ALL SUMMER IN A DAY

About the story:

This short story, ‘All Summer in a Day’ by Bradburry is set on a planet Venus and
describes in vivid detail, the day when the planet experiences sunshine, an event that
occurs only once in seven years. The scene is set in a school where the teachers and
children await the appearance of the sun. The story also describes the darker side of
human nature that is manifest even in children as they pick on Margot simply because
they find her different from them and also because she has come from the planet Earth
where she has seen the sun every day before coming to Venus. They are jealous of her.
Jealousy makes then shut Margot in a cup-board while the sun comes out, yet the story
ends on a note of hope as the children feel guilt and shame for their thoughtless action.
Theme:
The theme for All Summer in a Day is bullying and jealousy in children just like
grownups. They can be so mean when they are faced with someone different from their
current understanding, and they are jealous too. Margot had seen the sun on the planet
Earth and known what the sun looked and felt unlike the children of Venus who could
see the sun only for two hours and that too not every day but once every seven years.
Thus, they could not understand and relate to her experience. It is also the theme of
repentance as the children feel bad after locking Margot in the cupboard while the sun
shows up for two hours. Their feeling of repentance brings out hope also.
Summary:
The story describes an important day of the planet Venus, when the sun is going to shine
after seven years for just two hours. In this planet Sun can only be seen for two hours
and that too it happens only once in seven years. The scene is set in a school, where
teacher and children are waiting to see the sun rise. There are continuous rains in Venus
and no sunshine is available. To prepare for this important even, the children had
constantly read about the sun, completed their classroom activities such as writing a
poem about the sun, etc.
This is true for all but one of the children Margot, a thin and pale girl, whom the rest of
the children resent for various reasons. She had lived in Ohio until she was five. She
still remembered the sun and it continued to fascinate her. In fact, she had been
depressed since she came to Venus and it was rumoured that her parents were planning to
take her back from this underground colony to Ohio on Earth.
Margot looks out of the window waiting eagerly to see the sun. The other children begin
to push her and taunt her. Suddenly the children seize Margot and hide her in a closet
and lock her in.
The teacher comes in the class and they all go to the tunnel’s exit, as she thinks everyone
is present. They see the sun come out of clouds. They say, “it is better than the sun
lamps isn’t it?” They run around the jungles of Venus and enjoy the sun.
After playing and enjoying the weather they entered the tunnel. While entering the
tunnel, they stand outside for a moment, thinking how wonderful the past two hours
were.
When they return, a girl remembers Margot was still in the cupboard. They feel ashamed
and guilty. The cupboard is opened, and Margot comes out slowly. She doesn’t say
anything. The story manifests the thought that human beings will be human beings with
all their virtue and drawbacks, wherever they may be.
Character sketches:
Margot
Margot is the main character of the story, she has come to the planet Venus from the
planet Earth. She is a thin and delicate girl. It seemed as if the continuous rain for years
had washed out the blue from her eyes, the red from her lips and the yellow from her
hair. Her voice was thin and raspy like that of a ghost.
She is a sensitive and melancholy girl, whose soul’s sadness is reflected in the over-
present rain. She is a misfit in Venus because she comes from a totally different
environment. In addition to this, she is sensitive and delicate and just cannot associate
with other robust and boisterous children. She stands alone and is disliked by others.
They are always pushing her, making fun of her and bothering in many ways.
She came to Venus from Earth five years ago. She could recall the sun, and this is not
the case with other children. She used to see the sun daily and in Venus, the children see
the sun after every seven years. This fact makes them jealous of her. This is the reason
they locked her in a cupboard and did not let her see the sun, although later they felt
guilty. She is the symbol of art and sensitivity and an unhappy, sad girl who does not fit
in the atmosphere of Venus and has no rapport with other children.
Other children
They are pale and colourless, not only physically but mentally also. The lack of the sun
has not only washed away the colour of their skin but their compassion and empathy for
others.
They become mean and jealous when they find someone different from them. They are
cruel to Margot and find ways to torture her. She does not fight back, and this makes
them more cruel. They lock her in a cupboard, so that she may not see the sun. Only
later, they regret what they had done.
1. Based on your understanding of the story, answer the following questions in a
sentence or two.

a)        What do children get ready for at the beginning of the story?

At the beginning of the story, Children get ready for a look at the sun.
b)       How is life in the planet Venus described?
The planet is covered with thick jungles and unruly weeds, perpetually caught in a cycle
of growth and destruction. Humans live underground in a network of
tunnels, eagerly awaiting the very brief summer.
c)        Who is Margot? How is she different from the rest of the children?
Margot is one of the students of a school in the planet Venus. Unlike most of the
children, she has arrived from earth recently.
d)       What does Margot like the most - the sun or the rain?
Margot likes the sun the most.
e)        What was Margot waiting for? Why did William say that it was a joke?
Margot was waiting for seeing the sun. Because the scientists had predicted that on
that particular day the sun would shine for a short while. William did not want her to see
the sun. He said that it was a joke.
f)         Why does Margot wish to return to the earth?
Margot does not like rain. She remembers the warmth and brightness of the sun on Earth
where it could be seen every day. So she wishes to return to earth.
g)        Why did the children lock Margot in a closet?
The sun would shine after seven years. The children knew Margot loved the sun and had
waited to see it. As they hated her, they did not want her to see the sun. So they locked
her in the closet.
h)       Margot could recall what the sun looked like while the other children could
not. Why?
The other children were unable to remember the sun. They had seen the sun seven years
ago, when they were two years old. So they could not recall the sun. Unlike most of the
children, Margot has arrived from earth more recently. So she knew about the sun very
well.
i)    How long did the Sun shine on Venus?
The sun shone every seven years for just two hours on Venus.
j)     Why did one of the girls wail?
As the girl saw a rain drop at her palm, she knew it was going to rain and the sun was
going to vanish. So she wailed.

2. Based on your understanding of the story, answer the following in three or four
sentences.

a)   What is the significance of the particular day described in the story “All
summer in a day”?
There is no sun for the past seven years in the planet Venus. The scientists had
predicted that on that particular day the sun would shine for a short while.
b)    What happens to Margot while the teacher is out of the classroom?
One boy begins to yell at Margot on the day that the sun comes out. The other
children joined with him and teased Margot. Then they pushed Margot into a
closet and locked her inside.
c)   How did Margot describe the sun to others?
She had written that the sun was like a flower that bloomed only for an hour. And also
she described the sun as a penny or a fire in the stove.
d)   How did the children react when the sun came out after seven years?
When the sun came out, the children were ecstatic. They squinted at the
sun. They removed their jackets to feel the rays upon their arms. They ran among the
trees. They slipped and fell. They pushed each other. They played hide-and-seek and tag.
They ran for an hour and did not stop running.

e)   Why did William and the other children bully Margot?

The children in Margot’s class bullied her because they were envious of her knowledge
and memory of the sun. For the other children, the biggest crime of Margot
was that she remembered many things about the sun. They were angered by her
descriptions of the sun.
f)   What were their feelings towards Margot at the end of the story?
The kids knew that they had done something wrong to Margot. They proceeded very
slowly when freeing Margot. It suggested that they knew what they were wrong. They
were not happy, joyful, skipping, or shouting because of a fun day in the sun.
The moment was diminished because of their hateful actions toward their class mate.
g)  What does the title of the story convey?
The story “All Summer in a Day” is set on the planet Venus. It is a rainy planet, and the
sun only comes out for only one day every seven years. Here summer is a symbol of hot
emotions. The kids reveal their hot emotions to their classmate on the day. And also
summer in the planet Venus is only one day. Thus the title conveys both the season and
the mindset of the kids.

3. Answer the following questions in a paragraph of about 100–150 words each.

a)        What is the conflict between Margot and the other children in the story,
“All Summer in a day”?
Margot is nine years old. She is one of the students of a school in the planet Venus.
Unlike most of the children, she has arrived from the earth recently. On Earth,
apparently, the sun still comes out every day. In Venus, Margot desperately misses the
Sun. She wants to go back to Earth. And also she does not get along with the other
Children. The children in Margot’s class bully her because they are envious of her
knowledge and memory of the sun. For the other children, the biggest crime of Margot is
that she remembers many things about the sun. They are angered by her descriptions of
the sun. One boy begins to yell at Margot on the day that the sun briefly shines on the
Venus for an hour. The others join in and tease her. They push Margot into a closet and
lock her inside. When the sun vanishes and the rain starts again, the children release
Margot. These are the conflicts between Margot and the other children in the story.

b)       How do the children react to the long awaited event in the story?
Except Margot, the children had seen the sun seven years ago, when they were two years
old. They cannot recall the sun. They bully Margot because they are envious of her
knowledge and memory of the sun. They push Margot into a closet and lock her inside.
When the sun comes out, the children are ecstatic. They squint at the sun. They remove
their jackets to feel the rays upon their arms. They run among the trees, they slip and fall,
they push each other, and they play hide-and-seek and tag. They run for an hour and do
not stop running. When the sun vanishes and the rain starts, the kids know that they have
done something wrong to Margot. They proceed very slowly when freeing Margot. It
suggests that they know what they did is wrong. They are not happy,, joyful, skipping, or
shouting because of a fun day in the sun. The moment is diminished because of their
hateful actions toward their class mate.

c)        The sun brought about a positive change in the attitude of the children.
Illustrate the statement.
A group of kids living on Venus are waiting for the sun to come out. One boy begins to
yell at Margot who has come from the earth recently. They push her into a closet and
lock her inside. When the sun. comes out, the children are ecstatic. They squint at the
sun. They remove their jackets to feel the rays upon their arms. They run among the
trees, they slip and fall, they push each other, and they play hide-and-seek and tag. They
run for an hour and do not stop running. When the sun vanishes and the rain starts, the
kids know that they have done something wrong to Margot. They proceed very slowly
when freeing Margot. It suggests that they know what they did is wrong. They are not
happy, joyful, skipping, or shouting because of a fun day in the sun. The moment is
diminished because of their hateful actions toward their class mate. They regret what
they have done to Margot. They understand that they have been terrible bullies. Thus the
sun brought about a positive change in the attitude of the children.

d)       Did the children regret having locked Margot in a closet? Answer citing
relevantly from the story.
A group of kids living on Venus are waiting for the sun to come out. One boy begins to
yell at Margot who has come from the earth recently. They push her into a closet and
lock her inside. When the sun comes out, the children are ecstatic. They squint at the sun.
They remove their jackets to feel the rays upon their arms. They run among the trees,
they slip and fall, they push each other, and they play hide-and-seek and tag. They run
for an hour and do not stop running. When the sun vanishes and the rain starts, the kids
know that they have done something wrong to Margot. They proceed very slowly when
freeing Margot. It suggests that they know what they did is wrong. They are not happy,
joyful, skipping, or shouting because of a fun day in the sun. The moment is diminished
because of their hateful actions toward their class mate. They regret what they have done
to Margot.

Long answer questions

1. What makes Margot different from the other children? Why does this cause
the other children dislike and hate her? Is this the reason that Margot is unhappy
in Venus?

Human nature is the same everywhere. The difference between Margot and other
children, is the other children’s antagonism and Margot’s suffering. All these facts
creating the conflict in the story have been woven by excellent penmanship of the author
in such a way that ordinary everyday happenings of life have been turned into a saga of
hatred, repentance, guilt and hope.

Margot is different from others in many ways. Her looks are different, and her
personality and experiences are different. She is thin and frail. She is frail haired and
white skinned so much that she looks colourless. She is guilty and withdrawn. Her
voice is soft and often she does not speak at all. She does not have a boisterous
personality that many of the other children have. She keeps her distance from others and
does not join their many antiques. She is a very sensitive girl. All in all, she is a
unhappy in Venus and her parents are planning to send her back to Earth.

Despite all these differences, what seems to set others against her is that she has had
experiences which they cannot share. They have lived all the nine years of their life in
Venus. They don’t know about any other planet or its atmosphere. Outside their
underground complex, they know about nothing else. Margot has the experience of
Earth. She has seen the sun daily and enjoyed its warmth, shine and glamour. These
things make the other children jealous of her and they try to bully her in many ways.

Why the children dislike Margot is the strong theme of the story. It is common that
human beings despise the things that are different and which they don’t understand.
Although she does not show off or is proud, yet her calmness and quietness anger the
other children more and more. They are always pushing her, punishing her and
sometimes beating her. This attitude of others is also the cause of her unhappiness apart
from the absence of sun. To punish her more, while everyone is waiting for the
appearance of sun along with Margot, they push her and lock her in a cupboard. The sun
rises, they enjoy but when they are going back to their underground complex, they
remember that she is still locked in the cupboard. Now they are really guilt stricken and
quietly open the door. Margot comes out. It is to her credit that she does not say
anything. Although when they open the door, they know that she will never be the same
again.

This memorable story is a realistic description of human nature, it’s jealousy and feeling
of guilt, it’s horrifying results. Alas! We could have been free of these deadly sins.

COMPREHENSION

Passage -1
Read the extract given below and answer the questions that follow:
“Margot stood apart from these children who could never remember a time when
there wasn’t rain and rain and rain. They were all nine years old, and if there had
been a day……………………………………just one hour.”

1. What was everybody waiting for on the planet Venus that day?
Ans: It is the scene of a school in Venus. All the teachers and children were waiting for
sun to rise because the sun in Venus could be seen only after every seventh year.
2. Why are the other children unable to remember the sun?
Ans: The other children were unable to remember the sun because the sun had shone
seven years ago and at that time they were only two years old and could not remember
seeing the sun shining.
3. Why was Margot able to remember the sun?
Ans: Margot was able to remember the sun because she had come to the planet Venus
from Earth when she was five years old and she could still remember seeing the sun
every day.
4. What memory stirred the children at night sometimes?
Ans: The vague memory of the sun troubled them, and they mistook for an old yellow
crayon or a coin large enough to buy the world with.
5. What did the children read in class all day long?
Ans: All day they had read in class about the sun how it resembled a lemon and how hot
it was. They had written stories and poems also about the sun.
6. What had Margot written about the sun in her poem?
Ans: She had written that the sun was like a flower, that blossomed only for an hour.

Passage 2

Read the extract give below and answer the questions that follow:
So, after that dimly, dimly she sensed it. She was different,
…………………………………………”nothing is happening today, is it?

1. What makes Margot different from the other children? Why?

Ans: Margot remembered the sun and its glorious effect and warmth, its joys. Other
children had so such memory. They had seen only the colourless and depressing rain on
Venus. This was the major difference.

2. What was the rumor? What did Margot think?

Ans: There was the rumor that Margot’s parents were taking her back to Earth next year.
It seemed important to Margot that they do so because she hated Venus and could not
survive without the sun.

3. What is the ‘it’ referred to by William?

Ans: The ‘it’ referred to by William is the sun which the scientists had predicted would
shine for a short while that day.

4. What was Margot waiting for? Why did William say it was a joke?
Ans: Margot was waiting for the sun to rise for a short while. William hated her and
was jealous of her. Therefore, he wanted her to be unhappy and not to have the joy of
seeing the sun.

5. What do the children do led by William to stop Margot from seeing the sun?
Ans: The children led by William locked her in a cupboard and she remains locked for
the whole time while the sun appeared and shone for two hours.

*****