I am Malala

Malala Yousafzai

Introduction

Malala Yousafzai was born in Swat District Pakistan on July 12, 1997. Her father was a teacher
and ran a girls’ school in our village. Malala Yousafzai is a Pakistani female education activist and
human rights activist. She advocate for the education of women and children in her native
homeland, Swat, where the Pakistani Taliban had at times banned girls from attending school.
Malala’s Birth

Malala explains that she was born at dawn on a summer day. She belongs to the Pashtun clan.
Among these people a son was more celebrated than a girl. In her country women are seen as second-
class citizens. Malala’s birth was celebrated by her father Ziauddin. Malala was named after Malalai of
Maiwand, the greatest heroine of Afghanistan. She was the Joan of Arc of the Pashtuns.

Swat Valley

Malala belonged to the Swat valley, the most beautiful place in the world. It is a heavenly
kingdom of mountains, waterfall and crystal-clear lakes. It was known as the Switzerland of East. It is
situated in hundred miles away from Pakistan’s capital, Islamabad. Malala’s family lived in a Mingora,
the only biggest own in the valley. It has hotel, colleges and famous bazaar. In ancient times Swat was a
Buddhist kingdom. Then Islam came to the valley in the 11th century. Hospitality was an important part
of Pashtun culture.

Malala’s Family

Malala was born in a poor family. Malala’s father treats her mother with respect. He never hits
her, although this is common treatment from men in the culture. Malala’s mother is uneducated, but her
father treats her as equal to him.

Malala was Shot

In Pakistan, Taliban banned girls for attending school. She spoke out publicly on behalf of girls
and our right to learn and to get education it’s our rights. And this made her a target by Taliban.
In October 2012, on her way home from school, a masked gunman boarded her school bus and
asked, “Who is Malala?” He shot her on the left side of her head. She heavily injured Malala got
treatment in a hospital in Birmingham, England. People around the world were praying for her recovery.

Youngest Nobel Prize Laureate

She is the youngest Nobel Prize Winner in 10 December 2014. She got the award along with
Kailash Sathyarhi by the Norwegian Nobel Committee. Both are struggle against the suppression of
children and young people and for their rights of every child to receive an education. In the Norwegian
Nobel Committee, she gave an incredible speech for women right to get an education.

Conclusion

Malala felt that basic education would not be enough. She began studying Philosophy, Politics and
Economics at the University of Oxford. She travels to many countries to meet girls fighting against
poverty, wars, child marriage and gender discrimination. She fights for women right to get an education.
 The Story of My Experiments with Truth
M.K.Gandhi
Introduction

Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi was born on 2 October 1869 . He was an Indian

lawyer, anti-colonial nationalist and political ethicist who employed nonviolent resistance to lead the
successful campaign for India's independence from British rule. He inspired movements for civil
rights and freedom across the world.

Birth and Parentage

Mohandas Gandhi was born on October 2, 1869, in Porbandar, a seaside city in Gujarat, India. He
was the youngest child of the simple yet moral Karamchand and Putlibai. He was born into the Modh
Bania merchant class in a country where caste governed much of one's life. Traditional Indian folktales,
which were part of the school curriculum, had a big influence on Gandhi when he was a kid. They
frequently conveyed messages emphasizing the necessity of filial piety and moral behaviour. Gandhi's
ethical code was shaped by these messages, as well as the honesty demonstrated by his parents.

Childhood

To this, he added something unique for the time: respect for people from other backgrounds than
his own. Gandhi's parents, unlike many of their friends, did not only associate with Hindus. He grew up in
a household where Parsis, Jains, and Muslims were welcomed. This exposure instilled in me a more
comprehensive understanding of the value of inclusiveness in Indian society. In many ways, however,
young Gandhi was a typical lad of his background and era, expected to participate in the social and
cultural customs of the time.

Child Marriage

He married Kasturbai, a 14-year-old girl, while he was only 13 years old. For Gandhi's time,
location, and caste, child marriage was the norm. In fact, he and two other boys in his family were
married to their young brides all at the same time. Weddings were, and continue to be, a key event in the
lives of Indian families and the greater community. As a result, the young Gandhi was content to marry at
the moment. However, as an adult, he spoke out against the practice of child marriage, claiming that
people had the right to marry freely and without force. He realized that in order to do so, they needed to
be old enough to offer informed permission, something minors can't do.

Conclusion

The Story of My Experiments with Truth is the autobiography Gandhi. He published in a

weekly journal, Navjivan, between 1925 and 1929. It covers the span of time between Gandhi’s early
childhoods through roughly 1921. Gandhi was compelled to write the autobiography by his close
friend, Swami Anand. The book has been recognized as one of the most important spiritual works of
the twentieth century.
 Where the Mind Is Without Fear
Rabindranath Tagore

Where the mind is without fear and the head is held high
Where knowledge is free
Where the world has not been broken up into fragments
By narrow domestic walls
Where words come out from the depth of truth
Where tireless striving stretches its arms towards perfection
Where the clear stream of reason has not lost its way
Into the dreary desert sand of dead habit
Where the mind is led forward by thee
Into ever-widening thought and action
Into that heaven of freedom, my Father, let my country awake.

Introduction
Rabindranath Tagore was born on 7 May 1861. He was a Bengali poet, writer, playwright,
composer, philosopher, novelist, social reformer and painter. He composed National Anthem for India.
He got Nobel Prize for Literature, for his work Gitanjali in 1913. Gitanjali is a collection of 157 poems
written in Bengali in 1910. Later it was translated into English in 1912 (103 Songs). Gitanjali means
Offering Songs. It is written in Pre-independence India in the days of slavery. The poem expresses his
high ideals of Independence.
The Poet's Appeal:

The poet addresses God as “My Father and makes an appeal to Him. “My Father may also refer to
Mahatma Gandhi It was Tagore who conferred the title, Mahatma on Gandhiji Therefore the appeal may
be to Mahatma Gandhi who was leading the struggle for the freedom of India. India has been lying in a
lethargic stupor under foreign rule. So the poet prays that India should wakeup from its stupor and march
on into a new heaven of freedom.

Mind is Without Fear:

In the India of the poet’s dream, there shall be full freedom for people to think without fear. They
shall think new and novel ideas. There will be no need for people to feel ashamed. They will lead a clean,
decent and dignified life. Therefore they will walk proudly with their heads held high. There shall be
knowledge freely available to all irrespective of caste or creed. There shall be no restriction and there
shall be no inhibition.

Communal Harmony:

In the poet’s Utopian world there will be harmony, People will live peacefully together. They will
not be divided on the basis of caste and breed, religion or community, race or language. The country will
not be divided into narrow reasons. There will be no parodial attitude among the people .People will be
speaking truth from the depths of their heart. There will not be cheating or deception. There shall be no
hypocrisy. People will be sincere and honest in their relationships.
Perfection:

In this Uthopian world, there will be perfection .People will always try to achieve perfection in all
fields. They will spare no pains. They will make all tireless efforts. Their goal is perfection. They will
persevere and persist in stretching their hands to reach perfection. They will never compromise on
quality.

Clear River of Reason:

In this Utopian country people will not be swayed by rash and blind emotions. They are always
guided by clear Light of reason. There always flows a river of clear reason. This clear river of reason will
never dry up in the dry desert sand of old outdated ideas, beliefs, dogmas and superstition. They are free
from conventional thinking and practices. They are always rational. They always think fresh.

Conclusion:

The poet prays that god may lead the minds of the people towards new horizons of thoughts and
actions. The progress of the nation shall never be held up by narrow limited thoughts and actions.
Therefore, this poem is remarkable to a great extent which expresses the intensity of the feeling of
freedom. His poem is universal in its appeal and envisions the ‘heaven of freedom’ and happier future for
mankind.
 Love Cycle
Chinua Achebe
At dawn slowly
the sun withdraws his
long misty arms of
embrace. Happy lovers

whose exertions leave

no aftertaste nor slush
of love’s combustion; Earth
perfumed in dewdrop
fragrance wakes

to whispers of
soft-eyed light…
Later he
will wear out his temper
ploughing the vast acres
of heaven and take it

out of her in burning

darts of anger. Long
accustomed to such caprice
she waits patiently

for evening when thoughts

of another night will
restore his mellowness
and her power
over him.

Introduction:

Chinua Achebe was a Nigerian novelist, poet and critic who was regarded as a central figure of
modern African Literature. He was born on 16 – Nov – 1930 in Ogidi, Colonial Nigeria. Achebe is often
referred as The Father of African Literature.

His best works are Things Fall Apart (1958), No Longer at Ease (1960) and Arrow of God (1964).
The Poem Love Cycle’ by Chinua Achebe portrays the sun’s effect on Earth (and vice versa) as a hardly
romantic relationship. The poem describes the couple: the sun an angry male and the earth a tolerant
female. ‘Love Cycle’ was first published as part of the collection, “From Beware Soul Brother and Other
Poems”, in 1971.
The Interaction of the Sun and Earth at Dawn:

The poem begins by describing the actions of the sun at dawn. Still there is the mist and it’s cool.
The sun’s ray that withdraws tells of the embrace of its light that is not fixated on anything. The sun’s
rays are now widespread and scattered. The poet describes the sun and the earth as “happy lovers” at
dawn. At this time, the sun is far away from the earth so the hot rays of the sun have not reached as to
clear the early morning mist.

The Dispassionate Relationship:

The sun’s influence on the earth is portrayed. The interaction between the two entities is shown as
a relationship between couple. But the association is not as happy as it was at dawn. Now the nature of
their relationship is dispassionate. The phrase “love’s combustion” refers to the heat of sun which is
absent at this time of dawn. It only highlights the presence of mist, revealing the freshness of the earth in
the early morning.

The Sun’s Temper:

Gradually, the dawn gives way to noon. The poet calls the sun as a man with a temper. It
contradicts “the soft-eyed light” representing the sun’s rays at dawn which will soon grow hot with time.
The sun’s journey on a day starts from the east, where it rises, to the west, where it sets. The poet reveals
the reality that within that time, the sun will become harsh or hot.

Earth’s Reaction to the Sun’s Harshness:

The poet continues to reveal the earth’s reaction to the sun’s harshness at noon. “Burning darts of
anger” refers to the scorching rays that are fixated on the earth. The earth accepts the harsh light the same
way as a woman tolerates her partner’s temper while taking her own. Here the themes of tolerance and
patience are high- lighted by the poet.

The Reason for the Earth's Tolerance of the Sun:

The poet imagines the reasons for the earth tolerating the sun’s temper or harshness .He tells that
because at night her partner’s gentleness returns. During dusk the sun becomes mellow because he wants
her to make love to him .The woman (the earth) takes comfort during these moments where she has full
reign over her partner .The poet provides a metaphorical perspective to speculate .The poet makes a guess
that the earth tolerates the sun for these moments of freedom day

Theme

The central theme explored in ‘Love Cycle’ is nature. The themes of unhealthy relationships,
anger, endurance, and power plays all emanate from the poet’s exploration of the central theme.

Conclusion

Thus, the poems focus on and appreciate the power of nature, while relating it to human
life. ‘Love Cycle’ explores the interaction between two natural entities, comparing it with the on goings
in a human relationship. In this regard, ‘Love Cycle’ is a romantic poem.
 Nine Gold Medals
David Roth
Introduction:
David Roth is an American journalist, essayist, and editor. He has written about sports, politics,
and culture. Nine Gold Medals is a poemby David J Roth. It is based on a true incident. The poet
describes the incident that took place in the Special Olympics of 1976 in Seattle, Washington.
Special Olympics:
Athletes have come from many countries all over the world to take part in theSpecial Olympics.
They were there to compete for medals – gold, silver and bronze. They have gone through strenuous
training for months to participate in the events with high hopes and dreams of winning medals.
Spectators:
A large audience was present at the ground to cheer the participants of different events. They
cheered and enjoyed throughout the day. Now it was time for the final event of the day – the race. People
were eagerly waiting for the event to begin.
The Hundred-Meter race:
The names of the runners who would take part in the hundred- meter race were announced. There
were nine participants, all determined to win the competition and Lined up behind the starting point. They
were ready to start, waiting for the sound of the gun.
The shortest Athlete:
The pistol exploded signaling the start of the race. All the runners charged ahead along their
respective tracks. But suddenly, there occurred an unexpected thing. The shortest athlete among them
stumbled and staggered, and fell on his knees to the ground, the asphalt track.
Frustrating moments:
Nothing could be more frustrating for a differently abled athlete after such tough training. The
moment he fell, he knew all his dreams, hopes and efforts were dusted. His pain and disappointment
made him give out a cry. But it did not end here. There occurred something really strange following his
fall.
Helping hands:
The eight other athletes, who were ahead of him stopped in their tracks. Though they had trained
hard for so long to compete with one another and win medals, the fall of one athlete changed their minds.
They now returned one by one and helped the fallen one stand up on his feet.
Sportsmanship:
All the nine athletes joined hands and walked to the finishing line together. The hundred meter
race was reduced to a walk. But still, it was special for the great display of human compassion,
Cooperation and sportsman spirit. It could not have been more special in any way.
Conclusion:
Thus the race ended with nine athletes holding their hands right to the finishing mark. They won
nine gold medals – one for each very deservingly. The nine sportsmen stood in smiling faces under the
banner that declared it as a ‘Special Olympics’. Those smiling faces touched the heart of everyone present
there.
 Alice Fell or poverty
William Wordsworth

Introduction

William Wordsworth was the famous Romantic poet. He was also called as Lake Poet. All his
poems were written in simple language. ‘Alice Fell or Poverty’ deals the story of a poor little orphan, who
tried to ride behind the chaise to Durham on a rainy night. This poem is based on a story told by Dorothy
in her journal in 1802.

Alice Fell

Alice Fell was a little girl. She was an orphan. A child who has only one living parent is also
called an orphan. But Alice Fell was ‘fatherless and motherless’. So, she was poor obviously. She
belonged to Durham, a city in England.

The Narrator of the poem Met Alice Fell

It was a rainy night. The narrator was travelling in a chaise on the way to Durham. The chaise was
driven by a post-boy. The poor little orphan girl, who lost be her parents. Alice Fell tried to ride behind
the chaise. Alice Fell’s miserable cloak got entangled in the wheels. So she moaned, her moans attracted
the attention of the narrator, a kind old gentleman, inside the coach. He ordered to stop the chaise. He got
down immediately and found Alice Fell sitting alone behind the chaise.

Reason for Alice Fell to Travel behind the Chaise

Alice Fell was in poverty. Poverty is a state or condition in which one lacks the financial
resources and essentials for a certain standard of living. She was unable to buy clothes as she was poor.
She was not able to spend money to go to her native place, Durham. Therefore she caught hold of the
chaise and travelled behind it innocently without anybody’s knowledge.

The Miserable Condition

The narrator saw Alice Fell in a miserable condition. She only said “My cloak!” She wept loudly
and bitterly. Her weeping was heart breaking. The narrator affectionately asked her and found her already
old and weather beaten cloak was caught up in the wheel of his chaise. Her cloak was found hung, twisted
between the hub and spoke. It could not be freed and taken away from the wheel. It had become a
miserable rag. Here, the narrator did not speak about the physical condition of the child. We have to
imagine of our own.

The Narrator and the Child in the Chaise

The narrator then asked the child where she was going alone in that night in the lonesome way.
She replied hail heartedly that she was going to Durham. The narrator took her with him inside the chaise.
Without knowing that she was being supported, she travelled by weeping continuously. It was a short
distance travel. During the travel she could not be pacified.
New Cloak

The chaise reached Durham. They stopped at a tavern. The narrator gave money to the host of the
tavern to buy and give the child a new cloak. He advised to buy a duffel grey cloak which should be as
warm as a man can sell.

Alice Fell after Getting New Cloak

The next day, Alice Fell became a proud creature. The narrator’s act of kindness lifted her spirits
and helped Alice Fell to forget her grief at being poor and without a family for a while.

Conclusion

In this poem Wordsworth dramatizes the idea that poverty is one of the main reasons for misery.
The role of compassion in the happiness of an individual is quite evident from the poem.
 The School for Sympathy
E.V Lucas

Introduction

Edward Verrall Lucas was born on June 1868 and died in 26 June 1938.He was an English
humorist, essayist, playwright, biographer, publisher, poet, novelist, short story writer and editor. E.V.
Lucas deals the theme of thoughtfulness, appreciation, equality, sympathy and humanity in “The school
for Sympathy”.

Characters in the short story:

1.Miss Beam–the Head of the school.

2.The writer - The narrator of the chapter.

3.Millie - The head girl

4.Peter - The Gardener

5.Berryl - A dark girl in red.

The Writer Visits The School for Sympathy

The writer had heard a lot about Miss Beam’s School for Sympathy. One day he got the chance to
visit it. He saw a twelve-year-old girl whose eyes were covered with a bandage and an eight- year-old boy
was leading her carefully between the flowerbeds.

Head of the School

The author met Miss Beam, she was a middle-aged, head of the school. He asked her questions
about teaching system and she replied that theschool follows a simple curriculum .Basic mathematics
such as addition, subtraction, Division and Multiplication. .They are also trained to read and write.

Motto of the School:

Miss Beam told him that the real aim of her school was to make the students thoughtful. She
wanted to make them helpful and sympathetic citizens. parents sent their children to her school gladly.

Different Days of School:

Every child had one blind day, one lame day, one deaf day, and one dumb day. On a blind day,
their eyes were bandaged. They did everything with the help of other children..Miss Beam told the author
that the blind day was very difficult for the children. But some of the children feared the dumb day. On a
dumb day, the child had to exercise willpower because the mouth was not bandaged.
Miss Beam Introduced the Author to a Girl:

Her eyes were bandaged. The author asked her if she ever peeped. She told him that it would be
cheating. She also told the author that she had no idea of the difficulties of the blind. All time she feared
that she was going to be hit by something.

The Narrator Becomes Helper

The narrator and the girl take a walk. The narrator becomes her helper, and she asks him to
describe the people around them to her. The narrator does so. He sees three people while walking, whom
he describes to the girl. The people are: (1) Millie, the head girl (2) Peter, the gardener (3) Anita, a girl on
crutches.

Conclusion:

The author described the surroundings to her. He felt that as a guide to the blind, one had to be
thoughtful. He was full of praise for Miss Beam’s system of education which made the student
sympathetic and kind. The writer himself had become ten times more thoughtful.

Five Special Days

The Blind Day, the students cover their eyes completely. On that particular day, they
would experience the life of a blind person. The eyes will be covered the previous night
before the students go to bed. The purpose is that the child should understand the problems of
a blind person from beginning of the day.

The Lame Day, the students will tie their legs up. They have to walk using a crutch.
The purpose is to teach the students the difficulties faced by the people who cannot walk
properly.

The Deaf Day, the students are made to spend their day without being able to hear
anything. It is quite challenging because they live whole day without knowing what people
are saying.

The Injured Day, the students will tie their arms up. This day teaches the students,
how discomfort faced by the people who have lost their arms or those who are injured.

The Dumb Day, the students are expected to be mute. Unlike the blind day, their
mouth will not be covered. While, it is possible to cover your eyes and ears. But it is not
possible to cover the mouth. We need mouth to eat food, drink water and also to breathe to an
extent.
 Barn Burning
William Faulkner
Introduction

William Cuthbert Faulkner was famous American author known for his novels and short stories.
Faulkner was awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1949. Barn burning tackled with dark topics like
prejudice, poverty and the struggle between the social classes.

Major Characters in the Short Story

1.Colonel Sartoris Snopes (Sarty) -A ten-year-old boy and the story’s protagonist.

2.Abner Snopes - Sartoris’s father and a serial arsonist.

3.Lennie Snopes -Sartoris’s mother. Sad, emotional, and caring,

4.Major de Spain - A well-dressed and affluent landowner.

5.Mr. Harris -A landowner for whom the Snopeses were short- term tenants.

Property Dispute

The story opens in a country courtroom, where a local judge is overseeing a property dispute.
Harris describes the dispute as beginning with a hog belonging to Snopes destroys his crop. However, it
becomes clear that Mr. Harris’s barn was burned, and Snopes is accused of burning it. Harris calls for
Sartoris to be questioned before the court.

Trial

Sartoris knows that his father expects him to lie on his behalf. Harris and the judge decide against
cross-examining Sartoris. The judge declares that he does not see enough evidence to prove Snopes set
the barn on fire.

Judgment

Snopes should leave the area anyway due to his obvious involvement in the crime. Snopes is not
gracious. He insults the judge and the court before turning to leave with Sartoris and Sartoris’s older
brother. As the three turn to leave, another boy attacks Sartoris, injuring him.

The Three return to their Wagon

Sartoris's two older sisters, mother, and aunt are waiting, sitting amongst their ruined collection of
belongings. Sartoris’s mother attempts to clean his injured face, but Snopes does not let her tend to the
boy’s wounds. Instead, the Snopes family travels quickly away from the courtroom. Sartoris is troubled
by his father’s manner and his knowledge of his father’s guilt in the barn burning. He doesn’t want to
admit, even to himself, that his father is guilty. Sartoris is sure his father has arranged for them to live
somewhere else, working on another farm as tenants.

Family Loyalty

Sartoris’s father accuses the boy of planning to tell the judge the truth about the fire. Snopes hits
Sartoris and reminds him of the importance of family loyalty.
The Damage to the Rug

When Major de Spain brings the rug to the Snopes family for cleaning, Snopes and his daughters
use harsh lye and a stone to ruin it, much to the despair of Mrs. Snopes, who tries and fails to stop her
husband. Major de Spain displeased with the damage to the rug, requests that Snopes pay a fine-20
bushels of corn against the crop the Snopes would otherwise harvest. Once again, Snopes ends in court.
The Justice of the Peace rules that Snopes is at fault for ruining the rug, but that since he is too poor to
afford 20 bushels of corn -Snopes only has to pay 10 bushels. .

Own Decision

Snopes orders his wife to restrain Sartoris, but she is unable to do so. The boy bursts into the
Mr. de Spain house warning them about the barn fire. In the ensuing showdown, Snopes is shot and
killed. The story ends with Sartoris sitting alone on a hill. Eventually, Sartoris walks into the spring night,
without looking back.

Conclusion

Thus, William Faulkner’s story describes the dilemma that many of us face. It shows the
inadvertent consequences that this dilemma and clash of interests may eventually cause.
 The Things That Haven’t Been Done Before

-Edgar Guest
Introduction:

Edgar Albert Guest (1881 – 1959) was an eminent writer in American literature. He was known
as “people’s Poet” and also he hosted radio shows, TV shows and published more than 20 books. “The
Things That Haven’t Been Done Before” by is a thought-provoking and introspective poem. The Poem
explores the importance of stepping out of our comfort zones and embracing new challenges.

Brave Journey by Columbus:

The beginning of the poem sets its tone by referring Christopher Columbus and his brave journey
towards an unknown shore. Columbus’s dream and unwavering faith in discovering new lands despite the
jeering throng and doubting crew serve as a metaphor for the courage it takes to pursue the unexplored.
By highlighting Columbus’s determination, Edgar Albert Guest implies that embracing the unknown
requires a bold heart and strong convictions.

Brave People:

The poet contrasts those who stick to the familiar marked path with those who venture off. The
majority of the people follow guideposts with charts every day. They limit themselves to only what has
been previously accomplished. They rely on the safety of conformity. They are content with what is
already known. In contrast, the poet introduces brave minority people. The minority people are brave.
They do not follow the beaten path. They seek to experience what no one has seen before. These people
desire to have unique experiences. They are willing to endure hardship and isolation.

Significance of Pioneering Individuals:

The poet emphasizes the significance of pioneering individuals who dare to stray from the norm.
Though they may face adversity and suffer physical and emotional wounds, they blaze a trail for others to
follow. Their actions challenge the collective human potential, urging others t break free from the
confines of conformity. The poet to suggests that these trailblazers are the catalysts for progress and
innovation, as the masses often only replicate what has already been accomplished.

Direct Question to the Readers:

The poet poses a direct question to the readers. He asks whether the readers are comfortable to
follow or they possess the audacity to lead. Those who fear criticism from the doubting crowd are deemed
timid souls, succumbing to the limitations imposed by societal pressure. On the other hand, the poet
challenges readers to introspectively assess their willingness to strike out on their own and strive for new
goals regardless of success or failure. The poem’s conclusion invites readers to evaluate their attitudes
towards change, growth, and the pursuit of the undiscovered:
Structure and Rhyme Scheme:

The poem comprises of four stanzas with each one containing eight lines – known as “octave”.
The rhyme scheme is ABAB throughout the poem.

Conclusion:

Thus, “The Things That Haven’t Been Done Before” serves as a rallying cry for individuals to
embrace their inner adventurers and push the boundaries of what is known. Through eloquent language
and insightful comparisons, Edgar Albert Guest compels readers to question their complacency and
encourages them to embark on uncharted paths, fostering personal growth and advancing society as a
whole.
 Stopping By The Woods On A Snowy Evening

Robert Frost
Whose woods these are I think I know.
His house is in the village though;
He will not see me stopping here
To watch his woods fill up with snow.

My little horse must think it queer

To stop without a farmhouse near
Between the woods and frozen lake
The darkest evening of the year.

He gives his harness bells a shake

To ask if there is some mistake.
The only other sound’s the sweep
Of easy wind and downy flake.

The woods are lovely, dark and deep,

But I have promises to keep,
And miles to go before I sleep,
And miles to go before I sleep.

Introduction:

Robert Lee Frost (1874 – 1968) was an American poet. He is famous for his realistic depictions
of rural life. He frequently wrote about settings from rural life in New England in the early 20 th century.
“Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening” was written in 1922. It was first published in the Collection of
Poems ‘New Hampshire’. This is a nature poem in which the poet expresses his tiredness over the
journey of life.

About the Poem:

Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening is one of his best poems. It begins with delight and ends
in wisdom. It is an expression of joy which the poet felt as he stopped matching a familiar sight on a
winter evening. Nehru was fond of this poem and has the following lines inscribed on his table.

“But I have promises to keep

And miles to go before I sleep”

Beauty of the Nature

The poet is riding his horse through the woods. It is a snow covered evening and it becomes
completely dark. The poet stops his horse near the frozen lake and enjoys the beauty of nature. The poet
thinks that the owner of the forest who lives in a nearby village. The owner doesn’t know the poet’s
presence there. The poet becomes close with the nature and the poet forgotten himself. He inhales the air
of peace and his heart is filled with happiness.
Puzzled state of Horse

The poet is a lover of nature. So he stops his horse and enjoys the beauty of nature. The horse
doesn’t know the reason of his sudden halt. The mind of the horse is filled with doubts, why the poet has
stopped in the middle of the forest. There is no farmhouse by near them. The horse begins to realize that
it is getting late to reach his master’s destination.

The Sound of the Horse’s Bell

The horse shakes its harness bell in order to make him aware of the situation. The only other
sound in the region is that of the wind hissing and the soft snow flakes breaking. More over the horse has
doubt whether any mistakes has been committed either by himself or by his master.

The Poet’s Message

The poet describes the woods as lovely, dark and deep. He is enjoying the scenic beauty and
wishes to stay longer at the place. The narrator decides to go away. But he cannot stay here any longer.
For, he has to travel a long distance before reaching home and settling down to a quiet sleep. However,
he has other responsibilities as well so he cannot stay. Before they can sleep, they have to go miles so, he
has to move on. But he will be reminded of this magnificent view of nature again and again.

Conclusion

Thus, the poem throws light on nature. The poet advocates rustic atmosphere and the theme of the
poem which is related to nature. In the end of the poem, the poet has a sudden twist. The poet is
reminded of his death and so he wants to accomplish his task before death. The poet indirectly compares
Sleep to Death. The poet proves himself that he is a ‘man of duty conscious.’
 THE MAGIC BROCADE
(A TALE OF CHINA)

Aaron Shepard

Introduction:

Aaron Shepard is the award-winning author. His stories have also appeared often in Cricket and
Australia’s School Magazine. Aaron’s specialty is retelling folktales and other traditional literature from
around the world.

The Widow Weaver:

Long ago a widow lived with her son in a small village in China. They survived on the money she
made from weaving. Her brocades which were made by silver, Gold and silk. She was especially talented
at designing flowers, animals and birds that appear like real .they sold brocade in the market

The Brocade Taken Away:

One day she returns home with a marvelous painting of a fairy palace. Her son Chen suggests that
she should weave the image as brocade. She creates the finest brocade of her life. The widow finishes her
brocade. It was more beautiful than anything she had ever made. All of a sudden a strong wind swept
through the house and took her brocade away.

Heart Broken Mother:

It flew out of the house and it had completely vanished. She was so surprised and heartbroken
mother that she fainted. She asked her son if he could try to find her brocade. He agreed and set out
immediately. Chen came upon a lonely hut. He came across an old woman who was sitting by the door.

The Stranger Old Woman:

She said the brocade was in the Sun Palace, through the wind was sent by the fairy ladies of the
palace. They were using the brocade as a pattern for their weaving. Chen could not get to the Sun Palace
by foot. He had better ride the woman’s Horse. It would show him the way.

Flame Mountain and Icy Sea:

He spurred the horse forward, through the flames and not once did he utter a word of complaint.
On the other side of Flame Mountain, they came upon the icy sea. He rode to the entrance, sprang from
the horse and hurled into a huge hall. Sitting there at looms were dozens of fairy ladies. They whispered
to each other.

Sun Palace:

His mother’s brocade itself hung in the center of the room. A Lady Lien welcomed him. Chen
stared at her Lien gazed shyly downward. Chen told her that he had come for his mother’s brocade the
fairies worked busily to finish their brocades. Chen sat near Lien at her loom.
Happy Mother:

When Chen woke up, the sun was just trying. He looked around the hall for Lien but saw no one.
He jumped upon the horse. He raced across the icy sea and over fiery mountain In no time he was home. .
He unrolled the cloth onto the bed. The mother was so happy to have her brocade

Sudden Wind:

He helped her out of the cottage and placed the brocade on a rock. . A sudden wind came and the
brocade rose slowly in the air. It stretched as it rose and there appeared the Sun Palace. The palace was as
true as Chen himself had seen it and standing on the steps was the fairy lady Lien.

Conclusion:

He took hold of his mother’s arm. They stepped forward. They stood before the Sun Palace. Lien
rushed to them. The other fairies gathered around. Lien and the widows, son Chen got married and lived
happily ever after.
 Side Ways Stories from Wayside School
Louis Sachar
Introduction:

Louis Sachar is an American young-adult mystery- comedy author. He is best known for the
Wayside School series and the novel Holes. The book “Sideways Stories from Wayside School” is a
collection of stories by Louis Sachar. There are 30 chapters. Each Chapter has a complete narrative.

Wayside School:

The debut novel predominantly focuses on the students of Mrs. Jewls 30 story class but includes Chapters
for three primary teachers. Wayside is an unusual school because of the builder’s misreading of the It was
designed as a single story building consisting of 30 classrooms, but instead, was built as 30 stories
sideways.

Story of Joe / The First Sideways Story

The students at Wayside have problems just like ordinary kids, but their problems do not have
ordinary solution. Joe is a student who cannot count properly, but always ends up at the correct answer
anyway. Mrs. Jewls holds him back during recess and attempts to teach him but finds her unable to do so.
By the end of recess Joe has failed to make progress. He always count the wrong way and get the correct
answer vice-versa.

Story of Bebe / The Second Sideways Story

Bebe is the fastest draw “in class, able to draw pictures faster than anyone else. She can produce a
picture of a cat in under 45 seconds, a dog in less than 30Seconds, and a flower in less than 8 sec.In one
art class, with the assistance of Calvin, she makes 378 works of art in one hour.

Mrs. Jewls tells her that the quality of art is more important than the quantity. In her words, if a
single picture produced by a single person over the course of a life time is better than each of Bebe’s
pictures, the person with only one picture has produced more art than Bebe.

Story of Calvin / The Third Sideways Story

Calvin is sent by Mrs. Jewls to deliver a nonexistent note to the nonexistent Miss. Zarves on the
nonexistent nineteenth floor. He consults Louis, who tells him that he is not supposed to deliver no notes
to any teachers. Upon returning to the 30th floor, Mrs. Jewls thanks a dumb struck Calvin, who ultimately
decides it was nothing.

Miss. Zarves is also a teacher who appears throughout the series. Her special situation is that she
is the teacher of the classroom on the nineteenth story of the school but since there is no official
recognition of the nineteenth floor of the building actually being the nineteenth story, neither she nor the
classroom is recognized to exist .

Conclusion

Thus, Louis Sachar’s ‘Three Sideways Stories from Wayside School’ dramatizes the individuality
of students’ discipline and learning, coping with difficult people and situations and humour.
 Parts of Speech in English

When you speak or write a sentence in the English language, all the words in that sentence fall
into one of the following categories. There are generally Eight such parts in the English language. These
parts or categories are commonly known as “parts of speech”. Some of the words also fall into more than
one of these categories.

Nouns
A noun is a word that refers to a person, concept, place, or thing. Nouns can act as the subject of a
sentence (i.e., the person or thing performing the action) or as the object of a verb (i.e., the person or thing
affected by the action).
Examples:
✓ She bought a pair of shoes. (thing)
✓ I have a pet. (animal)
✓ Is this your book? (object)
✓ Many people have a fear of darkness. (ideas/abstract nouns)
✓ He is my brother. (person)
✓ This is my school. (place)

Proper Noun:
A proper noun is a name which refers only to a single person, place, or thing and there is no common
name for it. In written English, a proper noun always begins with capital letters.
Example:
✓ Alex is a wonderful player.
✓ He was born in England.
Common Noun:
A common noun is a name for something which is common for many things, person, or places
which denotes a general name for something.
Example:
✓ Alex is a wonderful player.
✓ He was not born in this country.
✓ Sydney is the city he lives in.
✓ He is a man of dream.
Abstract Noun:
An abstract noun is a word for something that cannot be seen but is there. It has no physical
existence. Generally, it refers to ideas, qualities, and conditions.
Example:
✓ Honesty depends mostly on truthfulness and integrity.
✓ Childhood is the best time to build it.
✓ Courage, bravery, honesty, intelligence, perseverance, etc. are the best of virtues.

Concrete Noun:
A concrete noun is the exact opposite of abstract noun. It refers to the things we see and have
physical existence.
Example: Chair, table, bat, ball, water, money, sugar, etc.

Countable Noun:
The nouns that can be counted are called countable nouns.
Examples:
✓ The book has 269 pages in it.
✓ It has 39 chapters in it.
✓ Alex has four pencils.
✓ He has a car.
Non-countable Noun:
The nouns that cannot be counted are called non-countable nouns.
Example: (Water, sugar, oil, salt, etc)
✓ I need some drinking water.
✓ Do you need some gas for your car?
✓ We need a lot of money for the business.
✓ Do you want some milk?
____________________*****____________________

Pronouns
A Pronoun is a word which is used instead of noun. A pronoun is used in the place of a noun. It
substitutes the noun in a paragraph or piece of writing to avoid repetition of the noun.
Example:
1. I love my parents. 2. You are handsome. 3. He is tall. 4. She is a best singer. 5. They are Players.
6. It is my book.
Pronouns are generally classified into three main kinds.

Person Singular Pronoun Plural Pronoun

First Person Pronoun I, Me We, Us

Second Person You, Your You

Pronoun

Third Person He, She, It, Him, They, Them,

Pronoun Her Their

Subject Pronouns are pronouns that perform the action in a sentence. Some examples of subject
pronouns are I, you, we, he, she, it, they and one.
Object Pronouns are pronouns that receive the action in a sentence. Some examples of object pronouns
are me, us, him, her and them.
Personal Pronouns are simple pronouns that are used to substitute proper names. Some examples of
personal pronouns are I, you, he, she, we, they, him, her, he, she, us and them.
Example in Sentence:
• She is my friend.
• They are going to college.
• It is my book.

Possessive Pronouns are pronouns that are used to show possession. Some examples of possessive
pronouns are mine, yours, his, hers, theirs and its.
Example Sentence:
• The pen is yours.
• This is her book
• He left his keys on the table
Relative Pronouns are pronouns that are used to relate one part of the sentence to another. Some
examples of relative pronouns are that, which, where, when, why, what, whom and whose.
Example:
• This is the place where I found my missing bag.
• It was a time when I was so happy.
• The person who called me last night is my best friend.

Reflexive Pronouns are pronouns that are used to refer back to the subject in the sentence. Some
examples of reflexive pronouns are myself, yourself, herself, himself, oneself, itself, ourselves,
themselves and yourselves.
Example:
• I washed my clothes myself
• He did it all by himself
• Behave yourself

Demonstrative Pronouns are pronouns that are used to point to specific objects. Some examples of
demonstrative pronouns are this, that, these and those.
Example:
• I like this book.
• Look at that!
• These are bigger than those

Interrogative Pronouns are pronouns that are used to ask questions. Some examples of interrogative
pronouns are who, what, when, why and where.
Example:
• What is your future plan?
• By whom was written the book?
• Who cooked today?

____________________*****____________________

Verbs

Verbs are the action words in a sentence that describe what the subject is doing. Along with
nouns, verbs are the main part of a sentence or phrase. In fact, without a verb, full thoughts can’t be
properly conveyed.

Auxiliary Verbs / Helping Verbs

Auxiliary verbs or helping verbs, is a verb that is used to help another verb. It is used to change
the other verb’s tense, mood or voice. So, every time an auxiliary verb is used, you always have one more
verb, which acts as the main verb in a sentence.
Examples:
• Be form Verbs: Am, Is, Are, Was, Were.
• Have form verb: Have, Has, Had.
• Do form verb: Do, Did, Does.

Modal Verbs
Modal verbs are those verbs that are used to denote the possibility, probability, capability or
necessity of something happening. Modal verbs, unlike other auxiliary verbs, cannot be used as a main
verb in a sentence.
Examples: (Can, Could, Shall, Should, Will, Would, May, Might, Must, Ought to, Need, Dare)
Transitive Verb: A verb which has a direct object is termed as transitive verb.
Examples:
• She likes flowers.
• They sing a song.
• India won the series.
Intransitive Verb: A verb which doesn’t have direct object is known as Intransitive verb.
Examples:
• He runs fast.
• We slept very well.
• The leader spoke loudly.
Regular Verbs: The verb form their past tense and past participle by adding –ed from the base form.
Example:
• He talked to the teacher.
• I finished my test.
• Students played in the ground.

Irregular Verbs: The verb doesn’t follow a standard pattern to form the past tense and past participle.
Example:
• She went to the park.
• He ate a cake.
• She wrote a poem.

Strong Verb: The verb which forms their past tense by simply changing the vowel, without adding ‘ed’,
‘d’ or ‘t’ are called strong verb.
Example: (come – came, write – wrote, see – saw, speak – spoke, etc…)

Weak Verb: The verb which forms their past tense by adding ‘ed’, ‘d’ or ‘t’ to the present are known as
weak verb.
Example: (walk – walked, spend – spent, bring – brought, catch – caught, etc.)
____________________*****____________________

Adjective
An adjective is a word that adds something to the meaning of noun or pronoun.
Examples:
• Rose is a beautiful flower.
• The hand has five fingers.
• He is an honest man.
Adjective of Quality: This adjective show the kind of quality of a person, place or thing.
Examples:
• Chennai is a large city
• This is a nice dress.
• Tamil is a smart boy.
Adjective of Quantity: This adjective show the quantity of things.
Examples: ( all, some, enough, few, whole)
• I have little money
• He has five books.
• Most people like cricket.
• He has no sense.
Demonstrative Adjective: This adjective straight-away point out the person or thing.
Examples: (the, this, that, those, these)
• The pen is mine.
• These mangoes are sour.
• That boy is stronger than kumar.
• This is my car.
Interrogative Adjective: This adjective used to frame a question.
Examples: (what, when, where, which, how, how many, how much, whose)
• Where is your text book?
• Whose letter is this?
• What is the time now?
• Where are you coming from?
Possessive Adjective: This adjective shows possessive.
Examples: (my, his, her, our, your, their)
• India is our country.
• Her mother is a teacher.
• They did their duty.
• She is my friend.
____________________*****____________________

Adverb
An adverb is a word that modifies a verb, an adjective, or another adverb. It provides more
information about how, when, where, or to what extent an action is performed or a quality is possessed.
Examples:
• She speaks quickly.
• They arrived early.
• He plays the piano beautifully.
• The cat sleeps here.
Adverbs of Manner: Describe how an action is performed.
Examples: (quickly, slowly, carefully, fast, well, slow, hard, etc…)
• She dances gracefully on the stage.
• He runs fast.
• He works hard.
Adverbs of Time: Indicate when or how often an action occurs.
Examples: (today, daily often, now, before, now, already, soon, late, early, never, etc…)
• He will leave tomorrow.
• He reads newspaper daily.
• Wasted time never returns.
Adverbs of Place: Indicate where an action occurs or where something is located.
Examples: (here, there, everywhere, near, out, in, forward, away, here, up, etc…)
• The books are upstairs.
• Move forward.
• The hospital is near to the building.
Adverbs of Degree (or Intensity): Specify the extent or degree of an action or quality.
Examples: (very, quite, extremely, much, too, much, almost, etc…)
• It’s very hot today.
• She is so happy.
 • I finished the work almost.
Adverbs of Frequency: Describe how often an action takes place.
Examples: (always, often, never, once, twice, again, seldom, frequently, etc…)
• She always arrives early.
• He seldom comes here.
• I have told you twice.
Adverbs of Reason: Indicate the reason or cause behind an action.
Examples: (because, therefore, so)
• He ran fast, therefore he won.
• She got gold medal because she study well.
Interrogative Adverbs: Used to ask questions about manner, place, time, reason, etc..
Examples: (how, where, what, who, when, why)
• Why did you leave?
• Where are you going now?
• How is your health?
Relative Adverbs: Connect a clause or phrase to a noun or pronoun.
Examples: (how, where, why, when)
• This is the park where we met.
• This is the reason why I left.
• This is the hospital where I was born.

____________________*****____________________

Prepositions
Prepositions are words that show the relationship between a noun or pronoun and other words in a
sentence. They often indicate location, direction, time, or other relationships.
Examples:
• She is sitting on the chair.
• He walked to the store.
• The book is under the table.
• We’ll meet at 3 p.m.
Simple Prepositions: Stand alone and express a specific relationship between the noun/pronoun and the
rest of the sentence.
Examples: (in, on, at, under, over, with, by, beside)
• Nivetha came with her mother.
• He works for his family.
• She comes from the village.
Double Prepositions: This preposition is made by two prepositions.
Example: (into, within, without, upon, etc…)
• He travelled without ticket.
• Sham studied throughout the night.
• The cat jumped upon the table.
Compound Prepositions: Formed by prefixing preposition to a noun, adjective or an adverb.
Examples: (because of, according to, in spite of, out of, beyond, along, between)
• He left because of the rain.
• China is beyond the Himalayas.
• He is walking along the road.
Complex Prepositions: Consist of two or more words and usually include a simple preposition
combined with a noun, an adjective, or an adverb.
Examples: (in front of, on top of, by means of)
• The book is on top of the shelf.
• Students should present in front of the principal.
Prepositional Phrases: Consist of a preposition, its object (a noun or pronoun), and any modifiers of the
object.
Examples: (according to, at the park, under the bed, in front of)
• She arrived at the park.
• According to the law, everyone must pay taxes.
• There is a temple in front of my house
Prepositions of Place: Describe the location or position of something in relation to another.
Examples: (in, on, at, by, near, beside, before, behind)
• The keys are on the table.
• We live in Tamil Nadu.
• My office is behind the LIC building
Prepositions of Time: Indicate when an event occurred or will occur.
Examples: (in, on, at, during, since, before, after)
• We’ll meet at 5 p.m.
• She lived in America since 2010.
• He will finish this work within a week.

------------------------------*****------------------------------

Paragraph and Essay Writing

Introduction
An essay is a piece of writing which provides the author's perspective on some subject or topic. Its
length can range from 100 words to 1000 words or maybe more. Essays can be formal and informal.
Formal essays are often written for serious purposes, a great example of a formal essay would be
an essay for a school magazine on some serious topic or subject or an essay for a newspaper article
however informal essays are characterized by unconventionality and totally depends on an individual's
taste. Informal essays are usually used to express one's opinion on a topic with a bit of humor and
rambling structure.
Essays have become an inseparable part of formal education in many countries including India.
Primary and secondary students are taught well-structured essay formats to ameliorate their writing skills.
Essays have also become a way to assess the performance of humanities students during their final exam

Descriptive Essays

Descriptive essays provide a detailed description of your subject. This may be a person, place,
thing or event. Descriptive essays, like narrative essays, allow for a more creative approach to writing.
Unlike narrative essays, which provide a complete story, descriptive essays often focus only on the
subject.
 When writing a descriptive essay, consider including vivid imagery and incorporate actions,
thoughts, sensory details and emotions to immerse the reader instead of simply explaining the situation or
events. You can do this by using strong action verbs and unique, descriptive adjectives. This can make
your writing more engaging and help the reader feel more involved and connected to your essay and its
characters.

Expository Essays

Expository essays explain a topic neutrally. Writers use expository essays to demonstrate their
knowledge or expertise in a certain area. Teachers often assign expository essays to test their students'
understanding of a topic. These essays often avoid emotion or opinion and instead focus on factual
information. For instance, if you're writing about environmental conservation, try to avoid claiming
someone should do something or taking a stance on a controversial issue. Expository essays can take
different formats, but they typically include:

▪ An introduction with a thesis statement explaining exactly what the essay will discuss
▪ The body that details the facts of the subject, often citing sources
▪ A conclusion that summarizes the main points

Expository essays are further categorized into the following subtopics:

✓ Cause and Effect: This type of essay is basically done by connecting cause to its effect by
various chains. In this type of essay before coming to the conclusion writer must understand the
subject and purpose of the subject. He should see what are the demands of the audience.
✓ Compare and Contrast: As the name itself suggests, these types of essays are used to compare 2
things, both the similarities and dissimilarities.

Persuasive Essays

Persuasive essays aim to persuade readers to have an opinion or take a side using facts and emotional
appeals. To support an argument or cause, persuasive essays can include moral and emotional reasoning
to connect to the reader.

For example, a persuasive essay about the previous topic of companies including wellness packages in
employee benefits may include appeals to employers' satisfaction with providing an extra perk for their
employees. It also could discuss employers' responsibility to ensure their employees have access to
features that keep them healthy or how excited and grateful employees are for the new benefits.

Narrative Essays

Narrative essays tell a story and often are the most personal type of essay you may write. They
allow you to exercise creativity and imagination, and you can base them on a particular prompt, such as
the first time you drove a car by yourself, or a more open-ended prompt, like a time you overcame a fear.
You may submit a narrative essay, usually called a personal statement, for college or graduate school
applications.

You can use literary techniques in narrative essays to create an essay that reads like fiction. To do
this, consider including metaphors, analogies, alliteration, imagery and dialogue. A narrative essay
generally has an opening that gets the reader's attention and provides enough background information for
the story to make sense. A conclusion helps summarize the main point of your essay or reiterate your
goals. For example, if you’re writing a narrative essay for a job application, you could conclude by
summarizing how your experience solidified your desire to become a lawyer.

Format of an Essay:
 There is no hard and fast rule about how an essay should look. An essay is all about the thoughts
of an individual, so we can't confine it by putting boundaries on it. However, a basic structure is followed,
it is to help the writer only. Now let's have a look at that basic structure. It basically tells the reader what
they are going to learn about in this essay.
i) Introduction:
This is the start of an essay, so this should look intriguing. Good phrases or some catchy lines
related to the subject could be used to attract the reader's mind. The writer can also give the synopsis of
his topic in the introduction, about what this essay is going to be and its contents. It is not more than 5-6
lines. Skills like paragraph writing are of great use here. The introduction is a great way to hook the
reader/draw and keep his attention. You can also start by giving the definition of the topic to the reader or
you can ask a question.
ii) Body:
Writing an essay is like making a sandwich, so the body is the ingredient that helps you make your
sandwich delicious. It is placed between the Introduction and the Conclusion. This is the most important
part of an Essay; it is the crux. This is not only limited to one or two paragraphs, you can go beyond that
and write 5-6 paragraphs to make your essay knowledgeable.
While the body is the most important part, this is also the part where most writers make mistakes.
People write in a haphazard manner which leaves the readers confused. So it is very important that before
writing you organize your thoughts, pen down the important points in a rough paper, and then start
writing. This makes your essay more presentable. We provide most of the information in the body, one of
the ways is to write in a systematic flow, for example, if you are narrating a story you should write in
chronological order so that the reader can comprehend. The body also provides evidence to prove and
influence the reader to accept the writer's point of view.
iii) Conclusion:
This part is the end of the essay. Most writers end by giving moral knowledge of the story. The
conclusion looks a lot like the introduction part of the essay, but make sure that its syntax and the word it
contains are different from the introductory part. The conclusion gives you a great place, to sum up, your
story and argument. It is very necessary to write the conclusion and you should make sure that you didn't
leave any hanging threads.