PUC - II ENGLISH NOTES - 2022

1. ROMEO AND JULIET

- William Shakespeare

Comprehension I
1. What does Romeo intend to do after the measure is
done/danceis over?A
He intends to dance with her or at least touch her hand in
greeting andmake his ugly hand blessed.
2. What had Romeo not seen until he met Juliet ?
He had not seen what true beauty was until he met Juliet.
3. What does Juliet ask the loving, black browed night to do?
She asks the loving black browed night to bring her Romeo
to her.
4. Who will come gliding on the wings of night?
Romeo
5. How does Juliet want Romeo to be immortalized?
Juliet wants Romeo to be immortalized as stars in heaven
6. Why will be the world be in love with night?
Romeo will make the face of heaven so fine that the world
will fall in lovewith night.
7. The phrase, 'teach the torches to burn bright' suggests
Juliet's beauty surpasses the brightness of light.
8. For earth too dear' this phrase suggests that the lady's
beauty isdivine.'
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 9. The measure done', connotes the completion of the
danceorganized by Lord Capulet.
10. The line, 'Did my heart love till now?' conveys Romeo
feels thisis true love.
11. The phrase 'new snow', suggests Description of Romeo's
charm.
12. What do you think the phrase 'face of heaven' signifies?
The phrase 'face of heaven' signifies the moonlit night sky.
13. Who hosted a grand supper?
Lord Capulet
14. Name the two rival families of Verona.
The Montagues and the Capulets.
15. Why does Romeo attend the supper?
Romeo attends the supper with the intention of seeing
Rosaline, withwhom he was in love.
16.Why does Romeo attend the supper in disguise?
Romeo, a Montague, being an enemy of the Capulets,
had not been invited to the grand supper. As Romeo was
keen on seeing Rosaline, he attended the supper in
disguise.
17.Who does Romeo see on the dance floor?
Romeo sees Juliet, the fourteen year old daughter of the
Capulets, on the dance floor.
18.Who does Romeo fall in love with at the party?
Juliet.

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19.By whose beauty is Romeo fascinated?
Romeo is fascinated by the beauty of Juliet, the only
daughter of thecapulets.
20.What does Romeo learn about Juliet after the dance?
Romeo comes to know that Juliet was the only daughter of
the Capuletswho were staunch enemies of the Montagues.
21. What does Romeo mean when he praises Juliet as
'Beauty toomuch for use, for earth too dear'?
Romeo is so enchanted by Juliet's beauty that he says that she
is too beautiful for this world and too beautiful to die and be
buried.
22.What is the metaphor Romeo uses in 'so shows a snowy
dovetrooping with crows' when he describes Juliet?
Romeo uses the metaphor 'snowy dove' to describe Juliet.
23.What does Romeo mean when he says, 'I never saw true
beautytill this night'?
Romeo feels that never before has he felt so much in love
with someoneso beautiful as Juliet.
24.When does Juliet want Romeo to be set up in the
heaven withthe stars?
Juliet wants Romeo to be set up in the heaven with the
stars forming aconstellation in his image after her death.

25.Why does Juliet call Romeo 'day in night'?

Juliet calls Romeo 'day in night' because his
presence will shine outagainst the darkness.

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26. Why will the people stop paying attention to the sun?
After being cut into little stars, Romeo will make
the face of heaven so fine that the world will stop paying
attention to the sun

Comprehension II
1. What similes does Romeo use to convey Juliet's beauty
and towhat effect?
Or
What purpose do they serve in highlighting the
intensity of love?
William Shakespeare is an English poet and playwright,
widely regarded as the greatest writer in the English
language and the world's pre-eminent dramatist. He is
often called England's National poet and the “Bard of
Avon”. His plays have been translated into every major
living language and are performed more often than those
of anyother playwright.Romeo uses two similes to describe
Juliet's mesmerizing beauty 'It seems she
hangs upon the cheek of night As a
rich jewel in an Ethiope's ear.'In these lines the phrase
'cheek of night' and 'Ethiope's ear' refers to the darkness of
the night personified as an African/Ethiopian.The
comparison is between the 'snowy dove' and the 'crows'.
Juliet is thesnowy dove and the other ladies in the room are
compared to crows.One of the play's most consistent
visual motifs is the contrast between light and dark often
in terms of night and day imagery. This contrast is not

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 given a particular metaphoric meaning 'light is not
always good, and dark is not always evil'. On the
contrary light and dark are generally used to provide a
sensory contrast and to hint at opposed alternatives. The
theme of light is symbolic of the natural beauty of young
love. Both Romeo and Juliet see each other as light in a
surrounding darkness. Romeo describes Juliet as 'being
like a sun', 'brighter than a torch', 'a jewel sparkles in the
night', and 'a bright angel among dark clouds'.
Juliet describes Romeo as day in night and whiter than
snow upon a raven's back. This contrast of light and dark
can be expanded as symbols contrasting love and hate,
youth and age in a metaphoric way.
Romeo and Juliet's love is a light in the midst of the
darkness of the hatred around them, but all of their
activity together is done in night and darkness, while all
the feuding is done in broad daylight. This paradox of
imagery adds atmosphere to the moral dilemma facing
the two lovers, loyalty to family or loyalty to love. These
two similes highlight how fascinated Romeo is with
Juliet's beauty.
2. How according to Juliet, would Romeo be immortalized to the
world?
William Shakespeare (1564 – 1616) is an English poet and
playwright, widely regarded as the greatest writer in the
English language and the world's pre-eminent dramatist.
He is often called England's National poet and the “Bard
of Avon”. His plays have been translated into everymajor

5
living language and are performed more often than those
of anyother playwright.
Juliet compares Romeo to a day coming during night. She
describes heis whiter than the snow on the black wings of
a raven. By bringing in the images of night and day, black
and white William Shakespeare tries to speak of the
brighter side of the life. Inspite of having enmity, both
Romeo and Juliet fall in love with each other and referred
to as a day at night and as a white dove marching over
black crows to show the intensity of their love.
'Come gentle night, come loving dark night' saying so
Juliet requests togive her Romeo to her and if she dies, she
begs fate to turn him into stars and form a constellation in
his image. His face will make the heaven sobeautiful that
the world will fall in love with the night and forget the
garish sun. Juliet wishes to immortalize Romeo after his
death by wishing to transform him into star. By speaking of
life after death Juliet exhibits more passionate and intense
love for her beloved Romeo.

Comprehension III
1. Comment on the imagery of 'night-day, black-white' in
the poem. What purpose do they serve in highlighting
the intensityof love?
William Shakespeare (1564 – 1616) is an English poet and
playwright, widely regarded as the greatest writer in the
English language and the world's pre-eminent dramatist.
He is often called England's National poet and the “Bard
6
of Avon”. His plays have been translated into everymajor
living language and are performed more often than those
of anyother playwright.
Juliet's beauty burns so bright that it rivals the stars and
even burning fire. Romeo is truly star struck. Romeo
makes comparisons to demonstrate Juliet's true beauty.
He contrasts her against her family calling her a dove
which is white, a bright symbol of love and hope against
a family of crows. This he uses to explain their criminality
and darkness against the light is referred to Juliet. The
dove is the symbol of innocence and purity. He also
describes Juliet as 'being like a sun', 'brighter than a torch',
'a jewel sparking in the night', and 'a bright angel among
dark clouds'.
Juliet uses the phrase 'day in night' and 'whiter than new
snow on a raven's back' . She describes Romeo as day in
night and whiter than snow upon a raven's back. This
contrast of light and dark can be expanded as symbols
contrasting love and hate, youth and age in a metaphoric
way.
'Come gentle night, come loving dark night' 'when I shall
die' ,'heaven' and 'cut him in little stars' saying so Juliet
requests to give her Romeoto her and if she dies, she begs
fate to turn him into stars and form a constellation in his
image. His face will make the heaven so beautifulthat the
world will fall in love with the night and forget the garish
sun.
One of the play's most consistent visual motifs is the

7
 contrast betweenlight and dark often in terms of night and
day imagery. This contrast is not given a particular
metaphoric meaning light is not always good, and dark is
not always evil. On the contrary light and dark are
generally used to provide a sensory contrast and to hint
at opposed alternatives. The theme of light is symbolic of
the natural beauty of young love. Both Romeo and
Juliet see each other as light in a surrounding darkness
Romeo and Juliet's love is a light in the midst of the
darkness of the hate around them, but all of their activity
together is done in night and darkness, while all the
feuding is done in broad daylight. This paradoxof imagery
adds atmosphere to the moral dilemma facing the two
lovers, loyalty to family or loyalty to love. Thus the
imagery of night and day,black-white' depicts intensity of
their love.
2. Between Romeo and Juliet whose love, do you think, is
more passionate and intense?
William Shakespeare (1564 - 1616) is an English poet and
playwright, widely regarded as the greatest writer in the
English language and the world's pre-eminent dramatist.
He is often called England's National poet and the “Bard
of Avon”. His plays have been translated into everymajor
living language and are performed more often than those
of anyother playwright.
The two noble families of Verona, the Capulet's and the
Montague's were staunch enemies. Romeo and Juliet
belonged to rival families. Old Lord Capulet hosted a
grand supper. Though Romeo belonged to the family of
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Montague's, he attended the supper in disguise to see
Roseline, there he sees Juliet on the dance floor and is
fascinated by her beauty. After the dance he learns that
she is the daughter of Lord Capulet. She too feels a
prodigious birth of love for a man from the enemy family.
Romeo realizes touching her hand would be a sin because
she seems so perfect. He also realizes if he ever did touch
her, his rude hand would be blessed. Romeo renounces
his former words of love (To Roseline and others) One
look of Juliet made him feel that every other girl he has ever
seen might as well not exist, that means to say Romeo has
found a truelove.
He contrasts her against her family calling her a dove
which is white, a bright symbol of love and hope against a
family of crows. This he uses to explain their criminality
and darkness against the light referred to Juliet. The dove
is the symbol of innocence and purity. He says that she
appears like a precious jewel hanging in the ears of an
Ethiopian. He also describes Juliet as 'being like a sun',
'brighter than a torch', 'a jewelsparkling in the night', and 'a
bright angel among dark clouds'.
Juliet uses the phrase 'day in night' and 'whiter than new
snow on a raven's back'. She describes Romeo as day in
night and whiter than snow upon a raven's back. This
contrast of light and dark can be expanded as symbols
contrasting love and hate, youth and age Juliet goes a step
further, she tries to immortalize her passionate love towards
Romeo.

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 'Come gentle night; come, loving, black-browed
night,''when I shall die, take him and cut him out in little
stars' saying so Juliet requests to giveher Romeo to her and
when she dies, she begs fate to turn him into starsand form
a constellation in his image. His face will make the heaven
so beautiful that the world will fall in love with the night
and forget the garish sun. Juliet wishes to immortalize
Romeo after his death by wishing to transform him into
star.
Juliet by speaking of life after death, exhibits more
passionate and intense love for her beloved Romeo.
Romeo is mesmerized and fascinated by her physical
beauty. Whereas she is not only infatuated with Romeo's
personality but is deeply in love with Romeo. Thus we can
conclude that it is Juliet who is more Passionate and
intense in love than Romeo.

3. TOO DEAR!
LEO TOLSTOY

Comprehension I
1. Where is the kingdom of Monaco?
The kingdom of Monaco lies on the shore of the
Mediterranean sea nearthe borders of France and Italy
2. On the shores of which sea is the kingdom of Monaco is
located -
Mediterranean sea
3. What is the population of Monaco?

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 Seven thousand inhabitants
4. If the kingdom of Monaco were divided among its
inhabitantshow much land would each inhabitant get?
Each inhabitant would get less than an acre.
5. How many men are there in the army of Monaco?
Sixty men
6. What are the items on which tax is levied in Monaco?
Tobacco, wine and spirits, and poll-tax
7. Why was it hard for the Prince to feed his courtiers and
officialsand to keep himself?
As very few people in the kingdom drank and smoked the
revenue from the taxes on tobacco and on wine and
spirits was insufficient for the Prince to feed his courtiers
and officials and to keep himself.
8. What was the new and special source of revenue found
by the king?
Gaming house.
9. What did people play in the gaming house?
Roulette
10. How did the king of Monaco supplement the
kingdom'srevenue?
He supplemented the kingdoms revenue by keeping to
himself themonopoly of the gaming business.
11. What did the king of Monaco consider dirty business?
Gambling
12. Why were the German sovereigns forbidden from
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 keepinggaming houses? Why?
Gaming houses run by German sovereigns did a great
deal of harm to the people. Many a time gamblers who
lost their money in the German gaming houses, out of
despair they drowned or shot themselves.
13. What proverb does the writer mention to justify the
dirtybusiness of gambling?
“You can't earn stone palaces by honest labor'
14. In what way does the Prince of Monaco hold his court
with allthe ceremony of a real king?
The Prince of Monaco had his coronation, and his levees.
He also gave rewards, and awarded sentences and
pardons. He also held reviews, councils, laws and courts
of justice.
15. What unusual crime was committed in the kingdom of
Monaco?
A murder
16. In what manner was the criminal condemned to be executed?
The criminal was condemned to be executed by an
executioner using aguillotine machine.
17. What was the hitch in the execution of the criminal?
The kingdom of Monaco did not have either a guillotine
machine or aprofessional executioner.
18. How much did the French government expect from
machineand an expert?
The French Government offered to lend a machine and an
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 expert for aprice of 16000 francs (16 thousand)
19. Who according to the council was a brother monarch?
The council of Monaco considered the king of Italy as a
brothermonarch. (Monarchic type of government)
20. How much did the Italian government demand for the
execution?
It demanded 12000 francs(12 thousand) for lending the
machine andthe services of an executioner. It also included
the travelling expenses.
21. Why was the prince of Monaco unwilling to put an
additional tax of two francs of the people?
Prince of Monaco was unwilling because the people
wouldn't stand it and it may also cause a riot.
22. What reason did the soldiers give for not accepting to
executethe criminal?
The council of ministers wanted one of the soldiers to cut
off the criminals head in a rough and homely fashion. But
the soldiers said that they did not know how to do it and
that was onething that they had not been taught.
23. What were the duties expected of the guard?
The guard was expected to watch the criminal and also to
fetch his foodfrom the palace kitchen.
24. The present plan is too expensive what is the present
plan referred to by the prince?
The plan of keeping the murderer in prison and a guard
to keep watchover him which was about 600 francs a year.

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25. On what condition did the criminal agree to leave the
prison?
The criminal agreed to leave the prison on a condition
that the king undertakes to pay his pension regularly and
received one-third of his annuity as advance from the
prince .
26. What work did the prisoner do after being released
from prison?
The prisoner bought a bit of land and started market
–gardening.

Comprehension II
1. Though gambling is a dirty business why does the king
of Monaco resort to it?
Count Leo Tolstoy (1828-1910) is a Russian prolific writer,
who started his career with short stories and novels, later
he turned to write essaysand plays. Tolstoy's best known
novels are war and Peace, Anna Karenina, Master and
man etc. He was one of the prominent social reformers.
After 1880 his deep concern for morals in the human life
led him to spirituality that radically changed his life. Too
dear was written after 1890. So naturally his angle was
humanitarian, where he reflects on the well being of
mankind.
Monaco is a tiny little kingdom of seven thousand
inhabitants, which lies on the shore of the Mediterranean
Sea near the borders of France and Italy. Many a small
country town has more inhabitants than thiskingdom. In
spite of this, Monaco has a Kinglet, a palace, courtiers,
14
 Ministers, a bishop, generals and an army, consisting of
sixty men. Thekingdom also levies taxes on its subjects on
the use of tobacco, wine and spirits and a poll-tax. Since
this kingdom has very few subjects, the revenue drawn
from them was not sufficient.
Therefore the prince of Monaco had no other option other
than resorting to keep gaming houses for extra revenue.
This is the reason why the prince of Monaco resorts to
gambling even though it's a dirty business.
2. Why did the king of Monaco keep changing his mind
in dealingwith the criminal?
Count Leo Tolstoy (1828-1910) is a Russian prolific writer,
who started his career with short stories and novels, later
he turned to write essaysand plays. Tolstoy's best known
novels are war and Peace, Anna Karenina, Master and
man etc. He was one of the prominent social reformers.
After 1880 his deep concern for morals in the human life
led him to spirituality that radically changed his life. Too
dear was written after 1890. So naturally his angle was
humanitarian, where he reflects on the well being of
mankind.
The kingdom of Monaco had never encountered a crime
like Murder in its domains. When this happened the king
and the law keepers did not know how to handle this
crisis. Though the judges sentenced the murderer to be
beheaded, this was not possible, as the kingdom of
Monaco had no means to execute the murderer and they
had to rely ontheir neighboring country France to supply

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them a guillotine, amachine to cut the heads off. But, this
cost them 16,000 Francs whichwas a heavy sum.
So the king decided to enquire the cost of machine from
Italy. Italy offered guillotine machine for a lesser sum of
12,000 Francs. Even this was too much for countries
economy, therefore king decided to alter the death
sentence to one of imprisonment for life, which was
cheaper than the earlier death sentence.

After one year king noticed that life imprisonment cost came
up to more than 600 Francs which was heavy and at last king
resorted to paying a pension of 600 Francs annually to the
prisoner and ordered him to leave the domains of Monaco
forever.
3. Why was the criminal reluctant to go out of the prison?
Count Leo Tolstoy (1828-1910) is a Russian prolific writer,
who started his career with short stories and novels, later he
turned to write essaysand plays. Tolstoy's best known novels
are war and Peace, Anna Karenina, Master and man etc. He
was one of the prominent social reformers. After 1880 his
deep concern for morals in the human life led him to
spirituality that radically changed his life. Too dear was
written after 1890. So naturally his angle was humanitarian,
where he reflectson the well being of mankind.
According to the advice given by the ministers to bring
down the expenses incurred on the prisoner, the Prince
decided to dismiss the special guard who was kept to watch
over the prisoner. This would indirectly give an opportunity
for the prisoner to escape and the prince waited to see
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 whether the prisoner escaped but this never happened. The
criminal was reluctant to go out of prison for two reasons.
One because he was timely fed by the royal kitchen and
second he had no other place to go, as nobody would offer
him a job as he was a murderer.Therefore he decided to stay in
the prison instead of running away.
4. How did the criminal lead his life after his release?
Count Leo Tolstoy (1828-1910) is a Russian prolific writer,
who started his career with short stories and novels, later he
turned to write essaysand plays. Tolstoy's best known novels
are war and Peace, Anna Karenina, Master and man etc. He
was one of the prominent social reformers. After 1880 his
deep concern for morals in the human life led him to
spirituality that radically changed his life. Too dear was
written after 1890. So naturally his angle was humanitarian,
where he reflectson the well being of mankind.
It was agreed that the criminal would leave Monaco and its
domain forever and for doing this he would be paid 600
Francs annually. Thissomehow appeased the criminal and he
readily agreed to do so. It was only a quarter of an hour by
rail and he emigrated, and settled just across the frontier,
where he bought a bit of land, started market- gardening and
lived comfortably. He always went at the proper time todraw
his pension and having received it, he spent two or three
francs at the gaming table, winning sometimes and losing
sometimes and now lived peaceably well.

Comprehension III
1. You can't earn stone palaces by honest labour in what
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context isthis statement made?
Count Leo Tolstoy (1828-1910) is a Russian prolific writer,
who started his career with short stories and novels, later
he turned to write essaysand plays. Tolstoy's best known
novels are war and Peace, Anna Karenina, Master and
man etc. He was one of the prominent social reformers.
After 1880 his deep concern for morals in the human life
led him to spirituality that radically changed his life. Too
dear was written after 1890. So naturally his angle was
humanitarian, where he reflects on the well being of
mankind.
Monaco is a tiny little kingdom of seven thousand
inhabitants, which lies on the shore of the Mediterranean
Sea near the borders of France and Italy. Many a small
country town has more inhabitants than thiskingdom. In
spite of this, Monaco has a Kinglet, a palace, courtiers,
Ministers, a bishop, generals and an army, consisting of
sixty men. Thekingdom also levies taxes on its subjects on
the use of tobacco, wine and spirits and a poll-tax. Since
this kingdom has very few subjects, the revenue drawn
from them is not sufficient. Therefore the prince of
Monaco has no other option other than resorting to keep
gaming houses for extra revenue. Though kinglet of
Monaco knows it is a dirtybusiness, but what is he to do?
He has to live. He was much interested in all his
ceremonies. He has his coronation, his levees, his
rewards, sentences and pardons. He also had his reviews,
councils, laws and courts of justice, just like any other
kings, only on a smaller scale. Kingwas more interested in
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leading a luxurious life and also more concerned with all
his financial gains and less concerned with his duties. So
he drew revenue from all evil sources like gambling
houses, tax on tobacco,wines and spirits which represents
the negative aspects of life. Incomecollected from the evil
side of life may not lead us to good future. Ill- gotten gain
was spent in the ill mannered way in the end.
2. Though the trial and imprisonment of the criminal is
depicted in comic mode in this story, it does give rise to
serious question.What are they?
Or

3. Where there other ways of dealing with crime and the

criminal?Discuss in the light of the story?
Count Leo Tolstoy (1828-1910) is a Russian prolific writer,
who started his career with short stories and novels, later
he turned to write essaysand plays. Tolstoy's best known
novels are war and Peace, Anna Karenina, Master and
man etc. He was one of the prominent social reformers.
After 1880 his deep concern for morals in the human life
led him to spirituality that radically changed his life. Too
dear was written after 1890. So naturally his angle was
humanitarian, where he reflects on the well being of
mankind.
All is well in the kingdom of Monaco until a man commits
a murder. The king had never had to deal with a murderer
before, and after the judicial process, the convict had been
sentenced to death.But there was only one hitch in the
matter and that was they had neither a guillotine for
19
cutting heads, off, nor an executioner. So they had to rely
on their neighboring country France. But this cost them
16,000 Francs, which was a very heavy sum. The prince
later enquired it with Italy, Italy offered it for a lesser sum
of 12,000 Francs, and eventhis was too much burden. The
decision was (reversed) revoked and the murderer was
imprisoned for life. Life imprisonment, however
presented its own set of problems. There need to be a
guard at all times and the man had to be fed. The yearly
costs were calculated to be more than 600 Francs, which
would still necessitate an increase of taxes. Itwas decided
that the guard should be dismissed, even at the risk of
losing the prisoner. But the prisoner however does not try
to escape andwhen it was enquired, the criminal responds
that he has nowhere to go in Monaco and that his
reputation was ruined. King finally decides to pay 600
Francs to the murderer as an annual pension by the
government to remain in exile.
Leo Tolstoy’s angle was humanitarian, where he reflects
on the wellbeing of mankind. He presents this story in a
most humorous way and concludes that king who was
less concerned with his responsibilities and was earning
profit from evil sources also tries to save the expenses
(from death sentences to life imprisonment) but it turns to
be too expensive for the kinglet. So the title ‘Too dear’ is apt
andthe funny side is if the criminal was found guilty then
he must be convicted. But this particular criminal was
treated in an innovative fashion, where he was pensioned
that is - a regular income by the government. It not only
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 sets him free but also pensions him.
But unfortunately in other parts of the world criminals
are very badly treated. Once a criminal then he is
convicted for life. Real problem of each and every
country is that they strive their level best to get rid ofsuch
social evils. Criminals are also humans. But they are
always ill- treated and executed in the most barbaric
manner. Guillotine, France origin where the device is
used to behead the culprit or Spanish origin Garrote
where iron collar is tightened around the prisoner's neck,
or Lynch mob, where a group of people kills someone by
hanging them without a legal trial or electrocution killing
the prisoner by passing electricity through their body.
The way the criminals are killed is nothing short of
barbaric. Criminals are also humans, and they shouldalso
be treated with basic human rights. It is every
government's legal responsibility to provide such
offenders a second chance to improve.

3. ON CHILDREN
Khalil Gibran

1. And a woman who held a babe against her bosom

said, ”Speak to us of children.” And he said: Here 'he'
Refers to The prophet
2. 'Your children are not your children' means
The children should have their
own space.
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3. They come through you, but are not from you' means
Though parents give birth to their children they do not own
them
4. According to the prophet, what may be given to the children?
According to the prophet, only our love may be given to the
children.
5. Their souls dwell in the house of tomorrow' means
a. Children belong to the future.
c. Children have a different vision of life
6. Whom does the word bows refer to ?
Parents
7. What does the phrase ‘living arrows’ refer to?
Children
8. Who is the archer in the poem?
God
9. Whom does God use as his instrument to send living
arrows tothe earth?
God uses parents as his instrument
10. Why does god bend the parents with all his might?
God bends the parents with all his might to test them for
stability and strength so that the arrows (children) that
they shoot travel far andreach their destination.
11. What brings children to the earth?
Life's longing for itself brings children to the earth.
12. Why shouldn't parents give their thoughts to their
children?

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 Parents should not give their thoughts to their children
because the children have their own souls and a mind of
their own and are free to think for themselves.
13. Who dwell in the house of tomorrow?
Children.
Comprehension II
1. Why does the prophet categorically state 'Your Children
are notyour children'?
Khalil Gibran was a Lebanese American artist, poet and
writer. 'On Children' is a selection from 'The Prophet'
published in 1923. The Prophet is one of the bestselling books
of all time. The Prophet offers acritic of the usual expectations
of parents about their children and urges them to introspect.
He states that a child's parents should not be controlling
towards their child: rather they should give their childrenthe
opportunity to succeed on their own. When it comes to
child's thoughts and points of view, all that the child needs
from his parents isnever ending support.
Your children are not your children” but many parents goad
(pointed stick to drive cattle with compulsion) their kids
apparently without even sparing a glance as to what the child
wishes or wants “They come through you but not from you”
And though they are with you, Yet they
belong not to you”This quote means that we are all God's
children. We belong not to a being on Earth. Rather we belong
to the man above. Some parents fail to realize this. They have
come through us for a purpose of their own andsome of them
are very different from their parents, in thoughts, attitudes,
23
 wishes etc
Kahlil says that they stay with you, but they do not belong to
you. Eachone of us has to chart out our own paths and not one
of us resembles theother. God and nature are so brilliant that
we cannot find even one fingerprint resembling another.
Parents should love their children without binding them
with their own thoughts. Love is always divine and self less
and free like bird.
2. What does the metaphor, bows and arrows signify with
regardto parent children relationship?

Khalil Gibran was a Lebanese American artist, poet and

writer. 'On Children' is a selection from 'The Prophet'
published in 1923. The Prophet' is one of the bestselling
books of all time.

Kahlil Gibran's perspective on the issue of children is that

a child's parents can only give them love so as to make
them confident to face all the challenges of life. But they
cannot impose their thoughts. Parents can offer opinions
as choices but freewill or ultimate decision should be
given to children. Parents should allow them to grow and
transcend what personality they aspire. Parents should
think that children are our future and the future cannot be
stagnant with the past.

The future can only be better and brighter because all

beings (everybody) strive for perfection and that is not
possible with referenceto the past because by focussing on
24
the past, the present gets distorted. Here Kahlil compares
parents as bows, children as arrows and Archer as
almighty. Bow has to stretch to shoot the arrows. In the
same manner parents have to stretch the limits of their
thinking and living. The respect that any adult gets, it
should not be because of his age, but it should be because
the next generation feels they deserve it due to their
thoughts which has become a foundation for their character
and one day parents should look at them and wonder,
these were my thoughts but my child has surpassed
(excelled) them and parents should hope to become like
their children.

Kahlil insist that is the day when any parent should be

proud that the parenting has been good. No person truly
belongs to another, each person is unique. His
fingerprints and mind is solely his own parents are the
“bows” that send the “arrows” of their children into future.
Each is beloved to God who is their creator. The archer
“God” who cast the arrows wants it to go to a certain
place; he really cannot make it go unless he holds the
bow stable. So that the arrow will go the way he wants.
In other words, parents need to be good stable role
models for their children if they want them to stick to the
path of success.

25
EVERYTHING I NEED TO KNOW I LEARNED IN THE
FOREST ---Vandana Shiva

Comprehension I.Question 1.
Trace the childhood experiences that shaped the author’s
interest in ecology.
Answer:
Vandana Shiva’s father was a forest conservator and her
mother was a farmer. Her ecological journey started in the
forests of the Himalayas. She learnt most of what she knew
about ecology from the Himalayan forests. Her mother had
composed songs about trees, forests and India’s forest
civilizations.

Question 2.
How does the scarcity of water, fodder and fuel, affect
women?
Answer:
Scarcity of water, food and fuel make women walk longer
distances for collecting water and firewood and it was a
heavy burden on them.

Question 3.
What features of the ‘Chipko’ movement does the author
highlight?
Answer:
26
Vandana Shiva highlights three important aspects of the
Chipko movement. First, it was a non-violent response to
the large-scale deforestation that was taking place in the
Himalayan region. Secondly, it was the peasant women
who had come out in defence of the forests. Thirdly, these
women knew the real value of forests and were convinced
of the effects of deforestation on their life.

Question 4.
The real value of forest for women was?
(a) timber from dead trees.
(b) source of basic need.
(c) springs and streams.
Answer:
(b) source of basic need.

Question 5.
List the activities of Vandana which she undertook after her
involvement with the ‘Chipko’ movement.
Answer:
Soon after becoming a volunteer for the Chipko movement,
Vandana Shiva spent every vacation doing padayatra
documenting the deforestation and the work of the forest
activists.

27
Question 6.
The conservation of biodiversity in agriculture leads to
(a) an increase in the quantity of food production.
(b) developing a variety of food grains.
(c) more quality food and higher nutrition.
Answer:
(c) more quality food and higher nutrition.

Question 7.
Why is it important to change fossil fuel and
chemical-based monoculture?
Answer:
Vandana started the “Navdanya” movement for
biodiversity conservation and organic farming because it is
the answer to the food and nutrition crisis. It also increases
soil fertility and prevent environmental pollution and stop
the wastage of natural resources.

Question 8.
What prompted the UN to initiate a discussion on the rights
of Mother Earth?
Answer:
The united nations general assembly inspired by the
constitution of Ecuador that has recognised the “Rights of
Nature” and the universal declaration of the rights of
mother Earth.

28
Question 9.
The conference organized by the UN General Assembly
aimed at transforming the domination of
(a) people over nature.
(b) men over women.
(c) rich over the poor.
(d) all the above.
Answer:
(a) people over nature.

Question 10.
What, according to the author, is eco-apartheid? Why is it
important to end this?
Answer:
Eco-apartheid is discriminating the nature of human beings.
Man sees nature as separate and treats it unsympathetically.
He forgets that he is a part of the environment and damages
nature. Eco-apartheid must be stopped, otherwise nature
will cruelly destroy us. If we protect nature, it protects us.

Question 11.
What event in human history marked the beginning of the
separation of humans from nature?
Answer:
29
The industrial revolution marked the beginning of the
separation of humans from nature.

Question 12.
How do the views of Carolyn Merchant differ from that of
Francis Bacon?
Answer:
It was Francis Bacon, popularly called the Father of modern
science, who said that science and scientific inventions not
merely exert a gentle guidance over nature’s course but also
have the power to conquer and subdue nature and to shake
her to her foundations. In contrast with this belief, Carolyn
Merchant said that one does not readily slay a mother, dig
into her entrails for gold, or mutilate her body.

Question 13.
What ideas of Tagore inspired the author to start Earth
University?
Answer:
Rabindranath Tagore is India’s national poet and a Nobel
Laureate. He started a learning center in Shantiniketan in
West Bengal, India as a forest school. Because the forest is a
source of knowledge and freedom, it was the source of
beauty and joy. It also teaches us unity and compassion. It
makes us think about the value of nature. Hence Vandana
got inspired by all these values of Rabindranath Tagore to
start the Earth university.

30
Question 14.
In what ways arc unity and diversity related to each other?
Answer:
The forest culture is a symbol of unity in diversity and is
the basis of both ecological sustainability and democracy.
The author asserts that unity and diversity are interrelated
because diversity without unity becomes the source of
conflict and contest, and unity without diversity becomes
the ground for external control.

Comprehension II.Question 1.
How did the women led by Bachni Devi put of resistance
felling of trees? Do you think it was effective?
Answer:
Bachni Devi led the resistance against her own husband
who had obtained a contract to cut trees. When officials
arrived, the women held up lighted lanterns in broad
daylight and said to the foresters that they had come to
teach them forestry and sang about the uses of forest in the
form of songs. Of course, it was effective.

Question 2.
Why is it important to promote the biodiversity of intensive
farming? How did the author achieve it?
Answer:
Vandana Shiva learned about bio-diversity in the
Himalayan forests, and transferred those ‘ lessons learnt to
the protection of biodiversity on their farms? She started
saving seeds from farmers’ fields and then realized they
31
needed a farm for demonstration and training. So, she
started the ‘’Navdanya farm” in 1994 in the Doon valley
located in the lower elevations of the Himalayan region of
Uttarakhand province. She conserved and grew 630
varieties of rice, 150 varieties of wheat, and hundreds of
other species. Bio-diversity also helps to produce more food
and nutrition per acre and reduces malnutrition and
improves human health.

Question 3.
“Rights of Nature” means
(a) the right of people to use nature.
(b) the duty of human beings to conserve nature.
(c) preserving nature for self-protection.
Answer:
(b) the duty of human beings to conserve nature.

Question 4.
What does the idea of the Earth University convey? how is
it different from other universities?
Answer:
The Earth university promotes freedom for all species of the
evolution, to live. It also promotes the responsibility of
humans to protect and preserve all the species on Earth.
32
Humans have to think that all the species are equal to them
and share food and water equally. It promotes the “Live
and Let Live” culture among all species. The Earth
University stands apart from other universities because
teaching does not take place within the four walls, but in
the nature of the ‘Navadhanya’ where participants
practically participated with seeds and soil and the student
are farmers who learn popular courses “A-Z of organic
farming and Agro-Ecology” and “Gandhi and
Globalization”.

Comprehension III.

Question 1.
“Tagore saw unity with nature as the highest stage of
human evolution.” Do you think consumerism and
accumulation of wealth come in the way of realizing
Tagore’s vision of human evolution?
Answer:
Yes, I think conservation and accumulation of wealth comes
in the way of realizing Tagore’s vision of human evolution.

Question 2.
“The conservation of biodiversity is the answer to the food
and nutrition crisis.” Discuss?
Answer:
33
Yes, I agree with the above point if we conserve
bio-diversity it will solve the problem of malnutrition and
food crisis.

Question 3.
“Conservation of diversity is crucial for the sustenance of
both nature and human society.” Discuss.
Answer:
Diversity helps to keep soil fertile and prevents soil erosion.
Organic farming plays a dominant role in sustaining our
growing population. Diversity solves the problem of
nutrition crisis, it ensures the supply of basic needs of living
beings like food, water, shelter etc. Different tress, different
species help humans in agriculture. In the same way,
organic fanning helps to conserve Bio-diversity. Organic
farming is a natural farming where cow dung is used for
the fertility of soil instead of chemical manures. It also
protects other cattle and there would be no wastage of
raw-materials because of cattle. Because in farming weeds
are common, but the weeds become food for the cattle. It
also avoids pollution. Forests also attract clouds and cause
rains. Rains make our lives better with enough food and
water. Diversity also builds good rapport between humans
and animals.

Question 4.
In the light of this essay how does one synthesize the
wisdom of the past with the modern knowledge systems?
Answer:
34
Wisdom of the past is no less important than modern
science. Despite the tremendous progress in science, we
should be grateful to past knowledge. Because ancient
methods were very scientific so they preserved much of the
nutrition in the food. Nowadays, chemical manures destroy
the fertility of the earth and produce less nutritious food. So
modern science has to go back for the past methods of
cultivating land and getting the best yield.

35
 5. A SUNNY MORNING
SERAFIN AND JOAQUIN ALVAREZ QUINTERO
1. Precisely at what point of time, do you think, Laura
and Gonzalo begin to recognise each other?

Serafin and Joaquin Alvarez Qunitero were the

celebrated Spanish playwright brothers in the early
twentieth century. In this play, “A Sunny Morning”
they bring in the theme of long lost love rediscovered
on a sunny morning. Though the passage of time has
taken away the physical charm in the protagonists, yet,
their yearning for love and friendship remains strong.
Dona Laura and Don Gonzalo are in their 70s when
they chance to meet at a park. Like anyone at their age,
they show their anger, frustration and hatred. Amid
initial verbal exchanges, a pinch of snuff changes their
tone and mood. When Dona Laura takes the book
from Don Gonzalo and reads aloud, “Twenty Years
Pass”, exactly at this point both of them begin to
recognize each other.

2.Why do Dona Laura and Don Gonzalo spin

fictitious stories about themselves?
A Sunny Morning by the Quintero brothers is a
comedy. It tells the story of Don Gonzalo and Dona
Laura, who were ardent lovers at their youngage. But
their affair was not a successful one as they had to
part with each other in life. They meet each other in a
park in Madrid during their old age. An old woman
Dona Laura enters the scene leaning upon thearms of
her maid Petra. The woman is happy about feeding
pigeons with bread crumbs. It is at this point an old
36
 man enters with his attendant.The man is none other
than Don Gonzalo, who is seen irritated as he finds
no bench in the park to be vacant. Moreover the one
that he usually uses during his visit to the park is
occupied by three priests. Quite grudgingly he comes
near Laura and shares her bench. Laura gets
infuriated as the old man has tried to scare the
pigeons and she calls him “an ill-natured man”. But
after a few moments of disagreement, both of them
have a pinch of snuff and reconciles with each other.
Gonzalo says that he is from Valencia and to his
surprise Laura reveals that she is from Maricela,
where she lived in a villa. Gonzalo is startled by the
revelation and he says that he knows a woman
named Laura Llorente who lived in a villa there, who
was perhaps the most beautiful woman he had ever
seen. Both Laura and Gonzalo realize that they were
young lovers once. But they pretend notto reveal their
identities. Both spin fictitious stories because they
thinkthat it was not a good idea to reveal their identities
at old age. Moreover they were married and Gonzalo
was suffering from gout. In order to hidetheir feelings
for each other and to spend their remaining life in the
sweet memories of the past they both spin stories about
themselves.
3. What were the circumstances that led Gonzalo
to flee Valencia?
Serafin and Joaquin Alvarez Qunitero were the
celebrated Spanish playwright brothers in the early
twentieth century. In this play, “A Sunny Morning”

37
they bring in the theme of long lost love rediscovered
on a sunny morning. Don Gonzalo was in love with
Dona Laura, the Silver Maiden. He used to pass by on
horseback every morning down the rose path under
her window and tossed up to her balcony a bouquet of
flowers which she caught. Later in the afternoon, the
gallant horseman would return by the same path, and
catch the bouquet of flowers she would toss him. One
night, when he waited under her window, the local
merchant whom Laura’s parents wanted her to marry
showed up and insulted Gonzalo. This led to a quarrel
and later led to a duel. Don Gonzalo badly wounded
the merchant. Fearing the circumstances, he fled
Valencia.

4. Did Laura and Gonzalo pine for each other after

they were separated by circumstances? Who is more
passionate? How do they react to each other now?
Serafin and Joaquin Alvarez Qunitero were the
celebrated Spanish playwright brothers in the early
twentieth century. In this play, “A Sunny Morning”
they bring in the theme of long lost love rediscovered
on a sunny morning. Laura and Gonzalo did pine for
each other. Both of them express in their created stories
how much they felt the loss. Gonzalo tells her that he
wrote letters to Laura from Madrid but she never
answered them at all s they were intercepted by her
parents. Disappointed, he joined the army and met a
glorious death in Africa. He later admits that in three
months after he left Aravaca, he fled to Paris with a

38
ballet dancer. On the other hand, Laura says that she
waited for months and a year without any letter. One
afternoon she went to the beach where her beloved had
risked his life and sat on a rock with her gaze fixed on
the horizon. She was swept away by the waves. In their
words of their tales, Laura seems to be more passionate.
Now, both of them came to know about their real
identity. However, they do not want to disclose their
real self. They are rather happy to meet on more sunny
mornings as good new friends.

5.What makes Dona Laura conclude that Don

Gonzalo is an ill-natured man?
Serafin and Joaquin Alvarez Qunitero were the
celebrated Spanish playwright brothers in the early
twentieth century. In this play, “A Sunny Morning”,
they bring in the theme of long lost love rediscovered
on a sunny morning. Don Gonzalo comes to a park in
Madrid. He wanted to sit on the bench Laura was
sitting. She got annoyed because he dragged his feet
while walking; scaring away the birds she was feeding.
Besides, he replied to her indignantly upon being
asked for rude actions. This is when Dona Laura
concluded that Don Gonzalo was an ill-natured man.
6. Laura and Gonzalo create stories about themselves
so that they can
a. fool each other.

Ans: Serafin and Joaquin Alvarez Qunitero were the

celebrated Spanish playwright brothers in the early
39
twentieth century. In this play, “A Sunny Morning”
they bring in the theme of long lost love rediscovered
on a sunny morning. Laura and Gonzalo create stories
about themselves so that they could fool each other.
When they meet at a park, they are unknown and
unwelcome to each other. Both of them express their
share of emotions which are characteristic of their
senile age. This story takes a twist when they share a
pinch of snuff. They then mellow down to talk about
interesting things. The reading of a poem “Twenty
Years Pass” ensures that they were the star-crossed
lovers once in their prime youth, but now destined to
meet at a park. Though they have similar feelings, their
grotesque and time worn physical appearances keep
them their identities under cover. Digging into their
past, they just create stories to fool each other so that
they could continue on a new discovery of happiness.

Comprehension III

1. Trace how the irony is built in the play. Did you

guess the characters’ past even before they did so?
Ans: This is from the one act play “A Sunny Morning”
written by Serafin and Joaquin Alvarez Qunitero the
celebrated Spanish playwright brothers in the early twentieth
century. In this play, they bring in the theme of long lost love
rediscovered on a sunny morning. This play has elements of
humour and irony in it. Don Gonzalo and Dona Laura are the
protagonists who accidentally meet at a park as two

40
 strangers throwing banters at each other and eventually
making amends.
Both of them at their old age show different disposition as
the play opens. While she is feeding the birds, Gonzalo scares
away the birds inviting Laura’s wrath involving verbal
exchanges. She attacks him picking on his mannerism while
Gonzalo tries to defend his actions. Ironically enough, a
pinch of snuff irons out their differences. Then the book
Gonzalo was reading takes them on a time trail into the past.
Their references to the location and sequence of events and
their association clearly hint that they were once lovers each
other. It is ironical that they do not want to disclose their
identities, for they fear that their unpleasantly changed looks
could be deterrents in their newly found joy. The play has a
beautiful plot with well-crafted characters and situations that
one cannot guess the past of the characters before they
actually do.

2. How is the title ‘A Sunny Morning’ justifiable? Discuss.

Ans: ‘A Sunny Morning’ is a beautiful one act romantic
comedy. Serafin and Alvarez have spun the characters and
situations so remarkably that they remain etched in our
memories. This play which shuttles between past and present
comes with youthful romance of the lead characters’ past and
romantic aspects of love in the guise of new friendship for
the veteran souls.

Here in this play, comedy takes precedence over romance

which can be witnessed in the opening scene of the play. The
comic sense of Laura is admirable when she quips at

41
Gonzalo’s walking. “A carriage would not raise more dust
than his feet.” Her words create such ringing laughter that
they are delectable. When she asks him, “Do you use your
handkerchief as a shoe brush?” adds to the perfect timing of
comedy. The snuff bridges their rift; reading brings them yet
closer; the poem takes them to their past love story. By now,
they have a strong desire to get along well. They admire each
other’s interests. The title is befitting considering ‘A Sunny
Morning’ contrasting their late evening years. They just want
to relive the past romantic moments when Gonzalo stoops
with great difficulty to pick up the violets Laura dropped
while leaving the park.

TO THE FOOT FROM ITS CHILD --PABLO NERUDA

Pablo Neruda is a Chilean poet, diplomat and politician. He

has written in a variety of styles. He won the Nobel Prize for
Literature in 1971.

"To the Foot from its Child" is a poem richly filled with
meaning and striking imagery. It is a criticism on how an
individual is reduced to be an object of suppression under
varying circumstances. Neruda rightly makes his observation
in the beginning of the poem that the child is not aware of the
reality but dreams to be a butterfly or an apple. Then the
passage of time exposes the foot to such hardships of life that
it loses the battle and remains condemned to live in the shoe.
Here the poet shows how an individual is conditioned by
society. The foot then starts to understand its limits and live

42
accordingly like a blind man out of touch with its fellow. As
the foot grows, its soft aspects start to change and grow hard.
Neruda effectively uses the imagery of eyeless reptiles to
describe the state of the foot. Though life comes hard as
volcanoes of death, it is to be accepted. The later half of the
poem describes the presence of the foot in every order of life -
“the one foot, the other, now the man’s , now the
woman’s. The foot has had such a life without any respite. It
is a lone and arduous course for the foot “until the whole
man chooses to stop”. It continues to dream beyond its
confines even when it is buried. In other
words, society overpowers an individual from immense
possibilities of life.child’s foot like to be?

Mention one of the things that the child’s foot likes to be in

“To the Foot from its Child’.

Ans: A butterfly or an apple.

2.What do stones and bits of glass, streets, ladders and the

paths in the rough earth go on teaching the foot?

Ans: That it cannot fly/it cannot be a fruit bulging on the

branch.

3.Who is a prisoner condemned to live in a shoe?

Ans: The child’s foot.

4.What is defeated, falls in the battle?

Ans: The child’s foot.

43
5.Why is the child’s foot defeated?

Ans: When it comes to know that it cannot fly and cannot

become a fruit.

6.Where did the foot condemn to live?

OR

Where is the Child’s foot condemned to live according to the

speaker in ‘To the Foot from its Child’?

Ans: In a shoe.

7.Condemn to live in a shoe’ here ‘shoe refers to…

Ans: Society.

8._______grows to know the world bit by bit in the dark in its

own way?

OR

Who feels out life like a blindman in the poem “To the Foot
from its Child’.

Ans: The childs’ foot.

9.How does the child’s foot grow feeling out life like?

Ans: Like a blind man.

10.What grows hard and change themselves into opaque

substance?
44
Ans: Soft nails of quartz/ foot.

11.How hard are these soft nails?

Ans: They are as hard as that of horns.

12.Which for do the tiny petaled toes of the child take?

OR

What form do the petaled toes take on in “To the Foot from
its Child’?

Ans: Eyeless reptiles

13.Mention the appearance of soft nails’ heads?

Ans: They are triangular.

14.How do the petaled toes of the child look like?

OR

What are the toes of the child compared to in ‘To the Foot
from its Child’?

Ans: They look like worms.

15.How do the petaled toes grow later?

Ans: They grow callused.

16.The petaled toes are covered with the faint________ of

death.
45
a.volcanoes

b.ladders

c.none

Ans: (a)volcanoes

17.How does the child’s foot walk?

Ans: It walks without respite.

18.Mention one of the things that the child’s, the man’s, the
woman’s feet walk through.

OR

Mention any one of the places through which the foot walks
in “To the Foot from its Child’.

Ans: fields / mines / markets/ ministries/ backwards/

inward/ forward.

19.Where does the foot toil in’?

Ans: in its shoe.

20.The foot scarcely taking time to bare itself in

a.hate or conscience

b.love or sleep

c.none
46
OR

In “To the Foot from its Child’ the foot searcely takes time to
bare itself in

(a) rest or peace.

b) love or sleep

(c) death or dream.

Ans: (b). love or sleep

21.How long does the child’s, man’s, woman’s foot walk?

OR

How long does the foot walk in ‘To the Foot from its Child’?

Ans: Until the whole man chooses to stop.

22.Name one of the things that the child’s foot never knew.

Ans: It had ceased to be a foot/ if they were burying it so that

it could fly or that it could become apple

23.Name one of the things that the child’s foot wants to be in

Neruda’s poem.

Ans: A butterfly/ an apple. (Write any one).

24.What would the foot like to be?

Ans: like to be a butterfly or an apple

47
25.When does the foot stop to walk in Neruda’s poem?

Ans: In Neruda’s poem the foot stops to walk until the whole
man chooses to stop.

26.What do the soft nails of quartz change themselves into in

“To the Foot from its Child’?

OR

What do the soft mails of the child change themselves into in

“To the Foot from its Child’?

Ans: Opaque substance

27.Where is the ‘child’s foot’ condemned to live?

Ans: In a shoe

28.What did the foot find everything when it descended

underground’?

Or

In ‘To the Foot from its Child’ when descending underground,

the foot finds everything

(a) dark

(b) rough

(c) coarge
48
Ans: (a) dark

29.Mention one of the things that the child’s foot would like
to be.

Ans: A butterfly/ an apple

30.What is the child’s foot not aware of?

Ans: That it is a child.

31.What does ‘until the whole man chooses to stop’ suggest?

Ans: It means the end of life for man.

32.When does everything seem dark to the foot in “To the

foot from its child’?

Ans: When it dies and is buried.

33.In “To the Foot from its Child’ the paths in the rough earth
go on teaching the foot that it cannot

(a) become a butterfly

(b) bunch together

(c) live in a shoe

Ans: (a) become a butterfly

49
 34.According to the speaker in “To the Foot from its Child’
what would like to be a butterfly or an apple?

Ans: The child’s foot

35.What is out of touch with its fellow in the poem “To the
Foot from its Child’?

Ans: The world

36. What does the blind thing refer to in “To the Foot from its
Child’?

Ans: The child’s foot

37.Where did the foot descend after it ceased to be in “To the

Foot from its Child’

Ans: underground

1.Bring out the stages of hardships faced by the foot after

being confined in a shoe.

OR

Explain the various stages of hardships faced by the foot after

being confined in a shoe.

OR

Explain instances that make the child’s foot aware of the

obstacles and hardships in To the Foot from its Child’

OR

50
Describe the different stages of transformation of the foot
after it is condemned to live in a shoe.

OR

Bring out the changes that the foot undergoes after being
condemned to live in a shoe in ‘To the Foot from its Child’.

OR

What happened to the foot when it is condemned to live in

a shoe as presented in To the Foot from its Child’?

Ans: The child’s foot is unaware of its limitations. It aspires to

be a buttertly or an apple. As it grows up it starts facing
hardships which are symbolized by stones, bits of glasses,
streets, ladders and the paths in the rough earth. They go on
teaching the foot that it cannot fly and cannot be a fruit
bulging on the branch. Then the child’s foot is defeated,
imprisoned and condemned to live in a shoe. Gradually the
child’s foot loses its innocence and faces the realities of life. It
feels out that life is like a blind man. It loses its shape to the
form of eyeless reptiles and later covered with the faint
volcanoes of death which child’s foot never imagined. It
never knew that it had ceased to be a foot.

2.Bringout the contrast between illusion and reality in “To

the Foot from its child’.

OR

Explain how the foot toils in its shoe until the wholeman
chooses to stop in ‘To the Foot from its Child’

OR
51
How does the poem “To the Foot from its Child’ it’s the
bringout the contrast between illusion and reality?

OR

The poem “To the Foot from its Child’ represents the
conflict between illusion and reality. Elaborate.

Ans: The foot is the symbol of the journey of human life from
childhood. The child’s foot is unaware of it as a foot and it
would like to be a butterfly or an apple. Its illusion is that it
can fly and be a fruit bulging on the branch. But stones, bits of
glases, streets, ladders and the paths in the rough earth teach
the foot that it can not fly nor be a fruit. The child’s foot is
defeated, it falls in the battle of life and it is imprisoned and
condemned to life in a shoe. The child’s foot grows to know
the world in its own way in the dark like a blind man. The
soft nails of the child’s foot grow hard and take on the form of
eyeless reptiles and later thickened and hardened part of the
skin. The child’s foot gradually loses its innocence and faces
the realities of life when the child’s foot becomes the man’s,
the woman’s foot moving up and down through fields, mines,
ministries, markets until he or she choses to stop. Then it
descends and everything is dark. It never knew it had ceased
to be a child’s foot so that it could fly or it could become an
apple if they were burying it.

3.Why does the poet refer to the Foot’ as being a blind man
in ‘To the Foot From its Child’?

OR

Bringout the life of the foot in a shoe as presented in “To

the Foot from its Child’.

52
 OR

How does the poem To the Foot from its Child’ bringout the
plight of a person dictated by society?

Ans: The foot representing the child wants to be a butterfly

or an apple. But society is harsh and it forces the foot to
become a responsible adult doing responsible adult things.
Foot is the symbol of journey of human life from childhood to
old age. As the foot grows it faces the realities and hardship
which teach that it cannot fly or can’t become a fruit. It grows
to know the world in its own way feeling out life like a blind
man out of touch with its fellows. It is defeated and becomes
a prisoner in shoes. Its soft nails grow hard and take the form
of eyeless reptiles. But this blind thing walks without respite
and crosses the different stages of life. It toils in shoe until the
whole man chooses to stop. It descends underground for
everything was dark there. It never knew it had ceased to be a
foot. So the poet refers to the ‘Foot as heing a blindman, in ‘To
The Foot From it’s Child’.

theom its Child 6 Mark Question And Answer

1.The poem ‘To the Foot from its Child’ is a journey of human life. Elucidate.

OR

Explain the similarity between the foot’s early life and its end as depicted in ‘To
the Foot from its Child’

OR

To the foot from its child is a comment on the journey of life. Discuss.

53
OR

Society crushes dreams of individuals and condemns them

to live in captivity. Explain with respect to ‘To the Foot from
its Child

OR

The norms of the society control man just as the foot is

enclosed in a shoe. How is this depicted in To the Foot from
its Child’.

OR

The foot is forced to play various roles and shoulder many

responsibilities. Explain with respect to ‘To the Foot from
its Child’.

Ans: The foot is the symbol of a journey of human life from

ones childhood to his or her old age. The child’s foot is
unaware that it is a foot and wants to become a butterfly or an
apple. But the realities and the hardships teach the foot that it
cannot fly or it can’t become a fruit bulging on the branch.
Then the child’s foot is defeated in the battle of life and
becomes a prisoner in a shoe. It grows in the dark to know the
world in its own way feeling out life like a blind man. The
soft nails inside the shoes grow hard and take on the form of
eyeless reptiles. Later they grow thickened and hardened part
of the skin. But this blind thing walks without rest or respite
even after the child becoming the man or the woman moving
up above or down below through fields, mines, markets and
ministries until the whole man chooses to stop. And then it is
descended underground unaware of everything. The foot
never knew that it had ceased to be a foot or it could fly like
butterfly or it could become an apple if they were burying it.
54
 7. The Gardener
P. Lankesh

Comprehension 1

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

The old man Tamanna was a good worker and looked after the
garden very well. He put an end to the thefts and understood
the problems of workers. In turn, they also worked hard with
Tamanna at the Garden. Gradually, the owner’s income
increased and he became lazy.

2.What advice did the supporters of Tammanna give him for

getting his land back?

The supporters of Tammanna advised him to go to the court to

get his land back. They also asked him to either take the help of
the police or get some ruffians to attack Basavaiah.

3.How did Tammanna react to Basavaiah’s encroachment of his

land?
Answer:
Basavaiah attacked Tammanna and occupied his land, so
Tammanna expressed all his bitter experiences in the form of
Ballads and started to sing those compositions denouncing
Basavaiah.

55
4. How did Basavaiah try to overcome his humiliation?

Basavaiah became too greedy and made a lot of property and

became too materialistic. He also built a mansion and hired a
number of persons to praise him and he bought many
ornaments and precious stones as status symbols.

1.The rivalry between Tamanna and Basavaiah keeps moving

from the visible domain to the invisible. Comment?

In the beginning, Tamanna and Basavaiah competed by gaining

material property like ornaments, Jewels and land. But later
their rivalry grows into intolerable psychological hatred ness
when Tammanna started the composition of ballads on the evils
of Basavaiah and singing them.

2.How docs Tammanna adopt a counter-strategy to challenge

the material wealth of Basavaiah?

Tammanna started to think in different ways to compete with

Basavaiah. He stopped accumulating material wealth and
started to compose ballads and singing them. Because this
could not be competed by Basavaiah with all his material
wealth.

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

Human nature always wants what it is not having and in the

same way, Tammanna initially acquired material gains but later
he turns towards spirituality when he loses it. The lesson
teaches that humans must meet challenges and face them. A

56
healthy competition, is fair and acceptable, if not, life becomes
boring and strives towards death.

4.How does the reference to Russia and America provide

another dimension to the story?

When Russia stopped waging war against America, it could not

keep quiet and it went to war against other countries. In the
same way, humans could not stand silence and they always
want the competition to end the b9redom. It is human nature.

5. Observe how the story employs multiple narratives. How

does this technique unveil the mystery of human relationships?

Change is universal and humans have to accept it. If they do not

adapt to the situations, they can’t survive. That is the nature of
human beings, and even Darwin propagates the same theory
about the survival of the fittest. Hence, every human being
must adapt to the situation to survive.

Comprehension 1

1. How did Basavaiah try to overcome his humiliation?

P. Lankesh is an Indian writer and journalist who wrote
in the Kannada language. His first work was 'Kereya
Neeranu Kerege Chelli' a collection of short stories
published in 1963. 'The Gardener' short story-
translated English version of 'Thotadavanu' it is
translated into English by H.S.Raghavendra Rao.
Though the story is initially narrated by the author,
Tammanna himself becomes the narrator later.
57
Tammanna is the protagonist in the story. The owner
of the coconut plantation was quite normal. He was
working very hard to improve his financial crisis.
Therefore, he was looking for someone who would
helphim.
Tammanna had one thousand acres and Basavaiah
owned eight hundred. Basavaiah could not tolerate this.
He sent word to Tammanna asking him to sell two
hundred acres. Tammanna did not agree. He was
prepared to buy all the land that belonged to
Basavaiah. Basavaiah was mad with rage. He went
along with his people and acquired two hundred acres
of Tammanna's land forcibly. A fence was built around
that land. Tammanna could not tolerate this invasion.By
now, the quarrel between these two had sucked in all
their supporters. Tammanna was advised by his
supporters about the various means available for
getting back his land. There was the court of law. One
could also take recourse to the police.
He sent word to Tammanna asking him to sell two
hundred acres. Tammanna did not agree. He was
prepared to buy all the land that belonged to
Basavaiah. Basavaiah was mad with rage. He went
alongwith his people and acquired two hundred acres
of Tammanna's landforcibly. A fence was built around
that land. Tammanna could not tolerate this invasion.
By now, the quarrel between these two had sucked in
all their supporters. Tammanna was advised by his
supporters about the various means available for
58
getting back his land. There was the court of law. One
could also take recourse to the police. Ifhe did not want
that, there were many number of persons ready to
attack Basavaiah. Such a war had become virtually
inevitable. But Tammanna was in search of a method
that could annihilate Basavaiahcompletely.
He hit upon the idea of composing all his experiences
in the form of ballads and singing them. It brought him
immense name and fame which humiliated Basavaiah
tremendously.
So Basavaiah bedecked him with gold, diamonds and
other precious stones and started living in a palatial
mansion. But the visitors to his house insisted him to
buy Tammanna's book .
Therefore he started inviting scholar's poet and
musicians to his place with the intention of defeating
Tammanna. Basavaiah got the news that Tammanna
had fallen ill. This gave him a ray of hope that by
keeping himself healthy he could outwit Tammanna
who was ill.
On contrary Tammanna decides to out beat his enemy
so he renounces everything and settled in
Chennarayapatana and contemplated his death. As
long as Tammanna was alive Basavaiah had a reason to
live. Basavaiah died because he had no reason to live.
Until then both Basavaiah and Tammanna indulged in
rivalry to satisfy their ego. Tammanna. With the death
of Basavaiah, Tammanna loses his identity and he

59
 becomes a non entity. This makes Tammanna to reflect
over human nature and makes a reference to Russia's
declaration to America that America is not their enemy
and she will not wage a waragainst America, it is only
a strategy by the writer to suggest that Tammanna and
Basavaiah belong to a post modern society. A nation is
capable of withstanding strains like this. But a human
being cannot. Tammanna lost all his enthusiasm for
life.

2.How did Tammanna and Basavaiah try to outdo

each other? OR Describe the rivalry between
Tammanna and Basavaiah.
OR

How did Tammanna avenge himself?

OR

How does Tammanna successfully outsmart his rival

Basavaiah?

In the beginning, there appeared to be a healthy

competition between Tammanna and Basavaiah.
Tammanna did not take Basavaiah as his rival at all.
Therefore, when Basavaiah acquired fifteen admirers to
outdo Tammanna’s ten friends, it did not come to
Tammanna’s notice at all. Tammanna did whatever he
wanted without bothering about Basavaiah. But Basavaiah
did not keep quiet. When he came to know that Tammanna
possessed one thousand acres of land, and he had only

60
eight hundred, he could not tolerate this. He sent word to
Tammanna asking him to sell his two hundred acres to him.
Tammanna did not agree. On the contrary, he offered to
buy all the land that belonged to Basavaiah.In the
beginning, there appeared to be a healthy competition
between Tammanna and Basavaiah. Tammanna did not
take Basavaiah as his rival at all. Therefore, when Basavaiah
acquired fifteen admirers to outdo Tammanna’s ten friends,
it did not come to Tammanna’s notice at all. Tammanna did
whatever he wanted without bothering about Basavaiah.
But Basavaiah did not keep quiet. When he came to know
that Tammanna possessed one thousand acres of land, and
he had only eight hundred, he could not tolerate this. He
sent word to Tammanna asking him to sell his two hundred
acres to him. Tammanna did not agree. On the contrary, he
offered to buy all the land that belonged to Basavaiah.
Therefore, Basavaiah went along with his people and
acquired two hundred acres of Tammanna’s land forcibly
and got a fence built around it. Tammanna could not
tolerate this invasion. Later, when his supporters suggested
to him that he could go to the court of law or the police or
use his own people to attack him and forcibly wrest his
land from him, Tammanna did not accept their suggestion.
Moreover, as long as both of them were fighting by visible
means people will not know who was trying to compete
with whom. Until then, Basavaiah was the first one to show
to the people he had more land, more friends, more wealth,
etc. Tammanna never did anything to spite Basavaiah.
Whatever Tammanna did, was on his natural inclination
and not to spite Basavaiah. Therefore, Tammanna realized

61
the limitations of competing with Basavaiah by physical
means. That is why he thought of putting an end to the
unhealthy rivalry of Basavaiah by taking recourse to
something invisible. He took recourse to singing ballads
and telling the people through them about the cruelty and
the meanness of Basavaiah. As days rolled by, Tammanna’s
popularity increased, and Basavaiah began to shrink in
humiliation. Basavaiah tried to undo the damage to his
self-esteem by showing more interest in acquiring all kinds
of material wealth. He got a palatial mansion built for
himself. Then he bedecked himself with gold, diamonds,
and other precious stones. Then he started inviting scholars,
poets and musicians to his place and tried to invest his
home with meaning. However, one-day Tammanna
suddenly took ill. This news cheered up Basavaiah’s spirits.
Tammanna’s disease became Basavaiah’s health.
Tammanna thought of yet another method of punishing
Basavaiah. Tammanna thought Basavaiah could no longer
compete with him if he came to know that Tammanna had
died. Therefore, Tammanna avenged himself by leaving his
town, abandoning all his property and walking away
hundreds of miles. When Basavaiah came to know that
Tammanna was not there in the village, he had no more
reason to live and he passed away.

4.The rivalry between Tammanna and Basavaiah keeps

moving from the visible domain to the invisible. Comment.
In the beginning, there appeared to be a healthy
competition between Tammanna and Basavaiah.
Tammanna did not take Basavaiah as his rival at all.
62
Therefore, when Basavaiah acquired fifteen admirers to
outdo Tammanna’s ten friends, it did not come to
Tammanna’s notice at all. Tammanna did whatever he
wanted without bothering about Basavaiah. But Basavaiah
did not keep quiet. When he came to know that Tammanna
possessed one thousand acres of land, and he had only
eight hundred, he could not tolerate this. He sent word to
Tammanna asking him to sell two hundred acres to him.
Tammanna did not agree. On the contrary, he offered to
buy all the land that belonged to Basavaiah. Therefore,
Basavaiah went along with his people and acquired two
hundred acres of Tammanna’s land forcibly and got a fence
built around it. Tammanna could not tolerate this invasion.
Later, when his supporters suggested to him that he could
go to the court of law or the police or use his own people to
attack him and forcibly wrest his land from him,
Tammanna did not accept their suggestion. Tammanna
probably thought that competing with Basavaiah by
physical means has no end to it because it depends on who
is able to muster more muscle power. Muscle power has its
own limitations. Secondly, muscle power needs the
involvement of many more people apart from Tammanna.
Moreover, as long as both of them were fighting by visible
means people will not know who was trying to compete
with whom. Until then, Basavaiah was the first one to show
to the people he had more land, more friends, more wealth,
etc. Tammanna never did anything to spite Basavaiah.
Whatever Tammanna did, was on his natural inclination
and not to spite Basavaiah. Therefore, Tammanna realized
the limitations of competing with Basavaiah by physical

63
means. That is why he thought of putting an end to the
unhealthy rivalry of Basavaiah by taking recourse to
something invisible. He took recourse to singing ballads
and telling the people through them about the cruelty and
the meanness of Basavaiah.

10. HEAVEN, IF YOU ARE NOT ON EARTH

---KUVEMPU

Comprehension I
1. According to the poet 'heaven' is
On earth
2. Who creates 'heaven on earth'?
The man creates heaven on earth.
3. The poet finds God in
Nature
4. What does the line 'Heaven lies all over' suggest?
The line 'Heaven lies all over' suggests that the beauty
of heaven lies in the splendour of harvest and the
moonlit night.
5. What are the different forms of heaven that make
earth a heaven?
The different forms of nature life the roaring stream, the
rolling surf at the edge of waves, the tender sunshine,
the sun, the harvest and themoonlight make this earth
a heaven.

64
6. Where does the tender sunshine lean?
The tender sunshine leans on gardens green with grass.

7. How does the poet create heaven on earth?

The poet creates heaven on earth by imbibing the
beauty of natureand spilling the nectar of heaven, on
the earth, through his poetry.

8. How does the poet break the myth of heaven in the poem?
The poet considers concepts like 'God','nymphs' and
'heaven' as myths, which are not tangible entities but
are only figments of man's imagination. He says that if
at all heaven exists it exists only on this earth. To break
the myth of heaven in man's mind he presents before us

65
 charming sights of nature and argues that nothing can be
more heavenly than these forms of nature. He makes a
direct address to nature and declares that if heaven does
not exist on the earth where else can it be. He justifies his
statement referring to the streams, the waves, and the
sunlight.

Comprehension II
1. Describe the beauty in nature that makes the earth a
heavenlyplace
Or
2. Why does the poet feel that earth is more beautiful
than heaven?
K.V. Puttappa is widely known by the pen name Kuvempu.
He is the first among the eight recipients of the Jnanpith
Award for Kannada, also the second after M. Govinda Pai
among Kannada poets to be revered as 'Rashtrakavi', a
national Poet. He was conferred 'Padmavibushana' by Govt
of India and has penned the State Anthem 'Jaya Bharata
Jananiya Tanujate'
This poem is the English Version of 'Swargave
Bhoomiyoliradire Neenu' written by Kuvempu and
translated by Prof. C Naganna. In this 14 lined poem, the poet
addresses Heaven in the first two lines. He states that if
Heaven does not exist on Earth, where else can it be. Oneneed
not have to look for Heaven in the skies, when it exists here
on earth says the poet.
The poet tries to argue that the concepts like'Heaven' 'God'
66
and the 'Nymphs' are created by man. It is simply man's
imagination. Therefore, man himself is God and so also the
heavenly nymphs. Theyare not elsewhere best here on earth.
The poet wants to dismiss the belief that God and nymphs live
in heaven and people go to heaven after then death and find the
God and nymphs there.
In the next stanza , the poet describes 'the splendor of
Nature' and makes us appreciate and enjoy the heavenly
bliss, when we are alive.When one looks at the streams roaring
and leaping down from the top of the hills , the waves that roll
across the sea carrying surf at their edges, the tender rays of
sunlight falling on verdant gardens and the gentle sun
warming up the earth reflect 'Heaven'.
The splendor of harvest and the moonlight nights creates
a picture of 'Nature' in its pristine form The poet who
imbibes this heavenly bliss can spread the nectar of
'Heaven' through his poetry on the earth. Natural things
appear to be more beautiful than imaginary things.
Therefore, the poet is of the opinion that 'Heaven' exists
only on the earth and nowhere else. The so called
pleasures of heaven could be very well obtained on earth,
when one enjoys and experiences.

67
Comprehension Ill

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

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

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

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

11. JAPAN AND BRAZIL THROUGHA TRAVELER'S EYE

GEORGE MIKES

Comprehension I
1. Exquistely well-mannered people' refers to

68
 Japanese
2. What behaviour substitutes privacy in Japan? Courtesy
substitutes privacy in Japan.
3. The reference to public telephone suggest.
a. How the Japanese respect privacy
4. Why is bowing called 'quaint'?
The word 'quaint' means attractive in an old fashioned way. He calls bowing
'quaint' because the Japanese bow to each other with theceremonious
solemnity of a courtier yet with a great deal of natural andinimitable grace.
5. Hierarchy in bowing demands
a. Youngsters bow to their elders
b. Wife bow to her husband
c. Sisters bow to their brothersAns,. (b) and (c)
6. What is the sign of appreciation in eating soup?
When a person is eating soup offered by a host or hostess, he must makea fearful
noise so as to show his sign of appreciation; the host or hostesswill think that the
guest is ill-mannered.
7. How are pavements in Brazil decorated? What does it tell us about the
people there?
The grey pavements in the streets of Copacabana are often decorated with
beautiful black mosaics-unique type of decoration. We can infer that the people
are alive to the beauty in their surroundings and who have plenty of time for
contemplation during their meditative and ambulatory exercises.
8. What happens when leisurely people in Brazil get a steering wheel in their
hands?
When leisurely people in Brazil get a steering wheel in their hands , they drive
with great speed which would then be inclined to believe thatgaining a tenth of
a second is a matter of grave importance for all of them all the time.
9. Who do the drivers look out for when they are driving? Why?
The drivers look out for pedestrians. They notice a pedestrian step off the
pavement, he regards him as fair game, he takes aim and accelerates the
vehicles. The pedestrian has to jump, leap and run fortheir lifes.

69
 10. What distinguishes the war between drivers?
The war between the drivers is murderous but good tempered. They cut in,
overtake on both sides and force the other person to brake violentlyand commit
all the most heinous crimes. But they smile at the other person without any
anger, hostility or mad hooting.
11. What does Mikes call, 'A man's castle', in Japan?
George Mikes calls a man's telephone receiver his castle.
12. How long will it take for you to Japan to be convinced that you are among
exquisitely well- mannered people.?
It will take only a quarter of an hour in Japan for one to be convinced that one is
among exquisitely well-mannered people.
13. What should people on an overcrowded island do?
People who live on a hopelessly overcrowded island have to respect one
another's privacy.
14. What are the twin functions of courtesy?
The twin functions of courtesy are being courteous to one another in speech
and behavior and respecting one another's privacy.
15. Why does the writer say that a man's telephone receiver is hiscastle?
The author says that a man's telephone receiver is his castle because one can
conduct one's most confidential business transactions, their intimate
love-quarrels in public in perfect privacy without the least fear of being
overheard by anyone else.
16. Where do the bowing girls stand in Japanese stores?
stand at the top of escalators.

17. Which places does the Tokaido line connect?

Tokyo and Osaka.
18. What do the conductors in the Tokaido line do before checkingthe tickets?

Before the departure of the train, two conductors enter the carriage in a slightly
theatrical scene. They march to the middle of the coach, bow ceremoniously in
both directions and then start checking the tickets.
19. Where did the writer meet a deer?
The writer met a deer in one of the parts of Nara, which is a wild deer park in

70
 Japan.

Comprehension I

1. 'Exquisitely well-mannered people' refer to

a. Indians

b. Japanese

c. Americans

. b. Japanese

2. What behavior substitutes privacy in Japan?

Courtesy

3. The reference to public telephone suggests:

a. How overcrowded Japan is

b. How Japanese respect privacy

c. How busy Japanese are

b. How Japanese respect privacy

4. Why is called 'quaint?

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

5. Hierarchy in bowing demands

71
a. youngsters bow to their elders.

b. wife bows to her husband.

c. sisters bow to their brothers.

d. all of them

Answer. d. all of them

what is the sign of appreciation in eating soup?

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

72
10. What distinguishes war between drivers?

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

Comprehension II

1. Why is bowing in Japan a complicated process?

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

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

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

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

73
Answer. The author is finding fault with bowing in Japan only to a slight extent because
he finds it difficult to understand how much to bow, for how long, and whom to bow to.
He makes fun, in a light-hearted manner, firstly, of the baby who bows from a majestic
height, having been tied to its mother's back; next, of the two conductors on the
coach, who bow in both the directions and then start checking the tickets.

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

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

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

Comprehension Ill

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

Answer. The author, George Mikes, says that bowing as a form Of greeting, is neither
less nor more silly than shaking hands or kissing the cheek, but it is quainter; more
formal, more oriental. As the author, himself a European, describes later on, bowing in
the right manner takes some time to learn: either you bow too deeply or not deeply

74
enough; you bow to the wrong person or at the wrong time; you do not clasp your
hands in front of you which is bad; or you do which is worse. The Japanese have a
complicated hierarchy in bowing: who bows to whom, how deeply, and for how long.

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

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

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

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

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

The author refers to the rivalry between drivers. With other drivers, they are
murderous and overtake on both sides, cut in and force the other driver to brake
violently and commit all the most heinous crimes of the road, and twenty times every
hour. But they keep smiling at the other drivers. There is no ill-will, hostility, anger or
mad hooting. The writer describes a particular place called Avenida Presidente Vargas

75
where, if one tried to cross the road, it would be almost impossible. Looking at the
traffic, one would also wonder: how can crawling traffic proceed at such terrifying
speed? As hour after hour passes, without a ray of hope of the opportunity to cross, one
may witness a scene, something like this: a man, on your side of the Avenida Vargas
suddenly catches sight of a friend of his on the other side and starts waving to him, at
the same time looking completely mystified: "How on earth did you get over there?" he
shouts across, trying to make himself heard above the traffic. The other fellow is
surprised by this naive question and yells back: "How? I was born on this side!"

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

Answer. India consists of a multi-cultural, multi-ethnic and multi- lingual society.

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

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

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

12. The Voter

Chinua Achebe

76
Comprehension I

1. Roof was a popular young man because he

a. had not abandoned his village.
2. Why was Marcus considered rich and powerful?
After becoming the Minister of Culture, Marcus bought two long carsand had
just built himself the biggest house anyone had seen. He christened his new
house “Umuofia Mansion. He had entertained his people slaughtering five bulls
and countless goats to feed the people. He had installed a private plant to supply
electricity to his new home.
3. Marcus Ibe had earlier been a school teacher
4. The fact that Marcus Ibe left the good things of the capital andreturned to his
village whenever he could, shows.
b. he enjoyed all the comforts of the city in his village.
5. After the feasting was over, the villagers
c. realized Marcus's wealth
6. The 'whispering campaign ' is
c. clandestine distribution of money
7. he village elder Ezenwa tilted the lamp a little because
c. he wanted to confirm the amount paid to each.
8. Firewood refers to
c. the benefits the elders received
9. Roof and the leader of the POP campaign team were
a. friends

c. known to each other

10. Roof was mesmerized by
a. the red notes on the floor

11. Roof's act of inserting the torn ballot papers in two boxessignifies
c. absolving himself of his guilt
12. Where did Roof work as a bicycle repairer's apprentice?
Port Harcourt.
77
 13. Who had formed the Progressive Organisation party?
The Progressive Organisation Party had been formed by the tribesdown the
coast.
14. To which village did Roof belong?
Umuofia.
15. Why was Roof popular in his village?
Roof was popular in his village because, unlike most of his fellows, hehad not
abandoned the village in order to seek work in the towns.
16. What benefits came to Roof with leaving the occupation in PortHarcourt?
Roof became Marcus' election campaign manager and received a lot of money
and gifts from Marcus. He won a land case because he had beenchauffeur-driven
to the disputed site.
17. What proverb does the writer use to describe the opposition toMarcus Ibe?
The writer uses the proverb, “fly trying to move a dunghill", it describesstrength
of Marcus Ibe and weakness of opposition party.

Comprehension II

1. Trace the change in the attitude of the villagers before the second election. Give
reasons.
Ans: Chinua Achebe is a Nigerian novelist, poet, professor and critic. In his “The Voter”
he unravels the lapses of newly introduced Western democratic system in Africa where
the native people are innocent and do not understand the intricacies leading to
corruption and manipulation. The central theme of the story revolves around the
second election scenario. When the first election was held, the villagers had elected
Marcus Ibe based on Rufus Okeke’s words without any expectation. After Ibe became
Minister of Culture, there was a dramatic change in his lifestyle and social status. He
owned two cars and had just built himself the biggest house. All these developments
made the villagers change their attitude. This time they were sure, they would vote only
by taking their share of the opportunity.

2. What was the justification for the formation of the POP?

Ans: Chinua Achebe is a Nigerian novelist, poet, professor and critic. In his “The Voter”
he unravels the lapses of newly introduced Western democratic system in Africa where
the native people are innocent and do not understand the intricacies leading to
corruption and manipulation. The POP had been formed by the tribes down the coast to

78
 save themselves from “total political, cultural, social and religious annihilation.”
Though it was sure to lose, yet it wanted to make an impact. It took on PAP straight by
providing cars and loudspeakers to a few rascals to make a lot of noise.

3. Roof is an intelligent manipulator. Justify with reference to the story.

Ans: “The Voter” is a story by Chinua Achebe, a Nigerian novelist, poet, professor and
critic. In this he unravels the lapses of newly introduced Western democratic system in
Africa where the native people are innocent and do not understand the intricacies
leading to corruption and manipulation. No doubt, Roof is shrewd and a manipulator.
Throughout the story there are many instances where he proves his skills. He stayed
back in Umuofia to guide people thus winning their confidence. When politics made its
entry in his village he capitalized his strength by supporting Marcus Ibe. After Marcus
became the minister, he took advantage of the situation. He got many favours through
Ibe’s influence. When it was time for the second election, he had already read the mood
and mind of his villagers. He negotiated with them over four shillings in return for their
votes to Marcus Ibe. He made most of the situation when an offer came from Maduka
for five pounds. His attitude suits exactly how people and money operate under the
influence of politics. He is a quick decision maker and didn’t hesitate to tear his ballot
paper into two to strike a balance. This proves that he is an intelligent manipulator.

Comprehension III

1. What comment on electoral system does the story offer? Is it relevant?

OR
‘Democracy is more than holding elections regularly.’ Do you think the story
supports this statement?
Ans: “The Voter” is a story by Chinua Achebe, a Nigerian novelist, poet, professor and
critic. In this he unravels the lapses of newly introduced Western democratic system in
Africa where the native people are innocent and do not understand the intricacies
leading to corruption and manipulation. The background of Umuofia, its gullible
people sets the tone for the story. No doubt, Roof forms the perfect manipulator.
Throughout the story there are many instances where he proves his skills. He stayed
back in Umuofia to guide people thus winning their confidence. When politics made its
entry in his village he capitalized his strength by supporting Marcus Ibe. After Marcus
became the minister, he took advantage of the situation. He got many favours through
Ibe’s influence. When it was time for the second election, he had already read the mood
and mind of his villagers. He negotiated with them over four shillings in return for their
votes to Marcus Ibe. He made most of the situation when an offer came from Maduka
for five pounds. His attitude suits exactly how people and money operate under the

79
influence of politics. He is a quick decision maker and didn’t hesitate to tear his ballot
paper into two to strike a balance. Here the colonizers’ shadows still play spoilsport
with their modern systems of politics on the innocence of indigenous people.

13. WHERE THERE IS A WHEEL

P. SAINATH

Comprehension I

1. Who has cycling benefitted the most?

Cycling has benefitted the rural women the most.
2. What is common between neo-literates and neo-cyclists?
Cycling as a social movement was first popularized by the neo-literates. These
neo-literates are the ones who became neo-cyclists.
3. 'Enforced routine' and 'male imposed barrier' refer to
c. status of women in patriarchal society.
4. How did the men react to women taking to cycling?
Women had to put up with vicious attacks on their character. Some ofthe men
made filthy remarks. Social sanction from the Arivoli organization, made some
menfolk less hostile and some of them even encouraged the women to learn
cycling.
5. What do the phrases 'flags on the handle bar' and 'bells ringing'suggest?
The phrases 'flags on the handle bar' and 'bells ringing' refer to the women's
cycle rally organized on the international Women's Day in 1992 in which 1500
female cyclists took Pudukkottai by storm.
6. Why did UNICEF sanction mopeds to Arivoli women activists?
The UNICEF sanctioned fifty mopeds to Arivoli women activists in
appreciation of their work of initiating more than 70,000 women from
Pudukkotai who have taken part to display their cycling skills at the public
'exhibition-cum-contests' in a single week in 1992.
7. Why is the cycle called 'the humble vehicle'?
The word 'humble' means 'poor', the lowest in rank. The writer calls it ahumble

80
 vehicle because it is the most common and it is seen even in the most remote
places, a common man's vehicle.
8. Name the Arivoli activist who penned the famous cycling song.
Muthu Bhaskaran is the male Arivoli activist who penned the famous cycling
song.
9. Name the place where the cycling movement takes place in the essay 'Where
there is a wheel'.
Pudukkottai district in TamilNadu is the place where the cycling movement
took place.
10. why did the women of Pudukkotttai take to cycling?
The women of Pudukkottai took to cycling to break free from the male-imposed
barriers. 'Cycling' enabled them to achieve freedom, mobility and
independence.
11. Name some of the women who have taken to cycling.

Jameela Bibi, Fatima, and N.Kannammal are some of the women who have
taken to cycling.
12. What is Fatima by profession?

A secondary school teacher.

13. What does Arivoli Iyakkam mean?
Light of knowledge movement.
14. What is the literacy movement of Pudukkottai called?
Arivoli Iyakkam
15. Who was the brain behind the cycling movement?
Sheela Rani Chunkath, a popular former District Collector, was the brain
behind the cycling movement.
16. What did Sheela Rani add as a part of the literacy drive?

Sheela Rani added mobility as a part of the literacy drive.

17. When and why did Sheela Rani start the cycling movement?
In 1991 Sheela Rani Chunkath started the cycling movement in the
Pudukkottai district with the intention of training female literacy activists so
that literacy would reach women in the interior.

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 18. Who is Manormani? How old is she?
Twenty two years old Manormani is a quarry worker and an Arivoli volunteer
19. To what has cycling by women been compared to?

Cycling by women has become a metaphor for freedom.

20. How has cycling helped small producers?
Cycling has helped small producers cut down on time wasted in waiting for
buses . It has also helped them to give more time to focus on selling their
produce. It has also helped them to cover a large area.

21.What does cycling as a symbol of social mobility mean?

Cycling as a symbol of social mobility means freedom, independence and

mobility for rural women.
22.When Jameela Bibi says, “ It is my right. We can go anywhere”,she is
a. asserting her right to move freely.

Comprehension II
1. What is the role of Arivoli in liberating women?

Arivoli Iyakkam – Light of Knowledge Movement organizes various activities benefitting

rural women and the disadvantaged people in society. It helps people become literate.
One of the remarkable initiatives taken up by Arivaoli for the liberation of women in
1992 in Pudukkottai district of Tamilnadu was cycling movement. It helped women
gain confidence. They became independent: they were able to fetch water; they could
cart provisions from other places. Arivoli gave these women a new lease of life. Cycling
offered a way out of enforced routines, around male imposed barriers. This cycling
movement in turn enriched the literary movement. Arivoli composed songs to
encourage cycling. One of the lines goes like this: ‘O sister, come learn cycling, move
with the wheel of time…’ Arivoli gave cycling social sanction and it gave women
mobility.

2. In what different ways does the cycle empower rural women?

Ans: Cycle for the rural women of Pudukkottai district stands as a symbol of
independence, freedom and mobility. It gave the women their right. It helped women to
take up literacy even more vigorously. Bicycle helped these women with confidence.

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 The bicycle cut down on time wasted in waiting for buses. It saved more time to focus
on selling their produce. It gave women their leisure time. Earlier, they had to depend
on fathers, brothers, husbands or sons to reach the bus stop. They could cover only a
limited number of villages to sell their produce. They had to rush back early to tend to
the children and perform other chores. The bicycle now changed all these. It brought
these rural women a sense of self-respect.

3. Why does the author describe Arivoli ‘cycling training camp’ as an unusual
experience?
Ans: It is indeed an unusual experience for the author because all the prospective
learners had turned out in their Sunday best in Kilakuruchi village. They were very
passionate about the pro-cycling movement. They were excited to know that cycling
offered them a way out of their enforced routines, around male-dominated barriers. In
fact, they wanted to ‘move with the wheel of time.’ A large number of trained cyclists
had come back to help new learners. They worked free of charge for Arivoli as ‘master
trainers’. They felt it very strong that ‘all women ought to learn cycling.’ This
experience also helped them promote the literacy movement even more actively.
Arivoli had a massive influence on neo-literate women in learning cycling.
4. Do you think neo-literate women taking to cycling contribute to literacy
movement?

Ans: Yes. Neo-literate women in Pudukkottai district of Tamilnadu found this humble
medium of transport a catalyst in their life. They hit out at their backwardness
expressing defiance by using bicycle. The agricultural workers, quarry labourers and
village health nurses took to cycling. Balwadi and anganwadi workers, gem cutters and
school teachers also joined the movement. Even gram sevikas and mid-day meal
workers were in the race. In fact, the vast majority had just then become literate. As
literacy gives women power, cycling gives them mobility. These neo-literate women
could now cover more distance reaching out to those disadvantaged women. In fact,
literacy movement accelerated its speed, thanks to bicycle.
5. How does Sheela Rani Chunkath, the district collector, promote the empowerment
of women?
Ans: Sheela Rani Chunkath, former popular district collector came up with the idea of
cycling for women empowerment in 1991 in Pudukkottai district of Tamilnadu. This
was to further train female activists to reach literacy to the women in the interior. She
included mobility as a part of the literacy drive. She knew that lack of mobility among
women had undermined their confidence. She pushed the banks to give loans for the
women to buy bicycles. She ensured that each block did its best to promote the
movement. She gave it personal attention as the top official in the district. This kind of
motivation is required to achieve something very big on the social plane.

6. How did the women react to the shortage of ladies’ cycle?

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 Ans: The women were very passionate to learn cycling. First, the activists learned
followed by the neo-literates. Every woman wanted to learn too. This resulted in the
shortage of ladies’ cycles. However, they were so passionate about cycling that they
wouldn’t mind riding gents’ cycles. Some women preferred the gents’ cycles as they
had an additional bar from the seat to the handle. They could seat a child on the bar.
There was an incredible rise in the sale of ‘ladies’ cycles in one year. A lot of women
who would not wait for ‘ladies’ cycles, went in for men’s cycles. Thus the spirit among
the women was very high over their new found joy.

Comprehension III
1. How does P. Sainath show that cycling brings about changes beyond economic
gains?

OR
‘O sister, come learn cycling, move with the wheel of time…’ How does the song
suggest that the cycle could be an instrument of social change and progress?

Ans: The neo-cyclists wanted to ‘move with the wheel of time.’ They discovered a new
identity through the humble vehicle, bicycle. The rural women found a new way to
assert their equivalent roles with men. As the young women zipped along the roads on
their bicycles, P. Sainath was mesmerized to witness a social movement that took the
entire Pudukkottai district by storm in 1992. Tens of thousands of neo-literate rural
women of the district chose to sun their backwardness by riding bicycle as a symbol of
independence, freedom and mobility. A young Jamila Bibi found cycling as her right.
The rural women just got addicted to this new phenomenon. Cycle has strong economic
gains, no doubt. But, more than anything, cycling gave these rural women their
personal independence and confidence. Now the women did not have to wait for the
men. They could even cart provisions from other places on their own. They felt that all
women ought to learn cycling, for it would empower them with literacy and mobility.
More than the economic aspect, cycling gave them the sense of self-respect. The women
ride bicycle for the goodness and independence. To P. Sainath, the humble vehicle
appeared to be a metaphor for freedom. For those rural women, ‘it’s a Himalayan
achievement, like flying an aeroplane.’

4. Do you think women taking up cycling are as significant as the literacy

movement?
Palagummi Sainath is the Rural Affairs Editor of The Hindu , who focuson social
problems, rural affairs and globalization in India. This essay is taken from his
book 'Everybody loves a good drought'. Arivoli Iyakkam 'Light of knowledge
Movement' liberated a vast majority of the rural women in Pudukottai District
by teaching them to read and write alongwith cycling

84
 Yes, Women taking up cycling are as significant as the literacy movement
because their experience has enriched the literacy movement. The neo-cyclists
were bound even more passionately much before to Arivoli, the Districts
vigorous literacy drive. Every neo- literate popularized cycling and saw a
direct link between cycling and her personal independence. It reduced their
dependence on men. It offered a way out of enforced routines around male
imposed barriers. It gave them independence, freedom and mobility. The main
thing it gave women was the confidence and the sense of self-respect by
becoming financially independent and by sharing the family responsibilities.
5. How does Sheela Rani Chunkath, the District Collector, promote the
empowerment of women?
Palagummi Sainath is the Rural Affairs Editor of The Hindu , who focuson social
problems, rural affairs and globalization in India. This essay is taken from his
book 'Everybody loves a good drought'. Arivoli Iyakkam 'Light of knowledge
Movement' liberated a vast majority of the rural women in Pudukottai District
by teaching them to read and write alongwith cycling
Sheela Rani Chunkath, the former District Collector promoted the
empowerment of women by including mobility as a part of the literacydrive. In
1991, her idea was to train female activists so that literacywould reach women
in the interior. She was aware that lack of mobility Bicycle, which is thought to
be a humble vehicle, is a 'Metaphor for Freedom'. According to N. Kannammal,
Arivoli Central Co- coordinator, it gives them confidence. It reduces their
dependence on men. A woman can fetch water along with her children, cart
provisions from other places. It offers a way out of enforced routines around
male imposed barriers. Lack of mobility among women played a big role in
undermining their confidence. Cycling has definite economic implications. It
boosts income. Women those who sell agricultural produce within a group of
villages can cut down the time wasted by waiting for the bus. Bicycle is crucial
in poorly connected routes. It gives the women folk to focus on selling their
produce and enlarge the area they hope to cover. Bicycle can increase one's
leisure time also. With the art of cycling one can combine different tasks like
making the child sit on the bar, produce on the carrier and 2-3 pots of water
hung across the back and thus prove to be an instrument of social change and
progress.

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 WATER
SUMMARY
– Challapalli Swaroopa Rani

The Poem ‘Water’ is by C.S. Rani. It describes the problems faced in rural Andhra
Pradesh. Dalits are considered untouchables by the upper caste people. Dalits always
live outside the villages. Their living places are called “Wadas”.The upper caste people
do not allow the Dalits to their places. The Dalits were not allowed to even draw water
from the wells. Dalits rose against this social injustice but they were neglected by
dominant castes.

The poetess very effectively describes the pain and problems of Dalits. This narration
makes us feel the pain of humiliation the)’ undergo just for a pot of water, flic Poetess
says that only “water” understands and no other human being understands their
feelings. As water always Hows from a higher to a lower level it easily understands
Dalits’ problems. The edge of a well where women draw’ water never dries and in the
same way untouchability will never ‘dry’ because even today it is practiced in many
areas.Water also knows the discrimination between upper and lower castes, likewise
negroes and whites. It also knows the difference between samarian women and Jesus
Christ. Water also knows the minute differences between a cobbler and a weaver. A
cobbler works with leather to produce footwear and a weaver works with a spool of
thread to make cloths. The poet also describes the pain of a panchama the lowest caste
in the ancient varna system. Water is the witness of all exploits made on Dalits. An
untouchable has to wait to draw water from a well until an upper caste person comes
and gives water.

When a wada girl waits, an upper-caste person will pour her water from a distance but
will fall all over her in his lust. The ‘water’ is personified and also recalls the incident
when a da lit women named “Suvarthamma’ from the village of Karamchedu who
came to draw water from the tank, saw that the upper caste boys were washing dirty
buckets they had used to feed their buffaloes directly in the drinking water tank. So
when a Dalit boy asked them to stop washing the buckets, they went to beat up the
Dalit boy. Suvarthamma protected the Dalit boy from the upper caste boys by lifting her
pot.This resulted in a big quarrel between karmas and Dalit. Water has witnessed all
these quarrels until now. The poetess remembers the time she spent at the Wada for a
glass of water throughout the day. She tells that water is a movement and not the
chemical formula of H O. She also remembers the Mahad struggle at the chadar tank

86
which became a symbol of bloodshed for a drop of water. Because of the lack of water
people of wada used to take bath only once a week.The narrator also remembers how
she had gone to fetch water from a distant irrigation canal in her childhood and how
her veins were bursting while carrying the pots on her head. She also remembers the
Mallepallc village incident when the village caught fire and was burnt as there was no
pot of water to extinguish the lire.

Water which has the capacity to give life or destroy it had destroyed their villages in
coastal Andhra and Tamilnadu in the form of a Tsunami in the year 2001.She also
reminds us of how water creates struggles between states. The poetess ironically says
that ‘water’ which can ignite struggles and strifes letting blood flow can sit innocently
as if nothing has happened inside a bisleri bottle or become mineral water in a Pepsi
bottle.Finally, the poetess concludes that the water for which many lives were lost,
many wars were fought has now become an international commodity. With water,
every person lives but then everybody is destroyed when struggles are happening for
want of water. This is ironically questioned by the poet.

Question 1.
The expression ‘gcnerations-old strife’ suggests
(a) the bane of caste system.
(b) politics of revenge.
(c) differences among humans.
Answer:
(c) differences among humans.

Question 2.
“It also knows the sub-castc difference between leather and spool” ‘leather and spool’
stands for
(a) pure and impure.
(b) higher and lower.
(c) cobbler and weaver.
Answer:
(c) cobbler and weaver.

Question 3.
How is water a witness to the humiliation caused to the dalits?
Answer:
‘Water’ is a mute witness to the humiliation caused to the dalits..

Question 4.
What does the speaker remember when she sees water?

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Answer:The speaker remembers how people in her ‘wada’ would thirst for a glass of
water all day.

Question 5.
“circus feat” refers to
(a) hardship to fetch water.
(b) balancing the water pots on the head.
(c) efforts to secure basic needs.
(d) struggle surrounding water.
Answer:
(d) struggle surrounding water.

Question 6.
‘Water’ is a
(a) liquid called water.
(b) catalyst for a movement.
(c) witness of strife.
(d) life-giver and destroyer.
(e) means to practice untouchability,
(f) profit making commodity.
Answer:
(c) witness of strife.

Question 1.
Discuss the travails suffered by the Wada people while securing water.
Answer:
The Wada people were much exploited by the upper caste people. For a pot of water
near the well, they have to wait for shudra who helps them to bring the water. Even if
he doesn’t come they have to wait for the whole day. The Wada people struggled a lot
to get a pot of – water and they held movements and agitations. They could take bath
just once a week. They have to go for miles to the irrigated canals for a pot of water.
When there was a fire in Mallepalle village, they did not have enough water to
extinguish the fire.

Question 2.
‘For us, water is not simply H20 suggests.
(a) its chemical significance.
(b) it is a common resource available for all.
(c) it is a symbol of the struggle against discrimination.

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Answer:
(c) it is a symbol of the struggle against discrimination.

Question 3.
What does ‘some taking bath once a week and others twice a day’ connote?
Answer:
‘Some taking bath once a week and others twice a day’. This sentence connotes that
untouchables take bath only once in a week but the upper caste people take many times
in a day. The Dalits don’t have the right to take water themselves from wells. They have
to wait for the Shudras to help even to take one pot of water from the wells. In Wada,
they were not provided with enough water to drink and even for basic needs.

Question 4.
Why does water become a matter of dispute?
Answer:
Water became a matter of dispute when the upper caste people indifferently and
intentionally polluted the drinking water of the Dalits in Karamchedu. In the Mahad
municipality in Mumbai even though the municipality had passed a resolution
allowing the Dalit community access to the public tank, the local upper caste people
prevented them from using the water.

Subsequently, Dr. Ambedkar went in a rally to the pond, drank a handful of water from
the tank, and asserted the right of the Dalits to use water from a public place, like
everyone else.

Question 5.
Look at the expressions ‘many a circus feat’ and ‘dances its way into the Pepsi man’s
bottle.’ What contrast do you notice between the two?
Answer:
Water makes us struggle a lot and we’have to perform a circus feat to get water for our
basic needs of agriculture and for drinking purposes. Many lower caste people do not
get water for even drinking but water dances according to the tune of the rich. It
becomes mineral water in the Pepsi bottle. It also becomes rare and expensive for the
poor but easily available for the rich. It also becomes a mute witness for all the atrocities
on untouchables, but satisfies the needs and wants of the rich and haves. In Mallepalle
village when a fire broke out they did not have water to extinguish it. Water has
become a commodity for trading.

Question 1.
How docs the poem demonstrate the disparity and discrimination in our society using
water as a symbol?
Answer:

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The poem describes the discrimination between upper and lower caste people. Water is
essential and necessary for all people. But upper caste people get essential water but
poor and lower caste people do not get water even for basic needs. The untouchables
have to go fair like irrigated canals, to bring water. From there they have to fetch the
water on their heads when their necks would feel like bursting. People even do not
have water to extinguish a fire when Mallepalle village had one.

Some people do not get water even to drink but the rich buy bisleri water. Many
quarrels happen between upper and lower caste people. When upper-caste boys were
washing dirty buckets, it was questioned by a lower caste boy and he was being beaten
up and this was stopped by Suvarthamma. There was a communal clash that started
between kammas and the untouchables. This discrimination had led to a wide-spread
water movement to gain the right to water by the Dalits.

Question 2.
How are the poor affected by
(a) lack of water
(b) denial of water.
(c) the fury of nature.
Answer:
The poor have to face many difficulties for lack of water. Because of Iac.v of water, they
were physically and mentally deprived. Due to the small number of water people
suffered a lot. The poor do not get sufficient water for baths and even to drink. So they
get diseases like cholera, dysentery and suffer a lot. They are also affected by social and
economical inequalities. If they don’t get enough water for basic needs, then they can’t
concentrate on other productive work. In this way, they were exploited by the upper
caste people. At the time of a major fire alarm, they may not get water to douse the fire,
and at the time of a Tsunami, seawater swallows whole villages.

Question 3.
Trace the journey of water from ancient times as a symbol of purity to the age of the
multinational market where it is a commodity.
Answer:
Water is called as ‘Ganga’ in ancient mythology that was brought down to earth by
King Bhagiratha. He conducted a long penance to convince Lord Shiva in order to bring
Ganga down to earth. Bathing in Ganga will wash away our sins. Hence all the rivers
like Ganga, Narmada, Kaveri, Saraswathi are worshipped and Poojas done on the
festival occasions. The status of the Goddess has been given to water. Hindus especially
upper caste people believe that if untouchables touch the water, it would get polluted.
After water scarcity, people made it a commodity and now people sell water in mineral
water bottles and Pepsi bottles. This is the journey of water from being a holy one to a
bottled commodity.

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