Note : These answers are put here to help you 1) understand the text and (2) how to answer the questions asked.Always encouraging you to try writing answers on your own.
Brainstorming
( kindly refer to your std. 12th English coursebook/textbook for questions , page 95 to 98 )
A1)
i) Pick out lines showing that the poet is prepared to enjoy every moment of his journey.
Ans.
1) Afoot and light hearted i take to the open road
2) The long brown path before me leading wherever i choose.
3) Strong and content i travel the open road.
4) Henceforth i whimper no more..
ii) By “old delicious burdens” the poet means...
Ans. Sweet memories of the past
iii) The poet is a person who is free from all inhibitions. Discuss how the concept of “freedom” is expressed in the poem..
Ans. The theme of the poem is freedom and the joys it brings. The poet considers himself free and also considers that nothing can restrict him, not even his own doubts , problems and hesitations. He feels happy to be “ light hearted” and does not ask or pray for “good fortune" because he knows he can write his own destiny. He has no doubts and confusion in his mind and is ready to follow the road to his dream/destination.He also encourages his readers to free themselves from all their attachments and to come out of their comfort zones and walk on the open road which means the road of life.
A2)
i) Following are the activities of the poet related to his journey... ( page 98 )
Note : Make two columns
A ) Activities the poet will practise
e) Carrying the fond memories of the good people
g) Striving to achieve high and bright success
h) Reflecting and developing his own “ self"
B) Activities the poet will not practise
a) Walking along the road though he does not know where it reaches
b) Complaining about the discomforts during the journey
c) Postponing the journey
d) Praying for good fortune
f) Creating contacts with famous and influential people
ii) Write down the traits the poet exhibits through following lines....page 96
Ans.
a) Henceforth , i ask.......... : Self confidence
b) Henceforth, i whimper no more.... : positive/free/determined/grateful
c) I do not want the constellations.... : Independent / Self sufficient / self reliant
d) I swear it is impossible..... : Acceptance / Clear thinking /practical
e) I am filled with them.... : honest / acceptance
iii) “ Healthy , free , the world before me.” Express your views regarding....page 96
Ans. The poet Walt Whitman is about to set out on life’s journey. While talking about the journey , he talks about himself as “ healthy" and “free" because he feels light hearted. He feels strong enough to meet any challenges he may have to face on the way. He says he is free to choose the path he is going to take as the entire world is open before his eyes and he sees the world too free of all biases and that the world has ample opportunities for him.All he needs to do is take a step forward. He is taking on the journey very positively and is trying to tell and encourage the readers how joyous it is to travel on the open road as it's full of zillion opportunities for all alike.
A3) The poet has used many describing words.....page 96
Ans.
A) For the world : Sufficient , querulous
B) For himself : Free , light hearted , healthy , strong , content
C) For the road : open , long , brown
A4)
i)Paradox : A figure of speech which contains opposite ideas that seem absurd or unlikely , although they may be true.
Examples :
1) “ Old delicious burden”
2) “We celebrate the virtues and vices “
3) “ Failures are the stepping stones to success”
ii) The road in the poem does not mean.....page 97
Ans. In the poem , the road to travel is indirectly compared with road of life. Hence , the figure of speech used is “ metaphor". Just the way , in a journey or for a trip , we plan the destination , mode of travel , hope to enjoy the trip , meet new people , may face few challenges and difficulties and once we are back to our routine life we cherish those memories of our trip , in the same way , life is a long journey too where we have our family and friends. We are unaware about uncertainties. We work hard , we get success and face failures and life goes on. In both , a trip or life , what matters is the positive attitude and flexible mind-set. If we have belief in ourselves, we can face any difficulty. Also , the road in the poem represents equality, symbolises freedom and opportunity for all , progress and the open road propagates democratic values too.
iii) Free verse :
what is free verse ?
A poetry that does not rhyme or have a regular rhythm. It is a Literary device which is free from limitations of regular metre or rhythm, does not rhyme with fixed forms and still provides an artistic expression.
Why does the poet use it ?
The poet uses free verse so that he can give the poem his own shape as he desires and can use various poetic devices to create the effect he considers suitable for his poem.
It also gives him greater freedom to choose his words and convey their meanings to readers. It is free from artificiality of a typical poetic expression and this technique of writing in free verse is commonly used in modern poetry.
Difference between Free verse and Blank verse :
Free verse requires no metre , rhythm or traditional poetic techniques.
Blank verse is written with regular metrical but unrhymed lines. It is described as the most common form of English poetry which has been influential since the 16th century.
iv) There are certain words that are repeated....page 97
Ans. The repetition of expressions ‘ no more', ‘ open road ‘ , ‘good fortune ‘ , ‘i carry', ‘ henceforth' depicts a kind of intensity and determination to handle things in life. The poet has chosen to walk on the open road which symbolizes mobility which means that he will keep moving ahead on the road of life no matter how many challenges he faces. He is aware about his burdens as he honestly says it's impossible to get rid of them and instead of worrying about them , he has chosen to carry them along so that he can handle them gracefully as and when they pop their heads up. These repeated expressions show how clear and firm the poet is about his decision to walk on the open road.
v) The use of personal pronoun “ I” Is evident......page 97
Ans. The personal pronoun “ I" has been repeated umpteen times in the poem. It has a universal appeal , in a way that whoever reads the poem can feel connected to it on personal level. Also , it shows us how the poet is fully in charge of his life , his destiny , his actions , decisions and consequences. It also shows his confidence on self and his ability to take his life forward Independently and how he does not need any good fortune as he himself is good fortune. It also shows how the poet is teaching us to be the anchors of our own ships.
A5) i) With the help of the following points.... poetic appreciation.... page 97
Ans. Appreciation of the poem “Song of the Open Road"
1) About the poem: “ The Song of the Open Road “ by American poet Walt Whitman which is included in his collection of poems “Leaves of grass" is an inspirational poem which talks about optimism , freedom , self love and having belief in oneself. The poet / speaker is starting a new journey on an open road and he feels healthy , free and confident as he can choose to go wherever he wishes to. He is done with his routine life and is willing to explore new things and gain new experiences.
2) The Theme : The theme of the poem is freedom , optimism, self love and above all joy of taking on the journey. Throughout the poem , the poet encourages his readers to break away from everything that stops them from being free and that they must believe in themselves. His aim is to make readers stress free from the wordly burdens as he believes those can be handled even while travelling.
3) Poetic Style : The poem is a dramatic monologue. The poet has used free verse so that he does not have to worry about rhyming or any metrical patterns and can pour out his heart without any restrictions. His style of writing is as free as his attitude towards life is and free verse has actually helped him to connect with his readers in a way that is familiar to them.
4) The Language/poetic devices used in the poem : The language used in the poem is very simple and lucid. The use of personal pronoun “ I” is very prominent in this poem to stress on importance of self belief , self motivation , freedom from stresses of life , etc. The poet has used repetition to make his readers understand how important it is to take up the journey and travel on the open road. He also uses metaphor to draw indirect comparison between road to travel and road of life and how it symbolizes equality , opportunity and progress.
5) Special feature : One special feature of the poem is the addition of last four lines as parentheses , that is putting them in brackets as if they have suddenly come to his mind and he is taking his readers aside and taking them in confidence and speaking.
6) Message, Values, Morals in the poem : The poem gives an important message to readers that they should be open to move on and enjoy the journey of life , how they should be bold and also be satisfied with whatever they have. It teaches the importance of being free , having faith on our wings and how it is possible to be happy in spite of having worries , as those worries can be handled anytime and anywhere.
7) Your opinion about the poem : It is a beautiful poem which inspires us to explore the world and our life by using our abilities. It also teaches that one should not stop making progress due to criticisms and complaints of the world.
