New Blue: Chapter Summary, Theme, and Q&A
Here you will find a detailed summary, analysis of themes, character sketches, and solved question answers for the chapter "New Blue" from the New Blue Literary Reader for Class 6. This story follows the experiences of Parvati, a young girl navigating the challenges of a new school in a foreign country. Students searching for "New Blue Class 6 summary," "Parvati's first day at school story," or "New Blue chapter solutions" will find this guide helpful.
Table of Contents
Summary of "New Blue"
"New Blue" is about a fifteen-year-old Indian girl, Parvati, and her tough first day at a new school in Malaysia. Everything feels strange: the uniform, books, language, and people. The day starts with embarrassing moments.
First, a nun mispronounces her name as "Poverty," making other students giggle. She also feels awkward because her hair is oily after she overslept and rushed her morning routine.
Next, a friendly classmate, Kim Lan, gives her dried ginger. The taste is too strong and makes her eyes water. Her teacher, Miss Goon, sees her and thinks she is crying from sadness, making Parvati feel even more pathetic.
The biggest embarrassment happens when she needs a games uniform. The games captain, Fawzia, tricks her by teaching her a Malay phrase. Fawzia tells her it means "I want a games uniform," but it really means "I want to marry your elder brother".
Parvati says this to Gillian Chew, the girl in charge of uniforms. Gillian gets angry until she realizes it's a prank. Instead of getting upset, Parvati handles it with grace. The story ends with her hoping her embarrassing day is finally over.
Themes of the Chapter
- Fitting In: The story shows how hard it is to be in a new place. Parvati feels like an outsider because of the new culture, language, and school, which makes her feel lonely.
- Facing Embarrassment: Parvati has many embarrassing moments. But she stays strong and even finds some humor in her bad day, showing she is resilient.
- Making Friends: The story looks at how teenagers interact. Kim Lan is kind, but Fawzia is mean. It shows that making friends in a new place can be complicated.
- Miscommunication: Language barriers are a big theme. Parvati gets into trouble because she doesn't know Malay, which shows how easily misunderstandings can happen when people can't communicate.
Character Sketches
- Parvati Chopra: The main character, a 15-year-old girl who feels shy but is also strong inside. She tries hard to fit in and handles a mean prank with maturity.
- Fawzia Ahmed: The games captain who plays a prank on Parvati. She seems tough and enjoys making the new girl feel uncomfortable, showing a mean side.
- Gillian Chew: The student with the uniforms. She is angry at first but becomes understanding and kind once she realizes Parvati was tricked. She even shares a laugh about it.
- Kim Lan: A friendly classmate who tries to be nice to Parvati by offering her ginger. Her gesture shows that there is kindness to be found in the new school.
Word Meanings
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Pinafore | A loose dress with no sleeves, worn over a shirt or blouse. |
| Inauspicious | Showing signs that the future will not be good. |
| Muted | Quiet, not as loud as usual. |
| Tendrils | Long, slender, and curling ringlets of hair. |
| Pungent | Having a strong taste. |
| Inevitably | As is certain to happen. |
| Nestling | Hiding. |
| Pathetic | Making you feel sad. |
| Beamed | Gave a wide and happy smile. |
| Namby-pamby | A weak and emotional person. |
| Steely | Strong, hard, and unfriendly. |
| Hassle | Annoy somebody or cause trouble. |
| Drawled | Spoke slowly with vowel sounds that were longer than usual. |
| Griped | Felt annoyed. |
| Meekly | Without saying what she really felt. |
| Enunciating | Pronouncing words clearly. |
| Blanched | Became pale. |
| Contorted | Became twisted. |
| Indiscreet | Inappropriate or rude. |
Question and Answers
Let's Infer
1. How was Parvati feeling when she came to her new school? Pick out words from the story which express her feelings.
Parvati felt nervous and out of place. The story uses phrases like her "heart was sinking and skipping," she "felt extremely silly," and she "felt all at sea in a leaky boat" to show her anxiety.
2. Why was the nun not able to say Parvati's name correctly? Why didn't Parvati correct her?
The nun, being a Malaysian Chinese, could not pronounce the hard rolling 'r' sound in "Parvati." Parvati did not correct her because she was new, felt shy, and didn't want to cause a fuss in front of the whole class.
3. Why do you think Miss Goon misunderstood Parvati's situation? What did she do to put Parvati at ease?
Miss Goon saw Parvati with tears in her eyes and assumed she was sad about being in a new school. She didn't know the spicy ginger was the real reason. To help, she put a reassuring hand on Parvati's shoulder and spoke kindly.
4. What prank did Fawzia Ahmed play on Parvati? Why do you think she did it?
Fawzia tricked Parvati by teaching her a Malay phrase that meant "I want to marry your elder brother" instead of "I want a games uniform." She likely did it to bully Parvati and amuse herself, seeing her as an easy target.
5. Which of the following words describe Parvati? Give reasons for your answer.
Words that describe Parvati are nervous, trusting, forgiving, friendly, and respectful. She was nervous on her first day, trusted Fawzia's "help," forgave the prank, tried to be friendly with everyone, and respectfully accepted Kim Lan's gift.
Let's Discuss
1. Do you think the girls at Parvati's new school were insensitive?
Some of the girls were insensitive. Fawzia was cruel with her prank, and others giggled at Parvati's name. However, Kim Lan and Annette were friendly from the start, and Gillian became understanding. So, the school had a mix of both sensitive and insensitive students.
2. It is natural for a new student to be nervous on the first day of school. What should we do to make him/her comfortable?
To make a new student feel comfortable, we can be friendly and welcoming. We should smile, introduce ourselves, and invite them to join our conversations or games. Showing them around and offering to help with schoolwork are also great ways to make them feel included.
