Ph - Students' Niche



MY MOTHER AT SIXTY-SIX

Short questions from the poetry section to test the poetry appreciation

Q:-1 How does the poet describe the old age of her mother?

Ans The poet describes her mother’s age as a late winter’s moon. Her pale, bloodless and wrinkled face resembles that of a corpse. She has no vigor and energy left in her. She looks wan and pale.

Q:-2 What is the significance of the images , ‘sprinting trees ‘ and ‘merry children spilling out of their homes’ in the poem ‘My mother at Sixty-Six ?

Ans Both sprinting trees and merry children are happy and young .They present a contrast to the mother’s pain and old age and the poet’s worry and fear. They represent youth, vigor and spring whereas the mother is old, decaying and frail.

Q:-3 what childhood fear do you think Kamala speaks of?

Ans Perhaps, since her childhood Kamalas had a fear that she would lose her mother in some way or the other. Now that the mother is sixty –six years old and has a deteriorating health, the poet’s fear returns.

Q:-4 How does Kamala Das bid farewell to her mother?

Ans Although, Kamala is distraught with fear at the precarious health of her mother, she does not reveal her worry and anxiety to her mother. Instead she bids her goodbye with “See you soon Amma” and lots of smiles.

Q:-5 Why could Kamala not express her thought for her mother at the airport?

Ans Kamala did not express her thought because she was over whelmed with worry and pain at the thought of mother. Moreover, any such expression would have aggravated the mother’s Condition.

➢ An Elementary School Classroom in a Slum

Q:-1 How does the poet see the children as victims of social injustice?

Ans The poet views these children as victims of social injustice ,for they are deprived of the bounties of the words .Thus they are the ‘have – not’s ’. Impoverished and undernourished ,they are deprived of the basic necessities of life .Even their rights to educate themselves and hope for a better future are denied to them . They spend their lives confined within the dark holes of their slums.

Q:-2 In what way are the slum children unsung fighters?

Ans The poet has used various image to convey that the slum children are a deprived lot .They are under– privileged as they are denied basic amenities of food. Shelter and education .Despite living in deprivation, these children fight the battle of life courageously. They are the heroes whose victories are never celebrated .Their lot to slither in dirt and squalor .They have to make desperate attempts to live on against all odds.

Q:-3 “The world for the slum children is a dark hole”. Comment?

Ans The map of the world which hangs in their classroom is a mockery for the slum children for the world for the comprises the dark hole of the slums .However they may aspire to stretch out the boundaries of their world ,life for them remains confined within the four walls of the slums .They may catch glimpses of the vastness of the outsides worlds from their classroom windows but they may never becomes a part of this vastness and its beauty .

Q:-4 Why is ‘Shakespeare wicked’ and map a bad example ‘?

Ans The poet feels that the only hope to relief for these children lies in their education .If these children can be educated they can hope to relieve themselves from the darkness of slum life .But in the present milieu, education is a mockery in the slum schools .Poor infrastructure and absence of teaching impossible .Good literature and maps of the world may raise their hopes and aspirations but probably can never fulfill them.

Q:-5 what does the poet mean by saying,’ let their tongues run naked into books’?

Ans It is in education that the poet sees hope for the slum children .He strongly feels that the lives of these children will remain dark, narrow and unfulfilled unless they are educated .So he wants that education be made available to all .These children can break themselves free from the shackles of slums only when we let them read voraciously and excel professionally.

Q:-6 ‘History is their language is the sun.’ Explain?

Ans One can make a mark in history if only one outshines other. One has to outshine and glow like the sun .People who have the courage and conviction to break free from the constraints of life are the ones who create History.’ Great men are not different people , but those who do things differently ‘holds absolutely true for people who create history with their grit and determination .

➢ Keeping Quiet

Q:-1What would happen if men on earth did not speak in any language or move their arms so much?

Ans Man’s silence and inactivity will prove to be a boon for mankind .All distinction on the basis of language and nationality will disappear and man will not involve himself in the rate race if he is silent and inactive .All unnecessary misunderstanding ,disputes and debates borne out of different language will come to an end .

Q:-2 What would be an ‘exotic moment ‘for man?

Ans The poet feels that if man keeps quiet for sometimes and indulges in introspection, doing away with his progressive attitude, he would experience an exotic moment .In this exotic moments he will enjoy the bliss of silence away from the din of modern life.

Q:-3 What is the poet trying to convey through the images of the ‘fisherman’ and ‘men gathering’ salt?

Ans Through these images the poet is highlighting the harm, man is causing to Nature and himself in his effort to add comforts to his life .The fisherman cause harm to the whales and the men at sea hurt their hands in their effort to gather salt.

Q:-4 What does the poet mean when he says that a chemical war will result in ‘victory with no survivors ‘?

Ans Man today is aware of the fact that if there is a nuclear war there will be no survivors to celebrate the victory .A nuclear war will result in total destruction and release of toxic gases eclipsing the sun and destroying the atmosphere .Thus no life will survive such a disaster.

Q:-5 what has man single –mindedly focused himself on?

Ans The poet feels that man has single – mindedly focused towards advancement and progress .In doing so, he does not hesitate to indulge in destructive activities.

➢ A Thing Of Beauty

Q:-1 How does beauty leave an indelible imprint on our mind?

Ans Man treasures beautiful thoughts and sights in his mind for they provide him respites and relaxation in his respite and relaxation in his gloomy days. Beauty thus leaves its imprint in the form of sweet dreams .The feelings of serenity and positive vibrations it inculcates, soothe and relax the turbulent mind.

Q:-2 What philosophy of life is highlighted in the poem?

Ans Keats worshipped Beauty both at his sensuous and spiritual level. All his poetry reveals a yearning for that lofty loveliness which is real and true .His passion for Beauty , however , did not keep him untouched with the pain and suffering of life which he saw as the central fact of life .As an escapist ,he found refuge from the pains and suffering of life in Beauty itself . He believes that beauty ‘moves away the pall from our dark spirits’, making us love life despite its sorrows and suffering.

➢ A Roadside Stand

Q:-1 What was the plea with N turned wrong and S turned wrong?

Ans The folk running the roadside stand, made a plea to the city dwellers to buy their stuff so that they could also earn some money to improve their lot and standard of living.

Q:-2 What is the ‘Childish longing’ that the poet refers to ? Why is it ‘vain’?

Ans The expression refers to the dreams and desires of the poor rustics .Like innocent children they dream of a better life which they can enjoy with the help received from the city dwellers .They vainly long for city folks to stop and pay attention to their needs . It is referred to as vain for their desire will never be fulfilled this way.

Q:-3 How does the poet express his insufferable pain at the thought of the plight of the rural poor? Which lines brings out this idea?

Ans The poet is immensely pained at the incessant suffering and miserable plight of the rural poor .Relating his pain with the suffering of the country folk feels he would experience immense joy and relief in being to relive these people of their pain and suffering .They need a healing touch as much as he does.

The following lines bring out this idea

“I wonder how I should like you to come to me

And offer to put me gently out of my pain.”

Q:-4, Did the city dwellers appreciate the roadside stand?

Ans The city dwellers did not appreciate the roadside stand .They never stopped there for refreshments .If there anyone stopped there they would be critical of its poor décor .They would also complain about the signs being wrongly placed there.

Q:-5 What is the complain of the country folk against the party in power?

Ans The party n power promises them a dream would, a luxurious and progressive life. But these tall promises prove to be false as they are not fulfilled .The country folk thus complain that they are deprived of what they had been promised by the people in power .

Q:-6 What empty promises are being made to the country people?

Ans The men in power use the media to give assurances to the innocent country folk that would soon be pulled out of their poverty .They would be provided better living conditions with theatres and stores. They can then enjoy a secure life and will not have to worry about themselves any longer .

Q:-7 Give examples of contrast and irony in the poem?

Ans The use of expression ‘greedy good ‘and beneficent beasts of prey ‘beautifully bring out the use of irony and contrast by the poet. The men in powers pose to be the benefactors and good –doers of the poor rural people In reality they are greedy for power and pelf and exploit the rural masses for their vested interests.

Q:-8 What is the ‘open prayer’ made by the country folk?

Ans The country folk make an open appeal to the city dwellers that should not selfish .They expectantly pray for the city cars to stop at their roadside stand and help them lead a better life.

➢ Aunt Jennifer’s Tigers

Q:- 1 What does the ‘wedding band’ symbolize ?

Ans The ‘wedding band ‘ is symbolic here of the oppression of women by customs and law which imposes slavery in matrimony .Marriage is socially and legally binding on the women and so they allow themselves to be suppressed in this imposed relationship .

Q:-2 What do ‘tigers’ symbolize in the poem?

Ans ‘Tigers ‘are symbolize of the fear of male domination with which Aunt Jennifer suffers .She struggles for freedom but in doing so gets further victimized .Her ego-psychology and the prison of the ideology of the family isolate her in this male dominated world .

Q:-3 What character traits of Aunt Jennifer come to light in the poem?

Ans Aunt Jennifer is portrayed as a terrified person who is victimized by a domineering husband .She is seen both as a victim and as an oppressor .She is caged in the prison of her ego- psychology and the ideology of the family .The freedom of spirit ,which is symbolized by the tigers is never achieved by her even in her art .

Q:-4 Do you view “Aunt Jennifer‘s Tiger” as a tragic poem?

Ans The struggle of the spirit , injustice and oppression , which women have to face many societies of the worlds even today make the poem a tragic one .But the tragedy here is mystified for we neither know what terrors Aunt Jennifer had to live with nor why her friends and relatives did not step in to help if she was so terrified .

Q:-5 Do you think Aunt Jennifer is both a victim and an oppressor? Comment.

Ans Aunt Jennifer is no doubt a victim as she confined to the prison of her ego-psychology and the ideology of the family .She is also an oppressor, for she seems to have quietly accepted her slavery. Though victimized, she finds an outlet in knitting and embroidery

❖ COMMON QUESTION ASKED FROM POETRY :-

| POEM & POET |Figure of Speech |EXPLANATION |

|1) My Mother at sixty- six |In a comparison between two distinctly | |

| |different things indicated by the word | |

| |‘like’ or ‘as’ . | |

|(Kamal Das ) | | |

| |“Her face ashen like that of a corpse.” |The poet’s mother’s face was pale and grayish. She |

| | |seemed to have lost all vitality .Such paleness i.e |

| | |grayish colors of the skin usually associated with a |

| | |sick or a dead body. |

| |“Her face ashen like that of a corpse.” | |

| | |Winter symbolizes death. Thus, the mother’s face is |

| | |indicative of her very frail health and approaching. |

| |Explain:” wan pale as a late winter ‘s | |

| |moon.” |The poet compares the mother’s pale and withered face|

| | |with the winter‘s moon. The moon seems to lose its |

| | |brightness in the winter season as it is veiled |

| | |behind fog and mist. |

| | | |

|2) An Elementary School Classroom in a Slum |“Like rootless weeds.” |The expression has been used by Stephen Spender to |

| | |describe the coarse .untidy and unkempt hair of the |

|( Stephen spender) | |slum children .the use of ‘rootless weeds’ suggests |

| | |that the children lack proper nutrition. |

| |“Like bottle bits on stones” |The simile graphically describes the shattered |

| | |glasses of the spectacles some slum children have to |

| |Metaphor |wear .If not shattered the glasses are heavily |

| |Quality or action is applied to another in |scratched and chipped. |

| |the from of a statement of identity instead | |

| |of comparison .The words ‘like’ and ‘as’ are| |

| |not used .The poet does not say that one | |

| |object is like another .He says it is | |

| |another | |

| |Examples: | |

| |Rat’s eyes |It suggests boy’s timidity and anxiety like a rat and|

| | |searches for food and security. |

| |Father’s gnarled disease |The boy’s father suffering from rheumatism disease |

| | |that has left has body crooked .The boy’s life has |

| | |been affected by father’s handicap. |

| | |Just as fog blurs one’s view in winters, the slum |

| |Future’s painted with a fog. |children’s future is blurred by hopelessness and lack|

| | |of empathy. |

| | |The cream walls of the schools painted with the help |

| | |of donations further add to the pale and sad seen in |

| |Explain: ‘On sour cram walls donations |the poem. |

| | |The poet strongly feels that the lives of these |

| | |children will be very miserable and unfulfilled |

| | |unless they are educated. Thus he wishes that these |

| |Explain: “Let their tongues run naked into |children be exposed to the world of books .They |

| |books.” |should be educated so that they can break themselves |

| | |free from the confines of the slums. |

|3) Keeping Quiet | | |

| |Explain : ‘Without rush , without engines’ |The expressions are symbolic of the hubbub of the |

|( Pablo Neruda) | |modern life. In the modern competitive worlds of |

| | |advancement, there is a rat –race to outshine others |

| | |.Life can be peaceful only if this thoughtless |

| | |‘advancement ‘can be stopped. |

| | | |

| |Explain: “I want no truck with death.” |The poet does not believe in inactivity .Life is an |

| | |‘on –going process and so he does not want to |

| | |associate it with death .or bring it to a dead-end. |

| | | |

| |Explain :-‘you keep quiet and I will go’ |The poet asks men to keep and experience the ecstatic|

| | |moments of silence which create a rejuvenation of |

| | |thoughts quietly departs leaving the mediator in this|

| | |exotic moments. |

|4) A Thing of Beauty | |Joy multiplies with every beautiful thought. Likewise|

|( John Keats ) | |the loveliness of a beautiful thing increases |

| |Explain: “Its loveliness increases.” |manifold each time we visualize .It on our mind |

| | |screen. |

| | | |

| | |He expresses a similar feeling as he feels that every|

| |Explain : |morning we weave a beautiful string of flowers or |

| |‘wreathing a flowery band to bind us to the |memories which help us to support ourselves on earth |

| |earth’ |and motivate us to live our life here which would |

| | |otherwise have been a pain. |

| | | |

| | |Nature beauty is at its best in the lush green |

| | |surrounding of meadows and pastures which provide |

| |Explain:’with the green worlds they live |the life support to all plants and animals .No living|

| |in’. |creature can be happy away from nature , and it is in|

| | |this green world that they true joy and happiness of |

| | |life . |

|5) A Roadside Stand | | |

|( Robert Frost) |Explain:’ greedy good –doers.’ |The expression refers to the crooked politicians who |

| | |pose as the benefactors of the masses in the name of |

| | |removing their poverty but are actually greedy for |

| | |power and pelf. |

| | | |

|6) Aunt Jennifer ‘s Tiger | | |

|(Adrienne Rich) |Explain: ‘massive weight of Uncle’s wedding |The expression is symbolic of male authority and |

| |band.’ |power .Matrimony binds the woman physically as well |

| | |as mentally .Likewise. Aunt Jennifer is trapped in |

| | |gender oppression and feels herself burdened by the |

| | |authority of her husband. |

| | | |

| |Explain : |The expression is symbolic of the dispassionate and |

| |“The tiger in the panel ….. Will go on |unconcerned attitude of the male towards the desire |

| |prancing, proud and unafraid.” |for freedom among women .Aunt Jennifer dreams of her |

| | |escape in her art, but land producing the very image |

| | |of her suppression .As an expression of the spirit |

| | |Aunt Jennifer‘s art will survive long after her |

| | |death, but the social milieu remains unaffected, |

| | |arrogant and ferocious. |

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