5-The Rebel
Q.1: Explain the following line:
It is very good that we have rebels
You may not it very good to be one.
Explanation:
These are the concluding lines of the poem. Here the poet gives his own
comments about the rebels. His remarks are not sarcastic or insulting but cautions.
The poet says that rebels have their own value in society. They provide a spice of
variety in our dull and monotonous life. Usually young people who have not much
experience of life try to be looked mature and different from others. Sometimes their
effort to be distinguish makes them ridiculous and a butt of mockery. So the poet does
not condemn or criticize them as their behaviour is not harmful. He rather pleases to
have such people in society as their strange and ridiculous does not want us to be a
rebel. His implicit suggestion
You may not find it very good to be one
Shows that inwardly he does not like the behaviour of the rebel. He knows that theirs
may be a psychological problem but their problem is not harmful to others. So he is
ready to tolerate them but he is not ready to see others being eccentric like them.
Q.2: Why do people rebel?
Ans: Since time immemorial the generation gap has always existed all over the
world. While the older generation, which is experienced and wise, always advises the
younger generation about the do’s and don’ts and lays down a code of conduct for
them to follow, the rebellious youth, who are filled with hopes, desires and ambitions,
complain that the elders constantly interfere in their affairs and always nag them.
In this context the role of media is also not commendable. It is exercising a
negative influence on the minds of the impressionable minds of the youngsters.
However, it is also true that the present day music, the computer games, the films,
television shows and advertisements and the books and magazines do encourage the
youth to rebel against the authoritarian.
Q.3: Discuss the element of humour and satire in the poem. Do you think the
poet is satirizing the rebels or the ridiculously trivial behaviour of the so-
called normal people?
Ans: The basic element of humour in this poem is the strange and eccentric
behaviour of the rebel. In order to satisfy his sense of superiority he says and does
contrary to what other people say and do. In his attempt to be looked conspicuous he
becomes ridiculous. His doing all that the other people avoid to do or avoiding all that
other people love to do makes him humorous. But in spite of that the poet’s attitude
towards him is not sarcastic or insulting.
The ridiculously trivial behaviour is not that of the so-called normal people but
of the normal people who have turned eccentric in their bid to be prominent among
the crowd of people. The poet knows that the rebel is not harmful. His strange attitude
is either because of some psychological problem or it may be just a passing phase in
his growth towards maturity. He does not think that such a person should be treated
with disrespect and disdain. He just laughs at his strange behaviour but his laughter is
without malice or bitterness.
