Class X - First Flight- Poem - For Anne Gregory by William Butler Yeats

 

Poem - For Anne Gregory by William Butler Yeats

About the Poet

William Butler Yeats was an Irish poet and nationalist born in Dublin. His ideas and works were influenced by the religious and national turmoil in Ireland. He loved Irish folklore. He embraced metaphysical philosophy Folklore and mysticism dominated his thoughts and poetry. He won the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1923.

Central Idea of the Poem

Yeats is of the view that most people love others just because they attract them physically. The complexion of the skin and the colour of the hair are more important to us than the 'real' worth of a person. We rarely love people for themselves alone. Even the beautiful Anne Gregory is not liked or loved for her inner beauty or her rare qualities of head and heart but for her beautiful yellow hair. Shallow-minded people adore only physical beauty. We should look for spiritual beauty before falling in love with a lady. Physical beauty is just skin-deep. It is momentary. Unfortunately, most people are attracted by the colour of skin and hair. Only God can love a person for himself alone.

Summary of the Poem

1. Love for Yellow Hair: This poem of W.B. Yeats has been addressed to a young and beautiful lady named Anne Gregory. The physical charm of the young lady is irresistible. Her honey-coloured blonde hair falling on her ear easily attract the onlookers. The hair falling on the ears look like the ramparts or wide walls around a castle. However, it is difficult to say that a young man is thrown into despair and starts loving her only for 'herself alone'. The physical beauty of her hair is so irresistible that the lover doesn't even bother to know whether the young lady has internal beauty and possesses nobility of the soul.

2. Superficial Physical Appearance: Anne Gregory's response in the second stanza is quite expected. She wants to say that she can get hair dye of any kind or colour. It depends on her if she colours her hair brown, black or carrot colour. She explodes the myth of physical beauty. She asks why a young man should fall in love with her and sigh in despair only after seeing the colour of her hair. If at all, any young man shows his love for her, then, that love should be based on her merits She should be loved, not for her outward appearance but for her inner beauty or personality. Her character. personality and inner beauty must be the cause of attraction and not her yellow hair.

3. God's Ability to Look Inside: The poet resolves the conflict in the third stanza. The poet quotes a religious text to prove his point Men are men Humans will fall to physical attractions quite easily. It is quite possible for a young man to be attracted by the beauty of Anne Gregory's blonde hair. Only God has the ability to resist outwardly physical temptations Only God can judge a man or a woman by what he or she is or his or her merits Human beings, without God's strength, can't look beyond outward appearances and physical beauty.

Main Points of the Poem

1. The poem is addressed to a young and beautiful lady named Anne Gregory.

2. Her hair is honey-coloured or blonde

3. Every young man loves Anne just because of her beautiful hair

4. Her hair falling on her ears look like the ramparts surrounding a castle.

5. The poet says that no one would love Anne Gregory for 'herself alone"

6. No one cares for her inner beauty or the nobility of her soul.

7. Her outward appearance and her yellow hair are the only causes for her attraction

8. In the second stanza, the lady, Anne Gregory herself settles the issue.

9. She says that she is free to choose what colour she uses to dye her hair 

10. She can dye her hair brown or black or the colour of a carrot

11. Any young man should fall in love with her only after judging her own merits.

12. Her yellow hair or outwardly appearance should not make any young man to sigh for her in despair.

13. She should be loved for 'herself alone'.

14. In the last stanza, the poet resolves the issue.

15. The poet quotes a religious text.

16. It is beyond human beings not to be attracted by physical appearance or beauty.

17. Human beings can be easily swayed by beautiful yellow hair or outwardly appearance.

18. Only God has the ability to withstand the temptations of physical beauty.

19. Men, without God's strength, simply can't look beyond physical appearances.

NCERT TEXTBOOK QUESTIONS SOLVED

Thinking About the poem(page 141)

Question 1. 

What does the young man mean by "great honey-coloured/Ramparts at your ear?" Why does he say that young men are "thrown into despair" by them?

Answer:

The "great honey-coloured ramparts" in the poem "For Anne Gregory" by William Butler Yeats refers to Anne's blonde hair. The metaphor of the ramparts suggests that her hair is striking and impressive, like the fortifications of a castle.

The color honey-colored is likely a reference to the golden and warm color of her hair and the use of the word "ramparts" emphasizes the striking visual impact of her hair. And as to why he says that young men are "thrown into despair" by them, the metaphor is a way of expressing how captivating and beautiful Anne's hair is and how it affects those who see it.

 

Question 2. 

What colour is the young woman's hair? What does she say she can change it to? Why would she want to do so?

Answer:

The colour of the young woman's hair is golden. Her hair can be called 'blonde'. She says that she can change the colour of her hair according to her choice. She can dye the hair brown, black or carrot colour. She wants to show that outward appearances can easily be changed. A young man should not fall in love with her only after seeing her yellow hair or outward appearance. 

Question 3. 

Objects have qualities which make them desirable to others. Can you think of some objects (a car, a phone, a dress.....) and say what qualities make one object more desirable than another? Imagine you were trying to sell an object: what qualities would you emphasise? 

Answer:

When comparing objects, different people may value different qualities, but some common ones that can make an object more desirable than another include:

• A car: fuel efficiency, speed, luxury features, safety ratings, brand reputation

• A phone: camera quality, battery life, processing power, storage capacity, design

• A dress: fabric quality, style, fit, brand, durability

When trying to sell an object, the qualities that are emphasized would depend on the target market and what they value most. For example, if trying to sell a car to a consumer who values fuel efficiency, the salesperson would emphasize the car's fuel efficiency and its cost savings. If trying to sell a phone to a consumer who values photography, the salesperson would emphasize the phone's camera quality and the features it has for photography. If trying to sell a dress to a consumer who values style, the salesperson would emphasize the dress's design, the designer and the style that is in trend.

In general, the most desirable qualities of an object are those that are most useful, reliable, and aesthetically pleasing to the consumer, and that meet the consumer's needs.

A car is an easy way of personal transport. A phone is the easiest way of communication. Similarly, a dress can be used to make your personality more presentable before others. While selling an object, I will emphasize not only its appearance but also its inherent positive characteristics and features.

Question 4.

What about people? Do we love others because we like their qualities, whether physical or mental? Or is it possible to love someone "for themselves alone"? Are some people 'more lovable' than others? Discuss this question in pairs or in groups, considering points like the following:

1. a parent or caregiver's love for a newborn baby, for a mentally or physically challenged child, for a clever child or a prodigy

2. the public's love for a film star, a sportsperson, a politician, or a social worker. 

3. your love for a friend, or brother or sister. 

4. your love for a pet, and the pet's love for you.

Answer:

It is possible to both love someone for their qualities, whether physical or mental, and to love someone "for themselves alone." People can be attracted to certain qualities in others, but ultimately it is the person as a whole that is loved.

A parent or caregiver's love for a newborn baby is often based on the unconditional love and bond that is formed from the moment the baby is born. This type of love is often independent of the baby's physical or mental characteristics and is based on the bond and responsibility of being a parent.

The public's love for a film star, sportsperson, politician, or social worker can be based on both their qualities and their actions. For example, a film star may be loved for their acting ability and good looks, while a social worker may be loved for their selfless actions and dedication to helping others.

Similarly, one's love for a friend, brother, or sister can be based on both their qualities and their actions, as well as the shared history and bond that exists between them.

As for a pet, the love for it can be based on their companionship, loyalty, and affection. The pet's love for its owner can also be based on these factors and the bond that is formed through care and attention.

It can be said that people can be "more lovable" in the sense that certain people may possess qualities that are more attractive to certain individuals. However, it is important to note that the concept of "lovability" is subjective and can vary from person to person.

Question 5.

You have perhaps concluded that people are not objects to be valued for their qualities or riches rather than for themselves. But elsewhere Yeats asks the question: How can we separate the dancer from the dance? Is it possible to separate the person himself or herself from how the person looks, sounds, walks and so on? Think of how you or a friend or member of your family has changed over the years. Has your relationship also changed? In what way?

Answer:

It is true that people are not objects to be valued solely for their qualities or riches, but rather for themselves as individuals. However, it can be difficult to separate a person from their physical and mental characteristics, as these are integral parts of who they are.

In Yeats' poem, "How can we separate the dancer from the dance?" he is asking how we can separate the person from their actions and appearance. He is suggesting that it is difficult to love the person from how they look, sound, and walk, as these are all integral parts of their identity.

As people change over the years, their physical and mental characteristics change as well, and this can affect relationships. For example, as a person ages, their appearance may change and this can affect how others perceive them. Similarly, as a person's mental or physical health changes, their behavior and actions may change, which can affect how others interact with them.

It's important to remember that people are complex and multi-faceted, and that our relationship with them can change over time as we get to know them better and as they change. It's important to remember that one's worth is not based on their physical or mental characteristics but on their humanity, and that's what truly makes them valuable.

Class XII - English Core - Flamingo -Poem 5 - Aunt Jennifer’s Tigers

Poem Text

Aunt Jennifer's tigers prance across a screen,

Bright topaz denizens of a world of green.

They do not fear the men beneath the tree;

They pace in sleek chivalric certainty.

Aunt Jennifer's finger fluttering through her wool

Find even the ivory needle hard to pull.

The massive weight of Uncle's wedding band

Sits heavily upon Aunt Jennifer's hand.

When Aunt is dead, her terrified hands will lie

Still ringed with ordeals she was mastered by.

The tigers in the panel that she made

Will go on prancing, proud and unafraid.

Introduction

The poem "Aunt Jennifer's Tigers" was written by American poet Adrienne Rich in 1951. It appeared in her first published book of poems, A Change of World. Told from the perspective of an anonymous speaker, the poem describes a woman, Aunt Jennifer, who crafts vibrant tapestry panels (depicting tigers) to escape-mentally, at least, her unhappy marriage. Written at a time when divorce was unacceptable, the poem criticises the traditional institution of marriage, suggesting that it oppresses women.

Aunt Jennifer creates a needlepoint that shows tigers leaping across the canvas. Bright and vibrant, like topaz gems, the tigers live within the green world of the canvas. They are not afraid of the men standing underneath the tree, also depicted in the image. The tigers walk with certainty, grace and courage.

Aunt Jennifer's fingers swiftly and delicately work the yarn, yet she finds it physically difficult to pull even a small needle made of ivory through the canvas. Her husband's wedding band feels huge and weighs down heavily on her hand.

When Aunt Jennifer dies one day, her frightened hands will finally be still. Yet they will still be marked by the difficulties that ruled over her while she was alive. Meanwhile, the tigers she created will continue to leap across her needlepoint without shame or fear.

Theme

'Aunt Jennifer's Tigers' by Adrienne Rich is a multi-layered poem that uses the images of sewn tigers to talk about the institution of marriage. The poet also explored the themes like Female Role in the Home, the Female Role in Marriage, Animals as Women and Nature, Patriarchal Power, Individual Freedoms, Political Issues, Art as escapism etc.

Message

This poem is a vigorous protest against male chauvinism and patriarchy which want to marginalize woman in every front. This poem offers a clear statement against the traditional marriage living relationship where women take the secondary role. Like Aunt Jennifer, millions of women still are a life of deprivation and subjugation. So this poem belongs to the feminist literary genre.

Title

The title, 'Aunt Jennifer's Tigers' is appropriate as it suggests that the poem is about Aunt Jennifer's knitted tigers. With their chivalrous, ferocious, bright and carefree attitude, she creates an alternate world for herself. These tigers are the only means of free expression in her life, which is otherwise burdened by fear and struggles of married life.

Form, Style and Literary Devices

It's a formal rhyming poem, an early example of Adrienne Rich's work. Through the short lines of the poem, the speaker embodies the struggle this woman is going through and juxtaposes it against the tigers that she's creating. Their power is contrasted against her own lack of power.

In three verses, the reader is left in no doubt that Aunt Jennifer has suffered over the years and is looking for a positive way to express her artistic talents before it's too late.

The tigers she creates will outlast her and become a symbol of freedom and independence.

Structure: The poem's structure hints at the parallel existence of freedom and fear. In the first stanza, we get a description of the tigers. In the next stanza, we find a picture of Jennifer's life. In the final stanza, Jennifer's life and the tigers' fearless movements interact. The final victory of the tigers outlives the death of the woman. The first 'stanza describes artistic freedom but the second stanza narrates patriarchal power The structural similarity between the two stanzas rather highlights the binary opposition between rebellion and repression. In the final stanza, repression and rebellion are seen together. It indicates that women can revolt if only they throw away the conventions represented by the wedding ring.

Tone: The poem's voice is distant, which is created by the third-person point of view. The third-person narrator, a third-person viewpoint and the older generation have made Aunt Jennifer more authentic. The choice of diction suggests the vigour of the animals and the lifelessness of Jennifer. The words 'prance', 'pace', 'denizen', 'bright', 'proud', unafraid', 'sleek, chivalric' are associated with tigers. However, negative words like 'massive weight, sits heavily. terrified hand', ringed', and 'ordeals' highlight the weak points of Jennifer's life. Moreover, in the case of tigers, we get references to strong verbs and active voices. On the contrary, in Jennifer's case, we get passive voices suggesting the passivity of her life. 

Poetic Devices

Rhyme Scheme

'Aunt Jennifer's Tigers' is a three-stanza poem separated into stanzas of four lines, known as quatrains. These quatrains follow a simple rhyme scheme of AABB, with the couplets changing end. sounds from stanza to stanza. While there is evidence of metrical patterns in 'Aunt Jennifer's Tigers,' it is not entirely consistent. There are sections of the poem in which Rich uses nearly perfect iambic pentameter and moments where she moves away from it and uses trochees instead.

It is a conventional rhyme scheme. However, Rich has brought the protest through this pattern. It seems that she has made the poem's structure conventional to highlight the conventionality of the protagonist's life and discuss about Critical appreciation of "Aunt Jennifer's Tigers".

Imagery

It is quite important in this poem. It can be seen through the description of the tigers, their landscape, and Aunt Jennifer's hands.

Rich has used animal imagery to inject power and vigour into the vision of Jennifer, which she terribly misses in her personal life. Tigers are the popular symbols of power and rebellion. Rich's tigers signify the vital life force that conventional society hardly allows for women. The creator of the tigers, Jennifer, lives a life of fear, depression and submission. But her tigers are fiercely uncompromising. Here the animal imagery suggests violence and energy, which women aspire to acquire but painfully lack.

Anaphora

It is a simple and helpful technique There is a good example in the first stanza with the repetition of "They” at the start of lines three and four. 

Alliteration

It helps to create a feeling of rhythm and rhyme even if one does not exist. For example, "fluttering fingers" in stanza two and "prancing, proud" in stanza three.

Symbolism

Heavy wedding band: Symbolises oppression in an unhappy marriage; Tigers: Untamed free spirit. The central symbols of the poem are the tapestry tigers and the Uncle's wedding band. The tapestry tigers are not just individual artistic expressions, and they are politically inflected, engaged in patriarchal chivalry myths. The personal and the political again meet in the intimacy of Uncle's wedding band. By the physical intimacy of a wedding band and by the familial presence conferred by 'Uncle's wedding band’, Aunt Jennifer's Tigers specify the presence of patriarchal politics. The interplay between rebellion and repression has made the poem enjoyable. This poem underscores the theme of power and social status. Aunt Jennifer is assigned the role of an aunt. She has no independent identity. In the poem, her name is mentioned four times, and on every occasion, she is an aunt. This imposition has fragmented her role.

Hyperbole

The weight of husband's wedding ring

Paradox

Here a trembling and ‘mastered’ woman creates free and confident creatures in her artistic endeavours. Fluttering fingers produce something that has ‘certainty’.

Contrast

This poem identifies the problems of women in society. The male-dominated society subordinates women. So they have nothing to do but continue the roles imposed on them by their male counterparts. Aunt Jennifer is the representative of these ill-fated women. Marriage as an institution does not support them. It instead ensures their eternal bondage. That's why the wedding ring is inseparable from Jennifer's life. The final stanza points to the contrast between the fearless tigers and the lifeless aunt. In fact, through this contrast, Rich is stressing the basic idea of feminism. According to feminism, women are deprived of equal status because of social strictures and repressions. The tigers are beyond these norms, but Jennifer is confined within them.

Summary

Aunt Jennifer is creating animals that are so different from her own character. She is perhaps working on a panel or a strip of woollen cloth. With an ivory needle, she is making the figure of tigers moving freely in the forest. They have bright yellow coats with stripes. They are fearless of the men standing under a tree. They are proud of their freedom and physical strength.

Aunt Jennifer is weak; therefore, her feeble fingers fail to pull even a light needle. She is creating mighty tigers on a panel, but her own married life has been an utter failure. Uncle has, perhaps, been much too severe and insensitive to her feelings. The tiger symbolises what she has missed in her married life. Someday, Aunt Jennifer will quit this world. She would be lowered into the grave. Her weak and terrified hand will still have the mark of her suffering. She will remain a slave in her grave. The tigers, however, created by her will go on playing merrily forever, proud and fearless.

Stanza Wise Explanation

Stanza One

Aunt Jennifer's tigers prance across a screen,

Bright topaz denizens of a world of green

They do not fear the men beneath the tree;

They pace in sleek chivalric certainty. 

In the first stanza of Aunt Jennifer's Tigers, the speaker begins by describing the movement of the tigers across the fabric canvas. They are prancing "across a screen" in a "world of green". The perfect rhymes give this poem a sing-song-like sound juxtaposed against the darker subject matter. It creates a haunting atmosphere that allows for easy contemplation of the problems of marriage. The speaker describes very clearly how the tigers do not "fear the men beneath the tree". They move without fear or trepidation. It should be noted that this is a state that the artist, Aunt Jennifer, does not know. She is not without fear as they are.

The animals are personified. Rich uses words like "chivalric" (an older term that connects to a certain respectful yet patronising treatment of women) to describe them. They are masculine, without worry, and "certain" in their actions. This makes it seem even less likely that Jennifer will find this same strength.

Stanza Two

Aunt Jennifer's finger fluttering through her wool 

Find even the ivory needle hard to pull

The massive weight of Uncle's wedding band

Sits heavily upon Aunt Jennifer's hand.

The speaker describes in the next stanza how quickly Jennifer's fingers move. They "flutter” through the movements but are without real strength. The word "flutter" evokes the image of birds' wings and gentle movements. Her hands find the "needle hard to pull". There is something weighing them down, a "wedding band". The ring that ties her to her husband keeps her from moving beyond who she is at that moment. It sits heavily on her hand, her mind, and her soul.

Stanza Three

When Aunt is dead, her terrified hands will lie 

Still ringed with ordeals she was mastered by.

The tigers in the panel that she made

Will go on prancing, proud and unafraid. 

The third stanza begins with a striking move into the future. The speaker looks towards the time in which Jennifer is going to die. These lines are enjambed, encouraging the reader to move smoothly and quickly through the stanza. She will stop eventually, as will the movement of her hands. But the ring will still be there. Even in death, she will in some ways be tied to her "ordeals".

As she struggles, suffers, and dies, the tigers will continue to prance proudly on her page. They, unlike her, are "unafraid".

Analysis

The speaker describes the tigers the aunt produced by using coloured threads on heavy cloth. They are set in motion. They are moving quickly by raising their front legs and jumping forwards on their hind legs in the green jungle. They look bright yellow and as valuable as topazes which reveals her dream of a happier life in her needlework.

There are men sitting under the tree, but the tigers do not care for them. They move on to their goal boldly and smoothly. Jennifer finds it difficult to make pictures by using the ivory needle. She is tired of doing the household work after she got married. She can't get herself involved in her artistic work. She has to do it in her leisure time. Even then she has to be sure whether her husband is watching her or not. So her hands are terrified. She will not be free from fear until she dies. She will be dominated by her husband. She will die, but her art will express her desire to move proudly and fearlessly like the tigers she has made.

Aunt Jennifer's hands are 'terrified' because of the massive weight of household duties. They are heavily pressed. They have undergone severe trials. She is dominated by her husband continuously. 'Fingers fluttering, 'ordeals', 'mastered', 'hard to pull' indicate her fear. By mentioning that it is 'Uncle's wedding band', the poet suggests that Uncle owns Jennifer too and that as a female, she is the property of her husband. The word 'massive' and 'heavily Aunt Jennifer lives a demanding sort of life in which she has to attend to her husband's needs and fulfil his commands. As a result she is somewhat worn out in her old age. Aunt Jennifer is 'ringed', trapped in her marriage and controlled like an animal. Her husband is her master. Her wish to be like the tiger, proud and unafraid' also shows her fear in real life. Tigers are fierce, courageous and independent animals. They lead the life the way they want to. But Aunt Jennifer is just opposite to tigers. She is quiet, coward, and totally dependent on her husband. She leads her life the way her husband likes for her. So tigers are an appropriate contrast to her.

Aunt Jennifer has an artistic talent. If she used it properly, she will surely become a great artist. But she has misused her ability because of cowardice. She can't go against the established pattern in life. She is pressed by 'the massive weight of household work. Instead of pleasing herself, she tries to please her dominating husband. She lives a quiet and subdued life. But the tigers she imagined are just opposite to her. They are proud, active, fearless, determined and chivalric. They move toward their goals with single-mindedness.

The tigers in the poem represent Jennifer's innermost desire. She wants to be strong like the tigers that do not fear the men. Like the beautiful animals in the jungle, she wants to create precious pieces of art. Her life has been uncertain, helpless. Her husband is strong and fearless, but he is not chivalrous. So she finds courage, justice and honour in the smooth movement of the tigers. Thus the tiger stand for her unfulfilled wishes. She can't revolt against him on her own. In order to gain freedom she must be like her tigers that prance being proud and unafraid. The word 'chivalric suggests her inner wish that is, her husband should show bravery, honour, generosity, and good manners to her like the knights in the Middle Ages did. She would like to go forward towards her aim, like the determined tigers.

Class 10 - NCERT - First Flight - The Ball Poem - Poem - John Berryman

The Ball Poem

What is the boy now, who has lost his ball,

What, what is he to do? I saw it go

Merrily bouncing, down the street, and then

Merrily over — there it is in the water!

No use to say ‘O there are other balls’:

An ultimate shaking grief fixes the boy

As he stands rigid, trembling, staring down

All his young days into the harbour where

His ball went. I would not intrude on him;

A dime, another ball, is worthless. Now

He senses first responsibility

In a world of possessions. People will take

Balls, balls will be lost always, little boy.

And no one buys a ball back. Money is external.

He is learning, well behind his desperate eyes,

The epistemology of loss, how to stand up

Knowing what every man must one day know

And most know many days, how to stand up.

JOHN BERRYMAN

Central Idea of the Poem

 "The Ball Poem' looks like a simple story of a young boy losing his ball. The boy is severely upset over the loss. Normally, it may seem like a great overreaction. Children lose things as their toys and balls quite often. Usually, no fuss should be made about such a small thing. But the ball seems to be symbolising the poet's childhood. The boy becoming an adult, loses his childhood. He was clinging onto his childhood for so long. The poet accepts the changes in his life. Although he is still suffering yet he is learning to move on from his fleeting childhood. The true theme of the poem is that we should cherish every moment of life. Life is really very short. The poet realises that it is very difficult to deal with the loss but it must be done. We should move on as there is no use in wasting precious time and life.

Main points of the poem:-

1. The young boy lost his ball.

2. He was playing and saw the ball bouncing down the street.

3. Then, in the end the ball fell down into the water and lost forever. 

4. The boy sees everything happening before his eyes but he is helpless. 

5. He only stands there helplessly moaning at the loss of the ball.

6. The loss of the ball may appear to be an ordinary incident.

7. It seems that boys lose such balls many times while they are playing.

8. The boy should not make a fuss over it. 

9. The loss of ball is symbolic. It has a deeper meaning.

Detailed Explanation

This poem by John Berryman is about a young boy who has lost his ball and is standing by the water staring at it. The poet describes the boy's reaction to the loss of his ball, which is one of "ultimate shaking grief" and "trembling." The boy is not just upset about losing his ball but also about the realization of the finality of possession. The poet emphasizes that balls are lost always and can't be bought back, and this is the boy's first experience with the reality of loss.

The poem also reflects the theme of growing up and learning to deal with the reality of loss and disappointment. The boy is learning, as the poet says, "The epistemology of loss" which means the theory and knowledge of loss, and how to stand up knowing what every man must one day know. The poem emphasizes that this knowledge is not something that can be bought with money, it's something internal and something that every man must learn.

The final lines of the poem, "how to stand up, knowing what every man must one day know, and most know many days, how to stand up," suggests that the loss of ball is not just a small event, but a significant part of growing up, and a necessary step in learning to deal with the inevitable losses in life.

Thinking About the Poem

Question 1. Why does the poet say, “I would not intrude on him”? Why doesn’t he offer him money to buy another ball?

Answer:

The poet says, "I would not intrude on him" because he recognizes that the boy is going through a personal and emotional experience and doesn't want to interrupt or disturb him. The poet is aware that the boy is standing alone, staring into the water, and feeling a deep sense of grief and loss. He doesn't want to intrude on the boy's moment of grief, and he wants to respect the boy's privacy and personal space.

The poet also doesn't offer the boy money to buy another ball because he understands that this is not a problem that can be solved with money. The loss of the ball is not just about the ball itself but about the boy's first experience with the reality of loss and the finality of possession. The poet realizes that the boy is learning a valuable lesson about life and that money cannot replace that learning experience. Offering money would not only be inadequate, but it would also trivialize the boy's emotional state. The poet wants to acknowledge the boy's emotions and the significance of this moment in his life.

Question 2. “… staring down/All his young days into the harbour where/His ball went …” Do you think the boy has had the ball for a long time? Is it linked to the memories of days when he played with it?

Answer:

The line "staring down / All his young days into the harbour where / His ball went" suggests that the boy is staring into the water for a prolonged period of time, and it implies that the loss of the ball is significant to him, but it does not specify how long he has had the ball for. The phrase "all his young days" could mean that the ball has been a part of his life for a long time and is linked to many happy memories, but it could also mean that the boy is young, and this is one of the first significant possessions he has lost in his life. The poem doesn't give us a specific time frame, but instead, it emphasizes the emotional significance of the loss to the boy.

Question 3. What does “in the world of possessions” mean?

Answer:

The phrase "in the world of possessions" refers to the idea that we live in a society where we accumulate possessions and material objects. These possessions play a significant role in our lives and are often seen as a symbol of our status, identity, and well-being. The phrase "in the world of possessions" is used to indicate that the boy is learning about the nature of material possessions and how they can be lost. The phrase emphasizes that the boy is beginning to understand that possessions are not permanent, and that he must learn to deal with the reality of loss. It implies that the boy is learning a valuable lesson about how possessions are not the most important things in life and that they can be replaced, but the emotions and memories associated with them cannot. It highlights the idea that possessions are temporary and that they are not the ultimate source of happiness.

Question 4. Do you think the boy has lost anything earlier? Pick out the words that suggest the answer.

Answer:

The poem does not delve into the boy's past experiences with loss. However, based on the words "I saw it go / Merrily bouncing, down the street, and then / Merrily over — there it is in the water!" it could imply that this is one of the first times the boy has lost something, and he is not prepared for it. The words, "An ultimate shaking grief fixes the boy / As he stands rigid, trembling, staring down" suggest that the boy is experiencing a deep sense of loss and that this is the first time he's been confronted with this kind of feeling.

Question 5. What does the poet say the boy is learning from the loss of the ball? Try to explain this in your own words.

Answer:

The poet suggests that the boy is learning a valuable lesson about loss and the nature of possessions. The boy is learning the "epistemology of loss", which refers to the study of knowledge or understanding of loss. He is learning how to deal with the reality of losing something that he valued. The poet says, "He senses first responsibility / In a world of possessions" which implies that the boy is becoming aware of the fact that possessions are not permanent and can be lost. He is learning that possessions are not the most important things in life, and that they can be replaced, but the emotions and memories associated with them cannot.

Question 6. Have you ever lost something you liked very much? Write a paragraph describing how you felt then, and saying whether — and how — you got over your loss.

Answer:

Loss is an inevitable part of human life, and it can take many forms, such as the loss of a loved one, the loss of a job, the loss of a home, the loss of a possession, and more. The sense of loss can be overwhelming and can lead to feelings of sadness, grief, and hopelessness. It can be difficult to move on from the loss and to find meaning in life again. However, it is important to understand that loss is a natural part of life, and it is possible to overcome it. One way to overcome the sense of loss is to allow yourself to feel and express your emotions. It is important to give yourself time to grieve and to process your feelings. It is also important to reach out to friends and family for support and to seek professional help if necessary. It is also important to focus on the present moment and to take small steps towards rebuilding your life. You can try to find new hobbies or activities to keep yourself occupied and to focus on the positive aspects of life. It is also important to remember that the memories and the love of the person or the thing that you lost will always remain with you. With time and patience, you will eventually learn to cope with the sense of loss and to find meaning in life again.

Class 10 - NCERT - FIRST FLIGHT - CH 1 - A letter to God - by G.L. Fuentes

Summary:-

The story, ' A Letter To God ' is written by G.L. Fuentes. This is a story of a hardworking farmer Lencho, who is expecting a good harvest this year if it rains. The most awaited rain came but it did not stop as a shower of blessings but instead turned into a hailstorm which resulted in the ruining of Lencho's crops and field. Being deeply hurt, he has no other way to fulfill his family's needs then to to hope for help from God. Apart from being a hardworking farmer Lencho also had a firm faith in God. With this firm faith and determination he writes a letter to God asking God for a hundred pesos so he could sow his field again. He posts this letter and in the adress he wrote - ' to God '. When the postman reads the letter, he has a hearty laugh and shows the letter to the postmaster. The postmaster decides to help Lencho in order not to shake his faith in God. So the postmaster gives some part of his salary and asks for help from his employees and eventually was able to collect only seventy pesos. So he sends this money to Lencho through another letter signed as God. Lencho receives the letter and is momentarily happy. As he unfolds the letter he realises that there were only seventy pesos when Lencho asked for a hundred pesos from God. He thinks, God can't deceive him, it is the work of post office employees. He writes another letter to God asking Him not to send the remaining 30 pesos by mail as post office employees are a 'bunch of crooks'. The lesson shows three things. It shows Lencho's firm faith in God. His faith is rewarded though the helpers are human beings. Secondly, it shows the utter innocence of the farmer, Lencho. Thirdly, the lesson gives a message that sometimes even your generosity is not recognised. You may not get any credit for your generosity and kindness. But on the other hand, you may be misunderstood as a 'bunch of crooks'.

Main Points of the Story:-

1. Lencho was a farmer.

2. His house was the only house in the valley and on the top of a hill.

3. Lencho's fields needed a rain for a good harvest.

4. He looked expectantly at the sky and it did rain at last.

5. The drops of rain was like the coins for him.

6. But his happiness was short lived as very

large hailstones began to fall after the rain. 

7. The hailstones destroyed all the leaves on the trees, plants and flowers.

8. There would be no crop that year.

9. There was a single hope: help from God. 

10. On the following Sunday, he wrote a letter  to God.

11. He needed a hundred pesos to sow his fields again and to live until the new crop came.

12. He wrote 'To God' on the envelope and put the letter into the mailbox.

13. The postman laughed heartily and took it to the postmaster. 

14. The postmaster laughed too but soon he became serious. 

15. He decided to reply the letter and help Lencho.

16. He collected seventy pesos only from his employees and himself contributed a part of his salary.

17. He put the money in an envelope and posted it to Lencho.

18. Lencho had an unbroken faith in God and he was not surprised when he received the money.

19. His happiness was turned into anger as there were thirty pesos short of the money. 

20. Lencho could never believe that God could

ever deceive him.

21. So, he wrote another letter to God reminding Him that he received only 70 pesos sent by Him.

22. He asked God not to send the rest of 30 pesos through the mail as the post office employees were a 'bunch of crooks'.

Character Sketch:-

1. Lencho: Lencho was a man of limited means and earned his living by farming his fields. He had an unshaken faith in God. He believed that God always helps the people with a clear conscience. Therefore, when he lost all hopes and he and his family were on the verge of starvation, he looked towards God for help. His deep faith in God even impressed the postmaster who decided to help him.

He was educated enough to write a letter. He shows his innocence by trying to have a correspondence with God directly.

While he had an unshaken faith in God, he mistrusted easily the motives of men. He could never know and nor did he ever try to know who had sent him those seventy pesos to help him.

2. Postmaster: The postmaster has all that is good in human thinking and behaviour. He has thorough understanding of a sharp, sympathetic and sensitive mind. He knows how the mind of a God-fearing rustic like Lencho works. He doesn't want to break the deep faith of Lencho in God. First, he laughed at the man who wanted to have a direct correspondence with God. After reading the letter, he was deeply moved and impressed by Lencho's faith in God. He knew that merely goodwill was not sufficient. The farmer needed financial help. So he collected a sum of 70 pesos from his employees. He also contributed a part of his salary and sent the money to Lencho.

3. The Post Office Employees: The post-office employees make every effort to help Lencho. They believed that only an innocent and foolish farmer can write a letter to God. They were considerate and full of compassion. They wondered at the faith of the man who wrote that leer. But they contributed something for an 'act of charity'. They couldn't collect the hundred pesos but sent only seventy pesos to Lencho. Only a single word was written as a signature: "God".

(Q and A will be uploaded soon)

Class 12 - Elective English - A Wedding in Brownsville by Isaac Bashevis Singer

DETAILED SUMMARY

Issac Bashevis Singer was a Polish – American writer who used to write in Yiddish language. He received a Nobel Prize in Literature in 1978.  This story basically points out the void or the emptiness that overpowers the protagonist of the story, that is, Dr.  Solomon Margolin, even after he manages to accomplish his goals and objectives. The story commences with the portrayal of marriage as a burden in the eyes of Dr.  Solomon. Dr. Solomon was basically a Jew who initially used to reside in Poland where his family was killed in the holocaust that was enforced by Hitler.  

(Holocaust here refers to the extermination of Jews by German Nazis in the rule of Hitler. This means that Jews were killed on a large scale by the Nazis under the supervision of Hitler). Dr.  Solomon ultimately escaped to America along with the other Jews who survived the holocaust. In America, Dr. Solomon had been appointed as the board member of a Jewish scholastic society and co-editor of an academic Jewish quarterly. However, the brutal treatment that was imposed on his family in Poland had an adverse impact on the mind of Dr.  Solomon, he seemed to have lost his faith in humanity and the fear of death often used to haunt him.  Also, Dr.  Solomon often used to keep thinking about his past memories, his first love, Raizel, who was a beautiful Jewish girl and the daughter of a Jewish watch – maker, Melekh. He also recalled that Raizel got married to someone else which disheartened him at that time but she and her entire family was later killed by Nazis. This thought further used to intensify his depressive tendencies.  Dr.  Solomon’s wife, Gretl, was also a German, but she was anti - Nazis. Dr.  Solomon used to treat rabbis, refugees and Jewish writers without charging any money from them and he also used to provide medicines and hospital beds to them in case of necessity. Dr.  Solomon and Gretl used to live a life of simplicity and modesty. Gretl used to manage all the household chores herself without ever thinking of appointing a maid or helper. Sometimes, Dr.  Solomon used to ponder about the transformation of his wife from a German blonde to a Jewish home – maker. Even after originally being a German, Gretl had begun to embrace Jewish culture and befriend Jewish women. This was primarily because one of Gretl’s brothers was killed by the Nazis, merely because he was a communist and he opposed the idea of exterminating (killing on a large scale ) the Jews. The story further begins to unfold. A Jewish wedding was about to happen in a town, that is, Brownsville and Dr.  Solomon had been invited to attend that wedding ceremony. The wedding ceremony was of Sylvia, daughter of Abraham Mekheles, an acquaintance of Dr.  Solomon. Abraham Mekheles was a Senciminer, that is, he too belonged to Sencimin (a small town in Poland) just like Dr.  Solomon. However, Dr.  Solomon was hesitant in attending that wedding ceremony because he was making attempts to distance himself from the Jewish community. This is because Dr.  Solomon had begun to feel that the Jews did not maintain the trueness of their culture after they had gone to America. Dr.  Solomon used to feel that the Jews were breaking their cultural legacy, for instance, Jewish men had started consuming alcohol in excess. This drove Dr.  Solomon away from his own community. Gretl noticed her husband’s aloofness from his own community. But since Dr.  Solomon occupied a prominent position in Jewish community, he finally decided to attend the wedding ceremony in Brownsville. He hired a taxi to reach Brownsville. Suddenly, the taxi in which Dr.  Solomon was going to Brownsville, stopped abruptly and Dr.  Solomon witnessed that an accident had taken place on that road. A man was being taken on a stretcher and Dr.  Solomon apparently seemed to recognize that person. Nevertheless, the driver again started driving the taxi and finally, Dr.  Solomon reached the wedding destination, that is, Brownsville. Upon reaching there, he discovered that the wedding venue was full of mirth and festivity, ladies were dancing around and people were getting drunk.  He came across Zissel, a person from his hometown, who narrated the old stories that described the brutal way in which the Jews were killed by the Nazis.  He described that the Jews were compelled (forced ) by the Nazis to dig their own graves and then those Jews were shot and buried in the graves that were dug by themselves. Many Jews were starved to death, burnt alive and many were transported to Auschwitz concentration camp in Poland which had over 40 extermination camps. Each camp was filled with poisonous gases in order to kill the Jews mercilessly. 

Dr.  Solomon felt suffocated when he recalled the animalistic ways in which the members of his community were killed and suddenly, he saw the face of a lady amidst the chaos of people. When he tried to get closer to that lady in order to recall who she was, that lady turned out to be his long – lost love, Raizel. He 

went ahead to confront Raizel and shockingly discovered that it was not a dream rather Raizel was really there at the wedding venue. The old romance between Dr.  Solomon and Raizel rekindled. Dr.  Solomon held the hand of Raizel and took her away from the crowd of people. Dr.  Solomon’s act of taking Raizel away from the crowd of people metaphorically depicts that Dr.  Solomon did not want to lose Raizel amidst the chaos of life all over again. A thought came to Dr.  Solomon that he was still single according to Jewish Law as he got married to Gretl in a civil ceremony.  Therefore, he took Raizel in a secluded place and expressed his desire to get married to her. He needed only a penny (currency ) in order to get married to her.  However, when he searched for his wallet in his breast pocket, he was surprised to discover that he had lost it. Moreover, suddenly it occurred to him that Raizel seemed much younger than the way she should have looked. Dr.  Solomon started feeling devoid of life, he was not able to feel the weight of his body and his body seemed to be deflated as if his body did not exist. This made Dr.  Solomon wonder whether the accident and the body laid on the stretcher that he witnessed on his way to Brownsville (on Eastern Parkway ) was his own accident and his own body. Dr.  Solomon was perplexed and wondered whether he was really alive or it was only his soul that was floating on Earth in order to seek his long – lost love. He also wondered whether Raizel was real or she was just a figment of imagination. The story ends on the note of this ambiguity and finally, Abraham Mekheles led his daughter, Sylvia, down the aisle for her wedding ceremony. 

VARIOUS THEMES

1. Impact Of Holocaust On The Psyche of The Survivors: One of the important themes of this short story is that the holocaust survivors often go through a psychological breakdown and are likely to live in a state of despair throughout their lives because the brutal memories of their past continue to haunt them forever.  For instance, in this story, the central character, that is, Dr.  Solomon was never able to recover from his sorrowful memories in which his family and his beloved, Raizel got slaughtered at the hands of the Nazis under the dictatorship of Hitler.

2. Surrealism: Surrealism in literature basically refers to the presentation of a story in such a way that it starts resembling a dream. In this story, Issac has used ambiguity in order to present a fantastical possibility of the reunion of Dr. Solomon and his long – lost love, Raizel. He presented this possibility by creating two conditions in the minds of his readers : either Dr. Solomon died in the car accident at Eastern Park and his wandering soul reunited with the wandering soul of his beloved, Raizel OR Dr. Solomon was in a state of hallucination which made him imagine his reunion with Raizel amidst the chaos of life. Both these conditions are unrealistic, dream – like and fantastical and therefore, these conditions give a touch of surrealism to the story.
   
   

3. The Unbreakable Chains of A Void That Can Never Be Filled: Issac has depicted the fact that there are some voids in the lives of human beings that can never be filled by anything or anyone. In this story, Dr. Solomon led a life hollowness and emptiness because of the loss of his family and his beloved during a holocaust. This made him miserable with the passage of time and he was never able to restore himself to a life of genuine bliss even after becoming a successful doctor and occupying a prominent position in the Jewish society. All his professional accomplishments and all the ranks that he achieved in the Jewish community ultimately proved worthless because they did not help him in getting rid of his deep – seated depression and his insurmountable (something that cannot be overcome) void.
   
   

4. The Submergence or The Loss Of True Identity in a Foreign Place: Finally, Issac has pointed out to the fact that people often tend to lose their true identities when they migrate to a foreign place. For instance, in this story, Dr. Solomon drove himself away from his own Jewish community because Jews adapted themselves to the culture of America and developed habits like drinking and dancing in order to celebrate their happiness. These habits were condemned in Judaism and the inability of the Jewish community to retain the principles of their religion represent the loss of their true identity.

 

UNDERSTANDING THE TEXT

QUESTION 1. What do you understand of Dr. Margolin’s past? How does it affect his present life?

ANSWER: Dr. Margolin’s past was a mixture of recognition and grief. As a child, he was declared a prodigy. Everyone thought he would grow up to be a genius. But he also faced hardships. His entire family had been tortured, burned and gassed. He had lost his one true love, Raizel. All this shaped Dr. Margolin’s present state of mind. He had grown aloof from the Senciminers after the loss of his family. He suffered from hypochondria ad fear of death. The death of his family and his love in the reign of Hitler made him lose faith in humanity. However, on the other hand, he had a good career. He was a success in his profession. He had an office in West End Avenue and wealthy patients. He was highly respected by his colleagues and everyone else.

QUESTION 2. What was Dr. Margolin’s attitude towards his profession?

ANSWER: Dr. Margolin has always been loyal towards his profession. He had never broken the Hippocratic Oath and had always been honourable with his patients. He was an enormous success in his field and is highly respected. Although he has wealthy patients, he treated rabbis, refugees and Jewish writers without any charge, and even supplied them with medicines and a hospital bed, if necessary. However, Hitler’s reign and the brutal death of his family and his community made him despise the matrons who came to him for petty ills while millions faced horrible deaths.

QUESTION 3. What is Dr. Margolin’s view of the kind of life the American Jewish community leads?

ANSWER: The kind of life the American Jewish community led was not appreciated by Dr. Margolin. According to him, Jewish laws and customs were completely distorted. Those who had no regard for Jewishness wore skullcaps. He even found their celebrations irritating, the Anglicised Yiddish, the Yiddishised English, the ear-splitting music and unruly dances. He was ashamed whenever he took his wife to a wedding or a Bar Mitzvah.

QUESTION 4. What were the personality traits that endeared Dr. Margolin to others in his community?

ANSWER: Dr. Margolin was a self-taught man, a son of a poor teacher of Talmud. As a child, he was declared as a prodigy, reciting long passages of the bible and studying Talmud and commentaries on his own. He even taught himself geometry and algebra. At the age of seventeen, he attempted a translation. He was referred to as great and illustrious. As a doctor he was always available to other community members, was very social and involved himself in other community activities to promote Yiddish language and Jewish culture. This endeared Dr. Margolin to others in his community.

QUESTION 5. Why do you think Dr. Margolin had the curious experience at the wedding hall?

ANSWER: Dr. Margolin experience at the wedding hall was a result of his death. The write has tried to showcase the Jewish sentiments through the metaphysical experience of Dr. Margolin. He met with an accident on the way to the wedding. His curious and mysterious encounter with Raizel could probably be explained through his past. Raizel was his one true love who he never had a chance to marry. She was given away to someone else and was later shot by the Nazis.

QUESTION 6. Was the encounter with Raizel an illusion or was the carousing at the wedding-hall illusory? Was Dr. Margolin the victim of the accident and was his astral body hovering in the world of twilight?

ANSWER: The carousing at the wedding-hall was illusionary. Raizel herself has been dead for long and her encounter with Dr. Margolin was because of his own death. He was the victim of the accident and his astral body was hovering in the world of twilight. Both were missing a physical dimension, and in fact, were spirits.

APPRECIATION

QUESTION 1. Surrealism was an artistic and literary movement in France between the two World Wars. Its basic idea is that the automatic, illogical and uncontrolled associations of the mind represent a higher reality than the world of practical life and ordinary literature. Do you think this story could be loosely classified as surrealistic? What elements in this story would support the idea?

ANSWER: Yes, this story could be loosely classified as surrealistic. The ending is an element of such surrealism. Dr. Margolin is in absence of a physical dimension and yet the story shows him to be participating in the wedding, dancing, drinking, chatting with guests, etc. His encounter with Raizel, his one true love who was shot by Nazis also stands out to explain surrealism.

QUESTION 2: Comment on the technique used by the author to convey the gruesome realities of the war and its devastating effect on the psyche of human beings through an intense personal experience.

ANSWER: The author uses banter at the wedding and the conversation between the guests to portray the realities of the war. At the wedding party, people are shown to be conversing with each other and with Dr. Margolin about the deaths of their family and the destruction of their community. Through this, the author used an unusual and an uncommon way of showcasing the realities of the war in the story.

STOP AND THINK QUESTIONS

Q1. Who were the Senciminers?

ANSWER: Senciminers were the native Jewish inhabitants of the town Sencimin. They were however forced to leave the town because it was destroyed by the Germans. Many Senciminers were tortured, burned and gassed, however, few survived and escaped to America from the camps.

Q2. Why did Dr. Margolin not particularly want his wife to accompany him to the wedding?

ANSWER: Dr. Margolin didn’t want his wife to accompany him to the wedding because he was ashamed of the mess that the American Judaism was. Every time he took his wife to a wedding or a Bar Mitzvah, he had to make apologies to her. However, this time he was relieved of it.

Q3. What is the Hippocratic oath?

ANSWER: The Hippocratic Oath is an oath usually taken by doctors to swear their loyalty to their profession. The protagonist, being a doctor himself, says that he has never broken the oath and that he has always been honourable towards his patients.

Q4. What topic does the merry banter the wedding invariably lead to?

ANSWER: The merry banter at the wedding invariably lead to the mentioning of the deaths of the Senciminers. Every conversation eventually led to that and occasionally, the protagonist found himself being asked about his own family and their death.

Q5. Who was the woman that Dr Margolin suddenly encountered at the wedding?

ANSWER: The woman that Dr Margolin encountered was his one great love, Raizel, the daughter of Melekh the watchman. He, however, had no luck with her and couldn’t marry her. The last time Dr Margolin heard of her was that she married someone else and was later shot by the Nazis.

Q6. What were the events that led to his confused state of mind?

ANSWER: Dr Margolin started to realize that something is wrong when he noticed that his wallet was missing but wasn’t sure how he could have lost it. He also couldn’t understand the fact that Raizel looked too young and he thought that maybe she was her daughter, trying to mock him.