5. The School Boy (poem) by WILLIAM BLAKE
OBJECTIVES Students will be able to know the feeling of a boy that he had in school environment in academic area.
• To invoke among them the habit of reading literature.
• To develop the habit of enjoying poetry and rhyme.
• To enrich their English language.
• To encourage them to have a love for nature.
• To instill among students the aesthetic sense.
About the Poet
William Blake was an English poet, painter, and printmaker. Largely unrecognised during his lifetime, Blake is now considered a seminal figure in the history of the poetry and visual arts of the Romantic Age. Born: 28 November 1757, Soho, London, United Kingdom Died: 12 August 1827, London, United Kingdom Artworks: The Ancient of Days, The Ghost of a Flea, Newton, MORE
SUMMARY
In this poem, a school boy speaks. He is an unhappy child . The boy likes the morning. He is pleased to see the trees and the birds .The pleasure of childhood is in being free and happy like a bird . But a child is put in the school just as a bird put in the cage . The parents should understand their fault. Depriving the child of joy and freedom means a world without the spring. The world is a sorrowful place without happy childhood. In the absence of a happy child, we shall a winter of sorrow.
NEW WORDS
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I love to rise - I am happy to get up Drooping - To hang down as from exhaustion Shower - Volley/ shouting of a words is rapid succession Blown away - Taken away by the wind
Reference to Context Questions
Question 1. I love to rise in a summer morn, When the birds sing on every tree; The distant huntsman winds his horn, And the skylark sings with me. 0! what swept company.
Paraphrase: The speaker of poem is a school boy who love to rise in summer morning, when birds are singing on the trees. The boys gets entertained by the company of the hunter who blows his clarion from a distance field and sweet lullabies of skylark.
(i) What does the child love about summer morning? (ii) What does child speaks about huntman? (iii) Do you agree with the statement ‘skylark’ sing with me’? (iv) Explain ‘what sweet company’. (v) What is the rhyming scheme followed in the poem?
Answer: (i) The child loves to rise in the morning about the birds singing on every tree. (ii) The child speaks about huntman that they blow their horn or clarion. (iii) No, I don’t think the skylark were singing with him. (iv) The child feel relaxed in summer morning where birds are singing and nature is in its bounties. He was delighted by the surroundings. (v) ababb.
Question 2. But to go to school in a summer morn, O! it drives all joy away; Under a cruel eye outworn, The little ones spend the day, In signing and dismay.
Paraphrase: But the thing he doesn’t like is going to school which pulls all his happiness and joy. He is tired and even puzzled under the strict supervision of his teacher.
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(i) What does he dislike about school? (ii) Explain ‘under a cruel eye outwork’? (iii) How does the child spend his day? (iv) What changes does the child aspire for?
Answer: (i) The child seems to dislike going to school as it takes away the joy and happiness. (ii) The child hates to be under scrutiny. He dislikes the fact that he had to spend his day in the supervision of an inconsiderate person. (iii) The child spends his day in utter discomfort and sadness overtook him. (iv) The child feels happy by being close to the nature but the school atmosphere suppresses him to utter disappointment.
SHORT QUESTIONS
1. Who is the speaker of the poem? Ans: A school going boy is the speaker in the poem.
2. What is the cause of child’s fear? Ans: The school and the teachers are the cause of a child’s fear.
3. What is the poem written about? Ans: It is written about the school going small children.
4. Who is the poet of the poem? Ans: William black is the poet of the poem. Short Answer Question 1.Why does the boy compare himself to a caged bird? Answer:Like a caged bird, the boy is also not free to do any thing at his own will. He wants to lead a life of freedom but he can’t because there are many restrictions on him.
2.What is the poet’s advice to parents of school-going kids? Answer:The poet calls upon the parents to let their kids grow and play joyfully in early years. They should not restrict their natural activities.
3.Why does the school boy compare himself to a plant? Answer: A small child is like a tender plant. If he is suppressed too much, he fails to grow to full size. A tender plant if crushed at the bud-stage, won’t bear any flower or fruit in spring season.
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1. Who is the poet of the poem “The School Boy”? A. William Blake B. Thomas Wilde C. Rabindranath Tagore D. T.S. Eliot
2. “I _____ to rise on a sunday morn” A. Hate B. Despise C. Regret D. Love
3. What does the boy like about the huntsman? A. Sound of his horn B. Hunting skills C. His personality D. All of the Above
4. Who sings along with the school boy? A. His parents B. Huntsman C. Skylark D. His friends
5. What drives all the joy away? A. Caged bird B. Nip in the bud C. Blown blossoms D. School on a summer morning
Answer Key
Q. No. Answer
1 A
2 D
3 A
4 C
5 D
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