Answer any four of the following questions in 30 – 40 words each:

(a) What steps did Gandhiji take to remove the cultural and social backwardness in the rural areas of Champaran?

(b) Why was the crofter so kind and generous to the peddler?

(c) Give examples from ‘Keeping Quiet’ to show that Neruda was peace loving.

(d) How did Annan’s advice to his sister Bama impact her?

(e) What dilemma did Sadao and his wife face when they saw the wounded American soldier?

(f) How did Jo want the story narrated by her father to end?

(a) When Gandhiji visited Champaran the cultural and social backwardness in the rural areas bothered him. So he decided to bring a change in their condition and to give effect to this he appealed to the teachers to educate them. He got support from his sons Mahadev Desai and Narhari Parikh whose wives also volunteered to join them. Many teachers from Bombay, Poona and distant parts of India also joined Gandhiji in his endeavour. Together they opened primary schools in six villages and started teaching children. Gandhiji’s wife, Kasturba ji also joined him and taught ashram rules regarding personal cleanliness and sanitation. Next step towards removing the backwardness was to call a doctor who would improve their health conditions. The doctor gave services for 6 months to support Gandhiji. Side by side, Kasturba started discussing with the women of the village to remove any filthy clothes by describing its implications. Not only this, but by showing immense support to Gandhiji in fighting against the British, people of Champaran learned to fight for their freedom.

(b) The crofter firstly thought that the peddler was his old friend because he had seen him in the dark smoke of the furnace. Later on realising that he had been mistaken, he continued to behave in a kind and generous manner because he saw in him a means to overcome loneliness. The crofter was an aged man who lived all alone without his wife or children. Since Christmas was round the corner, he wished to have a guest at their place with whom they could celebrate. He tried to persuade the peddler to come home but when he didn’t agree, he called on his daughter to do the same. The peddler did not reveal his identity but disagreed a number of times before accepting the offer.

(c) Many instances from the poem ‘Keeping Quiet’ demonstrate that Neruda was peace loving. The first and the most important instance lies in the title itself as keeping quiet symbolises maintaining peace. Next he seeks to establish harmony by asking everyone to keep quiet and count till twelve. He aims to remove the barrier of language by maintaining silence. The period of inactivity which he desires would also include no fishermen harming the fishes or a salt gatherer getting hurt. This would bring humans out of the rat race for some time. Further, he disapproves the idea of war and the people who support it which symbolises that he asks for brotherhood.

(d) Bama was a victim of the practice of untouchability. She saw an old man from her community presenting food to an upper caste person not directly but with the use of a stick. She was amazed at this sight and on asking came to know that they were not supposed to touch their food directly. She was informed by her brother that it was because they were from a lower caste and treated as untouchables. Along with this, Annan also advised her sister that the only way to overcome this social practice was to earn a respect of her own. This would happen if she used education as a tool and achieve a position such that everyone accepts her with respect. She took her brother’s advice seriously and worked hard and secured the first position in the class. This helped her to make many friends in class just as she had expected.

(e) Dr. Sadao and his wife Hana were in dilemma when they saw the wounded American soldier on their coast. Dr. Sadao could not decide whether he should fulfil his duty as a doctor by curing him or his duty as a faithful citizen by informing the army about his presence. At last he decided to honour his duties as a doctor and answered the call of humanity. He was opposed for his decision by his wife and all his servants. He told them that he would inform the authorities about him but only after he recovered. His wife refused to clean him or help in treating him while his servants left in protest. As an honest citizen, he informed the General whom he was treating but he forgot to make arrangements for him. So he fulfilled both his duties generously and helped the enemy escape to the island safely.

(f) Jo had a habit of listening to bed time stories that were narrated by her father Jack. Jack used his stories to teach Jo life lessons and moral values. One day Jack was narrating a story about a little creature named Roger Skunk who had a foul smell because of which he had no friend to play with. As the pattern of his story followed, he visited the owl for advice who directed him to the wizard who casted a spell and turned his foul smell into the fragrance of roses. When he returned home, Mommy Skunk didn’t appreciate his odour and took him back to the wizard, hit him with a stick and asked him to return Roger’s smell. But Jo demanded her father to narrate the same story with a different ending the next day. She wanted the wizard to hit back Roger’s mother and not give back his smell because she was not convinced with this climax and wanted Roger to make friends and enjoy with them.