I REMEMBER I REMEMBER
SECTION
–A: MCQS ANSWERS-
1. A) they were beautiful but delicate 2.c) A tree with clusters of yellow
flowers.
3.c) 4.d) 5.c) 6.a) 7.d) 8.a) 9.b)
10.c) 11.a) 12.d)
13.b) 14.a) 15.b)
SCETION B: CONTEXTUAL
QUESTIONS
I.
Read
the extract given below and answer the questions that follow:
I remember, I remember,
The house where I was born,
The
-------------------------------the sun
Came
-------------------------------at morn;
He never--------------------------------soon,
Nor------------------------------------------day,
But
now--------------------------------------night
Had
borne my breath away!
i)When
did the sun come ‘peeping’? why?
Ans:
The sun came peeping in the morning. Every day at same time in the morning. The
Sun implies the predictability of life and comfort drawn from it. It is
depicted as timely and punctual, never coming early or late. Sun is the symbol
of perfect balance.
ii)What
do the lines ‘never came a wink too soon’ imply? What is the poet trying to
indicate?
Ans:
The lines ‘never came a wink too soon implies that the sun always appeared at
the right time or the same time. Never too late or early. The poet is trying to
indicate that the sun is consistent in its arrival. For the poet, it implies
the comforting predictability of life in his childhood. The nature provided the
perfect balance in life.
iii)Why
does the poet wish ‘the night had borne his breathe away’?
Ans:
The poet laments that the night should have ended his life by taking his breath
so that his blissful childhood would never end and he would not have to face
the harsh realities of the present day life.
iv)Describe
in your own words the imagery portrayed in this extract.
Ans:
The imagery portrayed in this extracts are of his childhood house, his bedroom
with a window. The sun slowly but surely seen every morning at the window by
him. The sun is appearing bit by bit in his line of vision and the sun rises
and sets at the same time every day.
v)give
the significance of the first line of this extract in the poem.
Ans:
The first line of this extract in the poem is ‘I remember, I remember.’ It
indicates that the speaker is reminiscing about his childhood days and wants to
accentuate his longing for the same. The first line of the poem serves as a
gateway into the speaker’s journey of life.
II.
I remember, I remember,
The roses, red and white,
The ---------------------------cups,
Those----------------------------light!
The ----------------------------------built,
And
---------------------------------------set
The
---------------------------------------------birthday,
The
tree is living yet!
i)What
does flowers made of light mean?
Ans:
The flowers, like his childhood were colourful and bright but fragile and
likely to fade or break. At present he can imagine the flowers and they are not
real and are merely a flint of light, representing to his present depressed
state.
ii)What
does the building of its nest by a robin in the lilacs suggest? How is the poet
affected by its
absence now?
Ans:
The robin builds its nest where it feels its young ones would be safe. The
presence the robins nest in it stands for the security and comfort of his
childhood days. The poet misses the security and comfort now. He misses the
time when he had the opportunity to stop and smell the flowers, i.e. appreciate
the simple joys of life.
iii)What
memories does he have of his brother? Which tree is living? What does this
signify?
Ans;
The poet remembers the laburnum tree his brother had planted on one of his
birthdays. It acts a reminder to the poet of his buried past and stirs up more
nostalgic memories.
iv)Briefly
describe the garden of the poet’s childhood.
Ans:
The garden was beautiful with a variety of flowers such as roses, violets,
lily-cups and lilacs on which had the robin’s nest. There was a laburnum tree
which still stood there as a memento of his childhood days.
v)Give
the meaning of- a) the roses, red and white- it means that
the garden was filled with roses of different colours, from red to whites. B) where my brother set/ the laburnum-
it means that his brother had planted a laburnum sapling and now it is a huge
tree on his birthday.
III.
I remember, I remember,
Where I
was-------------------------swing,
And
-------------------------------------------as fresh
To
------------------------------------------------------wing;
My spirit
------------------------------------------------------then
That is
-------------------------------------------------------------now,
And summer
pools------------------------------------------------------cool
The fever on my brow!
i)What
does the poet think when he was swinging? Which figure of speech is used in
line 3 of this extract?
Ans: When the poet was swinging he thinks that the
air is rushing past; means enjoying the breeze and wonders that if the swallows
felt the same rush of air while flying. The figure of speech used here are
consonance and assonance.
ii)What
do you understand by swallows on the wing? Who are swallows? Why are they
mentioned here?
Ans:
Swallows on the wing means the swallows flying in air. Swallows are the small
birds with pointed wings and a tail with two points. They are birds commonly
found flying dotting the sky. Here it is used as a comparison to the poet’s
experience of swinging in natural beauty.
iii)How
did the poet’s spirit fly? What is the state of his spirits now?
Ans:
The poet remembers the time in his childhood when he used to swing with such
energy and vigour that he would feel like flying in the sky like swallows. But
now it seems impossible for him to free himself from the burden of reason,
responsibilities and rationality.
iv)How
does this extract show the theme of saudade?
Ans:
This extract shows the theme of sadness through the contrast between the poet’s
past memories and the present state. The longing for the carefree joy of
childhood makes his feelings bitter and sweet.
v)And
summer pools could hardly cool the fever on my brow! Explain what the poet
meant by these lines.
Ans:
The above lines highlights that even the refreshing summer pools are not able
to cool/calm the internal turmoil of the poet. It means that the dip in the
summer pool that cooled him as a child can barely calm the heat of his brows.
This shows the regrets and sorrows one feels as life move on.
IV.I
remember, I remember,
The
fir trees dark and high;
I
used to--------------------------tops
Were---------------------------------sky:
It
was a ------------------------------ignorance,
But
now-------------------------------------------joy
To
know I’m ---------------------------------------heaven
Than
when I was a boy.
i)What
did the poet think about the fir trees as a child?
Ans:
As a child the poet used to think that the top of a tall fir tree, as being old
and dark was connected to the heavens or it could almost touch the skies that
is heaven.
ii)Identify any two
literary devices used in this extract.
Ans:
1. Symbolism – sky meaning heaven.
2.
Metaphor – its little joy.
iii)What
does he refer to as childish ignorance? What is the joy referred to in this
extract?
Ans:
As a child, the poet used to think that those fir trees top are touching to the
heaven. The joy is the belief that the heaven was in the reach of the top
braches of the fir trees which was the ignorance and the being bliss.
iv)Why
did the poet feel closer to heaven earlier? Why does he feel farther off from
heaven now?
Ans:
The poet, as a child felt closer to heaven earlier because he was naïve and
innocent to believe that even heaven is near. But the present brings no joy
because the romantic picture of perfection is shattered. Since he has grown old
and his perception has changed.
v)The
last three lines suggest that the poet has lost his youthful joy and optimism.
Do you agree? Elaborate with reference to the poem.
Ans:
As a child the poet was naïve and innocent but a he grew up, he realizes the
folly of youth and things that brought him joy are still there but they no
longer give him joy as they used to in his childhood. Spirituality and inner
peace i.e. heaven which appeared close and attained in childhood no longer
seems to be attainable. This realization brings no joy to the poet hence he
laments the loss of his childhood.
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