OU Degree 6th Sem English – The Fringe Benefits of Failure, and the Importance of Imagination Questions and Answers & Summary
Comprehension I (Short Answer Questions)
Question 1.
What was Rowling’s life like after graduation?
Answer:
J.K. Rowling is a British novelist. Seven years after graduating from university, she saw herself as a failure. Her husband left her, she had no house to live in, a daughter had to be taken care of She was on the roads homeless and jobless.
Question 2.
How does Rowling describe her failure?
Answer:
She failed on an epic scale. At her lowest ebb, she was unemployed, a single mother and in depression so severe that at times, she contemplated suicide. She suffered severe bouts of depression but she preserved.
Question 3.
How did Rowling respond to failure?
Answer:
Failure gave Rowling an inner security that she did not attain by passing examinations. It thought her things about herself. She discovered that she had a strong will and more discipline than she had suspected. She also found out that she had friends whose value was above the price of rubies.
Question 4.
According to Rowling, what would she not have found had she succeeded?
Answer:
Rowling discovered that she had a strong will, and more discipline than she had suspected. She found out that she had friends whose value was truly above the price of rubies.
Question 5.
What did failure teach Rowling?
Answer:
Failure gave her an inner security that she had never obtained by passing examinations it taught her many things that she could not have learned any other way. She discovered she had a strong will and more discipline than she had suspected.
Question 6.
What, according to Rowling, is the “true gift” of failure?
Answer:
Rowling says that knowledge is a true gift, more worth than any qualifications she had ever earned. It made her more wiser and stronger from the life’s setbacks. It helped her to live her life securely and taught her ability to survive.
Question 7.
According to Rowling, how do we define personal happiness?
Answer:
According to Rowling, personal happiness does not depend on what one requires in life or achieves in life. Neither does it depend on education or CM of a person. It depends on how one controls the difficulties one faces in life. One’s humble behaviour makes him or her happy wherever he or she goes.
Question 8.
What does Rowling mean by “what we achieve inwardly will change outer reality”?
Answer:
Rowling says that the qualities one possesses within oneself can be used to change the outer world. The man’s inner alignment helps the man to change his behaviour The speaker asks the students to know this fact and have valuable thoughts and ideas in their minds.
Question 9.
How and why are educated people responsible to the outside world?
Answer:
J.K. Rowling advised the graduates who were going to become independent citizens in the world, that they should know their status in the society. She advised them to raise their voice on behalf of those who have no voice. She suggested them to be with powerless and imagine themselves into the lives of those who are in need. Then not only your family members will be proud but thousands and millions of people be grateful to them.
Question 10.
According to Rowling, what do we need to change the world?
Answer:
The speaker says that we do not need magic to change the world, we carry all the power we need inside ourselves already as we have the power to imagine better.
Comprehension II (Essay Type Answer Questions)
Question 1.
Describe Rowling’s life after graduation.
Answer:
Rowling in her speech talks about her life before graduation and after graduation. In the first half of her life, she found it difficult to attain her goal and to satisfy her parents. She lead a very simple life in her former days owing to poverty.
Her parents could not afford to give her a rich atmosphere. She studied literature and classics much against the will of her parents. After seven years of her graduation, she lead a troublesome life, she was pushed into difficulties. She failed in everything including her married life. She was jobless and homeless. A daughter had to be taken care of She was on the roads.
Question 2.
What, according to Rowling, is failure and what are its benefits?
Answer:
According to Rowling, failure was not a fun but a part of life in an essential way. Failure made her to have determined mind to attain the goal she set for her. Only when there was a failure, one could look into the inner self and could bring out the capabilities.
The set backs would improve the knowledge of tackling adversity. Failure taught her to discover she has a strong will and more discipline than she had expected. She found her true friends. Set backs in life helped her to have the ability to survive in life. One should know oneself and one’s relationship with others. Failure as well as adversity in life made her strong.
Question 3.
Describe how Rowling faced failure and what she learnt from it.
Answer:
Rowling has experienced personal hardships, from financial struggle to depression, on her road to literary success. At her lowest ebb, she was unemployed, a single mother and in a depression so severe that at times she contemplated suicide.
Coupled with her dire financial situation, Rowling had to rely on welfare benefits to survive, Through her failure, she gained valuable knowledge about herself and her relationships, as well as the courage to face adversity head-on to turn unfortunate circumstance into success. It gave her inner security and had discovered a strong will and more discipline than she had suspected. She gained knowledge that was more wiser and stronger from her set backs.
Question 4.
Explain how failure can lead to self-knowledge and knowledge about others.
Answer:
The biggest lesson one can leam from J.K. Rowling is to keep trying, believing and acting on your dream. Self-knowledge is thought to differ from other sorts of knowledge in one’s own mental states – that is, of what one is feeling or thinking, or what one believes or desires.
Failure brings frustration and depression. Self knowledge is the key stone in the arc of success because success requires intentionally. It is difficult to be intentional if you don’t have a clear idea of the type of person you are, what we can do, how we feel, and what motivates us. In our failure we really get to know about people who care and love us in our adversities.
Question 5.
What is Rowling’s final message to people who enjoy privileges?
Answer:
Rowling stresses upon two important things – failure and imagination. She gave interested incidents from her life, how they were connected with their life She quotes a great Greek Philosopher’s speech, “What we achieve inwardly, will change out reality”, she states that Plutarch’s statement proved right. She tells the new graduates of Harvard that they are the privileged ones because they have the intelligence, capacity to work hard the education, unique status and responsibilities.
She calls them a ‘Super power’. She advises them to raise their voice on behalf of people who have no voice, the students were asked to image the education, unique status and responsibilities. She calls them a ‘super power’. She advises them to raise their voice on behalf of people who have no voice the students were asked to imagine into the lives of those who were underprivileged.
They had all the imagination needed to change the world in themselves only. The way they behaved and the way they protested would have an impact upon the society. Their intelligence, hard work and the education should be utilized for the good of the people around.
The Fringe Benefits of Failure, and the Importance of Imagination Poem Summary in English
Joanne Kathleen Rowling (born 1965), best known as JK Rowling, is a British novelist, screenwriter, Philanthropist and a film producer. She is the author of the best-selling fantasy series Harry Potter. Her life is a classic rags to riches story. She came from a humble economic background and lived on welfare of others.
She became an international sensations in 1999 with her first book ‘Harry potter and the Sorcerer’s stone’. She is one of the richest women, with an estimated wealth of 600 million. She is also one of Britain’s most benevolent celebrities, donating a large proportion of her fortune to charities.
The fringe benefits of failure and the importance of imagination (2015) is a speech delivered by JK Rowling at Harvard University on June 5, 2008, Recalling her own graduation ceremony and drawing on her life experiences, Rowling delivers an insightful speech. She encourages the students to redefine success and failure on their own terms.
She advises them not to be afraid of failure, and exhorts them to issue their privilege position to serve the needy. She emphasises that only through imagination can one feel the pain of others and create a better world for everyone. In this speech she tries to convey the message that failing can beneficial for an individual and that people should not be afraid to use their imagination.
Rowling begins the speech with a reflection on what went through her mind while writing the speech and how the process affected her. She reflects how upon graduating from university, it was not poverty that scared her, but failure: she saw it as the ultimate humiliation.
She describes how for her, failure was an immensely personal experience, and that for her, failure was a broken marriage, being unemployed, and raising a child by herself. It took her time to realise that it was only because of this state of failure that she had the freedom to write the novel of her dreams, which lead to her ultimate success, it was failure that led her to discover her resilience and ambition.
Failure gave the speaker an inner security. It taught her many things about herself. It helped her to discover that she had a strong will power and more discipline than she expected she also felt that failure made her understand what true friendship is She compares her friends to precious rubies. Imagination is a tool that can be used to understand other’s pain and suffering, and to empathise with them. It is our imagination that forms the basis of our power to enact positive change in the world.
She says that imagination influences everything we do, think about and create. It is the key to innovation. It is not only the human capacity to envision that which is not, but it is a power that enables one to empathise with others. According to her, many people prefer not to exercise imagination and would like to remain within their bounds of experience. Such people close their minds and heart to the suffering of others. She condemns this apathy.
At last she tells the graduates that they are privileged ones because they have the intelligence, capacity to work hard, the education, unique status and responsibilities. She calls them as ‘super power’ and advises them to raise their voice on behalf of people who have no voice. She tells them to use their superpower and make an impact beyond their borders.
She also tells them that she does not mind if they forget her words, but she asks them not to forget the words of Seneca, who said that life is like a tale and it does not matter how long it is but how good it is. Her final message is that the quality of our life should not be measured in years, but in the contributions we make to the world around us.
The Fringe Benefits of Failure, and the Importance of Imagination Poem Summary in Telugu
జోవాన్ కాథ్లీన్ రౌలింగ్ (జననం 1965), J.K. రౌలింగ్ అని పిలుస్తారు, ఒక బ్రిటిష్ నవలా రచయిత, స్క్రీన్ రైటర్, పరోపకారి మరియు చలనచిత్ర నిర్మాత. ఆమె బెస్ట్ సెల్లింగ్ ఫాంటసీ సిరీస్ హ్యారీ పోటర్ రచయిత. ఆమె జీవితం ఒక క్లాసిక్ రాగ్స్ టు రిచ్ స్టోరీ. ఆమె నిరాడంబరమైన ఆర్ఠిక నేపథ్యం నుండి వచ్చింది మరియు ఇతరుల సంక్షేమంపై జీవించింది. ఆమె 1999లో తన మొదది పుస్తకం ‘హ్యారీ పాటర్ అండ్ ది సోర్సెరర్స్ స్టోన్తో అంతర్జాతీయ సంచలనం అయ్యింది. ఆమె 600 మిలియన్ల సంపదతో అత్యంత సంపన్న మహిళల్లో ఒకటి. ఆమె బ్రిటన్ యొక్క అత్యంత దయగల సెలబ్రిటీలలో ఒకరు, ఆమె సంపదలో ఎక్కువ భాగాన్ని స్వచ్ఛంద సంస్థలకు విరాళంగా అందిస్తోంది.
ది ఫ్రింజ్ బెనిఫిట్స్ ఆఫ్ ఫెయిల్యూర్ అండ్ ది ఇంపార్టెన్స్ ఆఫ్ ఇమాజినేషన్ (2015) జూన్ 5, 2008న హార్వర్డ్ యానివర్శిటీలో JK రౌలింగ్ చేసిన ప్రసంగం, తన సొంత గ్రాడ్యుయేషన్ వేడుకను గుర్తుచేసుకుంటూ మరియు ఆమె జీవిత అనుభవాలను గీయడం ద్వారా, రాలింగ్ ఒక తెలివైన ప్రసంగం చేసింది. విజయం మరియు వైఫల్యాన్ని వారి స్వంత నిబంధనలపై పుర్నిర్వచించమని ఆమె విద్యార్థులను ప్రోత్సహిస్తుంది.
వైఫల్యానికి థయపడవర్దని ఆమె వారికి సలహా ఇస్తుంది మరియు అవసరమైన వారికి సేవ చేయడానికి వారి ప్రత్యేక హోదాను జారీ చేయమని వారిని ప్రోత్సహిస్తుంది. ఊహ ద్వారా మాత్రమే ఇతరుల బాధలను అనుభవించగలరని మరిభు ప్రతి ఒక్కరికీ మెరుగైన ప్రపంచాన్ని సృష్టించగలరని ఆమె నొక్కి చెప్పారు. ఈ ప్రసంగంలో ఆమె విఫలమవడం ఒక వ్యక్తికి ప్రయోజనకరంగా ఉంటుందని మరియు ప్రజలు తమ ఊహలను ఉపయోగించుకోవడానికి భయపడకూడదనే సందేశాన్ని తెలియజేయడానికి ప్రయత్నిస్తుంది.
రౌలింగ్ ప్రసంగాన్ని ప్రాసేటప్పుడు ఆమె మనస్సులో ఏమి జరిగిందో మరియు ఆ ప్రక్రియ ఆమెను ఎలా ప్రభావితం చేసింది అనే దాని గురించి ప్రతిబింబిస్తూ ప్రసంగాన్ని ప్రారంభించింది. యూనివర్శిటీ నుండి పట్టఫద్రుడయ్యాక, తనను భయపెట్టేది పేదరికం కాదు, వైఫల్లం అని ఆమె ప్రతిబింబిస్తుంది: ఆమె దానిని అంతిమ అవమానంగా చూసింది.
ఆమె తనకు, వైఫల్యం అపారమైన వ్యక్తిగత అనుభవం అని మరియు తనకు, వైఫల్యం విచ్చిన్నమైన విహాహం, నిరుద్యోగిగా మరియు తనంతట తానుగా బిడ్డను పెంచుకోవడం ఎలా అని ఆమె వివరిస్తుంది. ఈ వైఫల్ల స్థితి కారణంగానే ఆమె తన కలల నవలని ప్రాయగల స్వేచ్ఛను కలిగి ఉందని గ్రహించడానికి ఆమెకు సమయం పట్టింది, ఇది ఆమె అంతిమ విజయానికి దారితీసింది. వైఫల్యం ఆమె తన స్థితిస్థాపకత మరియు ఆశయాన్ని కనుగొభేల్ చేసింది.
వైఫల్యం స్పీకర్కు అంతర్గత భద్రతను. ఇచ్చింది. అది ఆమెకు తన గురించి చాలా విషయాలు నేర్పింది. ఆమెకు బలమైన సంకల్ప శక్తి ఉందని మరియు ఆమె ఊహించిన దానికంటే ఎక్కువ క్రమశిక్షణ ఉందని కనుగొనడంలో ఇది ఆమెకు సహాయపడింది, వైఫల్యం తనకు నిజమైన స్నేవాం ఏమిటో అర్థమయ్యేలా చేసిందని ఆమె భావించింది, ఆమె తన స్నేహితులను విలువైన కెంపులతో పోల్చింది
ఊహ అనేది ఇతరుల బాధలను మరియు బాధలను అర్థం చేసుకోవడానికి మరియు వారితో సానుభూతి చెందడానికి ఉపయోగపడే సాధనం. ప్రపంచంలో సానుకూల మార్పును అమలు చేయడానికి మన శక్తికి ఆధారం మన ఊహ. మనం చేసే, ఆలోచించే మరియు సృష్టించే ప్రతిదానిపై ఊహ ప్రభావం చూపుతుందని ఆమె చెప్పింది. ఇది ఆవిష్కరణకు కీలకం.
ఇది లేనిది ఉహహించగల మానవ సామర్థ్ే కాదు, ఇతరులతో సానుభూతి పొందేలా చేసే శక్తి. ఆమె ప్రకారం, చాలా మంది వ్యక్తులు కల్పనను ఉపయోగించకూడదని ఇష్టపడతారు మరియు వారి అనుభవ హద్దుల్లోనే ఉండాలని కోరుకుంటారు. అలాంటి వ్యక్తులు ఇతరుల బాధలకు తమ మనస్సును మరియు హ్లాదయాన్ని మూసివేస్తారు. ఈ ఉదాసీనతను ఆమె ఖండిస్తుంది.
చివరికి ఆమె గ్రాడ్యుయేట్లకు తెలివితేటలు, కష్టపడి పని చేసే సామర్థం, విద్య, ప్రత్యేక హోదా మరియు బాధ్యతలు ఉన్నందున వారు విశేషమైన వారని చెబుతుంది. ఆమె వారిని ‘సూపర్ పవర్’ అని పిలుస్తుంది మరియు వాయిస్ లేని వ్యక్తుల తరపున గొంతు పెంచమని వారికి సలహా ఇస్తుంది. ఆమె వారి సూపర్ పవర్ని ఉపయోగించమని మరియు వారి సరిహశ్యకు మించి ప్రభావం చూపమని చెబుతుంది.
తన మాటలను మరచిపోయినా తనకు అభ్యంతరం లేదని, అయితే జీవితం ఒక కథ లాంటిదని, ఎంత కాలం ఉన్నా అది ఎంత బాగుందని చెప్పిన సెనెకా మాటలను మరచిపోవద్దని ఆమె వారిని కోరుతుంది. ఆమె చివరి సందేశం ఏమిటంటే, మన జీవిత నాణ్యతను సంవత్సరాలలో కొలవకూడదు, కానీ మన చుట్టూ ఉన్న ప్రపంచానికి మనం చేసే సహకారం.
Glossary:
