MY ELDER BROTHER by MUNSHI PREMCHAND – summary

inter second year study material

MY ELDER BROTHER

                                              MUNSHI PREMCHAND

SUMMARY

INTRODUCTION: ‘My Elder Brother’ is a lighthearted comic tale written by Munshi Premchand in Hindi. He is regarded as the emperor of Hindi novelists. This story was translated in English by Madan Gopal. The lapses in our education system form the core issue of the story.

CONTENT AND MEANING: ‘My Elder Brother’ is an endearing story about two brothers who differ in their approach to studies.  The elder brother, who is fourteen, takes his studies very seriously.  He constantly guides his younger brother to study.  The younger brother, who is nine, is playful and fun loving. He finds it difficult to study continuously even for an hour.  He tries to impress upon his brother that it needs all his sweat and toil to perform. The boy feels ashamed and it leads to  resolve to mend his ways.  He cannot resist going out and enjoying the open air and the green fields.  He draws up a time table for studies every now and then.  But he is able to follow it for only a day or two.  He studies only when it is absolutely necessary.  Ironically, the elder brother fails in every class while the younger brother passes with flying colours. Yet the elder brother chides the younger brother and warns him that success should not make him proud.  He cites the example of Ravana who was destroyed by pride.  The elder brother repeatedly warns the younger brother to study hard and not waste time.

The elder brother notices the younger brother flying a kite.  He delivers a long sermon on how he should stop wasting his time and, instead, concentrate on his studies.  Though he is only one class ahead of him difference in their age cannot be erased or forgotten.  Experience has made him wiser and he still retains the right to advise his brother.  The elder brother cites the examples of their parents. They may not know many historical or scientific facts, but possess a lot of practical wisdom. Suddenly he begins to cry.  He says that he too would like to fly kites.  But, as the elder brother, he believes he should set a good example.  He would not like to fail in his duty.  Just then a kite passes over their heads.  The elder brother jumps, catches it and runs with joy as it flies in the air.  Thus, it is clear that the elder brother too, like all children, likes to play and enjoy himself.  But he suppresses his desire as he feels he should be a role model for his younger brother.

CONCLUSION: The story satirizes the idea of elders forcing the younger ones to study without providing them an opportunity to enjoy their childhood.  The younger brother’s reaction to the sermon is a solid evidence of the ill-conceived notions of elders. This story also focuses that study and relaxation yields better results that mindless pouring over books.

PARIGE by VATTIKOTA ALWAR SWAMY summary

Inter II year English Study Material

PARIGE

                                               VATTIKOTA ALWAR SWAMY

INTRODUCTION: The short story ‘Parige’ was written by VattikotaAlwarSwamy in Telugu and translated into English by Dr. Elananga.  It gives us a vivid description of the miserable life led by the dalits in feudal Telangana and give us glimpse of inhuman social  order that prevailed during the Nizam rule in the 1940’s.  Among a dozen or so such stories.  ‘Parige’ is one which is included in the collection entitled ‘Inside the Prison’.

CONTENT AND MEANING: Mallaiah was a harijan who worked on turns in a village named Khanapuram.  When he was small, his mother passed away after giving birth to his sister.  His aged father worked  hard but led a hand-to-mouth existence.  As Mallaiah’sfather was bed ridden and awaiting death, Mallaiah had to take up the messenger’s job.  He struggled hard to make the both ends meet.  He had to shoulder the responsibilities of his sister’s marriage, the medical treatment of his father and feeding of the family.  He used to do additional work as a hired labourer.  At times, his sister would do the messenger work in addition to looking after their ailing father when he had to accompany the government officials to other places.  Sometimes they had to starve the whole day for want of additional hired work. With great difficulty they fed their father with meager quantities of food.

One day, Mallaiah found his father in a very critical condition.  His health had deteriorated.  He intended to bring something to eat and so reached the outskirts of the village.  Mallaiah felt desperate when he observed the miserliness of the landlord.  He was not giving enough wages to the hired laborers though they toiled in the fields all the day.  He didn’t have a ray of hope to get even a grain there.  With a feeling of despondency, he moved towards the fields in which harvesting was over.  In the twilight, Mallaiah gathered the left over stack of paddy one by one.  He felt proud of himself for getting something to eat that night.

Mallaiah, had been imprisoned for three months for gathering parige in the fields. One day, Mallaiah, came across an acquaintance, when he went to the bazaar for some work.  He requested the jawan for permission to talk to him.  Then, he was informed that this father had died, his sister left the village and his house was in a dilapidated condition.  He controlled his grief with great difficulty. He restrained himself till he reached his cell. He started wailing in the cell.  When the fellow prisoners tried to console him, his grief swelled up and he started sobbing.  His silent wail turned into an out- burst as his woes were unbearable and he needed an outlet.

CONCLUSION:   ‘Parige’ gives us a vivid description of the sufferings of the people belonging to the lowest rung of the social hierarchy. Its theme is so tragic that we feel deeply touched.

POLONIUS’ADVICE TO HIS SON by WILLIAM SHAKESPEARAE

Inter 2 year summary

POLONIUS’ADVICE TO HIS SON

                                                                 WILLIAM SHAKESPEARAE

INTRODUCTION: The poem ‘Polonius’ Advice to his Son’, written by William Shakespeare. He is widely regarded as the greatest playwright in English.  His plays remain highly popular and are constantly studied, performed and reinterpreted in diverse cultural and political contexts.  He is popularly known as the “Bard of Avon”.

CONTENT: Polonius is the chief Counselor of King Claudius.  The poem itself is a long list of principles that he wants his son to follow when he is away in a foreign land.  He showers his blessings on his son Laertes and asked him to follow his advice. He is confident that these advices would build his sons character. 

EXPLANATIN: Polonius advises his son to be cautious with his words and actions.  Polonius advised his son to think well before speaking and to think carefully before acting. He asks him to be friendly with others but warns him not to cross the limits of decency and privacy. He recommends making friends with others but cautions him to distingue between a true friend and a false one. He exhorts his son to avoid fights, but if for some reasons cannot, to put fear into the opponent. He suggests that his son should listen to all but speak less. He also wants his son to receive advice from all but reserve his opinion to himself. His son may buy nice clothes but should not look showy. His most famous piece of advice is not to lend or borrow money. Lending leads to loss of money and friends. Borrowing proves our inability to manage our budget. And to top it all, Polonius wishes his son to be true to himself, that is to be individualistic.

Critical Appreciation: Polonius as a sincere father offers numerous pieces of advice and list of important moral lessons of life to his son so that he can overcome life challenges.  Shakespeare had conveyed ‘brevity is the soul of wit’.
in this poem.

THE MAGICAL EARTH – GULZAR

Inter second year – Summary

THE MAGICAL EARTH

– GULZAR

SUMMARY:

INTRODUCTION: The poem ‘The Magical Earth’ is written by Sompooran Singh Karla, whose pen name is Gulzar’s famous for writing Green Poems.  His Green Poems were written in Hindi and which were translated into English by Pavan Kumar Varma.  The poet glorifies the earth by describing her resources, richness and her great capacity to give.

Context and Meaning: Gulzar pays glorious tributes to the earth in his poem ‘The Magical Earth’.  He says that the earth has some magical powers in it.  He asserts that the earth knows how to do magic. He gives a long list of fruits and flowers that the earth gives us. He says that if you give guava seeds to the earth, it gives guava fruits and bitter gourd seed gives bitter gourd.  If he asks for a flower, the earth gives him pink flowers.  Whatever colour we give to the earth it returns to him the same.  Then the poet innocently asks whether earth hidden all these colours in the soil below and found nothing by digging it.  Finally he admits that the earth knows how to do magic and like a mother knows what the child’s choice is.

The poet says, the earth does many magical things.  They include the earth balancing tall coconut trees on its fingers when there are strong gusty winds trying to uproot them.  The earth gulps down any quantity of water or milk that falls on its surface.  It’s truly amazing that it has a huge stomach that can hide even a river inside.  The earth has the capacity to make the fruits sweet, and at the same time, the leaves tasteless.  He feels that the earth has a sugar go-down or rocks of lime beneath it.  The poet wonders from where, the earth gets the splendid variety of sweetness in pomegranates, plums and mangoes.  He is all praise for the magical earth that can make the bamboo tasteless but the sugarcane sweet. Though the fruits taste sweet, leaves are tasteless.  He explains the glory and capacity of the earth which is remarkable, immeasurable and ultimate.

CONCLUSION: Gulzar while praising the variety and richness of the earth, also expresses his gratitude for the environment which has sustained the human beings for centuries together.  The capacity of the earth and her diversity is remarkable and immeasurable.

OPPORTUNITIES FOR YOUTH

by Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru

SUMMARY – INTER SECOND YEAR

– Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru

Summary

INTRODUCTION: The lesson “OPPORTUNITIES FOR YOUTH” written by Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru, the First Prime Minister of India. He is well known for his depth knowledge on Indian culture and civilization. His books Discovery of India and Glimpses of world history show his insight into the future.

CONTEXT: The present essay is an excellent message to the youth to build a wonderful nation. He advice the youth to be fearless both in body and mind. He wants them to think big to be successful in life.

EXPLANATION: He asserts that every action should be in coordination with thought or else the whole effort will become futile. Those who are strong in mind and body will lead a happy life. Gandhiji managed to draw out the good in another person. He used to look at the positive side of a person. He tried his level best to bring out the latent abilities in a person.

Nehru doesn’t expect everyone to become great thinkers, but he asked them to develop the art of thinking. Any reading which makes you think is useful reading. There is always need for the engineers and scientists. They cannot fade away even if the politicians fade away. If you are a scientist, think of becoming an Einstein and if you are a medical man think of becoming an Alexander Fleming, He concludes — the mere act of aiming at something big makes you big…

Conclusion: Nehru assures Youth that mere aiming big makes them big. He clarifies that one day a politician may fade away but a scientist or an engineer never fades away. Thus, Nehru advices youth to think clearly, act carefully, aim high and grab opportunities that are open for them.

The Green Champion – Thimmakka Summary

Extract from Internet – inter 1 year

The Green Champion – Thimmakka

Summary

Introduction: the internet based lesson “the Green Champion – Thimmakka” is an inspiring Topic. It depicts the magnificent achievements of an ordinary women with an extraordinary commitment to conserve nature.

Context: the write up shows the efforts that an ordinary womans selfless and excellent service in preserving and protecting the environment.

Explanation: Thimmakka from Karnataka was born poor, uneducated, worked as coolie. She worked hard since her childhood. She was married to Bikkala Chikkayya. She wanted to end her life as she couldn’t conceive. Later the couple came up with idea of planting the saplings and nurturing them as their own children. Thus, this work became their purpose of life. 

The couple started planting the trees inntheir village in a strech of 4 km. They planted 10 banyan saplings innthe first year and the number increased to 400 and 8000 other trees over 80 years.  they not only planted but fenced, watered and guarded them. 

After the death of Chikkayya her income source was 500/- as pension. Her financial conditions didn’t stop her from the mission for which she received many awards including Padmasri, an Environmental Organization of US named after her as ‘Thimmakka’s resources for Environment. She was titled as ‘Saalumarada’ and became a role model to the entire world with her achivements. 

The noble work of preserving the environment was taken forward by her foster son Sri. B.N. Umesh. He distributed plants and helped the farmers who were interested I growing trees. 

Conclusion:  Thimmakka is an individual who brought world wide recognition to Karnataka through her incredible and huge services to safeguard environment. She says that ” Even one saplings each could make the world a better place for our children.

SHORT SUMMARY OF “THE GREEN CHAMPION”

INTRODUCTION: The lesson The Green Champion Thimmakka. It is a biographical piece taken from the Internet.

CONTENT: Thimmakka was born poor. She wasn’t educated. She worked as a coolie. Her married life wasn’t happy because she couldn’t become a mother till she was forty. Her husband was very cooperative the couple started planting trees in that village in a stretch of 4 km. They not only planted them but tended them to maturity. Thimmakka foster son, Sri B.N. Umesh has been plating and tending the trees along the roads, in schools, public places, and on the mountain and hilltops. He is also successfully running the PRITHBI BACHAO Movement. Thimmakka received many awards, including the Padma Shri.

CONCLUSION: Thus Thimakka started her life and work in a humble manner. got name through a tree-planting mission.