Class 12 Political Science Chapter 3 US Hegemony in World Politics PREPARED BY SUMAN KUMAR JHA

Class 12 Political Science

Chapter 3 US Hegemony in World Politics

TEXTBOOK QUESTIONS SOLVED

1. Which among the following statements
about hegemony is incorrect?
(a) The word implies the leadership or predominance of one State.
(b) It was used to denote the predominance of Athens in ancient Greece.
(c) The country having hegemonic position will possess unchallenged military power.
(d) Hegemonic position is fixed. Once a hegemon, always a hegemon.
Answer: (d) Hegemonic position is fixed. Once a hegemon, always a hegemon.2. Which among the following statements is wrong about the contemporary world order?
(a) There is an absence of world government, which could regulate the State’s behaviour.
(b) The US is the predominant player in world affairs.
(c) States are using force against one another.
(d) States, which violate international law, are severely punished by the UN.
Answer: (c) States are using force against one another.

3. Which among the following statements is wrong with regard to Operation Iraqi Freedom?
(a) More than forty countries joined in the US led coalition of the willing to invade Iraq.
(b) The reason given for invading Iraq was to prevent it from developing weapons of mass destruction.
(c) The action was taken with the prior approval of the UN.
(d) The US-led coalition did not face major resistance from Iraqi forces.
Answer: (c) The action was taken with the prior approval of the UN.

4. Give an example each of the three types of hegemony that are dealt within the chapter. Do not cite examples that are in the chapter.
Answer: 1. Hegemony as Hard Power:
Tabasum was an artist living in Nigeria and was planning to join Art and Craft Academy to give proficiency to her artistic aptitude. But she lost her leg in 2003 missile attack by the US. After she overcame it, she made efforts to achieve and fulfill her dreams if the foreign armies leave her country.
2. Hegemony as Structural Power: Tabish is very good in his studies in the countryside of Middle East Asia and is planning to study subjects from Arts stream to accommodate himself in different aspects as per requirements. But parents want him to be a master in computers to become Software Engineer due to flair for job opportunities in the same.
3. Hegemony as Soft Power: Mayank is a young and energetic man of Melbourne, immigrants from Russia. His father gets upset when he puts on black shirt with white jeans while he goes to church. He justifies that black colour signifies protest for freedom and white signifies freedom in a peaceful manner.

5. Mention three ways in which US dominance since the Cold War is different from its position as a superpower during the Cold War.
Answer: 1. During Cold War, the US found it difficult to win over the Soviet Union as hard power due to retaliating capacity of the Soviet Union and to protest world from large scale destruction. But in the areas of structural and soft power, the US dominated.
2. During Cold War years, the Soviet Union provided an alternate model of socialist economy to maximise welfare of states. Still the world economy throughout the Cold War years adapted capitalist economy under the US.
3. In the area of soft power, the US became triumphant. As the example of blue jeans shows that the US could engineer a generational gap even in Soviet Society on culture basis.

6. Match the following:

Answer:(i)-(c); (ti)-(a); (iii)—(d); (iv)-(b)

7. what are the constraints on American hegemony today? Which one of these do you expect to get more important in the future?
Answer. “We can identify three constraints on American Power” which were actually not in operation in the years following 9/11. Hence the US could establish its hegemony. Recently all these constraints are slowly beginning to operate in the following ways:

1. The US bears institutional architecture in the American State itself. It refers division of powers between the three branches of government where American military’s executive branch can place significant brakes upon the unrestrained and immoderate exercise.
2. The second constraint on American hegemony emerges from open nature of American society. American society and suffering from a deep skepticism towards purposes and methods of government in America despite an imposition of particular perspectives on domestic opinion in the US. This is a huge constraint on US military action overseas.
3. The third constraint on US hegemony is the possession of NATO to moderate the exercise of the US hegemony today. The US has an enormous interest in keeping the alliance of democracies to follow the market economies alive and it may be possible to its allies in NATO to moderate the exercise of the US hegemony through their own liberal policies to fulfill their own ends.

8. Read the three extracts in the chapter from Lok Sabha debate on the Indo-US deal. Develop any one of these into a full speech defending a certain position on Indo-US relations.
Answer: The following speech has been developed based on the excerpts from Lok Sabha debate as presented by Major General (Retired) B.C. Khanduri of BJP:

Sir, I would respectfully draw the attention of august house towards the US hegemony in today’s scenario. But we should not ignore the fact that India might be next waiting in the wings to perform as a superpower to maintain its own identity. Moreover, hegemony can not stand forever due to its weaknesses. Therefore, we are supposed to have a good and harmonious relations with that of the US for mutual promotion of trade and technology. But India should not compromise from the same on the cost of its own security and identity.
Hence, India should work in a diplomatic manner while it thinks to go hand-in¬hand the US in such a manner that India could extract best benefits from the US hegemony and find out mutual options for itself.
Thanks.

9. “If big and resourceful states cannot resist the US hegemony, it is unrealistic to expect much smaller and weaker non-state actors to offer any resistance”. Examine this proposition and give your opinion.
Answer. This proposition focuses only on, the powers of the state and believes that only big and resourceful states can challenge the US hegemony which it approaches right in a practical manner, but if we think deeply these are thoughts and pens of writers, expressions of artists, media and intellectuals who have no boundaries including hegemony itself to be criticised and resisted in the form of non-government organisations (NGOs), social movements and public opinion. Hence, non-state actors may challenge the US hegemony also in their own way and it can work out also.

MORE QUESTIONS SOLVED

Very Short Answer Type Questions [1 Mark]
l.What is meant by ‘Hegemon/?
Answer: The term ‘Hegemony’ stands for an international system which is dominated by a sole superpower or hyper-power. The collapse of the Soviet Union left the world with only one single power, the United States of America.

2. What was first Gulf War?
Answer: A massive coalition force of 660,000 troops from 34 countries faught against
Iraq and defeated it in what came to be known as the First Gulf War.

3. What was ‘Operation Iraqi’ Freedom?
Answer: On 19 March 2003, the US launched its invasion of Iraqi under the codename ‘Operation Iraqi Freedom’. More than 40 other countries joined in the US coalition of the willing after the UN refused to give its mandate to the invasion.

4. What is meant by hegemony?
Answer: Hegemony is an international system to dominate world by only one superpower.

5. First Gulf War was fought against in which troops from countries fought.
Answer: Iraq, 34 countries.

6. What does the term ‘hegemony’ imply?
Answer: The word ‘hegemony’ implies the dominance of one state means world power in the form of military dominance, economic power, political clout and cultural superiority.

7. What is meant by 9/11 in the context of USA?
Answer:  9/11 denotes a series of attacks on the US by hijackers from Arab countries on 11 Sep 2001. It was the most disastrous attack on the US.

8. What is the New World Order?
Answer: The sudden collapse of Soviet Union led to the New World Order in the form of the US hegemony.

9. What is World Politics?
Answer: World Politics refers to distribution of power among the countries of the world. These countries are engaged to gain and retain power by their capabilities.

10. Mention the period of beginning of US hegemony.
Answer: 1991.

11. Name the elected president of the USA in the year 1992 and 1996.
Answer: William Jefferson Bill Clinton.

12. What was the focus of foreign policy of Bill Clinton?
Answer: The Clinton government tended to focus on ‘Soft issues’ like democracy promotion, climate change and world trade rather than on the hard politics of military power.

13. What was Guantanamo Bay?
Answer: A naval base in Cuba set up by the US where prisoners forbidden of the protection of international law or law of their own country or that of the US.

14. Mention any two constraints operated in the US hegemony.
Answer: Two constraints operated in the US hegemony are institutional architecture of American state (division of power) and open nature of American Society.

15. What are Global Public Goods?
Answer: Goods that can be consumed by people without reducing the amount of available goods for others are known as the global public goods.
Examples: Fresh air, roads, sea-lanes of communications (SLoCs).

16. What is SLoCs?
Answer: SLoCs stands for Sea Lanes of Communications. It is the naval power of hegemon that underwrites the law of the sea and ensures freedom of navigation in international water.

17. What is the full form of WMD?
Answer: WMD stands for Weapons of Mass Destruction.

18. What is meant by hegemony as hard power?
Answer. Hegemony as hard power implies dominance of superpower on ground of military power.

19. What is meant by hegemony as structural power?
Answer: Hegemony as structural power implies dominance of superpower on grounds of economic structure. The superpower must possess both the ability and the desire to establish norms for order and must sustain the global structure.

Very Short Answer Type Questions [2 Marks]
1. When and why did the New World Order begin?
Answer: The New World Order began in 1991 after the collapse of Soviet Union. The world was left only with single superpower the US and came to be known as the US Hegemony to show the superiority of its military power. The US hegemony also shaped the world economy and emerged in the form of military domination, economic order, political clout and cultural superiority.

2. Why did US launch a war against Iraq?
Answer: On 19 March 2003, the US launched a war against Iraq under the codename of ‘Operation Iraqi Freedom’ to be joined by forty other countries under the leadership of the US on the ground to prevent Iraq from developing weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD) without no evidence against Iraq. Hence, the ostensible purposes were different as controlling Iraqi Oilfields and installing a regime friendly to the US.

3. How was Kuwait liberated from Iraq in 1990?
Answer: In August 1990, Iraq invaded Kuwait rapidly occupying and subsequently annexing it. All diplomatic attempts were a failure in convincing Iraq to quit its aggression. The United Nations took a dramatic decision to mandate the liberation of Kuwait by force. A massive coalition force of 66,000 troops from 34 countries fought against Iraq and defeated it, known as the First Gulf War also.

4. What was ‘Operation Infinite Reach’ ordered by President Clinton?
Answer: Operation Infinite Reach was a series of cruise missile strikes on Al-Qaeda terrorist targets in Sudan and Afghanistan. For this, the US did not bother of any international law. This operation was ordered by President Clinton in response to bombing of the US embassies in Narobi, Kenya, Dar-es-Salaam, Tanzania in 1998.

5. What was Operation Enduring Freedom?
Answer: Operation Enduring Freedom was the US response against 9/11 attack to arrest all those who were suspected to be behind the attack, mainly Al-Qaeda and the Taliban regime in Afghanistan. The US arrested the persons all over the world often without the knowledge of government of the person being arrested, transported them and detained in secret prisons.

6. How can hegemony be overcome?
Answer: To overcome hegemony there are different strategies developed by analysts. As the bandwagon strategy reveals to extract benefits by operating within hegemonic system. ‘To hide’ strategy implies staying as far from the dominant power as possible. And it may be possible that various challenges to occur from non-state actors in the form of their writings, expressions to mould the minds of people.

7. “The US did not start behaving like a hegemonic power right from 1991, it became clear much later that world was living in fact in a period of hegemony”. Examine the statement.
Answer: The US hegemony was the beginning of New World Order and process for its establishment had been started in August 1990 when Iraq invaded Kuwait and occupied it to make a part of Iraq. Despite UN’s diplomatic attempts to liberate Kuwait from Iraq, it was not liberated. Hence UN mandated liberation of Kuwait by force, a dramatic decision. A massive coalition force of 660,000 troops from 34 countries fought against Iraq and defeated it under UN’s ‘Operation Desert Storm’. But it was led by the US because 75 per cent of the coalition forces were from the US only. This war is popularly known as the First Gulf War establishing the US hegemony.

8. With reference to Iraq invasion, mention the American weaknesses.
Answer: Imperial powers have used military forces to accomplish only four tasks to conquer, deter, punish and police in a historical perspective. As the Iraq invasion shows American capacity to conquer is formidable and capability to deter and to punish is self evident. American weakness has been revealed in performing fourth task i.e. the policing in an occupied territory.

9. What was 9/11 event? How did the US respond to it?
Answer: 9/11 event implies a series of attacks on the US by hijackers from Arab countries on 11 September 2001. It was the most disastrous attack on the US. The hijackers attacked on important US building as World Trade Centre in New York, Pentagon building and Capital building of US Congress in Pennsylvania.
The US responded to it by launching ‘Operation Enduring Freedom’ to arrest all those who were suspected to be behind this attack. The US forces made arrest all over the world without the knowledge of the government of the persons being arrested, transported and detained them in secret prisons mainly against Al-Qaeda and Taliban regime in Afghanistan.

10. “The US hegemony does not dominate the world only as hard and structural power but as a soft power also.” Justify the statement.
Answer: The US hegemony does not dominate the world only as militarily and economically but it has the capacity to create ‘manufacturing consent’ from the rest of the world in the cultural dimensions also. The cultural dimension implies class ascendancy in the social, political and ideological spheres where the ideas of ‘good life’ are flourished. Its most appealing example is of‘blue jeans’ from the US, which had the capacity to engineer even as generational divide.

Short Answer Type Questions [4 Marks]
1. How far is it correctly say that the 9/11 attack on the World Trade Centre was the attack on the US hegemony? Explain.
Answer: The US had established its hegemony through the launch of two operations namely ‘Operation Desert Storm’ where 75 per cent of the coalition forces were from the US and ‘Operation Infinite Reach’, a series of Cruise missile strikes on Al-Qaeda. These operations made the US more confident of the establishment of the US hegemony that no one could dare to challenge the US. But, suddenly hijackers from Arab countries attacked on the World Trade Centre on 11 September 2001 alongwith the other important buildings also as Pentagon building (the US defence department) and the capital building of US the Congress. It was the most severe attack on the US soil since the founding of the country in 1776.
Thus, it can be concluded that the 9/11 attack was the attack on US hegemony which challenged the US in its own way.

2. Describe any two constraints of American hegemony.
Answer: The US domination in military, economic, cultural aspects over other nations to show her supremacy is known as US hegemony.
Its constraints are as follows-
1. The institutional architecture of American State itself i.e. they follow the system of division of powers between three organs of government.
2. The open nature of American Society and Political Culture i.e. the American mass media may promote a particular issue on domestic public opinion but never opposed the purposes and methods of government in American Political Culture.

3. What military actions were taken by Clinton government despite their lack of interest were different from military power?
Answer: The US President William Jefferson Bill Clinton believed in the policy of soft issues like democracy promotion, climate change and the world trade in place of military dominance. But the US revealed its military dominance even during the Clinton era wherever it was required by the US in the following manner:
1. In 1999, the US responded.to Yugoslavian action against the predominant Albanian population in the province of Kosovo. The NATO air force countries under the US leadership bombarded targets around Yugoslavia for two months forcing the downfall of the government of Slobodan Milosevic and the stationary of NATO force in Kosovo.
2. In 1998, the US launched an ‘Operation Infinite Reach’ a series of cruise missile strikes on Al-Qaeda terrorist targets in Sudan and Afghanistan in response to the bombings of US embassies in Nairobi, Kenya, Dar-es- Salaam and Tanzania.

4, Explain the hegemony of the United States of America as a structural power.
Answer: Hegemony as a structural power implies economic perspective of world economy. It can be summed up in the following ways:
1. An open world economy requires a dominant power to support its creation and existence.
2. The hegemon must possess both the ability and the desire to establish certain norms for order and must sustain global structure i.e. Bretton Woods system set up by the US after Second World Wan
3. The US reflects this hegemony by providing the global public goods, those can be consumed by one person without reducing the amount of goods available for someone else.
4. A classical example of structural power of the US is the academic degree Master’s in Business Administration (MBA) to sharpen business skills in a University.

5. “Economic preponderance of the US is inseparable from its structural power”. Discuss.
Answer: Economic preponderance of the US is inseparable from its structural power, it can be justified in the following manner:
1. The hegemon shapes the basic global economy in a particular manner aS
the US provided the Bretton Woods system after Second World War.
2. We can regard the World Bank, International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Trade Organisation (WTO) as the products of American hegemony.

6. In reference of structural power mention the global public goods by which the US established its hegemony?
Answer:  The global public goods can be consumed by one person without reducing the amount of the goods available for someone else:
1. Sea lanes of communications (SLoCs) is the naval power of the hegemon to underwrite the law of the sea and to ensure freedom of navigational international waters. These sea routes are commonly used by merchant ships.
2. Internet is the direct outcome of a US military research project that began in 1950. Even today, internet relies on a global network of satellites.

7. How does India maintain its relations with the US during post Cold War?
Answer: After the collapse of Soviet Union India decided to liberalise its economy and integrate it with global economy. India’s impressive economic growth rate made India an attractive economic partner for the US due to its technological dimensions and the role of Indian- American diaspora. These two factors are interrelated in the following ways:
1. The US absorbs about 65 per cent of India’s total exports in the software sector.
2. 35 per cent of the technical staff of Boeing is estimated to be of Indian origin.
3. 300,000 Indians work in Silicon Valley.
4. 15 per cent of all high-tech start ups are by Indian-Americans.

8. Explain the strategies which, may be performed by India to maintain Indo-US relations.
Answer: In today’s scenario India is supposed to decide what type of relations to have with the US. Moreover, the three strategies have been debated by Indian analysts:
1. Indian analysts observed military nature of US hegemony and suggested that India should maintain its aloofness from Washington and focus upon increasing its own comprehensive national power.
2. The analysts secondly suggest that India should take advantage of the US hegemony and the mutual convergences to establish the best possible options for itself in future perspective.
3. The third strategy is suggested that India should lead in establishing a coalition from the developing countries to become powerful and work out in weaning the hegemon away from its dominating ways. Moreover, it cannot be concluded that India may opt for one strategy to maintain Indo-US relations, but it needs a mix of strategies to maintain its own identity.

Passage Based Questions [5 Marks]
1. Read the following passage carefully and answer the questions:
During the Cold War years, India found itself on the opposite side of the divide from the US. India’s closest friendship during those years was with the Soviet Union. After the collapse of Soviet Union, India suddenly found itself friendless in an increasingly hostile international environment. However, these were also the years when India decided to liberalise its economy and integrate it with the global economy. This policy and India’s impressive economic growth rate made the country an attractive economic partner for a number of countries including the US.

Questions
1. Name the country which was India’s closest friend during Cold War years.
2. What was India’s policy during post Cold War years?
3. What made India an attractive economic partner for the countries like the US?
Answer:
1. Soviet Union.
2. India decided to liberalise its economy and integrate it with global economy.
3. India’s policy of liberalisation and its impressive economic growth rate.
2. Read the following passage (NCERT Textbook, page 47) carefully and answer the questions:
Some people argue that it is strategically more prudent to take advantage of the opportunities that hegemony creates. For instance, raising economic growth rates requires increased trade, technology transfers and investment, which are best acquired by working with rather than against the hegemon. Thus, it is suggested that instead of engaging in activities opposed to hegemonic power, it may be advisable to extract benefits by operating within the hegemonic system. This is called the bandwagon strategy.

Questions
1. What is prudent during a period of hegemony?
2. What benefits can be acquired within the hegemonic system?
3. What is the bandwagon strategy?
Answer:
1. To take advantage of opportunities that a hegemon creates.
2. Increased trade, technology transfers and investment.
3. To extract benefits by operating within hegemonic system in place of being engaged in the opposed activities.

Long Answer Type Questions [6 Marks]
1. Examine any three factors responsible for the US hegemony in the world politics.
Answer: Three factors responsible for the US hegemony in the world politics are
(i) The US power lies in the overwhelming superiority of its military power. American military dominance today is both absolute and relative. In absolute terms, the US today has military capabilities that can reach any point on the planet accurately, lethally and in real time, thereby crippling the adversary while its own forces are sheltered to the maximum extent possible from the dangers of war.
(ii) No other power today can remotely match them. The US today spends
more on its military capability than the next 12 powers combined. Further more, a large chunk of the Pentagon’s budget goes into military research and development, or, in other words, technology. Thus, the military dominance of the US is not just based on higher military spending, but on a qualitative gap, a technological chasm that no other power can at present conceivably span.
(iii) The US invasion of Iraq shows that the American capacity to conquer is formidable. Similarly the US capability to deter and to punish is self-evident. More than forty countries joined in the US-led ‘coalition of the willing’ after the UN refused to give its mandate to theinvasion. Thus, no country can deny the US superiority in the world politics.

2. Explain the three types of US hegemony and give examples for each.
Answer: GO Hegemony as Hard Power:
(a) This hegemony signifies military status of America to be both absolute and relative. In absolute terms, it has military capabilities to reach any point on the Planet accurately and no other power today can remotely match them.
(b) The US military dominance is based on both the higher military expenditure and on a qualitative gap i.e. technological know-how.
(ii) Hegemony as Structural Power:
(a) It signifies ‘Economic Prospects’ of hegemon power to possess both the ability and the desire to establish certain norms for order and sustain global structure even including goods to be consumed by one person without reducing the amount of goods available for someone else.
(b) A classical example is academic
degree MBA (Masters in Business Administration) to presume business as a profession to be dependent upon skills that can be taught in a University which is uniquely American.
(iii) Hegemony as Soft Power:
(a) US Hegemony has its cultural dimensions also which implies class ascendancy in social, political and particularly ideological spheres to shape the behaviour of competing and lesser powers.Here, the consent goes hand in and more effective than coercion.
(b) For example, most of the dreams of individuals and societies across the globe, are dreams churned out by practices prevailing in twentieth—century America. All these are about the capacity to manufacture consent.

3. What are different natures of hegemony? Explain.
Answer: Hegemony is an international system to dominate world by only one superpower. The natures of hegemony can be found out as follows:
(i) Hegemony as Hard Power:
(a) It is based on the military capability between the states.
(b) The US military dominance is based on their higher expenditures on military as well as the technological know-how.
(c) The US bears military dominance in both the terms i.e. absolute and relative. In absolute terms the US military capabilities can reach any point on the planet and no other power can be a match to them.
(ii) Hegemony as Structural Power:
(a) It is based on economic factors of the world dominated by the hegemonic power.
(b) Hegemony must sustain global structure to establish certain norms for order and the US has set up Bretton Woods System.
(c) The US hegemony has provided the global public goods to be consumed by one person without reducing the amount available for someone else as SLoCs and the Internet, MBA degree.
(iii) Hegemony as Soft Power:
(a) To dominate world even in reference of cultural dimensions i.e. class ascendancy in social, political and ideological spheres.
(b) The US hegemony has the capacity to create ‘manufacturing consent’ by the class to be dominated by the hegemon.
(c) The ‘blue jeans’ from the US is capable to engineer even a generational divide.

4. How can the US hegemony be checked?
Or
How long will hegemony last? How do we get beyond hegemony?
Answer: (i) The US hegemony has been symbolised as the global village and other countries as its neighbours.
(ii) If the headman of global village becomes intolerable, neighbours do not have any choice of leaving it, but develop a resistant.
(iii) Though there are some rules and norms called laws of war that restrict but do not prohibit war.
(iv) No single power can challenge the US militarily.
Still, to overcome the US hegemony, the following strategies have been found out: (a) Bandwagon strategy emphasises not to oppose hegemonic power, instead take advantage of opportunities that hegemon creates i.e. increased trade and technology transfer and investments to extract benefits by operating within hegemonic system. (.b) To hide strategy implies to stay as far removed from the dominant power as possible as China, Russia and the European Union. This strategy is applicable to small states but states may not be able to hide for substantial length of time.
(c) Non-state actors as writers, artists and intellectuals have no boundaries to work with. They can reach beyond the limits of the states to mould the minds of people through their expressions.

5. What is meant by Operation Iraqi Freedom? Mention its main and hidden objectives. Give any two consequences of this operation.
Answer: Operation Iraqi Freedom was the code name given by the US to launch invasion on 19 March 2003. More than 40 countries joined in the US led coalition of the willing after the UN refused to give its mandate to the invasion.
Main Objective: To prevent Iraq from developing Weapons of Mass Destructions (WMD). Since no evidence of WMD has been unearthed in Iraq. Hidden Objective: It was motivated by controlling Iraqi Oilfields and installing a regime friendly to the US. Consequences of this Operation
1. Although the government of Saddam Hussein fell swiftly but US has not been able to pacify Iraq.
2. A fully fledged insurgency against US occupation was ignited in. Iraq.
3. Conservatively estimated that 50,000 Iraqi civilians have been killed since the US-led invasion.
4. It is widely recognised that the US invasion of Iraq was, in some crucial respects, both a military and political failure.

Picture/Map Based Questions [5 Marks]
1. Study the cartoon given above and answer the following questions:

(i) Which country is represented by this mighty soldier?
(ii) Why have the names of so many countries been written on the uniform of the soldier?
(iii) What message does this cartoon convey to the international community?
Answer: (i) The United States of America is represented by this mighty soldier.
(ii) On 19 March 2003, the US launched its invasion of Iraq under the codename “Operation Iraqui Freedom”. More than forty other countries joined in the US-led invasion. The names of these countries have been written on this soldier’s uniform.
(iii) This cartoon shows that America is all powerful and can go to any extent to serve its interests. It attacked Iraq even after the UN refused to give its mandate to the invasion.

2. Study the picture given below and answer the questions that follow:
THE NEW U.S. FOREIGN POLICY?

Questions
1. Who has been represented by cartoon wearing cap?
2. What does this cartoon try to speak?
3. Which event can be correlated with this cartoon?
4. ‘You posed a potential threat’. What does this refer?
Answer:
1. The USA.
2. The US hegemony.
3. The US response to 9/11 attack against Al-Qaeda and Taliban.
4. 9/11 attack was an attack on the US hegemony and in response they launched operation Enduring Freedom to teach a lesson to the countries if it is dared to repeat.

3. Study the picture given below and answer the questions that follow:

Questions
1. How long do you think the US will stay on the superpower stage?
2. Except China, who can be shown as waiting in the wings?
3. What is being represented in the cartoon?
4. Why China has been represented as waiting in the wings?
Answer:
1. The US will stay on the superpower stage till the rest of the world is resistant with the US and the mega states like China, Russia, India and EU follow the strategy ‘to hide’.
2. Either Russia or India or EU.
3. The well established US hegemony or unipolar world and other countries may be next in the wings.
4. China is a mega-state who can stand at par US hegemony if it accommodates its full potential for the same.

B. On a political outline map of the world locate and label the following and symbolise them as indicated:

Questions
1. The country Iraq invaded in Aug. 1990.
2. The country in the presidentship of Saddam Hussein.
3. The country referred to as a hegemonic power.
4. Operation Infinite Reach was launched against these countries.
Answer:
1. Kuwait (A).
2. Iraq (B).
3. The USA (C).

4. Afghanistan and Sud

 

Class 12 English Vistas CHAPTER WISE ANSWERS OF CLASS- 12, VISTAS. PREPARED BY SUMAN KUMAR JHA

Class 12 English Vistas 

Chapter 1 – The Third Level

Number: 7

Page Reading with Insight

1. Do you think that the third level was a medium of escape for Charley? Why? 

Answer: Yes, I think that the third level was a medium of escape for Charley. The third level is an escape for Charley from the modern setting of worry and insecurity. It is an escape from the unhappy contemporary world that is full of insecurity, fear, war, worry. He had always desired to live his life peacefully as he did in Galesburg. Charlie was so upset and frustrated with modern life and the way of living that he wanted to move back into the past. Thus, in his mind, he has forever wanted to go back in time, so he found the third level as a realization of his dream.

2. What do you infer from Sam’s letter to Charley?

Answer: Sam’s letter is a consequence of Charley’s thoughts. Sam’s letter was full of mystery when Charley came across it. This can be understood from the truth that the letter was enclosed in the oldest first-day cover and directed to his grandfather. Usually, the first-day covers have blank papers in them, but this one included a letter. This is made so that the envelope is stamped along with the date and it remains as a remembrance always. So these kinds of envelopes c
arry just blank letters and should not be opened. In this letter, Sam had notified Charley that he was living on the third level. He had also stated that Charley and his wife keep waiting for the third level. This confirms that Sam’s letter is an outcome of Charley’s complete imagination.

3. ‘The modern world is full of insecurity, fear, war, worry and stress.’ What are the ways in which we attempt to overcome them?

Answer: The contemporary world is full of illusion, insecurity, war, fear, worry, tension, and stress. This is because the world is full of competition and people need to pull each other downward. People can overcome this unrealness, anxieties, and insecurities bred by our certain existence in the advanced world by getting involved in useful and practical activities. To overcome such uncertainties, firstly we must believe that both good and bad come our way. Hence, we the people want to create equilibrium among professional, creative, personal, and economic provinces of life. People need to spend a good time with friends and family, be productive in art, poetry, prose, or in enhancing their hobbies.

4. Do you see an intersection of time and space in the story?

Answer: Yes, some situations in the story show an interaction of time and space. Firstly, the first two levels of Grand Central Station were found in the present time while the third level survived. Charley tries to buy for Galesburg but finds that he has current-day currency. The stairs that guide Charley to the third level are also seen to be the pattern of the 19th-century. Charley opens up the first-day cover from his grandfather’s collection of stamps and assumes it to be Sam’s letter which is supposed to be blank. In certain situations, Charley is brought to a parallel world of thought where everything results according to his desires. This instance makes him completely fulfilled. However, when he experiences the modern world, he becomes tangled.

5. Apparent illogicality sometimes turns out to be a futuristic projection? Discuss.

Answer: Indeed, apparent illogicality sometimes turns out to be a futuristic prediction. Sometimes what appears to be illogical today or at a point in time often turns out to be a reality tomorrow or in the future. This has usually been the trend with scientific discoveries. No one could have tried to accept that man could fly before the Wright Brothers invented the airplane. It was an illogical thought. It later rolled out to be an actuality in the form of planes and parachutes. Likewise, the baseless thought of communicating to people over long distances by Graham Bell made him invent the telephone. Another example of this is the mobile phone which is another version of taking the telephone to its next level. All these discoveries were seeded in absurd thoughts. Illogical thoughts converted to real-time inventions are possible due to time, effort, patience, hard work, and resources.

6. Philately helps keep the past alive. Discuss other ways in which this is done. What do you think of the human tendency to constantly move between the past, the present and the future?

Answer: Besides philately, there are many other ways to help keep the past alive. Holding on to the past alive also means protecting the memories, which can be preserved in numerous ways. Philately is collecting the stamps that transport us into our actual past. In the past, people would maintain a diary to keep incidents recorded. Some people would also safely preserve letters, souvenirs, gifts, and coins that they got from others. In the modern world, as time flies and technology gets developed in people’s lives, they make videos or take photographs to capture the moments.

The ability to fluctuate between the past, present, and future is a great intellectual gift. It is good to make mistakes in our past. We can take beautiful lessons from it and can make today and tomorrow wonderful. Human beings have a good ability to keep events recorded in mind. This enables them to continually go back to any situation in the past and revive it. Hence, we as humans have the power to probe deep into the past, think about the present, and also imagine the future.

7. You have read ‘Adventure’ by Jayant Narlikar in Hornbill Class XI. Compare the interweaving of fantasy and reality in the two stories.

Answer: In both stories, reality and fantasies are interwoven. Jayant Narlikar’s ‘Adventure’ is a complete narration of what happens to a person when his life is stuck between two worlds that is imagination and presence. Professor Gaitonde and Charley both have reached a situation where they are helpless to differentiate between the world of actuality and fantasy. Professor Gaitonde is so engrossed in concepts of the battle of Panipat that he visualizes it happening in front of him during the accident. He rather imagines it to be the chaotic battle of Panipat and molds it in a way that he wished.

In the same way, Charley in the third level completely indulges himself in the thoughts of Galesburg. So, he assumes the presence of the Third Level which could help him reach the land of his fantasies – Galesburg. They were extremely unsatisfied with the present scenario and desperately wanted to change it. Thus both stories present fantasy as well as reality.

 Class 12 English Vistas Chapter 2 – The Tiger King

Page Number: 17

Reading with Insight

1. The story is a satire on the conceit of those in power. How does the author employ the literary device of dramatic irony in the story?

Answer. The story “The Tiger King” is a satire on the self-admiration of those in power. It is also the best instance of dramatic irony in a situation where the entire significance of a character’s talks is transparent to the readers but is not known to the characters present in it. The Maharaja, because of the prediction that he would meet his death from the hundredth tiger that he killed, screamed a warning to all the tigers. He explained the act of killing tigers as ‘self-defence’. The state banned the hunting of tigers by anyone in the state except the Maharaja. The Maharaja tried his utmost best to distort the prediction of the astrologers since his kingdom astrologer had foretold the Maharaja’s death by a tiger. He was to beware and be more careful from the hundredth tiger. Instead, the courtiers spent their time, living luxuriously and comfortably off the taxes of the people and in foolish pursuits. Even the courtiers took extreme advantage of their power. The story is full of situations of irony that expose the foolishness of dictatorial rulers who neglected nature and bent laws to suit their selfish wishes. The author manipulates dramatic irony in the story by a twist of fortune when the bullet of the Maharaja failed to kill the hundredth tiger and he remains unaware of it. The irony lies in the point that the tiger which caused the death of the Tiger King was a wooden tiger. One of its tiny slivers pierced into the right hand of the king. Infection flared and a suppurating sore spread all over the arm. In vain struggles to prove the astrologer wrong, the Maharaja had killed 100 tigers but by failing to kill the last tiger and celebrating his ‘triumph’ over his fate, Maharaja had invited death as he was ironically killed by a little wooden toy tiger.

2. What is the author’s indirect comment on subjecting innocent animals to the willfulness of human beings?

Answer. Through this satirical story, the author incorporated some humour in the story and also explained how humans kill innocent creatures or animals just to show their supremacy and desires to fulfill their whims and fancies. The Maharaja’s wild killing of 99 tigers had led to their destruction in many forests, but he was unaware of the severe results his foolish actions would lead to. To save his life and lead a satisfactory one, the Maharaja mercilessly killed helpless animals to extinction just to show his power and legacy and to prove the astrologer wrong. He wished to show his superiority as a human being, strength over nature and his destiny and exercised his power to kill hundred luckless tigers.

3. How would you describe the behaviour of the Maharaja’s minions towards him? Do you find them truly sincere towards him or are they driven by fear when they obey him? Do we find a similarity in today’s political order?

Answer. The Maharaja’s minions or his servants were remarkably subservient and loyal to his every order and command. Most of them were terrified of the Maharaja and decided to keep him in good humour by following his rules and orders. They did not dare to resist him as his anger could mean the loss of their jobs or even the loss of their lives. The astrologer was afraid of predicting his death but Maharaja had asked him to talk without any fear. Dewan, who was his close advisor could not stop him from killing tigers, fearing his anger, and he arranged Maharaja’s marriage to a princess as per his wishes. Since he was scared of losing his post, he even planted an old tiger to pacify the King’s anger and please him. Likewise, the hunters chose not to notify him of the survival of the 100th tiger and instead killed it themselves fearing that they might lose their jobs. Finally, the shopkeeper, who sold the wooden tiger to the King, quoted a higher price to avoid a penalty. So it is obvious that the king’s servants were driven by fear rather than by any feelings of justice towards their king.

Yes, today’s political order is very similar to that of the Maharaja’s story. It means there’s no difference. Most of the people these days are occupying various positions of political power based individually on their influence and power.

4. Can you relate instances of game-hunting among the rich and the powerful in the present times that illustrate the callousness of human beings towards wildlife?

Answer. Even in the present time, one can see that game-hunting is as popular as it was in the past among the rich and powerful people across the world. India banned and condemned poaching, hunting, and selling animal body parts across the country. But these laws are not executed properly so hunters and poachers hunt illegally, and trade animal parts across the border to get crores of cash. As a consequence, many species have become extinct and others are endangered. Strict penalties and punishment must be set on the offenders of the laws passed to preserve wildlife. We must join hands to protect those animals and also should spread awareness of crimes inflicted on helpless animals.

  

Chapter 3 – Journey To The End Of The Earth

Page number: 23

Reading with Insight

1. ‘The world’s geological history is trapped in Antarctica.’ How is the study of this region useful to us?

Answer. The world’s geological history is indeed trapped in Antarctica. The study of the region of Antarctica gives us insight into the world’s geological history. This is because the current world is battling with the growing population and the extreme burning of fossil fuels has formed a blanket of carbon dioxide around the earth, which is the main cause of global temperature or warming.  Antarctica is a crucial element in the debate on climate change because it is relatively ‘pristine’. It is because 650 million years ago Gondwana land existed in the south part of the earth where Antarctica is currently situated. It contains a rich variety of flora and fauna. For 500 million years Gondwana flourished, later landmass was forced to separate into countries, shaping the globe, much as we know it today. All secrets are embedded in the layers of the ice in the form of 500-million-year-old carbon records. Hence, to study about earth’s past Antarctica is the best place.

2. What are Geoff Green’s reasons for including high school students in the Students on Ice expedition?

Answer. Geoff Green took the high school students to one end of the world, to give them the chance to develop respect and knowledge for the earth. He included high school students in the ice expedition because with students on the ice expedition he offered the future policymakers to experience how difficult it would have been for the earth to sustain life by raising its warmth. At a younger age when the process of good values develops in their life, it will also assist them in knowing more about their planet.

3. ‘Take care of the small things and the big things will take care of themselves.’ What is the relevance of this statement in the context of the Antarctic environment?

Answer. ‘Take care of the small things and the big things will take care of themselves.’ is a relevant statement to the Antarctic environment. A small environmental change can give rise to dramatic developments. Because of the small biodiversity and simple ecosystem, Antarctica is the best place to study the small changes in the environment that give big consequences. For example, consider the microscopic phytoplankton — these grasses of the sea that feed and support the entire Southern Ocean’s food chain. These single-celled plants use the sun’s energy to absorb carbon dioxide and manufacture organic compounds and the most important of processes is called photosynthesis. Scientists caution that more depletion in the ozone layer will affect the activities of phytoplankton, which in turn affect the marine life’s food chain. From this example of the phytoplankton, there is a great metaphor for existence: take care of the small things and the big things will fall into place.

4. Why is Antarctica the place to go to, to understand the earth’s present, past and future?

Answer. Antarctica is the best place to understand the earth’s present, past, future because it holds in its ice cores, half a million-year-old carbon records trapped in its layers of ice. Antarctica gives an idea of how the earth would have been like millions of years ago and how it formed into different masses of earth. Antarctica has a vibrant diversity of flora and fauna is a rich heritage of the past. Therefore, Antarctica is a place to understand the earth’s present, past and future. 

 

Class 12 English Vistas Chapter 4 – The Enemy

Page Number: 47

Reading With Insight

1. There are moments in life when we have to make hard choices between our roles as private individuals and as citizens with a sense of national loyalty. Discuss with reference to the story you have just read.

Answer. The story revolves around human values that propel a Japanese doctor, the protagonist, to help an enemy during war. The story is about a doctor who encounters a severely wounded enemy soldier. Being a doctor and as a human being, he observes the white man in critical condition who badly requires the doctor’s help. However, he is afraid of assisting him as the man belonged to the rival country. If he treats the white man, it makes him feel dishonest towards his land. But when he decides to hand over the man to the cops, he feels he is not capable of keeping up his job professionally. 

2. Dr Sadao was compelled by his duty as a doctor to help the enemy soldier. What made Hana, his wife, sympathetic to him in the face of open defiance from the domestic staff?

Answer. Dr. Sadao and his wife Hana knew that everyone would question their decision to save the enemy soldier. Hana felt sympathetic to him because she completely understood what Sadao was feeling at that time, as she had known Dr. Sadao for a long period of time. She was aware that his duty compelled Dr. Sadao as a doctor but simultaneously felt it might be considered a lack of patriotism on his part. He was hiding the foe in his home, and their domestic staff had also left the job, making the condition even worse. This helpless situation of her husband made her feel sympathy towards him.

3. How would you explain the reluctance of the soldier to leave the shelter of the doctor’s home even when he knew he couldn’t stay there without risk to the doctor and himself?

Answer. The story says that the white man named Tom was very young, nearly seventeen years old and he was admitted into the army. When the American war prisoner came to consciousness and understood that he was rescued by a Japanese family, he worried that he would soon be handed over to their army. When he walked inside the doctor’s home, the treatment which he got from them made him feel affectionate towards them. He knew that although he was a threat to Dr.Sadao’s family, his life might be saved there. Overwhelmed with thankfulness towards them, he finally decided to comply with what the doctor planned for him to escape.

4. What explains the attitude of the General in the matter of the enemy soldier? Was it human consideration, lack of national loyalty, dereliction of duty or simply self-absorption?

Answer. The general was governed by total self-absorption. He was a patient of Dr. Sadao and when it came to his health, he trusted no one else but him. He couldn’t risk going unprotected if the doctor was executed for treason. He had personal assassins whom he vowed to use to eliminate the wounded soldier. But he sadly ‘forgot’ about his promise to help the doctor. Humans were not his thing. Humans were not his cup of tea.

5. While hatred against a member of the enemy race is justifiable, especially during wartime, what makes a human being rise above narrow prejudices?

Answer. It is very natural to hate your enemy but more challenging is to accept them and to show love towards them. While hatred against the enemy is logical, particularly during wartime, the sense of humanity makes a human being rise above narrow preconceptions. It is obvious that the countries at war are enemies and hatred is a part of this enmity. It becomes very essential to break the chains and stand aside from the crowd. Here in this story, when the doctor observed the injured enemy he was unable to resist himself to help the man. It is the best example to describe the situation that makes a human being rise above conventional biases.

6. Do you think the doctor’s final solution to the problem was the best possible one in the circumstances?

Answer. The doctor attempted his best to save the injured soldier as a part of his service. But the final question was what to do next. It cannot be said that he betrayed his land as he told the truth to the General. The final decision he made was advantageous to both the white man and the doctor’s family as he treated him very finely. He also presented him with attire and food and asked him to leave for his home place. By doing this he saved himself too. However, when the general remarked that the injured soldier was to be killed not for the advantage of the country but only to save the doctor’s life, he decided to help him flee. In such a condition, the doctor’s final solution to the problem was the best possible one. 

7. Does the story remind you of ‘Birth’ by A. J. Cronin that you read in Snapshots last year? What are the similarities?

Answer. Yes, the story reminds me of “BIRTH” by A.J. Cronin. There are many striking similarities between BIRTH and THE ENEMY. Both stories show the gentle character of the doctors towards their patients, irrespective of other circumstances. “BIRTH” describes the very practical nature of the doctor when Morgan calls him for his child. In ”THE ENEMY” the doctor helps the white man because of his injury although he is his enemy. ”BIRTH” shows the patient nature of a doctor when though a baby after birth is lifeless, but the doctor continues to hope to save him/her. And in “THE ENEMY” the doctor has taken care of white sailors for many days till the white man securely goes through the boat. In both the stories the doctors treated their patients with devotion towards their job, whatever the difficulty. For Dr. Sadao, the risk was to give a stay to the white man and for that, they could get arrested while Dr. Andrew risked giving a new life to the ‘stillborn’ baby. Consequently, both the stories deal with humanity’s love, affection, selflessness, and a strong sense of duty.

 

Chapter 5 – Should Wizard Hit Mommy

Page Number: 55

Reading With Insight

1. What is the moral issue that the story raises? 

Answer.  The story explores ethical issues dependent on various levels of maturity. It also discusses the issue of the relationship of the child-parent relationship deeply. There is a sharp contrast between an adult’s aspect of life and the worldview of a little child. Though Roger Skunk didn’t like the thought of smelling foul again, he agrees with his mom because he loves his mom more than all the other animals. It also shows the kind of trust that Roger had in her mother. This is the kind of trust that Jack had Jo to have in him so that later in life Jo understands how valuable this lesson was for her. Thus, the story proposes the question of whether parents should always be followed blindly.

2. How does Jo want the story to end and why?

Answer. Jo was not satisfied with the ending of the story and persuaded her father to retell the story the next day presenting the story in a predetermined way that she had set. According to Jo, neither Roger skunk nor the Wizard was wrong in the story. She wants this to happen because she cannot see Roger Skunk being left alone by his friends. According to her, Roger is great at smelling like roses and that his friends won’t run away from him anymore. She wanted the story to end with the wizard hitting back the mother skunk with his magic wand on her head.

3. Why does Jack insist that it was the wizard that was hit and not the mother?

Answer.  Jack insisted that it was the wizard that was hit and not the mother since he wanted Jo to realize that whatever parents do for their kids is for their good. He wanted to make Jo understand that there’s no wizard in practical life. Also, his notable defense for Mommy Skunk made Jo aware that Jack was defending his mother or something really important.

4. What makes Jack feel caught in an ugly middle position?

Answer.  Jack believes that he has been caught in an ugly middle position physically, emotionally as well as mentally since both his spouse and his daughter are in his presence. He was aware of his responsibilities as a husband and as a father. But he is incapable to choose between the two. Clare is six months pregnant. She’s painting the furniture alone and expects Jack to help her. She also says “That was a long story” when Jack comes downstairs. Her explanation makes Jack feel guilty because he couldn’t come to help his wife on time. On the other hand, all his struggles to make Jo fall asleep have gone in vain. Moreover, he couldn’t make Jo understand Mommy Skunk was indeed doing what was best for little Roger. Everything that Jack was required to do was left incomplete. He found himself to be in an ugly middle position as he could not wipe out the gap between the old and the modern generation.

 

5. What is your stance regarding the two endings to the Roger Skunk story?

Answer. Recognizing the young age of Jo, both the endings look a little illogical. Jo will certainly be learning from whatever she listens and visualizes at this age. However, Jo’s preference for how the story should look is very beautiful. If the story ends according to Jack, Jo will never be capable of questioning anything she considers wrong in life since this ending emphasizes that elders are always correct in whatever they do. But I agree with the end that Jack decides. This is because it gives the story a touch of Jack’s personal life and makes us see how Jack was supported by his mother. It becomes a story with a lesson wherein Jo knows how much Jack loves his mother by his way of defending Mommy Skunk.

6. Why is an adult’s perspective on life different from that of a child’s?

Answer.  An adult’s perspective on life is different from that of a child’s. This is because a grown-up or adult is an experienced personality. He has more knowledge of life since he has existed for a long time and has seen the harsh facts of life. A child’s mind is real, simple, and without any fraud or double-mindedness. So, an adult’s perspective is always separate from that of a child’s.

 Chapter 6 – On The Face Of It

1. What is it that draws Derry towards Mr Lamb in spite of himself?

Answer. Derry notices Mr. Lamb is different from others. Mr. Lamb shows fearlessness on seeing Derry’s burned face. Rather he lovingly talks to him. Derry was thinking that his problem is big enough to make him the saddest person in the world. But later hearing from Mr. Lamb, he finds his problem to be a small one and starts managing Mr. Lamb. I believe that the unusual conversation between Mr. Lamb and Derry has pulled him towards Mr. Lamb notwithstanding himself.

2. In which section of the play does Mr Lamb display signs of loneliness and disappointment? What are the ways in which Mr Lamb tries to overcome these feelings?

Answer.  It is midway in the first scene of the story that Mr. Lamb exhibits signs of loneliness and disappointment. Although the solitude of Derry controls the play, there are evident shades of Mr. Lamb’s loneliness during the first view of the play. Mr. Lamb shows signs of separation when Derry says that he had listened to a lot of passive things about Mr. Lamb. Mr. Lamb decides to overcome those emotions by listening to the song of the bees in the beehive on the tree in his garden. These are the ways in which Mr. Lamb tries to overcome his loneliness.

3. The actual pain or inconvenience caused by a physical impairment is often much less than the sense of alienation felt by the person with disabilities. What is the kind of behaviour that the person expects from others?

Answer. A person with physical impairment can live life with honour and respect if he is not exposed and punished with ruthless pity. He expects compassion rather than sympathy. Being with a weakness doesn’t mean one is not human. It is an individual with just a tiny defect. There is no necessity for the alienation of disabled people. Helping them in improving their skills, notwithstanding their inabilities, by acting ordinarily with them would be a great thing to do. That is something they would expect from us.

4. Will Derry get back to his old seclusion or will Mr Lamb’s brief association effect a change in the kind of life he will lead in the future?

Answer. No, Derry will not get back to his privacy. The small association of Derry with Mr. Lamb raised his self-assurance and encouraged him to respect himself. I think Mr. Lamb’s brief association would bring a difference in the life of Derry that he is going to lead in his future. It’s because within a short period Mr. Lamb made him satisfied and comfortable. He has also taught Derry the wish to work for something rather than thinking about his broken face. This will definitely change Derry’s approach towards other people and will surely have an impact on the life that he is going to lead in the future.

                                      Chapter 7 – Evans Tries An O-Level

Page Number: 92

1. Reflecting on the story, what did you feel about Evans’ having the last laugh?

Answer. Evans smartly devised and executed the plan of his escape. He managed to fool everyone till the end of the story. It was Evan who had the last laugh. He gave false clues to misguide the officials following him. The story describes how criminals are one step ahead of prison officials. As earlier said, Evan smartly executed the plan of release after all, providing strict care for the smooth handling of the Examination. Evan made all the arrangements to escape by just sitting in jail. His friends joined and Mc Leery helped him in escaping by deceiving the governor. They arranged the car where Evan could change his makeup and clothes. With his victorious escape, Evans definitely had a well-earned last laugh.

2. When Stephens comes back to the cell he jumps to a conclusion and the whole machinery blindly goes by his assumption without even checking the identity of the injured ‘McLeery’. Does this show how hasty conjectures can prevent one from seeing the obvious? How is the criminal able to predict such negligence?

Answer.  Evans was a perceptive and smart criminal. He had evaluated the vulnerabilities of the prison staff successfully. Stephen was a new recruit to the prison setup. When he noticed the wounded McCleery in the cell he was so overcome that he did not verify who he was and neither did anyone else. It did not happen to anyone to ask how there could be two persons, one of them in the cell and the another who had been accompanied out by Stephens. It was for this reason that buddies of Evans, who, acting as the Governor on the telephone, addressed Stephens that he should accompany the person done with his exams. The Governor and his officers lead Evans out of the jail. The question paper was left behind to deceive the Governor. This proves that Evans the convict had sufficient time to analyze the behaviour of the jail officers and prepare their strategy well.

3. What could the Governor have done to securely bring back Evans to prison when he caught him at the Golden Lion? Does that final act of foolishness really prove that “he was just another good-for-a-giggle, gullible governor, that was all”?

Answer. The Governor took all the forethought to assure that Evans should not have any risk to escape from the prison. He even traced and caught him at the Golden Lion after his magnificent release from jail. His cocksureness once again showed that he was no equal to the smart and cunning Evans. The Governor, after getting proof from the question paper, traced Evans at the Golden Lion. When he entered the room he was stunned to see the Governor. Evans gave no action and was imprisoned. The innocent Governor rejoiced over his victory and said goodbye to him. Evans was made to sit in the police van. The Governor did not check the identity of the driver, the officer, and the van. A little more diligence could have avoided the escape of the sinner. If the Governor had taken Evans to the jail cell with the arrangement of police the criminal would not have disappeared. Their carelessness showed that he was “just another good-for-a-giggle gullible governor”.

4. While we condemn the crime, we are sympathetic to the criminal. Is this the reason why prison staff often develop a soft corner for those in custody?

Answer. The reason why the jail officer develops a soft corner for those in imprisonment is that regular communication brings people closer. There is increased perception between them. They may not be in a position to justify the action but can explain it. Our opinions change when we see a criminal accepting his punishment. This is what happens with the jail officer. By seeing the criminal suffering in the jail, they accidentally generate a soft corner for him in their hearts. They gaze at him as a human being and not as an illegal character. They start seeing and appreciating their mental skills rather than just retrieving their sin. In this story, it is said that buried somewhere in Jackson, the senior police officer, beneath all the bluster, was a tiny core of kindness and Evans knew it. Evans knew of the sensitive side of Jackson and so hit it straight through his talk about “lucky charm”, and managed to fool the strict and efficient staff. Even the Governor could not help seeing his brain power when he found him in the hotel. Thus, he was not bitter or stern with Evans, and regrettably, carried off with him leniently.

5. Do you agree that between crime and punishment it is mainly a battle of wits?

Answer. In every fight, the more powerful side wins, and this power could be mental or physical. However, after seeing the story we can terminate that punishment and crime, it is chiefly a battle of wits. The side which defeats the other successes. It is not always that a culprit gets punished. Here in the story, the police officers, though well-trained, were easily deceived by the smart Evans who tried to escape from right under their nose. The Governor and Evans, both tried to outwit each other. The Governor took all the forethought like bugging the cell during the exam. He sent Stephen to accompany Mc Leery and got the hotel exactly. Evans was also taken aback when he got to know that the receptionist in the hotel was an informer. These are examples of the battle of wits between crime and punishment.

 Chapter 7 – Evans Tries An O-Level

Page Number: 92

Reading With Insight

1. Reflecting on the story, what did you feel about Evans’ having the last laugh?

Answer. Evans smartly devised and executed the plan of his escape. He managed to fool everyone till the end of the story. It was Evan who had the last laugh. He gave false clues to misguide the officials following him. The story describes how criminals are one step ahead of prison officials. As earlier said, Evan smartly executed the plan of release after all, providing strict care for the smooth handling of the Examination. Evan made all the arrangements to escape by just sitting in jail. His friends joined and Mc Leery helped him in escaping by deceiving the governor. They arranged the car where Evan could change his makeup and clothes. With his victorious escape, Evans definitely had a well-earned last laugh.

2. When Stephens comes back to the cell he jumps to a conclusion and the whole machinery blindly goes by his assumption without even checking the identity of the injured ‘McLeery’. Does this show how hasty conjectures can prevent one from seeing the obvious? How is the criminal able to predict such negligence?

Answer.  Evans was a perceptive and smart criminal. He had evaluated the vulnerabilities of the prison staff successfully. Stephen was a new recruit to the prison setup. When he noticed the wounded McCleery in the cell he was so overcome that he did not verify who he was and neither did anyone else. It did not happen to anyone to ask how there could be two persons, one of them in the cell and the another who had been accompanied out by Stephens. It was for this reason that buddies of Evans, who, acting as the Governor on the telephone, addressed Stephens that he should accompany the person done with his exams. The Governor and his officers lead Evans out of the jail. The question paper was left behind to deceive the Governor. This proves that Evans the convict had sufficient time to analyze the behaviour of the jail officers and prepare their strategy well.

3. What could the Governor have done to securely bring back Evans to prison when he caught him at the Golden Lion? Does that final act of foolishness really prove that “he was just another good-for-a-giggle, gullible governor, that was all”?

Answer. The Governor took all the forethought to assure that Evans should not have any risk to escape from the prison. He even traced and caught him at the Golden Lion after his magnificent release from jail. His cocksureness once again showed that he was no equal to the smart and cunning Evans. The Governor, after getting proof from the question paper, traced Evans at the Golden Lion. When he entered the room he was stunned to see the Governor. Evans gave no action and was imprisoned. The innocent Governor rejoiced over his victory and said goodbye to him. Evans was made to sit in the police van. The Governor did not check the identity of the driver, the officer, and the van. A little more diligence could have avoided the escape of the sinner. If the Governor had taken Evans to the jail cell with the arrangement of police the criminal would not have disappeared. Their carelessness showed that he was “just another good-for-a-giggle gullible governor”.

4. While we condemn the crime, we are sympathetic to the criminal. Is this the reason why prison staff often develop a soft corner for those in custody?

Answer. The reason why the jail officer develops a soft corner for those in imprisonment is that regular communication brings people closer. There is increased perception between them. They may not be in a position to justify the action but can explain it. Our opinions change when we see a criminal accepting his punishment. This is what happens with the jail officer. By seeing the criminal suffering in the jail, they accidentally generate a soft corner for him in their hearts. They gaze at him as a human being and not as an illegal character. They start seeing and appreciating their mental skills rather than just retrieving their sin. In this story, it is said that buried somewhere in Jackson, the senior police officer, beneath all the bluster, was a tiny core of kindness and Evans knew it. Evans knew of the sensitive side of Jackson and so hit it straight through his talk about “lucky charm”, and managed to fool the strict and efficient staff. Even the Governor could not help seeing his brain power when he found him in the hotel. Thus, he was not bitter or stern with Evans, and regrettably, carried off with him leniently.

5. Do you agree that between crime and punishment it is mainly a battle of wits?

Answer. In every fight, the more powerful side wins, and this power could be mental or physical. However, after seeing the story we can terminate that punishment and crime, it is chiefly a battle of wits. The side which defeats the other successes. It is not always that a culprit gets punished. Here in the story, the police officers, though well-trained, were easily deceived by the smart Evans who tried to escape from right under their nose. The Governor and Evans, both tried to outwit each other. The Governor took all the forethought like bugging the cell during the exam. He sent Stephen to accompany Mc Leery and got the hotel exactly. Evans was also taken aback when he got to know that the receptionist in the hotel was an informer. These are examples of the battle of wits between crime and punishment.

  Chapter 8 – Memories Of Childhood

Page Number: 100

Reading With Insight

1. The two accounts that you read above are based in two distant cultures. What is the commonality of theme found in both of them?

Answer. Both the autobiographical passages, based upon two different cultures, represent the lives of two ladies from marginalized communities who look back at their childhood and think about their relationship with mainstream culture. ‘Memories of childhood’ plays autobiographical scenes by two women from culturally marginalized regions in two separate cultures of the world. The thread of commonality that appears in both stories is the feeling of sadness and insult felt by both the women of marginalized societies. One highlights the evil practice of racial prejudice while the other talks about the hierarchical Indian caste system and untouchability. The first account is by an American Indian woman. The second account is characterized by a contemporary Tamil Dalit writer. The mentioned women relate to two different cultures. Pain and sorrow are experienced by both women in their early life. Native Indians don’t get importance and respect for dignity in America. They are obliged to follow their tradition, whims, and trades. The poor Indian lady was pulled out and tied to a chair and her long and dark hair was shingled. Bama, on the other hand, awakened early to the dehumanization of having been born in a community of untouchables and hence directed all her power into fighting the prejudice of such a system. Both of them fight and protest against injustice and discrimination.

2. It may take a long time for oppression to be resisted, but the seeds of rebellion are sowed early in life. Do you agree that injustice in any form cannot escape being noticed even by children?

Answer. Yes, indeed, injustice in any form can’t escape being noticed even by children. The world is full of inequality. While the adults have grown used to this, the innocence of childhood does not understand hate and prejudice. Innocent-looking children have their knowledge of the world and its people. In the case of the two extracts given in Memories of Childhood, this is evident.

Zitkala-Sa understood as soon as she entered the school run by the whites that they meant to transform her into a distinct person than what she had been before. In the story ‘The Cutting of my Long Hair’ the author describes the emotional torture she has to go through because she is discriminated against based on her race. She wants to have long and heavy hair, it is the culture of a society. Only cowards have shingled hair among them. She struggles and says she is defeated.

In the other extract “We too are human beings”, the writer addresses how she and her community is neglected by society under the appearance of untouchability. Bama has a first-hand experience of untouchability in India. The people of high castes don’t think of the low castes even as human beings. She had seen an elder conquered by a landlord on a street and she observed how even the elders in her society are disrespected and despised.

3. Bama’s experience is that of a victim of the caste system. What kind of discrimination does Zitkala-Sa’s experience depict? What are their responses to their respective situations?

Answer. While Bama was subjected to untouchability and caste discrimination, Zitkala-Sa was a victim of racial prejudice. Zitkala-Sa was packed off to a European missionary school where, being a local tribal, she was looked down upon. Bama and Zitkala-Sa highlight the humiliation and exploitation of the defeated people. They write about women from marginalized societies. Zitkala-Sa belongs to the community of native Americans and she is expelled from her community and separated from its culture. She feels robbed of her name and dignity. The poor girl struggles till she is defeated.

On the other hand, Bama, who saw the violation of untouchability, decided to blur the difference of castes with the knowledge of education. The people who belong to a low caste have to fight against the higher caste. She is motivated by the terms of her elder sibling, now works hard, and stands first in the class. Both Zitkala-Sa and Bama fought with courage against the humiliation they were subjected to.