ENGLISH SUMMARY ALL CHAPTERS

THE LAST LESSON

The narration of this story is by a French boy, Franz. Franz is a lazy
boy. However, in spite of his laziness, Franz likes to play and is of a
sensitive nature. Furthermore, Franz hates his teacher M. Hamel in his
school and has no interest in studying French.

An order has come from Berlin after taking over the districts of Alsace
and Lorraine in France that the German language rather than the French
should be taught in the schools there. Furthermore, it is the school
French teacher M. Hamel’s last day. This teacher has been working
there for forty years. Moreover, the teacher has feelings of patriotism.
He is also full of nostalgia and grief. The village men also attend his
‘last lesson’ so as to honour and respect him. The village is regretting
and is sad that they didn’t learn their mother tongue in their childhood.

Franz receives a big shock when he learns that this is his last lesson in
French. He is shocked because he does not know French. Furthermore,
on learning about the last lesson, a sudden interest arises in him for
learning French. Moreover, he pays careful attention and learns
everything taught on this last day.

Instantly, he develops liking for the teacher M. Hamel. His feelings of

hatred for him suddenly came to an end. Moreover, Franz develops
respect for the hard work and sincerity of his teacher. Franz is sad and
ashamed for being unable to recite his lesson.

Hamel explains that they all are at fault for lacking eagerness to learn.
Furthermore, he also includes himself in this fault. He blames himself
for lack of sincerity in teaching them.
There is a reflection of his patriotism in his praise for the French
language. He says that the French language is the most logical and
beautiful language in the world. It seems that M. Hamel got emotional
on this occasion. Furthermore, he asks the class to guard their language.
He says that being close to one’s language is a way to escape the
clutches of slavery. This language will assist them in attaining freedom
from the Germans. The people realize the significance of their mother
tongue. Moreover, they feel the reason for their defeat is illiteracy.

Franz feels that it is impossible to remove one’s language from a

person. This is because it is something that is natural to a person. This
means that no matter how hard the opposition may try, they will fail to
remove one’s language.

Lost Spring Summary in English

The first part tells the author’s impressions regarding the life of poor rag
pickers. The rag pickers have come from Dhaka. Furthermore, the
settlement of the rag pickers is in the area of Seemapuri. Destruction has
come in their fields and homes due to the storms. They had come to the
big city in the hope of finding living there. However, the reality was, in
fact, painful for them and they had to face many hardships. They are
certainly poor and lack various resources.

The writer watches Saheb every morning as he scrounges for “gold” in

the neighbourhood. The means of survival for these rag pickers is the
garbage. Furthermore, for the children, it is a wondrous thing. The
children are able to find a coin or two from it. These people have
ambitions and desires. The problem is that they do not know the way to
make them possible. There are quite a few things that they are unable to
reach. Later Saheb joins a tea stall where there is a possibility for him to
earn 800 Rupees and all the meals. However, this job has deprived him
of his freedom. As such their condition is pretty hopeless and full of
misery.

The second part explores the life of Mukesh. Mukesh is a boy who
belongs to the family of Bangle-makers. Firozabad is famous for its
amazing glass-blowing industry. There is an engagement of nearly
20,000 children in this particular business. Furthermore, no one over
there understands or respects the law that forbids child labour.
Moreover, the living condition, as well as the working environment, are
both horrendous.

These children live in dreary cells. Also, they work close to hot
furnaces. This is certainly very dangerous as it makes these children
blind when they enter adulthood. Furthermore, these children have to
deal with the pressure of debt. Moreover, they are unable to think of a
solution to solve this problem. There is no way for these children to
come out of this trap.

The policemen, bureaucrats, middlemen, and politicians will all hinder

their way of progress. The women in the household consider it to be
their destiny or fate. As a result of such thinking, they just follow the
established tradition. There is something different about Mukesh. He is
not like the rest of the folk there. This is because Mukesh has big
dreams. He has a desire to become a motor mechanic in future. The
garage is far away from where he lives but he has the determination to
walk.

The Rattrap Summary in English

The story begins with a rattrap peddler who is in a rugged condition. He

is dressed in rags and is very frail and looks starved. We learn he has no
home and sometimes even begs and steals to survive in the world. He
leads a lonely life with no one to care about him. One fine day, it strikes
to him that this whole world is a rattrap itself. If we touch it, it will trap
us and never let us go. He goes on to think that there are people out
there who are already in this rattrap and reaching for the bait. On one
cold evening, he reaches at a cottage to ask for shelter. An old crofter
lived in that cottage who took in the peddler.

The crofter needed company so he welcomes the peddler. He gives him

hot food and even tobacco to smoke. They play cards and start talking.
The peddler learns that the crofter got thirty kronor for selling his cow
which he keeps in a pouch on the window frame. The peddler leaves the
next day but after seeing the crofter leave his cottage, he comes back to
steal the pouch of money.

After stealing it, he takes the woods to remain unsuspected. In the

wood, the peddler meets an ironmaster who mistakes him to be his old
comrade. He invites him over for Christmas but he refuses. After that,
the ironmaster’s daughter, Edla visits him and insists him to stay with
them. In between, he feels sorry for stealing the crofter’s money. They
help the peddler get a makeover and dress him in nice clothes and shave
his beard off. After this, the ironmaster realizes he has made a mistake;
the peddler was not his comrade.

Thus, the ironmaster thinks he is a fraud and decides to turn him in.
However, Edla insists on letting him stay and celebrate Christmas with
them. Her father agrees, and they celebrate Christmas together. Next
day, the ironmaster and Edla learn that the peddler was a thief through
the church about the incident at the old crofter’s. They head home in a
hurry thinking he must have stolen all the silver. However, to their
surprise, the peddler did not steal a thing. He left a note for Edla in the
form a tiny rattrap. There was also a note thanking her for her kindness
which saved him from the rattrap he got caught in. Most importantly, he
also left the crofter’s money asking to return it to him.
Indigo Summary in English

This story is set in 1916 where Gandhi steps up to help a bunch of poor
peasants from Champaran. It gives an account of how he struggled to
bring them justice and equality. Thus, it begins with most of the arable
land of Champaran that divides into a large estate. The owners of the
estate are Englishmen and the workers are Indian tenants. We learn that
the chief commercial crop on this land is Indigo. Moreover, we also see
that the landlords compel all the tenants to plant 15% of their Indigo and
submit the whole harvest in the form of rent. The tenants are under a
long-term agreement to do so.

However, Germany starts developing synthetic Indigo. Thus, the British

do not require the Indigo crop any more. Thus, in order to release the
poor peasant from their agreement of 15%, they start demanding
compensation. While some of the uneducated peasants agreed on this,
the other did not agree. Thus, we notice that one of the sharecroppers,
Raj Kumar Shukla arranges for a meeting with Gandhi.

He meets him for the same issues and insists Gandhi to visit the place to
end the longstanding injustice. Gandhi agrees and boards a train to
Patna in Bihar. After that, Raj Kumar Shukla helps Gandhi visit the
house of Rajendra Prasad, a lawyer. As Gandhi dresses simply, the
servants thought of him to be a poor peasant. Thus, Gandhi planned
before trying to get the peasants any justice. It is because the British
government are punishing anyone who is keeping national leaders or
protestors.

Thus, when Gandhi arrived in the place, the news of his arrival and
mission spread across the town like wildfire. This resulted in a lot of
lawyers and peasant groups pouring in large numbers in his support.
Consequently, the lawyers did accept that the charges are quite high and
too unreasonable for a poor peasant.
However, Gandhi was criticizing them for collecting huge fees from the
sharecroppers. He was emphasizing on counselling as this will provide
the peasants with confidence to fight their fear. Thus, he manages to get
justice after a yearlong fight for the peasants. He has also arranged for
the education, health, and hygiene for the families of the poor peasants.
Finally, he teaches them a lesson of self-sufficiency and self-
confidence.

Deep Water Summary in English

Deep Water is about the writer’s journey of overcoming the fear of

water, which is deeply rooted in him since childhood. The author started
fearing water since the age of four. It starts when he was visiting
California with his father. He visits a beach where a wave knocks him
down and sweeps over him. This terrifies the author, although the father
laughs at this knowing it was no danger. However, this experience
terrifies him and develops a fear of water. After that, when the author is
11 years old, he experiences another incident which escalates his fear.

He is at a swimming pool in Yakima, trying to learn swimming. On one

fine day, a bully decides to pull a dangerous prank. He pushes him in
the deep end of the pool which frightens the author. He reaches nine
feet into the water and starts struggling desperately to hold on to
something.

Moreover, he yells for help but he starts feeling paralyzed and only his
heart was moving now. Thus, he gives up and readies himself to die but
wakes up at the side of the pool. However, the terror he experiences
while drowning never goes away. It continues to haunt him for many
years and even spoiled his future expeditions concerning canoeing,
swimming, fishing and more.
He even visits Marine Lakes, Columbia, New Hampshire and more but
is not able to enjoy it. Thus, he decides to overcome this fear by hook or
by crook. He enrols himself in a swimming class and tries to learn from
the instructor. The instructor teaches him many tips and tricks for
swimming. He begins with the inhaling and exhaling part then he
practices it for many weeks.

Further, he moves on to the kicking the legs on the side of the pool.
Finally, he combines all this with the final move of swimming.
Although the author knows how to swim, he is still terrified of water.
Thus, in order to get rid of the fear, he decides to confront it. He mocks
it by thinking what can it really do? Consequently, he plunges in to the
water and to his surprise, his fear goes away. He faced it in many places
and at last, manages to conquer it.

Poets and Pancakes Summary in English

The lesson begins with Asokamitran telling us about Gemini studios.

We learn about the very popular make-up brand whose name was
‘Pancakes’. The Gemini studios use this brand excessively and orders
truckloads of their products. After that, he goes on to tell the readers
about the troubles the actors and actresses face.

We learn about the many lights glaring in their faces when they are
getting ready in the make-up room. Moreover, he also mentions how the
make-up department uses loads of makeup to make them look ugly. He
also tells us about the office boy in the make-up department. He has a
job to slap paint, during crowd-shooting, on the faces of players.

Further, we learn that the author is a poet who joins the studio to
become an actor, screenwriter, director or lyricist. He has a cubicle to
work where he has to collect newspaper cuttings. The office boy always
came in with his complaints to the author. The author thinks that Subbu
is the one who troubles him. As Subbu is a Brahmin, the author thinks
he has an upper hand.

We see that Subbu is a resourceful man with a loyalty that sets him
apart. Subbu is the perfect one for films and film-making is impossible
without him. Everyone loves Subbu for being friendly and hospitable.
Along with many others, Subbu also does poetry. He works for the
story department that also has a lawyer. However, people considered
him to be the exact opposite of a legal consultant.

Moreover, he is a logical man with a neutral mindset in a group where

there are only dreamers. After that, we learn how the Gemini Studios
got the opportunity to host the Moral Rearmament Army. They are a
group of international performers named Moral Rearmament Army.
While they did not have very complex plots or messages, their sets and
costumes were almost perfect.

Further, another guest, Stephen Spender, makes a visit to Gemini

Studios. However, turns out, he is not that famous and many people
have not even heard of him. Moreover, owing to language barriers,
many could not understand him. Thus, his visit remained a mystery
until after many years the author saw Stephen’s name in a book and
recognized him from his visit to the studio.

The Interview Summary in English

The chapter starts with the author introducing us to the method of an

interview. We learn that it is pretty common in journalism and its origin
dates back to 130 years before. He expresses that unsurprisingly,
various people carry different opinions about the concept of the
interview and its uses. Some people think of it very highly while others
cannot bear giving an interview. The chapter tells us that an interview
can make a lasting impression. Moreover, as per an old saying, when
we make perceptions about a particular person, the original identity of
their soul is taken away. We learn how the most popular celebrities
have criticized interviews.

Similarly, Rudyard Kipling’s wife writes in her diary about how two
reporters in Boston ruined her. He thinks of interviewing as an assault.
Moreover, he even believes that this crime should have a punishment.
Further, Kipling is of the thinking that no respectable person asks for or
gives an interview. Moreover, this chapter also contains an excerpt from
an interview between Mukund, belonging to The Hindu Newspaper and
Umberto Eco. Eco is a professor at the University of Bologna in Italy.
He has a daunting status as a scholar for his philosophies on semiotics
(the study of signs), literary interpretation, and medieval aesthetics
before taking up writing fiction.

In the interview, we see it centres on his successful novel, The Name of

the Rose. His novel sold more than 10 million copies. Mukund begins
by asking him how he manages to do such different things. Umberto
replies saying he is doing the same thing. Further, he goes on to justify
his books that revolve around peace and non-violence. We learn that
Umberto classifies himself as an academic scholar. He attends various
academic conferences throughout the week and writes novels on
Sundays. Moreover, he expresses that others considering him as a
novelist and not scholar does not affect him at all. He agrees it is rather
tough to influence millions of people with academic work.

Moreover, we also learn how he believes that our lives have empty
spaces like the ones in atoms. He refers to them as interstices and
admits that he does most of his productive work in the course of that
time. Speaking about his novel, he remarks that it is not an easy read. It
has got a detective feature to it alongside metaphysics, theology and
medieval history. Similarly, he thinks that if he wrote the novel ten
years earlier or later, it would not have achieved the same success.
Thus, the reason for the success of the novel remains a mystery.

Going Places Summary in English

The story begins by telling the reader about a teenage girl, Sophie.
Being a normal teenager, she has also got many fantasies and dreams.
Sophie belongs to a lower-middle-class family that struggles with
finances. However, she dreams to own a boutique one day. Further, she
also dreams of becoming an actress of a fashion designer. Similarly,
Jansie, her friend, is more practical and level-headed. She knows that
they do not have a strong financial background, thus they have to work
in a biscuit factory. Jansie does not have any unachievable fantasies.
She tries her best to help Sophie stay in touch with reality, but all that
goes in vain as Sophie does not listen.

Sophie has got two brothers and lives with her parents in a small house.
She does not shy away from expressing her desires and fantasies.
However, her parents do not pay much heed to it as they are far more
mature than her. They are already facing the harsh realities of life, thus,
they do not believe in her fantasies. Sophie’s elder brother is Geoff who
is tall, strong, and handsome and remains reserved. She is sort of
fascinated by her elder brother. It is so because his silence makes her
jealous and wonders what he keeps thinking about.

Further, we learn that Sophie is always fantasizing about a young Irish

football player, Danny Casey. She has seen him play in a number of
matches and thus starts liking him. As she is always living in her
fantasy world, she makes up stories about him. In one made-up story,
she tells her elder brother, Geoff, that they met one day in the streets.
Being more sensible, Geoff does not believe her story. He feels it is
highly unlikely that she just met such a sensation in the streets just like
that.
However, as Sophie is so good at immersing herself in fantasy land, she
starts describing life-like details. Thus, upon hearing these details, even
Geoff wishes that what she was saying turns out to be true. She even
goes on to say that they will meet again as Danny has promised her.
Thus, Sophie immerses herself so much in the make-believe story that
she starts thinking of it as true. She keeps waiting for Danny to arrives,
but alas he does not. Thus, on the way back, she is thinking about how
Danny’s not turning up will disappoint Geoff. Nonetheless, she still
keeps fantasizing about him and believes they will definitely meet.

My Mother at Sixty six Summary in English

Ageing is an inescapable phase of every human’s life. A person enters

their childhood, experiences adolescence when they are energetic and
have so many dreams. Finally, every person approaches their old age
and then they die. Relationships between people become much stronger
in every phase of life. No one can’t bear the separation from their loved
ones just because of ageing.

Firstly, when the author going to the Cochin airport with her mother she
looks at her carefully and presents before us her image. As she looks at
her mother’s soft and whitish face, she gets stuck with the fear of losing
her mother. Her mother with a sleepy face and open mouth is
comparable to a corpse. Here, the author shows love and affection in a
relationship between a mother and a daughter.

The poet is hurt and sad and shifts her attention outside the car for
driving out the undesirable feelings. She changes her bad mood. The
scene from the window of the car is of rising life and energy. The fast
sprinting green and huge trees alongside the cheerfully playing kids
represent life, youth, and vitality. The poet here is remembering about
her own childhood. In her childhood, her mother was young and
beautiful. Whereas now her mother is surrounded by the fear of losing
her life and that made her insecure and sad.

She reaches the airport to take her flight. It shows departure and parting
which makes her sad. As she said goodbye to her mother, the image of
the old mother in the dusk of years strikes her. Here again, a simile is
comparable with her mother with a late-night moon of the winters. The
light of the moon is an obstacle by the fog and haze as she appears older
now.

The poet is now feeling the pain of getting separated because of leaving
her mother. Her childhood fear of losing her loving mother now became
so terrifying. Now her mother could die of old age anytime
unexpectedly. She is so sad that she starts crying slowly without control
but keeping a brave heart she hides her tears and starts smiling. Thus,
she offers her farewell to her old mother and keeps her hope of seeing
her mother alive again. She says “see you soon, Amma”. She hides her
tears and sorrow as she does not want to make a painful and emotional
environment. Moreover, she doesn’t want her mother to cry and shows
her that she is enjoying her life. She expects her mother to be happy and
enjoy her life just like her.

Keeping Quiet Summary in English

This poem emphasizes the importance of self-introspection and silence.

Furthermore, these two can transform the life of an individual.
Moreover, they can also transform the face of the earth. The poet says
that self-introspection and silence do not take much time to look within.
Any individual can do it and examine oneself. This is easy and takes
only as long as it will take someone to count to twelve. During this time
of introspection (self-examination), it is important for the individual to
keep quiet. The individual must say nothing at all. Without silence and
keeping quiet, self-introspection will not work. Silently introspecting
will give the individual a strange feeling of unity and togetherness with
all others.

In the beginning, it will certainly feel a little strange. However,

eventually, it has the power to bring us all together. This silence will be
free from the annoying sounds of engines. Furthermore, this silence will
also be free from the people rushing to get their work done. The author
feels contentment while imagining the change that will take place in
those moments. The men who have to deal with the pain while
collecting salt will get a little relief. Even the people who desire war and
destruction will put on clean clothes and an opportunity to walk among
their brothers. They will get to experience a life that is free of enmity
and hatred. There will be a halt to their destructive and dangerous
activities. Peace and tranquillity will prevail everywhere once such
harmful activities come to a stop, even if it is for a short time.

The poet clarifies that his wish should not mean “total inactivity”. The
poet only desires to interrupt the violent, cruel, and sad activities taking
place all over the world for a few moments and let individuals
introspect their actions. In fact, there is a connection to what he says
with life rather than death. Activity is the very essence of life whereas
inactivity is symbolic of death. However, for a new, improved, and
useful activity, a little stillness is quite important.

The poet makes use of the image of the earth to explain how life exists
in things that seem dormant. In winter, the earth becomes very silent
and it seems to be dead. The Earth becomes lively again in spring.
Furthermore, in spring, the addition of fresh new beauties and colours
takes place. In a similar fashion, man can resume his activities in a
better manner after a little silence and quietness.

A Roadside Stand Summary in English

There has been an extension of the shed in front by the occupants of the
little old house. Furthermore, this extension is around the edge of the
road where the passage of traffic takes place. It seems like the shack-
owners want to implore the passers-by to purchase something from the
shack. These deprived people have a huge desire for the currency.

Unfortunately, the traffic goes past ignoring the shack. If by chance the
traffic does stop, it would come with a feeling of disappointment. They
are very disturbed to see the poor unattractive signboards. There is an
offer of wild berries shack for sale in a wooden quart (a quarter of a
gallon). This place offers a peaceful natural stay for those who can
afford it. The poet becomes angry at this attitude of the ‘polished traffic’
and asks them to move ahead.

The poet shows more concern for the sadness of the shed-owners than
he does for the landscape blemish. He believes that these people have a
longing to handle some city money. This money can reduce their
suffering as one can see in movies. The political party that enjoys power
is the one that deprives them of a happy life.

The poet makes mention of the news which points out the relocation of
the poor villagers to the vicinity of shops and theatres. There were big
promises to ensure good care for them. However, the government
authorities became negligent of these promises. Furthermore, the poet is
angry at this behavior and calls them “greedy good-doers”. He calls
them “beasts of prey” who indulge in the exploitation of the poor
villagers.

The villagers pay a heavy price as they had to lose their land. The civic
authorities are successful in fooling these naïve villagers. They promise
them a better life and a good sleep. However, these civic authorities are
the ones who sleep peacefully while making the lives of villagers
miserable. Work during the day and sleep at night was the norm in
ancient times. However, there has been a reversal of this norm as the
villagers are not able to sleep at night.

The poet expresses his distress while explaining the endless wait of
shed owners for buyers. There is an ambiance of sadness all over the
place. Sometimes a car stops but that is to enquire about the farmer’s
price. Furthermore, others who stop just want to make use of the
backyard. One of the cars stops for a gallon of gas. Moreover, this
demonstrates the sense of alienation between urban and rural life.

The poet regrets that money is not abundant in the country-side.

Furthermore, money can raise spirits while a lack of it dampens it. The
villagers have a tendency to express their grievance about a life which
has a lack of money. Moreover, the poet becomes very emotional and
contemplates their pain. He certainly wants to change their lives in one
go but understands that this will be a futile act.

Aunt Jennifer’s Tigers Summary in English

In this poem, the poet describes a lady whom she addresses as Aunt
Jennifer. The poet also says that she is doing embroidery on a piece of
cloth that could be a wall hanging or table cloth. Moreover, she has
made it with beautiful tigers that are running fiercely in the green forest.
Further, she describes their beauty in comparison to a topaz. As in the
green background of the forest, they appear bright yellow. Company of
men does not affect them as they are fearless. At this point, we can
sense the contrast of behaviour between the aunt and tigers. Although
tiger made by her is fierce she is afraid of her husband. According to the
poet, tigers are the proud and fearless citizens of the forests. These
creatures are very elegant and shiny.

In this para, the poet defines Aunt Jennifer’s fear of her husband. While
doing embroidery she says that her fingers shake with the fear of her
husband. As her husband does not approve her hobby of embroidery.
Hence, she quivers while she is embroidering the piece of cloth. Also, it
becomes difficult for her to pull the needle up and down. After that, she
defines her wedding ring which her husband give her on their wedding
day. In addition, she sees it as a kind of burden to wear this ring.

She feels this because her husband tortures her so much that she sees
the wedding ring as a burden instead of a beautiful gift by her husband.
Due to the many difficulties, she has faced in her married life that she
describes the little wedding ring as a heavy band on her trembling
fingers. It also means that the ring is linked with some bad experiences
in the form of torture that she has faced. Further, this experience relates
to the dominating behaviour of her husband.

In the last part, the poet says that though aunt’s design of tigers can
easily sense her desire for freedom and fearlessness. However, the poet
says that it is not possible for her to achieve this freedom during her
lifetime. Only after her death, she will attain freedom. But the irony
here is that even then she will be tied with chains in the form of her
husband’s wedding ring. This ring is the only proof of the pains that she
had faced from her husband. On the contrary, the tigers made by Aunt
Jennifer will always portray her desire for living a fearless life by
jumping boldly and proudly on a piece of cloth.

Third Level Summary in English

In New York, the Grand Central Station has two levels. Nonetheless,
Charley a 31-year-old city resident talks that there exists a third level.
Also, he claims that he has been there. To talk about this problem he
visits a psychiatrist friend. He calls it a “walking-dream wish
fulfilment” and explains Charley’s psychology by saying that “the
modern world is full of fear, insecurity, war, and worry…..” and
everybody wants to escape to some “temporary refuge from reality.” As
for him, hobbies like stamp collection is an indicator of this escape.

At times the Grand Central Station seems like a maze to Charley. While
taking the subway earlier he had lost his way a couple of times. One
time he entered the lobby of the Roosevelt Hotel. While the other time
he appeared at an office building that was three blocks away. However,
this time he loses his way and something unique occurs. Charley visits
the third level!

In the silent hallway, Charley keeps walking, turning left, and sloping
downward, until he touches an architecturally old station, which is
totally different from the two familiar levels. Moreover, this old small
room with fewer ticket counters and train gates, a wooden information
booth, wavering open flame gas lights and brass spittoons. All this
remind him of the architecture of the 1800s. Further, he sees people in
outdated outfits. When he noticed the date in the newspaper ‘The
World’ he sees 11 June 1894. When he tries to buy two tickets, he
realizes that he needs old currency.

He always wanted to travel to Galesburg with his wife, Louisa. Back in

his head, it is “a wonderful town still, with big old frame houses, huge
lawns, and tremendous trees….” The place has pleasant and long
summer dusks and where people have ample of time. Hence, the next
day during lunch, he exchanges three hundred dollars for old currency
amounting to some two hundred only. In addition, the amount doesn’t
bother him as he believes that everything there will be cheaper.
However, he could never again find the corridor that leads him to the
third level.

When her wife came to know about this she asks him to stop looking.
Unexpectedly, his friend Sam Weiner also disappear and his wife keeps
on looking for him for in the weekends. Moreover, Sam was the one
whom Charley shares his idea about Galesburg.

Charley inherited the hobby of stamp collection from his grandfather.

And someday while looking at the stamp collection, Charley finds a
letter that was earlier not there. Also, it has the postmark on a faded six-
cent stamp with a picture of President Garfield. Further, the envelop
read as 18 July 1894 to Charley’s grandfather in Galesburg and it
addresses Charley.

In the letter, Sam tells Charley that he has reached Galesburg and he
invites Charley and Louisa there. After going to stamp and coin shop he
gets to know that Sam exchange eight hundred dollars for old currency
bills to establish his business in Galesburg. Besides, Sam was none
other than Charley’s psychiatrist!

Journey to End of the Earth Summary in English

The story begins with the author on a journey in a Russian vessel. It was
headed towards Antarctica. We learn that the author has travelled about
100 hours in a car, aeroplane as well as the ship. The main objective of
this trip is to learn everything in detail about Antarctica. Further, we
learn about her two-week stay there and what all is present there. The
place stores 90% of the earth’s total ice volumes with no trees, buildings
or anything. It has 24-hour austral summer light. Moreover, it is covered
in silence.

This makes the author wonder about the time when India and Antarctica
were the same landmass’s part. We learn about the existence of a
southern supercontinent, Gondwana. It existed for six hundred and fifty
million years ago. We learn that the climate back then was much
warmer and also sustained a huge variety of flora and fauna.
All this was before the arrival of human beings. Moreover, for 500
million years, Gondwana flourished. Thus, after the extinction of
dinosaurs, the landmass separated into countries, as we know today.
Moreover, we also learn about the reality of climate change. Similarly,
the author believes that to study the impact closely, one must make a
visit to Antarctica.

After that, we learn about Antarctica’s ecosystem and how it lacks

biodiversity. Moreover, it is the place to observe if you wish to see what
consequences a little action can bring about in the environment. If the
ozone layer keeps depleting at the present rate, it will impact the lives of
the inhabitants of the area like the sea-animals and birds. Moreover, it
will also impact the global carbon cycle.

We learn about the contributors to climate change, like the burning of

fossil fuels and more. All this is damaging the quality of Antarctica and
this may cause immense danger to human life. Moreover, we also learn
about it through examples of phytoplankton. Finally, the story ends with
the author observing some seals sunbathing on ice. It makes her wonder
whether this beauty will be reserved for the years to come, or will the
future be catastrophic.

Memories of Childhood Summary in English

The first part explores the account of Simmons. Simmons was an

American Indian who was against social discrimination towards
American Indians. She throws light on her first-day experience at the
Carlisle Indian School. Zitkala SA‘s first day at school is bad and
unpleasant. The customs of the place were new and strange to her.
Moreover, there was pressure on her to wear clothes that were not
reputable in her culture.
She does not understand the rules at the breakfast table. Consequently,
she makes several mistakes. There was a requirement for everyone to
pull a chair at the first bell. Zitkala sat down while others were still
standing. Furthermore, everyone had to sit down at the second bell.
However, Zitkala kept standing even when the second bell rang. A
feeling of humiliation came in her. When another bell rang, she didn’t
do anything because of fear of making a mistake. She then cried due to
these mistakes and humiliation. She was fearful of the woman with a
pale face.

Her friend Judewin talked to her about the cutting of her hair. In her
culture, captured unskilled warriors had shingled hair and mourners
kept short hair. She hid but was dragged and tied to a chair so as to cut
her long hair. There was a crushing of her spirit due to this act.
Moreover, this cruelty made her realize the comfort of her home.

The second part is a part of the ‘Karukku’ autobiography by Bama – a

Tamil Dalit. Bama was an innocent child who was spending her
childhood in a village. She used to walk back home When school was
over, she had to do walking to reach home. Furthermore, the normal
duration of the walk was ten minutes. However, she made her walk for
a duration of half an hour to one hour. This was because she took
pleasure in watching the various fun games.

Her innocence was lost when she had to deal with the evil of
untouchability very early in life. One day an elder of her community
carrying food packet holding it by its strings. She felt amused but her
brother explained that they belonged to a low caste. The belief was that
the food packet will become impure if there was touching by a lower
caste person. Her brother wanted to determine his caste as he asked
about the street he lived in. He told Bama that in order to win dignity,
she must work hard to win the honor. Bama was a hard-working student
and stood first in her class.
The Tiger King Summary in English

This story refers to the Maharaja Sir Jilani Hung Bahadur of

Pratibandapuram. Astrologers predict his future when he was just 10
days old. Astrologers say that a tiger will kill him. On this, surprisingly
the 10-day old prince said: “Let tigers beware!” The boy grows up just
like any other royal child raised. Such as by drinking the milk of white
cow and looked after by English nanny and watching English movies.

When he was 20, he was crowned king and came to know about the
prediction about his death. So, then onwards he started killing a tiger
and put a ban on the tiger hunt in his state. According to the astrologers
he needs to be careful with the 100th tiger even if he successfully kills
99 tigers.

One time a high ranking British officer visits his state and wants to go
for a tiger hunt. However, the maharaja declined his wish. And in order
to secure the state from the wrath of the British officer. The maharaja
sent 50 diamond rings to the officer’s wife whose worth was Rs 3 lakh.

Within ten years the maharaja successful slays 70 tigers. But after that,
there were no tigers left in Pratibandapuram. Hence, to complete his
target of killing a hundred tigers he marries a girl from the royal state
that has more tigers so that he can complete his target. Whenever he
visits his in-laws, he makes sure that he kills 5-6 tiger each time. In
addition, in this way, he was able to kill 99 tigers but he was unable to
find the 100th tiger. On not finding the 100th tiger the maharaja became
violent and threatened the Dewan. In order to save himself from the
fury of the king, the Dewan got an old tiger from the circus and with
great difficulty put him in the forest.

He told Maharaja about the tiger. So, maharaja went on a hunt and shot
the tiger and felt victorious and happy. But then again, he didn’t know
that his bullet miss and the tiger was alive and he only collapsed out of
fear. No one has the guts, to tell the truth to the king so they killed the
tiger and brought it in a grand procession.

Lastly, the maharaja was joyful and happy. So, on his son’s birthday, he
buys a wooden tiger as a gift for him. The tiger had rough edges and
while playing with it he gets a woodcut in his hand which later on
advances into an infection. And because of it, he dies. Therefore,
fatefully the 100th tiger although made of wood take its revenge and
killed the king.

The Enemy Summary in English

The Enemy is a story written by Pearl Syden stricker Buck. It is about a

Japanese surgeon, Sadao. He went to study in America and meets a
Japanese girl, Hana, there. He marries her and brings her back to Japan
to settle down. This was the time of World War II. Thus, all the doctors
were called upon to serve the Japanese army. However, they allowed
Sadao to stay back. It was because he was tending to the old General
who was on his death bed. However, one night, an incident changes his
life. He encounters an American Navy-man who is injured by a gun-
shot and dying.

Although Sadao was in no mind to help the enemy, he takes in the

young soldier and provides him with medical assistance. He keeps him
at his house to avert any danger coming his way. However, he knew he
has opened doors to danger by helping the enemy. His servants decide
to leave Sadao too. As the days kept passing, the soldier was now
beginning to gain his health back. Now that the soldier was no longer
Sadao’s patient, he decides to kill him off in his sleep. He informs the
General of the American and thus the General reciprocates. They decide
to send private assassins to kill the American soldier.
While waiting for the assassins, Sadao starts noticing it was delaying.
However, during this course, humanity in Sadao arises. He realizes that
he is a human being at the end of the day. He now recognizes the value
of human life as well as universal brotherhood. Thus, this opens his
mind which was limited to race, boundaries, and wars. Finally, he
comes to the conclusion that the American soldier is not his enemy just
because he belongs to another country. Thus, he rises above his
prejudices and does the right thing by helping the American soldier
escape, thus saving his life.