•
“It is his karam, his destiny,” says Mukesh’s grandmother, who has watched
The Last Lesson
An atmosphere of regret and deep loss hung in the class. Usually, when
school began, there was a great bustle. But now it was so still! The whole school
seemed so strange and solemn. The only sound was the scratching of the pens
over the paper.
The most surprising thing was that even the back benches were filled by the
village elders­—old Hauser, the former postmaster, the former mayor and others.
They were sorry that they had not gone to school more. Secondly, it was their
way of thanking M. Hamel for his forty years of faithful service.
When M. Hamel said, “My children, this is your last French lesson. The
order has come from Berlin to teach only German in the schools of Alsace
and Lorraine...” These words were a thunderclap to Franz. He felt sorry
for not learning his lessons, for seeking birds’ eggs, or going sliding on
the saar! He was upset that M. Hamel would leave the country next day.
“We don’t value something when we have it, but repent when we lose it!”
M. Hamel was an ideal teacher. He gave his forty years of faithful service.
He was sitting motionless in his chair and looking everything in the school-room.
Now his heart was broken as he was to leave the country next day. This made
M. Hamel cry. He turned to the blackboard, took a piece of chalk, and wrote
—“Vive La France!” which means “Long Live France”.
Additional Points
• Franz started for school very late. He was afraid because M. Hamel would
question him on participles, and he did not know the first word about them.
• It was a warm, bright day. The birds were chirping; and in the open field
the Prussian soldiers were drilling. It was more tempting than the rule for
participles. Finally he hurried off to school.
• When Franz passed the town hall there was a crowd in front of the bulletin-
board. For the last two years all bad news had come from there — the lost
battles, the draft, the orders of the commanding officer.
• M. Hamel had put on his beautiful green coat, his frilled shirt, and the little
black silk cap – all embroidered. It was in honour of the last lesson that he
had put on his fine Sunday clothes.
• When Franz could not answer the questions on participles, M. Hamel did not
scold. Rather, he blamed everyone in Alsace for not learning their mother
tongue and putting off learning till tomorrow.
• M. Hamel said French was the most beautiful language in the world — the
clearest, the most logical. They must guard it among themselves and never
forget it, because when people are enslaved, if they hold fast to their language
it is the key to their prison.
• M. Hamel blamed the parents because they were not serious about the
children’s lessons. They preferred them to work on a farm or the mills to earn
money. M. Hamel blamed himself also. He often sent the children to water
his flowers. And when he wanted to go fishing, he just gave them a holiday.
Lost Spring (Stories of Stolen Childhood) Anees Jung
S aheb’s family lives in Seemapuri, a place on the periphery of Delhi yet
miles away from it. 10,000 ragpickers live in structures of mud, with roofs
of tin, devoid of sewage, drainage or water. They live here without an identity,
without permits but with ration cards to buy grain. Food is more important for
survival than an identity. And survival in Seemapuri means ragpicking.
These are squatters who came from Bangladesh (Dhaka) in 1971 because
repeated floods swept away their fields and homes.
Additional Points
• Saheb is looking for gold in the garbage dumps. Garbage to them is gold.
It is their daily bread. For the children it is a wonder — finding a ten-rupee
note or a silver coin. For the elders it is a means of survival.
• Saheb’s full name is ‘Saheb-e-Alam’. It means — lord of the universe. But
Saheb is a ragpicker ....
• Saheb now works in a tea stall. But he is not happy. Though he gets 800 Rupees
and all his meals, yet he has lost the carefree look. The bag was his. The canister
belongs to the owner of the tea stall. Saheb is no longer his own master!
F irozabad is dominated by bangle industry. People have spent generations in
making bangles. Mukesh’s family is among them.
Working in the glass bangles industry is hazardous. About 20,000 children work
in the glass furnaces with high temperatures. They lose their eyesight before
they become adults. There is possibility of skin burn also.
They live in hovels with crumbling walls, wobbly doors and no windows.
Inspite of hard labour, they do not enjoy even one full meal in their entire lifetime.
Mukesh’s attitude is different from that of his family. He insists on being his
own master. He wants to be a motor mechanic. He is determined to walk to a
garage and learn to drive.
What forces conspire to keep the workers in the bangle industry of Firoz-
abad in poverty?
Poverty, social customs and stigma of caste conspire to keep the workers in the
bangle industry of Firozabad in poverty. They are unable to organise themselves
into a co-operative because if they get organised, they will be hauled up by the
police, beaten and dragged to jail. There is no leader among them.
The writer, Anees Jung sees two different worlds— one of the family, caught in
a web of poverty; the other a vicious circle of the sahukars, the policemen, the
law keepers and the politicians.
Additional Points
• Mukesh’s father is a poor bangle maker. Despite long years of hard labour, he
has failed to renovate a house, send his two sons to school. He could only
manage to teach them the art of making bangles.
1
her own husband go blind in making bangles. She implies that a god-given
lineage can never be broken.
• The writer wonders if Savita, a young girl, knows the sanctity of the bangles.
It symbolises an Indian woman’s suhaag, auspiciousness in marriage. The
old woman beside her still has bangles on her wrist, but no light in her eyes.
She has not enjoyed even one full meal in her entire lifetime.
Deep Water
Douglas’ drowning experience at Y.M.C.A. swimming pool
A big boy, eighteen years old, picked him up and tossed him into the deep end.
I. He swallowed water. He was frightened. He planned that when his feet hit
the bottom, he would make a big jump and come to the surface. But those nine
feet seemed like ninety feet. His lungs were ready to burst. He imagined he
would bob to the surface like a cork. But he came up slowly. He opened his eyes
and saw nothing but water. He grew panicky. His legs hung as dead weights,
paralysed and rigid.
II. He went down, down, endlessly. His lungs ached and his head throbbed. He
felt sheer, stark terror that knew no understanding, no control. He saw nothing
but water with a yellow glow.
III. “I crossed to oblivion, and the curtain of life fell.”
When Douglas started down the water a third time, his all efforts to jump up
ceased. He relaxed; and a blackness swept over his brain. It wiped out all terror.
Douglas drew a deep meaning from this experience— “In death there is peace.
There is terror only in the fear of death.” “All we have to fear is fear itself.”
How did Douglas overcome his fear of water?
The misadventure at Y.M.C.A. pool filled a haunting fear of water in Douglas.
It ruined his fishing trips, boating and swimming. He hired an instructor and
learnt swimming. He practised five days a week, an hour each day. It took three
months before the tension began to reduce. He was still not sure that all the
terror had left. So he went to Lake Wentworth in New Hampshire, and swam
two miles across the lake. The next morning he dived into the lake, and swam
across to the other shore and back. This way, Douglas overcame his fear of water.
Additional Points
• Douglas’ experience at California beach, when he was three or four years
old, developed an aversion of water in him. Even though he stood clinging tightly
to his father, yet the waves knocked him down and swept over him. He was
frightened by the overpowering force of the waves.
• When Douglas’ was ten or eleven years old, he decided to learn swimming
at the Y.M.C.A. pool. It was safe as it was only two or three feet deep at the
shallow end, and nine feet deep at the deep end. The drop was gradual.
• How did the instructor build a ‘swimmer’ out of Douglas?
The instructor made Douglas rigorous and systematic practice. He put a belt around
Douglas, attached a rope to belt and relaxed his hold on the rope and Douglas went
under water. He taught him to put his face under water and exhale, and to raise his
nose and inhale. Thus, piece by piece, he built a ‘swimmer’ out of Douglas.
Indigo Louis Fischer
1. The sharecroppers in Champaran had to plant 15 per cent of their holdings
with indigo and surrender the entire indigo harvest as rent to the British planters.
Now, the landlords learned that Germany had developed synthetic indigo. The
British planters now wanted the sharecroppers to pay them compensation to be
released from the 15 per cent contract.
2. Rajkumar Shukla went to meet Gandhiji in Lucknow to complain about
injustice of the ‘landlord system’ in Bihar. He requested Gandhiji to visit his place
Champaran. Shukla was resolute. He accompanied Gandhiji everywhere. For
weeks he never left Gandhi’s side. He begged Gandhiji to fix a date. Impressed
by Shukla’s tenacity, Gandhiji agreed to go to Champaran with Shukla.
3. Shukla led Gandhiji to the house of a lawyer named Rajendra Prasad who
was out of town. The servants knew Shukla as a poor peasant. So, they took
Gandhiji to be another peasant as he was Shukla’s companion. They let him stay
on the grounds with Shukla. Gandhiji was not permitted to draw water from the
well lest some drops from his bucket pollute the entire source.
4. Gandhiji decided to go first to Muzzafarpur to obtain more complete information
about conditions at Champaran. Gandhiji stayed there in the home of Professor
Malkani. It was an extraordinary thing in those days for a government professor
to harbour a man like him. In smaller localities, the Indians were afraid to show
sympathy for advocates of home-rule.
5.According to Gandhiji, where the peasants were so fear-stricken, law courts
were useless. The real relief for them was to be free from fear. Secondly, the
lawyers collected big fee from the sharecroppers.
6. Civil disobedience had triumphed, the first time in modern India.
Gandhiji decided to fight against the injustice of the British landlords. He met
the British official commissioner of the district, who gave him an official notice
to quit Champaran immediately. Gandhiji decided to disobey the order. So,
Gandhiji was to appear in court the next day. He telegraphed Rajendra Prasad
to come from Bihar with other lawyers. He sent instructions to the ashram. He
wired a full report to the Viceroy.
In the morning, thousands of peasants demonstrated around the Court house to
support Gandhiji. Rajendra Prasad and other lawyers also arrived from Bihar. The
British officials felt powerless without Gandhiji’s cooperation. The government was
baffled. Now the British realised that they could be challenged by Indians.
The lawyers thought Gandhiji was totally a stranger, and yet he was prepared
to go to jail for the sake of peasants. It would be shameful desertion on their
part if they left the peasants. So they were ready to accompany him to jail. So,
Gandhiji exclaimed,“ The Battle of Champaran is won.”
Several days later, the Lt. Governor had ordered the case to dropped. Thus,
Civil disobedience had triumphed, the first time.
7. Gandhiji had four interviews with the Lt. Governor, who appointed an official
commission of inquiry into the indigo sharecroppers’ situation. They asked
Gandhiji how much they must pay. He asked only 50 per cent. They offered to
refund 25 per cent. Gandhiji agreed to a settlement of 25 per cent refund to the
farmers because the amount of the refund was less important than the fact that
the landlords had been obliged to surrender part of the money and, their prestige.
Now the peasants learned courage. Within a few years the British planters left
their lands, which were given to the peasants. Indigo sharecropping disappeared.
8.“Gandhiji never contented himself with large political or economic
solutions”. Gandhiji saw the cultural and social backwardness in the Champaran
villages. He wanted to do something about it immediately. Therefore, he continued
his stay in Champaran. Gandhiji appealed for teachers. Mahadev Desai and
Narhari Parikh joined Gandhiji as disciples. Primary schools were opened in six
villages. Mrs Gandhi taught the rules on health and sanitation. Gandhiji got a
doctor to volunteer his services for six months.
During his long stay in Champaran, Gandhiji kept a long distance watch on the
ashram. He sent regular instructions by mail and asked for financial accounts.
9. Charles Freer Andrews was the English pacifist who had become a devoted
follower of Gandhiji. Gandhiji did not want his help because he was an Englishman.
It would be the weakness of their heart to take help of an Englishman in the
freedom fight. Gandhiji wanted the Indians to be self-reliant.
10. ‘The Champaran episode was a turning point in Gandhiji’s life.’ It
was the beginning of the Indian struggle for independence. It was during this
struggle that he decided to urge the departure of the Britishers. In Champaran
episode civil disobedience had triumphed, the first time when Gandhiji was
released without bail, and Lt. Governor ordered the case to be dropped.
Spontaneous demonstration, in thousands of peasants, around the court house
was the beginning of their liberation from fear of the British. Then, the British
landlords were obliged to make 25 per cent refund to the farmers. In Champaran
episode, help to sharecroppers and freedom struggle went hand in hand.
The Rattrap
1. The peddler went around selling small rattraps of wire. He made them
himself from the material he got by begging in the stores or big farms. But
even so, the business was not profitable, so he had to resort to both begging
and petty thievery to keep body and soul together.
2. The whole world was nothing but a big rattrap. It offered riches and joys,
shelter and food, heat and clothing, exactly as the rattrap offered cheese and
pork. The world had never been very kind to him, so it gave him unwonted joy
to think ill of it in this way. It became a cherished pastime of the peddler.
3. The peddler knocked on the door of the cottage to ask shelter for the night.
The owner of the cottage was an old man without wife or child. So he was
happy to get someone to talk to in his loneliness. He gave him hot supper to eat
and tobacco to smoke. Finally he played cards (mjolis) with him.
4. The Crofter was trusting and generous. So he showed the peddler the thirty
kronor. But the peddler betrayed his trust. He stole thirty kronor and went away.
5. After robbing the crofter the peddler moved into the forest. It was a big and
confusing forest. He walked and walked without coming to an end. He recalled
his thoughts about the world and the rattrap. Now his own turn had come.
6. The blacksmith did not notice that the peddler had entered the forge
because it was usual for poor vagabonds to take shelter for the night. Unlike
the blacksmith, the ironmaster of the Ramsjo iron mill walked close up to the
peddler and looked him over carefully to know his identity.
7. When the ironmaster mistook the peddler as an old acquaintance, Nils Olof,
the peddler did not reveal himself because he felt that the ironmaster might
perhaps throw him a couple of kronor.
8. The ironmaster of the Ramsjo iron mill thought that the peddler was his
old regimental comrade, Nils Olof. So he spoke kindly to him and invited him
home on Christmas eve. •The peddler felt that going up to the manor house
would be like throwing himself voluntarily into the lion’s den. So, he declined
the ironmaster’s invitation. • Edla noticed that the peddler was afraid. She
had doubts about him – either he had stolen something or else he had
escaped from jail.
• Edla Willmansson had better powers of persuasion. She looked at the peddler
compassionately. She requested him to stay with them over Christmas Eve. She
said this in such a friendly manner that the peddler felt confidence in her and
accepted her invitation.
9. When the ironmaster saw the peddler next day, clean and well-dressed, he
realised his mistake.
10. When the ironmaster realised his mistake, the peddler said that it was not
his fault as had begged to stay in the forge. He said that he would put on his
rags again and go away.
11. Edla still entertained the peddler even after she knew the truth about him
because of her kind, trusting and compassionate behaviour. It was Christmas
eve and she wanted to keep the spirit of Christmas. Secondly, she wanted to
provide the poor vagabond with a day of comfort and solace. They should not
chase away a human being whom they had promised Christmas cheer.
12. At the Church, Edla came to know that one of the old crofters of the ironworks
had been robbed by a rattrap seller. They concluded that the man at home was
a thief. The ironmaster got angry with Edla for letting him into the house. He
2
assumed that the peddler must have stolen their silver spoons. Edla thought she
would have to suffer criticisms for trying to help a thief.
13. The package left by the peddler as a Christmas present for Edla contained
a small rattrap, and in it three ten kronor notes and a letter. In his letter, he
showed his gratitude to Miss Edla Willmansson for her kindness and for treating
him like a real captain. He did not want her to be embarrassed at Christmas
eve. He returned the stolen money.
14. Edla was happy to see the gift left by the peddler as her trust was not broken by
the peddler. Her goodness had paid off and the peddler had transformed.
15. The peddler signed himself as Captain von Stahle because Edla had been so
nice to him as if he was a real captain.............................
What made the peddler finally change his ways?
The kind, trusting and compassionate behaviour of the ironmaster’s daughter, Edla Willmansson
awakens the basic human goodness in the peddler. She pleaded with her father not to chase the
peddler away even after she knew the truth about him. She wanted to provide the poor vagabond
with a day of comfort and solace.
She took the peddler by the hand and led him up to the table and served him Christmas fish and
porridge to eat. She gave him her father’s suit as a Christmas present. She also invited him to spend
the next Christmas eve with them. The peddler only stared at her in boundless amazement.
Her goodness had paid off and the peddler had transformed. In his letter, he showed his gratitude for
her kindness and for treating him like a real captain. He did not want her to be embarrassed at the
Christmas season and returned the stolen money. He thanked her for bringing about a change in him,
in reforming him and offering him true friendship and high regard.
Trust and compassion provide a healing touch to the distracted souls
and bring out best in man.
What are the instances in the story that show that the character of the
ironmaster is different from that of his daughter in many ways? The ironmaster
spoke to the peddler for some time, still he mistook him as an old acquaintance,
whereas, his daughter Edla Willmansson, within minutes, observed that either the
man had stolen something or else he had escaped from jail.
After knowing the truth about the peddler, the ironmaster wanted to hand him over
to the sheriff but his daughter was more compassionate. She pleaded with her father
not to send the peddler away. She wanted to provide the poor vagabond with a day of
comfort and solace.
At church, they learned that the rattrap peddler had robbed the crofter. The
ironmaster assumed that the peddler must have stolen their silver spoons and other
valuables. He blamed the daughter for letting him in the house. However, the trusting
and compassionate behaviour of Edla had paid off and the peddler had transformed.
He returned the stolen money.
Going Places
Sophie and Jansie are classmates. They are ‘good’ friends too. But in tastes and
temperaments they are poles apart.
Sophie is not practical, but over ambitious. She is a day-dreamer. She always
dreams of an affluent and sophisticated lifestyle. She thinks as if “money grows
on trees”. She dreams of opening a boutique or becoming an actress or a fashion
designer. She considers the football star, Danny Casey as her hero. She imagines
that she walks along the canal, sits on wooden bench and waits for Danny Casey.
She imagines his coming out of the shadows. She is disappointed at her unrealistic
aspirations.
Jansie, being realistic and practical, knows that they belong to lower middle class
families and are destined to work for the biscuit factory. She advises Sophie not
to day dream.
We should not live in a world of fantasies. All that glitters is not gold.
1. Sophie likes her brother, Geoff. She wants him to listen to her fantasies. But he
talks very little. Words have to be prized out of him like stones out of a ground.
So, Sophie is jealous of his silence.
2. Sophie’s father is a hardworking but a carefree person. He belongs to a
lower-middle class family. He often goes to the pub to have a drink. He is fond
of watching football matches. He is least bothered about his children.
3. Outside the pub, Sophie saw her father’s bicycle propped against the wall. So,
she was glad because he would not be there when she got home.
4. Sophie did not want Jansie to know that she met Danny Casey. She had no
faith in Jansie. She feared that the whole neighbourhood would get to know it.
5. Sophie belonged to a lower middle class socio-economic background.
The indicators of her family’s financial status are:
• Small house where Sophie felt suffocated.
• There was an old television in the house.
• Her father had a bicycle.
• Geoff had an old motor-bike which kept breaking down.
6.Daney Casey was a famous young Irish football player, who played for the
United. Sophie did not really meet Danney Casey. The only occasion when she
got to see Danney Casey in person was on a Saturday when they went to watch
a football match. United won two-nil and Casey drove in the second goal.
7. Sophie imagined herself riding behind Geoff. He wore new, shining black
leathers and she saw herself a yellow dress with a kind of cape that flew out
behind. There was the sound of applause as the world rose to greet them.
8. When Geoff told her father that she had met Danney Casey, Sophie wriggled
where she was sitting at the table. Her father turned his head to look at her. His
expression was one of disdain.
 The Enemy Pearl S. Buck
Dr. Sadao, a Japanese doctor, helps the American prisoner of war, Tom
by putting his own life in danger. Pearl S. Buck wants to suggest that the
real enemy is not the white soldier, but the narrow considerations of
nationalism and patriotism.
The feeling of hatred for enemy country and its people is created by
the system/government. However, there are people who rise above
such petty thoughts like Dr. Sadao, who brought the injured American
prisoner of war. Against the wishes of the servants, he operated on him,
extracted the bullet from his body and saved his life. As a doctor that was
his first duty. The country which he belonged to did not matter to him.
Human considerations should overpower the narrow considerations
of nationalism and patriotism.
However, Dr. Sadao did not lack nationalism. He reported the matter
to the General, who assured him that he would have the white soldier
assassinated. However, the general forgets his promise. So, Dr. Sadao
helps the white man escape to safety. Dr. Sadao was really a kind and
merciful person.
Dr. Sadao’s compulsion of helping the enemy soldier was professionally
justifiable. Hana, however, had no such compulsion. Still she helped Dr.
Sadao in the operation, cleaned the wounds of the American soldier
and gave anaesthesia. There are more than one reasons for her to be
sympathetic.
• First, she was a devoted wife. She supported the decision of her
husband because of wifely compulsion of her pledge of supporting
the husband.
• Secondly, she is a woman. Hana, being a woman, empathies with the
white soldier in spite of open defiance of the servants and the risks
involved in saving the life of an enemy.
Women instinctively are preservers and not destroyers.
There is a mother in every woman.
Dr. Sadao’s Dilemma—Conflict of Duties and Interests
Sometimes we face a situation in life when we find it difficult to make
a choice between our role as a citizen and as an individual. Our duties
and interests clash. Dr. Sadao’s dilemma was whether to save the
wounded enemy or hand him over to the authorities. He fulfils his duty
as a doctor by saving the patient and his duty as a patriot by informing
the General about the enemy soldier. However, the general forgets his
promise to have the enemy assassinated. So, Dr. Sadao helps the white
man escape to safety.
Pearl S. Buck wants to suggest that human considerations should
overpower the narrow considerations of nationalism and patriotism.
The servants of Dr. Sadao and Hana reflect the mindset of poor,
uneducated and narrow minded section of the society.
They are frightened on hearing about the wounded American prisoner of
war. No one could understand Dr. Sadao’s dilemma. Servants continued
their open defiance; they did not want to stay in the same house where
the enemy was staying; and doubted their master’s loyalty.
The gardener was superstitious. According to him, Dr. Sadao should not
heal the wound of the white soldier and let the man die. First, he was
shot. Then, the sea caught him and wounded him with her rocks. If Dr.
Sadao saved him, the gun and the sea would take revenge.
Yumi left services. She refused to wash the wounds of the enemy soldier
and got angry with Dr. Sadao for putting his family in danger. She said
that though she was poor it was not her business, and left services.
The cook felt Sadao was too proud of his skills. So he operated and
saved the enemy.
Finally, all the servants left Sadao’s house being afraid of the
repercussions of helping an enemy soldier.
Additional Points
• The old General appreciates Sadao’s skill and efficiency. Sadao was not sent
abroad with the troops by him because Sadao was perfecting a discovery which
would render wounds entirely clean. Secondly, the old General was unwell and
might need an operation any time for which he trusted only Dr. Sadao.
• Dr. Sadao had saved the life of an enemy soldier. Still the General did not
get his arrested because he needed Dr. Sadao for the operation anytime. He
wanted Dr. Sadao to be around in case his condition deteriorated. Thus, the
General sacrificed national interest for personal interest.
• The old general sent a messenger to Dr. Sadao for treatment. He was suffering
from a heart ailment. Now, he was in pain again. Hana thought the servants
must have told about the enemy soldier and now they would be arrested for
sheltering an enemy.
• Dr. Sadao could not get the bullet out because of excessive bleeding. Hana
choked. Sadao said sharply, “Don‘t faint” because if he stopped then, the white
soldier would surely die. Hana ran out of the room and was vomitting. So, her
distress and his inability to go to her made Dr. Sadao impatient and irritable
with the while soldier.
• Dr Sadao’s father accepted Hana because she was pure in race; marriage in
old Japanese way. Everything in the room was Japanese. He would never sit
on a chair or sleep in a foreign bed. The quilt was covered with flowered silk
and the lining was pure white silk.
• The white soldier was suffering a lot because of deep wounds and excessive
bleeding. Hana thought that Japanese tortured their prisoners of wars. She
remembered how General Takima beat his wife cruelly. If a man like him could
be so cruel to a woman, how cruel he would be with the prisoners of wars.
3
On The Face of It Susan Hill
The play ‘On the Face of It’, by Susan Hill brings out the pain and
isolation that the physically handicapped got through. The callousness
and insensitivity of the society adversely affect their personality. The
actual pain caused by a physical disablement is much less than the sense
of isolation felt by the person with disabilities. He is often neglected by
others. People stare at him and pass ugly comments.
Both Mr. Lamb and Derry are physically handicapped. However, they
differ in their thoughts, traits and attitude towards life.
Derry, physically handicap (burnt face), has poor self-esteem and feels victimized.
He has negative attitude. He is deeply affected by people’s comments. He feels
very painful when a woman whispered to another that he was a terrible thing.
In the hospital, a woman says blind people should be with blind people and
idiot boys with idiot boys.
Mr. Lamb, physically handicap (does not have one leg) but has positive attitude.
He does not let the comments of people get to him. Children call him ‘Lamey-
Lamb’. He feels that it suits him as he walks with a limp. Mr. Lamb is open-minded.
He keeps himself busy in attending to his trees, crab apples, listening to the
buzzling of the bees and reading books. He loves to spend time with people
who enter his garden. So he keeps his gates open. There are no curtains at the
windows because he does not like shutting things out. He likes the light and
the darkness.
Mr. Lamb wanted to save Derry from self pitying habit. He advised him not to
pay attention to what others thought about him and open up his heart to let love
enter, to celebrate life and its wonders. The real beauty of a person is inside and
not outside. He provides confidence to Derry. Lamb’s generousity, openness and
confidence effect a change in Derry’s attitude towards himself and the world.
Now, he has strength to face the odds of life. Mr. Lamb helped Derry out of
sympathy and concern—both of them were handicapped and hence understood
each other’s plight.
Despite all that Mr Lamb says, yet sense of isolation is quite painful to him.
He lives in an empty house. He yearns for human company. He is happy to
get Derry’s company to talk to in his loneliness. When Derry tells him that he
will come back, he reflects that nobody ever comes back.
Should Wizard Hit Mommy? John Updike
In the evenings and for Saturday naps, Jack told his four year old
daughter, Jo a story out of his head. This custom began when she was
two years old. The ritual of story telling was specially fatiguing on Saturday
because Jo never fell asleep in naps any more.
Roger Skunk smelled so bad that all other little animals avoided playing
with him. So he went to see the wise old owl to seek advice from him for
his problem of awful smell. The owl advised him to go to the wizard. So,
Roger went to the wizard to get rid of his awful smell. The wizard gave
him smell of Roses. Now, Roger Skunk was very happy. All the other
little animals gathered around him and they played baseball, football,
basketball, hockey, soccer, and pick-up-sticks.
Roger Skunk’s mother was angry because her son smelled of roses. She
wanted him to preserve his identity. She took an umbrella and went back
with Roger Skunk and hit the wizard right over the head for changing
her son’s awful smell. The Mommy Skunk hugged him and said he
smelled like her little baby skunk again and she loved him very much.
Jo’s disapproval of the story ending by Jack: Jo wanted her
father to change the ending that wizard took that magic wand and hit
the stupid mommy. Jo could not bear the thought of Roger Skunk with
his foul smell.
Father’s reaction: Jack insists that it was the wizard that was hit and
not the mother. Jack gets angry by Jo’s attitude. He refused to change
the ending. Jack wanted to teach a moral lesson to his daughter that
‘parents are always right!’ Parents know what is best for their children.
Memories of Childhood
The Cutting of My Long Hair — Zitkala-Sa
1. Zitkala-Sa was in tears on the first day in the land of apples because
of the new environment, cultural shock, unknown tongue, eating by
formula, squeaking shoes. She lost her spirit when her long hair was
shingled like a coward’s!
2. “I felt like sinking to the floor”, says Zitkala- Sa. When did
she feel so and why? Zitkala-Sa remarked this when her blanket
had been stripped from her shoulders. She looked hard at the Indian
girls, who seemed even more immodestly dressed, in their tightly fitting
clothes and stiff shoes.
3. Zitkala Sa’s friend Judewin gave her a terrible warning about cutting
their long, heavy hair. In their culture, short hair was worn by mourners,
and shingled hair by cowards! Zitkala Sa rebelled and decided not to
surrender but to struggle! She resisted by kicking and scratching wildly.
But her long hair was shingled like a coward’s! She lost her spirit. In her
anguish she moaned for her mother, but no one came to comfort her.
Thus, she became a victim of racial discrimination.
We Too are Human Beings — Bama
1. Bama took thirty minutes to an hour to reach home from school
although it was possible to walk the distance in ten minutes. She was
watching all the fun and games that were going on, all the entertaining
novelties and oddities in the streets, the shops and the bazaar —
• the performing monkey; • the snake which the snakecharmer kept in
its box and displayed from time to time; • the cyclist cycling for three
days; • the maariyaata temple, the huge bell hanging there.
2. One day Bama saw an elder of their street carrying a packet of eatables
holding it by a string. The manner in which he was walking along made her
want to double up. She guessed there was something like vadai or green
banana bhajji in the packet, because the wrapping paper was stained with
oil. But Annan was not amused. He told her that landlords were upper
caste and therefore must not touch them. When Bama heard this, she
felt so provoked and angry that she wanted to touch those vadais herself
straightaway. Because they are rich, it did not mean they must lose all
human feelings. But we too are human beings.
3. Bama’s elder brother would often go to the library in their neighbouring
village in order to borrow books. One day, landlord’s men asked what his
name was and the street he lived in. The point of this was that if they
knew on which street he lived, they would know his caste too.
4. Annan told Bama that since they were born in a community of ‘low
caste’ people, they were never given any honour or dignity or respect.
He urged Bama to study and learn. If she was always ahead in her
lessons, then others would come to her of their own accord.
The words of her Annan made a very deep impression on Bama. She
studied hard. As Annan had urged, she stood first in her class. And
because of that, many people became her friends. She bacame a writer
and used her education to fight against caste- discrimination.
My Mother At Sixty-Six —Kamala Das
The poet, Kamala Das is driving from her parent’s home to the airport
at Cochin. Her mother is dozing with her mouth open. She is very
old, inactive and lifeless. To distract herself from her mother, the
poet looked at the young trees and merry children. The young trees
symbolise the freshness of life while the old mother symbolises passive
life, ageing and death. Children are running out of their homes to
enjoy themselves.They are young. On the contrary, the mother is old,
inactive and lifeless.
After the airport’s security check, the poet saw her mother’s colourless,
dull face. Her childhood’s fear of losing her mother returned. The
mother has been compared to the ‘late winter’s moon’ because she has
lost her shining skin and strength. The poet emphasizes the colourless,
lifeless and inactive life of her mother. To hide her feelings, she said,
“See you soon, Amma”. These words signify the parting on a positive
note. She smiles to comfort herself as well as her mother.
Aunt Jennifer’s Tigers —Adrienne Rich
Aunt Jennifer’s tigers are not real. They are on a screen. They are
brightly coloured dwellers of green forests. They have no fear of men
because they are powerful. They are sure of their power and strength.
They move in an elegant manner.
Aunt Jennifer is oppressed by her husband’s dominance over her. Her
movements are affected by her heavy wedding ring and the ordeals
of her married life. Aunt Jennifer will remain caught in the ordeals
of her marriage till her death. But the tigers in the panel which she
made will go on prancing, proud and unafraid.
Why does Aunt Jennifer create animals which were different from her
own character? Aunt Jennifer was oppressed by her husband’s dominance over
her. She is meek and submissive. However, she wanted to be proud, fearless
and free in her life. So she chose the figure of the tigers for her panel because
tigers symbolise strength and power, fearlessness and freedom. She expresses
her bitterness against male dominance through art and creativity.
Keeping Quiet —Pablo Neruda
Counting upto twelve and keeping still will help us achieve perfect silence
to introspect. A long silence might interrupt the sadness of men as they
could analyse their wrongs and follies and create mutual understanding
and brotherhood. Pablo Neruda is referring to the sadness of never
understanding ourselves and nature and threatening ourselves with
death/destruction. The moments of silence would be exotic.
‘Green Wars’ imply wars with environment. ‘Wars with gas’ cause
environment pollution and ‘wars with fire’ means nuclear wars. These
wars will provide a victory with no survivors. So, the warmongers should
walk together spreading the message of brotherhood and love.
The poet says keeping quiet is not total inactivity, i.e. death. ‘Earth’
seeming to be still is very much alive underneath. Human beings can
learn from the earth/nature to be still and grow at our own pace.
A Thing of Beauty —John Keats
Beautiful things are a source of eternal joy; provide mental peace,
hope and contentment. A beautiful thing never moves into emptiness.
It has a long standing impression.
We are despondent due to lack of noble nature and lack of human
qualities. In spite of all his troubles, man still loves life because a thing of
beauty removes all sad thoughts and lifts our spirits.
 Daffodil flowers spread beauty and charm in the green parks.
 Rills or small streams cool the surroundings on a hot summer day.
 Mid-forest brake is rich because musk roses grow and spread fragrance
and beauty.
John Keats considers ‘lovely tales’ of mighty dead that we have heard
or read (i.e., literature) an endless fountain of immortal drink and
associates ‘grandeur’ with the ‘mighty dead’ because splendor of their
deeds inspire us and exert divine influence like a fountain, springing
from the edge of heaven.
LETTER WRITING (6 marks) 120-150 words
Job applications
C-3/6 Yamuna Vihar
Delhi-110053
2 March 2019
The Principal
Ryan International School
Patparganj, Delhi
Subject : Application for the job of an Accountant
Sir,
This is with reference to your advertisement in The Times of India on 28 February
2019 for the job of an Accountant.
I am at present working with a company in Gurugram. Since my family lives in East
Delhi, I find it difficult to commute daily. Hence I am looking for a job in Delhi.
I assure you of my best services if given a chance.
I am enclosing my biodata for your perusal.
ours truly
Y
Keshav
Biodata/CV
Name Keshav Aggarwal
Address C-3/6 Yamuna Vihar, Delhi-110053
Date of Birth 20 August 19xx
Educational • B. Com (Hons), Delhi University
Qualifications • CIA (Computerised Industrial Accountant)
Job Experience Working for the last 4 years in JM Prakashan Ltd., Sec 9, Gurugram
Expected Salary `25,000 p.m.
References Mr Sengupta, Head Accounts Division, JM Prakashan Ltd.
Business letters
Letters of enquiry/asking for information
15, Geeta Colony
Delhi
2 July 2019
The Principal
National Fashion Institute
Kalkaji, New Delhi
Subject : Information regarding Correspondence Course in Fashion Technology
Sir,
I am interested in joining the Fashion Technology Course.
With reference to your advertisement in the Hindustan Times dated 25 June
2019, I came to know that your institute offers Correspondence Course in Fashion
Technology. I have just passed my Class XII Board Examination.
Kindly send me the following details about the course:
(a) Duration of the course
(b) Fees for the course and the details of payment
(c) Student concession or scholarship (if any)
(d) Placement opportunities after completing the course
Kindly mail a copy of prospectus/brochure to me at my address.
Looking forward to an early response.
ours sincerely
Y
Shivek