Junior Intermediate

Poetry – Annotations

Father, Dear Father - Lesson – 2

By Raj Kinger

1 Yes, my first rank slipped to the second.

Introduction: This line forms a part of Raj Kinger’s ‘Father,
Dear Father.’ This is an excerpt extracted from an article
published in the reputed English daily, ‘The Hindu’. The thought-
provoking commentary sheds light on the present education
system and the mind set of parents and teachers. The fact that
one’s personality must be given credibility rather than ranks and
grades is highlighted in the commentary.
Context & Meaning: The writer Raj Kinger uses Rahul as his
mouthpiece to voice his concern with the present system of
education. Rahul, despite being a perfectionist fell short of the
top rank. His dad was cross with him as he felt that Rahul did
not take his advice ‘thinking before studying’ seriously. However,
Rahul pondered over the word ‘Think’ only to realize the serious
drawbacks that afflicted the Instructional structure. The writer
strongly denounces the rote learning saying that whatever he
learns gives him no practical exposure to the real world.
General Relevance: The writer is essentially critical of the
emphasis placed on examinations, marks and ranks and laments
that this was not the case during his grandfather’s time. Students
excelled in their studies even at those times.
2 But in your departmental store, do you apply Pythagoras
Theorem or Newton’s Law of Gravity?
Introduction: This line forms a part of Raj Kinger’s ‘Father,
Dear Father.’ This is an excerpt extracted from an article
published in the reputed English daily, ‘The Hindu’. The thought-
provoking commentary sheds light on the present education
system and the mind set of parents and teachers. The fact that
one’s personality must be given credibility rather than ranks and
grades is highlighted in the commentary.
Context & Meaning: The lad Rahul tries to reason out with his
father that he should be flexible in his views and practical in his
approach. It becomes necessary at times to compromise and
refrain from imposing ideas forcibly. Citing an example of
applying Pythagoras Theorem or Newton’s Law of gravity to run
his departmental store would be a ridiculous move because the
application would hold no ground since both the proposals hardly
gel with each other. Similarly, it is important to understand the
issue rather than blindly dumping his views on someone.
General Relevance: The writer underlines the need to understand
a problem with due consideration from every angle before coming
to a rash conclusion without getting an inkling of the state of
mind from the opposite party.
3 And she was cross. She said go ask the guy who keeps
gardening things.
Introduction: This line forms a part of Raj Kinger’s ‘Father,
Dear Father.’ This is an excerpt extracted from an article
published in the reputed English daily, ‘The Hindu’. The thought-
provoking commentary sheds light on the present education
system and the mind set of parents and teachers. The fact that
one’s personality must be given credibility rather than ranks and
grades is highlighted in the commentary.
Context & Meaning: Emphasizing the need for teachers to
maintain their cool while answering queries from students, the
writer puts forward the unpleasant experience which Rahul had
with his biology teacher when his rose plant was attacked by
pests. He sought to know how to save it. The teacher gets
irritated as she thinks that the question is out of the syllabus and
harshly directs him to see a gardener for advice. Not getting an
appropriate response Rahul is depressed and crestfallen. (dejected)
General Relevance: The writer projects the ordeal (suffering) the
tender mind of child has to go through when a genuine query is
parried (dodged) by his teacher for whom he has the greatest
regard and in whom he reposes utmost faith.
4 This was only to lighten my overburden heart.
Introduction: This line forms a part of Raj Kinger’s ‘Father,
Dear Father.’ This is an excerpt extracted from an article
published in the reputed English daily, ‘The Hindu’. The thought-
provoking (inspiring) commentary sheds light on the present
education system and the mind set of parents and teachers. The
fact that one’s personality must be given credibility rather than
ranks and grades is highlighted in the commentary.
Context & Meaning: Rahul in the letter highlights the need for
his Task-master father to reconsider his plea of refraining (Keep
away from) from being so severe on him without pondering
(thinking) on the hurdles that he had to face in his journey to
perfection. He reiterates (repeats) that sliding to the second place
was not at all a slip-up as construed (taken) by his father.
Pouring out his heart he says that the letter was only to ease his
overburdened (heavy) heart and will never reach him.
General Relevance: The writer stresses on the need for parents to
understand their children before reaching a hurried conclusion for,
they too, are made of arteries and muscles that hurts and have a
large scale impact in the future.
 Prose – Short Answers
1 What does the boy think of his grandparents in the letter?
Ans: Raj Kinger’s article published in the reputed English daily,
‘The Hindu’ is a heart wrenching account of a child’s anguished
plea to his father to be more of an understanding and caring
parent rather than a task-master or a grade seeker. He also dashes
off a message for teachers to maintain calm while handling
queries form kids.
Rahul seeks inspiration from the carefree life of his grand parents
who were happy-go-lucky people. Meandering around the mango
groves, playing marbles, picnics and gulping down mouth-
watering food items and not forgetting the famous gillidanda
made their day and they were pretty happy with the going.
Education was secondary in their life and they thrived mostly on
experience. They were never in the least confused or stressed as he
was. He therefore yearned (desired) to be like them.

2 Write a paragraph on the education system as described in

Rahul’s letter.
Ans: Raj Kinger’s article published in the reputed English daily,
‘The Hindu’ is a heart wrenching account of a child’s anguished
plea to his father to be more of an understanding and caring
parent rather than a task-master or a grade seeker. He also dashes
off a message for teachers to maintain calm while handling
queries form kids.

Kinger, through Rahul deplores the lopsided (one-sided) education

system that demands good numbers from a child in an exam
rather than building his personality. Hence a child is not well
familiar with the outside world and he or she might not be in a
position to build up a proper disposition. (character).
The writer strongly condemns rote learning saying that whatever
he acquires through learning is devoid of practical exposure. He is
especially serious about the prominence (importance) given to
examinations, marks and ranks.
3 What is the attitude of teachers towards learners as illustrated
in the lesson ‘Father, Dear Father.’
Ans: Raj Kinger’s article published in the reputed English daily,
‘The Hindu’ is a heart wrenching account of a child’s anguished
plea to his father to be more of an understanding and caring
parent rather than a task-master or a grade seeker. He also dashes
off a message for teachers to maintain calm while handling
queries form kids.

The writer, Raj Kinger sheds light on the startling behaviour of

teachers towards the taught and criticizes such an education
system which curbs independent thinking and encourages blind
adherence to whatever the teacher says. Teachers who are
supposed to be calm and composed even at the most pressing times
are losing their temper a little too often which at the end of the
day impacts these delicate minds. Rahul’s sordid experience with
his biology teacher bears ample testimony to this fact. All Rahul
wanted to know was how to protect his rose plant from the pests.
Being a biology teacher, she should have had some answer with
her rather than deflecting the question only to leave the child
shattered. In yet another incident Rahul explains the reason for
losing one mark and yet again it was the teacher’s mistake for
which he had to bear the brunt.
4 What is the significance of the postscript to the text in ‘Father,
Dear Father’
Ans: Raj Kinger’s article published in the reputed English daily,
‘The Hindu’ is a heart wrenching account of a child’s anguished
plea to his father to be more of an understanding and caring
parent rather than a taskmaster or a grade seeker. He also dashes
off a message for teachers to maintain calm while handling
queries form kids.
The postscript is of tremendous relevance in the letter. The readers
get to see Rahul’s fear laced with respect for his father who
is rigid minded with a set of rules written for his son. He is an
uncompromising philosopher who has always taught his son to be
moulded in his own set of beliefs. The letter was essentially
intended as he puts it, to ease the pain and trauma he was
afflicted with by the unusual attitude of his dad.
Hence, Rahul makes sure that the letter does not reach his pop as
it would hardly make a difference to him.