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The Happy Prince Summary in English by Oscar Wilde

The Happy Prince by Oscar Wilde About the Author

Oscar Wilde (full name: Oscar Fingal O’Flahertie Willis Wilde) was an acclaimed poet and playwright. Bom in Dublin, Wilde attended Trinity College, Dublin and Magdalen College, Oxford. Throughout the 1880s, Wilde experimented with various forms of writing and established himself in the literary and artistic circles in London. During the 1890s, he became one of London’s most acclaimed playwrights. His unmatched wit and flamboyant style set him apart from his contemporaries. Some of his most popular plays include, A Woman of No Importance, Lady Windermere’s Fan and The Importance of Being Earnest (this was his most popular play).

Wilde wrote only one novel, The Picture of Dorian Gray. When it was first published, the novel was not well received by critics. However, over the years, it has come to be regarded as a classic. Wilde also wrote short stories and essays. Wilde was an important figure in the movement called ‘Aestheticism’ and remained committed to its principles throughout his life. His unconventional perspective on life and style of writing made him one of the most well known names in English literature.

Author Name	Oscar Wilde
Born	16 October 1854, Westland Row, Dublin, Ireland
Died	30 November 1900, Paris, France
Spouse	Constance Lloyd (m. 1884–1898)
Movies	Wilde, Dorian Gray, An Ideal Husband, A Good Woman

The Happy Prince Summary in English

Standing high above a city is a statue of the Happy Prince. The beautiful statue has sapphire eyes, is covered all over with thin leaves of fine gold, and has a large ruby on the hilt of his sword.

One night, a swallow sets out to join his friends in Egypt and flies over the city. Tired from having flown all day, he wonders where he can rest for the night. He sees the statue of the Happy Prince and decides to rest between the statue’s feet. Happy with his beautiful place of rest, he prepares to sleep. Just then, a large drop of water falls on him. He looks up to the sky but sees that it is clear of rain clouds. However, drops of water continue to fall on him. The swallow looks up at the statue and realises that its eyes are full of tears. He is filled with pity.

The swallow asks the statue who he is and the statue says he is the Happy Prince. The swallow asks him why he is crying. The Prince says that when he was alive and had a human heart, he did not know what sorrow was because it was not allowed to enter his palace. He lived and died in happiness. After he died, his courtiers placed his statue high above the city from where he can witness all its ugliness and misery. Even though his heart is made of lead, he cannot help but weep.

The Happy Prince says that on a little street far away is a poor house. Through its window, he can see a woman seated at a table. Her hands are red, coarse and pricked all over by needles because she is a seamstress. She is embroidering flowers on a gown for the most beautiful of the queen’s maids of honour, to wear to the Court ball. In a comer is a bed upon which lies her little boy who is ill with fever. He asks his mother for oranges; but as she has nothing to give except river water, the boy is crying. He asks the swallow to take the ruby from his sword and give it to the woman.

The Happy Prince’s sad face moves the swallow and he agrees. He takes the ruby out of the sword and flies over the city, past the cathedral and the palace. He sees a beautiful girl come to balcony of the palace with her lover. The swallow hears her say that he hopes her gown with the embroidered flowers is ready in time for the ball. She remarks that seamstresses are lazy.

When the swallow arrives at the woman’s house, he finds that the boy is tossing in bed with fever and the woman has fallen asleep, exhausted. He places the ruby on the table beside the woman’s thimble and on his way out, fans the boy’s forehead with his wings. The boy feels better instantly and goes off to sleep. The swallow flies back to the Prince and remarks that he feels quite warm, in spite of the cold weather. The Prince says it is because he has done a good deed. The swallow then falls asleep.

The next day, the swallow goes to the river for a bath. Happy at the prospect of going to Egypt that night, he visits all of the city’s monuments. At moonrise, he goes back to the Prince and announces that he is leaving for Egypt. The Happy Prince tells the swallow that far away in the city, he sees a young man in a garret, leaning over desk covered with papers. There is a bunch of withered flowers in a glass by his desk. The man is trying to complete writing a play for the Director of the Theatre but he is too cold and hungry to write anymore. The swallow offers to stay one more night to help. The Prince asks the swallow to take one of his sapphire eyes from his statue to the man. The man can then sell the sapphires to the jeweller and buy some firewood to keep warm. The swallow is sad to pluck out the Prince’s eye, but does as he is told.

The swallow flies to the man’s house and enters it through a hole in the roof. The man is resting with his head in his hands and does not hear the bird. When the man looks up, he finds the sapphire between the withered violets. He thinks that some admirer has left it for him and is happy that now he can finish writing his play.

The next night, the Prince again asks the swallow to stay for the night. The swallow says that soon it will begin to snow and he needs to go to Egypt where the weather is warm. The Prince, however, tells him that in the square below is a little matchgirl whose matches have fallen into the gutter. She is crying because if she goes home without money, her father will beat her. He asks the swallow to give the girl his other sapphire eye so that her father does not beat her.

The swallow plucks out the sapphire and drops it into the girl’s hands. She goes home happily, thinking that she has found a piece of beautiful glass. The swallow returns to the Prince and says that as the Prince is now blind, he will stay with him always. The next day, the Prince asks the swallow to fly over the city and tell him what he sees. The swallow follows this command and sees the rich making merry in their homes while the poor suffer in the streets. Under the archway of a bridge, he sees two little boys lying in an embrace to keep warm. The watchman drives the boys away into the rain. When he tells the Prince of his findings, the Prince orders him to take off the gold leaves, one at a time, and give it to the poor. The swallow picks the leaves one by one till the Prince begins to look dull and grey. The poor children however, grow happy because they now have food to eat.

Then it begins to snow and after the snow, the frost arrives. Though the swallow feels colder and colder, he does not leave the Prince. Eventually, he realises that he will die soon. He musters strength to fly to the Prince’s shoulder to bid him goodbye and asks to kiss his hand. The Prince says he is glad the swallow is finally going to Egypt. He thanks the swallow for staying so long and asks him to kiss his lips, as he loves the swallow very much.

The swallow says that he is not going to Egypt but to the House of Death. He then kisses the Prince and falls down dead at his feet. At that moment, the sound of something breaking comes from the statue: his heart of lead has broken. The next morning, the Mayor and Town Councillors notice that the statue of the Happy Prince looks shabby. They notice that the jewels and gold have been stripped off and the statue looks like that of a beggar. They notice the dead bird at its feet and make a note to declare that birds should not be allowed to die there.

The statue of the Prince is taken down. The Art Professor remarks that without its beauty, the statue is no longer useful. The statue is melted in a furnace but the broken leaden heart does not melt. The workmen in the foundry throw it on the heap of dust where the dead swallow is also lying.

God in Heaven asks an angel to bring Him the two most precious things in the city. The angel brings him the broken lead heart and the dead bird. God is happy and says that the little bird will forever sing in His garden of Paradise; and in His city of gold, the Happy Prince will praise God.

The Happy Prince Title

The title is an ironical one, as it suggests that the story is about a Prince who is happy. However, the readers soon realise that the Prince is not a human, but a statue. Since the statue is placed at a high point, he can see all the misery and sadness in the city, which makes him sad.

The Happy Prince Setting

The story is a fairy-tale set in a fictitious kingdom in Europe. The statue is set on a high point overlooking the city, and most of the events described take place outdoors.

The Happy Prince Theme

The story is based on the theme of charity and bridging the gap between the haves and the have-nots. It dwells upon the. way the rich perceive life as compared to the poor. It also highlights the fact that humans often value unimportant things, while ignoring valuable things like charity and kindness.

The Happy Prince Message

The message of the story is to become more sensitive towards those who are less privileged than us. It emphasises how one can lessen the suffering of others and bring about equality by sharing what one has. It also reminds us that having a warm, giving heart is more important than having a beautiful appearance.

The Happy Prince Characters

The Prince: The happy prince is not a real human being, but a handsome statue that sits high above the city. It is beautifully decorated with a golden coat and sapphire eyes. There are rubies on the hilt of his sword and he is admired by all. However, despite his wonderful appearance, the statue is unhappy. As a human, he rarely cried and never had a care in the world, but as a statue, he has the perfect vantage point from which to observe all the sadness and misery in the city. He is no longer the self-centred boy he used to be. Despite having a lead heart as a statue, he feels sorry to see the ugliness of human life that he had been oblivious to as a human. He is very charitable and giving, happily donating every part of his statue that has any value, such as the gold leaf, rubies and sapphires, so that it can help people in need.

The Swallow: The swallow is a happy-go-lucky bird at the beginning of the story, whose only concern is the journey he is looking forward to. He is in love with a reed (a river plant) and is disappointed when the reed doesn’t agree to fly away with him. However, he is a kind bird, and seeing the statue’s distress, he offers to help. In the process, he becomes the link between the prince and the people of the land. He helps the prince by taking each valuable item that the prince tells him to, and quietly giving it to people in need. He selflessly helps the prince, ignoring his own plans to fly to warmer climes for winter. As a result, he loses his life in the cold.

The Happy Prince Summary Questions and Answers

Question 1.
Describe the statue of the Happy Prince.
Answer:
The statue stood high above the city on a tall column. He was gilded all over with thin leaves of fine gold with two bright sapphires for eyes. A large red ruby glowed on his sword hilt.

Question 2.
Did the swallow belong to the city? How can you tell? Where was it going?
Answer:
No, the swallow did not belong to the city, as it is written that it flew over the city on its way to Egypt.

Question 3.
Where did the bird decide to stay for the night? Why?
Answer:
The bird decided to stay near the statue of the prince, because it was located on a tall column and the bird felt he would get plenty of fresh air there.

Question 4.
Why did the bird think he had a ‘golden bedroom’?
Answer:
The bird alighted near the feel of the statue of the Happy Prince, which was gilded all over with thin leaves of fine gold. That is why he felt that he had got a ‘golden bedroom’ to sleep in.

Question 5.
Why was the bird not able to sleep peacefully that first night?
Answer:
Just as the bird was about to sleep, he was disturbed by three tear drops that fell from the eyes of the statue. When he saw the tears running down the cheeks of the statue, he looked so beautiful in the moonlight that the bird was filled with pity and could not sleep.

Question 6.
Why was the statue of the Happy Prince weeping?
Answer:
The statue of the Happy Prince was weeping because when he had been alive, he had not known any sorrow. But after his statue had been erected, he was able to see all the ugliness and misery of the city, and even though he now had a heart of lead, he could still feel the pain, which made him cry.

Question 7.
Who does the Prince ask the swallow to deliver the red ruby to?
Answer:
The Prince asked the swallow to deliver the ruby to a poor seamstress whose son was very ill. The child was asking his mother for oranges, but she had nothing to give him but water. Since the statue’s feet were fixed to the pedestal, he could not deliver it himself, so he asked the swallow to do so.

Question 8.
Why did the swallow agree to deliver the ruby even though he wanted to join his friends in Egypt?
Answer:
The Prince looked so sad that the little swallow felt sorry for him and agreed to stay one night and be his messenger.

Question 9.
What were the things that the swallow saw on his journey to deliver the ruby?
Answer:
He saw the cathedral tower, the palace, the river, and the ships before coming to the poor woman’s house.

Question 10.
What made the sick boy fall into a deep, restful sleep?
Answer:
When the bird delivered the ruby, he flew gently around the bed of the sick boy, fanning the boy’s forehead with his wings. This soothed the boy and he fell into a deep, restful sleep.

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Fair Play Summary in English by Tove Jansson

Fair Play by Tove Jansson About the Author

Author Name	Tove Jansson
Born	9 August 1914, Helsinki, Finland
Died	27 June 2001, Helsinki, Finland
Artworks	Back of a Nude, Mysterious Landscape, Self-portrait, View to the Balcony, Still Life

Fair Play Summary in English

Part I

Jumman Shaikh and Algu Chowdhry were good friends. Both were respected in the village for their good friendship. Jumman had an old aunt. She had some property. Jumman got her property transferred in his name. He promised to look after her till her last breath. But in a year or two, Jumman and his wife started ill-treating the aunt. They insulted her when they offered her food.

The aunt wanted to cook her food separately. She demanded a monthly allowance. Jumman said ‘no’ to her shamelessly.

The aunt went to every house in the village to explain her case and get support. But nobody sided with her. Some laughed at her. Even Algu hesitated to support her. He dared not go against his friend. At this, the aunt requested him to come to the panchayat at least.

Part II

The Panchayat was held under a banyan tree. Jumman asked his aunt to nominate the head Panch. She named Algu Chowdhry. Jumman felt happy. He hoped to get a favourable decision from his friend. But Algu heard the voice of his conscience. He told Jumman either to pay monthly allowance or return the property to his aunt. This decision broke all relations between the two friends.

Part III

Jumman made up his mind to take revenge. He got that chance soon. Algu had sold his bullock to Samjhu Sahu. The animal died because of Sahu’s ill-treatment. So, he refused to pay the money to Algu. Now, Algu decided to refer the case to the Panchayat. So, the Panchayat was held for a second time. At the Panchayat, Sahu nominated Jumman to act as head Panch. Jumman was a changed person now on that seat. He gave the decision in favour of Algu. He announced that Samjhu Sahu should pay Algu the price of the bullock.

Algu shouted with joy. The two became good friends again. They agreed on one point. The voice of the Panch is the voice of God’. The Panch can do no wrong.

Fair Play Summary in Hindi

Part I

जुम्मन शेख तथा अलगू चौधरी अच्छे मित्र थे। दोनों को ही उनकी घनिष्ठ मित्रता के लिये गाँव में आदर मिलता था। जुम्मन की एक बूढ़ी चाची थी। उसकी कुछ जमीन थी। जुम्मन ने उसकी सारी सम्पदा,अपने नाम करवा ली। उसने वचन दिया कि वह चाची की देखभाल अंतिम साँस तक करेगा। पर एक-दो वर्ष बीतने पर जुम्मन तथा उसकी पत्नी ने चाची के साथ दुर्व्यवहार करना शुरू कर दिया। वे भोजन देते समय उसको अपमानित भी करते थे।

चाची ने सोच लिया कि अपना भोजन अलग पकायेगी। उसने जुम्मन से मासिक भत्ते की माँग की। जम्मन ने बेशरमी से उसे भत्ता देने से इन्कार कर दिया।

चाची गाँव के हर घर में अपनी माँग समझाने तथा समर्थन पाने के लिये गयी। परन्तु, किसी ने उसका पक्ष नहीं लिया। कुछ लोगों ने उसकी हँसी उड़ाई। अलगू ने भी समर्थन देने में आनाकानी की। उसका साहस न था कि अपने मित्र का विरोध करे। इस पर चाची ने उससे कहा कि वह कम से कम पंचायत में जरूर शामिल हो।

Part II

पंचायत बरगद वृक्ष के नीचे की गई। जुम्मन ने चाची को बोला कि सरपंच मनोनीत कर ले। चाची ने अलगू चौधरी का नाम ले दिया। जुम्मन बहुत खुश हुआ। उसे आशा थी कि उसके मित्र का निर्णय उसके पक्ष में जायेगा। पर अलगू ने अपनी अंतरात्मा की आवाज़ सुनी। उसने जुम्मन से कहा कि या तो वह चाची को मासिक भत्ता दे या उसकी भूमि उसे लौटा दे। इस निर्णय ने दोनों दोस्तों के बीच के सभी सम्बन्ध तोड़ डाले।

Part III

जुम्मन ने भी बदला लेने की ठान ली। उसे वह अवसर भी शीघ्र मिल गया। अलगू ने अपना एक बैल समझू साहू को बेचा था। वह जानवर साहू के क्रूर व्यवहार के कारण मर गया। फिर उसने अलगू को पैसा देने से इन्कार कर दिया। अलगू ने इस मामले को पंचायत में रखने का निर्णय कर लिया। एक बार फिर पंचायत लगी। पंचायत में साहू ने जुम्मन का नाम सरपंच के लिये प्रस्तावित किया। सरपंच की सीट पर बैठते ही जुम्मन का हृदय परिवर्तन हो गया। उसने निर्णय अलगू के पक्ष में दिया। उसने समझू साहु से कहा कि उसे बैल का पैसा अलगू को चुका देना चाहिए।

अलगू खुशी से झूम उठा। दोनों व्यक्ति पुनः घनिष्ठ मित्र बन गये। वे एक बात पर सहमत हो गये कि पंच के मुख से परमात्मा की आवाज़ निकलती है। पंच कभी गलत निर्णय नहीं दे सकता।

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Nelson Mandela Long Walk to Freedom Summary in English by Nelson Mandela

Nelson Mandela Long Walk to Freedom by Nelson Mandela About the Author

Author Name	Nelson Mandela
Born	18 July 1918, Mvezo, South Africa
Died	5 December 2013, Houghton Estate, Johannesburg, South Africa
Education	University of South Africa (1989)
Awards	Nobel Peace Prize, Bharat Ratna

Nelson Mandela Long Walk to Freedom Summary in English

Nelson Mandela, the first black President of South Africa, fought for the freedom of his people. In his autobiography, he describes in detail the pains he had to suffer from the time when he was young. He was discriminated against by the whites along with other black people. He was an enthusiastic young boy who considered staying away from his home to get freedom. He wanted to marry the person of his choice. But gradually he realised that freedom is more meaningful. He decided to bring freedom for his own people. On 10 May 1994 he was able to materialise his dreams long cherished by the black people who sacrificed their lives to give dignity to their coming generations.

He gives two contradictory pictures of his country: one, in which the black people were tortured and had to suffer quietly; second, when the blacks will be free to live a life of their own. In this extract, Mandela speaks about a historic occasion, ‘The Inauguration’.

Nelson Mandela Long Walk to Freedom Summary Questions and Answers

Question 1.
When did Nelson Mandela become the President?
Answer:
Nelson Mandela became the President of South Africa on 10 May 1994.

Question 2.
Where did the inauguration ceremony take place?
Answer:
The inauguration ceremony took place at Union Buildings amphitheatre in Pretoria.

Question 3.
What was the pledge taken by Nelson Mandela?
Answer:
To liberate all the black people from the continuing bondages of poverty, deprivation, suffering and racial discrimination.

Question 4.
Which colours were used in the new flag of South Africa?
Answer:
Black, red, green, blue and gold.

Question 5.
What were the two anthems sung on ‘that day’?
Answer:
‘Nikosi Sikelel Africa’ and ‘Die stem’.

Question 6.
Which party did Nelson Mandela join?
Answer:
Nelson Mandela joined African National Congress.

Question 7.
Nelson Mandela joined the African National Congress as a young man. It transformed his life. What made him join it? What does it show about his character?
Answer:
Nelson Mandela joined the African National Congress because even the basic freedom was not available to blacks. They could not live as human beings. They were punished and isolated from the society. He brought a transformation by achieving freedom for his people to live their lives with dignity and self-respect.

Nelson Mandela was a simple law abiding person but his people were not happy in a slave society. They were not given the basic rights of a citizen. They had to endure much pain and endure racial discrimination. They were not free on their own land. All these sufferings ignited the fire in Mandela. He left his home and began living like a monk. He taught boldly and fearlessly. Adherence to patriotism, self-respect and dignity transformed him completely. It shows that Mandela had a strong character. He was determined in his action. He had sympathy and compassion for his people.

Question 8.
Man is a social animal. He has some obligations to society. What twin obligations does Mandela mention? How can one fulfill these obligations?
Answer:
Man is a social animal and has some social obligations to society. Nelson Mandela understood the importance of being social. Mandela talks about twin obligations—obligation to his family, to his parents, to his wife and children. This is the first and the most important obligation that every man has to fulfil in his life. Another obligation is to his people, to his community and to his nation. He emphasises that in a civil society, each one of us should fulfil these obligations. It is the responsibility of the government to provide an atmosphere where a person can fulfil these obligations.

But in a country like South Africa, it was not possible to fulfil these obligations because of discrimination. It was an era of oppression and torture for the black Africans in their own country. They were not allowed even the basic freedom of living a dignified life.

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Mijbil the Otter Summary in English by Gavin Maxwell

Mijbil the Otter by Gavin Maxwell About the Author

Author Name	Gavin Maxwell
Born	15 July 1914, Elrig, United Kingdom
Died	7 September 1969, Inverness, United Kingdom
Education	Stowe School, Hertford College
Movies	Ring of Bright Water

Mijbil the Otter Summary in English

Gavin Maxwell depicts the humorous incidents of keeping an otter as his pet. In the beginning he delves deep into finding out an otter as a pet. His hard work paid at last when he was able to get an otter. A different and new phase started for the narrator with the entry of the otter. The way it came out of the sack and shook himself the floor of the room became dirty. He christened him Mijbil. The otter became quite friendly with the narrator, enjoying splashing and sloshing water in the bathtub. He amused himself with water by opening the tap and sometimes he lay on his back and juggled with small objects between his paws.

The narrator had to take Mij to England where he was to be packed in a very small box which was bitten to shreds by Mij. He took the air hostess into his confidence and shared the secret of the otter with her. She advised him to keep it on his knees from where the otter disappeared in the plane. It created a lot of chaos. Somehow the otter came under his control and the journey ended. In London the narrator had to face many problems as people were asking one or the other questions about this unusual pet.

Mijbil the Otter Summary Questions and Answers

Question 1.
When did Gavin Maxwell decide to have an otter as a pet?
Answer:
When Gavin Maxwell was in southern Iraq, he thought that he should keep an otter as a pet instead – of a dog. The place where he was living was suitable for that experiment.

Question 2.
What are the exclusive features/habits of an otter?
Answer:
An otter is a fun loving animal. They are found in abundance near the fresh water. They love the flowing water. An otter is an intelligent animal and capable of inventing new games.

Question 3.
Why did Gavin Maxwell stay in Basra for five days?
Answer:
Gavin Maxwell went to Basra to the Consulate General to collect and answer his mail from Europe. His mail did not arrive in time. He cabled to England, and when three days later, no response was received, he tried to telephone. But the exchange was closed for a religious holiday. His mail arrived five days later. So, he had to wait for a few days.

Question 4.
How did Maxwell get an otter?
Answer:
Maxwell expressed his desire to his friend to have an otter as a pet. His friend sent two Arabs with an otter at Basra. This is how he got an otter in Basra.

Question 5.
How did the otter look for the first time?
Answer:
The author got an otter through two Arabs who were sent by his friend. Initially, it looked very dirty due to mud. On the first day, the otter did not respond to any action of the narrator. It remained shy and indifferent. It remained aloof for twenty-four hours. It was only after twenty-four hours that the otter came closer to the author.

Question 6.
When did Maxwell realise that the otter loved water?
Answer:
One day Maxwell took the otter in the bathroom. The otter jumped with joy into the bathtub. It remained there for a long time. Seeing the otter’s movement, Maxwell realised that the otter loved water.

Question 7.
What did Mijbil, the otter, do in the bathroom after two days of his arrival?
Answer:
Mijbil, the otter, was a fun-loving intelligent animal. He loved water. On the first day, he went wild with joy in the water. Next day, Mijbil escaped from the bedroom and entered the bathroom. He struggled with the tap till it had a full flow of water.

Question 8.
What did Mijbil do to pass his time?
Answer:
Mijbil spent most of his time in playing with a rubber ball with its feet. He dribbled and threw it. He was a fun-loving animal. He played with a plastic ball too. He had invented his own game.

Question 9.
Why was Mijbil put in a box by Maxwell? Why was there silence in the box?
Answer:
The author had to come back to London. The British Airways did not allow the author to fly with an animal. So he had to go by another airline. This airline insisted that Mij should be packed in a box. When the author came, he found that there was complete silence in the box. He got scared. He saw blood coming out of the box. When he opened the box, he found Mij badly wounded. Mij had tried to come out of the box.

Question 10.
Why was the author not allowed to take a flight of the British airline?
Answer:
The British Airways had a rule that the passengers could not fly with their pets. Mijbil was an otter. The author could not be allowed to fly with Mijbil as the rules did not permit it.

We have decided to create the most comprehensive English Summary that will help students with learning and understanding.

The Necklace Summary in English by Guy De Maupassant

The Necklace by Guy De Maupassant About the Author

Author Name	Guy De Maupassant
Born	5 August 1850, Château de Miromesnil, Tourville-sur-Arques, France
Died	6 July 1893, Passy, Paris, France
Short stories	The Necklace, Boule de Suif, The Horla, Two Friends
Movies	Bel Ami, Masculin Féminin, A Woman’s Life

The Necklace Summary in English

‘Matilda, the pretty young lady, was born in a family of clerks. She was married to a petty clerk in the office of the Board of Education. She felt that she was born for luxuries but she was suffering from poverty. This made her constantly unhappy and complaining. She wanted to have elegant dinners in shining silver, and to wear frocks and nice jewellery.

One day her husband Loisel got an invitation to a dance party from the Minister of Public Instruction for both of them. Monsieur Loisel was elated to receive it, but Matilda, his wife, was irritated and threw down the invitation card. Tears rolled down her cheeks. Her husband kept inquiring. Finally, she said that she did not have a proper dress or jewellery. She did not want to be singled out amidst the elite gathering.

Finally, after a lot of thinking, her husband gave her the money to buy a new dress for her. This money had been kept by him for buying a gun. The dress got ready, but Matilda was still not happy, because she did not have the jewels to go with it. She did not take to the idea of wearing natural flowers. Finally, her husband in desperation suggested that che should go to Mme Forestier, her friend and borrow some of her jewellery.

Matilda went to Mme Forestier and borrowed a diamond necklace. Madame Loisel danced at the ball (party) with enthusiasm and happiness. She turned out to be the prettiest of all — elegant, gracious, smiling and full of joy. All the men noticed her, asked her name and wanted to be presented. She went home at 4 a.m. fully satisfied. Her husband was tired and remembered that he had to go to office in the morning.

She removed the wraps from her shoulders before the glass, for a final view of herself jn her glory. Suddenly, she was shocked to see that the necklace was not there around her neck.

Monsieur Loisel and Mme Loisel looked in the folds of the dress and in the pockets. They could not find the necklace. He reported the matter to the police and put an advertisement in the newspapers without any result. They somehow deferred the plan of returning the necklace by a week – by writing to Mme Forestier that the clasp of the necklace had broken. They would get it repaired and return it. At the end of the week, it was not found. They decided to buy a new one.

In a shop of the Palaise-Royal, they found an exact looking necklace valued at forty thousand francs. They could get it for thirty-six thousand francs.

Loisel had only eighteen thousand francs, so he borrowed the rest from usurers and a whole race of lenders. They paid thirty six thousand francs to the shop to buy the necklace. It was soon given to Mme Forestier. The saving spree began. The Loisels sent away the maid, they lived in a rented room in an attic. Mme Loisel did all the household work. Monsieur Loisel also worked overtime to save money. It was a horrible life of necessity they were leading for the next ten years. Mrs. Loisel looked old.

One day Mme Loisel happened to meet Mme Forestier while she was taking a walk. She (Matilda) told her how they had replaced her necklace. They led a miserable life because they had to repay the loan they had taken to buy her diamond necklace which was lost by them. Mme Forestier revealed that her necklace was false and was worth only five hundred francs.

The Necklace Summary Questions and Answers

Question 1.
Why did Matilda not want to see her rich friends?
Answer:
Matilda did not want to see her rich friends because she did not have jewels, nothing to adorn herself with. Besides, she did not have any suitable dress for the party. She thought that without having these valuable things she would have a poverty-stricken look in the midst of rich friends.

Question 2.
What is the role of Mme Forestier in the story ‘The Necklace’?
Answer:
Mme Forestier is a rich lady. She is a good friend of Matilda. She agrees to lend her necklace to Matilda to be worn at a party. Her role in the story is very important. Had she not lent her necklace to Matilda, she (Matilda) would not have learnt her lesson in life.

Question 3.
What changes came in the lifestyle of Matilda after she had lost the necklace?
Answer:
After the loss of the necklace, Matilda had to sacrifice all her comforts and even all her needs to get money to buy a new necklace and give it to her friend. Because of overwork, tension and lack of care, she became a physical wreck. Happiness of one night changed her whole life’s ways and style.

Question 4.
Describe Mme Loisel’s experience at the ball.
Answer:
At the ball Mme Loisel was in the high world. She was looking absolutely beautiful. She was a great success at the ball. She smiled all the time and was full of joy. She was noticed by everyone present there. She danced with pleasure almost the whole night and returned home at four o’clock in the morning.

Question 5.
What were Matilda’s apprehensions when her husband brought her the invitation to the ball?
Answer:
When her husband brought an invitation, Matilda had two apprehensions’. Firstly, she didn’t have any suitable dress for the party. The second apprehension was that she didn’t have any suitable jewel to adorn herself. She thought that she would give a poverty-stricken look.

Question 6.
How did Monsieur Loisel manage to repay the debt and when?
Answer:
In order to repay the debt. Mr. and Mrs. Loisel had to go through several hardships. Mr. Loisel had to work overtime. Mrs. Loisel did away with the maid and did all the household chores herself. The Loisels left their lodgings and lived in a rented room. The Loisels led a very miserable life and repaid the debt in ten years.

Question 7.
Why did Matilda not like to visit her friend Mme. Forestier?
Answer:
Whenever Matilda visited her rich friend, she always felt frustrated and inferior. Her richness and luxuries made her feel more dissatisfied. Her display of clothes and jewels fascinated her.

Question 8.
Why did Matilda’s husband go out into the cold night minutes after returning from the ball? Was he successful in his efforts?
Answer:
Monsieur Loisel went out into the cold night minutes after returning from the ball in search of the lost necklace. No, he was not successful in his errand. He could not find the necklace anywhere.

Question 9.
What was the cause of Matilda’s ruin? How could she have avoided it?
Answer:
The cause of Matilda’s ruin was her constant discontentment with her circumstances. It was her sense of frustration which made her and her husband borrow the necklace for the party which was subsequently lost.
She could have avoided it by firstly, not borrowing the necklace and secondly by telling the truth to Mrs. Forestier.

Question 10.
Why did Jeanne not recognise her friend Matilda?
Answer:
Mme Loisel seemed old and haggard after undergoing a hectic work schedule with a lot of anxiety to pay the debt. Her hair and dress became shabby. Her hands became red, her tone of voice was loud and crude. Therefore, Jeanne could not recognise her.

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Who I am Summary in English by Pete Townshend

Who I am by Pete Townshend About the Author

Author Name	Pete Townshend
Born	19 May 1945 (age 75 years), Chiswick, London, United Kingdom
Movies	Tommy, Quadrophenia, The Kids Are Alright
Music groups	The Who, Ringo Starr & His All-Starr Band, Blood or Whiskey, Deep End

Who I am Summary in English

This lesson describes how each individual is unique. Each of us is different. Each of us has different features, different likings and dislikings. It is described through some boys and girls in this chapter. They are Radha, Nasir, Rohit, Serbjit, Dolma and Peter. Let us know about them one by one.

Radha: Radha is an outgoing, bold girl. She loves to go up the mango bee outside her house. She sits there comfortably. Her mother tells her not to take a chance or risk. But one day her mother also climbed with her. Both of them talked and ate raw mangoes. She felt strong and confident, sittfng there.

Nasir: Nasir has cotton fields in his village. His father buys new seeds to grow cotton plants every year. A long time ago, the grandfather used to collect the seeds from his own plants. Nasir’s father spends money to buy new seeds every year. Nasir wants to become a seed collector in order to save money.

Rohit: Rohit is a dreamer. He has some ambitions. He wishes he had money to travel to various countries. He wants to visit the mountains of New Zealand. He also wants to sail down the Amazon river, live on the sea beaches and go to the Sun temple in Orissa, the capital of China or the pyramids of Egypt. He is a lover of nature.

Serbjit: Serbjit gets angry when people disbelieve him. He is truthful. He tells his teacher truthfully why he couldn’t do his homework. He tells his parents the fact that his little brother started the fight. But they think that he is telling lies. This makes him angry.

Dolma: Dolma dreams of becoming the Prime Minister of India. She is sure that her dream wfll come true. She doesn’t mind if people laugh at her high dreams. She is intelligent and do-gooder. She wants to make things better for everyone. She wants for the best, best hospitals, roads and schools.

Peter: Peter enjoys going to see a film on the second Sunday of every month. He goes with his parents and brother. In the interval his father buys peanuts for children. They stop to eat ice cream after the show is over. He calls himself lucky that he is a part of such a happy family.

Who I am Summary in Hindi

यह पाठ बताता है कि कैसे हर व्यक्ति विचित्र है। हममें से हर कोई भिन्न है। हममें से हर किसी की विशेषताएँ, पसंदगी तथा नापसंदगी भिन्न भिन्न है। जिन लड़के, लड़कियों के माध्यम से यह दिखाया गया है वे हैं-राधा, नासिर, रोहित, सर्बजीत, डोल्मा और पीटर। आइए हम उनके बारे में एक-एक कर जानें:

राधाः राधा एक खुला जीवन जीने वाली, निडर लड़की है। उसे अपने घर के बाहर लगे आम के वृक्ष पर चढ़ना बहुत पसन्द है। वह उस पर आराम से बैठ जाती है। उसकी माँ समझाती है कि वह ऐसा खतरा न मोल लिया करे। पर एक दिन उसकी माँ भी उसके साथ वृक्ष पर चढ़ जाती है। वे दोनों खूब बातें करती तथा कच्चे आम खाती रहीं। राधा वहाँ बैठकर स्वयं को सबल तथा आत्मविश्वासपूर्ण महसूस करती है।

नासिरः नासिर के अपने गाँव में कपास के खेत हैं। उसका पिता हर वर्ष कपास उगाने के लिये नये बीज खरीदता है। बहुत दिनों पहले उसके दादा तो अपने ही पौधों से गिरे बीज एकत्रित कर लिया करते थे। नासिर के पिता हर वर्ष नये बीज खरीदने पर पैसा खर्च करते हैं। नासिर चाहता है कि वह बीज संग्रह करने वाला बन जाये ताकि पैसा बचा ले।

रोहितः रोहित सपने देखता है। वह उच्चाकांक्षी भी है। वह सोचता है काश उसके पास पैसा होता तो वह विश्व भ्रमण करता। वह न्यूजीलैण्ड के पर्वतों पर जाना चाहता है, वह अमेजन नदी पर नौकायन करना, समुद्र तट पर रहना, उड़ीसा का कोणार्क मन्दिर देखने जाना, चीन की राजधानी तथा मिस्र का पिरामिड देखना चाहता है। वह प्रकृति प्रेमी है।

सर्बजीतः सर्बजीत क्रोधित हो जाता है जब लोग उसकी बात पर विश्वास नहीं करते। वह सत्यवादी है। वह अपने शिक्षक को सच-सच बताता है कि वह होमवर्क क्यों नहीं कर पाया। वह माता-पिता को सच बताता है कि छोटे भाई ने झगड़ा शुरु किया था। पर वे सोचते हैं कि सर्बजीत झूठ बोलता है। इससे वह नाराज़ हो जाता है।

डोल्माः डोल्मा भारत की प्रधानमंत्री बनने का सपना देखती है। उसे विश्वास है कि उसका सपना सच हो जायेगा। वह बुरा नहीं मानती जब लोग उसके ऊँचे सपनों पर हँसते हैं। वह समझदार है और भलाई करने वाली भी। वह चाहती है कि हर व्यक्ति की स्थिति सुधर जाये। वह चाहती है कि सब कुछ सर्वोत्तम किस्म का हो। हस्पताल, सड़कें तथा स्कूल, सब कुछ उच्च कोटि के हों।

पीटरः पीटर माह के दूसरे रविवार के दिन कोई फिल्म देखने जाने में खुश होता है। वह अपने माता-पिता और भाई के साथ सिनेमा देखने जाता है। मध्यांतर में उसके पापा बच्चों के लिये मूंगफली ले आते हैं। शो समाप्त हो जाने पर वे सब आइसक्रीम खाते हैं। वह स्वयं को भाग्यशाली कहता है कि वह ऐसे सुखी परिवार का सदस्य है।

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A Letter to God Summary in English by Gregorio Lopez y Fuentes

A Letter to God by Gregorio Lopez y Fuentes About the Author

Author Name	Gregorio Lopez y Fuentes
Born	17 November 1895, Veracruz, Mexico
Died	10 December 1966, Mexico City, Mexico
Nationality	Mexican
Movies	El Indio, The Marble Colossus

A Letter to God Summary in Enlgish

‘A Letter to God’ is a story of a farmer’s extreme faith in God. The writer G.L. Fuentes has tried to depict the faith of a poor and simple farmer in God in an impressive manner. Lencho was an honest and hardwork¬ing farmer. He was shocked to notice that his crop was ruined in a hailstorm. He turned to God for getting some help. He wrote a letter to God. On Sunday, he posted the letter. When an employee of the post office chanced to see the letter addressed to God, he made fun of the man who had written that letter but his boss, the postmaster was a serious man and did not take the letter lightly. He was impressed by the extreme faith of the man and wished to have the same faith. He decided to answer the letter.

He collected money from his employees to give in charity to the needy farmer. He was able to collect only seventy pesos and thought that the farmer would be glad to receive the money. But to his utter disappointment, the postmaster was shocked to notice that it had made Lencho angry, who wrote another letter to God but with a warning not to send the money by post as he considered the postal employees ‘a bunch of crooks’ who had stolen thirty pesos from the hundred pesos sent by Him.

A Letter to God Summary Questions and Answers

Question 1.
(i) Where was ‘the house’ located?
(ii) Why do you think it is called ‘the’ house and not ‘a’ house?
Answer:
(i) The house was located on the top of a low hill.
(ii) It is called ‘the house’ because it is the only house on the top of the hill.

Question 2.
Why did Lencho keep gazing at the sky?
Answer:
Lencho knew that his fields needed water immediately. He was eagerly waiting for the rain, therefore he gazed at the sky.

Question 3.
“Now we’re really going to get some water, woman.” Is Lencho sure that it is going to rain? Give a reason for your answer.
Answer:
Lencho was sure that it was going to rain because he kept watching the sky throughout the day. Through his experience, he knew that the clouds would certainly bring rain.

Question 4.
(i) How did Lencho feel when it started raining?
(ii) What was the effect of the rain on the crops?
Answer:
(i) Lencho was excited when he came out of his house to have the pleasure of feeling the rain on his body. He compared the raindrops with coins, as he knew that a good rain would mean a good crop and a good crop would mean a lot of money.
(ii) The rain brought with it destruction. There was hailstorm for about an hour and it covered the field. The corn was totally destroyed.

Question 5.
What are the raindrops compared to and why?
Answer:
Raindrops are compared to coins. He compares big raindrops to ten-cent coins and smaller ones to five-cent coins. He knew that the raindrops would certainly be helpful in giving him rich harvest. Naturally, it would make him get more money.

Question 6.
Lencho had only ‘one hope’. What was it?
Answer:
Lencho was a God-fearing man and had a firm faith in the benevolence of God, who he thought would certainly help him. God was his only hope.

Question 7.
Did the letter reach God? Why did the postmaster send a reply to Lencho?
Answer:
The letter did not reach God but it certainly reached the postmaster who was a God-fearing and kind-hearted man. He decided to send a reply to Lencho as he was moved by the firm faith of a farmer in God, and he did not want to disappoint him.

Question 8.
Lencho describes the post office employees as ‘a bunch of crooks’.
(i) Were they ‘a bunch of crooks’?
(ii) How would you describe them?
Answer:
(i) The post office employees were really very good people who tried to help a poor farmer. They were not a bunch of crooks.
(ii) They can be described as kind-hearted, generous, helpful and God-fearing men.

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A Different Kind of School Summary in English by E. V. Lucas

A Different Kind of School Summary in English

The author had heard a great deal about Miss Beam’s school. It was unlike other ordinary schools. It followed a new method of teaching. It tried to ennoble the students. It taught them to give a helping hand to a disabled person.

The author decided to visit that school. As he entered the gate, he saw a young girl being led by a little boy. The girl was of about 12 while her guide was of about 8. The boy was also describing things to her.

Miss Beam was middle aged and dominating. But she was also very kindly and helpful. She comforted the homesick children like a mother. She explained to the author her teaching methods. She taught the kids spelling, simple arithmetic, and writing. She read interesting stories to them. They sat still and attentive.

The real aim of Miss Beam’s school was not to teach new thoughts and ideas. They were trained to be kind to others, to become good citizens.

The author looked out of the window. He liked the beautiful grounds. But he was pained to see some children not all healthy and active looking. Some girls had their eyes bandaged. A girl was walking with the help of a crutch.

Miss Beam explained that none of the students was really blind, cripple or lame. They were playing different roles as a part of their training. They were taught to share in the misfortunes of others. So each one had one blind day, one lame day, one deaf day and one dumb day. Other children were put on duty to help the needy.

The blind day was, of course, the worst. Miss Beam led the author to the bandaged girl. She said that being blind was the worst experience. But she was very thankful to her helpers. She had a walk with the author. She asked several questions about the colour, the people, the places and things. The author tried his best to answer those questions. He became ten times more thoughtful than ever.

He was convinced that Miss Beam’s experiment was really new and wonderful.

A Different Kind of School Summary in Hindi

लेखक ने मिस बीम के विद्यालय के बारे में बहुत कुछ सुन रखा था। वह अन्य सामान्य स्कूलों से भिन्न था। वहाँ एक नये प्रकार की अध्यापन शैली का इस्तेमाल किया जाता था। वहाँ छात्रों को नेक दिल इन्सान बनाने का प्रयत्न किया जाता था। उन्हें सिखाया जाता था कि वे विकलांगों की मदद करें।

लेखक ने उस स्कूल में जाने का निर्णय किया। जैसे ही उसने गेट में प्रवेश किया, उसने एक छोटी लड़की को एक छोटे बालक द्वारा मार्गदर्शन कराते देखा। लड़की की आयु लगभग 12 वर्ष थी और मार्गदर्शक की आयु थी मात्र 8 वर्ष। लड़का उस लड़की को चीजों के बारे में भी बता रहा था।

मिस बीम अधेड़ आयु की रोबदार महिला थी। पर वह बहुत दयालु और मददगार भी थी। वह घर के लिये व्याकुल बच्चों को माँ की भाँति राहत भी पहुँचाती थी। उन्होंने लेखक को अपनी शिक्षण शैली की जानकारी दी। वह बच्चों को शब्द सही लिखना, साधारण .. गणित और भाषा लिखना सिखाती थी। वह उन्हें रोचक कहानियाँ भी पढ़कर सुनाती थी। बच्चे स्थिर होकर ध्यान से सुनते थे।

मिस बीम के स्कूल का वास्तविक लक्ष्य नये विचार प्रदान करना नहीं था। बच्चों को सहृदय बनना तथा आदर्श नागरिक बनना सिखाया जाता था।

लेखक ने खिड़की के बाहर झाँका। उसे सुन्दर बगीचा तो पसन्द आया। पर उसे कुछ बच्चों को देखकर पीड़ा हुई जो पूरी तरह से स्वस्थ और चुस्त नहीं थे। कुछ लड़कियों की आँखों पर पट्टी बँधी थी। एक लड़की बैसाखी की मदद से चल रही थी।

मिस बीम ने बताया कि कोई भी छात्र-छात्रा न तो सचमुच दृष्टिहीन थी, न ही लँगड़ी या अपाहिज। वे तो अपने प्रशिक्षण के एक भाग के अनुसार भिन्न-भिन्न रोल कर रहे हैं। उन्हें अन्य लोगों की मुसीबत में मदद करना सिखाया जाता है। इसलिये हर बालक को एक दिन अंधा, एक दिन लँगड़ा, एक दिन बधिर और एक दिन गूंगा बनना पड़ता है। बाकी बच्चे जरुरतमंदों की मदद के लिये लगा दिये जाते हैं।

अंधे बनने का खेल वास्तव में सबसे बुरा था। मिस बीम लेखक को एक आँख पर पट्टी बँधी लड़की से मिलाने ले गयी। लड़की ने भी बताया कि दृष्टिहीन होना सबसे बुरा अनुभव होता है। पर वह अपने सहायकों के प्रति कृतज्ञ थी। उसने लेखक के साथ घूमना चाहा। उसने रंगों, लोगों, स्थानों और वस्तुओं के बारे में अनेक प्रश्न किये। उन प्रश्नों का उत्तर देने का लेखक ने भरसक प्रयास किया। वह पहले की अपेक्षा दस गुना अधिक विचारशील हो गया।

उसे विश्वास हो गया कि मिस बीम का प्रयोग सचमुख नया और अद्भुत था।

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Tansen Summary in English by Tansen

Tansen by Tansen About the Autor

Author Name	Tansen
Born	Gwalior
Died	26 April 1586, Agra
Full Name	Ramtanu Pandey
Books	Tashrih-ul-moosiqui: Persian Translation of Tansen’s Original Work “Budh Prakash”

Tansen Summary in English

Tansen has been the greatest musician of India. He was the only child of Mukandan Misra. The family lived in Gwalior. The child was naughty from an early age. He used to play in the forest. He soon learnt to copy the calls of birds and animals.

Once the famous singer Swami Haridas was travelling through the forest. Tansen thought it would be fun to frighten him. He hid behind a tree and roared like a tiger. Swamiji saw singing talent in the boy. He met Tansen’s father. He promised to make the boy a great singer.

Tansen spent some eleven years with his guru. His parents died. He fulfilled his father’s dying wish and went to Mohammad Ghaus of Gwalior. He was often taken to the court of Rani Mrignaini. He married a lady of the court named Hussaini. They had five children.

Emperor Akbar was impressed by Tansen’s voice. He wanted the singer to join his court in 1556. Tansen soon became Akbar’s favourite.

Some courtiers grew jealous of him. They wanted Tansen to prove his worth as a singer. They asked Tansen to sing Raga Deepak. It was like playing with fire. The Raga could not only set the lamps alight but also bum the singer to ashes.

Tansen got an idea. He knew the magic of Raga Megh. If it was sung properly, it would bring rain. Hence, Tansen taught his daughter Saraswati and her friend Rupwati to sing Raga Megh.

On the appointed day Tansen sang Raga Deepak. It caused a lot of heat. Flames shot up and lighted the lamps. Just then the two girls sang Raga Megh. The rain poured down and put out the fire. Tansen was saved from burning. Akbar rewarded him and punished his enemies.

Tansen Summary in Hindi

तानसेन भारत के सर्वश्रेष्ठ संगीतकार माने जाते हैं। वह मुकन्दन मिश्र के एकमात्र पुत्र थे। उनका परिवार ग्वालियर में रहता था। बालक बचपन से ही नटखट था। वह खेलने के लिये जंगल में भाग जाता था। उसने शीघ्र ही पक्षियों एवं पशुओं की आवाज़ों की नकल करना सीख लिया।

एक बार सुप्रसिद्ध गायक स्वामी हरिदास उस जंगल के बीच से गुजर रहे थे। तानसेन ने सोचा कि इन्हें डराने में मज़ा आयेगा। वह एक वृक्ष के पीछे छिप गया तथा शेर की तरह दहाड़ा। स्वामी जी ने बालक में एक संगीत प्रतिभा देखी। वह तानसेन के पिता से मिले। उन्होंने वचन दिया कि मैं इस बच्चे को महान गायक बना दूंगा।

तानसेन ने लगभग 11 वर्ष अपने गुरु के पास बिताये। उसके माता-पिता चल बसे। उसने पिता की अंतिम इच्छा पूरी की तथा ग्वालियर के गायक मोहम्मद गौस से मिलने गये। उन्हें रानी मृगनयनी के दरबार में जाने के कई अवसर मिले। उन्होंने दरबार की एक महिला हुसैनी से विवाह कर लिया। उनकी पाँच संतानें हुईं।

सम्राट अकबर तानसेन के गायन से बहुत प्रभावित हो गये। उन्होंने तानसेन को 1556 में अपने दरबार में बुला लिया। तानसेन उनके प्रिय दरबारी बन गये।

कुछ दरबारी लोगों को तानसेन से ईर्ष्या हो गई। उनकी इच्छा हुई कि तानसेन को गायकी की अपनी प्रतिभा दिखाने को कहा जाये। उन्होंने तानसेन को राग दीपक गाने के लिए कहा। यह राग बहुत खतरनाक था। वह न केवल दीपक प्रज्वलित कर सकता था वरन् गायक को भी भस्म कर सकता था।

तानसेन के दिमाग में एक विचार आया। उसे पता था कि अगर राग मेघ सही तरीके से गाया जाए तो वर्षा होने लगेगी। तानसेन ने अपनी बेटी सरस्वती तथा उसकी सहेली रूपमती को राग मेघ गाना सिखा दिया।

निश्चित दिन तानसेन ने राग दीपक गाना प्रारम्भ किया। उससे ताप बहुत बढ़ गया। लपटें उठीं तथा दीपक जल गये। तभी दोनों लड़कियों ने राग मेघ गाना शुरू कर दिया। वर्षा आ गई। तानसेन भस्म होने से बच गये। अकबर ने तानसेन को पुरस्कृत किया तथा उनके शत्रुओं को दण्ड दिया।

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No Men are Foreign Summary in English by James Kirkup

No Men are Foreign by James Kirkup About the Poet

James Falconer Kirkup, (1918 -2009), was an extraordinarily prolific writer in many genres. Though perhaps best known as a poet, he was also an accomplished translator of verse, prose and drama, a fine travel writer, a dramatist and an autobiographer of distinction. Kirkup started writing simple verses and rhymes from the age of six and his first poetry book, The Drowned Sailor was published in 1947.

His published works include several dozen collections of poetry, six volumes of autobiography, over a hundred monographs of original work and translations and thousands of shorter pieces in journals and periodicals. His skilled writing of haiku and tanka is acknowledged internationally. His home town of South Shields now holds a growing collection of his works in the Central Library, and artefacts from his time in Japan are housed in the nearby Museum. His last volume of poetry was published during the summer of 2008 by Red Squirrel Press, and was launched at a special event at Central Library in South Shields.

Poet Name	James Kirkup
Born	23 April 1918, England, United Kingdom
Died	10 May 2009, Andorra
Genre	Poetry, fiction, journalism
Books	I, of all people, No More Hiroshimas
Education	Grey College, Durham, Durham University

No Men are Foreign Introduction to the Chapter

No. Men are Foreign can be described as a post-colonial poem which talks of globalisation and its resultant human unity worldwide. The poem was written in the late 1940s when World War II had come to an end, and dissidents were revolting against the oppressive rule of the colonial powers. The sense of racial superiority of the colonial powers was being rejected by the local citizens. Kirkup’s poem echoes these sentiments, and he wants his readers to celebrate these differences rather than be enslaved because of them.

No Men are Foreign Summary in English

In the poem No Men Are Foreign the poet tells us that no human beings are different. Beneath the superficial differences in appearance or behaviour, all human beings have similar feelings, emotions and reactions.

The poet begins by telling his readers that human beings are not different from each other simply on the basis that they hail from separate countries. Soldiers from one nation or the other may fight in the army of their nation, but underneath their different uniforms, they are all essentially similar. They live on the same earth and breathe the same air as their enemies and one day all of them shall be laid to rest in the same earth.

In these lines, the poet gives further evidence of the unity of man. He says that in times of war or peace, those who hail from countries other than our own also depend, like we do, on sun and air and water for their survival. Like us, they, too, have seen periods of peace and periods of war. In times of peace, they have experienced abundance and prosperity, just like us. Again, just like us, they have known shortage of food and famine during war. They have worked as hard as us and their hands show the lines of toil just as ours do.

The poet tells his readers to remember the fact that our enemies have eyes like ours and sleep and wake just like we do. We all have physical strength that can be won by force and the strength of the heart that can be won by love. All human beings use their inner strength to help their fellow beings and this strength is nurtured through love. Despite the differences between various nations, the common people live the same kind of life everywhere. Therefore, you can recognize the pattern of life no matter where you travel in this wide world.

The poet raises his voice against those groups that encourage us to wage wars against our brothers. The poet believes that we must all remember that whenever we are brainwashed and compelled to hate and kill our brothers, we only deceive, disown, betray and condemn ourselves; that this is a form of self-destruction. Any hatred that we may harbour for any member of the human race is a betrayal of the entire species and our condemnation of its future. If we kill people of any other nation, we are in fact endangering the human species as a whole and its survival on earth. He says that if we, the guardians of the earth, pick up arms against our brothers, and die as a result of the war, then there would no one left to take care of the home that our ancestors had passed down to us.

Comparing wartime with hell, the poet says that when war breaks out between two hostile nations, we pollute our mother earth to such an extent that we create a living hell of dust and fire that violates the purity of our surroundings including our thoughts and actions. In war as in hell, there is fire and smoke everywhere. As a result of this, the earth is becoming poisoned. The very air that we breathe is becoming impure and will not be able to sustain human life for much longer. That is why the poet encourages us not to wage war on our fellow men thinking they are foreigners and that their countries are unlike our own.

No Men are Foreign Theme

In No Men Are Foreign, James Kirkup reminds us that the man-made differences are baseless and they have caused endless wars and bloodshed. Divisions based on superficial differences are senseless since we all need the same basic resources for our survival. We are all descended from a common source and therefore, we must shun all violence and unite to make our lives better. Armies of the different countries wage war against their brothers.

They do not understand that there is an inherent similarity between all human beings. It is only in the times of peace and harmony that civilization progresses and people are content. In fact if a war is raging in a country then that country faces the threat of starvation since all sorts of production comes to a halt.

No Men are Foreign Tone

As we can see from the word ‘remember’ the poem begins on a didactic note which gives us the lesson that all humanity is alike in their heart and spirit. The poet wishes to show his readers the ultimate effect of hatred for fellow human beings to make them realize how bad it can affect them. He forcefully asserts that people of different countries are in no way different even though they wear different clothes and speak different languages. Emphatically stressing the futility of war, the poet points out that we only defile our own earth and pollute the very air we all breathe.

No Men are Foreign Message

The poem No Men Are Foreign gives a very important message. The poet tells us that some people have ceased to believe in the essential unity of man. They believe that a man hailing from a different country is to be hated and discriminated against. Such people are the ones who cause wars due to their false beliefs. The poet assures his readers that man is just the same everywhere. He experiences the same joys and sorrows and has been descended from the same ancestors. Therefore, he is justified in asking his readers to expel hatred for their fellow humans from their minds and hearts

No Men are Foreign Title

The poem No Men Are Foreign has an apt title. According to the poet we should not consider anyone as foreign or ‘strange’ as we are the children of the same God. The Earth is the common property of the mankind and we are the citizens of the world and not a particular country. We must give up narrow nationalism as humanity is the same all over the world and in harming anyone we are harming ourselves. The poet emphasises the futility of hating those who belong to other countries. When we wage war against others, we only defile our own earth.

No Men are Foreign Setting

The setting of this poem is the post-war modem society. Colonial powers had suppressed the others for centuries, creating the myth of white supremacy. Kirkup rejects racial superiority of the colonial powers and celebrates differences between people.

No Men are Foreign Literary Devices

Apostrophe is a poetic device where the speaker of the poem addresses a dead or absent person, an abstraction, or an inanimate object.

Example: In this poem, the poet uses the device of the apostrophe as he addresses all his advice directly to his readers.

Enjambment

Enjambment is when a sentence, phrase, or thought does not end with the line of poetry. Rather, it carries over to the next line.

Example: Remember they have eyes like ours that wake
Or sleep, and strength that can be won
By love. In every land is common life
That all can recognise and understand.

Metaphor

A metaphor is a comparison between two concepts, tightened by the omission of any adjoining words.

Examples: In this poem, the poet uses metaphor in the line
Like ours: the land our brothers walk upon
as he compares his fellow human beings with his own brothers.
He again uses it in the line
Are fed by peaceful harvests, by war’s long winter starv’d.
when he compares war with winter since reduced resources are available at both those sides.
He also uses it in the line
Our hells of fire and dust outrage the innocence
Of air that is everywhere our own
when he compares wars with hell.

Transferred Epithet

A description which refers to another character or event but is used to describe a different place or character.
In No Men Are Foreign the poet uses transferred epithet when he writes Are fed by peaceful harvests, by war’s long winter starv’d.

Here, the phrase “peaceful harvests” is a transferred epithet. It is not the harvests themselves that are peaceful, but peaceful social and political conditions that prevent a shortage of crops or famine and make harvests possible.

No Men are Foreign Summary Questions and Answers

Question 1.
What does the poet mean when he says “Remember, no men are strange, no countries foreign”?
Answer:
The poet is making an impassioned plea telling readers to give up extreme nationalism and perceived differences between people belonging to different nations. We are brothers because we inhabit the same planet, drink the same water and breathe the same air, but we feel different and behave like enemies at times. The poet wants us to give up our misplaced patriotism and live in universal brotherhood.

Question 2.
How does the poet prove that there are no foreign countries?
Answer:
Everyone shares the same sun, earth and air. They have the same body structure and its functioning elements. So there should be no biased attitude towards anyone.

Question 3.
What is meant by uniforms? What is there beneath all uniforms?
Answer:
The word “uniform” refers to the distinctive clothing worn by members of the same organization or body or by children attending certain schools. In this poem, the poet uses “uniforms” to mean both the uniforms worn by soldiers and the varied traditional dresses belonging to different cultures and civilisations of the world, or the different clothes that symbolise who the wearers are. Beneath all uniforms lies the same human body.

Question 4.
Bring out the irony in the use of the word “uniform”?
Answer:
Uniform implies a dress, costume or identification code that is similar to a group or organisation. Uniforms are necessary especially during war in order to differentiate between and identify soldiers on different sides who would otherwise appear to be same. But uniforms give rise to differences. Because every nation has a uniform, the world remains divided rather than united.

Question 5.
How are all the people of the world brothers?
Answer:
All human beings are similar in structure as we are all flesh and blood. We walk on the same land as long as we are alive and will be buried in the same earth when we die. We also use the same sun, air and water.

Question 6.
How can we be one people though we belong to different nations?
Answer:
Even if we belong to different nations, we can be one people because we all have the same body and we live and die on the same planet. All of us enjoy the same sun, air and water.

Question 7.
What are peaceful harvests? What do the peaceful harvests symbolise?
Answer:
Peaceful harvests are the bountiful crops grown during times of peace. They are said to be peaceful because they can be nurtured only during times of peace. They symbolise happiness and prosperity.

Question 8.
What does the poet mean when he says “by war’s long winter starv’d”?
Answer:
If a war is raging in a country then that country faces the threat of starvation since all agricultural production comes to a halt. Just as there are no crops in winter, war renders a land barren. That is why there is a shortage of food in winters and in times of war, too, there is deprivation and famine. People starve to death. Thus, starvation is associated with war and with winter.

Question 9.
What do you understand by “Their hands are ours”? What are their lines? How can we conclude that their labour is same as ours?
Answer:
Their hands are ours means that people living in other countries have hands just like ours which toil hard to earn a living. Their lines mean the lines on their face and body which are just like ours. Hence, we can conclude that though they belong to another land, they have worked hard throughout their lives, just like us.

Question 10.
The poet says that men from other countries have the same basic requirements as us. Elaborate.
Answer:
The poet says that men from other countries have the same requirements as his own countrymen by saying that they enjoy the same sunlight, breathe the same air and drink the same water. Not only this, they also work hard to earn a living. They too eat when their harvest is plentiful during times of peace and starve during war.

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The Snake and the Mirror Summary in English by Muhammad Basheer

The Snake and the Mirror by Muhammad Basheer About the Author

Vaikom Muhammad Basheer (1908-1994) was a Malayalam fiction writer. He was a humanist, freedom fighter, novelist and short story writer. He is known for his path-breaking, disarmingly down-to-earth style of writing that made him equally popular among literary critics as well as the common man. He is regarded as one of the most successful and outstanding writers of India. Translation of his works into other languages has won him world – wide acclaim. Basheer is fondly known as the ‘Beypore Sultan’. Basheer is known for his unconventional style of language. He did not differentiate between literary language and the language spoken by the commons and did not care about the grammatical correctness of his sentences. He was awarded with Padma Shri in 1982 for his overall contributions to the nation as a freedom fighter, writer, and as a political activist.

Author Name	Vaikom Muhammad Basheer
Born	21 January 1908, Thalayolaparambu
Died	5 July 1994, Beypore
Parents	Kaye Abdul Rahiman
Movies	Mathilukal, Bhargavi Nilayam, Balyakalasakhi, House of Stories
Awards	Vallathol Award, Muttathu Varkey Award, Kerala Sahitya Akademi Fellowship, Kerala State Film Award for Best Story

The Snake and the Mirror Introduction to the Chapter

An astute observer of human character, Vaikom Mohd Basheer skilfully combined humour and pathos in his works. Love, hunger and poverty are recurring themes in his works. The Snake and the Mirror presents a contrast between dreams and reality. This contrast has been depicted in a humorous manner.

Into the lonely and dull life of a young homeopathic doctor, who has just started his practice comes a venomous and life threatening visitor – a snake. The doctor is a great admirer of beauty and when he looks into the mirror, he is full of appreciation for his good looks. The seemingly dangerous situation of the snake coiling round the doctor’s arm turns him to stone in fright. However, the snake spares him and is itself attracted towards a mirror.

The Snake and the Mirror Summary in English

The Snake and the Mirror is a story about a doctor, who had only recently commenced his practice. His earnings were, therefore, meagre. He lived in a small rented room – an outhouse – with two windows and a tiled roof. The tiles were supported by gables which rested on the beam and there was no electricity. He had only sixty rupees in his bag. Apart from a few shirts and dhotis, he had one solitary black coat. The room was infested with rats. However, his dreams and ambitions were in contrast to this.

One hot summer night, he had his meal at the restaurant and returned home. He lighted the kerosene lamp, took off his coat and shirt and opened the two windows. He settled on the chair and took out a medical book to read. There was a large mirror on the table on which stood a lamp. Since it was too hot to sleep, and he had nothing better to do, he sat down in front of the mirror, admiring himself, admiring his looks and smile and planning that he should do to look more presentable. He was a great admirer of beauty and he believed in making himself handsome. He also laid great emphasis on the fact that he was unmarried and a doctor. Pleased with his appearance, he decided to shave daily and grow a thin moustache to look more handsome. The manner in which he decided that this decision was an ‘important’ one, and his ‘earth-shaking decision’ to always keep smiling in order to look more handsome bring out the contrast between the kind of person he was and the kind of person he wanted to be and make the story humorous.

Gradually, his thoughts shifted from self- admiration to planning his future marriage. He wanted to marry a woman doctor who had plenty of money and a good medical practice because he did not have either. He wanted a fat wife so that whenever he made a mistake, he would run away and his wife would not be able to catch him.

He was so engrossed in his daydream that he did not give much importance’to the sudden silence. The rats had stopped scampering and there was a sound of something falling behind him. He brushed it aside, but even before he could turn around to have a look, a snake had slithered over the back of the chair and perched itself on his shoulder. The doctor was extremely frightened as the snake was only a few inches away from his face. Horrified, he sat turned to stone. The snake slithered along his shoulder and coiled around his left arm above the elbow. The doctor felt a crushing force on his arm. Moments ago, the doctor who had been feeling so proud of his looks and his profession, was weak with fright. He thought of various medicines he had and if any was good enough to save him if the snake did bite him. In this moment of fear of death, he realized that he was but a mere human, a poor man, nothing to boast about.

At this moment, he felt the presence of God near him. In his imagination, he tried to write ‘O God’ in bright letters outside his heart. He felt pain in his left arm where the snake was coiled. He realized that if the snake struck him, he did not even have any medicines in his room for the same. That was when he thought that he was a poor, foolish, and stupid doctor. In this way, his thoughts changed from calling himself a handsome, unmarried doctor to calling himself a poor, foolish, and stupid doctor. This sequence of events also provided humour to the story.

The moment he accepted his true worth, the Gods appeared pleased and the snake of its own free will left him and sat on the table in front of the mirror. The doctor got up silently and rushed out of the door. Next morning when he came back, all his belongings had been pilfered but for his dirty vest which was too dirty even for the thief.

The Snake and the Mirror Title

The Snake and the Mirror is a very apt title for this frightening tale presented in a very humorous manner. The story narrates a young doctor’s encounter with a snake. The doctor is sitting on a chair, looking at himself in the mirror when a snake lands on his shoulder and coils itself around his left arm, its hood only three or four inches away from his face. The doctor sits turned to a stone, but reprieve comes when the snake turns its head, and looks into the mirror. It sees its reflection and is so enamoured with its image that is slithers across to the mirror, sparing the life of the narrator.

Thus, the story revolves round the snake and the mirror. The vain narrator, who has been at the centre of the narrative until the snake appears, turns into an unimportant spectator. It is the snake who is so enamoured of its own reflection that it spares his life. Had the snake not moved to the mirror, and had bitten him, he would have surely died for there was no medicine in his room for snake-bite.

The Snake and the Mirror Setting

The setting of the story is a hot summer night; about ten o’clock. The young writer returns to his room after a meal. The room is a small rented one and is not electrified. There are two windows in the room. It has a tiled roof with long supporting gables that rest on the beam over the wall. There is no ceiling. The room is infested with rats.

The Snake and the Mirror Theme

The humorous narrative is based on the theme of human vanity and fears and how they affect people. The young doctor is a homeopath, struggling with his poverty and a fledgling practice.

However, he is vain about his looks and as he admires himself in the mirror, he thinks of ways in which he can look more handsome – by smiling more, or by growing a moustache. He also hopes to marry a fat woman doctor with a large practice and lead a happy life. The sudden arrival of a snake on the scene turns him to stone, but fate intervenes, when the snake, attracted by the mirror, decides to ignore him. The narrator takes this opportunity to make good his escape. The snake seems to be almost as vain as the doctor himself, and is too busy gazing at itself in the mirror to bother about the escaping prey.

An additional theme in the story is how crises make people turn to God for help.

The Snake and the Mirror Message

The Snake and the Mirror gives the message that faith in God and humility in thoughts are what make a person strong enough to face any adversity. The doctor in the story is cured of his arrogance after a close brush with death. He is young, arrogant, lull of himself, because he is unmarried and is a doctor. As he sits admiring himself, his only thought is of improving his looks.

However, faced with death, he realizes the futility of worldly possessions as he prays to God as he feels “the great presence of the creator of this world and this universe.” He feels maybe he was being taught a lesson for his arrogance and his pride in his appearance. Thus, the lesson learnt by the narrator is the writer’s message – one should never be proud of one’s beauty, strength or achievements.

The Snake and the Mirror Humour

The story presents a contrast between dreams and reality. This contrast has heen depicted in a humorous manner. The young doctor has just started his practice and, so, his earnings are meagre. He lives in a small rented room, which is not electrified and is full of rats. He has only sixty rupees in his bag, he has few clothes, and a solitary black coat. However, his dreams and ambitions are in contrast to this.

He admires beauty and he believes in making himself handsome. He lays great emphasis on the fact that he is unmarried and is a doctor. He decides to shave daily and grow a thin moustache to look more handsome. He describes this decision as an ‘important’ one. Later, he also makes an ‘earth-shaking decision’ to always keep smiling in order to look more handsome. This contrast between the kind of person he is and the kind of person he wants to be makes the story humorous.

He has thought about the kind of person he wants to marry. He wants to marry a woman doctor who has plenty of money and a good medical practice because he did not have any of those. He wants a fat wife so that whenever he runs away making a mistake his wife is not able to catch him. However, the woman he marries is a thin and slender person who can run like a sprinter. This contrast between the kind of wife he wanted and the kind of wife he ends up marrying adds to the humour of the story.

Ironically, the snake too is as narcissistic as the doctor. It coils itself around the petrified doctor’s arm, and spreads its hood, just inches from the doctor’s face, when it suddenly turns its head and sees its reflection in the mirror. It unwinds itself from the doctor’s arm and slowly slithers across his lap, onto the table towards the mirror to enjoy its reflection at closer quarters. The fact that the snake also wishes to admire itself in the mirror, like the narrator, and leaves the narrator alone also creates humour.

The fact that the thieves decamp with the narrator’s meagre belongings, but for a dirty vest is also funny.

The Snake and the Mirror Characters

Doctor

The young homeopathic doctor has been portrayed as a person who is vain and arrogant. He admires beauty and he believes in making himself handsome. He lays great emphasis on the fact that he is unmarried and is a doctor. He decides to shave daily and grow a thin moustache to look more handsome. He describes this decision as an ‘important’ one. Later, he also makes an ‘earth-shaking decision’ to always keep smiling in order to look more handsome. However, in contrast to the preoccupation with the external appearance, is the dirty vest that even the thieves leave behind.

The doctor, however, can assess himself critically and humorously. He honestly admits that as a new practitioner of medicine, he could not earn much and had to rent a poor, rat-infested house without even the facility of electricity. He is materialistic and admits that he wanted to marry a rich lady-doctor. He is opportunistic enough to want his wife be fat as it would help him run away without getting caught when he would make some silly mistake.

The doctor is a chauvinist, who has a poor opinion .of women. He is not above marrying a woman for her money, and running away from her, when he has done something wrong.

The young doctor has presence of mind to sit still without panicking when the snake crawls on him. He doesn’t jump or cry out but keeps his cool and casts his mind around to remember if he has any anti-dote to snake-venom in the room. He makes the most of the opportunity when the snake is absorbed in its reflection in the mirror and makes good his escape.

However, his ability to admit his follies and laugh at himself makes him quite endearing. The encounter with the snake helps him realise that to be alive is more important than to look good. His arrogance turns into modesty after his encounter with the snake. This witty side of the doctor is seen again at the end of the story when he remarks that the thief did not take away his dirty vest because he had a sense of cleanliness.

Similarities between Doctor and Snake

Both the Doctor and the Snake display a narcissistic trait that renders them hot oblivious to their surroundings. The Doctor admires beauty and he believes in making himself handsome. He lays great emphasis on the fact that he is unmarried and is a doctor. He decides to shave daily and grow a thin moustache to look more handsome.

He describes this decision as an ‘important’ one. Later, he also makes an ‘earth-shaking decision’ to always keep smiling in order to look more handsome.

The Snake is coiled around the Doctor’s arm, with its hood spread out, its head hardly three or four inches from his face, when it looks into mirror. So enamoured is it by its looks that it slithers off to look at its reflection. It forget the reason why it was there, probably hungry and chasing some rats.

The Snake and the Mirror Summary Questions and Answers

Question 1.
Who narrated his encounter with a snake? To whom? Why did he narrate the incident?
Answer:
The narrator of the incident was a homeopathic doctor. One day, when the narrator and some others were discussing snakes, the doctor was reminded of his own encounter with a snake and he narrated the incident.

Question 2.
When and where did the incident with the snake take place?
Answer:
The incident took place in the narrator’s room after he had taken his meal in a restaurant and had returned to his room at about ten o’clock in the night.

Question 3.
Why did the narrator have to light the kerosene lamp on reaching his room?
Answer:
The narrator had to light the kerosene lamp because it was ten o’clock and it was very dark. The room did not have electricity and the narrator had limited money and could not afford a better place.

Question 4.
Describe the narrator’s room?
Answer:
The narrator lived in a small, poorly furnished rented room infested with rats. It was an outer room, its one wall facing the open yard. The room had two windows and its tiles were supported by gables that rested on the beam over the wall. There was no ceiling. The room was not electrified. Outside the room there was a veranda. The room was meagrely furnished; among the few pieces of furniture, there was his bed, a chair, a table with his medical books, usual accessories, a kerosene lamp and a mirror on it.

Question 5.
What circumstances prompted the doctor to live in a small, poor house?
Answer:
The doctor had just started his practice and his earnings were meagre. Therefore, he lived in a small, poor house because he could not afford to rent a better and more comfortable accommodation. Besides, he was not married at that time so he could manage in a small rented room until the time he got married.

Question 6.
The doctor was not a man with many material possessions. Elaborate.
Answer:
The doctor had just started his practice. Therefore, his earnings were meagre. He lived in a small rented room, which was not electrified. He had only sixty rupees in his bag. Apart from a few shirts and dhotis, he had one solitary black coat. His room was full of rats.

Question 7.
Why was the narrator awake despite the lateness of the hour?
Answer:
It was about ten o’clock on a hot summer night when the narrator reached his room. He made his bed and lay down on it, but he could not sleep due to the heat. He got up and went out to the veranda for a little air, but there was no wind. So, he went back into the room and sat down on the chair.

Question 8.
What did the doctor do after coming back inside?
Answer:
The doctor sat on the chair and, opening the box beneath the table, took out a book, the Materia Medica. He opened the book at the table on which stood the lamp and a large mirror. At once he was tempted to look into the mirror and he set about making himself look handsome.

Question 9.
“The sound was a familiar one.” What sound did the narrator hear? What did he think it was? How many times did he hear it? When and why did the sounds stop?
Answer:
The narrator heard the familiar sound of movement of some animals on the beam. He thought that the sound was being made by the scampering of rats as always. He heard the sound thrice. After the third time, the sound stopped. This was probably because of the appearance of the snake and the disappearance of the rats in fear.

Question 10.
What were the narrator’s feelings as he looked into the mirror?
Answer:
At that time the narrator, who was unmarried and a doctor, was a great admirer of beauty and he believed in making himself look handsome. He felt he had to make his presence felt by improving his appearance.

He began to comb his hair, adjusting the parting so that it looked straight and neat in order to appear more handsome.