating?
3. Contrast Mrs. Crocker Harris with Mr. Crocker Harris.
4. What is Taplow’s attitude towards Mr. Crocker Harris?
5. Are there any differences in the school system of Taplow’s school with yours? If yes, what are they?
Summary:
The speaker enquired from the soft falling shower as to who or what it really is? Though it may appear to be very strange to express it in words, yet the soft rain seemed to give the speaker an answer which can be translated as follows: that it is the poem of the earth that rises eternally from an impalpable; (not palpable; incapable of being perceived by the sense of touch; intangible: difficult for the mind to grasp readily or easily:(of powder) so fine that when rubbed between the fingers no grit is felt; something that cannot be touched;) portion of the land and the bottomless sea. Upward to heaven, to the immeasurable heights of the sky, from whence it vaguely forms, altogether change and yet the same. It descends to lave; (of a river, sea, etc.) to flow along, against, or past; wash: Obsolete. To ladle; pour or dip with a ladle: wash or bathe; the droughts; a period of dry weather, esp. a long one that is injurious to crops: an extended shortage;) atomies; tiny particles; and the dust layers of the globe. All that is in the world without the rain were only seeds that are latent; hidden; and unborn. Eternally, day and night, and round the clock, it gives back life to its own origin, to make the earth pure and beautify it. (For song, issuing from its birth place, after fulfillment, wandering reck’d or unreck’d, duly with love returns); to have care, concern, or regard (often fol. by of, with, or a clause): to take heed: Archaic . To be of concern or importance; matter.
1.Why does rain call itself ‘the poem of Earth’?
The poet feels that heaven and hell are not real places because they could not be located in geography. In the poem 'Childhood', the poet is trying to realise the age when he lost his childhood, when he became mature enough to understand the worldly things. So he keeps saying, "when did my childhood go?" He finally realises that his childhood is gone to "some forgotten place", "that is hidden in an infant's face." Wordsworth in his poem, My Heart Leaps Up, said, "Child is the father of the man". Markus Natten in his poem 'Childhood' has tried to explain this thought. It is child who is noble and pure in her/his thoughts and heart. A child appreciates nature's beauty and the innocence in the world. A child is the one who teaches a mature human to selflessly appreciate simple love and natural wonders.
The father complains that he does not understand his own child. Though they have lived together for so many years now i.e. since the time of his son’s birth, the father knows nothing of him. The father tries to build up a relationship with his son from the early years, in a manner when his son began to recognise people around, to crawl and to walk in a desperate attempt. The father wonders whether he has destroyed the seed of his off-spring or sown it where the land belongs to his heir and none is his. Both father and son continue to speak like strangers now and there seem no signs of understanding in the air between the two. In traditional belief, the son is created and born to the liking and designs of his father, yet in this case, the father cannot share what his son loves. Most of the time silence surrounds them. The father’s greatest wish is for his son to be ‘The Prodigal’ son who will very soon return to his father’s house; the home which he always knew. This is definitely the better alternative rather than to see his son move out into the world blindly on his own, by himself and fall into trouble. The father is ready to forgive him at any cost as long as he is able to reshape him up from the long bounded sorrow to a new love. Both father and son all over the world must learn to live on the same globe and on the same land. The father finally admits that there are times that he cannot understand himself or why his anger grows from grief? However they have learnt to put out each other’s empty hand and with each other’s heart that is longing for something to forgive.
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Gist of the lesson
Khushwant Singh is one of the prominent Indian writers and columnists. He has written on various themes and issues. In this lesson he gives a detailed account of his grandmother who had a long association with him. The old, stout, short and a little bent grand mother is clad in white clothes and keeps on telling beads of her rosary. During their long stay in village, the grand mother used to wake up the narrator in the morning and accompanied him to school. She took care of all small things and continued her regular prayers and reading of scriptures. On the way back home she fed stray dogs with stale chapatis. Shifting to city home was a turning point as it increased distances in their relationship. Now, the author was going to a city school and studying all modern day subjects. The grand mother was not able to help the author in his studies and she felt disturbed as there was no teaching of God and scriptures. The grand mother devoted her time in praying, spinning and feeding sparrows. She did not get disturbed when the author was leaving for abroad and saw him off maintaining her peace and calm. Seeing her old age, the narrator thought that that could be his last meeting with his affectionate grandmother. But, contrary to his thinking after a span of five years the grandmother was there to receive him. She celebrated her grandson’s home coming in an unusual way by beating a drum and singing. She had a peaceful end and every one including sparrows got aggrieved at the demise of a bold, religious, practical, responsible and loving person.
CRITICAL SUMMARY
The story is written in first person and is in biographical mode. It is a perception of Khushwant Singh of his grandmother through his own eyes. Khushwant Singh recalls his grandmother as an eternally old person. She was an extremely religious person. It was difficult for him to believe that once she too was young and pretty like other women. The stories about her childhood games were like fairy tales to him. She was short, fat and slightly stooped in stature. Her silvery white hair used to scatter on her wrinkled face.
Khushwant Singh remembers her hobbling around the house in spotless white clothes with one hand resting on her waist to balance her stoop and the other busy in telling the beads of her rosary. Her lips constantly moved in inaudible prayers.Possibly she was not beautiful in worldly sense but she looked extremely beautiful with the peacefulness, serenity and the contentment her countenance displayed.
Khushwant’s relationship with his grandmother went through several changes when he was a small boy. In the first stage Khushwant lived in a village with her as his parents were looking for the opportunity to settle down in the city. In village grandmother took care of all the needs of the child. She was quite active and agile. She woke him up in the morning, got him ready for the school, plastered his wooden slate, prepared his breakfast, and escorted him to the school. They fed street dogs with stale chapattis on their way to school which was a great fun for them. She helped him in his lessons also .It was her domain and she was the queen of her kingdom. In this period she was the sole unchallenged guardian, mentor, and creator of the child Khushwant.
The turning point came in their relationship when they came to city to stay with Khushwant’s parents. In city Khushwant joined an English School and started to go to school in a motor bus. Here the role of his grandmother in his bringing up was curtailed a little bit. Now she could not accompany him to the school. Despite taking lot of interest in his studies she could not help him in his lessons because he was learning English, law of gravity, Archimedes’ principle and many more such things which she could not understand and this made her unhappy. She found herself at loss. One more thing which disturbed her a lot was that the kids were not learning about God and scriptures in the school instead they were given music lessons which was not an honourable thing in her opinion. To her music was not meant for gentlefolk. It was meant for beggars and prostitutes only. She highly disapproved this and as she could not change it she was dismayed and withdrew herself to some extent. Perhaps she had realized that in the makeover of the child her role was finished and this very thought saddened her most.
After finishing school Khushwant went to a university. He was given a separate room. The common link of their friendship was snapped. His grandmother confined herself to a selfimposed seclusion. She spent most of her time in reciting prayers and by sitting beside her spinning wheel. She rarely talked to anyone. The only recreation for her was in the afternoon when she relaxed for a while to feed the sparrows. A kind hearted person, in village she used to feed street dogs, here in city she focused on birds and they too became very friendly with her. This was the phase when she found herself totally isolated and aloof but she braved this isolation with grace and dignity.
Khushwant’s grandmother was a strong person. Whatever she went through in her heart she always restrained herself from demonstrating her emotions.He recalls that when he went abroad for further studies his grandmother was there to see him off on railway station quite calm busy telling the beads of her rosary and reciting prayers as always. When he came back after five years he found her more and more religious and more and more self-contained. She spent still more time in prayers and spinning the wheel. Feeding the birds was her only happy pastime. But just the day before her death for the first time she broke this routine and gave up her prayers. That day she sang the songs of the home coming of the warriors on a withered drum along with the ladies of neighbourhood in order to celebrate her grandson’s return from abroad. Next morning she got ill. Although the doctor said it was a mild fever and would go away she could foresee that her end was near. She was upset that she omitted her prayers just before the final departure from the world. She did not want to waste any more time talking to anybody. She lay peacefully in bed praying and telling the beads till her lips stopped moving and rosary fell from her lifeless fingers. To mourn her death thousands of sparrows flew in and sat scattered around her body in utter silence. They even ignored the breadcrumbs thrown for them by Khushwant’s mother. They only flew away after the corpse was carried away for last rites.
Q1.Compare and contrast the routine of the grandmother in the village with that of it in the
city.
Value Points:
-Accompanying the writer to the school, helping in
study -Prayers at the temple
-Feeding dogs
-Frustrated at the subjects taught in English school
-Resolved to prayers
-Feeding sparrows
2. Khushwant Singh’s grandmother was emotionally attached to him. Support the statement with help of instances from the story ‘The Portrait of A Lady’.
Value Points:
-The grandmother’s attachment with Khushwant Singh
-Her feelings when she could not help the writer
-Her prayers for the writer’s safe journey
-Happiness expressed at the writer’s arrival
-Continuous chanting of prayers
CRITICAL SUMMARY
The story is written in first person and is in biographical mode. It is a perception of Khushwant Singh of his grandmother through his own eyes. Khushwant Singh recalls his grandmother as an eternally old person. She was an extremely religious person. It was difficult for him to believe that once she too was young and pretty like other women. The stories about her childhood games were like fairy tales to him. She was short, fat and slightly stooped in stature. Her silvery white hair used to scatter on her wrinkled face.
Khushwant Singh remembers her hobbling around the house in spotless white clothes with one hand resting on her waist to balance her stoop and the other busy in telling the beads of her rosary. Her lips constantly moved in inaudible prayers.Possibly she was not beautiful in worldly sense but she looked extremely beautiful with the peacefulness, serenity and the contentment her countenance displayed.
Khushwant’s relationship with his grandmother went through several changes when he was a small boy. In the first stage Khushwant lived in a village with her as his parents were looking for the opportunity to settle down in the city. In village grandmother took care of all the needs of the child. She was quite active and agile. She woke him up in the morning, got him ready for the school, plastered his wooden slate, prepared his breakfast, and escorted him to the school. They fed street dogs with stale chapattis on their way to school which was a great fun for them. She helped him in his lessons also .It was her domain and she was the queen of her kingdom. In this period she was the sole unchallenged guardian, mentor, and creator of the child Khushwant.
The turning point came in their relationship when they came to city to stay with Khushwant’s parents. In city Khushwant joined an English School and started to go to school in a motor bus. Here the role of his grandmother in his bringing up was curtailed a little bit. Now she could not accompany him to the school. Despite taking lot of interest in his studies she could not help him in his lessons because he was learning English, law of gravity, Archimedes’ principle and many more such things which she could not understand and this made her unhappy. She found herself at loss. One more thing which disturbed her a lot was that the kids were not learning about God and scriptures in the school instead they were given music lessons which was not an honourable thing in her opinion. To her music was not meant for gentlefolk. It was meant for beggars and prostitutes only. She highly disapproved this and as she could not change it she was dismayed and withdrew herself to some extent. Perhaps she had realized that in the makeover of the child her role was finished and this very thought saddened her most.
After finishing school Khushwant went to a university. He was given a separate room. The common link of their friendship was snapped. His grandmother confined herself to a selfimposed seclusion. She spent most of her time in reciting prayers and by sitting beside her spinning wheel. She rarely talked to anyone. The only recreation for her was in the afternoon when she relaxed for a while to feed the sparrows. A kind hearted person, in village she used to feed street dogs, here in city she focused on birds and they too became very friendly with her. This was the phase when she found herself totally isolated and aloof but she braved this isolation with grace and dignity.
Khushwant’s grandmother was a strong person. Whatever she went through in her heart she always restrained herself from demonstrating her emotions.He recalls that when he went abroad for further studies his grandmother was there to see him off on railway station quite calm busy telling the beads of her rosary and reciting prayers as always. When he came back after five years he found her more and more religious and more and more self-contained. She spent still more time in prayers and spinning the wheel. Feeding the birds was her only happy pastime. But just the day before her death for the first time she broke this routine and gave up her prayers. That day she sang the songs of the home coming of the warriors on a withered drum along with the ladies of neighbourhood in order to celebrate her grandson’s return from abroad. Next morning she got ill. Although the doctor said it was a mild fever and would go away she could foresee that her end was near. She was upset that she omitted her prayers just before the final departure from the world. She did not want to waste any more time talking to anybody. She lay peacefully in bed praying and telling the beads till her lips stopped moving and rosary fell from her lifeless fingers. To mourn her death thousands of sparrows flew in and sat scattered around her body in utter silence. They even ignored the breadcrumbs thrown for them by Khushwant’s mother. They only flew away after the corpse was carried away for last rites.
Q1.Compare and contrast the routine of the grandmother in the village with that of it in the
city.
Value Points:
-Accompanying the writer to the school, helping in
study -Prayers at the temple
-Feeding dogs
-Frustrated at the subjects taught in English school
-Resolved to prayers
-Feeding sparrows
2. Khushwant Singh’s grandmother was emotionally attached to him. Support the statement with help of instances from the story ‘The Portrait of A Lady’.
Value Points:
-The grandmother’s attachment with Khushwant Singh
-Her feelings when she could not help the writer
-Her prayers for the writer’s safe journey
-Happiness expressed at the writer’s arrival
-Continuous chanting of prayers
SHORT ANSWER TYPE QUESTIONS :
Answer these questions in 30-40 words
1. Why was it hard for the author to believe that his grandmother had once been young and pretty?
2. The author and his grandmother were good friends. Support your answer with suitable examples?
3. Why was grandmother distressed with city school’s education?
4. What change came over the grandmother when the author returned home from abroad?
5. How do the sparrows react at the death of the author’s grandmother?
6. How do you know that author’s grandmother was a religious lady?
7. How did the grand mother pass her time in her city home?
8. Why does the narrator call his grandmother a ‘winter landscape’?
LONG ANSWER TYPE QUESTIONS :
Answer these question in 100-125 words
1. Grandmother has been portrayed as a strong lady and an affectionate grandmother. Write a brief character sketch of the grandmother in the light of above statement?
2. How was grandmother’s life in the city different from her life in the village?
3. Describe the three phases of the author’s relationship with his grandmother before he went abroad for further studies?
We are not afraid to die .... If we can all be together.
- Gordon cook and Alen East
It is a description of a sea adventure experienced by the narrator and his family. The narrator, his wife mary, son Jonathan and daughter Suzanne were accompanied by two experienced sailors - American Lerry vigil and Swiss Herb Seigler. In July 1976 they set sail from plymouth, England in Wave Walker, a specially built boat. The first part of the journey was pleasant and everything went on smoothly up to Cape Town. Unfriendly weather and gigantic waves of Southern Indian Ocean compelled the sailors to slow their speed, drop storm jib and take other precautions. The danger was so implicit that the sailors completed liferaft drill and attached life lines and life jackets. On 2 January 1977 a giant wave hit wavewalker and caused much damage to it. The sailors got injured and the narrator was thrown overboard but he managed to get hold of wave walker’s guard rails. Inspite of his multiple injuries, he took hold of the wheel. In an atmosphere of fear and panic mary took charge of the wheel whereas larry and Herb started pumping out water. The narrator managed to stretch and cover convas across the gaps to prevent water from entering the ship. Their hand pumps stopped working and electric pumps short-circuited. They were distressed and busy in pumping, steering, repairing and radio signalling. They studied charts and calculatively decided to reach a nearby island. They all were too busy in rescue work and did not take any meal for two days. Children were injured too but they did not draw attention of their parents and just allowed them to save Wavewalker. The children said that they were not afraid to die if they could all be together. The narrator became more determined and strong seeing children’s courage. Finally they reached. Ile Amsterdem, a volcanic island where they were welcomed by 28 inhabitants. Thus, the collective strength and never failing optimism of the sailors made it possible to come out of the jaws of death. Though, Jonathan and Suzanne did not do anything to save Wavewalker but their courage, forebearance, faith and optimism gave extra strength and persistence to the narrator and his team.
A critical summary:
This short story is about the writer narrating his thrilling journey across the sea on board his Wavewalker and about how optimism raises one's spirits and helps one overcome stress and difficulty. The narrative describes on how determination and strong will power helps us overcome all forms of stressful situations. Optimism helps to reduce "the direct stress". This can be verified with the instance where the level of perseverance rose in the author after seeing the caricatures of him and Mary, drawn by the children. His motive was to travel around the world through sea just like Captain James Cook, which he wished to complete in three years. He was with his family, his wife Mary, his daughter Suzanne and his son who was only six years old.
The first phase was about 105,000 kilometres up to the South African seaport of Cape Town, which passed off very pleasantly. The second part of the journey was for 150,000 kilometres. This phase was completed in Australia. On 25th December, the writer's ship was in the southern Indian Ocean, 3500 kilometres to the east of Cape Town. The family celebrated their new year (1977) on board the ship. Next came a phase when the ship was caught in the stormy seas. The weather suddenly became very terrible. The writer thought that their ship would ride over the waves but was heavily caught amidst the stormy situations at the sea. There was water everywhere and they found the ship to be sinking. The condition was extremely helpless and very pathetic. Water was gushing in from everywhere. Debris was floating across the cabins. The electric pump was also not working as it had short-circuited. They had to keep pumping and steering all night long. The writer's daughter's head had swollen and she had a deep injury. However, the bravery of the strong-willed children is noteworthy in the story.
On January 4, they breathed a sigh of relief after having survived 36 hours of continuous pumping. However, their relief seemed to be quite short-lived because by evening that day the sea again witnessed bad weather. This is the turning point of the story when we see the author consoling the children. It was quite amazing that the children exclaimed "...we aren't afraid of dying if we can all be together." This led to the building energy and enthusiasm inside a very extremely fatigued writer. He decided to heave and fight the sea. Next day saw a very bright morning. He was welcomed by his children who exclaimed "You are the best daddy in the world." He rushed to the deck and to his amazement, gazed at the stark outline of Ile Amsterdam. It seemed to him to be the most beautiful island in the world. They anchored off shore for the night and then were welcomed by the 28 inhabitants of the island the next morning. All along, the only thing which filled the writer's mind was the undeterred courage which his wife Mary showed, his daughter who didn't worry about her head injury and his son who wasn't afraid of dying.
Short Answer Questions
1. What was the object behind the writer’s undertaking the journey?
Answer: The writer undertook the voyage along with his wife in order to duplicate the round-theworld voyage made 200 years earlier by Captain James Cook.
2. Describe the boat which was made for undertaking the voyage.
Answer: The name of the boat which was made for undertaking the voyage was ‘Wavewalker’. It was a 23 meter, 30 ton wooden-hulled boat which had been professionally built and the writer and his wife had spent months fitting it out and testing it in the roughest weather they could find.
3. What are Mayday calls? Why was the ship getting no replies to its Mayday calls?
Answer: Mayday calls are distress signals sent through the radio by ships facing troubles in the sea for getting help from other ships passing nearby. The ship ‘Wavewalker’ was not getting replies to its Mayday calls because the boat had reached a remote part of the sea where other ships did not go.
4. What did Sue say when she was asked by her father why she had not complained much about her grave injuries at the first instance?
Answer: Sue had been injured badly when the wave had hit the ship. Her head had swollen alarmingly. She had two very big enormous black eyes and she had also showed to her parents a deep cut on her arm. When asked why she had not complained about her injuries earlier she replied that she had not wanted to worry her parents when they were trying to save them all
5. Comment on the mood of the sea on 2nd January 2010? How did the writer and his family and the crewmen prepare for that?
Answer: At dawn on January 2, the waves became gigantic. As the ship of the writer rose to the top of each wave, they could see the sea water rolling towards them and the noise made by the wind and the spray of the wave water was painful to their ears. In order to slow the boat down, they dropped the storm jib and lashed a heavy mooring rope in a loop across the stern. Then they double lashed everything and went through their life raft drill, attached lifelines and wore oilskins and life jackets and waited for the worst things to happen.
6. What happened at 6pm on 2nd of January?
Answer: At 6 pm on 2nd January, the sea became silent and the wind dropped and the sky grew immediately dark. After that a very huge wave which was double the size of the other waves struck the ship with explosive power and damaged it.
7. List the steps taken by the captain
a) to protect the boat when rough weather began
b) to check the flooding of the water in the ship
c). Slowed down the speed of the boat- storm jib dropped- double lashed everything- went for life-raft drill- attracted lifelines- put life jackets.
d). Larry and Herb kept pumping water out- the narrator stretched canvas and secured water proof latch- covered the gaping holes.
8. How did they pass the first leg of the journey?
Answer: It was pleasant sailing down the West coast of Africa to Cape Town.
9. Who were Larry and Herb? What role did they play?
Answer: Crewmembers Larry Vigil was an American and Herb Seigler was from Switzerland. They were of great help. As a team they worked with the narrator- kept pumping water out of Wavewalker till the water level was brought under control.
10. Why and when did the captain send ‘May Day Calls’? What was the response?
Answer: When nothing worked well after the gigantic wave had hit the Wave walker… impending disaster awaited- the captain sent ‘May Day Calls’-no response as this part of the ocean is less traveled.
Long Answer Questions
1. Highlight the tremendous courage and stoicism shown by the two children during the struggle of the ship to keep from sinking?
Answer: The two children Suzanne and Jonathon, who were aged seven and six respectively, showed tremendous courage and stoicism during the epic struggle, put up by their parents and the crewmen to keep the ship from sinking. Suzanne had been injured badly when the wave had hit the ship. Her head had swollen alarmingly. She had two very big enormous black eyes and she had also showed to her parents a deep cut on her arm. When asked why she had not complained about her injuries earlier she replied that she had not wanted to worry her parents when they were trying to save them all.
On January 5th when the condition of the ship was very bad, the author went in to comfort the children and his son, Jonathon, asked him if they were going to die. When he was assured that they would all survive somehow he told his father that they were not afraid of dying if they could all be together.
That very evening the badly injured Suzanne had patience and power enough even to draw caricatures of her parents with the words, “Here are some funny people. Did they make you laugh?” She had written a message also inside which said that she had loved them both and that card was meant to say thanks to his father and hope for the best.Such extraordinary patience, courage and tolerance shown by the small children on the face of an enormously dangerous situation gave courage and inspiration to his parents to fight hard for survival.
2. Describe the behaviour of the narrator and his family, particularly of his children Jon and Sue, during the Voyage.
Answer:
Value Points:
-When the gigantic wave hit the boat the narrator was badly injured -
showed his heroic qualities- did not panic-used his seafaring skills
–used whatever tools available- saved all.
- Little John and Sue showed their bravery
- did not disturb parents
- cheered their parents up
- John’s statement gives fresh encouragement to the narrator
- Wife and crew members worked as team- all survived.
3. How does the story suggest that optimism helps to endure ‘the direct stress ’?
Value Points:
-Last 16 year’s experience helped a lot
- the gigantic wave broke the boat, Wavewalker, not their spirit
- If winter comes…can spring be far behind
- all worked as a team
- cheered themselves up
- encouraged themselves-used every possible measures
- worked very hard
- determined to succeed
- remained hopeful
- ‘God helps those who help themselves’.
QUESTIONS FOR PRACTICE
A critical summary:
This short story is about the writer narrating his thrilling journey across the sea on board his Wavewalker and about how optimism raises one's spirits and helps one overcome stress and difficulty. The narrative describes on how determination and strong will power helps us overcome all forms of stressful situations. Optimism helps to reduce "the direct stress". This can be verified with the instance where the level of perseverance rose in the author after seeing the caricatures of him and Mary, drawn by the children. His motive was to travel around the world through sea just like Captain James Cook, which he wished to complete in three years. He was with his family, his wife Mary, his daughter Suzanne and his son who was only six years old.
The first phase was about 105,000 kilometres up to the South African seaport of Cape Town, which passed off very pleasantly. The second part of the journey was for 150,000 kilometres. This phase was completed in Australia. On 25th December, the writer's ship was in the southern Indian Ocean, 3500 kilometres to the east of Cape Town. The family celebrated their new year (1977) on board the ship. Next came a phase when the ship was caught in the stormy seas. The weather suddenly became very terrible. The writer thought that their ship would ride over the waves but was heavily caught amidst the stormy situations at the sea. There was water everywhere and they found the ship to be sinking. The condition was extremely helpless and very pathetic. Water was gushing in from everywhere. Debris was floating across the cabins. The electric pump was also not working as it had short-circuited. They had to keep pumping and steering all night long. The writer's daughter's head had swollen and she had a deep injury. However, the bravery of the strong-willed children is noteworthy in the story.
On January 4, they breathed a sigh of relief after having survived 36 hours of continuous pumping. However, their relief seemed to be quite short-lived because by evening that day the sea again witnessed bad weather. This is the turning point of the story when we see the author consoling the children. It was quite amazing that the children exclaimed "...we aren't afraid of dying if we can all be together." This led to the building energy and enthusiasm inside a very extremely fatigued writer. He decided to heave and fight the sea. Next day saw a very bright morning. He was welcomed by his children who exclaimed "You are the best daddy in the world." He rushed to the deck and to his amazement, gazed at the stark outline of Ile Amsterdam. It seemed to him to be the most beautiful island in the world. They anchored off shore for the night and then were welcomed by the 28 inhabitants of the island the next morning. All along, the only thing which filled the writer's mind was the undeterred courage which his wife Mary showed, his daughter who didn't worry about her head injury and his son who wasn't afraid of dying.
Short Answer Questions
1. What was the object behind the writer’s undertaking the journey?
Answer: The writer undertook the voyage along with his wife in order to duplicate the round-theworld voyage made 200 years earlier by Captain James Cook.
2. Describe the boat which was made for undertaking the voyage.
Answer: The name of the boat which was made for undertaking the voyage was ‘Wavewalker’. It was a 23 meter, 30 ton wooden-hulled boat which had been professionally built and the writer and his wife had spent months fitting it out and testing it in the roughest weather they could find.
3. What are Mayday calls? Why was the ship getting no replies to its Mayday calls?
Answer: Mayday calls are distress signals sent through the radio by ships facing troubles in the sea for getting help from other ships passing nearby. The ship ‘Wavewalker’ was not getting replies to its Mayday calls because the boat had reached a remote part of the sea where other ships did not go.
4. What did Sue say when she was asked by her father why she had not complained much about her grave injuries at the first instance?
Answer: Sue had been injured badly when the wave had hit the ship. Her head had swollen alarmingly. She had two very big enormous black eyes and she had also showed to her parents a deep cut on her arm. When asked why she had not complained about her injuries earlier she replied that she had not wanted to worry her parents when they were trying to save them all
5. Comment on the mood of the sea on 2nd January 2010? How did the writer and his family and the crewmen prepare for that?
Answer: At dawn on January 2, the waves became gigantic. As the ship of the writer rose to the top of each wave, they could see the sea water rolling towards them and the noise made by the wind and the spray of the wave water was painful to their ears. In order to slow the boat down, they dropped the storm jib and lashed a heavy mooring rope in a loop across the stern. Then they double lashed everything and went through their life raft drill, attached lifelines and wore oilskins and life jackets and waited for the worst things to happen.
6. What happened at 6pm on 2nd of January?
Answer: At 6 pm on 2nd January, the sea became silent and the wind dropped and the sky grew immediately dark. After that a very huge wave which was double the size of the other waves struck the ship with explosive power and damaged it.
7. List the steps taken by the captain
a) to protect the boat when rough weather began
b) to check the flooding of the water in the ship
c). Slowed down the speed of the boat- storm jib dropped- double lashed everything- went for life-raft drill- attracted lifelines- put life jackets.
d). Larry and Herb kept pumping water out- the narrator stretched canvas and secured water proof latch- covered the gaping holes.
8. How did they pass the first leg of the journey?
Answer: It was pleasant sailing down the West coast of Africa to Cape Town.
9. Who were Larry and Herb? What role did they play?
Answer: Crewmembers Larry Vigil was an American and Herb Seigler was from Switzerland. They were of great help. As a team they worked with the narrator- kept pumping water out of Wavewalker till the water level was brought under control.
10. Why and when did the captain send ‘May Day Calls’? What was the response?
Answer: When nothing worked well after the gigantic wave had hit the Wave walker… impending disaster awaited- the captain sent ‘May Day Calls’-no response as this part of the ocean is less traveled.
Long Answer Questions
1. Highlight the tremendous courage and stoicism shown by the two children during the struggle of the ship to keep from sinking?
Answer: The two children Suzanne and Jonathon, who were aged seven and six respectively, showed tremendous courage and stoicism during the epic struggle, put up by their parents and the crewmen to keep the ship from sinking. Suzanne had been injured badly when the wave had hit the ship. Her head had swollen alarmingly. She had two very big enormous black eyes and she had also showed to her parents a deep cut on her arm. When asked why she had not complained about her injuries earlier she replied that she had not wanted to worry her parents when they were trying to save them all.
On January 5th when the condition of the ship was very bad, the author went in to comfort the children and his son, Jonathon, asked him if they were going to die. When he was assured that they would all survive somehow he told his father that they were not afraid of dying if they could all be together.
That very evening the badly injured Suzanne had patience and power enough even to draw caricatures of her parents with the words, “Here are some funny people. Did they make you laugh?” She had written a message also inside which said that she had loved them both and that card was meant to say thanks to his father and hope for the best.Such extraordinary patience, courage and tolerance shown by the small children on the face of an enormously dangerous situation gave courage and inspiration to his parents to fight hard for survival.
2. Describe the behaviour of the narrator and his family, particularly of his children Jon and Sue, during the Voyage.
Answer:
Value Points:
-When the gigantic wave hit the boat the narrator was badly injured -
showed his heroic qualities- did not panic-used his seafaring skills
–used whatever tools available- saved all.
- Little John and Sue showed their bravery
- did not disturb parents
- cheered their parents up
- John’s statement gives fresh encouragement to the narrator
- Wife and crew members worked as team- all survived.
3. How does the story suggest that optimism helps to endure ‘the direct stress ’?
Value Points:
-Last 16 year’s experience helped a lot
- the gigantic wave broke the boat, Wavewalker, not their spirit
- If winter comes…can spring be far behind
- all worked as a team
- cheered themselves up
- encouraged themselves-used every possible measures
- worked very hard
- determined to succeed
- remained hopeful
- ‘God helps those who help themselves’.
QUESTIONS FOR PRACTICE
1. What preparation were made by the narrator before their round the world voyage?
2. Describe the efforts made by the captain to protect the ship from sinking?
3. How did Sue and Jonathan behave during the crisis hours?
4. What destruction was caused to the ‘Wave Walker’ when hit by the storm?
5. How did Larry and Herbie help during all those crucial hours?
6. Why was the narrator getting a hug from his children?
LONG ANSWER TYPE QUESTIONS :
“We’re note afraid to die .....” is a story of team work, optimism and courage. Support this statement with suitable examples from the story?
2. Describe the destruction caused by the storm to the ‘Wave Walker’? What measures were taken by the narrator and his crew to prevent its sinking?
3. Why do you think people undertake such adventurous expeditions in spite of the risks involved?
Discovering Tut : The Saga Continues
- A.R. Williams
A powerful dynasty ruled Egypt. Tut the last king of this dynasty died When he was just a teenager but the cause of his death was not known. That tomb was discovered in 1922 and investigation was done on 5 January, 2005. Some people opposed the investigation and thought that it would disturb pharaoh’s peace. That was buried with gold arte facts and every day things like board games, bronze razor, lines garments, cases of food and wine. Howard carter faced tough time in removing Tut’s mummy from the solid gold coffin. The ritual resins could not be removed with Sun heat and carter had to chisel it away to raise the kings remains. In 1968 an anatomy professor revealed that Tut’s breast bone and front ribs were missing. Amenhotep IV promoted the ‘Aten’, the sun disk and moved his capital from Thebes to Akhenaten. He smashed the images of Amun and closed its temples. During his short reign of 9 years. Tut’s restored the old God and traditional ways. After scanning and Xraying Tut’s mummy, it was placed back in his tomb. Zahi Hawaas, the secretary general of Egypt’s council of Antiquities was relieved to know that nothing wrong had gone with their popular child king.
A critical summary :
This chapter is meant to show readers the beauty and mystery of ancient Egyptian culture and the science and wonder of archaeology. This chapter is actually a part of the book which goes with the same title as mentioned above and it has many chapters, rather than a short story; in fact, the book is an in-depth look at the circumstances of King Tut's death, as well as the general culture and lifestyle practiced during his lifetime. Fascinating and well-written this book has captured many people's interest, and it remains a popular choice for anyone interested in archaeology and ancient Egyptian culture.This is a living example of technology advancement. We accepted things and events attributing their cause to nature and her wrath. However, advancement and technology could give us a different picture. This way, it has become a habit with us to accept everything that history states and dictates.
On the process the modern world has found ways to offer a different view on it. In other words, the modern world has turned impossibilities to possibilities. William’s report gives an insight into this. A mummy scanned after a thousand years has opened new avenues regarding a cause of its death. The mummy referred to here is that of King Tut or Tutankhamen, meaning the living image of Amun. The earlier ruler, Amenhotep-IV has shocked the country by attacking Amun, a major God, smashing his images and closing all his temples. His family had ruled for centuries before the boy king, Tut took over. However, Tut ruled for nine years and then died both mysteriously and unexpectedly.
The scanning of Tut’s mummy also gave an insight as to how mummies were buried. Howard Carter, who scanned the body found it difficult to extract the mummy. The ritual resins had hardened thereby cementing Tut to the bottom of his solid gold coffin. Carter finally had to chisel the mummy away having no other option. Every major point was severed. Tut was buried with gold which was meant to guarantee the resurrection and was also buried with every day things he would need in his after-life. Tut also had things to take on his journey to the great beyond-glittering goods, precious collars, necklaces and sandals, all of pure gold. The computed Tomography scan couldn’t solve the mysterious death of Tut but gave us clues for sure. The Xrays and C.T.scan reveal a startling fact-the breast bone and the Front ribs of Tut were missing. Such a revelation would not have been possible without technological precision. This fact gives us a clue that Tut, in all likelihood did not die a natural death.
Technology hasn’t been able to give us a definite answer to Tut’s death.However, it has given us a direction to think and proceed. Maybe in future, technology would solve it for us. The whole excavation and the scan required scores of people. It was a gruelling job and the workers had a tough time.
After the pharaoh was rested in peace again, Zahi Hawass, Secretary General of Egypt’s Supreme Council of Antiquities said, “I didn’t sleep last night, not for a second. I was worried.
But now I think I will go and sleep.” It just proves how tough the whole process was. In other words, King Tut is one of the first mummies to be scanned-in death as in life. He was famous when he was alive and his untimely death has raised the necessity to probe the lingering mysteries of this young ruler who died more than 3,300 years ago.
Short Answer Questions
Q.1. Who was Tut? Why was his mummy got scanned?
Ans. Tut was the last heir of a powerful family that ruled Egypt and its empire for centuries. When he died, he was just a teenager. After his death his dynasty came to an end so that his mummy was scanned. A CT scan was done on his mummy to get new clues about his life and death.
Q.2. Why was Carter’s investigation resented?
Ans. Though Howard Carter was an archeologist, he did not use the scientific methods while excavating Tut’s mummy. It resulted in great damage to the mummy. Its breast bone and front ribs are still missing. Scientific intervention was not followed to unearth buried mysteries.
Q.3. What were the things buried with Tut’s mummy? And Why?
Ans. It was buried with stunning artefacts in gold, also with the everyday things: board games, a bronze razor, linen undergarments cases of food and wine. It would guarantee resurrection. Egyptian ruler might believe in life after death.
Q.4 The boy king changed his name from Tutankhaten to Tutankhamun. Do you think that it might be the reason of his death? Analyse the statement.
Ans. Yes, I think that his attempts to oversee a restoration might have caused a sensation among the follower of Akhenaten who brought about the complete demolition of “Amun, a major god. As a result they might have murdered Tut.
Q.5. Why did Ray Johnson describe Akhenaten as ‘wacky’?
Ans. Ray Johnson described him as ‘wacky’ because of his eccentric nature and decisions. He moved the religious capital from the old city of Thebes to the new city of Akhetaten, and he attacked Amun, a major god, smashing his images and closing his temples. It was his eccentric behaviour that caused turmoil in the kingdom.
Q.6. What were the results of the CT scan?
Ans. - Tut’s neck vertebrae appeared very clearly.
- Other images showed a hand, several views of the rib cage and skull.
7. What is the Pharao’s curse?
Answer: The Phararo’s curse is inscribed on the walls of the burial chambers
of the Pharao inside the pyramids. It affirms of death or misfortune falling
upon those who disturbs him.
8. Who is Zahi Hawass?
Answer: Zahi Hawass is an archaeologist. He is the Secretary General of
Egypt’s Supreme Council of Antiquities.
9. Who is Howard Carter? What did he do that put King Tut’s mummy in a bad condition?
Answer: Howard Carter is the British archaeologist who had discovered Tutankhamen’s tomb and his mummy in the year 1922. Howard Carter had found out that the ritual resins which were used in the coffin had hardened cementing Tut to the bottom of his solid gold coffin and none was able to move the mummy with the use of simple force. Therefore, he put the coffin in the scorching sun of summertime Egypt with the idea that it would loosen the resin. But this idea was also unsuccessful. After that with no way out he had to use a chisel to separate the mummy from the coffin and this damaged the mummy to a large extent.
10. Why were the Pharaohs buried with tremendous amount of wealth?
Answer: The ancient Egyptians believed that there is life after death. That is why the Pharaohs were buried with tremendous amount of wealth including things of daily use so that they could use them in the life after death.
10. What was the nature of the wealth with which King Tut’s mummy was buried? What were the things of daily use which were buried with him?
Answer: The wealth with which King Tut was buried remains the richest royal collection ever found and this has become part of the pharaoh’s legend. The wealth basically contains different stunning artifacts of gold. Tut was also buried with everyday things which was thought he would want in the afterlife and these things are:
a. board games,
b. a bronze razor,
c. linen undergarments
d. and cases of food and wine.
11. How has archaeology changed over the years?
Answer: From the time of the discovery of Tutankhamen’s tomb back in the year 1922 to the present time the nature of archaeology has changed and thus it now focuses less on treasure and more on the fascinating details of life and the intriguing mysteries of death.
12. What do you mean by a CT scan?
Answer: CT scan means Computed Tomography. It is a process by which hundreds of X-rays in cross section are put together like slices of bread to create a three dimensional virtual body.
13. What are the two biggest questions still lingering about Tutankhamen?
Answer: The two biggest questions still lingering about Tutankhamen are how he had died and what his age was at the time of his death.
A critical summary :
This chapter is meant to show readers the beauty and mystery of ancient Egyptian culture and the science and wonder of archaeology. This chapter is actually a part of the book which goes with the same title as mentioned above and it has many chapters, rather than a short story; in fact, the book is an in-depth look at the circumstances of King Tut's death, as well as the general culture and lifestyle practiced during his lifetime. Fascinating and well-written this book has captured many people's interest, and it remains a popular choice for anyone interested in archaeology and ancient Egyptian culture.This is a living example of technology advancement. We accepted things and events attributing their cause to nature and her wrath. However, advancement and technology could give us a different picture. This way, it has become a habit with us to accept everything that history states and dictates.
On the process the modern world has found ways to offer a different view on it. In other words, the modern world has turned impossibilities to possibilities. William’s report gives an insight into this. A mummy scanned after a thousand years has opened new avenues regarding a cause of its death. The mummy referred to here is that of King Tut or Tutankhamen, meaning the living image of Amun. The earlier ruler, Amenhotep-IV has shocked the country by attacking Amun, a major God, smashing his images and closing all his temples. His family had ruled for centuries before the boy king, Tut took over. However, Tut ruled for nine years and then died both mysteriously and unexpectedly.
The scanning of Tut’s mummy also gave an insight as to how mummies were buried. Howard Carter, who scanned the body found it difficult to extract the mummy. The ritual resins had hardened thereby cementing Tut to the bottom of his solid gold coffin. Carter finally had to chisel the mummy away having no other option. Every major point was severed. Tut was buried with gold which was meant to guarantee the resurrection and was also buried with every day things he would need in his after-life. Tut also had things to take on his journey to the great beyond-glittering goods, precious collars, necklaces and sandals, all of pure gold. The computed Tomography scan couldn’t solve the mysterious death of Tut but gave us clues for sure. The Xrays and C.T.scan reveal a startling fact-the breast bone and the Front ribs of Tut were missing. Such a revelation would not have been possible without technological precision. This fact gives us a clue that Tut, in all likelihood did not die a natural death.
Technology hasn’t been able to give us a definite answer to Tut’s death.However, it has given us a direction to think and proceed. Maybe in future, technology would solve it for us. The whole excavation and the scan required scores of people. It was a gruelling job and the workers had a tough time.
After the pharaoh was rested in peace again, Zahi Hawass, Secretary General of Egypt’s Supreme Council of Antiquities said, “I didn’t sleep last night, not for a second. I was worried.
But now I think I will go and sleep.” It just proves how tough the whole process was. In other words, King Tut is one of the first mummies to be scanned-in death as in life. He was famous when he was alive and his untimely death has raised the necessity to probe the lingering mysteries of this young ruler who died more than 3,300 years ago.
Short Answer Questions
Q.1. Who was Tut? Why was his mummy got scanned?
Ans. Tut was the last heir of a powerful family that ruled Egypt and its empire for centuries. When he died, he was just a teenager. After his death his dynasty came to an end so that his mummy was scanned. A CT scan was done on his mummy to get new clues about his life and death.
Q.2. Why was Carter’s investigation resented?
Ans. Though Howard Carter was an archeologist, he did not use the scientific methods while excavating Tut’s mummy. It resulted in great damage to the mummy. Its breast bone and front ribs are still missing. Scientific intervention was not followed to unearth buried mysteries.
Q.3. What were the things buried with Tut’s mummy? And Why?
Ans. It was buried with stunning artefacts in gold, also with the everyday things: board games, a bronze razor, linen undergarments cases of food and wine. It would guarantee resurrection. Egyptian ruler might believe in life after death.
Q.4 The boy king changed his name from Tutankhaten to Tutankhamun. Do you think that it might be the reason of his death? Analyse the statement.
Ans. Yes, I think that his attempts to oversee a restoration might have caused a sensation among the follower of Akhenaten who brought about the complete demolition of “Amun, a major god. As a result they might have murdered Tut.
Q.5. Why did Ray Johnson describe Akhenaten as ‘wacky’?
Ans. Ray Johnson described him as ‘wacky’ because of his eccentric nature and decisions. He moved the religious capital from the old city of Thebes to the new city of Akhetaten, and he attacked Amun, a major god, smashing his images and closing his temples. It was his eccentric behaviour that caused turmoil in the kingdom.
Q.6. What were the results of the CT scan?
Ans. - Tut’s neck vertebrae appeared very clearly.
- Other images showed a hand, several views of the rib cage and skull.
7. What is the Pharao’s curse?
Answer: The Phararo’s curse is inscribed on the walls of the burial chambers
of the Pharao inside the pyramids. It affirms of death or misfortune falling
upon those who disturbs him.
8. Who is Zahi Hawass?
Answer: Zahi Hawass is an archaeologist. He is the Secretary General of
Egypt’s Supreme Council of Antiquities.
9. Who is Howard Carter? What did he do that put King Tut’s mummy in a bad condition?
Answer: Howard Carter is the British archaeologist who had discovered Tutankhamen’s tomb and his mummy in the year 1922. Howard Carter had found out that the ritual resins which were used in the coffin had hardened cementing Tut to the bottom of his solid gold coffin and none was able to move the mummy with the use of simple force. Therefore, he put the coffin in the scorching sun of summertime Egypt with the idea that it would loosen the resin. But this idea was also unsuccessful. After that with no way out he had to use a chisel to separate the mummy from the coffin and this damaged the mummy to a large extent.
10. Why were the Pharaohs buried with tremendous amount of wealth?
Answer: The ancient Egyptians believed that there is life after death. That is why the Pharaohs were buried with tremendous amount of wealth including things of daily use so that they could use them in the life after death.
10. What was the nature of the wealth with which King Tut’s mummy was buried? What were the things of daily use which were buried with him?
Answer: The wealth with which King Tut was buried remains the richest royal collection ever found and this has become part of the pharaoh’s legend. The wealth basically contains different stunning artifacts of gold. Tut was also buried with everyday things which was thought he would want in the afterlife and these things are:
a. board games,
b. a bronze razor,
c. linen undergarments
d. and cases of food and wine.
11. How has archaeology changed over the years?
Answer: From the time of the discovery of Tutankhamen’s tomb back in the year 1922 to the present time the nature of archaeology has changed and thus it now focuses less on treasure and more on the fascinating details of life and the intriguing mysteries of death.
12. What do you mean by a CT scan?
Answer: CT scan means Computed Tomography. It is a process by which hundreds of X-rays in cross section are put together like slices of bread to create a three dimensional virtual body.
13. What are the two biggest questions still lingering about Tutankhamen?
Answer: The two biggest questions still lingering about Tutankhamen are how he had died and what his age was at the time of his death.
1. Who was Tut? Why was his demise a big event?
2. Who was Howard Carter? What was his discovery?
3. Why was King Tut’s mummy subjected to a CT scan?
4. What were the everyday things buried along with Tut’s mummy?
5. Carter had to Chisel away the Tut’s mummy. How did he justify it?
6. Why was Carter’s investigation resented?
7. Why did Ray Johnson describe Akhenaten as “Whacky”?
8. Why did Egyptians store daily use items along with the mummies of their popular kings and queens?
LONG ANSWER TYPE QUESTIONS :
1. Who discovered Tut’s mummy”? What were the funerary treasures and everyday things buried along with it?
2. How did Carter manage to separate Tut’s mummy from its coffin? Why was it subjected to repeated scrutiny?
3. Why was Howard Carter’s investigation not approved by the experts? What argument did he give in his defence?
The Ailing Planet : The Green Movement’s Role-- Nani Palkhivala
This article written by Nani Palkhivala appeared in ‘The Indian Express’ on 24 November 1994. It focuses On the deteriorating condition of the earth because of man’s growing lust to exploit all the natural resources. The earth has been turned in to a barren land. The Green movement is the only answer to solve many problems. The entire human race is involved in the Green Movement which was started in 1972. There has been an irrevocable shift from the mechanistic view to a holistic and ecological view of the world. There is a growing world wide conciousness that the earth itself is living organism - an enormous being of which we are parts. But its vital signs reveal a patient in declining health. The efforts of the environmentalists have gone futile. The immediate need is to promote the concept of sustainble development’ as mooted by the world commission on Environment and Development in 1987. The author feels that it is a matter of relief that the people have now started thinking of saving the planet by thinking of development as a means to control population, the mother of all problems.
Our Earth is a living organism–an enormous being, of which we are parts. This is our planet; its destruction will make us all homeless. We are dependent on Earth and not the other way round. However, the thankless creature, man, is unconcerned about the dangers that pose threats to our survival. The article by Nani Palkhivala deals with the concerns of the environmentalists at this eleventh hour and talks about the new awareness that has dawned upon our race. A holistic and ecological view of the world has been brought into consideration. The Green Movement launched in 1972 has never looked back. There is a growing need of sustainable development, which was popularised by World Commission on Environment and Development in 1987.
Man is the most dangerous creature, as it was declared by a Zoo in Lusaka, Zambia. Human beings are taking too much time to realize the need of the hour. One of the members of Brandt
Commission, Mr L.K.Jha, raised a vital question, “are we to leave our successors a scorched planet of advancing deserts, impoverished landscapes, and ailing environment?” Mr Lester R.
Brown expressed his worry over the fact that our four biological systems are reaching an unsustainable level. The tropical forests, “the powerhouse of evolution”, as Dr. Meyers called them, are being destroyed causing extinction of several species. The fear hovers, what if the words, “forests precede mankind, and deserts follow”, come true. And the reality is that India is losing its forests at the rate of 3.7 million acres a year.
The Article 48A of the Indian Constitution provides that the State shall endeavour to protect and improve the environment and safeguard the forest and wildlife of the country. To conserve the environment and to bring down the population of the world, which is 5.7 billion, Palkhivala suggests that development is the only solution. Fertility falls as the income rises, education spreads, and health improves.
Nani supports compulsory sterilisation and defends it by saying that there is no other alternative but coercion. The population of India today is 920 million, which is more than the entire population of Africa and South America. What is happening today is that rich are getting richer and poor are begetting children, which begets them to remain poor. Now the folks have realised what endangers our race. It is not about the survival of human race but the survival of the planet Earth. It is an Era of Responsibility. The industrialists have to understand the present concern with most consideration. The view of the Chairman of Du Pont, Mr Edgar S. Woolard is much appreciable, “Our continued existence as a leading manufacturer requires that we excel in environmental performance.” Let us be grateful to Mother Nature and keep Margaret Thatcher's felicitous words, “No generation has a freehold on this earth. All we have is a life tenancy– with a full repairing lease”. In the words of Mr Lester Brown, “We have not inherited this earth from our forefathers; we have borrowed it from our children.”
(The Data used here are all related to the chapter, it is not as per the present survey)
1. What do you mean by the concept of ‘Sustainable development’?
Answer: Sustainable development means: development that meets the needs of the present, without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their needs”, i.e., without stripping the natural world of resources future generations would need.
2. ‘What goes under the pot now costs more than what goes inside it’ what does that suggest?
Answer: It suggests that the cost of firewood has become higher than cost of rice and other staple food.
3. What is the role of industries in the preservation of environment?
Answer: Industries and industrialists have to exercise control in use of natural resources. The top officials need to become the guardians of our environment if we have to think about our future generations
Long Answer Questions:
1. What are the factors as enumerated by Nani Palkivala that have made our earth an ailing planet?
Answers: In the lesson Nanai Palkivala has discussed the different factors that have made our earth an ailing planet, needing immediate attention from and treatment from the human race.
One major factor that has left our planet earth ailing is that the claim of human race on fisheries, forests, grasslands, and croplands, which comprise the earth’s principal biological system, has become an unsustainable level. They have been consumed in such a way that there cannot be fresh resources for consumption for the future generation. Thus, farmlands have become infertile, and there has been overfishing. And then for reasons like demand for firewood, industrialization and urbanization, huge areas of forests have been been cleared all over the world in alarming rate everyday.
The factor responsible for such mindless and mad exploitation of all the natural resources is uncontrollable growth of population. Although it took thousands of years for the world population to hit the first billion mark, now every ten years is burdening the earth with a billion population. The problem of overpopulation is greater in countries like India. Such overpopulation is the root cause of our planet earth becoming deceased needing treatment in the form of care and concern and population control and lower carbon emissions.
2. ‘We have not inherited this earth from our forefathers: we have borrowed it from our children.’ Discuss.
Answer: Value Points:
-earth’s resources are limited.
-The resources have been almost exhausted by the generations so far
Uncontrollable populations growth is responsible for such demand on the available resources
-Every generation needs to think about the future generations
-Borrowed things are treated and handled with care
-Thus the resources are not to be exhausted as they belong to the future generations.
3. What is the remarkable shift in our attitude towards the earth brought on by the Green Movement?
Answer:
Value Points:
-a remarkable change in the attitude of the human race towards the earth
Shift from the mechanistic view to the holistic and ecological view
Mechanistic view- that the earth is an inanimate thing like a brick, a rock etc.
-Holistic view- that the earth is a living organism, like a human being, an animal.
-Thus earth is considered to be ailing, suffering from diseases.
-Needs treatment from human beings
-Treatment- population control, control of carbon emissions .
Questions for practice:
Long Questions:
1. Why does Nani Palkhiwala call the Earth an ailing planet and what is the role of the Green Movement?
2. Nani Palkhivala in his essay ‘The Ailing Planet’: The Green Movement’s Role’,calls man ‘the worlds’ most dangerous animal’. How does he defend his viewpoint and at he same time holds out hope for the world?
3. What picture of the future of the planet does the author paint? What can thwart that scenario?
Short Questions :
1. What causes endless anguish to common man?
2. What are the unusually alarming statistics about the population that the author talks about?
3. Why is the Green Revolution important?
4. Justify the title of the essay.
5. Explain the statement ‘forests precede mankind; deserts follow’.
The Browning Version - Terence Rattigan
The present extract is from The play “The Browning Version” written by Terence Rattigan which is focused on a good but unpopular school teacher Mr. Crocker - Harris. It vividly brings about the agony of a dedicated teacher who has a strict attitude towards his students. It starts with the conversation between a school boy Taplow and another teacher Frank. Teachers like Frank encourage student like Taplow to make comments on their fellow teachers. Frank asks Taplow not to wait for Cracker-Harris and leave. But Taplow waits for him. In between Millie, the wife of Crocker Harris arrives there and sends him to chemist’s shop with a prescription. The play exhibits that the boy Taplow is much afraid of his teacher and has to stay till his arrival. In this extract the author brings out the character of Crocker Harris through Taplow in a direct contrast to Frank.
A critical summary:
The Browning Version is the play that cemented Terence Rattigan’s reputation as a serious, mature playwright. It is viewed as one of his best works, and one of the best one-acts ever written. (The actual play,The Browning Version, opens in the sitting room of the home of Mr.Andrew Crocker-Harris and Mrs Millie Crocker-Harris. A young student, John Taplow, knocks at the front door, and then lets himself inside. He steals a chocolate from an open box, and then uses his walking stick to practice his golf swing. )
Frank Hunter, a young schoolmaster, watches Taplow’s moves unseen. Finally, he interrupts and gives Taplow pointers on his swing. They converse for a few moments. Taplow has come for his tutoring session with Mr. Andrew Crocker-Harris, although it is the last day of school. The young man is worried, however, that Andrew will not give him his ‘‘remove.’’ He plans to study science, which is Hunter’s subject.
Taplow does a wicked impersonation of Andrew, which he almost immediately regrets. However, Frank asks him to do it again, and then suggests that since Crocker-Harris is rather late, Taplow should go play golf. Taplow is appalled at the suggestion. Despite his problems with Andrew, Taplow does like him and fears him enough to stay. Taplow relates an incident and again mimics Andrew for Frank’s benefit. This time, Millie Crocker- Harris appears at the door, and she listens for a moment before coming inside. Taplow is afraid that Millie has overheard his imitation. Millie informs Taplow that her husband will be tied up at the Bursar’s for a while and that he could go, but he decides to wait. Millie sends him on an errand.
Short Answer Questions:
1. Why does Taplow says Mr. Crocker Harris cannot be a sadist?
Answer: A sadist is a person who gets pleasure out of giving pain. Taplow says that Mr. Cracker Harris cannot be even a sadist because that would mean that he has some feelings but he has not at all. He is all shriveled up inside like a nut.
2. What did Mr. Crocker Harris do after Taplow laughed out at the joke that Mr. Crocker Harris made to the class?
Answer: Mr. Crocker Harris told Taplow that he was pleased at the advance that Taplow’s Latin had made because it was only Taplow who understood what the rest of the class could not. Therefore, Mr. Crocker Harris told Taplow to explain the joke to the whole class so that they could share the pleasure with him.
3. What does Millie Crocker Harris ask Taplow to do?
Answer: Millie Crocker Harris asked Taplow to take a prescription to the chemist and get the medicine made up.
4. Why was Taplow horrified to find Mrs. Crocker Harris standing by the door screen and watching Taplow and Frank?
Answer: Taplow had all the way been talking to Frank about Mr. Crocker Harris. Therefore he was horrified to find Mr. Crocker Harris’s wife standing by the door screen and watching the two as he feared that she might had overheard what he have been saying.
5. Mention two character traits of Taplow
Answer:
a. Taplow is humorous. He has keen power of observation.
b. He is critical about Mr. Crocker Harris for whom he has got a soft corner also in spite of his crankiness.
Long Answer Questions:
1. Make a character sketch of Mr. Crocker Harris.
Answer: The small excerpt ‘The Browning Version’ revolves around the character of the school teacher Crocker Harris although we do not meet him in the play directly. Whatever we get to know about him is his impression in the mind of his student Taplow as described by Taplow to Mr. Frank who is another teacher from the school where Taplow studies.
As it is described by Taplow, Mr. Crocker Harris is an unusual teacher. He is pictured as a heartless teacher without any feelings and emotions. He is set apart from the other teachers because like the other teachers he never lets the results of examinations known to the students even a day before the formal announcement of the results. He abides by the rules perfectly. He is such a person that he does not hesitate to call a student for extra duty as punishment even on the last day of his tenure in a school as it is the case with Taplow that day. He has no compassion and he never takes pain to pass a student by giving his extra marks out of compassion. For such harshness on his part, he has been nicknamed the ‘Crock’ by the students.
Taplow opines that Mr. Crocker Harris is not even a sadist. Sadist is a person who obtains pleasure from inflicting pain on others. It is so because had Crocker Harris been a sadist, it would mean that he has a heart and emotion. But Crocker Harris has no emotion at all. Taplow
says that in spite of all these, he has got a soft corner for Crocker Harris and Crocker Harris knows that and does not like it. That is why he has taken pain that Taplow actually hate him. As a whole, Taplow’s description of Crocker Harris is very humourous.
2. Discuss the humorous elements in ‘The Browning Version’
Hints:
-The play is replete with humourous description of a teacher by student
-Crocker Harris is pictured as an unusual teacher and an unusual human being
-He is a person who loves to be hated and makes attempts for that.
-He feels that Taplow likes him and so he tries to make him hate him.
-He is not even a sadist because that would mean that he has got feelings but he has got no feelings
-Only Taplow, out of compassion, laughs out at the joke Mr. Harris cracks in the class in the Latin language to which none responds. As a punishment Taplow is made to make the class understand the joke.
-Taplow’s frightened reaction when he finds Crocker Harris’s wife looking at them thinking she might have overheard them.
Value based Question:
Do you feel it is proper for students to present their teacher the way Taplow does? What is your opinion the relation between teacher and student should be like?
Questions for Practice
Long Questions
1. What kind of teacher student relationship does the lesson portray?
2. What is the universal aspect of the characters portrayed in the Browning Version?
Short Questions:
1. What is your opinion about Frank that you form from his conversation with Taplow?
2. Do you really feel Mr. Crocker Harris is absolutely like the way he has been presented by Taplow or Taplow is exaggerating?
3. Contrast Mrs. Crocker Harris with Mr. Crocker Harris.
4. What is Taplow’s attitude towards Mr. Crocker Harris?
5. Are there any differences in the school system of Taplow’s school with yours? If yes, what are they?
6. Why did Taplow go to school on the last day?
7. Why did crocker Harris not disclose Taplow’s result?
8. What do you learn about Mr. Frank as a teacher from this lesson?
9. Why did Taplow laugh at Crocker Harris’s joke?
10. Crocker Harris was a man of principles. Discuss?
10. Crocker Harris was a man of principles. Discuss?
11. Who is Millie? Why does she send Taplow to the chemist?
12.Why did Taplow keep on waiting, even after knowing that Crocker Harris was ten minutes late?
LONG ANSWER TYPE QUESTIONS :
1.Compare and contrast Mr. Crocker Harris and Mr. Frank as a teacher and as a person?
2. What opinion do you form about Taplow as a student from the play ‘The Browning Version’?
3. Frank was encouraging Taplow to mimic his teacher Crocker Harris. Support your answer with suitable instances from the play?
HORNBILL (POETRY)
A Photograph by Shirley Toulson
The poet discribes the photograph that captures interesting moments of her mother’s childhood when she went for a sea holiday with her two cousins. Poet draws a contrast between the sea in which the girls are standing and their transient feet to suggest shortness of human life and slow changing sea. Poet also recollects how her mother would have laughed at the photograph and felt disappointed at the loss of her childhood joys. Now poet’s mother has been dead for twelve years. In this situation she feels very sad and lonely. This loss has left her speechless. But she has learned to reconcile with this loss with great difficulty.
What does the word ‘Cardboard’ denote in the poem ‘A Photograph’?
2. What does the picture taken by the Uncle Show?
3. What does the phrase “transient feet” suggest?
4. What are the feelings of the poetess when she sees her mother’s photograph?
The Voice of the Rain
By Walt Whitman
The poet gives imaginative description of the answer given by a soft falling shower. When poet asks it “Who are You”? It says that it is the poem of the earth and it is everlasting. The poet compares the rain to a song. Just as a song rises from the heart of a poet and gives pleasure and joy to the poet similarly Rain originates from the earth and the bottomless sea, takes a vague shape of clouds and comes down to make its birthplace (earth) clean, pure and beautiful.
The speaker enquired from the soft falling shower as to who or what it really is? Though it may appear to be very strange to express it in words, yet the soft rain seemed to give the speaker an answer which can be translated as follows: that it is the poem of the earth that rises eternally from an impalpable; (not palpable; incapable of being perceived by the sense of touch; intangible: difficult for the mind to grasp readily or easily:(of powder) so fine that when rubbed between the fingers no grit is felt; something that cannot be touched;) portion of the land and the bottomless sea. Upward to heaven, to the immeasurable heights of the sky, from whence it vaguely forms, altogether change and yet the same. It descends to lave; (of a river, sea, etc.) to flow along, against, or past; wash: Obsolete. To ladle; pour or dip with a ladle: wash or bathe; the droughts; a period of dry weather, esp. a long one that is injurious to crops: an extended shortage;) atomies; tiny particles; and the dust layers of the globe. All that is in the world without the rain were only seeds that are latent; hidden; and unborn. Eternally, day and night, and round the clock, it gives back life to its own origin, to make the earth pure and beautify it. (For song, issuing from its birth place, after fulfillment, wandering reck’d or unreck’d, duly with love returns); to have care, concern, or regard (often fol. by of, with, or a clause): to take heed: Archaic . To be of concern or importance; matter.
1.Why does rain call itself ‘the poem of Earth’?
2. Why does the rain descend ‘on the Earth’?
3. How does rain give back life to its origin?
4. Why is the rain described as eternal?
Childhood By - Markus Natten
Childhood By - Markus Natten
In this small and beautiful poem the poet recalls his childhood and wonders where it has gone. He narrates various stages where he lost his childhood.
The poet is in a fix as he is unable to understand about his childhood. He is trying to reason out its timings. He wondered whether it was at the age of eleven, when he started reaching logical conclusions based on his reasoning power.
The second possibility is when he reached his adulthood where people do not act what they preach.
The third possibility seemed to be when he could produce his own thoughts and practise independently.
In the final stanza the poet is trying to locate the place where his childhood has disappeared.
He realises that the adolescence follows childhood in the same way as childhood had replaced infancy. Thus he concludes that his childhood went to some forgotten place that was hidden in an infants face.
CRITICAL SUMMARY
The speaker pondered deeply upon the spiritual questions of life and ultimately realized the fact that his childhood days were finally gone down into the past of eternity for good and would never return. Childhood would now only remain in his memories. He wandered if the end of childhood was the day he ceased to be eleven years old. The time when he realized that Heaven and earth could not be found in Geography and never could be. Where did his childhood go? Was it the time he realized that adults were not all they seemed to be? They talked of love and they preached of love, but did not act so lovingly nor practiced what they preached. Was that the day. Where did his childhood go? Was it when he found out that his mind was really his? To use it whichever way he chose? To produce thoughts that were not those of other people but his and his alone. Was that the day? Where did his childhood go? It went to some forgotten place that is hidden in a baby’s face. That was all that he knew and that was all that he remembered. The poet feels that heaven and hell are not real places because they could not be located in geography. In the poem 'Childhood', the poet is trying to realise the age when he lost his childhood, when he became mature enough to understand the worldly things. So he keeps saying, "when did my childhood go?" He finally realises that his childhood is gone to "some forgotten place", "that is hidden in an infant's face." Wordsworth in his poem, My Heart Leaps Up, said, "Child is the father of the man". Markus Natten in his poem 'Childhood' has tried to explain this thought. It is child who is noble and pure in her/his thoughts and heart. A child appreciates nature's beauty and the innocence in the world. A child is the one who teaches a mature human to selflessly appreciate simple love and natural wonders.
What are the poet’s feeling at the loss of his childhood?
2. What does the poet observe about the behaviour of adults?
3. What does the poet feel about his own mind in the poem “Childhood”?
4. What changes are involved in the process of growing from childhood to adulthood?
Father to Son by Elizabeth Jennings
The poem describes a father’s agony over a sense of estrangement from his son. They have lived in the same house for years. Yet they behave as strangers.
The father gave his son all love and care when he was a little child. He wanted him to grow up into a man of his choice. He had his own likes and dislikes. However there was hardly any communication or conversation between them which made the father not to understand why in his grief he becomes angry with his son. As both of them intensely love each other, they are always in search of some excuse to forgive themselves. Thus its a clash between two generations and their ego, though both of them have love and feeling for each other.
CRITICAL SUMMARY
1. What kind of relationship exists between father and his son?
2. How is the father’s helplessness brought out in the poem?
3. Explain the phrase ‘silence surrounds us’?
4. How is father trying to build a bridge between his son and himself?
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