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English Literature and Grammar

Gain expertise in english., difference between persuasive and argumentative essays.

Argumentative Essay

The purpose of an argumentative essay is to convince the reader that the writer’s idea is true by using statistics. In these essays you have to use logic and reason to show that your view is more legitimate than others. You have to write either for or against the cause using formal and impersonal tone.  The introductory paragraph must convey your position through a clear thesis.  The body should have separate paragraphs for each point with detailed evidence to defend your position. Transitional words should be used to guide readers through the arguments in an organized manner. End with a compelling conclusion to win over the readers mind.

Persuasive Essays

The main aim of persuasive essay is to convince the reader to agree with the writer’s point of view. Both sides of the thesis need to be presented briefly, but the reader must be convinced that the writer’s point of view carries more weight than the rest. This should be done by supporting the point with strong evidences. Persuasive essays are based on emotions and personal opinions and require the knowledge of the reader’s mindset more than extensive research. The essay should be able to convince the reader to accept that the writer’s opinion is the correct one.

Raise your words not voice. It is rain that grows flowers not thunder. Rumi (ancient poet)

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Childhood ch – 4 class 11 summary, explanation, literary devices, solutions.

When did my childhood go?

Was it the day I ceased to be eleven,

Was it the time I realised that Hell and Heaven,

Could not be found in Geography,

And therefore could not be,

Was that the day!

Was it the time I realised that adults were not

all they seemed to be,

They talked of love and preached of love,

But did not act so lovingly,

Was it when I found my mind was really mine,

To use whichever way I choose,

Producing thoughts that were not those of other people

But my own, and mine alone

Where did my childhood go?

It went to some forgotten place,

That’s hidden in an infant’s face,

That’s all I know.

                                                                      Markus Natten

About the author

Markus Natten (possibly b- 1917 Oslo, Norway.) Not much is known about the poet except that his wrote introspective and contemplative poetry. His most famous poetry is ‘Childhood’ in which he reflects on the nostalgia of the lost innocence of childhood.

Introduction

The poem is a subjective one as the poet repeatedly asks himself, ‘Where did my childhood go?’. He reflects back on the point of time when he might have ceased to be a child. When he might have lost his innocence and began to think like an adult. He ponders over the stages of life, when he realized the truth of life and grew up to be an adult. This coming-of-age poem tells us about the experiences of the poet as a child which dispelled the glorious image of life that was portrayed to the child by adults. The poet finds solace in the fact that traces of his childhood innocence can still be found in an infant’s face.

The poetry creates a tapestry of nostalgia, enchantment of childhood days, the loss of innocence and the longing for simple carefree childhood days. The poet ponders about the point of time when he ceased to be a child and began to think like an adult. He asks himself whether it was the time when he was eleven, and realised that heaven and hell were imaginary places which did not have a geographical location on the map and hence could be a figment of human imagination. Or, whether it was that day when he realised that the adults who taught children about love did not display the same kind of love in their own lives. Or maybe, it was the time it registered to him that he had developed his own thoughts and did not need to follow everything that the adults told him. He realized that he had his own unique identity and pattern of thoughts and it was okay to think independently. He misses the comfort of childhood innocence that protected him from the harsh realities of life. He thinks that his innocence has gone to some faraway place which has been forgotten. The he consoles himself that the childhood can still be be found in an infant’s face. He finds solace in the fact that the innocence of childhood will always be prevalent in the faces of children.

Detailed Explanation

Childhood is the best phase of a person’s life when one is protected from the realities of life.

The poem begins the with a subjective question, and the poet wonders when was the time that he ceased to be a child and became an adult. He asks himself whether it was the time when he stopped being an eleven-year-old and realized that as heaven and hell could not be located in the maps, they might be imaginary places created by the human mind. Maybe this realization made him grow up.

In the second stanza he asks himself the same question and ponders whether he lost his childhood when he perceived that the adults who talked about spreading love were actually hypocrites who did not practice the same thing in their lives. They were double faced and did not practice what they taught the children.

The poet reiterates the question and wonders if it was the day that he realized that he had a mind of his own and his own thoughts that he stopped being a child any longer. He realized that he was capable of producing his own thoughts and having his own identity which freed him from being dependent on adults for each and everything.

In the final stanza the poet shows his remorse for the lost childhood and thinks that it might have gone to a distant forgotten place from where he will never be able to regain it. His memories of childhood will perhaps fade away and be forgotten forever. However, he finds consolation thinking that the innocence is possibly hidden in some infant’s face and it will always be there in the faces of innocent children. Innocent and pure childhood will always prevail in the faces of children.

The poem deals with the theme of loss of childhood innocence and disillusionment of growing up. The poem also touches upon the hypocrisy in the adult world. It reflects on the fact that the poet grew up to be as egoistic as the other adults when he realized that he was an individual in his own right with his own pattern of thoughts.

A child is sheltered from the harsh realities of life by somewhat hypocritic adults, who create a world of fantasy in which the child can be comfortable and happy. But, the process of growing up is gradual and inevitable. Life of a person cannot be specifically demarked into phases as it involves a series of changes. The poem gives us the message that one must enjoy each phase of life as it comes and it is possible to enjoy one’s childhood by observing the children who are still innocent and are enjoying their carefree days.

Rhyme scheme

The first stanza has a definite rhyme scheme ABBCCD. The second and third stanza seem to be written in free verse and does not follow any particular rhyme scheme. In stanza two although the last words of the third, and the fifth line match, we cannot say it follows any specific rhyme scheme. The fourth stanza has a rhyme scheme of ABBA.

Literary devices

Personification – (Giving characteristics of humans to animals or inanimate objects)

Childhood has been personified –

  Where did my childhood go?

Alliteration – (repetition of same sound in proximity)

t he t ime ( ‘t’ sound has been repeated)

H ell, and H eaven ( ‘h’ sound has been repeated)

m y m ind ( ‘m’ sound has been repeated)

w hichever w ay ( ‘w’ sound has been repeated)

t houghts t hat ( ‘t’ sound has been repeated)

Refrain – a part of a song or poem which is repeated, usually at the beginning or end of each verse

‘When did my childhood go?

‘Was that the day!’

Anaphora – (Repetition of the same word or phrase in consecutive lines)

Enjambment – a sentence continuing in the next line without punctuation

‘Was it the time I realised that adults were not

all they seemed to be,’

‘Producing thoughts that were not those of other people

But my own,’

Rhetorical question – A question asked for the sake of asking, whose reply is not expected

‘ Where did my childhood go? ’

Antithesis – opposing words are place in close proximity for sake of emphasis

Hell and Heaven

Ceased – ended

Preached – taught to other people

Infant – baby below two years

Think it out

Q1. Identify the stanza that talks of each of the following. individuality rationalism hypocrisy

Ans.   The poet talks about rationalism in the first stanza . When he became twelve, he developed rational thinking and understood that the concept of hell and heaven was imaginary as it could not be located in a map.

In the second stanza he talks about the hypocrisy of the adults whose words and actions about love did not match.

The third stanza speaks about the development of the poet’s individuality along with his independent thinking skills.

2. What according to the poem is involved in the process of growing up?

Ans .  The process of growing up is gradual and involves loss of innocence and childhood. It is compensated to some extent by gaining an ability to think rationally and independently along with the ability to differentiate between truth and falsehood.

3. What is the poet’s feeling towards childhood?

Ans. The poet feels that childhood is a time to be cherished throughout life, The loss of childhood innocence is an irretrievable   loss and can only be recalled through elusive memories. He also believes that childhood is a period of make believe, when a lot of fanciful things are fed into the minds of children, and growing up involves disillusionment as well as developing awareness about of the real complex world.

4. Which do you think are the most poetic lines? Why?

Ans.  In my opinion the following lines are the most poetic-

The hypocrisy of the adult world is aptly portrayed in these lines. It reflects the sad reality of the world that is full of complexities. While parents, teachers and clerics preach about spreading love, they themselves display jealousy, hatred and intolerance. The poet has beautifully displayed the ugly truth through a beautiful verse that touches the heart and makes people realize the fallacy behind their actions.

Extra questions

Q. The poet has asked two questions- one about the time and the other about the place. Why do you think so?

Ans. The poet has asked the question about the time when he ceased to be a child mentally, as he wants to know what exactly triggered his loss of childhood. He seeks to find the time when he lost the innocence that he had as a child.

Then he wants to know where the place where his childhood has gone. He thinks that it has gone to some distant forgotten place where it can not be found again. Finally, he consoles himself that it is hidden in the face of an infant.

Q. What do ‘Hell and Heaven’ represent? What is the revelation that the poet gets when he grows up?

Ans . ‘Hell and Heaven’ represents the outcome of life after death. Children are told that good people go to heaven and the bad ones to hell, so they must be good throughout life.

When the poet turned twelve, he realized that ‘Hell and Heaven’ were not actual places as they could not be located in a map, hence they were imaginary places.

Q. What contradiction did the poet find in the behaviour of the adults?

Ans. The poet realized that there was a huge difference in what the adults taught and what they practiced. Their words and deeds did not match. They were hypocritic in their behaviour as they taught others to practice love but did not act in a loving manner.

Q. Childhood is an essential stage in the process for growing up, but it can’t go on forever.

Ans . Childhood is the best phase in a person’s life. It is filled with love, fantasy, innocence and happiness. The child is sheltered by his parents from the harsh realities and complexities of life. However, every person must some day face the real world and come to terms with the ugly truths of life. The transition from childhood to adulthood is a gradual process and develops as the child experiences the real world and observes the adult behaviour. In the turbulent adolescent phase, he learns to distinguish between fact and fiction. He sees through the hypocrisy of the adults and develops his own thinking skills which gives him confidence and independence. Though one misses the childhood days, the rational thinking mind realizes that it is an inevitable change that every person must accept and move on in life.

Q. The poem childhood exposes man and presents him his true colours. All adjectives displaying negative qualities are not enough for such a man. This poem innocently goads him to his real self. Explain. Ans . While seeking the answer regarding the point of time when he lost his childhood, the poet exposes the true colours of a man. Though, children are taught about heaven and hell, the adults are themselves aware about the non-existence of such places in reality. They know that they are imaginary places that man has created to make people behave in a good manner for the greater good of the society. The adults also display a hypocritic behaviour when they preach that everyone should behave in a loving manner. However, in real life they display jealousy, selfishness and hatred. Thus, the poet in a subtle manner, holds the mirror of the society showing man his real self. In doing so the poet creates an awareness that man should stop being hypocritic and practice what he preaches. Only by doing so can he make the world a better place.

Ch -5 Mother’s Day

by J. B. Priestly

This satirical comedy, written in the 1950s, is a humorous and satirical depiction of the status of the mother in the family. It wittily portrays the reaction of the family members when the mother too demands the same kind of life that the other members of the family enjoy.

J. B. Priestly (1894-1984) John Boynton Priestly was an English playwright, novelist, screen writer and commentator.  He was injured as a soldier in the first world war and was a broadcaster in BBC during the second world war. He published 26 novels among which ‘The Good Companions’ and ‘The Inspector Calls’ received worldwide recognition.

Characters in the play

Mrs. Annie Pearson -mother of Doris and Cyril

Mr. George Pearson – Mrs. Pearson’s husband

Doris Pearson – daughter

Cyril Pearson -son

Mrs. Fitzgerald -neighbour

Place -This is a one act play and the scene is the living-room of the Pearsons’ house in a London suburb .

Time: The Present

The story in brief-

The play begins in an autumn afternoon with Mrs. Annie Pearson and Mrs. Fitzgerald sitting in Pearson’s living room, where Mrs. Fitzgerald is telling Mrs. Pearson’s fortune. She tells it could be good or bad depending on her actions. Mrs. Pearson is happy to have a real fortuneteller living next door, and asks her whether she learnt it in the East (Asian countries). Mrs. Fitzgerald tells her that her husband became a Lieutenant Quartermaster in the east where they stayed for twelve years and they learnt a lot. She advises Mrs. Annie Pearson to be stern and take things under control in her house instead of being a doormat. Annie being soft natured does not want to confront her family members. Mrs. Fitzgerald offers to handle the situation herself by switching bodies through a magic spell that she learnt in the East. She takes hold of Annie’s hand and chants some magic words after which their personalities change. Mrs. Fitzgerald who is actually Mrs. Pearson gives a scream when she sees her body. Mrs. Pearson who is actually Mrs. Fitzgerald’s personality tells her to go to her (Mrs. Fitzgerald’s) house while she deals with the Pearson family.

Right after her (Mrs. Fitzgerald’s, actually Mrs. Pearson’s) exit, Doris Pearson enters and order’s her mom to bring tea and iron her yellow silk which she would wear for her date with Charlie Spence. She expresses her shock to see her mother smoking and telling her to do her work by herself. She tells her mother that she was tired after a long day’s work.  Her mom tells her that she put in double the hours of unpaid work every day, and informs her that might go out for a meal at Clarendon’s. She says that Doris should find someone better than the buck teeth, half-witted Charlie Spence. Doris is shocked and leaves the room almost in tears. Just then Cyril Pearson enters and tells mom to get the tea ready and asks whether she had done the mending. He tells her to snap out of her change and do the work fast as he was in a hurry. Doris enters with a teary smudged face and her mom (actually Mrs. Fitzgerald) tells her she looked awful. Mrs. Pearson (actually Mrs. Fitzgerald) asks whether there was any stout beer left. She then shocks the children telling them that she would fetch a drink for herself.

As their mother (actually Mrs. Fitzgerald) leaves for the kitchen Doris and Charlie talk about her changed behaviour. Doris finds solace when she finds that her mom was not solely angry with her, she wonders if her mom suffered a head injury and starts giggling wondering what would happen when their father arrives. Cyril announces that he would stay to watch the drama from front seat.

When Mrs. Pearson (actually Mrs. Fitzgerald) arrives with a bottle of stout and a half-filled glass they couldn’t control their laugher in time. Mrs. Pearson (actually Mrs. Fitzgerald) tells them to act their age and share their joke with her. When Doris asks her what she had done; she tells them that they just come in and go out at their will (implying that they never bother to think about her). Cyril tells her he would get something to eat. She tells him to help himself and sips her stout, Cyril warns her it is thick and strong, and reminds her that he had worked all day. Doris tells her that she had worked for eight hours and Cyril too tells her to remember it.  Mrs. Pearson (actually Mrs. Fitzgerald) tells them that she too has finished her eight hours of work. When they tell her it isn’t the same, she tells them that from now onwards, it would be forty hours of work for everyone in the family and weekends would be off even for her. She tells Doris that she might make a bed or two and cook something if they are extremely polite, but they can’t expect to be served all the time and she might go off somewhere to spend her weekend. Doris is aghast and starts crying.

George Pearson (Mrs.  Pearson’s husband) a self-important character, enters and asks Doris why she was in tears. She tells him he would soon find out and runs away. George asks Mrs. Pearson (actually Mrs. Fitzgerald) what Doris meant by it, to which she says he should ask Doris and sips her stout. George asks her why on earth was she day drinking and he was surprised at her behaviour. Mrs. Pearson (actually Mrs. Fitzgerald) tells him it was a long time since he was surprised. George tells her that he would not want his tea as there was a special snooker match at the club. Mrs. Pearson (actually Mrs. Fitzgerald) tells him that there wasn’t any tea. George annoyingly tells her that he might have wanted to have some tea. Mrs. Pearson (actually Mrs. Fitzgerald) tells him he would be laughed at if he went to club bar and showed his displeasure for not pouring him a drink that he did not want. George tells her nobody laughs at him. Mrs. Pearson (actually Mrs. Fitzgerald) tells him that he was one of the standing jokes and was called Pompy-ompy Pearson. George is horrified and asks Cyril whether it was correct. Cyril says it was correct and George leaves the room in shock.

Cyril tells Mrs. Pearson (actually Mrs. Fitzgerald) that she had hurt George’s feelings. She tells Cyril that it is good to hear the truth at times and that George shouldn’t go to the club so often. She tells Cyril that he too was spending time and money unwisely on greyhound races and ice-tracks. At that moment there is a knocking and Cyril announces that the silly old bag from next door had come. Mrs. Fitzgerald (actually Mrs. Pearson) hesitatingly enters. She asks if everything was all right and Cyril says no. Mrs. Pearson (actually Mrs. Fitzgerald) scolds him and tells Mrs. Fitzgerald (actually Mrs. Pearson) to let her deal with her own family her own way.  Cyril tells Mrs. Fitzgerald to call him Mr. Cyril Pearson instead of Cyril and goes to the kitchen. When they are alone actual Mrs. Fitzgerald tells actual Mrs. Pearson that George had been told what the people at the club call him. At that moment Mr. Pearson enters gloomily and sits on the armchair. Seeing that Mrs. Fitzgerald (actually Mrs. Pearson ) was watching him anxiously he disapprovingly asks her whether she was on a short visit and Mrs. Fitzgerald (actually Mrs. Pearson) says yes and calls him George. George is shocked. Mrs. Pearson (actually Mrs. Fitzgerald) tells him there was no harm in calling him George as he was not the Duke of Edinburgh. 

George gets angry and asks what the matter was, as she had not prepared the tea made Doris cry and told him he was called Pompy-ompy Pearson. Mrs. Fitzgerald (actual Mrs. Pearson) tries to protests but tempers fly and George and Mrs. Pearson (actually Mrs. Fitzgerald) have a verbal duel. Doris comes in and Mrs. Fitzgerald (actually Mrs. Pearson) asks her if she was going out with Charlie Spence. Doris tells her that her mother had called him buck teethed and a half wit, so she has called it off. Mrs. Fitzgerald (actually Mrs. Pearson) tries to protest but is stopped. A war of words ensues between George and Mrs. Pearson (actually Mrs. Fitzgerald) and she threatens to slap him. Mrs. Fitzgerald (actual Mrs. Pearson) puts her foot down and says enough is enough. She tells George and Doris to leave and promises to put things right.

When they leave Mrs. Fitzgerald (actual Mrs. Pearson) moves to a small table and beckons Mrs. Pearson (actually Mrs. Fitzgerald) to sit on the other side. She tells Mrs. Pearson (actually Mrs. Fitzgerald) that she can’t stand it any longer and they must change into their selves. Actual Mrs. Fitzgerald mutters’ Arshtatta dum—arshtatta lam—arshtatta lamdumbona…’ and they become their original selves.

Mrs. Fitzgerald tells Mrs. Pearson not to become soft again. She warns Mrs. Pearson not to apologies or explain things otherwise all the efforts will go waste. She advises her to be firm now and then with the family, and tells her to ask her family to do what she wants and they would do it. She then tells the family to come to the living room. Mrs. Pearson tells Doris that as she was not going out, she and Cyril could prepare the supper while she had a talk with their father. George agrees so does Cyril, Doris tries to say something but is spoken sharply by Mrs. Pearson after which she agrees happily. She bids goodbye to Mrs. Fitzgerald who wishes her goodnight and tells her to have a good time. The family gathers around the mother and the curtain falls.

The theme of the story is the frustrating life of a woman as an unappreciated wife and mother. The author has effectively brought forward the actual status of a housewife and a mother in the society. The family takes the mother’s sacrifices and efforts for granted, and treats her like a doormat. Her efforts to provide the family with a secure and comfortable home is invisible to the family, who remind her of the work that they do at their workplace.

The story creates awareness among the readers about the manner in which mothers are taken for granted in families. It gives the message that mothers need to be appreciated, loved and respected for their priceless efforts. Mothers form the backbone of the society. The work of mothers and wives need to be acknowledged, and each family member must do their part of household work to make life better for the mother.

Question Answers:

(i) What are the issues it raises?

Ans . The play raises several issues regarding the status of mothers in the society:

Firstly, mothers are taken for granted by the family members despite the fact that they play the prime role in the development of their children’s future.

Secondly, the backbreaking work that a mother puts in to provide a secure and comfortable life for her children goes unacknowledged in the materialistic society, as it does not provide any financial returns.

Thirdly, mothers and wives are taken for granted and are expected to be at service round the clock without any help, display of gratitude or compensation for her sacrifices.

(ii) Do you think it caricatures these issues or do you think that the problems it raises are genuine? How does the play resolve the issues? Do you agree with the resolution?

Ans. I believe that the problems are genuine. The love and sacrifice of the mother is not only taken for granted but it is expected that the mother will do it silently without expecting anything in return.

The play raises awareness about the ignominy and neglect that housewives are forced to endure. The playwright deals with the serious issue in a humorous manner. He makes use of Eastern magic to switch personalities of Mrs. Pearson and Mrs. Fitzgerald to resolve the issue of confrontation with family members. Mrs. Pearson’s affection prevented her from being strict with her family members. Mrs. Fitzgerald’s stern handling of the family as Mrs. Pearson dispelled their mis-beliefs about their own social standing. They also realized the value of the work that the mother put in to make their lives comfortable.

Yes, the resolution is effective to some extent as the family members become aware of the callous attitude with which they treated Mrs. Pearson and try to rectify their ways to some extent. The readers too become aware about the plight of mothers in general and will hopefully try to improve their interactions with their wives and mothers in their lives.

2. If you were to write about these issues today what are some of the incidents, examples and problems that you would think of as relevant?

Ans. The burning issues today are – gender disparity, monopoly in the market, corruption, and advent of AI leading to largescale unemployment among the youth.

Highly skilled youth are unemployed or under-employed as bulk of the work is done by AI in the recent times. For example, there is severe under-employment among computer engineers who are working for more than twelve hours and receiving minimal wages which is going down every year.

3. Is drama a good medium for conveying a social message? Discuss.

Ans. Drama is the best way to create social awareness regarding burning issues. As people hear the dialogues and see the characters display their feelings, they can associate the problems with those that they face in real life. As they feel connected with the issues, they get the message and become proactive in trying to rectify the problems. For example, the young children who take their mother’s love for granted, and think of their well-meaning advice as interference, will begin to appreciate their mother’s contribution in their character development.

Q. ‘Then let me do it.’ Who says this to whom and why?

Ans. Mrs. Fitzgerald says these words to Mrs. Annie Pearson her neighbour.

She says so because Mrs. Pearson wanted to know about her future as she was taken for granted in her family and neglected by her family members. Mrs. Pearson being soft natured was not able to assert her importance in the family, therefore; Mrs. Fitzgerald offered to help her out by transforming their bodies through magic and dealing with the family in a stern manner.

Q. What shocking changes did Cyril and Doris observe in their mother? What did they think was the reason behind this sudden change?

Ans. The children were shocked to see that there was a drastic change in their mother’s behaviour. She had not prepared tea, nor had she ironed the clothes, she was smoking and even started to drink stout during daytime. She retorted in a sharp manner to their demands and told them that she worked twenty-four hours throughout the year without receiving the least gratitude for it.

The sudden change in Mrs. Pearson’s behaviour being unusual for her character shocked the children. They thought that she must have knocked her head somewhere and suffered a concussion which affected her brain.

Q. What was Mrs. Pearson’s reaction when the children reminded her of their eight-hour work schedule. How did she plan to spend her future?

Ans . In response Mrs. Pearson reminded them that she was available for service twenty-four hours throughout the year. In the future she would work for only eight hours and take the weekends off. She might do some basic work if asked in a polite manner.

Q. Compare and contrast the personalities of Mrs. Fitzgerald and Mrs. Pearson.

Ans. The personalities of the two women are poles apart. While Mrs. Fitzgerald is assertive, confident, dominating, intelligent, well-travelled with knowledge about magic, Mrs.  Pearson is submissive, soft spoken and affectionate towards her family. She is treated like a doormat by her family members but is unable to express her feelings or protest, as she does not want to hurt her family members.

 Mrs. Fitzgerald being a helpful neighbour, takes the onus on herself to discipline the family members of the Pearson household so that they treat Mrs. Pearson in a better manner. Through magic they interchange their bodies and Mrs. Fitzgerald enters Mrs. Pearson’s body and vice-versa. Mrs. Fitzgerald as Mrs. Pearson deals with the family members in a stern manner and shows them their place in the household. She tells them she too would be working forty hours a week and taking weekends off. Mrs. Fitzgerald also helps Mr. Pearson realize that he is ridiculed behind his back at the club and should spend more time with his family who truly love him.

Being overly concerned Mrs. Pearson in Mrs. Fitzgerald’s body comes to see how things are going and is appalled by the condition of her family members after the strict handling by actual Mrs. Fitzgerald. She demands that they exchange their bodies so that she could take care of the family. Mrs. Fitzgerald hesitatingly agrees and tells her not to apologies or explain anything otherwise she would again be ill-treated by her family members.

Q. Do you think Mrs. Pearson was responsible to some extent for the behaviour the that family members meted out to her?

Ans. Yes, I do believe that Mrs. Pearson’s extremely soft natured approach towards her family members was responsible to some extent for their ungrateful behaviour. Had she not tolerated their demands and asserted her position in the family, they would not have treated her like dirt expecting her to be at their service round the clock without receiving even the slightest gratitude in return. However, social conventions are responsible to a large extent for Mrs. Pearson’s submissive nature. The society expects a mother to be giving all the time without any compensation. The playwright has tried to bring up this very issue through this play so that people become aware about the plight of mother’s and treat them with the affection that they deserve.

Q. How were Mrs. Pearson’s family members ungrateful to her?

Ans . Doris, Cyril and Mr. George Pearson are all self-centered in their attitude and actions. Doris comes in and demands tea and asks her mother to iron her yellow dress. Cyril too is amazed that she had not prepared tea and kept his dress ready. George tells her that does not want any tea, but is angry that she had not prepared it in case he wanted it. Cyril and Doris remind her that they have to work for eight hours. They take her service for granted and treat her like dirt. They don’t value her feelings but are easily hurt when they have to confront the truth about their own selves. Mrs. Fitzgerald’s harsh treatment in the garb of Mrs. Pearson makes them value her efforts and they are happy to help out with the household tasks at the end of the play.

Q. ‘Mother’s Day’ is a satire laced with humour. Discuss.

Ans. The playwright has beautifully blended satire with humour to take on the issue of gender roles and   social-norms which adversely affect the position of a mother in the family. The ladies switch their bodies so that Mrs. Fitzgerald can deal with the family members in her own stern manner. Her contrasting behaviour results in confusion and hilarious interactions. The satirical play deals with the serious issue in a humorous way which makes it both enjoyable and effective in generating awareness among the people.

Like a dandelion seed

My dream drifted

Ever so lightly.

It hovered over 

The fondescence

Ere landing subtly 

On its delicate pappus.

On the enriched earth 

It blossomed into 

The blessed creation

It was designed to be.

To yeild fresh dreams 

That makes the world 

A heavenly place to live.

Clay Pigeons

Educated youth staring at an uncertain future

So much knowledge, so little opportunities.

So much frustration, so little compassion.

The world is hurling towards a bleak tomorrow.

It needs to slow down and think,

Think about the consequences of today’s actions.

We owe an explanation to our children

Why we shattered their future

With our mindless acts.

Robbing them of their right

To clean air and surroundings

To bearable temperatures, food and water

To the basic things, one needs to survive.

Ch – 4, The Voice of the Rain – Class 11 Hornbill: Summary, Explanation, Literary Devices, Answers

The Voice of the Rain

                                                                                               Walt Whitman

And who art thou? said I to the soft-falling shower,

Which, strange to tell, gave me an answer, as here translated:

I am the Poem of Earth, said the voice of the rain,

Eternal I rise impalpable out of the land and the bottomless sea,

Upward to heaven, whence, vaguely form’d, altogether changed, and yet the same,

I descend to lave the droughts, atomies, dust-layers of the globe,

And all that in them without me were seeds only, latent, unborn;

And forever, by day and night, I give back life to my own origin,

And make pure and beautify it;

(For song, issuing from its birth-place, after fulfilment, wandering

Reck’d or unreck’d, duly with love returns.)

About the Poet

Walt Whitman (1819-1892) was a renowned American poet who revolutionized modern poetry. He is often referred to as the father of free verse. He used transcendentalism and realism in his poetry. His most famous book is ‘ Leaves of Grass’ . The poem ‘ O Captain! My Captain’ is one of his popular poems. His most famous quote is – ‘ Keep your face always towards the sunshine, and the shadows will fall behind you .’

The poem celebrates the role of the rain in replenishing and nourishing the earth. The poet translates the conversation that he had with the rain and compares it with a song.

The poet questioned the soft rain about its identity. The rain unexpectedly replied that it was the poem of the earth. It took its birth from the land and deep sea. It rose in vapours to form clouds in the heavenly sky before returning back on earth as rain. When it falls as rain on earth, it washes away all the dryness, dirt and dust. The dormant seeds come to life and life blooms on earth making the earth come alive. Thus, the rain gives back life to the place of its origin making it pure and beautiful. The poet ends by comparing the rain with a song. Just like the rain, the song too originates from the soul of the writer, reaches its audience, and comes back to the writer after being appreciated and loved by the listeners. The results of writing the song comes back to the writer’s heart enriching his life.

Line by line explanation

The poet asks the rain drizzling softly who it is? He says that it is unusual for the rain to answer and then translates its response for his readers. The voice of the rain tells him that it is the poem of the Earth. It rises ceaselessly from the land and the deep, deep sea.

The rain says that it changes its form and turns into vapour while retaining its content. It then rises as vapour to the heavenly sky; whereafter, it falls as rain to wash the parched land of drought. The poet describes the formation of clouds and the subsequent precipitation. It washes the fine dirt and dust across the globe. As it rains day and night, the seeds which had been henceforth lying dormant, waiting for the rain, bloom into plants replenishing the dry earth. The rain gives back life to the soil from where it rose. It cleans the polluting dust, and helps it become clean and green again. Thus, it makes the earth pure and beautiful.

In the last two lines (these lines are the poet’s own observations, so they are put inside brackets), the poet compares a song with the rain. He says just like the rain rises from the land and sea and comes back to it in order to rejuvenate it, similarly a song, poem or music, also leaves the human heart and goes to the audience. After it fulfils its purpose of satisfying the hearts of the listener, heeded or unheeded, it returns to the composer with all the love and appreciation that it received and rejuvenates the creator.

Word Meanings

Art thou – are you

Eternal – timeless, that which goes on forever

impalpable : something that cannot be touched

whence – where

vaguely – not clearly

lave : wash; bathe

atomies : tiny particles

latent : hidden

reck’d or unreck’d – reckoned or unreckoned, heeded or unheeded

Metaphor  – ( indirect comparison between two objects or ideas to denote similarity. )

I am the poem of the earth – the rain is compared indirectly to a poem. It is like a song or poem that gives back to its origin.

Personification – (giving human characteristics to non-human objects)

Said the voice of the rain – the rain is speaking like a human

Hyperbole – exaggerated statement

Bottomless sea – refers to the deep sea which has its bottom deep below

Text questions

1. There are two voices in the poem. Who do they belong to? Which lines indicate this?

Ans. The two voices belong to the poet and the rain. The poet speaks in the first two, and the last two lines (1-2; 9-10), while the voice in lines three to eight belong to the rain (3-8).

2. What does the phrase “strange to tell” mean?

Ans. The poet says that it is an unusual thing to say that the rain spoke, as the rain is not expected to speak. However, the poet understood the voice of the rain and translated it to English for the benefit of his readers.

3. There is a parallel drawn between rain and music. Which words indicate this? Explain the similarity between the two.

Ans . The last four lines makes a comparison between the rain and music –

 ‘And forever, … I give back life to my own origin, …

(For song, issuing from its birth-place, after fulfilment, duly with love returns.)

Just as the rain rises from the land and sea, and comes back to it to give life back to earth; similarly, the song rises from the heart of the writer and comes back to the writer’s heart after fulfilling its purpose of giving pleasure to the listeners. Just as the earth feels rejuvenated after rainfall, the writer too feels rejuvenated after the shower of appreciation that his song receives.

4. How is the cyclic movement of rain brought out in the poem? Compare it with what you have learnt in science.

Ans. The voice of the rain says that it rises from the land and the sea, and moves towards heaven. It changes itself only in form while remaining the same in content. Thereafter, it descends to wash away the droughts and clean the dust formed in its absence. The rain thus speaks about the water cycle in the earth’s atmosphere. There is evaporation of water in land and seas, followed by condensation in the sky by which clouds are formed. After condensation, precipitation takes place which results in rain or snow.

5. Why are the last two lines put within brackets?

Ans. The last two lines are not a part of the conversation between the poet and the rain. These lines reflect the poet’s own thoughts. They are put in brackets as these are the poet’s own words through which he compares the rain with a song. They both give back to their place of origin and replenish it. While the rain gives back to the land, the song gives back to the heart of the poet. They help in blooming the dormant seeds, and fresh songs which are yet unborn.

6. List the pairs of opposites found in the poem.

Ans. The pair of opposites are

• Altogether changed and yet the same ,
• Rise -descend
• Day and night
• Reck’d or unreck’d

II. Notice the following sentence patterns, and rewrite the above sentences in prose.

1.And who art thou? said I to the soft-falling shower.

I asked the soft-falling shower, ‘Who are you?’

2. I am the Poem of Earth, said the voice of the rain.

The voice of the rain replied, ‘I am the poem of the Earth.’

3. Eternal I rise

The rain said, ‘I rise eternally.’

4. For song… duly with love returns

The song returns back duly with love.

Q. ‘I am the poem of Earth’, Explain.

Ans. Rain rises from the land and water bodies in form of water vapour. After completing the process of condensation in the clouds, it precipitates to purify and beautify the earth. It helps the seeds to grow into plants. In this manner the rain gives life back to its own origin. It fulfils its purpose irrespective of what others reactions.

Similarly, a song which comes out of the human heart fulfils its purpose once it is heard. Irrespective of whether it is heeded or unheeded by the listeners, the song gives pleasure and satisfaction to the same heart which created it. Thus, we find that the rain and the song act in identical manner.

Q. For song…duly with love returns. Elucidate.

Ans. The poet says that the song which originates from the human heart goes to its listeners to fulfil its purpose. In due time, it returns back to the human heart with the love and appreciation that it receives from the listeners.

©Copyright, Englishtutorialedu.com, All rights reserved

Windy Wishes

Take me with you, O whispering wind, Make me your bosom friend. Take me to the happy hills, Over the endless winding rills.

I yearn to see the emerald seas, Sweep through lush green fields and trees; Watch the tiny world from high, Glide through downy clouds in sky.

Flow through air sans any care, Winging through the hemispheres; Losing track of the way, Finding myself everyday.

O zephyr! Come and take my hand, And take me to that magic land; In magical stallions we shall ride, To a place where peace and love abides.

©Copyright, Sumita Tah, All rights reserved

Ch – 3 The Laburnum Top

The Laburnum top is silent, quite still

In the afternoon yellow September sunlight,

A few leaves yellowing, all its seeds fallen.

Till the goldfinch comes, with a twitching chirrup

A suddenness, a startlement, at a branch end.

Then sleek as a lizard, and alert, and abrupt,

She enters the thickness, and a machine starts up

Of chitterings, and a tremor of wings, and trillings —

The whole tree trembles and thrills.

It is the engine of her family.

She stokes it full, then flirts out to a branch-end

Showing her barred face identity mask

Then with eerie delicate whistle-chirrup whisperings

She launches away, towards the infinite

And the laburnum subsides to empty.

About the Author:

Edward James Huges [(1930-98) ‘Ted’ is shortened form of Edward] is known as one of the best poets of the twentieth century. He was a poet, translator and a writer of children’s stories. He spent his childhood in rural areas of Yorkshire district in England. After serving in the Royal Navy for two years, he enrolled himself in Pembroke college at Cambridge. He married the famous poetess Sylvia Plath in 1956. Their daughter Frieda was born in 1959, and their son Nicholas was born in 1962. In 1962 he left Plath for a woman named Assia Gutman Wevill. Plath committed suicide in 1963 at the age of thirty. Huges did not write for a couple of years and published Plath’s poems. In 1965 Wevill gave birth to their daughter Shura and killed herself and her daughter in 1969. Huges married Carol Orchard in 1970 with whom he stayed until death. Huges was appointed the Poet Laureate of England in 1984. He died of cancer at the age of 68.

The poem is a video captured in words. Through vivid imagery the poet first describes the laburnum top which is silent without any activity in a quiet September afternoon. Yellow sunlight falls on the yellow leaves of the tree in autumn. The seeds have already been shed.

The quietude is broken by a goldfinch which flies towards the tree with a twitching chirrup. The arrival of the goldfinch breaks the silence around the tree. The bird arrives all of a sudden at the end of the tree branch and then in a smooth, quick, jolting movement of a lizard, she enters the thick foliage of the tree. Her entry results in several movements inside the tree. Her young ones in the nest starts cheeping with excitement. Their wings flutter and shiver with thrill. It seems as if a machine inside the tree has started with the excited chirruping and fluttering of wings. The tree too seems to be trembling with thrill as it is the engine of the family. The goldfinch incites the thrill and excitement inside the tree to its full, before flirting to a branch end. She shows her face among the leaves which has a black patch like a mask that hides her identity. She then leaves the tree with a whistle like chirrup, and flies away to the unknown. Silence once again engulfs the Laburnum tree.

The main theme of the poem is the interdependence in nature. It shows the reciprocal relationship between the Laburnum tree and the goldfinch. The tree is thrilled and feels alive when the young ones express their joy at the arrival of their mother. The poet portrays the symbiotic relationship between the Laburnum tree and the goldfinch and the transient nature of life.

The poem gives a beautiful message of developing reciprocal relationships to its readers. The thrill that the Laburnum tree feels at the joyous union of the  goldfinch’s family, tells us that joy is in giving and insharing of pleasant experiences. The poem also reflects upon the interdependence of living beings in nature. The poem encourages the readers to share, help and live together in harmony.

Stanza wise Analysis

In the first three lines the poet describes the Laburnum tree. It looks even more yellow with the yellow sunshine falling on its yellow leaves. The season is Autumn and the tree has already shed its seeds and is in the process of shedding its leaves which have turned yellow. The poet focuses on the Top of the tree which is silent due to inactivity and lack of breeze. Silence reflects pessimism, while the colour yellow stands for excitement and hope. These lines reflect the effects of autumn on the Laburnum tree.

The long second stanza describes the activity that starts with the arrival of the yellow Goldfinch which comes with a twitching chirrup that awakens the soul of the tree. With her arrival the pessimistic silence ends and the creatures inside the tree come alive. She sits at the edge of a branch before entering suddenly inside the dense leaves and flowers of the tree with the agility of a lizard. She has her young ones safely nestled inside the tree and wants to keep their presence a secret.

As she enters the tree it seems as if the machine inside the tree had started with her young ones chittering excitedly at the sight of their mother with food. They are thrilled at her sight and flutter their wings and chirp gaily. The excitement of the bird family makes the entire tree which acts like an engine shake with pleasure. The dormant tree feels rejuvenated. After fueling the engine to its optimum level. The birds quickly move to the end of the branch and reveals her yellow face with a black patch which resembles a mask.

The third stanza describes the departure of the mother Goldfinch which is as sudden as its arrival. She gives a strange sharp but sweet-sounding whistle like chirrup before flying away high in the sky.

And the laburnum subsides to empty

The fourth stanza tells us that silence returns to the laburnum tree once more as the bird flies into the infinite sky. It seems that the lifeless body of the tree remains after the soul has departed.

laburnum : a short tree with hanging branches, yellow flowers and poisonous seeds

goldfinch : a small singing bird with yellow feathers on its wings

twitch – slight movement of a body part

chirrup – chirping sound made by birds

startlement – amazement

sleek – smooth

abrupt – sudden and unexpected

chittering – noise made by birds

tremor – shaking movement, shiver

trillings – repeated chirpings

stokes – incites, adds fuel to something

flirts – moves briskly

Eerie – strange

Infinite – endless, (here) sky

Launches – starts (here) flies away

Subsides – goes down, returns back to silence

Personification  – ( human characteristics given to inanimate objects )

The Laburnum top is silent – the top of the tree is personified. It is silent like a person.

Alliteration – (Repetition of the consonant sound )

silent, quite still

whistle-chirrup whisperings

tree trembles and thrills

Simile – (Comparing things using ‘like’ or ‘as’)

Then sleek as a lizard, – the bird’s movement is compared to that of a lizard using ‘as.

Assonance – (repetition of vowel sound)

and alert, and abrupt – ‘a’ sound is repeated

Metaphor  – (indirect comparison between two objects or ideas to denote similarity. )

It is the engine of her family. – the tree is compared to an engine

a machine starts up – the noise of birds and movements are compared to that of an engine

Transferred epithet-  ( When an adjective is used to describe a noun but it actually refers to another noun)

barred face identity mask – the face is not barred but the shadows of flowers and leaves appear like bars

the laburnum subsides – the noise subsided into silence not the tree.

Onomatopoeia  – (words formed from the sound it represents used for literary effect)

Chitterings, trillings

Oxymoron – (opposite or contradictory words placed together for sake of emphasis)

eerie delicate – eerie (strange and frightening) delicate (soft and exquisite)

Text questions.

1.What laburnum is called in your language.

Ans. The Indian variety of Laburnum is called is called Amaltas.

2. Which local bird is like the goldfinch.

Ans . The Indian Golden Oriole looks like a goldfinch.

Indian Golden Oriole

1.What do you notice about the beginning and the ending of the poem?

Ans. The poem begins and ends in silence. Therefore, there is a similarity in the beginning and ending of the poem.

2. To what is the bird’s movement compared? What is the basis for the comparison?

Ans. The bird’s movement is compared to that of a lizard. It is sleek, abrupt and alert. Just like a lizard it waits for some time before making a quick movement.

3. Why is the image of the engine evoked by the poet?

Ans. The image of an engine is used by the poet because the mother goldfinch id like the source of energy or fuel which starts up the engine inside the tree. She stokes it to its optimum level before leaving the tree after which it returns back to silence. She is the fuel which starts the engine, without her the machine of her family cannot run.

4. What do you like most about the poem?

Ans. The thing I like best about the poem is the manner in which the poet perfectly captures the goldfinch’s sudden arrival and departure in the Laburnum tree and the activities in the nest during her stay in there. It is a video captured through imagery. The poet has succeeded in capturing the activity with dexterity in a very brief manner.

5. What does the phrase “her barred face identity mask” mean?

Ans. The phrase her ‘barred face identity mask’ means that the face, which is revealed through the leaves and flowers of the trees, appears to be barred due to the bar like shadows of leaves and flowers falling on her face. The goldfinch has a black mask like patch on her face which is her identity. The face with bar like shadows and the identifying mask like patch is revealed amongst the yellow leaves.

1.the sound words –

Ans . Twitching, chirrup, chitterings, trillings, whispering

2. the movement words –

 Ans . – comes, enters, starts up, flirts out, launches away, tremble, subside

3. the dominant colour in the poem.

Ans . Yellow. The Laburnum tree, the sunshine and the goldfinch are all yellow in colour.

List the following

• Words which describe ‘sleek’, ‘alert’ and ‘abrupt’.

Ans. Lizard

• Words with the sound ‘ch’ as in ‘chart’ and ‘tr’ as in ‘trembles’ in the poem.

Ans . Chitterings, chirrups, goldfinch, branch, twitching, trillings, tremors

•  Other sounds that occur frequently in the poem.

Ans. Laburnum, yellow

 Question on imagery

Q. Write a note on the use of imagery in the poem ‘The Laburnum Top’.

Ans. The poet uses vivid visual and evocative auditory imagery to describe the goldfinch, laburnum tree and the activities inside it. The poet describes the yellow Laburnum tree standing still in silence in an autumn September afternoon. The readers can visualize the yellow sunlight falling on the yellowing leaves. The sudden arrival of the goldfinch with a twitching chirrup. The use of this auditory imagery enables the reader to hear her chirrup break the silence. The sudden abrupt movement of the bird is captured through sensory imagery by using words like suddenness, startlement and comparison of her sleek movements with that of a lizard. The machine starting up, the chittering, the tremor of wings, trembling of tree, flirting out of the bird, her masked face, the eerie delicate whistle-chirrup whisperings and the laburnum subsiding into silence reflect dexterous use of imagery by the poet.

Abhaya – The Fearless

Oh! Women of the world, Wake up to your own plight. Awaken you inner might. If you don’t fight for yourself, Who will put up the fight? The fight for your right.

You are the most powerful. You are the creator, Of the civilised world You are the mightiest. Let your powers unfold.

Enough is enough! The endless atrocities, Against women each day, Has risen to its zenith. Do we need more crimes to happen? If we don’t act now, then when?

Stand up for your intellect, That helped you carve , A world that is fit to live; Endless sacrifices you did make. You cannot afford to be silent When your safety is at stake.

Arise! Awake! Take bold steps, To ensure your own safety. Teach your sons from infancy, To respect women irrespective Of cast, creed or religion. And your daughters self-esteem.

Nothing in the world Can be more important, Than respect for women. Nothing, nothing at all. We demand respect, Unconditionally without a clause.

For millions of years, We have nurtured man With as much love as we can, And all we received was Conditional tolerance – In return.

Now, we shall mould the hearts, Of the children that we breed. Teach them that a woman If not finer better or greater – They most definitely are As good as any man.

No more shall we leave it To society or to religion, To mould the minds Of our children against us, Making the world Inhabitable for women.

Oh! wise women, it’s time to rise And correct the endless wrongs; To cure the ailing world. Which craves your healing touch. And it’s easy, all you need to do Is mould correctly, the minds of children.

Women are not bodies But hearts, souls, brains And  it’s the heart, that is main It is there, that we feel the pain. The heart of humans, are the same. Lack of values are to be blamed.

Focus on equality and on respect, Sensitize children to be humane. For the souls of man and woman, Are exactly the same. Those that are women in this life, Will be reborn again, as men.

©Copyright 2024, Sumita Tah,All rights reserved.

Ch – 3 Discovering Tut: the Saga Continues

A. R. Williams

A. R. Williams – Anne R Williams (b-1968) is a writer and archaeologist who specializes in ancient history. She often reported about research on ancient Egypt, including the 2005 CT scan of Tutankhamun, during her 30-year career with National Geographic magazine. Her authored several books including – Treasures of Egypt (P-2022). She has a masters degree in West Asian Archaeology and a minor in Egyptology from the University of Toronto.

Tutankhamun was the last heir of the powerful 18 th Dynasty of the pharaohs of Egypt which ruled for 250 years. He became the king at the age of 9 three years after the death of his father Akhenaten the worshipper of God Aten. The three years in between was ruled by his elder brother Semenkhkare , after which his stepmother Nefertiti possibly ruled for a year under the name Neferneferuaten . Tut changed his name from Tutankhaten to Tutankhamun probably after the death of his step mother Nefertiti three years after he became the king. Tutankamun was married to his step sister Ankhesenamun and had two stillborn daughters whose mummified remains were found in his tomb. Tutankhamun died at the age of nineteen due to unknown reasons (it could have been due to a fall from his chariot which led to a broken and infected leg) and was buried in a tomb that was meant for a non-royal person after his premature death. The sepulcher or his intended grave was probably taken up by Ay , an old senior royal official (possibly Nefertiti’s father) who ruled for three years after Tut’s death. Horemheb , Tut’s former general, usurped the throne after Ay and removed Tut’s name from the King’s list along with his father, brother and the name of Ay.

The extract taken from National Geographic Vol 207. No. 6 gives us an insight about the discovery of the tomb of Tutankhamun which opened the doors to the culture and life of the Pharaohs of Egypt. Tutankhamun inherited as a child and was a teenager when he died. He was buried in a tomb filled with gold and other things and was forgotten till his tomb was discovered by Howard Carter in 1922 . People have wondered about the cause of Tut’s death. Murder could have been a possibility. For correct forensic reconstruction through CT scan, the body was taken out of the tomb in the valley of the Kings after 80 years. The sky was cast with heavy clouds when the mummy of Tut was put into the CT scanner at 6pm on 5 th Jan,2005 to unfold the mystery of his death. Tut had died more than 3300 years ago.

The tomb received it usual flow of tourists through the afternoon who looked in amazement at the murals on the burial chamber and the gilded face on the mummy shaped outer coffin. They whispered about the pharaohs curse that said that misfortune would befall on those who disturb the tomb.

Zabi Hawass , the Secretary General of Egypt’s Supreme Council of Antiquities, remarked that the mummy was in a terrible condition because of its mishandling by Howard Carter.

Howard Carter the British archaeologist had found the Tomb after years of search. Though it had been ransacked in the past immediately after the burial, the tomb was surprisingly intact as its opening had been covered by debris of a flood and subsequent constructions around it. It had the richest collections of funerary treasures which were meant for his afterlife. Apart from a large treasure of gold artefacts there were everyday things like board games, a bronze razor, linen undergarments, food and wine.

Carter spent months to record all the findings after which he opened the boxes in which there were three coffins one within the other. The first coffin had a shroud covered with willow and olive leaves, celery, lotus petals and cornflowers which proved that the burial was done in March or April. The problem began when the mummy was opened. The mummy which was in the third coffin made of solid gold had been cemented to the coffin by the ritual resins. Carter left the mummy in the sun which heated it to 149 degrees but the resins remained intact. Finally, he chiseled the mummy under the limbs and trunk causing immense damage. He said he was forced to do so as thieves would have ruined the mummy in order to steal the gold. The mummy was adorned with precious collars, inlaid necklaces, bracelets, rings amulets, a ceremonial apron, sandals sheaths for fingers and toes. All these and the coffin and mask were made of pure gold. Carter removed the head and cut every major joint to remove these ornaments. Then they reassembled the mummy on a layer of sand in a wooden box. With padding to hide the damage. Tut now rests on this bed.

In the modern times archaeology focusses more on the finding the details of life in the past and the mysteries related to deaths. In 1968, forty years after discovering Tut, an anatomy professor x-rayed the mummy and found Tut’s breast-bone and front ribs missing. Now, the advanced technology like computed tomography scan (CT scan) can reveal can reveal the age of the deceased and cause of death.

King Tut’s death was a royal event as he was the last king of his dynasty. Amenhotep III was Tut’s father or Grandfather. Amenhotep III ruled for four decades which was the golden period of the dynasty. He was succeeded by Amenhotep IV was a worshipper of Aten, the sun disk and changed his name to Akhenaten (servant of Aten) and shifted his capital to Amarna from Thebes . He attacked temples of popular God Amun and destroyed his temples. He went a little crazy before his death.

Akhenaten was succeeded by Smenkhkare and then by young ruler Tutankhaten (eight or nine-year old). Tut soon changed his name to Tutankhamun (Living image of Amun ) and ruled for about nine years before his sudden death. Tut is but one of the 600 mummies found in the valley. Tut was one of the first mummies to be scanned by the portable CT machine donated by the National Geographic Society and Siemens.  The CT machine created 1700 digital x-ray images in cross section to create 3D images. Tut’s head was scanned in 0.62-millimeter slices to register its intricate details. The specialists in anatomy, radiology and forensics began to find the secrets regarding Tut.

Workmen carried the mummy of Tut along with the box out into the night for scanning. They were lifted to the trailer with the scanner in a hydraulic lift. The million-dollar scanner stopped functioning because of sand in the cooler fans. The scan was completed using spare fans to cool the scanner. After three hours the mummy was taken back to the tomb where it presently rests.

The scanned images showed the inside images of the neck, ribcage, hand and transection of the skull. Zahi Hawas heaved a sigh of relief as things had gone smoothly and prepared to go to sleep.

Word meanings

Heir – one who inherits

Speculated – guessed

Forensic reconstruction – to rebuild and understand how a death was caused through studies

Pharaoh – Emperors of Egypt

Eerie – unnatural and frightening

Cemetery – a burial ground

Dark bellied – (here) moisture laden clouds

Veiling – covering

Casket – a small box used for storing valuables

Glided – moved smoothly

Gilded – coated with thin sheets of gold

Probe – investigation

Murals – decorations created on walls

Pondering – thinking deeply

Futile – pointless

Ransacked – stolen after disturbing and damaging things in haste

Antiquity – (here) in ancient times

Resurrection – coming back to life after death

Funerary treasures – valuables buried during funeral

Three nested coffins – coffins put inside the other in decreasing size

Shroud – cloth used to cover the dead

Mummy – dead body preserved after treating with natron and resin.

Resins – viscous substance obtained from sap of trees

Circumvented – overpowered or found methods to evade the guards

Amulet – small piece of jewelry for protection against evil

Sheaths – sheet of close-fitting metal covering

Iconic – a thing that is now considered as a representation of something

Concealed – hid

Computed tomography – (CT scan) A type of intense scanning done to create 3D images through multiple X-Rays

Demise – death

Wacky – crazy

Eerie detail – frightening facts

Forensics – scientific tests to find out reason for death

Anatomy – scientific study of human body

Pallbearers – people who carry the coffin

Understanding the text

1. Give reasons for the following.

(i) King Tut’s body has been subjected to repeated scrutiny.

Ans. The mummy of Tutankhamun was found along with huge treasures which made the discovery famous across the world. As he had an unnatural death at a young age, his body was subjected to repeated scrutiny to find out his age and the cause of his death.

(ii) Howard Carter’s investigation was resented.

Ans . Howard Carter used unscientific and illegal methods to remove the jewelry from Tut’s mummy causing great damage. He was focused more on the gold, than the historical and cultural information that the tomb preserved for thousands of years.

(iii) Carter had to chisel away the solidified resins to raise the king’s remains.

Ans.   When Carter found Tut’s mummy, it was cemented to the inner coffin made of pure gold. Neither force nor the blazing sun could loosen the resin. Therefore, Carter chiseled away the solidified resins to separated the mummy from the gold coffin.

(iv) Tut’s body was buried along with gilded treasures.

Ans. The rich Pharaohs of Egypt believed in life after death. They believed that the eternal brilliance of gold would guarantee resurrection and therefore they buried Tut’s body with gilded treasures and things of everyday use.

(v) The boy king changed his name from Tutankhaten to Tutankhamun.

Ans. Tut’s father Amenhotep IV was a worshipper of Aten , the sun disk, and changed his name to Akhenaten (s ervant of Aten ). He attacked temples of popular God Amun and destroyed his images. After becoming the king, Tutankhaten changed his name to Tutankhamun which meant – ‘ living image of Amun . Tutankhamun wanted to restore the old ways and changed his name to express his faith in Amun .

2. (i) List the deeds that led Ray Johnson to describe Akhenaten as “wacky”.

Ans. Amenhotep IV changed his name to Akhenaten which means ‘servant of Aten’. He shifted his capital from Thebes to Amarna and attacked temples of popular God Amun and destroyed his images. These weird steps taken by Akhenaten made Ray Johnson describe him as ‘wacky’.

(ii) What were the results of the CT scan?

Ans . The CT scan created 1700 digital X-Rays in cross-section. They showed a grey head, a clear image of the vertebrae, ribcage, hand and skull. The images were encouraging as they were bright and clear like the images in an anatomy class.

(iii) List the advances in technology that have improved forensic analysis.

Ans. Advanced technology that has radically improved Forensic analysis include X-Ray, CT scan, Ultra sound, autopsy and biopsy among others.

(iv) Explain the statement, “King Tut is one of the first mummies to be scanned — in death, as in life…”

Ans . Just as Tut was the first among others when he led a royal life, so in death he was first among others when it came to scanning mummies. His mummy was among the first to have an X-Ray and a CT scan.

Talking about the text

Discuss the following in groups of two pairs, each pair in a group taking opposite points of view.

1. Scientific intervention is necessary to unearth buried mysteries.

Yes, science and technology can help us understand or past better as proved by the scanning of the mummy of Tutankhamun. It was speculated that Tut was murdered by a blow on the head. However, the scanning proved that there was no such harm on his head but there was some injury on his legs which might have been due to a fall from a chariot. Learning about our past is very important as we get to know our roots and learn a lot from the past. Scientific intervention can help us to know about them with accuracy.

Scientific intervention should be used for the betterment of the future.  The remains of the dead should be left undisturbed. Taking out Tut’s mummy twice was a sacrilege according to the ancient customs. It was said that whosoever disturbed the Mummy would be doomed. Science should let the past rest in peace along with its mysteries which adds to the charm of the unknown past and focus on the future.

2. Advanced technology gives us conclusive evidence of past events.

Technology has advanced in leaps and bounds in the modern era. It can give us accurate evidence of past events as is evident in the case of Tutankhamun’s scanning. The images accurately showed that his skull was intact and he was not killed by a blow on the head as speculated earlier and he might have broken his leg before his death at nineteen. The DNA matching also proved that he had two still born daughters and Nefertiti was not his own mother. Advanced technology unravelled a lot of mysteries of the past and helped us to know about our past better.

Advanced technology has its limits so far as providing conclusive evidences about the past is concerned. Only the archaeologists who have extensive knowledge about finding and preserving past relics can help us reconstruct the past. They meticulously unearth the artefacts, read ancient manuscripts and help us know about the culture and traditions of the past. Most of it is done manually over a long period of time as intensive study of the findings is the only method to know about the past cultures.

3. Traditions, rituals and funerary practices must be respected.

Respecting the culture and traditions of the past is our duty. Traditions, rituals and funerary practices have evolved due to specific reasons. While festivals bring people together and help in sharing happiness, gathering during funerary practices helps in lessening the grief. Ancient Egyptians had mastered the art of mummifying the dead. Tutankhamen was buried with all his possessions for his afterlife which revealed the practices of Ancient Egypt. We must respect age old traditions as they bind us to our roots.

It is foolhardy to follow traditions and rituals blindly. Most of the traditional practices are rooted in ignorance and superstitions and may cause more harm than good. The traditional practice of human-sacrifice, caste system and Sati were rooted in ignorance and had causes immense harm in the past. We must develop a scientific outlook and condemn practices that are harmful to the society. However, we must be respectful towards harmless and good practices of all communities as they bring gaiety and solace in everyday mundane life.

4. Knowledge about the past is useful to complete our knowledge of the world we live in.

Our future is rooted in the past. Knowledge of the past is essential for future development. The past helps us to know how the present society evolved. It tells us about the manner in which humans developed from stone age to the age of rockets and AI. Knowledge of who invented what and when, helps us to know our present in a better manner. The glorious past acts as an inspiration. Moreover, we must learn about past mistakes and stop to repeating them in future.

Past is past and cannot be changed. It is useless wastage of time to delve in the past. One must always focus on the present and take action to improve the future. The past is retrograde and is a hinderance to the progressive mind. It is filled with lack of scientific knowledge and superstition, which chains the mind. The challenges of the modern era are complex and need to be addressed through modern methods.

Thinking about language

Q. What do you think are the reasons for extinction of languages?

Ans. The world has now become a global village because of ease of communication. The use of the internet has helped people to communicate across the globe in fraction of a second. Therefore, the need of a common language has forced people to accept English as the international language. People across the globe do not use their mother tongue often as they need to communicate with people in a common language. Therefore, parents too with their limited time do not teach their children to read and write in their mother tongue. These are the primary reasons due to which regional languages are becoming extinct.

Q. Do you think it is important to preserve languages?

Ans. Yes, it is essential to preserve languages as they have evolved across centuries and reflect the culture and tradition of the region. ‘Variety is the spice of life’ and different languages offer different flavours of language and literature. If people do not learn and use their mother tongue then they would not be able to read the rich literary works written in that language nor would they be able to write more literature in that language due to which it will become extinct. It is therefore our moral duty to preserve languages.

Q. In what ways do you think we can help preserve languages.

Ans. The are several ways in which languages can be preserved-

• Parents should ensure that children speak in their mother tongue.
• Regional languages should be included in school curriculum.
• Parents should enroll children in language workshops during breaks to help the children learn to read and write in their mother tongue.
• People must learn to read and write in their mother tongue through language apps in their spare time.
• People using the same native language must conduct competitions in their language to encourage learning of the language.
• Given below are some interesting combinations of words. Explain why they have been used together.

(i) ghostly dust devils            (vi) dark-bellied clouds

(ii) desert sky                            (vii) casket grey

(iii) stunning artefacts           (viii) eternal brilliance

(iv) funerary treasures          (ix) ritual resins

(v) scientific detachment     (x) virtual body

(i) ghostly dust devils – angry bouts of dusty winds         

(ii) desert sky – dusky sky in desert                      

(iii) stunning artefacts – exquisite antiques found inside the tomb                 

(iv) funerary treasures – valuable gold jewelry and other expensive items buried in the tomb

(v) scientific detachment – indifference towards science

(vi) dark-bellied clouds – grey moisture laden clouds

(vii) casket grey – the grey clouds hid the glittering stars in it, like jewels in a casket

(viii) eternal brilliance – everlasting shine of gold

(ix) ritual resins – the sap of trees used during doing funeral rites

(x) virtual body – the image of the body created by scanning

2. Here are some commonly used medical terms. Find out their meanings.

• CT scan – a scan that uses a series of X-rays and a computer to create detailed images of your bones and soft tissues.
• MRI -Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is a medical imaging technique that uses a magnetic field and computer-generated radio waves to create detailed images of the organs and tissues in your body.
• Tomography -a method of producing a three-dimensional image of the internal structures of a solid object like the human body.
• autopsy -an examination of a dead body to find out the cause of death
• dialysis -a treatment that replicates the kidney’s function and cleans the waste from blood for individuals with kidney disease or kidney failure
• ECG – electrocardiogram is a quick test to check the heartbeat.
• post mortem -a medical examination of a dead body to discover the cause of death
• angiography – a procedure used to open blocked coronary arteries
• biopsy – A biopsy is a procedure to remove cells, tissue or fluid for examination by a medical pathologist

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Rule of the Jungle 

Every heart weeps for the murder

Of the girl with a dream 

None heard her cries

When in pain she screamed

They stopped her voice forever 

They snubbed out her life.

Women took to road

To reclaim the night

Crying for immediate justice 

Hooliganism silenced them

Silence will speak, shriek

Till voices are heard.

Society is based on values 

The structure of law is built on them

For freedom one needs a civil society 

Freedom to kill is rule of the jungle 

In jungle there is no development 

For you live to eat and eat to live.

Ch-2 : The Address, Class 11 – NCERT English (Snapshots)

About the Author

Marge Minco [1920 -2023 (103yrs)] became a journalist at the age of 18 yrs. She was the sole survivor of her Jewish Dutch family during the Holocaust. She went into hiding with her husband Bret whom she had married in 1945. Her parents, brother and sister were deported by the Nazis and were killed. She resumed journalism after the liberation of Netherland and later became an author who wrote about her experiences of the war. Her writings are famous for the sober manner of writing which expressed her painful experiences with reserved words and emotion. Her best-known book is ‘Het Bittere Kruid’ which was translated to English as ‘Bitter Herbs’.

This short story is a poignant account of a daughter who goes in search of her mother’s belongings after the War, in Holland. When she finds them, the objects evoke memories of her earlier life. However, she decides to leave them all behind and resolves to move on. The story revolves around an address that the narrator’s mother had told her to remember. The narrator is a survivor of the holocaust during the second world war when the Nazi’s started ethnic cleansing in Germany and Holland killing millions of Jews. When the news about arrests of Jews began the Jewish people tried to flee from their homes which were ransacked and destroyed. The Jews belonged to the well-off section of the society and possessed valuable antiques and expensive things.

The narrator visited the address which her mother told her to remember. When she rang the bell and the door is opened by a woman who refused to identify her. When the narrator told her that she was the daughter of Mrs. S. The woman asked whether they had come back. She presumed that none of the Jews came back because of the genocide. When she comes to know that the narrator was alone, she refused to entertain her despite the fact that the narrator identified her green sweater as her mother’s. After dismissing her and closing the door the woman watched her through the curtained window.

The narrator looked at the name plate in which Dorling was written in black letters on white enamel. On the doorpost the house number was 46. In a flashback the narrator recalled the early days of the war. Back then she had observed some changes at the home and several things were missing. Her mother had told her that an old acquaintance Mrs. Dorling, had offered to keep their things in case they needed to leave the house. Each time she visited, she took away antique vases, cutlery, crockery and all other valuable things. When the narrator asked her mother whether the topic of final possession of the things were discussed, her mother said that the discussion itself would be an insult as Mrs. Dorling was taking great risk to take away the things.

The narrator did not look around much on her way to the station as the familiar surroundings would dig up memories from the past and upset her. In the train the narrator recalled her meeting with Mrs. Dorling before the war. She had wone a brown coat and a shapeless hat. She had a broad back and nodded when her mother introduced the narrator. The narrator asked whether Mrs. Dorling lived far away and her mother said that she lived in Marconi Street, house number 46 and told her to remember it.

After the liberation of Holland. The author was not interested in the belongings as she was afraid, they would revive memories of people whom she had lost. Their things were waiting in boxes to go back to their place. They had survived because they were Jewish things not Jews.

As things became normal, she had a room where she could eat and sleep peacefully. She gradually developed interest in her mother’s possessions and went to the Dorling’s to look for them. After her first failed attempt in trying to talk about the belongings she decided to give it another try. The next time, Mrs. Doring’s fifteen-year-old daughter informed her that her mother had gone on an errand. On entering the house, the narrator recognized their iron Hanukkah candle stand which was too cumbersome to use. Once inside, she saw all their belongings inside the living room. It was as if she was in a place that appeared familiar and strange at the same time. Their things were tastelessly arranged in the musty room. As she sat down, she recognized their woolen tablecloth which had a burn in a corner. The girl offered her tea and poured it out of their kettle which had a golden border on the lid. The box and the spoons that the girl used were theirs. The girl said that they were antique and they had lots of it. The narrator recalled how she loved the apple on the pewter plate. The narrator found the burn mark on the table cloth and remarked that people get used to beautiful things around them, and only notice them if they need to be repaired or if they are not there because they have lent them to someone.

She told the girl that one day when her mother had told her to polish the silver, she came to know that all the forks, spoons and knives that they used were made of silver. She told her that she too possibly didn’t know that they were using silver items. The girl went to a drawer where they were kept. Suddenly, she told the girl that she needed to catch the train and went towards the door, she heard the jingling of the spoons as she left the room.

As she left the house, she looked at the address Marconi Street, Number 46. The address was correct, but now the narrator wanted to erase it from her memory. Things associated with her life in the past had lost their value in a different surrounding. The Dorling’s were using their things as their own, those things had lost the value that was associated with them. The narrator no longer wanted them as they would open the wounds that she was trying to heal. Moreover, she now stayed in a small room with shredded black out papers still on the windows. She had but a small drawer with a handful of cutleries and did not have the space to keep those belongings. She thought it would be easier to forget about the things, than the tortuous memories of the war and the loss of her loved ones.

Theme of – The Address

The story deals with the theme of the impact of war on human lives and the need to let go and move forward in life. It reveals the sense of loss, displacement and mental turmoil that one faces as an outcome of war. On one hand it reflects human greed for material things and the breach of trust, while on the other it shows, that material things lose their value for those who suffer the loss of their loved ones.

Message of -The Address

The author gives us the message that war causes immense turmoil on human lives. They shatter families and ruin lives. It also tells us that greed for materialistic things brings out the worst in humans and make them betray trust. People put more importance on material things than on human values.

1.‘Have you come back?’ said the woman. ‘I thought that no one had come back.’ Does this statement give some clue about the story? If yes, what is it?

Ans. Yes, this statement foreshadows the setting as well as the direction the story takes. It clearly underlines that the story is set in a place where a war or disaster had taken place, due to which there has been mass evacuations and fatalities.

 This statement is poignant as it reflects the horrific outcome of the genocide of Jews that took place during World War- II. Mrs. Dorling had presumed that the narrator’s entire family had been wiped out. She was shocked to see the narrator, and was perhaps relieved to hear that she was the sole survivor who could easily be dismissed from inheriting her belongings.

2. The story is divided into pre-War and post-War times. What hardships do you think the girl underwent during these times?

Ans. Before the war began the girl in the story lived away from her mother and observed that several things were missing from the house during her visit. The threat of evacuation was looming large over the Jewish residents. As they might have to leave anytime Mrs. Dorling had offered to keep their belongings safe.

During the war the girl possibly went into hiding in a small apartment and blacked out the windows so that people would not be able to find them out. She lived in a constant fear of death till Holland was liberated.

After the liberation, things came back to normal and bread was whiter once more. She was able to sleep peacefully. The papers that had been used to blacken the windows had been removed and she could once more look out at the view outside. The loss of her family tortured her soul and the wounds of the war were still not healed.

3. Why did the narrator of the story want to forget the address?

Ans . The narrator wanted to forget the address as it threatened to reopen the deep wounds of losing her family during the war. On her first visit Mrs. Dorling did not entertain her visit and did not let her enter the house. One her second visit she was invited inside the house where she saw all their belongings arranged in a tasteless manner in a musty room. The Dorling family used all their things which created a disharmony in the memories associated with them. The objects had lost their value as they have been cut off from the past. She escaped from the house as fast as possible because the things brought back painful memories. She resolved to forget the address and the breach of trust associated with it and move forward in life.

4. ‘The Address’ is a story of human predicament that follows war. Comment.

Ans. ‘The Address’ is about the pain of war. War brings untold miseries in the lives of humans. The story reflects the human predicament that follows war. The narrator’s attempt at retracing the past to seek consolation from the belongings of her mother ends in a failure. Mrs. Dorling who posed as a friend while taking the things for safe keeping, turned out to be a greedy woman who simply wanted to benefit by taking away valuables from the victims of war. She hoped that the entire family would be wiped out; so that, she would be able to enjoy the material possessions belonging to the dead. The narrator tells the reader that the things survived because they were valuable, whereas the Jews were left to die because humans did not value their lives. War brings out the worst in human, as reflected in the story.

Extra questions.

Q. Why was the narrator looking for Mrs. Dorling? How were they associated?

Ans. The narrator was looking for Mrs. Dorling as her mother had entrusted the safekeeping of their precious belonging to Mrs. Dorling. The narrator wanted to take them back.

Mrs. Dorling was an old acquaintance of her mother who had renewed their contact just before the war. She wanted to keep their precious things safe with her in case they needed to leave their home.

Q. Compare and contrast the characters of Mrs. Doring and Mrs. S.

Ans . Mrs. Dorling was a shrewd lady who renewed her association with Mrs. S when attacks on Jews began. Though she pretended to help Mrs. S, she actually wanted to accumulate  the valuable possessions for their own use, as she was certain that the family would be wiped out by the Nazi’s. She is unscrupulous, greedy, rude and indifferent towards the suffering of others. She did not let the narrator inside the house as she has been using their things and she did not want to return them back. She betrayed the trust that Mrs. s had put on her.

Mrs. S on the other hand was a simple-minded woman who had full faith in others. Her trusting nature made her trust her ‘old acquaintance’ with her valuable possessions without ant hesitation on her part. To her it would be rude even question Mrs. Dorling’s credibility. She did not reconsider talking to her about their final possession, even after her daughter raised concern about the arrangement. Thus, it seems that she was quite an innocent lady.

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