The Rattrap Summary | Explanation

  - by Selma Lagerlof

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The Rattrap Summary in English

A man went round selling small rattraps of wire. His business was not profitable. He has to take to begging or small thieving sometimes.

  His life was very sad. During his wanderings, he often thought of his rattraps. One day he began to think that the whole world was just a big rattrap. Some people were caught in the trap while others were still circling round the bait.

    One dark evening, this tramp took shelter with a lonely old man who lived in a lone cottage by the roadside. The man served him generously the whole night. But while leaving in the morning, the tramp stole the old man's thirty kronor placed in a leather pouch.

   In order to escape being caught, the tramp took his way through a forest. But it was a confusing forest. By evening, he found that he had been roaming about the same place from where he had started. He was feeling dead tired. 

   The tramp recalled the thirty kronor in his pocket. He thought about the world as a rattrap. Now he thought that his own turn had come. 

    It was the time of late December evening. It was getting dark and he was afraid. Suddenly, he heard the hard regular thumping of a hammer. He got up and walked in the direction of the sound.

It was a forgery of the Ramsjo Ironworks. The master smith allowed him to stay there and warm himself. He was in wet rags and had a long beard. But suddenly, the ironmaster came on his nightly inspection. When he looked at the stranger closely, he took him for an old regimental acquaintance. "Captain von Stahle," he said in surprise. He pressed him hard to go with him to his house. But the tramp fell embarrassed and he refused firmly. At last the ironmaster went away.

 Before half an hour had passed, a carriage stopped at the forgery door. It was the

ironmaster's daughter who had been sent by her father to fetch the peddler. She had come with a servant. The valet(servant) was holding a long fur coat on his arm. 

The young girl spoke to the peddler very softly. She was not pretty but she was very

humble. She was able to win the peddler's confidence. She wanted him to give them

company on the Christmas Eve. She assured him that he would be free to leave the place whenever he liked.

  The peddler agreed to go with the young girl. He accepted the fur coat and threw it over his rags. The young girl was very happy to think that she would be able to feed a poor hungry man on Christmas Eve.

 The peddler spent the night at the manor house. In the morning the valet washed him, cut his hair and also shaved him. He was also dressed well in the ironmaster's clothes.

   But when the ironmaster looked at him in the broad daylight, he realised his mistake. The man was none of his old acquaintances. He at once ordered him to get out of the house. 

   But the young girl at once pleaded on the peddler's behalf. She said that it was none of the peddler's fault. It was just a mistake. Moreover, she didn't want to lose the joy of entertaining a poor hungry person on Christmas Eve. Looking at his daughter's sentiments, the father gave in at last. But he said, "I only hope you won't have to regret this."

    Both the ironmaster and his daughter served the peddler as best as they could. They made him participate in each of the festivities. But the peddler spent most of his time sleeping on a sofa. It seemed that he had not been able to sleep for years.

    Next morning, both the father and the daughter went to church for early morning service. The peddler was still asleep and they didn't think it proper to disturb him. 

   At the church, they heard that a man who went about selling rattraps, had robbed a poor old man of his thirty kronor. On hearing this, the young girl was badly upset. 

   But when they reached home, they learnt that the peddler had already left and had not taken anything at all with him. Instead, he had left a small packet for the young girl as a Christmas present.

  It filled the young girl with great joy. She at once opened the packet. It contained a little rattrap, three wrinkled ten-kronor notes and also a letter. The letter said, "Since you have been so nice to me all day long, I want to-be nice to you. You can give back the money to the old man on the roadside. The rattrap is a Christmas present from a rat who would have been caught in the world's rattrap if he had not been thought to be a captain."

    -Captain von Stahle

The rattrap Summary in Hindi

एक आदमी तार के बने हुए छोटे-छोटे रैटट्रैप बेचा करता था। उसका काम लाभदायक नहीं था। उसे कई और भी मांगने और छोटी-मोटी चोरी का काम करने की जरूरत पड़ जाती थी।

उसका जीवन बहुत उदासी-भरा था अपनी यात्राओं के दौरान वह प्राय: अपने रैट्रैप्स के बारे में सोचा करता था। 

एक दिन वह ऐसा सोचने लगा कि पूरा संसार मात्र एक प्रकार का बड़ा रैट्रैप था कुछ लोग पहले ही इस में बैठे थे जबकि अन्य  इस ट्रैप के अंदर रखी प्रलोभन  वाली चीज़ के चक्कर काट रहे थे।

एक अन्धेरी सायं को इस आवारा घूमने वाले आदमी ने सड़क किनारे एक छोटी सी कुटिया में अकेले रहने वाले एक बूढ़े आदमी के पास आश्रय लिया। आदमी ने पूरी रात बहुत उदारता से उसकी खातिर की। किन्तु प्रात:काल जाते हुए उस आवारा आदमी ने बूढ़े आदमी के तीस क्रोनोर चुरा लिए जोकि एक चमड़े की थैली में रखे हुए थे।

पकड़े जाने से बचने के लिए उस आवारा घूमने वाले आदमी ने एक जंगल में से अपना रास्ता ले लिया। किन्तु ये एक उलझन में डाल देने वाला जंगल था सायंकाल होने पर उसने देखा कि वह उसी जगह के गिर्द चक्कर काट रहा था जहां से उसने चलना शुरू किया था थकावट के मारे उसकी जान निकली जा रही थी।

उस आवारा घूमने वाले आदमी को अपनी जेब में पड़े हुए तीस क्रोनोर याद आए। वह संसार को एक रैट्रैप के रूप

में सोचने लगा। अब उसने सोचा कि उसकी अपनी बारी आ गई थी।

दिसम्बर के अन्तिम दिनों की सायं का समय था अन्धेरा हो रहा था और उसमें भय भर आया। अचानक उसे एक हथौड़े की बार-बार भारी थपथपाने की आवाज सुनाई दी। वह उठ खड़ा हुआ और आवाज वाली दिशा में चल दिया।

यह रमसजो आयरनवक्रस की एक भट्ठी थी। मुख्य लौहार ने उसे वहां रुकने और स्वयं को  गर्म करने की इजाजत  दे दी। उसने गीले चीथड़े पहने हुए थे और उसकी एक लम्बी दाढ़ी थी। किन्तु अचानक आयरनमास्टर अपनी रात्रिकालीन जांच पर वहां आ गया। जब उसने उस अजनबी को बहुत गौर से देखा तो उसने समझा कि वह उसका एक पुराना रेजिमेण्टल परिचित व्यक्ति था। 'कप्तान वोन स्टेहल,' उसने हैरानी सहित कहा। उसने उस पर बहुत दबाव दिया कि वह उसके साथ घर चले। किन्तु उस आवारा आदमी को बहुत घबराहट और लज्जा महसूस हो रही

थी और उसने दृढ़तापूर्वक इन्कार कर दिया। अन्त में आयरनमास्टर वहां से चला गया।

आधा घण्टा बीतने से पूर्व ही फोरजरी के दरवाजे पर एक बाघी आ कर रुकी। यह आयरनमास्टर की बेटी थी जिसे

उसके पिता ने उस फेरी लगाने वाले को लाने भेजा था वह एक नौकर के साथ आई थी। नौकर अपनी बाजू पर एक लम्बा फर कोट पकड़े हुए था। 

युवा लड़की फेरी वाले के साथ बहुत कोमलतापूर्वक बोली। वह सुन्दर नहीं थी किन्तु बहुत विनीत थी। वह फेरी वाले के विश्वास को जीतने में समर्थ हो गई। वह चाहती थी कि वह क्रिसमस के पर्व पर वह उनका साथ दे। उसने उसे विश्वास दिलाया कि वह जब भी चाहेगा, उस जगह से जाने को स्वतन्त्र होगा।

फेरी वाला युवा लड़की के साथ जाने को सहमत हो गया। उसने फर वाले कोट को स्वीकार कर लिया और इसे अपने चीथड़ों के ऊपर पहन लिया। युवा लड़की यह सोच कर प्रसन्न थी कि वह क्रिसमस के पर्व पर एक गरीब भूखे आदमी को भोजन करा पाएगी।

फेरी वाले ने रात जमींदार के घर पर गुजारी । प्रात: काल नौकर ने उसे नहलाया, उसके बाल काटे और उसकी दाढी भी बनाई। उसे आयरनमास्टर के वस्त्रों में ठीक ढंग से सजा भी दिया गया।

किन्तु जब आयरनमास्टर ने उसे दिन की भरपूर रोशनी में देखा तो उसे अपनी गलती महसूस हो गई। वह आदमी उसका परिचित नहीं नहीं था। वह उसे तुरंत चले जाने को कहता है ।

किन्तु युवा लड़की ने तुरन्त फेरी वाले के पक्ष में तर्क देना शुरू कर दिया। उसने कहा कि इसमें फेरी वाले का बिल्कुल कोई दोष नहीं था यह मात्र एक गलती थी। इसके अतिरिक्त वह क्रिसमस के पर्व पर एक ग़रीब आदमी को भोजन, आदि खिलाने के आनन्द को खोना नहीं चाहती थी। अपनी लड़की की भावनाओं को देखते हुए पिता ने अन्त में हार मान ली। किन्तु उसने कह दिया, "मैं केवल इतनी आशा करता हूं कि तुम्हें इसके लिए पश्चाताप नहीं करना पड़ेगा।"

आयरनमास्टर और उसकी बेटी दोनों ने फेरी वाले की इतनी अच्छी तरह से खातिर की जितनी वे कर सकते थे। उन्होंने उसे त्योहार के प्रत्येक पर्व में हिस्सेदार बनाया। किन्तु फेरी वाले ने अपना अधिकतर समय एक सोफे के

ऊपर सोने में बिताया। ऐसा प्रतीत होता था कि वह अनेक वर्षों से सो नहीं पाया था।

अगली प्रातः पिता और बेटी दोनों प्रात: कालीन पूजा के लिए गिरजे को गए। फेरी वाला अब भी सोया हुआ था तथा उन्होंने उसे जगाना ठीक न समझा।

गिरजे में उन्हें पता चला कि एक आदमी जो रैटट्रैप बेचता हुआ घूमता रहता था, उसने एक ग़रीब बूढ़े आदमी के तीस क्रोनोर लूट लिए थे। यह सुन कर जवान लड़की बहुत परेशान हो उठी।

किन्तु जब वे घर पहुंचे तो उन्हें पता चला कि वह फेरी वाला पहले ही चला गया था तथा वह अपने साथ कुछ भी नहीं ले कर गया था। इसकी बजाए वह युवा लड़की के लिए क्रिसमस उपहार के रूप में एक छोटा-सा पैकट छोड़ गया था।

  इस से युवा लड़की बहुत प्रसन्नता से भर गई। उसने तुरन्त पैकट को खोला। इस में एक छोटा-सा रैटट्रैप, तीन तुड़े - मुड़े हुए दस-दस क्रोनोर के नोट और एक पत्र भी था। पत्र में लिखा था, "क्योंकि आप दिन-भर मेरे प्रति भद्र रही हैं, मैं भी आप के प्रति भद्र होना चाहता हूं। आप सड़क किनारे वाले आदमी को उसके पैसे लौटा सकती हैं। रैटट्रैप उस चूहे की तरफ से आप के लिए एक क्रिसमस उपहार है जिसने संसार-रूपी रैट्रैप में फंस जाना था यदि उसे एक कप्तान न समझ लिया जाता।"       

 -कप्तान वोन स्टेहल

The rattrap important Questions and Answers

Q. 1. Why was Edla happy to see the gift left by the peddler?

Ans. Edla was deeply shaken when she heard at the church that the peddler was a thief. But after reading the letter and receiving her gift, she came to know what a gem the man really was. Naturally, she was very happy. 

Q. 2. Why did the peddler sign himself as Captain von Stahle ?

Ans. It was as a captain that he had been invited to the manor house. And it was as a captain that he had got all the opportunity to come out of the rattrap into which he had been caught.

Q. 3. What made the peddler accept Edla Willmansson's invitation ?

Ans. The girl seemed full of compassion for the peddler. Her manner was very friendly.The Peddler felt confidence in her. That was why he accepted her invitation.

 Q. 4. What doubts did Edla have about the peddler ?

Ans. From the peddler's looks and behaviour, Edla doubted that he did not seem to have been an educated person. It seemed to her as if he had stolen something or had escaped from jail.

Q. 5. When did the ironmaster realize his mistake ?

Ans. The ironmaster looked at the peddler in the broad day light . Now he had been washed, his hair was cut, and he had been shaved. He was also well dressed. Now the ironmaster could clearly see that he had been mistaken in taking the tramp for an old regimental acquaintance. 

Q. 6. What did the peddler say in his defence when it was clear that he was not the person the ironmaster had thought he was?

Ans. The peddler said that it was not his fault. He had never pretended to be a former captain. He had shown himself only as a poor trader. He had begged that he should be allowed to stay at the forge. Thus the peddler tried to defend himself.

Q. 7. Why did Edla still entertain the peddler even after she knew the truth about him ?

 Ans. Edla was a very noble-hearted girl. She had thought of entertaining a poor hungry man on Christmas Eve. She had made great preparations for it. She did not want to let away this joy all at once. So she pleaded with her father to let the tramp stay with them for Christmas Eve. She was feeling real pity for him. She said, "He walks and walks the whole year long, and there is probably not a single place in the whole country where he is welcome and can feel at home." Each word spoken by the young girl shows the purity and compassion of her heart.

Q. 8. What made the peddler think that he had indeed fallen into a rattrap ? 

Ans. The peddler had thirty kronor in his pocket. It was a bait that had trapped him. And now he was finding no way to get out of this trap.

The rattrap important Questions and Answers

Q. 9. Why did the ironmaster speak kindly to the peddler and invite him home?

Ans. The ironmaster had taken the peddler for an old regimental acquaintance. He was moved to pity over his miserable condition. So he wanted to take him home and give him company on the Christmas Eve.

Q. 10. Why did the peddler decline the invitation ?

Ans. The peddler had thirty stolen kronor in his pocket. He was afraid that by going to the manor house, he would be throwing himself into the lion's den.

Q. 11. From where did the peddler get the idea of the world being a rattrap ? 

Ans. While plodding his way, the man kept thinking of his rattraps. Suddenly one day, an idea came to him. He thought the whole world was also like a big rattrap. Some had

already been caught in the snare and the others were still circling round the bait.

Q. 12. The peddler comes out as a person with a great sense of humour. How does this serve in lightening the seriousness of the theme of the story and also endear him to us?

Ans.

The peddler is a poor man. He goes around selling rattraps of wire. His business is not profitable But he does not take it to heart. He takes to begging and petty thievery. He takes a very funny view of his business. He begins to think that the whole world is a big rattrap. All the things of comfort and luxury are mere baits for men. When anyone tries to touch these baits, the rattrap closes in on him. Then everything comes to an end. The peddler derives great joy from sach thoughts. The world had never been very kind to him. So it gives him joy to think ill of the world in this way. Even when he steals the old crofter's thirty kronor, he feels no prick in his conscience. He goes away like a happy-go-lucky fellow. In order to escape being caught, he takes his way through a forest. Thus the peddler's sense of humour lightens the seriousness of the theme. Also it endears the peddler to the reader's heart.

The rattrap Solutions

Q.13. The reader's sympathy is with the peddler right from the beginning of the story. Why is this so? Is the sympathy justified ?

Ans.

The peddler is indeed a nice fellow. He goes about selling small rattraps. His business is not profitable. So he takes to begging and petty thievery. Yet, we don't dislike him for that. He takes a very funny view of his business. He takes the whole world as a big rattrap. When he steals the old crofter's thirty kronor, he feels he has been caught in the rattrap. The ironmaster asks him to leave his house. At this, the peddler gives him a befitting reply. He tells him that he too will be caught in the world's rattrap one day. The peddler's real goodness comes to light when he leaves a packet for Edla as a Christmas present. The packet has in it a small rattrap, three wrinkled ten-kronor which he had stolen.

Q. 14. How does the metaphor of the rattrap serve to highlight the human predicament ? 

Ans.

The world has rightly been compared to a big rattrap. All the things of comfort and luxury are mere baits. All the lands, villages, cities, seas and countries are also nothing more than baits. These things have never existed for any other purpose. They offer joys and riches. They offer food and shelter. They offer heat and clothing. But they are all exactly as the rattrap offers cheese and pork as a bait for the rats. Rattraps have baits for rats. The rattrap of the world has baits of its own kind for men. As soon as anyone is tempted to touch the bait, the rattrap closes in on him. Then there is no escape. Some people have already landed themselves in the snare. They keep going round and round in it, finding no way to escape. There are others who are still circling found the bait. Sooner or later, they too will be caught in it.

Q. 15. Did the peddler respect the confidence reposed in him by the crofter ? 

Ans. The crofter had himself shown the peddler the money kept in his pouch. He had in a way shown him the bait laid in a rattrap. The peddler was tempted by the bait and he was caught in the trap. He was also given to little thievery and he had no regard for the crofter's confidence.

Q. 16. Why did the peddler take his way through the forest ?

Ans. The peddler had the crofter's stolen money in his pocket. He was afraid that he would be chased and caught if he went by the highway. That was why he took his way through the forest.

Q. 17.  What made the peddler think that he had indeed fallen into a rattrap?

Ans. In order to escape being caught, the peddler had walked into a confusing forest. But now he could find no way out. He walked and walked and was tired to death. At once the thought of the world being a rattrap came to his mind. He thought that now his own turn had come.

Q. 18. Why did the ironmaster speak kindly to the peddler and invite him home?

 Ans. The ironmaster had taken the peddler for an old regimental acquaintance. He was moved to pity over his miserable condition. It was Christmas Eve and he wanted to be nice to a poor hungry man, So he invited him to his home.

Deep Water Summary Class 12|English Hornbill 

Deep Water Summary : 

 The  writer narrates how he overcame his fear of the deep water. This fear had spoiled all his joys of swimming, fishing and  canoeing. He recounts this incident to show how he struggled and overcame that fear.

 In this story,  his mind filled with terror due to some childhood incidents. The writer begins his story when he was three or four years old. 

The writer narrates an incident from his childhood. He was then three or four years His father took him to the Californian sea beach. The child was clinging to his father. But a strong wave came and knocked him down. The water swept over him. The writer's heart was filled with terror. He began to have a terror of deep water.

  However, he decided to learn to swim. He joined a local swimming pool. He got new water wings and started paddling in the water in the manner of the other boys. But one day a terrible thing happened. The writer was sitting alone on the side of the pool. A big boy suddenly came there. He picked the writer up and tossed him into the deeper side of the pool.

    The writer went at once to the bottom of the pool. He used all his strength to spring upwards. He came up slowly. He could see nothing but water. He lost his breath. His lungs ached. He was getting dizzy. He tried to cry in fear, but no sound came. He went down thrice, and thrice he tried to come up. But all his efforts failed. Then he stopped all his efforts. 

     A blackness swept over the writer's brain. It wiped out all fear. There was no more panic, He began to think 'This is nice.. to go to sleep. There is no need to jump. Now I must go to sleep."Then everything blanked out.

      But luckily, he was taken out and saved from drowning. The chap who had thrown him in was saying, "But I was only fooling." Several hours later, the writer walked back home  He was weak and trembling. He could eat nothing that night. For days, a terrible fear filled his heart. He never went back to the pool.

      The writer visited some famous water spots of his country. But whenever he wanted to put his foot into them, his old fear would come back to him. It spoiled all his joy of boating and fishing. So the writer once again decided to learn to swim.

     The writer engaged a very expert and experienced instructor. This instructor put in a lot of effort with the writer. The writer also worked very hard. Bit by bit, he lost some of his old fear. At last, after many months of hard practice, the instructor said to the writer, "Now you can swim. Dive off and swim the length of the pool." The writer was able to do it. The instructor's job was finished.  Now the writer would try to swim alone in some rivers and lakes. Sometimes, little memories of the old fear would come back. But he would drive them out of his mind at once. At last, he was able to conquer all fear of deep water. He could swim miles across big rivers and lakes.

    The writer still has some doubts. He went to lake Wentworth at New Hampshire. He dived into the lake and swam two miles and came back. At last he went to Warm Lake. He  swam across the lake and back. He shouted with joy. Thus he was determined that he conquered his fear of water.

   The writer's experience of swimming had a deep meaning for him. There is terror only in the fear of death. In death, there is peace. Therefore, all one needs to fear is fear itself.

Deep Water  summary in hindi class 12

कहानी में लेखक बताता है कि उसने गहरे पानी के सम्बन्ध में अपने भय पर कैसे काबू पाया। यह भय बचपन की कुछ घटनाओं की वजह से उसके मन में भर आया था। लेखक अपनी कहानी तब से शुरू करता है जब उसकी आयु तीन या चार वर्ष की थी।

लेखक अपने बचपन की एक घटना का वर्णन करता है। उसकी आयु तब तीन-चार वर्ष की थी। उसका पिता उसे कैलीफोर्निया वाले समुद्र-तट पर ले गया। बच्चा अपने पिता के साथ चिपटा हुआ था। किन्तु एक तेज लहर आई और इसने उसे नीचे पटक दिया। पानी उसके ऊपर से निकल गया । लेखक का दिल भय से भर गया। उसे गहरे पानी से बहुत भय होने लगा।

किन्तु उसने तैरना सीखने का निर्णय कर लिया उसने एक स्थानीय स्विमिंग पूल में प्रवेश प्राप्त कर लिया। उसने पानी में तैरने के नए वाटर-विंग्ज़ ले लिए तथा दूसरे लड़कों की भांति पानी में पांव चलाने लगा। किन्तु एक दिन एक भयानक बात घटित हो गई। लेखक सरोवर के किनारे अकेला बैठा हुआ था। एक बड़ा लड़का अचानक वहां पर आ गया। उसने लेखक को ऊपर उठाया और सरोवर के गहरे वाले छोर में उछाल दिया।

लेखक तुरन्त सरोवर के निचले तल तक पहुंच गया। उसने ऊपर को उछलने के लिए अपनी पूरी ताकत का इस्तेमाल किया। वह धीरे-धीरे ऊपर आया। उसे पानी के अतिरिक्त और कुछ दिखाई नहीं देता था। उसकी सांस उखड़ गई। उसके फेफड़े दर्द से भर गए। उसका सिर चकराने लगा। उसने भय में चिल्लाने की कोशिश की किन्तु कोई आवाज़ -निकल न पाई। वह तीन बार नीचे को गया और तीन बार उसने ऊपर आने की कोशिश की। किन्तु उसके सभी यत्न असफल रहे। फिर उसने अपने सभी यत्न छोड़ दिए।

लेखक के दिमाग पर एक कालापन-सा छा गया। इससे उसका सब भय समाप्त हो गया। अब कोई घबराहट नहीं रही थी। वह सोचने लगा-'अब बढ़िया है.... मैं सो जाता हूँ। अब उछलने की कोई जरूरत नहीं है। अब मुझे सो जाना चाहिए ........।' फिर हर बात दिमाग से निकल गई। 

किन्तु सौभाग्यवश उसे बाहर निकाल लिया गया और डूबने से बचा लिया गया। वह लड़का जिसने उसे अन्दर फेंका था, कह रहा था, "लेकिन मैं तो केवल मजाक कर रहा था।" अनेक घंटों बाद लेखक वापस घर चल कर गया। वह कमजोरी महसूस कर रहा था और कांप रहा था। उस रात वह कुछ भी खा न पाया। अनेक दिनों तक एक भयानक भय उसके दिल पर छाया रहा। वह उस सरोवर को दोबारा वापस कभी न गया।

लेखक ने अपने देश के कुछ प्रसिद्ध जल-स्थलों का भ्रमण किया। किन्तु जब कभी वह उनके अन्दर अपना पांव डालना चाहता, उसका पुराना भय उसे वापस आ घेरता इससे उसका नौकायन करने और मछली पकड़ने का स आनन्द जाता रहा। इसलिए लेखक ने एक बार फिर से तैरना सीखने का निश्चय कर लिया।

लेखक ने एक बहुत कुशल और अनुभवी प्रशिक्षक को लगा लिया। इस प्रशिक्षक ने लेखक के साथ खूब मेहनत की।

Deep Water  summary in hindi class 12

लेखक ने भी बहुत कड़ी मेहनत की। धीरे-धीरे उसका कुछ पुराना भय जाता रहा। अन्त में, अनेक महीनों के कठिन अभ्यास के बाद, प्रशिक्षक ने लेखक से कहा, "अब तुम तैर सकते हो। छलांग लगाओ और सरोवर की पूरी लम्बाई को तैर कर पूरा करो।" लेखक ऐसा करने में समर्थ हो गया। प्रशिक्षक का काम अब पूरा हो चुका था ।

अब लेखक कुछ नदियों और झीलों में अकेले तैरने की कोशिश करता। कई बार पुराने भय की छोटी-मोटी यादें उसके मन में वापस आ जातीं। परन्तु वह तुरन्त उन्हें अपने मन से बाहर निकाल देता। अन्त में वह गहरे पानी के सम्बन्ध में अपने सब भय पर काबू पा गया। वह बड़ी-बड़ी नदियों और झीलों के आर-पार मीलों तैर सकता था।

लेखक का तैरने के बारे में अनुभव उसके लिए एक गहरा अर्थ रखता था। मृत्यु के सम्बन्ध में भय में ही आतंक होता है। मृत्यु में तो शान्ति होती है। इसलिए एकमात्र चीज़ जिससे डरने की मनुष्य को ज़रूरत होती है, वह भय ही होता ।

Deep water Extra Questions and Answers

Q. 1. Why was Douglas determined to get over his fear of water ? 

Ans. Douglas' fear of water spoiled all his joys of fishing, boating and swimming. So he was determined to get over this fear. 

Q. 2. How did the instructor build a swimmer out of Douglas ?

Ans. The instructor was a very experienced and patient person. He used a unique method to train the writer in swimming. He put a belt round the writer. A rope was attached to the belt. It went through a pulley. The pulley ran on an overhead cable. The instructor held on to the end of the rope. Thus the writer went back and forth across the pool. He practised for many weeks. The tension began to grow less. Then the instructor taught him to exhale underwater and inhale above water. The writer repeated this exercise hundreds of time.of times. Bit by bit, he lost some of his old fear. Next, the instructor taught him to kick with his legs. Thus, piece by piece, the instructor built out of the writer a swimmer. And at last he said, "Now you can swim. Dive off and swim the length of the pool.” The writer was able to do it.

Q. 3. What is the 'misadventure' that William Douglas speaks about ?

Ans. The misadventure referred to happened at the Y.M.C.A. swimming pool. One day, the writer was sitting alone on the side of the pool. There was no one there. He was afraid of going into the water alone. So he was waiting for others to come. Suddenly a big boy came in. He picked the writer up and tossed him into the pool. The writer at once went to the bottom of the pool. On the way down, he made a plan. He would hit the bottom and make a big jump to the surface. But he came up very slowly. He could see nothing but water. He grew panicky. Twice the tried to jump, but the jump made no difference. At last he stopped all efforts. He relaxed. There was no more panic. Everything blanked out. The curtain of life fell. But luckily, before he was dead, he was taken out of the pool and saved.

Q. 4. What were the series of emotions and fears that Douglas experienced when he was thrown into the pool ? What plans did he make to come to the surface ?

Ans. At first, he was frightened, but not much. On the way down, he made a plan. He would hit the bottom and make a big jump to the surface. But the jump made no difference. He came up very slowly. He grew panicky. He was suffocating. He tried to cry but no sound came. He tried to bring his legs up. But a great force was pulling him under. He had started his journey back to the bottom. Complete terror seized him. He was crying underwater. He was stiff with fear. He felt the tiles under him. He jumped with all his might. But again it made no difference. He started down a third time. Now he stopped all efforts. He relaxed. There was no more panic. He was feeling nice. Everything blanked out. The curtain of life fell. But luckily, before he was dead, he was taken out of the pool and saved.

Q. 5. How did the experience affect William Douglas ?

Ans. The experience shook the writer badly. After some hours, he was able to walk back home. He was feeling very weak. He was trembling. He shook and cried when he lay on his bed. He couldn't eat  that night. For days, a terrible fear filled his heart. He never went back to that pool again.

Q. 6. How did Douglas make sure that he had conquered the old terror? 

Ans. The writer visited some of the famous water spots. At last, he went to lake New Hampshire. He swam two miles across the lake. Then he went and camped by the

Wentworth in side of the Warm Lake. The next morning, he dived into the lake. He swam across to the other shore and back. He shouted with joy. He had conquered his fear of water.

 Q.7. How does Douglas make clear to the reader the sense of panic that gripped him as he almost drowned ? Describe the details that have made the description vivid.

 Ans. 

Douglas vividly describes each and every moment of his experience when he was thrown into the pool. He went at once to the bottom of the pool. He says that he was frightened, but not much. On the way down, he made a plan. He would hit the bottom and make a big jump to the surface. But the jump made no difference. He came up very slowly. He grew panicky. He was suffocating. He tried to cry, but no sound came. He tried to bring his legs up. But a great force was pulling him under. He had started his journey back to the bottom. Complete terror seized him. He was crying underwater. He was stiff with fear. He felt the tiles under him. He jumped with all his might. But again it made no difference. He started down a third time. Now he stopped all efforts. He relaxed. There was no more panic. He was feeling nice. Everything blanked out. The curtain of life fell. But luckily, before he was dead, he was taken out of the pool and saved.

Q.8. How did Douglas overcome his fear of water?

Ans. After getting his training from the instructor, Douglas still had his old fears. He feared that his old fears would come back to him when he would be alone in water.  He dived into the pool and swam the length up and down. Little memories of the old terror would return. But he would drive all fear out of his mind. This went on for four months. But he was still not satisfied. He was not sure that all his fear had left. So he went to Lake Wentworth in New Hampshire. He swam two miles across the lake. The old fear returned a little, but soon all fear fled and he swam on. Then he went and camped by the side of the Warm Lake. The next morning he dived into the lake. He swam across to the other shore and back. He shouted with joy. He had conquered his fear of water.

Q. 9. Why does Douglas, as an adult, recount a childhood experience of terror and his conquering of it ? What larger meaning does he draw from this experience ?

Ans. Douglas' experience of his attempts at swimming had unfolded to him a great fact of life. He wanted to share it with all human beings. That is why he recounted his experience in such vivid detail. His experience had taught him that there is terror only in the fear of death. In death, there is peace. Therefore, all one needs to fear is fear itself.

Q. 10. What did the writer remember when he came to himself after the misadventure at the pool ?

Ans. He remembered that he was lying on his stomach beside the pool. He was retching (vomiting). The chap who had thrown him in was saying, "But I was only fooling." Someone said  "The kid had  nearly died."

Q.11. How was the writer affected by his misadventure at the pool ? 

Ans. It shook the writer badly. After some hours, he was able to walk back home. He was trembling with fear. He couldn't eat anything that night. He lost confidence and never went back to that pool.

Q.12 . Why was Douglas determined to get over his fear of the water? 

Ans. Douglas visited many famous water spots in his country. But wherever he went, the old fears would come to his mind. It spoiled all his joys of fishing, boating and swimming. That was why he was determined to get over this fear.

Q.13. Why did   writer's mother warn  about Yakima ? 

Ans.

The Yakima river  was very dangerous. The writer's mother often warned him of it. She kept reminding him of the various drowning accidents in it. But there was an association named Y.M.C.A. It had a swimming pool. It also offered opportunities to learn to swim. 

Deep Water  Questions Answers

Q. 14. What was the 'misadventure' at the Y.M.C.A. pool that the writer William Douglas speaks about ?

Ans.

The misadventure referred to happened at the Y.M.C.A. swimming pool. The writer had joined the pool to learn swimming. One day, he was sitting alone on the side of the pool. There was no one there at that time. He was afraid of going alone in the pool. So he decided to wait for others to come. Suddenly I big and strong boy came in. He picked the writer up and tossed into the deep edge of the pool. He landed in the sitting position. He was  frightened, but not much. He at once went to the bottom of the pool. On the way down, he made a plan. He would hit the bottom and make a big jump to the surface. But he came up very slowly. He could see nothing but water, He grew panicky. He tried to shout, but no sound came out. His legs were stiff and paralysed. His lungs were ready to burst. He was suffocating. His head was  throbbing terribly. Twice he tried to jump, but the jump made no difference. At last he stopped all efforts. He relaxed. There was no more panic. Everything blanked out. The curtain of life fell. But luckily, before he was dead, he was taken out of the pool and saved.

Q. 15. Narrate briefly the writer's emotions and fears when he was thrown into the pool. What plans did he make to come to the surface ?

Ans.

At first, the writer was frightened, but not much. On the way down, he made a plan. He would hit the bottom and make a big jump to the surface. But the jump made no difference. He came up very slowly. He grew panicky. He was suffocating. He tried to cry but no sound came. He tried to bring his legs up. But they were hung like dead logs.   A great force was pulling him under. He had started his journey back to the bottom. Complete terror gripped him. He was crying underwater. He was stiff with fear. He felt the tiles under feet. He jumped with all his might. But again it made no difference. He started down a third time. Now he stopped all efforts. He relaxed. There was no more panic. He was feeling nice. Everything blanked out. The curtain of life fell. But luckily, before he was dead, he was taken out of the pool and saved.

Q. 16. How does Douglas describe the panic that gripped him as he was almost drowned ? What makes the description so vivid ?

Ans. 

 Douglas noted each of his feelings and emotions while he was struggling underwater. And he has reproduced them very vividly. When he was thrown into the pool, he went at once to the bottom of the pool. He says that he was frightened, but not much. On his way down, he made a plan. He would hit the bottom and make a big jump to the surface. But the jump made no difference. He came up very slowly. He grew panicky. He was suffocating. He tried to cry but no sound came. He tried to bring his legs up. But a great force was pulling him under. He had started his journey back to the bottom. Complete terror seized him. He was crying underwater. He was stiff with fear. He felt the tiles under him. He jumped with all his might. But again, it made no difference. He started down a third time. Now he stopped all efforts. He relaxed. There was no more panic. He was feeling nice. Everything blanked out. The curtain of life fell. But luckily, before he was dead, he was taken out of the pool and saved.

Q. 17. How did Douglas overcome his fear of water?

Ans.

After getting his training from the instructor, Douglas still had some old fears. He feared that his terror would come back to him when he would be alone in the water. So he tried himself once again. He dived into the pool and swam the length up and down. Little memories of the old terror came to him. But he drove all fear out of his mind. This went on for four months. But he was still not satisfied. He was not sure that all his fear had left. So he went to Lake Wentworth in New Hampshire. He swam two miles across the lake. The old fear returned a little. But soon all fear fled and he swam on. On another occasion, he went and camped by the side of the Warm Lake: The next morning, he dived into the lake. He swam across to the other shore and back. He shouted with joy. He had conquered his fear of water.

Q. 18. Why does Douglas, as an adult, recount a childhood experience of terror and his conquering of it ? What larger meaning does he draw from this experience ? 

Ans.

As a child, Douglas had a great fear of deep water. In order to get over this fear, he decided to learn swimming. He joined the Y.M.C.A. that had a swimming pool. He got a new pair of water wings and started practising with them. But one day, a big boy came silently from behind, picked

him up and tossed him into the pool. He went down to the bottom. He grew panicky. He tried to cry but no sound came. Complete terror seized him. He was stiff with fear. He felt the tiles under his feet. He jumped with all his might. But it made no difference. Now he stopped all efforts. He relaxed. There was no more panic. He was feeling nice. Everything blanked out. The curtain of life fell. But luckily, before he was dead, he was taken out of the pool and saved.

By recounting this childhood experience, Douglas wants to convey it to others that there is terror only in the fear of death. But in reality, there is peace in death. Therefore, all one needs to fear is fear itself, not death. This is the larger meaning that Douglas draws from this experience. 

 The Lost Spring -Stories of stolen Childhood
 - By Anees Jung

 इस कहानी को दो भागों में बांटा गया है पहला भाग कूड़ा बीनने वाले गरीब लोगों के जीवन के सम्बन्ध में लेखिका के अनुभवों का वर्णन करता है जो बांग्लादेश से पलायन करके आए हैं और अब दिल्ली के सीमापुरी क्षेत्र में  हैं। दूसरे भाग में फिरोजाबाद के नगर में चूड़ियां बनाने वाले लोगों के दयनीय जीवन का वर्णन किया गया है।

1. Sometime I find a rupee coin in the garbage dumps 
( A story of The Ragpickers)

 The writer sees a boy named Saheb every morning in her neighbourhood. The boy looks for some coins or other useful things in the garbage dumps.

 One day, the writer talks to the boy. She comes to know that these people have migrated from Bangladesh. Their fields and homes were swept away by storms. They had nothing to eat. So they came to the big city and started living at Seemapuri.

The writer asked Saheb why  he doesn't go to school. Saheb said that there was no school in their neighbourhood. At this, the writer said half-jokingly, "If I start a school, will you come ?" Saheb said that he would. But the writer had to feel small when a few days later, Saheb asked her, "Is your school ready?" In fact, the writer had never meant it.

  There were a number of ragpickers like Saheb. In a few months, the writer came to recognise each one of them. They were all barefoot boys. With some people, it is a tradition to go barefoot. Perhaps, they use it as an excuse to conceal their poverty. 

 The writer finds that all these barefoot boys  live in Seemapuri which is on the out skirts of Delhi.  These people have come from Bangladesh in 1971 and started living here in search of food. There are about 10,000 of them. They live in structures of mud with roofs of tin and tarpaulin. They live here without any facility of sewage, drainage or running water.

 Saheb tells the writer that sometimes he finds a rupee or even a ten-rupee note in the garbage. Thus for children, garbage becomes something wrapped in wonder. For the elders, it is a means of survival.

 One winter morning, the writer sees Saheb watching a game of tennis.  He likes this game. He is wearing tennis shoes discarded by some rich boy and given to him. But the game he is watching is out of his reach.

 Saheb starts working at a tea stall. He is paid 800 rupees and given all the meals. But now he is not free. He is no longer his own master. He has lost his carefree look.

Lost Spring Summary in Hindi

साहिब नाम के एक लड़के को लेखिका हर प्रातः अपने पड़ोस में देखती है लड़का कूड़े के ढेरों में कुछ सिक्के या दूसरी चीजें ढूंढ रहा होता है।

एक दिन लेखिका लड़के के साथ बात करती है। उसे पता चलता है कि ये लोग बांगलादेश से आए हैं। उनके खेत और घर तूफ़ानों में बह गए थे। उनके पास खाने को कुछ नहीं था। इसलिए वे उस बड़े नगर में आ गए और वहीं रहने लगे।

लेखिका ने साहिब से कहा कि उसे स्कूल जाना चाहिए । साहिब ने कह दिया कि उनके पड़ोस में कोई स्कूल नहीं था। इस पर लेखिका ने आधे मजाक भाव से कह दिया, "यदि मैं स्कूल शुरू कर दूं, तो क्या तुम आओगे ?" साहिब ने कहा कि वह आया करेगा। किन्तु लेखिका को लल्जित होना पड़ा जब कुछ दिनों के पश्चात् साहिब ने उससे पूछा, "क्या आपका स्कूल तैयार है ?" वास्तव में लेखिका को ऐसा कहने का कोई भाव नहीं था। 

साहिब की भांति वहां अनेकों कूड़ा बीनने वाले थे कुछ ही महीनों में लेखिका उनमें से प्रत्येक को पहचानने लगी। वे सब नंगे पांव वाले लड़के थे कुछ लोगों में नंगे-पांव घूमने की परम्परा होती है। शायद वे इसे अपनी ग़रीबी को छिपाने के लिए एक कहानी के रूप में इस्तेमाल करते हैं।

लेखिका को पता चलता है कि ये सभी नंगे-पांव कूड़ा बटोरते लड़के सीमापुरी में रहते हैं जोकि दिल्ली के बाहरी हिस्से में स्थित है। जब वह वहां जाती है तो उसे पता चलता है कि ये लोग 1971 में बांगलादेश से आए थे तथा भोजन की तलाश में यहीं रहने लग गए। वहां वे लगभग दस हजार लोग हैं। वे मिट्टी के बने ढांचों में रहते हैं जिनके ऊपर टीन और तिरपाल की छतें होती हैं वे यहां मलजल, नालियों और जलनल की सुविधा बिना  रहते हैं।

साहिब लेखिका को बताता है कि कई बार उसे कूड़े में एक रुपया या दस रुपए का नोट भी मिल जाता है। इस प्रकार बच्चों के लिए कूड़ा आश्चर्य में लिपटी हुई कोई चीज बन जाती है। आयु में बड़े लोगों के लिए इसका अर्थ जीवित रहने का एक साधन होता है।

सर्दी की एक प्रातः लेखिका साहिब को टेनिस का एक खेल देखते हुए पाती है। साहिब कहता है कि वह इस खेल को पसन्द करता है। उसने टेनिस के जूते पहने हुए हैं जो किसी अमीर लड़के ने उतार फेंके हैं और उसे दे दिए हैं। किन्तु वह खेल जो वह देख रहा है उसकी पहुंच से बाहर है।

साहिब चाय की एक दुकान पर काम करने लगता है। उसे आठ सौ रुपए और हर बार का भोजन दिया जाता है। किन्तु अब वह स्वतन्त्र नहीं है। वह अब स्वयं अपना मालिक नहीं रहा है।

  2. I want to drive a Car 
  ( Story of The Bangle Makers)

   A boy named Mukesh lives in Firozabad and belongs to a family of bangle makers. Mukesh says that he does not want to go into the family profession. He has decided to become a motor mechanic.

 Every other family in Firozabad is engaged in making bangles. It is the centre of India's glass-blowing industry. Families here have spent generations in making bangles. 

 About 20,000 children work in the glass furnaces of Firozabad. They have to work in very unhealthy conditions. Their parents don't know that it is illegal to make children work in such places.

 Mukesh offers to take the writer to his home. He proudly says that their house is being rebuilt.

 When the writer goes there, she finds that it is a half-built shack. Inside, it is wrapped in poverty. A frail young woman is cooking the evening meal. She is the wife of Mukesh's elder brother. Mukesh's father is also there. He has been doing hard labour for years. First he was a tailor and then a bangle maker. Yet he has failed to renovate his house. He could not send his two sons to school. He could only teach them the art of making bangles. 

  Mukesh's grandmother says that it was all in their destiny. Her husband has gone blind with the dust from polishing the glass bangles. She says that they were born in the caste of bangle makers and have seen nothing but bangles in their life. 

 Boys and girls in all such families have to work with their fathers and mothers. They have to work in dark hutments. Their eyes are more adjusted to the dark than to the light outside. Thus they lose their eyesight even before they become adults. 

 The writer sees a girl named Savita in another hutment. She is sitting with an elderly woman and soldering pieces of glass. She doesn't know that the bangles she is making are symbols of an Indian woman's suhaag.

 The old woman sitting beside her still has bangles on her wrist, but there is no light in her eyes. She says that she has not enjoyed even one full meal all her life. Her old husband says that he knows nothing except bangles. However, he feels  some consolation to say that he has made a house for his family to live in.

 The writer says that the cry of poverty rings in every home in Firozabad. These poor people are exploited by sahukars, policemen, middlemen, bureaucrats and politicians. They have come to accept their poverty and exploitation as something natural.

 The writer feels happy that Mukesh has decided to break away from this vicious circle, He has decided to go to a garage and learn the job of a motor mechanic. Thus he will one day be his own master. 

Lost Spring Summary in hindi

लेखिका एक बार मुकेश नाम के एक लड़के से मिलती है यह लड़का फिरोजाबाद में रहता है और चूड़ियां बनाने वाले एक परिवार से सम्बन्ध रखता है। मुकेश कहता है कि वह अपने परिवार वाला धन्धा नहीं करना चाहता है। उसने एक मोटर मैकेनिक बनने का मन बना रखा है।

फिरोजाबाद में हर दूसरा परिवार चूड़ियां बनाने के काम में लगा हुआ है। यह भारत में शीशा ढालने के उद्योग का केन्द्र है। यहां के परिवारों ने चूड़ियां बनाने में पीढ़ियां व्यतीत कर दी हैं ।

फिरोज़ाबाद की शीशा भट्ठियों में लगभग बीस हज़ार बच्चे काम करते हैं उन्हें बहुत अस्वस्थ हालात में काम करना होता है। उनके माता-पिता यह नहीं जानते कि ऐसी जगहों पर बच्चों से काम करवाना गैर-कानूनी है।

मुकेश लेखिका को अपने घर ले जाने की पेशकश करता है। वह गर्व सहित कहता है कि उनका मकान दोबारा बनाया जा रहा है।

जब लेखिका वहां जाती है तो वह देखती है कि यह आधी बनी एक झोंपड़ी है। अन्दर की तरफ़ वहां हर जगह गरीबी के चिन्ह हैं। एक पतली सी युवा औरत सायंकाल का भोजन पका रही है। वह मुकेश के बड़े भाई की पत्नी है। मुकेश का पिता भी वहां पर है। वह वर्षों से कठिन परिश्रम करता आ रहा है। पहले वह एक दर्ज़ी का काम करता था और फिर चूड़ियां बनाने का। तो भी वह अपने घर को ठीक-ठाक करवाने में असफल रहा है। वह अपने दो बेटों को स्कूल न भेज सका। वह उन्हें केवल चूड़ियां बनाने का काम ही सिखा सका।

मुकेश की दादी कहती है कि यह सब उनके भाग्य में था उसका पति चूड़ियों को पालिश करने से उड़ने वाली धूल से अन्धा हो गया है। 

वह कहती है कि उनका जन्म चूड़ियां बनाने वालों की जाति में हुआ था और उन्होंने अपने जीवन में चूड़ियों के अतिरिक्त और कुछ नहीं देखा है। इस तरह के सभी परिवारों में लड़कों तथा लड़कियों को अपने पिताओं और माताओं के साथ मिलकर काम करना पड़ता है। उन्हें अन्धेरी झोंपड़ियों में काम करना पड़ता है।

उनकी आंखें बाहर की रोशनी की अपेक्षा अन्धेरे की ज्यादा आदी हो जाती हैं। इस तरह वे युवा होने से पहले ही अपनी आंखों की रोशनी खो बैठते हैं।

   लेखिका एक अन्य झोंपड़ी में सविता नाम की एक लड़की को देखती है। वह एक बुजुर्ग औरत के साथ बैठी हुई है और शीशे के टुकड़ों को टांका लगाकर जोड़ रही है। वह नहीं जानती कि जो चूड़ियां वह बना रही है एक भारतीय औरत के सुहाग का चिन्ह हैं। उसके बगल में बैठी बूढ़ी औरत की कलाई पर अब भी चूड़ियां हैं किन्तु उसकी आंखों में कोई चमक नहीं है। वह कहती है कि उसने अपने पूरे जीवन में एक बार भी भर-पेट खाना नहीं खाया है। उसका बूढ़ा पति कहता है कि वह चूड़ियों के अलावा किसी अन्य चीज़ के बारे में नहीं जानता। फिर भी उसे यह कहने से कुछ तसल्ली मिलती है कि उसने अपने परिवार के रहने के लिए एक घर बनवा लिया है।

लेखिका कहती है कि गरीबी की चीख फिरोजाबाद के प्रत्येक घर में गूंजती है। इन गरीब लोगों का शोषण साहूकारों, पुलिस वालों, बिचोलियों, अफसरशाहों और राजनीतिज्ञों के द्वारा किया जाता है। वे अपनी गरीबी और अपने शोषण को स्वभाविक समझने लगे हैं।

लेखिका यह देखकर प्रसन्न होती है कि मुकेश ने इस कुचक्र से बाहर निकलने का निश्चय कर लिया है। उसने निर्णय कर लिया है कि वह एक गैराज में जाएगा और वहां एक मोटर मैकेनिक का काम सीखेगा। इस तरह एक दिन वह अपना स्वामी बन पायेगा। 

Lost Spring important questions and answers

Q. 1. What makes the city of Firozabad famous ? 

Ans. Firozabad is famous for  glass-blowing industry.

Q. 2. Mention the hazards of working in the glass bangles industry. 

Ans. Men have to work in dingy cells without air and light. They lose the brightness of  their eyes. They go blind with the dust from polishing the glass bangles.

Q. 3. How is Mukesh's attitude to his situation different from that of his family ?

 Ans. Mukesh wants to break away from the family tradition of making bangles. He wants to become a car mechanic.

Q. 4. What could be some of the reasons for the migration of people from villages to cities? 

Ans. Their fields and homes were  destroyed by frequent storms. They had nothing to eat. So they had to leave their homes and come to the cities.

Q. 5. Would you agree that promises made to the poor children are rarely kept ? Why do you think this happens in the incidents narrated in the text?

Ans. Promises made to the poor in respect of their children are rarely kept. It is because these people are immigrants from Bangladesh so the political parties use them as vote bank. 

 Q. 6. What forces conspire to keep the workers in bangle industry of Firozabad in poverty ?

Ans. They include sahukars, middlemen, policemen, bureaucrats and politicians.

Q. 7. How, in your opinion, can Mukesh realise his dream ?

Ans. He can realise his dream by working as an apprentice at some garage. With strong will power and determination, he can become a motor mechanic.

Q. 8. Who was Saheb ? What was his full name? What was the irony about his name ?

Ans. Saheb was a poor ragpicker. His full name was Saheb-e-Alam. It means lord of the universe.  But the poor boy had to probe the garbage for his survival.  Thus there was a deep irony in his name.

Q. 9 . What is Saheb looking for in the garbage dumps ? Where is he and where has come from? 

Ans. 

  Saheb is looking for some rupee coin or any other useful thing thrown after use.  Every morning, he comes to probe the garbage heaps in the author's neighbourhood. 

       His family has migrated from Dhaka. Now they are living in the Seemapuri area of Delhi. 

Q.10. What promise had the writer made with Saheb ? What was it that embarrassed her? 

Ans. Saheb did not go to school. He said that there was no school in his neighbourhood. "IF I start a school, will you come?" asked the writer. "Yes," said Saheb. But the writer had to feel small when after a few days, Saheb asked her if her school was ready. 

Q. 11. How did the writer come to recognise each of the ragpickers in her neighbourhood? 

Ans. The writer found  Saheb and his friends wandering barefoot in the street. They came every morning and disappeared at noon. The writer used to watch them with interest. Over the months, she came to recognise each of them.

Q. 12. What explanations does the author give for the children not wearing footwear ? 

Ans. Being poor, the rag pickers  always went about barefoot. They had become used to it. Even if they had shoes, they looked for excuses not to wear them. Some even said that going barefoot was a tradition among them.

Q. 13 . Describe the area of Seemapuri?

Ans. Seemapuri is a place on the periphery of Delhi. Those who live here are Bangladeshis. They came here in 1971. They live in structures of mud. They have roofs of tin and tarpaulin. They are all ragpickers. They have no sewage, drainage or running water. 

Q.14. Where have the people living in Seemapuri come from ? Why don't they want to go back?

Ans. These people have come from Bangladesh. Their  beautiful land has rivers and green fields. But the homes and fields are often swept away by floods. Here they can feed their families by rag-picking. That is why they don't want to go back. 

Q.15. What does garbage mean to the elders and the children in Seemapuri ?

Ans. Garbage to the elders is survival , not less than gold.  It is their daily bread and a roof over their heads. But for children,  it is a thing wrapped in wonder. They find even a coin or a currency note .  

Q. 16. Where did the writer see Saheb one winter morning? What was he doing there?

 Ans. Saheb was standing by the gate of a club. He was watching two young men. The young men were dressed in white and  were playing tennis. Saheb also  liked the game.

Q. 17. What was Saheb wearing one winter morning ? Where did he get it? 

Ans. Suheb was wearing tennis shoes. Some rich boy had given these to him.They were discarded shoes. There was a hole in one of them. Saheb who has never owned shoes, it was  like a dream come true.

Q. 18. How did Saheb feel working at a tea stall ? What did he get there? Was Saheb happy working at the tea stall ? explain.

Ans. Saheb did not feel happy working at tea stall. He had lost his carefree look. He was paid 800 rupees and given all his meals. But he was no longer his own master. He was a worker of  the man who owned the tea shop. 

Q. 19. Who was Mukesh ? What was his aim in life?

Ans. Mukesh belonged to a family of bangle makers in firozabad. He did not like the life of a bangle maker. He wanted to be his own master. His dream was to become a motor mechanic.

Q. 20. What kind of a locality does Mukesh live in ?

Ans. It is a very dirty locality. The lanes are stinking. They are choked with garbage. The homes look like hovels. Their walls are crumbling. They have wobbly doors. There are no windows. Men and animals live in them together. Life seems creeping in these hutments.

Lost Spring Value Based Questions

Q. 21. Mention the hazards of working in the glass bangles industry. 

 Ans. Workers in the glass bangles industry have to work in very high temperatures. They work in dingy cells without air and light. They don't get any daylight. Thus they lose the brightness of their eyes. The powder from the polishing of bangles also blinds them. They also engage their children in this hazardous work which is illegal.

Q. 22. What does Mukesh's grandmother say about her husband and family?

Ans. Making bangles is a God given lineage to the families of Firozabad which cannot be broken at all. Mukesh's family is also one of them.They know nothing except making bangles,  though many of them like Mukesh's grandfather  has gone blind with the dust from the polishing of bangles. Mukesh's grandmother calls it his karma.  

Q. 23. What does the writer say about the boys and girls working in dark hutments?

 Ans. These boys and girls work with their fathers and mothers in the light of  flickering oil lamps in front of them. They weld pieces of glass into bangles. Their eyes get more used to the dark than to the light outside. Many of them lose their eyesight before they become adults.

 Q. 24. Who is Savita? What is she doing? What does the writer wonder about ?

Ans. Savita is a young girl. She is soldering pieces of glass. Her hands are moving mechanically. The writer wonders if she knows the sanctity of the bangles she is making. They symbolise an Indian woman's suhaag.

Q. 25. Why don't the poor bangle makers organise themselves into a cooperative? 

Ans : There are cruel middlemen. They don't let the bangle makers form any cooperative. They put the police after them. They are caught and beaten by the police. They are put into jail on false charges of illegal acts. The poor bangle makers have no leader to guide them.

Bangle makers lead a miserable life. They are exploited by middlemen, policemen, sahukars, bureaucrats and politicians.

 Q. 26. What forces conspire to keep the workers in bangle industry of Firozabad in poverty ?  

Ans.

All forces in power conspire to keep the workers in bangle industry of Firozabad in poverty. They include the factory owners, the middlemen , the police men and the sahukars. If the workers make any attempt to organise themselves into a cooperative, the police crushes all such efforts. They are beaten and put in jail on the charge of doing illegal acts. They are caught in the vicious circle of sahukars, middlemen, policemen, bureaucrats and politicians. The poor bangle makers have come to accept their fate as something natural. They think that it is a God given lineage which can't be broken.We have democracy in name only. The actual living conditions for the poor are worse than those in feudalism. They are caught in the web of poverty. They know no way to come out of it. They are scared of the people in power and can't stand against the cruelty and injustice to them.

Q. 27.  Mention the hazards of working in the glass bangles industry.

Ans. The poor bangle makers lead a miserable life. These people have always been poor. They have to work in glass bangles industry to earn their living. They have to weld glass while making the bangles. And for this, they have to work in high temperatures. They have to work in dingy cells without air and light. They don't get any daylight. Thus they lose the brightness of their eyes. Their eyes get more adjusted to the dark than to the light outside. About 20,000 children have to work in such dark places all day long. So, many of them lose their eyesight even before they become adults The bangle makers know nothing except making bangles. They have lost their courage and enthusiasm. Every other family in the city  is engaged in making bangles. For generations, families in Firozabad have been working around glass furnaces in dingy cells. They consider it a God given lineage. Being born in the family of bangle makers, they have to carry on the same profession. Their life is worse than hell.

 THE LAST LESSON | CLASS 12 | CBSE/NCERT | SUMMARY and IMPORTANT QUESTION

Class11- Poem-5 |  Father to Son- Stanza Wise Comprehension Questions and NCERT Solution