Prasanna

OU Degree 1st Sem English Unit 3 Vocabulary, Grammar

Vocabulary: Homonyms, Homographs and Homophones

I. Homonyms

Homonyms are words that have the same spelling and the same pronunciation, but different meanings.
I wanted to lie.
lie = say something that is not true

I wanted to lie down.
lie = assume a reclining position

Exercise – 1.

Each set of sentences in Column X has homonyms. Match every sentences of each set in Column X with the corresponding meaning in Column Y of homonyms in the sentences. One has been done for you.

Answer:

Exercise 2.

Fill in the blanks in each set of sentences with a single homonym.

For example:
A snake _____ him.
Add a ______ of salt.
Answer:  bit

1. She wrote a new ______
The children went to ______ in the park.
Answer: play

2. I was asked to ______ a few lines of verse.
The sheep are not in their ______
She uses a brush _____ for calligraphy.
Answer: pen

3. The ______ tree is found in temperate regions.
Let’s ______ up the house before the guests arrive.
Answer: lime

4. We didn’t realise the _____ of the pandemic.
The symphony is in the ______ of C major.
You need to _____ the fish before cooking it.
Answer: scale

5. ______out for fraudulent calls and e-mails.
She got me an expensive _____ for my birthday.
Answer: Watch

II. Homographs:

Homographs are words that have the same spelling, but different pronunciations and meanings.
The wind is strong tonight. — Wind (rhymes with ‘pinned’) = moving air
I forgot to wind my watch. — Wind (rhymes with ‘find’) = twist or coil something

Exercise

For each set, match both sentences in Column X with the corresponding meaning In Column Y of the homograph in the sentence.

Answer:

III. Homophones

Homophones are words that have the same pronunciation, but different spellings and different meanings.

Do not waste paper.
waste = spend thoughtlessly

She tied a sash around her waist.
waist = part of the body between ribs and hips

Exercise

Fill in the blanks with the correct homophones from the options given in the box below.

Road, rode	to, two, too	principal, principle
Banned, band	board, bored	their, there, they’re

1. I am bored of board games.
2. She rode her bike down the road,
3. Our principal is a lady of great principle (s).
4, They’re in their garden over there.
5; Did you buy two tickets to the show ?
6. Arjun’s band was banned from playing in the school.

Fill in the blanks with the correct homophones from the options given in the brackets.

1. I bought a pair of gloves. (pare, pair, pear)
2. The king’s reign did not last very long. (rein, rain, reign)
3. If you park here, the police will tow your car away. (tow, toe)
4. The lioness picked up the scent of her prey. (sent, scent, cent)
5. She wanted to wear her favourite outfit. (wear, ware)

Show the difference between the words in the given sets of homophones by using them in sentences of your own.

1. Aisle, isle
Aisle-a passage between rows of seats in a building such as a church or theatre, an aircraft, or train
e. g. Please don’t keep your baggage in the aisle.
Isle- an island
eg. Sri Lanka is an isle.

2. Pane, pain
Pane- a single sheet of glass in a window or door
e.g. The ball broke the window pane.
Pain-highly unpleasant physical sensation caused by illness or injury
e.g. No pain, no gain.

3. Break, brake
Break – separate or cause to separate into pieces as a result of a blow, shock, or strain
e.g. The match will be resumed after the lunch break.
Brake– a device for slowing or stopping a moving vehicle
e.g. The driver applied the brake to stop the vehicle.

4. Heal, heel
Heal-cause (a wound, injury, or person) to become sound or healthy again
e.g The medicine will heal the injury.
Heel- the back part of the human foot below the ankle
e.g. Her left heel has got hurt due to wearing the high heel shoes.

5. Four, fore
Four- a numeral that comes after 3
e.g. There are four players in the team.
Fore- situated or placed in front
e.g. The cat hurt its fore legs.

6. Sell, cell
Sell-give or hand over (something) ¡n exchange for money
e.g. The vendors sell their goods on the road side.
Cell- small room in which a prisoner is locked up or in which a monk or nun sleeps (in biology) the smallest structural and functional unit of an organism
e.g. The criminal was imprisoned in the cell.
The student is interested in cell biology.

7. Paws, pause
Paws- an animal’s feet having cLaws and pads
e.g. The cat attached the hen with its paws.
Pause- interrupting action or speech briefly
e.g. The comma indicates that there is pause at the end of the sentence.

8. Past, passed
Past- the time before the moment of speaking or writing
e.g. We have to forget about the past if it is not good for us.
Passed- the past or past participle tense of the verb ‘pass’
e.g. He passed the examination in 2010.

Grammar: Adjectives

We use adjectives to say what a person, animal, place or thing is like, for example tall, purple, fierce, hilly, soft. These words usually come in front of the nouns they describe, but they are also used after the verbs be, feel, seem, etc., to complete a sentence.
There was a vase of yellow roses on the table.
I’d like to have a cup of hot coffee, please.
The girl seems friendly.

Kinds of Adjectives
You can use the following kinds of adjectives to describe nouns:

• Adjectives that tell us about shape, size, colour, texture, taste, quality, behaviour, etc.: long face, big house, red tie, rough cloth, sweet mangoes, fine silk, shy child.
• Adjectives formed from proper names to show nationality or a period in history: English countryside, Korean cuisine, Elizabethan drama, Mughal architecture.
• nouns used as adjectives to describe another noun: kitchen door, cotton sari (but wooden table, woollen shawlj, passenger train, chocolate cake -ing and -edl-en forms of verbs: dancing peacocks, boiled potatoes, broken glass
• compound adjectives: icy-cold wind, fat-free diet, five-year-old contract.

Comparison of Adjectives:

Adjectives that simply describe features of a noun, such as its size, age, colour and shape, are said to be in positive degree.

He is a strong man.
The butterfly is beautiful.

Adjectives in the positive degree are also used when we compare two people, things, places, etc., and say that the quality is present equally in both of them.

Mohan is as tall as his brother.
The table in the room is as large as the one outside.

However, when we compare two people, things, etc., and say that a quality is not present equally in the two, we use the comparative degree of the adjective. The comparative form is followed by than (except in some cases such as in inferior to and superior to).

Your pencil is longer than mine.
The flower is more beautiful than its picture in the book.

When three or more people, things, places, etc., are compared, and they have a particular quality in unequal measure, we use the superlative degree of the adjective. Remember that this form of the adjective always has the definite article the before it. This table is the largest of the three ir the room. The spotted butterfly Is the most beautiful of all those found in the region.

Exercises
Complete the exchanges below with single words or groups of words chosen from below.

Lovely	tiny pink	rusty and chipped	blue silk dress
Famous	old brass	long and frilly	short middle-aged

1. A: Do you know the short middle-aged man sitting by the window.
B: I do. He is a famous artist.

2. A: I love these tiny pink flowers.
B: Yes, they’re lovey.

3. A: is this blue silk dress Deepika’s?
B: No, I don’t think so. Hers is long and frilly.

4. A: We saw an old brass coin in the shop window.
B: Was it rusty and chipped.

Fill in the blanks in the following sentences with the right form of the adjectives in the brackets.

1. What kind of food do you like the least? (little)
2. Mother is a better singer than I am. (good)
3. Rahul is a kind boy. (kind)
4. This task is more urgent than all others. (urgent)
5. He thinks his car is as fast as yours. (fast)
6. The man was nobler than his father. (noble)
7. Savita is the most childish of all my friends. (childish)
8. His house is farther from the college than hers: (far)
9. It is safer to stay out in the open than indoors when there is an earthquake. (safe)
10. Of all the boxes in the van, the black steel one is the heaviest. (heavy)

Rewrite the following sentences using the words in brackets in place of the words in
italics. Make sure that the meaning of your re-written sentences remains the same as that
of the original sentences given to you. See the example below for reference.

Example: Lead is the heaviest all metals.
Use heavier: Lead is heavier than all other metals.
Use heavy: No other metal is as heavy as lead.

1. Mount Everest is the highest mountain in the world. (higher)
Answer:
Mount Everest is higher than any other mountain in the world.

2. Suman is quicker than anyone in the group. (quickest)
Answer:
Suman is the quickest one in the group.

3. Pune is closer to my village than Nagpur is. (close)
Answer:
Nagapur is not as close to my village as Pune is.

4. Mother is not as tall as ber sister. (taller)
Answer:
Her sister is taller than Mother.

5. No player in the team is as talented as Prabhakar. (most talented)
Answer:
Prabhakar is the most talented player in the team.

6. Asha’s house is fart her from the city than all ours. (far)
Answer:
Our houses are not as far from the city as Asha’s.

7. NitIn’s watch is less expensive than everyone else’s. (least expensive)
Answer:
Nitin’s watch is the least expensive of everyone else’s.

8. Of all his children, Sudha Is closest to her father. (closer)
Answer:
Of all his children, Sudha is closer to her father than any other.

9. Maharashtra is one of the largest states in the country. (large)
Answer:
No other state in the country is as large as Maharashtra,

10. Kamala has fewer chocolates than all her friends. (fewest)
Answer:
Kamala has the fewest chocolates of all her friends.

Fill in the blanks choosing the correct adjective from the list below. Each word can be used only once.

Second	several	what	every	heavy
good	few	next	same	great

1. The ship sustained heavy damage.
2. I have called several times.
3. Every dog has its day.
4. What time is it?
5. Abdul won the second prize.
6. The man fell down from a great height.
7. Good wine needs no bush.
8. Don’t say the same thing twice over.
9. He is a man of few words.
10. My uncle lives in the next house.

Fill in the blanks with the comparative and superlative forms of the adjectives given in the brackets.

1. My bungalow is larger than hers. My bungalow is the largest in my colony. (large)
2. I am the fastest runner in my school. But my sister can run faster than me. (fast)
3. Not only is her handwriting better now, it is in fact the best in her class. (good)
4. This task is more important to me. It is the most important task ill do this week.
5. I thought the green ones would cost the least, but the red ones cost the least! less.

Speaking : Asking for a Giving Opinions:

Asking for Opinions
Useful Points to Remember
When you ask for, or seek, someone’s opinion, you can…

ask for it directly:
I’d like your opinion on…
Could you give us your views on…, please.
Could we have your opinion on…
Note that these are formal ways of asking for someone’s opinion.

ask wh- questions beginning with what or how:
How do you like… ?What do you think… ?

ask yes! no questions:
Do you think… ? Would you rather… ?

ask negative questions:
Don’t you think… ? Won’t she like…?

use opinion verbs, such as think, feel, believe, like, love, hate in your questions.

Activities 1.

Try the following activities to improve your speaking skills.

Question 1.
Enact Dialogues 1-3 with a partner, taking turns to play the roles of the person asking for an opinion and the one living it.

Dialogue 1.
Lata seeks Ashwins opinion on a change In the working hours of the school.

Lata : Ashwin, did you hear that classes will be from eight to two, starting next year?
Ashwin : Yes, I saw the circular.
Lata : What do you think of the change?
Ashwin : I like it because we can go home sooner and I can take up a part-time job in the evenings. That’d be a great help, you know.
Lata : I guess you’re right. I hadn’t thought of it that way.

Dialogue 2.
Seema wants to take music lessons in the evenings. Her parents discuss the issue.

Mother : Seema says she’d like to go to the Pandit Eknath Sarolkar Music Academy after college to learn classical music. Do you think she should?
Father : I don’t think so. She’ll find it too tiring.
Mother : Would you prefer we had a music teacher come home to teach her?
Father : Yes, that would be a better idea.

Dialogue 3
Aysha and Karim are buying a present for their mother.

Aysha : Karim, don’t you think this sari’s beautiful?
Karim : It’s a lovely shade of red, but…
Aysha : Won’t mother like it?
Karim : I don’t think she will. You know she doesn’t wear dark colours.

Question 2.
Working in pairs, form as many questions as you can by combining the items In the following columns. For example: Do you believe we should have entrance examinations? Take turns with your partner to repeat the questions aloud for practice.

Answer:
i. What do you think about open-book exams?
ii. How do you approve of people sending their parents to old age home?
iii. Would you like to study in an evening college?
iv. Do you believe we should have entrance examinations?
v. Don’t you love having a six-month holiday?
vi. Wouldn’t you feel we could do to reduce pollution?
vii. Could you give us your opinion on capital punishment?

Question 3.
After you have completed the above activity, match some of the questions you have formed with the replies given below.

For example:
Do you believe we should have entrance examinations?
No. O don’t think they can really help assess students.
a. _________ ? Oh, no! I’ll be bored if I have nothing to do.
b. _________ ? It’s a good idea. I can work while I study.
c. ________ ? Riding bicycles and walking, to begin with.
d. _________ ? I am not sure it’ll work in our kind of educational system.
e. _________ ? Most certainly not.
f. _________ ? It’s very cruel in my opinion.
Answers:
a. Don’t you love having a six-month holiday?
b. Would you like to study in an evening college?
c. Wouldn’t you feel we could do to reduce pollution?
d. What do you think about open book exams?
e. Could you give us your opinion on capital punishment?
f. How do you approve of people sending their parents to old age home?

Activities 2.

Try the following activities to improve your speaking skills.

1. Match the following to make short exchange. After you finish, enact the exchanges with a partner.

A	B
The rains were good, weren’t they?	Yes, they are. I feel that people find it’s more economical to use public transport.
Ms Joseph is a good teacher, isn t she?	In my opinion, parents should monitor the type of programmes they watch.
Don’t you find that buses are overcrowded these days?	No, they shouldn’t. I believe children should have a say in the matter.
Do you feel parents should decide their children’s career?	Yes I don’t think we’ve ever had such a good monsoon.
What is your view on children watching adult programmes on TV?	You’re right. I think she’s wonderful.

Answer:
i. A: The rains were good, weren’t they?
B: Yes. I don’t think we’ve ever had such a good monsoon.

ii. A: Ms Joseph is a good teacher, isn’t she?
B: You’re right. I think she’s wonderful.

iii. A: Don’t you find that buses are overcrowded these days?
B: Yes, they are. I feel that people find it’s more economical to use public transport.

iv. A: Do you feel parents should decide their children’s career?
B: No, they shouldn’t. I believe children should have a say in the matter.

v. A: What is your view on children watching adult programmes on TV?
B: In my opinion, parents should monitor the type of programmes they watch.

2. Form groups of five. Each of you can ask one of the other members in the group for his or her opinion on something, using the hilighted words in Column A from the activity above. The person responding must use the hilighted expression in the matching item in the Column B. For example:

i. Question: The oranges were delicious, weren’t they?
Response: Yes. I don’t think we’ve ever tasted such sweet oranages.
(The respondents may change a yes to a no and vice versa, to suit their opinion.)

ii. Question: Kane Williamson is a great cricketer, isn’t he?
Response: You’re right. I think he’s a wonderful cricketer.

iii. Question: Don’t you find that students are overburdened with online classes these days?
Response: Yes, they are. I feel that COVID-19 pandemic affected the education sector badly.

iv. Question: Do you feel that development is more important than the concern over environment?
Response: No, it shouldn’t. I believe development should be sustainable.

v. Question: What is your view on vocational education should be integrated with the formal education?
Response: In my opinion, government and all the stakeholders should involve to make it a successful enterprise.

3. Pair up for this activity. Take turns to ask your partner’s opinion on five matters each. You can either pick subjects from those listed below or think of something of your own. Your teacher will give you two minutes to prepare brief dialogues. Use the expressions you have learnt in this section, trying your best to endure that none of the expressions are repeated.

a. Mercy killing
A: Mercy killing should be allowed legally, shouldn’t it?
B: Personally I’ve nothing against mercy killings. However, there should be stringent procedure to allow it legally.
A: You’re right. Do you talk about its misuse?
B: Yes, that’s my concern.

b. Replacing marks with grades
A: From my point of view, it’s a good idea for replacing marks with grades.
B: I feel students are free from marks burden.
A: Yes. You’re right. I think grading system will reduce pressure on the students. Don’t you think there should be uniformity in the grading system?
B: Certainly, there should be uniformity.

c. Junk food
A: Isn’t junk food affecting young people’s health?
B: Yes. But don’t you find it is attractive for the youngsters to eat road side eateriies?
A: Yes, you’re right. There needs to be diet awareness amongst the present generation, What do you think of including diet-related courses in the school curriculum?
B: That’s a great idea. I like it though.

d. English language education at primary school
A: I think English language education should be made compulsary at primary school. The English medium students are Supposed to be more proficient in English skills.
B: No, i don’t think so. In the contrast, the empirical studies reveal that the students who study in their mother tongue can do better in learning other languages as well.
A: Would you prefer mother tongue over English?
B: Certainly. In my opinion, the learners at primary schools can grasp concepts better when they learn them in their vernacular languages.

e. Crash diets
A: Don’t you think crash diet can reduce one’s weight rapidly?
B: Yes, I do think. But there are certain repurcursions as well.
A: Personally, I feel that under the expert guidence, the people with heavy weight can go for crash diet.
B: Yes, that should be a better idea.

f. Taking coaching for competitive exams
A: I think taking coaching should be compulsory for succeeding in competitive exams.
B: I don’t think so. Don’t you think that the coaching may help but is not compulsory for success?
A: Yes, I do. But don’t you’ find that the success rate of the aspirants with coaching is higher?
B: Personally, I have nothing against coaching.

g. TV serials
A: TV serials point the homely atmosphere, don’t they?
B: Yes, you’re right. I think they sneak into the private life of the viewers.
A: Indeed, they disturb the family life with continuously haunting their minds.
B: Yes, they do.

h. Vocational courses
A: What is your view on introducing vocational courses from the primary school level?
B: From my point of view, it’s a good idea for creating skilled work form in future.
A: You’re right. I think this will reduce the burden of providing employment to all the students.
B: I guest you’re right.

I. Call centre jobs
A: Do you think that call centre jobs are handy for the graduates?
B: Yes, I do. But they are very limited in numbers.
A: Indeed, they’re. They’re only available in the metropolitan cities.
B: In my opinion, we can think of self-employement vocational training for the graduates.

j. Compulsary military service after school
A: Akhil, don’t you think compulsary military service should be introduced after school education?
B: I don’t think so. Military service should be voluntary, not forceful. Then only we obtain the desired results.
A: You’re right. But if no one comes forward to serve in the military, what will happen to the security?
B: Then there should be awareness programmes motivating the young about importance of military service.

4. Enact Dialogues 4-8 with your partner.

Read the dialogues below. In all of them, opinion is expressed freely during a conversaiton.

Dialogues 4
Sophia and Vinay are talking about a music concert.
Sophia : Alla sang so well last ening.
Vinay : Yes, she was very good. I loved the way she sang the fast numbers.

Dialogue 5
Surya meets a friend in college.
Surya : What terrible weather! I hate getting wet, but didn’t want to miss the test.
Sajida :  I’m glad the rains have started, It’s a relief after the long summer we’ve had.

Dialogue 6.
A group of people are discussing the right age for children to start school.
Mrs Jose : From my point of view, it’s a good idea for children to start school at three. I feel they learn fastest at that age.
Mr Shastri : In my opinion, the earlier system of sending children to school at five was better.
Mrs Sharma : You’re right. I think it used to give them time to discover the world around them on their own.
Mr Husain : Personally, I have nothing against the present system. The way I see it, children anyway do nothing but play and have fun in the nursery and kindergarten classes.

Dialogue 7.
Som and Tina talk about a reception they went to.
Som : What a nice reception that was’ Everything was so tastefully done, was not It?
Tina : Yes, it was. The decorations and the music were just superb.
Som : Indeed, they paid attention to every detail.

Dialogue 8.
Yogesh and his friend Pinto talk about the city they have both recently moved to.
Yogesh : Isn’t Hyderabad a nice place?
Pinto : Yes. But don’t you find it a bit too quiet after Mumbai?
Yogesh : I like It though. Mumbai was far too noisy for mc.

Post Reading: Motivation

Motivation is the driving force that leads us to undertake and accomplish various actions. It ‘ is the spur that goads a person on to performance and also helps to keep alive the interest in the task at hand, till it is successfully completed. One of the reasons for failure among human beings is a lack of motivation. Motivation can be of two types: self-motivation and the ability to motivate others.

To motivate ones own self a person needs to have balanced self-esteem and an accurate assessment of self-worth. Self-esteem arises from realising what we are capable of and overcoming our shortcomings. Often our self-esteem is imbalanced because we do not have the right image of ourselves.

We believe what others say about us: if they praise us, we become complacent, and if they find fault, we become disheartened. Once we acquire a balanced self-esteem, our confidence in ourselves increases and this leads to a feeling of self-worth.

Again, we should be cautious and not have mistaken self-worth. Unless we are aware of our actual strengths and weaknesses, we shall never have accurate self-worth.
Here are some strategies for self-motivation:

• Think of everyone and everything as your teacher.
• Build positive, meaningful relationships in the family and place of work.
• Read elevating literature.
• Work with a mentor who believes in you and trusts you as a true friend.
• Work creatively at whatever task you do.
• Work with commitment so that every failure turns into success.
• Empower yourself by making the mind strong and focused.
• To motivate others, we need to…
• Provide them with the right incentives.
• Stimulate, inspire, reward and praise them in the right situations.
• Cultivate the habit of listening to people with positive involvement, and encourage them.

Different methods motivate different people so we need to know which method is to be used in any given context. For instance, if a person is praised for his/her achievement he/she may improve further while another person in the same situation may become complacent and stop all improvement. The same is true of pointing out the faults of a person: one may take it as positive motivation while another may be discouraged.

Think and Respond

Waheed, a businessman, is worried that he is becoming old and can do nothing efficiently any more. He is losing his concentration and memory. He feels tired all the time and is disheartened by his failures. How can he motivate himself? How can his wife and children motivate him to make him believe in himself and in his capabilities?

Motivation is the driving force that leads us to undertake and accomplish various actions. Motivation can be of two types: self-motivation and the ability to motivate others. In order to motivate one’s own self, a person needs to have balanced self-esteem and an accurate assessment of self-worth.

Self-esteem arises from realising what we are capable of and overcoming our shortcomings. Sometimes our self-esteem is balanced because we do not have the right image of ourselves. Then only our confidence increases and this leads to a feeling of self-worth. Unless we are of our actual strengths and weaknesses, we shall never have accurate self-worth.

Waheed, who is a businessman, is worried that he is becoming old and can do nothing efficiently any more. He is losing his concentration and memory. He feels tired all the time and is disheartened by his failures. Waheed can be motivated in two ways: self-motivation and motivation by others.

Self-motivation (by Waheed himself): Waheed can be motivated by adopting the following strategies:

• Waheed can think of everyone and every thing as his teacher.
• He builds positive, meaningful relationships in both his family and his work place.
• He can also start reading elevating and inspiring literature.
• Waheed can also work with a mentor who believes in him and trusts him as a true friend.
• Besides, he can work creatively at whatever task he does.
• Waheed has to empower himself by making the mind strong and focused.
• He can work with commitment so that every failure turns into success.

Motivation by others: Waheed can also be motivated by his family members- his wife and children.

• The family is of great support for Waheed and the family members -his wife and children can provide him with the much needed support in the hard times.
• The family can stimulate, inspire, reward and praise him in the right situations.
• Waheed’s family must cultivate the habit of listening to him with positive involvement,
  and encourage him.

Therefore, Waheed can be motivated himself, and by his family members and friends. Any motivation should be appropriate to the person’s attitude towards certain situations and life experiences. Motivation should not bring complacency, but bring encouragement in the particular individual.

OU Degree 1st Sem English Study Material

OU Degree 1st Sem English – Ulysses Poem Questions and Answers & Summary

Comprehension – 1

Answer the following questions In 80-100 words.

Question 1.
Who is the speaker of the poem, and what does he want to do
Answer:
The Greek mythical hero by name Ulysses is the speaker of Alfred Tennyson’s poem ‘Ulysses’. He is the king of Ithaca and has taken part in the Trojan War. After the war, he returned to his kingdom, Ithaca. Being a brave warrior, he has proved his bravery and strength in the war very well. Then, after spending some years only sitting on his Royal seat, he became bored. Though he is an ageing king and worrier, he has an insatiable thirst for adventure and knowledge.

Ulysses is not happy with the life of comfort and certainty and sets off to the final voyage in the intellectual pursuits and the thrills of discovery. Then some grief comes from his mind which forms this dramatic monologue. Ulysses is the poetic persona as well as the speaker of the poem which is in the form of a dramatic monologue, an extended speech by one character in drama or a poem or any other literary text.

Question 2.
How does Ulysses describe Ithaca and its people? What is his attitude towards his subjects?
Answer:
In the very first stanza (32 lines) of the poem, Ulysses makes it clear that he is not happy as being ‘an idle king’ and he thinks being idle he has become a perfect match to ‘his aged wife’ Penelope. He is fed with just administering ‘unequal laws unto a savage race’.

Ulysses refers to his own subjects or people of Ithaca as ‘savage race’ or uncivilised because they prefer a life comfort and certainty over intellectual pursuits and the thrills of discovery. They are content to lead an animal, existence ‘sleep and feed’ and therefore they cannot understand Ulysses’ unquenchable thirst for adventure and knowledge.

Question 3.
Who is Telemachus, and what kind of a person does he seem to be?
Answer:
In the second stanza (11 lines from 3343) of the poem, Ulysses talks about his duty as a father. It becomes clear that he never forgets about the things left behind, although he has a spiritual urge to undertake an adventure. He has given his duties in the rightful hands of his son Telemachus (‘To whom I leave the sceptre and the isle’).

He is confident that his son Telemachus is “most blameless” and does his “common duties” decently. He is entirely devoted to the area of administration, shows acts of tenderness/kindness towards his people, shows adoration to their household gods. Ulysses strongly believes that “When am gone. He works his work, mine’.

Before leaving for the endless and the last voyage of his life, Ulysses Leaves everything in the right order. He never wants to be an example of an irresponsible king In his nation. So, there is no way of judging him as a romantic hero. Based on Ulysses’ description, Telemachus is an abled-son who can prudently take up the father’s responsibility.

Question 4.
‘How dull it Is to pause…not to shine in use!’ How does this statement reflect Ulysses’ attitude to life?
Answer:
Ulysses reminds us of his life experience in the Trojan War and says that he has ‘drunk delight of battle’ with his fellow fighters on the battle fields of Troy, an ancient city in south-western Asia that was the site of the Trojan War. It seems to him that the more he knows the more his hunger for knowledge grows. He can see the “gleams” of the “untravell’d world” before him. It makes him remind of the endless sea of knowledge he is fond of. He prodaims:

How dull it is to pause, to make an end,
To rust unburnish’d, not to shine in use!

It is dull to stop and end this voyage of life when the sea of knowledge constantly calls him to start again. For him life is rust, if not polished or used and not to shine in use.

Question 5.
Explain the meaning and significance of the following lines:

a. Yet all experience Is an arch where through / Gleams that unfravelled world, whose margins fades / For ever and for ever when I move.
Answer:
Ulysses reminds us of his life experience in the Trojan War and says that he has ‘drunk delight of battle’ with his fellow fighters on the battle fields of Troy, an ancient city in south-western Asia that was the site of the Trojan War. It seems to him that the more he knows the more his hunger for knowledge grows. Through the arch of his experience, he can see the “gleams” of the “untravell’d world” before him. He is eager to erase the margins or limits of unknown world. It makes him remind of the endless sea of knowledge he is fond of.

b. Made week by time and fate, but strong in will / To strive, to seek, to find, and not to yield.
Answer:
The speaker (Ulysses) rather infuses the energy of his soul into his fellow mariners. They have to overcome their manifold fears to continue this journey of life. He thinks the way in front of them can be perilous. There can be a threat to their lives. But they had overcome all their fears in the past. In the old days, their vigour has shaken every kingdom.

The repetition of the phrase “we are” in this line, “Moved earth and heaven, that which we are, we are” refers to their indomitable courage and will force. They are weak and old for the natural process of aging. But, they are “strong in will”. At last, the narrator says they are starting their endless spiritual quest “To strive, to seek, to find, and not to yield.”

The poem’s final lines are the most famous. The need “to strive, to seek, to find, and not to yield” fits into the Victorian urge to escape the tedious nature of day-to-day life, to achieve a level of mythical fame reached by the classical heroes, to travel “beyond the sunset, and the baths of all the western stars.” Tennyson doesn’t want to conform, he wants to challenge himself, and he wants to break new ground before his inevitable death. Just like Ulysses, Tennyson wants to go out adventuring rather than settle for regular life.

Comprehension – II.

Answer the following questions in 350-400 words.

Question 1.
What is the theme of the poem? How does the poet communicate this to the reader through the images in the poem?
Answer:
Alfred Tennyson’s poem ‘Ulysses’ is about an experienced but ageing king of Ithaca by name Ulysses who has an insatiable thirst for adventure and knowledge. Ulysses is not happy with the life of comfort and certainty and sets off to the second innings for intellectual pursuits and the thrills of discovery. ‘Ulysses’ encompasses many important themes- optimism, pursuit of adventure and knowledge, transition of power, brotherhood, etc.

Theme of Optimism:

The first and foremost theme of the poem is optimism. The poet presents the spirit of hope by using the character of Ulysses. He was old enough for continuing his lifelong voyage. Still, he was persistent. For an optimistic attitude towards life, he started for the sea again. He desperately wants to drink the wine of life to the lees, means that he wants to enjoy the life to the fullest extent, without taking any rest. The speaker is an embodiment of indomitable courage.

There is satisfaction for him while he struggles. He claims that in his life, he has enjoyed greatly and suffered greatly. The enjoying moments can be related to shore and the suffering time can be compared with rainy Hyades. He has seen and known many ‘cities of men and manners, climates, councils, governments’. He says:

I am become a name;
For always roaming with a hungry heart

Pursuit of Adventure:

In the very first stanza of the poem, Ulysses makes it clear that he is not happy as being ‘an idle king’ and he thinks being idle he has become a perfect match to ‘his aged wife’ Penelope. He is fed with just administering ‘unequal laws unto a savage race’.

Ulysses refers to his own subjects or people of Ithaca as ‘savage race’ or uncivilised because they prefer a life comfort and certainty over intellectual pursuits and the thrills of discovery. They are content to lead an animal existence ‘sleep and feed’ and therefore they cannot understand Ulysses’ unquenchable thirst for adventure and knowledge. He announces:

I cannot rest from travel: I will drink
Life to the lee:

For his desire to seek beyond the capacity of men, he has become famous in other nations. And whenever he went, he has been honoured by people. He says, “Myself not least, but honour’d of them all’.

Pursuit of Knowledge :

Ulysses reminds us of his life experience in the Trojan War and says that he has ‘drunk delight of battle’ with his fellow fighters on the battle fields of Troy, an ancient city in south-western Asia that was the site of the Trojan War. It seems to him that the more he knows the more his hunger for knowledge grows. He can see the “gleams” of the “untravell’d world” before him.

It makes him remind of the endless sea of knowledge he is fond of. It is dull to stop and end this voyage of life when the sea of knowledge constantly calls him to start again. For him life is rust, if not polished or used and not to shine in use. He proclaims: I am a part of all that I have met; /…………… / How dull it is to pause, to make an end,/ To rust unbumish’d, not to shine in use!

Ulysses is well aware of the fact that he is old. However, in his heart, he knows being old is just a thought of mind. He says that he saves every hour till the ‘eternal silence’ or death to know ‘new things’. Ulysses feels that he is like a “sinking star” that still has its light left in him. He wants to make use of the light of his soul to seek knowledge that is “Beyond the utmost bound of human thought.” This old man has a long way to go! Ulysses’ grey spirit yearning in desire / To follow knowledge like a sinking stew/ Beyond the utmost bound of human thought.

Transition of Power

In the second stanza of the poem, Ulysses talks about his duty as a father. It becomes clear that he never forgets about the things left behind, although he has a spiritual urge to undertake an adventure. He has given his duties in the rightful hands. He is confident that his son Telemachus is “most blameless” and does his “common duties” decently.

Before leaving for the endless and the last voyage of his life, Ulysses leaves everything in the right order. He never wants to be an example of an irresponsible king in his nation. So, there is no way of judging him as a romantic hero. The poetic persona wants to be a name that will be a source of courage to the world.

Brotherhood

Another important theme of the poem is brotherhood. Ulysses is the greatest example of brotherhood. He never left his companions even if they were old and dropping. In the third and last stanza of the poem, Ulysses begins with the words “Push off”. So, the mood of this part is not an idle one. The speaker (Ulysses) rather infuses the energy of his soul into his fellow mariners. They have to overcome their manifold fears to continue this journey of life.

He thinks the way in front of them can be perilous. There can be a threat to their lives. But they had overcome all their fears in the past. In the old days, their vigour has shaken every kingdom. The repetition of the phrase “we are” in this line, “Moved earth and heaven, that which we are, we are” refers to their indomitable courage and will force. They are weak and old for the natural process of aging.

But, they are “strong in will”. At last, the narrator says they are starting their endless spiritual quest “To strive, to seek, to find, and not to yield.” Ulysses is almost ready to leave for his last voyage. The poetic persona tells his companions, they have a long way in front of them: Come, my friends, ‘T is not too late to seek a newer world.

He directly addresses his comrades, the mariners whose: Souls that have told, and wrought, and thought with me – and who are Made weak by time and fate, but strong in will I To strive, to seek, to find, and not to yield. Alfred Tennyson’s Ulysses has multiple themes. The poet doesn’t want to conform, he wants to challenge himself. He wants to break new ground before his inevitable death. Just like Ulysses, Tennyson wants to go out adventuring rather than settle for regular life.

Question 2.
Write a character sketch of the protagonist of the poem.
Answer:
Alfred Tennyson’s poem ‘Ulysses’ is based on the earlier literary works such as Homer’s The Iliad and the Odyssey as well as Dante’s Infemo. Ulysses is a Greek mythical hero who had taken part in the Trojan War. Being a brave warrior, he had proved his bravery and strength in the war very well. After the war, he returned to his kingdom, Ithaca.

Then, after spending some years only sifting on his Royal seat, he became bored. Then some grief comes from his mind which forms this dramatic monologue. Ulysses is the poetic persona as well as the speaker of the poem which is in the form of a dramatic monologue, an extended speech by one character in drama or a poem or any other literary text.

Ulysses is an experienced but ageing king of Ithaca. He has an insatiable thirst for adventure and knowledge. Ulysses is not happy with the life of comfort and certainty and sets off to the final voyage in the intellectual pursuits and the thrills of discovery.

He’s an old man, one who has seen the world and battled against the worst of it. Most of the time, he won. Nowadays, he is matched by his old wife Penelope and ruling his kingdom of Ithaca, doling out “unequal laws unto a savage race”. He considers his subjects as ‘uncivilized’ people who ‘sleep and feed and known not me.”

Ulysses desperately wants to drink the wine of life to the lees, means that he wants to enjoy the life to the fullest extent, without taking any rest. The speaker is an embodiment indomitable courage. There is satisfaction for him while he struggles. He claims that in his life, he has enjoyed greatly and suffered greatly.

The enjoying moments can be related to shore and the suffering time can be compared with rainy Hyades. He has seen and known many ‘cities of men and manners, climates, councils, governments’. He says: am become a name;! For always roaming with a hungry heart. For his desire to seek beyond the capacity of men, he has become famous in other nations. And whenever he went, he has been honoured by people.

He says, “Myself not least, but honour’d of them all”. Ulysses reminds us of his life experience in the Trojan War and says that he has ‘drunk delight of battle’ with his fellow fighters on the baffle fields of Troy, an ancient city in south-western Asia that was the site of the Trojan War. it seems to him that the more he knows the more his hunger for knowledge grows. He can see the “gleams” of the “untravell’d
world” before him. It makes him remind of the endless sea of knowledge he is fond of.

It is dull to stop and end this voyage of life when the sea of knowledge constantly calls him to start again. For him life is rust, if not polished or used and not to shine in use. He proclaims:! am a part of all that I have met;. How dull it is to pause, to make an end, To rust unburnished, not to shine in use!

Ulysses is well aware of the fact that he is old. However, in his heart, he knows being old is just a thought of mind. He says that he saves every hour till the ‘eternal silence’ or death to know ‘new things’. Ulysses feels that he is like a “sinking star” that still has its light left in him. He wants to make use of the light of his soul to seek knowledge that is “Beyond the utmost bound of human thought.” This old man has a long way to go!

Ulysses also talks about his duty as a father. It becomes clear that he never forgets about the things left behind, although he has a spiritual urge to undertake an adventure. He has given his duties in the rightful hands. He is confident that his son Telemachus is “most blameless” and does his “common duties” decently. Before leaving for the endless and the last voyage of his life, Ulysses leaves everything in the right order. He never wants to be an example of an irresponsible king in his nation. So, there is no way of judging him as a romantic hero

In the third stanza of the poem, Ulysses is almost ready to leave for his last voyage. He directly addresses his comrades, the mariners. Being a single unit with a common heart, they thought and fought the odds together. He reminds them of their present situation and tells them that being old does not make everything look still. Movement is life, immobility is death. No matter, they are young or old. If they choose to be ashore, they are dead already. The poetic persona tells his companions, they have a long way in front of them: Come, my friends, “T is not too late to seek a newer world.”

The speaker (Ulysses) rather infuses the energy of his soul into his fellow mariners. He reminds them their past achievements against all odds. The repetition of the phrase “we are” in this line, “Moved earth and heaven, that which we are, we are” refers to their indomitable courage and will force. They are weak and old for the natural process of aging. But, they are “strong in will”. At last, Ulysses says they are starting their endless spiritual quest “To strive, to seek, to find, and not to yield.” Tennyson’s characterisation of Ulysses showcases the indomitable spirit of human race.

Question 3.
Some modern critics condemn Ulysses for selfishly abandoning his responsibilities-as a husband, father and king- in order to pursue his own goals. In your opinion, is Ulysses a heroic or an unheroic figure?
Answer:
Alfred Tennyson’s poem ‘Ulysses’ is about an experienced but ageing king of Ithaca by name Ulysses who has an insatiable thirst for adventure and knowledge. Ulysses is not happy with the life of comfort and certainty and sets off to his final voyage for intellectual pursuits and the thrills of discovery.

Ulysses is a Greek mythical hero who had taken part in the Trojan War, Being a brave warrior, he had proved his bravery and strength in the war very well. After the war, he returned to his kingdom, Ithaca. Then, after spending some years only sitting on his Royal seat, he became bored. Then some grief comes from his mind which forms this dramatic monologue. Ulysses is the poetic persona as well as the speaker of the poem which is in the form of a dramatic monologue.

Some modern critics condemn Ulysses for selfishly abandoning his responsibilities- as a husband, father and king- in order to pursue his own goals. They debate on whether Ulysses is a heroic or an unheroic figure. Before leaving for the endless and the last voyage of his life, Ulysses leaves everything in the right order. He never wants to be an example of an irresponsible king in his nation.

In the second stanza (11 lines from 33-43) of the poem, Ulysses talks about his duty as a father. It becomes clear that he never forgets about the things left behind, although he has a spiritual urge to undertake an adventure. He has given his duties in the rightful hands of his son Telemachus (‘To whom I leave the sceptre and the isle’). He is confident that his son Telemachus is “most blameless” and does his “common duties” decently.

He is entirely devoted to the area of administration, shows acts of tendemess indness towards his people, shows adoration to their household gods. Ulysses strongly believes that “When I am gone. He works his work, I mine’. Based on Ulysses’ description, Telenachus is an abled-son who can prudently take up the father’s responsibility.

Before leaving for the endless and the last voyage of his life, Ulysses leaves everything in the right order. He never wants to be an example of an irresponsible king in his nation. Ulysses, except as a husband to ageing Penelope, fulfils all his duties as father who takes care of his son Telemachus and groomed him well to take ‘the sceptre and the isle’ from him; and as a king, he places his kingdom in the safe hands of his young son. So, there is no way of judging him as a romantic hero. Therefore Ulysses is a heroic figure.

Ulysses Poem Summary in English

Alfred Tennyson (1809-92) was Poet Laureate of the United Kingdom for much of the Victorian period. He wrote many lyric poems such as ‘The Charge of the Light Brigade’, ‘Break, Break, Break’, Ulysses, ‘Tears, Idle Tears’, ‘The Lady of Shalott’. He also authored longer poems such as In Memoriam and Idylls of the King.

A master of rhythm and of rich, descriptive imagery, Tennyson wrote in a variety of poetic styles and on a wide range of subject matters. He has remained popular to this day; his works are frequently anthologised and lines from his poems are often quoted.

Alfred Tennyson’s poem ‘Ulysses’ is about an experienced but ageing king of Ithaca by name Ulysses who has an insatiable thirst for adventure and knowledge. Ulysses is not happy with the life of comfort and certainty and sets off to the second innings for intellectual pursuits and the thrills of discovery.
The earlier literary works such as Homer’s the Iliad and the Odyssey as well as Dante’s Inferno are basis for Tennyson’s poem ‘Ulysses’.

Ulysses is a Greek mythical hero who had taken part in the Trojan War. Being a brave warrior, he had proved his bravery and strength in the war very well. After the war, he returned to his kingdom, Ithaca. Then, after spending some years only sitting on his Royal seat, he became bored. Then some grief comes from his mind which forms this dramatic monologue.

Ulysses is the poetic persona as well as the speaker of the poem which is in the form of a dramatic monologue, an extended speech by one character in drama or a poem or any other literary text. In the very first stanza (32 lines) of the poem, Ulysses makes it clear that he is not happy as being ‘an idle king’ and he thinks being idle he has become a perfect match to ‘his aged wife’ Penelope.

He is fed with just administering ‘unequal laws unto a savage race’. Ulysses refers to his own subjects or people of Ithaca as ‘savage race’ or uncivilised because they prefer a life comfort and certainty over intellectual pursuits and the thrills of discovery. They are content to lead an animal existence ‘sleep and feed’ and therefore they cannot understand Ulysses’ unquenchable thirst for adventure and knowledge. He announces:

I cannot rest from travel: I will drink
Life to the lee:

Ulysses desperately wants to drink the wine of life to the lees, means that he wants to enjoy the life to the fullest extent, without taking any rest. The speaker is an embodiment of indomitable courage. There is satisfaction for him while he struggles.

He claims that in his life, he has enjoyed greatly and suffered greatly. The enjoying moments can be related to shore and the suffering time can be compared with rainy Hyades. He has seen and known many ‘cities of men and manners, climates, councils, governments’. He says:

I am become a name;
For always roaming with a hungry heart

For his desire to seek beyond the capacity of men, he has become famous in other nations. And whenever he went, he has been honoured by people. He says, “Myself not least, but honour’d of them all”. Ulysses reminds us of his life experience in the Trojan War and says that he has ‘drunk delight of battle’ with his fellow fighters on the battle fields of Troy, an ancient city in south-western Asia that was the site of the Trojan War. It seems to him that the more he knows the more his hunger for knowledge grows.

He can see the “gleams” of the “untravell’d world” before him. It makes him remind of the endless sea of knowledge he is fond of. It is dull to stop and end this voyage of life when the sea of knowledge constantly calls him to start again. For him life is rust, if not polished or used and not to shine in use. He proclaims:

I am a part of all that I have met;
Yet all experience is an arch wherethro’
Gleams that untravell’d world whose margin fades
For ever and forever when I move.
How dull it is to pause, to make an end,
To rust unburnish’d, not to shine in use!

Ulysses is well aware of the fact that he is old. However, in his heart, he knows being old is just a thought of mind. He says that he saves every hour till the ‘eternal silence’ or death to know ‘new things’. Ulysses feels that he is like a “sinking star” that still has its light left in him. He wants to make use of the light of his soul to seek knowledge that is “Beyond the utmost bound of human thought.” This old man has a long way to go!

And this grey spirit yearning in desire
To follow knowledge like a sinking star,
Beyond the utmost bound of human thought.

In the second stanza (11 lines from 33-43) of the poem, Ulysses talks about his duty as a father. It becomes clear that he never forgets about the things left behind, although he has a spiritual urge to undertake an adventure. He has given his duties in the rightful hands. He is confident that his son Telemachus is “most blameless” and does his “common duties” decently. Before leaving for the endless and the last voyage of his life, Ulysses leaves everything in the right order.

He never wants to be an example of an irresponsible king in his nation. So, there is no way of judging him as a romantic hero. The poetic persona wants to be a name that will be a source of courage to the world. In the third and last stanza of the poem from lines 44-57, Ulysses is almost ready to leave for his last voyage. He directly addresses his comrades, the mariners whose: Souls that have toil’d, and wrought, and thought with me:-

That ever with a frolic welcome took
The thunder and the sunshine, and opposed
Free hearts, free foreheads – you and I are old;
Old age hath yet his honour and his toil;
Death closes all: but something ere the end,
Some work of noble note, may yet be done,
Not unbecoming men that strove with Gods.

Ulysses the dramatic persona does not want to go alone on the journey. Like before, he needs his friends. They were always there whenever there was any difficulty. Being a single unit with a common heart, they thought and fought the odds together.

He reminds them of their present situation and tells them that being old does not make everything look still. Movement is life, immobility is death. No matter, they are young or old. If they choose to be ashore, they are dead already. The poetic persona tells his companions, they have a long way in front of them.

Come, my friends,
‘T is not too late to seek a newer world.
This world is nothing but a metaphorical reference to the vast sea of knowledge.

In the last part (13 lines from 58-70) of the poem, Ulysses begins with the words “Push off”. So, the mood of this part is not an idle one. The speaker (Ulysses) rather infuses the energy of his soul into his fellow mariners. They have to overcome their manifold fears to continue this journey of life. He thinks the way in front of them can be perilous. There can be a threat to their lives.

But they had overcome all their fears in the past. In the old days, their vigour has shaken every kingdom. The repetition of the phrase “we are” in this line, “Moved earth and heaven, that which we are, we are” refers to their indomitable courage and will force. They are weak and old for the natural process of aging. But, they are “strong in will”. At last, the narrator says they are starting their endless spiritual quest “To strive, to seek, to find, and not to yield.”

We are not now that strength which in old days
Moved earth and heaven, that which we are, we are;
One equal temper of heroic hearts,
Made weak by time and fate, but strong in will
To strive, to seek, to find, and not to yield.

The poem’s final lines are the most famous. The need “to strive, to seek, to find, arid not to yield” fits into the Victorian urge to escape the tedious nature of day-to-day life, to achieve a level of mythical fame reached by the classical heroes, to travel “beyond the sunset, and the baths of all the western stars.” Tennyson doesn’t want to conform, he wants to challenge himself, and he wants to break new ground before his inevitable death. Just like Ulysses, Tennyson wants to go out adventuring rather than settle for regular life.

Ulysses Poem Summary in Telugu

ఆల్ఫైడ్ టెన్నిసన్ (1809-92) విక్టోరియన్ కాలంలో చాలా వరకు యునైటెడ్ కింగ్డమ్ యొక్క కవి గ్రహీత. అతను ‘ది ఛార్జ్ ఆఫ్ ది లైట్ బ్రిగేడ్’, ‘బ్రేక్, బ్రేక్, బ్రేక్, యులిస్సెస్, ‘టియర్స్, ఐడిల్ టియర్స్’, ‘ది లేడీ ఆఫ్ షాలోట్’ వంటి అనేక గీత కవితలు రాశారు.

అతను ఇన్ మెమోరియం మరియు ఐడిల్స్ ఆఫ్ ది కింగ్ వంటి పొడవైన కవితలను కూడా రచించాడు. లయ మరియు గొప్ప, వివరణాత్మక చిత్రాలలో మాస్టర్, టెన్నిసన్ వివిధ రకాల కవితా శైలులలో మరియు విస్తత విషయాలపై రాశారు. అతను నేదికీ ప్రజాదరణ పొందాడు అతని రచనలు తరచుగా సంకలనం చేయబడ్డాయి మరియు అతని కవితల నుండి పంక్తులు తరచుగా ఉదహరించబడతాయి.

ఆల్(ఫెడ్ టెన్నిసన్ యొక్క ‘యులిసెస్’ కవిత, సాహసం మరియు జ్ఞానం కోసం తీరని దాహం కలిగి ఉన్న యులిస్సెస్ అనే అనుభవజ్ఞుడైన కానీ వృద్ధుడైన ఇతాకా రాజు గురించి. యులిస్సెస్ సౌకర్యం మరియు నిశ్చయతతో కూడిన జీవితంతో సంతోషంగా లేడు మరియు మేధో కార్యకలాపాలు మరియు ఆవిష్కరణ యొక్క పులకరింతల కోసం రెండవ ఇన్నింగ్స్కు బయలుదేరాడు.

హోమర్స్ ది ఇలియడ్ మరియు ఒడిస్సీ అలాగే డాంటేస్ ఇన్ఫెర్నో వంటి మునుపటి సాహిత్య రచనలు టెన్నిసన్ కవిత ‘యులిసెస్’కి ఆధారం. యులిస్సెస్ ట్రోజన్ యుద్ధంలో పొల్గొన్న ఒక గ్రీకు పౌరాణిక వీరుడు. వీర యోధుడు కావడంతో యుద్ధంలో తన శౌర్యాన్ని, బలాన్ని బాగా నిరూపించుకున్నాడు. యుద్ధం తర్వాత, అతను తన రాజ్యమైన ఇతాకాకు తిరిగి వచ్చాడు.

అ తర్వాత కొన్నాళ్లు తన రాయల్ సీటుపైనే కూర్చోవడం వల్ల విసుగు పుట్టింది. అప్పుడు అతని మనస్సు నుండి కొంత దుఃఖం ఈ నాటకీయ ఏకపాత్రాభినయాన్ని రూపొందిస్తుంది. యులిస్సెస్ కవితా వ్యక్తిత్వం మరియు పద్యం యొక్క వక్త, ఇది నాటకీయ మోనోలాగ్ రూపంలో ఉంటుంది, ఇది నాటకం లేదా పద్యం లేదా ఏదైనా ఇతర సాహిత్య వచనంలో ఒక పాత్ర ద్వారా పొడిగించిన ప్రసంగం.

పద్యంలోని మొదటి చరణం (32 పంక్తులు)లో, యులిస్సెస్ తాను ‘నిష్క్రియ రాజు’గా సంతోషంగా లేడని మరియు పనిలేకుండా ఉండటం వల్ల ‘తన వయసులో ఉన్న భార్య’ పెనెలోపకిి సరిగ్గా సరిపోతుందని భావిస్తున్నట్లు స్పష్టం చేశాడు. అతను కేవలం ‘ఒక క్రూరుడైన జాతికి అసమాన చట్టాలను’ నిర్వహించడం ద్వారా ఏోషించబడ్డాడు.

యులిస్సెస్ తన స్వంత వ్యక్తులను లేదా ఇతాకాలోని ప్రజలను ‘అనాగరిక జాతి’ లేదా అనాగరికంగా సూచిస్తాడు ఎందుకంటే వారు మేధోపరమైన సాధనలు మరియు ఆవిష్కరణ యొక్క పులకరింతల కంటే జీవిత సౌలభ్యం మరియు నిశ్చయతను ఇష్టపడతారు. వారు జంతు ఉనికిని ‘నిద్ర మరియు ఆహారం’ నడిపించడంలో సంతృప్తి చెందారు మరియు అందువల్ల వారు సాహసం మరియు జ్ఞానం కోసం యులిస్సెస్ యొక్క అణచివేయలేని దాహాన్ని అర్థం చేసుకోలేరు. అతను ప్రకదిస్తాడు:

నేను ప్రయాణం నుండి విశ్రాంతి తీసుకోలేను: నేను తాగుతాను
లైఫ్ టు ది లీ:

జీవితపు వైన్ని లీస్కి తాగాలని ఉలిస్సెస్ తీ|్రంగా కోరుకుంటాడు, అంటే అతను విశ్రాంతి తీసుకోకుండా జీవితాన్ని పూర్తి స్థాయిలో ఆస్వాదించాలనుకుంటున్నాడు. స్పీకర్ అలుపెరగని ధైర్యానికి ప్రతిరూపం. అతను కష్టపడుతున్నప్పుడు అతనికి సంతృప్తి ఉంది. తన జీవితంలో ఎంతో ఆనందించానని, ఎన్నో కష్టాలు పడ్డానని పేర్కొన్నాడు. ఆనందించే క్షణాలు తీరానికి సంబంధించినవి మరియు బాధ సమయాన్ని వర్షపు హైడేస్తో పోల్చవచ్చు. అతను చాలా ‘పురుషులు మరియు మర్యాదలు, వాతావరణాలు, కౌన్సిల్లు, ప్రభుత్వాల నగరాలను’ చూశాడు మరియు తెలుసు. అతను చెప్తున్నాడు:

నేను ఒక పేరు అయ్యాను
ఎప్పుడూ ఆకలితో ఉన్న హృదయంతో తిరుగుతున్నందుకు

పురుషుల సామర్థ్యానికి మించి వెతకాలనే అతని కోరిక కారణంగా, అతను ఇతర దేశాలలో ప్రసిద్ధి చెందాడు. మరియు అతను వెళ్ళినప్పుడల్లా, అతను ప్రజలచే గౌరవించబడ్డాడు. అతను ఇలా అంటాడు, “నేనే కాదు, వారందరినీ గౌరవిస్తాను”.

యులిస్సెస్ ట్రోజన్ యుద్ధంలో తన జీవిత అనుభవాన్ని మనకు గుర్తుచేస్తూ, ట్రోజన్ యుద్ధం జరిగిన నైరుతి ఆసియాలోని పురాతన నగరమైన ట్రామ్ యొక్క యుద్ధ క్షేత్రాలలో తన తోటి యోధులతో కలిసి ‘యుద్ధం యొక్క ఆనందం’ తాగినట్లు చెప్పాడు. తను ఎంత తెలుసుకుంటే అంత జ్ఞానం పట్ల ఆకలి పెరుగుతుందని అతనికి అనిపిస్తుంది.

అతను తన ముందు “అన్టావెల్డ్ వరల్డ్” యొక్క “గ్లీమ్స్” చూడగలడు. ఇది అతను ఇష్టపడే అంతులేని జ్ఞ్ఞాన సముద్రాన్ని గుర్తు చేస్తుంది. జ్ఞాన సముద్రం అతన్ని మళ్లీ ప్రారంభించమని నిరంతరం పిలుస్తున్నప్పుడు ఈ జీవనయాత్రను ఆపడం మరియు ముగించడం నిస్తేజంగా ఉంది. అతనికి జీవితం తుప్పు, పాలిష్ చేయకపోయినా లేదా ఉపయోగించకపోయినా మరియు ఉపయోగంలో ప్రకాశించదు. అతను ప్రకటిస్తాడు:

నేను కలుసుకున్న అన్నింటిలో నేను ఒక భాగం
అయినా అనుభవమంతా ఒక తోరణం’
మార్జిన్ మసకబారుతున్న ప్రపంచాన్ని అన్ట్రావెల్ చేస్తుంది
నేను కదిలినప్పుడు ఎప్పటికీ మరియు ఎప్పదికీ.
పాజ్ చేయడం, ముగించడం ఎంత నీరసంగా ఉంది,
తుప్పు పట్టడానికి, ఉపయోగంలో మెరుస్తూ ఉండడానికి కాదు!

యులిస్సెస్కు వయసు పైబడిన విషయం బాగా తెలుసు. అయినప్పటికీ, అతని హృదయంలో, అతనికి వృద్ధాప్యం అనేది కేవలం మనస్సు యొక్క ఆలోచన అని తెలుసు. ‘కొత్త విషయాలు’ తెలుసుకోవడం కోసం ‘శాశ్వతమైన నిశ్శబ్దం’ లేదా మరణం వరకు ప్రతి గంటను తాను ఆదా చేస్తానని చెప్పాడు. తనలో ఇంకా వెలుగు మిగిలి ఉన్న “మునిగిపోతున్న నక్షత్రం” లాంటివాడని యులిస్సెస్ భావించాడు. అతను తన ఆత్మ యొక్క కాంతిని ఉపయోగించుకోవాలని కోరుకుంటాడు, అది “మానవ ఆలోచనలకు అతీతంగా ఉంటుంది.” ఈ ముసలి మనిషికి చాలా దూరం వెళ్ళొలి!

మరియు ఈ బూడిద ఆత్మ కోరికతో ఆరాటపడుతోంది
మునిగిపోతున్న నక్షత్రం వలె జ్ఞానాన్ని అనుసరించడానికి,
మానవ ఆలోచన యొక్క అత్యంత పరిమితికి మించి.

పద్యంలోని రెండవ చరణంలో (33-43 నుండి 11 పంక్తులు) యులిస్సెస్ తండ్రిగా తన కర్తవ్యాన్ని గురించి మాట్లాడాడు. అతను సాహసం చేయాలనే ఆధ్యాత్మిక కోరికను కలిగి ఉన్నప్పటికీ, అతను వదిలిపెట్టిన విషయాల గురించి ఎప్పటికీ మరచిపోలేడని స్పష్టమవుతుంది. అతను తన బాధ్యతలను సరైన చేతుల్లోకి ఇచ్చాడు.

తన కుమారుడు టెలిమాకస్ “అత్యంత దోషరహితుడు” మరియు తన “సాధారణ విధులను” మర్యాదగా చేస్తాడని అతను నమ్మకంగా ఉన్నాడు. తన జీవితంలోని అంతులేని మరియు చివరి సముద్రయానానికి బయలుదేరే ముందు, యులిస్సెస్ ప్రతిదీ సరైన క్రమంలో వదిలివేస్తాడు. అతను తన దేశంలో ఒక బాధ్యతారహిత రాజుకు ఉదాహరణగా ఉండాలనుకోడు. కాబట్టి, అతన్ని రొమాంటిక్ హీరోగా అంచనా వేయడానికి మార్గం లేదు. కవిత్వ వ్యక్తిత్వం ప్రపంచానికి ధైర్యాన్ని నింపే పేరు కావాలని కోరుకుంటున్నాను.

44-57 పంక్తుల నుండి పద్యం యొక్క మూడవ మరియు చివరి చరణంలో, యులిస్సెస్ తన చివరి సముద్రయానం కోసం బయలుదేరడానికి దాదాపు సిద్ధంగా ఉన్నాడు. అతను నేరుగా తన సహచరులను సందోధిస్తాడు, వీరిలో నావికులు:

నాతో కష్టపడి, శ్రమించి, ఆలోచించిన ఆత్మలు:-
అది ఎప్పుడో ఉల్లాసంగా స్వాగతం పలికింది
ఉరుము మరియు సూర్యరశ్మి, మరియు వ్యతిరేకించబడింది
ఉచిత హృదయాలు, ఉచిత నుదిటి-మీరు మరియు నేను వృద్ధులం్ష్మ
వృద్ధాప్లానికి అతని గౌరవం మరియు అతని (శర ఉంద్ష్మి
మరణం అన్నిందినీ మూసివేస్తుంది: కానీ ఏదో ముగింపు ఉంది,
ఉదాత్తమైన కొన్ని పనులు, ఇంకా పూర్తి కావచ్చు,
దేవుళ్లతో పోరాడే అనరులు కాదు.

యులిసెస్ నాటకీయ వ్యక్తి ప్రయాణంలో ఒంటరిగా వెళ్లడానికి ఇష్టపడడు. మునుపటిలాగే, అతనికి అతని స్నేహితులు కావాలి. ఎప్పుడు ఏ కష్టం వచ్చినా అక్కడే ఉండేవారు. ఉమ్మడి హృదయంతో ఒకే యూనిట్ కావడంతో, వారు కలిసి అసమానతలను ఆలోచించారు మరియు పోరాడారు.

అతను వారి ప్రస్తుత పరిస్థితిని వారికి గుర్తు చేస్తాడు మరియు వృద్ధాప్యం వల్ల ప్రతిదీ నిశ్చలంగా కనిపించదని వారికి చెప్పాడు. ఉద్యమమే జీవితం, నిశ్చలత్వమే మరణం. చిన్నవారైనా, పెద్దవారైనా సరే. వారు ఒడ్డుకు ఎంచుకుంటే, వారు అప్పటికే చనిపోయారు. కవిత్వ వ్యక్తిత్వం తన సహచరులకు చైబుతుంది, వారి ముందు వారికి చాలా దూరం ఉంది.

రండి, నా మిత్రులారా,
‘టి కొత్త ప్రపంచాన్ని వెతకడానికి చాలా ఆలస్యం కాదు.
ఈ ప్రపంచం విశాలమైన జ్ఞాన సముద్రానికి రూపక సూచన తప్ప మరొకటి కాదు.

పద్యం యొక్క చివరి భాగంలో (58-70 నుండి 13 పంక్తులు), యులిసెస్ “పుష్ ఆఫ్” పదాలతో ప్రారంభమవుతుంది. కాబట్టి, ఈ భాగం యొక్క మానసిక స్థితి నిష్క్రియమైనది కాదు. స్పీకర్ (యులిస్సెస్) తన తోటి నావికులలో తన ఆత్మ యొక్క శక్తిని నింపుతాడు. ఈ జీవిత ప్రయాణాన్ని కొనసాగించడానికి వారు తమ అనేక రకాల భయాలను అధిగమించాలి.. వారి ముందు మార్గం ప్రమాదకరంగా ఉంటుందని అతను భావిస్తాడు.

వారి ప్రాణాలకు ముప్పు వాటిల్లే అవకాశం ఉంది. కానీ వారు గతంలో తమ భయాలన్నిందినీ అధిగమించారు. పాత రోజుల్లో, వారి శక్తి ప్రతి రాజ్యాన్ని కదిలించింది. ఈ పంక్తిలో “మేము ఉన్నాము” అనే పదం యొక్క పునరావృతం, “కదిలిన భూమి మరియు స్వర్గం, మనం ఉన్నాము, మనమే” అనే పదం వారి అణచివేత ధైర్యాన్ని మరియు బలాన్ని సూచిస్తుంది. అవి వృద్ధాప్యం యొక్క సహజ ప్రక్రియ కోసం బలహీనమైన మరియు పాత. కానీ, వారు “సంకల్పంలో బలంగా” ఉన్నారు. చివరగా, కథకుడు వారు తమ అంతులేని ఆధ్యాత్మిక అన్వేషణను ప్రారంభిస్తున్నారని చెప్పారు “ప్రయత్నించటానికి, వెతకడానికి, కనుగొనడానికి మరియు లొంగకుండా ఉండటానికి.”

పాత రోజుల్లో ఉన్న బలం ఇప్పుడు మనం కాదు
కదిలిన భూమి మరియు స్వర్గం, మనం ఉన్నాము, మనం్ష్మ
వీరోచిత హృదయాల యొక్క ఒక సమాన స్వభావం,
సమయం మరియు విధి ద్వారా బలహీనమైనది, కానీ సంకల్పంలో బలంగా ఉంది
ప్రయత్నించడం, వెతకడం, కనుగొనడం మరియు లొంగిపోకూడదు.

పద్యం యొక్క చివరి పంక్తులు అత్యంత ప్రసిద్ధమైనవి. దైనందిన జీవితంలోని దుర్భరమైన స్వభావాన్ని తప్పించుకోవడానికి, శాస్త్రీయ కథానాయకులు చేరుకున్న పొరాణిక కీర్తి స్థాయిని సాధించడానికి, ప్రయాణించడానికి విక్టోరియన్ కోరికకు “ప్రయత్నించడం, వెతకడం, కనుగొనడం మరియు లొంగకపోవడం” అవసరం.

“సూర్యాస్తమయం దాటి, మరియు అన్ని పశ్చిమ నక్షత్రాల స్నానాలు.” టెన్నిసన్కు అనుగుణంగా ఉండటం ఇష్టం లేదు, అతను తనను తాను సవాలు చేసుకోవాలనుకుంటున్నాడు మరియు అతని అనివార్యమైన మరణానికి ముందు అతను కొత్త పుంతలు తొక్కాలని కోరుకుంటాడు. యులిస్సెస్ మాదిరిగానే, టెన్నిసన్ సాధారణ జీవితంలో స్థిరపడకుండా సాహసోపేతంగా వెళ్లాలని కోరుకుంటాడు.

Ulysses – Alfred Tennyson

It little profits that an idle king,
By this still hearth, among these barren crags,
Matched with an aged wife, I mete and dole
Unequal laws unto a savage race,
That hoard, and sleep, and feed, and know not me.
I cannot rest from travel: I will drink
Life to the lees: Ail times I have enjoyed
Greatly, have suffered greatly, both with those
That loved me, and alone, on shore, and when
Thro’ scudding drifts the rainy Hyades
Vexed the dim sea: I am become a name;
For always roaming with a hungry heart
Much have I seen and known; cities of men
And manners, climates, councils, governments,
Myself not least, but honour’d of them all;
And drunk delight of battle with my peers,
Far on the ringing plains of windy Troy.
I am a part of all that I have met;
Yet all experience is an arch where through
Gleams that untravelld world, whose margin, fades
For ever and for ever when I move.
How dull it is to pause, to make an end,
To rust unburnished, not to shine in use!
As though to breathe were life. Life piled on life
Were all too Little, and of one to me
Little remains: but every hour is saved
From that eternal silence, something more,
A bringer of new things; and vile it were
For some three suns to store and hoard myself,
And this grey spirit yearning in desire
To follow knowledge like a sinking star,
Beyond the utmost bound of human thought.

This my son, mine own Telemachus,
To whom I leave the sceptre and the isle—
Well-loved of me, discerning to fulfil
This labour, by slow prudence to make mild
A rugged people, and through soft degrees
Subdue them to the useful and the good.
Most blameless is he, centred in the sphere
Of common duties, decent not to fail
In offices of tenderness, and pay
Meet adoration to my household gods,
When I am gone. He works his work, I mine.

There lies the port; the vessel puffs her sail:
There gloom the dark broad seas. My mariners,
Souls that have toiled, and wrought, and thought with me –
That ever with a frolic welcome took
The thunder and the sunshine, and opposed
Free hearts, free foreheads – you and I are old;
Old age hath yet his honour and his toil;
Death closes all: but something ere the end,
Some work of noble note, may yet be done,
Not unbecoming men that strove with Gods.

The lights begin to twinkle from the rocks:
The long day wanes: the slow moon climbs: the deep
Moans round with many voices. Come, my friends,
‘Tis not too late to seek a newer world.
Push off, and sitting well in order smite
The sounding furrows; for my purpose holds
To sail beyond the sunset, and the baths
Of all the western stars, until I die.
It may be that the gulfs will wash us down:
It may be we shall touch the Happy Isles,
And see the great Achilles, whom we knew.
Though much is taken, much abides; and though
We are not now that strength which in old days
Moved earth and heaven; that which we are, we are;
One equal temper of heroic hearts.
Made weak by time and fate, but strong in will
To strive, to seek, to find, and not to yield.

Glossary:

barren crags: the rocky island of Ithaca, Ulysses’s kingdom
aged wife: Ulysses’s wife, Penelope
mete and dole / Unequal laws: govern the inhabitants of the island. The word ‘unequal’ here may be a reference to how laws are enforced inconsistently depending on social status.
savage race: Ulysses refers to his people as uncivilised (‘savage’) because, as the next line makes clear, they prefer a life of comfort and certainty over intellectual pursuits and the thrills of discovery.
hoard, and … know not me: The people of Ithaca are content to lead an animal existence and therefore cannot understand ULyssess unquenchable thirst for adventure and knowledge. to the lees: to the fullest extent
scudding drifts: fast-moving rain clouds
Hyades: a group of stars that were associated with rainy weather
ringing plains: open land resounding with the noise of battle
Troy: an ancient city in southwestern Asia that was the site of the Trojan War; described as ‘windy’ because it was near the sea
eternal silence: death vile; shameful
some three suns: the few years left of his life bound: limit
sceptre: a staff canied by rulers as a symbol of power and sovereignty
discerning: clear-sighted and understanding
prudence: showing care and thought
centred in the sphere: entirely devoted to the area of
offices of tenderness: acts of kindness towards his subjects
meet: proper or fitting
wrought: worked
frolic: joyous or playful
free hearts, free foreheads: These men are free because they think for themselves (rather than follow the herd) and chase what their hearts desire.
men that strove with Gods: According to the Iliad, the gods took sides in the Trojan War.
sounding furrows: waves that splash and make a sound the baths … stars: the western horizon
Happy Isles: the Elysian Fìek, where the Greeks believed the virtuous went after death; supposed to be at the western end of the ocean
Achilles: a mythical Greek hero and the foremost Greek warrior at the battle of troy
abides: remains
temper: condition of mind
Though much … yield: The lines reflect Tennyson’s firm faith in the strength of the indomitable will of humanity.

OU Degree 1st Sem English Study Material

OU Degree 1st Sem English Unit 2 Vocabulary, Grammar

Vocabulary – Prefixes and Suffixes

A prefix is a word fragment added In front of a root or a word. For example, bi-, pre-, en-, un-. Adding a prefix to a root or to a word produces new words. For example: prefix en- + word sure – new word ensure prefix un- + word sure = new word unsure.

A suffix is a word fragment added at the end of a root or a word. For example, –
hood, -less, -ly, -ty. Combining roots with suffixes produces new words. For example:
word sure + suffix -ly = new word surely
word sure + suffix -ty = new word surety

A word can be made up of multiple prefixes, roots and suffixes,
beautifully = beauty + -ful + -ly
transformation = trans +form + -tion
nonconformist = non- + con +form + -1st

Exercise I.

For each sentence below, study the word that is printed in bold. Try to identify the root word along with any prefix and/or suffix that is/are attached to it.

1. Salman watched a preview of the movie.
Prefix: pre- & Root word: view

2. Don’t be so childish.
Root word: child & suffix: -ish

3. The magician made the pigeon disappear.
Prefix: dis- & Root word: appear

4. Ayub supervised the correction of the answer scripts.
Root word: corred & suffix: -ion

5. Radhika asked the actress for her autograph.
Prefix: auto- & Root word: graph

6. Vaishnavi is always methodical in her work.
Root word: method & suffix:ical

7. The biology lab has a microscope.
Root: bio & suffix: -logy

8. Good temper goes hand in hand with happiness and contentment.
Root word: happy & Suffix: -ness
Root word: content & suffix: -ment

9. The airport grounded flights due to low visibility.
Root word: air & suffix: -port
Root word: visible & suffix: -ity

10. I stood on a balcony overlooking the park.
Prefix: over-, Root Word: look & Suffix:-ing

11. Himesh’s story was unbelievable.
Prefix: un-, Root Word: believe & Suffìx:-able

12. Chandan removed the item from the box.
Root Word: remove & Suffix:-ed

13. One should not dress informally in office,
Prefix: in-, Root Word: formal & Suffix:-ly

14. Tata Motors manufactures cars.
Root Word: manufacture & Suffix:-s

15. He contradicts everything she says.
Prefix: contra-,& Root Word: dict

16. Rithika has a postgraduate degree.
Prefix: post-, & Root Word: graduate

17. I am reading a biography.
(Prefix: bio-, ) Root Words: bio + graph, Suffix: -y

18. Sylvia says she can predict the future.
Prefix: pre-, & Root Word: dict

Exercise II.

Fill In the blanks by modifying the words in the brackets as instructed.

1. He wants to ________ me on Facebook. (prefix + friend)
He wants to befriend me on Facebook. (prefix + friend)

2. She ________ her strength. (prefix + estimate)
She underestimated her strength. (prefix + estimate)

3. Our team won the hockey ________ (champion + suffix)
Our team won the hockey championship. (champion + suffix)

4. It is ________ to kill endangered animals. (prefix + legal)
It is illegal to kill endangered animals. (prefix + legal)

5. She was given a ________ of sweets. (hand + suffix)
She was given a handful of sweets. (hand + suffix)

6. You need a ________ of hard work and determination to succeed. (combine + suffix)
You need a combination of hard work and determination to succeed. (combine + suffix)

Exercise III.

Split up the following words from Gardiner’s essay ‘On Saying Please’ into their component prefixes, roots and suffixes. You will find clues to the answers in the Glossary section after the essay, in the list of roots in Unit 1, and in the tables of prefixes and suffixes in this chapter.

1. Inexhaustible — Th + exhaust + ible
2. Intercourse — inter + course
3. Attune — at + tune
4. Disagreeable — dis + agree + able
5. Enjoin — en + join
6. Decalogue — deca + logue
7. Benediction — bene + did +ior,
8. Uncivil — un + civil
9. Resentment — re + sent + ment

Grammar : Pronouns

A pronoun is a word that can be used in place of a noun or a noun phrase. They help make sentences shorter, clearer and less stylistically awkward.

Types of Pronouns:
There are several categories of pronouns. We will examine the most fundamental ones.

Subject pronouns are used in place of proper nouns as the subject of the verb in a sentence or a clause.

She taught me how to speak her language.
We went to Golconda with everyone.

Object pronouns refer to the object of a verb.
She taught me how to speak her language.
We went to Golconda with them.

Possessive adjectives show ownership (possession) of a noun. They are placed before the noun that is owned/possessed.

She taught me how to speak her language.
W went to Golconda with our family.

Possessive pronouns also indicate ownership, but can stand alone.
I knew one langugae already. She taught me how to speak hers.
You went to Golconda with your family, and we went with ours.

Reflexive pronouns replace the object of verb when it is the same as the subject of that verb. I taught myself how to speak a third language.
We drove ourselves to Golconda.

Exercise 1.

Question 1.
Identify the pronouns in the following passages. Also say which nouns/noun phrases they refer to.
Answer:
(The words in Bold are pronouns.)
I have missed him from my bus route of late; but I hope that only means he has carried his sunshine on to any road. It cannot be too widely diffused in a rather drab world.
I refers to the author.
Him refers to the bus conductor.
My refers to the author’s.
His refers to the bus conductor’s.
It refers to the bus conductor’s good mannerism.

Question 2.
My sensitive toe was trampled on rather heavily as I sat reading on top of a bus. I looked up with some anger and was my friend, the conductor. ‘Sorry, sir’, he said, ‘I know these are heavy boots. I got them because my feet get trod on so much, and now I’m treading on yours.’
Answer:
My refers to the author’s.
I refers to the author.
My refers to the author’s.
He refers to the bus conductor.
I refers to the bus conductor.
Them refers to the boots.
I refers to the bus conductor.
Yours refers to the author.

Question 3.
If you can fix the unforgiving minute
With sixty seconds’ worth of distance run,
Yours is the Earth and everything that’s in it,
And- which is more – you’ll be a Man, my son!
Answer:
You refers to the author’s son.
Yours refers to something related to the author’s son.
It refers to the earth.
My refers to the author’s.

Exercise 2.

Fill in the blanks with suitable pronouns.

1. If anyone asks, tell him/her I will be back tomorrow.
2. Fatima said that she and her sister work together.
3. Rohana wants to do it herself.
4. The camera I wanted for so long is finally it!
5. There is no ‘us’ and ‘you‘. ‘We’ are all in it together.
6. They cocked the meat in their own juices.

Exercise 3.

Choose the correct pronoun from the options given in brackets.

1. It is up to [we / us] to manage [our/ours] time well.
2. Shakeel, Hari and [she /her] rode [them / their / themselves] bikes all the way home.
3. Whom can [I/me] trust, if not [she / her]?
4. [Me/I] looked at [I/me/myself] in the mirror. [Myself / My / Mine] reflection stared back at [I/ me/ myself / itself].
5. Neither Ravi nor Rishi has done [him / their / his] homework. The teacher has punished [him/they/ them].

Speaking : Giving Instructions And Seeking Clarifications

When giving Instructions, use:

• Short, clear sentences
• Connecting words to show the order in which the instructions have to be followed, for example first I firstly, second / secondly, then, next, lastly.
• Imperative sentences such as Cut a square, Make a cross, Tie the loose ends, each beginning with a verb in the form it appears in a dictionary (cut, make, tie).

Activities 1.

Question 1.
Enact Dialogues 1-3 with a partner, taking turns to play the role of the person giving the Instructions, as well as that of the person (s) listening to
the instructions.
Answer:
Dialogue 1
An art teacher shows his students how to make a kite.
Teacher — Let’s learn to make a kite today. We’ll need a plastic bag, two sticks, a reel of cord, scotch tape and a pair of scissors.
Satish — Excuse me, sir. What’s ‘cord’?
Teacher — It’s the thick thread we use to fly kites, Satish. Okay? Shall we continue, then? Now, follow my instructions carefully. First, cut a square sheet out of the plastic bag. Then, make a large round hole in the centre of the sheet. Next, make a cross with the two sticks and tie them together tightly with the cord to make a frame. Now, tie four pieces of cord of the same length to each comer of the frame. Then attach the plastic sheet firmly to the frame with scotch tape. Now tie the loose ends of the pieces of cord together to the reel. Add two tails to the bottom of the kite for balance. The kite is now ready. Is that clear to everyone?
Students — Yes, sir. Thank you.

Dialogue 2.

Renu instructs her brother, Jeevan, on how to make tea.
Jeevan — Renu, can you teach me to make tea?
Renu — Don’t worry. I’ll teach you step by step. You can’t go wrong. Let’s begin. Step 1, put one and a half cups of water into a small pan.
Jeevan — That will make two cups of tea, won’t it?
Renu Right — it will, when you add the milk. Now, step 2, light the stove and place the pan on it. When the water begins to boil, add a tea spoonful of tea leaves to it and let it simmer for a minute.
Jeevan — Will one teaspoonful of tea leaves do?
Renu –Yes, the tea will become too strong if we add more. Next, step 3. Strain the tea and add half a cup of milk and sugar to taste. One spoon per cup should do unless you want it sweeter. Now, the tea’s ready.
Jeevan — Hey, that’s simple. Thanks, Renu.
Renu — Anytime, Jeevan.

Dialogue 3.

A mathematics teacher gives her students instructions on how to draw a figure.

Teacher — Follow my instructions carefully and draw the diagram. First, start with a point somewhere in the middle of the page. Second, with the
help of a ruler, mark off 5 centimetres on either side of the point and draw a horizontal Line. Perzaad Ma’am, do we draw a horizontal line measuring 10 centimetres through the point?
Teacher — Exactly. You’ve got it right, Perzaad. (to the class) Now, for the third step. Mark off 5 centimetres vertically on either side of the point and draw a vertical line measuring 10 centimetres. Did you understand?
Students — Yes, ma’am.
Teacher — Good. Finally, draw four lines joining the ends of the two lines and cutting each other at the corners. Can you describe the diagram you’ve drawn? Arushi It’s a square, ma’am.
Teacher — You’re right, Arushi.

Question 2.
Here is an incomplete set of instructions on how to make a whistle. Fill in the blanks with any one of the connecting words used in the sample dialogues. After you finish, repeat each line for practice.

a. …………………. take a rectangular sheet of paper.
b. …………………. fold it in half.
c. …………………. fold the edges of each half backwards to meet at the middle fold.
d. …………………. The folds will look like the pleats of a sari.
e. ………………… cut out a hole in the middle fold.
f. …………………. hold the pleated paper firmly to your mouth to and blow hard to make the sound of a whistle.
Answer:
a. Firstly, take a rectangular sheet of paper.
b. Then, fold it in half.
c. Now, fold the edges of each half backwards to meet at the middle fold.
d. The folds will look like the pleats of a sari.
e. Next, cut out a hole in the middle fold.
f. Finally, hold the pleated paper firmly to your mouth to and blow hard to make the sound of a whistle.

Question 3.
Two sets of pictures showing the steps in making fried egg and cold coffee are given bellow. First, write a set of instructions for each set of pictures. Then, you and a partner can give each other instructions on how to make the item of your choice.
Answer:
a. Making Fried Egg- Set of Instructions:

• Firstly, take a tray of eggs and some salt and oil.
• Then, lit the stove burner; put a pan on the stove flame; and pour some oil in it.
• Later, break one egg and let the egg white and yak be spread on the pan.
• After some time, add enough salt and chilli powder to the fried egg (omelet).
• Now the fried egg is ready for eating.

Dialogue :

Ramani : Hi, Gnanika Do you know how to make fried egg?
Gnanika : No. Can you explain me the process of making fried egg.
Ramani : Sure! Firstly, take a tray of eggs and some salt and oil. Then, lit the stove burner, put a pan on the stove flame and pour some oil in it.Later, break one egg and let the egg white and yolk be spread on the pan.After some time, add enough salt and chili powder to the fried egg (omelet). Now, the fried egg is ready for eating.
Gnanika : Thank you, Ramani for your patient explanation.
Ramani : pleasure is mine, Gnani.

b. Making Cold Coffee- Set of instructions:

• Firstly, take two sachets of coffee pockets, a glass of milk and ice cubes.
• Then, pour the coffee powers, milk and ice cubes into a juice jar.
• Next grid the content for a while.
• Now, the cold coffee is ready for having.

Dialogue:

Raju : Hi, Good morning Hrushi! Do you know the process of making cold coffee?
Hrush : I don’t know! Can you explain me the process of making cold coffee.
Raju : Sure! Firstly, take two sachets of coffee pockets, a glass of milk and Ice cubes. Then, pour the coffee powers, milk and ice cubes into a juice jar. Next, grind the content for a while. Now, the cold coffee is ready for having.
Hrush : Thank you, Ramani for your patient explanation.
Raju : Pleasure is mine, Gnani.

Seeking Clarification

Useful Points to Remember

1. One way of seeking a clarification is by saying that you do not understand something, which will make the other person offer to explain it again or in a different way (e.g., I’m not quite clear… /I didn’t really understand…).

2. You can also ask directly for a clarification, example or explanation (e.g., Could you clarify… / Could you explain… I Could you tell me how…)

3. A third way of clarifying something is to ask specific questions (e.g., When does… / How is… / What is the… / Where can…). You could also ask partial or echo questions (e.g., When did you say… / What was it that… / Where did you say… / Why did she say she…)

4. When telling someone that you missed what they said or that you did not understand it, it is polite to begin with the words Sorry or I’m sorry and end with Thanks or Thank you, because you are actually making a request when you ask for clarification or repetition.

5. When someone asks you to repeat what you said or give a dearer explanation, it helps the person feel that he/she has not offended you or caused you bother if you start with expressions such as Right / Okay / Sure / No problem / Certainly / Of course.

6. After repeating or clarifying something you said on request, you can make sure that person who asked for repetition or clarification is satisfied by asking Is that better. Clear? / Have you got that now? / Right? with a friendly intonation.

Activities 2.

Try the following activities to practice what you have learnt in this section.

Question 1.
Enact Dialogues 4.9 with a partner, taking turns to play the role of the person seeking clarifications, as well as that of the person responding. Read the dialogues below, in which people ask for clarifications.

Dialogue 4 (formal)

Meena is in a mathematics class. She does not understand a definition and asks the teacher for a dearer explanation.
Meena — Excuse me, sir. I’m sorry, but I didn’t really understand the definition of a subset.
Teacher — Right. Let me explain It again. If every element in set A is also an element of set B, then A is called a subset of B. Have I made that clear now?
Meena — Yes, sir. Thank you.

Dialogue 5 (formal)

Mary is in an office meeting She is not clear about a point in the discussion and asks the person speaking for clarification.
Mary — Sorry to Interrupt, Mr Charidran, but I’m not quite clear about the new arrangement.
Chandran — That’s all right. I’ll go through It again. Mr Sen will look after the branch office accounts and Ms Bhat will report to him. I hope that’s clear now.
Mary — Yes, It is. Thank you.

Dialogue 6 (formal)

Roy is at a construction site. His chief engineer speaks to him, but he is not able to hear him clearly. Roy asks his senior colleague to repeat what he said.
Roy — Pardon? I didn’t get what you said. Would you mind repeating It, sir?
Chief — Not at all. What I said was that the project has to be completed by August. Our clients want to move in by September.
Roy — Thank you, sir.

Dialogue 7 (Informal)

Madhu asks his mother to clarify something she said about a relative.
Madhu — Ma, I didn’t get what you said about my being related to Mohan.
Mother — Okay, I’ll say it again. Mohan’s grandfather is your father’s aunt’s son. Understood?
Madhu — I think so, thanks. Let me see If I’ve got it. Mohan’s grandfather and Papa are cousins. Right?
Mother — Right.

Dialogue 8 (informaI)

Khalid asks his uncle to repeat his travel programme as he did not get it the first time.
Khalid — Uncle, I didn’t quite catch the dates. Could you repeat your programme, please.
Uncle — Sure. I’m leaving for Kanpur on Thursday. I’ll be there until Friday. Then I’ll go to Jabalpur for a week and will return to Chennai on fifteenth June. Got that?
Khalid — Sorry? When did you say you’ll return to Chennai?
Uncle — On fifteenth June.
Khalid — Thanks.

Dialogue 9 (Informal)

Ruth’s father gives her a telephone number. She does not get it right and requests him to repeat the number.
Father — Ruth, you must call your aunt Swathy when you’re in Paha. Her mobile number is 9882754961.
Ruth — Sorry, I think I missed a digit. Could you come again, please.
Father — 98-82-75-49-61. Okay?
Ruth — I’ve got it. Thanks.

Question 2.
Complete the short exchanges below, using the clues given in brackets. After you finish, enact them with your partner.

Situation 1
A. Rice grows best in warm places where there is also plenty of rainfall. East Godavari district in Andhra Pradesh is an example.
B. I see. Any other example of rice-growing region?(B asks A for another example of rice-growing region.)
A. West Bengal. Kerala is one.
B. Thank you.

Situation 2.

A. In science, the terms ‘mass’ and ‘weight’ do not mean the same thing.
B. Okay, but what Is the meaning of ‘mass’ and weight’
A. Okay. Let me explain. The mass of an object is the amount of matter it contains, and it remains constant. The weight of an object is the downward pulling force on it, and this this changes because gravity is not constant in all places. Am I clear now (A checks if her/his explanation is clear.)
B. Yes, you are.

Situation 3.

A. Prema called to say that she will be arriving by the Shatabdi Express at 7 p.m. on Saturday.
B. Pardon? I didn’t get what you said. Could you mind repeating it, please.
A. Sure. Prema’s coming by the Shatabdi Express at 7 p.m. on Saturday.
Got that? (A Checks whether B has got what she/he said.)
B. I’ve got it. Thanks.

Question 3.
Pair up for this activity. Your teacher will give five minutes to prepare brief dialogue based on the following situations. Take turns to give Instructions and to seek clarifications. Keep your instructions simple and brief.

Situation 1.
You give instructions on how to make an omelette. Your friend interrupts you to seek clarification on any two of the total steps you outline.

Kumar: Sorry to interrupt, Suresh, but I didn’t really understand the process of making an omelette.
Suresh: Right. Let me explain it again. Have I made it clear now? Firstly, take a tray of eggs and some salt and oil. Then, lit the stove burner, put a frying pan on the stove flame and pour some oil in it.Later, break one egg and let the egg white and yolk be spread on the pan. After some time, add enough salt and chilli powder to the omelette. Now omelette is ready for eating. I hope that’s clear now.
Kumar: Yes, it is. Thank you.

Situation 2.

You give instructions on how to buy shoes online. Your friend interrupts you to seek clarification on any two of the steps you outline.

Sunil: Excuse me, Suman. I’m sorry, but I didn’t really understand the process of buying shoes online. Would you mind repeating it, Suman?
Suman: Not at all. What I said was that shoes can be bought online by logging into the e- commerce web portal. Then, type the word’shoes’ in the Search box. Next, choose the brand, size and price range of the shoes. Finally, you can either pay or choose the option of ‘pay on delivery’ with providing the delivery address. Have I made that clear now?
Sunil: Yes. Thank you, Suman.

Post Reading: Interpersonal Skills

Interpersonal skills are our skills to establish and maintain healthy relationships with people around us. Often, people judge you not onLy by who you are or what you think, but also by the way you interact with others. Your family, friends, colleagues, superiors, subordinates, and strangers often evaluate you also on the basis of your interpersonal skills.

Here are some ways of maintaining effective interpersonal skills:

• Have an open, warm and friendly expression.
• Be appreciative of others. Praise a person for a job well done.
• Communicate ideas, views and feelings appropriately, and in an expressive manner.
• Listen attentively, actively and empathetically.
• Learn to resolve conflicts.
• Bring people together.
• Offer and receive assistance in an appropriate way, so that when someone wants your help you are available and when someone offers help you accept graciously.
• Cultivate a sense of humour, and learn to enjoy a laugh at your own expense.
• Try to empathise with others, even when they are not on your side.
• Do not make a habit of complaining about people, things and situations.

OU Degree 1st Sem English Study Material

OU Degree 1st Sem English – On Saying Please Questions and Answers & Summary

Comprehension – I

Answer the following questions in 80-100 words.

Question 1.
Does the author feel sympathy for the lift-man? Elaborate on your answer.
Answer:
The young lift man threw the passenger out of his lift because the passenger had refused to say, “Top please”. That is why the young lift man was fined. According to the author, discourtesy is not a legal offence and it does not excuse assault and battery.

The writer suggests to the angry lift-man that he should have treated the gentleman who would not say ‘please’ with elaborate politeness. The author feels sympathy for the lift-man, because no legal system could attempt to legislate against ‘bad manners’. The author feels that the liftman deserves respect from the complainant or the passenger.

Question 2.
Write a short character sketch of the conductor.
Answer:
The writer had a very good experience from a bus conductor who was very polite and passenger-friendly. One day the writer boarded his bus and found that he had forgotten his pocket at home! That means he had no money now! He was penniless’ Generally, in such a case, the bus conductor looks at the passenger with anger, doubt and hatred assuming that the passenger is a cheater.

However, this great conductor understood the writer and showed kindness. The writer told the bus conductor that he wanted to go back home to get the pocket. But the conductor made him feel comfortable and offered him a ticket for free (generosity). The writer was very pleased with the conductor’s ways. He liked the ease with which he worked.

Once, this conductor friend happened to trample on the writer’s sensitive toe. Actually, he had hurt the writer badly but since the conductor was so nice, the writer bore the pain silently and told him that he had not hurt him. This conductor friend showed very good patience and tried his best to make his passengers feel comfortable in his bus.

Question 3.
What does the author mean when he says that bad temper is infectious?
Answer:
According to A.G. Gardiner, good manners are essential to success. Poor manners are not a criminal offence. No law allows us to kick back the person who is misbehaving us. The author feels that bad temper is like infection and builds a reaction chain. When some burglar comes into the building, one is allowed to hit him, but if anyone hurts anyone’s feelings, the rule is silent.

The liftman’s attitude is not appreciable because he is reproaching bad manners with bad manners.The writer says that if we come in contact with a good-mannered person, we too become good. The bus conductor’s good conduct, courtesy and sense of humour had a positive impact on his passengers.The great bus conductor has proved that an ordinary calling (simple, undignified profession) may be dignified by good temper and kindly feeling. We should take lessons/ inspiration from such people.

Question 4.
What is the significance of the Chesterfield anecdote to the author’s argument?
Answer:
The author says that war has badly affected our manners. War has made people uncivil and boorish. He advices to restore good manners to make life a happy one. One should teach moral lesson to those who are guilty of bad manners. In this connection, people should follow the example of Lord Chesterfield. During that time, London streets were without pavement.

Once Lord Chesterfield met a person in the way who said, I never give the wall to a scoundrel.” But Lord Chesterfield replied, “I always do.” This victory of Lord Chesterfield was more lasting. He concludes the essay by stating that the liftman also might have followed the foot of Lord Chesterfield instead of punishing the man (the passenger).

Question 5.
Why is the author grateful that discourtesy is not a punishable offence? Do you agree with the author’s opinion?
Answer:
The author is grateful that discourtesy is not a punishable offence, According to him, discourtesy or impoliteness is not a legal offence and so cannot be treated by violence. If it is treated as an offence and treated by violence, the city will run blood all day due to violence.

I fully agree with the author in this regard. However, the writer feels that incivility and impoliteness are not legally punishable, they are extremely dangerous and affect the course of life. “Please” and. “Thank you” are the courtesies which humans can keep the machine of life oiled and graceful. These courtesies make he happy.

Comprehension-II

Answer the following questions in 350-400 words.

Question 1.
Why, according to the author, is it important to exhibit good social graces?
OR
Comment on the importance of patience with respect to the theme of this society?
Answer:
The present essay “On Saying Please” is an apt commentary on the mannerism of people in the society. A.G. Gardiner wants people to be civil and courteous The world is a place where, we have to live with a tot of different people who have different attitudes, different manners, traditions and mentaLities. They behave in different ways but we have to put up with them so that life can smoothly go on. If we do not adopt good manners, we will poison the whole atmosphere and spoil the stream of life.

According to the author, it is important to exhibit good social graces.The writer shares some of his experiences in this regard. The writer had a very good experience from a bus conductor who was very polite and passenger.-friendly.One day the writer boarded his bus and found that he had forgotten his pocket at home That means he had no money now.

He was penniless! Generally, in such a case, the bus conductor Looks at the passenger with anger, doubt and hatred assuming that the passenger is a cheater. However this great conductor understood the writer and showed kindness, The writer told the bus conductor that he wanted to go back home to get the pocket. But the conductor made him feel comfortable and offered him a ticket for free (generosity).

The author is especially impressed by the fact that the conductor would get out of the bus, asking the driver to wait for him so as to take the blind across the road or round the comer. AG. Gardiner adds that just as good weather uplifts our spirit, good-natured people too bring about positivity. Their charm cannot be resisted by even unfriendly people.

The author concludes the essay by observing that rudeness seemed to be the aftermath of war. He earnestly appeals to his readers to bring back civility to social behaviour. With old people he was as considerate as a son. He was extremely as caring as a father. He created an atmosphere of good temper and kindliness. Therefore journey with him was a lesson in natural courtesy and good manners. The writer was very pleased with the conductor’s ways. He liked the ease with which he worked.

Once, this conductor friend happened to trample on the writer’s sensitive toe. Actually, he had hurt the writer badly but since the conductor was so nice, the writer bore the pain silently and told him that he had not hurt him. This conductor friend showed very good patience and tried his best to make his passengers feel comfortable in his bus.

Question 2.
How, according to the author, can bad manners and a poor temper affect society?
Answer:
The present essay “On Saying Please” is an apt commentary on the mannerism people in the society. AG. Gardiner wants people to be civil and courteous. The world is a place where, we have to live with a lot of different people who have different attitudes, different manners, traditions and mentalities. They behave in different ways but we have to put up with them so that life can smoothly go on. If we do not adopt good manners, we will poison the whole atmosphere and spoil the stream of life.

According to A.G. Gardiner, good manners are essential to success. Poor manners are not a criminal offence. No law allows us to kick back the person who is misbehaving us. The author feels that bad temper is like infection and builds a reaction chain. When some burglar comes into the building, one is allowed to hit him, but if anyone hurts anyone’s feelings, the rule is silent.

The author illustrates how bad manners are infectious and create a vicious circle with the example from Richard Sheridan’s The Rivals. In the novel, when Sir Anthony Absolute bullied Captain Absolute, the latter went out and bullied his man, Fag, whereupon Fag went out downstairs and kicked the page boy.

The Liftman’s attitude is not appreciable because he is reproaching bad manners with bad manners. The writer says that if we come in contact with a good-mannered person, we too become good. The bus conductor’s good conduct. courtesy and sense of humour had a positive impact on his passengers.The great bus conductor has proved that an ordinary calling (simple, undignified profession) may be dignified by good temper and kindly feeling. We should take lessons/ inspiration from such people.

The author says that war has badly affected our manners. War has made people uncivil and boorish. He advices to restore good manners to make life a happy one. One should teach moral lesson to those who are guilty of bad manners. In this connection, people should follow the example of Lord Chesterfield. During that time, London streets were without pavement.

Once Lord Chesterfield met a person in the way who said, “I never give the wall to a scoundrel.” But Lord Chesterfield replied, “I always do.” This victory of Lord Chesterfield was more lasting. He concludes the essay by stating that the liftman also might have followed the foot of Lord Chesterfield instead of punishing the man (the passenger).

A.G. Gardiner sums up his essay by saying that politeness and good manners are the basic requirements of civility. “Please” or “Thank you” are small words, but these magical words have a great effect on mutual relationship. On the basis of these courtesies, human beings can keep the machine of life oiled and graceful. These courtesies make life happy. They create an atmosphere of cordiality and goodwill. The writer urges us to restore these manners and behaviours so that society can become a safe and pleasant place to live in.

On Saying Please Poem Summary in English

Alfred George Gardiner (1865-1946) was one of the most distinguished English essayists of the twentieth century. He wrote under the pen-name ‘Alpha of the Plough’ drawing ideas for his essays from real life situations. His essays are delightful, humourous, and thought-provoking, dealing skilfully with simple as welt as serious subjects. His essays appeared in volumes such as Prophets, Priests and Kings and Pillars of the Society which contain funny sketches of famous personages.

The present essay “On Saying Please” is an apt commentary on the mannerism of people in the society. A.G. Gardiner wants people to be civil and courteous. The world is a place where, we have to live with a lot of different people who have different attitudes, different manners, traditions and mentalities. They behave in different ways but we have to put up with them so that life can smoothly go on.

If we do not adopt good manners, we will poison the whole atmosphere and spoil the stream of life. Moreover, the writer wants to tell us that there is no law that can compel people, to have good manners. No law can force people to be well-mannered. But the civilization, culture and tradition of all good nations enjoin a man to be civil and tolerant.

So people should have good manners to make their lives easier and more pleasant. The writer presents an incident in the city office where the liftman threw away a person who insulted him by treating him as a social inferior. The person was demanding “top.” The liftman asked for “top. please.”

It led to a bitter quarrel. It was just a matter of “please” The elevator was punished for his violent behaviour. It happened because the law does not recognize the damage to our feelings, but if we experience material or physical loss, the law can protect us. The liftman was punished for breaking a definite rule of law by hitting the customer. We may sympathize with the elevator whose feelings have been hurt, but we will have to admit that the law is quite reasonable.

The author views that good manners are essential to success. Poor manners are not a criminal offence. No Law allows us to kick back the person who is misbehaving us. Better manners and bad manners are like infection and build a reaction chain. When some burglar comes into the building, one is allowed to hit him, but if anyone hurts anyone’s feelings, the rule is silent. The liftman‘s attitude is not appreciable because he is reproaching bad manners with bad manners.

Bad manners are subjective. Their effects vary from person to person. Sometimes even a slight remark or action can hurt a man. It depends on our state of mind at that time. If we are already hurt or disturbed, then we can be provoked by anything. As was the case with a man who did not say “please” to the elevator.

He was rude because he was misbehaved by his employer. The employer did so because he had been bitten by his wife. and his wife was angry because the cook had been insolent, as the maid had replied back to the cook. This shows how quickly bad manners begin a chain reaction of social life penetration.The writer opines that all religions have preached in favour of good manners. but no religion or constitution has ever tried to legislate against bad manners.

From the writer’s point of view, “Please,” “Thank you” and “Sorry” are the little courtesies by which we keep the machine of life oiled and sweetly running. They create an atmosphere of cordiality and goodwill. The writer urges us to restore these manners and behaviours so that society can become a safe and pleasant place to live in.

On Saying Please Poem Summary in Telugu

ఆల్ఫ్రెడ్ జార్జ్ గార్డినర్ (1865-1946) ఇరవయ్యవ శతాబ్దానికి చెందిన అత్యంత ప్రసిద్ధ ఆంగ్ల వ్యాసకర్తలలో ఒకరు. అతను ‘ఆల్ఫా ఆఫ్ ది ప్లో’ అనే కలం పేరుతో తన వ్యాసాల కోసం నిజ జీవిత పరిస్థితుల నుండి ఆలోచనలను గీసాడు. అతని వ్యాసాలు సంతోషకరమైనవి, హాస్యాస్పదమైనవి మరియు ఆలోచింపజేసేవి, సాధారణ మరియు తీవ్రమైన విషయాలతో నైపుణ్యంగా వ్యవహరిస్తాయి. అతని వ్యాసాలు ప్రవక్తలు, ప్రీస్ట్లు మరియు కింగ్స్ ఆఫ్ ది సొసైటీ మరియు పిల్లర్స్ వంటి సంపుటాలలో ప్రసిద్ది చెందిన వ్యక్తుల యొక్క ఫన్నీ స్కెచ్లను కలిగి ఉన్నాయి.

ప్రస్తుత వ్యాసం “ఆన్ సేయింగ్ ప్లీజ్” సమాజంలోని వ్యక్తుల ప్రవర్తనపై సరైన వ్యాఖ్యానం. గార్డినర్ ప్రజలు సివిల్ మరియు మర్యాదపూర్వకంగా ఉండాలని కోరుకుంటున్నారు. ప్రపంచం అనేది విభిన్న వైఖరులు, భిన్మమైన మర్యాదలు, సంప్రదాయాలు మరియు మనస్తత్వాలు కలిగిన అనేక మంది వ్యక్తులతో మనం జీవించాల్సిన ప్రదేశం. వాళ్ళు రకరకాలుగా ప్రవర్తిస్తారు కానీ జీవితం సాఫీగా సాగిపోవాలంటే మనం వాటిని భరించాలి. మంచి నడవడికను అలవర్చుకోకుంటే వాతావరణాన్ని మొత్తం విషపూరితం చేసి జీవన స్రవంతి పాడుచేస్తాం.

అంతేకాదు, మంచి మర్యాదలు కలిగి ఉండాలని ప్రజలను బలవంతం చేసే చట్టం ఏదీ లేదని రచయిత మాకు చెప్పాలనుకుంటున్నారు. ఏ చట్టమూ ప్రజలను మంచి మర్యాదగా ఉండమని బలవంతం చేయదు. కానీ అన్ని మంచి దేశాల నాగరికత, సంస్తృి మరియు సంప్రదాయాలు మనిషిని నాగరికంగా మరియు సహనంతో ఉండాలని ఆదేశిస్తాయి. కాబట్టి ప్రజలు తమ జీవితాలను సులభతరం చేయడానికి మరియు మరింత ఆహ్లోదకరంగా ఉండటానికి మంచి మర్యాదలను కలిగి ఉండాలి. తనను అవమానించిన వ్యక్తిని సాంఘిక హీనంగా ప్రవర్తిస్తూ లిస్ట్రమ్యాన్ విసిరికొట్టిన సంఘటనను రచయిత నగర కార్యాలయంలో ప్రదర్శించారు.

వ్యక్తి “టాప్” డిమాండ్ చేస్తున్నాడు. లిఫ్ట్మ్యాన్ “టాప్, ప్లీజ్” అని అడిగాడు. అది తీీ్ర వాగ్వాదానికి దారి తీసింది. ఇది కేవలం “దయచేసి” అతని హింసాత్మక ప్రవర్తనకు ఎలివేటర్కు శిక్ష విధించబడింది. మన భావాలకు కలిగే నష్టాన్ని చట్టం గుర్తించనందున ఇది జరిగింది, కానీ మనం భౌతిక లేదా భౌతిక నష్టాన్ని అనుభవిస్తే, చట్టం మనలను రక్షించగలదు. కస్టమర్ను కొట్టడం ద్వారా ఖచ్చితమైన చట్టాన్ని ఉల్లంఘించినందుకు లిఫ్ట్మ్లాన్ శిక్షించబడ్డాడు.

ఎలివేటర్ భావాలు దెబ్బతిన్నాయని మేము సానుభూతి చూపవచ్చు, కానీ చట్టం చూలా సహేతుకమైనదని మేము అంగీకరించాలి. మంచి నడవడిక విజయానికి అవసరమని రచయిత అభిప్రాయపడ్డారు. అసభ్యకరమైన ప్రవర్తన క్రిమినల్ నేరం కాదు. మనతో దురుసుగా ప్రవర్తించే వ్యక్తిని తన్నేందుకు ఏ చట్టం అనుమతించదు. మంచి మర్యాదలు మరియు చెడు మర్యాదలు ఇన్ఫైక్షన్ లాంటివి మరియు ప్రతిచర్య గొలుసును నిర్మిస్తాయి. ఎమరైసా దొంగ భవనంలోకి

వచ్చినప్పుడు, ఒకరిని కొట్టడానికి అనుమతించబడతారు, కానీ ఎవరైనా ఎవరి మనోభావాలను దెబ్బతీత్తే, నియమం మౌనంగా ఉంటుంది. లిఫ్ట్మ్యాన్ వైఖరి మెచ్చుకోదగినది కాదు ఎందుకంటే అతను చెడు మర్యాదలను చెడు మర్యాదలతో నిందించాడు.

చెడు మర్యాదలు ఆత్మాశ్యయైనవి. వారి ప్రభావాలు వ్యక్తి నుండి వ్యక్తి మారుతూ ఉంటాయి. కొన్నిసార్లు ఒక చిన్న వ్యాఖ్య లేదా చర్య కూడా మనిషిని బాధపెడుతుంది. అది ఆ సమయంలో మన మానసిక స్థితిని బట్టి ఉంటుంది. మసం ఇంతకుముందే బాధపడ్డా లేదా కలవరానికి గురైతే, మనం దేనికైనా రెచ్చగొట్టవచ్చు. లిఫ్ట్కి “దయచేసి” అని చెప్పని వ్యక్తి విషయంలో జరిగినట్లుగా.

యజమాని దురుసుగా (ప్రవర్తించాడని అసభ్యంగా ప్రవర్తించాడు. తన భార్య కరిచినందుకు యజమాని అలా చేసాడు, మరియు పనిమనిషి వంటవాడికి తిరిగి సమాధానం ఇవ్వడంతో అతని భార్ల కోపంగా ఉంది. చెడు మర్యాదలు సామాజిక జీవితంలో చైన్ రియాక్షన్ను ఎంత త్వరగా ప్రారంభిస్తాయో ఇది చూపిస్తుంది. అన్ని మతాలు మంచి మర్యాదలకు అనుకూలంగా దోధించాయని రచయిత అభిప్రాయపడ్డారు, అయితే ఏ మతం లేదా రాజ్యాంగం చెడు మర్లాదలకు వ్యతిరేకంగా చట్టం చేయడానికి ప్రయత్నించలేదు.

రచయిత యొక్క దృక్కోణం నుండి, “దయచేసి,” “ధన్యవాదాలు” మరియు “క్షమించండి” అనేవి చిన్న మర్యాదలు, దీని ద్వారా మనం జీవిత యంత్రాన్ని నూనెతో మరియు మధురంగా?నడుపుతాము. పారు సహృదయత మరియు సద్భావన వాతావరణాన్ని సృష్టిస్తారు. ఈ మర్యాదలు మరియు ప్రవర్తనలను పునరుద్ధరించాలని రచయిత మనల్ని కోరాడు, తద్వారా సమాజం నివసించడానికి సురక్షితమైన మరియు ఆహ్లాదకరమైన ప్రదేశంగా మారుతుంది.

On Saying Please – A.G. Gardiner

Glossary:

City office: a municipal office
complainant: someone who brings a legal case against another in a court of law
concession: something that is granted in response to a demand
comply: to act in accordance with a wish or command
discourtesy: rude and inconsiderate behaviour
assault: physical harm to a person
battery: an act of personal violence against someone
acquit: to free someone from a criminal charge; to declare that someone accused of a crime is not guilty
retaliate: to attack in response to an attack
assailant: someone who physically attacks another person
legislate: to make or enact laws
sanction: to give official permission or approval for something
at liberty: allowed or entitled to do something
scowl: an angry or bad-tempered expression
uncivil: discourteous; impolite
haughty: arrogantly superior
boorish: rude, bad-mannered; unrefined, ungentlemanly compel: to force someone to do something
attune: to make (something or someone) aware or sensitive to something ringlet; tightly curled hair
laceration: deep cuts and tears
negligible: insignificant; so small or unimportant as to be not worth considering acutely : intensely
slur: an insulting or derogatory remark or suggestion
standing: position, status, reputation
shin: the front of the leg below the knee
redress: remedy or compensation for an unfair act or injury
vanity: excessive pride in one’s own appearance or achievements
brood: to think deeply about something that makes one unhappy, angry or worried
equilibrium: a calm state of mind
catching: likely to spread to other people
Anthony Absolute… Fag: characters in The Rivals, a popular eighteenth-century comic play by the English dramatist Richard Sheridan
page-boy: a young male attendant or servant
hen-peck: to bother continuously with trivial complaints
insolent: showing a rude and arrogant lack of respect
martyrdom: death or suffering as a result of one’s religious or political beliefs (note: here, the author is using this word to mean a life of continuous suffering as a result of always tolerating an ill-mannered person) morose; bad-tempered and sulky
Decalogue: the Ten Commandments, a set of ten laws in the Bible related to ethics and worship endorse; to publicly approve of or support something or someone enjoin: to urge (someone) to do something
acknowledge: to express gratitude for or appreciation of something
courtesy: a polite remark or considerate act; politeness in one’s attitude and behaviour towards others
intercourse: intercommunication and dealings between individuals or groups vulgar; unrefined; lacking good taste
resentment: bitter dissatisfaction at having been treated unfairly
feature: to discuss or mention (something or someone) in a noticeable way
discriminating: differentiating; making a distinction between things
rebuke: an expression of disapproval or criticism
disposed: inclined or willing
ordeal: a very unpleasant and prolonged experience
trying: difficult or annoying; hard to endure
calling: a profession or occupation
knave: a dishonest person; someone having no moral principles in vain; without success or a result stray; not in the right place; separated from the group copper : (British) coins of low value (made of copper)
the Bank: the Bank of England, the central bank of the United Kingdom (on which the Reserve Bank of India is modelled)
light on: to find or see something by chance shilling, a former British coin equal to one twentieth of a pound
square: to balance an account
agony: extreme physical or mental suffering
countenance: a person’s face or facial expression
tread: press down or crush with the feet (‘trod’ is the past tense of ’tread’)
inexhaustible: unable to be used up because existing in abundance
room inside: the bus was an open-top double-decker bus (the top deck had no roof, and so the passengers there would get wet when it rained)
solicitous: showing interest or concern
indulge: allow oneself to enjoy the pleasure of something
jest: joke; a thing said or done for amusement
uncouth: lacking good manners, refinement, or grace
disagreeable: unfriendly and bad-tempered
sunny: cheery and bright
Keats: John Keats (1795-1821), a famous English poet
benediction: something that promotes goodness or well-being
conciliatory: intended or likely to make peace or to soothe anger and agitation
address: a person’s manner of speaking to someone else
bearing: the way a person behaves or conducts themselves
diffuse: to spread over a wide area or between a large number of people
drab: dull; lacking brightness or interest
panegyric: a speech or text in praise of someone or something.
Wordsworth: William Wordsworth (1770-1850), a famous English poet. His poem Resolution and Independence’ describes his encounter with a leech-gatherer (a person who collects leeches that are then used for medicinal purposes).
moor: open uncultivated hilly land
modest: humble; unpretentious
temper: a person’s state of mind
War: World War I (1914-18)
chilling effect: an undesirable discouraging effect or influence invoke; to cite or appeal to (someone or something) as an authority material: denoting or consisting of physical objects (as opposed to abstract ideas) affront; an action or remark that causes offence
subtle: delicately complex and understated; making use of clever and indirect methods to achieve something
boor: an ill-mannered person
Chesterfield: Philip Stanhope, the Earl of Chesterfield (1694-1773), an English statesman who was famous for his wit
take!give the wall: Before the nineteenth century, the streets of London were unsafe, chaotic, very filthy, and crowded, with pedestrians, carts, and horse-drawn carriages jostling for space. The streets were not tarred; they were full of mud, as well as garbage (thrown directly onto the streets from the houses on both sides). The cleanest and safest places to walk would be as close as possible to the walls of the buildings on the sides of the street. Attempts to maintain or seize this position of relative safety led to numerous daily quarrels between pedestrians, more than a few of which would turn violent.
scoundrel: a dishonest or unscrupulous person.

OU Degree 1st Sem English Study Material

OU Degree 1st Sem English – If Poem Questions and Answers & Summary

Comprehension – I.

Answer the following questions in 80-100 words.

Question 1.
The title of the poem is short and to the point. How does this apply to the overall theme of the poem?
Answer:
Most of the lines of Kipling’s poem “If” begin with the word, “If”. According to the narrator of the poem, in order to become a “Man,” the son (may be every human being) has to incorporate those ideas into his minds. Only then, he can succeed in life.

Here the choice is conditional. Whether to adopt them or not, is up to the listener. Therefore, the poem is titled, ‘If-’. If one reads the poem wholeheartedly and obeys those principles, only then he or she can get success in life and can lead a blissful life.

Question 2.
Explain the significance of the final two lines of the poem.
Answer:
The final two lines of the poem have a lot of significance. Kipling’s poem ends with the following two lines:
Yours is the Earth and everything that’s in it,
And – which is more – you’ll be a Man, my son!
Here the narrator confidently says that we can achieve anything and everything if we fulfill all the conditions mentioned so far in the poem. According to him, we can win this earth and everything in it. We can go to top of the world and rule over everything. And what is more, we would be a complete and perfect human being. Here the ’’Mart” is a symbol of good qualities that the father wants his son to adopt.

Question 3.
Explain the poet’s thoughts on the subject of patience.
Answer:
The father also advices that he (his son) should leam to be patient and not feel irritated by waiting. If someone does any bad to him or speaks lies about him, he should not do bad in return. If he is hated by people, he should not be hateful in return but rather stay positive. He then advises his son neither to show off to people nor act arrogant but to stay modest.

Having acquired all these good qualities mentioned above, people generally feel proud and tend to show off how good they are. But, the poet warns us not to go that way. In that case, others would feel uncomfortable in our company and avoid us. Even others may try to prove us wrong at any cost, leading to an unhealthy competition.

The narrator explains:

If you can wait and not be tired by waiting,
Or being lied about, don’t deal in lies,
Or being hated, don’t give way to hating,
And yet don’t look too good, nor talk too wise

Question 4.
What does the poet say about perseverance?
Answer:
According to the narrator of the poem, we should have the quality of perseverance. It is an essential quality when we lose everything. Then we have to hold our nerves even after seeing that our favourite thing that we built with all our effort and time is broken. Then we have to pick up the scattered parts and build it all over again.

This is another key to getting to the top of the world, according to the poet. To keep our cool is not easy in such a situation. But patience and the mental toughness would help us build them again. Indeed, there is a story about Newton that the papers containing his theories were destroyed in fire, and he wrote them again from the beginning. So the poet says:

Or watch the things you gave your life to, broken,
And stoop and build ’em up with worn-out tools:

The narrator advises us to be able to accumulate all we have and take a risk in one turn of the game of pitch-and-toss. We may lose the game and all our possessions. But we have to stay calm without uttering a word about that loss and rebuild it from the beginning. So, the narrator says:

If you can make one heap of all your winnings
And risk it on one turn of pitch-and-toss,
And lose, and start again at your beginnings
And never breathe a word about your loss;

Here the poet talks about the importance of the quality of perseverance – the capability of taking big risks to achieve much greater success and keeping quiet even if we lose the bet. This is yet another aspect of our mental toughness that we need to possess.

Question 5.
Briefly explain the meaning of the following lines with reference to context:
Answer:
a. But make allowance for their doubting too
According to the narrator of the poem, we should have the faith in ourselves, even when others doubt us. But after that, we should give some importance to their doubt too and try to find out what may be the reason for their suspicion. After all, ‘To err is human…’ Therefore, by keeping faith in ourselves we make sure that we don’t get demoralized or disheartened. And, by allowing others’ doubt a little space of thought, we ensure that we are not doing something wrong knowingly or unknowingly.

b. And yet don’t look too good, nor talk too wise.
Rudyard Kipling in his poem “If” advices us: And yet don’t look too good, nor talk too wise. We should not show us as too good a person or talk too wisely with common people, even after possessing such qualities.

Having acquired all these good qualities mentioned above, people generally feel proud and tend to show off how good they are. However, the poet warns us not to go that way. In that case, others would feel uncomfortable in our company and avoid us. Even others may try to prove us wrong at any cost, leading to an unhealthy competition.

c. If you can dream- and not make dreams your master
In his poem “If, Kipling says: If you can dream- and not make dreams your master. According to him, we should dream first, in order to do something bigger. However, the poet also reminds us not to be guided by unrealistic dreams.

If dreams become our masters or take the driver’s seat, we would get detached from reality and eventually fail. There goes a saying – “You have to dream first before your dream can come true.” Therefore, we should dream to reach great heights in life, only by keeping the reality in mind.

d. Twisted by knaves to make a trap for fools
In the poem “If” Kipling mentions: If you can bear to hear the truth you’ve spoken / Twisted by knaves to make a trap for fools. It means that we have to bear the tough situations where we see that our speech or statement is distorted by someone to be fool us or others.

Very often we see that people misinterpret or even deliberately distort our words to use it in their favour. In such situations, we should not lose our temper hearing that. Rather we should tolerate that ensuring we have spoken the truth.

e. If all men count with you, but none too much
‘In the fourth stanza of the poem “If”, Kipling mentions the lines: If all men count with you, but none too much. This means that we have to develop our personality the right way, so that everyone supports us and gives us importance (count with you), but none too much.

If we allow someone to give us too much importance, we may be emotionally bound. Such situation may restrict our freedom and prevent us from doing our duty. Sometimes we may get complacent thinking that we are so much liked by people, thus reducing our effort.

Comprehension – II.

Answer the following questions in 350-400 words.

Question 1.
What kind of a person does the poet want his child to be? What are the qualities the poet is espousing?
(OR)
According to the poem, what are some of the challenges that a person will have to face in life?
Answer:
The present poem “If” is a masterpiece written by a British Poet Rudyard Kipling in 1895. It was first published in 1910 in the chapter ’’Brother Square Toes” of the story fiction. He wrote ‘If-’ in the form of paternal advice to a child. Here, the child is none other than the poet’s son, John. It is a type of didactic poem that teaches readers how to poet exposes many qualities for his son to become of man of all-weather.

The poem begins with the narrator, being a father, addressing his son saying that he should keep calm in the situation of crisis when all the others around him are panicking and blaming him. He should trust himself when all the people around him discourage him. Though he has confidence in himself and his decision, he should also listen to the opinions people give him.

According to the father, the son should learn to be patient and not feel irritated by waiting. If someone does any bad to him or speaks lies about him, he should not do any bad in return. If he is hated by people, he should not be hateful in return but rather stay positive. He then advises his son neither to show off to people nor act arrogant but to stay modest.

The narrator continues advising his son that it is good to dream high, have ambitions and goals but he must not allow his dreams to rule him. He should not lose connection with reality. If he thinks about his future and plans for it, he should not just sit and keep thinking. He needs to act upon the plans. If he achieves success or face failure, he should treat them equally.

He neither should dwell in success if he achieves it and nor should he let himself collapse if he faces failure. He must not allow them to distract him because both of them are not long-lasting. He must have the courage and patience to listen to the things said by him but are modified by some dishonest men. He needs to be strong enough to see the most important things in his life to be broken, he must gather the courage to fix them and start trying again.

The narrator keeps advising his son that if he can take a chance in life and risk everything even if he loses. He should start trying again after losing and must not quit or give up. He must not complain about his loss to other people. He needs to be self-sufficient and must not look up to people when things go wrong. He should keep trying even though he is too exhausted to continue. He should stay strong and firm even if he has no strength left in him except for the inner voice in him that keeps him moving.

The poet as a father urges to his son to be social and keep in touch with his social group but not to lose his individual goodness and integrity so that people may not be able to misguide him. He says that when he becomes successful in life and his status rises. He should not lose connection with his roots and the people where he has come from because that is his reality.

The poet advdses his son not to allow anyone to hurt him, be they friends or enemies. He advises him to let people depend on him but not to take too much advantage of him. He also asks him to make good use of his time and if he acts upon the given advice, the world, and everything herein, will belong to him. It will make him a ‘Man’.

Question 3.
Summarise the poet’s message in your own words. Do you agree with it?
Answer:
The present poem “If” is a masterpiece written by a British Poet Rudyard Kipling in 1895. It was first published in 1910 in the chapter ’’Brother Square Toes” of the book ’’Rewards and Fairies” which is a collection of Rudyard Kipling’s poetry and short- story fiction. He wrote ‘If-’ in the form of paternal advice to a child. Here, the child is none other than the poet’s son, John.

It is a type of didactic poem that teaches readers how to be an ideal human being. Kipling’s poem is all about how to be an ideal human being. The text presents a series of advice following which one can become a “Man”. That’s why this poem does not have a single meaning. Readers can find a variety of ideas in it. It consists of four stanzas, each one having eight lines. It is written in iambic pentameter.

The poem begins with the narrator, being a father, addressing his son saying that he should keep calm in the situation of crisis when all the others around him are panicking and blaming him. He (his son) should trust himself when all the people around him discourage him. Though he has confidence in himself and his decision, he should also listen to the opinions people give him. Hence the narrator says:

If you can keep your head when all about you
Are losing theirs and blaming it on you,
If you can trust yourself when all men doubt you,
But make allowance for their doubting too;

The father also advices that he (his son) should learn to be patient and not feel irritated by waiting. If someone does any bad to him or speaks lies about him, he should not do bad in return. If he is hated by people, he should not be hateful in return but rather stay positive. He then advises his son neither to show off to people nor act arrogant but to stay modest.

Having acquired all these good qualities mentioned above, people generally feel proud and tend to show off how good they are. But, the poet warns us not to go that way. In that case, others would feel uncomfortable in our company and avoid us. Even others may try to prove us wrong at any cost, leading to an unhealthy competition. The narrator explains:

If you can wait and not be tired by waiting,
Or being lied about, don’t deal in lies,
Or being hated, don’t give way to hating,
And yet don’t look too good, nor talk too wise

The narrator continues advising his son that it is good to dream high, have ambitions and goals but he must not allow his dreams to rule him. He should not lose connection with reality. If he thinks about his future and plans for it, he should not just sit and keep thinking. He needs to act upon the plans. If he achieves success or face failure, he should treat them equally. So, the narrator advices us:

If you can dream – and not make dreams your master;
If you can think – and not make thoughts-your aim;

The narrator says that he (his son) neither should dwell in success if he achieves it and nor should he let himself collapse if he faces failure. He must not allow them to distract him because both of them are not long-lasting. Life is a combination of success and failure, joy and sorrow, good times and bad times. We should accept both and face both situations with similar treatment.

Here the poet personifies Triumph and Disaster, capitalizing and calling them ‘two impostors’ (pretenders or cheaters). People become too happy in success and forget their duty at hand. We may also get too complacent or proud at a small success, reducing our chances to reach higher goals. Again, at bad times, if we are too grieved, we may lose our faith and confidence.

In both cases, our regular course of work is hampered. That is the reason why the poet calls triumph and disaster ‘two impostors’. He asks us to treat those deceivers similarly, with a smiling face. In short, don’t be too happy or too sad under any circumstances.

The narrator also advices his son to have the courage and patience to listen to the things said by him but are modified by some dishonest men. He needs to be strong enough to see the most important things in his life to be broken, he must gather the courage to fix them and start trying again.

We have to bear the tough situations where we see that our speech or statement is distorted by someone to befool others. Very often we see that people misinterpret or even deliberately distort our words to use it in their favour. We should not lose our temper hearing that. Rather we should tolerate that, ensuring we have spoken the truth. Therefore, the narrator explains:

If you can bear to hear the truth you’ve spoken
Twisted by knaves to make a trap for fools,

According to the narrator of the poem, we have to hold our nerves even after seeing that our favourite thing that we built with all our effort and time is broken. Then we have to pick up the scattered parts and build it all over again. This is another key to getting to the top of the world, according to the poet.

To keep our cool is not easy in such a situation. But patience and the mental toughness would help us build them again. Indeed, there is a story about Newton that the papers containing his theories were destroyed in fire, and he wrote them again from the beginning. So the poet says:

Or watch the things you gave your life to, broken.
And stoop and build ’em up with worn-out tools:

The narrator advices us to be able to accumulate all we have and take a risk in one turn of the game of pitch-and-toss. We may lose the game and all our possessions. But we have to stay calm without uttering a word about that loss and rebuild it from the beginning. Here the poet talks about the capability of taking big risks to achieve much greater success and keeping quiet even if we lose the bet. This is yet another aspect of our mental toughness that we need to possess. So, the narrator says:

If you can make one heap of all your winnings
And risk it on one turn of pitch-and-toss,
And lose, and start again at your beginnings
And never breathe a word about your loss;

The narrator continues the same theme of mental strength and the power of ‘Willy courage and patience. We have to force our body (heart and nerve and smew) to serve us even after it has lost the strength due to old age or illness.

Thus we should keep on working driven by the power of ‘Will’ which would ask them (heart and nerve and sinew) to ‘hold on’ compelling them to do their job. If we want to do something great from our heart, the ‘Will’ inside us would prevent the body from getting tired. Indeed, there goes a proverb: “When going gets tough, the tough gets going.” Therefore, the narrator feels:

If you can force your heart and nerve and sinew
To serve your turn long after they are gone,
And so hold on when there is nothing in you
Except the Will which says to them: ‘Hold on!’

The narrator advices us to stay in touch with people from every class of the society. According to him, we should be able to talk with common mass without losing our virtue or moral values. Again, we should be able to walk with kings without going beyond the reach of the common people. The common touch would help us realize the reality and feel the needs of the society. On the other hand, the noble touch wouid give us the power and opportunity to reach higher goals. The narrator opines:

If you can talk with crowds and keep your virtue,
Or walk with Kings – nor lose the common touch,

According to the narrator of the poem, we should build ourselves strong enough, mentally and physically, so that neither enemies nor loving friends can hurt us. Moreover, we should develop healthy relationship with everyone around us, and should not allow anyone to harm us, Thus he says:

If neither foes nor loving friends can hurt you,
If all men count with you, but none too much;

The narrator explains the importance of ‘time’. According to him, time is precious and a minute is filled with sixty seconds. Time (minute) is here called ‘unforgiving’, as it waits for none and doesn’t forgive him who wastes it. Therefore, we should utilize every minute of our life in productive work. Wasting time is not something we can afford in our short lifespan. Hence he says:

If you can fill the unforgiving minute
With sixty seconds’ worth of distance run,
Yours is the Earth and everything that’s in it,
And – which is more – you’ll be a Man, my son!

In the end of the poem, the narrator confidently says that we can achieve anything and everything if we fulfil all the conditions mentioned so far in the poem. According to him, we can win this earth and everything in it. We can go to top of the world and rule over everything. And what is more, we would be a complete and perfect human being. I fully agree to the message given by the poet and strongly believe that if we follow the life principles espoused by the poet, we will succeed in our life.

If Poem Summary in English

Rudyard Kipling (1865-1936) was, born in Bombay, India, an English poet and novelist. He is remembered for his children’s books, including the ever-popular The Jungle Book and Kim, and for his many stories and poems written about British in India during the Raj. As a boy, he took pleasure in the work of Ralph Waldo Emerson and Wilkie Collins.

He was around eleven years old when he first started writing. Kipling was awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1907, and was offered a knighthood several times, though he declined the honour. His writing has come under some scrutiny as readers’ opinions of his colonial, and overly masculine tone now seem much less tasteful.

The present poem “If” is a masterpiece written by a British Poet Rudyard Kipling in 1895. It was first published in 1910 in the chapter “Brother Square Toes” of the book “Rewards and Fairies” which is a collection of Rudyard Kipling’s poetry and short- story fiction.He wrote ‘If-’ in the form of paternal advice to a child. Here, the child is none other than the poet’s son, John.

It is a type of didactic poem that teaches readers how to be an ideal human being. Kipling’s poem is all about how to be an ideal human being. The text presents a series of advice following which one can become a “Man”. That’s why this poem does not have a single meaning. Readers can find a variety of ideas in it.lt consists of four stanzas, each one having eight lines. It is written in iambic pentameter.

The poem begins with the narrator, being a father, addressing his son saying that he should keep calm in the situation of crisis when all the others around him are panicking and blaming him. He (his son)should trust himself when all the people around him discourage him. Though he has confidence in himself and his decision, he should also listen to the opinions people give him. Hence the narrator says:

If you can keep your head when all about you
Are losing theirs and blaming it on you,
If you can trust yourself when all men doubt you,
But make allowance for their doubting too;

The father also advices that he (his son) should learn to be patient and not feel irritated by waiting. If someone does any bad to him or speaks lies about him, he should not do bad in return. If he is hated by people, he should not be hateful in return but rather stay positive. He then advises his son neither to show off to people nor act arrogant but to stay modest.

Having acquired all these good qualities mentioned above, people generally feel proud and tend to show off how good they are. But, the poet warns us not to go that way. In that case, others would feel uncomfortable in our company and avoid us. Even others may try to prove us wrong at any cost, leading to an unhealthy competition. The narrator explains:

If you can wait and not be tired by waiting,
Or being lied about, don’t deal in lies,
Or being hated, don’t give way to hating,
And yet don’t look too good, nor talk too wise.

The narrator continues advising his son that it is good to dream high, have ambitions and goals but he must not allow his dreams to rule him. He should not lose connection with reality. If he thinks about his future and plans for it, he should not just sit and keep thinking. He needs to act upon the plans. If he achieves success or face failure, he should treat them equally. So, the narrator advices us:

If you can dream – and not make dreams your master;
If you can think – and not make thoughts your aim;

The narrator says that he (his son) neither should dwell in success if he achieves it and nor should he let himself collapse if he faces failure. He must not allow them to distract him because both of them are not long-lasting. Life is a combination of success and failure, joy and sorrow, good times and bad times. We should accept both and face both situations with similar treatment.

Here the poet personifies Triumph and Disaster, capitalizing and. calling them ‘two impostors’ (pretenders or cheaters). People become too happy in success and forget their duty at hand. We may also get too complacent or proud at a small success, reducing our chances to reach higher goals. Again, at bad times, if we are too grieved, we may lose our faith and confidence.

In both cases, our regular course of work is hampered. That is the reason why the poet calls triumph and disaster ‘two impostors’. He asks us to treat those deceivers similarly, with a smiling face. In short, don’t be too happy or too sad under any circumstances.

The narrator also advices his son to have the courage and patience to listen to the things said by him but are modified by some dishonest men. He needs to be strong enough to see the most important things in his life to be broken, he must gather the courage to fix them and start trying again.

We have to bear the tough situations where we see that our speech or statement is distorted by someone to be fool others. Very often we see that people misinterpret or even deliberately distort our words to use it in their favour. We should not lose our temper hearing that. Rather we should tolerate that, ensuring we have spoken the truth. Therefore, the narrator explains:

If you can bear to hear the truth you’ve spoken
Twisted by knaves to make a trap for fools,

According to the narrator of the poem, we have to hold our nerves even after seeing that our favourite thing that we built with all our effort and time is broken. Then we have to pick up the scattered parts and build it all over again. This is another key to getting to the top of the world, according to the poet.

To keep our cool is not easy in such a situation. But patience and the mental toughness would help us build them again. Indeed, there is a story about Newton that the papers containing his theories were destroyed in fire, and he wrote them again from the beginning. So the poet says:

Or watch the things you gave your life to, broken,
And stoop and build’em up with worn-out tools:

The narrator advices us to be able to accumulate all we have and take a risk in one turn of the game of pitch-and-toss. We may lose the game and all our possessions. But we have to stay calm without uttering a word about that loss and rebuild it from the beginning. Here the poet talks about the capability of taking big risks to achieve much greater success and keeping quiet even if we lose the bet. This is yet another aspect of our mental toughness that we need to possess. So, the narrator says:

If you can make one heap of all your winnings
And risk it on one turn of pitch-and-toss,
And lose, and start again at your beginnings
And never breathe a word about your loss;

The narrator continues the same theme of mental strength and the power of ‘Will’, courage and patience. We have to force our body (heart and nerve and sinew) to serve us even after it has lost the strength due to old age or illness.

Thus we should keep on working driven by the power of ‘Will’ which would ask them (heart and nerve and sinew) to ‘hold on’ compelling them to do their job. If we want to do something great from our heart, the ‘Will’ inside us would prevent the body from getting tired. Indeed, there goes a proverb: “When going gets tough, the tough gets going.’’Therefore, the narrator feels:

If you can force your heart and nerve and sinew
To serve your turn long after they are gone,
And so hold on when there is nothing in you
Except the Will which says to them: ‘Hold on!’

The narrator advices us to stay in touch with people from every class of the society. According to him, we should be able to talk with common mass without losing our virtue or moral values. Again, we should be able to walk with kings without going beyond the reach of the common people. The common touch would help us realize the reality and feel the needs of the society. On the other hand, the noble touch would give us the power and opportunity to reach higher goals. The narrator opines:

If you can talk with crowds and keep your virtue,
Or walk with Kings – nor lose the common touch,

According to the narrator of the poem, we should build ourselves strong enough, mentally and physically, so that neither enemies nor loving friends can hurt us. Moreover, we should develop healthy relationship with everyone around us, and should not allow anyone to harm us. Thus he says:

If neither foes nor loving friends can hurt you,
If all men count with you, but none too much;

The narrator explains the importance of ‘time’. According to him, time is precious and a minute is filled with sixty seconds. Time (minute) is here called ‘unforgiving’, as it waits for none and doesn’t forgive him who wastes it. Therefore, we should utilize every minute of our life in productive work. Wasting time is not something we can afford in our short lifespan. Hence he says:

If Poem Summary in Telugu

రుడ్యార్డ్ కిప్లింగ్ (1865-1936) భారతదేశంలోని బొంబాయిలో జన్మించారు, ఒక ఆంగ్ల కవి మరియు నవలా రచయిత. అతను తన పిల్లల పుస్తకాలకు జ్ఞ్రాపకం చేసుకున్నాడు, అందులో ఎప్పటికీ జనాదరణ పొందిన ది జంగిల్ బుక్కాండ్ కిమ్ మరియు రాజ్ సమయంలో భారతదేశంలో బ్రిటిష్ వారి గురించి రాసిన అనేక ఆనందాన్ని పొందాడు.

అతను మొదట రాయడం ప్రారంభించినప్పుడు అతని వయస్సు దాదాపు పదకొండు సంవత్సరాలు. కిప్లింగ్కు 1907 లో సాహిత్యంలో నోబెల్ బహుమతి లభించింది మరియు అనేక సార్లు నైట్హుడ్ను అందించారు, అయినప్పటికీ అతను గౌరవాన్ని తిరస్కరించాడు. అతని వలసవాదం మరియు అతి పురుష స్వరం గురించి పాఠకుల అభిప్రాయాలు ఇప్పుడు చాలా తక్కువ రుచికరంగా కనిపిస్తున్నందున అతని రచన కొంత పరిశీలనలో ఉంది.

1895 లో బ్రిటీష్ కవి రుడ్యార్డ్ కిప్లింగ్ రాసిన ప్రస్తుత కవిత “ఇఫ్”. ఇది మొదటగా 1910 లో రూడ్యార్డ్ కిప్లింగ్ కవితల సంకలనమైన “రివార్డ్ అండ్ ఫెయిరీస్” పుస్తకంలోని “బ్రదర్ స్క్రేర్ టోస్” అధ్యాయంలో ప్రచురించబడింది మరియు చిన్న కథల కల్పన. అతను ఒక విడ్డకు తండ్రి సలహా రూపంలో ‘ఇఫ్-‘ రాశాడు. ఇక్కడ, ఆ పిల్లవాడు మరెవరో కాదు, కవి కొడుకు జాన్.

ఆదర్శవంతమైన మానవుడిగా ఎలా ఉండాలో పాఠకులకు దోధించే ఒక రకమైన ఉపదేశ కవిత ఇది. ఆదర్శ మానవుడిగా ఎలా ఉండాలనేది కిప్లింగ్ కవిత. వచనం సలహాల శశేిిని అందజేస్తుంది, దానిని అనుసరించి ఒకరు “మనిషి” కావచ్చు. అందుకే ఈ కవితకు ఒకే అర్థం లేదు. పాఠకులు దానిలో వివిధ రకాల ఆలోచనలను కనుగొనవచ్చు. ఇది నాలుగు చరణాలను కలిగి ఉంటుంది, ఒక్కొక్కటి ఎనిమిది పంక్తులు కలిగి ఉంటుంది. ఇది ఐయాంబిక్ పెంటామీటర్లో ఏ్రాయబడింది.

తన చుట్టూ ఉన్నవారంతా భయాందోళనకు గురై తనపై నిందలు మోపుతున్నప్పుడు, సంక్షోభ పరిస్థితుల్లో ప్రశాంతంగా ఉండమని కథకుడు తండ్రిగా తన కొడుకును ఉద్దేశించి చెప్పడంతో కవిత ప్రారంభమవుతుంది. అతని చుట్టూ ఉన్న ప్రజలందరూ అతనిని నిరుత్సాహపరిచినప్పుడు అతను (తన కొడుకు) తనను తాను విశ్వసించాలి. తనపై, తన నిర్ణయంపై తనకు నమ్మకం ఉన్నప్పటికీ, ప్రజలు చెప్పే అభి(ప్రాయాలను కూడా వినాలి. అందుకే కథకుడు ఇలా అంటాడు:

మీరు మీ గురించి అన్ని ఉన్నప్పుడు మీ తల ఉంచుకోవఛ్చు ఉంటే
వారిది పోగొట్టుకొని మీపై నిందలు వేస్తున్నారు,
మనుషులందరూ మిమ్మల్ని అనుమానిస్తున్నప్పుడు మిమ్మల్ని మీరు విశ్వసించగలిగితే,
కానీ వారి సందేహానికి కూడా అనుమతి ఇవ్వండ్షిమ్

తండ్రి కూడా అతను (తన కొడుకు) ఓపికగా ఉండటం నేర్చుకోవాలని మరియు వేచి ఉండటం ద్వారా చిరాకు పడకూడదని సలహా ఇస్తాడు. ఎవరైనా అతనికి చెడు చేస్తే లేదా అతని గురించి అబద్ధాలు మాట్లాడినట్లయితే, అతను తిరిగి చెడు చేయకూడదు. అతను ప్రజలచే ద్వేషించబడినట్లయితే, అతను ప్రతిఫలంగా ద్వేషించకూడదు, బదులుగా సానుకూలంగా ఉండాలి.

అప్పుడు అతను తన కొడుకును ప్రజలకు చూపించవద్దని లేదా అహంకారంగా ప్రవర్తించవద్దని సలహా ఇస్తాడు. పైన పేర్కొన్న ఈ మంచి లక్షణాలన్నిందినీ సంపాదించిన తర్వాత, ప్రజలు సాథారణంగా గర్వపడతారు మరియు వారు ఎంత మంచివారో చూపించడానికి మొగ్గు చూపుతారు.

కానీ, అలా వెళ్లవద్దని కవి హెచ్చరించాడు. అలాంటప్పుడు, ఇతరులు మా కంపెనీలో అసౌకర్యంగా భావిస్తారు మరియు మమ్మల్ని తప్పించుకుంటారు. ఇతరులు కూడా.మనం తప్పు అని నిరూపించడానికి ప్రయత్నించవచ్చు, ఇది అనారోగ్యకరమైన పోటీకి దారి తీస్తుంది. కథకుడు వివరిస్తాడు:

మీరు వేచి ఉండి, వేచి ఉండి అలసిపోకుండా ఉండగలిగితే,
లేదా అబద్ధం చెప్పబడినా, అబద్ధాలతో వ్యవహరించవద్దు,
లేదా అసహ్యించుకోవడం, ద్వేషించడానికి మార్గం ఇవ్వకండి,
మరియు ఇంకా చాలా మంచిగా కనిపించవద్దు లేదా చాలా తెలివిగా మాట్లాడవద్దు

కథకుడు తన కొడుకుకు ఉన్నతమైన కలలు కనడం మంచిదని, ఆశయాలు మరియు లక్ష్యాలను కలిగి ఉండాలని సలహా ఇస్తూనే ఉంటాడు, అయితే అతను తన కలలు అతనిని పాలించేలా చేయకూడదు. అతను వాస్తవికతతో సంబంధాన్ని కోల్పోకూడదు.

అతను తన భవిష్యత్తు గురించి ఆలోచించి, దాని కోసం ప్లాన్ చేస్తే, అతను ఆలోచిస్తూ కూర్చోకూడదు. అతను ప్రణాళికల ప్రకారం పని చేయాలి. అతను విజయం సాధించినా లేదా వైఫల్యాన్ని ఎదుర్కొన్నా, అతను వాటిని సమానంగా చూడాలి. కాబట్టి, కథకుడు మనకు సలహా ఇస్తాడు:

మీరు కలలు కనగలిగితే – మరియు కలలను మీ యజమానిగా చేసుకోకుంట్ష్మే
మీరు ఆలోచించగలిగితే – మరియు ఆలోచనలను మీ లక్ష్మం చేసుకోకుండ్షామ

కథకుడు అతను (తన కొడుకు) విజయం సాధిస్తే దానిలో నివసించకూడదని మరియు అతను వైఫల్యాన్ని ఎదుర్కొంటే తనను తాను కుప్పకూలిపోకూడదని చెప్పొడు. అవి తన దృష్టి మరల్చడానికి అతను అనుమతించకూడదు ఎందుకంటే అవి రెండూ ఎక్కువ కాలం ఉండవు.

జీవితం అనేది విజయం మరియు వైఫల్యం, ఆనందం మరియు దుఃఖం, మంచి సమయాలు మరియు చెడు సమయాల కలయిక. మేము రెండింటినీ అంగీకరించాలి మరియు ఒకే విధమైన చికిత్సతో రెండు పరిస్థితులను ఎదుర్కోవాలి. ఇక్కడ కవి విజయాన్ని మరియు విపత్తును వ్యక్తీకరిస్తాడు, వాటిని క్యాపిటలైజ్ చేసి ‘ఇద్దరు మోసగాళ్లు’ (నటించేవారు లేదా మోసగాళ్ళు) అని పిలుస్తాడు.

ప్రజలు విజయంలో చాలా సంతోషంగా ఉంటారు మరియు చేతిలో ఉన్న తమ కర్తవ్యాన్ని మరచిపోతారు. ఒక చిన్న విజయానికి మనం చాలా ఆత్మసంతృప్తి చెందవచ్చు లేదా గర్వపడవచ్చు, ఉన్నత లక్ష్మాలను చేరుకునే అవకాశాలను తగ్గించుకోవచ్చు. మళ్ళీ, చెడు సమయాల్లో,

మనం చాలా డుకఖానికి గురైతే, మన పిశ్నాసం మరియు విశ్వాసాన్ని కోల్పోవచ్చు. రెండు సందర్భాల్లో, మా సాధారణ పనికి ఆటంకం ఏర్పుడుతుంది. విజయం మరియు విపత్తులను ‘ఇద్దరు మోసగాళ్లు’ అని కవి అనడానికి కారణం అరే. ఆ హోసగాణ్లోతో ఇలాగే ప్రవర్తించమ: నప్వే ముఖంతో అడుగుతాడు.

సంక్షిస్తంగా, ఎట్టి పరిస్థితుల్లోనూ చూలా సంతోషింగా లేణా చాలా విచారంగా ఉండకండి. కఠకుడు డీన కొడుకు చెప్పే విషయాలను వినడానికి ధైర్యం మరియు సహనం కలిగి ఉండాలని సలహా ఇస్తాడు, అయితే కొంతమంది నిజాయితీ లేని ప్యక్తులు వాటిని సవరించారు.

తన జీవితంలో చాలా ముఖ్యమైన పషషయాలు వికిగోపడాన్ని ఢూసేంత దృఢంగా ఉండాలి, వాటిని సరిదిద్దడానికి ధైర్యాన్ని కూడగట్టుకోవాలి మరియు ముల్లీ ప్రయత్నించడం ప్రారంభించాలి. మన ప్రసంగం లేదా ప్రకటన వక్రీకరించబడిందని మనం చూసే కఠినమైన పరిస్థితులను ముం భరించాలి. ఎవరైనా ఇతరులను మోసం చేయడానికి.

చాలా తరచుగా, ప్యక్తులు మన పదాలను ఆమకు అసుకూలంగా ఉపయోగించుకోవడానికి తప్పుగా అర్థం చేసుకోవడం లేదా ఉద్దేశపూర్వాకంగా వక్రీకరించడం మనం చూస్తాము. అది పని మనం కోపాన్ని కోల్పోకూడదు. దానికి బదులు మనం సిజమే హాట్లాడామని నిర్ధారించుకుని సహించాలి. కాబట్టి, కథకుడు ఇలా వివరించాడు:

మీరు మాట్లాడిన నిజం ఎనడానికి మీరు సహించగలిగితే
మూర్చుల కోస్ ఉచ్చు చేయుడానికి కత్తులతో వక్రీకరించబడింది,

కవితా కథకుడు చెప్పిన ప్రకారం, మసమంతా కష్టపడి, సమయంతో నిర్మించుకున్న మనకు ఇష్టమైన వస్తువు విచ్ధీన్నైందని చూసిన తర్దాత కూడా ము నరాలు పట్టుకోవాలి. అప్పుడు మేము చెల్లాచెదురుగా ఉన్న ఇది మరొక కీలకం. అలాంటి పరస్థితుల్లో మన్.

చల్లగా ఉంచుకోవడం అంత సులభం కొదు. కానీ ఓర్పురియు మాససిక దృఢత్రం హటిని మళ్లీ నిర్మించడంలో మాకు సహాయపతాయి. నిజానికి, న్యూటన్ గురించి ఒక కథ ఉంది, అతి సిడ్ధాంతాలను కలిగి ఉన్న పత్లాలు అగ్నిలో ధ్డంసమయ్ణాయి మరియు అతను వాటిని మొదటి నుంజ ముట్లీ ఱాసాడు. కాబట్టి కవి ఇలా అంటాడు:

మీరు మీ విజయాలన్నింటీనీ ఒక కుప్పగా చేయగలిగితే
మురియు పిచ్-అండ్-టాస్ యెక్క ఒక మలుపులో దాన్ని రిస్క్ చేయండి,
మురియు ఓడిపేయి, మీ ప్రారంభంలో మళ్లీ ప్రారంభించండి
మరియు మీ నష్టం గురించి ఎప్కుడూ ఉపిపి పీల్చుకోకండ్ష్మి

థీనారేటర్ మానసిక బలం మరియు ‘విల్’ యొక్క శక్తి, ధైర్యం మరియు సహనం యొక్క అదే ఇతివృత్తాన్ని కొనసాగిస్తాడు. వృద్ధాప్యం లేదా అనారోగ్యం కారణంగా బలం కోల్పోయిన తర్వాత కూడా మన శరీరం (గుండె మరియు నరాలు మరియు నరములు) బలవంతంగా మనకు సేవ చేయాలి.

అందువల్ల మనం ‘విల్’ యొక్క శక్తితో పని చేస్తూనే ఉండాలి, అది వారిని (గుండె మరియు నరాలు మరియు నాడీ) వారి పనిని చేయమని బలవంతం చేస్తూ ‘పట్టుకోమని’ అడుగుతుంది. మనం మన హృదయం నుండి ఏదైనా గొప్ప పని చేయాలనుకుంటే, మనలోని ‘సంకల్పం’ శరీరం అలసిపోకుండా చేస్తుంది. నిజాసికి, ఒక సామెత ఉంది: “వెళ్లడం కఠినంగా ఉన్నప్పుడు, కఠినమైనది వెళుతుంది.” కాబట్టి, కథకుడు ఇలా భావిస్తాడు:

మీరు మీ హృదయాన్ని మరియు నరాలను బలవంతం చేయగలిగితే
వారు పోయిన చాలా కాలం తర్వాత మీ వంతు సేవ చేయడానికి,
మరియు మీలో ఏమీ లేనప్పుడు పట్టుకోండి
వారితో చెప్పే వీలునామా తప్ప: ‘పట్టుకోండి!’

సమాజంలోని ప్రతి తరగతి వ్యక్తులతో సన్నిహితంగా ఉండాలని కథకుడు మనకు సలహా ఇస్తాడు. అతని ప్రకారం, మనం మన ధర్మాన్ని లేదా నైతిక విలువలను కోల్పోకుండా సాధారణ మాస్తో మాట్లాడగలగాలి. మళ్ళీ, మనం సామాన్య ప్రజల పరిధిని దాటి వెళ్లకుండా రాజులతో కలిసి సడవగలగాలి.

ఉమ్మడి స్పర్శ మనకు వాస్తవికతను గ్రహించడంలో మరియు సమాజ అవసరాలను అనుభూతి చెందడంలో సహాయపడుతుంది. మరోవైపు, ఉదాత్తమైన స్పర్శ మనకు ఉన్నత లక్ష్మాలను చేరుకోవడానికి శక్తిని మరియు అవకాశాన్ని ఇస్తుంది. కథకుడు అభిప్రాయపడ్డాడు:

జనాలతో మాట్లాడి నీ ధర్మాన్ని కాపాడుకోగలిగితే.
లేదా రాజులతో నడవండి-లేదా సాధారణ స్పర్శను కోల్పోకండి.

పద్యం ఝొక్క వ్యాఖ్యాత ప్రకారం, శత్రువులు తేదా పేమగల స్నేహితులు మనలను బాధపెట్టకుండా ఉండటానికి, మానసికంగా మరియు శారీరకంగా ఆీగినంతగా మనల్ని మనం నిర్మించుకోవాలి. అంతేకాకుండా, మన చుట్టూ ఉన్న ప్రతి ఒక్కరితో మనం ఆరోగ్యకరమైన సంబండాన్ని పెంపొందించుకోవాలి మరియు మనకు హాని కలిగించడానికి ఎవరినీ అనుమతించకూడదు. అతను ఇలా చెప్పాడు:

శత్రువులు లేదా (పేమించే స్నేహెతులు మిమ్మల్ని బాధించలేకపోతే,
అన్ని పురుషులు మీతో లెక్కించినట్లంతే, కానీ ఎవరూ ఎక్కువ కాద్ష్ము

కథకుడు ‘సమయం’ (ప్రాముఖ్యను విఉటస్తాడు. అతని ప్రకారం, సమయం విలువైనది మరియు ఒక నిమిషం అరవై సెకన్లతో నిండి ఉంటుంది. సడయాన్ని (నిమిషం) ఇక్కడ ‘క్షమించనిద’ అని పిలుస్తారు, ఎందుకంటే అది ఎవరి కోసం జేచి ఉండదు మరియు దానిని వృథా చేసే వారిని క్షమించదు. అందువల్ల, మన జీవితంలోని ప్రతి నిమిషాన్ని ఉత్పాదక పనిలో ఉపయోగించాలి. సమయాన్ని వృధా చేయడం అనేది మన తక్కువ జీవితకాలంలో భరించగలిగేది కాదు. అందుకే అతను ఇలా అంటాడు:

మీరు క్షమించరాని నిమిషన్ని పూరించగలిగితే
అరవై సెకన్ల విలువైన దూరం పరుగుతో,

చివరగా, కవితలో ఇప్పటివరకు చెప్పిన అన్ని షరతులను నెరవేర్చినట్లయితే మనం ఏదైనా మరియు ప్రతిదీ సాధించగలము అని కథకుడు నమ్మకంగా చెప్పొడు. అతని ప్రకారం, మనం ఈ భూమిని మరియు దానిలోని ప్రతిదాన్ని గెలుచుకోగలము. మనం ప్రపంచంలోని అగ్రస్థానానికి వెళ్లవచ్చు మరియు ప్రతిదానిపైనా పరిపాలించవచ్చు. ఇంకా ఏమిటంటే, మనం పూర్తి మరియు పరిపూర్ణమైన మానవులుగా ఉంటాము.

భూమి మరియు దానిలో ఉన్న ప్రతిదీ మీదే,
మరియు – ఏది ఎక్కువ – మీరు మనిషి అవుతారు, నా కొడుకు!

పద్యం నాటకీయ ఏకపాత్రాభినయం రూపంలో (పేరణాత్మకమైనది. పద్యం యొక్క వ్యాఖ్యాత కావచ్చు, ఒక తండిడి, మంచి మరియు వినయపూర్వకమైన వ్యక్తిగా ఉండటానికి తన కొడుకుకు వివిధ వ్యక్తిత్వ లక్షణాలను వివరిస్తున్నాడు. తండ్రి తన కొడుకుకు తండ్రిలాగా కానీ స్నేహహరర్వకంగా సలహా ఇస్తాడు. స్వరం ఉద్వేగభరితంగా ఉంటుంది కానీ శ్రద్ధగా ఉంటుంది.

If – Rudyard Kipling

If you can keep your head when all about you
Are losing theirs and blaming it on you,
If you can trust yourself when all men doubt you,
But make allowance for their doubting too;
If you can wait and not be tired by waiting,
Or being lied about, don’t deal in lies,
Or being hated, don’t give way to hating,
And yet don’t look too good, nor talk too wise:

If you can dream – and not make dreams your master,
If you can think – and not make thoughts your aim;
If you can meet with Triumph and Disaster
And treat those two impostors just the same;
If you can bear to hear the truth you’ve spoken
Twisted by knaves to make a trap for fools,
Or watch the things you gave your life to, broken,
And stoop and build ’em up with worm-out tools:

If you can make one heap of all your winnings
And risk it on one turn of pitch-and-toss,
And lose, and start again at your beginnings
And never breathe a word about your loss;
If you can force your heart and nerve and sinew
To serve your turn long after they are gone,
And so hold on when there is nothing in you
Except the Will which says to them: ‘Hold on!’ 

If you can talk with crowds and keep your virtue,
Or walk with Kings – nor lose the common touch,
If neither foes nor loving friends can hurt you,
If all men count with you, but none too much;
If you can fill the unforgiving minute
With sixty seconds’ worth of distance run,
Yours is the Earth and everything that’s in it,
And – which is more – you’ll be a Man, my son!

Glossary:

Keep ones head : to remain calm,’ especially under pressure
Make allowance : to take into consideration when making calculations or plans
Triumph and Disaster: success and defeat (personified)
Imposter: a person who pretends to be someone else in order to deceive others
Knave: a dishonest or unscrupulous person
Stoop: to bend one’s head or body forwards and downwards
Pitch-and-toss: a gambling game in which the player who manages to throw a coin closest to a mark gets to toss all the coins, winning those that land with the head up
Sinew: a piece of tough tissue connecting muscle and bone
Common touch: the ability to empathise with common people and not feel superior to them
Foe: enemy
The unforgiving minute: referring to how time does not wait for anyone.

OU Degree 1st Sem English Study Material

OU Degree 1st Sem English – The Eyes are Not Here Questions and Answers & Summary

Comprehension – I

Answer the following questions in 80-100 words.

Question 1.
What did the narrator like about his travelling companion?
Answer:
The narrator was unable to tell what the girl (his travelling companion) looked like. However, he liked the sound of her voice. He also liked the sound of her slippers when they slapped against her heels.

Question 2.
Compare how the narrator and his new passenger each form an impression of the girl.
Answer:
The narrator and his new travelling companion form diametrically opposite impression of the girl. The narrator feels that the young girl passenger is not blind and she is as normal as any other young girls. Though he can’t see her face due to his blindness, he likes the sound of her voice and even the sound of her slippers slapping against her heels.

He tries to touch her hair when she is about to depart. Moreover, the narrator throughout the story tries to cover up his disability. In the contrast, the new travelling companion is not blind and is able to notice the girl’s eyes, not her hair when she is leaving the compartment. He also finds the truth that she is completely blind.

Question 3.
Describe what happens when the girl gets off the train.
Answer:
When the girl gets off the train, the narrator feels the perfume of her hair from the place where she has just stood. He also observes a new fellow-traveller has entered the compartment. And the new passenger is a man who stammers an apology to the narrator since he is in the doorstep.

Question 4.
Why do you think the narrator tries to trick people into believing he can see?
Answer:
The narrator tries to trick people into believing that he can see. It is because he feels that it could be a fascinating game to play, guessing what goes on out there, when one is blind and not able to see. The narrator wondered if he would be able to prevent the girl from discovering his blindness. And therefore, he prefers to sit in a dark corner in the compartment. When the girl passenger asks him to look out of the window, he faces the window, making presence of studying the landscape.

Question 5.
How does the girl respond to the narrator’s questions?
Answer:
When ever the narrator asks the girl any question, she responds not in a usual manner. For example, when the narrator asks if she is going to Dehra, she replies that she has not found anyone else is present there. It means she does not see the narrator. However, she does not reveal about her blindness explicitly, she replies that she is getting down at Saharanpur.

Her description of Mussoorie makes the narrator believe that she is a normal girl, not blind. The narrator asks her if she has noticed that trees seem to be moving while they seem to be standing still. She replies that such feeling always happens. Therefore the girl’s responses to the narrator’s questions indicate that she does not reveal her blindness and answers in a normal way.

Comprehension – II

Answer the following questions In 350 – 400 words.

Question 1.
What are the instances In the story where ¡t is evident that both the narrator and the girl are blind? How do they try to mislead each other? Do they succeed?
Answer:
Ruskin Bond’s story ‘The Eyes are Not Here’ (also known as ‘The Girl on the Train’ and ‘The Eyes Have it’ is a deeply touching story about two co-passengers in a train who are both blind and do not realize that the other is also blind. The irony lies in the fact that the narrator of the story learns that his co-passenger is blind only after she has got off the train. There is pathos and irony in the situation and Bond offers us the irony in the ending, adding to the effect of the whole story on the reader.

The narrator of the story loves to pretend that he is not blind. He develops this habit since he has lost his sight.The narrator also loves talking to people in the train. So, when new members enter the train he is very happy to get a new member to talk to. He loves to hear about them and also plays the game of concealing his blindness with a new fellow traveller. So many things are happening outside the window.

It could be a fascinating game, guessing what goes on out there. Therefore the narrator loves guessing what is happening outside the window and playing this guessing game with his fellow travellers. The narrator meets the girl on a train journey. Her parents who come to see her off seem anxious about her comfort. She tells the narrator that she would be received by her aunt at Saharanpur. the destination of her journey.

When he tells her that he is going to Mussoorie, they exchange their views about that place. The narrator takes care not to reveal his disability to the girl. He does this by making only general remarks which are safe. The narrator does not allow the girl to know that he is blind. He does not get too familiar with her.

He moves easily along the berth and feels for the window ledge and faces the open window and pretends that he is studying the landscape. He tells her that the trees are moving while they are standing still. When the girl says that she knows about it and enquires about animals, he changes the topic and tells her she has an interesting face. In this way, the narrator tries to impress the girl by pretending he is not blind.

Like the narrator, the girl too is blind and is pretending to be able to see. She attempts to keep it from the narrator and is smarter in keeping her blindness from the narrator. Probably, she doesn’t want to give away with her blindness for her own safety, a safety for a blind young girl who could be easily targeted by someone on a train.

The girl’s parents give her detailed instructions as to where to keep her things. They seem to be very anxious about her comfort since she is travelling alone. She has not seen the narrator in the compartment and has only started to hear his voice. She becomes silent when he gives a vivid description of Mussoorie probably because she is deprived of such visual pleasure. She does not find it strange when the narrator asks her what the view outside the window is like.

She asks him if he looks out of the window and sees any animals outside. When she is stepping out of the window, there is some confusion in the doorway and the man who is entering stammered an apology. These hints point to the girl’s disability but the blind narrator does not notice anything.

When the girl gets off the train at her station, another man gets into his compartment. The new fellow passenger then apologizes to the narrator too for not being as attractive a traveling companion as the previous one. When the narrator asks him how the girl has worn her hair, the other person replies that he has not noticed her hair but only seen her eyes, which are beautiful but of no use to her, as she is completely blind. The last question this man asks to the narrator is if he has not noticed it too. The story ends with the narrator resuming his game of posing as a person with sight.

Question 2.
Several times in the conversation, the narrator tries to cover up his disability. Identify these instances and comment on them.
Answer:
The Eyes Are Not Here (also known as ‘The Girl on the Train’ & ‘The Eyes Have It’) is a short story by Ruskin Bond. It was originally published in Contemporary Indian English Stories. The narrator of this story is a blind man and his eyes are sensitive to light and darkness. He is going to Dehradun by train when he meets a girl and has a chit-chat with her. He tries to conceal to the girl about his blindness and plays a fascinating game of covering up his disability.

It is only after she has left and another fellow passenger comes into the compartment reveals the truth that the narrator realizes the girl is blind. In Ruskin Bond’s story ‘The Eyes are Not Here’, the narrator explains that he is totally blind at the time, only able to see light and dark, and so he could not tell what the girl looks like, but he very much likes her voice. When the girl enters the train and wonders if there is anyone in the compartment, he responds. “I didn’t see you either.

But I heard you come in.” The narrator starts to like the girl from the very beginning of their journey together. He is captivated by the sound of her voice and her slippers. The fascinated narrator even describes the voice of the girl to have the sparkle of a mountain stream. The narrator decides to see if he can prevent her from discovering that he is blind.

However, there are several times in the conversation, the narrator tries to cover up his disability. They talk about where each of them is going, and he tries to get her to describe the scenery outside, though she likely assumes he’s asking about what it’s like to be blind.

The narrator makes a mistake of asking the girl, “What is it like?” It means that what it is like outside the train. The speaker thinks he has made a mistake, as it is unusual of people with proper eyesight to ask such a question. The speaker is afraid that the girl may discover the truth that he is blind.

When the girl asks the speaker why he himself does not see outside the window, the narrator’s doubts are cleared. Though the girl’s question, “why don’t you look out of the window” has almost dispelled the narrator’s fears that the girl has discovered his blindness, he goes on pretending to be really sighted. in order to establish his lie more firmly, the speaker moves easily along the berth and feels for the window ledge. He faces the open window, and remarks that trees appear to be moving while they sit in the train. When he sees that it is a silly, childish remark which would have given him away, he goes on affirming that there are no animal on the hills.

She is pleased when he tells her that she has an interesting face because, she says, she’s tired of hearing that she has a pretty face. When the train stops, he knows she’ll forget their encounter, but he feels he will remember it forever. He smells the perfume of her perfume just as she is getting up to leave. He also hears some confusion in the doorway. Presumably, this is caused by her inability to see another young man waiting to enter the compartment. It is only when the new fellow male passenger tells the narrator about the girl’s blindness is the narrator able to understand the irony of life.

Question 3.
The narrator is an imaginative person. Support this assertion by providing evidence that is unconnected to the girl on the train.
Answer:
The Eyes Are Not Here (also known as The Girl on the Train and The Eyes Have It) is a short story by Ruskin Bond. It was originally published in Contemporary Indian English Stories. The narrator of the story is a blind man and is highly imaginative in his dealing with other people, especially when he plays the game of concealing his blindness.

Blindness has made the narrator sensitive to minute things in his surroundings. As he says, lack of sight makes the other four senses more acute. He likes to play guessing games about the people and places around him.

Though he seems to take his disability philosophically, the presence of the girl makes the youth in him want to keep it a secret. His description of Mussoorie shows him as a nature-lover. He makes sense 6f things by giving an imaginative colour to the hints dropped by people and knowledge gained through the other four senses.

The narrator sits by a girl who he enjoys speaking to, but he cannot see her and wonders what she looks like. He tells her she has an interesting face, which she says she hears often. Ironically he is unable to see the young woman’s face. He likes the sound of her voice which he feels has the sparkle of a mountain stream. He is also able to identify the girl’s slipper by hearing their sound slapping against her heels.

According to the narrator. October is the best time to visit Mussoorie and the bills. In October, the hills are covered with wild dahlias, the sunshine becomes pleasant arid at night one can sit in front of a log fire and drink a little brandy. The roads become quiet and deserted as the tourist season gets over. When she responds with silence to his emotional description of Mussoorie, the narrator is afraid that she would think of him as a ‘romantic fool’. He learns from her that she is considered to be pretty.

When the girl asks him why he does not look out the window, he faces the window and makes the presence of studying the landscape. He hears the panting of the engine, the rumble of the wheels, and in his mind’s eye, he could see the telegraph posts flashing by. He also asks the girl if she has noticed that the trees seem to be moving while they (the passengers) seem to be standing. Finally, he is able to smell her hair’s perfume lingering on when she leaves the compartment.

From the reading of Bond’s story, we can realize that the narrator is a highly imaginative person, even though he is blind. Despite being physically challenged, the narrator has the ability to life a full and varied life. Something that is noticeable by the fact he is travelling on his own.

The Eyes are Not Here Poem Summary in English

Ruskin Bond (born in 1934) is a noted Indian writer in English. He completed his first novel, The Room on the Roof, when he was 17, and was awarded the John Liewellyn Rhys Memorial Prize for it. Since then he has published more than a hundred books that include novellas, short story collections, poetry, essays. and anthologies of selected writing. He spent most of his Childhood in Shimla and Dehradun.

These places provide the background for many of his short stories. He was awarded the Sahitya Akademi Award in 1992 and the Padmashri in 1999, and later the Padma Bhushan for his contribution to children’s literature.

Ruskin Bond’s story ‘The Eyes are Not Here’ (also known as ‘The Girl on the Train’ and The Eyes Have It’ is a deeply touching story about two co-passengers in a train who are both blind and do not realize that the other is also blind. The irony lies in the fact that the narrator of the story learns that his co-passenger is blind only after she has got off the train. There is pathos and irony in the situation and the author offers us the irony in the ending, adding to the effect of the whole story on the reader.

The narrator is a young blind man and is travelling alone in the compartment till Rohana. Then a young girl boards the train and her parents who come to the station to send her off give her certain instructions about her traveling on a train. As the train chugs out of the station, the narrator sitting opposite her by the window side strikes conversation with her.

She politely replies to all his questions and he shows off as he is not a blind chap. First they talk about nature and the narrator in between compliments that she has a beautiful face. Upon this, the girl says that this is a very common remark she often gets. The train is bound for Dehradun. The girl says that she will get down at Saharanpur where an aunt of her coming to receive her.

The girl feels envious when the narrator says that he is going to Mussoorie. The girl loves to be in the mountains. At Saharanpur she gets down, next a male passenger boards the train. The new passenger says that it would be disappointing be him (for the narrator) as he is not that beautiful like the previous passenger. The blind man asks about the girl’s hair, the new passenger says that her eyes are beautiful but useless as she is blind. This revelation almost shocks the narrator and he laughs on the coincidence.

The main themes of the story are kindness, independent nature and of course desire. In fact, the prominent theme in the story is desire’, because both persons are blind but still they pretend as if they were full-sighted and enjoy the colours of life like other normal people. Another great aspect is independent nature of both th characters, as both are blind but they are traveling alone, thus it shows how brave they are on practical grounds.

Kindness is reflective through their conversations, as they both are strangers to each other, but still talk like they know each other for years. It shows how humble both characters are. Despite all themes, the biggest theme of the story is irony of fates. Both people blind but it never comes out. This is classic stuff by Ruskin Bond.

Ruskin Bond’s story is a deeply touching story about two co-passenger in a train who are both blind and do not realise that the other is also blind. The title is appropriate because here in this story the two main characters-the narrator and fellow passenger- both are blind. The irony of the story lies in the fact that the narrator of the story learns that his co-passenger is blind only after she has got off the train. So. the title is really appropriate for this story.

The story is full of ironical turns and twists. There is a real humour In the narrator’s attempt to conceal his blindness. But this humour takes an ironical turn when he discovers that the girl is also blind. It shows Ruskin Bond’s sympathy for the blind and for their troubles and loneliness. Through the personal experience of the blind narrator Bond focuses on universal human experiences. It shows Bond’s mastery in the art of characterization. Like the great French master Maupassant Bond also chooses common people to create interesting situations.

The Eyes are Not Here Poem Summary in Telugu

రస్కిస్ బాండ్ (జననం 1934) ఆంగ్లంలో ప్రసిద్ధ భారతీయ రచయిత. అతను 17 సంవత్సరాల వయస్సులో తన మొదటి నవల, ది రూమ్ ఆన్ ది రూఫ్ను పూర్తి చేస్తారు మరియు దానికి జాన్ లెవెల్లిన్ రైస్ మెమోరియల్ పైజ్ను అందుకున్నాడు. అప్పటి నుండి అతను నవలలు, చిన్న కథల సంకలనాలు, కవితలు, వ్యాసాలు మరియు ఎంచుకున్న రచనల సంకలనాలను కలిగి ఉన్న వందకు పైగా పుస్తకాలను ప్రచురించారు.

అతను తన చిన్నతనంలో ఎక్కువ భాగం సిమ్లా మరియు డై్రాడూన్లో గడిపాడు. ఈ ప్రదేశాలు అతని అనేక చిన్న కథలకు నేపథ్యాన్ని అందిస్తాయి. బాలసాహిత్యానికి ఆయన చేసిన కృషికి గాను 1992 లో ‘సాహిత్య అకాడమీ అవార్డు, 1999 లో పద్మశ్రీ, ఆ తర్వాత పద్మభూషణ్ అవార్డులు అందుకున్నారు.

రస్కిస్ బాండ్ కథ ‘ది ఐస్ ఆర్ నాట్ హియర్’ (దీనిని ‘ది గర్ల్ ఆన్ ది టైన్’ మరియు ‘ది ఐస్ హావ్ ఇట్’ అని కూడా పిలుస్తారు) రైలులోని ఇద్దరు సహ-ప్రయాణికుల గురించిన ఒక లోతైన హత్తుకునే కథ. మరొకరు కూడా అంధుడు అని. వ్యంగ్యం ఏమిటంటే, ఆమె రైలు దిగిన తర్వాతే తన సహ-ప్రయాణికుడు అంధుడని కథ కథకుడికి తెలుస్తుంది. పరిస్థితిలో పాథోస్ మరియు వ్యంగ్యం ఉంది మరియు రచయిత మాకు ముగింపులో వ్యంగ్యాన్ని అందిస్తారు, ఇది మొత్తం కథ యొక్క ప్రభావాన్ని పాఠకుడిపై జోడిస్తుంది.

కథకుడు అంధుడైన యువకుడు మరియు రోహనా వరకు కంపార్ట్మెంట్లో ఒంటరిగా ప్రయాణిస్తున్నాడు. ఆ తర్వాత ఒక యువతి రైలు ఎక్కింది మరియు ఆమెను పంపించడానికి స్టేషన్కు వచ్చిన ఆమె తల్లిదండ్రులు ఆమె రైలులో ప్రయాణించడం గురించి ఆమెకు కొన్ని సూచనలు ఇస్తారు.

రైలు స్టేషన్ నుండి బయటకు వెళుతుండగా, కిటికీ పక్కన ఆమె ఎదురుగా కూర్చున్న కథకుడు ఆమెతో మాట్లాడుతున్నాడు. ఆమె అతని ప్రశ్నలన్నింటికీ మర్యాదపూర్వకంగా ప్రత్యుత్తరం ఇస్తుంది మరియు అతను అంధుడు కాదని చూపుతాడు. మొదట వారు ప్రకృతి గురించి మరియు ఆమె అందమైన ముఖం కలిగి ఉన్నారని పొగడ్తల మధ్య వ్యాఖ్యాత గురించి మాట్లాడుతారు.

దీని గురించి, ఆ అమ్మాయి తనకు తరచుగా వచ్చే చాలా సాధారణ వ్యాఖ్య అని చెప్పింది. రైలు డెక్రాడూన్కు సెళ్లాలి. ఆ అమ్మాయి సహరాన్పూర్లో దిగుతానని చెప్పింది, అక్కడ తన అత్త తనను రిసీవ్ చేసుకోవడానికి వస్తుంది. అతను ముస్సోరీకి వెళుతున్నాడని కథకుడు చెప్పినప్పుడు అమ్మాయి అసూయపడుతుంది. అమ్మాయికి పర్వతాలలో ఉండటం చాలా ఇష్టం.

సహరాన్పూర్లో ఆమె దిగింది, తర్వాత ఒక మగ ప్రయాణీకుడు రైలు ఎక్కాడు. కొత్త ప్రయాణీకుడు మునుపటి ప్రయాణీకుడిలా అంగకగా లేనందున అది అతనికి (కథకుడికి) నిరాశ కలిగిస్తుందని చెప్పారు. గుడ్డివాడు అమ్మాయి జుట్టు గురించి అడిగాడు, కొత్త ప్రయాణీకుడు ఆమె కళ్ళు అందంగా ఉన్నాయని, అయితే ఆమె గుడ్డిది కాబట్టి పనికిలాదని చెప్పింది. ఈ ద్యోతకం కథకుడికి దాదాపు షాక్ ఇచ్చింది మరియు అతను యాదృచ్ఛికంగా నవ్వుతాడు.

కథ యొక్క ప్రధాన ఇతివృత్తాలు దయ, స్వతంత్ర స్వభావం మరియు కోరిక. వాస్తవానికి, కథలోని ప్రముఖ ఇతివృత్తం ‘కోరిక’, ఎందుకంటే ఇద్దరు వ్యక్తులు అంధులు అయినప్పటికీ వారు పూర్తి దృష్టి ఉన్నవారిలా నటిస్తారు మరియు ఇతర సాధారణ వ్యక్తుల మాదిరిగానే జీవితపు రంగులను ఆస్వాదిస్తారు.

మరో గొప్ప అంశం ఏమిటంటే, రెండు పాత్రల స్వతంత్ర స్వభావం, ఇద్దరూ అంధులు కానీ వారు ఒంటరిగా ప్రయాణిస్తున్నారు, కాబట్టి ఆచరణాత్మక కారణాలపై వారు ఎంత ధైర్యంగా ఉన్నారో చూపిస్తుంది. వారిద్దరూ ఒకరికొకరు అపరిచితులు కాబట్టి, వారి సంభాషణల ద్వారా దయ ప్రతిబింబిస్తుంది. ఇందులో రెండు పాత్రలు ఎంత నిరాడంబరంగా ఉంటాయో చూపిస్తుంది. అన్ని థీమ్లు ఉన్నప్పటికీ, కథ యొక్క అతిపెద్ద థీమ్ విధి యొక్క వ్యంగ్యం. ఇద్దరూ అంధులు కానీ అది బయటకు రాదు. ఇది రస్కిన్ బాండ్ యొక్క క్లాసిక్ స్టఫ్.

రస్కిన్ బాండ్ కథ రైలులో ఇద్దరు సహ ప్రయాణీకుల గురించి లోతుగా హత్తుకునే కథ. ఇక్కడ ఈ కథలో ఇద్దరు ప్రధాన పాత్రలు-కథకుడు మరియు తోటి ప్రయాణీకుడు- ఇద్దరూ అంధులు కాబట్టి టైటిల్ సముచితం. కథలోని వ్యంగ్యం ఏమిటంటే, ఆమె రైలు దిగిన తర్వాతే తన సహ-ప్రయాణికురాలు అంధుడని కథ కథకుడికి తెలుస్తుంది.

కాబట్టి, ఈ కథకు టైటిల్ సరిగ్గా సరిపోతుంది. కథ నిండా వ్యంగ్య మలుపులు, మలుపులు ఉంటాయి. తన అంధత్వాన్ని కప్పిపుచ్చడానికి కథకుడు చేసే ప్రయత్నంలో నిజమైన హాస్యం ఉంది. కానీ అమ్మాయి కూడా అంధురాలు అని తెలుసుకున్నప్పుడు ఈ హాస్యం వ్యంగ్య మలుపు తిరుగుతుంది.

ఇది అంధుల పట్ల మరియు వారి ఇబ్బందులు మరియు ఒంటరితనం పట్ల రస్కిన్ బాండ్ యొక్క సానుభూతిని చూపుతుంది. అంధ కథకుడి వ్యక్తిగత అనుభవం ద్వారా బాండ్ సార్వత్రిక మానవ అనుభవాలపై దృష్టి సారించాడు. ఇది క్యారెక్టరెజజేషన్ కళలో బాండికి ఉన్న నైపుణ్యాన్ని చూపుతుంది. గొప్ప ఫ్రెంచ్ మాస్టర్ మౌపస్సంట్ బాండ్ మాదిరిగానే ఆసక్తికరమైన పరిస్థితులను సృష్టించడానికి సాధారణ ప్రజలను కూడా ఎంచుకుంటాడు.

The Eyes Are Not Here – Ruskin Bond

Glossary:

to see off : to go to an airport, station, etc. with someone who is beginning a journey and to bid goodbye.
startle : to cause someone to be suddenly surprised, sometimes making them jump.
register on : to have an effect (on a person); to be noticed or remembered.
formidable : causing anxiety or fearful respect.
dahlia : a garden flower with a lot of brightly coloured petals.
romantic fool : a highly imaginative person.
pretence : an action or way of behaving that is intended to make people believe something that is not true.
panting : the condition of being out of breath (here, the sound made by the train’s engine is compared to the sound made by a person if he/she were out of breath).
venture : to make a statement in an uncertain or hesitant manner
flattery : excessive or insincere praise gallant: a man politely attentive to women
tantalising : causing temptation
You may break….. linger there still: The narrator (mis)quotes the closing lines of the nineteenth- century poem ‘Farewell’ by the Irish writer Thomas Moore,
linger : to remain; to stay on.
stammer : to speak with difficulty, hesitating and repeating words or sounds
reverie : a state of imagining or thinking about pleasant things, as in a dream.

OU Degree 1st Sem English Study Material