LAST LESSON

ABOUT AUTHOR

lphonse Daudet (13 May 1840 – 16 December 1897) was a French short story writer
and novelist. He is remembered chiefly as the author of sentimental tales of provincial
life in the south of France. All his life he recorded his observations of other people in
little notebooks, which he used as a reservoir of inspiration.

Daudet represents a synthesis of conflicting elements and his actual experience of life,
at every social level and in the course of travels, helped to develop his natural gifts. His
major works include ‘Tastain’, ‘Le Petit Chose’, ‘In the land of Pain’ and ‘The Last
Lesson’.

SUMMARY

The narration of this story is by a French boy, Franz. Franz is a lazy

boy. However, in spite of his laziness, Franz likes to play and is of a
sensitive nature. Furthermore, Franz hates his teacher M. Hamel in his
school and has no interest in studying French.

An order has come from Berlin after taking over the districts of Alsace
and Lorraine in France that the German language rather than the French
should be taught in the schools there. Furthermore, it is the school
French teacher M. Hamel’s last day.  This teacher has been working
there for forty years. Moreover, the teacher has feelings of patriotism.
He is also full of nostalgia and grief.  The village men also attend his
‘last lesson’ so as to honour and respect him.  The village is regretting
and is sad that they didn’t learn their mother tongue in their childhood.

Franz receives a big shock when he learns that this is his last lesson in
French.  He is shocked because he does not know French. Furthermore,
on learning about the last lesson, a sudden interest arises in him for
learning French. Moreover, he pays careful attention and learns
everything taught on this last day.

Instantly, he develops liking for the teacher M. Hamel. His feelings of

hatred for him suddenly came to an end. Moreover, Franz develops
respect for the hard work and sincerity of his teacher.  Franz is sad and
ashamed for being unable to recite his lesson.

Hamel explains that they all are at fault for lacking eagerness to learn.
Furthermore, he also includes himself in this fault. He blames himself
for lack of sincerity in teaching them.

There is a reflection of his patriotism in his praise for the French

language. He says that the French language is the most logical and
beautiful language in the world. It seems that M. Hamel got emotional
on this occasion. Furthermore, he asks the class to guard their language.
He says that being close to one’s language is a way to escape the
clutches of slavery.  This language will assist them in attaining freedom
from the Germans.  The people realize the significance of their mother
tongue. Moreover, they feel the reason for their defeat is illiteracy.

Franz feels that it is impossible to remove one’s language from a

person. This is because it is something that is natural to a person. This
means that no matter how hard the opposition may try, they will fail to
remove one’s language.

LOST SPRING

Anees Jung is an Indian female author, journalist and columnist who writes for major
newspapers in India and abroad. She was born in Rourkela and belongs to an
aristocratic family in Hyderabad. Her father, Nawab Hosh Yar Jung, who was a
renowned scholar and poet, worked as the musahib (adviser) to the last Nizam (prince)
of Hyderabad State. And her mother and brother are also well-known Urdu poets.

Jung hit the headlines with the publication of ‘Unveiling India in 1987’, which is
primarily a travel diary that focuses on interviews with women. She went on write many
subsequent books on the same topic, and talked to women about their everyday lives,
and wrote books like ‘Night of the New Moon: Encounters with Muslim women in India’
(1993) and Seven Sisters (1994). Her book ‘Breaking the Silence (1997) includes
conversations on women’s lives from around the world.

SUMMARY
I – Sometimes I find a rupee in the garbage.

The first part talks about the writer’s impressions about the life of the unfortunate rag
pickers. The rag pickers migrate from Dhaka and find a settlement in Seemapuri. They
end up losing their fields and homes due to storms. They then come to the big city to
find a living, but are poor. The author then watches Saheb, the rag picker, every
morning who is always scrounging for “gold” in her neighbourhood. Garbage is actually
the means of survival for the elders and it is something wrapped in wonder for the
children. Sometimes, the children find a coin or two from it. Even these kids have
desires and ambitions, but they have no clue about how to achieve them. There are
many things that are unreachable to them, for instance, shoes, tennis and similar stuff.
Later on, Saheb starts working at a tea stall where he earns 800 Rupees and also gets to
eat all the meals. But the job takes away his freedom.

II – I want to drive a car.

The second part is about the life of Mukesh, who comes from the family of bangle-
makers. Firozabad is quite popular for its glass-blowing industry. A staggering 20,000
children are a part of this business and any law that forbids child labour is brutally
ignored here. Also, the working environment and the living conditions are pathetic.
Children live in dingy cells and work around hot furnaces that make them blind when
they enter adulthood. Since they are weighed down by debt, they cannot think or find
any way to escape this trap. The politicians, policemen, middlemen and bureaucrats
obstruct their way of progress. Most women in such families think that this is their fate
and just follow the tradition. But Mukesh is very different from the rest of the folks
there. He has dreams of becoming a motor mechanic. The garage is quite far from his
house but he shall walk.

DEEP WATER

William O. Douglas (16 October 1898 – 19 January 1980) was born in Maine, Minnesota and
was raised in Yakima, Washington. He was an American jurist and politician. He served as an
Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States. He was nominated at the age of
40 by President Franklin D. Roosevelt and was the youngest justice appointed to the court and
served for the longest term in the history of the Supreme Court.

SUMMARY

The story, “Deep Waters” tells us how the writer overcame his fear of water
and learned swimming with sheer determination and will power. He had
developed a terror of water since childhood. When he was three or four
years old, the writer had gone to California with his father. One day on the
beach, the waves knocked the child down and swept over him. The child
was terrified but the father who knew, there was no harm, laughed. The
experience bred a permanent fear of water in the child’s sub-conscious
mind. Still another incident, more serious, increased his terror. The writer
was trying to learn swimming in the Y.M.C.A. swimming pool in Yakima.
One day while he was waiting for other boys, a big boy suddenly played a
dangerous prank and pushed him into the water. The writer was terribly
frightened. He went down nine feet into the water. When he reached the
bottom, he jumped upward with all his strength. He came up but very
slowly. He tried to catch hold of something like a rope but grasped only at
water.

He tried to shout but no sound came out. He went down again. His lungs
ached, head throbbed and he grew dizzy. He felt paralyzed with fear. All his
limbs were paralyzed. Only the movement of his heart told him that he was
alive. Again he tried to jump up. But this time his limbs would not move at
all. He looked for ropes, ladders and water wings but all in vain. Then he
went down again, the third time. This time all efforts and fear ceased. He
was moving towards peaceful death. The writer was in peace.

When he came to consciousness, he found himself lying on the side of the

pool with the other boys nearby. The terror that he had experienced in the
pool never left him. It haunted him for years and years to come. It spoilt
many of his expeditions of canoeing, swimming and fishing. It spoilt his
pleasures in Maine Lakes, New Hampshire, Deschutes, Columbia and
Bumping Lake etc. But the writer was determined to conquer his terror. He
took help of a swimming instructor to learn swimming. The instructor
taught him various actions necessary in swimming part by part. He put his
face under water and exhaled and inhaled raising it above water. He
practiced it for several weeks. He had to kick with his legs a few weeks on
the side of the pool. At last he combined all these actions and made the
writer swim. He learned swimming but the terror continued. So deep goes
our childhood experiences! So fearful is the fear of fear! Whenever he was
in water the terror returned. Hence forward the writer tried to terrorize
terror itself. He tried to face the new challenge. When terror came, he
confronted it by asking it sarcastically as to what it can really do to him?
He plunged into the water as if to defy the fear. Once he took courage the
terror vanquished. He faced the challenge deliberately in various places
like the Warm Lake. He conquered it at last.

RATTRAP

Selma Lagerlof (20 November 1858 – 16 March 1940), a Swedish writer, was the first female to
win a Nobel Prize in literature in 1909. Her most remembered book is ‘The Wonderful
Adventures of Nils’. Initially a teacher, in 1895, she devoted herself completely to writing. She
wrote several books, including novels and collection of stories such as Gosta Berling’s Saga,
Invisible Links and The Miracles of the Antichrist.

SUMMARY

The story begins with a rattrap peddler who is in a rugged condition. He

is dressed in rags and is very frail and looks starved. We learn he has no
home and sometimes even begs and steals to survive in the world. He
leads a lonely life with no one to care about him. One fine day, it strikes
to him that this whole world is a rattrap itself. If we touch it, it will trap
us and never let us go. He goes on to think that there are people out
there who are already in this rattrap and reaching for the bait. On one
cold evening, he reaches at a cottage to ask for shelter. An old crofter
lived in that cottage who took in the peddler.

The crofter needed company so he welcomes the peddler. He gives him

hot food and even tobacco to smoke. They play cards and start talking.
The peddler learns that the crofter got thirty kronor for selling his cow
which he keeps in a pouch on the window frame. The peddler leaves the
next day but after seeing the crofter leave his cottage, he comes back to
steal the pouch of money.
After stealing it, he takes the woods to remain unsuspected. In the
wood, the peddler meets an ironmaster who mistakes him to be his old
comrade. He invites him over for Christmas but he refuses. After that,
the ironmaster’s daughter, Edla visits him and insists him to stay with
them. In between, he feels sorry for stealing the crofter’s money. They
help the peddler get a makeover and dress him in nice clothes and shave
his beard off. After this, the ironmaster realizes he has made a mistake;
the peddler was not his comrade.

Thus, the ironmaster thinks he is a fraud and decides to turn him in.
However, Edla insists on letting him stay and celebrate Christmas with
them. Her father agrees, and they celebrate Christmas together. Next
day, the ironmaster and Edla learn that the peddler was a thief through
the church about the incident at the old crofter’s. They head home in a
hurry thinking he must have stolen all the silver. However, to their
surprise, the peddler did not steal a thing. He left a note for Edla in the
form a tiny rattrap. There was also a note thanking her for her kindness
which saved him from the rattrap he got caught in. Most importantly, he
also left the crofter’s money asking to return it to him

INDIGO

ABOUT AUTHOR

Louis Fischer (29 February 1896 – 15 January 1970) was an American journalist. He
wrote the biography of Mahatma Gandhi entitled The Life of Mahatma Gandhi. ‘Indigo’
is an excerpt from this book widely acknowledged as one of the best books written on
Gandhi. National Book Award for History and Biography (Nonfiction)

SUMMARY

This story is set in 1916 where Gandhi steps up to help a bunch of poor
peasants from Champaran. It gives an account of how he struggled to
bring them justice and equality. Thus, it begins with most of the arable
land of Champaran that divides into a large estate. The owners of the
estate are Englishmen and the workers are Indian tenants. We learn that
the chief commercial crop on this land is Indigo. Moreover, we also see
that the landlords compel all the tenants to plant 15% of their Indigo and
submit the whole harvest in the form of rent. The tenants are under a
long-term agreement to do so.

However, Germany starts developing synthetic Indigo. Thus, the British

do not require the Indigo crop any more. Thus, in order to release the
poor peasant from their agreement of 15%, they start demanding
compensation. While some of the uneducated peasants agreed on this,
the other did not agree. Thus, we notice that one of the sharecroppers,
Raj Kumar Shukla arranges for a meeting with Gandhi.

He meets him for the same issues and insists Gandhi to visit the place to
end the longstanding injustice. Gandhi agrees and boards a train to
Patna in Bihar. After that, Raj Kumar Shukla helps Gandhi visit the
house of Rajendra Prasad, a lawyer. As Gandhi dresses simply, the
servants thought of him to be a poor peasant. Thus, Gandhi planned
before trying to get the peasants any justice. It is because the British
government are punishing anyone who is keeping national leaders or
protestors.

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Thus, when Gandhi arrived in the place, the news of his arrival and
mission spread across the town like wildfire. This resulted in a lot of
lawyers and peasant groups pouring in large numbers in his support.
Consequently, the lawyers did accept that the charges are quite high and
too unreasonable for a poor peasant.

However, Gandhi was criticizing them for collecting huge fees from the
sharecroppers. He was emphasizing on counselling as this will provide
the peasants with confidence to fight their fear. Thus, he manages to get
justice after a yearlong fight for the peasants. He has also arranged for
the education, health, and hygiene for the families of the poor peasants.
Finally, he teaches them a lesson of self-sufficiency and self-
confidence.

POET AND PANCAKES

ABOUT AUTHOR

sokamitran (22 September 1931-23 March 2017) was a famous Tamil writer and
Sahitya Akademi, winner. He was one of the few writers who wrote fluently in both Tamil
and English. In a career spanning over six decades, he wrote 8 novels, 20 novellas and
hundreds of short stories, on a wide range of issues.

He spent the initial years of his career in the famous Gemini Studios of Chennai.
Although he was entrusted with the clerical task of cutting and pasting newspaper
articles, he learned a lot about the functioning of Gemini Studios, which he humorously
depicted in his autobiographical book My Years with Boss.

Summary

The lesson begins with Asokamitran telling us about Gemini studios.

We learn about the very popular make-up brand whose name was
‘Pancakes’. The Gemini studios use this brand excessively and orders
truckloads of their products. After that, he goes on to tell the readers
about the troubles the actors and actresses face.

We learn about the many lights glaring in their faces when they are
getting ready in the make-up room. Moreover, he also mentions how the
make-up department uses loads of makeup to make them look ugly. He
also tells us about the office boy in the make-up department. He has a
job to slap paint, during crowd-shooting, on the faces of players.

Further, we learn that the author is a poet who joins the studio to
become an actor, screenwriter, director or lyricist. He has a cubicle to
work where he has to collect newspaper cuttings. The office boy always
came in with his complaints to the author. The author thinks that Subbu
is the one who troubles him. As Subbu is a Brahmin, the author thinks
he has an upper hand.

We see that Subbu is a resourceful man with a loyalty that sets him
apart. Subbu is the perfect one for films and film-making is impossible
without him. Everyone loves Subbu for being friendly and hospitable.
Along with many others, Subbu also does poetry. He works for the
story department that also has a lawyer. However, people considered
him to be the exact opposite of a legal consultant.

Moreover, he is a logical man with a neutral mindset in a group where

there are only dreamers. After that, we learn how the Gemini Studios
got the opportunity to host the Moral Rearmament Army. They are a
group of international performers named Moral Rearmament Army.
While they did not have very complex plots or messages, their sets and
costumes were almost perfect.

Further, another guest, Stephen Spender, makes a visit to Gemini

Studios. However, turns out, he is not that famous and many people
have not even heard of him. Moreover, owing to language barriers,
many could not understand him. Thus, his visit remained a mystery
until after many years the author saw Stephen’s name in a book and
recognized him from his visit to the studio.

Conclusion of Poets and Pancakes

To sum up, Poets and Pancakes summary, we learn about the film

industry in detail and the inside functioning as well as when
Independent India was in its infancy

The interview
About the author

The Interview by Christopher Silvester is a selection taken from his Penguin

Book of meetings. In this, he discusses different assessments of famous people
with respect to a meeting, its capacities, strategies, and benefits. It additionally
comprises an extract from a meeting with the scandalous essayist Umberto Eco.
'The Interview' is a lecture from Umberto Eco. The questioner is Mukund
Padmanabhan from 'The HINDU.' A great many famous people have been met
throughout the long term. Our generally distinctive impressions about
contemporary superstars are through meetings. For some of them, interviews are
inappropriate interruptions in their lives. 

Summary

The Interview Summary Part I 

Meetings are typical nowadays. The individuals who see meets emphatically
think of them as a wellspring of truth and workmanship. Among the antagonistic
perspectives on interviews is the supposition that they are an undesirable,
unjustifiable, and superfluous interruption and attack into a man's private life;
they leave individuals injured and destroyed. There are some who have even
portrayed meetings as an experience and a thumbprint on their windpipe. 

Yet, in the advanced world, interviews are a remarkably workable vehicle of

correspondence and help to make impressions of our peers. The questioner
holds a ground-breaking position and impact. 

The Interview Summary Part II 

It is a passage from a meeting of Prof. Umberto Eco. In his meeting with Mukund
Padmanabhan, Umberto discusses his inclinations, his style, and the
accomplishment of The Name of the Rose. He says that his central advantages
are philosophical and moral, and these are likewise the prevailing subjects of his
scholastic work and books. Indeed, even his books for youngsters are about
peacefulness and harmony. 

He says that there is a perky and individual quality in his works, which is an
embraced one. He found his style when he presented his doctoral theory. His
theory recounted an account of his examination, his preliminaries, and blunders.
He, at that point, created his preference for portrayal. Henceforth his scholarly
works are not dry and exhausting.
 
He explains how he uses even the briefest holes in the middle of two unique bits
of errand that give others a fallacious impression that he is doing endless things.
He calls these holes' interstices'. Working during these interstices makes him do
some incredible things.

The Name of the Rose was a splendid achievement and brought him awesome
popularity. Its prosperity might be a direct result of the troublesome
understanding experience and interpretative perusing that is offered to the
peruser who didn't generally look for simple understanding encounters. 

Conclusion of The Interview

The exposition is a concentrate from the Introduction to The Penguin Book of
Interviews. It examines the meeting as a correspondence type that has come to
remain. The conclusion of The Interview includes the views from the point of
journalism and the stars and their insight into the part of their lives.
Going places

About author

A.R. Barton is a modern English writer. He lives in Zurich and has written a number of
literary pieces depicting the contemporary problems and issues. In the present story
‘Going Places’ Barton emphasizes that fantasy and imagination end up in being illusions
and empty mirages. Distinguished Flying Cross and bar (DFC and bar

Summary

The story begins by telling the reader about a teenage girl, Sophie.
Being a normal teenager, she has also got many fantasies and dreams.
Sophie belongs to a lower-middle-class family that struggles with
finances. However, she dreams to own a boutique one day. Further, she
also dreams of becoming an actress of a fashion designer. Similarly,
Jansie, her friend, is more practical and level-headed. She knows that
they do not have a strong financial background, thus they have to work
in a biscuit factory. Jansie does not have any unachievable fantasies.
She tries her best to help Sophie stay in touch with reality, but all that
goes in vain as Sophie does not listen.
Sophie has got two brothers and lives with her parents in a small house.
She does not shy away from expressing her desires and fantasies.
However, her parents do not pay much heed to it as they are far more
mature than her. They are already facing the harsh realities of life, thus,
they do not believe in her fantasies. Sophie’s elder brother is Geoff who
is tall, strong, and handsome and remains reserved. She is sort of
fascinated by her elder brother. It is so because his silence makes her
jealous and wonders what he keeps thinking about.

Further, we learn that Sophie is always fantasizing about a young Irish

football player, Danny Casey. She has seen him play in a number of
matches and thus starts liking him. As she is always living in her
fantasy world, she makes up stories about him. In one made-up story,
she tells her elder brother, Geoff, that they met one day in the streets.
Being more sensible, Geoff does not believe her story. He feels it is
highly unlikely that she just met such a sensation in the streets just like
that.

However, as Sophie is so good at immersing herself in fantasy land, she

starts describing life-like details. Thus, upon hearing these details, even
Geoff wishes that what she was saying turns out to be true. She even
goes on to say that they will meet again as Danny has promised her.
Thus, Sophie immerses herself so much in the make-believe story that
she starts thinking of it as true.  She keeps waiting for Danny to arrives,
but alas he does not. Thus, on the way back, she is thinking about how
Danny’s not turning up will disappoint Geoff. Nonetheless, she still
keeps fantasizing about him and believes they will definitely meet.

Conclusion of Going Places

To sum up, Going Places summary, we learn about the naïve fantasies

of teenagers and how reality may hit us harder as the world in full of
compromises and costs a lot of dreams.
POEMS

MOTHER AT 60

ABOT AUTHOR FROM BOOK

SUMMARY

Ageing is an inescapable phase of every human’s life. A person enters

their childhood, experiences adolescence when they are energetic and
have so many dreams. Finally, every person approaches their old age
and then they die. Relationships between people become much stronger
in every phase of life. No one can’t bear the separation from their loved
ones just because of ageing.

Firstly, when the author going to the Cochin airport with her mother she
looks at her carefully and presents before us her image. As she looks at
her mother’s soft and whitish face, she gets stuck with the fear of losing
her mother. Her mother with a sleepy face and open mouth is
comparable to a corpse. Here, the author shows love and affection in a
relationship between a mother and a daughter.

The poet is hurt and sad and shifts her attention outside the car for
driving out the undesirable feelings. She changes her bad mood. The
scene from the window of the car is of rising life and energy. The fast
sprinting green and huge trees alongside the cheerfully playing kids
represent life, youth, and vitality. The poet here is remembering about
her own childhood. In her childhood, her mother was young and
beautiful. Whereas now her mother is surrounded by the fear of losing
her life and that made her insecure and sad.

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She reaches the airport to take her flight. It shows departure and parting
which makes her sad. As she said goodbye to her mother, the image of
the old mother in the dusk of years strikes her. Here again, a simile is
comparable with her mother with a late-night moon of the winters. The
light of the moon is an obstacle by the fog and haze as she appears older
now.

The poet is now feeling the pain of getting separated because of leaving
her mother. Her childhood fear of losing her loving mother now became
so terrifying. Now her mother could die of old age anytime
unexpectedly. She is so sad that she starts crying slowly without control
but keeping a brave heart she hides her tears and starts smiling. Thus,
she offers her farewell to her old mother and keeps her hope of seeing
her mother alive again. She says “see you soon, Amma”. She hides her
tears and sorrow as she does not want to make a painful and emotional
environment. Moreover, she doesn’t want her mother to cry and shows
her that she is enjoying her life. She expects her mother to be happy and
enjoy her life just like her.

Conclusion of My Mother at Sixty-six

To conclude, my mother at sixty six summary revolves around the
beautiful relationship between the poet and her mother. The summary
shows the theme of the advancing age of the mother of the author and
the fear of separation. This apparently short poem touches upon the
theme of a beautiful bond between the mother and the daughter. It
shows how beautiful a relationship a mother and a daughter can have.

ELEMENTARY SCHOOL CLASSROOM

he appearance of the students shows that they are unwelcome. The kids
are having depressed facial expressions. They have unhealthy bodies
inherited from their parents. At the end of the classroom, a kid is sitting
having bright eyes that fill with dreams.
The classroom has dirty and muddy walls. Many people have given
multiple charts and images for putting on the walls. A poster is there of
Shakespeare, his head is bald and looks like the rising Sun. The second
poster is of the Tyrolese valley. Further, another one is a world map.
For these students, the world is not as they see in the picture. For these
students, the world is the scene that they see outside of the classroom
through the window. These children are stuck in the slums. They have
dim and hopeless futures. They all have a dark and depressing future.
Moreover, they have options in life that are imperfect and are
disappointing. They are distant from the light of knowledge.

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Understanding these pictures is out of their abilities. Further, these kids

hate everybody and for them, Shakespeare was a good person. As
nobody loves them, even they disliked everybody. The want for love
forces them to do crimes like robbery, etc. The children are so thin that
their bones and skeleton are clearly visible through them. This is
because of the lack of nourishment. The glasses that are made of steel
and are cheap. The glasses they were are quite heavy and uncomfortable
at the same time. Their probabilities of accomplishing their dreams and
wants and moving out of this poverty have been further reduced by
building bigger shantytowns. Until and unless they don’t come out of
the slums, they will never get to know about the world outside.

The Government system that creates these slum areas is the major cause
that people live here. The students are not having the right to dream out
of these slums. The government limits and restricts them to these slums.
The poet also appeals to the authorities for permitting these poor kids to
go out of these slums. The students need to see the outer world.
Moreover, the maps on the walls of the class will surely become a
reality for them.  Moreover, they should be taken to areas with fields
and greenery. The sunny atmosphere and the warm sand of the beach
will connect them with a hunger for knowledge. If these children will
get to learn then these children will become economically authorized.

Conclusion of An Elementary School Classroom in a Slum

To conclude, an elementary school classroom in a slum summary tells

us about the poor condition of the students. The schools are very poor in
condition. The future of these kids is in dark. This story also teaches us
the value of education and the value of all the things that we have and
many do not.

Keeping quiet

This poem emphasizes the importance of self-introspection and silence.

Furthermore, these two can transform the life of an individual.
Moreover, they can also transform the face of the earth. The poet says
that self-introspection and silence do not take much time to look within.
Any individual can do it and examine oneself. This is easy and takes
only as long as it will take someone to count to twelve. During this time
of introspection (self-examination), it is important for the individual to
keep quiet. The individual must say nothing at all. Without silence and
keeping quiet, self-introspection will not work. Silently introspecting
will give the individual a strange feeling of unity and togetherness with
all others.

In the beginning, it will certainly feel a little strange. However,

eventually, it has the power to bring us all together. This silence will be
free from the annoying sounds of engines. Furthermore, this silence will
also be free from the people rushing to get their work done. The author
feels contentment while imagining the change that will take place in
those moments. The men who have to deal with the pain while
collecting salt will get a little relief. Even the people who desire war and
destruction will put on clean clothes and an opportunity to walk among
their brothers. They will get to experience a life that is free of enmity
and hatred. There will be a halt to their destructive and dangerous
activities. Peace and tranquillity will prevail everywhere once such
harmful activities come to a stop, even if it is for a short time.

The poet clarifies that his wish should not mean “total inactivity”. The
poet only desires to interrupt the violent, cruel, and sad activities taking
place all over the world for a few moments and let individuals
introspect their actions. In fact, there is a connection to what he says
with life rather than death. Activity is the very essence of life whereas
inactivity is symbolic of death. However, for a new, improved, and
useful activity, a little stillness is quite important.

The poet makes use of the image of the earth to explain how life exists
in things that seem dormant. In winter, the earth becomes very silent
and it seems to be dead. The Earth becomes lively again in spring.
Furthermore, in spring, the addition of fresh new beauties and colours
takes place. In a similar fashion, man can resume his activities in a
better manner after a little silence and quietness.

Conclusion of Keeping Quiet

Keeping Quiet summary tells us about the big impact of silence and
self-introspection in making this world a better place.

A thing of beauty

A Thing of Beauty is by the famous poet John Keats. Furthermore, the

poet says that a beautiful thing can give us extreme happiness and
delight. Moreover, a beautiful thing is eternal that never declines or
fades. Also, a beautiful thing resembles a shady shelter which gives us a
comfortable sleep comprising of sweet dreams and relaxation. This will
ultimately lead to good health. The sight of lovely and beautiful things
will live on in our memories for the rest of our lives. Thinking about
them makes our bodies and minds healthier, as the ideas give us
serenity and mental calm.

The author says that individuals have an attachment to Earthly things.

This attachment is such that it has the resemblance of a flowery wreath.
Furthermore, there are traps that keep people connected to materialistic
things. This connection with materialistic things distracts humans from
eternal happiness. This is because the focus of such materialistic people
will be on acquiring more and more resources rather than on attaining
eternal happiness. The world has a lot of negativity, hatred, and greed. 
According to the poet, the cause of gloom and sadness is this
negativity. Moreover, one can fade away these negative vibes away
with the help of beautiful things that surround us. This is because these
beautiful things bring nothing but positivity. Man and nature are
strongly intertwined. The beauty of nature is what keeps us connected to
this planet. Every morning, we select beautiful fresh flowers and make
garlands. They lift our spirits and make us forget about our problems for
a while.

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The poet informs us about some beautiful things that are all around us.
Beauty is certainly in the eyes of the one who beholds. This means one
can see the beauty in anything. Furthermore, the poet talks about the
numerous creations of God which we should admire. One such creation
is the Sun which provides energy. Moreover, the poet also talks about
the beauty of the moon and the natural beauty of the trees.

There are various animals around that make our world lively. Pretty
flowers like daffodils enhance the liveliness and greenery of the world.
Moreover, the flowing streams of water provide a refreshment and
cooling effect to us in the hot summer season. The forests have plenty
of pretty musk rose flowers. Such flowers are a beautiful sight and eyes
feel the delight due to them. All such things certainly are things of
beauty. Also, one must not forget the beautiful and inspiring stories of
the brave soldiers. These brave soldiers risked and sacrificed their lives
in order to protect others.

These beautiful things have a resemblance to the fountain of

immortality bestowed upon us by God as a gift and a blessing. Such
beautiful things are an inspiration for all of us to continue living. They
make life worth living. Also, they also help us in maintaining our faith
in goodness. Life without these beautiful things would certainly become
very hard.

Conclusion of A Thing of Beauty

A Thing of Beauty summary tells us the value of beautiful things that

are all around us and that one must cherish them. They provide us
timeless joy and leave an unforgettable imprint on our minds, therefore
every beautiful thing is worth preserving.

ROAD SIDE STAND

There has been an extension of the shed in front by the occupants of the
little old house. Furthermore, this extension is around the edge of the
road where the passage of traffic takes place. It seems like the shack-
owners want to implore the passers-by to purchase something from the
shack. These deprived people have a huge desire for the currency.

Unfortunately, the traffic goes past ignoring the shack. If by chance the
traffic does stop, it would come with a feeling of disappointment.  They
are very disturbed to see the poor unattractive signboards. There is an
offer of wild berries shack for sale in a wooden quart (a quarter of a
gallon). This place offers a peaceful natural stay for those who can
afford it. The poet becomes angry at this attitude of the ‘polished traffic’
and asks them to move ahead.

The poet shows more concern for the sadness of the shed-owners than
he does for the landscape blemish. He believes that these people have a
longing to handle some city money. This money can reduce their
suffering as one can see in movies. The political party that enjoys power
is the one that deprives them of a happy life.

The poet makes mention of the news which points out the relocation of
the poor villagers to the vicinity of shops and theatres. There were big
promises to ensure good care for them. However, the government
authorities became negligent of these promises. Furthermore, the poet is
angry at this behavior and calls them “greedy good-doers”. He calls
them “beasts of prey” who indulge in the exploitation of the poor
villagers.

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The villagers pay a heavy price as they had to lose their land. The civic
authorities are successful in fooling these naïve villagers.  They promise
them a better life and a good sleep. However, these civic authorities are
the ones who sleep peacefully while making the lives of villagers
miserable. Work during the day and sleep at night was the norm in
ancient times. However, there has been a reversal of this norm as the
villagers are not able to sleep at night.

The poet expresses his distress while explaining the endless wait of
shed owners for buyers. There is an ambiance of sadness all over the
place.  Sometimes a car stops but that is to enquire about the farmer’s
price. Furthermore, others who stop just want to make use of the
backyard. One of the cars stops for a gallon of gas. Moreover, this
demonstrates the sense of alienation between urban and rural life.
The poet regrets that money is not abundant in the country-side.
Furthermore, money can raise spirits while a lack of it dampens it. The
villagers have a tendency to express their grievance about a life which
has a lack of money. Moreover, the poet becomes very emotional and
contemplates their pain. He certainly wants to change their lives in one
go but understands that this will be a futile act.

Conclusion of A Roadside Stand Summary    

A Roadside Stand summary shows us the great contrast between the

comfortable life of city dwellers and the harshness faced by the
impoverished rural people.

TIGER

In this poem, the poet describes a lady whom she addresses as Aunt
Jennifer. The poet also says that she is doing embroidery on a piece of
cloth that could be a wall hanging or table cloth. Moreover, she has
made it with beautiful tigers that are running fiercely in the green forest.
Further, she describes their beauty in comparison to a topaz. As in the
green background of the forest, they appear bright yellow. Company of
men does not affect them as they are fearless. At this point, we can
sense the contrast of behaviour between the aunt and tigers. Although
tiger made by her is fierce she is afraid of her husband. According to the
poet, tigers are the proud and fearless citizens of the forests. These
creatures are very elegant and shiny.

In this para, the poet defines Aunt Jennifer’s fear of her husband. While
doing embroidery she says that her fingers shake with the fear of her
husband. As her husband does not approve her hobby of embroidery.
Hence, she quivers while she is embroidering the piece of cloth. Also, it
becomes difficult for her to pull the needle up and down. After that, she
defines her wedding ring which her husband give her on their wedding
day. In addition, she sees it as a kind of burden to wear this ring.
She feels this because her husband tortures her so much that she sees
the wedding ring as a burden instead of a beautiful gift by her husband.
Due to the many difficulties, she has faced in her married life that she
describes the little wedding ring as a heavy band on her trembling
fingers. It also means that the ring is linked with some bad experiences
in the form of torture that she has faced. Further, this experience relates
to the dominating behaviour of her husband.

In the last part, the poet says that though aunt’s design of tigers can
easily sense her desire for freedom and fearlessness. However, the poet
says that it is not possible for her to achieve this freedom during her
lifetime. Only after her death, she will attain freedom. But the irony
here is that even then she will be tied with chains in the form of her
husband’s wedding ring. This ring is the only proof of the pains that she
had faced from her husband. On the contrary, the tigers made by Aunt
Jennifer will always portray her desire for living a fearless life by
jumping boldly and proudly on a piece of cloth.

Conclusion of Aunt Jennifer’s Tigers Summary

By Aunt Jennifer’s Tigers summary, the poet wants to represent the life
of a woman who has to live under a constant fear from her husband.
Also, she will only get freedom when she will die.