VPM Tutorials

Poem 10- 9 Gold Medals

Objective Questions:
1.Why did the spectators gather around the field?

Ans.The spectators gathered around the field to cheer up the participants in different events of the
Special Olympics Games.

2.Who is referred to as ‘young women and men’?

Ans.‘Young women and men’ referred to here are the differently abled athletes who came from so
many countries to take part in the sports events.

3.Which final event was being talked about in the extract? What was the mood of the spectators
here?

Ans.The final event talked about in the extract was a 100 metre track-and-field racing event.The
spectators were eagerly waiting to watch the final event of the day, as it was supposed to be a very
competitive and interesting event.

4.“The blocks were all lined up for those who would use them” — Why were the blocks lined up? Who
all are referred to as ‘those’ in the above extract?

Ans.The blocks were lined up for the racing event so that the contestants don’t get confused and
change their lines. ‘Those’ means the athletes who would participate in the race.

5.Were the contestants well prepared for the event? Give reason to support your answer.

Ans.Yes, the athletes were all well-prepared for the events in the Special Olympics. We know that
from the following line of the poem —

The ones who had trained for so long to compete

6.What did the exploding of the pistol signify?

Ans.The exploding of the pistol signified that the beginning of the anticipated race.

7.During the race who had bad luck? What happened to him? What were his feelings then?

Ans.The youngest athlete among the runners had bad luck. He stumbled and staggered and fell on
his knees to the ground.

He was utterly frustrated and gave out a cry of anguish. He knew that his dreams and hopes were
shattered.
Subjective type questions:
1.Do you think that David Roth’s song “Nine Gold Medals” is all about a special Olympics event?
Critically comment on this.

Ans.The poem “Nine Gold Medals” is not really about a special Olympic event but about the human
compassion and cooperation and about the sportsmanship the eight athletes showed in that particular
event when they stopped and came back to help the fallen runner stand on his feet and all went to the
finishing line walking hand in hand.

In an age of growing competition and enmity, the poet merely uses this incident to deliver his
message that the world now needs more cooperation than competition. By giving the nine athletes
one gold medal each, the authority wanted to convey that true sportsman spirit should always be
rewarded. So, in its theme and message, the poem transcends the boundaries of time and space.

2.What is the background of the poem ‘Nine Gold Medals’ by David Roth?

Ans.David Roth’s poem “Nine Gold Medals” is set in the backdrop of a true incident in the Special
Olympics held in Spokane, Washington in 1976. It was a track-and-field event where there were nine
participants. One of the athletes fell down to the ground during the race. Then the other eight
participants stopped in the middle of their race and returned to help the fallen one up on his feet. This
incident inspired the poet to write the poem.

3.Narrate what happened after the young boy was brought to his feet.

Ans.As narrated in the poem “Nine Gold Medals”, after the young athlete was brought to his feet by
the help of the other contestants, they all walked hand in hand to the finishing line of the racing event.
Then all of the nine athletes were awarded a gold medal each for their beautiful display of empathy,
cooperation and collaboration in this world of competition, enmity and hostility.It was an unusual
happening because it was supposed to be a competition where one should try to beat others. But it
ended with cooperation and collaboration, giving a great message to the humanity that we need those
more than competition.

4.Why did the eight runners stop for the young athlete?

Ans.In David Roth’s poem ‘Nine Gold Medals’, when the youngest athlete stumbled and fell to the
ground, the other eight who were ahead of him stopped and came back to help him stand up. Then
they walked to the finishing line together by holding each other’s hands.

All of them were differently-abled persons. So they all knew how difficult it was to live in such
condition and how heartbreaking it was to fall on the ground and lose all hopes of winning after so
hard training.
The eight others returned back out of their sense of empathy, cooperation and collaboration, giving a
great message to the world that we need cooperation more than competition. It was a display of great
human compassion and the spirit of sport. That is why all of them were awarded with nine gold
medals. The Special Olympic, that was named so because of the differently-abled contestants, ended
with truly being ‘special’ due to the human spirit those athletes showed.
5.How is the theme of brotherhood explored in the poem “Nine Gold Medals” by David Roth?

Ans.The story told in David Roth’s poem “Nine Gold Medals” revolves around a Special Olympics
track-and-field event when an athlete fell on the ground during the race and the other participants
stopped on their way and came back to rescue the fallen one. Subsequently, each of the nine
athletes was awarded with a gold medal each.

This was a great display of sportsman-spirit, compassion, co-operation and fellow-feeling among the
sportsmen. This incident tells us that helping out others in need is more glorious than winning a mere
race. The athletes reminded us that the world now needs more cooperation and collaboration than
competition. Developing the feeling of brotherhood among all the people is important for the good of
humankind. And this is the message the poet wants to deliver through his poem.
The poem, seemingly recalls/revives in us the affinity for camaraderie and sportsmanship, which
unluckily is deteriorating in this futile society. The poet in his poem, “Nine Gold Medals”, speaks of the
celebration of fraternity and empathy which bores the testimony vividly when the nine intellectually
disable personalities persisted for a palatable attempt at brotherhood, which establishes the poem
nearer to the mark.

6.Why does the poet David Roth repeat the last line of the poem “Nine Gold Medals” — Said more
than these words ever will?

Ans.The poet has repeated the line to emphasize it and to draw our attention to the virtues of
empathy and cooperation that the incident shows. He wants us to realize that the true value of those
virtues can only be felt and not be expressed well in words.

7.Is the Title of the poem Nine Gold Medals appropriate?

Ans.David Roth’s poem “Nine Gold Medals” deals with an incident which happened at a Special
Olympic race. One of the runners fell down on the track and other eight participants who were ahead
of him stopped and returned back to help the fallen one stand on his feet. Then they walked hand-in-
hand to complete the race. It was a great display of human compassion. This incident conveyed a
great message to the humanity that the world needs more cooperation and collaboration instead of
competition now. After that each of the nine athletes was given a gold medal as a recognition of the
display of empathy and compassion. They made the Special Olympics really ‘special’.

Now, the title ‘Nine Gold Medals’ conveys the theme of the poem well. This title has made the poem
more interesting and memorable. The title can arouse our curiosity as to who won the nine gold
medals and for what. The poem has the answer. Moreover, the gold medals are here not awarded for
winning a contest in its typical sense, but there is an interesting, heart-touching story in it. Those nine
athletes have not won a game, but have won our hearts. They seem more eligible to get gold medals
for their golden show of humanity. Thus the title not only reveals the subject-matter of the poem, but
also carries a delicate symbol. So, this title is very much just and apt.