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Treasure Chest Workbook Answers Poem 2 Skimbleshanks: The Railway Cat

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Treasure Chest Workbook Answers Poem 2 Skimbleshanks The Railway Cat

Treasure Chest Workbook Answers Poem 2 Skimbleshanks: The Railway Cat

Skimbleshanks: The Railway Cat Poem Comprehension Questions Answers

Question 1.
Read the following verse paragraph and answer the questions that follow:
We must find him or the train can’t start.”
All the guards and all the porters
and the stationmaster’s daughters
They are searching high and low,
Saying “Skimble where is Skimble
for unless he’s very nimble
Then the Night Mail just can’t go.”

i. Who is Skimbleshanks? What do you know about him?
ii. Why people are waiting for Skimbleshanks?
iii. Why the train cannot start without Skimbleshanks?
iv. Where is Skimbleshanks ultimately found?
v. What does “hunt the thimble” suggest in the poem?
Answer:
i. Skimbleshanks is a diligent railway cat who ensures that everything goes well with the passengers of the Night Mail. In fact, he is very particular about the hospitality of the passengers and thus, always at pain to make them feel that they are well taken care of. Skimbleshanks however is very cold.

Passengers are afraid of him. While he is on the move, people hardly dare to fool around. A well organized journey is however ensured by Skimbleshanks at the cost of passenger’s freedom.

ii. Since Skimbleshanks is responsible for the supervision of the Night Mail, the train cannot leave without him. People are thus eagerly waiting for Skimbleshanks, failing to find him anywhere.

iii. Since Skimbleshanks is responsible for the supervision of the Night Mail, the train cannot leave without him. The Night Mail however is ready to start off. It is almost 11:39 P.M. Yet the train cannot leave the platform since Skimbleshanks is found nowhere.

iv. After a hectic search for Skimbleshanks, the railway cat finally leaps us from behind the luggage van and relives the tension of all. Skimbleshanks was “busy in the luggage van”. Hence, he was late.

v. Hunt the thimble is famous party game in which one person hides a thimble, or other small object, somewhere in the room, while all other players wait outside. Failing to find Skimbleshanks, people thought that he must have been engaged playing such game with his mates.

Question 2.
Read the following verse paragraph and answer the questions that follow:
He gives one flash of his glass-green eyes
And the signal goes “All Clear!”
And we’re off at last for the northern part
Of the Northern Hemisphere!
You may say that by and large
it is Skimble who’s in charge
Of the Sleeping Car Express.

i. Where is Skimbleshanks? How does he signals the Night Mail to start off its journey?
ii. Where is the Night Mail heading towards?
iii. Who is in Charge of the Night Mail? Whom does he supervise?
iv. Do you think that Skimbleshanks is fit for his job? Give reason for your answer.
Answer:
i. Skimbleshanks is finally into the Night Mail which leaves after an intolerable delay. With a flash of his green eyes, Skimbleshanks gives the signal to the Night Mail to start off its journey.

ii. The speaker who is a passenger himself says that they are heading towards the northern part of the Northern Hemisphere. This vague destination suggests no specific destination.

iii. Skimbleshanks is in charge of the Night Mail. Skimbleshanks is in charge of supervising all including the driver, the guards as well as the bagmen who are playing cards.

iv. Skimbleshanks is highly suitable for his job of a supervisor. He is energetic, serious, and works with full dedication. Always he is at pain to ensures a pleasant journey with faultless hospitality to the passengers. He looks at everything and maintains discipline. Even at night, he remains awake to ensure safety to the passengers. Skimbleshanks is thus, aptly suitable for his job of a supervisor.

Question 3.
Read the following verste paragraph and answer the questions that follow:
Down the corridor he paces
and examine all the faces
Of the travellers in the First and the Third;
He establishes control by a regular patrol
And he’d know at once if anything occurred.
He will watch you without winking and he sees what you are thinking
And it’s certain that he doesn’t approve
Of hilarity and riot, so the folk are very quiet
When Skimble is about and on the move.

i. What does Skimbleshanks do while he paces through the corridor?
ii. How does Skimbleshanks establish control over the passengers?
iii. What are the things that Skimbleshanks disallows the passenger to do?
iv. Why one cannot play prank with Skimbleshanks?
v. Why Skimbleshanks’ presence -cannot be ignored?
vi. How does Eliot present Skimbleshanks in the poem?
Answer:
i. While he paces through the corridor, Skimbleshanks keeps an eye on everything around to ensure that nothing goes wrong. For example, he would scrutinize the face of every passenger, try reading people’s thought and ensure that they maintain peace and silence when Skimbleshanks is on the move. Skimbleshanks however is frequently on move right from first to third class compartment and exercise his control over all.

ii. Skimbleshanks deliberately exercises control over all the passengers. While on move, he continues staring at the face of the passengers, try reading their thoughts and ensure that they maintain silence all throughout their journey. Particularly when Skimbleshanks is on move, passengers feel scared to fool around or create nuisances as they are afraid of the cat. In a way, Skimbleshanks exercises strict control over the passengers and completely destroys their freedom.

iii. In order to maintain discipline, Skimbleshanks exercises strict control over the passengers. Skimbleshanks however does not approve of any kind of amusement. Passengers are strictly disallowed to create nuisances. Moreover, when Skimbleshanks is “on the move”, none can play pranks with him or ignore him. In a way, Skimbleshanks deliberately oppresses the passengers so that “nothing goes wrong on the Northern Mail”.

iv. Skimbleshanks’ magnetic personality simply scares the passengers. They thus, feel afraid to play prank with him which might offend the serious cat.

v. Skimbleshanks is possessed with magnetic personality. He is serious, cold and commanding. Hence, his presence cannot be ignored. Passengers are always alert whenever Skimbleshanks is “on the move”.

vi. Considering the socio political situations in Europe at the time when Eliot wrote this poem, one might view Skimbleshanks in the light of a dictator. Skimbleshanks activities inside the compartment suggest his love to oppress freedom. Like a dictator, he controls everything by “a regular patrol”.

People are scared of him as Skimbleshanks “doesn’t approve / Of hilarity and riot”. Their thoughts are continuously monitored and they hardly have courage to play prank with the Skimbleshanks whenever he is on move. All these suggest the oppressive nature of Skimbleshanks which Eliot explores with enough hilarity.

Question 4.
Read the following verse paragraph and answer the questions that follow:
Oh, it’s very pleasant when
you have found your little den
With your name written up on the door.
And the berth is very neat
with a newly folded sheet
And there’s not a speck of dust on the floor.
There is every sort of light- you can make it dark or bright;
There’s a handle that you turn to make a breeze.
There’s a funny little basin
you’re supposed to wash your face in
And a crank to shut the window if you sneeze.

i. What is “little den” referred to in the given excerpt? Why does one feel pleasant finding one’s den?
ii. In what sense the railway berth is considered neat and clean?
iii. Describe in brief the facilities available in the “little den”.
iv. In what way are the windows helpful to the passengers?
v. What task is assigned to the guard by Skimbleshanks?
Answer:
i. The little den referred to in the given excerpt is the railway compartment coach meant for the passengers to board in. Passengers however feel nice to see their names written on the door of compartments coach so that they can easily find their berth.

ii. Skimbleshanks ensrues a neat and clean berth for the passengers. For example, there is no speck of dust on the floor of the compartment. Even passengers are sanctioned new bed sheet, folded on the berth. A spick and span compartment thus, delights the passengers.

iii. A cosy compartment is offered to the passengers of the night mail so that they enjoy a pleasant journey. The cabins are clean with no speck of dust on the floor. There are new bed sheets, folded on the berth and adjustable light overhead. The window facilitates air inside with handle, easy to operate. Even one can shut the windows if one sneezes and feels cold. Moreover, a little basin is provided to wash face.

iv. The window helps for a smooth air flow inside the compartment. The well fitted handle also facilitate passengers to shut the window in case they feel cold and sneeze continuously.

v. While the guard is on move, Skimbleshanks remind him to ask the passengers whether the morning tea was served hot. The guard obeys the command diligently.

Question 5.
Read the following verse paragraph and answer the questions that follow?
“Do you like your morning tea weak or strong?”
But Skimble’s just behind him and was ready to remind him,
For Skimble won’t let anything go wrong.
And when you creep into your cosy berth
And pull up the counterpane,
You ought to reflect that it’s very nice
To know that you won’t be bothered by mice —
You can leave all that to the Railway Cat,
The Cat of the Railway Train!

i. Who enquires about the morning tea? Why does the person enquire about the morning tea?
ii. Why does one feel nice when he creep into his berth?
iii. Why one will not be bothered by mice?
iv. What assurance is felt by the passengers when Skimbleshanks is there?
Answer:
i. On Skimbleshanks’ order, the railway guard asks every passenger of the Night Mail whether the morning tea was served hot. The guard however diligently follows the command of the railway cat.

ii. One feels nice when one creep into his berth due all because of the incredible hospitality ensured by Skimbleshanks. Passengers feel very comfortable when they pull up the quilt cover and get inside for a cosy sleep. Such type of comfort makes a journey worth memorable.

iii. Skimbleshanks the railway cat is always at pain to ensure a comfortable journey to the passengers. Hence, when he is there in charge of hospitality passengers are assured that there will be no trouble of mice in the compartment. One can enjoy a comfortable sleep all throughout the night.

iv. When Skimbleshanks is there to take care of the passengers, there is no worry for the passengers. They can safely rely upon the railway cat all because of his incredible efficiency. In other words, passengers feel secured when Skimbleshanks is responsible for their well being.

Question 6.
Read the following verse paragraph and answer the questions that follow:
In the watches of the night he is always fresh and bright;
Every now and then he has a cup of tea
With perhaps a drop of Scotch while he’s keeping on the watch,
Only stopping here and there to catch a flea.
You were fast asleep at Crewe and so you never knew
That he was walking up and down the station;
You were sleeping all the while he was busy at Carlisle,
Where he greets the stationmaster with elation.

i. How does Skimbleshanks keep himself fresh and bright at night?
ii. Why does he stop here and there inside the compartment?
iii. What does Skimbleshanks do in Carlisle and Dumfries?
iv. Where ultimately do the passengers get down? Why there is no need to wait for the passengers to get down?
v. How does Skimbleshanks adieu the passengers?
Answer:
i. Skimbleshanks does not sleep at night. He keeps himself fresh and bright at night by taking cups of tea or a drop of Scotch. Such beverages simply help him to stay awake at night and remain fresh.

ii. Skimbleshanks is seen stopping here and there inside the compartment all throughout the night. This is because of catching flees and help the passengers to enjoy uninterrupted sleep.

iii. Skimbleshanks remains awake all throughout the night. When all the passengers are fast asleep, Skimbleshanks is found greeting the Stationmaster with joy at Carlisle. Moreover, he is found speaking to police at Dumfries.

iv. Passengers ultimately get down at Gallowgate, a neighbourhood of the city of Glasgow, Scotland. Skimbleshanks’ hospitality is so perfect that passengers do not have to wait to get down at the station. The railway cat however would help them to get down on the platform.

v. Skimbleshanks ensures that he adieus all the passengers while they get down at Gallowgate. He used to continue weaving his long assuring that he will meet the passengers again on the Midnight Mail.

Skimbleshanks: The Railway Cat Poem Multiple Choice Questions (MCQs)

Question 1.
Who is Skimbleshanks?
a. dog
b. cat
c. horse
d. detective
Answer:
b. cat

Question 2.
The Night Mail is ready to depart at …………..
a. 11.39 PM
b. 10 AM
c. 12AM
d. 8 PM
Answer:
a. 11.39 PM

Question 3.
Skimbleshanks is finally found …………….
a. in the garden
b. behind the luggage van
c. inside the compartment of Night Mail
d. at station master’s room
Answer:
b. behind the luggage van

Question 4.
How does Skimbleshanks give signal to the night mail?
a. weaving his tail
b. mewing
c. With a flash of his green eyes
d. by getting into the train
Answer:
c. With a flash of his green eyes

Question 5.
What is the duty of Skimbleshanks in the Night Mail?
a. cook
b. supervisor
c. sweeper
d. laundryman
Answer:
b. supervisor

Question 6.
What does Skimbleshanks do while he is on move?
a. talk to the passengers
b. scrutinizing the face of every passenger
c. ignore the passengers
d. misbehaving with the passengers
Answer:
b. scrutinizing the face of every passenger

Question 7.
What cannot be done with Skimbleshanks?
a. talking to him
b. asking him questions
c. relying upon him
d. playing pranks with him
Answer:
d. playing pranks with him

Question 8.
Eliot presents Skimbleshanks in the light of a …………….
a. philanthropist
b. misanthropist
c. dictator
d. misogynist
Answer:
c. dictator

Question 9.
Where does a passenger find his/her name?
a. on the berth
b. in the platform chart
c. on the door of compartments
d. near the basin
Answer:
c. on the door of compartments

Question 10.
How does Skimbleshanks keep himself awake at night?
a. by talking to the passengers
b. watching movies
c. drinking cups of tea or scotch
d. reading books
Answer:
c. drinking cups of tea or scotch

Question 11.
What does Skimbleshanks order the guard to do?
a. to moniter the activities of the passengers
b. to play prank with them
c. to encourge them to read newspaper
d. to ask the passengers whether the morning tea was served hot.
Answer:
(a) and (b)

Question 12.
How does Skimbleshanks adieus the passengers?
a. bidding goodbye
b. smiling
c. offering them chocolate
d. weaving his long brown tail
Answer:
d. weaving his long brown tail

Question 13.
What is the final destination of the Night Mail?
a. Gallowgate
b. Dumfries
c. Crewe
d. Carlisle
Answer:
a. Gallowgate

Skimbleshanks: The Railway Cat Poem Annotations with Comments

There’s a whisper….luggage vin!:

Whisper: murmur
Line: railway platform
Thimble: a small metal or plastic cap with a closed end.
Hunt….thimble: hunt the thimble is a party game in which one person, ides a thimble, or other small object, somewhere in the room, while all other players wait outside.
train can’t start: train can’t start since Skimbleshanks is in charge of the train.
porter: a person employed to carry luggage and other loads, especially in a railway station
high and low: Everywhere
nimble: quick
frantic: worried, anxious
saunter: walk
Skimble will appear: Skimble shanks will appear from behind the luggage van
rear: endmost

He gives one flash ……………… more or less:

FIash: to send forth light with a sudden, transient brilliancy northern part …………………
Hemisphere: refers to Scotland
by and large: on the whole
who’s in charge: Skimbleshanks is entrusted with the job of supervising the passengers in the train.
more or less: roughly

Down the corridor ……………… Skimbleshanks is aboard:

pace: walk up and down
First and the Third: first and third class compartment
patrol: monitoring
winking: blinking
hilarity: fun
riot: disturbance
Pranks: jokes

Comment:

he doesn’t approve ………….. on the move : These lines establish the Eliot’s aim to present Skimbleshanks in the light of a dictator. Though law and order is maintained by Skimbleshanks’ strict control over everything, but the freedom of the passengers is completely destroyed.

Skimbleshanks “doesn’t approve / Of hilarity and riot” which are so common among the passengers. Moreover, when Skimbleshanks is “on the move”, nonè can play pranks with him. In a way, Skimbleshanks cannot be ignored. Like a dictator, he also craves for attention.

Oh, it’s very pleasant ………. Cat of the Railway Train!:

Den: small cabin
Berth: seat
Sheet: bed cover
Speck: dot
dark or bright: one can regulate the light over the berth according to the need
crank: handle
Brightly: energetically
Creep: move slowly and carefully
Counterpane: quilt or cover
Reflect: acknowledge

Comment:

Skimbleshanks ensures a pleasant journey with faultless hospitality to the passengers. The clean compartment, with spotless bed sheet on each berth, the little basin to wash face, the light overhead all establish a perfect picture of a train compartment always under Skimbleshanks’ strict surveillance. But, the comfort ensured to the passengers is at the cost of their freedom.

They are only allowed to enjoy the journey quietly as the serious cat “doesn’t approve / Of hilarity and riot” when he is on the move. Skimbleshanks activities inside the compartment suggests his love to oppressing freedom. For example, he “will watch you without winking” and “he sees what you are thinking”. Hence, “nothing goes wrong on the Northern Mail / When Skimbleshanks is aboard.”

In the watches ………… Railway Train:

Flea: blood sucking insect
Crewe: a town in NW England
Carlisle: Carlisle is a cathedral city and civil parish in Cumbria, England
Elation: joy
Dumfries: Dumfries is the largest burgh in southwestern Scotland.
Gallowgate: a neighbourhood of the city of Glasgow, Scotland.

Skimbleshanks: The Railway Cat Poem Paraphrase

There’s a whisper….luggage van!:

Skimbleshanks the railway cat is found nowhere when the Night Mail is ready to start off. Its’ almost 11:39 P.M, people are waiting for the cat, calling his name aloud. Where must have Skimble been?wonders the railway staffs like guards, porters and even the stationmaster’s daughters. They continue searching everywhere as the signal is due and the passengers have grown impatient. Finally, Skimbleshanks leaps up from behind the luggage van and relives the tension of all.

He gives one flash …………… more or less:

With a flash of his green eyes, Skimbleshanks gives the signal. The train finally moved out of the station, and heads towards Scotland. Skimbleshanks is in charge of the train. He will supervise all including the driver, the guards as well as the bagmen who are playing cards.

Down the corridor ………… Skimbleshanks is aboard:

Skimbleshanks begins his work scrutinizing the face of every passenger. He would ensure a frequent patrol from first to third class compartment and exercise his control over all. For example, he would continue staring at the face of the passengers without even blinking his eyes.

He would try reading people’s thought and ensure that they maintain silence when Skimbleshanks is on the move. Passengers hardly dare to fool around in his presence which cannot be ignored. Hence, nothing goes wrong in the Northern Mail when Skimbleshanks is aboard.

Oh, it’s very pleasant ……………… Cat of the Railway Train!:

It looks nice to see everything in order names of passengers written on the door of compartments, clean cabin floor with new bed sheet, folded on the berth and adjustable light overhead. The window facilitates air inside with handle, easy to operate. Even one can shut the windows if one sneezes and feels cold. The guard shows up with a polite gesture with Skimbleshanks behind.

He enquires whether the morning tea was served hot when Skimbleshanks is about to remind him about it. Skimbleshanks will not allow any trouble to the passengers who feel relaxed knowing that there are no mice around to spoil their sleep. Skimbleshanks can safely be relied upon for his unbelievable efficiency.

In the watches Railway Train:

Skimbleshanks doesn’t sleep at night. Cups of tea or a drop of Scotch keeps him awake all the night. He is often found catching fleas, while passengers are fast asleep. When the Night Mail reaches Crewe, he is found walking up and down the station.

At Carlisle he is found greeting the Stationmaster and speaking with police at Dumfries. Finally when the train reaches Gallowgate, Skimbleshanks would help the passengers to get down on the platform. Even he adieus all weaving his long brown tail which seems to assure that he will meet again on the Midnight Mail.

Skimbleshanks: The Railway Cat Poem Summary by T.S. Eliot

Skimbleshanks the railway cat is found nowhere when the Night Mail is ready to start off. Its almost 11:39 P.M, people are waiting for the Skimbleshanks. Where must have Skimble been? wonders the railway staffs like guards, porters and even the stationmaster’s daughters. They continue searching everywhere as the signal is due and the passengers have grown impatient.

Finally, Skimbleshanks leaps up from behind the luggage van and relives the tension of all. With a flash of his green eyes, Skimbleshanks gives the signal. The train finally moves out of the station, and heads towards Scotland. Skimbleshanks is in charge of the train.

He will supervise all including the driver, the guards as well as the bagmen who are playing cards. At first, he observes the face of every passenger while in his patrol from first to third class compartment. Silence is ensured when he is on the move. Passengers hardly dare to fool around in his presence. Hence, nothing goes wrong in the Northern Mail when Skimbleshanks is aboard.

However, it looks nice to see everything in order names of passengers written on the door of compartments, clean cabin floor with new bed sheet, folded on the berth and adjustable light overhead. Skimbleshanks ensures every comfort of the passengers in the Night Mail which also includes smooth passage of air inside through the window, easy to operate with its well fitted handle.

In case one feels cold and sneezes, one can shut the windows easily. Skimbleshanks also sees that the guard asks all the passengers whether the morning tea was served hot. In fact, the diligent cat will not allow any trouble to the passengers who feel relaxed knowing that there are no mice around to spoil their sleep.

At night Skimbleshanks remains awake. Cups of tea or a drop of Scotch keeps him awake all the night. When the Night Mail reaches Crewe, he is found walking up and down the station. At Carlisle he is found greeting the Stationmaster and speaking with police at Dumfries. Finally when the train reaches Gallowgate, Skimbleshanks would help the passengers to get down on the platform. Even he adieus all, weaving his long brown tail which seems to assure that he will meet again on the Midnight Mail.

Skimbleshanks: The Railway Cat Poem Introduction

Written in 1939, Skimbleshanks: The Railway Cat is a part of Eliot’s Old Possum’s Book of Practical Cats. The poem though appears simple at a glance with the presentation of a diligent cat, but there are more than the surface meaning to it.

Skimbleshanks however represents a dictator who keeps an eye around him and controls everything. In this sense the passengers of the train are under surveillance of an efficient dictator as Skimbleshanks “will watch everywhere in the train” and see “what you are thinking.”

Treasure Chest A Collection of ICSE Poems Workbook Answers

A Considerable Speck Poem Summary, Theme, Critical Analysis by Robert Frost

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A Considerable Speck Summary by Robert Frost

A Considerable Speck Poem Summary, Theme, Critical Analysis by Robert Frost

A Considerable Speck Summary

The poem of Robert Frost “A Considerable Speck” is a simple poem that does not deal with any serious themes directly. The situation of the poem is such that the writer happens to see a mite on a white sheet of paper on which he was writing. He observes the movement of that tiny microscopic creature and reflects back on the modern life of regimentation and leaves the mite there to act in its own way.

Through this he intended to show the display of his own mind when he encountered the speck. The mite here is said to be a speck. He felt that though tiny, it was considerable because that little mite made him think of its effect on his mind.

In this poem the poet says that he saw a speck. It would have been out of his sight, if it would not have appeared on a blank white sheet of paper. The white background of the paper made the speck visible to his eyes. It was the paper or the manuscript on which the poet was writing. When he saw the speck, he wished to stop it by a drop of ink from his pen.

But then something strange about the speck made him think over. He was comprehending as to what the speck was of. He thought that it was not a speck of dust that could have blown by his breathing. Then he saw that it was unmistakably a mite which was also a living creature like him. It had certain inclinations of its own as it was also living in its self-engrossed world. The poet took a pause and very gracefully waited for the mite to move.

The poet says that the mite paused, possibly it thought that the poet would do something to it. After the pause it suddenly raced again and came to a place where the poet had just written. We feel very surprised when we see how the poet says that even a little creature like the mite reacted and paused. It either tasted or smelt the ink which was probably wet on his manuscript. It showed its distaste and then again turned to fly away and escape. Then the poet says that it did nothing but used reason like the poet.

It had no desire to die so it ran with fear. Then again the poet describes the mite to be cunning. It crept and again hesitated. We find here that it had no intention to face death, therefore it ran down on the sheet of paper with terror and cunningness. Like this the mite came in the middle of the sheet or the speaker’s manuscript.

As it reached the middle of the sheet of paper it bent down, as if waiting for the judgement of the poet, possibly with the thought of accepting what the poet would do to it or accepting its own fate. Now we can see how the poet feels about it. The poet was not like the modem men who were swept away by the sense of purpose and selfishness.

So he didn’t want to kill the mite. The poet refrained from killing it not because he believed in “collectivistic regimenting love” but because he believed the mite to be an intelligent creature which should be given an opportunity to live. The microscopic item looked “considerable” to the poet. So he let it lie there as it was. The poet says that he was not so insensible as he also had a mind.

Having a mind himself, the poet recognized mind which he found it in any shape. Indeed he found it glad to find on any sheet of paper “the least display of mind.” He was glad that a small creature like the mite could rouse in the poet the display of mind. So here in this poem we find how Robert Frost intended to show the display of his mind when he encountered the speck.

A Considerable Speck About the Author Robert Frost

Robert Lee Frost was born on March 26, 1874 in San Francisco. Frost’s father was an editor of San Francisco evening BULLETINGAfter his father’s death, his family moved in Lawrence. He graduated from the Lawrence High School in the year 1892.

After that he went to the Darmouth College. He was a celebrated American poet. His work was initially published in England before it was published in the United States. He had a great mastery of American colloquial speech and made realistic depictions of the early rural life.

His great work in poetry mostly included settings from the rural life in New England in early 20th century. He sold his first poem in the year 1894, MY BUTTERFLY: AN ELEGY which appeared in the New York Independent in November 1894 edition. In 1915 he had his first poetry book,” A Boy’s Will” published.

Some famous and best poems of Robert Frost are Mending Wall, Stopping By Woods On A Snowy Evening, Birches, The Road Not Taken, Fire And Ice etc Robert Frost was nominated for the Nobel Prize in literature 31 times. He won Pulitzer Prizes many times and Bollingen Prize in 1963. He died in January 29, 1963 at the age of 88.

A Considerable Speck Theme

The poem “A Considerable Speck” deals with actually the importance of the human proficiencies of the mind and feelings. The poet has appreciated the mind in a straight forward manner in this poem. The theme of this poem is more specifically the importance of the ‘display of mind’ on any ‘sheet of paper.’

A Considerable Speck Critical Analysis

“A Considerable Speck” of Robert Frost is a meditation on the importance of the human capability of imagination and thought. The speaker is the writer who, before completing his writing, saw “a speck that would have been beneath his sight,” but it was visible to him because of the white background of his sheet of paper. He introduces the poem in a captivating manner, indicating the reader, that something was about to occur. The writer (poet) poised his pen in the air to stop the mite with a drop of ink on the paper.

But this microscopic mite grabbed the attention of the poet (writer) and made him think deeply. He was wonder struck and fascinated with the minute creature as it raced across the white sheet of paper. We find how Robert Frost has used over statement to emphasize the actions of the speck on his manuscript paper, revealing his ironic sympathy and appreciation for its efforts despite its minuscule size. We find that first the speaker thought the speck to be blown dust due to his breath but then he saw that it was unmistakably a living mite.

The word “living” is used to compare the mite with himself or other living creatures. “With inclination it could call its own” the speaker here we find how carefully examined the actions of the mite in details, as if it was a complex being with emotions and intelligence. He says that the mite also had an inclination of its own.

The imagery used by the speaker is vivid in description, describing the mite in details. Although it is presumed that the speaker would be unable to distinguish the microscopic mite’s movements to that precise detail, yet we find him to be able to point out characteristics that link it to humans and other living creatures. So in the first stanza the speaker describes the mite using imagery, evoking lifelike images in the mind.

Then in the second stanza we find the speaker’s attitude towards the “speck”. He says that the mite came racing j wildly and reached the portion of his manuscript where the ink had not dried. It paused again, as either it drank or smelt the ink and with hatred and abhorrence, it turned to fly. The way the speaker uses the phrase “paused again smelt/with loathing to fly” helps the readers in visualizing the actions of the mite.

The speaker (writer) felt that the insect was too small to have any legs, but then thought that it must have a complete set, since it was walking. It ran in terror and expressed how much it didn’t want to die. And next we find how the speaker says that it l paused and hesitated and then trembling in fear at last reached the middle of the paper and finally accepted its fate of facing the reality that is whatever the man would do to it, it would accept it. When the mite surrendered in fear, the mind of the writer became more activated with several thoughts.

The third stanza concludes the poem with the speaker’s justification for not killing the helpless mite. Here we can say that he has justified his lack of physical actions regarding the microscopic creature by claiming that he had no valid reason to harm it in any way. The last section includes the appreciation of the mind wherever it is present: at this point he also adds some ironical remarks and suggestions about the inhumanity of wars in the modem world. The poet here has used the technique of irony.

He says that he doesn’t have the “collectivistic regimenting love with which the modern world is being swept”. This means that he doesn’t have the ‘love’ of being able to destroy masses of people collectively, and so he could not kill the mite out of the simple anger for being trespassing on his manuscript page. We also find that the poet is satirizing the modem man who is able to destroy masses for small reasons. Then he says that since the mite did not want any evil against him, so he let the mite lie there on the paper till it slept.

The poet then finally claims that he respected the presence of ‘mind’ anywhere, suggesting that he respected and appreciated the mite for its actions. Here indirectly he is satirizing the modem man who lacks the mind to understand that it is foolish to kill wise. The poet felt glad to find that “mind” was displayed “on any sheet of paper.” We can say that here the mind represents the human faculties for imagination, sensibility, sympathy, kindness, love and above all the intelligence that makes us able to think and judge.

A Considerable Speck Title of the Story

“A Considerable Speck” gives the reader a hint of the direction of the-poem. We can see how the poet has chosen a title that is also a paradox. “Considerable” implies importance and significance, while “speck” implies worthlessness. From the beginning of the poem we find how the poet uses imagery to describe the mite in details by saying that he saw a speck falling on a white sheet of paper.

The speck, he said, would have been out of his sight if it did not appear in the white sheet which was his manuscript. Since he was writing on it, he thought to stop the speck by a period of ink of his pen. But something strange about the speck forced him to think over. He saw that it was not a speck of dust that had been blown by his breathing but it was a living mite without any mistake. Till here, we see how the poet says about the speck which is just a microscopic thing. We find how the poet mentions the speck to be a worthless thing.

But from the line “When something strange about it made me think,” the poet highlights the effects of that microscopic things and says that something strange about the speck made him to think. From this line onwards we can see how the poet gives importance to the specks and regards it to be considerable. Then again he says how he observes that this speck had its own proficiency or inclinations. It used this inclination to stop with suspicion that aroused in it, due to the poet’s pen.

And so it came racing on wildly to the place of the manuscript where the ink was not dried. It paused for some moments as it accidentally smelt or drank (tasted) the ink and so with abomination, it turned to fly and escape. So in the poem we find how the poet gradually turns the mere speck into an object of importance. This was the time when the poet used his intelligence and reason. The speck or the mite was too small to have legs but the poet says that it must have had a set of complete legs as it was seen racing and turning to fly.

Then again the poet says that the mite didn’t want to face death, so it ran terrified and crept cunningly. It also hesitated and in this way it came to the middle of the manuscript where it was found to bent down in desperation to accept it’s fate. It was in desperation because it is the nature of the living beings to defend themselves from danger and death and so the mite being a living creature also tried to save itself desperately. It was seen at last to accept whatever the poet decided to do it.

After reading, till here we see how the poet in a very smooth manner gradually changes the speck to a living mite with it’s own inclinations, having intelligence which is the utmost necessity of a living being. He then says that he was against the collectivistic regimenting love with which the people of the modem world was being swept. So he, says that mite to be a poor microscopic item again and since it had done no evil, he let it to live there on his manuscript till it slept.

In the last four lines, the poet gives emphasize on the mind. He appreciated the mite for displaying it’s mind on the paper. The poet was so glad that such a small creature could rouse in him, the display of mind. So first we are led to a belief that the speck is only noticeable due to its contrasting against the paper next we are told it is significant because it could think when we expected it to be thoughtless, lifeless speck of dust. However, perhaps it is considered only for what it signifies: we know logically that this intelligent mite cannot have existed.

May be Frost has referred to the minuscule “ mind” to the thoughtless process by which the humans run around their lives helplessly, without achieving nothing. On the other hand, the mite is said to have mind displaying intelligence on the sheet of paper by reacting according to the situation that came in front of it.

So though we find the title to be somewhat oxymoronic, as we can’t expect such a small object to be of any importance, yet in the contents of the poem, the speck is shown to be significant and having effects on the poet’s mind. Hence thought it is a speck, it can be considered important or can be said considerable, hence the title of the poem given as “A considerable Speck” can be said to be relevant.

A Considerable Speck About The Poem

This poem “A Considerable Speck” is a witty poem. In the poem Robert Frost speaks of a living microscopic mite which he observes on a white sheet of paper. By seeing this he presumes that the mite seems to have its own inclinations. The mite is living in its self-engrossed world and it is having some desires which are totally its own.

When the mite smells the wet ink and perhaps tastes it from the paper in which the poet was writing, it runs terrified with some cunningness and avoids the writer’s or the poet’s pen for it has no desire to die. The poet desists from killing it, not because of any belief in “collectivistic regimenting love”, but because he appreciates the mite for being intelligent. He feels glad to find “on any sheet the least display of mind”. So he allows the mite to lie down on the paper with the hope that it had slept.

A Considerable Speck Main Point Of The Poem

In the poem “A Considerable Speck” we find a mere mite which is microscopic in size has more intelligence than a human being. A mere mite with intelligence is to be preferred to a human being who is a dullard. In this poem, we see that Frost does not indiscriminately accept all human
beings irrespective of their intelligence.

We also see Frost’s ability to turn a trivial thing like a mite into an occasion of significance-here a reflection on intelligence. The poem can be described as a satire on dullards. Not only this the poem also tells us to be careful in making decisions in life. One should be very wise and careful while making choices in his/her life because our choices shape our future.

A Considerable Speck Linewise Summary

1. A speck that would have been beneath my sight
On any but a paper sheet so white
Set off across what I had written there.
And I had idly poised my pen in air
To stop it with a period of ink
When something strange about it made me think,
This was no dust speck by my breathing blown,
But unmistakably a living mite
With inclinations it could call its own.
It paused as with suspicion of my pen,
And then came racing wildly on again

Robert Frost in the beginning of his poem “A Considerable Speck” presents a speck that would have been beyond his sight, if it was not in a white sheet of paper on which he was writing. He was able to see a dot like thing just because it was a contrast on the white paper. He says that seeing the speck he poised his pen in the air in an idle manner to stop this speck with a period of ink but then something strange about it stopped it from doing so. The ‘speck’ grabbed the attention of the poet and made him think.

He thought that it was no speck blown by his breathing but he saw that it was unmistakably a mite which was a living creature like the humans or other animals. The poet thought that since it was a living creature therefore it had certain inclination of its own. It was also living in its self-absorbed world with its own inclination. The mite also paused and possibly it thought that the writer would do something to it or it suspected for something to be done to it by the writer. So it came running again wildly on his manuscript

2. To where my manuscript was not yet dry;
Then paused again and either drank or smelt —
With loathing, for again it turned to fly.
Plainly with an intelligence I dealt.
It seemed too tiny to have room for feet,
Yet must have had a set of them complete
To express how much it didn’t want to die.
It ran with terror and with cunning crept
It faltered; I could see it hesitate;
Then in the middle of the open sheet
Cower down in desperation to accept

As the mite raced wildly on the paper it came to the portion where the writer had written and was wet with ink. Most probably the mite had either smelled or drank the ink. The poet here did not forget to express the reaction of this microscopic creature. So he says that when it tasted the ink, it turned to fly with hatred and detestation.

When the writer saw it moving, flying, walking, running, he says that he dealt this intelligently. It was too tiny to have feet or legs but then the writer (speaker) thought that since it was walking it had a complete set of legs. Then the poet says how clever and cunning the mite was.

The mite was reluctant to die and so to express it, “it ran with terror and cunning crept.” It stopped for a moment and hesitated and when it reached the middle of the poet’s manuscript, it bent down waiting for his judgement. Most probably it had no options but to accept his fate and so it surrendered itself on the will and the judgement of the poet.

The poet through the lines 22 and 23 “Cower down in desperation to accept/ Whatever I accorded it to fate” — upholds the intelligence of the mite by saying that it bent down in desperation to accept or surrender its fate. It was aware of its anticipated danger and so it surrendered itself by bending down,before the writer or the poet.

3. Whatever I accorded it to fate
I have none of the tenderer-than-thou
Collectivistic regimenting love
With which the modern world is being swept.
But this poor microscopic item now!
Since it was nothing I knew evil of
I let it lie there till I hope it slept.

So we find how the mite had surrendered its fate in the hands of the writer. It was ready to accept what the writer would do to it. In these lines the poet says about the modem world, which is usually swept away by a sense of purpose and selfishness. But according to him he did not believe in this. He was not an insensible man, so he decided not to kill the mite. He says that he did not have the “collectivistic regimenting love” with which the modem world was being swept”.

He did not believe in destroying masses of people collectively so he could not kill the mite as he had a reason behind this. He says that since it was nothing and he knew that it was of no evil, he let it lie down there on the paper till it slept. Here we find how the poet had been benevolent and generous towards the mite. He could not kill it just because it trespassed on his page.

4. I have a mind myself and recognize
Mind when I meet with it in any guise
No one can know how glad I am to find
On any sheet the least display of mind.

In the end, of his poem we find the poet to respect and Vappreciate the presence of ‘mind’. Here mind is being symbolized as the human faculty or capacity which comprises of imagination, love, sympathy. Sensibility and above all intelligence that makes us able to judge, think and act accordingly. So he says that he was so glad that such a small creature like a mite could rouse in him the display of mind. Though tiny, it was considerable to him, by making him think of its effects.

A Considerable Speck Linewise Explanation

1. A speck that would have been beneath my sight
On any but a paper sheet so white
Set off across what I had written there.
And I had idly poised my pen in air
To stop it with a period of ink
When something strange about it made me think,
This was no dust speck by my breathing blown,
But unmistakably a living mite
With inclinations it could call its own.

In the above lines, the speaker or the poet says that he saw a speck. It would have been out of his sight but it was visible to him only because it appeared on a white sheet of paper, in his manuscript on which he was writing. So seeing it he wished to stop it by a period of ink from his pen.

So he poised his pen in the air. But something strange about the speck made the poet think over. He thought that it could not be a dust speck that had blown by his breathing and then he saw that unmistakably it was mite, a living creature like him. It had a certain proclivity and propensity of its own.

2. It passed as with suspicion of my pen,
And then came racing wildly on again
To where my manuscript was not yet dry;
Then paused again and either drank or smelt —
With loathing, for again it turned to fly.
Plainly with an intelligence I dealt.

The mite stopped for a certain moment with a suspicion that the poet would do something to it. Then it went racing again to a place where the poet had just written because the ink there was still wet. Then it paused again and either smelt or drank the ink and with abomination turned to fly. The poet dealt the whole thing with intelligence.

3. It seemed too tiny to have room for feet,
Yet must have had a set of them complete
To express how much it didn’t want to die.
It ran with terror and with cunning crept.
It faltered; I could see it hesitate;
Then in the middle of the open sheet
Cower down in desperation to accept.
Whatever I accorded it to fate.

Here the poet says that the mite was too small or too tiny to have feet, but then he thought that it had a complete set of legs as he saw it running with terror and creeping cunningly because it did not wish to die. Then again the poet saw it to be hesitating.

When the mite was in the middle of the manuscript it bent down as if waiting for the writer or the poet’s judgement, possibly accepting or agreeing to what he would do to it.lt surrendered to the poet on whom its fate depended.

4. I have none of the tenderer-than-thou
Collectivistic regimenting love
With which the modern world is being swept.
But this poor microscopic item now!
Since it was nothing I knew evil of
I let it lie there till I hope it slept.

The poet says that he did not wish to kill the mite because he did not believe in “collectivistic regimenting of love with which the modem world was being swept.” He says that he did not have the love of being able to destroy masses of people collectively which the modem world was swept with. A modem man is swept away by a sense of purpose and selfishness. He knew that the mite could not do any evil and so the poet let it lie there till he hoped it slept.

5. I have a mind myself and recognize
Mind when I meet with it in any guise
No one can know how glad I am to find
On any sheet the least display of mind.

In these lines the poet says that he respects the presence of ‘mind’, anywhere, suggesting that he respects and appreciates the mite for its mind. So he expresses his feelings of appreciation towards the display of mind in any text or sheet which the mite showed on the paper.

A Considerable Speck Annotations and Vocabulary

Speck — dot; fleck
Poised — balanced
Unmistakably — without any mistakes
Inclinations — disposition; propensity
Suspicion — intuition; speculation
Loathing — detest; abhor
Faltered — hesitate
Desperation — hopelessness; despair
Cower down — to bend down or move backward with one’s head down because of fear
Accorded — grant
Collectivistic — a political or economic theory advocating collective control
Regimenting — organising

Treasure Chest A Collection of ICSE Poems Workbook Answers

A Doctor’s Journal Entry for August 6, 1945 Poem Summary, Theme, Critical Analysis by Vikram Seth

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A Doctor’s Journal Entry for August 6, 1945 Poem Summary, Theme, Critical Analysis by Vikram Seth

A Doctor’s Journal Entry for August 6, 1945 Summary

In the poem “A Doctor’s Journal Entry for August 6, 1945” the poet Vikram Seth begins with a fine morning with a calm and serene note. The doctor who is the narrator of the poem says that it was dawn and he was in his bed, half clothed, and he got up from bed and stretched his arms and legs to remove the sleepiness. He was gazing outside at the shining leaves and the shadow.

Suddenly he saw two flashes of strong light and the old stone lantern in his room lit up by itself. This made the doctor surprised and he wondered whether the flashes were magnesium flares seen during a war but he was mistaken and it was far more sinister. In the very next moment he was perplexed to discover that the roof and the walls of his house have collapsed and the debris were scattered all over. Rubble were strewn all over the place and he was left without clothes. They were all burnt in the flashes.

The doctor was wounded in the cheek, thigh, and he was bleeding. A piece of shrapnel had entered into his body and he somehow extricated the glass piece from his body. He was flummoxed by the sudden turn of events. Amidst this confusion, he wondered where his wife was. Her name was Yeckosan. The doctor called out her name with a full throated cry. His wife looked pale and frightened and had blood stains on her body and she came out holding her elbow. The doctor assured her that they would be fine and suggested to be out of the house quickly.

The blast seemed to have reduced her to a lump of nervous wreck. They rushed out of the house but they tripped and fell flat on the way. The doctor tried to figure out what he had stumbled upon. He recoiled in horror to discover that it was the head of a dead human being who had been crushed to death by the weight of a falling gate. There was no time to grieve. They saw a house that toppled and crashed, fire that sprang up in the dust, spreading fast by the wind. They thought of going to the hospital but he couldn’t walk as his legs felt wasted.

He was thirsty and was panting. Finally regaining strength he walked to the hospital. The tragedy was cataclysmic. He then tells that he was naked but was shameless at that state. A soldier gave him a towel. The doctor was unable to move, so he asked his wife to move ahead alone. She was reluctant but they had no other choice. Though the doctor’s mind was working, his body refused to work or move ahead.

He saw many shadow like figures of people, some resembling ghosts and some resembling scare crows but everybody was silent and numb. The doctors saw the survivors who were walking with their arms dangling loose from their body. With hunched back and bent shoulders, they moved clinging to the last straw of hope to stay alive. It took some time for the doctor to understand what had happened actually.

He was surprised to see people walking naked as if it was a naked parade. He saw a woman and a child both naked. He wondered whether they had come back right from bath. Then he turned his eyes from her. The mighty bomb had disrobed the hapless duo. He realized that something strange had happened that had burnt the people’s clothes.

He saw an old woman seething with pain lying on the ground, with her face distorted. But she was not grumbling. A weird sound had shrouded the survivors. This was the scenario there and it was the common thing to all the men and women present there.

The doctor could hear neither a word nor a cry of pain. Each and everyone was dumb founded and speechless. They were all shocked to silence. They could not even cry out in pain. This symbolizes that the powerful always dominates over the weak and fragile, they suppress the weaker ones and make them keep silence.

A Doctor’s Journal Entry for August 6, 1945 About the Author Vikram Seth

Vikram Seth was born on 20th june 1952, in Calcutta (Kolkata). He has written eight books of poetry which includes ‘The Humble Administrator’s Garden’(1985), All You Who Sleep Tonight (1990), and the Three Chinese Poets(1992). He also wrote many children’s book like, Beastly Ties from Here and There (1992)which contains ten stories made into poetry. He has also written three fictional novels.

His first novel being “The Golden Gate” (1986). The other two are “ASuitaible Boy” (1993), which drove him to limelight and “An Equal Music” (1999). His second non-fiction “Two Lives” (2005), is the memoir of the marriage of his great uncle and his German Jewish Great aunt Some awards that he received are Padma Shri Award in the year 2007, Pravasi Bharatiya Samman in 2008, Order of the British Empire, Officer in 2001. He is among the most celebrated Indian novelists and poets.

A Doctor’s Journal Entry for August 6, 1945 Theme

The poem ‘A Doctor’s Journal Entry for August 6,1945’by Vikram Seth deals with the destruction and ravaging caused by the explosion of the atomic bombs on the two cities of Japan – Hiroshima and Nagasaki.It was a horrific incident of 1945. It is written in the form of a joined entry by a doctor who himself was the victim of this bomb explosion.

The entry is the record of the panic stricken lives that the people in Hiroshima and Nagasaki were surviving. The poet has described the hideous reality of the first nuclear explosion and its power to destroy the human race in totality.

A Doctor’s Journal Entry for August 6, 1945 Critical Analysis

In this poem Vikram Seth describes the scene after the atomic explosion of Hiroshima very vividly. It is written in the first person thus it makes the account seem both immediate and authetic. We find that the effects of such bombing is so tremendous that the people of the town could not find any words to say. They were neither screaming in anger nor crying in pain and despair. Since it was the first time in human history the nuclear weapons were used, the people of Hiroshima had no previous experience of it.

They all felt helpless. It seemed that they lost their senses and self dignity. That was why they no longer felt ashamed of being without clothes. They only crowded to the hospital hoping that the doctors or nurses there, would have some answer. This poem shows how only the common people are affected by such bombings, how people suffer when such historical events take place.

It was not the Japanese administration that suffered due to the atomic bombs but it was the common people, who had to face death or who were injured. The whole thing proved fatal to the common people. In the beginning of the poem, one can see the account of the impact of the atomic bombs of the city.

In this poem we see that the victim and narrator is a doctor whose job is to alleviate the suffering of others. But here he himself has become the suffering soul. He says that how on that fatal morning, he was jolted out of his bed by a monstrous blast that ripped off his under garments. The old lantern lighted up on its own, he saw two flashes which he thought to be magnesium flares used in battlefields but he was mistaken. He was baffled when his house (made of timber) came crashing down.

His garden and his house were in shambles. Dust was scattered everywhere. The sight looked frightening. A glass piece had pierced his right thigh which caused him excruciating pain. Blood oozed out from the incision. His cheek was bruised. He somehow removed the piece from his body. Midst the confusion, he wondered where his wife was. He called out by her name.

To add to his horror, the artery in his neck had been bruised. His wife appeared, undoubtedly very shaken. She also had blood stains in her body. They could realize the fury unleashed by the blast. They rushed out of the hoise in the street but fell flat on the way. He recoiled in horror to find that it was the head of a dead fellow human being on what he stumbled upon.

The doctor prodded his wife to pull up herself and go to the nearby hospital. The doctor’s conscience told him that he should do something for these injured but his enfeebled body did not permit him. They saw a house in front, uprooted from its foundation and leaning sideways and crashing onto the street. Thirst and injury had taken a toll of his energy.

He desperately wanted to reach the hospital but he fell on the ground. There was not even a drop of water to quench his thirst. He felt breathless. He mustered power and strength. He was naked but he felt no need to cover his body because his sense of shame had left him. However he asked his wife to proceed to the hospital. His wife reluctantly left him.The parting though insignificant, seemed to be painful. But there was nothing to do.

He had to be pragmatist in this time of distress. The doctor was overwhelmed with angst and doom that seemed to overtook his power of judgement. A pall of gloom seemed to have fallen on the city. The atmosphere was morbid. People with deep bums on their bodies seemed to move around without any aims. The doctor saw a woman with her child in her arms moving towards the hospital.

The mighty bomb had disrobed both of them. There was an old woman who lay on the ground seething with pain but strangely she was quiet. He encountered another naked man until then only he realized that something horrific had happened that had burnt the clothes of the people. The doctor described the atmosphere to be filled with weird silence.

The survivors did not cry, wail, pray or call out for help. They just obeyed the commands. The poet has described the gruesome reality of the first nuclear explosion which wiped out the two cities of Japan. But Japan endured this, rose up and rebuilt their city and their world

A Doctor’s Journal Entry for August 6, 1945 Title of the Story

“A Doctor’s Journal Entry For August 6, 1945,” is a poem about the explosion caused by atomic bombing in the two cities of Japan-Hiroshima and Nagasaki. The aftermath of this explosion had been described from a doctor’s eye. So it is called ‘A Doctor’s Journal Entry, August 61945.’ It is written in a journal form in order to give it an objective touch.

The poem has been narrated from the perspective of a doctor, instead of the poet himself. It describes the horrific incident of bombings of Hiroshima on 6th August, 1945. These entries were a record of the panic stricken lives that people in Hiroshima were living. The narrator of the journal entry is a doctor who lives with his wife in Hiroshima.

Before seeing the flashes of light, the day began with a calm morning. The doctor describes the day as warm and beautiful. The sun was up and the doctor gazed at the shimmering leaves and shades before him. The sudden flares baffled him because he did not know the cause of them. Suddenly the old stone lantern lit up in flames. The poem is set during the time of the Second World War. In this war, magnesium was commonly used in explosives.

Therefore the sudden flashes of light prompted the doctor to think that they were caused by magnesium. As he debated on what to do next, everything around him began to crumble and fall. Everything shattered in front of him. By the time he and his wife Yecko-San stepped out and reached the garden, he could see rubble strewn all around him.

The disappearance of the doctor’s clothes was weirder than the flashes of light and the crumpling of buildings. He called it weird because the doctor could not come up with any logical explanation for such a thing to happen. A splinter stuck out from his mutilated thigh. There was blood on his right side and his cheek was tom.

The doctor’s wife looked pale and scared and was bloodstained. She was holding her elbow which was an indication that she too was injured. All these things happening on that morning were witnessed by a doctor. Then in the poem, we also find how he remembered his duty as a doctor and his first thought was to send his wife to the hospital by instructing her to leave him behind. We don’t know whether he and her wife reunited since the widespread devastation caused by the atomic explosion left almost everyone shattered and lost.

We also find how the doctor tried to fulfill his duties towards the victims but since he himself was one of them, he was unable to do so. Though his mind wanted but his body couldn’t as he was also injured. Then we see how the doctor was shocked to see the mangled head of the dead man. On his way he met a naked woman with a naked child whom he thought were bathing before that. Then he saw another naked man when he realised that the clothes were ripped open from their bodies by the bombing.

The doctor narrates in his journal how everyone was shocked and became dumb. They made no sound inspite of so much pains in their bodies. They lost their sense of shame and judgement. From the beginning of the poem till the end, the doctor gave a description of how people faced this cataclysmic tragedy. So it seems that the poet wanted to deliver his anti-war message indirectly through presenting a horrific picture of the explosion-hit people in a third person narrative.

Moreover the date and the year mentioned in the tiltle of the poem also lucidly indicates what the poem actually deals with. So we can say that ‘A Doctor’s Journal Entry for August 6,1945 is a good selection by the poet as a title and is a suitable one.

A Doctor’s Journal Entry for August 6, 1945 About The Poem

The poem “A Doctor’s Journal Entry For August 6, 1945” by Vikram Seth is an account of the horrific incident of bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki in Japan in the year 1945. It is actually written in the form of a journal entry by a doctor.

The poem speaks of the horror and devastation caused by the bomb, as well as the doctor’s feelings of helplessness and despair as he tries to treat the wounded; injured and dying. We find the doctor who also is injured and struggles to find help and understands what has happened.

The poet Vikram Seth describes the wretched conditions of the survivors after the atomic bombing by the United States during the end of the World War II ON 6th August, 1945. It is a remarkable tragic poem, describing the horrors of the aftermath of an atomic bomb explosion.

Therefore we can say this poem to be an anti-war poem also. The readers after going through this poem, are horrified thinking about the devastating effect of war on common innocent people. Therefore it is a poem describing the after-effect of this tragedy from a doctor’s eye.

A Doctor’s Journal Entry for August 6, 1945 Main Point Of The Poem

In this poem, Vikram Seth has depicted the gruesome reality of the first-ever nuclear explosion that was dropped on the city of Hiroshima and Nagasaki by the U.S. The cities turned into a living hell with the survivors running here and there in wretched conditions.

The tragedy was cataclysmic. The poet also depicts physical and mental agony through this poem. The bombing wiped out two cities and millions died. The effects can be seen many days after the bombing. It tells us how the nuclear explosion can destroy the whole human race.

A Doctor’s Journal Entry for August 6, 1945 Linewise Summary

1. The morning stretched calm, beautiful, and warm.
Sprawling half clad, I gazed out at the form
Of shimmering leaves and shadows.
Suddenly A strong flash, then another, startled me.
I saw the old stone lantern brightly lit.
Magnesium flares? While I debated it,
The roof, the walls and, as it seemed, the world
Collapsed in timber and debris, dust swirled
Around me-in the garden now-and, weird,
My drawers and undershirt disappeared.

The poet Vikram Seth in his poem “A Doctor’s Journal Entry for August 6, 1945:”portrays the situation after the bombing very poignantly. The cities are completely destroyed and even the people are badly injured or had faced death. lt is a tragic poem and the poet was the victim of this and he had also witnessed this cataclysmic aftermath of the explosion. The doctor describes the morning to be calm, beautiful and warm,a mild weathered morning. He looked around and saw the leaves of the trees shaking and he saw the shadows everywhere.

Suddenly two blinding flashes came one after another. The doctor first thought it was usual magnesium flare normally used-in battlefields,but he realized that he was mistaken. There were far more sinister. He was baffled. The doctor describes how the top of his house appeared to be lit by something that was the old stone lantern which lit up on its own.

He thought it was magnesium flare. As soon as he noticed that, the roof and the walls fell down in a heap of wood and there were dust rising up from the pile. His garden and his house were in a shambles. His vest has flown away from his body. The flares and the heat of the explosion had burnt away his clothes. He was left naked. Till now we can say that the poet has started the poem with a beautiful moming. lt is ironic that such a beautiful day should end with such a disaster.

2. A splinter jutted from my mangled thigh.
My right side bled, my cheek was tom, and I
dislodged, detachedly, a piece of glass,
time wondering what had come to pass.
is my wife? Alarmed, I gave a shout,
‘Where are you, Yecko-san?’
My blood gushed out.
The artery in my neck? Scared for my life,
I called out, panic-stricken, to my wife.

Looking upon himself the doctor noticed that a splinter was sticking out from his tom thigh.His full right side was bleeding profusely.Pieces of glass were lodged in his cheek.He removed the piece and started wandering as to what had happened.Then suddenly he was reminded of his wife.He called out to his wife by her name Yeck-San,the force of his effort caused his already damaged artery in his neck to burst and blood oozed out. So in a state of total panic not knowing what had happened.he yelled out for his wife.

3. Pale, blood-stained, frightened, Yecko-sn emerged,
Holding her elbow. ‘We’ll be fine, ‘I urged –
‘Let’s get out quickly, ‘Stumbling to the street
We fell, tripped by something at our feet.

When the doctor yelled out for his wife, she emerged blood stained and frightened.Here the reader realizes that the impact of the bomb was immediate and obviously devastating and disastrous.lt left its victims with no time to think,no time to escape from the spot. The doctor assured her that they would be alright and asked her to leave the house quickly. But soon as they stepped onto the street they

stumbled upon something. The doctor thought that this explosion might be limited to the house alone and thus suggested that they get out quickly. But even then they stumbled outside.

4. I gasped out when I saw it was a head:
‘Excuse me, plese excuse me — ‘He was dead:
A gate had crushed him. There we stood, afraid.
A house standing before us tilted, swayed,
Toppled, and crashed. Fire sprang up in the dust,
Spread by the wind. It downed on us we must
Get to the hospital: we needed aid —
(Though this made, Sense to me then,
I wonder how I could)

The doctor later reveals that it was the head of the dead man upon which he stumbled.A gate had fallen over him and thus he was killed.On the street they stood in horror and watched a building tilt and then crumble down in front of their eyes.The entire city was in the same state that is in destruction.No one had no clue as to what was happening.

Being a doctor he knew that they should be going to the hospital as soon as possible.He even thought j that he might be of help to his staff.The doctor’s conscience told him that he should do something for his beleaguered staff,but his feeble,injured body did not allow him.Since here the doctor whose job is to alleviate the suffering of others is a victim himself,so we find the doctor to be helpless in such a situation.

5. My legs gave way. I sat down on the ground.
Thirst seized me, but no water could be found.
My breath was short, but bit by bit my strength
Seemed to revive, and I got up at length.

Thirst and injury had taken his energy.His legs couldn’t stand any longer and he slumped on the ground although he desperately wanted to reach the hospital.There was water nowhere.He felt breathless,perhaps out of exhaustion and thirst.However,in a show of remarkable tenacity of his mind,he could gather some strength in his limbs to get on his feet again.

6. I was still naked, but I felt no shame.
This thought disturbed me somewhat, till I came
Upon a soldier, standing silently,
Who gave the towel around his neck to me
My legs, stiff with dired blood, rebelled, I said.
To Yeck-San she must go on ahead.

The doctor though was still naked,wasn’t a bit ashamed of himself.He was not like a normal man as he lacked the sense of shame like that of a normal man.lt seemed as if shameness had deserted him.Then a soldier offered him a towel to wipe his wounds ut his legs became stiff with the blood that dried up already.The doctor told his wife to leave him behind and go to the hospital,for the slow movement of the doctor was retarding the speed of them both.

7. She did not wish to but in our distress
What choice had we? A dreadful loneliness
Came over me when she had gone.
My mind Ran at high speed, my body crept behind.

Yecko-san was reluctant to go to the hospital alone leaving behind her husband that is the doctor. But at last she agreed to go. Eventually she left him alone and proceeded to the hospital because she knew that they had no other choice. The doctor’s mind was working but his body refused to work and move.He was held back by his bodily injuries. He felt a “dreadful loneliness.” Thus husband and wife were separated which tells us that there might have been thousands of such separations that day.His mind was running at a high speed but his body could not cope up with such fatal injuries.

8. I saw the shadowy forms of people, some
We’re ghosts, some scarecrows, all were wordless dumb —
Arms stretched straight out, shoulder to dangling hand;
It took some time for me to understand
The friction on their bums caused so much pain
They feared to chafe flesh against flesh again.

The doctor saw shadow like appearances of people,some looked like ghosts and some scarecrows but one thing was common to them.They were all silent and numb.Some of the survivors were walking with their arms hanging loose from their bodies.They did this to avoid the exposed flesh of their arms rubbing against the flesh of their sides.The poet creates such images to bring out the people’s sufferings.

9. Those who could shuffled in a blank parade
Towards the hospital. I saw, dismayed,
A woman with a child stand in my path —
Both naked. Had they come back from the bath?

While the doctor sat by the roadside,he saw groups of people injured badly,and in a dazed condition walking towards the hospital.There were few who could make for the hospital.But it looked like a parade as they headed for the hospital.The doctor saw his way a woman with a child,both naked.He wondered whether they had come back right from bath.

10. I turned my gaze but was at a loss
That she should stand thus, till I came across
A naked man — and now the thought arose
That some strange thing had stripped us of our clothes.

The doctor turned away from the naked woman,wondering why she didn’t cover herself. Just then he saw another naked man which made him realize the reason for everyone’s nakedness. We realized that something had happened that had burnt down people’s clothes. The face of an old woman on the ground Was marred with suffering, but she made no sound. The silence was common to us all. I heard No cries of anguish, or a single word.

The doctor saw an old woman lying whose face was distorted.She looked distressed but dumb. She was making no sound. Silence prevailed all around. The doctor could hear no words,no cries of pain. They did not cry, wail, call out for help, protest or pray. The hapless citizens endured the suffering with stoic resignation as the pain had numbed their senses of shame and judgement and made them dumb. They could feel the pain but was speechless. The poet in this poem brings alive the lament and the wrenching pain of ordinary civilians.

A Doctor’s Journal Entry for August 6, 1945 Linewise Explanation

1. The morning stretched calm, beautiful and warm.
Sprawling half-clad, I gazed out at the from
Of shimmering leaves and shadows. Suddenly
A strong flash, then another, stared me.

In these lines, the doctor describes a calm and mild morning when he woke up. He was partially naked and as he looked out of the window he saw the shining leaves of trees and shadows everywhere. Suddenly there was blinding flash and light, soon followed by another like the first one. He was very much surprised to see this.

2. I saw the old stone lantern brightly lit.
Magnesium flares? While I debated it,
The roof, the walls and, as it seemed, the world
Collapsed in timber and debris, dust swirled
Around me – in the garden now – and, weired,
My drawers and undershirt disappeared.

In these lines, the doctor gives a description of how the old stone lantern in his room lighted up and he thought to be magnesium flares. But then he noticed the roof,and the walls falling down. They fell down in a heap of wood and there was dust rising up from pile. The doctor found himself thrown into the garden, and the drawers and undershirt he had been wearing were all gone.

3. A splinter jutted from my mangled thigh.
My right side bled, my cheek was torn, and I
Dislodged, detachedly, a piece of glasss,
All the time wondering what had come to pass.

In these lines, the doctor says he saw a splinter sticking out of his thigh which had been injured completely. The doctor’s right side was bleeding and so was his cheek, out of which he removed a piece of glass. All the time, he was wondering and was trying to figure out what had actually happened.

4. I gasped out, when I saw it was a head:
Excuse me, please excuse me — ‘He was dead:
A gate had curshed him. There we stood, afraid.
A house standing before us tilted, swayed,
Toppled, and crashed. Fire sprang up in the dust,
Spread by the wind. It dawned on us we must
Get to the hospital: we needed aid – And I should help my staff too.
(Though this made Sense to me then, I wonder how I could)

In these lines, the doctor says that the thing on which he stumbled upon was a head of a human being who had died for a gate which had fallen and crushed his head. The doctor and his wife watched in fear as a house collapsed before their eyes. It caught fire and the fire spread because it was being blown around by the wind. At this point, they realized that they needed to go to the hospital as the doctor wanted to help the staff as well but did not know how he would do so.

5. My legs gave way. I sat down on the ground.
Thirst seized me, but no water could be found.
My breath was short, but bit by bit my strength
Seemed to revive, and I got up at length.

In these lines, the doctor says that he couldn’t stand any longer, and sat on the ground. He was thirsty, but there was no water. He was panting and eventually he gained strength and he was able to stand up.

6. I was still naked, but I felt no shame,
This thought disturbed me somewhat,
till I came Upon a soldier, standing silently,
Who gave the towel round his neck to me
My legs, stiff with dried blood, rebelled.
I said To Yecko-san she must go on ahead.

The doctor says that even though he was still naked, he wasn’t ashamed of himself and this thought disturbed him somewhat when he came across a soldier who gave him a towel. His legs couldn’t bear to be touched as the blood on them dried up already. The doctor told his wife to go to the hospital leaving him behind for he was slowing down the speed of both of them.

7. She did not wish to, but in our distress
What choice had we? A dreadful loneliness
Came over me when she had gone.
My mind Ran at high speed, my body crept behind.

The doctor says that his wife was reluctant to leave him, but ultimately she agreed to do it as there was no option. The doctor felt lonely after she left. Though his mind was moving fast, but his body could not.

8. I saw the shadowy forms of people, some
Were ghosts, some scarecrows, all were wordless dumb-
Arms stretched straight out, shoulder to dangling hand;
It took some time for me to understand
The friction on their bums caused so much pain
They feared chafe flesh against flesh again.

Here the doctor is describing how people seemed to have been reduced to pale ghosts or unruly scare crows and how everyone was silent and dumb. They were all walking with their arms dangling in front of them. The doctor couldn’t understand the reason for their walking in such a way but soon he realized that their bums were so severe that they could not bear to even touch them against anyone else’s flesh.

9. Those who could, shuffled in a blank parade
Towards the hospital. I saw, dismayed,
A woman with a child stand in my path- Both naked.
Had they come back from the bath?

The doctor here describes, that the people who had the strength to stand where all trooping towards the hospital. He also saw a woman and her child naked and wondered whether they had gone to take a bath.

10. I turned my gaze, but was at a loss
That she should stand thus, till I came across
A naked man – and now the thought arose
That some strange thing had stripped of our clothes.

In these lines, the doctor describes how he turned away from the naked woman, wandering why she wasn’t trying to cover herself up. Then he realized that everyone was disrobed and something had happened that had left them undressed.

11. The face of an old woman on the ground
Was marred with suffering, but she made no sound.
Silence was common to us all. I heard
No cries of anguish, or a single word.

In the stanza, the doctor describes how an old woman was lying on the ground and she looked very distressed but she neither cried in pain nor speak anything. In fact no one cried or said anything.

A Doctor’s Journal Entry for August 6, 1945 Annotations and Vocabulary

Sprawling — set, lie or fall with one’s arms and legs.
Shimmering — shining with a soft wavering light.
Half — clad-partially dressed.
Startled — alarmed;flabbergasted.
Magnesium flares — a brilliant white flare containing magnesium wire.
Collapsed — having fallen down or given away.
Splinter — a small, thin sharp piece of wood, glass or similar material broken off from larger piece.
Jutted — projected.
mangled — disfigured or multilated.
dislodged — removed; get rid of.
detachedly — disconnected or separated.
panic — stricken – horror-stricken; frantic.
strumbling — trip or momentarily lose one’s balance.
tripped — toppled;fell.
toppled — fell or tumbled.
crashed — bump into or battered.
seized — snatched;grabbed.
rebelled — revolted.
distress — suffering.
dreadful — terrible;frightening.
crept — crawled or move slowly and carefully in order to avoid being heard or noticed.
shadowy — full of shadows.
dangling — hanging or swinging loosely.
chafe — make or become sore by rubbing against something.
shuffled — walk by dragging one’s feet along or without lifting them fully from the ground.
dismayed — cause to feel concerned and distress.
stripped — remove all coverings from.
marred — spoiled or ruined.
anguish — severe mental or physical pain or suffering.

Treasure Chest A Collection of ICSE Poems Workbook Answers

The Power of Music Poem Questions and Answers & MCQs

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The Power of Music Poem Questions and Answers

The Power of Music Poem Questions and Answers & MCQs

Read the extracts and answer the following questions

Question 1.
He sings as though he’s staked his life, he sings as though he’s hell-bent
a. Who is ‘he’ referred to in the above extract? When does he sing?
b. How far is his ‘strain’ carried and why?
c. What is the meaning of ‘hell-bent’? Explain the above two lines?
d. What do the people do when they hear his songs?
Answers:
a. ‘He’ is referred to Bhisma Lochan Sharma the main character of the poem. He sings when the summer season comes.

b. His ‘strain’ of song is so raucous that it can be heard on the hill and the plain. The poet says that he sings in such a shrill and violent manner that it is carried from Delhi to Burma.

c. ‘Hell-bent’ means very stubborn and determined to do something. Bhisma lochan Sharma continues to sing his song as if he has put his life to stake or risked his life. He also sings as if he is determined to sing regardless of what might happen.

d. When the people hear his song, they start leaving in shock. Though they know that he is singing with good intentions yet the shrillness of his voice makes them run and they as a result become weak, sickly and pale. They run frantically and so some of them are also crushed. At last they have nothing to do other than to plead or request him to stop his singing because the song becomes unbearable to them.

Question 2.
But Bhisma Lochan, unconcerned, goes Booming out his broadside
a. Name the poem and the poet of the above extract.
b. Who is Bhisma Lochan? What does the poet mean by ‘booming out his broadside’?
c. What concerns should Bhisma Lochan have according to the poet?
d. What does the word ‘unconcerned’ tell just about Bhisma Lochan?
Answers:
a. The name of the poem is ‘The Power Of Music’ and the poet’s name is Sukuiriar Ray.

b. Bhisma Lochan is the main character of the poem who sings songs in the summer season.‘Booming out his broadside’ means that Bhisma Lochan is singing too loudly which sounds harsh for the others.

c. According to the poet, Bhisma Lochan should be concerned about the other people who are around him. He should not disturb them with his rough, harsh voice, which makes all the people to run everywhere resulting in chaos.

d. The word ‘unconcerned’ tells us that Bhisma Lochan is least bothered about others and doesn’t care of what impact his singing has on others. The people get disturbed and Bhisma Lochan’s song bothers them too much but that doesn’t make any difference to Bhisma Lochan. He is concerned with his own pleasure.

Question 3.
They whine and stare with feet in air or wonder Quite confounded.
a. Who is ‘they’ referred to in the above extract?
b. What do they do and why?
c. How do the fishes behave?
d. How do the birds and the people behave or react?
Answers:
a. ‘They’ is referred to the horses that line and stand on the roadside in the above extract.
b. The moment the horses hear the sound of the song of Bhisma Lochan Sharma which seem to be like a blare to them, they with a feeling of resentment whine and stare with their forelegs up in the air and look around in a confused manner. Most probably they look confused because they can’t understand what the sound is of and also because they can’t tolerate the ‘blare.’

c. The fishes seem to dive below the water in search of silence. To avoid the harshness of Bhisma Lochan sharma’s song they dive below the lake so that they can find peace there.

d. The birds in the sky seem to be disturbed by the noise of Bhisma Lochan Sharma’s singing. So they lose control on their wings and turn like turtles. The people run about madly and in panic. They are shocked to listen to his song. While running many people are trampled and they become pale, weak and sickly. The people grumble and request him for silence when it becomes untolerable for them.

Question 4.
He downs his horns and charges straight, with below answering bellow.
a. Who is ‘he’ referred to in the above extract referred to?
b. Why does ‘he’ charge straight?
c. Explain the second line of the extract.
d. What happens as a result?
Answers:
a. ‘He’ is referred to a Billy Goat in the above extract.

b. He charges straight in the anger to pit an end to the untolerable singing of Bhisma Lochan Sharma.

c. The second line that is bellow answering bellow means the goat to answers Bhisma Lochan’s singing bellows by his own bellows that is by his own way of charging straight in anger. In other words he has replied Bhisma Lochan in the same way or action that he does.

d. As a result, of the charging of the Billy Goat, Bhisma Lochan Shrmaa finally falls to the ground and there is silence every where.

Question 5.
And Bhisma Lochan grants the world the golden gift of silence.
a. What happens to the trees, sky and the mansion as a result of Bhisma Lochan’s singing?
b. What happens to bullock cart and the fishes?
c. What does the “golden gift of silence” mean?
d. Which two instances in the poem are the funniest according to you?
Answers:
a. The tall trees start shaking all of a sudden and are uprooted-the sound of which can be heard till the distance of a mile. The sky itself seems to cry upon listening to his voice and the tall buildings seem to shake and may collapse any moment.

b. The bullock carts are overturned and the fishes swim deep down inside the lake to save themselves from the harsh pain of Bhisma Lochan’s singing.

c. Bhisma Lochan Sharma has been disturbing the people, animals, birds, trees, everyone with his song. ie being requested to stop his song, doesn’t even pay heed to it. At last the billy goat charges him with his horns and he falls to the ground. With this, his harsh song also comes to an end. Thus the world has been gifted with silence.

d. The two instances that are finniest according to me are:

  • When people request Bhisma Lochan Sharma to stop singing as they can’t tolerate his songs.
  • At the end, when the goat chases and hits Bhisma Lochan Sharma.

Treasure Chest A Collection of ICSE Poems Workbook Answers

 

When Great Trees Fall Poem Questions and Answers & MCQs

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When Great Trees Fall Poem Questions and Answers

When Great Trees Fall Poem Questions and Answers & MCQs

Read the extracts and answer the following questions:

Question 1.
When great trees fall,
rocks on distant hills shudder,
……………………..
their senses
eroded beyond fear.

a. What are the two animals mentioned in the poem?
b. What happens to these animals when great trees collapse or fall?
c. What are the other things that happen when great trees fall?
d. How does the poetess strike a comparison between nature and humans?
Answers:
a. The two animals mentioned in the poem are the lions and the elephants.

b. When great trees fall, the lions hunker down in the tall grasses and the elephants also lumber after safety or shelter.

c. When great trees fall or collapse the rocks of the distant hills also vibrate or shudder. The earth seems to shake with the fall of massive trees. The small animals also react to the falling of great enormous trees in the forest. They seem to recoil into silence. This means that they are not sure what they feel, for their senses are eroded beyond fear. This refers to the numbness of the soul that is followed by the loss of someone great.

d. The poetess opens the poem with the metaphor of the falling of great trees.In the literal sense it means that when great trees fall, the effect of it is felt for miles.Inanimate and immovable objects like rocks shudder.

Powerful animals like lions “hunker down in tall grasses”.Big animals like the elephants lumber after shelter”.Small animals recoil in silence. The falling of great trees is being compared to the loss of a person making it very symbolic. When a great soul departs,the effects are felt deep and far just like the need to hide away to safety.

Question 2.
When great souls
the air around us becomes
……………………
see with
A hurtful clarity.

a. What becomes light, rare and sterile? Why?
b. Describe the brief moments of “hurtful clarity” mentioned in the poem?
c. When and how do our souls shrink?
d. What does the speaker say of the healing of this loss?
Answers:
a. The air that we breathe becomes light ,rare and sterile.
The air becomes light, rare and sterile because when any great souls die or any loved ones die we can’t even breathe or the air becomes unfit for us to breathe.

b. The speaker describes the way in which those who are affected by loss have a brief moment of “hurtful clarity” in which they are able to see and understand, what a valuable soul has been lost. These moments serve as a reminder of the loss of a person.

c. The loss of our beloved soul has a great impact on our day to day life. The loss changes our reality because we were once dependent on the nurture and guidance of the lost person and due to the absence of the person, our souls also seem to shrink or we are left to feel small.

d. The loss that we have to face in the form of death of the person, who has a great influence in our lives, cannot be actually erased totally from our minds.

Somewhere in the background of our minds we feel the pain and the agony combined with grief but as time passes, our senses are restored, we slowly heal and recover when we think of their memories. This memory incites us to survive in our lives because we know that death is an inevitable part of our lives. The scar of pain, anguish and grief remains in our souls though they are healed up.

Question 3.
Our memory, suddenly sharpened
Examines,
Promised walks never taken.

a. Name the poem and the poet
b. What feeling does the poet explore in the lines of the above extract?
c. Explain the meaning of the above line.
d. What does the poetess say about the death of great souls just before the above extract?
Answers:
a. The name of the poem is “When Great Trees Fall.” It is written by Maya Angelou.

b. The poetess explores the feeling of regret as she highlights the “unexpressed feeling”in the heart.

c. With the loss of our beloved one,we become crestfallen and so our memories become sharpened and they are able to remember the moments that had been spent by us with the departed person. We have a feeling of regret as to why we haven’t spoken kind words to the person or we also remember of the walks that had once been promised to be taken with the departed person.

d. Just before the above extract,the poetess says that when he/she has lost an important and loved one, it becomes hard for him/her to breathe. The air seems to become light, rare and sterile and his/her eyes can see briefly or for a short moment with “hurtful clarity” what a precious person has departed from him/her that is one realizes the value of the great person who has departed. These moments serve a reminder of the loss of the person.

Question 4.
And when great souls die,
after a period peace blooms,
with a kind of
Soothing electric vibration.

a. How do the empty spaces get filled?
b. How does the loss of a great soul affect people?
c. What do the lines of the above extract mean?
d. What does the speaker say about the restoration of senses just after this extract?
Answers:
a. The empty spaces get filled with a kind of soothing electrical vibration.

b. The loss of a great soul alters people’s senses such that they cannot be restored again in its original form.

c. The poetess through the lines of the above extract wants to say that when great people or loved ones die,slowly with time,we heal and recover the loss. After a period, peace blooms slowly and iiregularly.

This shows that though despair and anguish remain in the back of our minds, we recover and the feelings in between the healing is described as something “electric vibration”. In a sense, the pain still buzzes in the background yet the memory of the lost one is soothing and comforting.

d. The speaker says that our ‘senses’ are restored even if they are “never to be the same.” In the back of our mind, we hear the presence of the one lost. We can hear the whisper” they existed”. This gives us hope and thus we are able to heal, recover and live our lives as this gives us a new meaning or purpose in our lives. So even if there will be sadness, there is hope for healing in the middle of the great loss.

Question 5.
Our senses, restored, never
To be the same, whisper to us.
The existed. They existed.
We can be. Be and be
better. For they existed.

a. What ‘whisper’ comes to us?
b. What theme does the speaker highlight in the above lines?
c. Explain the above lines.
d. Who is the poetess and when did she write this poem?
Answers:
a. We can hear the whisper coming to us saying “they existed”. Here ‘they’ is referred to the departed souls of the loved ones.

b. The poetes discusses or highlights the theme of hope in the above lines.

c. The above lines express the theme that life undergoes loss but still there is hope and recovery. The speaker says that because the great soul existed, we can do better. It even offers great hope to us who have experienced this loss.

Since on the back of our minds, we can remember and recollect the memories of the lost person, our senses are restored though never in the same way. But we know that they existed and so we can do better. If there is always pain and sadness, there is also hope of healing that brings joy and peace in the middle of this great loss.

d. The poetess of “When Great Trees Fall” is Maya Angelou. She wrote this poem in response to the death of her friend, James Baldwin who was a renowned writer and civil rights activist.

When Great Trees Fall Poem MCQs

Question 1.
The beginning line of the poem ‘When Great Trees Fall’ is ………….
a. an alliteration
b. a personification
c. an extended metaphor
d. a simile
Answer:
c. an extended metaphor

Question 2.
What does the falling of a tree symbolize?
a. the loss of the shelter of big animals
b. the loss of a great person
c. the loss of our minds
d. the loss of the senses of the small animals
Answer:
b. the loss of a great person

Question 3.
Find the word from the poem which means the same as’ lucidity’
a. lumber
b. strile
c. recoil
d. clarity
Answer:
d. clarity

Question 4.
And even elephants ……….. after safety. Fill in the gap.
a. hunker
b. shudder
c. lumber
d. recoil
Answer:
c. lumber

Question 5.
How many types of animals are mentioned in the poem?
a. two
b. one
c. three
d. four
Answer:
a. two

Question 6.
The air around us becomes…………
Fill in the blanks from the poem.
a. light, clear, sterile
b. light, rare, sterile
c. heavy, rare, clear
d. light, rare, clear
Answer:
b. light, rare, sterile

Question 7.
Where do the lions hunker down when great trees fall?
a. in the bushes
b. behind the trees
c. in tall grasses
d. in the caves
Answer:
c. in tall grasses

Question 8.
Small things recoil into silence because …………
a. their senses are eroded away
b. their fears are eroded away
c. their shelter is eroded away
d. none of the above
Answer:
a. their senses are eroded away

Question 9.
What does the elephants do when great trees fall?
a. they hide in the tall grasses
b. they shudder into fear
c. they recoil into silence
d. they lumber for safety
Answer:
d. they lumber for safety

Question 10.
In the poem the adjective used for ‘ignorance’ is similar to the word …………
a. undaunted
b. inexperienced
c. unspeakable
d. untaught
Answer:
c. unspeakable

Question 11.
What are the two adjectives used to describe the word “vibration” in the poem?
a. soothing, electric
b. soothing, magnetic
c. relieving, comforting
d. none of the above
Answer:
a. soothing, electric

Question 12.
What happens to the small creatures when great trees fall? They
a. shudder
b. recoil
c. lumber
d. hunker down
Answer:
b. recoil

Treasure Chest A Collection of ICSE Poems Workbook Answers

A Doctor’s Journal Entry for August 6, 1945 Poem Questions and Answers & MCQs

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A Doctor’s Journal Entry for August 6, 1945 Poem Questions and Answers

A Doctor’s Journal Entry for August 6, 1945 Poem Questions and Answers & MCQs

Read the given extracts given below and the following questions:

Question 1.
Sprawlinghalf clad, I gazed
Of shinimering ………………….
A strong flash, then another, startled me.
a. Name the poem and the poet.
b. Who was startled and why?
c. What did he debate? What did he see next?
d. State the theme of the poem.
Answers:
a. The name of the poem is ‘A Doctor’s Jornal Entry for August 6, 1945’. The poem is written by Vikram Seth.

b. The doctor was startled because he saw a sudden strong flash, followed by another.

c. He debated whether these flashes which he had seen, were magnesium flares as they appeared extremely bright. He saw the old stone lantern, to be lit up on its own. Then he saw that the roof, the walls of his house collapsed. His house was mostly made of timber that came crashing down and debris were strewn all over the place and he found himself to be thrown into the garden without his clothes.

d. It is an anti-war poem vividly describing the scene of fire, destruction, blood, death through the doctor’s horrific experience of undergoing the ordeal. It describes the reality of the first nuclear explosion and its power to destroy the human race.

Question 2.
‘All the time wandering what had come to pass’
a. Who was wandering and what was the morning like, when the speaker woke up?
b. What was the speaker doing after he woke up?
c. What had happened to him before this?
d. Just after this what was the speaker reminded of? What did he do?
Answers:
a. The speaker of the above line is the doctor. When he woke up, the morning was calm, beautiful and warm.

b. When the doctor woke up on that beautiful, calm and warm morning, with partially dressed, he looked out and saw the leaves of the trees shaking, and shadows everywhere.

c. He was thrown into the garden and his clothes were separated from him and he was left naked. A splinter stuck out of his thigh which had been ravaged completely. The doctor’s right side bled and his cheek was badly bruised and he somehow pulled out a piece of glass.

d. Just after this,the doctor remembered of his wife Yecko-San. He was confused and thought where his wife was. So he called his wife by her name frantically. Moreover, the artery in his neck had torn and it started to bleed profusely and he was sure that he would soon die.

Question 3.
‘I called out, panic-stricken to my wife’
a. What was the doctor’s wife name? Why was he panic-stricken?
b. What did he notice when she appeared?
c. How did the doctor reassure his wife and what did he suggest to do? Did his wife listen to him?
d. Describe the encounter as they stepped out? How did the doctor react?
Answers:
a. The doctor’s wife’s name was Yecko-San. When she called out his wife, blood started oozing out profusely as the artery in his neck had torn. Being a doctor he knew that he would die soon, so he was panic-stricken and called out his wife.

b. When his wife emerged, the doctor that she was holding her injured elbow and her body was blood stained and she was looking pale and frightened.

c. The doctor assured his wife that they would be alright and he also suggested that they should leave the house immediately. Yes, his wife agreed to him and both of them stepped onto the street.

d. No sooner did they step onto the street than they tripped over something. The doctor gasped out as he saw that it was a head of a dead man who was crushed to death by a gate which had fallen upon him. The doctor apologized to the dead man for stepping on him.

4. My legs gave way. I sat …….. ground
Thirst seizel hie ………. found.
a. What further destruction,frightened the doctor and his wife, immediately just before this extract?
b. What did they decide to do and why?
c. ‘The doctor felt no shame’. Why do you think so and who gave him the towel?
Answers:
a. Just before this extract, the doctor and his wife saw a house in front of them, swayed, tripped and crashed and fire sprang up in the dust, spread by the wind.

b. At that point, the doctor realized that they needed to go to the hospital for help. The doctor wanted to help his employees as well but did not know how to do so.

c. The doctor couldn’t stand any longer so he sat on the ground. He was thirsty but there was no water to quench his thirst. He was panting eventually, but gradually he was able to stand up as be revived slowly.

d. The doctor was still without any attires but still he didn’t feel any shame.He was so disturbed and puzzled at the moment that he had lost his sense of shame. On the way a soldier gave him a towel to cover him and to wipe the blood.

Question 5.
She did not wish ……………………… distress
What choice ………………………. Ioneliness.
a. Who is ‘she’ referred to in the above line? What did she not wish?
b. Did ‘she’ listen and how did the doctor feel then?
c. What did the doctor say the victims of the bomb blast looked like?
d. How did the doctor describe the people going to the hospital?
Answers:
a. ‘She’ in the above line refers to Yeckosan, the doctors’s wife. The doctor told his wife to go to the hospital, leaving him behind, because he couldn’t walk and so he was slowing down her speed.

b. Though the doctor’s wife was reluctant to go to the hospital leaving her husband (the doctor. alone but since there was no choice left for them, she agreed to go. After she left, the doctor felt lonely. Though his mind was moving fast, but his body could not.

c. The people or the victims seemed to have been reduced to pale ghosts or unruly scarecrows. They were all walking with their arms in front of them. The poet for a moment could not understand why they were doing so, but soon he realized that their burns were so severe that they could not even touch themselves against anyone else’s flesh.

d. The victims who were all terribly injured and wounded wanted to hold the last rope to survive. So the people who had strength to stand were all trooping towards the hospital for their lives. It looked like a parade of undressed people.

Question 6.
I turned my gaze but was at a loss.
a. Why did the narrator turn his gaze?
b. What did the narrator think of It?
c. What did the narrator see after this that made him realize Of the reality?
d. What did the doctor see at last when he said silence to be common for everyone? Why did he say so?
Answers:
a. Just before this the narrator that is the doctor saw a woman and her child naked and so he turned away from the naked woman.

b. When the doctor saw the woman and the baby both in an undressed condition, he wondered whether they had gone to bath. Then he thought why the woman wasn’t trying to cover herself up.

c. Just after this the doctor saw again another naked man. It was then that he realized that everyone’s clothes had been ripped open by something or something had happened that unclothed everyone there.

d. The doctor then saw an old woman who was lying on the ground and her face was distorted. Though she looked distressed with seething pain, she still did not say anything. In fact, no one said anything, and no one even cried. Silence was around and in the faces of all men and women. Each and everyone was dumbfounded and speechless.

A Doctor’s Journal Entry for August 6, 1945 Poem MCQs

Question 1.
What is the main theme of the poem?
a. War
b. Love
c. Nature
d. Loss
Answer:
a. War

Question 2.
How does the doctor feels as he stumbles through the aftermath of the bombing?
a. excitement
b. fear
c. confusion
d. calmness
Answer:
c. confusion

Question 3.
What is the doctor’s primary concern as he searches for his wife?
a. her safety
b. his own injuries
c. The state of the world around him
d. all of the above
Answer:
a. her safety

Question 4.
How does the doctor feel about his nudity in the aftermath of the bombing?
a. ashamed
b. confused
c. indifferent
d. embarrassed
Answer:
b. confused

Question 5.
How was the morning described by the doctor?
a. calm, beautiful and cold
b. beautiful, cold and peaceful
c. calm, beautiful and warm
d. beautiful and warm
Answer:
c. calm, beautiful and warm

Question 6.
How many strong flash startled ………. the doctor?
a. one
b. two
c. three
d. four
Answer:
b. two

Question 7.
Yecko-San came out holding her …………
a. elbow
b. arm
c. wrist
d. finger
Answer:
a. elbow

Question 8.
The victims were described by the doctor as …………
a. ghost and scarecrows
b. scarecrows and wordless dumb
c. ghost and wordless dumb
d. all of the above
Answer:
d. all of the above

Question 9.
A splinter jutted from the doctor’s mangled ………………
a. hand
b. ankle
c. arm
d. thigh
Answer:
d. thigh

Question 10.
The doctor removed a piece of glass from his …………..
a. knee
b. cheek
c. nose
d. shoulder
Answer:
b. cheek

Question 11.
Blood gushed out from the artery of the doctor’s
a. hands
b. thigh
c. neck
d. cheek
Answer:
c. neck

Question 12.
A gave a towel to the doctor.
a. his wife
b. A woman
c. his staff
d. A soldier
Answer:
d. A soldier

Question 13.
The doctor saw the lantern brightly lit up.
a. old metal
b. new stone
c. new metal
d. old stone
Answer:
d. old stone

Question 14.
The doctor found himself thrown into the ………….
a. garden
b. verendah
c. street
d. none of the above
Answer:
a. garden

Question 15.
A woman with a child stood in the way of the doctor who were …………
a. half-clad
b. fully dressed
c. fully undressed
d. in towels
Answer:
c. fully undressed

Question 16.
The doctor’s ……….. and ………… disappeared.
a. drawers and shirt
b. drawers and undershirt
c. drawers and shawl
d. shirt and undershirt
Answer:
b. drawers and undershirt

Treasure Chest A Collection of ICSE Poems Workbook Answers

Skimbleshanks The Railway Cat Poem Questions and Answers & MCQs

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Skimbleshanks The Railway Cat Poem Questions and Answers & MCQs

Skimbleshanks The Railway Cat Poem Questions and Answers & MCQs

Read the extracts given below and the following questions:

Question 1.
“We must find him or the train can’t start”
a. Where is the above line taken from? Name the poet and the book from which it is taken?
b. Who is “him” referred to?Who is “are “referred to?
c. What train can’t start? When was it about to start? Why can’t it not start?
d. How are all the people present ther reacting, due to the absence of’ him?” Where was “him” found at last?
Answer:
a. The above line has been taken from “Skimbleshanks- The Railway Cat.” The name of the poet is T. S. Eliot. It is taken from the book “OLD POSSDUM”S BOOK OF PRACTICAL CATS”

b. ’’Him “is referred to skimbleshanks the railway cat. “We” is referred to the guards, driver, passengers, stationmaster’s daughters and all the other people who are present in the railway station.

c. The Night Mail train can’t start, It is about to start at 11:42. It is in charge of Skimbleshanks. Unless the cat comes and says that the signal is all clear, the train will not be able to leave the station.

d. A whisper could be heard down the line at 11:39, when the Night Mail train is ready to depart. Skimbleshanks is in-charge of this train. It is under his supervision, the train departs from the station. He is the manager, who looks to every small details of the train.

So since Skimbleshanks is not present, so the people are discussing about him as to where is he, whether he has gone to hunt the thimble. The guard, the porters and the stationmaster’s daughtersare all searching him everywhere in the station. Skimbleshanks is lastly found strolling to the rear. He has been busy in the luggage van.

Question 2.
“He will supervise them all, more or less”
a. Who is “he” referred to and who is “them all” referred to?
b. What does “he” does all after this? Mention at least two things that he does?
c. How is the atmosphere described in the last of this stanza from where the above line is taken?Why do you think to be the atmosphere like that?
d. Describe in short, what do you think of this “he” in the above line?
Answer:
a. “He” in the above line refers to Skimbleshanks the railway cat who is in-charge of the Night Mail train. “Them all” is referred to the driver, the guards and the bagmen.

b. Skimbleshanks moves down the corridor of the train and examines the faces of all the travellers in the first and the third class compartments .Then he establishes contol by regular patrolling and he is so keen that he knows if anything has occurred.

c. All the passengers are quiet and calm. Skimbleshanks watches the passengers so minutely that he is able to see or say what the passengers are thinking. He never approves of any riot or even amusements. So it is quite obvious that the passengers will remain silent and calm and therefore nothing can go wrong in the Night Mail train.

d. Skimbleshanks is a railway cat. He is in-charge of the Night Mail train. He supervises and manages everything related to the train. The train can’t start unless Skimbleshanks gives green signal to it. He is dutiful, meticulous and perfect in his work.

He supervises the guard, the porters and the driver. He looks after each and every details of the passengers. He is diligent. He is also strict as he does not approve any riot and so nothing goes wrong and one can’t play pranks on him.

Question 3.
“Oh,its very pleasant when you have found your little den”
a. What does the word “little den” mean?
b. Why do you think its very pleasant when you have found your little den?
c. What else do they find on their little den? Explain all the things found there in details?
Answer:
a. “Little den” is referred to the cabin of the Night Mail train where the passengers stay and sleep at night while travelling.

b. When the passengers find their names written up on the door, they find it very pleasant as they don’t have to search for their names everywhere.

c. When the passengers come in the cabin, they find their berths to be neat and clean, with newly folded covers. The floor of the cabin is also very neat with no speck of dust. There are lights of every sorts that can be adjusted. They can be made dark and bright The fans there are with handles that can be turned for breeze. There are also basins for the passengers to wash their faces.

If the passengers get cold, they can shut the windows with the help of a handle. Again in the morning the passengers get preferences of having strong or weak tea as the guard comes and asks them politely. Skimbleshanks stands behind the guard to see to it. The passengers also don’t get bothered by mice which are caught by Skimbleshanks.

Question 4.
“Then the guard looks in politely and will ask youn very brightly”
a. What does the guard ask and to whom?
b. Who stands behind the guard and why?
c. What else does he do in the end of the stanza?
d. How does he remain fresh and bright even at night?
Answer:
a. The guard asks the passengers their preference of tea whether they will have strong or weak tea.

b. Skimbleshanks is seen standing behind the guard as if to remind the guard of his duty to be performed correctly. Skimbleshanks is present in the cabin, so nothing can go wrong. When the passengers creep into “their cosy berths and pull up their covers, there is Skimbleshanks present to see that they don’t get disturbed by mice. So everything can be left on the Railway Cat, Skimbleshanks.

c. It is the duty of the railwar cat Skimbleshanks to keep a watch on the train at night.When the train reaches different stations, the cat is found awake while the passengers asleep. To keep himself awake at night and also to keep him fresh and bright he has a cup of tea mixed with a drop of scotch whisky, every now and then. Therefore he can keep vigilance strong at night.

Question 5.
“Only stopping here and there to catch a flea”
a. Who stops here and there and why?
b. What does he do in Crewe station?
c. What does he do in Carlisle and Dumfries?
d. Where does he bid goodbye to the passengers and how?
Answer:
a. Skimbleshanks the railway cat, stops here and there while wandering, to catch a flea.

b. In the Crewe station he walks up and down and only stops to catch a flea.

c. At Carlisle Skimbleshanks is found to be walking out and greeting the stationmaster. At Dumfries he talks to the police to ensure whether everything is alright.

d. Skimbleshanks bids goodbye to the passengers at Gallowgate station. He waves the passengers with his long brown tail saying that “I’ll see you again.”

Skimbleshanks The Railway Cat Poem MCQs

Question 1.
When is there a whisper down the line? It is at …………
a. 11:42
b. 11:30
c. 11:39
d. 11:50
Answer:
b. 11:30

Question 2.
Skimbleshanks has been busy where?
a. in the rear.
b. in the station.
c. in the corridor.
d. in the luggage van.
Answer:
d. in the luggage van.

Question 3.
Skimbleshanks gives one of his …………
a. glass-green eyes.
b. glass-blue eyes.
c. glass-black eyes.
d. glass-brown eyes
Answer:
a. glass-green eyes.

Question 4.
The train was off for …………
a. the southern part of the Southern Hemisphere
b. southern part of the Northern Hemisphere
c. northern part of the Southern Hemisphere
d. northern part of the Northern Hemisphere
Answer:
d. northern part of the Northern Hemisphere

Question 5.
He will supervise them all, more or less …………
a. from the stationmaster to the guards
b. from the driver to the guards to the bagman
c. from the driver to the stationmaster
d. from the guards to the bagman
Answer:
b. from the driver to the guards to the bagman

Question 6.
SKimbleshanks the Railway Cat can be said …………
a. unstrict and oerfectionist
b. kind and strict
e. diligent and strict
d. strict, diligent and perfectionist
Answer:
d. strict, diligent and perfectionist

Question 7.
“Little den” in the poem refers to …………
a. The corridor of the train
b. The berth of the train
c. The cabin of the trains
d. The window of the train
Answer:
c. The cabin of the trains

Question 8.
‘Crank’ in the poem means …………
a. door
b. handle
c. window
d. seat
Answer:
b. handle

Question 9.
The two living creatures mentioned in the poem that could disturb the passengers in the train are ………
a. cociroach and flies
b. flies and ants
c. fleas and mice
d. ants and mice
Answer:
c. fleas and mice

Question 10.
Skimbleshanks is seen walking up and down the station of …………
a. Crewe
b. Gallowgate
c. Dumfries
d. Carlisle
Answer:
a. Crewe

Question 11.
Skimbleshanks walks dovn the corridor and examines the faces of the travellers in the ………..
a. second and the third class compartments
b. First and the second class compartments
c. First and the third class compartments
d. First, second and third class compartments
Answer:
c. First and the third class compartments

Question 12.
Skimbleshanks is seen greeting the stationmastcr in high spirit at ………..
a. Gallowgate
b. Dumfries
c. Crewe
d. Carlisle
Answer:
d. Carlisle

Question 13.
Skimbleshanks speaks to the police at the station of ………..
a. Carlisle
b. Dumfries
c. Gallowgate
d. Crewe
Answer:
d. Crewe

Question 14.
In the morning Skimble is seen to be standing ………..
a. behind the guard
b. beside the guard
c. in front of the guard
d. near the guard
Answer:
a. behind the guard

Question 15.
Whom are all searching for the train to depart?
a. the stationmaster
b. the porters
c. the bagmen
d. Skimbleshanks
Answer:
d. Skimbleshanks

Question 16.
Which word describes the cat the most?
a. unkind
b. careless
c. meticulous
d. none of the above
Answer:
c. meticulous

Question 17.
How doe Skimbleshanks establish control over the train?
a. by examining all the people thoroughly
b. by not allowing anyone to move out of their seat
c. by patrolling regularly in all the compartments
d. by searching the belongings of the passengers thoroughly
Answer:
c. by patrolling regularly in all the compartments

Question 18.
What does Skimble do in the Carlisle station?
a. he walks up and down the station
b. he catches the fleas
c. he summons the police
d. he greets the stationmaster
Answer:
d. he greets the stationmaster

Question 19.
In which station does Skimbleshanks bid goodbye?
a. Dumfries
b. Carlisle
c. Crewe
d. Gallowgate
Answer:
d. Gallowgate

Question 20.
Skimbleshanks bid goodbye by waving
a. his hands
b. his long bushy tail
c. his brown tail
d. his long brown tail
Answer:
d. his long brown tail

Treasure Chest A Collection of ICSE Poems Workbook Answers

The Medicine Bag Summary, Theme, Critical Appreciation by V.D.Hawksneve

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The Medicine Bag Summary by V.D.Hawksneve

The Medicine Bag Summary, Theme, Critical Appreciation by V.D.Hawksneve

The Medicine Bag Summary

The “Medicine Bag” is a story about a young lad named Martin’s relationship with his grandfather who actually represent the cultural past of their family and culture. The narrator Martin’s mother is a Native American but his father is a white man. His grandfather is from Sioux, South Dakota, belonging to Lakota tribe.

Martin and his sister Chery visit their eighty-six years old grandfather on Rosebud Reservation in South Dakota every summer- On their return to Iowa, where they live, the often depict a very impressive picture of their native grandpa and the place he belonged to. They bring wonderful things from that place to show and impress their friends. Their friends are fascinated by all the details about Grandpa and the place he lives in. The young teen Martin never shows any picture of his Grandpa to his friends.

Therefore, when his Grandpa actually comes to visit them, Martin felt upset. He feels embarrassed by Grandpa’s dressing style and behaviour in the street, where dogs also barked at him. Grandpa greets Martin in a traditional way.

Martin’s mother also feels shocked on seeing that the old man had come from South Dakota to Iowa just to meet them. She avoids hugging the old man while greeting. She feels that her hugging the old man will not be considered dignified. But her daughter Chery goes and greets the old man as their loving Grandpa.

Martin helps his Grandpa into bed, he realises how weak and feeble the old man is. He discovers a leather pouch around Grandpa’s neck. As he removes Grandpa’s boots, he finds them stuffed with money. Seeing the condition they call a doctor and he reports that the old man is suffering from heat exhaustion.

After relishing soup, the old man describes them the actual purpose of his visit. He was feeling lonely and decided to meet his family his only surviving relatives. With the assistance of a policeman, he was able to meet Martin and his family. All the family felt guilty that Grandpa faced difficulties in reaching them.

Martin has a feeling of respect for the old man who bravely set out to the unknown place. Grandpa narrates to the family how he had saved one hundred dollars for his funeral. He carried the money in his boots which was earlier discovered by Mail n himself. He ordered them to use the money to buy groceries as the old man does not want to depend on them being their burden. Martin’s father realises his fault in never asking

Grandpa to come to visit their house or to live with them. He believed that it was his right time go visit the family. He had come to hand over the medicine bag to Martin. The boy feel shocked that he will have to take the bag if it is offered to him.

The Medicine Bag About the Author Roald Dahl

Virginia Driving Hawk Sneve (born on 21st February 1933) is an American author with a focus on children’s books about aboriginal Americans. The daughter of James Driving Hawk, an Episcopalian priest and Rose Driving Hawk (nee Rose), Virginia was raised on the Rosebud Indian Reservation. She graduated from St. Mary’s School for Indians Girls in Springfield, South Dakota and received her bachelor’s and master’s degrees from South Dakota State University (Brookings) where she met her husband.

She published twenty books on South Dakota history, aboriginal American history, poetry, fiction and non-fiction work for children, as well as one about her female ancestors. She studied journalism at the South Dakota State University. She is a mother of three, grandmother of five and great-grandmother of two. It is beacuse of her children that the author realized the need for children’s book about aboriginal Americans in a contemporary context rather than a “Savage” myth of the past.

First published in Boy’s Life Magazine in 1975, ‘The Medicine Bag’ is one of Sneve’s early works. Her writings earned her acclaim throughout the world and won prestigious awards including National Humanities Medal (2000). She always realised the need for children’s books about aboriginal Americans that makes her contribution to literature more valuable.

The Medicine Bag Theme

The story “The Medicine Bag” concentrates on the significance of family relationship and the importance of cultural heritage. The writer explores two levels of family relationship. Martin, the narrator belongs to a small nuclear family. He likes to talk about his Grandpa and the place he lives in but does not want his friends to know the reality about them. On the other hand, the Grandpa keeps hold on the family’s culture and tradition and want Martin to understand the intrinsic power of family heritage and culture.

He wants to handover a leather pouch “the medicine bag” to Martinto carry on the cultural heritage that signifies the families past. At the end of the short story the author makes the reader realise the importance of family history, culture and tradition, through Martins realisation and acceptance of the “Medicine Bag”.

The Medicine Bag Critical Appreciation

Virginia Driving Hawk Sneve’s “The Medicine Bag” is very interesting and meaningful story about the forgotten values and significance of cultural heritage. The narrator Mortin a lad of fourteen, loves to talk about his Grandpa a Native American and how the old man brought to their home the link of cultural heritage preserved by the Native Americans.

The boy narrates how he exaggerated the attractive aspect of South Dakota, the place where his Grandpa lived and bored the appearance. Martin’s friends at Iowa, where he lives with his parents, do not know much about the Indians as they have seen them and their life in Television and films or any other media only.

When the narrator’s Grandpa pays them a visit, it worries Martin that his friends would not appereciate Grandpa’s way of life. He does not want them to meet the Grandpa. But his friends like and appreciate Grandpa’s behaviour and the way he greets them. The Grandpa narrates the tale of his father called “Iron Shell” who handed over “the medicine bag” to him with a hope that he would pass it to the future generations particularly the male member of his family.

Since Grandpa’s sons are dead at war, he wanted Martin to hung the medicine bag or the elk leather pouch on his neck which is symbolical about cultural past of the family and the society the ancestors belonged to. There are two parts of the story consisting of two stories related to the bag of medicine.

In the first part, the narrator talks about his fears about the nature of the culture that Grandpa represents. It also brings out that the narrator himself seems ashamed of his past. It critically points at the attitude of the younger generation towards the ancient traditions and values. The young one usually avoid to show their cultural past in fear they will be considered traditional by their modem friends.

The second part of the story highlights Grandpa and his past history of acquiring the medicine bag. Grandpa make the narrator Martin realise the importance and relevance of his cultural tradition and the ways their ancestors have valued them. It brings a change in the young boy’s attitude and he readily accepts his cultural past symbolically represented by the medicine bag”.

The Medicine Bag Characters

Grandpa:

In this story Grandpa is potrayed as an eighty-six years old Native American committed to the family traditions and the cultural past. He lives on the Rosebud Reservation in south Dakota. He travels a long way from Dakota to Iowa to hand over the medicine bag as a symbol of his family heritage to Martin his grandson. The old man wore a tall black hat with feathers in it. Although he was old and belonged to distant land, but he knew how to conduct himself in the changed circumstances.

His behaviour with Martin’s young friends brings a change in the boy’s thoughts about him. He always act with dignity and seems to have an innate sense of time. He understands the proper time at which certain events should take place. He prepares Martin to embrace and appreciate his own culture and heritage.

Martin:

The narrator Martin is a young teen of fourteen. He lives with his parents in a white sub-urban neighbourhood in Iowa. His mother is Native American and his father is a white man. He creates a glorious image of his Grandpa and the place he belongs to infront of his friends. He is aware of this false apprecation. When his Grandpa actually visits him. Martin does not want his friends to meet the old man.

It shows that he does not think high of his Grandpa’s appearance and the culture he belongs to. However, he is helpful, respectful and considerate towards Grandpa. Martin helps the old man in changing his dress and making comfortable place in the house. He guides the old man from the street to the house. He realises the significance of his family’s past and accepts its tradition as desired by Grandpa.

Iron Shell:

The character does not appear in the story like Grandpa or others. He is just mentioned in the story of Grandpa. He is an important character. Iron Shell was a Native American who lived in the area known as Montana and Dakota. He was actually Grandpa’s father. Iron Shell gave respect and importance to ancient tradition of his people. He decided to go on a spiritual journey or quest. His dream of an iron shell that he put in a leather pouch of elk skin gave him his name as “Iron Shell”. He appears to be a strong minded people who had great faith in the value of his cultural past.

Cheryl, Dad, Mother:

These three characters are the member of Martin’s family. Cheryl, is his sister and she lives with her parents in company of Martin. His dad and Mom are too responsible, sensitive and sympathetic human beings. They realized their mistake and feel guilty for not asking Grandpa to accompany them to their house. They look after the old man very well.

Dad is a teacher at a local college. He is a white man but he respects the traditions of his wife’s family belonging to Native American. Martin’s mother, referred to as “Mom” is a good lady who values her Native American heritage. She is kind and affectionate towards her father and also wants her children to follow the advice of their old Grandpa. Cheryl, Dad and Mom are not well-developed characters in the story but they have important roles to play in developing the whole story.

The Medicine Bag Title of the Story

The author Virginia Driving Hawk Sneve has used the title “The Medicine Bag” in a very suggestive and symbolical manner. The pouch of elk leather bag as mentioned in the short story as “The Medicine Bag” has no medicine in it. It has an iron shell that signifies the ancient culture and traditions of the Native Americans that Grandpa wants Martin to adopt and carry forward on heritage relics.

“The Medicine Bag” gains importance in the section of the story when Grandpa gives details about Iron Shell and the story related to him. The whole focus shifts from Grandpa’s unexpected arrival, Martin’s fear and the old man’s long journey to the purpose of Grandpa’s visit concerning the medicine bag. The bag is the symbol of ancient culture and tradition of the family.

The Medicine Bag Setting

The story “The Medicine Bag” features round Grandpa’s concern to carry forward the Native American Culture. Consequently, the setting of the story is in Native American places like Dakota and Grandpa is linked to the Rosebud Reservation located in the southern central part of Dakota. He teaches real Sioux chant to Martin and familiarises Martin to the culture and history of his ancestors. All the incidents related to Grandpa’s arrival to Martin’s house takes place in Iowa whereas the other places are mentioned or simply described to provide a suitable setting to the story.

The Medicine Bag Style

Virginia Driving Hawk Sneve’s style in this story includes the use of literary devices like simile, contrast, juxtaposition and symbolism. The example of simile can be observed in the sentences “His rumpled black suit hung like a sack over his stopped frame”. The use of contrast is obvious when the narrator brings out the difference of people’s thought towards the Native American based on Television any other media image and the reality about them.

The narrator Martin’s thought about the reaction of his friends and his sister’s attitude in this situation have been justified to highlight the difference in perception and understanding. The most important example of a symbol in this story is the medicine bag that the Grandpa hands over to Martin. This bag is the symbol of Native American culture and belief that these people preserve and wish their generations to carry forward in future.

The Medicine Bag Plot Explanation

Martin, the narrator fears that his Grandpa’s unexpected visit would spoil his reputation among his friends and peer group as he had poesented a glorious picture about the Grandpa and the place where he lived.

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The Grandpa comes, Martin brings him home from the street, he had reached after a long journey from Dakota.

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Grandpa gives detailed accounts of his journey and declares then his actual purpose of this visit. He wants to give his ancestral medicine bag to Martin as his own son has died in war. Martin feared that his friend will make fun of him seeing his Native Grandpa and hides the oldman’s arrival before them. But Martin’s friends visit the old man and feel rather happy. It changes Martin’s attitude and thoughts about the old man.

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The old man narrates the story of his father from shell who had handed over the bag to him. The medicine bag possess a magical quality it keeps away all evil of life. Martin accepts the leather pouch without any hesitation and when the old man dies the family bring the Grandpa for burial to Dakota.

The Medicine Bag Annotations and Vocabulary

glamourous — attractive
bragged — talked two proudly
mocassins — flat comfortables shoes made with large stitches in front
authentic — true
stringy — resemble a string (especially hairs)
strand — a piece of hair or wool
shock — a small bundle of wood or metal
mutis — stray dogs
commotion — great noise
yipping — give out short sharp cries in excitement
nipping — giving a quick bite
straggled — walked more slowly than the group
rumpled — dishavelled
fatigue — tiredness
sheepishly — shyly
Patio — a flat hard area usually behind the house.
squaeeze — press
scared — afraid
sacred — pious, holy
blacksmith — a person who makes and repairs things made of iron
treasured — valued
drifted — moved away
Prairie — a region covered with grass
sage — a fragrant plant
upright — in a straight vertical position or honest and responsible
wearily — tiredly
stooped — head and shoulders bent

Prism A Collection of ISC Short Stories Workbook Answers

Indigo Summary, Theme, Critical Appreciation by Satyajit Ray

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Indigo Summary by Satyajit Ray

Indigo Summary, Theme, Critical Appreciation by Satyajit Ray

Indigo Summary

Satyajit Ray (192 1-1992), mainly an Indian Film maker of international renown, was a diverse talent of the 20th century. Sukumar Roy, his father, was a prolific writer of prominence and an excellent craftsman in creating humour through his short stories, plays and poems. He was short-lived and therefore, Suprava Roy, Satyajit’s mother had to toil hard in order to lead a dignified life.

Satyajit Ray graduated with Honours from Presidency College, Calcutta and then got admitted to Tagore’s Shantiniketan. But he came back to Calcutta without completing his education at Shantiniketan. He, however, worked as a calligrapher, illustrator, photographer, music composer, film maker, and writer and so on. Though Satyajit’s fame and awards rested on his films, he wrote considerable volume of prose in the forms of novels and short stories.

His science fictions, blended with fantasy and imagination have drawn considerable readership. Ray also wrote crime fictions and other short stories for adolescents and children. His interest being diverse in the matters of middle class people, he choose mysticism, occult, phantasm, clairvoyance, necromancy ,apport, sorcery, human relationship, boyhood etc. for his subjects to deal with. He was awarded an honorary degree by Oxford University. His films were also widely acclaimed and those brought several national and international awards.

Indigo About the Author Satyajit Ray

Satyajit Ray (1921-1992), mainly an Indian Film maker of international renown, was a diverse talent of the 20th century. Sukumar Roy, his father, was a prolific writer of prominence and an excellent craftsman in creating humour through his short stories, plays and poems. He was short- lived and therefore, Suprava Roy, Satyajit’s mother had to toil hard in order to lead a dignified life.

Satyajit Ray graduated with Honours from Presidency College, Calcutta and then got admitted to Tagore’s Shantiniketan. But he came back to Calcutta without completing his education at Shantiniketan. He, however, worked as a calligrapher, illustrator, photographer, music composer, film maker, and writer and so on. Though Satyajit’s fame and awards rested on his films, he wrote considerable volume of prose in the forms of novels and short stories. His science fictions, blended with fantasy and imagination have drawn considerable readership.

Ray also wrote crime fiction and other short stories for adolescents and children. His interest being diverse in the matters of middle class people, he choose mysticism, occult, phantasm, clairvoyance, necromancy, apport, sorcery, human relationship, boyhood etc. for his subjects to deal with. He was awarded an honorary degree by Oxford University. His films were also widely acclaimed and those brought several national and international awards.

Indigo Theme

The theme of Ray’s short story “Indigo” is a supernatural one. But to reach to the theme, he has spent words and space-at times telling upon the patience of the reader. Manifestation of supernaturalism is usually attributed to some force beyond scientific understanding or the laws of nature. In the story, the wraith of English Indigo planter, infamous in his own country and India as well, for his cunning and cruelty, possessed Aniruddha, an Indian young man and repeated what he did during his last few days.

Aniruddha took shelter in the cursed, dilapidated Dak Bungalow for a night. During the night, the said English Indigo planter possessed him, changed his looks and dress, and made him write last words in a diary although Aniruddha was in his full sense. Rex, the dog, also came to life and was killed by a pistol shot. Aniruddha, alias the English planter, shot himself at the right ear.

Rex was killed by the pistol shot, but Aniruddha was not although the same pistol was fired at him. The story is a haunting experience for Aniruddha and looks like his experience is a paranormal phenomenon. There is also suspense and horror in the story.

Indigo Critical Appreciation

Ray’s “Indigo” is a short story with an elongated circumlocution. Aniruddha’s journey by car to Dumka to comply with his friend’s request is interspersed with so much of details that the reader’s curiosity might pale into discernment about the main story which takes a little time to read and finish.

The story is all about Aniruddha, a young man working in an Advertising Agency. Mention may be made that Ray’s penchant for Advertising Agency is well known, as he started his own career in an Advertising Agency. However, Aniruddha, on his way to Dumka, is waylaid in a nor wester and takes shelter in an old, dilapidated Dak Bungalow in a remote place.

The Dak Bungalow was built long ago by a British Indigo planter infamous in his own country and in India for his cruelty. At night, Aniruddha finds that the paraphernalia of the room where he laid on a charpoy has changed. There were English boots, galoshes, a writing table and so on.

He himself had changed into an Englishman. He was in his full senses all the time. It is like those children’s ghost stories where ghosts’ possess men and women and they act according to the will of the ghosts even when they are in full senses.

The ghost of the British Planter made Aniruddha write a few confessions in a diary and then shot “Rex” his ghost hound and then shot himself at the right ear. Aniruddha, like those ghost stories, fainted and did not die. In children’s ghost stories, when a ghost leaves the possession of a man or a woman, they faint and do not die.

Ray’s long introduction to come to the main story makes it somewhat cumbrous and patience consuming. The creation of a supernatural environment is simple and fails to carve a niche in the mind of the reader.

Indigo Characters

Aniruddha Bose:

Aniruddha Bose is the central character in Ray’s “Indigo”. He is thirty-nine years old and a bachelor. He works in an Advertising Agency of Calcutta. He possesses a flat and an ambassador car which show that he is reasonably well off. At times, he writes and those are even published in periodicals bringing appreciations from his known circle.

It is therefore, evident that he has a penchant for literary activities. He has a wander lust. Ever since he bought a car, he travelled hither and thither. Unfortunately, he does not have a friend in Calcutta and perhaps that is why he undertakes such so trips. On receiving an invitation from Promod, one of his childhood friends, to visit Dumka where he was posted as a forest worker, he packed his baggage and decided to travel all the 200 miles by his Ambassador car.

Solo driving for 200 miles through unknown roads and unthought-of possible troubles along the road was not possibly a wise decision. More youthful zeal and less of wisdom it was not to check the condition of his car.

Twice in the road his car had flat tyres, lost right track of road and was caught in a norwester with thunderstorm. Determined to find a shelter, he found an old, dilapidated Dakbungalow and entered into it. Sukhanram was the name of the caretaker and Aniruddha confirmed from him that there never was a ghost or a spectre in or around the Dakbungalow for ages. His initial fear was gone.

At night, he was possessed by the ghost of a British Indigo planter. But Aniruddha was in his full senses. He could see changes in the room, in his behaviour, tone, looks but was not afraid. The spirit took possession of his body and mind.

He did not have that strength of mind to come out of the spirits’ possession. However, the spirit finally called out “Rex”, his pet hound, shot him and also shot himself in the right ear. Although he possessed Aniruddha, Aniruddha did not fall dead by the gun shot. He simply fainted and forgot everything. Like all ghost stories, the ghost leaves him.

Indigo Title of the Story

Whereas the original Bengali title of “Indigo” is “Indigo horror”, the present English title does not connote the sense of horror and supernaturalism of the original story. However, it becomes clear from the setting of the short story that the purpose of the author to create an atmosphere of suspense, thrill and horror-leading to something ominous and uncanny, is successful and the essence of supernaturalism is established. Aniruddha is possessed by the spirit of a British Indigo planter who is sick with malaria, then a dreadful disease in Bengal.

Even possessed by a ghost, Aniruddha is in his full senses but cannot either control his physical movements or his speech. Aniruddha, impersonated as the British Indigo planter, looked at his changed dress, his complexion and wrote in a diary about his pitiful tale. Then he shot ‘Rex’, the faithful hound of the Indigo planter and shot himself at his right ear, but Aniruddha did not die by the gunshot of the British Indigo planter who simply repeated his action which occurred in the long past. The title therefore, is justified.

Indigo About the Story

Mr. Aniruddha Bose, a twenty-nine year old bachelor worked in an Advertising Agency in Calcutta. He had an Ambassador car which he drove himself. He had always a desire to go on long drives. One day he received a letter from Pramod, one of his childhood friends, now working in forest department at Dumka, to visit his place. Aniruddha was glad to receive the invitation letter and decided to go there by car. Dumka was 200 miles away, and it would take 5 or 6 hours to reach there. There was initial delay for various reasons before departure and therefore Aniruddha drove out at 10 minutes part 11.

On way to Dumka, he had a flat tyre in the rear but somehow he replaced it. By then the sky was getting darker with clouds and then unmistakably, it was a norwester and it soon turned violent. As ill luck would have it, another tyre of the car became flat when he was close to Massanjore and he had no more spares. After a truck driver and his assistant helped him push his car by the side of the road, he went inside his car and through the windows saw a rectangle of orange light.

He got out of the car and somehow reached the source of the light. It was a small cottage and a middle aged man came out. On enquiry, Aniruddha came to know about the existence of a Dak-bungalow close by. But there was neither any provision for food and nor any bed but a charpoy.

However, Aniruddha had had some chapatti and dal from Sukhanram at his cottage to meet his hunger. Sukhan, the keeper of Dak-bungalow unrolled Aniruddha’s bedding on the charpoy and lit a lantern. He informed that this Dak-Bungalow was owned by an erstwhile British Indigo-planter.

Aniruddha fell asleep but suddenly woke up at the scratching sound at the closed door. Aniruddha tried to resume sleep but the barking of a hound woke him up. Aniruddha looked at his wristwatch to confirm the time of night. But it had disappeared. To his surprise and panic, he discovered that his torch and suitcase had vanished too.

Suddenly he looked at his hands and found those all white. He also found that his vest was replaced by a long-sleeved silk shirt. He came out of the room and called out, “Chowkidar”! It was the accent of a typical Englishman and not a Bengali. The landscape had also changed miraculously. Back into the room the charpoy was replaced by a cot with mosquito net. The pillow had border frills. There was an ornate kerosene lamp on the table. Other objects in the room had also changed.

He touched his face and felt that now he had a sharp nose, thin lips and narrow chin. His hair was wavy and there were side burns that reached below his ears.He walked into the bathroom and looked at the reflection in the mirror. The mirror showed a nineteenth-century Englishman with a sallow complexion, blonde hair and light eyes from which shone a strange mixture of hardness and suffering.

Aniruddha was perfectly within himself, but had no control over his body or behaviour. He was fully aware of the changes. A possessed Aniruddha came back to bed room, sat on a chair and wrote the story of his possessor. Malaria killed the English Indigo planter’s wife and daughter. He should have gone back to England but his past misdeeds there had made many enemies. He knew that he would die here and nobody would miss him except Mirjan,the bearer, and Rex, the dog.

Then a spirit -possessed Aniruddha, drew out a loaded revolver from the drawer of the table, went to the veranda, and called out “Rex”. The moment Rex appeared, Aniruddha, alias the Indigo planter, fired at him and killed him. Back to bedroom, Aniruddha fired the revolver at the right ear and fell senseless. This far Aniruddha remembered, and the story ended there.

Indigo Setting

The main setting in Ray’s Indigo is framed in a stormy night, at a dilapidated Dak Bungalow-built by an English Indigo planter during the Raj. As per Sukhanram, the keeper of the Dak Bungalow, the place was not haunted. Other travelers also stayed in the Dak Bungalow and nobody complained of any spectral existence. The bedroom was large and the ceiling was high and the furniture consisted of a charpoy, a table-set against the wall on one side, and a chair with a broken arm.

The chowkidar lit a lantern for Aniruddha, the central character in the story, but the dim light from the lantern, must have made darkness of the big room more prominent than illuminating it. The sound of drizzle had stopped outside. The place was now filled with the sound of frogs croaking.

An old, dilapidated Dak Bungalow with an old chimney standing close by, with almost no human habitation except the caretaker and the croaking of the frogs will certainly bring an eerie sensation in any human being. But as an exhausted man finds in a brick or a pillow enough peace to sleep on, Aniruddha had to be content with the paraphernalia of the Dak Bungalow. Undoubtedly therefore, such setting creates an uncanny, ominous feeling in one’s mind. Thus, the setting appears to be indicative of horror and supernaturalism.

Indigo Annotations and Vocabulary

person/s one knows slightly, but who is not a close friend Instilled — gradually but firmly establish in a person’s mind
Hectic — frantic activity
Snag — An unexpected or hidden obstacle
Dingy — gloomy and drab
Dreary — depressingly dull
Redolent — Strongly reminiscent or suggestive of
Predicament — An embarrassing situation
Dripping — fat that has melted and dripped from roasting meat, used in cooking or eaten cold as spread
Muggy — unpleasantly warm and humid
Norwester — a kind of thunderstorm
Vicious — deliberately cruel or violent
Assault — make a physical attack
Precarious — dangerously
Frolicsome — lively and playful
Puddle — A small pool of rainwater
Stocky — broad and sturdily built
Squinted — look at something with one or both eyes partly closed in an attempt to see more clearly or as a reaction to strong light.
Heyday — The period of a person’s great success.
Jocular — fond of joking.
Spooky — sinister or ghostly in a way that causes fear and unease.
Adjoining — next to, or joined by.
Ajar — slight opening.
Bay — Bay dogs chase and circle the boar, keeping it cornered in one place, while barking intensely. This behaviour is known as baying or keeps the boar at bay.
Ornate — elaborately decorated
Sideburns — facial hair grown on the sides of the face extending from the hairline to run parallel to or beyond the ears.
Quill — The hollow, sharp spines of a porcupine, or hedgehog.
Fiendish — extremely cruel or unpleasant.
Alien — belonging to a foreign country
Wagged — Move or cause to move an animal’s tail

Prism A Collection of ISC Short Stories Workbook Answers

There Will Come Soft Rains Summary, Theme, Critical Appreciation by Ray Bradbury

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There Will Come Soft Rains Summary by Ray Bradbury

There Will Come Soft Rains Summary, Theme, Critical Appreciation by Ray Bradbury

There Will Come Soft Rains Summary

The Story “There Will Corne Soft Rains” is a science fiction where the author Ray Bradbury describes the reader about an automated house. The story represent the year 2026. It opens at seven o’clock in the morning where the alarm clock declares to the inmates of the house that it is the time for them to rise. This automated house is situated in a nuclear devasted area in Allendale, California.

The house was equipped with small robotic gadgets, automatic devices which serves the daily routine work – preparing breakfast for its inhabitants – the Mc Clellan family. The reminder clock sounded with the remark of birthdays and anniversary.

But no inhabitant is present to hear or eat. All the automatic gadgets are engaged in their daily chores oblivious of the presence of inmates. The breakfast stoves serves typical breakfast which comprises of toast, sunny side eggs, bacon, coffee and milk. The weather box declares the weather report and clothing suggestion.

When the breakfast remained untouched after few hour it was disposed off and dishes were promptly cleaned. The mechanical mice emerged from the walls to clean the house. There were automatic sprinklers to water the garden – which too has been affected like other things. The entire west face of the house turned charred black, all the paints were burnt except a few Silhouettes. There was a image of a man and woman doing work in a lawn and of a boy and girl throwing a ball. The rest of the neighbourhood is charred with the radioactive glow that hangs over the city.

The automated house with all its gadget were continuing their duty perfectly. It had a wonderful security system and demanded password from anyone who approached to enter the house. It provides prefect vigil over foxes and birds that flies near the house. Despite of all this vigil, a dog enters the house – only sign of living creature. Once huge and fleshy, the dog is now a mere skeleton, covered with sores. The condition of the dog indicates that something catastrophic has happened to the occupants of the house.The dog goes frantically from door to door of the house in

search of its occupants but fails to find anyone. Then the dog begins to froth collapses, and dies eventually. Delicately sensing decay, the house’s cleaning mice goes into the room to remove the carcass. The body is deposited into the incinerator in the cellar.

This events had no effect on the automatic devices that are attached to the house. They are busy with thin scheduled routine. The gadgets prepares lunch, sets the table and chair for bridge and music starts playing. There was no one to eat or play, the things are bundled back. Later as per scheduled, the nursery walls began to glow.

Animals of variant kinds and hues appeared on the glass walls. At 9 o’clock, the beds were warmed and prepared for children. The scheduled gadgets ask Mrs. McClellan about her favourite poetry. Naturally there was no response. So the computer chose a poem at random and began to recite Sara Teasdales famous poem “There Will Come Soft Rains” and the smell of the ground will fill the air.

Later in the night a furious wind blew and knocked a tree in the kitchen window. The tree made the cleaning solution to spill over the store. It evoked fire in the house which soon engulfed the whole house. Automatic fire extinguisher worked hard to save the house from fire but water ran off. Modem technology is pressed into service. There was confusion and pandemonium. The author humourously suggests that wall animals were also at panic seeing the fire.

The huge devastating fire burns the automatic house and its gadgets completely. The house collapsed. Smoke poured out from the rubble. Only one wall remain standing alone and one gadget sounded and echoed in the hallow air “Today is August 5, 2026.” The voice lingered to narrate the sad tale.

There Will Come Soft Rains About the Author Ray Bradbury

Ray Bradbury was an American science fiction writer whose works were translated in more than 40 languages and sold millions of copies around the world. Ray Douglas Bradbury was born on August 22, 1920 at Wankegan, Illinois, U.S.A. He is well esteemed for his highly imaginative short stories and novels. His work presents a touch of poetic style, nostalgia for childhood, social criticism and an awarness of the hazards of rapid technology.

As a child the author had great interest in horror films. Moving with his family to Los Angeles, he joined los Angeles Science Fiction League and being encouraged he started his literary work from the year 1937. Most of his stories were collected in his first book of short stories Dark Carnival (1947). Ray Bradbury shot to international fame after publication of “The Mertian Chronicles (1950), a collection of short stories partially based on the ideas of ancient Greek and Roman mythology.

His other novels and stories also have been adapted to films and television, as well as for radio, theatre and comic book. In 2004, he recieved a National Medal of Arts. He was given a star as Hollywood Walk of Fame at 6644 Hollywood Blvd. An asteroid was named in his honour ‘9766 Bradbury’ and the Apollo astronaut named a crater on the moon‘Dandelion Crater’ after his novel ‘Dandelion Wine’.

He received the World Fantasy Award for Lifetime Achievement, the Grand Master Award for Science Fiction Writers of America, an Emmy Award for his world “The Halloween Tree’ and many other awards and honours. Brad bury’s style is rich in use of metaphors and similies stood out from the more utilitarian work that dominated the prevalent magazine writing.

His novel “Fahrenheit 451” published in 1953, is regarded his greatest work. In 2007, the Pulitzer Prize Board awarded him special citation for his distinguished work. Bradbury died on June 5, 2012 at Los Angeles, California.

His other novels and stories also have been adapted to films and television, as well as for radio, theatre and comic book. In 2004, he recieved a National Medal of Arts. He was given a star as Hollywood Walk of Fame at 6644 Hollywood Blvd. An asteroid was named in his honour ‘9766 Bradbury’ and the Apollo astronaut named a crater on the moon ‘Dandelion Crater’ after his novel ‘Dandelion Wine’. He received the World Fantasy Award for Lifetime Achievement, the Grand Master Award for Science Fiction Writers of America, an Emmy Award for his world “The Halloween Tree’ and many other awards and honours.

Brad bury’s style is rich in use of metaphors and similies out from the more utilitarian work that dominated the prevalent magazine writing. His novel “Fahrenheit 451” published in 1953, is regarded his greatest work. In 2007, the Pulitzer Prize Board awarded him special citation for his distinguished work. Bradbury died on June 5, 2012 at Los Angeles, California.

There Will Come Soft Rains Theme

This story focus on the theme – the horrors of the aftermath of the nuclear holocaust. The story is based on science fiction where we came across a world dominated by scientific gadgets and advanced techology. It focuses both good and evil effect of technological advancement.

Atomic bomb evil effect of technology whereas gadgets working sincerely the daily chores represents good technological development. The author Ray Bradbury, though not against regarding advancement in science and technology, is quite suspicious if these advancements are ultimately doing good to mankind. Humans must utilise the goodness of such advancement and discard the evils which may cause threat in future. The devastation of Hiroshima and Nagasaki is a grim warning against the use of such things discreetly.

There Will Come Soft Rains Critical Appreciation

The story also reflect a new technological advancement robotics. The robotic mice and other similar gadget with artificial intelligence is serving the markind. But its quite pathetic that these gadgets are still serving humans who have been sad victims of atomic explosion. The only consolation lies in the mechanical voice chanting the poem on nature which remain oblivious of such devastating destruction.

Man is a great creator but its creation can wipe him out of the face of the Earth. The futuristic story potrays on Ray Bradbury’s vision of the year 2026. He visualised an automated house with developed gadgets developed activated technology, security cameras, electric cleaner and diswasher, dumping machines, incinerators, broadband, glowing screen with comical animals just to mention a few.

The machinery mentioned here is entirely devoid of human vitality. All the gadgets depicted in the story resembles our world in which the machineries had become more important than human existence.

This story focus on the theme the horrors of the aftermath of the nuclear holocaust. The story is based on science fiction where we came across a world dominated by scientific gadgets and advanced techology. It focuses both good and evil effect of technological advancement. Atomic bomb evil effect of technology whereas gadgets working sincerely the daily chores represents good technological development.

The author Ray Bradbury, though not against regarding advancement in science and technology, is quite suspicious if these advancements are ultimately doing good to mankind. Humans must utilise the goodness of such advancement and discard the evils which may cause threat in future. The devastation of Hiroshima and Nagasaki is a grim warning against the use of such things discreetly.

There Will Come Soft Rains Characters

McClellan Family:

The actual occupant of the automated house equipped with latest gadgets. The survivors of the house comprising of father, mother and two children died in the nuclear explosion. Since the family perished in the explosion nothing could be stressed about their nature, profession or routine activities.

We only get a hint that Mrs. McClellan had rich inclination towards soft music and poetry particularly Sara Teasdale’s “There Will Come Soft Rains”. The gadgets only represents thin richness, choice of breakfast, comfortable life, love, for children and particularly their standard of living.

The Computer Controlled House:

The auto mated house was equipped with developed technological gadgets which survived in the nuclear explosion. The inmates of the house perished in that situation. The house only remained alive perfomunce it’s daily duties sincerely. It announced date and time, reminded the inhabitants their engagements and important dates of birthday or anniversary.

All the gadgets were specialised to perform various activities like preparation of breakfast and lunch, disposing untouched food, cleaning the house and dishes sprinkling water on plants. They served the house as if the occupants of the house were alive. The house in the end gets destroyed by the fire. Only one wall stood that announced the date August 5, 2026.

The Dog:

The pet of the McClellan family appears for a short while. The security sensor that keeps vigil on any one’s entry allows the dog, sensing its smell. The condition of the dog was pathetic. Its body was filled with sores and it reduced to skeleton due to starvation. The dog was also the victim of radioactive rays. After entering the house the dog searched for his living owners. At noon it frothed and died. Later the gadget smelling the carcass transfered its body into the incinerator in the cellar of the house

Robot Mice:

Robot mice was one of the spectacular device of that automated house. It appeared at necessary and fixed time to clear up all the dust particle and rubbish present in the house.

Clock:

The Clock was the most outstanding gadgets of that automated house. It played the role of a live person. Like modem alarm clock it announced time for each activity programmed and scheduled to be performed by the family. It worked automatically reminding the inhabitants and the readers specific time for performing various activities. Alas! there was no one left to hear it’s message. Still the machine performed its duly sincerely once set automatically.

There Will Come Soft Rains Title of the Story

The author Ray Bradbury had used the title “There Will Come Soft Rams” for this science fiction. The short story “There Will Come Soft Rains” takes its title from a poem by Sara Teasdale (1884 to 1933). In her poem the poet envisions an idyllic, poet appocalyptic world in which nature continues peacefully, beautifully and indifferently after the extinction of human kind. Ray Bradbury’s story, in contrast, was published five years after the atomic devastation of Hiroshima and Nagasaki at the end of World War II.

Where Teasdale has circling swallows, singing frogs and whistling robins, Bradbury offers “lonely foxes and whinning cats” as well as emaciated family dog “covered with sores” Which ‘ran wildly in circles, bitting at its tail, spun in circle and died” In his story, animals face no better than humans. Bradbury’s only survivors are imitation of nature, robotic cleaning mice, aluminium roaches and iron crickets, and the colourful exotic animals projected onto the glass walls of the children’s nursery.

In the dystopian world, the robots and machines have taken over and early enough there is no sign of human beings. The story is not meant to be a specific prediction about future, but shown a possibility that at any time, could lie just around the comer.

The author has in mind a time when we will not allow our advances in science and technology to do the ugly job of destruction. Nature will regain its primary and important role as a healing power. This is aptly conveyed through the title of the story “There Will Come Soft Rains”.

There Will Come Soft Rains About the Story

In 1950 Ray Bradbury wrote this famous story “There Will Come Soft Rain”. This story has appeared in numberless anthologies since its publication. This story was written about five years after the bombing at Hiroshima and Nagasaki in August 1945. The fear and horrors of nuclear wars was haunting the people at large. Technological advancement and robotics, created fear in the mind of the people about human existence.

The story has a beautiful title “There Will Come Soft Rains” which is derived from Sara Teasdale beautiful poem on nature. The poem has the theme related to the short story representing the effect of nuclear war on humnan existence. The story could be categorised as a science fiction where the readers read about an automated house equipped with the latest gadgets that are automated to serve human daily requirements and make their life more comfortable.

The inmates of the automated house are all dead, the house is insensitive to the fact. This automatic house shows the positive aspect of technological advancement and its service towards humanity. But as the story progresses, we come across several clues to conclude that the inhabitants have all perished in an atomic explosion.

The story clearly points out that scientific and technological advancement harm and devastate human existence from the face of the Earth. It also shows that nature will remain unaffected and it will thrive even when human beings are gone.

There Will Come Soft Rains Setting

The setting of the story is the locale of an only intact house that had survived the nuclear catastrophe. As the story begins, the mechanical clock declares the date, August 4,2026 telling the members of the house to wake up. There are no human being except the automatic system like the breakfast toaster, dishwashers and cleaners which carried the daily programmed routine activities. Automatic robotic mice cleaned the house and sprinkler sprinkled water. It is a desolate place situated in Allendale, California because all other things outside, have been destroyed by the nuclear explosion.

The setting, therefore prepares the ground to bring to light the hold of machineries on human life and existence. The forces of nature are even stronger than man’s advancements. The strong wind along with the fire engulfs the house and reduced it into ashes. Only one lone wall exist with a mechanical gadget announcing the following date August 5, 2026.

There Will Come Soft Rains Style

In his short science fiction, “There Will Come Soft Rains’, the author, Ray Bradbury has created a unique style of creativity. The story is rich in imagery, figurative language, tone, mood, diction and syntax. He uses warm family imagery to create a home as “The garden sprinklers whirled up in golden founts, filling the soft morning air with scatterings of brightness”.

The condition of the only living inmate the dog is quite pathetic. The innocent creature has come to nuclear exposure and we find it frothed at the mouth and died. There is personification used while describing the robotic mice “Behind it whirred angry mice, upset at needing to get mud, upset at hassle. The author has made describe the automated house with human body parts.

The house seems to have a ‘paranoia’ which in it nature refers to “nerves”, “veins” and “capillaries of the house” as if it is considered to be a living organism. The sink drains are compared with a metal throat because there are no humans alive to eat the food the automatic gadgets have prepared. The tone of the story throughout is serious as the author warns us of the dangers of technology awaiting for human or threat to mankind.

There Will Come Soft Rains Plot Explanation

The survival of an automated house after nuclear blast. No inhabitants but automatic gadgets engaged with daily chores of serving and comforting the lives of the inhabitants.

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A pet dog enter the house in a worsen condition with sores and looking like skeleton due to starvation. Soon the living being dies and its carcass is consumed into the incenerator.

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Accidental fire broke out due to wash solvent spilling over burning stove. The house was complete destroyed by fire. Only a lone gadget declared the following date from a lone surviving wall. The story begins on 4 August, 2026 in the city of Allendale, California that has rendered dessolate by a nuclear catastrophe. The automated house with robotics gadgets escaped the holocaust. All the inhabitants had become the victim of such devastation except the automated house.

The gadget continues their daily chores like preparing breaking weather, date, anniversary and birthday reporting, making bed, dish washing and cleaning, removing caresses to incinerators. Though no one was living in that house, the sensors in that house was keeping vigil on anyones entry. A pet dog was allowed to enter but the only living creature died due to sores and starvation. In the evening the gadgets played one the inhabitant’s favourite poem “There Will Come Soft Rain” by Sara Teasdale.

Unfortunately, the automated house ceased it working when a huge fire engulfed the house and reduced it to ashes the fire extinguishers faught to prevent the fire but failed due to lack of water supply. Only one gadget and a lone wall survived. Look at the irony, from the lone surviving wall, a lone gadget declared the following date “Today is August 5, 2026, today is “ Thus the plot follows all the unities of time, place and action. It is a well knit excellent plot.

There Will Come Soft Rains Annotations and Vocabulary

ejected — come out with force
glided — moved smoothly
wedge — a piece of wood to keep things apart
warrens — holes on the walls
thudded — crashed
rug nap — the part of the carpet you see and walk on
burrows — holes into the ground animal like rabbits live
rubble — debris
whirled up — moved on circles
charred — turned black due to extreme beat and fire
silhouette on object which represtant something
titanic — huge or gigantic
paranoia — totally possesed
whirred — moved quickly with a humming sound
Baal — Biblical word with evil connotations.
maple syrup — sweentened sticky substance from maple tree often used in pancakes, cookies etc.
incinerator — furnace for burning waste materials.
cavorting — jumping sprockets hard wheels with teeth that locks into a chain
bumble — a light vibrating sound
okapi — a type of animal
shimmering — glowing softly
solvent — a substance that can dissolve other substances.
linoleum — a type of floor covering
scurrying — running with short steps.
Picassos and Mitisses — name of eminent painter and artist.
shaving — thin pieces of hard substances
sheathing — protective covering
oblivious — forgetting the vital point
psychopathic — abnormal

Prism A Collection of ISC Short Stories Workbook Answers