I PU ENGLISH NOTES BY RAVI GS

THE GENTLEMEN OF THE JUNGLE
                                                                                                JOMO KENYATTA

I....
1 Ans :- The Elephant asked the man on a rainy day to allow him to put his trunk inside the hut.
2 Ans :- False
3 Ans :- As soon as the elephant put his trunk inside the hut, slowly he pushed his head inside and finally flung the man out in the rain.
4 Ans :- The skin of the man is harder than his.
5 Ans :- The lion decided to solve the problem by appointing a Commision of Enquiry.
6 Ans :- The man expected that he would get impartial justice and his hut would be naturally returned to him.
7 Ans :- Because no one was appionted from his side as a member to the Commision of Enquiry.
8 Ans :- To save the hut from the hurricane.
9 Ans :- The judgement was given in favour of the elephant.
10 Ans :- He accepted the suggestion of building a new hut because he did not have any other alternative and he was afraid of animals.
11 Ans :- Finally the man 'bought' the peace by setting the hut on fire.

II.....
1. On a rainy day man’s hut was occupied by the elephant. Hence, man started grumbling against the elephant and complained to the king of the jungle. The Commission of Enquiry was appointed by the king of the jungle in order to solve the problem between the man and the elephant as the king of the jungle believed in peace and tranquility. So he wanted to have peace and tranquility in his kingdom. The lion commanded the high ministers to appoint a commission of enquiry to go thoroughly into the matter. The commission was established to give a fair trial to suit both the elephant and the man. Thus he decided to solve the problem in a right way. The commission consisted of jungle elders and they were all reputed for their impartial justice. So the decisions and final judgment would be considered fair and truly impartial.

2. The members of the commission thought that nobody from the man's side was well enough educated to understand the intricacy of the jungle law. They considered it was fair personnel and the members of the commission were all reputed for their impartial justice. They assured him that there would be no place for injustice as they were all chosen by God to look after the interest of the people. However the animals had planned to occupy the huts one by one as the way the elephant did. Moreover, all the animals were very imperialists and they all wanted to expand their power over others. Having a member from man's side would have proved a hindrance to the idea and spoiled their plans. So they cleverly avoided the trouble and chose members from their side.

3. When the enquiry of commission sat to take evidence they called the accused elephant to state his case. The elephant addressed the committee members and referred to the real incident as just a story. The elephant said that man himself had invited him to save his hut from being blown away by hurricane. The elephant stated it was his duty to look after his friends own interest. So the elephant entered the hut to turn the undeveloped space to a more economic use by sitting in the empty space of the hut. The elephant added that if the members who were in commission would have also done the same with equal readiness in similar circumstances. The members of the commission agreed to elephant justification. Likewise the elephant subverted the real fact.

4. No, the verdict by the commission of enquiry was not on the expected lines. Before the they sat to take evidence man was told that the verdict would be in favour of the man who was the real owner of the hut. But judgement was passed in favour of the elephant. The final judgement would have been in favour of the man, but through cunningness and their well preplan man could not get. The members of the Enquiry Commission concluded that they heard sufficient evidence from unbiased sources which supported the elephant. As a result, the commission believed in elephant version of the story. Added to it the man was not given much chance to state his case. Hence the argument became one sided and judgement was partial.

5. The process of building new hut is repeated until Mr. Boffalo, Mr. Leopard, Mr. Hyena and rest of the animals accommodate in newly constructed huts. Many commissions were appointed to look into the matter but same findings were given. Each time the man would build a new hut. When some animals would occupy them and he could not stop it. Even members of the Commission themselves do not spare the man. Instead they occupied the hut wherever the man has built new huts. He was also afraid that he would be killed brutally if he had gone against their decision.

III....
1 Ans :- In the beginning the man was very kind and innocent. He thought that the decisions given by commission of enquiry were partial. Moreover the man was not given a single chance to state his case. The members of the commission supported Mr. Elephant who bribed and misused man's kindness. After they heard evidence from both parties, the judgement was given in favour of the elephant. The commission suggested the man to build another hut more suited to his need. The man having no alternatives, did as the members suggested he kept silent. No sooner had he built new huts than all animals occupied. Again a royal commission was appointed but it did not seem to be of any use to him. When he got fed up with all these troubles, he decided to end up the illegal actions, so he set fire for a big hut in which all animals were inhabited. Thus all animals burnt into ashes and he justified by saying ' peace is costly but it's worth the expense '.

2 Ans :- The man was the real gentleman of the jungle as he always stretched his hand to help his fellow friend Mr. Elephant, who was in deep trouble. The elephant requested the man that it would put its trunk inside man's hut to keep it out of the torrential rain. But as soon as the elephant put its trunk inside the hut it flung the man out in the rain, who was the real owner of the hut. The man could not do anything rather than grumble. This was the first instance of how the man was deceived by the elephant. To find the solution for both parties, the commission of enquiry was appointed by the king of the jungle, the lion. The members from the man’s side were not included in the commission. On seeing the personnel, the man protested but he was told that it was impossible since no one from his side was enough educated to understand the intricacy of the jungle law. This was the second instance of how the man was cheated. Finally the commission arrived at judgement which favoured the elephant. They suggested him to build new hut more suited to his needs. When he built news huts, the animals occupied the huts through threatening. This is how the man fooled eventually by his kindness.

3 Ans :- It is ironical that wars are continuously waged by countries in order to establish peace. It takes a lot of effort from everyone concerned to be achieved peace in a country, and it can happen only when everyone is aware of the necessity for peace and it's motivated to achieve it through peaceful way. In the story, "The Gentlemen of the Jungle" the man is the real gentleman and he portrayed as kind and always willing to lend a helping hand. But the elephant misused the man's kindness, made him homeless through fear and power. The lion came to know that they disturbed the peace of kingdom. In order to bring the peace, he ordered his members to appoint a commission. But the commission of enquiry did not seem to be of any use. All the animals in the jungle were started accommodate his newly build hut. Likewise the man was troubled and suffered by all the animals. Finally he thought that he wanted to put an end to all and burnt the animals including jungle lords.
In this story the author tries to convey a strong message to all when the man is free of all exploitation by the animals after he kills them. He feels relieved and says “Peace is costly, but it's worth the expense". Here it's evidently tells that it takes a lot of time and efforts to achieve peace, consequently the man availed the peace.

4 Ans :- The author, Jomo Kenyatta concludes the story " The Gentlemen of the Jungle " by quoting ' peace is costly but it's worth the expense '. Jomo kenyatta was not a professional fable writer but his intention was to convey the strong message that how Kenya was exploited in the time of colonial period. The author tried to convey a moral message to us through this short story. In society ones weakness can be misused by the dominated people. Ultimately this would lead the weaker section to leave the society. He is trying to instill the idea in the reader's suppressed people in a society will eventually rise to seek power. We can understand in the story that how the man suffered, protested and reached the achievement. The author stands by his ground by saying that the dominated people can tool the minority for over a period of time but not forever. No one likes to be treated as a slave or homeless in a society and equality is what everyone desires. The moral of the story emphasizes to its readers that one should stop colonialism and discrimination. It comes from the old saying “treat other the way you want to be treated".

5 Ans :- 'The Gentlemen of the Jungle' is a short story which is written by Jomo kenyatta. The story provides some hidden facts about colonization and it's an answer how Kenya liberated from the clutches of European chief powers. Europeans did not colonise the Africa in a single attempt. The Europeans settled down and occupied the countries gradually. Every single attempt by European chief powers was to occupy the every patch of land in Africa and turn it into their economic use. The native Africans were so innocent and ignorant that they did not know they were being colonized. Their attitude toward European "expansion" is made clear in the fable " The Gentlemen of the Jungle".
The story is actually implicated with lot political issues. One can also look at the story from a political satire angle. There is a political reference for each and every character the story. For instance, if a man symbolically represents native Africans, some significant animals represent chief European powers. A small hut is likely to be represented as a country in Africa. One could draw a parallel line between incidents and their political implications. In the first incident itself the story unearths how one among the chief European powers occupy the space inhabited by native residents.The elephant flings the man out of a hut who is the real resident of it. A commission of enquiry is appointed in order to give impartial justice. The king of the forest I.e lion assures man to give equal opportunity. But the man is cheated as they didn't provide an opportunity to state his case and rejects his demand of including a member from his side on the account of poor education. This is how the Europeans brought under their submission and suppressed the natives. Ultimately it was partial justice.
As they suggested he builds another hut, but it is occupied by Mr. Rhinoceros and many other animals do so later. Here it is important to note that occupation of single hut symbolically outlines how Europeans colonised every country in Africa. The man builds another bigger and better hut for which animals competes for each other. It is an internal struggle among chief European powers to take control over Africa. How Africa got independents from chief European powers is defined by the action of putting fire on bigger hut in which all animals are burned into ashes. The man also quotes an African proverb “Peace is costly, but is worth the expense". Literally and ironically means if one wants to have peace, one should meet the expense of violence.

 The School Boy

William Blake

Comprehension: I

1.    Who, do you think, ‘I’ refers to in the poem?

       I refer to the poet, William Blake in the poem.

2.    ‘Sweet company’ refers to

       Skylark, Huntsman’s horn and bird’s song.

3.    What drives the boy’s joy away?

       The very thought of going to school drives the boy’s joy away.

4.    How do the little ones spend the day in the school?

       The little ones spend the day in the school by sighing (grief) and dismay (fear).

5.    What does ‘cage’ stand for in the poem?

       Cage stands for School, where the children are entrapped.

6.    Pick the phrase from the following which does not refer to formal schooling.

       Fruits are gathered.

7.    Relate the seasons mentioned under column A with the stages of life.
1.  Spring -Childhood 

       2. Summer -Youth  

       3. Winter -Old age

Comprehension: II

1.    What does the school boy love to do on a summer morn? What drives his joy away?

       William Blake’s The School Boy’ is a typical extract of Blake’s songs of Experience. Blake suggests that the educational system of his day destroys the joyful innocence of youth. Blake himself is largely self educated and does not endure the drudgery of the classroom as a child. This poem is less harsh and more playful than most of Blake’s other works.

       In the poem the poet speaks in the persona of a school child that wakes up in the morning. He loves to rise early in summer morning to enjoy the chirping sound of the birds, Huntsman’s horn and the melody of skylark singing. But all the happiness gets driven away when he realizes that he has to go to school. The main theme is the sorrow that the boy feels at the very thought of going to school but he wishes to enjoy the summer. In the nature the child feels the freedom that he is not under any surveillance. He has the obligation to go to a closed space, when he wishes to be very much outside in the nature.

2.    Describe the boy’s experience in the school.

        ‘The school Boy’ is a lyric from the ‘Songs of Experience’. Child loves to rise early in summer morning to enjoy but all the happiness disappears when he realizes that he has to go to school. The main theme is the sorrow that the boy feels at the very thought of going to school. The boy longs for the freedom of the outdoors and cannot take delight in his book. He is compelled to experience many anxious hour. The image of the bird is used in the poem. The birds sing happily when they are free but if they are in a cage they cannot do it the same way. In the same way the boy feels he is imprisoned at school. School boy in school and the bird in the cage are seen as equivalents not only at the natural level under physical subjection but at the spiritual level too. Both represent the caging and entrapping of imaginative vision. The image of the plant applies to the school boys present and future. The young plant like the young child is tender and vulnerable the way it is treated at this stage, dictates its later capacity to bear fruit. Just as food gathered in autumn is necessary to ensure survival through the winter, so also the experiences of joy and the freedom of the imagination are necessary for a person’s capacity to live well and survive the inevitable grief’s of life.

3.    According to the poet how does formal education curb a learner’s potential?

      

       The poem starts in a very positive way but it changes radically and the tone is very pessimistic. The poet wishes his readers to see the difference between the freedom of imagination offered by the close contact with nature and the repression or subjugation of the soul caused by so called education. This poem depends upon 3 inter related images, the school boy, the bird and the plant; All three are dependent upon the way in which they are treated by human beings. Poet appeals that adults must realize that children are like plants, which needs to be nurtured and given proper care. They have to bear fruit later on. School should be the place where children are allowed to think freely. On the other hand memorizing things to learn history , civics literature as these subjects not only serve as the tools, people need to face life in a more global or better way, but they also sharpen the mind and expand points of view.

       So I think the poet is not arguing against education. But he wishes that school should provide students with challenges, competition and opportunities to enhance their creativity. It should be a place where children are provided with for practical play and develop at their own place.

Comprehension: III

1.    Formal schooling not only takes away the joy of childhood but also hinders the child’s growth forever. Explain.

Or

a.       Do you think the poet is arguing against education? Discuss.

       The poem starts in a very positive way but it changes radically and the tone is very pessimistic. The poet wishes his readers to see the difference between the freedom of imagination offered by the close contact with nature and the repression or subjugation of the soul caused by so called education. This poem depends upon 3 inter related images, the school boy, the bird and the plant; All three are dependent upon the way in which they are treated by human beings. In the poem the poet speaks in the persona of a school child that wakes up in the morning. The poet says the boy gets happiness in singing of bird and watching the huntsman. The nature is a sweet company to him. But when the boy realizes that he has to go to school makes him anxious, as he enters the school he spends the time in irritation and anxiety. The main theme is the sorrow that the boy feels at the very thought of going to school while he wishes to enjoy the summer. He has the obligation to go to a closed space, when he wishes to be very much outside in the nature.

       The boy longs for the freedom of the outdoors and cannot take delight in his book. He is compelled to experience many anxious hour. The image of the bird is used in the poem. The birds sing happily when they are free but if they are in a cage they cannot do it the same way. In the same way the boy feels he is imprisoned at school. School boy in school and the bird in the cage are seen as equivalents not only at the natural level under physical subjection but at the spiritual level too. Both represent the caging and entrapping of imaginative vision. The image of the plant applies to the school boys present and future.

       The young plant like the young child is tender and vulnerable the way it is treated at this stage, dictates its later capacity to bear fruit. Just as food gathered in autumn is necessary to ensure survival through the winter, so also the experiences of joy and the freedom of the imagination are necessary for a person’s capacity to live well and survive the inevitable grief’s of life.

       Poet appeals that adults must realize that children are like plants, which needs to be nurtured and given proper care. They have to bear fruit later on. School should be the place where children are allowed to think freely and all round development is guaranteed. On the other hand memorizing things to learn history , civics literature as these subjects not only serve as the tools, people need to face life in a more global or better way, but they also sharpen the mind and expand points of view. So I think the poet is not arguing against education. But he wishes that school should provide students with challenges, competition and opportunities to enhance their creativity. It should be a place where children are provided with for practical play and develop at their own place.

Around A Medicinal Creeper
                                                                                    Poornachandra Tejaswi.

1 Ans :- When they found the creeper Mara tied it to the nearby tree.

2 Ans :- The medicinal plan is cursed by a sage that when someone needed that plant they would not find it.

3 Ans :- The white man was surprised at the leaf which cured the wounded hand. In fact there was no sign of any wound having been there.

4 Ans :- If the mangoose and the cowcal are bitten by poisonous snakes they immediately chew the medicinal leaf and thus cure themselves.

5 Ans :- Mara lost his teeth on the right side because he had brushed a plant's stick by which teeth were tumbled out of his mouth.

6 Ans :- When Mara's wife opened the packet of meat she saw a live wild buck.

7 Ans :- The milk became firm and rubbery.

8. Ans:- Native doctors believe that if they tell others about their medicines, the medicines would lose their potency.

II.

1 Ans :- Poornachandra Tejashwi took almost twenty years to learn the facts about medicinal creeper. He was told several unbelievable stories by Mara. But Tejaswi did not believe him and assumed that all of his stories were cock and bull stories. He came to know the truth about this medicinal creeper after a long time. But he understood about the partial truth from Appanna. Appanna knew only one thing about the medicinal creeper that if someone squeezed the juice of leaves, milk turned into hard. He came to know the real truth after Krishna is cured from piles. As it was suggested by Malayali Sadhu, he ground this root and drank it with milk. He was completely cured in five days. He discussed many times with doctor friends and debated with them about the unique properties of the plants and herbals though they were reluctant to talk.

It suggests that the narrator did not believe until comes to his experience.

2 Ans :- Once Mara and his friend laid a trap and caught a barking deer. They divided the meat equally after they skinned and cleaned it in a stream. They wrapped their portions in some leaves and brought them home. In Mara's house they already got ready to cook. No sooner had they opened the bundle than they surprised, because there was a wild buck instead of raw meat. It jumped up and ran out of the Mara's house as soon as it saw him. When Mara was busy in chasing the wild buck, ignorantly his wife took the leaves and threw them into the fire.

This incident shows that Indians do not think seriously about the plants and herbs and what they cure. And people believe blindly without bringing them under experiments. Thus, out of the ignorance they go accordingly to the situations and never turn the circumstances towards them. This is the big weakness of Indians.

3 Ans :- Krishna was suffering from piles and met the narrator one day. He couldn't afford the allopathic treatment through which one had to undergo surgical treatment at hospital. He was unable to manage because of lack of income. Later, he inclined to ayurvedic medicines. He knew a Malayali Sadhu who had treated him in an earlier occasion. Krishna went to see that godman again. But godman was too old now and he couldn't search the medicinal creeper. So, he would describe the features of the plant to him. Later, Krishna went in search of the leaves. Now he met and described about leaves to Tejaswi. Those were the leaves which Mara and Appanna had tied to the tree. Hearing this, narrator took him to the plant and dug a bit. Krishna ground this root and drank with milk. Finally he was completely cured in few days.

III

1 Ans :- In this short story, the author is suggesting us to know the use of medicinal plants. Most of the Indians do not know how to use the medicinal plants for diseases. India is rich in herbal medicine but the tragedy is modern man does not know the use of herbals. Ayurvedic medicines are far safer than allopathic medicine in concern of side effects and cost. So Tejaswi is awakening the mystification system through real instances. Indians are surrounded with rich herbal plans but fail to show interest. In the story the author is suggesting the herbal medicine with a few unbelievable stories which he told by Mara and others. Now a days the modern man thoroughly neglects the use of tree and plants and forgets the ayurvedic treatment like Tejaswi's doctor friends.

In the story we know the incidents that how Mara cured his wound by using medicinal leaf and how Krishna cured his diseases. For instance, if Krishna had gone under the allopathic treatment i.e. surgery, he would have hospitalized for several days and spent more money for the treatment. Allopathic treatment also takes a long time to cure diseases. But Krishna disease was cured within five days as he underwent Indian herbal medicine which requires less money in compare with allopathic treatment. In fact ayurvedic is more powerful treatment and no side effects and it is cheaper than allopathic. Today, it is the responsibility of every Indian to preserve every ayurvedic herbal and to use in homes. If it is practiced in homes no Indian could get disease and future of India could be free of disease forever.

3.         ‘Our natural resources are our vital resources’ . Explian the statement in the light of several ‘developmental’ projects that are being promoted today.

 Ans.   India is a diversified country having all sorts of nature viz, mountain, sea, rivers, forests and desert. In addition, the human resource is also natural resource which is strong in India. The geography of India makes it very clear that our natural resources are vital. The people of early India never went to hospitals much as they utilized the natural resources in their food. There was no nutrition crisis. Hence people should try to research the natural resources instead of conducting industry oriented research. If we go in this direction we can improvise the potential of natural resources. Surprisingly, people who have been educated have started using herbals now a day. The indigenous people who know the unique properties of the herbals have been educating the others.  Many of the projects have been taken place today in order to make use of the plants and herbs. There have been many naturopathy and ayurvedic centers across the country. This shows the demand of the natural items

                                                      ORU MANUSHYAN

                                                                              - VAIKOM MUHAMMAD BASHEER.

                                                                                                                

I. COMPREHENSION.

1 Ans :-  The big city was some thousand five hundred miles from the narrator's hometown.

2 Ans  :-   The narrator stayed in the city in a very small dingy room on a dirty street.

3 Ans  :-   commit murder

4 Ans  :-   The narrator was teaching English to some migrant labourers from nine-thirty till eleven in the night.

5 Ans :-  b. Learning to write an address in English.

6 Ans :-  The reason was to save the expense of drinking tea in the morning and eating the noon meal.

7 Ans :-  The narrator had fourteen rupees in his pocket as his life's savings.

8 Ans :-  a. A man with a red turban.

II. COMPREHENSION

1 Ans :-  The incident took place in a quiet big city in the valley of a mountain, some five thousand miles from the narrator's home. The people of the city had never been know for the quality of mercy. They were cruel people. There were around the narrator good men and thieves, those who suffer from various infectious diseases and from madness. Murder, robbery,pick pocketing, these were daily occurrences. By tradition the people were professional soldiers. Some inhabitants went to distant places and lent out money on interest. Many others served as watchmen in banks, mills, and large commercial establishments in big cities. Money was highly valued by them. For money they would do anything, even commit murder.

2 Ans :-  The narrator stayed in a quiet big city in a very small dingy room on a dirty street. He carried on a profession. He was teaching English to some migrant labourers from nine-thirty till eleven in the night. He taught them to write address in English. Everyday the narrator wakes up at four pm to save the expense of drinking tea in the morning and eating noon meal. He finishes his daily chores and goes outside to eat something in restaurants. Before nine-thirty pm he returns to his room and takes classes for migrant labourers. This was the narrator's routine.

3. Ans :-  One day the narrator went to the crowded restaurant by dressing up in a suit. He had a wallet in his pocket. He had fourteen rupees in it as his life's savings at the time. He ate a full meal consisting of chapatis and meat curry. He drank tea as well. The bill came to eleven annas. When he wanted to pay the bill, he searched his pocket but he was shocked that his wallet had been stolen. Consequently he began sweating profusely and almost digested in instant all that he had eaten. He said the same to hotel owner, hearing that the owner caught by the lapels and ordered to pay the money. The narrator looked at the people around him but he did not see even one kind face. They had the look of hungry wolves. Finally narrator offered his coat to keep it and he would bring some money. But owner asked him to take off all clothes. So having no alternative he took off his clothes, when he was about to be naked, a stranger came and helped the narrator by paying the bill. Thus he was embarrassed.

4 Ans :-  Once, the narrator went to the restaurant by having fourteen rupees in his pocket and ate a full meal consisting of chapatis with meat curry and drank tea. The bill was eleven annas. He searched his pocket to pay the bill but he was trembled that his wallet was not in his pocket and someone had stolen it. When he said the same to owner, he caught the narrator's lapels and ordered to pay the money. But narrator did not have any money, so he offered his coat to keep there and he would bring some money. But owner asked him to take off all the clothes. While he was being humiliated by people who were in the restaurant, a strange person, a fair-complexioned man, six foot tall, sprouted hand bar moustache with a red turban and white trouser came and helped by clearing the bill. Thus the narrator was saved by a stranger.

III. COMPREHENSION

1 Ans :-  Transformation is a complete change in a person and the stranger never underwent this complete change. In the story we come to know that the narrator speaks of a city known for its cruelty and murders, robbery and pick pocketing were daily occurrences. And the stranger in this story was the inhabitant of this city. In spite of these, the stranger became the  of kindness and mercy for the narrator. Because, the narrator who underwent an extremely humiliating at the restaurant by being asked to strip himself in front of the people had seen no kind face. On the other hand, they all had the look of hungry wolves. But the stranger saved the narrator by paying his bill. The narrator named him as ‘mercy’. But this was not the transformation in the stranger. Instead, he was moved by the situation, especially, when he found that he was the cause for narrator’s predicament. The stranger who saved the narrator from this humiliating experience hesitated to unveil his personal identity. He didn't prefer a crowded place to return narrator’s wallet and he took the narrator to a deserted bridge. These qualities we find in the stranger are related to the qualities of a thief and it implies the absence of transformation in the stranger. The conversation between the narrator and the stranger near the deserted bridge justifies that he has not transformed. The stranger who had other wallets, stolen from others returned only the narrator’s wallet and asked the narrator not to tell others if they had seen him. Thus he was unwilling to return other wallets he had with him. Therefore, these instances clearly indicate the fact that the stranger in the story is not a transformed person. Because, the fate of the narrator could be fate of any other person who had been pickpocket.

2 Ans :-  Viakom Muhammad Basheer is well known Malayalam short story writer and novelist. He is known for his sympathetic portrayal of the joys and sorrows of ordinary life. In his short story ' Oru Manushyan ', he has clearly depicted how people value the money more rather than humanity. In this short story, the restaurant owner seems to be very money minded. The narrator was unable to pay his bill because his wallet had been pick pocket. When he couldn't pay his bill the restaurant keeper was over reacted with the narrator. After sometime the narrator offered his coat to keep it with him until he pays the bill. The restaurant keeper did not listen to his request and forcefully ordered to remove all of his clothes. Instead the owner might have shown a sympathy and given him an opportunity to pay the bill but the owner was not in the position to show mercy on him. The owner did not know the value of a man but he teases him for mistake of not paying bill. Moreover it was not a big offense, he could give a chance to pay another time instead of humiliating in front of the unkind faces. On the other hand narrator feared and did not protest much, instead he suffered all the humiliation in the restaurant. However the owner did not let him go until he clears his bill. Finally the bill was paid by the stranger.  This is how the restaurant keeper over reacted with the narrator.

Money Madness
                                                                                                                - David Herbert Lawrence

1.         a)  People feel pang, that is a sudden feeling of pain when they give one pound.
              b) People feel real tremor when they give ten pounds.

2.         "Money got us down" could mean- It has made us its slaves.

3.         People are treated in an inhuman way. They are asked to eat dirty by rich.

4.         Bread, shelter and fire should be made available free of cost.

5.         The speaker is frightened of having no money or eating dirty.

6.         We start killing one another if we do not regain our sanity about money.

II
1. D H Lawrence analyses how a materialistic society is being suffered from money madness. Here it is important to note that nobody is free from this money madness. He metaphorically compares money with madness. If the whole society is suffering from contagious money madness, then individual also holds his share of madness and insanity around with him. As poet conveys money triggers fear in an individual. The poet doubts that there exists a human in this world who hands out a pound note to someone without feeling a pang at heart. If the same man lends ten pounds note, he feels real tremor in him. The more he hands out money for others the more he feels fear and unhappy. One's emotions are channeled controlled by money which makes people quail in society.

2. People are not only terrified of money but also to the collective money madness of everyone. It spreads widely among all people in society. There would be no consideration of human values, ethics, relationships and space for fraternity. An individual interprets another individual in terms of money only. In society he measures the value of other through money. This could be the symptom of money madness. If an individual has no money, people let him to eat dirt and ask to die. This exposes that how people who have money show indifference to the predicaments of poor people. The poet fears about the mankind if it measures a man in terms of money, there would be no future for human relationships.

III.

1. The poem Money Madness by David Herbert Lawrence discloses the materialistic way of human life. It unfolds how an individual is oppressed by people who value the money most. It is highly applicable to the present society which runs after money. As it is stated by the poet, the whole society is not free from money madness. In the poem Lawrence says that whole world is being ruled by money and filled with madness for money. Therefore he uses money as a metaphor for the world madness. This madness is not on small or individualistic levels. It is the madness of the multitude. Since the multitude as a whole is mad, so every person in this world carries his own share of this madness.
If money is centralized in few people in society, majority of people are deprived of basic needs. The people who have accumulated money would treat underprivileged people in a human way. People measure everything in terms of money only. In a way there would be no room for equality, humanity and brotherhood. The rich people exploit the poor according to their wishes. This is too evident in the poem. Hence fair distribution and decentralization of wealth is seems to be the solution.

2. D H Lawrence is a prominent twentieth century English writer. In the poem 'Money madness', the poet perceives materialistic perspective of human beings. The poem tells how a man becomes more materialistic and loses the humanity and values of relations in society. He says if the man goes on consuming more money, he will have cruel power over moneyless people. In the poem, the poet doesn't only talk about insanity about money. But he also offers solution at the last course of the poem. If one should be cured of money madness, one should regain sanity about money which has lost in people. Otherwise the whole mankind meets with a disaster.
One should save some amount of money with him/her to avoid looking for shortcut for earning money. Socialistically the basic needs such as bread, shelter and fire should be provided free of cast. This must not be limited for some people in society. Since everyone is suffering from money madness, these necessities have to be provided for all and anybody in the world. Because if one is left unprivileged, there could be a chance that again world might fill with money madness. We should get back our sanity about money before we ruin one another for the sake of money.

                                                  BABAR ALI

I.1. Babar Ali runs classes for poor children in his family's backyard.

 2. Babar Ali wakes up every morning at 7 and starts his day by doing some household chores. He gets into an auto rickshaw to reach his school. In the afternoon he conducts classes for poor children.

 3. It is partially ruined concrete structure covered in half torn posters. Babar Ali's office is a very tiny and dank room.

 4. Because unlike most children in his village, he went to school and got formal education.

 5. According to Babar Ali's father "Education" is the true religion.

 6. Because parents could not bear the expenses of uniform and books.

 7. An illiterate educationalist

 8. His high school volunteers.

 9. Taking advantage of the age gap.

II.

 1. Babar Ali took the initiative of opening his own very school to bring about some changes in the lives of poor children who were deprived of education. He was one of the fortunate souls in his village. Because, unlike most children in his village, he went to school and got formal education.  Lot of families could not bear the expenses of uniforms and books of their children. Thus instead of going to school most of the boys helped out their families by working as mechanics, day labourers, grass cutters and live stock herders. Girls situation was even worse. They were working as maid servants in the village when they cook, clean, wash clothes and dishes for their employers. Babar Ali wanted to change this. Hence he took the initiative of opening his very own school.

2. Indeed Babar Ali started his school 'Anand Shiksha Nikethan' when he was barely nine years old. Surprisingly his school grew out of a game called 'School-School'. Babar used to act as a teacher with his friends. The other children, unlike Babar Ali, had not seen the inside of the school. Hence they were excited to play the game with him. The simple game was institutionalised with the strength of eight in the year 2002.

   Gradually the school emerged and it was aided by government and local means. Nine years down the line, the school strength has increased to 800 hundred students, with 10 volunteer teachers teaching grade 1 through 8. His school has been officially registered and recognised by 'West Bangalore State Government'. Those who graduate from his school are eligible to be transferred to other local high schools.

3. Babar Ali is the initiator of the school 'Anand Shiksha Nikethan'. Through this school, he wants to bring about some changes educationally. The village children who would have continued as maid servants, mechanics, and day labourers received education at Babar Ali's school. The children of the village and the localities nearby are done with their chores and jobs at day time. They run to attend Babar Ali's school in the afternoon. Without proper education qualification, they would have never had the jobs other than what they could get in their village. Hence Babar Ali is a real change maker who works for others betterment.

III.

3. Babar Ali's educational venture is a successful story. His story becomes successful not only because he helps out hundreds of children to get enlightened, but he also inspires millions of youths. He is a perfect icon and his story is a proof that how one person can change the world positively. He was determined enough to do something about a situation he felt unfair.

  Actually Babar Ali started the school at the mere age of nine. In the year 2002, his school strength was just eight members. Gradually the enrolments menus in the school increased. Nine years down the line, it has got 800 hundred students in total. It has been officially recognised and registered by 'West Bengal State Government'. Those who graduate from Babar's school are eligible to be transfered to the other local high schools.

 It is touching to see that the children are interested in studying. If Babar did not initiate and run school for poor children, they would have continued their work as maid servants, day labourers and so on. It is crystal clear that Babar Ali is a real hero who brought about drastic changes in his village. Babar Ali has rightly proved the statement that where there is a will there is a way. Also he is the reservoir of inspiration for all and sundry. Babar Ali did not just dream of his school, but he worked hard to make his dreams come true.

                                           If I was a tree

                                                             -Mudnakudu chinnaswamy

I COMPREHENSION

1 Ans :- C. no other creature in nature has the concept of defilement.

2 Ans :-  The bird wouldn't ask the tree what caste it belongs to.

3 Ans :-  The sacred cow scrape her body onto the bark whenever it gets itches.

4 Ans :-  The speaker wants to be hacked pieces of dry wood and burn in the holy fire and become pure.

5 Ans :-   Speaker's friendship with the cool breeze and leaves would be sweet.

II COMPREHENSION   

1 Ans :-  In the poem ' If I was a tree', the poet gives an analogy between mother nature and human nature. In human nature we have lot of discrimination but in mother nature, no creature has concept of defilement. That is why the poet wants to become a tree. When tree tries to spread it's roots, mother earth wouldn't run away. Instead, mother earth would give strength to the tree to get stronger and stronger with its roots being spread wider and wider. Thus the poet shows that discrimination in the name of caste is prevalent only in human society. The hopes and aspirations of the lower caste people are curbed and they are not allowed to make use of their potential. It is Crystal clear that in the name of God and religion,we have been following this diabolic system of caste.

2 Ans :-  Nature has supplied its sources impartially to all the creatures. When the sunlight falls on the tree, it doesn't feel that it has been defiled. The sunlight would fall on each and every creature, including human beings in the same impartial manner. The poet intentionally uses the the word 'embrace' to point out the truth that in human nature there is no division and hatred. Likewise the cool breeze is sweet to the tree while passing by and doesn't shun the tree in the name of low caste. Here again the poet uses the word ' friendship ' to show that friendship which ought to be a healthy interaction in human society is absent because people distance themselves from one another with artificially constructed idea of caste status. However no such divisive force works in nature and very creation enjoys equality.

III

1 Ans :-  The speaker is disappointed and saddened by caste discrimination. He feels helpless, as there is no way to escape from ignominy. He wishes to be a tree so that he can be free from shame and humiliation. He is sure that if he becomes a tree, no creature in nature will ever bother about his caste. The bird would build its nest happily in the tree. Sunlight would embrace him without any hesitation. The cool breeze and raindrops would touch him sweetly. Mother earth would not run way when tree tries to spread it's roots and it supports. The sacred cow would scrape her body onto the bark of the tree. Three hundred thousand gods are sheltering inside the cow would touch the tree.  As a human being, the speaker did not see any hope of happiness and acceptance throughout his life. He says that he might become pure by being cut into pieces of dry wood and burning in the holy fire. He might also become purer by being a bier for sinless body borne on the shoulders of four good men. Thus the speaker makes it clear that instead of being born as a human being in society which practices discrimination, it is better to be born as a tree in nature as in nature there is no discrimination.

2 Ans :-  The poem is a satire on social discrimination that happens due to a fact that which is beyond the person's control. No child asks to be born in a low caste. Given the choice, everyone would like to be born in a high caste. Besides, caste doesn't touch the character or the soul. It was only a system of categorizing tasks and the people who do them, for the sake of easy understanding. However, the system soon turned into a meaningless, rigid system which did not allow a person from caste to move onto another. Further, it heaped certain characteristics on each other caste, irrespective of whether the people belonging to those castes possessed them or not. This worked very unfairly for people of the low castes. A Brahmin, whether he was a scholar or not, enjoyed great respect and dignity in society but a Dalit was treated with contempt since he was thought to be incapable of any learning or excellence in his whole life. This attitude condemned the lives of many intelligent, creative, sensitive Dalits who, no matter how hard they worked, could never earn dignity or respect. Adults were marginalized, kept away from sources of water,never allowed near a high caste or into a place of worship. They were also denied opportunities for education or work which was not manual. Their very sight was contemptible to many high caste people. Hence the speaker, out of frustration and helplessness, wishes to be a tree which will not be discriminated against by any creature in Nature.

3 Ans :- The speaker wishes to be a tree because he wants be away from inhuman, meaningless discrimination practiced by human beings. People born in low caste are treated in a very cruel manner by the people of the high castes. They are not given access to sources of water, place of worship or education and they are not allowed to acquire property or wealth. They are considered inauspicious and the high caste people take bath when then come across a low caste person or his shadow falls on them. Though such evil practices are not common after independence and after enactment of many antitouchability laws, they do exist in many parts of the country. The whole situation makes the speaker helpless and frustrated. Hence he wishes to be a tree. He points out how the whole of nature- birds, sunlight, breeze,leaves, raindrops, mother earth, cow never discriminates and bothers  about the caste of any other creature. He feels the world of nature is generous and loving than world of human beings. No creature considers the other impure or dirty. The tree, towards its end, has a chance of becoming pure by being used in the holy fire or by carrying a sinless body towards the crematorium. But a low caste man is condemned to shame and humiliation throughout his life, without any way of purifying himself. This situation makes him very sad.

The watchman of the Lake
                                                                                    R K Narayan

I
1 Ans:- The headman was in a hurry to complete the road work because the king was to pass by that way the next day and the road had to be ready for use.

2 Ans :- not to disturb the work and keep away from the king's sight.

3 Ans :- He hid himself in the branches of tree to draw the attention of the king to tell about his dream which has revealed to him by Goddess.

4 Ans :- build the tank for stream.

5 Ans :- The king doesn't doubt Mara. He gave time to speak and asked him to accompany them to the palace.

6 Ans :- Mara advised his son that he had to be the watchman of the lake after him in saving the lake.

7 Ans :- The visitor approached Mara for some water from the lake to his village.

8 Ans :- C. The lake

9 Ans :- C. He was worried about the lake.

10 Ans :- Mara requested the Goddess not to carry out her act of devastation till he returned from the capital.

II
1 Ans :- Mara would dream twice in the play. The first time, it is the dream of Goddess who urges Mara to get a tank for river Veda so that she could find a home for herself. The second time, it is the same Goddess, looks furious that her plaything Veda has been imprisoned by miserable stones. When Mara reminds that it was her command that the bank was built.  The Goddess, who is in the mood of destruction, resorts that she is now ready for devastation. After the vision, both the times, Mara thinks for general welfare. After the first dream, he wants the bank to be built because he knows that preserved water would be of great use to the subjects of the king. The second time after the dream, he realizes that nothing can stop the Goddess from the act of destruction. Hence, he sacrifices himself in order to save the king and his kingdom. Thus, we see that Mara is a true saviour of the people. The significance of the dreams is that we have no control over divine design. Yet, if we have nobility of Mara, we can escape the destructive edge of even divine plans.

2 Ans :- Mara, the watchman of the lake allows people and animals to drink water at the lake. He doesn't tolerate anyone killing birds or animals there. Mara threatens the man who was fishing in the lake that if he ever dared to fish in the lake, he would abuse him and push him into tank. He tells his son also to be as strict as he was with such people. He tells him that the lake is sacred and belongs to the Goddess, and her command is that nothing flies or swims or walks in these parts should ever be killed. When Mara sees a man taking his cow to the water edge, he sends his son to warn that man not to go to deep into the water. We see Mara as a proud watchman of the lake, doing his duty of protecting the water from cruel human beings very sincerely. He is not afraid of anyone and says that even the village headman will have to beg Mara for permission if he wants to touch the water. Thus his devotion for the lake is incredible.

3 Ans :- Mara tells a story from the epic about the spot that standing in front of the king below the tree, Mara says that that place is a sacred spot because Lord Hanuman had stood there once. That was the day when Lakshmana was wounded in the battlefield at Lanka and lay in a deadly faint. Guided by omens, Hanuman came to that spot and then went up the mountain. On the peak of the mountain he found Sanjeevini. He flew to Lanka with it, and at its breath Yama's messengers fled, and Lakshmana rose to his feet with a new life. Such was the power of Sanjeevini; and where it grew there rose a steam which came down the mountain and flowed near the village.

4 Ans :- A. The first time, when the Goddess appeared before Mara, he recognized her immediately as the divine mother and fell at her feet. He was struck by her grand look, he gives description of her appearance that her hair was flying in the wind and she had worn coronet which had stars. Her garment was woven in gold.
B. The second time, when the Goddess appeared before Mara, he understood that she was in angry and had terrible look. This time she laughed loudly and she had carried a sword. She did not speak as she spoke at the first time. She wanted to destroy the tank which was built by her wish. Now listening her command ,he prostrated before her and begged.

III.
2 Ans :- "Nature is both protective and destructive" these words very much closer to this short play, Watchman of the lake. The Goddess is symbolic of nature in the play. As she herself claims, the river is her plaything and she plays with it as she wants. She tells Mara to have the king get a tank constructed so that the people never have to suffer drought. Things were calm for some years. But one evening nature which is under the control of Godess showed her another face. When Goddess appears at second time, she says that she is in the mood of destruction and kicks away the miserable stones they have piled up to imprison the water of her 'Veda'.
We see that the same river as the saviour and destroyer. Initially, Godess herself appears in the dream of Mara and informs him to construct a tank to imprison river Veda which is her plaything. Mara also follows the same as it was told by Goddess. But when everything is going smoothly, the Godess shows another form of hers which is terrible to witness. She informs to Mara that she is in a reckless mood to slash the bounds of the lake which is extended more than a tank. Being helpless Mara couldn't think of anything else except to meet and deliver the message to the king.
But people in general claim that they will have control over nature. But this play breaks down those false notions. Being a mortal being Mara couldn't do anything except sacrifices his own very life for the sake of people. Hence before Goddess every one of us is helpless and powerless. We need to accept the two faces of the same coin that is destructive and protective moods of nature.

Farmer's wife

                        Volga

1.       ‘You’ in the poem refers to the farmer and ‘I’ refers to the farmer's wife.

2.      He couldn't clear the debt and unable to bear the shame in society. So the speaker's husband committed suicide.

3.      The speaker draws the contrast between her husband and herself. Her husband was virtuous, but she is a sinner. He is dead while she is alive.

4.   Being a man, he couldn't bear the idea of bending his down or stretching his hand in front of the creditors. Even he was unable to sell his crops as they were destroyed due to several reasons. The speaker says he crossed over everything what he couldn't solve and bear. Although he was aware of her social condition as a woman he left her alone. She questions her husband how he had passed the responsibility upon her and left her with children.
Moreover, being a woman, her motherly instinct made it impossible for her to leave her children. And the prospect of bringing up four children in the face of poverty is daunting. She faces the challenge and doesn't think of committed suicide. Thus we see that the difference the man and the woman lies in the way women are generally treated in society and the way in men treat women at home. In the poem Farmer's wife is ready survive against all odds of life unlike her husband who failed to survive and committed suicide. Hence farmer's wife will have brave heart to face the hard realities of life.

5.   All the above.

6.   The woman was ill-treated by her husband both physically and verbally when he was alive. She had to bear all these because society made her to believe that a man had the right to rule over his wife. The idea of manhood is fallen down when the farmer is unable to withstand the pressure and commits suicide.

7.   The phrase 'harvest of my womb' refers to the four children the woman has borne. They are the familial crops. Her husband thought of just ruined material crops grown up in the fields. It couldn't be sold because it was worm eaten. She questions her dead husband as he could just thought of the material crops forgetting his own familial crops. She questioned her husband could she leave her children to like worm eaten cotton crops which are insignificant and not looked after by the farmer. Here her words actually imply that her children become orphans who are not looked after by any one like worm eaten cotton crops if she dies like her husband.

8.   The farmer's wife is in a state which is worse than death. The speaker uses the words 'death blow' to suggest how her husband's death gives a big blow to her own existence. Now she has to face the life determinedly in her husband's absence. The crop has been destroyed and so no money could be got from it. The debt had remained and the creditors troubled her every day, forcing her to hang her head in shame. The family had hit the dust and their hearts had turned to water. Yet, she had decided to live on and teach her children to fight the problems of life.

9.   A will to survive against all odds.

II.

1.

A shade of sarcasm is implied in the use of the words 'virtuous' and 'poor sinner'. These words are used to refer to how she has to tolerate the things that he burdened over to the lady who was a poor sinner. Sarcastically she calls her husband virtuous because he didn't stretch his hand or bend his head in front of the creditors. In one way, he was a man of self respect.
When he kicked and abused her, she thought a man could treat his wife in any way he wanted. But she loses all fear or respect for him when he commits suicide, leaving her helpless with the children. Moreover she comes an understanding that her husband fails to analyze the life the way she is doing. She also says to analyze the circumstances in difficult course of life needs a firm heart. She is sure he wouldn't have had the guts to understand how to solve the problems or ton question any particular situation. The poem ends with an optimistic note that she will not be like her husband, running away from the situation, but live on and face all problems of life.

2.

The farmer's wife is a representative of all farmers' wives whose husbands commit suicide for different reasons. Her husband's act of commuting suicide pushed her to a situation in which she feels ax if she is in the middle of the ocean nowhere else to survive. It also takes a refreshingly different angle of perceiving the problem from the farmer's wife's angle.
   The poem is an eye opener because generally when we hear or read about the facts of suicide, we think only about the tragic plight of the farmer who was pushed into the act of commuting suicide. The fact remains that the family would be in the worst state of affairs because the so called 'man of the house' is dead and the family still has no source of income.
   The aim of poem is not to single out one case of suicide, but to throw light on a social problem which needs government’s intervention to be resolved. On the other hand, the poem is request to all those who give up their struggle no to do so and brave the storm courageously. The poem also mocks at the idea of a man as the breed winner and his sense of superiority over the woman he takes for a wife. The poem, at yet another level, is an appeal to the government and perhaps even social organizations to support those people who want to live with dignity.

Frederick Douglass

I
1Ans :- Black slaves were not aware of their birth dates because there were no authentic record and that was the wish of the masters to keep them ignorant.

2 Ans:- Masters would think that all such enquiries on the part of a slave improper and impertinent.

3 Ans :- There was a whisper that Frederick's father was his master.

4 Ans :- Douglass separated from his mother before knowing her as his mother.

5 Ans :- Douglass's mother was able to meet him only at night time.

6 Ans :- The penalty to the field hand for not being in the field at sunrise was whipping.

7 Ans :- Douglass was seven years old when he lost his mother.

8 Ans :- Captain Anthony who was believed to be the both Douglass's father and mother.

9 Ans :- Mr.Plummer was an overseer, a miserable drunkard, a profane swearer and a savage monster.

II.
1 Ans :- Frederick Douglass was a black slave who  was victimised under the slavery in America. Through his writing he tries unfold the agony of countless blacks. He knows that his mother was coloured and quite dark woman named Harriet Bailey. He was separated from his mother when he was an infant, before knowing her as his mother and this was common custom in the part of Maryland. Hence he was placed under the care of an old woman. He had seen his mother only four or five times in his life. Each of these times was very short in duration. The custom of slavery left him and his mother very little time for communication. He does not remember having ever seen her mother in day light and never enjoyed to any considerable extent, her soothing presence, her tender watchful care. When he lost her mother when he was about seven years old, he didn't affect much by his mother's death.

III
1 Ans :- The slaveholders had made the rules on their own lusts. Many black women and mulatto children were suffered by their wicked desires. This class of slaves invariably suffered greater hardship, and had to contend than others. The mistress always found fault with the slaves and specially mulatto children. She never ever pleased by their hard work than when she sees them under the lash. Whenever she suspected her husband of showing extra favours to his mulatto children which he withheld from other black slaves, her anger was even more and she forced her husband to sell this class of slaves. Unless he does this, he must not only whip them himself, but must stand by and see one white son tie up and beat his brother. Thus the slaves suffered unbearable hardships at the hands of slave holder, his mistress and his sons.

2 Ans :- The dreadful experience of slavery starts the very minute a child is born. The child is separated from the mother in its infancy stage, breaking the bond between the mother and the child. Even after that, the mother is not allowed to meet the child often, and this again goes against the possibility of establishing an emotional bond. The child has to suffer the psychological impact of not knowing who the father is. These emotional problems are compounded with physical harassment. The slaves are constantly whipped by not only their slave masters but also others such as overseers and the slave master's white children. The women are in an even worse situation. We can see that they are used by white men to fulfill their lust. Their plight as field hands is pitiable. To see their children, they can move out only after nightfall, and have to be back at work at dawn, unless they have permission from masters. The references to the women who have had their heads slashed and body completely bruised beatings given with the cowskin are a testimony to inhuman treatment meted out to the slaves by their masters. Thus the lesson is a first person narration of Frederick Douglass, makes the readers aware of the heart wrenching plight of the slaves.

An old woman

Arun kolatkar

I comprehension

1 Ans :- anyone

2 Ans :- The old woman offers him to take him to the horseshoe shrine.

3 Ans :- She expects 50 Paise coin for her service.

4 Ans :- C.           

5 Ans :- bullet holes            

6 Ans :- A

II comprehension

1Ans :- The poet depicts the condition of an old woman. The woman's age is very significant and fact that the problem is more pronounced in the case of the old. The poet asks us to know the reason for her pitiable condition and how old age women are neglected by everyone. People have no space for old and they are not aware of their predicaments. If the people do not give space for old, they would come to streets and they reduced to the level of beggars. In the poem, the woman depicts all those who live in poverty and homeless. Hence the poet wants to take up this social problem of the old and take necessary measures to ensure that they live a life of dignity. Poet has a definite purpose in talking about the cracks on her face extending to the hills, temple,and sky. When speaker has this realisation, he has changed perspective and he finds himself reduced to the position of being a person of significance. Her suffering is indicated by the description that eyes she has are lifeless bullet holes. Thus the poet tries to awaken in us a sense of responsibility towards our fellow brethren.

2 Ans :- Certainly, the woman is a self appointed tourist guide because she posters the speaker to avail of her services even when his intention is to get rid of her. Her persistence is seen in the fact that she hobbles after him and goes to the extent of stopping him by tightening her grip on his shirt. The speaker is more and more annoyed and he wants to get rid of her by being firm in refusing her offer. If we compare the interaction between the speaker and the old woman, we see that it isn't much different from the transaction that takes place between a tourists and a beggar. The beggars also follow people around pestering them with a demand of alms. But the difference is that if the tourist guides offer their service, the beggars don't. This immediately introduces a world of difference between the two categories of people. It shows that even if the tourist guides can be as annoying as the beggars, they are people with self respect.

3 Ans :-  In the poem we see the speaker getting annoyed with the old woman for pestering him for fifty Paise with the offer of taking him to horseshoe shrine. The speaker wants to get rid of her as he has already seen the shrine. When he hears the question "what else can an old woman do on hills as wretched as these?"makes him realise her condition and look at cracks of the woman, the cracks in our homes and society that no longer care for the old. He is ashamed of being a part of the system which doesn't value the old. The speaker who had until then considered the old woman insignificant because he has not seen the kind of struggle the old woman has witnessed in her life. At the end of poem he finds himself getting reduced in his worth and in his own esteem.

III. Comprehension

1 Ans :-  The poet, Arun Kolatkar brings a social issue through a common place. At every tourist place we meet a self appointed tourist guide like the old woman in the poem. They need money and pester us. They even promise to give us some service instead of money we give them. Generally tourists give them something to get rid of them and some tourists don't. Here we must understand that they have no other means of earning their livelihood. Hence the only option left for them is to beg. The very fact that they don't beg but offer their services show that somewhere deep within them there is some self-respect. At temple, their acts seem to be very irritating but one should remember that it is the circumstance that has reduced them to that condition. Especially in the case of an old woman like the one found on the hills, they can't do anything. When the speaker realizes that he has no answer for the question what she asked him. After observing,his perception of the old woman undergoes a sudden change. The cracks on her face become symbolic of the cracks in the society. At last, the speaker has a new found respect for the old woman and feels ashamed and reduced rob the small change in her hand. In a moment of realization the narrator finds himself reduced in his self esteem. His awakening to the real world makes him feel small as insignificant as the small coin in her hand. 

                                                Two Gentlemen of Verona

                                                                                                                                Archibald Joseph Cronin

I

1Ans :- The narrator first meets the two boys on the outskirts of Verona ,near the foothills of the alps.

2 Ans :- The driver suggests the narrator not to buy fruits from the two boys because of their shabby appearance and he doesn't succeed in shopping the narrator from buying the fruits.

3 Ans :- The boys did a variety of jobs to earn their living. They sold fruits ,hawked newspapers,shined shoes,conducted tourists round the town and ran errands for tourists and asissted the tourists.

4 Ans :- C. Wanted to save the money for medical expenses.

5 Ans :- The boys' unremitting willingness to work , their friendliness,cheerfulness and seriousness attracted the narrator.

6 Ans :- C. Didn't want to ask anyone for favours.

7 Ans :- The two boys went to Poleta to visit their sick sister. They didn't want the narrator to know their problems.

8 Ans :- C. He wanted to respect their privacy.

9 Ans :- A bomb had destroyed their house and rendered them homeless.

10 Ans :- He comes to know the story of the two boys and about family.

11 Ans :-  A. The boys would prefer to keep their secret.

II Comprehension

1 Ans :-  The boy were useful in many ways. The boys took the narrator and his companion around the Verona. In the week that followed, they brought the visitors pack of American cigarettes, opera tickets and acted as their tourist guides. They not only took them around the beautiful places but also give them useful information as to which restaurants served good ravioli.

2 Ans :- The boys were truly gentlemen ,very reformed and courageous in character. They were devoted to their sister, and in order to earn money for her treatment, undertook all kinds of jobs available in Verona. They worked all the day even till midnight by working hard. They didn't consider any job below their dignity. Though they were born to such jobs, they learnt them and performed them well. Their eagerness to learn and perform varieties of jobs demonstrates a sacrificing,loving nature which is ready to go to any extent to secure happiness of loved one. They were also selfless because,very earnestly,they saved the money they they earned to pay the hospital but never spent on cloths or food. Both of them were very proud boys. They did not discuss their problems with anyone because they didn't want to gain others sympathy. Even when the narrator took them to the hospital,then went in by themselves and did not speak to him about their sister.

3 Ans :- C , they didn't want to gain anybody's sympathy.

III comprehension

1 Ans :-

                             Don't ask of Me, My Love.

                                                                                      Faiz Ahmad Faiz.

I.1. The speaker realises what he thought about love was not true after he experienced the sorrows around him.
2. The speaker's realisation of realities
3. Caused by poverty and deprivation
4. Fidelity to his love.
II.
1. The speaker realises the harsh realities of the world after he comes out from his cocooned romantic love. There are problems in the world that he has to be addressed in the poem. The line ' those dark and brutal curses of countless centuries’, probably means the sufferings caused by stark poverty which seems to be brutal curse on the helpless poor people. Factually miseries and sufferings have been troubling man since8 untold number of centuries. These might have been caused by war, diseases or slavery. So he kindly asks his beloved not to ask him for the love he had for her.

2. The speaker experiences the harsh realities of the world when he is thought of the outer world. He realizes many sufferings caused in the world by war. There are certain images in the poem which support it. He witnesses bodies bathed in blood and dust covered bodies of the soldiers. People are also affected with epidemic diseases. There are other disturbing images like pus oozing out their festering sores. The anguishes of slaves who are ill-treated are sold in the market like animals. These are the harsh realities that have drawn the writer's attention away from the beauty of his beloved. Hence the poet says that he must also turn his eyes to these sufferings and realities as well.

3. The general theme of the poem is the transformation in the perception of the poet's love. The poet loved his beloved conditionally. On one hand he was immersed in the beauty of his beloved. On the other he thought her sorrow was much more than any other pain. As long as his beloved was with him, he felt the whole world was his. Moreover he considered his beloved's eyes were everything whereas all else seemed pointless and useless in the world.
But at later stage in the poem the poet moves out of romantic love to enter the world of love where he can extend his love to mankind. He sees sufferings caused by war and conflicts, bodies of soldiers covered with blood and dust. And then he witnesses bodies afflicted with epidemic disease. These made him realize that the pain of separation from his beloved was not the only sorrow, but there are many more in the world and felt it unconditionally.
III.
1. The poet seems to be very faithful to his love. He expresses his fidelity to his love although he demands his beloved not to ask for the same love which he expressed before. He assures her that he still finds her very beautiful. Nevertheless, he can no longer be in the cocoon of romantic love. He has seen the various kinds of sufferings in the world. As a result it has made him realize his duty towards the society and the country.
There are certain images in the poem which talk reflect the miseries and sufferings of people. He witnesses bodies bathed in blood and dust covered bodies of the soldiers. People are also affected with epidemic diseases. There are other disturbing images like pus oozing out their festering sores. The anguishes of slaves who are ill-treated sold in the market like animals. Actually he shows concern to the world's problems unconditionally. He has enjoyed the beauty and the love of his beloved, but he has also realized the joy of serving the society and country. He finds that joy greater than his private love. He realizes the responsibility of serving the society greater than pleasing his beloved. Hence, he repeatedly asks her not to ask him to love her in the same manner.

Ravi GS

English Lecturer