English Notes

Introduction Challapalli Swaroopa Rani is a prominent Dalit writer. Her mature poetry focuses mainly on the issues of gender and caste. Her translated piece “Water” by Uma Bhrugubanda is a metaphor that shows the plight of the untouchables in our society.    Theme / Summary The poem is a heart rending account of a Dalit voice. It is a graphic portrayal of humiliation and insult suffered by the downtrodden. The evil practices of the century-old caste system is the theme of this poem. The poet gives us a firsthand account of the agony and sorrow experienced by Dalits. Water is holy; it purges our sins according to our holy scriptures. It is our basic commodity. However, water becomes the symbol of revolt over equal rights.    Water through the eyes of the speaker becomes omniscient that knows the age-old conflict between the village and the Wada. According to the poet, water also knows very well that untouchability remains as long as discrimination prevails. ...

Click for Video Explanation Introduction Chinua Achebe is a renowned Nigerian novelist, poet, professor, and critic. His works highlight the clash of Western and traditional African values. His style reflects Igbo oral tradition. The narration is peppered with folk stories, proverbs and oratory. Among his many works, ‘Things Fall Apart’, ‘Arrow of God’ are very popular.   Theme “The Voter ''is a beautiful story symbolic of the entry of a new system of governance into the innocent settlements of native people in Africa. It shows how Igbo people fall prey to the snares of the western systems.The story also depicts how  democratic exercise of the west introduced in Africa corrupts the innocent lgbo folks. Rufus Okeke, the protagonist is very popular in the village Umuofia, for he chose to stay back in his village instead of a bright future to guide his people in difficult times. Thus he had won their confidence.  When the story opens, it  is election time to choose...

Click for Video Explanation Chinua Achebe is a renowned Nigerian novelist, poet, professor, and critic. His works highlight the clash of Western and traditional African values. Here in the story “The Voter” we see how democratic exercise of the west corrupts the innocent lgbo folks. Marcus Ibe was a Mission school teacher. He plunged into politics and won the election. People of Umuofia elected him without any monetary demands. He became the Minister of Culture in the PAP government. Politics had changed his life phenomenally: he gained wealth, titles and honours. On the opening ceremony of his new house, he had arranged a great feast for his villagers. The people realised the magic of politics. They did not want to vote him in the next election for free. Roof was a loyal follower of Marcus Ibe and very popular in his village. He understood the pulse of the people very well. He vehemently campaigned for Marcus even striking a bargain of 4 pence with the villagers. However, on the...

Hello Students Let me share with you 10 useful tips to help you present your answers better to score really great marks in English! 1.    Good handwriting creates the best impression; pay attention every time you write. 2.    Legibility ultimately rewards you with the right  marks: answers should be within the margins and do not scribble nor should you scratch.  3.     MCQs should be answered by writing the correct answer. Ex: a) Torches. 4.    A paragraph answer question should be answered in a paragraph of about a page length answer. 5.     Focus on correct spelling and  grammar. 6.    Underline points  / keywords wherever needed and “quote” lines if necessary from the text book. 7.    For 4 marks, a short  intro & conclusion  may be desirable. For 6 marks, a little elaborate intro and conclusion  is needed. 8.  Write answers cl...

“Heaven, If You Are Not Here On Earth” is written by K.V. Puttappa popularly known  by his pen name Kuvempu. He is considered to be the greatest poet of the 20th Century Kannada Literature. He is immortalized particularly for his contribution to Universal Humanism - Vishwa Maanavataa   Vaada. The poet here attempts to demystify human notion of heaven.  It is that blissful state that makes the poet realise the heavenly experience in the company of Nature on earth. He shares his emotions with readers. He finds divine creation all pervasive that he can’t stop glorifying the beauties on earth. So, Kuvempu wonders in this state, if Heaven is not on earth, where else can it be! As he finds it, the experience of God is within us - just an extension of good qualities. If we fail to imbibe these virtues, there can be no Gods. The most beautiful heavenly maids are amidst us and within. If we can see such nymphs right around us, then they are nowhere else. Nature’s creation...

Click for Questions and Answers Introduction Pablo Neruda is a Chilean poet, diplomat and politician. He has written in a variety of styles. He won the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1971.  His poem To the Foot from its Child is a translation in English by Alastair Reid who is one of Scotland's foremost literary figures well-known for his poetry, prose and translation. Theme / Summary  To the Foot from Its Child is rich and deep in its meaning and message. The poem portrays the journey of a child or child's foot from its birth to its death. Neruda begins the poem stating that the child's foot is not aware of the reality but dreams to be a butterfly or an apple. Then the passage of time exposes the foot to such hardships of life that they teach the foot that it cannot become a butterfly or an apple.  It then loses the battle and remains condemned to live in the shoe. Here the poet shows how an individual is controlled by society. The foot then starts to understan...

Click for Questions and Answers William Butler Yeats is an Irish poet and one of the greatest poets in the English Language in the 20th century. He was awarded Nobel Prize for literature in 1923. He is one among the great love poets of the world. ''When You Are Old''  is a love poem addressed to the poet’s beloved Maud Gonne who was the most beautiful young lady of his time. She is believed to be the inspiration behind this poem.   The tone of the poem is one of melancholy. W.B. Yeats imagines her future years and his true love in future. He repents over her divergent attitude who fails to understand his spiritual love.  The poet begins the first stanza addressing her imagining her to be in her old age. The lady will be very old approaching her peaceful years. She then opens the book of poems penned by the poet. As she starts to read slowly, she is taken back in time to recollect her past when she had innocent looks in her eyes and sadness hidden in the lo...