Class XI - Elective English - 6. The Third and Final Continent - Jhumpa Lahiri

Class XI - Elective English - 6. The Third and Final Continent - Jhumpa Lahiri

APPRECIATION

1. Discuss the manner in which the author interweaves details of the narrator’s family with the flow of the main narrative.
   
   
   The details about the narrator's family is important for the readers in order to understand the psyche of the narrator. He had a very turbulent childhood and was brought up among very disturbed conditions at home. This is important for us to understand the bond he shared with Mrs. Croft. The words written by the author expresses that he was very attached to his mother and had fulfilled the role of an eldest son till the time she was cremated. He missed his mother a lot and recollected small incidents about she never forgetting to drape her head before coming in front of his father. When he came to know of Mrs. Croft's age which had crossed a century, he contemplated on how his mother couldn't adjust to his father's death and turned insane. Her insanity led to deterioration of her health. Her death gave him a heavy blow but he cared for her till the very last moment before cremating her. This shows his reason for growth of empathy towards Mrs. Croft because of her old age. Thus, his concern for Mrs. Croft grew which can be clearly reflected in the line: I was mortified. I had assumed Mrs. Croft was in her eighties...that this person was a widow who lived alone mortified me further still.
   
   
2. ‘Mrs Croft’s was the first death I mourned in America, for, hers was the first life I had admired; she had left this world at last,ancient and alone, never to return’—how do these lines encapsulate the bond that is possible between two strangers?
   
   A person usually feels very detached from people staying around him  abroad. Here is where originates the feeling of diaspora. The same happened with the narrator. He was away from his home and his family and, thus, never grew any feeling of affection towards anybody in America. He was quite alienated with the people of America. However, the course of action justifies his attachment and the emotional bonding which grew between him and Mrs Croft. In the foreign land, he grew a fondness towards the old lady because of various reasons. When he got to know that she was older than a century, he felt a sense of responsibility towards her. He was amazed and was quite awestruck at the idea of a widow of that age residing all alone, with nobody to take care of her . Taking up chores like heating her soup every evening or giving her eight dollars in the envelope every month satisfied him. All these instances and many more cite the fact that a very strong bond had developed between the lady and the narrator.
3. Examine the pieces of conversation in the story. How do they reflect the worldview of each of the speakers? The various conversations taking place in bits and pieces during the course of action of the story reflect a lot about people's perception on various issues and attitude towards each other and humanity in general. We see a very firm and hypocritical attitude prevalent in the tone of Mrs Croft when the narrator arrived at her place for the first time. This is when for the first time he realised that belonging to a very high standard place was important, anywhere such as Tech or Harvard. The greatness and biasness of Americans to be the first one to step on the moon, considering it an unattainable and impossibly splendid feat to be attained. However, she becomes mild for the first time when she receives the eight dollars from the narrator. Mrs Croft's orthodox ways become prominently visible when she objects to a lady and a man talking in private without a chaperone. Her conventional ways are quite evident keeping in mind the fact that she had already crossed hundred. The ways of the western world is shown to be in a very high contrast when we see Mrs Croft's daughter Helen being quite indifferent towards her mother's health or meals. Her casual tone when she says “she might have slipped” might disturb readers. However, even with the differences in opinions, perceptions and norms, the bond which had developed between the narrator and an American widow of a hundred years is worth appreciation.

Essay-02 My Three Passions by Bertrand Russel

Class Notes - English - XI - Elective - Woven Words - Essay:02

UNDERSTANDING THE TEXT

1. Why does Russell call the three passions ‘simple’?
   
   
   The essay actually is the preface to Bertrand Russell's autobiography. Every human is driven by a force, a passion all her/his life. It keeps her/him going. Some desire money, other, fame. There are some who desire simple satisfaction. Bertie's desires that he chased through his life were simple as well. He was driven by passions that any ordinary man or woman might feel for. For one, he wished love and got it too; he believed that it brought ecstasy. He got married four times to tell. Second, he hungered for knowledge and of course we all seek for it. He was a mathematician, a logician, political activist and wrote vastly on philosophy and contributed to literature, for which he received Nobel Prize as well. Third, he shared "an unbearable pity for the suffering of mankind". He took a stand against World War 1 and Vietnam war. Any human will pity a suffering man or a woman for they have a heart and feel, and so did Russell. Russell was a man who did not lust after materialistic gains; he was born in a prominent aristocratic family of Britain and gave away much of what he inherited. He rose his voice in favour of suffragists and world government. He believed in free thought in religion and morals.
   
   
2. Why has he compared the three passions to great winds?
   
   
   Russell compared his three passions to great winds as they were the driving force in his life. They directed his life and gave him the reason for his existence. These great winds are: the love, the knowledge and the pity for the suffering of the mankind. He found ecstasy in the first two that took him to heaven while the third brought him back to the earth with the practical reality. It appears from the words of the author, these are essential parts of his life. It was because of his passions, he found his life to be worth living and that he would gladly live it again if the chance were offered to him. So, his passions are like the great winds of his life directing him all along.
3. What, according to Russell, is the importance of love in life?
   
   
   Bertrand Russell is of the opinion that love brings ecstasy in one's life. He believes that the bliss that love brings is so magnificent that he could sacrifice the rest of his life for this joy of few hours. It relieves one of loneliness of this world. Russell says that in love he has seen the heaven that the great saints and poets have imagined. Here, Russell has given a spiritual dimension to love. He reached beyond through love and it was pity that brought him back.
4. How does Russell’s definition of knowledge differ from what is commonly understood by the term?Why is the quality of pity earth-bound while the other two passions are elevating?
   
   
   Knowledge is a treasure and Russell was a seeker of it. He craved to know and understood the Pythagorean power by which a number holds sway over the flux. He was a much learned man. He did believe that he achieved a little of it as well and yet he yearned for more. The understanding of the higher subjects, why the stars shine? He beseeched beyond all this and it in turn took him upward toward the heavens.
5. Why is the quality of pity earth-bound while the other two passions are elevating?
   
   Bertrand Russell had three passions governing his life all through. The first two being love and knowledge, which elevated him and took him higher to the heavens that great poets and saints have imagined. However, he said that the third one, i.e., pity, brought him back to the Earth, the reality. The pain in the echoing cries reverberated in his heart. All the sorrow in the wide world forced him to return to the Earth; the children in famine, victims tortured by oppressors, helpless old people that become a hated burden to their children. Russell was moved by the loneliness and poverty and pain that mocked human life. He imagined the ideal life of a human without any suffering and sorrow. So, he longed to alleviate the evil, however, he too suffered. He yet respected the human life and found it worth living and fought throughout his life against all evils. Bertrand fought against the Vietnam war and supported suffragists. Throughout his life he fought in favour of mankind to make this world a better place to live.
6. How have the three passions contributed to the quality of Russell’s life?
   
   
   The three passions, the great winds, in the Russell's life contributed immensely to its making. He found his life worth living and had he been given a chance, he would have lived it again. It were not just passions but the three vital virtues governing his life. These gave him directions and were behind all his actions. Bertrand Russell believed in love, knowledge and pity. Whether it was his relationships with women, or fighting against Vietnam war, his stand on Israel, or his support to suffragists it was always these three ideals that ruled all his actions.
   
   

Essay-04 Tribal Verse by G.N. Devy

Class Notes - English - XI - Electictive - Woven Words - Essays:04

UNDERSTANDING THE TEXT

1. Identify the common characteristics shared by tribal communities all over the world.
   
   
   The essayist identifies some common characteristics shared by tribal communities all over the world. The tribals live in groups that are cohesive and organically unified. They show very little interest in accumulating wealth or in using labour as a device to gather interest and capital. The tribals accept a world view in which nature, human beings and God are intimately linked and they believe in the human ability to spell and interpret truth. They live more by intuition than reason, they consider the space around them more sacred than secular, and their sense of time is personal rather than objective.
2. What distinguishes the tribal imagination from the secular imagination?
   
   
   The tribal imagination is, according to the author, dreamlike and hallucinatory. It admits fusion between various planes of existence and levels of time in a natural way. These characteristics distinguish the tribal imagination from the secular imagination. In tribal stories, oceans fly in the sky as birds, mountains swim in the water as fish, animals speak as humans and stars grow like plants. In tribal imagination, stars, seas, mountains, trees, men and animals, can be angry, sad or happy.
3. How does G.N. Devy bring out the importance of the oral literary tradition?
   
   G. N. Devy brings out the importance of the oral literary tradition by referring to the richness of the works of the tribals that have been handed down from one generation to the other orally. He tries to bring home the point that though the literary compositions have been transmitted orally yet thematically and ornamentally they are very rich. The stories and songs that have come down to the tribals through oral tradition are unique. These compositions present the exclusive world view of the tribals. He points out that the wealth and variety of these works is very enormous. In order to show the importance of the oral literary tradition, Devy throws light on the various characteristics of the tribal arts. He shows that one of the main characteristics of tribal arts is their distinct manner of constructing space and imagery, which might be described as hallucinatory. Playfulness is another dimension of this tradition. Devy advocates that proper recognition should be given to the oral literary tradition in view of its variety and richness.
4. List the distinctive features of the tribal arts.
   
   

   According to the essayist G. N. Devy, the tribal arts display many distinctive features.

   
   

   One of the distinctive features of tribal arts is their distinct manner of constructing space and imagery, which might be described as 'hallucinatory'. In both oral and visual forms of representation, tribal artists seem to interpret verbal or pictorial space as demarcated by an extremely flexible 'frame'. The boundaries between art and non art become almost invisible. In a tribal Ramayana, an episode from the Mahabharata makes a sudden and surprising appearance; tribal paintings contain a curious mixture of traditional and modern imagery.

   
   

   The tribal arts follow strict convention. Every tribal performance and creation has, at its back, another such performance or creation belonging to a previous occasion. The creativity of the tribal artist lies in adhering to the past while, at the same time, slightly subverting it.

   
   

   Playfulness is the soul of tribal arts. The tribal arts rarely assume a serious or pretentious tone. The tribal arts are relaxed and never tense.

   
   

   The tribal oral stories and songs employ bilingualism in a complex manner.
5. ‘New literature’ is a misnomer for the wealth of the Indian literary tradition. How does G.N. Devy explain this?
   
   According to the essayist, the tribal Literature should not be called 'New Literature' as this has been in existence for many years. The songs and stories of the tribals have been transmitted orally and as these have not been written down so many people have been unaware of them. The essayist contradicts the views of the western literary critics who have termed tribal literature as 'New Literature'. He says that there is nothing new in this, what might be new is the present attempt to see imaginative expression in tribal language not as folklore but as literature and to hear tribal speech not as a dialect but as a language.

Essay-03 - Patterns of Creativity - Woven Words Class 11 Elective English Solved

Welcome to the class notes for English Class XI (Elective), focusing on Woven Words: Essay 03. In this resource, you'll explore thought-provoking questions and answers that analyze the interplay between poetry and science, referencing writers such as Shelley, Wordsworth, and Keats, as well as scientific thinkers like Darwin. Use the Table of Contents below for quick navigation and enhanced accessibility.

Table of Contents

• Understanding the Text
  • Q1: Shelley's Attitude to Science
  • Q2: Desmond King-Hele's Critique
  • Q3: Darwin's Indifference to Literature
  • Q4: Patterns of Creativity
  • Q5: Central Argument
• Talking About the Text
  • Q6: Poets as Legislators
  • Q7: Compatibility of Poetry and Science
  • Q8: Defence of Science
• Appreciation
  • Q9: Ways of Science and Poetry
  • Q10: Speaker's Commentary
  • Q11: The Cloud - Analysis
• Key Points for Quick Exam Revision

UNDERSTANDING THE TEXT (Q&A)

1. How does Shelley’s attitude to science differ from that of Wordsworth and Keats?
   Wordsworth in his poem 'A Poet's Epitaph' looks at science with a critical mind. Even in the poem 'Tables Turned' he praises nature and appreciates the beauty it gives to humanity:
   
   "Up! up! my Friend, and quit your books;"
   "Enough of Science and of Art;
   Close up those barren leaves;
   Come forth, and bring with you a heart
   That watches and receives."
   
   Wordsworth requests us to be more inclined towards Nature because there is more wisdom in it. Keats, in his poem 'Lamia', talks of two facets of human nature: one is sensual and other emotional. Keats calls philosophy destructive and pleasure unreal but inseparable. Shelley, however, presents a different view—he loves science and finds in it joy, peace, and illumination, as described by A. N. Whitehead. Shelley expressed in poetry the positive thoughts inspired by science, marking a contrast to Wordsworth and Keats.
2. ‘It is not an accident that the most discriminating literary criticism of Shelley’s thought and work is by a distinguished scientist, Desmond King-Hele.’ How does this statement bring out the meeting point of poetry and science?
   Desmond King-Hele, a British physicist, in his book Shelley: His Thought and Work, highlighted Shelley's modern and scientific approach. Shelley's poetry often demonstrates a fusion of creative imagination and scientific precision. King-Hele, as a scientist reviewing a poet's outlook on science, illustrates how poetry and science can intersect. S. Chandrasekhar referenced two examples: in "The Cloud", Shelley merges myth, science, and storytelling, and in "Prometheus Unbound", he voices humanity's wish for intellectual and spiritual freedom.
3. What do you infer from Darwin’s comment on his indifference to literature as he advanced in years?
   Darwin, known for On the Origin of Species, enjoyed literature—including Byron, Coleridge, Shelley, and Shakespeare's historical plays—until about age 30. As he aged, this interest waned. He admitted that his increased focus on science led to a decline in his aesthetic enjoyment; his mind turned into a "grinding machine to process laws out of facts". This atrophy of higher tastes is attributed to the dominance of scientific thinking over literary appreciation.
4. How do the patterns of creativity displayed by scientists differ from those displayed by poets?
   Poets celebrate nature and the present, while scientists analyze and harness nature to drive progress. Wordsworth and Keats often criticize humans for exploiting nature, whereas scientists invent and uncover natural mechanisms. There isn’t true rivalry—Shelley acknowledged the value of productive utility, and Darwin enjoyed literature in his youth. While poets immortalize the present, scientists invent for tomorrow, marking a fundamental difference in creative patterns.
5. What is the central argument of the speaker?
   In "Patterns of Creativity," S. Chandrasekhar explores why creativity differs in the arts and sciences. Instead of direct answers, he compiles observations illustrating how poets and scientists perceive each other and their crafts. Poets like Wordsworth and Keats revere nature and resist technological intrusion, while Shelley wrote poetry inspired by science. Darwin once found joy in literature but eventually focused solely on scientific pursuits. Chandrasekhar wonders why there is no "A Defence of Science" akin to Shelley's essay on poetry, hinting that perhaps scientists express their defense through their work rather than written advocacy.

TALKING ABOUT THE TEXT (Q&A)

1. ‘Poets are the unacknowledged legislators of the world’.
   Shelley, in A Defence of Poetry, declared this, emphasizing the transformative and inspiring power of poetry. Poetry can immortalize beauty, ignite change, and inspire humanity, reflecting past, present, and future. Poets and great writers act as subtle revolutionaries—participating actively in society not merely as observers, but as critics and visionaries driving moral and cultural progress.
2. Poetry and science are incompatible.
   There are always two perspectives: poets like Wordsworth and Keats see science as a threat to nature, while Shelley is a scientific poet blending joy of science into verse. Even among scientists, opinions differ—Darwin appreciated literature in youth, Faraday was absorbed entirely by experimentation. Compatibility depends on the individual, as some bridge the worlds of poetry and science, while others remain committed to their field.
3. ‘On reading Shelley’s A Defence of Poetry, the question insistently occurs why there is no similar A Defence of Science written by a scientist of equal endowment.’
   Passion for a subject shapes its expression: poets praise through words; scientists may praise through discovery. Shelley wrote eloquently for poetry, while Faraday defended his findings via field concepts and practical arguments (as with Gladstone and electricity). Scientists do defend their subject, but their medium is often practical work rather than literary expression.

APPRECIATION (Q&A)

1. How does the ‘assortment of remarks’ compiled by the author give us an understanding of the ways of science and poetry?
   
   The author, S. Chandrasekhar, presents an "assortment of remarks" rather than direct conclusions, creating a nuanced understanding of how creativity differs in science and poetry. Through varied observations and examples—such as Wordsworth’s and Keats’s reverence for nature versus Shelley’s poetic embrace of science—the essay highlights the contrasting yet sometimes overlapping approaches of poets and scientists. Poets are shown to celebrate emotion, intuition, and beauty, often cautioning against the mechanical or reductive tendencies of science, while scientists are depicted as seeking patterns, laws, and empirical truths, sometimes at the cost of aesthetic appreciation. This collection of remarks suggests that, although the creativity of each field is distinct, both contribute to human understanding and are shaped by their practitioners' perspectives and values.
2. Considering that this is an excerpt from a lecture, how does the commentary provided by the speaker string the arguments together?
   
   Chandrasekhar’s commentary is conversational and reflective, guiding the reader through a thoughtful exploration rather than a rigid argument. He weaves literary references, real-life scientific anecdotes, and philosophical questions together, allowing each to build upon the last. By juxtaposing the experiences of poets and scientists and transitioning smoothly between perspectives, the speaker creates a coherent narrative that invites reflection and connection among ideas. This lecture-style approach not only informs but encourages learners to recognize the mutual influences and tensions between scientific and artistic creativity.
3. The Cloud ‘fuses together a creative myth, a scientific monograph, and a gay picaresque tale of cloud adventure’— explain.
   
   Shelley’s poem "The Cloud" exemplifies a remarkable fusion of creative myth, scientific observation, and playful storytelling. As a creative myth, the cloud is personified and given agency, described as “the daughter of Earth and Water,” which evokes ancient mythological traditions. The poem also serves as a scientific monograph by detailing natural processes like condensation, evaporation, and the water cycle with accuracy, referencing scientific knowledge of the time. Finally, it is a picaresque tale through its lively narrative, chronicling the cloud’s journeys across the sky and various adventures. Thus, Shelley blends imagination, science, and storytelling to portray nature dynamically and vividly, demonstrating that poetry can both enchant and enlighten.

Key Points for Quick Exam Revision

Patterns of Creativity by S. Chandrasekhar

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1. Differences in Creativity: Arts vs. Sciences

• The essay explores why patterns of creativity differ between artists (especially poets) and scientists.
• Chandrasekhar does not provide a direct answer but presents “an assortment of remarks” for reflection.

2. Poets Versus Scientists

• Wordsworth and Keats are often critical of science, viewing it as cold and reductive (e.g., “We murder to dissect”).
• Both poets suggest science destroys the beauty and mystery of nature.

3. Counterview from Scientists

• Some scientists, like Peter Medawar, argue that literature can expel science, not just the other way around.
• Science and literature are sometimes seen as competing rather than complementary endeavors.

4. Shelley: The Scientist’s Poet

• Shelley’s poetry is noted for its positive and modern attitude toward science.
• Desmond King-Hele admires Shelley’s blend of myth, detail, and scientific observation in poetry.
• Shelley contrasts with Wordsworth and Keats, who are more skeptical about science.

5. Example from Poetry

• In "The Cloud," Shelley poetically fuses myth (“daughter of Earth and Water”), scientific observation (cloud formation), and an adventurous narrative.
• In "Prometheus Unbound," he expresses humanity’s yearning for knowledge and liberation.

6. Charles Darwin’s Confession

• Darwin loved poetry, music, and literature in youth but lost his taste as he aged, possibly due to his mind’s focus on scientific analysis (“a machine for grinding general laws”).
• This change hints at the effects of intense scientific thinking on aesthetic appreciation.

7. Faraday’s Example

• Faraday’s scientific insights on electric fields were initially misunderstood or underestimated by contemporaries.
• His exchange with Gladstone (“You will soon be able to tax it”) is a classic example of practical scientific defense.

8. Insights from Shelley’s "A Defence of Poetry"

• Poetry makes everything beautiful and immortal.
• Poets are called “the unacknowledged legislators of the world” for their subtle yet profound societal influence.
• Poetry is described as both the center and root of knowledge, embracing science too.

9. Central Argument of the Essay

• Chandrasekhar wonders why there isn’t an equally passionate "A Defence of Science" as Shelley’s "Defence of Poetry".
• He suggests the difference in creative patterns may be inherent to each field and person.

10. Key Terms to Know

• cold philosophy, mutually sustaining endeavours, picaresque tale, cenotaph, atrophy, prophetic discernment, hierophants of unapprehended inspiration, interlunations of life

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11. Additional Notes

• Chandrasekhar stresses not accusing either field but recognizing unique contributions and perspectives.
• He references Maxwell’s respect for Faraday and discusses the complementary roles of teaching and research in science.
• The essay closes with snippets from an interview with Chandrasekhar, emphasizing his personal and professional journey, views on science in India and the US, and his integrated approach to teaching and research.

Chapter 04-The Adventure of the Three Garridebs - Arthur Conan Doyle

Class Notes - English - XI - Elective - Woven Words - Chapter:04

UNDERSTANDING THE TEXT

1. What clues did Sherlock Holmes work upon to get at the fact that the story of the three Garridebs was a ruse?
   
   
   

   Sherlock Holmes noticed that the gentleman who was paying visit to him and his friend Watson under the name of John Garrideb was not what he purported to be because there were discrepancies in his statements as well as appearance. John Garrideb’s claim that he was new to London was not true because the dress that he was wearing was British and that too a worn out one. John’s accent also hinted that he was staying in London for quite some time. Moreover John’s story about Alexander Hamilton Garrideb of Chicago fell flat when he claimed that he knew Dr. Lysander Starr of Topeka very well, a bait cleverly placed by Holmes. Sherlock Holmes also noticed that the advertisement shown to him by John Garrideb apparently placed by Howard Garrideb contained words which were mainly used in USA, proving that it was none other than John Garrideb himself who placed the advertisement. 
   
   All the above mentioned discrepancies proved that the story of three Garridebs was a ruse.
2. What was John Garrideb’s objective in inventing the story of Alexander Hamilton Garrideb and his legacy?
   
   
   John Garrideb's objective was to gain entry into the house of Nathan Garrideb. He wanted to enter the house because before Nathan Garrideb the house was rented to Presbury, the American criminal, who was running a racket of counterfeit British notes and currencies in a secret  basement in the house of Nathan Garrideb. John and Presbury being friends back then worked in tandem and knew about each others' secrets. When John shot Presbury dead he wanted to lay his hands on the counterfeit notes printing machine and currencies lying hidden in the basement of the house where Nathan Garrideb lived. But Nathan Garrideb proved a hindrance in his planning for he hardly left his dwellings. This led John Garrideb to invent the story of Hamilton Garrideb and his legacy. Nathan Garrideb almost fell in the trap except the fact that he got over enthusiastic and involved Holmes in the hunt of the third Garrideb.
3. Why didn't John Garrideb like the idea of including Holmes in the hunt for the third Garrideb?
   
   
   John Garrideb didn't like the idea of including Holmes in the hunt for the third Garrideb because he feared that his fictitious story of three Garridebs might get busted. His worst fears came true at the end, because Holmes noticed all the discrepancies in his statements and pinned down John Garrideb while he was entering the basement of Nathan Garrideb's house to take away the counterfeit currencies.
4. Who was Roger Presbury and how was John Garrideb connected with him?
   
   
   Roger Presbury was an American criminal who was living in Britain and was involved in counterfeit currency business. He was shot by John Garrideb over cards in a night club on the Waterloo Road in January, 1895. Sherlock found out that his appearance matched with the appearance of Waldron, the previous tenant of the lodging in which now Nathan Garrideb lived. Presbury aka Waldron had hidden a note printing press in his basement and John Garrideb knew about it. It was this printing press that John Garrideb was after and carved out the whole plan to acquire it.
5. How did Holmes guess that John Garrideb would go to 136, Little Ryder Street? Did he expect to find what he ultimately did before he went there?
   
   
   
   Once it became clear to Holmes that John Garrideb wants to send Nathan Garrideb away for a while, he sensed that there must be something at 136, Little Ryder Street that was of immense importance to John, Holmes expected John Garrideb to show up.Meanwhile Holmes and his friend Watson ensured that John did not suspect that they have any inkling of his plans of sending Nathan Garrideb away. Holmes and Watson did put the man at ease by clearing it to him that they were least interested in any matter and won his confidence by showing that they were just to help him in discovering another Garrideb. Expecting John they arrived and hid themselves in the house at 136, Little Ryder Street and did catch John Garrideb..

APPRECIATION

1. Examine the structure of the short story ‘Adventure of the Three Garridebs’ with the help of this framework

• The narrator of the story
• Introduction of the topic of the story
• Introduction of the main characters in the plot
• Development of the plot
• Climax
• Resolution of the mystery.

The introduction of the story: The story opens with a faint reflection of the climax. Watson, the narrator, does not give the climax entirely. However, he does tell the reader how the experience will be in the end.

Introduction of the topic of the story: The narrator does not hit the nail on the head, he rather lets the reader explore the story as the situation unfolds itself. However, Watson does not make the reader wait for too long.

Introduction of the main characters in the plot: Watson, the narrator takes the hold of the narration in the very beginning introducing the reader to the story. However we get to know him only once he introduces the reader to him. And it is when Holmes addresses Watson, we come to know the name of the narrator. For it is a first person narrative, we have to wait and move as the narrator describes all the events.

Development of the plot: In the beginning, Holmes is talking about a person with a particular surname and that there is a need to find a person with the surname. Then he tells Watson to wait for the person who has assigned the task to the detective as Holmes wants the person in question himself to explain the situation to his friend. Then arrives, John Garrideb of Kansas, who explains the reason for why is there a need of another surname. And it is made clear for why Nathan approached Holmes for the task as it was John who approached Nathan for the same reason. And then further the story unfolds and with it is the truth explored.

Climax: The climax is built as the series of events are described. There are clues laid for the reader to guess, yet the narrator does not give away the resolution. The reader guesses the possibilities. Ultimately a stage comes where the story reaches its height when Holmes is sure of the identity of the suspect and is sure of evil intentions and yet his motives are not clear. It is all to be discovered by the reader as he/she advances to the final tragedy.

Resolution of the mystery: The resolution unleashes a comical tragedy. The reader is surprised and feels funny as well, thanks to the witty detective that leads the case. A faint reflection of the emotions that the reader might go in the ending were already given in the beginning, yet the resolution was unknown. It is not just the tragedy revealed but along with it is revealed the other side of the main character Sherlock Holmes and his friendship with Dr. Watson. There is more than expected revealed. The digressions of Holmes are justified in the end as well. It was a mystery resolved in the end.

2. Examine the subtle humour in the narration of the story that lightens the gravity of the subject matter.
   
   
   The story's wittiest character is the detective Sherlock Holmes whose digressions are most funny. How in the middle of a sensitive interrogation he points out to the suspect that he appears to be a English, though the suspect exclaims that he is an American. In the beginning when Holmes is explaining the case to Watson, he remarks that there is a chance to make money with this case as if it is they and not the Garridebs who will be given the inheritance of Alexander Garrideb. The most interesting part is the style with which Holmes talks or discusses any information. Even while explaining a serious matter he adapts a casual style. For example, again while in the beginning Holmes is explaining the case to Watson, he did not give away the people already involved in the case. However, he tells that Nathan is already taken in as Watson comes across his name in the directory. He did not even tell the name of the mastermind John Garrideb until Mrs. Hudson approached with the card signed by Garrideb. There are many such instances that make the mystery light-hearted and the reader is not burned by it.

The Rocking-horse Winner - Explanation - Summary - Q&A - Solved

The Rocking Horse Winner is a short story written by D.H. Lawrence. It talks about a young boy named Paul who tries to bring luck and money to his family. The story is sad and mysterious. It shows how the desire for money can ruin peace and love in a home. In this blog you will get the following:  

• Explanation and Analysis of 'The Rocking Horse Winner'
• Summary of  The Rocking Horse Winner
• Understanding the Expressions in the story The Rocking Horse Winner
• UNDERSTANDING THE TEXT(Q&A)
• APPRECIATION
• Multiple Choice Questions on The Rocking Horse Winner

Poem 01 - The Peacock - English Elective Class XI Notes - Woven Words

Poem 01 - The Peacock

The Peacock poem analysis, complete text, summary, theme, poetic devices, MCQs, and critical analysis for students and teachers seeking CBSE/ICSE exam preparation and literary appreciation of imagery, symbolism, and sound devices in modern Indian poetry. [Added for discoverability per content-structure guidance.

POEM COMPLETE TEXT

His loud sharp call

seems to come from nowhere.

Then, a flash of turquoise

in the pipal tree.

The slender neck arched away from you

  as he descends,

and as he darts away, a glimpse

  of the very end of his tail. 

I was told

that you have to sit in the veranda

  and read a book,

preferably one of your favourites

  with great concentration.

The moment you begin to live

inside the book

a blue shadow will fall over you.

The wind will change direction,

The steady hum of bees

In the bushes nearby

Will stop.

The cat will awaken and stretch.

Something has broken your attention;

And if you look up in time

You might see the peacock

turning away as he gathers in his tail

to shut those dark glowing eyes,

violet fringed with golden amber.

It is the tail that has to blink

for eyes that are always open.

THEME OF THE PEACOCK

The theme of this poem is the beauty of nature and the importance of being present in the moment to fully appreciate it. The peacock is used as a symbol of this beauty and is described in vivid detail, capturing the reader's attention and encouraging them to take notice of the world around them. The poem also suggests that we need to let go of distractions and be fully immersed in the present moment in order to truly appreciate the beauty that surrounds us.

SUMMARY OF THE POEM THE PEACOCK

At the outset of the poem, the poet portrays the peacock's grandeur and loveliness. Throughout the verses, the poet anthropomorphizes the peacock as a male entity, referring to him as 'he.' The bird's piercing cry is difficult to locate, as it appears to emanate from an indiscernible source. The sound actually comes from the peacock, which can effortlessly fly to the top of a pipal or peepal tree, where it is often hidden. Against the verdant background of the pipal tree, the peacock's distinct turquoise hue (a combination of blue and green) glimmers. When it senses a human watching it, it moves its slim neck and darts away, leaving behind only a fleeting glimpse of its tail.

The poet now describes a small ritual for seeing a peacock that she has been advised to follow. One should sit on the veranda and immerse themselves in a book, preferably a cherished favorite. Once the reader is fully absorbed in the book's world, a blue shadow will descend upon them, and the wind will shift, subtly drawing attention to the surroundings. The atmosphere grows tranquil ("The steady hum of bees /In the bushes nearby will stop").

The peacock's cry, similar to that of a cat, will be audible ("The cat will awaken and stretch"), drawing attention. If spotted in time, the observer may catch a glimpse of the peacock. The peacock gracefully turns away, its tail feathers closed like shut eyelids, revealing violet borders and golden amber fillers. "It is the tail that has to blink" (the motion of the tail swaying is likened to blinking), but "the eyes are always open," and the patterns never fade. The observer will feel a sense of inner radiance and stillness that is deep and profound.

The scene's depiction highlights the difficulty of seeing a peacock (underscoring the bird's significance), as peacocks are revered, sacred birds that are not frequently encountered in the world. In Indian culture, peacocks are considered celestial and symbolize beauty and power.

UNDERSTANDING THE POEM (Q&A)

1. Comment on the lines that make you visualise the colourful image of the peacock.
   
   
   The lines which help us visualise the colourful image of the peacock are as follows:
   “a flash of turquoise”, “A blue shadow will fall over you", “To shut those dark glowing eyes”, “Violet fringed with golden amber”.
   These lines give us a clear picture of the magnificent bird in all its glory.
   
   
2. What are the cues that signal the presence of the peacock in the vicinity?
   
   
   A loud sharp call, flash of turquoise, a disappearing tail end, a blue shadow, the wind changing its direction and the awakening of the cat and its stretch are an indication that a peacock is in the vicinity.
   
   
3. How does the connection drawn between the tail and the eyes add to the descriptive detail of the poem?
   
   
   The pattern on the tail of a peacock looks like eyes, but these eyes cannot be blinked. Rather the tail when contracted appears to give an illusion of blinking a lot of eyes together. This adds to the descriptive details of the poem.
   
   
4. How does the poem capture the elusive nature of the peacock?
   
   
   The poem captures the elusive nature of the peacock by describing its activities that signal its presence indirectly. For example in the opening line of the poem we hear “His loud sharp call”, or we get a “glimpse of the very end of his tail” in the last line of the first stanza.
   If someone tries his best to get a glimpse of the elusive bird, he “might see the peacock turning away as he gathers his tail”.
   Such a description presents a very elusive nature of the peacock.
   
   
5. The peacock is a colourful bird. How does the poem capture the various colours that its plumage displays?
   
   
   The poem captures the various colours of the peacock’s plumage by use of expressions like “turquoise”, “blue shadow”, “dark glowing eyes” and “Violet fringed with golden amber”. These expressions as we can see present the colours associated with peacocks very beautifully.

Poetic Devices Used in the Poem

Curated per common literary-device standards: imagery, metaphor, personification, sound, and structure.

• Imagery: Vivid visual cues like “flash of turquoise,” “blue shadow,” and “violet fringed with golden amber” paint sensory-rich scenes.
• Metaphor: The tail’s “eyes” that never close extend the bird’s mystique, equating pattern with watchful presence.
• Personification: Nature “signals” with wind shifts and hush, while the tail “blinks,” animating the scene beyond literal action. 
• Alliteration/Assonance: Soft consonance in phrases like “blue shadow” and vowel echoes in “violet… golden amber” heighten musicality.
• Symbolism: The peacock embodies rare beauty and revelation, accessible through mindful attention.
• Enjambment and lineation: Run-on lines mimic quick movement and the fleeting glimpse of the bird.
• Contrast: Noise versus hush, movement versus stillness, accentuates the shift from distraction to awareness.

Critical Analysis of the Poem The Peacock

Analytical focus on attention, epiphany, and craft choices guiding perception.

The poem frames seeing as an active discipline: stillness, absorption, and sensory attunement precede the rare encounter, aligning with a contemplative poetics in which nature answers the reader’s quiet. The craft—delicate color imagery, sound softening into hush, and the tail’s “eyes” metaphor—renders epiphany as both visual and inner illumination. The peacock’s retreat resists possession, insisting that beauty is transient and must be received, not seized, a stance that critiques hurried attention and privileges mindful presence.

Extract Based MCQs from The Peacock

Each extract has 3 questions; answer key follows each question.

Extract 1

“Then, a flash of turquoise in the pipal tree. The slender neck arched away from you as he descends.”

1. “Flash of turquoise” primarily appeals to which sense?
   A) Hearing
   B) Sight
   C) Smell
   D) Touch.
   
   Answer Key: B.
   
   
2. “Arched away” suggests the peacock’s movement is:
   A) Welcoming
   B) Cautious
   C) Aggressive
   D) Static.
   
   Answer Key: B.
   
   
3. The mention of “pipal tree” contributes mainly to:
   A) Temporal setting
   B) Cultural-natural setting
   C) Speaker’s age
   D) Rhyme scheme.
   
   Answer Key: B.

Extract 2

“The moment you begin to live inside the book a blue shadow will fall over you. The wind will change direction.”

1. “Live inside the book” is best read as:
   A) Irony
   B) Hyperbole
   C) Metaphor
   D) Pun.
   
   Answer Key: C.
   
   
2. The “blue shadow” most likely signals:
   A) Sunset
   B) Rainstorm
   C) The peacock’s presence
   D) Nightfall.
   
   Answer Key: C.
   
   
3. The change in wind functions as a:
   A) Plot twist
   B) Symbolic cue
   C) Logical fallacy
   D) Metre shift.
   
   Answer Key: B.

Extract 3

“to shut those dark glowing eyes, violet fringed with golden amber. It is the tail that has to blink for eyes that are always open.”

1. The “eyes” here refer to:
   A) The bird’s eyelids
   B) Tail-feather patterns
   C) Raindrops
   D) Stars.
   
   Answer Key: B.
   
   
2. “Tail… has to blink” exemplifies:
   A) Metonymy
   B) Litotes
   C) Personification
   D) Synecdoche.
   
   Answer Key: C.
   
   
3. The color detail chiefly builds:
   A) Plot
   B) Irony
   C) Visual imagery
   D) Internal rhyme.
   
   Answer Key: C.

MCQs from the Poem The Peacock

15 objective items mixing factual recall and inference; answer key at end.

1. The initial cue of the peacock’s presence is a:
   A) Shadow
   B) Call
   C) Feather
   D) Footprint.
   
   Answer Key: B.
   
   
2. The tree specifically mentioned is the:
   A) Banyan
   B) Neem
   C) Pipal
   D) Mango.
   
   Answer Key: C.
   
   
3. The predominant color first noticed is:
   A) Saffron
   B) Turquoise
   C) Indigo
   D) Crimson.
   
   Answer Key: B.
   
   
4. The suggested posture for sighting is to:
   A) Sleep
   B) Meditate
   C) Read intently
   D) Sing.
   
   Answer Key: C.
   
   
5. “Blue shadow” indicates:
   A) Evening light
   B) The bird’s nearness
   C) Moonrise
   D) Cloud cover.
   
   Answer Key: B.
   
   
6. The ambient “hum” that stops is made by:
   A) Birds
   B) Bees
   C) Crickets
   D) Wind.
   
   Answer Key: B.
   
   
7. The domestic animal referenced is a:
   A) Dog
   B) Cow
   C) Cat
   D) Goat.
   
   Answer Key: C. 
   
   
8. The tail patterns are compared to:
   A) Jewels
   B) Raindrops
   C) Eyes
   D) Leaves.
   
   Answer Key: C. 
   
   
9. “Tail… blink” conveys mainly:
   A) Humor
   B) Motion as sight
   C) Danger
   D) Sleep.
   
   Answer Key: B.
   
   
10. The peacock’s overall behavior is best described as:
    A) Domesticated
    B) Aggressive
    C) Elusive
    D) Nocturnal.
    
    Answer Key: C.
    
    
11. The poem’s setting tone shifts toward:
    A) Chaos
    B) Hush
    C) Anger
    D) Satire.
    
    Answer Key: B.
    
    
12. The main theme stresses:
    A) Competition
    B) Possession
    C) Mindful attention
    D) Travel.
    
    Answer Key: C.
    
    
13. The speaker’s “ritual” implies that beauty is:
    A) Earned by patience
    B) Guaranteed
    C) Random
    D) Manufactured.
    
    Answer Key: A.
    
    
14. The color pairing “violet… golden amber” enhances:
    A) Plot
    B) Contrast and richness
    C) Irony
    D) Allusion.
    
    Answer Key: B.
    
    
15. The poem’s structure supports glimpses through:
    A) End-stopped couplets only
    B) Fixed refrain
    C) Enjambment and swift images
    D) Dialogue.
    
    Answer Key: C.
    
    

Poem-02 - Let Me Not to the Marriage of True Minds - English Elective Class XI Notes - Woven Words

Poem-02 - Let Me Not to the Marriage of True Minds by William Shakespeare

Let me not to the marriage of true minds
Admit impediments. Love is not love
Which alters when it alteration finds,
Or bends with the remover to remove:
O no; it is an ever-fixed mark,
That looks on tempests, and is never shaken;
It is the star to every wandering bark,
Whose worth's unknown, although his height be taken.
Love's not Time's fool, though rosy lips and cheeks
Within his bending sickle's compass come;
Love alters not with his brief hours and weeks,
But bears it out even to the edge of doom.
If this be error and upon me proved,
I never writ, nor no man ever loved.

PARAPHRASE OF THE POEM

Let me not declare any reasons why two true-minded people should not be married. Love is not love which changes when it finds a change in circumstances, or bends from its firm stand even when a lover is unfaithful: Oh no! it is a lighthouse that sees storms but it is never shaken; Love is the guiding north star to every lost ship, whose value cannot be calculated, although its altitude can be measured. Love is not at the mercy of Time, though physical beauty comes within the compass of his sickle. Love does not alter with hours and weeks, but, rather, it endures until the last day of life. If I am proved wrong about these thoughts on love, then I recant all that I have written, and no man has ever [truly] loved.

Explanation

The poem is titled "Sonnet 116" and is a sonnet written by William Shakespeare. It is a love poem that celebrates the power and endurance of true love.

The poem begins with the speaker stating that true love is not hindered by external forces or impediments. The love described is not a love that changes with circumstances or that is affected by external influences. Instead, it is an "ever-fixed mark" that remains constant even in the face of adversity.

The speaker then goes on to compare true love to a star that guides wandering ships, emphasizing the importance and value of this type of love. The poem suggests that true love is a force that is not easily swayed by time or external factors.

The next stanza refers to the inevitable effects of time and aging, represented by "rosy lips and cheeks / Within his bending sickle's compass come." However, the speaker argues that true love is not subject to the same limitations and that it endures even in the face of aging and death.

Finally, the poem concludes with the speaker stating that if he is wrong in his beliefs about true love, then he has never written anything of value and no one has ever truly loved. This line reinforces the strength and conviction of the speaker's beliefs about love.

Overall, the poem celebrates the power and endurance of true love, emphasizing that it is a force that remains constant even in the face of adversity and the passing of time.

Imagery Used in the Sonnet 116

Sonnet 116 uses a variety of powerful and vivid imagery to convey the idea of enduring, true love.

In the first quatrain, the speaker uses the metaphor of a "marriage of true minds" to describe the nature of true love. This image evokes the idea of two people who are deeply connected and united in their love for one another.

The second quatrain uses a nautical metaphor to describe true love as an "ever-fixed mark / That looks on tempests and is never shaken." The image of a fixed mark or beacon that guides ships through storms suggests that true love provides stability and direction in difficult times.

The third quatrain compares true love to a star that guides lost ships, suggesting that love is a guiding force that leads people through the challenges of life. The image of the star is also associated with beauty and wonder, emphasizing the idea that true love is a precious and valuable thing.

In the final quatrain, the speaker uses the metaphor of Time as a "bending sickle" that inevitably takes away youth and beauty. However, the speaker argues that true love "bears it out even to the edge of doom," suggesting that it is an enduring force that remains steadfast in the face of aging and death.

Overall, the imagery used in Sonnet 116 emphasizes the strength, endurance, and guiding qualities of true love. By comparing love to enduring symbols such as a fixed mark, a star, and a beacon, the speaker creates a powerful image of love as a guiding force that can lead people through the challenges of life.

NOTES 

marriage...impediments (1-2): T.G. Tucker explains that the first two lines are a "manifest allusion to the words of the Marriage Service: 'If any of you know cause or just impediment why these two persons should not be joined together in holy matrimony'; cf. Much Ado 4.1.12. 'If either of you know any inward impediment why you should not be conjoined.' Where minds are true - in possessing love in the real sense dwelt upon in the following lines - there can be no 'impediments' through change of circumstances, outward appearance, or temporary lapses in conduct." (Tucker, p. 192). 

bends with the remover to remove (4): i.e., deviates ("bends") to alter its course ("remove") with the departure of the lover. 

ever-fixed mark (5): i.e., a lighthouse (mark = sea-mark).

Compare Othello (5.2.305-7): 

Be not afraid, though you do see me weapon'd;

Here is my journey's end, here is my butt,

And very sea-mark of my utmost sail. 

the star to every wandering bark (7): i.e., the star that guides every lost ship (guiding star = Polaris). Shakespeare again mentions Polaris (also known as "the north star") in Much Ado About Nothing (2.1.222) and Julius Caesar (3.1.65). 

Whose worth's unknown, although his height be taken (8): The subject here is still the north star. The star's true value can never truly be calculated, although its height can be measured. 

Love's not Time's fool (9): i.e., love is not at the mercy of Time. 

Within his bending sickle's compass come (10): i.e., physical beauty falls within the range ("compass") of Time's curved blade. Note the comparison of Time to the Grim Reaper, the scythe-wielding personification of death. 

edge of doom (12): i.e., Doomsday. Compare 1 Henry IV (4.1.141): 

Come, let us take a muster speedily:

Doomsday is near; die all, die merrily. 

_____ 

Sonnet 116 is about love in its most ideal form. The poet praises the glories of lovers who have come to each other freely, and enter into a relationship based on trust and understanding. The first four lines reveal the poet's pleasure in love that is constant and strong, and will not "alter when it alteration finds." The following lines proclaim that true love is indeed an "ever-fix'd mark" which will survive any crisis. In lines 7-8, the poet claims that we may be able to measure love to some degree, but this does not mean we fully understand it. Love's actual worth cannot be known – it remains a mystery. The remaining lines of the third quatrain (9-12), reaffirm the perfect nature of love that is unshakeable throughout time and remains so "ev'n to the edge of doom", or death. 

In the final couplet, the poet declares that, if he is mistaken about the constant, unmovable nature of perfect love, then he must take back all his writings on love, truth, and faith. Moreover, he adds that, if he has in fact judged love inappropriately, no man has ever really loved, in the ideal sense that the poet professes. The details of Sonnet 116 are best described by Tucker Brooke in his acclaimed edition of Shakespeare's poems: 

[In Sonnet 116] the chief pause in sense is after the twelfth line. Seventy-five per cent of the words are monosyllables; only three contain more syllables than two; none belong in any degree to the vocabulary of 'poetic' diction. There is nothing recondite, exotic, or metaphysical in the thought. There are three run-on lines, one pair of double-endings. There is nothing to remark about the rhyming except the happy blending of open and closed vowels, and of liquids, nasals, and stops; nothing to say about the harmony except to point out how the fluttering accents in the quatrains give place in the couplet to the emphatic march of the almost unrelieved iambic feet. In short, the poet has employed one hundred and ten of the simplest words in the language and the two simplest rhyme-schemes to produce a poem which has about it no strangeness whatever except the strangeness of perfection. (Brooke, p. 234)

UNDERSTANDING THE POEM

1. ‘Constancy’ is the theme of the poem. Indicate the words, phrases and images that suggest the theme.
   
   
   "an ever-fixed mark", "never shaken"; "Love’s not Time’s fool", "Love alters not", "bears it out even to the edge of doom" are some of the expressions that suggest the theme that love is permanent.
2. Why do you think the poet has used so many ‘negatives’ to make his statement?
   
   
   ‘negatives’ are an effective tool to prove one’s point. It highlights the other side of the coin to bring home the positive points of the statement very effectively. In this case the poet puts forward all the negative aspects that love is taken for, and then argues that love is something permanent and beyond physical beauty.
3. What does the line ‘I never writ, nor no man ever loved’ imply?It implies that if the poet is proved wrong about these thoughts on love, then he will recant all that he has written, and no man has ever [truly] loved.