THE HITCH-HIKER

Hitch-hiker means a traveler who travels by getting free lifts in passing vehicles.

FOUR-LEVELS

Literal comprehension

The “Hitch-Hiker” is a first person Narrative story written by one of the most famous writer Roald Dahl.
He starts the story with the introduction of a brand new BMW car which is driven by the narrator in the
story. He was on his way to London where he happened to see a man thumbing for a lift. As the narrator
was attuned to the experience of being a hitch-hiker, he invited the man to come into his car. The
Hitchhiker, who looked like a human rat to the narrator stated that he was going to Epsom and they talked
on the way and narrator told that he was a writer to the hitchhiker. Hitchhiker commented on the
narrator’s profession as a skilled one and also told that he is also engaged in a skilled profession. The
narrator was challenged by the hitch-hiker to see if the car really could get up to its top speed of 129 mph.
They drove to a stretch of flat even road, and the narrator opened up the throttle. He reached up to 120
mph just as police officer flashed his sirens and pulled him over. The officer issued the narrator threats of
license cancellation, imprisonment, and gave him an offence ticket. The cop also noted the hitch-hiker’s
address and occupation. After the cop departed, the narrator was worried. But the hitch-hiker consoled
him that nothing would happen. The hitch-hiker then revealed that he is a finger-smith, a very skilled
pickpocket by showing all of the narrator’s possessions with him. He then told the narrator that he had
taken the cop’s ticket and notebooks, adding that they should leave the highway and make a bonfire to
burn ‘em on.

Interpretation

This story might be telling that practical knowledge is the best knowledge i.e., gained through the real
experience of life. The writer focuses on the truth of life, which is to become very good at something very
hard. It also tells us that an uneducated man with the finest skills can be superior to the learned ones in
some of the cases. They can prove to be better in the field of their expertise. The story can also be
interpreted that education is means and ends to everything in this world; one can also be extraordinary
with special skills without education. This story also presents the proudness and carelessness of an
educated person. The way the writer spoke with the policeman and his dealing in critical situation
presents irrationality of educated people. On the other hand, it presents bravery of experienced and
people in a critical situation in the form of hitch-hiker. Furthermore, the story might be trying to mean
that we should never under value anyone who looks ordinary as they can be hidden treasures.

Critical Thinking

The story is really interesting and informative, but some ideas presented in the story are less convincing.
How is it possible for any pick-picketer to steal note-books from the front pocket of policeman? Do
educated people like narrator talk in such an irrational way with policeman? Do educated and professional
people like narrator over speed his car just to win the challenge of hitch-hiker without caring its
consequences and ignoring traffic rules? This sound a little too much. Thus, the characteristics of the
hitchhiker can please a reader when he outsmarts a policeman. But it is too tall to create a character with
power of a phantom (ghost). The character isn’t humanly and the readers cannot empathize with him.
Assimilation

Reading of this story has changed much of me. I felt that one needs a lot of formal education to be
efficient, capable, genius, respectable, and likable. But my views are shaken badly after reading this story.
I need to coach myself to do something that is pretty tough and sounds almost impossible. Also, I learned
that we must be a master of something than being a jack of everything. I have also realized that “a book
shouldn’t be judged by its cover.” We can judge a person only by having proper knowledge of one’s
intrinsic capabilities and skills

1. “The secret of life is to be very very good at something that is very very hard to do.” Do you
agree? Explain. (The Hitch-Hiker)

No, I do not agree with the hitch-hiker when he says that the secret of life is to become very very good at
something that is very very hard to do. His statement is very much impressive. In fact, a person should try
to leave some impression behind. Life certainly should mean more than living for the sake of living. We
should try to achieve something remarkable in our life, and leave some impression behind us. However,
it is true that such an idea may mislead a person. The hitch-hiker himself has been misled by it. He is after
all a criminal although he tries to justify himself by saying that he robs only the winners. Robbing is a crime
whether one robs a poor person or a rich one. The hitch-hiker’s idea is interesting but it may mislead the
young people at the same time. Therefore, I cannot agree with him.

OR

I agree with the hitch-hiker that the secret of life is to become very very good at something that's very
very hard to do. Writing well is very hard, so successful ones enjoy a better life. Using one's fingers very
cleverly is very hard, so the hitch-hiker was never caught. Only the fittest ones can survive in this
competitive world. One can build a sustainable career if one’s good at anything with the perfect blend of
skills and practical knowledge. It is really tough to get recognized doing ordinary and easy job. We need
to work on ourselves and improve our craft of doing the things in the best way that differentiates us from
others. I also have realized that we should never give up on things that seems to be impossible and give
our best to make the things possible. We shouldn’t be judgmental without knowing the person properly
as sometimes the intrinsic capabilities of person might be the one that may shock us. If you are having a
tough time you need to kick start your life with a fresh start, more enthusiasm and efforts.

Thus, being amazed by his magic skills, I proudly say that everyone should try the hardest thing in their
life. Because, if you do the easiest things your life will be harder, and if you do the hardest things your life
will be easier.

2. Is the hitch-hiker, in your opinion, a good man or a bad one? Does the narrator of the story
really believe that the hitch-hiker is a "fantastic fellow"?

In my opinion he is not entirely bad because this story might be telling that practical knowledge is the
best knowledge i.e. gained through the real experience of life. As the hitchhiker is a finger smith, he takes
only the winner's money. It is bad to steal money from people but the considerable aspect is he only takes
money from the winner. He does not cheat the defeated or the poor person. He creatively steals the
money from the winner but he never gets caught by the policeman. It is a proof that an uneducated person
with finest skills can be better than the educated ones in some of the cases. But my conscience does not
allow me to rob anyone.

The narrator really believes that a hitch-hiker is a fantastic fellow because when the hitchhiker and
narrator were travelling together, the narrator was challenged by the hitchhiker to speed up the car
to it’s peak. He reached up to 120 mph and the police officer flashed his siren and pulled him. The officer
flaunted the threats of license that could be cancellation, imprisonment and gave him an offense ticket.
After the car departed, the narrator was worried but the hitchhiker revealed that he was finger smith, a
very skilled pick picketer by showing narrator all of his possessions as well as the officer’s ticket and
notebook.

Hence, it proves that the hitchhiker helped the narrator from cancellation of his license which made the
narrator amused and take him as a fantastic fellow.
 METAPHORS

Literal Comprehension

The beginning of the poem is somewhat playful and even exciting. The speaker is a pregnant woman and
she takes herself as a mystery as she has no idea about the baby inside her womb, say its sex, color,
hereditary characteristics, and bunch others. She calls herself an elephant as she has become big and
round. She compares herself to a ponderous house, filled with a baby or some activities. She regards
herself as a melon, and her two legs the tendrils. She considers the baby residing inside her belly as
precious as ivory and hopes for the good of the unborn baby. The state of the poem then changes to that
of doubt and gloom. She calls her baby a loaf that seems to be rising because of the yeast. Likewise, she
feels herself as a fat purse, with newly minted money inside as the baby, which will be new to the world
when born. Then the mood of the poem shifts to extreme desperation and a lot of negativity. She feels
that she is just a means for the baby to come through into the world. She is a stage. She admits that she
has eaten a bag of green apples. The poem ends dramatically stating that there is no turning back now
from this state of pregnancy.

Interpretation

The poem seems to have a very negative connotation in aggregate. Plath has used metaphorical language
and a poem with nine sentences with nine syllables, each to symbolize the entire nine months of
pregnancy. This implies that it takes nine months after conception for a baby to be born. She might be
trying to explain how difficult it is to sustain a period of pregnancy. Females can feel or compare their
bodies to many identical objects when they are pregnant.

Similarly, she feels like she has eaten a bag of green apples, which mythically refers to the forbidden fruit
and we can say that she is not ready to be pregnant and lose her freedom.

Critical Thinking

Though this poem successfully describes the condition of a pregnant woman, yet some ideas presented
in the poem are less convincing. The speaker is not clear about the number of children she had given birth
to. Is this her first time pregnancy or she is already used to it? Is she a single mother? Comparing the
unborn baby with loaf and dough (money) is inhuman. Besides, if she is unhappy with being pregnant, it's
her own error. She should have thought of it in advance. So, technically this poem seems to be
anachronous (misplaced in time). Plath seems to concentrate on the symptoms and things that happened
to her during the pregnancy rather than the fact that she is bringing another life into the world.

Assimilation

Well, what I learned from this poem is pretty obvious. Now I know that what it feels like to be pregnant
and walk around with a baby inside… psychologically though, not physiologically. I came to know that it
actually takes nine months for a baby to be born. The pregnant women like to eat sour things to overcome
morning sickness. I feel pity for the destiny of pregnant women that they will be forgotten and will lose
their freedom after giving birth to the baby.
 1. Explain the ambivalence in the poem “Metaphors.” (Metaphors)

Sylvia Plath’s ‘Metaphors’ is about pregnancy. On close examination, it dramatizes the ambivalence,
disgust, and horror of experiencing pregnancy.

She uses striking imagery to explore her ambivalent attitudes about pregnancy. For example, she uses a
negative metaphor saying she is an elephant, meaning she thinks that she has become very fat since she
got pregnant. On the other hand, she uses a positive metaphor saying the baby is precious, meaning
although pregnancy has its down sides it has got a few good sides like the baby. In the first three lines the
feeling is very negative, yet in fourth line, the feeling becomes much more positive because she starts
talking about her baby. When the narrator says "O red fruit" she is saying that the baby is really precious
to her like a red fruit. Also, the narrator says the baby is like "ivory" which is very precious and it's a light
material. It is elephant's tusks as well; this is a very effective image because she compares herself to an
elephant so the baby is like her tusks. And "fine timbers" is like the baby's structure because it is very
fragile. In the fifth line the mood changes yet again to negative because the narrator starts talking about
herself more. In line eight the narrator says "I've eaten a bag of green apples" this shows that she has a
craving like some pregnant women do. You can tell this because people wouldn't normally eat a whole
bag of green apples. The last line is a very dramatic way to end a poem and it basically sums up what it is
like being pregnant. "Boarded the train there's no getting off" this is the ninth line and it represents the
ninth month when the baby is being born. Also, she is saying that she has gone too far so there's no going
back. This is a negative line; however, it could also be seen as being positive because she could be saying
that she is determined to care and love her baby for the rest of her life.

Hence, we can sum up that the writer is having extreme mixed feelings towards her first pregnancy. At
first blush, this little poem may seem quite innocently playful, but looking closer, one finds a truly
disturbing line of thought. The choices of metaphors reveal a common theme with Plath, that of
ambivalence, at best, and horror at worst, toward motherhood as she describes how she feels being
pregnant.

OR

The pregnant speaker feels like an unsolved mystery. The beginning of the poem is somehow playful and
even exciting because she is confused about the gender of a baby. She calls herself an elephant as she has
become big and round. She compares herself to a ponderous house, filled with a baby or some activities.
She regards herself as a melon, and her two legs the tendrils. She considers the baby residing in her belly
as precious as ivory and hopes for the good of the unborn baby. The state of the poem then changes to
doubtful, gloomy and dark. She calls her baby a loaf that seems to be rising because of yeast. Likewise,
she feels herself as a fat purse, with newly minted money inside as the baby, which will be the new to the
world then born. Then the environment of the poem shifts to extreme sadness, desperation and a lot of
negativity. She feels that she is helpless like a pregnant cow because she is only a means. She has eaten
green apples to satisfy her desire to eat something sour. The baby is inside but she doesn't know when it
comes out.
 A MOST FORGIVING APE

Literal Comprehension

There are many things we have yet to know about the gorilla. Our knowledge of him is based on imaginary
horror films and adventure books. The little knowledge we have about him makes us learn more. His
artistic instinct and care of the family make him closer to human beings than any other animals. The gorilla
is a peace-loving animal and his species is in danger of extinction. Once the narrator went to Africa to see
him in a wild state. It was surprisingly black. His shining blackness and huge body impressed the narrator
very much. He had a desire to go to him and to communicate instead of running away from him. He didn’t
like to miss his sight even for a second by using a camera or binoculars. Seeing him in a natural state, he
came back happily.

Interpretation

In this essay, the writer is trying to say that we must save our ancestors. We can feel the slight
development of intelligence in them. They are brutally killed by local people to take revenge. So, we must
stop local people and preserve gorillas in some safe areas. Similarly, the writer is also saying that the
beauty of nature is so loving and we must feel it without letting down any moment.

Critical Thinking

The writer seems impartial in describing the gorilla. His enthusiasm, difficult in climbing, drowsiness and
happiness look real. But I don’t agree when he says that he wanted to go closer to get introduced. Could
he really go closer if the gorilla had stayed longer? Do animals can also feel the same love among each
other? I can't feel anything by observing them. Does the gorilla have peace of mind and is not vulnerable?
But in movies, I have seen they are very much dangerous for human society.

Assimilation

By reading this essay I learned a lot about the gorilla. My knowledge of him was based on horror films. I
came to know that he is really a most forgiving ape. The writer’s description of the huge shining gorilla is
so powerful that I read the lines stopping my breath. I visualized everything he described and was so
happy. I also knew that the wild species all over the world are at the point of extinction. If we don’t do
anything right now, we shall miss the natural beauty forever.

Every living creature has its own family and strong sentiments among them, the main point is that how
we react to other's environments where they are struggling for a better life.

1. Is the gorilla a most forgiving ape? Explain.

Yes, the gorilla is the most forgiving ape. In the essay, the author begins with the issue of how the gorillas
have been defamed and disfigured. Different earlier researchers, explorers, journals, adventures, films,
etc. had done nothing more than establishing the stereotyped image of this ape as a ferocious animal.
These are simply the outcome of subtle observations over the gorillas.

Once the narrator went to Africa to see him in a wild state. It was surprisingly black. His shining blackness
and huge body impressed the narrator very much. He had a desire to go to him and to communicate
instead of running away from him. He didn’t like to miss his sight even for a second by using a camera or
binoculars. Seeing him in a natural state, he came back happily.
Hence, the gorilla is not savage and hostile. He is like us. His artistic instinct and care of the family make
him closer to human beings than any other animals. The gorilla is a peace-loving animal and his species is
in danger of extinction. So, the gorilla is the most forgiving ape.
 THE LOTTERY

Literal Comprehension

On the morning of June 27 of a recent year, the 300 villagers of an American village prepare for the annual
lottery in a mood of excitement. The tradition of the lottery is so old that some of the rituals have been
forgotten and some have been changed. Its basic purpose is entirely unremembered, but residents are
present to take part in it. They await the arrival of Mr. Summers and the black wooden box from which
everyone is to draw a folded slip of paper. Adults chat while the children play a game in which they gather
stones. Whoever draws the slip of paper with the black dot on it will receive all of the lottery “proceeds”.
Over the years, the lottery rules and trappings remained the same for minor changes: wooden chips were
replaced by the slips of paper, and ritual chants and salutes preceding the drawings were eliminated.
Other than those modernizations, the same old rules prevailed year after year.

No one in the square knows why on earth or under what circumstances the lottery began. All they know
is that it is a tradition—a tradition that they are not willing to abandon.

After Mr. Summers shows up with the black box, he sets it down and prepares for the drawing. A
housewife, Mrs. Tessie Hutchinson, arrives late just then telling Mrs. Delacroix that she has actually
forgotten it is the lottery day, until she noticed that her children had left her house and remembered it
was the day of the lottery.

Each of the townspeople draws a folded slip of paper but doesn’t open it until everyone has drawn. When
the big moment arrives, it’s Tessie Hutchinson who has the paper with the black dot. Everyone then closes
in on her, picks up rocks and stones her to death.

Interpretation

This text highlights the reluctance of people to reject outdated traditions, ideas, rules, laws, and practices.
This is due to our historic construction. Human beings are fearful creature. It makes them selfish and the
society wrongfully designates scapegoats to bear the sins of the community. People always want to be on
the safe-side. Human beings want to explore prosperity, but at the cost of others—making others suffer
for one’s pleasure. So humans can’t be trusted. There is no such thing as love and trust. Besides, this text
implies that following the crowd can have disastrous consequence. Human beings are so crazy that they
worship unknown entity for unknown power. Overall, this text depicts the village life.

Hence, this essay mainly represents the false idea confidently of the scapegoat as someone who is blamed
for the evils of a society and banished to expel sin and allow for renewal.

Critical Thinking

The story may be primitive, but the theme is modern and still applicable. This text is so beautifully
constructed that each and every character has significant role. But there are some loopholes, few though.
How can the villagers go back to work after executing an innocent woman by stoning her to death as if
nothing out of the ordinary has happened? How can they become heartless and happy to murder their
own family? What might they do if all the women became endangered from their community? How is it
possible to grow heavy crops by executing someone?
Assimilation

After reading this story I realized that we shouldn't take part in any lottery. A lottery is taken as a shortcut
to prosperity by many people. But I don't believe in that because without any effort, we can't be really
happy with the result. Similarly, I will not follow any brutal traditions of my society at any cost. Instead of
being a slave to the blind traditions, we should revolt against such nonsense beliefs and think logically as
well as critically so that it will be good for everyone.
 THE LONELINESS OF THE LONG DISTANCE RUNNER

Literal Comprehension

The speaker in the poem is an amateur poet who is trying to compose a poem about his love towards his
wife. He hasn’t written down the poem on the paper yet. It is being processed in his mind. At the same
time, his wife barges into the room creating some kind of unfavorable environment for the speaker to
hold his mental composition as he loses his attention. Consequently, he couldn’t finish the poem. The
composition is lost. He then silently curses his wife.

Interpretation

This is a very artistic and beautifully composed poem and not more than one sentence. This poem shows
that the art of peace of mind is the essence of literature. The poem seems to be trying to tell us about the
speaker’s passion for composing poems

The concentration of one's mind is non-renewable for composing the best poem. A briefly mentioned act
of his wife hints that she is either angry or being playful at the moment. He is trying to love his wife literary
and didn't open his anger against her for breaking his worthy mood, which shows his sincere love towards
his wife.

The inability of the speaker to hold his mental composition just for a while shows his mental deficiency,
or short term memory. It causes loss for him, but he can’t scold her on her face. He only curses her silently
which implies his henpecked and submissive behavior. Finally, the poem endeavors to establish a link
between peace and creativity.

Critical Thinking

The subject matter of this poem is too thin that it only focuses on love of fame, peace and creation and
scolding. The speaker curses his wife silently. Why doesn’t he scold her openly? Is there any reason to
silently curse her, but not being honest with his wife? Does he love the poem more than his wife?

Assimilation

I absorbed the fact from this poem that our human mind is limited and tends to have short term memory,
but this should not hamper our creations. After reading this poem I realize that a peaceful mind, deep
concentration, and a disturb-free environment are essential for an imaginative poet to compose a great
poem. What we need is a concentration.

I also got motivated to write a poem about any simple topic and complete it in a unique artistic style. The
most I learn that we must love our wife in real but not imaginary.

1. Why does the speaker curse his wife?

The poet is cursing her because she suddenly comes into the room. The sequence of imagination and
emotion gets lost, the loss of imagination and emotion caused the loss of the poem itself. The result is,
the poet ‘silently curses her.’

The Loneliness of the Long Distance Runner is a short ironic modern poem by Alden Nowlan. This poem is
simply an experience of the feelings a poet had while writing it. The feelings that the poet wants to
mention are weaved within this given texture. The poet was writing a love poem. Suddenly, his wife enters
into his room and disturbs him. The writer has to stop writing to look at her. He might have been writing
about his love towards his wife, but when she herself appears before him, the poet does not like her
appearance. It is a paradox in the life of an imaginative artist. His wife disturbs his meditative mood.
Because of her lively appearance, he has to stop writing. The sequence of imagination and emotion gets
lost at once. The loss of imagination and emotion causes the loss of the poem itself. The result is that he
begins to curse her.

2. Would you call the speaker unfeeling or sensitive? Dull or imaginative?

I would not call the speaker unfeeling. He's quite sensitive. He loves his wife deeply. That is why he is
writing a poem for her to express his deep love. He is not dull but he is imaginative. He has a vision of the
distant future in his mind. His wife would be immortal through the poem.
 MY PAPA’S WALTZ

Literal Comprehension

The poem opens up with a charming and heart lifting family scene of father and son dancing with each
other. The father is obviously drunk because his breath smelled strongly of whisky which made the little
boy dizzy. But he kept on hanging to his father even though the dance steps were hard to keep up. They
go on dancing around the kitchen knocking down all the utensils there. The mother is certainly angry at
the mess they have created. However, she chooses to remain silent and not disturb the father-son waltz.

The father is holding the boy’s wrist and he can see that his father’s knuckles were bruised. Every time
they missed a step, the little boy would scrape his ear against his father’s belt buckle. The father would
beat rhythm on the boy’s head. Despite of this, the boy wouldn’t let his father go even when he was
tucked in bed.

Interpretation

The poem may be a vivid image of nighttime ritual that shows the connection between father and son.
This poem states playful interactions between the father and son, the majority of the poem focuses on
the father's drunken aggression toward the boy. The father is a hardworking man who dances awkwardly
but enthusiastically, creating a moment of intimacy with his child. The mother is a regular housewife who
has to put up with her husband’s alcoholism every day.

In fact, the poem reflects the state of family where the father is a chronic drinker. Alcoholism is a major
family problem in the modern society. As depicted in the poem, the children often have to suffer the
physiological and psychological impact of their parent’s relationship. The waltz that the boy is talking
about is to stop the quarrel between his mother and father.

On a deeper note, the poem may be referring to a harsh father-son relationship. Mother is guilty of not
preventing the husband from beating. In little boy’s act of clinging to his father’s shirt, we see his love for
his father irrespective of how hard he has been on him. He is afraid of losing his father because of excessive
alcoholism.

Hence, the poem is basically the story of a young boy revealing the hardships he has lived through with
his alcoholic father, while still possessing a great love for his dad.

Critical Thinking

Though this poem projects an uplifting story of father and son sharing a precious moment together,
waltzing around the house. I am not going to agree totally with the poet about some of the tone. How
could they dance until the utensils get fallen in the kitchen? How could a child feel happy by being beaten
by the father? How could a responsible member of the family act carelessly on their children's life?

Assimilation

Even though the father is a habitual drunkard, the reader can see his love for his son. In any situation, the
children play central role to bring together father and mother in family. The poem is not about violent
relationship between father and son but a playful relationship between a hardworking father and a good
son. No wonder, the poem has stood the test of time. The overall tone and feeling contains love, pain,
humor and nostalgia, all blended. This poem is worth memorizing.
 1. Is the speaker’s attitude to his father affectionate? Explain.

Yes, the speaker’s attitude to his father is affectionate. The speaker in this poem has warm and loveable
emotions about his father and the tone told throughout the story can be find as all just a happy memory.
The main subject of My Papa’s Waltz is a young son who loved his father.

In My Papa’s Waltz, the speaker is a son who loves his father deeply even though his home is torn apart
by alcohol and abuse. The father is first introduced with “whiskey on his breath” which can be inferred
that he is an alcoholic and this creates a negative image. The son though seems to notice all this, but still
seems to love his father and admire him. Another clue is in the title. If one was being beaten and abused
constantly, they would not call their dad “papa”. They would be called father, or another plain and
unsentimental words. “Papa” is a loving word similar to dad, daddy, or pops, used primarily by kids who
adore their dad. Using the sentimental words shows love and understanding to him. Even at the end of
the poem, the father in drunken state, danced off to the boy’s room just to put him to sleep. This shows
their warm father-son relationship.

Hence, it is clearly shown that the boy is not scared of his dad. He in fact loves his papa and cherishes the
time they have together.
 The Death of the Moth

Literal Comprehension

One pleasant September morning a moth came fluttering into the room from the field outside. The field
was being plowed. The rooks were flying. Different kinds of pleasure were available. The moth's eagerness
to enjoy life fully seemed pathetic. He flew from one corner of the window-pane to the other.

After some time, he was tired and could not resume his dancing and settles on the window ledge in the
sun. He tried to fly but failed. After the seventh attempt, he slips from the window ledge and falls. His
helplessness suggested that he was in difficulties. He struggled very hard to right himself. This suggested
his coming death. His tiny legs were fighting against powerful death.

However, he goes on fluttering his wings onto his back on the window sill. His hard attempt made him
upright. The signs of death could be clearly seen. The body relaxed and became stiff and he died.

Interpretation

“The Death of the Moth” compares life to death, showing us the example of the struggle for life. The little
moth that doesn’t know anything but breathing and eating, fights the same fight as all the people do.
Virginia Woolf shows us how meaningless our lives are, and how inevitable is death. Even though we are
much more complex creatures, we are as weak as the moth, and we try to find the meaning of life, being
unable to enjoy it. Every living creature is fighting to win more time, forgetting to enjoy every moment
that it has.

The author highlights the circular nature of life and death, where nobody can avoid death. However, death
is also the strongest motivational force in the world. Death is the only reason why we value our lives. We
struggle for life, and it makes our lives meaningful. Even though we live and know much more about life
than any other creature, we have yet to get a grasp on what is death. We are so unaware of death that it
stops us from cherishing life and its value. Many of us cannot achieve our full potential because it seems
like there’s always more time left, but death comes regardless of whether we are aware of it or not. We
must appreciate every moment of our lives, understanding that this moment can be the last one. Hence,
we can come to a conclusion that the only way to value something is to lose it.

Critical Thinking

In this essay, the writer is in a reflective mood and fascinated by such an unimportant event and it leads
to an extraordinary result. But I have some questions that could not cross my mind. Why we must give
more emphasis to an insect's life and death? As they are nothing for us and also we can't try to save all of
the insects of this planet, it is impossible. She might have open the window if she feels much more pity
for the moth's death. Do really insects can't think rationally? As they can't find any alternatives.

Assimilation

After reading this essay, I came to realize the true meaning of life and death. Death is inevitable and life
too, but we can length more of our life by properly utilizing our senses. Many of us cannot achieve our full
potential because it seems like there’s always more time left, but death comes regardless of whether we
are aware of it or not. We must appreciate every moment of our lives, understanding that this moment
can be the last one I also came to know some new things that constant effort in the wrong way is wasteful.
So, if I failed, I will definitely change my way of working, but the goals and destination remains the same.

1. How is the death of a moth similar to that of human beings? Or, how is it different?

The Death of the Moth is similar to that of the human beings because the death of the moth compares
the insignificant short struggle and life of a moth to the daily struggles of human life. Moth as a symbol of
human and it relates to human’s struggle to survive and how human will encounter death as well. When
we encounter death, we become the same creature, no matter what our status in the world before.
Nobody can escape death, it’s inevitable and unescapable.

In the essay, we can observe the moth trying to break through the window and realize that the moth itself
is the best metaphor for life. We cannot see any value in life until the moth starts to die. The moth
experiences the same thing that all the living creatures do. We can realize that, even though we live and
know much more about life than any other creature, we have yet to get a grasp on what is death. We are
so unaware of death that it stops us from cherishing life and its value.

After watching how a pure little creature dies because of its own weakness, we can know that that the
very battle against death is more important than both death and life. The best thing we can do is to die
with dignity, and it’s the only value of our lives. We can learn the meaning of life only fighting for it like
the moth, overcoming new threats. Even though we initially describe the moth’s efforts as pathetic, now
we can see its strength. The moth is trying to escape death, and it’s determined to fight till the end.

Hence we can compare the death of moth to that of the humans. The moth is capable of enjoying its life
in its purest, simple form, while we keep searching for happiness, living our complicated lives. The moth’s
final dance in the face of death shows us how short our lives are. The author is trying to tell us that we
must appreciate every moment of our lives, understanding that this moment can be the last one.
 CHANDALIKA

Literal Comprehension

The short drama Chandalika is based upon Buddhist principles, one sided love and the Caste system of
Hindu religion. The famous disciple Ananda was a famous Buddhist monk who belonged from a high class
society. Prakriti was a young beautiful girl who belonged to the lowest cast and used to live with her
mother.

One day, when Ananda was returning back from a Visit, he was thirsty. So he approached towards a well
and asked for water from a Chandalika, a girl belonging to the lowest untouchable cast. She gave him
water and fell in love with the religious monk. Prakriti wanted to have Ananda as a future partner.
However, it wasn’t possible due to the caste system. When she told to her mother about Ananda her
mother advised Prakriti to stay in her limits. Otherwise, they had to face repercussions and go through a
severe punishment but Prakriti forced and persuaded her mother to spell black magic on Ananda. As a
result, Ananda was fully occupied by the black magic and came to Prakriti’s house and stayed in one of
the room. Time passed but Ananda was never attracted towards Prakriti rather he was praying to god to
be released from black magic. One Day Ananda felt very sick and weak, he started to make prayers with
his pure heart. Ananda prays to Buddha, who breaks the magical spell and saves them from committing
sin.

Ananda despite his own pain pardons and blesses Prakriti and she realizes her mistake.

Interpretation

The two-act play portrays an untouchable girl’s desperation to get forceful love from the dehumanized
humiliating position which was lower than the animal’s status. The play is not about the lust of a young
woman but it also projects the idea of human dignity and fraternity.

This drama presents that humanity doesn’t have any race, and the variations on the caste of people
contained equal purity of dignity. The love felt by a girl is much more powerful which she can’t get over
and commit a random act to fulfill her strong desire for love.

Similarly, there is a great philosophy and ideology of Buddhist principles to tolerate and act everyone with
respect, peace, and love. Forgiving others is a great moral value and to accept and realize our mistakes is
also one of them.

Critical Thinking

Though this drama lightens up and tries to educate the society through great logic of humanity we have
some critical issues with the given drama. Can anyone love someone because only of their nature of living
philosophy? Can we believe in the existence of black magic in the modern world? Can a daughter become
so selfish as to win her love even by sacrificing her mother? Why issue of the caste system has been raised
but not settled down?

Assimilation

The Story of Chandalika is a very interesting story and I had a friend who had one side love for a person.
He used to follow her, tease her, disturb her for a very long period. But after coming to know that love
isn’t superficial he apologized, to her and wished for her happiness instead of forcing things on her.
I also got a point that we must not wish for anything hard, which is not going to be ours. I truly got
motivated by the sayings of Ananda and forget social evils. I have learned to respect myself because self-
humiliation is worse than a self-murder.

SUMMARY

The play revolves around the complexities of human mind and its conflicting needs and wants. Prakriti, an
untouchable woman, lives at the fringes of her society with her mother.

Ananda, a disciple of Lord Buddha (Ananda himself was an untouchable before) accepts a drink of water
from her. Ananda teaches her not to belittle herself even if the whole society might think otherwise. This
small incident sparks a new self-realization in Prakriti. But at the same time, her new self directs her to so
far unknown emotions towards Ananda, her emancipator. She wants Ananda only for herself. At the
behest of Prakriti, her mother grudgingly agrees to use her witch craft and necromancy to get Ananda for
Prakriti. Prakriti’s mother unleashes the dark forces of the nether world, which captures and binds Ananda
and brings him to Prakriti. Prakriti couldn’t watch the humiliation of Ananda under the duress of dark
forces and implores her mother to release Ananda.

Ananda despite his own agonies pardons and blesses Prakriti at the end. Prakriti also realizes that if you
love someone, you shouldn’t hold them in captivity, but rather set them free.

ARCHIVES

This two act play portrays an untouchable girl’s desperation to get redeemed from the dehumanized
humiliating position, which was lower than animal status.

This protagonist has no special desire or need. She only wishes to obtain human status. She is
revolutionized by a pious monk by fueling her ambitions and aspirations. The monk’s encouragement
provided her a flicker of hope to discard the animal status, like the shedding of the outer skin of a snake.
For this she got undeservingly selfish and victimized the encourager. She got immoral and selfish for
achieving the unachievable. Back then, untouchability was inseparably linked with the birth. The moth-
eaten cruel Hindu casteism was responsible for her untouchability, which had made her defiant to criticize
and ignore it. She got a strong means to fight with the giant casteism in the monk.

The theory of destiny is a given concept by Hinduism. It is not a self-developed or god given concept. One’s
birth is associated with destiny according to Hinduism. As destiny is a given concept, it can be thus defied.
If we dare to defy any given man-made concept, it loses its value.

Casteism is a given system. It is a grammar of society. These are the rules, norms and values, and
parameters of the society. Society is a grinding machine. So we have to accept it until some trendsetters
appear.

Prakriti is seeking castial redemption through sexual gratification.

Literal Comprehension

Mrs. Stevenson had been invalid for twelve years. Mr. Stevenson had always been at her bedside and
served her. But that was her maid's night off and her husband had been working late in his office. She had
been trying to contact him herself for the last forty-five minutes. But she grew impatient and asked the
operator to try it for her.

The telephone rang three times and the receiver was picked up at the other end. Mrs. Stevenson heard
two males speaking without responding to her. The first man told the second man to kill a woman with a
knife and take away the jewelry to look like a simple robbery.

Mrs. Stevenson then dials the police department and Sergeant Duffy picks up the call and she describes
how the two people were trying to make a plan to murder a woman over a phone call and a third person
was paying them to murder her. The conversation between Mrs. Stevenson and Duffy goes on and she
says that she has a gut feeling that murder will happen in her neighborhood. She asks the police to
broadcast it all over the city and requests to send police to her area. Her phone rings several times and
that makes her more nervous and drives her crazy. She gets so scared that she calls the hospital and asks
to send a nurse to her place as she is feeling sick. While she is in the call she feels that someone is up to
her and feels the presence of others in her house. She then dials the operator and asks to call the police.

Just then a subway train crossed the bridge. George came in and killed her. The phone rang. Sergeant
Duffy was speaking. George replied to him that he was sorry because it was the wrong number.

Interpretation

The play Sorry Wrong Number shows the skeptical nature of humans which might lead to big losses in this
universe. Despite MRS. Stevenson asks help from the police, hospital, and the service operator because
of the skepticisms of those parties she has to lose her life. This essay asks us to handle more sensitive
topics carefully and develop the habit of inquiring about such serious topics. This play shows that how
people are so self-centered and empathy is lost in humans. Even a person like a husband might pay
someone to murder the most important person of his life i.e. wife. Trust has also been questionable. This
essay teaches us to be more rational and surround ourselves with the people who care about us. Police
and operators also need to be more responsible and be a little more sensitive towards their duty and
responsibilities.

This play also might be a commentary on life in faceless, fragmented, modern American cities. When
people are busy they have no time to care for other people. Even their sick relatives become a burden to
them. They become brutal and get them killed. Murder there is so common that we can get professional
killers easily.

Critical Thinking

Though this thrilling play keeps the readers hooked being a critical reader I have some questions that
has no proper answers. Does such an incident happen in reality? How can police be so careless? How
can the call be the wrong number? Is it possible for a caller to overhear a conversation between two
other parties?
Assimilation

By reading this play I came to know why murder is so common in big cities. To get rid of the unwanted
things one gets another killed. It also gives me a glimpse of a busy life in big cities. Even the policeman is
so busy that he is not so much interested in the report of the would-be murder. The hospital has no trained
nurses to send. The husband has to leave his invalid wife because of his work.
 WE ARE ALL SCIENTISTS

Literal Comprehension

Scientists and ordinary men use the same method to find out the thing. Ordinary people are afraid of
scientific terms such as induction, natural laws, theories, and hypothesis, but they follow the same process
as followed by scientists.

By testing two green and hard apples which are sour, they make a general law that all green and hard
apples are sour. They have used the inductive method.

When the third apple is given they refuse and say that all green and hard apples are sour, that this apple
is green and hard, and therefore this is sour. In this case, they have used the deductive method. The more
the general law is verified, the more convincing and universal it will be.

Seeing the missing teapot and spoon in our parlor, the open window, and the marks on the window, we
make a hypothesis that a thief has taken them away. To draw this conclusion, we have unknowingly
followed a series of reasoning. Windows don't open themselves, somebody opened them. The marks can
be made by some living beings and they probably may be thieves.

The series makes us draw the conclusion that a thief who made the marks came in and stole the teapot
and the spoon. This hypothesis will be verified by the police and the jury and the thief will be punished.
Scientists also use the same reasoning process.

Theirs are based on strong scientific knowledge and verified carefully, faithfully, and variously. So there is
less chance of finding a criticism in their hypothesis. But in most cases, an ordinary man's hypothesis is
based on an unreasonable thing.

Interpretation

After reading this essay, I came to find out that we need to hold ourselves and not get scared by scientific
terms as those are the terms which are given for our daily life activities. We must be familiar with scientific
terms and the process of the experiment. We must use these terms to be the same as scientists. The
author also has appreciated the ordinary mind and has asked to use more of one’s mind in research,
learning, observing, etc. so that one can also be capable as of scientist. We also do have the same brain
as everyone so our use of the brain will define us.

This essay has also shown how scientifically things are given validity because of their rationality. We also
need to perform rational things which gets validity in the world of rational people. We as an individual are
capable of much more and we should use our brain in a way that we set new boundaries for discovery.

Critical Thinking

I have some issues with this essay where I do not completely believe the writer. How can any general
people think like genius scientists? Does knowing scientific terms makes us scientists? Does always our
hypothesis will be correct with the final result? Does it always use only logic to give a new invention? Is
there not any coincidence? Why scientists are underestimated in this essay?
Assimilation

By reading this essay I clearly understood scientific terms like induction, deduction, syllogism, hypothesis.
I knew that scientists are normal human beings who work similarly we do. This essay inspired me to use
more of my brain. But there is one main difference between them and us. We draw the conclusion rapidly
but they conclude after experimenting with the condition in a vast wide area. This essay inspired me to
be more reliable by reasoning like scientists.
 BALLAD OF THE LANDLORD

Literal Comprehension

The poem ballad of the landlord presents the cold and dominating nature of a white landlord towards a
black tenant. The tenant tries to address the problems that he is facing in the rented room to his landlord
in a polite manner for a week. There is a leak on the roof of his room and the tenant constantly reminds
and reports the landlord about the problem that is creating a problem in the tenant’s life and requests
him to fix the roof. The problem is not only with the roof; stairs also do have their own story. The stairs
are broken down where only the tenant falls from stairs but the landlord doesn’t face any kind of
problems. To repair the house, the landlord asks for plus ten bucks that he owes. Even after getting more
than that he will not repair. He'll get an expulsion order and throw the tenant out.

The tenant’s tolerance level comes to an end and his anger makes him threaten the landlord. The tenant
threatens the landlord to hit him with his fist. Meanwhile, the landlord gets worried and immediately calls
the police and files the complaint against the tenant. Without hearing the two sides of a story, the tenant
is neglected and the police directly arrest the tenant. The next day the news of the tenant being arrested
because of threatening the landlord spreads like a wildfire. All the news channels portrayed the tenant as
an antagonist who is trying to harm his landlord. Because of the intolerance of the tenant, he had to suffer
a lot and he was in the prison for 90 days without getting bail and no one was there to be the voice of
unheard.

Interpretation

The poem ballad of the landlord shows the reality of our racist society. This poem tells the story of the
foolishness and insensitivity of the landlord. The landlord of the poem is a representative of the white
race and the tenant represents the black community who are deprived of basic rights. This poem opened
windows into the lives of ordinary, struggling black people in the United States. The United States is shown
as an example but the racism problem exists globally and this side of our society is being contrasted with
this poem. This poem advocates equality and teaches us to abolish racism. All kinds of racism should be
ended; poet shows discrimination on the basis of color as an example.

The poem shows that even magazines, polices and laws are not in favor of blacks. Laws also needs to be
changed according to the problems in the society. In this way, the poem appeals to the rights and freedom
of black people The poet supports the black race and advocates for their freedom.

Critical Thinking

This poem represents the domination, suppression, and exploitation of black people by whites but there
are some ideas in the poem that seems to be less convincing. If police support racisms whom should we
trust? Why did the landlord keep black tenant if he had a problem with black people? Why didn’t a
single media house speak for the tenant? Are we ready to accept so easily the existence of social
injustice in a highly democratic country?

Assimilation

After reading this poem I realized that people are very conservative. They create a lot of difficulties. The
caste feeling has socially degraded the people of a different community. So, I will not act as the landlord's
behavior but motivate and encourage all the people to practice actual humanity but not to be hypocrites.
 EIGHT O’CLOCK

Literal Comprehension

The main character in the brief drama stood and heard the clock tower striking the quarter bells every
fifteen minutes. He is going to be executed early in the morning at eight o'clock. He couldn't sleep because
it's hard for him to accept his death.

The bell was heard all over the town in the morning. For the writer an unpleasant event was about to
happen. The hour was quite near against his desire. It pushed the people out reminding them of their
duty. As the unavoidable hour was coming near, he stood and counted bell and cursed his luck because
the unpleasant event was about to take place. When the clock struck eight collecting its strength, he was
marked for certain death.

Interpretation

This poem is trying to show the importance of time. Time is most powerful and no creature can overcome
it. It says that every people in the earth run after money and prestige; But actually our achievement is
nothing. Everyone is sure to die. This poem implies that time becomes stronger as a man becomes weaker
in this world.

The poem might be trying to tell us the feeling of the person who is going to face a terrible thing (death).
At that moment he is so much conscious of time. To him every second is important. He lives every second
restlessly being conscious of every moment. We can also predict that morning does not always shine but
it can be a dark evening too, which symbolizes the negative emotion to a depressed person.

Critical Thinking

Besides the positive sides, the poem fails somewhere to describe about the poetic person who is going
to be executed. The reason for his execution is lacking. Life and death is a natural process. So, why
anyone should curse nature? If the protagonist knows the time is limited and death is inevitable, then
why should he curse his luck?

Assimilation

After reading this poem I have understood the value and importance of time in our life. In the fact of time,
we humans and our achievements are dust. I have learnt that time waits for none and a person should be
capable to deal with time and situation. I am also endowed with the knowledge that time becomes
stronger as a man becomes weaker in this world.

A similar situation happened to me once. During the examination, there was plenty of time to read but I
hesitated and studied at the end of the day. So, I have faced an unexpected result and now I regret for it
and have known the importance of time.
 THE BUDDHA

Literal Comprehension

The artist had to paint a picture of the death of the Buddha to be hung in the village temple. To do this he
had to understand the Buddha. On the first day, he imagined himself to be a young prince, Siddharth,
living in the palace.

He went and won the princess Yashodhara in a competition. He had no bad feelings against the rivals. The
artist felt that a line of servants was serving his food when his housekeeper came with his midday meal.
He imagined his cat, Good Fortune, to be a dancing girl. On the second day, he became Siddharth, who
give up everything seeing an old man, a sick man, and a dead man. Feeling powerless, he wanted to know
the cause of the suffering.

At night he left his wife and son and went secretly out of his father's kingdom. The prince's pain made the
artist tired the next morning. On the third day, he imagined being Siddharth sitting under a bo tree. Being
unmoved by temptation, he got great wisdom. He loved every living thing including the rocks as his own
wife or son. He wandered here and there making disciples and carrying happiness. Now he was eighty and
was about to die.

The artist looked for the cat and remembered that the cat was not allowed to go to heaven because it has
paid no homage to the Buddha. He felt sad for the cat. Knowing all this about the Buddha, he slept for
twenty-four hours. After this in less than three hours, he painted the picture of the Buddha dying
peacefully on the couch.

Interpretation

In this story, the writer might be trying to tell that we must be devoted to our work to become successful.
Similarly, death is natural and inevitable. It doesn't discriminate between rich and poor. The writer also
wants to spread the message of Buddha about life, death, peace, and satisfaction. Death is suffering to
those who are in grip of physical pleasures and it is peace to those who have given up such pleasure.

Critical Thinking

This story presents a very sensual theme about life, death, and Buddha's principle but I am dissatisfied
with the writer. Is there really the existence of gods, devils, and heaven? Can we paint any picture by
imagining their nature? Is it possible for people to sleep for 24 hours pretending as if they were dead?

Assimilation

After reading this story, I realized that we must be devoted to our goals, desires and responsibilities.

Similarly, I remember my old days when I used to paint a picture of movie heroes by imagining their
looks and personality. Also, hard and continuous preparation ultimately gives a positive and better
result.