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Daffodils Poem Summary in English and Hindi Pdf. Daffodils Poem is written by William Wordsworth.

Daffodils Poem Summary in English by William Wordsworth

Daffodils Poem About the Poet

William Wordsworth (1770-1850) is regarded as the greatest poet of Nature. He is a worshipper of Nature — Nature’s devotee or high-priest. Nature occupies in his poems independent status and is not treated in a casual or passing manner. Under the influence of Nature, he experiences a mystic mood, a transcendental feeling.

The revolutionary movement in France (1788-92) made a powerful impression on his mind, but soon he was disillusioned and spent some years in despair. He was given the title of Poet Laureate in 1843. His major works are : Lyrical Ballads (1798), Poems in two Volumes (1807) and The Excursion (1814).

Daffodils About the Poem

All about the Poem Daffodils:
The poem ‘Daffodils’ shows Wordsworth’s love of Nature. It brings home the idea that nature is the source of eternal joy. The beautiful scene of the golden daffodils fills the poet with pleasure and his heart begins to dance with daffodils.

‘Daffodils’ is Wordsworth’s most famous work and shows vividly his love of nature. It underlines the idea that beautiful objects of nature like daffodils—flowers that bloom earliest in spring in England—fill our minds with pleasure. Even the memory of such objects delights us.

The poet tells us how he once saw a large number of golden-coloured, beautiful daffodils growing beside a lake. In their company he felt happy and was lost in their beauty. He continued to gaze at the beautiful sight. Afterwards, whenever he was lonely or sad, the memory of these beautiful flowers filled him with great happiness. His heart began to dance with the dancing daffodils.

Daffodils Poem Theme

I. Nature—a source of eternal joy
The poem brings home the idea that nature is a source of eternal joy. Nature is full of beauty that captivates us all the time. The beautiful objects of nature-flowers, plants, mountains, lakes, stars, the sun, the moon, so on and so forth – fill our minds with pleasure. In the poem ‘Daffodils’, it is the beautiful scene of the golden daffodils that mesmerized the poet. The daffodils, growing near the lake appeared to be tossing their heads in a gentle breeze, as if in a dance and the poet realized :

A poet could not but be gay,
In such a jocund company.

He continued to gaze at the beautiful sight, the real worth of which he realized only when he was removed far from it. He comes to realize that nature has the ability to soothe and delight us in our melancholy mood. The beautiful scene of the daffodils often flashes across his mind, and he feels as if his heart were dancing in joy with the dancing daffodils.

II. Nature’s healing power
This poem shows how nature has the power to heal our stressed soul. If we care to turn to nature, we are amazed to find wonderful sights, such as the one described in the poem ‘Daffodils’.

The concluding stanza makes it clear that a beautiful sight in nature is capable of removing any stress and gloom from our minds. The poet says that whenever he is in a sad or idle mood the beautiful scene of daffodils fills his mind with pleasure. This is what we feel in the lap of nature. By just looking at the starry sky, the rising or setting sun, a garden, birds and trees, we forget all our weals and woes. In his sonnet ‘The World is Too Much with Us’, Wordsworth rightly says :

The world is too much with us; late and soon
Getting and spending, we lay waste our powers;
Little we see in Nature that is ours;
We have given our hearts away, a sordid boon!

Daffodils Poem Summary in English

The poem ‘Daffodils’ depicts the sight that the poet actually enjoyed in the company of his sister Dorothy while they were in the woods beyond Gowbarrow park.

In the beginning, the poet describes himself as a cloud that floats over the hills, underlining the fact of his seclusion (though he was not lonely in reality). All of a sudden his eyes fell upon a large ‘belt’ of daffodils by the side of the lake. They were sheltered under growing trees. A gentle breeze made these golden-coloured flowers wave and dance. The poet uses the word ‘host’ for the daffodils as if they were welcoming the poet being their guest.

The poet feels that the daffodils were as numerous as the stars that shine and twinkle in the Milky Way. They were spread in a long line on the bank of the lake. The poet saw a large number of them moving their heads as if they were dancing and rejoicing.

The poet observes that the waves on the surface of the lake seemed to be dancing. But the dance of daffodils surpassed their dance in liveliness. The poet feels that no poet can help feeling delighted in the presence of such delightful companions. He -continued to gaze at the beautiful scene. He was so lost in its beauty that he could hardly realize its worth then. He realized its worth only when he was away from the sight.

The concluding stanza of the poem is quite important. It is, in fact, often quoted by critics to prove Wordsworth’s point that poetry “takes its origin from emotions recollected in tranquillity”. It is important to keep in mind that ‘Daffodils’, like many other poems, records a past experience. That is why, the poet says :

For oft, when on my couch I lie,
In vacant or in pensive mood,
They flash upon that inward eye
Which is the bliss of solitude.

The memory of the scene of golden daffodils fills the poet’s mind with joy. His heart begins to dance with the daffodils. He forgets his sadness or loneliness. It is, of course, in solitude that human mind captures the things already seen. The poet wants to emphasize that nature is a source of eternal joy to man.

Daffodils Poem Stanza Wise Explanation

Stanza 1
The poet recalls how once he wandered as freely as a cloud over valleys and hills. Suddenly he saw a large number of golden daffodils. The daffodils had grown under the trees near the lake. A cool breeze was blowing. So the beautiful flowers tossed their heads in the breeze as if in a dance. The beautiful scene, thus, captivated the poet.

Stanza 2
The poet, then recalls that the daffodils he saw were as numerous as shining stars in the Milky Way in the sky. The simile underlines the large number and the beauty of the flowers. The daffodils growing beside the lake seemed to form an endless line. They tossed their heads to and fro in the breeze as if they were engaged in a lively dance. The daffodils are personified as human beings “dancing” and “tossing” their heads. Earlier, they have been described as “a crowd” and “a host”. This personification continues throughout to underline an inherent unity between man and nature.

Stanza 3
The poet recalls how the shining waves in the lake seemed to be dancing in the breeze. But their dance was surpassed by the dance of the daffodils. The daffodils seemed to be dancing with much more liveliness and vigour. The poet is of the opinion that no sensitive person can help feeling delighted in the company of such joyful companions. He recalls how he continued to gaze at the beautiful scene. He could not think what wealth of joy it had brought to him.

Stanza 4
This stanza marks a break in time. There is a clear shift from the past to the present. The poet says that whenever he lies on his couch in a free or sad mood, the beautiful scene of daffodils seen by him flashes across his mind. This happens only in solitude. The memory of the beautiful scene fills the poet’s mind with joy. His heart begins to dance with the dancing daffodils. This is the crux of the poem. The poet conveys the idea that nature has the power to make us come out of our melancholy or depressed mood and be happy.

Daffodils Poem Glossary

Stanza 1
wandered : moved about
floats : flies
o’er : over
‘a crowd…. a host’ : the daffodils have been personified here as human beings
a host : one who receives a guest
beside : near
beneath : under
fluttering : moving lightly and quickly

Stanza 2
continuous : growing in a large number
twinkle : shine with a light that changes constantly, as stars do
the Milky Way (=the Galaxy) : a shining bright band in the sky (made up of stars)
stretched : spread
never-ending : continuous
margin : bank
bay : lake
ten thousand : a large number
at a glance : at one look
tossing : moving from side to side
sprightly : lively

Stanza 3
beside : near
them : (here) daffodils
out-did : surpassed/excelled
sparkling : shining
glee : joy
A poet : any poet or any sensitive person with a poetic heart
gay : happy (old use)
could not but be gay : could not help becoming happy
jocund : happy
jocund company : joyful company of the daffodils and the waves, etc.
gazed : looked steadily for a long time
little thought : did not think
wealth : (here) wealth of joy

Stanza 4
for : because
oft : often
couch : bed
vacant : idle
pensive : sad
they : the daffodils
flash : suddenly appear like lightning
inward eye : mind’s eye, imagination
bliss : great happiness
solitude : the state of being alone, which is pleasant
‘dances ….. daffodils’ : the poet shares the joy of the daffodils imagina-tively, even though he is now far removed from them.

Daffodils Poem Critical Appreciation

Origin of the Poem
The poem ‘Daffodils’ was inspired by a real incident. Wordsworth and his sister Dorothy came across a large number of golden daffodils during a walk in the woods. Wordsworth gave poetic expression to his experience and the poem he wrote was published in 1807. Its revised version appeared in 1815.

Title
Wordsworth entitled his poem Daffodils. The title ‘Daffodils’ is apt, as the whole poem is about the golden daffodils which the poet saw during his walk and which became a source of continuous joy for him.

Nature Poem
It is obvious to say that ‘Daffodils’ is a nature poem. In this poem we note how the poet’s mind receives the impression from his chance meeting with a host of golden daffodils growing under the trees beside the bank of a. lake. The flowers were swaying in the breeze. Enchanted by the beautiful scene the poet compares them to the twinkling stars in the Milky Way. The pleasant encounter with the daffodils remains etched in his mind. This has the capacity to make him calm and happy in his melancholy or idle mood.

Reality vs Utopia
The poem has a clear shift from the real world full of tensions, weals and woes to the utopian world of nature where peace and happiness prevail. The very opening line ‘I wandered lonely as a cloud’ shows the poet’s sense of loneliness (which was marked by the death of his brother John) which was not pleasant. There is then a sudden shift to the world of nature in which beautiful flowers capture his attention and he is transported to another world of bliss. In the last stanza, the poet brings us back to the real world in which one cannot escape from the daily problems, worries and anxieties of life. Now he realizes the true worth of the beautiful sight of the daffodils. He recollects the sight and regains his peace of mind and then his heart begins to dance with the dancing daffodils.

Daffodils Poem Style and Literary Devices

Form
The poem is a lyric. It gives expression to a single emotion or feeling of joy in nature. Like a true lyric, it is not complex. It appeals more to the heart than to the intellect. Then it is quite short and musical.

Literary Devices

Personification
In order to convey an inherent unity between man and nature, Wordsworth compares himself to a ‘cloud’, an object of nature, while he humanizes the daffodils by using the words ‘a crowd’ and ‘a host’ for them.

Similes

1. The poet compares his idle wandering to that of a cloud over hills and valleys.
2. Then he compares the beauty of the daffodils with that of the twinkling stars in the sky.
3. He also compares the dance of the v daffodils with that of the waves in the lake to pinpoint the superiority of the daffodils in their liveliness.

Structure
The poem is divided into four stanzas – each having six lines, with the rhyme scheme of ababcc in iambic tetrameter. The rhyme scheme is regular throughout the poem. In each stanza, the first line rhymes with the third and the second line rhymes with the fourth and the fifth line rhymes with the sixth.

Alliteration
‘I gazed and gazed…’
g A Collection of Poems

Inversion
“For oft, when on my couch I lie”
“Ten thousand saw I…”

Metaphor
‘That inward eye’ refers metaphorically to the memory.

Daffodil wordsworth analysis

Prince of Morocco and Arragon in Merchant of Venice | Merchant of Venice Characters Prince of Morocco and Arragon

Character Sketch of Prince of Morocco and Arragon in Merchant of Venice

Merchant of Venice Workbook Answers

Character Sketch of Prince of Morocco

• proud and self-respecting
• cortscious of his merit or worth
• selfish
• money-minded
• courteous

Prince of Morocco – Proud and Self-respecting
The Prince of Morocco is proud and self-respecting. He is conscious of his black complexion but he does not feel inferior on this account. He is proud of his lineage, complexion as well as strength. He does not forget his worth while making the choice of the right casket. He thinks of Portia as a desirable wife because of her beauty and her wealth. The consciousness of his own worth and that of the lady make him opt for gold. He learns to his dismay that he is a fool who has been deceived by the outward charms.

Character Sketch of Prince of Arragon

• haughty
• hates common people
• self-love
• lacks grace and manners
• churlish

Prince of Arragon – Haughty and Self-conceited
The Prince of Arragon is more haughty than the Prince of Morocco. He is extremely haughty and hates to be one of the multitude. He regards himself as exceptional. He feels that he deserves Portia because of his merits. He is a snob. No wonder, he fails to select the right casket. What is worse in him is that he lacks grace and manners. He does not accept his defeat and begins to argue his case. Portia has to remind him bluntly of the rules of the game and ask him to quit.

prince of morocco merchant of venice

All Summer in a Day Story Summary in English and Hindi Pdf. All Summer in a Day is written by Ray Douglas Bradbury.

All Summer in a Day Story Summary in English by Ray Douglas Bradbury

All Summer in a Day About the Author

Ray Douglas Bradbury was born on August 22, 1920, in Waukegan, Illinois. He spent his childhood amidst idyllic surroundings which find reflection in his several semi-autobiographical novels and short stories.

Bradbury’s family moved to Los Angeles, California in 1934. As a teenager, he participated in his school’s drama club and occasionally befriended Hollywood celebrities. His first official pay as a writer came for contributing a joke to George Burns’ Burns & Allen Show. After graduation from high school in 1938, Bradbury couldn’t afford to go to college, so he went to the local library instead.

He published his first short story in a fan magazine in 1938, the same year he graduated from high school. The next year, he published four issues of his own fan magazine, Futuria Fantasia. Nearly every piece in the magazine was written by Bradbury himself; he used a variety of pseudonyms to try to hide the fact that the magazine was a virtual one-man show.

All Summer in a Day About the Story

All about the Story :
The story is set on the planet Venus. It gives clear detail of the day when the planet experiences sunshine. The scene is set in a school where the teachers and children await the appearance of the sun. With the appearance of the sun the behaviour of the children undergoes a change. They feel more lively and sympathetic.

The story ”All Summer in a Day” deals with a group of school children who live on the planet Venus with their families. The children are nine years old and they are eagerly waiting for a momentous occasion. It has been continuously raining for seven years and now the scientists on Venus have predicted that the sun will appear for a brief period of time.

The children have only seen the sun once in their lives when they were two years old, but now they don’t remember how it looks or feels. To prepare for the day, they have read about the sun. This is true of all children but one named Margot. All the children resent her for various reasons. Margot is a thin, pale girl. She had lived in Ohio until she was five. She has many memories of the sun. Margot does not take part in any classroom activity that doesn’t include the sun. In fact, she has been in a depressed state for most of the time on Venus. She looks out of the window, waiting silently for the rain to stop and the sun to come out. The other children become upset about her and hide her in a closet while their teacher is gone. Margot resists but they overpower her and lock her in a faraway closet.

After some moments, the rain stops and the sun appears. All the children run, play and enjoy the light of the sun. After some time, the rain clouds appear. The sun retreats and the rain begins to fall. A girl remembers that Margot is locked in the closet. The girls then walk towards the closet where they left Margot. They unlock the door and Margot slowly comes out.

The writer wants to convey that the power of the sun over the children living on Venus is notable. They are pale and colourless. The lack of the sun has washed away their compassion and consideration and empathy for other people. They do not regain this until the sun reappears. The sun is life-giving for the landscape as well as the inhabitants of Venus.

All Summer in a Day Summary in English

Life without the sun
The story “All Summer in a Day” deals with a group of school children who live on the planet Venus with their families. The children are nine years old and they are eagerly waiting for a momentous occasion. It has been continuously raining for seven years and now the scientists on Venus have predicted that the sun will appear for a brief period of time. The children have seen the sun once in their lives, but then they were two years old and they don’t remember how it looks or feels. To prepare for the day, they have read about the sun and completed classroom activities.

They have also written a poem about the sun. All the children have done this except one named Margot. She is a thin, pale girl whom the other children resent for various reasons. She had lived in Ohio until she was five. She still has many memories of the sun, and the sun continues to fascinate her. Margot does not like to participate in any classroom activity that does not include the sun. In fact, she has been in a depressed state on Venus. It was heard that her parents were planning to take her away from the underground colony on Venus and send her back on Earth.

Margot locked in a closet
Margot looks out of the window, waiting silently for the rain to stop and the sun to come out. The other children begin to dislike her and taunt her. One of the boys jokes with her, “It was all a joke, wasn’t it ? Nothing’s happening today.” Suddenly the children decide to hide Margot in a closet while their teacher is gone. Margot resists but is overpowered and locked in a faraway closet.

The sun appears briefly
The teacher returns and they all go to the tunnel’s exit, as she thinks, everyone is present and accounted for from her class. Then, moments later, the rain stops and the sun appears. All the children leave the tunnel and run around and enjoy the sun. It is unlike any thing they could imagine. They are extremely happy and say, “It’s better than the sun lamps, isn’t it ?” as they run around the jungles of Venus. The teacher tells them, “Now don’t go too far, you’ve only two hours, you know. You wouldn’t want to get caught out!” But they were running and turning their faces up to the sky and feeling the sun on their cheeks like a warm iron. They were taking off their jackets and letting the sun burn their arms.

Change in the children’s attitude towards Margot
After playing and enjoying the weather, one of the girls cries out because she is carrying a big, fat raindrop in her hand. She says, “oh, look, look”. They come slowly to look at her opened palm. They stand for a moment, thinking about how wonderful the sun feels on their skin. While they do this, the rain clouds move in. They turn and start to walk back towards the underground house. Their smiles vanish. A boom of thunder startles them and like leaves before a new hurricane, they tumble upon each other and run. Lightning strikes ten miles away, five miles away, a mile, a half mile.

The sky darkens into midnight in a flash. They stand in the doorway of the underground doorway for a moment until it is raining hard. Then they close the door and hear the gigantic sound of the rain falling in tons. They ask their teacher, “Will it be seven more years ?” Then one of them gives a little cry “Margot!” “What ?” “She is still in the closet where we locked her”. They stand as if someone has driven them, like so many stakes, into the floor. They look at each other and then look away. They glance out at the world that is raining now and raining and raining steadily.

They cannot meet each other’s glances. Their faces are solemn and pale. They look at their hands and feet, their faces down. “Margot”, one of the girls says, “Well – ?” No one moves. “Go on”, whisper the girls. They walk slowly down the hall in the sound of the cold rain. They turn through the doorway to the room in the sound of the storm and thunder, lightning on their faces, blue and terrible. They walk over to the closet door slowly and stand by it. Behind the door is only silence. They unlock the door, even more slowly, and let Margot out.

All Summer in a Day Word Notes and Explanations

weeds – wild plants
peering – looking closely
concussion – a temporary loss of consciousness
spokes – thin bars of metal
drenched – soaked
savagely – brutally
predict – forecast
surged – moved quickly
avalanche – a mass of snow that falls
tornado – a violent storm
muffling – making a soundless clear
yelling – shouting loudly
tumultuously – loudly
resilient – able to feel better quickly
squinted – looked at
savored – relished
wailed – moaned
vanishing – disappearing
hurricane – a violent storm
gigantic – huge
glanced – looked
solemn – serious
whispered – spoke quietly
terrible – very unpleasant
closet – a small room

All Summer in a Day Theme

The story “All Summer in a Day” depicts the significance of the sun for the children who are living with their families on Venus. Before the appearance of the sun, the children are passive both physically and mentally. They have become pale and colourless. The lack of the light of the sun has dried their compassion and consideration for others. They do not gain their humanity until they spend some time in the light of the sun. The sun is life-giving for the landscape as well as the inhabitants of Venus.

The writer illustrates this theme by depicting the life of a group of school children on the planet Venus. The children are nine years old and living with their families. After seven years of continuous rain, the scientists on Venus have predicted that the sun will come out for a brief period of time. The children have seen the sun once in their lives, but they were two years old then and they don’t remember how it looks or feels. So they are eagerly waiting to see the sun. This is true of all children but one named Margot. She had lived in Ohio until she was five. She has many memories of the sun. So without the sun she has been in a depressed state. She looks out of the window waiting silently for the rain to stop and the sun to come out. The other children resent her and lock her in a closet while their teacher is gone. Margot resists but is overpowered and is locked in a faraway closet.

After some moments, the rain stops and the sun appears. All the children run, play and enjoy the light of the sun. After some time, the rain clouds appear. The sun retreats and the rain begins to fall. A girl remembers Margot who is locked in the closet. Then all the children walk towards the closet, unlock the door and let Margot come out. Their attitude towards Margot changes after they have spent some time in the light of the sun.

All Summer in a Day Title

The title of the story ‘All Summer in a Day’ is very apt as the story depicts the life of a group of school children who live on the planet Venus with their families. It has been raining on the planet Venus for the last seven years. The scientists on the planet have predicted that the sun will come out for a brief period of time. When the sun appears, all the children exit the tunnels and begin to run around and enjoy the sun. They exult and say “It’s better than the sun lamps, isn’t it?” as they run around the jungles of Venus.

They run and turn their faces upto the sky and feel the sun on their cheeks like a warm iron. They take off their jackets and let the sun burn their arms. They lie out, run among the trees, slip and fall, push each other and play hide and seek and tag. They look out at everything and savour everything. They realize how wonderful the sun is ! For the children it was ‘all summer in a day’.

All Summer in a Day Message

In this story “All Summer in a Day” Ray Bradbury wants to convey that the appearance of the sun for the children living with their families on Venus is very significant. Before the appearance of the sun the children are pale and colourless. They are passive both physically and mentally. The lack of the light of the sun has dried their compassion and consideration for others. They do not gain their humanity until they spend some time in the light of the sun. The sun is life-giving for the landscape as well as the inhabitants of Venus.

The author conveys this message by depicting the life of a group of school children on the planet Venus. The children are nine years old and living with their families. After seven years of continuous rain, the scientists on Venus have predicted that the sun will come out for a brief period of time. The children have seen the sun once in their lives, but they were two years old then. So they don’t remember how it looks or feels. They are eagerly waiting to see the sun. This is true of all children but one named Margot. She had lived in Ohio until she was five.

She has many memories of the sun. So without the sun, she has been in a depressed state. She looks out of the window waiting silently for the rain to stop and the sun to come out. The other children resent her and lock her in a faraway closet. After some moments, the rain stops and the sun appears. All the children run, play and enjoy the light of the sun. After sometime, the rain clouds appear. The sun retreats and the rain begins to fall. A girl remembers Margot who is locked in the closet. Then all the children walk towards the closet, unlock the door and let Margot come out. Their attitude towards Margot changes after they have spent some time in the light of the sun.

Thus the writer wants to convey that the children regain their compassion and consideration for others after spending sometime in the light of the sun. Thus the sun is life-giving for the landscape as well as the inhabitants of Venus.

All Summer in a Day Character Sketch

MARGOT

• a group of children live at Venus
• raining for seven years
• scientists predict that sun will appear
• children eagerly wait for the occasion
• all children excited but Margot
• Margot, a thin, pale girl
• depressed without sun
• other children resent her for various reasons and lock her in a closet
• Margot had lived in Ohio until she was five
• has memories of the sun
• without sunlight, she feels depressed
• Margot refuses to participate in classroom activity
• the sun appears, all children undergo a change
• the children unlock Margot

A group of school children live on the planet Venus with their families. They are nine years old. After seven years of continuous rain, the scientists have predicted that the sun will come out for a brief period of time. They are eagerly waiting for the occasion. They are all excited but for one girl named Margot. She is a thin, pale girl. The other children resent her for various reasons. She had lived in Ohio until she was five. She still has many memories of the sun and the sun continues to fascinate her. Margot refuses to participate in any classroom activity that doesn’t include the sun. Thus she remains in a depressed state for most of the time on Venus. It is heard that her parents are thinking to take her away from the underground colony on Venus.and send her back to her home on Earth.

Margot looks out of the window, waiting silently for the rain to stop and the sun to come out. The other children become upset with her and begin to push and taunt her. Since the other children dislike her, they forcibly hide Margot in a closet while their teacher is gone. She resists and fights back but the other children overpower her and lock her in a faraway closet. She remains in the closet for some time. When the other children spend some time in the light of the sun, their attitude towards Margot undergoes a change. Then all the children walk towards the closet, unlock the door and let Margot come out.

All Summer in a Day Critical Appreciation

Pictorial Quality
The writer possesses an artistic skill to create vivid pictures before our eyes with the help of an illustrative language and appropriate vocabulary.

He has created a beautiful picture of Venus before our eyes. Venus “was the colour of rubber and ash, this jungle, from the many years without sun. It was the colour of the stones and white cheeses and ink, and it was the colour of the moon”. Similarly, the writer creates a brilliant picture of the sun : “The sun came out. It was the colour of flaming bronze and it was very large. And the sky around it was blazing blue tile colour”.

Third Person Narrative
The writer, narrates in the third person the life of a group of school children who live on planet Venus with their families. After seven years of continuous rain, the scientists on Venus have predicted that the sun will come out for a brief period of time. The narrator describes the effect of rain on the jungle on Venus “A thousand forests had been crushed under the rain and grown up a thousand times to be crushed again. And this was the way life was forever on the planet Venus, and this was the schoolroom of the children…”.

Language
The writer uses short as well as long sentences to describe the life of a group of school children who live on the planet Venus with their families. The words used in the story are simple and familiar. But the style is neither simple nor lucid. The long sentences are not easily intelligible. For example, the following long sentence “It was as if, in the midst of a film concerning an avalanche, a tornado, a hurricane, a volcanic eruption, something had, first, gone wrong with the sound apparatus, thus muffling and finally cutting off all noise, all of the blasts and repercussions and thunders, and then, second, ripped the film from the projector and inserted in its place a beautiful tropical slide which did not move or tremor” is hardly intelligible. This is a difficult and complex sentence. Students find it difficult to comprehend the meaning easily.

All summer in a day theme

Abou Ben Adhem Poem Summary in English and Hindi Pdf. Abou Ben Adhem Poem is written by Leigh Hunt.

Abou Ben Adhem Poem Summary in English by Leigh Hunt

Abou Ben Adhem Poem About the Poet

Hunt, Leigh (1784-1859) had his education at Christ’s Hospital and began editing The Examiner in 1808 and The Reflector in 1810. He brought out his famous poetical works The Story of Rimini in 1816 and Hero and Leander in 1819. His other well-known poems include “Captain Sword and Captain Pen” and “Abou Ben Adhem”. In addition, he penned considerable prose, edited several journals and developed the light, miscellaneous essays.

Abou Ben Adhem About the Poem

All about the Poem Abou Ben Adhem:
The poem ‘Abou Ben Adhem’ is loaded with religious overtones. It conveys the message that the service of humanity is the best worship. It is through love and care of our fellow human beings that we receive the blessings of God.

‘Abou Ben Adhem’ is a poem with religious overtones and a fervant moral lesson. It conveys the idea that the service of humanity is the true worship of God. It is through love and care of our fellow human beings that we can receive the love of God.

According to history, Abou Bin Adhem, born in 777 AD, was the king of Balkh. He led a noble life according to the principles and teachings of the Holy Quran. He abandoned his throne to save his fellow beings. In fact, not only Islam but every religion teaches love of humanity.

The poem consists of one single incident involving Abou Ben Adhem, a religious person (not to be strictly identified with the king Abou Bin Adhem). One night an angel told the good man that he was writing the names of those who love God. Abou wanted to know if his name was in the list. When he was told that it was not, Abou requested the ajigel to write his name in the list of those persons who love God’s fellow men. The next night he was pleasantly surprised to find his name on the top of the list of men whom God had blessed.

Abou Ben Adhem Poem Theme

I. Love for mankind
The poem ‘Abou Ben Adhem’ brings home the idea that real and true worship of God is to love mankind created by God. Those who love their fellow men are rewarded with God’s love and blessings. Conversely, those who avoid, dislike or hate their fellow human beings are also shunned by God. This is what the poet shows through a small incident in the life of Abou Ben Adhem. Abou found his name at the top of the list of those persons who are blessed by God, even though his name did not figure in the list of those who love God.

II. Love of God
There are many people in this world who go to temples, churches and other religious places and worship God. But many of them have no love or compassion for the poor. They simply avoid or even hate them. They do nothing to please them. They hope that by worshipping God they will be blessed by God. Abou’s story makes it clear that only those who do noble deeds for the welfare of others selflessly out of love receive God’s love and blessings.

Abou Ben Adhem Poem Summary in English

‘Abou Ben Adhem’ is a didactic poem. It gives a moral lesson. It conveys that the love of humanity is the best. Those who love and serve their fellow men receive God’s love and His blessings.

The form of the poem is parable. It narrates a brief incident to bring home the main idea. Once upon a time there lived a man named Abou Ben Adhem. He was a gentle and virtuous person. As he did noble deeds during the day he would enjoy peaceful sleep. One night he woke up from his sleep because of a dazzling light. He saw an angel writing something in a beautiful golden book. He asked the stranger what he was writing. The angel raised his head and replied in a very calm, sweet voice that he was writing the names of those persons who love God.

Abou became curious and wanted to know if his own name was in that list. The angel said that it was not. Abou was a bit taken aback, but did not feel depressed. In a cheerful tone he requested the angel to include his name in the list of those who love their fellow men. The angel wrote his name and disappeared.

The next night the angel appeared again in Abou’s room with a more dazzling light that woke Abou up. He showed up the list of those persons who were blessed by God. Abou’s name topped the list. This reveals that God loves those who love their fellow humans.

Abou Ben Adhem Poem Stanza Wise Explanation

Lines 1-5
The poem narrates an incident in the life of Abou Ben Adhem, a noble, selfless and virtuous person. He was one of those who always thought of the good of others. The narrator wishes that the number of such men may increase. One night he was having a peaceful sleep. He woke up suddenly and saw an angel in the moonlight in his room. The angel looked as beautiful as a lily in bloom. He was writing something in a golden book.

Lines 6-10
Abou was a peace-loving and brave person as he did no wrong. So he was not afraid of the heavenly presence in his room. He took courage and asked him what he was writing. The angel looked up. His look had a calm, soothing effect. In a sweet, gentle tone he said that he was writing the names of those persons who love God.

Lines 11-14
Abou asked the angel if his name was in his list. The angel said that it was not. Abou seemed to be a bit shocked but he was not depressed. In a humble, cheerful tone he requested the angel to write his name in the list of those who love their fellow men.

Lines 15-18
The angel did as he was requested to do. Then he disappeared, but the next night, he again appeared in a more dazzling light. He showed Abou the list of those men who are blessed by God. Strangely but truly, the name of Abou topped the list.

This reveals that love of fellow human beings is the best means to receive the blessings of God. Those who love others are loved by God. Conversely, those who hate others are shunned by God.

Abou Ben Adhem Poem Glossary

Lines 1-5
tribe : class, race; (here) the number of noble persons like Abou
increase : grow
awoke : got up
deep : undisturbed
within : (here) with the circle of moonlight in Abou’s room
like a lily in bloom : the angel compared to a lily in bloom to reveal his freshness and splendour
book of gold : book having golden leaves

Lines 6-10
exceeding peace : perfect calm and peace within that makes one bold
the presence : (here) the angel present in the room
What writest thou ? : What are you writing ?
the vision : the angel
the Lord : God

Lines 11-14
mine : my name
‘Nay, not so’ : No, your name is not among those who love God
more low : more humbly
cheerly : cheerfully
pray : request
thee : you
write me : treat me

Lines 15-18
vanished : disappeared
wakening light : dazzling light
blest : blessed
l0 : behold
led : headed, at the top of
rest : other names

Abou Ben Adhem Poem Critical Appreciation

Title
The title of the poem ‘Abou Ben Adhem’ is apt as the poem deals with Abou Ben Adhem and his virtuous life. There is nothing else in focus. Of course, we are reminded of a historical figure, Abou Bin Adhem, the king of Balkh, who led a pious life according to the teachings of the Holy Quran.

Message
The message of the poem is obvious. We should love humanity. We should cultivate fellow feelings and do everything to serve our fellow human beings. When we do so, God is pleased. God blesses us with His infinite love. Abou Ben Adhem finds his name at the top of the list of those who are blessed by God. It is so because he has done many noble deeds and led a virtuous life.

Inspirational poem
‘Abou Ben Adhem’ is indeed one of the most inspirational poems. Its simplicity is heart¬touching. No sane person can deny the truth it conveys. Even when it is religious in import, it is not strictly a religious poem. What it teaches is not confined to a particular time or region.

Abou Ben Adhem Poem Style and Literary Devices

Fable
‘Abou Ben Adhem’ is a kind of fable. A story is told to convey a moral. In its structure, a fable is simple. It avoids too many figures of speech. Its aim is to touch your heart in such a way that you feel as if no one else but you yourself is advising you on some moral issue.

Literary Devices

Couplet form
Most of the religious poems use couplet form and the rhyme scheme aabb. This is what we find in the poem ‘Abou Ben Adhem’. It is important to remember that Leigh Hunt, as a poet of the Romantic Movement, sheds all traditional restrictions on the couplet form (known as the Heroic Couplet). The poet has used run-on couplets in the poem. In the run-on couplet, the meaning in the first line is carried on to the second line. This pattern is continued throughout the poem. For example :

The angel wrote, and vanished. The next night
It came again with a great wakening light,
And showed the names whom love of God had blest,
And lo! Ben Adhem’s name led all the rest.

Simile
There is only one simile, used to compare the splendour and freshness of the angel to that of ‘the lily in bloom’:

…. and like a lily in bloom,
An angel writing in a book of gold.

Symbols

• ‘The book of gold’ symbolizes the richness you encounter when you love God. It is the richness of the spirit.
• ‘Wakening light’ symbolizes a state in which you achieve awareness of God.

Abou ben adhem meaning

A Face in the Dark Story Summary in English and Hindi Pdf. A Face in the Dark is written by Ruskin Bond.

A Face in the Dark Story Summary in English by Ruskin Bond

A Face in the Dark About the Author

Ruskin Bond was born in Kasauli (H.P.) on 19th May, 1934. He was born in a military hospital as his father worked in the Royal Air Force from 1939 to 1944. When Bond was eight years old, his mother separated from his father and married a Punjabi Hindu, Hari.

Bond spent his early childhood in Jamnagar (Gujarat) and Shimla. At the age of ten, Ruskin went to live at his grandmother’s house in Dehradun after his father’s death that year from jaundice.’ Ruskin was raised by his mother and stepfather. He did his schooling from Bishop Cotton School in Shimla, from where he graduated in 1950 after winning several writing competitions in the school including the Irwin Divinity Prize and the Hailey Literature Prize. He wrote one of his first short stories, “Untouchable”, at the age of sixteen in 1951.

Most of his works are influenced by life in the hill stations at the foothills of the Himalayas, where he spent his childhood. His first novel, The Room on the Roof, was written when he was 17 and published when he was 21. It was partly based on his experiences at Dehradun, in his small rented room on the roof, and his friends. His earlier works were written without being meant for any particular readership.

His first children’s book, The Angry River in the 1970s (second being The Blue Umbrella), had its writing toned down on a publisher’s request for a children’s story. On writing for children, he said, “I had a pretty lonely childhood and it helps me to understand a child better.” Bond’s work reflects his Anglo-Indian experiences and the changing political, social and cultural aspects of India.

A Face in the Dark About the Story

All about the Story A Face in the Dark:
The Story ‘A Face in the Dark’ is set in a pine forest outside Simla (now Shimla). It revolves around Mr Oliver, an Anglo-Indian teacher. The writer makes the supernatural look natural by his artistic skill. Mr Oliver has a strange experience while passing through a pine forest at night.

The story ‘A Face in the Dark’ revolves around an Anglo-Indian teacher named Mr Oliver. It is set in a pine forest outside Simla (now Shimla), a famous hill resort of Himachal Pradesh. Mr Oliver was returning to his school, late one night, on the outskirts of the hill-station of Simla. The Simla Bazaar was about three miles from his school. He took a shortcut and was returning through the pine forest. He carried a torch with him. There he saw the figure of a boy in the light of the torch.

He found him sitting alone on a rock. He stopped there. He went closer to the boy in order to recognize him and said, “What are you doing out here, boy ?” The boy appeared to be crying. His head hung down and he held his face in his hands and his body shook convulsively. It was a strange soundless weeping. Mr Oliver felt uneasy. He asked the boy to tell him his trouble and look up. The boy looked up and took his hands from his face and looked up at his teacher. The light from Mr Oliver’s torch fell on the boy’s face. It had no eyes, ears, nose or mouth. It was just a round smooth head – with a school cap on top of it !

He got frightened and the torch fell from his trembling hand. He turned and ran towards the school building and called for help. He stumbled up to the watchman gasping for breath. He told the watchman that he had seen something horrible – a boy weeping in the forest, and he had no face. He had no eyes, nose, mouth – nothing. The watchman raised the lamp to his own face. The watchman had no eyes, no ears, no features at all – not even an eyebrow. And that’s when the wind blew the lamp out.

It is a supernatural story and Ruskin Bond makes the supernatural look natural.

Mr Oliver may have fancied that the boy has no eyes, ears, nose or mouth. He gets frightened and runs towards the school building. His mind is gripped with fear when he sees the watchman. The watchmen has no eyes, no ears, no features at all – not even an eyebrow. All this makes the story mysterious, supernatural and strange.

A Face in the Dark Summary in English

Mr Oliver, a teacher in a school
The story ‘A Face in the Dark’, that revolves around an Anglo-Indian teacher named Mr Oliver, contains elements of mystery, strangeness and supernaturalism. Mr Oliver was returning to his school late one night, on the outskirts of the hill-station of Simla. He had been teaching in a school in Simla that had been run on English Public School lines. The Simla Bazaar, with its cinemas and restaurants, was about three miles from his school. Mr Oliver, a bachelor, usually strolled into the town in the evening. He would return after dark and take a shortcut through the pine forest.

A boy sitting on the rock
When there was a strong wind, the pine trees made sad, eerie sounds that kept most people to the main road. But Mr Oliver was not a nervous or imaginative man. He was moving down the narrow forest path. He carried a torch and its gleam – the batteries were running down – moved fitfully down the.path. There he saw the figure of a boy in the light of the torch. He found him sitting alone on a rock. He stopped there. He thought that boys were not supposed to be out after dark.

Mr Oliver approaches the child
Mr Oliver moved closer to the figure in order to recognize the miscreant and said, “What are you doing out here, boy ?” He sensed that something was wrong. The boy appeared to be crying. His head hung down and he held his face in his hands and his body shook convulsively. It was a strange, soundless weeping, and Mr Oliver felt uneasy. “Well, what’s the matter ?” he asked, his anger giving way to concern, ‘What are you crying for ?” The boy neither answered nor looked up, but continued sobbing.

He told the boy that he should not be out there at that time. He said, “Tell me the trouble. Look up.” The boy looked up. He took his hands from his face and looked up at the teacher. The light from Mr Oliver’s torch fell on the boy’s face – if you could call it a face. It had no eyes, ears, nose or mouth. It was just a round, smooth head – with a school cap on top of it!

A boy without face
The torch fell from his trembling hand. He turned and scrambled down the path, running blindly through the trees and calling for help. He was still running towards the school building when he saw a lantern swinging in the middle of the path. Mr Oliver stumbled up to the watchman gasping for breath. “What is it, Sahib ?” asked the watchman. “Has there been an accident ? Why are you running ?”
“I saw something – something horrible – a boy weeping in the forest – and he had no face !”
“No face, Sahib ?”
“No eyes, nose, mouth – nothing !”
“Do you mean it was like this, Sahib ?” asked the watchman, and raised the lamp to his own face, The watchman had no eyes, no ears, no features at all – not even an eyebrow ! And that’s when the wind blew the lamp out.

A Face in the Dark Word Notes and Explanations

outskirts : parts of the town away from the centre
strolled : walked in a relaxed manner
eerie : strange, mysterious, frightening
nervous : anxious about something
miscreant : a person who has done something wrong
distinctly : clearly
scrambled : moved quickly
stumbled : tripped
gasping : breathing in a fast way
horrible : terrible

A Face in the Dark Theme

The story ‘A Face in the Dark’ contains elements of mystery, strangeness and supernaturalism. But the writer makes the supernatural look natural by his artistic skill. It is set in the pine forest outside Simla, a hill resort of Himachal Pradesh. It revolves around an Anglo-Indian teacher named Mr Oliver.

Mr Oliver has a strange experience while he is passing through a pine forest at night. He sees the figure of a boy in the light of a torch. He stops because he thinks that boys are not supposed to be out after dark. He moves closer to the figure in order to recognize him. The boy appears to be crying. It is a strange soundless weeping. Mr Oliver feels uneasy. He becomes tense and gets upset. He asks him why he is crying. The boy neither answers nor looks up.

Mr Oliver again asks him to look up. When he looks up, Mr Oliver sees that the boy has no eyes, ears, nose or mouth. It is just a round, smooth head – with a school cap on top of it. He gets frightened and runs towards the school building. His mind is gripped with fear. Everything there appears to be strange, mysterious and supernatural. Mr Oliver stumbles up to the watchman gasping for breath. He is frightened when he finds that the watchman has also no eyes, no ears, no features at all – not even an eyebrow. All this makes the story mysterious, strange and supernatural. But Ruskin Bond’s supernatural is neither frightening nor horrifying.

A Face in the Dark Title

The title of the story ‘A Face in the Dark’ is apt because the story revolves around Mr Oliver and the face of the boy in the dark. Mr Oliver has a strange experience while he is passing through a pine forest at night. He sees the figure of a boy sitting alone on a rock. He goes closer to recognize the face of the boy.

The boy appears to be crying. Mr Oliver asks him to look up. When he looks up, Mr Oliver is surprised to find that it has no eyes, ears, nose or mouth. It is just a round, smooth head – with a school cap on top of it. He gets frightened and the torch falls from his trembling hand. He runs towards the school building and cries for help. He is gripped with fear. So it is the face of the boy in the dark that frightens Mr Oliver. So the title ‘A Face in the Dark’ is very apt.

A Face in the Dark Message

In this story ‘A Face in the Dark’, the writer creates an atmosphere of mystery, strangeness and supematuralism. But the writer makes the supernatural look natural by his artistic skill. The story is set in a pine forest outside Simla. Mr Oliver, an Anglo-Indian teacher, dares to walk through the pine forest on his way back to the school after an evening at Simla Bazaar. He carries a torch with him. While walking through the narrow forest path, he comes across a weeping boy who lifts his face which is not a face but a flat something without eyes, nose or mouth.

He gets frightened and the torch falls from his hand. He turns and runs towards the school building. He cries for help. He stumbles up to the watchman gasping for breath. He tells the watchman that he has seen something horrible — a boy weeping in the forest, and he has no face. He has no eyes, no ears, no features at all. He is gripped with fear when he finds that the watchman has no eyes, no ears, no features at all — not even an eyebrow. All this makes the atmosphere supernatural.

The addition of the words, like ‘sad, eerie sounds’, ‘shook convulsively’, ‘reached with silent sobbing’ creates a strange and supernatural atmosphere.

A Face in the Dark Character Sketch

MR OLIVER

• an Anglo-Indian teacher near Simla
• a bachelor
• takes a shortcut through the pine forest
• carries a torch with him
• gets frightened
• fancies that the boy has no eyes, ears, nose or mouth
• gripped with fear
• torch falls from his trembling hand
• strange and mysterious atmosphere makes him tense
• perhaps perhaps fancies that the watchman has no eyes, no ears, no features at all

Mr Oliver is an Anglo-Indian teacher in a school near Simla. He has been teaching in the school for several years. He is a bachelor and usually strolls in the Simla Bazaar in the evening. While returning after dark, he takes a shortcut through the pine forest. He carries a torch with him.

He gets frightened when he sees a boy sitting on a rock in the narrow forest path. The boy has no eyes, ears, nose or mouth. It’s just a round smooth head with a school cap on top of it. His mind is gripped with fear. The torch falls from his trembling hand and he runs towards the school building. He cries for help.

This strange and mysterious experience in the forest makes him tense. He is puzzled and stumbles up to the watchman. He is gripped with fear. He is horried to see that the watchman has also no eyes, no ears, no features at all – not even an eyebrow. The wind blows the lamp out in his hand. We wonder if what he sees is real or imaginary.

A Face in the Dark Critical Appreciation

Supematuralism
The story ‘A Face in the Dark’ contains elements of mystery, strangeness and supernaturalism. The story is set in a pine forest outside Simla, a hill resort of Himachal Pradesh.

Mr Oliver, an Anglo-Indian teacher, walks through the pine forest on his way back to school after an evening at Simla Bazaar. While walking through the forest path, he comes across a weeping boy who lifts his face which is not a face but a flat something without eyes, nose or mouth. He gets frightened and the torch falls from his hand. He turns and runs towards the school building. He stumbles up to the watchman and tells him that he saw something horrible – a boy weeping in the forest and he had no face. He is gripped with fear when he finds that the watchman has no eyes, no ears, no features at all – not even an eyebrow. All this makes the story supernatural.

Atmosphere of Strangeness
In order to create an atmosphere of strangeness, the writer uses the most appropriate and suggestive words in the story. The words in the line ‘when there was a strong wind, the pine trees made sad, eerie sounds that kept most people to the main road,’ create an atmosphere of strangeness. The boy sitting alone on a rock in the forest at night looks strange and mysterious. The description ‘It [the figure of a boy] had no eyes, ears, nose or mouth. It was just a round smooth head – with a school cap on top of it,’ creates a strange, frightening, mysterious and supernatural atmosphere.

Face in the dark

A Horse and Two Goats Story Summary in English and Hindi Pdf. A Horse and Two Goats is written by R.K. Narayan.

A Horse and Two Goats Story Summary in English by R.K. Narayan

A Horse and Two Goats About the Author

R.K. Narayan was born in a working class south Indian family in Chennai in 1906. Since his father, who was a school headmaster, used to be frequently transferred from one place to another, R.K. Narayan spent most of his childhood under the loving care of his grandmother, Parvati. It was his grandmother who taught him arithmetic, mythology and Sanskrit. He also attended many different schools in Chennai like Lutheran Mission School, Christian College High School, etc. He was interested in English literature since he was very young. His reading habit further developed when he moved to Mysore with his family and there his father’s school library offered him gems of writings from authors like Dickens, Thomas Hardy, Wodehouse, etc.

After getting married in 1933, Narayan became a reporter for a newspaper called The Justice and in the meantime, he sent the manuscript of Swami and Friends to his friend at Oxford who in turn showed it to Graham Greene. Greene got the book published. His second novel The Bachelor of Arts was published in 1937. It was based on his experiences at college. This book was again published by Graham Greene who by now started counselling Narayan on how to write and what to write about to target the English speaking audience. In 1938, Narayan wrote his third novel called The Dark Room which dealt with the subject of emotional abuse within a marriage and it was warmly received, both by readers and critics. During the 1980s Narayan wrote prolifically. He is best known for his novels such as Mr Sampath (1949), The Financial Expert (1952), The Guide (1958) for which he received the Sahitya Akademi Award in 1961, and The Man-eater of Malgudi (1961), and the stories, ‘Malgudi Days’ (1982).

A Horse and Two Goats About the Story

All about the Story A Horse and Two Goats:
The story is about misunderstanding between an Indian named Muni and an American businessman. The foreigner with his English is baffled by the incomprehensible behaviour of Muni while Muni is equally mystified by the American’s strange words and antics. The author makes the story amusing and humorous in many ways.

The story ‘A Horse and Two Goats’ deals with the misunderstanding that takes place between an Indian named Muni and an American businessman. Muni, an old man, lives with his wife in poverty. The couple lives in a small south Indian village. Muni has taken his goats to the usual spot which is a few miles away. He is sitting around a statue of a horse made of weather-beaten clay. As Muni watches the trucks and buses, a yellow station wagon comes and stops there. A red-faced American man dressed in khaki clothing comes out and asks Muni about the nearest gas station in English. There he notices the statue which he finds ‘marvellous’. Muni does not understand English. He thinks that the man in khaki must be a policeman or a soldier. He is scared of him.

The American gives him a card but Muni thinks that it is a warrant of some kind. Muni gives a long explanation of his innocence of whatever the crime he is investigating. The American asks questions about the statue which he would like to buy. Muni gives some information about the statue in Tamil language. Though the American does not understand Tamil, he enjoys every word that Muni utters. Muni interprets the statue “This is our guardian At the end of Kali Yuga, this world and all other worlds will be destroyed, and the Redeemer will come in the shape of a horse.” The American says, “I assure you this will have the best home in the U.S.A. and I don’t see how that can interfere with the party – we’ll stand around him and have our drinks.”

Finally the American pushes one hundred rupees into Muni’s hands and considers that he has bought the statue as he thinks that Muni is the owner of the statue. Muni thinks that he has bought his goats. Muni goes home to give the money to his wife while the American flags down a truck, gets help to break the horse off his pedestal, and drives away with his purchase. Muni’s wife does not believe his story. Her suspicion is confirmed when the goats find their way home. She shouts at him and says, “If you have thieved, the police will come tonight and break your bones. Don’t involve me. I will go away to my parents….”

A Horse and Two Goats Summary in English

Life in Kritam
The story ‘A Horse and Two Goats’ revolves around a poor protagonist named Muni who lives in a tiny south Indian village named Kritam. There are about thirty houses in the village and only one called the Big House is made of bricks. The others, including Muni’s, are made of bamboo thatch, straw and mud, etc. There is no running water and no electricity.

Muni’s wife cooks their typical breakfast of ‘a handful of millet flour’ over a fire in mud pot. On this day, Muni has shaken down six drumsticks from drumstick tree growing in front of his house, and he asks his wife to prepare them for him in a sauce. She agrees, provided he can get the other ingredients, none of which they have in the house – rice, dhal (lentils), spices, oil and a potato.

Muni’s poverty
Muni and his wife lead a poor life. But they have not always been poor. There was a time when he had a flock of forty sheep and goats. But life has not been kind to him and his animals. Years of drought, a great famine and an epidemic ruined Muni’s flock. Since he belonged to the lowest of India’s castes, he was never allowed to go to school or learn a trade. At present he is left with two goats. Muni and his wife have no children. Their only income is from the odd jobs his wife does at the Big House.

Muni has exhausted his credit at every shop. Now when he goes to get the items his wife requires to cook the drumsticks, he is insulted and sent away. There is no other food in the house. Muni’s wife asks him to go away with goats and fast today. Muni takes the goats to the usual spot which is a few miles away. It is a grassy spot near the highway. There he sits in the shade of a life-size statue of a horse and a warrior and watches trucks and buses go by. The statue is made of weather-beaten clay and has stood in the same spot for more than seventy years.

Arrival of an American
As Muni watches the trucks and buses, a yellow station wagon comes down the road and pulls over. A red-faced American man dressed in khaki clothing comes out and asks Muni about the nearest gas station. There he notices the statue which he finds ‘marvellous’. Muni wants to run away as he thinks that this foreigner in khaki must be a policeman or a soldier. But Muni is too old to run away. The two begin to converse with each other. Both don’t understand each other’s language. The American says “Namaste ! How do you do ?” Muni responds with the only English words he knows : “Yes, no.”

Muni’s apprehensions about the American
The American is a businessman from New York city. He lights a cigarette and offers one to Muni. He offers Muni his business card, but Muni gets scared as he thinks that it is a warrant of some kind. Muni gives a long explanation of his innocence of whatever crime the man is investigating. The American asks questions about the horse statue which he would like to buy. While talking to Muni, he narrates a bad day at work when he had to work for four hours without elevators and electricity. He is unaware that Muni has to live this kind of life everyday. By now the American is convinced that Muni is the owner of the statue which he is determined to buy.

Muni’s interpretation of the statue
Muni gives some information about the statue to the American that he had from his father and grandfather. “I get a kick out of every word you utter,” the American says. Though he does not understand Muni’s language, he enjoys the words. Muni reminisces his impoverished childhood days, the American laughs heartily.

Muni interprets the statue : “This is our guardian….. At the end of Kali Yuga, this world and all other worlds will be destroyed, and the Redeemer will come in the shape of a horse.” The American says, “I assure you this will have the best home in U.S.A. I’ll push away the bookcase – The TV may have to be shifted – I don’t see how that can interfere with the party – we’ll stand around him and have our drinks.” It is clear that even if the two had understood each other’s words, they would not have understood each other’s worlds.

The American gesture and the confusion
Finally, the American pushes one hundred rupees into Muni’s hand. This money is twenty times more than Muni’s debt with the shopkeeper. The American considers that he has bought the horse, and Muni believes that he has just sold his goats. Muni goes home to give the money to his wife, while the American flags down a truck, gets help to break the horse off his pedestal, and drives away with his purchase. Muni’s wife does not believe his story. Her suspicion is confirmed when the goats find their way home. At the end of the story Muni’s wife shrieks and says, “If you have thieved, the police will come tonight and break your bones. Don’t involve me. I will go away to my parents ……”

A Horse and Two Goats Word Notes and Explanations

gorgeous – lovely
faggots – a bunch of sticks tied together
drumstick – type of horseradish
craving – a strong desire
itinerant – travelling from place to place
displaying – showing
parched – very dry
irritate – annoy
scrub – clean
gawky – awkward way
pestilence – infectious disease
scraggy – thin
barren – infertile
bullied – insulted / frightened
moulded – shaped
assortment – a collection of different things
puzzled – confused
flourished – succeeded/ developed
gushed – poured/flowed
mutilated – damaged
speculation – guess
deliberation – discussion
oration – lectures
propelled – moved/pushed
abandoned – left
antiquity – ancient past
demonstrative – showing feelings openly
faded – became less bright
discourses – lectures
inevitable – unavoidable
trampled – stepped heavily on something
mounds – piles
investigation – examination
progeny – a person’s children
appropriate – suitable
gestures – movements with hands or head to indicate something
peered – looked closely
ruminated – pondered
snatched – grabbed
wriggled – twisted

A Horse and Two Goats Theme

R.K. Narayan presents a clash between Indian and Western Culture in his story ‘A Horse and Two Goats’. Muni, the poor south Indian protagonist represents the Indian culture while
the American businessman represents the American culture. Muni is a poor, uneducated Hindu while the American is a wealthy, educated American. As a good Hindu, Muni calmly accepts his fate, while the American endeavours to change his life. Each man is ignorant of the other’s way of life.

Muni speaks Tamil, while the American businessman speaks English. The two are unable to communicate with each other. Muni speaks about his own life, while the American speaks about his own life. It leads to confusion. At the end of their encounter each man has what he wants, and neither has lost anything of value.

Both Muni and the American businessman differ in their respective level of wealth. Muni is poor and lives in a house made of bamboo thatch, straw and mud, etc., while the American businessman is rich and lives in a comfortable house.

Muni does not have formal education because he belongs to the lower caste. He has not travelled beyond his village and he likes to watch trucks and buses go by on the highway in order to have a sense of belonging to a larger world. But he has a lot of knowledge of the Ramayana and the Mahabharata. He gained it by listening to speakers at the temple. The American, on the other hand, has received education. He possesses a large number of books. Thus both have different ways of looking at things. Whereas Muni tries to tell him the significance of the horse statue, the American regards it only as a living room decoration.

Thus both have different attitudes towards life and things. Hence the writer shows the difference between the two cultures.

A Horse and Two Goats Title

The title of the story ‘A Horse and Two Goats’ is very apt and it suits the story as the whole story revolves around the statue of a horse and Muni’s two goats. Muni grazes his goats at a grassy spot near the highway. There stands a statue of a horse and a warrior. A red-faced American takes a fancy to the statue of the horse and wants to buy it. He believes that Muni is the owner of the statue. So he talks to Muni about the statue in English. But Muni does not understand English. He speaks to him in Tamil. Both are unintelligible to each other. The American gives hundred rupees to Muni and thinks that he has bought the statue. But Muni thinks that he has bought his goats. So the story which revolves around the horse and the goats is actually about the misunderstanding between Muni and the American businessman.

A Horse and Two Goats Message

In this story ‘A Horse and Two Goats’, the author conveys a message that each individual should follow his own culture. He should not imitate other’s culture blindly. In the story Muni, the poor south Indian Hindu, follows his own Indian culture while the American businessman follows his own. The author, no doubt, presents a clash between the Indian and American culture, but does not want Muni and the American businessman to imitate each other’s culture.

As a good Hindu, Muni calmly accepts his fate, while the American endeavours to change his life. Each man is ignorant of the other’s way of life. Muni speaks Tamil, while the American businessman speaks English. The two are unable to communicate with each other. Muni speaks about his own life while the American speaks about his own life. It leads to confusion. At the end of their encounter, each man has what he wants, and neither has anything of value. Both Muni and the American businessman differ in their respective level of wealth. Muni does not have a formal education and has not travelled beyond his village. But he has a lot of knowledge of the Ramayana and the Mahabharata. The American, on the other hand, has received education, and possesses a large number of books. But both have different ways of looking at things. Neither Muni nor the American businessman tries to imitate the other.

A Horse and Two Goats Character Sketch

1. MUNI

• poor old man
• protagonist of the story
• lives in a house made of bamboo thatch
• lives with his wife, no children
• no formal education, belongs to low caste
• confronts an American businessman
• scared of him
• considers him a policeman or a soldier
• speaks Tamil, unintelligible to the American businessman
• possesses a lot of knowledge about the Ramayana and the Mahabharata
• his financial troubles are over at the end

Muni who lives in a tiny south Indian village is a poor old man. He being the protagonist of the story plays a major role in the story. He lives in a house made of bamboo thatch, straw and mud. Once he was a prosperous man and had a flock of forty sheep and goats. But years of drought, a great famine and an epidemic have ruined his flock. He is left with only two goats. He and his wife have almost no income and no children to look after them.

Muni has no formal education. He could not go to school because he belonged to lower caste. He is ignorant and lacks confidence. When the American gives him a card, he gets scared as he thinks that it is a warrant of some kind. Muni gives a long explanation of his innocence of whatever crime the man is investigating. When the man tries to talk to him about the statue of the horse in English, he babbles on about the recent murder and the end of the worlds.

He speaks in Tamil and so is unintelligible to the American. The American speaks in English and so he is unintelligible to him. But both converse with each other. It leads to confusion. But at the end of the encounter, each man gets what he wants and neither has lost anything of value.

Though Muni has no formal education, he has a lot of knowledge of the Ramayana and Mahabharata. He gains it by listening to the speaker at the temple.

At the end, it appears that his financial troubles are over because he has received hundred rupees from the American, but his bad luck continues when his wife suspects him of thieving and threatens to leave and go away to her parents.

2. THE AMERICAN

• The American businessman dressed in khaki
• confronts Muni, speaks English
• represents American culture
• buys the statue of a horse
• gives hundred rupees to Muni

The American, a businessman from New York city, represents American culture. He is dressed in khaki clothing worn by American tourists. He comes in a yellow station wagon and meets Muni near the statue. He asks about the nearest gas station. He is a typical American who speaks only English, but is surprised to find that Muni can speak only Tamil.

Once he sees the statue of the horse he likes it so much that he decides to buy it for his living room. Though he can’t speak Tamil, he knows that money talks. He gives hundred rupees to Muni and considers that he has bought the statue. Muni believes that he has sold his goats.

3. MUNI’S WIFE

• Muni’s wife leads a poor life
• does odd jobs to make a living
• poverty has worn her down
• honest wife
• accuses Muni of stealing, gets angry, threatens to leave her husband

Muni’s old wife who lives with her poor husband leads a poor life. She has lived with Muni through prosperity and poverty. She does odd jobs at the Big House to earn her livelihood. Poverty has worn her down. She is a typical Indian wife who is ready to cook what her husband wants to eat.

She is an honest woman. She reacts in an angry way when Muni gives her hundred rupees. She accuses Muni of stealing and threatens, “If you have thieved, the police will come tonight and break your bones. Don’t involve me. I will go away to my parents.” This reflects her candidness and determination.

A Horse and Two Goats Critical Appreciation

Third Person Narrative
The story ‘A Horse and Two Goats’ is told in the third person by the omniscient author. The author describes the details of his characters, their words, actions and manners. But he refrains from giving judgement. He describes the conversation between Muni and his wife or Muni and the shopman in an objective manner. He presents two believable characters with human flaws. There is a conflict between the two characters due to their different cultures. The readers feel sympathy and compassion for both the characters.

Realism
The story is important for its realism, its simple and accurate presentation of everyday life as it is lived by the characters. The author gives details of Muni’s life as to where he lives, what he eats, where he goes to graze his goats, how he coughs when he smokes his first cigarette. He gives details about the drumstick tree and the dhoti where Muni puts his hundred rupees in a realistic manner. The task done by Muni’s wife in the kitchen is realistically portrayed. “His wife lit the domestic fire at dawn, boiled water in a mud pot, threw into it a handful of millet flour, added salt and gave him his first nourishment for the day.”

Humour
The story ‘A Horse and Two Goats’ is replete with elements of humour. Its humour is affable and polite. The author believes that the weaknesses and foibles of the characters are to be accepted and not railed against. The author has artistically created the comic characters of Muni and the American and he laughs at them in a gentle and kind manner. His humour neither pricks nor annoys the readers. In fact, his humour is genial and friendly.

A horse and two goats summary