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The Last Lesson

Answer the following questions in 120-150 words:
1. Though tempted by the bright day, Franz stated that he had "the strength to resist, and
hurried off to school." As the story progresses, the reader realizes that Franz, M.
Hamel and the villagers would perhaps need "the strength to resist" much larger forces.
Or discuss how the story provides strategies for resistance and protection of one's identity and
community through its events and characters.
Provide relevant textual details to support your argument.
Ans. The story 'The Last Lesson' provides many strategies for resistance from various points in the
story. The first is selective ignorance. Franz ignores the bulletin board since he knows that it is a
source of bad news. The villagers and Franz would need to ignore some things selectively when the
Germans oppress them. M. Hamel is kind to Franz even though he is late for class. Kindness is the
next strategy of resistance. The villagers will have to be kind to each other when the tough times start,
especially when there will be food shortages. The third strategy for resistance would be language
learning. The villagers need to keep the French language alive through underground classes, or even
writing and communicating amongst themselves in French. The final strategy for resistance would be
courage because the villagers would need a lot of courage to face what would be coming into their
lives.
2. What was the difference between M. Hamel as a teacher before and after the Berlin order?
Ans. Before the Berlin order, M. Hamel was a strict teacher who used his 'terrible' iron ruler and
scolded children who did not revise their lessons or were late. Children were scared of his ruler. He
sometimes sent students like Franz to do errands, such as to water his plants. He nor also took it easy
when it suited him, sometimes the day off to the students if he wanted to take off himself. After the
Berlin order, M. Hamel changed. He did not use the iron ruler. He became a kind and considerate
teacher. He did not scold Franz when he was late for the class and didn't answer the question on
French participles. Instead, he took a philosophical view of his failure. He was also emotional since
the Berlin order ended his career as a teacher in that school after forty years.
3. What impact did the Franco-Prussian War have on the school in the village of Alsace,
France? Substantiate with reference to the text.
Ans. The Franco-Prussian war had a deep impact on the school in Alsace, France. An order went from
the seat of the Prussian government in Berlin that the medium of instruction would henceforth be in
German. Hence, a teacher was sent to that village to teach German. This order affected not just M.
Hamel who had been teaching there for forty years, but also the students and villagers who loved their
teacher. This order also significantly affected the linguistic identity of the villagers, who were French.
Students who all along were learning the French language were now forced to switch to German.
4. What is M. Hamel's contribution to the French language?
Ans. M. Hamel contributed a lot to the French language. In terms of years, he contributed forty years
of his life to teaching French in a village. In his career as a village school teacher, he taught students
not just the mechanics of the language but also to take pride in their own language. He believed that
the French language was not only the most beautiful, but also the clearest and the most logical
language. He had a strong sense of patriotic pride which was intrinsically connected to mom the

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language. In passing on his beliefs to the students, he also contributed to strengthening boo their
French identity.
5. Describe the atmosphere and mood in M. Hamel's last class.
Ans. M. Hamel’s last class was a memorable one because of its mood of sadness and regret. The
school started out somber, far more silent than usual. Everyone was very quiet and attentive. M.
Hamel did not scold Franz as he normally would for being late. When he made the announcement that
it was to be his last class, it shocked some students. The students continued to pay close attention in
the class which kept the noise level down. Sometimes only the scratching of nibs was heard.
M. Hamel spoke passionately about the French language, which added to the melancholic atmosphere.
The village elders also joined the class regretful that they too did not learn as much as they should
have. At the end of the class, he was pale and wanted to speak. But his emotions got in the way, so he
wrote ‘Vive La France!’ on the blackboard and dismissed his class with a gesture of his hand.

6. The relationship between the teacher M. Hamel and Franz had two different faces.
Substantiate with reference to the text.
Ans. M. Hamel was a teacher who cared deeply for Franz in his own way. M. Hamel taught Franz
grammar, writing and history of saints M. Hamel disciplined his students with an iron ruler. Franz
sometimes disappeared from class to avoid his lessons and play outside. But on M Hamel's last day,
the relationship changed. He was more kind and more understanding that day. He did not scold Franz
for being late or answering incorrectly. He explained his lessons with utmost care. Franz on his part
took M. Hamel's studies more seriously since it was going to be stopped soon. He now regretted not
turning up for class more often and learning more.
7. What does it mean when M. Hamel says: We've all a great deal to reproach ourselves with'?
Ans. M. Hamel was talking about the people of the village when he said 'we' in this sentence. He
included himself in the group. He believed that because the adults in the village did not take the
education of children like Franz seriously before, they had to pay the price for it now. He mentioned
that Franz alone was not responsible for not knowing the rules of French participles, but also his
parents who wanted him to work in the fields rather than go to class. He blamed himself as well for
sending Franz to water his flowers or declaring a holiday when it was convenient for him.

8. There was a great deal of sadness in class on M. Hamel's last day. It makes the reader wonder
what the next day would have been like. Write a diary entry as Franz giving details of the next
day in class with the German teacher.
Ans. 22nd March, 18XX 9:00 p.m.
Dear Diary,
A few of us were worried about the new German teacher. Some of the students did not want to attend
school at all. But our parents did not want trouble, so they asked us to attend. I was worried that I
didn't know German. The next day school started on time. I was late to the class again. But this time,
the class was so busy that I slipped in just like I used to. The new teacher was having trouble
controlling the class. He kept saying something, but the students ignored him. There were no village
elders in class this time. Suddenly, he banged the desk so hard that the students were shocked into
silence. He wrote his name on the board. Someone threw a paper plane at him. He took the paper
plane and crumpled it up. He started talking in German. None of us could understand him.

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Yours truly,
Franz
9. The chapters 'Last Lesson' and 'Indigo' both deal with the oppression one nation has to
undergo after being conquered by another. Write a short essay analyzing the effect such an
incident has on the native language of the conquered nation.
Ans. Usually, when one country is conquered by another, there is a change in the language. For
example, when India was conquered by the British, Indians had to learn English to work under and
communicate with the British. The British conquered and ruled over many countries in Asia and now
all of them speak English. In India, Goa was ruled by Portugal and so Portuguese was used for a long
time there. There is a strong French language presence in Puducherry in Tamil Nadu and Chandan
nagar in West Bengal because they were under the control of the French at one time. When SouthAmerica
was conquered by Spain, the SouthAmerican local languages were substituted bySpanish.

10. At the end of his last lesson, M. Hamel decides to leave a little note for each of his students
for them to find the next day at their desks. Based on your reading of the story, what might his
note to Franz read? You may begin like this:
Dear Franz,
I know you have always preferred to run in the open fields...
Ans. Dear Franz,
I know you have always preferred to run in the open fields rather than come to class and study your
lessons. I cannot blame you for that. What good is life if we cannot spend our time exploring the
natural beauty around us? I am no stranger to such feelings. You must remember how I would give
you all a day off son just because I wanted to go fishing! We are all no match for life's temptations,
and that is all right. But, I hope you remember yesterday's lesson and keep it close to your heart. I
hope I was finally able to make you realize that learning is not so hard as we make it seem. It is only a
matter of being curious and steadfast, and I know that you have more than enough of both qualities. I
know you will do well in life. I am sure you will make your parents and our country proud. With
Love,
M. Hamel

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The Lost Spring

Answer the following questions in 120-150 words:
1. Certain traditions and lineage, condemn thousands of children to a life of abject poverty and
choke their aspirations. Do you agree? Explain. How can we change this? Suggest some ways to
tackle this issue.
Ans. India has some wonderful traditions such as being respectful to elders, looking after one's one
parents and living in a close-knit family. But there are other traditions that need to be changed since
they are degrading to human beings. One of them is the idea of following a family business
irrespective of whether the child likes it or not. Not all children are alike. A trader's child need not be
a trader against need not be a his/her will. A bangle seller's child need not become a bangle seller. We
have to change this endless cycle of forced slavery. There are two major weapons which will help.
One is or education. Children should be educated in order to break the cycle. The second is health.
Children have to be given access to good food, regular exercise and health checkups. This help will
have to come from either the government or altruistic individuals. Only then can this issue be tackled.
2. 'Food is more important for survival than w bran identity.' Examine 'Lost Spring' by Anees
Jung in light of this statement.
Ans. The rag pickers of Seemapuri came from Dhaka in Bangladesh. They travelled a long distance to
get to the outskirts of Delhi. This migration was not voluntary. Their homes and fields were washed
away by harsh storms. So, they had to move to a place where they could at least be able to eat. When
the moved from their country, Bob they lost a part of their identity. When they we arrived here, they
had to live near garbage No to dumps in Seemapuri in temporary shelters made of tin and tarpaulin,
without proper running water, sewage or drainage facilities. For thirty years, they stayed here without
proper identity. Because of their Indian ration card, they could get some provisions. Even appalling
conditions were preferable to starvation. This is why one of the women from Seemapuri said that food
was more important and then an identity.
3. Is the title of the story 'Lost Spring' apt? By Justify or suggest an alternate title and explain
why it is better.
Ans. The title ‘The Lost Spring’ is an apt title because it conveys the point that the author explains in
the chapter. The title is an analogy. Childhood is the spring of a person’s life. During spring, the
weather is supposed to be cool, comfortable and beautiful. Spring is not hot like summer or cold like
winter. Similarly, the childhood part of a person’s life is supposed to be comfortable. However,
Saheb’s and Mukesh’s childhood is difficult as described in the chapter. They have, in fact, lost their
childhood in the race for survival. Hence, the author uses the phrase ‘lost spring’ to accurately portray
the essence of the chapter.
4. You work for an NGO which is involved in the field of waste disposal and looks to improve
signed the lives of the many rag pickers who make their living sorting through garbage. Prepare
a presentation draft that can be used to share practical ideas with the general to improve the
line of rag pickers.
Ans. The four R's of recycling can be used as a model to guide the programme to help families like
Saheb's. It should start at home with garbage being divided into recyclable and unrecyclable
categories.

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(1) Reduce: This means garbage should be created less in the first place. This trap responsibility lies
with each citizen. For example: using cloth bags instead of plastic bags.
(2) Reuse: This means to reuse items more than once. For example, reusing bottles at home to store
spices.
(3) Recycle: This means turning a product into raw material that can be used again. Recyclable
garbage should be sent to recycling plants. For example, recycled paper is used in the publishing
industry.
(4) Repurpose: This means adapting a product for a different use. Non-recyclable garbage should be
repurposed as much as possible. For instance, used plastic bottles filled with sand are repurposed as
bricks for low-cost houses. Rubber tyres are repurposed to make rubber chappals.
5. What possible health hazards affect ragpickers like Saheb?
Ans. Ragpickers are at a risk of several health hazards because of the conditions they work in. Since
food waste is not segregated from other wastes, there is a chance of infection from rotting food.
Ragpickers also don’t have access to clean water for washing or for drinking. So, they can easily catch
dysentery and diarrhea from eating out of the rubbish bins. Since, electronic waste is also not
segregated here, electrical devices with removable and non- removable batteries (car batteries, phone
batteries) are tossed in the garbage heap. This means dangerous heavy metals like lithium, a
component of batteries today, can leach into the garbage and thus, into the soil. Ragpickers, who
come into contact with battery waste, can even be poisoned. Added to that is the risk of respiratory
diseases from inhaling smoke of burning garbage.
6. What health hazards affect the bangle sellers of Firozabad?
Ans. Bangle making is one of the most hazardous industries to work in. There are quite a few health
hazards associated with it. First of all, god workers work in badly lit conditions under the from oil
lamps. They spend long hours working in near darkness, thereby losing their eyesight as the years go
by. Second, the processes of the industry such as glass ad blowing and welding involve being exposed
to most high temperatures. This leads to heat stress, where the body is under stress from heat. Third,
since bangle making does not bring enough money, nutrition is a problem as well. People who work
in the bangle industry do not bro have access to proper food. Finally, children are employed in this
industry, which means all the problems they face have an impact on the next generation.
7. Describe the life of women in the bangle making industry.
Ans. As seen in the case of Savita, girl children in the bangle industry are inducted quite early. They
become experts in bangle making, mechanically working like a machine. They might not even know
the significance of the bangles they make. The conditions of work are horrifying as workers sit in
gloomy and cells facing high temperatures from no the furnaces. They shape molten, coloured glass
into brittle, coloured glass bangles. Both men and women face the same torrid work conditions. Over
time, they lose their eyesight as seen in the case of the old woman who sits next to Savita. One added
disadvantage for women is that they have the added responsibility of taking care of the house and
hearth.

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8. Imagine you are Tishani Doshi, the author of Journey to the end of the Earth'. You come
across Anees Jung's account of rag-pickers in Seemapuri who were forced to leave their native
lend due to climate changes. Write an account describing them as 'climate refugees.
Ans. Climate refugees are people who are forced to flee from their country/city because of drastic
changes in the weather or natural environment which affects their livelihood. This could be flooding,
drought, desertification, rise sea levels or unseasonal weather patterns. Another term for them is
environmental migrants'. 'Refugee' carries the sense of being persecuted. But climate refugees are not
fleeing because they are being persecuted in a legal sense. They move from one place to another to
survive. Climate refugees can migrate within the same country or to another country. Saheb and his
family left Dhaka. Bangladesh because their fields and homes were washed away by many storms and
migrated to Seemapuri, India. Hence, they can be considered climate refugees.
9. What would it take for Mukesh to achieve his dream?
Ans. Mukesh will first and foremost have to cling onto his dream as he grows up. Circumstances may
work against him. He needs to be tenacious and tide over present day reality in order to pursue his
dream. He may even have to work as a bangle maker for a while in order to pay the fees for his course
in Automobile Mechanical Training. Alternatively, he can apprentice himself to a mechanic to learn
on the job. He will also have to convince his parents and grandparents to support him. This will be the
toughest part. It will take many years probably before his dream can be realized but if he is
determined, he will make it.
10. Mukesh finds himself caught between two distinct worlds. How do they affect his life and
that of the other bangle makers?
Ans. Mukesh is caught between two distinct worlds. One is the crippling society of Firozabad where
bangle makers live a life less than human, oppressed by both traders and government air authorities.
On the other hand, he is also part of the larger world which has moved on and Dual a developed. He
wants to become a motor- mechanic when he grows up so that he does not have to continue with the
drudgery of the bangle making business. But it seems like a distant dream because the social evils
present in the bangle making industry will not let him escape easily. The same dilemma is present in
the other bangle makers as well because they are trapped in a vicious cycle that will not let them
escape their 'god-given lineage'. It kills their dreams and spirit, breaking them until they have no
resolve left to fight their so-called destiny.

11. How does the story, 'Lost Spring' highlight the apathy of society and those in power to end
the vicious cycle of poverty? Support your answer with textual evidence.
Ans. 'Lost Spring' refers to the loss of childhood and innocence of children who are from families
below the poverty line. We come across various examples of apathy by people in mainstream society
and those in power towards such children. For example, children like Saheb are eager to go to school,
but it seems like a far dream in reality. They are excluded from society and rendered invisible in the
eyes of people who have the resources and power to provide them with a better life. On the other
hand, Mukesh and his family live under the constant oppression of middlemen, politicians, the police
and moneylenders who are only bent on exploiting them to the fullest. These show a classic case of
the people in power preying on those who are weak and at their mercy.

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Deep Water
Answer the following questions in 120-150 words:
1. Imagine that the bully who threw Douglas's into the pool, reads this chapter and realises his
mistake. As the bully, write a diary entry penning or down your response to Douglas's
perseverance and your own feelings of guilt moil and regret.
Ans. From,
Mr. John Smith
234, Oak Avenue,
Yakima, Washington
23 September 2021
To
Mr. William Douglas,
121, Acorn Street,
Yakima, Washington
Subject: I am sorry.
Dear William,
My name is John. I write to apologise for my mistake committed many years ago. Recently, I read
about the challenges that you overcame in the story 'Deep Water'. I am that eighteen-year-old boy
who threw you into the deep end of the pool. I write this with the deepest regret as I had no idea about
what you suffered because of me. It was not my intention to hurt you or anyone. I am aware it sounds
very callous. But I truly was an idiot and what I did is not excusable. Your efforts to get rid of your
fear are truly commendable. You are an inspiration for many, believe it or not, including me. Please
find it in your heart to forgive me.
With sincere apologies,
John Smith
2. What can determination and perseverance accomplish? Explain with reference to William
Douglas’s Story.
Ans. William Douglas air exhibited a lot of determination and perseverance in his fight to abolish the
terror he felt while swimming. It was the result of an unfortunate skirmish with drowning in a
Y.M.C.A swimming pool when he was nine or ten years old. For a while, Douglas avoided going to
the pool because he was too scared and upset. Years later, he noticed that low the fear was still
around. It was preventing nob him from swimming, fishing or canoeing. Then he took the help of an
instructor to help him. He practiced daily for months to eliminate the fear that was dominating his life.
Then he went to swim in Lake Wentworth, New Hampshire, dived off the rock in Triggs Island, swam
two miles to Stamp Act Island. Even then some remnants of fear remained with him. It did not deter
him. He swam to and fro Warm Lake, which was pretty large in size. Finally, the terror was gone.

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3. Imagine you are Douglas's mother. Write a letter of complaint to the Manager of the
Y.M.C.A regarding your son's incident at the swimming pool. Write your answer in about 120-
150 words.
Ans. From,
Mrs. Julia Douglas,
121, Acorn Street,
Yakima, Washington
22 September 2021
To,
Mr. Jack Doe
The Manager,
Y.M.C.A. Yakima
5, Park Avenue,
Yakima, Washington
Subject: Complaint regarding the swimming pool incident
Mr. Doe,
I am writing to you to complain about the treatment that my son received recently at the premises of
your institution, the Y.M.C.A. Last Tuesday, my son was alone near the pool when an eighteen-year-
old boy threw him DH into the deep end of the pool. This was totally uncalled for. While in the water,
my son says he couldn't breathe and kept moving his arms. His legs were too heavy to move. He
passed out. He was rescued after a long time. This was an extremely close call. My son could have
died that day. I am appalled that this was allowed to happen at your institution. I request you to take
note of my complaint and address it at the earliest.
Julia Douglas

4. Like William Douglas, have you been gripped by fear and then been released from it?
Narrate your story.
Ans. Yes, I had a debilitating fear of darkness. Till I was six years old, I was so afraid of the dark and
what it contained that I refused to walk into a dark room until someone switched on the lights for me.
At that time, I used to live with my parents in an old house. The house had many dark corners. One
day, my mother asked me to get a book from the corner room. I reluctantly agreed. When I went there,
I first imagined the room thick with monsters. But I went in anyway. Nothing happened. With each
step, I grew more confident. By the time I reached the end of the room to switch on the lights, I had
overcome my fear. I realised there was nothing to be afraid of. I took the book and left.

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5. Imagine you are Anees Jung, the author of 'Lost Spring'. You decide to narrate Doughlas's
story to the street children you meet to make them realise that where there is a will, there is a
way.
Ans. William Douglas was a shy boy. He wanted to learn to swim. He listened to his mother's
warning and didn't try learning to swim in the Yakima River. He chose the local Y.M.C.A. pool
because it was safe. He was also a timid boy because he felt uncomfortable showing his skinny legs
and did not use the pool by himself. When confronted with a problem, Douglas always had a plan. In
spite of being dropped suddenly into the water, he didn't panic. He formulated a plan and followed it.
He was a fighter for trying again and again to reach the surface of the water. He knew when to seek
help. When he was affected by the fear of water, he found an instructor. He was a hardworking,
dedicated and determined and followed the instructor's advice to the tee. He was also an example of
perseverance because he did all that was required to get rid of the terror completely.

6. How did Douglas's experience at the swimming pool in Y.M.C.A affect him? How did he get
over this effect?
Ans. Douglas was thrown into the swimming pool by a young boy. He was rescued in time. There
were short and long-term effects that he felt as a result. Immediately out of the water, he vomited and
felt weak and emotional. That night he couldn't eat as he was still shocked. For the next few days, he
was haunted by the terror of drowning. Even the least effort made him exhausted. The physical effects
resolved themselves in a few days, but the psychological ones lingered on. Years later, he couldn't go
fishing, swimming or because his old fear surfaced.
To get over the psychological effect, he got an instructor who taught him how to swim in a systematic
manner. Even then, the terror didn't disappear completely. So, Douglas faced his fear again and again
till he swam across a large lake. This is how he overcame his terror.

7. Ralph Waldo Emerson said, 'He who is slug not every day conquering some fear has not
learned the secret of life.' Has William Douglas learned this secret? Substantiate with reference
to text.
Ans. According to Emerson, a person has to learn to conquer a fear and only then he/she has learnt the
secret of life. Let's look at Douglas's case. Back when he was nine or ten years old, a young boy
tossed him into a pool. This caused him to go underwater, where he couldn't breathe, and his legs
couldn't move. Someone pulled him out and he was led to a terror of water that continued for years.
He could not get into a natural water body like a river or lake without being haunted by this fear. But
he worked on this fear. He got help in the form of an instructor. He also challenged himself to swim in
more and more environments and overcame his fear. So yes, William Douglas has learnt the secret of
life because he worked hard and persevered to overcome his childhood trauma.
8. Write a diary entry as Douglas's instructor detailing the methods you used to train him
eradicate his fear of water.
Ans. 23rd September 20XX
9:00 p.m.
Dear Diary,
William Douglas hired me to be his instructor. He faced a childhood trauma of being thrown in the
deep end of the pool where he struggled to breathe and blacked out. This gave rise to a terror of water.
I decided to teach him swimming by dividing the actions into small parts and perfecting each part

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first. Then, later I put the parts together. I also devised the pulley system for him. He wore a belt
which was connected to a rope which in turn was connected to a pulley that went on head cable. This
ensured that Douglas felt safe, and I knew when to pull him out in case 11p something went wrong.
Douglas proved to be a good student. He practised long and hard. After six months, I gave him the net
go ahead.
Yours truly,
Xyz
9. Should children be taught how to swim early in their lives? Explain with reference to 'Deep
Water' by William Douglas.
Ans. Yes, children should be trained to swim quite early in their lives as this prepares them for life.
To begin with, children are natural swimmers. Babies as young as six months old can be taught to
swim with adult supervision. Younger children aged three to four can be easily trained as studies have
shown. William Douglas had his introduction to the water at this age. His experience was not
pleasant. But if experiences are pleasant then they have shown to build confidence in boys and girls.
So, had Douglas learnt swimming at age three or four, it is possible that he might have just swam out
of the deep end of the pool Swimming is a life skill and teaching this to kids as early as possible is a
good idea.
10. Why does Douglas as an adult recount a childhood experience of terror and his conquering
of it? What larger meaning does he draw from this experience?
Ans. Douglas narrates his childhood experience with water to showcase how ordinary it is to be
fearful of something. He had grown a fear of water due to an unfortunate experience as a child. But, it
was very difficult for him to shake the fear off even as an adult. Swimming and other water related
activities, which were supposed to be a means of relaxation, turned into anxiety-filled moments for
him. He narrates his experience of overcoming the fear of water to show how liberating this was for
him. He realizes that he only had to be afraid of his fears, and once he had overcome them. There was
no stopping him. I think he also wants to draw the attention of the readers to the debilitating nature of
his anxiety due to his traumatic memories associated with water.

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The Rattrap
Answer the following questions in 120-150 words:
1. Imagine that you overheard the following snippet from an interaction between the valet and
the housekeeper at the ironmaster's mansion at the end of the story. Write a Diary entry.
Ans. Speaker 1: Trust is a difficult choice, which may or may not be rewarded.
Speaker 2: Yes, indeed. Ms. Willmansson really believed in that fellow, didn't she? And he
didn't disappoint. She was so happy reading his letter, oh her tears of joy filled my heart with so
much admiration for her. Such a kind, wonderful young lady.
Speaker 1: Absolutely. But I wonder, what if that vagabond had run away with the silver
spoons? Would you speak so glowingly of Ms. Willmansson then? Our master's daughter was a
bit too gullible. Wouldn't you say?
Speaker 2: But she did what was right. That must count for something. It's Christmas, and she
helped that poor man. It didn't matter what he did. Surely the choice of right and wrong does
not depend on the outcome.
Speaker 1: Wouldn't it? I should jolly well ness think so. How would you respond to the
questions raised in this conversation in relation to the story?
Ans.
Dear Diary,
Today, I heard two voices discussing the young mistress’s actions. I think I know who they are but I
won’t be revealing them. So, the major point of discussion was that Edla had done wrong by being
kind to the peddler without any proof that he deserved it. I think I agree with Edla. One cannot look
for proof before bestowing kindness on someone. That would be calculation not kindness. It was
Christmas. She helped the peddler in the spirit of Christmas. Ideally, we should practise radical
kindness as the book by Angela Santomero says, "By being kind and charitable, we can change the
world much more than by being calculating". Of course, there will be detractors for any new idea like
this. So, I am not surprised that Edla’s father was not all on board with this idea. But in the end, he
was proven wrong. The peddler left the money he stole from the old crofter and even left Edla a gift
of a rattrap. So, kindness pays in the end.

2. Can people change through kindness and be compassion? Explain with reference to 'The
Rattrap' by Selma Lagerlöf .
Ans. At the beginning of the story, the peddler lived a very hard life. He begged for material to make
his rattraps which did not sell well. He could hardly make ends meet. So, he had to steal to survive.
When he asked people for help to spend the night, he was met with ‘sour faces’. He was so hardwired
to steal that even the crofter’s hospitality didn’t stop him from stealing. Then one day, he was
mistaken for a Captain by the ironmaster and taken to his home. Even though it started out as a case of
deception and mistaken identity, it ended well. He was given food, shelter and clothing, and most of
all, kindness and compassion. This time, the kindness and compassion had an immense effect on him.
He was a changed man leaving the ironmaster’s daughter a rattrap, one of the few things in the world
he owned with a note thanking her for her compassion and the money he had stolen from an old man.

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3. Elaborate the theme of loneliness on no that runs through The Rattrap' by Selma .
Ans. Almost all the characters in the story 'The Rattrap' suffered from loneliness. The first and most
significant of these was the protagonist, the peddler. He lived below the poverty line and made a
living selling rattraps. He did not have any friends or family either living with him or helping him.
The world treated him so badly that his central philosophy in life was W that the whole world was like
a rattrap. The next character who was lonely was the old crofter. He was so lonely that he was happy
SOs to allow random strangers into his home and hearth and discuss details of where he kept his
money. Finally, though the ironmaster and his daughter lived together, the daughter looked forward to
a third person in their home on Christmas Eve to make their home feel 'homelike and Christmassy.

4. Does a person's profession affect their slow worldview? Examine 'The Rattrap' by Selma
Lagerlöf in light of this question in about 120-150 words.
Ans. Yes, person's profession shapes a worldview. While there is no hard and fast rule, there is
definitely a link between the two. If a person works at one thing their entire life, then they start
viewing the world through that Brig lens. For example, a teacher might look at the world as a life
lesson to be learned or taught. A doctor might look at the world as something that needs to be healed.
An ironsmith might look at the world as something that is shaped by physical forces. Similarly, the
rattrap seller in 'The Rattrap' looked at the world as a giant rattrap. He extended his philosophy by
adding details that were sifted from his own experience. He interpreted the joys, shelter. Food, heat
and clothing as bait which trapped people in it.

5. Suppose you are Anees Jung, the author to of 'Lost Spring'. You come across Selma
Lagerlöf's story, 'The Rattrap' and could not shake the feeling off that the peddler was, in fact a
philosopher. Draft a brief essay on this subject based on your belief that a to philosopher is
someone who looks at the tom world from their own perspective.
Ans. Yes, the peddler was a philosopher. He was not an academic philosopher teaching at a university
or a rich man who had time and means to read about philosophy and formulate his own. He was
someone who observed what was going on around him and formulated his philosophy based on it. He
was someone who philosophised about life. Not everyone can come up with a theory about life like
the way he did. The old crofter for instance did not have a theory about his view of the world based on
his years working the land at Ramsjö Ironworks. Neither did the ironmaster, who had the education
and probably the time to spend on intellectual pursuits. The ironmaster's SOs daughter had kindness
and compassion but not a theory of life. Hence, the peddler in Selma Lagerlöf's story was a
philosopher.
6. Imagine you are Edla Willmansson. Describe the story from your point of view.
Ans. One night, Papa asked me to invite his friend, Captain Von Stahle to our house. I set off to fetch
him immediately. I saw that he was more afraid than embarrassed. Maybe he had gone to jail or stolen
something. I assured him that he was free to leave anytime, he agreed. By morning, we knew that
Papa had made a mistake. But we cannot let a poor soul go away on Christmas Eve! I pleaded with
Papa. He reluctantly agreed. The poor man slept all day and night waking up only for meals. I offered
him hospitality for the next Christmas Eve as well. Papa donated his clothes to him. He seemed
shocked. The next day Papa and I left early for Christmas service at the church. We learnt that a
rattrap seller had stolen money from the old crofter. Papa immediately thought that all our silver

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would be stolen. When we came home, nothing was stolen. The poor man had gone leaving behind
the money he had stolen, a note and a gift (a rattrap) for me.
7. Describe the qualities that set Edla Willmansson apart from other people in the story.
Ans. Edla Willmansson, the ironmaster’s daughter, had several good qualities. Her first quality was
her power of persuasion. The ironmaster knew that no one would be able to refuse an invitation if
Edla asked and so he send her to talk to the peddler. Her second quality is the power of observation.
She observed that the peddler was looking more scared than embarrassed when she invited him. Her
third quality is her intuition. She knew that the peddler was scared because he might have stolen
something or escaped from jail. Her fourth quality is kindness. She knew the peddler was a fraud but
still wanted him to stay for Christmas Eve. The final quality was that she did not judge people
quickly. When she heard that he was a thief, she was embarrassed and hung her head, but she did not
think the peddler was out to steal their silver ware.
8. A grey character is someone who displays both positive and negative qualities. They came
across as realistic and true to life. Analyze the character of the ironmater in ort on the light of
this statement.
Ans. The ironmaster had several admirable qualities and several not-so-admirable ones. His admirable
quality was that he was persistent. When faced with rejection in trying to invite the peddler, whom he
thought of as his old friend, he did not give up. He called for his daughter 'go to convince the peddler
to be their guest for Christmas Eve. The second admirable quality was that he wanted to help his
friend, Captain Von Stahle, immediately with food and shelter and later with his life, so that he did
not have to sell rattraps. The third admirable quality was that he gave the peddler food, clothing and a
place to sleep after his daughter pleaded his case,
His not-so-admirable qualities were that he was quick to get angry. When he discovered that the
peddler was not his friend, he got now angry and tried to throw the man out. His other not-so-
admirable quality was to wall immediately conclude that the peddler would rob them when he heard
that the peddler was a thief who had stolen from the old crofter.
9. Explain the symbolism of rats in the story 'The Rattrap'.
Ans. The rat emerges as a central symbol in the story ‘The Rattrap’. There are many rat references in
the story. At its basic level, there are rattraps which obviously are used to catch rats. The second level
of meaning is that poor people are often seen to be like rats in society. They are not welcomed in
people’s home much like rats. They barely have enough to eat like rats. They don’t have access to
water and haircuts, which makes them physically dirty much like rats. Poor people are also invisible
to other members of society like the blacksmith barely nods at the peddler when he asks for
permission to stay the night near the furnace. No one notices rats until they have to be removed.
Finally, the rat appears in the peddler’s philosophy. His idea is that people can be caught in a rattrap
lured by the good things of life such as food, clothing, warmth, riches, etc., like a rat is lured by
cheese and bread.
10. Franz from The Last Lesson and the peddler from The Rattrap demonstrate the importance
of learning from our mistakes evolve into better people. Imagine that Shubhangi, your friend,
feels as if she has made a mistake by not taking her academics seriously.
Write an essay to Shubhangi in 120-150 words discussing instances from the two texts to give
her an insight into the human tendency to make mistakes and learn from them.

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You may begin like this: Shubhangi, all of us have made mistakes at one point or another in our
lives. After all, to err is human...........
Ans. Shubhangi, all of us have made mistakes at one point or another in our lives. After all, to err is
human and it is only through our mistakes that we learn. I would suggest you to not be disheartened
by recent mistakes, but to take them in a positive light. You are young and you have a lot left to learn.
And how will you learn except by making mistakes? So the more mistakes you make, the more
encouraged you should feel because these mistakes will act as a ladder to your growth. You still have
time to learn whatever you want to learn. I know that you feel sad about not having taken academics
seriously. But it is never too late to start, and your acknowledgement is the first step in the right
direction.
11. How would you compare the peddler's actions in relation to the crofter and Edla? Would
you say kindness does not always beget kindness, and that the conditions for Esso receiving
kindness are important for it to truly transform people?
Elaborate. Provide relevant textual details to support the analysis.
Ans. The crofter and Edla are two people who show kindness towards the peddler in the story. The
rattrap seller is invited as a guest to spend the night in both the houses. While or he steals money from
the crofter's house, he ends up changing his petty ways and becomes an honest man after the care and
concern he is shown by Edla. It can be inferred from this context that kindness does not always beget
kindness. Sometimes, it may end up touching people in their hearts transforming them into better
people. We can surmise that the kindness shown by the crofter and Edla were perceived differently by
the peddler. He took the hospitality of the crofter for granted, because he was trusting and friendly
towards everyone. On the other hand, the ironmaster and Edla had invited him for Christmas Eve
mistaking him an old friend in the regiment. When Edla found out that he was nothing more than a
rattrap seller, she takes pity on Shim and asks him to stay for Christmas. This caught the peddler by
surprise, and he decided to transform into a better self.
12. The peddler betrayed the trust of the crofter and was caught in the trap of the world.
Similarly, Franz gives in to the temptations of the world around him and forgets to learn his
lessons. Temptation to bait should be restricted at all cost.
Draft a short speech on 'Strength of Character' based on your reading of the two stories.
Ans. Strength of Character
Our strength of character is defined by the resolve with which we stick to our ideals and principles.
We can take the help of two characters to better understand this concept. On the one hand, we have
Franz from the chapter 'The Last Lesson'. He realises that he has been wasting too much time and not
studying like he should. He realises the value of his lessons only on the last day of school with M.
Hamel. He realises then that he should have resisted all temptations and learnt his lessons like a good
student. On the other hand, we have the rattrap seller who ends up in a metaphorical rattrap due to
giving into his lust for money. He steals from the crofter and ends up regretting his deed. It is only
after they commit mistakes that both characters understand their folly. They then decide to transform
themselves and build the strength of their character.

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Indigo
Answer the following questions in 120-150 words:
1. Imagine Gandhi were to deliver a speech to students in present day India showing them the
path to becoming responsible world leaders. Based on your understanding of Gandhi's own
leadership skills, write a speech, as Gandhi, addressing the students about the qualities that
every leader and politician should nurture.
You may being like this
Dear students, you are all leaders of social change. I see many bright and enthusiastic faces that
assure me that our future is in good hands. I have learnt from my own
Ans. Dear students, you are all leaders of social change. I see many bright and enthusiastic faces that
assure me that our future is in good hands. I have learnt from my own experience that young people
offer the most innovative and creative solutions to social and cultural problems. Remember that a
leader is not one who leads, but also one who finds and solves the problems of the common person.
To become a leader, you need to stop talking. After listening, you need to keep your eyes to the
ground and do your research like my colleagues and I did at Champaran. Study the situation as much
as you can. Then be ready to take advantage of any setbacks that come your way. Remember that
setbacks are opportunities in disguise. In Champaran, the British did not expect unprecedented
crowds. I helped them. But then I refused the recess. If the crowds were not heard right then, there
would be mayhem. So, study the situation and make your decisions. I am sure you will make fine
leaders one day.
2. Why is Champaran considered as a turning point in Gandhi's life?
Ans. Champaran was the place where Gandhi himself said to Louis Fischer that he decided to ‘urge
the departure of the British’. It was one of the major events in the history for Indian Independence. It
started with a poor and gaunt peasant called Rajkumar Shukla, who was adamant enough to take
Gandhi to Champaran district in Bihar. There he discovered the unfair and exploitative policies of the
British which burdened the poor sharecroppers. Gandhi fought for the farmers, on behalf of them. The
British didn’t like Gandhi to be there, so they forced him to leave by sending him a legal notice. But
Gandhi refused. He was summoned to the court. This brought the people of Chamaparan and
Muzzafarpur out in droves to show their support for Gandhi by thronging the court. This made the
authorities nervous. First, they delayed the trial. Then they dropped it. Civil disobedience in
Champaran was the turning point as it paved the way for civil disobedience in the rest of India.
3. Elaborate on the success of civil disobedience at Motihari.
Ans. Civil disobedience is defined as 'the refusal to comply with certain laws considered unjust, as a
peaceful form of political protest. On Rajkumar Shukla's request, Gandhi got involved in allievating
the problems of the sharecroppers. When he called on the British Commissioner of the Tirhut
Division in this regard, he was bullied and asked to leave. When he went to meet a je mistreated
peasant in the nearby village, Gandhi was followed by the police superintendent who so served a
notice for him to leave immediately. Gandhi accepted the notice and, on its receipt, wrote that he
would disobey the order. As he was summoned to court the next day. But the people of Motihari
turned up in no large crowds. So large was the crowd that they could not be controlled without
Gandhi's help. This puzzled the authorities. At the trial, the magistrate asked Gandhi to furnish bail,
which Gandhi refused. He then had to be dismissed by the magistrate. The trial was postponed and
then the case was dropped. Civil disobedience was successful for the first time in India.

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4. Our professional and work life determines how we look at the world around us. Throw light
on this statement on the basis of reading of 'The Rattrap' and 'Indigo'.
Ans. In the chapters ‘Indigo’ and ‘The Rattrap’, we come across two people who held their own
individual perspectives towards the world- Mahatma Gandhi and the peddler. They held vastly
different professions-Gandhiji was a lawyer while the peddler sold rattraps. Their professions had a
lot of influence on their way of life and thinking. Gandhiji was devoted to fighting injustice and
ensuring that the law of the land protected the weaker sections of society. On the other hand, the
vagabond life that the peddler led convinced him that the whole world was a rattrap with its many
comforts and luxuries. It made him a recluse and he was skeptical of people in general.
5. When a person or thing has a catalytic effect, it means that they cause things to happen, or
they increase the speed at which things happen. In this episode from Gandhi's life, examine who
and what was the catalyst for bigger change.
Ans. The Champaran episode would not have been possible without Rajkumar Shukla, the qo
emaciated, stubborn peasant who brought Gandhi to Champaran to solve the problems of w both
sharecroppers. Even Gandhi was impressed with his streak of stubbornness when he followed him
from Lucknow to Cawnpore, (Kanpur) and them to Sevagram near Ahmedabad. When Gandhi asked
him to meet him in Calcutta, he travelled there as well. As a result, Gandhi was involved in the
resolution of the indigo sharecropper's problems. So, Shukla was the person, the catalyst in bringing
change to Champaran, and by extension to the whole of India. Since the Champaran incident of civil
disobedience was the turning point in the struggle for India's Independence, as Gandhi himself said,
this incident can be considered as the catalyst for the whole Indian Independence movement.
6. Imagine you are Rajkumar Shukla. Describe the incident from your point of view.
Ans. The peasants in Champaran were suffering. Someone told me that Gandhiji could help. So, I
went to Lucknow to meet him. I asked him to come to Champaran to help us. He went to Cawnpore,
Sevagram near Ahmedabad and then Calcutta. I followed him everywhere. We finally met and from
there went to Patna to the lawyer Rajendra Prasad’s house. He wasn’t there. The servants allowed us
to stay on the grounds, and they thought Gandhiji was a peasant too. Then, Gandhiji decided to go to
Muzaffarpur first to understand the problem. Gandhiji spoke to lawyers too but he said the solution
was freedom from fear. Gandhiji spoke to many of the magistrates but they made him go to the court.
Many people in Motihari came forward in large crowds to support Gandhiji. And soon, Gandhiji was
free. He spoke to more lawyers who were willing to go to jail with Gandhiji. But the case was
dropped. Then Gandhiji studied the problem, talked to the Bara Sahebs to get a part of our money
back. He was truly a Mahatma.
7. What according to Gandhi is self-reliance? How can one be self-reliant? Substantiate with
reference to Indigo by Louis Fischer.
Ans. Being self-reliant means not depending on others. Gandhi believed in self-reliance. In the
beginning of the Champaran action, British pacifist Charles Freer Andrews came to meet Gandhi
before going on a tour of the Fiji Islands. Gandhi's lawyer friends thought he could stay on and help.
But Gandhi said no. He was totally against the idea. According to him, having an Englishman on their
side would be a sign of weakness. The cause of Champaran was just so there was no need to make
Andrews, a 'prop' in the struggle for justice. Gandhi took this meaning of self-reliance to mean
economic, social and cultural independence from the British. This was Gandhi's lesson in self-
reliance. Later in the Independence movement, Gandhi would apply this to every aspect of the
Independence struggle.

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8. You read 'Indigo' in class and were impressed with Gandhiji's stead fast devotion to
principles. You feel this is a new perspective of looking at the world and decide to pen down
your thoughts in your diary Draft a diary entry expressing your learnings from the chapter.
Ans. 19th November,
8:00 p.m.
Dear Diary,
For Gandhi, the principle was very important. It was far more important than the thing itself. This is
evident from the remuneration that was arrived at for the peasants. The official enquiry that followed
the discussions Gandhi had with the Lieutenant-Governor collected a lot of evidence against the
landowners. When they saw this evidence, the landowners agreed in principle to return the money.
But the amount of money was undecided. They were under the impression that Gandhi would for a
full refund. But he didn't. He asked ask for a full re for 50% of the money extorted by the British. The
representatives offered 25% thinking that 19 Gandhi would not budge from his mark, but he accepted.
Later, he explained that the principle was more important than the amount itself. The British owners
had been pushed to part with some of their money and therefore, some of their prestige as well.
Yours truly.
XYZ

9. What was Gandhi more interested in solving political and economic problems or social and
cultural problems? Substantiate with reference to the text.
Ans. Gandhi was brought in by Rajkumar Shukla to help the peasants of Champaran. The problem
was an economic and political one. After the larger political and economic problem was solved, he
turned his attention to the social and cultural ones. He noticed how backward the district was and
wanted to do something about it. He asked two of his disciples Mahadev Desai and Narhari Parikh
and their wives to join in this effort. Other people came from all over the country. His wife Kasturba
and son, Devdas too joined him in opening primary schools in six villages and taught cleanliness and
sanitation to the villagers. Gandhi called a doctor, who treated patients with just three medicines—
castor oil, quinine and sulphur ointment. Gandhi even asked Kasturba to talk to the women about
wearing clean clothes. All this was done on his own initiative. Hence, it was clear that Gandhi was
more interested in solving social and cultural problems.
10. Answer ANY ONE of the following in about 70120-150 words. 1901
The prose selections, Deep Water and Indigo, bring out the importance of overcoming fear, in
order to be able to lead our lives no successfully.
Imagine yourself to be a motivational speaker who has to address high school students. Write
this address in 120-150 words elaborating on occurrences from the two texts to inspire your
audience and to convince them about the importance of overcoming fear.
You may begin like this...
Good morning, students!
We all know what it's like to be afraid. Fear is our body's natural response to a perceived threat
or danger. But when ...........

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Ans. Good Morning, students! We all know what its like to be afraid. Fear is our body's natural
response to a perceived threat or danger. But when once and for all. we decide to face it, it eradicates.
It disappears. In the story, 'Deep Water', William Douglas tells how terrified he was with water after a
dreadful incident of drowning. However, he trained himself under a veteran to get rid of his fear and
finally, he became a great diver and a swimmer.
In the similar way, the Indian sharecroppers were petrified of the British. So much so that they
couldn't even take stand for their rights. However, one day, after getting the support of The Gandhiji,
the peasants gathered in Motihari to protest against the British. That day marked the start of their
liberation from oppression and fear.
We all must learn from these two instances that the day we take a step towards facing our fear, we
eventually get over it. Hence, we should always try to fight our fears and stop it from preventing our
growth.
11. Let us assume it was Rajendra Prasad who informed Charles Freer Andrews of Gandhi's
decision and the reasons for other leaders' support of him. Thinking creatively of how Andrews
would have responded and pen down the discussion you think would have taken place between
Rajendra Prasad and Andrews.
Ans. Rajendra Prasad: Mr. Andrews, Gandhiji says that a Britisher should not be employed in
India’s fight for independence. We appreciate your offer to help, but it would be best if you do not
participate in our struggle.
C.F. Andrews: I am surprised that Mr. Gandhi would hold that opinion! Does he not trust me?
Rajendra Prasad: No, Mr. Andrews that is not the case. He trusts you completely. It is a matter of
principle for him.
C.F. Andrews: I see. Do enlighten me what is going through his mind, good sir.
Rajendra Prasad: Gandhiji believes that we should take the help of an Englishman in our quest to
free India. He feels that it would seem like a sign of weakness on our part.
C.F. Andrews: Won’t an addition to the freedom struggle add to its strength than make it weaker? I
think India needs every help it can possibly get to win this fight.
Rajendra Prasad: Good sir, if India cannot believe in its own strength, then we are never going to
win this fight. I think that is the point that Gandhiji wants to make.

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Poets and Pancakes

Answer the following questions in 120-150 words:
1. What were the positive qualities of Subbu that the writer admired?
Ans. The author found it hard to believe that a man like Subbu would be the source of all of the office
boy's problems. Kothamangalam Subbu was the second in command, the No. 2 at Gemini Studios
right after the Boss. This position could not have been easy for him to reach. When he started, there
were no firmly established production companies or studios. So, the author implies that Subbu came
up in life by sheer hard work. Second, Subbu had a cheerful appearance no matter what happened. It
did not disappear even when his films flopped. De Third, his sense of creative visualisation where all
he could imagine a scene in many different ways, was also something that the author admired. Finally,
Subbu had written an epic in Tamil called 'Thillana Mohanambal', which had well-etched characters
and depicted the mood bib on and manner of Devadasis of the early 20th century successfully. So, his
literary ambitions were also admired by the author.

2. What caused the lack of communication between the Englishman and the people at Gemini
Studios? Why is the Englishman's visit referred to as an unexplained mystery?
Ans. First, no one told the Gemini staff who this Englishman was. All they were told was that he was
a poet or editor. Someone said that the Boss also ran a popular Tamil weekly 'Ananda Vikatan' so he
had invited an editor. It was all very nebulous. Then, the introduction that the Boss read out did not
make this issue any clearer as he himself did not know much about the poet. And when the
Englishman spoke, no one could understand the content of his speech. The poet’s accent was a big
obstacle to understanding as well. For an hour, people listened to him and were none the wiser after
that. The author referred to the Englishman’s visit as ‘mysterious’ since he could not see any
connection between an English poet and a Tamil audience.
3. The make-up room at Gemini Studios was an example of cultural confluence-a place where
people from different cultures come together and interact. Evaluate the description of the make-
up room in light of this statement.
Ans. The make-up room at Gemini Studios was situated on the upper floors of the building that might
have once housed Robert Clive’s horses. It appeared like a hair-cutting salon with about six large
mirrors all around it. Illuminating those mirrors were incandescent lights situated at all angles. Those
lights also radiated heat. So, this means the actors were well-illuminated and heated. Together with
layers of pancake applied by the appropriate make-up man, it was an uncomfortable place to work in.
People who worked in the make-up department came from all over the country. A Bengali was the
first person but he moved out because he became very successful. To replace him came in succession,
a Maharashtrian assisted by a Darwar Kannadiga, an Andhra person, a Madras Indian Christian, an
Anglo- Burmese and, since this was in Madras, a few local Tamils as well. This made the make- up
department truly a symbol of national integration.
4. What was the problem with the legal adviser?
Ans. The lawyer was officially known as the legal adviser. There were several problems with him.
People called him the opposite of a lawyer as he created more problems than he solved. In an
instance, an unsophisticated and temperamental actress was having a shouting match when he
switched on the recorder and recorded it on the sly. Then he played it back making the actress so
embarrassed that she stopped acting altogether. Second, he did not fit into the Story Department to
which he belonged; both in appearance and in the nature of his work. In his appearance, while the

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others wore a kind of departmental uniform, a khadi dhoti and a loose khadi kurta, the lawyer wore
trousers and a tie, sometimes even a coat. In his work, he was the cold, practical man while the others
were dreamers and poets.
5. Compare and contrast the two visits by artists from foreign countries at Gemini Studios in
Madras.
Ans. There were two drastically opposite visits by foreign artists at Gemini Studios. The first visit to
Gemini Studios was by Frank Buchman's Moral Re-Armament army in 1952. The MRA was like an
international circus as they had plays and circus acts in their programme. The two plays they staged,
Jotham Valley' and 'The Forgotten Factor', were a huge success as the Gemini staff kept watching
them again and again. The message of the plays was not as impressive as the sets, which influenced
the sets of Tamil plays. For years afterwards, almost all Tamil plays had a sunrise and a sunset scene
just like in Jotham Valley. The second visit by a foreign artist was by the English poet and editor,
Stephen Spender. This visit was in complete contrast to the MRA. The editor came and spoke in
accented English, which made everything incomprehensible to the people at Gemini. His visit did not
make that much of an impact. The audience were more mystified than impressed by him.
6. You are budding writer who is piqued by Ashokamitran's nonchalant and humourously
deprecative view about prose writers. Write a diary entry expressing your thoughts on the
matter.
Ans. 16th December 20XX
8:00 p.m.
Dear Diary,
The author believed that prose writers were a different lot from other types of writers. He believed
that prose writing was for the persistent and patient writer. It was not for the true genius who got ideas
and opportunities easily. The prose writer's determination made his heart so hard and shrunken that it
was not easily broken. Hence, rejection, which would otherwise have been heartbreaking, barely left a
mark on the prose writer. He just made another copy of his long prose piece and sent it to another
editor with enough postage to cover the return of the manuscript. He counted himself among this
group of hardened writers because he said that the advertisement of 'The Encounter', a British
periodical hidden away in the interior pages of 'The Hindu' was for people like him.
Yours truly,
XYZ
7. Who were the 'lost brothers'? Why? What role did the British Council Library play in
reuniting the two 'lost brothers' in 'Poets and Pancakes'?
Ans. The ‘lost brothers’ was a humourous and a highly-exaggerated phrase that author applied to the
English poet and editor, Stephen Spender and himself. The reason was that the author had listened to a
lecture by the poet-editor when he had visited Gemini Studios sometimes in 1952. The reference is to
sentimental Tamil films in which lost brothers discover each other’s existence by singing the same
song. In a similar way, the author sang a song while sealing the envelope to send his prose piece to
'The Encounter' for publishing. He imagined that Spender would also be singing the same song at the
same time. The British Council played a crucial role in reuniting the ‘lost brothers’ since the author
discovered that Stephen Spender was the editor of 'The Encounter' while flipping through its copies at
the British Council.

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8. How was a 'dark chamber' of the author's mind illuminated long after he had left Gemini
Studios? Substantiate with reference to the text.
Ans. Stephen Spender visited Gemini Studios in 1952. He was unknown to the Gemini literary and
his visit was the most puzzling one. The Boss’s introduction did not clarify anything. Spender gave a
speech that no one understood. It was both the content of the speech and the English accent that
stopped the people at Gemini from understanding the hour-long speech. The audience was
flummoxed. The author called the visit ‘mysterious’. Years later, when the author found a book on the
footpath of Mount Road called ‘The God That Failed’, it contained an essay by the same Spender who
previously visited Gemini Studios. The essay was on his disillusionment with communism. This was
when a light bulb went off in his head illuminating a dark corner of his mind. Now, he understood the
reaction to Spender at Gemini Studios. The Boss at Gemini did not have much to do with Spender’s
poetry. But he did have a connection to the god that failed, in other words, communism.

9. Imagine Asokamitran witnesses a film shooting and visits a film set of present-day Bollywood.
As Asokamitran, write a diary entry penning down the transformation you notice between film
making of yesteryears and today.
Ans. 30th March 20XX,
7:00 p.m.
Dear Diary,
I had the chance of visiting Mani's film set today in Mumbai. It is a quite impressive setup, and the
environment is filled with an air of creativity and bustle. It is so different from the lazy and sleepy
surroundings that defined Gemini Studios back in the day. There are hardly any poets sitting around
and drinking coffee all day! The place is filled with technicians of all kinds, and they busy themselves
with work as if wasting even one second will destroy their film. There are so many artists, technicians
and writers from abroad who come there to work along with people from across India. Thankfully,
there was no communication gap visible like in our days. Everyone seemed to be joking around and
full of banter. I asked Mani if he needed someone to cut articles about the studio that got published in
newspapers. But, he said everything was digital now, and he preferred to do it himself. How things
have changed with time!
Yours truly,
Asokamitran

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The Interview
Answer the following questions in 120-150 words:
1. Mukund Padmanabhan was gifted 'The Penguin Book of Interviews - An Anthology from
1859 to the Present Day' edited by Christopher Silvester, after interviewing Eco.
He shared his thoughts on his personal blog exploring his own concerns about interviewing a
distinguished writer like Eco, followed by an evaluation of the interview in light of his reading.
As Mukund Padmanabhan, write the blog post.
Ans. Interviewing Eco; Reading Silvester
Recently, I had the good fortune of interviewing Beth to Umberto Eco. It was a thought-provoking
experience. He was humble and down to earth. I was intrigued by his idea of 'interstices'. He spoke
about how he writes in these interstices, brand also about 'The Name of the Rose'. I enjoyed speaking
to such a learned mind. He straddled so many genres with such ease. Right after I interviewed
Umberto Eco, I read 'The Penguin Book of Interviews - An Anthology from 1859 to the Present Day'
edited by Christopher Silvester. I am glad I read the introduction after my interview with Eco. I didn't
know that so many writers did not like being interviewed! I do hope Umberto Eco is not one among
them. This is a useful book for journalists like me. It gives a historical perspective to the art of the
interview, which I have not found elsewhere.

2. Suppose you are Mukund Padmanabhan, and you are preparing to interview Umberto Eco.
You decide to refer to the introduction of 'The Penguin Book of Interviews' as a guide. Draft
your opinions on it in the form of a short essay.
Ans. Most of the celebrities that Silvester quoted seem to have a negative feeling towards interviews.
V.S. Naipaul felt that some people are wounded by interviews and lose a part of themselves. The
author of 'Alice in Wonderland', Lewis Carroll was said to have a horror of being interviewed. His
horror was one of being lionized which made him avoid acquaintances, interviewers and autograph
hunters. Rudyard Kipling refused to be interviewed because he considered it immoral and an offense
against a person for which one should be punished. H.G. Wells too thought the interview was an
ordeal. Saul Bellow gave many interviews but said they were like 'thumbprints on his windpipe. Only
Denis Brian felt positive about the interview, and thought that it captured vivid impressions of
contemporary people. He believed that all things important came from one person asking questions of
another.

3. Examine the structure of the Introduction to 'The Penguin Book of Interviews' by

Christopher Silvester.
Ans. The Introduction starts by placing the interview in a historical context. The author says that the
interview is 130 years young. Then the author talks about how widespread it is as a reader to
encounter interviews. Every literate person must have come across it at least once in their lifetime.
Then he addresses the other side which is the people who are interviewed, and how celebrities feel
about being interviewed. Then the author quotes various celebrities like V.S. Naipaul, Lewis Carroll,
Rudyard Kipling, Mark Twain, H.G Wells and Saul Bellow on how they feel about the interview.
Finally, he winds up the introduction on a positive note. During this closure, he quotes Denis Brian on
the positive aspects of the interview, the things that it can reveal and the power that the interviewer
holds.

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4. Examine what Denis Brian means when he says, 'the interviewer holds a position of
unprecedented power and influence'.
Ans. Denis Brian said that the interviewer holds a position of unprecedented power and influence
because based on the questions that the interviewer asks, the interviewee presents the answers. So, if
the interviewer asks uninteresting questions then the answers will also be uninteresting. While on the
other hand, if the interviewer asks compelling and insightful questions, then the answers to them
would be compelling and insightful. For example, Mukund Padmanabhan asked a question of
Umberto Eco about how he managed to write so much. Eco's answer was very insightful because it
revealed his theory about interstices. This was something the world did not know until Mukund
Padmanabhan asked him about it. So, through just this one question, the reader got to know about
Umberto Eco, as someone who makes use of every minute of the day as well as Umberto Eco as a
writer.

5. What can be inferred about the interviewer's preparation for an interview from Mukund
Padmanabhan's questions to Umberto Eco?
Ans. The interviewer must prepare for an interview. It is not possible to spontaneously walk into an
interview and ask compelling questions. From Mukund Padmanabhan's questions, it is evident that he
prepared for the interview well in advance. He would have read Umberto Eco's books; if not all the
novels, at least some of them. It is based on his reading that he prepared his questions. His questions
on Eco's academic style were based on Padmanabhan's research. There was one slight hiccup where
Padmanabhan quoted an incorrect number of scholarly works of non-fiction that Eco wrote, and Eco
corrected. Besides that, it was an insightful interview as Padmanabhan's questions revealed Umberto
Eco's writing approach, his opinions on being a professor and novelist and the secret of the success of
'The Name of the Rose'.
6. Imagine a day in the life of Umberto Eco. Explain all the interstices in which he can write.
Ans. Umberto Eco gets up in the morning and brushes his teeth. While brushing his teeth, he has an
idea about a new article. Then he has breakfast. But his breakfast is delayed. That's when he starts
writing the article. Next, he goes to the class. After teaching for a few hours, there comes the lunch
break. After lunch and before another class starts, Umberto Eco continues to expand on the article.
Then by late afternoon, he is back from university. He has a cup of tea. While the tea cools, Eco
continues to write the article. When dinner is being prepared, he finishes the article. After dinner, he
watches the TV show 'Miami Vice' for entertainment.
7. Suppose you are a junior editor working closely with Mukund Padmanabhan. You are
present at Umberto Eco's interview by him. Prepare notes about the mood and atmosphere, and
methods that Padmanbhan uses to make the interview successful.
Ans. In the interview of Umberto Eco by Mukund Padmanabhan, the mood was friendly and cheerful.
Padmanabhan asked his questions sincerely and Umberto Eco answered them earnestly and with
concentration. It did not look like they had not met earlier. Eco’s example of coming up the elevator
added an informal and amiable angle to the interview. Sometimes, Padmanabhan didn’t need to
complete the question because Eco provided the answer as if he could predict the question coming up.
There were many overlaps in the conversation between the two which showed that they understood
each other. Umberto Eco also laughed and shrugged at various points in the interview, which made
the whole atmosphere lively. This contributed to the friendly mood and casual atmosphere of the
interview.

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8. Imagine you have been assigned to inter- view Umberto Eco. How would you prepare for the
interview? What questions would you ask him?
Ans. If I have been assigned to interview Umberto Eco, I would first prepare myself by going to the
school library and reading up all about him. I would find out about his biographical details and read
his other interviews. Then I would try to read one or two novels. If they are too difficult, I would read
the summaries of the novels. Depending on the time given to me, I would list a few questions. Some
of the questions I would ask are:
(1) Where do your ideas come from?
(2) Who is your ideal reader?
(3) From where do you start writing your novel? Do you start at the beginning of the novel, the end or
the middle?
(4) Do you make an outline of the story before you start, or do you start writing and then discover the
story as it continues?
(5) Is there a special place you like to write in?
9. Based on Mukund Padmanabhan's inter- view of Umberto Eco, describe the relation- ship
between an interviewer and interviewee.
Ans. The relationship between the interviewer and interviewee should be comfortable. The
interviewer should try and make the interviewee relaxed. The more relaxed the person being
interviewed is, the better would be the results of the interview. The relationship is not of a lawyer and
defendant, but rather of a friend and a confidant. The interviewer asks questions on behalf of all the
readers/audience. The interviewer extracts information from the interviewee that the readers have
been waiting to know. Sometimes, the questions can be uncomfortable but the way the interviewer
asks the question need not be. The interviewer is the one in the driver’s seat and decides the way the
interview progresses. So, the interviewer’s polite and calm tone goes a long way in making the
interviewee comfortable and the interview memorable. These are all seen in Mukund Padmanabhan’s
interview of Umberto Eco.

10. Imagine that you are Christopher Silvester. You have been invited to a seminar series titled
'Ethics and Techniques of Inter- viewing'. The organisers would like you to speak about the
challenges of conducting interviews, and skills interviewers must have in order to conduct good
and ethical inter- views. Based on your reading of The Interview, Part I and II, draft your
speech. Include relevant details from the text in support of your answer.
Ans. Good morning ladies and gentlemen,
I would like to borrow some interesting opinions about interviews that I found in ‘The Penguin Book
of Interviews’. There are Lewis Carroll and Rudyard Kipling who slinked away from interviews.
They felt it was an intrusion of privacy and an assault and crime. But, on the other hand, we have
professors like Umberto Eco who lavishly enjoyed giving interviews. These variant perspectives give
us an idea or how complicated and delicate taking an interview must be. The interviewer has to adapt
themselves to the person in front of them, their attitudes, likes and personalities. No two interviews
can be the same. It requires sensitivity and intelligence on their part, as much as patience, good
humour and compassion.

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Going Places
Answer the following questions in 120-150 words:
1. Imagine Sophie meets Danny Casey after several years.
Write a dialogue exchange between them where Sophie explains what that meeting means to
her.
Ans. Sophie spots an older Danny Casey in the same mall where she had imagined their meeting.
Sophie: Excuse me?
Danny: Yes?
Sophie: Are you Danny Casey?
Danny: Yes, I am.
Sophie: I am so glad. How are you? We haven't seen you play in a while.
Danny: You must know I have retired now. The injury made it impossible for me to continue.
Sophie: That is sad. We miss your game - my brothers, my father and I.
Danny: Have you seen me play?
Sophie: Yes, we used to go religiously to watch United every Saturday.
Danny: How nice!
Sophie: (extends paper and pen) Autograph please?
Danny: (signs) Oh sure.
Sophie: Do you know I once told my family that I met you?
Danny: (gives back the paper and pen) Oh why? I don't think I have met you before.
Sophie: I wanted to get my brother Geoff's attention. He is your big fan.
Danny: Hmm... it's not a good idea to lie.
Sophie: I know, I am older now and know better. Back then, I was a teenager.
Danny: Don't worry! It was a long time ago.
Sophie: Thanks for the autograph!
Danny: Anytime. Bye!
Sophie: Bye!

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2. Contrast Sophie's real world with her fantasies.

Ans. Sophie lived in two worlds. The first is a realistic world where she went to school and walked
back from school with Jansie. When she entered home, she felt claustrophobic. She wanted to only
talk to her brother Geoff. The second world is the one she loved living in. It's the world of her fantasy.
In this world, she dreamt of becoming a boutique owner like Mary Quant or an actress because there
was real money in that or even a fashion designer. If she needed money for the boutique, in her
fantasy world she planned on immediately becoming a manager as soon as she joined the biscuit
factory. Also in this fantasy world, she met the famous football player Danny Cassey, who blushed a
bit while talking to her and asked to meet her again to give an autograph for her little brother, Derek.
3. Attempt a character sketch of Sophie as a woman who lives in her dreams.
Ans. Sophie was a girl who lived mostly in her dreams. She was sensitive to her surroundings and felt
suffocated at home. To give flight to her fantasies and also to escape the stifling atmosphere at her
home, she concocted detailed fantasies. She wanted to become the owner of a boutique like Mary
Quant or an actress or a fashion designer or a manager at a biscuit factory. None of these ambitions
were rooted in reality. She didn't think about how to get to these glamourous roles and the work
required to achieve them. Another of her 'wild stories' was an outright lie told only to get her brother's
attention. She said that she met the famous Irish football player Danny Casey at the arcade, and he
had asked her to meet him again. Even though she knew these were stories, she still waited for Danny
Casey by the canal almost as if she could wish him into meeting her.
4. You read A.R. Barton's short story 'Going Places' in class and were surprised by how the
writing style continuously plays with the reader's perception. You decide to write a diary entry
to bring your thoughts together on the matter.
Ans. 17th November
8:00 p.m.
Dear Diary,
In the story 'Going Places, the writer plays Job with the readers' perception. First, Sophie breaks the
news of her meeting with Danny Casey to her brother in a matter-of-fact way which does not reveal
that she is lying. Her father's words that it is another of her wild stories' becomes the first clue for the
reader's. Second, Sophie's description of Danny Casey also seems immediate leaving no clue that 19
she lied here as well. Third, even to Jansie, Sophie's worried not about her lie but about the leaking of
her secret that she shared with her brother. The final part of Sophie waiting by the canal for Danny
Casey also serves to add to the impression of an actual meeting. Finally, when Sophie sits by the canal
on the bench, the writer says, 'she imagined his coming. This is the second clue that Sophie was
imagining things. Then immediately, the writer confuses the reader by having Sophie narrate the
imaginary meeting. This is so sudden that the reader might think this is real. But actually, it is not.
Yours truly,
XYZ

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5. A dialogue has many functions in a story? Examine 'Going Places' in the light of this
statement.
Ans. Dialogue has many functions in a story. The first and primary function is to carry the story
forward. 'Going Places' by A.R Barton is almost entirely told through dialogue. The story starts with a
dialogue between Sophie and Jansie where Sophie reveales her fantasies of wanting to become the
owner of a boutique, an actress or a fashion designer. The main turning point in the story such as
Sophie telling Geoff that she had met Danny Casey was through dialogue. Next, Sophie tries to
convince Geoff that she is telling the truth again via dialogue. When Jansie confronts Sophie of not
telling her about her meeting with Danny Casey, this too is done using dialogue. Finally, Sophie
imagining her fantasy meeting with Danny Casey is relayed as a dialogue as well. Only parts of the
story that happened inside the characters' heads such as comments and thoughts are not related as
dialogue.

6. If 'Going Places' by A.R. Barton was set in the age of cellphones and computers, which is the
present, how would it have turned out? Substantiate.
Ans. The story ‘Going Places’ would be different if it were set in today’s time when cellphones and
computers rule. Sophie’s ambitions might be the same, she might not have enough time to spend with
her brother Geoff or wonder about the wide worlds closed to her. That’s because she would be
constantly texting Jansie on the cellphone. She would also not be able to dupe her brother easily about
meeting Danny Casey so easily because as a celebrity, his movements would be recorded by
photographers who follow him. Her brother Geoff and Jansie might ask Sophie for the selfie with
Danny Casey as proof before believing her. Sophie, her father and little brother might watch the
football match on one of the online platforms at home. When imagining her meeting with Danny
Casey, Sophie would have a clearer picture of his features since she can view his pictures on her
phone/computer beforehand.

7. Dreams and daydreams form a major part of 'Going Places'. What can be inferred about
them from A.R. Barton's story?
Ans. From A. R. Barton's story, it can be inferred that dreams and daydreams are an essential part of a
school girl's life. If Sophie can be considered as a typical teenager, then, it can be inferred that
Sophie's unrealistic ambitions are a natural process of growing up. Usually, children want to become
something unrealistic in their early years. Astronauts and pilots are popular professions in the growing
up years. Later, they choose more stable and conventional careers. Sophie was in the 'fantasy' phase
even though she was a teenager. So, perhaps the author wanted to convey that Sophie had not grown
up yet. Second, it can also be inferred that Sophie should not give up on her dreams even though they
are impractical and unrealistic. Some of the most successful achievers are those who followed their
childhood dreams against all odds.
8. Is the title of A. R. Barton's story, 'Going Places' apt? If not, suggest an alternate one.
Ans. Yes, the title of A.R. Barton’s story is apt for several reasons. First, if someone is ‘going places’
it means that person is going to be successful in life. This is an ironic title about Sophie’s life because
she uses fantasy to go places. In her fantasy, she becomes a successful boutique owner, actress and
fashion designer. She literally climbs the success ladder using her imagination. In reality, she is not
going places at all. She is, in fact, going to start working at the biscuit factory. That is the irony.
Second, the title carries with it the meaning of travelling from place to place. In this sense, Sophie
moves from one fantasy to another effortlessly, like, from her glamorous ambitions to the meeting

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with Danny Casey. Third, Sophie is a teenager on the verge of adulthood. She instinctively feels a
wider world waiting for her. In this sense, she wants to go places far and wide, exotic and unknown.
9. Escapism means 'the tendency to seek distraction and relief from unpleasant realities,
especially through entertainment or engaging in fantasy'. Evaluate this statement on the basis of
'Going Places' and 'The Rattrap'.
Ans. I agree that Sophie was an escapist. She came from a working class family and the atmosphere at
home suffocated her. So she dreamt impractical dreams about a boutique or becoming an actress. She
also dreamed of dating celebrity footballer Danny Casey. Similarly, the peddler in 'The Rattrap'
philosophises to forget his sorrows and loneliness. This was his means of escapism. He preferred to
do that rather than think of ways to better his life and make his way into civil society. In this way,
escapism forms a big part of both characters' lives.
10. Imagine Sophie's father finds out about Sophie's going to the canal to meet Danny Casey
which leads him to think that she has lied to everyone about the whole affair. He is infuriated
and prohibits Sophie from going anywhere except to school.
As Geoff, write a diary entry disapproving of your father's punishment by citing your reasons
for being sympathetic to Sophie. You may begin this way:
Monday, 2 September 1940 9 p.m.
I cannot get myself to stand with father in his tirade against Sophie. Sure, she is not the most...
Ans. Monday,
2 September 1940
9 PM
I cannot get myself to stand with father in his tirade against Sophie. Sure, she is not the most logical
about what she thinks and says. But, she is still growing up, and father has to stop over- reacting to
her stupid fantasies and stories. She has been put on a complete lockdown by him, and she is not
supposed to go anywhere except school. And for what? Supposedly, she we met Danny Casey by the
canal! I don't believe her story for one, and I am even more surprised father does. She is just stuck in a
dream world of her own. If father treats her this way, she De will only get more adamant and furnish
bigger lies. God help our family!
Yours truly,
Geoff

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My Mother at Sixty – six

Answer the following questions in 120-150 words:
1. Imagine the mother gets to know the poet's personal fears. Write a letter, as the mother,
telling her daughter why she must not dwell on these fears.
You may begin this way:
Pallipuram
Cochin, Kerala
22 August '60
My dear Kamala
I am writing to you because when you left me at the airport, I felt something wasn't right.
Judging by how little you spoke that day………...continue……..
With Love
Amma
Ans. Pallipuram
Cochin, Kerala
22 August '60
My dear Kamala,
I am writing to you because when you left me at the airport, I felt something wasn't right. Judging by
how little you spoke that day and the way you were looking at me as if you had seen a ghost, I thought
I must write to you. I know what you were thinking. That one day on the trip to the airport, I might
not be sitting ow next to you at all. Don't worry; that day is very far away. I have to tell you I may
look a bit old but I am tough as nails. I am also sticking around whether you like it or not. You
grandmother lived to a ripe old 98. I have those genes. Please don't think about all these things now.
There will be time to deal with it.
With love
Amma

2. What is the significance of the poet's smile in 'My Mother at Sixty-Six'? Substantiate with
reference to the text.
Ans. When the poem starts, the poet has just noticed her mother has aged. She described as fragile,
wan and corpse-like. The poet cannot face this fact, so she looks away from her mother at the children
playing outside on the street. When she is at the airport security check, the poet looks back at her
mother and notices again her face which is like the 'late winter street. This is when she feels an old
familiar ache return. This is the ache of being abandoned, of being left alone, something that children
feel. Her old childhood fear has arrived again. But she doesn't want her mother to know the tsunami of
feelings that she is drowning under, so all she does is smile at her and tell her that she will see her
soon. This smile must be an uncomfortable one, yet she tries to smile to cover up the complex
thoughts that plague her. The poet ends the poem with the words 'smile and smile and smile. It is

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significant that in a poem of such doom and gloom, the poet chooses to end the poem on this positive
note.
3. Examine concepts of old age and loss as seen in the poem 'My Mother at Sixty-Six'.
Ans. Old age, loss and death are some of the foremost concerns in the poem ‘My Mother at Sixty-
Six’. After a visit to her parents’ home near Cochin, the poet drives to the airport along with her
mother. While leaving, the poet notices that her mother has aged, and her face is ‘ashen’, and she is as
old as she looked’. This realisation is a painful one. Even grownup children depend on their parents
for moral support, if nothing else. The poet realises that her mother’s love, support and care that she
has been receiving, will one day come to an end. It reminds her of the old fear of being abandoned
that she once had as a child. Old age is an inevitable truth and affects everyone without exception.
Sometimes people forget that parents are not immortal. The way her mother’s head lies back when she
dozes off in the car becomes a disturbing reminder of her mortality.
4. Imagine that you are the poet's mother. Describe the trip to the airport from your point of
view.
Ans. Kamala came to visit us just like always. Her father and I were very happy to see her again.
After a few days, she had to take her flight from the Cochin Airport. I went with her to the airport to
see her off. On the way. I fell asleep in the car. I was embarrassed. I think my mouth was open too.
When I woke up, I saw my daughter turning to look at the passing scenery. It was not much. Just
some young trees passing very fast and younger children rushing out of their homes. Soon, we
reached the airport. Kamala went off towards the security check. I had to say goodbye from the
outside. New rules meant that I could not enter the airport. Kamala turned to look at me. She kept
looking at me like I looked different or something. I told her to take care of herself and visit often.
She smiled and said that she'd see me soon.

5. Imagine you are Douglas Adams, the author of the story 'Deep Water'. What advice would
you offer to Kamala Das, in the context of her conflicted emotions as displayed in the given
lines?
Away, I looked again at her, wan, pale as a late winter's moon and felt that ache familiar my
childhood fear"
Ans. Dear Kamala
I recently read your poem, 'My Mother at Sixty-Six', and I felt that you were obsessed with your
mother ageing. Even though you do not explicitly say, 'death, you hint at it through various indirect
ways. The first indirect reference to death is in the description of your mother. You describes your
mother's face as 'ashen like that of a corpse. The second indirect reference to death was when you
said, 'she was as old as she looked'. Given that half a line earlier, you said that her face looked like a
corpse, this meant that your mother looked as old as a corpse as well. The next indirect reference is to
mother's face being 'pale as a late winter's moon. Seasons of nature are compared to stages in a
human's life. Spring is childhood; summer is adulthood; autumn is maturity; and winter is old age.
The 'late winter's moon' therefore, is a reference to old age as well as to the dying light of life for the
poet's mother. In a short poem, there are three references to death. Hence, it can be said that a shadow
of death hangs over this poem.

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I would suggest you to spend more time with your mother, until you feel satisfied. I would also like to
address your fears about death.
6. 'Separation anxiety' is the psychological term for anxiety that children feel when they are
away from their parents. Examine 'My Mother at Sixty - Six' in light of this statement.
Ans. The psychological concept of separation anxiety is usually felt by infants and children. It’s the
feeling of deep anxiety and fear when they are separated from a loved one. Usually, that loved one is
the mother. In the poem, the poet remembers ‘a familiar ache’ returning which was her ‘childhood
fear’. So, it is clear that the poet suffered from this condition as a child, which is entirely normal.
Later in her life, the poet has left her hometown, but has returned to visit her parents sometimes.
That’s when she noticed her mother’s advanced age. This brought on the same kind of anxiety for her.
But this time, the anxiety came from the thought of loss and separation through death. So, the poet felt
a grownup version of the ‘separation anxiety’ that she felt as a child.
7. Irony is a literary technique by which the full significance of a character's words or actions is
clear to the audience or reader although unknown to the character. Does the poem 'My Mother
at Sixty-six' come across as an example of the poet's ironical situation?
Ans. In the poem 'My Mother at Sixty-six', the poet is in a dilemma as she sits alongside her mother in
the car, on her way to the airport. She suddenly realises that her mother has aged, and the thought
makes her uncomfortable. She looks away outside the window of the car to see young children
playing and running around on the streets. The childhood fear of losing her mother resurfaces in the
poet and she is unable to express her feelings. Even at the end, as the poet is bidding farewell to her
mother at the airport, all she does is smile at her mother. The inability of the poet to express the
intensity of her emotions for the mother comes out through her writing, but we also realize that the
poet is not aware of the same. This makes the poem an example of 'irony'.

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Keeping Quiet
Answer the following questions in 120-150 words:
1. It could be said that the poem 'Keeping Quiet' presents the poet's philosophy for a different
kind of world. If you were asked to highlight elements of Neruda's vision that resonate in your
specific social, political and cultural context, which three main ideas would you engage with?
Use relevant textual details to support your analysis.
Ans. Pablo Neruda imagines a beautiful world in which silence and stillness become a regular part of
one's life, increasing understanding of oneself and reducing environmental conflict and war. Neruda's
vision can be adopted into a social, political and cultural context in the following ways. Neruda's
suggestion of keeping quiet can be adopted into the social context of a school curriculum. Students
can devote 30 minutes in a week to keeping silent which could be spent in a library or meditation hall.
They would be taught to be still and silent under any circumstances. Second, Neruda's suggestion of
stillness can be suggested to political parties who can incorporate them into their political doctrine.
Third, at a cultural level, stillness and silence can be adopted at a grassroots level movement starting
with Stillness Clubs (where people go to stay still and be silent) for the public, which can then be
replicated in companies and neighbourhoods. Ideally, stillness and silence should be taught at home
and from there, it should spread all over the world.

2. What is the ideal world that the poet Pablo Neruda imagines in his poem 'Keeping Quiet'?
Substantiate with reference to the text.
Ans. Pablo Neruda desires an ideal world where peace, solidarity and stillness rule. Neruda's ideal
world is one where everyone voluntarily remains still. From time to time, people would stop speaking
whichever language they spoke, and press pause on the frantic rush of life. At that moment, they
would reflect on all unanswered questions that they have, which would lead them to a better
understanding of themselves. The moment would no longer be exotic as it would become a mundane
reality. During the scheduled pause that would include fisherman in the sea and the salt workers on
land, people would examine the impact they are making on the environment. This would help them
make better decisions. Wars would be non-existent in such a world as human beings would have
discovered through regular introspection that war is completely futile. Everyone would be friends
with everyone else. This would automatically cancel the threat of extinction of the human race.
3. What is Pablo Neruda's attitude to languages? Explain.
Ans. According to Pablo Neruda, keeping quiet includes both external silence and internal stillness.
This is why the poet asks human beings to cease from using words when he says, ‘For once on the
face of the earth/let’s not speak in any language’, and cease from using actions when he says ‘let’s
stop for one second, and not move our arms so much’. He does not differentiate between speakers of
different languages even though linguistic differences have led to conflict. And conflict is what
Neruda is averse to. His suggestion of retreating to silence is a way of preventing these conflicts,
linguistic or otherwise. He believes that within the silence, human beings can find some peace and
consolation which will help them become more tolerant towards others, reducing wars and conflicts of
all kinds.

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4. The subtle differences between 'silence' and 'stillness' play a crucial role in communicating
the message of the poem. You have been asked to address you peers on this. Compose a draft
detailing how the two ideas are different but complementary.
Ans. I agree that in Pablo Neruda's poem "Keeping Quiet, silence and stillness are two different but
complementary concepts. Silence is the evils absence of speech. Stillness is the absence blow of
action. Both are important in this poem of Neruda's. He believes they compliment each other, which is
why he has used them almost synonymously. In the first stanza, he says, now we will all keep still, but
in the last stanza he says, 'you keep quiet and I will go. Hence, ne the call for stillness and the call for
silence hold the poem between them. Stillness and quietness therefore, are two different sides of the
same coin. One is incomplete without other. Neruda does not think that one can have silence without
stillness or stillness without silence. That is why he says, 'let's not speak in any language' and 'let's
stop for one second and not move our arms so much' in the same stanza.

5. We come across two individuals: Mahatma Gandhiji (Indigo) and Pablo Neruda (Keeping
Quiet)-who have their own methods when on it comes to changing the world. Gandhi was an
influential advocate of pacifism. Can we say the same for Neruda?
Ans. Yes, Pablo Neruda was a pacifist. There are several points which prove this. The first one is that
Neruda's central message in the poem is to appeal to all of humanity to pause speech and action, in
order to reflect and introspect in silence and stillness. Further evidence lies in the reference to stop
flailing our 'arms'. This carries the sense of the physical movement of human arms, as well the
international movement of arms and ammunition which fuel various wars happening the world over.
Finally, Neruda also exhibits his anti-war stance when he points to one of the effects of silent
introspection. He says that those who declare war on the environment, those who start wars for the
availability of fuel (gas), and those who start wars with fire, all will have to pause during these
moments of silence and stillness, and move peacefully with the rest of humanity.

6. Does Pablo Neruda perceive industry in a positive or negative light in his poem 'Keeping
Quiet'?
Ans. Pablo Neruda in 'Keeping Quiet' does not see industry in a positive light. The first industry
mentioned is fishing. Fishing is a very polluting industry. Tonnes of waste from fishing land gather up
in the ocean, harming other species like whales. Neruda is aware of it, since he includes fishing in one
of the first positive side effects of achieving stillness and silence (Fishermen in the cold sea/would not
harm whales). The second industry mentioned is pigs the salt industry. Workers in the salt industry
perform strenuous manual labour under extremely hot conditions. Neruda knows about this too,
because he mentions the next positive to effect saying, 'the man gathering salt/would look at his hurt
hands. The stillness would give him a chance to assess the damage done to him done by the salt
industry. The third industry that Neruda mentions is war. Production of ammunition is a huge
industry. Neruda wants people to introspect in silence so that those who start wars would seek peace if
they could be still and silent for a while.

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7. The last two years of school tend to be about planning for life after school. This can be
motivating, overwhelming on encouraging for some, and stressful for others.
Write a diary entry recording your thoughts on the following: Neruda's ideas in "Keeping
Quiet' as guide in this situation.
Thinking differently about your decisions with reference to Neruda's 'Keeping Quiet'
Ans. 23rd December
10:00 pm.
Dear Diary,
We read the poem 'Keeping Quiet' in class this week. It had a profound impact on me due to the sheer
force of the idea the poet has expressed. It is written by Pablo Neruda who advocates silence and self-
reflection as for effective balm to the feelings of restlessness and violence that human beings undergo
in their daily lives. I have decided to follow the poet's advice and inculcate the habit of keeping quiet.
I have been worried about my future [250S plans and I constantly fret about the decisions I have to
make to figure out my higher education and career. Now, rather than running around in circles
wondering what I should do, I will practice self-reflection to calm my mind. This will help me gain
clarity of thought and will help me make optimal decisions.
Yours truly,
Xyz

8. Read the poem 'Keeping Quiet' as meditation on violence and the detrimental effect it has on
the world.
Ans. Pablo in his poem 'Keeping Quiet has given mart references of different wars like green war,
with gas & war with fire. In the reference of green war, he wants to save the earth from being
polluted. He appreciates afforestation and deforestation. The next reference Pablo has given is about
wars with gas and fire. He is talking about the chemical wars & nuclear wars. If these explosives
activities are continued then there will not be any surviour on the earth to celebrate victory. This is the
hard fact that wars bring the worst results become a cause to bring an end of the entire human race.
Here in the poem, the poet arts violence. In the real sense, the poet wants to save all human beings &
all the creatures surviving on this earth. The poem wants to teach the lesson of universal brother hood.

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A Thing of Beauty
Answer the following questions in 120-150 words:
1. How does Keats' poem, A Thing of Beauty appeal richly to the senses, stimulating the
reader's inner sight as well as the sense of touch and smell?' Write your answer in about 120-
150 words.
Ans. Keats' descriptions allow for a deeper perception of the imaginary converting it into a life-like
experience by stimulating the reader's inner sight as well as the sense of touch and smell. Keats was
able to do this by effectively playing with words. The cool comfortable bower, dancing daffodils, the
babbling stream and the mid-forest brake with the musk rose blooms arouse our imagination along
with the sense of hearing, touch and smell. The stories of the mighty and the doom that befalls those
appeals to our intellect. The eternal fountain may suggest the fountain of youth yet it has a
sublimating effect on the reader. The poetic descriptions indeed showcases beauty appealing to our
senses and gives delight.

2. You are a blogger who loves to record travel stories. You recently visited a picturesque
location, and you were enamoured by its beauty. Pen down the post for your blog giving vivid
descriptions of the natural beauty of this place. Supplement your writing with Keats' ideas
about beauty.
Ans. I recently went to the Andaman Islands. It was my first adventure in a long time. I landed at Port
Blair on a warm Friday afternoon. It looked like a jewel-green island from the air. The air was so
fresh. I was whisked off on a boat ride through some of the quietest forests I had ever been to. As the
engine of the motorboat was switched off in the middle of a stream, a sudden silence descended on
me. It was all-pervading and therapeutic to listen to this silence. It was certainly ‘a bower quiet’ from
Keats’ poem. All I could hear was the ‘quiet breathing’ of the forest. This cool stream certainly lifted
my spirits and rejuvenated me. More adventures awaited the next day, but I had had my Keatsian
moment. The Andaman Island is truly ‘a thing of beauty and a joy forever’.
3. Imagine you are Sophie from the chapter 'Going Places'. You read Keats' poem 'A Thing of
Beauty' and decide to create an entry in your journal based on your understanding of the poem.
Contrast it to the ugly and drab surroundings of your house to explain what beauty means to
you.
Ans. We studied John Keats' poem 'A Thing of Beauty' in class today. According to Keats, a beautiful
thing is a source for joy forever, and that beauty lifts our spirits and makes life tolerable. I was
completely taken aback by Keats' interpretation for why we need beauty in our life. My life is
becoming duller every day. That is the reason I daydream beautiful dreams such as becoming an
actress or meeting Danny Casey. I hope I have understood the poem correctly. What else could it
mean but to surround ourselves with beautiful thoughts and dreams? I will try to keep my eyes and
thoughts away from the reality of my home and family, and will only look at beautiful things from
now on..
4. Comment on the beauty of the language used by John Keats in 'A Thing of Beauty'.
Ans. John Keats uses some of the most exquisite language in ‘Endymion’, a part of which we can see
in ‘A Thing of Beauty’. Since, the subject is beauty, Keats has used many poetic devices which bring
this out. The imagery used is particularly striking. Some of them are: ‘… are we wreathing/ A flowery
band to bind us to the earth’ where humans are shown to have relied on beauty and nature to make
their earthly stay bearable. When the poet says, ‘Trees old, and young, sprouting a shady boon’ an

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image of a forest appears in one’s mind. Adding to it is the rippling brook of ‘the green world’ and
‘clear rills’. Keats’ descriptions of nature are delicately woven like this one: ‘Some shape of beauty
moves away the pall/ From our dark spirits.’ The picture created with words is of a shady grove into
which humans and beasts can take shelter and where the ‘musk-rose blooms’. This creates a potent
picture of the power of nature to heal the tired and weary soul.
5. What is the function of beauty according to John Keats in 'A Thing of Beauty'?
Substantiate with reference to the text.
Ans. The function of beauty according to John Keats is to help humans deal with the trials and
tribulations of their everyday lives. Keats says, 'A thing of beauty is a joy forever', which means the
joy given by looking at and experiencing a beautiful thing is something that lasts forever. Even when
the source of this beauty is no longer in sight, it stays in our mind's eye. Since we live in a world of
stress and violence, we are troubled and anxious. A big relief comes from watching beautiful things.
Keats believes that beauty is the reason humans are able to live on earth in spite of having stressful
lives. Beauty is a source of solace and comfort for humans.
6. Observe the world around you and explain the beauty that you see. Refer to John Keats'
poem 'A Thing of Beauty' and examine the given sentence with reference to the context.
Ans. Beauty is everywhere. One just needs eyes to perceive it. I live in a planned neighbourhood
where trees and plants are plentiful. A simple walk through the streets, on both sides of which are tall
trees, I can always hear bird calls. That is beautiful. When I am back home, I sometimes peek into my
neighbour’s garden. She has created one with so many plants, and most of them bear flowers. It’s a
riot of colours when they bloom. This is another facet of beauty in my life. In my own house, there are
lots of plants which makes it seem almost like a garden. On mornings, I sit by the window and stare
outside. I see a world that is yet to wake up. The day is still young and holds so much promise. There
is much beauty in this too.
7. We have often heard the phrase: 'Beauty is skin deep. In spite of that, we often see people
idolizing actors and celebrities who are good looking and attractive. Suppose Sophie and Jansie
from the chapter 'Going Places' come across Keats' poem. Develop a conversation between the
two characters based on their ideas of beauty.
Ans. Sophie: I am tired of the ugly and drab surroundings at home. I cannot wait to finish school and
shift to a more beautiful house and locality.
Jansie: Be practical, Soph. Both our families hardly have money to spare. How will you afford the
life of luxury that you dream of?
Sophie: Let me see. I think I can open a boutique or become an actress. That should make me rich
and famous.
Jansie: I do not think your ideas are very practical. Don't forget how hard your father and mother
work for you. Think of your brothers: both of them love you so much! I think there is something
beautiful about that too.
Sophie: I do not deny that, but we all have our Joan yow own ideas of beauty. I like the world of
luxury and glamour. I want to feel like I am somebody in this world. No one in my family get that.
Jansie: Beware of your ambitions, Soph! It is very easy to convince yourself with superficial ideas of
beauty.

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A Roadside Stand
Answer the following questions in 120-150 words:
1. Imagine a car stops and actually buys from nob the roadside stand. Keeping in mind the
reaction you think the peasants would have, write a diary entry as the farmer, describing not
only your immediate experience but also your after-thoughts on being able to earn "city-
money".
You may begin this way:
Wednesday,
2nd March XX
9 PM
We had an unexpectedly good day today!...
Ans. Wednesday,
22nd August 2021
9 PM
We had an unexpectedly good day today! After what seemed like ages, we actually had a customer.
Most of the time we usually sit and wait for a customer to turn up. The really rich people in their
fancy cars pass us by without even looking in our direction. One day, we had not received even a
single customer. Another day three people stopped by, but none of them bought anything. So
disappointing it was! But today is the beginning of what I think is going to be a good week for
business. This man stopped and asked how much for the wild berries. I told him the price. When we
looked at him, we were at first skeptical. Just because they ask the price, doesn't mean they'll buy. But
surprise of surprises, he said he'd like three quarts of wild berries and one of golden squash. We all
sent a silent prayer to the gods. It was a good day.
2. Imagine a child from the farmer's family now migrates to the city for their education. As the
child, write back to your family telling them whether you would or would not want to turn into
a city-person. Use the context of the poem "A Roadside Stand" in mind to pen down this letter.
You may begin this way:
12, Davidson County
23 January 'XX
Dear mom
I have been thinking about the roadside stall lately. Now that I find myself surrounded by city-
people all the time, I think...................

With love
Jennifer

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Ans. 12, Davidson County

23 January 'XX
Dear Mom,
I have been thinking about the roadside stall lately. Now that I find myself surrounded o go by city-
people all the time, I think that we were better off in the country. You might be so wondering why I
would say something like all that. For three reasons: first, I find the food better in the country. Of
course, your cooking is the best. But I'm talking about the quality of the produce. It's not that great
here. Second, there is less pollution in the countryside. Here, on all day long. I inhale vehicle smoke. I
long for the clean air of the countryside. Third, there is just so much noise. I long for the silence of the
country. A silence filled with birdsong, cricket calls and the whistle of the wind. I wish I could be
back with you.

With love,
Jennifer
3. Explain how the roadside stand is evidence of the decline of agricultural prosperity.
Substantiate with reference to the text.
Ans. In ‘A Roadside Stand’, the roadside stand is a sad symbol of declining agricultural prosperity. At
one time, farmers were the wealthiest people. But with the industrial revolution, production shifted to
the cities, taking along with it money and people. At the roadside stand, the farmers sell wild berries
and squash in quarts, pleading customers to stop and buy. Even though this is not their sole means of
earnings, it is still a very meagre one. The rural folk are hopeful that someone will spend their money
on them and help them improve their lot in life. Three potential customers appear who do not buy the
farm produce. The poor rural folk look on while the city folk pass by in their expensive cars, ask for
prices and directions, or reverse their cars. The rural farmers feel like they are begging for ‘city
money’. Their dreams are broken on the one side by the glamourous depictions of the film industry,
and the empty promises of the politicians on the other.

4. The poem 'A Roadside Stand' is a study in urban prosperity and rural poverty. Justify or
refute the sentence in about 120-150 words.
Ans. Indeed, 'A Roadside Stand' is a study in the contrast between urban prosperity and rural poverty.
The city dwellers have expensive cars, so they seem to be in 'polished traffic. They find the artless
signs which are turned the wrong away as marring their view of the landscape. They have money
which they refuse to share by that buying from the roadside stand. In comparison, the farmers are not
that prosperous. While they do have a living, they want to supplement their income by selling wild
berries and golden squash on a stand by the sides of a busy highway. They wait patiently for hours for
a customer, but none appear. When someone does appear, they are not interested in buying the
produce on display. This makes the farmers despondent and sad that the prosperity seen in the movies
and promised by the people in power are even more out of their reach. Then there are programmes of
relocation to urban centres, which are detrimental to their ancient way of life.

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5. Imagine that you are Pablo Neruda, the poet of Keeping Quiet. You come across the roadside
stand that Frost talks about. Write about the farmers’ plight from your perspective.
Ans. On this warm autumn morning, I am at a non- descript highway in New Hampshire, when I
come across this rural shed where wild berries and golden squash are being sold in wooden quarts. I
notice that these are very high quality produce. I introduced myself to the farmer sitting under the
window. The farmer was very happy to explain the process he followed in growing these fruits and
vegetables. He is very disappointed though, since there have hardly been any buyers. There is a whole
lot of waiting while the farmers tell me about the problems they have. First, a lack of steady sales.
Second, a government policy of relocation to urban centres. Within a short while, three vehicles stop
by, but none of them buy farm produce. One asks for directions since the N and S signs were pointing
the wrong way. Another asks for the prices of the produce, and a third one just wants to reverse his
car. This is truly a sad situation. If only the city dwellers passing by in cars stopped for a moment, and
observed the farmer’s situation, they would understand how much help they could do by buying their
produce. But, we are always hurrying and have no time for others.
6. The cry of not having money to do anything except carry on the business of making bangles,
not even enough to eat, rings in every home.' (The Lost Spring) ...far from the Much city we
make our roadside stand and ask for some city money to feel in hand'. (A Roadside Stand)
Create a conversation between a bangle maker and the owner of a roadside stand with reference
to the above extracts.
You may begin the conversation like this:
Owner of a roadside stand: Your bangles are pretty. Tell me about your experience in this
business.
Ans. Owner of the roadside stand: Your bangles are pretty. Tell me about your experience in this
business.
Bangle maker: Yes, the bangles are pretty. But, they have made our lives miserable. I would not
want my children to carry on in this business.
Owner of the roadside stand: Good God! Why do you say that?
Bangle maker: We make bangles that are famous all over the country. But we hardly make enough to
feed ourselves or give our children a decent future.
Owner of the roadside stand: I understand what you are saying. Ours is a similar fate. We put this
stand near the city hoping we can make some extra money. But nobody wants either mot our produce
or us.
Bangle maker: Yes, they are all liars-politicians, middlemen and police. God help us because humans
won't.

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Aunt Jennifer’s Tiger

Answer the following questions in 120-150 words:
1. Imagine that Aunt Jennifer read the poem that Adrienne Rich wrote about her. After Jo
much contemplation, she decided to write a letter to her husband expressing her feelings and
thoughts. Write the letter as Aunt Jennifer.
Ans. Ronald,
I thought I'd write to you. I don't suppose you'd remember little Adrienne. She is my niece 2301
(Helen's daughter), and was about six or so when she used to visit us. It turns out that she has become
a poet. I am so proud of her. That's not the reason I am writing to you. She has written about me! I am
surprised too. Well, you are also mentioned once in the poem though I can't say it is a very flattering
picture. So, the poem brought back memories which I wanted to erase. But its better you hear it from
me than from others. I hate being married to you. It is not the chores, mind you. I would happily put
up with them. It is you. You were obnoxious, cruel and manipulative. Your ideas of how women
should live their lives were and are Jory outdated. I didn't have the language to tell you back then. I do
now. It's such a relief to be able to tell you this.
Your unhappy wife,
Jennifer

2. Read the given extract from an article published in The Independent: big ad bl. Turn your
pain into art": it's a phrase most of us have heard before...
The theory that achieving something great requires suffering dates back to ancient times... Pain,
however, is less an artistic necessity and more a result of "contagion" - a term used for the
spreading of a harmful idea or practice... In the context of the struggling artist, it allows mental
illness to fester; to be glamourised and admired; even encouraged in the name of art.
Do you think Aunt Jennifer "turned her pain into art"? What kind of "contagion" might her
pain be a result of? Evaluate Aunt Jennifer and her artistry in light of the above extract.
Ans. Indeed, Aunt Jennifer turned her pain into art. Aunt Jennifer's pain was from being mistreated by
her husband, either outright or subtly. His oppressive presence filled the poem. In a poem about Aunt
Jennifer's tigers, Uncle casts a dark shadow. Aunt Jennifer stitches the elegant, embroidered tigers to
get away from the pain. Her wedding band is heavy even in death, which shows how heavy it must
have been in life. Her ordeals were so many that they got the better of her. Bearing this heavy pain
was made possible for Aunt Jennifer because she could create art. So, she alchemized her pain fort
into art, into the detailed embroidery of free tigers. The 'contagion' that resulted in pain was Uncle's
oppression and tyranny, which made her miserable in her marriage. Aunt Jennifer's artistry was of the
highest standard. We know this from the description of the tigers. The tigers 'prance across a screen. It
takes skill to show prancing tigers which are 'proud and unafraid' in wool.

3. You have been asked to prepare a draft on 'Feminist Poetry' as part of a group project. You
decide to choose 'Aunt Jennifer's Tigers' as a reference for the study. Compose your draft on
the basis of the poem.
Ans. The basis for feminism is that men are O favoured by social and legal structures at the cost of
women's freedom and justice, which is unjust. In the poem 'Aunt Jennifer's Tigers', the structure that
is analysed is Aunt Jennifer's marriage. It can be inferred from the poem that Aunt Jennifer is

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extremely miserable. The poet calls Aunt Jennifer's wedding band as 'Uncle's wedding band'. Aunt
Jennifer does not even own her own wedding band. This together with the lines about her 'fingers
fluttering', 'terrified hands' and 'ringed with ordeals', we get the picture that something was majorly
wrong with Aunt Jennifer's marriage. It could be possible that she was being physically abused
because there are three references to fear in a short poem of three stanzas. Her fingers could flutter
from pain or fear. She had 'terrified hands' even in death. The tigers are described as being 'unafraid.
If the tigers are 'unafraid, it means Aunt Jennifer is afraid.
4. The poem 'Aunt Jennifer's Tigers' is about the power of art. Justify or refute.
Ans. Indeed, Adrienne Rich's poem 'Aunt Jennifer's Tigers' is about the power of art. Aunt Jennifer
lived a troublesome life as is evident from the poem. While she took time out of her busy life to create
embroidered tigers, her life was very far from a rosy tapestry that she was stitching. Primarily, fear
ruled her life. She embroidered fearless tigers as a way to get over the fear in her real life. When she
stitched, her fingers fluttered, either because she was afraid or because she was abused and injured.
She found it difficult to pull an ivory needle through the fabric. The wedding ring at that bound her
life to Uncle was heavy in life, and heavier after her death. What made it all bearable and tolerable
was that she made art. The author Neil Gaiman said, 'Make good art. Aunt Jennifer did just that. The
power of her art is what made her become the subject of a poem. There would not even be a poem if
Aunt Jennifer did not create those elegant prancing tigers on a panel.

5. Imagine that you are a journalist who is writing on the condition of women in society. Write
an article based on 'Aunt Jennifer's Tigers'.
Ans. Adrienne Rich’s poem ‘Aunt Jennifer’s Tigers’ is a good example of women’s lives. The main
character is Aunt Jennifer. She is barely present in the poem except in the form of her hands. And that
is enough to tell a story of troubled life. Aunt Jennifer was a middle-class woman married to Uncle.
He was responsible for all her suffering which he imposed on her. Aunt Jennifer did not complain
about anything except that she could not push the ivory needle through the fabric. She was afraid of
her husband. Her fingers trembled while doing embroidery. When she passed away, the heavy burden
of her marriage continued. But she left behind a skillfully made tapestry which was green in colour,
on which a few yellowish- orange tigers were embroidered prancing about in the jungle. She was
highly skilled in needlework. Women’s labour and art are often forgotten in the drudgery of everyday
life, but it is an important contribution. To improve women’s lives, we must all increase awareness
about marital abuse, and encourage women to gain healing through art.
6. Answer ANY ONE of the following in about 120-150 words.
'Their mother sighed.
Sophie watched her back stooped over the sink and wondered at the incongruity of the delicate
bow which fastened her apron abo strings.'
The prose selection, Going Places includes this telling comment about Sophie's mother. In Aunt
Jennifer's Tigers, we are told that -The massive weight of Uncle's wedding band Sits heavily
upon Aunt Jennifer's Hand.'
Imagine a conversation between Sophie's mother and Aunt Jennifer. Create this exchange with
reference to the two extracts given above.
You may begin the conversation like this...
Sophie's mother: Your embroidery is so beautiful. Do you love tigers?

GOWRISHANKAR.,M.A.,B.Ed.,M.Phil.,TESOL.,TOEFL.,RBT.,
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Ans.
Sophie's mother: Your embroidery is so beautiful. Do you love tigers?
Aunt Jennifer: Yes. Tigers are so fierce and fearless. I wish to be as free and wild as them one day.
Sophie's mother: I too wish to be as independent as them. Hunt for my own food, live my own life
and forget about the homely responsibilities.
Aunt Jennifer: Are you too in an unhappy marriage?
Sophie's mother: What should I say? I barely get anytime for myself. I have to only look after my
family and their needs. I didn't even go to watch Danny Casey's football match while my whole
family is there currently.
Aunt Jennifer: Oh! Seems like we share a similar status. There is a huge burden of ordeals. My only
escape to freedom are these embroidery tigers!
7. The tigers' description as 'chivalric' is a contrast to that of Aunt Jennifer. Explain.
Ans. Aunt Jennifer's tigers are described as 'chivalric' which is extremely contrasting to the traits that
she possesses. The tigers that Aunt embroiders on the panel have heroic courage, confidence and
bravery. They are gallant, magnificent and wild. They do not fear any man or a thing. They walk with
utmost pride and courage in them. On the contrary, Aunt Jennifer is a restricted and timid domestic
housewife who could only desire to possess the ferocious traits as that of the tigers. She is very fearful
of her husband and only does what has been ordered to her by him. She lacks the qualities of courage,
bravery and bet fierceness that the tigers possess.
8. What are the 'ordeals' Aunt Jennifer is surrounded by? Why is it significant that the poet use
the word 'ringed'? What are the meanings of the word 'ringed' in the poem?
Ans. The ordeals that surround Aunt Jennifer are the hardships and oppression in a male-dominated
society. The poet uses the word 'ringed' to signify that after her death also, Aunt Jennifer's hands will
still be affected by the dominance of a male, perhaps her husband. While the tigers will be free, she
would never be free from the constraints of her marriage. Her only hope for freedom is through
artistic creation or the tigers on her screen. Through them, she can depict the courage and confidence
that she lacks in her own life. The word 'ringed' is a pun with two meanings in the poem's context. It
refers to her wedding band in one sense, while also referring to how her marriage has kept her captive
to it.

GOWRISHANKAR.,M.A.,B.Ed.,M.Phil.,TESOL.,TOEFL.,RBT.,