Answer any one of the following questions in 120 – 150 words :

(a) Both Sophie and Jansie belong to the same social background yet their attitudes are so very different. Comment.

(b) Mukesh finds himself caught between two distinct worlds. How do they affect his life and that of the other bangle makers?

(c) How does a thing of beauty bring joy in our lives?

(a) Both Jansie and Sophie belonged to the same socio-economic background, yet their attitudes towards life were very different from each other. On one hand, Sophie was a daydreamer who loved spending all her time in the world of fantasy. She never considered the state of her socio-economic background or the reality of her parent’s conditions, and instead drifted away in her dreams of becoming an actress, a fashion designer or a manager – things that were impossible for her to achieve in the situation. She neither worked to fulfil those dreams at all, and instead preferred spending all her time simply wandering away into her dreamland.

On the other hand, Jansie was a pragmatic and practical individual with her feet firmly on the ground. She understood the reality of her conditions and the truth of her socio-economic background. She was ready to accept the future she had as a worker in the factory or otherwise.

(b) Mukesh finds himself caught between two distinct worlds. One was the one which he was born in – the life of the poor bangle makers. The second was the world of the sahukars, policemen, politicians, lawmakers and bureaucrats. The latter had trapped the lives of the former in a vicious circle from which there was no escape. The workers and their children were forced to work in deplorable conditions, with no access to basic minimum facilities. They had to live and work in the dark for long hours and their work also posed a serious hazard to their health and hygiene.

Mukesh finds himself caught between both these worlds, as he cannot escape from either. He accepts it naturally like his father when he is unaware of this, but later, on gaining awareness, he refuses to accept the so-called god given lineage of bangle-making which is more of a trap. The others consider this action to be something to be feared and very unusual, for it is beyond their imagination to lead a life like that.

(c) According to the poet, John Keats, a thing of beauty is a joy forever. He says that a thing of beauty is a constant source of happiness and pleasure and these features of its loveliness only keep increasing with time. A thing of beauty also never passes into nothingness as it never gets devalued.

A thing of beauty, like a bower, provides man with shade and shelter, offering him recluse from the busy humdrum of life. It provides him with health and sound sleep, which is laden with beautiful, carefree dreams. Nature itself is a storehouse of beauty and the beautiful things nature provides us offer us constant joy. Small streams flowing with clear water, thick mass of ferns, thickets that spread greenery all around and musk rose are just a few of these beautiful elements that are soothing to the senses and healthy too. Beauty is the truth and is a joy forever.