Literature Reader : Unit: 1 Two Gentlemen of Verona by A.J.

Cronin

‘Two Gentlemen of Verona’ by A.J. Cronin is the story of two young

boys, Nicola and Jacopo. Nicola was 13 and was more composed and
steady than his younger brother Jacopo who was 12. Their father, a
widower, was a reputed singer. He was killed in the war against
Germany. The war had made them homeless and they had no one in
the world except their sister Lucia. After the war they got reunited but
found their sister suffering from tuberculosis of the spine. They got her
admitted in a hospital. The two young boys made it a mission to give
the best treatment to their sister. For this, they did a variety of jobs.
They polished shoes, sold fruit, hawked newspapers, took the tourist
out to their places of interest and ran errands ( duties, tasks and jobs)
They did these works with utmost sincerity. The author was very much
impressed to see their devotion of work. They displayed maturity and
understanding beyond their years. They were very simple and spent
little for their living. Whatever they earned, they wanted to spend fir
their sister’s treatment. They hoped that she would be able to walk and
sing again one day. Their selfless action and devotion to the cause is
extremely praiseworthy. They are a great source of inspiration for
people of all ages. They are really the finest specimen of humanity.
They promise a greater hope for human society. The rare human
virtues that they exhibit at such a tender age would impress everyone
greatly. They are so small but teach us great lessons.

Literature: Fiction: Unit: 1 The Two Gentlemen of Verona

TEXT BOOK QUESTIONS

Answer the following questions briefly:

a) Why didn’t Luigi, the driver, approve of the two boys?

There were two reasons behind it. Firstly, shabby appearance was
disappointing. They were wearing untidy clothes. Secondly, they
were selling wild strawberries. Luigi knew that they could get
much better fruits in Verona.
b) Why were the narrator and his companion impressed by the two
boys?
They were impressed with the two boys (Nicola and his brother
Jacopo) to see their tough duties which they used to discharge
everyday. These boys were engaged in a variety of work to earn
their living. They were doing their job promptly. They had no
complaints to anyone. They displayed a beautiful smile on their
face all the time.
c) Why was the author surprised to see Nicola and Jacopo working
as shoeshine boys?
Till that time the author knew that the two boys only picked fruit
to earn their living, but he got surprised when he saw them
working as shoeshine boys in the public square. They were doing
so many things at such a tender age.
d) How were the boys useful to the author?
Very soon the two small boys proved extremely useful to the
author. If he wanted a pack of American cigarettes, or seats in the
opera or the name of a good restaurant, they could be relied
upon to satisfy his needs They could also take him to places of
tourists’ interest.
e) Why were the boys in the deserted square at night? What
character traits do they exhibit?
 They were waiting for the last bus from Padua. They could sell all
their unsold newspapers when the bus arrived. This shows their
extreme dedication to work and selfless action to their cause.
f) The narrator asks the boys, ”Must you 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?
These two boys were hard-working. They did not work all the time
but complained never. They were self-sufficient and self-
respecting. Their reply shows their perseverance.

g) Whenthe narrator asks the boys about their plans, they

were evasive. Why don’t they disclose their problems?
They didn’t want to share their family problems or secretswith any
outsider. So they were evasive.

Q4a) Appearances are deceptive. Discuss with reference to the two

boys.
Appearances are seldom deceptive. Most often we fail to judge a
person by his/her appearance. In the story “The two gentlemen of
Verona” the author and his companion come across two small boys.
These boys are shabbily dressed and leave a very poor impression on
them. Their untidy appearance helps them to form a superficial image
of the two boys in the beginning, but when they get involved with the
boys they come to know their worth. These young boys do a variety of
work for their living. They never think of the hot sun of the summer
days and go out to work from morning till night. They shine shoes, sell
fruit, hawk newspapers, conduct tourists round the town and run
errands. Their willingness to work impress the author and his
companion. Their faces reflect such a seriousness which is far beyond
their age. And this quality of theirs arouse sympathy not only in the
hearts of their author and his companion but also in the hearts of all
the readers too.

b)Do you think the boys looked after Lucia willingly? Give reasons for
your answer

Yes. I think so. Lucia is the elder sister of the two boys. Nicola and
Jacopo and is admitted in hospital for the treatment of the tuberculosis
of the spine These two small boys have great concern for their sister. As
there is no one to look after her, they carry on their duties with great
sincerity . They do all kinds of jobs. They shine shoes, sell fruit, hawk
newspapers, take the tourists out to their places of interest and run
errands. Whatever they earn, they spend them in paying the hospital
bills every week. They have to save their beloved sister at all cost. They
are very honest to their work. They do their work with utmost sincerity.
They have no complaints to anyone.

c) How does the story “Two Gentlemen of Verona”promise hope for

the society?

OR

As the narrator, write an article on the lesson of love, faith and trust
that you have learnt from the two young boys of Verona.

The story “Two Gentlemen of Verona” revolves round the two small
brothers, Nicola and Jacopo. Nicola is 13 and Jacopo is 12. Though they
are of a tender age, they have all the virtues and gentlemanly grace in
them They work hard all the time without any complain. They are
engaged in a variety of work. They shine shoes, sell fruit, hawk
newspapers, take the tourists out to their places of interest and run
errands. Their willingness to do these works is really praiseworthy. They
don’t spend much of their earnings on themselves, rather they save the
money to fulfil their mission. They have a sister, who is suffering from
Tuberculosis of the spine. She is under treatment in the hospital.
Whatever the boys earn, they spend them on their sister’s illness. Their
mission in life is to cure their sister at all cost. Their selfless action, their
sacrifice and total devotion to their cause make them highly noble
characters. Though small, they are highly self-respecting. They don’t
believe in showing their personal grief to any stranger. Also they never
try to ask for any favour from anyone They are really the finest
specimen of humanity. They promise a greater hope for human society.

*******************
Literature: The Two Gentlemen of Verona-

Value Based Long Answer Questions 80 to 100 words each

1. Do you think that the title of the story “Two Gentlemen of Verona’ is
justified? Give reasons for your answer.
The story is fully justified. In it the two gentlemen are Nicola and Jacopo.
Although they are very small they show gentlemanly virtues. They are
gentlemen in true sense of the term. They do all kinds of jobs with great
sincerity. The maturity that they show while doing different work is
extremely praiseworthy. They are always ready to help others. They are self-
respecting and never want to take undue favours from others. They don’t
believe in sharing their family secrets with any stranger. It is therefour, they
don’t discuss about their sister’s illness and the cause of their hard work with
the narrator.
2. How is the story ‘Two Gentlemen of Verona’ unique in itself? Give a
reasoned answer.
This is a story of the two small brothers, Nicola and Jacopo. Although they
are small, they show great maturity in their way of living. They have no one
in the world except their elder sister, Lucia who is suffering from
tuberculosis of the spine and is under treatment in a hospital. The two
 brothers make it a mission to give best treatment to their sister. For this, they
do a variety of work. They shine shoes, hawk newspapers, take the tourists
out to their places of interest and run errands. They do these works with
utmost sincerity. Whatever they earn, they want to spend on their sister’s
treatment. They spend little on their food and clothing. Their devotion to the
cause is unique in itself.
**************

Literature Reader: Fiction: 2 Mrs Packletide’s Tiger – by Saki

Characters
1. Mrs.Packletide
2. Loona Bimberton
3. Miss Mebbin –Mrs Packletide’s paid companion
About Mrs. Packletide and Loona Bimberton: They are
depicted as women who are competitive by nature and
belonged to a higher status.
About Mrs. Packletide: Mrs Packletide considers Loona
Bimberton as her rival and she is also jealous of her
achievement of travelling 11 miles in an aircraft. She wants to
draw the attention of people through media inorder to excel
Loona’s achievement for which she arranges for a fake tiger
shooting event.
About Louisa Mebin: Mrs Packletide’s paid companion comes
to know that Mrs Packletide did not shoot the tiger as she was
with Mrs Packletide when the incident happened. She
blackmails Mrs Packletide that she would reveal the secret to
her rival Loona and receives a huge sum for not letting the
secret of tiger shooting. She buy a cottage with the money
gained.
Mrs Packletide’s Tiger is set in early 20th Century during the
British rule in India. It highlights the whims and fancies of the
rich, their false pride and ego, values and attitude governed by
their desire to show their rivals down.
The story revolves around Mrs Packletide’s sole desire to outdo
her rival Loona Bimberton who had travelled 11 miles in an
aircraft with an Algerian aviator and had become the centre of
everyone’s attention. The press had hailed it as notable
achievement.
Ever since Loona Bimberton’s remarkable adventure, Mrs
Packletide wanted to counter the publicity attained by her
rival, so she decided to shoot her tiger.
To achieve her objective Mrs Packletide offered thousand
rupees to the villagers to help her in shooting a tiger.
Circumstances proved favourable for her. She learnt of an old
tiger visiting the neighbouring village. The desire of earning
thousand rupees motivated the villagers to ensure that the
tiger did not go to other fresh hunting grounds. Children were
posted on the outskirts of the local jungle to head the tiger
back in case he was trying to go elsewhere. Cheaper kinds of
goats were left about carelessly to keep the tiger satisfied.
However, the villagers were worried that the tiger should not
die of old age before the appointed date of the shoot.
The appointed night duly arrived. A platform had been
constructed for Mrs Packletide who along with her paid
companion Miss Mebbin sat there in a bent position, waiting
for the tiger to arrive. A goat with a persistent bleat was
fastened at a distance to attract the tiger. After sometime the
tiger arrived and instead of attacking the bleating goat, decided
to rest for a while. Seeing the old tiger, Miss Mebbin remarked
that thousand rupees was lot of money for an old tiger. At that
moment, Mrs Packletide saw the tiger moving towards the its
victim and fired the shot. The tiger died on the spot. The
excited villagers swarmed around the dead tiger and rejoiced
its killing. Mrs Packletide was thrilled with her achievement.
Miss Mebbin pointed out to Mrs Packletide that the tiger died
of heart attack of hearing the loud sound of the rifle whereas
the goat had been wounded. The discovery annoyed her
employer but she had succeeded in personally obtaining a tiger
skin. The villagers interested in earning money, spread the story
that Mrs Packletide had shot the tiger.
Mrs Packletide’s achievement was widely acclaimed by the
press. Loona Bimberton declined the invitation for the lunch,
however, thanked her for the gift.
Miss Mebbin waited for the publicity to fade down and then
threatened to reveal the secret of the tiger hunt. He tiger had
died of heart attack and Mrs Packletide had killed the goat
instead. Mrs Packletide yielded to her paid companion’s black
mail because she threatened to tell Loona Bimberton, the truth
about the tiger hunt. In order to buy Louisa Mebbin’s silence.
Mrs Packletide paid her six hundred and eighty pounds to buy a
weekend cottage.
Louisa Mebbin deliberately named it ‘ Les Fauves’ (French for
the Wild Animals) and planted white lilies around her garden to
constantly remind her of the tiger hunt and her prosperity.
Mrs Packletide decided to give up hunting on account of
incidental expenses.
*********
Literature Reader: Fiction: 2 Mrs Packletide’s Tiger – by Saki

Characters

1. Mrs.Packletide
2. Loona Bimberton
3. Miss Mebbin –Mrs Packletide’s paid companion

About Mrs. Packletide and Loona Bimberton: They are depicted as women
who are competitive by nature and belonged to a higher status.
About Mrs. Packletide: Mrs Packletide considers Loona Bimberton as her rival
and she is also jealous of her achievement of travelling 11 miles in an aircraft. She
wants to draw the attention of people through media inorder to excel Loona’s
achievement for which she arranges for a fake tiger shooting event.

About Louisa Mebin: Mrs Packletide’s paid companion comes to know that Mrs
Packletide did not shoot the tiger as she was with Mrs Packletide when the
incident happened. She blackmails Mrs Packletide that she would reveal the secret
to her rival Loona and receives a huge sum for not letting the secret of tiger
shooting. She buy a cottage with the money gained.

Mrs Packletide’s Tiger is set in early 20th Century during the British rule in India.
It highlights the whims and fancies of the rich, their false pride and ego, values and
attitude governed by their desire to show their rivals down.

The story revolves around Mrs Packletide’s sole desire to outdo her rival Loona
Bimberton who had travelled 11 miles in an aircraft with an Algerian aviator and
had become the centre of everyone’s attention. The press had hailed it as notable
achievement.

Ever since Loona Bimberton’s remarkable adventure, Mrs Packletide wanted to

counter the publicity attained by her rival, so she decided to shoot her tiger.

To achieve her objective Mrs Packletide offered thousand rupees to the villagers to
help her in shooting a tiger. Circumstances proved favourable for her. She learnt of
an old tiger visiting the neighbouring village. The desire of earning thousand
rupees motivated the villagers to ensure that the tiger did not go to other fresh
hunting grounds. Children were posted on the outskirts of the local jungle to head
the tiger back in case he was trying to go elsewhere. Cheaper kinds of goats were
left about carelessly to keep the tiger satisfied. However, the villagers were
worried that the tiger should not die of old age before the appointed date of the
shoot.

The appointed night duly arrived. A platform had been constructed for Mrs
Packletide who along with her paid companion Miss Mebbin sat there in a bent
position, waiting for the tiger to arrive. A goat with a persistent bleat was fastened
at a distance to attract the tiger. After sometime the tiger arrived and instead of
attacking the bleating goat, decided to rest for a while. Seeing the old tiger, Miss
Mebbin remarked that thousand rupees was lot of money for an old tiger. At that
moment, Mrs Packletide saw the tiger moving towards the its victim and fired the
shot. The tiger died on the spot. The excited villagers swarmed around the dead
tiger and rejoiced its killing. Mrs Packletide was thrilled with her achievement.

Miss Mebbin pointed out to Mrs Packletide that the tiger died of heart attack of
hearing the loud sound of the rifle whereas the goat had been wounded. The
discovery annoyed her employer but she had succeeded in personally obtaining a
tiger skin. The villagers interested in earning money, spread the story that Mrs
Packletide had shot the tiger.

Mrs Packletide’s achievement was widely acclaimed by the press. Loona

Bimberton declined the invitation for the lunch, however, thanked her for the gift.

Miss Mebbin waited for the publicity to fade down and then threatened to reveal
the secret of the tiger hunt. He tiger had died of heart attack and Mrs Packletide
had killed the goat instead. Mrs Packletide yielded to her paid companion’s black
mail because she threatened to tell Loona Bimberton, the truth about the tiger hunt.
In order to buy Louisa Mebbin’s silence. Mrs Packletide paid her six hundred and
eighty pounds to buy a weekend cottage.

Louisa Mebbin deliberately named it ‘ Les Fauves’ (French for the Wild Animals)
and planted white lilies around her garden to constantly remind her of the tiger
hunt and her prosperity.

Mrs Packletide decided to give up hunting on account of incidental expenses.

*********

Literature Fiction: 2 Mrs Packletide’s Tiger

(a) Why did Mrs. Packletide want to kill a tiger?

Mrs. Packletide was jealous of her rival, Loona Bimberton, who had recently
travelled 11 kilometres in an airplane operated by an Algerian aviator. In order to
outclass her, Mrs. Packletide decided to hunt a tiger and gain media coverage
through her pictures.
(b) What does it tell you about her?

Mrs. Packletide is full of vanity. She is a selfish person who seems to be jealous at
other people’s success.

(c) What is the tone of the storywriter?

The tone of the story writer is full of satire and humour.

(d) Do you think she was successful in her mission?

In a way, yes. She was successful in outshining Loona Bimberton by killing a tiger
and getting fame for doing that. But actually she was a failure, as she missed her
shot and the tiger died due to heart failure.

(e) What do you think the story is all about?

The story is all about a pursuit of killing a tiger by Mrs. Packletide.

*************

4. Answer the following questions in your own words:

(a) Why did Mrs. Packletide wish to kill a tiger?

Mrs. Packletide wished to kill a tiger so that she could counter to Loona
Bimberton’s claim who had been carried eleven miles in an Algerian aviator.

(b) What made her decide to give a party in Loona Bimberton's honour?
What did she intend to give Loona on her birthday?

Mrs.Packletide decided that once she shot a tiger, she would invite Loona
Bimberton for a luncheon party. At the party she would display the newly-acquired
tiger skin. The party would be an appropriate time to show off the tiger skin and
talk about her tiger-shooting experience to Loona Bimberton. She intended to give
a tiger-claw brooch to Loona Bimberton on her birthday.

(c) How was the tiger shooting arranged? What kind of a tiger was chosen for
the purpose?
The tiger shooting was arranged in neighboring village. The villagers had seen an
old tiger who used to hunt domestic animals on the outskirts of the local jungle. A
platform or Machaan was built in a comfortable and conveniently placed tree for
Mrs. Packletide and her paid companion Miss Louisa Mebbin. A noisy goat was
tethered at the correct distance to attract the tiger.
The tiger chosen for this purpose was weak, diseased tiger who could not hunt wild
animals due to old age.

(d) In what way did the villagers help Mrs. Packletide shoot the tiger?

The villagers made many arrangements for the hunting game. Children were
posted night and day on the outskirts so that the tiger would not leave his domain.
Goats were left in the forest in order to satisfy the animal. Women took care not to
make noise while passing by, so that the tiger would not be disturbed. Last but not
the least, the villagers offered support and assistance at night of hunt. A platform
had been constructed on a comfortable and convenient place on a tree for Mrs.
Packletide and her paid companion. They remained there throughout the night.

(e) Who was Miss Mebbin? Was she really devoted to Mrs. Packletide? How
did she behave during the tiger shooting?

Miss Mebbin was a paid companion. Mrs. Packletide had acquired her so that she
could witness the shooting of the tiger. She was very materialistic. She didn't want
to do more than she was paid for. In fact she also instigated Mrs. Packletide not to
pay for the goat if the tiger did not eat it. She was not at all devoted to Mrs.
Packletide. She was there only for the money.

(f) Mrs. Packletide was a good shot. Discuss.

Mrs. Packletide was daring and bold enough to go for hunting a tiger which was
old and weak. She was not a good shot at all. Inspite of all the arrangements, she
was not able to shoot the old tiger who was walkin slowly. Instead, she shot the
goat as she had missed her aim.

(g) What comment did Miss Mebbin make after Mrs Packletide had fired the
shot?
Why did Miss Mebbin make this comment? How did Mrs Packletide react to
this comment?
Miss Mebbin commented that the bullet had shot the goat not the tiger. The tiger
had succumbed to heart failure caused by the sound of firing accelerated by senile
decay.
She made this comment to take advantage of the fact that the tiger was not killed
by Mrs. Packletide. In fact, she wanted to exploit the situation. Mrs. Packletide was
annoyed at the discovery.

(h) How did the villagers react to the tiger's death?

The villagers were anxious for their thousand rupees. They did not pay any heed to
Miss Mebbin’s revelation that Mrs. Packletide had not killed a tiger but a goat.
They readily believed that Mrs. Packletide had shot the beast lest they lose their
money.

(i) Do you think Mrs. Packletide was able to achieve her heart's desire? Give
reasons for your answer.

Yes, I think Mrs. Packletide was able to achieve her heart's desire of killing a tiger
and to show off that she was the possessor of a dead tiger. She wanted her
photographs to be published in the newspapers. Her desire was accomplished
positively. She was able to outdo Loona Bimberton and she sent her a gift of a
tiger-claw brooch.

(j) How did Miss Mebbin manage to get her week-end cottage? Why did she
plant so many tiger lilies in her garden?

Louisa Mebbin blackmailed Mrs. Packletide into buying her the weekend cottage
or else she would have told Loona Bimberton that it was not the tiger but a mere
goat that Mrs. Packletide had shot. The tiger lilies would always remind of how
she had procured the cottage.

(k) "The incidental expenses are so heavy," she confides to inquiring friends.
Who is the speaker? What is she referring to here?

Mrs. Packletide is the speaker. The lines are said in response to questions regarding
why she did not hunt anymore. Mrs. Packletide is referred to the expenses that she
incurred when she hunted for the first time, she paid the villagers, she paid Louisa
Mebbin and even had to buy her a cottage.
(a) Do you think the tiger shooting organized by the villagers was a serious
affair? Give reasons for your answer.

The tiger shooting organised by the villagers was not a serious affair at all. They
knew it was an old senile tiger. It could not run or escape due to its weakness. So,
it would be easy to kill it instantaneously. They posted their children to keep the
tiger in the outskirts of the jungle so that it might not roam away to fresh hunting
grounds. They left cheap goats to keep him satisfied with the present quarters lest
he should die of old age before the appointed lady. In this way, they provided the
favourable opportunity of shooting a tiger without over-much risk.

(b) Do you think the writer is trying to make fun of the main characters in the
story i.e. Mrs. Packletide, Miss Mebbin and Loona Bimberton? Pick out
instances from the story that point to this fact.
Yes, the writer is trying to make fun of the main characters in the story. Mrs.
Packletide wanted to kill a tiger because of her jealousy and a desire to outshine
Loona. Loona was a lady of boastful nature. She also grew jealous when she saw
Mrs. Packletide's photo in the newspaper. She refused to attend the lunch party
arranged in her honour by Mrs. Packletide. Miss Mebbin was very manipulative,
shrewd and materialistic lady. She adopted a protective elder-sister attitude
towards money. Moreover, the shooting of an old and weak tiger, who has lost his
strength and ferociousness is also very humourous. Its death due to heart failure
instead of a bullet arouses laughter.

(c) A person who is vain is full of self importance and can only think of
himself/herself and can go to great lengths to prove his/her superiority. Do
you think Mrs Packletide is vain? Give reasons in support of your answer.

The story begins with Mrs. Packletide’s obsession to procure a tiger skin so that
she can show it off to Loona Bimberton. To obtain the tiger skin Mrs.Packletide
goes to extreme lengths; she offers a thousand rupees to the villagers to shoot a
tiger without much risk or exertion. She acquires a paid companion, Louisa
Mebbin, a witness to her extraordinary feat. She makes sure her pictures appear in
international newspapers. Finally, she buys a weekend cottage for Louisa Mebbin
to prevent her from telling anybody that it was not the tiger but a goat she had shot
because the tiger merely died of a heart attack. All this proves that Mrs. Packletide
was a vain woman.
d) Sometimes writers highlight certain negative aspects in society or human
beings by making fun of it. This is called satire. In your groups discuss
whether you would classify this story as a satire. Give reasons to support your
answer(value based long answer question)

The story is excellent example of satire. The writer, Saki, has satirized the
jealousy and vanity of the fair sex. They want to to show off their self importance
and think of themselves only. To prove their superiority, they can go to any
length. The author not only makes fun of the situation but also of the characters.
Mrs. Packeltide’s actions were largely directed by dislike of Loona Bimberton. The
motive behind tiger hunt was to show off to her. Loona Bimberton did not look at
Mrs. Packletide’s pictures in the newspapers. Her letter of thanks for the tiger-claw
brooch was a model of repressed emotions. She declined to attend the luncheon
party because she wouldn't be able to see people praising Mrs. Packletide. Both
Louisa Mebbin and the villagers are only concerned about their remuneration.
Louisa Mebbin even blackmailed Mrs. Packletide into buying her a cottage. The
villagers happily believed that Mrs. Packletide had shot the tiger and not the goat
lest they lose their fee. The whole situation of the tiger hunt is also laced with
satire. An old tiger who had given up hunting was chosen for the purpose. The
tiger dies of a heart-failure than a gun shot. The author paints a picture of a society
that is essentially governed by wealth and mutual dislike for each other.

(e) How does the writer create humor in this story?

The author makes fun of each character and situation. The characters of Loona
Bimberton, Mrs. Packletide, Louisa Mebbin and the villagers are all ridiculed for
their peculiar character traits.The tiger hunt is mocked a; an old, infirm tiger is
chosen for the hunt making it the least dangerous expedition. The power of money
is so strong that the villagers agree that it was not a goat but a tiger that was shot.
Louisa Mebbin agrees to keep this a secret in return of money. Thus the author
creates humour in the story by highlighting the negative aspects in society or
human beings.

How did Mrs. Packletide react to Miss Mebbin’s comment, “ How you shot the goat
and frightened the tiger to death”? Test Question:
After Mrs. Packletide had fired the shot, her paid companion Miss Louisa Mebbin drew her
attention to the actual situation. The bullet had hit the goat not the tiger. There was no trace
of the rifle’s shot on the tiger’s body. Evidently a wrong animal had been hit. The tiger died
of heart- failure caused by the sudden report of rifle. Mrs. Packletide got annoyed at the new
discovery. She became worried to think that if Loona came to know about this discovery;
her dream to outshine her ( Loona) would be shattered.

Poem: 1 The Frog and the Nightingale

The poem ‘The Frog and the Nightingale’ by Vikram Seth is an
allegory. ( use of a symbol representing a quality, such as truth, evil,
death, innocence etc ) In this poem several birds and animals have been
described. The poet with the help of the nightingale’s story, conveys that
one should exercise one’s own individuality and reasoning and not let
others lead oneself blindly. One should also know one’s own limitations
and capabilities.
The frog was powerful and greedy. He exploited the melodious voice of
the nightingale for his self interest. He treated the nightingale as a
source of minting money. The innocent nightingale on the other hand
was so carried away by the appreciation from the Bog creatures that she
could not guess that she was being fooled by the frog. She never used
her common sense and reasoning. She felt helpless and weak due to the
frog’s dominance. She was made to sing persistently. The cruel frog
could not bother about her feelings and urged her to sing without resting.
As a result the nightingale began to lose her sweetness in singing. The
magic of her voice vanished. The audience became fewer in number.
This made the frog furious and the tyrant that he was, he made the
nightingale practice continuously. The poor nightingale was so
exhausted and heart-broken, that she soon had to meet death. Thus, the
simplicity, of the nightingale became the cause of her own death.
The poem is an eye-opener. One should not trust anyone blindly. One
should have the ability to judge people. One should know the skill of
safeguarding oneself from being exploited. Everyone should derive a
lesson from the nightingale’s life.
Literature: Poem: 1 The Frog and the Nightingale

Q5. Answer the following questions briefly:

a) How did the creatures of Bingle bog react to the nightingale’s

singing?
The bog creatures appreciated the nightingale’s song whole-
heartedly. They showered their love on her. They applauded her
generously. They cheered and cried “Bravo”! “Too divine” “Once
more”.
b) Which are the different ways in which the frog asserts his
importance?
The frog is very shrewd. He becomes the nightingale’s teacher. He
guide her and makes her do according to his wishes. He tires her
out to death After her death, he becomes unrivalled singer in the
bog once more.
c) Why is the frog’s joy both sweet and bitter?
The frog made a lot of money by dint of the nightingale’s sweet
voice. He was filled with joy to see the ladies of high status and
wealth coming to hear the sweet songs of the nightingale, but at
the same he was too bitter because he was jealous of her. He
wanted to rule the bog unrivalled.
d) Why was the frog angry?
The nightingale sang persistently at the instructions of the frog. As a
result, she became very weak and exhausted. She showed her
helplessness to sing songs. This made the frog very angry because he
 could no longer earn money due to the nightingale’s bad health
condition.
e) How did the frog become the unrivalled king of the bog again?
The nightingale was a threat to the frog’s monopoly in the bog. Her
sweet voice attracted all the creatures far and wide. This made the
frog jealous of her. He planned to finish her. He made her sing
persistently, overstraining her through continuous programmes and
rehearsals. Owing to mental and physical tortures, the nightingale
became more and more tired, pale and sorrowful. She became so
exhausted and heart broken, that soon she succumbed to death.
After her death, the frog became the unrivalled king of the bog
again.
Q6. a) Bring out the irony in the frog’s statement – ‘Your song must
be your own’.
The frog who charged the nightingale for being stupid and too prone
to influence says these words. He ruined the nightingale’s life
because of his greed for money. It is ironical that the same frog is
charging that her song must be her own.
b) Do you think the end is justified ?(Test Question)
The end is tragic, no doubt, but it is justified. One should not trust
anyone blindly. The nightingale was so talented but she lacked self-
confidence. She let herself be victim of the frog’s greed and cruelty.
c)Do you think the nightingale is “brainless”? Give reasons for your
answer?
The nightingale was really brainless. She could not understand the
extremity of the frog’s cruelty and easily became its victim. She
could not identify her own talent and considered the frog a Mozart
in disguise. She felt weak and helpless in front of the frog. The frog
made her sing persistently, overstraining her through continuous
programmes and rehearsals. As a result, she became exhausted. The
stress proved too much for her and she burst her veins died.
d)Inspite of having a melodious voice and being a crowd puller
, the nightingale turns out to be a loser and dies. How far is she
responsible for her downfall?( Test Question)
The excessive appreciation made the nightingale so snobbish that
she began to aspire for more recognition. When the wicked frog
offered to train her in singing she could not guess that she was being
duped and exploited. She felt herself to be fortunate that a music
connoisseur of such a rank had shown interest in her. She didn’t use
her reasoning and common sense. In her greed to gain name and
fame she accepted the frog’s offer happily. Her immense popularity
among the bog creatures made her very proud and snobbish. She
became very crazy for more and more recognition. She felt helpless
and weak in front of the frog. The frog made her sing persistently
overstraining her through continuous programmes and rehearsals.
As a result, she became very weak and exhausted. She had no
strength to fight against the exploitation. She couldn’t even bear the
torture of the frog. The stress proved too much for her and she burst
her veins and died. Some examples from the poem are given below:
 “ So the nightingale once more.
Quite unused------ applause
Sang till ----- pause
 “Dearest Frog” the nightingale
Breathed --- tale
And you’re --- Mozart in disguise
Come to earth --- eyes”
f) Do you agree with the frog’s inference of the Nightingale’s
character? Give reasons for your answer.
The frog was extremely callous. But he was right to some extent
when he declared that the nightingale was stupid, greedy for fame
and impractical. Perhaps therefore she met a tragic end. She could
not understand the extremity of the frog’s cruelty and foolishly fell
into his grip which took her life.
*******************

Literature: Poem: 2 Mirror

Gist:
 Through the poem ‘Mirror’ the poet Sylvia Plath conveys the message to the
readers that instead of living in world of illusions, one should accept reality
whole-heartedly. One should be true just like the mirror.
 The poem is written as an autobiography where the mirror describes its
various qualities.
 The poet personifies the mirror in the poem to describe its objectivity and
truthfulness. Objectivity is the main characteristic of the mirror. That is the
mirror is not influenced by personal feelings or opinions.
 It also tells about the reactions of the woman of the house who is unable to
accept the fact that she has aged / or become old.

Lines 1 to 9

 The mirror says that it is made of the element silver and is exact. It has not
earlier formed opinion. Therefore whatever it sees, it absorbs it as it is
without being affected by its own feelings of like or dislike – it is
unprejudiced and unbiased. (never harms/ injures, not partial, not in just
etc )
 People might think that it is cruel because the image it reflects may not be
pleasing to them. This is not true as it only reflects what it sees, honestly.
  The mirror compares itself to God as like God it watches one unbiased and
fair form all the four angles of its frame.
 It spends its time meditating on the opposite wall which has pink spots. It
keeps looking at the wall for a very long time ( it could be months or years
together) So the wall has become part of the mirror.
 The mirror feels that people and darkness separate their relationship because
the wall becomes invisible to it when people come to see themselves in it or
when night falls the wall becomes invisible due to darkness.
Lines 10 -18
 In the second stanza the narrator replaced the mirror with a lake because of
their similarity as both reflect an image objectively and in both things get
lost in their depth.
 When the woman bends over the mirror, she is looking into its depth for her
lost youth and beauty.
 However, all that she sees is an aged face as the mirror , true to its quality
reflects the exact image of the woman. It does not hide her wrinkles.
 The woman is unable to digest and accept the mirror’s reflection of her old
age seeks for another source which would show her beautiful.
 She tries to see her reflection in the dim light of the moon and the candle,
hoping that they could hide her old age.
 She goes and sees the mirror again and again, but it shows her exact state of
age which upsets her greatly. She moves away from the mirror with tears.
 The woman has been seeing her image in the mirror since she was young. In
this manner, the woman has drowned her youth in the depths of the mirror
and just like a rotten fish floats on the surface of water., the old face of the
woman comes to the surface of the mirror. The ‘terrible fish’ in the last line
symbolizes the ageing state of the woman.
Vocabulary :
1. Preconceptions – earlier formed idea/notion
2. Un misted – not dimmed / hard to understand or see
3. Contemplate – meditate
4. Speckles – little spots

Textbook Questions:
(a) When do you generally use a mirror?

We generally use a mirror to check our appearance.

(b) Is a mirror essential for us?

Yes, a mirror is very essential for us, as it helps us look presentable before we meet
people.

(c) Given below is a list of possible reasons why a person uses a mirror. Tick
the ones you agree with:

(i) to check one's appearance;

(ii) to make sure one is neat and tidy before going out;
(iii) to apply make-up.

1. On the basis of your understanding of the poem, answer the following

questions by ticking the correct choice:

(a) When the mirror is being described as being 'unmisted by love or dislike'
we understand that the mirror is

ii. not prejudiced

(b) The other word for 'contemplation' is………..

ii. meditation

(c) When the mirror says 'it has no preconceptions' it means that:

i. it reflects back an image objectively

(d) The mirror has been called 'a four-cornered god' because:

ii. like God it watches you unbiased and fair from all four angles

(e) The 'speckles' refer to:

ii. the opposite wall which has spots on it

(f) The phrase 'agitation of the hand' suggests that the person is:

iii. Very upset

(g) By saying 'Now I am a lake' the narrator wants to show that

i. the poem is not only about external beauty but also the inside of a person

1. Answer the following questions briefly:

(a) What is the poetic device used when the mirror says 'I swallow'?

‘I swallow’ personifies the mirror. The mirror seems to say that the image on
it is deep enough to swallow everything, passively. The objectivity of the
mirror is significant.

(b) How does the mirror usually pass its time?

The mirror usually passes its time by constantly looking at the wall opposite
to it.

(c) What disturbs the mirror's contemplation of the opposite wall?

People's faces and the darkness disturb the mirror's contemplation of the
opposite wall.

(d) Why does the mirror appear to be a lake in the second stanza? What
aspect of the mirror do you think is being referred to here?

The mirror appears to be lake in in the second stanza because it has also the
quality of reflecting the image of what appears before it like a lake. As
whatever falls on the surface of the lake is drowned into it, the mirror also
swallows whatever it sees. A new dimension, depth, is being referred here.

(e) What is the woman searching for in the depths of the lake?
 The woman is searching for her lost youth, charm and beauty in the depths
of the lake.

(f) How does the narrator convey the fact that the woman looking at her
reflection in the lake is deeply distressed?

The narrator conveys the fact that women is deeply distressed because when
she sees herself ageing in the mirror, she turns away to find her answers in
the candles and the moon. She has tears in her eyes and her agitated hands
express her distress.

(g) What makes the woman start crying?

The woman starts crying when she sees her own reflection in the mirror and
realises that she has lost her charm, beauty and youth. She has grown old.

(h) What do you think the 'terrible fish' in the last line symbolizes?
What is the poetic device used here?

(i) The ‘terrible fish’ symbolises the bitter truth which puts human beings to
a fatal end.

(ii) It symbolizes the woman’s agitation on the loss of her youth and beauty.
Once she possessed both of them. But now she has grown old. She is no
more young and beautiful. The mirror makes her realize the truth. As a
result, she becomes restless. She looks terrible like a fish thrown out of
water. The poetic device used here is a metaphor.

5. Read the poem silently and answer the following questions:

(a) List out the adjectives that have been used to describe the mirror. Add a
few more adjectives to the list.

Adjectives used in the poem to describe the mirror:

silver, exact, honest, faithful, un misted, unbiased, four cornered

A few more adjectives for the same are listed below:

Deep, significant, reality, bitter, fair, honest

(b) In the second stanza why has the narrator replaced the mirror with a
lake? What is he/she trying to focus on?

In the second stanza, the poetess has replaced the mirror with a lake to add a new
dimension to it which is depth. The lake has depth. Both the mirror and the lake
have the quality of reflecting the image of what appears before them. Just as
anything falls and drowns into the lake, the youth and beauty of the woman seems
to have drowned in the mirror.

6. Find the various instances of personification used in this poem.

The various instances of personification used in the poem are:

I am silver and exact.
I have no preconceptions
Whatever I see, I swallow immediately;
I am not cruel, only truthful;
Now, I am a lake;
The eye of a little god;
I am important to her.

7. Read the given lines and answer the questions that follow by ticking the
correct choice:

A woman bends over me,

Searching my reaches for what she really is.
Then she turns to those liars, the candles or the moon.

a. What is the woman bending over?

i. the lake

b. Why have the candles and the moon been called 'liars'?

iii. they hide the blemishes and make people look beautiful in their soft glow

c. Why does she turn to them in spite of calling them 'liars'?

i. the reality is too harsh for her to bear

8. Imagine you are the mirror. Write a speech that you would like to deliver to
the humans who come to see their reflection in you. You could begin like
this….
Good Morning dear humans.
I feel honoured to have been given the opportunity to express my feelings and
share my thoughts with you. As you know, all my life is spent in faithfully reflecting
all that comes before my eyes…..

Good Morning dear humans,

I feel honoured to have been given the opportunity to express my feelings and
share my thoughts with you. As you know, all my life is spent in faithfully
reflecting all that comes before my eyes faithfully. I have been a silent spectator of
zillions of lives. My vision is very objective. I don’t respond to people when they
search for themselves, in me. My passivity usually agitates them. However, I am
glad to be loyal and honest to the onlookers, cruel it might seem. I don’t have the
power to manipulate or distort reality. That is why images on me are so significant
to you.

Here is another poem on mirror. The narrator calls the mirror a 'fibber'.
How is this poem different from the poem by Sylvia Plath? Have a class
discussion on the comparison in terms of the theme, the tone and the language
used.

MIRROR
Mirror, mirror, on the wall,
Can't you show me tall and slim?
Mirror, mirror, on the wall,
Must I look so bloody grim?
Mirror, mirror, on the wall,
You're distorting my poor waist!
Mirror, mirror, on the wall,
And why the heck am I defaced?
Mirror, mirror, on the wall,
Why have I a double chin?
Mirror, mirror, on the wall,
And what's the stupid, goofy grin?
Mirror, mirror, on the wall,
Pointless asking 'Who's the fairest-?
More bloody likely, 'Who's the queerest? '
Now look, I paid a big bucks for thee,
So why can't you be nice to me?
Mirror, mirror, on the wall,
Who's the fairest of them all?
Me, you say? Ah, that's better -
Mirror, mirror, bloody fibber!

In the poem 'Mirror' by Sylvia Plath, the mirror has been personified. The mirror
gives an autobiographical account of itself. It narrates experience whereas in this
poem, the poet himself is the narrator and addresses the mirror directly. Sylvia
Plath has presented the mirror as exact , truthful, faithful, unbiased, honest and un
misted by love or dislike. It reflects or shows whatever it sees in all its exactness. It
does not hide, twist or distort whatever it sees. It gives the true picture of the
woman who has grown old and is no longer beautiful and charming. But in the
poem by Mark R Slaughter, the narrator calls the mirror 'fibber'- one who gives the
untrue statement. Here the mirror shows a totally changed physical appearance of
the narrator. It does not reflect the narrator's appearance exactly. It distorts his
waist. It shows him as robust, grim, defaced and doubled chin.

Value Based Long Answer Questions (80 – 100 words each) -- 4

marks

1. Describe the main ideas contained in Sylvia Plath’s poem ‘Mirror’. Do you
agree that truthfulness and objectivity are the main characteristics of the
mirror?

In the poem ‘Mirror’, the poet personifies the mirror to tell its own tale. The poem
is a first-person account of the mirror. The silvery-surfaced mirror is exact and
gives only true images. It doesn’t have any preconceptions. Whatever it sees, it
absorbs or swallows immediately in it. It ‘swallows’ a thing ‘as it is’. It is totally
unaffected by love or dislike. Nor does it suffer from preferences or prejudices.
The mirror is never cruel but it is truthful. It is ‘the eye of a little god’ and it is fair
and impartial to all. The four-cornered mirror seems to be meditating on the
opposite wall. The mirror assumes the form of a lake. A woman bends over it
searching its ’reaches’ for what she really is. The mirror can’t deceive, flatter or
tell sweet lies. It reflects her face faithfully. In it’she has drowned a young girl’.
And now an old woman’s image emerges out of the mirror. She can’t bear this
bitter reality. She turns to liars like candle and the moon. They give a flattering
and soothing coating to her image. But when she returns to the mirror, she weeps
and moves her hands in agitation. When reality bites her, she becomes restless and
behaves like a terrible fish out of water.

3.Describe how the ‘objectivity’ or truthfulness of the mirror bites sometimes.

Why does the woman turn to ‘those liars, the candles and the moon’? Why
does she shed tears and mover her hands in agitation/

Objectivity and truthfulness are the most important characteristics of the mirror.
This silvery-surfaced four-cornered little god never gives a false and biased image.
It is exact and truthful. Whatever it sees, it immediately swells as it is. And then
reflects it truly. It has no preconceived notions, preferences, likes or dislikes.
Sometimes the reality of the mirror bites. It also gives the impression of being a
little cruel. At least, the woman who has been coming to the mirror for long
doesn’t seem to be satisfied with it. She realizes that she has drowned her youth in
it all these years. Now the image that emerges from it , is not the image of youth
but the image of an old woman. This is unbearable. When reality bites her, she
turns to those liars, the candles or the moon. Their soothing and dim light can hide
her blemishes. She can flatter herself and indulge in self-deception. However, the
mirror can’t be anything but true and real. When she realizes that she is no more
young and has become old, she is upset, restless and agitated. She feels like a fish
out of water.