Going Places Summary Class 12th English

Introduction
The theme of this story is adolescent fantasizing and hero worship. It is quite natural for teenagers to
have unrealistic dreams especially when their families are not well off. It is because of the fact that the
socioeconomic background plays a leading role in the lives of the youths for choosing a particular
profession. The act of fantasizing may lead to miseries in case it is beyond our approach. It is useless to
build castles in the air.

Summary

Sophie, a teenager is filled with fantasies and desires. She comes from a poor financial background. She
dreams of owning a boutique one day or being an actress or fashion designer but her friend Jansie
believes that they are from a poor financial background and have to work in a biscuit factory. Jansie,
who is more realistic, tries to pull Sophie to reality, but in vain. Sophie lives in a small house with her
parents and brothers, Geoff and little Derek. Though she voices her feelings and desires, her parents
don’t believe her because they, unlike her, are more mature and know the harsh realities of life. Sophie
finds a sort of fascination for her elder brother Geoff, who is tall, strong, handsome and reserved. She
envies his silence and often wonders about his thoughts and areas of his life that she doesn’t know
about. Sophie fantasizes about Danny Casey, an Irish football player whom she had seen playing in
innumerable matches. She makes up a story about how she met him in the streets and tells this to
Geoff. Geoff, who is more sensible than Sophie, does not really believe her, even if she wants to. It
seems an unlikely incident for Sophie to meet the prodigy in their street, but when Sophie describes the
meeting in all her details, he begins to hope that it could be true. She tells him that Danny has promised
to meet her somewhere again. Sophie gets so pulled into the story she made that she herself begins to
believe that it’s true. She waits for the Irish player, but obviously, he never arrives. Then, she makes her
way home, wondering how her brother would be disappointed on knowing that Danny Casey never
showed up. However, Sophie still fantasizes about her hero, Danny Casey and believes he would
definitely come to meet her.
My Mother at Sixty Six Summary Class 12th English

Central Idea
Aging is an important phase of human life. A person enters his childhood, experiences youth when he is
full of energy and dreams to have luxury of life. Finally, he approaches his old age and encounters death.
Relationship between people becomes stronger at every aspect of life and they can’t bear separation
due to aging.
In this poem, the poet relates a personal experience. She brings out a common paradox of human
relationships and portrays a sensational separation of a mother and a daughter. She has been able to
capture almost all the emotions which a daughter is filled with, on bidding farewell to her beloved
mother. Sometimes we do feel deep sympathy for someone but we fail to express it in a proper manner.

Summary
One last Friday morning, the poetess was driving from her parents’ home to the Cochin airport. Her
mother was sitting beside her in the car. She suddenly had a look at her mother. She found that her
mother was dozing with her open mouth. Her face was as pale as that of a corpse. The poet painfully
realized that her mother is not going to live long. This painful thought haunted her. But soon she tried to
put it off by looking out of the car window. She saw the young trees running past them. She looked at
the merry children coming out of their homes. As she saw life and vitality in the outside world, the
painful thought passed away from her mind.
After reaching the airport, she went through the security check. Her mother was standing outside a few
yards away. After the security check, she looked at her mother again. Her face was pale white like a late
winter’s moon. She felt the old familiar ache of childhood in her heart which is usually felt by a child due
to the fear of separation from his/ her mother. But she contained herself and kept on smiling in order to
conceal her emotions. She spoke no word to her mother. All that she said was, “See you soon, Amma”
and bade good bye to her mother with a hope to see her again.

Main points

 Poetess travelling to Cochin airport with her mother in a car.

 Looks at the wan, pale face of her dozing mother.
 Old fear of losing her mother returns.
 Sprinting trees and merry children provide the contrast and relief.
 After the security check the old familiar ache returns.
 Tries to hide her emotions by smiling.
 Bids good bye to her mother with a hope to see her again.
An Elementary School Classroom in a Slum

Theme
In this poem, Stephen Spender deals with the theme of social injustice and class inequalities. He
presents the theme by talking of two different and incompatible worlds. The world of the rich and the
civilized has nothing to do with the world of narrow lanes and cramped holes. The gap between these
two worlds highlights social disparities and class inequalities.

Central Idea
Stephen Spender has presented a true picture of the life of the school children living in the slum of
Tyrolese Valley of Austrian Alpine Province. The children are in a very miserable condition due to their
poverty and illiteracy. They are depressed. Their pale faces express sadness. They look lean, skinny and
bonny. They are like rootless weeds which can’t resist anything for their existence. They are physically
very weak and under nourished. Spender voices his concern for these children who live all their life in
slums and have no opportunity to enjoy the real blessings of life. He makes a frantic appeal to the
educated and affluent sections of the society to better the lot of the slum children through education. It
will remove social injustice and class inequality.

Detailed Analysis of the Poem

Stanza – 1
The poem describes an elementary school class room in a slum. These slum children look very pathetic.
Their faces are pale and reflect sadness. They are ‘like rootless weeds’ as they lack proper nutrition.
Moreover, they are unwanted plants which grow on their own without being cared for, totally
neglected. The tall girl has a ‘weighed – down head’ as she is burdened with the load of poverty. In fact
she is so subdued and suppressed that her head had bowed down with the burden of her misfortunes.
The ‘paper thin’ – extremely thin boy has ‘rat’s eyes’ because the poor undernourished boy is deprived
of all the basic amenities of life. He is timid like a rat and full of anxiety, he searches for food and
security. This unfortunate boy suffers from malnutrition and his growth is also ‘stunted’ not properly
developed. He has also inherited from his father ‘twisted bones’ – bent and distorted bones. He has
inherited the poverty, disease and despair from his parents. His body is also deformed because of the
twisted bones which he has inherited. He appears to be as sick as his parents. There is a sweet tender
looking student who sits at the back of the class. This boy is different from the others as ‘his eyes live’ in
a dream – he is dreaming and probably thinking about a better future. He is lost in his own world,
therefore, not sad like the others. This boy thinks of the ‘squirrel’s game’ (metaphor). He wants to enjoy
and play freely like the squirrel in the garden outside. The squirrel climbs trees and hides in their holes.
The boy also dreams to be free but he cannot as he must sit in the dull and dreary classroom. In the boys
imagination ‘tree room’ – the hollow in a tree, is full of fun, curiosity and mystery. This is in contrast to
the gloomy classroom.
Stanza – 2
The classroom is not well maintained. The pale cream walls which were painted long ago with the help
of donations, make the place look more miserable and sad. Probably there is a portrait of Shakespeare
on the wall. This is ironical as it is put up in a place where there is no serious teaching. ‘Cloudless dawn’
and ‘civilized dome’ suggest the monotonous life in the slum. These slums are surrounded by the
civilized city and the children cannot experience the beauty of the sky at dawn and are unaware of it. All
around them are concrete structures of the cities. The life in the slum contrasts with the cloudless sky at
dawn and concrete structures which override the cities. There is also a picture of a beautiful valley full of
sweet fragrant flowers and these children of the slum will never be able to experience this beauty. They
are deprived of this beauty as they are condemned to live in the slums amidst garbage. The ‘open-
handed map’ in the classroom contrasts with their world. The world given to us by god is full of all the
bounties whereas the world of these slum children is full of poverty and hunger. The world which they
see is not the real world. Their world is confined to the narrow, dusty streets of the slum. The map in the
classroom gives them hopes and aspirations and motivates them to explore the world but they will
never be able to see that world. These children can get the glimpse of the outside world from the
windows and it is far beyond their reach. They are far away from nature. These slum children have a
bleak and foggy future in store for them. ‘Their future is painted with a fog’ – it is blurred by
hopelessness. There is no hope for the slum children. Instead of the normal blue sky they live under the
‘lead sky’ – dark and dull, polluted – shows there is no hope for them. The atmosphere hints at their
monotonous life and the slum children remain confined throughout their lives confined to the filth and
dirt of the narrow slum streets. They are away from the glory of natural beauty of the rivers, mountains,
stars etc.

Stanza 3
The children of the slum are fighting the battle of life unarmed. They are troubled by disease and
despair. For them Shakespeare is ‘wicked’ and ‘map’ a bad example’. The literary excellence of
Shakespeare and the scenic beauty portrayed in the map cannot relieve them from their despair. For
these slum children, literary excellence is a far-fetched thing and hence seems wicked. The map on the
wall gives them false aspirations as it makes them aware of the beautiful world given by god. The world
of these children is confined to the narrow streets of the slums. Therefore, map is ‘a bad example’. They
feel cheated in being deprived of the thrilling sensations of the sun, the ships, and the emotions of love.
The ‘ship’, ‘sun’ and ‘love’ symbolize joy and happiness which these children are deprived of. Their only
experience is that of hunger and poverty. To reach out to the world beyond, these children are
sometimes tempted to adopt wrong means even stealing to fulfill their dreams. These slum children live
in cramped holes, striving and struggling for survival in the small, dirty rooms from ‘fog to endless night’
– from foggy mornings till long endless nights, trying to meet both ends. The slum children live on ‘slag
heaps’ – piles of waste material. Their world is full of dirt and garbage. These children are very weak and
undernourished. They look like skeletons as their bones peep through their thin skin.
They wear ‘spectacles of steel with mended glass’ – discarded spectacles by the rich, mended (repaired)
and worn. Their life is like ‘bottle bits on stones – shattered and broken like bits of bottle on a stone.
They are deprived of even the basic amenities of life. Their world is comprised of the foggy slums where
they live nightmares. Slums are the reality for these children, their home, where they spend their life.
The maps displayed in their classroom are no reality for them. They cannot locate their slum in that
map. It is urgently required to give these slum inhabitants means and opportunities to lead a dignified
and civilized life.

Stanza – 4
The elementary school in the slum exists for name sake. The infrastructure is poor with hardly any
serious teaching. The school springs in activity only when a governor, a school inspector or a visitor
comes on a round of the school. The administrative machinery of the school also gears up at that time.
Then the map becomes their window from where they can see the world beyond their slums. Since they
are confined to the slums, these sights and glimpses are shut upon them as they are deprived of all
opportunities and means. Their lives are shut up in the cemeteries of these slums where they slither and
slog to make both ends meet. The poet hopes that these children will break free from their morbid life,
from the chains of the slums. He appeals to those in power to liberate these children from the miserable
slums and enable them to breathe in the fresh, beautiful and healthy environment away from the foggy
slums. They should be able to bask in the open green fields and let them run free on the golden sands.
Their world should not be confined to the horrendous and gory slums. The poet visualizes freedom for
these children. He wants a carefree life where they get economic and social justice, where they have the
right to be happy. These slum children should be able to enjoy the fundamental right of education
otherwise their lives will be miserable. They should be able to learn not from the books alone but also
from the world, the nature around them.
The poet ends on a note of positivity and wants opportunities to be available to these children. The
people who strive for knowledge are the ones who create history. The ones who are let free are the
ones who will create history. People who outshine others, who glow like the sun, who break free from
the constraints of their restricted life are the ones who create history and that of diseases are ­ ‘twisted
bones,
Keeping Quiet Summary Class 12th English
Introduction
The poet talks about the necessity of quiet introspection as it can develop a feeling of mutual
understanding among human beings.

Theme
It is basically an anti-war poem. The poet is deeply concerned about violence, cruelty to animals and
plight of manual workers. The poet offers a very simple solution to many of our social, political and
religious problems. The solution is self-introspection. If it is acted upon, it will be the first major step
towards uniting people. The second step is that everyone should look within and analyse what is wrong
and who is the wrong doer. This will cleanse every heart and ennoble all people.

Summary
This poem advocates the importance of silence and self-introspection. It can transform not only the life
of an individual but also the face of the earth. The poet says that it does not need much time to look
within and examine oneself. It will take only as long as it will take to count to twelve. During this time of
introspection (self-examination), one should keep quiet and say nothing at all. It will give him a strange
feeling of togetherness with all others.
Although it may seem a little strange in the beginning, it will eventually bring us all together. This silence
will be free from ‘the disturbing sounds of engines and people rushing to get their work done’ for some
time. He feels contended imagining the change that will be brought about in those moments. The men
who hurt their hands while collecting salt will get a little rest. Even the people who seek fresh wars,
using fatal gas and weapons, will put on clean clothes and get a chance to walk among their brothers.
They will lead a hatred-free and calm life, giving a halt to their destructive activities.
The poet clarifies that his wish should not be considered as a case for “total inactivity”. He only wants to
interrupt the sad, cruel and baleful activities of the world for a few moments and make the people
introspect their actions. In fact what he says is connected with life, not with death. Activity is very
essence of life. Inactivity is death but for a fresh, better and useful activity, a little stillness is essential.
The poet uses the image of the earth to show how life exists in seemingly dormant things. In winter, the
earth becomes so still and silent that it seems to be dead. But later in spring, it seems to be lively again.
It has new beauties and colours added to it. Similarly, after a little quietness and silence, man can
resume his activities in a fresh and better manner.
A Thing of Beauty Summary Class 12th English

Background
The poem is based on a Greek legend in which Endymion a handsome young shepherd and poet who
lived on Mount Latmos, had a vision of Cynthia, the moon goddess. The enchanted youth resolved to
seek her out and so wandered away through the forest and down under the sea.

Central Idea
Beauty is a heavenly tonic/drink – an endless fountain of nectar. This beauty comes in different forms– a
tale, a poem, a play, a lovely object of nature or the heavenly bodies. It soothes our spirits and gives us
good health, sound sleep and mental peace. It removes sadness from our lives and gives an everlasting
joy.

Summary
A beautiful thing is a source of eternal joy, its loveliness grows with the passage of time and its impact
never fades away. It is as soothing as a cool shade. It never passes into nothingness. It gives us good
health, sound sleep and mental peace. It provides the beholder with a haven of tranquility and solace.
Man and nature are inseparable. It is the beauty of nature that keeps us attached to this earth. Every
morning we collect fresh lovely flowers and prepare garlands. They refresh our moods and we forget our
worries for a while.
Every person gets a bitter taste of sorrow, suffering and grief. Disease, disappointments and misfortunes
give us mental and physical suffering. It is the beautiful things that remove the pall of sadness from our
lives and make us happy and hopeful.
All beautiful things of nature are a boon for human beings. The sun, the moon, the trees, daffodils,
simple sheep, clear streams, forests ferns, musk rose etc. provide us peace and happiness. In addition to
these lovely objects of nature, there are plays and poems to lift our spirits. The glorious achievements of
mighty heroes and magnificent rewards by God on the day of judgement for those mighty men, lovely
tales of olden days are endless source of everlasting joy. The poet feels that nothing can surpass the
beauty of nature. They are an elixir of life. They are like an endless fountain that pours immortal drink
from the heaven into our hearts. So beauty is a gift of God and it gives us joy forever.
Aunt Jennifer’s Tigers Summary Class 12th English

Introduction
Adrienne Rich was brought up in a well off family. Rich felt dominated by her father’s strong personality
while growing up. It was he who most guided her as a young poet. This wasn’t always to her liking as he
expected her to write her poems his way. When Rich was growing up men dominated and women were
expected to become dutiful wives in their adult lives. All these elements may have influenced the
picture of marriage Rich drew in this poem. At the heart of the poem is an image of a husband who
controls and frightens his wife. Rich wrote a lot of poems based on everyday experience. One topic she
often featured was the tension, women felt due to being dominated by their husbands. In ‘Aunt
Jennifer’s Tigers’ Rich is mocking the weakness of Aunt Jennifer and the clout and authority of Jennifer’s
husband in their marriage.

Summary
In the poem ‘Aunt Jennifer’s Tigers’ a woman expresses her suppressed feelings through her art. Aunt
Jennifer is the victim of the male dominated society. She has no one to tell her mental and physical pain.
She makes a picture to convey her deep feelings. The speaker describes the tigers which her aunt
produced on the panel. They are set in motion. They are moving quickly by raising the front legs and
jumping forwards on the back legs. In the green jungle they look free, bright, brave, fearless and
magnificent. There are men sitting under the tree, but the tigers do not. 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.

Main points

 In this poem, the poet addresses the constraints of married life, experienced by a woman.
 Aunt Jennifer weaves tigers into the panel. These tigers are brave & have no fear of men.
 Aunt Jennifer is terrified by her dominating husband. Her finger flutters due to the mental
suppression. She is not happy with her married life.
 She will die but her art will express her desire to move proudly and fearlessly like the tigers she
has made.
Memories of Childhood Summary Class 12th English

Introduction
The chapter contains two extracts from two different autobiographical episodes from the lives of two
women – Zitkala Sa and Bama. Both are victims of social discriminations. Zitkala Sa is the victim of racial
discrimination whereas Bama is the victim of caste discriminations. In both the extracts, the writers look
back on their childhood and reflect on their relationship with mainstream culture which illtreated them
when they were child. But both the accounts are not simple narratives of oppression. Rather they reveal
how oppression was resisted by both the narrators in their own ways. Zitkala-Sa and Bama were very
young but not so young that they would not understand the evil scheme of the mainstream culture. The
injustice of their society did not escape their notice also. Their bitter childhood experience sowed the
seeds of rebellion in them earlier on.
Both the accounts are based in two distant cultures. The first is that of Native Americans and the second
is that of the Tamil Dalits. But the commonality that brings them closer is the fact that in both cases, the
mainstream culture marginalized the underprivileged section of that society. This gave rise to the
conflict between the mainstream culture and the marginalized community, which is exquisitely
showcased in ‘Memories of Childhood’.

The Cutting of My Long Hair

Introduction
This account relates to an American Indian woman who becomes the victim of racial discrimination. She
is admitted to a school where native Indians do not get respect, honour, dignity and due weightage in
America. She is forced by the whites to follow their traditions and traits. Simmons is dragged out and
tied to a chair to shingle out her long hair. She cries, struggles, kicks, resists, shows reluctance and she
ultimately feels like one of the many animals driven by a herder.

Summary
This extract is a painful revelation of a particular period of the life which the writer had to suffer during
her hostel days. It was the first day of her boarding school situated in the land of apples. The children
were given the task of apple picking in the bitter and biting cold. They were taken to the breakfast hall
and the girl was feeling stressed. She did not know the table manners. She was being watched very
carefully by a strange pale-faced woman. The girl felt very fearful and insulted. Her friend who could
understand some English, told her that the pale strange woman intended to cut her long hair. Zitkala-Sa
learned from her mother that hair would be shingled only for the unskilled warrior, cowards and
mourners. She decided to fight back and got herself hidden in a dim room under the bed. Everybody
looked for her and called her name but eventually caught. Her long hair was cut, although she resisted a
lot. She spent her rest of the life there like a small animal being a part of a herd, which was driven by a
herder.
 Evans Tries an O-Level

Theme
This story depicts a clash of wit between a criminal and the law enforcing authorities in which the
prisoner Evans befools the jail authorities and manages to escape from the prison. If the government
and law enforcing officials are vigilant, crime can be detected and criminals can be booked. But criminals
like Evans can hoodwink the authorities and escape punishment as long as the officials are slow and lack
alertness and wit. More Summary It is the month of early March. The secretary of the Examination
Board receives a call from the Governor of the H.M. Prison, Oxford. He tells that a prisoner named Evans
has started night classes in O Level German. Now he wants to attain some academic qualification. The
Secretary replies that there is no need to worry. All the necessary forms and other requisite material will
be sent. They will give him a chance. He enquires about Evans. The Governor tells him that Evans has no
record of violence. Rather he is an amusing fellow. He is one of the stars at the Christmas concert. The
Secretary asks him if they can arrange a room where Evans can sit in for the examination. The Governor
tells that the room of Evans can be used for this purpose. The Secretary agrees and tells that they could
get a parson from St. Mary Mags to invigilate. The Governor takes utmost care to see that he would not
be fooled. Every care was taken to make Evans prepare for the exam. He was tutored by a German
teacher for 6 months. The day before the exam the teacher wishes good luck but makes it clear that he
had hardly any ‘chance of getting through.’ But Evans gives an ironical twist to the tutor’s observation by
saying “I may surprise everybody.” On the day of the exam Jackson and Stephens visited Evan’s cell and
took away everything that may help him injure himself. Evans was insisted to take away the hat but he
refused saying that it was lucky charm. Evan’s cell was bugged so that the Governor could himself listen
to each and every conversation in the cell. The invigilator Rev. S. Mc Leery too was searched and left him
invigilator Rev. S. Mc Leery too was searched and left him to complete the task. Stephen sitting outside
the cell every now and then peeped into the cell. The exam went on smoothly. Stephen escorted the
invigilator to the main gate and looked into Evan’s cell and found the invigilator (actually Evans)
wounded, informed the Governor. The latter was to be hospitalized but informed that he was alright
and asked them to follow Evans. Thus he escaped the prison. When the invigilator was not found in the
hospital they went to the residence of Rev. S. Mc Leery only to find him ’bound and gagged in his study
in Broad Street”. He has been there, since 8.15 a.m. Now everything was clear to the Governor. Evan
escaped the prison the fourth time. But by taking the hint from the question paper the Governor
reached the hotel where Evans was staying. He captured him and came to know how he planned his
escape. The Governor said that his game was over. Evans surrendered himself to the Governor. Evans
was handcuffed and sent away with a prison officer in the prison van. But here again he befools the
Governor. Both the prison officer and the prison van were part of the plan devised by Evan’s friends.
Once again he was a free bird.

GIST OF THE LESSON

 Evans a kleptomaniac was imprisoned thrice and all the time escaped from the prison. Now he was in
the prison for the 4th time and all of a sudden developed curiosity to appear in O-level German
Examination which also was an effort to break the prison.

 The Governor takes utmost care to see that he would not be fooled. Every care was taken to make Evans
prepare for the exam.
 He was tutored by a German tutor for 6 months. The day before the exam the tutor wishes good luck
but makes it clear that he had hardly any ‘chance of getting through.’ But Evans gives an ironical twist to
the tutor’s observation by saying “I may surprise everybody.”

 On the day of the exam Jackson and Stephens visited Evans cell and took away everything that may help
him injure himself. Evans was insisted to take away the hat but he refused saying that it was lucky
charm.

 Evans cell was bugged so that the Governor could himself listen to each and every conversation in the
cell. The invigilator Rev. S. McLeery too was searched and left him to complete the task. Stephen sitting
outside the cell every now and then peeped into the cell.

 The exam went on smoothly. Stephen escorted the invigilator to the main gate and took a look into
Evans cell and found the invigilator (actually Evans) wounded, informed the Governor. The latter was to
be hospitalized but informed that he was alright and asked them to follow Evans. Thus he escaped the
prison.

 When the invigilator was not found in the hospital they went to the residence of Rev. S. McLeery only to
find him ’bound and gagged in his study in Broad Street”. He has been there, since 8.15 a.m. Now
everything was clear to the Governor.

 Evan escaped the prison the 4th time. But by taking the hint from the question paper the Governor
reached the hotel where Evans was and captured him and came to know how he planned his escape and
said that his game was over. Evans surrenders himself to the Governor.

 The Governor tells Evan they would meet soon.

 The moment they are rid of the Governor, the so called prison officer-a friend of Evansunlocks the
handcuffs and asks the driver to move fast and Evans tells him to turn to Newbury.
On the Face of it
Summary
This play deals with the problem of the disabled people and depicts that merely the encouraging words
may change our tensed feelings. It is for us to see and understand life in every organism. It does not
matter what we look like but it matters how we can uplift a disabled man. It is not the actual pain or
inconvenience caused by a physical impairment that troubles inconvenience caused by a physical
impairment that troubles a disabled man but the behavior of the people around him. People discard him
as a useless limb and refuse to accept him in the mainstream of life. So he feels alienated from the
society and wants to live in seclusion. In a way Derry suffers from inferiority complex. Mr. Lamb
motivates him to think positively about life, people and things. It is a fine day and Mr. Lamb is in his
garden. He is an old man with a tin leg. He leads a lonely life and is always ready to accept any visitor
who comes in his garden. One day Derry, a young boy of fourteen sneaks into Mr. Lamb’s garden. He has
a burnt face with acid so he looks very ugly. He has become defiant and withdrawn due to his disfigured
face. He does not want to face the world with his ugly and disfigured face. Derry climbs over the wall
and cautiously walks through the long grass. He is quite close to Lamb. He is sacred when Lamb speaks
to him. Lamb asks him to tread carefully because the long grass is littered with wild apples dropped by
wind. Derry is utterly confused as he has come there considering the place empty. Having been detected
by Lamb, Derry panics and wants to go. Lamb asks him not to leave as he does not mind anybody’s
coming into his garden. He keeps the gate always open. He advises to enter through the gate rather
than by climbing over the garden wall. Lamb tells that all who come to his garden, are welcome.
But Derry says that he has not come to steal but he wants only to come into garden. He rather tells
Derry not too afraid of anything but Derry points out that the people are afraid of him because of his
ugly and disfigured face. Derry adds that he is afraid of himself when he sees his face in the mirror. Lamb
tries to console him. He asks him to face the harsh realities of life bravely. He tries to divert the views of
Derry from his burnt face to the fruits in the garden, but Derry keeps on talking about his ugly face.
Lamb tries to make him understand that it is the inner beauty of a person that matters, not his outer
beauty. Derry does not agree with it. He tells lamb that it is important to be handsome from outside
also. He says that even his mother kisses him on the other side of his face. He says that he has to spend
whole of his life with his half face. Mr. Lamb points out that there is no difference between a flower
plant and a weed since both are living and growing plants. Derry remarks that Mr. Lamb can put on
trousers and cover up his tingle. Then Mr. Lamb reminds Derry of a fairy tale of Beauty and The Beast in
which the princess kisses the Beast who in turn changes into a handsome prince. This makes Derry
understand that ugliness is only skin deep. A man is not what he looks like but what he really is.
Handsome is that handsome does. This story is to inspire Derry and he should not care for his burnt
face. But Derry tells that people stare at his face and they are afraid of him. Derry tells Lamb that
women talk of his ugly face. They say that none will kiss except his mother. Mr. Lamb tells him that he
must have heard so many other things also. The best thing is to keep his ears shut and need not pay
attention to such talks. Mr. Lamb talks about the bees in his garden. Some people like their buzzing
while others hate. But Lamb calls it a sweet music. It is only the difference of attitude. Derry tells that
people stare at his face so he avoids them. But Mr. Lamb tells that keeping alone is not a fine thing. He
tells a story about a man who was always afraid of being run over or getting infected or meeting with
some accident. So he locked himself in a room.
There a picture fell on his head and killed him. Derry says that his family often talks about him
downstairs when he is not there. They are worried to think what is going to happen to him when they
are gone and how he will get on in this world. Mr. Lamb does not agree with him. Lamb encourages him
that he has got two arms, legs, eyes, ears, a tongue and a brain. He can achieve whatever he likes. He
can be better than others. He tells Derry that he has got a full can be better than others. He tells Derry
that he has got a full body. He can do anything like other people or may do better than others. He asks
Lamb several questions to know more about him. Mr. Lamb says that he sits in the sun and reads the
books. He likes the windows open to hear the wind. Lambs tells that he has a lot of friends everywhere.
Everybody who comes in his garden is his friend. Derry wonders how a person can be his friend about
whom he knows nothing. Derry says that there are some people he hates. But Lamb remarks that hatred
would do him more harm than any bottle of acid. Acid only burns our face or so but hatred can burn us
away inside. Lamb asks him to be a friend. Derry asks how they can be friends only in one meeting. But
Lamb tells him that he can come there at any time even if he is out. Derry thinks to help him. He tells
Lamb that with one leg he can fall off a ladder and die. Derry offers to help him but he wants to inform
his mother where he is since she will be worried. Lamb doubts if he would come back. Derry assures him
to return but Lamb says to himself that people never come back though they say that they will come
back. Derry goes back to his house and tells everything to his mother. Derry says that he wants to go
there, sit and listen to things and look. Nobody else has ever said the things the old man has said. His
mother stops him from going to the old man’s house. She tells that she has heard strange stories about
the old man. She urges him not to go there again. Derry insists that he must go there otherwise he will
never go anywhere in this world. In spite of his mother’s strong resistance, Derry slams the door and
runs away to help Lamb in collecting crab apples. In the meantime Mr. Lamb climbs on the ladder for the
apples. The ladder falls back and Mr. Lamb is killed. Derry opens the gate and says excitedly that he has
come back. Suddenly he gate and says excitedly that he has come back. Suddenly he catches sight of Mr.
Lamb. He runs through the long grass and says, “I came back Lamely Lamb. I did come back.” But there is
no response. Derry kneels by him and weeps and realizes that he has lost his only friend in this world.
Should Wizard Hit Mommy?

Introduction
Little children love to hear stories from their parents at bedtime. Such stories are mostly fables and have
no logic behind them. Many a time, parents make up stories out of their own head. Little children take
them as literally true. But as the child grows up, he becomes inquisitive. He begins to ask many
questions. He wants to know why and how certain things happen. He wants to know the reason behind
things. Sometimes parents take this questioning of the child as an affront. They try to discourage it.
They want the child to accept as true whatever is said to him. Is such an attitude desirable? This story
poses this very question. A father tells his child a story out of his head. The child interrupts him a
number of times. She raises questions whenever she feels that the story is wrong. The father feels
himself caught in an ugly middle position. He does not know whether he should accept the child’s
version or stick to his own. Thus the story raises a moral issue and leaves it to the reader to resolve it.

Theme
The story raises a moral issue if the parents should always decide what the children should do or let the
children do what they like to do. Children dream and live in their own magical world. They are devoid of
despise, ugliness, and petty differences. They are pure at heart. This story raises a moral question at this
point, “Should Wizard hit Mommy?” Jo feels that he must. Jack says that it would be wrong because a
mommy is always right. She should be loved and respected.

Summary
Jack was the father of two little kids – Jo and Bobby. His wife Clare was carrying their third child. Jack
would tell a story to his daughter Jo out of his head in the evenings and for Saturday naps. This custom
of story-telling began when Jo was two–year-old and it was continuing for the last two years. Each new
story only differed a bit from the basic tale. There always was a small creature, usually named Roger, for
example, Roger Fish, Roger Squirrel, Roger Chipmunk etc. He always had some problem and he would go
to the wise old owl. The owl would tell him to go to the Wizard, who would perform a magic spell that
solved the problem. The Wizard in turn would demand in payment a number of pennies greater than
the number Roger creature had. But at the same time he would direct the animal to a place where the
extra pennies could be found. Then Roger would become so happy that he played many games with
other creatures. Roger then would go home to his mother just in time to hear the train whistle that
brought his daddy home from Boston. Jack then would describe their supper, and the story was over.
Jack found this story-telling session especially tiring on Saturday, because Jo never fell asleep in naps any
more. One Saturday Jack asked Jo about whom the story should be today. Roger Skunk, she said firmly.
A new animal; they must talk about Skunk at nursery school. Jack started the story of the tiny creature
Skunk, who lived in the dark deep woods. His name was Roger Skunk and he smelled very bad. He
smelled so bad that other animals of the jungle would not play with him. They would run away and
Roger Skunk would stand there all alone.
Roger Skunk went to the wise old owl and told his problem. The owl asked the Skunk why he did not see
the Wizard. Then he went to the Wizard and told that he smelled very bad and all the little animals used
to run away from him. The wise owl had told wizard that he could help in that manner. The Wizard took
his magic wand and asked Roger Skunk what he wanted to smell like. Roger Skunk told him that he
would like to smell like roses. The Wizard chanted and Roger Skunk started smelling like roses. The
Wizard asked Roger Skunk to pay seven pennies. Roger Skunk said that he had four pennies only and he
began to cry. The Wizard directed Roger to go to the nearby magic well and he would find three pennies
there. Roger Skunk took out three pennies from the well and gave them to the Wizard. Now all the other
animals gathered around him because he smelled so good. They played various games and laughed. It
began to get dark so they all ran home to their mummies. Jo thought that the story was all over.
When Roger Skunk went home his mummy said that the smell was awful. She asked who made him
smell like that. Roger Skunk said that the Wizard did so. She said that they were going right back to that
Wizard. He said that all the other animals would run away with his bad smell. But his mummy said she
did not care. He should smell the way a little Skunk should have smelled. So she took Roger with her and
went to the Wizard. When the wizard opened door, she hit him with her umbrella and explained how
the wizard’s magic infuriated her. The wizard spelled another magic and Roger smelled as foul as he did
earlier. But she was displeased with this new ending and wanted her father to make the wizard hit
Roger’s mommy. But Jack was not ready to make any change as he thought Joe should accept him
without questioning. Jo protested but Jack said that it was daddy’s story. He said then Roger Skunk and
her mummy went home. They had supper and when Roger Skunk was in bed, Mommy Skunk came up
and hugged him and said she loved him very much. He told her that the story ends there.
Jo asked her daddy if the other animals ran away from Roger Skunk. Jack said no, they finally got used to
the way Roger Skunk was and did not mind it at all. Jo commented that she was a stupid mummy. He
asked her to have a long nap as her brother Bobby was also sleeping. Jo told him that she wanted him to
tell her the story the next day that Wizard took that magic wand and hit that mummy, right over the
head. Jack said that it was not the story. The point is that the little Skunk loved his mummy more than
he loved all the other little animals. Moreover, she knew what was right. But Jo insisted that tomorrow
he should say that the Wizard hit that mummy. Jack said that he would see and asked her to sleep.
He closed the door and went downstairs. Clare was striking the chair rail with a dipped brush. Above him
footsteps vibrated. These were Jo’s footsteps. He threatened to beat her and then the footsteps slowed
down. Clare observed that it was a long story. He simply said “the poor kid”. He watched his wife
working hard on the wood-work. She was doing painting work. Thus the writer displays adult authority
on one hand and the child’s inquisitiveness on the other.
The Enemy

Introduction
The story highlights how a Japanese doctor saves the life of an American prisoner of war and rises above
narrow national prejudices. He risks his honour, career, position and life by sheltering a war prisoner of
the enemy camp and saving his life. The author has beautifully portrayed the conflict in the doctor’s
mind as a private individual and as a citizen with a sense of national loyalty.

Theme
‘The Enemy’ gives the message that humanism transcends all man made prejudices and barriers. Dr.
Sadao upholds the ethics of medical profession in treating an enemy. The story is a great lesson of
peace, love, sympathy, fellow feeling and humanism.

Summary
Sadao was a Japanese surgeon. He studied in America and returned with Hana, a Japanese girl whom he
met there, and married her in Japan and settled down comfortably. While most of the doctors were sent
to serve the Japanese army in the World War II, Sadao was allowed to stay home because he was
wanted by the old General who was dying. But one night into his uneventful life came an American
Navy-man, shot, wounded and dying. Though unwilling to help his enemy, Sadao took the young soldier
into his house and provided him with medical aid. He was in danger from that moment. Soon his
servants left him. Dr. Sadao saw that the soldier was getting well and absolutely alright. Once his patient
was no more in need of him, the doctor turned out to be his assassin, conspiring to kill him in his sleep.
He informed the General of the American and the General promised, he would send his private men to
kill the American. Sadao awaited the American’s death every morning but to his gloom the man was still
alive, healthier and posing danger to him. At this point Sadao becomes the real man in him, a true
human being who realizes the essential worth of human life and universal brotherhood. He thinks
beyond countries and continents and races and wars. He finds no reason to believe that the American is
his enemy. Sadao rescues the American. Thus Sadao rises above narrow prejudices and acts in a truly
humanitarian way.

GIST OF THE LESSON:

 Sadao, a Japanese surgeon finds a wounded American soldier on the beach near his house.
 He is unable to throw him back though he was his enemy as he was a doctor and his first duty was to
save a life.
 Hana, his wife, though initially reluctant because it was dangerous for all including the children to
keep the enemy in the house, joins her husband in operating and nursing the enemy soldier back to
health, even though the servants desert the house.
 Hana assists Dr. Sadao in operating the soldier in spite of her physical discomfort and hesitation.
 Though it was war time and all hands were needed at the front, the General did not send Sadao with
the troops as he is an expert surgeon and the General needed him.
 Sadao tells him about the enemy soldier but he does not take any action as he is self-absorbed and
forgets his promise that he would send his private assassins to kill the enemy and remove his body.
 Taking advantage of the general’s self-absorption Sadao decides to save the soldiers life. After the
soldier is out of danger Dr. Sadao helps him to escape from his house to safety.
The Tiger King
Introduction
The story ‘The Tiger King’ is a satire on the pride and stubbornness of those in power. The writer takes us to
the days of autocratic and eccentric kings. These kings lived under the thumb rule of British, hence they fear
them. Most of the time the rulers were not interested in serving the people and working for the welfare of
the public; instead they spent their time in foolish pursuits. They flouted all laws and bent them to suit their
selfish interests. The Maharaja of Pratibandapuram tried to belie what was written in his fate. The chief
astrologer had predicted that the cause of his death would be a tiger. The King tried his best to belie the
prediction. His campaign of tiger-hunting was very successful. All his strategies and wise plans worked till he
killed 99 tigers. But the hundredth tiger eluded him till his death. The irony of fate brings quite an unexpected
end of the Maharaja. The hero who killed ninety nine tigers couldn’t kill the only one that was left. The last
tiger he thought to be dead survived. The King’s bullet had missed its mark. Ironically, the hundredth tiger
which caused his death was not a ferocious beast of blood and flesh. It was a wooden tiger. One of the slivers
of wood pierced his right hand and caused infection and a suppurating sore. It ultimately led to his death.

Theme
Animals and birds are as much part of the nature as human beings. The destruction or haphazard killing of
one species may not only lead to its extinction, but it will adversely affect the ecological balance. Those
animals which serve as food for the wild animals, will increase in large number, if the beast of prey are wiped
out. Each species, howsoever fierce, deadly, ferocious or poisonous has its role in maintaining ecological
balance in nature.

Summary
The Maharaja Sir Jilani Jung Jung Bhadur was called “Tiger King”. When he was just 10 day old, he asked
intelligent questions to the astrologers and was told that he would be killed by a tiger. He uttered “Let tigers
beware!” No other miracle took place, the child grew like any other Royal child drinking white cow’s milk. He
was taught by an English tutor and looked after by an English nanny. He watched English films. When he was
20, he was crowned as king. It was then the prediction of his death by the tiger reached the Maharaja’s ear
and he in turn to safe guard himself killed a tiger and being thrilled he told the astrologer who replied that he
can kill 99 tigers but should be careful with the 100th. He pledged that all other affairs of the state would be
attended after killing the hundred tigers. Then he started killing tigers. None except Maharaja was allowed to
hunt tigers. A high-ranking British officer visited the state that was fond of hunting tigers and his wish was
declined. The officer requested for getting a photograph with a tiger killed by Maharaja and this request was
rejected. So to please the officer’s wife, he sent 50 diamond rings expecting that she would take one or two,
instead she kept all the rings costing 3 lakh rupees and sent ‘thanks’ to the Maharaja. But his state was
secured. In 10 years, he killed 70 tiger and didn’t find any in Pratibandapuram so he decided to marry a girl
from royal state which had more tigers to complete his target. Whenever he visited his in-laws, he killed 5-6
tigers. So he killed 99 tigers and was feverishly anxious to kill the 100th but couldn’t find. News about the
presence of a tiger near a village proved disappointing. He asked his Dewan to find the tiger otherwise face
his anger. Now the Dewan was afraid of losing his job so he visited ‘People’s Park in Madras’ and brought an
old tiger and placed it in the forest and informed the Maharaja. The Maharaja took great care and shot the
tiger and left the place with great triumph. The bullet did not hit the tiger but out of fear the tiger had
collapsed. Now the staff killed the tiger and brought it in grand procession. It was the third birthday of the
Maharaja’s son and he wanted to buy a present from the toyshop. He bought a wooden tiger which was
poorly carved. While the Maharaja was playing with the prince, a tiny sliver of the wooden tiger pierced his
right hand which later on caused his death. Thus the hundredth tiger takes his final revenge upon the “Tiger
King”.