I-Play

Chapter - 1 : The Tempest — William Shakespeare Plot Summary The Tempest contains one main plot and three sub-plots, all of which have been woven into the main plot. The main plot has the story of Prospero’s revenge on his enemies by using his magic powers. Prospero has been deprived of his dukedom by his brother, Antonio, with the support of Alonso, King of Naples. Along with his young daughter, Miranda, he was exposed to the waves of the sea but by the grace of Almighty; he landed safely on an uninhabited island. He uses supernatural powers for taking revenge on his enemies. But the mode of revenge of Prospero is forgiveness. But the evil-doers must not be forgiven too easily. They must be made to realise their guilt and they must be repentant. Through the agency of Ariel, Prospero succeeds in awakening the conscience of Alonso, Antonio and Sebastian. The play ends with a scene of repentance and reconciliation. There is a sub-plot of conspiracy of Antonio and Sebastian to murder Alonso. Finding Alonso and other members of the group asleep, Antonio instigates Sebastian to murder his brother, Alonso. Sebastian agreed to this suggestion. The plot was upset by Ariel. Just when these two were about to strike their possible victims, Ariel awakens the unsuspecting Gonzalo and Alonso. The sub-plot emphasizes the villainy of Sebastian and Antonio making Prospero’s forgiveness nobler for these two. The sub- plot serves as an example of parallelism. Just like Antonio betrayed his brother Prospero, similarly Sebastian was betraying his brother, Alonso. There is another sub-plot of the intrigue of Caliban against Prospero. It is a comic sub-plot of the play. Inspite of Prospero’s efforts to civilize Caliban, the latter remains a beast. This monster tried to play mischief with Miranda. He curses Prospero. When he meets the drunken Stephano and Trinculo, he hatches a plan for murder of Prospero. The plot is upset by Ariel and all of these conspirators are chased away by Prospero’s spirits appearing in the form of dogs and hounds. Caliban’s intrigue is not closely connected with the main plot. This sub-plot provides a comic relief to the play and relaxes the tension of the viewer caused by the conspiracy of Antonio and Sebastian against Alonso. The third sub-plot is of love between Ferdinand and Miranda. This sub-plot is directly interconnected with the main plot. Miranda, the daughter of Prospero and Ferdinand, the son of Prospero’s enemy Alonso fall in love with each other. The falling of love of these two emphasizes the reconciliation, which is the main theme of the play. The union of Ferdinand and Miranda not only sets the seal upon forgiveness of Antonio and Alonso by Prospero, but also bind Prospero and Alonso into a closer tie. The sub-plot also provides a romantic angle to the play. It appears to be an inseparable part of the main plot of the play.

Major Characters

PROSPERO Prospero is the main character of the play. He is the prime agent, who manipulates the whole action of the play. He is the real protagonist who holds a great control and influence over the other characters of the play. He is the cause of bringing the play to a cheerful ending. In the early days of his life, he gets interested in the study of philosophy and magic and becomes indifferent to the management of state affairs of his dukedom. He acts as a tyrant when he deals with Caliban and at times, even with his favourite spirit, Ariel. From this perspective, he is not a likeable person. He is a person of high prejudice. However, from other perspectives, he earns the like and respect of the viewers. He is an affectionate father and dearly loves his daughter, Miranda. He uses his magical powers to bring Ferdinand and Miranda closer. He feels happy when his plan to bring them together in love succeeds. When he realizes that the future of his daughter is secure, he is willing to retire to Milan. Prospero thinks that he has tried to do well to others. He grants liberty to Ariel and makes a huge effort to civilize Caliban. He puts Ariel under his command and gets everything done through him. Caliban curses him to make him a slave. He even tries to outrage the modesty of Miranda. Prospero has all reasons to take revenge upon his enemies. However, he chooses the path of forgiveness. He resolves to forgive his enemies if they are repentant of their past evil deeds. Prospero is wise and extremely resourceful because he has magical powers. His wisdom makes him tolerant and charitable at the end of the play. However, he never reconciled completely with his brother. He treats him with studied contempt and neglect. He only gave him a brief verbal pardon and otherwise hardly addresses a word to him. In reality, there is anger against his enemies beneath the grant of pardon. [2 ] Oswaal ISC Section-wise Notes & Summary, ENGLISH PAPER-2 (LITERATURE), Class-XII

He becomes a terrible old man. But he is also a noble, kind and generous person. He forgives all his enemies. Moreover, his forgiveness is not only solemn and judicial but also abstract and impersonal. He does not act against his own noble deeds. MIRANDA Miranda is the daughter of Prospero. She is young and beautiful. Ferdinand considers her to be a goddess when he sees her for the first time. She is sympathetic in nature. Having seen the shipwreck, she suffers a lot. The cries of the passengers knocked against her heart. Her pity is aroused upon seeing Ferdinand suffering under the burden of drudgery imposed upon him by Prospero. She pleads with her father on behalf of Ferdinand. She is free from hypocrisy and deceit. She is not affected by the sophisticated civilization and her innocence does not conceal anything. She frankly declares her love for Ferdinand with no space for false modesty. Her smile comforts her father. When she learns from her father that she is a princess by birth, she does not regret at having lost the royal life. Quite surprisingly, she asks her father if there might be blessing in their adversity. She falls in love with Ferdinand at the first sight itself. For the sake of Ferdinand, she is willing to gladly undergo the drudgery of carrying logs of wood. Although she is highly devoted to her father, yet she is not prejudiced against Ferdinand by all the reproachful words of her father about him. ALONSO Alonso is a villainous character in the play. However, he is not as wicked as Antonio and Sebastian. He is the King of Naples and is an imperial personality. He had sinned in the past in his plot with Antonio against Prospero. However, he is struck with deep remorse than Antonio and Sebastian, who remain unrepentant till the end. Alonso dearly loves his only son, Ferdinand. When he thinks his son to have perished in the shipwreck, he cannot be consoled. He wanders about in the island in the only hope of finding him. However, he cannot find his son. Upon finding his son alive later, his happiness knows no bounds. His depression over the marriage of his daughter, Claribel, with King of Tunis, and his irreparable grief over the expected loss of his son showcase his tender feelings. He is filled with remorse for his misdeeds of the past and atones before Prospero. FERDINAND Ferdinand is the son of Alonso, the King of Naples. He is the most charming character of the play. He appreciated the purity, innocence and beauty of Miranda. He is polite and respectful to Prospero inspite of the harsh treatment imposed by the latter. He is a perfect match for a girl like Miranda. He is in deep love with Miranda. He falls in love with her at the first sight. He treats a glimpse of Miranda as a compensation for all the harsh treatment and drudgery imposed by Prospero on him. He is the hero of the romantic sub-plot of the play. He leaves a positive impression on the viewers from the beginning itself. During the shipwreck, he shows courage and presence of mind. He braves the fury of the sea waves. Later, he undergoes the hardships imposed by Prospero and showcases himself as a courageous and fearless young man. He acquires Miranda by worthily passing all the tests to which he was subjected to by Prospero. He is a young man of spirit and decision. He presented this when he tells his father about his falling in love with Miranda. He is the most superior gentleman and in some values, overshadows Prospero also. Ferdinand is deeply attached to his father and dearly loves him. He reciprocates the love of Alonso towards him. He aggrieves over the supposed loss of his father. ARIEL Ariel is the spirit of air. He is a lovable and a pleasant character. He has a distinct role in the play. He successfully completes all the tasks assigned to him by Prospero in the play. He is primarily the spirit of air but is comfortable at working in sea and fire also. He is an admirable character. As the agent to Prospero, he manipulates several events forces most of the characters in a particular way. He represents the principle of goodness. As the spirit of air, he possesses all the qualities of air. He is light, swift and fast in his movements. He loves freedom. At times, he is mischievous and plays tricks on other characters. He indulges in mischief to torment the evil-doers. He derives pleasure in playing tricks on Alonso, Stephano and Trinculo. He also gets pleasure in tormenting Caliban. He acts under the command of Prospero. However, sometimes, he acts on his own also. He leads Caliban, Trinculo and Stephano into a muddy pool in order to upset their plot against Prospero. The best quality that he possesses is the feeling of pity. He feels pity for the sufferings of the enemies of Prospero. He remains invisible. He can penetrate anywhere and everywhere like air and fire. Oswaal ISC Section-wise Notes & Summary, ENGLISH PAPER-2 (LITERATURE), Class-XII [ 3]

CALIBAN Caliban is the spirit of earth. He is a deformed creature. He is born as an illegitimate son of a witch, Sycorax. He is a savage beast working under the command of Prospero. He works as a slave to the latter. He hates Prospero and curses him but has no choice other than to follow his commands. The tendency of hatred and disgust towards him develops in the viewers. His attempt to outrage the modesty of innocent Miranda is beyond disgust. He is a cunning conspirator and conspires with Trinculo and Stephano to kill Prospero on the first chance he gets. He is more active, efficient and eager than his companions. He lays the detailed plan for the murder of Prospero. He has a savage and wild nature. In spite of being all these, he has a natural liking for poetry. He loves the beauty and music of nature. He arouses the sympathy of the viewers as he has been enslaved by Prospero who is reduced to a low level by his greed for revenge. Caliban hates his slavery and wants to attain freedom at any cost. He curses Prospero for commandeering the island. His simplicity becomes apparent when he is taken in by the bravado of Stephano. But when Stephano and Trinculo get attracted by mere trumpery and become indifferent to the plan of murdering Prospero, his admiration for Stephano turns into disgust. He realises his mistake in taking the drunkard as a God and worshipping him. He considers it better to serve Prospero than to serve Stephano. ANTONIO Antonio is the brother of Prospero. He is a crafty and a sneering person. He does not win the respect of the viewers. He is arrogant as well as rude. He is hardly nervous when the ship on which he is travelling, is in danger of being wrecked. He abuses the boatswain when the latter addresses him in a discourteous manner. Antonio is the main villain of the play. He is ambitious and conspires against his brother, Prospero, the Duke of Milan. In order to seize his dukedom, he joins hands with Alonso, the King of Naples and gets Prospero expelled from the dukedom. He casts him adrift with his three-years old daughter, Miranda in a broken-down boat. He thinks that the boat will upturn and Prospero will perish along with his daughter. After committing this crime, he attempts for another crime. He plots against Alonso, who supported him to oust Prospero. He prompts Sebastian, brother of Alonso, to kill the latter and become the King of Naples. He is a sinner, a deceiver and a traitor. His conscience appears to be dead. Even when maddened by Ariel, his conscience is not pricked. On the other hand, he is full of hatred and resentment. Instead of feeling repentance, he draws his sword to slaughter. He is a hardened criminal. He is full of ingratitude, treachery and breach of trust. Even after being pardoned by Prospero, he does not feel redeemed. He does not speak of repentance or shows any of it. He is devoid of feelings. He is not moved by Alonso’s grief at the supposed death of his son. When Gonzalo tries to console Alonso, Antonio taunts at him and makes fun of him. He is the villain without any conscience.

Minor Characters GONZALO Gonzalo was a Lord in the court of Alonso. His most important quality is his sympathetic nature and loyalty towards Alonso. In the beginning, when the ship is in danger of being wrecked. He talks in a lighter mood, deriving comfort from the boatswain who shows his authority on the ship. Amidst the danger, he feels hopeful on the ground that the boatswain has no drowning marks on him and the boatswain will die on land by hanging. The sympathetic side of Gonzalo is revealed in the manner in which he tries to help Prospero at the time of the banishment of the latter. He supplies not only ample provisions on the boat but also a number of books which Prospero valued above his dukedom. He is too talkative and is capable to draw anyone in long conversation. SEBASTIAN Sebastian is the brother of Alonso, King of Naples. He is the partner of Antonio in conspiracy to kill Alonso. The cruel side of Sebastian is revealed when he joins the plot to murder Alonso and Gonzalo. When Gonzalo tries to console Alonso, when the latter was aggrieved over the supposed death of his son, he further intensifies the grief of Alonso. He also magnifies the grief by putting the blame of every misfortune on Alonso himself. Just like Antonio, he has no grief or repentance over what he has conspired against Prospero along with Alonso and Antonio. STEPHANO Stephano is an attendant at the court of Alonso. He is always drunk to the maximum limit. He worships the bottle and creates absurd situations. He walks through the island of magic with his bottle. [4 ] Oswaal ISC Section-wise Notes & Summary, ENGLISH PAPER-2 (LITERATURE), Class-XII

The encounter of Caliban with Stephano and Trinculo provides a comic relief to the viewers. The song sung by the drunken Stephano is highly amusing. When Stephano sees Caliban, he thinks that he is seeing a creature with four legs. However, it is two legs each of Caliban and Trinculo. When the three of them get fully drunk and move towards Prospero’s cell to murder the latter, Ariel deceives them by his music. They are led to a stinking pot where Stephano loses his bottle full of wine and creates a hilarious situation. He agrees to be a part of Caliban’s conspiracy to murder Prospero, but soon walks out of it. This shows that he has a casual attitude towards the plan of Caliban and is not a criminal at heart. TRINCULO Trinculo is a continuous drunken entertainer. He is the servant of Alonso and is brought ashore after the shipwreck. He is a dull fool and is incapable of providing any real action. However, he provides a comic relief to the viewers. When he meets Caliban, he immediately dislikes him and his smashed insults. Still, he becomes a part of the Caliban’s conspiracy to murder Prospero and takes over the island. However, Trinculo proves to be completely ineffective for this murder plot. ADRIAN AND FRANCISCO Adrian and Francisco are noblemen in the court of Alonso and his companions when the ship is wrecked. When Alonso is aggrieving over the supposed death of his son, Adrian tries to console him. Francisco also tries to be helpful to Alonso. The pair of Adrian and Francisco is cynically taunted by the pair of Sebastian and Antonio. BOATSWAIN The boatswain appears only in the first and the last scenes of the play. He angers the noblemen with his foul manners and words as well as rude remarks. However, he is competent and resourceful when the ship is facing the danger of being wrecked. He demands practical help rather than succumb to crying and praying. MASTER OF SHIP AND MARINERS The Master of the Ship and the Mariners only appear in first scene of the first Act. When the ship is facing the danger of being wrecked, the master tries to hearten the sailors and gets them to sail the boat through the storm. However, one of the spells cast by Ariel makes them loose their heart and abandon the ship. They are safely whisked away and take the party back to Italy at the end of the play. IRIS, CERES, JUNO, NYMPHS AND REAPERS All these figures appear in act IV of the play at the time of engagement masque for Miranda and Ferdinand. Iris, Ceres and Juno are Goddesses from Roman mythology – Iris is the Goddess of rainbow, Ceres is the Goddess of agriculture and Juno is the Queen of the Gods. All these parts are performed by spirits, while the part of Ceres is played by Ariel.

Act-Wise Summary

ACT-I—SCENE-I : SUMMARY

The play opens in the midst of a fierce storm. The location is a ship at sea, with a royal party on board. As the sailors fight to save the ship, several of the royal passengers enter and Alonso, the King, demands to know where the master is to be found. The boatswain is worried that the passengers will interfere and orders them to go the lower deck. The King’s Councilor, Gonzalo, reminds the boat- swain that he is speaking to the King. At this, the boatswain remarks that if the King really has so much power, then he must try and subdue the storm. If he lacks this power, then the royal party must go the lower deck as per the order of the boatswain. The royal party exits to take shelter at the lower deck. The lords go the lower decks. To add to the chaos, the three of the lords – Antonio, Sebastian and Gonzalo return to the scene. Sebastian and Antonio curse the boatswain for his fruitless labour, masking their fear with vulgarity. Some mariners enter wet and crying and the viewers are given idea about the identity of passengers who are on-board. Gonzalo orders the mariners to pray for the King and the Prince. There comes a strange noise – on account of splitting of wood, roaring of water or sound of thunder - over the cry of the mariners. Antonio, Gonzalo and Sebastian go in search of the King preparing to sink to a watery grave. qq Oswaal ISC Section-wise Notes & Summary, ENGLISH PAPER-2 (LITERATURE), Class-XII [ 5]

Play - 2 : Candida —George. Bernard. Shaw Plot Summary

James Morell is a very popular speaker. His father-in-law, Burgess comes to meet him and they decide to put an end to an old quarrel. An adolescent poet, Eugene Marchbanks, is in love with Morell’s wife, Candida. Eugene shocks and infuriates Mo- rell by telling him that he loves his wife and that Morell is nothing more than a preacher with empty words. Morell, in rage, seizes him by his collar. Candida comes and smells that there is something wrong. On her invitation, Eugene stays for dinner. The play moves slowly towards the climax. Eugene’s views about love are described. His reaction to Candida’s routine domes- tic tasks is both revealing as well as amusing. Candida’s repetition of words of Marchbanks pierces the heart of Morell. He is shocked that his own wife feels that his speeches are useless. Her praise of Eugene is too much for him. But his faith in her is not shaken. He leaves her and Eugene back at home and goes out, with others, to deliver his lecture. In the only private meeting between Candida and Eugene, the best of both the characters is revealed. Eugene gains unusual insight in his love for Candida. His love becomes spiritual. However, Morell forces him to accept the challenge. Both ask Can- dida to choose one of them. Candida chooses her husband as he is emotionally weaker of the two and is totally dependent on her. Eugene, broken hearted, leaves the stage. Nobody knows anything about the ‘secret’ in his heart.

Major Characters CANDIDA Candida is the title character of the play. She has been portrayed as an angle for Morell (her husband), an adorable beauty for Lexy, and a divine creature for Marchbanks. However, she is not liked by Proserpine. Candida is a frank and truthful woman having a bold character. She is not only physically attractive and beautiful but also intelligent and moral. She is around 33 years of age and is well built. The play focuses to bring out the maternal aspect of her character as she acts like a mother not only of her chil- dren but also of Morell and Marchbanks. Morell is deeply in love with her and is very satisfied about his happy married life, which he acknowledges to Lexy also. Candida too, is a loving housewife. She takes care of her husband and is devoted to his happiness. She tries to take the burden of household chores and relaxes Morell from them. She wants him to focus on his preach- ing and addressing the people. Although she is mildly interested in Marchbanks, still orders him to leave their house when she found that Marchbanks is a source of worry for Morell. She is an excellent host too. She is an intelligent woman. She understands the truth of her husband’s popularity as a speaker. She tells him that people listen but do not understand and follow his words, preaching and sermons. Some contemporary critics have titled her as ‘a sentimental prostitute’ because of her love for Marchbanks. At some instances she seems to play with feelings of Marchbanks. However, she blindly trusts him. Even when she was all alone at home with Marchbanks, she maintained the privacy between the two. This was the reason she becomes outraged when Morell suspects her. She has a special individuality of hers. She breaks the myth of Morell that she is dependent on him and makes him realize the fact that it is Morell who is actually dependent on her. He is the Master of the house because she has made him so. She mocks him as even weaker than Marchbanks. She is superior to both Morell and March- banks as both of them accepted her choice without any retaliation. She truly represents a ‘New Age Women’. JAMES MAVOR MORELL James Mavor Morell is a socialist clergyman. He is energetic and passionate for his profession. People love and admire him for his excellent speeches and addresses. Women easily fall in love with his good looks and personal- ity. He has high ideals and aspirations. He wants to make Earth as Heaven. He is kind with everyone. When his curate is leaving in cold, he ties a handkerchief around his collar. He found Eugene on embankments of River Thames and brought him home. He works for the benefit of his congregations. He even got into a quarrel with his father-in-law, Burgess for paying his women workers very low and got one of Burgess’ contracts cancelled. He has been portrayed as an impractical person living in a world of illusion. He spends time in preparing and delivering addresses. He is under the illusion that people love his addresses. Eugene tells him that his peaching is not of much use. When his wife Candida repeats the same words, he feels shocked. He is dismayed that people, and specially women, come to his addresses just to look at him. They all are secretly in love with him. [6 ] Oswaal ISC Section-wise Notes & Summary, ENGLISH PAPER-2 (LITERATURE), Class-XII

He is a person with strong physical body. However, his emotions are equally weak. When Eugene tells him that he is in love with his wife Candida and that she too is unhappy with Morell, he loses control on his anger. He manhandles Eugene. Although he repented his action but the incident shows that he was also just like an ordi- nary human. Eugene accuses him of being a coward too. At many instances, he reveals that he is emotionally dependent on Candida. She nurtures him like a mother, his three sisters and his wife, all merged up in one. The spectators get amused when he starts weeping thinking that he has been rejected by Candida in favour of Eugene. He proves himself to be weaker than Eugene and that is the reason he gets chosen by Candida. He does not have much confidence in himself. His confidence in his intellectual pursuits gets shaken both by Eu- gene, and then by Candida. He cannot challenge them. He easily gets borne by their views. Eugene’s explanation about what happened between Candida and Eugene tortures him. He is deeply pained thinking about Candida’s betrayal and unfaithfulness. He starts doubting her purity and even forbids her to touch or kiss him. This shows that he only fakes trust in his wife while he never had fully trusted her. He learnt his lessons and mistakes at the end of the play. He confesses to Candida that she is the sum total of all loving care to him – his wife, his three sisters and above all, his mother. EUGENE MARCHBANKS

Eugene is the most interesting character of the play. He is a perfect thwart to Morell. He is a young rebel, a ro- mantic lover and an excellent poet. Although he is only around eighteen years of age, yet he has been portrayed as one having immense maturity level. He is slight and shy. He has a childish way of speaking. He has got a shrinking manner and tormented expression. The last act of the play tells the reason about his being so. Through Candida, the spectators learn that he has suffered from years of neglect and had led a desolate life. Only his old nurse had given love and affection to him. The spectators get shocked to learn that his father starved him to make him agree and return to Oxford. He was forced to live without food and roof. He is highly sentimental and unrealistic. Morell regards his love for Candida, who is almost twice his age, as a calf love or motherly love. In his love for Candida, he forgot that she is a married woman. He is horrified with “the poetic horrors” when he learns that Candida scrubs the floor and lights the paraffin candles. His illusions of a world where he lives with Candida and there are no chores, is filled with poetic charisma. Morell titles his world as that of ‘idle, selfish and useless’ to which he retaliates and titles as ‘beautiful, free and happy’. He is not physically strong but has got immense emotional strength and maturity. He brings out Morell from his illusionary world about importance of his addresses and leading a happy married life with Candida. He chal- lenges the usefulness of his preaching. He is a moral person deep in the heart. This is shown when he is left alone at home with Candida. He reads out his poetry to her. He shields his yearning of physical intimacy with Candida. Romance redirects his soul and refines it. Candida’s behavior forced him to change himself. In the climax, he appears to be an altogether different person. He is not shy or weak anymore. He faces Morell boldly and forces him to ask Candida to choose between the two of them. Upon getting rejection from Candida, he turns pale but does not retaliate and accepts the truth and leaves. He becomes a changed person. He has been portrayed as an unconventional character. He pays no heed to the generally followed traditions, customs and code of conduct. He is a person of modern outlook.

Minor Characters

BURGESS Burgess is a minor character. He is the father-in-law of Morell. His entry in different scenes adds a comic relief to the otherwise sober play. He acts as a catalyst for Morell to share his views on socialism while Burgess himself emphasizes on capitalist ideology. The author has added a negative shade to his character. He has been described as a vulgar, coarse, ignorant and guzzling man. His physical appearance has been depicted as around 60 years of age, with a square face, dust colored beard, watery blue eyes and a snout nose. Oswaal ISC Section-wise Notes & Summary, ENGLISH PAPER-2 (LITERATURE), Class-XII [ 7]

Burgess has been portrayed as a rich man who has gained fortune through selfishness and adopting mean ways. He is the symbol of the section of the society that wants to get the work done – be it through a fair or un- fair manner. He has of exploiting nature. He employs women and children, underpays them and makes them work strenuously for long hours. In this way, he is able to submit lowest cost for various profitable tenders and amasses a lot of wealth. He does not feel guilty on calling Morell (his son-in-law) a fool as the latter got one of his contracts cancelled due to possible exploitation of women and child labour engaged in the project. He is of the view that if workers are paid more, they start drinking and get engaged in other evil activities. He insults Proserpine on various occasions as he considers her a poor working class lady. He even criticizes Mo- rell for being noble to her. As soon as Burgess becomes aware about royalty of Marchbanks, he started flattering him. Burgess hosted a lavish dinner just to impress the Chairman of the County Council. This shows that his behavior is altogether different in presence of rich and affluent people. He uses a cockney or greedy dialect which adds a comical angle to the play. His thought that there are four mad people in the house – Candida, Morell, Marchbanks and Proserpine, or the way he threatens Proserpine are quite hilarious. The use of ‘poetic horrors’ by him is a catchy phrase. PROSERPINE GARNETT Proserpine is an efficient typist. She works in the office of Morell. She is around thirty years of age. She is hard- working and a lady of self-respect. She belongs to the middle class. She is unable to hide her enticement for luxurious items. She is ambitious as well as romantic. She is secretly in love with Morell. Shaw uses Candida to explain Proser- pine’s sacrifices to remain near Morell, her love. She not only works at a lower salary for Morell but also helps in minor household chores. Morell is not aware of Proserpine’s love for him. Marchbanks knows that she has a love affair but can’t imagine anyone falling in love with Morell. She nurtures jealousy for Candida as Morell continuously praises his wife. She is very intelligent. She knows that Lexy imitates Morell and has no idea of his own. She is quick witted too. She does not let Burgess insult her be- yond a point and in retaliation, titles him as ‘a silly old fathead’. She is a hard-working and non-complaining employee. She does not get much time to enjoy life and its luxuries. At supper hosted by Burgess, she could not resist the desire for champagne inspite of her oath of not touching the wine. This is so as she could not afford champagne on her own meager finances. She soon gets overdrunk and starts talking illogically and stumbling of. She is rightly portrayed as a representative of sympathetic low middle class of the society. ALEXANDER MILL (LEXY) Alexander Mill is popularly called as Lexy. He is curate of Morell. He is proud of his education at Oxford. Proserpine makes him realise that like most young men, he lacks originality. He tries to imitate Morell. Lexy worships Morell. He is full of devotion for him. It is his blind devotion for Morell that fails him to under- stand the true character of Morell despite being an educated man, whereas, a young boy of eighteen, March- banks, is able to do so. He is fond of Candida for her beauty and her generosity. When Proserpine says a couple of things against Can- dida, he accuses Proserpine of being jealous of Candida. Shaw has used the character of Lexy for three main purposes. First, generosity of Morell towards subordinates has been shown. Second, harshness of upper class towards low class and middle class people and employees has been presented through Burgess. Third, Shaw has used him as an instrument to criticise the present system of education which is developing a class of individuals who lack originality but are good at imitating successful people. [8 ] Oswaal ISC Section-wise Notes & Summary, ENGLISH PAPER-2 (LITERATURE), Class-XII

Act-Wise Summary

ACT-I : SUMMARY

Reverend James Mavor Morell is the parson of St. Dominic’s Church. The scene of the play is set in the drawing room of his parsonage. When the curtain rises, James Morell, portrayed as a friendly and a physically fit man, is going through his letters. His typist, Proserpine Garnett, portrayed as an active lady, is working at the typewriter. The scene creates an understanding in the mind of the viewer that Morell is always called upon by various societies to come and talk to people about his social ideas. These lectures keep him very busy. Some of the invitations received include those from Hoxton Freedom group and Founders’ Company. He decides to go for the former and reject the latter invitation. Then, Morell’s curate, Alexander Mill or Lexy, enters the scene. Morell prepares to leave to receive his wife, Candida at the railway station. Proser- pine informs Lexy about his day’s schedule and Lexy informs Morell that his father-in-law, Burgess will visit him today. Morell is taken by surprise as Burgess had not visited him for last three years after a heated quarrel. After this, Morell exits leaving Proserpine and Lexy on the scene. Lexy praises Morell, whereas Proserpine criticizes Morell for too much praising his wife. Lexy accuses Proserpine that she is jealous of Candida’s beauty. Proserpine counter-accuses Lexy of trying to imitate Morell. As Lexy is about to leave for his day’s works, Burgess enters the scene. He insults Proserpine treating her as a non-worthy low working class person. Morell enters the scene. Burgess states that he has come to meet out of love and to make up for the old quarrel. The viewer is given an idea about a quarrel over a contract which Burgess could not secure due to Morell as the latter doubted that former will pay in-adequate wages to women and the issue of child labour involved in the contract. Both of them fall into a heated exchange of words. Burgess presents himself as a changed person who now pays Trade Union wage rates to labour and does not employ women labour. However, he soon exposes himself by telling that he is doing so to get a contract of County Council of Hackney. Morell asks him to behave in the same way as he did earlier so that Morell can continue calling Burgess a scoundrel and Burgess can continue calling Morell a fool. Burgess tells Morell that the quarrel is now over and even tries to flatter him that he is going to be the next Bishop if he changes his ideas of preaching about socialism. After this, Candida appears on the scene. Morell expresses his regrets about not being able to receive her at the railway station due to detaining conversation with her father, Burgess. When enquired about inconvenience with the luggage handling, she shares that Eugene Marchbanks took care of that. She asks Morell to go and pay the cabman before the Marchbanks does so. When Morell leaves, Candida tells Burgess about Marchbanks as Morell’s discovery. She tells that Marchbanks was sleeping on embankment and Morell brought him home. She tells that former is a shy boy, of eighteen years of age and an Earl’s nephew. Burgess suddenly becomes interested in him due to his royal background and invites him to have dinner with him at his club on one of the nights. He excuses himself as he has to catch a train and exits followed by Morell to see him off. As Morell returns, Candida leaves the scene to look after the house. Morell invites Marchbanks to dinner which he refuses stating Candida has asked him to do so even if her husband invites him to dinner. Both of them enter into a conversation with each other. Morell tells him that he is enjoying a happy married life. Marchbanks counter questions Morell that does he really think so or it is just his illusion. Marchbanks blames Morell to use Candida, his wife, as a slave which shocks Morell. Marchbanks further asks that does he really think that a lady like Candida can be truly happy with his sermons and preaching when all she wants is reality, truth and freedom. Morell is enraged by his statement that though Morell loves Candida, but Candida actually hates Morell. Morell catches hold of Marchbanks by the collar to which the latter boldly states that former may have more physical strength but is not a match to his revolutionary ideas. Marchbanks challenged that Candida must be given an opportunity to choose between the two and Marchbanks will free Candida of Morell’s slavery. When Morell advances to catch hold of him again, then he turns away challenging him to tell Candida about the true reason of his leaving. When Marchbanks was about to leave, Candida enters the scene. She is surprised by the ruffled collar of Marchbanks and tidies his collar and hair. She invites him to dinner which is affirmed by Morell. The scene closes with the dinner being laid and comment of Marchbanks as “I am happiest of the mortals” and subsequent closing remarks of Morell as “So was I an hour ago”. II-Novel

Novel - 1 : Things Fall Apart — Chinua Achebe About the Author Achebe was raised by his parents in the Igbo town of Ogdi in South Eastern Nigeria. Although his parents were Protestant and practiced the Christian faith, Achebe and his siblings were also exposed to traditional Igbo culture, which included a heavy emphasis on storytelling. Achebe excelled in school and began writing stories as a university student. After graduation, he worked first as an English teacher in the town of Oba. Later, he worked for the Nigerian Broadcasting Service (NBS) in the metropolis of Lagos. He published and gained worldwide attention for Things Fall Apart in 1958. Over the next several decades, Achebe was involved in a mix of academia Oswaal ISC Section-wise Notes & Summary, ENGLISH PAPER-2 (LITERATURE), Class-XII [ 9]

and Nigerian politics, publishing a number of short stories, children’s books, and essay collections and splitting his time between Nigeria and the United States until 1990, when he returned to the US after a car accident that left him partially disabled. Achebe continued to publish and held a faculty position at Brown University from 2009, until his death in 2013. Introduction Things Fall Apart is a novel written by Nigerian author Chinua Achebe. It is probably the most authentic narrative ever written about the life in Nigeria at the turn of the twentieth century. It was published in 1958, just before Nigeria gained independence. The title of the novel echoes W.B. Yeats poem “The second coming”. Turning and turning in the widening gyre The falcon cannot hear the falconer, Things Fall apart; the center Cannot hold; Mere anarchy is loosed upon the world ….. The Indian students shall easily identify themselves with the author Chinua Achebe who grew up in a similar situation vis-a-vis the exposure to the English language and the western influence on his Igbo culture and ethnicity. Exactly as India and her culture were considered primitive by the western powers in the past, the Nigerian culture and the country itself were considered uncivilized by the Europeans. The story chronicles pre- colonial life in the South Eastern part of Nigeria and the arrival of the Europeans during the late nineteenth century. The novel follows the life of Okonkwo Igbo (“Igbo” in the novel) man and local wrestling champion in the fictional Nigerian clan of Umuofia. The work is split into three parts, with the first describing Oknokwo’s family, personal history, and the customs and society of the Igbo and the second and third sections introducing the influence of British Colonialism and arrival of Christian missionaries in the Igbo community. As you will read the novel, you can’t fail to notice the rawness of the experience of the protagonist Okonkwo. Even writer Achebe was himself a man of title of traditional Igbo tribe, he could identify himself with the protagonist of the novel. To accomplish his task, Achebe demonstrates that African tribes had their own culture, religion, a government and a monetary system in the novel. They not only had an artistic tradition but also a judicial system. Achebe classifies the white colonialists as rigid, nurturing imperialist intentions; the Igbos, on the other hand are painted as highly individual. The novel describes many of the chiefs listening to Brown, the missionary and adopting new ways and accepting education. Plot Summary

As a young man, Okonkwo becomes one of the greatest wrestlers in the clan. Okonkwo values strength and aggression, traits he believes are masculine, and his worst fear is to be thought of as feminine or weak, like his father, Unoka. Okonkwo’s wealth and status within the tribe grow, and he becomes one of the greatest men in the land, with three wives and a large stock of yams. He treats his family with a heavy hand, believing that the only emotion worth showing is anger. Okonkwo is particularly worried about his eldest son, Nwoye, in whom he sees signs of laziness, reminiscent of Unoka. One day, the clan settles an argument with a neighboring village by demanding the sacrifice of a virgin and a 15-year-old boy named Ikemefuna, who lives with Okonkwo’s family for the next three years. While living with Okonkwo’s family, Ikemefuna becomes very close to Nwoye, sharing folktales and encouraging him to enjoy masculine tasks. Okonkwo approves of his influence on Nwoye and grows fond of Ikemefuna himself. Ikemefuna soon starts to call Okonkwo “father”. After three years, when the oldest man of the tribe, Ezeudu, informs Okonkwo that Ikemefuna must be killed, he advises him not to participate in the killing, since “the boy calls you father.” Okonkwo ignores this advice, fearing that others will find him weak or effeminate, and he proceeds to strike the killing blow when they take Ikemefuna out to be killed the next day. Soon, Ezeudu passes away, and his funeral celebration draws the entire clan. During the burial, Okonkwo’s gun explodes, killing Ezeudu’s 16-years-old son. Having killed a fellow clansman, Okonkwo has no choice but to flee the clan with his family. Because the crime is a “female,” or accidental, crime, they may return in seven years. During their time in exile, Okonkwo and his family work hard to start a new farm in Okonkwo’s motherland, Mbanta. His mother’s kinsmen treat them kindly, but Okonkwo is extremely discouraged by the circumstances. He plans for the day he can return to his rightful place in Umuofia. [10 ] Oswaal ISC Section-wise Notes & Summary, ENGLISH PAPER-2 (LITERATURE), Class-XII

While he works in Mbanta, the white men begin to appear among neighbouring clans, causing stories to spread about their power and destruction. When they finally arrive in Mbanta, though the clan is fascinated but finds their religion ridiculous. Nwoye, however, is captivated by the hymn he hears on the first day, and soon joins the Christians to get away from his father, who is outraged. When Okonkwo finally returns to Umuofia, the white men have changed his clan as well. Mr. Brown, a white missionary who is popular for his patience and understanding approach, has built a school and hospital, and many clan members are enrolling their children in the school so that they can one day become clerks or teachers. However, soon after Okonkwo’s return, Mr. Brown leaves the country due to health reasons, and Reverend Smith replaces him. Reverend Smith is encouraging uncompromising acts among the converted clan members that provoke the rest of the clan. When Enoch, a fanatical convert, rips the mask off of one of the clan’s masked egwugwu during a ceremony, the clan retaliates by burning down the church. Reverend Smith reports this transgression, and the District Commissioner tricks the clan’s leaders into meeting with him before handcuffing them. The clan leaders, including Okonkwo, suffer insults and beating before they are released once the village pays the fine. The morning after their release, the clan leaders speak of war before they are interrupted by the arrival of court messengers. Full of hate, Okonkwo confronts the leader, who says that the white man commands the meeting to stop. In a flash, Okonkwo strikes down the messenger with his machete. Seeing that none of his clansmen support him in his violent action, Okonkwo walks away and hangs himself. When the District Commissioner comes to fetch Okonkwo the next day, the clansmen lead him to his hanging body instead, saying that they cannot touch it, since it’s an abomination for a man to take his own life. The District Commissioner finds his custom interesting, making note of it for his book on Nigeria, which he plans to title ‘The Pacification of the Primitive Tribes of the Lower Niger’.

Literary devices used in the lesson

Chinua Achebe was aware that he was writing a masterpiece and took pains to embellish his novel with many poetic devices. His novel abounds in Figures of Speech like metaphors, motifs, similes, imagery and symbolism. He has extensively used metaphors. He informs his readers that in Umuofia “proverbs are the palm-oil with which words are eaten.” Palm-oil was a general commodity used in Igbo culture and most of the dishes, described in the novel are seen to be using this medium of cooking. To say that proverbs are eaten with this palm-oil is to state that everyday speech of the people is made more palatable with the sprinkling of proverbs on them. We, as readers, keep hearing the beating of drums all through the novel. This serves as a motif in the narrative. A motif is the reoccurring pattern, idea, subject or an event in a narrative. We hear drums in the first chapter when Okonkwo is seen fighting with the famed wrestler, Amalinze the Cat. The drums add to the excitement of the scene. There are plenty of similes used in the novel. While he is wrestling with Amalinze, Okonkwo is described, “slippery as a fish in water”. Then we are told that “Okonkwo’s fame grew like a bush-fire.” Achebe has used many symbols in the novel and cowries serve as a symbol of personal wealth. Kola nuts are seen to represent fellowship and friendly respect. Since proverbs are so important is this novel, we are giving special column of proverbs used in each chapter along with its meaning in the context, which can be used as special hint by the students in understanding the chapter easily.

Theme

There are many different themes in this novel. 1. Theme of Gender Much of the traditional Igbo life presented in this novel revolves around structured gender roles. Essentially all of Igbo life is gendered, from the crops that men and women grow, to characterization of crimes. In Igbo culture, women are the weaker sex, but are also endowed with qualities that make them worthy of worship, like the ability to bear children. The dominant role for women is: first, to make a pure bride for an honorable man, second, to be a submissive wife, and third, to bear many children. The ideal man provides for his family materially and has prowess on the battlefield. The protagonist in the novel is extremely concerned with being hyper-masculine and devalues everything feminine, leaving him rather unbalanced. Much of the gender theme in the book centers around the idea of balance between masculine and feminine forces - body and mind/soul, emotionally and rationality, mother and father. If one is in imbalance, it makes the whole system haywire. Oswaal ISC Section-wise Notes & Summary, ENGLISH PAPER-2 (LITERATURE), Class-XII [ 11]

2. Theme of Family For the Igbo, there are a few key ideas that form the basis of an ideal family: mutual respect for each other, a reverence for all past fathers, and unity. The father is not only the provider for the family, but defender of its honor and teacher of his sons. The mother’s main duty is to add to the family line by bearing healthy children and also to please her husband. Children are the inheritors of the future and are raised to continue the values of the older generation. This family unit is the most fundamental unit of society and its structure can be expanded to fit a whole community or even a pantheon of gods. 3. Theme of Respect and Reputation Reputation is extremely important to the men in the novel. Personal reputation is publicly denoted by the ankle bracelets men wear, which signify the number of “titles” they have earned. Reputation is based on merit - men gain reputation through bravery in battle, skill at wrestling, and hard work as seen through the size of their yam harvest. Reputation earns men positions of power and influence in the community as well as numerous wives. Okonkwo, the novel’s protagonist, is extremely concerned with reputation because he grew up with a father who was shameful and lazy. Okonkwo overcompensates by working tirelessly on his farm and taking every opportunity available to prove his bravery and strength. 4. Theme of Fear Many of the characters suffer from some sort of fear. Okonkwo fears becoming like his lazy, shameful father, Ekwefi fears losing her daughter, and Nwoye fears his father’s wrath. While most characters fear events that are outside of their control, Okonkwo is consumed by a terrible internal worry about himself and his identity. Rather than mastering his fear, he allows it to dominate him and drive his actions. Fear leads him to lash out in some pretty nasty ways: beating his wives, abusing and alienating his oldest son, partaking in the murder of his adoptive son, etc. Overall, fear in this novel leads characters to behave in negative ways that can bring the wrath of the gods, guilt, and the community disapproval upon them. 5. Theme of Religion The Igbo goods are mostly manifestations of nature and its elements, which makes sense because they are an agricultural society that depends on the regularity of seasons and natural phenomena to survive. They worship the goddess of the earth and are always careful to avoid committing sins against her for fear of vengeance that might wipe out an entire generation. The Igbo ancestors also take on a divine nature to some extent. Family plays such a central role in Igbo life that the spirits of their ancestors are consulted from almost every decision and even serve as judges in legal trials (in the form of masked elders). The Igbo emphasis on numerous gods associated with nature and also on ancestors and somewhat divine contrasts sharply with the single God of Christianity which seems far less directly relevant to the Igbo lifestyle. 6. Theme of Sin In Things Fall Apart, sin is defined as a crime against the gods. Such transgressions occur when a member of the society violates the most intimate bonds of family, especially with regards to one’s children or somehow insults an ancestral spirit. These sins call for quick and severe punishment, often including animal sacrifice, a heavy fine, various symbolic gestures of atonement, exile from one’s fatherland, or even death. Only when such payment is given can justice be served. If punishment is not doled out, not only is the sinner subject to divine wrath, but the entire community suffers. 7. Theme of Traditions and Customs Igbo lifestyle is highly stylized, from its ritual speech to the actions performed for certain ceremonies. Most of these formalized interactions occur in an attempt to show respect to some external being - another man, an ancestral spirit, or a god. Respect and knowledge of one’s role in society is very important in determining such customs. Another institution that rituals address and honor is the family unit. Stylized language, in particular, seeks to hold the family together by means of promises. 8. Theme of Man and the Natural World As an agricultural society, the survival of the Umuofia depends on the earth and its predictable cycle of seasons. Thus we see frequent worship of the earth and her bounty, especially at the new year and during harvest season. The Igbo also reap the earth’s wealth in rather economical and effective ways - tapping trees for palm - wine, capitalizing off a locust plagues, and making medicine with herbs. Human beings are implicitly viewed as the children of the earth, though the conduct of the white men throws doubt on that assumption. In addition to being generous, the earth can also be deadly and is ruthless and not provide food and resources if offended in some way by human actions. 9. Theme of Fate and Free Will Social rank and relative wealth play great roles in determining a person’s destiny in Umuofia society. But sometimes a man with sheer force of will can change his stars through hard work and a smattering of luck. One of the main conflicts in Things Fall Apart is the clash between Okonkwo’s determination to succeed and [12 ] Oswaal ISC Section-wise Notes & Summary, ENGLISH PAPER-2 (LITERATURE), Class-XII

fate - which seems to have less appetizing things in mind. However, Okonkwo’s will does play a major factor in determining his future; he chooses to kill Ikemefuna with his own hands, he chooses to kill a government official, and in the end, he chooses to take his own life. Whether or not, negative events in his life are tied to these three crimes or if they are just the result of chance or fate is debatable. 10. Theme of Language and Communication Speech is highly stylized in Igbo culture, with specific rules on how to addresses a neighbor, a superior, an ancestral spirits, and the gods. Respect is usually at the heart of formal speech. While dialogue is usually direct in its meaning, speakers often adorn conversations with proverbs or references to folktales, which play a profound role in shaping Igbo beliefs. Language, too, has a way of either including or alienating a listener. The gods have their own language which lowly humans cannot understand. The Christians speak English and require an interpreter to communicate with the Umuofia. However, interpreters are often from different parts of the country and have noticeable differences in speech. So concepts and connotations are inevitably lost in translation. Analysis of Major Characters of Things Fall Apart

Okonkwo: An influential, proud, ambitious and ill-tempered clan leader in Umuofia is the tragic hero of Things Fall Apart. An ambitious man who has risen from nothing to man of importance in his tribe. Since childhood Okonkwo’s embarrassment about his lazy, squandering and effeminate father, Unoka has driven him to succeed. Okonkwo’s hard work and prowess in war with Amalinze the cat in wrestling have earned him a position of high status in his clan, and he attains wealth sufficient to support his three wives and their children. Okonkwo rules his family with an iron fist. He is deeply dedicated to the traditions and social hierarchies of his people, and he is determined that his sons and daughters follow his demanding example. Okonkwo’s tragic flaw is that he is terrified of looking weak like his father. As a result, he behaves rashly, bringing a great deal of trouble and sorrow upon himself and his family. The indignities forced on him and his people by the British eventually prove to be too much for him. After an act of defiance which goes unsupported by his people, Okonkwo gives in to despair. He kills himself, partly so that he will not be executed under the white men’s laws and partly because he is grieving for the death of his people. Unoka: Okonkwo’s father, of whom Okonkwo has been ashamed since childhood. He died when Okonkwo was very young, and he was a failure. By the standards of the clan, Unoka was a coward and a spendthrift. He never took a title in his life, he borrowed money from his clansmen, and he rarely repaid his debts. He never became a warrior because he feared the sight of blood. Moreover, he died of an abominable illness. Unoka died in debt and humiliation. The memory of him gave Okonkwo a terrible fear of failure, and to work tirelessly. On the positive side, Unoka appears to have been a talented musician and gentle, if idle. He may well have been a dreamer, ill-suited to the chauvinistic culture into which he was born. The novel opens ten years after his death. Though Unoka does not make a mark in his tribe, his grandson, Nwoye, inherits some of his exquisite qualities, Okonkwo sees traces of his father in his son Nwoye. Nwoye: Okonkwo’s oldest son, struggles in the shadow of his powerful, successful and demanding father. He is sensitive and thoughtful, but he is also somewhat lazy and silky. Okonkwo is harsh with the boy, fearing that he will become like Unoka. Okonkwo continuously beats Nwoye, hoping to correct the faults that he perceives in him. Influenced by Ikemefuna, Nwoye begins to exhibit more masculine behavior, which pleases Okonkwo. However, he maintains doubts about some of the laws and rules of his tribe and eventually converts to Christianity, an act that Okonkwo criticizes as “effeminate”. Okonkwo believes that Nwoye is afflicted with the same weaknesses that his father, Unoka possessed in abundance. Ikemefuna: He is the most tragic figure in the novel. Although not a biological son of Okonkwo, Ikemefuna is, to all intents and purposes, just like one, especially during his three-years stay with Okonkwos’ family. He is sacrificed to prevent a war. He stays in hut of Okonkwos’ first wife (Nwoyes’ mother) and quickly becomes popular with Okonkwo’s children. He develops an especially close relationship with Nwoye, Okonkwo’s oldest son, who looks up to him. Okonkwo too becomes very fond of Ikemefuna, who calls him “father” and is a perfect clansman, but Okonkwo does not demonstrate his affection because he fears that doing so would make him look weak. Ikemefuna becomes the best friend and brother of Nwoye. Ikemefuna is killed by the tribe. Out of fear that people will consider him weak, Okonkwo participates in his adopted son, Ikemefuna’s death Nwoyes’ Mother: Never named, Nwoye’s mother is Okonkwo’s first wife. She is a generous woman, and she has been fortunate in the number of children she had. Ekwefi: Okonkwo’s second wife. In her Youth, she was one of the great beauties of Umuofia. She ran away from her husband to live with Okonkwo, when Okonkwo had defeated the champion wrestler ‘cat’ by winning a lot of respect and honour in the tribe. She had ten children and nine of them died before the age of three. Ezinma is her only surviving child, and Ekwefi constantly fears that she will lose Ezinma as well. She is a formidable and Oswaal ISC Section-wise Notes & Summary, ENGLISH PAPER-2 (LITERATURE), Class-XII [ 13]

brave woman, devoted to her surviving daughter, Ezinma. Ekwefi is good friends with Chielo, the priestess of the goddess Agbola. Ezinma: The only child of Okonkwo’s second wife, Ekwefi. As the only one of Ekwefi’s ten children to survive past infancy, Ezinma is the center of her mother’s world. Their relationship is a typical–Ezinma calls Ekwefi by her name and is treated by her as an equal. Ezinma is also Okonkwo’s favorite child, for she understands him better than any of his other children and reminds him of Ekwefi when Ekwefi was the village beauty. Okonkwo rarely demonstrates his affection, however, because he fears that doing so would make him look weak. Furthermore, he wishes that Ezinma were a boy because she would have been the perfect son. Okonkwo’s attitude towards her shows the more tender side of his character. She grows into a beautiful and strong young woman. Ojiugo : Okonkwo’s third and youngest wife. She is beaten savagely by Okonkwo during the weak of peace against which Okonkwo pays a heavy fine to the earth godhead. Ojinuo is mother of Nkechi. Ogbuefi Ezeudu: The oldest man in the village and one of the most important clan elders and leaders. Ogbuefi Ezeudu was a great warrior in his youth and now delivers messages from the Oracle. He warns Okonkwo not to participate in Ikemefuna’s death. Later, at Ezedu’s funeral, Okonkwo’s gun explodes and kills a boy, which leads to Okonkwo’s exile. Chielo: A priestess in Umuofia who is dedicated to the Oracle of the goddess Agbala. Chielo is a widow with two children in normal life. She is good friends with Ekwefi and is fond of Ezinma, whom she calls “my daughter.” At one point, she carries Ezinma on her back for miles in order to help purify her and appease the gods. But when the power of prophecy comes to her that she is possessed by the godhead. She is one of the most powerful figures of the clan; no important decision could be made without her approval. Akunna: A clan leader of Umuofia. Akunna and Mr. Brown discuss their religious beliefs peacefully, and Akunna’s influence on the missionary advances Mr. Brown’s strategy for converting the largest number of clansmen by working with, rather than against, their belief system. In so doing, however, Akunna formulates an articulate and rational defense of his religious system and draws some striking parallels between his style of worship and that of the Christian missionaries. Nwakibie: A wealthy clansmen who takes a chance on Okonkwo by lending him 800 seed yams–twice the number for which Okonkwo asks. Nwakibie thereby helps Okonkwo build up the beginnings of his personal wealth, status, and independence. Enoch: A fanatical convert to the Christian church in Umuofia. Enoch’s disrespectful act of ripping the mask off an egwugwu during an annual ceremony to honor the earth deity leads to the climactic clash between the indigenous and colonial justice systems. While Mr. Brown, early on, keeps Enoch in check in the interest of community harmony Reverend Smith approves of his zealotry. Mr. Kiaga: The African native-turned-Christian missionary who arrives in Mbanta and converts Nwoye and many others. He heads the congregation in Mbanta. He is a gentle and wise man, full of unshakable faith. Obierika: Okonkwo’s close friend, whose daughter’s wedding provides cause for festivity early in the novel. Obierika looks out for his friend, selling Okonkwo’s yams to ensure that Okonkwo won’t suffer financial ruin while in exile and comforting Okonkwo when he is depressed. Like Nwoye, Obierika questions some of the tribe’s traditional structures. Obierika is another prosperous and powerful man in the tribe. He is also thoughtful. He is less misogynistic than Okonkwo, and he has no love for unnecessary violence. He is compassionate and just man. Okagbue, The Medicine Man: The Medicine Man helps Ekwefi to try and make Ezinma “stay.” They fear that she will die like the earlier children, but the Medicine Man succeeds in finding the supernatural cause of her sickliness. Okonkwo summons for help in dealing with Ezinma’s health problems. Okagbue Uyanwa: A famous medicine man whom Okonkwo summons for help in dealing with Ezinma’s health problems. Maduka: Obierika’s son. Maduka wins a wrestling contest in his mid-teens. Okonkwo wishes he had promising, manly sons like Maduka. Obiageli : The daughter of Okonkwo’s first wife. Although Obiageli is close to Ezinma in age, Ezinma has a great deal of influence over her. Akwiku: Okonkwo’s cousin. He informs Okonkwo that Nwoye is among the Christians. Ochendu : (Okonkwos’ Uncle) The younger brother of Okonkwo’s mother. Uchendu receives Okonkwo and his family warmly when they travel to Mbanta, and he advises Okonkwo to be grateful for the comfort that his motherland offers him lest he anger the dead–especially his mother, who is buried there. Uchendu himself has suffered–all but one of his six wives are dead and he has buried twenty-two children. He is a peaceful, compromising man and functions as a foil (a character whose emotions or actions highlight, by means of contrast, the emotions or actions of another character) to Okonkwo, who acts impetuously and without thinking. Uchendu is elderly and wise. He is an impressive but gentle Patriarch. Even Okonkwo submits to his authority. [14 ] Oswaal ISC Section-wise Notes & Summary, ENGLISH PAPER-2 (LITERATURE), Class-XII

Mr. Brown: The first white missionary to travel to Umuofia. Mr. Brown institutes a policy of compromise, understanding, and non-aggression between his flock and the clan. He even become friends with prominent clansmen and builds a school and a hospital in Umuofia. Unlike Reverend Smith, he attempts to appeal respectfully to the tribe’s value system rather than harshly impose his religion on it. Though he is determined to win converts, he restrains the excessive and violent zeal of some of the converts. He eventually falls ill due to overwork. Reverend James Smith: The missionary who replaces Mr. Brown. Unlike Mr. Brown, Reverend Smith is uncompromising and strict. He demands that his converts reject all of their indigenous beliefs, and he shows no respect for indigenous customs or culture. He is the stereotypical white colonialist, and his behavior epitomizes the problems of colonialism. He intentionally provokes his congregation, inciting it to anger and even indirectly, through Enoch, encouraging some fairly serious transgressions. He is not wise, under him, the fanatics flourish. His foolishness brings the Christians of Umuofia into direct conflict with the clan. The District Commissioner: An authority figure in the white colonial government in Nigeria. The prototypical racist colonialist, the District Commissioner thinks that he understands everything about native African customs and cultures and he has no respect for them. He plans to work his experiences into an ethnographic study on local African tribes, the idea of which embodies his dehumanizing and reductive attitude toward race relations. He is the head of British government in Umuofia. He dispenses justice in total ignorance of local circumstances, and his attitude is arrogant and hypocritical. Nwakibie : A wealthy clansman who takes a chance on Okonkwo by lending him 800 seed yams–twice the number for which Okonkwo asks. Nwakibie thereby helps Okonkwo build up the beginnings of his personal wealth, status and independence. qq Chapter - 1 Detailed Summary & Analysis

SUMMARY: Set around the turn of the century, the novel focuses first on the hero of the book, Okonkwo, and his late father Unoka. Okonkwo is a great man among the Igbo tribe. At just eighteen, Okonkwo wins fame as the strongest wrestler in nine villages and beyond, throwing Amalinze the cat, who was unbeatable for seven years. He is a formidable man, stern and intimidating in appearance, when angry, he stammers. The stammer makes him angrier, and he uses his fists. He has a hot temper and he quickly grows impatient with unsuccessful man like his father Unoka. Oknokwo’s father, Unoka, died ten years earlier. He was known for his laziness, he was irresponsible, owing all his neighbours money, he died in deep debt. Unoka was a great flute player in his youth, he played flute with the village musicians after harvest, but he became a failure as an adult. He was constantly borrowing from his neighbours and friends and his wife and children did not have enough to eat. One day Unoka’s neighbour Okoye comes to visit, bringing his goatskin to sit on, and Unoka takes out a kola nut for his guest. Unoka and Okoye argue about who should break the kola nut, and then speak for some time about health, harvest, and war. The last subject makes Unoka uncomfortable because he dislikes war, and so he changes the subject to music. Finally, Okoye comes to the point of his visit-he wants to collect Unoka’s debt of 200 cowries. Okoye approaches the subject in lengthy proverbs, which the narrator describes as “the palm-oil with which words are eaten,” and when Unoka finally understands what Okoye wants, he bursts out laughing. Unoka points to chalk lines on his wall that represent his debts and settles the matter by saying that he will pay his big debts first. Okoye rolls up his goatskin and leaves. When Unoka died, he had no titles and was still heavily in debt. Okonkwo is very ashamed of his father, but wins fame for himself as the greatest wrestler in nine villages and as a wealthy farmer with three wives, two barns full of yams, and two titles. Although still young, Okonkwo is already one of the greatest men of his time. As a result, he comes to look after lkemefuna, the doomed boy who is later sacrificed to the village of Umuofia by their neighbours in order to avoid war. Analysis: Ambition and greatness are two closely connected themes. Okonkwo is determined to be the opposite of his father. He has already taken two titles (honorary titles that give a man status in the tribe) and he is quite rich. Success and honor are very important to Okonkwo. He has worked his whole life to win the respect of his people. His work ethic and ambition also gives rise to his faults; he is a harsh man, quick to anger and without humility. Oswaal ISC Section-wise Notes & Summary, ENGLISH PAPER-2 (LITERATURE), Class-XII [ 15]

Okonkwo is explicitly contrasted to his father, suggesting that Okonkwo’s strength is an effort to redeem himself from his father’s legacy. Unoka lacked a strong will and neglected his masculine responsibilities, such as taking care of family or trying to amass power or respect. Instead, Unoka loved music, which Okonkwo probably considers a more feminine pursuit. Unoka and Okoye’s meeting demonstrates several traditions of Umuofia society here. They both remain polite by arguing that the other should break the kola nut. Once the nut is broken, they speak at length instead of getting to the point of the visit, using proverbs instead of talking bluntly. Unoka also demonstrates again how he disdains masculine topics like war in favor of more feminine subjects like music. Unoka also shows how he evades paying back his debts and even succeeds in borrowing more by saying that he will pay back larger debts first. Okonkwo is afraid of failing and appearing weak like his father. He disclaims feminine activities such as playing the flute, and he gravitates to the masculine energy in Igbo society by amassing material wealth in yams. He owns a large farm full of yams; he has three wives and many children. He is preparing to take the expensive title of Idemili. Throughout the novel, Okonkwo attempts to succeed; however, unlike Okoye, he never achieves the balance between the feminine and masculine energies. Glossary (Difficult Word Meanings) : 1. Fierce : Very violent 2. Wily : Crafty, cunning or clever 3. Stammer : Speak with pauses dues to speech deficiency 4. Folly : Lacking good sense or being foolish 5. Harmattan : A West African season beginning in November and lasting till the middle of March and characterized by dry and dusty trade winds 6. Leisurely : Slowly and comfortably 7. Ancestral : Belonging to or of one’s forefathers 8. Plaintive : Sad and melancholy 9. Prowess : Showing great skill or ability 10. Haggard : Looking ill or tired 11. Gyre : A circular or spiral motion 12. Egwugwu : Leaders of the clan who wear masks during certain rituals and speak on behalf of the spirits or representing ancestors. 13. Okoye : Represents all the people to whom Unoka owes money. 14. Kola nut : The seed of the cola, an African tree that contains caffeine/nuts offered to guests as a symbol of hospitality. 15. Alligator pepper : A small fawn fruit of an African shrub whose hot seeds are like pepper. 16. Markets : Igbo weeks are four days long, and the market day is on the first day of each week, therefore three or four markets is a period of twelve to sixteen days. 17. Chalk : A material that represents peace. Characters: 1. Okonkwo : A man famous in the nine villages of Umuofia for his personal achievements. 2. Amalinze the cat : The greatest unbeatable wrestler for seven years, wrestler in Umuofia. 3. Unoka : Okonkwo’s father, he is a lazy debtor. 4. Okoy : Unoka’s neighbour who attempts to collect a debt. 5. Ikemefuna : A young boy who is given to Umuofia by a rival village Mbaino. [16 ] Oswaal ISC Section-wise Notes & Summary, ENGLISH PAPER-2 (LITERATURE), Class-XII Proverbs used in the Chapter: ♦♦ “Okonkwo was as slippery as a fish in water”: This proverb is intended to mean that Okonkwo was fast and agile, this particular proverb is a good example as to how some were intended to give people a better understanding of a person by simply giving a metaphorical saying that a person could easily visualize. ♦♦ “Proverb are the Palm-oil with which words are eaten”: Basically, this means that proverbs are essential words of wisdom. Proverbs make conversation more interesting and bad news ‘easier to swallow’. ♦♦ “Our elders say that sun will shine on those who stand before it shines on those who kneel under them”: Unoka decided to use this complex saying to say that he will pay his biggest debtors, or people he owes money before the debtors that he owes less to express his gratitude for the generosity of those who lend him more. ♦♦ “If a child washes his hands he could eat with kings”: In the Umuofian society, if you are able to remove the footprint of your ancestors, you would be able to aspire to anyone you wished in the society. Okonkwo could not be responded due to his father until he became the notorious warrior that he was. It means that someone who makes himself great can be with those who are great. (Okonkwo had become successful unlike his father, so he could now be respected.) qq Chapter - 2 Detailed Summary & Analysis SUMMARY: One night as Okonkwo prepares for bed, he hears the town Crier, beating on his hollow instrument and calling all the men of Umuofia to a meeting early tomorrow morning. The night is dark and moonless, and the narrator explains that darkness was frightening even for the bravest of the Igbo. The forest is a sinister place at night. The narrator describes how quiet and dark the night is without moonlight. Children avoid whistling so as not to call evil spirits, dangerous animals become even more dangerous in the dark, and snakes are not referred to by their real names in case they hear. Okonkwo tries to figure out what the meeting might be about, and thinks that there might be war with a neighbouring clan. He remembers his own prowess in war, being the first to bring home a human head in the last war-his fifth head. The next morning, the ten thousand men of Umuofia gather in the marketplace. Ogbuefi Ezuogo, a powerful orator, gives the traditional opening, he faces four different directions, raising a clenched fist, and cries “Umuofia Kwenu”, to which the men all cry “Yava!” He greets them in this way a fifth time, and then he tells them that there are men from Umuofia. The men discuss the situation, and decide to follow the normal course of action: they will issue an ultimatum, demanding a boy and a virgin as a compensation or choose a war for their crime. Umuofia’s neighbors fear it as a powerful clan and try to avoid going to war with the Umuofia. The Umuofia, for their part, only go to war when their Oracle accepts it. When Okonkwo arrives at Mbaino as the emissary of war, he is treated with respect, returning two days later to Umuofia with a 15- year old boy and a virgin. The boy’s name is lkemefuna, and the narrator reveals that lkemefuna’s sad story will continue to be told in Umuofia until the narrator’s present day. The elders, or Ndichie, meet and decide that the girl should go to Ogbuefi Udo to replace his murdered wife. As for the boy, the clan decides that Okonkwo will look after him until the elders decide his fate. For the next three years, lkemefuna lives in Okonkwo’s household. The narrator describes Okonkwo and his family, as well as their living situation. Okonkwo has a separate hut, or obi, at the heart of their family compound. Each wife has her own hut. All is enclosed by a large red wall. Yams are the main crop for the Igbo, and the compound includes a born for yam-storage. There is also a shrine, or “medicine house”. Okonkwo is quick to anger. He rules his family like a tyrant. He fears failure, and hates the memory of his idle father; his oldest son Nwoye, shows signs of being like Okonkwo’s father and so Okonkwo is very hard on him. Ikemefuna is brought home with Okonkwo and given to Nwoyes’ mother. The boy is homesick and does not understand why he has been taken from his family. During planting season, Okonkwo works long daily hours on his farm and rarely feels fatigue. His wives and young children suffer however, and are afraid to complain openly. Okonkwo’s first son, Nwoye, is twelve years old and already worries, with his laziness, which Okonkwo seeks to correct with nagging and beating. Okonkwo’s wealth is clearly visible in his household. He has his own hut, or obi, and behind the obi, each of his three wives has a hut. He also owns a barn with long stacks of yam standing inside, a shed for goats, and a “medicine house” or shrine where he keeps the wooden symbols of his personal god and ancestral spirits. When lkemefuna joins Okonkwo’s household, Okonkwo hands him over to his most senior wife, who asks if he’ll be staying long. Okonkwo, who doesn’t have an answer, tells her to do as she’s told, so she takes him in Oswaal ISC Section-wise Notes & Summary, ENGLISH PAPER-2 (LITERATURE), Class-XII [ 17]

with no further questions. Ikemefuna, still unaware that his father had a hand in killing one of the daughters of Umuofia, is terribly afraid and doesn’t understand what’s going on. He only knows that he’s been taken away from his mother and that he travelled to Umuofia with another girl, who he never sees again. Analysis: The narrator gives us a concise portrait of the social organization of the Igbo society, including fear of the dark. We see that the town is not ruled by a chief, but by a general assembly of all the men. In effect, the Igbo have a Primitive democracy. We learn that yams are a staple food, and large store of yams indicates prosperity. We also learn that Umuofia prizes justice, and does not wage wars of conquest. Again the importance of language is emphasized, as the clan believes one can summon a snake just by speaking its name. There is also high level of social mobility. Unoka was a failure but Okonkwo reveals more of aggressiveness, which has brought him success in the traditional masculine arena of war. In the morning, the town’s best speaker gets everyone’s attention with a traditional cry and dramatically reveals the Mbaino’s crime, inspiring clan members to anger. His speech shows how language moves the clan to action, and we also get a glimpse of how their justice system works. The clan collectively decides what a fair punishment will be. The Umuofia have great respect for their Oracle, who often holds religious power in their decision-making. Okonkwo’s power is once again made evident by the respect shown to him by the Mbaino. The narrator also emphasizes again how ill-fated lkemefuna is by foreshadowing his doom. Ikemefuna’s fate here is decided by others–the elders, in this case. Okonkwo, with all the strength, becomes Ikemefuna’s protector. Okonkwo fears weakness, a trait that he associates with his father and with women. When Okonkwo was a child, another boy called his father Unoka as “Agbala”, which is used to refer to women as well as to men who have not taken a title. Because he dreads weakness, Okonkwo is extremely demanding about his family. He finds his twelve-year-old son, Nwoye to be lazy, so he beats and nags the boy constantly. He rules the house with a heavy fist and his wives, especially the youngest one, lives in fear of his fiery temper. Basically he is not a cruel man but his whole life is dominated by the fear of failure, which he associated with gentleness and caring. According to Igbo tradition, there is a wide division between masculine and feminine actions and responsibilities. Respect and success are based on only manly activities and accomplishments; taking care of children and hens, on the other hand are warmly activities. Glossary (Difficult Word Meanings) : 1. Ogbuefi : A person with a high title, as in Ogbuefi Ezeugo (the orator) and Ogbuefi Udo (the man whose wife was killed in Mbaino) 2. Ezeugo : The name for a person of high religious significance, such as an Igbo Priest. 3. Udo : Peace 4. About ten thousand men : The nine villages of Umuofia unlikely have as many as ten thousand men. This saying probably means every man of the community–an example of hyperbole, an exaggeration not intended to be taken literally. 5. Umuofia kwenu : A shout of approval and greeting that means United Umuofia! 6. Agadi–nwayi : An old woman. 7. Oracle : The place where, or medium by which, the deities are consulted; here the oracle of the Hills and Caves. 8. Emissary : A person or agent sent on a specific mission. 9. Nidchie : Elders who meet in a judicial council. 10. Compound : An enclosed space with a building or group of buildings within it. 11. Mbaino : This community name means four settlements. 12. Ekwe : A drum 13. Udu : A clay pot or a type of drum 14. Ogene : A gong 15. Igo : A member of a people of South Eastern Nigeria. 16. Idemili title : The title named after the river god Idemili, is the third level title of honour in Umuofia. [18 ] Oswaal ISC Section-wise Notes & Summary, ENGLISH PAPER-2 (LITERATURE), Class-XII Characters : 1. Ogbuefi Ezeugo : A powerful orator who accuses Mbaino of number. 2. Ogbefi : A man of Umuofia; his wife is murdered by the people of Mbaino. 3. Nwoye : Okonkwo’s 12 years old son, who appears to be lazy. Proverb used in the Chapter : ♦♦ “When the moon is shining the cripple becomes hungry for walk”: Represents a belief in the protective quality of moonlight in contrast with the fear of darkness. This was an ex- treme way of saying that the moon gave the strength and power to the tribe to do anything. qq Chapter - 3 Detailed Summary & Analysis

SUMMARY: When Okonkwo was young, his father Unoka consulted Abgola, the Oracle of Hills and Caves, during times of his misfortune. He asked Chilka (Agbola’s Priestess) why he always had a miserable harvest, despite his prayers and offerings to the gods. The Oracle told him that the fault lay not in the gods, but in his laziness. Unoka died of swelling in his stomach and limbs, which is an abomination of the goddess earth and like others who died badly, he was left in the Evil Forest. That prevented him from having a proper burial. When they carried him away to the Evil Forest, he took his flute with him. Okonkwo did not inherit a barn, title, or wife from his father, but in spite of these disadvantages, he began to sow the seeds for a successful future even during his father’s lifetime. He threw himself into work, out of fear of his father’s pitiful life and shameful death. Okonkwo worked to earn his first seed-yams with Nwakibie, a wealthy man in his village. Okonkwo brought him a kola nut and waited until the meal and small talk were finished before asking for some yams to sow. Nwakibie granted him 800 yams, a more generous offer than Okonkwo had thought he would receive, and Okonkwo left feeling happy. With his meager harvest, he hoped to feed his mother, two sisters, and father, as well as himself. The first year when Okonkwo planted the yam seeds was the worst planting year in Umuofia’s living memory. Flooding and drought killed most of his yams, despite his best efforts. Okonkwo with superhuman determination survived. One man hanged himself because of the year’s terrible harvest. Since Okonkwo survived that awful years, he had a strong determination that he will survive anything. His father was in his last days then. He praised Okonkwo, but it only tried Okonkwo’s patience. Analysis: The concept of religions like Chi and Oracle are introduced in this chapter. Achebe continues weaving traditional elements of Igbo society in this chapter. The belief in personal Chi is most important. At its simplest level, Chi is most important. At its simplest level, Chi parallels the Western concept of soul, although Chi is a more complex idea. The Igbo people believe that an individual’s fate and abilities for the coming life are assigned to the Chi, and each individual is given a Chi by the creator (Chukwn) at the moment of conception. Before each reincarnation, the individual bargains for improved circumstances in the near life. The Chi thus becomes one’s personal god and guides one to fulfill the expected destiny. On the one hand, the individual is ruled by his Chi, but on the other hand, only the individual can make most of the fate planned through the Chi. The yam is also introduced as the King of the crops - a man’s crop. It stands as an indication of wealth and a type of currency in Igbo society. Okonkwo is the protagonist. He is driven by his hatred of his father, Unoka, and his fear of becoming like him. He acts violently he has a bad temper and rules his household with fear. Okonkwo made his fortune himself, with no help from his father. The story describes how Unoka did the opposite, relying on outside help before being rebuffed and told to work and do his masculine duty. The Oracle’s response to Unoka shows how mystical aspects of Umuofia religion support practical societal customs and beliefs. Despite Unoka’s laziness, his sad end is still attributed to his personal god. When he dies, he carries his flute with him–an object he loves, but also a symbol of his failings in life. Okonkwo wills himself to work hard and become successful. He throws himself into manly duties of labor. Oswaal ISC Section-wise Notes & Summary, ENGLISH PAPER-2 (LITERATURE), Class-XII [ 19]

Okonkwo demonstrates his strong will and initiative by asking Nwakibie for seed-yams to sow. He follows tradition, bringing a kola nut and waiting until the end of the meal to make his request. His strength inspires others, and results in Nwakibie him more sees than he asks for. Despite Okonkwo’s hard work, he can’t predict the weather, and he runs into very bad luck. Okonkwo attributes his survival of that year to his own strong will, but in doing so he does not learn the lesson that even great strength, will and hard work are not always enough to withstand greater forces of fate or luck such as the whims of nature. Glossary (Difficult Word Meanings) :

1. Agbala, the Oracle : The prophet of the Igbo (the oracle of the hills and the caves) 2. Nna-ayi : Translated as our father, a greeting of respect. 3. Sharecropping : Working land for a share of the crop, especially as a tenant farmer. Here, Okonkwo works as a sharecropper to obtain seed-yams. 4. Cassava : Any of several plants of the sparge family grown in trophics for their fleshy, edible root sticks that produce a nutritious starch. 5. Chi : A significant cultural concept and belief meaning one’s personal deity, also one’s destiny or fate.

Characters : 1. Agbala : Oracle of the hills and caves; a kind of God. 2. Chika : The priestess of Agbala in Unoka’s time. 3. Ani : The Earth goddess; the owner of the land 4. Ifejioku : The god of yams 5. Nwakibie : A successful man who has taken all the titles except one in the clan. 6. Anasi : One of Nwakibie’s wives 7. Ogbuefi Idigo : A villager at Nwakibie’s homestead 8. Obiako : A palm-wine tapper who suddenly gives up his work. 9. Akukalia : A villager at Nwakibie’s homestead. 10. Igwelo : Nwakibies’ elder son. 11. Ogbuefi Ezeugo : A powerful orator who accuses Mbaino of number. 12. Ogbefi : A man of Umuofia; his wife is murdered by the people of Mbaino 13. Nwoye : Okonkwo’s 12 years old son, who appears to be lazy. Proverbs used in the Chapter :

♦♦ “When a man says yes, his chi says yes also”: It means trust your conscience. This expression also means that when a man says, “Yes” his spirit will also guide and lead him in his endeavor. It doesn’t refer to speak ‘yes’ out aloud, but to speak ‘yes’ with one’s soul and ac- tions. ♦♦ “A man who pays respect to the great paves the ways for his own greatness”: According to this proverb, if you respect greatness, you will become great yourself. In addition, this proverb means that in Umuofia successful men respect greatness. ♦♦ “Let the kite perch and let the eagle perch too. If one says no to the other, let his wing break”: Basically means that Okonkwo was ashamed of his father and was afraid of having the same misfortune of his father and the same end. Okonkwo’s father shouldn’t prohibit Okonkwo from being successful. ♦♦ “An old woman is always uneasy when dry bones are mentioned in a proverb”: This proverb means that someone is uneasy if something is said that effects him personally, whether it was a joke or not, he cannot laugh about, it means if something that affects you is mentioned, you will be uneasy. [20 ] Oswaal ISC Section-wise Notes & Summary, ENGLISH PAPER-2 (LITERATURE), Class-XII

♦♦ “Eneke the bird says that since men have learned to shoot without missing, he has learned to fly without perching”: Basically someone must know how hard someone worked for something in order to respect the property them- selves like yams would be wasted by those who don’t understand hard work. ♦♦ “A proud heart can survive a general failure because such a failure does not prick its pride”: A proud person can survive and can go through a general failure because that person would be so proud that it wouldn’t affect his pride. ♦♦ “You can tell a ripe corn by its look”: You can tell when a person is mature and responsible (Nwakibie can tell that Okonkwo is ready to receive his gift and not take it for granted.) ♦♦ “A toad does not run in the daytime for nothing”: A toad is a nocturnal animal. If such an animal therefore does “run” in the day, that means there must be some- thing amiss. The sense of the Proverb is that there is a cause for anything strange that happens, there must be a reason. ♦♦ “The lizard that jumped from the high toko tree to the ground said he would praise if no one else did”: The Proverb elicits the self – contentment and joy of good work. Good work, we can infer, is in itself commend- able whether people appreciate it or not. Okonkwo feels proud of his achievements even if nobody recognizes it. qq Chapter - 4 Detailed Summary & Analysis

SUMMARY: In spite of Okonkwo’s beginnings in poverty and misfortune, he has risen as one of the most respected elders of the clan. Yet offers on how harshly he deals with the men less successful than him. Okonkwo shows few emotions openly, none of them tender ones. He once insulted a man at a town meeting, implying that the man was a woman. The man had no titles. Okonkwo was reprimanded, and a village elder said that the fortunate should show humility; yet Okonkwo has never been fortunate. Everything that he has, has been earned by himself. Okonkwo struggled against poverty and misfortune, earning success at an early age as the greatest wrestler in the land. The narrator asserts that this wasn’t luck. At most, one could say that Okonkwo’s personal God or Chi was good, but the Igbo proverb says that “When a man says yes his chi says yes also.” The clan chooses Okonkwo to carry a message of war to the Mbaino unless they agree to give up a young man and a virgin to make up for the murder of Udo’s wife. Ikemefuna, the hostage from Mbaino, has stayed with Okonkwo for three years. Nwoye’s mother, Okonkwo’s first wife, is kind to the boy and treats him as one of her own children. Ikemefuna is terribly homesick, but in time he finds a place among Okonkwos’ family. He overcomes his fear. Nwoye, two years younger than Ikemefuna grows fond of and is inseparable from Ikemefuna. Okonkwo grows fond of the boy, although he doesn’t show it openly. Ikemefuna is a clever boy, he knows how to make flutes and traps for rodents. He begins to call Okonkwo “Father”. Ikemefuna came to the household only a few days before the Week of Peace, during which no work is done and no violence is tolerated in anticipation of the planting season. However, Okonkwo is provoked when his youngest wife goes to a friend’s house and doesn’t return on time to cook the afternoon meal. He beats her heavily when she returns, breaking the peace of the sacred week. The priest of the earth goddess, Ani, berates him and commands that he bring sacrifices to Ani’s shrine to repent. Okonkwo does so and feels apologetic, however, he doesn’t tell his neighbours about this, and they conclude that he doesn’t respect the gods of the clan. Everyone gossips about the transgression over the week. After the Week of Peace, Okonkwo begins preparing his seed-yams for planting; Nwoye and Ikemefuna help by counting, and occasionally Okonkwo allow them to prepare a few yams each. However, he always finds fault in their efforts and berates them, even though he knows they’re too young to fully grasp the art of preparing seed- yams. Still, because yams are a measure of manliness and ability. Okonkwo wants his son to start early. The planting of yams–“the king of crops”–begins, and is very labour intensive. The men plant them, and then as the rain grows heavier, women plant other crops between the yam mounds–maize, melons, and beans. As the rain increases even more and the village rainmaker no longer claims to be able to intervene without danger to his health, children sit inside and listen to stories. The heavy rain season brings a brief period of rest between planting and harvest. Oswaal ISC Section-wise Notes & Summary, ENGLISH PAPER-2 (LITERATURE), Class-XII [ 21]

Ikemefuna feels like a member of the family, telling his own folktales from the Mbaino. He and Nwoye have become very close. Nwoye looks back on this period fondly. As the rain lightens and children go out to play, they sing a song about someone named Nnadi cooking and eating alone as the rain is falling. Nwoye wonders why Nnadi should live by himself and concludes that he belongs in the land of Ikemefuna’s favourite folktale. Ikemefuna and Nwoye have become very close; Nwoye loves the older boy, who is now like a brother to him. Ikemefuna has an endless supply of folktales, and hearing them makes Nwoye see the World in a new light. Analysis: Masculinity is one of Okonkwo’s obsessions. He sees any tender emotion as feminine and therefore weak. His culture is as patriarched as any other, but in his need to be strong Okonkwo carries the preoccupation with manliness to an extreme. He has not learned restraint. Okonkwo’s insult echoes the childhood of “Agbala” directed at his father, showing how much that wound still stings. Yet from their response it is clear that his fellow clansmen do not share Okonkwo’s absolute attitude towards less successful men. The old man’s proverb also emphasizes the importance of language which Okonkwo struggled to use. The proverb about Chi is akin to the American saying “fate favors the bold,” implying that a person can make their own fate by being aggressive. And this seems to be the case for Okonkwo, who earned his fame by working and struggling from poverty. The clan chooses him to carry the message of war based on his strength. Here we also see an example of Umuofia’s response to an inter-clan transgression. Ikemefuna is again the perfect example of a character who lacks free will. Also note that the girl from Mbaino is given to Udo without dispute and considered a full replacement for his murdered wife, giving us a glimpse into Umuofia’s gender roles and the bias in favor of masculinity. The women are treated as interchangeable. The powerful Earth goddess Ani, is a feminine force representing the spirit of fertility. As an agrarian society, the people of Umuofia depend upon their relationship with the Earth goddess. Yet, Okonkwo shows no fear of Ani. He commits a serious crime by beating his second wife, Ojiugo during the Week of Peace. This act reveals Okonkwo’s impulsive and violent nature. His failure to observe the traditional peace is foreshadowing of his failure to succeed in the traditional world in spite of his personal achievements. Okonkwo does not respect the feminine energy in the Igbo world, and he does not respect his wife. Although Okonkwo regrets his crime and makes publicly because he is afraid of appearing weak like his father. Okonkwo’s idea of masculine strength prevents him from showing affection towards Ikemefuna, even though he allows him to take his son’s place in accompanying him to events. Okonkwo wants to help his son by giving him skills his own father didn’t give him, but his method is harsh, alienating his son instead. Also, Okonkwo has fully accepted Ikemefuna into the family by now, including him in activities with his own son. We see in Ikemefuna a role model that Nwoye has lacked. Fearful of his brutal father, Nwoye now has a kind older brother to look up to. We also see that Nwoye is a thoughtful boy; his responses to Ikemefuna’s folktales are imaginative and beautiful. Glossary (Difficult Word Meanings) : 1. Clan : A close-knit group of interrelated families. 2. Brusqueness : The quality of being rough in conduct, rare 3. Week of Peace : In Umuofia, a sacred week in which violence is prohibited. 4. Bird Nza : A small but aggressive bird. 5. Ani : The earth goddess who owns all land. 6. Chi : One’s personal god, deity also one’s destiny on fate. 7. Obi : A hut within a compound. 8. Eze-agadi–nwayi : An old woman. 9. Abomination : Anything hateful and disgusting 10. Nso-Ani : A sin against the goddess earth, Ani. 11. Cowries : Shells of the Cowrie formerly used as currency in parts of Africa and Southern- Asia. 12. Coco -Yam : The edible crop grown in the tropics and eaten like potatoes. 13. Osage : The name means a low-ranked person. 14. Amadiora : The god of thunder and lighting. 15. Palm –Kernels : The seeds of the oil–palm which have to be cracked before the oil is pressed out of them. [22 ] Oswaal ISC Section-wise Notes & Summary, ENGLISH PAPER-2 (LITERATURE), Class-XII Characters : 1. Osugo : A man who has taken no titles. 2. Ojiugo : Okonkwo’s youngest wife. 3. Ezeani : Ani’s priest 4. Ogbuefi Ezeudu : Oldest man in the village. 5. Nwayieke : Old woman who lives near the udala tree. Proverbs used in the Chapter : ♦♦ “Looking at the king’s mouth, one would think he never sucked at his mother breasts”: You wouldn’t think that a great person, such as Oknokwo or a king, had once been vulnerable and weak like a baby. Because now he is so big and robust, it scares him to think that he could have ever been as vulnerable as he was when he was younger. ♦♦ “Those whose Palm–kernels were cracked for them by benevolent spirit should not forget to be humble”: People, who are blessed with luck by the gods, should be humble, and must not criticize other people. Okonkwo however had “cracked them himself” because he overcame poverty not through luck, but through hard work and determination. ♦♦ “They called him the little bird nza who so far forgot himself after a heavy meal that he challenged his chi”: This proverb could indicate that Okonkwo was ignorant and not humble. Okonkwo was said to be prideful as he could challenge his own chi. Even though being prideful would be a good thing, it would be bad to think a man could challenge his chi or luck qq Chapter - 5 Detailed Summary & Analysis SUMMARY: The Feast of the New Yam approaches. It marks the beginning of harvest season. All old yams are disposed of, and new and tasty yams are eaten for the feasts. The Feast of the New Yam, which Umuofia celebrates is to honour the earth goddess, Ani. Everyone in the clan looks forward to the festival, since it heralds a season of plenty, but Okonkwo can never match this enthusiasm for feasting. He prefers working on his farm. His wives and children, however, are excited with the preparations, cleaning and decorating, and Ikemefuna in particular is excited to experience the feast. Okonkwo, like all rich men, always invites a huge number of guests for the feast. But he himself is rather impatient with holidays, and would prefer to be working on his farm. Preparation for the festival makes him testy. Three days before the festival, he becomes furious when he sees that a few leaves have been cut from the banana tree, he finds a reason. Okonkwo finds an outlet for his anger, accusing his second wife of killing the banana tree–even though she only cut a few leaves off to wrap food. He beats her, leaving her and her daughter weeping. Okonkwo then decides to go hunting with a rusty gun, even though he’s never killed anything with his gun, which prompts his second his to mummer about guns that never shoot, Okonkwo hears this and shoots his loaded gun at his wife, who scrambles away. He misses and goes off to hunt. The New Yam festival is celebrated with joy, with in-laws arriving from different villages on the first day. The second day of the new year is the day for wrestling. Ekwefi, Okonkwo’s second wife, loves the wrestling matches. It was watching Okonkwo defeat the Cat that she fell in love with him. She had married another man, but a few years after that she ran away from him and came to live with Okonkwo. In those days, she was the great beauty of the village. Ekwefi has only had one surviving child, her daughter Ezinma. Ezinma is pretty, clever and she was one of her father’s favourites, though he rarely shows it. Obiageli, the daughter of Okonkwo’s first wife, has been making inyanga, and she is showing off with her pot. She balances it on her head, folds her arms in front of her, and begins to sway like one of the women. When she breaks her pot, she laughs. However, as she gets closer to the homestead, Obiageli begins to cry. Ikemefuna signals the other children not to tattle on Obiageli. She comes empty-handed and makes up a sad story to tell her mother. When her brothers are about to tell on her, Ikemefuna silences them with a look. The drums announce the wrestling matches and fill the air with excitement. Ezinma takes her father a dish to Oswaal ISC Section-wise Notes & Summary, ENGLISH PAPER-2 (LITERATURE), Class-XII [ 23]

eat in his Obi. Okonkwo is eating his first wife’s meal. Obiageli sits waiting for her mother’s empty bowl. Ezinma places her mother’s dish before him and sits with Obiageli. Okonkwo is especially fond of Ezinma because she is a beauty like her mother. However, he shows his fondness on rare occasions. Ezinma asks to carry her father’s chair to the wrestling match. Okonkwo refuses. Nkechi, the daughter of Okonkwos’ third wife, brings in his third and final dish of the food at the end. Analysis: This chapter flashes out the Portrait of Okonkwos’ family life. His three wives live together peacefully, and seem to have great affection for one another. The only child Ezinma (daughter of Ekwefi and Okonkwo) is loved well by all. Even other wives love her. The children live all together as brothers and sisters. Ikemefuna has been fully accepted and absorbed into the family. Okonkwo does not even enjoy the leisurely ceremonial feast as others do. His impatience with the festivities is so great that it erupts. Okonkwo’s uneasiness towards feasting likely has to do with his discomfort with language–since feasts are just food and talk–which again separates him from his clan. Ikemefuna, on the other hand, is fully immersed in the activities of Umuofia. Whenever Okonkwo feels uncomfortable it drives him to anger, just as how his shame at the mockery of his father made him angry when young. And when he is angry he loses control and gets violent. The anger that he consider masculine turns out to have a lot of destructive potential–when he loses control, like he did during the Week of Peace, he’s unable to stop himself from acting. But Okonkwo rules with fear. His anger over the banana tree is completely unfounded, he uses it as an excuse to beat someone. He is madly self-absorbed, and does not seem fit to learn constraint for the sake of his family. Wrestling is a big tradition for Umuofia, demonstrating masculine strength. Ekwefi’s story demonstrates her own strong will, running away from her first husband to be with Okonkwo, even though he couldn’t afford to be with her before. She was attracted to his strength. Names have power in Umuofia, and Ezinma calls her mother by her first name, showing how much power she has in the relationship. Also, both Ekwefi and Ezinma handle fire deftly here, and fire is often compared to Okonkwo’s spirit. This makes sense, since he is particularly fond of both of them, even though he tried to shoot Ekwefi earlier. The scene with Ikemefuna also shows how much Ikemefuna has become part of the family. He has a leadership role among the siblings, silencing the younger ones when he has to in order to keep the peace. Okonkwo’s idea of masculinity again keeps him from expressing his affection. He cares for Ezinma, but treats her sternly, just as he treats the other members of his household. Igbo society is Patriarchal, but this chapter forces female characters. Ekwefi is far from timid; fresh from a beating, she makes fun of her household. We also meet her daughter Ezinma, one of Okonkwo family’s most likeable characters. Okonkwo’s treatment of her humanizes him, balancing his harsh treatment of Nwoye. One of the reasons for his gentleness with Ezinma is her gender; as a girl, the expectations on her are different. Okonkwo often wishes that she were a boy, but the wish seems benign next to his merciless treatment of Nwoye. We see that Okonkwo is at least capable of tenderness. Because he does not have the same terrible expectations of a girl as he does of his son, he can treat her with at least a little gentleness. In this chapter, Ikemefuna is introduced as a sensitive youth who protects one of his sisters. It is significant that Ikemefuna stops the younger brothers from tattling on Obiageli because he is aware of what Okonkwo might do if he knows the truth. The girls in the family Obiageli, Ezinma and Nkechi, serve their father food in a specific order because they are the daughters of Okonkwo’s first, second and third wives. These girls are actually half-sisters. Okonkwos’ first wife is never given any name. She is always called “Nwoye’s mother” because she is identified with her eldest son. Ezinma calls her mother by name. Ezinma seems to be a model daughter; however, she cannot carry her father’s chair to the wrestling match because this is a boy’s job. The Igbo culture clearly defines male and females roles. “Things Fall Apart” is fiction; nevertheless, this chapter provides a window on the daily lives of the Igbo people at a particular point in time and explains an important religious festival. Glossary (Difficult Word Meanings) : 1. Calabashes : Drinking vessels made of gourds used as bowls, cups etc. 2. Mortar : Vessel used for pounding up food, usually; of wood. 3. Foo-foo : Boiled, pounded-up yam, used as a stable food West Africa; nowadays this is more often made from pounded Cassava-root. 4. Cam woot : Red dye made from a redwood tree, used for body-painting. 5. Inyanga : Showing off, posturing in an impertinent way, flaunting. [24 ] Oswaal ISC Section-wise Notes & Summary, ENGLISH PAPER-2 (LITERATURE), Class-XII

6. Bride-price : In some cultures, money and property given to a prospective bride’s family by the prospective groom and his family. 7. Ezinma : Ekwefi and Okonkwo’s daughter; meaning true beauty. She is also called Nma and Ezigbo, which mean the good one (child). 8. Igbo : The village gathering place and playing field; an area for large celebrations and special events. 9. Suppressed : Kept from public knowledge by various means. 10. Murmured : Spoken in a low, soft voice. 11. Sacrifice : An act of slaughtering a person/thing or surrendering something. Characters : 1. Ekwefi : Okonkwo’s second wife 2. Ezinma : Okonkwo’s daughter from his second wife, Ekwefi’s only daughter. 3. Obiageli : Okonkwo’s daughter from his first wife, Nwoye’s sister. 4. Nkechi : Okonkwo’s daughter from his third wife.

qq Chapter - 6 Detailed Summary & Analysis

SUMMARY: A huge crowd gathers to watch the wrestling matches. The initial matches begin with younger boys of age 15 or 16 and these matches are generally just to set the scene, but Obierika’s son Maduka wins some fame by finishing his match extremely quick. Ekwefi finds herself next to Chielo, a widow with two children. Chielo is quite an ordinary woman in ordinary life. But also occupies a position of great power in the village. She is also the priestess of Agbala, the Oracle of the Hills and the Caves. She is considered a different person when the spirit of the goddess enters in her. Chielo is very fond of Ezinma. She calls Ezinma as “My daughter” and asks about the girls’ health. She tells Ekwefi that she thinks Ezinma will stay or live since children usually don’t die after the age of six. The two women talk, and we infer that Ekwefi has had many children, and that many of them have died. Ezinma is now ten years old. Ekwefi prays that she stays; her children’s deaths have been cause of great sadness for her. Two teams with 12 men on each side wrestle. The last match is between the leaders of team. These men are the best wrestlers in all the nine villages. Okufo and Ikezue wrestle one another until the muscles on their arms, thighs and backs stand out and twitch. It seems like an equal match. The matches are exciting, and the great wrestlers all have their fans. As the main event of the evening, Ikezue and Okufo, the two greatest wrestlers of Umuofia, square off in a fierce bout. Okufo wins, and is carried home on the shoulders of his enthusiastic supporters, while the young women sing songs of praise. Analysis: The masculinity and strength are valued in Umuofian culture. The wrestling match provides another example of life among the Igbo people. Achebe attempts to recreate the match of the New Yam Festival, which is one of the most exciting events in the Igbo society. Historically, wrestling was an important sport among the Igbo because the matches allowed young men to gain recognition by demonstrating their strength and skill more experienced wrestlers. The match in this chapter reminds Okonkwo of his own accomplishments. The community involvement in the wrestling match illustrates the solidarity among the people in the nine- village consortium of Umuofia. Here we also meet priestess Chielo, who embodies the way in which ordinary people of the clan represent god and goddess, the egwugwu is another example. Chielo is an ordinary woman. She is a friend of Ekwefi and she loves Ezinma a lot; however she is also the priestess of Agbala, the Oracle of Hills and the Caves. This is the same Oracle whom Unoka consulted about his poor harvests. Agbala is a minor god and a centre of divination; the Oracle links the world of the living with the world of dead. Historically, the Igbo people offered sacrifices, prayers and invocations through the priest or priestess of the Oracle. Chielo predicts Ekwefi that Ezinma will stay or live, since children usually don’t die after the age of six. Drums appear during most festivals and celebrations in the novel, and they also signal town meetings. Here, they signal the start of the wrestling match, and two of the village leaders wrestle in a show of masculine strength. The drummers provide the beat and the background, and the drums serve as the pulse of Igbo people. Oswaal ISC Section-wise Notes & Summary, ENGLISH PAPER-2 (LITERATURE), Class-XII [ 25] Glossary (Difficult Word Meanings) : 1. Fondness : A positive feeling of liking 2. Prophesied : To predict 3. Miscalculation : A mistake in planning or forecasting or a wrong estimation in match. 4. Ilo : The village square 5. ‘Perhaps she has come to : Since many children died in infancy, it was thought to be unlucky and stay’ tempting of the evil spirits to think that a child was here to stay in this world until it was post the dangerous period of childhood. 6. Silk -cotton tree : Any of several large, tropical trees (genera Bombax and Ceiba) of the bombax family that have capsular fruits with silky hairs around the seeds. Here, the tree is revered because it contains spirits of good children as yet unborn. 7. Palm Fronds : Leaves of a palm tree. Here, they are tied together in clusters for ‘beating the ground’ or the legs and feet of the pushing crowd. 8. Chielo : The name of the current priestess of Agabala, the Oracle of the Hills and the Caves. Characters : 1. Maduka : The son of Obierika, Okonkwo’s friend 2. Chielo : A priestess of Agbala 3. Okufo : A wrestler, who wins 4. Ikezue : A wrestler, who loose qq Chapter - 7 Detailed Summary & Analysis

SUMMARY: In this chapter, the story jumps ahead three years where Ikemefuna has spent three years in Okonkwo’s household as his family member. Nwoye, Okonkwo’s elder son becomes too close to Ikemefuna, he sees Ikemefuna as his bigger brother and begins to act in more stereotypically masculine manner and begins to enjoy performing more masculine tasks around the house, which pleases his father Okonkwo a lot. Okonkwo likes to see Nwoye grumbling about women and finding interest in war stories. He realizes that this is due to Ikemefuna’s influence on Nwoye. As he wants, Nwoye to grow up as a man of action who has complete control of his household, he encourages the boys to sit with him in Obi at night time as he tells them stories of war, violence and he shares his evening meal with them. Nwoye has not changed completely, he inwardly prefers his mother’s folktales, but he pretends to disclaim women’s stories in order to please Okonkwo. To the village’s surprise, locusts descend upon Umuofia. They come once per generation and will return every year for seven years before disappearing for another lifetime. The village excitedly collects them because they are good to eat when cooked. Obuefi Ezeudu pays Okonkwo a visit, but he will not enter the hut to share the meal. Outside, he informs Okonkwo in private that the Oracle has decreed that lkemefuna must be killed. He tells Okonkwo not to take part in the boy’s death as lkemefuna calls him “father.” Okonkwo lies to lkemefuna, telling him that he will be returning to his home village. Nwoye burst into tears. During the long walk home with the men of Umuofia, lkemefuna thinks about seeing his mother. After hours of walking, a man attacks him with a machete. Ikemefuna cries to Okonkwo for help. Okonkwo does not wish to look weak, so he cuts the boy down. When Okonkwo returns home, Nwoye intuits that his friend is dead. Something breaks inside him for the second time in his life; the first time was when he heard an infant crying in the Evil Forest, where newborn twins are left to die during the last harvest season. Analysis: In chapter 2, the author comments that the fate of Ikemefuna is a “sad story” that is “still told in Umuofia into this day”. It goes like lkemefuna not only has fit into the family, he has a kind of healing effect between Nwoye and Okonkwo. Okonkwo now tries to teach the boys about how to be men by telling them about war–an activity in which strength and aggression is key. While Nwoye prefers more peaceful “feminine” stories, his attachment to lkemefuna and father inspire him to this fact. [26 ] Oswaal ISC Section-wise Notes & Summary, ENGLISH PAPER-2 (LITERATURE), Class-XII

Okonkwo does not listen to Ezedu’s warning. He joins the party and he provides comfort and assurance for his unsuspecting adopted son on the journey through the forest. However, Okonkwo does retire to the rear of the party when Ikemefuna receives the first blow. He does not expect the injured boy to run to him. Okonkwo deals the death blow to Ikemefuna as part of a ritual sacrifice because he is afraid of appearing weak. Okonkwo could even use his strength and prestige to refuse or try to change the verdict from the clan leaders. Ikemefuna’s fate is finally carried out in this passage, and he’s killed by none other than Okonkwo, who deals the killing blow because he’s afraid of seeming feminine and weak. This is a critical point: Okonkwo is more concerned with looking strong to others than in protecting those whom he loves or in doing the right thing. His shame at the prospect of looking weak makes him kill a boy who had come to trust him and see him as a father and who he saw a son. Although Ikemefuna is a victim of fate, Okonkwo made the choice to strike him down. Nwoye begins to detach himself from tradition as well, repulsed by the violent customs of his people against those who are weak. For the first time in the novel, Okonkwo’s son Nwoye emerges a major character who in contrast to his father, questions the long standing customs of the clan. Glossary (Difficult Word Meanings) : 1. Eneke-nti-oba : Bird that flies endlessly. 2. Entrails : The inner organs of humans as animals, specially, the intestines, viscera, guts. 3. Tie-tie : A vine used like a rope, from pidgin English to tie. 4. Harbingers : Person or things that come before to announce or give an indication of what follows, heralds. 5. Pestle : A tool, usually club-shaped, used to pound or grind substances in a mortar, or very hard bowl. 6. Ozo : A class of men holding an ozo title, it also refers to the ritual which accompanies the granting of a title to a person. 7. Eze elina elina : A favourite song of Ikemefuna’s about how Danda the ant holds court and how the sand dances forever, it was introduced as a story at the end of chapter 4. 8. Twins : Two born at the same birth. Here, according to Igbo custom twins are considered evil and must be placed in earthen ware pots and left to die in the forest. 9. Matchets : Broad-bladed knives 10. Kindle : Catch fire 11. Feign : Make believe with the intent to deceive 12. Emissary : Someone sent on a mission to represent another’s interest. 13. Rebuke : An act or expression of criticism and consure. 14. Copious : Large in number or quantity. Character : 1. Ogbuefi Ezedu : Oldest man of the village qq Chapter - 8 Detailed Summary & Analysis

SUMMARY: A deep chill overcomes Okonkwo when he returns home after killing Ikemefuna. He sinks into depression. He cannot eat or sleep for two days. He feels guilty about killing Ikemefuna. He just drinks palm-wine. He calls Nwoye to sit with him in his Obi, but Nwoye gets afraid of him and slips out whenever Okonkwo dozes. On the third day, he ask Ekwefi to roast plantains for him, she does it in his favourite way and Ezinma delivers the dish to him, telling him to finish it, since he hasn’t eaten in two days. While eating he thinks repeatedly that Ezinma should have been born as a boy, because she was the right spirit. Oswaal ISC Section-wise Notes & Summary, ENGLISH PAPER-2 (LITERATURE), Class-XII [ 27]

Okonkwo desperately performs some work to distract himself, but this is the season of rest for farmers between the harvest and the next planting season. He calls himself a woman for his reaction of killing Ikemefuna. To make himself feel better, he decides to visit his friend Obierika. Okonkwo shakes hands with Oberika’s son Maduka, the promising young wrestler. On seeing the young man, Okonkwo admits that he is worried about Nwoye. He is afraid that Nwoye resembles more on his grandfather in laziness. Eventually, Obierika mentions that Okonkwo shouldn’t have participated in killing Ikemefuna. Obierika says that if he had been Okonkwo, he would have stayed at home. Okonkwo’s action will not please Ani the goddess earth, it is the kind of thing for which she wipes out whole families. Obierika says that if the Oracle declared that his own son should be killed, he would neither despite the decree nor help carry out the ritual murder. Ofoedu, a villager arrives with the message of the simultaneous passing of Ogbuefi Ndulbe–the oldest man in a neighbouring village (Ine)- and his first wife. They discuss how close Ndulue and his wife were in their youth, because even she died on the same day. Okonkwo regards this as a sign of weakness, Obierika and Ofoedu discuss how strong Nedule was, leading Umuofia to war as a young man. They also discuss with regret the loss of prestige of the ozo title. Okonkwo goes home and returns later to take part in discussion of the bride-price with the suitor Ibe of Obierika’s daughter. After the preliminaries, the bride-price is decided using a ritual. Her price is negotiated between the bride’s family and the groom’s relations by passing back both quantities of stocks that represent numbers. Later, the men eat and drink and criticize the customs of their neighbours. In Abome and Aninta men haggle over a bride-price, they climb trees and pound foo-foo for their wives. Their customs are upside-down. Obierika’s eldest brother says “But what is good if one place is bad than another place”. In some areas, a suitor offers bags of cowries until his in-laws say stop. Okonkwo heard that in some places a man’s children belong to his wife’s family. Obierika says there was a story of a white man, the colour of chalk. The only white man they know is Amadi, a leper who passes by Obierika’s compound. Those who know Amadi, a leper, laugh-the polite term for leprosy is “the white skin”. Analysis: Okonkwo’s growing separation from his family members as well as from his peers in the village can be seen in this chapter. He is haunted by the thoughts of the murder of Ikemefuna. Okonkwo asks Nwoye to sit with him in his Obi, seeking affirmation that he has done nothing wrong by killing Ikemefuna, but his son pulls away from him when he dozes. Okonkwo seems to reject Ezinma’s no-nonsense words, but his gender bias does not allow him to accept her as she is, instead he wishes she was a boy. It is the season of rest. Okonkwo is a man of action and thought; he is frustrated because he cannot work. When he goes to his friend Obierika even he chastises Okonkwo and questions the morality of his participation in the ritual sacrifice. He says, he would have respected the Oracle, but he would not have participated in killing his own son. Obierika is more balanced than Okonkwo because he understands how to temper the rules and regulations of the traditional Igbo religion. It is never clear whether Okonkwo’s fall from this time on is a fate handed down by the goddess or the result of the same shame/violence dynamic that made Okonkwo kill Ikemefuna. Okonkwo begins to feel revived a bit. Okonkwo is also worried about Nwoye, who seems weak like his grandfather Unoka. Whenever Okonkwo thinks about his father’s weakness and failure, he thinks about his own strength and success. In Okonkwo’s mind, a weak man is like a woman. Okonkwo’s vision of masculinity is not one that’s shared by everyone in the clan. Okonkwo sees weakness in consulting a woman, whereas the other men don’t believe that such behavior lessens Ndulue’s achievements. Okonkwo acknowledges that it’s shame to kill palms, but the value of titles are very important to him, and he’s willing to defend the law in order to maintain his status. Okonkwo is unwilling to think critically about any of his clan’s traditions, unlike Obierika. We see the negotiations for the bride-price here, as well as an interesting discussion on different cultures. While we may see the broomstick method of haggling as rather demeaning, they clearly find that it is more respectful than other forms of haggling. It’s also worth nothing that the women have very little to do with this negotiation– in many ways in Umuofia society women are treated as objects to be traded by the men. Such customs refute commonly held nations about primitive and uncivilized African society. Although Ikemefuna is a victim of fate, Oknokwo made the choice to strike him down. Nwoye begins to detach himself from tradition as well, repulsed by the violent customs of his people against those who are weak. For the first time in the novel, Okonkwo’s son Nwoye emerges a major character who in contrast to his father, questions the long standing customs of the clan. Glossary (Difficult Word Meanings) : 1. Expel : Eliminate 2. Threshold : The starting point for a new state or experience. [28 ] Oswaal ISC Section-wise Notes & Summary, ENGLISH PAPER-2 (LITERATURE), Class-XII

3. Suitor : A man who courts a woman 4. Huggle : An instance of intense argument (as in bargaining) 5. Plantains : A course type of banana used in cooking. 6. Bride-price : The price paid by the suitor’s family to the family of the girl he wants to marry. 7. Uli : A dye used for body-painting. 8. Jigida : A string of small beads hung round the waist of a girl or woman. 9. Taboo : Any social prohibition or restriction that results from convention or tradition. 10. And these white men, : The white men’s toes are hidden because they are wearing shoes they say, have no toes 11. Leprosy : A progressive infectious disease caused by a bacterium that attacks the skin, flesh, nerves and so on, it is characterized by notles, ulcers, white scaly scabs, deformities, and the eventual loss of sensation, and is apparently communicated only after long and close contact. 12. Amadi : A leper who often passes by Obierika’s compound. Characters : 1. Obierika : Okonkwo’s friend and confident 2. Ofoedu : A villager who comes with a message 3. Ogbuefi Ndulue : The oldest man in Ire 4. Ozoemena : Ogbuefi Ndulue’s first wife 5. Akueke : Obierika’s daughter 6. Obidrika : Brother of Obierika 7. Machi : The eldest brother of Obierika 8. Dimaragana : A man who would not lend his knife for cutting up a dog. 9. Umezulike : A man who taps Okonkwo’s palm trees 10. Ibe : A young suitor of Akueke 11. Ukegbu : Father of Ibe 12. Amadi : A leper who often passes by Obierika’s compound. Proverbs used in the Chapter : ♦♦ “When mother - cow is chewing grass its young ones watch its mouth”: Basically, this proverb means that children copy their parents and learn everything they do for them. It is impor- tant for parents to set a good example, or else their children will not live up to their expectation. ♦♦ “A child’s fingers are not scalded by piece of hot yam which its mother puts into its palm”: Parents take care of their children, and children obeying their mother are not punished. Parents wouldn’t inten- tionally hurt their child. You don’t get punished for obeying authority or following orders. ♦♦ “A chick that will grow into a cock can be spotted the very day it hatches”: One can see the greatness of a child the day he is born. ♦♦ “If I fall down for you and you fall down for me, it is play”: Both parties need to give a little when negotiating. qq Chapter - 9 Detailed Summary & Analysis

SUMMARY: Okonkwo finally gets sleep after three days when Ekwefi his second wife awakes him during the night. She calls out to tell him that Ezinma their daughter is dying. She is shivering on a mat beside a huge Oswaal ISC Section-wise Notes & Summary, ENGLISH PAPER-2 (LITERATURE), Class-XII [ 29]

fire. Ezinma has iba-a fever. Okonkwo collects bark, leaves and grass to make a medicine to cure her fever. Meanwhile, Ekwefi stays with Ezinma feeling her head occasionally. Ezinma is her mother’s only child and the center of her world. Their relationship is extremely close because nine of Ekwefi’s other children have died in infancy. Ekwefi and Ezinma share a very close relationship that encompasses the championship of equals in some way, in addition to the mother-daughter bond. To that extent that Ezinma calls her mother by her first name, and the mother sneaks Ezinma delicacies such as eggs. Even though it is not socially acceptable for children to eat eggs, and their egg eating is secret in one of the things that closely bonds them. Before giving birth to Ezinma, Ekwefi’s nine previous children died in infancy, and a medicine man said that each child was in fact the same Ogbanje, one of the evil and wicked children who died and entered their mothers wombs to die and born again, in order to bring sorrow to their mothers. By the time Ezinma was born, Ekewefi had lost hope, but when Ezinma lived past the age of six, she became determined to nurse her child to health. A year ago, a medicine man had also day up Ezinma’s igi-uwa, a smooth pebble that held her connection to the world of Ogbanje, giving Ekwefi further hope. Okonkwo’s other wives say Ezinma has a fever, but Ekwefi does not listen to them. Okonkwo returns with the ingredients, and he and Ekwefi prepare the medicine. He brings a low stool next to the steaming pot, and Okonkwo throws a thick mat over her head. She struggles to escape from the overpowering steam, but she is held down. Finally, she emerges drenched in perspiration. Ekwefi dries her off, and Ezinma falls asleep. Analysis: Ekwefi’s dedication and bondage with her daughter Ezinma could be seen in this chapter. The religious concept of Ogbanje is also illustrated in this chapter. An Ogbanje is an evil child who dies and re-enters its mother’s womb to be born again. The constant birth and death of the child torments its unfortunate parents. The concept is an example of a religious belief that explains natural phenomena. The iyi-uwa is a symbol of child’s link with the spirit world. By digging up this smooth pebble wrapped in a dirty rag, the medicine man breaks Ezinma’s bond with the world of the Ogbanje. Okonkwo also demonstrates that he cares for Ezinma when he springs to action, gathering medicines. This is still in keeping with his idea of masculinity, since he is more comfortable with actions than he is with words. This chapter also shows Okonkwo as both a loving and angry father. He also threatens her if she does not locate her iyi-uwa. But although women’s child-bearing abilities are an important aspect of their status. Okonkwo and Ekwefis’ deep concern and fondness for Ezinma show that despite the divide between manly and womanly qualities, women play an essential role in Igbo society. Okonkwo demonstrates his care through more masculine actions as opposed to feminine words. Glossary (Difficult Word Meanings) : 1. Diviner : One who interprets the messages of the Oracle to the villagers 2. Ogbanje : A changeling, a child who repeatedly returns to its mother's womb to be reborn, yet always dies in infancy 3. Iyi-uwa : A special stone which links the Obganje to the spirit-world, which, if it is discovered and destroyed, makes it possible for such a child to be kept alive 4. Iba : Fever, probably related to Mabaria 5. Audacity : Aggressive boldness or unmitigated effrontery 6. Devoid : Completely wanting or lacking 7. Listless : Lacking zest or vivacity Character : 1. Okagbue Uyanwa : A famous medicine man qq Chapter - 10 Detailed Summary & Analysis

SUMMARY: A detailed description of a village public tribal is witnessed in this chapter. Crowds begin to gather on the village field for a ceremony, as soon as the sun’s heat starts to soften. From the way they sit and stand, it’s [30 ] Oswaal ISC Section-wise Notes & Summary, ENGLISH PAPER-2 (LITERATURE), Class-XII

clearly a ceremony for men - and there are two parties involved. The ceremony turns out to be trial between one group Mgbafo and her brothers in the other group, and Mgbofo’s husband (Uzowalu) and two relatives in the other. An iron gong sounds and drum and flute music begins. On the sound of gong nine Egwugwu run out of the house. The nine Egwugwu represent the nine villages of Umuofia, and their leader is called Evil Forest. The spirits of the ancestors are emerging from the ground and into the Egwugwu house, a sacred place where no woman has ever set foot. Nine Egwugwu appear as marked spirits and dance wildly. The narrator points out that one of the Egwugwu has the springy walk of Okonkwo, but if anybody notices, they keep this fact to themselves. Okonkwo probably is the second dancer. The trial begins, once the spirits have greeted the heads of the quarreling parties, a hearing begins. The Evil Forest questions Uzowalu (Mgbafos’ husband), who beats his wife without mercy, even when she was pregnant, so her family that is her three brothers, has removed her from the husband’s house and took his children away one day. Odakwe, Mgbafo’s brother, concedes that is why he took his sister and children away, but he explains that is because Uzowalu brutally beat his wife every day, even causing a miscarriage and almost killing her once. On this matter Uzowalu’s neighbours are called as witnesses, and they do agree that he beats his wife. Uzowalu, now wants her bride-price back. The Egwugwu’s decision is that Uzowalu should bring an offering of palm-wine to his -in laws house as a peace offering. Mgbafo and her children should return to him and he should behave more moderately. And the in-law should let Mgbafo go if Uzowalu brings the wine, ending this case. One elder man wonders why such a trifle is put before the Egwugwu. The people say that Uzowalu will not listen to any other decision. Then two other groups present a great land case to the Egwugwu. Analysis: It is necessary to understand the role of the Egwugwu in order to comprehend the conflict and resolution of the plot of “Things Fall Apart”. The chapter introduces and defines the concept of Egwugwu. The Egwugwu are elders who wear masks and dress as ancestors. They represent the spirits of the ancestors and speak in strange guttural language. The men are more involved in the justice system, with the women only participating on the edges of the ceremony. Yet it is important to note that the clan does have a justice system, a fact not necessarily understood by White man who treats the Umuofia Savages. When the egwugwu appear, the women and children scream and run away. The trial attempts to represent the judicial system among the Igbo people. The masked spirits of the ancestors judge civil and criminal disputes and serve as a center of political power. The decision of the egwugwu reflects the novel code of the people of Umuofia. Although the egwugwu are a secret society of man impersonating spirits, they are understood as sacred spirits by the people. Mgbafo is not allowed to speak for herself at the trial. It is her brother who defends her, showing again that men dominate the government. The trial of Uzowalu clearly identifies wife-beating as deviant behavior in the Igbo moral code. Okonkwo is a paradox. He seems to esteem Igbo values since he is working so hard to succeed in Igbo society, yet he himself beats his wives. The trial takes a complicated situation and works at a solution among those involved that keeps the peace, comments social bonds, and does so without imprisonment or violent punishment. In some ways, this justice system could be seen as being just as sophisticated and perhaps more merciful than that of the White man. Glossary (Difficult Word Meanings) : 1. Aru Oyum de de de dei! : Egwugwu translated as greeting to the physical body of a friend. The egwugwu speak in a formal language that is difficult for the Umuofians to understand. Each of the nine egwugwu represents a village of the Umuofia community. Together, the egwugwu form a tribunal to judge disputes. 2. Evil Forest : The name of the leader of the egwugwu also the name of the forest where taboo objects and people are abandoned. 3. I am Dry-meat-that fills- : Two phrases suggesting that Evil Forest is all-powerful. Faggots are the-mouth/ I am fire that bundles of sticks for burning. burns-without faggots 4. Communal : For or by a group rather than individuals. 5. Pandemonium : A state of extreme confusion and disorder. 6. Esoteric : Understandable only by an enlightened inner circle. 7. Appropriation : Official approval Oswaal ISC Section-wise Notes & Summary, ENGLISH PAPER-2 (LITERATURE), Class-XII [ 31] Characters : 1. Mgbafo : A woman who is beaten by her husband. 2. Odukwe : Mgbafo’s eldest brother. 3. Uzowalu : Mgbafo’s husband. qq Chapter - 11 Detailed Summary & Analysis

SUMMARY: Okonkwo listens to the voices of his wives telling their children the folk tales. While relaxing, he overhears Ekwefi telling the tale of the Tortoise to Ezinma. This folk tale tries to detail the reasons behind the fact that the tortoise does not have a smooth shell. When it is the turn of Ezinma to narrate a story to Ekwefi, the priestess of Agbala named Chielo gives a wail. Chielo visits Okonkwo and conveys that Agbala wants to see Ezinma. Okonkwo pleads not to disturb the child at this late hour of night and promised that she will come over in the morning. However, Chielo ignores the pleadings of Okonkwo and enters Ekwefi’s hut. Ezinma gets frightened upon seeing Chielo. Chielo forces Ezinma to accompany her to the sacred cave of Agbala. Chielo hangs Ezinma over her back and carries her like this. Ekwefi is disturbed to see her daughter go and makes up her mind to follow them. In darkness, Ekwefi is not able to see in which direction Chielo is moving. However, she keeps on following the chanting voice of Chielo. She soon reaches very close to them and decides to maintain a safe distance so that she cannot be seen following them. Chielo feels that she is being pursued and curses the person(s) following her. Ekwefi furthers the distance between them and keeps n following. She is surprised to see Chielo cross over the cave of Agbala and move in the direction of the farthest village, Umuachi. After reaching the boundary of that village, Chielo turns back and retraces her footsteps in the direction of the cave of Agbala. Upon reaching the cave, Cheilo disappears into the cave carrying Ezinma on her back. Ekwefi decides to wait outside the cave and extend any help possible if Ezinma needs any help or is in danger. She hears the sound of a man behind her. She turns to see Okonkwo standing there carrying machete in his hand. Okonkwo offers Ekwefi to return home and tells her that he will stand guard in her place. She refuses to move by an inch from there. Both of them stand there. Ekwefi thanks gods in his mind for the concern shown by Okonkwo. She reminds Okonkwo the way he was when she ran away from her first husband to marry Okonkwo. Analysis: The Igbo culture has a tradition of narrating stories to the children. These stories familiarize children with their customs and traditions. These stories make the children aware of the differences between the natural and supernatural. The author narrates the story of the Tortoise and its shell in detail as a demonstration of the traditional practice of the Igbo culture. The story plays a two-fold role in the story. It makes it clear as to the belief in the Igbo culture as to why the shell of the tortoise is not smooth. It also teaches the children that a trouble maker not only creates trouble for other but also for himself in the long run. This indicates that Okonkwo, the central character of the novel, who is often creating troubles for others, will also get into trouble in the future. The parents’ belief that the family and children are more important than the social customs and traditions has been depicted in the chapter. Even though Chielo warns them to put trust in Agbala while handing over Ezinma to her, they risk their own life as well as safety to ensure safety of their daughter. Okonkwo, who earlier allows and even executes sacrifice of Ikemefuna, to preserve traditions of Igbo, breaks it when it comes to the security of his own daughter. Chielo more than once refers Ezinma as “my daughter” which indicates that she wants to chose Ezinma as her successor priestess. Glossary (Difficult Word Meanings) : 1. Snuff : A preparation of powdered tobacco that is inhaled by sniffing, is chewed, or is rubbed on the gums. 2. Saltpeter : Potassium nitrate; used in the preparation of snuff (also in gunpowder and fireworks). 3. Agbala do-o-o-o! … : Chielo, the priestess, takes on the voice of the divine Agbala to ask for Ezinmao-o-o-o Ezinma to come to her. [32 ] Oswaal ISC Section-wise Notes & Summary, ENGLISH PAPER-2 (LITERATURE), Class-XII Characters : 1. Ezinma : Daughter of Ekwefi and Okonkwo 2. Nwayieke : Neighbour of Okonkwo 3. Okeke : Interpreter of Whites 4. Chielo : Priestess of Agbala 5. Agbala : The Oracle of the hills and caves Proverb used in the Chapter : ♦♦ “A baby on its mother’s back does not know the way is long”: The one who works knows the value of effort or when you are dependent or reliant on someone you don’t know how hard it is to do the thing yourself. qq Chapter - 12 Detailed Summary & Analysis

SUMMARY: When Ezinma was taken away by Chielo, Okonkwo could not sleep. He went to the cave many times. Finally, when he met Ekwefi also standing outside the cave, he remained there with her. When Chielo came out with Ezinma from the cave, she ignored the presence of the couple and took Ezinma to her bed in Ekwefi’s hut. Okonkwo and Ekwefi had no option but to follow her silently. Next day, the village is merged in marriage celebrations of Obierika’s daughter. The Igbo culture has uri celebrations wherein, the suitor presents palm oil to the family and kinsmen of the would-be bride. This is considered as a woman’s ritual. The bride’s mother, with the help of other women from the family and the village, cooks meal for the entire village. After the night of celebrations, Ekwefi feels tired. She waits for Ezinma to wake up and have her breakfast. The rest of the family of Okonkwo go to Obierika’s house. The youngest wife of Okonkwo promises that she will prepare the afternoon meal for him. Obierika slaughters two goats for preparing soup. He also admires a goat that has been bought for gifting to the in-laws. The men around him discuss the use of medicine magic by the people of the neighbouring village. The people of that village use the medicine to attract customers from neighbouring village and end up in looting some of the innocent customers. Suddenly a distant cry makes it clear that a cow is at loose. The women at that moment ARE preparing for the feast. Some of the women continue cooking while others leave to locate the cow and return it to the owner. The owner would be required to pay a fine to the village community. The women ensure that every woman who could join in locating the cow has taken part in the search operation. In the afternoon, everyone gathers. At the palm-wine ceremony everyone drinks the first-delivered wine. The in- laws of the bride arrive and give presents of fifty pots of wine to Obierika and his family. This is considered to be a decent number of pots in line with the Igbo tradition. The uric celebrations continue till late night. Everybody participates, sings and dances in the celebrations. Analysis: Many tribal cultural beliefs have been highlighted in the chapter. Some of these are the belief that supernatural powers and magic is used to attract customers, the rule that the owner of an animal on loose has to pay fine, the tradition that all available woman has to participate in search operation of a lost cow and following traditions by the villagers even when it comes to kidnapping of their children. The uri celebrations are also an insight into the Igbo culture. The chapter also identifies some strong personalities like Ekwefi, who does not put faith in traditions when it comes to harm her child and Obierika, who challenges traditional beliefs that have lost importance in that time. The chapter also gives instances of sexual activity as a part of marriage rituals. The presence of Okonkwo near his wife at the mouth of the cave reminds her of their first night after marriage. The chants at the end of the uri celebrations indicate that sex was enjoyed and awaited equally by both the genders of the Igbo society. Oswaal ISC Section-wise Notes & Summary, ENGLISH PAPER-2 (LITERATURE), Class-XII [ 33] Glossary (Difficult Word Meanings) : 1. Umunna : the extended family and kinsmen. 2. A great medicine : a supernatural power or magic that may take the shape of a person. In the Umuike market, the medicine assumes the shape of an old woman with a beckoning, magical fan. 3. Yam pottage : a watery gruel made of yams. Characters : 1. Ojiugo : Youngest of Okonkwo 2. Nwankwo : Relative of Obierika 3. Udenkwo : Neighbour of Obierika 4. Udenkwo : Neighbour of Obierika 5. Ezelabgo : Neighbour of Obierika 6. Maduka : Son of Obierika 7. Ogbuefi Ezenwa : Winner of one title 8. Akueke : Daughter of Obierika qq Chapter - 13 Detailed Summary & Analysis

SUMMARY : The dead of night is shattered by the sound of drum and cannon. This is the announcement of death of an important man in the village, Ezeudu. The announcement refreshes the mind of Okonkwo when Ezeudu had warned him not to kill or take part in the killing of Ikemefuna. Ezeudy had achieved a rare feat according to the Igbo culture. He had earned three titles during his life. Everyone in the village gathers to bid farewell to such a rare personality. According to their tradition, men are dancing and firing guns during the funeral ceremony. To mourn the death of Ezeudu, they are dashing in emotion. It is believed that periodically, the egwugwu spirits appear from the underworld, including a one-handed spirit who dances and brings a message for the dead Ezeudu. The intensity of dances, beating drums and firing gunshots increases just before the burial of the dead. The rituals come to halt when there is a loud cry followed by shouts of horror. Suddenly, there is a deep silence all around. The sixteen year old son of Ezeudu is found dead by a gunshot and was lying with his blood splattered around. It soon becomes clear that a piece of iron pierced the heart of the poor boy when Okonkwo fired his gun and it exploded. It was an unprecedented event in the history of Umuofia. The killing of a clansman is considered a punishable offence in Igbo culture. It is treated as a crime against the goddess Earth, even if it is not done intentionally. As a result, he was sentenced to leave Umuofia along with his entire family for seven years as per the tradition. His wives and children started crying and packing their valuable belongings which can be carried in head loads preparing to flee to Mbanta, the maternal village of Okonkwo before the day break. The yams of Okonkwo were moved to the farms of Obierika by his friends. When the family departed, the next morning, Okonkwo’s compound was by raided by aa group of villagers to destroy his houses, barn and animals. This was in tradition to Igbo style of justice for crime committed against goddess Earth. Obierika is saddened by the departure of Okonkwo. He mentally questions the traditional justice for an accident not caused by the fault of the person being unshed. This reminds Obierika about his twins who were abandoned in forest to maintain the Igbo tradition off births of twins. Analysis : The beginning of the chapter reminds the reader about the advice of Ezeudu for not participating in the killing of Ikemefuna. The reader is prepared mentally to understand that the punishment awarded to Okonkwo is in reality the result of his misdeeds by killing his godson, Ikemefuna. The tragic event has been highlighted by titling it as an unprecedented event in the history of Umuofia. The chapter also questions the Igbo way of justice. The deporting of a tribe member just because he accidentally killed another tribesman is not justified. The tradition of abandoning the twins after their birth is also a burden [34 ] Oswaal ISC Section-wise Notes & Summary, ENGLISH PAPER-2 (LITERATURE), Class-XII

on the minds of their parents. Such traditions are a burden on the entire society and builds a slow retaliation in the minds of those who actually suffer this form of (in)justice. The chapter also hints about the slow decline and end of the clan and its culture. The chapter ends by pointing that the entire Umuofia will have to pay the cost of crime and punishing Okonkwo. Glossary (Difficult Word Meanings) : 1. Go-di-di-go-go-di-go. Di- : The sound of drumbeats on the ekwe, or drums. go-go-di-go 2. Esoteric : Intended for or understood by only a chosen few, as an inner group of disciples or initiates (said of ideas, literature, and so). 3. Raffia : 1. A palm tree of Madagascar, with large, pinnate leaves. 2. Fiber from its leaves, used as string or woven into baskets, hats, etc. 4. Mbanta : The name means small town and is where Okonkwo’s mother comes from, his motherland, beyond the borders of Mbaino (Ikemefuna’s original home). Character : 1. Ekwensu : Evil spirit Proverb used in the Chapter : ♦♦ “If one finger brought oil it soiled the others”: Basically, if you do not treat yourself for sickness, whether it be mental or physical, you will pass it on to others. One affects all people nearby or related to the sinner. qq Chapter - 14 Detailed Summary & Analysis

SUMMARY : The chapter starts with the exile of Okonkwo in Mbanta. In the village, he is welcomed by his maternal uncle, Uchendu. Uchendu has become a village elder. Uchendu guesses the events that led to the exile of Okonkwo and patiently listens to his story. He also arranges for some traditional rituals needed at that time. Uchendu offers him a piece of land to build his house compound. Some others provide him with some land to start farming. The five sons of Uchendu offer him three hundred seed yams to begin farming. Okonkwo knows that he and his family have to work hard to bring back their days of glory. However, he has lost the vigour of his youth and could not gain pleasure from the work. He knows that by working in Mbanta, he is just bidding his time. He sorrows over the failure of his about t bee fulfilled dream, to become a lord of his clan. He blames his chi or luck for the accident that happened. Uchendu realizes the depression of Okonkwo and plans to talk to him later in solace. Isa-ifi is a traditional ceremony in Igbo culture wherein it is determined that the would-be bride has remained faithful towards the would-be groom during their period of courtship. There is a detailed description of the ceremony in the chapter. The twenty seven children of Uchendu gather from all around the neighbouring villages for isa-ifi ceremony of the would-be bride of the youngest son of Uchendu. Next day, Uchendu tries to boost the morale of Okonkwo in front of his children. He asks several questions which no one is able to answer. Using this, he makes them all understand the importance of a child returning to his maternal place in times of distress and despair. He encourages Okonkwo to accept the support of his kinsmen while he is bidding his time in Mbanta. He also asks him to prepare his family to prepare for their return to Umuofia. He tells him that by not doing so, he may end up displeasing the dead (mainly Okonkwo’s mother). He tries to cheer him up by saying that many people have suffered more than a seven year exile and he is still lucky to be able to spend the time of his exile with his mother’s kin. Analysis : The chapter highlights the contrast between the two traits of characters in Okonkwo. On one hand, he is in habit of boasting and displaying his manliness. On the other hand, he accidentally kills a young boy, which is considered a female murder in Igbo culture. Secondly, he is sent to exile and is forced to spend the Oswaal ISC Section-wise Notes & Summary, ENGLISH PAPER-2 (LITERATURE), Class-XII [ 35]

time of his exile in his maternal village. Uchendu tries to strengthen him mentally by advising him to use the soul healing nature of his maternal village and kinsmen, accept his fortune and recover from his condition of depression. He also motivates him to take reins of his family and prepare them to forthcoming return to Umuofia after the completion of the exile.

Okonkwo is used to acknowledge the role of chi in his life. However, this chapter forces him to accept that bad chi is also a part of life. He understands that fate is predetermined and everything happens in accordance with the fate only. The reader is also made aware of the complex set of celebrations in an Igbo traditional marriage. Glossary (Difficult Word Meanings) :

1 Twenty and ten years : Igbo counting may not have a unique number for thirty, which is thus counted as twenty and ten. Similarly, in French, seventy is counted as sixty-ten, and eighty is four twenties. 2 It is female ochu : Crimes are divided into male and female types. Okonkwo’s accidental killing of Ezuedu’s son is considered manslaughter and therefore a female crime. 3 The nuts of the water of : Hailstones. heaven 4 Isa-ifi : The ceremony in which the bride is judged to have been faithful to her groom. 5 Umuada : Daughters who have married outside the clan. Characters : 1. Uchendu : Maternal uncle of Okonkwo 2. Amikwu : Youngest son of Uchendu 3. Uehuiona : Younger brother of Uchendu 4. Njide : Eldest daughter of Uchendu Proverb used in the Chapter : ♦♦ “Mother is supreme”: Your mother is extremely important as she is the one who gives you life. qq Chapter - 15 Detailed Summary & Analysis

SUMMARY : When Okonkwo is in second year of his exile, he is visited by his close friend, Obierika and two other friends. Okonkwo introduces his friends to Uchendu. Obierika briefs him about the tragic set of events that took place in one of the neighbouring villages, Abame. He tells him that a white man came to that village. He was riding on a bicycle, but the illiterate villager named it as ‘an iron horse’. The people started running away from him in fear. Some of those who were bold enough went close to him and touched his ‘white’ skin. The Oracle of the Abame told them that their clan will be destroyed due t that white man. The white man will soon be followed by others of his type and the Abame will be overtaken by these white people. The white man could only repeat a word ‘Mbaino” which may have meant that he is looking for a village of that name. However, the natives got angry and killed the white man. They also tied his bicycle to their sacred tree. After some weeks, three more white men, accompanied with a group off natives, arrived there while the natives were working in their farms. The visitors saw the bicycle tied to the sacred tree and left silently. After some weeks, a larger group of white men came who surrounded the entire inhabitants of Abame and shot them. This left the village deserted. There is a general agreement between Uchendu and Okonkwo that the action of the natives of Abame was [36 ] Oswaal ISC Section-wise Notes & Summary, ENGLISH PAPER-2 (LITERATURE), Class-XII

foolish. They should have gathered enough information about the white man before killing him. All of them have heard stories about the white men who have strong drinks and powerful guns. However, such stories were considered as rumors by the natives. Obierika and Okonkwo take their meals together. After that, Obierika hands over some money to Okonkwo which he has received by selling the yams and seed yams of the latter. The former promises that he will continue to give the due share of Okonkwo till he completes his exile and returns back to Umuofia or a misfortune similar to Abame takes place in Umuofia too. Analysis : The chapter focuses on the initial reaction of the natives when they see a ‘white man’ in their village. They were used to call such people as lepers. They were also not used to the then modern means of transport like bicycle. As soon as their Oracle tells them that these white men will be the cause of the end of their clan, they turn violent. Although this action is later criticized by Uchendu, Okonkwo silently supports this and says that the natives must have armed themselves as a precaution after the killing of the first white man. The Oracle never accepted a war with the white men, but it warned the villagers that the white men would spread destruction. Ironically, in the long run, this proved to be true. The retaliation by the white is in direct relation to the behavior of the natives. The natives outnumbered the first white man, yet they killed him. Similarly, the group of white men outnumbered the natives and killed them. The foreseeable circumstances of future conflict between the two groups start taking shape in this chapter. The incident of Abame is inspired from a similar tragic event that took place in Ahiara community in the year 1905. Glossary (Difficult Word Meanings) : 1. Albino : A person whose skin, hair, and eyes lack normal coloration because of genetic factors: albinos have a white skin, whitish hair, and pink eyes. 2. Eke day, Afo day : The Igbo week has four days: Eke, Oye, Afo, and Nkwo. 3. Iron horse : The bicycle that the white man was riding when he apparently got lost. Proverb used in the Chapter : ♦♦ “There is nothing to fear from someone who shouts”: Shouting is the most they will do. They will never be the type of person to take physical action; therefore, you should not fear them. qq Chapter - 16 Detailed Summary & Analysis SUMMARY : The next visit is paid by Obierika after two years since his last visit. He is the carrier of still bad news on this visit too. He tells Okonkwo about the arrival of arrival of Christian missionaries and building of church in their village. He also tells him that the church has gained some converts from their community. Although the clan leaders are disappointed with the villagers, yet the leaders are satisfied that none of the title holders have converted. The people who have converted are those who are weak and considered worthless, as they are called efulefu in the Igbo community. After some more talks, Obierika confides in Okonkwo that his true reason for visiting him is that he has seen Okonkwo’s elder soon, Nwoye in company of some Christian missionaries in Umuofia. When Nwoye returned, Okonkwo questioned him about the reason for his visit to Umuofia, he fearlessly answered that he was one of them and so visited there. Getting irritated by his father’s questioning, he retorted by saying that he is not his father anymore. Okonkwo did not talk to his friends about Nwoye. However, when Obierika gets in touch with Nwoye’s mother, he learns that a few days ago, some people (one of them being white) arrived in Mbanta. They had an interpreter of native language with them. They told the natives that their gods are false made of wood and stones. In reality, there is only one true god. He asked the natives to forget about their false gods and start worshipping one single true god. He also told them that he and some of his friends would come to live in their village and also bring some ‘iron horses’ with them for the natives also to ride. After the destruction of Abame, the villagers were curious about the white men and ask them a lot of questions. However, when the missionaries told them the native gods were not true and only Christianity is the true religion, the villagers start dispersing. Seeing this, the missionaries start chanting and singing hymns to attract the crowd back. Oswaal ISC Section-wise Notes & Summary, ENGLISH PAPER-2 (LITERATURE), Class-XII [ 37]

The missionaries were unable to capture the attention of Okonkwo but his son Nwoye was enchanted. He got the answers to the meaningless rituals Igbos behind killing if Ikemefuna and the new born twins. Analysis : Nwoye’s mother narrates the happenings at Mbanta in a motherly way to Obierika. As a result, he is able to understand the reason behind the strange behavior of Nwoye towards his father. It appears that the natives of Mbanta get attracted towards missionaries quite easily. Although the early converts were only those who were weak and considered worthless, yet slowly the missionaries started holding ground. The Christian hymns appear closer to human heart. At that stage, the white men were also patient and responded to the questions and grievances of the natives in a heart arming manner. One of the reasons behind the welcome of missionaries in Mbanta was the destruction of Abame. The natives of Mbanta did not want a similar misfortune to befall on their village too. The villagers might have felt relieved when only one white man appeared in their village. The villagers do not feel impressed by the Christian messages, yet they wanted to probe into a new religion. The villagers were mesmerized by the hymn of the missionaries. Their promise to teach the natives about riding the ‘iron horse’ or bicycle also held the natives at bay. Nwoye was deeply aggrieved by baseless rituals of the Igbo community which involved the killings of new born twins and people like Ikemefuna. As a result, the new religion attracted him as this religion appeared to be more humane to him. Just like every language has many dialects, similar was the situation in case of Igbo as well. Although, the interpreter who came with the missionaries was an Igbo, yet his dialect was a source of humour for the natives of Mbanta. He pronounced ‘myself’ to sound like ‘my buttocks’ to the natives which resulted in an incorrect and sometimes meaningless but humourous translation of the message intended to be transmitted by the missionaries. Glossary (Difficult Word Meanings) : 1. Efulefu : Worthless men in the eyes of the community. 2. Evangelism : A preaching of, or zealous effort to spread, the gospel. 3. Jesu Kristi : Jesus Christ. 4. Callow : Young and inexperienced; immature. Character : 1. Okagbae uyankwa : A famous medicine man Proverb used in the Chapter : ♦♦ “The words of the hymn were like the drops of frozen rain melting on the dry palate of the panting earth”: It is not the logic of the words that touch Ikemefuna, but his own personal story that he associates with the po- etic sounds of the words the missionaries are speaking. The song brings back to him the tragedy of Ikemefuna’s needless death. qq Chapter - 17 Detailed Summary & Analysis

SUMMARY : The missionaries in Mbanta started sleeping in the market place in the evening. Every morning, they started preaching the natives. They approached the clan leaders for some place to build a church. After due deliberation, the clan elders agreed to give them a piece of land in the Evil Forest. This was the place where the people who died due to evil diseases were buried. According to the Igbo culture, the person who takes that cursed land dies in a few days. When the missionaries accept the designated place, the natives start thinking them as fools to take that land. They think that the missionaries will die in a few days. However, the villagers are surprised to see the missionaries building their church without any hindrance. The Igbos believed that the gods give them maximum twenty-eight days to defend. When the missionaries did not come to any harm after that time limit, the villagers started believing that they had strong magical powers. The [38 ] Oswaal ISC Section-wise Notes & Summary, ENGLISH PAPER-2 (LITERATURE), Class-XII

first woman convert was a pregnant lady, who had earlier given birth to four sets of twins all of whom were abandoned in the forest. After building the church in Mbanta, Mr. Kiaga took over the charge of the church and the village and the missionary moved over to Umuofia. The addition in number of converts further attracts Nwoye to join the new religion. He wants to attend the church service scheduled for each Sunday. However, because of Okonkwo’s fear, he does not enter the church. After some days, a cousin of Okonkwo sees Nwoye inside the church. He immediately brings this to the notice of Okonkwo. When Nwoye returns home, Okonkwo questions hi about his whereabouts. When Nwoye does not answer, Okonkwo becomes violent and starts beating his son with a stick. Uchendu forces Okonkwo to stop and leave his son. Nwoye feels deeply hurt and insulted and leaves the hut for never to return there. He returns to Umuofia and join the white school for young people run by the missionary. He dreams of returning back to his house and convert his mother, brothers and sisters too. Initially, Okonkwo was deeply angry with his son but soon realizes that it is not worth. He is afraid to think that his other sons may also join the new religion leaving their ancestral heritage. He compares his son with his father and is enthralled how he is father of such a womanly son. Analysis : The traditional beliefs of the villagers started shattering around them as Christianity gained strength in the region. First of all, the 28 days limit for punishing the evil was broken. Their traditional gods did not punish the missionaries. They started feeling that if they continue to hold to their traditions and not accepting the new changes may result in the extinction of their clan. The missionaries do not bring about only religious changes but social enlightenment also. The missionaries gave respect to a lady who was ill-treated by the villagers for giving birth to four sets of twins. The missionaries also accepted other socially rejected people of the Igbo community. The missionaries also put a stop for abandoning the twins of the converts into the forest. They gave such children an equal status to other children. The missionaries initially encouraged the natives to attend the church every seventh day but soon switched over to calling it every Sunday. This shows that they bypassed the four days a week Igbo calendar to their seven days a week calendar. Okonkwo wants to immediately kill all the Christians accusing them to unduly influence his soon towards the new religion. He blamed the inability of his son on his wife, then his father and finally on his bad chi. He understands the meaning of the proverb – Living fire begets cold, impotent ash – calling himself as a living fire and Nwoye as cold and impotent ash. Glossary (Difficult Word Meanings) : 1. Fetish : Any object believed by some person or group to have magical power. 2. Impudent : Shamelessly bold or disrespectful; saucy; insolent. Characters : 1. Uchendu : Maternal uncle of Okonkwo 2. Mr. Kiaga : Interpreter of the missionaries 3. Amada : A prosperous farmer 4. Nneka : Wife of Amada and mother of four pairs of twins 5. Amikwu : Okonkwo’s cousin Proverbs used in the Chapter : ♦♦ “Living fire begets cold, impotent ash”: If someone thinks too highly of himself and his influence is too much, then the person alongside him will never be able to come as successful. ♦♦ “Every clan and village had its ‘evil forest’”: This “evil forest” represents the unknown (and potentially evil) side of nature – the wilderness, an untamed place often hostile to men. qq Oswaal ISC Section-wise Notes & Summary, ENGLISH PAPER-2 (LITERATURE), Class-XII [ 39] Chapter - 18 Detailed Summary & Analysis

SUMMARY : The native villagers of Mbanta earlier thought that the Christians will slowly get weak and die out. As a result, they lead a separate life to that of the missionaries. The missionaries lived in the sanctioned part of the Evil Forest and even rescued the twins abandoned by the natives there. One day, some converts declared that the traditional gods have died and they are going to burn their shrine. The natives got united and beat them up. After that, there pursues a long time of peace and ignorance between the church and the natives. The osu or the outcasts of the Igbo community start thinking that since missionaries are rescuing the twins, they might welcome the osu also. When one osu attended a church service, the other converts opposed it. Mr. Kiaga tries to pacify and convince them that osu need the church more than anyone else. Although most of the converts agreed, one of the converts decided to return to his community. The villagers also learnt that the white people are setting up their own government but showed ignorance towards it as well. The osu were restricted to live in a particular section of the village and forbidden to get haircut and marry a free person. However, the church asked the interested osu to convert to Christianity and get their hair cut. These outcasts later became the most dedicated and efficient followers of the church. One of thee osus, Okoli, killed the sacred python. The clan considered the python as the most respected animal. The clan leaders discussed the matter. Okonkwo gained his stripes as one of the leaders but was outvoted. The final verdict of the congregation was that the church members were to be excluded while awarding the punishments. This deeply disgusted Okonkwo. The Christians were forbidden to enter the market, stream, chalk quarry, etc. Initially, Okoli declined killing the python but soon fell ill. When he dies by the evening, the villagers took it as a punishment awarded by gods for the evils of Okoli. Analysis : Okonkwo wanted to take a violent step against the Christians to weaken their roots in the village. However, the rest of the Mbanta clan did not support this and as a result he felt alienated in a ‘womanly clan’. According to him, restricting the entry of Christians in some public places is not a correct and a long term solution to the problem. The church and the village try not to contradict each other or stand in each other’s path. Both the groups do not want to resort to conflict. There were instances when a violent action happened due to contradictory views like the action of three converts to burn the shrine of the ‘dead’ old gods. The clan continued to weaken with more and more converts joining the church. This had a double effect on the things falling apart – one the tensions between the Christians and non-Christians rose and the other that there was an increase in distrustful fights amongst the non-Christians. Whenever any action of the church violated the tradition of the clan, there was a divide between the clan to support or not to support the church decision. Yet, the conflicts were tried to be sorted out in a peaceful manner. The chapter is indicative of the rising powers of the church in that era when large scale preparations were being made to celebrate Christmas and Easter. Glossary (Difficult Word Meanings) : 1. Osu : A class of people in Igbo culture considered outcast, not fit to associate with free-born members of the clan. 2. Caste : Rigid class distinction based on birth, wealth, and so on, operating as a social system or principle. 3. Heathen : Anyone not a Jew, Christian, or Muslim; especially, a member of a tribe, nation, etc. worshiping many gods. 4. Python : A very large, nonvenomous snake of Asia, Africa, and Australia, that squeezes its prey to death. [40 ] Oswaal ISC Section-wise Notes & Summary, ENGLISH PAPER-2 (LITERATURE), Class-XII

5. Defecates : Excretes waste matter from the bowels. 6. Ostracize : To banish, bar, exclude, etc. from a group through rejection by general consent of the members. Characters : 1. Mr. Kiaga : Interpreter of the missionaries 2. Okeke : Interpreter of Mr. Smith 3. Mr. Brown : White missionary 4. Okoli : An outlaw who killed the sacred python qq Chapter - 19 Detailed Summary & Analysis

SUMMARY : Okonkwo feels that his seven years of exile have been a waste of life. He does not feel accomplished even after rising to a high status in such a short span of time in Mbanta. He feels that his position would have been altogether different he would have continued to stay in Umuofia and might have reached the top of his society there. In the seventh year of his exile, Okonkwo starts sending money to Obierika to start preparing in advance for his return and to rebuild his huts in the old compound. He will take care of the fine tuning needed upon his return. Okonkwo wants to show his gratitude towards his maternal kinsmen. As a result, he asks his wives and children to prepare an extravagant meal for the entire village of Mbanta. He invites the descendants of all the kinsmen from a single ancestor during the last two centuries. The meal includes fruits and vegetables, goats and fowls and the like. It is a rich blend of all the traditional dishes of the community. He honors the oldest man at the feast, that is, Uchendu by offering him to break the kola nut. Uchendu prays for the health of all adults and children in the village of Mbanta. Some oldest members of the clan thank Okonkwo for giving such an extravagant meal while drinking wine. Uchendu further shows concern towards the rise in bend of the young towards Christianity and foresaw it as a threat to the death of the tradition and community. Analysis : During his last days in Mbanta, Okonkwo started trying to impress others by doing everything more than what was actually required or by rather overdoing everything. He gave an extravagant parting feast to his maternal kinsmen. However, despite living in Mbanta for seven long years, he still retained his valour and fury as when he left Umuofia. He wants to quickly get back ti Umuofia and make up for the lost time. He prefers Umuofia, a manly clan, to Mbanta, a womanly clan. The closing lines of the chapter prepare the reader for the forthcoming disaster and extinction of traditional clans being overtaken by the Christians. Glossary (Difficult Word Meanings) : 1. Wherewithal : that with which something can be done; necessary means. 2. Egusi : melon seeds prepared for a soup. 3. I cannot live on the bank : One must act according to one’s fortune and circumstances; spittle is of a river and wash my one’s spit hands with spittle 4. Umunna : the extended family, the clan. Oswaal ISC Section-wise Notes & Summary, ENGLISH PAPER-2 (LITERATURE), Class-XII [ 41] Characters :

1. Nneka : First child of Okonkwo in exile, the name means “Mother is Supreme” 2. Nwofia : Second child of Okonkwo in exile, the name means “Begotten in the Wilderness” 3. Ekwefi : Wife of Okonkwo 4. Ojiugo : Wife of Okonkwo 5. Ezinma : Daughter of Ekwefi and Okonkwo 6. Obiageli : Daughter of Ojiugo and Okonkwo Proverb used in the Chapter : ♦♦ “A child cannot pay for its mother’s milk”: Basically, parents who think that their children should pay them back for taking care of them is ridiculous. This is because the parents are the ones that brought them to life and therefore they are responsible for them and should take care of them by nature. qq Chapter - 20 Detailed Summary & Analysis SUMMARY : Okonkwo had already started planning his return back to Umuofia during the first year of his exile itself. He is now shown in a hurry to regain his lost glory and make for the lost time. He built a larger compound for huts than was at the time of his exile. He also added two more huts to the compound for his two new wives. His return is temporarily shadowed by his eldest son, Nwoye converting to Christianity. However, he tries to forget him and looks towards his 5 other sons for making up for Nwoye. He is also proud of his daughter Ezinma who has grown up to be an extremely beautiful girl. Many persons in Mbanta offered to marry her but she politely refused them all. She knows that her father wants her to marry in Umuofia clan. She has encouraged her half-sisters also to do the same. She does not fall ill now anymore. To the disappointment of Okonkwo, the village had undergone drastic changes during the years of his exile. Some of the traditional men who had won titles in the clan had renounced their titles and converted to Christianity. The church had many converts. There is a separate court of law of the Whites in the village. The trial of the people who break the laws of the white men are tried in that court and suitable punishments are awarded to them. The punished people are also sent to a specially made prison. The lowly tasks of arresting, guarding the prisons and administering punishments are executed by the natives employed by the white men. Okonkwo is surprised at the changed behavior of his kinsmen. He could not understand why they are afraid of the oppressive policies, rules and government of the whites. Obierika informs him that the only fear that is preventing them from being violent is a misfortune like Abame where in the entire village was killed by the whites. Similarly, a villager in Umuofia was hanged for a mild dispute over a piece of land. The clansmen are also afraid of fighting with their own kinsmen as many of them have converted to Christianity and have joined Church. Obierika narrates how the white men started settling in a peaceful manner and after strengthening their roots, became harsh and started governing the place without learning their language and respecting their traditions. Analysis : The status in the Umuofian community was determined by the person on his own. This is indicated by the fact that Okonkwo was concerned about his status in the society while others were not bothered about it. The path ahead was clear – all males of the society have to work hard, use the resources, earn the titles and rise in the society. Okonkwo considers the status important as he attaches title to the display of manliness. He built up a larger compound than needed just to make for the lost time as he had been left behind in the race for the titles. He can also encourage his sons to gain titles. By showing attachment to traditional Igbo culture, he wants to show his loyalty towards the community. He considers this to strengthen his chances of earning titles quickly. Okonkwo finds it particularly hard to understand how some of the leaders of the community gave up their titles when they became Christians. The white man introduced some major changes in the village. There was the Christian church that had divided the community as well as the families. One of Achebe’s goals in writing this novel was to demonstrate that the Igbo had developed a sophisticated society, religion, and justice system long before the Europeans arrived. [42 ] Oswaal ISC Section-wise Notes & Summary, ENGLISH PAPER-2 (LITERATURE), Class-XII

The author had depicted the imperial system wherein the colonial government subdued the natives of the place without learning their language or trying to understand their traditions and ways. The white men had employed the natives at lowly posts wherein they were more interested in accepting bribes rather than helping their fellow natives or spreading Christianity or ensuring justice. When Okonkwo asks Obierika that Umuofians should rise up against the white men, Obierika sadly states that it is too late now. Many Umuofians have already switched over to the new religion and joined hands with the strangers to the land. Obierika said that the white man had put a knife on the things that held them together and they have fallen apart. Glossary (Difficult Word Meanings) : 1. Anklet of his titles : When a man achieves a title, he wears a special anklet to indicate his title. He may wear more than one anklet to indicate more titles. 2. Sacrament of Holy Communion : The most sacred ritual of participating Christians. 3. Court messengers : The native Africans hired by the British to carry out their law enforcement activities; also called kotma. Kotma is a Pidgin English word derived from the words court and messenger. Characters : 1. Ezinma : Daughter of Ekwefi and Okonkwo 2. Obiagele : Daughter of Ojiugo and Okonkwo 3. Ogbuefi Ugonna : Winner of two titles, joined Christianity 4. Kotma : Whites and court messengers 5. Ancto : A native hanged by the Whites for killing a fellow native qq Chapter - 21 Detailed Summary & Analysis

SUMMARY : The changes happening all around the Igbo clan were not opposed by everyone. The white men or the Europeans were bringing immense wealth to the village by exporting their palm nut kernels and palm oil. Mr. Brown, the white missionary, learns the Igbo traditions and forms of worship. He often discusses religion with clan elders. He restrains his fellow white men and church members to be oppressive against the villagers or provoke them in any way. He becomes friends with clan leaders who in turn start showing interest in his messages. Mr. Brown asks the village people to send their children to the church school. He tries to show them the reality of life that education alone will help them in retaining control of their land and culture. People of all age started attending school. His efforts gained strength and popularity for the church. However, this proves to be too much of an effort for his health. He is forced to leave church and return back his home in England. Just before his departure, Mr. Brown pays a visit to Okonkwo to tell him about Isaac (the Christian name of Nwoye) and status of his education. However, Okonkwo drives him away and threatens him not to return to the village. Okonkwo is highly dissatisfied by the changes taking place in the Igbo community. He had not foreseen his return to be such saddened and distressed. No one was much aware of his return. He could not proceed with the ceremonies for his sons as the rites are now being held only once in three years. The end of Umuofian fierceness anguishes him. He starts considering manly Umuofian clan slowly becoming womanly. Analysis : The trade institution of the British is established in Umuofia, the third British institution in the village. The Umuofians are paid high prices for their palm nut kernels and palm oil. This keeps them happy and satisfied. They stop tormenting the British. However, the clan starts becoming more and more dependent on the British and start losing their self-sufficiency. Although, the British lifestyle was in stark contrast to the Igbo tradition, yet they were able to convince the natives by influencing them through religion, government and trade. Oswaal ISC Section-wise Notes & Summary, ENGLISH PAPER-2 (LITERATURE), Class-XII [ 43]

The British fill the gaps in the Igbo society. They established a school and a small hospital. They also encouraged the natives to rise above the barriers of castes and accepted outcasts also with open arms. They also familiarized them with ways of earning wealth. The British were of the view that the natives are better off with their changes and wanted natives to show gratitude towards the British for filling in the missing gaps. Glossary (Difficult Word Meanings) : 1. The new dispensation : The new system; the new organisation of society under British influence 2. Kernels : The inner, softer part of a nut, fruit pit, etc. Here, found in the fleshy remains of the palm nut after its husk is crushed for palm-oil. The kernels can be pro- cessed by machine for the extraction of a very fine oil. 3. Ikenga : A carved wooden figure kept by every man in his shrine to symbolise the strength of a man’s right hand. 4. The D.C. : The District Commissioner. 3. Singlets : Men’s undershirts, especially the sleeveless kind. Characters : 1. Mr. Brown : White missionary 2. Enoch : Son of the priest of snake cult, killed and ate the sacred python 3. Akunna : A native who gave his son to the whites to be taught knowledge 4. Chukwu : The leading god in the Igbo hierarchy of gods 5. Isaac : New name of Nwoye after adopting Christianity qq Chapter - 22 Detailed Summary & Analysis

SUMMARY : The Christian missionary, Reverend James Smith, who replaces Mr. Brown is a complete opposite of his predecessor. He is neither compassionate nor accommodative towards the natives. He actually hated the ways in which Mr. Brown used to run the church. He finds that many of the key converts are yet not aware of the Christian ideas and rituals. He blames Mr. Brown to be satisfied by increasing the number of converts instead of developing Christians out of them. He undertakes to retrace the church to original path. He starts showing open intolerance towards the native traditions. To set an example, he suspends a woman whose husband mutilates their dead child in the traditional way. According to the Igbo belief, mutilating the dead body of child in traditional way returns it back to mother’s womb to be born again. Smith criticizes this ideology and titles them as Executors of Devil. Traditionally, the Igbo clan conducts a sacred annual ceremony in honor of Goddess Earth. The egwugwu or the ancestral spirits of the Igbo clan dance to celebrate the occasion. A convert Enoch challenges the egwugwu to punish a Christian. The challenged egwugwu beats Enoch with his cane. In retaliation, Enoch snatches the mask of the egwugwu which is considered as a serious crime in the community. This is ominous as it is considered to equivalent to killing the spirits of the ancestors. Early next day, egwugwu from all neighbouring villages too gather in Umuofia and burn down the compound of Enoch. He takes shelter in the church but the egwugwu hunts him down there also. Mr. Smith tries to stop them at the door of the church. The egwugwu tells him that they will not harm him just for the sake of Mr. Brown was a dear friend to them. However, they intend to demolish the church. Mr. Smith tries to pacify them with the help of his interpreter and conveys to them to leave the matter in his hands. The interpreter however miscommunicates which results in egwugwu burning down the holy Church. By doing this, they intended to calm down their hurt ancestral spirits. [44 ] Oswaal ISC Section-wise Notes & Summary, ENGLISH PAPER-2 (LITERATURE), Class-XII

Analysis : The third British character in the novel is known only by his title, the District Commissioner. The lack of names indicates the threat and arrival of faceless strangers. Enoch’s unmasking of an egwugwu is portrayed as a result of an intolerable offence. In traditional Igbo religion, the ancestral spirit communicates through the mask in which it speaks. The Igbo believe that during this time, the human underneath the mask is not present; the mask is transformed into the spirit. Thus, unmasking the egwugwu kills the ancestral spirit. Enoch’s action exposes the non-divine nature of an egwugwu. Enoch is disappointed that his action and its consequences do not lead upto a religious war between the Igbo clan and the Christians. Enoch’s unmasking of the egwugwu and the subsequent destruction of the church by the Igbo represent the climax of confrontation between traditional Igbo religious beliefs and British Christianity. Glossary (Difficult Word Meanings) :

1. About sheep and : Two frequently quoted teachings of Jesus relate to the need for separating the goats / about wheat good from the bad. In one, he refers to separating the sheep from the goats; and tares in the other, separating the wheat from the tares, or weeds. Mr. Smith was obviously much concerned about dividing the community between the good (the Christian converts) and the bad (the traditional Igbo believers). Not coincidentally, his suspension of a convert is also based on a quotation from Matthew. 2. Prophets of Baal : Mr. Smith is comparing the pagan worship of the Warrior God Baal, mentioned in the Old Testament to the Igbo religion. The Israelites saw the worship of Baal as a rival to their worship of God, causing the prophet Elijah to challenge the prophets of Baal on Mount Carmel. 3. Bull-roarer : A noisemaker made from a length of string or rawhide threaded through an object of wood, stone, pottery, or bone; a ritual device that makes a loud humming noise when swung rapidly overhead. 4. Ogwu : Medicine, magic. 5. Desecrated : To have taken away the sacredness of; treat as not sacred; profane. 6. He body of the white : The egwugwu speak indirectly, using a formal language of immortal spirits. man, I salute you 7. Guttural : Loosely, produced in the throat; harsh, rasping, and so on. Characters : 1. James Smith : Successor of Mr. Brown 2. Enoch : Son of priest of the snake cult, killed and ate the sacred python 3. Ekwensu : Evil spirit 4. Okeke : Interpreter of Mr. Smith 5. Ajofia : Leading egwugwu of Umuofia qq Chapter - 23 Detailed Summary & Analysis

SUMMARY : Okonkwo is happy that his clan is returning back to its manly character by burning down the church. Although he insisted them to kill the missionaries or drive the Christians away from the village, which unfortunately did not happy, yet he starts believing that the life will now be back on track.

After returning from an official trip, the District Commissioner comes to know about the destruction of the church. He invited six village leaders, one of them being Okonkwo, to come and meet him in his office for peaceful talks. They agreed to meet him but decided not to go unarmed. They carry their machetes under their clothes along with them. Oswaal ISC Section-wise Notes & Summary, ENGLISH PAPER-2 (LITERATURE), Class-XII [ 45]

The District Commissioner tricks them into keeping loosen their grip on their weapons. He asks them to narrate the incidents of that day to him and twelve other government officials. The government officials were actually policemen. When one of the leaders started narrating the day’s events, they handcuffed the leaders who were taken by surprise at this turn of events. They were imprisoned in a guardroom. The District Commissioner reminds them they want peaceful resolving of the matter and want to keep distance from violent means until and unless it is necessary. They blamed that leaders have broken the Christian law by hurting Enoch and burning down his house. That was followed by burning down of the sacred church. He tells them they are being taken to prison where they will be treated well. However, their release is on condition of depositing a fine of two hundred cowrie bags. The guards however do not treat them well in the prison. They even shave their heads there. For two days the leader prisoners did not take any food, water or toilet facilities and remained silent. The third day they discuss amongst themselves of the option of paying the fine. Okonkwo blames other of not listening to him and leaving the missionary alive which has resulted in this shameful scenario. He was overheard by a white guard who hits them all with his cane. When the leaders were arrested, the court messenger announced around the village declaring the arrest of their leaders and depositing a fine of two hundred fifty cowrie bags for their release. The messengers intend to keep fifty for themselves showing the infiltration of corruption in the government machinery. The villagers had already heard about the events that took place at Abame and were afraid of same thing happening in their village also. As a result, in an ordinary meeting of the villagers (in absence of their leaders), they decided to collect the money and get their leaders released. Analysis : The chapter explains the tyrannical policies followed by the British towards the natives. They showed that they wanted to hear both sides of the story, yet arrested the leaders before hearing their part of the story. The innocent villagers were forced to pay the fine for the release of their leaders. The court messengers also abuse their position by asking for a higher fine and simultaneously insulting and beating the prisoners. To enforce their policies, the British employ other Africans to help them. The court messengers are also the translators between the British and the Igbo, so their opportunity for corruption is great. The British are partly aware of the corruption of their court messengers but justify it as being in the larger interest of the Igbo society. Glossary (Difficult Word Meanings) :

1. Palaver : A conference or discussion, as originally between African natives and European explorers or traders. 2. A great queen : Queen Victoria, reigning head of the British Empire for sixty- four years 1837- 1901). 3. Who is the chief : The kotma (court messenger) guards see by the anklets that all among you? six leaders own titles and joke that they must not be worth much. Character : 1. Ogbuefi Ekwueme : Winner of three titles qq Chapter - 24 Detailed Summary & Analysis

SUMMARY : The leaders are released by the District commissioner upon payment of fine by the villagers. The leaders do not talk to anyone they meet and quietly return to their respective homes. When Okonkwo returns home, his arrival is awaited by his friends and relatives. He has black marks on his back where the guards had beaten him no one dares to talk to him. Only Obierika comes forward and asks him to eat the food prepared by Ezinma. The village crier calls for a meeting of the clansmen the very next morning. Okonkwo could not sleep at night and lays down planning for his revenge. He wants Umuofians to declare war on the British. He ensures himself that if Umuofia does not call for a war, he will take it on personally as he could not live with the burden of insult borne in the prison. At the meeting, people from neighbouring as well as the fat off places came. Some of those who were close to the British kept themselves away from that meeting. A leader, who was arrested by the British, started addressing the meeting. He emphasized the need for waging a war against the foreigners and dispose of the evil brought by [46 ] Oswaal ISC Section-wise Notes & Summary, ENGLISH PAPER-2 (LITERATURE), Class-XII

them in their community and peaceful life. He sadly affirms that the war will also be against some of the kinsmen who have joined hands with the foreign forces. The meeting is interrupted by the sudden arrival of five court messengers. When Okonkwo tries to stop them from entering the meeting, they tell that the white men have ordered to immediately stop the meeting. In a fury, Okonkwo takes out his machete and cuts off the head of one of the court messengers. Seeing this, the rest of the court messengers run away. No one in the meeting tries to stop them. Okonkwo is depressed by this inaction of his clansmen and faces the brutal reality that they will never wage the war against the foreigners. He cleans his machete with sand and walks away looking tired. Analysis : Upon release from the prison, Okonkwo is eager to prepare for war. He is worried ‘womanly’ clansmen who would not support the war, but he assured himself that he will continue the war, even if he has to do it alone. He will be manly in his actions till the end. When Okonkwo kills one of the court messengers, his fellow clansmen question the necessity of his action. When the realization dawned on him that he alone in this war, he understood that he can’t save his village and its traditions. His Umuofia is on the verge of surrender and Okonkwo himself feels defeated. Glossary (Difficult Word Meanings) : 1. A war of blame : In Chapter 2, the villagers state that a “fight of blame” (which Okonkwo expects the peacemakers to label this fight against the strangers) would never be sanctioned by their Oracle, which approves only a “just war.” Therefore, what Okonkwo is considering may go beyond even the clan’s traditions — a fight for which they may not have full justification from their gods. 2. Creepers : Plants whose stems put out tendrils or rootlets by which they can creep along a surface as they grow. Proverbs used in the Chapter : ♦♦ “Men have learned to shoot without missing their mark and I have learned to fly without perching on a twig”: Basically, external influences have a great enough effect on people to change their fate. ♦♦ “Whenever you see a toad jumping in broad daylight, know that something is after its life”: It is unusual and should be looking for and watching out for what’s going after it. Everything happens for a reason. qq Chapter - 25 Detailed Summary & Analysis

SUMMARY : When the court messenger is killed, the District Commissioner goes to arrest Okonkwo. He finds a small crowd there and enquires about Okonkwo. Obierika informs that Okonkwo is not at home. When the District Commissioner threatens them to tell the truth, Obierika tells them that he can show them where he is and asks the District Commissioner to help them. Obierika takes them to the back compound where Okonkwo has committed suicide by hanging from a tree. According to Igbo tradition, no one touches the body of the person who has committed suicide as it is seen as a crime against the Goddess Earth. He requests the District commissioner and his men to bring down the body of Okonkwo and bury him. The District Commissioner orders his men to bring down the body and the crowd to the court. The District Commissioner is writing a book about his experiences on civilizing the natives of Nigeria. He thinks of adding a chapter or a paragraph about a man who killed the court messenger and then committed suicide. He thinks title his book as The Pacification of the Primitive Tribes of the Lower Niger. Analysis : The climax of the novel demonstrates the cultural and traditional gap between the Europeans and the Igbos. The Commissioner sees himself as benefactor of the natives — one who must maintain his dignity at all times in order to earn the favorable opinion of the natives. He prides himself on having spent many years toiling to bring “civilization to different parts of Africa,” and he has “learned a number of things.” However, in reality, the Commissioner understands very little about the Igbo. The Igbos are technically not advanced but had the complex system of justice, government, society, religion and medicine in Umuofia before the arrival of the British there. Oswaal ISC Section-wise Notes & Summary, ENGLISH PAPER-2 (LITERATURE), Class-XII [ 47] Glossary (Difficult Word Meanings) : 1. Superfluous : Being more than is needed, useful, or wanted; surplus; excessive. 2. Monkey tricks : Possibly a racial slur directed at the natives. 3. Resolute : Having or showing a fixed, firm purpose; determined; resolved; unwavering. 4. Abomination : Anything hateful and disgusting. 5. Yes, sah : Yes sir; the form may be Pidgin English and illustrates how the native- born court messengers submitted to the orders of their white bosses — at least on the surface. qq III - Contemplations : A Collection of Essays

Chapter - 1 : Dream Children — Charles Lamb Summary

The essay ‘Dream Children’, is one of the essays from ‘Essays of Elia’ which Lamb wrote under the pen name of Elia. It is an autobiographical account of the author’s life that was riddled with so many tragedies. The essay expresses the feelings of loss and regret faced by him. This essay is a ‘reverie’ which means that it is nothing but a short day dream conjured by the author. Almost all the characters are real; Mrs. Field, his great grandmother, Uncle John his elder brother, though the two children are merely figments of his imagination as he remained a bachelor all his life. John is a boy imagined by the author and Alice is the imaginary girl through whose eyes Lamb saw his beloved Ann Simmons, who married another man leaving Charles in a sea of agony after seven long years of courtship. In the opening lines, Charles Lamb finds himself surrounded by two children, Alice and John. Just like all the children do, Lamb’s children also wanted him to narrate stories about his ancestors and the bygone days. It was in this spirit that he tells the children about their great grandmother Field, who lived in a great house in Norfolk, which was ‘a hundred times bigger’ than the house where Lamb and the children presently lived. The children appeared to have heard (‘from the ballad of the children in the wood’) about the tragic incidents that had supposedly taken place at that house; a horrible episode of a very cruel uncle who had smothered some children, sometime in the past. The details of this horrific massacre were carved on a wood as ‘Ballad of the Woods’ upon a chimney piece inside the Norfolk mansion. Sadly, the owner of the house replaced the wooden chimney with a marble one, hence, the story was lost. Here, Lamb mentions that, Alice displayed her displeasure when she heard that. Lamb spoke eloquently about his great grandmother Ms. Field, as the kids listened to him with attention. He continues to tell the children that she was a devout Christian and a woman of great piety. She was given the charge of the house since the owner liked to live in a more fashionable mansion. Lamb tells that Ms. Field was religious and a very good lady and was respected by everyone. She took care of the house very carefully. After her, the old ornaments of the house were stripped and set up in the owner’s house. When Lamb mentioned that the old ornaments could not fit decently in the new mansion, John smiled to express his agreement that it was a foolish act. She was such ‘a famous and a religious woman’ that huge number of people attended her funeral ; her admirers from far and wide converged in her house to pay their tributes. Lamb continues to tell that ‘she knew all Psaltery by heart’ and also ‘a great part of the Testament too’. At this point Alice spreads her hands in gesture. Ms. Field was a tall, upright and a graceful person who was esteemed as the best dancer in her youth, till she got afflicted with cancer and her zest for dancing took a beating. Alice’s little right foot played an involuntary movement on knowing about her great grandmother’s dancing talent. However, this crippling disease failed to diminish grandma Field’s spirit as she was a nice human being and very religious too. Ms. Field’s, Lamb continued to tell the children, was a brave woman, for she slept in a solitary room in the large house, on her own, despite her belief that the ghosts of two infants glided up and down the staircase near the place where she slept. Her world stayed calm as she said that the spirits of the infants were too innocent to harm her. While contrary to her, during those days, Lamb himself used to sleep next to the maid out of fear. Lamb tells the children that though he was far less religious, yet he never saw the ghosts. At this point, John raised his eyebrow in an effort to look courageous. Further speaking about Ms. Field, Lamb mentions that she was very good to all her grand children. This proves that her affection towards her grand children still remained vivid in his memory. She allowed them a free run over the house garden that had various fruit trees. When Lamb visited her during his holidays, he loved to observe with interest the Roman royalty; [48 ] Oswaal ISC Section-wise Notes & Summary, ENGLISH PAPER-2 (LITERATURE), Class-XII

the busts of the Twelve Caesars. He would love roaming about the huge mansion, its vast empty rooms, worn-out hangings, fluttering tapestry, carved oaken panels, etc. There was also a spacious garden with trees like peach, nectarine, orange and many others. Hearing this account, Alice and John who were seated near their father, heard the influence of Lamb’s description of fruit trees by ignoring the bunch of grapes which they would have otherwise wanted to have. In somewhat heightened tone, Lamb told the children that their great grandmother loved all her grand children, though she had a special fondness for their Uncle John L. He was more handsome and spirited than the rest and liked to go on a horse ride for long distances and would even join the hunters at times. Lamb told the children how their uncle John L. would carry him on his back when he was a lame – footed boy. Lamb recalls that when his elder brother became lame – footed in the later years, Lamb probably failed to reciprocate him in the similar manner like he was treated by his elder brother. Lamb mentions how he had missed their uncle when he died, although he did not express his emotions much. He said he missed their uncle’s kindness as well as his crossness. He wished him to be alive, to be rather quarrelling with him just like any other sibling, rather than not have him again. The children felt sorry and uncomfortable with the description of their uncle and urged Lamb to rather tell them about their pretty, dead mother. Charles Lamb proceeded to name her; ‘Alice W___n’, though he held back the true name ‘Ann Simmons’. He told that he had courted her for seven long years but the romance and the efforts were all futile. He clarified to the children how he had faced problems due to her ‘coyness’ and ‘denial’. He expressed his dismay at her refusing to marry him. Just around this time, Charles saw some uncanny resemblance in the faces of Alice and Ann Simmons. It seemed as though Ann was speaking to him through Alice. At this point, the story takes an abrupt turn. Gradually, the children started growing fainter to his view and receded into two mournful creatures appearing at a distance. He suddenly wakes up from his sleep and finds himself lying on his arm chair. Curtains fall on his lovelorn past and the hard reality prevails. He finds himself sitting in his bachelor armchair with his sister Mary by his side. He states that James Elia who had been narrating the essay, no longer lived in this world. qq

Chapter - 2 : Voice of Humanity — Rabindranath Tagore Summary

The essay ‘Voice of Humanity’ is originally a lecture delivered at Milan during Tagore’s first visit to Italy under Mussolini, was published in Lectures and Addresses in 1928. Undoubtedly, it was an overwhelming experience for the eminent writer (Tagore) from the East. Tagore loved every moment of his stay, bathing himself in the literary, architectural and scientific heritage of his host country and Europe in general. This essay is a transcript of his lecture before on audience of elite intellectuals. He felt both humbled and honoured to address such a gathering. He begins with an informal note, expressing his eagerness to ‘live’ the moment. He told his listeners that he stood there, not as a speaker who would be prepared with a speech over a topic, but rather was a poet, more of spontaneous than prepared and refined. Tagore knew that English was neither his nor the Italians’ mother tongue. However, he half – heartedly acknowledged English being the only common language in which he could communicate with the audience. He, thus, expresses his sorrow and regret for putting his listeners to such inconvenience. Continuing with the address, Tagore tells his listeners about what he would be speaking to them; he wanted to explain to them his urge to have travelled thousands of miles to have come to their country. Tagore was a deeply spiritual and contemplative man. He saw God everywhere, his vision of the Divine transcended, religious or national barrier. Thus, he explained to the audience that he had come on a pilgrimage to explore the place where the landscape bristles with Divine creativity and love. Numerous layers of sublime manifestation of Divinity had enriched Italy. In the true Eastern tradition, he has come to discover the Divine hand there. Quite clearly, Europe’s astounding progress in all facets of culture and civilization seems to have greatly impressed the young author. The blossoming of the human spirit in this distant continent which he considered to be a holy-land, Tagore felt it worthy to be called a shrine. In 1921, Tagore was driven by the world because the inquisitive minds of its people were always active and restless. The frenzied intellectual activity that ensued led to some spectacular advances in literature, art, science, philosophy and technology. In contrast, around that time, Asia seemed to be asleep, losing its initiative, verve and drive. Such indolence led to lethargy, backwardness and poverty. Barring just a handful of bright minds engaged in the pursuit of knowledge and skill, the whole continent seemed to be asleep. Tagore then left his own work at Shantiniketan and came to Europe on a pilgrimage, in order to experience its electrifying energy and creativity. Oswaal ISC Section-wise Notes & Summary, ENGLISH PAPER-2 (LITERATURE), Class-XII [ 49]

Tagore continues to tell the audience that it was however not his maiden visit to Europe. In the year 1878, when he was a young boy of 17 years, he had set foot on the shores of Italy along with his elder brother. He explains that during those times, people in the East held Europe in awe and wonder. Although his knowledge of English was far from being exemplary, the author had read the works of the literary icons of Europe and was aware of the literary resurgence that was sweeping the continent. Narrating his first encounter with the beauty of Italy, Tagore says that, in the moonlit shores of Brindisi in Italy, the steamer in which he was travelling with his brother, landed. The breathtaking beauty of this alien land manifested in the blue waters of the ocean, the bewitching landscape, virtually swept Tagore off his feet. Never had he seen such a sight earlier. Tagore was happy and relieved to find that Brindisi was a small town, without any daunting façade of the cities. The place was unusually quiet, but at the same time, very welcoming. Tagore already savoured the romance of literature and had begun to dream. The two brothers stayed in an ordinary hotel with the most basic facilities. But, being in Europe had set his heart aflutter. The next day Tagore, along with his brother and an Indian friend, ventured out to a nearby orchard. The place was unguarded and no one accosted them. The sun shone liberally over the orchard, setting the garden lit with a golden glow. There, Tagore saw a youthful damsel plucking the grapes. She had a coloured scarf around her head. Tagore, who was seventeen then; a youth, was spellbound by her charm which was accentuated by sunlight. Tagore, though got reminded that he was a guest in a foreign land, hence, must conduct himself with dignity. Tagore was the only one with triggered emotions of love, though it didn’t rekindle any romantic instincts in his brother or their companion. The three left the place soon. Tagore was a truant by nature and a difficult pupil in his traditional skill. The four walls of the school room felt like a confinement to him. He refused to be schooled in the traditional way, hence his guardians sent him to England so that he could learn good English – the language which was the key to respectability and accomplishment. Tagore then finally landed in England. As it was winter there, the harsh chill made life quite unpleasant for him. The trees stood bare with all the leaves gone, with hardly any crowd on the road, in contrast to the bustle of Indian cities. This contrast rattled the author, leaving him disconcerted and lonely. The place seemed so distant and unwelcoming. From the lodging’s window, he fixed his gaze at the Regent’s Park, wondering what a bewildering land he had come to. Perhaps, Tagore felt too young to have understood the spirit of England at that time. He felt lost pinning for his homeland. After a stint of rigorous education, Tagore returned home and felt more disinclined to pursue formal education that would give him a degree. He spent time in laziness doing little, but soon started writing stories, novels and poems. He wrote profusely, sitting on the banks of the Ganges. His restive mind found fulfillment in Literature. He was oblivious of the tumultuous political changes that were happening around the world then. Tagore’s mind underwent a sea of changes. He no longer liked to work in seclusion, instead, wanted to be among the crowd. He loved children and loved to guide them as they grew up. He knew that the system of classroom education stifled and caged many young bright minds. Tagore wanted these young minds to savour the taste of education in a free environment. He chose a secluded place, away from the maddening crowd, where he could school the students in the lap of Nature. During all this, Tagore seemed to hear a distant call; a summon from the land where human endeavour and spirit had reached its pinnacle. He wanted to go on a pilgrimage again in order to explore, learn and feast his senses with the best of human civilization. He knew that it was Europe that stood at the forefront of humankind’s progress, hence, that was were he wanted to go. By then, Tagore had grown up and was a well-read man. He had studied History, Literature and all such subjects. He had read the works of some eminent writers like, Wordsworth. The hatred, oppression, exploitation, revenge and wars that had ravaged the human race made him sorrowful. Tagore concluded that man was the worst enemy of man. Despite such gloomy thoughts, Tagore remained an optimist, believing that the noble wisdom of mankind will eventually dispel the dark forces one day, bringing in an age of harmony, peace and progress. Sadly, though, when he reached England, the land of his quest, the entire Europe was gripped with strife, discord, upheavals and war. There were whirlwinds of suspicion, jealousy and greed. The passion to create had ceded place to passion for destruction. This was a depressing sight for Tagore. While travelling from Calais to England, Tagore saw the bush green farms through which the train track ran. The bounty of the fields filled his heart with joy. He marveled at the hardworking nature of the farmers who had grown the crops. These great sons of the soil had done extremely valuable service to their motherland. Their dedication deserved the highest praise, because through their sweat and sacrifice, they had brought security and sufficiency of their countries and to the mankind at large. On the land where such worthy toiling men lived, misery couldn’t set foot. But Tagore wondered as to why was Europe so riven with the ugly and the unbearable. Tagore continues saying that, Europe’s children did fairly well till their endeavours were restricted to solving their own land’s problems. Through the application of their intelligence, ingenuity and their penchant for perfection, they did quite well. They brought prosperity and abundance to themselves. However, with the advent of science and technology, new challenges had emerged. Europe began to look far beyond its shores. Such adventure unleashed huge political, military and economic challenges. Harmony was replaced by discord and shaken by tempestuous events. A holistic and enduring solution to the new challenges was yet to be found. One wrong solution may lead to unintended consequences. [50 ] Oswaal ISC Section-wise Notes & Summary, ENGLISH PAPER-2 (LITERATURE), Class-XII

A great truth was laid bare before Europe and its people. How one dealt with the situation, decided one’s destiny. Denial of the fact could rapidly degenerate humanity. The virtues like love of justice, freedom and beauty, that once characterized Europe would become the things of the past. In the relentless pursuit of profit, production, trade, etc. Europe would lose the nobler virtues of art, creativity, and the softer side of the human civilization, tragically disempowering Europe of her tender core. Deprivation, misery and suffering would eventually follow. Tagore proceeds to analyse how Europe could build her huge repository for the best of human achievements. According to him, it all came through patient pursuit of perfection. The patience was borne out of love. Tagore says that, the legendary artists of Europe worked endlessly to reach perfection on the timeset of things. Such passionate efforts and perseverance are a must for a profit – oriented commerce – driven society greed and creativity, are an absolute contrast. A greedy man can never be passionate for perfection and the sad part is that greed has unfortunately overtaken Europe. The shift towards profit and gain has dispelled creativity and beauty from the human mind. The voices of sanity, restraint and the sublime have become too feeble to be heard. Man’s inner voice is lost in the din of factories. Despite all this, Tagore applauds the march of science. In this domain, Europe has led the world. Nature’s secrets have been gradually decoded and the benefits have been passed on to the future generations of mankind. Europe has made stellar contribution in pushing the limits of the infinite, but so much more needs to be done. True happiness lies in relentlessly continuing the quest to unravel Nature. Here, Tagore tries to clear the air, stating that the material world is not all bad. He likens it to the nurse and cradle that nurture life and the human spirit. Europe has taken to the material world and has brought goods and conveniences to human living. However, Tagore cites a note of caution here. He thinks that Europeans must not be too possessive about whatever they have gained in science and wealth generation through industrialization. They must assume that the gains belong to the whole mankind. Through such generosity can they lay their claim to real greatness. Continuing with the same thought Tagore says that by keeping the new – found knowledge of science close to themselves will do the Europeans no good. They must willingly share the scientific gains with the rest of the world, for by doing so, its best brains would redeem themselves. There are some truths which do not come under the domain of science. Such truths must be allowed to fuse with the ones unraveled by science. Though sadly, the truths of non – scientific domain are disregarded, leading to the evil plaguing Europe. Tagore feels that, mightier the weapon one has, the stronger should be the restraint in using them. He laments that though Europe pioneered in science, it failed to circumscribe its devilish power. As a result, Europe faces immense danger now. While crying out for peace, they have invented more formidable weapons, leading to more violence. The craving for peace must come from within for it to be enduring. Peace imposed from outside by force has only limited effect. In the matters of ensuring lasting peace and tranquility, the virtues of sympathy and self – sacrifice are more potent than the efficacy of mass mobilization. Tagore has always been an optimist. He believed that ultimately, the goodness of the human spirit would prevail. The manner in which sun gets temporarily covered by clouds, the human spirit too has got besmirched by the evil instincts, but only temporarily, and would regain its radiance sooner or later. Some naive Europeans cite their scientific prowess to justify their instincts to subjugate others. However, like the earthquake unleashes great ferocity to shake the earth temporarily, similarly the bombast of the colonizers would fall flat in the times to come. Some of these powers, who thought who would be eternally supreme, are beginning to crumble and are fading into the past. Only those nations who can think and act beyond their borders, transcending narrow nationalism, can ultimately survive and prosper. Hence, for the everlasting gain, the benefits of one’s progress must be shared with others. For mankind to be closely knit into one entity, the whole human race needs to think and work like one, ignoring their claims of supremacy. That would signal the triumph of Truth. In his concluding note, Tagore humbly tells his listeners that he has come to Europe in search of ‘Voice of Humanity,’ which has been dampened by the clamour to amass wealth and power by the most brutal means. Fortunately, this dormant voice is beginning to be heard more clearly and loudly. With time, this would assume the level of a thunder which no one can ignore. qq Oswaal ISC Section-wise Notes & Summary, ENGLISH PAPER-2 (LITERATURE), Class-XII [ 51]

Chapter - 3 : On Going Out for a Walk — Max Beerbohm Summary ‘Going out for a walk’ is an essay by Max Beerbohm, which was written in 1918 and published in 1920 in the essay collec- tion ‘And Even Now’. It is a delicately written humorous essay on the ridiculous vanity of Going Out For a Walk. Beerbohm challenges the very notion that walking for its own sake is a noble and productive exercise – especially if one is accompanied by a talkative companion. In the essay, Max rather contradicts the popular statement, ‘a sound mind in a sound body.’ He looks at walking in a rather different perspective. He details, in good humour, the reasons why he detests walking for leisure. At the onset, Max states quite unapologetically, that never in his life has he ever ventured out for a stroll out of his own will. Recounting his early childhood days when a nurse used to take him out for a walk, he remembered talking ceaselessly with her, but even then he had not experienced any great excitement. He grew up and in due course, moved to London. The metropolis with its din and hustle – bustle was not quite an ideal place for carefree walkers. The author, hence, got some respite here as he didn’t and couldn’t go out for walk. London is known for its hectic face, frenzied movements, high decibels and dust kicked by the speeding vehicles. It is not a walker’s paradise. So walking is not a fashionable pastime here. For these reasons, Max never went out for a walk, nor did anyone ask him to accompany. On the contrary, life in the countryside is laid back and easy paced. Unless it is raining, people set out for walk. Instinctively, they ask Max to accompany them, not realizing that he hardly likes the experience. These walk- ing enthusiasts feel that walking is a noble hobby that triggers new ideas in brain and rekindles noble thoughts in the mind. Hence, such enthusiasts thought that asking someone to accompany them for a walk was a good thing. These walk enthusiasts especially consider it their right to impose their will on whomever they saw comfortably settled in an arm – chair, reading. Max obviously prefers to stay home. Max says that it’s easy to say a ‘no’ to the proposal put forth by an old friend. But, in case of an acquaintance, one has to come up with excuses, best of all being the excuse stating that he has letters to write. Though Max agrees to the fact that this particular formula of excuse has its own limitation and becomes unsatisfactory under three situations. Continuing with the explanation of the three situations, Max says that in the first case, people generally tend not to believe it. Secondly, the excuse of writing letter makes you to actually rise from the armchair, proceed to the writing table and act as if one is really into writing some letter. Till the acquaintance leaves the entrance, one needs to remain seated near the table so as not to arouse any doubt. Lastly, the excuse becomes a complete failure if the day of proposal for walk happens to be a Sunday morning. The walk enthusiasts will clearly clinch the matter by suggesting that no post goes out till the evening. Hence, one is left with no choice but to quietly join them for the walk. The admirers of walking hold it as a highly laudable and an exemplary thing. They like walking for walking’s sake. But Max objects to the notion saying that it rather stops the brain. The walk-mongers may claim that their brain works the best while walking, but for Max, the opposite experience has proved to be true. Even the most brilliant and witty walkers lose their power to instruct or amuse as soon as one starts walking. Max is convinced that when a person begins to walk, his creative mind sinks into inactivity. He can neither think, articulate nor even joke. While comfortably seated on a chair or even standing near the hearth, he is found to be mentally quite productive. Clearly, the mind becomes dumb and empty. The movement of the feet seems to tie down the brain. Instead of talking intelligently on substantive issues, he engages in frivolous empty comments which mean nothing. Max cites the example of one such walking companion, whom he cryptically names ‘A’. On one occasion as ‘A’ walked, he stopped thinking and began to read sign boards, milestones and any such trivia that his eyes fell on along the way. Max then tells that when ‘A’ sat down for lunch, his mind regained its vitality. He started to have same conversations, amused others and appeared a normal man with a normal brain. Max thought that after the walk earlier in the day, ‘A’ would never go out on a walking expedition as he had gone numb in the brain. But, to his surprise, ‘A’ set out again for another walking expedition with a different companion. Max looks over at them till they are out of sight. He knows what ‘A’ would be telling his friend; that Max is a dull companion to walk with. Then, with the brain in stupor, ‘A’ would devote in reading the roadside signboards. Max wonders why people who go walking for walking’s sake suffer a sudden and immediate deterioration in their mental faculty. He attributes it to a conflict between the soul and the brain. The soul is something that transcends reason and it issues the command ‘Quick march’ to the body. But the brain questions the soul’s intention and wants to know where actually he is sending the body. The walking enthusiast vainly assumes that walking imparts nobility and character to one’s personality. But in reality, the brain continues to be totally static and inactive, opposite to the state of body, till the body decides to get over with the walking. On the other hand, Max feels that it is advisable to sleep in spare time so that the body gets suitably charged. If a person has to go for work to a certain place, he instinctively takes a vehicle to cover the distance. He does not have to work his brain for this decision. Unless walking, it’s the best thing to do. During the walk, brain stops doing any serious work other than minor routine ones. Walking is viable as long as the legs can take the strain. Max states that the idea for this essay was conceived when he had gone out for a walk. In an attempt to clear his stand, Max says that he is not someone who abhors walking and doesn’t go out of the way to avoid exercise. He does exercise moderately, walking is rather good for one, though physically. But he will never go out for a walk without reason and would rather take a vehicle whenever available. Max says [52 ] Oswaal ISC Section-wise Notes & Summary, ENGLISH PAPER-2 (LITERATURE), Class-XII

that there are certain people who have some morbid fears about their health and they overdo physical activity with the hope that it’s a cure for all the illness. In moderation, walking is desirable. However, especially finding a reason to go on long walks, like going to a friend, is a foolish pretension. qq

Chapter - 4 : Gifts — R.W. Emerson Summary

First printed in the periodical ‘The Dial’, ‘Gifts’, is the final piece of writing in Emerson’s ‘Essays’; Second Series. It was published by James Munroe and Company in the year 1844. The essay speaks about Emerson’s idealism wherein he defined the gift as ‘a portion of thyself’ rather than something that could be purchased. The essay dwells upon the virtues of selfless giving. In this essay, Emerson encourages the reader to do some ‘high thinking’ about the nature of both ‘gift giving’ and ‘gift receiving’. The essay, ‘Gifts’ starts with a quote “Gift of Ones… stopped for shame.” Emerson gives us a preview to the essay stating that a person yearns for the love from others. When people love others, they present him with gifts. When love disappears, gifts cease to come. Such melting away of love is highly unfortunate and it should put the gift giver to shame. The undertone of the quote is emphasizing upon the importance of love. Emerson states that there is a perennial shortage of gifts and gift – givers in the world. There is so much dearth of it that the world seems to be constantly trying to grapple with the shortage. During Christmas and New Year, one has a strong urge to give gifts as a generous act, but the scarcity of gifts seem to exceed. The main problem in gifting is to decide what exactly is to be gifted, for the judicious selection of a gift puts a lasting impression on the mind of the receiver, whereas an impulsion. Here, Emerson specifies by stating his personal example that if, at any time, he is due to gift somebody then he gets puzzled even after the time and opportunity of giving away the gift is gone. Discussing about the choice of gifts, Emerson finds ‘Flowers’ and ‘Fruits’ as the two very obvious choices. Flowers, he says, symbolize the loftiest and most charming offerings of the nature. They beguile the mind through their breathtaking beauty and variety. Nature at times unveils its dark side to us, however, a blossom emerges from the morbid background bringing with it, its genteel, fresh and bewitching face. Flowers, undoubtedly, are the messengers of love and sublime creativity. They make us feel good, loved, wanted and important. Flowers flatter us in a subtle way. They give us pleasure by hinting upon what we mean to whom. Fruits, Emerson states, are an adorable item to be gifted, to a large extent. Fruits, just like flowers, are nature’s best offerings to its children. They assure of providing a sense of satisfaction with the satiating values attached to it. Emerson explains with a situation that if a fruit grower walks an unusually long distance, carrying the basket of fruit on his back and present it to his friend, the sheer labour involved in the transportation of the fruit and the love of the giver for the recipient, proportionally enhances his self – importance. Emerson now talks about the ordinary gifts, those other than flowers and fruits. In his view, Emerson states that the ‘necessity for the recipient’ is a good parameter to analyze while choosing a gift. He states a few examples like, presenting a pair of shoes to a barefooted person will definitely fill his heart with an instant joy since he was craving for a pair of shoes. Hence, ordinary day-to-day items make a great gifting idea as they mean to satisfy the first want of the receiver. Seeing a hungry man eating with relish is always a pleasing sight. So gifting food items to the ones who need it, is a great thought. The next parameter to decide on a gift is the convey of thought which properly suits the character of the gift – receiver. For instance, gifting something that might suit the hobby or desire of the receiver makes for a good choice. Though Emerson says that we tend to apologize when we choose rings or jewels as gifts. He says that these are no gifts but a shame on gifts as they convey no amount of personal sentiment or sacrifice, rather, the giver expects the receiver to love it just for its monetary worth. Herein, Emerson emphasizes the fact that ‘The only gift is a portion of thyself.’ One must give a part of himself in the gift, while gifting someone, for that will speak volumes about the love and the emotional bond shared between the two. Emerson justifies this thought by stating that when a poet brings his poem, a shepherd when brings a lamb from his herd, a farmer brings a portion of his harvest, the miner gets a gem, the sailor when gifts a coral and shells, the painter when gets a picture and a girl when gifts a handkerchief which is self – sewed, the giver parts with a portion of his own self. In the same thought, when a person gifts another his biography, he instantly builds an emotional bond. Such gifts are valued and are received with utter warmth and delight. In terms of monetary value, such gifts may be insignificant but for the recipient they are priceless and an absolute treasure. Such gifts touch the heart. Emerson says that, in his personal opinion, when a person shops to buy a gift, something which does not represent the giver’s life and talent, the intention of giving gift reduces to an effort for enhancing one’s own standing, or as atonement sums for sins. Such practice of choosing ready-made items of high value is seen among the elite and the royalty. However, such gifts Oswaal ISC Section-wise Notes & Summary, ENGLISH PAPER-2 (LITERATURE), Class-XII [ 53]

are cold, impersonal and detached in nature, hence become a mere formal act of gifting rather than building up a bond between the gift-giver and the gift-receiver. Emerson further discusses a very important aspect of the culture of ‘gifting’. In his opinion, the practice of giving or receiving gift is a delicate job that requires careful judgement. Normally, a self-respecting man doesn’t like receiving gifts for they like to be self-sustained and, therefore, tend to get upset and unforgiving towards the gift-giver. Only those gifts that express genuine and unselfish love are positively received. One can accept anything which is given out of love, but when someone gives gifts in a condescend attitude, the person receiving it feels hurt and humiliated and might show his displeasure overtly for one feels obliged. So, gift-giving carries with it some risk. For instance, Emerson states, we might feel guilty while eating the meat for it had been reared by someone else’s effort and investment, hence adding an element of degrading dependency to it. Emerson continues further, though now he sounds didactic. He says that there is a major risk attached to receiving gifts. He kind of preaches us and says that if someone gives us a gift, we should make it a point not to take anything else from him. Emerson says that our expectations from others is limitless. We ask for everything, ranging from earth, fire, water, opportunity, love, reverence, etc. We expect all our needs to be given to us as gifts. Such expectations which are borne out of greed and laziness are degrading in nature and, therefore, need to be avoided. Being able to receive gifts with dignity and grace is a virtue. We should restrain our feelings while receiving gifts and curb the overt expressions of joy or disappointment at the time of accepting gifts for it degrades the sole purpose of gifting. When a gift comes from someone who isn’t aware of the nature and spirit of the receiver, it causes more harm than good, for it reveals the unconcerned attitude of the giver. Gifts given just as mere ‘giveaways’ are vexatious, because the reason behind gifting isn’t mutual love or admiration. Even in the situations when the receiver likes the gift that he has received, he is expected to hold onto his expression of extreme joy for it will be embarrassing for the giver to find that the gift is adored more than the giver himself. Emerson emphasizes again the true spirit of gifting, which is nothing more than a flow of mutual love between the gift-giver and the receiver of it. The idea of the ‘usefulness’ of the gift does not hold good in a situation where both, the giver and receiver, are intimate friends and are of equal means. In such a cash, a modest gift may be misguided as a slight. The receiver might feel annoyed on getting such a ‘small’ gift. He might, out of greed, desire to be given a large chunk of the giver’s assets. Instead of thanking, he might end up getting angry with the giver. Emerson suggests that it is rather better to keep away from such ungrateful, mean and greedy people. Emerson suggests people to remain detached and unaffected on receiving a gift. Stating the Buddhists, he says that they behave with rare equanimity on being flattered or honoured with gifts. So all should behave like them. In Emerson’s view, the reason for such discords between the gift-giver and receiver is that in many cases or on many occasions, the gift, that is given, fails to communicate with both, the giver and the receiver. Emerson says that no gift is apt for a magnanimous person, because when one works for a magnanimous person, he rewards so profusely that one instantly becomes indebted to him. His generosity makes him a difficult person to be chosen to give a gift to, since such altruistic persons are always prompt in helping a friend in need. It, thus, becomes very difficult to extend even a minor service to them. In our daily life, we interact with our friends. At times we are good to them and at times our acts may be evil. All this happens so frequently that we fail to thank our friends for their good deeds. Emerson suggests here that if we are unable to render a service to someone directly, we can do collective good by sticking to a moral and honest behavior. In Emerson’s opinion ‘the power of love is a genius gift and the best of all.’ He states that love is all encompassing and universally sought. A gift that sings in love should be accepted with utmost joy. One should never attempt to qualify such a show of love. Some people are eminently placed to give worthy gifts, hence one should embrace it with pleasure. One cannot pursue gifts and get them. They come on their own, unsolicited. Emerson concludes by saying that when the charm of love is missing, no amount of gift, either in quantity or value, should be accepted by us. He says that personally, through his well meaning advice, he received some intellectual satisfaction. Those who benefit from his sermons but fail to thank him, he is morally bound to love them too. qq

Chapter - 5 : On the Decay of the Art of Lying — Mark Twain Summary

‘On the Decay of the Art of Lying’ by Mark Twain, is a short essay that was composed in the year 1880 for a meeting of the Historical and Antiquarian Club of Hartford, Connecticut. He published the text in The Stolen White Elephant Etc. (1882). In the essay, Twain laments the four ways in which men of America’s Gilded Age employ man’s ‘most faithful friend.’ The essay, Twain notes, was “offered for the thirty – dollar prize,” but it “did not take the prize.” A cursory look at the title of this essay may lead a reader to believe that the author is out to corrupt the society with immoral sermons. Whereas, the case is exactly opposite. Mark Twain is too upright a man to stoop low. Through this essay, which bristles with humor, satire and mild sarcasm, he has implored people to look within and discover that in reality, all of them [54 ] Oswaal ISC Section-wise Notes & Summary, ENGLISH PAPER-2 (LITERATURE), Class-XII

resort to falsehood in some way. One need not be so apologetic about it, for it is always advisable to couch the truth with some cosmetic fleas and words to nullify its sting. Speaking to the members of the club, Twain opened his speech in a manner that came as a shock to the audience. They heard how the distinguished speaker, Mark Twain, eulogized the timeless tradition of telling lies for various benefits like recreation, escaping a punishment, solace or just to give a good feeling. It is “man’s best and surest friend”, a practice that is immortal and imperishable. Twain says that his simple complain is about the decay of the art of lying. With great humility, Twain says that his august audience must be better aware of the fact that the noble art of lying had been corrupted in recent times. Personally, he says, that he uses this art of lying “more in the spirit of admiration than fault- finding.” Twain believes that this art of lying has received a lot of attention, encouragement and conscientious practice and development from the members he was addressing to. Twain tells his audience to not feel offended for being identified as people who lie on occasions for in his view, lying was a noble art and not something to be ashamed of. Twain, though, speaks his heart out saying that, he wished to reveal the names of the people from the audience who resorted to lying as a means of their civilized existence, but, he resisted the temptation in order not to offend anyone. Hence, he preferred confining himself to general examples only. Twain emphasizes upon lying as a necessity of the circumstances, which becomes a virtue when in need. One should know how to use the art of lying in the most befitting manner and this can only be done through its careful and diligent application as it sharpens the skill of lying. Quite assertively, he states that the noble art of lying should be taught in schools, also through newspapers because in his opinion, only an expert at lying can make an apt usage of the skill, in comparison to an ‘uncultivated’ or unskilled one. Hence, early and widespread exposure to teaching the art of lying, in schools and through newspapers, is advised. Mark Twain then questions upon the chances of a common man winning against a lawyer. He says that the lawyers lie to win a case, but they do it judiciously as they are masters of it. A common man stands no chance when pitted against a lawyer as he is bound to prevail. Hence, Twain advices to better remain silent than to lie injudiciously and be exposed to ridicule. To validate his thoughts, Mark Twain states various examples, the first one being a venerable proverb by some philosophers. The proverb goes like this, “Children and fools always speak the truth.” The inference is pretty obvious; the adults and wise people never speak complete truth and do resort to lying when needed. He further quotes Parkman, the historian, who had said that, “The principle of truth may itself be carried into an absurdity.” Twain says that in the similar chapter, Parkman has somewhere stated that its an old saying to avoid speaking truth always as only the people who are of weak conscience and violate this rule are nothing but imbeciles and nuisance. Twain says that though Parkman may sound too harsh and blatant, yet his remark is true in practical sense. He admits that no individual can merely survive upon speaking blatant truth always for somewhere or the other, one feels the necessity to take resort to lying. Twain seems relaxed in his tone for having this option of lying always available at hand for man. He says a “habitual truth-teller is simply an impossible creature.” Such a person, in Twain’s opinion, does not exist and is least likely to have ever existed. Speaking about people who ‘believe’ that they never lie is a mere ignorance on their part and this ignorance does not speak high of our civilization. According to him, every single person lies purposely. Lying is a clearly thought-out action, done purposely; everybody lies every day, every hour, either asleep or awake, while dreaming, in state of happiness or mourning. Its not just by uttering words, people also tend to lie without speaking too; through the actions of their hands, feet, eyes or even their attitude which conveys deception. Mark Twain further says that even sermons carry a tinge of lies but that has become more of a cliché. Twain then states a close example of a few ladies who lived in a far country, where he once lived. The ladies would go around paying calls under the humane and kind pretence of wanting to see each other, but the actual pretext was about not staying at home which gave more satisfaction than the urge of meeting others. Hence, that’s how lie flows through the life in common. With the mention of this humorous instance, Twain questions the validation of the use of lies as being justified. Twain, says further, answering to the question raised by him only, that this mild form of lying is probably correct and seems noble for the idea was to make the others feel good when the ladies expressed their happiness of having met a few. It was not done with the object of reaping any profit. Herein, Twain marks a satirical comment for a ‘truth-monger’ saying, that such a person would blatantly reveal the fact of him having no interest in seeing the people, which would only lead to unnecessary pain. He says that those ladies in that country had numerous ways of lying, that grew out of gentle impulses but were refined with intelligent application. Further, he suggests to let go of stating particular instances of people lying in that country for he believed that everyone there was a lair in some way or the other. The common exchange of ‘How do you do?’ were a mere act of formal greeting for neither the enquirer nor the one responding were serious about knowing or putting up the true record. Twain then gives an example of the exchange of word games on meeting a stranger and yet expressing the joy of having met each other. The words mean exactly opposite of what is being uttered in the conversation. Doing so, both the parties abstained from getting hurt. On the contrary, the truth would have made both the parties unhappy. Twain calls this to be courteous lying which is a sweet and a loving art which should be promoted, for such a form of lying is unselfish and done for a charitable purpose. Oswaal ISC Section-wise Notes & Summary, ENGLISH PAPER-2 (LITERATURE), Class-XII [ 55]

Twain now switches his tone to a serious level and says that, what he bemoans is the growing prevalence of brutal truth. He suggests the need to eradicate this practice. “An injurious truth has no merit over an injurious lie.” In his opinion, neither should ever be uttered. Both, an injurious lie and an injurious truth are uncommendable. This is one fact that is even recognized by the law of libel. Twain explains the difference between the cases of injurious truth against unselfish lying. He loathes a person who speaks an injurious truth. For one who utters an unselfish lie is even commended by the angels and is considered “an heroic soul who casts his own welfare in jeopardy to succor his neighbor’s.” Such a magnanimous liar should be praised. Mark Twain further speaks about another form of lying which is ‘the silent lie.’ This is wherein, one conveys deception by keeping still and concealing the truth. This mode of lying is generally followed by obstinate truth mongers who think that if they speak no lie, they don’t lie at all. But this is far from truth. Twain again states the example of a lady who lived in a far country where he had once lived. He says that once when he was at the lady’s house for dinner, they indulged into a conversation wherein Twain claimed that all the people were liars to which the lady objected. Though, when Twain ranked her as being an expert in lying, she suggested him to change the topic of discussion for the children too were present at the dinner table. Though when the children had left, they resumed the topic of conversation. When the lady questioned Twain of stating one instance wherein she had lied and hurt him, he continues to give out the details. To this request of hers, Twain shares the story of the nurse who had once come to the lady’s house to take care of her little nephew when he was dangerously ill. After availing her services, the lady was supposed to fill up the feedback form regarding the nurse, which was sent by the Oakland Hospital. The lady had answered all the questions except one. To the question – ‘Was the nurse at any time guilty of a negligence which was likely to result in the patient’s taking cold?’, the lady chose to leave a blank against the question. Twain said that this act of her remaining quiet was nothing but a silent lie. She should have judiciously told the truth because in her act of silent lying, her impulse was right but the judgement was crude. Had she told absolute truth to the hospital, they should have made use of the nurse’s services in the domain wherein she was most capable. At this point, Twain too lies by cooking up a story that some Mr. Jones’s Willie, who was suffering from severe degree of scarlet fever, was being taken care of by the same nurse. Since, this particular nurse was not so careful in covering the patients with blanket to keep them warm, Willie was in deadly hands. The nurse would be careless again and it might cost Willie his life. Had the lady given the true feedback about this nurse, the hospital would have sent another nurse for Willie. The unselfish lie told by Twain made the lady realize her fault. She went out to share the details of the nurse at length to Mr. Jones as well as updated the hospital too. Though Willie wasn’t actually ill, but the lady went on to reveal the blatant truth about the nurse. Twain says that lying is a universal act spoken by all. It is hence, necessary to lie thoughtfully and judiciously for an unselfish act and not an evil one. Lying should be unselfish in nature, healing in effect, done charitably and humanely as against it being cruel, hurtful and malicious in nature. One should lie gracefully and graciously rather than it being something clumsy and awkward. Lie should be spoken firmly, frankly and squarely with head erect and not haltingly or torturously with a timid personality as if ashamed. Twain concludes the essay by saying that by the judicious use of lying, the world can get rid of the pestilent truth which is rotting the land. It is then that the world shall be great and beautiful with worthy dwellers and wherein even the mother Nature lies for the good. Though Twain clarifies that he is a new and a feeble student in this art of gracious lying, hence, he is too immature in the art to suggest the audience. Sounding more serious in this attempt, Twain suggests that wise examination needs to be done to understand what sorts of lies are the best and wholesome in order to be indulged into. Since, everyone lies and must lie, we should also analyse the lies that should be avoided. Hence, a fresh mind can thus be shaped into a gracious liar when put in the training under the experienced club, the old Masters. qq Chapter - 6 : On the Art of Living with Others — Sir Arthur Helps

Summary

“On the Art of Living with Others” by Sir Arthur Helps, appeared in the original ‘Friends in Council’ and it is a charm- ing essay that explores the tensions between private life and the obligations of public life. Helps begins the essay with a question that leads to an obvious thinking. He says that great literary works have been written on various themes, like, ‘Iliad’ which is written on the theme of war and we have ‘Odyssey’ which is written on the theme of wandering. All these works, as Helps mentions, are great literary pieces of work written by some great literary minds. But to [56 ] Oswaal ISC Section-wise Notes & Summary, ENGLISH PAPER-2 (LITERATURE), Class-XII

his concern, nothing great has been written on the theme of ‘domestic life’ of the people in general. No work speaks at length about the various activities that take place in the lives of a common man which is filled with innumerous events. He believes that all those events can form a perfect background with a social theme as the centre of a literary epic. Speaking about the very common places within the house where any two people or more come together to have a conversation, Helps says that arguments may take place between people at the tea table. Expression of anger or impatience exhibited while people having a conversation near the fireplace can be compared with the Retreat of the Ten Thousand. All these events can become excellent themes of an epic literary work. He admits that the great literary personalities, through their work, have celebrated some fantastic people and other beings for living alone in wilderness, but none had spoken about the people who live together, sharing a bond. None have appreciated the efforts, love and patience put in by such people, hence, they find no place in the eyes of the people at large. Helps continues his thoughts by emphasizing upon a brutal fact of human nature. He gives the choice to the reader to either accept the fact or choose to remain ignorant, though it would remain unaffected on the validity of the particular human nature. It goes like – “…. The hatreds and disgusts that there are behind friendship, relationship, service, and, indeed, proximity of all kinds, is one of the darkest spots upon earth.” Helps says that be it any relationship in life, either private or a social relationship, it cannot be perfectly fulfilled with even the tiniest tinge of hatred in it. Only then can any relation be harmonious. He, therefore, puts forth his willingness to explore various ways which can turn relationships further more in-tune. The first method which people must put to use to live happily together is to accept diversity. All their lives, they had been the same, be it their childhood or youth. They even imagine their future to be the same unchanged. Hence, people get blown away by the contradictions in the nature and thought of their fellow beings and this hampers the harmony between the relationship shared by them with others. Helps says that people should not be ignorant and rather accept the difference in the nature and opinion of men in a social context. He states the example of Newton’s Law which does not fit in the field of astronomy, for at various levels it defies Newton’s Law. Similar is life, everything has various versions to it due to the exist- ing social diversity. Helps says that at times great men have knowledge with them with regards to the world in general which they don’t expect will be supported thoroughly. At certain points and parameters, this knowledge will be challenged. Despite knowing this, such men get vexed on finding themselves helpless at convincing the very people whom they live with. It is so, because the peo- ple with whom one lives together, shares a relationship, cannot be ‘forced’ into accepting one’s opinion. Diversity distresses them and they fail to acknowledge the other virtues and acts of wisdom displayed by those with whom they share a relation. Helps says that people who live together peacefully, follow the above rule of accepting diversity in opinion and nature of the fellow beings. People with the intention of living together in peace practice certain things like “not to interfere un- reasonably with others, not to ridicule their tastes, not to question and re-question their resolves, not to indulge in perpetual comment on their proceeding…” Hence, when one wishes to live together peacefully in a relation, they refrain and restrict themselves from interfering in other’s acts, don’t ridicule their taste, don’t doubt and question their resolve. Also, one avoids unnecessary commenting on their acts. Such people who take delight in the diversity and differences in the opinion of others accept the fact that “they are not we.” Had everyone been of the same mind-set, then man wouldn’t have been unique in nature. There would merely had been clones. Another rule, which Helps mentions, that people follow for leading a happy life with others is, to avoid keeping a stock of topics wherein they can indulge into baseless conversations leading to disputes. Helps says that it’s a common thing between people who live together, to end up a conversation in fighting and mortified vanity when they happen to indulge in conversations that lead to frequent dispute. The dispute rises to the level wherein the original subject of difference is lost. It becomes a standing subject, whereas the parties involved in the dispute end up souring their relationship. Hence, Helps says that such topics of dispute should be purposely avoided as they have a common tendency to lead to quarrel. Continuing with his set of rules, Helps suggests that too much logic should be avoided if people wish to live together peacefully. Not everything needs to be supported with logic in an informal relationship. Quoting Dr. Johnson’s view regard- ing married couples, Helps continues, that the worst of the married couple is one which reasons all the minute details of their family life every morning. Such a couple tops the list of the wretched relationship. Helps though states that this rule should not be merely limited to married couples. It should be followed in general too, for there’s no time for such worthless reasonings. Stating the examples of lawyers and politicians, Helps says that they are the best contenders in reasoning on any subject and speak at length by questioning every logic put forth in an argument. But in all this, one may not be certain to arrive at the truth but can be certain of leading to disputes. Hence, trying to find out excess of logic in a relation is futile. Avoiding unnecessary criticism is another rule to be followed if one wishes to be loved as a companion. Making a satirical remark on the society, Helps says that there already exists a large number of people from the society who like to judge every- thing pertaining to others’ life. They seem to self-declare themselves as the beneficiary judges of the society. Now, if somebody Oswaal ISC Section-wise Notes & Summary, ENGLISH PAPER-2 (LITERATURE), Class-XII [ 57]

who lives together with others’ also starts criticizing the other person’s action, it would be too harsh on him. In such a case, the intention of the criticism, be it done for good, holds insignificant and stands as nothing more than an absolute criticism. A person who is criticized by the people he lives together with as well as the society, for him life would seem like living under a microscope; nothing personal and always open to the eyes of criticism. The self-proclaimed judges like to have the person standing before them, at the time of criticism, as a pre-defined culprit. Helps, here, elaborates one of the various forms of criticism which is generally applied in the already stated criticism used in a relationship. In Help’s words, it can be called ‘criticism over the shoulder’. Phrases like “Had I been consulted,” “Had you listened to me,” “But you always will,” etc. remind us of the numerous instances wherein we have suffered and inflicted them leading to unnecessary pain to our souls. Being courteous to our people with whom one lives together is another rule which Helps suggests to follow, if one wishes to live together peacefully. One needs to be polite with the ones we live with and can’t be superficial to them like one behaves with a stranger. We speak politely, only superficially with a stranger but behind his back we tend to speak about him in a crude manner. Whereas, contrary to it, we speak rudely with our dear ones under the pretext of speaking plain truth and not pleasing them. Here, Helps suggests that one may speak the truth but should be polite and courteous in his tone and manner, for our dear ones can’t be treated and should not be treated at par with strangers. Helps suggests the readers to be conscious in their expectations from others, which includes friends and companions. It is foolish to be over expectant of others by superficially looking at the available resources with them, for we cannot define their intentions. It will rather be an over-confident statement to make if one says of being aware of other’s willingness to help more than they can. The irony of the situation is that, man fails to evaluate the love and goodness of his own people with whom he lives and hence, fails to justly define the limit of expectations one can make from their dear ones. Referring to Hazlitt, Helps further verifies the lack of judgement that people have. Looking at a room blazing with lights, one easily concludes it to be a heaven on earth for being occupied with the most cheerful people of all. Yet we fail to acknowledge that evil coexists with goodness. So, just by being friends with somebody one cannot rely to have all his expectations fulfilled. This characteristic feature of limitless generosity can only be found in our dear ones. Helps states that there exists two classes of people, who can be termed as the promoters of social happiness; one is the kind of people who are cheerful and the other’s are the ones who are quiet, reserved and modest in nature. The latter, in Helps opinion, are believed to be more conscious of social happiness than a cheerful person, for they remain neutral to the hatred and conflicts prevailing around them. By being of such a mettle, they refrain from indulging into any arguments or quarrels and help maintain peace and harmony. For a healthy and harmonious surrounding, be it at home or some social circle, the people should refrain from passing an hasty speeches which bring no good and only result in mischief and quarrels. Such conversations revolve around meaningless context and are notorious in form. Helps says that people who get involved in such mischief may not be bad or notorious, but solely out of excitement they might participate in quarrels, nothing to do with ill intentions. It’s the similar case how Charles II liked to attend the debates in the Lords, not for participation, but for the sole reason that they were “as good as a play”. Helps now mentions about the involvement of bad temper as a reason to hamper peace between the people who live together. He says that the reason he stated the various actions to be followed beforehand in order to avoid conflict was to first under- stand the basic reason of anyone losing his temper. Once the reasons are known, the losing out to bad temper can also be battled. Moreover, in his opinion, Helps says that in small social circles people and relationships tend to suffer more from unkindness than ill-temper. Anger is more harmful for people who are somewhat under us than those who live with us. It’s a human tendency to suppress the weak. Any form of ill-humour is unhealthy for any two individuals or society at large, hence, one should avoid such a demeanour. Helps states a situation wherein if two sensitive people are made to stay together by themselves then they keep on complaining which leads to increased level of irritation between the two. Whereas, if a sensitive and a practical person is made to stay together in each other’s company then they happen to get along well. Helps now advices the readers that intimate friends or relations should be very careful when they socialize with the outer world or when they involve a stranger into their group. They should never misuse their knowledge about each other which they have gained during the course of building up the emotional bond. But in reality, people tend to spill the beans about another person to a total stranger out of sheer carelessness. But if purposely done, it can be counted as the acts of highest degree of ungenerous behavior ever depicted. Helps says that one need not long for knowing the weakness of someone’s intimate friend. If that someone is known to us, the one can be assured of knowing all the minute details shared out of utter carelessness. Lastly, Helps says that in order to have a peaceful relationship with the ones we live together with, we need not necessarily take care of their likings or follow their opinions. We only need to be careful about not offending their tastes which is the result of our acknowledging their entire personality. Speaking about following the principles of Christianity, anyone following those principles need not make use of any of the stated rules, suggestions or observations. Great principles lie within everything in the nature. But one needs to follow many rules, precautions and a great insight to apply these principles in daily life. Such efforts fall between the real life and princi- ples, just like form exists between matter and spirit. The thought lies in mounding one and expressing the other. qq [58 ] Oswaal ISC Section-wise Notes & Summary, ENGLISH PAPER-2 (LITERATURE), Class-XII Chapter - 7 : Attitude — Margaret Atwood Summary

The essay ‘Attitude’ by Margaret Atwood, is originally the convocation ceremony’s speech given by her for the graduates of University of Toronto on June 14th, 1983. Its been more than three decades now but much of what she had said back then, still holds true for the fresh university graduates. In her speech, she tells her audience that its not their college degrees, but their attitude towards life and its challenges that will ultimately decide the quality of their life. The speech by Margaret Atwood begins with her expression of joy for being chosen to address the graduates on the commence- ment ceremony. She says that one feels immensely satisfied on receiving a honorary degree from a university that transforms an otherwise inexperienced and ignorant mind into a storehouse of immense knowledge. Though, she adds a pinch of humour in her speech by saying that the great amount of knowledge received and retained by a student often makes him confused. The professors of such esteemed universities, like the University of Toronto, put up gracefully with many overdue term pa- pers, struggle with the challenge of deciphering the student’s handwriting. The best remark that a student can expect from any professor is ‘interesting’. Great universities have had students of the likes who had failed to learn Anglo-Saxon or have missed out on mentioning Bibliography, entirely, in some project. Though again, sounding humorous, Atwood says that she was certain of no graduate who present in the audience, who has missed out on mentioning bibliography in their project. Universities, she continues, have witnessed graduates who have experienced extreme pain not only of the soul but of the body too. One may initially believe such pain to have risen from immense hard work and academic pressure but later the reality surfaces that the pain occurred due to consuming excessive coffee in the interiors of Wymilwood. Speaking about her own experiences she says that after her becoming a graduate, she went on to be with Victoria college which saved her from being jobless, which ultimately spared her from getting into a state of anger and cosmic depression, typical of novelists and poets. Referring other colleges like Bell Canada, Oxford University Press and Mc Cleland & Stewart College, she says that even at all these great colleges she couldn’t secure a job for herself, during the summer of 1963, on the grounds of being either over-qualified or for being unable to type. Giving further sneak-peek into her life, she says that it was due to a person named Northrop Frye at the Victoria College that she stayed back in Canada. Had she not paid heed to Frye’s advice, she would have run away to England to work as a waitress and live in a garret, writing her literary pieces and ending up suffering with tuberculosis. Recalling Frye’s advice, Atwood narrates how she would have ended up living in a stupor, writing footnotes and getting anxiety attacks had she attended a Graduate School at Boston. Hence, she acknowledges following the advices of her Alma Mater which resulted in her attaining the success, which she now held in public eye. Recalling her college days she mentions how she was taught to speak the truth as it keeps the person free without any worries or concerning about hiding the facts. However, she says that the professors at her college never told her about the consequences of telling truth. Though she expresses her gratitude towards her professor for teaching her to remain truthful always. Returning to the audience, after stating the various anecdotes from her life, Atwood said that no sooner had she received the invitation to address her audience than she started realizing the exorbitant pressure of the expectations held from her. She says that everything comes with a price and so does being famous. Being famous and great has its own bags of responsibilities which a person always carries on his back. So was the case with her, for she was too concerned about what topic should she be addressing before the graduates of the University of Toronto. She had to come up with a thoughtful subject to address the graduates which would, in most likelihood, be useful, helpful, encouraging, optimistic and loaded with an overview to bring in clarity of thought. Atwood here mentions that the year 1983 had witnessed economic downturn and had lead to large un- employment. Young and genius minds, even the Ph.D. degree holders were bound to work as taxi-drivers. The year 1983 is the same year when these young graduates of the University of Toronto were supposed to go out into the world and find themselves a suitable job. Hence, Atwood had a greater responsibility of delivering a motivating and an inspiring speech. Atwood, here, stresses the phrase that since these fresh graduates were about to be ‘launched’ in the work- place, ‘ejection’ sounded more apt in her opinion. She wondered why the ceremony was called as ‘convocation.’ Ejection, she said, sounded better for a fresh graduate it felt more or less like being pushed over a cliff; out from college and thrown into the practical world with no support or guidance. One didn’t feel so in the times where economic conditions were better and finding a suitable job was not much of a challenge. But currently, in the year 1983, the issue of unemployment was on the rise. Atwood says that she feels somehow responsible to warn these graduates that the situation outside college was bad. In a humorous tone, she tells these graduates that in days to come they will realize that their university degree which they carried were worthless piece of paper. They would feel equipped but helpless just like if one is sent into a jungle and is given a refrigerator but he can’t make use of it for there are no three-pronged grounded plug holes in the jungle. Atwood, very beautifully narrates the wide gap that a gradu- ate experiences between the theoretical knowledge attained during the university education and that between the practical Oswaal ISC Section-wise Notes & Summary, ENGLISH PAPER-2 (LITERATURE), Class-XII [ 59]

application of it on the workplace. It’s during such times that a fresh graduate might feel lost, for he may have the theoretical knowledge but may not have the attitude to practically implement it. Not just these little defeats at the work, Atwood says that there may be times when one might wake up in the middle of the night out of anxiety, only to realize that a few of the friends with whom he went to school, have gained senior and powerful position at work. Some might soon have their own entrepreneurial set-up too. Atwood believes that such a thing is absolutely unpleasant for anyone. It is very difficult to lose at the hands of people who once were those average batchmates who had only half the knowledge that we had and we stood as an example of perfect knowledge back then, but in the current situation those very average batchmates were now more knowledgeable and held superior position at work than us. It will be a very obvi- ous feeling for us to feel doomed. Herein, again, Atwood states an example from her personal life. She mentions the name of Brain Mulroney, who she says is just a year older than her, but has been instated as the 18th Prime Minister of Canada, whereas relatively, she ended up being a literary personality. Speaking beautifully about the internal emotional conflict that one faces on realizing and comparing his success with his peers, Atwood says that on feeling lost and trailing behind in the career as compared to the peers, one may take up the habit of nail-biting, uttering mantras or jogging, as a resort to escape embarrassment. These behaviors, she says, are similar to those expressed by animals, for instance, scratching. Hence, further degradation in our standard for failure stoops us to a lower version of ourselves. Having warned and made these fresh graduates aware, Atwood assures them of a brighter side and says that she would be shifting to the positive aspects. Coming back to her original concern again, Atwood says that she was restless and in deep thoughts, trying to come up with a topic to address her audience. Restless she was, she says, due to discomfort while on a boat for she suffered with nausea and motion sickness and only got better after taking the medication, Gravol Oven then. Atwood said, she was struggling to come up with a subject for the speech. At one point she thought of paraphrasing Kurt Vonnegut’s words which he had spoken while addressing a graduate class. Atwood states Vonnegut’s words which went like; “Everything is going to become unbelievably worse and will never get better again.” Atwood said that after saying so, Vonnegut just walked off the stage. But that, she says, is an American style of addressal which is very specific and straight-forward. They are either too appreciative or too critical. Canadians, she said, would still hold onto the faint light of hope and work for becoming better and there by improving conditions. Next, in her quest for the topic to address her audience, Atwood says that at one point she thought of speaking upon the subject of a liberal arts education and how it prepares a person to face and deal with life. After putting in a little thought she turned down this topic too. She tells the graduates that she soon realized, and that they will eventually discover too, that liberal arts education didn’t exactly prepare one for life. Liberal arts education, she says does not follow a course on ‘preparation-for-life, curriculum. It rather discussed about Victorian Thought and French Romanticism, hence, it had nothing which would pre- pare a graduate for the practical life ahead. ‘Preparation-for-life’ curriculum would ideally comprise of topics like; “…How to cope with Marital Breakdown, Getting More for your footwear Dollar, Dealing with stress,…” In other words, Atwood said, the curriculum of ‘Preparation-for-life’ course would mostly read like the ‘contents page’ of Homemakers Magazine. Hence this topic too felt irrelevant to the occasion and Atwood said that she went on to ponder over a new topic which would have been apt to the ceremony. Atwood said that she even considered, at one point, to speak about the glaring errors that existed in the educational system or compile and speak about the things that she was taught but were completely untrue in reality. Atwood states an anecdote in the similar context. She says that during her high school, she made a mistake of taking Home Economics subject over typing, with a thought then believed that anyone who took the commercial course would lose most of their eyebrows and would have to end up drawing them with a pencil for the rest of their lives. But in fact, in the Home Economics paper, they were told about what colour of food to choose in a meal, that licking spoon while cooking was bad and finally, the inside of a dress seam was as important as outside. Atwood says that no truth lies in such things and anyone who believes so should discard it right away. Next, she says that nobody ever warned her before to practice back and wrist exercises which are much needed for any writer, for she believes that writers get thick wrists due to lengthy writing. She says that people would someday do researches on some and verify this logic of hers. She says so with reference to Dickens and Melville. Another reference she gives is of Emily Dickenson who had to limit herself to short lyric poems as she had spindly fingers. Atwood says, in her quest for the topic of her speech today, she but decided not to speak about writing for she believed that from her audience, a few might wish to become writers in the future. Hence, her speaking about writing would further encourage them to pursue this particular field and that she said would increase competition, which is not wise. She says that unlike her times, a large number of creative writing courses exist that tend to enhance the writing skills of the learner. Atwood fears that soon there will be times when everybody will become a writer, unfortunately sparing no one in the reader’s category. This would be exactly opposite of how things were in 1960’s. Atwood said that back in sixties, there would only be a few writers, she being one among them and she composed dolorous verses while sitting in her rented apartment, using her skills. Addressing her audience, Atwood says that at one point she even thought of speaking on the subjects of little known facts. For [60 ] Oswaal ISC Section-wise Notes & Summary, ENGLISH PAPER-2 (LITERATURE), Class-XII

instance, women tend to lose their hair after having a baby. Not all hair fall and obviously not all at once, but they do fall. The reason behind this is the sudden imbalance of zinc. Though the relief is that the hair do grow back in again. But this, she says, is only applicable for women. Men tend to lose hair whether they have a baby or not and it never grows back in. Yet men seem to remain hopeful about it. She quotes that, “God only made a few perfect heads, and the rest be covered with hair.” At this juncture, Atwood makes a strong statement. She says that; “When faced with the inevitable, you always have a choice. You may not be able to alter reality, but you can alter your attitude towards it.” She illustrates further that during her liberal arts education she had learnt that any symbol can have two versions of it, a positive and a negative one. It depends entirely upon a person’s perception of it. For instance, blood can either signify to be a gift of life or as a fluid that flows out from a cut wrist. Similarly, if one happens to spill the glass of milk, one is left with the remaining half. Whether the remaining is half full or half empty, it depends upon perception of the person only. Hence, Atwood now addresses the main agenda of her speech. Speaking to the university graduates, she says that these fresh talents are about to explore the “World that is both half empty and half full,” which means that out there in the practical world, there are numerous avenues, numerous fields that are awaiting to welcome them to be explored. On one hand, she says, there has been a drastic switch in the relationship shared between Nature and living beings. On the other hand, we as a civilization have become cautions and aware of our actions and mistakes. We also have the technology to stop committing those mistakes but there is a severe dearth of will-power. Another example that Atwood states is that pertaining to our daily lives. Man is constantly living in the fear of annihilation. To us, it seems that we are mere computer buttons who are just minutes away from the end and with each passing day, the gap is narrowing. We are living in constant fear of it and at times we slide into a mental state of powerlessness and consequent apathy. On the other hand, the catastrophe which threatens us and all the other species is nothing unpredictable or uncontrollable. If life ends on earth, then we will die with a sense of partial satisfaction for knowing that the end of the world was man-made, hence could have been prevented. But the failure to prevent the catastrophe would only mean the failure of human will. Hence, Margaret Atwood concludes her speech by introducing the dubious state of affairs in the man’s world. There are situ- ations which are unpleasant, depressing and even question the worth of a being. Many people in Canada, she says, would question as to how many of its habitants possess two automobiles. One may tend to doubt the prosperity of the people if one tries to look into the data stated in the newspapers. But, Atwood says, there are places, where people don’t expect to own two cars, houses or a job, but struggle with the hope of being able to feed themselves the next elusive meal. But this is certainly the dark side of the affairs, the half-empty version. The brighter picture of the world exists too. The upside of the story is that democracy still exists. One does not get shot or tortured yet for expressing one’s opinion about something. The politicians do get affected by public opinion and listen to the voice raised by the country men. It may be out of sheer greed or lust for power. Politicians still feel that its more important to perceive issues raised by the countrymen and address them rather than just win a position and confer its powers upon oneself. Atwood closes the speech by saying that the true power lies in the hands of the people of the land. If people decide to vote on the premise that they want changes to be made, only then do the changes become possible. Once the mindset is changed, everybody willingly participates in the growth and betterment of the state of affairs. Atwood, once again repeats her phrase to emphasize on the impact of having the right attitude in life. She concludes; “You may not be able to alter reality, but you can alter your attitude towards it, and this, paradoxically, alters real- ity. Try it and see.” qq Chapter - 8 : On the Choice of a Profession — R.L.Stevenson

Summary

The essay, ‘On the Choice of a Profession’ was of great charm and originality. It was a posthumously discovered work of Stevenson. As the title of the essay suggests, it deals with the subject of choosing a right profession through wisdom and the affect of professional choices, made by man, on his personal life and his personality. The essay opens with Stevenson responding, through mail, to the request that probably a dear one has asked for, in his letter to Stevenson. He says that the writer of the mail has requested for his advice on one of the momentous period in a young man’s life, when he is about to choose a profession for himself. Being highly modest at a young age, the seeker would be glad to gain Oswaal ISC Section-wise Notes & Summary, ENGLISH PAPER-2 (LITERATURE), Class-XII [ 61]

some guidance in the choice that he should make while selecting a profession to go ahead with. Stevenson says that it is very likely for the youngsters to seek advice from their elders and in the similar context even the elders are, in most likelihood, expected to give their advice as a word of guidance. Emphasizing upon the times that prevailed, Stevenson says that the youth very much get their queries answered systematically because the ‘practical people’ in the society boast of having a practical approach to life, which in their opinion, is a far superior and wholesome knowledge than anybody else could share. Stevenson, referring back to the young advice seeker, says that it’s for the very ‘practical philosophy’ that he holds above the others, that the youth has expressed his wish to seek Stevenson’s guidance. Stating the question asked by the advice seeker, Louis says that the youth wishes to know about principles which are usually followed by wise men in making decisions re- garding the most important events in their life, like the ones in deciding to choose the right profession. Louis says, “What, you ask, are the principles usually followed by the wise in the like critical junctures?” Louis says that due to the advice being asked for, he feels to be under immense pressure for it is one big responsibility to guide someone in the events that become the base of their life. Responding to the young man’s query, he says that he had been recol- lecting and examining his youth when he was at a similar juncture and what he did to decide upon choosing a profession for himself. Stevenson says, that he has also been questioning others to gain as much view to share with the young man. He says that with utmost sincerity he wishes to help and guide the young man with the systematic rule or principle that one ought to follow while choosing a profession. But to his dismay, he can only advice the young man that, “…the wise, in these circumstances, act upon no principles whatever.” Louis says that he knows that the young man would be disappointed to know about no principle to be existing, for he too was saddened to know it, yet only the truth is expected from Louis so he has no others choice but to confirm the fact that wisdom has nothing to do with the choice of a profession. Making a sarcastic remark, Louis says that it is rather foolish of the people who acknowledge the existence of any such rule. If keen-heart wishes to know about a defined rule or a Socratic operation to follow in order to flourish in the profession of their choice, these highly enlightened minds’ go on to narrate the ready-made answers. These advices actually are of no help because they complicate the understanding of the advice seeker. These people who give advice are mostly those who have the least knowledge of the subject. The topic is of no consideration to them, yet they choose to guide people, thereby complicating things. Stevenson says that only a person who is equipped with liberal knowledge of things should guide the ‘Anxious Enquirers’ of the Socratic persuasion, which will help him is sailing through the journey of life without thinking. Stevenson begins to question the thought of people working in varied profession in a quest to understand their thoughts while choosing a profession for themselves. He says, “How should a banker know his own mind? It takes him all his time to manage his bank.” A person who chooses to become a banker, for instance, gets so engrossed in his profession that he spares no time for himself or to question his mind, as to what does he really wish to do. Similar is the case with pilgrims who walk in a group. They would simply choose to follow each other, without putting in any thought or logic to their action. They remain utterly indifferent to the fact that there is no leisure whatsoever in all that they do. They just follow one another and do things for the sake of doing them. Louis is startled at the ignorance of the people who seem to be blindly following each other and burying themselves under the immense workload that they spare no time for themselves to breathe, let alone leisure. Expressing his concern, Stevenson says, “Am I going too far, if I say, that this is the condition of the large majority of our fellow-men and almost all our fellow women?” Louis expresses his concern that everybody seems to be inflicted with ‘the bandwagon effect.’ They are all blindly following each other without putting in any thoughts to their actions. Stevenson mentions the conversation which he happened to have with a banker. Throughout the conversation the banker confesses that he has not even a single moment to spare. He should be banking all the time and all this has sucked away leisure that he should experience while having his meal, at the least. On further questioning by Louis, the banker says that banking is his business, for a man’s business is his duty, his work. This response from the banker concerns Louis and he says that such a mentality needs to be attended to and corrected. He questions, “Is a man’s business his duty? Or perhaps should not his duty be his business?” Stevenson say that if he holds no responsibility in conducting a bank, then how can a banker be given this duty. Work should only be treated as a part of life, a business. His major business or concern should never be limited to his profession. Louis wonders as to who told the banker that the only concern of his life was banking. Was it the Bible? Louis doubts if the banker actually felt that the banks were a good thing. It would have been rather better had the banker stayed aside like a captain of a ship and let another man conduct the bank. Only one conclusion can be drawn by summing up these numerous queries. May be the person chose to be a banker because he was trapped. [62 ] Oswaal ISC Section-wise Notes & Summary, ENGLISH PAPER-2 (LITERATURE), Class-XII

Referring to the education system, Stevenson says that education is a form of harnessing people with a friendly approach. A person hardly knows to wear his pants, when a child, and he is sent off to school. No sooner the schooling gets completed than the young child is forced into the professional environment. In most of the cases, men are made to get married and are devoided of any opportunity to explore some vocational course to benefit them professionally. As a child, man is taught to be punctual in school, must be updated with their course book, should stay hygienic and also learn to be social. As a young man, he should make friends and then finally take up the job with a bank. That is how man is trapped into the profession throughout. Stevenson says, “He has been used to caper to this sort of piping from the first; and he joins the regiment of bank clerks for precisely the same reason as he used to go to the nursery at the stroke of eight.” Hence, man is trained since childhood to lead a mechanized life. The proud parents, after having accomplished in trapping their child, sit back, relaxed, with a smile on their face and the smoking pipe kept aside. “The trick is performed, …the wild ass’s colt is broken in; and now sits diligently scribing. Thus it is, that, out of men, we make bankers.” It is a fight out there in the world which is full of competitive minds and guided by robust guardians. The parents get panic- stricken even before a child is grown-up enough to understand and comprehend the cause of their worries. Soon, the very child, on becoming a grown up young man, finds himself competing others in the race to attain professional stability. Louis says that it may happen in the later years of his life, that man introspect his life and begin to analyze the reasons that led him to decide about the profession that he had been in all his life and the endless mad activities to sustain and flourish in that profession. The man may be pleased now with the choice of profession he had made years ago, for he ended up sparing himself from numerous things that could have gone wrong in his life, had he not chosen the profession he currently was in or it may also happen that the retrospection makes him feel bitter for putting himself in the situation that he was in, cursing what lead him get into the profession. Futile as it is, heading to such whims is vain. Life is a journey; a journey by train. It is futile to debate over the needfulness of the particular journey because once we are set on it and have proceeded with the choices and decisions that we have made, the years seem to pass by quickly, just like the train that speeds through the places at a speed of sixty miles an hour, and there is no turning back. Stevenson says that it is futile to overthink on the opportunities lost or the other choices which were then available in the past and hence, such thoughts should not be fed. A young man, on becoming a banker; the profession that he chose for himself, cannot claim to bank in leisure. He notices the beauty of his surrounding like cottages in a garden, angles by riverside, balloons flying high in the sky, but all these leisure moments are not for him. As a banker, he is booked and loaded with work for all his days and must continue to remain a banker. Had he been fortunate enough with various choices as a child during his school days or had he been surrounded by influential friends and counselors who were privileged enough to make a professional choice for themselves, there could have been a possibility of the young man doing the same for himself and make a self-driven choice of a profession of his liking. But unfortunately, Stevenson says that even those friends and counselors were trapped. For generations, men have been following each other blindly, just like the tame elephants getting trapped by the old group of tame elephants; everyone following in-line with the legacy. Education and practical philosophy has been limited to grudging, gaining rewards, getting punishments, forced, tortured and trapped. Referring to Sir Thomas Browne’s (early seventeenth century) concept of the impact of geography on the lifestyle of a person, Stevenson says that geography is a considerable part of orthodoxy. Stating various examples about the direct relationship between the geography where one lives in and the inherent nature of a person, Louis says that a person born in London is by default considered to be a Protestant. The same person would have been an obvious Hindu had he been born in Benares, India. Louis say that ‘Things are settled for us by our place of birth.” For instance, an Englishman drinks beer and gets it taste by feeling it in his throat. Whereas a Frenchman drinks wine and tastes it with the tip of his mouth. This way his single glass of wine lasts him for entire afternoon, whereas for an Englishman his glass of beer lasts him for short duration only. Hence, geography does have an impact on the traits held by a person. Elaborating further, Stevenson says that an English man takes bath with cold water, whereas a Frenchman takes occasional hot bath. Even the demographies are influenced by nationality. Generally, an Englishman has an unlimited family and dies young. Whereas a Frenchman lives to have three children and see them grow and settle in life. Hence he says, “So this imperative national tendency follows us through all the privacies of life, dictates our thoughts, and attends us to the grave. We do nothing, we say nothing, we wear nothing, but it is stamped with the Queen’s Arms.” Referring to Englishmen, Louis says that the imperative national influences guide our life. We do nothing, bring in no altera- tions, just participate in the pre-decided ways of life. He confesses that he’s an Englishman inside-out. There are no set rules by which Englishmen lead their young men, but get them through self understanding during the normal course of life, be it in an active or unconscious state. Continuing his response to the young man’s mail, Stevenson says that he might question the reason as to why no wisdom ex- ists, for till that very day, the young man’s father was trying to convince him about deciding upon an industrious, honest and Oswaal ISC Section-wise Notes & Summary, ENGLISH PAPER-2 (LITERATURE), Class-XII [ 63]

lucrative employment. To this, Stevenson says that, with due respect, the young man’s father is a “professing Christian : the Gospel” therefore, that is how he conducts himself to the various situations. Stevenson says that it is a general conduct of every Christian parent to persuade their child into choosing a fruitful profession. Referring to another letter from a Christian parent which Stevenson has received, Louis tries to answer to the young man’s query about the persuasion scheme applied by a Christian parent in general. A Christian father would write to his son to be wise in choosing a profession for life because a man’s choice of profession be- comes his identity and it defines the worth of a man if he is any good to the world at large. If the choice of profession is correct, then he gets due acceptance in the society. But Stevenson feels unconvinced by this mentality of the social life. He says, “But, my dear sir, what a principle of life! To “do good in the world” is to be received into a society apart from per- sonal affection.” This is ‘evil’ in Stevenson’s eyes. Why should one follow somebody else’s footsteps and land up in a profession that does not sufficiently meet one’s requirements. This is Antichrist and not something that Christianity believes in. There is no wisdom if speech and actions contradict each other. In his personal opinion, Stevenson says that a young man should not be at peace till he is capable enough to support his financial needs all by himself with financial stability. The person should build the foundation of his professional life on his own terms. Though one needs to decide the limit and the necessity of the amount of income that will suffice a person’s needs, one needs to decide whether he needs to “Make more? – Aye, or spend less?” The limit to have a specific income needs to be decided unless the person has sold his soul for money and wishes to be “one of us.” Stevenson elaborates on the kind of lifestyle one wishes to live and the kind of wealth one desires to own. He says, “A thoroughly respectable income is as much as a man spends. A luxurious income, or true opulence, is something more than a man spends. Raise the income, lower the expenditure, and my dear sir, surprising as it seems, we have the same result.” But the youth of today complains of hardships. Stevenson agrees to the many hardships and sacrifices a person is made to face irrespective of the profession one chooses. A banker’s serious privation is the need to sit in the bank for the entire day. So it goes with a painter too, though unfortunately, the painter is not bestowed with the respect he deserves for he is considered to be the meanest and most last among the contemporary men. A painter undergoes the hardships of painting the landscapes without wearing gloves, being drowned with drinking beer, living on minimal food, just so that he can carve a career in the profession of his choice rather than being ‘one of us’ and choosing a profession by following what others do. But unfortunately people fail to understand the fact that these sacrifices made by them are done to earn their own rightful money. People fail to remember it. The money which they get as a cheque is nothing more than a medium to purchase pleasure. The difference lies in the monetary aspect only. A banker may get more number of cheques than a painter, but the amount of pleasure remains the same for both. Rather, for the painter, he gets to experience the pleasure directly at work when he keeps himself occupied with work that he truly likes. Moreover, unlike the banker, a painter gets his fortnight’s holidays too while doing the work that delights him throughout the year. Stevenson says that all these details sound good in theory. But that is what the fact is. Stevenson suggests the young man to introspect and then decide on a profession. Stevenson feels that all this may not help the young man make his choice, but that is what the fact is. In his opinion, ‘choice’ is more of a negative than a positive action. In the act of choosing, we embrace one thing by refusing a thousand other options. They tend to imprison the various energies present within a person and ‘starves many affections.’ Stevenson says, “If you are in a bank, you cannot be much upon the sea. You cannot be both a first-rate violinist and a first-rate painter : you must lose in the one art if you persist in following both.” Such are the repercussions of making a ‘choice’ between things. A person himself is only equipped enough to make preferences in life. Nobody else, not even Stevenson, can decide upon the choices for somebody else. The reason behind this logic is that each person is God’s creation who is unique in his own ways. Hence, some generalized logic cannot be applied on others. “God made you, not I. I cannot even make you over again.” Stevenson mentions about a schoolmaster who would boost about knowing the field of interest of his students, “…poor school- master, poor pupils!” says Stevenson, for the schoolmaster lived in a complete denial for he thought of being aware of what others wanted to do in their life, whereas the fact was that the students themselves were unaware of their own inner finding. Stevenson says that if some one has no inclination towards something in life, then no outside force can instill that desire in his heart. Hence, such a person should be left to the course of life which would eventually take him to his destined taste in life. Though, if someone has the slightest inclination in life, Louis says that he would help them in it. Once again he says that he would leave those people in the hands of the destiny who have no wish in life whatsoever. He says, “As for me, if you have nothing indigenous in your own heart, …I leave you to the tide, …Have you but a grain of inclination, I will help you. If you wish to be nothing, once more I leave you to the tide.” Stevenson expresses his regret in not being able to give a conclusive response to the young man’s query. He believed that the [64 ] Oswaal ISC Section-wise Notes & Summary, ENGLISH PAPER-2 (LITERATURE), Class-XII

young man has a lively future ahead with an admirable father and an excellent mother by his side. Yet Stevenson feels sad- dened at not being able to suggest a cent-percent response to his query. Though he feels happy and proud for the fact that he hasn’t held back any information of worth which can somehow help the young man make a decision regarding the choice of a profession. This subject doesn’t have much content that could be put forward. He believes that whatever profession the young man decides to take up, it won’t matter much for the rest of the world which is already working hard day-in, day out, to attain contentment in the choices they themselves had made regarding their professional life. Stevenson says that most of the people, out in the world, are happy and dishonest. Their minds and soul have stooped in the greed for money. Stevenson concludes in his response to the young man’s mail, by wishing him not much stooping for money at the cost of self-esteem and continue to back in glory before the opportunities go against us. qq Chapter - 9 : On Being Idle — Jerome K. Jeorme

Summary

The essay ‘On Being Idle’ is the first essay in the book ‘Idle Thoughts of an Idle Fellow’, published in the year 1886. The essays in this volume range over a number of whimsical subjects. However, referring specific to the essay ‘On Being Idle’, it is wonderful to see the profundity of the statement ‘It is impossible to enjoy idling thoroughly unless one has plenty of work to do.’ This statement sums up the underlying seriousness of an apparently light topic. Jerome K. (Klappa) Jerome begins the essay ‘On Being Idle’ in a humorous tone. He says that the subject of being idle’, is something that he is very updated about and himself feels flattered for having immense knowledge of the subject. Referring to his laziness and idleness, Jerome recalls his childhood when his home tutor, who charged nine guineas per term, would com- ment about him that he had never witnessed any boy who would work so little in so much time. He recalls the incident when his grandma incidentally learnt that it’s highly improbable that he does more work than what is required of him. Jerome says that his grandma was nonetheless convinced in entirety that it was very likely expected of him to even leave the work undone which he was necessarily required to do. And all this was so just because Jerome was too lazy to ‘act’. Though Jerome now feels concerned to have shaken the belief of his grandmother that she had held of him. Referring to his success as a writer, he says that despite being lazy, he seems to have done many good things which he normally wouldn’t have done. Yet he feels happy on keeping up his grandmother’s belief that he tends to neglect things which he ideally shouldn’t. The tone in which Jerome narrates is entirely humorous. He feels a sense of absolute pride in being idle. He says, “Idling always has been my strong point. I take no credit to myself in the matter – it is a gift. Few possess it.” Considering being idle as an esteemed trait, Jerome says that though innumerable lazy people and slow coaches exist but for someone to be a ‘genuine idler’ is rare. Further speaking, Jerome says that someone who is a genuine idler does not waste his time in slouching about with his hands in his pocket. Rather, “On the contrary, his most startling characteristic is that he is always intensely busy.” Thus, in an absolutely subtle manner, Jerome suggests the underlying theme of the essay ‘On Being Idle.’ In his opinion, in order to enjoy the pleasures of idleness, a man must always be busy. Only if he is always busy, that the moments of idleness will be sweeter for him. He finds no pleasure in doing nothing when he has no task in hand to be done. He says that in such a case, wasting time feels like a mere occupation; a thing to be done just for the heck of doing it, not finding any pleasure in doing it though. Jerome says that in order to relish the ‘sweetness of Idleness’, it should be stolen kisses, he says, “Idleness, like kisses, to be sweet must be stolen.” Jerome then recalls a moment from his childhood when he had fallen ill. He said that he was down with a beastly cold but the doctor who had visited him for consultation had exaggerated his medical health to have become very serious. The doctor felt that Jerome should have consulted him almost a month before. He sounded grave at the mention of the thought as to Jerome’s condition, had he been late for a week more. The doctor said that any further delay, be it by just a day, would have rendered cure to be impossible. Referring to Doctor’s extreme reaction, Jerome calls him to be like the hero in some melodrama who comes in the nick of time as if it is Providence. Continuing with the episode, Jerome says that he was suggested to be on bed-rest for a month, with strict instructions to do absolutely nothing “Rest is what you require,” said the doctor, “perfect rest.” Initially, the thought of resting for an entire month seemed like a delightful prospect. He began thinking about all the wonder- ful days that he will have all by himself, especially doing nothing. To Jerome, the doctor seemed to have nailed at the treatment required, which was complete rest. A month full of lazy days with little suffering and loads of laziness. Jerome says that he began to imagine ways how he would spend his days. He says that he would get up late, drink chocolate Oswaal ISC Section-wise Notes & Summary, ENGLISH PAPER-2 (LITERATURE), Class-XII [ 65]

and have breakfast in lazy clothing, dressing gown and slippers. He would lie in a hammock placed out in the garden and read emotional novels with sad endings. He would read to the extent till the book slips from his hand and while he its recline in the hammock gazing the sky, watching the floating clouds, listening to the joyous songs of the bird and also the soft rustling of the trees. Though if he turns too weak, Jerome imagines that he would sit at the open front window of the ground floor, propped up with the pillows, look weak yet interesting, so that the girls who would pass by his house, would feel sorry for him and give a sigh. Further, he says that during this resting phase for recovery of his health, he was taken with the idea of drinking waters. Hence, he used to go down in a bath chair to the Colonnade, twice a day, to drink the waters. All went well for the first few morn- ings but eventually Sam Weller’s description of the waters ‘having a taste of warm flat-irons’ was a big pull-back. It was believed that in order to recover quickly, one needed to drink a glassful of it every day till the recovery. Jerome drank them for six consecutive days but due to its off – setting taste, he started consuming alcohol directly after having the water. Eventually he started feeling letter. Continuing with his narration of the ‘one month long proper rest’, Jerome says that ‘drinking the waters’ was just one part of the numerous tortures he experienced during that memorable month. Expressing his feelings, Jerome says, “… - a month which was, without exception, the most miserable I have ever spent.” On the brighter side of that one month, all that Jerome did was to simply roam about the house and the garden or go out for two hours a day in a Bath Chair. This routine kept him out of melancholy. The ‘Bath-Chairing’, Jerome says, is an exciting task but an occupant is filled with a sense of danger which no observer can acknowledge. One sitting on it loses his conviction the moment another vehicle comes in sight or a ditch or a stretch of newly made road comes into sight. Though, Jerome said that even the activity of ‘Bath-Chairing’ eventually became monotonous and the long days of resting phase become ‘perfectly unbearable.’ He wanted to give his mind some rest. So after about nineteen odd days of his resting phase, he got up early on the twentieth morning and walked out to Mayfield after having a good breakfast. Mayfield was a pleasant, busy little town that lay at the foot of the Kinder Scout. One could reach there by walking through a lovely valley. He saw two ‘sweetly pretty women’; one who passed him on the bridge and smiled at him and another lady who would stand at an open door and shower innumerable kisses on a red-faced baby. Recalling the two ladies now, Jerome says that those sweetly pretty ladies would have now become stout and snappish with the passage of time. Again referring to the walk to Mayfield, Jerome tells that while returning from there he met with an old man who was break- ing stones. This very sight arose an intense desire in Jerome to ‘do something’ and he wished to break the stones for the man. He offered a drink to the old man with the intent to take his place and break the stones. So willing Jerome was that he went about breaking the stones with the accumulated energy of three weeks when he was doing nothing but resting. Within half an hour he ended up doing more work than what the old man had done the entire day. This one walk to Mayfield relieved Jerome of monotony hence, he started to go out for long walks every morning and every evening he listened to the band in the pavilion . Yet Jerome felt miserable because of doing nothing and experienced utter monotony. Finally, he felt relieved and elated when the last day of his ‘resting phase’ came and he travelled back to life in London. Expressing relief and joy, Jerome says, “… The lurid glare overhanging the mighty city seemed to warm my heart, and when, later on, my cab rattled out of St. Pancras’ station, the old familiar roar that came swelling up around me sounded the sweetest music I had heard for many a long day.” Jerome confesses that indolence is partaken only during times when it is least required of him. Idling around for the mere sake of it somehow dilutes the whole concept. He says, “I like idling when I ought not to be idling; not when it is the only thing I have to do.” To relish the idling, one must be completely occupied and engrossed in fulfilling certain role or duty in a limited time. For instance, he says that the time when he wishes to stand near the fire, calculating how much he owes is the time when he has heaps of letters which need to be answered by the next post . He prefers to dawdle longest over his dinner when he has a long evening ahead of him which is loaded with work. Jerome says that when, for some urgent reason, he ought to wake up early in the morning, then that very morning it becomes very important for him to lie an extra half-an-hour in the bed. He feels completely happy to have slept for extra time only when he is expected to be up and running for work at that very instance. Jerome says, “Ah! How delicious it is to turn over and go to sleep again : “just for five minutes.”” Jerome wonders if there exists any human being who ever gets up from sleep willingly. Probably some hero of a Sunday school “tale for boys” is the only character who gets up willingly from sleep. Jerome speaks about another category of sleep- ers for whom getting up on time is an absolute impossibility. Such people religiously get up late when its required of them to be up on time. If they are supposed to be up by eight O’clock, then they get up by half-past eight. And if they are expected to be up by half-past eight then they sleep late till it’s nine O’clock. Jerome compares this category of people with the statesman who is identified as a punctual late-comer. [66 ] Oswaal ISC Section-wise Notes & Summary, ENGLISH PAPER-2 (LITERATURE), Class-XII

In defense of such people, Jerome clarifies that getting up late is not something that they intentionally do, but is more of an involuntary act. They do try various measures to wake up on time. They buy alarm clocks but unfortunately those clocks go off at the wrong time and alarm some wrong person eventually. They ask their neighbor to knock at the door and call them, who does so, but such people grunt back and go off to sleep again. Jerome then acknowledges about being familiar with a per- son who would wake up, take cold bath and then would again jump into the bed to warm himself. Speaking about himself, Jerome says that he can keep himself away from bed but only after he has got out of it once. He says,“It is the wrenching away of the head from the pillow that I find so hard, and no amount of overnight determination makes it easier.” Jerome says that despite making overnight determinations, he still remains unsuccessful in getting up early in the morning. He says that at night when he makes such convictions, he is thoroughly resolved to do so, but that stays only till that very moment and fails to get translated in the morning. He says that by the time it is morning, he feels less enthusiastic about the thought of getting up early. He wishes to have stayed up late the previous night in order to complete the work. Furthermore, the thought of the trouble of dressing up and more, makes him want to go back to sleeping again. Speaking about the miraculous effect of bed, Jerome calls it to be a ‘mimic grave’ wherein, we stretch our tired body and quietly sink away into the silence of rest. Referring to Hood’s song, Jerome says that bed acts as a kind nurse who calms down the fretful people. Irrespective of how people are by nature, whether they are clever or foolish, naughty or good, the bed lulls everybody off to sleep without being biased. Jerome gives a very poetic description of bed’s care for the tired being. He says, “The strong man full of care – the sick man full of pain – the little maiden sobbing for her faithless lover – like chil- dren we lay our aching heads an your white bosom, and you gently soothe us off to by-by.” Though life becomes terrible when sleep turns away from us and refuses to comfort us. Jerome specifies such situations wherein we are left sleepless. He says that it feels really long for dawn to come on a night when we are sleepless. When one is down with fever and pain and keeps tossing in the bed on such a terrible night, it seems similar to us as being dead staring out into the dark hours and it feels ages for sun to dawn. Things get worst when we happen to sit beside an ailing fellow. Every movement in the surrounding can be noticed in complete detail, like, when a lower fire startles us with the falling of the wood, the ticking of the clock seems like a hammer hitting the ailing person and sucking life out of his body with every single ticking. Suddenly, Jerome switches from beds and bedrooms to smoking with the pipe. Pipe seems to be his favourite tool for idling for it wastes the time just like the bed but it makes it look ‘not so bad.’ Smoking pipes seem as a blessing to the idlers in Je- rome’s view. He wonders what the clerks did to relish their idle moments, before Sir Walter’s time. He says that the reason why the middle aged young men quarrel a lot is nothing but the want of tobacco for smoking for it soothes them and keeps their temperament cool. With no work to do and no smoke to idle-around, they would always end up fighting, if not amongst themselves, then they indulge in fighting with the neighbour. Even after all these intense activities, they tend to idle around with the discussion about who’s beloved was the best looking, which eventually would end up in a fight. Jerome continues to say that at times the decision of whose beloved looked more beautiful was not done instantly but rather involved a lot of thinking. Unsatisfactory decision would lead to the fight between men as a result of criticizing each other’s woman’s beauty. Jerome says, with reference to the current scenario, that now-a-days men avoid indulging in fights. They prefer to idle around with their ‘dear friend’ pipe and let the girls fight among themselves in order to decide as to who was more beautiful. Mak- ing a humorous remark at the modern women, Jerome says that women of today excel at fighting out too, just how they are excelling as a doctor, barrister, artist, etc. The women of modern times is getting work opportunities in every field which were earlier limited to men. They even excel at managing theatre, promoting swindles or be it editing newspapers. Speaking about the joy of idling, once again Jerome expresses his wish to be free from routine work and let men have the opportunity of lying idly. He says, that he is looking forward to those times when men would do nothing but lie in bed till twelve in the noon, when they can idle around by reading two novels in a single day, serve evening snacks to self and indulge in conversation like the latest patterns in trousers or argue over Mr. Jones’ coat. This, Jerome says, is ‘a glorious prospect for idle fellows.’ qq Chapter - 10 : My Visions for India — Dr. A.P.J.Abdul Kalam

Summary

Dr. Kalam had been known for his inspiring speeches and fondness for the younger student community of the nation. He delivered one of his best speeches at the campus of IIT, Hyderabad on 25th May, 2011, where he outlined his visions for India. It was an extremely powerful and inspiring speech. ‘My visions for India’ is an expression of Dr. Kalam’s sincere wish to see India in its complete best and in its full glory. And to ‘see’ India like that, Dr. Kalam suggests his audience to ‘act’ in order to bring India at the zenith. Oswaal ISC Section-wise Notes & Summary, ENGLISH PAPER-2 (LITERATURE), Class-XII [ 67]

Dr. Kalam begins with the straight – forward expression of his desire. He says that he has held three visions for India and is desirous to make those wishes happen by bringing those visions into concrete realities. Referring to the three thousand years old history of India, Dr. Kalam says that people from all over the world had come and invaded us; some had captured the land while some conquered our minds. From Alexander onwards, the Greeks, the Turks, the Moguls, the Portuguese, the British, the French and the Dutch, everybody come and looted all that belonged to India. Yet, with an air of pride in his voice, Dr. Kalam relates the fact that India has never invaded any other nation in its long history. No Indian has ever invaded another nation, never grabbed anybody’s land, culture or history and has never tried to enforce its way of life on them. Herein, Dr. Kalam raises a question to the audience and wants his audience to ponder on it for a while. Continuing his speech further, Dr. Kalam gives an apt answer to the self-raised question. He says that India never invaded another nation or never forced its way of life on others because we Indians respect the freedom of others. Hence, he declares his first vision for India to always live in freedom. Dr. Kalam says that it was during the war of Inde- pendence in the year 1857 that India envisioned its freedom and a desire to create an identity of its own. He says that only a free nation gains respect in the eyes of the world. And true, for it’s a fact that a slave is always ill – treated and disrespected. Dr. Kalam hence says; “It is this freedom that we must protect and nurture and build on. If we are not free, no one will respect us.” Further speaking, Dr. Kalam mentions his second vision for India. In his view, his second wish is development. It has been five decades that India has been a developing nation. But Dr. Kalam feels that its time that we progress to become a developed nation. Dr. Kalam refers to the facts which prove the economic health of our country. He states that India stands among the top five nations in the world in terms of GDP, most sectors have witnessed the growth rate of ten percent, poverty levels are decreasing and also, India’s achievements are being globally recognized too. But we taste failure due to the lack of self-confidence to see overselves as a developed Nation. We lack self-reliance and self-assurance and hence, it is forcing us to still trail behind as a developing nation. Stating his third vision, Dr. Kalam says that his third vision is to see India standing up to the world. Dr. Kalam believes that only strength respects strength. Hence, in order to seek respect from others, India needs to stand up to the world. Being strong as a nation means being a strong military power as well as excel as an economic power too. Both should progress hand-in-hand, only then can a nation be said to be a powerful nation in its true sense. Dr. Kalam shares experiences from his personal lives for which he feels utterly fortunate. He says that having worked with the three great minds of the nation makes him feel fortunate. He says, “Dr. Vikram Sarabhai, of the Department of Space, Professor Satish Dhawan, who succeeded him and Dr. Brahm Prakash, Father of Nuclear Material. I was lucky to have worked with all three of them closely and consider this the great opportunity of my life.” Having closely worked with people of such immense reputation and knowledge, Dr. Kalam considers them to have been the wonderful opportunities in his life. He claims to have experienced four milestones in his career. Referring to the twenty years which he had spent working at ISRO, he mentions the excellent opportunity to have worked as the project director for India’s first satellite launch vehicle SLV3; the one that launched Rohini. The experience at ISRO played an invaluable role in his career in the field of science. This was his first milestone. The second milestone in his career was at DRDO, after leaving ISRO, where he worked on India’s guided missile program wherein ‘Agni’ met its mission requirements in the year 1994. The opportunity of have participated in the nuclear tests on May 11th and 13th, 2011 under the tremendous partnership of Department of Atomic Energy and DRDO, was Dr. Kalam’s third bliss. The sheer joy of participating with his teams in these nuclear tests and proving to be one among the developed nations and no longer a developing nation, filled him with pride for being an Indian. This was his third milestone. Dr. Kalam further mentions about a very light material called carbon-carbon which had been used as a re-entry structure for ‘Agni’. Relating to this material, Dr. Kalam narrates an incidence to his audience. He tells them that one day he was visited by an orthopedic surgeon from Nizam Institute of Medical Sciences, at his laboratory. The surgeon learnt about the new ma- terial and took Dr. Kalam to his hospital to see his patients, who were young girls and boys wearing heavy metallic calipers, weighing over 3 kg each, and they were dragging their feet around. The surgeon requested Dr. Kalam to come up with some solution using that ‘very light material’ in order to relieve his patients from such torturous pain. Within the span of three weeks, they came up with the solution. They made floor reaction orthosis calipers which weighed merely 300 gms and took them to the orthopedic centre. The chil- dren were in a state of surprise for they no longer needed to drag their feet, and could now move around freely. The parents’ of these children were emotional at the sight. This, Dr. Kalam claims to be his fourth bliss. Further addressing to his audience, Dr. Kalam questions at the negativity spread by media throughout the nation. Being ignorant to our own strengths and achievements is a shame. Dr. Kalam expresses his concern over the denial of Indians to acknowledge the good side of the great nation that India is. Why is it that media has its focus only on the ‘issues’ prevailing in the nation. For media needs to understand its responsibility and the impact that it creates on the minds of the people of India as well as the world. [68 ] Oswaal ISC Section-wise Notes & Summary, ENGLISH PAPER-2 (LITERATURE), Class-XII

Referring to the victories of our nation, Dr. Kalam again quotes the facts, like, India stands first in the milk production, is number one in remote sensing satellites, second largest producer of wheat as well as rice. He mentions about Dr. Sudarshan who has transformed the tribal village into a self-sustaining and a self-driving unit. Hence, Dr. Kalam raises his concern that despite numerous achievements, our media has its focus on the failures and disasters faced by the nation and its people. Dr. Kalam shares his experience at ‘Tel Aviv’. He said that its was the very next day after severe attacks and bombardments leading to numerous deaths. The Hames had attacked Israel. But the gesture shown by the Israeli newspaper was commend- able. In spite of narrating gruesome stories and showing gory pictures at the front page of the newspaper, the Israeli newspa- per had reported about a Jewish gentleman who had transformed his desert land into an orchid and a granary. He says, “It was this inspiring picture that everyone woke up to. The gory details of killings, bombardments, deaths, were inside in the newspaper, buried among other news.” Thus, Dr. Kalam questions the negative approach of Indian media which focuses only on death, sickness, terrorism and crime. Another concern that Dr. Kalam raises before his audience is the obsession of Indians for foreign things. He expresses his surprise when Indians take pride in possessing imported products like television set, shirts or technologies. He questions the ignorance of the people about the fact that self-respect comes with self-reliance. Dr. Kalam narrates his interaction with a fourteen year old girl who wanted his autograph when he was in Hyderabad giving a speech to a certain audience. On being asked about her goal in life, the girl expressed her wish to be living in a developed India. Referring to the girl’s wish, Dr. Kalam addressed/addresses his current audience to work towards building a developed India. Dr. Kalam, though, raises concern that a lot many of us will proclaim India to be already a highly developed nation. Yet he questions the contribution and efforts put in by each and every Indian in the progress of the nation, hence questioning whether it actually is developed or a developing nation in reality. Dr. Kalam says that its very unfortunate that most of us Indians excel at ‘saying’, raising concerns and complaining. Ad- dressing the audience, Dr. Kalam continues, “YOU say that our government is inefficient. YOU say that our laws are too old. YOU say that the municipality does not pick up the garbage. YOU say that our country has been fed to the dogs and is in the absolute pits. YOU say, say and say. What do YOU do about it?” Striking an attack on the weeping and complaining lot of our country, which most of us are, Dr. Kalam says that we are unsatisfied with everything that goes in our nation. We keep complaining about things like our government, laws, munici- pality’s inefficiency, telephones, railways, having worst airlines, issues with mail services, and on and on. We crib that the country is in the hands of ill-leadership and that we are doomed. All that we Indians are good at is mere cribbing and complaining and fail ourselves in ‘doing’ anything to correct the flaws. In continuity with the thought, Dr. Kalam asks his audience to imagine, a scenario. He says that, ‘We’ the very same person who complains and does nothing for the betterment of the nation, become an entirely different person when we travel to Sin- gapore. We behave at our International best. Referring to the ironic change in the display of our behavior at some foreign land, Dr. Kalam says that when in Singapore, one does not throw cigarette butts on roads or does not eat inside the store. Despite being an Indian, we feel proud of the Underground Links of Singapore as any other local citizen. We are ready to pay five dollars to drive through Orchard Road, an amount which bothers us for travelling an equivalent distance of Mahim causeway or Pedder Road, back in our own country. In Singapore, we willingly punch our parking ticket for having over- stayed in a restaurant or a shopping mall, irrespective of our status and identity; which is exactly opposite to how we follow the local rules or exhibit behavior on our own land. Stating these ironic contrasts in the behavior of an Indian at an International destination, Dr. Kalam says that on a foreign land we don’t say anything, rather do things lawfully and with a sense of moral duty towards the country. We exhibit our behavior as at International best. Continuing with stating examples about the striking contrast in the behavior of an Indian in his own country, viz-a-viz on a foreign land, Dr. Kalam says that during the festive season of Ramadan, one would not dare to go out without the head covered in Jeddah. One will not dare to bribe an employee of the telephone exchange in London, with ten pounds a month, to do forgery with the bills. When in Washington, one will never drive at a speed beyond 55 mph (88 km/h) and nor dare to be rude to the traffic cop. The empty coconut shells would find their place in the garbage pail on the beaches of Australia and New Zealand. Nobody would ever spit paan on the streets of Tokyo. One wouldn’t use examination jockeys or buy fake certificates in Boston. Oswaal ISC Section-wise Notes & Summary, ENGLISH PAPER-2 (LITERATURE), Class-XII [ 69]

Dr. Kalam stresses upon the fact that the reference is, we are the very same Indians who live to be at the best of our behavior on a foreign land but do all the above stated things in our own country, with complete ease. He says, raising concern that; “If you can be an involved and appreciative citizen in an alien country, why cannot you be the same here in India?” Dr. Kalam recalls the interview given by the famous Ex-municipal commissioner of Bombay, Mr. Tinaikar, who nar- rated the blatant fact of Indian mindset. Mr. Tinaikar, in his interview said that the affluent Indians take their dogs out for walk on the streets and let them leave their dropping all over the place. Ironically, the very same affluents Indians then go out to blame and criticize the authorities for inefficiency and dirty pavements. What a shame! Expressing his fury, Mr. Tinaikar had said, “What do they expect the officers to do? Go down with broom every time their dog feels the pressure in his bowels?” Mr. Tinaikar told in the interview that in countries like America and Japan, the pet owners are responsible to clean up after the pet has done the job. He rightly raised the question whether an Indian pet owner would ever dare to do so? Speaking in the similar tone, Dr. Kalam says that we Indians are experts at forfeiting our responsibility of being a good citizen of our nation. We vote to choose a government of our choice and then sit back relaxed with the thought of being pampered by the same government. We expect the authorities to abide by their duties and act responsibly whereas our contribution ac- counts to nothing. We expect the government to go on a cleaning drive, while we continue to throw garbage all over the place. If not throwing, then we also wouldn’t feel responsible to stop and pick up the garbage to throw it in the bin. We want our railways to provide us clean bathrooms but we deny to learn their proper usage. Further listing out the irresponsible behavior of us Indians as a citizen, Dr. Kalam says that we demand our airlines like Indian Airlines and Air India to provide us with the best of food and toiletries but never stop ourselves from stealing them at the least opportunity. It’s not something limited to the travellers, but even the employees make the most of such opportunities. Another sharp remark that Dr. Kalam makes on the Indian mentality is that when it comes to sensitive issues like those related to women, dowry, girl child, etc., people make a hue and cry of it in the form of public protest but ironically the very same group of protestors will be doing those very same things in their personal lives. Even more grueling fact is the excuse with which they come up with. They demand the change in the entire system without making any efforts to change themselves for they feel that efforts made by an individual are meaningless. Only the change in the entire social system can correct the on-going scenario. In retort to this mindset, Dr. Kalam wonders as to who will eventually bring the change in the entire system. Dr. Kalam questions the understanding of the people when they refer to the ‘system.’ Again taking a jibe at the Indian mindset, Dr. Kalam says that the system includes everyone and everything, neighbours, other households, other cities, other communi- ties and of-course the government, but definitely except “me and YOU”. An opportunity to make a positive contribution to the system, when arrives, we hide behind the doors along with our families, compare our nation with the developed ones and then wait for that blissful soul Mr. Clean who would correct everything with a single majestic sweep of his hand. Failure to do so, we would leave for a far-away land but not participate ourselves in making any positive change. Filled with fear and an unwillingness to act, we rush out to America to bask in their glory and praise their system. On New York becoming insecure, we run to England, but on experiencing unemployment there, Gulf becomes our next stop. Though when the gulf is war-stuck, we ‘demand’ to be saved by our very own Indian Government with the thought of being brought back home. Dr. Kalam expresses his grief by stating that everyones efforts are only limited to complaining about the nation. None are willing to put in any efforts to bring about a positive change through positive contribution to the system. We Indians have lost our conscience to the evil called ‘money.’ Dr. Kalam thus concludes his speech by making an appeal to all the Indians to make the necessary positive contribution to bring India up to the level of all other developed countries and prove to be the responsible citizens of our nation, India. To quote Dr. Kalam, he concludes; “Dear Indians, I am echoing J.F. Kennedy’s words to his fellow Americans to relate to Indians… “Ask what we can do for India and do what has to be done to make India what America and other western countries are today.” “Let’s do what India needs from us.” qq [70 ] Oswaal ISC Section-wise Notes & Summary, ENGLISH PAPER-2 (LITERATURE), Class-XII IV - Echoes: A Collection of Short Stories

Chapter - 1 : Salvatore — W. Somerset Maugham Summary

The short story ‘Salvatore’, apparently a narrative about the life of a young Italian fisherman, is actually a masterly character-sketch of the protagonist. The story is set in a tiny remote fishing village in Italy. Salvatore is a young boy of fifteen years of age, happy-go-lucky and has grown up in a fisherman’s family. He loved spending time bathing on the sea beach. He acted as a nurse-maid to his two younger brothers who played in the shallow waters of the sea. On going too far, Salvatore used to yell at them to come ashore. Soon, Salvatore stepped into his adulthood and was enamored of a girl from Grande Marina. She bore her charm with dignity. The courtship went on but Salvatore couldn’t marry his sweetheart. He had to complete his service period in the navy before he could settle down. So, he went on to become a sailor in the navy of King Victor Emmanuel. It was daunting but an inescapable obligation that made Salvatore nervous. It was not about the horror of the battle but the prospect of leaving home for the very first time in the life that made him anxious. Aboard the naval ship, in a sailor’s uniform, Salvatore gazed at the horizon and remembered the sunset over Ischia which he used to watch every evening. Salvatore yearned for home and missed his lady-love. The pangs of separation from her filled his mind with gloom. Salvatore’s ship passed through Spezzia, Venice and Bari before reaching China. It seemed as if misfortune awaited Salvatore in China. He fell ill of some mysterious ailment and had to be admitted to a hospital for months. He bore it with uncomprehending patience. He was said to have contacted with a virulent strain of rheumatism, hence wouldn’t be able to do heavy manual work for the rest of his life. The hospital’s findings came as a bolt to him but brought huge relief to his home sick and love-stuck heart for he knew he would be discharged from the navy forthwith that meant deliverance from the battle ship, and most importantly an early return to his lady-love. It cheered Salvatore to the point of being ecstatic. On marching home, Salvatore was welcomed by everyone including his parents, friends, the locals, everyone except his lady-love. This puzzled Salvatore. On enquiring, Salvatore’s mother told him that they had not seen the girl for about three weeks. This added to his anxiety and he couldn’t wait any longer. As dusk fell that evening, he went to his beloved’s house to meet her. To his surprise, the lady gave a cold welcome to Salvatore. She sat aloof, without any display of emotions. Finally she revealed that she couldn’t marry him any longer for he was now crippled and couldn’t work hard enough to earn a living so, she said that she has decided to go by her father’s decision of marrying a fitter person who could provide things sufficiently. She told that it was her family’s unanimous decision. Her father couldn’t give her to a man who can’t slog like an able-bodied fisherman. Salvatore was heart-broken. His heart grieved incessantly. Back home he discovered that his family was already aware of the girls’ decision and that they had held back the news from him. Clearly, Salvatore was devastated but he did not behave like most lovers do. He didn’t blame her for her decision to abandon him. He understood the reality that marrying a semi crippled young man is untenable for a working class fishing family. He bore his misfortune with remarkable fortitude. Months rolled by. Salvatore directed his mind toward working on his father’s vineyards and continued with the fishing tricks. He soon came to terms with his life, accepting the failure in love with utmost dignity. Eventually as time passed by, Salvatore’s mother told him about a young woman named, Assunta, who was willing to marry him. Salvatore’s initial comment about the girl was rather disparaging. Assunta had no great looks and was older than him in age. Her fiance had died in the battle, somewhere in Africa. Hence, she was ready to marry Salvatore, if he agreed. His mother also revealed that Assunta had some money with her. After marriage she could buy a fishing boat and rent a vineyard so that they can make a living with ease. Moreover, she was fascinated by Salvatore after seeing him at the fiesta, so love is expected to bloom. Salvatore decided to see the girl first on the following Sunday, he dressed himself up and sat at a vantage point in the church from where he could see her properly. Later, after church, Salvatore expressed his willingness to marry the girl. Eventually, Salvatore and Assunta got married and lived in a tiny white-washed cottage in the middle of the vineyard. He grew into a stout, jolly and a hard-working guy. He retained his child like air, his pleasing eyes and his cool demeanor. Assunta was sweet at heart and a clever lady too. A completely devoted wife, she never ceased to be touched by his gentle sweetness. But she despised the girl who had cheated over her husband, hence had nothing but harsh words for her. Eventually, they became family with children blessed to them. As a routine, all through the fishing season, Salvatore would go into the sea, accompanied by one of his brothers, catch the lucrative cuttlefish and would row back early in order to sell the catch to the ships bound for Naples. During the day, he used to work in his Oswaal ISC Section-wise Notes & Summary, ENGLISH PAPER-2 (LITERATURE), Class-XII [ 71] vineyard from dawn to dusk, with a short break in the afternoon. The rheumatism often made it difficult for him to perform any physical activity. He would then indolently lie about the beach, smoking cigarettes and gazing at the sea. He bore the pain stoically and often had a friendly chat with those passing by him. At times he would bring his children down to the beach to bathe them in sea-water. The two boys abhorred being pushed into water. The elder demurred lightly but the younger one would scream with fright. Salvatore was a genteel loving father who loved his sons dearly. It was remarkable how the trio enjoyed their beach outings with warmth and togetherness. He would be as candid as his munchkin. Maugham concludes the essay with specifying the innate quality within Salvatore’s personality. There was nothing heroic in him; no chivalry or melodrama. Yet, Salvatore’s character exudes the values that make a person adorable. He would be about the beach, smoking cigarettes, with a pleasant word for everyone not with standing the pain that racked his limbs. Hence, one needs to understand that it is Salvatore’s best quality that he possesses; “a quality which is the rarest, the most precious and the loveliest that anyone can have”. We as readers need to imbibe this quality of “goodness” within us in order to lead a happy and contended life. qq Chapter - 2 : Fritz — Satyajit Ray Summary

Satyajit Ray also wrote many short stories conjuring upon complex plots out of very ordinary situations. The stories centered on the thriller, horror, macabre and paranormal genres which were published as a collection of twelve stories. ‘Fritz’ (1971) is one such story. Set in a British-era rest house in a small town named Bundi in Rajasthan, the story grips the reader’s attention till the last scene where it plunges him to cauldron of fear, confusion and chimera. First published in Bengali in 1971, this translation is by Gopa Majundar. The short-story is set in a circuit house, which is a dark bungalow generally used by senior government officers for short stays. It is situated in Bundi, a small town in Rajasthan. The story opens with the conversation between two friends named Shankar (author) and Jayanto. They have been childhood friends and after so many trials, they had managed to visit Bundi and explore it, after decades. While having tea at the circuit house, Jayanto appears lost in some thoughts. On enquiring, he tells Shankar that the faint memories of his first visit to Bundi were rushing into his mind. Though initially, Shankar was puzzled with Jayanto’s keen interest in visiting Bundi, when visitors normally would prefer to visit places like Udaipur, Jaipur or Chittor in Rajasthan. Though on a personal level, he had no objections to visiting Bundi after having read Tagore’s poem ‘The Fort of Bundi’, for he felt familiar with the name of the place and felt excited about the prospect of actually seeing the fort. It was only during their journey by train to Bundi, that Shankar got to know the reason behind Jayanto’s inclination towards visiting Bundi over other places. Jayanto’s father, Animesh Das Gupta used to work in the Archeological Department, hence his work brought him to Rajasthan numerous times, for it’s a repositories of India’s ancient monuments. Jayanto as a child, hence, had visited Bundi earlier but the memory of the place had not quite faded from his mind. He had always wanted to return as a grown-up, to witness any changes that took place in Bundi. Jayanto becomes nostalgic as he recollects the tall rooms, ventilators tethered to stings, the rose plants outside, etc. The magnificent buildings stood still there. A few similar furniture’s that excited even before spoke about the timelessness of the place. The trees stood tall to provide shelter to the birds. Jauanto remembered all of these vividly. The two friends go on a sight-seeing to the famous fort of Bundi standing amidst the hills. Time seemed to stand still in the fort’s vicinity. Everything reflected the antiquities of the Rajputana era, except for the electric poles which were the only signs of the new age. The old golden age of Rajputana craftsmanship appeared to have come alive. Jayanto had always been an emotional person. Ever since reaching Bundi, he had been unusually quiet and somewhat absent-minded Perhaps the sights and sounds of Bundi had stirred a delicate cord in his heart. His palpable sadness didn’t escape Shankar’s notice. Jayanto reminisces about the large rooms and over-sized chairs of the circuit house which used to make him feel as if sitting on a throne, while sitting cross-legged. To his dismay, now everything seemed to have shrunk in size. Though, Shankar dispels his confusion by stating that he had grown in size over the years, hence that made him feel so. After tea, the two went out for a stroll in the garden. After a while, Jayanto seemed struck by the memory of a Deodar tree that used [72 ] Oswaal ISC Section-wise Notes & Summary, ENGLISH PAPER-2 (LITERATURE), Class-XII to stand at the far end of the compound. He looked bewildered, trying to find the tree and ultimately turns excited on finally tracing it. His euphoria takes Shankar by surprise. Jayanto’s eyes were fixed on the tree trunk, looking into it searchingly. He exclaimed that he had an encounter with a European near the Deodar tree as a child. Though; he struggled to recollect the entire episode. While having dinner at the oval dining table in the circuit house, Jayanto seemed to be remembering events from his childhood as the faded memories began returning to him. He spoke about Dilawar, the place and also the ‘European’s lowly; he recalled the whole episode about his doll. It emerged that ‘Fritz’ was a doll which Jayanto’s uncle had brought for him from Switzerland. It was a foot long figure of an old man dressed in traditional Swiss clothing. It wore a Swiss cap with a little yellow feather sticking out from it. It also wore a belt, buttons were on, had pockets, collars, socks and even had little buckles on the shoes. Apparently, Fritz was very lifelike and bore a smiling face. It was very flexible, hence could be bent and twisted at will. He told Shankar how fancy he had grown of Fritz. Since, he was not enrolled in a school that time, he had all the time in the world for Fritz. Though, he mentions that his parents did warn him to not overdo things with a mere doll. Shankar was all ears to Jayanto’s story. He questioned about the doll as to what happened to it. Jayanto revealed a shocking tragedy that befell Fritz in Bundi itself. On one occasion while playing with. Fritz, he had spilled hot tea over himself. In the hurry to go inside and change his clothes, Jayanto had left Fritz on the floor only. On return he saw that a few stray dogs had destroyed Fritz’s face completely. With great disbelief, Jayanto assumed it to be dead. Eventually, like one does it for a living being, Jayanto arranged for Fritz’s funeral. He wanted to bury it in a coffin for it was a European, but Jayanto couldn’t make arrangements of it and eventually buried him just like that under the deodar tree that he was searching for in the evening. After the conversation, both Shankar and Jayanto retired to bed at around ten. But soon Shakar woke up due to a slight noise. He found Jayanto awake with a look of anxiety on his face. Ignoring Shankar’s querry, he asked him if the bungalow inhabited rats and cat for he felt something walk over his chest and that was what woke him up. He said that it was the second time that he woke up from sleep, earlier he woke up after hearing an unusual shuffling sound from near the window. At this, Shankar looked around the room in search of the nocturnal intruder but all in vain. Suddenly Jayanto shouted out of fear and showed Shankar the tiny, brown circular marks on his quilt. Shankar felt Janato’s anxiety and tried to soothe him with some reassuring words. After some coaxing, Shankar fell asleep. Next morning though, Shankar could notice that Jayanto had troubled night with no proper sleep. He though that if need be, he would give Jayanto a tranquilizer to put him to sleeps to that he can get proper rest. Soon after breakfast by 9 o’clock, they left for the fort for sight-seeing. Jayanto was again immersed in his old memories of the place, but not concerning his doll. He sounded excited at the sight of elephant statues, the real throne and the beds. But soon all his enthusiasm began to wave. He quietly slipped away to the terrace. On finding Jayanto, Shankar noticed that he had grown lost in the old memories, not the cheerful ones, and stood absent minded near a wall on the other side of the terrace. Jayanto expressed his wish to return to the circuit house. Though Shankar agreed to it considering his friend’s anxiety, yet he personally wished to stay a little longer at the fort. Throughout their drive to the circuit house, Jayanto seemed restless and that worried Shankar. After putting in some efforts, Shankar finally managed to know what went through Jayanto’s mind. Jayanto said that it was Fritz, who had been to their room last night and it were his footprints on his quilt. Shankar felt annoyed at his friend’s irrational behavior, but at the same time he got worried about his health too. He thought that Jayanto needed some nerve tonic to calm down his troubled mind. Furthermore, Shankar thought that in order to prevent Jayanto from turning mad, they should exhume fritz’s remains from under the deodar tree so that Jayanto witnesses the doll being destroyed and only then could Jayanto come to terms with reality. The idea appealed to Jayanto, though he did not agree to the idea immediately. He went for a bath, had little food during lunch hour and then they decide to relax in the veranda. There was something eerie about the silence that afternoon. At about three in the afternoon, they noticed the gardener. On Jayanto’s initiative, Shankar went forward to strike a deal with gardener. With an amount of rupees five in order to dig around the spot at the far-off deodar tree. Jayanto pointed at the ground about a yard from the tree trunk. He told the gardener to dig deep at less eight inches deep. Shankar shared a light moment with the gardener but Jayanto sweated even in the month of October. He stared at the ground without even blinking for once. Suddenly, he made a strong sound. With a trembling hand and a fearful voice, Jayanto pointed out at something under the soil. The gardener lost grip of the spade and Shankar too gaped in horror, amazement and disbelief. They gaped at a twelve inch long, pure white, perfect little human skeleton lying flat on its back, covered in dust. Disturbing as the sight was, the story ends on a mysterious, questioning tone if Fritz had always longed for Jayanto’s company. qq Oswaal ISC Section-wise Notes & Summary, ENGLISH PAPER-2 (LITERATURE), Class-XII [ 73] Chapter - 3 : Quality — John Galsworthy Summary

Author being the narrator of the story begins with informing the readers about his acquaintance with the two brothers who were an ace shoe makers. They lived and worked in the two shops let into one, in an alley in the fashionable west end area of London. The author knew them for many years for the younger shoe-maker had been making shoes for his father for years now and even his father patronized the shop for getting his bespoke shoes made. The tenement, their shop was distinctive in decor. It bore no flashy signage, except for a board that read their names ‘Gessler Brothers’, and a pair of shoes placed in the window perhaps as a sign to help the public recognize it as a tiny shoe-making unit. The reason for it was that the two brothers only made customized footwear. They were not into making standard size shoes in bulk for the market. The shoe-maker was blessed with such finesse that he used to make every pair of shoes that was ordered, with his own hands and with such delicacy and care that they fitted the wearer’s feet perfectly. He also made the slimmest pair of pumps using the finest leather; tall known riding shoes that served new even after years of having used them. Such rare artisanship was the hallmark of the shoe made by him. He seemed to be realizing the soul of every boot and then making the polite types, incarnating the very spirit of all the footwear’s. In his young days, the author seldom gave any thought to the uniqueness of the shop and the creations made by these artisans. It was only by the age of fourteen that the author began to realize that it was no ordinary cobbler’s shop, but was a workplace of two splendid craftsmen. The art of making such unique pair of footwear felt mysterious as well as wonderful. Recalling one of his few conversations with the younger Mr. Gessler, the author says how he had specified the severity of the task. But to Mr. Gessler, it was an art; very dear to him. The younger Mr. Gessler had a yellow crinkly reddish face, had guttural and one-tone voice and had eyes which were gray blue in appearance which held depth in them. The elder brother too was alike except that he was paler in every way. For him just the look at the footwear made Mr. Gessler identify his work and also gave a comfortable reassurance to the person about still being his client. Even if desired for, one could not possibly visit him often, reason being that the boots created by him lasted for years, hence leaving no excuse to visit him without purpose. Visiting their shop felt like visiting a church for it was so calm. Either he or his elder brother would tend to the clients demand while thoroughly engrossed in their work. Once, the author expressed his wish of getting a pair of Russian leather boots made for him. Immediately Mr. Gessler rose and got with him a piece of gold-brown leather from inside the shop. Watching over the leather piece, Mr. Gessler couldn’t help admiring its quality and so did the author. He committed to get the shoes ready by the next fortnight. No sooner that the author left the shop than Mr. Gessler returned to his ‘dream of boots’. He was a dedicated shoe-maker, absolutely true to his work. In the cases wherein he had to build some new kind of footwear that he hadn’t made yet, he would take careful measurements of the author’s feet with nervous fingers and feeling the requirements of the author. Author recalls the day when he went over to Mr. Gessler and stated his concern that the pair of walking boots made by him had creaked. Mr. Gessler was taken aback for a while, expecting the author to either withdraw or qualify the statement. He couldn’t come to terms that the shoes made by him were flawed. He enquired the author if the leather had torn before the shoes were worn but the author denied it. Hesitatingly, he asked him to bring back the shoes for examining. Though, the seriousness with which Mr. Gessler responded made the author uneasy. Next day after examining them he said that some boots made by him carried defects from the beginning. Mr. Gessler promised the entire refund in the boots could not be fixed. This offer came after the boots had been already used for long. It spoke volumes about Mr. Gessler and the sincerity which he held towards his job. Though the entire episode left author upset. He felt guilty of hurting Mr. Gessler for he was a completely dedicated person. One another occasion, the author walked into Mr. Gessler’s shop wearing a new pair of shoes which he had bought from a large firm in an emergency. The author walked into the shop wearing them, absent mindedly. It hurt Mr. Gessler to know that his customer was wearing shoes that were not made by him. He took the author’s order without showing him any leather. With a critical look he examined those boots and finally commented that the pair of shoes worn by him were not his craft. Just with the touch of his fingers he could tell where exactly did those boots hurt the author. Mr. Gessler’s tone was neither of anger, nor of sorrow, nor of contempt, but it froze the blood within. The ready-made shoes of the author seemed to have struck a cord in Mr. Gessler’s heart. As if in a monologue, he started deriding the large shoe-making firms for they didn’t seem to value the quality of the product. Spontaneously for the only time in-front of the author, he discussed the conditions and hardships of his trade. He loathed the practice of advertisement, sales promotion and all such means implemented by the big firms in order to entice the buyers at the cost of quality, and all this just continued him losing out his customers at the grand promotions made by these firms and this happened every year. The author felt sorry for Mr. Gessler and noticed displeasure and annoyance palpable in his face which was wrinkled due to years of toil in his trade. But of self guilt he tried to relax his mood and tried to make him understand the circumstance under which he had purchased those [74 ] Oswaal ISC Section-wise Notes & Summary, ENGLISH PAPER-2 (LITERATURE), Class-XII ill-omen boots, but all in vain. As if to correct the wrong done, the author ordered for many pair of shoes from Mr. Gessler. But the idea didn’t seem to be in the author’s favour. Since they were Mr. Gessler’s creation, they lasted the longest for the next two years, and he couldn’t consciously visit Mr. Gessler with a purpose. After two years, when the author went to the shop, he was surprised to see that one of the two windows of the old shop had a new name board and a signage too. The old familiar boots no more hung over the window. Even the interiors were changed. It was a brutal and shocking makeover for author. It eventually became apparent that another business had started operating from the premise for Gessler had rented out a part of the shop to curtail cost. The author developed a sentimental bonding with the Gessler’ shop for that made him return to it quite often. Once, he ordered three pairs of shoes instead of two. Eventually, on one such visit, the author found out about the death of the elder brother of Mr. Gessler. Worries borne out of slack business and the resulting difficulties had forced the two brothers to give up one shop. The loss apparently drove the elder weak. The author again placed order for few more pairs of shoes though, this time, the supplies came late. But they were better made than ever and the author wore them to great delight. Soon after he went abroad. It was only after a year that the author could return to London. He went to see his favourite shoe-maker but the encounter was not as pleasant as expected. Mr. Gessler had battled poor business, loss of his brother and despondency. The continuing distress had taken a toll on his physical and mental condition. He looked so haggard and broken. He seemed to have aged fifteen years in just one year of dull business. The author started his conversation by heaping praises on the boots that the author had bought from the shoe-maker. Quite characteristically, his attention fell on the author’s shoe. He felt them by his hands, lovingly, remembering the effort he had put in to make them. He was glad to get fresh orders for more pair of shoes from author. Eventually, the four pairs of new shoes arrived and were of perfect fit. Strangely though, Mr. Gessler continued to charge the same old rate as before. The author paid of the charged amount. A week later, the author went to Gessler’s shop to tell him how excellent the shoes were made. But what he discovered, devastated him. The name board was gone while the other items were still there. With a pounding heart, the author entered the shop only to find a new man and not Mr. Gessler. This man started to his usual business of selling shoes to the author. When the author expressed his wish to know about Gessler, the man disclosed that he was dead. It sent a chill down his spine. To add to the author’s horror, the man disclosed that Gessler had starved himself to death. Towards his final days, orders came few and far between. Gessler found the going hard. When any order came, Gessler worked very hard without rest or food in order to deliver the orders on time. His body couldn’t cope with the punishing schedule. Despite his failing strength, he poured his heart out to the shoes he made. Mr. Gessler was a shoe-maker par excellence, but was poorly equipped to stand up to the commercial monster firms which dominated the shoe-making industry. With the demise of the man, the fine art of shoe-making was lost forever. The passing away of Mr. Gessler left a wound in the author’s heart for he adorned the humble shoe-maker a lot. qq Chapter - 4 : To Build A Fire — Jack London

Summary

‘To Build a Fire’ By Jack London, is short story which had two versions, one published in the year 1902 and the other is the new version which was published in 1908. This new version of the story became an often anthologized classic. It’s about an unnamed protagonist who ventures out in the sub-zero tundra of the Yukon Territory accompanied by his dog, to visit his friends. Though, he was warned about the dangers of hiking alone, he ignored the old Man‘s warning and eventually led to his own fatal end. The new versions ’To Build a Fire’, is often cited as an example of the naturalists movement that portrays the conflict of man against nature. The story opens with the unnamed protagonist and his wolf-dog on the Yukon Trail on an extremely cold winter day. Despite being warned of the dangers of travelling alone in extreme weather conditions by an old man from sulfur creek with nine hours more of hiking, the man was expecting to meet ‘the boys’ at a camp in the Henderson Creek by that evening. As a company, the man’s wolf- dog was there with him, though its instincts told it that the weather was too cold for travelling. However, the weather does not deter the man, a relative new-comer to the Yukon even though the vapor in his exhaled breaths and the saliva from the tobacco he was chewing had frozen his mouth shut. As the protagonist hiked along the creek, he took care to avoid pockets of unfrozen water hidden beneath the thin layers of ice. He stopped and built a fire to thaw out so he could have lunch soon after he continued hiking. Though soon after, he broke through the ice and soaked his feet into icy water, deep till the knees. More of anguished over the accident than concerned for his safety, the man built Oswaal ISC Section-wise Notes & Summary, ENGLISH PAPER-2 (LITERATURE), Class-XII [ 75] a fire under a tree to dry his clothes as sensation began to fade from his extremities. He pulled down the twigs from the nearly under bush to feed the fire, but the resulting movement of the bushes caused the snow on the tree’s loaded bough to tumble which eventually extinguished the flames. For the very first time, the man felt frightened of the circumstances around him. Once again he gathered the material for putting up new fire. He lit the fire with great difficulty for he burnt himself many-a- times with the match while lighting up the fire. Though luck again let him loose. While trying to remove a piece of moss, he inadvertently disturbed and extinguished the flame. Out of furry; he seized the dog with the intention to kill it in order to use the fresh carcass for warmth. However, he failed in the attempt as he could neither draw the knife nor strangle the animal with his frozen hands. He realized that the death was near and, hence began running, just as the old man had warned him not to do. The man hoped that he had a chance to run to the camp, but knew that it was highly impossible for he lacked the strength. The man cursed the dog for it was warm and alive. The dog ran on but the man crumpled after running a few yards. He eventually decided to accept death peacefully and admitted to himself that the old man at the Sulphur Creek had been right. He succumbed to hypothermia and slept this way into death, imaging himself being with ‘the boys’ as they found his body the next day. Initially, the dog failed to understand the situation and stayed with the man. But when it smelt death, it ran off in the direction of the camp where reliable food and fire providers could be found. qq Chapter - 5 : The Story of the Hour — Kate Chopin

Summary The short-story ‘The Story of The Hour’, describes the series of emotions that Louise Mallard endures after hearing the death of her husband. Brently, who was reported to have died in a train accident but eventually turns up alive towards the end of the story. Mrs. Mallard suffers from heart problem, hence her sister Josephine and her husband’s friend, Richard attempt to inform her of the fatal news of her husband’s death in a gentle way, so as not to shock her too much. On hearing the news Mrs. Mallard makes way to her room upstairs in order to mourn the loss of her husband. She sits down and looks out of the window. Suddenly, she sees the nature and the new life outside and while locked inside, a weird feeling comes over her and confusion follows immediately. She begins to feel an unexpected sense of exhilaration and yells “Free! Body and soul free!” She rejoices at the thought of all the springs and summers she can enjoy without her husband. She would live for herself, without any oppression or a forceful bending of will to be imposed upon the spouse. She acknowledges that many-a-times, she has loved her husband and also not loved him numerous times. Her sudden rush of exhilaration is what she believes to be the brighter side of her husband’s death. Along with all the excitement, Louise still grieved for her husband and knew that she will cry about it later. But at the moment, “She was drinking in a very elixir of life through that open window.” Josephine comes up and begs her to open the door for she feared that Louise will become ill. Still in the triumphant mode, she opened the door to her sister and with the glitter in the eyes, she descended the stairs along with Josephine. Just then Brentley enters the house. He was saved from any suffering for he was far away from the scene of accident. Moreover, he wasn’t even aware of an accident to have taken place. Just one look at Brentley, Louise utters a piercing cry. The doctor told that she had died of the heart disease of joy that kills. qq Chapter - 6 : The Chinese Statue — Jeffrey Archer

Summary

‘The Chinese Statue’ is one of the short stories written by Jeffrey Archer in his collection titled ‘A Quiver Full of Arrows’ (2006). The story is about the journey of a statue of ‘Emperor Kung’. This statuette originated from the Ming dynasty and was bought to London by Sir Alexander who kept it in his family for generations. Sir Alexander had been an exact, organized and a time-bound person since an early age. With a spectacular career to his record, he grew from an employee at the Foreign office in Whitehall to the minister in Peking. On a personal level; he had an amateur interest in the art of the Ming dynasty. Hence, when he was appointed as a minister to represent the government in China for tenure of three years, he made the most of the opportunity at hand to live his interest thoroughly. [76 ] Oswaal ISC Section-wise Notes & Summary, ENGLISH PAPER-2 (LITERATURE), Class-XII

Sir Alexander, hence preferred to make the most of the short tenure and travelled on horse-back into the outlying districts to learn more about the country and its people. On one such outings, Sir Alexander happened to pass through a small village, about some fifty miles from paling, called Ha Li Chuan. Here, he met an old craftsman and was mesmerised by the collection of work that he has which include beautiful miniature emperors, classical figures etc. After a hearty chat with the craftsman and showering of compliments to the craftsman’s art, the sculptor gifted Sir Alexander a priceless statue. It was a six inch tall, ivory statue of Emperor Kung. Sir Alexander felt confident that it was sculpted by the great Pen, Q. somewhere around the turn of the fifteenth century. As per the Chinese custom, one must return the kindness within the calendar year, when a stronger shows generosity. Hence, Sir Alexander called for a large part of his savings in the Bank, to reach him in Perking, at the earliest. A background check of the craftsman was made, whose name was Yung lee. With the approval from the Empress lady Heathcote, Sir Alexander gifted Yung Lee with a small white house of the perfect proportions, guarded by two stone lion dogs at the front entrance. Yung Lee was speechless and overwhelmed. After the completion of his tenure and being titled the K.C.V.O. and awarded with the ‘Silver star of China’, Sir Alexander completed the work at the Foreign Office and eventually retired to his native Yorkshire. He wrote a will which stated that the statue be kept in the family for generations and never to be disposed off, unless the family’s honors was at stake. Hence, each of Sir Alexander’s heirs, all of whom turned out to become civil servants and army officers, obeyed the legacy of the will and kept the statuette very safely and in great glory until the latest descendent; Alex Heathcoat lost all his money in playing roulette at an elderly age of sixties. As the circumstances had it and what the will directed, Alex decided to sell the Ming Statue in order to save the family honour, for forging a huge debts, would bring shame on the family name. To his shock though, he discovered that the statue was fake and was only worth eight hundred guineas at the most. But just as he contemplates suicide, he also finds out that the base of the statue was authentic and belonged to fifteenth century. Eventually, at the auction, the Ming Statue (Lot No. 103), brought him seven hundred and twenty guineas and the base brought him twenty-two thousand guineas, largely enough to repay all his debts and lead a life on his own terms. qq Chapter - 7 : A Gorilla in the Guest Room — Gerald Durrell

Summary

The story ‘A Gorilla in the Guest Room’, is a humongous tale of the narrator’s decision to enhance the zoo from a mere show-place of animals into a conservation of wildlife place. The protagonist in the story is a baby gorilla named N’ Pongo, who becomes the first animal towards conservation of endangered species, to be kept in the zoo and taken care of. N’ Pongo was not an easy win for the narrator. It involved convincing the rich people of the Jersey Island for financial support and bearing the protest from his wife Jacquie. Eventually, the gorilla was handed over to the narrator by the dealer at the London airport. N’ Pongo was about eighteen inches high and a quite handsome and healthy looking baby gorilla. His light-chocolate coloured fur was soft and thick, the skin on his hand, feet and face was soft and glossy. He had small, deep-set tinkling eyes. An extrovert looking gorilla that he was, he soon happened to bond with the narrator, wriggling about in his arms. N’ Pongo was above average than many other apes in terms of mannerism. He ate daintily, watched the surrounding keenly while on his way to the zoo. For the initial days, N’ Pongo had to stay in the guest room of the narrator, for his cage was yet to be built. Pretty soon, he won the hearts of Jacquie and the narrator’s mother. Though initially, the narrator had his doubts about N’ Pongo letting into mischievous acts, for he had a previous miserable experience with a chimpanzee named Chumley, but N’ Pongo proved to be different. His courteous manners and an exemplary conduct won everybody’s heart. Apart from a few minor stains here and there and a broken handle of the door, for he was still a baby gorilla, things were smooth at the narrator’s house till N’ Pongo was finally shifted to his cage. N’ Pongo had a unique trait of holding a different approach to a problem or a situation and this interested the narrator. For instance, while being put into the cage in order to be moved to the Zoo, N’ Pongo realized that it was inevitable to escapes hence accepted the necessity of being locked up again and submitted with good grace with some initial protest. Owing to his attractive appearance and disposition, good manners and a well-developed sense of humor, N’ Pongo soon became the darling of the zoo. Every afternoon he was brought out in the lawn to show – off his skills in front of his admirers. Within the span of one year, N’ Pongo grew double the size and the need to obtain a mate for him arose, for it becomes unsafe for the humans around when ‘a gorilla starts jumping onto them’. It can possibly, lead to serious injuries, hence a mate for N’ Pongo was a –must. So, the same dealer who had given N’ Pongo to the narrator, agreed to obtain a female gorilla for them, though the payment was Oswaal ISC Section-wise Notes & Summary, ENGLISH PAPER-2 (LITERATURE), Class-XII [ 77] agreed to be made in installments. Hence, ‘Nandy’ was introduced to the narrator. Her fur was glossy, she was fat and her skin had a sheen like satin. Unlike N’ Pongo, her eyes were large and lustrous. But those were frightened eyes; of little experience with humans, hence she lacked trust and respect for humans. She had a scar on her skull, probably due to being stuffed into the crate, during her journey. At the zoo, Nandy was put in a cage next to N’ Pongo for the next whole day so that she could get the time to settle and also see her future husband. But Nandy evinced N’ Pongo and the humans at the zoo, hence winning her confidence was likely to be a tough task for the narrator. Though finally, she was put into the same cage as N’ Pongo. All were alert and filled with anxiety about this meeting between the two gorillas. The entire staff at the zoo carried safety tools like water, brushes, nets, long sticks, etc. in order to avert any fights between the two. The introduction of the two was very dull, with Nandy eyeing everything with suspicion and so did N’ Pongo, for it was a direct invasion to his privacy. Though, as time progressed, N’ Pongo made the move by playing one of his humorous tricks, which left Nandy grunting. By the end of the second day though, the gorillas snuggled up at sleep and N’ Pongo shared his bedroom without any averse. They bonded well, despite being so different in character. They grew well together, with playing tricks and happy giggles. Having N’ Pongo and Nandy at the zoo, with the idea of keeping their species conserved, brought a major responsibility of taking care of their health and well-being. Hence, a magnificent communication system was set up at the zoo as well as the narrator’s house, in order to keep everyone updated about the on-going at the zoo and also alert each other in case of an emergency. Nandy and N’ Pongo once got diarrhoea but recovered soon. But soon again, N’ Pongo fell severely ill with a form of colitis. The narrator was due to travel to France for three weeks and he was in doubts about N’ Pongo’s health who had stopped feeding himself completely. Eventually, after a lot of efforts. N’ Pnogo felt a liking for watermelon and soon started on his way to recovery. He fed himself with milk, other foods and was given antibiotic injections. By the time the narrator returned from France, N’ Pongo was back to his initial health and greeted the narrator with his same lively, mischievous gestures, as always. qq Chapter - 8 : The Singing Lesson — Katherine Mansfield

Summary

‘The Singing Lesson’ is one of the short-stories from the collection “The Garden Party and Other Stories” (1922) by Katherine Mansfield. The story opens with the protagonist, Miss Meadows making her way to the music hall of the school. The very first line of the short-story tells us about the emotional state of Miss Meadows, who was filled ‘with despair-cold, sharp despair’. Dressed in her usual academic attire, she headed to take up the first singing lesson of the day. Girls, of all ages passed her in the hall in their happy, jovial self, but Miss Meadows was immune to their happiness for her fiancé, Basil, had called off the wedding. For the singing teacher in an all girls school that Miss Meadows was, life had suddenly turned cruel to her, for reasons unknown. Walking down the hallway, she exchanged strange pleasantries with the Science Mistress who she hated, more so for her sweetness that day. On reaching the class, she marched onto the stage looking down at the row of students before her, who were from the fourth, fifth and sixth forms. Unusual for her behavior, she gave two sharp taps with her baton for silence which irritated her students. She knew what they would be thinking of her but nonetheless it didn’t matter to her that day. In her mind she thought of the letter which her fiancé had written to her. In the letter Basil had mentioned how strongly he felt about their marriage being a mistake. He wrote that the fault was in him for he was not a ‘marrying man’, hence Miss Meadows need not feel guilty about the matter. She noticed in the letter how he had written ‘disgust’ initially and had later crossed it out and written ‘regret’ instead. Drowned in her thoughts, Miss Meadows walked to the piano where Mary Beazley, her favourite pupil, was waiting to play the accompaniments. Mary tried to engage Miss Meadows in conversation and greeted her with a beautiful yellow chrysanthemum, which had become more of a ritual between the two. But Miss Meadows completely ignored Mary’s gesture, leaving her in tears, and announced for ‘Page fourteen, A Lament’. Fighting back her tears, Mary began to play. Addressing the class, Miss Meadows instructed them to sing without any expression and the result was indeed tragic. Miss Meadows led her students through the dreadful dirge all the while thinking of Basil. Each note played was a sigh, a sob and a crown of awful mournfulness. All throughout the session, Miss Meadows kept wondering the reason for Basil to write such a letter and trying to figure out as to what prompted him to do so. Recalling their last conversation through letter, Miss Meadows remembered how Basil had mentioned about buying a hat stand. Wondering, how could he have changed his mind so quickly, left her perplexed. [78 ] Oswaal ISC Section-wise Notes & Summary, ENGLISH PAPER-2 (LITERATURE), Class-XII

Once the song ended, Miss Meadows instructed the girls to use their imagination to find the meaning behind the words of the song and this time, to sing with expression. She sounded stoned and it happened to frighten the youngest student in the class. Once again her thoughts began to flow with the flow of the song, as if setting its tone. Her inner turmoil began and she started contemplating the consequences of the wedding being called off. She concluded that in such circumstances, she would have to leave her job to avoid any disgrace and embarrassment. Initially too, people had expressed their surprise at her engagement with Basil for he was five years younger than her. Her emotions reflected upon the speed of the music’s flow. Beckoning with baton, the music sped up. The older girls were red in face while the younger ones began to cry. Miss meadows was only physically present in the class, for in her mind, she was miles away begging Basil to love her or allow her to love him, for she felt that perhaps her love would he enough for both of them. All these pleas were useless. She had to disappear to save herself from any embarrassment. On this thought, the song ended and the voices of her students faded. Just at the moment a student entered the class, informing Miss Meadows about the headmistress’s wish to see her. Miss Meadows instructed the girls to be soft in their conversations while she was away and she walked to the headmistress, Miss Wyatt’s office. There, she was handed a telegram which read like; “Pay no attention to letter, must have been made, bought hat-stand to-day-Basil.” Miss Meadows was surprised and couldn’t take her eyes off the telegram. Concerned Miss Wyatt enquired if all was good, to which Miss Meadows blushed and responded in affirmation. Miss Wyatt reminded Miss Meadows that only serious news of utmost emer- gency were allowed in school and that for a good news, it should wait until school hours. Happy once again and flying on the wings of hope, love and joy, Miss Meadows hurried back to the class and asked the girls to refer to the song on page number thirty-two, “We come here today … to congratulate.’ She picked up the beautiful yellow chrysanthemum to hide her smile and with overladen joy, she sang along with the girls, at the top of her voice which was high above all the other voices and reflected depth and was full of expression. qq Chapter - 9 : The Sound Machine — Roald Dahl

Summary

The Sound Machine by Roald Dahl is a short, sharp and a frightening story that discusses about the darker and selfish side of human nature. People exploit plants and flowers for their selfish uses and seem to ignore the ‘emotions’ within these living things. Klausner, the protagonist, was a man who was obsessed with sound. He had a theory that there excited numerous sounds in the world that were inaudible to human ears as these sounds were of high frequencies. Hence, he invented a machine designed to receive high frequency sounds and translate them for the human ears to hear them. On a summer evening when Klausner was working on this machine, Dr. Scott came to have a look and was curious to enquire about his invention. The invention, to specify, was a three-foot long black box which resembled a small coffin that contained a complex electronic mechanism. Dr. Scott did not seem convinced with Klausner’s theory. Klausner takes his machine outdoors to test it. Initially, all he hears through the connected earphones is a mere humming noise. Though soon, he perceives a shriek each time his neighbor Mrs. Slanders cuts the stem of a rose in her garden. These, to him, sounded like painful moans and cries of the roses on being cut. He, further decided to test the machine through another experiment. The next day, he takes an axe and swings it into a large beech tree. Immediately, he hears an unsettling noise, similar to a scream. It was unlike any other sound that he had ever heard before. Klausner, hence, rushes back to the house and call his doctor. He experiences a sudden urge to share this news and experience with someone and the doctor was his saviour. Dr. Scott agrees to come over and listen to the sounds. The moment Klausner smacks the tree with the axe, a large branch comes down crashing and smashes the sound machine to pieces, barely missing the two men. He asks Dr. Scott about the sound that he might have heard, but the physician was uncertain for he was attempting to save himself from any injury. Klausner insists that the cuts in the tree should be painted with iodine as an attempt to heal it. He also commands Dr. Scott to check on the tree the next day and they leave the place, hand-in-hand. qq Oswaal ISC Section-wise Notes & Summary, ENGLISH PAPER-2 (LITERATURE), Class-XII [ 79] Chapter - 10 : B. Wordsworth — V.S.Naipaul

Summary

The short-story ‘B Wordsworth’ by Naipaul unfolds various events at its core through the eyes of an unnamed young boy, who is the narrator of the story. This boy lived in Miguel Street. As a child, he had observed beggars coming to his home and crying for money, food and many other things. One day, a small man named B. Wordsworth approached the boy to see the bees in his yards. Initially, the boy is quizzical and enquires details about this strange man. It is at this point that the readers begin to learn B. Wordsworth’s poetic and a possibly fantastic view on life. He told the young boy that ‘B’ in his name stood for ‘Black ‘and that he had a brother named ‘White Wordsworth’ with whom he shared a heart. ‘B’ told the boy that he was one of the greatest poets of all time, yet he had never sold a poem. In fact, he even tried to sell a poem based on mothers to the boy’s mother for four cents, but was shoved off. When ‘B’ leaves the boy’s place, interestingly he wishes to see him again, hence giving a hint that the relationship between the boy and ‘B’ will continue to grow. Soon enough, the young boy happened to spot ‘B’ on the Miguel street, just a week later. As their relationship continues, ‘B’ and the boy spend their time together, walking, talking, meandering around the seaboard; living as poets and life explorers. One day ‘B’ shared a story with the boy; a story of two poets, a boy and a girl and the death of the girl and the unborn baby poet that she carried. B. also tells the boy about a poem. This poem, he exclaimed, wasn’t any ordinary poem like something that he had earlier tried to sell for four cents. Rather he claims that it was ‘… the greatest poem in the world.’ Sharing the details he said that he had been working on the poem for five years, till date; one line a month at one time. He shared the previous month’s line with the boy which read as; “The Past is deep.” The line enamored the young boy so much that he hung onto the hope for more. But, no more lines come from ‘B’ although the boy was optimistic for B. as well as his poetry, yet B. himself wasn’t an enthusiastic person. The story begins to trickle to its end, just as the boy witnessed ‘B’ nearing him. B had shrunk in shape. The two have one last meeting wherein they express their emotions with tears rolling down their cheeks. B. made the boy promise to never visit him again. To soothe the boy, B. narrates him a funny story which wasn’t so funny after all. B. tells the boy that he had lied everything about the girl poet and the baby. He said that the story of him writing the greatest poem was a farce too. With this revelation, B. sends the boy home. With a heavy heart, the boy left with a great memory of a great poet’ that he believed B. to be. About a year later, the boy walked along Alberto street but could find no sign of B.’s house. He realized that B’s house had been pulled down and had been replaced by a big, two-storied building. All the trees surrounding B’s house had been cut down and there was wreck and concrete everywhere. Everything belonging to B. or anything that spoke of B’s association had been erased, as though B. Wordsworth never existed. qq V - Reverie : A Collection of Poems

Chapter - 1 : The Darkling Thrush — Thomas Hardy Summary

Hardy’s expression of his feeling about the world: Thomas Hardy wrote ‘The Darkling Thrush’ when the world was about to enter into the twentieth century. On the personal level too, Hardy was moving from novel writing to poetry after the criticism of his novel ‘Jude the Obscure’. Hence in a gloomy tone, Hardy says that when the frost was ghostly-gray and the depressing winter landscape made the setting-sun seem lonely and abandoned, he leaned on a gate before a thicket of small trees. The twinning plants, rising high, were silhouetted against the sky like the strings of broken lyres. All the people, who lived nearly, were inside their homes, gathered around their household fire. Dead Countryside: The countryside looked like a corpse, with cloudy sky as the roof of the corpse’s crypt and wind as its song of death. The cycle of birth and rebirth seemed to have shrunken, with lack of happy spirits of the inhabitants of the earth. All seemed to be infected by the gloomy spirit of the poet. Thrush’s song comes as a relief to the ailing spirit of the poet: It is the point when the poet is gloomy and entire happiness has drained from his spirit just at that very moment he heard the joyful song of a bird, a frail old thrush, which was coming from the scrawny branches overhead. The song was a jubilant outpouring against the evening gloom. A new hope lights-up the poet’s spirit: The dreary landscape gave the Thrush no reason to sing with such an overflowing happiness. The poet wondered if the Thrush was a harbinger of some new hope, of which he was unaware. [80 ] Oswaal ISC Section-wise Notes & Summary, ENGLISH PAPER-2 (LITERATURE), Class-XII

Word Meanings

 Coppice—Thicket of small trees  Specter-grey—ghost like/haunted landscape  Dregs—weak end of the day, setting-sun  Desolate—to appear bleakly empty or lonely, abandoned  Eye of day—sun  Tangled—twisted together  Bine-stems— stems of a shrub  lyres—stringed musical instrument similar to a harp  Haunted nigh—lived nearby  Corpse—dead body  Outleant—lying down  Germ—seed egg; bud  Fervourless—lack of intensity in a feeling or belief, gloomy spirit  Bleak— small, thin, fragile  Evensong—song sung in the evening  Illimited—unlimited  Caroling—bird’s singing  Ecstatic— happy, joyful  was written ….things—the bleak countryside revealed no cause for joyous singing  Where of—about which qq Chapter - 2 : Birches

— Robert Frost

Historical Background

Birches originally titled ‘swinging on Birches’ was one of Frost’s early works published in 1916 right in the middle of World War I. Behind its simple charm, there is a world weariness that hints of the turmoil during that period, especially in lines “shattering and avalanching …. arching in the woods.” Perhaps, the poem was Frost’s attempt to soothe in troubled times, telling the readers to embrace life’s simple pleasure and find peace; escaping .... into transcendence. Summary

The Playful Birches: There is something almost playful about the Birches, unlike their seemingly serious counterparts; “lines of straighter, darker trees,” the birches do not conform and are rather scattered to left and right. Their odd angles trigger the poet’s imagination and he fancies that a boy has been swinging about them. Though his rational mind suggests that the bending of the birches is not the aftermath... of a boy’s mischief but the outcome of the work of ice-storm. Reality might not lend itself to a delightful background, but it doesn’t lessen the beauty of the icy birches either. The beauty of the birches in winters: The poet involves the readers in sharing their experiences when he says,“ …. you must have seen them.” The ice storm has created a silver thaw. Stirred by the breeze, the fragile ice makes clicking sound against each other. The birches seem to turn ‘many colored’ as they refract the winter sunlight against its icy prism which appears to be its enamel. Reality strikes hard: As the sun’s warmth melts the ice, the birches release a shower of ice crystals on the hard snow crust like ‘shattering and avalanching.’ These snowy glasses seem to have broken down as if suggesting the falling of the inner dome of the heaven. It suggests that the factual world has crashed into his imaginary world and there exists an internal conflict as realism makes him shed his day dreams and reflections. Endurance of life’s struggles: The poet contemplates the suppleness of the birches, thinking about endurance in the face of life’ struggles. Life can, at times, weigh heavy on our creative selves, forcing us closer to ground realities. Although bent so much, the birches do not break. But for the fact that they remain bent for a long time, they are never quite the same; thus warning us of the dangers of suppressing ourselves in real world. Frost springs up with an aesthetic simile, wherein he compares the perennially bent birches with the young girls sunning out their wet hair. Frost expresses his rebellion by suggesting that though he may have to bow in front of the reality, just like the birch trees, but he refuses to be broken. He decides to bounce back by setting his artistic thoughts run wild. Poet’s reference to whims over reality: Although alternating between whim and reality, Frost here speaks of his willful choice on how he likes to perceive the world. The spunky boy of his imagination swings back into view. Out on an errand to bring back the cows, the boy still finds the time and inspiration for pleasure. Unaffected by anything, be it lack of playmates, seasons, circumstances, etc; the boy happily romps around the riches. The tact of climbing the birch trees: Nostalgia fills the lines as the poet states the details about the boy’s skill in climbing and swinging from the birches. The boy seems to ride down the tree over and over again till its branches begin to hang, losing its stiff- ness. He becomes wise with practice and learns about aiming high, testing boundaries, knowing how much to push, thus becoming worldly wise. He makes the most of what’s at hand and learns the various lessons essential in life. Frost expresses his wish to relive those childhood memories and climb up the birches just like the imaginary boy did. Oswaal ISC Section-wise Notes & Summary, ENGLISH PAPER-2 (LITERATURE), Class-XII [ 81]

An escape to strengthen again and then return: Acknowledging his escapist tendencies, Frost says that many a times, life gets tough and becomes ‘a pathless wood’, with no guidance to ease the confusion or harshness along the way. It’s in such moments that the poet feels the necessity of taking a break. Realizing the fact that he has numerous responsibilities to perform, hence physically leaving might not be an option for him. Hence, he takes an instant vacation by drifting into his world of imagination, offering a relief to himself, before returning to tackle life’s challenges. Earth is the right place for love: The poet becomes wary of his wishful thinking. He doesn’t want the fate to behave like a naughty sprite and snatch him into dream world with no point of return. Clarifying his stand, Frost says that the love on earth anchors him and that he cherishes the bonds that hold him here. Though, the birch trees seem to call out to the poet, tempting him to scale new heights of imagination towards the carefree bliss of imagination. Refreshed after touching this glorious high point, Frost wishes to return to where he had left from. The birches become the bridge between the two worlds, inviting to touch the sky yet keeping him rooted at the same time. The essentiality of letting go to introspect: Frost concludes by suggesting the act of taking a break from the rigorous routine and give oneself a chance to unbend from life’s harshness. An actual get-away or a drift into the imaginative world, it’s important to have time to let go of ourselves, to introspect. The emphasis on ‘both going and coming back’ is important as ‘going’ offers one a chance to rejuvenate and the ‘coming back’ offers the relief of a lighter perspective to life. Overall, the poem is about dealing with realities and still finding a happy place, even if it’s in one’s mind or as simple as swinging through the birches in a winter wonderland.

Word Meanings

 Birches—a slender hard tree with thin peeling barks  Withered—dried  Bracken—a tall fern  Subdued—overpower  poise—balance  Swish—with a rustling sound  Weary—tired qq Chapter - 3 : Dolphins — Carol Anne Duffy

Summary Confinement of Dolphins in water: A dramatic monologue, the poem is written from the perspective of a dolphin which remembers its previous life of freedom and joy in the ocean and compares it with its present life of confinement and monotony in the restricted, artificial pool. ‘World’ to them means freely swimming and dancing. But in the current circumstances, despite being in water, they shall feel confined ... and restricted. The feeling of being shackled overpowers their sense of imprisonment even though they are in water, outside which they cannot breathe. They no longer experience freedom. It looks at another dolphin whose restricted movement, shape and thoughts are the same as its. Both the dolphins are distressed at the thought of how others control their lives. It further mentions about the man who makes them jump through the hoop, suggesting ways in which they are enslaved and demanded to perform on orders. Perhaps the trainer who makes them perform tricks against their will and traps them in a superficial, fake environ- ment is struck with guilt, but the fact remains that the dolphins are living the life of slaves. Sense of regret and distress within dolphins: Although the dolphins are extremely sentient creatures, the artificial pool fails to offer any truth, for it lacks the true essence of the sea. A dolphin’s skin is extremely sensitive to the changes in its environment, but it feels lack of explanation which may guide them to the sense of this new world. Despite being distressed at their present condition, they try to adapt to their new abode, though it took them days to do so. There is nothing new happening in their lives. They only tend to find dullness and monotony in the ‘same space always’. Moreover, however freely the dolphins had once lived; they were now controlled by man. One voice for all the dolphins: The struggle of the dolphins is addressed with a sense of collective voice and mutual feelings. A sense of understanding, companionship and commonness exists between the dolphins surviving together in the pool. They alleviate their sufferings by collectively dealing with the situation and by being there for each other. They willingly find ways to help each other in their misery. Recollecting their memory of the sea, the dolphins suggest how the natural sunlight reflected off their skin producing a silvery appearance. But now, it seemed like a distant dream of ‘somewhere else’. Recovering from nostalgia, the dolphin remembers that it has to continue to balance a coloured ball till the trainer retires to his place. Submission to human dominance: The dolphins seem to be living a life in perennial darkness. The sense of hopelessness and desola- tion in the lives of dolphins has intensified. They live in such a dark and confined world where the moon seems to have disappeared. There’s a sense of monotony and drabness as the dolphins just circle around the movement of the water on a ‘single note’. Mourning [82 ] Oswaal ISC Section-wise Notes & Summary, ENGLISH PAPER-2 (LITERATURE), Class-XII the loss of freedom by another companion fills its heart with despair and turns it into stone. They have accepted the hopelessness which has clouded their happy spirits and they continue performing their meaningless tricks. Restricted and controlled thoroughly by man, they seem to have come to the conclusion, accepting their fateful end in that very pool.

Word Meanings

 In our element—to be in a known and a happy situation  Hoops—a circular band  Tremble—Make an impact or affect

qq Chapter - 4 : The Gift of India — Sarojini Naidu

Historical Background

In the poem ‘The Gift of India’, Sarojini Naidu captures the sacrifices of over one million Indian troops from Britain’s colonial empire, who served in the British army in World War I. Nearly 75,000 died on the foreign lands, never returning home and over 70,000 were wounded. Serving in the Ypres sector and other sites on the Western Front, as well as in Mesopotamia and Gallipoli, the Indian troops were of vital significance in many battles of the First World War. Naidu’s poem, thus commemorates the sacrifices of her countrymen. She pines for those who did not return home and bemoans the fact that, the colonial authorities gave only perfunctory tribute to the Indian soldiers who fought with commendable valour and grit. In the war against the Germans, the British garnered resources from whichever possible option. India had plenty of men and materi- als to offer, like farm produce, minerals, metals and a rudimentary road network to move them to the ports. Apart from deploying Indian troops, humongous quantity of wheat, rice, sugar and textiles were procured from India to feed to war machine. In return of those ‘gifts’ of India in the form of its people and resources, the British failed to sincerely acknowledge the sacrifices of the Indian troops. Moreover, in this process of providing resources, India’s economy was enfeebled by war and the Indians were impoverished. Summary

The invaluable ‘Gift’ of India: The poem ‘The Gift of India’ is an outpouring of a bleeding heart. Written in the context of the Great War of 1914-18, the poem is emotionally surcharged with the sentiments of the poetess towards our martyrs and the sacrifice of the sons of the Indian soil. The very first line of the poem shows India’s sentiment of anger and questions. Is it not enough that I have given everything? The poet says, “Is there ought you need that my hands withhold,” Mother India 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, i.e. the youth of her land in distant battle grounds to fight someone else’s war. She, thus questions what more can the nations of the world expert her to give them. The phrase ‘sabers of doom’ represent the nature of the war and the devastation it leaves in its wake. The soldiers who died in the battle fields, their graves were their resting place. The lifeless soldiers in their graves in a foreign land of Persia were like pearls strewn in abandon along the shores by the waves. Referring to the broken shells on the sands of Egypt, the poet is reminded of the soldiers with severed limbs, whose bodies had been relieved of their courage and bravely resembled the shells that had been deserted by the living creatures within them. The soldiers lying motionless and disheveled on the blood-stained battlefield are likened to the withered beauty of the flowers scattered in sun parched meadows of Flanders (Belgium) and France. Mother India beseeching recognition of the sacrifice of her youth amidst the anguish and pang at the loss of her sons: Mother India is heavy with the immeasurable sorrow and grief at the loss of her numerous sons. Referring to the foreign countries, she questions if they can measure her grief, her tears of her suffering and woes when she watches all this bloodshed. She says that they can never fathom the pride that thrills through her heart, in spite of her despair and deep-rooted anguish, for she feels proud of her sons who fought bravely and brought victory, thus giving expression to the voices of the countless Indian mothers whose son have fought in the war, which was neither started by India, nor was it any way party to it. Oswaal ISC Section-wise Notes & Summary, ENGLISH PAPER-2 (LITERATURE), Class-XII [ 83]

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 son’s safety. The vision of the glory that she sees is a sad one for she has lost her sons for it. The torn red banner of victory, which has come at the expense of so much blood, is sad and meaningless for her. Nonetheless, the poet sees that the victory is in the distant horizon. In the midst of so much grief, she feels fleetingly jubilant. When fire and fury of the war would be over, beagles will fall silent. Life will start a fresh with new hope without any corrosive feelings of hate and prejudice. Peace would prevail, applying a balm to the scars of war, though the process of getting back to normal will not be an easy one, “…… life will be refashioned on anvils of peace,” It suggest the after-effects of the war in general, stating that a lot of effort will be needed to living life back to normal. Yet the poet is hopeful. She, hence believes that at such times, gratitude would pour in on the people who fought and gave their blood. Mother India beseeches the colonial masters to generously heap praise and recognition on her young warriors who made victory possible.

Word Meanings

 Raiment—clothing  Stricken Womb—youth who have been sent to war and have suffered or died in it  Sabers of doom (here)—the devastating effects of war  Alien graves—buried in graves in the foreign land  Strewn—scattered over an area  Mown down—destroyed  Wol—deep suffering  Anguish—extreme distress  Tumult—furry, agitation  Comrades— groups of soldiers, the young men/troops fighting in the war (here)  Dauntless—bold, fearless qq Chapter - 5 : Crossing the Bar — Alfred Lord Tennyson

Summary

The Call of Death: The poem begins with the poet describing the atmosphere. He heralds the setting of the sun and the rise of the evening star in the sky. Someone is calling out to the poet. it’s a clear, unmistakable call’ it is the Call of Death. The poet believes that his death is nearing. The ‘Sunset’ and the ‘Evening Star’, which represent the end of the day, are a metaphoric presentation of the nearing end of the poet’s life. Tennyson wishes his death to be without pain and mourning. He hopes that the ocean will not make the mournful sound of waves beating against a sand bar when he sets out to the sea. Tennyson has used metaphor in the phrase ‘crossing the bar’, describing death as an act of passing beyond life. The sand-bar is a symbol which barriers between the water inside (the river water) representing his life and outside (the open sea) which represents the afterlife. The poet, thus wishes his death to be without pain and mourning. Poet’s wish of a silent death: Further comparing his impending death to crossing a bar, the poet wishes that when he dies and sets out in the sea, the ride should be smooth, like a calm sea wave. That means, Tennyson wishes for a smooth and silent death, which is quick and occurs without an fuss. Using the example of the river and the sea, the poet tries to express the kind of death that he wishes for himself. Water evaporates from river, forms clouds, pours as rain back into the river which flows and merges into the sea, thus completing the cycle and the water returns from where it came. Similarly, Tennyson considers himself like the water and says that after his death, he will return to where he came from. No sad farewell, for the poet will embark on a new journey: Referring to the twilight; evening bell and the final darkness, the poet is trying to convey his feelings by resorting to such an atmosphere. The dust has settled and he can hear the evening bell tolling and its twilight now. The bell indicates the approaching of the night and the subsequent darkens. Poet suggest that just as the day has ended, his life too is about to end. Twilight suggests sadness, darkness and grief, hence portraying the miserable state of the poet before his impending death. The poet, though, expressed his hope that there should be no sadness of farewell, be it his own sadness as he departs from life or the sadness of the people who would bid him farewell, for he clearly states that death is not the final destination for him, its rather a new beginning as he sets out to ‘embark’ on the new journey. Accepting the inevitable with the hope to meet God: The poet appears to have made peace with the idea of his fast approaching death for he has accepted the reality of the inevitability of death. He says that he will go beyond the boundaries of time and place; beyond the reach of this world, as the flood of death will carry him far away. Thus, Tennyson expresses his belief in afterlife; a place beyond time and space, where he wishes to go after his death. Herein, Tennyson hopes to see his pilot, the God, face to face, after having crossed the bar. God is the pilot for he drives the world and all living things. The phrase ‘crossed the bar’ suggest the transformational event that, in Christianity, enables people to be reconciled to God and reach Heaven. [84 ] Oswaal ISC Section-wise Notes & Summary, ENGLISH PAPER-2 (LITERATURE), Class-XII

Word Meanings

 Moaning—Making along, low sound expressing mental suffering (here), complaining  Embark—to begin  Bourne—a limit or boundary  Crost—crossed (here), Jesus’ Cross (here) qq Chapter - 6 : John Brown — Bob Dylan

Historical Background

‘John Brown’ is a song written in response to the Vietnam War which speaks in protest of wars. Between 1959-1963, the phase of the Vietnam War started after the North Vietnamese had made a firm decision to commit to a military intervention in the guerrilla war in the South Vietnam. A build-up phase began between the 1959 North. Vietnamese decision and the Gulf of Tonkin Incident which led to major US escalation of its involvement. Vietnamese communist saw this as a second phase of their revolution, the US being substituted for the French. It is stated that the influence of major powers especially France and the US, and to a lesser extent China and the Soviet Union, were as much an influence as any internal matters. Summary The Pride in serving the country: Bob Dylan begins the song with establishing a story wherein an American mother sends her son John Brown to war on some foreign land. His mother was proud of the fact that he was going to serve his nation. On the final day when John was supposed to leave for the war, he stood straight and tall, wearing his uniform, indicating how proud he person- ally had felt on being a soldier. His body language expressed his thoughts too obviously. His mother smiled as she bid him farewell. The Mother fancies the heroism in war: Speaking to her son John Brown, the mother expresses her joy at looking at her son all clad up as a soldier. The very sight of him fills her up with a sense of gratitude for being his mother. Serving in armed forces is con- sidered as one of the most dignified and noble professions in the world, hence she was happy that her son will be serving his nation. She tells him to sincerely follow the captain’s directions and earn lots of medals for himself, so that when he’ll return home from the war, she will put them up on the wall for display. Here, the mother of John Brown is ignorant of the severe realities of war. She holds a firm belief that her son will return home un- scathed from the war. She is too proud to realize that war is no game and there might be a possibility of him never returning home at all. A Sense of boastfulness in the mother: As John Brown is going away to the war in an old train, his mother shouts out farewell to him. She is flaunting and boasting; expecting everyone to know that her son is a soldier and is going away to fight in the war. Though, her delight is not limited to this. She also boasts about her upbringing of her son whom she has raised into being a soldier, a brave boy who is off to fight for what she believes is a good cause. Connected through the letters: John is now away to war and the mother waits to hear from him at home. She receives a letter from him once in a while and then breaks into smiles on 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’s feats that her son has achieved. She brags about the good old-fashioned war as if it were some event. Clearly, she has no clarity about the realities of war. Sudden intimation of John’s return: After a while, John’s letters stop coming to his mother. For a long time, he didn’t write to his mother, probably he was in action at the war-site or was incapable for holding correspondence. The mother received no letters for more than ten months. Though, suddenly she received the letter stating that her son was coming home from war and that she was needed to go down and receive him from the train. The Unforeseen awaited John’s mother: On reading the letter, the mother went right down to the station to meet her son. She looked for him everywhere but couldn’t find him amid the crowd of the station. Probably, she expected to see a refined soldier in her son as he returned home. When all the people passed, she finally found John. But when she saw him, she could hardly recognize him, for she had not foreseen what her eyes just saw. The evils of the war unveiled to the mother: In appearance, John Brown’s face was all shot up and one of his hands was blown- off. He had undergone a lot of physical pains and incurred disabilities in the war. His arm was imputed and his face bore the scars from bullet and grenade wounds. He wore a metal brace around his waist to support himself in walking. He seemed lucky enough to even be alive after receiving such injuries in the war. Oswaal ISC Section-wise Notes & Summary, ENGLISH PAPER-2 (LITERATURE), Class-XII [ 85]

But his torment was not limited to physical anguish, rather, he had also undergone mental trauma. While speaking, his voice was slow and unrecognizable, even to his own mother. He was so altered in his physical appearance that even his own mother failed to recognize him. Hence, marking the climax of the narrative, Dylan has stated both, the pains and the horrific experience in the war. John’s mother in a state of extreme distress: John Brown’s mother is in utter disbelief after seeing the state in when her son had returned from war. She enquires the details about his state and was both shocked and concerned to see her son in such a broken state. John tried his best to make things clear to his mother but he was hardly able to move his mouth. His mother could not bear to look at her son’s distress and eventually turned her head away. Wars not noble in reality: John reminds his mother how passionate she was for him to join the armed forces and become a soldier. His mother thought that joining the army was the best thing he could do, but unfortunately she was wrong. Personally, John didn’t consider war to be a noble thing at all. While he was on the battlefield fighting in the war, back at home, his mother was feeling proud of her soldier son. All the illusions are now shattered. John is relieved and thankful to God that his mother wasn’t present in the situ- ation to watch the horrors of the war that he had witnessed. The prevailing sense of futility of war amongst universal fraternity: Continuing to share his experience in the war, John said that when he was at the battlefield, he wondered, why was he even there. He felt that he was just trying to kill somebody in a do-or-die situation. He realized how chaotic, insane and irrational the war was. Explaining to his mother, John said that the things which scared him the most was when his enemy came, very close to him and he saw that it was just another human being. John said that he would wonder the reason as to why was he supposed to kill that person. Here, Bob has spoken about the universal fraternity and how wars are just men trying to kill one another, hence resulting in the loss of human lives. Wars : a mere puppet show: Amidst the chaos of war John felt that he was a mere puppet in the hands of warmongers who were playing with them. To them it just did not matter whether the soldiers survived the war or died in it. All that mattered to them was the victory and defeat. Using an apt metaphor, Dylan compares the war with a puppet show. In John Brown’s opinion, they were just made to follow the orders and kill people without the slightest consideration or remorse. However, his string of thought was broken as a cannonball came through the smoke and roar, and blew his eyes away. Medals of war mere empty tokens of pride: After sharing the insight of the war with his mother, John turns around to walk. His mother was still in the state of shock after seeing the metal brace that helped him stand. When she had sent her son away at the war, he was a young, handsome youth dressed up in a soldier’s uniform, but all that she could now see was a broken man who had returned to her in bits and pieces. Just as John turned to go, he called his mother close to him, who was still in a shock to realize her loss. John dropped his medal in his mother’s hand. This overwhelming scene of John Brown placing the medal on his mother’s hand leaves us wondering if this medal, an empty token of pride, was really worth the sufferings he went through and the damage that he will carry throughout his life.

Word Meanings

 Grin—smile broadly  bragged—something said in a boastful manner  Sting (here)—the unpleasant smell of blood from the war-field qq Chapter - 7 : Desiderata — Max Ehrmann

Historical Background

‘Desiderata’ was written by Max Ehrmann in 1927. Sometimes, the poem is wrongly attributed to the old St. Paul’s Church, with claims that it was found there in 1692. The reasons behind this confusion are that, a rector at the St. Paul’s Church in Baltimore in 1959 used the poem in congregational materials for the congregation. The church was founded in 1692 and the material was printed with the church’s name and founding date at the top, hence leading to the confusion. [86 ] Oswaal ISC Section-wise Notes & Summary, ENGLISH PAPER-2 (LITERATURE), Class-XII Summary

Stay calm amidst the hustle-bustle of everyday life: The poem begins with the everyday practicalities of life, with Max giving the practical advice of remaining calm amongst the bustle of everyday life and to practice silence. He suggests that one should be on good terms with people, without giving up the personal values and assertiveness. In having interactions with others, one should remain calm and not be argumentative with those to whom one should be respectful and attentive, even if one considers the person to be dull or ignorant. Max emphasizes on the fact that everyone has a right to be heard, so we should hence be calm in our interactions. Avoid comparisons of self with others: Max suggests to avoid the company of people who are loud and aggressive because they tend to upset our balance by vexing our happy spirits. He also says that it is unproductive and a futile activity to compare oneself with others, because there will always be some who will fall in the higher and the lower order or at moral stakes. Therefore, any such companions are likely to lead to bitterness or vanity. One must simply enjoy his own achievements in life or the plans that one may have for furthering one’s own personal development. Stay cautions at professional dealings: Max advices the readers to treasure their occupation and perform in the best of their capabilities, irrespective of the occupation one has. He says that it is always better to be employed, however humble the work might be, than to remain unemployed. One should be grateful of being employed. With respect to business and its financial dealings, Max advices people to be cautious for many may attempt to dupe. Simultane- ously, Max also advices to not become ignorant to the fact that there also exist many good people who have high moral standards. It’s an obvious fact that heroes do exist in every walk of life. Be true to self and develop a strong character: On an emotional level, Max advices the readers to be true to oneself and not pretend to be the type of person that one isn’t. One should not display having feelings that one does not have in reality. Most of all, one should never pretend to love a person when there is no love in the heart for him. One should not underestimate the power of love for it has the strength to survive in the most terrible circumstances too. Love is “as perennial as the grass”. Max advices to take council of the wisdom of the older generation. From the delicate aspects of being a youth, one must develop a strong character that will help in surviving the misfortunes. Though, one should never stress oneself by imagining bad things that may never happen. Such fears are borne in mind when one is either tired or lonely. Hence, its highly essential to be a disciplined personality in mind and soul, and hence be gentle with oneself. Man : A crucial part of the universe: Max recommends the readers to not be overly self-critical. Man is a crucial part of an all encompassing universe and is as important any other component within it. One may not realize this, but there is a predetermined path that the universe unfolds for us as it should. Be at peace in life: Max advices the readers to be at peace with God. Accept him as a greater power than human or whatever one imagines him to be. One should always maintain a clear conscience. Irrespective of all the dreadful things that happen, the world is still beautiful. One should always be cheerful and, most importantly, put the best efforts into being happy.

Word Meanings

 Placidly—In a quiet and tranquil manner  Haste—hurry  Aggressive persons—One’s possessing quality of anger and determination that makes them ready to attack other people  Vexatious—causing annoyance or frustration  Vain—showing pride in one’s own appearance, quality, etc  Trickery—The practice of deception  Strive—to make great efforts to achieve or obtain something  Feign—To pretend to have a particular feeling  Cynical—believing that people are motivated purely by self-interest  Aridity—lacking interest or imaginativeness  Disenchanted—disillusionment  Imagining—thoughts or fantasies  Fatigue—extreme tiredness resulting from mental or physical exertion or illness  Aspirations—a hope or ambition of achieving something  Sham—False, bogus  drudgery—hard, menial or dull work qq Oswaal ISC Section-wise Notes & Summary, ENGLISH PAPER-2 (LITERATURE), Class-XII [ 87] Chapter - 8 : Dover Beach — Matthew Arnold

Historical Background‘ In the poem ‘Dover Beach’, Matthew Arnold writes about the effect science has had on religion. Not long before the publication of this poem, Charles Darwin had published his work ‘On the Origin of Species’, in which he had documented his studies on evolution. Arnold’s poem is read as a record of the clash between science and religion. The poem is a kind of seismological record of the shock waves in traditional religion brought about by the New Science in the mid- nineteenth century. The geology of Charles Lyell and others was forcing the Europeans and Americans to rethink how life began on the planet. Lyell’s discoveries of fossils dating back more than one million years were making it increasingly difficult to accept the traditional notion in the book of Genesis that the world is the work of a creator, a mere six or seven thousand years ago. Summary The Naturalistic description of the Dover Beach: It is the night hour of the day and the sea is calm and quiet, filled with water at high-tide. The moon shines brightly upon then arrow English channel. Staring at the French coast at a far off distance, the poet sees the light gleaming on it. Later, as the light goes off, he concentrates on the English shore instead. The famous cliffs of Dover stand tall with their large wavering reflections in the quiet sea. The poet asks his lady to come to the window to enjoy the sunset night-air coming from where the sea meets the moonlit land of France. He asks her to listen to the continuous and the irritating sound of the pebbles drawn by the waves. The waves are drawing the stones backwards to the sea and then again throw them back onto high shore on their return journey. The sound of the waves begins, stops and then begins again. This trembling rhythm continues slowly. But now, it brings the eternal note of sadness. The monotonous rhythm of the waves makes the poet depressed, hence changing the tone of the poem from cheerful to melancholy. The ‘eternal note’ of human misery: Continuing with the thought of ‘eternal’ human miseries and sadness, the poet is reminded of the ancient Greek play wright; Sophocles, who had also heard the sounds of the Aegean sea and then written tragedies on human misery. The images of human suffering surfaced like muddy water flowing in and out. Similar to this, the poet has also found the feeling of sadness on hearing the similar sound beside the northern sea, located far away from Sophocles, Aegean sea, hence emphasizing upon the universality of human grief and misery. Fading away of ‘Faith’ from society: Herein, the poet laments the lack of faith in the modern society, comparing faith with the receding tides. Human faith, that exists in the religion and in the fellow beings, once covered the earth like the sea water. It was at its fullest as the tide is now. Faith covered the earth like the folds of a bright girdle folding well. It was the time when faith made everything easy, solved numerous problems, helped in uniting people and brought meaning to life. However, the poet regrets that those days are now a thing of past. Faith is fading away from the society just like the waves from the shore. The poet, now, only hears the sorrowful roar of the retreating tides. It leaves behind the chill night-wind whistling over the desolate beach with dull edges of the cliffs and raw pebbles. The poet has, thus created a fearful picture of the underlying nakedness of the colourful modern world. The poet without much hope from the new world: Here, the poet urges his ladylove to ‘be true to one another’ as the new world which appears to be so beautiful, does not evoke much hope in him. To him, this dreamy modern world is not really a source of joy, love, light, certainty, peace or a reliever of pain. Hence, this chaotic, artificial world does not induce much hope in him. The poet compares the new modern world to a dark place wherein we are completely unaware of what we are doing. We are in a confused struggle as ignorant soldiers fight with each other in the darkness. Hence, the poet assesses the morally corrupted modern world, full of vanity.

Word Meanings

 Fair—bright  Straits—English channel  Gleams—shine brightly, especially with reflected light  Cliffs—steep rocks on the sea shore  Glimmering—shine faintly with a wavering light  Tranquil bay—quiet sea  Moon-blanched land— moon-lit land  Grating—irritating  Fling—to throw  Strand—shore  Tremulous—trembling  Cadence—modulation or inflection of voice  Sophocles—the name of an ancient Greek playwright  Aegean—Aegean sea  Turbid—muddy water  Distant—far-of  Furled—folding  Melancholy—sad, sorrowful  Retreating—declining  Breath (here)—whistling of the night wind  Drear—dull  Naked—raw  Shingles—pebbles  Land of dreams (here)—dreamy modern world  Certitude—certainty  Darkling plain—a dark unknown place  Armies—soldiers qq [88 ] Oswaal ISC Section-wise Notes & Summary, ENGLISH PAPER-2 (LITERATURE), Class-XII Chapter - 9 : The Spider and the Fly — Mary Botham Howitt

Summary

The Beginning of the spider’s pursuit of the fly. With a charming invitation into his home, the spider is trying to entice the fly. He describes his parlour as the ‘prettiest’ and, hence arousing a sense of inquisitiveness in the fly. We share secrets and confidences with our close ones. Inviting the fly to sky into his abode, the spider is trying to convince the fly that he considers it to be close. The descriptions of his home as a mysterious wonderful place, along with other details, are added to arouse the fly’s curiosity. Thankfully, the fly wisely sees through the spider’s deviousness. She is aware that the spider has eaten his previous guests. So, this is one invitation that she shouldn’t be accepting. Clearly declining she tells the spider that asking her into his home is ‘in vain’ for she knows that those who go through the ‘winding stair’ into his home never come out. This sociable chat is edged with a sense of mistrust, a sense of danger, that comes with the two characters, the spider and the fly, being the natural predator and prey. Spider feigns concern: Having kept a close eye on the fly, spider tries a different tactic for his next move. Pretending to be her sympathizer, the spider frets over how tired the fly must be after a day of intense flying. He goes far as to even offer her a respite from the day’s activities. He even tries to win the fly’s confidence by means of flattery by commenting upon her flight saying “soaring up so high.” The act of offering rest to the exhausted fly was a cleverly thought out plan. A cosy little bed with eight sheets to rest on, a quiet place with pretty curtains drawn around to make it cool and dark, all this would be a complete bliss for fly’s respite. This would be the perfect atmosphere to ‘snugly tuck in. The spider even proposes to personally tuck the fly but the fly was alert to the perils of falling for the spider’s flattery. Interestingly, the ‘fine and thin’ sheets reminds of the fine silk of a cobweb. If the spider tucks the fly into this bed, she would fall into his fatal trap. The fly, hence turns down the spider’s offer remarking on his evident ill-repute as a host and the obvious fact that anyone who goes for a sleep over at the spider’s parlour, never wakes up again. The Spider Perseveres: Now, the spider tries to manipulate the fly into feeling gaiety for rejecting his numerous attempts of friendship. The spider is eager to prove his friendship to the fly, but on his own terms. He now invites the fly to enjoy food stored in his pantry. He is desperate and at his wits to gain the fly’s confidence. Though, the fly, with equal politeness as that displayed by the spider, continues to remain firm on her stand and not fall prey to the spider. She is not keen on him as a friend and keeps distance by turning down his repetitive invitations. Vanity is the spider’s choice-weapon: The spider heaps flattery on the fly by praising her wit and wisdom. He sends out the message that he acknowledges the fly being smart. The enemy himself admitting this quality is a lot of praise. The spider begins to praise the fly’s loveliness; the gauzy wings and brilliant eyes. The spider speaks in a tone as if he was introducing the fly with her beauty of which she was unaware. He again invites the fly to see herself in the looking glass. One moment is all he needs. It is to be noted here, that unlike previous instances when spider used to ask for the fly’s consideration to his invitation, he now makes a suggestion. The fly too doesn’t seem firm in her resistance to the spider’s invitation this time. She has neither denied, nor agreed to his invitation. This creates suspense as to fly’s stance of continuing to deny and stand by her better instincts or ultimately fall prey to the spider’s flattery. The Spider’s Evil intent made clear: Spider calling out the fly ‘silly’ shows what he actually thinks of her. With the prior experience of having lured his preys into his plan, he is confident that she has predictably fallen for his scheme of flattery. Up until now, the fly has been aware of her discomfort, her observations on the guests that never return, the rumours about the spider, the spider’s continuous wheedling to come to his home. Oswaal ISC Section-wise Notes & Summary, ENGLISH PAPER-2 (LITERATURE), Class-XII [ 89]

But now, the spider’s evil intent becomes clear. One can see him gloating. He weaves a web which is not easily noticeable for it is very subtle and ready to trap the fly. His devious plan comes to light as he sets his table for the fly; not as his guest to dine with, but the fly as his feast to dine on. Feeling like he has baited his prey, the spider rapidly reels the fly in with vivid flattery, describing the fly’s beauty so tantalizingly. As a part of his tactics he self-depreciates his appearance so as to highlight the fly’s beauty. Vanity becomes the downfall for the fly: The expression ‘Alas, Alas!’ becomes the poetic lament, where one can only foresee the doom for the fly. It is disappointing in its effect because the fly was actually a wise creature at the beginning but unfortunately, she becomes silly and foolish and gets lured by the spider’s devious sweet talks. The fly has set aside her sensible self to a great extent. Yet, to some extent, she is still wary of how safe the situation is. We see her ‘slowly flitting by’, guardedly testing the waters as she comes closer to the spider’s home. Mesmerized by the thoughts of her reflections, the fly gradually approaches the spider’s web, without any resistance. The spider had been building up for this moment for long. He quickly pounces on her, deadly and focused on his prey. The home that he had so charmingly described earlier reveals its deadly designs up through the spider’s winding stairs, his dismal den, his little parlour, and we are aware of the grisly end for the poor fly. Like she had previously remarked for the other preys, we know that ‘she ne’ er came out again!’ The Poet’s warning to the readers: Breaking off from the story-telling mode and directly addressing the audience, Mary warns the readers and moralizes towards the end. She counsels the readers to take lesson from the poem. She suggests to be distrustful of the useless sweet talk that is insincere. None of the praises and advices are genuine, hence one must be careful of who one listens to. She would rather prefer to be away from people who are sweet-tongued but have ‘not-so-sweet’ intentions.

Word Meanings

 Winding—following a twisting or spiral course  Weary—tired  Soaring up—flying aloft  Snugly—in a comfortable, warm and cozy or well-protected manner  Tuck—to put to bed  Pantry—a small room on cupboard in which food, crockery and cutlery are kept  Gauzy—thin and translucent  Behold yourself—to see or observe something, especially of remark- able or impressive nature  Subtle—crafty, so delicate and precise as to be difficult to analyses  Sly—cunning and deceitful  Crest—a comb or tuft of feathers, fur or skin on the head of a bird or other animal  Wily—artful, cunning  Hue—a colour or shade  Give heed—to pay attention

qq Chapter - 10 : We are the Music Makers — Arthur William Edgar O’ Shaughnessy

Summary

The Various artists and their soul-searching: The poem begins with a straightforward appeal to the artists across different realms, calling them ‘the music-makers’ and ‘dreamers of dreams.’ Without mentioning any particular art-form, O’ Shaughnessy en- sures to give equal status to artists across the globe and across different segments. The poem gives art an encompassing definition. Further, the poet discusses about the soul-searching aspect of the artists. How they wander alone by the sea-breakers and sit by the desolate streams. He focuses on the desolation of spirits of these artists, an ache in their hearts that actually shapes up their creativity which is worth such admiration. Speaking about the travails these artists go through, Arthur calls them ‘world losers’ and ‘world forsakers.’ This highlights the difficult life the artists lead to shape up their creation, mainly their sole-survival on their art. ‘The pale moon’ suggests the meager sustenance they manage to gain for themselves through their art. Despite that, the artists remain isolated and aloof from the mainstream society, being the ultimate “movers and shakers” The poet believes that artists are rebellious for they are capable of stirring powerful emotions in the minds of the people. Through their art, they can bring a change in the world. [90 ] Oswaal ISC Section-wise Notes & Summary, ENGLISH PAPER-2 (LITERATURE), Class-XII

The creations of artists; the contribution to the world: The immortal songs created by the musicians or the poets are capable of building new cities and civilizations in people’s minds. They inspire people to think and feel things that they otherwise don’t pay heed to. Similarly, a writer is capable of shaping a glorious empire through his fabulous stories. The artists are responsible for taking an empire to its artistic heights. An artist’s fantasy motivates people to ‘dream at pleasure.’ Men are mortal but the works of art transcend the concept of time and space and create a lasting impact on the civilization. A person with a dream is fit to move forward and do productive things for the society. He can wear the crown of achievement. The artists influence people’s mindset by giving them the freedom to bring about a revolution for betterment. They are almost equated with the leaders of tomorrow for the kind of effect their works leave on the minds and soul of people. Applauding the Power of artists: The poet refers to the fact of artists being present in all the ages. In the past, the artists built the city of Nineveh that was abandoned in 612 BC. The poet tries to equate art with divinity as he alludes to the Biblical cities of Nineveh and Babel. The people of Babel were dedicated to build a tower as high as heaven. It is believed that Nineveh was created by artists out of distress, whereas. Babel was created out of joy. Both are symbolic of an artist’s ability to destroy and create. Artists are capable of deconstructing the old world into a new world by their prophecy. The dreams of the artists allow them to achieve immortality in the world. Dreams and aspirations of each age is replaced by new dreams and aspirations of another. Thus, the music- makers of this world are the most precious gift to mankind, who not only create art but also destroy it for a better tomorrow.

Word Meanings

 Lone—having no companions, alone, solitary or single  Desolate—an uninhabited place, giving an impression of bleak emptiness  Gleams—shine brightly, especially with reflected light  Ditties—short and simple songs  Fabulous— extraordinary  Trample—tread on and crush  Sighing—to let out one’s breath audibly as from sorrow or weariness  Mirth—gladness, amusement, happiness qq