Category: English Summary

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A Truly Beautiful Mind Summary in English by Albert Einstein

A Truly Beautiful Mind by Albert Einstein About the Author

Author Name	Albert Einstein
Born	14 March 1879, Ulm, Germany
Died	18 April 1955, Penn Medicine Princeton Medical Center, New Jersey, United States
Spouse	Elsa Einstein (m. 1919–1936), Mileva Marić (m. 1903–1919)
Education	University of Zurich (1905), ETH Zürich (1896–1900)

A Truly Beautiful Mind Introduction to the Chapter

A Truly Beautiful Mind is brief biographical sketch of the great genius Albert Einstein. It gives the readers a glimpse into his early life and his contribution to the world of science. Einstein was a visionary who never went with the flow, but charted his own path once he knew that he was right. He was not afraid of being at odds with anyone, including his teachers. He was a strong man who stuck to his principles and ideas.

A Truly Beautiful Mind Summary in English

Albert Einstein was bom on 14th March, 1879 in Ulm, Germany. As a child he did not show any trace of intelligence. On the contrary, his mother, too, thought Albert was a freak as to her, his head seemed much too large. Albert Einstein was considered a slow child, and much to his parents’ worry, he started speaking after he turned two-and-a-half years old and when he did leam to speak, he uttered every word twice. Otto Neugebauer, the historian of ancient mathematics, writes that the young Albert broke his silence at the supper table one night to say, “The soup is too hot.” Greatly relieved, his parents asked why he had never said a word before. Albert replied, “Because up to now everything was in order.”

An introvert as a child, Einstein was nicknamed ‘Brother Boring’ by his playmates. As a result, most of the time he played by himself and loved mechanical toys. Once, the headmaster of his school gave a very adverse report about him to his father stating that he would never succeed in any profession. Still, Einstein started to leam playing.the violin at the young age of six as per his mother’s wish. Einstein was a gifted amateur violinist, and he maintained this skill throughout his life.

While at High School, in Munich, Einstein proved to be a good student and scored good marks. However, he loved his freedom and felt suffocated because of the stem discipline and regimentation in his school. In fact, he often clashed with his teachers. He thus left the school in Munich and shifted to German-speaking Switzerland to keep up his studies in a liberal environment. Einstein was exceptionally intelligent in mathematics and deeply interested in physics. After finishing school, he joined the University in Zurich because the atmosphere there was more liberal and amenable to new ideas and concepts. While studying there he fell in love with a Serbian fellow student, Mileva Marie, who was equally intelligent. Einstein got married to Mileva in 1903, and had two sons. However, the marriage did not last long and after their divorce in 1919, he married his cousin Elsa.

After graduating from the University in 1900, Einstein could not easily find a job. He worked as a teaching assistant and gave private lessons until he found a job as a technical assistant in a patent office in Bern in 1902. However, while he was supposed to be assessing other people’s inventions, Einstein was actually developing his own ideas in secret. He is said to have jokingly called his desk drawer at work the “bureau of theoretical physics.”. In 1905 he published a paper on ‘Special Theory of Relativity’ and came out with the formula: E = mc2

This theory of Einstein gained world-wide acclaim.

Einstein rose to international fame by publishing his “General Theory of Relativity” in 1915. His findings were proclaimed as a scientific revolution and he was awarded the Nobel Prize for Physics in 1921. He emigrated to America in 1933 when the Nazis came to power in Germany. Five years later, American Physicists became upset at the discovery of nuclear fission in Berlin. They were afraid that this discovery could enable the Nazis to build an atomic bomb. Einstein wrote a letter to the American President, Franklin D. Roosevelt to apprise him of the extent of destruction a nuclear bomb could cause. His letter was taken very seriously by the President and the Americans secretly prepared their own atomic bomb which they dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki in 1945.

Einstein was shaken terribly by this inhuman act. He wrote another letter to the United Nations proposing the formation of a world government, though this letter did not have any impact. Einstein spent his later days in politics advocating for world peace and democracy. He died at the age of 76 in the year 1955.

A Truly Beautiful Mind Title

Einstein was a visionary and one of the most recognized and well-known scientists of the century. He made immense contribution to the world of science by putting forward startling theories. As a human being, he preached peace and democracy. Thus, his mind was really beautiful and rich with new ideas and human concerns. This makes the title.of this biographical piece A Truly Beautiful Mind very appropriate as it acknowledges Einstein’s renowned scientific accomplishments and his humanitarian struggles to achieve peace and international cooperation.

A Truly Beautiful Mind Theme

This brief sketch of the life and achievements of the great genius and visionary, Albert Einstein, reveals that great men are not necessarily noticed during early years. Einstein comes across as a fairly ordinary person who has his likes and dislikes, his streaks of rebellion, and his problems. The author focuses on two aspects of Einstein’s personality – as a scientist and as a human being. Albert Einstein, the scientist, is best known for his path – breaking discoveries; Albert Einstein, the humanitarian, is known for his pacifism and political activism as he worked for peace and democracy in the world.

A Truly Beautiful Mind Message

The life and achievements of the famous scientist Einstein gives us the message that a truly beautiful mind possesses not only vision but also makes sincere efforts to use this vision for the well-being of mankind. Science should be solely devoted to the promotion of world peace and prosperity. If used for destructive purposes, the scientific inventions and discoveries can wreak havoc on humanity.

A Truly Beautiful Mind Characters

Albert Einstein

Albert Einstein comes across as a genius who made path-breaking discoveries in physics and a peace-loving human being who spread the message of love, liberty and peace.

During his childhood, Einstein did not show any spark of genius as a child. He was a slow child who started speaking very late. Even his mother considered him to be a freak as he had a large head and the headmaster of his school had such a poor opinion about him that he told his father

Einstein would never achieve success in any career that he chose. However, Einstein proved to be a good student as he had special interest and skills in mathematics and physics as also music and playing the violin.

Einstein’s love for freedom dated back to his school days. He felt stifled in his school in Munich because of excessive discipline. He chose to study in German-speaking Switzerland in a school with liberal environment. When the dictatorial Nazis took over Germany, Einstein left for America because he was averse to every type of authority.

Einstein was a great scientist whose theories of relativity and gravity created a stir in the world of science. He was awarded the Nobel Prize and got numerous other honours. However, despite his achievements as a scientist,

Einstein was a lover of arts and literature. Along with Mileva Marie he opposed philistines, or people who did not like art, literature or music. His love for mankind led him to work for peace and democracy in the world. He wanted a world government, and the destructive use of science, as in the bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki perturbed him. He spent the rest of his life spreading the message of pacifism.

Thus, Einstein’s traits as a scientific genius and a peace-loving human being with a deep love for freedom are amply highlighted in this biographical account.

A Truly Beautiful Mind Summary Questions and Answers

Question 1.
What did Einstein’s mother think him to be? Why?
Answer:
Einstein’s mother thought him to be a ‘freak’ or someone with an unusual physical abnormality or behavioural problem. She thought of him as a freak because his head seemed too large to her. This made him look different from the other children of his age.

Question 2.
Einstein showed no early signs of his genius one day. Comment.
Answer:
As a child, Einstein had a large head and did not start to speak till he was two-and-a-hal£ years old. Even when he did start speaking he uttered everything twice. He did not interact well with other children, and always played alone. All this showed the absence of genius.

Question 3.
What did Einstein’s playmates call hm? Why?
Answer:
Einstein’s playmates called him ‘Brother Boring’ as he could not mix up with other children. Neither did he find their games interesting nor did he know how to interact with other children. Also, he did not talk till he was two-and-a-half years old, and even then he repeated each word twice. This made his company boring to his playmates.

Question 4.
What kind of toys attracted the attention of Einstein when he was a child? Why?
Answer:
As a child Einstein was attracted only by mechanical toys. It showed his scientific temperament since mechanical toys work on some kind of scientific principles.

Question 5.
What did Einstein say about his newly born sister? Why?
Answer:
Einstein always played alone with his mechanical toys. He did not have any playmates as the other children found him boring. When his sister, Maja, was bom, he looked at his newborn sister and asked “Fine, but where are her wheels?”

Question 6.
What did the headmaster think about Einstein?
Answer:
The headmaster did not think much of Einstein. He once told his father that whatever profession he chose for Einstein, he would never make a success in his life. He thought that Einstein was incapable of achieving anything in life.

Question 7.
Which musical instrument did Einstein begin to learn? Why?
Answer:
Einstein began to learn playing the violin at the young age of six because his mother wanted him to. He kept this interest alive throughout his life and became a gifted amateur violinist.

Question 8.
How did Einstein fare in high school?
Answer:
Although as a young child Einstein was very slow, still while studying in Munich, he showed great progress in almost all the subjects and scored very good marks in almost all the subjects. He had special interest in Maths and Physics. Later on, he became a great scientist.

Question 9.
Why did Albert Einstein leave school in Munich?
Answer:
Albert Einstein left his school in Munich because he was not happy with the education system and he felt stifled by the strict regimentation of the school. He felt the environment suppressed his inquisitive scientific mind and had frequent clashes with his teachers. He felt suffocated and had to leave school.

Question 10.
Why did Einstein hate school?
Answer:
He hated school and the strict regimentation because of its extreme sense of discipline. He felt suffocated in this atmosphere. He often clashed with his teachers.

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

Reach for the Top Summary in English

Reach for the Top Summary Part 1 in English

Santosh Yadav, the only woman in the world to have scaled Mt. Everest twice, was bom in an affluent landowning family of Joniyawas, a small village of Rewari District, Haryana. Although Santosh was bom in a conservative society, where sons are preferred over the daughters, she was welcomed in the family as she was the sixth child and the only sister to five elder brothers. When her mother was expecting a baby, a holy man visited and blessed her with giving birth to a son. But to everyone’s surprise her grandmother said that she wanted a girl. The girl was bom and was named Santosh which means contentment.

From the beginning, Santosh was a bit of a rebel right and defied conventions. She neither liked to wear traditional dresses nor followed the traditional course of life. Though Santosh attended the local village school for her early education, she decided to fight the system when the right moment arrived. And the right moment came when she turned sixteen. Most of the girls in her village used to get married at sixteen. When Santosh’s parents also put pressure on her to do the same, rather than succumbing to parental pressure to get married early, she insisted on pursuing her studies. Her parents had to give in to her desire to study at a high school in Delhi, followed by higher education at Maharani College, Jaipur.

In Jaipur, she lived in Kasturba Hostel and could see the Aravalli hills from her room. Attracted by the villagers climbing these hills, one day she decided to check the route herself. There she met a few mountaineers, who allowed her to join them and encouraged her to take to mountaineering.

There was no looking back for this determined young girl after that. Before completing her college degree, Santosh Yadav got herself enrolled at Uttarkashi’s Nehru Institute of Mountaineering. As soon as she completed her last semester in Jaipur, she had to rush straight to the Institute and had no time to visit home. So, she wrote her father a letter apologizing for not having sought his permission before joining the Institute.

During this training, she went for an expedition each year. Her climbing skills matured rapidly. Also, she developed a remarkable resistance to cold and the altitude. Endowed with an iron will, physical endurance and an amazing mental toughness, she proved herself repeatedly. In 1992, after training for four years, she became the youngest woman in the world to conquer Mt. Everest at the age of 22. Her physical and mental strength impressed her seniors, while her

team spirit and concern for others endeared her to her fellow climbers. Santosh provided special care to a fellow climber in critical condition at South Col., who unfortunately could not be saved. However, she managed to save Mohan Singh, who too was in distress, by sharing her oxygen with him.

In less than a year of scaling Everest she got a second invitation from an Indo-Nepalese Women’s Expedition to repeat the feat. She was successful in scaling Mt. Everest once again. While unfurling the tricolour on top of the world, Santosh experienced indescribable pride as an Indian. It was truly a spiritual moment for her. Showing exceptional concern for the environment, she collected and brought down about 500kg of garbage from the Himalayas. The government of India honoured her with Padmashri for her unparalleled mountaineering feats.

Reach for the Top Summary Part 2 in English

Reach for the Top (Part II) briefly narrates the life and career of Maria Sharapova, one of the world’s best-known tennis stars. Behind her ready smile, disarming manner and glamorous attire lies the hard work and sacrifice that enabled Maria Sharapova to achieve the world number one position in women’s tennis on 22 August 2005. Poised beyond her years, the Siberian bom teenager took just four years as a professional to reach the pinnacle. However, the rapid ascent in a fiercely competitive world began nine years before with a level of sacrifice few children would be prepared to endure. Little Maria had not yet celebrated her tenth birthday when her father,

Yuri, brought her to the US to be trained in tennis. Her mother Yelena could not accompany her due to visa restrictions. In the US she missed her mother badly; her father, too, was working as much as he could to pary for her tennis-training, so, she couldn’t see him either. But she knew that the sacrifice was an inevitable price to pay for her big aspirations.

Apart from the pangs of separation from the mother, the child also suffered harassment from her inconsiderate fellow trainees, who were older in age. At the training academy, Maria would go to bed at 8 pm as she was very young. Her fellow trainees, who were older, would return at 11 pm and wake her up and make her tidy the room. Instead of letting this upset her, Maria drew mental strength and determination from this bullying. This mental toughness gradually became a trait of her personality that helped her both as a person and as a sportswoman.

If proved to be instrumental in helping her to reach the zenith of glory in the world of tennis. She bagged the women’s singles crown at Wimbledon in 2004 and became the number one tennis player in the world. However, Maria is not sentimental about her journey and the sacrifices she has had to make to achieve her goal. She says, “I am very, very competitive. I work hard at what I do. It’s my job.”

Hard work, dedication and mental courage paved the way for Sharapova’s rapid rise to success.

Imbued with patriotic sentiments, she feels proud to be a Russian. Though grateful to the US for bringing out the best in her, she would like to represent her own country Russia at the Olympics.

Although Maria is fond of fashion, singing and dancing, she focuses all her attention on tennis. She considers tennis as both a business and a sport, which has poured riches in her life. However, her main aim is to shine as a tennis player. It is this aspiration that constantly governs her mind and motivates her for ceaseless efforts.

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Iswaran the Storyteller Summary in English by R.K. Laxman

Iswaran the Storyteller by R.K. Laxman About the Author

Rasipuram Krishnaswami Iyer Laxman was a famous Indian cartoonist and illustrator, famous for creating the comic strip ‘You Said It’ which features the experiences and observances of its protagonist, ‘The Common Man’. Bom in.Mysore, R.K. Laxman had six siblings. From a young age, he developed an interest in drawing; his caricatures of teachers were very popular among his classmates. He graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree from Mysore University. Even as a student, he worked as a freelance cartoonist for many newspapers and magazines.

His first began working full-time as a political cartoonist for The Free Press Journal in Mumbai and later joined The Times of India. Apart from cartoons, Laxman also wrote short stories, essays and novels, such as The Hotel Riviera and The Messenger. Interestingly, Laxman’s application to the School of Art, Mumbai had been rejected citing ‘lack of talent he went on to create one of the most memorable cartoon characters the country has ever seen. ‘The Common Man’, a bespectacled, silent and balding representation of the average Indian citizen continues to be adored by the Indian masses even today.

Poet Name	R.K. Laxman (Rasipuram Krishnaswami Iyer Laxman)
Born	24 October 1921, Mysuru
Died	26 January 2015, Deenanath Mangeshkar Hospital and Research Center, Pune
Education	The University Of Mysore, Maharaja’s College, Mysore
Awards	Padma Vibhushan, Padma Bhushan

Iswaran the Storyteller Summary in English

Mahendra narrates a story to Ganesh. Mahendra is a junior supervisor in a firm that provides supervisors to construction sites. His job requires him to frequently move from one place to another. Mahendra is a bachelor and has no problems in adjusting to the various living conditions. He considers his cook, Iswaran, to be an asset. He accompanies Mahendra everywhere. Iswaran is a talented storyteller. He also has the amazing capacity to find and gather fresh vegetables, no matter how desolate the surroundings may be.

In the mornings, after Mahendra goes to work, Iswaran spends his days cleaning the shed, washing clothes, bathing, reading and taking afternoon naps. His enjoys reading Tamil thrillers. Iswaran’s own style of description is greatly influenced by these thrillers. While narrating incidents, Iswaran tries to create suspense and surprise endings. For instance, he would describe an uprooted tree as an enormous bushy beast, before revealing what it actually was. Iswaran has an uncritical audience in Mahendra.

One day, Iswaran relates an incident in which a wild elephant from a neighbouring timber forest had escaped from the timber yard and reached his town. To illustrate his story, Iswaran stamps about in imitation of the wild elephant. Iswaran says that after reaching the outskirts of the town, the elephant destroyed the stalls selling mud pots, clothes and fruits. It then entered Iswaran’s school, and the children ran to hide in the classrooms. The teachers went to the terrace and watched helplessly, as the elephant destroyed the school property.

Iswaran also watched the drama unfold from the rooftop. Suddenly, he grabbed a cane from a teacher and ran out to the ground. The elephant stamped its feet in anger and swayed a tree branch in its trunk; but Iswaran approached it slowly with the cane in his hand. As the elephant raised its trunk and trumpeted loudly, Iswaran ran towards it and hit it on its third toenail. The elephant was stunned for a moment; then it shivered and collapsed.

At this point, instead of concluding his story, Iswaran goes to warm up dinner, leaving Mahendra hanging in suspense. Upon his return, Mahendra has to remind Iswaran to conclude his story. Iswaran says casually that a veterinarian was called to revive the animal, and two days later, the animal was taken to the jungle by a mahout. When Mahendra asks him how he managed to subdue the animal, Iswaran says that he had read about a technique in the Japanese art of karate or jujitsu (he does not remember which) that paralyses the nervous system.

Iswaran’s style of storytelling is so enjoyable that Mahendra happily listens to his stories every day, regardless of whether they sound believable or not. With him around, Mahendra does not mind not having a television for entertainment.

One morning, Iswaran requests Mahendra’s permission to make a special dish for an auspicious occasion: it is the day when various delicacies are made to feed the spirits of their ancestors. That night, Mahendra complements Iswaran on his cooking skills. Iswaran is pleased, but then begins to tell a story about the supernatural. Iswaran tells Mahendra that the factory area they are living in used to be a burial ground. He says that on the first day of their arrival, he saw a human skull lying on the ground; and that he frequently comes across skulls and bones here. He also says that he can see ghosts at night: on full moon nights, he can see the ghost of a woman. He describes the ghost as a skeleton carrying a foetus in its arms.

Mahendra is scared but dismisses Iswaran’s claims as nonsense. Mahendra expects Iswaran to sulk after being scolded. The next day, however, he finds Iswaran in a cheerful and talkative mood. Even though Mahendra had claimed that he does not believe in ghosts and spirits, every night he goes to bed with a nervous feeling. He makes it a point to always peep out of his bedroom window to make sure nothing suspicious is happening outside. He used to enjoy watching the moonlight fall on the ground during full moon nights. However, after hearing Iswaran’s story, he stopped looking out of his window on full moon nights.

On one full moon night, Mahendra hears a moan outside his window. At first, he assumes it is a cat, but then realises that it does not sound like a cat. He avoids looking outside for fear of seeing something horrific. The moaning sound grows louder. At last he peers out of the window and sees a dark, cloudy form clutching a bundle. He falls back into bed, sweating and panting. After a while, he tries to reason with himself and decides that his mind is playing tricks on him.

During the course of the next morning, the memory of this incident begins to fade from his mind. As he begins to leave, Iswaran greets him with his lunch packet and office bag. He reminds Mahendra about the scolding he had given him when Iswaran had told him about the female ghost carrying a foetus in its arms. Iswaran says that he knows Mahendra had seen the ghost the previous night because he had also heard the moaning sounds coming from outside Mahendra’s window and had rushed to the spot. Mahendra does not answer but is very frightened. He hurries to his office to hand in his papers and decides to leave the haunted place the next day itself.

Iswaran the Storyteller Title

The title effectively captures the essence of the lesson, which recounts the tale of a storyteller named Iswaran, who weaves entertaining stories and anecdotes to entertain his master Mahendra. Ultimately, it is because of his ability to engage his listener and create an atmosphere, that he succeeds in frightening his master to such an extent that he actually resigns from his job and leaves the place that Iswaran’s stories had convinced him was haunted.

Iswaran the Storyteller Theme

The story touches upon the power of storytelling, and how the art of weaving a tale can exert a strong hold on the listener. Storytelling has been part of the ancient tradition in all human cultures, and was the sole method of passing ideas and cultural information down through the generations before the spread of writing. This story indicates the extent of influence a good storyteller can exert on the listeners, even when they are educated and non-superstitious.

Iswaran the Storyteller Setting

The story is set in an Indian village or small town in the period soon after Independence. It is set in a period when TVs had started becoming popular, but were not yet very common.

Iswaran the Storyteller Message

The story highlights the effect a good story can have on the listener. It also brings up the question of the supernatural, and suggests that ghosts might have been just the figment of imagination for a storyteller in the past. If we allow such ideas to take a hold on our minds, they can truly terrify us and play havoc with our lives. As we see in the story, Mahindra decides to resign from his comfortable job just because Iswaran’s story instils in his mind a fear of ghosts and spirits. This also shows that people can deeply influence others by creating a narrative or story that is persuasive enough.

Iswaran the Storyteller Characters

Mahendra: He was a bachelor who earned his living as a junior supervisor working at construction sites. He worked for a firm that supplied supervisors to remote sites. He was a simple man with simple tastes, and did not even feel the need to own a TV, even though he spent most of his time in remote areas far from sources of entertainment.

He was very adjusting and accommodating, and could live wherever he was posted, whether in a tent or a dilapidated building. He was a kind and caring master, and his servant Iswaran was happy to follow him around wherever he was posted.

Mahendra seems to have enjoyed listening to stories, and would spend his evenings listening to the tales recounted by Iswaran. He was somewhat naive and gullible, and believed the stories Iswaran recounted. In fact, Iswaran’s stories about ghosts and spirits had such an effect on him that he even resigned from his job because he believed the area was haunted. He was convinced that he had seen the spirit of a woman with a foetus that Iswaran had told him about in one of his tales.

Iswaran: He was a bachelor like his master. He was a religious man, as he bathed daily and said his prayers during his bath. He worked as a servant for Mahendra, cooking, cleaning and washing his clothes, following him wherever he was posted. He was a good worker and kept his master happy, but seems to have a mischievous streak. He loved recounting stories with a great deal of drama and play-acting, making the most mundane incident come alive. He enjoyed reading Tamil thrillers, from which he picked up the imaginative style of description and

narration. He often told his master exaggerated stories of his own experiences, such as the story of the tusker, and the story of the ghost. He not only scared his master with stories of encountering spirits in the area where they were living, he even seems to have recreated the same scene outside this master’s window when the former scolded him for making up stories about the supernatural.

Iswaran the Storyteller Summary Questions and Answers

Question 1.
In what way is Iswaran an asset to Mahendra?
Answer:
He is an asset because he not only cooks delicious meals for Mahendra, but also follows him around uncomplainingly to his various postings. He washes his clothes, tidies up his shed and entertained him with stories and anecdotes on varied subjects.

Question 2.
How does Iswaran describe the uprooted tree on the highway?
Answer:
He describes it as an enormous bushy beast lying sprawled across the road.

Question 3.
How does Iswaran narrate the story of the tusker? Does it appear to be plausible?
Answer:
He narrates the story with a lot of drama and excitement, jumping about and stamping his feet in imitation of the mad elephant.
[The second part of the question is subjective, and either option is acceptable.]
If Yes: Yes, the story seems plausible because there are vulnerable points in the body that can be used to control a wild animal if one has knowledge of them.
If No: No, it seems to be a typical exaggerated story that Iswaran was fond of telling.

Question 4.
Why does the author say that Iswaran seemed to more than make up for the absence of a TV in Mahendra’s living quarters?
Answer:
Iswaran’s stories were so dramatic and enthralling that Mahendra was completely captivated by them. As these stories were an everyday affair, he never missed the presence of a TV in his living quarters.

Question 5.
Mahendra calls ghosts or spirits a figment of the imagination. What happens to him on a full moon night?
Answer:
Earlier, Mahendra would always look out of the window to admire the landscape on full moon nights. However, after hearing the ghost story, he avoided looking out of his window altogether in such nights.

Question 6.
Can you think of any other ending for the story?
Answer:
Instead of giving in to his fear, Mahendra could have decided to check on the ‘ghost’, and found out that it was Iswaran who had been acting as a ghost to justify his story.

Question 7.
What work did Mahendra do?
Answer:
Mahendra was a junior supervisor in a firm that supplied supervisors on hire at various construction sites, factories, bridges, dams, etc. His work was to keep an eye on the activities at these sites.

Question 8.
Do you think Mahendra was a fussy man? Give reasons for your answer.
Answer:
No, Mahendra wasn’t a fussy man, because it is written that his needs were simple and he was able to adjust to all kinds of odd conditions whether living in a tent in a stone quarry, or an ill-equipped circuit house.

Question 9.
Why has Iswaran been called an asset? Who was he an asset to?
Answer:
Iswaran has been called an asset to his master, Mahendra, because he took care of all his master’s needs, from cooking and cleaning, to washing his clothes. He also could cook the most delicious meals in the most desolate places where resources were difficult to get. Also, he entertained his master with wonderful stories and anecdotes at meal times.

Question 10.
How did Iswaran spend his day after his master left for work?
Answer:
Iswaran would tidy up the shed, wash the clothes, have a leisurely bath while muttering his prayers. After lunch, he .would read for a while before dozing off to sleep.

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

The Little Girl Summary in English by Katherine Mansfield

The Little Girl by Katherine Mansfield About the Author

Katherine Mansfield Beauchamp (1888-1923) was a n prominent short story writer who was bom and brought up in colonial New Zealand and wrote under the pen name of Katherine Mansfield. At 19, Mansfield left New Zealand and settled in the United Kingdom, where she became a friend of writers such as D.H. Lawrence and Virginia Woolf. In 1917, she was diagnosed with tuberculosis, which led to her death at age 34. Master of the short story, Katherine Mansfield had much influence on the development of the short story as a form of literature. She evolved a distinctive prose style with many overtones of poetry. Her delicate stories, focused upon psychological conflicts, have an obliqueness of narration and a subtlety of observation that is reminiscent of Anton Chekhov. She was a prolific writer in the final years of her life. Much of her work remained unpublished till her death.

Author Name	Katherine Mansfield
Born	14 October 1888, Wellington, New Zealand
Died	9 January 1923, Fontainebleau, France
Short Stories	The Garden Party, Miss Brill, The Doll’s House
Siblings	Leslie Heron Beauchamp, Jeanne Beauchamp

The Little Girl Introduction to the Chapter

In The Little Girl by Katherine Mansfield we have the theme of family relationships. Taken from Mansfield’s Something Childish and Other Stories, the story is narrated in the third person by an unnamed narrator.

Kezia’s father is a busy man, so lost in his business that he has no time for his family. Being a very disciplined man, he is strict with Kezia to the point of harshness. He never displays any soft feelings for his little daughter, nor does he pet her for a while. All he does is give her a perfunctory kiss rather than a loving one. His presence at home frightens Kezia and she is relieved when he goes off to work. Kezia, who is able to speak without stuttering to everyone else, stutters in her father’s presence. Yet, in spite of all, Kezia’s father had a loving heart and is concerned about his daughter’s welfare.

The Little Girl Summary in English

Katherine Mansfield’s story The Little Girl is the story of a young girl, Kezia, and her relationship with her domineering father. His stem behaviour shakes his little daughter’s faith in him, and also in herself, to such an extent that she develops a strong dislike for him; to her he is a figure to be feared and avoided. She feels relieved when he leaves for his job every morning. His goodbye kiss seems too casual and perfunctory to her.

In the evening, when he returns home, Kezia hears him ask for his tea and the paper and give instructions in a loud voice. As the whole household rushes around to do his bidding, her mother asks Kezia to take off her father’s shoes. The girl is so terrified of him that, much to his annoyance, she stutters while answering his casual queries. Interestingly, Kezia’s speech is normal when she talks to other people; it is only his sternness that she finds so intimidating that she cannot bring herself to speak properly in his presence. To Kezia, her father, a tall man of few words, is a giant with big hands, a big neck and a big mouth.

Kezia’s grandmother tries to make efforts to improve Kezia’s relationship with her parents by telling her to talk nicely to them when they are relaxing on Sunday afternoons. But little Kezia always finds her mother absorbed in reading the newspaper and father sleeping on the sofa in their drawing-room. As he sleeps, Kezia sits on a stool and waits for him to wake up, looking at him, wide-eyed in her fear, until he wakes up, stretches, and asks the time — then looks at her, saying in an irritated tone, “Don’t stare so, Kezia. You look like a little brown owl.”

One day, Kezia’s grandmother suggests that she should make a pin-cushion to present to her father on his birthday. Kezia gets a yellow silk piece, stitches it on three sides. Now she needs something to stuff it with. She finds some very fine papers that she finds on the bed-table in her Mother’s room. She tears these papers into small bits before stuffing them into her pin-cushion and stitching up the fourth side.

That night, there is a lot of commotion in the house; her father’s great speech for the Port Authority cannot be found. Rooms are searched; servants questioned. Finally Mother comes into Kezia’s room and asks her if she has seen some papers that had been kept on a table in her room. Kezia owns up to her innocent mistake and the poor child is dragged down to the dining-room where her father is pacing up and down anxiously. When mother explains everything to him, he asks the scared girl to confirm her wrong-doing. She stutters a scared ‘no’ in a whisper. However, her angry father is not in a forgiving mood. He asks the grandmother to put Kezia to bed that instant and the child lies alone in her bed crying.

A little later, her father comes to Kezia’s room with a ruler. She screams and tries to hide under the bedclothes, but he pulls her out and orders her to hold out her hands so as to be taught a lesson not to touch someone else’s things. She tries to reason that it is for his birthday but he does not listen and hits her little pink palms with the ruler. The beating leaves deep scars on Kezia’s mind. From then on, she puts both her hands behind her back whenever she sees her father.

One day, Kezia sees her neighbours – the children in the Macdonald family – playing with their father. The Macdonalds are an exuberant, lively, playful family. Looking through the vegetable garden-wall, Kezia sees the five children playing with their father, turning a hose at him and the father tickling the children. When compared with her scary father who never played with her, Kezia sees the love between father and children next door and she observes that Mr Macdonald is playful, jolly, and liberal unlike her own father who is extremely strict. This leads her to reach the conclusion that all fathers are not alike.

Days pass and one day, when her mother is ill and has to be hospitalised, Kezia’s opinion about her father changes drastically. Grandmother accompanies Kezia’s mother to hospital and Kezia is alone in the house with their cook, Alice. Daytime is fine but when Alice put Kezia to bed at night, the child is terrified to be alone. She is afraid of the nightmares, for grandmother is not there to take her into her bed and comfort her grandmother as always. Alice cautions her not to scream and wake her father at night.

That day, Kezia again has the horrible dream again and she wakes up shivering and crying for her grandmother. However, she sees her father beside her bed with a candle in his hand. On learning that she is scared because of her terrible dream, her father takes her in his arms and carries her to his room. He tucks her in his bed and makes her sleep close to him. He is so tired that he goes off to sleep earlier than her. Little Kezia looks closely at her father and realises that he is not the giant that she had thought him to be. He may not pamper her like Mr Macdonald because he works harder than him. She lays her head on his heart and realises he has a big heart full of warmth and Care.

The Little Girl Title

The title of the story The Little Girl is apt because Katherine Mansfield wants to accentuate the idea that the story is about Kezia. The title highlights the fact that the girl is rather young and small; this makes her father’s size and behaviour appear larger and more frightening to her. The title is effective as the author shows the relationship between Kezia and her father and how she is affected by him. She is afraid of her father. He wants her to be obedient, disciplined, and organized but all she wants is his love and his company. She lacks self confidence and doesn’t feel free to talk to him. The little girl is so scared of him that she stutters in his presence. In fact, all the episodes in the story describe the experiences, opinions and observations made by Kezia. Her views, not just about her father, but also her mother, her grandmother, their cook Alice, and their neighbours, the Macdonalds, let the reader know what a little girl thinks and how she feels regarding the people around her.

The Little Girl Setting

The story is set in a town in England in the late nineteenth or early twentieth century. Kezia’s father goes to work in a carriage. He is a dominating male, who expects to be served and obeyed.

Kezia, her mother and the servants in the house are answerable to her father. The little girl barely engages with her father. She stutters when she talks to him as if she is in fear of him. However, things are beginning to change. Mr Macdonald plays with his children.

The Little Girl Theme

The main theme in The Little Girl is a young child’s point of view about her father. Children take time to understand the actions of their elders. Till such time, they may look upon their parents with negativity and fear. However, as kids grow older, their attitude towards their parents undergoes a change. The theme of this story is based on this process of change that makes little children notice the soft and caring heart of their overtly strict parents.

Another theme is the theme of control. Mansfield also highlights the control that the male exerts over the female. Kezia’s father is the only male in the household and Kezia, her mother and the servants in the house are answerable to her father. Kezia is dominated by her fear of her father and she stutters when she talks to him. Rather than having a loving relationship or a close bond with her father, she lives her life not only in fear of him but being wary of him too as she seems unsure of how he might treat her. Even though she’s a child, Kezia has duties to fulfil as soon as her father arrives home just like her mother and the servants in the house. At all times her father’s needs must be met. None of the female characters in the story have any independence due to having to accommodate each and every need (or whim) that Kezia’s father might have.

The Little Girl Message

The author’s message in the story is that although there is a very strong bond between parents and children, the bond must be nurtured otherwise children may develop fear and mistrust. It is not always easy for children to understand the true motive behind the stem actions of their parents. Parents may, at times, resort to strict punishment in order to prepare their little children for the hardships of adult life. As a result, children may view them as being harsh and frightening and may develop negativity. Therefore, the story gives a strong message to both the children and parents. Children should trust their parents and the parents should understand that fear and physical punishment can leave emotional scars.

The Little Girl Characters

Kezia

Kezia, the protagonist of the story The Little Girl, is a young girl. Though we do not know her exact age it can be assumed from the title of the story, and her behaviour that she is still very young, possibly not more than four or five.

She is an emotional and sensitive girl, deeply affected by her father’s disciplinarian attitude. She is afraid of him because she finds him large, loud and frightening. To the little girl he is a figure to be feared and avoided. Every morning before going to work he comes into her room and gives her a casual kiss, to which she responds with “Goodbye, Father”. And there is a glad sense of relief when she hears the noise of the carriage growing fainter and fainter down the long road! She is so scared that she stammers in his presence, although she doesn’t do that with the others.

This behaviour of Kezia is typical of a young girl. She sees her father as the boss of the family who must be served properly all the time. So, she feels relieved when he leaves for work every morning.

A timid child, Kezia goes down to the drawing-room when her grandmother sends her there to have a “nice talk with Father and Mother”, but the little girl sits on a stool, gravely watching her father with apprehensive eyes until he wakes up and stretches, and tells her, “Don’t stare so, Kezia. You look like a little brown owl.”

Kezia is obedient. Though she is very afraid of her father, she slowly slips down the stairs, and more slowly still across the hall, and pushes opin the drawing-room door to take off her father’s boots when her mother tells her to.

However, so great is her fear of her father that sometimes she even thinks that there should not have been any fathers in this world. She is envious, too, when she compares herself to other children, like the Macdonalds’ children. She is pained to observe that her father does not pamper her like Mr Macdonald does as he plays with his.

Kezia is innocent but impulsive. She makes a pin-cushion for her father as his birthday present but innocently picks up his important papers as stuffing for the pin-cushion. Impulsively, she tears those papers without seeking permission and hence gets into serious trouble.

Kezia quick to observe her father’s affection for herbon the night she is alone at home with him and is terrified by her recurrent nightmare. She feels happy when her father protectively takes her to his bed and comforts her. Her distrust for him changes into appreciation for his hard work. She admires his big heart and discovers her love for him. She changes from a resentful and frightened girl to an understanding and affectionate daughter.

Kezia’s Father

Kezia’s father displays two divergent characteristics in the story. Initially, he appears as a domineering, head of the family and demands complete obedience from other members. He is so distant and aloof, that Katherine Mansfield does not give him a name—we know him only as Kezia’s father, quite unlike the jolly, friendly Mr Macdonald. This could partly be because Father is seen mostly through the eyes of the little girl.

Physically, he is a figure to be feared and avoided. He has a loud voice, wears spectacles. He looks at the little girl in a terrifying way. He appears so big and terrifying to the little girl—his hands and his neck, especially his mouth when he yawns. Thinking about him alone was like thinking about a giant.

Father is a busy and hardworking man. He seems to have an important job and sometimes has to deliver speeches – as his great speech to the Port Authority—so he is often preoccupied. Every morning before going to work he comes into Kezia’s room and gives her a casual kiss. Thus, despite his preoccupation, he still has time to kiss her daughter goodbye each morning. He could be tired with his work, too. For on Sunday afternoons when Grandmother sends Kezia down to the drawing-room to have a “nice talk with Father and Mother”, Kezia finds him stretched out on the sofa, his handkerchief on his face, his feet on one of the best cushions, sleeping soundly and snoring.

An authoritative man, Father wants his entire household to be at his beck and call. As soon as he returns home in the evening, he gives orders, “Bring my tea into the drawing-room… Hasn’t the paper come yet? Mother, go and see if my paper’s out there—and bring me my slippers.” Instead of taking off his shoes himself, he makes Kezia do it for him.

He is not a very perceptive person and is so strict with his daughter that the poor girl stutters in his presence.

He does not understanding his fear of her and mocks her stutter by copying her; “You d-d-don’t know? If you stutter like that Mother will have to take you to the doctor.” He does not realise Kezia is so scared of him, she feels relieved when he leaves for work in the morning. This severe aspect of his personality is highlighted even more when he punishes Kezia with a ruler. He fails to understand the innocent emotions of his daughter who accidentally damages his papers.

However, the positive aspect of his persona surfaces when he takes care of his little girl in the absence of the women of the household. He not only carries her in his arms to his room but also tucks her comfortably in his bed. He asks her to rub her feet with his legs to make them warm. This reveals he loves his daughter dearly.

Kezia’s Grandmother

Kezia’s Grandmother comes across as a mature and understanding person with the wisdom of age. She does not interfere in any matters of the household and simply provides background support. When Kezia’s father punishes Kezia with a ruler, Grandmother soothes her hurt by wrapping her in a shawl and rocking her in a chair clinging her to her soft body. She realises this is a delicate issue and parents must discipline their children in a way they see fit.

She does not question the authoritarian attitude of her son. She also realises Kezia is afraid of her father. So as a wise elder, she urges her young granddaughter to make efforts to bond with her parents. She advises Kezia to talk nicely to her parents when they are relaxing on Sunday afternoons. When Father beats Kezia, it is grandmother who tries first to reason with her son and then consoles and comforts Kezia.

Grandmother’s supportive character can also be seen when she accompanies her daughter-in-law to the hospital. We also learn that she soothes Kezia whenever she has a nightmare and takes her into her bed. Hence, Grandmother is an important character even though she remains mostly in the background.

Kezia’s Mother

Kezia’s Mother is not at all a strong character. She is physically weak, too, and in the end has to be rushed off to the hospital. We do not hear much of her except for when Father returns home. She looks to his comforts and caters to his needs. She ensures he gets his paper, his slippers and his tea.

Mother is not a very observant or understanding person. She does not notice, or she ignores the fact that Kezia is so scared of her father that she stutters in his presence. She calls out to her to take her father’s shoes off. She does not really notice when Kezia comes to sit with them in the drawing room on Sunday afternoons but continues to read.

Mother is severe, though not as strict as Father. She screams at Kezia and drags her down when she leams it is Kezia who has tom up her father’s papers without bothering about her husband’s wrath. However, Kezia is not as scared of her as she is of her father.

Kezia’s mother comes across as a very unapproachable, aloof figure, quite unlike a loving mother a young girl desires and needs. Perhaps her ill-health and her strict and domineering husbands demands leave her with very little room to pay the desired attention to her daughter.

The Little Girl Summary Questions and Answers

Question 1.
Why was Kezia scared of her father?
Answer:
Kezia’s father was a busy man and had little time for the little girl. Being a very disciplined man, he was strict with Kezia as well and she would at times get harsh words of scolding and physical punishment from him. He never displated any soft feelings for his little daughter nor did he play with her like Mr Macdonald. All he did was giving her a perfunctory kiss rather than a loving one. Moreover, he was a large man, and his size, too, terrified the little girl. So scared was Kezia of him that she felt relieved when he was gone from home.

Question 2.
Who were the people in Kezia’s family?
Answer:
There were four people in Kezia’s family – her father who was very strict, her mother who was stem and aloof, her soft-hearted and loving grandmother and little Kezia herself.

Question 3.
What was Kezia’s father’s routine before going to office and after coming back in the evening?
Answer:
Before going to office, Kezia’s father would come to her room, give her a perfunctory kiss and leave for work. He would return in the evening and in a loud voice ask for his tea, the papers and his slippers to be brought into the drawing-room. He would wait for Kezia to help him take off his shoes and exchange a few words with Kezia.

Question 4.
What was Kezia’s routine when Father returned from office?
Answer:
When Father returned home from office, mother would tell Kezia to come downstairs and take off her father’s shoes. She would also be told to take the shoes outside. Father would ask her a couple of questions and she would stutter out her replies. He would order her to put his teacup back on the table and then she would make good her escape from his presence.

Question 5.
What was Father’s and Kezia’s morning routine?
Answer:
Before going to his office, Kezia’s father would come to Kezia’s room and give her a perfunctory kiss. She would respond with “Goodbye, Father”. Since she was afraid of him, she always felt relieved after his departure.

Question 6.
Why did Kezia go slowly towards the drawing-room when mother asked her to come downstairs?
Answer:
Kezia was afraid of her dominating father. He always scolded her for one thing or the other and did not display any soft feelings or affection for his little daughter. So frightened was she of him that she went very slowly towards the drawing-room when she was asked to come downstairs to take off his shoes.

Question 7.
Why was Father often irritated with Kezia?
Answer:
Kezia was very scared of her father. She stuttered when he spoke to her. Also, the terrified expression on her face irritated him. In his presence she wore an expression of wretchedness. He felt that with such an expression, she seemed as if she were on the verge of suicide.

Question 8.
What was unusual about Kezia’ stuttering?
Answer:
Kezia was able to speak without stuttering to everyone in the household but her father. In her father’s formidable presence she could barely speak and she stuttered as she attempted to speak to him.

Question 9.
Why did Kezia stutter while speaking to Father?
Answer:
Kezia’s father’s had a loud and domineering personality and he frequently frequent rebuked her for her behaviour and appearance. His constant criticism and scolding shook her self-confidence. Moreover, his large size frightened her. Though Kezia tried her best to please him, she found herself tongue-tied while talking to him. This made her stutter in his presence.

Question 10.
Why did Kezia feel that her father was like a giant?
Answer:
Kezia felt that her father was like a giant because he had very big hands and neck. His mouth seemed big especially when he yawned. He had a loud voice and would often call out orders. In addition, his stem and cold behaviour made the little girl think of him as a giant.

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.

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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.

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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.

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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.