What is My Name?

What is my name?

A. Answer the following questions in about 100 words.

1. What kind of role that the housewife had taken on since marriage?

A young man marries a young, educated, cultured, intelligent and capable young woman for her beauty, intelligence and the dowry she fetches. He ties three knots and makes her a housewife. Soon after reaching her husband’s home the housewife takes charge of daily chores. She tucks the end of her saree in at the waist and takes up activities such as swabbing the floor and drawing muggulu. She scrubs the house neatly and decorates the floors with colorful designs. She does the job as if it is her life’s mission.

2. Why did Mrs. Murthy want to go to her parents’ place?                                                    

Soon after the marriage, Mrs. Murthy takes charge of daily chores. She tucks the end of her saree in at the waist and takes up activities such as swabbing the floor and drawing muggulu. She is so involved in household work that she forgets her name. She wants to know her name and asks her servant maid, her children and her children for her name. No one is able to answer her. She asks her husband. Mr. Murthy suggests that she should look for her name in her certificates. Since she left her certificates in her parents’ place she wants to go there and get her certificates.

3.  Describe Mrs. Murthy’s search for her certificates at her parents’ place?

At the suggestion of Mr. Murthy, Mrs. Murthy wants to find her name in her certificates. Since she left her certificates at her parents’ place, she goes there. Her mother says that they have cleaned the almirah and kept important papers in the attic. They searched for the certificates on the attic till dawn. But they could not find the certificates. So, Mrs. Murthy asks everyone for her name including the trees, ant-hills, the pond, the school she studied and the college. At last, she meets her school friend Prameela and recovers her name. 

4. How did her school friend Prameela transform her life for her?

As she could not find her certificates in the attic of her parents’ home, Mrs. Murthy asks everyone for her name. She asks the trees, ant-hills, the pond, the school she studied and the college. At last, she meets her school friend Prameela and recovers her name.  Prameela reveals her name as Sarada and tells her that she stood first in X Class. Prameela also told that she was victorious in singing competition in college and that she painted well. Sarada is overjoyed as she got her identity. She tells Prameela that she would have gone mad if she didn’t know her name. Thus Prameela transforms her life for her.

5. How did the visit to her parent’s place change her view of life and of herself when she returned to her husband’s house?

Mrs. Murthy is so involved in household work that she forgets her name. Mr. Murthy suggests that she should look for her name in her certificates. Since she left her certificates in her parents’ place she goes there. There she meets her school friend Prameela and recovers her name.  Prameela reveals her name as Sarada and tells her that she stood first in X Class. Prameela also tells her that she was victorious in singing competition in college and that she painted well. Sarada is overjoyed as she got her identity. She goes back to her husband’s house and insists that he should call her by her name, Sarada. She takes pride in showing her children the album containing her paintings.

B. Answer the following questions in about 200 words each.

1. The story builds on the theme of complete surrender of the married woman to the requirements of her husband’s household. Discuss this in the light of Sarada’s tale.

2. The title of the story represents a search for an identity that has been lost. Explain this in your own words.

Sarada’s tale is a good example of how married woman surrenders to the requirements of her husband’s household. The story represents a search for a lost identity. The story goes like this.

A young man, Mr. Murthy marries Sarada, a young, educated, cultured, intelligent and capable young woman for her beauty, intelligence and the dowry she fetches. He ties three knots and makes her a housewife. Soon after reaching her husband’s home the housewife takes charge of daily chores. She tucks the end of her saree in at the waist and takes up activities such as swabbing the floor and drawing muggulu. She scrubs the house neatly and decorates the floors with colorful designs. She does the job as if it is her life’s mission. She is so involved in household work that she forgets her own identity.

Her school friend Prameela helps her in recovering her name.  Prameela reveals her name as Sarada and tells her that she stood first in X Class. Prameela also tells her that she is victorious in singing competition in college and that she painted well. Sarada is overjoyed as she got her identity.Though she is a first-class student, prize-winning singer, and good painter, she is limited to doing household work.

Ecology – A. K. Ramanujan

Ecology – A. K. Ramanujan

The poem, Ecology is written by A.K. Ramanujan. He is devoted to his mother. He is very angry because the flowers of the Red Champak tree caused a severe headache to his mother. Even the breeze and his home cannot protect her from the ill effects of the pollen of the flowers. He decides to cut off the tree.

His mother prevents him. She sees the only positive side of the tree. She says that the tree is as old as her. It gives many flowers to worship Gods and to decorate the girls of the household. It is germinated by the droppings of a passing bird. So, it is a good omen. It may give a terrible headache to one line of cousins.

The poem shows the poet’s strong interest in the family. His mother has a kind of emotional attachment to the tree. That is why she does not allow her son to cut the tree. (158 words)

Digging – Seamus Heaney

Digging – Seamus Heaney

‘

Digging’ is written by Seamus Heaney, an Irish poet. The poet is ready to write with a pen in his hand. He visualizes that his father is working in the garden.  He tells us about the memories of his father working in fields when he was a young boy. He tells us about his grandfather also.  His grandfather was a peat harvester.  Eventually, he is ready to write with his pen.

The poem tells us that three generations of the poet are involved in digging. His grandfather and father are farmers, doing hard work in the fields.  His grandfather dug turf, and his father dug potatoes. He is digging up his memories. The poet breaks up the family tradition of hard work as a profession and chooses to become a writer.  He digs his memories and writes about his native Ireland.

This poem depicts the transformation of Ireland from an agricultural land to an industrial country. (154 words) 

Once Upon a Time – Gabriel Okara

Brief Summary of 

Once Upon a Time – Gabriel Okara

‘Once Upon a Time’ is written by a Nigerian poet, Gabriel Okara. 

The poet reminisces about a time when people were sincere and caring. He speaks regretfully about the present time. He says that people have lost innocence and openness. Honesty in expressing emotions is very rare nowadays. People don’t let us see what they might be really feeling. People are now dishonest and insincere, saying things they do not mean.

The poet tells us that he has learnt to deal with the present day insincere world by becoming just like all other people. He says that he has learnt to wear many faces. These faces are false faces showing no real emotions. The poet wants to be as innocent and sincere as his young son.

In this poem, Okara condemns the hypocrisy of adults. He portrays childhood as a time for honest laughter and spontaneity.  He wants to unlearn artificial living and relearn innocent and truthful living. (158 words)

Shyness, My Shield - Mahatma Gandhi

Shyness, My Shield

A. Answer the following questions in a sentence or two.

1. Who was Mr. Hill? Was he an important person?

Mr. Hill was the proprietor of the Thames Iron Works and president of Vegetarian Society. He was a puritan and an important person.

2. Why did the Committee decide to call for a motion to remove Dr. Allinson?

The Executive Committee of the Vegetarian Society decided to call for a motion to remove Dr. Allinson as he was in favor of the new birth control movement. The president of the society is a puritan and he didn’t like Dr. Allison’s views.

3. In which country do the events described in the essay occur?

The events described in the essay, Shyness, My Shield, written by Gandhi occurred in England.

4. In the essay, how many instances of his shyness does Gandhi describe?

In his essay, Shyness, My Shield, Gandhi described four instances of his shyness.

5. In paragraph 1, Gandhi says, ‘This went on for a long time.’ What does the word ‘this’ here refer to?

‘This’ here refers to Gandhi’s inability to express his opinions at the meetings of the Executive Committee of Vegetarian Club.

6. In paragraph 2, Gandhi says, ‘ ….and felt it cowardice to register a silent vote.’ Was he successful in expressing his opinion? Support your answer with evidence from the essay.

No, Gandhi was not successful in expressing his opinion. Though Gandhi took a written speech to the meeting, he could not muster the courage to read it. He wrote about it in paragraph 3.

7. The writer had his speech read by someone else in two instances. What are those instances and what was the result?

The first instance was at the meeting of Vegetarian Society and the second was at the meeting organized to promote vegetarianism in Ventnor. Gandhi felt ridiculous on both the occasions.

8. ‘But this time too, I succeeded in making myself ridiculous (paragraph 5). ‘What does he mean by this sentence?

Gandhi thought of making a humorous speech at the dinner he hosted on the eve of his departure from London. His memory failed entirely and he could not make the speech.

9. ‘My hesitancy in speech, which was once an annoyance, is now a pleasure (paragraph 6)’. What is the significance of this statement?

The statement is significant because Gandhi says that his hesitancy in speech taught him economy of words. It helped him in restraining his thoughts.

10. Why do you thing Gandhiji resigned from the Society, as he vaguely remembers to have done?

As he vaguely remembers, Gandhiji resigned to the Society because it was not fair to remove Dr. Allinson for his views in support of birth control.

B. Short Answer Questions.

1. The essay presents puritanical and anti-puritanical views. If you were a member of the Committee, who would you support? Justify your response.

Mr. Hill, the financier of the Vegetarian Society, was a puritan. He regarded birth control movement as cutting at the root of morals. Dr. Allinson, another member of the society supported the movement and advocated the movement in working classes. The movement was anti-puritan. Thus the essay presented puritanical and anti-puritanical views. If I were a member of the Committee, I would support Dr. Allinson. Birth control movement saves over population. It teaches humans about responsible and planned parenting. It protects humanity from hunger and diseases. Countries with less population are marching ahead. Countries with huge population are struggling to feed people. (102 words)

2. Gandhiji’s views on shyness are a little complex. Comment on them with evidence from the essay. Support your argument with the evidence from the essay.

Gandhiji’s views on shyness are a little complex as he suffered initially and later benefitted from shyness. When he was in London, he was embarrassed with his shyness. He failed to make any impression on his audience however hard he tried.  He could not express himself in the Executive Committee meeting of Vegetarian Club. He fumbled to speak in a meeting to promote vegetarianism at Ventnor. He made himself ridiculous while speaking on the eve of his departure from London.  Later he says that his hesitancy in speech taught him economy of words. It helped him in restraining his thoughts. (100 words)

3. Why does the writer say that his ‘constitutional shyness has been no disadvantage whatever’. Support your arguments.

Gandhi says that his constitutional shyness has been no disadvantage whatever. He admits that his shyness was once an annoyance and then a pleasure. He explains that his hesitancy in speech taught him economy of words. It helped him in restraining his thoughts. He never uttered or wrote anything without giving proper thought. He never regretted anything he spoke or wrote. He says that silence is a part of spiritual discipline and votary of truth. A man of few words never speaks thoughtlessly. He concludes that his shyness helped him to grow and in his search for truth. It is his shield and buckler. (104 words)

4. Consider the imagery of the words, “shield and buckler”. Where do these metaphors come from? Are they somewhat ironic?

The metaphors come from the Holy Bible. In Psalm 91:4 faithfulnesses is compared to shield and buckler. Gandhi in his essay says that his shyness is his shield and buckler.  He gives us examples of his clumsiness owing to his shyness when he was in London. He felt ridiculous whenever he attempted to speak before an audience. Later in life, shyness helped him in restraining his thoughts. He never uttered or wrote anything without giving proper thought. He never regretted anything he spoke or wrote. He concludes that his shyness is his shield and buckler. The imagery is somewhat ironic as shyness is generally considered as a negative quality. (109 words)

5. Recount some of the ways that he was affected when he had to speak. Are they funny?

Gandhiji could not express his views in meetings when he was in London. He fumbled to speak in Executive Committee meetings of Vegetarian Club. He failed to support Dr. Allinson. His speak had to be read by the Chairman. He could not read the speech he wrote before the audience of a meeting to promote vegetarianism. His friend Sjt. Mazmudar had to read it for him.  His last effort to make a speech on the eve of his departure from London was also ridiculous. His memory failed entirely and he failed to make a humorous speech. Yes. All the instances are funny. (102 words)

C. Long Answer Questions.

1. Summarize the main ideas of the essay.

Gandhi was a member of the Vegetarian Society. He could not speak in the Executive Committee meetings of the society. He could not support Dr. Allinson, who favored birth control movement. Gandhi says that he suffered initially and later benefitted from shyness. When he was in London, he was embarrassed with his shyness. He failed to make any impression on his audience however hard he tried.  He could not express himself in the Executive Committee meeting of Vegetarian Club. He fumbled to speak in a meeting to promote vegetarianism at Ventnor. He made himself ridiculous while speaking on the eve of his departure from London. 

Gandhi says that his constitutional shyness has been no disadvantage whatever. He admits that his shyness was once an annoyance and then a pleasure. He explains that his hesitancy in speech taught him economy of words. It helped him in restraining his thoughts. He never uttered or wrote anything without giving proper thought. He never regretted anything he spoke or wrote. He says that silence is a part of spiritual discipline and votary of truth. He concludes that his shyness helped him to grow and in his search for truth. It is his shield and buckler. (201 words)

2. Explain the significance of the statement, ‘It had helped me in my discernment of truth”.  Substantiate your answers with textual evidence.

In his essay, Shyness, My Shield Gandhi states that his shyness had helped him in his discernment of truth. He gives us examples of his clumsiness owing to his shyness when he was in London. He felt ridiculous whenever he attempted to speak before an audience. Gandhiji could not express his views in meetings when he was in London. He fumbled to speak in Executive Committee meetings of Vegetarian Club. He failed to support Dr. Allinson. He could not read the speech he wrote to the audience of a meeting to promote vegetarianism. His last effort to make a speech on the eve of his departure from London was also ridiculous. His memory failed entirely and he failed to make a humorous speech.

He admits that his shyness was once an annoyance and then a pleasure. He explains that his hesitancy in speech taught him economy of words. It helped him in restraining his thoughts. He never uttered or wrote anything without giving proper thought. He says that silence is a part of spiritual discipline and votary of truth. A man of few words never speaks thoughtlessly. He concludes that his shyness helped him to grow and in his search for truth. (202 words)

3. What factors did Gandhiji have to consider when he opposed the removal of Dr. Allinson? What does the episode reveal about his personality? Would you call him stubborn?

Gandhiji was a member of the Executive Committee of Vegetarian Society. Mr. Hill, the financier of the Society, was a puritan. He regarded birth control movement as cutting at the root of morals. Dr. Allinson, another member of the society supported the movement and advocated the movement in working classes. The movement was anti-puritan. Mr. Hill didn’t like the ideas of Dr. Allinson and wanted to remove him from the society.

Gandhi had a high regard for Mr. Hill and his generosity. As a puritan, Mr. Hill had the right to oppose the views of Dr. Allinson. At the same time, it is not fair or proper to expel any member from the society for promoting birth control movement. Gandhi felt that every vegetarian had a right to be member of the Vegetarian Club irrespective of his moral views.

This episode reveals that Gandhi had a sense of righteousness. He wanted to allow Dr. Allinson to continue as a member of the society because he was a vegetarian. The club, being a vegetarian club had nothing to do with morals. Mr. Hill thought otherwise and he was successful in expelling Dr. Allinson from the society.

No, I would not say that Gandhi is stubborn in this episode. (207 words)

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Brief Summery

Gandhi was a member of the Vegetarian Society. He could not speak in the Executive Committee meetings of the society. He could not support Dr. Allinson, who was in favor of birth control movement. He fumbled to speak in a meeting to promote vegetarianism at Ventnor. He made himself ridiculous while speaking on the eve of his departure from London. 

Gandhi says that his constitutional shyness has been no disadvantage whatever. He explains that his hesitancy in speech taught him economy of words. It helped him in restraining his thoughts. He never uttered or wrote anything without giving proper thought. He never regretted anything he spoke or wrote. He says that silence is a part of spiritual discipline and votary of truth. He concludes that his shyness helped him to grow and in his search for truth. It is his shield and buckler.  (143 words)

The Secret of Work - Swami Vivekananda

Swami Vivekananda

The Secret of Work

A. Answer the following questions in about 100 words each.

1. What is the most direct method of curing the miseries of the world, according to Swami Vivekananda?

According to Swami Vivekananda, physical help alone cannot cure the miseries of the world. Even if we convert every house in the country into a charitable asylum and fill the land with hospitals, we cannot eradicate human misery. Ignorance is the cause of human misery and evil. Man has to change his character and become pure. He has to be enlightened, educated and become spiritually strong to get relief from the miseries of the world. Otherwise, his needs will go on increasing, which leads to more miseries. Man must work incessantly without attachment. (93 words)

2. What is the nature of work? How should work be performed?

The Bhagavad-Gita says that we must all work incessantly. The nature of work is such that every work must necessarily be a combination of good and evil. Good and evil actions will have their consequences. Good actions bring good and bad actions lead to bad. We have to work continuously without any attachments. Then only, our soul can be free of bondage. Every work we do leaves an impression on the subconscious region of the mind. The sum total of such impressions makes our character. We have do good work without expecting result to build a good character. (98 words)

3. Explain ‘Samskara’. How good and bad actions influence one’s ‘Samskara’?

The rippling effect of the work done by us is called ‘Samskara’. Good and evil actions will have their consequences. Good actions bring good and bad actions lead to bad. We have to work continuously without any attachments. Then only, our soul can be free of bondage. Every work we do leaves an impression on the subconscious region of the mind. The sum total of such impressions makes our character. We have do good work without expecting result to build a good character. If our ‘Samskara’ is good our character will be good. (93 words)

4. How is good character said to be established?

The rippling effect of the work done by us is called ‘Samskara’. Good and evil actions will have their consequences. Good actions bring good and bad actions lead to bad. We have to work continuously without any attachments. Then only, our soul can be free of bondage. Every work we do leaves an impression on the subconscious region of the mind. The sum total of such impressions makes our character. We have do good work without expecting result to build a good character. Thus, according to Swami Vivekananda good character can be established. (93 words)

5.  In paragraph 4, Swami Vivekananda explains the idea of ‘un-attachment’. How have you understood it? Discuss Swami Vivekananda’s idea of ‘attachment’.

By continuous good thought and good deeds, good impressions will be made on subconscious mind. Then we are inclined to do good deeds only. Thus, we will be able to control our sense-organs and build character. Then, we have to aim for liberation, full freedom. We mush counter bad deeds with good deeds till no evil is left in us. We must be ‘attached’ to doing good in this phase. We have to nullify impressions of bad deeds with good deeds. We have to detach ourselves from good deeds also to achieve total liberation. This is the idea of ‘attachment’ of Swami Vivekananda. (103 words)

6. Explain what is meant by working ‘like a master’ and not as a slave.      

We have to work continuously without being ‘attached’ to it. Our work should not affect our mind. When we work like stranger to the land without bonding ourselves to it. If we are able to work like that, we are working like masters. If we are bound by our work, we are doing our work as slaves. We have to work with love and without attachment. We must not be selfish while working. Selfish work is slave’s work. Every act of love brings happiness, peace and blessedness. Real love makes us ‘unattached’. We have to look upon work as ‘worship’, dedicating the result of our work to God. (108 words)

B. Answer the following questions in about 200 words each.

1. Explain the idea of work as worship, according to Swami Vivekananda.

Man has to change his character and become pure. He has to be educated and become spiritually strong to get relief from the miseries of the world. The Bhagavad-Gita says that we must all work incessantly. The nature of work is such that every work must necessarily be a combination of good and evil. Good and evil actions will have their consequences. Good actions bring good and bad actions lead to bad. We have to work continuously without any attachments.  By continuous good thought and good deeds, good impressions will be made on subconscious mind. Then we are inclined to do good deeds only. Thus, we will be able to control our sense-organs and build character. 

       

Our work should not affect our mind. When we work like stranger to the land without bonding ourselves to it. If we are able to work like that, we are working like masters. If we are bound by our work, we are doing our work as slaves. We have to work with love and without attachment. We must not be selfish while working. Selfish work is slave’s work. Every act of love brings happiness, peace and blessedness. Real love makes us ‘unattached’. We have to look upon work as ‘worship’, dedicating the result of our work to God. (214 words)

2. What is true liberation? How can this be achieved? Trace the course of Swami Vivekananda’s argument to prove the truth of this statement.

By continuous good thought and good deeds, good impressions will be made on subconscious mind. Then we are inclined to do good deeds only. Thus, we will be able to control our sense-organs and build character. After attaining good character, we have to aim for liberation, full freedom. We mush counter bad deeds with good deeds till no evil is left in us. We must be ‘attached’ to doing good in this phase. Just as we remove a thorn with another thorn, we have to nullify impressions of bad deeds with good deeds. Then we have to detach ourselves from good deeds also to achieve total liberation. This is the idea of true liberation.

Our work should not affect our mind. When we work like stranger to the land without bonding ourselves to it. If we are able to work like that, we are working like masters. If we are bound by our work, we are doing our work as slaves. We have to work with love and without attachment. We must not be selfish while working. Selfish work is slave’s work. Every act of love brings happiness, peace and blessedness. Real love makes us ‘unattached’. We have to look upon work as ‘worship’, dedicating the result of our work to God. (212 words)

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Brief Summery

According to Swami Vivekananda, physical help alone cannot cure the miseries of the world. Man has to be educated and become spiritually strong to get relief from the miseries of the world. The Bhagavad-Gita says that we must all work incessantly.The nature of work is such that every work must necessarily be a combination of good and evil. Good and evil actions will have their consequences.The rippling effect of the work done by us is called ‘Samskara’. Every work we do leaves an impression on the subconscious region of the mind. The sum total of such impressions makes our character.Real love makes us ‘unattached’. We have to look upon work as ‘worship’, dedicating the result of our work to God. (120 words)