Book notes- Book-I & Book-III

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M u h a m m a d A z a m , A s s i s t a n t P r o f e s s o r , F G D C O L L E G E , C h a k l a l a C a n t t R a w a l p i n d i .
Notes 1st
Year English Book-I &III
BUTTON BUTTON
Richard Matheson
Q1.Why did Norma consider the tone and attitude of Mr. Steward offensive?
Ans. Norma considered Mr. Steward‟s tone and attitude offensive because when Norma paid no
attention and said that she was rather busy, Mr. Steward became furious. He then said, “It would prove
very valuable, Monetarily”.
Q2. Why did Arthur disagree with his wife?
Ans. Arthur opposed his wife‟s idea/ scheme and he considered it assassination to get someone killed,
which would be a crime against humanity. He tried to convince her time and again but she was not
ready to yield due to her greed.
Q3. Why did Norma persuade her husband to agree with her?
Ans. Norma persuaded her husband to accept the offer of fifty thousand dollars solely because she
saw the possibility of taking trip to Europe, a chance to buy a cottage on the Island and an opportunity
to have a nicer apartment, nicer furniture, nicer clothes, a car etc.
Q4. What were the reasons Norma gave to her husband to accept the offer?
Ans. She gave the following reasons for accepting the offer:-
a. Some eccentric millionaire might be playing the games with
people.
b. An international organization probably doing it for a research
project and they wanted to know what average people would do
under such a circumstance.
c. That the concerned group was just saying someone would die so
that its member would study reactions i.e. If there would be guilt
or anxiety.
Q5. Why did Mr. Steward continue persuading Norma?
Ans. When Mr. Steward observed that Arthur was not yielding to his offer, he began persuading
Norma because she had a weak character and had shown keen interest in the offer.
Q6. What was the message Norma received on pushing the button?
Ans. After she pushed the button, she received the tragic news of her husband‟s death in a subway
accident as he was pushed by the shoving crowed from the platform in front of the train.
Q7. What is the significance of Arthur’s life insurance policy?
Ans. Ironically, Arthur‟s life insurance policy for $25,000 dollar, with double indemnity
(compensation) in case of sudden/ accidental death was equal to the money ($50,000) that she
desired to get from the offer given by Mr. Steward. In other words, she had to pay a very high cost for
the execution of her desire.
Q8. Did Norma remain normal on hearing the news of the accident of her husband?
Ans. On hearing the news of her husband‟s accident/death, her whole existence shook with this
unbearable loss and she started reacting hysterically, she was extremely distressed and her life lost its
significance.
Q1. Draw character sketch of Arthur?

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Ans.. In this story, Arthur has been portrayed as a simple, humane and celebrated citizen. He is
strong-minded person, who was greatly shocked by his wife‟s wistful wish for radical prosperity at the
cost of humanity. Arthur insists strongly that he hates the idea of having someone killed for money. He
considers the idea of killing a great waste and heinous crime against humanity. Norma, despite,
husband‟s objection and rejection of the idea, she was ambitious to execute it and was not ready to give
up at any cost. It appears that Arthur got himself killed to Give Norma an opportunity to fulfill her
alluring prospect. i.e. an amount of ($50,000) in the form of insurance money.
Q2. Why didn’t Norma remain true to her husband?
Ans. Norma has been presented as a woman of frail soul and character. She belongs to a working class
with a passionate desire to uplift the standard of living, in no time. She desires to visit the fascinating
sites /places all over Europe and to have a cottage on an island. The button device acts as a possible
scheme of getting rich, which results in an unbearable loss and everlasting misery i.e. i.e. the death of
her husband. Mr. Steward rightly says that she did not know her own husband and failed to
understand him. She conflicted herself between materialism and morality i.e. money and her husband.
Though she got her desire fulfilled, but she had to wear a golden sorrow.
Q3. Do you agree with Norma’s assertion that the death of someone you have never
seen is not important?
Ans. Murder or killing anyone, belonging to any land or religion, is a great crime against humanity.
Murder of a single person is the murder of whole humanity. It is a cruel concept that the death of an
unknown person is not important to us. Norma advocates the idea of radical prosperity. She has
blinded herself in the greed of $ 50,000. Mr. Steward incites her to use the button device as a short cut
to wealth and prosperity. Ironically, she gets the insurance money as reward but at the cost of
unbearable loss.
Q4. What is the moral /theme of the story “Button Button”?
Ans. This tragic story highlights the theme of weakness of human character in the face of worldly
desires and temptation Norma‟s flaw is that she considers the button device as a source of taking trip
to Europe, a chance to buy a cottage on the Island and an opportunity to have a nicer apartment, nicer
furniture, nicer clothes, a car etc. The moral behind this story is also that man must be grateful to God
for whatever He has bestowed him in both prosperity and adversity. It is matter of fact that when
man is satisfied he becomes unbeliever and prays to God only when he is in trouble.
Moreover man must not run after the temporary worldly desires and ambitions which are nothing as
compared to the blessing of the world hereafter. In this story, Norma does not mind causing death of
unknown person, in order to become prosper. Though she gets her desire fulfilled, but she had to wear
a golden sorrow. Before this tragic event and the offer made by Steward she has known no modesty. It
is better to be lowly born and be humble rather than perked by a glistening grief as it is remarked by
Shakespeare:-
It is better to be lowly born,
And range with humble livers content,
Than to be perked up in a glistening grief,
And wear a golden sorrow

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CLEARING IN THE SKY
BY JESSE STUART
Q1. Why didn’t the old man follow the advice of the doctors?
Ans. The old man didn‟t act upon the advice of the doctors because he had a large family to support
and he was the only earning member in his family. He took a bold step and selected a small patch of
land on the hill top, which he visited daily. All this exercise helped him in regaining his lost
power/energy. It is well said:
He conquers who endures. ~Persius
Q2. What did the doctors tell the old man?
Ans. All the doctors, whom the old man visited, advised him to spend the rest of his days with his
family and told him not to take long walks. Some of them also suggested him to sit still, but he paid no
heed.
Q3. Had the son ever been there before?
Ans. The son visited the clearing in the sky frequently with his mother and father, when he was six
years old. His father also made a wooden plough, which the son lost in the furrow. He visited it
regularly with the exception of the last three years.
Q4. Why did the old man take the steep path?
Ans. The old man selected the steep path to regain and enhance his lost energies, which proved very
profitable as he got rid of all the diseases and live a happy health life by defeating death. “It is
inevitable that some defeat will enter even the most victorious life. The human spirit is never finished
when it is defeated...it is finished when it surrenders.” Similarly the old man was not ready to
surrender.
Q5. What were the feelings of the old man at the age of seventy?
Ans. At the age of seventy, the old man enjoyed the life full of warmth and real achievement as he
defeated death many time by not following the warnings of the doctors. To prove the doctors wrong, he
established a farm on the top of the hills and kept on visiting it. He considered the farm as the fruit of
his labour. He loved to touch and smell soil that he prepared. He also showed his ardent desire to taste
the fruit of his form. As Isaac remarked, “Happiness does not come from doing easy work but from
the afterglow of satisfaction that comes after the achievement of a difficult task that demanded our
best.”
Q6. Describe the physical appearance of the old man?
Ans. The old man is seventy years old with wrinkled red face and blue eyes. He has a stick in his hand
and a blue bandana on his shoulder, which he used for wiping sweat. Despite his old age, he is still
active and healthy. He has strong will power to act.
Q7. What is the theme of the story “Clearing in the Sky”?
Ans. The story “Clearing in the Sky” reveals that man is not made for defeat, a man can be
destroyed but not defeated. In this simple story, the son reflects his father‟s determination, deep love
for nature and the strength of human spirit. For 40 years, the doctors warned him not to work, but he
proved the doctors wrong through the strength of his spirit and defeated death many times.

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DARK THEY WERE GOLDEN EYED
Q1. Why did Harry want to go back to the earth?
Ans. Harry wanted to go back to the earth because he felt that his body tissues had been drawn tight
due to vacuum. He also felt himself to be submerged in a chemical that would dissolve his intellect and
disintegrate his past. He realized himself like a crystal of salt in mountain stream, which would
dissolve anyway.
Q2. Why did Mr. Bittering want to stay at mars?
Ans. He wanted to stay at Mars sue to the fear of atomic war going on the earth. Moreover, the atom
bomb had destroyed all the spaceship stations and rockets in New York and he hoped someday, rocket
would come to the Mars to take them back to the earth.
Q3. What sort of Climate did the Bittering Family face at Mars?
Ans. The Martian Climate was dangerous and replete with chemical. Mr. Bittering felt himself to be in
the center of a vacuum, which would draw his soul from his body. The climate had completely changed
their appearance, they became dark coloured and golden eyed. Everything on Mars was disintegrating
gradually in the chemical climate.
Q4. What was the condition of the Bittering Family on hearing the news of war on the
earth?
Ans. Bittering family was extremely dejected on hearing the news of war on the earth. Their hopes to
return to the earth were shattered. They could hardly believe that they had to live rest of their life on
Mars with little chances of existence.
Q5. What was the condition of the house constructed by the Bittering family?
Ans. The house built by the Bittering family, underwent disintegration because of chemical in air and
Martian virus. At night, everything was covered by fog. The boards had been warped out of shape. It
was not an earth‟s man atmosphere and everything was losing its identity.
Q6.How social were the people of Mars?
Ans. The lieutenant told the Captain that Martians were friendly, dark people with golden eyes. They
were capable to learn English fast. He also reflected that they could be made friends easily. Ironically,
the Martian people were the same, who migrated from the Earth to Mars to live in peace and whose
physical appearance underwent mutation, so the Captain and Lieutenant could not identify them.
“Thank you, Ma‟am”
By Langston Hughes
Q1. What was the time when Roger tried to snatch the purse of the women?
Ans. It was about 11 O‟ Clock, dark, when the boy came across her to snatch her purse.
Q2. What did happen to the boy when he tried to snatch the purse?
Ans. When the boy (Roger) tried to snatch the woman‟s purse, the strap of the purse was broken with
the single tug, but Roger was not able to run away because his weight and the weight of the purse
combined caused him to lose his balance. Instead of, moving away successfully he fell on his back on
the sidewalk (Foot path).
Q3. What was the reaction of the woman?
Ans. After the incident, the woman simply turned around and kicked the boy right square in his blue

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jeaned sitter. She bended down, picked up the boy up by his shirt front, and shook him until his teeth
rattled. But later, she became as polite and kind as a mother.
Q4. What was the conduct/reaction of the people who saw the incident?
Ans. The passer by or the people had not shown any particular reaction or attitude. They just stopped
for a moment to know the matter.
Q5. How did the boy look physically?
Ans. He seems to be of fourteen or fifteen years, weak and was wearing tennis shoes and blue jeans.
Q6. What was the condition of the boy when the woman gave him few jerks?
Ans. He was nervous and frightened. Sweat popped out on the boy‟s face and he began to struggle. He
was sure that the woman would certainly send him to jail.
Q7. Why did the woman ask the boy to wash his face?
Ans . She wanted to make him clean and wanted to reform him as if he were her son
Q8. Why didn’t the boy run from the house of the woman?
Ans. The boy did not run away because he didn‟t want to be mistrusted again as the behaviour of the
lady became polite and motherly.
Q9.Why didn’t the woman watch the boy while preparing dish?
Ans. She was sure that the boy must have been reformed by her polite treatment, would not betray her
again, that‟s why she didn‟t pay any attention to the boy while preparing dish.
Q10.What was the nature of the woman’s job?
Ans. Mrs. Jones worked in a hotel beauty shop, which stayed open late and was often visited by
blondes, red-heads, and Spanish women.
Q11. What is the theme of the story Thank you Ma’am?
Ans. Punishment is not the end of all the wrongdoings. It is better to reform someone through the
power of character instead of scolding and punishing. Mrs. Jones overlooks Roger‟s faults and instead
offers him the kindness and gentleness that a mother would offer her own son. She gives him
forgiveness and understanding along with food and shelter. This kind behavior reforms Roger.
Q12. “When I get through with you, sir, you are going to remember Mrs. Luella Bates
Washington Jones”. How do you interpret this statement?
Ans .It has double meanings. In the first place it means that Mrs. Jones treatment of Roger will leave a
positive and everlasting impression on his mind, who will not forget the name of that kind -hearted lady,
when he comes across such cases. On the other hand in the story it appears to be threat to Roger, who
struggles to get rid of the lady.
THE PIECE OF STRING
By Guy De Maupassant
Q1.Why did Manana accuse Hubert of picking the lost pocket-book?
Ans. Manana accused Hubert because he saw him picking something on the way to the market place
and kept on insisting that Hubert should be held responsible for the loss of the pocket –book.
Q2.What did the people think of Hubert when they heard of the return of the
pocket-book by some other persons?
Ans. They held the same view as that of Manana. Although Hubert was innocent, yet the villagers still
held the view that he was to be blamed for picking up the pocket book and they also held the view that
Hubert sent it later to the Mayor just to save his own skin.
Q3.Why did George give the pocket-book to his employer?
Ans. George handed it over to his employer solely because he desired it to be restored to its owner,

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whose address he could not read as he was uneducated.
Q4. What did make Hubert shameful?
Ans. The gilt of being called a liar, made him ashamed. He considered better to die with honour than
to live without it.
Q5.Why did the people make fun of his innocence?
Ans. The people made fun of his innocence because they were habitual in fabricating, such cock and
bull stories. Another fact that he was poor and they also considered that he would not be able to defend
himself in the face of allegations.
Q6.Why did he keep claiming his innocence before his death?
Ans. He kept on claiming his innocence and tried his best to prove it. He hated to be called a liar, even
after his death. He did not want to live a life of dishonour and he considered his character as his
destiny. It is well remarked by Thomas Hardy:-
Character is destiny;
And destiny is fate.
It is really a curse to live a life of disgrace and being abused. But still they cannot escape any
punishment as James Russell Lowell remarked;
Truth forever on the scaffold
Wrong forever on the thorn
Yet that scaffold sways the future
And behind the dim unknown
Standeth God within the Shadow
Keeping watch above His own.
THE REWARD
Q1. What discussion was going on at the club?
Ans. The topic under discussion at the club was the determination versus opportunity and their
inter-relationship. Jorkens emphasized the importance of determination for practical success in life,
however, Terbut supported opportunity. He was of the view that without opportunity, determination is
fruitless.
Q2. What did Terbut think of Jorken’s argument?
Ans. Terbut opposed Jorken‟s argument and said that opportunity is far more important than
determination. He gave the example of a person, who desired to be a Skating Champion of the Sahara
but he might fail to achieve his target only due to lack of money.
Q3. How did Jorkens convince Terbut that a man can become a skating Champion of
the Sahara?
Ans. Jorkens convinced Terbut that a man could become a skating Champion of the Sahara and could
make money by building a skating-ring in the Sahara and would organize a competition there.

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Q4. How did Gorgios persuade his people to make his country strong?
Ans. In order to convince his people, Gorgios joined politics and made fine speeches preaching his
ambition. He persuaded that the glory of their country would be multiplied and they could win their
rights from their enemies, if the seat of the court acrobat was formally created.
Q5. What was the point of view of the parents of Gorgios?
Ans. The parents of Gorgios emphasized the importance of time and achievement of ambitions in the
early age. However, Gorgios always tried to prove them wrong like other boys of his age. Later, he
realized the importance of his parent advice while he was striving for accomplishment of his ambition
of creating the seat of court acrobat.
Q6.What is the theme of the story?
Ans. The theme of the story is “When there is a will, there is a way” and man is not made defeat. A
person can achieve anything in his life if he trusts in his faculties and has faith in hard work in as
Emerson said:
Trust thyself; every heart vibrates to that iron string!
Nothing is impossible in the world if a person has decided to achieve anything as every king was
once a helpless baby and every great building was once only a sketch.
Q7. Describe the scene of inauguration?
Ans. For inauguration ceremony, the court hall was converted into a gymnasium. The lights and a
band in pale green and gold played softly. All the courtiers, including member of the royal family, were
sitting on one side. Gorgios entered in a golden acrobatic dress made of red velvet under the flood of
golden light.
I HAVE A DREAM
By
Martin Luther King
Q1. Write a note on the struggle of Martin Luther King Junior?
Ans. Martin Luther King was a priest as well as a well-honoured political leader of the Black Race
during the Civil Rights Movements dating from 1950’s to 1960’s in America. He was awarded
Nobel Prize for Peace in 1964. He took steps and raised voice against racial prejudice and
injustice. He led the freedom moments in the Southern States of America for the Black Race /Negroes.
During these moments, he and his supporters underwent torture and suffering but nothing could stop
them from preaching sanctity of freedom, fraternity, faith in equality and human rights.
In the early 1960‟s, he was jailed in Birmingham, where he wrote a letter to a local newspaper titled
“The Letter from a Birmingham Jail” regarding brutality of police to citizens.
He won the freedom struggle and rights for the Negroes. He was shot dead during a protest on 4th
April, 1968 in Memphis.
Q2.What was the condition of Negroes in his days?
Ans. In 1950‟s when the movement for Civil Liberty was at its peak; the Negroes in America were
living a pitiable and pathetic life. They were not only hated but also but also treated worse than
animals. They had to face tough trails and tribulations. They were kept in narrow jail cells. They had to
undergo the storms of persecution and staggered by the winds of police brutality. They were wallowing

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in the valley of despair in search of freedom and justice. They were neither considered for well-paid
jobs nor higher education. To uplift the life of Negroes Martin Luther King sacrificed his own life.
Q3. What was the subject matter or theme of Martin Luther’s speech, “I Have a
Dream”?
Ans. Martin Luther King was a strong supporter of the rights and freedom of the Negroes in America.
In his speech, “I Have a Dream”, he emphasized that education and awareness would gradually
change the thinking of the people. He wanted to preach the fact that hate can’t drive out hate only
love can do that. He wanted to preach peace, love for humanity and fraternity throughout the world.
In the Southern part of America, the Black race was considered to be inferior to White Race. Martin
Luther stressed that only love, freedom, fraternity and equality of human rights could bridge up the
gap between the white and black race in America. Peace is never possible without freedom of speech
and liberty from poverty and injustice. Freedom never means to maintain one‟s own freedom and seize
the freedom of others as Nelson Mandela remarks:-
For to be free is not merely to cast off one‟s chains, but to live
in a way that respects and enhances the freedom of others.
We cannot separate peace from freedom because no one can be at peace unless one has one‟s freedom.
Martin Luther King wanted the people to give practical shape to his dreams, which was the dream of
the whole humanity.
Our religion Islam is also a great supporter of universal brotherhood, sanctity of human life and rights
regardless of race, caste, colour and religion. Our Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) also preached
that no white man is superior to a black man.
THE GIFT OF MAGI
Q1. What is the central idea of “The Gift of Magi”?
Ans. Love, generosity, and the various definitions of wealth and poverty are central themes in "The
Gift of the Magi," in which a poor, loving young couple sell the only valuable things they own to give
each other special Christmas gifts. Della Young sells her beautiful hair to buy Jim a gold watch chain,
and Jim sells his heirloom watch to buy Della some hair combs. These gifts are useless, in one sense;
Della cannot wear her combs without her hair, and Jim, without his watch, cannot use his watch chain.
However, Jim‟s remark, is also a comment on the value of the gifts. They are too nice not only because
of the money they represent but also because of the sacrificial love they represent. Self-sacrifice
in the name of love is the wisest gift.
Q2. How much did she save for Christmas?
Ans. Della saved one dollar and eighty seven cents through bargaining while buying meat and food.
She saved money through careful buying only because she wanted to purchase Christmas gift for Jim.
Q3. Why did Della sell her hair?
Ans. When Della found no other way to get money for Jim‟s gift, she started weeping desperately.
During the same moment, the idea of selling hair came to her mind, thus she rushed to Sofronie‟s
Shop; who was a large, white and cold-eyed woman and bought Della‟s hair for twenty dollars.
Q4. Why Della did selected gold chain for Jim?
Ans. Della chose gold watch chain for Jim because it had both quietness and value like Jim, and was

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made of pure material. Moreover, Jim‟s watch had never a good chain and he always avoided to take
out watch from his pocket in public places.
Q5. Why did they want to present gifts to each other?
Ans. Jim and Della had sacrificial love for each other and they did not want to celebrate Christmas
without presenting gifts. Thus, both sold their most valuable gifts for each other.
Q6. What was the wisdom in selling the most valuable things?
Ans. In "The Gift of the Magi," O. Henry tells the story of Jim and Delia Young, a poor young couple
who wanted to buy each other special Christmas gifts, which ironically cancel each other out because
Della sold her hair to buy Jim a chain for his watch, which he in turn had sold to buy her a fine set of
combs for her hair. Despite the fact that these gifts are now useless, Jim and Delia have given each
other the greatest gift of all, which the narrator compares to the gifts given to the Christ child by the
wise men, or magi: selfless love. Their love for each other is unlimited.
A MILD ATTACK OF LOCUSTS
By Doris Lessing
Q1. How did the farmers try to prevent the main swarm of the locusts from lading on
their fields?
Ans. The farmers were used to such calamities and knew how to handle them. They took every
possible preventative or safety measures to prevent the main swarm of the locusts from lading on their
fields; especially they prepared piles of wood and grass and set it on fire. When the smoke started
rising from the myriads of fire, they constantly added wet leaves to make it more acrid (acidic) and
black because the locusts were allergic to smoke. This preventive kept the locusts from the field for a
longer time. Moreover, they also made rattling sound with the help of tins and other metallic things to
stop them from settling.
Q2. Why even after all the crops were destroyed, did the men continue to fight the
swarm?
Ans. Although the locusts devastated the green fields and crops, yet the villagers kept on fighting
because they knew that the attack of locusts might turn out like a bad weather. Once the swarm of
locusts settled on their lands/fields, they would start breeding and they might go on for the next two to
three years. The farmers also knew that the locusts would definitely eat up all the new crops too, so
they kept on fighting desperately to avert this calamity.
Q3. What was the condition of the land when the locusts had moved to the south?
Ans. After the attack of locusts, the land gave the view of wilderness, as all the greenery especially the
crops were eaten up by the locusts, leaving behind only the patches of barren land. Everything was to
be replanted and the fields seemed to be in ruins. All the trees, buildings, bushes and earth were
completely covered was gone under the moving brown masses. The villagers were expecting rain,
which might spring some new grass, because the cattle would die otherwise. For Margaret, it was a
great calamity and she felt like a survivor after war.
Q4. What are the measures the farmers should have taken to save their crops?

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Ans. Disaster or calamities are mostly remembered for the number of people that they have killed, the
property consumed by their ferocity, and the social and psychological trauma (shock) that they leave in
their wake. Calamities as these effects are, disaster also bring out all the stupidities, mistakes, wrong
decisions, , frailties and the ultimate incapability of human beings in conquering- or even defending
against- the forces of nature beside the best that human nature has to offer. Moreover, calamities
always come as an unpleasant surprise, for which no nation is pre-planned or ready to face.
In this story, the attack of locusts is also like an unpredictable calamity, which can neither be predicted
and nor easily averted. Although the farmers were used to this kind of attacks and they knew the
precautions as well, yet they could not avert it. If it had been possible for them to avert them, they
would have taken all the measures, however, they should have taken the following measures:-
a. They should have sprayed the insecticides in time.
b. They would have known the symptoms of such attacks must have some
precautions beforehand.
c. They must have got help from Agricultural Department to control this kind
of attack.
d. They should have used bio- pesticides like fungus, which spread disease
among the locusts and result in their ultimate death.
Q5. Write a note on the character of Margaret.
Ans. Margaret is a young girl, belonging to the village being attacked by the locusts. It was her first
experience of life to be under attack of locusts and she was greatly shocked. She could not understand
what to do and she felt herself like a saviour from a war. But at the same time she could not
understand the happiness of the farmers after the disappearance of the locusts from that area.
THE GULISTAN OF SAADI
By Sheikh Saadi
Q1. What do you know about Sheikh Saadi?
Ans. Abū Muslih-ud-Din bin Abdullah Shīrāzī (died 691 AH), better known by his pen-name as
Sheikh Saadī Shirazi , was one of the major Persian poets of the medieval period. He is recognized
not only for the quality of his writing, but also for the depth of his social thoughts. His best known
works are Bostan ("The Orchard") completed in 1257 and Gulistan ("The Rose Garden") in
1258, which are a description of Saadi's travels and analysis of human psychology and wisdom.
Q2. How did Nushirvan advise to his people?
Ans. Nushirvan-the great Persian King, who was known for his justice and kindness, warned his
subject/people against destruction by cruelty and injustice. He advised them, “A tyrant does not
remain in the world; but the curse on him abides forever”, mean an unjust and cruel is
cursed forever and there are no sound existence of such a king. On another occasion Sheikh Saadi
remarked about an unjust king in the following words:-
“A tyrant cannot be a Sultan,
As a wolf can‟t be a shepherd,
A king who establishes oppression,

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Destroys the basis of the wall of his own reign”.
Q3. What remedy was suggested by the physician for the disease of the king?
Ans. The physician prescribed the king that his disease could only be cured with the bile of a person
having certain qualities. His servants searched for such person and at last a farmer‟s son was found to
have the required qualities. The king also got the consent of the boy‟s parents by presenting them
handsome sum.
Q4. Why did the boy look towards the sky and smile?
Ans. The boy looked towards the sky to seek justice from Almighty Allah against the brutality of the
king and smiled at the foolishness and lust of his parents for the trash of the world that for a little sum
they forgot the parents-son relationship. The boy also said that if the king failed to get agreement of his
parents, they would seek justice from Qazi. On the contrary, the parents agreed for his bloodshed and
the Qazi who was to do justice also passed the decree for his assassination.
Q5. What should be the role of Qazi?
Ans. A Qazi should be a paragon of justice having considerable knowledge and understanding of social
and moral laws. He should be impartial and not to be influenced by the Rulers and Kings of any state.
His decision should be on merit regardless of social status and position.
Q6. Why did the king weep?
Ans. The king when listened to the words of helpless boy. He considered himself to be cruel and
unjust, who is going to kill an innocent boy for his health. He also though about his foolishness that he
was dependent upon the worldly provisions while the little boy was seeking justice from Allah. With
these feeling, he started weeping and released the boy with wealth and affection.
THE FOOLISH QUACK
Q1. What is the clump of trees?
Ans. A clump of trees means a group or a groove or a furrow of trees grown close to each other.
Q2. What was stuck in the camel’s throat?
Ans. A water-melon was stuck in the camel‟s throat while grazing in the field.
Q3. What did the quack pretend to cure?
Ans. The quack pretended emphatically to cure goiter i.e the swollen throat.
Q4. What did the quack do with the old woman?
Ans. He wrapped a blanket around the old woman‟s throat and hit it hard with mallet .i.e he repeated
the same practice, which he did with the camel.
Q5. What was the result of the cure?
Ans. The cure resulted into the instant death of the poor old woman.
Q6. What was the punishment inflicted on the quack by the villagers?
Ans. The punishment inflicted or imposed on the quack by the villagers was to dig the grave for the
burial of the old woman and a beating in addition to digging.

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Q7. For whom did the quack dig the grave?
Ans. He dug the grave for the old woman, whom he killed with his notorious and abortive practice of
curing goiter.
Q8. What did the quack do in the next village?
Ans. The quack again pretended to be expert in curing goiter.
Q9. Why didn’t the villagers let the old man get cured?
Ans. They did not let the old man cure because the quack warned them that in case of old man‟s
death, he should not be held responsible. Hearing this, the villagers said that they had nothing to do
with a doctor, who talked of death before curing.
Q10. Why did the quack come back to the camel-men?
Ans. He came back to the camel-men to taunt him for misguiding or misleading him regarding the
cure of goiter.
Q11. How did the camel-men cure their camel?
Ans. They cured their camel by tying a blanket round the neck of their camel and hit it hard with a
mallet. The water-melon stuck in the throat of the camel was crushed with the blow and the camel
swallowed the food instantly. It was a natural way meant for animals based on common sense, but was
not for human beings.
THE USE OF FORCE
By William Carlos Williams
Q1.What was the condition of the parents on the arrival of the doctor?
Ans. The parents especially the mother was disturbed about the health of her daughter, she was spick
and span and apologetic lady. On the arrival of the doctor, the father tried to move for the doctor but
the doctor rushed not to bother him. Both the father and the mother of the little girl were nervous and
they were eyeing the doctor up and down distrustfully.
Q2. How did the child behave with the doctor?
Ans. The child behaved adamantly and was ready for her medical check-up. She was inwardly quiet
and healthy in appearance with expressionless face. She also reacted strongly, when the doctor tried to
open her mouth for throat examination.
Q3. Why did the doctor call her by her first name?
Ans. The doctor called the child by her first name “Matilda” to make her sure that he is intimate and
friendly. He also wanted to make her realize that he was their family doctor and had already known
them.
Q4. Why did the parents rebuke the little girl?
Ans. The parents rebuked the little girl for her misbehavior and partly because she knocked away the
glasses of the doctor as he lovingly approached her to examine, which fell a few yards away on the
kitchen floor.
Q5. How did the doctor threaten the sick child?
Ans. Considering the children lying on the death bed due to ignorance, the doctor indirectly
threatened the little girl by saying that if she did not cooperate for her throat examination he would
open it by force for her.

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Q6. How did the child look by appearance?
Ans. The child was as strong as heifer in appearance but her face was flushed due to high fever and
she was breathing rapidly. She was inwardly quiet and was eyeing the doctor furiously with
expressionless face. In short, she was as cute as the children, who appear in the photogravure section
of the Sunday magazines.
Q7. Why did the parents keep the child in the kitchen?
Ans. The parents kept the sick child in the kitchen to keep warm, where she was resting in her father‟s
lap. They kept her there also because the house was very damp sometimes.
Q8. How did the doctor succeed in examining the sick child?
Ans. When the doctor failed to convince the sick child to open her mouth for examination, as a last
resort he grasped head of the girl and tried to put the wooden tongue depressor between her teeth.
When he succeeded in doing so, the girl crushed the wooden depressor with her teeth into splinters.
Then he asked for a metallic spoon and pushed it her mouth until she gagged showing the tonsils
covered with membrane.
Q9.Under what circumstances the use of force can be justified?
Ans. The use of force cannot be justified in general, however, in cases where danger to life is
imminent; the use of force becomes inevitable. In the lesson, “The Use of Force”, the doctor and the
parents tried their level best in politely and kindly but as a last resort they had to use force at the risk of
her life to examine her throat.
OVERCOAT
Q1. How did the young man look physically?
Ans. The young man was well groomed having sleek and shinning hair and wore side burns. He had
tin mustache as if drawn with a pencil. He was wearing brown overcoat according to fashion of that
day, a green flat hat and white silk scarf knotted at his neck. The coat was well cut and its material was
good. The lapels of the coat were stiff and the sleeves were well creased. Indeed he was very happy in
that dress.
Q2. Why were the people doing on the mall?
Ans. The people were enjoying themselves and had fun in variety of hotels, restaurants, cafes and
snack bars according to their means.
Q3. Why did a tongawala and a taxi drive approach the young man?
Ans. They mistook him as a rich man and thought he might be needed a vehicle to move through the
bazaar. However, both were turned away in a peculiar style especially the taxi driver with “No thank
you”.
Q4. Why did not the young man buy the carpet?
Ans. The young man could not buy the carpet because he was not well off. He praised the carpet as
being fine but a little bit costly. He further said to him that he would come again after some days. He
said so to conceal his poverty.
Q5. Why did the driver of the truck escaped away?
Ans. The truck driver sped away after the young man ran over by his truck because he imagined that
the young man would have been critically injured. He thought that if he stopped there, he would

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definitely be arrested for this mishap.
Q6. Narrate the scene of removing the overcoat from the body of the young man?
Ans. After being taken to the hospital, the overcoat was removed from the body of the young man, it
was found that under the coat he was wearing only a tattered sweater. Under the sweater, he was
wearing a dirty vest which was reflecting that he has not taken bath for many days.
Q7. Give the list of the articles, which were found from the coat of the young man?
Ans. The articles recovered from various pockets of the young man were a small black comb, a
handkerchief, six annas, a few pies, a half smoked cigarette, a little diary and a few handbills, which the
shopkeepers thrust upon him on that night.
Q8. What is the central idea of the story “Overcoat”?
Ans. The basic theme or central idea of this story is that most of the people pretend to be rich and tries
to hide their poverty and miseries because they are looked upon by the elite class, who has merely
made the physical appearance to be final yardstick of measuring character and status in the society.
But we should judge people around us morally not materially as “Our true beauty is defined by
our soul; our appearance is just a camouflage we use to hide our true beauty, our true
identity...”
THE ANGEL AND THE AUTHOR AND OTHERS
By Jerome K Jerome
Q1. At what point of the journey in his dream did the author hear the throbbing sound
of wings?
Ans. One night, in his dream the author felt that he was flying up towards the sky. While he was
moving up and up he could observe the little luminosity down on the earth. At this moment, he heard
the throbbing sound of the wings behind him. When he turned around, he saw that it was the
recording angel.
Q2.What time of the year was it?
Ans. It was about a fortnight (two weeks) after Christmas, when the writer had a worrisome dream.
The author dreamt that he was moving up towards the sky.
Q3. What does the author like about Christmas?
Ans. The author tells the angel that he likes Christmas, because it makes everybody good especially
the lovely sentiments and the noble deeds that people keep on repeating from a little before Christmas
up to the end of January. There is also an ironic element in the writer‟s opinion that usually people do
good deeds only for a limited time each years just to show off especially during the religious days.
Q4. Write down the good deeds the author has admitted are a great joy on Christmas?
Ans. The good deeds that the author has done are as follow:-
1 He submitted ten shillings subscription to the daily telegraph‟s six penny fund for the
unemployed.

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2 He attended four charity dinners, later he had to suffer from stomach problem.
3 He sent his twelve self-signed photographs to a charity bazaar to be sold to raise funds.
4 He also performed in Talbot Chimneys and helped to raise funds for the destitute (poor) British
in Johannesburg.
5 Moreover, he sent his old clothes along with a useable coat to rummage sale and bought a raffle
to help the poor.
Q5. Why noble deeds are always a great joy for the author?
Ans. Good deeds bring spiritual satisfaction to everyone. Similarly for the author good deeds are of
great joy, he tries to recall all his good deeds that he has done during his lifetime. In his dream, he is
dead and realizes that he has lost all opportunities for good deeds. He also tells the angel that noble
deeds are always a great joy to him and he loves to think of all the good deeds he himself has done. He
often thought of keeping a diary--noting them down each day as it would be so nice for one's children.
Noble deeds not only satisfy one‟s conscience but also a true way to win God‟s love. A
tree is known by its fruit; a man by his deeds. A good deed is never lost; he who sows
courtesy reaps friendship, and he who plants kindness gathers love.
Q6. What is the central idea of the story “The Angel and The Author and The Others”?
Ans. Man does not become conscious of the escaping time and opportunity that has been bestowed to
him by Almighty Allah. Here in this story, the author realizes that he is no more alive and has lost all
the opportunities to perform good deeds. Thus he recalls his good deeds with the ironic vein that
majority of us start doing good during the specific religious occasions. In other words, in order to
protect himself from damnation he starts mentioning his trivial deeds which are of no significance.
The idea of death, the fear of it, haunts the human like nothing else; it is a mainspring of human
activity and this fear can only be overthrown or defeated through good deeds and following the ways
prescribed by Almighty Allah.
PLAYS
HEAT LIGHTENING
Q1. What did the girl can’t describe the killer?
Ans. The girl couldn‟t describe the killer because she was extremely frightened and nervous. She
completely lost her senses, when she saw the killer dragging the dead body of the woman. Later, she
was also chased by the killer and she was certain that she would also be murdered. In this anxiety, she
was not able to muster up her courage to give details regarding the murderer/ killer.
Q2. Why did the girl leave her on the side of the road?
Ans. She left her car solely because her car ran short of fuel/gas. It was a stormy night with heavy rain
and she banked her car along the road side. As a last resort, she came out of her car with the hope to
get help or any other assistance form the passers-by. As she was strolling along the road, she was

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horror-stricken by the terrible scene.
Q3. Why did the girl consider the first man her helper?
Ans. The girl saw a horrible act, which made her extremely nervous and disturbed. The uncountable
fear and threat of being chase and murdered kept on haunting her mind. In alarmed state, she reached
the bus stop; where she came across the first man, whose compassionate and kind words made her
trust him. He posed as if he were her well-wisher as he positively inquired the murder case and
suggested her positively to inform the police. The first man also pretended to hide/save her, when the
second man arrived. The frightened girl blindly trusted him as her well-wisher and she was far away
from considering the first man, the murderer.
THE OYSTER AND THE PEARL
Q1. Do you think that it is right to allow Clay to believe that there is a pearl in the
oyster? Elaborate.
Ans. Clay wants 300 dollars to get his father back home and desires to buy some present for his
mother. He wishes to see family united and regain the lost happiness, as his father left them for
unknown place, owing to everyday disputes. Clay plans to search for his father but he lacks money for
this purpose. He has associated all of his hopes with the oyster and the pearl. The oyster, however,
symbolises the obstacles and the pearl is hope. Moreover, when he comes by an oyster on the sea shore
he becomes happy and optimistic. He is confident to find pearl in the oyster, even there was none.
Everyone except Harry tells him that there is nothing inside of the oyster. Harry agrees with Clay only
because he wants to make him happy. The writer understands the circumstances, pays 300 dollars to
Clay to help him and saves him from being disappointed and disillusioned.
However, it is wise decision on the part of the Harry Van Dusen and the writer not to disappoint the
innocent boys, who is living in the world of harmless dreams through self-sacrifice.
Q2. Why does the writer willing to buy the pearl? What does he mean by saying: As far
as I am concerned the whole thing is a pearls?
Ans. During the discussion regarding, the oyster and the pearl, the writer was present in Harry‟s shop
for hair-cut. Like other people of the town, he knew that there was no pearl in the oyster and that one
out thousand carried the pearl, it was few and far between. Though he was certain that he would not be
getting anything from the worthless /ordinary oyster, yet he bought it for 300 dollars to help the poor
Clay indirectly. Moreover, he did not want to shatter the innocent boy‟s dreams and hopes of bringing
in happiness.
Q3.What was Harry’s philosophy? What is your opinion about it?
Ans. Life is a pendulum between smiles and tears. To love and to be loved is the greatest existence of
human life. Cheerful life is always based on self-sacrifice, humanity, patience, tolerance and fraternity.
Harry‟s philosophy is to take it easy and relax; consequently, the life will be happy and serene. He
tries to propagate his philosophy by talking to people, when he is cutting hair. It is almost as if the
haircuts were just a way of getting people in his shop to talk. The name of the town is
O.K.-by-the-sea, which symbolises that life isn’t perfect but by taking it easy, it can be more fun.
He knows that the people are living a very miserable and hectic life without any sympathy or helping
hand. All the town people are preoccupied by the cares of chaotic life. There is no way out for them,

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they can neither laugh nor weep. However, Harry‟s philosophy makes them hopeful and happy. He
tries to free the town people from their worries, particularly in the case of Clay, who wants money to
get his father back home and to buy gifts for his mother.

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A VISIT TO A SMALL PLANET
By
Gore Vidal
Q1. How does Kreton prove his extraordinary powers?
Ans. Kreton, an alien visitor from outer space, who is fascinated by human beings and determined to
make his visit everlasting and memorable. He possesses extraordinary powers, which are being
displayed at the time of threat from the army or personnel of General Powers. The prominent traits of
his power are as below:-
He creates an invisible fortification (defence wall), surrounding his spaceship, when General
Powers orders his personnel to penetrate into it.
Kreton has used his powers of mind to levitate or cease all of the rifles and weapons in the world
for fifteen seconds.
He has a highly technological way of operating his spaceship without instrument or control
panel.
He has the ability of reading the minds and behaviour of the people before revelation.
He is strong and advanced enough to take the control of the whole world.
Q2. What do you know about Kreton and what is the purpose of his visit to the earth?
Ans. Kreton is a visitor from other planet. He is forty years old, mild, pleasant looking man with side
whiskers, dressed in the fashion of 1860. He is cool-minded. He possesses high intellectual and has the
ability to read the mind dressed. He self-dependent and represents an ideal civilization. He is the man
of extraordinary powers and above human ill-will and malice.
On General Power inquiry regarding the purpose of his arrival, he reflects his interest in the human
beings and their behaviour. He also says to Speldings, “ You are my hobby” and “I am going
native”. He means to say that he has come to earth for everlasting visit. When General Powers
questions him regarding his intention to capture America, he replies that he will take the charge of the
whole world including America and intends to reform it.
Q3. What is the theme of the play “A Visit to a Small Planet?
Ans. Using Kreton as a satiric personification of American‟s ugly underbelly (cunningness), Vidal‟s
play employs a common science-fiction scenario to explore not alien but American‟s life and directly
the hollow and materialistic nature of all the human beings, who are uncivilized and good at nothing
except wars.
The writer has aptly employed the character of Kreton to expose the real face of human beings
i.e. hypocrisy, selfishness, callousness, cruelty, violence and war crime against humanity. Here, Kreton
also acts as writer‟s mouthpiece and through his satirical remarks like “Here civilization is just
beginning” and “You fragile butterflies”, Vidal has put forward the idea that the people on the
earth are inferior in civilization and technology to the other inhabitants of other planets. Moreover the
elements of violence, hatred and the fever to expand one‟s territories are the characteristics of ancient

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civilizations. Kreton says that the people of earth seek satisfaction by hurting others even in 20th
Century and consider themselves more civilized than other nations or their enemies.
Kreton, who is the representative of both an alien nation and the future man, is free of human
emotions of hatred, hostility and prejudice including all other evil emotions. He plans to live on earth
for ever to reform the human civilization, which has gone worse.

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THE RAIN
W.H. Davies
I HEAR leaves drinking rain;
I hear rich leaves on top
Giving the poor beneath
Drop after drop;
'Tis a sweet noise to hear
These green leaves drinking near.
Reference: These verses have been taken from the poem The Rain, written by W H Davies-
Context: In this poem, the poet has portrayed the scenery of a rainy day. The rain beautifies the entire
atmosphere and falls drop after drop on lush green leaves of the tree. But this romantic and natural
scene is not to be enjoyed by the poor, who are shelter less , thus cannot admire and enjoy the beauty
and music of rain. Rain appears as a hindrance in their daily routines and gives them a tough time as
and they have no alternative except to suffer in the wet cold weather. To escape from the coming
deluge, he seeks shelter under trees, which doesn‟t serve as a perfect shelter. However, the scene of the
sunshine after the rain symbolizes hope and happiness for poor.
Explanation:-In this stanza, the poet portrays the fresh serene and musical atmosphere created by
rain. When it rains, the poet observes the tree leaves sipping /drinking rain water and giving a
fascinating melody. The leaves after rain can be seen fresh and full of water. This natural music is
sweet, pleasant and worth of listening. Despite its pleasantness, it is not fruitful or enjoyable for poor
and the penniless. The poor man has no other choice or shelter except the tree. In this cold wet world,
the sufferings of poor are as countless or limitless as the rain drops, which fall drop after drop. As
Shakespeare remarked:-
When sorrows come, they,
Come not single spies,
But in battalions.
The greatest enemy to the man, who has to carry on his body his entire wardrobe, is rain. As long as the
sun shines he is indifferent, but if he is caught in a wet condition after sunset, he is to be pitied. He
does not fear any ill consequences to health from being wet; however, he does not like the
uncomfortable sensation of shivering and not being able to keep warm. This unsettled feeling is often
made worse by an empty stomach. In fact a full stomach is his one safeguard against the cold, and he
cares not then, if the rain and the wind penetrate his clothes.
Stanza 2.
And when the Sun comes out,
After this Rain shall stop,
A wondrous Light will fill
Each dark, round drop;
I hope the Sun shines bright;
'Twill be a lovely sight.
Explanation:-In these verses, the poet remarks that sunlight will brighten the whole atmosphere
after the rain is stopped. The sun shines with full glamour and gives a new look to all the things. The
other side of the gloomy picture is always bright. As every dark cloud has a silver lining and
after rain there are always roses. Here in the verses, sunshine is the symbol and ray of hope for
the poor in the dead, dark and cold world of uncountable suffering. The sufferings may stay a little

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longer, yet not forever. Human life is a pendulum between smiles and tears; he has to endure
sufferings and dejection, without any excuse. The poet encourages the poor to keep up hope and
happiness through the imagery of bright sunshine, which injects a new spirit and life in every creature.
In this regard Henry Wardsworth Longfellow has beautifully remarked in his poem- An April Day :-
Be still, sad heart, and cease repining;
Behind the clouds the sun is shining;
Thy fate is the common fate of all,
Into each life some rain must fall,
Some days must be dark and dreary.
NIGHT MAIL
Night Mail is a simple poem written by W. H. Auden. In this poem, the poet describes the journey of a
coach that travels the whole night to bring mail containing letters, postal orders and cheques for
people living in different parts of the country. The journey is not always the same. Sometimes the
“Night Mail” coach has to climb upwards and sometimes it crosses the plains but it always reaches its
destination on time. During the journey the coach passes through grasslands, cotton fields, moorland,
etc. The poet mentions the attitude of the birds as it approaches, they become active to peep at it
through bushes. The sheepdogs are not at disturbed by the noise of the train as they are lost in their
slumber (deep sleep). The poet minutely mentions all the details that when the night mail passes
through the farm the people are not disturbed. They continue to sleep. Only a jug placed in a bedroom
shakes gently with the vibration of the passing train.
***************
LOVELIEST OF TREES -THE CHERRY NOW
STANZA -1
Loveliest of trees, the cherry now
Is hung with bloom along the bough,
And stands about the woodland ride
Wearing white for Eastertide.
Reference: These verses have been taken from the poem “Loveliest of the Cherry Now” written by
A.H Housman.
Context:-In this poem, the poet has beautifully portrayed and mirrored the beauty of cherry tree in
bloom. The poet‟s joy mirth, birth and happiness lie in the splendor of cherry trees, which are
embellished colourful flowers, adding to the splendid herald of spring. Moreover; the melodious
rhythm of the verses lends majesty and grandeur to the influence of the poem. The poet sketches the
shortness of his life by making an apt comparison of the spring season with the period of life. Here the
approaching spring is portrayed through fascinating colours of flowers and magical glimpse of nature.
Explanation:- In these verses, the poet shows his deep and unbounded love and fascination for the
cherry tree. He holds that cherry is the loveliest tree, which is in full bloom and splendor, and its
branches are laden with the attractive flowers. To poet, it appears that the cherry tree is standing along
the way to forest /woods, wearing the white shining overcoat of snow to welcome the eve of Easter. The
poet‟s praise for cherry garden and its fascinating surroundings reflects his love for nature. The
cherry tree here also symbolizes the tree of life with its own spring and autumn i.e. life and death,

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mirth and dirge (Funeral song). The poet keeps up his hope of life through the inspiration of cherry
tree, as it is said by Abignale:-
“Every endless night…
has a shinning day
Every darkest sky….
Has a shinning rain” (Abignale)
It is universal truth that every withered plant or thing has its hope preserved which comes to
life through tragedy, but bringing life and a brand new day with the blossoming cherry in the wood
world, creates a new sense and scene of cheerful life.
In the winter season all the vegetation seems to be dead the tree are bare, the grass is brown, and all
the flowers have disappeared. In March the climate changes often suddenly. The warm, moisture laden
west wind prevails and the air becomes warm and mild. The flowers come out, the tree put forth new
leaves and the grass becomes green.
STANZA- 2.
Now, of my three score years and ten,
Twenty will not come again,
And take from seventy springs a score,
It only leaves me fifty more.
Explanation: In these verses, the poet laments about his past life and its golden moments, and
associates it with the spring season. The white glory of the cherry tree in bloom, reminds him of the
springs of his lovely life, which has now become a history (past) for him. At the same moment, the
cherry tree also symbolizes the shortness and uncertainty of human life in the form of spring and
autumn season. Human life is as limited as that of a flower. The more it is beautiful and sweet smelling
the sooner it is withered. Here in these verses, the poet also grieves that the early twenty years of his
life will not bounce back. These early twenty years of poet‟s life were the years of youthful and tension
free life and only fifty years of expected life are left behind, which are too short to enjoy the beauty of
nature.
STANZA -3.
And since to look at things in bloom
Fifty springs are little room,
About the woodlands I will go
To see the cherry hung with snow.
Explanation :-In this stanza, the poet reflects the shortness and uncertainty of human life, which is
not long enough to enjoy the beauties of nature. That‟s why he says in brooding pessimism that fifty
years are a little time to enjoy life in the recesses of nature. Like Wordsworth, the poet desires to take
refuge in the beautiful and charming world of cherry and wants to escape from the gloomy and short
world. He longs for an everlasting tour to woodland to enjoy the splendor of the blooming cherry trees.
O WHERE ARE YOU GOING?
"O where are you going?" said reader to rider,
"That valley is fatal when furnaces burn,
Yonder's the midden whose odours will madden,
That gap is the grave where the tall return."

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Reference: These verses have been taken from the W. H. Auden’s poem “O Where Are You
Going?”
Context: This poem is a dialogue between two imaginary persons, personified as Reader and Rider.
The Reader, whose life is based on theoretical concepts and nothing practical, is a timid and terrified
person. On the other hand, the Rider is a brave, courageous and practical man. Although his journey is
replete with innumerable dangers, yet he is determined to accomplish it through thick and thin or
whatever sufferings and sorrows come in his way. Through the dialogue between two opposite force i.e
the Reader and Rider the poet has tried to preach the philosophy of life that man is not made for
defeat and one must be determined and confident to achieve the goals of life without
losing courage and hope. The Reader in this poem is the representative of all those cowards,
who die ten times before death. The valley is the symbol of hardships and mysteries of life.
Explanation: In these verses, the Reader, who is coward, full of awe and astonishment, discourages
the Rider from continuing his tough task of travelling. He says that the valley where the Rider is going
is replete with heaps of dung /waste material, whose nasty smell may sicken him or madden his mind.
To strike further horror in the heart and mind of the Rider, the Rider adds that there is also a grave in
the form of a gap for those, who try to cross it.
At the very outset, the Reader tries to frighten and discourage the reader from accomplishing
his journey. The reader is impractical, unrealistic and far more frightened, so he can‟t overcome
obstacle of life as Shakespeare has remarked:
“Extreme fear can neither flight nor fly”
"O do you imagine," said fearer to farer,
"That dusk will delay on your path to the pass,
Your diligent looking discover the lacking
Your footsteps feel from granite to grass?"
Explanation:- In the above mentioned verses, the Reader warns the Rider regarding the risks and
tragedies, which may befall during his journey. He says that although the Rider is undertaking his
journey during the day time, yet at dusk it will become dark and deadly, where his intelligence and
vigilance will display his ignorance regarding mysteries of life. The Reader also warns him that the
footsteps on granite are different from those on grass. In other words, he means to say that the path
that the Rider has chosen is tortuous and twisted.
The fearer tries to discourage the rider so that he may withdraw from his ambition to cross
and conquer the valley replete with dangers, failures, sorrows and sufferings. It‟s true that bad time
never plays trumpet, however, one must be ready to face it courageously. In spite of the Reader‟s
predictions and discouragement, the Rider is not ready to give for him. To him, the will power matters
not the path /journey, which is either tough or straightforward and a determined person never
complains about such things, as it is well said by Tom Wilson:-
You can complain because roses have thorns, or you can
rejoice because thorns have roses.
No doubt God created us, but He gave us the power of choice to shape our
own lives and fortunes. It is depends upon a person, how he reacts during happy
moments or in tough times.

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"O what was that bird," said horror to hearer,
"Did you see that shape in the twisted trees?
Behind you swiftly the figure comes softly,
The spot on your skin is a shocking disease."
Explanation: - In the above mentioned verses, the Horror/Reader terrifies the Hearer /Rider
regarding mysterious event or phenomenon, which may befall during his journey. Supernatural
creatures, having terrible faces, may appear in his way. The trees, in that valley, are the dwelling place
for such ghostly creatures, which may chase him to death. The Horror points out that the tiny spot on
his face and body are the symptoms of deadly disease.
From the very outset, the main objective of the Reader is to frighten the Rider, who is
determined to cross the land of terror and dismay. The Rider believes in deeds not the baseless words,
because deeds are fruits; words are but leaves. Shakespeare has rightly remarked about will
power that our bodies are gardens to which our wills are gardeners.
"Out of this house," said rider to reader,
"Yours never will," said farer to fearer,
"They're looking for you," said hearer to horror,
As he left them there, as he left them there.
Explanation: - The concluding stanza of the poem indicates that the Rider doesn‟t get frightened of
the Readers pseudo warnings. He bears the iron will power to cross the valley. The traveller says to the
reader that the brave and courageous people are not afraid of the hardships of life and always struggle
till death. They trust in their capabilities and live on the principal of “Do or Die”. Regarding will
power and self-reliance, Emerson has rightly quoted:
Trust thyself; every heart vibrates to that iron string!
Such people never wait for opportunities or the dangers to be over, because deciding today is less
risky than waiting till all the risks are removed and when there is a will there is a
way.
The Rider further remarks that Reader‟s world is limited and can‟t come over the barrier of the
shortcoming of his own character. Ironically, the doubts and fears that the Reader has been trying to
create in the mind and heart of the Rider, are waiting for him; he will definitely become prey of his
fears and doubts. Saying this, the Rider left the Reader and assumed his journey.
IN THE STREET OF FRUIT STALLS
Wicks balance flame, a dark dew falls
In the street of fruit stalls’
Melon, guava, mandarin,
Pyramid-piled like cannon balls,
Glow red-hot, gold-hot from within
Reference: These verses have been taken from the poem “In the Street of Fruit Stalls” By Jan
Stallworthy.

25 | P a g e
Context: In this Poem, the Jan Stallworthy has reflected dark and harsh reality of life through death
and destruction caused by war, poverty and miseries of life. But all these sufferings have failed to crush
man‟s love for pleasure. He still searches for delight in the short sweetness of life just like the children,
who enjoy the sweet spray of juice forgetting all about the misery of life they live in. These children are
too innocent to comprehend the dark and harsh reality of life.
Explanation: In this first stanza, the poet has used the dark imagery “dark dew falls”. He has
portrayed evening time with dark and grim future inflicted by war in the street of fruit stalls, where
various fruits are piled up in a conical form like pyramid. The imagery of fruits is symbolizing both
pleasure and misery. Pleasure in the sense that they are in variety, having sweet taste and colour yet at
the same time symbolizing the cannon balls likely to be used in war. They reflect hot, red and golden
colours, which in dim light appear like bombs.
The whole world is engulfed in the darkness of war, misery and poverty. The same darkness is found in
the fruit street. War and its horrors have shattered the human psychology to such an extent that
different kinds of fruits look like bombs. In the dim light of lanterns they glow red hot or appear gold
hot.
Dark Children with a coin to spend
Enter the lantern’s orbit; find
Melon, guava, mandarin-
The moon compacted to a rind
The sun in a pitted skin
Explanation :Here in this stanza, the poet has used the word “ Dark Children”, which reflect that the
poor children with innocent hopes and dark future find pleasure in these fruits like melon, guava and
other fruits. They innocently hold a coin standing in the light lanterns. For them this is the only hope
and pleasure of life to buy and enjoy the taste of various fruits.
Dark children symbolize insignificant of human life in the eyes of those who wage war and bring
about misery to fellow humans.
The situation is so grim that the moon and the sun have failed to perform their normal functions as a
result of which darkness and gloom have enveloped the world. In spite of all this man‟s love for
pleasure is still an integral part of his nature. The children are oblivious of their miserable living
conditions. They buy different fruits and eat with relish. The juices wet all parts of their faces. The
condition of the poet is, however, different. He feels sad at the present situation and has serious
concern about the future.
They take it, break it open, let
A gold or silver fountain wet
Mouth, fingers, cheek, nose, chin:
Radiant as lanterns, they forget
The dark street I am standing in.
Explanation: They buy the fruit and break it open they tasty juice runs down their cheeks lips and
stick to their hands. For them the pleasure is cheap and they are unaware of the war going on, harsh
realities of life and grim future, where man is man‟s enemy and which is also disturbing the poet.
****

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A SINDHI WOMAN
Barefoot through the bazaar,
And with the same undulant grace
As the cloth blown back from her face,
She glides with a stone jar
High on her head
And not a ripple in her tread.
Explanation : In these verses, the poet draws a realistic sketch of a Sindhi woman, who is passing
through the bazaar leading towards Karachi slums, in a harmonious and peaceful manner. Although
the cloth, with which she has covered her face, is blown back from face but still she is walking
gracefully with a stone jar on her head way and there is no wavering in her walk.
In this stanza, the poet is paying tribute to a Sindhi woman, who has firm faith in hard work and
holding the burden of life in the form of stone jar high on her head. She is confident that‟s why she has
no repentance or despair regarding the tough time that her life has given her as Sophocles has
remarked “Despair often breeds disease”.
Watching her cross erect Stones,
garbage, excrement, and crumbs Of glass
in the Karachi slums,
I, with my stoop, reflect...
They stand most straight
Who learn to walk beneath a weight
Explanation : In this stanza, the poet observes that the way , the Sindhi woman holding the stone jar
on her head, reflects as if her body is a cross. In other words, it appears to the poet as if the Sindhi
woman is hanged on the cross by the cruel life but still she faces these troubles courageously and does
not bow before brutal life. Even the garbage, filth and small pieces of glass in Karachi slums cannot
stop her from her destination i.e she has no fear that her feet will be injured or spoiled despite
barefooted. She is self-reliant and self-sufficient that‟s not does not bow before anyone or extend her
hand to anyone to receive sympathies.
In the last three verses, the poet with his bent back thinks that he could not learn to walk beneath the
weight i.e. does not know how to shoulder the troubles of daily life and says that those who know how
to remain steadfast in the face of troubles and miseries are great and triumphant.
********
TIMES
The poem „Time‟ is an ecclesiastical poem, which highlights the importance of time in organizing the
phenomenon and cycles in the universe. The anonymous poet reflects that everything in this world is
systematic and every process /phenomenon takes place at the stipulated or specified time i.e. the
change of season, the cycle of life from birth to death, the time of marry making, the moment of victory

27 | P a g e
and rejoicing, time to worship and time to go to bed, season to sow and time to reap. Time for mirth
and time for dirge (lament).
In short all our activities are interwoven in the net of time and it is indispensable entity in human life.
Q1. Explain the message in the first eight lines of the poem “Time”?
Ans. The first eight lines of the poem emphasizes the importance of time and reflect that every process
/phenomenon occur in this world at stipulated time prescribed by the nature. A time to sow the crops
and the time season to reap. Everything in this world is time oriented. Time of birth and moment of
death i.e. both happy and sad moments are intermingled in human life as it is well said:-
“Human life is a pendulum between smiles and tears”
In human life the moments of marry making and moments of mourning over the funeral are also
specified. Those people never succeed, who keep on waiting for good time and hesitate to work and to
take risk. Deciding today is less risky than waiting till all the risks are removed, man must take full
advantage of opportunity and chance in his life, because chance and opportunities never repeat.
THE FEED
Ahmed Nadeem Qasimi
Holding a grain of millet in her beak
The mother sparrow has come to feed.
The young ones are so tiny and small
Form head to toe they are beaks.
Reference: These verses have been taken from the poem “THE FEED”, which is written by Ahmed
Nadeem Qasimi.
Context: In this simple and expressive poem, the poet, through his keen observation, portrays the
unfathomable/ boundless love and kindness of a mother for her young ones, who are very small and
only few days old, which cannot stand to their feet. The new born are in the nest and the mother
sparrow goes out and brings a grain of millet in her beak to be divided among ten chicks / fledglings.
The poet marvels at the way the mother sparrow distributes one grain among ten chicks judiciously. A
mother is she, who can take the place of all others, but whose place no one else can take.
Explanation: In these verses, Ahmed Nadeem Qasimi demonstrates the way the mother sparrow
feeds her chicks. She is holding a grain of cereal and comes to the nest of her young ones, who are tiny,
featherless and cannot fly in search of food, so they are entirely dependent on their mother, as a
mother understands what a chick does not say. All the young ones are crying with hunger and the
mother sparrow has to feed them.
In this stanza, the poet Ahmed Nadeem Qasimi illustrates the love of mother for her children as
she tries her best to provide food to her children or young ones in time. The mother is the symbol of
love and blessing on the lips and in hearts of children. It is the courage of a mother who looks after her
children throughout the day, until they are mature. In other words, mother is a bank, where we deposit
all our hurts and worries.

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To whom the mother sparrow should feed?
Conjoining beak with beak,
With whom should she solace?
Fissuring the atom,
You have learnt to weep and wail in a loud tone,
Splitting the grain,
You have learnt to set life on foot.
Could you split the grain?
One grain to be fed to the ten young ones.
Explanation:- When she returns to the nest with grain in her beak , she is perplexed as to whom she
should feed first, as all the chicks are joining their beaks with the beak of mother sparrow. They are
crying with hunger and impatient to be feed first, and giving tough time to their mother to decide. Her
love for every chick is equal and judicious. For her everyone is equally loving and deserving. As a last
resort, she splits the grain into smaller pieces and feed all of them at a time. She does not want to reject
any one of them. The mother sparrow has also keen observation, whether her chicks have learnt to
splits the grain or whether they can stand on their feet. As it is the responsibility of the mother sparrow
to train and polish her young ones for practical life.
In this stanza the poet illustrate the justice of a mother for her children or young ones. He has
portrayed the unique and ideal personality of a mother and highlights the problems which are to be
resolved by the mother single handedly. As it is well said:
Hundreds of dewdrops to greet dawn;
Hundreds of lamps in the purple clover;
Hundreds of butterflies in the lawn;
But only one mother the world wide over.
It is the universal hallmark of the great and unique personality of mother that in this entire cold
and hollow world no one possesses deep, strong and deathless love except mother.
********************
THE HOLLOW MEN
T.S. ELIOT
We are the hollow men, we are the stuffed men. The first verses of the poem indicate a
contradiction that surprises us. Hollow means “having a cavity within”, implying the idea of
`emptiness´. It also has a figurative meaning, that of “lacking real value or significance”. Stuffed,
however, means “filled by packing things in (to the point of overflowing)”. So now we appreciate the
difference between the ideas of lack and abundance. But what do the hollow/stuffed men lack and
what do they have in great quantities? If we look at line 4 (Headpiece filled with straw) we‟ll notice the
author highlights this part of the body as the one `stuffed´, and considering the headpiece as the
representation of the mind, we‟ll assume that these two verses have a symbolic, figurative meaning:
the hollow men –who the speaker belongs to (We are)- are fulfilled with absurd, non-sense ideas and
thoughts, causing them to be –in a contradiction in terms- empty and futile (let‟s look back at the
second meaning of hollow).
Leaning together (line 3) works in the text as an adjective because of the absence of the verb `to
be´. `To lean´ means “to incline or bend from a vertical position”. This indicates submission or even
surrender (Alas!, line 4, expressing unhappiness and pity), and it might also mean that the hollow men
are praying in their knees. This idea is supported by the following description of their voices: Our
dried voices, when we whisper together are quiet and meaningless. Their voices are not dry but dried,

29 | P a g e
connoting that they‟ve been dried by something or someone, but what or who? That‟s something we
still ignore. When the hollow men in their leaning –praying- whisper together, in group, their voices
have no sense, they don‟t even exist –another contradiction, can a voice be quiet?-, they‟re hollow, like
the men themselves. In lines 8-10 the voices are compared with wind in dry grass or rat’s feet over
broken glass in our dry cellar. In both cases, we could argue that wind `doesn‟t affect´ dry grass –if it
were humid, the wind would dry it anyway- and rat‟s feet `aren`t affected´ by broken glass, because of
their size. What‟s more, a cellar –a basement- is supposed to possess humidity, but it is dry, like the
grass and the voices. This comparison greatly accentuates the `meaninglessness´ of the voices, which
is, by generalisation, applicable to the men as well.
The next stanza is configured by two verses. The first one is Shape without form, shade without
colour. What may it mean? At first glance, we could say that, for instance, shape and form are
synonyms and shape without form is another contradiction that confirms the previous ideas about the
poem. But the truth is that they‟ve got a slight difference in meaning: a shape is the visible, external
form of something, whereas a form is the shape and structure of something as distinguished form its
material or content. So, we‟re dealing with an element that can be distinguished by its external
configuration but not by its inside. Shade without color has a similar meaning. A shade is a partial
darkness caused when something covers the light, but it‟s without color, that is, it doesn‟t cause any
visual sensation, it cannot be perceived. The whole verse gives us the idea of vanity and futility, as
things can only be perceived indirectly through their external appearance. The second verse in this
stanza is Paralyzed force, gesture without motion. Now we‟re not in front of a fact of perception, but
of movement. It‟s supposed that a force is a mobile energy or power, but here it‟s paralyzed, and a
gesture, which can be static or not, is obviously motionless. This verses emphasises the concept of
paralysis and stasis: everything is hollow and the situation won‟t change. Furthermore, if we take into
account both verses together, we obtain the image of a `dead corpse´: it‟s just something material,
static, completely soul-lacking and absent of life.
The last stanza makes reference to people apart from the hollow men (Those who have crossed
with direct eyes, to death’s other kingdom remember us). In this sentence, the use of the present
perfect instead of the present simple used so far gives us the idea of a past action recent in time, or
even a remote action with a present consequence. It‟s said that they‟ve crossed –indicating movement-
with direct eyes, to death’s other kingdom. Direct eyes do not hesitate, move or close, they‟re always
staring at the same point without blinking. Death’s other kingdom implies the existence of another
reality belonging to death. So those either knew where they were going or they have simply not crossed
to the beyond itself on their own, it seems that they‟ve had some kind of guidance to one of its `parallel
worlds´; they‟ve been led. Those have a strong connection with us (the hollow men), as they remember
them, they knew who they were, but if at all (line 16) -without necessity or just as a simple anecdote-
the hollow, stuffed men are remembered by those as such, and not as lost, violent souls.
LEISURE
William Henry Davies
What is this life if, full of care,
We have no time to stand and stare.
No time to stand beneath the boughs
And stare as long as sheep or cows.
Reference: These verses have been taken from the poem “Leisure”, which is written by William
Davies.

30 | P a g e
Context: In this poem, the poet has criticized the very fast and busy style of life of the modern people.
Being awfully busy in their worldly affairs, they do not enjoy the beauty of the various animate and
inanimate objects of Nature. He urges upon them to spare some moments to stop, watch and enjoy the
beauty of the living and lifeless objects of nature. According to William Davies, life full of worries and
troubles is worthless to live.
Explanation: In these verses the poet tells us that our life is full of worries and cares in modern
times. And the situation has become worse by the fact that we have no time left spare in our daily
routine to stand for a while and see all around us the beauty of nature. We should have spare time t o
see and observe the nature all around us, standing under the green shady branches /trees like cows
and sheep. Leisure is to be got and nature to be enjoyed in that leisure, otherwise our life will always be
full of worries, troubles and tensions.
No time to see, when woods we pass,
Where squirrels hide their nuts in grass.
No time to see, in broad daylight,
Streams full of stars, like skies at night.
Explanation: The poet feels sorry for the modern man, who is so busy in his material life that he has
completely ignored his mental and spiritual life. When we pass through a green forest, we are unable
to see the pretty and sweet squirrels that are hiding their walnut in the grass. When we pass near by a
stream, we ignore and do not watch and enjoy its twinkling water waves, which are shinning as
brightly on the earth as the sky shines due to the twinkling stars at night.
No time to turn at Beauty's glance,
And watch her feet, how they can dance.
No time to wait till her mouth can
Enrich that smile her eyes began.
Explanation: In these verses, the poet regrets that the modern man , being awfully busy in their
worldly affairs has no spare time to stop and turn to watch and enjoy :-
a. the beauty of Nature,
b. how beautifully her feet can dance;
c. how her beautiful talk can add to that smile which her looks spread and scatter later
on.
Here the poet has personified the beauty of Nature as “a goddess of beauty”, i.e. a fair maiden,
always smiling and dancing around us.
A poor life this if, full of care,
We have no time to stand and stare.
Explanation: In this concluding verse of the poem. In this verse, the poet has expressed his opinion
that our life, if it is always full of cares and worries, is very miserable. In fact, he wants to say that we
may be materially rich but, mentally and spiritually, our life becomes very miserable and poor if we do
not have any spare time to stop, watch and enjoy the beauty of the various objects of nature.

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************

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Describe the poem “Leisure” as a criticism on the time worship?
In this poem, Leisure” William Davies has criticized the worship of time and the fast moving life
in the western society .Modern man is missing the beauty of nature and the charm of innumerable
animate and inanimate objects.
The poet repents that the modern people have become materialistic and are sunken in their
worldly and material pursuits. Moreover they are spiritually and morally hollow.
While moving through the forest they have no spare time to stop and observe the beautiful squirrels,
which are a part of the beauty of nature, are hiding the walnuts, in the grass. In addition to it, they pass
beside the streams; they do not observe the silvery bright waves, glittering just like the stars which
twinkle in the sky in the night.
So they are neglecting and missing the beauty and blessings of nature. At the same time they
have no time to amuse themselves with the beauty for lady or the glance of goddess of beauty who also
contributes to the beautiful nature. They have no time to watch how marvelously her feet are moving
and how her talk can enhance that magical smile which her looks sprinkles later on.
In this poem the poet personifies the beauty of nature as “a goddess of nature”, which is always
charming and fascinating So, those who have no spare time to enjoy the beautiful images are
unfortunate.
The main theme of this poem is that the modern has totally neglected the importance and
beauty of nature and it is crystal clear that the modern man is more sensitive towards the woes and
anxieties of this modern and materialistic life.
*****************
RUBA‟IYAT
Allama Iqbal was a great thinker, philosopher and eminent poet of Sub-continent. His poetry is the
magnificent and melodious blend of mysticism and self-reliance. Allama Iqbal used poetry as a
platform to preach gospel that most people already believed in, yet none had the courage to stand up
for. Like a weapon, saved for the time of need, yet never actually taken out, for the fear of hurting one‟s
own self. He used his poetry mainly to stir the slumbering oblivious masses of Muslim world through
thought provoking and deep rooted philosophy of life and religion. In other words, he used poetry as a
weapon of words to evoke the spirit of self-reliance and firm faith in the Muslims of Sub-continent. He
also wanted them to keep up their own trends and tradition. After loss of freedom, it was his earnest
desire that the Muslims must regain their glory and gravity as a nation.
Iqbal‟s poetry did, in fact, arouse a whole nation.

33 | P a g e
Stanza 1.
Faith is like Abraham at the stake to be
Self-honouring and God-drunk is faith. Hear me,
You whom this age‟s way so captivate!
To have no faith is worse than slavery.
Reference: These verses are taken from the poem Rubaiyat, which is written by Allama
Muhammad Iqbal.
Context: In this short and thought provoking poem, Allama Iqbal has criticized and condemned the
moral hollowness and materialistic attitude of the modern society. He laments over the loss of faith,
which in fact maps out the direction of human soul. He is of the opinion that in this modern age of
materialism and fascination, faith strong like that of Hazrat Abraham (A.S) is needed. He also
emphasizes that Muslim harmony depends upon true faith in Islam. The Europeans lack faith and
spirituality that is why there is no harmony and fraternity among them. Muslims have become mad in
pursuit of foreign (Western) music and materialism, and have lost their identity and dignity as a
nation.
Explanation: In this stanza, Iqbal has illustrated the power or force of faith by narrating the example
of Hazrat Abraham (A.S), Who was thrown into fire by His enemies, however, by dint of his firm and
unflinching faith, the fire was miraculously turned into a garden. It is only because of His love for
religion and steadfastness. He (A.S) was God fearing and God loving, that‟s why Allah blessed him and
saved him from sufferings. It is owing to the hallmark of his unflinching faith in religion that he was
unmoved by the treats of His enemies. Later Iqbal addresses the whole Muslim Nation and says that
they have become a victim of the materialistic European or Western civilization and captivated by the
its glamour. He also holds the view that faithless person is the prisoner of foreign trends and tradition,
and faithlessness is worse than slavery. Faith is very basic to the foundations of Islam. Iqbal wanted
the Muslims to regain their lost prestige and vigour. He said on another occasion:-
O‟ Slumbering Muslim, arouse, you be dynamic too
Lo! The Horizon is aglow, you spur into action.
Faith and freedom are part and parcel with each other. Freedom is not descended upon a
nation; a nation must raise itself to it.
In this stanza, Iqbal regrets that the Muslims of his time, have become a slave to modern
materialistic world and have lost their faith in the healing power of Islam.
Stanza 2.
Music of strange lands with Islam‟s fire blends,
On which the nation‟s harmony depends;
Empty concord is the soul of Europe,
Whose civilization to no Mecca bends.
Explanation: In theses verses, Iqbal presents his analysis that the European /Western Culture and
civilization lack harmony, fraternity and good-will. They are materialistic and are fighting with one
another for baseless things. Religious guideless have no appeal for them. Here Iqbal also criticizes the
Muslims for bring captivated and allured by the modern cult of music and glamour of European
civilization. He holds the view that Islam is torch-bearer in the blind alleys of European world of
ignorance and materialism. Islam is the only religion which brings harmony, uncountable blessings
and fraternity in the human society. The soul of Europeans lacks humanity, harmony and vigour; it has

34 | P a g e
no light to guide or bless Western people. They have no model like Islam to follow and their civilization
stands alienated and divided. Their civilization has no dignity and direction to lead its followers.
However, the Muslims have a great center i.e Mecca which keeps all the Muslims united throughout
the world . They gather there with one aim, raise praise to Allah in one language (Arabic) and in one
uniform (Ah‟ram). About faith and believers Holy Prophet (PBUH) said, “A believer to another
believer is like a building whose different parts enforce each other”. The Prophet
Muhammad (PBUH) then clasped his hands with the fingers interlaced (while saying that). This
greatness is not found in European Civilization.
Stanza 3.
Love‟s madness has departed: in
The Muslim‟s veins the blood runs thin;
Ranks broken, hearts perplexed, prayers cold,
No feeling deeper than the skin.
Explanation:Here is this stanza the poet narrates in a pensive mood that the Muslims have lost
fraternity and love for Religion (Islam). Their blood has become thin .i.e. they have become weak and
their faith is frail. They lack unity, discipline and dignity. They are leading astray by following the
modern materialistic European civilization, that‟s why they do not tolerate one another, their ranks are
broken i.e. their fortification is frail. They lost the glory, which was achieved by their ancestors. They
are away from religion; consequently their hearts are depressed and dejected. Moreover, their
supplications are not effective and are unsanctioned.
******************
THE TALE OF TWO CITIES
Q2. Under what circumstances the victims have to pass through?
Ans. The victims had to pass through the worse experience of human history. It was a heart rending
and terrible spectacle of destruction and human misery, which turned the beautiful smiling Cities of
Nagasaki and Hiroshima into deep dark valley of tears, taking away the loving one, depriving mother
of their loving sons, women of their husbands bringing to them unbearable misery and unrealizable
loss. It was an acute agony as the cries of the grieved and bereaved mother and injured citizens lying in
the open fields, were echoing everywhere. There was no flesh on the arms and legs of the dead persons
or victims of this disaster as the edges of their white bones were visible under their charred skin.
However, the poet pays tribute to the brave and courageous people of these two devastated cities as
they bore the miseries and pains with immense dignity.
Q3. Describe the scene of devastation?
Ans. It was a heart rending and terrible spectacle of death and destruction of human life and property.
The environment of both the cities was woeful, which were turned into wilderness in few seconds.
Moreover, the intensity of the radiations so severe that the all the victims turned into ashes. The
concrete houses and buildings were reduced to rubble. The hills were presenting a horrible bald
structure. The dead bodies were lying everywhere, with no one to dispose of. There was neither any
help for the injured nor coffin for the dead. After this tragedy, Nagasaki was presenting the sketch of
hell and a deadly vale of tears and suffering. Such suffering could not be borne by anyone even by a
brute.
Q4. What is the theme of the poem?
Ans. Man has been fighting wars since time immemorial, but in the ancient time war was not fought
on a large scale making use of highly destructive weapons. The invention these weapons have turned
this fairy land into a sphere of suffering and misery, where clouds of unprecedented death are
prevailing. If at all weapons should be retained and developed then these should be for defence

35 | P a g e
purpose and for marinating freedom only. But it will be far better if these weapons are destroyed
internationally and all the nations must enter a treaty or pact that they will not be violating the law of
abandoning and destroying the law of highly destructive weapons.
Through this poem, the poet wants to preach the idea that war is not the end of all the human
problems. Man is the Crown of Creation; he must maintain the sanctity of human life and freedom.
However, the courageous and determined nations are never threatened by death and destruction, they
even possess the ability to grow gardens out of ashes. This is proved by the Japanese and they have
uplifted themselves as a great nation.
It is being said by the world bodies like UNO and its allies that they will use the modern technology for
the wellbeing of the humanity as a whole, but most of the scientists belonging to highly advanced
counties have failed to follow their faith in the wellbeing of humanity. The modern scientists ironically
are not serving their nation or humanity but they are the creator of troubles who have the license to
invent devastating weapons, highly dangerous gases and chemicals in order to become famous and
pioneer in extermination of their enemy‟s race. The scientific and technological progress of man has
pushed mankind into a hopeless abyss and a dark vale of tears. After observing and suffering through
two world wars and the violence against two great cities of Japan, man has not rejected the invention
of highly explosive chemicals and weapons of mass destruction and all the nations are working on
Darwin‟s principle i.e. Survival of the fittest.
Man should not celebrate at the death of his enemy because his own life is also uncertain as it is well
remarked by the Mian Muhammad Bukhsh, “ Don’t rejoice on the death of your enemy as
your friends too have to die”.
##############

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