Prasanna

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

Wind Summary in English by Subramania Bharati

Wind by Subramania Bharati About the Poet

Chinnaswami Subramania Bharati, also known as Bharathiyar (1882-1921) was a Tamil writer, poet and journalist, and Indian independence activist and social reformer. Popularly known as “Mahakavi Bharati”, he is considered one of the greatest Tamil literary figures of all time. His numerous works were fiery songs kindling patriotism and nationalism during the Indian Independence movement. Bharati’s works were on varied themes covering religious, political and social aspects. Songs penned by Bharati are very often used in Tamil films and music concerts throughout India and overseas, wherever Tamil Indians live. Considered as one of the pioneers of modem Tamil literature, Bharati used simple words and rhythms. His imagery and the vigour of his verse were a forerunner to modem Tamil poetry in different aspects.

A K Ramanujan (1929-1993) wrote in both English and Kannada. Though he wrote widely and in a number of genres, Ramanujan’s poems are remembered as enigmatic works of startling originality, sophistication and moving artistry. He was awarded the Sahitya Akademi Award posthumously in 1999 for his collection of poems, The Collected Poems.

Poet Name	Subramania Bharati
Born	11 December 1882, Ettaiyapuram
Died	12 September 1921, Chennai
Spouse	Chellamal (m. 1897–1921)
Movies	Bharathi
Parents	Chinnaswami Subramanya Iyer, Elakkumi Ammaal

Wind Introduction to the Chapter

Nature in all its manifestations was a source of inspiration for Subramania Bharati. He saw wind and rain as forces of Nature that were designed to destroy the old and evil things in man’s mind and create joy and liberty within him.

In the poem Wind Subramania Bharati has very beautifully expressed his ideas about both the damaging and nurturing aspects of wind. Wind often mocks the weak but glorifies the strong. In the poem wind is symbolic of the difficulties and hardships that we face in life. If we display strength and endurance we can overcome these difficulties, but if we are weak and frail, we may succumb to them.

Wind Summary in English

This poem talks about the power of wind.

In a direct address to the wind, the poet pleads with it not to break down the shutters of the windows, as they are the only protection man has against the storm raging outside. In a manner, the poet is here asking the wind for protection. He also asks the wind not to scatter the papers in his room, or to throw down the books from his bookshelves.

As he continues to address the wind, the poet’s tone now changes to an accusatory one. He remonstrates with the wind as he shows it the mess it has created in his room. With its force, the wind has thrown all the books down from the bookshelves, and tom pages out of those books as well. However, the poet does hot restrict his complaint to the mess created by the wind inside his house. Casting his gaze outside, he also accuses the wind of having brought a spell of rain with itself.

Now the poet’s tone changes to sombre as he accuses the wind of destroying whoever is too meek and mild to withstand its force. The wind, which has the power to tear down doors, rafters, or even entire wooden houses, leaves people without a roof over their heads, or walls to keep them sheltered from the harsh world outside. The wind also tears down weak bodies, and fragile hearts. That is, difficulties in life can lead to a loss of hope, as well as a loss of life.

The poet warns his readers that we cannot escape the ill effects of the wind by appealing to it, as it does not listen to anybody. Therefore, we should build our homes on a strong foundation, and ensure that our doors cannot be easily broken. He suggests that we make ourselves strong, both physically and mentally. We must train our bodies and our hearts to combat the ill effects of the wind. If we are able to do this, the wind will no longer be an enemy.

Instead it will be our friend. The poet says that just as the wind blows out a fire if it is weak, but makes it fiercer if it is burning strongly, the wind nurtures that which is already strong. This leads the poet to conclude that if we are strong, then the wind will increase our strength, but if we are weak it crushes us. The poet asks the wind to blow gently, and, tells us to sing our devotion to the wind god every day.

Wind Title

The poem has an apt title. Wind is a powerful force that breaks the shutters and scatters the books. It pokes fun at weaklings — crumbling wood, doors, rafters, bodies, lives, crumbling hearts. However, Wind makes the strong even stronger. It blows out weak fires and makes strong ones bum even more fiercely. Wind inspires us to face the challenges thrown at us with grit and firm determination. We should be strong enough to face all the hardships of life with courage.

Wind Setting

The setting of the poem is the poet’s room during a storm. The strong wind is rattling the windws and blowing his papers about, scattering them in the room. It throws the books down from the shelves and creates a mess.

Wind Theme

In Wind, Subramania Bharti highlights the destructive as well as the constructive aspects of the wind. Wind breaks down weak doors and structures and puts out a weak fire, but it makes a strong fire bum more fiercely. Wind, in the poem, symbolises the challenges and obstacles that one may encounter in one’s life. If we are weak, these problems and hardships may overwhelm us and make us fearful, but if we face them with courage and determination, we are able to overcome our misfortunes. Thus, the poet stresses upon the need to develop a strong character.

Wind Message

In “Wind” Subramania Bharati inspires us to face the wind, which symbolises the hardships, courageously. He tells us that the wind can only extinguish the weak fires; it intensifies the stronger ones. Similarly, adversities deter the weak-hearted but make stronger those who have unfaltering will. In such a case, befriending the wind or the hardships of life makes it easier for us to face them.

Wind Tone

The poet talks about the power of wind. In the beginning, he directly addresses the windin a pleading tone and entreats it to not cause destruction. As he continues to address the wind, the poet’s tone now changes to an accusatory one. He remonstrates with the wind as he shows it the mess it has created in his room. He also accuses the wind of having brought a spell of rain with itself. After looking at the destruction wind causes in his room, Bharati’s tone changes to sombre as he accuses the wind of destroying whoever is too meek and mild to withstand its force. The poet adopts a cautionary tone as he counsels his readers to make themselves strong, both physically and mentally and face challenges with equanimity.

Wind Summary Questions and Answers

Question 1.
Why does the poet ask wind to blow softly?
Answer:
The poet asks wind to blow softly because he knows that a strong wind will causes a lot of damage to structures that are not very strong. It will break the shutters of windows, throw the books from the shelves, and tear their pages and bring rain.

Question 2.
What damage does wind cause in the poet’s room?
Answer:
Wind breaks the shutters of the windows, it scatters the poet’s papers. It even throws down his books and tears the pages. Then it brings rain and disturbs everything.

Question 3.
What is winnowing? What, according to the poet, does the wind god winnow?
Answer:
Winnowing refers to blowing away or removing the chaff from grain before it can be used as food. It thus implies segregating people or things by judging their quality. The poet says that the wind god separates the weak from the strong like the chaff from grain.

Question 4.
How does wind make fun of weaklings?
Answer:
Wind makes fun of the weaklings by separating them from the strong and then crushing them by its force. Wind who is very strong does not behave in a friendly way with the weak. It destroys the weak things.

Question 5.
What harm does wind do when it blows hard?
Answer:
When a strong wind blows, it destroys everything. It breaks the shutters of the windows, scatters the papers, throws the books off the shelves, and tears the pages of the books.

Question 6.
What kinds of houses should we build to withstand the power of wind?
Answer:
We should make strong houses with doors that have firm joints as wind will not be able to crumble those.

Question 7.
What does ‘crumbling’ suggests in the poem ‘Wind’?
Answer:
The word ‘crumbling’ in the poem ‘Wind’ suggests fragile or frail. He feels that wind separates the frail or derelict houses, doors, rafters, wood, and weak bodies, lives, and hearts from those that are strong and crushes them all.

Question 8.
Explain what the poet means by ‘Make the heart steadfast’.
Answer:
The poet advises that while facing difficulties and challenges in life, one should have strong determination and courage. Wind causes weak structures to crumble and puts out a weak fire, but has no effect on a strong structure, in fact, it causes a strong fire to bum more intensely. Similarly, a resolute heart can face all adversities.

Question 9.
What should we do to make friends with the winds?
Answer:
The wind makes fun of weak things. Thus, wind teaches us to be strong and determined, as a tme friend should. We should make ourselves physically and mentally strong to overcome the troubles and turmoil we may face in life.

Question 10.
‘He won’t do what you tell him’. Who is ‘he’? Why does he not obey others?
Answer:
In this line, ‘he’ stands for the wind god. The wind god does not obey man because it is so powerful that it cannot be controlled.

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

The Sound of Music Summary in English

The Sound of Music Summary Part 1 by Deborah Cowley About the Author

Deborah Cowley was born in India, grew up in Toronto, Canada graduated in English from the University of Western Ontario and moved to Ottawa for a job with the Unitarian Service Committee. She then spent two years with the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) in Beirut, Lebanon before moving back to Ottawa to join the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA). Her broadcasting career began when she was ported to Washington with her husband. She worked as a freelance reporter for CBC radio. When she and her husband were posted to Cairo, Egypt, she was commissioned to write the first official guidebook of Cairo and is currently in its 17th edition. Subsequent postings to London and Brussels gave Deborah the opportunity to write articles for the British and International editions of Reader’s Digest.

The Sound of Music Summary Part 1 in English

In the biographical feature Evelyn Glennie Listens to Sound without Hearing It Deborah Cowley gives an account of percussionist Evelyn Glennie, a Scottish musician, who has been profoundly deaf since the age of 12. Instead of yielding to the handicap, Evelyn pursued her dream developed her ability to hear through the rest of her body. She eventually made her way to the Royal Academy of Music in London. Evelyn Glennie, who can play more than a thousand instruments to perfection, a most sought after musician internationally.

Evelyn’s mother came to know about her daughter’s deafness when at the age of eight, the latter was to give her performance on the piano in school but could not hear her name being called. For quite a while Evelyn managed to conceal her growing deafness from friends and teachers. But by the time she was eleven her marks had deteriorated. When her deafness was confirmed at the age of eleven, the headmistress of her school suggested that she should be sent to the school for deaf children. But Evelyn was not the kind of girl who could be discouraged. Once, when she was dissuaded by the teachers from playing upon a xylophone, Ron Forbes, a great percussionist, came to her rescue. He saw great potential in her and guided her how to sense music through different parts of her body without listening through ears. This proved to be the turning point. She leamt to open her body and mind to the sounds and vibrations. After that she never looked back. She had mastered the art of interpreting different vibrations of sound on her body.

Evelyn did not look back from that point onwards. She toured the United Kingdom with a youth orchestra and by the time she was sixteen, she had decided to make music her life. She joined the prestigious Royal Academy of Music and scored the highest marks in the history of the Academy when she gave an audition for it. Afterwards, she moved from orchestra to solo performances. At the end of her three-year course at the Academy, Evelyn had bagged most of the top awards.

With her unfaltering determination, Evelyn became the world’s most sought-after multipercussionist with a mastery of some thousand instruments, and hectic international schedule.

Despite her lack of hearing, Evelyn not only speaks flawlessly, but has also managed to learn French and basic Japanese. According to Evelyn, she can feel music pouring in through every part of her body – her skin, her cheek bones, even her hair. She can feel the vibrations of instruments penetrate into her body through her bare feet. In 1991, she received the prestigious ‘Soloist of the Year Award’ presented by the Royal Philharmonic Society.

A person with humane attitude, Evelyn gives free concerts in prisons and hospitals. With her efforts, she secured a significant place for percussion instruments in orchestra. Infact, Evelyn Glennie is a great inspiration for all those who suffer from physical disabilities. She makes them believe that if she could do it, so can they.

The Sound of Music Summary Part 2 in English

The Sound of Music Part II – The Shehnai of Bismillah Khan throws light on the origin of shehnai and the life of Bismillah Khan, the shehnai maestro, recipient of Padma Vibhushan and Bharat Ratan awards for his invaluable contribution to the musical world of shehnai. Hailing from a family of musicians, Bismillah Khan secured for the shehnai a place among the classical musical instruments. His improvisation of many new raagas and his originality won him accolades at the international level as well.

Pungi, a reeded musical instrument, was banned by the Mughal emperor Aurangzeb because he found its sound to be jarring and shrill. However, it was revived when a barber, who belonged to a family of professional musicians, modified and perfected it. He took a hollow stem which was wider than the pungi, made seven holes in it and produced music that was soft and melodious. The barber (nai) played it in the royal chambers (in the court of Shah) and the instrument was named shehnai. Its sound was so appreciated that it was made a part of naubat – the traditional ensemble of nine instruments found at royal courts. From that time onwards, the music of shehnai came to be associated with auspicious occasions. It was played in temples and during weddings, particularly in northern India till Ustad Bismillah Khan brought instrument onto the classical stage.

Born in 1916 in Dumroan, Bihar, Bismillah Khan belonged to a well-known family of musicians. His grandfather, Rasool Bux Khan was a shehnai player in the court of the king of Bhojpur. His father, Paigambar Bux, and his paternal and maternal uncles were also great shehnai players. Bismillah khan took to music early in life when he was 3 years old in the company of his maternal uncle. At the age of five, he used to regularly go to the nearby Bihariji temple to sing the Bhojpuri chaita at the end of which he would be awarded a big laddu by the Maharaja.

Bismillah Khan got his training in Benaras from his maternal uncle, Ali Bux, who played shehnai in the Vishnu temple. His talent came to be recognised when Bismillah Khan was fourteen, in the Allahabad Music Conference. Later, when All India Radio was established in

Lucknow in 1938, he often played shehnai on the radio. In Benaras, the Ganga provided him much inspiration and in harmony with the flowing waters of the Ganga, Bismillah Khan discovered new raagas for shehnai. He developed such a devotion for the Ganga and for Dumraon that he declined the opportunity to settle down in America when it was offered to him.

Bismillah Khan’s shehnai ushered in a new era when he played the shehnai prior to the speech of Pandit Jawahar Lai Nehru declaring the independence of India in 1947.

Unlike other musicians, the glamour of the film industry failed to captivate Bismillah Khan. Although he contributed to the music of two films, Vijay Bhatt’s Gunj Uthi Shehnai and Vikram Srinivas’s Kannada venture, Sanadhi Apanna, he did not pursue this option further as he couldn’t come to terms with the artificiality and glamour of the film world. He was rewarded with national awards – the Padmashri, the Padma Bhushan and the Padma Vibhushan. In 2001, he received the highest civilian award of India, the Bharat Ratna. He was the first Indian invited to perform in Lincoln Central Hall, USA. He also took part in the World Exposition in Montreal, in the Cannes Art Festival and in the Osaka Trade Fair. So well known did he become internationally that an auditorium in Teheran was named after him —Tahar Mosiquee Ustaad Bismillah Khan.

Ustad Bismillah Khan’s life embodies the rich, cultural heritage of India as a devout Muslim like him played the shehnai every morning at the Kashi Vishwanath temple.

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

The Sound of Music Summary Part 2 in English

The Sound of Music Summary Part 2 Introduction to the Chapter

The article The Shehnai of Bismillah Khan is an effort to understand the origin of shehnai, an Indian musical instrument as an improved version of the pungi, a reed instrument, which was banned by Aurangzeb for its unpleasant sound. It also narrates the journey of Indian classical musician Bharat Ratan Bismillah Khan whose playing of the shehnai enabled him to win national and international acclaim.

The Sound of Music Summary Part 2 in English

The Sound of Music Part II – The Shehnai of Bismillah Khan throws light on the origin of shehnai and the life of Bismillah Khan, the shehnai maestro, recipient of Padma Vibhushan and Bharat Ratan awards for his invaluable contribution to the musical world of shehnai. Hailing from a family of musicians, Bismillah Khan secured for the shehnai a place among the classical musical instruments. His improvisation of many new raagas and his originality won him accolades at the international level as well.

Pungi, a reeded musical instrument, was banned by the Mughal emperor Aurangzeb because he found its sound to be jarring and shrill. However, it was revived when a barber, who belonged to a family of professional musicians, modified and perfected it. He took a hollow stem which was wider than the pungi, made seven holes in it and produced music that was soft and melodious. The barber (nai) played it in the royal chambers (in the court of Shah) and the instrument was named shehnai. Its sound was so appreciated that it was made a part of naubat – the traditional ensemble of nine instruments found at royal courts. From that time onwards, the music of shehnai came to be associated with auspicious occasions. It was played in temples and during weddings, particularly in northern India till Ustad Bismillah Khan brought instrument onto the classical stage.

Born in 1916 in Dumroan, Bihar, Bismillah Khan belonged to a well-known family of musicians. His grandfather, Rasool Bux Khan was a shehnai player in the court of the king of Bhojpur. His father, Paigambar Bux, and his paternal and maternal uncles were also great shehnai players. Bismillah khan took to music early in life when he was 3 years old in the company of his maternal uncle. At the age of five, he used to regularly go to the nearby Bihariji temple to sing the Bhojpuri chaita at the end of which he would be awarded a big laddu by the Maharaja.

Bismillah Khan got his training in Benaras from his maternal uncle, Ali Bux, who played shehnai in the Vishnu temple. His talent came to be recognised when Bismillah Khan was fourteen, in the Allahabad Music Conference. Later, when All India Radio was established in

Lucknow in 1938, he often played shehnai on the radio. In Benaras, the Ganga provided him much inspiration and in harmony with the flowing waters of the Ganga, Bismillah Khan discovered new raagas for shehnai. He developed such a devotion for the Ganga and for Dumraon that he declined the opportunity to settle down in America when it was offered to him.

Bismillah Khan’s shehnai ushered in a new era when he played the shehnai prior to the speech of Pandit Jawahar Lai Nehru declaring the independence of India in 1947.

Unlike other musicians, the glamour of the film industry failed to captivate Bismillah Khan. Although he contributed to the music of two films, Vijay Bhatt’s Gunj Uthi Shehnai and Vikram Srinivas’s Kannada venture, Sanadhi Apanna, he did not pursue this option further as he couldn’t come to terms with the artificiality and glamour of the film world. He was rewarded with national awards – the Padmashri, the Padma Bhushan and the Padma Vibhushan. In 2001, he received the highest civilian award of India, the Bharat Ratna. He was the first Indian invited to perform in Lincoln Central Hall, USA. He also took part in the World Exposition in Montreal, in the Cannes Art Festival and in the Osaka Trade Fair. So well known did he become internationally that an auditorium in Teheran was named after him —Tahar Mosiquee Ustaad Bismillah Khan.

Ustad Bismillah Khan’s life embodies the rich, cultural heritage of India as a devout Muslim like him played the shehnai every morning at the Kashi Vishwanath temple.

The Sound of Music Summary Part 2 Title

The Shehnai of Bismillah Khan is the subtitle of Part II of The Sound of Music. The title is apt as this section deals with the evolution of the shehnai, a reeded musical instrument and the celebrated shehnai player, Bismillah Khan. Shehnai evolved from the pungi which had an unpleasant sound. Pungi’s tonal quality was improved by a nai (barbar) and it was played in the court of the Shah (emperor Aumangeb); hence it came to be known as shehnai. The title also celebrates the melodious music produced by Bismillah Khan’s shehnai. It recounts Bismillah Khan’s achievements and awards as a shehnai player.

The Sound of Music Summary Part 2 Theme

The main theme in The Shehnai of Bismillah Khan deals with the theme that music transcends all barriers. The author, along with highlighting Bismillah Khan’s achievements in the field of shehnai vaadan points out that it was Bismillah Khan’s secular approach to music that honed his skill in music and enabled him to create new raagas. A devout Muslim, Bismillah Khan began his musical career by singing Chaita in Bihariji temple and practicing shehnai in Vishnu temple and Mangala Maiya temple of Varanasi. He used to spend most of his time practicing on the banks of the River Ganges. The themes of his music were deeply affected by the sounds of flowing water of the Ganga. This legendary musician is an example of the secular cultural heritage of India that respects talent, irrespective of the religion of the artist.

The Sound of Music Summary Part 2 Message

Through the life and achievements of Bismillah Khan, the celebrated shehnai player, the writer teaches us an important lesson that Indian music and culture has a very rich and secular tradition. It is a tradition that has been enhanced and enriched through centuries by great musicians like Bismillah Khan, who,not only inherited traditional music but also enhanced it with their original contributions. In the words of Bismillah Khan: “Teach your children music, this is Hindustan’s richest tradition; even the West is now coming to learn our music.” The article also gives the message of patriotism and secularism.

The Sound of Music Summary Part 2 Characters

Bismillah Khan

Bismillah Khan, the shehnai maestro was a extraordinarily talented musician, a committed patriot, and a broad-minded human being.

Bismillah Khan is one of the most eminent musicians of India who not only inherited and propagated the rich, cultural heritage of Indian music, but also enhanced it by creating new ragaas. Bom and brought up in a family of musicians, he inherited and leamt a lot from his paternal and maternal families. His passion for music started at the early age of three and continued up to his death at ninety. Starting with playing music in temples and on the banks of the Ganga, Bismillah Khan rose to fame with international conferences and concerts. Such was his fame that he was invited to play shehnai at the Red Fort on the occassion of the independence of India on August 15, 1947.

A devout Muslim, Bismillah Khan was a liberal human being who had respect for all religions. He used to sing Chaita in Bihariji temple and play shehnai in Vishnu temple and Mangala Maiya temple of Varanasi. He played shehnai everyday in the Kashi Vishwanath temple, Benaras. He also further enriched the shehnai music with his improvisation of raagas which he based on the waves of the Ganga.

Bismillah Khan played shehnai in Afghanistan before King Zahir Shah, was invited to perform at Lincoln Central Hall, USA and participated in the World Exposition in Montreal, in the Cannes Art Festival and Osaka Trade Fair. Such is his international fame that in Teheran, an auditorium has been named after him.

Bismillah Khan was a great patriot who declined the offer of his student to settle down in the USA. He had a profound love for the Ganga in Benaras and his birthplace, the estate in Dumraon, Bihar.

His love for the rich cultural heritage of India did not allow him to succumb to the allure and glamour of the film world. Bismillah Khan’s contribution to music earned him many national awards including the Padamshri, the Padma Bhushan and the Padma Vibhushan were conferred on him. He has also been honoured with the Bharat Ratan, the greatest civilian award in India.

The Sound of Music Summary Part 2 Questions and Answers

Question 1.
Why did Aurangzeb ban the playing of the pungi?
Answer:
Aurangzeb banned the playing of musical instrument pungi because it had a loud, shrill, and unpleasant sound. He prohibited its play in the royal court.

Question 2.
Why did the pungi become a generic name for “reeded noisemakers”?
Answer:
The pungi was made from a reed and it produced noisy, unpleasant sounds. It became a generic name for “reeded noisemakers”.

Question 3.
How is a shehnai different from a pungi?
Answer:
Shehnai has a better tonal quality than pungi. It is a natural hollow stem pipe with holes on its body and is longer and broader than the pungi. When some of the holes are closed and opened while it is played on, soft and melodious sounds are produced instead of the loud, jarring sound of a pungi. Thus, shehnai is, in a way, an improvement upon the pungi.

Question 4.
How was the pungi revived?
Answer:
After Aurangzeb had banned the playing of the pungi in the royal residence, a barber who belonged to a family of professional musicians revived it by taking a wider and longer hollow stem and making seven holes in it. The opening and closing of these holes in the improved pungi produced soft and sweet sounds.

Question 5.
How did the improved and modified pungi get its new name?
Answer:
It is believed that the barber (nai) who improved the pungi, played his improved and modified instrument in the chamber of the emperor {shah). From the combination of the two words shah and nai, the new instrument got is new name shehnai.

Question 6.
Where was the shehnai played traditionally? Why?
Answer:
The music of the shehnai was melodious and soft. It was made a part of the naubat or or traditional ensemble of nine instruments found at royal courts. Soon, it came to be believed that it was auspicious. Therefore, it came to be played in the holy temples and on the happy auspicious occasions of weddings.

Question 7.
Although the shehnai was played in temples and at weddings. How did Bismillah Khan change this?
Answer:
The shehnai was traditionally played in royal courts, temples and weddings. Ustaad Bismillah Khan, an undisputed shehnai maestro, brought the instrument onto the classical stage by adding new raagas and modifying old ones.

Question 8.
Where and how did Bismillah Khan begin his career in music?
Answer:
Bismillah Khan began his career in music at the age of five by singing the Bhojpuri Chaita in the Bihariji temple regularly in his native town Dumraon in Bihar. At the end of the song the local Maharaja would give him a big laddu weighing 1.25 kg as a prize.

Question 9.
How did Bismillah Khan inherit music from his paternal and maternal ancestors?
Answer:
Bismillah Khan hailed from a family of musicians in Bihar. His paternal grandfather Rasool Bux Khan was a shehnai player in the royal court of the king of Bhojpur. His father Paigambar Bux and many paternal and maternal uncles were also shehnai vaadaks. In fact, Bismillah Khan was apprenticed with his maternal uncle Ali Bux to learn how to play the shehnai.

Question 10.
Write a short note on Ali Bux.
Answer:
Ali Bux was the maternal uncle of Bismillah Khan. He was a great shehnai player and was employed to play the shehnai in the Vishnu temple of Benaras. In fact, at a very young age Bismillah was apprenticed to his uncle. Bismillah Khan started accompanying him and got lessons in playing the shehnai from him. The young boy would sit for hours listening to his uncle and later practise throughout the day. As such he and may be regarded as his mentor and trainer.

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

In the Kingdom of Fools Summary in English by A. K. Ramanujan

In the Kingdom of Fools by A. K. Ramanujan About the Author

Attipate Krishnaswami Ramanujan was a bilingual writer, who wrote in English and Kannada. A.K. Ramanujan was bom in Mysore in 1929. He graduated from the University of Mysore. He was awarded the Fulbright Scholarship and completed his PhD in Linguistics from Indiana University, USA. Ramanujan taught at many colleges in South India, mainly in Belgaum. Later on, he was appointed at the University of Chicago. He also taught at Harvard University, University of Wisconsin, University of California, University of Michigan and Carleton College. He was a poet, scholar, playwright, translator, essayist and folklorist.

His research was spread across English, Sanskrit, Tamil, Telugu and Kannada. Ramanujan’s works of translation gained him international popularity. Some of his most popular translated works include Speaking of Siva, Hymns for the Drowning, Folktales from India, and Poems of Love and War, His poems are distinguished by their use of sophisticated language and original style. Ramanujan was awarded the Padma Shri for his contribution to Indian literature.

Author Name	A. K. Ramanujan
Born	16 March 1929, Mysuru
Died	13 July 1993, Chicago, Illinois, United States
Full name	Attipate Krishnaswami Ramanujan
Awards	Padma Shri, MacArthur Fellowship, Sahitya Akademi Award for English Writers

In the Kingdom of Fools Summary in English

This story is about the Kingdom of Fools. In this kingdom, both the king and the minister are idiots. In order to be different from other kingdoms, they decide to change night into day and day into night. They order the people to work all through the night and sleep at sunrise. As not following this rule would result in punishment, the people do as they are told, much to the delight of the king and the minister. One day, a guru and his disciple arrive in the city, only to find that no one is outside; everyone, including the animals, is asleep. Once evening descends, they see the townspeople go up and about their business. The guru and disciple go to a grocery store and find that everything costs the same: a ‘duddu.’ They are very happy because they can buy anything for just a rupee.

Soon, the guru realises that this is a kingdom of fools and feels that it is not wise for them to stay there. However, the disciple is reluctant to leave because food is very cheaply available there. The guru warns him that as this is a kingdom of fools, they do not know what may happen next. When the disciple does not listen, the guru decides to leave. The disciple stays behind and eats to his heart’s content everyday. Eventually, he becomes obese.

One day, a thief breaks into a merchant’s house by making a hole in the wall of the house. After stealing, he attempts to escape through the same hole, but the wall collapses on him and he dies. The thief s brother complains to the king; he says that his brother’s death is the merchant’s fault and the latter should be made to compensate for the family’s loss. The king promises to deliver justice and summons the merchant. When the merchant agrees that the thief had broken into his house and had the wall collapse on him, the king declares that the merchant has pleaded guilty for the murder of the thief. The merchant then says that the fault lies with the person who built the wall poorly. The merchant says that the bricklayer who built the wall years ago is now an old man. The king then summons the bricklayer.

When the bricklayer admits that he had built the wall, the king announces that he must be punished. The bricklayer says that he knows the wall had not been built properly but it was not his fault: at that time, he was distracted by a beautiful dancing girl who was walking up and down the nearby street, with her anklets jingling all day. He says it is the girl who is to blame.

The king agrees to summon the dancing girl. The dancing girl, who has now grown old, comes to the court trembling with fear. The king asks her if she had walked up and down the street years ago, when the bricklayer was building the wall. When she admits that she had, the king accuses her of murdering the thief. The woman recalls that the reason she had been walking up and down the street that day was because she had given some gold to a lazy goldsmith who kept delaying the work. As such, she had had to walk to his house several times to get her jewellery. Thus, she says, the fault lies with the goldsmith. The king now summons the goldsmith.

The goldsmith, in turn, has his own story to tell. He says that the reason he gave the dancing girl so many excuses is because he was busy working on a rich merchant’s order. The merchant had a wedding coming up and was very impatient. Upon further inquiry, it turns out that the merchant the goldsmith had spoken of is the same merchant whose wall had collapsed upon the thief. The merchant is summoned again. However, he claims he is innocent because it was his late father who had ordered the jewellery.

After consulting his minister, the king announces that since the actual culprit is dead, someone must be punished in his place. As his son has inherited his riches from his father, he has inherited his father’s sins as well. Thus, he must die. The king orders his servants to build a new stake for the merchant’s execution. While the servants are sharpening the stake, it occurs to the minister that the merchant is too thin to be executed this way. The king is worried as well.

They decide on a simple solution: they must find a man fat enough to fit the stake. They immediately send the servants to look for such a man. The servants find that the fat disciple fits the criteria. As they take him to the place of execution, the disciple remembers his guru’s warning. He silently prays to his guru, hoping that he hears his prayer from wherever he is. The guru has magic powers and is able to see the past, present and the future. He sees everything in a vision and arrives to save his disciple’s life.

The guru whispers something to the disciple and then goes to meet the king. He asks the king to tell who is wiser between a guru and his disciple. The king replies that the guru is wiser. The guru then asks to be put to death first; his disciple should be killed at the stake after him. Hearing this, the disciple understands the trick and demands to be the first one to die. The guru and disciple begin to quarrel. The king is puzzled and asks the guru why he wants to be killed. The guru says he will answer the question if the king promises to kill him first. When the king agrees, the guru tells him that they want to die because they have never been to a kingdom such as this or seen such a king. He says that whoever dies at the new stake first, will be reborn as the king of this kingdom; and the one who is killed second, will be bom as the minister.

The king is troubled because he does not want to lose his kingdom even in the next life. So he postpones the execution and consults his minister. They decide to go on the stake themselves so they can be reborn as king and minister. The king tells the executioners that.the criminals would be sent to them at night. They should first execute the person who arrives first, and then the second man.

That night, the king and minister secretly go to the prison and release the gum and the disciple. They then disguise themselves as the gum and disciple. Then they are taken to the stake and executed. When the bodies are taken to be thrown to the crows and vultures, the people recognise the bodies to be that of the king and the minister. All night the people mourn and discuss the future of the kingdom. Just as the gum and disciple are about to leave the city, some people find them and beg them to be their new king and their minister. The two agree to mle the kingdom but on the condition that they would change all the old laws.

From then on, day becomes day and night becomes night; nothing is available for a duddu. The kingdom becomes like any other place.

In the Kingdom of Fools Title

The story relates events that take place in a kingdom inhabited by fools. It presents a country where fools run the kingdom, and relates all the foolish and illogical things they do and say, and how their foolishness affects innocent people. It also shows how a wise man is able to save his disciple from the dangerously foolish King and minister. Thus, the title perfectly captures the essence of the story.

In the Kingdom of Fools Setting

The story is set in a fictitious kingdom in the medieval times when kings ruled over the country.

In the Kingdom of Fools Theme

The story reveals the dangers of living among fools, and emphasises that only wise people can manage to survive living among them. Further, foolishness leads to ruin, while wisdom can help a person find their way even in darkest times.

In the Kingdom of Fools Message

pleasant their life may seem. Wisdom lies in keeping a safe distance from such people, because one can’t reason or use logical arguments with them. Therefore one should not be greedy or lazy, and always choose the company of wise people rather than of fools.

In the Kingdom of Fools Characters

The Guru: He was a wise man who knew the ways of the world and warned his disciple against living in a country which was being run by a foolish King and an equally foolish minister. His warning proved to be correct when his disciple was on the verge of being executed, not because he had committed a crime, but because he was fat enough to fir the stake. The guru was also deeply connected with his disciple. This is evident when even though the disciple disobeyed him by refusing to leave the country, the guru still comes back to answer the disciple’s prayers. He was an illuminated soul who could divine his disciple’s problem even though he was at a considerable distance from him. He was very intelligent, and fooled the King and his minister into taking their own lives instead of wrongly executing innocent people. Ultimately, the people of the kingdom asked him and his disciple to run the country.

The Disciple: He was a lover of food. He was so happy to find a place where everything cost only a single duddu, that he stayed back in the kingdom against his guru’s wishes. However, he realised his guru’s greatness and prayed to him to release him from his problem when the King wanted to execute him. He immediately understood the trick that his guru was playing to fool the King, and played along with him. In the end, he learnt his lesson and was made the minister, helping his guru run the kingdom the right way.

The King: He was a fool who was very unpredictable. He ruled his kingdom according to his whims and fancies, without any logical reasoning or sense. He decided that things would function his way in the kingdom, and established a system whereby the people worked through the night and slept through the day. Also, everything in his kingdom sold for a single duddu, whether a measure of rice or a bunch of bananas. His sense of justice was very arbitrary, as he ordered the execution of the disciple just because he was fat enough to fit the stake. Further, in the case of the thief who died, he tried the merchant whose house had been broken into, and accepted the most ridiculous justifications from the brick-layer, dancing girl and goldsmith about their actions. Finally, he proves to be naive and power-hungry, as he chooses to die in place of the guru and disciple, because he believed their story that the first person to die at the stake would return as the king.

The Minister: He was as foolish as his master. He helped and supported him in implementing his foolish schemes and instead of guiding him with logic and foresight, he agreed with all the King’s thoughtless whims.

He was the person who unwittingly saved the merchant’s life by declaring that he was too thin for the stake. Ultimately, he lost his life because he did not have the intelligence to realise that the guru and disciple were fooling them to save their own lives.

In the Kingdom of Fools Summary Questions and Answers

Question 1.
What are the two strange things the guru and his disciple find in the kingdom of fools?
Answer:
Firstly, they find that the whole town, including the animals, slept by day and stayed awake through the night running their businesses. Secondly, everything costs the same, whether it was a measure of rice or a bunch of bananas—they all cost a duddu.

Question 2.
Why was the kingdom called the Kingdom of Fools?
Answer:
It was called so because the Kind and the minister were idiots. They decided to change night into day and day into night, and ordered everyone to wake at night to till their fields, and sleep during the day.

Question 3.
Why did the people follow the orders of the foolish King?
Answer:
They were forced to do so because they knew that if they disobeyed his orders, they would be punished with death.

Question 4.
What astonished the guru and disciple at the grocer’s shop?
Answer:
They were astonished that everything at the shop whether a measure of rice or a bunch of bananas cost the same, i.e., a duddu.

Question 5.
Compare and contrast the feelings of the guru and the disciple about the kingdom they found themselves in.
Answer:
The guru felt that it would not be a great idea to stay in the kingdom, and they should leave the place. On the -other hand, the disciple refused to leave, because he felt that everything was so cheap and good, that he could eat to his heart’s content.

Question 6.
Why did the guru leave the disciple and go away from the Kingdom of Fools?
Answer:
Since the disciple refused to listen to his guru’s wisdom and insisted on staying there, the guru gave up and left.

Question 7.
What made the disciple grow fat?
Answer:
The disciple ate his fill of bananas, ghee, rice, and wheat, which cost only one duddu. As a result, he grew fatter and fatter.

Question 8.
Why does the writer say that ‘one bright day a thief broke into a rich merchant’s house’? What is strange about this statement?
Answer:
The strange thing is that the theft took place during the daylight hours. In any other place, theft would typically take place during the dark of night. However, the people in the Kingdom of Fools slept during the day and woke at night.

Question 9.
Why did the thief s brother run to the King?
Answer:
He ran to the King to complain about the fact that his brother had been killed because the wall of the house he had gone to rob had fallen on him.

Question 10.
Do you think the plea made by the thief s brother was strange? Give reasons for your answer.
Answer:
Yes, it was strange, because instead of hiding the fact that his brother was a thief, and had died trying to rob the merchant’s house, he went to the King without any fear and demanded justice.

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

The Sound of Music Summary Part 1 in English

The Sound of Music Summary Part 1 Introduction to the Chapter

Life doesn’t always go our way. Often we may face challenges and disabilities. How we respond to these challenges is important. We may develop a negative attitude and cynical outlook or become absorbed in all the problems and misfortune we are experiencing or we may rise above our problems and turn any challenge into an opportunity. Deborah Cowley in her biographical feature Evelyn Glennie Listens to Sound without Hearing It writes about the achievements of the multi-percussionist, Evelyn Glennie who overcame her handicap of hearing impairment with great determination and confidence.

The feature describes how, under the able guidance of Ron Forbes, Evelyn Glennie found a way out of her problem by developing an ability to sense music through different parts of her body. Part II is an effort to understand Indian classical musicians and instruments especially the origin of shehnai and shehnai maestro Ustad Bismillah Khan. Shehnai replaced pungi which had an unpleasant sound. Pungi’s tonal quality was improved by a nai (barber) and was played in the chambers of the shah (emperor Aumangeb); hence it was named as shehnai.

The Sound of Music Summary Part 1 in English

In the biographical feature Evelyn Glennie Listens to Sound without Hearing It Deborah Cowley gives an account of percussionist Evelyn Glennie, a Scottish musician, who has been profoundly deaf since the age of 12. Instead of yielding to the handicap, Evelyn pursued her dream developed her ability to hear through the rest of her body. She eventually made her way to the Royal Academy of Music in London. Evelyn Glennie, who can play more than a thousand instruments to perfection, a most sought after musician internationally.

Evelyn’s mother came to know about her daughter’s deafness when at the age of eight, the latter was to give her performance on the piano in school but could not hear her name being called. For quite a while Evelyn managed to conceal her growing deafness from friends and teachers. But by the time she was eleven her marks had deteriorated. When her deafness was confirmed at the age of eleven, the headmistress of her school suggested that she should be sent to the school for deaf children. But Evelyn was not the kind of girl who could be discouraged. Once, when she was dissuaded by the teachers from playing upon a xylophone, Ron Forbes, a great percussionist, came to her rescue. He saw great potential in her and guided her how to sense music through different parts of her body without listening through ears. This proved to be the turning point. She leamt to open her body and mind to the sounds and vibrations. After that she never looked back. She had mastered the art of interpreting different vibrations of sound on her body.

Evelyn did not look back from that point onwards. She toured the United Kingdom with a youth orchestra and by the time she was sixteen, she had decided to make music her life. She joined the prestigious Royal Academy of Music and scored the highest marks in the history of the Academy when she gave an audition for it. Afterwards, she moved from orchestra to solo performances. At the end of her three-year course at the Academy, Evelyn had bagged most of the top awards.

With her unfaltering determination, Evelyn became the world’s most sought-after multipercussionist with a mastery of some thousand instruments, and hectic international schedule.

Despite her lack of hearing, Evelyn not only speaks flawlessly, but has also managed to learn French and basic Japanese. According to Evelyn, she can feel music pouring in through every part of her body – her skin, her cheek bones, even her hair. She can feel the vibrations of instruments penetrate into her body through her bare feet. In 1991, she received the prestigious ‘Soloist of the Year Award’ presented by the Royal Philharmonic Society.

A person with humane attitude, Evelyn gives free concerts in prisons and hospitals. With her efforts, she secured a significant place for percussion instruments in orchestra. Infact, Evelyn Glennie is a great inspiration for all those who suffer from physical disabilities. She makes them believe that if she could do it, so can they.

The Sound of Music Summary Part 1 Title

The Sound of Music is an apt title for the two features that narrate the inspiring success stories of two talented musicians – Evelyn Glennie and Ustad Bisillah Khan. The title also alludes to the famous movie with the same name. The subtitle Evelyn Glennie Listens to Sound Without Hearing It makes the readers wonder how Evelyn Glennie can listen to the sounds of music without actually being able to hear them. It leaves them eager to learn how Glennie developed sensitivity to the sounds of music despite her deafness. She could sense the sounds and vibrations of music through her skin, her hair, her cheek bones, her feet – in fact, through every part of her physical frame.

The Sound of Music Summary Part 1 Theme

Evelyn Glennie Listens to Sound Without Hearing It is based on the theme that determination, sincere efforts and able guidance are the way to success. Evelyn Glennie, a multi-percussionist, overcame the challenge posed by physical disability and became a source of inspiration for thousands of disabled persons. She was eleven years old when it was discovered that she had a hearing disability. Though her teachers discouraged her from pursuing her career in music, it was Ron Forbes who recognized her potential and supported her in achieving her goal.

He advised her not to listen through her ears but try to sense and feel the vibrations in every part of her body. These tingle in her skin, her cheekbones and even in hair. She leamt to open her body and mind to the sounds and vibrations. She overcame the challenge of her impaired hearing through her firm belief in herself and great confidence in her will.

The Sound of Music Summary Part 1 Message

Evelyn Glennie’s achievements give us the message that handicaps may be countered, problems may be overcome, and aspirations can be realized if one is firmly resolute and confident. Those who do learn to overcome hardships certainly achieve the highest goals. In the words of James Blades, master percussionist, “God may have taken her hearing but he has given her back something extraordinary. What we hear, she feels—far more deeply than any of us. That is why she expresses music so beautifully.”

The Sound of Music Summary Part 1 Characters

Evelyn Glennie

Evelyn Glennie, the internationally renowned percussionist, comes across as an embodiment of unflinching determination, strong self-belief, dedication and courage. Although challenged by a severe hearing impairment, she was able to follow a career in music and achieve extraordinary success in the field. Despite her deafness, Evelyn gives solo performances and has command over a large number of percussion instruments.

Despite losing her hearing faculty at the very young age of eleven, Evelyn did not give up. She faced the challenge bravely and with strong determination. Though the headmistress of her school advised her to join a school for the deaf, she decided to lead her life normally. Not only that, she was unshaken in her resolve to follow a career in music. She was encouraged in her resolve to study music by percussionist, Ron Forbes. Under his guidance, Evelyn learnt how to develop sensitivity to musical sounds through different parts of her body. She managed to sense musical notes through her skin, her hair, her fingers, and even her bare feet.

Her hard work and self-confidence enabled Evelyn to get admission to the Royal Academy of Music, London, the most prestigious institution for music. Here, too, she worked hard to receive the highest awards in percussion music. Such is her contribution to the field that it has earned percussion instruments a special place in the orchestra.

A compassionate and benevolent person, Evelyn performs in prisons and hospitals. She She also gives high priority to classes for young musicians. Evelyn has, thus, revealed to the world that disabilities disappear before dedication and determination. Her achievements are a source of inspiration for those who suffer from handicaps.

The Sound of Music Summary Part 1 Questions and Answers

Question 1.
What were Evelyn’s feelings as she stood on the platform waiting for the London underground?
Answer:
As she stood on the platform Evelyn felt both nervous and excited because she was waiting for a train in London to take her to her dream destination – to join the prestigious Royal Academy for Music. She was apprehensive as she was a young, seventeen-year-old from Scotland going to join such a prestigious music institute. Moreover, she was profoundly deaf and despite her disability, she had made it to the Music Academy.

Question 2.
How old was Evelyn when she went to the Royal Academy of Music? Why was she nervous on her way to the academy?
Answer:
Evelyn was only seventeen years of age when she was selected to the Royal Academy of Music, London. She had come straight from a farmland in Scotland, she had not experienced much of the world. In addition, she was profoundly deaf and was going to a big institute like The Royal Academy of Music. Her nervousness was the result of her young age, her lack of exposure and her hearing disability.

Question 3.
Why was Evelyn “nervous yet excited” as she waited for the train?
Answer:
While leaving for the Royal Academy of Music, Evelyn was excited despite her nervousness as going to the Royal Academy of Music, London was a dream come true for her. She was going to join a three-year course in an institute she had dreamed of joining. It excited her to think that despite her hearing impairment she had made her way to such a prestigious institute.

Question 4.
Why was Evelyn Glennie going to face a bigger challenge at the prestigious Royal Academy of Music in London?
Answer:
Evelyn Glennie was passionate about music, and would not let anything stand in her way, but studying music at the prestigious Royal Academy of Music in London was a challenge for her for two reasons: in the first place she was deaf and in the second, she was brought up on a Scottish farm. It was a challenge for a deaf village girl to compete with other singers who had perfect hearing.

Question 5.
When and how was Evelyn’s hearing problem noticed?
Answer:
Evelyn was only eight-year-old when her hearing problem was noticed by her mother when she was eight years old and she did not respond to a call for a performance on piano. However, her loss of hearing was gradual and her deafness was confirmed at the age of eleven when her poor academic performance forced her parents to consult a specialist.

Question 6.
Who advised Evelyn’s parents to take her to a specialist? Why?
Answer:
Evelyn managed to hide her growing deafness from students and teachers for some time. However, by the time she was eleven years old, her performance in school deteriorated and her marks began to fall. It was then that the headmistress advised her parents to consul a specialist.

Question 7.
When was Evelyn’s deafness confirmed? What advice was given to her?
Answer:
Evelyn’s deafness was gradual. By the time she was eleven, her marks had deteriorated. Her teachers advised her parents to take her to a specialist. The specialist discovered that her hearing was badly impaired because of gradual nerve damage. He advised her parents that she should be fitted with hearing aids and sent to a school for the deaf.

Question 8.
“Everything suddenly looked black”. Why did Evelyn feel this way?
Answer:
When Evelyn was advised to use hearing aids and join a school for the deaf, she felt that her future was bleak and dark. She was depressed, as she felt she would not be able to lead a normal life nor pursue her interest in music.

Question 9.
How did Evelyn Glennie respond to the discovery of her deafness?
Answer:
On learning about her deafness due to gradual nerve damage, Evelyn Glennie, felt at first that her future was dark and bleak. However, instead of giving up, she decided to lead a normal life like other children and pursue her dream of learning music.

Question 10.
How did Evelyn’s teachers respond when she expressed her desire to play a xylophone?
Answer:
Evelyn had always loved music and despite her deafness, she expressed a desire to play the xylophone when she saw another girl playing it. However her teachers felt that she would not be able to play it because of her impaired hearing and they discouraged her from doing so.

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

The Adventures of Toto Summary in English by Ruskin Bond

The Adventures of Toto by Ruskin Bond About the Author

Mulk Raj Anand was one of the first Indian writers who wrote in English and gained popularity at an international scale. He produced a remarkable body of work that contains several short stories, novels and essays. Anand was bom in Peshawar and his father was a coppersmith. Anand was a highly educated man; he graduated with honors from Punjab University and then went to University College, London. While studying in England, he worked at a restaurant to finance his education. He went on to earn a PhD from Cambridge University.

This was also the time when he became involved in India’s struggle for independence. He first gained popularity for his novels, Untouchable and Coolie. Among his other notable works is a trilogy consisting of The Village, Across the Black Waters and The Sword and the Sickle. Anand wrote extensively about the lives of the poor, oppressed Indian people and about social evils like the caste system, untouchability and communalism. Through his empathetic portrayal of the lives of the common Indian people, he provided stark social commentaries on the structures of society. Anand is regarded as one of the founding figures of Indian English literature.

Poet Name	Ruskin Bond
Born	19 May 1934 (age 85 years), Kasauli
Education	Bishop Cotton School Shimla (1950)
Awards	Padma Shri, Padma Bhushan
Parents	Aubrey Bond, Edith Clarke

The Adventures of Toto Summary in English

This story is about Toto, a baby monkey. The author’s grandfather buys Toto from a tonga-driver for five rupees, to add to his private zoo. Toto has mischievous eyes and pearly white teeth. His smile frightens the elderly Anglo-Indian ladies. His fingers are quick and his tail acts like a third hand for him. He uses his tail to hang from branches, as well as to scoop up delicacies that are out of reach of his hands.

The author’s grandmother would get angry every time his grandfather would bring home a new pet. As such, the author and Grandfather decide to tell Grandmother about Toto only when she is in a particularly good mood. They hide Toto in a small closet in the author’s bedroom wall, tied to a peg on the wall.

After a few hours, the author and Grandfather return to release Toto and find that the ornamental wallpaper has been ripped off. The peg has been wrenched off the wall and the author’s school blazer has been tom to shreds. While the author is worried about Grandmother’s reaction, Grandfather is pleased with Toto’s antics. He says that Toto is clever enough to have made a rope out of the tom pieces of the author’s blazer to escape.

Toto is then moved to a big cage in the servants’ quarters. This cage already has a tortoise, a pair of rabbits, a tame squirrel and a pet goat, all of whom live together quite peacefully. But Toto does not let the other animals sleep. As Grandfather has to go to Saharanpur the next day to collect his pension, he decides to take Toto with him. Toto’s new home is a black canvas kit-bag that is too strong for him to bite through. He cannot get his hands out of the opening once it is closed. The author does not go with Grandfather, but is told all about the trip later.

The author leams that Toto remained in the bag as far as Saharanpur; but while Grandfather was giving his ticket at the ticket turnstile, Toto poked his head out of the bag and grinned at the ticket collector. The ticket collector was a little frightened, but told Grandfather that as he was carrying a dog; he would have to pay for it accordingly. Grandfather took Toto out of the bag to prove that he was a monkey and not a dog; but the ticket collector dismissed him and in the end, Grandfather had to pay three rupees as Toto’s fare. Then Grandfather showed the ticket collector his tortoise and asked how much he should pay for that. The ticket collector examined the tortoise and happily announced that as the tortoise was not a dog, he would not be charged any fare.

When Grandmother finally accepts Toto, he is given a comfortable home in the stable, which he shares with a family donkey called Nana. On the first night, Grandfather visits the stable and finds Nana pulling at her halter and trying to get away from a pile of hay. Grandfather finds that Toto had fastened his teeth onto Nana’s ears. Toto and Nana never became friends after that.

During winter evenings, Grandfather gives Toto a large bowl of warm water to bathe in, which Toto enjoys. Toto tests the water first with his hands, and then gradually steps into the water, one leg at a time — he has leamt how to do this by watching the author. Toto then mbs soap all over himself. When the water turns cold, Toto mns to dry himself by the kitchen fire. If anyone laughs during this time, Toto feels hurt and refuses to complete his ritual.

One day, water for tea is being boiled in a large kitchen kettle. Toto removes the kettle’s lid, and finding the water warm enough for a bath, lowers himself into the kettle. When the water beings to boil, Toto raises up a little, but finding it cold outside, sits down again. He continues to do this till Grandmother discovers him and takes him out of the kettle. This is how Toto almost boils himself.

The author says that if there is a part of the brain that specialises in making mischief, that part is very powerful in Toto’s brain. Toto loves tearing things to shreds. Whenever a particular aunt of the author’s approaches Toto, he tries to tear a hole into her dress.

One day, Toto is found eating pulao from a large dish on the dining table. When Grandmother screams, Toto throws a plate at her. Then an aunt rushes ahead, only to have a glass of water thrown at her face. Upon seeing Grandfather approach, Toto escapes through the window to a jackfruit tree, with the pulao dish in his arms. He sits there all afternoon, slowly eating the pulao. Then, to punish Grandmother for screaming at him, he throws the dish down and is delighted when it breaks.

Soon, everyone, including Grandfather, realise that they cannot afford to keep Toto as they are not rich enough to bear the regular loss of clothes, dishes, curtains and wallpaper. Eventually, Grandfather sells Toto back to the tonga-driver, for only three rupees.

The Adventures of Toto Title

The title expresses the events that will unfold in the story, which is a series of adventures that take place in the life of the narrator’s grandparents because of their pet monkey called Toto.

The Adventures of Toto Theme

The story revolves around the adventures of a family that decides to adopt a pet monkey. It is a humorous story which captures the antics of the monkey and its effect on the family that adopted it. The story is of an animal lover, the grandfather, and the effect his love for animals and in particular his attraction for a monkey has on the rest of the family members.

The Adventures of Toto Setting

The story is set around the time of the independence era in Dehra Dun. The story talks about the time when there were tonga-drivers and monkeys could be kept in the house, when animals were allowed to travel in the coach and ticket collectors could charge you money for a monkey travelling with you.

The Adventures of Toto Message

The story discusses both the fascination of some people for animals and the problems that can arise when one decides to keep an animal as a pet. This can be disadvantageous not only to the family keeping an animal but also to the animal as we see in the case of Toto, who almost boils himself before he is rescued by the family.

In fact it also raises questions about the necessity of taking animals away from their natural environment and domesticating them, thereby exposing them to the dangers that arise from human living.

The Adventures of Toto Characters

Grandfather – he was an animal lover who had a collection of animals in the house including a tortoise and a monkey. In fact he bought a monkey from the tonga-driver because he felt the monkey was not being taken care of properly by the man. He did not feel unhappy at the damage and destruction caused by the monkey but admired its intelligence at being able to escape from the peg he had been tied to. He was a little afraid of his wife’s reaction to his adopting animals and so would hide them till he could break the news gently to her. He understood animals and took Toto along with him to Saharanpur because he knew how destructive he could be and he did not want his wife to have to deal with his antics. He also had presence of mind as we see in his interaction with the ticket-collector who forced him to pay for the monkey but did not charge him for the tortoise. He was also a realist as he returned the monkey once he realised that he would not be able to manage him. He was not materialistic as we find that he bought Toto for five rupees but sold him back to the tonga-driver for three rupees without thinking about the loss that he had incurred.

Grandmother – She was not as ardent an animal lover as her husband. In fact she took time to get used to the animals that grandfather would bring home and he often hid them (as we see in the case of Toto) till he broke the news about the new addition to the zoo. However, she took good care of the animals as we see in the case of Toto who almost boiled himself in the kettle of hot water. In the end we see that her will prevailed as Grandfather was forced to return Toto because he realised that Toto was too mischievous to keep at home and would test Grandmother’s patience too much.

The Adventures of Toto Summary Questions and Answers

Question 1.
Where did Grandfather buy Toto from and why?
Answer:
He bought Toto from a tonga-driver. The tonga-driver used to keep it tied to a feeding trough where the monkey looked highly out of place, so he decided to buy him to add to his private zoo.

Question 2.
Describe Toto the monkey that Grandfather bought from the tonga-driver.
Answer:
Toto was a pretty monkey with bright eyes that sparkled with mischief under deep-set eyebrows. He had pearly white teeth which he bared in a smile that frightened old Anglo-Indian ladies. His skin was wrinkled, with his hands looking pickled in the sun. His finger was quick and wicked and his tail acted as a third hand for him.

Question 3.
Why did the narrator and his Grandfather hide Toto?
Answer:
The narrator’s Grandmother was always upset whenever his Grandfather brought an animal home. So, they hid Toto in a closet till they could find Grandmother in a good mood before introducing her to Toto.

Question 4.
Do you think Grandmother was a keen lover like his Grandfather? Give reasons for your answer.
Answer:
No, Grandmother was not so fond of animals as it is mentioned she used to fuss a lot whenever Grandfather got a new animal home. Also the fact that Grandfather had to return the monkey to the tonga-driver because of its mischief was because of his fear of Grandmother’s reactions to them.

Question 5.
Why was Grandfather pleased even though Toto had escaped from the closet? What does this tell us about his character?
Answer:
He was pleased at Toto’s intelligence and how he had managed to get free from the peg he had been tied to. This reveals the fact that he was a true animal lover and enjoyed the antics of the monkey.

Question 6.
How did Toto manage to escape from the closet? What does this reveal about the monkey?
Answer:
He pulled out the peg he had been tied to from the wall inside the closet and escaped from it. This reveals how intelligent, resourceful and mischievous the monkey was.

Question 7.
Where did Grandfather hide Toto after his escape from the closet?
Answer:
He hid him in the servant’s quarters and transferred him to a big cage where a number of other pets had been housed.

Question 8.
Why did Grandfather decide to take Toto to Saharanpur?
Answer:
Grandfather had to go to Saharanpur to get his pension and he felt that if he left Toto behind he would not allow any of the animals in the servant’s quarters to sleep all night. So, he decided to take him along.

Question 9.
How did Grandfather take Toto to Saharanpur?
Answer:
He put the monkey in a big black canvas kit-bag with some straw at the bottom. When the bag was closed there was no place for the monkey to escape from as he could not get his hands out of the neck which was tied securely, and the canvas was too thick for him to bite his way out.

Question 10.
Why did Grandfather have to pay three rupees to the Ticket-Collector?
Answer:
He had to pay the money as ticket money for the monkey. The Ticket-Collector insisted on calling the monkey a dog and charged the fare.

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

Packing Summary in English by Jerome K. Jerome

Packing by Jerome K. Jerome About the Author

Jerome K Jerome (1859-1927) is a British writer of the Victorian period, best known for his comic novels. Although he faced difficult circumstances and poverty in early life, Jerome developed a passion for literature, politics, and the theatre. He began his writing career in 1885, when he published a memoir about his time working for a low-budget theatre troupe. He then began to publish comic essays in a magazine called Home Chimes. Although Three Men in a Boat was poorly received by critics, it became immensely popular among readers of all social classes. Jerome published a sequel called Three Men on the Bummel in 1898.

Author Name	Jerome K. Jerome
Born	2 May 1859, Caldmore, United Kingdom
Died	14 June 1927, Northampton General Hospital, Northampton, United Kingdom
Full name	Jerome Klapka Jerome
Education	St Marylebone Grammar School
Books	Three Men in a Boat, Three Men on the Bummel, Told After Supper

Packing Introduction to the Chapter

The extract Packing from Three Men in a Boat (To Say Nothing of the Dog), published in 1889, is Jerome’s most famous and enduring work. Initially intended to be a serious travel guide, the novel with its deceptively simple story of three friends—J, George, and Harris—on a boating holiday on the River Thames between Kingston and Oxford, has been hailed as a classic work of comedy. For these three men on a relaxing holiday, rowing and sailing upstream, seeing the sights, and camping in the boat, anything that can go wrong, does.

On the periphery, there is also the dog Montmorency, a thoroughly anarchic figure whose practical solution to their difficulties usually consists of getting out of the way until all the fuss dies down. This extract is a humorous account of the confusion and mess created by the three friends (and their dog Montmorency) who are inexperienced in the art of packing and have little knowledge about working in an organised manner. Hence, to the great amusement of the reader, the small job of packing is carried out by them with many mishaps.

Packing Summary in English

Three friends—Jerome (the narrator), Harris and George—decided to sail down the Thames. And to set out on their expedition, they had to get on with the important task of packing stuff for it. The narrator volunteered for the task as he believed he was especially good at packing. Harris and George agreed “with a readiness that had something uncanny about it,” meaning the narrator felt something was not quite right. The narrator had of course meant he’d supervise and guide his friends while they packed. However, his friends took his advice seriously and to his great shock, watched him from comfortably lounging positions as he packed. The narrator, though irritated with his friends for sitting about doing nothing when he was working, straight away got busy with packing. The packing took a long time—longer than the narrator had thought it would be; but he finished it at last, and he strapped the bag.

Both his friends had watched him quietly as he packed and it was only when he was done with packing, that Harris asked the narrator if he wasn’t going to pack his boots. The bag had to be reopened again to pack the boots in. The irritated narrator had barely finished packing the boots when he was reminded of his toothbrush. Unsure about having packed his toothbrush, the narrator emptied the bag and hunted through all its contents to locate the brush. Of course every item in the bag had to be turned out, but although he found the toothbrushes of George and Harris, he couldn’t find his own. He rummaged through the bag, till he found it inside a boot. Then the bag was repacked once more.

This time the query came from George who wanted to know whether the soap had been packed. The narrator was so irritated by this time that he did not care a hang whether the soap was in or whether it wasn’t; and he slammed shut the bag and strapped it. That was when he found that he had packed his spectacles too and had to re-open the bag. Eventually, it was past ten when the packing was finally done.

After the expertise displayed by the narrator to pack the bag, George and Harris decided to pack the hampers themselves and show the narrator the real art of packing. However, they were equally clumsy and broke a cup at the very outset. Then Harris packed the strawberry jam on top of a tomato and the squashed tomato had to be picked out with a teaspoon. And as the narrator sat on the edge of the table and watched, they trod on the butter and smashed the pies by putting heavy things on them. Meanwhile, salt flew all over while they packed. After peeling the butter off George’s slipper, they tried unsuccessfully to squeeze it into the kettle. They finally scraped it out and put it down on the chair. Harris sat on it and the butter stuck to him while both of them went about searching for it all over the room. George spotted it behind Harris’s back and it was packed in the teapot.

Montmorency, their pet dog, got in everyone’s way and was sworn at. He came and sat down on things, just when they were being packed, climbed into the jam, scattered the teaspoons and crushed lemons as though they were rats, Harris was so angry that he tried to hit him with a frying pan.

Finally, by 12.50 at night, the packing was done. This was followed by a discussion on the “wake up’ time but George, who was to wake everyone up, was so tired that he slept off even before the time was decided upon.

The narrator and Harris decided that 6.30 in morning would be the right time to get up and then they too went off to sleep.

Packing Title

In the given extract Packing from Three Men in a Boat (To Say Nothing of the Dog) the narrator, Jerome, and his two friends, George and Harris, pack for their planned sailing expedition on the Thames. Although all three of them think they are experts in the art of packing, they end up creating total confusion. The narrator, who believes he is an exceptionally efficient packer, volunteers to pack the clothes. However, he keeps forgetting items, and then has to unpack the stuff in order to fit them in. Harris and George watch him pack with great amusement, and when he finally finishes packing the bag, volunteer to pack the food hampers. They are no better at it they constantly forget items, squash the pies and Harris steps in the butter. Throughout it all, they keep tripping over Montmorency, who creates further confusion. After some bickering, and a lot of confusion and blaming each other, they finish packing their bag and the hampers. Thus the title Packing is appropriate.

Packing Setting

The novel Three Men in a Boat (To Say Nothing of the Dog) from which thie given extract Packing has been taken is set in England in the 19 Century. In the present extract, the three friends – the narrator, Jerome, George and Harris – are packing for their trip on the Thames. They are in the house shared by the narrator and George. Harris is to spend the night with them as the plan to set out early next morning.

Packing Theme

Packing is based on the theme that routine tasks are not as easy as they are thought to be. Moreover, even a task as mundane as packing requires meticulous planning and foresight. Otherwise the results may be disastrous.

As the three friends, Jerome, George and Harris, pack for their river trip the task takes longer and is made more complex by the chaotic methods of the packers. The narrator, who packs all their clothing discovers when he is done, that he has forgotten to put the boots in. He also can’t remember if he packed his own toothbrush. So he has to rummage through the bag to make sure. He eventually finds it in one of the boots.

Harris and George pack the food and cooking utensils into two hampers. It takes them two hours. They break a cup, put heavy items on top of things that can get squashed – like a tomato and pies – and then have to clean the resulting mess out of the hamper. Harris sits on the butter and it sticks to him, and the two men have a difficult time finding it again. Montmorency, the dog, gets involved by putting his leg into the jam. Thus, the writer emphasises the need for planning and foresight even in mundane tasks like packing for a journey.

Packing Message

The lesson Packing conveys the message, albeit humorously, that even a task as mundane as packing should not be taken lightly. It requires planning, concentration and deftness otherwise the results are disastrous as well as time-consuming.

Packing Characters

The Narrator, Jerome

Jerome, the narrator of the story, is the one who narrates the happenings from his point of view. The narrator is overconfident and rates his packing skills a bit too high. He volunteers to pack their personal belongings as he prides himself on his packing. As he says, “Packing is one of those many things that I feel I know more about than any other person living.”

He is also arrogant and expects to sit back as boss as his friends carry out the tedious part of packing. He imagines sitting back and passing orders as Harris and George pottered about under his direction, “really teaching them, as you might say”. His friends, however, do not take him seriously and finally he has to struggle while trying to pack the bag by himself, as his friends lounge about offering suggestions.

Jerome is both clumsy and forgetful. He first forgets to pack the shoes and then can’t recall if he has put in his toothbrush or not. He unpacks the bag twice clumsily to accommodate the missing items. ‘

The narrator also comes across as a person with a good sense of humour. Though he boasts about his skills of packing, he also recounts the way he packs, which is disorganised and chaotic. He has to pack and repack the bag as he forgets, or cannot find, various items – including his boots and his toothbrush. He also portrays his two friends in a humorous light. They all come across as somewhat lazy and awkward which gives rise to most of the comedy.

When his friends fumble while packing the hamper, he sits at the edge of the table and watches them because now it is his turn to have fun at their expense. However, he is a carefree person and ignores the clumsiness of his friends in the same way as he ignores his own.

George and Harris

George and Harris are the friends of the narrator, Jerome. As they start packing, they, like their friend Jerome, are very sure of their prowess as packers. Both start packing cheerfully wanting to show the narrator how to go about the task. However, according to narrator they are the worst packers in the world. That they are rather incompetent we realise as they get to packing the food hampers. They begin by breaking a cup. Harris packs the strawberry jam on top of a tomato and squashed it. George steps on the butter, Harris sits on it. They pack the pies at the bottom and squash them by putting heavy objects over them.

When the narrator comes over and quietly sits on the edge of the table, this irritates them as narrator had known it would. It makes them nervous and excited. They are even more clumsy and aren’t able to find what they want. However, like the narrator, the two men are carefree and good-natured. In spite of making fools of themselves, while packing for the trip, they don’t criticise or blame each other and ignore each others’ mistakes.

Montmorency

Montmorency is the pet dog of the three friends – Jerome, George and Harris. He is a well-loved pet and, therefore, knows no restraints. He is a high-spirited animal and instinctively rushes to probe everything, and in doing so creates a nuisance for his masters.

Montmorency had a tendency to get underfoot and be more of a general hindrance than of any help. He disrupts the packing in umpteen ways because he would like to be a part of all the activities going on in. He doesn’t mind being shouted at and does not even respond when they try to move him away from the packed stuff. In fact, no amount of scolding can dampen his enthusiasm.

He may be ill-trained, temperamental, destructive and meddlesome but he is loved as much by the readers as much as by his masters. His presence in the story makes it more interesting and amusing.

Packing Summary Questions and Answers

Question 1.
How many characters are there in the narrative? Name them.
Answer:
Jerome, George and Harris are the three human characters in the narrative. Jerome is the narrator of the story. Their pet dog, Montmorency too is an important character, who participates as enthusiastically in the packing as his masters.

Question 2.
Why did the narrator have to pack for the journey?
Answer:
As soon as the narrator offered to pack for the journey, his two friends, George and Harris accepted the offer with readiness and sat back to let him do it all. He had expected his friends would work under his guidance and directions rather than doing the task himself.

Question 3.
Why did the narrator volunteer to do the packing?
Answer:
Jerome, the narrator, prided himself in his packing skills. He wanted to show off his skills to his friends so he volunteered to do the packing. However, he had expected that his friends would work under his guidance and directions. He expected that under his guidance even poor packers like Harris and George could accomplish this task with great efficiency.

Question 4.
The narrator took pride in his packing skills. Comment.
Answer:
The narrator felt that packing was one of those things that he felt he knew more about than any other person living. This made him develop a sense of superiority about his ability as the best packer and he took pride in his packing skills. However, he was disorganised and bungling. First, he forgot to pack the boots and had to reopen the bag. Then, his frantic search for his toothbrush resulted in a complete mess. Later, he had to reopen the bag to take out his spectacles.

Question 5.
How did George and Harris react to Jerome’s offer to do the packing? Did Jerome like their reaction?
Answer:
George and Harris, who were rather lazy, agreed readily to Jerome’s offer to do the packing because both – took it as an opportunity to sit back and relax while someone else did the work. George sprawled over the easy-chair while Harris cocked his legs on the table. Jerome did not at all like this reaction because he had actually wanted to supervise and instruct them on how to do the packing instead of doing it himself.

Question 6.
What did Harris and George do while Jerome was packing the bag? How did Jerome react to their behaviour?
Answer:
When Jerome told George and Harris to leave the job of packing to him, they accepted his suggestion at once. They settled themselves comfortably, George on the easy-chair and Harris with his legs on the table and watched Jerome packing the bag all by himself. As they watched, they smoked and found faults with Jerome’s packing and also made fun of him. They made him reopen the packing by inquiring about items he had forgotten to pack. All this irritated Jerome.

Question 7.
When he offered to pack Jerome’s real intention was not to do the packing himself. Elaborate.
Answer:
Jerome’s real intention was not to pack himself but to make his friends George and Harris work under his directions and supervision. He would guide and direct and, pushing them aside every now and then, showing them the right way of packing things in – really teaching them, as you might say.

Question 8.
What kind of a man did the narrator once live with?
Answer:
The narrator lived with a man once who used to annoy him. He would loll on the sofa and watch the narrator doing things by the hour together. He said it did him real good to look on at the narrator, messing about.

Question 9.
“I lived with a man once who used to make me mad that way.” How did he do that?
Answer:
The man, with whom the narrator once stayed drove him mad by lolling on the sofa and watching him constantly as he went about messing the tasks at hand. The man said he really enjoyed that sight and felt good.

Question 10.
‘Now, I’m not like that.’ What does the narrator intend to convey by this statement?
Answer:
By this statement, the narrator intends to convey his dislike for sitting idle and watching someone else work hard, like the man he lived with did. He preferrs to walk around and supervise work in his natural energetic way. However, this actually means that he, too, was not interested in toiling but liked to boss over others.

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

Kathmandu Summary in English by Vikram Seth

Kathmandu by Vikram Seth About the Author

Vikram Seth, (bom June 20, 1952, Calcutta, India) is an Indian poet, novelist, and travel writer. He is better known for his verse novel The Golden Gate (1986) and his epic novel A Suitable Boy (1993).

The son of a judge, Leila Seth, and a businessman, Prem Seth, Vikram Seth was raised in London and India.

He attended exclusive Indian schools and then graduated from Corpus Christi College, Oxford. He received a master’s degree in economics from Stanford University in 1978 and later studied at Nanking (China) University. In 1987 he returned to India to live with his family in New Delhi.

Although Seth’s first volume of poetry, Mappings, was published in 1980, he did not attract critical attention until the publication of his humorous travelogue From Heaven Lake: Travels through Sinkiang and Tibet (1983. He also wrote a collection of 10 poems Beastly Tales from Here and There (1992).

Poet Name	Vikram Seth
Born	20 June 1952 (age 67 years), Kolkata
Education	Corpus Christi College, Oxford
Notable Awards	Padma Shri, Sahitya Akademi Award, WH Smith Literary Award
Nominations	National Book Critics Circle Award for Autobiography

Kathmandu Introduction to the Chapter

Kathmandu is is an extract from a travelogue written by Vikram Seth, From Heaven Lake which narrates his long journey from China to India via Tibet and Nepal. Kathmandu is an account of his time spent in Nepal and the description of the two famous temples of Kathmandu—the Pashupatinath, sacred to the Hindus and the Baudhnath Stupa, sacred to the Buddhists. He not only describes the ambience inside these temples but also records his observations about their surroundings and contrasts the hectic activity in the Hindu temple with the serenity in the Buddhist stupa.

Kathmandu Summary in English

The writer, Vikram Seth, journeyed from China to India via Tibet and Nepal. On reaching Kathmandu he hires a cheap room in a hotel and slept for hours. The next morning, accompanied by one Mr. Shah and his nephew, he visits the two temples of Kathmandu—the Hindu temple of Pashupatinath and the Bodh temple, the Baudhnath stupa.

The author first visits Pashupatinath Temple, where the right to entry is reserved for the Hindus alone. The atmosphere there is of ‘febrile confusion’ and people (priests, hawkers, devotees, tourists) and animals (cows, monkeys, pigeons and dogs) roam through the grounds. People jostle with each other trying to get the priest’s attention. With the entry of the Nepalese princess the crowd makes way. Outside, the westerners continue to argue in vain with the policemen to gain permission for entering the temple, claiming to be Hindus. Priests, devotees, hawkers, dogs, pigeons, tourists—all get together to add to the confusion.

Two monkeys race each other over a shivalinga towards the holy river Bagmati. On the banks of the river a corpse is being cremated, washerwomen are washing clothes and children are bathing in the river. Wilted flowers and old offerings aere thrown into the river, polluting the river. A small shrine half protrudes from the stone platform on the river bank. Legend says when it emerges fully, the goddess inside will escape, and the evil period of the.Kaliyug will end on earth.

In contrast to the noisy activity in the Hindu temple, Seth finds peace, quietness, and serenity at the Baudhnath stupa. Baudhnath Stupa is a quiet, still place, its white dome ringed by a road. There are small shops on the outer edge of the road mostly owned by Tibetan immigrants. Inside the shrine there are no crowds. There is stillness and quiet. It stands out as a safe haven for quietness amidst busy streets.

After visiting the temples, the writer roams about on the streets of Kathmandu and finds it to be a busy city. Seth chooses the adjectives vivid, mercenary and religious to describe Kathmandu. He finds its narrow streets are busy and very noisy. The streets are crowded with fruit sellers, hawkers of postcards etc. The shops sell Western cosmetics, film rolls and chocolate; or copper utensils and Nepalese antiques. The city is noisy with film songs blaring out from the radios, car horns honking, bicycle bells ringing, stray cows lowing and vendors shouting out their wares.

Tired and homesick, the author decides to return home. He buys an airline ticket and returns to his hotel.

Near his hotel he hears the melodious sound of a flute seller. The flute seller plays spontaneously and without a conscious effort and seems to sell his flutes in a carefree manner. The flutes captivate him and he recalls that there is no culture that does not have its flute—the reed neh, the recorder, the Japanese shakuhachi, the deep bansuri of Hindustani classical music, breathy South American flutes and high pitched Chinese flutes.

He is amazed at himself for noticing such details of these musical instruments for he has not done so earlier. The music of the flute leaves a deep imprint on his mind and he carries it with him when he returns home.

Kathmandu Title

Kathmandu, as we know that it is an extract from an account of a journey that the writer Vikram Seth undertook from Heaven Lake in China to India. However, the. extract does not provides either a description of the city, or information about the Nepalese capital; it is a recording of the writer’s impressions about the city. We expect to know more about Kathmandu. Still, with the author’s main focus on the two famous temples and a brief description regarding his general impression about Kathmandu, this title stands justified.

Kathmandu Setting

In this extract, Kathmandu Vikram Seth describes two famous temples of Kathmandu—the Pashupatinath Temple and the Baudhnath Stupa. The atmosphere at the Pashupatinath Temple is one of feverish confusion. He finds people performing different rituals performing on the bank of the holy river Bagmati. He then visits the Baudhnath Stupa, where there is a sense of stillness. Tibetan immigrants selling different things on the side of the road. After this he roams on the streets of Kathmandu. These streets are busy and crowded. He becomes tired and returns to his hotel.

Kathmandu Theme

The theme of Kathmandu, a brief extract from Vikram Seth’s travelogue, From Heaven Lake, is glimpses of Kathmandu, especially the famous Pashupatinath temple, sacred to the Hindus, and the Baudhnath Stupa, a holy place for the Buddhists. His experiences in the two temples form a kind of commentary on the two ways of worship and the two cultures. The general environment of Kathmandu forms the sub-theme gf this piece. The author briefly discusses the markets, roads etc. of Kathmandu and also adds a few aesthetic remarks about the musical instrument, flute after listening to a flute seller playing the musical instrument.

Kathmandu Message

The extract Kathmandu is a part of a travelogue and is an account of Vikram Seth’s impressions of Nepal’s capital city, Kathmandu. As such, it does not cany any message. Still, it has deeper layers of meaning. The author disapproves of the noise and confusion in the Hindu temple and admires the serenity of the Buddhist temple. He also reveals how we thoughtlessly pollute our rivers washing clothes on its banks, cremating corpses, and dumping rubbish in them. The extract conveys the message that the purity and serenity of the holy places must be maintained.

Kathmandu Summary Questions and Answers

Question 1.
Where did the writer stay in Kathmandu? Which two different places of worship did he visit? With whom?
Answer:
The writer, Vikram Seth, stayed in a cheap room in the centre of Kathmandu. He visited the Pushupatinath temple, sacred to the Hindus, and the Baudhnath stupa, the holy shrine of the Buddhists with his acquaintances Mr Shah’s son and nephew. .

Question 2.
What is written on the signboard outside the Pashupatinath temple? What does it signify?
Answer:
Outside the Pashupatinath temple, the signboard announces: “Entrance for the Hindus only”. It signifies that the temple is rigid in the maintaining of its sanctity and holiness as a place of worship. This rule is practiced with inflexible strictness to prevent the temple from being treated like a tourist destination.

Question 3.
What does the author mean when he says “At Pashupatinath there is an atmosphere of febrile confusion”?
Answer:
The author makes this remark to imply there is hectic and chaotic activity around the temple. There is a huge crowd of priests, hawkers, tourists, and even animals like cows, monkeys and pigeons roaming through the grounds. Inside the temple, there are a large number of worshippers who jostle and elbow others aside to move closer to the priest. Together, they create utter confusion.

Question 4.
Why do devotees elbow others inside the temple?
Answer:
There is a large crowd of worshippers inside the temple, where everyone is trying to vie for the attention of the priests. As some people try to get the priest’s attention, they are elbowed aside by others pushing their way to the front.

Question 5.
How did the arrival of the princess change the situation?
Answer:
At Pashupatinath temple, worshippers were trying to get the priest’s attention and were elbowing and jostling each other as they pushed their way to the front. The situation changed as a princess of the Nepalese royal house appeared; everyone bowed and made way for her.

Question 6.
What did the saffron-clad Westerners want?
Answer:
The saffron-clad Westerners wanted to go inside the Pashupatinath temple. However, as entry to the temple is restricted to Hindus only, they claimed to be Hindus. But the policeman was not allowing them to enter.

Question 7.
Why did the policeman stop the Westerners wearing saffron-coloured clothes from entering the Pashupatinath temple?
Answer:
The policeman stopped the saffron-clad Westerners from entering the Pashupatinath temple as the entry of non- Hindus is banned in this temple and he didn’t believe that they were Hindus, despite their saffron clothes.

Question 8.
Describe the fight that breaks out between the two monkeys around the temple of Pashupatinath?
Answer:
The author describes the fight that breaks out between two monkeys in which one chases the other. The monkey being chased jumps onto a shivalinga, then runs screaming around the temples and finally goes down to the holy river, Bagmati.

Question 9.
What activities are observed by the writer on the banks of the Bagmati river?
Answer:
The writer observes some polluting activities on the banks of the river Bagmati. He notices some washerwomen washing clothes, some children taking a bath and a dead body being cremated on the banks of this sacred river. He also observes someone throwing a basketful of wilted flowers and leaves into the river.

Question 10.
Write a short note on the shrine on the stone platform on the river bank?
Answer:
There is a small shrine on the banks of the holy Bagmati that flows below the Pashupatinath temple. Half part of this shrine protrudes from a stone platform. It is believed that when the shrine will emerge completely from the platform, the goddess in the shrine will escape and that will mark the end of the Kaliyug, or the evil period.

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

My Childhood Summary in English by A.P.J. Abdul Kalam

My Childhood by APJ Abdul Kalam About the Author

APJ Abdul Kalam (1931-2015) was the 11th President of India from 2002 to 2007. Kalam was bom and raised in Rameswaram, Tamil Nadu, and studied physics and aerospace engineering. He spent the next four decades as a scientist and science administrator, mainly at the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) and Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO). He was intimately involved in India’s civilian space programme and military missile development efforts and thereby earned the title of Missile Man of India. He also played a pivotal organisational, technical, and political role in India’s Pokhran-II nuclear tests in 1998. After 5 years as President, Kalam returned to teaching, writing and public service. He was honoured with several prestigious awards including India’s highest civilian honour “Bharat Ratna” in 1997. Abdul Kalam’s writings are very inspirational for the young.

Author Name	A. P. J. Abdul Kalam
Born	15 October 1931, Rameswaram
Died	27 July 2015, Shillong
Full Name	Avul Pakir Jainulabdeen Abdul Kalam
Awards	Bharat Ratna, Padma Bhushan, Padma Vibhushan
Education	Madras Institute Of Technology, Anna University (1955–1960), Bizmen forum (1954)

My Childhood Introduction to the Chapter

My Childhood is an extract taken from the autobiographical novel, Wings of Fire by APJ Abdul Kalam. Dr Kalam, who was one of the greatest scientists of India and also the 11th President of India gives an account of his childhood days. He talks about the people, the incidents and the experiences that he had during his childhood which shaped his adult life. Although he was bom in a conservative society, his family, his teachers and his friends influenced Dr Kalam in his childhood and he imbibed values of secularism, honesty and discipline. Written in a very modest tone, the extract is very inspirational.

My Childhood Summary in English

Kalam was bom in a middle-class Tamil family in Rameswaram. Although he had three brothers and one sister, they had a secure childhood both materially as well as emotionally. His parents, Jainulabdedn and Ashiamma, despite their limited means, were very generous people and Kalam inherited the values of honesty, self-discipline, goodness and kindness from his parents. Though Kalam came from a large family, but their kitchen fed far more outsiders than all his family members put together.

They lived in their ancestral house, a fairly large pucca house, on the Mosque Street in Rameswaram. Though they did not have any inessential comforts and luxuries but Kalam’s father made sure that all necessities like food, medicine and clothes were provided to the family.

In 1939, Kalam was only 8 years old when the Second World War broke out. There was a sudden demand for tamarind seeds in the market. Kalam collected these seeds and sold them to a provision shop on Mosque Street to earn an anna which was a big amount for a small boy like him. His brother-in-law Jallaluddin would tell him stories about war which Kalam would try to trace in the headlines of Dinamani. Rameswaram was an isolated place and while the war didn’t have a direct impact on life there, the train’s halt at the station was stopped. As a result, the bundles of newspapers were now thrown off running trains. Kalam’s cousin Samsuddin, who used to distribute these newspapers in Rameswaram, sought Kalam’s help to catch the bundles. Thus, Kalam earned his first wages which gave him immense self-confidence and a sense of pride.

Kalam’s three friends—Ramanadha Sastry, Aravindan and Sivaprakasan—were very close to him. Though the boys came from different religious backgrounds—Kalam as a Muslim while the other three were from orthodox Hindu Brahmin families—yet their religious differences and upbringing did not stand in the way of their friendship. Later in life, the boys adopted different professions. Ramanadha Sastry took over the priesthood of Rameswaram temple from his father, Aravindan took up the business of arranging transport for visiting pilgrims, and Sivaprakasan became a catering contractor for the Southern Railways.

Kalam’s family used to arrange boats with a special platform during the annual Shri Sita Rama Kalyanam ceremony. The platform was used for carrying idols of Lord Rama from the temple to the wedding site ‘Ram Tirtha’ which was a pond near Kalam’s house. Kalam grew up listening to the stories both from the Ramayana and the life of the Prophet from his mother and grandmother at bedtime.

Certain incidents of his childhood left a deep impression on Kalam’s young mind. When he was in fifth standard, a new teacher did not like Kalam, a Muslim boy, sitting next to Ramanadha Sastry, a Brahmin. He sent Kalam to the back seat simply in accordance with the social ranking of Muslims. Both Kalam and Ramanadha Sastry felt sad at this action of their teacher. Sastry wept and this had a deep impact on Kalam. When Sastry’s father heard of the incident, he summoned the teacher and told him not to spread the poison of social inequality and communal intolerance in young minds. He told the teacher to either apologise or leave the school. The teacher regretted his action and he was reformed by this incident.

Another memorable incident of his childhood was when Sivasubramania Iyer, Kalam’s science teacher, invited him home for a meal. Sivasubramania Iyer was an orthodox Brahmin and his wife was very conservative. She was horrified at the idea of a Muslim boy dining in her ritually pure kitchen. When she refused to serve Kalam, Iyer did not lose his cool and not only served the boy with his own hands but also sat and ate with him. He invited Kalam the next weekend as well. Noticing Kalam’s hesitation in accepting his invitation, Iyer told the child to be prepared to face such situations if he wished to change any system. When Kalam visited Iyer’s house again, his wife took him to her kitchen and served him food with her own hands.

The freedom of India was in the offing when the Second World War ended. Following Gandhiji’s plea, the entire nation was hopeful of building their country themselves. Kalam too sought his father’s permission to go and study further in Ramanathapuram. His father permitted him willingly because he wanted his son to grow. He even convinced Kalam’s mother by telling her that parents should not thrust their ideas upon their children as they have their own way of thinking.

My Childhood Title

In this autobiographical extract My Childhood Abdul Kalam, talks about his childhood. He describes his family, his house, his childhood experiences and his childhood friends. In addition, he highlights those incidents that left an indelible impression on his young mind. That makes the title My Childhood very apt.

My Childhood Setting

The setting of this extract is Rameswaram, especially in the pre-war, during the War and post-war years. On the whole, the small society of Rameswaram was highly stratified and very rigid in terms of the segregation of different social groups. Yet, there was communal harmony and co-operation. People who spread the poison of social inequality and communal intolerance were not well tolerated.

My Childhood Theme

In the given extract from his autobiographical novel Wings of Fire Abdul Kalam reveals how our life is shaped by our experiences and the people around us. Kalam’s secure childhood, inspiring parents, supportive friends and honest teachers instilled great values in him that gave him the strength to travel from his modest beginnings to the President’s House.

My Childhood Message

The message Dr Kalam conveys to his readers in My Childhood is one of communal harmony, tolerance, acceptance, broadmindedness and brotherhood. While our society is infected by prejudices of religion, caste and status, it is essential to confront such discrimination and put an end to it. Despite being orthodox Muslims, Kalam’s family provided boats with a special platform for carrying idols of the Lord from the temple to the marriage site during the annual Shri Sita Rama Kalyanam ceremony. His mother and grandmother told him stories from the Ramayana and from the life of the Prophet. Even the orthodox Brahmans fought against barriers of religion and caste as done by Lakshmana Sastry and Sivasubramania Iyer.

My Childhood Characters

Abdul Kalam

A boy of ordinary looks, Abdul Kalam had many sterling qualities right from his childhood. He had immense affection and respect for his parents. He inherited the values of honesty and self-discipline from his father and faith in goodness and deep kindness from his mother.

Kalam was an enterprising and a hard-working child. He collected tamarind seeds, when they were in demand, and sold them to earn small yet significant amounts. Very confident of himself, he did every piece of work assigned to him with full dedication. He helped his cousin to catch bundles from the running trains when the train-halt at Rameswaram was suspended during the Second World War.

Despite being bom in a Muslim family, Kalam was a liberal secular. He imbibed this quality from his father who gave his boats with a special platform for carrying idols of Lord Rama from the temple to the wedding site ‘Ram Tirtha’ during the annual Shri Sita Rama Kalyanam ceremony. His mother and grandmother told stories from the Ramayana and the life of the Prophet to the children at bed time. Kalam’s three friends—Ramanadha Sastry, Aravindan and Sivaprakasan—were from orthodox Hindu Brahmin families. However, their religious differences and upbringing did not stand in the way of their friendship.

He was a sensitive child and leamt valuable lessons from his experiences. He leamt early in life that caste-based segregation is a poison that must not be allowed to thrive. Kalam was also progressive and took decision at the right time to leave his hometown to study further and grow in life.

Jainulabdeen

Abdul Kalam’s father, Jainulabdeen, was a tall handsome man. He had neither much formal education nor much wealth; despite these disadvantages, he possessed great innate wisdom and a true generosity of spirit.

Jainulabdeen was an austere man who avoided all inessential comforts and luxuries. However, he provided all necessities in terms of food, medicine or clothes for his family. He ensured he provided a very secure childhood, both materially and emotionally to his children.

Despite being a Muslim, Jainulabdeen provided his boats with a special platform for carrying idols of the Lord from the temple to the marriage site during the annual Shri Sita Rama Kalyanam ceremony.

Although Jainulabdeen was not very highly educated himself, he was keen his son got a good education. When Abdul Kalam expressed a desire to study at the district headquarters in Ramanathapuram, but was a little hesitant, Jainulabdeen advised his son to go away to grow. He asked, “Does the seagull not fly across the sun, alone and without a nest?” With deep wisdom he advised his wife to let their son go to get a good education. “Your children are not your children. They are the sons and daughters of Life’s longing for itself. They come through you but not from you. You may give them your love but not your thoughts. For they have their own thoughts.”

Ashiamma

Abdul Kalaam’s mother, Ashiamma, was a tall, good-looking woman, were tall and good looking. Ashiamma was a good, kind person and she passed on these qualities to her children. Though they did not have abundant resources, both she and her husband were very generous and fed a lot of outsiders along with their own family-members.

Ashiamma was a secular person and brought up her children on stories from the Ramayana and from the life of the Prophet. She thus instilled good values and principles in her children.

Sivasubramania Iyer

Sivasubramania Iyer was Kalam’s science teacher in school. Although he was an orthodox Brahmin, he was a very tolerant and broad-minded person. He was a rebel who wished to bring about a transformation in the society and was well prepared to confront hindrances during this process. He faced challenges even from his own family when his wife refused to serve food to Kalam who had been invited by Iyer himself. But, without losing faith in his belief that caste and religion do not segregate people, he served the child himself. Thus, he

reformed his wife not by force but by setting an example.

Iyer was also a dedicated teacher who established a good rapport with his students. He encouraged and inspired them as he taught and spent long hours with them. He encouraged Abdul Kalam to study further and to develop so that he could be “on par with the highly educated people of the big cities.”

My Childhood Summary Questions and Answers

Question 1.
What were the qualities that Abdul Kalam admired in his parents?
Answer:
Kalam’s parents were noble and generous people. Though his father was an austere man, hd provided his family with all necessities, in terms of food, medicine or clothes. He admired his father’s honesty and self- discipline and his mother’s faith in goodness and kindness. He admired his parents for respecting all religions.

Question 2.
Kalam’s childhood was a secure one both materially and emotionally. Illustrate.
Answer:
APJ Abdul Kalam called his childhood a secure one because he had loving and caring parents who gave love and guidance to their children and took care of their emotional and physical needs. They provided their children with all necessities, in terms of food, medicine or clothes.

Question 3.
How does Kalam show his father was a simple man?
Answer:
Kalam’s father was a simple self-disciplined man. He neither had formal education nor much wealth and he avoided all inessential comforts and luxuries.

Question 4.
What kind of a person was Kalam’s father?
Answer:
Abdul Kalam’s father, Jainulabdeen, was a tall and handsome man. Although he did not have much of a formal education, he was progressive and valued education. He was an austere man and didn’t have much wealth, however, he was a generous man and provided both material and emotional security to his family. He was a very practical man with a vast store of wisdom and never obstructed the progressive ways of his children.

Question 5.
How does Abdul Kalam describe his mother?
Answer:
Kalam’s mother, Ashiamma, was tall, good looking and very attached to her children. She was an ideal helpmate to her husband. She was a gentle and kind lady with faith in goodness and deep kindness. Like her husband, she was very generous and fed a number of outsiders daily. Kalam inherited the values of kindness and generosity from her. Kalam inherited the values of kindness and generosity from her.

Question 6.
How was Kalam’s appearance different from that of his parents?
Answer:
Kalam did not take after his tall and handsome parents. He was a rather short boy with average looks. Unlike his parents who had quite striking features, his appearance was undistinguished.

Question 7.
Briefly describe Abdul Kalam’s ancestral house.
Answer:
Abdul Kalam’s ancestral house was situated on the Mosque Street in Rameswaram. It had been built in the middle of nineteenth century and was a fairly large, pucca house made of limestone and brick.

Question 8.
How did the Second World War give Abdul Kalam the opportunity to earn his first wages?
Answer:
When stoppage of trains was cancelled at Rameshwaram because of World War II, Kalam’s cousin, Samsuddin, who distributed newspapers in Rameswaram, asked him for help in collecting newspaper bundles which were thrown from the moving train. This helped Abdul Kalam earn his first wages.

Question 9.
What are Kalam’s views about his first jobs?
Answer:
As a young boy, Kalam earned his first wage by helping his cousin, Samsuddin, collect papers thrown from a moving train for distribution. Half a century later, Kalam would still feel the surge of pride in earning his own money for the first time.

Question 10.
Had Kalam earned any money before that? In what way?
Answer:
When the Second World War broke out in 1939, there was a sudden demand for tamarind seeds in the market. Kalam collected these seeds and sold them to earn an anna a day which was a big amount for a small boy like him in those days.

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

The Duck and the Kangaroo Summary in English by Edward Lear

The Duck and the Kangaroo by Edward Lear About the Poet

Edward Lear (1812-1888) was an English artist, illustrator, musician, author and poet. He is best known for his literary nonsense in poetry and prose especially his limericks, a form he popularised. He began his career as an artist at the age of 15. His father, a stockbroker of Danish origins, was sent to debtor’s prison when Lear was only 13. So, he was forced to earn a living. He quickly gained recognition for his work and in 1832, he was hired by the London Zoological Society to execute illustrations of birds. He composed his first book of poems, A Book of Nonsense for the grandchildren of the Derby household. Between 1837 and 1847, he travelled throughout Europe and Asia. His travel journals were published in several volumes as The Illustrated Travels of a Landscape Painter. He wrote many deeply fantastical poems about imaginary creatures such as The Dong with the Luminous Nose. His books of humorous verse also include Nonsense Songs and Laughable Lyrics.

Poet Name	Edward Lear
Born	12 May 1812, Holloway, United Kingdom
Died	29 January 1888, Sanremo, Italy
At Works	Masada on the Dead Sea, Campagna di Roma
On view	Yale Center for British Art, National Gallery of Art
Period	Romanticism

The Duck and the Kangaroo Introduction to the Chapter

The Duck and the Kangaroo is a famous poem by Edward Lear. In this poem a duck wants to be able to jump around and see the world like a kangaroo. So he asks a kangaroo to take him on its back.

The Duck and the Kangaroo Summary in English

The Duck praises the Kangaroo and the way he hops so gracefully over the fields and water. The Duck feels sorry for himself as his own life is really boring in the nasty pond. The Duck wishes he could hop like the Kangaroo and see the world beyond the pond.

The Duck requests the Kangaroo to give him a ride on his back. He also promises that he would sit quietly on the Kangaroo’s back, not saying anything apart from a ‘Quack’ the whole day long. They would go to the Dee and the Jelly Bo Lee and over the land and sea. The Duck again earnestly entreats the Kangaroo to give him a ride.

The Kangaroo ponders over the Duck’s proposal seriously. He has an objection to his request because the duck’s feet are cold from water and would give the Kangaroo rheumatism if the Duck sat on his back for the ride.

The Duck has a quick solution to the Kangaroo’s problem. He says he is carrying a pair of woollen socks which will keep his feet neat and warm. Also, he is carrying a cloak and he would smoke a cigar daily and enjoy the company of his dear Kangaroo.

The Kangaroo finally agrees to take the Duck on a ride. In the moonlight, the Duck is seen sitting steady on the Kangaroo’s tail. They hop aound the world thrice. There is no one so happy as the Kangaroo and the Duck.

The Duck and the Kangaroo Theme

Though the poem The Duck and the Kangaroo seems to be nonsensical, there is a lesson to be learned. The Duck is disgruntled with his life and sees the Kangaroo’s life as being more exciting and adventurous. He entreats the Kangaroo for a ride. The Kangaroo objects only because the duck is sure to have cold feet. The Duck assures the Kangaroo that he has several pairs of warm socks, a cloak and a cigar which should keep the cold at bay. So, the Duck and the Kangaroo start their tour and go round the world thrice. The Duck and the Kangaroo are very different, but they resolve their differences by cooperating with each other.

The Duck and the Kangaroo Message

The main message of the poem The Duck and the Kangaroo is that you cannot enjoy your life if you are stuck in a boring routine. One should enjoy many adventures and try new things to get over the boredom of a fixed routine. The Duck is bored in his pond because he’s been there all his life. He wanted to go on an adventure “ to the Dee and the Jelly Bo Lee” and he convinced the Kangaroo to take him along. The poem also teaches us that every problem that besets us, has a solution. Just as the Duck thought of a solution for his wet and cold feet that the Kangaroo was guarded about.

The Duck and the Kangaroo Tone

The tone of the poem is conversational as the Duck and the Kangaroo converse. The Duck very politely requests the Kangaroo for a ride on his back as he is bored of his nasty little pond. The Kangaroo, on his part, reflects upon the situation and courteously presents his doubts to the duck. In a very formal tone he asks for the duck’s permission to speak boldly and says that he has an objection to the duck riding his because the latter’s feet are wet and cold and would probably give him rheumatism. In a conciliatory tone, the Duck offers a solution – wearing a cloak, worsted socks and smoking a cigar. There is happiness and excitement in the tone as the two friends go to places they wished to see, and hop around the world thrice.

The Duck and the Kangaroo Setting

The setting of the poem is near a pond where the Duck lives. The pond could be in Australia, as kangaroos are found in Australia.

The Duck and the Kangaroo Literary Devices

Alliteration

Alliteration is the repetition of the initial letter (generally a consonant) or first sound of several words, marking the stressed syllables in a line of poetry.

Example: Said the Duck to the Kangaroo,
“Good gracious! how you hop!

Imagery is a poetic device wherein the author uses words or phrases that appeal to any of the senses or any combination of senses to create “mental images” for the reader. Imagery helps the reader to visualize more realistically the author’s writings. Imagery is not limited to only visual sensations, but also refers to igniting kinesthetic, olfactory, tactile, gustatory, thermal and auditory sensations as well.

Example: Said the Duck to the Kangaroo,
“Good gracious! how you hop!
Over the fields and the water too,
As if you never would stop! (visual imagery)
Your feet are unpleasantly wet and cold,
And would probably give me the roo-

Inversion

Inversion is a term used to refer to the inverting of the normal word order in a sentence or phrase. Writers will use inversion to maintain a particular meter or rhyme scheme in poetry, or to emphasize a specific word in prose.

Examples: (i) “Said the duck to the kangaroo”
ii) “As if you never would stop”.

Rhyme Scheme

Rhyme is a popular literary device in which the repetition of the same or similar sounds occurs in two or more words, e.g., covers and lovers. Rhyme occurs usually at the end of a line in a poem.

Imperfect Rhyme, also known as ‘partial’, ‘near’ or ‘slant rhyme’, occurs when a: poet deliberately changes the spelling or pronunciation of word so that it rhymes with the last word of another line in the stanza. Use of imperfect rhyme is fairly common in folk poetry.

Example: And would probably give me the roo-
Matiz!” said the Kangaroo.

Roo-matiz is slang for rheumatism. The word has ‘roo – matiz’ – this has been split into two parts for the sake of rhyme scheme, to rhyme with ‘Kangaroo’. The second part ‘matiz’ purely talks about the disease ‘rheumatism; and M is put capital because this is even the beginning of a line of a poem which must start with capital letter.

Rhyme scheme refers to the order in which particular words at the end of each line rhyme. The first end sound is represented as the letter “a”, the second is “b”, and so on. If the alternate words rhyme, it is an “a-b-a-b” rhyme scheme, which means “a” is the rhyme for the lines 1 and 3 and “b” is the rhyme affected in the lines 2 and 4.

Example : Said the Duck to the Kangaroo, A
“Good gracious! how you hop! B
Over the fields and the water too, A
As ifyou never would stop! B
My life is a bore in this nasty pond, C
And I long to go out in the world beyond! C
I wish I could hop like you!” D
Said the Duck to the Kangaroo. D
They rhyme scheme of the poem is — ABABCCDD

The Duck and the Kangaroo Summary Questions and Answers

Question 1.
Where did the Duck live and what did he long for?
Answer:
The Duck lived in a pond which he considered nasty as he was bored of his life there. He wanted to leave that place and see the world beyond.

Question 2.
Where did the Duck want to go? What did he request the Kangaroo to do?
Answer:
The Duck wanted to see the world away from the pond he lived in. He thought that he would visit the ‘Dee’ and the ‘Jelly Bo Lee’. He requested the Kangaroo to let him ride on his back as he hopped away.

Question 3.
Why did the Duck want to take a ride on the Kangaroo’s back?
Answer:
The Duck felt bored with his life in the pond. So, he wanted to see the whole world. He wanted to travel to places like Dee and Jelly Bo Lee. But he did not have that capability. So he wanted to take the Kangaroo’s help as he could hop far and wide.

Question 4.
What did the Duck promise the Kangaroo?
Answer:
The Duck promised the Kangaroo that if he took him for a ride on his back, he would sit quietly the whole day and only say Quack.

Question 5.
How did the Kangaroo respond to the Duck’s request?
Answer:
The Kangaroo said that he would have to ponder over his request. He first objected to the Duck’s wet and cold feet because he feared they would give him rheumatism. Later, he agreed to his request. In fact, he thought that it might bring him good luck. So he accepted the Duck’s request to give him a ride on his back.

Question 6.
What did the Duck do to overcome the Kangaroo’s objection?
Answer:
The Duck bought four pairs of worsted socks which fit his web-feet neatly. Moreover he promised to wear a cloak and to smoke a cigar to keep out the cold. He did it to overcome the Kangaroo’s objection to his cold feet.

Question 7.
How did the Duck and the Kangaroo go round the world?
Answer:
The Duck sat at the end of the Kangaroo’s tail. He sat still and spoke nothing. The Kangaroo hopped and leapt. They went round the world three times. They enjoyed their journey and were very happy.

Question 8.
The Kangaroo does not want to catch ‘rheumatism’. Why it is spelt differently. Why is it in two parts? Why does the second part begin with a capital letter?
Answer:
The word ‘rheumatism’ is spelled differently and is in two parts so that it can rhyme with ‘kangaroo’ in the following line. As a result of splitting the word into two and changing its spelling, ‘roo’ rhymes with ‘kangaroo’. The second part ‘Matiz’ begins with a capital letter because it is the first word of the line. In a poem, every line begins with a capital letter even if it is in continuation with the previous line. Hence, this has been done in order to enhance the poetic effect of the lines.

Question 9.
What do you learn about the Duck from the poem?
Answer:
The Duck is adventurous. He is bored in his pond and wants to travel and see far-off places. He is considerate and promises not to disturb the Kangaroo with his chatter, but sit quietly on the Kangaroo’s back. He is resourceful, and when the Kangaroo objects to his wet and cold feet, he buys worsted socks and a cloak to keep warm. The Duck is envious of the Kangaroo’s ability to hop off and see the world.

Question 10.
What do you learn about the Kangaroo from the poem?
Answer:
The Kangaroo is a true friend. He agreed to take the Duck for a ride on his back, provided he did something about his cold and wet feet. He takes his friend around the world three times.

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

The Fun They Had Summary in English by Isaac Asimov

The Fun They Had by Isaac Asimov About the Author

Isaac Asimov (1920-1992) was bom in Petrovichi, Russia. His family immigrated to the United States in 1923. He was a Professor of Biochemistry at Boston University and a popular writer of science-fiction. He published his first novel, Pebble in the Sky, in 1950. An immensely prolific author who penned nearly 500 books, he published influential sci-fi works like I, Robot and the Foundation trilogy. In fact, Isaac Asimov is widely considered a master of the science-fiction genre.

Author Name	Isaac Asimov
Born	2 January 1920, Petrovichi, Russia
Died	6 April 1992, Brooklyn, New York, United States
Short Stories	The Last Question, The Fun They Had
Movies	I, Robot, Bicentennial Man, Nightfall, The End of Eternity

The Fun They Had Introduction to the Chapter

Science Fiction is a genre of fiction in which the stories are largely based on science and technology of the future. It is important to note that science fiction has a relationship with the principles of science. Stories involve laws or theories of science which are partially true and partially fictitious. The plot creates situations different from those of both the present day and the known past. Science fiction texts explain what effect new discoveries, happenings and scientific developments will have on us in the future. These stories are often set in the future, in space, on a different world, or in a different universe or dimension.

Isaac Asimov’s The Fun They Had is a science fiction story which first appeared in a children’s newspaper in 1951 and was reprinted in the February 1954 issue of The Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction, as well as the collections Earth Is Room Enough (1957), 50 Short Science Fiction Tales (1960), and The Best of Isaac Asimov (1973). According to Asimov, the story The Fun They Had, written as a personal favor for a friend, became “probably the biggest surprise of my literary career”. He reported that it had been reprinted more than 30 times with more being planned. “Why? I don’t know why.” It is about computerized home schooling, and what children miss out on by not being in school together.

The Fun They Had Summary in English

The Fun They Had is a story set about 150 years in the future; to be precise on 17 May 2157. The writer describes a time in the future when every child has his own machine teacher and schools like today do not exist anymore. There are telebooks, in which words move across the screen. Considering that this story was written in 1951 before personal computers were around, it is amazing how well the author predicts the future. We are not living in 2155 yet, but it is already possible for us to read digital books on handheld devices. Perhaps in the future, children really will be taught by mechanical teachers!

On that particular day, Tommy, a thirteen-year-old boy, finds a ‘real book’ in the attic of his house. The book, which is really old, has been printed on paper and its pages are yellow and crinkly. He and his friend, eleven- year-old Margie, take a look at the book together. Both Margie and Tommy are amazed by the book that is different from the books they are accustomed to. The book has words that are fixed on the pages and do not move as on a screen. Books like these don’t exist anymore. Margie recalls her grandfather had once told her about stories being printed on paper in the time of his grandfather. Tommy thinks of the book as being impractical because, unlike their telebooks that have a million books and are good for plenty more, the book would have to be thrown away after one had finished reading it.

Tommy tells Margie that the book is about school, but Margie, who hates school and cannot understand why someone would write about it, is disappointed. She has been having problems with learning geography from her ‘mechanical teacher’. It teaches Margie, gives her exercises and asks her questions, all in a special room in her own house. It can also calculate the marks in no times. Margie hates the slot where she has to insert her homework or test papers.

Lately, her dislike for her school has intensified because the geography sector of her mechanical teacher is malfunctioning. It has been giving her test after test in geography and she has been doing worse and worse.

Her mother has sent for the County Inspector to look at the mechanical teacher and to rectify the error. The Inspector takes the mechanical teacher apart and finds that Margie is not at fault for her poor performance.

The geography sector in the teacher has been fixed at a speed that is too fast for the little girl. Margie has been hoping he wouldn’t know how to put it together again, but he knows how to repair it all right, and, after an hour or so, the Inspector is able to set the speed to Margie’s level. This leaves Margie disappointed as she had hoped her teacher would be taken away for some time and she would be relieved of the trouble of taking so many tests.

Tommy, who has been reading the book, tells Margie that the book is not about their kind of school which has mechanical teachers with a TV, but rather, it was about the schools hundreds of years ago when students had a person as a teacher who taught the girls and boys, gave them homework and asked them questions. School was a special building the children went to. And they learned the same thing if they were the same age.

At first, Margie does not understand how a person could be a teacher and how the students were taught the same thing because her mother says that education must fit each child’s mind.

Nevertheless, she wants to read more about it. They haven’t even read half the book, when Margie’s mother reminds her it is time for school. Though Margie’s schoolroom is right next to her bedroom, she has to study at regular hours because her mother considers it right to study at fixed timings every day.

Margie goes to the schoolroom in her house, where the mechanical teacher is already on because the lessons are always at regular hours. As the mechanical teacher teaches the addition of proper fractions, Margie is lost in her thoughts about the working of schools in old times. Though at first Margie had been skeptical about the notion, by the end of the story she believes that the kids must have enjoyed going together to school. They must have had fun going to the same school, studying the same things and being able to help one another.

The Fun They Had Title

The title of the story The Fun They Had has been derived from the closing words of the story. They reflect the opinion of Margie, a young girl in the year 2157, about the students centuries ago. In 2157, children are taught individually by mechanical teachers who are adjusted to fit the mind of each boy and girl they teach and each kid is taught differently. Their “school” is just another room in the house. They have no interaction with a human teacher or with other children during school hours. Tommy finds the book about schools, centuries ago when students had a person as a teacher who taught the girls and boys. School was a special building, the children went to. And they learned the same thing if they were the same age. Margie thinks about the old school system and how much fun the children must have had, learning and spending time together.

The Fun They Had Setting

The setting of the story is 17 May 2157. Two children, thirteen-year-old Tommy and eleven-year-old Margie are at Margie’s house looking at a ‘strange’ book Tommy found in his attic. Their life is different from that of children today. Children no longer have a person as a teacher, nor do all children go to a school house and learn the same thing with other children of the same age. In 2157 children are taught individually by mechanical teachers who are adjusted to fit the mind of each boy and girl they teach and each kid is taught differently. Children read telebooks and have no interaction with a teacher and little interaction among themselves.

The Fun They Had Theme

The main theme in The Fun They Had by Isaac Asimov is that of education. Specifically, the story deals with the future of education which will become increasingly computerized. As a result, students will become estranged from social interactions.

By contrasting the schools of present day with those expected to exist in the twenty second century, the writer draws the conclusion that present day schools are much more fun. Schools in the future schools will impart knowledge but students will miss out on the fun they can have while going to the same school, studying the same things, adjusting with the same teacher and being able to help one another. The author’s message is one of warning against the dangers of computerized homeschooling which deprives children of the benefits of the personal interaction between students and teachers, which helps them develop social skills.

The Fun They Had Message

The author’s message in the story is that education is not merely accumulation of information. Computerised homeschooling can certainly help gain information in a better way, but present day schooling is much more than acquisition of facts. It is a life-experience where children interact with others, have fim and leam the values of sharing and caring. If in the future schools have mechanical teachers attuned to specific needs of every student and books available only in electronic form, our children will be deprived of the privilege of interaction with human teachers and other students and developing of social skills.

The Fun They Had Characters

Margie

Margie is an eieven-year-old girl who lives in the twenty second century. She is taught by a mechanical teacher in the comfort of her home. The mechanical teacher is highly personalised and adjusted to suit her level. Yet, Margie dislikes her school. Probably this is because she is confined to a room and has to study alone at a fixed time every day.

Margie is a curious girl. When she finds a real book in Tommy’s hands, she is eager to know about its contents.

In fact, she wants to read the book herself. However, she is surprised that the book describes a school of the yesteryears which had real men as teachers and classes were conducted in a special building. She is fascinated to leam that in those times the students of the same level studied together.

Margie seems to be a friendly and social girl. She concludes that the old system was much better as the students had so much fun when they studied together and could help each other, rather than studying in isolation.

Tommy

Tommy, a thirteen-year-old, plays an important role in the story as he is the one who finds a book about the schools from yesteryears. The entire action of the story begins after that. He, too, like Margie represents the students of the future era when education will be mechanised and automated.

Tommy is very curious. He has gone looking in the attic and found the old book. As soon as he discovers it, he starts reading it. However, he does not like the idea of printed books which, according to him, are a waste once they have been read. Compared to Margie, he is not as sensitive to the contents of the book.

He has an air of superiority—he snubs Margie when she expresses her ignorance about old schools.

However, Tommy is warm and friendly and he does believe in sharing. When Margie’s mother calls her to attend school he assures her that they can finish the book later.

The Fun They Had Summary Questions and Answers

Question 1.
Who are Margie and Tommy? How old are they?
Answer:
Margie and Tommy are students from the year 2157. Tommy is a thirteen-year-old boy and Margie is an eleven-year-old girl. Both are neighbours and good friends who like to spend time together like children of their age usually do.

Question 2.
What did Margie write in her diary?
Answer:
On 17 May 2157 Margie recorded in her diary about the discovery of a “real” book by Tommy. It was a very old book printed on paper and had yellow and crinkly pages, unlike the telebooks of the twenty-second century.

Question 3.
Where had Tommy found the book? How was it different from the books Margie and Tommy were used to?
Answer:
Tommy found a real book in the attic of his house. The book was at least two hundred years old so pages had turned yellow and crinkly. It was a different from the books Margie and Tommy were used to because they had teiebooks to read from while the book Tommy found was printed on paper.

Question 4.
Had Margie ever seen a real book before? Did she know about such books?
Answer:
No, Margie had never seen a book before till she saw the one Tommy found in the attic of his house. She had only heard about books from her grandfather who himself had not seen any. He too had heard about a printed book from his own grandfather.

Question 5.
What things about the book did Margie and Tommy find strange?
Answer:
Margie and Tommy read telebooks where words moved on a screen. Books were stored in a machine that could store a million books on it and still be good for plenty more. So they found it strange that the words in the printed book remained fixed unlike the moving ones on their television screen.

Question 6.
“What a waste!” What is Tommy referring to as a ‘waste’? Is it really a waste? Why/Why not?
Answer:
Tommy thought the paper book he found in his attic with words that were printed and did not move was a waste. Once a book had been read, it became useless and must be thrown away because it had the same content.

YES: Printed books are a waste as telebooks are more accessible. They can be stored in a television and read again and again. They occupy very little space as compared to the printed books and need not be discarded once they have been read. In addition, paper books consume resources like trees from which paper is made and water that is consumed in the process of making paper.

NO: Printed books are not a waste as they can be read by many people over and over again and can be preserved for future generations. Moreover, the data in a telebook can be lost or stolen, but in a printed book, the data printed on a page remains for ever.

Question 7.
What do you think a telebook is?
Answer:
A telebook is a book made available in text on a television screen. Many books can be stored and read in this manner. (The telebook is the author’s imagined version of an e-book as this story was written in 1951, long before their advent.)

Question 8.
Did Margie like the printed book? Why/Why not?
Answer:
Margie was really excited to see the ‘real’ book Tommy found as it was unlike the telebooks the two were used to reading. It was such a novelty that she recorded the discovery in her diary. As she turned the yellow and crinkly pages of the book with Tommy, she found it quite fascinating, unlike Tommy who found it a waste. In fact, she was really reluctant to stop reading the book and go to study. She wanted to read the book again after school.

Question 9.
Where was Margie’s school? Did she have any classmates?
Answer:
Margie’s school was a room next to her bedroom in her house. No, she did not have any classmates as her school was a customised school, set up exclusively for her according to her level and needs.

Question 10.
What kind of teachers did Margie and Tommy have? How were they different from teachers in the book?
Answer:
Margie and Tommy had mechanical teachers, which were large and black and ugly, with a big screen on which all the lessons were shown and the questions were asked. There was a slot where they had to put homework and test papers and the mechanical teacher calculated the marks in no time. Margie and Tommy’s teachers were different from the teachers in the book as the teachers in the book were men and not mechanical teachers.