Class X English Literature: Question possibilities and points to elaborate

Treasure Chest – Poetry

1. The Power of Music

● The season mentioned in the poem - summer
● Extent of the hums - Delhi to Burma
● Animals lining on the roadside - horses
● Character of the billy goat - sagacious (wise)
● Adverb to prove that Bhisma’s torture
was not intentional - well-meant
● Where did the fishes search for silence? - lake
● What can be heard from a mile away? - crash of the trees
● Meaning of turn turtle: - to flip, to overturn
● Genre: - nonsense poetry
● Key terms about the poem: exaggeration, absurdity,
distortion of reality
What was Bhisma’s role in making silence a golden gift?
How did the goat display its sagacity?
Effective use of exaggeration to give the poem a silly character:

Words to use while describing Bhisma’s torturous singing: Booming out his broadside, blare,
screech
Words to use while describing Bhisma’s stubborn attitude:
His strain from Delhi to Burma, as if he staked his life, hell-bent, unconcerned, however we plead
and grumble
Words to use while describing the suffering of the living things around him:
Dazed, amazed, trampled, pale and sickly, whine and stare, confounded, plead and grumble

Order of the after-effects:

dazed people causing a panic rout and a stampede
overturned bullock carts
horses on the roadside
fishes diving below
trees collapsing
birds overturned
sky (welkin) weeping tears
mansions crashing

2. Haunted Houses
● Simile used to describe the inoffensive nature of the ghosts: as silent as the pictures on
the wall

● Assonance used to describe the mysterious nature of the ghosts: impalpable impressions

● Narrator’s special ability: to perceive the existing as well as the existed ones around him

● Narrator’s view about ownership: no owners, only successors

● The spirit world is compared to: an atmosphere around the earth

● Meaning of jar: clash (between base desires and noble thoughts)

● What causes this clash? influence of an unseen, undiscovered planet

● Two phrases used by the poet to present his view that spirits are not restricted by time or
the presence of people: open doors, illuminated hall

● Meaning of ‘haunted’ in the poem: frequently visited by the ghosts

● Words used to refer to the passage of time: forgotten graves, dusty hands

● How does the poet describe the world we live in? as the world of sense

● What separates our world and the spirit world? Earthly mists and dense vapours

● Meaning of ethereal - not part of this world

How does H.W. Longfellow come up with a comforting image about spirits?
harmless phantoms, quiet inoffensive ghosts, as silent as the pictures in the wall
Words to prove that the spirits are always in the free roam mode:
‘all’ houses, glide
their presence in the doorway, stair and along the passages
they come and go, more guests at the table, thronged
the illuminated hall, spirits visible and clear to you if you have extrasensory perception
holding their once owned estates in mortmain, easily penetrating this world through the vapours
What makes the spirits impalpable and hard to notice?
glide, make no sound upon the floors, only a sense of something moving to and fro like the strong
movement of air, harmless and quiet, silent as the pictures on the wall
Symbolism:
Bridge of light, symbolizing the connection between the spirit world and the world of the living

The constant clash and the need for equipoise:

Human beings constantly try to fight their instincts as they try to achieve great deeds while
keeping down their primal nature.

The simile covering the last two stanzas:

A bridge of light (literally of light, moonlight) originating from the moon (or from the sun [for the
geeks among you]) and throwing a beam of light over the sea like a bright white line till the end of
the horizon on an otherwise dark stretch of water - stanza 9

is compared to
A bridge of light (deeper meaning – like the light of truth or of god or of realization which helps
you to end the mystery [bridge towards light]) which originates from – the spirit world / afterlife /
heaven – to this world with shaky foundations (trembling, uneven planks – of faith, may be)
- stanza 10
The spirits come down and our thoughts go up.
How is the poet’s treatment of ghosts different from the usual description of the supernatural?

3. The Glove and the Lions

The show was meant for those who are:
(a) proud (b) beautiful (c) valorous (d) brave men : (c) valorous
Use of Hyperbole: blows like beams, a wind went with their paws
How did the count accept the challenge? with a bow
What made the royal sport a crowning show? (everything about the intense fight in the pit)
What was the lady’s plan to come by great glory?
How did the lady intensify the blood sport? (shocked faces and raised eyebrows)
King emphasizing the ferocity of the battle: “We’re better here than there”

Her reasons to be confident about getting him to accept the challenge:

Chivalry: qualities of the ideal knight – brave, polite, respectful, generous
reputation, obsession with protecting one’s pride and honour,
courage, his desperation to win her smile and her love
What was the lady accused with?
Vanity – self-important, egoistic, seeking glory at the expense of others
How did the King justify the Count’s response filled with realization and anger?
Possible questions asking your opinion about the count’s actions and the King’s words
Did the King fancy the lady? NO
Did the lady love King Francis? NO
Where did they sit? above and around the arena, the pit
Describe the daring challenge thrown by the lady and the Count’s daring response.

4. A Considerable Speck
Literary device in the title: Oxymoron
Colour contrast: black speck against a pure white page
Exaggeration of its tiny nature: too small to have space for feet
What did the mite clearly express? the will to live
Where exactly did the mite cower down? in the middle of the open sheet
The narrator disapproves of: collectivistic regimenting love
the attitude of acting kindly in order to look better than your peers
the attitude of showcasing kindness which is not heartfelt

Referring to relevant lines from the poem, prove that the mite did have the inclination to live.
varied emotions – suspicion, fear, surprise, terror, strong intent to try and survive – same
emotions a human being would display if the person was undergoing a similar circumstance
How does the narrator present himself as an admirer of originality and intelligence?
appreciates the use of a thinking head wherever it is found,
he is glad to find signs of intelligence in any form
Criticism of collectivism:
social behaviour guided by the objectives imposed by a group, many people simply think and act
the way they are told without being able to use their own reasoning and logic
The poet values individual thought, original work and the ability to think rationally and logically in
order to come to the right conclusions
Narrator’s individuality:
made his own judgement – that the mite should be spared, not to tag along with the societal
expectation of presenting yourself as a kind person but because the mite had done him no harm.
Also, he realises that it is an intelligent creature and thus should be given an opportunity to live.

5. When Great Trees Fall

Verb attached with lions: hunker down
Verb attached with elephants: lumber
Literary device used: Extended Metaphor
Use of free verse: to feel natural than formal
Universal truth about loss:
It does not matter how strong or tough someone is; when an influential person in their life passes
away, they will feel the effects.
Order of reactions:
Rocks shudder
Lions hunker down
Elephants lumber
Small things recoil
Breathing difficulty
Cruelly clear vision
Sharpened, unfiltered memory
Escape of our sense of reality
Shrinking of souls
Mind falling apart
Becoming dark, cold caves

Order of restoration:
Blooming peace
Mental spaces being filled
Retrieving senses
The comforting realization about the lost one

Offering hope to all who’ve suffered loss: points for the optimistic tone of the poem
Time as an effective healer
Though pain would exist in the background, the memory of the lost one would soothe and
comfort you
The ‘spaces’ such people leave behind will not stay empty forever
The living will take comfort from the remembrance of how these great souls managed to improve
the world
The contributions of great souls don’t just disappear. Their ideas live on and make the world a
better place.
Even after death, great individuals have the power to change the world.
They leave behind a powerful memory of their life and lessons which speak to us when we feel
weak, which give us strength when we are down.
Grief eventually makes way for acceptance

Treasure Chest: Short Stories

1. With the Photographer

● What did the narrator and the photographer agree on? the three-quarters full pose

● What was the photographer waiting for? a moment of animation

● The narrator’s age: 40

● How exactly was the photograph taken? with the pull of a string

● Process to remove the ears entirely: Sulphide process

● Process the photographer didn’t use: Sulphide process

 ● Was the photograph ready by Saturday? No, it was just the proof.

● Narrator’s description of the proof of the work: worthless bauble

● Narrator’s description of the photographer’s work: brutal

● Pattern of the narrator’s reading session: descending order of year of

publication –

Ladies Companion - 1912

Girls Magazine - 1902
Infants Journal - 1888
● Key terms: body shaming, insecurity
inferiority complex

Photographer’s appalling / dismissive / disrespectful / cranky attitude:

His look without enthusiasm, Waiting period of an hour
Curt orders – severe lack of politeness as if the narrator is working for him
“The face is quite wrong.” Twisting the narrator’s face
Comments about the head and ears The endless directions
Constantly pushing the narrator which made him lose his temper
Completely neglecting the customer’s perspective
Forcing his sense of beauty on his customers

Points to refer to the humility and innocence of the narrator:

Feeling apologetic for troubling the photographer with his dull face
Agreeing with everything that the photographer says
Interpreting the photographer’s silence after he crawled inside the black cloth of the machine as a
prayer
Mistaking the photographer holding his head as a romantic advance

The editing process:

Eyes - retouched
Eyebrows - Delphide process (for new set of eyebrows)
Mouth - adjusted (was too low)
Ears - didn’t make any changes, yet

‘What I wanted is no longer done.’ What did the narrator want?

a picture, an honest reflection of how he looks, depicting his God-given face for the purpose of
easy identification, to be given to his friends and family to remember him by
He wanted the photographer to TAKE a picture, not to MAKE one.
The narrator wanted a mere reflection but the photographer was after absolute perfection.

The photographer’s fault:

He attempts to change the narrator and shape him into something that pleases his eye rather

than accepting the reality. He judged the narrator by his appearance. He was constantly searching

for the faults on the narrator’s appearance thereby causing him to develop a sense of insecurity.

He completely distorted the appearance of the narrator to show off his photography skills.

Order of important events:

Cold description of the photographer
Magazines filling the waiting period
His inferiority complex getting triggered
Photographer crawling in and out of the machine
His insulting verdict about the narrator’s face
Narrator’s spirited speech on the virtues of the three-quarters full angle
Twisting the face and a series of ridiculous adjustments
The narrator defending his face
The photographer timing the pulling of the string with the narrator’s moment of animation
Waiting for the proof of the picture on Saturday
Narrator is baffled / shocked as he picks up a strange face
Changes made to the eyes, eyebrows and mouth
Suggestion to change the ears
A harsh reminder from the narrator about what ‘he’ wanted
Rejection of the photographer’s brutal work

How does the story highlight the need of ‘learning to love ourselves’?
Assess the photographer as an uncaring professional.

2. The Elevator
What was Martin’s general fear about elevators? that they would fall
How many times did Martin use the stairs? 2
Why didn’t Martin try the stairs after his climb? his father called him a coward
On which floor did Martin first see the fat lady? 14
Why won’t Martin’s father be in the elevator at least in the morning? he worked from home
Time for Martin to go to school: 7:30 a.m.
th
Where did Mrs. Ullman live? 9 floor
th
At which floor did Martin’s sense of security transform to absolute dread? 10 floor
How many floors did the apartment have? 18 floors
Elements of a horror story: fear, suspense, mystery
Fear – description of the elevator, the stairs, the fat lady which would make you uneasy
th
Suspense – whether his ride back to the 17 floor would be alone or with the fat lady
Mystery – the fat lady: what’s her deal? Inconclusive
all of the above contribute to the cliffhanger end

The elevator in Martin’s apartment was especially uncomfortable for him. Why?
Old building, old elevator, small – only to carry 3, looks full with just 2, poor lighting, dirty walls,
doors won’t stay open long enough thereby causing you to imagine getting wedged between the
doors,
doors getting closed with a loud clanging sound, the constant shudders and squeaks as if the
weight was too much

Why weren’t the stairs an alternative for Martin?

no windows, no lights, echoing sounds of footsteps making you feel paranoid as if you were
being followed,
impracticality of negotiating 17 flights of stairs twice a day which would tire you out and make
you gasp for breath, especially when you are a thin 12-year old,
couldn’t fake it in front of his father after such a strenuous exercise which would leave ample
visible proof for a while
Martin in the eyes of his dad:
A skinny, weak, timid, cowardly and foolish boy who is bad at sports

Why didn’t Martin get used to the elevator?

Fear that it would stop suddenly and that he would be trapped inside it for hours all by himself
What made elevator rides awkward for Martin?
had to try and stare at nothing in order to avoid eye contact with strangers
Description of the fat lady which would justify Martin’s fears:
green coat ballooning around her, waddling her way into the elevator
her coat brushing him, fleshy cheeks
huge mass of neck, sharp piggy eyes and her enigmatic smile
the creaking sound of the elevator when she is in which in turn triggers his fear of a free fall
her fixed stare, timing her elevator rides when Martin is using it – too much of a coincidence

Why won’t Martin mind the fall and the broken leg? What made him feel safe?
his father’s presence in the elevator, lack of space for the fat lady to get in,
if she tried to enter, Martin’s father would realise that he had understandable reasons for his fear,
sick leave for a few days as ordered by the doctor
could stay away from the elevator and the fat lady (and the bullies at school)

What makes Martin’s father insensitive?

if at all he is talking to Martin, he is criticizing him,
he is in a rush to turn a 12-year-old boy into a tough man who is not scared about anything
lack of interest and empathy to listen to his son’s concerns
angry even on the way back from the hospital
leaves him alone in the elevator

What were Martin’s efforts to hide his fear in front of his father? /
How do we know that Martin had a very demanding father?
always taking the elevator after being called a coward
resisted crying in front of his father – waited till he went to his room
tried not to sound afraid when he saw his father leaving the elevator
lied that he wanted to meet Mrs. Ullman

Character sketch – Martin:

claustrophobic and paranoid, insecurity and fear forces him to jump to worse conclusions
assumes too much about the fat old lady even though they’ve never had a proper conversation
assumes the worst,

As a sympathetic figure:
home – a father who looks down on him
school – everyone’s favourite target to bully
the way between – elevator becoming a stress factor
no mention of mother
judgmental, dismissive and distant father who is emotionally unavailable for Martin
= a lonely, isolated boy in a strange new environment without any one to share his concerns

Elevators are supposed to make life easy for you. That’s not the case with Martin. Why?

How does the writer manage to maintain a sense of mystery throughout the story?

3. The Girl Who Can

● Location - Hasodzi, Central Ghana

● People of Hasodzi are blessed with: - good, fertile land

● Adjoa’s age in the story: - 7

● Her serious problem: - lack of proper language to communicate

● Adjoa’s two favourite people: - Nana and Maami

● Name of Nana’s daughter: - Kaya

● Nana’s complaint about Adjoa’s legs: - too long and thin

● Word used by Nana to refer to her legs: - spindly

● Distance between her village and the town - 5 kilometres

 ● Adjoa’s trophy: - best all round junior athlete

● Neighbour who owns a pressing iron: - Mr. Mensah

● ‘big brass bowl’ from the story is: - an example of alliteration

What were the two stock responses from Nana whenever Adjoa tried to talk to her? OR
How would Adjoa’s attempts to initiate a conversation result in tear-faced grown-ups around her?
1. censure it / silence her immediately
2. find it ridiculous enough to spread it as the joke of the day

Nana always criticized Adjoa for:

1. not finishing her food 2. thin legs

Nana’s weapon to silence Maami:

bring up her choice of a partner – ‘insisted on marrying a man like that’, feeling thankful that a
child with thin legs is the only consequence of that marriage

What news did Adjoa share back home? How did Nana respond?
her selection in the Junior section to represent the school in the District Games
Nana felt the need to verify it from the school authorities, which she did.

Character sketch on Adjoa’s mother:

prone to weeping inside, fragile, easy to subdue (Nana always gets her way)
very quiet answers, ‘little courage’
feeling that she is locked into some kind of darkness
speechless most of the time
too submissive to raise her voice and protest against her mother’s complaint about Adjoa’s thin
legs

Need for proper legs according to Nana:

legs that have meat on them with good calves to support solid hips = complication free pregnancy

Why was it difficult for Adjoa to take a look at the approved kind of legs in her community?
How did Ama Ata Aidoo project the importance of education through Kaya’s words?
Education – the only tool to combat the inequalities they face,
to help them to earn their rightful place in the society,
to act as a liberating force in order to help them uncover their potential hidden under ‘tradition’
school – discrimination free zone providing opportunities – to find out what you are good at
What was Adjoa afraid of saying out loud?
that thin legs could be useful in some other way
‘Actions speak louder than words.’ How true is this in Adjoa’s story? (Nana – before & after)

Nana’s mindset in the beginning of the story:

patriarchic mindset - as if she is an agent of that system to make sure that the myth of the
‘weaker sex’ would continue to rob many girls of their immense possibilities
traditional, has a conservative mind
loved to silence the people around her by hammering her beliefs on them
held on to the idea that women should restrict themselves to child-bearing and child-rearing
her concept of women’s role reduces a woman into a strong-legged animal who should consider
her life to be meaningful after bringing forth new life without complications

The change within Nana after the verification of Adjoa’s inclusion in the school team:
constantly staring at Adjoa’s legs (probably thinking, “Was I wrong my whole life?”)
washing her uniform throughout her week
borrowing the pressing iron from Mr. Mensah’s house
ironing the uniform till it was stiff
accompanying Adjoa to town every afternoon of the sports week
wearing fresh set of clothes from the big brass bowl
carrying the shining cup on her back and taking it all the way to the house to let Kaya see it as
well
carrying Adjoa on her knees
correcting her criticism about Adjoa’s thin legs
letting Adjoa’s win to change her perspective on women in general
realizing that women are not born just to bear children

Assess Adjoa’s win as a victory for women who try to resist their transformation to bonsai trees.
her success in the track and field is symbolic of the fact that if given exposure, women can prove
to be capable of being dynamic, brave and creative.
her win convinces her very conventional grandmother that times have changed
Adjoa now has choices that her grandma and mother never had access to
It was a shining achievement because it was clearly a first for the previous generations.
She uses her thin legs to run and win the trophy, thus bringing fame to her and to her school and
pride to her family.
She broke the gender barrier when she’s just 7.
Symbolism:
running towards the finishing point in the race = running towards freedom and opportunities in life
Through Adjoa’s win, the writer asks the women of the world to not to allow their gender to define
them.

4. The Pedestrian
● Glow of TV sets is equated to - glimmer of fireflies

● When did they have the last elections? - 2052

● Comparison of Mead after being spotted - to that of a night moth

● Empty streets are repeatedly compared to - dry river beds

● Mead was one block away from - Eleven South Saint James Street

● Who could’ve avoided Mead’s arrest? - his wife, if he had one

● Categorizing the story: - dystopian fiction

● Dystopia - a society that suffers / is weird

● Criticism of: - a heavily automated society

● The charge on Mead: - nonconformity

Two phrases to prove that the town was not uninhabited:

undrawn curtains and open windows
Hopeless description of the community:
after dusk stroll feels like walking through a graveyard, Mead – as good as alone,
dark windows, grey phantoms, tomblike buildings, ill-lit television light,
people sitting like the dead
Words suggesting that the pathways are neglected:
buckling, lumpy
Mead as a nature lover:
Sound of his shoes cracking the autumn leaves, examining the skeletal pattern of leaves,
smelling their rusty smell, walking for fresh air and to take in the sights
Mead’s walk:
His declaration that one should always have the freedom of choice to determine what he wants
to do.
What is mentioned about the terrain of Arizona?
Plain, windless desert stretches with no buildings for a thousand miles

What’s common about moving through an Arizona desert and the streets in his community in
2053 after dark?
10 years of walking, night or day, thousands of miles – without coming across another soul, not
once
cloverleaf intersection – convergence of two highways – is absolutely like a picture of an empty
highway,
the police car moved through empty river bed streets

What kind of programmes would engage the couch potatoes in the tomblike buildings?

Cloverleaf intersection:
day – a great rustling insect night – a dry river bed

Mead’s individuality:
he is a free-thinker, lives alone, brightly lit house
doesn’t own a television, doesn’t prefer air conditioning,
holds on to the outdated career of a writer,
has violated the norms consistently for years
enjoys his walks as he appreciates nature and hates mindless television entertainment
he walks when no one else does
his rejection of technology that everyone else is consuming

What was unbelievable about law enforcement in Mead’s city?

What was unfortunate about Mead’s walk that day?
the only police car in a city of 3 million spots Mead when he was one block away from his home

The police car’s inhuman nature:

metallic voice, curt orders, phonograph voice,
constant crackling and clicking sound while information was being processed,
inability to understand the complexity of the human mind
failure to understand the concept of walking for the sake of walking
radio car, unmanned car, backseat like a black jail with bars,
smell of harsh antiseptic and steel, metallic smell

Phrases to prove the dystopian nature of the story:

the curfew – silent city at 8 p.m. no night life silent, long and empty streets
stroll through the city feels exactly like walking through the graveyard
lumpy walkways, buckling concrete walks, grassy seams
uneven sections of sidewalk, cement vanishing under flowers and grass
your presence as a pedestrian after sundown will irritate the dogs, startle the people and alert the
law and order machinery
suspending our freedom to move about in this world is similar to cutting the wings of a bird
3 patrol cars to just 1 – crime rate coming down – authoritarian government calling the shots for
all to follow with the help of technology reducing the people to programmed slaves
Mead is arrested merely for walking freely on the streets – hard to digest
A robot decides a human being’s fate.
Dystopia in the story:
a society addicted to technology and an authoritarian police state that does not accept people
being different

5. The Last Lesson

● Franz had the least idea about - participles
 ● Where was the bulletin board placed? - near the town hall
● When did the war begin? - 2 years ago
● Who tried to dissuade Franz from rushing to the school? - Wachter, the blacksmith
● The river mentioned in the poem: - Saar
● Who had a three coned hat? - old Hauser
● What else did this man have? - an old primer
(reading book for children)
● Adjective used to describe M. Hamel till the previous day - cranky
● Simile associated with the placing of the copy writing books - like little flags
● What were the words given for writing practice that day? - France, Alsace
● At what time did the last lesson end? - 12 noon
● Background: - Franco-Prussian War (1870-71)
● Story is a heavy criticism of: - linguistic chauvinism

What exactly did Franz resist before deciding to go to school?

the thought of spending time outside,
listening to the chirping of the birds in the woods
seeing the drill of the Prussian soldiers
What emotions would you pick from the faces of the people crowding around the bulletin board?
Why?
crestfallen, concerned, anxious, frustrated
information about battles lost, list of people ordered to join the force, restrictive orders from the
commanding officers - one stop source for all things bad
Did Franz get influenced by the blacksmith’s words?
No, he was all out of breath when he reached the school’s garden
What was Franz’s plan to avoid the scolding for being late?
Why didn’t Franz’s plan work? Did he regret the failure of the plan so much? (unusual M. Hamel)

All that was unusual about that day:

no bustle that would normally reach the street,
no sound of desks constantly getting opened and closed
no repetition of lessons
no rapping sound of the teacher’s ruler
feeling of a quiet Sunday morning
no one was being questioned as all the students were seated
M. Hamel kindly allowing Franz to take his seat without any cross
M. Hamel’s special ceremonial clothing
serious faces all around
probably the first full house classroom experience for the teacher – no empty seats
presence of the village people like old Hauser, the former Mayor and the former Postmaster
M. Hamel’s gentle tone
M. Hamel not scolding Franz for messing up the answer
Franz’s realization that the lessons were so easy
M. Hamel’s patient explanation
M. Hamel’s dreadful ruler becoming inconsequential that day
M. Hamel looking very pale, lost for words and overcome by emotions when the clock struck 12
What did M. Hamel say that felt like a thunderclap for Franz?
latest news on the board – German language replacing French in the schools of Alsace and
Lorraine
How did the thunderclap like words from his teacher change Franz’s views on
learning, books and M. Hamel?
Learning - ignorance of even the basics of the language causing deep regret in Franz’s mind
Books - from nuisance to companions
M. Hamel - from cranky to likeable

Why did M. Hamel put on special clothes?

to honour the last French lesson of Alsace-Lorraine
Why did the villagers fill the back benches that day?
a sense of regret about not using the opportunity to learn
thanking the teacher for 40 years of faithful service to the community
as a mark of respect for their country that was losing its identity

What did Franz earnestly wish for when he heard his name being called out by M. Hamel?
to recite the rule of the participle in a foolproof manner
Why won’t his wish come true?
wrong priorities – after bird’s eggs, sliding near the Saar river
The most recent news in the bulletin board shared by M. Hamel revived Franz’s interest in:
Grammar and History of the Saints
According to M. Hamel, why would the Prussians call them ‘pretend’ Frenchmen?
they can neither speak nor write in their language, thereby giving the enemy the justification for
their annexation, they would always put off learning for the next day,
failed to realise that tomorrow never comes – M. Hamel blames them for procrastinating
result = Prussians could claim that these people were not true Frenchmen

How do we know that M. Hamel was a passionate admirer of the French language? How did he
try to convince the people in the classroom to hold on to it?
described the French language as the most beautiful, clearest and logical
to be guarded and never to be forgotten as it could be the only uniting key with which the people
could get out of enslavement

Points to prove that the class was deeply motivated for the last lesson:
students and elders – very quiet throughout the writing lesson, forcing people around the school
to think that it was probably a sunday
only sound to break the silence – scratching of the pens over the papers
no attention whatsoever to the beetles that flew inside the class
little children, usually easily distracted, focused on the writing
never once did M. Hamel feel the need to use the ruler to be the disciplinarian
Franz finding it difficult to tolerate the pain of not being able to learn the language anymore,
especially when you just realised how easy it was to learn

Who made everyone feel like laughing and crying?

Old Hauser – reciting the vowels, his voice trembling with emotion
What did the people in the classroom hear at 12 noon?
Church clock striking 12, the Angelus prayer, Prussians sounding the trumpet

Franz sympathizing with M. Hamel:

same place and same sights for 40 years, 4 decades, half your lifetime only to get uprooted from
it
all of a sudden
his attempts to memorize the garden, the classroom, the walnut trees and the hop wine
sound of his sister packing his stuff upstairs
he must give up the classroom that was his home
his view of M. Hamel changes: from a fear-inspiring teacher to a kind individual who loves the
language
Franz’s regrets and realizations after hearing the latest news:
how negligent he was
how he didn’t learn when he had the chance
how he would like to learn
how M. Hamel had a lot of knowledge to offer
how he is going to be cut off from receiving that

M. Hamel as a patriot:
OR
How did the classroom become a symbol of resistance through education?
describing the virtues of French language
stressing the need to preserve and protect it
highlighting its role in helping the people maintain their unity and identity
new copy books with France, Alsace written on top looking like little flags all over the classroom
his frustration about the Prussians mocking their lack of knowledge about their language
his frustration about the French people losing the freedom of using their native tongue
copy writing lesson followed by a lesson in History
parting note – as large as he possibly could – Vive La France

Drama: Julius Caesar

Act III scene i

● Two well-wishers of Caesar among the crowd when
Caesar is about to go to the Senate House: - Artemidorus & the soothsayer
● Who made Cassius needlessly worry about the plot
 getting leaked? - Popilius Lena
● Whose role involved getting Mark Antony away from
the Senate House? - Trebonius
● Who was supposed to raise the dagger first? - Casca, from behind Caesar
● Adjectives used by Metellus Cimber to praise Caesar: - high, mighty & puissant
● Metellus Cimber’s suit to Caesar: - to revoke / reconsider the
banishment of his brother
● Metellus Cimber’s brother: - Publius Cimber
● Who kissed Caesar’s hand on the Ides? - Brutus
● Who declares that tyranny is dead? - Cinna
● What did Caesar pay on the Ides according to Brutus? - the debt of ambition
● The aged senator who was shocked after the murder: - Publius
● How did Brutus describe Antony to Antony’s servant? - wise and valiant Roman
● Antony’s comparison of the body and the killers: - a deer struck down by many
Princes
● According to Antony, who would accompany Caesar
when he’ll come for his revenge? - goddess Ate
● According to Antony, what word would Caesar use to
signal the beginning of the war? - havoc
● Who listened to Antony’s passionate outburst
predicting blood on the streets of Rome? - Octavian’s servant
● How far away was Octavian when Caesar was killed? - 7 leagues from Rome

How did Caesar differentiate his blood from the blood of ordinary men?
ordinary men – mind of fools could be easily melted with sweet words and false praise
in order to make them unstable enough to bend strict rules and to make them
dance to your tunes
Caesar - claims that flattery won’t have any effect on him

Order of the plot being executed:

1. Trebonuis - strategically removing Mark Antony from the Senate House
2. Metellus Cimber - advancing towards Caesar with his suit to bring his brother back to Rome
3. Brutus - seconding the appeal and kissing Caesar’s hand
4. Cassius - seconding the appeal and kneeling down
5. Cinna - coming forward
6. Decius - closing the gap
7. Casca - raising the dagger and initiating the bloodbath

Compile points for Caesar’s comparison with the northern star (page 82)
Why would Caesar’s self-praise sound ironic to the reader?
He was seconds away from experiencing the pain of betrayal and daggers
How did Brutus and Cassius try to comfort senator Publius?
According to Casca, how is death beneficial?
How did Trebonius describe the situation outside? – apocalyptic, doomsday-like
What were the amusing thoughts of Brutus and Cassius as the conspirators were busy smearing
their hands in Caesar’s blood?
Antony’s conditions to support Brutus:
safe passage to the senate house and back, satisfactory reasons for the murder
Antony’s offer in exchange for the sparing of his life:
to guide and support Brutus to get through this never before experienced uncertain state in Rome

How did Antony make a show of begging for his death at the hands of the conspirators? /
same day and hour of death as of Caesar’s, to be killed by the same weapons with Caesar’s
blood
to be dead beside Caesar to be killed by Caesar’s murderers
apt time, apt place, apt means

Why would Antony be thought of as a coward and a flatterer? (page 91)

Antony’s two suits:
permission to produce the body in the marketplace
permission to speak in his funeral from the pulpit
Advantage of allowing Antony’s speech according to Brutus:
no room for doubts about personal reasons to kill Caesar, helps to mask their hatred for Caesar
satisfaction for the public that all true ceremonies were observed in the funeral
satisfaction that the conspirators have given due respect for the man

Conditions placed on Antony:

not to blame the conspirators mention that he speaks with Brutus’s permission
speak from the same pulpit Brutus would use speak after Brutus’s speech is done

Why did Antony apologize to Caesar’s body?

for making peace with his murderers
for shaking their hands
for making deals with his enemies
for being friendly and gentle with Caesar’s butchers

Compile points on Antony’s prophecy over Caesar’s wounds.

What did Antony ask Octavian’s servant to do?
report the status to Octavian after Antony’s speech is done
help him to move the body

Act III scene ii

● Who among the conspirators were tasked with

announcing public reasons for Caesar’s death? - Brutus & Cassius

● How did Brutus address the crowd? - Romans, countrymen and lovers

● How did Caesar fill the general coffers? - ransom money from the captives

● Whose eyes were red as fire? - Antony’s

st
● When was Caesar’s blood-soaked mantle 1 used? -the day he overcame the Nervii

● Caesar’s wounds are equated to: - ruby lips, dumb mouths

● The river mentioned in the will: - Tiber

Brutus working the crowd:

tears for - his friendship joy for - his success
honour for - his courage death for - his ambition

Who according to Brutus, would find him at fault for the murder?
base slaves, rude barbarians, vile traitors
What made the crowd go, “Live Brutus, live”?
his willingness to use the dagger to take his own life if that’s best for Rome
his willingness to put Rome above him

Dialogues to substantiate the fact that Brutus made the crowd so convinced with his words:
live Brutus live chants
suggestion to give him a triumphal procession to his house and to shower him with praise
erecting his statue for being a noble successor of his ancestors
suggestion to make him the next Caesar
warning Antony not to speak ill of Brutus
calling Caesar a tyrant and writing him off as good riddance

According to Antony, how would the crowd react if they were to hear the contents of the will?
kiss dead Caesar’s wounds, dip their napkins in his blood,
fight among themselves to get hold of something (even a lock of hair) that belonged to great
Caesar,
mention it in their will turning it into a precious family heirloom, a cherished item that would make
the successor so proud
be inflamed, be mad – equal parts love for Caesar and hate for his murderers

How do we know that the crowd shifted their loyalty to Antony?

comments that Antony speaks sense, a citizen describing him as a poor soul,
praising him as the most noble man in Rome, maintaining silence whenever he speaks,
citizens describing the conspirators as traitors, villains and murderers,
citizens making way for the most noble Antony,
spirited declaration - “we’ll hear him, we’ll follow him, we’ll die with him”
citizens ready to burn Brutus’s house, ready to kill

How did Antony make Brutus the most hated of all the conspirators?
‘cursed’ steel, detailing the blood splatter, Caesar’s angel remark,
reminding everyone about Caesar’s love for Brutus, unkindest cut,
projecting the ingratitude from Brutus after all that Caesar had done for him,
the pain of betrayal, of friend turning foe, bursting his heart,
making him give up the fight, causing the fall – of Caesar and of Rome
According to the will, the citizens will get:
Individually – 75 drachmas
Collectively - parks, private gardens and newly-planted orchards

Act III scene iii

● Cinna the poet’s dream? - feasting with Caesar
● Questions asked to him: - name, destination, house, marital status

How is Antony’s promise to Caesar’s body getting actualized in this short scene?
How is the destructive potential of Antony’s speech reflected in Act III scene iii?

Act IV scene i
● Octavian wanted this man to be added to the proscription list: - Lepidus’s brother
● Lepidus’s condition to agree to his brother’s murder: - death of Antony’s nephew
● Antony’s view of Lepidus - a slight, unmeritable man
● Octavian’s view of Lepidus - a tried and valiant soldier
● Position offered to Lepidus in the Triumvirate: - store of provender

What does Antony plan to do with Lepidus?

Antony has the least regard for Lepidus. Why?
Why did Antony make Lepidus a partner if he hates him so much?

Act IV scene ii
● According to Cassius, what allows Brutus to hide his wrongs? - his sober form
● Where did Cassius and Brutus decide to confront each other? - Brutus’s tent
● Who were guarding Brutus’s tent when he was in conference
with Cassius? - Lucilius & Titinius

Act IV scene iii

● The charge on Lucius Pella: - taking bribes from Sardians
 ● Whose punishment did Cassius try to revoke with a letter? - Lucius Pella
● Which phrase did Brutus use to reflect his attitude towards
money obtained through unfair means? - rascal counters
● To end the quarrel, Brutus equates himself with: - a lamb
● Who was called a saucy fellow? - the poet
● How did Brutus describe poets? - jigging fools
● Triumvirate’s way of neutralizing enemies and making money: - proscription
● Who were invited to sleep in Brutus’s tent? - Varro & Claudius
● What was the effect of the entrance of the ghost? - candle light changed colour

The charge on Cassius:

itching palm, gold in exchange for army positions to undeservers,
denying Brutus’s request to provide him with gold for the legions

Brutus making his stand against corruption:

rather be a dog and howl at the moon
Words used by Brutus to enrage Cassius:
itching palm, slight man, rash choler, choleric,
madman, testy humour, waspish, (irritable) covetous (greedy)

Possible reference to the context question: “You have done that you should be sorry for.”
How does Brutus differentiate between a friend and a flatterer? - (page 130)
Why does Cassius feel like giving up his life?
tired of this world, loved ones start to hate him, challenge him and scold him as if he was a slave
listing all of his mistakes like from a book and throwing them into his face
felt like his soul is shrinking, melting
Possible reference to the context question:
“Of your philosophy you make no use
If you give place to accidental evils” (page 134)

Manner of Portia’s death: swallowed fire – suicide

thus proving her strength and her love for Brutus
What were the differing views of Cassius and Brutus about marching to Philippi?
According to Brutus, how is their army floating on a full sea?
taken the help of all of their friends, army has been stretched to the maximum,
have a justifiable cause to fight,
waiting = allowing the enemy to increase their number
allowing their own numbers to come down

Act V scene i
● What is a synonym for ‘words without blows’? - parley
● Who struck Caesar on the neck? - Casca
● Who struck Caesar from behind? - Casca
● Which word from Antony particularly offended Cassius? - flatterers
● Cassius’s taunting words for Octavian: - a peevish schoolboy
● Cassius’s taunting words for Antony: - a masker and a reveler
● With whom did Cassius share his concerns before the battle? - Messala

Reference question possibility: “Now Antony, our hopes are answered.” (page 146)

How did Octavian cross Antony?

He was stubborn about leading the right wing despite knowing the fact that Antony was more
eligible and experienced to do so.
Similarity between Antony’s conduct and hybla bees: flattering language, sting, buzz
How did birds convince Cassius that his Epicurean philosophy is to be doubted? (page 152)

Act V scene iii

● Who was the prisoner-turned slave in Cassius’s army? - Pindarus
● Cassius’s death is compared to: - the setting sun
● Location of Cassius’s funeral: - Thasos

What was Brutus’s mistake in the battlefield according to Titinius?

What task did Cassius give Titinius when they were on the hill?
How did Cassius get Pindarus to kill him?
Compile points on Brutus’s eulogy about Cassius. (page 163)

Act V scene iv
● Who described himself as a ‘foe to tyrants’? - Young Cato
● Who was brave and loyal enough to impersonate Brutus? - Lucilius

What was Lucilius’s prediction about Brutus? (page 165)

Whose life did Antony spare? What quality did he find in that person?
Lucilius – the quality of utmost loyalty even when a very bitter end is in sight

Act V scene v
● How many times did the ghost of Caesar appear to Brutus? - 2
● Which soldier was once Brutus’s classmate? - Volumnius
● Who said yes to Brutus’s strange request? - Strato
● Who was the soldier to last serve Brutus? - Strato
● Who was invited to join Octavian’s camp? - Strato

How did Brutus’s views about suicide change before and after the battle?
Before – criticized Cato for taking his life and declared that he would leave it to fate or gods
After – spoke in favour of being in charge of your final moments to Volumnius
List of people who said ‘no’ to Brutus:
Clitus - I’ll rather kill myself
Dardanius - Shall I do such a thing?
Volumnius - not an office for a friend
How did Brutus overcome himself?
How does Shakespeare differentiate between the deaths of Cassius and Brutus?
Cassius’s death – Pindarus thrusts the sword (giving up)
Brutus’s death – Brutus runs onto the sword held by Strato (taking charge)

Continued influence of Caesar even after his death:

the conspirators succeed only in removing his physical presence
they fail to destroy his spirit
Antony’s reference to the spirit of Caesar initiating war
ghost of Caesar appearing to Brutus twice
Caesar’s spirit stops to be a force in the play only when Cassius and Brutus end their lives
Did Caesar deserve to be killed?
different views – selfish aristocrats: yes soldiers and commoners: no

Character sketch:
1. Marcus Brutus
Man of high principles and integrity
the play’s most honourable character – acknowledged even by his enemies (Antony’s eulogy)
had the courage to oppose Caesar despite his friendship with him
wanted to kill Caesar without launching a revolution or disturbing the peace – realised later that it
was an impossible ambition
risks his life for Rome and doesn’t seem to be concerned with personal gain, unlike others
proud of his reputation for honour and nobility
too impractical and innocent at times: didn’t see through Cassius and Antony, didn’t recognise the
fake letters, underestimated Antony as an opponent despite repeated warnings,
continuously at war with himself, believes in stoicism
expresses contradictory attitudes – about taking one’s own life

2. Mark Antony

mastered the art of speaking to persuade, influence and manipulate in very subtle ways

turns the supporters of Brutus into a heartless mob screaming for the blood of Brutus and the rest

took advantage of Brutus’s hope by flattering him and telling the conspirators that he is with them

feels comfortable even as he is trying to deceive people to get to his objectives

ambitious, confident and ruthless in his pursuit of power

has no concern for the safety of the citizens of Rome when the war begins

openly declares that he will remove Lepidus from power as soon as Lepidus is of no use to him,
thereby exposing himself as an opportunist

3. Caius Cassius

manipulated Brutus into joining the conspiracy

proud of his mind-reading skills

realised that he could use Brutus as his trump card to get the conspiracy going

believed in the Epicurean philosophy

constantly worried about Antony’s potential to harm them

practical – raise money through fair means and foul

motivated by his hatred for Caesar than his duty for Rome

Distinguishing between Literary Devices:

1. Simile – involves a comparison, look for ‘like’ or ‘as’
: gave blows like beams

2. Metaphor – describing something as something else without a comparison

: Mead’s city as a graveyard or the streets as dry river beds

3. Personification – describing non-living things and animals as if they think and act like human beings
: the welkin (sky) weeps to hear his screech

4. Oxymoron – opposite terms placed together

: bittersweet, living dead, laughing jaws

5. Symbolism – using physical objects to define abstract ideas

: bridge of light – Haunted Houses
6. Alliteration – repeated use of the same non-vowel sound in consecutive words to create
a sense of musicality
: red red rose

7. Assonance – repeated use of the same vowel sound in consecutive words

: you snooze, you lose

8. Rhetorical Questions – to make the listeners silently agree with your point
: Did this in Caesar seem ambitious?

9. Hyperbole – ridiculous exaggeration that is unrealistic and improbable

: I hope and pray that I’ll be able to hear your sigh of relief in the exam hall from the Institute building.

Now go get the number you have in mind, or more.