Why do you think the poem "A Psalm of Life"is an inspirational poem?             (Neha 20132)

The poem "A Psalm of Life" is written by H.W. Longfellow's sacred song used to praise God. This poem celebrates life and encourages us all to do something great. The poet advises that life is all about living it in the present without worrying about the future. While heaven may be the aim at the end of life. The destiny of life is not only enjoyment and sorrow. We must act in the present so that the future could be better than the present. Life is not an empty dream but it  is real and a serious affair and death is not its goal. It is about doing and achieving something before we die. The path of action is long but the time is passing day by day. We should make the most of it. We should not behave like dumb, driven cattle and must act like heroes in this struggle. We should live and act in the present only with courage in our hearts and accepting blessings of God from above. The lives of great men have much to teach us by their great achievements. Like these great men we can also leave our footprints on the sand. The poem is thus highly inspirational. It urges us to make the most of life and achieve something great. 

Why do you think that the poem "A Psalm of life" is an optimistic poem in spite of highlighting the transience of life?                       (Neha 20132)

Ans:- The poem "The Psalm of life" written by H.W. Longfellow tells us that life is real and it is a serious affair and death is not its goal. The line of the Bible " dust thou art, to dust returnest" stresses upon the fulfilty of human life yet it was not spoken about the soul and it talks only about the body. Life is all about living it in the present without worrying about the future. The destiny of life is not only enjoyment and sorrow. We must act in the present so that the future could be better than the present. The path of action is long but the time is passing day by day. The heartbeat of man is indicated by the sound of muffled drums that are beaten at the time of funeral. Time consumes everything. The speaker compares the world to a great battlefield. Life is very short as compared to the expanse of the universe. We should not behave like dumb, driven cattle and must act like heroes in this struggle. The future is uncertain and beyond control whereas the past is dead and gone:, so we should forget both. We should live and act in the present only with courage in our hearts and accepting blessings of God from above. The lives of great men have much to teach us by their great achievements. Like these great men we can also leave our footprints on the sand. We should not waste our time. Rather, we should use this life to do something great. Then shipwrecked people will take courage by following our example. They can start their journey of life with a new hope. We should continuously keep doing the good work in the present, so we may achieve new things. The poem ends on note of hope as it urges us to believe in ourselves with a positive attitude. That is why we think that the poem "A Psalm of life" is an optimistic poem in spite of highlighting the transience of life. 

What are the important metaphors used by the poet to convey his message?

A metaphor is a direct comparison between two dissimilar entities or things; for example, when we compare a girl with the Moon with the help of words “like” or “as” then we are using ‘simile’.  On the other hand, a direct comparison of a girl with the moon will become a metaphor.

The girl is like the moon. (simile)

The girl is the Moon. (metaphor)

Both simile and metaphor are frequently used by poets and writers to draw comparison and so make the language attractive. In the poem “A Psalm of Life” the poet H.W. Longfellow has used several metaphors to describe life, its struggle and the final objective. The main metaphor for life is that of a battle. Life, according to the poet, is a battle where we are encouraged to fight heroically and rise victorious. Life has also been described metaphorically as a temporary shelter or tent in the middle of the vast worldly battlefield. Life and its struggle has been compared to sailing in an ocean that is forever in turmoil. The poet has compared man, the struggler, to being ‘shipwrecked’ and to ‘dumb cattle’ driven by others. The simile of ‘muffled drum’ has been used for the beating heart of man and the metaphor of ‘Funeral March’ has been used to indicate our slow progress towards death. Life has also been personified when the poet calls it real and earnest. Allusion to the Old Testament of the Bible has been made in the line “Dust thou art, to dust returnest”. This expression has been used to indicate the futility of human life. The poem is rich in metaphors and conveys its meaning through them.

Write a note on the imagery in the poem "A Psalm of Life".

Imagery in literature is a description that brings up a picture to the mind of the reader. It seeks to create a picture with words. The description given by the writer evokes the internal emotions and feelings in readers. Similes, Metaphors and other such literary devices are employed by the writers to create imagery. A comparison that evokes any of the five senses to convey an idea to the reader is known as an image. Imagery is a series of repeated, related images that a poet uses to make his readers imagine the otherwise abstract ideas. The poem “A Psalm of Life” is very rich in its imagery. The first image used in the poem from the Bible. It describes that man is made of dust and that he will return to dust after death. The idea, however, is rejected by the poet on the ground that this has been said about the body that is consumed by nature after death and not about the soul. Time has been Imagined as a fast runner which takes man towards grave with each passing step. The reader is advised to utilise the available time and never to waste it. Central image of the poem is that of battle and battlefield. The world has been compared to a battlefield. Life is a battle. The struggle of life in the form of action is the fight of man as a soldier. When the world is described as a vast expanse of struggle, life is imagined to be a temporary camp amidst the battlefield. The poet encourages the reader to be a hero in this life of action and struggle. The reader must be ‘up and doing’ and focus on achievement. The image of a lonely shipwrecked sailor who is struggling to reach the show has been used and life in this image is compared to the ocean. Related to this is the image of the “Footprints on the sands of Time”. The image conveys that we should live our lives in such a way that we leave some marks behind so that others can follow the example and take courage in the moments of weakness in their lives.

Thus, the imagery used in the poem makes the reader imagine and understand the basic ideas expressed by the poet.

1.What is the central idea of the poem"Animals"?        (Akanksha 20142)

Ans:- In this poem, the poet Walt Whitman compares animals with human beings. The great American poet Walt Whitman believes animals are better than humans. The poet appreciated some qualities of animals which man doesn't have. According to the poet , animals are calm and self-sufficient. They do not whine and weep about their condition. They are always satisfied with and do their work towards God. Animals always express their love and respect to human beings. Where humans are quite opposite to the animals. Humans are crazy about material things. Humans lie awake at night. They cry for the wrong that they have done. The poet observed that humans don't have those qualities which animals possess such as signs of love, kindness, selflessness, honesty and patience. The poet has a deep aspiration to learn from animals.

2. In what sense  animals are different from humans? Are animals better than humans? Comment.  (Akanksha 20142)

Ans:- In the poem, the poet provides a comparison between humans and animals. According to the poet, all the animals are calm, self-sufficient and peaceful. They are happy with their lives and never weep because of their sins as they never commit any. They never quest for materialistic things. 

On the other hand, humans are quite the opposite to animals. We desire materialistic things and judge each other in terms of possessions. The poet was too amazed with their qualities. The poet wants to live with animals for good because he thinks that he will get real happiness among animals.

Q3. Explain in your words how the poet sees his own reflection in animals. 

(Neha Kumari 20132)

The poem "Animals" is a tribute to animals. In the poem, the poet compares human beings with animals. He writes why he likes animals and feels close to them. The poet says that animals are so calm, simple and self dependent. They don't worry about respect or position. They don't complain about their problems and conditions. They don't work hard to improve their position. They don't remember their past and they don't worry about their future. Animals don't believe in any religion to God. Unlike human beings, they are not haunted by feelings of guilt about their sins. The poet says that in all these respects he is quite close to animals. The only difference is that he is a human and they are animals. He is a human being who has shared several tokens or attributes that animals still possess.  

Q4. Do you think Whitman finds animals easier to manage as compared to human beings?   (Neha Kumari 20132)

Walt Whitman's poem "Animals" is dedicated to animals. When Poet sees animals, he is surprised how different animals are from human bangs. Animals live in complete harmony with nature. They live a simple, calm and gentle life. Animals don't worry about things which trouble human beings. For example, animals are not crazy about amassing wealth. They don't worry about respect or social position. They don't think about their duties to God as religious minded people do. They don't worry about their conditions and problems. This is something that affects human beings because religion calls them sinners. Moreover, animals are free from any guilt, depression and selfishness. In all these respects, the poet finds animals better and happier than human beings.

The poet comments indirectly on the behaviour and attitudes of human beings. Animals live simple, gentle and calm lives. They live in the present. Don't worry about their future and don't think about their past.  For the same reason, they are not troubled by what religion tells human beings. They don't tell us about their conditions. So they don't amass things for their future. 

The poet  feels that as human beings have developed from animals, they have lost some qualities that animals still possess. Animals live their present's moments full of joy. They are completely "self-contained". They are free of the guilt that religion brings. And they still live in harmony with nature. This is why he finds animals more easily manageable than human beings.

Qus.1 'When I am Dead my Dearest' is a poem about inevitability of death and not about fear of death. Discuss.   (three by Priyanka 20121)

Ans: 'When I am Dead My Dearest 'is a poem about the inevitability of death and not about fear of death. We agree with this statement. Death is inevitable because whoever has taken birth on earth is sure to die. She talks about what she will do after her death. Poetess tells her loved ones that no one should mourn her after her death. She does not want anyone to sing and cry for her after death.  She also refuses to let someone plant roses or a shady cypress tree on her grave. She is against this ritual because after death she will go into the world of the dead and she will not feel the shadows of Cypress tree planted by her dear ones and however sadly one may sing but she will not hear it. The sweet and sad song of the nightingale will not touch her. She will pass the rest of her time dreaming through the never ending evening when the sun neither rises nor sets. Rossetti gives her loved ones permission to remember or forget her after her death. She says that her own soul may or may not remember her loved ones. Clearly, she is not afraid of death because death is unavoidable. Everyone has come from the mother earth and has to go back to her. It is a universal truth.

Q. Write a note on the imagery used in "When I Am Dead My Dearest" my dearest.

(By Neha Kumari 20132)

An image in a poem is a comparison that brings a picture to the mind of the reader. Broadly speaking,  an image should be visual or pictorial. It should appeal to any one or all of the five senses. Christina Rossetti is known for the use of imagery in her poems. The poem uses several meaningful images.

This poem is about death. The poet uses the images traditionally associated with death and funeral rites. There is the image of planting roses on the grave of a dead person. This is an image of love and separation from the loved ones. The poet does not want anyone to plant roses on her grave. Showing the planting of roses  shows the love for the dead person. The song of the nightingale has been associated with both sweetness and pain in romantic poetry. Christina Rossetti uses this image to make both of them visible to pain or Love. As the poet will not hear the song of the nightingale in the grave. 

At the end of the poem, She describes her death like a twilight which is the time of dusk immediately after sunset and before the beginning of the night. She compares her death to twilight and to a dream. Showing the image of twilight is quite appropriate to describe the poet's condition in the grave. There, in the sleep of death she can see dreams of the afterlife. These images build the tone and texture of the poem. These images express the conventional theme of the poem.

Qus. In what way is the poet's idea of death different from the general point of view of death?

Ans:

The poetess has expressed her critical view on the general point of view of death and post-death rituals. She has expressed doubts and criticized the show-off behaviour. The poet disregards this post death appearance and says that people should be humble to express love and respect for the loved ones who have died. The poetess believes that people should not grieve too much over their death of their loved ones but should live their own lives happily. Whereas the general point of view of death is that after death, people mourn over the death of their own because of love or for sake of society.

Qus. What does the poet want her beloved to do after she is dead and why?

Ans:

The poetess does not want anyone to sing and cry for her after her death and nor should anyone plant a rose or a shady cypress tree on its grave. She wants drops of dew and rain on the grass of her grave. She gives freedom to her loved ones to remember or forget at his or her own will. Because after death she will be buried in the grave and she will go to the world of the dead. After this she will not be able to feel the shadow of the shady cypress tree and the sweet or sad song of the nightingale. She does not know whether her soul will be in consciousness or not, that she may remember them and forget them. She wants people not to grieve after her death and live their life happily.

Q1. Discuss "The Olive Tree" as a nature poem.

"The Olive Tree" is a nature poem. The title of this poem "The Olive Tree" has been used to represent the religion of nature. It is told through the symbol of the olive tree that nature never diminishes. The internal cycle of nature where death or destruction is followed by birth or revival. Nature is a source of sustenance for man that is symbolised by the fruit of Olive tree which gives precious and highly useful olive oil. There is an image of this revival where an olive tree is cut down for fuel but its side roots become active and start growing in the next spring. Then there is the image of a leafless tree which survives even without leaves. The poem describes how in times of war the Olive trees would be cut down and destroyed but they come back to life. This poem is about nature's power of resurrection. Invading armies can cut down the trees, but the trees return to life through the debris of the power machine. But its deeper meaning is the resilience of nature and the message is to preserve and sustain nature so that future generations can live happily on this planet.

Q2. Comments on the theme(s) of the poem.

Mark O' Connor's "The Olive Tree" belongs to the category of what is now known as ecopoetry, which is poetry about the environment. Mark O'Connor, a poet of the environment from Australia is known for this kind of poetry. Ecopoetry revolves around nature, environment and conservationism. On the surface level, the poem talks about longevity of The Olive tree and its resilience. The themes of resilience of the olives, invincibility of nature and conflict between the human world and the world of nature are indicated in this poem. This describes how in times of war Olive trees would be cut down and destroyed, but they come back to life. The poet emphasizes that olives and nature are permanent and impossible to destroy. The olives may go through the cycle of birth and near death but they will revive again. The cycle of destruction and renewal continues endlessly. This poem tells us about the power of nature, no matter how difficult it may be, but nature never ends. This poem tells that no matter what happens,  Olive trees are always there. The themes of the poem are resilience of nature, power of nature and revival in due course of time.  The internal cycle of nature where death or destruction is followed by birth or revival. The poem is also an example of ecopoetry and the message is to preserve and sustain nature so that future generations can live happily on this planet. Nature is the natural source of sustenance for humankind. So we may say that the themes of resilience of olive, invincibility of nature and conflict between the human world and the world of nature are indicated in this poem. 

Q3. Explain how the world of nature and man are in conflict in the poem "The Olive Tree".

The poem "The Olive Tree" is a poem about the environment. The poem can be interpreted as an example of ecopoetry. Ecopoetry revolves around nature, environment and conservationism. "The Olive Tree" is a fine example of the human world with the world of nature. This poem is a nature poem. The poem describes how in times of war the Olive tree would be cut down and destroyed, but they come back to life. The poem describes that nobody knows how long an Olive tree lives because," Drought, axe, fire" have all proved to be failures in the destruction of olive trees. Even when Olive tree is cut down and its main root is dug out for fuel, shoots will spring out from the side roots in the spring. Frost can damage its leaves for sometime, but when a favourable season arrives, they revive again. Invading armies can cut them down for their war vehicles, but the trees return to life through the debris of the war machine. This cycle of destruction and renewal goes off endlessly. This is also true of the human world in which destruction is by birth or revival. If an orchard of olives is destroyed by an axe, new trees will come. The poem is an example of how to preserve and sustain nature so that future generations can live happily on this planet. There is a close link between man and The Olive tree. Resilience of olive, invincibility of nature and conflict between the human world and the world of nature are indicated in this poem.

Q4. Imagery in the poem:

"The Olive Tree" is a nature poem. The title of this poem "The Olive Tree" has been used to represent the religion of nature. It is told through the symbol of the olive tree that nature never diminishes. The internal cycle of nature where death or destruction is followed by birth or revival. Nature is a source of sustenance for man that is symbolised by the fruit of Olive tree which gives precious and highly useful olive oil. There is an image of this revival where an olive tree is cut down for fuel but its side roots become active and start growing in the next spring. Then there is the image of a leafless tree which survives even without leaves. The poem describes how in times of war the Olive trees would be cut down and destroyed but they come back to life. This poem is about nature's power of resurrection. Invading armies can cut down the trees, but the trees return to life through the debris of the power machine. But its deeper meaning is the resilience of nature and the message is to preserve and sustain nature so that future generations can live happily on this planet.

(Above answers by Neha Kumari 20132)

1.Discuss "The Olive Tree" as a nature poem? (By Akanksha 20142) 

Ans. "The Olive Tree" is a nature poem. The poem describes how long in war the olive trees would be cut down and destroyed,but they come back to life. This poem is about nature's power of resurrection. On the surface level, the poem talks about the longevity and resilience of the olive tree. The poem celebrates nature's ability despite all kinds of natural calamities and human efforts to destroy it. The poem describes the power of nature through the olive tree. The poet begins by saying that nobody knows how long an olive tree lives because" drought,axe,fire" have all proved to be failures in the destruction of olive tree. Even when olive trees are hacked down, and its main root is dug out for fuel, shoots will spring out from the side roots in the spring. Sometimes, the tree is left leafless for years due to frost, but when a favourable season arrives, they revive again. Further the poet says that there is something that can destroy the Olive Tree. Goats nibble up the leaves of the tree leaving it bare. These goats have been the enemies of trees for ages. The poet talks about the ability of goats to master or control the growth of olive trees. Olives are very resilient and tough to kill but perhaps the goat can harm the olives and destroy them. The poem describes the power of nature through  the olive tree.

2. Comment on the theme(s) of the poem? (By Akanksha 20142) 

Ans. This poem tells us about nature, no matter how difficult it may be, but nature never ends. This poem tells us that no matter what happens, Olive trees are always there. The theme of the poem is resilience of nature, power of nature and revival in due course of time. The eternal cycle of nature where death or destruction is followed by birth or revival. Nature is a source of sustenance for man that is symbolised by the fruit of Olive tree which gives precious and highly useful olive oil. The poem is also an example of ecopoetry and the message is to preserve and sustain nature so that future generations can live happily on this planet. Nature is the natural and sustainable humankind. The themes of resilience of olive, invincibility of nature and conflict between the human world and the world of nature are indicated in this poem.

Theme of the poem: (what is the theme of the poem?)    (by Neha 20132)

The main theme of "The Lake Isle of Innisfree" is the harmony between man and nature. Though the speaker lives in the City, he/she longs for a simpler life in Innisfree where he/she can engage with nature and its beauty. Years wishes to leave the hectic city life of London and escape to innisfree a perfect little Island off the coast of Ireland. He longs for the peace and tranquility of the place where he spent a lot of time as a boy. Here, the poet implies that there is no peace in London. 

The poet describes innisfree as a simple natural environment where he will build a cabin and live alone on beans and honey which he will cultivate himself. His images find harmony on the island. He dreams of living in a delightful climate there and listening to the songbirds at dusk. As a child Yeats spent his holidays in County Sligo. So, in a way, the poet is also wishing to return to the days of his childhood. 

Q1. Why does the poet wish to go to the lake island of innisfree? (by Neha 20132)

"The lake Isle of Innisfree" explores the poet's desire for the peace and calm of innisfree. The poet states that he will take a stance and will go to Innisfree, because all this time the sound of the lake waters striking the shore repeats in his mind, While he stands on the roadway on the grey payments in the City. This increases his desire to escape to the lake island of innisfree. Fed up with city life. He begins to the heart, imaginatively of course. He wants to build a small cabin of clay and wattles there. Also, when he will live there then he will need some food to eat. So, he will grow nine rows of beans near his cabin. Along with that he will have a beehive to get fresh honey from the beehive. He said that he will have peace there. Things that there peace drops from heaven from the morning till evening. The midnight is glimmering, while noon is a purple glow. Evening is full of the linnet's wings.

Q2. How does the poet describe the different times of the day in the poem ?    (by Neha 20132)

The poet describes a very romantic picture of the island of innisfree. The time there is completely different from the time of the city. The poet wants to feel peaceful. He also describes how he will feel peaceful. When it is cloudy in the morning and the view of the sky is not very clear, then it will appear as if the morning has worn a veil and has hidden. Also he says that when male cricket sings their song that sound will also bring him peace. In the midnight, the twinkling in the night sky their five peace. During the afternoon, when the sunlight gives a purplish glow, which also gives him peace. In the evening, the linnet bird flew in the sky. There is also the gentle sound of the water of the lake striking softly against the shore. And it has a romantic quality about it. 

Q4 Lake Isle of Innisfree is a poem about imagination and escape. Comment.  (by Akanksha 20142)

Ans.  The poem focuses on Innisfree as a place of escape for the poet. The poet describes Innisfree as a simple,natural environment where he will build his cabin and live alone. He wants to go to Innisfree. Yeats wishes to leave the hectic city life of London and escape to Innisfree, a perfect little island off the coast of Ireland. He longs for the peace where he spent a lot of time as a boy. Hence,the poet describes that there is no peace in London. Also this poem is about imagination. Because the poet imagines the calm atmosphere of Innisfree while standing in a crowded place in London. He imagines himself living in Innisfree. The sound of water on the shore of the lake could be heard up to his ears while he stood at the noisy place. He imagines the sound of linnets, which brings peace and calm. When the sunlight gives a purplish glow which also gives him peace. Things that there peace drops from heaven from the morning and evening.

Question answer related to the poem "Refugee Mother and Child" :   (all by Akanksha Koundal 20142)

1.Why is the picture of the refugee mother and child more tender than Madonna and Child?

Ans.  It is a refugee camp somewhere in Africa. Thousands of people are thrown out of their homes due to political disturbance. The refugees are in a miserable condition. Their children are dying of poverty and disease. But the poet draws our attention to a particular mother and her child. They are compared with Saint Mary and infant Jesus Christ in her arms. The world worships her and her child. The poet introduces a poor ordinary unknown mother and her child. The mother knows her child is dying slowly. But she still loves her son very much. Other mothers in the camp know this truth about their children so they are careless about their children. They don't want to waste their energy and love for the dying children. But this mother is very different. She is a symbol of motherhood. She loves her child. Her love for her child is infinite. She doesn't want anything in return for her love and sacrifice. She kisses his forehead and combs his hair. This action is like putting flowers on the child's grave. The refugee mother does not expect anything in return for her sacrifices and maternal love for her poor sick child. The picture of this refugee mother and child is more tender as compared to Madonna and her Child because the former is a realistic image where an ordinary mother displays extraordinary tenderness and love for her dying child in very difficult conditions of a refugee camp. 

2. How does the poet paint the suffering of the people in the refugee camp?

Ans. Thousands of people are living in refugee camps. They all are thrown into this miserable condition by political disturbance. The air surrounding the camp is full of disease, illness and death. The ribs of children can be seen protruding due to sickness. The poet described a truly horrifying picture of sick infants and helpless people. The refugees are in a miserable condition in the refugee camp. The poet draws our attention to a Refugee mother and child. They are compared to Saint Mary and Jesus Christ. The mother knows her child is dying slowly. But she still loves him very much. But other mothers in the camp know this truth about their children and so they are careless about their children. They don't waste their time,energy and love for the dying children. But she was the symbol of motherhood. The air was heavy with orders of the diarrhoea of unwashed children. Refugee camps are often unhygienic, leading to high incidence of infectious diseases. The poet paints a very real account of people in the tragic situation in a refugee camp.

3. "Most mothers had ceased to care"? Why?

 Ans. The poet compares a particular mother and her son to Saint Mary and Jesus Christ. The poet introduces a poor ordinary, unknown mother and child. The mother knows her child is dying slowly. But she still loves him very much. She loves her child. Her love for him is infinite. She doesn't want anything in return for her love and sacrifices. She combs his dirty hair left on the skull of his head. She carefully parts the hair as if she was preparing him for school in the morning. She is doing a lot of work including kissing his forehead, comb his hair. It was an act of putting flowers in his coffin. But other mothers in the camp know the truth about their children. They don't want to waste their time, energy and love for their dying children. It is unprofitable for them. But she is the symbol of motherhood and tenderness. The mother keeps smiling while combing his hair because she knows that very soon the child will die. Still her love and care continues for him till death. Other mothers lack such tender feelings of love and kindness and so have ceased to care for their dying children.

5. How is the poem Refugee Mother and Child a celebration of motherhood?

 Ans. The poem starts with the poet comparing the scene of a mother holding her son in a refugee camp with love and care. Other mothers no longer care for their children. But this mother does not fall in the same category. There is something different in her love and care for her son. There is a remnant of a smile gracing her face. She feels that she is holding her son for the last time. Her maternal pride had led her to clean him up before laying him to rest. She combs his hair left on the skull of head and carefully parted the hair as if she is preparing him for school. She is doing a lot of work for him. The poem could also act as a testament to a mother's love, who knows that the child is dead, yet continues to hold him with care and caution. She has not yet let go and accepts the fact that he is dead. The poem celebrates motherhood by displaying the tragic comparison between Madonna and baby Christ with a pure love of a common mother for her dying child in really drastic conditions of a refugee camp.

6. Write a note on the imagery of the poem?

Ans. The poet uses highly effective and heart touching imagery in the poem. The most notable point in the poem is that the poem is raw, realistic and blunt. It is real and grounded. The poet compares S.Mary and Jesus Christ to a particular refugee mother and child. The poet uses the image to highlight the love of a mother towards her child in the poem. The poet speaks of her dying son and says that he has ' "rust coloured hair on his skull" . This makes it evident that the boy is on the verge of death, his hair seems to be rusting and his skull can be seen. The poet compares the act of a mother combing her dying son's hair to that of putting flowers on a grave. It is to show that a simple act of coming here, which would have been a daily affair in normal life, is a rare occurrence in the refugee camp. The way a mother is combing the hair of her dying son tenderly. It looks like she is paying her last respects to him by putting flowers on his tiny grave. Even though they tried their best to survive there in these situations, it was too hard because unfortunately they are in a refugee camp.

Question Answer related to the poem "IF" by Rudyard Kipling  :            (all by Akanksha Koundal 20142) 

1.What are the qualities that make a "man" according to the poet?

Ans. This poem is an inspirational poem which tells us how to deal with different situations in life. It is important to remain humble and live with your head up, when you are winning it does not matter if others are losing. It is important to maintain your calm and cool, even if the losers who are unable to keep their heads up, blame you for their loss. One should also keep no space for doubt in their life, it doesn't matter whether others are pointing fingers of doubt at you. One should also have patience in one’s life and should know how to wait since patience is the virtue of success. One should be truthful and not a part of the game of blame and lies. If someone hates you, don't give them hate in return. The poet says one should dream big but never make one’s dreams his or her master. You should be forgiving to nature if you keep and imbibe all attributes in your life, you will be the king of yourself, untouched by any harm. One will be the winner of all the powers on this mother earth. These qualities will help a person become a man.

2. What is the main theme of the poem?

Ans. This is an inspirational poem or a lesson of father to son about life. It is important to remain humble and live with pride. As per the poet, it is important to live with your head up when you are winning no matter what others are losing. It is important to maintain yourself calm and cool if the losers who are unable to keep their heads up, blame you for their loss. One should also keep no space for doubt in their life, no matter if others are pointing fingers of doubt at you. However, just ignoring their belief of doubt is not the solution. The father motivates his son to never give up after failure but to get up, reunite his soul and begin his struggle again. One should be truthful and not a part of the game of blame and lies. It is important to remain humble, truthful,doubt free,keep patience and shower love but in order to achieve these attributes, do not show off. One should have self control and patience so that one builds stamina and will power. It is the will power which can award you success. If you interact with masses, do not try to groof up with them to build false values or to impress them. You should keep your goal in mind. The advice given by the poet to his son sums up the philosophy of life.

3. What does the poet say about "Triumph and Disaster" ?

Ans. In this poem, the poet personifies " Triumph and Disaster" and calls them two impostors. People become too happy in success and forget their duty at hand. Triumph and Disaster are called two impostors because they are sudden movements which pass quickly in our life. Triumph is referred to as positive and disaster as negative. We should treat both equally and happily to overcome difficulties in our life. We should not be too happy or too sad in any situation. At bad times, if we are too grieved, we may lose our faith and confidence. In both cases, our regular course of work is hampered. That is why the poet calls "Triumph and Disaster" two Impostors.