Category: English Summary

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The Letter Summary in English by Dhumaketu

The Letter Summary in English

Every day for the past five years, Coachman Ali walked slowly through the town. Now and then he drew his tom clothes tighter to shield his body from the cold and biting wind. At the post office, the old man went in quietly and squatted on the veranda.

Inside, the clerks separated the letters. Name after name rang out from within as the clerk read out the English addresses in the letters and flung them to the waiting postmen while the old man waited patiently outside. In the middle of this action, a jesting voice from inside called out Coachman Ali’s name.

The old man got up, raised his eyes to heaven in gratitude and stepping forward put his hands to the door. He called out eagerly to the clerk who had called out his name to enquire if there was a letter for him.

The clerk turned to the postmaster and said that Ali was a mad man who worried the post office employees by calling every day for letters that never came. Disappointed, the old man went back slowly to the bench on which he had been accustomed to.sit for five long years.

Ali had been a clever shikari but now, in his old age, he had given up hunting. His only child, Miriam had got married and gone off with her husband, a soldier, to his regiment in the Punjab, and for the last five years Ali had received no news of his daughter.

As a result of the parting, Ali had come to understand the meaning of love and separation and had therefore given up hunting. The post office had become his place of pilgrimage. He always sat in a particular seat in a particular comer of the building. People got to know his habit and they laughed at him. The postmen made fun of him. Even though there was no letter for him they would call out his name for the fun of seeing him jump up and come to the door. But with unlimited faith and,patience, he came every day, and went away empty-handed.

For several days Ali did not come to the post-office. Though no one had enough sympathy or understanding, they were all curious to know why Ali had not come. Finally, one day Ali came, breathing with difficulty, looking as if he were at death’s door. He asked for his Miriam’s letter and was rudely rebuked by the postmaster.

Ali came out very slowly, turning after every few steps to gaze at the post office, his eyes full of tears. He heard one of the clerks coming up behind him, and turned to him. He gave the clerk five golden guineas and told him to forward Miriam’s letter to him to his grave. That was the last anyone saw of Ali and no one bothered to check on him.

Then the postmaster’s daughter fell ill in another town and he sat anxiously waiting for news of her.

The post was brought in, and the letters piled on the table. Looking anxiously through the mail, he spotted a letter addressed to Ali. He picked up the letter thinking he’d give it to Ali himself when he came, for now the postmaster understood Ali’s heart and his very soul. After spending one night anxiously waiting for news of his daughter, his heart was full of sympathy for the poor old man who had spent his nights in the same suspense for the last five years.

At five, he heard Ali at the door and called him in. He handed the letter to the old man, bent double with age, who was standing outside.

One of his clerks, Lakshmi Das, the one to whom Ali had given the money, came to check who the postmaster was talking to. On learning that the postmaster was talking to Ali, he exclaimed that Ali had died three months ago.

The postmaster was bewildered. Miriam’s letter was still lying near the door, Ali’s image was still before his eyes. He listened to Lakshmi Das’s recital of the last interview, but he could still not doubt the reality of the knock on the door and the tears in Ali’s eyes.

That evening Lakshmi Das and the postmaster walked with slow steps to Ali’s grave and laid the letter on it.

The Letter Summary Questions and Answers

Question 1.
Answer the following questions by ticking the correct options:

a. Ali’s walking to the Post Office daily even in biting cold weather shows his
(i) courage.
(ii) optimism.
(iii) foolishness.
(iv) strength of will.
Answer:
(ii) optimism.

b. The Post Office is referred to as Ali’s “place of pilgrimage ” as he
(i) visited it daily.
(ii) came there to pray for a letter from his daughter.
(iii) went there with faith and hope.
(iv) believed God would bless him if he went there.
Answer:
(iii) went there with faith and hope.

c. The Post Master’s rudeness to Ali reveals his
(i) lack of empathy.
(ii) preoccupation with his work.
(iii) preconceived notions.
(iv) sensitivity.
Answer:
(i) lack of empathy.

d. Ali did not come to the Post Office for several days as
(i) he had given up hope.
(ii) he was upset by the Post Master’s rebuke.
(iii) he was unwell and not able to walk to the Post Office.
(iv) he was busy hunting.
Answer:
(iii) he was unwell and not able to walk to the Post Office.

e. “Tortured by doubt and remorse, he sat down in the glow of the charcoal sigri to wait. ’’ The Post Master was waiting for ‘
(i) a letter from Miriam.
(ii) a letter from his own daughter.
(iii) a letter from Ali.
(iv) Ali to deliver Miriam’s letter to him.
Answer:
(ii) a letter from his own daughter

Question 2.
Answer the following questions briefly.

a. Who was Ali? Where did he go daily?
Answer:
Ali was an old man who had once been a famous shikari. His only daughter Miriam had married a soldier and had gone away with her husband to his regiment in the Punjab.

Since the last five years Ali had no news of this daughter. He went every day to the post office to wait for a letter from her.

b. “Ali displays qualities of love and patience ”. Give evidence from the story to support the statement.
Answer:
The story ‘The Letter’ is built around Ali’s love for his daughter. Ali misses her deeply after she moves to Punjab with her husband. Though he was a great huntsman, he gives up hunting as he understood the pain of parting now. He went to the post office daily for five years in wait for a letter from his daughter. Every day he waited patiently for his Miriam’s letter despite jokes and rebukes from the post office employees.

c. How do you know Ali was a familiar figure at the post office?
Answer:
The post office is referred to as Ali’s place of pilgrimage. Ali always occupied a particular seat in a particular comer of the building every day. The postmen began to tease him. Even though there was no letter for him they would call out his name for the fun of seeing him jump up and come to the door.

d. Why did Ali give up hunting?
Answer:
Once Miriam went away with her husband, Ali understood the meaning of love and separation. He gave up hunting partridges as he could no longer enjoy the sportsman’s pleasure and laughter at the bewildered terror of the young partridges whose parents he had killed.

e. What impression do you form of the postmaster after reading the story ‘The Letter ’?
Answer:
At first the Postmaster is haughty and arrogant. He dismisses poor Ali as being mad.

One day when Ali inquires after his letter of him, the Postmaster very rudely rebukes him and tells him that the post office employees would not eat his letter. Being unimaginative, he is not able to understand another person’s pain till he suffers himself. But the Postmaster is ready to admit his mistake. As soon as he sees Ali’s daughter’s letter, he picks it up and decides to hand it over to Ali personally. He even accompanies Lakshmi Das to Ali’s grave to place the letter there, displaying his underlying compassionate nature.

f. The postmaster says to Ali, “What a pest you are, brother! ” Do you agree with the statement? Give reasons for your answer.
Answer:
No, Ali is not a pest. Though Ali goes daily to the post office, he waits patiently without disturbing or bothering anyone. Hope lures him to the door whenever the post office employees jokingly call out his name. When he realises they had been joking, he never rebukes them.

g. “Ali came out very slowly, turning after every few steps to gaze at the post office. His eyes were filled with tears of helplessness, for his patience was exhausted, even though he still hadfaith. ” Why were Ali’s eyes filled with tears of helplessness? What had exhausted his patience but not his faith?
Answer:
Ali’s eyes were filled with tears of helplessness as he had yet again received no letter from his daughter,

Miriam. The long wait, his approaching end, and the Postmaster’s sharp rebuke made tears of helplessness well up in his eyes. He had no energy left in him to come to the post office again, but he still had faith that Miriam would write, so he gave the clerk Lakshmi Das five gold golden guineas and told him to forward Miriam’s letter to him to his grave.

h. “Tortured by doubt and remorse, he sat down in the glow of the charcoal sigri to wait. ” Who is tortured by doubt and remorse? Why? What is he waiting for?
Answer:
The Postmaster is tortured by doubt and remorse. He now realises a father’s anxiety and worry. As his daughter is sick and he is awaiting news of her, he understands Ali’s anxiety. He realises he has been rude to Ali and is filled with regret at his behaviour. He sits down to wait for a letter from his daughter who is sick.

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Mrs. Packletide’s Tiger Summary in English by Saki

Mrs. Packletide’s Tiger Summary in English

The story ‘Mrs Packletide’s Tiger’, written by Saki (H. H. Munro) makes fun of the Victorian-Edwardian fascination with wild-game hunting, as well as the urge of the people of this time to show off and prove themselves to be better than their so called ‘friends’. In this case, Mrs Packletide has a deep desire to be one up on her friend Loona Bimberton. Mrs Bimberton had earned a lot of media attention for having travelled in the newly invented mode of transport— ‘the airplane’ piloted by an Algerian aviator.

Mrs Packletide, her greatest rival, is now determined to outdo her feat and decides to shoot a tiger which was the only way in which she could counter all the publicity achieved by Loona Bimberton.

Fortunately, she has enough money to accomplish almost anything she wishes, and she offers a reward of a thousand rupees to anyone, or any group, that can assist her in reaching her goal. A nearby village takes up the challenge. They are fortunate to have an old tiger who had taken to preying on their domesticated animals, and are as eager to get rid of him as Mrs Packletide is keen to shoot him.

So the villagers construct a platform in a leafy tree for Mrs Packletide and strategically tether a goat ‘with a particularly persistent bleat’ underneath it. Armed with a rifle, Mrs Packletide, accompanied by her paid companion Louisa, waits through the night for the tiger to appear. At last the tiger is seen making his way into the clearing. Instead of attacking the terrified goat, the tiger lies down.

‘I believe it’s ill,’ Louisa says, but the tiger rises again and heads for the goat. Mrs Packletide fires and the tiger falls.

When the smoke clears, however, it is apparent that Mrs Packletide had shot the goat while the tiger had died of a heart attack. The villagers will not give away Mrs Packletide’s secret, for they are richer by a thousand rupees and Mrs Packletide presumes that she can trust Louisa who in any case is her paid companion and owes her some loyalty.

But Louisa, who has been feeling underpaid and underappreciated for some time, informs Mrs Packletide that she would require a little extra money to ensure that the true story of the tiger hunt is not leaked out, specifically to Loona Bimberton. She adds that the money would help her to buy a small cottage near Dorking.

Hence, people are very surprised when Louisa, a humble paid companion, suddenly becomes a homeowner; but they are even more surprised when Mrs Packletide gives up her newfound hobby, big-game hunting. ‘The initial expenses are so heavy,’ she tells those who ask the reason.

Mrs. Packletide’s Tiger Summary Questions and Answers

Question 1.
Answer the following questions in your own words:

a. Why did Mrs. Packletide wish to kill a tiger?
Answer:
Mrs Packletide wished to do so because it was the only way she could think of getting more publicity than her social rival Loona Bimberton who had received a lot of media attention for her feat of having travelled in an airplane for eleven miles.

b. What made her decide to give a party in Loona Bimberton’s honour? What did she intend to give Loona on her birthday?
Answer:
Once she had managed to kill the tiger she wanted to give the party to show off her success to Loona Bimberton and enjoy watching her bum with jealousy. Mrs Packletide planned to give her a brooch made out of the tiger claw.

c. How was the tiger shooting arranged? What kind of a tiger was chosen for the purpose?
Answer:
Mrs Packletide leamt of a village which had an old tiger in the neighbourhood and she promised to pay the villagers a thousand mpees if they helped her to hunt it down. An old tiger on the verge of death was chosen because it presented very little risk to Mrs Packletide while hunting.

d. In what way did the villagers help Mrs. Packletide shoot the tiger?
Answer:
First of all the villagers left their pet animals around so that the tiger did not stray from the village in search of food. Secondly, they took care not to disturb the tiger when it was resting. Thirdly, they helped set up a hunting platform for Mrs Packletide. Finally, they tied up a goat with a loud bleat to attract the tiger.

e. Who was Miss Mebbin? Was she really devoted to Mrs. Packletide? How did she behave during the tiger shooting?
Answer:
Miss Mebbin was Mrs Packletide’s paid companion. No, she was not sincere towards Mrs Packletide because she threatened to disclose the hue facts of the hunt if she were not paid the money that would enable her to buy a cottage for herself.

f. What comment did Miss Mebbin make after Mrs Packletide hadfired the shot?
Answer:
Miss Mebbin commented that the shot had killed the goat while the tiger had died of a heart attack.

g. Why did Miss Mebbin make this comment? How did Mrs Packletide react to this comment?
Answer:
Mrs Packletide was annoyed at her for pointing out the hue circumstances of the hunt to her but she was not too concerned because she never imagined that she would use this piece of information against her.

h. How did the villagers react to the tiger’s death?
Answer:
The villagers decide not to disclose the secret that the tiger died of a heart attack because they are richer by a thousand rupees and the tiger won’t prey on their animals anymore.

i. How did Miss Mebbin manage to get her week-end cottage? Why did she plant so many tiger lilies in her garden?
Answer:
Miss Mebbin threatened to reveal the true facts about the hunt to Loona Bimberton unless Mrs Packletide paid her the required amount to buy herself a cottage. Mrs Packletide had no choice but to give in to her threat. Therefore, she was able to buy her weekend cottage. The flowers were planted to honour the tiger which had indirectly been responsible for her being able to afford a cottage of her own.

j. “The incidental expenses are so heavy, ” she confides to inquiring friends. Who is the speaker? What is she referring to here?
Answer:
The speaker is Mrs Packletide and she is referring to the expenses incurred for the tiger hunt.

Question 2.
Choose extracts from the story that illustrate the character of the people listed in the table given below. There are some words given to help you. You may add words of your own. One has been done as an example:
Answer:
vain jealous competitive shrewd manipulative stingy materialistic spiteful

Character	Extract from the story	What this tells us about the character
Mrs. Packletide	(i) The compelling motive for her sudden Competitive deviation towards the footsteps of Nimrod was the fact that Loona Bimberton had recently been carried eleven miles in an aeroplane by an Algerian aviator, and talked of nothing else; only a personally procured tiger-skin and a heavy harvest of Press photographs could successfully counter that sort of thing.	Competitive
‘	(ii) Mrs. Packletide had offered a thousand rupees for the opportunity of shooting a tiger without over-much risk or exertion,	Vain
	(iii) Mrs. Packletide faced the cameras with a light heart, and her pictured fame reached from the pages of the Texas Weekly Snapshot to the illustrated Monday supplement of the Novoe Vremya.	manipulative
Louisa Mebbin	(i) “If it’s an old tiger I think you ought to get it cheaper. A thousand rupees is a lot of money.”	Stingy
	(ii) Louisa Mebbin adopted a protective elder-sister attitude towards money in general, irrespective of nationality or denomination	Miserly
	(iii) “How amused every one would be if they knew what really happened,” said Louisa Mebbin a few days after the ball.	Manipulative
	(iv) Louisa Mebbin’s pretty week-end cottage, christened by her “Les Fauves,” and gay in summer-time with its garden borders of tiger- lilies, is the wonder and admiration of her friends	materialistic
Loona Bimberton	(i) As for Loona Bimberton, she refused to look at an illustrated paper for weeks, and her letter of thanks for the gift of a tiger- claw brooch was a model of repressed emotions	Jealous
	(ii) there are limits beyond which repressed emotions become dangerous.	spiteful

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

The Enemy Summary in English by Pearl S. Buck

The Enemy by Pearl S. Buck About the Author

Pearl S. Buck (26 June 1892 – 6 March 1973) was an American writer and novelist. She is also known by her Chinese name Sai Zhenzhu. In 1932, she won Pulitzer Prize for her novel ‘The Good Earth’. She was the first American woman to win the Nobel Prize in literature (1938) for her rich and truly epic description of peasants’ life in China and for her biographical masterpieces. She was a prominent advocate of the rights of women and the minority groups.

Author Name	Pearl S. Buck
Born	26 June 1892, Hillsboro, West Virginia, United States
Died	6 March 1973, Danby, Vermont, United States
Movies	The Good Earth, Pavilion of Women, Dragon Seed, Satan Never Sleeps, China Sky, China: The Roots of Madness, Guide
Awards	Pulitzer Prize, Nobel Prize in Literature
Nationality	‎American

The Enemy Introduction to the Chapter

“The Enemy”, written by Pearl S. Buck is a heart-rending portrayal of the conflict between a man’s heart and mind. It tells us about how people can help enemies on human grounds. To hate our enemy is natural and justifiable, especially during wartime. This story beautifully depicts how a human being rises above : his prejudices to help a wounded enemy.

The Enemy Theme

In the chapter ‘The Enemy , the author stresses on the fact that humanity requires one to overcome prejudices and hatred especially against one’s enemies. Through this chapter, the author conveys the message that t nanism transcends all man-made prejudices and barriers.

The Enemy Summary in English

Dr Sadao and his wife, Hana stood outside their house. A man suddenly appears out of the ocean. They ran towards him. To their shock, he was an American prisoner of war, who was badly wounded and had become unconscious. Sadao is torn between his duty as a doctor and his loyalty towards Japan. As citizens having a sense of national loyalty, they felt it their duty to put the man back into the sea.

However, soon they rose above narrow prejudices and brought the man into their house. Even though they faced open defiance from their domestic staff, they looked after the man. They realised the risk inherent in harbouring an enemy. But Dr Sadao knew that he would not be arrested and condemned by the ruthless General as he himself might need his services any time for an operation. Sadao informed the ailing general about the enemy in his house. The latter plans to get rid of the American, and promises to send people to do the needful. However, the General forgot to do so. After a while, as the American got better, Sadao made arrangements for him to go to an island nearby, from where he could try to get off enemy boundaries.

The Enemy Main Characters in the Chapter

Dr Sadao

A Japanese doctor trained by Americans. Dedicated surgeon and doctor; kind; prejudiced against the white man.

Hana

She is the wife of Dr Sadao. They met in America, became friends and got married in Japan. Balanced woman; stands with her husband; responsible; dignified and graceful.

Tom

He is an American prisoner of war. Strong will-power.

General Takima

He is a famed Japanese war hero. He is selfish and careless.

Yumi

The servant who looked after Dr Sadao and Hana’s children. Loves children, loyal to the country, prejudiced against white men.

Domestic servants

Loyal to the country and prejudiced against white men.

The Enemy Summary Questions and Answers

Question 1.
Why didn’t Sadao want to know anything about the white man?
Answer:
He didn’t want to know any details about the white man because he didn’t want to become emotionally involved with him. The less he knew about the white man, the better it would have been for both, him and the white man.

Question 2.
How is Hana’s perspective about the white man different from Yumi’s perspective?
Answer:
Hana sees the white man as a person who is in need of help and not as a nameless enemy who should be killed, as per Yumi. This point is central to the story because it talks about how all people are similar and that they should all be treated in a humane and respectful way.

Question 3.
The theme of racism is reflected in the story. Give examples.
Answer:
The theme of racism is reflected in the story in several ways:
Because of the stress of Sadao’s father on ‘purity of race’ and traditionalism, Sadao didn’t start a relationship with Hana until he was sure that she “had been pure in her race”.

Yumi refused to touch the American or wash him before the operation. Moreover, when he left, she “cleaned the guest room thoroughly … to get the white man’s smell out of it.” Sadao has strong feelings against white people. Both Sadao and Hana felt that Americans were racists.

Question 4.
What did Dr Sadao do to help Tom escape to freedom?
Answer:
Dr Sadao knew that the wounded American sailor, Tom could be arrested any time. So he decided to help him in escaping. He decided to give his private boat with food and clothes in it. He could row it to a little island not far from the coast. Nobody lived there. In this way, he could escape to freedom.

Question 5.
Why did Dr Sadao help in the escape of the American soldier? Was it an act of treachery? Can you justify his action?
Answer:
Dr Sadao had given the information about the wounded American to the General. In turn, the General had promised to send assassins to kill him and get rid of the body. Sadao did wait for the General’s people to arrive. In the back of his mind, he knew he was a doctor whose job was to save people. Therefore, when the authority failed, Sadao decided to help the American escape. It cannot be called an act of treachery because he had been an absolute doctor and a citizen, and more importantly, a good human being. He did not want the person, he had served, to be killed.

Question 6.
Why did the messenger come to Dr Sadao? What did Hana think about it?
Answer:
Dr Sadao had been summoned to the palace to treat the ailing General. This relieved Hana, since she expected it to be a punishment for helping and providing refuge to an enemy. As the General was ill, he could require an operation any moment. Hana got very anxious to think about the consequences her family might have to face for harbouring an enemy soldier. When an official in uniform knocked her door, she thought that he might have come to apprehend her husband.

Question 7.
In what context does Hana remember General Takima? What does she infer?
Answer:
While applying medicine to the young soldier, as Sadao operated on him, Hana wondered if the stories of torture of POWs were true. She then remembered how General Takima ruthlessly beat his wife. Hana deduced that if General Takima could be so cruel to his wife, he could as well be extremely cruel to a prisoner. The deep red scars on the white man’s neck, confirmed her apprehension.

Question 8.
How did Dr Sadao ensure that the American soldier left his house but he himself remained safe and secure?
Answer:
Dr Sadao was a Japanese surgeon. After treating the American war prisoner, he informed the General as a true Japanese about the soldier. But as a doctor, he saved his life by providing him right treatment and helped him escape in the darkness of the night.

Question 9.
Why did Hana wash the wounded soldier herself?
Answer:
Hana, wife of Dr Sadao, washed the wounds of the American prisoner of war herself because the domestic servants refused to do it as he was from an enemy country. They all left the doctor’s house.

Question 10.
How does the writer indicate that Dr Sadao’s father was a very traditional and conventional man?
Answer:
Dr Sadao’s father was a very traditional and conventional man. He believed that the islands in the distance were the stepping stones to Japan’s future. He was a quiet man. He never joked or played with his son. His father was stern but cared a lot for his future. He believed in traditional and arranged marriages. He was proud of his nation and never used foreign goods. Everything in his room was made in Japan. He did not sit on a chair or sleep on a bed and rather slept on a mat.

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

The Man Who Knew Too Much Summary in English by Alenxander Baron

The Man Who Knew Too Much Summary in English

The Man Who Knew Too Much is a humorous story set in an army training camp. It highlights the attitude of one of the trainees at the camp, Private Quelch, who has a habit of showing off his knowledge in an attempt to outshine the other trainees in his batch. Private Quelch focuses all his energies into becoming an army officer and winning the coveted ‘stripe’. In his attempt to impress his seniors he reads up the training manual, often sitting up late at night to do so. He, however, becomes unpopular with his batch mates because of his habit of lecturing them on any topic related to their training, right from the use of guns to the different ways of cleaning them. Things come to a head when he meets Corporal Turnbull, a tough war veteran, who has to lecture them on grenades. But as usual, before Corporal Turnbull can start, Private Quelch starts off with his knowledge of grenades, irritating the Corporal, who then asks him to take over the class.

A delighted Quelch delivers his lecture at length, blissfully unaware of the rising irritation of the Corporal. Finally he has to pay for his over enthusiasm by being sent to the cookhouse as punishment, much to the amusement and relief of his batch mates. However, even in the cookhouse Quelch cannot keep himself from lecturing the poor unsuspecting cooks on the correct method of peeling potatoes.

The Man Who Knew Too Much Summary Questions and Answers

Question 1.
The ‘Professor’ knew too much. How did he prove himself? Fill up the space with suitable examples from the story, using the given clues:

a. about muzzle velocity:
Answer:
‘A voice interrupted. ‘Two thousand, four hundred and forty feet per second.’ It was the Professor.’

b. after a thirty mile walk:
Answer:
‘…but infuriated us all with his horrible heartiness. ‘What about a song, chaps?’ is not greeted politely at the end of thirty miles.’

c. his salute on payday:
Answer:
‘His salute at the pay table was a model to behold.’

d. the loud sound of a high flying invisible aeroplane:
Answer:
‘Without even a glance upward the Professor announced, “That, of course, is a North American Harvard Trainer. It can be unmistakably identified by the harsh engine note, due to the high tip speed of the airscrew.’”

e. about hand grenades:
Answer:
‘The Professor was speaking again. “Shouldn’t you have started off with the five characteristics of the grenade? Our instructor at the other camp always used to, you know.’”

f. during cook house duties:
Answer:
‘…and from within came the monotonous beat of a familiar voice. “Really. I must protest against this abominably unscientific and unhygienic method of peeling potatoes. I need to only draw your attention to the sheer waste of vitamin values ’”

Question 2.
Based on your reading of the story, answer the following questions by choosing the correct options.

a. Private Quelch was nick-named ‘Professor’:
(i) his appearance.
(ii) his knowledge.
(iii) his habit of reading.
(iv) his habit of sermonising
Answer:
Because of his habit of sermonizing.

b. One could hammer nails into Corporal Turnbull without his noticing it because:
(i) he was a strong and sturdy man.
(ii) he was oblivious to his suroundings.
(iii) he was a brave corporal.
(iv) he was used to it.
Answer:
He was a strong and sturdy man.

c. The author and his friend Trower fled from the scene as:
(i) they had to catch a train
(ii) they could not stand Private Quelch exhibiting his knowledge
(iii) they felt they would have to lend a helping hand.
(iv) they did not want to meet the cooks.
Answer:
They did not want to meet the cooks.

Question 3.
Answer the following questions briefly.

a. What is a ‘nickname ’? Can you suggest another one for Private Quelch ?
Answer:
A nickname is a short name that is given to a person to highlight his/her quirks. Another nickname for ‘the Professor’ can be ‘the Pastor’.

b. Private Quelch looked like a “Professor” when the author first met him at the training depot Why?
Answer:
Private Quelch looked like a professor with his lanky, stooping body, and hom rimmed spectacles. Moreover, he had the most annoying habit of sermonizing on any topic under the sun.

c. What does the dark, sun-dried appearance of the Sergeant suggest about him?
Answer:
It suggests that he had spent most of his time out of doors and was very experienced.

d. How was Private Quelch’s knowledge exposed even further as the Sergeant’s classes went on?
Answer:
When Quelch interrupted the Sergeant’s class with added information about the speed of the bullet of a rifle, the Sergeant was not amused and as soon as his lecture got over he asked Quelch some pointed questions on the subject, hoping to catch him on the wrong foot, but the Professor’s knowledge on the subject was so thorough that it only enhanced his reputation.

e. What did the Professor mean by ‘intelligent reading’?
Answer:
According to the Professor, it meant reading up beforehand all that one could, about the subject at hand. For example, he had thoroughly read the training manual beforehand and was therefore able to answer all the questions being asked about the rifle.

f. What were the Professor’s ambitions in the army?
Answer:
The Professor wanted to become an army officer and win a ‘stripe’.

g. Did Private Quelch’s day to day practices take him closer towards his goal? How can you make out?
Answer:
Yes, Private. Quelch was deeply focused on his goals. He borrowed training manuals and stayed up all night to read them. He badgered his instructors with questions. He drilled enthusiastically, saluted and marched smartly in a bid to impress his instructors and seniors.

h. Describe Corporal Turnbull.
Answer:
Corporal Turnbull had the reputation of being a tough man—physically, mentally, and emotionally. He was a great soldier and was known to have returned from the battle field with all his equipment correctly accounted for. He was not a man to be trifled with. He accurately judged the character of the Professor and sent him to the cook house to curb his habit of showing off.

i. How did Private Quelch manage to anger the Corporal?
Answer:
Private Quelch managed to anger the Corporal by interrupting his lecture on grenades with his own input on the subject.

j. Do you think Private Quelch learnt a lesson when he was chosen for cookhouse duties?
Answer:
No, Private Quelch did not learn a lesson because it is mentioned that the narrator heard him lecturing the cooks on the best way of peeling potatoes.

Question 4.
“At first, Private Quelch was a hero in the eyes of his fellow soldiers.” Support this observation with suitable examples from the story in about 80-100 words.
Answer:
It is true that at first the narrator and the others at the training camp were in awe of the amount of knowledge Quelch had about everything under the sun and that is why they had nicknamed him “Professor”. Therefore, the narrator says that when he was able to answer all the questions the Sergeant asked him about rifles accurately it “enhanced” his glory in the eyes of his colleagues.

At another place the narrator mentions, “He had brains. He was sure to get a commission before long.” Again, commenting on his hard working nature he writes, “He worked hard. We had to give him credit for that”, and again, “He was not only miraculously tireless but infuriated us all with his heartiness.” And finally he writes, “At first we had certain respect for him but soon we lived in terror of his approach.”

Question 5.
Private Quelch knew “too much”. Give reasons to prove that he was unable to win the admiration of his superior officers or his colleagues.
Answer:
Though everyone agreed that Quelch knew too much, he soon lost all their respect because of his habit of correcting his colleagues publicly whenever they made a mistake. If anyone shone at his work, he made sure to outshine them. He was always trying to patronise them and show off his knowledge to them. After a while they just couldn’t take his condescending ways any longer and steered clear of him.

Question 6.
You are the “Professor”. Write a diary entry after your first day at the cookhouse, describing the events that led to this assignment, also express your thoughts and feelings about the events of the day in about 175 words.
Answer:
21 January 20xx

Today was my first day at the cook house! It wasn’t as bad as I had thought it would be! But I was appalled to see how little the cooks know about cooking. Today I had to lecture them on the correct way of peeling potatoes. They have been peeling them so thickly that a lot of the vitamins are getting lost! By the time I complete my term here I will have taught them a thing or two.

After all, I was chosen by Corporal Turnbull for this task. I think he was greatly impressed by my knowledge of grenades. He let me give the whole lecture by myself. Even the Sergeant had been impressed by my knowledge of rifles. I have no doubt they think I am the best trainee in the camp! I know that I march the best and my hut is the cleanest. I simply love reading the training manual. I know the others call me “Professor” behind my back because of all my knowledge. I feel so good. I am eagerly waiting for my stripe. Only then will I fulfil my dream of becoming an army officer. I wonder whether I will get the Best Trainee Award.

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Snake Summary in English by D.H. Lawrence

Snake Summary in English

The poem describes the encounter of the poet with a snake that came into his domain looking for water. On a hot day, a snake went to the poet’s water trough to quench its thirst. The poet who was also the owner of the water trough came for the same purpose in his pyjamas to avoid the heat. On seeing the snake, he feels obliged to stand and wait for the snake because it was there before it.

The yellow-brown snake, who originated from a fissure in the earth wall, slithered slowly to the edge of the stone trough. The snake rested its throat upon the stone bottom and started drinking softly.

The poet while watching the snake observed its mode of drinking and described it as that of cattle. This the snake did without noticing that anyone was watching him.

The poet recollected the voice of his education and realised that he must kill the snake, as golden snakes like this one were supposed to be poisonous. He ignored this instinct to kill the snake, feeling honoured that the snake had sought his hospitality.

The snake having drunk enough to satisfy his thirst turned around slowly and moved with its long curved body towards the direction of its origin. The snake moved in slowly into the hole without any fear. Suddenly, the poet looked around and put down his pitcher, picked up a stick and threw it at the snake. The snake hearing the clatter hastily moved in its remaining body back into the black hole.

At the disappearance of the snake, the poet regretted his action immediately and blamed himself for acting the way he did. He placed the blame on the voice of his education. He feared that he would have to pay for his negative action like the sailor that killed the albatross. The poet now wished the snake could come back, for him to crown it like a king, but believed it would never do so. The poet concluded by feeling that he has to make amends.

Snake Summary Questions and Answers

Question 1.
Based on your reading of the poem, answer the following questions by ticking the correct options:

1. ‘he lifted his head from his drinking as cattle do ’ – The poet wants to convey that the snake
(a) is domesticated
(b) is innocent
(c) is as harmless as cattle
(d) drinks water just like cattle
Answer:
(d) drinks water just like cattle

2. ‘Sicilian July ’, ‘Etna smoking ’ and ‘burning bowels of the earth ’ are images that convey that
(a) there are snakes in volcanic areas
(b) the poet lived in a hot area
(c) it was a really hot day when the snake came
(d) Sicilian snakes are dangerous
Answer:
(c) it was a really hot day when the snake came

3. ‘A sort of horror, a sort of protest overcame me ’ – The poet is filled with protest because
(a) he doesn’t want to let the snake remain alive
(b) he fears the snake
(c) he doesn’t want the snake to recede into darkness
(d) he wants to kill it so that it doesn’t return
Answer:
(c) he doesn’t want the snake to recede into darkness

4. In the line ‘And as he slowly drew up, snake-easing his shoulders, and entered farther ’ the phrase snake easing ’ his shoulders means
(a) loosening its shoulders
(b) slipping in with majestic grace
(c) moving slowly
(d) moving fast
Answer:
(b) slipping in with majestic grace

5. ‘He seemed to me like a king in exile… ’ The poet refers to the snake as such to emphasize that the snake
(a) is like a king enduring banishment
(b) Is like a king due to be crowned
(c) Is a majestic king who came for a while on earth
(d) is a majestic creature forced to go into exile by man
Answer:
(a) is like a king enduring banishment

6. ‘I thought how paltry, how vulgar, what a mean act ’ -The poet is referring to
(a) the snake going into the dreadful hole
(b) the accursed modem education
(c) the act of throwing a log of wood at the snake
(d) the act of killing the snake
Answer:
(c) the act of throwing a log of wood at the snake

Question 2.
Answer the following questions briefly:

a. Why does the poet decide to stand and wait till the snake has finished drinking? What does this tell you about the poet? (Notice that he uses ‘someone’ instead of ‘something ’for the snake.)
Answer:
The poet respected the snake and felt it to be an honoured guest and did not want to disturb it.

b. In stanza 2 and 3, the poet gives a vivid description of the snake by using suggestive expressions. What picture of the snake do you form on the basis of this description?
Answer:
The snake appears to be a beautiful creature, majestic and with a grace of its own, based on the descriptions.

c. How does the poet describe the day and the atmosphere when he saw the snake?
Answer:
The poet describes the day as being a very hot day in July in Sicily, with Mount Etna smoking in the background.

d. What does the poet want to convey by saying that the snake emerges from the ‘burning bowels of the earth ’?
Answer:
The poet means that even within the earth it was as hot as it was outside.

e. Do you think the snake was conscious of the poet’s presence? How do you know?
Answer:
The snake does not appear to acknowledge the poet’s presence as it was lazy and unhurried in its movements, with no fear of being harmed.

f. How do we know that the snake’s thirst was satiated? Pick out the expressions that convey this.
Answer:
‘He drank enough’
‘And lifted his head, dreamily, as one who has drunken,’
‘And flickered his tongue like a forked night on the air, so black,’
‘Seeming to lick his lips’

g. The poet has a dual attitude towards the snake. Why does he experience conflicting emotions on seeing the snake?
Answer:
The poet instinctively admires the majesty and beauty of the snake and does not want to disturb’d, but then his education and social awareness makes him regard it as a dangerous being which must be killed.

h. The poet is fdled with horror and protest when the snake prepares to retreat and bury itself in the ‘horrid black ’, ‘dreadful ’ hole. In the light of this statement, bring out the irony of his act of throwing a log at the snake.
Answer:
The poet does not want such a wonderful creature to go back into the dark earth and hide away, even though the snake was moving into the hole very slowly, yet he throws the stick and as a result the snake hurries into the hole.

i. The poet seems to be full of admiration and respect for the snake. He almost regards him like a majestic God. Pick out at least four expressions from the poem that reflect these emotions.
Answer:
‘But even so, honoured still more’
‘That he should seek my hospitality’
‘And looked around like a god, unseeing, into the air,’
‘And slowly turned his head’
‘For he seemed to me again like a king,’
‘Like a king in exile, uncrowned in the underworld’
‘And so, I missed my chance with one of the lords’

j. What is the difference between the snake’s movement at the beginning of the poem and later when the poet strikes it with a log of wood? You may use relevant vocabulary from the poem to highlight the difference.
Answer:
In the beginning, the snake is moving slowly, the body is ‘slack’; he ‘trailed’ his body along. When he had drunk the water, he moved as if ‘thrice a dream’. This dreamy state was shattered by the poet who threw a log at the snake, making it move forward ‘in undignified haste’, and making it writhe Tike lightning’, swiftly entering the hole in the ground.

k. The poet experiences feelings of self-derision, guilt and regret after hitting the snake. Pick out expressions that suggest this. Why does he feel like this?
Answer:
‘And immediately I regretted it.’
‘I thought how paltry, how vulgar, what a mean act’
‘I despised myself
The poet feels like this because he threw the stick and scared the snake away even though it had done nothing.

l. You have already read Coleridge’s poem The Ancient Mariner in which an albatross is killed by the mariner. Why does the poet make an allusion to the albatross?
Answer:
The poet alludes to it because like the Mariner who killed the albatross needlessly, here the poet scared away the snake needlessly. Also, he is scared that he might have to face similar troubles to pay for the sin of trying to harm the creature, like the Mariner.

m. ‘I have something to expiate ’—Explain.
Answer:
This means that the poet felt that he had committed a sin and needed to pay for it. He wanted to make amends for his thoughtless, petty act.

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Two Gentlemen of Verona Summary in English by A.J. Cronin

Two Gentlemen of Verona Summary in English

Two Gentlemen of Verona is a heart-warming story of human relationships and family ties. In the story set in Italy against the backdrop of the Second World War, the two gentlemen of Verona, the brothers, Nicola and Jacopo, take care of their sister Lucia who is suffering from tuberculosis.

The boys are poor and wear shabby clothes. Their father was a famous singer and a hard worker who had died in the war. The boys willingly take on the responsibility of providing for their ailing sister, in the absence of their father.

While driving through the foothills of the Alps to Verona, the narrator was stopped by two small boys selling wild strawberries. The boys were dressed shabbily in old clothes that were too large for them. The two were dark-skinned and thin, with tangled hair and dark eyes, which had a serious expression. Though their driver tried to dissuade them from buying the strawberries, the narrator and his companion bought the biggest basket the boys had for sale because they were attracted to them. The boys were brothers. Nicola, the elder, was 13 and Jacopo, the younger one, was nearly 12. The next morning, the narrator found the two brother shining shoes outside their hotel. The boys told him that besides picking fruit and shining shoes, the two boys also worked as tour guides.

As the boys showed the narrator and his companion around the town, he noticed the boys were childish and innocent. But even though Jacopo was lively, and Nicola had a charming smile, both the boys appeared to be very serious.

During the week that the narrator and his companion spent in Verona, they often saw the boys who were always ready to do chores for the two men.

One night, they were surprised to see the boys in the windy and deserted square, resting on the stone pavement beneath the lights. It was nearly midnight, and though he looked tired, Nicola sat upright while Jacopo slept with his head resting on his brother’s shoulder. They were waiting for the last bus from Padua so that they could sell the newspapers.

The narrator was surprised at how hard the boys worked and when he questioned Nicola about it the next morning, he looked ashamed and tongue-tied. The narrator presumed the boys worked so hard and spent frugally as they were saving up to emigrate to America. Nicola expressed a desire to go to the States but said they had plans in Italy at the moment.

The narrator then offered help before he left for the United States on the following Monday. Nicola declined the offer, but Jacopo readily took him up on it and asked him if they could go to Poleta, 30 kilometres from Verona, in the narrator’s car. The narrator readily agreed to drive the boys there himself. He assured Nicola, who appeared to be angry with his brother that it wouldn’t be any trouble to do so.

The following afternoon they drove to the tiny village set high upon the hillside. At Poleta, Jacopo directed him to a large red-roofed villa, surrounded by a high stone wall. As soon as the car came to a halt, the two boys jumped out and telling the narrator they would be back in an hour, they entered the villa.

After a few minutes the narrator followed the boys inside. When he rang the bell, a nurse opened the door. He asked her about the two boys. She led the narrator through the hospital and stopped near the door of a little cubicle. Through the glass partition, the narrator saw the boys sitting next to a girl of about twenty who sat propped up on pillows listening to their chatter, her eyes soft and tender. He realised at once she was their sister from their resemblance to another.

The nurse told him that the children, who had lost their mother earlier, lost their father in the war. He had been a well- known singer. Shortly afterwards, a bomb had destroyed their home. As a result, the three children were left homeless and destitute. The children who had always known a comfortable and cultured life, suffered from lack of food and cold. For months they lived in a shelter they built with their own hands amidst the rubble. Then for three years the Germans ruled the city. The boys grew to hate the Germans. When the resistance movement began secretly, they were among the first to join. When the war was over, and there was peace at last, they came back to their beloved sister. Lucia, who had earlier been training as a singer had developed tuberculosis of the spine.

The boys did not give up. They brought her to the hospital. Lucia had been in the hospital for twelve months and was making good progress. One day she would walk and sing again. The boys, in the meantime, struggled hard to pay for her treatment.

The narrator went back outside and waited until the boys came out. Then he drove them back to the city. He did not let them realise that he knew their secret though he was very impressed by their devotion. War had not broken their spirit. Their selfless action brought a new nobility to human life and gave promise of a greater hope for human society.

Two Gentlemen of Verona Summary Questions and Answers

Question 1.
Based on your reading of the story answer the following questions by ticking the correct options.

a. The driver did not approve of the narrator buying fruit from the two boys because
(i) the boys were untidy and poorly dressed
(ii) the strawberries were not fresh
(iii) they were asking for a heavy price
(iv) the driver did not approve of small boys who worked
Answer:
(i) the boys were untidy and poorly dressed

b. The narrator was most impressed by the boys
(i) desire to earn money
(ii) willingness to work
(iii) ability to perform many tasks
(iv) sense of fun
Answer:
(ii) willingness to work

c. Nicola was not pleased when Jacopo asked the narrator to drive them to Poleta as he
(i) did not want a stranger to become involved with their plans
(ii) preferred going to Poleta by train so that he could enjoy the scenery
(iii) did not want to ask anyone for favours
(iv) did not want to take help from someone he did not know well
Answer:
(iii) did not want to ask anyone for favours

d. The narrator did not go inside Lucia’s room as
(i) he did not want to intrude into their privacy
(ii) he thought that the boys would object
(iii) Lucia would not welcome a stranger
(iv) the boys wouldfeel he was spying on them

(e) The boys were the first to join the resistance movement against the Germans because
(i) the Germans had hurt their sister
(ii) the Germans ruled the city
(iii) the Germans had ruined their family
(iv) the Germans had destroyed their home
Answer:
(iv) the Germans had destroyed their home

f. The author did not speak to the boys on their return journey because
(i) he thought the boys would prefer to keep their secret
(ii) he thought the boys were ashamed of their sister’s condition
(iii) he thought they wouldn’t tell him the truth
(iv) he thought the boys might ask him for money for their sister
Answer:
(i) he thought the boys would prefer to keep their secret

Question 2.
What do you understand by the following statements?

a. “We do many things, sir, ” Nicola answered seriously. He glanced at us hopefully.
Answer:
Nicola tells the narrator when questioned by the latter that they don’t just pick fruit for a living but do many other things as well.

b. He coloured deeply under his sunburn, then grew pale.
Answer:
The narrator had commented on their frugal lifestyle despite the money they earned.
The boy was embarrassed by this.

c. He smiled uncomfortably. “Just plans, sir, ” he answered in a low voice.
Answer:
Nicola does not want to disclose to the narrator that they are not saving up for a trip to the States but to look after their invalid sister.

d. Yet in both these boyish faces there was a seriousness which was far beyond their years.
Answer:
The narrator sees integrity and self-reliance in their faces and in the way they work. He conies to realize that they are far more mature than their actual age.

Question 3.
Answer the following questions briefly.

a. Why didn’t Luigi, the driver, approve of the two boys?
Answer:
Luigi disapproved of their shabby appearance and did not want the narrator to buy strawberries from the boys. So, he also tried to convince the narrator would get better strawberries in Verona.

b. Why were the narrator and his companion impressed by the two boys?
Answer:
The narrator and his companion were attracted by the sincerity and honesty they saw in the friendly open faces of the boys. They were very impressed by the earnestness and genuineness they saw in their dark eyes.

c. Why was the author surprised to see Nicola and Jacopo working as shoeshine boys?
Answer:
The narrator had encountered the two boys Nicola and Jacopo the previous day as fruit-pickers and fruit-sellers. Therefore, he was surprised to see them working as shoeshine boys in the town square the next day.

d. How were the boys useful to the author?
Answer:
Nicola and Jacopo performed a number of tasks for the narrator including procuring a pack of American cigarettes, seats for the opera and the name of a good restaurant where they could eat. They also took him around the city to show him the sights.

e. Why were the boys in the deserted square at night? What character traits do they exhibit?
Answer:
The boys were in the square at night waiting for the last bus from Padua. They wished to sell the papers to the – passengers who came off the bus. This shows their capacity for hard work and their commitment. They were unmindful of their own tiredness or discomfort.

f. The narrator asks the boys, “Mustyou work so hard? You both look rather tired. ” The boys reply, “We are not complaining, sir. ” What do you learn about the boys from their reply?
Answer:
The boys worked hard and without any complaints despite their physical fatigue. This shows their sense of commitment and devotion. Their dignity and self-respect did not allow them to take help from anyone even though they had to pay for their sister’s treatment.

g. When the narrator asks the boys about their plans, they are evasive. Why don’t they disclose their problems?
Answer:
The boys were dignified and self-reliant. They did not want anyone to pity them. They wanted to discharge their responsibilities themselves, therefore they were evasive when the narrator presumed they were hoarding up their money to emigrate to the United States. They did not want him to know about their invalid sister.

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Journey to The End of The Earth Summary in English by Tishani Doshi

Journey to The End of The Earth by Tishani Doshi About the Author

Tishani Doshi (9 December 1975) is an Indian poet, journalist and a dancer based in Chennai. Born in Madras, India, to a Welsh mother and Gujarati father, she graduated with a Master’s degree in Creative Writing from the Johns Hopkins University. She received Eric Gregory Award in 2001. Her first poetry collection Countries of the Body won the 2006 Forward Poetry Prize for the best first collection.

Her First novel The Pleasure Seekers was published by Bloomsbury in 2010 and was long-listed for the Orange Prize in 2011 and shortlisted for The Hindu Best Fiction Award in 2010. She works as a freelance writer and worked with choreographer Chandralekha. Her poetry collection Everything Begins Elsewhere was published by Copper Canyon Press in 2013. Her most recent book of poetry, Girls Are Coming Out Of the Woods, was published by HarperCollins India in 2017. She writes a blog titled ‘Hit or Miss’ on Cricinfo, a cricket related website.

Poet Name	Tishani Doshi
Born	9 December 1975 (age 44 years), India
Occupation	Poet, writer, dancer
Awards	Eric Gregory Award
Education	Johns Hopkins University
Nationality	Indian

Journey to The End of The Earth Introduction to the Chapter

Before human evolution, Antarctica was part of a huge tropical landmass called the Gondwana land which flourished 500 million years ago. Geological, geographical and biological changes occurred and Antarctica separated and moved away, evolving into what it is today.

A visit to Antarctica gave Tishani Doshi a deeper understanding of the earth’s history, ecology and environment.

Journey to The End of The Earth Theme

Tishani Doshi’s visit to Antarctica, the coldest, driest and windiest continent in the world, aboard the Russian research vessel Akademik Shokalskiy, gave her a deeper understanding and a better perspective to the damage caused by human impact on earth. Antarctica, though unpopulated, has been affected and there is a growing concern for its half a million year old carbon records trapped under its ice sheets.

The ‘Students on Ice’ programme takes high school students to Antarctica to create awareness in them, the future policy makers, and helps students realise that the threat of global warming is very real.

Journey to The End of The Earth Summary in English

Humans, who have existed a mere 12,000 years, have caused tremendous damage and played havoc with nature. Population explosion, strain on available resources, carbon emissions, fossil fuels and global warming have all resulted in climatic and ecological imbalances that have affected Antarctica too.

The ‘Students on Ice’ programme, an initiative of Canadian educator, Geoff Green, takes students—the future policy makers—to Antarctica, to create awareness in them. A stark proof of global warming and environmental threats helps students attain a greater understanding of the earth’s ecosystems and biodiversity.

Journey to The End of The Earth Summary Questions and Answers

Question 1.
What was Akademic Shokalskiy? Where was it headed and why?
Answer:
Akademic Shokalskiy was a Russian research vessel which was heading towards Antarctica, the coldest, driest, windiest continent in the world to become a part of Geoff Green’s ‘Students on Ice’ programme.

Question 2.
Describe the author’s emotions when she first set foot on Antarctica.
Answer:
Tishani Doshi’s initial reaction was relief as she had travelled for over hundred hours. This was followed by wonder at Antarctica’s white landscape and uninterrupted blue horizon, its immensity, isolation and at how there could have been a time when India and Antarctica could have been a part of the same landmass.

Question 3.
How is present day Antarctica different from Gondwana?
Answer:
Gondwana was a giant amalgamated southern supercontinent. The climate was much warmer, hosting a huge variety of flora and fauna. Gondwana thrived for about 500 million years. Subsequently, when dinosaurs were wiped out and the age of mammals happened, the landmass separated into countries, shaping the globe as we know it today.

Question 4.
Why does the author say that to visit Antarctica is to be a part of history?
Answer:
It is only when you visit Antarctica that you realise all that can happen in a million years, where we have come from and where we could possibly be heading. We understand the significance of Cordilleran folds, pre-Cambrian granite shields, ozone and carbon, evolution and extinction.

Question 5.
Why does Tishani Doshi describe her two weeks’ stay in Antarctica ‘a chilling prospect’?
Answer:
Accustomed to the warm climate of South India, being in a place where ninety per cent of the earth’s total ice is stored was a chilling prospect—literally and metaphorically. It affected her metabolic and circulatory systems as well as her imagination.

Question 6.
Why does one lose all earthly perspective in Antarctica?
Answer:
The author compares it to walking into a giant ping-pong ball, devoid of any human markers. There are no trees, billboards, or buildings. The visual ranges from the microscopic to the mighty, from midges and mites to blue whales and icebergs.

Question 7.
Describe the brightness and silence that prevail in Antarctica during summer.
Answer:
Days go on and on in surreal twenty-four hour austral summer light, and an ubiquitous silence prevails, interrupted only by the occasional avalanche or calving ice-sheet.

Question 8.
Explain: ‘And for humans, the prognosis isn’t good’.
Answer:
The human civilisation has been around for a mere 12,000 years—barely a few seconds on the biological clock. Yet we have managed to etch our dominance over nature with concretisation, battling for limited resources, and unmitigated burning of fossil fuel. This has created a blanket of carbon dioxide around the world, which is increasing average global temperature.

Question 9.
Why is Antarctica a crucial element in all debates on climate change?
Answer:
Antarctica is the only place in the world that has never sustained a human population and is therefore, relatively ‘pristine’. More importantly, it holds in its ice cores half-million-year-old carbon records trapped in its layers of ice.

Question 10.
What was the objective of the ‘Students on Ice’ programme?
Answer:
The ‘Students on Ice’ programme aims to take high school students to the ends of the world. It provides them with inspiring educational opportunities which fosters in them a new understanding and respect for our planet. It offers the future generation of policy makers a life-changing experience at an age when they are ready to absorb, learn and act.

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The Rime of the Ancient Mariner Summary in English by Samuel Taylor Coleridge

The Rime of the Ancient Mariner Summary in English

Coleridge introduces his story by describing an old grey-bearded sailor who approaches three young men headed for a wedding celebration and compels one of them, the groom’s next-of-kin, to hear his story. At first the intrusion is resented by the wedding guest, but the young man is transfixed by the Ancient Mariner’s ‘glittering eye’ and can do nothing but sit on a stone and listen to his strange tale. The story is remarkable indeed, and the listener soon falls captive to the suspense building up, responding at first with fear and then with horror as the tale unfolds.

There was a little apprehension among the ship’s crew as they sailed clear of the harbours, bound for the open sea. At this point, hearing the music of the bassoon drifting from the direction of the wedding, the wedding guest imagines that the bride has entered the hall, but he is still unable to tear himself away from the Mariner’s story.

Several days out at sea, a storm arose and the Mariner’s vessel was driven before the wind in a constant southerly direction, headed toward the South Pole. As it entered, the ‘land of ice, and of fearful sounds, where no living thing was to be seen,’ a feeling of foreboding came over the helpless crew, and so it was with great relief that the crew eventually greeted the sight of an albatross, a huge seabird, flying through the fog towards them. The Ancient Mariner tells his listener, ‘As if it had been a Christian soul/We hailed it in God’s name.’ As it flew around the ship, the ice cracked and split, and a wind from the south propelled the ship out of the frigid regions, into a foggy stretch of water.

The albatross followed behind it. Everyone took this bird as a good omen, and the bird followed the ship faithfully as it returned northward. At this point a pained look crosses the Mariner’s face, and the wedding guest asks him, ‘Why look’st thou so?’ The Mariner confesses that he had shot and killed the albatross with his crossbow and brought a curse down upon them all.

The south wind continued to propel them northward, but somehow the old sailor realised he had done ‘a hellish thing’ and retribution would soon follow, in the form of loneliness and spiritual anguish.

The crew at first berated their mate for killing the bird that had brought the change in the breeze.

But as the ship made its way out of the fog and mist and continued on, they decided that it must be the bird that had brought the mist. Perhaps their shipmate had rightfully killed it after all.

The vessel sailed on northward until it reached the equator, where the breeze ceased and the craft was becalmed. The wind pushed the ship into the silent sea where the sailors were stranded, the winds died down, and the ship was ‘As idle as a painted ship/Upon a painted ocean.’ The men had no water to drink, it looked as if the sea was rotting and slimy creatures crawled out of it and walked across the surface.

The water looked green, blue, and white and creatures giving out light jumped in and out of the water, around the ship, creating an eerie atmosphere.

The Rime of the Ancient Mariner Summary Questions and Answers

Question 1.
Answer the following by choosing the right option from those given below:

a. The Ancient Mariner stopped one of the three wedding guests because
(i) he wanted to attend the wedding with him
(ii) he wanted him to sit with him
(iii) he wanted him to listen to his story
(iv) he wanted to stop him from going to the wedding
Answer:
(iii) he wanted him to listen to his story

b. The wedding guest remarked that he was ‘next of kin ’ which means that
(i) he was a close relation of the bridegroom
(ii) he was a close relation of the bride
(iii) he was next in line to get married
(iv) he had to stand next to the bridegroom during the wedding
Answer:
(i) he was a close relation of the bridegroom

c. ‘He cannot choose but hear ’ means
(i) the mariner was forced to hear the story of the wedding guest
(ii) the wedding guest was forced to hear the story of the mariner
(iii) the mariner had the choice of not listening to the story of the wedding guest
(iv) the wedding guest had the choice of not listening to the story of the mariner
Answer:
(ii) the wedding guest was forced to hear the story of the mariner

d. ‘The sun came up upon the left, /Out of the sea came he; ‘This line tells us that the ship’
(i) was moving in the northern direction
(ii) was moving eastwards
(iii) was moving in the western direction
(iv) was moving towards the south
Answer:
(iv) was moving towards the south

e. The Wedding-Guest beat his breast because
(i) he could hear the sound of the bassoon
(ii) he was forced to listen to the Mariner’s tale when he wanted to attend the wedding
(iii) the sound of the bassoon meant that the bride had arrived and the wedding ceremony was about to begin and he could not attend it.
(iv) the sound of the bassoon announced the arrival of the bride and the start of the wedding ceremony
Answer:
the sound of the bassoon announced the arrival of the bride and the start of the wedding ceremony

f. The storm blast has been described as being tyrannous because
(i) it was so fierce that it frightened the sailors
(ii) it took complete control of the ship
(iii) the storm was very powerful
(iv) the sailors were at its mercy
Answer:
(iii) the storm was very powerful

g. The sailors felt depressed on reaching the land of mist and snow because
(i) there was no sign of any living creature
(ii) they felt they would die in that cold weather
(iii) they were surrounded by icebergs and there seemed to be no sign of life
(iv) everything was grey in colour and they felt very cold
Answer:
(iii) they were surrounded by icebergs and there seemed to be no sign of life

h. The sailors were happy to see the albatross because
(i) it was the first sign of life and therefore gave them hope that they might survive
(ii) it split the icebergs around the ship and helped the ship move forward.
(iii) it was a messenger from God and it lifted the fog and mist.
(iv) it gave them hope of survival by splitting the icebergs.
Answer:
(iii) it was a messenger from God and it lifted the fog and mist

i. The two things that happened after the arrival of the albatross were
(i) the icebergs split and the albatross became friendly with the sailors
(ii) the icebergs split and a strong breeze started blowing
(iii) the ship was pushed out of the land of mist and the ice melted.
(iv) the albatross started playing with the mariners and ate the food they offered.
Answer:
(i) the icebergs split and the albatross became friendly with the sailors

j. ‘It perched for vespers nine ’ means
(i) the ship stopped sailing at nine o ’clock every day
(ii) the albatross would appear at a fixed time everyday.
(iii) the albatross would sit on the sail or the mast everyday
(iv) the albatross was a holy creature
Answer:
(ii) the albatross would appear at a fixed time everyday.

k. ‘God save thee, ancient Mariner,/From the fiends that plague thee thus!- Why look’st thou so? ’ means
(i) the mariner wanted to know why the wedding guest was looking so tormented
(ii) the wedding guest wanted to know why the mariner was looking so tormented
(iii) the wedding guest wanted to know whether some creatures were troubling the ancient mariner
(iv) the ancient mariner wanted to know whether something was troubling the wedding guest
Answer:
(ii) the wedding guest wanted to know why the mariner was looking so tormented

Question 2.
Answer the following questions briefly

a. How did the ancient mariner stop the wedding guest?
Answer:
The Ancient Mariner first held him with his skinny hand but once the Wedding Guest told him to ‘unhand’ him, he held him mesmerised with his ‘glittering eye’. ‘

b. Was the wedding guest happy to be stopped? Give reasons for your answer.
Answer:
The Wedding Guest was not happy to be stopped. He was next of kin of the bridegroom and wanted to attend the wedding.

c. Describe the ancient mariner.
Answer:
The Ancient Mariner was old and thin. His beard was grey. His eyes were shining and could mesmerise a person.

d. How does the mariner describe the movement of the ship as it sails away from the land?
Answer:
The Mariner says that one clear and bright day, they set sail. The ship left the harbour and sailed past the church, the hill and the lighthouse.

e. What kind of weather did the sailors enjoy at the beginning of their journey? How has it been expressed in the poem?
Answer:
The Mariner says that at first, they sailed South out into a sunny and cheerful sea which means that the weather was good. As they sailed South towards the Equator, the sun was directly overhead.

f. How did the sailors reach the land of mist and snow?
Answer:
When the mariners were several days out at sea, however, a terrible storm arose and the vessel was driven by the wind in a constant southerly direction, headed toward the South Pole.

g. How does the mariner express the fact that the ship was completely surrounded by icebergs?
Answer:
‘The ice was here, the ice was there, The ice was all around: It cracked and growled, and roared and howled, Like noises in a swound!’

h. How do we know that the albatross was not afraid of the humans? Why did the sailors hail it in God’s name?
Answer:
It was with great relief that the crew eventually greeted the sight of an albatross, a huge seabird, flying through the fog toward them. The bird soon became a familiar sight and came to the sailors call. The sailors revered it as a sign of good luck, as though it were a ‘Christian soul’ sent by God to save them.

i. What was the terrible deed done by the Mariner? Why do you think he did it?
Answer:
The Ancient Mariner shot the albatross with his crossbow. The Ancient Mariner killed the albatross for no reason.

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Ozymandias Summary in English by P.B Shelley

Ozymandias Summary in English

‘Ozymandias’ by P. B. Shelly is a sonnet describing the remnants of the Egyptian pharaoh Ramses

II. The speaker describes a meeting with someone who has travelled to a place where ancient civilisations once existed. We know from the title that he is talking about Egypt. The traveller told the speaker a story about an old, fragmented statue in the middle of the desert. The statue is broken apart, but you can still make out the face of a person. The face looks stem and powerful, like a ruler. The sculptor did a good job at expressing the ruler’s personality and his disdain for others.

On the pedestal near the face, the traveller reads an inscription in which the ruler Ozymandias tells anyone who might happen to pass by, ‘Look around and see how mighty I am!’ But there is no other evidence of his strength in the vicinity of his giant, broken statue. There is just a lot of sand, as far as the eyes can see. The traveller ends his story.

The narrator recalls his encounter with ‘… a traveller from an antique land… ’. The word ‘Antique’ foreshadows future events in which the traveller depicts the ancient period of Ozymandias’ rale. The traveller describes the scene of the rain in lines 2-3. ‘Two vast and trunkless legs of stone /Stand in the desert.’ While the statue’s ‘… half sunk … shattered visage’ lay nearby. This portrays a mood of forgotten decay. The traveller uses negative connotations to describe the statue of Ozymandias—trankless, sunk and shattered to convey this mood. The narrator comments that this sculpture was once a symbol of pride and greatness, but now, it is no more than broken stone.

The narrator, then, goes on to describe the features of the statue’s face whose ‘frown and wrinkled lips… ’ give the impression that the subject was a cold, unforgiving man. The traveller compliments the sculptor on his fine work, ‘… its sculptor well those passions read… ’ The sculptor is commended for capturing the essence of Ozymandias’ personality in his work. The subject of the statue was a man, who sneered upon those weaker than him. Ironically, the sculptor’s hand ‘mocked’ him. However, his ‘passions’ have long become ‘lifeless’, and he himself, lies forgotten.

In the second line of the sextet, the traveller recalls the engraving on the statue. ‘My name is Ozymandias, king of kings/ Look on my work, ye Mighty, and despair!’ These two lines give the statue an identity and show the reader of the king’s pride. It is the climax of the poem, emphasised by the exclamation mark. He considers himself the ‘king of kings’. ‘Mighty’ begins with a capital M to give the impression that Ozymandias considers himself to be in the same rank as the Gods, he demands reverence from the Gods.

The last three lines of the poem communicate a melancholy tone, which contrasts sharply with the king’s speech previously. Ozymandias now stands amongst his work ‘boundless and bare/The lone and level sand There is irony in that Ozymandias felt that all shall ‘despair’ in face of his ‘work’ that has turned to dust. ‘Nothing more remains.’

Ozymandias Summary Questions and Answers

Question 1.
Answer the following questions by ticking the correct options.

a. The poem is set in
(i) the wilderness
(ii) an ancient land
(iii) a palace
(iv) a desert
Answer:
(iv) a desert

b. The expression on the face of the statue is one of
(i) admiration
(ii) anger
(iii) despair
(iv) contempt
Answer:
(iv) contempt

c. This poem throws light on the ________ nature of Ozymandias.
(i) cruel
(ii) arrogant
(iii) boastful
(iv) aggressive
Answer:
(ii) arrogant

d. The sculptor was able to understand Ozymandias
(i) words
(ii) expression
(iii) feelings
(iv) ambition
Answer:
(iv) ambition

e. The tone of the poem is
(i) mocking
(ii) nostalgic
(iii) gloomy
(iv) gloating
Answer:
(i) mocking

Question 2.
Answer the following questions briefly.

a. “The hand that mocked them, and the heart that fed. ” Whose hand and heart has the poet referred to in this line?
Answer:
On the face of the statue of Ozymandias there is an expression of contempt. Though the statue is broken, the expression of the king reminds the viewer of the King whose heart bred such emotions and the hand of the sculptor who carved the statue.

b. “My name is Ozymandias, king of kings:” Why does Ozymandias refer to himself as King ofKings? What quality of the king is revealed through this statement.
Answer:
Ozymandias calls himself king of kings to show his power. These words show his arrogance and his contempt for others.

c. “Look on my works, ye Mighty, and despair! ” Who is Ozymandias referring to when he speaks of ye Mighty? Why should they despair?
Answer:
The king refers to passersby through time who see the statue of the King. They should feel dejected because he is more powerful than even gods.

d. Bring out the irony in the poem.
Answer:
The irony in this is that all that remains of the mighty Ozymandias is this broken statue, and that this statue, which was intended to create fear, now only creates wonder because of its ruined condition. The inscription is a verbal irony, for the words are egotistical but are etched on a broken statue that no longer makes other rulers fear.

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My Mother At Sixty Six Summary in English by Kamala Das

My Mother At Sixty Six Poem by Kamala Das About the Poet

Kamala Das was bom on March 31,1934 in Punnayurkulam, Thrissur District in Kerala. She was one of f the India’s original and versatile writers. She spent her childhood between Calcutta, where her father : was employed and at the ancestral home in Punnayurkulam. The writings of her great uncle, Nalapat Narayana Menon and mother Nalapat Balamani Amma had a great impact on her.

She took to writing at an early age and continued even after marriage as she was encouraged by her husband to write. Her ? writings reflect exploration of a wide range of relationships from a woman’s point of view—a daughter, a wife and a mother. Her works are filled with a woman’s desire for self-expression and freedom.

Poet Name	Kamala Das
Born	31 March 1934, Punnayurkulam
Died	31 May 2009, Pune
Spouse	Madhava Das (m. 1949–1992)
Awards	Vayalar Award, Muttathu Varkey Award, Kerala Sahitya Akademi Award for Story, Kerala State Film Award for Best Story
Movies	Neermaathalathinte Pookkal, Mazha, House of Stories, Raama Raavanan, Ormayilenthum

My Mother At Sixty Six Introduction to the Poem

Though ageing is a natural process, yet the fear of separation from your loved and near ones is very painful. The poem talks about the feeling of loneliness that aged people experience and the feeling of guilt which their offspring experience for not being able to be with their parents in their old age. The poem also explores the feelings of melancholy and pain that a daughter experiences while leaving her mother, all by herself, at a ripe old age. The agony of separation is brought forward in this poem very explicitly. The poem, in a way, also sends a very strong message to the youth of today—do not be so busy in fulfilling your desires and wishes that you forget to take care of your elderly parents when they need you the most. At times, situation can be binding. But one should never forget to show one’s love, affection and concern for one’s parents.

My Mother At Sixty Six Theme

Fear of loss: The poem composed in blank verse expresses the anguish of a daughter over her mother’s advancing age and the fear of permanent separation from her. ‘My Mother at Sixty-six’ symbolises the fast paced life and the inevitable death of our childhood, youth and loved ones. The poet is agonised by her mother’s advancing age and fear of her imminent death.

Nostalgia: The poet is carried away by her childhood premonition of losing her mother.

My Mother At Sixty Six Summary in English

While driving from her parent’s home to Cochin, International Airport, Kamala Das notices her mother, who was sitting beside her, dozing with her mouth open. Her mother’s face was pale like a dead body. The expression on her face was clearly one of pain, borne out of fear of separation and old age. A sudden fear and pain crops up in the poet’s mind and she realises that her mother is old now and could pass away leaving her all alone. Though the realisation was alarming, it was hard to accept.

In order to drive her thoughts away from the agony and pain on looking at her mother’s colourless pale face, Kamala looks outside the car. The trees racing past and the speeding car were grim reminders that time has flown by. The joyous children playing outside represent youth, energy and life. All this probably reminded of her childhood when her mother was young.

After the security check at the airport, Kamala Das looks back at her mother standing a few yards away looking pale and grey like the winter moon. The poet senses a familiar pain and her childhood fear of the thought of losing her mother comes back. Overcome with sorrow and fear, she bids her old mother goodbye and keeps smiling to hide her real feelings.

My Mother At Sixty Six Summary Reference-to-Context Questions

Read the extracts given below and answer the questions that follow.

1. Driving from my parent’s home to
Cochin last Friday morning,
I saw my mother, beside me,
doze, open mouthed, her face ashen like that
of a corpse and realised with pain
that she was as old as she looked but soon
put that thought away, and looked out at Young
Trees sprinting, the merry children spilling
out of their homes,

a. Name the poem and the poet.
Answer:
The poem is ‘My Mother at Sixty-six’ and the poet is ‘Kamala Das’.

b. Where was the poet going to and with whom?
Answer:
The poet was going from her parent’s home to the Cochin airport. She was accompanied by her mother who was sixty-six years old.

c. What did the daughter notice inside the car?
Answer:
She noticed her mother looking pale and dull, and as lifeless as a dead body. She was dozing and her mouth was open.

d. In what state is the mother now?
Answer:
She is dozing open mouthed and with a pale face.

2. but after the airport’s
security check, standing a few yards
away, I looked again at her, wan, pale
as a late winter’s moon and felt that old
familiar ache, my childhood’s fear,
but all I said was see you soon, Amma,
all I did was smile and smile and smile

a. Why does the poet ‘look at her again’?
Answer:
The poet looks at her mother for the last time before boarding the flight. She reassures herself about the well-being of her mother. She wished her mother goodbye in order to comfort her and leave on an optimistic note.

b. Does the poet share her thoughts with her mother?
Answer:
No, the poet does not share her fears and agony with her mother, but only bids her a cheerful farewell.

c. Why did the poet not share her thoughts with her mother?
Answer:
The poet did not share her thoughts with her aged mother because it would have unnecessarily disturbed her frail old mother. Moreover, her thoughts were caused by her fear of the unknown.

d. Give one reason for the poet’s ‘smile’.
Answer:
She wanted to assure her mother that they would meet again.

3. … she
looked but soon
put that thought away, and
looked out at young
Trees sprinting, the merry children spilling
out of their homes,…

a. What did the poet realise? How did she feel?
Answer:
The poet was on her way to the airport when she realised that her mother was nearing her old age, and this feeling was hard for her to accept.

b. What did she do then?
Answer:
She tried to divert her thoughts by looking out of the car window.

c. What did she notice in the world outside?
Answer:
She noticed that some joyous children were playing outside which gave her some respite , from the thoughts of her ageing mother. The children represented youth, energy and life.

d. Which poetic device is used in the 2nd last line?
Answer:
Personification

4. … but soon
put that thought away, and
looked out at young
trees sprinting, the merry children spilling
out of their homes,…

a. Which thought did the poet put away?
Answer:
The poet put the thought of looking at her ageing mother away.

b. What do the ‘sprinting trees’ signify?
Answer:
It is our common experience, whenever we travel by a fast-running vehicle, the standing objects appear to be running back fast. These sprinting trees in the poem signify how the young age of the poet’s mother passed so fast.

c. What are ‘the merry children spilling out of their homes’ symbolic of?
Answer:
The poet’s mother who is sitting beside her is dozing. Her ‘ashen’ face looks lifeless and pale like a corpse. On the other hand, children are gay and happy. They are moving out of their homes in large numbers. There is an image of happiness and spontaneous overflow of life.

d. Why are trees ‘young’ here?
Answer:
The poet establishes the contrast with the ageing mother inside the car and the sprinting trees are potrayed as young.

5. Driving from my parent’s
home to Cochin last Friday
morning, I saw my mother, beside me,
doze, open mouthed, her face ashen like that
of a corpse and realised with pain
that she was as old as she looked…

a. Where was the poet driving to?
Answer:
The poet was driving to the Cochin airport.

b. Why was her mother’s face looking like that of a corpse?
Answer:
The-mother’s face was pale, lifeless and wan looking like that of a corpse because she had grown old.

c. What did the poet notice about her mother?
Answer:
When the poet looked at her mother, her mouth was open, her pale face was looking like a corpse. She realised that her mother had grown old.

d. What pain did the poet experience?
Answer:
She felt it painful to witness her ageing mother.

6. I saw my mother,
beside me,
doze, open mouthed, her face
ashen like that
of a corpse and realised with
pain

a. Who does ‘I’ refer to ?
Answer:
‘I’ refers to the poet, Kamala Das.

b. What did ‘I’ realise with pain?
Answer:
The poet realised with pain that her mother was nearing old age.

c. Why was the realisation painful?
Answer:
Her mother’s approaching death was a hard fact for her to accept. The thoughts of separation from her mother made her feel sad.

d. Identify and name the figure of speech used in these lines.
Answer:
Simile: ashen like that of a corpse

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The Patriot Poem Summary by Robert Browning

The Patriot Summary by Robert Browning About the Poet

Robert Browning (1812-1889) was one of the most outstanding poetic geniuses from the Victorian Era, the most prolific of all ages in the literary history of England. As a poet, his oeuvre primarily rests on his unique style of expression and mastery over the use of language to deal with an array of unusual subjects, and the immaculate ability to combine the elements of drama with poetry. His sense of psychology precedes Freud, and his refusal to commit to any prevailing worldview marks him as a precursor to modernist thought.

Though he accomplished himself as a writer, scholar and musician early in life, he developed a true passion for poetry when he was introduced to the work of P.B. Shelley. From Shelley, Browning developed the Romantic ideal, which sought to find transcendence through exploration of the individual’s sensibility. Browning’s early life and work was largely defined by this sensibility.

His first published work, Pauline, was a remarkable success in 1833. But his subsequent publication, a long and complex poem titled Sordello, was a failure. Critics of his time labelled him difficult and obscure. Between 1841 and 1846, in a series of pamphlets under the general title of Bells and Pomegranates, he published seven plays in verse, including Pippa Passes, A Blot in the ’Scutcheon, and Luria.

However, he was beginning to establish the dramatic monologue form that would ensure his legacy. This form uses a narrator, usually of dubious morality, who addresses someone in a high-stakes situation. His most famous works were written in this form, including- Porphyria’s Lover and My Last Duchess. These works helped cement his interest in psychological complexity and the human tendency to constantly shift perspectives and opinions.

In 1845, he fell in love with poet Elizabeth Barrett. Subsequently, they eloped in order to marry. They lived a happy life together, mostly in Italy. In 1855, Browning published a collection called Men and Women, containing most of his best known poems. After Elizabeth died in 1861, Browning moved back to London, where he would finally achieve the success that had long eluded him.

He published other collections like Dramatis Personae, but it was his long work The Ring and the Book that finally made him famous. His subsequent poetry continued to expand his fame in later years. At the time Browning died in 1889, he was perhaps the most famous poet in England next to William Wordsworth.

The Patriot Summary About The Poem

‘The Patriot’ is one of the best-known poems by the 19th century English poet Robert Browning. It is one of those pieces for which Browning adopted a new poetic device called ‘dramatic monologue’. As such, the poem revolves around the narrator who is talking to himself in a ‘dramatic’ way. His monologue reveals the story of a man who was once idolised by people as a great hero, but was subsequently misunderstood and rejected by the latter.

Today, he is going to be executed in front of the public, for a crime which he says he has not committed. The tragic tone of his monologue ends on a positive note, when he expresses hope that when he reaches heaven after his death, God will save him from the public’s misunderstood views.

Another striking feature of this poem lies in its deep political underpinnings suggesting a situation that resembles the fall of many leaders, who are adored by public in the beginning but misunderstood and eventually disgraced due to the fickleness of public opinion. In all, the sensitive and empathetic treatment of the narrator’s situation; and the poet’s brilliance as a master of poetic craft make this poem a remarkable one.

The Patriot Summary of the poem

‘The Patriot’ is a dramatic verse that deals with the fickleness of public opinion and hero-worship. The speaker of the poem is a patriot. He thinks of his glorio.us past. A year ago he was given a grand welcome on his arrival to the town. People had thrown roses and myrtle in his path. The church-spires were decorated with bright flags. The house-roofs were full of people who wanted to have a look at him. Bells rang to announce the patriot’s arrival. The frenzy and madness exceeded all limits. People were even ready to catch the sun for him.

But everything has changed now. The patriot is being taken to the scaffold for all his ‘misdeeds’. There is nobody on the house-tops now. Everyone knows that today, the best of the sights is at the foot of the scaffold. He is going in the rain with his wrists tied behind. People are throwing stones at him and his forehead is bleeding. What an ill-fate to a man who spent all his life for his countrymen!

Even in the midst of tragedy, the poem ends quite optimistically. Death is not the end of everything. The patriot hopes that since he did not receive his reward in this world, he will be rewarded in the other world. He feels safe in the hands of God. Thus the poem also becomes an expression of Browning’s optimistic philosophy of life. “God is in His heaven and all is well with the world.”

The Patriot Summary Critical Analysis

“The Patriot” is a poem comprising 6 stanzas. Each stanza consists of 5 lines and its rhyming pattern is ababa. It is a dramatic monologue. Dramatic monologue is a literary device in which a character freely gives vent to his feelings in front of the audience in order to reveal the inner working of his mind.

As such, the hero of this interesting but tragic poem talks to the audience aloud and tells us that how he was acclaimed at one stage and put to a tragic end at another. Symbolically, the poem has unmistakable political overtones as the major theme of it seems to be the rise and fall of leaders in the contemporary politics.

The first stanza is an elaborate description of how the poet is welcomed back with pomp and ceremony by all the townspeople. His path is laden with roses and myrtles, which signify love, respect and honour being showered on the patriot by the residents of the town who have clambered onto their roofs to get a glimpse of the patriot and welcome him home and showcase their gratuity.

This creates an imagery of the house itself moving and swaying with the weight and number of people. Even the church spires were decorated with fiery coloured flags. This gives the reader an idea of the enormity of the celebrations. In the last line the poet discloses to the reader that these events occurred on this date, exactly a year ago.

In the second stanza, the narrator says how the ringing of the church bells infected the air and it seemed to be echoing the celebratory noise. The walls of the city, which were already on the verge of erosion, due to time, reflected the impact of the din created by the crowd. It seemed to conduct tremors. The patriot here is telling the people that how he doesn’t want all the cheers and applause, but wants the people to fetch the sun from the skies for him. He wants the power, glory, admiration and honour. He wants to live in their memories as an immortal hero.

Here a side of the patriot is shown that searches, not, for momentary praise, but for everlasting recognition and glory. He doesn’t want extravagant celebrations that can die down with time. He is looking for something more permanent. For a while therefore, he imagines asking people to fetch him the sun, a symbol of immortality, power, honour and glory. The presumed answer of the crowd is reflective of their frivolous nature.

They would immediately ask the patriot what more did he require. This indicates that though people who had assembled to welcome him were zealous and passionate, they lacked a high degree of sensibility. The way they are expected to react to their hero’s demand only suggests their uncritical inclination towards hero worship.

The third stanza acts as a conjunction for the transition from the past to . the present. The patriot says that despite him asking the townspeople to get him the sun, in the end it was he who leaped for it and got it for the people, who he refers to as his beloved friends. This act that he does is such in nature that had he left it undone, no other man could have accomplished it. This stanza has a tone of regret.

This can be deciphered by the use of “Alack!” or Alas. Also, the last two lines indicate towards this as the patriot mourns about how his deed has been repaid by the people. His “harvest” is what he has reaped, whereas what he had sown was bringing glory, power and honour to the people. The first two stanzas narrate the incidents of a year back, when the patriot was given celebrity status. This stanza acts as a synopsis to the current events.

In the fourth stanza, the speaker says that there are no more people on the roof tops, trying to catch a glimpse of the patriot. Only a few cripples can be seen at the windows. The patriot takes up a sarcastic tone at this point and says that this is because the best sight is at the gate of the gallows. In this stanza, a contrast is drawn between the time when the roof tops were heaving with people, celebrating the patriot’s deeds, and the current scenario where the people are assembled, but near the gallows.

Only the ones who cannot travel to the spot of execution, the ones who are crippled, are staring outside their windows to get a look at the patriot. The patriot’s anguish is seen when he taunts about the townspeople, saying they will be found, not on the roofs, but on the site of the execution, or better still, at the foot of the gallows. This stanza is suggestive of the patriot’s fate that he is being taken to be executed.

In the fifth stanza, the poet has employed the sad imagery of the patriot walking in the rain, heading towards the gallows. His wrists are tied tightly behind his back with a rope that cuts through his skin. He can feel blood trickling down his forehead, but he cannot know for sure as his hands are bound, so he can’t touch and feel. His cuts are because of the stones being flung at him by anybody and everybody. The picture being projected in this stanza is a very pitiable one as it is in direct contrast with the imagery of the first and the second stanza.

The patriot provides an ambiguous explanation for this transition, saying he is being punished for the misdeeds that he has committed within this one year. Despite the fact that no rigid and stable details have been given of the patriot’s act, it can be inferred that most probably he has indulged in acts of treachery, betrayal or any such unpatriotic act. This conclusion can be reached keeping the title of the poem in mind. The main gist of this stanza is the description of the poet’s walk of shame.

The sixth and concluding stanza of the poem begins with the patriot declaring how he is leaving, the same way that he entered. He is walking towards his death through the same streets on which he had entered the town and was welcomed as a celebrity, a hero. Even the most important, the most loved people have lost their glamour and glory. The most triumphant have also fallen. The patriot’s religious beliefs have been reflected and his belief in afterlife has been showcased when he mentions how he will be received by God. If God might ask him, now that he has been paid for his deeds by the world, what more does he owe to God. The patriot’s reply to this has shades of faith and optimism. He replies saying that his real repayment will be done by God.

He is placing his trust in God as he knows that he has committed no moral wrongs and the almighty is always just and fair. Hence, he is safe with God as he won’t have to face anymore undeserving punishments and will be truly and justly rewarded for his acts or deeds. In all, the poem is a superb example of current political upheaval and changed public opinion. The writer wants to suggest that nothing remains the same in the world politics. It is a world of self-interest and selfish people who, for individual benefits, may go against the common good of the country.

The Patriot Summary Word-Meanings

1. myrtle – a decorative flower
2. heave – drag, pull
3. sway – swing, bend
4. spires – church towers
5. repel – keep away
6. yonder – at some distance in the direction indicated; over there
7. alack – expression of regret
8. leaped – jumped
9. nought – nothing
10. palsied – paralysed
11. trow – think, believe
12. fling – throw or hurl something
13. owe – have an obligation to pay or repay.