English Summary

In Faiz Ahmed Faiz’s poem “Do Not Ask of Me, My Love,” the speaker expresses their inability to give the same kind of love that they once did, because they are now consumed by the suffering of the world. The poem is a powerful and moving exploration of the conflict between personal love and social responsibility, as well as a testament to the power of love in the face of suffering. Read More 1st PUC English Summaries.

Do not ask of Me, My Love Summary

Do not ask of Me, My Love Summary in English

Faiz is said to have recited this poem in a Mushaira (a poetic symposium). It depicts the struggle going on in Faiz’s heart, between love and patriotism. In this poem, he abjures the romantic love of the ‘beloved’ for contemplation of the misery of the world. The poem is a landmark for it leads 1 Faiz to the consideration of the misery he saw around him related to the freedom struggle in his homeland.

The poem can be read in two parts. The first part begins with a couplet or a two-line stanza and is followed by two longer stanzas. In this part, the poet addresses his ‘beloved’. He asks his ‘beloved’ not to expect the kind of love that he had once shown her.

In the next stanza, he narrates and describes the way he had viewed ‘life’. In that stage of his life, ‘life’ looked very young and blooming because of his love for his beloved. Since his ‘beloved’ was the source of his happiness in life, he could not withstand any kind of suffering afflicting his beloved.

The poet says that the beauty of his beloved bestowed everlasting youth on the spring. He says that the eyes of his beloved were everything to him and everything else failed to please him then. Therefore, when he was in the company of his beloved, he had thought that the ‘world’ was his. But, in the second half of the stanza, the poet confesses that such an idea was an illusion born out of his imagination. Now, he has come to realize that there are other agonies of the world besides the agony of love, and there are other kinds of solace in addition to the solace of love.

In the second part, he elucidates the ‘agonies’ and other kinds of solace in addition to the solace of love, that demand his attention. The second part begins with the same couplet asking his ‘beloved’ not to expect the same kind of love that he had for her once.

In the next (longer) stanza he lists those agonies that demand his attention. They are ‘savagery’ woven in silk and satin and gold lace, which are dark curses of countless ages, and human bodies sold in street and market-place besmeared in blood. They also demand his attention. He says that even though her beauty compels his attention there are other kinds of bliss besides the bliss of her beauty.

He concludes the second part again with the same couplet asking his beloved not to demand the same kind of attention that once he had for his beloved. In this poem, the word ‘beloved’ can be interpreted as his ‘muse’, his country, or his concept of beauty or social change. This poem is said to be Faiz’s first experiment with blending the love for the ‘beloved’ into love for humanity, of turning the pain of separation into pain for all those who suffered under the dark bestial spells of uncounted centuries. In the second stanza, he is obviously referring to slavery, slave trade and prostitution.

Conclusion:

The conclusion of “Do Not Ask of Me, My Love” reaffirms the speaker’s inability to offer the same kind of love they once did, but presents a different kind of love, one based on compassion and understanding. This shift in perspective suggests that the speaker has not given up on love, but rather has transformed it through their experiences of the world. The poem’s conclusion is a hopeful one, offering a vision of love that is possible even in the darkest of times.

Archibald Joseph Cronin in his story ‘Two Gentlemen of Verona’ shows love, devotion, sacrifice and sincerity of the two little boys who face hardships. The two gentlemen of Verona are two brothers, Nicola and Jacopo, aged 13 and 12. They did all sorts of odd jobs. They shined shoes, sold fruits, hawked newspapers, conducted tourists rounds the town and ran errands for money. At a very young age itself the boys faced a lot of hardships in their life. They lost their father and their house in a war and become homeless. They suffered starvation and cold winter. They lived in the shelter of broken building walls and bricks. Read More 1st PUC English Summaries.

Two Gentlemen of Verona Summary

Two Gentlemen of Verona Summary in English

‘Two Gentlemen of Verona’ by A.J. Cronin is about the selfless life of two brothers – thirteen-year-old Nicola and twelve-year-old Jacopo. The speaker, who is with his companion, comes across them selling strawberries on the outskirts of Verona. Luigi, the driver, cautions them not to buy the fruit from the shabby boys as better fruit would be available in Verona. However, the narrator and his companion feel strangely attracted towards the boys, who, despite their brown skin and tangled hair, have earnest eyes.

Next morning, the narrator and his companion find the boys at the public square shining shoes. The narrator comes to know that the boys undertake many tasks, including showing the visitors through the town, to Juliet’s tomb and other places of interest. The narrator too takes this service from the boys and is again attracted by their dignified demeanour. He feels that they have seriousness which far exceeds their age. In the week that follows, the boys prove to be of great use to the narrator. They get for him American cigarettes, seats for the opera and information about restaurants that served good pasta.

The narrator realises that they work very hard, accepting any and every task, including selling newspaper, conducting tourists around the town, and doing other odd jobs for them. The narrator finds them remaining awake till midnight so as to sell the last bundle of the newspaper when the last bus from Padua came there. When the narrator tries to find out w.hy they work so hard, Nicola remains aloof. But, the next day the narrator asks him again as to why they work so hard, eating only black bread and figs. He wants to know whether they are saving money to emigrate to America. Nicola only says that they have other plans, but does not reveal what those plans are.

When the narrator wants to know whether he can do anything for the boys before he left the place, Jacopo asks for a drive to Poleta, the countryside which was 30 kilometres from Verona, adding that every Sunday they went by hired bicycles. The narrator offers to drive them down himself as he had already given his driver off. Nicola, however, is annoyed that his brother has taken the help of the narrator. On reaching Poleta, the boys go to a large red-roofed villa, telling the narrator that they wouldn’t take more than an hour to return. After the lapse of a few minutes, the narrator goes to the villa only to realise that it’s a hospital.

A trained nurse there takes him to a cubicle and through a glass partition, the narrator sees the boys in conversation with a twenty-year-old girl, their sister by the name Lucia. The narrator doesn’t want to intrude upon the privacy of the boys with their sister and hence goes away without speaking to them. From the nurse, he comes to know that the boys had lost their father, a widower and a well-known singer, in the early part of the war and soon after that a bomb had destroyed their home.

They had lived in a shelter that they had built with their own hands from the rubble and were exposed to many difficulties including cold weather. They had hated the German Elite Guard that ruled over Verona for three years and had worked as secret agents against the Germans, in support of the resistance movement. Their small size, young age and knowledge of the surroundings helped them in their dangerous work of carrying letters in their shoes, about the movements of the German troops.

When the war was over, they returned to their sister, an aspiring singer, only to find out that she was suffering from the tuberculosis of the spine. But, they didn’t give up. They kept her in an expensive hospital and for twelve months went back to the hospital every week to make the payment. She had shown good progress and the nurse adds that she might, one day, be fully cured, and start singing again. The narrator is deeply touched by the nobility of the boys and marvels at their invincible spirit. Thus we see that the two little boys are the two gentlemen of Verona.

Conclusion:

Though the boys suffered a lot, war did not break their spirit. They were determined to work hard and earned their living. They were so selfless. Eventually, they were the real two gentlemen of Verona.

In Arun Kolatkar’s poem “An Old Woman,” the speaker initially dismisses an old woman begging at a temple shrine as a nuisance, but upon closer examination, he comes to see her as a resilient and dignified figure. The poem is a powerful reminder of the importance of seeing and understanding the people around us, and of never judging people based on their appearance or circumstances. Read More 1st PUC English Summaries.

An Old Woman Summary

An Old Woman Summary in English

An old woman clutches a tourist’s sleeve and tags along with him. She wants a ‘fifty paise coin’. For this, she offers to show him ‘the horseshoe shrine’. This refers to a legend centred around a horse¬shoe shaped depression in a rock about Khandoba, the presiding deity at Jejuri, who leapt from that rock onto his horse as he carried his wife with him. This is a legend that the true believer reveres and the sceptic doubts.

The tourist moves away as he has seen the shrine already. The old woman ‘tightens her grip’ and ‘hobbles’ along – not giving up so easily. She is persistent. She clings to him like a ‘burr’ – a prickly seed pod that clings to clothes.

Irritated by this persistence, the tourist decides to ‘face her’ with an ‘air of finality’ – he decides that he will not yield to her and thereby wants to put an end to the ‘farce’. He presumes that his no-nonsense reaction will deter her. But the old woman’s matter of fact question – ‘what else’ could an ‘old woman’ do to survive on these ‘wretched hills’ – strikes the narrator like a thunderbolt.

The stark reality that hits the narrator allows him to ‘see’ her at closer quarters. When he turns to look at her face, he is shocked. There are two deep sunken eyes that look like bullet holes. Her skin is wrinkled and cracks appear around her eyes and spread beyond her skin. He feels that everything is falling apart. Everything is cracked and in ruins.

The cracks spread beyond her skin to the hills and the sky. There is a catastrophe. The hills crack, the temples crack and the sky falls and shatters like a sheet of glass. But the old woman stands there as a symbol of all-round degradation. The narrator feels ashamed. He is reduced to the small change in the heartland.

In a moment of realization, the narrator/tourist finds himself reduced in his self-esteem. His awakening to the ‘real’ world makes him feel ‘small’ – as insignificant as the small coin in her hand.

Conclusion:

In the conclusion of “An Old Woman,” the speaker’s change of heart highlights the importance of seeing and understanding the people around us, regardless of their circumstances. This lesson is significant because it reminds us that everyone deserves to be treated with dignity and compassion.

Frederick Douglass was an American abolitionist, author, lecturer, and statesman who escaped from slavery in 1838 and went on to become a leading figure in the abolitionist movement. His autobiography, Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, an American Slave, is considered to be one of the most important works of American literature and a powerful and moving account of his life as a slave. Douglass’s work is an important reminder of the horrors of slavery and the importance of fighting for justice and equality. Read More 1st PUC English Summaries.

Frederick Douglass Summary

Frederick Douglass Summary in English

‘Frederick Douglass’ is an autobiographical piece about the life of an American slave. The piece brings to us the gory details of the ill-treatment meted out to the slaves by their white masters. The author begins with references to his birth in Tuckahoe. Ironically, he is not able to say when exactly he was born. He adds that this ambiguity about the age was the lot of all slaves as their masters hid this piece of information from them. The author, who is unhappy over his ignorance about his date of birth, states that he must be either twenty-seven or twenty-eight, going by what his master had said about his age ten years ago.

The speaker’s ignorance is not limited to his age alone. He doesn’t know who his father is though the common speculation is that his father is a white man. He knows that his mother was a black woman named Harriet Bailey from whom he was separated when he was an infant. He adds that it was the common custom in that part of Maryland that the children were thus separated from their mothers, hindering the natural bond between the mother and the child.

He had seen his mother only four or five times when she met him after walking twelve miles from Mr Stewart’s place where she worked as the field hand. She had to be back in the field before the sunrise if she had to escape the penalty of whipping from the slave master. This left the mother and child very little time and scope for communication. The sad outcome of this is that when he lost her when he was around seven, he didn’t feel the usual emotions of sorrow.

The sudden death of the mother put an end to whatever chance the author had of knowing who his father was. He cannot be sure at all whether his slave master was his father also, though there were rumours to that effect. But, the prospect of the slave masters being the fathers was not of any relief to the children because such children were under the constant scrutiny of the wives of such slave masters. Such slave masters went to the extent of selling these children to flesh traders to please their white wives. If they didn’t do this, they had to either whip their own black children or see their white sons whip their black brothers. Any sign of disapproval by the white man at the gory acts of the white sons made matters worse for both the slave masters and their black children.

The author shares with his readers his experiences with one of his two masters – Captain Anthony by name. If the master himself was cruel, his overseer-Mr. Plummer-was even crueller. The author places before the readers the bloody details of the master whipping an aunt of his with cowskin until he was too tired to continue whipping her. Mr Plummer, on his part, went around with not only the cowskin but also a heavy cudgel and cut and slashed women’s heads horribly.

Despite all these hardships, the author had the optimism of coming out of slavery and he thanks God for giving him this hope and cheerfulness as a youngster.

Conclusion:

Frederick Douglass was a courageous and eloquent advocate for justice and equality. His life and work continue to inspire people all over the world.

In his poem “The Farmer’s Wife,” Thomas Hardy presents a simple and straightforward tribute to the love and devotion of his wife. The farmer, a simple man, reminisces about his wife’s beauty, kindness, hard work, and unwavering love. He concludes by expressing his deep grief over her loss. Read More 1st PUC English Summaries.

The Farmer’s Wife Summary

The Farmer’s Wife Summary in English

The poem ‘The Farmer’s Wife’ by the Volga begins with the lamentation of the farmer’s wife, who laments over the death of her husband. However, in her lamentation, it is clear that more than mourning over the death of her husband, she expresses her grief over the hopelessness of the situation. Her husband has committed suicide because he was unable to face the creditors. However, his act is not considered an irresponsible act. In fact, people may even think of his act as the virtuous act of a self-respecting man who did not want to bend his head and stretch his arm. But the woman points out that, by committing suicide he has left the woman behind, to bend her head and stretch her hand as she has to continue to live at least for the sake of her four children.

The woman ironically adds that bending the head and stretching the arm pose no problem to her as she has always done that. She has always done that as women are always pushed to the low level. But she cannot understand how her husband, who had always asserted his right over her, simply by virtue of being a man, could drink poison and get released from the worldly bonds in a cowardly way. The woman, in her questioning of his act, implies that his irresponsible act has poisoned her very existence. She suggests that when living was worse than death, embracing death was a selfish and even cruel act on the part of the man as he had no thought for the family that he left behind.

The woman is shocked that the man, who could kick and bully her with the claim of superiority over her, could give her the final death blow by committing suicide. At this point, the woman compares the hardship she suffered in the family over the years and the problem of the cotton crop being destroyed that year. She points out that the pain she had undergone was for a longer period of time, but she had withstood it. The problem of the cotton crop, as she says, ‘is but yesterday’s.’ The juxtaposition of the two problems is done to show that men buckle under pressure more easily than women. Men are self-centred too and when they take recourse to escapism, they don’t give any thought to what would happen to their family. They are not worried over the future of their children either. Hence it becomes double jeopardy for the woman.

On the one hand, she has to come to terms with the death of her husband, on the other she has to worry over the future of her children. Here also the poet draws an analogy between the natural crop and the children. The woman points out that when the crop failed, her husband committed suicide; if she were to do the same thing, her children wouldn’t have a bright future. She adds that she is not prepared to allow the harvest of her womb to perish. She cannot leave her children helpless like the worm-eaten cotton pods in the wind. The woman rightly points out that meeting one’s end is over in a moment. It’s not a long struggle. But the struggle in life, for life to sustain and continue, is a long struggle, full of perils. For this, one needs a brave heart.

Only the one with a firm heart will analyse the difficult situation with questions like, ‘What of this?’ or ‘Why is this?’ When a person asks, ‘What of this?’, he probably wonders about what would be the final outcome of all the struggle. When he asks, ‘Why is this?’, he definitely has a sense of self-pity. Yet he should never lose his reasoning ability and the determination to fight his misfortune. Otherwise, his children would become orphans. That is why the farmer’s wife asserts that she would continue to live to teach her children how to live.

She wants to instil in her children the fighting spirit which her husband lacked. That is why she says that she would continue to be alive to teach her children to fight with a clenched fist for not only the basic need of food but also more important things, attaining which might be nothing less than a battle. For this, she pledges to embrace life and not death, though life would present a long and painful struggle.

Thus the poem is a tribute paid to the dauntless spirit of the woman and a plea to the weak-hearted not to lose hope.

Conclusion:

The speaker of “The Farmer’s Wife” concludes by expressing his deep grief over the loss of his wife, but also his gratitude for the time they had together and his determination to keep her memory alive. The poem’s conclusion is a powerful and moving tribute to the power of love and the resilience of the human spirit.

“Watchman of the Lake” is a one-act play by R.K. Narayan that tells the story of Mara, a man who is chosen by the goddess to be the watchman of a sacred lake. Mara accepts his duty with reverence and devotion, and he spends his life protecting the lake from harm. The play is a celebration of nature and the importance of environmental stewardship, and it also explores the themes of faith, duty, and sacrifice. Read More 1st PUC English Summaries.

Watchman of the Lake Summary

Watchman of the Lake Summary in English

The title of the play ‘Watchman of the Lake’ by R.K. Narayan refers to a watchman who was instrumental in the lake coming into being. The one-act play which has five scenes unfolds before us the saga of Mara who, against stiff opposition, ensured that the lake came into being, and sacrificed himself to ensure that the lake did not overflow its banks destroying the whole capital of the king who had constructed the lake.

In scene one, we see road makers working under the instructions of the village headman. The village headman, who is rude to all the workers, repeatedly reminds them that the road should be ready within a day before the arrival of the king. When he catches some workmen laughing, he asks for the reason. He is furious to know that the reason behind their laughter is Mara hiding behind a rock. The headman orders his workers to go and catch Mara. When Mara is brought to him, he admonishes (scolds) Mara for distracting the workers and reminds him that he had repeatedly asked Mara to keep away from the workers for the present and the king when he passed that way.

When Mara shows his disobedience, he orders one of his workers – Bhima, who is as huge as a giant, to tie up Mara and lock him up in a cellar. Even when Mara tells him that he wants to inform the king about a dream in which he had seen the Goddess, the headman doesn’t relent. The headman cautions Bhima not to listen to the prattle of Mara.

In scene two, we see the king passing by that way. But suddenly Mara jumps down from a tree and places before the king the vision of the Goddess of his dream and her words. Mara says that the plate where the king stood was a sacred spot as Hanuman had come there in search of the sanjeevini to revive Lakshmana, fatally wounded in the war. The stream that arose from where the sanjeevini grew was Veda and she was a plaything for the Goddess. The Goddess kept her in the shelter in summer and made her flow past the kingdom of the king at other times. So, if a bank was built for her, even during summer, the king’s subjects could make use of the water. The king is impressed by the idea that Mara has had the vision of the Goddess and he asks Mara to follow him to the kingdom.

In scene three, we see that a huge tank has already been built for river Veda, and Mara loyally takes care of the lake. He is watchful of people who come there to fish but is ready to let the water for the use of all subjects, according to the law laid down by the king. He ensures that no one is harmed at the lake, not even the tiger that comes there to slake its thirst. We see Mara taking the help of his son – Ganga to maintain the lake. When the scene ends, we see that Mara is worried about the rising levels of the water in the lake.

In scene four, we see Mara at the palace seeking permission to speak to the king late at night. Mara, who is drenched in water and has mud splashed all over him, confides to the king that the Goddess had appeared in his dream again and had warned him about Veda overflowing the banks of the lake. She hadn’t relented even when Mara had reminded her that it was at her behest that the bank had been built. Mara adds that the Goddess seemed to be in a destructive mood. Mara tells the king that if the water overflowed, then the whole kingdom would be destroyed.

Even as the king gets ready to inform his subjects about the impending deluge and doom, Mara tells him that there is one way of saving the kingdom. He says that the Goddess had promised not to overflow until Mara returned and the king could ensure that Mara didn’t return by killing him. Thus we see that Mara sacrifices himself for the welfare of the king and his subjects. His only request is to make his son the next watchman and his grandson and great-grandsons after his son to be subsequent watchmen of the lake.

In scene five, we see that Ganga is the watchman of the lake and he narrates to his son when he took over his father’s duty. From his narration, we come to know that the king had come personally to inform Ganga that his father was more. The king had also asked Ganga to start doing his father’s duty immediately. The king had also built a shrine with two figures – one of the Guardian Goddess on the top pedestal and one immediately below it – of Mara. By the king’s order, worship was to be performed every Tuesday and Friday. Ganga remarks that scores of people since then had come from far and near to worship. Thus, we see that Mara, who was called a lunatic by the village headman, was worshipped by thousands of villagers.

Conclusion:

The novel “Watchman of the Lake” by R.K. Narayan concludes with Mara, the watchman of the lake, returning to the lake after having been away for many years. The novel “Watchman of the Lake” concludes with Mara returning to the lake, realizing its sacredness and his responsibility to protect it. His return symbolizes his own rebirth and his renewed commitment to the lake. The novel also suggests that we all have a responsibility to protect the natural world.

“If I was a Tree” is a thought-provoking poem by Charles Ghigna that invites readers to contemplate the idea of becoming a tree and experiencing the natural world from a unique perspective. The poem ‘If I was a Tree’ places before the readers an age-old custom of discrimination practised in India. The poem satirises the idea of defilement and purification. The unasked but implied question in the poem is about the defilement of the mind. Read More 1st PUC English Summaries.

If I was a Tree Summary

If I was a Tree Summary in English

The poem ‘If I was a Tree’ places before the readers an age-old custom of discrimination practised in India. The poem satirises the idea of defilement and purification. The unasked but implied question in the poem is about the defilement of the mind. The poem implies that the ones who practise caste system go against God’s design. In the different creations of God, there is not a single creature that is considered superior to other creations.

It is clear from the poem that the speaker has suffered the bane of discrimination in human society. His statement that if he were a tree, no bird would ask him what caste he was, makes it clear that the speaker is made to feel ashamed of his caste repeatedly. When he states that the shadow of the tree which is formed on the ground when the sunlight falls on it, wouldn’t feel defiled, it is clear that people keep him at a distance and do not allow even his shadow to come in their way as he and his shadow are considered impure. When he talks about the sweet friendship with the cooly breeze and leaves, it is crystal clear that in society not many extend to him their hands of friendship.

When he avers that raindrops wouldn’t turn back from him considering him a dog eater, it is understandable that people from whom he hoped for sustenance just as a tree gets its sustenance from water, he got only abuse and rejection. When he writes that mother earth wouldn’t flee from him with the fear of getting defiled, the picture of upper caste people shooing him away forms in the imagination of the readers. The phrase ‘branching out’ makes it clear that the hopes and aspirations of the lower caste people are curbed and they are not allowed to make use of their potential. Through the image of the sacred cow coming to the tree and giving the tree the joy of being touched by the three hundred thousand gods sheltering inside her, the speaker shows that entry to sacred places is denied to him. It could even be an ironical reference to the higher caste people who worship cows as divine but fail to see divinity in their fellow human beings.

It could even be a mockery of the upper caste people who worship thousands of gods but have no respect for their brethren. Finally, when the speaker says that if he is a tree he would have the privilege of being burnt in the holy fire or becoming the bier, it is clear that as a human being, he knows that he would be shunned even after death and wouldn’t be allowed a decent death. Thus, as a human being, in life and death, he would be condemned, but as a tree, he would live a life of dignity and joy. Thus the speaker makes it clear that instead of being born as a human being in a society which practices discrimination, it is better to be born as a tree or any other creature in nature, as in nature there is no discrimination.

Conclusion:

The poet wishes he would have been born as a tree rather than a person, because the human race still practices immoral discrimination based on caste. The poet, on the other hand, turns to nature, which he believes does not discriminate against any creature regardless of size, colour, habitat or gender.

Babar Ali is the youngest headmaster in the world who started his school in his backyard to serve the underprivileged community. At this young age 16, when most of the students are looking for a job, Babar was already a headmaster of a school he started with only nine children. Read More 1st PUC English Summaries.

Babar Ali Summary

Babar Ali Summary in English

In the lesson ‘Babar Ali’, Samarpita Mukherjee Sharma introduces to the readers the world’s youngest headmaster – Babar Ali – through the words of Tanvir, a Youth Leader volunteer. Our pride lies in the fact that this sixteen-year-old headmaster is an Indian, hailing from Murshidabad in West Bengal. Babar Ali’s father Nasiruddin Sheikh, a jute seller, though uneducated, believed in the idea that education is man’s true religion and sent Babar to school. Babar, a first-generation learner, was a model student in school.

But, what he did after school was more significant than being studious or smart. With the awareness that he was one of the few fortunate boys in the village, Babar was prompted to do something for his fellow youngsters who did not enjoy the same privilege. That is why, after his school hours, in the backyard of his house, in the open air, he started teaching the children who wanted to learn, but had no opportunity to do so and were deprived of their basic right to education.

Even if the government-aided education was free, the other expenses incurred over the uniform, books, etc., discouraged parents from sending their children to school. Hence, the children ended up us maidservants, mechanics, day labourers, grass cutters, livestock herders etc.

Babar Ali’s vision for these children was different. He wanted to teach these children who were prepared to walk for miles to learn. Thus came into being ‘Anand Siksha Niketan’. In fact, the school started as a game and soon turned into a serious pursuit because children enjoyed learning arithmetic. An institution that came into being with just eight children and one young headmaster, to begin with, in nine years time, had 60 regular attendees, 10 volunteer teachers, 200 students on roll-call and 800 students in total. Fortunately, the school had benefactors in teachers, IAS officers, social workers and religious leaders.

To top it all, even the West Bengal government recognised the school. But, one should remember that the real strength of the school lay in the selfless service of simple people like Tulu Rani Hazra, an illiterate fishmonger, who encouraged parents to send their children to school; Debarita, a college-going teenager, who had the noble desire to help the underprivileged of society by being their teacher. The strength of the school also lay in the.fact that all teacher volunteers were students who used their free time productively to teach the less fortunate, and the fact that they were not very senior to the students helped them in getting the attention of their pupils.

Thus, we see that the efforts of a single boy resulted in almost a revolution in the field of education and made people believe in the ideal that common people can achieve uncommon feats.

Conclusion:

In conclusion, Babar Ali’s story is a testament to the transformative power of education and one individual’s determination to make a difference in the lives of disadvantaged children. His journey highlights the importance of access to education and serves as an inspiration for those striving to bring positive change to their communities.

“Money Madness” is a short story by D.H. Lawrence, a celebrated English author. Money Madness is a biting critique of today’s consumerist society, which is centred on material prosperity and money. People nowadays are so consumed by the drive to amass wealth that they are ready to put their morality and even their sanity on the line. Read More 1st PUC English Summaries.

Money Madness Summary

Money Madness Summary in English

‘Money Madness’ by D.H. Lawrence is a powerful argument against the weakness of money. Lawrence begins by saying that madness for money is collective. With this, he establishes the fact that the madness for money is widespread and is rampant. But Lawrence is quick to add that an individual is not absolved of guilt just because this madness is all-pervasive. He has to admit to his own share of insanity because collective madness is possible only after individual madness comes into existence. Thus the poet points out that money is a madness shared by everyone in the world. If the whole world is mad, then every single person carries the madness around him.

The poet is afraid of society. If a man becomes so consumed by money, he forgets what else is important in the world. Financial issues are stressful. Often, society judges a man by his riches. If he is poor, then society expects him to eat dirt or beg for bread. Lawrence emphasizes that the world has become preoccupied with money and the ways in which one can possess wealth. It is madness to place such importance on money which can be lost in the blink of an eye. People do not like to share their money. The larger the amount, the more painful it becomes to give it away. Man cowers before the god of wealth – Money can stress a person. The consumption of riches has power over man. It is the collective or shared wealth that is most frightening. The narrator hopes that if he has no money, mankind will give him bread so that he might live. But he also knows that along with bread, people will make him eat dirt.

This fear of the ‘money-hungry fellow man’ can confuse a person. To summarize his point, Lawrence avows that people should not have to beg for food to eat. Food, shelter, and fire should be free for everyone. Mankind must regain its composure concerning the financial aspect of life before we start killing one another over it.

Conclusion:

In conclusion, D.H. Lawrence’s “Money Madness” serves as a cautionary tale about the destructive nature of an unchecked obsession with wealth. The story underscores the emptiness of a life consumed by materialism and the profound consequences it can have on one’s well-being and relationships.

“Oru Manushyan”, Kuttippuzha, a young man from a small village in Kerala, struggles to find his place in the world. He is a dreamer and a rebel, and he is often at odds with the conventions of his society. The novel is a coming-of-age story that explores the themes of identity, belonging, and the search for meaning in life. Read More 1st PUC English Summaries.

Oru Manushyan Summary

Oru Manushyan Summary in English

‘Oru Manushyan’ when translated to English means ‘A Man’ and the title refers to a man who comes to the rescue of the speaker, who is in a land which is one thousand five hundred miles away from his home. The speaker knows no one there; neither does he know the local language. He knows English and Hindustani, but not many inhabitants of the land understand English or Hindustani. The place is quite a big city in the valley of a mountain. The crime rate is high as the people are merciless and are prepared to do anything for money. They work as soldiers, money lenders and watchmen in banks/mills/commercial establishments.

The speaker, who stays in a small room, teaches English to migrant labourers from nine-thirty till eleven in the night as people want to learn English to write addresses in English at the post office. If they have to get it done by others, they have to pay anything between one anna and four annas. The speaker, who earns very little, sleeps all day and wakes up at four in the evening so as to avoid the expenses of morning tea and noon lunch.

One evening he goes to a crowded restaurant to have his food and when he has to pay the bill of eleven annas, he realises that his purse with his life’s savings of fourteen rupees is missing. But, the owner of the restaurant thinks that the speaker is trying to cheat him, and threatens to gouge his eyes out. None of the others at the restaurant seem to have any kindness either.

The speaker pleads with the owner to keep his coat as surety. But, the owner guffaws and makes the speaker remove his coat, shirt, and shoes. When he wants the speaker to remove even the trousers, the speaker pleads with him for mercy saying he has nothing inside. This only invokes more laughter and the restaurant owner, along with fifty other people gathered there, forces the speaker to strip further, and says mockingly, “There must be something inside.”

The speaker, now resigned to his fate, starts unbuttoning his trousers, all the time imagining himself standing naked in front of others, with his eyes gouged out. It is at this point that a blue-eyed, fair-complexioned, a six-footer with a red turban and white trousers intervenes and offers to pay the amount due, to the owner. He asks the speaker to go with him and when the grateful speaker asks for his name, he says he has no name.

When the speaker says ‘Mercy’ must be his name, he does not react and walks on until they reach a deserted bridge. There, after making sure that no one is around, the stranger takes out five wallets and asks the speaker which of these is his. He warns the speaker to go away without turning around and adds that the speaker should not admit to anyone that he has seen the man. He gives the wallet, which has been identified by the speaker as his own, with the money intact, and leaves the place wishing the speaker that he be helped by God. The speaker, on his part, hopes that God would help the stranger.

It is clear that the man, who helps the speaker, in reality, is the pick-pocket who has stolen the purse of the speaker, in addition to four other wallets. Though the speaker is more than grateful to the man, the situation raises many ethical questions. Do we take the pick-pocket as a man with a kind heart? Following one line of argument, we can say that he definitely is. Otherwise, he wouldn’t have helped the speaker. Had he been totally hard-hearted, he would have probably had a lot of fun, watching the humiliation of the speaker, knowing full well that the speaker is telling the truth.

One more point that goes in his favour is the truth that the money he pays at the restaurant is not from the fourteen rupees of the speaker. In fact, he asks the speaker to count his money and make sure that the amount is not touched.

But, this doesn’t absolve him of wrongdoing. What would have happened to the speaker if the man who had picked his pocket wasn’t around? What about the plight of the other four people who have lost their wallets? Isn’t there the possibility that they too would probably be in similar or even worse situations? There is also the question of the background of the thief. Has he indulged in the crime because of some unavoidable circumstances or is it that he is a man who wants to earn some quick money? The various ethical questions point in one direction – we cannot sit in judgment of the actions of others.

No case can be judged from a single point of view. There are multiple possibilities. However, it is evident that, though a criminal, the man – ‘Oru Manushyan’ – is certainly a person with some goodness in his heart and the speaker would always remember him as his kind saviour.

Conclusion:

In conclusion, “Oru Manushyan” by S.K. Pottekkatt is a thought-provoking exploration of the human condition, highlighting the complexities of love, morality, and destiny through the life of its central character, Appukkili. The novel leaves readers pondering the intricacies of human nature and the choices that shape our lives.