4.2. To Sir , With Love (Std. XII)

Note :

1. These answers are provided only for reference purpose. Students are always encouraged to try writing their own answers.

Brainstorming - Starting from page 185

Character

A1.i.Which one among the following.....

Ans. Dale Evans

Lines to support the answer :

1. The names were called : Mr. Weston , Mrs. Dale Evans , Miss Phillips

2. Mr. Weston, Mrs. Dale Evans and Miss Phillips are chosen at random to answer students' questions arising from the senior presentations.

ii. Complete the table highlighting...

1. Denham : Intelligent , confident , bold , courteous, assertive , critical , etc.

2. Miss Phillips : best informed , cool , calm , wise , persuasive, etc.

3. Fernman : Innovative, confident, dramatic , precise , clear , etc.

4. Potter : knowledgeable, smart, clear , precise , etc.

iii. The narrator played a crucial role.....

Ans. When Mr. Braithwaite joins the school as a teacher for the senior class of Greenslade School , he meets with a bunch of disrespectful, ill mannered and mischievous students who harass and bulky him. No just boys but even girls leave no chance to trouble him which makes him really angry. But very soon he realizes that his outburst will not help him in anyway hence he change his teaching techniques and brings in new ideas to excite his students mind. He starts giving them respect and treats them as though they are adults and respectable persons. He requires every girl be referred to as "Miss" and that his students call him "Sir". At first , students fail to understand the kind of respect Mr. Braithwaite gives them but they come around only a few weeks, completely changing both their hygiene and attitudes towards one another. The half yearly report of students council proves to be the best day to understand how much these students have progressed and the narrator is so proud to see his students doing so well.

Two lines which prove that he brought a significant change in his students are :

1. "It was entirely their day,..... controlled by them." It proves how responsible his students had become.

2. I felt terribly pleased...."Miss" in addressing each of...." it proves the narrator's positive influence on his students.

iv. Fernman brought a comic....

Ans.  Fernman being a very innovative student came up with an idea to explain how he learned the principle of equality. He signaled two of his classmates Welsh and Alison and they brought on stage a skeleton hanging between them , together with a sort of gallows. Once the arrangement was set up , there was a skeleton hanging from a hook screwed into top of its skull,  gently revolving at the end of the cord. This made everybody present there laugh uproariously. Hence Ferman brought some comic relief in the Students' Council programme.

v. Give a brief character-sketch of...

Ans.

A. Denham : He was one of the two senior most students who was also an important official for the half yearly report of students' council. He was polite , courteous , assertive and critical. He spoke on the subject of P.T. and Sports and criticized it severely. When he was to call girls on stage , he very courteously adds "Miss" before their names. He speaks confidently and critically and is argumentative and is looked up to by all boys of his class who cheer for him when he says that P.T. subject is ill conceived and pointless, he is also the one who politely and with a great sporting spirit accepts his defeat when Miss Phillips outwits him.

B. Miss Joseph : She was one of the two senior most students and also an important official for the half yearly report of students' council. She was well informed, intelligent and dedicated towards the work that was assigned to her. She spoke on the subject Domestic Science. After the speech of Mr. Florian - the headmaster of the school , she comes on stage to give a short explanation of the Council's purpose and it's activities. When the turn of her class comes to make presentations she comes and gives a short address telling that their lessons had a particular bias towards the brotherhood of mankind.

C. The Narrator : The Narrator of " To Sir , with Love" Mr. Ricky Braithwaite was an engineer who worked in an oil refinery and also served British Royal Airforce during the war. He was very sensitive person who was a victim of racial discrimination. He feels very upset over the kind of treatment he gets because of his skin color. Nevertheless, to meet both ends , he accepts the job of a teacher at Greenslade School in East End London but his teaching profession starts quite roughly as his students trouble him a lot. They harass and bully him. Initially he gets very upset with his students but slowly understands they need to be dealt with love and respect. Though his class is difficult to manage,  he never gives up ,brings up novel innovative techniques to his class and is very patient. Once his students come around and start behaving nicely , he takes them out to theatres and excursions and ultimately succeeds in bringing a positive change in his students attitudes and hygiene purely with his passion and patience. When his students speak on the day of Students' Council meeting , he feels extremely proud to witness their progress.

D. Miss Dare :  Miss Dare , one of the students of the senior class spoke on the subject of Physiology. She was great at understanding things quickly and adapting to a particular situation pretty fast. She comes after Fernman to speak on physiology and her contribution turns out to be anti climax after Ferman's performance and she quickly realizes that. She is very straightforward and insightful and highlights the problems which all humanity has to face in terms of sickness and disease and very smartly and convincingly talks about advantages gained by interchange of knowledge,  advice and assistance.

E. Miss Phillips : She was one of the teachers at Greenslade School with baby blue eyes and someone who seemed frilly and brainless to eyes but in fact was the coolest and best informed teacher. She was chosen randomly to answer students questions arising from the students council's report and  she dealt with every question very politely but with great candour and authority and she would , very firmly and skillfully , intervene to assist one of the others without causing embarrassment. She was completely in control of the situation when question answer session was going on and with her logical and reasoning argument and her delightful personality she convinces Denham and everyone else why P.T. and Games subject was very important for all students.

vi. Compare the following....

Ans. 

1. Miss Joseph and Denham :

Both Denham and Miss Joseph belonged to senior class of Greenslade School and were the  two important officials for the half yearly programme of the students' council. They both were quite  efficient,  dedicated and hardworking. Miss joseph is well informed and organized and she spoke on the subject of Domestic Science and is very clear and well prepared. She briefs students about the purpose of students' council's purpose and it's activities. On the other hand Denham speaks on the subject of P.T. and Games and criticizes it severely and is critical , assertive but polite and courteous at the same time. He was also not the one who can be put off easily but when outwitted, he was also the one who accepts his defeat gracefully.

2. Fernman and Miss Dare :

Both Fernman and Miss Dare belonged to senior class of Greenslade School. They both discussed the subject physiology. If Fernman is innovative and has good sense of dramatics then Miss Dare knows how to stand out in the most sensible and reasonable way. Fernman talks about equality and how all humans has same blueprints but different trimmings and proves his point with help of a skeleton.

Miss Dare, on the other hand talks about how humanity has to face sickness , disease, etc. but adds that how with interchange of knowledge, advice and assistance it all can be dealt with successfully.

3. Miss Phillips and Denham :

Miss Phillips is a teacher at Greenslade School who was one of the three teachers who were chosen randomly to answer students questions of the day of half yearly report of students' council's programme. Whereas , Denham is one of the senior most students of the school who was also an important official for the students' council's programme on 15th November. Miss Phillips is a very well informed and polite teacher who speaks with great candour and authority and got really good persuasive skills. She speaks in support of having P.T. Classes and gives convincing arguments and finally succeeds in clearly putting her points across and thereby outwitting Denham. On the other hand Denham who is polite and courteous but also very confident, outspoken and assertive is not someone who can be put of easily until he is convinced. He is against having P.T. and Games subject and says that the subject is ill conceived and pointless. He very reasonably and confidently argues with miss Phillips but in the end when she finally outwits him , he gracefully accepts his defeat.

4. Narrator and the Head of the school :

The narrator Mr. Ricky Braithwaite was an engineer by profession but had to take up a job of a school teacher at Greenslade School to meet both ends. He was the victim of racial discrimination. He becomes very upset when his students harass and bully him but soon realizes that they can be delay with love and respect and hence starts using new methodologies and innovative techniques to win over his students and he succeeds too. He is a typical teacher who loves his students dearly and he sits anxiously when his students’ turn comes to make their presentation on the day of students' council's programme and he feels very proud of their achievements.

Mr. Florian on the other hand is the headmaster of the school who is very actively involved in all affairs of school and has good experience on how to run the school , encourage students and also keeps them rooted and motivated so that they gain more and more of knowledge. He is not remote from his school and his remarks show that he identified himself with the school and everyone in it. He gives praises to students wherever it was indicated but also insists , like a true leader , that there was a lot that students need to learn.

PLOT 

A2.i. Arrange the incidents...

Ans.

i.g) Students' Council was held every on November 15th.

ii.f) Denham called out the names of the representatives.

iii.e) Fernman was as usual a trump card.

iv.d) The slips were folded and placed in a hat.

v.c) Denham asserted that P.T. periods were a waste of time.

vi.a) Denham was outwitted by Miss Phillips.

vii.b) The head of school closed the proceedings.

ii) Describe in brief the purpose...

Ans. The half yearly report of students' council programme was an important event in the calendar of Greenslade School. The main purpose of organizing the programme was to analyse the academic progress of the students. The students were given a chance to represent their respective classes and speak on what they have understood rather than what they were expected to learn.It was also to check if there was any marked development in students' ability to express. Another important aspect of the report was the panel discussion where teachers were selected randomly to answer students questions arising from the reports thereby giving students complete freedom to frame and ask questions. In addition to this , the programme also provided the students a platform to showcase their skills and talent and become active participants in the teaching learning process. It also helped them boost their confidence and voice their opinions and raise their concerns.

iii. Write in your words....

Ans.  The half yearly report of the students' council which took place of November 15th was an important even in the calendar of Greenslade School and it was entirely arranged and presented by students.The programme begins with Ms. Florian , the headmaster of the school addressing the students. He outlines  the aim and policies of of the school. His speech was lengthy but very well received by the students.Following this , Miss Joseph comes and briefs everyone about the purpose and activities of the Students' Council. After this , students , starting from lowest class to the highest come and report to the faculty and other students on what they have studied during the semester which started after Easter. Students , specially of senior class speak very confidently which makes the narrator feel very proud.Once the presentations were over , teachers were chosen randomly to answer students' questions arising from the reports.Teachers were given no briefing and we're often caught stammering.From senior class , Denham and Fernman ask quite adroit and tough questions and this irks Mr. Weston. But Miss Phillips , a seemingly brainless and frilly teacher emerges as someone who has great knowledge and she  speaks with candour and authority. She handles all questions quite gracefully and answers convincingly and in the end outwits Denham. Once the session is over , the head comes on stage to close the proceedings.

iv. Describe the question-answer....

Ans.  The question-answer session was an important feature of the half yearly report of students' council.Mr. Weston , Mrs. Dale Evans and Miss Phillips were chosen randomly to answer students questions arising from the reports.The questions asked were mostly from top 2 classes for the lower classes were new to frame their own questions and were hesitant to ask questions. The teachers had no briefings hence they were often caught stammering in their indecision.But Miss Phillips , among the three teachers , turns out to be the coolest and best informed tecaher.When Denham persues his inquiry,  Mr. Weston responds quite ridiculously, trying to bluster  his way out of the subject and provides no coherent argument but Miss Phillips skillfully intervenes and answers with great authority. Denham argues with her that P.T. classes should be arranged for students who are in need of it and that some boys and Denham should be given permission to play some jolly game. To this , Miss Phillips replies smartly and outwits him by saying that P.T. classes are kept not just for their physical training but also mental so that they learn early how sometimes in life they will have to do things which they don't like. This answer gains a lot of applause for Miss Phillips and Denham accepts his defeat gracefully and the session ends.

v. Describe the discussion that took place between Miss Phillips and Denham.

Ans. Miss Phillips was one of the three teachers who was randomly chosen to answer students' questions arising from students' reports. Being a trained boxer , Denham asks tough questions and questions the need of having P.T. and Games subject. He says that the subject is ill conceived and pointless and also school has very less space and resources. Hearing this , Miss Phillips responds by saying that though the school has limited resources , the goal was to have a timetable that ensured maximum benefit for maximum students. Denham argues back by adding that the students who need 20 minutes twice a week of P.T. subject can be given that and other boys including him should be allowed to play some other game of their choice. Miss Phillips goes right back at him and says that P.T. and Games classes are not just to pay attention to students physical health but also mental and it was a training for also those students who should learn that in the world outside the school , there will come times when they will have to do the work even if they are not willing to do it. This stops Denham and he gracefully accepts his defeat and Miss Phillips turns out to be the best informed teacher.

SETTING

A3.i. Which event took place....

Ans.

c. Half yearly report of students' council on November 15th.

Line to support the answer : "The half yearly report.......on November 15th....one of the..... Greenslade school." - page 181

ii. The event in the extract.....

Ans.

b. auditorium of the school.

Line to support the answer :

"A bell was rung..... everyone trooped into the auditorium... together in classess." - page 181

iii. The incidents in the extract occurred...

Ans. The incidents in the extract occurred in the auditorium of Greenslade school in presence of the head Mr. Florian.As the major theme of the extract is students-teacher relationship, this setting fits perfectly.The auditorium holds great importance for all students.They come on stage one after another and present their reports quite confidently , raise their concers and ask smart questions, specially the senior class students which makes the narrator Mr. Braithwaite very proud. It shows that the programme was serious and formal with a formal atmosphere and it becomes very clear that the students had made considerable progress. This particular setting makes everyone aware that the students have changed for the best and it also gives them a chance to showcase the talent they possess and the confidence they gained. It helps them step out of their comfort zone and take the centre stage and manage everything on their own. They also learn to be independent individuals.

iv. Explain how the setting of the extract....

Ans. The given extract is set in the auditorium of Greenslade School and the main theme of the extract is Students-teacher relationship.But the main theme of the novel is racism and prejudice along with students- teacher relationship. The extract begins when the bell rings and all students troop in and sit together as a class forgetting all their differences and with a feeling of unity which proves the fact that they rejected racism. Also , the place that is East End in London rejects the narrator for being a black man and the same place also rejects the students for being mischievous and ill mannered. Both being rejected from society come together and learn from each other and become better with each passing days. Though the teacher and his students initially struggle a lot to help well but slowly they comes around and students understand how their teacher Mr. Braithwaite is trying to bring in them a positive change. Slowly they change and this explains quite nicely the students-teacher relationship as one of the main themes. Hence this setting which is the auditorium of the school contributes greatly to the themes of novel that are racism , prejudice and students-teacher relationship and without this setting it wouldn't have been possible to bring out these themes so effectively.

THEME

A4.i. "When the turn of my class......

Ans. The narrator Ricky Braithwaite , an engineer by profession takes up the job of a teacher at Greenslade School to meet both ends but as soon as he joins the school , he finds it really tough to deal with his class. The entire class is full of  notorious and disrespectful students who harass him and trouble him but he changes his techniques of teaching and showers on them love and respect. He wants them to succeed in life and when students understand his intentions, they also start to learn with interest and their behaviors and attitudes change. He becomes quite satisfied and happy to see his students and on the day when half yearly report of students' council programme takes , he eagerly waits for his students' turn. When their turn comes, he sits up anxiously like a typical teacher who is very proud of his students but wants to see if they are able to express themselves and how much they have understood from what was taught to them. The lines from the extract to support that he was anxious but proud of his students this are :

i. I had heard a great....noting with pride...neat programme."

ii. I felt terribly pleased and proud.... Denham used the term "Miss".......

iii. When the turn..... anxiously....

ii. Select two statements.....

Ans.

b. The writer was immensely pleased to notice the progress of his students.

c. The students showed a remarkable change in their behavior and were progressing in all the subjects.

iii. The relationship between the teacher.....

Ans. The Narrator Ricky Braithwaite joins Greenslade School as a teacher of the senior class and initially faces a lot of obstacles as his students are notorious and disresptful but when he changes his ways and gives them love and respect,  they start changing their ways and behaviour proving that it is very important to have a healthy , loving bond between the teacher and his students if the teacher wishes to change their bad behaviour or to teach them values. This bond between Braithwaite and his students transcends traditional social boundaries between teachers and students.When Fernman presents his report impressively with help of a skeleton, the narrator is extremely proud of him and praises Fernman by saying that he had all people eating from his hand. When Denham questions his teachers , the narrator feels happy to see how confidently he asks questions.We also see how healthy is the bond which students share with even other teachers. They are given freedom to ask teachers certain questions and teachers also oblige politely.Students are fearless and honest in asking questions and so are the teachers.

Examples from the extract to support the answer :

i. "I felt terribly pleased and proud....."

ii. "Fernman was wonderful; he had them....."

iii. "Denham was not to be put off....."

iv. Explain in brief the theme....

Ans. The theme of the extract is students-teacher relationship.It depicts the bitter-sweet bond between Ricky Braithwaite and his students and how initially his students trouble him but when he changes his ways of teaching and bring in novel ideas aalomg with treating them like adults and giving them respect , they start listening to him and learning from him. The improvement in the conduct of the students , their behaviour and increase in their confidence and courtesy is highlighted during the half yearly report of students' council. The extract also highlights the freedom with which students ask questions to their teachers and also proves that even teachers encourage students to come up with their queries and feel proud of each student's progress. The themese also is explained beautifully when we see students respecting their teachers and once convinced about something, gracefully accept what teachers say.

v. Describe the atmosphere...

Ans. Before the commencement of the half yearly report of students' council, the atmosphere of the school described in the extract was full of excitement as the students were running around to prepare for the programme as it was entirely planned and arranged by them. There were whispered conferences happening and the narrator was noting with pride how his students were working in a business like way. On the day of the programme which was held of November 15th , the atmosphere was yet again full of excitement but also had a very formal feel to it with all classes and even the head sitting in the auditorium to witness all class respresentatives coming and presenting their reports. It was also quite a democratic kind of atmosphere where students were allowed to question their teachers and teachers were bound to answer. There is also some fun element when Fernman brings on stage a skeleton to explain his topic which makes everyone laugh uproariously and there is a slight tensed situation too when during the question answer session Denham asks tough questions and Mr. Weston tries to bluster his way out by providing no coherent argument. Overall the atmosphere of the school was a mixed of everything from some excitement to nervousness and some fun to seriousness.

LANGUAGE

A5.i. Explain the following statements....

A. Miss Phillips is transformed....

Ans. Miss Euphema Phillips initially considered as “frilly and brainless” lady turns out to be “the best informed of the three teachers on the stage.”She very skillfully intervenes to rescue the other two teachers without causing them embarrassment and very coolly and with authority convinces Denham that P.T. nd Games subject was important.She tells Denham that doing what one was told inspite of not liking it , is a part of the training and in this way Miss Phillips who is taken as someone who is " silly innocent looking puss" and "slight creature" which means she seems very timid and hesitant is effectively transformed from seemingly brainless lady to a very convincing personality at the end.

B. There are many features of language...

Ans.  True. The rich words used by the narrator contribute greatly to the smooth sailing of the plot and makes novel a good read for the readers. Expressions like “ When the turn of my class came i sat up anxiously.” , “ the school showed its approval by laughing uproariously” , “Fernman had them eating out of it hand.”, "Miss Phillips spoke with candour and authority" , "Miss Phillips, a seemingly brainless and frilly lady" , etc.beautify the language and invite reader’s undivided attention.Also , appropriate usage and careful selection of words give readers a better idea about the situation. Hence , all of these expressions and language features contribute greatly to the smooth sailing of the plot.

ii. Following are some dialogues.....

A. " Then why do we have to......"

Ans. The speaker here is Denham. His tone is argumentative , blunt and critical as he responds back to Miss Phillips' defence of P.T. and games classes. He argues that he is a trained boxer and many boys like him find this subject I'll conceived and pointless and that P.T. twice a week for 20 minutes doesn't make any sense and that those students who get benefit out of the 20 minutes should be told to do P.T. and He along with some more boys should be allowed to play some other jolly game.The importance of this dialogue is that it shows readers how students at Greenslade School were given freedom to ask teachers questions and raise their concerns and also shows through Miss Phillips' convincing answers that even teachers were good at dealing with students' concerns. This dialogue also make readers aware about how confident and bold the character of Denham was.

B. " Let's say it is......"

Ans. The above line is spoken by Miss Phillips in response to Denham's argument against the need of P.T. and Games classes.Her tone is quite gentle but firm.She tells Denham that the whole timetable of school is designed to help students in the world after they leave school and doing what was told inspite of not liking it , is a part of the training which they have designed for all the students.This piece of advice is not meant just for Denham but all other students and even readers and hence this dialogue is quite significant.

Drama - Std XI - English

NOTE/IMPORTANT: 

These are just samples of how the answers to this section of Drama can be answered. This can be used as a reference and students are encouraged to make their own answeres.

Activities based on " The Rising of the Moon"

i. Charactersketch

A. The man (in disguise)

Ans.The man in disguise/escaped rebel in "The Rising of the Moon" introduces himself to Sergeant as Jimmy Walsh - a poor singer who makes a living by selling Ballads.

In reality,  he is a freedom fighter fighting to free his country from the clutches of British rule. Through the stories about him , it is revealed that he is very brave ( There isn't a man in Ireland...) , smart ( And maybe you're watchin...." , dangerous and intelligent as he very easily fools the Sergeant. In the end he surprises the audience by not using his combat skills to deal with the Sergeant.

B. Sergeant

Ans. The Sergeant in "The Rising of the Moon" is a major and complex character. He dominates the story and is a loyal and dutiful  British officer who is an ordinary man looking forward to his promotion but surprises the audience with his bravery and patriotism when he decides to let the man in disguise escape at the cost of a great sacrifice on his part. He is a true patriot who is torn between his duty and loyalty towards foreign rule and his love for the nation and in the end he chooses his nation proving how bold he was.

ii. Explain the dialogue "Well. I will go. It's the poor...."

Ans. The man in the one act play " The Rising of the Moon" is quite intelligent, persuasive and determined. This dialogue is uttered by the man when the sergeant fails his repeated attempts to go towards the stairs. He does not give up and uses various tactics to influence and convince the sergeant. As he tries to sneak past the Sergeant, the Sergeant stops him and in order to gain the sympathy of the Sergeant, he states how hard it is to be poor and how society treats poor and how the Sergeant stopped him only because he is a poor ballad singer. But to his utter dismay, the Sergeant remains unfazed and strictly asks the man to leave.

iii. The Sergeant refers himself as a fool...give reasons.

Ans. After letting the man in disguise escape who the Sergeant could have easily caught and then got promoted , the Sergeant calls himself a fool knowing he could have got a huge reward for arresting the man in disguise/escaped prisoner. But this dialogue has more depth to it as the Sergeant involves the readers and asks them if they really think he was a fool which the readers definitely know that he wasn't. The readers applaud the brave move of the Sergeant as he chooses to help his nation over his duty towards a foreign rule.

iv. Justify that the title " The Rising of the Moon" has a symbolic meaning keeping in mind the setting of the play.

Ans. Lady Gregory's "The Rising of the Moon" takes it's title from a popular Irish rebel song of the same name. The song was a call to the Irish people to rise up against oppression. Hence the song compares the rising of the people to the rising of the moon. It denotes how light (freedom for Irish People)  will shine upon and darkness ( Oppression will end) will go away.By giving this name to her play , Lady Gregory hopes for the freedom of Ireland from British rule.

V. Explain the dialogue.." I am friend of Granuaile.....a hundred pounds on my head."

Ans. In Lady Gregory's "The Rising of the Moon," an important dialogue unfolds as the Man, also referred to as the rebel, reveals his true identity to the sergeant. This dialogue, spoken by the Man to the sergeant, boldly admits to being the person the Sergeant was waiting to arrest that night, bringing a crucial plot twist.With this revelation, the tension escalates, and the play moves toward its climax.When the Sergeant goes in self denial mode after getting to know about the real identity of the Man , the Man , through this dialogue reaffirms that he is the same person the Sergeant was waiting to arrest and adds he is a friend of Granuaile and is fighting for the freedom of his country.This masterful storytelling showcases Gregory's skill in crafting suspenseful drama, keeping audiences engaged and invested in the outcome.

C. Activities based on " A Midsummer Night's Dream"

i. " A Midsummer Night's Dream" - a comedy of errors.

Ans. Comedy of errors refers to a series of ridiculous events that are result of either mistaken identities or the mistakes made by foolish people and William Shakespeare's Midsummer Night's dream is a perfect example of it. In act 3 , scene 2 , when Puck mistakenly pours the love potion on Lysander taking him as Demetrius,  it is a comedy of error as it creates trouble for all four humans in the woods that are - Lysander , Demetrius , Hermia and Helena. The second comedy of errors is the Queen of Fairies Titania falling in love with an ass , Bottom because Puck transforms Bottom's head into that of an ass and it's really funny to see Titania fall for an ass-headed human as she was under the influence of love potion which is applied on her eyes by Oberon - the King of fairies to teach her a lesson. All this confusion where Titania falls in love with an ass , the workmen being scared after witnessing Bottom with a donkey head , Helena's assumption that both Demetrius and Lysander are trying to mock her and Hermia's accusation that Helena stole Lysander are a result of the comedy of errors that are caused due to Oberon and Puck's mischief.

ii. Explain the following in brief.

A. The role of the magic potion -

The magic potion is extracted by Puck ( on instructions of Oberon) from some flower. This potion creates confusion between the lovers and paves way to some hilarious situations in Act III , scene II. Oberon uses this potion on the eyelids of his wife to make her fall in love with the first person she sees so that she forgets the boy and Oberon can take him away. The same magic potion is smeared on the eyes of Lysander by Puck who thinks he is Demetrius. This leads to Lysander falling in love with Helena because she is the first person he sees once he wakes up. This leads to all four lovers terribly fighting with each other

B. The role of the Indian Boy - The Indian boy is the reason of conflict between Oberon and Titania. He is the son of queen Titania's best friend who died while giving birth to the boy. Titania promises her that she would take care of the boy and she showers all her motherly love on the boy. This irks Oberon who feels jealous due to such outpouring of love on the boy by his queen and also he wants the boy to be his attendant but Titania refuses to give him the boy. This leads to aajor fight between Oberon and Titania and using his power , Oberon somehow snatches the Indian Boy from Titania.

iii. Explain the dialogue " I scorn you not. It seems....."

Ans. This dialogue in " A Midsummer Night's Dream" is uttered by Hermia to Helena. Hearing Helena accusing Hermia for betraying her and not even keeping in mind their childhood friendship , Hermia is shocked that Helena thinks she's been betrayed. Hermia rebukes Helena and infact tells that Helena must be the one doing the teasing and betraying and mistreating her and not the other way round.

iv. Draw a charactersketch of Oberon as an enemy of his wife.......

Ans. Oberon is the king of fairies who is an authoritative figure. When he sees his wife's love towards the Indian boy whom she is raising, he becomes jealous and wants Titania ' his queen , to give the boy to him so that he can make the boy his attendant. Titania refuses to give the boy to Oberon and it leaves Oberon angry and a fight erupts between Oberon and Titania that leads to Oberon devising a devilish plan of pouring a love potion on the eyelids of his wife so that she falls in love with the first person she sees and forgets the Indian boy and Oberon then can take him away. To satisfy his ego to have whatever he wishes to , he misuses his power and when his wife falls in love with an ass headed person , instead of rectifying his mistake , he feels amused and this shows Oberon's bad side that he won't even spare his wife if she disobeys him. Though Oberon is unkind towards his wife for his own selfish motives , he also has a kind and loving side. When he witnesses Demetrius mistreating Helena in the forest , he decides to make Demetrius fall in love with Helena. He wants Helena to be loved equally as she does to Demetrius. Also , when Oberon realises that Puck has made an error and has poured the potion on the eyes wrong man , he decides to make everything right for the lovers and with help of Puck ensures that the lovers end up being together with each other. This proves that though Oberon became an enemy of his wife due to his jealousy , he was all for love.

The Sower ( 11th Std )

Note : 

1. The answers shared here are just for reference purpose. You all are encouraged to try writing your own answers.

2. Refer page 73 and 74 of std XI Textbook for questions.

Brainstorming 

A1. There are a number of.....

A2. The poet has observed....

Ans. The poet Victor Hugo observes that the sower is working on his field from dawn to dusk and even after that. When everybody is going back home as working hours have passed yet the sower still lingers and that makes the poet respect the sower all the more. He is in awe of the sower's diligence and dedication and selfless behaviour in order to provide food to not just his family but the world family.

A3. The poet is promted to call....

And. The poet calls the sower an August personality and the sower deserves every bit of this honour for all the hard work , perseverance and dedication he puts in/shows to grow food for all. The sower works really hard from dawn to dusk selflessly and without looking at what others are doing or when they are starting back for home. The sower also shows commendable perseverance for he is not just working in a cool suitable climate but is facing a lot of difficulties and challenges yet he is persevering for he knows only after the hardwork one bears the fruit of it. The sower is extremely dedicated to for no matter how many bad harvest he had seen in past , he is still hopeful that he will have better harvest this time around and is dedicated and focussed.

A4. Figures of speech

1.Alliteration

Examples from the poem

1.But the sower lingers still

2.Darkness deepens , fades the light,

3. Are august , and strange , his height

2. Word imagery : descriptive language for the reader to imagine the work of the poet in the best way possible. It is the art of creating mental images with help of descriptive words.

Example from the poem

He seems to touch the starry skies

With his selfless and hard working nature , the farmer has made an important place for himself in our world. He works really hard to feed others and is irreplaceable. He is the real producer of every nation and though we do not acknowledge all his hardwork but the fact remains intact that he is the most important person in our society.

More examples 

• The autumn leaves are a blanket on the ground.
• His words felt like a dagger in my heart.
• My head is pounding like a drum.
• The kitten's fur is milky.
• The siren turned into a whisper as it ended.

Write an appreciation of the poem "The Sower"

Ans.

1. About the poem , poet and title : The poem "The Sower" is written by Victor Hugo in French and is translated in English by Torulata Dutt - A bengali poet. Victor Hugo was a poet ,novelist and dramatist of 19th century and Toru Lata Dutt is considered to be "The First Indian Poetess" to write verses in English and French.This poem is a poem about a farmer who is sowing seeds. He has seen many bad harvests in his life however he is very optimistic of having good harvest everytime he tosses grain. The title of the poem is very apt and well suited to the poem as throughout the poem the poet is talking about the sower and his hardwork and perseverance.

2. Theme : The theme of the poem "The Sower" revolves around hard work, perseverance, consistency , dedication and hope. In the poem, the poet explains how the sower is different from other people. As soon as the darkness falls, all other people start back for home except the sower who is in field moving to and fro withoutcaring about the time. He has seeds in his hands and hope of reaping the fruit of his hard work. He is determined to finish his work for the day no matter what.

3. Poetic devices , language , style : The poet has beautifully used a simple rhyme scheme "abab" throughtout the poem and has also made an effective use of figures of speech like alliteration in line " Muse I , as I see him stride." , Imagery in line " Black and high ,his silhouette dominates the furrows deep!" , etc to make the poem a rich experience for all readers ! The language of the poem is very simple and lucid and hence it becomes an easy poem to understand.

Special feature/s : The poem is originally written in french but is translated in English without changing the feel and essence of the poem. That itself is a great feat ! Also , it is a short poem yet very effectively makes us - the readers realize the importance of a sower in our lives.

Values/Message : The clear message that we get from this poem is selflessness of the sower who is working really hard so he bears the fruit of his hard work and be able to feed not just his family but the world. The poem also teaches us how our hard work and perseverance with honesty wins people's heart and automatically gets rewarded.

Your opinion about the poem : In my opinion , this poem is a must read for all for it's simplicity and effective way of making us aware about the hard work a sower puts and the respect he deserves. 

Cherry Tree ( 11th Std )

Note : 

1. The answers shared here are just for reference purpose. You all are encouraged to try writing your own answers.

2. Refer page 68 , 68 and 70 of std XI Textbook for questions.

A1. Find proof from the poem.

a. The poet has mentioned different seasons.

Ans. Ans suddenly that summer near the end of May,

Split it apart and a monsoon blight.

b. The poet's minute....

Ans. It was very small , five months child.

Next spring I watched three new shoots grow,

c. The color imagery in the poem.

Ans. Made a miracle from green growing pain

And next year there were blossoms small , pink , fragile, quick to fall.

d. The struggle of the cherry tree...

Ans. Goats ate the leaves , the grass cutter scythe split it apart and a monsson blight shrivelled the slender stem.

ii. State whether the following statements.....

a. The cherry tree did not take long to grow. -False.

Correct statement:It took eight long years for the cherry tree to grow into a 6 feet tall fruit bearing tree.

b. Birds and insects were benefited from tree. - True

c. The poem has an underlying message. - True

d. The poet repents planting the cherry tree. - False

Correct statement: The poet is extremely happy that he planted the cherry tree.

A2.i. Discuss in group.....

A. The life of the cherry tree was threatened.

Ans. Yes indeed the life of the cherry tree was threatened when it was a baby plant. To begin with , it was lost among tall grass and then goats ate its leaves. On top of it all even grass cutter’s scythe split it apart and due to monsoon blight it's slender stem shrivelled. Also , no one cared for it or looked after the baby plant. Yet , the young plant never gave up and bravely faced all threats like a true warrior and thrived to be a six feet tall fruit bearing plant.

B. The cherry blossomed..

Ans.The Cherry plant in its initial stage of life suffered a lot of setbacks from goats eating it's leaves to moonsoon blight damaging it's slender stem. Inspite of this all , It fought all these odds , took care of itself no matter how much it had to struggle for light , air and sun and with basic things provided by nature , it cinally became a huge tree laden with fruits which benefited not just the poet but birds , insects , etc. The tree can be termed as an epitome of resilience indeed.

A2.ii.A small thought put into action....

Ans. How true is that a small thought put into action , leads/led to a great achievement. In the beginning of the poem we see how the poet has this feeling that he must have a tree of his own ( "Must have a tree of my own," I said,)...He wanted to be the sole owner of a tree and it was just a simple , innocent passing thought. Yet he planted the seed instead of discarding the idea of having his own plant. He made a humble beginning by sowing the seed. And finally after a few years the cherry tree grew to be a tall tree irrespective of all obstacles it faced to survive and thrive !! And seeing the tall tree , even the poet was extremely happy and praised the tree in the following lines.

"Yes, I ! Praised...." Be was prooud of himself for sowing the seed.

A3. The Cherry tree has inspired...

Ans. The poem describing aspects of Nature are called Nature Poems and cherry tree is one of the finest examples of Nature poem. Some expressions from the poem that bring out the elements of beauty of nature are

a.Dappled green , Blue Blind Sky , Blossons small , pink , fragile quick to fall , finches as they flew and flitted , etc.

A.4 Figures of Speech

1. Climax - Climax is a figure of speech where successive ideas,  words , phrases , sentences are arranged in ascending order of importance.

Examples

A. We searched our umbrella , our roof , our mother.

B. He came , he saw , he conquered.

C. Pink , fragile , quick to fall. ( This line is am example of Climax in the poem as the arrangement of words in the line moves from healthy to delicate. )

D. If you think it's bad , it gets worst.

2. Alliteration - A figure of speech where the sound of the intial letter of two or more than two words repeats.

Examples

1. I saw a beautiful blue bird yesterday. ( here the sound of "b" is repeating thrice.)

2. Start where you stand.

3. Made a miracle from green growing pain. ( poem's line on page 67)

4. Goats at the leaves , the grass cutter scythe

3. Antithesis - A figure of speech where contradictory words , ideas , thoughts are used for better poetic effect.

Examples

1. If you have will to live ,

And courage to die.

2. You are rich in money but poor at heart.

3. Came back thinner , rather poor ,

But richer by a cherry tree at my door.

4. Personification - A figure of speech where an inanimate object/thing is given a human quality/qualities.

Example

1. All trees dance during the strom.

2. The moon walks beautifully every night.

3. What a sight to behold when waves dance !!

4. And moon moths and singing crickets and I ( Here crickets are given the human quality of singing )

A.5.i. Cherry tree is a narrative......

Ans.

a.The poem has a beginning.... : 

The poem “Cherry tree” is a narrative poem which tells us about the birth and growth of a cherry plant by the poet Ruskin Bond. Just like a story , this poem is carefully divided into three parts that is beginning (sowing of the seed ) , middle ( the plant struggling yet putting up a brave front ) and an end ( cherry plant turning into a fruit bearing tree ). 

b. Different places are mentioned : 

The poem shifts to different places at different times. The poem begins with poet’s garden/backyard where he sowed the seed. Thereafter,  the poet mentions his visit to kashmir and his return back home and how at his door he finds tall cherry tree and is elated to see the tree. In the end the poet takes us back to his garden/backyard where cherry stands tall and he is lying under it on grass appreciating nature.

c. Characters are refered to : 

Cherry tree is the lead/main character of the poem as we see different phases of its life. The poet himself too  is one of the characters ,  in the poem as he is completely involved in the process of seeing the tree grow ( sometimes narrating and sometimes actively taking part in it.) Apart from these two characters , there are characters like goats , grass cutter , bees , crickets too which play small but significant role.

d. Incidents are arranged in sequence : 

The poem clearly follows a proper sequence and provides continuity. From sowing the seed in the garden to its life as a baby plant to its strugggle to survive to its agressive growth to get air and light to finally growing into a six feet tall tree which is laden with fruits , the poem presents everything in a perfect flow.

e. There is a dialogue between.... : 

No direct conversation among the poet , readers and other characters except in the beginning when the poet talks to readers in a direct tone/speech that “ Must have a tree of my own. I Said“. Rest of the time there is indirect conversation happening between the poet and the readers and readers get becomes active listeners and also between tree and the poet as if the tree is narrating its story to the poet and telling how strong and determined it is.

f. It is a time bound poem : 

Indeed it is a time bound poem since the sowed cherry seed grows into a fully grown fruit bearing tree in the span of eights years. Change of seasons is also mentioned as the plant grows , his visit to kasmhir for a season and after his return his joy to see the tall tree.

A5.ii. Compose 8 to 10 lines....( Compose your own poem )

A5.iii. Write an appreciation...

( Please note that it is absolutely okay to write this answer either point wise or in paragraphs...what matters is how nicely you present it and how much of quality your answer/response contains. )

Ans. Appreciation of the poem " The Cherry Tree"

1.About the poem,  poet , title : The poem “Cherry Tree” is written by Ruskin Bond  who has written hundreds of short stories , essays , novellas and more than 30 books for children. He , at the tender age of seventeen , even received the John Llewellyn Rhys Memorial Prize.He also received the Sahitya Akedemi Award for English writing in India and was awarded the Padmashri in 1999. The poem ‘Cherry Tree’ is all about poet’s ecstasy over a tree which he planted which took eight years to grow. The poet minutely observes the growth of the tree and wonders at the ways of Nature. The title of the poem is so apt as the moment we read it we realize the poem is about trees and their importance in our lives.

2. Theme/Central Idea : The theme of the poem revolves around the importance of trees in our lives and the lessons they teach us. The poem narrates how the poet planted a cherry seed in the grass as he wanted to have his own tree and how the plant grew on its own though nobody cared about it except rain and the sun. The poem further tells us how the little plant faced all problems head on and emerged as victorious by turning itself into a huge six feet tall tree laden with flowers and fruits. When poet returns back from Kashmir , he receives a pleasant surprise as he sees the tall tree and as he lies under it , he feels proud of the fact that he had planted the cherry seed.

3. Poetic Language/style , poetic devices used in the poem :  Ruskin Bond has used easy and lucid language throughout the poem and what makes it an interesting read is the fact that the poem is written in a story form and that makes it a narrative poem. The figures of speech like alliteration ( in line "...green growing pain..", personification ( in line "....moon months and singing crickets..."add beauty to the poem and the rhyming words provide much needed rhythm. The poem also has run on lines ( where conversations end in second line ).

4.Special features/novelties/focusing elements : The very special feature of the poem is that it’s a narrative poem with a proper beginning,  middle and an end. The poet has stuck to the topic right from the beginning till the end. The poem also makes the readers aware about the fact that if small efforts are nurtured carefully , with determination , can bring us great rewards. This poem is also a fine example of "Nature Poem."

5.Message/values/morals in the poem : The very first message this poem gives is never let go of hope and keep striving hard without giving up as there is always light at the end of each tunnel. The poem also teaches us to have trust on our wings and never let any obstacle ever stop us from achieving what we wish to achieve. Apart from this , the most important message from the poem is to respect trees , plant as many of them as we can , to not cut them and that be patient with plants because once they grow , they give us back the sweetest fruit of all our hardwork.

6.Your opinion about the poem : Being a hard core nature lover , this poem has made a permanent place in my heart. It was interesting to read about how a sapling grows into a tree and also realize how important trees are and impossible it is to survive without them.

A5.iv) Write a summary....

Ans.

                The Fearless Cherry Tree

           The title “Cherry Tree” is carefully chosen to make the readers understand how important trees are and how the poet is giving due importance to the cherry plant.This poem is a narrative poem that means it is narrated in a story form and has proper beginning,  middle and end. The poem describes how the tree came into existence even when nobody cared about it.The poet also recalls how he planted a cherry seed in the grass and instantly forgot about it. But , the little seed , inspite of not being taken care of , came out , struggled,  was almost killed but with sheer determination survived. The sun and air helped it to grow and flourish and thrive. One day when the poet came back from Kashmir after spending a season there , he was overjoyed to find a 6 feet tall tree with a berry !! In the closing lines , the poet is proud of himself for planting the cherry seed as he relaxes under it and sees bees , insects,  moon moths having great time. To conclude,  the poem is written in simple words but very effectively it gives the message that we all must save trees to save ourselves !

A6.i. Homework

A6.ii. Write in 100..........poem symbolises.

Ans. The cherry tree symbolizes courage , struggle , determination , growth , responsibility patience and selflessness. Just like us who face a lot of hurdles in life yet never give up and finally succeed , the cherry plant too doesn’t give up inspite of nobody caring about it and grows , with it’s sheer determination , into a tall beautiful 6 feet tree. Infact the cherry tree inspires us to be more determined and patient and positive. Apart from this , the cherry tree also symbolizes hope and how the beginning of fulfilling our dreams can be slow but if we are hopeful amd determined we do find our ways without giving excuses.

std. XI - Appreciation of the poems ( 2.1 , 2.2 , 2.3 , 2.4 and 2.5 )

Appreciation of the poems

Note : 

1. Appreciation of the poem needs to be written paragraph wise.

2. Six paragraphs keeping in mind six points.

3. First line of each paragraph needs to have 2 finger space left compulsorily.

2. These are samples. You are requested to try writing your own answers.

2.1.Cherry Tree

         The poem “Cherry Tree” is written by Ruskin Bond  who has written hundreds of short stories , essays , novellas and more than 30 books for children. He , at the tender age of seventeen , even received the John Llewellyn Rhys Memorial Prize. He also received the Sahitya Akedemi Award for English writing in India and was awarded the Padmashri in 1999. The poem ‘Cherry Tree’ is all about poet’s ecstasy over a tree which he planted which took eight years to grow. The poet minutely observes the growth of the tree and wonders at the ways of Nature. The title of the poem is so apt. The moment we read it we realize the poem is about trees and their importance in our lives.

        The theme of the poem revolves around the importance of trees in our lives and the lessons they teach us. The poem narrates how the poet planted a cherry seed in the grass as he wanted to have his own tree and how the plant grew on its own though nobody cared about it except rain and the sun. The poem further tells us how the little plant faced all problems head on and emerged as victorious by turning itself into a huge six feet tall tree laden with flowers and fruits. When poet returns back from Kashmir , he receives a pleasant surprise as he sees the tall tree and as he lies under it , he feels proud of the fact that he had planted the cherry seed.

           Ruskin Bond has used easy and lucid language throughout the poem and what makes it an interesting read is the fact that the poem is written in a story form and that makes it a narrative poem. The figures of speech like alliteration in line '.....green growing pain' , personification '.....singing crickets...' add to the beauty of the poem and the rhyming words provide much needed rhythm. The poem also has run on lines (where sentences end in second line).

        The very special feature of the poem is that it’s a narrative poem with a proper beginning, middle and an end. The poet has stuck to the topic right from the beginning till the end. The poem also makes the readers aware about the fact that if small efforts are nurtured carefully , with determination , can bring us great rewards. This poem is also a fine example of "Nature Poem."

         The very first message this poem gives is never let go of hope and keep striving hard without giving up as there is always light at the end of each tunnel. The poem also teaches us to have trust on our wings and never let any obstacle ever stop us from achieving what we wish to achieve. Apart from this , the most important message from the poem is to respect trees , plant as many of them as we can , to not cut them and that be patient with plants because once they grow , they give us back the sweetest fruit of all our hard work.

        Being a hard core nature lover , this poem has made a permanent place in my heart. It was interesting to read about how a sapling grows into a tree and also realize how important trees are and impossible it is to survive without them.

2.2. The Sower

Ans.

         The poem "The Sower" is written by Victor Hugo in French and is translated in English by Torulata Dutt - A Bengali poet. Victor Hugo was a poet ,novelist and dramatist of 19th century and Toru Lata Dutt is considered to be "The First Indian Poetess" to write verses in English and French. This poem is a poem about a farmer who is sowing seeds. He has seen many bad harvests in his life however he is very optimistic of having good harvest every time he tosses grain. The title of the poem is very apt and well suited to the poem as throughout the poem the poet is talking about the Sower and his hard work and perseverance.

        The theme of the poem "The Sower" revolves around hard work, perseverance, consistency , dedication and hope. In the poem, the poet explains how the sower is different from other people. As soon as the darkness falls, all other people start back for home except the sower who is in field moving to and fro withoutcaring about the time. He has seeds in his hands and hope of reaping the fruit of his hard work. He is determined to finish his work for the day no matter what.

         The poet has beautifully used a simple rhyme scheme "abab" throughout the poem and has also made an effective use of figures of speech like alliteration in line " Muse I , as I see him stride." , Imagery in line " Black and high ,his silhouette dominates the furrows deep!" , etc. to make the poem a rich experience for all readers ! The language of the poem is very simple and lucid and hence it becomes an easy poem to understand.

          The poem is originally written in French but is translated in English without changing the feel and essence of the poem. That itself is a great feat! Also, it is a short poem yet very effectively makes us - tbe readers realize the importance of a Sower in our lives.

           The clear message that we get from this poem is selflessness of the sower who is working really hard so he bears the fruit of his hard work and be able to feed not just his family but the world. The poem also teaches us how our hard work and perseverance with honesty wins people's heart and automatically gets rewarded.

            In my opinion , this poem is a must read for all for it's simplicity and effective way of making us aware about the hard work a Sower puts and the respect he deserves. 

2.3. There is another sky 

Ans.

            The poem " There is Another Sky" is written by a renowned poet Emily Dickinson who lived a lonely life and whose poems are motivational and philosophical. Her poems are unique to her era that are characterized by simple and short lines. This poem gives us a message to never say die. The poet is communicating to her brother through a letter and requests him to return home. The poem ends on an optimistic note. The title of the poem is apt because just the way we know every cloud has a silver lining , there is another sky full of hope and positive vibes.

            The theme of the poem is how life is full of challenges and one can tackle these challenges with positive attitude. The poet is trying to tell her brother how there is another place/opportunity which is as beautiful as heaven and he must stay positive.

            The language of the poem is very vivid and simple. Poetic devices like alliteration,  antithesis , inversion,  hyperbole are used to add beauty to the lines.

            It is a Petrarchan sonnet of 14 lines with an octave ( a stanza of 8 lines ) and a sestet ( another stanza of 6 lines ).

            The poem teaches us to stay positive through tough times as those times don't last forever. It also conveys the sense of happiness and comfort that one's home provides.

            I absolutely loved this poem for it's simple yet powerful language. The poem taught me to never let go of hope and to always be near to the family as family plays an important role in helping us tackle the tough times fearlessly.

2.4. Upon the Westminster Bridge

Ans.

               The poem " Upon the Westminster Bridge" is written by the world famous poet William Wordsworth who was a major English Romantic poet and poet Laureate of United kingdom from 1843 until his death in 1850. He is a leading English nature poet and this poem is one of the best examples of his romantic poems. The poem is a Petrarchan sonnet in which the poet describes the beauty of the bridge in London as seen at dawn. The poet was mighty impressed with the panoramic landscape,  beauty and calm nature before him. The title of the poem is very apt as throughout the poem the poet is seen praising the beautiful Westminster Bridge and the view he sees from there.

                The theme of the poem revolves around the beauty of London through poet's eye as he happily and vividly describes the calm and quiet nature which enticed him.

                The language used by William Wordsworth in this poem is simple yet loaded with beautiful words to attract the readers. Figures of speech like inversion , personification and alliteration are brilliantly used to provide a rhythm to the poem.

                This poem is one of the best nature poems written in English literature. It's a Petrarchan sonnet of 14 lines which has an octave ( first 8 lines ) and a sestet ( last 6 lines ).

                The message is how beautiful the city of London looks in it's natural setting without an interference of humans. 

                It's a must read poem for all nature lovers as it beautifully paints a picture before readers' eyes.

2.5. Nose vs Eyes 

Ans. 

                The poem " Nose vs Eyes" is written by William Cowper who was one of the most popular 18th century English poets and composers of hymns. His poems deal with nature and everyday life and he is aptly described as " Best Modern Poet" by Samuel Taylor Coleridge. This poem is a satire on the judiciary system and it mocks at the stone blind justice in humorous manner emphasizing upon the lack of empathy and common sense.

             The theme of the poem revolves around the fact that how blind and helpless the judiciary system has turned that it gives the verdict in favor of the wrong. The poem deals with argument between nose and eyes and how tongue very unfairly decides to prove the wrong nose right !!

            The language of the poem is super engaging with a lot of  humor infused. Th poet has added charm to the poem by adding poetic devices like alliteration , repetition and inversion.

            The poem is a beautiful example of a satire which indirectly hits out at the blind judiciary system.

            The message that this poem gives is how as humans we are going down the drain when it comes to our common sense and empathetic nature and how we can stop being blind and be sensible.

            Overall, the poem is a delightful read. The humor used in the poem makes it a light read with a strong message to make proper use of their sensory organs.

2.6.The Planners

            The poem "The Planners" , penned by Body Kim Cheng is a sharp critique on how modernization brings along the destruction of heritage and history. Body , widely regarded as one of the most promising Singapore poets to emerge in 1990s , has four collections of poetry to his credit and is the recipient of "National Arts Council Young Artist Award" which he bagged in 1996. He begins the poem by stating what the planners do. The title of the poem is pretty apt because throughout the poem , the poet talks about the dominance of the planners and how they will achieve what they aim for.

            Through this poem , Boey laments on the disturbing and loss of humane elements in his surrounding and expresses his disapproval on how his beloved city of Singapore is transforming from a lively and vibrant city to a dull and lifeless one. He expresses his concern over how his old city is rapidly turning into a concrete jungle and losing its beautiful past in this process. The poem revolves around the preservation of nature and history against the onslaught of urbanization.

            The language used by is quite simple yet full of sarcasm. By portraying history and heritage as flawed, useless and blemished , he is actually taking a dig at the planners. The poet has used many figures of speech like alliteration in line " Filled with permutations of possibilities" , antithesis in line " so history is new again" , oxymoron in line "....of our past's tomorrow." , etc. for better poetic effect.

            Boey has written this poem in free verse which quite aptls suits to the free expression of his feelings. Apart from this , literary devices like imagery and extended metaphor help in conveying his thoughts more clearly.

            Boey conveys the message of preserving the history and heritage in this time and age of modernization and urbanization for a country/city without its past is like a cluster of lifeless structures.

            In my poem , this poem , though very short and simple , touches the heart. It beautifully depicts the severe consequences of urbanization on the history and heritage of the country.

An Astrologer's Day ( Part II )

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.

Viii) The astrologer wins /gets sympathy..page 10

Ans. Answer may vary.

As a reader I sympathise with the astrologer because when he tried to kill Guru Nayak , the astrologer was a silly youngster who was drunk and in a fit of rage he did whatever he did...yes its true that if we do something,  we should take responsibility of it and should be ready to face the consequences too which the astrolger didn’t do , which was wrong but still what is to be noted that after that incident,  he was always carrying the burden of the guilt of killing someone. Also , when he takes up astrology and tricks the stranger into believing that the man who tried to kill him is dead , he did it is to protect his own life as he had a wife and child to support too. Hence , I believe that the astrologer gets the sympathy of criticism of the reader.

Xi) If we have to eradicate superstitions....page 10

Ans. In order to eradicate superstitions and other ill practices from our society , I would first educate people by giving them accurate information and logical explanation as to why these practices need to be discontinued. I would spread awareness among people to have scientific attitude and with upmost love would try to convince them how wrong and harmful it is to blindly follow such practices and superstitions.

X) In the story,  the astrologer has a great listening....page 10

Ans. Absolutely correct. Listening does help in developing good relations with people. In the story , it's only because the astrologer is a good listener that he was able to gain knowledge about what was going in his clients' life and then gave them such answers that they all were left awestruck. If we also become a good listener,  we send out this message to the speaker that we are interested and keen in listening to whatever he or she has to say. That we also share the same ideas. It also helps to boost people’s confidence when they see someone Is listening to them and it also helps us understand if they have some problem and how we can offer help. Without being good listeners , it's impossible to find solutions.

A3.i. In the story , the following characters...

Ans. 

1. Words that describe the astrologer : Shrewd,  smart , clever , intuitive , cunning

2. Guru Nayak :

Manipulative,  agressive,  demanding,  quarrelsome , gullible 

3. Astrologer's wife : 

Caring , worried, humanistic

ii) Match the suffixes.....page 10

Ans. Answers ONLY.

1. Auctioneer

2. Enchantment 

3. Knowledge 

4. Preparation 

5. Procedure 

6. Appearance 

7. Remarkable 

iii. "An Astrologer's Day" has ironic elements....page 10 and 11

Ans. Definition of Irony : Irony means a situation or a statement characterized by a significant difference between what is expected and what actually happens,  or between what is understood and what is meant.

Few common examples of Irony : 

1. Telling a rude customer to “have a nice day”

2. Walking into an empty theatre and exclaiming “it’s too crowded”

3. Describing someone who says foolish things as a “genius”

4. Delivering bad news by saying, “the good news is..”

5. Entering a child’s messy room and saying “nice place you have here”

Examples of Irony from the story " An Astrologer's Day" :

1. He knew no more of what was going to happen to others than he knew what was going to happen to himself the next minute.

2. His eyes sparkled with a sharp abnormal gleam which was really an outcome of a continual searching look for customers , but  which his simple clients took to be a prophetic light and felt comforted.

3. Half the enchantment of the place was due to the fact that it did not have the benefit of municipal lighting.

4. He was as much stranger to the stars as were his innocent customers. Yet he said things which pleased and astonished everyone.

iv. In the story many Indian words...page 11

Ans. Code Mixing : Mixing of two or more languages...ye dil maange more , thanda thanda cool cool , etc.

Examples of code mixing from the story :

1. Cowrie Shells

2. Jutka drivers

3. Twelve and half annas

4. Raja's delicacy

V. There are some phrases...page 11.

Ans. 

1. To crown the effect , he wound a saffron coloured turban around his head.

2. The works of Shakespeare are the crowning glory of English Drama.

3. Amitabh has given us awesome movies throughout five decades. But his crowning achievement is his performance in the movie ' Black'

4. In her pursuit of success , Radha has distanced herself from her family. Her fame has become a real crown of thorns.

5. They threw a wonderful party for me with costumes , games and to crown it all my favourite kind of ice cream.

6. Medical science has great inventions,  but organ transplantation is definitely a crowning achievement for human beings.

A4. Word Usage....page 11 and 12.

Ans. Directly answers are given

1. There was considerable enhancement in the power of his eyes.

2. He had an analysis of mankind's troubles that worked.

3. He knew what would be happening to him next minute.

4. If you find satisfaction in my answers , will you give me five rupees ?

5. He shook his head in/with regret.

6. The crisscross of light rays bewildered everyone.

7. "I should have been dead if some passerby had not chanced to peep into the well," exclaimed the other enthusiastically.

8. Yountried killing him.

9. I will make/begin preparation for some nice stuff for her.

10. The other heard it and groaned./The other groaned when he heard it.

1.1. An Astrologer's Day ( Part 1 )

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.

A1.i. Given below are some descriptions...(see page 7 of std XII English textbook)

a.The scientific study of the universe......

Ans. Astronomy

b. The study of the movements.....

Ans. Astrology

c. A prediction of what...

Ans. Prophecy

d. Scientific discipline that studies mental....

Ans. Psychology

ii. In the story we are told that the Town Hall Park.....page 7

Ans. Exceptional qualities of the Town Hall Park.

1. A surging crowd

2.Narrow road

3. Variety of trades and occupations 

4. Bewildering crisscross of light rays

5. No municipal lighting

6. Loud and noisy

iii. The astrologer never opened his....page 7

Ans. The astrologer was stranger to astrology but was really good at reading people's mind. He listened to his clients attentively atleast for ten minutes which gave him enough time to understand what was going on in their life. Based on the information collected from the clients , he smartly framed his questions and gave them such answers and advices that they were amused and convinced happily.

A2.i. The tactics used by the astrologer...page 8

Ans. Tactics used by the astrologer :

1. Analysis of human troubles

2. Perception of the tangles of human ties.

3.accumulating information from clients and then giving advice

4. Attractive appearance

5. Asking general questions that are common to anybody

ii. An Astrologer's appearance helps to create..page 8 and 9

Ans. 

1.Saffron colour turban on his head.

2. Sacred ash and vermilion on his forehead.

3. Gleaming eyes which seem prophetic to the client.

4. Dark whiskers streaming down the cheeks

iii.  Read the following...page 8

A. The Astrologer says that if Nayak leaves his village again , he would face danger.

B. According to the narrator the Astrologer's success in his profession is primarily due to his understanding of people.

C. The story suggests that the Astrologer's comments and observations please people by flattering them or supporting their own views.

D. Guru Nayak consults the astrologer because he wants to get the answer to the specific question.

E. Guru Nayak is looking for the man who tried to kill him to take revenge.

F. The Astrologer's remark makes Guru Nayak feel all of the following except suspicious.

G. Reactions of the Astrologer's wife to his news suggest that she was unaware of his past.

iv. Read the following sentences and find out true and false...page 9

Ans. ( Please write complete sentence first then write if it's a true statement or false.)

A. True

( Note : If the sentence would be - The astrologer gave correct prediction about the client's past that.....then it's a false statement because what astrologer said was a known fact to him ( only he knew it ) and hence it was not a prediction but a fact. )

B. True

C. False - The astrologer wasn't ready to talk about the client's past and hence he tried to back out of the deal.

D. True

E. True

V. The astrologer has changed his appearance....page 9

Ans. The Astrologer has left his village as he thought he had committed a grave crime of killing a person. As he came to new place , he had to start from the scratch to earn his daily bread but he feared to be caught and hence he disguised himself and took on the appearance of an astrologer inspite of not having any prior knowledge about astrology. To attract clients convincingly,  he changed his persona , became a patient listener and practised guesswork to create an illusion of being a genuine astrologer.

Vi. The darkness load that was....page 9

Ans. Though the astrologer never shared his secret with anybody , but he always felt guilty of killing a man when he was a youngster. He understood what a grave crime he had committed. Though he might have done it unintentionally as he was badly drunk and had a terrible fight with the man , he always held himself responsible for the death of the man. But , one day when he saw the man alive , standing before him , he felt so relieved and happy because a big burden , from his heart ,of killing somebody was lifted. So , this day was special for his because he could finally enjoy peaceful sleep without any guilt.

Vii. The astrologer feels relieved...page 10

Ans. The astrologer feels relieved to see Guru Nayak because he thinks that he had murdered Guru Nayak and hence was living his life in guilt. He leaves his home to save himself from any kind of punishment. He was leading a very normal and disguised life in the place. However,  when he came to know that the man he thought he had killed is alive , he felt happy and at peace. A great burden of not being a murderer was lifted from his heart.

( Rest continues in part 2 )