The Happy Prince

Summary

The story is about the statue of a prince and a little swallow who sacrificed their
lives in order to help the poor. There was a statue of a prince called the Happy
Prince covered with gold, having sapphires for eyes and ruby in his sword. The
Happy Prince could see the sufferings of the people in the city but was unable to
move and help them. One day, a little swallow which was on his way to Egypt
landed on the statue. The swallow found the statue weeping. He was very kind
and full of pity. He asked the Happy Prince why he was crying. The Happy Prince
told him that he could see the people in the city who were hungry. He wanted to
help them and asked favour of the swallow. The Happy Prince helped a
seamstress by sending his great ruby through the swallow. Then he requested
the swallow to take out a sapphire from his eye and give it to a playwright who
was about to faint because of hunger and cold. Another sapphire was sent to the
match girl. Now the Happy Prince became blind. The swallow decided to stay
with him forever and help the poor by taking the gold off his body and give it to
the poor. The weather had become extremely cold. The snow and the frost fell.
The poor little swallow could not survive and died. At that moment, the leaden
heart of the statue broke into two. Next morning, on the order of Mayor, the
statue was pulled down and melted in a furnace at a factory but the (broken)
leaden heart could not be melted. It was thrown in a dust-heap where the dead
Swallow was also lying.

On the order of God, the angel carried two precious things from the city, leaden
heart of the Happy Prince and dead swallow. God praised the angel for the right
choice. God said that the little bird would sing forever in his garden of Paradise
and the Happy Prince would praise him in his city of gold.

Character Sketches

The Happy Prince: The Happy Prince was a very kind-hearted soul. When he
was alive he did not see the sorrow of others. But, now he saw a large number
of people in suffering and decided to help them. He asked the swallow to
distribute the gold leaves and precious stones that adorned his body, to the poor
and the needy. God rewarded him for his good acts. He was a kind-hearted and
noble soul.

The Swallow: The swallow was going back to his homeland. As the night
approached, he decided to sleep between the feet of the statue of the Happy
Prince. When the little swallow was about the sleep, three successive drops of
tears fell upon him. He felt pity and asked the prince for the reason. The Happy
Prince told him he wanted to help the poor and the needy persons. But since he
was a statue now, he couldn’t move about. So the swallow helped him to
distribute the gold leaves and precious stones that adorned his body. The
swallow postponed her visit to Egypt and decided to stay back to help the Happy
Prince. The swallow realised soon that he would die because of the cold winter.
Even then the swallow decided to stay back and help the Happy Prince to carry
out his charity work. Thus the swallow was also a noble creature who was willing
to give up his life for a noble cause.
 SHORT ANSWER QUESTIONS
(to be answered in about 30 – 40 words each)

Q.1. Describe the statue of the Happy Prince.

Ans. The statue of the Happy Prince stood on a tall pillar. He was covered with
gold. He had sapphires for his eyes. He had a large ruby on the hilt of his sword.

Q.2. What made the statue of the Happy Prince cry?

Ans. The statue of the Happy Prince was on a high pillar, from where he could
see the sorrows and misery of people. He saw a seamstress. Her son was ill. But
she had nothing to give her except the river water. This made the Happy Prince
cry.

Q.3. Why was the statue called the Happy Prince?

Ans. This was the statue of a Prince. When he was alive he lived in a palace. He
did not know what tears were. There was no sorrow in his life. He was always
happy. He lived and died as a Happy Prince. So his statue was called the Happy
Prince.

Q.4. Why did the Happy Prince request the swallow to stay with him for
the night?
Ans. The Happy Prince was very kind. He saw that the poor seamstress was
very sad. Her son was ill. She had nothing to give him except the river water.
The Happy Prince wanted to help her. He wanted to send her a ruby. But he
could not move. So he requested the swallow to stay with him for the night.

Q.5. How did the swallow give comfort to the son of the seamstress?
Ans. The swallow came to the house of the seamstress. He found that her son
was suffering from a fever. He took pity on him. He fanned the boy with his
wings. The son felt comfort and fell asleep.

Q.6. What was the last wish of the swallow?

Ans. The swallow knew that her end had come. He flew on to the shoulder of
the Happy Prince wished to kiss his hand.” The Happy Prince asked him to kiss
him on the lips. The swallow kissed the Prince on his lips and then died.

LONG ANSWER QUESTIONS

(to be answered in about 100 – 150 words each)

Q1. When and how did the Happy Prince realise the true meaning of
life? What did this realisation prompt him to do?
Ans: The Happy Prince had lived a very comfortable life and had not known any
sorrow when he was alive. In fact, sorrow was not allowed to enter the palace
where he lived. Thus, he was called the ‘Happy Prince’ by his ministers.
However, after his death, his gold and jewel-studded statue was put up on a
high column in the city. From here, the Happy Prince, like a statue, got to see
the pain and miseries of the people. He then realised that ugliness and sufferings
are the true faces of life. He felt that the misery suffered by humans was the
greatest mystery and the plight of men and women was more marvellous than
the grandeurs of riches. He then started giving away his riches to the needy and
tried to relieve them of the pain of poverty.
Q2. How did the swallow exhibit the values of unconditional love and
devotion? ,
Or
The swallow was to fly away to Egypt. Why did he decide to stay on
with the Happy Prince? What does this act of his show about his
character?
Ans: The swallow happened to stop by at the city where the statue of the Happy
Prince was placed. It was the sheer chance that he took shelter between the feet
of the statue for just one night on way to Egypt, but stayed back till his last
breath because he was moved by the Prince’s selfless love, kindness and spirit of
self-sacrifice. This act of the swallow shows the qualities of compassion,
understanding and helpfulness in his character. He helped the Prince by
becoming his messenger and carrying the jewels from the statue to the
seamstress, the playwright and the match girl. He became a constant companion
to the Prince after both the sapphires had been plucked out from his eye
sockets. The swallow loved the Prince unconditionally and became his eyes by
flying over the city and reporting the hardships and miseries of the people. He
would faithfully follow all the orders of the Prince and carry the gold leaves from
the statue and give them to the needy. Thus, the good values of the swallow
helped him to remain a loving companion to the Prince till cold and hunger
snatched away his life.

Q3. How did the Happy Prince discover true happiness? How did he
spread it?
Or
What the Happy Prince does as a statue should have been done by him
when he was alive? Discuss.
Ans: The Happy Prince had lived a very comfortable life as long as he lived. He
had never seen sorrow as it was not allowed to enter his palace. Hence his
courtiers called him the ‘Happy Prince’. However, after his death, his statue was
put up on a high column and he got to see the miseries, sorrows and sufferings
of the people in his city and decided to do his bit to lessen them. That is when
he discovered true happiness and from thereon he spread it by sacrificing all
that he had.
For example, he had the ruby in his sword hilt sent to a poor seamstress to help
her get over poverty and buy food and medicines for her ailing son. Again, the
Happy Prince sent one of his sapphire eyes to a poor playwright in need of
warmth and food so that he could complete his play for a show. The other
sapphire was sent to a match girl who was crying because her matches had
fallen in a gutter and she feared her father would beat her for not bringing home
any money. And whatever leaves of fine gold the Prince had were distributed
among the poor to bring them succour. Thus, the Prince donated all that he had
to end misery and poverty in the city. This is what he, and for that matter, any
prince on the earth, should have done, for the true purpose of life is to be happy
by spreading happiness
 The Lake Isle of Innisfree
Summary

The Lake Isle of Innisfree is a beautiful lyric by W.B. Yeats. In this poem, the
poet says that he is fed up with his present life. He will go to Innisfree, the land
of his childhood. He will make there a small cabin with mud and wood. He will
grow bean plants and have a beehive and live there alone.
The poet says that he will have complete peace of mind at Innisfree land. There
he will enjoy the sweet weather of the morning time. Innisfree land glimmers at
midnight, becomes purple at noon and full of small sparrows in the evening. The
poet says that he will go there forever and enjoy the beauty of nature all
through his life. He will hear the lapping sound of the lake’s water and he will
hear this sound in the deep heart’s core.

SHORT ANSWER QUESTIONS

(to be answered in about 30 – 40 words each)

Q1. Where does the poet want to go and why?

Ans:-The poet wants to go to the solitary and silent Isle of Innisfree in the Lake
Lough Gill of his native country, Ireland. He wants to go there because he is fed
up with the restless, noisy world of cities and feels strongly nostalgic about the
life on the island which, by contrast, will be a life of quietness and pleasure.

Q2. What kind of a life does the poet want to lead on the Lake Isle?
Or
What three things does the poet want to do when he goes back to
Innisfree?
Ans:-The poet wants to lead a life of serenity and contentment, away from the
bustle and loudness of urban life. He longs for living in a simple cabin made of
clay and sticks. A small piece of land with a few bean-rows and some honey
fresh from the bee-hive will be enough to satisfy his needs.

Q3. What kind of music will the poet enjoy on the Lake Isle of Innisfree?
Ans:-On the Isle of Innisfree, the poet will enjoy the loud music of the bees and
the mild music of the waves striking against the shore.

Q4. How does the poet describe the mornings on the lonely island?
Ans:-The poet describes the mornings on the lonely island to be very peaceful
and quiet. The atmosphere of the morning is hazy with fog or mist. Out of the
hazy heavens, peace comes on the land falling softly and noiselessly.

Q5. What does the poet imply by “….from the veils of the morning to
where the cricket sings.
Ans:-By this expression, the poet implies that the span of time from morning to
evening is full of peace on the Lake Isle of Innisfree. Here, quietness reigns
supreme. The singing of the cricket adds to the music of nature and can be
enjoyed on this island.

Q6. How does the poet describe the midnight and noon on the island?
Ans:-Both the midnight and the noon on the island are visualized by the poet to
be very bright with only different hues of brilliance – the twinkling light of the
moon and the stars in the midnight and the bright purple shine in the noon.

Q7. What does the poet dream of enjoying in the evenings?

Ans:-The poet dreams of enjoying the songs of the linnets and the sound of the
flapping of their wings as they fly back to their nests. He also hopes to enjoy the
song of the cricket in the peaceful surroundings.

Q8. What is it that fascinates the poet day and night?

Ans:-Day and night the poet is fascinated by the gentle and pleasant sound of
the waves lapping against the shore. He hears this delightful music in his
imagination.

Q9. Why does the poet hear the music of the waves standing on the
roadway?
Ans:-The poet hears the music of the waves standing on the roadway because
their gentle and soothing sound is recalled involuntarily by his mind as a defence
against the deafening, unpleasant and jarring sounds of the traffic that have a
sickening impact on him.

Q10. What are the roadways and the pavements a symbol of?
Ans:-The roadways and the pavements are a symbol of the urban, noisy, and
crowded places like London where the poet lived. They stand in contrast to the
peaceful, soothing and colourful nature found back home on the Lake Isle of
Innisfree.

LONG ANSWER QUESTIONS

(to be answered in about 100 – 150 words each)

Q1. How does the poet capture the sights and sounds of the Lake Isle of
Innisfree?
Ans:-The poet, W.B. Yeats, had spent many summers during his childhood on
the Lake Isle of Innisfree. His memories are so vivid that the sights and sounds
seem to have left an indelible impression on his mind. He beautifully portrays
the vast, open stretch of land with a very tranquil environment prevailing from
morning till evening. The midnight is aglow with the glimmering of the moon and
the stars. The noon is bright with a purplish light. In the evening, the linnets,
fluttering their wings in flight make a very captivating sight.
The Lake Isle of Innisfree echoes with the alluring, soothing music of the insects,
birds and waves. The bees sing loudly and the linnets make the evenings
energetic with their music. Moreover, there is soft music of the waves striking
gently against the shore day and night. Thus, the sights and sounds described
by the poet make the island an enthralling and alluring place.

Q2. How does the poet contrast city life with life in natural
surroundings?
Ans:- Although the poet does not describe the city life in detail, his obsession to
go to the beautiful island full of pleasing sights and sounds makes it clear that
he wants to leave the noisy life in the city and lead a simple life. The contrast
between the crowded cities and the calm, natural surroundings of Innisfree
justifies his desire. The description of green glades and pastures, along with
birds and insects singing on Innisfree stand in contrast to the dull looking
roadways and pavements that are full of vehicles and people. This contrast hints
at the noise pollution and congestion in cities. Further, the picture of the island
surrounded by the calm water of the lake and its gentle waves present a
beautiful sight. In contrast, people in cities are lost in a race of accumulating
material possessions. The fewer needs of people living close to nature indicate
greater contentment as compared to the city dwellers’ never-ending chase of
wealth and material possessions. The poet’s urge to return to natural
surroundings for a peaceful life hints at the problems and restlessness of people
in cities. Thus, the poet contrasts every aspect of city life with the life in natural
surroundings that are full of pleasure, contentment and peace.

Q3. What ideas do you form the personality of the poet from the poem?
Or
Discuss the character of the speaker in the poem.
Or
Which values of life does the poet support?
Ans:-The poet W. B. Yeats who himself is the speaker in “The Lake Isle of
Innisfree” gives us a peep into his mind and soul. His desire to return to a
peaceful, quiet, and natural place, away from the bustle of urban life, brings
forth the positive values that govern his life. In the poem, he emerges as a
peace-loving fellow who is sick of the hectic, restless, noisy and materialistic life
of the cities. He emerges as a profound lover of natural beauty and tranquillity.
His strong nostalgia for the beautiful sights and sounds on the Lake Isle and his
desire to lead a simple life of unbroken solitude and peace on the island reveal
the simplicity of his heart and mind. The poet is endowed with profound
imagination and sensitive observation. With very keen senses, he sees, observes
and presents the beauty of the island in the morning, in the noontime, in the
evening, and even in the midnight. He can hear the sounds of the bees, the
cricket, the linnet, and the sea-waves. He can visualize the tranquil glade, the
glimmering light of the midnight and the purple glow of the afternoon. He can
also hear the loud, unpleasant sounds of the traffic in cities and contrast it with
the captivating and soothing music of the waves.
Further, the poet lacks a materialistic attitude towards life. He wants to evade
the hectic activities of the materialistic life of the cities and live in a small cabin
of clay and wattles. He wants to have only enough to fulfil the basic needs of
life.
Thus, the poet comes forth as a person with a profound imagination, minute
observation, strong memories and a deep love for nature. He is inspired by the
values of contentment and harmony.

Q4. How can we make our lives enjoyable? Discuss with reference to the
poem “The Lake Isle of Innisfree”.
Ans:-The world is full of beauty and pleasures. It has a rich feast for our eyes,
ears, noses and tongue. God has provided us with beautiful sights and sounds.
But it is regrettable that we have only added misery into our lives by being blind
to the beauties of the world. We have become much too materialistic and are
always lost in a race for more and more riches. We do not have time to enjoy
calmly the beauties of nature. We have even spoilt natural surroundings in the
name of development. As William Wordsworth beautifully wrote: “The world is
too much with us”; we have cut off our bond with nature.
However, we may enjoy a tranquil life if we check our desires. We must realize
that contentment is a source of real happiness. We must curtail our greed,
jealousy and hatred. A life of simple needs, near the beautiful surroundings of
nature away from the madding crowd of cities can give us soothing delights.
Love for nature, faith in God, and affection for fellow human beings can restore
the peace of our minds. We should develop a keen sense to perceive beauty all
around and spare time to enjoy these beauties. The soft feelings of pity,
sympathy, consideration, kindness, and affection can overpower all the sorrows
of life and make life thrilling and pleasant.

Rhyme Scheme

The rhyme scheme followed in this poem is ab ab. There is a very strong end
rhyme in the Poem. In the first stanza, `Innisfree’ rhymes with ‘honeybee’ and
‘made’ rhymes with ‘glade’. The same rhyming scheme is repeated in the other
two stanzas.
Poetic Devices
1. Alliteration
Example:
 ‘A hive for the honeybee’ and ‘live alone in the bee-loud glade’.
We see the repetition of consonants with a similar sound in these lines.
2. Assonance
Example:
 I will arise and go now, and go to Innisfree.
And a small cabin builds there, of clay and wattles made:
The ‘a’ sound in the lines creates a musical effect. There are many examples of
assonance throughout the poem.
3. Imagery
Example:
 Purple, hazy, full of birds.
 I hear lake water lapping with low sound by the shore.
He is actually not hearing the sound of lapping water.
4. Metaphor
Example:
 ‘Veils of the morning’ means fog or news of the morning.
 ‘Deep heart’s core’ — the poet feels and dreams deeply

My Childhood

CHARACTERS
Kalam’s parents
Kalam’s parents, Jainulabdeen and Ashiarruna, were tall and good looking.
Though they did not have abundant resources, both of them were very generous
and fed a lot of outsiders along with their own family members. Practising the
values of honesty and self-discipline, they led a simple life which did not have
any place for inessential comforts or luxuries. However, Kalam’s father made
sure that all basic necessities were provided for. He was very liberal and didn’t
believe in thrusting his thoughts on his children. He had a secular approach and
contributed fully during the celebration of Hindu festivals like Shri Sita Rama’s
Kalyanam ceremony. Kalam’s mother was ideal support to her husband. She had
faith in goodness and was a very kind-hearted woman.

Abdul Kalam
A boy of ordinary looks, Abdul Kalam had many sterling qualities right from his
childhood. He had immense affection and respect for his parents. He inherited
the values of honesty and self-discipline from his father and faith in goodness
and deep kindness from his mother. Kalam was an enterprising and a hard-
working child. He collected tamarind seeds, when they were in demand, and sold
them to earn small yet significant amounts. Very confident of himself, he did
every piece of work assigned to him with full dedication. He helped his cousin to
catch bundles from the running trains when the train-halt at Rameswaram was
suspended during the Second World War. He was also a sensitive child and
learnt valuable lessons from his experiences. He learnt early in life that caste-
based segregation is a poison that must not be allowed to thrive. Kalam was also
progressive and took the decision at the right time to leave his hometown to
study further and grow in life.

Sivasubramania Iyer
An orthodox Brahmin, Sivasubramania Iyer, was Kalam’s science teacher in
school. He was a very tolerant and broad-minded person. He was a rebel who
wished to bring about a transformation in society and was mentally prepared to
confront hindrances during this process. He faced challenges even from his own
family when his wife refused to serve food to Kalam who had been invited by
Iyer himself. But, without losing faith in his belief that caste and religion do not
segregate people, he served the child himself. Thus, he reformed his wife not by
force but by setting an example.
Iyer was also a dedicated teacher who established a good rapport with his
students. He encouraged and inspired them as he taught and spent long hours
with them.

SHORT ANSWER QUESTIONS

(to be answered in about 30 – 40 words each)

Q.1. What kind of poison was the young teacher spreading in the class?

Ans. The young teacher did not like that a Muslim boy was sitting with a Hindu
Brahmin boy. Thus the young teacher was spreading the poison of social
inequality and communalism. He was poisoning the minds of children.

Q.2. What was the reaction of Abdul Kalam’s father when he wanted to
leave home? What was his mother’s reaction?

Ans. Abdul Kalam’s father gave him his permission gladly. But his mother was a
little worried. At this, his father told her that a child is like a seagull. One day, he
has to learn to fly alone like the seagull. This cleared the doubts of his mother.

Q.3. What was Sivasuhramania lyer’s wife reaction when she came to
know that a Muslim boy was invited to have a meal with them by her
husband?
Ans. Sivasubramania lyer’s still life was horrified to know this. She refused to
serve food to a Muslim boy in her ritually pure kitchen. But the teacher was not
perturbed at this. He served Kalam with his

Q.4. What made Sivasubramania tier’s wife change his mind?

Ans. Sivasubramania lyer’s wife watched Kalam having his man from behind
the kitchen door. She did not find any difference in the way he took his meal
‘fins made her change her mind. On his next visit to the teacher’s house, she
took Kalin inside the kitchen. She served him food with her own hands.

Q.5. How did Lakshmana Sastry reform the young teacher?

Ans. Lakshmana Sastry was Ramanadha Sastry’s father. When he came to know
that the young teacher had shifted Kalan to the last row he got very angry. He
summoned the teacher. He told the teacher that he should not spread the poison
of social inequality and communal intolerance in the minds of innocent children.
He asked him either to apologize or quit school. Thus the teacher regretted and
he was reformed.

Q6. What kind of a person was Kalam’s father?

Ans: Tall and handsome, Kalam’s father – Jainulabdeen, did not have much of
formal education. He didn’t even have much wealth. However, he was a very
practical man with a vast store of wisdom. He was generous and never
obstructed the progressive ways of his children. As a responsible head of the
family, he provided both material and emotional security.

Q7. How was Kalam’s mother ideal support to her husband?

Ans: Kalam’s mother, Ashiamma, was ideal support to her husband. She was a
picture of goodness and deep kindness. She was tall, good looking and very
attached to her children. Like her husband, she was very generous and fed a
number of outsiders daily. Kalam inherited the values of kindness and generosity
from her.

Q8. What did Kalam look like as a young child?

Ans: Kalam did not take after his tall and handsome parents. He was a rather
short boy with average looks. With ordinary looks unlike that of his parents who
had quite striking features, his appearance was undistinguished.

Q9. Why does Kalam say he had a secure childhood, both materially and
emotionally?

Ans: Though not very well off, Kalam’s father made sure that he provided his
family with all the necessities in terms of food, medicine and clothes. Apart from
this, Kalam got all the love and parental guidance from them during his
childhood. That is why he says that he had a very secure childhood both
materially and emotionally.

Q10. Why did the demand for tamarind seeds increase suddenly? How
did it help Kalam?
 Ans: When the Second World War broke out in 1939, there was a sudden
demand for tamarind seeds in the market. Kalam collected these seeds and sold
them to earn an anna which was a big amount in those days for a small boy like
him.

Q 11. Right from his childhood Kalam was very enterprising. Discuss.

Ans: Kalam was an enterprising child who used to make full use of the
opportunities that came his way. During the war, when there occurred a great
demand for tamarind seeds in the market, he used to collect these seeds and
sell them off to a provision shop. Thus, he was able to earn some money for
himself. The incident shows that he was very enterprising.

Q12. What did Kalam’s family do during the annual Shri Sita Rama
Kalyanam ceremony?

Ans: During the annual Shri Sita Rama Kalyanam ceremony, Kalam’s family
used to arrange boats with a special platform for carrying idols of the Lord from
the temple to the marriage site, situated in the middle of the pond called Rama
Tirtha, which was near Kalam’s house.

Q13. Who asked Kalam to sit on the back bench of his class? Why?

Ans: A new teacher at the Rameswaram Elementary School could not tolerate
that Kalam, a Muslim, sat with Ramanadha Sastry, a sacred thread wearing
Hindu. This was contrary to the teacher’s notion of social ranking. So, he
ordered Kalam to sit on the back bench.

Q14. What happened when the new teacher at the Rameswaram

Elementary School ordered Kalam to go to the last row of the class?

Or

‘I felt very sad and so did Ramanadha Sastry’. What made Kalam and
his friend feel sad?

Ans: Kalam and his friend Ramanadha Sastry became very sad when the new
teacher ordered Kalam to go and sit on the back bench of the class. Ramanadha
was absolutely crestfallen. While Kalam shifted his seat to the last row, there
were tears in his eyes. Kalam could never forget these tears all his life.

LONG ANSWER QUESTIONS

(to be answered in about 100 – 150 words each)

Q.1. How did Abdul Kalam earn his ‘first wages’? How did he feel at that
time?
Ans. Abdul Kalam’s cousin, Samsuddin, used to distribute newspapers in
Rameswaram. The Second World War broke out in 1939. Now the train’s halt at
Rameswaram was suspended. The bundles of newspapers were thrown out from
the moving train on the Rameswaram road between Rameswaram and
Dhanuskodi. Now Samsuddin needed a helping hand to catch the bundles which
were thrown out of the moving train. He employed Abdul Kalam to do this job.
Thus Abdul Kalam earned his first wages. This was a great moment for him. He
felt a great wave of joy and pride in earning his own money for the first time.
Even after tiny years Abdul Kalam clearly remembers that day.

Q.2. “Once you decide to change the system, such problems have to be
confronted.” What ‘system’ is this sentence referring to? What are
`such problems’? Does the text suggest that the problems have been
tackled?
Ans. The above sentence refers to religious differences between people.
A.P.J.Abdul Kalam belonged to Rameswaram. At that time, the small society of
that town was rigid in terms of the segregation of different social groups. This
system was prevalent in the whole of the country. The high caste people did not
like to eat or drink with the people of low castes. The new teacher in Abdul
Kalam’s class could not tolerate that a Muslim boy should sit with the son of a
Hindu priest. He sent Abdul Kalam to the back bench. But some people have
tried to fight these problems. Abdul Kalam’s teacher, Sivasubramania lyer’s
served Abdul Kalam with his own hands. He sat down beside him to eat. Later,
his wife realised her mistake. The next week, she served Abdul Kalam in her
kitchen. Yet these problems are deep-rooted in India. These have not been
tackled even now.

Q.3. What does Abdul Kalam say about his parents in the lesson ‘My
Childhood’?
Ans. Abdul Kalam is full of praise for his parents. He was born into a middle-
class family of Rameswaram. His father was Jainulabdeen. He was neither
educated nor rich. Yet he had plenty of natural wisdom. He was also very
generous. Abdul Kalam’s mother was Ashiarnma. She was a kind and helpful
lady. Kalam’s parents were generous. A number of outsiders daily ate with the
family. Their number was more than all the members of Kalam’s family put
together. Abdul Kalam was greatly influenced by his parents. His father taught
him the value of self-discipline and honesty. From his mother, he inherited faith
in goodness and deep kindness. His parents were not rich but they provided
their children all the bask necessities of life like food, clothes and medicines.
Thus, Abdul Kalam’s parents greatly influenced him.

Q.4 How does Abdul Kalam describe his three close friends?
Ans. Abdul Kalam says that in his childhood, he had three close friends. Their
names were Ramanadha Sastry, Aravindan and Sivaprakasan. All these boys
were from orthodox Hindu Brahmin families. Ramanadha Sastri was the son of
Pakshi Lakshmana Sastry. He was the high priest of the Rameswaram temple.
When Ramanadha grew up, he took over the priesthood of the temple from his
father. Aravindan went into the business of arranging transport for the pilgrims
who visited Rameswaram. The third friend, Sivaprakasan became a catering
contractor for the Southern Railways. Abdul Kalam says that although they were
from different refigOts, none of them ever felt any difference among themselves
because of different religious backgrounds. Their parents were also liberal and
generous. Ramanathan’s father rebuked the new teacher for spreading the
poison of social inequality in the minds of innocent children.

Q.5. In this chapter, A.P.J.Abdul Kalam describes two of his teachers.

What is the difference in the outlooks of these two teachers?
Ans. Abdul Kalam describes two teachers of his school days. When he was in the
fifth standard, a new teacher came to the class. Abdul Kalam was sitting in the
front row, next to his close friend Ramanadha Sastry. The teacher could not
tolerate that a Muslim boy should sit with a Brahmin boy. He sent Abdul Kalam
to the back bench. It made both Abdul Kalam and Ramanadha very sad. Later,
however, the teacher realised his mistake.
The attitude of Abdul Kalam’s science teacher was quite different. His name was
Sivasubramania lyer. He did not believe in social barriers and tried his best to
break them. One day he invited Abdul Kalam home for a meal. His wife was a
traditional lady. She refused to serve a Muslim boy into her kitchen. But Iyer
served Abdul Kalam with his own hands. Then he sat down beside him to eat his
meal. Thus we find that there is a lot of difference in the outlooks of the two
teachers.

Q 6. Describe the incident at Kalam’s school days when a new teacher

shifted him to the back row. What followed this incident?
Or
What mistake did the new teacher in Kalam’s elementary school commit
one day? How was he reformed?
Ans: Abdul Kalam was in the fifth standard at the Rameswaram Elementary
School when a new teacher came to their class. Kalam used to wear a cap which
marked him as a Muslim. He always sat in the front row next to his Brahmin
friend, Ramanadha Sastry. This new teacher could not tolerate a Muslim boy
sitting with the son of a Hindu priest. So, he asked Kalam to go and sit on the
back bench which, according to this new teacher, was in accordance with the
social ranking. This incident made both the boys very sad and brought tears to
Ramanadha’s eyes. They reported this incident to their respective parents.
Lakshmana Sastry, Ramanathan’s father, sent for the teacher and reprimanded
him for spreading the poison of social inequality and communal intolerance in
the minds of innocent children. He asked him to either apologise or quit school.
The teacher not only regretted his unbecoming behaviour but also reformed
himself.