Answer any one of the following questions in about 80-100 words.

The voices of education inside the poet D.H.Lawrence tell him that it was the fear for the snake that made him refrain from killing him. However, the poet feels that though he was quite afraid of the snake, he did actually feel honoured that a snake had come to seek his hospitality from the deep recesses of the earth. The poet uses repetition to emphasize the fact that the snake may not be as harmful as humans believe. How does the poet demonstrate respect for other creatures also? (about 80-100 words)

OR

“You’d never guess in the world. It’s the duckiest, darlingest’ Ouija board and so cheap! I got it at a bargain sale. Why, what’s the matter, John?”

After reading these lines you feel that people are crazy for novel and unusual things. Express your opinion in about 80-100 words on the intrinsic value of fads (fashion) in life.

A snake visited the poet’s water trough on a hot afternoon to quench his thirst. The poet who had also gone to the trough to fill water in a pitcher waited for the snake since he had come at the trough before the poet. Education and social conventions make the poet think that the golden brown poisonous snake must be killed and that as a brave man he must undertake the task of killing the snake. The poet questions himself and wonders whether his not daring to kill the snake proved that he was a coward and whether his desire to talk to the snake reflected his perversity. The voices of education inside the poet tell him that it was the fear for the snake that made him refrain from killing him. However, the poet feels that though he was quite afraid of the snake, he did actually feel honoured that a snake had come to seek his hospitality from the deep recesses of the earth. After drinking water to his satisfaction as the snake moved away and put his head into the hole to retreat into the earth, the poet was filled with a protest against the idea of the snake withdrawing into his hole. The poet put down his pitcher, picked up a log and hurled it at the snake. The snake twisted violently and with great alacrity vanished into the hole in the wall. The poet instantly felt sorry for his unrefined and contemptible act and cursed the voices of education and civilization that had shaped his thought processes and urged him to kill the snake. He wishes that the snake would come back. He thinks of the snake as a king in exile who must be crowned again. He is guilt-ridden and feels that he has to atone for the meanness of his action of throwing a log at the snake.

OR

People today are crazy for novel and unusual things. Everyone wants to display the latest fashion and its trends. Novel and unusual things attract them and without thinking they follow these trends. Mostly these fads (fashion) are useless and hold no value. But people want to be called trendy and fashionable for which they wish to possess these unusual things. The author’s wife wished to be counted fashionable while using the trend of Ouija boards in calling upon ghosts. It was not important for her whether that had some intrinsic value or not. Similarly, nowadays the youth is seen to be going great lengths to buy a certain thing just to show it off in front of others. They end up running after mere material possessions that add no real value to their lives.