From the Formalin jar

SUMMARY 

          The speaker in this poem is Vicky's brain which now lives inside a formalin jar. The brain feels disgusting inside the jar. It is put up for display so as to create awareness among the people regarding road safety. ଏହି କବିତାର ବକ୍ତା ହେଉଛି ଭିକିର  ମସ୍ତିଷ୍କ ଯାହା ବର୍ତ୍ତମାନ ଫର୍ମାଲିନ ଜାର ଭିତରେ ରହୁଛି । ଜାର ଭିତରେ ମସ୍ତିଷ୍କ ଘୃଣ୍ୟ ଅନୁଭବ କରେ । ସଡ଼କ ସୁରକ୍ଷା କୁ ନେଇ ଲୋକଙ୍କ ମଧ୍ୟରେ ସଚେତନତା ସୃଷ୍ଟି କରିବା ପାଇଁ ଏହାକୁ ପ୍ରଦର୍ଶିତ କରାଯାଇଛି।

           In the second stanza the brain goes on to say how insulting it is to be called a specimen. Before two years ago it was a part of Vicky. Any sort of stroke or tumour was not the result of the death of Vicky. But still the fertile brain ended up inside the formalin jar. ଦ୍ବିତୀୟ ଶବ୍ଦରେ ମସ୍ତିଷ୍କ କହିଥାଏ ଯେ ଏହାକୁ ନମୁନା କହିବା କେତେ ଅପମାନଜନକ। ଦୁଇ ବର୍ଷ ପୂର୍ବରୁ ଏହା ଭିକିର ଏକ ଅଂଶ ଥିଲା । ବିକିଙ୍କ ମୃତ୍ୟୁର ପରିଣାମ କୌଣସି ପ୍ରକାରର ଷ୍ଟ୍ରୋକ୍ କିମ୍ବା ଟ୍ୟୁମର ନୁହେଁ। କିନ୍ତୁ ତଥାପି ଉର୍ବର ମସ୍ତିଷ୍କ ଫର୍ମାଲିନ୍ ଜାର୍ ଭିତରେ ରହିଥିଲା।

               In the third stanza, the brain goes on to tell about Vicky who was a smart and handsome young boy. He was full of vigour and cheerfulness. His favourite subjects were computers and maths. He was very hard working and believed in the saying, 'No pain, no gain'. ତୃତୀୟ ପଂକ୍ତିରେ  ମସ୍ତିଷ୍କ ଭିକିଙ୍କ ବିଷୟରେ କହିଥାଏ, ଯିଏ କି ଜଣେ ସ୍ମାର୍ଟ ଏବଂ ସୁନ୍ଦର ଯୁବକ ଥିଲେ । ସେ ଉତ୍ସାହ ଓ ପ୍ରସନ୍ନତାରେ ପରିପୂର୍ଣ୍ଣ ଥିଲେ। କମ୍ପ୍ୟୁଟର ଓ ଗଣିତ ତାଙ୍କର ପ୍ରିୟ ବିଷୟ ଥିଲା। ସେ ବହୁତ ପରିଶ୍ରମୀ ଥିଲେ ଏବଂ 'ଯନ୍ତ୍ରଣା ନାହିଁ, ତ ଲାଭ ନାହିଁ' କଥାରେ ବିଶ୍ୱାସ କରୁଥିଲେ ।

          In the fourth stanza, the brain tells how Vicky loved his parents dearly and he loved his grandma a lot. In college, he loved a girl named Lorraine and whenever he saw her his heart went "thud-thud'. ଚତୁର୍ଥ ପଂକ୍ତିରେ ମସ୍ତିଷ୍କ କହିଥାଏ ଯେ କିପରି ଭିକି ତାଙ୍କ ପିତାମାତାଙ୍କୁ ବହୁତ ଭଲ ପାଉଥିଲେ ଏବଂ ସେ ତାଙ୍କ ଜେଜେମାଙ୍କୁ ବହୁତ ଭଲ ପାଉଥିଲେ । କଲେଜରେ ସେ ଲୋରେନ୍ ନାମକ ଜଣେ ଝିଅକୁ ଭଲ ପାଉଥିଲେ ଏବଂ ଯେତେବେଳେ ବି ସେ ତାଙ୍କୁ ଦେଖିଲେ ତାଙ୍କ ହୃଦୟ "ଥରିଉଠିଲା"।

          In the fifth stanza, the brain tells how Vicky met with an accident on a wet monsoon day. He had gone to his friend who lived nearby for some minor work. But he had not taken his helmet and he met with a serious road accident which resulted in his loss of life. ପଞ୍ଚମ ପଂକ୍ତିରେ ମସ୍ତିଷ୍କ କହୁଛି କିପରି ଭିଜା ମୌସୁମୀ ଦିନରେ ବିକି ଦୁର୍ଘଟଣାର ଶିକାର ହୋଇଥିଲେ। ସେ ନିକଟରେ ରହୁଥିବା ତାଙ୍କ ବନ୍ଧୁଙ୍କ ପାଖକୁ କୌଣସି ସାମାନ୍ୟ କାମରେ ଯାଇଥିଲେ। କିନ୍ତୁ ସେ ହେଲମେଟ୍ ନ ନେବାରୁ ସେ ଏକ ଗୁରୁତର ସଡ଼କ ଦୁର୍ଘଟଣାର ଶିକାର ହୋଇଥିଲେ, ଯେଉଁଥିରେ ତାଙ୍କର ଜୀବନ ଯାଇଥିଲା।

           In the sixth stanza, the brain tells how a moment of negligence cost Vicky his precious life. It affected his family. So the brain requests all to be extra cautious while driving because this human life is very precious. ଷଷ୍ଠ  ପଂକ୍ତିରେ ମସ୍ତିଷ୍କ କହିଥାଏ ଯେ ଅବହେଳାର ଏକ ମୁହୂର୍ତ୍ତ କିପରି ଭିକିଙ୍କ ମୂଲ୍ୟବାନ ଜୀବନ ହରାଇଲା । ଏହାର ପ୍ରଭାବ ତାଙ୍କ ପରିବାର ଉପରେ ପଡ଼ିଥିଲା। ତେଣୁ ଗାଡି ଚଳାଇବା ସମୟରେ ଅଧିକ ସତର୍କ ରହିବାକୁ ମସ୍ତିଷ୍କ ସମସ୍ତଙ୍କୁ ଅନୁରୋଧ କରେ କାରଣ ଏହି ମାନବ ଜୀବନ ବହୁତ ମୂଲ୍ୟବାନ ଅଟେ ।

F. Let’s understand the Poem:

1.     What is this poem about?

Ans: From the "Formalin Jar is a famous poem by Dr. Reeta S Moni. In this poem the poet describes the fictitious character Vicky - How Vicky rode his bike carelessly and ended his life. After his death, his brain has been kept in a formalin jar as a specimen. In the poem the poet describes the feelings of Vicky's brain. 

2.     Where is Vicky’s brilliant brain?

Ans: Vicky’s brilliant brain kept inside a formalin jar.

3.     Why is the brain put inside the formalin jar?

Ans: Formalin is a chemical substance, which is used to preserve body parts for a longer period of time. So Vicky’s brain kept inside formalin jar as a specimen for public.

4.     Who does ‘I’ refer to in the poem?

Ans. I refer to the brain of Vicky. 

5.     How does the brain feel inside the jar?

Ans. The brain feels disgusting and insulting inside the jar. 

6.     Who is the brain talking about?

Ans. The brain is talking about Vicky. 

7.     What does the brain say about Vicky?

Ans. The brains goes on to say that Vicky was a very smart young boy full of vigour and optimism. He was good at studies and loved his parents a lot. 

8.     Do you think that Vicky and the brilliant brain are two persons? Why?

No, Vicky and the brilliant brain are not two persons. Because the brain made Vicky so talented. 

9.     Which were Vicky’s favourite subjects?

Ans. Computer and mathematics were Vicky's favourite subjects. 

10.  What was the motto of his life?

Ans. The motto of Vicky's life was 'No pain, No gain'. 

11.  Was Vicky good at studies? How do you know this?

Ans. Yes, Vicky was very good at studies. The fact that he was very good at computers and mathematics tells us so. 

12.  Vicky loved his parents. Which line says so?

Ans. Yes, Vicky loved his parents dearly. The first line of the fourth stanza, Vicky's love for his parents was truly insane' tell us about his love for his parents. 

13.  Which word says that Vicky loved his grandmother very much?

Ans. Adored 

14.  What else, besides studies, did Vicky do during his college days?

Ans. Besides studies Vicky played with his friends during his college days. 

15.  Who was Lorraine? Why did he steal a glance at her?

Ans. Lorraine was a girl studying with Vicky. He stole a glance at her because he liked her a lot. 

16.  Why does the poet say that only the brain could explain the cause of Vicky’s heart-beat; thud-thud?

Ans. The brain knew that perhaps Vicky was in love with Lorraine, whenever he saw his heart went thud-thud. 

17.  Read the stanza 5 and stanza 6 again. What are they about? How are they different from others?  

Ans. Stanza 5 tells us about how Vicky met with an accident by not wearing a helmet and Stanza 6 tells us about the impact that had on the life of Vicky. Stanza 5 is the negligence and stanza 6 is the outcome of such negligence. 

18.  Where was Vicky riding? When and why?

Ans. Vicky was riding to his friend's house. It was a wet monsoon day and he had some petty work with him. 

19.  Where was his friend’s house? Was it very far?

Ans. His friend's house was only in the next lane of their house. No, it was not very far. 

20.  Why did he go to his friend?

Ans. He had some ordinary work with his friend. 

21.  What caused the accident? Which words in the poem describe the accident?

Ans. A moment of carelessness of not wearing the helmet on wet roads caused the accident. The words gory and inhumane describe the severity of the accident. 

22.  What meaning does the line-‘For once, from wearing his helmet he did refrain’ convey? Was it Vicky’s habit to wear his helmet while riding his bike?

Ans. It conveys the fact that he only did not wear the helmet for one time. Yes, it was Vicky's habit of wearing the helmet while riding his bike. 

23.  How did the accident affect Vicky and his family?

Ans. The accident took away the precious life of a young talented boy like Vicky and his family also got devastated with his loss. 

24.  What message does the poet have for the young generation through this poem?

Ans. The poem gives the message that risky driving is very dangerous as it can take away our precious life. So we must always drive by following the road safety rules. 

25.  Can you say why such dreadful accidents occur on road and cause death every moment?

Ans. Such dreadful accidents occur on the road and cause death every moment due to our negligence and violation of the road safety norms, like over speeding, riding without helmet and seat bells to name a few. 

26.  Suggest some ways to reduce Road Traffic Injuries (RTI)?

Ans. Some ways to reduce Road Traffic Injuries (RTI) are: 

a.      Always wearing helmets and seat belts.

b.     Driving within the prescribed speed limits. 

c.      We must never mix drink and drive. 

d.     Obeying traffic rules. e. We must never use mobile phones while driving. 

G. Let’s appreciate the Poem:

1.     Who donated Vicky’s brain to the Medical College? How is it preserved and used?

Ans. Vicky's parents donated his brain to the medical college. It has been preserved in the chemical and serves as a specimen for creating awareness among students regarding reckless driving. 

2.     What does the line ‘On display to promote knowledge gain’ express?

Ans. This line, 'On display to promote knowledge' expresses the aim behind the display of Vicky's brain inside the formalin jar. It will make people aware about road safety. 

3.     What is called a specimen? Why is the brain preserved as a specimen?

Ans. A specimen means a sample of something which serves as a model. The brain is preserved as a specimen because it serves as a medium to make the people aware about road safety. 

4.     How was the brilliant brain a part of a living human two years ago?

Ans. The brilliant brain belonged to Vicky who was full of vigour and cheerfulness. His favourite subjects were computers and maths. He was very hard working and believed in the saying, 'No pain, no gain". 

5.     What does the phrase-‘Yet ended up in this jar’ mean to you?

Ans. It means in spite of being so brilliant in studies and being loved by all, the brain went inside the formalin jar. 

6.     Which expression suggests that Vicky was hard working?

Ans. The expression, 'His motto was no pain, no gain." Suggests that Vicky was very hard working. 

7.     Why does the poet say, “Only I could explain”?

Ans. The brain said so because it knew that Vicky loved Miss Lorraine because his heart went thud-thud' whenever he saw her. 

8.     Should we consider such demise ‘by chance or by choice’?

Ans. The demise of Vicky was an accident by chance but the decision to not wear the helmet was Vicky's choice. 

9.     The poet uses flashback, which is often used to recount events that had happened before the story started. Which stanzas talk about the past events and which ones the present incident?

Ans. Stanzas three (3), four (4) and five (5) talk about the past events whereas stanzas one (1), two (2) and six (6) talk about present events. 

10.  Find the rhyming words in the poem.

Ans: Brain-disdain-gain-again, specimen-human-within-chagrin, sane-rain-domain-gain, insane- cane-Lorraine-explain, mundane-lane-refrain-inhumane, inane-pain-bane-vain. 

11.  Why does the poet use capital letters for the first two words in the last line of the poem?

Ans. The poet uses capital letters for the first two words in the last line of the poem for the purpose of emphasis. ‘DRIVE SAFE’.

12.  You read and understood the poem. Do you like the title of the poem? Why/Why not? Can you suggest another title for the poem?

Ans. Yes, The title of the poem is very appropriate. It is so because it is upon ourselves where we want to see our brilliant brain, either with us or inside the formalin jar. Another appropriate title for the poem can be, "Drive Safe -Life is Precious".