Treasure Trove Poems Workbook Answers The Heart of a Tree
The Heart of a Tree Comprehension Passages
1. Read the extract given below and answer the questions that follow :
What does he plant who plants a tree ?
He plants a friend of sun and sky;
He plants the flag of breezes free;
The shaft of beauty, towering high;
He plants a home to heaven anigh;
For song and mother-croon of bird In hushed and happy twilight heard—
The treble of heaven’s harmony—
These things he plants who plants a tree.
(i) Who is described as a ‘friend of sun and sky’ ?
Answer: A tree is described as a ‘friend of sun and sky’.
(ii) Whom does a tree give shelter 7 How 7
Answer: A tree gives shelter to birds by allowing them to build their nests.
(iii) Which literary device has been used in the line : ‘In hushed and happy twilight heard’ 7
Answer: The literary device used here is alliteration.
(iv) Explain : ‘He plants a home to heaven anigh.’
Answer: He who plants trees makes the surroundings green. The place where there are green trees is nothing short of heaven.
(v) Towards the end of the poem the poet refers to the longing in the heart of the one who plants a tree. What is this longing ?
Answer: This longing is for the growth, development and prosperity of his country. He who plants a tree desires peace, harmony and comfort for himself and others. In fact, he yearns for the ecological, social and economic benefits for his country.
2. Read the extract given below and answer the questions that follow :
What does he plant who plants a tree ?
He plants cool shade and tender rain,
And seed and bud of days to be,
And years that fade and flush again;
He plants the glory of the plain;
He plants the forest’s heritage;
The harvest of a coming age;
The joy that unborn eyes shall see- These things he plants who plants a tree.
(i) What does a tree ensure us in summer ? What do buds become in the days to come ?
Answer: A tree ensures cool shade for us in summer. Buds will bloom into flowers in the days to come.
(ii) How is a tree the glory of the plain ?
Answer: A tree ensures growth and development of the country. It brings prosperity and richness to the country. It saves the country from pollution.
(iii) Which literary device has been used in the line:
“And years that fade and flush again” ? Explain.
Answer: The literary device used in the line is alliteration. The placement of the words ‘fade and flush’ close by makes it an alliteration.
(iv) Explain the line :
‘And years that fade and flush again.’
Answer: The poet wants to convey that a tree establishes a link between our present and future. It serves as a living legacy for the next generation. It provides a link between us and our children.
(v) How does a tree become ‘the forest’s heritage’ ?
Answer: It becomes ‘the forest’s heritage’ because it leaves behind a history that lasts for many years. It reflects a tradition of the past. It serves us as a living legacy for the next generation. It symbolises the social fabric of the times.
3. Read the extract given below and answer the questions that follow :
What does he plant who plants a tree ?
He plants, in sap and leaf and wood,
In love of home and loyalty
And far-cast thought of civic good
His blessings on the neighborhood
Who in the hollow of His hand
Holds all the growth of all our land
A nation’s growth from sea to sea
Stirs in his heart who plants a tree.
(i) Name some benefits of tree planting referred to by the poet earlier in the context.
Answer: A tree ensures cool shade for us in summer and tender rains in all seasons. A tree gives us seeds which sprout and buds which bloom into flowers in times to come. It establishes a link between our present and future.
(ii) How does a tree planter do civic good ?
Answer: A tree planter does civic good by planting a tree. The tree benefits all the neighbours around. It saves the surroundings from
pollution. It provides shade to the people in summer and protects them from the scorching heat of the sun.
(iii) Who holds ‘all the growth of the land’ ? Which land has the poet in mind ?
Answer: He who plants a tree holds all the growth of his country. The poet emphasizes the fact that a country’s growth and development depend upon its wealth of trees. The planter’s country is the land which is in the poet’s mind.
(iv) Do you agree with the poet that a nation’s growth depends upon the wealth of trees ? Why/Why not ?
Answer: Yes, a nation’s growth depends upon the wealth of trees. A tree has ecological,
social and economic benefits. It saves us from pollution. It gives us seeds which sprout and buds which bloom into flowers in the times to come. It provides several general benefits to people.
(v) In what way is the poem relevant in our times ?
Answer: In our times forests are being decimated for building houses, roads and bridges. Trees seem to attract none. The poem, therefore, is relevant in our times because the poet draws our attention to what we do when we plant trees. He rightly says that one who plants trees plants many things – beauty, peace, prosperity and good values.
The Heart of a Tree Assignment
Read the extract given below and answer the questions that follow :
What does he plant who plants a tree ?
He plants cool shade and tender rain,
And seed and bud of days to be,
And years that fade and flush again;
He plants the glory of the plain;
He plants the forest’s heritage;
The harvest of a coming age;
The joy that unborn eyes shall see- These things he plants who plants a tree.
(i) How has the poet described a tree earlier in the poem ?
(ii) Which line has been repeated, and why ?
(iii) What social and ecological benefits of planting a tree does the poet refer to ?
(iv) In what sense is a tree ‘the harvest of a coming age’ ?
(v) Comment on the things a tree planter actually plants.
Treasure Trove Short Stories Workbook Answers Hearts and Hands
Hearts and Hands Questions and Answers
Question 1.
Where does the chance-encounter between Easton and Miss Fairchild take place and how do they react to each other ?
Answer:
Mr Easton and Miss Fairchild are acquainted to each other and meet after a fairly long time during a train journey. When the train, B & M Express, stops at Denver station, two new passengers enter the compartment in which Miss Fairchild is already present. One of the passengers is handsome, bold and frank from his appearance. The other one is ruffled, glum faced and heavily built. Miss Fairchild asks the handsome youngman whether he didn’t recognize her. The youngman felt embarrassed to meet her all of a sudden. He didn’t know how to react in this awkward situation. When she extended her hand to him, he just clasped her fingers with his left hand.
Question 2.
Why does the glad look in the girl’s eyes change to a bewildered look ?
Answer:
Miss Fairchild had looked quite pleased to meet the youngman after a long interval. She had even extended her little hand to him as a token of affection. However, when the youngman, Mr Easton, indicates that he is handcuffed to his fellow traveller, the glad look in her eyes is suddenly changed into a bewildered look. The glow of her face fades away. Her lips part in a vague distress. She understands that the youngman has been arrested by the marshal sitting by his side and is probably being taken to some prison.
Question 3.
How does Easton’s companion save the situation with his presence of mind ?
Answer:
Mr Easton’s companion is a clever man with a great presence of mind. He quickly senses the girl’s distress when she sees Mr Easton in handcuffs. He intervenes to introduce himself as a prisoner and Mr Easton as a marshal. He states that he has been sentenced to seven years imprisonment for counterfeiting and Mr Easton is taking him to Leavenworth prison. This statement relieves the girl quite a lot and the usual glow returns to her cheeks. She now thinks that Mr Easton has taken up the job of Marshal and is doing well in life. Now, Mr Easton is also encouraged to keep up the lie. He explains to Miss Fairchild that he had to do something by way of career. His money had dwindled fast and one needs money to compete with the crowd in a city like Washington. He saw this opportunity in the West and accepted the position of a marshal. The young girl, Miss Fairchild, is excited to hear this. She begins to think of him as a dashing western hero who rides and shoots and goes into all kinds of dangers and risks. Thus she has romantic notions about the job of a marshal.
Question 4.
What is the ironical situation in which we find Miss Fairchild and the other two passengers in the train ?
Answer:
The story “Hearts and Hands” is based on irony, the irony of situation. Appearances are deceptive. Two passengers board the train at Denver. Miss Fairchild is acquainted with one of the passengers named Mr Easton. Soon she notices the fact that both the passengers are handcuffed to each other. She is distressed to think that Mr Easton has been arrested by the Marshal and is being taken to a prison. This is actually the position. But the situation takes a turn when the companion of Mr Easton poses to be a criminal and describes Mr Easton as a marshal. Pointing to the handcuffs, he says to Miss Fairchild.
“Don’t you worry about them, Miss. All marshals handcuff themselves to their prisoners to keep them from getting away. Mr Easton knows his business.”
This relieves the distress of Miss Fairchild.
Question 5.
What is the shocking revelation at the end of the story ?
Answer:
The story “Hearts and Hands” is a story with a surprise ending. The actual offender is taken as a marshal and vice versa. The girl Miss Fairchild is deluded to think that the youngman whom, she has known in the past is a marshal now and he is taking the other man to a prison. However, the reality dawns upon us at the end of the story. There are two other passengers apart from the main characters. They have been observing and listening to the conversation among these main characters. As soon as the handcuffed passengers move to the smoker car, one of these passengers remarks that Mr Easton seems too young to be a marshal. The other passenger asks : “Did you ever know an officer to handcuff a prisoner to his right hand ?” This is enough to clear the mystery about the identity of Mr Easton and his companion.
Question 6.
Comment on the crucial role played by the real marshal in the story “Hearts and Hands”.
Answer:
O. Henry, the great American writer, is known for his short stories most of which have a sting in the tail. The readers are swept off their feet as the story reaches towards an unexpected climax. The mystery and suspense is maintained till the end. The characters along with the readers are in for a surprise. The present story “Hearts and Hands” centres around three main characters and two minor characters. In the first set of characters we find Miss Fairchild who is acquainted with one of the two passengers who enter the train at Denver. She is shocked to find the acquaintance Mr Easton handcuffed to his stout companion. However, this companion puts her at ease by pointing out that all marshals handcuff themselves to their prisoners to keep them from getting away. This is obviously true but the real fact is that this companion is the real marshal and Mr Easton is the prisoner. Later, the real marshal shifts to the smoker car on the pretext of smoking a pipe. Thus, he saves the youngman, Mr Easton, from embarrassment in front of his acquaintance, Miss Easton. It is only later that the other two passengers who were silent observers till now reveal the actual position about the real identity of Mr Easton and his companion.
Hearts and Hands Comprehension Passages
1. Read the extract given below and answer the questions that follow :
In one coach there sat a very pretty young woman dressed in elegant taste and surrounded by all the luxurious comforts of an experienced traveller. Among the newcomers were two young men, one of handsome presence with a bold, frank countenance and manner; the other a ruffled, glum-faced person, heavily built and roughly dressed. The two were handcuffed together.
As they passed down the aisle of the coach the only vacant seat offered was a reversed one facing the attractive young woman. Here the linked couple seated themselves. The young woman’s glance fell upon them with a distant, swift disinterest; then with a lovely smile brightening her countenance and a tender pink tingeing her rounded cheeks, she held out a little gray- gloved hand. When she spoke her voice, full, sweet, and deliberate, proclaimed that its owner was accustomed to speak and be heard.
(i) Who were the two new passengers that entered the train ? Where did they seat themselves ?
Answer: The two new passengers were young men who entered the train. One was a handsome person. He seemed bold with frank face and manner. The other was a ruffled, glum-faced person. He was heavily built and roughly dressed. They took the seat facing a young woman named Miss Fairchild.
(ii) Who was the young girl that sat in one of the coaches ?
Answer: The young girl was pretty and dressed elegantly. She seemed to be an experienced traveller. She was Miss Fairchild and was acquainted with one of the two new passengers.
(iii) Why are the two passengers called ‘the linked couple’ ?
Answer: The two passengers are called ‘the linked couple’ because they are handcuffed together. They occupy the same seat in front of Miss Fairchild because they are handcuffed together.
(iv) How did the young woman look at the two passengers initially ? Why did she talk to one of them after a while ?
Answer: Initially, the young woman showed no interest in the two passengers and looked at them with a distant, swift disinterest. After a while, she found that one of them was Mr Easton whom she knew. And so she talked to him.
(v) How did the young woman initiate a chat with Mr Easton ? What was her tone ?
Answer: The young woman initiated a chat with Mr Easton by addressing him by his name, and then by asking him if he did not ever recognize his old friends when they met in the West. She spoke in a sweet and friendly tone.
2. Read the extract given below and answer the questions that follow :
The younger man roused himself sharply at the sound of her voice, seemed to struggle with a slight embarrassment which he threw off instantly, and then clasped her fingers with his left hand.
“It’s Miss Fairchild,” he said, with a smile. ”I’ll ask you to excuse the other hand; it’s otherwise engaged just at present.”
He slightly raised his right hand, bound at the wrist by the shining “bracelet” to the left one of his companion. The glad look in the girl’s eyes slowly changed to a bewildered horror. The glow faded from her cheeks. Her lips parted in a vague, relaxing distress. Easton, with a little laugh, as if amused, was about to speak again when the other forestalled him. The glum¬faced man had been watching the girl’s countenance with veiled glances from his keen, shrewd eyes.
(i) Why did Mr Easton feel embarrassed ? Why did he clasp her fingers with his left hand ?
Answer: Mr Easton felt embarrassed because his old acquaintance, Miss Fairchild, saw him in handcuffs. He clasped her fingers with his left hand because his right hand was bound at the wrist by the shining ‘bracelet’ to the left of his companion.
(ii) Why did he tell Miss Fairchild, “I’ll ask you to excuse the other hand” ? How was it engaged at that time ?
Answer: He told Miss Fairchild that he would ask her to excuse the other hand because it was bound at the wrist by the shining ‘bracelet’ to the left of his companion.
(iii) Why did the glad look in young woman’s eyes change to a bewildered horror ?
Answer: The young woman noticed that Mr Easton, her old friend, was handcuffed to the man seated beside him. As Mr Easton greeted her, he raised his right hand bound at the wrist by the shining ‘bracelet’ to the left one of his companion. When she saw this, the glad look in her eyes changed to bewildered horror.
(iv) How did the glum-faced man save Mr Easton from embarrassment ?
Answer: When Miss Fairchild saw Mr Easton, her old friend, in handcuffs, Mr Easton felt embarrassed. The glum-faced man had been watching Miss Fairchild’s face with his shrewd eyes. In order to save Mr Easton from embarrassment, he came forward with an explanation and said that Easton was a marshal and the two were headed for Leavenworth prison.
(v) What did the glum-faced man tell the young woman ? What effect did his remark have on the young woman ?
Answer: The glum-faced man told the young woman that Mr Easton was a marshal and that they (Easton and the glum-faced man) were headed for Leavenworth prison. His remark relieved the young woman of her embarrassment.
3. Read the extract given below and answer the questions that follow :
“You’ll excuse me for speaking, miss, but, I see you’re acquainted with the marshal here. If you’ll ask him to speak a word for me when we get to the pen he’ll do it, and it’ll make things easier for me there. He’s taking me to Leavenworth prison. It’s seven years for counterfeiting.”
(i) Whom does the glum-faced man call marshal ? Why does he do so ?
Answer: The glum-faced man calls Mr Easton marshal. He does so in order to save Mr Easton from embarrassment.
(ii) How does he remove Mr Easton’s embarrassment ?
Answer: When Miss Fairchild sees Mr Easton, her old friend, in handcuffs, Mr Easton feels embarrassed. In order to remove Mr Easton’s embarrassment, he tells Miss Fairchild that Mr Easton is a marshal and they are headed for Leavenworth prison.
(iii) What does he present himself as ? Why ?
Answer: He presents himself as a convict. He does so in order to save Easton from embarrassment.
(iv) Why does he tell that Mr Easton is taking him to Leavenworth prison ?
Answer: He tells Miss Fairchild that Mr Easton is taking him to Leavenworth prison in order to confirm that Mr Easton is a marshal and he is a convict.
(v) How does the young woman react to the remark of the glum-faced man ?
Answer: The young woman is fully relieved of her tension and accepts that Mr Easton is a marshal and is doing his duty as a marshal.
4. Read the extract given below and answer the questions that follow.
“Oh !” said the girl, with a deep breath and returning color. “So that is what you are doing out here? A marshal!”
“My dear Miss Fairchild,” said Easton, calmly, “I had to do something. Money has a way of taking wings unto itself, and you know it takes money to keep step with our crowd in Washington. I saw this opening in the West, and- -well, a marshalship isn’t quite as high a position as that of ambassador, but – ”
(i) Why does the glow in the young girl’s cheeks return ? Whom does he call marshal ?
Answer: When the glum-faced person tells her that Mr Easton, her old friend, is a marshal . and not a convict, the glow in her cheeks returns. He calls Mr Easton marshal.
(ii) What does Mr Easton tell Miss Fairchild to confirm that he is the marshal ?
Answer: Mr Easton tells Miss Fairchild that his butterfly days were over in Washington. So he had to do something. In order to earn money he took up the job of a marshal. Though marshalship is not quite as high as a position as that of an ambassador, yet it fetches him money. In this way he confirms that he is the marshal.
(iii) Why does the young girl call Mr Easton ‘a dashing Western hero’ ?
Answer: The young girl calls Mr Easton ‘a dashing Western hero’ because he has to do a difficult duty and face all kinds of dangers. He has to ride and shoot in dangerous situations. So she calls him ‘a dashing Western hero.’
(iv) Explain the line – “you ride and shoot and go into all kinds of dangers.”
Answer: Miss Fairchild calls Mr Easton ‘a dashing Western hero’ because as a marshal he has to confront all kinds of dangerous situations. She says that he has to ride and shoot in several challenging situations.
(v) How does Miss Fairchild react to Easton’s acceptance of marshal’s job ?
Answer: She reacts favourably to his acceptance of a marshal’s job. She is very happy. Her eyes, fascinated, went back, widening a little to rest upon the glittering handcuffs.
She wishes him goodbye with a promise to see him in Washington.
5. Read the extract given below and answer the questions that follow :
The girl’s eyes, fascinated, went back, widening a little, to rest upon the glittering handcuffs.
“Don’t you worry about them, miss,” said the other man. “All marshals handcuff themselves to their prisoners to keep them from getting away. Mr Easton knows his business.”
“Will we see you again soon in Washington ?” asked the girl.
“Not soon, I think,” said Easton. “My butterfly days are over, I fear.”
(i) Why did the girl’s eyes rest upon the glittering handcuffs ? What was she thinking ?
Answer: The girl felt happy to know that her friend had become a marshal. Her eyes glowed and now she was fascinated by the glittering handcuffs. So her eyes rested upon the glittering handcuffs. She was entertaining a pleasant thought of being a marshal’s friend.
(ii) What comment does the other man make on the handcuffs ? Why does he praise Easton in handcuffs ?
Answer: The other man calls Mr Easton marshal. So he comments that all marshals handcuff themselves to their prisoners to keep them from getting away. He praises Mr Easton by saying that he knows his job well. In fact, he praises Easton in handcuff because he wants to confirm that Mr Easton is a marshal.
(iii) How does Miss Fairchild feel when she is assured that Mr Easton is a marshal and not a convict ?
Answer: She feels very happy to know that her old friend is a marshal. She is relieved of the tension and feels satisfied that Mr Easton is a marshal and is doing his duty as a marshal.
(iv) The girl asks Mr Easton, “Will we see you again soon in Washington ?” Why ?
Answer: She feels happy that her friend Mr Easton is a marshal and is well-placed. So she wishes to meet him in Washington. Thus she asks him if they will see him again soon in Washington.
(v) Why does the young girl reconcile herself with Mr Easton’s handcuff ?
Answer: The young girl reconciles herself with Mr. Easton’s handcuffs because she is assured that he is a marshal and not a convict. So she reconciles herself with Mr Easton’s handcuffs.
6. Read the extract given below and answer the questions that follow :
“Say, Mr Marshal,” growled the glum-faced man. “This isn’t quite fair. I’m needing a drink, and haven’t had a smoke all day. Haven’t you talked long enough ? Take me in the smoker now, won’t you ? I’m half dead for a pipe.”
The bound travelers rose to their feet, Easton with the same slow smile on his face.
(i) Why does the glum-faced man call Mr Easton marshal ? How does he succeed in his plan ?
Answer: Mr Easton feels embarrassed when Miss Fairchild, his old friend, sees him in handcuffs. So in order to save Mr Easton
from embarrasment, the glum-faced man calls Mr Easton marshal. He succeeds in his plan because Miss Fairchild belives in his assertion and thinks that Mr Easton is really a marshal and not a convict.
(ii) What remark did one of the passengers seated nearby make about Mr Easton ?
Answer: One of the passengers seated nearby listened to the whole conversation and remarked that Mr Easton seemed too young to be a marshal.
(iii) What remark did another passenger make about Mr Easton ?
Answer: Another passenger remarked that Mr Easton was not a marshal but a counterfeiter.
(iv) What excuse did Mr Easton make to say goodbye to the young girl ?
Answer: The glum-faced man asked Mr Easton to accompany him to the smoker’s room to smoke. So Mr Easton told her that he was going to the smoker’s room to smoke. He made this excuse and said goodbye to Miss Fairchild.
(v) Why did Easton assert that he must go on to Leavenworth ?
Answer: Easton asserted in the name of duty that he must go on to Leavenworth. So, he held out his hand for a farewell.
Hearts and Hands Assignment
1. Read the extract given below and answer the questions that follow :
The two passengers in a seat nearby had heard most of the conversation. Said one of !’ them : “That marshal’s a good sort of chap. Some of these Western fellows are all right.” “Pretty young to hold an office like that, isn’t he ?” asked the other.
“Young !” exclaimed the first speaker, “why – Oh! didn’t you catch on ? Say – did you ever know an officer to handcuff a prisoner to his right hand ?”
(i) What remark of one of the two passengers makes us doubt about Mr Easton being a marshal ?
(ii) What remark of the other passenger confirms our doubt that Mr Easton is not a marshal ?
(iii) How do the two passengers reveal the story’s irony ?
(iv) How do the remarks of the two passengers reveal the true character of Mr Easton ?
(v) Comment on the surprise ending of the story.
2. (a) What impression do you form of Miss Fairchild from your reading of the story ‘Hearts I i and Hands’ ?
(b) What is the role of the two passengers seated nearby who were listening to the whole conversation ?
(c) Comment on the irony contained in the ending of the story. How does the ‘sting in the tail’ make the story interesting ?
Treasure Trove Short Stories Workbook Answers A Horse and Two Goats
A Horse and Two Goats Questions and Answers
Question 1.
What do you know about the village named Kritam and point out what the name means ?
Answer:
Kritam was a tiny village in the south of India. Though the village was small and consisted of less than thirty houses, it had a grand name “Kritam” which means “coronet” or “crown”. There was a Big House in the Tamil village which was made of brick and cement. It was gorgeously carved with figures of gods. The other houses were much smaller and were made of bamboo, straw and mud. There were four streets in the village and Muni, the protagonist of the story, lived in the fourth street.
Question 2.
Comment on Muni’s occupation and his domestic situation.
Answer:
Muni is a shepherd who earns his daily bread by grazing goats or sheep. There was a time in his youth when he owned a flock of forty goats and sheep but now his stock has dwindled to two goats only. This change in his economic situation has been caused by famines in the past. The things are so bad now that Muni is under debt and the village shopkeeper refuses to lend him any more. His wife pesters him often to get essential items for the kitchen but he is too poor to get any. He asks his wife to take the drumsticks and sell them in the market place.
Question 3.
Bring out the humour and irony in the conversation between Muni and the shop man.
Answer:
The story “A Horse and Two Goats” by R.K. Narayan is replete with touches of humour. We are amused when Muni’s wife sneers at him by saying “You have only four teeth in your jaw, but your craving is for big things”. She sends Muni to fetch dhall, chilly, curry leaves, mustard, coriander, gingelley oil etc. knowing too well that he has no money in his pocket. The shop man pays no attention to him when he sits on an upturned packing case below the platform of the shop. When he clears his throat and sneezes, the shop man loses his patience and says angrily : “What ails you ? You will fly off that seat into the gutter if you sneeze so hard, young man.” Muni is so much delighted at being addressed as a “young man” that he laughs loudly in order to please the shop man. He is able to win over the shop man as the latter likes his sense of humour to be appreciated. Muni apprises the shop man that he would be able to pay him some money because his daughter will be sending him some money on his fiftieth birthday. Later on, we come to know that Muni and his wife are childless. This is indeed ironic as well as tragic.
Question 4.
How does Muni feel after returning empty-handed from the village-shop ?
Answer:
The visit to the grocery fatigues Muni so much that he flings himself down in a corner after returning home. His wife also chides him : “Fast till the evening, it’ll do you good”. He understands that his wife is shattered with her poverty, though she is good-natured and caring about him. Her temper was undependable in the morning but improved by evening time. He knew that she would go out and work – grind corn in the Big House, sweep and scrub somewhere and earn enough to buy some food for the evening. He wonders what his wife would do if he dies suddenly. They had no children to sustain themselves at his age.
Question 5.
Describe the horse statue situated on the edge of the village. What is the part played by this statue in the story ?
Answer:
There was a huge horse-statue on the edge of the village. The pedestal of this statue was a resting place for Muni. Sitting on this pedestal for the major part of the day, Muni could enjoy the full view of the highway and see the lorries and buses pass through to the kills. It gave him a sense of belonging to a larger world. The horse was nearly life-size and it was moulded out of clay. There was a figure of a warrior beside the horse. This horse-statue plays a significant part in the story as it is unwittingly sold away to an Englishman who doesn’t understand the Tamil language spoken by Muni.
Question 6.
Comment on the communication gap between Muni and the red-faced foreigner bringing out the element of humour in the situation.
Answer:
Muni often sits at the foot of the horse- statue watching his goats and the passing vehicles. A yellow vehicle which looks like both a motor-car and a bus stops in front of him on this particular day. A red-faced foreigner gets down and looks around for help since he has run out of petrol. He approaches Muni and asks him if there is a gas-station (petrol pump) nearby. Suddenly his attention is caught by the horse- statue and he exclaims : “Marvellous”. The red faced man was wearing khaki clothes and this scares Muni because he could be a policeman or a soldier. He has an inner urge to run away but stays on. He curses his age since he can no longer put his limbs into action. Meanwhile, the foreigner comes closer to him and says “Namaste ! How do you do ?” Muni exhausts his English vocabulary saying “Yes, no,” in response. Shifting to Tamil language, he informs the foreigner that he is Muni and those two goats belong to him and nobody can challenge his claim. Failing to understand even a word, the foreigner looks in the direction of the two goats and then lights a cigarette from his silver case. Suddenly he asks Muni : “Do you smoke ?” Muni answers again
with his “Yes, no.” At this the foreigner takes out a cigarette and gives it to Muni who accepts the offer readily and gratefully. We have a touch of genial humour in this awkward meeting between a local and a foreigner.
Question 7.
What do you gather about the red-faced foreigner who meets Muni on the roadside ?
Answer:
The red-faced foreigner is an impressive character in the story “A Horse and Two Goats” written by R.K. Narayan. We come to know that this man has come from New York in America and is staying currently with his wife, Ruth, in a Srinagar hotel. Sick of the hot-summer in Connecticut, he suddenly made a plan to visit India and how he is just “doing the rounds”. After his vehicle breaks down on the way owing to shortage of petrol, he finds Muni to while away some time before he can get help from some other driver. He shows his friendliness to Muni by offering him a cigarette from his silver cigarette case. Since there is a language problem, he cannot understand whatever Muni says about his cattle and other things. He even offers to help Muni in chopping wood if the latter so desires.
Question 8.
Discuss the American tourist as an art- lover.
Answer:
Like all other European tourists, the American man shows his love of art and artifacts. Soon after meeting Muni on the roadside, the American is fascinated by the horse-statue. He has an instant desire to buy this souvenir and put it up in his living-room. From the manner in which Muni is sitting on the pedestal of the horse- statue, he gathers that Muni must be its owner. He tells Muni that he will offer a good price for this great piece of art. We are quite amused when he says :
“I appreciate the article. You don’t have to explain its points.”
In the attitude of a demonstrator the American remarks :
“This is a marvellous combination of yellow and indigo, though faded now … How do people of this country achieve these flaming colours ?”
Question 9.
Comment on “A Horse and Two Goats” as a piece of realism.
Answer:
R.K. Narayan is renowned world-wide for his realism. His portrayal of Malgudi in South India has won him great applause. He is regional yet universal in his appeal. This story is a typical example of his realistic description of characters and situations.
“A Horse and Two Goats” is replete with realistic touches. We can easily visualise the setting, the characters and the situation. The author deftly describes the details of his characters, their actions, gestures and mannerisms. Muni’s conversation with his wife, with the shop man and the American businessman is skilfully delineated. His characters are quite convincing and credible. Though there is a language-barrier between the Tamilian shepherd and the American businessman, their mutual admiration is unmistakable. The Tamilian Muni can speak only two words of English, “Yes, no” while the American can only say “Namaste”. It is this language barrier because of which Muni gets a hundred rupees from the American tourist under the impression that he has sold his goats to that foreigner whereas the American has paid this price for the horse-statue (under the impression that it belongs to Muni). Such a funny mistake proves to be harmless for both the characters. Such mistakes are the stuff of which human life is made.
A Horse and Two Goats Comprehension Passages
1. Read the extract given below and answer the questions that follow :
The village consisted of less than thirty houses, only one of them built with brick and cement. Painted a brilliant yellow and blue all over with gorgeous carvings of gods and gargoyles on its balustrade, it was known as the Big House. The other houses, distributed in four streets, were generally of bamboo thatch, straw, mud, and other unspecified material. Muni’s was the last house in the fourth street, beyond which stretched the fields. In his prosperous days Muni had owned a flock of forty sheep and goats and sallied forth every morning driving the flock to the highway a couple of miles away.
(i) What is the name of the village referred to here ? Where is it situated ?
Answer: The name of the village referred to here is Kritam. It is a tiny village, situated far away from the highway at the end of a rough track. ‘Kritam’ in Tamil means ‘crown’.
(ii) Describe the Big House.
Answer: The Big House was built with brick and cement. It was painted in a brilliant yellow and blue colour. There were carvings of gods and gargoyles on several posts.
(iii) What had Muni owned in his days of prosperity ? What did he do every morning ?
Answer: Muni had owned a flock of forty sheep and goats in his days of prosperity. Every morning he went out with his cattle to graze them.
(iv) What did Muni feed his flock with ? When did he come back home ? What did he carry home ?
Answer: Muni fed his flock with foliage. He came back home at sunset. He gathered faggots and dry sticks and carried them home for fuel.
(v) What did Muni’s wife cook for him in the morning ? How did she cook it ?
Answer: Muni’s wife cooked balls of millet flour for him in the morning. She boiled water in a mud pot. Then she threw a handful of millet flour into it, and added salt in it. Then she made balls of millet flour.
2. Read the extract given below and answer the questions that follow :
He flung himself down in a comer to recoup from the fatigue of his visit to the shop. His wife said, “You are getting no sauce today, nor anything else. I can’t find anything to give you to eat. Fast till the evening, it’ll do you good. Take the goats and be gone now,” she cried and added, “Don’t come back before the sun is down.”
(i) What fatigue does Muni refer to ?
Answer: Muni had gone to the shop to get rice, dhal, spices, oil and a potato on credit, but the shopman refused to give any item on credit. Rather, he was insulted by the shopman for making lame excuses and telling lies. He was disappointed and sad. He refers to his insult and disappointment as fatigue.
(ii) Why does Muni’s wife tell Muni, “Fast till the evening, it will do you good” ?
Answer: Muni asks his wife to cook drumsticks in a sauce. In order to cook drumsticks, she needs rice, dhal, spices, oil and a potato, but not a single item is there in the kitchen. Muni goes to the shop to get these things on credit. The shopman refuses to give him any item on credit. Rather he insults him. He comes back and tells everything to his wife. So Muni’s wife gets angry and tells him “fast till the evening, it will do you good.”
(iii) Why is Muni’s wife upset and angry ?
Answer: Muni and his wife lead a poor life. They don’t have anything to eat. Muni asks him to cook drumsticks in a sauce. But there is no sauce in the kitchen. Muni goes, to the shop to get the essential items on credit, but the shopman refuses to give him any item on credit. Rather he insults him. He tells everything to his wife. So Muni’s wife gets upset and angry because there is nothing to eat at home. She is upset and angry due to poverty and absence of eatables in the house.
(iv) Why did she ask Muni not to come back home before sunset ?
Answer: Muni went away to graze his goats without eating anything. She asked Muni not to come back home before sunset because she would somehow manage some food for him in the evening.
(v) How did she plan to earn enough to buy foodstuff for the evening meal ?
Answer: She planned to go out and grind com in the Big House, sweep or scrub somewhere, and earn enough to buy foodstuff and keep a dinner ready for him in the evening.
3. Read the extract given below and answer the questions that follow :
Unleashing the goats from the drumstick tree, Muni started out, driving them ahead and uttering weird cries from time to time in order to urge them on. He passed through the village with his head bowed in thought. He did not want to look at anyone or be accosted’. A couple of cronies lounging in the temple corridor hailed him, but he ignored their call.
(i) What did Muni do to urge the goats to move on ? Why didn’t he want to talk to anybody?
Answer: Muni uttered weird cries from time to time to urge the goats to move on. He was absorbed in his own thoughts and therefore did not want to talk to anybody.
(ii) Why did he ignore his cronies who had known him since his days of affluence ? Describe his days of affluence.
Answer: He ignored his cronies who had known him since his days of affluence because he was now poor and led a miserable life. He had no money to entertain his cronies. During his days of affluence, he had a flock of forty sheep and goats.
(iii) How does wealth lie in sheep ?
Answer: During his days of affluence, Muni had a flock of sheep. Fleece on the sheep is used to make woollen clothes. So wealth lies in the fleece of the sheep.
(iv) Where did Muni lead his goats to ? What did he do there ?
Answer: Muni led his goats to a grassy spot near the horse statue on the edge of the village. He sat on the statue’s pedestal while the goats grazed nearby.
(v) How did Muni lose his several cattle ? What is he left with now ?
Answer: Years of drought, a great famine and an epidemic ruined Muni’s several cattle. At present he is left with two goats.
4. Read the extract given below and answer the questions that follow :
The horse was nearly life-size, moulded out of clay, baked, burnt, and brightly coloured, and reared its head proudly, prancing its forelegs in the air and flourishing its tail in a loop; beside the horse stood a warrior with scythe – like mustachios, bulging eyes, and aquiline nose. The horse itself was said to have been as white as a dhobi-washed sheet, and had on its back a cover of pure brocade of red and black lace, matching the multi coloured sash around the waist of the warrior. But none in the village remembered the splendour as no one noticed its existence.
(i) What advantage did Muni have of sitting on the pedestal of the statue ?
Answer: Muni had the advantage of watching the highway and seeing the lorries and buses pass through the hills and it gave him a sense of belonging to a larger world.
(ii) Describe the statue of the horse.
Answer: The statue of the horse was nearly life-size. It was moulded out of clay, baked, burnt and brightly coloured. Beside the horse stood a warrior with scythe-like moustachios, bulging eyes and acquiline nose.
(iii) What did the image makers believe in ?
Answer: The image makers believed in indicating a man of strength by bulging out his eyes and sharpening his moustache tips, by decorating the man’s chest with beads.
(iv) What was the splendour of the horse ? Why did the people in the village not recognize it ?
Answer: The horse was as white as a dhobi-washed sheet and had had on its back a cover of pure brocade of red and black lace, matching the multi-coloured sash around the waist of the warrior. This was the splendour of the horse.
The people of the village never noticed the splendour of the statue and so never recognized it.
(v) How did the young village lads damage the things near the statue ?
Answer: The young village lads gashed tree trunks with knives and tried to topple off milestones and inscribed lewd designs on the walls.
5. Read the extract given below and answer the questions that follow :
“I am sure you know when this horse was made,” said the red man and smiled ingratiatingly.
Muni reacted to the relaxed atmosphere by smiling himself, and pleaded, “Please go away, sir, I know nothing. I promise we will hold him for you if we see any bad character around, and we will bury him up to his neck in a coconut pit if he tries to escape; but our village has always had a clean record. Must definitely be the other village.”
(i) What case does Muni refer to ? Why is he afraid to confront the American businessman ?
Answer: Muni refers to the case of murder that had taken place. He tells the American businessman that he knows nothing of the case. But the murderer would not be able to escape the law. He swears by God and says that he knows nothing about the murder.
He is afraid to confront the American businessman because he thought the American businessman to be either a policeman or a soldier.
(ii) Why did the foreigner nod his head to whatever Muni said about the murder ? What question does the foreigner ask Muni ?
Answer: Muni spoke in Tamil which the foreigner did not understand. So he nodded his head whatever Muni said about the murder.
The foreigner asks Muni if he knew when this horse was made.
(iii) What promise did Muni make to the foreigner with regard to the murder ? What did he tell him about his village ?
Answer: Muni promised the foreigner that if they found the murderer, they would hold him for him. They would bury him up to his neck in a coconut pit if he tried to escape. He told him that their village had clean record. The murderer must be from some other village.
(iv) Why are Muni and the American businessman unintelligible to each other ? What did Muni do to get out of this awkward situation ?
Answer: Muni, a south Indian Tamilian, speaks Tamil whereas the American businessman speaks English. They don’t understand each other’s language, and so they are unintelligible to each other.
Muni felt confused and tried to get away from this place. He said that he must go home and also turned to go. But the other man seized his shoulder.
(v) What difficulties did the American face while working in the Empire State Building last August ?
Answer: In the summer of last August, he was working in short sleeves in his office on the fortieth floor of the Empire State Building. There was a power failure that day. And he was stuck there for four hours because neither the elevator nor the air conditioning plant worked.
6. Read the extract given below and answer the questions that follow :
The old man now understood the reference to the horse, thought for a second, and said in his own language, “I was an urchin this high when I heard my grandfather explain this horse and warrior, and my grandfather himself was this high when he heard his grandfather, whose grandfather. …”
The other man interrupted him. “I don’t want to seem to have stopped here for nothing. I will offer you a good price for this,” he said, indicating the horse.
(i) How did Muni understand that the foreigner was making reference to the horse ?
Answer: The foreigner spoke English and tried to make Muni understand that he was referring to the horse, but Muni did not understand because he did not know English. So the foreigner almost pinioned Muni’s back to the statue and asked, “Isn’t this statue yours ? Why don’t you sell it to me ?” Muni now understood that he was making reference to the horse.
(ii) How did the American businessman conclude that Muni was the owner of the statue of the horse ?
Answer: The American businessman guessed that Muni was the owner of the statue of the horse by the way he sat on the pedestal of the statue of the horse.
(iii) How did Muni understand that the foreigner was talking about the horse ?
Answer: Muni followed the man’s eyes and pointed fingers towards the statue and then dimly understood that the foreigner was talking about the horse.
(iv) Why did Muni begin to talk about the horse enthusiastically ?
Answer: Muni felt relieved that the theme of the mutilated body had been abandoned. So, he began to talk about the horse enthusiastically.
(v) Why did the foreigner listen to the foreigner with fascination when he did not understand Muni’s language ?
Answer: Muni spoke Tamil in a stimulating manner and the foreigner listened to the sound of the language with fascination. He loved the sound of the language so much that he said, “Your language sounds wonderful.”
7. Answer the following questions with reference to R.K. Narayan’s short story entitled ‘A Horse and Two Goats’ :
The foreigner followed his look and decided that it would be a sound policy to show an interest in the old man’s pets. He went up casually to them and stroked their backs with every show of courteous attention. Now the truth dawned on Muni. His dream of a lifetime was about to be realised.
(i) What did Muni often dream of ?
Answer: Although Muni was extremely poor he often dreamt of big things. He had a craving of chew drumstick out of sauce.
(ii) How was the foreigner dressed ? Why did Muni feel the urge to run when he first laid eyes on him ? What stopped him from doing so ?
Answer: The foreigner was dressed in Khaki clothes. Evidently he looked like a policeman or a solider. Seeing the man dressed in Khaki, Muni mistook him for a policeman. He had an urge to run away. He feared lest the policeman should arrest him. His old age stopped him from running away.
(iii) Muni assumed that a recent incident had brought this visitor to his village. Give details of this incident.
Answer: A man had been murdered and his dead body was found mutilated and thrown under tamarind tree at the border between Kritam and Kuppam. This incident had take place a few weeks before.
(iv) What was the visitor actually interested in ? What did he offer Muni soon after they met ? Why did the offer surprise Muni ?
Answer: The visitor was actually interested in the statue of the horse. He offered Muni a cigrette. The offer surprised him because he had never been offered anything so respectfully.
(v) Which part of the story do you find most amusing ? Give reasons for your answer.
Answer: The visitor was actually interested in the statue of the horse. He offered Muni a cigarette. The offer surprised him because he had never been offered anything so respectfully.
A Horse and Two Goats Assignment
1. Read the extract given below and answer the questions that follow :
While he was brooding on this pleasant vision, the foreigner utilized the pause to say, “I assure you that this will have the best home in the U.S.A. I’ll push away the bookcase, you know I love books and am a member of five book clubs, and the choice and bonus volumes mount up to a pile really in our living room, as high as this horse itself.”
(i) How did the foreigner praise the horse ?
(ii) What did Muni say about the horse ?
(iii) What assurance did the foreigner give to Muni with regard to the horse ? What will he do to accommodate the horse in his house ?
(iv) What does Muni say about the pundit’s discourse in the temple about the horse ?
(v) What reply did the foreigner give to Muni when he was telling him about the pundit’s view about the horse ?
2. (a) What are Muni’s apprehensions about the American ? How does he react when the latter gives him his business card ?
(b) What do you know about the everyday life of Muni and his wife ? What impression do you form about them ?
(c) The story ‘A Horse and Two Goats’ reflects a clash between Indian culture and
American culture. Discuss with reference to the story.
Lorenzo and Jessica are seen sitting in Portia’s garden in Belmont. It is a moonlit night, and the lovers indulge in a sort of game by narrating the stories of lovers. Lorenzo refers to Troilus who came out on such a night to meet his beloved Cressida. Jessica refers to Thisbe who, on such a night, ran away in terror at the sight of a lion. Lorenzo talks of another lover, Dido, while Jessica talks of Medea and her lover and narrates how she restored to youth her old father-in-law Aeson. Lorenzo tells how on such a night Jessica eloped with her lover. Jessica, in jest, remarks that he took many false pledges of love for her. Lorenzo says that she has falsely accused him but he forgives her.
At that time Stephano comes to inform them that his mistress, Portia, will arrive here before day break. She is at present visiting holy places where she prays for happiness in her married life. When Stephano wants to know if Bassanio has arrived, Launcelot informs him that he has not arrived yet, but is likely to arrive soon.
Lorenzo asks Stephano to instruct the musicians to play music in order to accord a warm welcome to Portia. Lorenzo points out to Jessica the quietness of night. He admires the millions of beautiful stars that are revolving in their own orbits and producing wonderful music. Jessica says that she also feels enchanted by music. Lorenzo further remarks that one who does not love music is a dangerous person. He is capable of committing serious crimes.
Portia and Nerissa enter the house. Portia appreciates the candle light that is coming out of the hall. She remarks that just as a good deed spreads its fragrance all around, similarly, the candle spreads its light far into the darkness of the night. As the moon becomes visible in the absence of the sun, similarly, the king’s deputy becomes prominent in the absence of the king. Then Portia talks of the sweetness of music.
Portia learns from Lorenzo that Bassanio has not arrived yet. She asks Nerissa to tell the servants not to tell Bassanio that they have been absent from the home. Then Bassanio, Antonio and Gratiano arrive. Bassanio admires the beauty of Portia and says that he is feeling as if it were morning because of the presence of shining Portia. Bassanio introduces Antonio to Portia. Portia tells Bassanio that he should be grateful to his friend Antonio who helped him at the risk of his life.
Nerissa starts quarrelling with Gratiano for she does not find her ring on his finger. She alleges that he must have given it to some young woman. Gratiano tells her that he had to give it to the lawyer’s clerk. Portia tells Gratiano that he should not have parted with the ring. She remarks that Bassanio would never have done it. When Portia asks Bassanio about her ring, Bassanio replies that he, too, had to present it to the lawyer who had argued brilliantly to save the life of Antonio. He had initially refused to part with his ring, but, then on the advice of Antonio he had given it to the lawyer. But Portia refuses to believe the words of Bassanio. Like Nerissa, she, too, says that he must have given it to some other young woman.
When Portia and Bassanio, Nerissa and Gratiano begin to quarrel, Antonio intervenes and says that he is the cause of these quarrels. But Portia tells him that he should not feel upset about all this and he is welcome to her house. Bassanio asks for forgiveness from Portia and assures her that he will never commit such a mistake again. When Antonio stands surety for Bassanio, Portia at once gives a ring to Antonio and asks him to advise Bassanio not to part with this ring. Bassanio is pleasantly surprised to find that it is the same ring that he had given to the lawyer. Portia says that she had got this ring from the same lawyer. Nerissa, too, produces another ring and tells Gratiano that she had got it from the lawyer’s clerk.
Portia, then, explains everything to them. She says that she appeared as a lawyer and Nerissa appeared as a clerk. She tells them that she and Nerissa have just arrived from Venice. Portia, then, gives a letter to Antonio which carries good news. It says that all his missing ships have reached the harbour and there has been no loss. Nerissa at the same time gives the deed of gift of Shylock’s property to Jessica and Lorenzo. Gratiano says that he will always try to guard his ring all his life.
Merchant of Venice Act 5 Scene 1 Critical Commentary
In this scene, the first twenty lines are full of images of romantic beauty. In Shakespeare’s time, there was scarcity of movable scenery, so he made use of his poetry in order to create a beautiful scene of moonlit night. The beautiful passage on the power of music is lyrical in nature. This scene is known for its poetic beauty.
This scene presents an atmosphere of lightness and joy. The play ends on a happy note. We find the happy union of the lovers and there is no shadow of Shylock.
Significance of the Scene
It is a romantic scene. It also provides comic relief.
The ring story provides some laughter.
With the news of Antonio’s ships, the play ends on a happy note.
Some critics regard the scene as superfluous, but they forget that the play has four sub-stories. This scene is essential to unite all threads satisfactorily.
Merchant of Venice Act 5 Scene 1 Glossary
Lines 1-30
mounted : climbed
soul : signs of love
Cressid : Cressida
o’ertrip the dew : across the dewy grass
waft her love : sighed to her lover
renew : made young
un thrift : thriftless
swear : declare
shrew : scolding woman
out-night : tire (you) out in this competition
hark : listen
footing : footsteps
Lines 31-60
wedlock hours : married life
hermit : priest
caremoniously : formally
Sola : Hello
post : messenger
signify : declare
Lines 61-100
creep in : fall upon
patines : plates
orb : star
quiring : singing as in a choir
cherubins : angels
muddy vesture of decay : body of perishable flesh
wanton herd : mischievous group
feign : imagine
stratagems and spoils : plots and thefts
naughty : wicked
Lines 101-150
goose : common bird
season : right time
season’d : improved
speed : prosper
tucket : trumpet
tell-tales : informers
Antipodes : people living in the other part of the globe
heavy : sad
bound : obliged
Lines 151-200
scant : cease to express
courtesy : polite words
cutler’s poetry : poems engraved on cutlery
vehement : strong
riveted : fastened
Lines 201-260
void : empty
conceive : think
contain : preserve
civil doctor : doctor of law
besmear : disgrace
well advised : think properly
double self : duality
of credit : believable
Lines 261-310 :
lend : pledge
wealth : welfare
mending : repairing
unseal : open
come to road : reached the harbour safely
comforts : news
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 Summary
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
The poet compares his idle wandering to that of a cloud over hills and valleys.
Then he compares the beauty of the daffodils with that of the twinkling stars in the sky.
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.
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.
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 Summary
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.
