JAIN HERITAGE SCHOOL

Grade 9
English Classwork Notes
Name: Sudeepa Gopi Date: 10.07.2022

Poem -2 Wind
By Subramania Bharathi
Translated from Tamil to English by A. K. Ramanujan

I. Write the word meanings:- (Write all the meanings)

1. poking fun : make fun of someone or something
2. weaklings : weak people
3. frail : weak
4. crumbling : break or fall apart into small fragments
5. rafters : large, sloping pieces of wood that support a roof
6. winnows : blow a current of air through grain in order to remove the chaff.
7. firmly : in a way that uses steady power or strength
8. steadfast : determined or dutifully secure and steady
9. flourish : to grow or develop well

II. Write the Question and Answers:-

Thinking About the Poem – pg #31 Beehive (Write all the Question Answers of the Textbook)

Q1. What are the things the wind does in the first stanza?
A1. In the first stanza, the wind breaks the shutters of the windows. It scatters the papers here and there.
It throws down the books from the shelf. It also tears the pages of the books and brings showers of rain again.
These are the things the wind does mentioned in the first stanza of the poem – Wind.

Q2. Have you seen anybody winnow grain at home or in a paddy field? What is the word in your language for
winnowing? What do people use for winnowing?
A2. Yes, I have seen agricultural labourer (usually women) winnowing grain, i.e., separating the heavier grains
from the lighter chaff. People separate it by throwing grain mixed with chaff. When the air is blown, the
grain and the chaff gets separated. This process of separating grain from the chaff is called winnowing.
In our language “Hindi,” it is called “Barsana”.
Note-Free response appreciated.

Q3. What does the poet say the wind god winnows?
A3. The poet says that the wind god winnows the weak crumbling houses, doors, rafters, wood, bodies, lives
and heart and then crushes them all down.

Q4. What should we do to make friends with the wind?

A4. To make friends with the wind, we need to build strong homes with firm doors. As the wind favours the
strong, we should make ourselves physically and mentally strong. We should build strong homes with firm
doors so that the wind cannot get into. The poet also advises us that we should train our bodies to be strong
and hearts to be firm and determined to face the challenges. By doing so, we shall make friends with the
wind.

Q5. What do the last four lines of the poem mean to you?

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A5. The last four lines of the poem inspires us to face the wind, which symbolizes the hardships of our lives,
courageously. He tells us that the wind can only extinguish the weak fires; but it intensifies the stronger
ones. Similarly, adversities deter the weak-hearted but makes stronger those who have determined will. In
such a case, befriending the wind or the hardships of life makes it easier for us to face them.

Q6. How does the poet speak to the wind- in anger or with humour? You must also have seen or heard of the
wind “crumbling lives”. What is your response to this? Is it like the poet’s?
A6. In my opinion, the poet speaks to the wind with anger, initially.
Yes, strong winds are known to cause plenty of damage and destruction to both life and property.
Storms, cyclones, gales/hurricanes or strong winds cause havoc on land. They uproot trees, bring down
houses, teardown electric posts and claims life. They also cause damage to ferries and frighten the poor sailors
and fishermen out at sea.
Yet, I do not agree with the poet that the wind only ‘crumbles lives.’ The wind is responsible for bringing rain;
it cools the land and makes the climate pleasant.
Today, wind energy is harnessed for several useful purposes including turning windmills, wind turbines and
generating electricity.

Q7. The poem you have just read is originally in Tamil. Do you know any such poems in your language?
A7. Yes, I have read many poems on wind. It is titled “Toofan” and was originally written in Hindi by Naresh
Aggarwal. In English too there is such a poem. It is called “Ode to the West Wind’ by P B Shelley. It describes
the power of the West Wind.
Note-Free response appreciated.

III. Reference to the Context:- (Write any one)

(a) Wind, come softly
Don’t break the shutters of the windows.
Don’t scatter the papers
Don’t throw down the books on the shelf.

Qi. Write about any two destructive activities of the wind.

Two destructive activities of the winds are – (Any two)
(a) It breaks the shutters of windows
(b) It scatters the papers
(c) It throws down the books

Qii. To whom does the poet make a request in the above lines?
Aii. The poet makes a request to the wind in the above lines.

Qiii. What appeal is made by the poet?

Aiii. The poet makes an appeal to the wind not to break down the shutters of the windows, not to scatter the
papers in his room or to throw down the books from his bookshelves.

Qiv. Find the antonym for the word ‘gather’

Aiv. Scatter

(b) The wind blows out weak fires

He makes strong fire roar and flourish
His friendship is good
We praise him everyday
Qi. How does the wind affect the weak fires?
Ai. The wind blows out the weak fires.
Qii. What is the effect of the wind on strong fire?
Aii. The wind makes the strong fire even stronger and increases its power.
Qiii. How can we be friends with wind?
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Aiii. We can be friends with wind by making ourselves strong, both physically and mentally.
Qiv. Find the synonym for the word ‘prosper’.
Aiv. Flourish

IV. ABOUT POET (Write only any five main points of each poet in a paragraph each)
i. Subramania Bharathi - Poet
Chinnaswami Subramania Bharati (11th December 1882 – 11th September 1921) also known as “Bharathiyar”
or “Mahakavi Bharati” was a Tamil writer, poet, journalist, Indian Independence Activist and a social reformer
from Tamil Nadu. Bharati's influence on Tamil literature is phenomenal. He was a pioneer of modern Tamil
poetry and is considered as one of the greatest Tamil literary figures of all times who covered political, social
and spiritual themes.
Bharati had his early education in Tirunelveli and Varanasi and worked as a journalist with many newspapers,
notable among them being the Swadesamitran. Bharati was also an active member of the Indian National
Congress. The songs and poems composed by Bharati are very often used in Tamil cinema and have become
staples in the literary and musical selection/catalogue of Tamil illustrators throughout the world.

ii. A. K. Ramanujan - Translated from Tamil to English

The poem “Wind” by Subramania Bharati is originally in Tamil. It was translated in English by A. K. Ramanujan.
Attipate Krishnaswami Ramanujan popularly known as A. K. Ramanujan was an Indian poet and scholar of
Indian literature who wrote in both English and Kannada. Ramanujan was a poet, scholar, professor, translator,
and a scriptwriter. A.K. Ramanujan was born in Mysore, India on 16 March 1929.
Ramanujan earned degrees at the University of Mysore and Deccan College in Pune and a PhD in Linguistics
from Indiana University Bloomington, United States. Ramanujan was well versed in five languages - English,
Kannada, Tamil, Telugu, and Sanskrit. He wrote in English and Kannada. His poetry is known for its theme and
modernist transnationalism.
Some prominent works of his are The Collected Poems, Selected Poems, Second Sight. The Collected Poems
A.K. Ramanujan received a Sahitya Akademi Award after the author’s death.

IV. Additional Question

Q1. Write the Central Idea of the poem “Wind”
A1. Subramania Bharati has advised us to be strong in mind and body. The wind will be our friend if we are
strong. Actually, the wind represents the difficulties and challenges, which we ought to encounter them
boldly.
Hence, the beautiful poem gives us a message that lives are not always smooth. We will face ups and downs
in life. But giving up and accepting defeat is not the solution. Just like the poet here, advises us to be strong
and protect ourselves from the wind, we need to be strong in adverse situations. That is the only way to
emerge as successful and strong individuals in our life.

Q2. What challenges are posed by wind in the life of the common man?
A2. In our lives, wind disrupts our daily routine. It hampers and dampens the spirit of life around. According
to the poet, rain and wind were deeds of nature that are perceived as the tempest forces which destroy the
old and evil inside a man in order to create joy and liberty in his mind. Wind is that natural phenomenon
which is very difficult to be predict accurately just as our problems which can arise from nowhere. It can hit
us at any time of our lives. For frail people, literally and metaphorically, wind creates barriers. Winds does
not let a frail body or a frail mind survive but on the other hand if you are strong, you have the power and
the will to survive and fight back, wind can never be a threat to your living.

Q3. Does the poem reflect the human suffering being initiated by wind? Explain with examples.
A3. Wind is invisible, but the effects it has on this world are clear and evident. The poem reflects upon both
the constructive and destructive paths taken by the wind. Wind is extreme and violent, but not necessarily
legitimately with anger and emotions. Wind creates compassion, but apathy at the same time in human life.
Wind emphasizes the passionate, intense nature of the poet, while the decay and death inherent suggest the
sacrifice and suffering of humans. We also see that wind is a metaphor for the god’s will because its effects
in this world can be both beneficial and apparently destructive.
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VII. Poetic Devices
(Read and write definition not more than three lines for each poetic devices with an example each)
Literary Devices of poem – Wind
■ Structure – The poem consists of twenty two lines in total. The poem Wind is a Free verse poem or has
a blank verse. It doesn’t have any rhyme scheme. Both blank verse and free verse are free from rhyme
scheme.
■ Rhyme scheme - The entire poem is written in free verse or a blank verse. There is no rhyme scheme
in the poem.
■ Tone of the poem - The poet uses a pleading tone in the first stanza of the poem as he makes an
entreaty-humble request to wind to blow softly. In the second stanza, the poet changes his tone to
accusatory-blame as he gestures towards the mess in his room, and tells the wind that it is he who is
responsible for it. In the third stanza, the poet uses a sober tone to express his seriousness and sadness
because of the destruction caused by wind. At the end stanza, the poet uses an advisory - instructs
tone as he advises us to build strong homes, join the doors firmly and practice to make our bodies and
hearts stronger.

Figures of speech of poem – Wind

1. Apostrophe – Apostrophe is a figure of speech where the writer or speaker speaks directly to
someone who is not present or is dead or speaks to an inanimate object. Here, the poet is seen to
be directly addressing to the wind which is an inanimate object to blow softly. Wind being an
inanimate object, we cannot speak with it directly. So the figure of speech used in these lines are
Apostrophe. “Wind, come softly.”

2. Anaphora - Anaphora is the repetition of a word or a phrase at the beginning of each line of a
poem. Here, the repetition of the same word ‘Don’t’ ‘You’ etc., which is used at the beginning of
each and every successive line. This repetition is called Anaphora.

Don’t break the shutters of the windows.

Don’t scatter the papers.
Don’t throw down the books on the shelf. There, look what you did — you threw them all down.
You tore the pages of the books.
You brought rain again.
You’re very clever at poking fun at weaklings.
So, Lines 2, 3, 4 begin with ‘don’t’.
Lines 6, 7, 8 begin with ‘you’.
Anaphora is the repetition of a word or expression at the start of two or more consecutive lines.

3. Alliteration – Alliteration is a figure of speech in which a number of words, having the same first
consonant sound occur close together in a series. This poetic effect used is called Alliteration.
There look what you did - you threw them all down. The sound of ‘th’ is repeated.
Other repetition of a consonant sound in close proximity or connection is ‘wind winnows’
The wind god winnows – The sound of ‘wi’ is repeated.

4. Personification – Personification is a figure of speech in which an inanimate object or abstraction

is given human qualities or abilities. Wind is an inanimate thing. But, here the poet not only addresses
it directly, but also accuses it of throwing, tearing, bringing rain and poking fun.
■ Examples of personification
Wind has been personified. When the poet says ‘you are’, he is referring to wind as ‘you’ that means
he is treating wind as a person.
“You’re very clever at poking fun at weaklings”……… Wind is endowed with human qualities of poking.
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 “There look what you did - you threw them all down”……… Wind is entrusted with human qualities of
throwing or handling things.
“The wind god winnows and crushes them all”………Wind god is trusted with human qualities of
winnowing and crushing things.

5. Repetition – Repetition is a figure of speech where words or phrases are repeated in a literary work.
“Frail crumbling houses, crumbling doors, crumbling rafters, crumbling wood, crumbling bodies,
crumbling lives, crumbling hearts” —

6. Onomatopoeia – Onomatopoeia is when a word describes a sound and actually mimics the sound of
the object or action it refers to when it is spoken.
“He makes strong fires roar and flourish.”

7. Metaphor – Metaphor is a figure of speech that indirectly describes an object or an action in a way
that isn’t literally true, but helps explain an idea or make a comparison.
The whole poem is a metaphor as it ends on a note to humanity to stand against all ravages natural or
manmade.

Symbolism - Symbolism means that the thing refers to some other thing. Symbolism helps create
meaning and emotion. Metaphors and allegory are literary elements that help writers create symbolism
in their literary pieces.
Wind is a symbol. It refers to the challenges in life. Poet is using wind as a symbol for the adversities
in our life.

Must write this

Beginning of the word ….. (s) simple sample souvenir snake …. Alliteration
Assonance …………………….. (e) help heep sheep sleep sneak bleake
Consonance……………………. (p)

Note: Sports/Extracurricular Activity students can be exempted from writing 50% notes provided, if they are
consistent and etching a mark in whichever field they represent and are good at the subject in reading,
writing, speaking and listening skills.

All - However, take a printout and learn them all for exam, so that u may score the best.