Important questions

Short questions

1. How does Helen Keller plan to spend the first night of sight?
2. What does Helen Keller plan to do on the second day?
3. What is the first thing Helen Keller would do when she gots her sight back?
4. What was the advice given by Luz Long to Owens when he failed in the trails?
5. How would the victory of Long add to the Aryan superiority theory, according to Owens?
6. How did growing up in Kerala help Sudarshan in shaping his interest in Physics?
7. How does Sudarshan's identify his relationship with physics?
8. What led to Sudarshan decision to settle in the USA?
9. What did Leacock feel when he thought he had found the rich people?
10. How did the rich and the poor react when the Sterling Exchange falls?
11. What kind of courage did Napolean recommend?
12. How does Hearn associate reading critically with studying?
13. Who read for amusement and why do they do so?
14. Who is the greatest of all critics and why are they acclaimed so?
15. What does Rowling mean by quixotic or paradoxical choice?
16. That is your privilege and your burden' which privilege is Rowling referring to?
17. How did make-up help Adichie counter gender bias?
18. What was Adichie's feminist friend's reaction on her mother's story?
19. Why does the nightingale call the young student 'a true lover'?
20. What does the red rose tree ask the nightingale to do?
21. Why does the professor's daughter refuse the rose?
22. Why does the sacrifice of the Nightingale go in vain?
23. Who told the narrator the story of Roucolle, the miser and when?
24. How does Galsworthy introduce the shoemakers?
25. How does Mr. Gessler perceive shoe making?
26. What causes Mr. Gesslers's downfull in the shoemaking business?
27. What is the significance of "Everyday use"
28. Why did Dee want the quilts?
29. Why did Dee change her name?
30. What does the quilt stand for in the story "Everyday use"?
31. What does the night signifies in the first line of the poem "invictus"?
32. How does the poet call hiruself in "Invictus"?
33. Why does the poet feel sorry in "The Road not taken"
34. What does the poet feel about the road that he has taken?
35. How does Gibran justify gaining for oneself?
36. What happens to the boat when it loses its rudder?
37. Why does the poet use the image of the torrent and a flat stream?
38. Why are the lies bitter and twisted?
39. Who is addressed as 'you' in 'Still I rise"
40. How does the poet ends the poem "Still I rise"

Paragraph answers

1. What are Keller's plan for the third day?

2. What angered Owens in the field leading to the fouls in the trails?
3. 'Tomorrow is what counts" Comment on the content and relevance of the statement.
4. How does Sudarshan recollect his experience with his students at the University of Rochester?
5. What is Sudarshan's message for students today?
6. What were Spugg's reasons for not donating his money to others?
7. What was the reason behind Fowler's sadness? 8. Discuss the use of irony and sarcasm in 'Are the
Rich Happy'
9. What did the sailor do when he got selected through ballot?
10. How did the sailor sign himself a death warrant?
11. "A man must be many sided to utter a trustworthy estimate of many books". Explain with suitable
illustration?
12. How would Rowling's quixotic or paradoxical choice of subject help the Harvad graduates?
13. What all are the fringe benefits of failure?
14. How does make up become beneficial for a woman?
15. Why did Adichie leave medical school?
16. What does the nightingale ask of the student before sacrificing herself?
17. How does the nightingale make a red rose from the withered rose tree?
18. How did Roucolle join the wildcat scheme?
19. What is the strategy that Roucolle used to deceive the police?
20. What is Mr. Gessler's attitude towards large firms?
21. What was the fate that the shoemaker had to face in the end?
22. Describe the narrator's saddness at seeing Gessler brothers dwindling business
23. How does the quilt become a symbol of their tradition?
24. What tragedy had stuck the family of Mama?
25. Why does Mama give the quilt to Maggie?
26. What does the title 'Invictus' signify?
27. Comment of the images used in 'Invictus'
28. What is the meaning "that made all the difference"?
29. Write a short note on the images used in 'The road not taken'
30. How does the poem "The Road not Taken" become a metaphor for life?
31. How is the root different from the fruit?
32. What is the evil, according to Khalil Gibran?
33. What does Gibran speak about judging others?
34. What is the attitude of the narrator in "Still I rise"
35. Write a short note on the title "Still I Rise".

Essays

1. How does Helen Keller plan to spend her three days of sight?
2. Why do you think Owens values friendship over winning a prize in the Olympics?
3. How does Sudarshan critically look at the present state of research in India?
4. Discuss the difference between the way the rich and the poor deal with their issues in general
5. Write a critical note on "On courage"
6. What is Hearn's attitude towards translation and how far is it justified in the speech?
7. How is failure beneficial in life?
8. How does Adichie encourage her listeners to be what they are and to follow their dreams?
9. 'The Nightingale and the Rose" shows the transience of love and sacrifice. Elucidate.
10. How does George Orwell portray the ironies of life in the story?
11. Gessler Brothers were the tragic victims of commercialization and globalization. Substantiate
12. Write an essay on the reactions of Dee and Maggie to their traditions.
13. How does 'Invictus' become a manifesto of the poet's life?
14. Consider the poem 'The Road not Taken' as a representation of Frost's poetry
15. Write an essay on the images and symbols used in 'Good and evil'
16. How does the poet establish her sense of resilience in 'Still I Rise'
Module I: Life Writings

1. Three Days to see: Helen Keller

Short answers

1. Why does Helen Keller think "It is a blessing of each human being were striken blind and
deaf"?
Man will not be grateful for what they have until they lose it. We will not be conscious of health until
we are ill. Darkness would make one more appreciative of sight. Silence would teach one the joys of
sound.

2. "How was it possible, I asked myself" which incident led to this response?
She asked herself how was it possible to walk for an hour through the woods and see nothing
worthy of note. She can't see the things that interested her through mere touch. She is blind.

3. How does she plan to spend the first night of sight?

The author should not able to sleep in the night of the first day because her mind would be full of the
memories of the day. The first day she devoted to her animate and inanimate friends.

4. What does she plan to do on the second day?

The second day reveals to her the history of man and Nature. She wants to see art, beauty and the
things she only knew by touch. She wants to see man's progress.

5. What is the first thing Helen Keller would do when she gets her sight back?
She wishes to see her dear people who showed her kindness, gentleness and companionship. She
wishes to see the face of her dear teacher, Anne Sullivan. She opened the outer world to the author.

Paragraph answers

1. What do you understand about Anne Sullivan from the essay?

Helen Keller was blind. She fought those challenging conditions with the help of her devoted teacher
and friend Anne Sullivan. She was an example of diligence and perseverance. It was she who opened
the outer world to the author. She showed sympathetic tenderness and patience. Her strength of
character enables her to face difficulties. She showed compassion for all humanity. If the author
were given sight, she would see her teacher's face, on the first day itself.

2. What would Keller find in the Metropolitan museum of art?

On the second day, Helen Keller wishes to see the things she only knew by touch. The museum of
Natural History reveals the material aspects of the world. It shows the various facts of the human
spirit. The spirit of Egypt, Greece and Rome as expressed in their art is revealed. She sees the
sculptured gods and goddesses of the ancient Egypt. She witnesses the marble sculpture of
Parthenon, the beauty of charging Athenian warriors, Appolos and the marble sculpture of Nike, the
Greek goddess of victory. She sees the sculpture of Homer, who was blind. She sees the plaster cast
of Michelangelo's Moses and the Gothic wood carving. She sees canvases of Raphael, Leonardo da
Vinci and Titian. The history of man and Nature are revealed to her.

3. 'Use your eyes as if tomorrow you would be stricken blind" Explain

Make the most of every sense. Nature provides pleasure and beauty. The world reveals them to us
through senses. Use our senses as if they will fail the next day. Everything one sees will become dear
to him or her. Only the deaf appreciates hearing. Only the blind appreciates sight. If one's eyes are
open to see for three days one can store up memories for the long night ahead. See when one has
sight.

4. What are Helen Keller's plans for the Third day?

On the third day Helen Keller wishes to see people busily going on about their lives. She spends in
the world of present. New York becomes her destination. She gets a new vision of the power and
ingenuity of the mind of man. She wishes to see green lawns, trees flowers, houses and working men
in the city. She watches the delightful activities upon the river. She wishes to hurry to the top of the
Empire State Building She gets a vision of another world. She wishes to understand something of
lives of people. She moves to Fifth Avenue. She enjooys the articles of beauty. From there she wishes
to go to Park Avenue, to the slums, to factories and to parks. She gets the sight of both happiness and
misery. They are parts of life.

Essays

1. How does Helen Keller plan to spend her three days of sight?
Helen Keller reflects on what she would do or see if she were given back her sight for three days. She
was blind and deaf since she was 19 months old.

On the first day she wants to see the people dear to her. Their kindness, gentleness and
companionship had made her life worth living. She would like to see the face of her beloved teacher,
Anne Sullivan Macy. It was she who opened the outer world for her. She showed sympathy,
tenderness and patience and strength of character. Eye is the window of the soul. She could feel her
friends' only through touch. She wishes to know them by their personalities. She wants to
understand them.
She has had only an incomplete impression of her casual friends. One can grasp the essential
qualities of another person by seeing them. The seeing persons see only the startling and
spectacular. She wants to call all her friends and look long into their faces. She wants to look on the
face of a baby to know the eager innocent beauty. Then she wishes to look into the loyal, trusting
eyes of her dogs. She should view the small and simple things. She wants to see the rugs under her
feet, the pictures on the wall, and the books. The books will reveal to her the deepest channels of
human life and the human spirit.
In the afternoon she wants to see the beauties of world of Nature. She might see the patient horses
ploughing in the fields. She should pray for the glory of a colourful sunset.
She wishes to see by artificial light in the dusk. Man has created artificial light to extend the power of
his sight when Nature decrees darkness. In the night she shouldnot able to sleep because her mind
would be full of the memories of the day.

The author devotes the first day to her animate and inanimate friends.

One the second day she wants to see the things she only knew by touch. She sees the dawn as the
thrilling miracle by which night is transformed into day. She should devote the day to the glimpse of
the past and present world. She wants to see the progress of man through museums.
She has touched many objects in the New York museum of Natural History. She wants to see the
realistic presentations of the process of evolution in animals and in man. The museum reveals the
material aspects of the world.
She wants to visit the Metropolitan museum of art. It shows various facts of the human spirit. The
urge to artistic expression has been powerful throughout the history of humanity. It reveals to her
the spirit of Egypt, Greece and Rome expressed in art. She sees the sculptures of gods and goddesses
of the ancient Egypt, Parthenon, the Greek, temple, the marble sculpture of Nike, the Greek goddess
of victory. She wishes to see the plaster cast of Michelangelo's Moses, paintings of Raphael and
Lenonardo da Vinci. Thus she wishes to enjoy the rich meaning and beauty in the art.
One must educate one's eyes in order to get a deep and true appreciation of art. The Metropolitan
museum contains the key to beauty. It unlocks the greatest treasure in her limited time of imaginary
sight. She wants to spend at a theatre or at the movies in the evening of her second day. The plays
and movies enable her to enjoy their colour and grace. She asks how many people realize and give
thanks for the miracle of such sights.
She wants to enjoy the beauty of rhythmic movement. She views the grace of a Pavlowa. She
remembers the time when an American actor allowed her to touch his face and hands. She wants to
see even a play and enjoy dramatic performance. In the night, her mind will be filled with the great
figures of dramatic literature.

The second day reveals to her the history of man and Nature.

On the third day, the author wishes to see people going on about their lives. The dawn of each day is
à new revealation of beauty. She wishes to spend in the workaday world of the present. New York
becomes her destination. She views green lawns, trees and flowers, houses and the hardworking
men. She gets the vision of the power and ingenuity of the mind of man. She sees the fantastic
towers of New York City. It is an awe inspiring sight. She remarks that people's eyes are blind to that
magnificent sight because they are so familiar to them.
She wishes to go to the Empire State Building. She compares her fancy with reality. It is a vision of
another world to her. She begins to walk along the city. She stands at a busy corner looking at
people. She sees smiles, determination and suffering. She goes to Fifth Avenue. She sees the colours
of women's dresses moving in a crowd. If she had sight, she would be interested in styles. She sees
various articles of beauty on display.
From there, she goes to Park Avenue, to the slums, to factories and to parks. Her eyes are open wide
to all the sights of both happiness and misery. Some sights are pleasant. Some others are pathetic.
They are parts of life. To close the eye on them is to close the heart and mind.
She wishes again to run away to the theatre on the evening. At midnight her temporary respite from
blindness ceases. The permanent night that is blindness closes in on her again.

2. Explain your perspective of Helen Keller as a lover of Nature.

On the first day, Helen Keller wants to see people dear to her. On her second day she wants to see
the things she only knew by touch. On her last day, she desires to see people going on about their
lives. She was blind and deaf since she was 19 months old. She reflects on what she would do or see
if she were given back her sight for three days.
She asks whether our eyes and ears take in all sights and sounds with appreciation. She laments that
she can't see many things that interest her. She feels the delicate symmetry of a leaf, the smooth skin
of a birch and the bark of a pine. In spring she touches the branches of a tree in search of a bud. It is
the first sign of awakening Nature after her winter's sleep. She feels a flower. She feels the happy
quiver of a bird in full song. She is delighted to see the cool waters of a brook. To her the show of
seasons is a thrilling and unending drama.
According to her it is human to appreciate even the little things of the world. She is eager to see the
beauty revealed to her by sight. She remarks that the eyes are lazy in viewing the most spectacular
sights.
In the afternoon of the first seeing day, she wishes to take a long walk in the woods. She wants to see
the beauties of the world of Nature. She wishes her path would be near a farm to see men living
close to the soil. She wants to see the glorious sunset. She wonders how man extends the power of
his sight when Nature decrees darkness.

The author remarks that the dawn of each day must be a new revelation of beauty. She devotes the
second day to see the history of man and Nature.
Through the museums, she wants to see the realistic presentations of the processes of evolution in
animals and in man. She says that the urge to artistic expression is powerful throughout the history
of humanity. She wonders at the rich meaning and beauty in the new vision of Nature. She
remembers that one must educate eyes for a deep and true appreciation of art.
The author wants to enjoy the beauty of rhythmic movements and pleasing sights in the world. She
describes the Forest Hills, Long Island. There are green lawns, trees and flowers, little houses happy
with the noises of women and children and the hardworking men. She sees boats in the East River.
She wants to spend watching the delightful activities upon the river.
Helen Keller visits the Empire State Building, the Fifth Avenue and the Park Avenue. All attract her.
The colour of women's dresses is a gorgeous spectacle. All delight her. She remarks that she should
not be able to sleep because her mind would be full of memories of the day. She advises to use our
senses as if they will fail the next day.
Helen Keller is a lover of Nature.

2. My Greatest Olympic Price: Jesse Owens

James Cleveland Owens was born in 1913. He was known as Jesse Owens, He was an American
Negro athlete. He shattered Hitler's myth of Aryan Supremacy at the 1936 Berlin Olympic Games.
Owens stood for the freedom of the sport and the spirit of humanity. He died in 1980.

Essay

1. Why do you think Owens values friendship over winning a prize in the Olympics?
(Or)
"You can melt down all the gold medals and cups I have, and they couldn't be a plating on the
24 carat friendship I felt for Luz Long at that moment". Comment on the significance of the
statement.
Jesse Owens describes the unexpected help he received from Luz Long, the German long jumper, in
the Berlin Olympics held in 1936. Hitler applied his master race theory to sports well. He boasted
that the German athletes would win all the competitions. The games aroused nationalistic feelings
among the competitors. Owens won four gold medals in the 100 and 200 meter sprints, the 400
meter relay and the long jump. He learnt that the true spirit of sportsmanship could melt the
barriers of race and colour Luz Long had that spirit. The important thing in games, as in life, lies not
so much in, success as in endeavour.
Owens had trained for six years. He had set the world record of 26 feet 8 inches in long jump. He was
a negro. He saw Luz Long covered 26 feet even in his practice leaps. He was a German. He was tall.
He had a lean muscular body, clear blue eyes, fair hair and handsome face. His victory would add a
new support to the Nazis Aryan superiority theory.
An angry athlete will make mistakes. Owens was an angry athlete. He failed in two of his three
qualifying jumps. He felt ashamed. Suddenly Luz Long greeted him. He had qualified for the final. He
understood Owen's worry. He remarked that something had been troubling him. He poured him
courage and self-confidence.
Though Luz Long was a German, he didn't believe in the Aryan supremacy. He advised Owens to
draw a line a few inches behind the board and aim at making his take off from there. Owens did so.
He qualified. He thanked him. They talked about many things.
They formed a real friendship. The next day they had to compete each other. But Luz wanted Owens
to do his best. In the final, Luz broke his own past record. But Owens beat him. He set the Olympic
record of 26 feet 5-5/16 inches. Luz congratulated him. He shook hand with him. Hitler glared at
them. Owens felt a 24 carat friendship for Luz. All the gold medals seemed to have melted down.

Once Pierre de Coubertin, the founder of modern Olympic Games said that the important thing in the
Olympic Games is not winning but taking part and the essential thing in life is not conquering but
fighting well. Luz Long was the epitome of it Owens values humanity and friendship.

Short answers

1. What was the advice given by Luz Long to Owens when he failed in the trials?
Luz Long advised Owens to draw a line a few inches behind the board and aim at making his
takeoff from there. Owens did so and qualified in the trial. He wanted Owens to qualify with his
eyes shut.
2. 'An angry athlete is an athlete who will make mistakes.' What made Owens recollect the
words of the coach?
"Owens was an angry athlete. On the first of his three qualifying jumps, he leaped from several
inches be- yond the takeoff board for a no- jump. On the second jump, he was even worse.
3. How would the victory of Long add to the Aryans superiority theory, according to
Owens?
Luz Long was a German. Owens was a Negro. Hitler boasted that his performers were members
of a master race. He believed that Germans would win all competitions.
4. 'Did I come 300 miles for this’? What made Owens ask this introspective question?
Owens failed on his two trial jumps of his three qualifying jumps.
5. Elaborate the meaning and the relevance of the essential thing in life is 'not conquering
but fighting well'
The true sportsmanship lies in fighting and not in defeating. One has to face challenges in life.
Luz Long showed humanity and friendship though he was defeated in the Long jump
competition.

Paragraph answers

1. 'I am fine. The question is how you are?" Ex- plain the relevance of the question in the
context of Owen's life writing piece.
Owens was a Negro. Luz Long was a German. He had qualified for the finals. But Owens fails in
two of the three qualifying jumps. So he was worrying. He was an angry athlete then. He was
ashamed and upset.
2. Attempt a character sketch of Luz Long in the context of the racist beliefs of Hitler.
Hitler believed that his performers were members of a master race and the Germans would
win in all competition. Though Luz Long was a German, he didn't believe in the Aryan -
supremacy theory. He valued friend- ship and humanity. He believed that the important thing
in the Olympic Games is not winning but taking part. He understood Owens anger.
3. What angered Owens in the field leading to the fouls in the trials?
Owens was an angry athlete. He was a Negro. Luz Long was a German. If Long would win it
would add new support to the Hitler's Aryan - supremacy theory. Owens was angry at Hitler's
ways. He wanted to show Hitler and his master race who was superior and who wasn't'
4. Tomorrow is what counts' Comment on the con- text and relevance of the statement.
Luz Long had qualified for the final. But Owens failed in the two of his three qualifying jumps.
Luz consoled him and advised him how to leap. Owens did so and qualified. He poured him
with courage and self-confidence. He remarked that didn't matter if he wasn't first in the trial.
The next day was that mattered. In the competition, Owens won and Luz Long lost. It was for
him he jumped in the finals.

4 Are the Rich Happy?

Introduction
Stephen Leacock was born in Hampshire in 1896. He is a humourist, educator and essayist. He
is known for his light hearted essays. His stories centre around himself and his life - events. He
mixes pathos and satire, "The Boy I left behind Me' is his incomplete autobiography. His
humuor is based on a comic perception of human foibles and of the incongruity between
appearance and reality in human conduct. He died in 1944.

'Are the Rich Happy' was written in 1916. It is a philo- sophical reflection on the ideas of being
rich. The Author searches for the rich. His search leads him to the realisation that the people
rich in wealth turn out to be poor in happi- ness. The essay starts with personal observations
and ends in general perceptions. Though one has much money, one can't escape from the
drudgeries of life.

Summary
(or)

1. 'Rich are troubled by money all the time' Explain the meaning of the sentence in the context
of Spugg's life.
or
2. Discuss the difference between the way the rich and poor deal with their issues in
general.

The author remarks that he has never seen any rich people. He imagined that people having 15
servants were rich. But they are not rich. They are all pinched. He remembers the words of a
friend. The friend told him that even though he had 10000 dollars a year, he was not rich. Another
family who had 20000 dollars a year had the same feeling. They could not keep up with the rich.
Another man who had an income of 50000 dollars told that he couldn't equal the rich. He gave the
author a plain meal. But it took three men and two women to serve it. All the rich have the same
feeling that is better to face the fact of being poor.

The Author remarks that there may be the reported cases of richness. He examines whether the
rich are happy through his experience. The rich face cruel trails and bitter tragedies. The poor
don't know such experiences. The rich suffer from many troubles. The changes in money value
don't affect the poor. But the rich are conscious of it. It affects their happiness. The rich are
troubled by money all the time.

The author knows Mr. Spugg. Spugg's private bank account was overdraw last month 20000
dollars. He told it was bothering him. He thought about selling some bonds and cover it. It seemed
terrible. Poor people have no such worries. In such case there is a bitterness. The poor man
doesn't know it

Mr. Spugg is a self-made man. To him the wealth he has accumulated is a mere burden to him. He
was much happier when he was a common man, He was put aside his drink with expression of
contempt. He remembers how he tasted champagne when he hadn't enough wealth. Mr. Spugg
would be glad to be rid of his wealth altogether.

Wealth is a burden that one must carry. If one has enough wealth, wealth becomes a form of social
service. Wealth could be given away. But no one can. One regards wealth as a means of doing good
or brighten the lives of others. One regards wealth a solemn trust. Spugg has told the author about
the duty of brightening the lives of others.

Spugg regards his wealth as a solemn trust. He didn't give his wealth to any college because he is
not a college man. He didn't give his wealth to provide pension for college professors because old
professors are the nation's heroes and their work is its own reward. He is a single man and selfish.

The author says that the great silent tragedies are being enacted in the residence of the rich and
not of the poor. He saw such silent tragedy at the house of the Ashcroft - Fowlers. Meadows was
his butler. Mrs. Ashcroft asked her husband whether had Meadows spoken. The author asked
Fowlers in what trouble they were. Fowlers replied that Meadows was preparing to leave them
because he didn't like them. Fowlers was upset.
A few days later, the author heard that Meadows had left. They were in despair. There are many
who enjoy genuine, light hearted happiness. It is among the rich who have wealth to get ruined on
the ways such as Stock Exchange. The business side of getting ruined is easy.

Once the rich are ruined, they are all right. A friend of the author told a young man, Edward
Overjoy, They saw the youth chatting with a pretty woman. The friend said that Overjoy was a
completely ruined man and he wouldn't agree to sell his motor. They Overjoy's haven't sold the
motor. They are not ready to sell their residence or box at the op- era. They are too much attached
to them.

The author says that one can buy Overjoys for ten dollars. The rich and the poor deal their issues
differently.

Short answers

1. What did Leacock feel when he thought he had found the rich people?
Leacock felt that they were not rich at all. They were quite poor and pushed for money.
2. What is a Limousine?
Limousine is a luxury vehicle driven by a Chauffeur with a partition between the driver and
passenger compartments.
3. List Leacock's reported bases of richness.
The doorkeeper in the building told Leacock he had a rich cousin in England with ten pounds a
week. The lady who washed at his house had a rich uncle in Winnipeg.
4. How did the rich and the poor react when the Sterling Exchange falls?
The poor sits snugly at home and don't care when the sterling exchange falls. They can still sit
and laugh at the picture show. But the ich mop it up. It troubles them. Money troubles the rich.
5. Who was Meadows?
Meadows were Ashcroft - Fowler's butler. His decision of leaving them troubles them. He
doesn't like them.

Paragraph answers

1. 'Attempt a character sketch of Spugg.

Spugg is a self-made man. Money troubles him all the time. He can't imagine of selling the
bonds. He feels envy to the poor. He knows that the accumulated wealth is a burden. He says he
was much happier when he was a plain man. He would be glad to be rid of his wealth all
together. Wealth is a burden that one must carry. It becomes a form of social service. He
regards his wealth as a solemn trust. He is a single man with no ties. His troubles are in a sense
selfish. He is not ready to part with his wealth.
2. What were Spugg's reasons for not donating his money to others.
Spugg's troubles were in a sense selfish. Though he regarded his wealth as a solemn trust he
didn't give it to others. As he was not a college man he didn't give it to a college. As the old
college professors were the nation's heroes, Spugg was not ready to give his wealth for their
pension. He thought their work was its own reward. He was a single man with no ties. He was a
self-made man.

2. What was the reason behind Mr. and Mrs. Fowler's sadness?
One day Leacock dined with Ashcroft - Fowlers'.. Both were gloomy. Mrs. Fowlers asked her
husband whether Meadows had spoken. He replied in negative. Meadows were their butler. He
had decided to leave them because he didn't like them. Franklin had left them before. The great
silent tragedies are being enacted every day in the homes of the rich.
3. Discuss the uses of irony and sarcasm in the essay.
Leacock remarks that the rich are not happy as the poor are, Money troubles the rich. Spugg
regards his wealth as a solemn trust. But he doesn't give it to others. Spugg has talked with the
author so long about the duty of brightening the lives of others. The waiter who held blue
flames for his cigarettes fell asleep against a door post and chauffer froze to the seat of his
vehicle. Once the rich are ruined, they are all right. Leacock says that one could buy Overjoy for
ten dollars. It doesn't cost thousands.

5. ON COURAGE

Introduction

A. G Gardiner was born in Chelmsford in 1865. He was a British journalist, editor and author.
He wrote under the pseudonym Alpha of the Plough' His essays are witty. He wrote the life
sketches using the pen name 'A.GG. He shows a wide and deep power of observation in his
writing. He mixes humour with seriousness and amusement with enlightenment. Pebbles on
the shore, Leaves in the wind, Many Farrows and Pillar of Society are his well-known
collections of essays. He died in 1946.

'On courage' is from the book of essays Pebbles on the Shore'. He analyses the true meaning of
courage. True courage ennobles the person who willingly does that act of courage and
humanity at large. The true hero units moral courage and physical courage.

Summary
(Or)

1. Write a critical note on the essay 'On Courage'

2. Explain the different types of courage providing a suitable conclusion.

'On courage' is taken from the book of essays Pebbles on the Shore'. Gardiner chooses an
extra ordi- nary incident during the time of the First World War. He analyses the true
meaning of courage. Courage has physical aspect and moral aspect. One may have physical
courage but lack moral courage. Another one may have moral courage but lack physical
courage. But the true hero unites the physical courage and the moral courage.

Gardiner remarks on the event of the war which had made the deepest impression on him.
Sailors acted as the obedien instruments of the governments. They did not understand the
motives. He chooses the beautiful individual action of the sailor on the British warship. The
Formidable.

The ship was going down. The sailor had won the ballot to be saved. The boat was waiting
to take him to the shore and safety. He looked at the old comrade who were doomed to
death. He turned to a comrade and said that comrade had parents and he hadn't. He made
the other take his place in the boat. It was the greatest moment. The sailor waited for his
death. The boat disappeared. The ship sank with him. Gardiner remarks that the sailor is
the bravest man that the sea took its bosom. No man has greater love than this.

Such great acts ennoble humanity. It enriches the whole human family. Each man has the
noble gift of valiant unselfishness. The sailor was an ordinary man with failings. But he was
something greater than he knew. According to Gardiner, we are great mystery to ourselves
and to others. Only the occasion discovers whether one is a hero or a coward, a saint or a
sinner.

The sailor is a hero because he acted deliberately. His was 'two-o-clock in the morning
courage. Many do brave acts in hot blood, recklessly. The sailor's act was an act of physical
courage based on moral courage. Though a man fails in a great moment, he may not be a
coward. Once Mark Twain talked about a brave man who did a cowardly thing. In a
shipwreck he snatched the lifebelt from a woman passenger and saved himself. The woman
was drowned. But he was not a coward. He had moral courage. But he lacked physical
courage.

Each man has the elements of a hero and the elements of a coward. Once Mrs. Disraeli, the
wife of Benjamin Disraeli, the Prime Minister of England said that her husband had moral
courage but no physical courage. His moral courage carried him to the bath, but the
physical courage failed him to pull the string of the cold shower bath. Gandiner says that
the bath room is rich in such secret.

The true hero unites both the physical courage and the moral courage. The courage that
snatches a child from the flames is a brave act without any prior calculation. It is inspired
by an impulse. But the sailor's act was an act with calculation. The boat and safety, the ship
and death, his life or the other's. He chose the ship and death and not the boat and safety
deliberately. His act ennobled not only him but also the humanity at large.

Gardiner makes the essay interesting with its apt illustrations and deep moral insight.

Short answers

1. What is the name of the ship that is mentioned in the essay?

Formidable, the British war ship is the ship that is mentioned in the essay.
2. Which famous author narrates the incident of an author who snatched away, the
lifebelt of a woman?

Mark Twain (pen name of Samuel Clemens) the great American humorist narrated the
incident
3. A man may have a deal of valour in him without him knowing it' who made this
statements?
Bob Acres, a character in the play 'The Rivals' written by Richard Sheriden made the
statement.
4. What kind of courage did Napoleon recommend?
Napoleon recommended the two -o- clock in the morning, courage i.e. showing courage
deliberately.
5. What name is used to refer to Benjamin Disraeli.
'Dizzy' is the name used to refer to Benjamin Disraeli.

Paragraph answers

1. What did the sailor do when he got selected through ballot?

The sailor won by ballot to be saved in a life boat. He looked at his comrades who had lost the
ticket. He felt the passion for life. He turned to a comrade and said that he had parents and the
sailor hadn't. He made his comrade take his place and to be saved in the boat. He showed
courage in cold blood. He united the moral courage and the physical courage.
2. How is the sailor's courage different from the one recommended by Napoleon?
The sailor showed courage with calculation- in cold blood that is deliberately. It was an act of
physical courage based on the moral courage. Napoleon spoke that 'two o' clock in the morning
courage is the real thing. It is not doing brave things in hot blood. The sailor did that Napoleon
recommended.
3. How did the sailor sign himself a death warrant?
The sailor blended physical courage with the moral courage. He acted deliberately. When he
won in the ballot to be saved in the life boat he made his comrade takes his place in the boat.
He felt the passion of a life. Thus the sailor became the bravest man who is drowned. He made
the triumphant choice.
4. Give a brief account on the sacrifice of the sailor.
The sailor felt the passion of life. He showed the greatest love and became the bravest. His
courage ennobled him and the humanity as well. He accepted death in order to save his
comrade who had parents. He blended the physical courage and moral courage.

6. On Reading in Relation to Literature

Short answers

1. How does Hearn associate reading critically with studying?

Reading a book thoroughly, slowly and thinking about it, is hard study. A great critic knows
how to read. A good book is a scientific work. Reading ought to be done precisely the same way
that a scientific book is read.

2. Who read for amusement and why do they do so?

Half-educated persons read for amusement. They are unable to appreciate the deeper
qualities that belong to great literature.
3. Who is the greatest of all critics and why are they acclaimed so?
The greatest of all critics is the public of centuries. Human opinion about a book has been
subjected to the test of time. Reputations are made by the accumulation of human opinion
through centuries.
4. "Great art works unconsciously without ever suspecting that it is great"
Exemplify
Years before, Job looking at the stars at night uttered his thoughts in certain verses. He
didn't think himself great. To him the sky was a solid vault. He never dreamed beyond it. But
his verses have been preserved in The book of Job, the first poetic book in the Old testament
of the Bible. The verse hasn't lost its beauty.
5. How far was Sir John Lubbock and his followers. Experiment regarding lists
successful, according to Hearn?
Sir John Lubbock wrote a list of hundred best books in the world. Other literary men followed
his example. But the books have proved worthless, except to the publishers. Many persons
bought the hundred books, but very few read them. It is because no one can lay down a definite
course of reading for the great mass of different minds.

Paragraph answers

1. Does a child and a professional reader approach the text in the same way? Validate
your view print.
A child reads a story book thoroughly. He thinks about what he reads. Its methods of
observation are remarkable. He forces his mind to exert all its powers. It exhausts all the
energies of its imagination. The professional reader is a scientific reader and scholar. The title
or the shape of a sentence is enough for him to judge a book. He thinks about everything in the
book. The natural and scholarly way of reading is the child's way.
2. "A man must be many-sided to utter a trustworthy estimate of many books" Explain
with suitable illustrations.
The opinion that makes a book great must be the opinion of many. We can't consider the
judgment of a single individual infallible. The judgment of generations is infallible. Thomas
Carlyle couldn't endure Browing. Byron couldn't endure some English poets. Some people
claimed that Emile Zola the French novelist possessed absolute genius. Others claimed that he
had only common talent. Nobody had read Zola's books a second time. We doubt the judgment
of a single critic at times.
3. How does Hearn illustrate the greatness of an author and his or her work in the essay
'On Reading"?
A great book is a scientific work. It is composed to the principles of the great science of life. A
great author doesn't write for money. A good book provides intellectual food to the readers. It
depends on its influence on the habits of a reader. We want to read a great book more than
once. At every reading we find new meaning and new beauties in it. A great book grows in
proportion to the growth of the reader’s mind. The longer the genius of a writer is, the less he
knows that he has genius. A great author speaks only the truth that is in his heart. A great book
never grows old. The choice of great books must be an individual's choice.
4. "No youngman can possibly see at first reading the qualities of a great book" In what
context does Hearn make such a statement?
A young person can't understand the value and quality that lie hidden within great books.
Humanity has taken hundreds of years to find such qualities of a great book. A great book
grows in proportion to the growth of the readers' mind. Time has been taken to find out the
greatness of values of Shakespeare, of Dante, or of Goethe. Goethe wrote little stories in prose.
They have the charm of fairy tales. But he wrote them not for children but for the experienced
minds. A youngman finds seriousness in them. A middle aged man discovers their depths. An
oldman will find all the world's philosophy in them. One should read only the books that one
wants to read more than once.

Essay

1. What is Hearn's attitude towards translation and how far is it justified in the speech?

Lafcadio Hearn analyses the act of reading from a liberal humanist point of view. He
deliberates on writers. He differentiates between reading for pleasure and reading for critical
purpose.

Each great civilization has produced two or three great books. The best will never be found in
great quantities. A knowledge of Greek life and Greek civilization is necessary to appreciate
Greek authors. The foundation of European literature rests up on classical study. The
mythology is necessary. The number of adequate translations is small.

Hearn says that all verse translations are useless. No verse translation from the Greek can
reproduce the Greek verse. We have only twenty or thirty lines of Homer translated by
Tennyson. But the prose translations are preferable. There are two prose translations in
English. One of the Iliad' and one of Odyssey of Homer. Odyssey is much more a romance than
is 'the Iliad'. The prose translation of Lang and Butcher preserves something of the sound and
music of the Greek verse, though it is prose.

The great Greek tragedies have been translated. One should know the subject of the great
dramas of Sophocles, Aeschylus and Euripides. It is necessary to know about the stories of the
great plays.

One should know the stories of the great comedies of Aristophanes. His works are valuable and
interesting. They require no explanations. They make us laugh today just as they made the
Athenian laugh years before. They belong to immortal literature. One can gain something on
the repeated reading of Aristophanes. Hearn recommends Bohn's translation in two volumes.

There is a translation of the lyrical poets. It is Lang's translation of Theocritus. It is a small book
likely to become an English classic. Longus was a 2nd century AD Greek novelist and romancer.
His 'Daphnis and Chloe' is a masterpiece done in the decline of the old civilization. It has been
translated to every language. The best translation is not in English but in French. It is the
version of Amyot.

There are good prose translations of Virgil and Horace, the Latin authors. Knowledge of Latin is
necessary to understand them. The story of 'Aeneid' can be understood by the version of
Conington. Knowledge of the chief Latin writers and thinkers is necessary in the course of
general education. 'Golden Ass' of Apuleius is an immortal book. There is a good English
translation of it. It is a story of sorcery. It belongs to world literature rather than to the
literature of a time.

The Greek myths are related to English literature.

The myths of the ancient English religion of the Northern races are related to English literature
greatly. A student of English literature ought to know something about Northern mythology. It
is full of beauty. It embodies the religion of force and courage. The two volumes of 'Corpus
Poeticum Boreali' is the complete collection. of Northern poetry. But there is no good collection
of the Sagas and Eddas.

Mallet's 'Northem Antiquities' gives an outline in regard to both the religion and the literature
of the Northern Races. Sir Walter Scott contributed the most valuable portion of the
translations. Though the introductory chapters by Bishop Percy are old fashined it doesn't
diminish the value of the book. Hearn recommends that every student should try to possess
that book.

It is better to read the great modern masterpieces in the originals than to read their
translations into English. Read Goethe's 'Faust' in German and not in English. If one can read
Heine in German, its French translation in prose and the English translation in verse are
useless. Read 'Faust' in the prose version of Hayward, if German is difficult. One can read
'Faust' many times during one's life. Heine is a world poet. The French prose version of him is
good. The English versions by Browning and Lazarus are weak.

A knowledge about the middle ages is necessary to understand Dante. He was an Italian poet.
One must study Moliere, the French dramatist. But one must not read him in any translation.
The English language can't reproduce his delicacies of wit and allusion.

Among the modern English literature, Hearn recommends Malory's 'Morte d' Arthur. He
doesn't recommend to read Milton. The linguistic value of Milton is based on Greek and Latin
literarure. A man doesn't require to be a scholar in order to read Shakespeare. Hearn says that
what is true of reading Shakespeare is true of reading Goethe Homer, Moliere, Dante and of
those books in the English Bible.

2. Justify 'Whenever you hear of a new book being published, read an old one'

Hearn estimates what makes a book great and distinct from others. A good book is a scientific
work. It has been composed according to the principle of the great science of life. A book ought
not to be read for mere amusement. A great book provides intellectual food and makes an
appeal to emotions.

The good of a book depends for its influence on the habit of the reader than upon the art of the
writer. The proper choice of books is essential to self- training. The greatest of critics is the
public of centuries. The test of a good book is the test which human opinion applies.

The test of a great book is whether we want to read it only once or more than once. The
opinion that makes a book great must be the opinion of many. Great books will have passed the
test of time. We want to read great books more than once. No young man see at first reading,
the value and quality that lie hidden within a great book. A great book grows in proportion to
the growth of the reader's mind. It will reveal new meaning to the readers.

Great art works unconsciously without suspecting that it is great. The great thing done in
literature has not been done by men who thought themselves great. The great artist spoke only
the truth that was in his or her heart. Job uttered all his heart in certain verses. They have been
preserved to us in the Book of Job. Though the modern conception of the universe and Job's
conceptions are different, it hasn't lessened the beauty and value of the verse.

Great book can't die. The emotions of unselfishness and love and loyalty which Hans
Andersen's the story of mermaid expresses are immortal. 'Daphnis and Chole' teaches about
innocence and the feeling of youth. It can never grow old. The story of 'Manon Lescaut' is just
as true of and own time as of any time in civilization. The pain and sorrow affect us. The
woman in the story, weak and selfish charms the reader as she charmed his viction.

Each great civilization has produced only two or three great books. The best will never be
found in great quantities. The sacred books embodying teachings of religions, the epic poems
that express the ideals of races, and the plays which reflect lives must be considered the
highest literature.

The foundation of European literature rests upon the classical study. All English books
belonging to high class of literature contain allusions to Greek beliefs, Greek stories or Greek
plays. The mythology is necessary.

A great book belongs to world literature rather than to the literature of a time. English
literature is related to the Greek mythology and the Northern mythology. Hearn says that what
is true of reading Shakespeare, one will find it true of all the world's great books. It will be true
of Emile Zola, Dante, Goether, Homer, Virgil, Horace and Moliere.

Hearn advises the youth to read an old book whenever one hears of a new book being
published. The new book will be proved worthless, except to the publishers. Many may buy
them but very few read them.

7 The Fringe Benefits of Failure and

The Importance of Imagination

Short answers

1. Why does Rowling convince herself that she is at world's largest Gryffindor reunion?
Gryffindor is the emblematic animal (lion) that represents ideal qualities, courage, chivalry and
determination. The audience includes, President Faust, members of the Harvard corporation
and the Board of Overseers, members of the Faculty parents and graduates. Delivering the
commencement address is her responsibility.
2. What does Rowling mean by quixotic or paradoxical choice?
Quixotic means impractical. She has decided to talk to the meeting at Harvard University about
the benefits of failure and about the importance of imagination. Those may see quixotic choice
or paradoxical.
3. Why did her parents view her aspiration as an amusing personal quirk?

Her parents came from impoverished backgrounds and have not been to college. So they took
her overactive imagination an amusing personal quirk. She wanted to write novels.
4. ‘That is your privilege and your burden' which privilege is Rowling referring to?
The way of voting, the way of living, the way of protesting and the pressure one brings to bear
on one's government have an impact way all over the world.

Paragraph answers
1. Describe how Rowling recalls the commencement ceremony during her college life.
The commencement speaker was the famous British philosopher, Baroness Mary Warnock;
Reflecting on her speech has helped her in writing the speech. She can't remember a single
word Mary Warnock said That liberating discovery enables her to speak without any fear. So
she influences them to abandon promising careers in business, the law or politics for the
delights of becoming a gay wizard. Delivering a commencement address is a great
responsibility.
2. How would Rowling's quixotic or paradoxical choice of subject help the Harvard
graduates?
Rowling talks about the benefits of failure and the importance of imagination. She could
balance her ambition and the expectations of her parents. She wanted to write novels. Her
parents took her overactive imagination as an amusing personal quirk because they came from
impoverished backgrounds. She wanted to study English literature. Her parents hoped that she
would take a vocational degree. She went up to study modern languages. Without realizing fear
and failure, one can't get determination to succeed.
3. What are all the fringe benefits, of failure, according to Rowling?
Elucidate her views on poverty.
Poverty entails fear and stress and depression. It means humiliations and hardships.
Climb out of poverty by one's own efforts. Failure means stripping away of the inessential.
Failure in life is inevitable. It gives inner security. It teaches one the things about oneself. One
will not truly know oneself or the strength of one's relationship until both have been tested by
adversity

Essay

1. How is failure beneficial in life?

This is a commencement address at Harvard University in 2008 made by J.K. Rowling. She talks
about two themes - the benefits of failure and the importance of imagination. She feared failure
the most. Even the young and well educated know hardship. Talent and intelligence never
inoculate against fate. One may be driven by a fear of failure and a desire for success. The
conception of failure is near the idea of success.

She remarks that she was a big failure. Her short-lived marriage, unemployment, lone
parents and homelessness. Her life was dark then.

Failure is not a fun. It means stripping away of the inessential. By realizing the greatest
fear, one sets free and finds determination to succeed. Some failure in life is inevitable. It is
impossible to live without any failure.
Failure gives inner security. No one attains it by mere passing examinations. Failure
teaches one things about oneself. There is no other way to learn it. One can discover that one
has a strong will and discipline and finds out that one has friends.

Overcoming failure means one is secure in one's ability to survive. No one will know
oneself until it has been tested by adversity. No one will know the strength of one's
relationships until it has been tested by adversity. Such knowledge is painfully won.

Life is not a check list of achievements. Personal happiness lies in knowing it. Life is
difficult and beyond anyone's control.
Poverty results fear, stress and depression. Climbing out of poverty by one's own efforts
is a success. She did not experience poverty, but her parents did. So they thought her
overactive imagination was an amusing personal quirk. She made the rock bottom, the solid
foundation on which she could rebuild her life.

Rowling speaks about the role of failure in one's life in the light of her experiences.
2. "Climbing out of poverty by your own efforts, that is indeed something on which to pride
yourself but poverty itself is romanticized only by fools" comment.

J.K. Rowling talks about the profits of failure in life. She details the role of failure in one's
life, in the light of her own experiences. The perception of failure differs for each.

Her parents came from impoverished backgrounds. So they desired for a poverty free
life and sked her to choose a vocational degree. But she wanted to study literature. As a
compromise, she went up to study Modern languages. Thus she balanced her ambition and
those of her parents.

Rowling doesn't blame her parents. She doesn't criticize her parents because she hasn't
experienced poverty. Poverty is not an enabling experience. Poverty results fear, stress and
depression. It means humiliations and hardships. Climbing out of poverty by one's own efforts
is something which one can proud of. She remarks that poverty itself is romanticized only by
fools.

She says that one will not know oneself until it has been tested by adversity. One will
not know the strength of one's relationships until it has been tested by adversity. It is
impossible to live without adversity.

Failure is beneficial. Poverty is a failure. The wise will not romanticize poverty. They
will try to climb out of poverty by their own efforts. According to Plutarch what we achieve
inwardly will change outer reality.

Climbing out of poverty enables one to find the true self and identity. Failure helps one
strip off every inessential matters in life. One's privilege becomes one's burden. She wants that
one should proud of poverty because the rock bottom becomes the solid foundation on which
one builds one's life.

8. An Ode to Make Up

1. How did make-up help Adichie counter gender biases?

It is easy for a man to dismiss opinions of a small girl. Lipstick and eyeliner may make a girl look
older. Once she argued that breaking the Kolanut should be based on achievement rather than
gender. It causes for temporary transformation.
2. What is the occasion of the speech 'An ode to make up'
Adichie delivered the speech to the graduating class of Wellesley college, a woman's liberal arts
college in Massachusetts. Her writing has given her the platform.
3. What is the last thing Adichie specifies about her mom?
Adichie and her mother don't agree on many things regarding gender. Her mother believes that if
a person is a woman it decides what she should do or shouldn't do.
4. What was Adichie's feminist friend's reaction on her mother's story?
When Adichie told her feminist friend that her mother had opposed to change the sign from
'chairman' to 'chairperson', the friend asked why the mother would want to be called a
'chairman'. She asked whether the mother needed the man part to validate her.
5. 'Don't silence that voice' what is the voice here referred to?
Adichie advises them to love by giving and taking. A woman will know from the small and true
voice of love that females are socialized to silence. She wants them not to silence that voice and
dare to take love.
6. What is the occasion of the speech 'An ode to make up'
Adichie delivered the speech to the graduating class of wellesley college, a woman's liberal arts
college in Massachusetts. Her writing has given her the platform.
7. What is the last thing Adichie specifies about her mom?
Adichie and her mother don't agree on many things regarding gender. Her mother believes that if
a person is a woman it decides what she should do or shouldn't do.
8. What was Adichie's feminist friend's reaction on her mother's story?
When Adichie told her feminist friend that her mother had opposed to change the sign from
'chairman' to 'chairperson', the friend asked why the mother would want to be called a
'chairman'. She asked whether the mother needed the man part to validate her.
9. 'Don't silence that voice' what is the voice here referred to?
Adichie advises them to love by giving and taking. A woman will know from the small and true
voice of love that females are socialized to silence. She wants them not to silence that voice and
dare to take love.

Paragraph answers

1. How does make- up become beneficial for a woman?

Make-up helps women counter gender biases. The author began to make up because of a man.
Then she was 23 but looked 12. The Igbo culture was that only men were allowed to break the
Kola nut. She argues that honour should be based on achievement rather than gender. The man
dismissed her opinion because she was a girl. So she decided to try lipstick and eyeliner to look
older. Make up can always put women in a better mood on dark days.
2. How does Adichie recollect feminist voice in her mother as the first female Registrar of
the University of Nigeria?
Adichie's mother became the first female registrar of the University of Nigeria. She chaired the
first university meeting. At the head of the table was a sign that said 'chairman'. As she was
going to get seated, a clerk came to replace the sign with a news sign that said 'chairperson'.
But she objected and said that she was a chairman. She wanted to do in that meeting what a
chairman would have done. One's standardized ideologies will not always fit one's life.
3. Why did Adichie leave medical school?
Adichie believed that she could use her patients' stories for her fiction if she became a doctor.
But she realized that she would be a very unhappy doctor. She did not want to be responsible
for any death of her patients. Hers was not courage but a desire to make an effort. She desired
to study something that was not right for her. She desired to try something different. We can
try to bend the world into the shapes we want.
4. Comment on the significance of the kidnapping instance of Adichie's father on her life?
Adichie's father was 83 years old. One day he was kidnapped near his home in Nigeria. It
caused her emotional pain. He was released after they paid a ransom. She worried that
something had gone wrong. It made her rethink many things. She thought what truly matters
and what didn't. It made her rethink what she valued and what she didn't. She thought about
what really mattered to her. She thought about what she wanted to really matter to her.

Essay

1. How does Adichie in her speech encourage her listeners to be what they are and to
follow their dreams?
Adichie advocates feminist causes. She made a speech to the graduating classes in Wellesley
college in Massachusetts. She urges the students to establish their own identity and develop
individuality.
Adichie encourages them to use cosmetics. She narrated her own experience. She started to use
them only when she was 23 years old. It was because of a man. Though she was 23, she looked
12 years old. She argued that the humor of breaking of Kola nut should be based on
achievement rather than gender. But the man dismissed it because she was a small girl. So she
decided to try to look older. She thought lip- stick and eyeliner would help it. She started to
love make-up. Its possibilities for temporary transformation are remarkable. Through that
anecdote she illustrates her discovery of gender injustice.

Adichie tells the story of her mother to explain feminism. Once her mother objected to replace
the sign that said 'chairman' with a new sign that said 'chair- person' in the first university
meeting she chaired. The speaker proves that gender is always about context and
circumstances.

She advises them to try to bend the world into the shape they want. She remarks on human
experience. She left her medical school in order to try something that was not right for her. She
desired to make an effort. She urges them to try and create the world they want to live in.

Adichie reveals the importance of teaching men how Sig- to keep a woman happy rather than
to teach women how to keep a man happy. She comments on the nificance of the kidnapping
instance of her father in her life. It was made her rethink many things. She wants them to
think about what really matters to them.

Adichie advises the girls not to twist themselves in to shapes that suit other people. The world
is a diverse place. There are people in the world who will like the real them and not the twisted
shape. She speaks not to provoke anyone but because our time on earth is short. Don't waste
time on earth except for online shopping.

Adichie gives them bits of advice as their big sister.

2. How does Adichie redefine the notion of love in her speech?
Adichie gives the girls of the graduating classes bits of advice as their big sister. She advocates
feminist causes. She draws the critical question of womanhood and the beauty of being a
woman. She reveals how make- up counter gender biases. She urges them to establish their
own identity and develop individuality.

To her victimhood is not a virtue. Gender is always about context and circumstances. Life is
messy. She wants them to try to bend and create the world into the shape they want.
Vulnerability is a human rather than a female trait. Men should know how to keep a woman
happy.

All over the world girls are raised to twist themselves into shapes to please others. But the
speaker advises them not to twist themselves into the shapes that suit other people. The world
is a diverse place. There are people in the world who will like girls, the real them and not the
twisted shape.

Men and women are completely equal. She doesn't believe that a woman should do something
and shouldn't do another thing because a woman is a woman. She concludes the speech with a
note on the new aesthetics of loving and being loved.

Girls are raised to see love only as giving. It is considered that love is an act of giving. Women
are praised for their love. But to love is to give love and to take love. She advises them to love
by giving and by taking. Females shouldn't be socialized to silence. If women are only giving
love and not taking, they know that females are socialized to silence.
Adichie encourages them not to be silenced and to take love.

9. The Nightingale and the Rose

1. Why did the student's sorrow amuse the nightingale?

The student lamented that his sweetheart would dance with him if he brought her a red rose. But
there was no red rose in his garden. The bird wondered that happiness depends on even silly
things.

2. Why did the nightingale call the young student' a true lover'?
The young student's love had made his face pale and sorrow had marked his brow. The bird
realized his helplessness to bring his sweetheart a red rose.

3. What did the red rose ask the nightingale to do?

When the bird asked for a red rose, the Red rose remarked that its roses were white and wanted
the bird to go to his brother and he would perhaps help the bird.

4. What did the Nightingale sing when the thorn pierced its heart?
The Nightingale sang first of the birth of love in the heart of a boy and a girl, second of the birth of
passion in the soul of a man and a woman and third, of the love that is perfected by Death and of
the immortal love.

5. Why did the Professor's daughter refuse the rose?

The Chamberlain's nephew sent her some jewels. The student had no silver buckles to his shoes
as the Chamberlain’s nephew had. She valued silver and jewels above the sincere passion of love.

6. Why did the sacrifice of the Nightingale go in vain?

The Nightingale sacrificed herself to give the young student a red rose. But his sweet heart
refused it because she valued silver and jewels of the Chamberlain’s nephew above the sincere
passion of love of the young student.

Paragraph answers

1. Who were the Nightingale's friends? What was their opinion on the student's lament?
A Green Lizard, a Butterfly and a Daisy were the Nightingale's friends. When she said that the
student couldn't dance with his sweet heart for want of a red rose, they laughed. They couldn't
imagine the boy who was weeping for a red rose. They took it very silly. They did not understand
the secret of the student's sorrow and the mystery of love. But the Nightingale could.

2. What did the Nightingale ask of the student be- fore sacrificing herself?
The Nightingale wanted the boy to be happy and she would fetch him a red rose. In return she
wanted him to be a true lover forever. She understood the mystery of love. Love is wiser than
philosophy. Love is mightier than power. Love's wings are flame-coloured. His lips are as sweet as
honey and his breath is like frankincense.

3. How did the nightingale make a red rose from the withered Rose tree?
The Nightingale started to build a red rose out of its music by moonlight. The tree was withered
due to the winter. In order to stain the tree with her own heart blood, the Nightingale set her
breast against a thorn. She sang. The thorn entered her heart. Her life blood flowed into the veins
of the tree. She sang of the birth, existence, perfection and immortality of love. The rose
blossomed and the bird fell dead in the long grass.
4. Compare and contrast the concept of love as un- derstood by the nightingale and the
student?
The Nightingale knew the mystery of love and who a true lover is. According to the bird, love is
wiser than philosophy and mightier than power. Love is perfected by death and it is immortal. It is
the self-sacrificing love. The student was weeping because he could not dance with his sweetheart
for want of a red rose. He didn't show readiness to sacrifice for getting a red rose. Instead he
wondered on how happiness depends on little things. His concept of love was materialistic
whereas the bird's was spiritual.

5. What happened to the red rose in the end?

The Nightingale was an admirer of true love. Love is better than life. She sacrificed for the
fulfillment of love of the young student for his sweetheart. But she val ued material gifts above the
true love. As she rejected the rose he threw it into the dirt. Thus the price of Nightingale's life was
thrown into the street. The sin cere love and selfless sacrifice of the bird are con trasted with the
ingratitude and insincerety of the human beings

6. Do you think that trees, birds, and flowers are more grateful and sincere than human
beings?
All the characters in the story feel sympathy to the young student who is weeping for want of a
red rose. The Nightingale sacrifices herself in order to build rose for him. The sweet heart values
silver and jewels of the Chamberlain's nephew above the sincere passion of love of the student. As
she rejects the rose, he throws it into the dirt. He thinks in terms of his own happiness. The
Nature is always ready to lessen human sorrow and misery. But man is ungrateful and insincere

10 Roucolle, The Miser

Introduction

Eric Arthur Blair was born in Bengal in 1903. His pen name is George Orwell. He is an English novelist,
essayist and short story writer. His first novel is 'Down and out in Paris and London'. He was
interested in British social life and culture. His awareness of social injustice, his reaction to
totalitarianism and his defense of democratic socialism can be seen through his works. His important
novels are 'Animal Farm' and 'Nineteen Eighty Four'. He died in 1950.

Summary or

1. Write an essay on the character of Roucolle, (or)

2. How did George Orwell portray the ironies of life in the story?
'Roucolle, the Miser' is the 23rd chapter of his novel 'Down and out in Paris and London'. He narrates
his experience in Paris and London in the novel. The story tells the life of the miser. A Jew made
Roucolle enter the smuggling business. But he was cheated. The miser died heartbroken. The
exploration into the complexities of the human mind can be seen.

It was Charlie who told the life of Roucolle to the narrator. Roucolle was an interesting character. He
was 74 years old. He picked up damaged vegetables, ate cat's meat, wore newspaper instead of
underclothes and made himself a pair of trousers out of a sack. But his investment was half a million
francs
One day a young Jew appeared in the quarter. He had a plan for smuggling cocaine into England from
France. It was easy to buy cocaine in Paris. The Jew came into contact with Roucolle through a young
Pole. The Pole had agreed to put 4000 francs into the business if Roucolle would put 6000 francs. Both
tried hard to get the money from the miser. They could buy 10 pounds of cocaine with that money.

Roucolle had sewed the money into the mattress in his room. The Jew and the Pole explained how the
miser would prosper with the business. They begged him to produce the money. He was greedy but he
feared. He thought about getting 50000 francs profit. But he was not ready to risk the money. He
thought with his head in his hands. He knelt down and prayed for strength. Suddenly he slit open the
mattress, where his money was concealed and handed over 6000 francs to the Jew.

The Jew delivered the cocaine the same day and disappeared. All knew the affair. The next morning
the police raided the hotel. Roucolle and the Pole were afraid." They couldn't hide the great packet of
cocaine. There was no chance of escaping. The Pole wanted Roucolle to throw the cocaine out of the
window. But Roucolle disagreed.

Roucolle clasped the packet of cocaine to his breast, He preferred to go to prison rather than throw his
money away. He behaved as if mad. A man on Roucolle's floor had a dozen of tins of face powder.
Someone suggested throwing the powder out of the window and putting the cocaine into it. They did
so.

The police came to search Roucolle's room. They examined every nook and comer. They found
nothing. The police noticed the tins and questioned. The Pole replied that was face powder in the tins.
Roucolle groaned. It made the police suspicious. They opened a tin and smelt it. The Inspector
believed that was cocaine. Roucolle and the Pole swore that was face powder. But it made the police
more suspicious. The two men were arrested and led to the police station.

A tin of the cocaine was sent away to be analyzed. At the police station, Roucolle wept, prayed and
made contradictory statements. After an hour a policeman returned with the tin and a note from the
analyst. It was not cocaine but face powder. Roucolle and the Pole were released. The Pole was happy
at his escape though he lost 4000 francs. But the miser couldn't tolerate the loss of 6000 francs.
Within two weeks Roucolle died of broken heart. The Jew had cheated them. He had given face
powder instead of cocaine. Most misers come to a bad end through putting their money into risky and
likely to fail business.
Short answers
1. What did the narrator do soon after he left the Auberage?
After he left the hotel in Paris, he went to bed and slept for a long time. Then he washed his
teeth for the first time in a fortnight, bathed, had his hair cut and got his clothes out of pawn.
2. Who told the narrator the story of Roucolle, the miser and when?
It was Charlie who told the narrator the story of Roucolle on the day on which the narrator was
wandering about the quarter
3. What was the character of Charlie, according to the narrator?
Though Charlie was a liar the story he told was good
4. Who was Daniel Dancer?
Daniel Dancer was a notorious English miser

Paragraph answers

1. Describe the routine of Roucolle.

Roucolle was 74 years old. He was a miser. He was an interesting character. He went to the
food market in Pans to pick up damaged vegetables. He ate cat's meat. He wore newspapers
instead of underclothes. He used the wooden panelling of his room for firewood and made
himself pair of trousers out of sack. He had sewn 50000 francs into the mattress in his room.
He was frantic between greed and fear. He was greedy to get enormous profit but he couldn't
risk his money
2. How did Roucolle join the wildcat scheme?
A Jew came into contact with Roucolle through a Pole youth. The Pole was ready to put 4000
francs into smuggling cocaine business if Roucolle would put 6000 francs. Though Roucolle
was a miser, he was greedy. They explained how Roucolle would yearn 50000 francs profit.
After a deep thought, he suddenly slit open his mattress and handed over 6000 francs to the
Jew
3. What is the strategy that they used to deceive the police?
The Jew delivered the cocaine packets. It was about 10 pounds. The next morning the hotel was
raided by the police. The Pole and Roucolle couldn't hide it. There was no chance of escaping.
Though the Pole wanted to throw the stuff out of the window, the miser didn't agree A man had
a dozen of tins of face powder. Somebody suggested throwing down the powder from the tins
and substituting the cocaine. They did so and cocaine filled tins were put openly on Roucolle's
table
4. Describe the reactions of Roucolle and the Pole after their release?
A tin of cocaine was sent to be analysed. At the station Roucolle wept and prayed. After an hour
a policeman came back with the tin and the result of the analysis. It wasn't cocaine but face
powder. Both the Pole and Roucolle were released. The Pole was happy though he lost 4000
francs in the wildcat scheme. But Roucolle, the miser was utterly broken down. He took to his
bed and murmered. He lamented on his loss of 6000 francs. Within two weeks, he died of
broken heart.
5. How did the Jew cheat Roucolle?
The Jew came into contact with Roucolle through the Pole. They persuaded Roucolle to put his
money in smuggling cocaine. Roucolle was a miser and greedy. He invested 6000 francs into
the business. The Jew delivered ten pounds of cocaine in packets and disappeared. But the
analysis result revealed that was not cocaine but face powder. The Jew cheated Roucolle.

11 QUALITY

Introduction:

John Galsworthy is a British poet, novelist, dramatist, essayist and short story writer. He was born in
1867. He himself was trained to be a lawyer. But he chose to be a writer. His early novels were
published under a pseudonym, John Sinjohn. He won the Nobel prize for literature in 1932. Joseph
Conrad and Bernard Shaw influenced his writings. He became famous with his 'Man of Property' and
'The Island pharises which were published in his own name. His important works are The Forsyte
Saga and plays like The Silver Box, Strife, Justice, Loyalties. His collection of short stories, "The Inn of
Tranquility and A Sheaf are well known. He died in 1933.

Summary
(Or)
Comment on the title 'Quality'
(Or)
How does 'Quality' become a metaphor for life
(Or)
Gessler Brothers were the tragic victims of commercialization and globalization. Substantiate.

"Quality' appeared in 'The Inn of Tranquility' It has the qualities of both short story and essay. It may
be de- scribed as a narrative essay. Its theme is the struggle of an artist to sustain his commitment to
excellence in the face of ruthless competition from mass production. Galsworthy presents the
shoemaker with admiration. He resembles Galsworthy himself, who aimed at perfection as a writer.
The story draws two shoe-makers- the Gessler Brothers. They did not compromise on the quality of
their product. Their sincerity, commitment and dedication to the work did not help them progress in
life.

The Gessler Brothers were shoemakers. They were Germans. Their shop had been in the West End,
the fashionable area of London. They made only what was ordered. Though they had two little shops,
they were let into one.

One day the narrator went to the shop to order boots. Mr. Gessler remarked that shoe making is an art
and leather is a sardonic substance. His elder brother had died. Both had been alike. They had been
hard working and sincere. When one would order boots the young brother had re- marked that he
would ask his brother.

Their boots lasted long. The narrator went in as if entering a church. He sat on the single wooden
chair. There was nobody there. Mr. Gessler climbed down. The narrator wanted to him to make him a
pair of Russian leather boots. Mr. Gessler showed him beautiful leather and wanted him to come the
next day. Gessler placed the narrator's foot on a piece of paper and tickled the outer edges with a
pencil. He left.

The narrator remembered an occasion. On that day he remarked that the last pair of boots, he had
bought was creaked. Mr. Gessler had said that would not be his boots. It was from a large firm that the
narrator had bought it. Mr. Gessler was sure that his boots would last long.

Mr. Gessler would not show anger, sorrow or con- tempt. He remarked that big shoe companies have
no self-respect. He talked about the conditions and hardships of his trade. The big firms get customers
by advertisement and not by their work and quality. He was struggling to compete with them.

Later the narrator saw another name was painted on outside of one of the windows of his shop. It was
a boot makers of Royal Family. Mr. Gessler recognized the narrator. He examined his boots. The
narrator asked him what had happened to the shop. He replied that was too expensive. The narrator
ordered three pairs and left.

On the next visit to his shop, the narrator saw an old Gessler. He thought it might be his elder brother.
But he said that his elder brother was dead. He could not get over losing the other shop. The narrator
ordered several pairs and went abroad.

Fifteen years later, the narrator returned to London. He went to Mr Gessler's. Gessler was 75 years old
then. He was grown feeble and weak. He got ready to make a fresh model of boots. He traced round
the narrators foot. The narrator left. One day he got a parcel of four pairs of boots. They were the best
in shape, and fit, in finish and quality of leather. The amount was the same as usual

A week later the narrator noticed his shop had been gone. The two little shops were made into one.
The narrator got in and asked about Mr. Gessler. The new owner replied that he was dead and he had
brought the shop. He died of slow starvation. He lost everybody when he got an order it took him
much time. No one would wait.

The narrator wondered at the competition advertisement Mr. Gessler never advertised. But he was
the shoe maker who made the best boots. He had spent everything in rent and leather. The owner
remarked that Mr Gessler had made good boots. The narrator agreed and left there shedding tears.
Galsworthy hints on the tragic end of a victim of competition, mass production, commercialization and
globalization.
Short answers
1. How does Galsworthy introduce the shoemakers?
The narrator knows them from his youthful days. They made his father's boots. The younger made
boots with his elder brother. The rented shop bore merely the German names of 'Gessler Brothers.
2. What is the opinion of the narrator on the shoes that the Gessler brothers made?
Gessler brothers made only what were ordered. Their shoes lasted long. They were mysterious and
wonderful
3. Does Mr. Gessler take customer feedback seriously?
Mr. Gessler was ready to take off the bill if the shoes he made creaked and couldn't be repaired. He
was sure they would not creak He could recognize his products at any time.
4. How does Mr. Gessler perceive shoe making?
Shoe making is an art and some boots may be bad from birth. He took orders with showing the
leather.
5. What causes Mr. Gesslers downfall in the shoemaking business?
The mass production, competition and the advertising of big firms caused Mr. Gessler's downfall in
the shoe making business. When he got an order, it took him time. People wouldn't wait. He lost
customers. He never advertised.

6. Mention an instance which shows Gessler's unbusiness like dealing?

When the narrator said that the last pair of boots he bought was creaked, Mr. Gessler replied he
would take them off his bill. He added that some boots were bad from birth.
7. How could one identify Gessler's Shop?
There was no sign upon the rented shop that they made for any of the Royal family. There was
only the German name of Gessler Brothers.
8. How did Mr. Gessler take the measurement of a shoe?
Mr. Gessler would place the client's foot on a piece of paper and draw the outer edges with a
pencil and pass his fingers over the toes.
9. What was the fate of the Gessler Brothers?
Gessler Brothers were the victims of competition from mas production. They couldn't sustain
excellence in business. They died of slow starvation.

Paragraph answers

1. What is Mr. Gessler's attitude towards large firms?

Large firms attract customers not by quality but by advertisement. They have no self-respect.
They make easily perishable articles. They have no commitment to excellence. To them shoe
making is not an art. They manufacture bad goods. They don't bother quality of goods. Mr.
Gessler showed self-respect, sincerity and excellence. To him shoe making was an art.
2. How did the narrator consider Mr. Gessler?
Mr. Gessler was a character. He made good boots. He considered shoe making an art. His
commitment to excellence and sincerity were remarkable. His boots were the best in shape and
fit, in finish and quality of leather. He attracted the customers not by advertisement, but by
quality. Mr. Gessler was an artist. He made mysterious and wonderful boots.
3. What was the fate that the shoemaker had to face in the end?
The shoemaker was a victim of mass production and competition. When he got an order, it took
time. People wouldn't wait. So he lost his customers. He couldn't meet his expenses. All went in
rent and leather. He starved to death. The two little shops were made into one and was
occupied by an English youth. He hadn't advertised to attract customers.
4. Describe Mr. Gessler's method of taking orders.
Mr. Gessler made only what was ordered. He took order with showing the leather. He didn't
make for any of the Royal family. He considered shoe making an art. His boots lasted long. He
didn't advertise to attract customers. His commitment to excellence was remarkable.
5. Describe the narrator's sadness at seeing the Gessler Brother's dwindling business?
Galsworthy draws the struggle of an artist to sustain his commitment to excellence in the face
of competition from mass production. Mr. Gessler did not advertise but had self-respect and
sincerity. But he failed. He died of slow starvation. He spent everything on rent and leather. He
made good boots. The narrator had ordered many. The two little shops had been made into
one. The elder Gessler had died because he couldn't get over losing one shop.
6. What are the qualities of the Gessler Brothers?

The Gessler brothers were good shoe makers. They made only what was ordered. They
considered shoe making an art. Their commitment to excellence, quality and sincerity were
remarkable. They struggled hard to sustain them. They did not advertise for attracting
customers. They showed no anger and no contempt to big firms.
7. How did a client walk into the shoe shop and how was received?
A client walked in as one enters a church. There was nobody there, so he waited, sitting on a
single wooden chair. One of the Gessler brothers peeped down over top edge of the shop. The
client could hear the tip tap of slippers beating the narrow wooden stairs. They were without
coat, a little bent, and in leather apron.
8. What was the cause of the death of the elder of the Gessler brothers.
Gessler brothers shoe shop was at the West End, the fashionable street. They did not make
shoes for any of the Royal family. There was no sign upon the rented shop except the name of
Gessler Brothers. It was two shops made into one. Due to mass production and competition,
they couldn't maintain the two shop. So one was sold to another boot maker. But the elder
brother couldn't get over losing the other shop. So he died of broken heart.
9. What circumstances caused the unexpected death of the younger brother?
After 15 years when the narrator reached in London, he went to Mr. Gessler's and ordered
boots. Then the younger brother was 75. The narrator got the parcel of four pairs. A week later
he came to where his shop had been. But his name was gone. He met the new owner. He said
that Mr. Gessler was died due to slow starvation. All he had went in leather and rent. He
couldn't meet the expenses due competition from the mass production.

12. EVERYDAY USE

Introduction

Alice Walker was born in Georgia in 1944. She is an African American novelist, short story
writer, poet and ac- tivist. Her black womanism is a revolt against the white dominated
feminist discourses. Her treatment of the Afri- can American culture and her focus on the role
of black women in culture and history are remarkable. Her writings draw slavery and
oppression. She is aware of the human relationship and interactions. Her important novel is
"The color Purple". Her other works are Meridian, The Temple of my familiar, Once, In search
of our mother's garden: Womanist prose and collected poems.

Summary

1. Write an essay on the reaction of Dee and Maggie to their traditions

(or)
2. How does the story become a manifesto of Alice Walker's concept of womanism.

'Everyday use' was published in 'In love and Trouble: Stories of Black women in 1973. The
story evokes the sentiments of black sisterhood. It articulates the African American legacy of
quilting. The story shows how Mama and her daughter, Maggie value and follow black culture
and tradition in their everyday life. But Dee, the educated daughter of Mama returns home only
to collect material objects of her culture. She lacks the real knowledge of her culture. The
writer urges her fellow beings to respect and respond to the repertoire of African culture.

The story is the story of Mama, her elder daughter Dee and the younger daughter Maggie.
Mama was a large big boned woman with rough, man working hands. She was fat and could kill
and clean a hog as a man. She was merciless. She used to knock a bull calf straight in the brain
between the eyes. She didn't look a strange white man. Her hair would glisten in the bright
light. Mama was not educated and not a good singer. She used to do a man's job. She loved to
milk the cow. Mama remarks that cows are soothing and slow and don't bother who milks it.
One must not milk a cow the wrong way.

Her house had three rooms. The roof was tin. There were no real windows, instead some holes
cut in the sides not round and not square. The house was in the pasture. She valued the black
culture and tradition. She had seen TV programs such as mother and child embrace and smile
into each other’s face. She used to dream in which Dee and Mama were brought together on a
TV programme. There she met a smiling man like Johnny Carson who shook her hands.

Dee was educated. She would look anyone. Hesitation was not part of her nature. She was light
with nice hair and fuller figure. She wanted nice things. She was deter- mined. At sixteen she
had a style of her own.

Mama remembered about her other house which had been burned. It was ten or twelve years
before. It had affected Maggie. Maggie walked with chin on chest, eyes on ground and feet in
shuffle, since the fire burned the house. Dee hated Maggie, Maggie would be nervous when Dee
would be there. Maggie would marry John Thomas, who had mossy teeth Maggie used to read
to Mama.

When Dee was courting Jimmy, she had no time, to pay to Mama and Maggie. But he married a
cheap city girl from a family of ignorant people. Maggie was ashamed of the burn scars on her
arms and legs. She eyed her sister with a mixture of envy and awe.

Mama and the church raised money to send Dee to Augusta to school. She grew without pity.
She made them believe. They knew much they didn't need to know, from her. She never
brought her friends. She was worshipped by them. Nervous girls never laugh. Dee did not like
her house.

One day Dee came by car with a man. He was short and stocky. His hair was long. Maggie made
a strange sound as when one sees the tail end of a snake just in front of one's foot on the road.
Dee seemed extremely beautiful with gold earrings, bracelets and with black hair. Her hair was
straight up like the wool of a sheep.

The man moved to hug Maggie. But she hesitated. Dee took their family photograph. She kissed
Mama on her fore- head. The man greeted them. He was muslim. Mama did not know whether
'Dee had married him or not. Dee changed her name to Wangero Leewanika, Kemanjo, Mama
asked why. Dee replied that she couldn't tolerate it being named after the people who
oppressed her. Mama couldn't even pronounce that name. The man wanted them to call him
only Hakim-a-barber.

When Wangero saw the churn and the old quilts, she wished to have them. She wanted the
dasher. She wrapped it. Then she wanted the old quilts because those were their pieces of
dresses Grandma used to wear. But Mama wasn't ready to give her. She had promised it to
Maggie and John Thomas when they would marry.
Wangero objected. She added that Maggie would be backward to put the quilts to everyday use.
Once Dee had told that they were old fashioned and out of style. Old things are priceless. Mama
was not ready to part with it. But Maggie wanted to give it to Dee. Maggie added that she could
remember Grandma Dee without the quilts. It was Grandma Dee and Big Dee who taught
Maggie how to quilt. The quilts had been pieced by Grandma Dee and then Big Dee, Mama's
sister and Mama had hung them on the quilt frames, Mama hoped Maggie would use the quilts.

Mama hugged Maggie. She snatched the quilts out of Wangero and dumped them into Maggie's
lap. Wangero remarked that Mama and Maggie did not understand the heritage. She put on the
sunglasses and left with Hakim- a-barber. Maggie smiled at the sunglasses. It was a real smile.
They sat enjoying till they went to bed.

Mama and Maggie wished to use their black culture, tradition and heritage in their everyday
life. But the educated Dee wished to parade their heritage.

Short Answers

1. What is the significance of the title 'Everyday use?

Dee remarked that his sister Maggie would probably backward to put the quilts to everyday
use. Mama and Maggie followed black culture and tradition in their everyday life. But Dee
wished to parade them.
2. Why did Dee want the quilts?
The quilt was a symbol of their tradition. Those were the pieces of dresses Grandma Dee used
to wear. She had done all the stitching by hand.
3. Why did Dee change her name?
Dee couldn't bear the name being named after the people who oppressed her. She changed her
name to Wangero Leewanika Kemanjo. She was named after her aunt, Dicie, who was Mama's
sister.
4. What all does Dee lay claim on, when she comes to visit Mama?
Dee wants the churn, the dasher and the old quilts. She wants to parade the objects of their
heritage and not for everyday use.
5. What does the quilt stand for in the story?
The quilt stands for a symbol of family heritage. It had been pieced by Grandma Dee and then
Big dee and Mama had hung it on the quilt frames.
6. Why did Dee take photographs of her family when she came to visit them?
Dee took the photo of her Mama sitting in front of the house with Maggie in order to parade
them. She lacked the real knowledge of the culture and heritage. She considered them
backward to put them.

Paragraph answers

1. How does the quilt become a symbol of their tradition?

The quilts were pieced by Grandma Dee and then Big Dee, Mama's sister and Mama herself
hung them on the quilt frames and quilted them. One was in the Lone star pattern and the
other was walk around the moun- tain. In both of them were scrapers of dresses Grandma Dee
had used to wear 50 years beore. It had pieces of Grandpa's shirts and a blue piece of Great
Grandpa Ezra's uniform that he had worn in the civil war. Mam and Maggie wanted to use them
in everyday life Dee wanted to keep them.
2. Describe the appearance of Hakim-a-barber
Hakim a-barber is a short, stocky man. His hair is all over his head a foot long. It is hanging
from his chin. He has a long name. So he wants others to call him, Hakim a barber. He greets
Mama and Maggie, Asalam alakim. He may be Muslim, Mama does not know whether Dee has
married him or not. As he moves to hug Maggie she withdraws.
3. What did Mama dream of?
Mama had seen mother and child embrace and smile on TV programme. Sometimes Mama
dreamed Dee and herself had been brought together on a TV programe. She was lead to a
bright room filled with many people out of a limousine. There she met a smiling man like Johny
Carson who shook hand with her. He told her how beautiful she was, Then on the stage, Dee
embraced Mama. She pinned on her dress, a large orchid
4. What tragedy had struck the family?
Mama had a house in a pasture. Ten or twelve years before the fire burned it. It affected
Maggie. So Maggie walked with chin on chest, eyes on ground and feet in shuffle. There were
burn scars on her arms and legs. The fire crippled her.
5. Why does Mama give the quilt to Maggie and why is Dee unsatisfied about the decision?
Mama had promised to give Maggie and John Tho- mas the quilts when she would marry him.
She wanted to value and use her culture and tradition in the every- day life. But her elder
daughter, Dee demanded the quilts not to use it but to keep them as relic, to parade them. Once
she had considered it old fashioned. Mama hoped Maggie would use it. Dee remarked that
Mama didn't know their heritage. Dee wanted quilts only to hang them and not to use in 'the
everyday life'

13. INVICTUS

Short answers

1. What does the 'night signify in the first line of Invictus'

Night signifies hardships in the world. The speaker is smuggling against tuberculosis. The path
is uncertain
2. Whom does the poet thank for his unconquerable soul?
The poet thanks the unseen power for his unconquer able soul
3. What is meant by 'place of wrath"?
The world is full of anger and pain. Only inner strength and perseverance enable individuals to
face the fate
4. How does the narrator call himself?
The narrator remarks that he is the master of his fate and the captain of his soul.

Paragraph answers

1. What does the title 'Invictus' signify?

'Invictus' means 'unconquered'. The poem is about the unconquerable will of an individual. It
focuses on strong human spirit and the ability of humans to overcome adversity. The speaker is
hospitalised owing to tuberculosis. The concluding lines reveal that an individual is himself the
master of his fate and the captain of his soul.
2. Comment on the images used in the poem?
"Night' is used to denote the human hardships. Though his head is bloody, it is unbowed 'Place
wrath), 'tears' and 'Horror of shade', denote the materialistic world. Narrow gate', is a biblical
allusion. 'Master of fate' and 'captain of soul' are used to reveal the themes of inner strength
and perseverance.

3. Comment on the last two lines of the poem.

The poet draws the inner strength of an individual. Each individual has an unconquerable will.
So one can fight with fate. An individual is himself the master of his fate and the captain of his
soul. Fate is a slave and soul is a ship. Nelson Mandela used to recite the poem to his fellow
prisoner s.
4. Bring out the words suffering in 'Invictus'
The night covers the speaker. He is in the cruel clutches of circumstances. He hasn't cried.
Though his head is injured, it is unbowed. Anger and pain threaten. The -narrowness of the
gate and the acuteness of punishment don't matter, because of an unconquerable human spirit.
.

14. THE ROAD NOT TAKEN

Essay
1. How does Frost express his ambivalent attitude to Nature in 'The Road Not Taken?
(or) What typical Frostian features are found in the poem? (or)
Bring out Frost's use of symbol and metaphor in the poem?

Robert Frost was born in San Francisco in 1874. He settled down in New England. He is a
farmer poet. He was impatient with the mechanized life. He turned to Nature- He took the
countryside and its people for the raw materials for his works. His poems give details of
natural objects and rural characters. They blend matter and manner. The relationship of the
individual to self, to others, to Nature and to the universe can be seen. He won the Pulitzer
prize for poetry four times. There is photographic clarity in his poems. We see a direct felt
experience of the poet. The language is with the intensity of poetry. His style is easy flowing.
His Poems are pure. Frost sold his first poem at 14. He is the purest classical poet of America.
He is interested in the paradoxes of life. He awares the presence of evil and cruelty in the
world. He died in 1963.

The Road may man's career that he might choose to follow at a particular period of life. Two
roads proceeded in different directions. It was autumn. The leaves had turned yellow. The
speaker stood facing the roads. Leaves on the ground indicate autumn. He couldn't travel on
both. He stood there for long. He took time to decide. He took the other. It seemed fair. It
seemed better than the first. It was grassy. It was not used up. It was the conditions of the
roads. But that morning both road lay covered with leaves. No steps had taken. If leaves mixed
up with earth, it would appear black.

The traveller hoped that he could use the road he had been looking, later in life. It shows his
eagerness for the road. But he doubted whether he should come back. The road he took was
the only road he could have taken. He took the one less travelled by. It made all the difference.
The speaker says it with regret. He speculates about the indefinite future.

In life it is impossible to retrace the steps once taken. The concreteness to the situation of the
speaker is given. The very common experience of a traveller seeking his right tract in a forest is
given.

Robert Frost speculates on the unt rodden path. He doesn't express the romantic excitement
about the experiences of life. He uses colloquial tone and irony. Words are simple. The poem is
free from imagery. The style may be close to the language of prose. Frost is interested in
paradox. His poems begin in delight and ends in wisdom. The delight is from the real personal
experience. It moves to an understanding and wisdom based on personal experience. There is
not much difference between one road and the other.

Frost uses the rhythms of everyday speech. He was born in America. He eyes the detail. The
traveller takes the decision at the same time he expresses doubt. It is a characteristic of Frost.
One cannot choose the other career. The desire to go back may be lost. Otherwise the
circumstances may make it difficult to go back. Frost's humor is directed at himself. The mock
regret is his characteristics. He speculates about indefinite future. The conclusion implies two
points. There is a significant difference between what is and what might have been. Or the
difference is not much after all. The Title stresses not on the road taken but on the road not
taken. It is the center of the meditation. There is no explanation to 'all the difference. Frost's
relationship with Nature is remarkable.

Short answers

1. Where does the poet find himself?

The poet finds himself at a fork in the road. An ele- ment of indecision about which road to take
appears.
2. Why does the poet feel sorry?
The poet stands at a junctions facing two roads. He feels sorry because he can't travel both at
the same time. He is in dilemma in the face of two functionally identical options in life.
3. What does the poet feel about the road that he has taken?
The poet feels sorry about the road that he has taken. There is a touch of regret because the
road 'less travelled by' is a lonely road. The stress is on 'the road not taken and not on the road
taken'
4. Explain the phrase 'how way leads on to way?
In life it is impossible to retrace the steps once taken. The circumstances may make it difficult
to go back. The traveller takes decision at the same time he doubts.

Paragraph answers

1. Is the poet uncertain about his choice? Why?

The speaker of the poem stands at the fork in the road. He feels sorry that he can't travel both.
He stands long thinking. He doubts whether he can return. His selection has made the
difference. There is difference be- tween what is and what might have been he speculates what
will have been if he takes the other road. The poet is uncertain about his choice. Man can follow
only one career at a particular period of life.
2. What is the meaning of 'that made all the difference'?
Two roads diverge. The traveller stands at the junction. He takes the one less travelled by.
There is a significant difference between what is and what might have been. His choice has
made the difference He speculates what will have been if he takes the other road. Man can
follow only one career at a particular period of life. The stress is not on 'the road taken' but on
'the road not taken'
3. Write a short note on the images used in the poem.
The speaker is a traveller. He stands at the fork where two roads diverge. He selects the grassy
and less travelled by. But in the morning both roads are covered with leaves. The place is a
yellow wood. Two roads signify two life careers. Man can follow only one career at a particular
period of life. If he keeps the other road for the future, there is no return.
4. How do the two roads differ in the poem.

One road is more travelled by but the other is less travelled by. One is grassy and the other is
clear. But in the morning both are covered with leaves because it is in the yellow wood. The
traveller selects the road which is less travelled by that is the career that only a few followed.
No one can speculate what will be if one takes the other road. The poet stresses not on 'the
road taken' but on 'the road not taken'. He knows 'way leads on to way".
5. How does the poem become a metaphor for life?
Two roads signify life's careers. Man can follow only one career at a particular period of life.
The traveller keeps the other road for the future use. But way leads on to way But it is
impossible to retrace the steps: once taken, in life. The traveller takes the decision at the same
time he doubts. There is either the difference between what is and what might have been or the
difference is not much after all. The poet stresses not on 'the road taken' but on 'the road not
taken.
6. Frost's philosophy
He gives details of Natural objects and rural characters. The relationship of the individual to
self, to others, to Nature and to the universe can be seen. He awares the presence of evil and
cruelty in the world. The Road may be man's career that he might choose to follow at a
particular period of life. In life, it is impossible to retrace the steps once taken. The poem begins
in delight and ends in wisdom. Taking the decision at the same time expression of doubt is a
characteristic of Frost. He speculates about the indefinite future. The circumstances may make
it difficult to go back from a career to another in life.
7. The landscape picture
Frost's relationship with Nature can be seen. He is a farmer poet. He took the countryside for
his poem. He gives de- tails of natural objects and rural characters. His poems blend matter and
manner. The very common experience of a traveller seeking his right path in a forest is given. It
was autumn. The leaves on the trees had turned yellow. The leaves on the ground indicate the
season. There were under- growths. The leaves if mixed with the earth would appear black.
The traveller selected the untrodden path. Frost's speculation of untrodden path is
noteworthy. The leaves were not mixed with earth by walking. It was grassy
8. And that has made all the difference" explain
The traveller took the less travelled road. He hoped he could use it the other road later in life.
But he doubted whether he could return. His selection had made the difference. The conclusion
indicates two points. There is a significant difference between what is and what might have
been. Otherwise the difference is not much after all. There is no explanation to all the
difference. The title stresses not on the road taken but on the road not taken. A philosophical
approach can be seen.
9. Significance of the title "The Road Not Taken'
A traveller doubted through which road he would travel. He kept the other for the future use.
That is in later life. But he doubted whether he could return. His choice made all the difference.
The difference between what is and what might have seen. There may be no difference at all.
Frost stresses not on the road taken but on the road not taken. It is the center of meditation.
Man can follow only one career at a particular period of life. The poet speculates what would
have been if he took the other road. No one can speculate it. In life, it is impossible to retrace
the steps once taken.

15. GOOD AND EVIL

Introduction

Kahlil Gibran was born in 1883. He is a Lebanese American writer. He imgrated to America. He
studiedar and began writing both in English and Arabic. His Leterary style was pivotal in the
Arabic literary renaisance. The European modernists and the eastern mystics influenced him.
He wrote short stories and poems in simple language. Loss, rural beauty and serenity and
alienation are his ma- jor themes. His works express the desire of men and women for spiritual
beauty. He transcends East and West, spiritualism and materialism. His works include, The
Prophet, Nymphs of the Valley, the Broken Wings, A Tear and a Smile and The life of Love. He
died in 1931.

Summary (or)

1. Why does Gibran Say 'Of the good in you I can speak but not of the evil'?
2. Write an essay on the image and symbols used in the poem.
'Good and Evil is a part of the 26 prose poems of the book 'The Prophet' Gibran explores the
complexities of human nature. The prophet, Almustafa becomes the meeting point of Islam and
Christianity literature and philosophy and the east and the west. The poem questions the
validity of the binary of good and evil. The prophet has the opinion that evil is nothing but the
absence of good. So he can speak only of good.

A city elder asks the prophet to speak of good and evil. The prophet replies he can speak only
of the good and not of the evil. Evil is that good tortured by its own hunger and thirst. Good
seeks food even in dark caves when it is hungry. It drinks even of dead water when it is thirsty.

One is good when one is not divided. When one is divided he may not be evil. A divided house is
only a di- vided house and may not be a den of thieves. A ship with- out a rudder may not sink
to the bottom, even though it may wander aimlessly.

One is good when one struggles to share oneself. But one may not be evil, even though one
seeks gain. Striving man for gain is like a root that cling to the earth and sucks at her breast.
The fruit can't say to the root to be like it be- cause fruit-giving is a need as receiving from
earth is a need to the root.

One is good when one speaks purposefully. But one is not evil when one's tongue is unsteady
without purpose. The prophet remarks that even stumbling speech may strengthen a weak
tongue. One is good when one moves boldly and firmly to the aim. Yet one is not evil when one
goes limping to the goal. Even those who limp may not go backward but forward. If one is
strong and swift, one doesn't limp before the lame. One's strength and speed are to be
considered kindness.

One is good in many ways. One is not evil when one is not good. Then one is only lazy and
walking aimlessly. The prophet remarks that are great pity that the stags can't teach swiftness
to the turtles.

The longing for one's self is in all. In that longing lies one's goodness. In some that longing is a
mighty stream that rushes to the sea carrying the secrets of the hillsides and the songs of the
forest. In some others that longing is a flat stream that loses itself and lingers before reaching
the sea.

The prophet advises the one who longs much not to ask the one who longs, little why one is
slow and halting. The truly good never ask the naked where his or her garment is. A truly good
doesn't ask the houseless what has happened to his or her house.

The poem questions the validity of the binary of good and evil.

Short answers

1. How does the poet justify gaining for oneself?

One who strives to gain, is not evil. Receiving is a need to the root in order to sustain the plant.
A root clings to earth and sucks at her breast. But giving is a need to the fruit. So the root and
the fruit can't be similar.
2. Why does good eat from the 'dark caves' and drink 'dead waters'
Evil is the absence of good. It is the good tortured by its own hunger and thirst. When good is
hungry it seeks food even in evil. When it is thirsty it drinks even the evil.
3. What does Gibran say about a divided house?
A divided house is only a divided house. It is not a den of thieves. When one is divided, he is not
evil.
4. What happens to the boat when it loses its rudder?
A ship without rudder may wander aimlessly in the sea. Yet it doesn't sink to the bottom of the
sea. Even when one is divided he or she doesn't sink to the bottom of evil.
5. Why does the poet use the image of the torrent and a flat stream?
Goodness lies in one's longing for one's large self. In some that longing may be like a mighty
stream that rushes to the sea. In some others it may be like a flat stream that loses itself before
reaching the sea. One attains goal swiftly. The other loses itself in its journey. But both are good
and not evil.

Paragraph answers

1. How is the root different from the fruit?

One is good when one shares oneself. One may not be evil when he or she seeks gain for
himself or herself. Fruits give themselves. Roots gain themselves. Giving is a need to the fruit as
receiving is a need to the root. The root can't be like the fruit. One who struggles to give is like
the fruit. One who struggles to gain is like the root. One who struggles to gain is like the root.
Without sucking at the earth, the root can't sustain the plant in order to make fruit. Both are
good.
2. What is the evil, according to Gibran?

Gibran questions the validity of the binary of good and evil. Evil is the absence of good. One can
speak only of good in others and not of the evil. Evil is good tortured by its own hunger and
thirst. When good is hungry it may seek food in evil. If it is thirsty, it may drink evil.
3. How does the poet speak of good through the images of speech and walk?
One is good when one speaks purposefully. But one is not evil when one speaks without
purpose. Even the mis- taken speech may strengthen a weak tongue. One is good when one
walks firmly and boldly to the aim. Yet one is not evil when one walks lamely to the goal. The
strong and swift doesn't limp before the lame. Bold steps are kind- ness.
4. What does the poet speak about judging others?
The strong and swift can't teach swiftness to the lame. Both are not evil. One who longs much
doesn't ask the one who longs little why he or she is slow and halting. The speedy stag may not
ask the slow turtle why it is slow and halting. The truly good may not ask the naked where his
or her garment is. The housed may not ask the houseless what has happened to his or her
house. All are good in them
5. Why does the poet say "stags can't teach swift- ness to the turtles"?
One is good in many ways. One is not evil even when one is not good. It is only working
aimlessly and lazy. Stags can't teach swiftness to turtles. Usually stags are speedy whereas
turtles are slow. But both move to the goal. Though turtle is slow, it may not be evil. The strong
and swift can't teach swiftness to the lame. Some reach the goal swiftly. Some others reach the
goal slowly.

16. STILL I RISE

Introduction

Maya Angelou was born in St. Louis, USA in 1928. She is an African American poet, story teller
and civil rights activist. She is the first black female director in Hollywood. I know why the
caged Bird Sings' is the first of her seven autobiographies. She is called 'black woman's poet
laureate' Some of her works are 'And still I Rise, A Brave starling truth and Amazing peace. A
Christmas poem. She proves that strength of character and love of literature can help overcome
racism. She died in 2014.
'Still I Rise is a hymn to the oppressed. It stimulates the downtrodden. She uses a
conversational voice to ex- press the personal and the political. Fury, faith and sarcasm can be
seen through the poem.

Summary (or)
Write an essay on the ironies used in the poem (or) How does the poet establish her
sense of resilience?
Essay
'Still I rise' celebrates black powers. Do you agree? (or)
Does the poem emphazize the concept of power for the African Americans.

Maya Angelou is a U.S. born writer. She wrote the poem in 1978. Her autobiographical works
have made her famous. Courage, self-respect and perseverance are her themes. In the poem,
the poetess presents as enlightened black who challenges his oppressors with courage, self-
confidence and traditional wisdom.

The man is rebellious. He is determined to disappoint his oppressors. He is a black ocean. He

rises against racial discrimination against the black race. He remarks that though his
oppressors crush him down, he rises against them. He is proud of his self-confidence. He is
bold. He troubles his superiors with questions.

The black is hopeful of victory over them. He asks the oppressors whether they want him
defeated. He makes them know that nothing can prevent him from his rising against them. He
remarks that everything of him like his pride, self-respect etc. upset his oppressors. He is
aware of that his race is rooted in pain and misery.

The black is rising, leaving behind his terror and fear of the whites. He is the dream and the
hope of the black slave. He is armed with the knowledge handed down by his ancestors. His
ancestors have given him traditional wisdom. He believes in their power. The poem is a
revolutionary one.

Short answers

1. What does 'broken' mean here?

The enlightened Black asks his oppressors whether they want to see him defeated. His
superiors desire joy from him.
2. What do 'bowed head' and 'lowered eye' indicate?
'Bowed head' and 'lowered eye' indicate self-humiliation and cowardice and defeat. The Blacks
accepted their ill-fate.
3. To whom are these questions addressed?
The enlightened black asks his oppressors or superiors those questions.
4. What are 'soulful cries' suggestive of?
The whites oppress the blacks. The black asks his oppressors whether they want to find him
weakened by deep grief.
5. What does the phrase, "the huts of history's shame" point to?
The blacks were ensalved, bought, sold and exploited by the whites throughout the history.
They were deprived of freedom and knowledge and equality.
6. What pain is the poet speaking of?
The poet is speaking of the misery and defeat of the blacks. Their oppressors derived joy from
them.
7. Explain the meaning of 'black ocean'
An ocean is unconquerable with destructive powers. Like that the black race has the
mysterious depths of destructive powers.
8. What is the main argument of the lines?
Armed with the knowledge, the black race rises to challenge the racial discrimination against
them. The race is aware of the hardships they have suffered from their oppressors, the white
race.

Paragraph answers

1. In what ways have the blacks been oppressed?

(or) How have the blacks been treated?
The blacks have been enslaved, bought and sold and exploited. They have been deprived of
their freedom, knowledge and equality. The oppressors derived joy from the blacks misery and
defeat. They have been underrated their powers. The whites have crushed them. The blacks
have been the victims of racial dis- crimination.
2. What is the mood of the narrator?
The narrator is enlightened. He challenges his oppressors with courage and self-confidence. He
is armed with the knowledge handed down by his ancestors. He is proud. He rises to challenge
the racial discrimination against them. He is determined to disappoint his oppressors. He
shows a rebellious spirit. The black
race is as un conquerable and destructive as an ocean. He shows self-confidence and happiness.
He ascertains his belief in power.
3. Who is described as upset and what are the reasons for that feeling?
The enlightened black challenges the whites, his oppressors. They treated the blacks as their
slaves. The blacks were deprived of their freedom and equality. The black shouts that he is a
black ocean, self-confident and happy. Armed with the traditional knowledge and wisdom, he
rises in rebellion against his oppressors and racial discrimination against the blacks. Courage,
self-confidence and self-respect sparkle in him

Short answers

1. Why are the lies bitter and twisted?

The Blacks were deprived of freedom, knowledge and equality. Only truth is straightforward.
Without the facts twisted the whites can't justify their stand against the blacks.
2. Who is addressed as 'you' in the poem?
The whites, the oppressors are addressed as 'you'
3. How does the poet describe her style of walking?
The poet walks like she has got oil wells pumping in her living room, like moons and like suns
with certainty of tides and like hopes springing high. She is conscious of racial discrimination
and oppression.
4. What is meant by 'I am the dream and the hope of the slave'?
The black race rises to challenge the racial discrimination against them. The speaker is armed
with the traditional knowledge and wisdom.
5. How does the poet end the poem?
The black is rising, leaving behind their terror and fear. Their ancestors have given them
traditional wisdom. They believe in their power. The speaker is proud of his self-confidence. He
shows a rebellious spirit.

Paragraph answers

1. What is the attitude of the narrator?

The narrator shows the rebellious spirit. She is enlightened and shows courage, self-confidence
knowledge and wisdom. She challenges the oppressors of her race. She is proud. She ascertains
the belief in power.
2. How are the blacks treated in history, according to the poet?
The blacks were treated as the slaves of the whites. The Blacks were deprived of their freedom
and equality. The race suffered hardship. The oppressors twisted the facts in order to deprive
the blacks of their freedom, equality and knowledge. They trod them into the dirt. The blacks
were bought, sold and exploited. The oppressors derived joy from the black’s misery and
defeat. They underrated their power.
3. Write a short note on 'Still I rise'?
The poem is a hymn to the oppressed. The speaker shows a rebellious spirit. It is against the
oppressors of the black race. The speaker remarks that the race is beyond humiliation,
cowardice and defeat. The speaker's confidence is visible. It is a call and cry to rise above social
injustice such as racial discrimination.
4. How does the poet assert the resurgence of Afro- American in the poem?
The black race is a black ocean. It is unconquerable and destructive. It shows self-confidence
and courage. It is armed with traditional knowledge and wisdom. It shows rebellious spirit. The
oppressors don't see humiliation, cowardice and defeat any more. The poet remarks that she
rises, leaving behind night of terror and fear.