Neem Baba - Poorvi Class 6 NCERT English Completely Solved

This blog is made to help class 6 students understand the chapter "Neem Baba" from the English textbook "Poorvi." Here, students will find easy solutions for Word Meaning, Questions and Answers, Grammar, Writing, Vocabulary, and Speaking exercises. Each part is written simply to make learning fun and clear.

• Word Meaning
• Let us discuss (part 1)
• Let us discuss (part 2)
• Let us think and reflect
• Let us learn
• Let us listen
• Let us speak
• Let us write
• Let us explore

Word Meaning

Word/Phrase	Meaning (English)	Meaning (Hindi - आसान हिंदी)
Thought provoking	Interesting	सोचने पर मजबूर करने वाला
Grace	Blessing	आशीर्वाद
Twigs	Small thin branches	छोटी पतली डंडी
Measles	Disease with fever and red spots on skin	खसरा (बुखार और लाल धब्बे वाली बीमारी)
Itching	Feeling the need to scratch	खुजली होना
Breed	Grow	पैदा होना
Locusts	Flying insects that damage crops	टिड्डियाँ (फसलों को नुकसान पहुंचाने वाले कीड़े)
Termites	Insects that damage wood and buildings	दीमक (लकड़ी को नुकसान पहुँचाने कीट)
Stagnant	Not flowing	जमा हुआ, रुका हुआ पानी
Cost-effective	Good outcome in least amount of resources	कम खर्च में अच्छा परिणाम
Purifies	Removes harmful particles	शुद्ध करता है, हानिकारक चीजें हटाता है

Let us discuss (part 1)

LET US KNOW OUR NEEM
Common name:	Neem	Given by: Iranians
Period of birth:	Millions of years ago
Born at:	North India or Myanmar
Found in:	Many Asian, African countries and some parts of America
Common names:	Nimb, Nim, Leemba, Nimori, Nimbamond, Nimbe, Nimo
Names given by scientists:	1. Bitter grace of God	2. Nature’s gift to man
Names given by others:	1. Magic tree	2. Cleanliness-parting tree

Let us discuss (part 2)

1. How is neem useful to farmers?

   Neem protects crops from pests, improves soil health, stops mosquito breeding, and reduces the need for chemicals in farming.

2. Mention some of the uses of the neem tree.

   Neem is used in medicine, soaps, toothpaste, protecting grains, cleaning teeth, making furniture, and purifying air.

Let us think and reflect

I. Write any two facts that surprised you the most.

• Neem stops mosquito breeding in stagnant water, helping prevent diseases.
• All parts of the neem tree can be used to make medicines.

II. Complete the following sentences.

1. Amber played in the shade of the neem tree.
2. Neem seed powder protects crops from locusts and termites.
3. Using neem seed powder in stagnant water is a cost-effective method to stop mosquitoes from breeding.
4. Doctors advise using neem leaves for measles because they destroy germs and reduce itching.

III. Which parts of the neem tree are used to make medicines?

Leaves, bark, flowers, fruits, seeds, and roots of the neem tree are used to make medicines.

IV. Why is the story of neem tree thought-provoking?

The story is thought-provoking because neem’s many names show its importance and usefulness across cultures and history.

Let us learn

I. Study these words from the text.
Put the compound words given above in their trees.

Open compound words

well known

neem oil

well trained

seed powder

---

You may add: post office, high school

Closed compound words

something

grandmother

childhood

---

You may add: bedroom, sunlight

Hyphenated compound words

cleanliness-parting

thought-provoking

---

You may add: mother-in-law, brother-in-law

These words are known as compound words. There are three types of compound words:

• Open compound words: spaces between the words.
• Closed compound words: no spaces between the words.
• Hyphenated compound words: hyphens between the words.

II. Words that tell us what a person is doing are called verbs.
Match the words and make one sentence for any form of the verb.

Present	Past	Answer	Sentence
1. become	(iv) became	1 - (iv)	I want to become a teacher when I grow up.
2. find	(v) found	2 - (v)	She found her book under the table.
3. make	(i) made	3 - (i)	He made a paper boat.
4. discover	(vi) discovered	4 - (vi)	They discovered a new island.
5. tell	(iii) told	5 - (iii)	Mother told me a story.
6. give	(ii) gave	6 - (ii)	He gave me a gift.

III. Personification

Amber speaks to Neem Baba as if speaking to a person. This is called personification.

Some more examples:

• The leaves whispered in the wind.
• The flowers danced merrily in the breeze.

Let us listen

You will now listen to a boy speaking to his mother. As you listen, select the correct statements.

1. The mother was surprised to know that Peepal Baba had planted trees all over the country. ✔
2. The mother disliked the work being done by Peepal Baba.
3. The mother wanted to know more about Peepal Baba. ✔
4. The boy decided to take care of trees by listening to Peepal Baba’s journey. ✔
5. The boy was worried about what his teacher had told him.

PEEPAL BABA

Rahul: Maa, have you heard about Peepal Baba? Our teacher told us about him today.
Mother: I have not heard about him. Who is he and what does he do?
Rahul: He plants trees along with his team. He also started a movement to plant and save trees.
Mother: That’s wonderful. Where did he get this idea from?
Rahul: When he was studying in a school in Pune, his English teacher gave him the idea to plant trees. He was just 11 years old.
Mother: How did he plant so many trees all over the country as a child?
Rahul: He was born to an army officer’s family in Chandigarh and whenever they moved to a new city, he planted more trees.
Mother: But how did he come to be known as Peepal Baba?
Rahul: He used to plant Peepal and Neem trees as they have many uses for us and told others to do so. In the beginning, people made fun of him by calling him Peepal Baba but he was not bothered and continued to do his work. Now everyone calls him by that name lovingly.
Mother: He is really doing great work. We should learn from him and plant more trees.
Rahul: Yes, Maa. We must tell others to do the same.

Let us speak

Collect dry leaves of four different trees or plants around you.

1. Make one card for each leaf. On the top of the card, draw the shape of the leaf by looking at the dry leaf and color it.
2. Inside the card, write the name of the tree or plant the leaf is from and one of its uses.
3. Speak about the whole process of making the card in front of the class.
4. Ask your classmates to identify the leaf and tell one of its uses.
5. After they answer, open the card and share what you have written.

Sample conversation for speaking activity:

Student 1: Today, I collected a dry neem leaf. I drew its shape and colored it on my card.
Inside the card, I wrote "Neem tree" and that neem leaves are used to protect grains from insects.
Now, can you guess which leaf this is and tell me one use of it?

Classmate: This is a neem leaf. Its leaves help protect stored grains from insects.
Student 1: That’s correct! Neem leaves also have medicinal uses.

Student 2: I collected a mango leaf and made a card like this. Mango leaves are used for decoration during festivals.
Can you tell me what leaf this is?

Classmate: This is a mango leaf. It is used to decorate houses during celebrations.
Student 2: Yes, exactly!

This way, you can talk about other leaves and their uses in your class.

Let us write

Title: The Big Banyan Tree in Our Park

There is a big banyan tree in the park near my house. It has a thick trunk with many branches reaching out wide. Its green leaves are dense and make a cool shade. I like this tree because it gives shelter to birds and squirrels, and people sit under it to rest on hot days. The banyan tree also looks very beautiful, spreading like a big umbrella. I enjoy visiting it because it feels peaceful and fresh under its shade.

Let us explore

When people from Persia came to India and saw that a common tree of their country was freely growing here, they started calling the tree Azad Darakhte Hindi. So, the scientific name of Neem in Latin became Azadirachta indica.

Neem has different names in the Indian languages. Discuss with your teacher and find out which Indian languages these names belong to.

Name	Nimb	Nim	Leemba	Nimori	Nimbamond	Nimbe	Nimo
Indian	Hindi	Urdu/Bengali	Tamil	Gujarati	Marathi	Kannada	Konkani

The Chair NCERT Poorvi Class 6 Completely Solved

This blogpost provides complete solutions for the story "The Chair" from the English textbook "Poorvi" prescribed for Class 6. It includes word meanings with Hindi support, comprehension question answers, grammar, writing, vocabulary, and speaking activities. The aim is to make the lesson simple, clear, and easy to understand for young students with the help of tables, easy explanations, and interactive exercises.

Table of Content

• Word Meaning
• Let Us Discuss (Part 1)
• Let Us Discuss (Part 2)
• Let Us Think and Reflect
• Let us learn
• Let Us Think and Reflect (continued)
• Let us listen
• Let us speak
• Let us write

Word Meaning

Word	Meaning (English)	Meaning (Hindi)
showed off	boasted	दिखावा करना
accepted	agreed to	स्वीकार करना
readily	without any problem	तुरंत / बिना कठिनाई
attic	a storage space in a house just under the roof	छत के नीचे भंडार स्थान
invisible	impossible to see	अदृश्य
determined	firm in decision	दृढ़निश्चयी
amazing	very surprising	अद्भुत / चौंकाने वाला
experienced	felt	अनुभव किया

Let Us Discuss (Part 1)

1. Mario was very proud of having so many friends.
   Answer: True
   
   
2. What did the grandfather take from the attic?
   Answer: Grandfather took an invisible chair from the attic.
   
   
3. Will Mario face any challenges?
   Answer: Yes, Mario faced challenges while trying to sit on the invisible chair.
   
   
4. Will Mario be able to use the magic?
   Answer: Yes, finally Mario was able to use the magic chair with the help of his true friends.

Let Us Discuss (Part 2)

1. Mario successfully sat on the invisible chair on his first attempt. State whether True or False.
   Answer: False
   
   
2. Fill in the blank with a suitable word.
   Mario’s grandfather challenged him to a bet of fruit chaat.
   
   
3. Match the following characters with their action.

   Character	Action
   Guneet, Asma, and Deepa	(i) held Mario up, so he wouldn't fall
   Other classmates	(ii) made fun of Mario’s attempts

Let Us Think and Reflect

I. Read the following lines and answer the questions that follow.

1. “Take it. It’s a very special chair. As it’s invisible, it’s rather tricky to sit on. But if you take it to school and manage to sit on it, then the magic will work and you’ll be able to tell who your real friends are.”

1. Fill in the blanks with two words that describe the chair.
   The chair is special and invisible.
2. Why was it tricky to sit on the chair?
   Answer: It was tricky to sit on the chair because it was invisible and Mario could not see it properly.
3. Why does Mario’s grandfather call the chair ‘special’?
   Answer: The grandfather called the chair ‘special’ because it had the magic to reveal who Mario’s real friends were.

2. “Wait, wait, just a slight technical problem,” he said, trying again. But again, he missed the seat, causing more surprised looks and laughter. Mario wouldn’t give up.

1. Fill in the blank with a suitable reason.
   Mario says there was a technical problem because he could not find the invisible chair to sit on.
2. Mario’s friends were very caring and helpful. State whether True or False.
   Answer: True
3. Choose the correct option to complete the sentence.
   Mario wouldn’t give up. This shows he is a. strong-willed.

II. Answer the following questions.

1. What was the bet about?
   Answer: The bet was about the number of real friends Mario actually had. His grandfather bet him a fruit chaat that Mario did not have as many true friends as he thought.
   
   
2. What happened when Mario sat on the chair for the first time?
   Answer: The first time Mario tried to sit on the chair, he missed it and fell down, making his classmates laugh at him.
   
   
3. How was Mario able to find his real friends?
   Answer: Mario found his real friends when Guneet, Asma, and Deepa held him up so that he wouldn’t fall, while others only laughed at him.
   
   
4. Do you think the magic chair test was good? Why do you say so?
   Answer: Yes, the magic chair test was good because it helped Mario clearly see who cared for him and who only pretended to be his friend.
   
   
5. What does ‘friends for life’ mean to you?
   Answer: ‘Friends for life’ means friends who always stand by you in good and bad times and never leave you alone.
   
   
6. The grandfather’s idea helped Mario find his ‘real friends’. Mention any other way that would help you find out who are your ‘real friends’.
   Answer: Real friends can be known in times of difficulty. When we need help, true friends support us, while false friends make excuses or walk away.
   
   

Let us learn

Read the following words from the text.

friendly suddenly talking carrying called showed

Complete the following table by dividing the words into two parts. One has been done for you.

Column A	Column B
friend	ly
sudden	ly
talk	ing
carry	ing
call	ed
show	ed

The words in Column A are called the root words.
The sequences of letters that are in Column B which come after the root words are called suffixes.

Match the following root words with suitable suffixes

Use a suffix more than once as shown. Use them to make sentences of your own. One has been done for you.

S. No.	Root Word	Suffix	Word	Sentence
1.	magic	-al	magical	The magician performed an amazing magical act.
2.	care	-ful	careful	You should be careful while crossing the road.
3.	celebrate	-ion	celebration	Our school had a big celebration on Annual Day.
4.	laugh	-ly	laughly	She spoke in a laughly voice. (Note: "laughly" is not a common word. If you want, you may use "laughed" or "laughing" for actual use.)
5.	wonder	-ed	wondered	He wondered about the result all night.
6.	help	-ful	helpful	My friend is very helpful to everyone.
7.	friend	-ship	friendship	Friendship makes school life happy.
8.	courage	-ous	courageous	The firefighter was very courageous.

[Note: Observe the changes in spelling in a few word combinations.]

III. Read the following lines from the story.

Mario, brave and determined, took the strange invisible chair ...
You have already described the chair. Now, describe what kind of a person Mario is in the image given below.
[Use words from the story. You may also use words of your own.]

The words that describe the quality of a person or a thing are called adjectives.

IV. Match each word (adjectives) in Column A with a suitable word (noun) in Column B. You can make more than one combination.

One has been done as an example.

Column A Adjectives	Column B Nouns	Column C Phrases	Column D Sentences
brave	soldier	brave soldier	(i) The brave soldier marched ahead.
clever	friends	clever friends	(ii) My clever friends solved the puzzle.
tasty	peanuts	tasty peanuts	(iii) We enjoyed tasty peanuts at the picnic.
heavy	plan	heavy plan	(iv) The heavy plan needed careful thinking.
slight	rain	slight rain	(v) There was a slight rain in the morning.
true	friends	true friends	(vi) True friends help you always.

V. Complete the paragraph with suitable adjective-noun pairings.

old book magical adventures happy boy amazing stories fantastic adventures colourful creatures old castles

Once upon a time in a little village, a 1. happy boy named Abhishek found an 2. old book in the attic. He read 3. amazing stories about fairy lands, 4. old castles and 5. colourful creatures. Abhishek's eyes got big as he imagined these 6. fantastic adventures. He told his friends about the stories, and they started to have their own 7. magical adventures when they played together.

Let us listen

The Chair
Refer to the transcript: Manu talks about her friend, Monika.
As you listen, fill in the blanks with words that you hear.

1. Manu found it difficult when she took admission in the school.
2. Manu met Monika and was helped by her in many ways.
3. So, it was not so difficult for the new girl to adjust in the school.
4. Both friends experienced difficult and happy moments together.
5. Manu is thankful to Monika for making her life easy and finding a friend.

Let us speak

Work in pairs. Read the following qualities of a friend.

loving honest kind caring loyal polite respectful team-worker understanding

Discuss in pairs. Choose any four positive qualities that you would like your friend to have. Give a reason for your choice. Use the hints given below when you speak.

• I feel my friend should be honest because I can trust and share my secrets with them.
• I think the quality I want in my friend is being kind. The reason for this is kind friends always help others in need.
• I believe my friend should be caring. This is in order to make everyone feel happy and safe.
• If my friend is loyal, then our friendship will last a long time.

Let us write

Read the messages that Mario has written to his friends Deepa, Guneet and Asma.

Dear Deepa,
I feel so special that you are my friend. I know you will always be there for me. Before going to bed, I said a little prayer for Guneet, Asma and you. You made me realise the value of having good friends.

Best wishes,
Mario

Dear Asma,
I feel blessed to know that you are my true friend. I would have fallen again today, if it wasn’t for Guneet, Deepa and you. I know I can always depend on the three of you, no matter what.

Best wishes,
Mario

1. Now, choose the correct word given in brackets to complete Mario’s message to Guneet.
   Dear Guneet,
   I am thankful (thankful to/requesting) God to have you as a lucky (lucky/real) friend for life. When everyone was laughing at (laughing at/talking to) me, Deepa, Asma and you showed me that you care for (will save/care for) me. You are indeed a blessing (blessing/loving) in my life.
   
   Best wishes,
   Mario
2. Now, write your own message to your best friend. You may take ideas from the story, ‘The Unlikely Best Friends’ and the poem, ‘A Friend’s Prayer’.
   Dear Best Friend,
   I feel truly happy and lucky to have you by my side. You always make me smile and help me whenever I need you. Thank you for supporting me through every up and down. I know I can always share my secrets and dreams with you. I promise to be there for you too. Our friendship means a lot to me!
   
   Best wishes,
   [Your Name]

Class X - First Flight- Poem - For Anne Gregory by William Butler Yeats

 

Poem - For Anne Gregory by William Butler Yeats

About the Poet

William Butler Yeats was an Irish poet and nationalist born in Dublin. His ideas and works were influenced by the religious and national turmoil in Ireland. He loved Irish folklore. He embraced metaphysical philosophy Folklore and mysticism dominated his thoughts and poetry. He won the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1923.

Central Idea of the Poem

Yeats is of the view that most people love others just because they attract them physically. The complexion of the skin and the colour of the hair are more important to us than the 'real' worth of a person. We rarely love people for themselves alone. Even the beautiful Anne Gregory is not liked or loved for her inner beauty or her rare qualities of head and heart but for her beautiful yellow hair. Shallow-minded people adore only physical beauty. We should look for spiritual beauty before falling in love with a lady. Physical beauty is just skin-deep. It is momentary. Unfortunately, most people are attracted by the colour of skin and hair. Only God can love a person for himself alone.

Summary of the Poem

1. Love for Yellow Hair: This poem of W.B. Yeats has been addressed to a young and beautiful lady named Anne Gregory. The physical charm of the young lady is irresistible. Her honey-coloured blonde hair falling on her ear easily attract the onlookers. The hair falling on the ears look like the ramparts or wide walls around a castle. However, it is difficult to say that a young man is thrown into despair and starts loving her only for 'herself alone'. The physical beauty of her hair is so irresistible that the lover doesn't even bother to know whether the young lady has internal beauty and possesses nobility of the soul.

2. Superficial Physical Appearance: Anne Gregory's response in the second stanza is quite expected. She wants to say that she can get hair dye of any kind or colour. It depends on her if she colours her hair brown, black or carrot colour. She explodes the myth of physical beauty. She asks why a young man should fall in love with her and sigh in despair only after seeing the colour of her hair. If at all, any young man shows his love for her, then, that love should be based on her merits She should be loved, not for her outward appearance but for her inner beauty or personality. Her character. personality and inner beauty must be the cause of attraction and not her yellow hair.

3. God's Ability to Look Inside: The poet resolves the conflict in the third stanza. The poet quotes a religious text to prove his point Men are men Humans will fall to physical attractions quite easily. It is quite possible for a young man to be attracted by the beauty of Anne Gregory's blonde hair. Only God has the ability to resist outwardly physical temptations Only God can judge a man or a woman by what he or she is or his or her merits Human beings, without God's strength, can't look beyond outward appearances and physical beauty.

Main Points of the Poem

1. The poem is addressed to a young and beautiful lady named Anne Gregory.

2. Her hair is honey-coloured or blonde

3. Every young man loves Anne just because of her beautiful hair

4. Her hair falling on her ears look like the ramparts surrounding a castle.

5. The poet says that no one would love Anne Gregory for 'herself alone"

6. No one cares for her inner beauty or the nobility of her soul.

7. Her outward appearance and her yellow hair are the only causes for her attraction

8. In the second stanza, the lady, Anne Gregory herself settles the issue.

9. She says that she is free to choose what colour she uses to dye her hair 

10. She can dye her hair brown or black or the colour of a carrot

11. Any young man should fall in love with her only after judging her own merits.

12. Her yellow hair or outwardly appearance should not make any young man to sigh for her in despair.

13. She should be loved for 'herself alone'.

14. In the last stanza, the poet resolves the issue.

15. The poet quotes a religious text.

16. It is beyond human beings not to be attracted by physical appearance or beauty.

17. Human beings can be easily swayed by beautiful yellow hair or outwardly appearance.

18. Only God has the ability to withstand the temptations of physical beauty.

19. Men, without God's strength, simply can't look beyond physical appearances.

NCERT TEXTBOOK QUESTIONS SOLVED

Thinking About the poem(page 141)

Question 1. 

What does the young man mean by "great honey-coloured/Ramparts at your ear?" Why does he say that young men are "thrown into despair" by them?

Answer:

The "great honey-coloured ramparts" in the poem "For Anne Gregory" by William Butler Yeats refers to Anne's blonde hair. The metaphor of the ramparts suggests that her hair is striking and impressive, like the fortifications of a castle.

The color honey-colored is likely a reference to the golden and warm color of her hair and the use of the word "ramparts" emphasizes the striking visual impact of her hair. And as to why he says that young men are "thrown into despair" by them, the metaphor is a way of expressing how captivating and beautiful Anne's hair is and how it affects those who see it.

 

Question 2. 

What colour is the young woman's hair? What does she say she can change it to? Why would she want to do so?

Answer:

The colour of the young woman's hair is golden. Her hair can be called 'blonde'. She says that she can change the colour of her hair according to her choice. She can dye the hair brown, black or carrot colour. She wants to show that outward appearances can easily be changed. A young man should not fall in love with her only after seeing her yellow hair or outward appearance. 

Question 3. 

Objects have qualities which make them desirable to others. Can you think of some objects (a car, a phone, a dress.....) and say what qualities make one object more desirable than another? Imagine you were trying to sell an object: what qualities would you emphasise? 

Answer:

When comparing objects, different people may value different qualities, but some common ones that can make an object more desirable than another include:

• A car: fuel efficiency, speed, luxury features, safety ratings, brand reputation

• A phone: camera quality, battery life, processing power, storage capacity, design

• A dress: fabric quality, style, fit, brand, durability

When trying to sell an object, the qualities that are emphasized would depend on the target market and what they value most. For example, if trying to sell a car to a consumer who values fuel efficiency, the salesperson would emphasize the car's fuel efficiency and its cost savings. If trying to sell a phone to a consumer who values photography, the salesperson would emphasize the phone's camera quality and the features it has for photography. If trying to sell a dress to a consumer who values style, the salesperson would emphasize the dress's design, the designer and the style that is in trend.

In general, the most desirable qualities of an object are those that are most useful, reliable, and aesthetically pleasing to the consumer, and that meet the consumer's needs.

A car is an easy way of personal transport. A phone is the easiest way of communication. Similarly, a dress can be used to make your personality more presentable before others. While selling an object, I will emphasize not only its appearance but also its inherent positive characteristics and features.

Question 4.

What about people? Do we love others because we like their qualities, whether physical or mental? Or is it possible to love someone "for themselves alone"? Are some people 'more lovable' than others? Discuss this question in pairs or in groups, considering points like the following:

1. a parent or caregiver's love for a newborn baby, for a mentally or physically challenged child, for a clever child or a prodigy

2. the public's love for a film star, a sportsperson, a politician, or a social worker. 

3. your love for a friend, or brother or sister. 

4. your love for a pet, and the pet's love for you.

Answer:

It is possible to both love someone for their qualities, whether physical or mental, and to love someone "for themselves alone." People can be attracted to certain qualities in others, but ultimately it is the person as a whole that is loved.

A parent or caregiver's love for a newborn baby is often based on the unconditional love and bond that is formed from the moment the baby is born. This type of love is often independent of the baby's physical or mental characteristics and is based on the bond and responsibility of being a parent.

The public's love for a film star, sportsperson, politician, or social worker can be based on both their qualities and their actions. For example, a film star may be loved for their acting ability and good looks, while a social worker may be loved for their selfless actions and dedication to helping others.

Similarly, one's love for a friend, brother, or sister can be based on both their qualities and their actions, as well as the shared history and bond that exists between them.

As for a pet, the love for it can be based on their companionship, loyalty, and affection. The pet's love for its owner can also be based on these factors and the bond that is formed through care and attention.

It can be said that people can be "more lovable" in the sense that certain people may possess qualities that are more attractive to certain individuals. However, it is important to note that the concept of "lovability" is subjective and can vary from person to person.

Question 5.

You have perhaps concluded that people are not objects to be valued for their qualities or riches rather than for themselves. But elsewhere Yeats asks the question: How can we separate the dancer from the dance? Is it possible to separate the person himself or herself from how the person looks, sounds, walks and so on? Think of how you or a friend or member of your family has changed over the years. Has your relationship also changed? In what way?

Answer:

It is true that people are not objects to be valued solely for their qualities or riches, but rather for themselves as individuals. However, it can be difficult to separate a person from their physical and mental characteristics, as these are integral parts of who they are.

In Yeats' poem, "How can we separate the dancer from the dance?" he is asking how we can separate the person from their actions and appearance. He is suggesting that it is difficult to love the person from how they look, sound, and walk, as these are all integral parts of their identity.

As people change over the years, their physical and mental characteristics change as well, and this can affect relationships. For example, as a person ages, their appearance may change and this can affect how others perceive them. Similarly, as a person's mental or physical health changes, their behavior and actions may change, which can affect how others interact with them.

It's important to remember that people are complex and multi-faceted, and that our relationship with them can change over time as we get to know them better and as they change. It's important to remember that one's worth is not based on their physical or mental characteristics but on their humanity, and that's what truly makes them valuable.

Class XII - English Core - Flamingo -Poem 5 - Aunt Jennifer’s Tigers

Poem Text

Aunt Jennifer's tigers prance across a screen,

Bright topaz denizens of a world of green.

They do not fear the men beneath the tree;

They pace in sleek chivalric certainty.

Aunt Jennifer's finger fluttering through her wool

Find even the ivory needle hard to pull.

The massive weight of Uncle's wedding band

Sits heavily upon Aunt Jennifer's hand.

When Aunt is dead, her terrified hands will lie

Still ringed with ordeals she was mastered by.

The tigers in the panel that she made

Will go on prancing, proud and unafraid.

Introduction

The poem "Aunt Jennifer's Tigers" was written by American poet Adrienne Rich in 1951. It appeared in her first published book of poems, A Change of World. Told from the perspective of an anonymous speaker, the poem describes a woman, Aunt Jennifer, who crafts vibrant tapestry panels (depicting tigers) to escape-mentally, at least, her unhappy marriage. Written at a time when divorce was unacceptable, the poem criticises the traditional institution of marriage, suggesting that it oppresses women.

Aunt Jennifer creates a needlepoint that shows tigers leaping across the canvas. Bright and vibrant, like topaz gems, the tigers live within the green world of the canvas. They are not afraid of the men standing underneath the tree, also depicted in the image. The tigers walk with certainty, grace and courage.

Aunt Jennifer's fingers swiftly and delicately work the yarn, yet she finds it physically difficult to pull even a small needle made of ivory through the canvas. Her husband's wedding band feels huge and weighs down heavily on her hand.

When Aunt Jennifer dies one day, her frightened hands will finally be still. Yet they will still be marked by the difficulties that ruled over her while she was alive. Meanwhile, the tigers she created will continue to leap across her needlepoint without shame or fear.

Theme

'Aunt Jennifer's Tigers' by Adrienne Rich is a multi-layered poem that uses the images of sewn tigers to talk about the institution of marriage. The poet also explored the themes like Female Role in the Home, the Female Role in Marriage, Animals as Women and Nature, Patriarchal Power, Individual Freedoms, Political Issues, Art as escapism etc.

Message

This poem is a vigorous protest against male chauvinism and patriarchy which want to marginalize woman in every front. This poem offers a clear statement against the traditional marriage living relationship where women take the secondary role. Like Aunt Jennifer, millions of women still are a life of deprivation and subjugation. So this poem belongs to the feminist literary genre.

Title

The title, 'Aunt Jennifer's Tigers' is appropriate as it suggests that the poem is about Aunt Jennifer's knitted tigers. With their chivalrous, ferocious, bright and carefree attitude, she creates an alternate world for herself. These tigers are the only means of free expression in her life, which is otherwise burdened by fear and struggles of married life.

Form, Style and Literary Devices

It's a formal rhyming poem, an early example of Adrienne Rich's work. Through the short lines of the poem, the speaker embodies the struggle this woman is going through and juxtaposes it against the tigers that she's creating. Their power is contrasted against her own lack of power.

In three verses, the reader is left in no doubt that Aunt Jennifer has suffered over the years and is looking for a positive way to express her artistic talents before it's too late.

The tigers she creates will outlast her and become a symbol of freedom and independence.

Structure: The poem's structure hints at the parallel existence of freedom and fear. In the first stanza, we get a description of the tigers. In the next stanza, we find a picture of Jennifer's life. In the final stanza, Jennifer's life and the tigers' fearless movements interact. The final victory of the tigers outlives the death of the woman. The first 'stanza describes artistic freedom but the second stanza narrates patriarchal power The structural similarity between the two stanzas rather highlights the binary opposition between rebellion and repression. In the final stanza, repression and rebellion are seen together. It indicates that women can revolt if only they throw away the conventions represented by the wedding ring.

Tone: The poem's voice is distant, which is created by the third-person point of view. The third-person narrator, a third-person viewpoint and the older generation have made Aunt Jennifer more authentic. The choice of diction suggests the vigour of the animals and the lifelessness of Jennifer. The words 'prance', 'pace', 'denizen', 'bright', 'proud', unafraid', 'sleek, chivalric' are associated with tigers. However, negative words like 'massive weight, sits heavily. terrified hand', ringed', and 'ordeals' highlight the weak points of Jennifer's life. Moreover, in the case of tigers, we get references to strong verbs and active voices. On the contrary, in Jennifer's case, we get passive voices suggesting the passivity of her life. 

Poetic Devices

Rhyme Scheme

'Aunt Jennifer's Tigers' is a three-stanza poem separated into stanzas of four lines, known as quatrains. These quatrains follow a simple rhyme scheme of AABB, with the couplets changing end. sounds from stanza to stanza. While there is evidence of metrical patterns in 'Aunt Jennifer's Tigers,' it is not entirely consistent. There are sections of the poem in which Rich uses nearly perfect iambic pentameter and moments where she moves away from it and uses trochees instead.

It is a conventional rhyme scheme. However, Rich has brought the protest through this pattern. It seems that she has made the poem's structure conventional to highlight the conventionality of the protagonist's life and discuss about Critical appreciation of "Aunt Jennifer's Tigers".

Imagery

It is quite important in this poem. It can be seen through the description of the tigers, their landscape, and Aunt Jennifer's hands.

Rich has used animal imagery to inject power and vigour into the vision of Jennifer, which she terribly misses in her personal life. Tigers are the popular symbols of power and rebellion. Rich's tigers signify the vital life force that conventional society hardly allows for women. The creator of the tigers, Jennifer, lives a life of fear, depression and submission. But her tigers are fiercely uncompromising. Here the animal imagery suggests violence and energy, which women aspire to acquire but painfully lack.

Anaphora

It is a simple and helpful technique There is a good example in the first stanza with the repetition of "They” at the start of lines three and four. 

Alliteration

It helps to create a feeling of rhythm and rhyme even if one does not exist. For example, "fluttering fingers" in stanza two and "prancing, proud" in stanza three.

Symbolism

Heavy wedding band: Symbolises oppression in an unhappy marriage; Tigers: Untamed free spirit. The central symbols of the poem are the tapestry tigers and the Uncle's wedding band. The tapestry tigers are not just individual artistic expressions, and they are politically inflected, engaged in patriarchal chivalry myths. The personal and the political again meet in the intimacy of Uncle's wedding band. By the physical intimacy of a wedding band and by the familial presence conferred by 'Uncle's wedding band’, Aunt Jennifer's Tigers specify the presence of patriarchal politics. The interplay between rebellion and repression has made the poem enjoyable. This poem underscores the theme of power and social status. Aunt Jennifer is assigned the role of an aunt. She has no independent identity. In the poem, her name is mentioned four times, and on every occasion, she is an aunt. This imposition has fragmented her role.

Hyperbole

The weight of husband's wedding ring

Paradox

Here a trembling and ‘mastered’ woman creates free and confident creatures in her artistic endeavours. Fluttering fingers produce something that has ‘certainty’.

Contrast

This poem identifies the problems of women in society. The male-dominated society subordinates women. So they have nothing to do but continue the roles imposed on them by their male counterparts. Aunt Jennifer is the representative of these ill-fated women. Marriage as an institution does not support them. It instead ensures their eternal bondage. That's why the wedding ring is inseparable from Jennifer's life. The final stanza points to the contrast between the fearless tigers and the lifeless aunt. In fact, through this contrast, Rich is stressing the basic idea of feminism. According to feminism, women are deprived of equal status because of social strictures and repressions. The tigers are beyond these norms, but Jennifer is confined within them.

Summary

Aunt Jennifer is creating animals that are so different from her own character. She is perhaps working on a panel or a strip of woollen cloth. With an ivory needle, she is making the figure of tigers moving freely in the forest. They have bright yellow coats with stripes. They are fearless of the men standing under a tree. They are proud of their freedom and physical strength.

Aunt Jennifer is weak; therefore, her feeble fingers fail to pull even a light needle. She is creating mighty tigers on a panel, but her own married life has been an utter failure. Uncle has, perhaps, been much too severe and insensitive to her feelings. The tiger symbolises what she has missed in her married life. Someday, Aunt Jennifer will quit this world. She would be lowered into the grave. Her weak and terrified hand will still have the mark of her suffering. She will remain a slave in her grave. The tigers, however, created by her will go on playing merrily forever, proud and fearless.

Stanza Wise Explanation

Stanza One

Aunt Jennifer's tigers prance across a screen,

Bright topaz denizens of a world of green

They do not fear the men beneath the tree;

They pace in sleek chivalric certainty. 

In the first stanza of Aunt Jennifer's Tigers, the speaker begins by describing the movement of the tigers across the fabric canvas. They are prancing "across a screen" in a "world of green". The perfect rhymes give this poem a sing-song-like sound juxtaposed against the darker subject matter. It creates a haunting atmosphere that allows for easy contemplation of the problems of marriage. The speaker describes very clearly how the tigers do not "fear the men beneath the tree". They move without fear or trepidation. It should be noted that this is a state that the artist, Aunt Jennifer, does not know. She is not without fear as they are.

The animals are personified. Rich uses words like "chivalric" (an older term that connects to a certain respectful yet patronising treatment of women) to describe them. They are masculine, without worry, and "certain" in their actions. This makes it seem even less likely that Jennifer will find this same strength.

Stanza Two

Aunt Jennifer's finger fluttering through her wool 

Find even the ivory needle hard to pull

The massive weight of Uncle's wedding band

Sits heavily upon Aunt Jennifer's hand.

The speaker describes in the next stanza how quickly Jennifer's fingers move. They "flutter” through the movements but are without real strength. The word "flutter" evokes the image of birds' wings and gentle movements. Her hands find the "needle hard to pull". There is something weighing them down, a "wedding band". The ring that ties her to her husband keeps her from moving beyond who she is at that moment. It sits heavily on her hand, her mind, and her soul.

Stanza Three

When Aunt is dead, her terrified hands will lie 

Still ringed with ordeals she was mastered by.

The tigers in the panel that she made

Will go on prancing, proud and unafraid. 

The third stanza begins with a striking move into the future. The speaker looks towards the time in which Jennifer is going to die. These lines are enjambed, encouraging the reader to move smoothly and quickly through the stanza. She will stop eventually, as will the movement of her hands. But the ring will still be there. Even in death, she will in some ways be tied to her "ordeals".

As she struggles, suffers, and dies, the tigers will continue to prance proudly on her page. They, unlike her, are "unafraid".

Analysis

The speaker describes the tigers the aunt produced by using coloured threads on heavy cloth. They are set in motion. They are moving quickly by raising their front legs and jumping forwards on their hind legs in the green jungle. They look bright yellow and as valuable as topazes which reveals her dream of a happier life in her needlework.

There are men sitting under the tree, but the tigers do not care for them. They move on to their goal boldly and smoothly. Jennifer finds it difficult to make pictures by using the ivory needle. She is tired of doing the household work after she got married. She can't get herself involved in her artistic work. She has to do it in her leisure time. Even then she has to be sure whether her husband is watching her or not. So her hands are terrified. She will not be free from fear until she dies. She will be dominated by her husband. She will die, but her art will express her desire to move proudly and fearlessly like the tigers she has made.

Aunt Jennifer's hands are 'terrified' because of the massive weight of household duties. They are heavily pressed. They have undergone severe trials. She is dominated by her husband continuously. 'Fingers fluttering, 'ordeals', 'mastered', 'hard to pull' indicate her fear. By mentioning that it is 'Uncle's wedding band', the poet suggests that Uncle owns Jennifer too and that as a female, she is the property of her husband. The word 'massive' and 'heavily Aunt Jennifer lives a demanding sort of life in which she has to attend to her husband's needs and fulfil his commands. As a result she is somewhat worn out in her old age. Aunt Jennifer is 'ringed', trapped in her marriage and controlled like an animal. Her husband is her master. Her wish to be like the tiger, proud and unafraid' also shows her fear in real life. Tigers are fierce, courageous and independent animals. They lead the life the way they want to. But Aunt Jennifer is just opposite to tigers. She is quiet, coward, and totally dependent on her husband. She leads her life the way her husband likes for her. So tigers are an appropriate contrast to her.

Aunt Jennifer has an artistic talent. If she used it properly, she will surely become a great artist. But she has misused her ability because of cowardice. She can't go against the established pattern in life. She is pressed by 'the massive weight of household work. Instead of pleasing herself, she tries to please her dominating husband. She lives a quiet and subdued life. But the tigers she imagined are just opposite to her. They are proud, active, fearless, determined and chivalric. They move toward their goals with single-mindedness.

The tigers in the poem represent Jennifer's innermost desire. She wants to be strong like the tigers that do not fear the men. Like the beautiful animals in the jungle, she wants to create precious pieces of art. Her life has been uncertain, helpless. Her husband is strong and fearless, but he is not chivalrous. So she finds courage, justice and honour in the smooth movement of the tigers. Thus the tiger stand for her unfulfilled wishes. She can't revolt against him on her own. In order to gain freedom she must be like her tigers that prance being proud and unafraid. The word 'chivalric suggests her inner wish that is, her husband should show bravery, honour, generosity, and good manners to her like the knights in the Middle Ages did. She would like to go forward towards her aim, like the determined tigers.