Tamilnadu State Board Class 10 English Solutions Poem Chapter 2 The Grumble Family
The Grumble Family Textual Questions
A. Read the following lines from the poem and answer the questions given below.
The Grumble Family Poem Figure of Speech Question 1. There’s a family nobody likes to meet;
They live, it is said, on Complaining Street
(a) Where does the family live?
(b) Why do you think the street is named as ‘Complaining Street’?
Answer:
(a) The family lives in Complaining Street.
(b) The street is named as Complaining Street because a family which is never satisfied lives there.
2. They growl at that and they growl at this;
whatever comes, there is something amiss;
(a) What does the word ‘growl’ mean here?
(b) Why do they find everything amiss?
Answer:
(a) The word ‘growl’ means shouting or snarling at everything.
(b) They find everything amiss or quite wrong because they are never satisfied with anything. They shout and complain about everything.
3. Nothing goes right with the folks you meet
Down on that gloomy and Complaining Street.
(a) What is the opinion about the folks you meet down the street?
(b) What does the word ‘gloomy’ mean here?
Answer:
(a) Everything goes wrong with the folks you meet down the street.
(b) The word ‘gloomy’ means to appear depressing or frightening.
Grumble Family Question 4. The worst thing is that if anyone stays
Among them too long, he will learn their ways;
(a) What is the worst thing that can happen if anyone stays with them?
(b) What are the ways of the Grumble family?
The Grumble Family Poem Questions and Answer:
(a) If anyone stays with them for a long time, he or she will learn their ways. This is the worst that can happen to anyone.
(b) The ways of the grumble family are that they are never satisfied with anything and they are always complaining and finding fault in everything.
Complaining Street Figure of Speech Question 5. And so it were wisest to keep our feet
From wandering into Complaining Street;
(a) What is the wisest thing that the poet suggests?
(b) What does the phrase ‘to keep our feet from wandering’ refer to?
Answer:
(a) The poet suggests that the wisest thing is to keep our feet away from going into the complaining street.
(b) The phrase ‘to keep our feet from wondering’ refers to avoid stepping into the complaining street.
6. Let us learn to walk with a smile and a song,
No matter if things do sometimes go wrong;
(a) What does the poet expect everyone to learn?
(b) What should we do when things go wrong sometimes?
Answer:
(a) The poet expects everyone to live a happy life by smiling and singing all the time.
(b) We should not bother ourselves, if things go wrong sometimes.
Poetic Comprehension – Additional
The Grumble Family Poem Question 1. “In the city of Never-Are-Satisfied,
The River of Discontent beside.”
(a) Where did the Grumble family live?
(b) Where was the city?
Answer:
(a) The Grumble family lived in the Complaining Street in the city of ‘Never-Are-Satisfied’.
(b) The City was beside the ‘river of Discontent’
2. “And whether their station be high or humble,
They are all known by the name of Grumble.”
(a) What was the family known by?
(b) What does the word ‘station’ mean here?
Answer:
(a) The family was known by the name of ‘Grumble’.
(b) Here, ‘station means ‘establishment’.
3. “But the queerest thing is that not one of the same Can be brought to acknowledge his family name;”
(a) What is the queerest thing about the family?
(b) What does ‘his family’ refer to?
Answer:
(a) The queerest thing is that not one of the same can be brought to accept his family name.
(b) ‘His family’ refers to the Grumbler’s family.
Down on The Gloomy Complaining Street Figure of Speech Question 4. “And then, be our station high or humble,
Well never belong to the family of Grumble!”
(a) To which family, we should never belong?
(b) What is meant by‘humble’?
Answer:
(a) We should never belong to the ‘Grumble family’.
(b) ‘Humble’ means ‘modest’.
B. Answer the following question in about 80-120 words.
Question 1.
Write a paragraph on ‘The Grumble Family’ and their attitude towards other folks.
Answer:
A family lived in the Street of Complaining. Nobody liked them, as they were always complaining. They found fault in everything. They were never satisfied with anything. They growl at everything whether they are in a good position or a low position, they find fault in it and complain about it. When the weather is too hot or cold, they complain about it. They scold alike if it is winter or summer. Everything goes wrong with the people living down on that sad complaining street. It is a fact that their growling never gets completed or stopped. And if everything pleased them, there is no doubt, that they would grumble that there is nothing to grumble about.
The Grumble Family Question 2.
If you were to live in the Complaining Street, how would you deal with the people who grumble?
Answer:
If I were to live in the Complaining Street, I would never allow the pessimism of others to * keep us from reaching the heights of victory. Many times, we come into contact with people who have nothing good or positive to say. All of their comments are negative and critical. Their focus is only on the bad. So with these people, I would always try my best to be an optimist, who sees the good and not the bad. I would communicate words that bring honour and. glory to God. I would deal with all the matters in a diplomatic way and advise the people who grumble, to be happy with what they are blessed with. They should be smiling and make their life a happy journey.
Down on The Gloomy Complaining Street Question 3.
From the poem ‘The Grumble Family’ what kind of behaviour does the poet want the readers to possess?
Answer:
The poet wants the readers to be optimistic. He suggests that it is the wisest to keep away from going into the complaining street. We should never growl for whatever we do. Otherwise, we would be mistaken as grumblers. We should, therefore learn to walk our way of life with a smile and a song. We should not bother ourselves, no matter, if things go wrong or if we are in a good or a low position. We should never belong to the family of Grumble. We should never be a complainer. But rather be one who praises God in all things he has blessed us with. We should trust that all things will work together for us, if we have faith in God.
Paragraph Question & Answer – Additional
Question 1.
Why should we not belong to the grumble family?
Answer:
The grumble family always complain about silly things. They always find wrong in everything and everywhere. They are known by the name of Grumble. All of their comments are negative and critical and their focus is only on the bad. If they see the sun shining, they will complain that it is too hot. If they see the snow falling, they will complain that it is too cold. Their first instinct is to find something to complain and murmur about. But if everything pleased them, there is no doubt, that they would grumble and get worried that there is nothing to worry about.
The worst thing about the grumble family is that if anyone stays among them for a long time, he will learn their ways of grumbling. Before the person realizes the fact about them, he is adopted into the family of Grumble. So the poet insists that it is wise to keep our feet away from wandering into the complaining street. We should learn to walk with a smile and a song. We should never belong to the Grumble family, as they see all things in a negative way.
C. Answer the following.
1. And whether their station be high or humble,…
Pick out the alliteration from the above line.
Answer:
high – humble’ are the words in alliteration.
2. Pick out the other examples for alliteration from the poem.
Answer:
They – that; they – this; they – the; growl – grumble; thing – that; that – they’d; be – brought; long – learn; walk – with; smile – song; are the other examples of alliteration.
3. The weather is always too hot or cold;
Summer and winter alike they scold.
Nothing goes right with the folks you meet
Down on that gloomy Complaining Street.
Pick out the rhyming words and identify the rhyme scheme of the above lines.
Answer:
The rhyming words are ‘cold – scold; meet – street’;
The rhyming scheme of the above lines are ‘aabb’.
Poetic Devices – Additional
1. “And before he dreams of the terrible jumble
He’s adopted into the family of Grumble. ”
(a) Pick out the rhyming words in these lines.
Answer:
“jumble – Grumble” are the rhyming words.
The Grumble Family Poem Summary Question 2. “And if everything pleased them, there isn’t a doubt They ’d growl that they’d nothing to grumble about! ”
(a) Pick out the rhyming words in these lines.
(b) Pick out the words of alliteration in the second line.
Answer:
(a) “doubt – about” are the rhyming words.
(b) “They’d – that – they’d”; “growl – grumble”.
3. “They growl at the rain and they growl at the sun; ”
(a) Identify the figure of speech used in this line.
Answer:
Anaphora. “They growl” is repeated.
The Grumble Family By Lucy Maud Montgomery
Lucy Maud Montgomery (1874 – 1942) is a Canadian author who remembered for her famous novel ‘Anne of Green Gables’. She has published 20 novels as well as 530 short stories, 500 poems and 30 essays.
All these works are highly appreciated by the book lovers and critics.
She is the first woman in Canada, to be named as a fellow of the Royal Society of Arts in England. She was made an officer of the Order of the British Empire in 1935. In 1943, the Government of Canada designated her as the Person of National Historic Significance, Posthumously.
The Grumble Family Key Points
- This is a humorous poem about a grumble family.
- This Grumble Family always complains about silly matters.
- They lived in the street of complaining, in the city of ‘Never-Are-Satisfied, beside the river of Discontent’.
- They always find wrong in everything and everywhere.
- All of their comments are negative and critical.
- Their focus is only on the bad.
- Their first instinct is to find something to complain and murmur about people.
- Thus we should learn to walk with a smile and a song.
- We should never be a complainer, but always try our best to be an optimist who sees the good in everything.
The Grumble Family Summary
This is a humorous poem about a grumble family. This grumble family always complain about silly matters. They lived in the street of complaining, in the city of ‘ Never-Are-Satisfied, beside the river of Discontent’. They always find wrong in everything and everywhere. They are always known by the name of Grumble. All of their comments are negative and critical and their focus is only on the bad. If they see the sun shining, they will complain that it is too hot. If they see the snow falling, they will complain that it is too cold. Their first instinct s to find something to complain and murmur about People, who stay in their house for a long time, will learn heir ways of grumbling and before they realise the truth of their terrible jumble, they are adopted into their family. Thus we should learn to walk with a smile and a song. We should never be a complainer, but always try best to be an optimist who sees the good in everything.
The Grumble Family Explanation of Poetic Lines
Line No. 1 – 4
There’s a family nobody likes to meet;
They live, it is said, on Complaining Street
In the city of Never-Are-Satisfied,
The River of Discontent‘beside.
Explanation:
A family lives in the street of complaining and nobody likes them. They don’t talk to them and mingle with them. They live in the city of ‘Never-Are-Satisfied’ which is beside the river of Discontent.
Line No. 5 – 8
They growl at that and they growl at this;
Whatever comes, there is something amiss;
And whether their station be high or humble,
They are all known by the name Grumble.
Explanation:
They go on complaining or grumbling about each and everything. Their first instinct is to find something to complain and murmur about everything. They growl at everything. They find wrong in whatever they see or act. Whether they are in a good position or not, they find fault in it and complain about it. They are known by the name of Grumble.
Line No. 9 – 12
The weather is always too hot or cold;
Summer and winter alike they scold.
Nothing goes right with the folks you meet,
Down on that gloomy Complaining Street.
Explanation:
Whether the weather is too hot or too cold, they complain about it. They scold alike if it is winter or summer everything goes wrong with the people living down on the sad complaining street.
Line No. 13 – 16
They growl at the rain and they growl at the sun;
In fact, their growling is never done.
And if everything pleased them, there isn’t a doubt,
They’d growl that they’d nothing to grumble about!
Explanation:
They grumble about the rain, if it rains heavily and growl about the sun, if it is hot. It is a fact that their growling never gets completed or stopped and if everything pleased them there is no doubt, that they will grumble, that there is nothing to grumble about.
Line No. 17 – 20
But the queerest thing is that not one of the same,
Can be brought to acknowledge his family name;
For never a Grumble will own that he
Is connected with it at all, you see.
Explanation:
But the strange thing is that not one of the same can be brought to acknowledge his family name, as a grumbler never owns that he is connected with it at all.
Line No. 21 – 24
The worst thing is that if anyone stays,
Among them too long, he will learn their ways;
And before he dreams of the terrible jumble,
He’s adopted into the family of Grumble.
Explanation:
The worst thing to be known about the Grumbler’s family is that if anyone stays too long with them, he will learn their ways before the person knows the truth of the terrible jumble, he’s adopted into the family of Grumble.
Line No. 25 – 28
And so it were wisest to keep our feet
From wandering into Complaining Street;
And never to growl, whatever we do,
Lest we be mistaken for Grumblers, too.
Explanation:
So the poet insists that it is wisest to keep our feet away from wandering into the complaining street. We should be mistaken as grumblers.
Line No. 29 – 32
Let us learn to walk with a smile and a song,
No matter if things do sometimes go wrong;
And then, be our station high or humble,
We’ll never belong to the family of Grumble!
Explanation:
Therefore, we should learn to walk with a smile and a song. We should not bother ourselves, no matter if things go wrong or if we are in a good or a low position. We should never belong to the family of grumble.
The Grumble Family Glossary
acknowledge – accept or admit the existence or truth of t
amiss (adj.) – not quite right
crown (n) – a prize or position offered for being the best
discontent (adj.) – dissatisfaction with one’s circumstances
folks – people in general
growl (v) – make a low guttural sound in the throat
grumble (n) – a complaint about something in a bad-tempered way
gloomy (adj.) – to appear depressing or frightening
humble (adj.) – modest
jumble (n) – an untidy collection of things
lest – otherwise
queerest (adj.) – the strangest or the most unusual
station – establishment
terrible (adj.) – extremely bad or serious
wandering (v) – walking or moving in a leisurely or aimless way