Unit: One ( Short Stories )

Chapter: 1
Neighbours | By Tim Winton
| Summary |

About Writer

Tim Winton was an Austrian novelist and writer who was born on 4 August 1960. He writes novels
for both child and adult which deals with both the experience of life in and the landscape of his
native country. He competed with 35 other novelists for The Australian Literary Award resented for
the best-unpublished novel manuscript and won the prize in 1982 for his manuscript. Winton also
wrote many stories in which ‘Neighbours’ is one of them. The ‘Neighbours’ story was taken from
Migrants of Australia edited by Harwood Lawler.

Main theme/Idea of the story “Neighbours”

It is a story about a newly married couple living in a multicultural and multilingual suburb (an
outlying district of a city, especially a residential one) neighbourhood. It shows that cultural and
linguistic barriers cannot stop people from bestowing ( प्रद◌ान गद◌ै ) love and compassion. Every
member of society is like a part of the same family. There is no place for the things like ethics,
culture.

Summary:

The story “Neighbours” was written by Tim Winton, an Austrian novelist. This story tells us that
cultural and linguistic barriers cannot stop people from bestowing love and compassion. This story
also tells us that how much neighbours are important for us, no matter what their culture, tradition,
and ethics. They all become like a part of the same family when we are living together in the same
society.

This story starts, when a new-married young couple first comes to their new home, they feel strange
because of the new place and neighbourhood and their new culture dress and language. Their street
is full of European migrants. On their left, a Macedonia family lives, and on the right, a widow is
living there who was from Poland. A new couple’s house is small but it has a high ceiling and paned
window which give them the feel of the stylish cottage. From his study window, a young man sees a
car yard, rooftop, Moreton Bay (a bay located on the eastern coast of Australia) (park) where he
goes on a walk with their dog.

Before coming to a new home, he used to live in a residential area where good neighbours were
seldom seen and never heard. So, they assumed their new neighbour is the same. Young couples
have prejudices about their neighbours.

Macedonia family make shouted and ranted to new married young couple due to the unwanted
sound that comes from their room like washing, spitting, etc. This also makes a bad impression. It
took six months for a young couple to understand their neighbour only talking, not more than that.

The old polish man hammering the nails uselessly. He hammering the nails to woods to put out it
again. He only hammering the nail all time but does not make anything. And also, he dislikes a boy
next to his door who urinated in the street. He once saw him spraying urine on the cat from the back
step. The child’s head is always shaved. When he suddenly encounters the boy, he becomes afraid
and nervous because of his (cobalt eyes) bluish-gray. So, he doesn’t feel uncomfortable with them
for too many months. They feel strange and unpleasant and irritating there.

In the autumn, the young couple cleared rubbish from their backyard and turned and manured the
soil, and start planting vegetables. The neighbour suggests advice to a young man, the ways of
planting vegetables, how to spacing, hilling, mulching. He pays proper attention to their advice. And
also, a big woman with black eyes and a butcher’s arms gave her a bagful of garlic cloves to plant.

After some time, he built a henhouse but it fell down. A polish man who disturbs him at the
beginning comes without invitation and rebuilt it. They didn’t understand the word he speak after
helping because of their difference in their language. Now, They share their things with their
neighbours like cabbage, fire hood in autumn, etc. And they assist each other in the work.

The young man works on his thesis on developing the twenties century novel. He also cooks and
does other housework and his wife works outside in Hospital. This surprised the neighbours.

The couple learns many things from Macedonian family-like slaughter (kill an animal for food), how
to dress etc. Now, the couple feels comfortable with them. They enjoy telling stories etc. With each
other. They find themselves shouting along with neighbours and feel intoxicated towards
neighbours. Now, they are closer to their neighbours despite their cultural difference, language
differences, etc.

In the beginning, the young couple doesn’t like their neighbours. It was due to the prejudice of their
neighbours. Because in the beginning, neighbours disturbed the young couple by producing different
types of unwanted noise. But now, they like their neighbours and developed a positive attitude
toward their neighbours.

A young couple didn’t plan for a child but after sometimes a young woman gets pregnant. When
neighbours knew about their pregnancy, People smiled tirelessly at them. One neighbour gives him a
small gift that contains chocolates. Someone puts the name of the coming child, someone predicts
the new gust (child) is a boy. And one neighbour gives the baby a suit, complete with booties and
beanie. All the neighbours love, care for them during their pregnancy time. The young woman feels
happy, grateful.

Neighbours would assisted the young women in a hard time of pregnancy. When a baby is a birth,
whole neighbours celebrate it and welcome the new guest (child) in the world. After seeing his baby
and the helping nature and positive attitude of neighbours the young man crying. And he realizes
that twentieth-century novel had not prepared him for this.

Understanding the text

Answer the following questions.

Describe how the young couple’s house looked like.

A new couple’s house was small but it has a high ceiling and paned window which give them the feel
of the stylish cottage. From his study window, a young man sees a car yard, rooftop, Moreton Bay (a
bay located on the eastern coast of Australia) (park) where he goes on a walk with their dog.

How did the young couple identify their neighbours in the beginning of their arrival?

A young couple has prejudice about their neighbours at the beginning of their arrival. Before coming
to a new home, he used to live in a residential area where good neighbours were seldom seen and
never heard. So, they assumed their new neighbour is the same. And also, in the beginning, her
neighbours make different types of unwanted noise like which disturb and irritate them. This brings
a bad impression at the beginning of the story.

How did the neighbours help the young couple in the kitchen garden?

The young couple cleared rubbish from their backyard and turned and manured the soil, and start
planting vegetables. The neighbour suggests advice on a couple of ways of planting vegetables, how
to spacing, hilling, mulching. He pays proper attention to their advice. And also, a big woman with
black eyes and a butcher’s arms gave her a bagful of garlic cloves to plant.

Why were the people in the neighborhood surprised at the role of the young man and his wife in
their family?

The people in the neighbourhood were surprised at the role of the young man and his wife in their
family because generally in our culture, everybody has a concept that men do jobs out of the home
and women were made for doing household work only. But in the case of a young couple, there is
just the opposite; the woman is doing work out of the house and the man is doing household work
and writing his thesis all day. This surprised their neighbours.

How did the neighbours respond to the woman’s pregnancy?

When neighbours know about their pregnancy. People smiled tirelessly at them. One man gives him
a small gift which contains chocolates, someone puts the name of the coming child, someone
predicts the new gust (child) is a boy, someone gives the baby a suit, complete with booties and
beanie. All the neighbours love, care for them during their pregnancy time.

Why did the young man begin to weep at the end of the story?

Neighbours would assist the young women in a hard time of pregnancy. When a baby is a birth,
whole neighbours celebrate it and welcome the new guest (child) in the world. After seeing his baby
and the helping nature of neighbours the young man made a cry. And he realizes that twentieth-
century novel had not prepared him for this.

Why do you think the author did not characterize the persons in the story with proper names?

I think the author did not characterize the person in the story with proper names for focusing on
multiculturism rather than individualist. The writer wants to explain the cultural identity difference
and linguistic differences and geographical differences in the story. This also helps the writer to
explain how people play role models in society even from different cultural backgrounds and
linguistic backgrounds. The writer wants to draw the attention of the reader to the multiculturism
and linguistic differences of people living in the society rather than individualistic.

Reference to the context

The story shows that linguistic and cultural barriers do not create any obstacle in human
relationship. Cite some examples from the story where the neighbours have transcended such
barriers.

This story shows that linguistic and cultural barriers do not create any obstacle in human
relationships. In the story, we see that different types of people are living in a society that comes
from different cultural, religious backgrounds and also from different countries whom language
differs from one another. But they all living together like a family.

In this story, at the initial, the young couple doesn’t like their neighbours. It is due to the prejudice of
their neighbours because, in the beginning, neighbours disturb the young couple by producing
different types of unwanted noise. But now, they like their neighbours and develop a positive
attitude toward their neighbours. This also shows that new neighbours take some time to adjust as a
member of the same family (society).

The last sentence of the story reads “The twentieth-century novel had not prepared him for this.” In
your view, what differences did the young man find between twentieth-century novels and human
relations?

The last sentence of the story reads “The twentieth-century novel had not prepared him for
this”. The young man finds that the things written in the novel are not exactly or similar to the real
world life of humans. In the real world, humans have to face different difficulties, unpredictable
conditions, and marvel events. Like in the story, a young man is unknown about the pregnancy. The
things written in the novel are far different from what we experience in real life. So in the last of the
story, he realizes that the twentieth-century novel had not prepared him for this.

A Nepali proverb says “Neighbours are companions for wedding procession as well as for funeral
procession.” Does this proverb apply in the story? Justify.

A Nepali proverb says “Neighbours are companions for wedding procession as well as for funeral
procession”. Yes, this proverb perfectly applies to the story. This proverb says the in the wedding
procession means in the happiness and funeral procession means in the situation of sadness, on
both conditions neighbours are companions(साथी).

In this story, a young couples’ neighbours are love, care for them(young man and woman) not only
in their happy life but also in the pain at the time of pregnancy. This also shows that how much
neighbours are important for us, no matter what is the culture, tradition of neighbours. They all
became like a part of the same family when we are living together in the same society.

The author has dealt with an issue of multiculturalism in the story. Why do you think
multiculturalism has become a major issue in the present world?
Multiculturalism refers to the state of a society or the world in which the number of distinct ethnic
and cultural groups living.

It has become a major issue in the present world because it invites a number of social problems like
conflict, discrimination, grouprism, etc. Multiculturalism also may be the reason for the high crime
rate, political instability, discrimination in the recruitment, selection, and promotion of the job

Chapter : 2
“A Respectable Woman”
By Kate Chopin
Summary
Mrs. Baroda is somewhat disappointed to learn that her husband’s friend Gouvernail is planning to
spend a week or two at their plantation, since they had been busy all winter, and she had planned a
period of rest and conversation with her husband Gaston Baroda. She has never met Gouvernail,
although she knows that he and her husband had been friends in college and that he is now a
journalist. She pictures him as a tall, slim, cynical man and did not like the mental image, but when
she meets the slim but neither tall nor cynical Gouvernail, she finds that she actually likes him.

Mrs. Baroda cannot discern why she likes Gouvernail, since she does not see all of the positive traits
described by Gaston. He does not seem brilliant, but he does seem quiet and courteous in response
to her eagerness to welcome him and her husband’s hospitality. He makes no particular attempt to
impress her otherwise, and he enjoys sitting on the portico and listening to Gaston describe sugar
planting, although he does not like to fish or hunt.

Although Gouvernail puzzles Mrs. Baroda, he is lovable and inoffensive. She leaves him alone with
her husband at first but soon begins to accompany him on walks as she attempts to overcome his
reticence. Her husband tells her that he will stay for another week and asks why she does not wish
him to stay. She responds that she would prefer him to be more demanding, which amuses Gaston.

Gaston tells Mrs. Baroda that Gouvernail does not expect a commotion over his presence and that
he simply wishes for a break from his busy life, although she declares that she expected him to be
more interesting. Later that night, she sits by herself on a bench, feeling confused and wanting to
leave the plantation for a while, having told her husband that she might go to the city in the morning
and stay with her aunt. While she sits, Gouvernail sees her and sits next to her, not knowing her
displeasure at his presence.
Gouvernail hands her a scarf on Gaston’s behalf and murmurs about the night, and his silence
disappears as he becomes talkative for the first time. He speaks to her of the old days and of his
desire for a peaceful existence. She does not listen to his words so much as his voice, and she thinks
of drawing him closer, although she resists because she is “a respectable woman.” Eventually, she
leaves, and Gouvernail remains behind, finishing his address to the night.

Mrs. Baroda wants to tell Gaston of her strange folly, but she realizes sensibly that she must handle
this feeling by herself. The next morning, she leaves for the city and does not return until Gouvernail
departs. Gaston wants Gouvernail to return the next summer, but she refuses. She later changes her
mind, delighting her husband, who tells her that Gouvernail did not deserve her dislike. She kisses
her husband and tells him that she has “overcome everything” and that she will now treat him more
nicely.

Or

A Respectable Woman by Kate Chopin was initially published in Vogue Magazine in the year 1894.
This story has presented a set of a sugar plantation in Louisiana. This is the story of a woman
struggling to understand her desires.

Mrs. Baroda was unhappy to hear about Gouvernail's visit to their plantation. Her husband
Gaston's information about Gouvernail made her upset because she had planned to take a rest
and converse after their busy winter and mild separation. She hadn't met Gouvernail before and
only heard about him through her husband.

Mrs. Baroda unconsciously pictured him to be slim, tall, cynical with eyeglasses and hands into his
pockets. She didn't like him in her imagination. When Gouvernail arrived and presented himself,
Mrs. Baroda was fascinated towards him. But she found him quite different in various aspects. He
was quite different from her husband's description. She became quite puzzled and tired to find
Gouvernail's simple and reserved personality. Gouvernail behaved quite simply and didn't pay
much attention to Mrs. Baroda. Mrs. Baroda found various lack within him. She also discussed his
reserved nature with her husband. She even tried to avoid him but there was no change in
Gouvernail's nature. She walked along with him to change his reserved nature.

One night, she was sitting on a bench alone. She planned to leave the plantation for while. In the
meantime, Gouvernail arrived there and sat just beside her. He provided her with a scarf on Gaston's
behalf. He started talking about the nighttime, the olden days and his liking towards peaceful living.
Mrs. Baroda found him talkative for the first time. She didn't listen to his words but felt attracted to
his voice's tones. She wanted to reach out her hand towards him and touch his face or lips with her
sensitive tips of fingers. She wanted to whisper on his cheek. But she controlled herself. Her self
dignity of being a respectable woman and wife prevented her doing this great mistake. She stood
and left the place. Next, she delighted her husband saying that she had overcome everything and
she will treat Gouvernail very nicely the next time.

BEFORE READING
Discuss the following questions:

a. How do you feel if someone lives in your house as a guest for a long time?

Answer:

I don't feel good if someone lives in my house as a guest for a long time. I feel disturbance most of
the time to find guest in my house. Due to the presence of guest, I have to change the way of my
living style.

b. Have you ever changed your opinion about a person after meeting her/him?

Answer:

Yes, I have done this my times in my life before. I have recently changed my opinions about a person
called Ramlal. I expected him to be a decent and courteous guy, but after meeting him, I realised him
to be the worst person I have ever met. He is a man who keeps on using abusive words in every
second of his talk.

Answer the following questions:

a. Why was Mrs. Baroda unhappy with the information about Gouvernail’s visit to their farm?

Answer:

Mrs. Baroda was unhappy with the information about Gouvernail's visit to their farm because she
had planned to take unbroken rest and converse privately with her husband Mr. Gaston Baroda after
their joyous winter as well as mild separation during their stay in New Orleans.

b. How was Gouvernail different from Mrs. Baroda’s expectation?

Answer:

Mrs. Baroda had never met Gouvernail in her life before due to various reasons. She had learned
various things about him through her husband. Before meeting him, she pictured him unconsciously
as slim, tall, cynical with eyeglasses and hands into his pockets. She didn't like him while picturing
him. But, when she met him, she found him different from her expectation. She found him slim,
neither tall nor cynical. At the very first sight, she found herself attracted to him. But Gouvernail's
personality puzzled her later on. She found him different from other guests as well as less friendly
which made her feel tired. Gouvernail never attempted to impress her nor responded to her acts.

c. How does Mrs. Baroda compare Gouvernail with her husband?

Answer:

Mrs. Baroda compares Gouvernail with her husband in the following manner:
▪ Mrs. Baroda finds her husband as a social, frank and friendly guy whereas Gouvernail as a guy of
reserved nature.

▪ Her husband seems a man with words whereas Gouvernail seems less talkative.

▪ She finds a lack of brilliancy and positive traits within Gouvernail than her husband.

▪ Gouvernail seems much simple and courteous than her husband's frank hospitality.

▪ Gouvernail doesn't seem interested in fishing and hunting whereas her husband is.

d. Why and how did Mrs. Baroda try to change Gouvernail’s solitary habits?

Answer:

Mrs. Baroda became quite tired to find her guest uninterested. She didn't even find any reaction
within him when she showed her rude manner of leaving him alone with her husband at first. She
tried to change Gouvernail's solitary habits because she wanted him to be more demanding and
interesting. For that, she started accompanying him in his idle walks up to the mills and along the
batture (an alluvial land by a riverside, especially in low land areas).

e. How does Gaston disagree with his wife on Gouvernail’s character?

Answer:

Gaston disagrees with his wife on Gouvernail's character saying that Gouvernail doesn't expect
commotion over his presence. According to him, Gouvernail needs a break from his busy life which is
full of works. Against his wife's opinions, he supports Gouvernail's character saying that he has all
the positive traits like friendliness, frankness, talkativeness and social nature.

f. Why is Gaston surprised with his wife’s expression towards the end of the story?

Answer:

Gaston is surprised by his wife's expression towards the end of the story because his wife's
expression was quite puzzling enough for him to understand. She states that she has overcome
everything and she will be nice to him on his next visit. Her strange statement in delighting tone
makes Gaston feel surprised.

REFERENCE TO THE CONTEXT

a. What is the cause of conflict in Mrs. Baroda’s mind? What role does Mrs. Baroda ‘being a
respectable woman’ play in the story?

Answer:
The cause of conflict in Mrs. Baroda's mind is her attraction towards her husband's friend
Gouvernail. She finds herself attracted to him at very first sight. She is puzzled in her act of liking a
person like Gouvernail. Mrs. Baroda 'being a respectable woman' plays a very vital role to control
her desires and prevent her from doing immoral acts. Her self dignity of being a respectable woman
and wife makes her aware of her social reputation and even the limitations of social norms and
values.

b. Sketch the character of Gouvernail and contrast it with Gaston.

Answer:

Gouvernail is one of the major characters of this short story "A Respectable Woman" by Kate
Chopin. He has played the role of a visitor who has come to spend his one or two weeks in Mr.
Gatson Baroda's sugar plantation in Louisiana. He is a friend of Mr. Gaston during their school time.
He is a slim guy with average height. He has visited Barodas' plantation to spend his time and take a
rest from his tiresome busy life. He presents himself quite simply and in a courteous manner in
response to Baroda's welcome and hospitality. He spends his time on the plantation in a very quite
reserved manner. He doesn't pay much attention to Mrs. Baroda. He likes to live a peaceful life
without any disturbance. He is not interested in fishing and hunting. Mrs. Baroda doesn't find him
interesting. For her, he doesn't seem clever, brilliant or a man of ideas as described by her husband
Mr. Gaston earlier. Gouvernail has been accompanied by her to change him. Gouvernail is seen
breaking his silence at the end of the story while sitting on a bench just beside her. He remains in
Baroda's house as a simple guest and his reserved nature creates a bit of tension between Mr.
Gaston and Mrs. Baroda.

On the other hand, Mr. Gatson Baroda seems quite sociable, frank and friendly. He is a quite caring
husband. He loves and trusts his wife so much. He addresses his wife Mrs. Baroda using lovely
names as 'chereamie' and 'ma belle'. He is a wealthy sugar planter and often has positive thinking.
He doesn't feel good to hear his wife disliking opinions about Gouvernail. He tries his best to
persuade his wife about Gouvernail. He is a brilliant man with a hobby of fishing and hunting. He
nicely treats his guests and provides them good hospitality. Thus, both Mr. Gaston and Gouvernail
are seen quite different in the story.

c. Why does Mrs. Baroda not disclose her feelings towards Gouvernail to her husband?

Answer:

Mrs. Baroda doesn't disclose her feelings towards Gouvernail to her husband because she wants to
handle the situation herself by being sensible. She feels much disturbed and puzzled due to
Gouvernail's reserved nature. She is troubled by her inner conflict. She wants to reveal her great
folly of last night to her husband at first. But later on, she desires to tackle her problem herself. As a
respectable woman or a wife, she thinks that being human, some battles of life should be handled
alone.
d. The last three sentences of the story bring a kind of twist. After reading these three sentences,
how do you analyze Mrs. Baroda’s attitude towards Gouvernail?

Answer:

Kate Chopin's writings always direct her readers towards brilliant and ambiguous closings. She often
created twists in her creations at last. The last three sentences of Mrs. Baroda create a kind of
confusion for all the readers. After reading her statements, I think she will treat Gouvernail more
nicely the next time but being a respectable woman or a wife. She will surely overcome the folly of
her first experience. She will present herself as a perfect host without expecting such desires as
before.

REFERENCE BEYOND THE CONTEXT

a. The entry of an outsider into a family has been a recurring subject in both literature and films.
Narrate a story real or imaginative where an outsider’s arrival destroys the intimate relationship
between the husband and the wife and causes break up in marital relationship without direct fault
of anyone. Anton’s Chekhov’s story ‘About Love’ is a story on this subject.

Answer:

The story of "About Love" has been written by a Russian writer Anton Chekhov. "About Love" is a
story about love affairs. Here in this story, the third love story somewhat reflects the same ideas as
seen in the story of Kate Chopin's "A Respectable Woman".

The third story has presented the love story of the major character Alyohin and Anna, the wife of
Dimitry Luganovich.

When Alyohin is elected for honorary justice of the peace, he has to go to town for work. There he
meets another judge whose name is Dimitry Luganovich. Once he goes to the house of Luganovich
to have dinner. There he meets Anna Luganovich, the wife of Dimitry Luganovich. The beauty, youth
and intelligence of Anna attract him. Alyohin’s mind is disturbed by Anna’s memory. He starts
meeting with her. They pass time together for hours. They share gifts. They go to the theatre and
also share their joys and sorrows. Alyohin falls in love with her, but his morals and thoughts stop him
to express his love openly. As a result, Anna suffers from mental tiredness. Both of them suffer a
lot due to middle-class moralities. But later on, Alyohin sees the illusion that Anna enjoys her life
and doesn’t pay attention to him. Due to their relationship, Anna suffers from mental tiredness.
Finally, the Luganovich family has to move. Alyohin goes to say goodbye to Anna inside the train.
When their eyes meet for the last time, both cry and hug each other. Alyohin kisses Anna and
expresses his deep love. Finally, both separate from each other because Anna is leaving for Creamea
for her treatment.
b. Mrs. Baroda makes an expectation about Gouvernail even before meeting him. Suppose you are a
mature girl/boy and your family members are giving you pressure for getting married. Write in about
200 words describing what qualities you would like to get in your future husband/wife.

Answer:

Marriage is a sacred relationship between two people. It is a union of two or more people that
creates a family tie and carries legal, social or religious rights and responsibilities. Before marriage,
we need to think as well as know about the person with whom we are going to get married. It is a
lifelong relationship that's why we have to choose a perfect life partner.

If I get pressure from my family members for getting married, I would like to have the following
qualities in my future wife.

1. Lovable and caring:

My future wife must be lovable and caring. She must be lovable and caring for all my family
members.

2. Well mannered:

She must be well mannered. She should be polite and well mannered to all.

3. Beautiful:

She must be beautiful not only from her physical appearance but also from her heart. She should be
outstanding in performing the role in the family.

4. Responsible and respectable:

She must be a responsible and respectable wife. She must know her responsibilities towards family
and spend her life being a respectable wife.

5. Educated:

She must be highly qualified and know the way of educating others. She must have the quality of
making others realize the importance of education in life.

Chapter : 3
A Devoted Son
By Anita Desai
Summary
This story "A Devoted Son" is a story based on familial relationships. This story has been written by
an Indian author Anita Desai. This story has been extracted from a story collection called "The
Complete Story Stories". This story has presented a story of a man named Dr. Rakesh of India. The
story has focused on his unselfish devotion towards his family members especially his father. Rakesh
family background was so poor. His grandparents used to sell vegetables in the market. His parents
were quite laborious. His father used to work in a kerosene depot. His mother spent her life honestly
caring for family members and household tasks. Rakesh was full of good manners and brilliant
student since his childhood.

The story starts with good news in the morning time. Rakesh touched his father's feet and
revealed his top pass marks in the country. All his family members and neighbours
celebrated the occasion as a festival. Next, Rakesh won a scholarship through his MD thesis
and made his family members happy and proud. His father didn't like the term America. He
only learnt to say the USA. Rakesh moved to the USA and completed his medical degree
easily. He returned to his homeland after earning experience and money. His parents were
surprised to find him back in India. He married an uneducated village girl against his parents'
will. His wife was a fat pretty woman who was so careful about her household tasks. Rakesh
started his job in the city hospital and he did his job quite honestly there. He got a
promotion soon. Later he left his job at the city hospital and started his clinic. He remained
dutiful towards his profession and became able to get name, money and popularity. He
became so happy at the time of his son's birth.

Next, Rakesh became so sad about the death of his mother. His father Varma suffered from
depression. Due to his old age, he was even retired from his job. He started falling ill
mysteriously and frequently. Rakesh provided him with much care. He cared overall
activities of his father. He even postponed his son's birthday party to recover his father's
health. He provided his father with morning tea in a brass tumbler. He read morning
newspapers for his father. He became angry with his father to find him giving bribes for
jalebis to his son. He banned Varma's desirable foodstuffs as sojjie-halwa, oily and other
foodstuffs. Varma got irritated to find his son and daughter-in-law activities. He started
complaining about them to his friend Bhatiya. Their relationship became quite weak. Varma
cried and even smashed the bottles of medicine and asked his son to let him die. He wanted
to spend his remaining days enjoying and eating his desirable foodstuffs. But Rakesh kept on
providing his services to his father being a devoted son till the end. He didn't step back in the
matter of his devotion

UNDERSTANDING THE TEXT

Answer the following questions.

a. How did the morning papers bring ambiance of celebration in the Varma family?

Answer:

The morning paper brought ambiance of celebration in the Varma family with the joyous
news of Rakesh's achievement in his academic life. It contained the news of Rakesh's highest
pass marks in the whole country.
b. How did the community celebrate Rakesh’s success?

Answer:

The community celebrated Rakesh's success in a very splendid way. As the community
people knew about Rakesh's achievement, they arrived at Rakesh's house and congratulated
him as well as his family members. They celebrated the day as a festival with sound and
colours. They blessed Rakesh by providing blessings and gifts. People were served with a
delicious halwa. All of them became quite happy and felt pride in Rakesh's achievement.

c. Why was Rakesh’s success a special matter of discussion in the neighbourhood?

Answer:

Rakesh's success was a special matter of discussion in the neighbourhood because he was
the first son in Varma's family who passed his higher education with top marks in the whole
country. His parents had sacrificed their whole life doing hard labour to make their son
literate. The people of the neighbourhood liked Rakesh and his manners. They felt pride in
his achievement.

d. How does the author make fun with the words ‘America’ and ‘the USA’?

Answer:

The Author makes fun with the words ‘America’ and ‘the USA’ by presenting the opinions of
Varma regarding the words. The author has presented fun through Varma's opinions saying
that he has never called the country's name America. He has only learnt to say 'The USA'. For
Varma, ignorant neighbours only say America. He asks all his family members to say 'The
USA'. The author has even mentioned the prohibition of Varma to his family members in the
matter of saying the word 'America'.

e. How does the author characterize Rakesh’s wife?

Answer:

The author characterizes Rakesh's wife in a quite ironic tone. According to the author, his
wife is the daughter of Varma's family old friend. His wife is so pretty and fat woman. She is
uneducated and old-fashioned. She seems too lazy but she is a quite placid and pleasant
woman. She tries her best to please others through her household tasks.
f. Describe how Rakesh rises in his career.

Answer:

Rakesh is quite a hardworking and brilliant student since his childhood. He belongs to very
poor family background. He has keen love and respect towards his family members. Due to
his father's hard sacrifices and his labour, he is able to pass his higher education with top
marks in the whole country. Later on, he writes a thesis for his MD and wins a scholarship to
study further in the USA. He easily passes his medical education over there and gets a
chance to work in the best hospitals. He gets experience and earning there in America. He
returns to his homeland and starts his job in the city hospital. Due to his sincerity and dutiful
behaviour, he gets promoted. He becomes able to get the rank of Director in the hospital.
Later on, he leaves the city hospital and starts his clinic. He gets success in his clinic too. He
becomes able to earn name, fame and money. He becomes the richest doctor in the town.

g. How does the author describe Rakesh’s family background?

Answer:

The author describes Rakesh's family background showing the miserable condition of his
family. Rakesh belongs to very poor and illiterate family background. His grandparents used
to do the business of vegetable vendors. His father has worked so hard for forty years in
kerosene depot. His mother has spent her life as a housewife doing her household tasks.
They have a small yellow house at the end of the road.

h. What is the impact of Rakesh’s mother’s death on his father?

Answer:

There is quite a bad impact of Rakesh's mother's death on his father. His father felt quite sad
and his body starts reacting badly. He starts complaining each time. He is seen ill frequently
with mysterious diseases. His son Rakesh isn't even able to find out the real cause of his
frequent illness. His acts are quite uncommon. Due to his acts, all his family members have
to watch him being fearful and even cry to see his state. He spits his red bettle juice from his
mouth anywhere he likes as if he tries to mock his family members' behaviour.

i. What did Rakesh do to make his father’s old age more comfortable?

Answer:

Rakesh tried his best to comfort his father. To make his father's old age more comfortable,
he used to bring morning tea for his father in his favourite brass tumbler. He used to read
out morning news for his father. He used to advise him to move outside in the garden. He
helped his father getting him down from the bed, taking him outside under the stars during
the night. He banned various foodstuffs for his father's good health. He banned sojjie-halwa,
oily and other unhealthy foodstuffs for him. He provided his father with those items which
were boiled and less oily.

j. Why did the old man try to bribe his grandchildren?

Answer:

The old man tried to bribe his grandchildren to fulfil his desire for sweet items. He was
banned with his desirable foodstuffs at home. He wanted to eat jalebis from the shop at the
crossroads. He provided his grandchildren bribes to bring jalebis from the shop and eat
secretly.

k. Are Mr Varma's complaints about his diets reasonable? How?

Answer:

No, Mr. Varma's complaints about his diets aren't reasonable. His son Rakesh had banned
some of his unhealthy diets. He hadn't allowed him to have sweets, oily foods and other
unhealthy foodstuffs only to improve his health. He cared for him a lot just for his healthy
life. He wanted his father to be healthy and only have healthy food and drinks.

Being a devoted son, he didn't want to lose his father. As a doctor, he was aware of various
diseases which were increasing in the town with high speed. He knew very well about old
people's health risks. He wanted to keep his father away from getting weak and ill.

REFERENCE TO THE CONTEXT

a. How did Varma couple make sacrifices for their son's higher education?

Answer:

Varma couple made sacrifices for their son's higher education by doing hard labour in their
entire lifetime. They had a lifelong dream about their son's education. To achieve their
dream, Varma had worked hard for forty years in a kerosene depot whereas his wife had
devoted herself honestly to household tasks.
Mr. Varma had never stepped inside the school in his life. As the son of a vegetable vendor,
he didn't get a chance for his studies. But he desired quality education for his son Rakesh. He
became able to accomplish his goal and turned his dream into reality. His son Rakesh was
the first son in the family to receive higher education. Varma and his wife finally got the
fruits of their sacrifices. The achievement which they got was quite golden and glorious.

b. Mr. Varma suffers from diseases one after another after his wife's death. Would he have
enjoyed better health if she had not died before him? Give reasons.

Answer:

Yes, he would have enjoyed better health if his wife had not died before him. Mr. Varma
suffered from illness mysteriously and fell ill frequently. His body started reacting badly after
the death of his wife. Rakesh even didn't get a proper idea behind his father's frequent
illness. Varma was quite good while his wife was alive. He seemed so happy and satisfied in
his mentality. But after his wife's death, he found himself alone and suffered from
depression. He started doing unusual activities. He felt broken into pieces.

Due to his health hazards, he was prohibited to eat his preferred foodstuffs. He reacted even
more badly after that. He supposed himself as if he was disliked and ignored. At last, he
preferred dying rather than taking medicines.

c. Dr. Rakesh found himself is divided between a doctor and a son. As a son, he loves his
father and worries about his weakening health, but as a doctor, he is strict on his father’s
diet and medicine. In your view, what else could Rakesh have done to make his father’s final
years more comfortable?

Answer:

In my view, Rakesh could have done the following things to make his father's final year more
comfortable:

1. He could have treated his father more friendly instead of shouting at him.

2. He could have tried to understand his father's feelings instead of becoming tensed about
his health.

3. He could have tried to make his father happy all the time instead of being strict.
4. He could have provided his father with mental support.

5. He could have brought a bit of change within himself instead of changing his father.

d. What does the story say about the relationship between grandfather and grandchildren?

Answer:

In most families, we find bond relationships between grandparents and grandchildren. This
story has also presented a fine relationship between grandfather and grandchildren. Varma
has his small friends in the house who are his grandchildren. He feels mentally sad due to
Rakesh's activities. For him, his grandchildren are his best friends with whom he plays and
passes his lonely time. The act of banning his desirable foodstuffs by Rakesh makes him do a
bad deed in the house. He starts trying to fulfil his demands through his little grandchild. He
starts providing bribes to his grandchild to get jalebis for him. The act of Varma is not good
at all. Here, we find him seeking benefits from an innocent child who doesn't know the
meaning of bribe. Grandparents must be good teachers for their grandchildren. But Varma is
seen doing just the opposite of this. He is seen teaching his grandchild a bad deed.

e. Do you call Rakesh a devoted son? Give reasons.

Answer:

Yes, I call Rakesh a devoted son. This story has mainly focused on the relationship between a
father and son.

Rakesh is a very good son full of manners. He always respects his family members. He passes
his medical education in America and returns to his homeland for the sake of his family
members. The act of marrying an uneducated village girl is also for the welfare of his family
members. He only thinks about them though they feel surprised about his decision of
marrying a village girl. He always remains faithful and honest towards his family members.
He only provides them with a sense of pride in his achievements. He never becomes boastful
and ungrateful towards his family members. He has tried a lot for his parents in his life. After
the death of his mother, he has experienced hardships a lot. His father falls ill frequently and
mysteriously. He tries his best to keep his father away from illness and weakness. He never
steps back in the matter of his father's care. He only gives priority to his father's health. His
father becomes angry with him but he never leaves his devotion towards his father. He
remains honest, faithful and devoted towards his father till the end.
REFERENCE BEYOND THE TEXT

a. Write an essay on The Parents’ Ambition for their Children in Nepali Society. You must
give at least five examples.

Answer:

The parents are the base of children. They are the main people who are recognized for their
lifelong sacrifices and hard labour for their children. They play a vital role in shaping the
bright future of their children. They always think about their children's future and happiness
being optimistic.

In the context of Nepali society, we find parents quite careful and ambitious in the matter of
shaping their children's bright careers. They serve their children their lifetime with feelings
of love and affection towards them. They are too ambitious about their children. They give
much preferences in children's overall activities and take their interests in various factors
that help to shape their children's bright future. Following are some of the ambitions of
parents in Nepali society.

1. Parents in Nepali society are quite ambitious about their children's good manners. They
always try to teach them good manners along with the knowledge of cultural and religious
aspects.

2. Parents in Nepali society always take care of their children's demands' fulfilment. They are
seen fulfilling their children's right demands.

3. Nepali parents give much preference to their children's quality education. For them,
quality education is the best way to shape their children's bright future.

4. They want to see their children's progress in their lives. They feel quite happy to find their
children's achievements.

5. The parents expect a lot from their children. They desire their children's love, care and
support in their old ages.
b. Medicines replace our diets in old age. What can be done to make old age less dependent
on medicine?

Answer:

Old age refers to a part of life that comes after the prime age. It is the final stage of human
life. This age is considered the age of weakness and illness. This age depends on varieties of
medicinal support. At this age, old people suffer a lot because of various health-related
problems. Medicines replace diets in old age and the body starts reacting differently. Due to
the usage of varieties of medicines, the body becomes so weak and provides pains

Following are some of the tips with the help of which we can make our old age less
dependent on the medicine.

1. Avoiding unhealthy foodstuffs.

2. Sufficient usage of healthy foodstuffs.

3. Fine management in drinking pure water.

4. Avoiding mental stress.

5. Concentrating on daily physical activities.

6. Trying to adopt a hygienic living style.

c. Write an essay on “Care of Elderly Citizens” in about 300 words.

Answer: Care of Elderly Citizens

Elderly citizens are known as those senior citizens who are above sixty. These are the people
who are living their lives at homes or old age homes. These people are considered as retired
people from their jobs as well as responsibilities. These people suffer a lot due to their
unstable health conditions. At this age, they lack various things in their lives. Their old age
provides them pains only. In this old age, they lose their physical as well as mental support.
They suffer a lot due to various kinds of diseases. Varieties of health risks are seen within
them. Their acts are uncommon sometimes. Most of the elderly citizens are seen
complaining about various things. The loneliness in their life makes them one-sided and
irritable. They are seen as monotonous and even depressed.

In this old and painful age, they need proper care and support each time. They have a
bundle of expectations in their lives. They want to see conditions in their favour. They
always seek a fine company to share their experiences and ideas. They want to spend their
 remaining days happily along with their close people. Caring for elderly citizens is one of the
moral duties. It only requires paying attention to their needs.

Elderly citizens must be respected, cared as well as loved. Everyone should be aware of their
responsibilities towards elderly citizens. The task of caring for senior citizens must be given
importance. It is the stage where all the humans reach one day and expects a lot from their
younger. Elderly citizens have been treated well for their lifelong contributions to us.

As humans, we have to follow the concept of humanity in our lives. Human relationships are
beyond all aspects. We must not forget elderly people's roles which they had spent in
shaping up our lives. We need to be positive all the time about them. We should try our best
to fulfil our elders' desires and demands. The task of devoting our lives towards their care
itself is a great way of getting satisfaction in our lives. Our support and care provide them
with a hope to live further. We should try to provide them with smiles all the time on their
faces. We must think about them and their importance in the family. We should be aware of
the fact that nothing is more than humanity.

Chapter: 4
The Treasure in the forest
By H. G. Wells

Main Summary

‘The Treasure in the Forest’ is an ominous adventure story in which two men search for Spanish
treasure, letting greed get the better of their awareness. As the story moves ahead to show how
power and greed corrupt human beings. It recounts the story of two guys who murder a Chinese
man to steal his treasure map.

This story is a suspense story about two treasure seekers, Evans and Hooker, who kill a Chinese man
in order to steal his map, which points to a hidden cache of gold ingots. Hooker examined the map,
which the narrator had disclosed they had stolen from Chang-hi, a Chinese man they had killed
during the heist. Chang-hi had stumbled across a Spanish galleon's loot and chose to bury it
somewhere, according to his map. Although the map was imprecise, the island's shape could be
seen clearly.

Evans and Hooker are confused by one feature of the map: a section of it is covered with dashes
pointing in all directions. They found the location shown on the map and paddled their canoe into
the heart of the island, through the jungle. They found the map's identifying pile of stones right
away, but next to it was the purple and bloated corpse (dead body) of a Chinese guy who had
obviously been digging for the treasure, since they could see some half-exposed yellow gold bars in
the pit he had been excavating.

According to the guys, the Chinaman was one of Chang hi's henchmen who had made a conscious
decision to attempt and snag the wealth for himself. Evans begins to pick up the gold ingots to
return them to the boat, but he is pricked by a thorn. Evans's arms ached, he got hot, and he began
to convulse after approximately a hundred yards as the two men carried as much gold as they could
carry back to the boat in Evans's jacket.

"Similar to those the Dyaks poison" and use in their blowing tubes, Chang-hi safeguarded his wealth
with thorns, which Hooker accidentally pricked when rearranging the ingots on Evans' jacket after
Evans' death. Evans sobbed, immobile save for a terrible spasmodic quiver of his limbs. The jungle
was deafeningly quiet. Suddenly, Hooker started sucking desperately at the pink area on the ball of
his thumb on the verge of suffocating. His arms and shoulders ached strangely, and bending his
fingers became impossible. Sucking became obvious to him at that point.

When Hooker suddenly stopped, sitting down beside the mound of ingots and resting his chir on his
hands and his elbows on his knees, he looked at the deformed but still twitching corpse of his friend.
He pictured Chang hi's smile as he thought about it. The dull ache crept up his neck and down to his
throat, where it intensified with time. He could see some white petals of an unfamiliar flower
drifting down from above, moved by a light wind. The tale concludes with Hooker dying next to the
"still twitching" corpse of his friend.

Understanding the text

Answer the following questions.

a. Describe the expository scene of the story.

= In the expository scene of the story, we see two characters, Evans and Hooker, sailing in the boat,
holding a map in hand, and were seen perplexed as they did not understand the map. They were
approaching a land nearby, which was a dense forest.

b. What does the map look like and how do Evan and Hooker interpret it?

= The map was a little bit torn, and since it was older, the paper was also unclear. Somehow, they
succeed in decoding the symbols in the map. They make their destination to the dotted lines area,
which according to them, is the place where the treasure was hidden.

c. How did Evan and Hooker know about the treasure?

= Evan and Hooker had known about the treasure that was buried and protected by Chang-hi in a
secret place while the Chinese man was having the chit chat with his three friends in the jungle. The
Chinese men were talking about the treasure in an English accent in front of a roaring fire. Evans and
Hooker sneaked up behind them and eavesdropped on their plot to locate the hidden treasure.
d. Describe Evan’s dream.

Evan daydreamed while on his boat and it was a pretty strange dream. After closing his eyes, he was
shocked to discover many pictures in his dream. He got the vision of himself and Hooker when they
were searching for something in the forest. An English accent conversation between three Chinese
men about the forests' riches drew their attention. Their pals moved closer to them to better hear
them. A Chinese man was talking to them about Spanish treasures.

There was a battle between them in which Chang-hi was killed. After some silence, Chang-hi
suddenly burst out laughing. Evan saw a big devil-like Chang-hi with a massive black tail in the center
of a pile of gold, calling his name.

e. What do the two treasure hunters see when they walk towards the island?

The two treasure hunters, Evans and Hooker saw three palm palms, a large number of plants and
inside it, a semi decayed dead body of a Chinese guy lying face down on the grass.

f. In what condition did the treasure hunters find the dead man?

=The treasure hunters found the dead man in a swollen and partially spoiled state. They slowly
approached the corpse, cutting big white blossoms and thick bushes. When Evans inspected the
deceased's body, he found that he was a Chinese man. Only a few gold ingots were scattered around
his deceased's body.

g. How did the treasure hunters try to carry gold ingots to the canoe?

= They wanted to carry as much as gold as they could to the boat. So, they filled their jackets with
gold ingots and started delivering it to the boat. Doing so, Evans feels the thorn poisonous prick and
soon starts dying in the pain. Hooker was still hungry for the gold and treasure, so he assembled the
scattered gold ingots and started carrying them to the canoe. However, both get brutally hurt at the
end of the story.

h. How were Evan and Hooker poisoned?

= Chang-Hi had protected the treasure with poisonous thorns as indicated in the map with Dashes(---
). While carrying the ingots to canoe, Evans feels the arm ache and falls to the ground. But he stills
suggests Hooker take them to canoe. But, When Hooker starts carrying them again, he also feels a
thorn prick and gets poisoned. Hooker's thumb was pierced by a thin thorn, and eventually, both got
poisoned.

hand and scattered on the ground. Hooker put the gold back on the coat. While collecting gold, a
thorn is pricked in his hand and he also gets poisoned.

Reference to the Context

a. How do you know the story is set on a tropical island?

A tropical island is a region that is hot and surrounded by water and an ever-growing jungle of vines,
trees, and darkness. The trees making a canopy of the jungle hide what lies underneath. There is no
sound of an insect, bird, or reptile, no call of a human voice, only the steady rhythmical lap of the
sea. In the story, characters are moving in such a place. Thus, we came to know that the story is set
on a tropical island.

b. Why do you think Evan and Hooker took such a risk of finding the buried treasure in a desert
island?

Evan and Hooker are more interested in receiving treasures and become rich and powerful in a short
time. There is greed besides his thought of taking such a risk. Evan and Hooker kill the chinaman and
robbed the map of treasure because of his desire to live like a king. There is no sign of poverty and
trouble in their life. Their family can live a good happy life. There are the some reason Evan aand
Hooker took such a risk of finding the buried treasure in a desert island.

c. Do you think the narrator of the story is racist? If yes, what made him feel superior to other races?

Yes, the narrator is racist because he is treated his character unfairly. A racist is a person who is
prejudiced against or antagonistic towards a person or people on the basis of their membership of a
particular racial or ethnic group, typically one that is a minority or marginalized. The word used in
the story ‘Englishman'(Evans and Hooker) and ‘Chinaman’ reveal the psychology of the narrator how
he groups the person with their inhabitant. In this story, we also see that two English men robbed
and killed the chinaman which shows the English man is more powerful and superior than chinaman.

d. What do you think is the moral of the story?

This story represents that greed(लोभ) is the big enemy of a person and also shows the weakness for
money and wealth on persons. The end of greed is destructive. We must focus and understand each
thing before making any decision on it. Otherwise, it result is bad like Evans and Hooker. We must
prepare before going anywhere.

Chapter : 5
My old Home
By Lu Xun
Summary
The story takes place in a small village of China where the narrator grew up. He visits back to his old
home. Although his home town is not improved, it is not so depressing. The main purpose in coming
back to his old home is to bid his home an everlasting farewell, and to move his family to another
place where he works. While being there, he has different flash backs of his boyhood. He looks back
on a special friendship with Jun-tu that did not last very long. He has wonderful memories of and
with Jun-tu.

When the narrator first met Jun-tu, he was just over ten. That year it was his family's turn to take
charge of a big ancestral sacrifice. It was necessary to guard the sacrificial vessels. Jun-tu was told to
look after the sacrificial vessels after the narrator’s father had given permission. He was overjoyed
because long since he heard of Jun-tu and knew that he was about his own age.

The narrator happens to meet Mrs. Yang who used to sit in the beancurd shop nearly all day long.
Everybody used to call her Beancurd Beauty. Then Jun-tu comes to see the narrator. He has grown to
twice his former size. He acts like the narrator is his master and has a higher ranking than him.

The narrator and his mother find that Jun-tun is struggling against poverty. After his departure, his
mother says that they should offer him all the things they are not going to take away, letting him
choose for himself. That afternoon he picks out two long tables, four chairs, an incense burner and
candlesticks, and one balance. He also asks for all the ashes from the stove.

At the end of the story, the narrator along with his nephew and his mother leaves his old home. He
realizes that all of the memories and even his old home are being left behind.

TEXTBOOK'S QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS

Answer the following questions.

a. How do you feel if you visit a place after an interval of ten years?

Answer: I feel very excited if I visit a place after an interval of ten years. I feel extremely happy to
revisit the place which I visited once.
b. Who is your best childhood friend? What special memories do you share with him/her?

Answer: My best childhood friend is Ramesh. I share our past days' picnic memories with him. Those
moments of our picnics are so entertaining and unforgettable for both of us.

visited once.

b. Who is your best childhood friend? What special memories do you share with him/her?

Answer: My best childhood friend is Ramesh. I share our past days' picnic memories with him. Those
moments of our picnics are so entertaining and unforgettable for both of us.

UNDERSTANDING THE TEXT

Answer the following questions.

a. How does the narrator describe his feeling at the arrival of his old home?

Answer: At the arrival of his old home, the narrator describes his feelings in both negative and
positive ways. He expresses his depressed feelings at first to see an unprogressive, desolate and
scattered village under the clouds which seems lifeless to him. Next, he describes his positive
feelings regarding the past beauty of his old home which he used to recall time and again in his life.
He adds that his attitude has changed after a long time and he has come with an unhappy mood.
b. What were the three kinds of servants in China then? What does it indicate about contemporary
Chinese society?

Answer: The three kinds of servants were full-timers, dailies and part-timers in China then. They
were divided into three classes. At that time, those who worked all the year for one family were
called full-timers; those who were hired by the day were called dailies; and those who farmed their
lands and only worked for one family at New Year, during festivals or when rents were being
collected were called part-timers.

It indicates the poverty as well as the feudalistic system of contemporary Chinese society. Rich
people used to keep servants for their different kinds of tasks. Poor labourers were divided
according to their tasks. They had a lot of hardships in their lives. There were various factors as high
government taxes, bandits, soldiers, government officials, landed gentry etc that squeezed them
bitterly most of the time.

c. What makes the narrator nostalgic? What did he do with Runtu in the teenage?

Answer: The information of the narrator's mother related to Runtu makes the narrator nostalgic.
When his mother tells him about the curiosity of Runtu to meet him, he sees Runtu in his
reminiscence. In his teenage, he passed his time and enjoyed a lot with Runtu playing and learning
various strange things from him.

d. How did Runtu hunt a zha in his young age?

Answer: Runtu hunted a zha with his pitchfork in his young age. He tried his best to thrust zha with
his full might using his tricks. He used to guard watermelons on the sandy shore of the sea.

e. How does the narrator make a humorous picture of Mrs. Yang?

Answer: The narrator makes a humorous picture of Mrs. Yang through his humorous descriptions.
Mrs. Yang appears quite surprisingly in front of the narrator. She is in her pair of trousers, hands on
her hips, stands there with her legs wide apart in a balanced way. The narrator describes her as a
pair of compasses of a geometry box with thin cheekbones and lips who is so talkative. He calls her a
powdering lady who used to sit in her beancurd shop and was quite famous by her name "A
Beancurd Beauty" in his childhood. She chatters much about miserliness after knowing the narrator's
intention.

f. According to the narrator, what were different factors that made Runtu a poor man throughout his
life?
Answer: According to the narrator, poverty, big family, social responsibilities, class differences and
different other factors made Runtu a poor man throughout his life. He had been squeezed through
various factors in his life. Those factors were famines, taxes, soldiers, bandits, officials, landed gentry
etc. Due to all those factors, he faced lots of hardships in his life.

g. How does the narrator help Runtu before leaving the old home?

Answer: Before leaving the old home, the narrator helps Runtu by providing him with the old
furniture items and other things of his old house. He asks Runtu to take the things of his needs from
his old house.

h. How does the author differentiate two kinds of idols?

Answer: The author differentiates two kinds of idols through his realization. He says that
superstitious idols are worshipped for a short time for something immediate but hope isn't an idol
but a long-time desire which people need in most situations. He gives examples of Runtu and his
own ways of worshipping idols in two different ways. Runtu worships the idols but he requires hope
for a faraway land.

REFERENCE TO THE CONTEXT

a. While reading the friendship between the narrator and Runtu, Hindu readers remember the
friendship between Krishna and Sudama. Which particular description reminds you of the
mythological example?

Answer: In the Hindu Mythological story of Bhagwat Purana, we find a tremendous story of
friendship between Lord Krishna and his poor friend Sudama. Poor Sudama once came to Dwarka to
meet his friend Lord Krishna after many years. As a God, Lord Krishna had known all about the
hardships faced by Sudama. Sudama's gift of last grains of beaten rice to Lord Krishna brought
unbelievable changes in Sudama's life. His poverty turned into extreme richness. This amazing help
between friends is always remembered by the Hindus.

Here, in this story, we find the same example of friendship between Lu Xun and his poor friend
Runtu. We can't find any miracle here in this story but only the unselfish help of the narrator to his
friend Runtu. When the narrator knows about all the hardships and problems of Runtu's life, he asks
him to take away the things of his need from his old home. Runtu gets two long tables, four chairs,
an incense burner and candlesticks, and one balance according to his choice. He even asks for the
ashes from the stove.

b. How does the story support the proposition that the relationships of childhood are innocent,
impartial and disinterested?

Answer: This story supports the proposition that the relationships of childhood are innocent,
impartial and disinterested by presenting various examples of this relationship between the
childhood friends Xun and Runtu. In the story, we find their friendship beyond various social
barriers. In their childhood, we find them passing their time playing and sharing their ideas being
free from bias. Their friendship is so sacred where there are no feelings of class differences. They
play with each other without having any concept of master and servant. They are seen quite
unaware of the so-called societal concepts of class differences. We don't find any impartiality
between them. They enjoy each moment freely being innocent. We only find the true friendship
between them. In most cases, childhood friendship always has similar aspects as seen in the text.
There is always a deep relationship between the kids. Childhood friendship always remains far away
from societal so-called negative aspects. It is so pure relationship where there are no negative
aspects like class differences, biasness, discrimination etc. Childhood friendship depends on
enjoyment, care, love and affection.

c. After reading the story, what inferences can you make about the contemporary Chinese economic
and social system?

Answer: After reading the story, I can make the following inferences about the contemporary
Chinese economic and social system.

1. The working-class people or the peasants were in a quite miserable state in contemporary Chinese
society.

2. The working-class people were divided into three classes according to their tasks.

3. They were exploited by various factors as responsibilities, high taxes, soldiers, bandits,
government officials, landed gentry, social indifference etc.
4. There was a trend of slavery system and most working-class people were seen working in rich
people's houses.

5. Most of them were poor. They had to face various hardships in their lives due to their poor
economic status.

6. The concept of class differences was highly prevalent.

7.Apart from feudalists, the problems of famines, high taxes of government, bandits, officials etc
were there.

8. Feudalists and people who worked for the government were quite rich. They used to oppress poor
people.

9. There was biasness among the people according to their social and economic status.

Thus, the economic and social system of contemporary Chinese society wasn't good for the working-
class people of that time.

d. What does the story indicate about the geographical features of the narrator’s hometown?

Answer: The story is based on present realities as well as memories. The story moves along with the
narrator's description of his hometown and also his old home. We find differences in the narrator's
memories and the present realities especially in the matter of geographic description. The set of the
story has been presented during the end of the Qin Dynasty. If we talk about the geographical
features of the narrator's hometown during his childhood, we find quite lovely as well as favourable
features. The story indicates quite a lovely hometown near the sea. During that time, there was
greenery everywhere. Most people used to live happily and peacefully in the village. The sandy bank
of the sea was also green due to the cultivation of watermelons. The village looked quite beautiful
with sloppy hills. The narrator and his friend Runtu enjoyed the beautiful environment of the
hometown a lot.
But the narrator's gap and his arrival after more than twenty years, he finds his hometown quite
desolate and scattered under the clouds. He feels depressed to find its unprogressive state during
late winter. He finds no favourable features after his long travel of six hundred miles. The village
near the sea seems lifeless to him.

REFERENCE BEYOND THE TEXT

a. Human beings are on the road from time immemorial, always migrating to new places. Write an
essay on The Trend of Migration in Nepal in about 300 words.

Answer:

The Trend of Migration in Nepal

The term "Migration" refers to the movement of people over some distance (or at least from one
"migration-defining area" to another) and from one "usual place of residence" to another. People
always try to change their living places for various reasons. They migrate from one place to another
for the sake of their betterment. The trend of migration is seen all over the world. People keep on
changing their living places with their different views or opinions.

In the context of Nepal, the trend of migration is at its peak. We can see both the local as well as
foreign migration in Nepal. Most Nepalese people are seen migrating from rural areas to urban
areas. Most of the villages are less populated due to this trend of migration. In recent times, most
villages are facing a lack of youths. Youths of villages are leaving villages for the sake of their better
opportunities as well as the education of their kids. We find only old citizens in most of the houses of
villages. This trend has brought a kind of negative impact on the relationship among people. Villages
are ignored and biased whereas urban areas are given much preference by most of the people in
Nepal. People prefer to live their life in attractive cities leaving peaceful and healthy life in villages.

Apart from this local migration, the foreign migration of people is also in trend. Most Nepalese
people and families are seen migrating from Nepal to foreign lands. Due to the lack of opportunities,
people prefer to live their lives in foreign lands leaving their homeland Nepal. This trend of migration
itself is a big problem for all. Due to this trend, humans are seen quite away from the concept of
their relationships, patriotism and humanity. This problem has brought a lack of active manpower to
the whole country.

People in the present time prefer to work in foreign lands to uplift their lifestyle. The government of
Nepal should think about this trend of migration and try its best to find its proper solution.
Government should launch various opportunities for the citizens and provide them with a fine
environment to work and earn in the country.
Thus, the trend of migration in Nepal is at a high speed. This trend of migration should be controlled
for the future of Nepal and its people.

Chapter: 6
The Half-Closed Eyes of the Buddha and the
Slowly Sinking Sun
By Shankar Lamichhane

This story starts with the happy feelings of a foreign tourist. He expresses his initial impression of
Kathmandu valley. He feels extremely happy to see his surroundings of the green valley with
geometric fields, different colourful houses, the peaceful scent of hills and mountains in the air etc.
He states that the West is indebted to the East. He mentions the contributions of the East to the
West as the Purans, ancient crafts, images of brass and ornaments of the ovary, manuscripts of palm
leaves and inscriptions of copperplates. The tourist here tries to be smarter than the Nepali guide.
He states that he will be with the guide in the present places whereas he will take the guide along
with him in ancient ways. He talks about varieties of things regarding his study of books in libraries,
Manjushri and his deeds for the people's welfare, the gaze of shaven-headed monks and nuns which
is samyak gaze, a pure form, art and artists of Nepal, different cultures as Aryans, non-Aryans, Hindu
and Buddhist co-existence, Nepali and Newari food items, history of King Amshuvarma and Princess
Bhirkuti and their relationship with the neighbouring country Tibet.

The tourist feels extremely grateful to the country Nepal and its people because he experiences the
real things in front of his eyes away from bookish words. He feels good to the sweet smiles of Nepali
people wherever he goes. Later, he appreciates the different eyes of Nepal and refers to the land of
Nepal as the land of eyes.

The tourist desires to go to lonely places to see the stupa's clear eyes where he wants to see the
pleasant light of sunset reflected in the eyes of the Buddha. He asks the guide to show him beautiful,
full eyes, eyes without equal, eyes whose memory will make his journey unforgettable.

To fulfil tourist's desire, the guide takes the tourist to Chobar and a remote village. The guide shows
him the cleft which was made by Manjushri by his sword to let the water of Bagmati river out of
Kathmandu valley. He takes him to the sacred temple of Adinath where the tourist realises the fact
behind the power of Nepalese tolerance and coexistence.

Finally, the guide takes him to a poor farmer's house where the tourist meets an innocent village
couple. The guide sees a paralyzed boy, whose body is affected by Polio. The boy's body is useless
who isn't able to speak, move his hands, chew his food or even spit. The guide introduces the tourist
as a doctor to the village couple. The guide tells the tourist about the deep faith, intimacy, kindliness
and gratitude in the couple's eyes. He even shows him the boy's sister whose body functions
properly. They discuss various issues regarding different kinds of eyes of people of different places.
They try to connect different eyes' hidden meanings according to different situations, places and
people.

TEXTBOOK'S QUESTIONS & ANSWERS OF

Discuss the following questions.

a. What does a Nepali tourist guide think about foreign tourists?

Answer:

A Nepali tourist guide thinks good about foreign tourists. He/She welcomes the foreign tourists
warmly because he/she knows the value of foreign tourists in our country. He/She treats them in
very splendid ways.

b. What do common Nepali people think of a fair-skinned foreigner?

Answer:

Common Nepali people also think good of a fair-skinned foreigner. They try their best to welcome
him/her with their welcoming smiles and proper hospitality. They treat fair-skinned foreigner not
only as a guest but as a God.

c. Why do you think foreign tourists visit Nepal?

Answer:

I think foreign tourists visit Nepal because they have known about the popularity of this country
through various means. Foreign tourists like the places of cultural heritage, different geographical
locations. They want to spend their time learning and enjoying the aesthetic ancient as well as
peaceful places. In Nepal, they can get a chance to visit their favourite places.

UNDERSTANDING THE TEXT:

Answer the following questions.

a. How does the tourist describe his initial impression of the Kathmandu valley?

Answer:

The tourist describes his initial impression of the Kathmandu valley in a very joyous mood. He
describes the aesthetic beauty of the green valley with its geometric fields, different colours of the
houses, scent of soil and mountains in the air. He feels an age-old peacefulness in the atmosphere of
Kathmandu valley. He enjoys the tranquil environment a lot.

b. According to the tourist, why is the West indebted to the East?

Answer:

According to the tourist, the West is indebted to the East because the East has contributed a lot to
the West. He says that the East has provided the West with many wonderful things such as the
Purans, civilization, images of brass and ornaments of ivory, palm leaf manuscripts, and
copperplate's inscriptions etc.

c. How does the tourist interpret the gaze of the monks and nuns?

Answer:

The tourist interprets the gaze of the monks and nuns through his experiences of learning. He refers
to the gaze of the monks and nuns as "samyak gaze" a gaze of purity that perceives everything in its
true form.

d. Why do the tourists think Nepali people are wonderful and exceptional?

Answer:
The tourists think Nepali people are wonderful and exceptional because they have found manners as
well as creative abilities within Nepali people. They feel happy to find Nepalese creativities in the
different temples-like houses, wooden images, ornamentation, and beautiful images of deities,
traditional musical instruments etc. Apart from all these, they prefer Nepalese people's hospitality.

e. What are the different kinds of communities in the Kathmandu valley and how do they co-exist
with each other?

Answer:

The different kinds of communities in the Kathmandu valley are Aryans, non-Aryans, Hindus, and
Buddhists and they co-exist with each other living a peaceful harmonious life for ages.

f. What does the tourist feel about the temple of Adinath?

Answer:

The tourist feels great about the temple of Adinath. He believes that the temple of Adinath is a living
example of Nepalese people's tolerance and coexistence.

g. Why does the guide take the tourist to the remote village?

Answer:

The guide takes the tourist to the remote village to show him the pulse of reality. He wants to show
him poverty, hard labour, miserable living style, the reality behind the eyes of the poor.

h. What does the innocent village couple think of the doctor?

Answer:

The innocent village couple thinks of the doctor as the ray of hope for their miserable state. Their
eyes seem quite optimistic after meeting him. There is intimacy, kindliness and gratitude on their
faces about him.

i. What are the differences between the paralyzed child and his sister?

Answer:
The differences between the paralyzed child and his sister are as follows:

▪ The paralyzed child is affected by Polio whereas his sister is living a disease-free life.

▪ The paralyzed child has a useless body. He is unable to speak, move his hands, chew his food, or
even spit. Among his other body parts, his eyes are only the living parts in his body. But his sister is a
fine girl whose body functions properly. She can speak, crawl and move her body freely.

j. Why does the guide show the instances of poverty to the tourist?

Answer:

The guide shows the instances of poverty to the tourist to make him realise the pulse of reality
behind poor people's eyes. He wants to show him poverty, hard labour, miserable living style, the
reality behind the eyes of the poor. The guide wants him to know the bitter reality of people in
remote areas.

REFERENCE TO THE CONTEXT:

a. Which narrative technique is used by the author to tell the story? How is this story different from
other stories you have read?

Answer:

To tell the story, the stream of consciousness technique is used by the author. The use of the stream
of consciousness technique itself has made this story different from other stories I have read.

Stream of consciousness is a style or technique of writing that tries to capture the natural flow of a
character's extended thought process, often by including sensory impressions, incomplete ideas,
unusual syntax, and rough grammar.

The other stories which I have read have simple narrative forms. They are quite easy to understand.
Most of the stories are guided by the first person narrator. The narrators narrate the stories in a very
easy way describing the expositions, rising actions, falling actions or the climax of the stories. It is
easy to grasp the meanings of the stories along with different events and thematic concerns.

But this story is told using the monologues of two different characters of two different places. This
story is different from the conventional form because the stream of consciousness technique of the
story has provided us with the flow of different feelings of the characters which have created
difficulties in grasping the meaning of the story. These characters keep on expressing their views
through their dialogues rather than presenting their actions or events. Both characters in the story
keep on expressing their feelings in a stream of consciousness way. As a reader, it is difficult to grasp
the proper idea of the particular character. The story moves along with the flow of speeches of the
characters using varieties of topics. Here in this story, we find the use of sensory impressions,
incomplete ideas of the characters, their unusual syntax, and rough grammar many times.

b. How is the author able to integrate two fragments of the narration into a unified whole?

Answer:

The author is able to integrate two fragments of the narration into a unified whole by trying to
connect the different examples regarding the term "eyes" and relating it to the different aspects of
this world.

The author has tried his best to present a unified whole by presenting instances of events that
usually happen in the communities, activities that people of different places do, hardships that
people face, diseases that people suffer from etc. He associates all these examples in a whole
concept to present different meanings regarding life on this planet.

The author has perfectly used the technique of stream of consciousness to present his main message
for all. For him, it is necessary to know deeply about all these different kinds of eyes and their
different looks' meanings. He has combined the same meanings of different places presenting the
situations of the particular place.

c. The author brings some historical and legendary references in the story. Collect these references
and show their significance in the story.

Answer:

The author brings some historical and legendary references in the story. Following are some of these
references and their significance in the story:

Manjushri and his deeds:

The text has presented the contribution of Manjushri to all the people. He had made a cleft in
Chobhar with his sword to let out the water of Bagmati river from Kathmandu valley and created a
fine environment for the people to start their settlement over there.
Rich culture, tradition and art crafts:

The text has mentioned various important things of the East regarding the Puranas, depictions of
brass and ivory ornaments, palm-leaf manuscripts and copperplate inscriptions, traditional musical
instruments. All these things demonstrate that the Nepalese people are rich in culture, traditions,
religions, and art crafts.

The eyes and gaze of the shaven-headed monks and nuns:

These shaven-headed monks and nuns have been mentioned with their eyes and their gaze. Their
gaze has been referred to as 'the samyak gaze'. This gaze has been presented as a gaze of purity that
perceives everything in its true form.

Historical relationships:

The text has mentioned the history of king Amshuvarma and Princess Bhirkuti. Princess Bhirkuti in
the neighbouring country Tibet shows the fine historical relationships of our royal people.

The temple of Adinath:

The text has mentioned the historical as well as the religious temple of Adinath. This temple has
represented the concept of a living example of Nepalese people's tolerance and coexistence.

Half closed eyes of the Buddha and the reflection of the sunset in the Buddha's eyes: The concept of
half-closed eyes of the Buddha and sinking sun's reflection in the Buddha's eyes have presented
various concepts regarding Nepal and its people. They represent hope, security, peace, harmony,
beauty, sentiments etc.

d. The author talks about the eyes in many places: the eyes of the shaven monks and nuns, eyes in
the window and door panels, the eyes of the Himalayas, the eyes of the paralyzed boy, the eyes of
the welcoming villagers and above all the half-closed eyes of the Buddha. Explain how all the
instances of eyes contribute to the overall unity of the story.

Answer:

Here in this story, the author talks about the eyes in many places. He has mentioned the eyes of the
shaven-headed monks and nuns in the text and referred to them as "samyak gaze" which means a
gaze of purity that perceives everything in its true form. Next, he has mentioned the eyes in the
window and door panels, the eyes of the Himalayas, the eyes of the paralyzed boy, the eyes of the
welcoming villagers and the most important of all the half-closed eyes of the Buddha.

Here, all the instances of eyes contribute to the overall unity of the story. These instances of eyes
represent the whole country of Nepal as a land of eyes that has been guarded by the half-closed
eyes of the Buddha. These eyes always display a new culture, civilization, religion, natural beauty
and the land of Buddha. These eyes display the immense feelings of the people. Both characters of
the story also find the meaningfulness of the concepts of eyes through their eyes' discussion.

REFERENCE BEYOND THE TEXT:

a. Write an essay on Living Proximity to Nature.

Answer:

Living Proximity to Nature.

Living Proximity to Nature refers to living a life being close to nature. Nature is one of the most vital
aspects of human life. Nature is so great and beyond human imagination. There is nothing powerful
than nature. It is the main source of human beings' survival. Nature should be respected all the time
because life on this planet is possible due to this incredible nature. Nature never demands anything
from humans. It only knows to provide different things to others. Nature nourishes life from all
sides.

We are always close to this nature. Our whole life depends on living in proximity to nature. It allows
us various important things for our survival. For all of us, nature is the main source with the help of
which we get various essential things. It provides us with the resources to live here. Nature provides
us with water to drink, pure oxygen to breathe, food to eat and land to live etc. Furthermore, all
kinds of animals, plants, birds etc depend on this nature.

Being close to this nature is beneficial for a good life. Nature must be fully enjoyed by all living
creatures without disturbing its ecological balance. Nature must be taken care properly and
prevented from destruction so that we can enjoy our nature forever.

Nature is a most precious gift provided by God to us to enjoy but not to harm it. Nature is the most
beautiful part of our life which has made us happy and let us natural environment to live healthily.
Living in proximity to nature allows us to live a long and healthy life. We should always try to
conserve this beautiful nature for our healthy future.
b. The story talks about ethnic/religious co-existence of different communities in Nepal, where the
Buddhists and the Hindus and the Aryans and non-Aryans have communal harmony for ages. In your
view, how have the Nepali people been able to live in such harmony?

Answer:

In my view, Nepali people have been able to live in such communal harmony for ages with the help
of various factors. Among these factors, the long-term harmonious relationship between the people
is the prime one. Nepali people are connected due to their long time fine relationships. The other
factors are the history of the country and the feeling of patriotism among Nepali people, their
connection towards their culture and tradition, their religious and ritual bondings and so on. Nepal is
a small and beautiful country where we can find the concept of Nepali identity among people.
People have been living peacefully and harmoniously with the feelings of brotherhood for ages. They
always try to involve themselves in each others' joys and sorrows. They are seen in each others'
celebrations. We can find fine cooperation among Nepali people. They are deeply connected both
culturally and traditionally. From ancient times up to now, Nepali people are known for their unity
and harmony. They are considered for their peaceful existence.

Chapter: 7
A very Old Man with Enormous Wings
By Gabriel Garcia Marquez
Summary

The short story was first published in 1955 in Spanish and was then published in English in the 1972
book Leaf Storm and Other Stories.

After three days of rain, Pelayo comes back from throwing the crabs into the sea when he sees a
very old man with enormous wings in the courtyard of their house. Pelayo gets his wife, Elisenda and
they try to speak to him but the man speaks in an incoherent dialect. They call their neighbour
woman and ask her about him. They get the idea about the old man from her. They think that he is a
homeless man and has come to take sick children to heaven. He imprisons the old man in his wire
chicken coop.
Father Gonzaga, the local priest speaks to him in Latin and since the man with wings doesn't
recognize Latin, the priest thinks he is a devil figure and warns the onlookers that the man is not an
angel.

Nevertheless, the man with the wings is given to stay in Pelayo's chicken coop after his sick child
recovers. Sooner, Pelayo and Elisenda begin to attract visitors from all over to see the winged man.
The crowd grow so large that it has become out of control and eventually Elisenda begins to charge
five cents from each admission.

Meanwhile, a new carnival arrives bringing a woman who has been transformed into a spider and
the crowd starts to disperse and lose interest in the old and inactive angel.

Pelayo and Elisenda have grown quite wealthy from the fees which they have charged from the
visitors. Pelayo quits his job and builds a mansion. The winged old man stays with them but in the
chicken coop and often wanders from room to room. Later the child and the old man have
chickenpox at the same time.

Just when Pelayo and Elisenda are convinced by the doctor's words that the old man will soon die,
he regains his strength. His feathers grow back.

One morning, the old man stretches his wings and flies away over the horizon and Elisenda watches
him disappear into the thin air.

BEFORE YOU READ

QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS OF

a. Have you ever visited a place to see something strange or unusual? If yes, what is it?

Answer:

Yes, I have visited a place to see something strange or unusual. It is a circus where I have enjoyed the
quite strange magic show.
b. How do clever people take advantage of common people’s gullibility?

Answer:

Clever people take advantage of common people's gullibility by their crafty as well as cunning acts.

UNDERSTANDING THE TEXT

Answer the following questions:

a. How does the narrator describe the weather and its effects in the exposition of the story?

Answer:

In the exposition of the story, the narrator describes the weather and its effects by presenting the
details of three days' rainfall, the condition of the weather and its effects on the main character's
house. According to him, It had been raining since Tuesday. The main character Pelayo's house was
full of killed crabs which he had to clear from his house for the sake of his newly born baby. There
was a horrible smell of crabs in his house and courtyard. The sea and sky seemed a single ash-gray.
The beach of the sea was quite muddy with rotten shellfish.

b. Describe the strange old man as Pelayo and his wife first encounter within their courtyard.

Answer:

As Pelayo and his wife first encounter the strange old man within their courtyard, they find his face
down in the mud in a groaning state. He is dressed like a rag picker. There are a few faded hairs left
on his bald skull and very few teeth in his mouth. He seems quite weak and pitiable whose
enormous wings are dirty, half-plucked and entangled in the mud. He has an incomprehensible
dialect with a strong sailor's voice.

c. Why did Pelayo and Elisenda imprison the old man in the chicken coop?

Answer:

Pelayo and Elisenda imprisoned the old man in the chicken coop because they became quite fearful
about their newly born baby. When they heard the neighbouring woman's words regarding the old
man's arrival for their baby, they decided to chain the old man and keep him with the hens in a wire
chicken coop.

d. Why was Father Gonzaga not sure about the old man being a celestial messenger?

Answer:

Father Gonzaga was not sure about the old man being a celestial messenger because he didn't find
matching qualities of a celestial messenger within the old man. The old man was unable to
understand the greeting of God's language ie Latin language. He even didn't know the way to greet
his ministers. Father found him too similar to humans with an unbearable smell. Both sides of his
wings were strewn with parasites and his main feathers had been mistreated by terrestrial winds.

e. Many people gathered at Pelayo’s house to see the strange old man. Why do you think the crowd
assembled to see him?

Answer:

I think the crowd assembled to see him because they had heard about the captivated angel in
Pelayo's house. Some of them were surprised and wanted to see that unique creature. While others
wanted to tease and make fun of imprisoned strange old man as if he was a circus animal.

f. Some miracles happened while the crowd gathers to see the strange man. What are these
miracles?

Answer:

Some miracles happened while the crowd gathers to see the strange man. These miracles are quite
funny which are as follows:

▪ A blind man didn't recover his sight, instead, he got new three teeth.

▪ A paralytic who didn't get to walk but almost won the lottery.

▪ leprosy infected person's sores sprouted with sunflowers.

g. State the irritating things that the people did with the strange old man.
Answer:

Following are the irritating things that the people did with the strange old man:

▪ When they found him inactive, they tried to pull out his feathers to touch defective parts and throw
stones at him to make him stand.

▪ They prodded him with hot iron pokers.

The strange old man remained motionless for a long time but he got aggressive at last flapped his
wings and yelled in his strange language in pain with tears on his eyes.

h. How and why was the woman changed into a spider?

Answer:

The girl was changed into a spider due to the lightning bolt of brimstone. Behind her transformation,
her disobedience towards her parents was also the reason. While she was still a child, she stealthily
moved to attend a dance without her parent's permission. After her whole night dance, while she
was returning home through the wood, a fearful thunderclap ripped the sky surface, which allowed
lightning bolt of brimstone through the crack to strike which changed her into a spider.

i. Describe how Elisenda saw the strange man flying over the houses.

Answer:

One morning, while Elisenda was cutting some bunches of onions for lunch, she felt the breeze
through her window. When she looked out through her window, she caught the sight of the old man
flying over the houses. His first attempts were clumsy, but eventually, he was able to gain altitude
and fly away from Pelayo and Elisenda's house. Elisenda let out a sigh of relief "for herself and for
him", upon seeing him go. She kept on looking at him until he was no longer visible to her eyes. The
old man was no longer an annoyance in her life.

REFERENCE TO THE CONTEXT

a. The arrival of a strange old man at Palayo’s courtyard arouses many suspicions and explanations.
Explain how the neighbour woman, Father Gonzaga and the doctor speak of the strange man. Why
do you think these three people give three different kinds of interpretations?

Answer:

The arrival of a strange old man at Pelayo’s courtyard arouses many suspicions and explanations. All
these three people speak of the strange man with their different interpretations.

The neighbouring woman speaks of him saying that he is an angel. According to her, the strange man
must have come for the child but due to his weak body and oldness, he is knocked down by the rain.

Next, father Gonzaga speaks of him being quite doubtful. He states that the strange man with wings
doesn't know the language of God or know how to greet His ministers. He is too similar to humans
and his body has an unbearable smell. His feathers are strewn with parasites and the main feathers
have been ministered by territorial winds. Father concludes that he hasn't found any matching
qualities of angels within him.

The doctor, at last, puts forward his opinion after inspecting his heart and kidneys. He says that it is
impossible for the old man to be alive. He hears so much whistling in his heart and so many noises in
his kidneys. He is amazed to see the natural wings in the human organism. He cannot understand
the reason and says why other men don't have similar wings.

I think these three people give three different kinds of interpretations because the strange man is a
kind of mystery for them. All these people are well-known in their community for their knowledge of
their fields. They speak out their different opinions about the strange-looking man because they
want to be smarter in front of gullible people. This is the usual human tendency to respond to those
who are weak, dependent, and different.

b. This story belongs to the genre of ‘magical realism’, a genre perfected by Gabriel Garcia Marquez
in his novels and short stories. Magical realism is a narrative technique in which the story-teller
narrates the common place things with magical colour and the events look both magical and real at
the same time.

Collect five magic realist happenings from the story and argue why they seem magical to you.

Answer:
The five magic realist happenings from the story are as follows:

1. The strange old man with enormous wings: When Pelayo first encountered the strange old man
with enormous wings in a pitiable state in his muddy courtyard, he was amazed and frightened. Here
the strange old man with wings seems magical to me because it is difficult to believe a man with
wings.

2. Prediction of Neighbouring woman:

The predicted word "angel" for the strange old man by the neighbouring woman seems quite
magical to me because our world is quite beyond these myths.

3. The gruff and incomprehensible dialect of strange old:

The strange old man uses typical gruff and incomprehensible dialect in different situations. This
strange dialect seems magical to me because I have only found such kind of language in fictitious
movies.

4. The woman's transformation into a spider:

The story has presented the transformation of the woman into a spider due to the lightning bolt of
brimstone. This transformation of a human into a bigger spider seems magical to me because this
kind of transformation isn't possible in the real world.

5. The old man flying in the sky:

Finally the old man attempts to fly a lot and finally soars up in the sky. This instance of man flying in
the sky with wings seems magical to me because I have never seen a man flying in the sky like this in
my lifetime.

c. The author introduces the episode of a woman who became a spider for having disobeyed her
parents. This episode at once shifts people’s concentration from the strange old man to the spider
woman. What do you think is the purpose of the author to bring this shift in the story?

Answer:
I think the purpose of the author to bring a shift in the story is to create the shift in the presentation
of magic realism for his readers. He keeps on presenting the story of the strange old man with wings
for his readers at first. Later, he presents a sudden twist in his story by presenting the entry of an
enchanted woman who has been turned into a spider for her disobedience towards her parents. This
shift is specially inserted in the story to add the concept of people's gullibility, their nature of
curiosity, greed and cruelty. This instance of presentation makes all the readers realise that gullible
people are easily diverted by ambiguity, whether in stories, or real life.

Here, we find the people's attraction towards a spider woman with a human head without knowing
the truth behind her. They are seen diverted immediately after knowing about spider woman. They
lose their interest in the strange old man and assemble their crowd to see the woman. Their greed is
seen to get the tickets at cheaper rates. Their curiosity is also seen to watch the amazing woman.
They feel excited to hear from the woman no matter she is real or fake.

Marquez has presented a community near the sea with middle-class gullible people. Here he has
inserted the events along with magic realism. The gullible people of the community are seen with
deep faith in supernatural things or creatures. The author mainly focuses on the aspect of human
nature and their response to those who are weak, dependent and different.

d. The story deals with the common people’s gullibility. How do Pelayo and his wife take advantage
of common people’s whim?

Answer:

Pelayo and his wife Elisenda encounter the strange old man with wings in a very pitiable state in
their courtyard. When they get informed about the strange old man by a neighbouring woman
about his arrival as an angel to take their child to heaven, they imprison him in a wire chicken coop.
At midnight time, when their child wakes up without fever and desire to eat, both of them become
magnanimous and decide to let him free in his fate along with food and water in the sea. When they
try to take him out during the first light at dawn, they find a huge mob outside their chicken coop to
watch an old angel. Despite Father Gonzaga's claim, the story of the old angel spread so fast. People
from all around start arriving at the place to watch an elderly man with wings. In this situation, both
Pelayo and his wife Elisenda take advantage of common people's whim. They get the idea of fencing
the yard and charging five for each admission to see the angel.

REFERENCE BEYOND THE TEXT

a. An irresistible crowd queues at Palayo’s house for many days simply to look at the strange old
man. Narrate an episode from your experience or from another story where people assemble in
crowds, not for any noble cause.

Answer:

An Episode of Captivated Young Woman in the Movie Hansel and Gretel Witch Hunters

A similar kind of irresistible crowd queues to watch a young woman that has been presented in a
movie called Hansel and Gretel Witch Hunters. Both Hansel and Gretel have been presented in their
adult ages. When Hansel and Gretel arrive in the town of Augsburg, they find the crowd of people
surrounding a captivated young woman in a white dress. She is bound with ropes. All the people
including Sheriff Berringer of the town are intending to execute a beautiful young woman named
Mina for witchcraft. All the people of that town are looking at the young girl with suspicious and
aggressive eyes. They are making noises in favour of killing the girl. But in the meantime, Hansel and
Gretel prevent all of them from doing this crime. They examine the girl and conclude her as a simple
human. They set her free from all the people's traps.

b. The taste of children is different from grown-ups. What are the elements in the story that make
‘The Old Man with Enormous Wings’ a children’s story?

Answer:

Following are varieties of elements in the story that make ‘The Old Man with Enormous Wings’ a
children’s story:

▪ Unique and memorable characters:

Here in this story, we find two unique and memorable characters as a strange old man with
enormous wings and a woman with a spider's body. These two characters make this story a
children's story.

▪ Plot and setting:

Both plot and the setting of this story are quite fascinating elements for children which can arise
children's interest.

▪ Uniqe technique of magical realism:

Magical realism refers to the literary style or genre that combines naturalistic details and narrative
with surreal or dreamlike elements. This kind of technique fascinates children too much.

▪ Supernatural act:
Here in this story, the last scene of the old man's efforts to fly in the sky and his success seems quite
fascinating for the children. This type of supernatural act is mostly liked by the children to watch or
read

Unit Two: POEMS

Chapter : 1
‘A Day’
BY EMILY DICKINSON
SUMMARY

This poem "A Day" is a wonderful poem that has a perfect blend of both literal and symbolic
meanings. This poem has been composed by the American poet Emily Dickinson.

There are altogether eight stanzas here in this poem. This poem has been narrated by an unnamed
child. Here the speaker has described two beautiful and natural aspects as the sunrise and the
sunset using various imageries and symbols. This description of a beautiful day leads the children
from innocence to experience.

According to the speaker, a day begins with the morning sun. As the sun rises, the golden colours'
ribbon is seen in the sky, the deep violet colour like amethyst falls on churches' steeples, the news of
sunrise spreads as quickly as squirrels' run, the hills untie their bonnets due to the rays of the sun,
the bobolinks start their morning songs. All these tremendous changes are seen when the sun rises
in the east. The speaker as a child realises the sun as the main reason behind all these wonderful
changes in nature.

These two stanzas present the concept of the beginning of life in its symbolic meaning. The
comparisons of imageries present various literal meanings.

Next, in the third and fourth stanza, we find the speaker less confident in describing the sunset.
According to him/her, as the sun sets, there is a purple stile, the boys and girls seem yellow, they
climb the stile and reach the other side, the dominie in gray leads them closing the bars quite gently
and securely.

These two stanzas present the journey as well as death. The speaker seems less confident in
describing the sunset. He/She doesn't know what happens after the sunset ie death. The colours in
stile and kids present the changes that appear in life as well as its journey. The stile which the kids'
climb presents the journey of humans from birth to death. On the other side, the dominie in gray
presents the holy God. He leads them closing the bars gently presents him taking the charge of all
after the death.

QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS OF

BEFORE READING

Answer the following questions:

a. What kind of day do you like: rainy, sunny or foggy? Why?

Answer: I like foggy day too much. The fog in my surroundings especially in the hills makes me feel
so happy.

b. How does the sun tell us about different stages of a day?

Answer: The sun tells us about different stages of a day with the help of its appearance from
morning till evening. Its initial appearance in the east as sunrise tells us about morning time. It is
seen around the middle of the sky tells us about noontime. And when it sets in the west tells us
about evening time.

UNDERSTANDING THE TEXT

Answer the following questions:

a. How does the poet describe the morning sun in the first stanza?

Answer: In the first stanza, the poet describes the morning sun presenting the stripe of ribbons in
the sky, deep violet colour like amethyst in the steeples of the churches and the quick natural
process as squirrels' run which makes everyone aware about the morning.

b. What does the line ‘The news like squirrels ran’ mean?

Answer: Here in this line ‘The news like squirrels ran’, we find the use of simile where news ie the
sunrise has been compared with squirrels' run using 'like'. This line has been applied to present the
natural process of sunrise in the morning time. Here, the sunrise, as well as morning time, has been
compared with squirrels' run ie the quick natural process of sunrise. This process is as quick as the
run of squirrels that makes everyone realise the arrival of a tremendous morning.

c. What do you understand by the line ‘The hills untied their bonnets’?

Answer: By the line 'The hills United their bonnets', we understand the natural changes that appear
in different places of this planet due to the presence of the sun. This line has been presented with
metaphorical meanings. The poet has presented hills using personification. Here, the hills' bonnets
have been metaphorically presented for the mists over the hills. As the sunrises, the heat rays of the
sun unties the mists over the hills. The hills seem clear as the rays of the sun fall on the hills.

d. Is the speaker watching the morning sun? Why? Why not?

Answer: No, the speaker isn't watching the morning sun. He/ She is only describing the natural
processes of sunrise and sunset and various changes that seem on beings and things which are
existed here on this planet. He/She seems quite innocent while saying "That must have been the
sun!". Here, he/she seems to guess about the possibility of the sun.

e. How does the sunset?

Answer: The sun sets quite mysteriously and confuses the speaker much. He/she has less confidence
in describing the sunset. According to him/her, the sun's rays seem purple and yellow during the
time of its setting in the west. The sun takes away all the happiness and joy of daytime and leaves
the unhappy and gloomy dark for all. At this point, he/she doesn't have an idea of what happens
next.
REFERENCE TO THE CONTEXT

a. What, according to the speaker, is a day?

Answer: According to the speaker, a day is a perfect blend of various changes in nature. For him/her,
a day consists of all the things within it that appear from wonderful sunrise to mysterious sunset.
The duration of the daytime from sunrise to sunset presents various literal and symbolic meanings
regarding tremendous changes in nature and different stages of life from birth till death.

b. What purpose does the hyphen in the first line serve in the poem?

Answer: A hyphen (-) is a punctuation mark that's used to join words or parts of words. Here in this
poem, the poet has used a hyphen in the very first line to create a more pronounced pause in
reading. By using a hyphen, she has allowed her greater control in the first line of the poem’s pace.
The purpose behind this unique technique of using hyphen is to present the speaker's deep
emotions regarding sunrise being innocent. The speaker seems to emphasize her description of
sunrise by pausing herself at the end of the first line.

c. What makes this poem lyrical and sonorous? Discuss.

Answer: This poem "A Day" by Emily Dickinson is a wonderful creation that is full of both literal and
symbolic meanings. This poem has tremendously presented a description of two beautiful aspects:
The sunrise and the sunset. These two natural aspects have provided us with deeper meanings
related to life and death. Following are some of the factors that makes this poem lyrical and
sonorous:

1. Description of Imageries: The description of imageries with the use of literary comparisons sounds
so lyrical and sonorous.

2. Symbolic meaning: The deep symbolic meaning of the poem regarding life and death makes this
poem so sonorous.
3. Usage of sound devices: This poem is packed with special sound tools which the poet has used to
create certain effects in the poem. We find the perfect use of the four most common sound devices
as repetition, rhyme, alliteration, and assonance in the poem that has made this poem so lyrical and
sonorous.

d. Who are the target audience of the speaker? Why?

Answer: Here, the speaker of the poem is an innocent child who describes a day along with two
beautiful aspects (sunrise and sunset) of this natural world through his/her perspectives. He/She
may be telling all these natural processes of sunrise and sunset of a day to all his/her friends. Here,
we find the description of children in the poem by him/her. This poem seems quite close to the
children on one level. But in the next level, the literal and symbolic meanings which the readers get
from this poem are so deep and useful for all the human beings of this planet. Thus, the target
audience of the speaker is both children and adults.

e. The poem seems to describe a day for children. How would the adult people respond to this
poem? Discuss this poem with your parents/guardians and write the answer based on their
responses.

Answer: This poem "A Day" is a poem of a wonderful description of a day. The speaker of this poem
is an innocent child who seems to describe a day for the children. The speaker has used the perfect
description of sunrise and sunset through his/her perspectives. The beautiful description of sunrise
and sunset seems quite applicable and interesting for the children. They get various beautiful images
one after another with the direct meaning of the poem. The speaker keeps on portraying various
beautiful changes in the natural world in his/her description.

The next aspect of this poem is its literal and symbolic meanings. These meanings are not suitable
for kids. After reading this poem, the adults would try to analyse this poem with its meanings on a
deeper level. They would try to get the deep meanings of the poem regarding sunrise and sunset.
Their way of reading and grasping ideas is far different from the children. The adults, as well as
elderly people, would focus their attention on its literal and symbolic meanings. They would analyse
the poem with the tremendous concepts of life and death.

The speaker simply describes the poem with two natural processes portraying different changes in
this natural world but the meanings behind this simple presentation are so deep which is related to
the wonderful concepts of human life and death.

REFERENCE BEYOND THE TEXT

a. Observe your surroundings of one fine morning and write a poem based on your own experience.

Answer:

MORNING RAYS

Your arrival erases the old into new

Every being shall wait for your fresh view

Immense of hidden mysteries you have always

Nothing I think the greater than you.

You have only known to provide all

Letting grace in various means of calls

Immense of beauty can be seen all around

Hopes stretch their wings in different souls

Feelings always get the way moving ahead

As you touch me in my morning bed

I know thy grandeur till my birth

Nothing can be important than thy in this entire earth

b. Write a personal essay on A Day in the School.

Answer:

A Day in the School

School days are so important and precious days in everyone's life. These days are quite difficult to
forget. Most people who have experience of school life are directly connected to their school days'
memories. School days are quite joyous and entertaining. These days are mostly remembered
because these precious days remind us about our teachers, friends, studies, joys and fun.

For all the students, a day in school is quite valuable. A single day of any student represents his/her
overall activities in the school. A single day of a student determines his/her daily classes, fun with
friends, submission of class and home tasks, physical activities, manners, joy etc.

School days make everyone realise the life of hard work as well as fun. Among many remarkable
days, I always remember a funny day in my school when I got deceived by my senior students.

I still remember that Tuesday at my school. That was my first day in my new school after passing SEE.
I arrived at school a bit late. I didn't know anyone there. Feeling nervous, I started my way ahead to
find the principal's office. I didn't find a board of principal's office in front of many doors. After some
time, I met some boys who seemed quite friendly to me. They helped me show the principal's office.
They directed me towards the next building just behind the school's building. I thanked them and
immediately moved towards there. I entered a two-storey building and moved upstairs. When I
reached the hall on the second floor, I found a lot of girls there. They started laughing at me when I
attracted their attention and asked about the principal's office. I related them about the boys. All the
girls laughed again and informed me about the girls' hostel. I felt so ashamed to know about the fact.
I rushed from there immediately after that.

I always burst into laughter when I remember that funny incident in my life. A day in my school when
I was fooled by the senior students.

Chapter: 2
Every Morning I Wake
by Dylan Thomas
Summary

The speaker prays every morning being devoted to God. He makes a little prayer to the almighty God
for all his people under the Milk Wood. He asks God to have his loving eyes on all poor creatures. He
wants mercy on his people from God. For him, all the creatures are poor who are destined to die one
day. All these creatures need the compassion of God.

The speaker prays for the blessing of God especially for the town and its people who are living under
the Milk Wood. He doesn't know about tomorrow's day whether they will be alive or not. Thus, he
prays for the secured night of town and its people.

The speaker also prays to God for his finest judgement. He believes that God will be the first to
judge their traits with their best sides ignoring the worst sides.

In the end, the speaker prays for the blessing of God for all for their secured night. He states that the
inhabitants under the Milk Wood finish their prayers to the setting sun. Their prayers to the setting
sun are just for now ie temporary prayers. All of them are quite optimistic to see the next glorious
day with the help of God's grace.

BEFORE READING

Answer the following questions:

a. Why do people offer prayers to God?

Answer:

People offer prayers to God to fulfil their variety of wishes. For them, God is magnificent.

b. What do you feel when you visit the mosque, temple, or church? Why do you feel so?

Answer:

I feel extremely happy when I visit the temple. I feel so because I love the religious environment of
the temple where I always get the peace that pleases my heart and mind.

UNDERSTANDING THE TEXT

Answer the following questions:

a. When does the speaker pray to the Lord?

Answer:

The speaker prays to the Lord in both morning and evening time.

b. What does the speaker pray for?

Answer:

The speaker prays for various things which are as follows:

▪ To have God's loving eyes on all poor creatures (born to die) living under Milk Wood.

▪ To have God's blessing on the town and its residents' night and sleep.

▪ To have God's judgement on the best side of people under the Milk Wood ignoring worst aspects.

▪ To have God's blessing to spend the night and see the glorious next day.

Answer in short:

The speaker prays to God for the welfare of all the residents who are living under Milk Wood.

c. Who are the ‘poor creatures’? Why does the speaker call them ‘poor creatures’?

Answer:

The 'poor creatures' are all the living creatures especially the inhabitants of the town living under
Milk Wood. The speaker calls them 'poor creatures' because he knows that all these living creatures
including him under the Milk Wood have temporary lives and are born to die.

d. What does Milk Wood sound like? A type of wood or a place? Why?

Answer:

Milk Wood sounds like a name of quite a lovely place along with wood. The term 'Milk Wood' must
be the name of the place because there is no use of an article (a, an or the) before this noun. In the
case of wood, there must be the use of an article either ‘a’, ‘an’ or ‘the’, according to grammatical
rules. Thus, it's not the name of the wood.
e. Why do the inhabitants of Milk Wood bow to the setting sun ‘but just for now’?

Answer:

The inhabitants of Milk Wood bow to the setting sun 'but just for now' because they have deep faith
in God's magnificence. They greet the setting sun temporarily to end their evening prayers being
optimistic to see the glorious morning after their safe night.

REFERENCE TO THE CONTEXT

a. Discuss “Every Morning When I Wake” as a prayer to God.

Answer:

This poem “Every Morning When I Wake” is a poem of prayer to God. This poem has been composed
by the Welsh poet Dylan Thomas. This poem is full of prayers. Here, the main speaker or Dylan
Thomas has been seen making prayers to the magnificent God from beginning to the end for the
welfare of his town and its people.

This poem has presented the glorification and magnificence of God. Here, God has been presented
with different qualities. For example: omniscient, omnipotent, omnipresent

Here, we find the speaker quite devoted to the magnificent God. He seems aware of God's
Grandeur.

There are altogether four different stanzas here in this poem where we can find prayers of the
speaker for the welfare of all the temporary living poor creatures under Milk Wood. Each stanza
contains the prayers of the speaker to God with different wishes for the inhabitants under Milk
Wood.

1. He prays for God's loving eyes ie mercy on all the poor creatures of this planet. In other words, he
prays for God's compassion to all the people. (morning till evening)

2. He prays for God's protection to all the town and its people. (whole night)

3. He prays for God's judgement. He believes that God has the first and finest judgement. He prays
to have God's judgement on the best sides of all the people living under the Milk Wood.
4. He prays for God's gift. He prays to God to let them a glorious chance to see the next day after
sunset and night.

Answer in short:

This poem is a poem of prayer to God. This poem is full of prayers that have been made by the
speaker for all the inhabitants living under Milk Wood. We find the speaker's prayers from the first
stanza to the last. He keeps on praying to God for his people's welfare, their lives, sleep, positive
aspects, opportunities to see the next day etc.

b. Why does the speaker make a prayer to God, but not to a king, a billionaire or a scientist?

Answer:

The speaker makes a prayer to God, but not to a king, a billionaire or a scientist because he knows
the Grandeur of almighty God. His devotion towards God is so deep and he has a good
understanding related to God and his creations. He has referred to all the living beings as poor
creatures on this planet. According to him, all these creatures have been living their temporary lives
here on this planet. They are destined to die and they will certainly leave this beautiful planet one
day. As a devotee of God, the speaker keeps on praying for the welfare of all these creatures to God.
All these individuals as a king, a billionaire or a scientist are also in the category of living creatures
whereas God is the creator of this entire universe. The speaker knows very well about these
differences between almighty God and the creatures of this planet. He believes more in God than
creatures. His faith in God is so deep and beyond any other natural beings.

c. How does the poet highlight the magnificence of God?

Answer:

The poet highlights the magnificence of God in the following ways.

1. He has presented God as the source of love and compassion for all living creatures. All these
creatures depend on God and survive due to God's Grace.

2. He has presented God as the protector who has the power to protect all the creatures no
matter day or night. God is the only caretaker of all the living beings on this planet.

3. He has presented God as the first source of knowledge who has the finest ability to judge
the positive aspects of all his children.
 4. He has presented God as the source of tremendous changes on this planet. It is only God
who brings tremendous changes all the time and allows his children to see and enjoy these
changes.

d. How does the rhyme scheme of the poem reinforce its message?

Answer:

The rhyme scheme is the pattern of rhymes at the end of each line of a poem or song. It is usually
referred to by using letters to indicate which lines rhyme; lines designated with the same letter all
rhyme with each other.

The poem "Every Morning I Wake" by Dylan Thomas is a poem of prayer to God. This poem is quite
lyrical due to its rhythmic tone. There are altogether four different stanzas here in this poem. Each
line of the stanza rhymes with the second line. Here we find the rhyme scheme of AABB CCDD EEFF
GGFF.

This rhyme scheme has made this poem so rhythmic. This poem sounds so good due to its rhyme
schemes. This rhyme scheme of this poem reinforces its message regarding the almighty Lord and
his magnificence.

REFERENCE BEYOND THE TEXT

a. Does God exist? Give your opinion.

Answer:

This is a quite controversial question and a matter of debate from ancient times. The term 'God'
refers to a deity or supreme being; a supernatural, typically immortal, being with superior powers, to
which personhood is attributed.

I believe in God but I don't have any idea about God's existence. I think the above-mentioned
definition of God is the worldwide accepted definition. Most people in this world believe in God and
his existence. So do I. But No one has seen the real form of God in this world. People similarly
believe in God as the above-mentioned definition. The concept of God is culturally connected with
people. From childhood time, people are orally taught as well as transmitted information regarding
God and his magnificence showing God's pictures as well as idols. From birth till death, people are
connected with religious aspects as well as the concept of God. Most people have deep faith in God
though they don't see his real form. So, there is a question mark in God's existence. But the power
through which the entire universe is regulating itself is an amazing aspect for all. The tremendous
changes in nature every time makes people believe in the existence of a superpower on this planet.
People have deep faith in the goodness of this unknown power. They attribute this unknown power
to God.

b. In his Epistle to the author of the book, The Three Impostors (1768), Voltaire says, “Even if the
God didn’t exist, it would be necessary to invent him.” Write an essay highlighting the importance of
God in the society.

Answer:

Importance of the God in the Society

This term 'God' is quite sacred that refers to a deity or supreme being; a supernatural, typically
immortal, being with superior powers, to which personhood is attributed.

Humans have been debating about the term 'God' and his existence for ages. Its main reason is that
human beings have never seen God's real form in front of their eyes. They are connected with
almighty God through reading as well as understanding various religious books. They get connected
with the concept of God with their deep faith. In this entire world, most people pray for their
welfare in front of God's idols, pictures, religious books etc. The concept of God, as well as religion,
has diverted all the people towards deep faith. This faith has also brought upheavals among people.

The importance of God in society is so high. Today, most societies depend on the concept of God.
People in societies have deep faith in religion and God. Every society and its people have built a
sacred places in their society to worship God. We find temples, churches etc in every society. People
are religiously connected in the name of God. There is always God's first rank and his importance
among people and societies.

The concept of God is quite essential for every society. This concept unites all human beings. The
concept of religion, as well as God, always teaches humans about moral and righteous values. These
concepts have been created for the welfare of humanity. In the present time, every society needs
God for various reasons. God is important among people and societies. Following are some of the
importance of God in society:

▪ The concept of God always makes humans choose righteous paths.

▪ God's concept teaches people various norms and values in their lives.

▪ God's concept always prevents humans from doing bad deeds in society.

▪ God, as well as religion, is always with humans from birth till death.
Chapter: 3
I Was My Own Route
by Julia de Burgos
Summary

This poem "I Was My Own Route" has been composed by Puerto Rican poet Julia de Burgos. This
poem depicts how women are burdened with patriarchal ideologies from the past. Therefore, de
Burgos urges the women to detach themselves from the past so as to locate their identity within.

This poem has presented the desire for the intimate and deep liberation of women. This poem is
based on feministic ideas where we can find rebels done by a woman against the social injustice of
the contemporary time.

Here, her steps against patriarchal norms and values present her as a radical feminist. She seems
quite frustrated with male domination. She expresses her desires protesting patriarchal ideologies
and moving to her new paths of intimate liberation.

The speaker as a woman seems quite determined in her resolution. She shares her feelings about
living her life under patriarchal norms and values. She suffers a lot under a so-called patriarchal
society where her identity itself was similar to the game of hide and seek. She wanted to be what
men wanted her to be. To get rid of this burden, she chooses her new paths mocking her past life
under patriarchal ideology. She moves ahead with a strong promise not to step backwards.

During her advancing steps, she faces various obstacles regarding patriarchal norms and values. Her
past becomes her obstacle.

Her new route is quite different from that of her old route. Here she finds her route quite flexible to
move on. She feels joyous and intimate liberation. She feels like a blossom that can freely grow in
any part of the earth. She feels quite easy in her life without restrictions of patriarchal ideologies.
She realises the meaning of life within herself. At last, her feelings to follow patriarchal ideology
warp within her and she prefers not to follow those norms and values which obliged her to live
identity-less life. She feels that her protest against patriarchal norms and values will certainly bring a
kind of huge respect for her.
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS

BEFORE READING

Discuss the following questions.

a. Do you try to be like what others want you to be? Why? Why not?

Answer:

I don't try to be like what others want me to be because I have my own identity and interest. I prefer
to be of my own interest.

b. How can we achieve our identity?

Answer:

We can achieve our identity by presenting ourselves with full determination.

UNDERSTANDING THE TEXT

Answer the following questions:

a. Why did the speaker try to be the way men wanted her to be?

Answer:

The speaker tried to be the way men wanted her to be because she had no options left. The
contemporary society was quite rigid with male ideologies where she had to follow men's route and
move according to their norms and values.

b. What do you understand by her feet ‘would not accept walking backwards’?

Answer:

By her feet 'would not accept walking backwards', I understand the firm resolution of the speaker to
move her feet forward towards her new paths where there would be no obstacles regarding
patriarchal norms and values. Her feet wouldn't accept backwards on her way ahead.
c. Who are the old guards? Why did they grow desperate?

Answer:

The old guards are those traditionalists who conserve patriarchal norms and values. They grow
desperate to find the speaker's protest against them. They found the violation of patriarchal norms
and values by the speaker.

d. How did the speaker have ‘a feeling of intimate liberation’?

Answer:

The speaker had 'a feeling of intimate liberation' by her act of choosing her new paths which are
quite separated from familiar patriarchal norms and values. Being away from patriarchal ideologies,
she had a joyous feeling of intimate liberation that flows from the balance between her life and the
truth of the route which she has chosen.

e. Why did the speaker’s desire to follow men warp in her?

Answer:

The speaker's desire to follow men warp in her because she was familiar with so-called patriarchal
ideologies. She suffered a lot under the men where her identity was even crushed. Her desire to
follow men turned into hatred and she moved forward on her new paths protesting patriarchal
norms and values.

Reference to the context

a. What does the speaker mean when she says 'she was playing a game of hide and seek with her
being’?

Answer:

When she says 'she was playing a game of hide and seek with her being’, she means the crucial
situation of her life under patriarchal ideologies where there is a question mark in her being as well
as identity. Her life under patriarchal ideology was similar to the game of hide and seek which she
was playing with her being as well as her identity under men's domination.

b. Why, in your view, was her back ripped by the old guards as she was advancing forward?

Answer:

In my view, as she was advancing forward, her back was ripped by the old guards because the
impacts of patriarchal ideologies moved along with her initially as obstacles. The old guards ie the
traditionalists opposed her steps against them providing a lot of obstacles on her way to move
forward. They tried to create hindrances on her way and stop her on her way ahead.

c. What, according to the speaker, did it feel like to be free?

Answer:

According to the speaker, to be free, it felt like a blossom that can grow without any restrictions
anywhere on the earthly soils. It is a kind of feeling that flows from the balance between her life and
the truth of the kiss of the new paths.

d. Why does the speaker prefer the present to the past?

Answer:

The speaker prefers the present to the past because her present is far better than her past. Her life
under patriarchal ideology wasn't good at all where she was living her life without her identity. Her
present is so nice with intimate liberation where she supposes herself as a blossom that can flourish
anywhere on earthly soils.

e. John Donne, in his poem “No Man is an Island”, says, “No man is an island entire of itself.” Would
Burgos agree with Donne? Do you agree with Donne or Burgos?

Answer:

The metaphysical poet and clergyman John Donne was one of the most influential poets of the
Renaissance. He was just as famous for his witty cutting poetry.

John Donne's poem "No Man is an Island", says, “No man is an island entire of itself.” Here, John
Donne's poem's main title 'No Man is an Island' expresses the idea that human beings do badly when
isolated from others and need to be part of a community in order to thrive. This poem has put
forward the idea that no one is fully self-sufficient. Everyone must rely on the company and comfort
of others in order to survive and thrive.

No, Burgos wouldn't agree with Donne. She supports separated life for survival and progress in her
poem. Yes, I agree with John Donne and support his concept of societal equality in every aspect. He
has put forward the idea of social equality where men and women seem equal and support each
other for the development of society. But, if we examine Julia de Burgos poem "I Was My Route",
we find the speaker against patriarchal norms and values. She moves in her new paths for the sake
of her identity and thrives in her life. The concept of feminism has been presented by the speaker
where there is a lack of social equality. She doesn't want to rely on men and thinks of patriarchal
norms and values as the obstacles on the way of female's identity and progress.

In the case of both of them, I appreciate the concept of John Donne in his poetry who has presented
the fine concept of social equality between men and women for the development of society.
REFERENCE BEYOND THE TEXT

a. Write an essay on My Idea of Freedom.

Answer:

My Idea of Freedom

The term 'Freedom' itself is a term of debate from ancient times up to now. People have different
interpretations regarding this term. I think this term 'Freedom' is quite a joyous term for all which
sounds good. If we try to find out its real definition from books or websites, we find its single
definition most of the time.

The term "Freedom" refers to a state of independence where you can do what you like without any
restriction by anyone. Moreover, freedom can be called a state of mind where you have the right
and freedom of doing what you can think. Also, you can feel freedom from within.

But, People define freedom with their different interpretations according to the situations and their
own experiences. Different people are with different mentalities and they define this term
differently. In most definitions, we often find the mention of the liberal state of human beings.

My idea of freedom is similar to others. I also prefer to define it with the liberation of human beings.
Following are some of my ideas regarding this term freedom:

1. Freedom is a right to live: This aspect is quite important. Being humans, priority should be given to
our survival. Human beings must have the right to survive properly without having any fear of their
lives.

2. Freedom is a right to express: This is also a fine aspect of freedom where human beings get the
right to express their views, ideas through oral as well as written means. This right of expression is a
must but it should be away from the concept of harming others.

3. Freedom is a right for equal opportunity: This is another important aspect of freedom. This is the
right where there is no discrimination between people in the matter of opportunities. Human beings
must get equal opportunities in their lives in the matter of education and jobs.

Thus, freedom is essential for the well-being of all human beings.

b. Not all people, however, seem to agree with the kind of freedom upheld by Burgos in this poem.
For example, William Faulkner, in his novel Requiem for a Nun, says, ‘“The past is never dead. It’s
not even past. All of us labour in webs spun long before we were born, webs of heredity and
environment, of desire and 9agree with Faulkner? Why? Why not?

Answer:
Yes, I agree with Faulkner because, in his novel "'Requiem for a Nun, his quote reveals the reality of
human beings regarding the connection of the past. Human beings are considered conscious beings
who are directly connected with their past and historical backgrounds. On this planet, every human
being is connected to their pasts and their consequences. The time which human beings have spent
here on this planet isn't dead. It has become past for them but that particular past remains alive
within them for entire their lifetime. This connection of the past is quite long enough. The process of
connection keeps on weaving its webs before the birth time. All we humans labour in these webs of
heredity and environment, of desire and consequence, of history and eternity. Human life keeps on
moving being connected with the past. Humans never escape this great reality of this planet. Past
always plays a vital role in everyone's life. Past never dies nor it becomes old. It keeps on moving
with humans. Human beings always remain with this connection and struggle all the time.

The idea of freedom presented by Julia de Burgos seems quite unacceptable. The concept of social
inequality can be seen in her poem. In Burgos poem, we find the speaker quite frustrated to see her
life under patriarchal ideology. She chooses her new paths leaving her past because she found her
past quite unpleasant. She wishes to be fully free from her past and male ideologies. Though she
moves in her new paths, she will never find herself away from her past connection. She will have to
face this reality in her every step of her life. Her past and her historical background will always make
her realise her own identity.

Chapter: 4
The Awakening Age by Ben Okri
Summary

The poem "The Awakening Age" by Ben Okri is a poem of hope. Here in this poem, the poet has
wished for all the miserable Nigerians who had been fragmented due to the devastating civil war
that lasted for three crucial years.

Here in this poem, the poet is wishing for their well being after the outbreak of civil peace, a time for
all to enter a new world of the awakening age.
The poet wishes for all these miserable and fragmented Nigerian people that they may have a vision
of a new world, a world of hope, prosperity, unity, truth, wisdom and creativity. He also wishes for
them that they may experience the glory of the awakening age beyond their poverty rage. Here, by
the awakening age, he refers to the age of enlightenment where there is peace, prosperity,
liberation, joy, unity and harmony among people.

The poet has presented a suitable new world in the awakening age for all of them. He makes a call
for all the Nigerians' hope to move further. For him, Nigerians are quite rich in their hopes and these
hopes have connected them firmly from history. Next, he makes a call for their unity as well as
solidarity to reach a new height of prosperity with positivity in their hearts. He also makes a call for
their change in perceptions with truthfulness in a new world to gain much in their lives away from
problems and pains. He talks about the new world of the awakening age where all these people have
a chance to get jobs, wisdom and creativity beyond their poverty. In this state, their life will be
joyous and they will be able to gain better in the time and space of the new world.

QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS

BEFORE READING

Discuss the following questions:

a. Why do you think people from your country migrate to another country?

Answer:

I think people from my country migrate to another country to find better opportunities especially in
the matter of education, jobs, earnings and their better life.

b. Do people from other countries migrate to your country? Why?

Answer:

No, people from other countries don't migrate to my country because there is no opportunity for
people to uplift their living standards.

UNDERSTANDING THE TEXT

Answer the following questions:

a. Who are the people ‘who travel the meridian line’?

Answer:

The people 'who travel the meridian line' are those Nigerian people who have been divided into two
sects as the south and the north due to the devastating civil war. These people have travelled a long
path of hunger, poverty, unemployment and other aspects in their lives during their survival in
fragmentations.

b. What does the poet mean by ‘a new world’?

Answer:

By 'a new world', the poet means a fine world which is a world of hope, prosperity, unity, truth,
wisdom and creativity. This is the world of united Nigeria that people have experienced after the
outbreak of civil peace in Nigeria.

c. How are people connected to each other?

Answer:

People are connected to each other with hope from history. They are quite strong in their hopes.
Due to this firm hope, they can rise to a new height of a prosperous and united nation with positivity
and wisdom.

d. What can we gain after our perceptions are changed?

Answer:

We can gain varieties of things after our perceptions are changed. Through changed perceptions, we
can gain truthfulness away from problems and pains. When our perceptions are changed, we will be
able to gain unity, truth, prosperity, work, wisdom and creativity.

e. How are we benefited by new people?

Answer:

We are benefited by new people by their support in various aspects. Our unity with them leads us
towards a prosperous state. They support us to reach a new height where there is positivity in our
hearts, truthfulness in our perceptions, work, wisdom and creativity.

f. Describe the rhyme scheme of this sonnet.

Answer:
There are altogether seven different stanzas that contain fourteen lines. Every stanza has two lines
(couplet). The rhyme scheme of this sonnet is so simple and sonorous which has provided a rhythmic
tone. Every stanza has a rhyming couplet. For example AA BB CC DD EE FF and GG.

REFERENCE TO THE CONTEXT

a. What does the poet mean by ‘the awakening age’?

Answer:

By 'the awakening age', the poet means an age of African people's recognition, realization, or
coming into awareness of their condition, and the beginning of their new world. This age is the age
of enlightenment where there is peace, prosperity, liberation, joy, unity and harmony among
people. This age appears just after the bloody civil war of Nigeria.

b. Why, in your view, have these people ‘lived with poverty’s rage’?

Answer:

In my view, these people have 'lived with poverty's rage' because they involved themselves in the
bloody civil war for continuously three crucial years. During that time millions of people especially
children died of starvation. They were concerned more in fighting for various internal issues
regarding religion, culture, political ideology ethnicity etc ignoring the sufferings of common
Nigerians.

c. Why does the poet appeal for solidarity among the people?

Answer:

The poet appeals for solidarity among people because he wants to see all the miserable Nigerians to
reach a new height of prosperity in a new world, a world of hope, prosperity, unity, truth, wisdom
and creativity. He believes that solidarity among people can only lead them towards perfection and
prosperity.

d. Does the poet present migration in a positive light? Why? Why not?

Answer:

Yes, the poet presents migration in a positive light because he has presented this migration with
immense positive hopes as well as good wishes. This isn't a physical migration of people but a
migration of their state from one level to another through the mean of awakening. The poet wants
to see them united, prosperous, truthful, wise, creative in a new world of awakening age away from
the concept of miseries.
e. Nepal is also known for its economic as well as educational migrants. Have you noticed any
change in the perceptions and behaviours of these migrants when they return home from abroad?

Answer:

Yes, I have noticed various changes in the perceptions and behaviours of these migrants when they
return home from abroad. Migrants return home with immense joy in their minds and hearts. They
feel extremely happy to step their motherland. They have good financial status and knowledge
related to their foreign life. They try to show their imposing attitude over others. They try to be a bit
standard and civilised than others. They try to expose themselves as if they are of high social status.
After spending some days in Nepal, they start talking rubbish about their own country regarding jobs
and opportunities. But some people wish to stay in their motherland and do business in their own
country. People's perceptions and behaviours change according to their own experiences of the time
and situations which they have spent or faced. Most of them wish to go to foreign lands again and
again. Some of them wish to stay in Nepal and try to apply their skills for the development of their
nation as well as their people. Some migrants try to reveal their experiences of foreign lands to
others. They try to work for the welfare as well as the development of people and the nation.

f. Relate the rhyme scheme of this sonnet to the kind of life idealized by the poet.

Answer:

This poem "The Awakening Age" by Ben Okri is a poem of hope where we find the rhyme scheme of
AA BB CC DD EE FF and GG. Every couplet of seven different stanzas is perfect in its rhyme as well as
meaning. With the help of the rhyme scheme of the poem, the poet is able to present the idealized
life of Nigerian people in a new world of the awakening age. All these rhyming words at the end of
couplets have a direct connection with the Nigerian people's lives and their ideal way of living along
with wisdom, realisation, hope, prosperity, truth, opportunities and joy. His wonderful rhyming
scheme has perfectly presented his hopes as well as well wishes regarding the ideal life of Nigerian
people in a new world.

REFERENCE BEYOND THE TEXT

Write an essay on 'The Impacts of Migration on Nepali Society'.

Answer:

The Impacts of Migration on Nepali Society

In recent days, migration in Nepal is a lot more in trend. Most Nepalese people are on the way to
migration. People are seen migrating in both levels as internal migration and external migration.
People are migrating to urban areas within the country and also to foreign lands. The sole cause
behind their migration is to seek better living standards as well as opportunities. Nowadays, it is
quite difficult to find out youth manpower in the country. Most of the youths of Nepal have moved
to foreign lands in the name of education and jobs and settled their lives over there. The rural areas
are facing a lack of youths. In most villages of Nepal, elderly people are living miserable lives. Most
youths are spending their lives working in urban areas as well as foreign lands. Nepali societies are
facing very bad impacts due to this concept of migration. Following are some of the bad impacts of
migration on Nepali society:

1. The number of youths is decreasing rapidly.

2. Most Nepalese societies are facing a lack of youth manpower.

3. The relationship between people is becoming weaker.

4. In most societies of Nepal, elderly people are spending their lonely life in a very miserable state.

5. Due to the lack of people in societies, people are experiencing loneliness during the time of
festivals.

6.There is no sense of love, affection, care, co-operation, security, peace and harmony among
1people of societies.

7.Due to the lack of people, the development of societies even has decreased.

8. The prime concept of humanity itself is in a question mark.

9. People are seen away from relationships and selfishness among people is seen.

10. Birth rate has also decreased dramatically.

Soft Storm
by Abhi Subedi
Summary
Abhi Subedi’s Soft Storm is depicted in free verse with a beautiful blend of natural and social
description. On the surface level, it depicts the journey of the speaker through narrow lane and
lightening of Kathmandu city at night but in its deeper sense, it projects people’s indifference
feelings towards miserable conditions and sufferings of the people, male practice, tumult
atmosphere, chaos in the Nepalese society.

In the opening stanza, the poet first portrays environmental disorder in the Nepalese society
through words like tumult, eerie etc and then he moves to hopeful situations with the phrase “ sky
grew like crocuses “ indicating blooming of Irish flowering family plants over stones. These plants
grow five inches taller. When the moon is about to pass away, he speaks the language of posters
and politics and about several social activities. It means to state people ‘s discussion about social
activities as they present in front of each other. By combining both natural and social atmosphere,
he becomes Soft again as he sees the softness of rose like gale’ from his roofs. Though this simile, he
combines two opposite ideas like softness and strong wind and attacks over the several social
malpractice of the people in the society. Then, he presents singing of the moon and lightening with
seamless city which means city with easy and comfortable atmosphere for some people.

In second stanza, he presents homeless and parentless children in grim poverty and crying for food
and shelter in Thamel. Through this, he attacks the corrupted political leaders who just think of
themselves and their families, not of their poor citizens and orphans. These future pillar are in risk
and in miserable condition. Social evils prevailed in the country is one of the major causes of all
this. On the other hand, as he returns from such a melee( confusing place) where people were
dancing with mad steps, parties and ceremonies in skyscrapers, big hotels, he recollects his past
days when people were free to enjoy real spirit of freedom

In the third stanza, he becomes Soft hearted again as he visualizes a forlorn ( sad and hopeless)
child carrying a transistor around his neck is wailing and is searching for his mother here and there.
The child is panic . A man is beaten mercilessly before his family members for no specific reason. It
states that in this modern rea people are indifferent to each other and dominance is prevalent
everywhere. These lawless activities makes the speaker rebellious against the system.

In the fourth stanza, the poet talks about a man with blood-stained shirt and bruised human lips is
unable to speak anything as his voice is locked by the powerful inhabitants in the night time. The
game of hide and seek is associated with the landowners and the workers

In the fifths stanza, he states about the words, not listened and storms but not waited for its Leela
or a divine play.

In the sixth stanza, the poet starte optimistic feeling for the inhabitants through grown up Irish
flowering plants over the stone, storms moving to the public place and the sun shining with its
different colours like rainbow. The other references like soft Storm, silent pages, forlorn shirts,
celebrations for the gods etc ate chaotic situation as they are under control of disturbing rulers of
the nation.

In the seventh stanza, he presents several causes of his soft heart such as invaluable things,
indifference and selfish activities of the modern men, lawless activities, disturbed and spoiled
mother earth due to human misbehaviours, and painful life of other poor creatures.

In the last stanza, the poet concludes the poem stating that he needs freedom not only for himself
but also for all the creatures of this mother earth. He favours the beautiful and calm sky and wants
to dance freely without any social restrictions with natural sweet music of soft storm and melodious
singing of birds making a circle round and round.

Understanding the text

Answer the following questions.

a. When does the speaker grow soft? Enlist the occasions when he grows soft?

Answer:

- The speaker grows soft when

- He hears the tumult.

-The sky grew like crocuses.

-The moon skids down.

- The softness rises like a gale.

-The moon sang of lampposts and gutters in this seamless city and so on.

b. What do you understand by ‘this seamless city’?

Answer:

By ‘this seamless city’ I understand the place having no awkward transitions, interruptions or
indications.

c. Describe the poor children portrayed in the poem.

Answer:

In Thamel, the children who are poor and homeless are seen. They cry with hunger under the bat-
bearing trees of Kesharmahal.

d. What do you understand by ‘the unwedded gardens of history’?

Answer:

By ‘the unwedded gardens of history’ I understand the ignored culture, history of the valley.
e. Why was the forlorn child wailing?

Answer:

The forlorn child was wailing to find his mother in the corridors of violent history.

f. What do you understand by ‘soft storm’?

Answer:

By ‘soft storm’ I understand the speaker’s disturbed feelings, but they are not disastrous.

g. Why does the speaker call our time ‘mad time’?

Answer:

The speaker calls our time ‘mad time’ because stone grows in flower, the moon hums melodies,
history rushes under the lamppost and over deforested land, birds sing of bizarre journeys over the
warming earth, rhododendron bloom in winter, mother earth tells of the tumults in the songs of the
sad birds.

h. What does the speaker want to do in “hard times”?

Answer:

The speaker wants to melt like a rainbow in “hard times”.

Reference to the context

a. The poet uses the word ‘soft’ with the words like ‘storm’ and ‘gale’, which generally refer to
disorder and violence. What effect does the poet achieve through the use of such anomolous
expressions?

Answer:

Anamolous expressions are the expressions which are syntactically well formed but semantically
meaningless. In the poem, the expressions ‘soft storm’ and ‘softness rose like a gale’ are unusual and
paradoxical in nature. Through these expressions the poet achieves psychological effect. Connecting
two contrasting ideas, he is able to express his disturbed inner experience.

b. What is the speaker’s attitude towards the time he describes in the poem?

Answer:
The speaker’s attitude towards the time is not positive. He considers the time to be mad as he
experiences several unusual things happening around him. Since the society is in complete disorder
and out of control, he is having hard times.

c. What is the speaker like? Is he a rebel? Why? Why not?

Answer:

The poet finds the society in complete disorder. People are suffering from poverty, hunger and
corruption. He sees homeless children who cry with hunger. He witnesses people ignoring the
history. They are treating one another inhumanely. He seems to challenge all these things. Though
he is like a rebel, his rebellious nature is not directly presented in the poem.

d. Explain the stanza below in your own words:

Answer:

I became soft

when I saw

a blood-stained shirt

speaking in the earth’s ears

with bruised human lips

in the far corner

under the moon

of history and dreams

playing hide and seek

in open museums

In the given lines, the poet says that he suffers from uneasy feelings when he sees a person in a
miserable condition during night.

The speaker experiences soft inner storm when he sees a person with a blood- stained shirt. The
person is lying unconsciously on the ground. It is a moonlit night. The moon of history and dream
referring to the history of human dreams and achievement, is sometimes covered in clouds. When
the moon appears, the moonlight falls on the place of cultural and historical importance. Though this
natural interplay during night, it seems people are indifferent to the injured person who might be
the victim of violence.
UNIT THREE: ESSAYS
Chapter: 1
ON LIBRARIES
BY OLIVER SACKS
Summary
"Summary

The essay 'On Libraries' is written by Oliver Sacks. In this essay, the essayist remembers his
childhood. He grew in an oak-panelled library inherited from his father where so many books were
stacked. Oliver is happy in this essay because it is his autobiographical writing. He is so delightful. It
is written in praise of intellectual freedom, community work, a high state of unexpected discovery
and so on. The essayist has the good habit of reading books in libraries. He has found his natural
curiosity unstimulated by the industrial model of education into which he was pushed. At the library,
he was the master of his own time and mind. He got so many ideas from books. He discovered the
living substance of learning without the ill-fitting structure of schooling. He apprehended liberation
through self-directed learning. He also found a surprising sense of community, which became a
wonderful complement to his newfound intellectual autonomy. Autonomous learning is very
important and good to achieve success.

The essayist moved to New York City in 1965. He started to live in a small apartment. It was difficult
for him to read and write but he began to write. He wrote the books on the mind. Then, he was
accepted into Albert Einstein College of Medicine where he felt comfortable reading and writing. He
met another friend there who was also searching for the books of the brain. They had a close
connection because they shared their knowledge with each other. He continued reading books in
the library. At that time students ignored bookshelves because of their access to the materials on
the computers. Some libraries started to discard old books. He didn’t like that. For him, it was the
very bad thing that he took as murder or crime. The library became his escape from the oppressions
and adversity of a young person.

Understanding The Text

Answer the following questions.

a. Where could the author be found when he was late for lunch or dinner?
➜ The author could be found in a little lab along with the oak-panelled library that belonged to his
father when he was late for lunch or dinner.

b. What are his first memories?

➜ The beautiful oak panel library and books were the first memory of the writer.

Also Read : An Eastern Journey by Somerset Maugham

c. Why did he dislike school?

➜ The author didn't like school because he had to listen to the teachers passively obeying their
instructions. The author liked to learn himself in libraries being free to choose books of his own
choice.

d. What did he feel about at the library?

➜ At the library, he felt free to look out thousands of books, to roam around and to enjoy the
special atmosphere and the quiet companionship of other readers all like him in the same quest.

e. Why was he so biased about sciences especially astronomy and chemistry?

➜ He was so biased about science especially astronomy and chemistry because science was his
study of interest. Any library could provide books on various subjects and faculties, and to read all of
them is not possible. We must focus our study on a specific subject to get a wide range of knowledge
on that subject so the writer, to get specific knowledge, focused himself in astronomy and
chemistry.

Also Read : Humility: Summary & Question Answer Exercise by Yuval Noah Harari

f. Why did he become so fascinated by Hook?

➜ The writer became so fascinated by Theodore Hook because he was greatly admired in the 19th
century for his wit and his genius for theatrical and musical improvisation. He was said to have
composed more than 500 operas on the spot.
g. Describe the library at Queen’s College.

➜ The Queen's College is a constituent college of the University of Oxford, England. It has a
magnificent library building which was designed by Christopher Wren, one of the most highly
acclaimed English architects in history. Beneath the library building, there is the vast subterranean
holding of the library.

h. Why did the students ignore the bookshelves in the 1990s?

Also Read :Marriage as a Social Institution: Summary & Exercise by Steven L. Nock

➜ The students ignored the bookshelves in the 1990s because they have access to computerized
books.

i. Why was he horrified when he visited the library a couple of months ago?

➜ He was horrified when he visited the library a couple of months ago because most of the shelves
were sparsely occupied. Most of the books were had been thrown out or digitalized.

Reference to the Context

a. The author says, “I was not a good pupil, but I was a good listener.” Justify it with the textual
pieces of evidence.

➜ In the essay, Oliver Sacks says, “I was not a good pupil, but I was a good listener.” To be a good
pupil, one has to be a good relation to Ads by Sending feedback Why this ad? teachers in a school.
S/he has to attend classes regularly under the instructions provided by the teachers. S/he has to
complete all the assignments given by the teacher after the lectures. But Oliver Sacks was not like
that kind of pupil. He didn’t like to learn passively. Instead, he likes to learn actively in libraries
selecting books of his choice. He loves reading varieties of books in the library being free.

b. A proverb says, "Nothing is pleasanter than exploring a library." Does this proverb apply in the
essay? Explain.

➜ The beautiful quotation, “Nothing is pleasanter than exploring a library.” Walter Savage Landor
talks about the happiness, any studious person gets in a library. Any library provides enormous
sources of information on a variety of topics. Nothing gives much satisfaction as reading books gives
to a bookish fellow. Oliveri Sacks is a bookworm who spends much of his time in different libraries in
different places.

His book reading started from his own library at home. All of his family members loved reading
books and he was grown up in that environment. The oak-panelled library at his own home was his
favourite room. Instead of attending formal schools, he preferred to read freely in libraries.
Especially he enjoyed the library environment and the quiet companionship of other readers. He
would love to sit at a table in libraries, with a mountain of books in Infront of him.

c. Are there any other services that you would like to see added to the library?

➜ When we hear the term “Library”, an image comes to our mind that is a room filled with several
stocks of bookshelves and book lovers reading there. In the past, the shelves were full of paper-
based books. I would like to see libraries offering an abundance of additional services which we can
enjoy. I like to have access to audiobooks, Ebooks, large print and braille materials, CDs, DVDs,
Internet access, community clubs, manuscripts and so on. They could provide access to reading to
different readers. Even blind people can read books in a library if they provide braille materials.
Internet users can read EBooks there.

Reference Beyond the Text

a. Write an essay on Libraries and their uses for students.

➜ A library is a place where books and sources of information are stored. They make it easier for
people to get access to them for various purposes. Libraries are very helpful and economical too.
They include books, magazines, newspapers, DVDs, manuscripts and more. In other words, they are
an all-encompassing source of information.

A public library is open to everyone for fulfilling the need for information. They are run by the
government, schools, colleges, and universities. The members of the society or community can visit
these libraries to enhance their knowledge and complete their research. Libraries play a vital role in
providing people with reliable content. They encourage and promote the process of learning and
grasping knowledge. The book worms can get loads of books to read from and enhance their
knowledge. Moreover, the variety is so wide-ranging that one mostly gets what they are looking for.

Furthermore, they help the people to get their hands on great educational material which they
might not find otherwise in the market. When we read more, our social skills and academic
performance improves. Most importantly, libraries are a great platform for making progress. When
we get homework in class, the libraries help us with the reference material. This, in turn, progresses
our learning capabilities and knowledge. It is also helpful in our overall development.
Chapter: 2
Marriage as a Social Institution
By Stephen L. Nock
Summary

"The essay analyzes the national marriage debate. It examines the social and demographic trends
that are responsible for the change in the concept of marriage and the family. For writer, marriage
and parenthood are related to individuals. It is a private matter. He thinks that different
programmes are responsible to change the scenario in marriage. Fathers are becoming responsible
and divorce rates are decreasing as the result of such programmes. It will help to keep the strong
bond of marital relationship.

A couple has to follow certain rules after the marriage. They have to follow the marital patterns to
continue their relationship. They must be in limit to do actions.

The essayist supports his ideas by referring Emile Durkheim (French Sociologist). Emile states that
marriage controls people from commiting suicide. Unmarried couple commit more suicide than
married couple. Marriage also control extravagant expenses. A person becomes more responsible
towards his family after marriage. A man relies with a single woman to fulfill his desires. As a result,
a married person becomes goal oriented too.

Marriage is considered as a social structure. After marriage, a spouse plays an important role in
men’s life. It is a union between two people. They are legally, morally and socially linked with each
other. Husband performs as a leader of a family. As a life partner, they have to follow cultural and
social norms to work as unit of it. Married males maintain his physical and mental health than
women. Men are involved in public life, luxury, comfort,etc after a marriage. So marriage is an
institution like the family, education, law,etc."
Answer the following questions.
a. According to the author, what is marriage?
➜ According to the author, Marriage is the union of spouses who
are tied by legal, moral, and traditional assumptions and have a
variety of close personal relationships and associations.

b. How is marriage an institution?

➜ Marriage is an institution because the relationship between the
couples is recognised by law as a means of meeting social,
economic, physical, and family requirements, and it is linked to
other institutions such as education, the economy, and politics.

c. What are the rules that a marriage has?

➜ Marriage has a large set of well-understood rules that help in the
planning and maintenance of the spouses' life.

d. Why does marriage matter to men?

➜ Marriage matters to men because it provides structure to their
lives and organizes their goals and ambitions.

e. What is one of the central problems in modern society?

➜ One of the central problems in modern society is putting various
legitimate boundaries around modern individuals' seemingly
limitless desires for well-being, comfort, luxury, and prestige.

f. What does social capital consist of?

➜ Social capital consists of a large network of people who are linked
by a bond of trustworthiness and trust.

g. What is normative marriage? Explain.

➜ A normative marriage is one that is built on pre-established
standards and values. For example, in the United States, the six
elements that characterise normative marriage are: marriages are
entered willingly by mature, heterosexual adults, husbands as
primary earners, sexual faithfulness of partners, and parenthood.

Reference to the Context

a. Discuss six dimensions that define normative marriage in
America.
➜ Marriage exists everywhere, although the concept of marriage
varies by location. Every civilization has its own set of marital
traditions and values. Whatever it is, it allows two adults of
opposite sexes the legal right to live as life partners, satisfying each
other's desires. Every marriage, in every area, follows norms and
patterns, and the same is true in the United States. In America, the
structured marriage known as normative marriage has six
dimensions. The first point to mention is that marriage is entirely
voluntary. Nobody is putting any pressure on you to marry. It is up
to individuals to make their own decisions. Adults are capable of
managing their marriages. The marriage must be heterosexual
(opposite sexes). The husband will be the primary earner after
marriage. They must support their families. Both spouses must be
faithful to one another, especially when it comes to sexual
behaviour. And it is only after they marry that they become parents
to their children.

b. Do marriages differ according to culture? How is your marriage

practice different from marriage in America?
➜ Marriage practices differ from culture to culture as well as from
one place to another. Not only are there disparities across the
country, but there are also variations within a country. Even within
our country, the marriage practises of one geographic place differ
from those of others. However, the Hindu religion is practised by
the vast majority of Nepalese people. Marriage, in our opinion, is a
social, spiritual, cultural, and legal connection between a man and a
woman as husband and wife. It is also the beginning of a
relationship between two families.
Our marriage practises differing from those in the United States
because we adhere to Hindu tradition, whereas the United States
adhere to Hindu tradition, whereas the United States adheres to
Christian tradition. The wedding ceremony is held in a religious
place known as a church, and it is officiated by a religious leader.
The bride and groom exchange church-provided vows declaring
their love and commitment to one another. The officiant asks the
attendees if they have any suggestions for why the couple should
not be married. If no one objections, the couple swaps rings to
represent their unending love and devotion to one another. With
their first kiss, the pair declares themselves husband and wife in
public for the first time.

Reference beyond the text

a. Write an essay on the marriage practice in your own culture.
➜ Marriage Practice in My Culture: An Essay
Marriage is much more than two adult people of different sexes
binding their sexual desires. Marriage is evolving on a daily basis.
Gelation, which was once considered taboo, is now widely tolerated.
Transgender marriage, for example, is already legal in our society.
In our societies, different types of marriages exist, such as
monogamy, which allows one person to have only one spouse;
serial monogamy, which allows one spouse to remarry another
after the death/divorce of the first spouse; polygamy, which allows
one individual to have many spouses; polyandry, which allows one
wife to have many husbands; polygyny, which allows one husband
to have many wives; endogamy, which allows marriage within a
group; and exogamy, marriage in another group.
I practise Hinduism, and we have our own set of marriage
regulations. It is regarded as a religious sacrament rather than a
social contract. It is a socially sanctioned union of a developed man
and a woman for the sake of procreation, pleasure, and the
fulfilment of certain social obligations. The pre-marriage event
known as engagement is performed by a girl's and a boy's parties.
Rings and garlands are exchanged by the would-be partners. A
family priest performs rites and recites mantras to authorise this
ceremony. The wedding date is set on that day.
On the day of the wedding, the bridegroom, along with his family,
relatives, and neighbours, orates in the bridegroom's costume and
departs for the groom's residence. The "Janti" party, which follows
the bridegroom, is accompanied by a band of musicians. Janti is
headed by a procession of ladies carrying trays filled with various
food items and gifts known as 'Saipata.' On that day, the wedding
ceremony is held at the bride's home with the assistance of family
priests. The groom's residence is transformed into a Mandap or
Jagey, where the entire procession takes place. The most essential
individual who performs the rites is the Pandit or Priest. A lavish
feast is being planned for Janti and his neighbours.
Several actions are carried out according to the priest's instructions
around the sacred fire in the centre of the Mandap: The primary
actions include the bridegroom and groom circle the sacred fire
seven times, the bridegroom applying vermillion powder to the
bride's head, and putting a holy necklace around the bride's neck.
The principal sign of a married woman is a vermillion powder
called ‘Sindur' and a sacred necklace called ‘Pote.' The bride's
father washes the bride and groom's feet, and all the family and
friends wish them a happy married life. The bride's departure from
her family home is scheduled for the end of the day. This is the
most heartfelt scene. The majority of the bride's family members
cry as they wish her farewell. Following welcoming culture, the
newlywed couple is welcomed at the bridegroom's home. People
assembled at the bridegroom's residence stopped singing and
dancing to see the new bridegroom's face. As a result, the pair
begins their newlywed life.

b. Is marriage a social institution? Discuss.

➜ The concept of marriage varies depending on the individual, his
philosophy and his way of thinking. Marriage is often defined as a
legal partnership between two persons of different sexes who have
a personal relationship, residential cohabitation, economic
cooperation, the development of a nuclear family, the birth of
children, and the satisfaction of sexual needs. It is considered an
institution because it adheres to established law; customs,
patterns, and norms that are significant to society. People establish
such institutions to lawfully satisfy their wants from various
people, places, and objects. People of all sexes fulfil their needs and
goals through being accepted into society and adhering to social
norms and values. Marriage is a worldwide occurrence. It has been
practised in every country, society, and tribe since the dawn of
human civilisation. It is eternal and will exist till the end of human
civilization. Marriage is a dynamic term since the marriage system
of the past is not the same as the marriage system of today. Child
marriage was once lawful, but it is no longer; widow marriage is
now legal, and transgender marriage is also legal. It grants legal
privileges such as birth certificates and citizenship to children born
outside of a married couple, and it is recognised by religion,
government, and other social organisations.

Chapter: Three
Knowledge and wisdom
By Bertrand Russell
Summary

Knowledge and wisdom are different things. According to Russell,

knowledge is defined as the acquisition of data and information, while
wisdom is defined as the practical application and use of the knowledge to
create value. Wisdom is gained through learning and practical experience,
not just memorization.

A sense of proportion is very much necessary for wisdom. By inventing

medicine, a scientist may reduce the infant death-rate. Apparently, it leads
to population explosion and shortage of food. The standard of life comes
down. If misused, knowledge of atom can lead human to destruction by
manufacturing nuclear weapon.

Knowledge without wisdom can be harmful. Even complete knowledge is

not enough. For example, Hegel wrote with great

knowledge about history, but made the Germans believe that they were a
master race. It led to war. It is necessary, therefore to combine knowledge
with feelings.
We need wisdom both in public and private life. We need wisdom to
decide the goal of our life. We need it to free ourselves from personal
prejudices. Wisdom is needed to avoid dislike for one another. Two
persons may remain enemies because of their prejudice. If they can be
told that we all have flaws then they may become friends.

So, ‘Hate Hatred’ should be our slogan. Wisdom lies in freeing ourselves
from the control of our sense organs. Our ego develops through our
senses. We cannot be free from the sense of sight, sound and touch. We
know the world primarily through our senses. As we grow we discover that
there are other things also. We start recognizing them. Thus we give up
thinking of ourselves alone. We start thinking of other people and grow
wiser. We give up on our ego. Wisdom comes when we start loving others.

Russell feels that wisdom can be taught as a goal of education. Even

though we are born unwise which we cannot help, we can cultivate
wisdom. Queen Elizabeth I, Henry IV and Abraham Lincoln, are some
impressive personalities who fused vigour with wisdom and fought the
evil.

Understanding the text

Answer the following questions.

a. What are the factors that contribute to wisdom?

Answer: Russell believes that there are several factors that contribute to
wisdom. The first factor is a sense of proportion. He defines it as the
capacity to take account of all the important factors in a problem and to
attach to each its due weight. The second factor focuses on awareness of
the ends of human life. Russell substantiates this factor using the example
of Hegel, an eminent historian from Germany. The third factor is
emancipation from personal prejudice. Russell also stresses on the need
to try and view the world with impartiality although to the view the world
with complete impartiality is impossible.

b. What message does the writer try to convey with the example of
technicians?
Answer: The writer tries to tell us knowledge itself cannot save the world.
Knowledge without wisdom will not benefit the world and in some cases
will even pose a serious threat to humanity. So a wise person has to have
a comprehensive view.

c. Which leaders does Russell say were able to mix knowledge and wisdom
soundly?
Answer: Queen Elizabeth I in England, Henry IV in France and Abraham
Lincoln in the United States of America were the leaders Bertrand Russell
says who were able to mix knowledge and wisdom soundly. Queen
Elizabeth I and Henry IV remained free from the errors of their time, being
unaffected by the conflict between the Protestants and the Catholics.
Abraham Lincoln conducted a great war without ever departing from
wisdom.

d. Why is wisdom needed not only in public ways, but in private life
equally?
Answer: Wisdom helps to free ourselves from personal prejudices and
hatred against one another. Two persons may remain enemies because of
their prejudice. One may dislike the other for imaginary faults. However, if
they can be told that we all have flaws then they may become friends. This
is the matter of public life. Considering about the private life too, we may
fail in choosing the target of our life and we may not have sufficient
patience and sufficient persuasiveness. That’s why wisdom is needed not
only in public ways, but in private life equally.
e. What, according to Russell, is the true aim of education?
Answer: Russell feels that wisdom can be taught as a goal of education.
The message in the parable of the Good Samaritan is that we should love
our neighbour whether friend or foe. However, in many situations we miss
the message in this parable because we fail to love those who cause harm
to the society. The only way to eradicate hatred is through understanding
and love. Queen Elizabeth I in England, Henry IV in France and Abraham
Lincoln in the United States of America were the leaders Russell says who
were able to mix knowledge and wisdom soundly. Russell feels knowledge
and wisdom can be combined in the scheme of education. People should
be educated to see things in relation to other things of the world.

f. Can wisdom be taught? If so, how?

Answer: Yes wisdom can be taught as a goal of education. The message in
the parable of the Good Samaritan is that we should love our neighbour
whether friend or foe. However, in many situations we miss the message
in this parable because we fail to love those who cause harm to the
society. The only way to eradicate hatred is through teaching of the
wisdom. The danger of hatred and narrow-mindedness can be pointed
out in the course of giving knowledge. Russell feels knowledge and
wisdom can be combined in the scheme of education. People should be
educated to see things in relation to other things of the world. They
should be encouraged to think of themselves as world citizens.

g. Why does the world need more wisdom in the future?

Answer: Wisdom is needed to free ourselves from personal prejudices and
hatred against one another. Two persons may remain enemies because of
their prejudice. One may dislike the other for imaginary faults. However, if
they can be told that we all have flaws then they may become friends. We
can avoid hatred if we are wise. Wisdom lies in freeing ourselves from the
control of our sense organs. Our ego develops through our senses. As we
grow, we give up thinking of ourselves alone. We start thinking of other
people and grow wiser and thereby help us in giving up on our ego. Thus,
the world needs more wisdom in the future.

Reference to the context

a.According to Russel, “The pursuit of knowledge may become harmful unless
it is combined with wisdom.” Justify this statement.
Answer: The essay ‘Knowledge and Wisdom’ written by Bertrand Russell talks
about the need to integrate knowledge and wisdom. He defines various ways
of achieving wisdom and how knowledge without wisdom can be harmful.

Russell stresses on the importance of comprehensiveness, but at the same

time says that comprehensiveness alone does not constitute wisdom. Hegel’s
philosophy was comprehensive, but was lacking in wisdom and there was
prejudice in his philosophy. Hegel wrote with great knowledge about history,
but made the Germans believe that they were the most powerful race in the
whole world which led to war. Therefore, it is necessary to combine knowledge
with feelings. Men who have knowledge and have no feelings lack wisdom. We
need wisdom both in public and private life.

b. What, according to Russell, is the essence of wisdom? And how can one
acquire the very essence?
Answer: Russell believes that it is unwise to pursue certain goals if it is
impossible of achievement. He points out that the essence of wisdom is to free
oneself from the confinement of the physical world and the emotional world
and look beyond. He also points out that emancipation from personal
prejudice makes one’s thoughts and feelings to become less personal which
contributes to wisdom.
Wisdom does not come immediately with knowledge. According to Russell,
wisdom is defined as the practical application and use of the knowledge to
create value. One can acquire the very essence through learning and practical
experience, not just memorization.

Reference beyond the text

a. Why is wisdom necessary in education? Discuss.
Answer: Wisdom is necessary in education because with every increase of
knowledge and skill, wisdom becomes more necessary. If wisdom is inculcated
it helps us realise our purposes whether it is unwise or not. Wisdom is needed
to free ourselves from personal prejudices and hatred against one another.
Two persons may remain enemies because of their prejudice. One may dislike
the other for imaginary faults. However, if they can be told that we all have
flaws then they may become friends.

We can avoid hatred if we learn how to be wise. Wisdom lies in freeing

ourselves from the control of our sense organs. Our ego develops through our
senses. As we grow, we give up thinking of ourselves alone. We start thinking
of other people and grow wiser and thereby help us in giving up on our ego.
The danger of hatred and narrow-mindedness can be pointed out in the course
of giving knowledge. Therefore, there is the great necessity of wisdom in
education.

b. How can you become wise? Do you think what you are doing in college
contributes to wisdom?
Answer: Wisdom is something that’s hard to define and yet somehow we know
it when we see it. The wise people stay calm in a crisis. They recognize the
limits of their own knowledge, consider alternative perspectives, and
remember that the world is always changing.
Becoming wiser is not a matter of night. Patience and discipline are the key to
become wiser. Wise reasoning is associated with a whole lot of positives:
higher life satisfaction, fewer negative feelings, better relationships and less
depressive rumination. A wise man commits mistakes. You learn by your own
mistakes. It’s necessary to remember that the more you commit mistakes the
more you learn and the more you improve. Staying happy is also a step to
become wiser. No matter what happens in your life, just be happy, keep the
faith and solve the problems calmly. A wise man is never afraid of any
situations. He/she work peacefully to solve the problem. I think this are the
certain ways to become wise.

Chapter: Four
Humility
By Yuval Noah Harari
Summary

The essay Humility is written by a renowned essayist of Jerusalem, Yuval Yuval

Noah Harari. In this essay, he exemplifies the virtue of humility in that he
debunks humanity’s illusions of superiority and mastery. He claims morality,
art, spirituality and creativity are universal human abilities embedded in our
DNA.

In this essay, the essayist exemplifies the virtue of humility, which can be
defined as “a recognition of the real limits of our techno-social knowledge and
ability”, in that he debunks humanity’s illusions of superiority and mastery.
Harari tells us that humility is a quality that most cultures lack. Most people
tend to believe that they are the centre of the world and their culture is the
linchpin of human history.

Greeks believe that history began with Homer, Sophocles and Plato and that
all-important ideas and inventions were born in Athens, Sparta, Alexandria or
Constantinople. There are Indians that believe that the invention of aeroplanes
and nuclear bombs were invented by ancient sages in the Indian subcontinent
long before Confucius or Plato, not to mention Einstein and the Wright
brothers.

The Jews believe that monotheism should be credited to them and that they
are a significant group in the world – the top three religions. But there are only
15 million Jews and there is no reason to think that they should be considered
more important than the Hindu religion that has far more followers. Each
group believes itself to be the centre of the universe and the inventor of the
most important philosophies and contributions.

But no group is truly unique – some form of their philosophy and beliefs has
existed before them. The religions that survived are those that were the most
violent – they managed to convert the largest number of populations to their
belief. For example, the Biblical phrase that Jews take credit for “love thy
neighbour as thyself” has appeared before in China.

Similarly, monotheism can be traced back to Egypt and is not originally Jewish.
Monotheism has contributed to catastrophise in the world and one should not
be proud of having invented it. Christianity a few centuries after its inception
banned all religions except for the Jewish religion although many Jews were
still persecuted, while Islam today considers all history prior to Mohammed to
be irrelevant. "
"The Chinese nationalists believe that many great ideas originated in their
culture. The Jews believe that they are the chosen people and that the gentiles
are not equal to them in importance according to God. While some sages have
called for religious tolerance, the prevailing trend throughout history has
always been to persecute those who have different beliefs. And this is
ironically the same self-centeredness that most religions have warned
against. "

"Understanding the text Humility

a. Describe the claim of the Chinese nationalists about human society.

Answer: Chinese nationalists claim that history really began with the Yellow
Emperor and the Xia and Shang dynasties and that whatever Westerners,
Muslims or Indians achieved is but a pale copy of original Chinese
breakthroughs.

b. What do pious Muslims believe about human society?

Answer: Pious Muslims believe that all history prior to the Prophet Muhammad
is largely irrelevant, and they consider all history after the revelation of the
Quran to revolve around the Muslim ummah.

c. What did the Aztecs firmly believe about the universe?

Answer: The Aztecs firmly believed that without the sacrifices they performed
each year, the sun would not rise and the entire universe would disintegrate.

d. What, according to the essay are the universal human abilities?

Answer: According to the essay, morality, art, spirituality, and creativity are
universal human abilities.

e. How are the basic yoga postures derived from the shape of letters of
Hebrew alphabet?

Answer: All the basic postures of Yoga are derived from the shape of letters of
Hebrew alphabet. The Trikonasanna posture imitates the shape of Hebrew
letter ‘aleph’, Tuladandasana imitates the letter ‘daled’ etc.

Reference to the Context

a. How do Hindu nationalists refute the Chinese claim that human history
really began with the Yellow Emperor and the Xia Dynasties? Who do you
agree with and why?

Answer: Hindu nationalists refute the Chinese claim by saying that aeroplanes
and nuclear bombs were invented by ancient sages in the Indian sub-continent
long before Confucius, Plato, Einstein and Wright brothers. I agree with the
Hindu nationalists because Hinduism is the oldest religion in the world. "

b. The author has dealt with a controversial debate on history. Why do you
think history has been a major contested issue in the present world?

Answer: Due to egoism, most people think they are the centre of the world
and their culture is superior to all other cultures. They think their history is the
oldest one and everything derived/originated from their culture. History has
been a major contested issue in the present world due to egoism. The author
wants to debunk humanity's illusion of superiority and mastery."
Chapter: Five
Human Rights and the Age of Inequality
By Samuel Moyn

SUMMARY
In “ Human Rights and the Age of Inequality, “ Samuel Moyn deals with the drastic mismatch
between the egalitarian crisis and the human rights remedy that demands not a substitute but a
supplement. He points out that the human rights regime and movement are simply not equipped to
challenge global Inequalities.

Moyn tells a story about Croesus, the last Lydian King, who was rich and thought he was the
happiest person on Earth. To him , his people should be happy and free of any pain, but he didn’t
want to spend his money on them. After he lost, the Persian King Cyrus the Great and his troops
took over his money.

The author compares this situation to today’s world, where there is a lot of Inequality and not
enough money and resources for everyone. There hasn’t been any progress towards equal rights
and property for rich and poor people around the world. In order to solve all of these problems,
you need to make sure everyone gets the same amount of money. He finds it hard to do this in real
life. To connect the history of human rights with the history of economics, he says that there are
two main steps to do:

The first was the heroic Era of national welfare states after World War ll.

Second, in the 1940s, politics and economics took over the country.

But three important things were left out of Franklin Roosevelt’s Famous State of the Union call for a
second Bill of rights that included protection for the poor and the middle class: Provincial America’s
entry into the North Atlantic consensus, which promises and imagines a world without hunger.
During the years after 1940, favoritism caused the world to split into two camps: one led by the
United States and other led by the Soviet Union. This caused a lot of damage to human rights. Also,
post-World War ll decolonization did not provide the intended prosperity and human rights because
these government put “ national well-being “ above “ equal rights .“

Samuel Moyn asks whether or not there should be another human rights movement. He then uses
Herodotus’ example of truth and reality, which was about the need for social and economic justice
to be transferred from the rich to the poor around the world. They say that everyone has the same
amount of freedom and right, but this isn’t true in real life. Until and unless this economic and
political framework is still in place, humans won’t be able to have true freedom and rights. The
government must make and enforce laws that make sure that everyone has the same amount of
money, and huge and radical movements are important for an egalitarian society.

At the end, our shared fate is to live in the world like Croesus. In this world, the rich have a lot of
fun, freedom, and everything, while the poor live in the realm of illusion, where they have floating
equality and freedom.

FORE READING THE TEXT

Discuss the following questions.

a. How do you define human rights?

Answer:We define human rights as rights that have moral principles or norms for certain standards
of human behaviour and are regularly protected in municipal and international law. These rights are
the rights to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.

b. Do you know about the constitution? How does the Constitution of Nepal guarantee human
rights?

Answer:Yes, I do. The constitution is a formal or informal system of primary principles and laws that
regulates a government or other institution. The Constitution of Nepal guarantees human rights by
providing various rights to the citizens of Nepal. The Constitution of Nepal 2072 has mentioned
various fundamental rights to all the Nepalese people in its Article 16 to Article 46. These Articles
include freedom for all citizens to live with dignity, freedom of speech and expression, religious and
cultural freedom, right against untouchability and discrimination etc.

UNDERSTANDING THE TEXT

Answer the following questions.

a. What is the first human rights declaration adopted by the United Nations?

Answer:The first human rights declaration adopted by the United Nations is mobilization for
economic and social rights.

b. When is Human Day observed?

Answer:Human Rights is observed every year on 10th December.

c. What is the goal of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights?

Answer:The goal of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights is to provide a list of the most basic
rights or core values such as fairness, dignity, equality and respect that human beings deserve thanks
to being human themselves. In addition, it aims to emphasize the "foundations of liberty, justice
and peace in the world".

d. What are two big stages that involve writing the history of human rights in
relation to that of political economy?

Answer:The two big stages that involve writing the history of human rights in
relation to that of political economy are as follows:

1. The first was the heroic age of the national welfare states after World War II.
2. The second was the political economy ascended beyond the nation during
the 1940s.

e. What are the facts that have been missed in Roosevelt’s call for a “second
Bill of Rights”?

Answer:The three facts that have been missed in Roosevelt's call for a "second
Bill of Rights" are as follows:

1. This marked the late and ginger entry of a particular provincial US into an
already predetermined North Atlantic consensus.

2. His supreme promise was not a destination of security for the masses but an
end to "special privileges for the few" – a limit on inequality.

3. Roosevelt certainly hoped that it would spread around the world but it was
organized on a national level, not internationally.

f. Write the truth expressed in Herodotus’s Histories.

Answer:The truth expressed in Herodotus’s Histories is that global socio-

economic justice, like local socio-economic justice, would require
redistribution under pressure from the rich to the poor, something naming and
shaming is never likely to achieve, even when supplemented by novel forms of
legal activism.
g. Why is the Universal Declaration of Human Rights important to you?

Answer:The Universal Declaration of Human Rights is important to me because

it is totally related to my life as well as the life of every human being on this
planet. This declaration works in favour of all human beings for their rights,
justice, equality, equality by removing favouritism, injustice, inequality,
discrimination etc. from society.

REFERENCE TO THE CONTEXT

a. Does the essay give ways on how to stigmatize inequality? Explain.

Answer:The essay "Human Rights and the Age of Inequality” doesn't give ways
on how to stigmatize inequality but it discusses some ideas about the
stigmatization of inequality.

Most of all, history suggests they are the wrong kind of agent: not fearful
enough to provoke redistribution. If inequality increases like this, some days
opponents will arise, so it is better to maintain equality and justice in society.
Social equality and emancipation can be justified by forming a new kind of
human rights movement to shake the common people. The humanitarian side
of all human beings requires proper supervision and monitoring, supporting
stakeholders, making stricter laws, removing favouritism and maintaining
justice and equality. Inequality is considered a stigma for society as it creates
discord and conflict among the people so it needs proper balance.

b. Is another human rights movement necessary? Why?

Answer:Yes, another human rights movement is necessary because the

essayist feels that human rights are operating under constrained political
repression in human affairs. He wants to see another human rights movement
in the coming days for the following reasons:

▪ Political and social hegemony is still widely prevalent.

▪ There is inequality prevalent everywhere in human affairs.

▪ People's rights and laws are limited in the pages of the constitution but not in
practical behaviour.

▪ The unfair favouring of one person or group is seen in a very wide range.

▪ There has been a violation of laws everywhere. Mostly powerful people have
been found doing misuse of laws.

▪ Rights and justice is needed for all human beings whether rich or poor, upper
class or lower class.
 Abuse of power, nepotism, corruption, bribery, illiteracy and ignorance
of the people.
▪ Preference for personal gain or favour

▪ Lack of proper mechanism to streamline policies.

▪ Lack of proper strategies to enforce the rules of law etc.

Unit Four: One-Act plays

Chapter: one
A Matter For Husband
By Ferenc Molnar

SHORT SUMMARY OF THE PLAY

A Matter of Husbands by Ference Molnar

This play "A Matter of Husbands" is a one-act play that has been written by Ferenc Molnar. This play
contains only one scene and conversation between two women: Earnest Young Woman and Famous
Actress. These two women are the major characters of this play.

This play "A Matter of Husbands" sheds light on the basic function of actors: to make the audience
believe in the illusion.
When the play begins, we find that Earnest Young Woman walks into the famous actress' drawing
room and asks her to return her husband. The famous actress replies that she has not taken her
husband, although she has met him. She asks for justification for blaming her. The Earnest Young
Woman says tha8t her husband has sent her flowers and written a letter of apology for her. She
reads the particular letter in front of the actress. The Famous Actress says that her husband has
come up with this trick to get more love from her. She convinces Earnest Young Woman saying that
such incidents are common for actresses like her. Many coworkers, even bosses, ask her for favours
to make their wives jealous. The young woman realizes her folly and expresses her gratitude to the
actress. She even kisses the Famous Actress being joyous. As the Earnest Young Woman leaves the
drawing room, the Famous Actress calls Alfred and he comes out of the closet.

MAIN PLOT OF THE PLAY IN POINTWISE

▪ Earnest Young Woman comes to Famous Actress and asks

This play "A Matter of Husbands" is a one-act play that has been written by Ferenc Molnar. This play
contains only one scene and conversation between two women: Earnest Young Woman and Famous
Actress. These two women are the major characters of this play.

This play "A Matter of Husbands" sheds light on the basic function of actors: to make the audience
believe in the illusion.

When the play begins, we find that Earnest Young Woman walks into the famous actress' drawing
room and asks her to return her husband. The famous actress replies that she has not taken her
husband, although she has met him. She asks for justification for blaming her. The Earnest Young
Woman says tha8t her husband has sent her flowers and written a letter of apology for her. She
reads the particular letter in front of the actress. The Famous Actress says that her husband has
come up with this trick to get more love from her. She convinces Earnest Young Woman saying that
such incidents are common for actresses like her. Many coworkers, even bosses, ask her for favours
to make their wives jealous. The young woman realizes her folly and expresses her gratitude to the
actress. She even kisses the Famous Actress being joyous. As the Earnest Young Woman leaves the
drawing room, the Famous Actress calls Alfred and he comes out of the closet.

MAIN PLOT OF THE PLAY IN POINTWISE

▪ Earnest Young Woman comes to Famous Actress and asks her to give her husband back.
▪ Earnest Young Woman blames her saying that her husband has been in love with the famous
actress. He sends her flowers and writes letters.

▪ Famous Actress starts weaving a fake story about her husband saying that her husband is
attempting to trick her to get more affection from her.

▪ Earnest Young Woman believes in the fake story made up by the actress and realizes her stupidity.

▪ When Earnest Young Woman goes out from the drawing-room, Famous Actress asks Alfred to
come out of the closet.

QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS OF

A Matter of Husbands by Ference Molnar

UNDERSTANDING THE TEXT

Answer the following questions.

a. What favour does Earnest Young Woman ask from The Famous Actress?

Answer:

Earnest Young Woman asks a favour to give her husband back from The Famous Actress. She
loves her husband extremely. She has come to know about her husband's deception.

b. What, according to The Earnest Young Woman, are the indications that her
husband has fallen in love with Famous Actress?

Answer:

According to the Earnest Young Woman, the following are the indications that her husband
has fallen in love with Famous Actress.

▪ Her husband has sent her(Famous Actress) flowers. She comes to know about it from a
florist.
 ▪ She finds her husband's love letter on the table that her husband has forgotten. The letter
contains her husband's apology with thousands of kisses for not being able to call Famous
Actress.

c. Is Earnest Young Woman convinced by the argument of Famous Actress? How?

Answer:

Yes, Earnest Young Woman is convinced by the argument of Famous Actress. We find Earnest
Young Woman quite satisfied and happy at the end of the play. She seems fully convinced and
kisses Famous Actress being so happy. She thinks that she has got her husband back.

d. Where is the Earnest Young Woman’s husband hiding himself as they are talking about him?

Answer:

The Earnest Young Woman's husband is hiding himself inside the closet as they are talking about
him. When Earnest Young Woman moves out of the drawing-room, Famous Actress calls out by
his name Alfred and he comes out from the closet.

e. When do you feel that Famous Actress is really good at acting?

Answer:

I feel that Famous Actress is really good at acting when she calls out the name of Alfred and
Alfred comes out of her closet at the end of the play. This suspense at the end of the play makes
me feel that she is really good at acting. She seems quite confident in her words and gestures
while convincing Earnest Young Woman. She convinces not only Earnest Young Woman but also
the audiences very precisely. Her last word "Alfred" and entry of Alfred from her closet surprise
all the audience.

f. How do we come to know that Famous Actress and the husband of Earnest Young Woman are
in love?

Answer:
We come to know that Famous Actress and the husband of Earnest Young Woman are in love
through the last act of Famous Actress when she calls Earnest Young Woman's husband's name
Alfred and Alfred comes out from her closet.

g. Write down the plot of the play in a paragraph.

Answer:

When the play begins, Earnest Young Woman enters Famous Actress's drawing room and asks
her to give her husband back. Earnest Young Woman blames her saying that her husband has
been in love with her (Famous Actress). According to her, her husband has sent her flowers and
even written an apology letter. Famous Actress starts weaving a fake story about her husband
saying that her husband is attempting to trick her to get more affection from her. Earnest Young
Woman believes in the fake story made up by the actress and realizes her stupidity. When
Earnest Young Woman departs, Famous Actress asks Alfred to come out of the closet.

REFERENCE TO THE CONTEXT

a. Sketch the character of Famous Actress.

Answer:

The Famous Actress of this play is young and beautiful. She is quite a good actress who works in
theatre. She is quite good at acting. She seems so innocent in her outer appearance. But she is
quite deceptive and wicked inwardly. Here in this play, she has been suspected and blamed by
the Earnest Young Woman. She has a good quality of speech. She defends herself quite tactfully.
She convinces Earnest Young Woman with her reasonings. The way she tells stories to prevent a
woman from

She convinces Earnest Young Woman with her reasonings. The way she tells stories to prevent a
woman from believing that her husband is having an affair with her is cunning and deceitful. She
also leads an immoral life which is seen at the end of the story where it is revealed that Alfred,
the husband of an Earnest Young Woman, was actually in her house.

b. Shed light on the difference between an ordinary woman and an actress.

Answer:

In this play, "A Matter of Husband", we find two major women characters. These two characters
are quite different in their appearances and natures.

Here, the ordinary woman is a wife whereas the Famous actress is a single woman. The play has
presented the conversation between these two women. Through their conversation, we get to
know that the ordinary woman is a simple-minded and timid person who has easily been
deceived by the false story of the actress.

In the beginning, the ordinary woman enters the actress's drawing room with full tears blaming
that her husband is having an affair with the actress. She has evidence against the actress.
When she blames the actress, the actress convinces her with her fake story. The actress tells her
a fake story related to her husband's intention behind his acts. According to her, an ordinary
woman's husband wants to make her jealous so that he can regain her love.

The ordinary woman believes her words without any doubts. She becomes extremely happy and
even kisses the actress at last.

At the end of the play, when the actress calls out Alfred's name, Alfred comes out of her closet.
This final act shows that the actress is so cunning woman whereas the ordinary woman is timid.
We find the actress brilliant at her acting and speech. She seems full of confidence while putting
her opinions. She doesn't feel hesitation to weave her fake story. On the other hand, the
ordinary woman seems so hesitant. She has a fear of losing her husband. The play has presented
her as a simple wife who loves her husband so much. But the actress has been presented as an
immoral woman who has an illegal relationship with an ordinary woman's husband Alfred.

c. According to Famous Actress, men associated with theatre use the theatre actresses to make
their estranged wives jealous so as to woo them back. Do you agree with her argument? Why?
Why not?

Answer:

No, I don't agree with her argument. These are very rare cases. Her statement is so fake which
has less connection with the reality of men associated with the theatre. According to her, men
associated with theatre use the theatre actresses to make their estranged wives jealous so as to
woo them back. Here, we find that she gets blamed for cheating by Earnest Young Woman all of
a sudden. To escape herself from that blame, she weaves a false story regarding entire men who
are associated with the theatre. Not every man associated with the theatre has a timid, simple-
minded and gullible wife. In the case of Alfred, we find a simple-minded wife. The Famous
Actress is so cunning woman who has an immoral relationship with Earnest Young Woman's
husband Alfred. Both Famous Actress and Alfred are cheating Earnest Young Woman in the real
sense. To convince Earnest Young Woman and save herself from the blame, she makes a so-
called statement.

d. How does Famous Actress make a fool of Earnest Young Woman?

Answer:

Famous Actress makes a fool of Earnest Young Woman by putting forward a fake story regarding
men and actresses associated with the theatre. When the Famous Actress gets blamed by
Earnest Young Woman, she states that there was a misunderstanding between her and her
husband. She convinces Earnest Young Woman that her husband is playing with her to make her
jealous and get her love back. After hearing her opinions, the Earnest Young Woman innocently
realizes her mistake and apologizes to her. She even kisses the famous Actress at last being
convinced and satisfied.

e. The conversation between the two women takes place on the stage of the theatre. What role
does the theatre house as a part of setting play in A Matter for Husband?

Answer:

The play "A Matter of Husbands" by Ferenc Molnar sheds light on the basic function of actors: to
make the audience believe in the illusion. Here, we find the whole play has been presented on
the stage of the theatre house where two major characters have a conversation. As a part of the
setting, the theatre house has served a fine environment to present the basic function of actors
ie making the audience believe in the illusion. The setting of the theatre house has made it
possible to create an illusion among the audience and the excellent roles of the actors. Here, the
theatre house has provided both the characters with a fine environment to chat their private
conversation which shouldn't be done publicly. The theatre house as a part of the setting has
played a tremendous role in the presentation of the thematic concern.

f. What do you think about the ending of the play?

Answer:
The ending of this play "A Matter of Husbands" is full of suspense and surprise. The ending part
of the play has been presented very wonderfully with the revelation of the fact. It has proved
that the audience can easily be put in illusion through actors and theatrical tasks.

After the departure of the Earnest Young Woman being happy and satisfied, the call of the
Famous Actress and the entry of Alfred opening the closet is mind-boggling for all the audience
simply flows along with the reasonings of the Famous Actress from the beginning of the play.
They keep on believing in the opinions of the Famous Actress just as the Earnest Young Woman
does. But her last call for Alfred makes all the audience feel surprised. The famous Actress and
her acting are supposed to be the best. I think the ending part is well executed with surprise and
irony. In the play, the famous Actress tells the young woman that her husband really loves her
but in reality, he has no love for his wife. He only cheats on his wife. This play has presented a
concept that gullible people always suffer from clever people because they are often true to
heart but clever people always take advantage of their innocence.

Chapter: Two
Facing Death
By August Strindberg
SUMMARY

ABOUT THE PLAY

Facing Death by August Strindberg

This one-play "Facing Death" has been written by a Swedish writer, playwright, and painter
Johan August Strindberg (1849–1912).
This play "Facing Death" has presented the story of Monsieur Durand, a former railroad worker
and widower in financial ruin. Durand has three daughters--Adèle, Annette, and Thérèse-and no
prospects for their futures.

Even though he has tried to provide for his children, even letting out his house to lodgers, every
attempt he has made was met with scorn and derision.

But Monsieur Durand has a plan to ensure his daughters' financial futures, even if it means he
must face his own death. A prime example of European dramatic naturalism. Facing Death is the
story of a father's love for his children, even when it means sacrificing everything.

In Facing Death, Strindberg dramatizes a heroic sacrifice made by a bankrupt man for the sake of
his daughters.

MAIN PLOT OF THE PLAY

Facing Death by August Strindberg

This play has presented the main character as Mr. Durand who is a former railroad employee,
widower and pensioner. Here in this play, he has been presented as a financially ruined person.
Mr. Durand is spending his life living along with his three daughters. His three daughters are:

Adele (27 years)

Annette (24 years )

Therese (24 years)

The relationship between father and three daughters is not good. They are completely
bankrupt. They have been facing a financial crisis for the last ten years. They have turned their
home into a lodge for the rest of their lives. Adele works in the kitchen and Mr. Durand engages
himself in other kinds of works such as serving guests, cleaning, delivering and bringing food
items etc.

In the lodge, Mr. Darund's two daughters only try to seek others' attention. They don't help in
other tasks in the lodge except playing, singing and flirting with the customers.

The entire Durand family has been living and spending their lives borrowing money from others
for years. The family is dealing with financial hardships. With bills piling up, Durand is trying to
figure out how to provide for his three daughters after their mother's death.

Mr. Durand has to pay several bills. He has to pay everyone like the baker, the butcher and the
grocer. Their work boy, Pierre, comes up empty-handed when he goes for bread. Rather he
brings only unpaid bills. Durand buys candles to light on the death anniversary of his late (Zariia)
son, René, who died in infancy. He still loves him and misses him.

At their lodge, he has the only paying guest who is Antonio (an Italian army lieutenant). Durand
tells Antonio that due to bankruptcy and lack of supplies, they can no longer house him. Antonio
offers to pay in advance and lets him stay for another month but Durand refuses. He also says
that last spring he had no guests for three months and finally an American family came and
helped him. When Durand goes for a coffee-bread, Therese flirts with guest Antonio and they
kiss.

Durand is quite surprised to see them kissing when he appears at the door. Enraged, he angrily
drives Antonio away from his house. He also throws away the money given by him. Therese and
Annette are unhappy to see their father's act. They want the guest (Antonio) to be there. Both
girls misbehave with their father. They even snatch the glass of milk from him as he could not
bring bread. In compulsion, they make him drink only a glass of water. As he prepares to light
his bribery pipe, Therese snatches the match.

Mr. Durand is hungry for a long time and eats rats' feed too. But he luckily survives because it
isn't poisonous. All his three daughters accuse him of spoiling the condition of the house. They
claim that if mother had been alive, the condition of the house would not have deteriorated.
When their mother was alive, she did not have a good relationship with their father Durand.
The daughters seem to take the mother's side and only blame the father. Actually, their mother
used to waste money in the lottery. Most of the time she was scolded. She was threatened that
she would work as a prostitute.

When the wind blows, Mr. Durand tells his daughters to put out the stove fire and take care of
the insurance documents properly. He also says that he is going to bring money from insurance
for them. Now the daughters start behaving well with him. Seeing Therese's unhappiness, he
allows her to marry Lieutenant Antonio if he truly loves her. Hearing this, Therese is now
overjoyed and returns the match to him.
He calls his eldest daughter Adele and asks if there are candles. He tells Adele to hide
documents from a fire insurance policy and begins to reveal the secrets he has kept inside his
heart. He was born in France. He had fallen in love with a woman even before the age of
recruitment. In order to be able to marry, they came to Switzerland and obtained native
citizenship. During the final war, he joined the Swiss Army and fought against the French army.
It means that he took up arms against his own country. To hide that shame, he lies that he was
born in Switzerland.

He also states that due to his mother's carelessness and foolish speculations, he lost the
ancestral property and the maternal property. In this way, they ran out of their inheritance.

While his wife was alive, she taught the children to hate their father Durand. She made them
obey herself. Most of the time, she blamed her husband and became successful to make the
children against their father. After her death, Mr. Durand remained silent all his life because he
did not want his daughters to doubt their mother's goodness.

Mr. Durand suggests Adele take maternal care of her sisters. He suggests finding a teacher's
place for youngest daughter Annette so that she can be in good company and keep insurance
documents properly. In the end, he drinks the poison from the glass and the house is seen
burning. Thus Durand sets the house on fire and poisoned himself so that his daughters could
receive 5000 francs as compensation from the fire insurance.

Answer the following questions:

a. Have you ever observed your parents in a financial crisis? If yes, what was it like?

Answer:

Yes, I have observed my parents in a financial crisis. It was the worst experience for them.

b. Have you ever appreciated their selfless act for your sake? If yes, how?

Answer:

Yes, I appreciated their selfless act for my sake. I appreciated them for making me educated and
capable in this world.

UNDERSTANDING THE TEXT

Answer the following questions:

a. Where does the play take place?

Answer:

The play takes place in the dining room of Monsieur Durand, a former railroad worker, widower
and owner of the boarding house who lives there with his three daughters.

b. Why do the grocery, the baker and the butcher send their bills to the Durand household?
Answer:

The grocery, the bakery and the butcher send their bills to the Durand household because the
Durand household hasn't paid their bills for a long time. Therefore, they are unable to deliver
even more goods until the bills are paid.

c. Why does Monsieur Duran spend money on candles when he doesn’t have money to buy even
bread?

Answer:

Monsieur Durand spends money on candles when he doesn't have money to buy even bread
because he wants to light the candles on the death anniversary of his late dear son, René, who
died in his infancy. Durand is saddened by his passing and still has a feeling of affection for the
dead child. Durand has another intention to set his house on fire and get fire insurance money
to make up for his daughters' fortunes as they grapple with financial troubles.

d. Why did Monsieur Duran sell his life insurance?

Answer:

Monsieur sold his life insurance to pay off the debtor's loan. His condition was so miserable
whereas the debtor was quite angry with him for not paying the dues.

e. Why has Monsieur Duran paid fire insurance?

Answer:
Monsieur Durand has paid fire insurance to make a compensation claim later on. He intends to
get compensation from the fire insurance by burning his house so that the money given as
compensation will help his daughters.

f. How did Monsieur Duran and Mrs. Duran run out of their inheritances from both the sides?

Answer:

Monsieur Durand and Mrs. Durand ran out of their inheritances from both the sides by Mrs.
Durand's carelessness and foolish speculation. Both of them lost paternal inheritance and
maternal inheritance which was used in raising their daughters.

g. Why does Monsieur Durand tell a lie about his birthplace?

Answer:

Monsieur Durand tells a lie about his birthplace because of two different reasons.

▪ He fell in love with a woman before his age. He wanted to marry that lady. So he left his
birthplace and moved to Switzerland. To save his and his wife's reputation, he tells a lie.

▪ He fought against his own motherland France from the side of Switzerland. To hide this shame,
he tells a lie.

h. What business is Monsieur Durand running to make a living?

Answer:

Monsieur Durand is running a boarding house to make a living. He has converted his house into
a lodge to earn money. He provides lodging and dining services to his guests. There is quite a
good facility like a homestay.

i. What plan does Monsieur Durand have to help his daughters with money?

Answer:

Monsieur Durand plans to commit suicide and set his house on fire. He hopes to get
compensation from the fire insurance policy so that he can help his daughters with the money.
He wants to sacrifice his life for the sake of his three daughters.

j. How does Monsieur Durand die?

Answer:

Monsieur Durand dies committing suicide at last. He drinks poison to help his daughters with the
amount of compensation from the insurance policy.

REFERENCE TO THE CONTEXT

a. Sketch the character of Monsieur Durand.

Answer:

Monsieur Durand is the main character of the play "Facing Death". He is a widower, the lodge
owner and former railway worker. He is a financially ruined person who has three daughters. All
of them live in the lodge. The relationship between Durand and his daughters isn't good. Here, in
this play, we find him so loving, caring as well as protective father. Due to his bankruptcy, he is
spending his miserable life along with his three daughters. His daughters hate him and blame
him most of the time. But he keeps on thinking about the well being of his daughters. He
sacrifices his life for the welfare of his daughters who hate him. He is full of patience who
endures injustice from his late wife and remained silent for the rest of his life, blaming her for
the financial ruin. He is also a loving husband. He is a patriot too who loves his native France,
although he is forced to live in Switzerland. He is a tragic hero who faces financial difficulties
and eventually ends his life tragically committing suicide for the well being of his three
daughters.

b. How do we know that the Durand family has reached a dead end?

Answer:

We know that the Durand family has reached a dead end by seeing their miserable state in their
lodge. This family is completely bankrupt. When Mrs. Durand was alive, both husband-wife had
lost their maternal and paternal inheritances. Mr. Durund and his daughters spend their
miserable life in an economic crisis. Due to their miserable economic status, they have converted
their living house into a lodge. Mr. Durand household has been borrowing money from others
for years. There are numerous bills in the name of the Durand household which must be paid to
different debtors. Among all family members, the condition of Durand is so bad. We find him
living a tolerant life. He doesn't have good relationships with his daughters. His daughters hate
him and blame him for many reasons. We even find that the family doesn't have money to buy
bread for coffee. Due to hunger, we find Durand eating the rat's bait. This family has reached a
dead end due to this financial crisis. Due to this financial hardship, Durand has planned to kill
himself and burn down his lodge for the welfare of his daughter. Here, we find Durand
successful in his deadly plan at last.
c. ‘The mother, though already dead, seems to have had a great influence on the daughters,
especially Theresa.’ Do you agree?

Answer:

Yes, I agree with this statement. Here in this play, we find that the mother has had a great
influence on her daughters, especially Theresa. While their mother was alive, she used to teach
the children to hate their father Durand. She made them obey herself. Most of the time, she
blamed her husband and became successful to make the children against their father. After her
death, Mr. Durand remained silent all his life because he did not want his daughters to doubt
their mother's goodness. He is full of patience who endures injustice from his late wife and
remained silent for the rest of his life, blaming her for the financial ruin. Due to the mother's
teaching, all three daughters hate their father. They think that their father was the main cause of
their financial ruin. Theresa is the one who has been influenced much by her mother. She shows
her rude behaviour most of the time. She snatches the matches away from her father when he
was about to inhale tobacco with a briar pipe. Similarly, she seizes the glass of milk from him.
She seems so unkind towards her father. Among the three sisters, she is the one who is filled
with much anger against her father.

c. ‘The mother, though already dead, seems to have had a great influence on the daughters,
especially Theresa.’ Do you agree?

Answer:

Yes, I agree with this statement. Here in this play, we find that the mother has had a great
influence on her daughters, especially Theresa. While their mother was alive, she used to teach
the children to hate their father Durand. She made them obey herself. Most of the time, she
blamed her husband and became successful to make the children against their father. After her
death, Mr. Durand remained silent all his life because he did not want his daughters to doubt
their mother's goodness. He is full of patience who endures injustice from his late wife and
remained silent for the rest of his life, blaming her for the financial ruin. Due to the mother's
teaching, all three daughters hate their father. They think that their father was the main cause of
their financial ruin. Theresa is the one who has been influenced much by her mother. She shows
rude behaviour most of the time. She snatches the matches away from her father when he was
about to inhale tobacco with a briar pipe. Similarly, she seizes the glass of milk from him. She
seems so unkind towards her father. Among the three sisters, she is the one who is filled with
much anger against her father.
d. Discuss the relationship between Monsieur Duran and his wife.

Answer:

The relationship between Monsieur Durand and his wife was not so good. While Mrs. Durand
was alive, she used to blame Mr. Durand though she herself had ruined the ancestral property.
Due to her negligence and foolish conjecture, she ruined the ancestral property. She used to
spend household money on lottery tickets. After being abused, she threatened her husband to
become a prostitute for money. He called her a lone soldier. She taught all her daughters to
hate their father and filled their minds with all the negativities. She had become successful to
divert her daughters' minds and made them against their father.

e. ‘Money determines the relationship between characters in this play.’ Elaborate this statement
with examples from the play.

Answer:

Here in this play "Facing Death" money has played a very vital role in the life of Mr. Durand and
his daughters. Money is the first and foremost thing that has become the sole cause behind all
the problems in this drama. The economic hardships of Mr. Durund family have forced the entire
family members to live a miserable life with a lack of various essential needs. This family has
been presented in agony due to hunger. Due to the economic crisis, the family is unable to buy
bread. Mr. Durand has to live with a hunger for a long time. He is even seen eating rat's bait in
the drama. Mr. Durund is unable to provide for the basic needs of his daughters due to this
economic crisis. The relationship between Mr. Durand and Mrs. Durand also deteriorated due to
the struggle to lose wealth. The daughters do not like the father because he doesn't have
enough money to support the family. Economic crisis leads them to convert their living house
into a lodge. Here, we find that money determines the relationship between the characters. Mr.
Durand's three daughters hate and blame him most of the time. They show their rude
behaviours to him. The daughters do not even give a glass of milk because the father cannot
bring bread. They snatched the glass of milk from him. They snatch the matches from him when
he goes to smoke. They show their kind behaviour to their father when their father says "I'll
bring you money." They even kiss him lovingly. They use the words kindness and love. They
even apologize for their rude behaviour.
f. Monsieur Durand kills himself so that his daughters would get 5000 francs as compensation
from the insurance company. What does his plan tell us about him?

Answer:

In the play "Facing Death", Mr. Durand has been presented as a tragic protagonist who commits
suicide by drinking poison and sets fire to his house to get compensation from the fire insurance
company to improve the financial condition of his daughters.

Mr. Durund has been spending his life in extreme poverty. Due to the financial crisis, he has
been blamed most of the time by his daughters. He has been considered a failed and
irresponsible father. His plan for the welfare of his daughters tells us that he is so caring as well
as loving father who keeps on thinking much about his children's future. He is the man who
sacrifices his life for the bright future of his three daughters.

g. Discuss Facing Death as a modern tragedy.

Answer:

By modern tragedy, we mean a play dealing with tragic events and having an unhappy ending,
especially one concerning the downfall of the main character.

The play "Facing Death" is a modern tragedy as it ends with the tragic death of the protagonist
Mr. Durand. Modern tragedy deals with realistic representations and common problems.
Realism and naturalism are the main features of modern play.
The protagonist of a modern tragedy is a common man. Furthermore, modern tragedy deals
with the problems of the modern individual such as dysfunctional family relationships, socio-
cultural problems, loneliness, etc. Characters become victims of their socio-cultural
environment, fate, economic class, gender, external environment, etc.

Here in this play, we find the exact features of modern tragedy. This play has presented the life
of common modern man with an immense crisis in his life. Due to economic hardships, he has
been suffering a lot along with his three daughters. In the play, we can easily find problems of
bad relationships and poor economic status. Mr. Durand, a common modern man has suffered a
lot due to economic difficulties. This play also ends with the tragic downfall of the main
character Mr. Durand. He kills himself and even burns his house for the welfare of his three
daughters. This play has presented realism as well as naturalism.

REFERENCE BEYOND THE TEXT

a. Write a few paragraphs describing the role of the father in the family.

Answer:

Our country Nepal is a country of patriarchal norms and values where we find the vital roles of
fathers in the families. In most Nepalese families, fathers are considered as the heads, who lead
the entire family members.

In the context of a Nepali family, the position of the father is at the top who decides the overall
activities of the family members. The father in the family is the responsible person who takes
care of his family and members. He is regarded as the bread earner who performs his duties
being responsible for the welfare of his family members. The entire family members feel a sense
of security in the presence of the father. Following are the roles of a father in the family:

▪ Father is one who teaches and guides righteousness to his family members.

▪ Father is the pillar of the family who faces a lot of hardships for the welfare of his family.

▪ Fathers plays a very vital role in the development of a children’s emotional well-being.

▪ Fathers provides a feeling of security to his children, both physical and emotional.

▪ Father plays supportive roles in his children's studies.

▪ Fathers sets the bar for relationships with others. He is the man who shares the culture,
tradition and rituals of the family to his children.

▪ Father develops the confidence of his children.

▪ Father sets rules for children's bright future.

Chapter: Three
The Bull
By Bhimnidhi Tiwari

SHORT SUMMARY OF

The Bull by Bhimnidhi Tiwari

The Bull" is a one-act play that has been written by a famous Nepali poet and dramatist
Bhimnidhi Tiwari. The play has satirized the feudal system of the then society (18th century). The
story of the play has presented the death of King Rana Bahadur Shah's bull called Male and the
panic situation of three major characters as the bull doctor and two cowherds called Jitman and
Gore.

panic situation of three major characters as the bull doctor and two cowherds called Jitman and
Gore.

The play has taken place in the month of Ashwin in 1854 B.S. At the beginning of the play, we
find two panic-stricken cowherds Gore and Jitman coming to the house of Laxminarayan. They
have come there to inform about the death of the bull of king Ranabahadur Shah. After hearing
their story, Laxminarayan starts shivering. All of them become quite worried about the possible
punishment from the king. The king can even give them the death penalty. Laxminarayan is
afraid of being shaved as punishment. Once Laxminarayan's mouth was burnt as a punishment
for speaking with a loud voice in front of the king. Laxminarayan moustache never grows in that
side after that.

Both cowherds state that the bull died because it didn't get enough food (grass) and couldn't
digest fine rice and soup of split gram. Laxminarayan tells the cowherds not to tell the king that
the bull has died. If they inform the king about bull's death, they will have a terrible fate.
After advising both cowherds, Laxminarayan moves toward the Basantpur palace to inform the
king about the ill health of the bull. Laxminarayan bows down in front of the king with reverence
and informs him that the bull is ill. He doesn't directly tell that the king that the bull has died.

He relates to the king about the condition of the ill bull. According to him, the bull sir doesn't
wake up and eat breakfast. He doesn't speak or move. He only stares with still eyes.
Laxminarayan starts praising the beauty, walking style and valiant fight of the bull. He proposes
the bull be taken to the hill for climate change and to heal the health of the bull.

After hearing Laxminarayan's words, the king decides to check the bull's condition himself and
moves to the cowshed located at Thulo Gauchara with a convoy on the palanquin.

On the other hand, both cowherds Jitman and Gore are waiting desperately at the cowshed to
hear the decision of the king. They even think of escaping to save their life but they think they
will be arrested again and killed. The king approaches there. Laxminarayan runs ahead of the
convoy at Thulo Gauchar to tell the cowherds to massage the back feet of the bull and wave the
fan at the bull. They do accordingly. Laxminarayan even informs the king that they had been
caring for the bull since midnight.

The bull is actually lying dead on the mattress. There is no movement. It is neither breathing nor
eating anything. Its tail has loosened and ears have drooped down. Yet, the cowherds and
Laxminarayan cannot declare its death due to fear. King Ranabahadur Shah himself says the bull
is dead.

After listening to the king, Jitman starts crying and says he has been an orphan after the bull's
death. The King declares a tip of 400 rupees and tells him to be quiet.

Gore also starts crying. He says that he loves the bull more than his mother, father, wife and
children. He says he will go with the bull or hang himself. Hearing his words, the king declares
the tip of 500 rupees. At last, Laxminarayan himself starts weeping and pretends to be in agony.
The king scolds him and orders him to burry the bull and manage the funeral rites and give
offerings to the priest himself. At last, Gore and Jitman express their happiness to be alive.

This play "The Bull" vividly portrays the feudal system of the then society where ordinary human
beings were suppressed, dominated and dehumanized. Animals of the feudal lords deserved
more respect than those ordinary people. It deals with the themes of dehumanization of
ordinary people by the feudal lords, the servitude of the servants of Lords/kings, and
subjugation /domination of women.

UNDERSTANDING THE TEXT

a. Why have Gore and Jitman come to see Laxminarayan?

Answer:
Both cowherds Gore and Jitman come to see Laxminarayan to inform him about the death of the
bull (Male) of king Ranabahadur Shah.

b. What, according to cowherds, is the reason behind the death of Male?

Answer:

According to cowherds, the reason behind the death of Male is getting less food (grass) and
being unable to digest fine rice and soup of split gram.

c. Why does Ranabahadur want to see the bull himself?

Answer:

Ranabahadur wants to see the bull himself because he wants to check the bull's condition and
doesn't want the bull to be taken to the hill if it gets cured/treated at Thulo Gauchar,
Kathmandu.

d. Why does Laxminarayan run ahead of the convoy at Thulo Gaucharan?

Answer:

At Thulo Gaucharan, Laxminarayan runs ahead of the convoy because he wants to convey a
message to the cowherds to massage the hind feet of the bull and wave the fan at the bull to
please the king, Ranabahadur Shah. Otherwise, the king would be angry and punish them. He
wants to show their care towards the bull to the king.
e. Why do Gore and Jitman cry when the king declares that Male is dead?

Answer:

When the king declares that the Male is dead, Gore and Jitman cry to show their so-called care
and attraction towards the bull. Both start crying in a very pretentious way to have mercy of the
king upon them. They want themselves to be saved from the punishment of the king. Otherwise,
the king might punish them and blame them for the death of the bull.

f. How do we learn that the full is dead?

Answer:

We learn that the bull is dead by the statements of cowherds and the king. Both cowherds say
that the bull's tail has loosened and eyes are still and the king also says "The bull does not
breathe, his tail has loosened, ears have drooped down, and doesn't eat anything either."

g. How does the play make a satire on the feudal system?

Answer:

This play has presented the feudal system and its bad deeds against ordinary people. Here, we
find suppression, domination and dehumanization of the feudal system. The cowherds have
been presented so panic who live by the mercy and grace of their lord. These people have
fearful lives where the lord's animal is given more facility, respect and care than them. Both of
them hide the fact of the dead bull and pretend in front of the king to save their lives. The play
makes a satire on the feudal system by presenting dehumanization and suppression of the
feudal lord against their workers.
 

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REFERENCE TO THE CONTEXT

a. Discuss the late eighteenth-century Nepali society as portrayed in terms of the relation
between the king and his subjects as portrayed in the play.

Answer:

During the late eighteenth century, the monarchy system was prevalent in Nepal. At that time,
Nepal was ruled by Shah Dynasty. The then society was quite rigid. People didn't have freedom
in their lives. People had to live under the domination of the king and his people.

The play "The Bull" has presented a very harsh society where people had to live very fearful life
under the king/ lords. The condition of ordinary people wasn't so good. They were badly treated
by their lords. They got severe punishment if they acted against their lords. We can get a fine
example of people's miserable conditions in this play. If people didn't do swosthi (bowing down
to the lords with respect) to the lords/kings, they were punished for their disrespect. There were
no fundamental rights provided to the people. The awareness of politics among the people was
very low. The patriarchal norms and values were there in most societies. Women had to spend
their lives under male domination. Males were allowed to marry many women. In the play, we
find Laxminarayan with seven wives. He even seems to add one more wife. The life of ordinary
people or subjects was under the mercy of the kings or lords.

b. What does the relation between Laxminarayan and his wives tell us about the society of that
time? To what extent has the Nepali society changed since then?

Answer:

Laxminarayan is a forty years old man who is a bichari(legal officer) and bull doctor of king
Ranabahadur Shah. He has married seven women in his lifetime. He doesn't seem satisfied even
after having seven wives at home. He is still planning to marry another woman. At home, he calls
his seven wives using derogatory names such as flat-nosed, beautiful, butterfly, swallow, ugly
face, etc. He has provided his wives with different nicknames which shows the patriarchal
domination as well as women's condition of the then society. During that time, marrying many
women was so common. Society was quite rigid where males were considered as superior
beings and females as inferior beings. The married women had to spend their lives under the
men's domination and control. They had to be dependent and spend their most of time within
the boundaries of the houses. The main cause behind all those aspects was illiteracy, child
marriage, poverty, Feudalism and lack of awareness etc among the people.

In the context of Nepal, Nepali society has been changed a lot since then. In the present time,
the condition of Nepali women is far better than as it is expected. With time, Nepali women
have got a variety of rights according to the constitution of Nepal. In today's society, the
awareness, as well as literacy among Nepali women, has significantly increased. They are no
more dependent on their husbands. They are even on the way of earning similar as males. There
is no domination of males in society. The Constitution of Nepal has provided equal opportunities
to both males and females of Nepal. In Nepal, most females have been seen in the highest ranks
in different sectors. There is the provision of harsh punishment in the constitution of Nepal for
those who treat females badly. Many institutions in Nepal are working for the welfare of
Nepalese women, their rights and empowerment.

c. Shed light on the practice of chakari as portrayed in the play. Have you noticed

this practice in your society?

Answer:

During the reign of the kings in Nepal, the concept of chakari was so common. During the
monarchy system, most of the people were in this business of doing chakari of their kings,
leaders as well as lords. Chakari was a kind of ritual by the help of which people expected to get
profit and promotion in their lives. People had to do chakari of their kings and lords to be good
in front of them all the time. If they failed to do proper chakari, they would get unexpected
harsh punishments.

In this one-act play "The Bull", we find the concept of chakari a lot. Here, we find the major
characters in the play as Laxminarayn Dahal and two cowherds Gore and Jitman doing the
chakari of the king Ranabahadur Shah a lot. They seem too fearful about the king. The fear of the
king's punishment makes them so flattery.

Laxminarayan is a character who knows very well about the concept of chakari. He has even
experienced the punishment of the king due to his bad deed of talking in a loud voice in front of
the king. When the bull dies, both cowherds inform Laxminarayan about it. All of them become
much fearful about the king. Both cowherds even sleep on the cowshed along with the dead
bull. They pretend to be much careful about the bull. To please the king, they start massaging
the bull's feet and waving a fan at him. They even address the bull as "The Bull Sir" in front of the
king. When the king himself declares the bull's death, both cowherds start sobbing much with
sentiments. Thus, the play is full of chakari.

Yes, I have seen this practice in my society a lot. Everyone is doing chakari of others. The concept
of selfishness is at its height. People in the present time are too concerned about their well
being. Money, fine ranks, prosperity etc have become parts of their lives. Thus, chakari is still
prevalent in the societies of Nepal. But the way of doing chakari is quite different than that of
the then society. Nowadays, people are seen doing chakari of politicians a lot in Nepal.

d. How does Laxminarayan outsmart Ranabahadur?

Answer:

Laxminarayan outsmarts Ranabahadur with his tactful acts. He is a forty years old legal officer as
well as a doctor of the bull of king. As soon as he hears about the king's bull death news by Gore
and Jitman, he moves to the king's palace. He is quite good at the flattery of the king. He doesn't
directly tell about the death of the bull to the king because the king might get angry about the
news. Instead of telling the fact to the king, he tells the king about the bull's illness. While
moving towards the cowshed, he even orders the cowherds to massage and wave a fan at the
bull to impress the king and save their life. The king supposes that the bull died despite proper
care and treatment just in front of him. Due to Laxminarayan's tactics, the king doesn't doubt
them and they escape the harsh punishment of the king.

e. Sketch the character of Laxminarayan.

Answer:

Laxminarayan Dahal is one of the major characters of this one-act play. He is a forty-year-old
legal officer as well as a bull doctor of king Ranabadur Shah. He has married seven women.
There are his altogether seven wives at home but he seems quite dissatisfied with them. He is
intending to marry the eighth woman. When he hears about the death of the king's bull, he
makes proper use of his mind and acts very smartly to save himself and the cowherds' lives from
the king's punishment. He moves to the king's palace but doesn't directly tell the news of the
bull's death to the king. He knows very well about the flattery (chakari) of the king. When the
king himself moves to the cowshed at Thulo Gauchar to see the bull, he acts quite cleverly and
orders the cowherds Gore and Jitman to massage and wave fan at the dead bull to please the
king.

Laxminarayan and his clever acts have made this play so humorous. Due to his tactfulness, they
have been saved from the king's harsh punishment. Thus, we can say that Laxminarayan is the
main person who has outsmarted the king with his tactful acts as well as flattery.

REFERENCE BEYOND THE TEXT

a. Write an essay in about 300 words on “The Nepali Society: Past, Present and Future”.

Answer:

The Nepali Society: Past, Present and Future

By society, we mean a long-standing group of people sharing cultural aspects such as language,
dress, norms of behaviour and artistic forms. Nepali society has a mixed culture. Even though
different cultures live together, cultural practices are often mixed and one cultural group can be
seen practising the traditions of another. People are free to choose their own cultural practices
and no one is forced to follow any particular pattern.

As a Nepali citizen, I like Nepali society much. I have seen as well as read about Nepali society
and its change. Over time, many changes have been seen in the context of Nepali society. The
condition of Nepali society wasn't good in the past time. Nepali society was so rigid in the past
time. Most people were uneducated and there was a lack of awareness among the people.
Patriarchal norms and values were at their height. Class, as well as sex subjection, had played a
vital role in every society. The concept of Feudalism was prevalent everywhere. Ordinary people
had to face miserable life under the feudalists. They were quite away from the concept of rights
and opportunities of lives. Life was so difficult for most of the peasants. There was a lack of
facilities in people's lives. In most societies, there were feudalists or lords who used to
determine others fate. Talking about women's lives during that time, women had very bad
conditions. They were living being dependent on males. The patriarchal norms and values had
made them remain limited within the boundaries of their houses. Child marriage was so
common. Life in the past was really not favourable for ordinary people including women.

In the present time, different changes are seen in various sectors of Nepal. Nepali societies seem
quite different from that of past Nepalese societies. In the present, Nepali society is on the way
to development. In the matter of facilities as electricity, drinking water, roads and
transportation, education etc, Nepali society has been changed. People in the present time have
various rights regarding various things. If there is one thing that upsets me about Nepali society
is the political aspect. People in the present time are totally involved in the dirty game of
politics. Due to this, Nepali society is facing disorders every single day. At present, the condition
of Nepali women is much better than expected. Over time, Nepali women have got many rights
according to the constitution of Nepal.

I think the future of Nepali society will be so good if we all Nepali citizens choose the right
candidates for the betterment of Nepalese society. We should be away from this dirty game of
politics and think about the bright future of Nepali people and society.
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