HIS FIRST FLIGHT
-LIAM O FLAHERTY(1896-1984)
ABOUT AUTHOUR:
His First Flight" is a short story by Irish author Liam O'Flaherty, known for his realistic
portrayals of human and animal life. The story centers around a young seagull who is afraid to
fly, exploring themes of courage, self-reliance, and the importance of family
support. O'Flaherty, born in 1896, was a prominent figure in the Irish Literary Renaissance,
often writing about the struggles of ordinary people.
His First Flight – Introduction
The story by “Liam O’ Flaherty” is an account of a young bird that is afraid to fly for the first
time. He believes that his wings would not support him. Despite his younger siblings flying
fearlessly with much shorter wings, he could not gather the courage to do the same. He was
punished to stay hungry if he did not try. Thus, it was his mother that compelled him to fly by
using food as a trap. The lesson reflects how one hesitates to take the first step and that fear is
all in the mind. One should trust one’s abilities because “the fear of suffering is worse than the
suffering itself”.
THEMES OF THE LESSON:
Fear and Anxiety:
The young seagull experiences intense fear and anxiety about flying, even though his younger
siblings have already mastered it.
Self-Doubt:
He doubts his ability to fly and is paralyzed by the fear of falling.
Encouragement and Support:
His family tries to encourage him, but ultimately it is his own hunger that forces him to take
the leap.
Overcoming Fear:
The story demonstrates how the young seagull's hunger overcomes his fear, leading him to
discover his wings and his ability to fly.
Importance of Perseverance:
The story also suggests that perseverance and not giving up are essential for achieving one's
goals, even in the face of fear.
Self-Reliance:
While encouragement from family is helpful, the seagull ultimately has to rely on himself to
overcome his fear.
JUSTIFICATION OF THE TITLE :
The title The First Flight is very appropriate because the story is about a young seagull learning
to fly for the first time. The bird feels scared and doubts that its wings will support him.But with
some encouragement from his family and hunger pushing him, he takes the brave step and flies.
The story shows the importance of trying something new, even when it feels hard. Just like this
seagull learns to fly, all living beings need to take their first steps to grow. The title highlights
the seagull’s big moment of flying, which teaches us that success comes when we try. This
makes the title very fitting.
MESSAGE /MORAL:
The moral of the story His First Flight is about the importance of facing fears bravely and
having the courage to achieve one's goals. The story also teaches that one should never give up
in the pursuit of success.
.No Words Meaning
1 Seagull A bird that lives near the sea
2 Ledge A narrow piece of rock that sticks out a cliff
3 Flap To move up and down
4 Fledgling A young bird whose wings have not developed fully
5 Abyss A deep hole with no end
6 Brink In the edge of a situation
7 Muster Collect or gather
8 Plunge Jump or dive quickly
9 Desperate Feeling hopeless
10 Shrill High pitch noise
11 Threaten To cause to be at risk
12 Skim Quickly dive into something
13 Herring A fish that is found in coastal areas
14 Cackle Laugh in a loud way
15 Plateau Fairly level high ground
16 Ascending To come up
17 Blazing To burn with bright flames
18 Mackerel A sea fish with greenish-blue bands on its body
19 Scrap A small piece of something
20 Dirt-caked Covered with a thick layer of dirt
21 Gnawed To bite hard with teeth
22 Trotted To take quick short steps
23 Daintily Fine or delicate manners
24 Precipice The steep edge of a mountain
25 Sheer Used to emphasize the size
26 Plateau A fairly level high ground
27 Scraping Drag or pull hard to remove dirt
28 Cackle Speak in a loud, harsh way
29 Dozing To fall asleep
30 Plaintively Expressing sorrow or melancholy
31 Tapping Move or strike to make noise
32 Motionless To stay without movement
33 Newbie Someone who is new in doing something
34 Swooped To fly downwards rapidly
35 Monstrous Evil or wrong
36 Headlong In a rush
37 Dizzy Feeling like losing balance
38 Shriek To scream highly
39 Dog-fish A small shark
40 Shrill High pitched noise
41 Reluctant Having doubts about do something
To eat something eagerly and in large amounts so that nothing is
42 Devour
left
43 Whet To sharpen
Making a gesture with the hand or head to encourage someone to
44 Beckoning
approach or follow
