The Last Lesson

The Last Lesson

• Setting of the Lesson The Last Lesson
• The story is set in a French village in Alsace district of France, with the backdrop of the
Franco-Prussian war in which France was defeated by Prussia (then consisting of Germany,
Poland and parts of Austria). The Prussian rulers order that French will no longer be taught
in the schools of Alsace and Lorraine. The story tells how M.Hamel, a school teacher in
Alsace, his students and the towns people react to this news. There is an atmosphere of
hopelessness and regret in the classroom. For the first time the defeated French people in
the village realize their mistake in not learning their own language. The setting is
appropriate, as the story relates to a bygone era of French defeat in the hands of the
Prussians.
• Theme of the Lesson
• The importance of language and its connection with nationalism are the central themes of
the chapter “The Last Lesson.” The protagonist of the narrative is a little kid, Franz, whose
teacher, M Hamel is compelled to flee his native town in France’s Alsace region because
German settlers are annexing it and making German its official language. Now the mother
tongue, French will not longer be taught in the schools of Frech districts of Alsace and
Lorraine. Even though it is obvious that his students won’t be able to speak French in the
future, the narrator’s French teacher, Monsieur Hamel, is determined to give them one
more lesson in the language. The teacher emphasizes that language is an integral element
of one’s identity and culture and that its suppression constitutes an act of oppression, as
done by the enemy country. The French villagers realize that they have been overpowered
by the enemy soldiers because they did not value their country and their mother tongue.
• The story is narrated by a French boy, Franz. He is lazy but sensitive and likes to play. He
dislikes studying French and hates his teacher M. Hamel.
• After overpowering their districts of Alsace and Lorraine in France, Berlin has ordered that
German language instead of French be taught in the schools there.
• It is the last day of their French teacher M. Hamel, who has been there for forty years. He is
full of grief, nostalgia and patriotism. As a mark of respect to his hard work, the village men
also attend his ‘last lesson’. They are sad as they did not learn their mother tongue, French
in their childhood.
• Franz is shocked to know that it’s his last lesson, as he does not know French. Now,
suddenly, he gets interested in learning it and understands everything taught on that day!
• He develops an instant liking for the teacher, M. Hamel and respects him for his sincerity
and hard work.
• He feels sad at departing from him and is ashamed for not being able to recite the lesson
of participles.
• M. Hamel tells them that they all are at fault for not being eager enough to learn, putting it
off to the next day. He blames himself for not teaching them sincerely.
• His patriotism is reflected in his praise for the French language as being the most beautiful
and most logical language in the world. He tells the class to guard their language as being
close to one’s language is the key to escape from the prison of slavery. It will help them in
getting free from the Germans.
• They realize the importance of learning their mother tongue and that they have been
defeated by the Germans because of their illiteracy.
• Franz feels that it is not possible to take away one’s language from a person as it is natural
to each being, may it be the “coo” to the pigeons or “French” to the Frenchmen.
Lost Spring
• Summary of The Lost Spring – Stories of stolen Childhood – The author
tells us stories of her interactions with children from deprived backgrounds.
She describes their poor condition and life in an interesting manner. The
story touches the reader and is thought-provoking.
• The author described two of her encounters with children from deprived backgrounds.
Through them she wants to highlight the plight of street children forced into labour early in
life and are denied the opportunity of schooling. Also, she brings out the callousness of
society and the political class towards the sufferings of the poor.

• The first encounter is with a rag picker boy named Saheb – E – Alam who migrated from
Bangladesh in 1971 and lives in Seemapuri in Delhi. These ragpicker children look for
‘valuables’ in the garbage – things like a coin or torn shoes which are as precious as ‘gold’
for them.

• They could hardly manage some food for themselves, other things like identity, education,
shoes and sports are their unfulfilled dreams.
• Their parents scrounged the garbage searching for things that helped them survive – afford
food, clothing and shelter for the family. The children hunted through the garbage heaps
looking for things which could partially fulfil their unfulfilled dreams.

• One day the writer saw the boy, holding a steel can, going towards the milk booth. He had
got a job at a tea stall. He was happy that he would get eight hundred rupees and all the
meals. The writer noticed that Saheb had lost the freedom of being his own master which
he had enjoyed as a rag picker.

• The second boy was Mukesh who belonged to a family of bangle makers in Firozabad. The
boy had a dream of becoming a car mechanic. On the contrary, his family was traditionally
engaged in bangle making, although the profession harmed them physically and they
hardly earned any money out of it.
• Still, no one dared to dream of doing something else due to the fear of the police and the
middlemen. The family elders were content that other than teaching the art of bangle–
making to their children, they had been able to build them a house to live in. The boy
wanted to be a car mechanic. Cars were all that Mukesh had seen on the roads of his town
and so, he could not dream any further.
Deep Water
• Theme of the Lesson

• This lesson is taken from William Douglas’ autobiographical book “Of Men and Mountains,”
which deals with the subject of conquering fear. He talks about how he finally overcame his
early phobia of the sea. The incident in the swimming pool where a bully nearly drowned
him as a youngster and the boyhood experience of being knocked down by the waves at
the California beach contributed to a dread of water that haunted him even as an adult. He
ultimately made the decision to face his anxiety because he was unable to enjoy swimming,
fishing, or boating like others. His further attempts to get over the fear, demonstrate his
guts and willpower. Therefore, the message being sent to us is that one must get above
their fear.
• The story has been taken from the author’s autobiography- ‘Of Men and Mountains’.
In this piece, he tells about his fear of water and how he conquered it by determination and
willpower.

• As a child, when he was 3 or 4 years old, he would go to the beach in California with his
father. He would get scared by the might of the huge waves which swept over him and it
instilled fear in his subconscious mind.

• A few years later, in his eagerness to learn swimming, he joined a swimming pool where an
incident further increased his terror. He was pushed into the pool by another boy and
experienced death closely.
• Many years after that incident, he stayed away from water but the desire to go fishing and
swimming in nature was strong enough to motivate him to overcome his fear.

• He learned swimming with the help of an instructor who ensured that William knew
swimming well enough to be able to swim in huge lakes and waterfalls also.
Still, when he would swim, the fear from his childhood experiences, embedded in his
subconscious mind would grip him over and over again. He wanted to conquer that fear.

• He faced it sarcastically, thinking that now, as he knew how to swim, what harm could it do
to him. He challenged his fear in the face of it and finally, it would vanish.
• It was a baseless fear instilled in his subconscious mind. This experience was valuable for
him. He had experienced terror and death. He overcame it and finally conquered it.
William realized that death is peaceful and it is the fear of death that is terrorizing. His will
to live life grew intensely as he had overcome his fear and started living fearlessly.
The Rattrap
• Theme of the Lesson

• The potential of kindness and human connection to change even the most hardened and
distrustful people is the central topic in Selma Lagerlof’s “The Rattrap.” The narrative
chronicles the travels of an elderly vagrant who receives a little rattrap from a generous
and caring hostel owner. The tramp encounters several individuals along the way who, in
spite of their own challenging situations, are kind and generous to him. The tramp reflects
on his own life and actions as a result of this encounter, which finally inspires him to make
amends and improve himself. The underlying message is that everyone is capable of
change and that even the smallest act of kindness can have a big impact on someone else’s
life.
• The Rattrap is a story about a rattrap seller who leads a very poor life as his earnings are very low. He
has to resort to thievery and begging to make both ends meet. He is alone in this whole world and
leads a miserable life.

• So he starts knitting up various kinds of thoughts. One of these thoughts is of supposing the whole
world as a big rattrap. His views are that the world offers us various types of baits in the form of
comforts of life. This in return traps us into the rattrap of the world and leads us to various types of
miseries.

• Every night, the peddler had to search for shelter as he has no home. One evening he was offered
shelter by an old crofter. The next morning he stole the crofter’s money which he had earned by
selling his cow’s milk.
• To safeguard himself, the peddler chose the path through the forest which was secluded, but soon
found himself trapped in the forest as he wasn’t able to find the way out of the dense forest. Later on,
he finds a way to a forge and takes shelter there.

• Something unusual happens. The ironmaster mistakes him as an old friend and invites him to his
house. The poor peddler rejects the offer due to the fear of being caught. Soon he is invited by the
ironmaster‘s daughter. The next morning he is somehow stopped by the ironmaster’s daughter for
Christmas Eve even after being caught that he was a peddler and not Captain.

• The next day after Christmas, when the ironmaster and his daughter visit the church, they come to
know that the man is a thief who had stolen money from the old crofter.
• The iron master and his daughter repent for sheltering a thief and wonder at what all things he would
have stolen by that time. Here comes a twist as instead of stealing, the peddler gifts the ironmaster’s
daughter a rattrap.

• She finds a letter of thanks and the stolen money inside the rattrap. The peddler thanks Edla for her
kindness and requests her to return the stolen money to the crofter. This story gives us the message
that goodness in a human being can be awakened at any time with your own good deeds.
Indigo
• Theme of the Lesson
• The chapter displays the importance of effective leadership in improving
the lives of people. The author tells us a few reasons which made Mahatma
Gandhiji famous and loved by the masses. He was concerned about the
plight of the poor and fought for their rights. He also made efforts to uplift
them and taught them self-reliance.

• The lesson gives us a message that leadership along with empathy are vital
for someone to become a people’s person.
• The story is based on the interview taken by Louis Fischer of
Mahatma Gandhi. In order to write on him, he had visited him in
1942 at his ashram- Sevagram where he was told about the Indigo
Movement started by Gandhiji. The story revolves around the
struggle of Gandhi and other prominent leaders in order to
safeguard sharecroppers from the atrocities of landlords.
• Louis Fischer met Gandhi in 1942 at his ashram in Sevagram. Gandhi told him how he
initiated the departure of the British from India. He recalled that it in 1917 at the
request of Rajkumar Shukla, a sharecropper from Champaran, he visited the place.
Gandhi had gone to Lucknow to attend the annual meeting of the Indian National
Congress in the year 1916.

• Shukla told him that he had come from Champaran to seek his help in order to
safeguard the interests of the sharecroppers. Gandhi told him that he was busy so
Shukla accompanied him to various places till he consented to visit Champaran. His
firm decision impressed Gandhiji and he promised him that he would visit Calcutta at a
particular date and then Shukla could come and take him along to Champaran.

• Shukla met him at Calcutta and they took a train to Patna. Gandhi went to lawyer
Rajendra Prasad’s house and they waited for him.
• In order to grab complete knowledge of the situation, he reached Muzzafarpur on 15th
April 1917. He was welcomed by Prof. J.B Kriplani and his students. Gandhi was
surprised to see the immense support for an advocate of home rule like him.

• He also met some lawyers who were already handling cases of sharecroppers. As per
the contract, 15 percent of the peasant’s landholding was to be reserved for the
cultivation of indigo, the crop of which was given to the landlord as rent.

• This system was very oppressive. Gandhi wanted to help the sharecroppers. So he
visited the British landlord association but he was not given any information because
he was an outsider.

• He then went to the commissioner of the Tirhut division who threatened Gandhi and
ask him to leave Tirhut. Instead of returning, he went to Motihari. Here he started
gathering complete information about the indigo contract.
• He was accompanied by many lawyers. One day as he was on his way to meet a
peasant, who was maltreated by the indigo planters, he was stopped by the police
superintendent’s messenger who served him a notice asking him to leave.

• Gandhi received the notice but disobeyed the order. A case was filed against him.
Many lawyers came to advise him but when he stressed, they all joined his struggle
and even consented to go to jail in order to help the poor peasants.

• On the day of trial, a large crowd gathered near the court. It became impossible to
handle them. Gandhi helped the officers to control the crowd. Gandhi gave his
statement that he was not a lawbreaker but he disobeyed so that he could help the
peasants.
• He was granted bail and later on, the case against him was dropped. Gandhi and his
associates started gathering all sorts of information related to the indigo contract and
its misuse.

• Later, a commission was set up to look into the matter. After the inquiry was
conducted, the planters were found guilty and were asked to pay back to the peasants.
Expecting refusal, they offered to pay only 25 percent of the amount.

• Gandhi accepted this too because he wanted to free the sharecroppers from the
binding of the indigo contract. He opened six schools in Champaran villages and
volunteers like Mahadev Desai, Narhari Parikh, and his son, Devdas taught them.
• Kasturbai, the wife of Gandhi used to teach personal hygiene. Later on, with the help of
a volunteer doctor, he provided medical facilities to the natives of Champaran, thus
making their life a bit better.

• A peacemaker, Andrews wanted to volunteer at Champaran ashram. But Gandhi

refused as he wanted Indians to learn the lesson of self-reliance so that they would not
depend on others. Gandhi told the writer that it was Champaran’s incident that made
him think that he did not need the Britisher’s advice while he was in his own country.
Poets & Pancakes
• Poets and Pancakes Introduction

• The lesson is taken from the book ‘My Years with the boss’ written by
Asokamitran. In this excerpt, he talks about all the elements that kept
Gemini Studios running. From Pancake make-up to the office boy of the
make-up department, from Subbu to the lawyer, every element helped
in making Gemini Studios a successful film producing company.
• Theme of the Lesson

• The chapter tells us about the different ways in which people work
together despite having a dislike for each other. We also come to know
the difference between reel life and real life. The narrator gives us an
idea of the back stage happenings that took place at the Gemini studio ,
the relationship between the various artists, poets and other team
members. The process for preparing the artists to perform in movie
roles is also talked about.
• In this lesson, Asokamitran talks about Gemini Studios and all that helps in keeping it in
the spotlight.

• He starts by making a mention about ‘Pancakes’, the famous make-up brand which
Gemini Studios ordered in truckloads.

• He then talks about the plight of actors and actresses who have to bear too many
lights on their face while getting ready in the make-up room. The make-up department,
according to him, used heaps of make-up to turn them into ugly-looking creatures.

• Shockingly, he talks about the office boy of the make-up department whose task is to
slap paint onto the faces of players at the time of crowd-shooting. He was a poet and
had joined the Studio in the hope of becoming an actor, screenwriter, director or a
lyricst.
• In those days, the author used to work inside a cubicle and had the task of collecting
newspaper cuttings which, according to others was insignificant.

• Thus, office boy would come in time again, to bother him with his complaints. He was
well-convinced that the reason behind his misery was Subbu.

• He thought Subbu had an advantage because he was born a Brahmin. Subbu was a
resourceful man whose loyalty made him stand out. He was tailor-made for films and it
was difficult to imagine film-making without him.

• He was very welcoming and was known for his hospitality. Just like many others at the
Gemini Studios, he also did poetry.
• He worked for the story department which also consisted of a lawyer. People generally
called him the opposite of a legal practitioner.

• He was a logical and neutral man in a room full of dreamers. Asokamitran then
describes how Gemini Studios got a chance to host a group of international performers
called Moral Rearmament Army.

• Though the plots and messages were not complex, their sets and costumes were near
to perfection so much so that for many years, Tamil plays displayed sunset and sunrise
in a way inherited from ‘Jotham Valley’.

• Then another guest, Stephen Spender comes to visit Gemini Studios. People had
hardly heard of him and they couldn’t even connect with him due to linguistic barriers.
It was not until a few years later that Asokamitran saw his name in a book and realised
who he actually was.
The Interview
• The Interview Introduction

• The Interview by Christopher Silvester is an excerpt taken from his

Penguin Book of interviews. In this, he talks about various opinions of
the celebrities regarding an interview; its functions, methods and merits.
It also consists of an excerpt from an interview with the infamous writer
Umberto Eco.
• Theme of the Lesson
• The interview has two stories. In story one the narrator tells us about the reaction and
views of celebrities towards an interview. Most of the famous personalities find them to
intrude on their personal lives and some have never given an interview all their life.
The story has the theme of how the freedom of the press can curtail an individual’s
privacy.

• The second story is a part of an interview of the famous writer and academician
Umberto Eco. In this story we get to know the various qualities of time management
used by the famous writer. He gives the details of the various aspects which contribute
to a person’s success.
• The lesson begins with the introduction to interview as a commonplace of journalism
since its invention, which was a little over 130 years ago.

• According to the author, it is not very surprising that people have very distinct opinions
about the usage of interview. Some think of it in its highest form whereas some people
can’t stand being interviewed.

• An interview leaves a lasting impression and according to an old saying, when

perceptions are made about a certain person, the original identity of his soul gets
stolen. Famous celebrities, writers and artists have been heard criticising interviews.

• Rudyard Kipling’s wife wrote in her diary how their day in Boston was ruined by two
reporters. Kipling considers interviewing an assault, a crime that should attract
punishment. He believes that a respectable man would never ask or give an interview.
• There is an excerpt from the interview between Mukund (from The Hindu newspaper)
and Umberto Eco, a professor at the University of Bologna in Italy who had already
acquired a formidable reputation as a scholar for his ideas on semiotics (the study of
signs), literary interpretation, and medieval aesthetics before he turned to writing
fiction.

• The interview revolves around the success of his novel, The Name of the Rose whose
more than ten million copies were sold in the market.

• The interviewer begins by asking him how Umberto manages to do so many different
things to which he replies by saying that he is doing the same thing.

• He further justifies and mentions that his books about children talk about peace and
non-violence which in the end, reflect his interest in philosophy.
• Umberto identifies himself as an academic scholar who attends academic conferences
during the week and writes novels on Sundays.

• It doesn’t bother him that he is identified by others as a novelist and not a scholar,
because he knows that it is difficult to reach millions of people with scholarly work.

• He believes there are empty spaces in one’s life, just like there are empty spaces in
atoms and the Universe. He calls them interstices and most of his productive work is
done during that time.

• Talking about his novel, he mentions that it is not an easy-read. It has a detective
aspect to it along with metaphysics, theology and medieval history. Also, he believes
that had the novel been written ten years earlier or later, it would have not seen such a
huge success. Thus, the reason for its success still remains a mystery.
Going Places
• Theme of the lesson
• The short story “Going Places” explores the hopes and desires of young people as well
as the anguish of broken dreams and unfulfilled promises. Along with the teenage
fantasizing and hero-worship, it deals with the intricacies of human relationships.

• This story’s central theme is hero worship and teenage fantasies. Teenagers often have
irrational expectations, especially if their families are struggling. This is due to the fact
that a young person’s socioeconomic background has a significant impact on the job
they choose to pursue. I

• f the fantasy is too far fetched for a person, it might result in misery. We see the main
character as building castles in the air which is a pointless activity.
• The story revolves around a teenage girl Sophie, her family and friends. She is a
daydreamer, who is always lost in her dreams of becoming rich and sophisticated
though in reality she is a worker at biscuit factory.

• The story suddenly twists up when Sophie make a wild imagination of meeting Danny
Casey, a famous footballer. She also makes a story in front of her brother that Casey
will come to meet her on a fixed day as per a promise he made to her.
• Sophie and Jansie are two teenagers who are coming back from school.

• Sophie is lost in her imagination of owning a boutique shop and becoming famous like
Mary Quaint, a fashion designer. Jansie tells her not to dream big as it requires lots of
money which they don’t have.

• To this she replies that she will become an actress, earn a lot and then own a boutique.
Jansie being a realistic person does not support her thoughts. On reaching home
Sophie feels choked in that small house which is full of the stove’s steam and looks
untidy because of the dirty dishes.

• Her father is eating and her mother is busy in the kitchen. She goes to meet her elder
brother Geoff, who is a trainee mechanic and is busy repairing some motorcycle part.
• Geoff talks very less about his personal life which made her imagine of his personal life
which she considers very interesting and wants to be part of it. She shares a secret with
him that she met Danny Casey the famous footballer in a boutique. Her brother and
her father do not believe her.

• But she tries to make them believe this. She also tells her brother about her date with
Casey. Her brother does not believe her but gives her a chance to believe her story. On
Saturday Sophie and her family go to watch a football match as all of them are great
fans of football.

• Their favorite team wins due to a goal made by Casey. All of them feel so overjoyed.
• When Sophie returns home with her little brother Derek, Jansie questions her about
the reality behind her meeting with Danny Casey. Sophie gets angry with her brother
because of letting her secret out but tries to handle the situation and succeeds. She
then visits a secret place near a canal to meet her hero Casey who doesn’t show up.
She knows that it was just her imagination but she was so lost in his love that she
doesn’t want to come out of this.

• In the end she returns back to her home with sadness in her heart. But when she
comes across the Royce’s boutique, she again finds herself lost in her hero’s dreams.
Third Level
• The Third Level Introduction
The Third Level by Jack Finney is about the harsh realities of war.
War has irreversible consequences thus leaving people in a state of
insecurity. It is also about modern-day problems and how the common
man tends to escape reality by various means. In this story, a man
named Charley hallucinates and reaches the third level of the Grand
Central Station which only has two levels.
• Theme of the Lesson

• The third level represents a break from the “full of insecurity, fear, war,
worry and all the rest of it” modern world. The 1890s depict a tranquil
lifestyle that is not feasible in the present. The main character wants to
take his wife Louisa to Galesburg, Illinois, from this point on. While his
psychiatrist friend refers to it as a “waking-dream wish fulfilment,” for
him, it is a part of reality.
• The story revolves around a 31 year old man named Charley, who experienced
something weird.

• One day after work coming from the Subway, he reached the third level of the Grand
Central station (which doesn’t actually exist). He tells the entire experience with his
psychiatrist friend Sam.

• Charley thought he experienced time travel and had reached somewhere in the
eighteen-nineties, a time before the world saw two of its most deadliest wars. As soon
as he realised what time he is in, he immediately decided to buy two tickets to
Galesburg, Illinois; one for himself and the other for his wife.

• Unfortunately, the currency used in that century was different.

• Thus, the next day he withdrew all his savings and got them converted even if it meant
bearing losses.

• He went looking for the third level but failed to find it. It worried his wife and the
psychiatrist Sam who told him that he is hallucinating in order to take refuge from
reality and miseries of the modern world which is full of worry.

• Charley thus resorts to his stamp collection in order to distract himself when suddenly
one day he finds a letter from his friend Sam who had gone missing recently.

• Sam wrote that he always wanted to believe in the idea of third level and now that he is
there himself, he encourages Charley and Louisa to never stop looking for it.
The Tiger King
• There is no way to avoid death, which is a given. Destiny has
unlimited power and is unavoidable.

• Nobody can alter fate. Men in positions of authority are cruel

to animals. They murder defenseless animals under various
justifications. The maharaja kills the tigers since the astrologer
predicted that a tiger will be the cause of his demise. He kills
them in order to avoid dying.
• The story is a satire on the rich and powerful kings of the olden times. In
order to prove the prophecies of the fortune teller wrong, the king of
Pratibandapuram mindlessly kills ninety nine tigers but the hundredth
one, the cause of the king’s death escapes his bullet. Ultimately, the king
is killed by an inanimate tiger made of wood. Hence, the prophecy turns
to be true, despite the king’s efforts to prove it wrong.
• The Tiger King is the story of king Jung Jung Bahadur of Pratibandapuram, a brave warrior
whose death had been predicted when he was born.

• The chief astrologer had predicted as the royal child was born in the hour of the bull, the
tiger being its enemy, death would come to the child by a tiger. The brave prince asked all
tigers to beware of him. He came to be known as ‘tiger king’.

• The prince became king at the age of twenty and considering killing a cow in self defense to
be lawful, went on a tiger killing spree.

• He was warned of danger from the hundredth tiger that he encountered. As all the tigers in
his kingdom had been killed by him but still he had to kill more, he married into a state
having a high population of tigers.
• When his killings reached ninety nine, he desperately sought the next hunt. Fearing the
king’s harshness, the minister planted an old tiger in the forest for him to kill. The king fired
at it but the tiger escaped the bullet miraculously.

• The royal hunters feared the king and so did not inform him; rather they killed the beast
themselves.

• The king was satisfied that he had evaded death and now celebrated his son’s third
birthday. He got a wooden toy tiger as a gift for the prince. Although it was poorly done, the
shopkeeper, fearing punishment under the rules of emergency charged a high price.

• As both the king and his son were playing with the tiger, one of the thin pieces of wood that
were erupting out of the wooden tiger like feathers pierced the king’s right hand.
• The wound became infectious, spread through his arm and as he
was being operated upon, he died.

• So, ironically, the hundredth tiger killed the king and eventually
took its revenge.
Journey to the end
of the Earth
• Journey to the end of the Earth Introduction

• The lesson revolves around the world’s most preserved place, Antarctica. Not many
people have been there but out of the few that have, Tishani Doshi is one of them. A
south Indian person who went on an expedition with a group of teenagers affiliated
with ‘Students on Ice’ programme takes young minds to different ends of the world.
Thus, it gives an insight into how Antarctica is the place you should visit to have a
glimpse of the past, present and future in its realist form.
• Theme of the Lesson

• An informative account of the author’s trip to the world’s coldest, windiest, and driest
continent can be found in the Vistas book for Class 12 entitled Journey to the End of
the Earth. According to Tishani Doshi, visiting Antarctica is necessary if one wants to
comprehend the past, present, and future of the planet. We can learn a lot about this
area by studying it because Antarctica is where the world’s geological history is
preserved. She travelled with a group of students who were exploring the continent.
Her encounter with the ice-mysteries of this ice-region was exhilarating.
• For a south Indian man travelling to Antarctica from Madras, it takes nine time zones,
six checkpoints, three water bodies and just as many ecospheres to reach there.

• Tishani Doshi travelled to the Southern end of the Earth along with an expedition
group named ‘Students on Ice’ that provides an opportunity to the young minds to
sensitize towards the realistic version of climatic changes happening in the world.

• According to the founder of the organisation, we are the young versions of future
policymakers who can turn the situation around. Antarctica is one of the coldest, driest
and windiest continents in the world.
• As far as the eyes can see, it is completely white and its uninterrupted blue horizon
gives immense relief.

• It is shocking to believe that India and Antarctica were part of the same supercontinent
Gondwana, that got segregated into countries giving rise to the globe we know today.

• Antarctica had a warmer climate until then. Despite human civilisation around the
globe, it still remains in it pure form.

• Being a south Indian sun-worshipping guy, it was unimaginable for the author to visit
the place that constitutes world’s 90 per cent of ice, a place so quiet that it is only
interrupted by snow avalanches. It is home to a lot of evidences that can give us a
glimpse of the past and at the same time, Antarctica helps us foresee the future. The
place gives an awakening to threatening alarm that global warming is actually real.
Who knows if Antarctica will be warm again and even if it does, will we be alive to see
it?
The Enemy
• It is the time of World War. An American prisoner of war is washed ashore in a dying state
and is found at the doorstep of a Japanese doctor. Should he save him as a doctor or hand
him over to the Army as a patriot?

• The story is set during the Second World War. A Japanese doctor finds an American POW
at his doorstep. He is in a dilemma that being a doctor, should he save the wounded man or
being a Japanese, should he hand over the enemy to the army.
• Theme of the Lesson

• The short tale “The Enemy” by Pearl S. Buck tackles the subject of prejudice and its
damaging impact on interpersonal relationships. The plot centres on the connection
between a Chinese doctor and an American soldier, who are originally strangers, amid
a period of American war on Japan during the second world war. Despite their
difference in nationality, the Japanese has to remain loyal to his profession and thus,
saves the life of the injured enemy soldier. However, this does not go well with his
fellow men who consider him not to be loyal towards his country. The narrative shows
us how the Japanese doctor, Sadao balances these two duties and emphasizes on the
importance of humanity over everything else.
• The Enemy is a story set in Japan during the second world war. In this story, an injured
American army man washes up on the beach near the home of a Japanese surgeon,
Dr. Sadao Hoki. Although he has lived in America and follows a modern profession, Dr
Sadao’s family lives a traditional Japanese life.

• Dr Sadao is in a dilemma to leave the American man to die, to throw him back into the
sea, to hand him over to the army or to save his life. He reluctantly takes him home
and decides to save his life. The presence of an enemy disrupts his family life.

• His wife is against his idea of operating upon and taking care of the soldier. The
servants of the house oppose the idea and leave their master. Yet, Dr Sadao shelters
him, operates upon him, and saves his life.
• Out of the fear of being accused of sheltering an enemy, he narrates the incident to a
general in the Japanese military.

• The general helps Dr Sadao and offers to get the man killed by hired killers. However,
the killing doesn’t take place, and after waiting for three nights, Dr. Sadao thinks of
getting rid of the American himself.

• He arranges a boat for the man to help him reach the nearby island. He provides him
necessities like food and clothing to survive till he finds a Korean fishing boat which
could rescue him. Dr. Sadao wonders that why did he save the life of an enemy.
On The Face Of It
• Theme of the Lesson

• Susan Hill’s short tale “On the Face of It” addresses the subject of identity and the
constraints that society places on people. We see two characters – Derry and Mr Lamb.
Both are handicapped but still have different views about life. The writer wants to
highlight that even though the characters are in similar physical condition, yet they
have opposing views towards life which indicates the difference in their attitude.
The battle to discover and claim one’s own identity in the face of society expectations
and constraints is the overall theme of “On the Face of It.”
• On the face of it Introduction

• The story is about a teenage boy, Derry, who has a burnt face, and Mr.
Lamb who is a disabled old man with an artificial leg made of tin. Derry
accidentally enters his garden so that he can hide from people who hate
him because of his ugly face. Mr. Lamb not only welcomes him in his
garden but also encourages him to lead a normal life, leaving behind his
past.
• The story begins with a teenage boy entering a garden. His face is burnt on one side
due to an accident when acid fell on half of his face.

• He has gone there to hide as he is afraid of facing people. He fears being teased by
others for having such a face. But when he enters, he finds someone already presents
there. He tries to leave the place but he is stopped by the old man, Mr. Lamb, the
owner of the garden.

• Derry feels guilty for entering the garden without permission. Mr. Lamb welcomes him
and tells him not to leave just because of his presence.

• Derry wants to leave as he thinks people don’t like his face and moreover, they get
afraid of his looks. But Mr. Lamb insists he stay there. They enter into a conversation
that how Derry is not liked by anyone and how he hates people behaving like this with
him. Mr. Lamb tries to console him.
• He tells him that he has a tin leg and kids make fun of him. Still, he is not depressed
and enjoys his life. They both talk about various things and this leads to the revelation
of Derry’s fear, depression, and hatred about his being in such a condition.

• But Mr. Lamb keeps on telling him to think of the positive things. Soon they become
friends and Mr. Lamb asks him to help him in plucking the crab apples of his garden.
Derry tells him that he had come too far from his home and hadn’t told anything about
this to his mother.

• Mr. Lamb tells him to take permission from his mother. Derry finds it difficult and this
leads to a small quarrel between both of them.

• At last, Derry tells him that he would come back after taking his mother’s permission.
His mother does not want him to go back but he comes back again to fulfill his
promise.
• Meanwhile, Mr. Lamb climbs the ladder on his own to pluck the crab apples as he was
sure that Derry would not return.

• He was disabled and it was difficult for him to climb. Mr. Lamb falls from his ladder and
dies. Derry, on the other hand, returns to the garden to help him. When he enters the
garden, he sees Mr. Lamb lying on the ground.

• Derry tries hard to make him move but did not get any response from him. Finally, he
comes to know that he is dead and starts crying.
Memories of
childhood
• Introduction to Memories of Childhood

• (Part 1 The Cutting of My Long Hair)

• ‘The cutting of My long hair’ is a story that showcases the discrimination

faced by the Indians in the western world. The story describes how an
Indian girl was forced to wear western dresses and cut her hair by her
school authorities in order to make her look like an American student.
• Theme of the Lesson

• The narrative “The Cutting of My Long Hair” illustrates the prejudice that the native
American Indians experienced in the west, at the hands of the English. It highlights the
evil of racial discrimination. The school officials made the writer wear western clothing
and cut her hair. The anguish of a girl who was a part of the minority group at the
hands of the powerful management. Her community believed that cowards got their
hair cut. She opposed to getting her long hair cut but the mighty took over.
• The story begins with Zitkala’s first day in a boarding school Carlisle Indian school. It is
a school opened for native Indians where they are trained to leave behind their own
culture and become part of the American culture.

• Zitkala describes that she really felt bad when a shawl is taken off her shoulders by the
school authorities before entering into the dining hall.

• She also wonders about how the other Indian girls agreed to wear tight clothes which
were immodest according to her as their whole body shape could easily be seen.

• Even their hair was cut short which according to the author was not good. Her mother
had told her only a coward’s or a mourner’s hair should be shaved off.
• Later on Zitkala and other girls were taken to the dining hall where she was keenly
noticed by a pale faced woman for not following the table manners.

• Judewin, another Indian girl tells her that the pale faced woman has decided to cut her
hair. Zitkala revolts back as she does not want to look like a coward or a mourner.

• She hides herself under a bed in some room upstairs. Everyone starts searching for
her and finally she is caught. She is tied up and her hair is cut down. She felt so
depressed and humiliated with this. She is reminded of her mother who would have
comforted her during this hard time. At the end she submits her to her herders like a
tamed animal.
• Theme of the Lesson

• The story “we too are human beings” talks about the evil of social
discrimination. This is an excerpt from the writer’s autobiography
‘Kurukku’. A Tamil Dalit girl named Bama describes her experience in the
third grade. Although she was unaware of the negative effects of
untouchability, she had encountered humiliation and embarrassment in
her environment. The excerpt shows how low caste individuals are
viewed as untouchables due to caste prejudice. Low caste members not
only show deference to high caste members, but they also poison
everything they touch.
• The story is written by Bama who is one of the characters in this story.
She is a little cheerful girl who loves to observe things taking place in her
street.

• She says though it takes only ten minutes to reach home from her
school but she takes about thirty minutes to reach her home from the
school.

• She then explains the reason behind it. She says when she is on her way
to home she sees a monkey performing and a snake charmer doing
some act with his snake which was very interesting for her.
• Then there was a cyclist also who was cycling from past three days.
There was one famous temple which had a big bell and a tribal man who
sells clay beads, needles etc.

• She also comes across various snack stalls and street acts. Then she
explains about how various political parties come to her street to give
lectures.

• As she proceeds further, she saw a landlord sitting and watching his
workers work in the field. She then saw an old man of her community
handling a snack pack in a very strange manner and then offering it to
the landlord.
• She founds it so amusing that she bursts out into a laugh. On reaching home
she narrates it to her elder brother and starts laughing.

• He then tells her a real truth about her being from a low caste and that the
upper caste people do not like their presence or touch the low caste as it
would make them impure.

• She finds it so disgusting that she grows angry over the upper caste people.
Some days later her elder brother is questioned about his whereabouts to
know his caste.

• He then suggests her to study hard as only this could earn her respect. She
works as per his suggestions and become topper of her class. This not only
earns her respect but many friends too.