(Asleep in the Valley)

Give the substance of the poem ‘Asleep in the Valley’.

Justify the title of the poem “Asleep in the Valley.”

 

Write the theme of the poem Asleep in the Valley’.

“.they fill the hollow full of light.”- What is the ‘hollow’ referred to in the line? How does the hollow look? Who is lying in the hollow? How is he lying there?

 

“A soldier, very young, lies open-mouthed,”—Where was the soldier found lying and how? How does the poet describe the soldier’s face? Why, according to you, was he lying open-mouthed?

“His feet among the flowers, he sleeps.”—Where does this line occur? Who is the person referred to here? Where is the person sleeping? Describe the nature of his sleep.

 

“His smile… without guile.” -Mention the figure of speech used here. What does the poet want to mean here?

“His smile / Is like an infant’s”—Whose smile is referred to here? Why is his smile compared with that of an infant? How does nature treat him?

 

“Ah, Nature, keep him warm; he may catch cold.”—Who is ‘he’? Why may he catch cold? Why does the poet ask Nature to keep him warm?

“The humming insects don’t disturb his rest;”-Who rests and where? What put him to rest? Why can’t the insects disturb his rest?

 

“He sleeps in sunlight …”-Who is the person referred to here? Where does he sleep and how? What does the word sleep’ indicate in this poem?

“In his side there are two red holes.”-Who is the person referred to here? What do the ‘two red holes’ signify? What attitude of the poet to war is reflected here?

 

Give a description of the valley as found in Rimbaud’s poem ‘Asleep in the Valley’.

The word “sun’ is repeatedly used in the poem-explain the significance of it.

 

How does the poet express the futility of war through his poem ‘Asleep in the Valley’? What message does he want to convey?

How does the soldier lie in Asleep in the Valley’?

 

How does this picture of the soldier describe the tragedy of war? Explain.

Bring out the irony of the poem ‘Asleep in the Valley’.

 

Look at the word ‘asleep’. What do we normally associate with the word? When does the reader recognise that the soldier is asleep in a different sense?

Comment on Rimbaud’s treatment of symbol and imagery in the poem ‘Asleep in the Valley’.

 

Nature plays an important role in the poem ‘Asleep in the Valley’ by Arthur Rimbaud- Justify.

The poem ends a little abruptly but leaves the reader with utter surprise and shock Discuss.

 

The poem ‘Asleep in the Valley’ rests on two contrasting pictures. Discuss the use of two contrasting pictures in the poem,

What is the occasion of the poem ‘Asleep in the Valley’ ? Give a simile used by the poet the poem. Are there other comparisons in the poem?

 

 

(Shall I compare thee to a summer’s day?)

Give the substance of Sonnet 18 by Shakespeare.

Discuss the central idea of the poem, ‘Shall I compare thee to a summer’s day?.

 

Discuss the appropriateness of the title of Shakespeare’s Sonnet 18.

“Shall I compare thee to a summer’s day?”-Who makes the comparison? Who is compared to a summer’s day’? What are the blemishes of summer?

 

“Shall I compare thee to a summer’s day”-Whom does the poet compare his friend to? What are the qualities that make the person superior to summer?

“Sometime too hot the eye of heaven shines, And often is his gold complexion dimmed;” What is the figure of speech used in ‘eye of heaven’? What makes the dim? What does the poet imply in the above lines?

 

“And every fair from fair sometime declines”-From which poem is the line quoted? Who is the poet? Briefly explain the meaning of the quoted line. How does the poet promise to immortalize his friend’s beauty?

“By chance, or nature’s changing course untrimmed.”-What makes Shakespeare mention ‘nature’s changing course’? Discuss.

 

“But thy eternal summer shall not fade / Nor lose possession of that fair thou ow’st;” Whose ‘eternal summer’ is being referred to here? What does ‘eternal summer’ mean? What conclusion does the poet draw at the end of the poem?

“Nor shall death brag thou wand’rest in his shade, / When in eternal lines to time thou grow’ st,”—Who is the poet? Who is the ‘thou’ here? What shall death not be able to brag about and why?

 

“So long as men can breathe or eyes can see, / So long lives this, and this gives life to three.”-From where have the lines been taken? How does the speaker immortalise his friend?

“… and this gives life to thee.”-What does this’ refer to? Who is referred to by ‘thee’? How does this’ give life?

 

What does the poet say about summer in the sonnet “Shall I compare thee to a summer’s day?” How is the poet’s young friend different from a summer’s day?

Discuss why Shakespeare has called his friend more temperate than the summer season.

 

What do the rough winds do? What do you understand by the phrase ‘summer’s lease’? Mention the deficiencies of the summer season.

What type of poem is ‘Shall I compare thee to a summer’s day? Who is the poet? Whom does the poet speak of? What does the poet say about the person spoken of?

 

What does summer stand for in Sonnet 18? What prompts the poet to remark ‘And every fair from fair sometime declines’?

In the opening stanza, how does the poet celebrate the superiority of the youth’s beauty through similes?

 

Explain how Shakespeare has logically concluded that death shall not be able to conquer the beauty of the youth.

How does Shakespeare compare the beauty of his friend to that of a summer’s day in Sonnet 18?

 

How does Shakespeare immortalise his friend’s beauty?

Why does the poet think that a comparison between the beloved youth and summer would be inappropriate?

 

State the arguments in the octave and the sestet.

What images of summer do we find in the poem “Shall I Compare Thee to a summer’s day?”

 

Discuss the time versus love conflict as presented by Shakespeare in his poem, ‘Shall I compare thee to a summer’s day?’.

Comment on Shakespeare’s use of imagery in Sonnet No. 18.

 

How has Shakespeare celebrated masculine beauty, in the poem, “Shall I compare thee to a summer’s day?”

Comment on the last two lines of the sonnet.

 

“The theme of mutability is a well-marked aspect of the Shakespearean sonnets.” Discuss with reference to the Sonnet No. 18.

How does Shakespeare present the triumph of poetry over mortality in ‘Sonnet No. 18’?

 

(The Poetry of Earth)

Justify the title of the poem ‘The Poetry of Earth’.

Write down the substance of the poem ‘The Poetry of Earth’.

 

Write a short note on the central idea of the poem ‘The Poetry of Earth’.

‘A voice will run …’- Whose voice is referred to here? Where will the voice run? What is the significance of the voice?

 

“That is the Grasshopper”—What is referred to by ‘that’? What does the poet mean to say? Why does the poet use capital letter in Grasshopper?

“.. he takes the lead.” Who is ‘he’ here? When does ‘he’ take the lead? How?

 

“.. he has never done / With his delights’ – Who is ‘he’? What does ‘he’ do? What does the extract mean?

“He rests at ease beneath some pleasant weed.”-Who is ‘he’ here? Where does the rest? How does he enliven nature?

 

“And seems to one in drowsiness half lost,  The Grasshopper’s among some grassy hills.” What does the poet try to convey with these last two lines of the poem?

“On a lone winter evening”-How does the poet describe the loneliness and silence of winter?

 

How does Keats describe the poetry of summer season in this poem ‘The Poetry of Earth’.

Show, after Keats, that the poetry of earth never comes to an end.

 

What picture of summer is presented in ‘The Poetry of Earth’? How has it been carried onto the picture of winter?

How does Keats present winter in his sonnet?

 

How can we infer that the Grasshopper enjoys performing its duties in summer? Who steps in its shoes to carry on the poetry of earth? What effect does the latter create on a human being?

What concept do you get about Keats’ notion of beauty as revealed in the sonnet ‘The Poetry of Earth’

 

What does the poet assert in his poem ‘The Poetry of Earth’ and how?

Comment on the use of symbolism’ in this poem ‘The Poetry of Earth’

 

Why does Keats feel that the poetry of earth is never dead?

What pictures of the two seasons does Keats draw in ‘The Poetry of Earth? How are the two pictures related?

 

Identify the voices of poetry in the poem ‘The Poetry of Earth’. How does Keats establish continuity through these voices?

Why does the poet choose the sonnet form for this poem ‘The Poetry of Earth’? Give reasons.

 

Keats’ ‘The Poetry of Earth’ is a poem that depicts the continuous celebration through the style of seasons’. Justify the above statement.

What idea do you get about Keats as a Romantic poet of Nature poet in the poem ‘The Poetry of Earth’?

 

Do you think ‘The Poetry of Earth’ is a romantic poem?

Name the poet who composed The Poetry of Earth’. What is meant by ‘The Poetry of Earth’? How does the poet read The Poetry of Earth’?

 

What do the grasshopper and the cricket metaphorically stand for in this poem? How they contribute to the earth’s poetry?

Keats has used sensuous imagery to describe the natural world with care and precision. -How far do you agree with this statement?

 

(The Proposal)

Discuss Chekhov’s The Proposal’ as a supreme example of a one-act play.

Describe the character of Chubukov as a sensible father.

 

Give a brief sketch of the character of Lomov in the play The Proposal’.

Sketch the character of Natalya.

 

“Now, you know, you shouldn’t forget all about your neighbours, my darling.”—Who said this and to whom? Why was the speaker surprised? Comment on the approach of the speaker.

“Then why are you in evening dress, my precious ?”-Who said this? Why was the person spoken to, in his evening dress? What did the speaker assume about the person?

 

“He’s come to borrow money! Shan’t give him any…”-Who is the speaker? What makes him say this? What features of this character are revealed here?

“Oh, don’t go round and round it, darling! – Who is addressed as ‘darling’? What is it? Who is the speaker? Why does he make this comment?

 

“I’ve come to ask the hand of your daughter, Natalya Stepanovna, in marriage.”-Who is the speaker? To whom does the speaker say this? What was the reaction of the person spoken to?

“…do you think I may count on her consent ?”-Why is the speaker so uncertain? How does the speaker ultimately get consent?

 

“She’s like a love-sick cat,”-Who said this and about whom? Analyse the character of the person, referred to here, under the light of the comment above.

“If I give myself time to think, to hesitate, to talk a lot for an ideal, or for real love, then I’ll never get married.”-Who thinks so? When does he think so? Why does the speaker think about it?

 

“Go; there’s a merchant come for his goods.”—Who said this and to whom? Who is the merchant’? What is referred to as ‘goods’? In what way does it bring out the attitude of the person and the society at that time?

“I’m trembling all over,’ -Who is ‘I’ here? How does the speaker express his nervousness?

 

“You must excuse my apron and négligé…”. – above mentioned line has been extracted. Who is the speaker of the quoted line? What is négligee? What was the speaker engaged in before arrival? What did the speaker offer the person addressed as you?

“We’ve had the land for nearly three hundred years…”—Who is the speaker? Who is spoken to? What is referred to as ‘the land’? What do you know of the land from their conversation?

 

“If you like, i’ll make you a present of them.”-Who is the speaker? Who is the person spoken to? What would the speaker make a present of? Why did the speaker say so?

“How have you the right to give away somebody else’s property?” – Who is the speaker? What property is referred to here? Why does the speaker ask this question?

 

“Darling, the Meadows are ours!”- Who said this and to whom? Whom did the meadows belong to? Why was there an argument over them?

“You’re not a neighbour, you’re a grabber!”-Who said this and to whom? Why is this said?

 

“I don’t want anything of yours and I don’t want to give up anything of mine.”-Who says this? To whom does the speaker say this? When does the speaker say this? Bring out the irony latent in it.

“l’ll have the matter taken to court, and then l’ll show you!”-Who is the speaker? Why does the speaker say this? What is the reaction of the person spoken to?

 

“… and not one has ever been tried for embezzlement, like your grandfather!”-Who said this and about whom? Analyse the character of the speaker under the light of the above statement.

“Oh, unhappy man that I am! I’ll shoot myself! I’ll hang myself!”—Who is unhappy? Why does the speaker wish to die?

 

“Bring him back! Back! Ah! Bring him here.”-Who says this to whom? When is it said? Why is the speaker so excited? What light does the line throw on the character of the speaker?

“What have they done to me! Fetch him back!”-Who is the speaker? Who is ‘him’? What ironic about the speaker’s request to bring ‘him’ back?

 

“Forgive us, Ivan Vassilevitch, we were all a little heated.” – Who is the speaker? Who is referred to by ‘us’? Why were the persons referred to ‘a little heated’? Why does the speaker ask for forgiveness?

“Oh, what a burden …. to be the father of a grown-up daughter!”—Who is the ‘father’? Who is the ‘daughter’? Why is the daughter a burden to the father?

 

“My land is worth little to me, but the principle ..”-Who is the speaker? Which land he referring to? What ‘principle’ does he mean? What made him utter such a statement?

“He got left behind because the Count’s whipper-in hit him with his whip.”- Who is ‘he’ in this sentence? Name the master of him. Name his two contenders. When did the speaker say this?

 

“What sort of a hunter are you?”-What does Natalya want to say and why does she say so? What suggestions does she make after that?

“I’ve noticed that those hunters argue most who know least.”-State context and explain the content.

 

“My heart’s bursting!” —Who is the speaker? What happens immediately after the above comment?

“I give you my blessing and so on. Only leave me in peace!”—Who is the speaker? Why did the speaker say so?

 

“I give you my blessing and so on. Only leave me in peace!”-What does the speaker intend to mean by this comment?

“I … I’m happy too. …”- Who is the speaker? When did the speaker say this? What happened then?

 

“I ….I’m happy too. ….” -Who says this and when? Why is the speaker ‘happy? How would you explain her happiness?

“What a weight off my shoulders…!”-What aspect of the social condition is revealed by Chubukov through this comment?

 

“But … still you will admit now that Guess is worse than Squeezer.”-Who is the speaker? Whom is the speaker addressing? Describe the incident involving Guess and Squeezer.

“… that’s a way to start your family bliss!”-Who is the speaker? What way has been referred to here? Give your view on what the speaker says.

 

Discuss ‘The Proposal as a farcical satire.

Comment on the theme of marriage in this play. How do Lomov and Natalya contribute to this theme?

 

How did Chubukov welcome Lomov when he paid them a visit?

How does Chubukov react to Lomov proposal?

 

On what issues did Lomov and Natalya quarrel at first? How did their argument come to an end?

Why did Lomov think about taking a decision about getting married? Whom did he want to marry? Why?

 

What are Oxen Meadows? What is the measure of the land? What is the controversy?

Describe the episode where Lomov and Chubukov engage themselves in an argument regarding the past incidents of each others’ families.

 

Why did Natalya and Lomov quarrel over dogs?

When does Natalya come to know of the proposal? How does she react? Why does she react in this way?

 

How did the second argument come to an end?

Narrate in brief what happened at Marusinsky hunt.

 

Describe the reaction of Natalya and her father thinking that Lomov is dead.

Is Lomov really ill or is he hypochondriac? Give reasons for your answer.

 

Do you think Chubukov and Lomov are good neighbours? Give reasons with reference from the play.

What change of behaviour and tone do you notice in Natalya as she heard that Lomov’s actual intention was to propose to her for marriage?

 

What is ironic about Natalya’s request to bring Lomov back?

What are Lomov and Natalya’s actual feelings and opinions about each other?

 

Comment on the father-daughter relationship as depicted in the play.

Describe the physical problems that Lomov thinks he has.

 

Why does Lomov think Natalya will make an acceptable wife? Explain your answer.

Why did not Lomov directly ask Natalya to marry him?

 

Why did Lomov leave Chubukov house?

How did Lomov regain his senses finally by Chubukov? How was the marriage between Lomov and Natalya accomplished?

 

Who made the proposal and to whom? What was the proposal? How was the proposal realised?

How did the illness of Lomov help to unite Lomov and Natalya?

 

The playwright has used some funny adjectives with which the characters use to blame each other. How do they contribute to the comic elements of the play?

Do you find the play funny? Support your answer with illustrations from the text.

 

Do you think “The Proposal can be defined as a play of contradictions? Support your answer with reasons.

Make a brief sketch of social life as you see in the play.

 

What is the focus in the play? Is it a character? Is it an action? Is it the unpredictability of the people? Explain your answer.

Write a brief note on Chekhov’s depiction of aristocratic society in ‘The Proposal’.

 

Why does Chekhov choose only three characters to deliver his message to us?

What aspects of the human condition and society does the play make fun of?

 

What is Anton Chekhov trying to say about the manner in which neighbours interact/ behave? Support your answer with evidence from the play.

How would you best describe the personalities of each of the characters in the play?

 

How does Chekhov alternate the actual proposal and the arguments? Explain your answer.

What are the effect of this alternating the proposal and the arguments? Explain your answer.

 

Comment on the setting of the play with reference to costume, customs and mannerism. Does it relate to the socio-economic background of that period?

Discuss the reasons why the marriage proposal is important to all the characters.

 

(The Eyes Have It)

Discuss the significance of the title ‘The Eyes Have It’.

Establish ‘The Eyes Have It’ as a good short story.

 

What instructions were given to the girl by her parents before she started her journey? Do you think the narrator started to like the girl from the very beginning? Support your answer with reference to the text.

….my voice startled her.”- Who is the speaker here? Who is mentioned as “her”? Why was she “startled” by the voice of the speaker? What did she do afterwards?

 

“I didn’t see you either”, I said. “But I heard you come in.’ Was it not a hint for the girl to understand that the narrator was blind? What did the narrator think before stating this?

What was the destination of the narrator in the story The Eyes Have It’? What description of his destination did he give? How could he give such a description in spite of being blind?

 

“Oh, how lucky you are.” -Who is the speaker here? Who is “you” referred to? Why is the person spoken to being called “lucky”?

“Yes, October is the best time”- Who is the speaker? On what occasion is the remark made and to whom? Why is October the best time?

 

“…she thought me a romantic fool”- Who might be thought a romantic fool? When and … why did the speaker doubt so?

“Then I made a mistake”-What ‘mistake’ did the speaker make? Why was it a ‘mistake’? What removed the speaker’s doubts? What did the speaker do then?

 

“Why don’t you look out of the window?”- Who said these words to whom? Why? Describe the action of the listener.

“Do you see any animals?” -Who asked this and to whom? What was the reply? How could the person give the answer?

 

“You have an interesting face”- Who said this? To whom was it spoken? When did the speaker make this remark? What was the reaction of the person spoken to?

“Few girls can resist flattery”- How did the narrator try to flatter the girl?

 

“I’m tired of people telling me I have a pretty face.” Who said this, to whom and when? What did the person speak to reply?

“But the thought of laughter only made me feel troubled and lonely.”- Why did the narrator feel so?

 

“The voice had the sparkle of a mountain stream”- Who thought so? Whose voice is referred to here? Why was the voice so special?

“She would forget our brief encounter;”—Who said this and about whom? What is the brief encounter referred to here? Why did the speaker think so?

 

“She was standing very close to me”- Whom does ‘she’ refer to? When and why was ‘she standing very close to the narrator? What was the effect of her proximity to the narrator?

“The man who had entered the compartment broke into my reverie”- Whose reverie is refered to here? What was the reverie about? How was the reverie broken?

 

“She was an interesting girl.”-Who said this to whom and when? What else did the person say? What reply did he get?

“She was completely blind. Didn’t you notice?” Who said this to whom? When was this said? Explain the irony in the line.

 

She was completely blind. – Explain the irony in the given line.

Give a brief sketch of the conversation between the narrator and the girl.

 

What attempts did the narrator make to prevent the girl from discovering that he was blind? 

Is the narrator somewhat cautious about not revealing too much about himself? Support your point with instances from the text.

 

How could the narrator talk to the girl and answer her questions so confidently in spite of being blind?

Describe the girl as visualized by the narrator.

 

Describe the parting of the girl from the narrator on the train.

What was the chain of thoughts that ran through the narrator’s mind when the train approached the station? How was it affected by the man’s conversation?

 

Describe the exchanges between Ruskin Bond and his last fellow-passenger in the train.

How was a game of deception played between the narrator and the girl?

 

Though the narrator was visually impaired yet he was very sensitive Discuss with examples from the text.

Does the author help us anticipate the ironical twist in the end during the course of the narrative? If yes, give examples from the text to support your argument.

 

Would you agree that this story is a comment on ‘seeing’? Support your point with instances from the text.

With the help of this text, how does the author prove that the mind’s eye is more powerful than our natural eyes?

 

There are certain hints in ‘The Eyes Have it that tell you that the narrator felt infatuated with the girl in the train. Elucidate the hints from your reading of the short story.

Discuss the character of the narrator in brief.

Comment on the ending of the story ‘The Eyes Have It’.

 

 

(Strong Roots)

Why do you think the autobiographical piece has been aptly entitled ‘Strong Roots’? Justify your answer.

Write how Abdul Kalam presents his father in his autobiographical writing ‘Strong Roots’.

 

How does the author describe his mother?

“We lived in our ancestral house,”- Who is the speaker? When was the house built? What kind of house was it? How did the inmates of the house lead their lives in the house?

 

“Our locality was predominantly Muslim,”—Who is the speaker ? How does the speaker describe the locality ? What picture of communal harmony do you find in this description?

“I normally ate with my mother.”-Who ate with his mother ? Name his mother. Where did he eat with his mother ? What did he eat with his mother ?

 

“When my father came out of the mosque after the prayers, people of different religions would be sitting outside, waiting for him.” – What would usually happen when Kalam’s father came out of the mosque after the prayers? Why did the people of different religions wait for the narrator’s father? When would his father smile and ask people to thank Allah?

“Why don’t you say this to the people who come to you…?”-Who says this and to whom? What is referred to by the word ‘this’? Why do the people come to the person spoken to?

 

“This is not a correct approach at all…”—Who said this? What is the approach’? Why is the approach not correct?

“One must understand the difference between a fear-ridden vision of destiny and the vision that enables us to seek the enemy of fulfilment within ourselves.”-What do you mean by “.. fear-ridden vision of destiny”? What is the other vision? Which is to be preferred and why?

 

What kind of a childhood did APJ Abdul Kalam have?

How did Kalam’s father function as a religious healer? How much successful was he?

 

What was Kalam’s father’s response to his son’s query about prayer and spirituality?

What information do we get about the daily routine of Kalam’s father from the autobiographical piece Strong Roots’? How did it inspire young Kalam?

 

What had remained the routine for Abdul Kalam’s father even when he was in his late sixties? What does Abdul Kalam say about his emulation of his father?

How did his father’s attitude to adversity influence the young Kalam?

 

How did Kalam’s father influence Kalam’s perception and interpretation of divine power? How, according to Abdul Kalam, can an individual achieve freedom, happiness and peace of mind?

What do you learn from APJ Abdul Kalam’s autobiography?

How does Abdul Kalam express his gratitude towards his father?

 

 

(Thank You Ma’am)

Discuss the central idea of the story “Thank You Ma’am.”

Discuss the significance of the title of “Thank You Ma’am”.

 

What features of the character of Mrs Luella Bates are exposed in the short story “Thank You Ma’am”?

“The boy wanted to say something else other than “Thank you, ma’am” to Mrs Luella Bates Washington Jones’ – Who was the boy? Why did he want to say something else other than “Thank you, Ma’am” to the woman?

 

Sketch the character of Roger.

“…and shook him until his teeth rattled.” Who is mentioned as “him'”? Who shook him? Why was he shaken?

 

“I’m very sorry, lady, I’m sorry,”—Who said this to whom? Was the speaker really sorry? Why did he apologise?

“You ought to be my son. I would teach you right from wrong.”-Who speaks to whom ? 35 Did the speaker manage to teach what he/she claimed to teach ? Give reasons for your answer.

 

“I would teach you right from wrong.”-Who said this, to whom and when? How did the speaker transform the person spoken to here?

“When I get through with you, sir, you are going to remember Mrs. Luella Bates Washington Jones.”-Why do you think the woman would prove to be unforgettable for Roger and what kind of a person would he remember her as?

 

“Sweat popped out on the boy’s face and he began to struggle.”-When did sweat pop out on the boy’s face? Why did he struggle? What next happened to the boy?

“You gonna take me to jail?”-Who said this? Why did the speaker think so? Was the speaker eventually taken to jail? If not, why?

 

“I wanted a pair of…shoes.”-What reply did the speaker get and how did he react?

“You could of asked me.”-What did the speaker expect to be asked? What light does it throw upon the character of the speaker?

 

“He could make a dash for it down the hall. He could run, run, run, run, run!”-Where do these lines occur? Who is the speaker? Who is he’? Why didn’t he run?

“I have done things, too,”—Who said this to whom? What do you think the speaker has done? Why did the speaker say this to the listener?

 

“I were young once and I wanted things I could not get.”- How does the utterance bridge the gap between the two characters?

“There was another long pause.”-What was the reason for this long pause? Was there any other pause previously? If yes, state the reason for that pause.

 

“There was a long pause. A very long pause.”-Bring out the significance of pause’.

“The woman did not watch the boy to see if he was going to run now.”-Why didn’t the woman watch the boy anymore?

 

“Do you need somebody to go to the store,… ?”-Who is the speaker? To whom did the speaker say this? Why did the speaker want to go to the store? What did they have in supper?

“And he did not want to be mistrusted now.” Who is referred to as ‘he” here? Whose trust did he want to win? Why didn’t he want to be mistrusted?

 

“Now, here, take this ten dollars…”-Who said this? Why did the speaker offer ten dollars? How did the speaker advise the person spoken to? What was the reaction of the person spoken to?

“Eat some more, son,…”-Who is the speaker? What is offered by the speaker to the listener? What picture of the speaker’s character is revealed in this line?

 

 “…. because shoes come by devilish like that will burn your feet.”—Who is the speaker here? Whom was it spoken to? When did the speaker say this? What attitude of the speaker has been enlightened here?

“Goodnight! Behave yourself, boy!”-Who said this and to whom? What did the speaker mean by saying “Behave yourself”? How did the boy react at last?

 

“He barely managed to say “Thank you” before she shut the door-How does the ending appear to be in contrast to the way in which the story begins?

Describe the bag snatching incident. | What do you know about Mrs Luella’s home?

 

Retrace the course of action from the moment Mrs Jones caught the boy to the time they reached the middle of the room.

Bring forward the discussion that Mrs Jones had with Roger in her house. | Why did Roger try to snatch the purse of the lady?

 

Why did Roger not try to run away later although he had an opportunity to do so?

What did Mrs Jones and Roger talk about while eating supper? What did Mrs Jones not ask Roger and why? What amount was offered by Mrs Jones to Roger?

 

Why did Mrs Jones not send the boy to jail for his attempt to steal?

Do you think Roger will try to steal again? Give reasons and use details from the story to support your answer.

 

At the end of the story, it says that the boy wanted to say something else other than ‘Thank You’ to Mrs Jones, but he could not-What were the circumstances that led him to thank Mrs Jones?

Who do you think is the central character of the story-Mrs Jones or Roger? Give reasons for your analysis.

 

Do you think a chance encounter between people can sometimes change their lives? Write about such an instance in your own words.

What lessons can we learn from the story “Thank You Ma’am”?

 

 

(Three Questions)

Discuss the significance of the title of the story, “Three Questions”.

Assess how much successful is “Three Questions as a short story. | Analyse the character of the Tsar.

 

What were the questions that had occurred to the Tsar? Why did he need correct answers to those questions? What did he do when he was not satisfied with the answers of the learned men?

Draw a character sketch of the hermit in the story ‘Three Questions’. | What role did the bearded man play in “Three Questions”?

 

“You are tired,”-Who said this and to whom? Why did the speaker come to the listener? Why did the speaker offer to help? How was he benefitted by this?

How did the Tsar go to the wood where the wise hermit lived ? What was the hermit doing then ? What did the Tsar say to the hermit?

What answers did the learned men give to the three questions? Or, How did the learned men answer to Tsar’s questions? 

 

“Here comes someone running”-Who is the speaker? Who was coming? Why did he come running? What happened to him? Describe his condition? How was he received at the hermit’s cottage?

“I am that enemy of yours who swore to revenge himself on you.”-Who was the speaker? To whom was it spoken? How did he become enemy of the person spoken to? Why did he confess so before him?

“Now rest awhile and let me work a bit.”-Explain with reference to the context.

 

“I resolved to kill you …” – Why did the speaker want to kill the Tsar? How was the man wounded? Was he successful in his mission?

What was the first question? How did the learned men give answers to this question? | Why had the bearded man requested the Tsar to forgive him?

 

What was the second question? What answers did the learned men give to that question?

What was the third question? How did the learned men answer the question? | Why was the Tsar not satisfied with the answers of the learned men?

 

Why did the Tsar not agree with the answers of the learned men? Who did the Tsar decide to consult again? What was this person famous for? How did the Tsar go to visit this person?

Why did the Tsar decide to meet the hermit? After meeting him, how did the Tsar assist him in his work | Describe the meeting of Tsar with the hermit?

 

Why did the bearded man become an enemy of the Tsar? What did the man swear and resolve to do? Why did he ask forgiveness of the Tsar and what did he promise him?

 “You do not know me, but I know you” – Who said this to whom? What else did the speaker say? How did the other person react to these words?

How did the Tsar nurse the wounded man?

 

“You have already been answered” – Who said this and to whom? How had the person referred to been answered?

How did the enemy of the king become friend with the king in Leo Tolstoy’s “Three Questions? 

Why do you think the Tsar forgive the bearded man instead of his attempt to kill the Tsar?

 

Why do you think that the hermit did not give the Tsar answers to the Tsar’s questions till the end?

Do you agree with the hermit’s answers to the Tsar’s three questions? If yes, state why giving examples from the text to support your argument. If not, state three reasons why you do not agree.

“For the last time, I pray you to answer my questions.”-Who was the speaker? Whom did he speak to? What were the questions? Why did the speaker ask for the last time?

The hermit spoke only to common people, so the Tsar ‘put on simple clothes’ -Do you think the Tsar hoped to be mistaken for a common man? Do you think that the hermit knew the person to be the Tsar? Justify your answer.

Though the hermit did not say anything to the king for some time, he did not ignore the king, or treat him rudely in anyway’-Do you agree? What evidences of his politeness can you point out in the text?

 

How could you apply the answers to the three questions in your life?

What is the moral message embedded in the short story ‘Three Questions’?

Choose any one of the three characters of the story and write a diary entry of about 300 words explaining the day’s events from the perspective of that character.

Imagine that you were present at that time of that event and write a blog post explaining the lessons you indirectly learned or were taught, using details from the story.