TOPIC- THE GAME

CLASS 8- JULY 2023

READING CONTENT

I. Glossary (1-20 learn from the textbook)

21. Peered – look with difficulty or concentration at someone or something

22. littered – strewn all over

23. slip past – escape

24. anxiously - in a way that shows you are worried or nervous

25. nap – sleep

26. Squatted - crouch or sit with one's knees bent and one's heels close to or

touching one's buttocks or the back of one's thighs

27. rouse – excite

28. rationality - the quality of being based on clear thought and reason, or of

making decisions based on clear thought and reason

II. Learn your Language:

Simple sentence: A simple sentence consists of one independent clause and

expresses a complete thought.
Example: I went to the park.

Compound sentence: A compound sentence consists of two or more independent

clauses joined by a coordinating conjunction (such as "and," "but," or "or") or a
semicolon.
Example 1: She likes to swim, and he enjoys playing basketball. Example 2: I wanted
to go to the movies; however, I had to finish my homework.

Complex sentence: A complex sentence contains one independent clause and at least
one dependent clause. A dependent clause cannot stand alone as a complete
sentence.
Example 1: After I finished my work, I went to the gym. Example 2: Although it was
raining, they decided to have a picnic.

III. Theme:
Optimism – The main theme of the story is optimism. The story’s main character,
Fundan, is an optimist who never fails to counter difficult situations in life.
Throughout the story, he plays the role of a self-confident and strong boy. Being an
optimist refers to a person who always finds a positive side to everything in life.
Fundan emerges as a saviour by taking up the role of Jatin. He prevents the hopes of
his friends from shattering.

Friendship – Friendship is another important theme of the story. Fundan takes up

Jatin’s role to keep the flame of hope burning. Not only does he create a ‘mirage’ of
the hawker, but also performs Jatin’s role with utmost sincerity and clarity. He even
arranges every possible item to suit his needs by arranging a basket, some pebbles,
and his shirt as a covering for the basket.

Setting: The story is set in a rural area, a village.

IV. Narration:
Third-person narrative – The story is narrated by the writer himself.
The narrative technique uses a unique way to denote the thoughts of Fundan. The
thoughts of Fundan have been italicized.

V. Figures of Speech
1. Allusion- A direct or indirect reference to a person, place, or event. Allusions can
refer to history, religion, myth, art, etc.
Example:
Shawn’s speech went down like the Titanic.
As the cave’s roof collapsed, he was swallowed up in the dust like Jonah. (The
allusion is to Jonah in the Bible being ‘swallowed alive’.)
In the story, the allusion is drawn to ‘manna’ which is a heavenly food as is given
in the Bible.

2. Personification – A figure of speech that attributes human qualities to non-

human entities.
In the story, “Hope was driving the time along” Here, hope is given the animate
quality of a human being.

3. Oxymoron – a figure of speech in which apparently contradictory terms appear

together.
In the story, “the mirage real”, “the false true” are examples of Oxymorons

4. Synecdoche – refers to a literary device in which a part of something is

substituted for the whole (as hired hand for "worker"), or less commonly, a whole
represents a part.
In the story, synecdoche is used in the phrase “eager faces” (part for the whole)
faces are not eager, the person is eager.

VI. Character Analysis

Fundan – Fundan is a significant character who plays a crucial role in Munshi
Premchand's short story "The Game." Fundan is a child from a village who is strong,
self-assured, and friendly. He is skilled at transforming a miserable circumstance
into a joyful one. Being only 5 or 6 years old, he is childish and innocent, but he
demonstrates signs of maturity towards the end of the story when he assumes the
role of "Jatin," on whom the kids used to wait with anticipation. This demonstrates
his upbeat outlook and empathy for the other kids in the village who used to be
excited to see Jatin every evening. He had a carefree heart and dejection and failure
could not dampen his spirits. This is evident when he puts himself into the shoes of
a sweet-seller and uncomplainingly walks his way back to his village.

Grandmother – She is the acting guardian of the children in the village. She is
responsible in taking care of the children and is highly protective of them which we
witness when we find her guarding the kids as their parents were not home. She
even rebukes Fundan when he was stealthily moving out to play. She uses her
experience in dealing with the troublesome children. Despite the fact that she is
disliked by the kids because they think she is too strict, she is unrepentant and
employs all available means to get the job done.

VII. MCQs-
1. Fill in the blanks with the appropriate word-
The old lady was the ______________(designated, appointed, elected) grandmother
ofthe village children.

2. State which of the following statement/s is/are TRUE-

a) Fundan waited for Jatin at the center of the village.
b) Fundan waited for Jatin at the edge of the village.
c) Fundan waited for Jatin at the railway station of the village.
d) Fundan waited for Jatin at the market of the village.

3. Choose the appropriate option-

1.
A. manna from heaven 1. Personification
B. Hope was driving the time along 2. Oxymoron
C. the mirage real 3. Allusion

a) A-1, B-2, C-3

b) A-2, B-1, C-3
c) A-3, B-1, C-2
d) A-3, B-2, C-1

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Answers for MCQ

a. designated

b. Fundan waited for Jatin at the edge of the village.

c. A-3, B-1, C-2