Important Question Answers Flamingo

Important Question Answers for CBSE Exam

Flamingo

Q. How is the rattrap used as a metaphor in the story?

Ans. In the story, The Rattrap, the peddler used rattraps sold by him as a metaphor for the world According to him, the world was a big rattrap because it was full of temptations. Like a rattrap, it offered riches and joys, shelter and food, heat and clothing. When someone was tempted to touch them, it would close on him and everything came to an end.

Q. What kind of pain and ache troubles the poet?

Ans. As a child, Kamala Das had a fear of losing her mother. She always felt sad to think that she would be separated from her mother. Her childhood fear of being separated from her mother always lingers and comes to the fore quite often. She was always scared that her mother might not be alive the next time she came back.

Q. The people in the story suddenly realise how precious their language is to them. What shows you this?

Ans. The elders of the village were sitting in the classroom as they had come to know about the orders from Berlin that they would not be taught French any more. They were sitting there to thank the teacher Mr. Hamel for his forty years of service and to show their respect for their language and the country.

Q. Franz thinks, “Will they make them sing in German even the pigeons?” What is conveyed here?

Ans. When the writing task was given to the class by Mr. Hamel, all were engrossed and writing quietly. Beatles flew in the room and Franz felt that they also wanted to attend the class and write French. On the roof the pigeons were cooing very low, and narrator wondered if the new authorities would make the pigeons also sing in German as they were asking the people to learn German.

Q. Why are Aunt Jennifer’s hands ‘fluttering through the wool’? What is suggested by ‘massive weight of uncle’s wedding hand’? Why is the needle so ‘hard to pull’ for aunt Jennifer?

Ans. The poet highlights the victimisation of Aunt Jennifer in his poem. Aunt Jennifer is so terrified of her husband that her fingers tremble when she pulls out the ivory needle through wool even though the needle is very light. It depicts her physical as well as emotional weakness. The wedding ring which she is wearing symbolises responsibilities that are a great burden on her soul. The wedding ring given by the uncle seems heavy to her. She finds it difficult to go ahead as her married life has taken away all her freedom from her.

Q. What will counting up to twelve and keeping still help us achieve?

Ans. According to the poet, counting up to twelve and keeping still would help us achieve peace, resistance and self control. It will also help us introspect on the things that we do and ponder over the reasons why we do a thing.

Q. What symbol from Nature does the poet invoke to say that there can be life under apparent stillness?

Ans. The poet uses a very beautiful example from Nature to illustrate and invoke the idea that there can be life under apparent stillness. He used earth as the symbol to justify the earth sleeps or remains inactive during the winter so that it may blossom beyond boundaries during the spring.

Q. "Little has moved with time, it seems, in Firozabad." Why does the writer say this?

   Ans. The writer, Anees Jung, tells that the traditional bangle makers in Firozabad are poor, illiterate, and exploited. They cannot fulfil their dreams. They are caught in the web of middlemen and moneylenders who are supported by the authorities. They keep living in filth and squalor for ages. The children help their parents in bangle making and people lose their eye sight due to poor management and conditions. Though such child labour is illegal, it is going on unabated in Firozabad. The author wants to convey that due to irresponsibility of authorities nothing has changed in the city and the poor have been suffering for ages.

   Q. What does Saheb look for in the garbage dumps? What are the hopes of other 10,000 ragpickers like him?

   Ans. Saheb is a poor ragpicker of Seemapuri. He roams in the streets with his friends and looks for gold and money in the garbage dumps. Sometimes, he also finds a ten rupee note. Other 10,000 ragpickers also dream to find treasure in the garbage like Saheb, especially the children. For grown ups rag picking is a way of survival but for children rag picking means money, an easy way to get rich.

Q. What were the series of emotions and fears that Douglas experienced when he was thrown into the pool? What plans did he make to come to the surface? How did this experience affect him?

Ans. When William Douglas was thrown into the pool, he underwent a series of emotions and fears. He was frightened but he tried his best to come out of water. Soon his legs became stiff and refused to move. Horror gripped his heart and he panicked. Last time when he attempted to make a leap, his legs didn’t support him and he became unconscious.

Due to this frightening experience, he became scared of water and couldn’t think of swimming any more. Whenever he thought of water, he couldn’t fight his fear.

Q. “All we have to fear is fear itself.” Illucidate with reference to the narrator, William Douglas’ struggle to defeat his fear.

Ans. Douglas had really had a brush with death when he got nearly drowned in YMCA pool. After that episode darkness of fear engulfed his life completely. But, he didn’t want to spend his entire life under that scare because ‘all we have to fear is the fear itself’. He knew that through a determined efforts he can overcome his fear and he decided to learn swimming and started learning under an expert trainer. He challenged his fear and started practising to swim in a pool five days a week. He went down in the depth of water and told his fear that he is no more scared. He swam in lakes and from the Gilbert peak he shouted with joy that he has defeated his fear and that returned in an echo. American president, Franklin D. Roosevelt has rightly said, “All we have to fear is the fear itself.” This was well deservedly understood and lived by the narrator, William Douglas who struggled with all his might until he succeeded to defeat his fear of water.

Q.  What socio-economic background did Sophie belong to? What are the indicators of her financial status? Why does she fail to accept her reality unlike her father and brother?

Ans. Little Derek understands his unrealistic sister as well as knows that her wild dreams needs lot of money. He tells: "She thinks money grows on trees... Dad?"

Sophie belongs to a lower middle class socio-economic background which is reflected by her brother Geoff's occupation. He is an apprentice mechanic. He travels to his work each day to the far side of the city. His jacket is shapeless. Her father lacks sophistication. He grunts and tosses one of little Derek's shoes from his chair onto the sofa. The family doesn't own a servant or a car. All these confirm that belong to a lower-income group.

Q. Did Sophie really meet Danny Casey? Which was the only occasion when Sophie met Casey in person?

No, Sophie didn't really meet Danny Casey. She was so much fascinated by the young Irish footballer. She imagined his coming to meet her. She sat there waiting for Casey. She knew that he would not come. She felt sad and disappointed. She was always lost in a dreamy world where she imagined nothing but Casey.

She saw Danny in person only on one occasion. The family went to watch United on Saturday. She watched how United won two-nil. Her idol Casey drove in the second goal. She saw how he goaled beating the goalkeeper. Sophie glowed with pride.

Q. Why did Gandhi consider the Champaran episode to be a turning point in his life?

Ans. The Champaran episode relieved poor indigo peasant from torturous burden they had to face and solved their problems due to the forced agreement. Gandhiji received immense support from the peasants and other people. They only required a strong leadership under which they all stood against cruel landlords. Gandhiji considered this episode as a turning point in his life as he could see that non violent and civil disobedience could achieve the larger objective of independence with the support of millions of agitated and motivated Indians. The victory in the battle of Champaran was a sign of freedom from fear and this freedom led him on the longer trail of India's Independence Movement.

Q. The author has used gentle humour to point out human foibles. Pick out instances to show how this serves to make the piece interesting?

Ans. In ‘Poets and Pancakes' Asokamitran uses gentle humour to point out human weaknesses and absurdities. The humour used by the narrator is not pungent or caustic. It tickles but doesn't bite. The brand name of the make-up material is 'Pancake' and it is bought in truckloads! The make-up room is in a building that was believed to have been Robert Clive's stables. 

The description of the make-up men is quite humorous. They could turn "any decent-looking person into a hideous crimson hued monster". The narrator continues: "The chief make-up man made the chief actors and actresses ugly". Another example of gentle humour is the description of the office boy who was in his early forties..

The author's description of the lawyer is also quite humorous. The lawyer was also officially known as the legal adviser. But everybody referred to him as the opposite.' Similarly, he gently laughs at the ignorance of the MRA group about animals. His description of English poet is equally humorous. He asks “What is an English poet doing in a studio which makes Tamil films ...?” Overall treatment of the story and the characters is quite interesting and the tone is humorous through and through.