Summary of The Song Of Freedom Karnataka Board Class 9 English

Summary of The Song Of Freedom Karnataka Board Class 9 English

English is a difficult subject for many people to learn. Some students may become frustrated and give up, but here’s a summary of The Song Of Freedom Karnataka Board Class 9 English Poem to help you maintain your momentum! This Summary of The Song Of Freedom will provide all necessary information needed in order to study KSEEB Class 9 English successfully at home or school; it includes detailed grammar rules with examples that were used during today’s class discussion on the Karnataka Board English Exam.

The Summary of The Song Of Freedom in English Chapter 7, Karnataka Board Class 9 makes it easier to understand the story. Understanding every detail of a story is important for scoring higher on an exam and expert writers have made sure that you know how everything flows together by summarizing perfectly!

Summary of The Song Of Freedom

About the poem:

This poem celebrates the freedom of our country. The poet talks about not only a free India, but also a glorious India. The poet wanted to wake the slumbering masses and inspire them. Overall, the poem is about how the poet sees our nation to be.

Structure of the poem:

“This is the hour

Of song and dance,

For blissful freedom

Is ours at last.

Gone are those days of caste-born pride.

Gone is the foreigner’s might:

Gone is passive subservience

Gone is the trickster’s sway.

Freedom is our universal speech,

Equality the experienced grace;

We’ll blow the conch of victory

And publish the truth to all.

We see that all are equal born;

Now lie and deceit are dead;

Only the good men are great –

Ruin has seized and wicked.

Honour to the ploughman and the worker!

Shame to the glutton and the rake!

We’ll not water the wastelands,

Nor sweat for the idler’s weal!

We’ve learnt that this is our own land,

It will be forever ours;

No nation shall enslave us again;

We’ll prosper serving God, our sole Lord.”

There is no specific rhyming pattern.

Line by line analysis of the poem:

Lines 1- 4:

“This is the hour

Of song and dance,

For blissful freedom

Is ours at last.”

In the first stanza, the poet celebrates the freedom of our nation. The poet wants us to enjoy it with songs and dance.

Lines 5- 8:

“Gone are those days of caste-born pride.

Gone is the foreigner’s might:

Gone is passive subservience

Gone is the trickster’s sway.”

In this stanza, the poet says that now we are free of all sorts of oppression. Casteism is gone now. We don’t need to fear the foreigners’ rule anymore. We don’t have to be passive anyway. Trickers will no more be able to trick us anyway.

Lines 9- 12:

“Freedom is our universal speech,

Equality the experienced grace;

We’ll blow the conch of victory

And publish the truth to all.”

By the first line of this stanza, the poet means that all of us should stay united and prioritise our freedom over anything else. We should believe in equality and grace. The poet says that with all the aforementioned factors, we will achieve victory. We will prove our worth to the whole world.

Lines 13- 16:

“We see that all are equal born;

Now lie and deceit are dead;

Only the good men are great –

Ruin has seized and wicked.”

In this stanza, the poet says that all are born equal. There is no place of lie and deceit. According to him, period of destruction has to be over and only good men will prevail.

Lines 17- 20:

“Honour to the ploughman and the worker!

Shame to the glutton and the rake!

We’ll not water the wastelands,

Nor sweat for the idler’s weal!”

We should show our due respect to the farmers and workers and to everybody else. We would not be wasting our time on unnecessary events.

Lines 21- 24:

“We’ve learnt that this is our own land,

It will be forever ours;

No nation shall enslave us again;

We’ll prosper serving God, our sole Lord.”

The poet wants us to realise that this is our land. This should always be ours. We should believe that we would never get enslaved again. We should do our duties and serve God. That’s how we will prosper and so will the nation.

Figures of speech used in the poem:

Alliteration: This is a figure of speech where closely associated words or corresponding words begin with the same alphabet in a sentence.

“Gone is the trickster’s sway.”

“Equality the experienced grace”

Anaphora: This is a figure of speech where words repeat at the beginning of successive clauses or sentences.

“Gone are those days of caste-born pride.

Gone is the foreigner’s might:

Gone is passive subservience

Gone is the trickster’s sway.”

Questions And Answers

Who wrote the poem Song of Freedom?

Chinnaswami Subramania Bharathi wrote the poem Song of freedom.

How does the poet describe the conditions of India in the poem The Song of Freedom?

The poet visualises free India. In this poem, the poet celebrates the freedom of our Nation. It is celebrated with songs and dance Indians fought for the freedom unitedly leaving aside any caste born pride. Subramanya Bharathi used the verse as his medium to awaken the slumbering people of India.

Summary Of Justice Poem Karnataka Board Class 9 English 

Summary Of Justice Poem Karnataka Board Class 9 English

English is a difficult subject for many people to learn. Some students may become frustrated and give up, but here’s Summary Of Justice Poem Karnataka Board Class 9 English to help you maintain your momentum! This Summary Of Justice Poem will provide all necessary information needed in order to study KSEEB Class 9 English successfully at home or school; it includes detailed grammar rules with examples that were used during today’s class discussion on the Karnataka Board English Exam.

The Summary Of Justice Poem in English Chapter 5, Karnataka Board Class 9 makes it easier to understand the story. Understanding every detail of a story is important for scoring higher on an exam and expert writers have made sure that you know how everything flows together by summarizing perfectly!

Summary Of Justice Poem

About the poem:

This poem is mainly regarding justice. Justice is a great value of life. The poet has mentioned how worried he is due to the present condition of justice. Some people bribe her and ruin the sanctity. He has also mentioned how despite all the difficulties justice has managed to survive. Justice would be dead as soon as truth leaves her side.

Structure of the poem:

“Justice begotten in exchange is no justice,

For, exchange is trade,

A distressing gain through loss;

Justice is inherent right.

Though wrapped in black packs

In dark hall of race for survival

Like gold strains bound in mud

Till exploited;

She is cool like ice

And still like rock;

No easy road to charm her soul

While hardship makes her no more justice.

Why justice is shackled to greed and bribe?

Why justice is fished out from popular mood?

Lost in thick jungle of lightless night,

Like rat, caught in the sack of death,

Like deer, caught in lion’s lair,

She never reaches Self by herself.

Justice with no heart for truth,

Justice with no dash for right cause

Is justice dead indeed.”

Stanza 1

“Justice begotten in exchange is no justice,

For, exchange is trade,

A distressing gain through loss;

Justice is inherent right.”

When one earns justice in exchange of something, the true essence dies. It merely is a trade practice then. Justice has just become a commodity nowadays in most cases. According to the poet, justice is an inherent right. In forms the integral part of all the rights that an individual possesses. Justice is for the welfare of all people.

Stanza 2:

“Though wrapped in black packs

In dark hall of race for survival

Like gold strains bound in mud

Till exploited;”

Though justice has to be in a dark hall of race for survival, at the end it survives. That is due to its inherent strength. Justice has still survived like gold strains bound in mud.

Stanza 3:

“She is cool like ice

And still like rock;

No easy road to charm her soul

While hardship makes her no more justice.”

In today’s world, justice has become an item for sale. There have been so many immoral attacks on justice. But it stands still like a rock and cold as ice. There is no easy road for her. Nothing can attract her soul.

Stanza 4:

“Why justice is shackled to greed and bribe?

Why justice is fished out from popular mood?

Lost in thick jungle of lightless night,

Like rat, caught in the sack of death,”

Nowadays, justice is tied to greed and bribery. She leans towards the popular crowd. Justice is somewhere lost in the dark night. These people have kept her in a thick jungle that she can not escape. They have caught her like a rat stuck in the sack of death.

Stanza 5:

“Like deer, caught in lion’s lair,

She never reaches Self by herself.

Justice with no heart for truth,

Justice with no dash for right cause

Is justice dead indeed.”

They have caught her like an innocent deer in a lion’s resting zone. In today’s world, justice is nowhere near truth. Thus, due to the absence of truth and right cause, it is almost dead.

Figures of speech used in the poem:

Alliteration: This is a figure of speech where closely associated words or corresponding words begin with the same alphabet in a sentence.

“Justice begotten in exchange is no justice”

“Justice is inherent right.”

Simile: In this figure of speech, a comparison is made with the usage of any comparing words (like, as, than).

“She is cool like ice

And still like rock;”

“Though wrapped in black packs

In dark hall of race for survival

Like gold strains bound in mud

Till exploited;”

“Like rat, caught in the sack of death,”

Personification: Personification is a figure of speech in which animals, or other inanimate objects are credited with human feelings, emotions and abilities.

“She never reaches Self by herself.”

Questions And Answers

What is the message of the poem justice?

In his short poem “Justice,” Hughes advances a central theme that justice does not extend to black Americans.

How does the poet describe justice?

Justice is cool like ice and still like a rock. It is not easy to charm justice.

Why does the poet compare justice to gold strains and ice?

The poet compares Justice to gold strains, ice and rock because Though there are informal attacks on justice, it has existed because of her inherent strength. Though she has been kept in the dark hall of the race for survival, like gold strains in mud to be exploited.

Sample Questions Of Merchant of Venice Act 1 Scene 1 ICSE Class 9,10 English

Sample Questions Of Merchant of Venice Act 1 Scene 1 ICSE Class 9,10 English

English is a difficult subject for many people to learn. Some students may become frustrated and give up, but here’s Sample Questions Of Merchant of Venice Act 1 Scene 1 ICSE Class 9,10 English to help you maintain your momentum! This Sample Questions Of Merchant of Venice Act 1 Scene 1 will provide all necessary information needed in order to study ICSE Class 9,10 English successfully at home or school; it includes detailed grammar rules with examples that were used during today’s class discussion on the ICSE Board English Exam.

The Sample Questions Of Merchant of Venice Act 1 Scene 1 in English, ICSE Class 9,10 makes it easier to understand the story. Understanding every detail of a story is important for scoring higher on an exam and expert writers have made sure that you know how everything flows together by summarizing perfectly!

Sample Questions Merchant of Venice

Read the following extracts carefully and answer the questions.

A. “In soon, I know not why I am so sad.
It wearies me; you say it wearies you.
But how I caught it, found it, or came by it,
What stuff ‘tis made of, whereof it is born,
I am to learn”

1) Explain the lines 4
2) How does Salanio justify his sadness? 4
3) What would Salanio do if he had been Antonio? 4
4) How does Antonio refute Salanio? 4

B. “I hold the world but as the world, Gratiano-
A stage where every man must play a part,
And mine a sad one.”

1) What is the context of the lines? 3
2) How does Gratiano reflect his way of life? 4
3) What did Bassanio comment about Gratiano later on? 4
4) Evaluate ‘Merchant of Venice’ to be a comedy in the light of Act-I, Scene-I. 4C.

C. “ Well tell me now what lady is the same
To whom you swore a secret pilgrimage,
That you today promised to tell me of?”

1) What did Bassanio say about his attitude towards wealth and leading his life? 4
2) To Bassanio’s proposal how did Antonio React? 3
3) How does Bassanio try to persuade Antonio by the example of shafts? 4
4) How does Bassanio describe Portia? 4

The Fox And The Grapes Summary Karnataka Board Class 9 English Poem

The Fox And The Grapes Summary Karnataka Board Class 9 English Poem

English is a difficult subject for many people to learn. Some students may become frustrated and give up, but here’s The Fox And The Grapes Summary Karnataka Board Class 9 English Poem to help you maintain your momentum! This The Fox And The Grapes Summary will provide all necessary information needed in order to study KSEEB Class 9 English successfully at home or school; it includes detailed grammar rules with examples that were used during today’s class discussion on the Karnataka Board English Exam.

The Fox And The Grapes Summary in English Chapter 2, Karnataka Board Class 9 makes it easier to understand the story. Understanding every detail of a story is important for scoring higher on an exam and expert writers have made sure that you know how everything flows together by summarizing perfectly!

Summary of The Fox And The Grapes Poem

About the poem:

This poem is based on one of Aesop’s fables. The story revolves around a fox that is trying to eat grapes from a vine, but it is unable to reach them.

Structure of the poem:

“One summer’s day a Fox was passing through
An orchard; faint he was and hungry, too.
When suddenly his keen eye chanced to fall
Upon a bunch of grapes above the wall.
‘Ha! Just the thing!’ he said ‘who could resist it?
He eyed the purple cluster -jumped- and missed it.

‘Ahem!’ he coughed. I’ll take more careful aim’
And sprang again. Results were much the same,
Although his leaps were desperate and high.
At length he paused to wipe a tearful eye,
And shrug a shoulder. ‘I am not so dry,
And lunch is bound to come within the hour…
Besides,’ he said ‘ I’m sure those grapes are sour.’

The moral is : we somehow want the peach
That always dangles just beyond our reach;
Until we learn never to be upset
With what we find too difficult to get.”

There is a specific rhyming pattern. It is AABBCC DDEEEFF GGHH.

Line by line analysis of the poem:

Stanza 1:

“One summer’s day a Fox was passing through
An orchard; faint he was and hungry, too.
When suddenly his keen eye chanced to fall
Upon a bunch of grapes above the wall.

‘Ha! Just the thing!’ he said ‘who could resist it?
He eyed the purple cluster -jumped- and missed it.”

In the first stanza, the poet talks about a fox. It is a hot summer’s day and the fox was passing a fruit garden. He was very tired and hungry then. He noticed a bunch of grapes above the wall. And he thought it was impossible to resist those grapes. He tried getting the bunch by jumping over the wall. Sadly, he missed the bunch.

Stanza 2:

“‘Ahem!’ he coughed. I’ll take more careful aim’
And sprang again. Results were much the same,
Although his leaps were desperate and high.

At length he paused to wipe a tearful eye,
And shrug a shoulder. ‘I am not so dry,
And lunch is bound to come within the hour…
Besides,’ he said ‘ I’m sure those grapes are sour.’”

After missing the bunch for the first time, the fox decided to be more careful and take a better aim. He jumped again. The same thing happened again. He made many attempts. The results were same each time. He was very desperate and tried again and again, but failed. After so many failed attempts, he shrugged his shoulder and thought that he would anyway get lunch in an hour. Also, he said to himself that the grapes must be very sour.

Stanza 3:

“The moral is : we somehow want the peach
That always dangles just beyond our reach;
Until we learn never to be upset
With what we find too difficult to get.”

The last stanza of the poem talks about the moral of the whole story. It says that we always want things beyond our reach. Until we realise the same and know how to net be upset with what we find difficult to get.

Figures of speech used in the poem:

Alliteration: This is a figure of speech where closely associated words or corresponding words begin with the same alphabet in a sentence.

“With what we find too difficult to get.”

Personification: Personification is a figure of speech in which animals, or other inanimate objects are credited with human feelings, emotions and abilities.

“And shrug a shoulder. ‘I am not so dry,

And lunch is bound to come within the hour…

Besides,’ he said ‘ I’m sure those grapes are sour.’”

Questions And Answers

What is the moral of the story of the fox and the grapes?

The sour grapes story for kids taken from Aesop’s fables “The Fox and the grapes” is a popular story having a moral. The lesson that we can learn through this interesting story is that it is natural for us to dislike or scorn something that is not within our reach.

What does the fox represent in the fox and the grapes?

The fox’s characteristics are related to the moral or message of Aesop’s Fable “The Fox and the Grapes” by showing him to be prideful and unwilling to take the blame for his failings. He is also a character who is easily captivated by splendour.

Why did the fox say that the grapes were sour?

In an attempt to save his reputation and cure his smarting ego, the fox says the grapes were sour anyway, so he never really wanted them.

Line By Line Analysis Of The Dolphins ISC Class 11, 12 English 

Line By Line Analysis Of The Dolphins ISC Class 11, 12 English

English is a difficult subject for many people to learn. Some students may become frustrated and give up, but here’s Line By Line Analysis Of The Dolphins ISC Class 11, 12 English to help you maintain your momentum! This Line By Line Analysis Of The Dolphins will provide all necessary information needed in order to study ISC Class 11, 12 English successfully at home or school; it includes detailed grammar rules with examples that were used during today’s class discussion on the ISC English Exam.

The Line By Line Analysis Of The Dolphins in English, ISC Class 11, 12 makes it easier to understand the story. Understanding every detail of a story is important for scoring higher on an exam and expert writers have made sure that you know how everything flows together by summarizing perfectly!

Line By Line Analysis Of The Dolphins

Stanza One

World is what you swim in, or dance, it is simple.
We are in our element but we are not free.
Outside this world you cannot breathe for long.

The poem begins in the form of a dramatic monologue of the plight of an innocent dolphin voicing for all others in confinement. We see the world as a blessing, as a place to swim, dance and live freely. But what is presented by the poet is contrasting. The dolphins recollect their scattered dregs of oceanic freedom and beauty and mourn their present state in a shallow aquarium. The word ‘element’ refers to water, which though the same lacks richness and depth.

The other has my shape. The other’s movement
forms my thoughts. And also mine. There is a man
and there are hoops. There is a constant flowing guilt.

The other refers to his counterparts in the same aquarium. Though not explicitly stated, the other’s movement forms his “ thoughts”. The reference to man and the hoopes meant for the dolphins to jump through are suggestive of apathetic human control over the helpless creatures which have, ironically, natural affinity with humans. ‘The flowing guilt’ is a metaphor for the water pumped through the pool and points out to its unnatural system. Men should be guilty of their cruelty.

Stanza Two

We have found no truth in these waters,
no explanations tremble on our flesh.
We were blessed and now we are not blessed.

This shallow confinement offer to truth and satisfaction to their being. Now ‘ no explanations tremble on our flesh’. This portrays how much they are devoid of the reality. A dolphin which is known to receive a lot if information through its skin with a highly developed sonar is now unable to make sense of its existence. They recall their lost ‘blessed’ golden days of past in the ocean and now they are not blessed.

After travelling such space for days we began
to translate. It was the same space. It is
the same space always and above it is the man.

The dolphin has taken “days” to translate the truth of its new environment because it was so used to the expanse of free ocean, where it lived before being captured and put into an aquarium. It will now remain the ‘same space’ with monotonous music and the man( controller) above.

Stanza Three

And now we are no longer blessed, for the world
will not deepen to dream in. The other knows
and out of love reflects me for myself.

They brings out the fact that they are no longer blessed and this “ world” which they inhabit now is not vast and rich as before. The collective voice indicated by the use of ‘we’ makes it clear that speaker dolphin is a representative figure. It indicates the everlasting search for truth. The world has become too shallow to ‘dream in’.

The mutual understanding between them is also stretched when it says “ The other knows… . reflects me for myself”. This is suggestive of a sense of otherness and respect for independence on the part of the dolphins.

We see our silver skin flash by like memory
of somewhere else. There is a coloured ball
we have to balance till the man has disappeared.

The sense of former freedom is recalled : “ We see our silver skin flash by like memory Of somewhere else.”

The memory of the former times when they were in far-stretching waters haunts them and their never yearn is reflected. They remember when the natural sunlight reflected on their skin ‘ flash by like memory of somewhere else’. Here in this artificial world, they have to balance a coloured ball ( a replacement to the sun) in the presence of man. This sense refers to the control over innocent creatures without any sympathy.

Stanza Four

The moon has disappeared. We circle well-worn grooves
of water on a single note. Music of loss forever
from the other’s heart which turns my own to stone.

The concluding stanza is full of pathos and bleak. In the natural world, the moon appears and looks beautiful. This moon has disappeared! The very beauty is replaced by a ‘ plastic toy’ in the man made aquarium. They whirl in the same monotonous whistle every day and their music of life is lost forever in this man-made confinement. The is no variety and no real music. This has turned the speaker dolphin’s heart to “ stone”.

There is a plastic toy. There is no hope. We sink
to the limits of this pool until the whistle blows.
There is a man and our mind knows we will die here.

They are well aware of the doom and are rendered hopeless. They know of their demise in this desolate pool of water with dreams crushed to its very roots. The ‘man’ will always control them and fulfil his greed.

The poet obliquely makes a plea for all trapped animals and hopes for their freedom. The voice of the dolphin reminds us of the voice of creatures isolated for various reasons.

It Never Comes Again Textbook Questions And Answers Karnataka Board Class 9 English Poem

It Never Comes Again Textbook Questions And Answers Karnataka Board Class 9 English Poem

English is a difficult subject for many people to learn. Some students may become frustrated and give up, but here’s It Never Comes Again Textbook Questions And Answers Karnataka Board Class 9 English Poem to help you maintain your momentum! This It Never Comes Again Textbook Questions And Answers will provide all necessary information needed in order to study KSEEB Class 9 English successfully at home or school; it includes detailed grammar rules with examples that were used during today’s class discussion on the Karnataka Board English Exam.

The It Never Comes Again Textbook Questions And Answers in English Chapter 8, Karnataka Board Class 9 makes it easier to understand the story. Understanding every detail of a story is important for scoring higher on an exam and expert writers have made sure that you know how everything flows together by summarizing perfectly!

It Never Comes Again Textbook Questions And Answers

About the poet:

Richard Henry Stoddard, an American critic and poet was born in 1825 on 2nd July. He was born in Hingham, Massachusetts. He became a blacksmith and then an iron moulder. He used to read lots of poetry then. He was very much interested in literature.

In 1849, he gave up his job and started concentrating on literature. He began writing then. He had written for the “Union Magazine”, the “Knickerbocker Magazine”, “Putnam’s Monthly Magazine” and also the “New York Evening Post”. In 1852, he got married to novelist Elizabeth Drew Barstow.

Some of his most notable works as an editor are: “The Loves and Heroines of the Poets” (1861), “The Late English Poets” (1865) and “Female Poets of America” (1874) amongst many. His notable creations are: “Poems” (1852), “Town and Country” (1857), “The Book of the East” (1867), “The Lion’s Club, with Other Verse” (1890) He passed away in 1903 on May 12.

Important word meanings:

  • Balms: Something that helps one relax.
  • Sterner: Stronger.
  • Sigh: Long deep breathe showing disappointment.
  • Behold: Look at.

Theme of the poem:

Youth is the most beautiful phase of one’s life. A person feels stronger and better then. He is filled with dreams and the urge to achieve them. It is itself like a dream. We gain a lot from it and lose when it leaves. Thus, we should always use it productively. The poem also gives a message that we should use our time in a productive way.

Text book solutions:

What happens when youth departs?

Ans: When youth departs, we end up losing the spirit of life.

How does a person feel when he is youthful?

Ans: A person feels stronger and better while he is youthful. The poet has compared youth to “something sweet’ and a dream as well. That sums up the feeling that a person gets when he is youthful.

The poet says, “We sigh in vain.” Why?

Ans: Youth is the most beautiful phase of one’s life. A person feels stronger and better then. He is filled with dreams and the urge to achieve them. Once, the youth is gone, it seems like everything was in vain.

Where does a person look for youth after it is gone?

Ans: A person beholds youth everywhere on the earth and in air after it is gone.

Why does the poet compare losses and gains with youth?

Ans: If we end up losing wealth, we can get it later by putting efforts. If we fail in an event in life, we can succeed later after trying. But, once youth passes, we won’t ever get it back. Thus, the poet thinks we should make complete use of it.

What is the message of the poem?

Ans: Youth is the best phase of life. We should make proper use of it.

“Still we feel that something sweet
Followed youth, with flying feet,
And will never come again.”- The poet describes youth as ‘something sweet’.

Do you agree with him? Why?

Ans: We agree with the poem. Youth is the sweetest phase in one’s life. It is like a dream. We gain a lot from it and lose when it leaves. Thus, we should always use it productively.

The poet says, ‘There are gains for all our losses’. Do you agree with this? Give reasons.

Ans: We gain a lot from youth and lose when it leaves. It is a valuable phase of life. It gives rise to lots of dreams and the urge to fulfil them.

Which line(s) in the poem do you like the most? Why?

Ans: “Still we feel that something sweet
Followed youth, with flying feet,
And will never come again.”

These lines were very meaningful. Youth is the sweetest phase in one’s life. It is like a dream. We gain a lot from it and lose when it leaves. Thus, we should always use it productively.

Can you think of some proverbs/ quotations related to the theme of the poem?

Ans: “Time and tide wait for none.”, “Youth once lost is lost forever.”, “Beauty should perish and die.”, “In youth we learn.”

Critical Analysis Of I Know Why The Caged Bird Sings Poem By Maya Angelou ICSE Class 9, 10 English literature

Critical Analysis Of I Know Why The Caged Bird Sings Poem By Maya Angelou ICSE Class 9, 10 English literature

English is a difficult subject for many people to learn. Some students may become frustrated and give up, but here’s Critical Analysis Of I Know Why The Caged Bird Sings Poem By Maya Angelou to help you maintain your momentum! This Critical Analysis Of I Know Why The Caged Bird Sings will provide all necessary information needed in order to study ICSE Class 9, 10 English successfully at home or school; it includes detailed grammar rules with examples that were used during today’s class discussion on the ICSE Board English Exam.

The Critical Analysis Of I Know Why The Caged Bird Sings Poem By Maya Angelou, ICSE Class 9, 10 English makes it easier to understand the story. Understanding every detail of a story is important for scoring higher on an exam and expert writers have made sure that you know how everything flows together by summarizing perfectly!

Line By Line Analysis Of I Know Why The Caged Bird Sings Poem

First Stanza

“A free bird leaps

on the back of the wind

and floats downstream”

The first verse is replete with the notion of liberty. The poem opens with reference to the flight of a free bird who springs free from the ground to fly in the guidance of the air current. It is as if it glides it the lap of the sky. The words “ leaps on the back of the wind” and “ floats downstream” capture the ease of movement which freedom brings along.

“till the current ends

and dips his wing

in the orange sun rays

and dares to claim the sky.”

Here, the movement of the bird in the sky is depicted. It looks as if the bird had submerged in the orange hue if the sun covering the sky. The bird glides in the atmosphere. Gliding, unlike flight, is a low strength consuming recreation which the poem describes as an effortless, leisurely movement. It grips an exclusive white-privilege and brings forth the opportunities and possibilities which a socially acclaimed individual can attain.

Second Stanza

“But a bird that stalks

down his narrow cage

can seldom see through

his bars of rage”

The second stanza begins with a “But” which reflects a sharp contrast between the first and succeeding stanzas. The state of confinement of the caged bird is echoed throughout the following lines. The shackles were so powerful that the bird is caged in both physical and psychological perception. Generations of racial bias have rendered him blind with resentment that he seldom sees through his bars of rage.

“his wings are clipped and

his feet are tied

so he opens his throat to sing.”

The wings of the bird are clipped and his feet are bound. He could hardly move — which is a sharp contrast to the free bird which glides and strides in the open sky and even “ dares to claim the sky”. The poem works with stark opposing imageries, juxtaposed against each other. Here, the caged bird sings out of suffering. An abolitionist Frederick Douglass once said, “Slaves sing most when they are most unhappy”. The cage limits the bird’s “ line of sight” and it sings in grief.

Third Stanza

“The caged bird sings

with a fearful trill

of things unknown

but longed for still”

These is the most poignant lines of the poem. The caged bird hasn’t encountered the type of freedom the free bird experiences. It quavers while singing of the things unknown. The bird knows nothing about the freedom but still longs for its existence because the core of it recognizes it as a basic requirement.

“and his tune is heard

on the distant hill

for the caged bird

sings of freedom”

The cry for freedom of the bird is heard in distant dwellings. Poem describes the opposing experiences of the caged bird and its counterpart. All that the caged bird could do to attain the liberation is by raising its voice against the injustice. This idea is particularly notable, as it reminds one of the time with Angelou along with Martin Luther King Jr., was an active participant in the Civil Rights Movement.

Fourth Stanza

“The free bird thinks of another breeze

and the trade winds soft through the sighing trees”

These lines go back to the unrestricted movement of the free bird. These shows us how one’s surrounding play an integral part in shaping one’s aspirations and one’s vision of the self. The brilliant visual, aural and palpable imagery captures the delight of the free bird. The idea of ease and abundance is predominant here.

“and the fat worms waiting on a dawn bright lawn

and he names the sky his own”

In the following lines, we find that the independent bird is exposed to the abundance of nature. It can fly freely and satisfy its hunger on “fat worms”. Visual imagery of nature is prominent in use if words like- “ dawn”, “bright lawn”, “ sky”. The bird is so free that he supposedly “ names the sky his own.”

Fifth Stanza

“But a caged bird stands on the grave of dreams

his shadow shouts on a nightmare scream”

The cage has now become the grave of the bird’s ambition. The damage that has been done to the bird’s sanity can be measured by the fact that his shadow shouts on a “nightmare scream” resulting from the frustration. The imagery of death and suffering prevails in these lines.

“his wings are clipped and his feet are tied

so he opens his throat to sing.”

These remind us of the condition of the caged bird in the former lines. Angelo paints a vital portrait of oppression in which she illuminates the privilege and entitlement of the uncompressed, and conveys the event of suffering and emotional strength.

Sixth Stanza

The sixth stanza is a refrain of the stanza three. This repetition, in turn, gives a bold assertion of the agency of the caged bird. She years for a condition which is inherently attached to its very presence: the state of being free.

Line By Line Analysis Of The Darkling Thrush ISC Class 11, 12 English Literature

Line By Line Analysis Of The Darkling Thrush ISC Class 11, 12 English Literature

English is a difficult subject for many people to learn. Some students may become frustrated and give up, but here’s Line By Line Analysis Of The Darkling Thrush ISC Class 11, 12 English Literature to help you maintain your momentum! This Line By Line Analysis Of The Darkling Thrush will provide all necessary information needed in order to study ISC Class 11, 12 English Literature successfully at home or school; it includes detailed grammar rules with examples that were used during today’s class discussion on the ISC English Exam.

Line By Line Analysis Of The Darkling Thrush

STANZA ONE

I leant upon a coppice gate

When Frost was spectre-grey,

And Winter’s dregs made desolate

The weakening eye of day.

The first four opening lines of the poem sets the poem’s form and the foremost theme. The dominant “I” gives an individualistic perception of the humdrum of life.

The poem opens with the speaker leaning by the “ coppice gate” at the “ dregs” of the winter day. The atmosphere in the speaker’s mind us “ desolate”, provoking a sense of despair. Here, he uses the metaphor of Frost and has compared that to as “sceptre-grey” –a ghost or spirit. Similarly, the metaphor of “eye of day” refers to the setting of the sun. A sense of gloominess is hinted as there is no clue to the rise of the sun. The prevailing mood is thus one of decay without a glimpse of renewal.

The tangled bine-stems scored the sky

Like strings of broken lyres,

And all mankind that haunted nigh

Had sought their household fires.

The tangled stems are a reminder of summer. Since the strings of the musical lyre is broken, there is no sweet melody of summer but only the desolate and frosty winter. This broken lyre emphasizes the absence of harmony, indirectly referring to the loss of hope from one’s life.

The last two lines have presented a contrasting fact as to how the whole of mankind is inside there warm household but only the speaker is standing outside in a barren land on a frosty night. This, in these lines, the earth appears estranged, colourless and a place where no melody persists.

STANZA TWO

The land’s sharp features seemed to be

The Century’s corpse outleant,

His crypt the cloudy canopy,

The wind his death-lament.

The second intensifies the gloominess of the poem. The poet further delves into the isolate trance and connect the landscape around him to the days gone by. Here, the poet has used the metaphor of landscape’s “sharp features” and compared it with “ The Century’s corpse”, the corpse of the dying 19th century. The cloudy canopy of the sky seems as the tomb of the death century and the wind its death song. The speaker then feels that owing to extreme cold the rhythm of conception and births slowed down considerably. Every living creature, including the speaker, is bereft of zest and enthusiasm.

The ancient pulse of germ and birth

Was shrunken hard and dry,

And every spirit upon earth

Seemed fervourless as I.

The poet acknowledges the age of process of birth and germination as “pulse” that seems on a halt due to the cold rugged winter, where due to absence of warmth and light, source of any life form seems almost impossible. The world sound him seems “ frivolous” as the poet himself. Here, the speaker has left behind the dominant “I” and has comprised “every spirit” in the desolation of the earth.

STANZA THREE

At once a voice arose among

The bleak twigs overhead

In a full-hearted evensong

Of joy illimited;

Through this gloom evening, a voice aroused from some “bleak twigs” which broke to a loud heartfelt voice of endless joy. Hardy makes masterly use of the element of suspense by beginning the stanza with “ At once..”. This is a sharp contrast with the first two stanzas of melancholy and hopelessness. Furthermore, what is to be noted here is that the speaker solicits the reader’s interest to both the song and the singer.

An aged thrush, frail, gaunt, and small,

In blast-beruffled plume,

Had chosen thus to fling his soul

Upon the growing gloom.

The suspense which developed in the first part is now disclosed as we find that soulful “evensong” is that on an old “beruffled” thrush. We aren’t told that it is a young, strong thrush but rather a “frail, gaunt, small, blast- beruffled” bird which is in a perishable situation. This frailty can be because of the winter which left no food to eat rather has left his wings blasted.

The fact that this pitiable soul has chosen to sing in such a state sets forth an optimistic note which has sprouted hope.

The word “blast-beruffled” is invented by Hardy himself. There are several instances of such use of words to fit the purpose. Such words include “darkling”, “spectre-grey”, “outlent” etc. “Darkling” is by far the most famous word among Victorian poets. We find its use in Mathew Arnold’s Dover Beach, Keats’s Ode to a Nightingale and others.

STANZA FOUR

So little cause for carolings

Of such ecstatic sound

Was written on terrestrial things

Afar or nigh around,

The last stanza is full of the spirit if life and hope. But the speaker is astonished at the fact that what “terrestrial things” on the earth could make the bird sing so earnestly. There is the interplay of hope and despair vis-à-vis that of the human subject. Though there is such “little cause” for happiness yet the bird makes its “ecstatic sound”.

That I could think there trembled through

His happy good-night air

Some blessed Hope, whereof he knew

And I was unaware.

Although the speaker could hear the song he cannot experience it himself. He acknowledges that there might be some strong pure faith that the poet himself and mankind are oblivious to. The capitalization of the word “Hope” suggests some spiritual and religious influence. The poet concludes on an optimistic note if “Blessed Hope” which in time being all will be aware.

The Line By Line Analysis Of The Darkling Thrush in English, ISC Class 11, 12 English Literature makes it easier to understand the story. Understanding every detail of a story is important for scoring higher on an exam and expert writers have made sure that you know how everything flows together by summarizing perfectly!

The Song Of Freedom Extra Questions And Answers Karnataka Board Class 9 English Poem

The Song Of Freedom Extra Questions And Answers Karnataka Board Class 9 English Poem

English is a difficult subject for many people to learn. Some students may become frustrated and give up, but here’s The Song Of Freedom Extra Questions And Answers Karnataka Board Class 9 English Poem to help you maintain your momentum! This The Song Of Freedom Extra Questions And Answers will provide all necessary information needed in order to study KSEEB Class 9 English successfully at home or school; it includes detailed grammar rules with examples that were used during today’s class discussion on the Karnataka Board English Exam.

The Song Of Freedom Extra Questions And Answers in English Chapter 7, Karnataka Board Class 9 makes it easier to understand the story. Understanding every detail of a story is important for scoring higher on an exam and expert writers have made sure that you know how everything flows together by summarizing perfectly!

The Song Of Freedom Extra Questions And Answers

You are going to go through the Song Of Freedom Extra Questions And Answers Class 9 English Poem Understanding a text meticulously in its entirety is very important for a learner for scoring better in the exam. Experts made ample to ensure a thorough critical and line-by-line analysis. Let us find The Song Of Freedom Extra Questions And Answers Class 9 English Poem.

Additional questions:

What does the poet say about glutton and rake?
Ans: Glutton and rake has no place in free India. It is a shame to the whole nation.

In the poet, the poet celebrates the ­­­____ of our nation.
A) Game
B) Culture
C) Festival
D) Freedom
Choose the correct option.
Ans: D) Freedom.

Poet says that we would blow
A) The trumpet
B) The wind
C) The flute
D) The conch of victory

Choose the correct option.
Ans: D) The conch of victory.

The Song of Freedom

“This is the hour

Of song and dance,

For blissful freedom

Is ours at last.

Gone are those days of caste-born pride.

Gone is the foreigner’s might:

Gone is passive subservience

Gone is the trickster’s sway.

Freedom is our universal speech,

Equality the experienced grace;

We’ll blow the conch of victory

And publish the truth to all.

We see that all are equal born;

Now lie and deceit are dead;

Only the good men are great –

Ruin has seized and wicked.

Honour to the ploughman and the worker!

Shame to the glutton and the rake!

We’ll not water the wastelands,

Nor sweat for the idler’s weal!

We’ve learnt that this is our own land,

It will be forever ours;

No nation shall enslave us again;

We’ll prosper serving God, our sole Lord.”

There is no specific rhyming pattern.

Line by line analysis of the poem:

Lines 1- 4:

“This is the hour

Of song and dance,

For blissful freedom

Is ours at last.”

In the first stanza, the poet celebrates the freedom of our nation. The poet wants us to enjoy it with songs and dance.

Lines 5- 8:

“Gone are those days of caste-born pride.

Gone is the foreigner’s might:

Gone is passive subservience

Gone is the trickster’s sway.”

In this stanza, the poet says that now we are free of all sorts of oppression. Casteism is gone now. We don’t need to fear the foreigners’ rule anymore. We don’t have to be passive anyway. Trickers will no more be able to trick us any way.

Lines 9- 12:

“Freedom is our universal speech,

Equality the experienced grace;

We’ll blow the conch of victory

And publish the truth to all.”

By the first line of this stanza, the poet means that all of us should stay united and prioritise our freedom over anything else. We should believe in equality and grace. The poet says that with all the aforementioned factors, we will achieve victory. We will prove our worth to the whole world.

Lines 13- 16:

“We see that all are equal born;

Now lie and deceit are dead;

Only the good men are great –

Ruin has seized and wicked.”

In this stanza, the poet says that all are born equal. There is no place of lie and deceit. According to him, period of destruction has to be over and only good men will prevail.

Lines 17- 20:

“Honour to the ploughman and the worker!

Shame to the glutton and the rake!

We’ll not water the wastelands,

Nor sweat for the idler’s weal!”

We should show our due respect to the farmers and workers and to everybody else. We would not be wasting our time on unnecessary events.

Lines 21- 24:

“We’ve learnt that this is our own land,

It will be forever ours;

No nation shall enslave us again;

We’ll prosper serving God, our sole Lord.”

The poet wants us to realise that this is our land. This should always be ours. We should believe that we would never get enslaved again. We should do our duties and serve God. That’s how we will prosper and so will the nation.

Figures of speech used in the poem:

Alliteration: This is a figure of speech where closely associated words or corresponding words begin with the same alphabet in a sentence.

“Gone is the trickster’s sway.”

“Equality the experienced grace”

Anaphora: This is a figure of speech where words repeat at the beginning of successive clauses or sentences.

“Gone are those days of caste-born pride.

Gone is the foreigner’s might:

Gone is passive subservience

Gone is the trickster’s sway.”

Important word meanings:

Blissful: Extremely happy and peaceful.

Enslave: Make into a slave

Sole: Exclusive.

Theme of the poem:

This poem is mainly about celebrating the freedom of our country. The poet talks about not only a free India, but also a glorious India. The poet wants our nation to be free from all sorts of trickery, casteism, discrimination. We should stay away from lies and deceit of any kind, as per the poet.

 

Elegy Written In A Country Churchyard By Thomas Gray West Bengal Board Class 10 English

Elegy Written In A Country Churchyard By Thomas Gray West Bengal Board Class 10 English

English is a difficult subject for many people to learn. Some students may become frustrated and give up, but here’s Elegy Written In A Country Churchyard By Thomas Gray West Bengal Board Class 10 English to help you maintain your momentum! This Elegy Written In A Country Churchyard By Thomas Gray will provide all necessary information needed in order to study West Bengal Board Class 8 English successfully at home or school; it includes detailed grammar rules with examples that were used during today’s class discussion on the West Bengal Board English Exam.

The Elegy Written In A Country Churchyard By Thomas Gray in English, West Bengal Board Class 8 English makes it easier to understand the story. Understanding every detail of a story is important for scoring higher on an exam and expert writers have made sure that you know how everything flows together by summarizing perfectly!

Elegy Written in a Country Churchyard By Thomas Gray

The curfew tolls the knell of parting day,
The lowing herd wind slowly o’er the lea,
The plowman homeward plods his weary way,
And leaves the world to darkness and to me.

Now fades the glimm’ring landscape on the sight,
And all the air a solemn stillness holds,
Save where the beetle wheels his droning flight,
And drowsy tinklings lull the distant folds;

Save that from yonder ivy-mantled tow’r
The moping owl does to the moon complain
Of such, as wand’ring near her secret bow’r,
Molest her ancient solitary reign.

Beneath those rugged elms, that yew-tree’s shade,
Where heaves the turf in many a mould’ring heap,
Each in his narrow cell for ever laid,
The rude forefathers of the hamlet sleep.

The breezy call of incense-breathing Morn,
The swallow twitt’ring from the straw-built shed,
The cock’s shrill clarion, or the echoing horn,
No more shall rouse them from their lowly bed.

For them no more the blazing hearth shall burn,
Or busy housewife ply her evening care:
No children run to lisp their sire’s return,
Or climb his knees the envied kiss to share.

Oft did the harvest to their sickle yield,
Their furrow oft the stubborn glebe has broke;
How jocund did they drive their team afield!
How bow’d the woods beneath their sturdy stroke!

Let not Ambition mock their useful toil,
Their homely joys, and destiny obscure;
Nor Grandeur hear with a disdainful smile
The short and simple annals of the poor.

The boast of heraldry, the pomp of pow’r,
And all that beauty, all that wealth e’er gave,
Awaits alike th’ inevitable hour.
The paths of glory lead but to the grave.

Nor you, ye proud, impute to these the fault,
If Mem’ry o’er their tomb no trophies raise,
Where thro’ the long-drawn aisle and fretted vault
The pealing anthem swells the note of praise.

Can storied urn or animated bust
Back to its mansion call the fleeting breath?
Can Honour’s voice provoke the silent dust,
Or Flatt’ry soothe the dull cold ear of Death?

Perhaps in this neglected spot is laid
Some heart once pregnant with celestial fire;
Hands, that the rod of empire might have sway’d,
Or wak’d to ecstasy the living lyre.

But Knowledge to their eyes her ample page
Rich with the spoils of time did ne’er unroll;
Chill Penury repress’d their noble rage,
And froze the genial current of the soul.

Full many a gem of purest ray serene,
The dark unfathom’d caves of ocean bear:
Full many a flow’r is born to blush unseen,
And waste its sweetness on the desert air.

Some village-Hampden, that with dauntless breast
The little tyrant of his fields withstood;
Some mute inglorious Milton here may rest,
Some Cromwell guiltless of his country’s blood.

Th’ applause of list’ning senates to command,
The threats of pain and ruin to despise,
To scatter plenty o’er a smiling land,
And read their hist’ry in a nation’s eyes,

Their lot forbade: nor circumscrib’d alone
Their growing virtues, but their crimes confin’d;
Forbade to wade through slaughter to a throne,
And shut the gates of mercy on mankind,

The struggling pangs of conscious truth to hide,
To quench the blushes of ingenuous shame,
Or heap the shrine of Luxury and Pride
With incense kindled at the Muse’s flame.

Far from the madding crowd’s ignoble strife,
Their sober wishes never learn’d to stray;
Along the cool sequester’d vale of life
They kept the noiseless tenor of their way.

Yet ev’n these bones from insult to protect,
Some frail memorial still erected nigh,
With uncouth rhymes and shapeless sculpture deck’d,
Implores the passing tribute of a sigh.

Their name, their years, spelt by th’ unletter’d muse,
The place of fame and elegy supply:
And many a holy text around she strews,
That teach the rustic moralist to die.

For who to dumb Forgetfulness a prey,
This pleasing anxious being e’er resign’d,
Left the warm precincts of the cheerful day,
Nor cast one longing, ling’ring look behind?

On some fond breast the parting soul relies,
Some pious drops the closing eye requires;
Ev’n from the tomb the voice of Nature cries,
Ev’n in our ashes live their wonted fires.

For thee, who mindful of th’ unhonour’d Dead
Dost in these lines their artless tale relate;
If chance, by lonely contemplation led,
Some kindred spirit shall inquire thy fate,

Haply some hoary-headed swain may say,
“Oft have we seen him at the peep of dawn
Brushing with hasty steps the dews away
To meet the sun upon the upland lawn.

“There at the foot of yonder nodding beech
That wreathes its old fantastic roots so high,
His listless length at noontide would he stretch,
And pore upon the brook that babbles by.

“Hard by yon wood, now smiling as in scorn,
Mutt’ring his wayward fancies he would rove,
Now drooping, woeful wan, like one forlorn,
Or craz’d with care, or cross’d in hopeless love.

“One morn I miss’d him on the custom’d hill,
Along the heath and near his fav’rite tree;
Another came; nor yet beside the rill,
Nor up the lawn, nor at the wood was he;

“The next with dirges due in sad array
Slow thro’ the church-way path we saw him borne.
Approach and read (for thou canst read) the lay,
Grav’d on the stone beneath yon aged thorn.”

Here rests his head upon the lap of Earth
A youth to Fortune and to Fame unknown.
Fair Science frown’d not on his humble birth,
And Melancholy mark’d him for her own.

Large was his bounty, and his soul sincere,
Heav’n did a recompense as largely send:
He gave to Mis’ry all he had, a tear,
He gain’d from Heav’n (’twas all he wish’d) a friend.

No farther seek his merits to disclose,
Or draw his frailties from their dread abode,
(There they alike in trembling hope repose)
The bosom of his Father and his God.

Questions And Answers

What is the main message of Elegy Written in a Country Churchyard?

The main message of “Elegy Written in a Country Churchyard” is that death renders all humans equal, no matter their respective roles in life. As the speaker muses on the ordinary folk buried in the eponymous churchyard, he reflects that they now occupy the same status as the great figures who overshadowed them in life.

Why did Thomas Gray write Elegy Written in a Country Churchyard?

Thomas Gray’s “Elegy Written in a Country Churchyard” was first published in 1751. Gray may, however, have begun writing the poem in 1742, shortly after the death of his close friend Richard West. This thought leads him to praise the dead for the honest, simple lives that they lived.

How Elegy Written in a Country Churchyard differs from a traditional elegy?

It is objective mourning whereas in the elegies of other poets the mourning is too personal. Though written to commemorate Gray’s friend, Richard West, the poem expresses grief over death in general.

Is Elegy Written in Country Churchyard a pastoral elegy?

The pastoral elegy is a poem about both death and idyllic rural life. The genre is actually a subgroup of pastoral poetry, as the elegy takes the pastoral elements and relates them to express the poet’s grief at a loss.

How does Thomas Gray glorify the common man in his elegy?

In the famous poem “Elegy Written in a Country Churchyard,” Thomas Gray glorifies common men by making them equal to men who once had possession of power and heraldry. Gray points out that in death, there is no difference between the poor and the wealthy.

Do you consider Gray’s elegy a transitional poem?

Thomas Gray’s famous poem “Elegy Written in a Country Churchyard” is a turning point in English poetry because there are many traces of Romanticism in this poem. Although it is a Neo-classical poem, it abounds with the basic qualities of Romanticism. Therefore it is a transitional poem.

How does Thomas Gray describe the country life in his Elegy Written in a Country Churchyard?

In his poem, Gray suggests that country folk be remembered and appreciated. “Elegy Written in a Country Churchyard” was among the first poems to provide a realistic portrayal of the countryside.

Is Elegy Written in a Country Churchyard a romantic poem?

In this poem, we see that he follows some of the characteristics from each of romanticism and neo-classicism. At the side of use and presentation of language, he, we can consider, maintains the neo-classic ideals, and at the side of theme and setting, it is romantic.

Line By Line Analysis Of Nine Gold Medals By David Roth ICSE Class 9, 10 English

Line By Line Analysis Of Nine Gold Medals By David Roth ICSE Class 9, 10 English

English is a difficult subject for many people to learn. Some students may become frustrated and give up, but here’s Line By Line Analysis Of Nine Gold Medals By David Roth ICSE Class 9, 10 English to help you maintain your momentum! This Line By Line Analysis Of Nine Gold Medals By David Roth will provide all necessary information needed in order to study ICSE Class 9, 10 English successfully at home or school; it includes detailed grammar rules with examples that were used during today’s class discussion on the ICSE Board English Exam.

The A Day In The Ashram Extra Questions And Answers in English, ICSE Board Class 9, 10 makes it easier to understand the story. Understanding every detail of a story is important for scoring higher on an exam and expert writers have made sure that you know how everything flows together by summarizing perfectly!

Line By Line Analysis Of Nine Gold Medals

STANZA ONE

The athletes had come from all over the country

To run for the gold, for the silver and bronze

The poem begins with the information that various sportsmen have gathered from all over the country to take far in the tournament of ‘Special Olympics’. They were all competing for the gold, silver and bronze medals. It introduces us to the grand scale of the event and who different people have put in their efforts to win rewards.

Many weeks and months of training

All coming down to these games.

They have undergone several weeks and months of rigorous training before participating in this tournament. They aim to succeed in their endeavour as they have worked hard and aim to achieve the rewards. These lines describe the aspirations of the players.

STANZA TWO

The spectators gathered around the old field

To cheer on all the young women and men

The audience has gathered around the typically ‘old’ arena cheering for their favourite young women and men participants. This shows the great gusto and buildup of the event.

The final event of the day was approaching

Excitement grew high to begin.

The ultimate event of the day was soon
approaching. A feeling of suspense and enthusiasm was prevailing in the air. The excitement was high among the spectators and the players.

STANZA THREE

The blocks were all lined up for those who would use
them

The hundred-yard dash and the race to be run

The tracks were all lined up with contestants ready to reach their purpose. An air of thrill-filled the field. Here, we are acquainted with the last event of the tournament, the ‘ hundred-
yard dash’ which they were to run.

These were nine resolved athletes in back of the starting line

STANZA FOUR

The signal was given, the pistol exploded

And so did the runners all charging ahead

Finally, the wait was over, the pistol flared and they ran to relish their dream into reality. They all ‘ charged ahead’. Here, the climax of the narrative is attained. The swift pace of rhythm as soon as the signal was ‘ given’ and the gun ‘ exploded’ mimics the nearing climax.

But the smallest among them, he stumbled and staggered

And fell to the asphalt instead.

Suddenly, the atmosphere attained its climax and to the despair of everyone, the smallest among the player ‘ stumbled ’ and ‘ staggered’ down. He fell to the asphalt.

STANZA FIVE

He gave out a cry in frustration and anguish

His dreams and his efforts all dashed in the dirt

He cried out in frustration and suffering. His dream and all efforts seemed to go in vain. He was injured both by the harsh asphalt and by the thought of losing even before finishing the race.

But as sure as I’m standing here telling this story

The same goes for what next occurred.

The poet stands here as a narrator. Here, the narration is the first person as can be interpreted by the line But as sure as I’m standing/here telling this story’.

STANZA SIX

The eight other runners pulled up on their heels

The ones who had trained for so long to

Hearing his sharp cry, all other eight players stopped their race and turned round to help the young boy. They chose humanity over competition despite the fact that they too had been waiting for this day and working hard to achieve their dream.

One by one they all turned around and went back to
help him

And brought the young boy to his feet.

One after other they all turned and provided him with a helping hand. They helped him to stand up and brought him on his feet. This shows the sense of brotherhood which is far above winning the race.

STANZA SEVEN

Then all the nine runners joined hands and continued

The hundred-yard dash now reduced to a walk

All of them joined hand in hand walked to complete the race. The hundred-meter race was reduced to a mere walk. This gesture lightly shows the power if unity and how one can unite to gain success. Cooperation is foremost in these lines.

And a banner above that said (Special Olympics)

Could not have been more on the mark.

Banner above them said ‘ Special Olympics ’. The race was indeed special as everyone was united to reach the same goal. This could not have been better according to the poet ‘ Could not have been more on the mark.’ The author here strikes a note by skillfully switching the focus from the condition of the players to the enormity of their action.

STANZA EIGHT

That’s how the race ended, with nine gold medals

They came to the finish line holding hands still

In this way, the race ended. Each player was conferred with a gold medal for their true sportsman spirit and sense of empathy. Their holding hands have proved that brotherhood is above the burden of winning the race.

And a standing ovation and nine beaming faces

Said more than these words ever will.

They were honoured with a standing ovation by all. The nine glowing faces conveyed more than any feelings which is brought out in the poem.

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