LITERATURE IN ENGLISH

Class: 12
Notes for Reference

SECTION A
TEMPEST- Shakespeare
Question 1. (20)

(a) ALONSO : No, no, he’s gone. (10)

SEBASTIAN: Sir, you may thank yourself for this great loss,
That would not bless our Europe with your daughter,
But rather loose her to an African,
Where she at least is banished from your eye,
Who hath cause to wet the grief on ’t.

(i) Who is Alonso? What mood is he in? (1)

• Alonso is the King of Naples. He is in a melancholic mood.

(ii) Who does ‘he’ refer to? What does Alonso mean when he says “he’s gone”? (2)
• He refers to Ferdinand. Alonso means that he is dead.

(iii) Apart from what’s mentioned in the passage, what does Sebastian accuse Alonso of? (2)
• Sebastian accuses Alonso of marrying his daughter Claribel to an African prince
against her will. She was made to choose between the unwillingness to go and the
desire to obey her father.
• He blames Alonso for causing more widows in Naples and Milan than there are men
to console them.
• Ferdinand is also lost forever.

(iv) What is Gonzalo’s reaction to Sebastian’s words? (2)

• Gonazalo says that the truth doth lack some gentleness and time to speak it in.
• Sebastian rubs the sore when he should bring the plaster.

(v) What do the given lines tell us about the character of Sebastian? (2)
• He is straightforward.

(vi) Give the meanings of the following words as they are used in the context of the passage:
banished- exiled, removed
cause- reason (1)

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(b) CALIBAN : Do not torment me, prithee; I’ll bring my wood (10)
home faster.
STEPHANO: He’s in his fit now and does not talk after the
wisest. He shall taste of my bottle. If he have never
drunk wine afore, it will go near to remove his fit.

(i) Where does this scene take place? (1)

• This scene takes place on another part of the island.

(ii) At the beginning of this scene, Caliban mentions the various ways in which Prospero
tortures him. What are they? (2)
• On the command of Prospero, his spirits pinch Caliban, frighten him with urchin
shows, pitch him in the mire, or lead him like a firebrand in the dark out of his way.
• Sometimes like apes they mow and chatter at him, and then bite him
• Then like hedgehogs which lie tumbling in his barefoot way and mount their pricks
at his footfall
• Sometimes he is wounded with adders, who with cloven tongues hiss him into
madness.

(iii) What is Trinculo’s reaction on seeing Caliban for the first time? (2)
• Trinculo wonders if Caliban is a man of a fish. If he is dead or alive.
• He initially thought Caliban was a fish as he smelt like one and looked like a strange
one.
• He later concludes that Caliban is human as he has arms and legs and is warm.

(iv) How has Stephano managed to intoxicate himself? (2)

• Stephano escaped upon on butt of sack which the sailors heaved overboard.
• He made a bottle from the bark of a tree and has been consuming the wine from the
barrel ever since.

(v) What conclusion does Caliban come to by the end of this scene with regards to Stephano
and Trinculo? What does he decide to do? (2)
• Caliban concludes that they are fine things and that Stephano is a God with celestial
liquor.
• He decides to be Stephano’s true subject and bids farewell to Prospero as his
master.

(iv) Give the meanings of the following words as they are used in the context of the passage:
torment- torture, hurt, afflict pain on
remove- get rid of, eliminate (1)

(c) PROSPERO (10)

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 Soft, sir! One word more.
(aside)
They are both in either’s powers, but this swift business
I must uneasy make lest too light winning
Make the prize light.
(to FERDINAND)
One word more. I charge thee
That thou attend me. Thou dost here usurp
The name thou owest not, and hast put thyself
Upon this island as a spy to win it
From me, the lord on ’t.

(i) Why is Ferdinand in a melancholic mood before his encounter with Miranda? (1)
• Ferdinand is in a melancholic mood because he thinks that his father has drowned.

(ii) What is Miranda’s reaction on seeing Ferdinand for the first time? (2)
• Miranda asks Prospero if Ferdinand is a spirit.
• She also says that he carries a brave form.

(iii) What is Ferdinand’s reaction on seeing Miranda for the first time? (2)
• Ferdinand assumes Miranda to be the goddess on whom the music attends.
• He asks her how he should bear himself on the island and whether she is a maiden.

(iv) Explain what Prospero means when he says, “this swift business I must uneasy make lest
too light winning Make the prize light.” (2)
• The speed at which Miranda and Ferdinand seem to be falling in love is not a good
sign. Prospero wants to make the task of wooing Miranda difficult for Ferdinand, lest
he undervalue her is she is too easily won.

(v) How does Prospero assert his magical powers over Ferdinand? Why does he do so? (2)
• When Ferdinand draws his sword, he is charmed from moving and he feels as though
his spirits are all bound up.
• Prospero does this to assert power over Ferdinand and prove to him that he is in
control.

(iv) Give the meanings of the following words as they are used in the context of the passage:
attend- listen to
usurp- seize (1)

(d) MIRANDA: Alack, for pity. (10)

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 I, not rememb’ring how I cried out then,
Will cry it o’er again. It is a hint
That wrings mine eyes to’t.

(i) What relationship do Prospero and Miranda share? [1]

• They share a father daughter relationship.

(ii) How many years has it been since Prospero and Miranda came to the island? What memory
does Miranda have of the past? 0 [2]
• 12 years since they came to the island
• Vague memory of four to five women looking after her

(iii) According to Prospero, what led to the stirring of evil desires in Antonio? [2]
• Prospero had started “neglecting worldly ends” and dedicated his time to solitude
• He was busy improving his mind with study of liberal arts

(iv) What condition did Antonio place before the King of Naples? [2]
• In return for the homage and revenue offered by Milan, King of Naples would have
to banish Prospero and Miranda
• Additionally, he would have to confer dukedom over Antonio

(v) What things were provided by Gonzalo to Prospero and Miranda when they were banished
from their land? [2]
• Food and water, rich garments, linens, essential things
• Books from Prospero’s library

(vi) Give the meanings of the following words as they are used in the context of the passage:[1]
a) Hint – Occasion / Moment / Situation
b) Alack – Alas

(e) CERES: Hail, many-colour’d messenger, that ne'er (10)

Dost disobey the wife of Jupiter;
Who with thy saffron wings, upon my flowers
Diffusest honey drops, refreshing showers;
And with each end of thy blue bow dost crown
My bosky acres and my unshrubbed down,
Rich scarf to my proud earth, Why hath thy queen
Summoned me hither to this short-grassed green?

(i) Whom is Ceres referring to as “many-colour’d messenger”? [1]

Iris

(ii) Whom had Ceres sworn never to speak to again? Why? [2]
• Venus and her son Cupid
• They had hatched a plot by which the god of the underworld (Dis) stole her daughter

(iii) What has Cupid firmly decided to do? [2]

• He has sworn to “shoot no more” with his arrows but play with sparrows.

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(iv) Later in the scene, what “foul conspiracy” does Prospero refer to? [2]
• Foul conspiracy “of the beast Caliban and confederates” to kill Prospero

(v) What does Prospero mean when he says, “we are such stuff as dreams are made on and our
little life is rounded with a sleep”? [2]
• Prospero says that life is as transient as dreams and that death puts an end to our
mortal existence.

(iv) Give the meanings of the following words as they are used in the context of the passage:[1]
a) Saffron – Orange hued
b) Summoned – Called / Invoked

(f) ANTONIO: O, (10)

If you but knew how you the purpose cherish
Whiles thus you mock it, how, in stripping it
You more invest it. Ebbing men, indeed,
Most often do so near the bottom run
By their own fear or sloth

(i) To whom is Antonio speaking these lines? [1]

Sebastian

(ii) Earlier in the scene, for what purpose does Ariel appear? How does he accomplish the task?
[2]
• At Prospero’s behest, Ariel appears to send the King’s party to sleep
• He does this by playing solemn music

(iii) A little later in the scene, what does Antonio say about Ferdinand and Claribel as possible
heirs to the throne of Naples? [2]
• “Ferdinand is drowned” in the sea
• Claribel “dwells ten leagues beyond man’s life” and there is a possibility that she will
not return to Naples

(iv) What does Antonio mean when says, “no better than the earth he lies upon”? Whom is he
referring to? [2]
• Antonio points to the sleeping Alonso and says that he is as lifeless as the earth upon
which he lies.
• In saying this he means to say that it would not matter if Alonso were dead.

(v) What reasons do Sebastian and Antonio give for having drawn their swords? [2]
• Sebastian says that as they were keeping a watch over Alonso, they heard “a hollow
burst of bellowing like bulls or rather lions”.
• Antonio says that it was a noise that could frighten even a monster or cause an
earthquake.

(iv) Give the meanings of the following words as they are used in the context of the passage:[1]
a) Cherish – Aspire to / Desire / Strive for
b) Sloth – Laziness
(g) Boatswain : None that I more love than myself. You are a (10)
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 councillor; if you can command these elements to
silence and work the peace of the present, we will
not hand a rope more.

1. To whom does the boatswain speak these words? Where are they at this moment?(1)
• The boatswain speaks to Gonzalo, the councillor. (½)
• They are on board a ship amidst a furious storm at sea. (½)

2. What has just happened that makes the boatswain react in this way? (2)
• Alonso, the King of Naples and Antonio, the usurping Duke of Milan are
panicking and rush towards the deck, interrupting the job of the mariners. (1)
• Gonzalo the old councillor reminded the boatswain of the royal passengers that
were on board the ship. (1)

3. How do we know that the person spoken to gets ‘comfort’ by observing the boatswain?
(2)
• Methinks he hath no drowning mark upon him. (1)
• His complexion is perfect gallows. (1)

4. How does the boatswain react when the person he is speaking to asks him to be patient?
(2)
• He shall be patient when the sea is, that is when the storm subsides. (1)
• What cares these roarers for the name of a king? (1)
• return to their and not trouble the mariners (any two)

5. What does the person spoken to wish for at the end of the scene? (2)
• Now would I give a thousand furlongs of sea for an acre of barren ground –
long heath, brown, furze, anything. (1)
• I would fain die a dry death. (1)

6. Give the meanings of the following words as they are used in the context of the
passage:(1)
a) elements– lightning and thunder / waves / winds (½)

b) hand – handle (½)

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(h) Miranda : O, I have suffered (10)
With those that I saw suffer – a brave vessel
(who had, no doubt some noble creative in her)
Dashed all to pieces.

1. Who is Miranda speaking to and where does this scene take place? (1)
• Miranda is speaking to her father, the rightful Duke of Milan. (½)
• They are in front of Prospero’s cell. (½)

2. How does Miranda describe the storm? (2)

• The sky, it seems would pour down stinking pitch. (1)
• But that the sea, mounting to th’ welkin’s cheek, dashes the fire out. (1)
• Wild waters

3. What does Miranda suspect of the person she is speaking to and what does she tell him to
do? (2)
• She suspects her father to have caused the storm. (1)
• She tells him to allay the wild waters. (1)

4. What was this person’s position before coming to this place? Briefly describe what
circumstances led them to arrive here? (2)
• Prospero was the rightful Duke of Milan. (½)
• Prospero the Duke of Milan, is cruelly wronged by his ambitious brother Antonio
with the help of Alonso, the king of Naples. (½)
• Antonio expelled Prospero from his dukedom and cast him adrift with his three
year old daughter in a rotten and dilapidated boat. (½)
• He thought that the bot could capsize and they would perish but somehow they
safely reached this uninhabited island. (½)

5. What would Miranda have done if she had supernatural powers? (2)
• She would have sunk the sea within the earth before it could have swallowed the
ship and the fraughting souls within.

6. Give the meanings of the following words as they are used in the context of the passage.
(1)
a) vessel - ship (½)
b) dashed – crashed / wrecked / broken (½)

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(i) Ariel: You are three men of sin, whom Destiny, (10)
That hath to instrument this lower world
And what is in’t, - the never–surfeited sea
Hath caus’d to belch up you;

(i ) Who are the three sinners mentioned in the given reference? (1)
• Alonso, Sebastian, Antonio

(ii) What is the immediate reaction of the sinners after Ariel addresses them? (2)
What does he call them and say to them?
• They draw their swords.
• He calls them fools.
• Ariel and his companions are ministers of Fate and so their swords will
prove ineffective on them.
• They will not be able to ‘diminish one down’ that is in Ariel’s plume.

(iii) What were the three men guilty of doing? (2)

• They usurped the throne of Milan that rightfully belonged to Prospero.
• They exposed him and his innocent child to the sea.

(iv) How have the men been punished and how can they redeem themselves? (2)
• The forces of nature have deprived Alonso of his son Ferdinand.
• Through Prospero, they have pronounced on the three sinners ‘ling’ring
perdition’ worse than any death.
• Heart sorrow and a clear life ensuing.

(v ) Why is this scene significant towards the development of the plot? (2)
• It awakens the sense of guilt in the three sinners.
• The sea, the shore and every creature joins hands to avenge the foul
deed done against Prospero.

(vi) Give the meanings of the following words as they are used in the context of
the passage:
never-surfeited, belch (1)
• never- satisfied
• throw

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 SECTION B
THE TEMPEST  Shakespeare
Question 1

(a) When Prospero and Miranda first came to the island, what kind of a relationship did they
share with Caliban? Why did this change? (8)
• When Prospero and Miranda first came to the island, they cared for Caliban.
• Prospero stroked him, made much of him, gave him water with berries in it and
taught him how to name the bigger light and how the less.
• He treated him humanely and lodged him in his cell.
• Caliban in turn showed Prospero all the qualities of the island- the fresh springs,
brine pits, barren place and fertile.
• Miranda, out of pity, taught him language.
• This changed because Caliban attempted to violate Miranda’s honour as he wanted
to populate the island with Calibans.

(b) Who was Sycorax? What had she done to Ariel? Why? (6)
• Sycorax was a foul witch, who with age and envy had grown into a hoop.
• She was banished to the island(from Algiers) as she had committed manifold
mischiefs and sorceries too terrible to enter human hearing.
• She was not killed as she was pregnant.
• Ariel- a spirit- was then her servant. He was a spirit too delicate to act her earthy
and abhorred commands.
• He refused her grand hests and therefor she confidend him with the help of her more
potent ministers into a cloven pine within which rift he was painfully imprisoned for
12 years.
• Ariel’s groans made wolves howl and penetrated the breasts of ever-angry bears.
It was a torment to be laid upon the damned.

(c) Comment on the kind of relationship Ariel shares with Prospero. (6)
• Ariel and Prospero share a relationship of servant and master.
• Ariel carries out all of Prospero’s commands- be it to fly, to swim, to dive into the
fire or to ride on the curled clouds. (No Evil use of their powers)
• Prospero relies heavily on Ariel with regards to carrying out his plan of revenge.
Prospero ordered Ariel to create the tempest amidst the sea without harming a soul-
and Ariel performed this task well. He is constantly trying to impress Prospero as he
wants to soon be free.
• Prospero commends Ariel for his well performed tasks (My brave spirit) as well as
reprimands him when Ariel reminds him of his promise to be set free. (Reminds him
of the time he freed Ariel from the Cloven Pine he was imprisoned in by Sycorax and
threatens to imprison him in an Oak tree if he reminds him once more of the
promise). Ariel is therefore indebted to Prospero- Prospero takes advantage of this.
• Ariel is a key element in ensuring the success of Prospero’s plan- Making Ferdinand
believe that Alonso is dead (in the guise of a water nymph)
• Prospero acknowledges Ariel’s usefulness when Miranda and Ferdinand fall in
love.(Fine spirit- Ill free thee within two days for this)
• Ariel puts Alonso and Gonzalo to sleep and wakes up Gonzalo at the right time to
prevent their untimely death and to also prevent the ruin of Prospero’s plan.

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Question 2

(a) Describe the change in attitude that Caliban displays towards Stephano after getting drunk.
What promises does he make to Stephano? [8]

• Caliban gets drunk immediately with the wine that Stephano gives him. He thinks that
Stephano and Trinculo are “fine things.” He considers Stephano to be “a brave god”
for he carries “celestial liquor”. He vows to “kneel to him”.
• Further, he asks Stephano if he has “dropped from heaven” and claims that he has
seen him in the moon and that he worships him.
• If Stephano would agree to be Caliban’s god, he promises to show Stephano every
inch of the island and to kiss his feet.
• He vows to show him where to get fresh water.
• He says that he will pick berries for him, fish for him and also get plenty of
firewood for him.
• He pleads with Stephano to let him show where he could find crabs to eat.
• He says that he would use his long fingernails to dig edible roots for him, find him
a bird’s nest, and teach him how to catch a nimble monkey.
• He would also take him to clusters of hazelnuts, and sometimes get him “young
scamels from the rocks”.

(b) Discuss the plot hatched by Caliban against Prospero. What opinion do you form of
Caliban? [6]

• Caliban feels Prospero has, by the use of sorcery, usurped the island from him
and therefore wants revenge.
• He entices Stephano to kill Prospero by saying that if he accomplishes the task, he
would become the ruler of the island and that Caliban would be his slave.
• Caliban informs Stephano that Prospero is in the habit of taking an afternoon nap
and that would be the best time to kill him. He goes on to suggest various ways that
Stephano could accomplish that – “brain him”, “with a log batter his skull or
paunch him with a stake or cut his weazand with thy knife”.
• He tells Stephano to first seize his books as without them he’s powerless and “hath
not one spirit to command”.
• He further lures Stephano by saying that Prospero has a beautiful daughter and that
“she will become they bed” and “bring thee forth brave brood”.
• Stephano agrees to kill Prospero for the prize of becoming king and Miranda his
wife. He says that he would appoint Caliban and Trinculo as his viceroys.
• Personal response – Caliban comes across as savage and brutal in his thought process.

(c) Explain how the treacherous plot was foiled. What light do the actions of Stephano and
Trinculo throw on their character? [6]

• Ariel begins to play a musical tune and Stephano, Trinculo, Caliban are caught by
surprise as they cannot see anyone. Stephano begins to feel afraid and Caliban assures
him that the island is full of noises which delight the listeners but cause no harm.
Trinculo tells them that the music is moving away and they better follow it. They
could execute the plan of killing Prospero later.
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 • Ariel leads them “through toothed briars, sharp furzes, pricking grose and
thorns” and leaves them in a “filthy-mantled pool” beyond Prospero’s cell.
• The conspirators crawl out of the pool and make for Prospero’s cell. While Caliban is
very focused to getting Prospero killed, Stephano and Trinculo are very upset about
losing their bottles in the pool.
• Meanwhile, at Prospero’s behest, Ariel has hung gaudy clothes as a trap for the
conspirators. Stephano and Trinculo get distracted by the apparel and are anxious to
possess it. Caliban urges Stephano to carry out the plan and not to waste time over the
trashy clothes.
• As Stephano and Trinculo try to select the garments to see the effect they produce,
Prospero summons some of his spirits, in shape of dogs and hounds, to chase them.
Further, he wants his goblins to torment them.
• Personal response - Stephano and Trinculo are drunken boasters and greedy by
nature.

Question 3
Gonzalo is the perfect foil to the character of Antonio. Discuss the given statement with regards
to the action in in the play. (20)

• Antonio is the antagonist in the play. He is the brother of the rightful Duke of Milan-
Prospero. Gonzalo is an honest old counsellor in the court of Naples.
Amidst the tempest:
• Gonzalo is patient, talks calmly to the Boatswain and is positive about surviving the
ship wreck.
• Antonio is abusive and arrogant. He abuses the Boatswain and has resigned to the
fact that they will sink.
Usurping Prospero’s position as Duke:
• Prospero and his then threeyear old daughter were sent to this island because of
Antonio’s avarice.
• Prospero was engrossed in perfecting his magical knowledge and handed over the
charge of the Dukedom to his brother Antonio, who grew accustomed to the power
of the title of Duke, and the revenue.
• He conspired with the King of Naples and agreed to bow down to his crown and pay
annual homage in return for his help. He turned Prospero’s men against him and then
arranged for a treacherous army to put them out on the rotten carcass of a boat, and
leave them for dead.
• Though they were related by blood, he betrayed Prospero and did not even care for
the well-being of his niece, Miranda.
• Gonzalo, though unrelated by blood cared deeply for Prospero.
• He ensured that the boat that Prospero was left on was equipped with rich garments,
linens, necessaries and volumes of his magical books.
Consoling Alonso:
• On the island, Antonio does not make any effort to console Alonso, who thinks that
his son has drowned. He only finds way and means to criticize Gonzalo and also the
island.

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 • Gonzalo does his best to console Alonso. He tells Alonso to be thankful that they
survived, as most merchants don’t. He also enumerates the various good qualities of
the island and is humiliated by Sebastian and Antonio.
• He also tells Sebastian not to be so harsh with Alonso when he blames Alonso for
them being in this situation and is further humiliated by Antonio. (Marriage of Claribel)
Plot against Alonso:
• Antonio only pretends to care about Alonso’s safety and promises to guard him along
with Sebastian while he sleeps.
• He then poisons Sebastian’s mind with thoughts of him inheriting the crown, now that
Ferdinand and Claribel were out of the way.
• He convinces Sebastian that Ferdinand is no more, while Gonzalo constantly
reassures Alonso that Ferdinand is not dead.
• He turns against the very man, whose help he sort in usurping his brother’s
Dukedom.
• He suggests that Gonzalo and Alonso must be killed while they lie asleep, as their
deaths would be very beneficial.
• Gonzalo on the other hand, genuinely cares for the safely of Alonso. When he is
awoken from his slumber by Ariel, his main thought is about preserving the King.

Question 4

Discuss Prospero’s role in bringing Ferdinand and Miranda together. [20]

• The storm that was caused at Prospero’s behest leaves Ferdinand shipwrecked and
separated from the King’s party. This was done on purpose by Prospero to advance
his plans. Prospero was the rightful duke of Milan but his position was usurped by his
brother with the help of the King of Naples, of whom Ferdinand is the heir. Prospero
wants Ferdinand and Miranda to love in love with each other, possibly to reclaim his
power in Milan.
• By Prospero’s design, Miranda and Ferdinand look at each other for the first time
are immediately besotted. Miranda thinks that he must be a spirit or divine creature
as appears to her as handsome. Similarly, Ferdinand thinks of her as a goddess and falls
in love with her.
• He reveals his identity as the heir to the throne of Naples and tells her that he would
make her Queen of Naples. At this Prospero is pleased that they are so taken with
each other but decides that the two must not fall in love too quickly as the prize
that is easily won may not be valued, and so he accuses Ferdinand of merely
pretending to be the prince of Naples.
• When he tells Ferdinand he is going to imprison him, Ferdinand draws his sword, but
Prospero charms him so that he cannot move. Miranda attempts to persuade her father
to have mercy, but he silences her harshly and leads the helpless Ferdinand away. He
is secretly pleased as things are going as per his plan.
• Later, we see that Prospero has imposed hard labour upon Ferdinand – to carry
logs and pile them. Ferdinand claims it would be an odious task except that he carries
it to serve Miranda. His carrying of the logs is a punishment but one he willingly
accepts because thoughts of Miranda make the work seem effortless.
• Miranda offers to take up his chore but Ferdinand refuses. Although she was instructed
not to reveal her name, Miranda impulsively divulges it to Ferdinand. Ferdinand, for
his part, has known other beautiful women, but he admits to having never known one

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 as perfect as Miranda. When Ferdinand avows that he would gladly serve her, Miranda
asks if he loves her. At his affirmative reply, Miranda begins to weep. She tells
Ferdinand that she is unworthy of him but will marry him if he wants her. He quickly
agrees and they pledge their love to each other.
• Prospero has been listening, unseen. He acknowledges Miranda and Ferdinand's natural
match as being "of two most rare affections". He silently blesses the couple, once
again revealing his intention of seeing them together.
• Later, Prospero tells Ferdinand that the hard work imposed upon him was “trials of thy
love” and now that he has stood the test, Prospero would like to reward him with “a
third of mine own life” – Miranda. Even though, Prospero had planned for them to
come together, and was in control of the events leading up to the betrothal, perhaps
once can deduce that Ferdinand and Miranda finally accepted each other due to mutual
affection, and not only because of Prospero’s magic.
• Prospero gives his blessing to Ferdinand and Miranda, warning Ferdinand only
that he take care not to break Miranda’s “virgin-knot” before the wedding has been
solemnized. Ferdinand promises to comply.

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 ECHOES

Question 1

(a) What were the reasons why the man built a fire the first two times during the course of his
journey towards the camp? (8)
• The man turned aside from the main Yukon trail, on his way to the old camp on
Henderson Creek where the other men already were. There was snow all around and
it was extremely cold. Fifty degrees below zero.
• As he thought of lunch, he pressed his hand against the package under his jacket. He
smiled contentedly to himself as he thought of those biscuits, each cut open and sopped
in bacon grease, and each enclosing a generous slice of fried bacon.
• He unbuttoned his jacket and shirt and pulled forth his lunch. The action took no more
than a quarter of a minute, yet in that brief moment the numbness touched his bare
fingers. Then he sat down on a snow-covered log to eat. He tried to take a mouthful,
but the ice around his mouth prevented him. Then he knew what was wrong. He had
forgotten to build a fire and warm himself. He laughed at his own foolishness. He
took some matches and proceeded to make a fire. In the bushes, the high water had left
a supply of sticks. From here he got wood for his fire. With the protection of the fire’s
warmth he ate his lunch.
• At a place where there were no signs, the man broke the ice. It was not deep. He was
wet to the knees before he got out of the water to the firm snow.
• Now he would have to build a fire and dry his moccasins and socks.
• He knew he must not fail. When it is 75 below zero, a man must not fail in his first
attempt to build a fire. This is especially true if his feet are wet. The fire was a success.
He was safe.

(b) Nature seemed to not want to sustain the fire that the man kept building. Explain why this
statement holds true. (6)
• The tree under which he had built a fire carried a weight of snow on its branches. No
wind had been blowing for weeks and each branch was heavy with snow. Each time he
pulled a stick he shook the tree slightly. There had been just enough movement to
cause the awful thing to happen. High up in the tree one branch dropped its load of
snow. This fell on the branches beneath. This process continued, spreading through the
whole tree. The snow fell without warning upon the man and the fire, and the fire
was dead. Where it had burned was a pile of fresh snow.
• He pulled the mitten from his right hand and grasped the tree bark from his pocket. The
bare fingers were quickly numb again. Next, he brought out his pack of matches. But
the awful cold had already driven the life out of his fingers. In his effort to separate
one match from the others, the whole pack fell in the snow. He tried to pick it out of
the snow, but failed. The dead fingers could neither touch nor hold.
• He used his upper teeth to rub across the pack in order to separate a single match. He
picked up the match in his teeth and drew it across his leg. Twenty times he did this
before he succeeded in lighting it. As it flamed he held it with his teeth to the tree bark.
But the burning smell went up his nose, causing him to cough. The match fell into the
snow and the flame died.

14
 • When he could endure no more, he pulled his hands apart. The flaming matches fell
into the snow, but the tree bark was burning. He began laying dry grasses and the
tiniest sticks on the flame.. He treated the flame carefully. A large piece of a wet plant
fell on the little fire. He tried to push it out with his fingers. His shaking body made
him push it too far and he scattered the little fire over a wide space. He tried to push the
burning grasses and sticks together again. Even with the strong effort that he made, his
trembling fingers would not obey and the sticks were hopelessly scattered. Each stick
smoked a little and died.

(c) What was the man’s last thought before he died? What does this tell us? What is your
reaction to the ending of the story? (6)
• The man’s last thought was that of the old man of Sulphur Creek. He could see him
quite clearly, warm and comfortable, and smoking a pipe. “You were right, old fellow.
You were right,” he murmured to the old man of Sulphur Creek. After 50 below zero,
a man should travel with a companion.
• Personal Response

Question 2

a) Describe the narrator’s first encounter with the poet, in the short story, B. Wordsworth.
Why do you think the poet called himself B. Wordsworth? [8]

• B. Wordsworth came to the boy’s house with a strange request - he wanted to watch
the bees in the boy’s yard.
• The narrator noticed that he was “tidily dressed” and that “his English was so good,
it didn’t sound natural”. The boy’s broken English as opposed to the man’s polished
one was perhaps indicative of the existing social climate in the Caribbean.
• The narrator and the man watched the bees for about an hour. The boy learned that
the man liked to watch the bees and that he could watch ants for days and
“scorpions, and centipedes, and congorees”.
• When asked what he did, he said he was a poet and that his name was B. Wordsworth.
He said B stood for Black and that White Wordsworth was his brother and they shared
one heart. He could watch a small flower like the morning glory and cry.
• Wordsworth encourages the young boy saying that he too is a poet. We watch as he
shows the boy his process in learning about life, about poetry.
• On learning that the boy likes his mother when she is not beating him, Wordsworth
pulls a printed sheet from his pocket and says that the paper has “the greatest poem
about mothers” and that he was willing to sell it for four cents. When the mother refuses
to buy it, Wordsworth says that “it is the poet’s tragedy”. The poet goes on to say that
“no one has yet bought a single copy” of his poem but he roams with it hoping to “meet
poets”.
• The narrator seems to be fascinated with B. Wordsworth and he prays that he would
meet him again.
15
 • Personal response – B. Wordsworth seemed to be inspired by the great English poet,
William Wordsworth and just like William, he has great love for nature. Additionally,
he was very aware of his ethnicity and dark complexion – maybe that’s why he
preferred to call himself Black.

(b) “We became friends, B. Wordsworth and I.” What led the narrator to say these lines? What
is your opinion about their relationship? [6]

• A week after the first meeting, the boy happens to come across B. Wordsworth.
Wordsworth invites him to eat mangoes in his yard. The boy accepts the invitation
and goes to the poet’s house where he enjoys the “sweet and juicy” mangoes.
• On returning home, his mother beats him badly. He runs to Wordsworth’s house
indicating that he was already beginning to share a comfortable relationship with the
poet.
• They go for a walk “down St. Clair Avenue to the Savannah” and then “to the race-
course”.
• Wordsworth invites the boy to “lie on the grass and look up the sky” and encourages
him to “think how far those stars” are from them.
• The boy’s experiences wonder as he “felt like nothing, and at the same time” he had
“never felt so big and great in all” his life. He forgot his anger and tears. The poet
starts telling him names of the stars and the constellation of Orion the Hunter.
• Suddenly a policeman flashed a light on their faces and asked what they were doing
there. In a poetic manner, the poet replied that he had been asking himself the same
questions for forty years.
• Personal response – With the entry of B. Wordsworth in his life, the boy had started to
see life in a new light. He seemed to be confined in his mother’s house but with
Wordsworth, he started giving free rein to his imagination.
(c) Comment on the narrator’s last meeting with B. Wordsworth. What, do you think, the
narrator means when he says “….like a poet, for everything I saw”? [6]

• The boy went to B. Wordsworth’s house and found him lying on his bed. He looked
old and weak.
• The poet conveys that “the poem” was not going well for him. He seemed to have a
faraway look in his eyes and the narrator sees “his face growing older and more
tired”. That was the moment that he could see “death on the shrinking face”.
• Seeing the sadness in the boy’s eyes, Wordsworth gently pulls him to his chest and
smiles encouragingly at him. He says that he has a “funny story” to tell him but that
after having finished the story, the boy has to promise that he would never come back
to see him.
• That’s when the poet tells the boy that he had made up the story about the “boy poet
and the girl poet” and that his talks on poetry and about writing the world’s
greatest poem were not true either. At this point, the poet’s voice broke and the boy
“left the house and ran home crying, like a poet, for everything I saw”.
• Personal response - What the boy probably means by the above lines is that a poet
understands the depth behind strong emotions and can see deeper realities in different
situations. The poet, who was also his mentor, had probably wanted to make a poet out
of the young boy and he seemed to have accomplished it before he died. His death

16
 seemed to have made a big impression on the boy who seems to have matured in
understanding and knowledge.

Question 3
With reference to A Gorilla in the Guest Room, mention the various instances that convince
the readers that Gerald Durrell was a true Wild life Conservationist who cared deeply for
N’Pongo. (20)

• It was towards the end of the second year that Gerald Durrell decided that the zoo, not
being well established, must cease to be a mere show-place of animals and start to
contribute something towards the conservation of wildlife. He felt that it would be
essential gradually to weed out all the commoner animals in the collection and to
replace them with rare and threatened species.
• The gorilla had been high on his list of priorities.
• He decided to purchase a Gorilla for 1,200 pounds. He decided to ask the residents in
the area to contribute. By lunch-time he had collected two hundred pounds. Only
another thousand to go and the gorilla would be his. "Well," said Major Domo, "you'd
better come along this afternoon and I'll find you the balance." The great day came and
he flew over to London Airport to collect the ape. Thus, the author made the effort to
collect funds and fly down to receive the ape.
• He stood about eighteen inches high and was quite the most handsome and healthy
looking baby gorilla he had ever seen. He strolled stockily across the room towards me
and then held up his arms to be lifted up.
• Durrell wrote out the cheque and then bundled N'Pongo — growling protests — back
into the crate, and went off to catch the plane for Jersey
• He carried him up to the flat, for his cage was not quite ready and he had decided that
he would have to spend a couple of days in the guest-room
• One of the things which particularly interested Durrell about him was his different
approach to a problem or a situation.
• Although deploring it, he would accept the necessity of being locked up again in his
cage. He would try his best to divert you from this course of action, but when he realized
that it had become inevitable he would submit with good grace
• If an exuberant animal is kept on his own and deprived of both the company of his
own kind and that of human beings, you can hardly be surprised if he turns into a
morose and melancholy creature. Not wanting to see N'Pongo degenerate into one of
those magnificent but sad and lonely anthropoids, he thought the time had come to try
to procure a wife for N'Pongo, even though he knew that the funds would probably
not stretch that far.
• Owing to the political situation in Africa, the price had increased and he was asking
fifteen hundred pounds. He telephoned the dealer and asked him whether he would
consider letting them have the animal on instalment terms.
• To have acquired such a pair of rare and valuable animals was, he considered,
something of an achievement, but now, they were to live in a constant state of anxiety
over their health and well-being; every time one of them got sawdust up his nose
and sneezed, they viewed it with alarm and despondency — was this a prelude to
pneumonia or something worse?
• Then came N'Pongo's first real illness. Durrell had just arranged to spend three weeks
in the south of France, which was to be a sort of working holiday, for they were to be
17
 accompanied by a BBC producer whom he hoped to convince of the necessity for
making a film about life in the Camargue. Hotels had been booked, numbers of people,
ranging from bullfighters to ornithologists, had been alerted for their coming, and
everything seemed to be running smoothly.
• Then four days before they were due to depart, N'Pongo started to look off colour.
Gone was his giggling exuberance; he lay on the floor or on the shelf, his arms
wrapped round himself, staring into space, and taking only enough food and milk to
keep himself alive.
• It was difficult to know what to choose for N'Pongo that would tempt his appetite, for
he had such a variety of food in his normal diet. So Durrell and his wife brought out of
season delicacies that cost them a small fortune.
• It occurred to Durrell that the bright, pink-coloured, scrunchy, watery interior of the
watermelon with its glossy black seeds might be something that would appeal to
N'Pongo. He was distracted enough for Durrell in inject him with medicines.
• The author was in a quandary: in twenty-four hours he was due to leave for France.
There he had organized and stirred up a bees' nest of helpers and advisers. If he had put
it off at this juncture, he would have put a tremendous amount of people to a lot of
trouble for nothing, and yet he felt that he could not leave N'Pongo unless he was
satisfied that he was either on the mend or beyond salvation.
• He ate quite well and drank his Complan, and he felt that he was at last on the road to
recovery. It was only then that Durrell drove down to the airport and caught the plane
to Dinard.
• He made calls to check on N’Pomgo- which cost him a lot of money.
• In conclusion, while it is delightful to have creatures like this — and of vital importance
that they should be kept and bred in captivity — it was a two-edged sword, for the
anxiety you suffered when they became ill made you wonder why you started the whole
thing in the first place.

Question 4
Attempt a character sketch of the protagonist Salvatore. (20)

• Salvatore was a boy of fifteen with a pleasant face, a laughing mouth and care-free
eyes. His brown body was as thin as a rail. (Physical)
• He used to spend the morning lying about the beach with next to nothing on and his.
Scrambling up the jagged rocks on his hard feet, for except on Sundays never wore
shoes, he would throw himself into the deep water with a scream of delight. (Nature)
• He was full of grace.
• He shouted to his younger siblings to come inshore when they ventured out too far
and made them dress when it was time to climb the hot, vine clad hill for the frugal
midday meal. (Responsible)
• He was madly in love with a pretty girl who lived on the Grande Marina. They were
affianced, but they could not marry till Salvatore had done his military service, and
when he left the island which he had never left in his life before, he wept like a child.
(Sensitive)
• It was hard for one who had never been less free than the birds to be at the beck and
call of others, it was harder still to live in a battleship with strangers instead of in a
little white cottage among the vines; and when he was ashore, to walk in noisy,
18
 friendless cities with streets so crowded that he was frightened to cross them, when he
had been used to silent paths and the mountains and the sea. He was dreadfully
homesick. (Secluded life)
• But it was hardest of all to be parted from the girl he loved with all his passionate
young heart. He wrote to her (in his childlike handwriting) long, ill-spelt letters in
which he told her how constantly he thought of her and how much he longed to be back
• Here he fell ill of some mysterious ailment that kept him in hospital for months. He
bore it with the mute and uncomprehending patience of a dog.
• When he learnt that it was a form of rheumatism that made him unfit for further service
his heart exulted, for he could go home; and he did not bother, in fact he scarcely
listened, when the doctors told him that he would never again be quite well. What did
he care when he was going back to the little island he loved so well and the girl who
was waiting I for him?
• He was a little shy because he had not seen her for so long. He asked her if she had
not received the letter that he had written to her to say that he was coming home.
• She told him straight out, with the blunt directness of her race that she could not marry
a man who would never be strong enough to work like a man. They had made up
their minds, her mother and father and she, and her father would never give consent.
• When Salvatore went home he found that they all knew. The girl's father had been to
tell them what they had decided, but they had lacked the courage to tell him themselves.
He wept on his mother's bosom. He was terribly unhappy, but he did not blame
the girl.
• A fisherman's life is hard and it needs strength and endurance. He knew very well that
a girl could not afford to marry a man who might not be able to support her.
(Rational)
• His smile was very sad and his eyes had the look of a dog that has been beaten, but he
did not complain, and he never said a hard word of the girl he had loved so well.
• His mother told him that there was a young woman in the village who was willing to
marry him. Her name was Assunta. "She's as ugly as the devil," he said.
• Salvatore was now a great, big husky fellow, tall and broad, but still with that
ingenuous smile and those trusting, kindly eyes that he had as a boy.
• He had the most beautiful manners.
• Asunta never ceased to be touched by his gentle sweetness. But she could not bear the
girl who had thrown him over, and notwithstanding Salvatore's smiling expostulations
she had nothing but harsh words for her. Presently children were born to them.
• It was a hard enough life. All through the fishing season towards evening he set out
in his boat with one of his brothers for the fishing grounds. It was a long pull of six
or seven miles, and he spent the night catching the profitable cuttlefish. Then there
was the long row back again in order to sell the catch in time for it to go on the early
boat to Naples. At other times he was working in his vineyard from dawn till the
heat drove him to rest and then again, when it was a trifle cooler, till dusk.
• Often his rheumatism prevented him from doing anything at all and then he would lie
about the beach, smoking cigarettes, with a pleasant word for everyone
notwithstanding the pain that racked his limbs.
• Salvatore had enormous hands, like legs of mutton, coarse and hard from constant
toil, but when he bathed his children, holding them so tenderly, drying them with
delicate care; upon my word they were like flowers. He would seat the naked baby on
the palm of his hand and hold him up, laughing a little at his smallness, and his laugh
was like the laughter of an angel. His eyes then were as candid as his child's.
(Innocent)

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 • Salvatore was ust an ordinary fisherman who possessed nothing in the world except a
quality which is the rarest, the most precious and the loveliest that anyone can have-
Goodness, just goodness.

Question 5

Referring closely to the events in the short story, The Story of an Hour, discuss the significance
of ‘the hour’ in Louise Mallard’s life. [20]

• The ‘hour’ begins when Louise Mallard is told of her husband, Brently Mallard’s
death. She was told this news as gently as possible since she had a “heart trouble”.
Unlike other women of her time period, who become paralyzed by denial when
confronted by bad news, Louise weeps into Josephine’s arms with wild abandon.
• After her initial sobs of grief subside, Louise escapes into her bedroom and locks the
door. Drained by her own anguish and haunted by exhaustion, she rests in the chair and
looks out the window. Outside her window, Louise sees “the tops of trees that were all
aquiver with the new spring life. The delicious breath of rain was in the air. In the
street below a peddler was crying his wares. The notes of a distant song which some
one was singing reached her faintly, and countless sparrows were twittering in the
eaves. There were patches of blue sky showing here and there through the clouds
that had met and piled one above the other in the west facing her window.”
• Although she fights it—trying hard to resist—she senses a feeling approaching her. As
she tries to “beat it back with her will”, she becomes increasingly physically excited
and agitated. In an unguarded moment, her lips part and a word escapes her mouth, and
then she repeats it over and over: “free, free, free!”
• Although she knows that she will inevitably experience grief when she sees her
husband’s dead body, the prospect seems a small price to pay for the life of freedom
and independence that now stretches out before her, a life in which she can make her
own choices and live for herself for the first time.
• Louise realizes that she will no longer be subjected to the powerful rules and norms
of marriage, which cause humans to blindly and stubbornly impose themselves on one
another. Although she had sometimes loved Brently, she feels relieved to finally be in
possession of an intense sense of self-assertion, which she recognizes as “the strongest
impulse of her being”. Deciding that the value of love and marriage counts for very
little when compared to her freedom of will, she ecstatically whispers, “Free! Body
and soul free!”
• She keeps her joy to herself and revels in the idea that her new life—which will be full
of freedom—is totally and completely her own. She says a short prayer that her life
will be long, and knows that it was just the day before when she wished it would be
short.
• Eventually Louise rises from her chair and opens the door. Louise’s eyes are alight
with triumph, and without realizing it she carries herself like a kind of goddess. She
embraces her sister. As they descend the stairs, “someone was opening the front door
with a latchkey”.
• Without warning, Brently Mallard enters. Calmly standing at the bottom of the stairs,
he is shocked by Louise’s deafening scream and by Richards’s futile attempt to shield

20
 him from his wife’s view. When doctors later examine Louise’s body, they pronounce
that she died because of her weak heart, “of joy that kills.”

Question 6

How are the themes of despair and desperation explored in the short story, The Singing
Lesson? [20]

• Mansfield opens the story with the line “with despair – cold, sharp despair – buried
deep in her heart like a knife”, already setting the mood of the story. It may also be
important to note that Miss Meadows “trod the cold corridors”. It is possible that the
author is using the setting of the school (the cold corridor) to reflect how Miss Meadows
is feeling. This sense of coldness is further explored when Miss Meadows is talking to
the Science Mistress and she responds to her comment on the weather with the words
“it is rather sharp”. Again the author may not only be describing the weather but also
how Miss Meadows is feeling.
• Miss Meadows’ entry in the classroom is also indicative of her foul mood – “her hands
thrust in her sleeves, the baton under her arm, strode down the centre aisle, mounted
the steps, turned sharply, seized the brass music stand, planted it in front of her, and
gave two sharp taps with her baton for silence”. As she surveys the class, she is aware
of what the students could be thinking of her but “what could the thoughts of those
creatures matter to someone who stood there bleeding to death, pierced to the
heart, to the heart, by such a letter.”
• At this point, the reason for her despair is revealed – her fiancé had written to her
saying that he would not be able to marry her.
• It is interesting that Miss Meadows’ mood appears to have a negative effect on the girls
in her music class. This is noticeable by the choice of song that Miss Meadows tells the
girls to sing – a lament. As the girls sing, the author reveals that “every note was a
sigh, a sob, a groan of awful mournfulness”. By choosing a lament and telling her
class to sing it, Miss Meadows appears to be transferring or allowing her own mood to
affect the girls in her class.
• As the class is in progress, Miss Meadows keeps going back to the contents of the letter,
wondering “what could have possessed him to write such a letter”. With this, her
despair seems to increase and she orders the class to sing again. The author continues
to show the inner turmoil that Miss Meadows is going through with the increasing
“gloom” of the song. Even nature seems to imitate the wailing of the voices as “the
willow trees…….had lost half their leaves”.
• Let’s consider these lines spoken by Miss Meadows as she orders the class in a “strange
stony tone” to continue singing – “…..Winter Drear, make that Drear sound as if a
cold wind were blowing through it”.
• Down came the baton and the lament began again as did Miss Meadow’s inner turmoil.
At this stage, the reader can see faint beginning of desperation as she starts thinking of
people’s surprised reaction to her engagement as Basil was five years younger than her.
• Beckoning the girls with her baton, the music sped up. The older girls were red in the
face, the younger girls began to cry and Miss Meadows stood before them her mind
miles away begging Basil to love her or to allow her to love him and perhaps her
love would be enough for both of them but “she knew he didn’t love her”. It seems
like Miss Meadows is desperate to get married and fears how she would be perceived
by others should she remain single.

21
• She starts to imagine everybody’s reaction once they would learn about her broken
engagement and starts thinking that “she would have to disappear somewhere”. On
this thought the song ended and her students’ voices faded.
• Despite the awareness that Basil didn’t love her, at the end of the story when Miss
Meadows reads Basil’s telegram and the engagement resumes, she is happy. She
goes back to her class and tells them to sing a happy song. This suggests the extent of
her desperation to conform to societal demands of getting married.

22
 REVERIE

Question 1

(a) In reality why have the birch trees lost their former erect position? What rich imagery does
the poet use to describe this? What does he prefer to think has caused these trees to bend?
(8)
• In reality the Birch trees have lost their former erect position because of an ice storm.
The snow accumulates on the trees, causing them to bend. They are bent low for so
long that they never right themselves.
• The rich visual and auditory imagery used: They are loaded with ice a sunny winter
morning after a rain. The ice particles click upon themselves as the breeze rises and
turn many coloured as the stir cracks and crazes their enamel.
• Visual: The sun’s warmth makes them shed crystal shells shattering and avalanching
on the snow-crust. Such heaps of broken glass almost makes it seem like the inner
dome of heaven has fallen.
• The trees are dragged to the withered bracken by the load. In the bent position, they
seem like girls on hands and knees that throw their hair before them over their heads
to dry in the sun.
• Imagery is heightened by the use of contrasts (motion of swinging) (Eg: left to right,
heaven-fallen).
• The poet prefers to think that the trees are no more erect owing to some boy that lived
far from town- as he went in and out to fetch the cows- rode down his father’s trees
one by one- until he took the stiffness out of them. This was his only form of play as
he couldn’t learn baseball and so devised this game to suit his rural secluded lifestyle.

(b) What insight does the poet give us about his childhood? (6)
• The poet tells that he was a swinger of birches- implying that he lived a very secluded
life, away from civilization.
• He mastered the art of Birch swinging- not launching out too soon and not carrying
the tree away clear to the ground.
• Climbing the tree took the same effort that it would take to fill a cup up to the brim
and even above the brim- this taught him the quality of patience.
• He enjoyed his childhood days as swinging down from that height brought him
immense joy. He flung his feet outward feet first kicking his way down through the
air to the ground.
• This childhood memory brings the poet immense joy- implying that he had a happy
childhood.

(c)Why does the poet dream of swinging on the birch trees? What does it metaphorically imply?
What according to you, is a better place- heaven or earth? Justify. (6)
• The poet dreams of swinging on the birch trees to get away from earth for a while.
When he is weary of considerations, and life is too much like a pathless wood where
his face burns and tickles with cobwebs broken across it and one eye is weeping from
a twig having lashed across it open.
• He wishes to climb the black branches up a snow white trunk- to the top of the tree,
till the tree can bear no more and he is set down again.
• This metaphorically implies the poet’swish to escape the harsh realities of life, but
only momentarily.
• Better place- heaven or earth (personal response)
23
Question 2

a) In the poem, The Spider and the Fly, describe the ways in which the spider attempts to
entice the fly into its home. [8]

• The spider begins its pursuit of the fly with a charming invitation into his home. The
spider describes his parlour as the “prettiest little parlour that ever you did spy”.
• The spider portrays his home as a mysterious wonderful place. More details are added
to arouse the fly’s curiosity. The parlour may be reached through a “winding stair”
and it is filled with “many pretty things”.
• Posing as a sympathizer, the spider pretends to fret over how tired the fly must be
after what he feels is a day of intense flying. He goes so far as to personally offer her
a respite from the day’s activities.
• He offers his prospect of a little rest by offering her his “little bed”. Additionally, he
says that his bed has “pretty curtains drawn around” and “the sheets are fine and
thin” - the perfect atmosphere to “snugly tuck” in. This means to ensure a comfortable
snooze, by securing the bed sheets closely around oneself.
• Now the spider he tries to manipulate the fly into feeling guilty for not accepting his
many gestures of friendship. He asks her what could he do “to prove the warm
affection” he claims he has always felt for her. He invites her to sample delicacies
that are in his pantry.
• Vanity is the spider’s choice weapon now. He heaps flattery on the fly. In praising her
wit and wisdom, the spider sends the message that he acknowledges that the fly is
smart.
• Immediately after, the spider begins to praise her loveliness – those gauzy wings and
brilliant eyes. He wants to show her how lovely she is. He invites her to see herself in
the looking glass.
• Knowing she caught the bait, the spider uses flattery again to entice the fly. He describes
her as a “pretty Fly with the pearl and silver wing”. He praises her saying that she has
robes of green and purple and that there is crest upon her head. Further, he
compares her eyes to diamonds.

b) Initially, the fly refuses the spider’s invitation only to give in later. Justify the given
statement. [6]

• The spider tires many ways to entice the fly beginning with inviting her into his home.
The fly wisely sees through the spider’s deviousness. She knows that those who go
through the “winding stair” into his home never come out. She clearly declines,
telling the spider that to ask her into his home useless.
• When the spider offers her bed to the fly, she turns him down as she claims to have
heard that no one who goes for a sleepover at the spider’s, ever wakes up again.
• As the spider perseveres and invites her into his pantry, she tactfully alludes that she
already knows what’s in the spider’s pantry and is not interested in knowing more.
• However, as soon as the spider uses flattery to win her trust, once can sense the change
in the fly’s tone. From the earlier unhesitating “O no, no!” the fly doesn’t seem too
vehement in her refusal now. She leaves a sense of suspense when she says that she
will visit the spider another day.
• The spider goes on to use more vivid flattering words to describe her. The poet senses
that vanity will be her downfall and the fly becomes silly and foolish. Mesmerized by
thoughts of her reflection, she gradually approaches the spider’s web. Clearly
engrossed in her own beauty (brilliant eyes, green and purple hue, crested head),

24
 the fly is impervious to the danger she is in. The spider jumps at the opportunity and
take her “within his little parlour”.

c) What message does the poet convey to her audience in the final stanza of the poem? Briefly
comment on how the spider and the fly act as metaphors for certain types of people in society.
[6]

• There’s a change in the narration style of the poem as the poet ends her tale. She breaks
off from the storytelling mode and directly addresses her audience – “dear little
children”.
• She tells them that they should not pay heed to “idle, silly, flattering words”.
• She further advises them to “close heart, and ear, and eye” unto an evil counsellor -
sweet tongued people with not-so-sweet intentions.
• She exhorts her audience to learn from the “tale of the Spider and the Fly” - the
spider’s cunningness stands in contrast with the innocence of the fly.
• Spider stands for the type of people who use sweet words but with the intention of
harming the well-being of another. Sometimes the very worst things in life lurk beneath
pretty, flowery words.
• The Fly stands for those people who are gullible and fall prey to others’ sweet words
and plans without realising the danger that lies ahead.

Question 3

In her poem, The Gift of India, explain how Sarojini Naidu evokes feelings of pride and pain
through the grim reality of war. [20]

• The speaker (Mother India) begins by asking if there are any more sacrifices left for
her to make. She has given the world rich gifts of cloth, food grains, and precious things
like gold. India has flung priceless treasures of her land to the countries of the East
and the West.
• Moreover, she has sent her sons, that is, the youth of her land in distant
battlegrounds to fight someone else’s war, “the sabers of doom.”
• These brave soldiers who fought and gave up their lives are buried in mass graves in
the foreign countries where they died. The speaker says that “they sleep by the Persian
waves, scattered like shells on Egyptian sands.”
• The speaker says that these dead soldiers “lie with pale brows and brave, broken
hands”, further intensifying the image of death and devastation. The bodies are
scattered like carelessly trimmed flowers (blossoms mown down by chance) in the
battlefields of Flanders and France. ‘Blood-brown meadows’ expresses the horrors of
war and warfronts in a rich poetic language, it poses as an apt metaphor.
• The speaker asks the foreign nations if they can measure her grief and her tears or
know her woe, her sufferings when she watches the horrors of war.
• In spite of her despair, she says that they can never fathom the pride that thrills
through her heart. She gives expression to the voices of countless Indian mothers
whose sons have fought in the war.
• The poet says that the people of the warring nations can never comprehend the small
hope that comforts these mothers from the pain of praying for their sons’ safety.
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 • She asks if they can understand the vision of glory she sees which she can see in the
torn red banner of victory, which has come at the expense of much death and
destruction.
• The speaker then talks about the ensuing peace after the war, which will be a painful
process. People will pay their respects to the dead who fought in the war, the comrades
in many ranks who gave their life. They will honour the deeds of those soldiers, who
will never be forgotten.
• When such a time of peace comes, the speaker asks that the blood of her martyred
sons be remembered and honoured.

Question 4
There is no glory in war. Examine the truth of this statement with regards to Bob Dylan’s John
Brown. (20)

• John Brown d tells of the deception of war, and its true effects on the individual.
• At the very start, Bob Dylan establishes a story. It starts with John Brown going off to
war on a foreign shore. His mother was proud that he was going to serve his nation.
• On the day he was leaving, he stood straight and tall wearing his uniform. Here the
words ‘straight’, ‘tall’ and ‘uniform’ all indicate that John Brown was proud to be a
soldier and his body language showed it. His mother smiled as she bade him farewell.
• She is expressing how proud she is for her son. Serving in armed forces is considered
as one of the most dignified and noble professions in the world. John Brown’s mother
is happy that her son will be serving his nation.
• She tells him to do what his captain says and he will get lots of medals. And when
John Brown will come home from war, she will put them up on the wall for display.
The mother here is ignorant of the realities of war. She has a firm belief that her son
is going to come home unharmed from the war. She is too proud to realize that war
is no game and that she might never see her son again.
• As John Brown is going away to war in an old train, his mother is shouting out farewell
to him. She is flaunting and boasting and wants everyone to know that her son is a
soldier and that he is going away to fight in the war. Here we are acquainted with John
Brown’s mother’s viewpoint: she is not just delighted that her son is a soldier, but also
wants to boast about it to the people that she has raised a soldier, a brave boy who is
off to fight for what she believes is a good cause.
• She receives a letter from him once in a while. Her face breaks into a smile reading
them. She shows the letters to her next-door neighbours as well and brags about her
son. Wearing a uniform and having a gun are those great feats her son has achieved.
• The mother did not receive a letter for about ten months or more. It could be either
because he was in action or was incapable for holding correspondence. Then one day a
letter come for John Brown’s mother saying that her son was coming home from war,
and that she should go down and meet him at the train.
• After reading the letter, the mother went right down to meet her son John Brown who
has returned home from war. She looked for him everywhere at the train station but
could not find her son amid the crowd. Here ‘her soldier son’ probably indicates that
the mother expected to see a refined soldier in her son as he returned home. When all
the people passed, she finally found her son. But when she saw him she could not
believe her eyes. There was something unforeseen there.
• The description of John Brown’s state after he returns home to his mother from the war
is grim. We see that his face is all shot up and one of his hands is blown-off.
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 • He has undergone a lot of physical harm in the war. His arm is amputated and his face
bears scars from bullet and grenade wounds. He wears a metal brace around his waist
to support himself in walking.
• He seems to be lucky even to be alive after receiving such injuries in the battle. But his
torment is not limited to physical harm. He has also undergone mental trauma.
When he speaks his voice is slow and unrecognisable, even to his own mother. This
suggests both his pain and his horrific experience in the war. He is so altered in physical
appearance that even his own mother is unable to recognize his face. The focus is on
the evils of war.
• John Brown’s mother is in utter disbelief after seeing the state in which her son has
returned from war. She asks her son how he came to be this way, John Brown tried his
best to to talk and answer to his mother about what all he has been through, but he was
hardly able to move his mouth. His mother could not bear to look at her son’s distress
and pain and had to turn her head away.
• His mother thought joining the army was the best thing he could do. But she was wrong.
He did not find it a noble thing at all. He was on the battlefield fighting in the war
whereas back at home his mother was feeling proud of her soldier son. All the illusions
are now shattered.
• He says that when he was in the battlefield he wondered why he was even there. He
was just trying to kill somebody in a do-or-die situation. It was a realisation that war is
chaotic, insane and irrational.
• He further says that the thing that scared him the most was when his enemy came very
close to him and he saw that it was just another human being. It is at the end only a
loss of human lives.
• Amidst the chaos of war John Brown was thinking that he was just a puppet in the
hands of warmongers who were playing with them. Whether he lived or died did not
matter. All that mattered to them was the victory and defeat.
• However, his string of thought was broken as a cannonball came through the smoke
and roar and blew his eyes away.
• When she sent her son away to war she saw him as a young handsome youth wearing
a uniform, but now she was seeing a broken man returned to her in bits and pieces.
She was still in shock to realise her loss.
• And just as John Brown turned to go, he called his mother close to him and he dropped
his medal in his mother’s hand.
• The act of John Brown placing the medal on his mother’s hand leaves us questioning if
a simple medal, an empty token of pride, was worth the suffering he went through and
the damage he will carry throughout his life.

Question 5
Not a single creature on the earth has a more or less right to exist. Bring out the truth of this
statement with reference to the poem Dolfins. (20)

• Dolphins’ by Carol Ann Duffy is a dramatic monologue written from the perspective
of dolphins. The poem shows how dolphins and other animals are suffering in the hands
of men. It urges us to look at the world from their perspective. It conveys the poet’s
massage against human cruelty towards animals. On a metaphoric level, the poetess
may also want to indicate the troubles of humans who think they are caught in the
confines of this world. The poem is full of pathos. Confinement of dolphins evokes
emotions in the minds of readers
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• The dolphin begins by speaking in the second person. This has the effect of creating a
sense of familiarity and affinity between the reader and the creature. However, all that
it says beyond the third line of the poem is in the first person plural. This is striking
because it leaps into the world of dolphins forced to speak from their perspective about
the effects of imprisonment by humans. There is both pathos and dignity detectable in
its voice when it speaks of being in its element but 'not free'. This tension introduces
a conflict that is articulated in the remainder of the poem, the dolphins' natural affinity
with humans and the latter's propensity for causing misery.
• The 'constant flowing guilt' refers to the necessity in an artificially created aquatic
habitat of having water pumped through the pool. Duffy presents it metaphorically as
'guilt' because the system is effectively an admission that the situation is unnatural and
otherwise unsustainable.
• A dolphin derives an enormous amount of information about its world through its skin,
which reacts to minute changes in electromagnetic fields. Its highly developed sonar is
well known. In stanza two even this seems unable to offer 'explanations' that might
make sense of its new world.
• In the 'limits of the pool' it finds 'no truth' but only the monotony of 'the same space
always'. It has taken 'days' to 'translate' the truth because the dolphin's mind is so used
to expanses of free ocean. Far from illustrating mental incapacity this presentation of
the creature serves to stress its ability to fathom new experience.
• The culpability of humans in the abduction of dolphins is indicated by the continual
presence of 'the man' who is 'above' the pool. This reflects his assumed position of
superior status. He reduces the dolphins to performing by jumping through hoops or
after a 'coloured ball'.
• The terrible psychological effects of confinement show in, 'for the world / will not
deepen to dream in.' Recalling the idea of mediation between languages, we might see
the dolphin as a translator rendering an unnatural 'world' in terms of its own natural
language.
• The collective voice in 'we' signals a search for truth and an awareness of selfhood that
is not selfish. This is made clear in references to the 'other'. Stanza three stresses the
mutual understanding between the dolphins and they define themselves in terms of
each other, 'The other knows / and out of love reflects me for myself'. This touching
insight into a relationship signals a sense of otherness, respect for independence and
mutuality. The dolphin's companion shares the its knowledge that life has changed
irrevocably and tries to reduce the attendant pain by simply being a sympathetic 'other'
of its species. The reflexive pronoun 'myself' clearly indicates that the fact that the
dolphin who speaks in the poem is able to maintain its integrity as a result of this mutual
understanding.
• The sense of loss of former freedom is intensified by the visual description, 'We see
our silver skin flash by like memory / of somewhere else.' The simile brings together
the dolphins' intimate bodily knowledge of each other but simultaneously reminds them
of a time when there would be a multitude of such sights. The dolphin is naturally
gregarious and often travels in shoals of several hundred. Their real world is now
referred to as 'somewhere else'.
• The dolphins' response to performing tricks with a ball is defined, naturally enough, in
terms of the presence or absence of the man. They 'have to balance till the man has
'disappeared'. This detail is important to consider as it emp hasises the human's utter
control.
• In observing that the 'moon has disappeared' there is a visual association being made
between the spheres that are the ball and the moon. The natural regulator of the tides
has been replaced by an unnatural, man made object. It seems almost to be a garish
substitute for the real moon.
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 • The final stanza's presentation of the dolphins' predicament is bleak and hopeless.
The image of a record being played repeatedly is used as an analogue for the seemingly
eternal circuits that the dolphins make in the pool that confines them. The fact they
'circle well-worn grooves / of water on a single note.' effectively translates the
experience of sound into the terms of the aquatic mammal. The monotony of existence
communicated in a 'single note' and its effects is compounded by the dolphin's
expression of utter desolation as, in the next sentence, it tells of the effect of its
companion's mournful voice. Its eternal 'music of loss', keening over its predicament
and impending doom is enough to turn the listening dolphin's heart 'to stone'. It has
sympathy for its own kind.
• The poem closes with reminders of oppression, control and confinement. Possibility
that was once limitless for the dolphins now has 'limits' imposed upon it that will
become impossible to bear. The realization will probably hasten the creatures' death,
signaling that there is as much at stake from a psychological perspective as there is from
the physical circumstances. Stifling of natural impulse and behaviour can have fatal
consequences. The 'plastic toy' is a further reminder of the indignity visited on this
majestic creature of the ocean.
• The phrase until the whistle blows is potentially ambiguous. In one level it simply
refers to the controlling device used by the keeper but on another the poet might be
reminding us that this sort of cruelty will continue until somebody exposes it for what
it is. Duffy does effectively 'blow the whistle' on such practices.
• The final line, with its reference to 'our mind', neatly links the plural possessive
pronoun with the singular noun 'mind' indicating a collective voice for a species. The
tense change to 'we will' draws attention to the contrast between what the dolphins
had, what they have now and can expect in the future.

Question 6

The poem, Desiderata, serves as a guide to lead a meaningful life. Comment. [20]

• Desiderata is a didactic poem offering a simple, positive credo for life. The world is
loud and fast and it’s easy to be overwhelmed by the sensory overload. The poet
exhorts us to “remember what peace there may be in silence” thereby expressing the
value of calm retrospection.
• The poet advices people to be “on good terms with all persons” but without
compromising on our principles and beliefs. The poet understands the difficulty of the
choices we face and that’s probably why he says “as far as possible”.
• The poet guides us to “speak your truths quietly and clearly”. Truth here could be
referring to sharing of one’s ideas, beliefs, feelings, experiences but with respect for
another and without ambiguity. There is also emphasis on listening to others thereby
giving them the respect that we would expect for ourselves. He points out that even
people who seem dull or ignorant have their own hidden stories. Listening helps us
gather wisdom.
• Loud and aggressive people can give out unhealthy vibes, stirring feelings of stress
and restlessness around them. They seek to dominate and become “vexatious to the

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 spirit” or distressing to the soul. The poet advises to best avoid such people if inner
peace is the reader’s goal.
• The poet advises not to evaluate our worth through comparisons with others. If you
see yourself as better, pride would make you arrogant. If you perceive yourself as
inferior, chances are you’ll likely turn resentful. There is humility in acknowledging
that there are different types of people in the world – some with more talents /
achievements and others with less. The poet tells us to allow ourselves credit where
it is due – “enjoy your achievements”. Yet at the same time, he tells us to enjoy our
“plans”. This is a gentle nudge to go onward, plan ahead to move onto greater things.
• Regardless of the work one chooses to do, the poet asks us to take an active interest in
it. Having work is a gift in the “changing fortunes of time”. Excellence in what you
do and finding joy in doing it become invaluable in good times or bad.
• Further, the poet warns us to be discreet in “business affairs” because there are people
who would manipulate a person’s opportunities, strengths and weakness or failures to
their benefit. The world might be a tricky place, but as the poet points out – there is also
another side to it. You can find heroism in equal measure. There are people with
morals and values – those who “strive for high ideals”.
• The poet goes on to encourage people to be true to themselves and others. It is easy
to become cynical about love but the very nature of love is to blossom in the least
expected moments of life, especially in the difficult circumstances. The poet’s idea
behind the use of grass as a metaphor is that like grass, love is unconditional – it does
not require any special treatment or season to grow.
• “Counsel of the years” includes our own experiences as well as the experience and
wisdom of the elders. When people are young, they are often guided by impulse. The
poet urges us to give up those emotions of the youth and be guided by the wisdom
that mankind has gathered over the ages.
• “Strength of spirit” is required to “shield you in sudden misfortune”. In difficult
times, a strong person will stand be able to handle the situation. The poet speaks of
“dark imaginings” or negative thoughts that could come from unnecessary worrying,
distrust or anger. The poet directs us to consciously steer away from depressing
situations and rein our minds in. While a code of conduct is required to promote our
well-being, the poet advices us to “be gentle with yourself”.
• When the poet says “you are a child of the universe”, he is reminding you that you
are part of a bigger world than you can imagine. The words “you have a right to be
here” are profound. By reminding us of our right to be here, the poet is asking us to
appreciate our place in the world. He is trying to make us realize that we cannot control
everything. Seemingly unrelated events have their own significance, becoming cause
and consequence in their own right – “the universe is unfolding as it should”.
• Though the working of this universe is beyond our control, the poet is helping us find
an anchor. He urges us to submit to God and let things run their course. Understanding
that God means different things to each person – “whatever you conceive Him to be”,
the poet reaches out to a broad audience, making God more accessible. He further
exhorts the readers to “keep peace in your soul” in the midst of one’s chores and
desires. Listening to your inner self and staying true to your heart are important to keep
the inner peace intact.
• The poet admits there is “sham, drudgery and broken dreams” in life but the sweeter
parts of life are also a reality that need to be acknowledged. The poet does not want

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the not so good moments to blind the reader to the good that exists. Finally, the poet
tells us look to the bright side of life and “strive to be happy”.

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