NCERT Solutions for Class 12 Political Science Chapter-1 The Cold War Era, CHAPTER-1 PREPARED BY SUMAN KUMAR JHA

 

 

NCERT Solutions for Class 12 Political Science Chapter-1 The Cold War Era

 TEXTBOOK QUESTIONS SOLVED

1. Which among the following statements about the Cold War is wrong?
(а) It was a competition between the US and Soviet Union and their respective allies.
(b) It was an ideological war between the superpowers.
(c) It triggered off an arms race.
(d) The US and USSR were engaged in direct wars.
Answer: (d) The US and USSR were engaged in direct wars.

2. Which among the following statements does not reflect the objectives of NAM?
(a) Enabling newly decolonised countries to pursue independent policies.
(b) No to joining any military alliances.
(c) Following a policy of neutrality on global issues.
(d) Focus on elimination of global economic inequalities.
Answer: (c) Following a policy of neutrality on global issues.

3. Mark correct or wrong against each of
the following statements that describe the features ol Tliitary alliances formed by the superpowers.
(a) Member countries of the alliance are to provide bases in their respective lands for superpowers.
(b) Member countries to support the superpower both in terms of ideology and military strategy.
(c) When a nation attacks any member country, it is considered as an attack on all the member countries.
(d) Superpowers assist all the member countries to develop their own nuclear weapons.
Answer: (a) True (6) True (c) True (d) False

4. Here is a list of countries. Write against each of these blocs they belonged to during the Cold War.
Answer: (a) Poland—Eastern Alliance (WarsawPact)
(b) France—Western Alliance (NATO)
(c) Japan—Western Alliance (NATO)
(d)Nigeria—NAM
(e) North Korea—Eastern Alliance (Warsaw Pact)
(f) Sri Lanka—NAM

5. The Cold War produced an arms race as well as arms control. What were the reasons for both these development?
Answer: The Cold War produced an arms race as well as arms control:
1. Cuban Missile Crisis engaged both of them (superpowers) in the development of nuclear weapons to influence the world.
2. US dropped nuclear bombs on the cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki with the intention to stop Soviet Union from making military and political gains in Asia.
3. Both the powers were not ready to initiate a war because they knew that destruction from these will not justify any gain for them.
4. Both the powers were to be rational and responsible being restraint and avoiding risk of another World War to ensure human survival.
5. Hence, both the superpowers decided to limiting certain kinds of nuclear and non-nuclear weapons by signing various significant agreements within a decade i.e. Limited Test Ban Treaty, Nuclear Non-proliferation Treaty, Anti Ballistic Missile Treaty etc.

6. Why did the superpowers have military alliances with smaller countries? Give three reasons.
Answer: Superpowers had military alliances with smaller states who were helpful for them in gaining access to:
1. Vital resources as oil and minerals.
2. Territory from where the superpowers could launch their weapons and troops.
3. Locations from where they could spy on each other.
4. Economic support to pay their military expenses.

7. Sometimes it is said that the Cold War was a simple struggle for power and that ideology had nothing to do with it. Do
you agree with this? Give one example to support your position.

Answer: Yes, the Cold War was a simple struggle for power and that ideology had nothing to do with it because:
1. The Cold War led to several shooting wars but this did not lead to another World War.
2. Despite direct confrontations in Korea (1950-53), Berlin (1958-62), the Congo (early 1960s), neither alliance system crossed certain limits.
3. Many lives have been lost in some of the arenas like Korea, Vietnam and Afghanistan but World War spread a nuclear war or global hostilities.

8. What was India’s foreign policy towards the USandUSSR during the Cold War era? Do you think that this policy helped India’s interests?
Answer: India’s foreign policy towards the US and USSR was two fold:
1. Took particular care in staging away from the two alliances.

2. Raised voice against the newly decolonised countries becoming part of these alliances.
3. Moreover, India tried to reduce the differences and rivalries between these alliances from escalating into a full scale war.
Yes, this policy served India’s interests also:
1. Non-alignment allowed India to take international decisions that served India’s interests rather than interests of superpowers and its allies.
2. India maintained a balance between two superpowers as if India felt ignored by one superpower it could tilt towards other superpowers.
3. Neither the alliance could take India for granted.

9. NAM was considered a ‘third option’ by third world countries! How did this option benefit their growth during the peak of the Cold War?
Answer: Non-alignment offered newly decolonised countries of Asia, Africa and Latin America, a third option—not to join either alliance. A majority of NAM members was categorised as the Least Development Countries (LDCs), to be developed more economically not to remain dependent on richer countries. A new International Economic Order (NIEO) originated with this realisation. The United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) brought out a report in 1972 entitled towards a New Trade Policy for Development which proposed a reform of global trading system:
1. LDCs got control over their own natural resources which were being exploited by developed western countries.
2. To make western market available for LDCs to make trade more beneficial.
3. To reduce cost of-technology from western countries.
4. To provide LDCs with a greater role in international economic institutions.

10. What do you think about the statement that NAM has bdcoPie irrelevant today? Give reasons to support your opinion.
Or
What is the relevance of non-aligned movement after the end of Cold War?
Answer: By the mid 1970s, NAM had become an economic pressure group and by late 1980s, the NIEO initiative had faded due to stiff competition from developed countries who acted as a united group while non-aligned countries struggled to maintain their unity in face of this opposition. Non-alignment both as an international movement and as a core of India’s foreign policy lost some of its earlier relevance. Though non-alignment contained some core values and enduring ideas. It was based on a recognition that decolonised states shared a historical affiliation and can become powerful force if they come together, as very small and poor countries need not to become follower of any big powers instead they could persue an independent foreign policy also.
In nutshell, it can be concluded that NAM has not lost its relevance. It has stood test of adverse circumstances. It has served an important purpose of protecting and preserving interests of third world countries.

MORE QUESTIONS SOLVED

Very Short Answer Type Questions [1 Mark]
1. Why was the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation also called Western Alliance?
Answer: The North Atlantic Treaty Organisation was an association of twelve states. All these states belonged to western Europe. Therefore, this association was also called Western Alliance.

2. Name the two superpowers responsible for Cold War. When did the world become unipolar?
Answer: The US and USSR were responsible for Cold War. The world became unipolar in 1991 after disintegration of USSR.

3. What does USSR stand for?
Answer: Union of Soviet Socialist Republic.

4. When did NATO and WARSAW PACT come into existence?
Answer: NATO—April 1949
WARSAW PACT—1955

5. Mention the period of first and second World Wars.
Answer: First World War: 1914-1918
Second World 1939-1945

6. What is meant b; .old War?
Answer: Cold War is a state of extreme unfriendliness existing between two superpowers especially with opposing political system which expresses itself not through fighting but through political pressures and threats.

7. “ Non-alignment does not imply neutrality or equidistance.” What does this statement mean?
Answer: Neutrality refers to a policy of staying out of war and not to help end a war. Non-aligned states including India worked to prevent wars and rivalries between others.

8. What was deterrence relationship between superpowers?
Answer: Deterrence relationship refers that both sides have the capacity to retaliate against an attack and to cause so much destruction that neither can afford to initiate war.

9. How did superpowers maintain arms- control?
Answer: Superpowers maintained arms control by signing significant agreements within a decade as Limited Test Ban Treaty, Nuclear Non-proliferation Treaty, Anti- Ballistic Missile Treaty and hold several rounds of arms limitation talks.

10. What do you understand by Least Developed Countries?
Answer: Majority of NAM members were categorised as Least Developed Countries (LDCs) to be more developed economically and to lift their people out of poverty.

11. What was the difference in the ideology of Western Alliances and that of Eastern Alliances?
Answer: The Western Alliance headed by the US represented ideology of liberal democracy and capitalism while the eastern alliance headed by Soviet Union committed to socialism and communism.

12. What was India’s policy of Non¬alignment?
Answer: India’s policy of Non-alignment was not a policy of‘fleeing away’ instead India was in favour of actively intervening in world affairs to soften Cold War rivalries and prevented differences from escalating into a full scale war.

13. Why did India not join either of the two camps during the Cold War?
Answer: India did not join either of the two camps during the Cold War because India played an active role in mediating between the two rival alliances for the sake of peace and stability. Their strength was based on unity of NAM members and their resolve to remain non-aligned despite the attempts and made by two superpowers to bring them into their alliances.

14. How were the military alliances beneficial to smaller nations during the Cold War?
Answer: Smaller nations got the promise of protection, weapons and economic aid against their local and regional rivals. A state was supposed to remain tied to its protective superpowers to unite influence of other superpower and its allies.

15. Name any two foreign leaders alongwith the countries they belonged to, who are recognised as the founders of NAM.
Answer: Yugoslavia’s Josip Broz Tito; Egypt’s leader Gamal Abdel Nasser.

16. What was Limited Test Ban Treaty (LTBT)?
Answer: It was arms control treaty between superpowers. It banned nuclear weapon tests in the atmosphere, in outer space and under water. It was signed by the US, UK and USSR in Moscow on 5 August, 1963. It entered into force on 10 October, 1963.

17. When and where the first NAM Summit was held?
Answer: The first NAM Summit was held in Belgrade in 1961 and it was attended by 25 member states.

Very Short Answer Type Questions [2 Marks]
1. What is meant by the Cuba Missile Crisis?
Answer: Cuba was an ally of the Soviet Union and received both diplomatic and financial aid from it. In 1962, Soviet Union placed nuclear missiles in Cuba to convert it into a Russian base. This move fired the US. It ordered American warships to intercept any Soviet ships heading to Cuba as a way of warning the USSR of its seriousness. A clash seemed imminent in what came to be known as the Cuban Missile Crisis.

2. What was the main objective of New International Economic Order?
Answer: The main objective of NSEO was to develop more to Least (Economic)
Developed countries of NAM and to lift them out of poverty by their sustainable development.

3. Mention two military features of the Cold War.
Answer: 1. Cold War divided the world into two divisions namely Western and Eastern alliances as well as SEATO and CENTO.
2. Mad arms race had taken to manu-facture atom-bomb and nuclear weapons by Super Powers of the world.

4. Explain Eastern and Western alliance during Cold war.
Answer: 1. Cold War gave birth to Eastern Alliance known as Warsaw Pact headed by Soviet Union in 1955 with the principal function to counter NATO’s forces.
2. Cold War created Western Alliance known as NATO in April 1949 by association of twelve states. Its policy was that an armed attack on any one of them would be regarded as an attack on all of them and everybody would be obliged to help each other.

5. When did NATO come into existence? How many states joined it?
Answer: NATO came into existence in April 1949 and twelve sca+ joined it.

6. Name any two t,rms control treaties signed between two superpowers in 1960s.
Answer: 1. Limited Test Ban Treaty (5 August, 1963)
2. Nuclear Non-proliferation Treaty (1 July, 1960)

7. Name two leaders who played crucial role in Cuban Missile Crisis.
Answer: 1. Nikita Khrushchev—Leader of Soviet Union
2. John F. Kennedy—US President

8. Explain any four objectives on Non- aligned Movement.
Answer: 1. NAM aimed at an end of colonisation and freedom to all nations.
2. NAM promoted and maintained international peace and security.
3. NAM aimed at removal of disparity among developed, poor and very small countries.
4. NAM aimed at promotion of New International Economic Order to encourage cooperation among nations.

9. Mention any four important events which took place during Cuban Missile Crisis.
Answer: 1. In 1962, USSR installed Missiles in Cuba with intention to convert it into Russian base.
2. America became aware of it and as a warning ordered American warship to intercept Soviet ships moving to Cuba.
3. The US was feared of developing nuclear weapons on part of the USSR to challenge supremacy of the US.
4. The Cuban Crisis divided the world into two power blocs to expand their own spheres of influence in the world.

10. Who was the key leader of NAM who tried to reduce the Cold War conflicts?
Answer: Pt. Jawahar Lai Nehru was the key leader of NAM who played a crucial role in mediating between two Koreas. Nehru appealed for reduction of Cold War conflicts and the establishment of world peace and security through co-operative disarmament.

11. Why were most of the countries categorised as Least Developed Countries?
Answer:1. The economic development of these countries was very low.
2. They were dependent on richer countries for their sustainable development.
3. Their natural resources were being exploited by developed countries.
4. They could not participate in international economic institutions and they had a little say, if participated.

Short Answer Type Questions [4 Marks]
1. Why did India distance itself from the two camps led by the U.S. and the Soviet Union? Explain.
Answer: The end of the Second World War was the beginning of the Cold War between the two superpowers of the world, namely the US and the USSR. These two superpowers were keen on expanding their spheres of influence in different parts of the world. Most countries of western Europe sided with the US and those of eastern Europe joined the USSR. But India kept a distance from these superpowers. It means, it became a member of the non-alignment-movement by not joining either alliance. Non-alignment was not a noble international cause which had little to do with India’s real interests. A non-aligned posture also served India’s interests very directly, in at least two ways.
(t) Non-alignment allowed India to take international decisions and stances that served its interests rather than the interests of the superpowers and their allies. .
(ii) India was often able to balance one superpower against the other. If India felt ignored or unduly pressurised by one superpower, it could tilt towards the other. Neither alliance system could take India for granted or bully it.

2. “The drop of bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki by the US was a political game.” Justify the statement.
Answer: The Second World War ended when the United States dropped two atomic bombs on Japanese cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki in August 1945 causing Japan to surrender. Moreover, this action was criticised on the ground that the US knew that Japan was about to surrender and dropping of bombs was not necessary. US action was intended to stop Soviet Union from making military and political gains in Asia and elsewhere and to show that the US was supreme.

3. Explain the Cuban Missile Crisis.
Answer: In 1962, Soviet Union decided to convert Cuba into a Russian base as it provided USSR diplomatic and financial aid both. Hence, Soviet Union placed nuclear missiles in Cuba. The US became aware of it and ordered American warships to intercept to Soviet Union to remove missiles to avoid full scale nuclear war. A clash seemed imminent what came to be known as Cuban Missile Crisis.

4. Name any two founders of Non-aligned Movement. The first NAM summit was the culmination of which three factors?
Answer: Two founders of Non-aligned Movement were:
1. Indonesia’s Sukarno and
2. Ghana’s Kwame Nkrumah
The first NAM was held in Belgrade in 1961. This was the culmination of following three factors:
1. Cooperation among member countries.
2. Growing cold war tensions and its widening arenas.
3. The dramatic entry of many new decolonised African countries into international arena.

5. What is the rationale of Non-aligned movement after the end of Cold War?
Or
Whmh core values keep non-alignment relevant even after Cold War has ended?
Answer: Non-aligned Movement was based on a recognition that decolonised states shared a historical affiliation and can become powerful force if they come together. It meant that very small and poor countries need not become followers of any big power, instead they could persue an independent foreign policy also. It was based on a resolve to democratise the international system to redress existing inequities also.

6. “ Non-alignment posture was in the interest of India”. How?
Answer: Non-alignment posture was in the interest of India because:
1. Non-alignment allowed India to take international decisions to serve her own interests.
2. India maintained a balance between two superpowers as if India felt ignored by one. India would tilt towards other superpower.

7. How did deterrence relationship prevented war between two superpowers?
Answer: 1. Even if one of them tries to attack and disable the nuclear weapons of its rivals, the other would still be left with enough nuclear weapons to inflict unacceptable destruction.
2. Both sides have capacity to retaliate against an attack and to cause so much destruction that neither can afford to initiate war.
3. Both superpowers were expected to behave more rationally and in responsible manner in the sense that they understood the risks in fighting wars which may create a massive destruction.

Passage Based Questions [5 Marks]
1. Read carefully the passage given below and answer the following questions:
The Cold War was not simply a matter of power rivalries, military alliances and of balance of power. These were accompanied by a real ideological conflict as well, a difference over- the best and most appropriate way of organising political, economic and social life all over the world.

Questions
1. Why is a war like situation called Cold War?
2. Identify one military pact each signed by each of the two super powers to balance the power rivalries.
3. Differentiate between the ideologies represented by the rival blocs.
Answer:
1. The Cold War referred to the competition, the tensions and a series of confrontations between the US and Soviet Union. It never escalated into a hot war, i.e. a full-scale war between these two powers.
2. The US and USSR decided to collaborate in limiting or eliminating certain kinds of nuclear and non-nuclear weapons. A stable balance of weapon, they decided, could be maintained through ‘arms
control’. Starting in the 1960s, the two sides signed significant agreements, namely, Limited Test Ban Treaty and Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty.
3. The Western alliance, headed by the US, represented the ideology of liberal democracy and capitalism while the eastern alliance, headed by the Soviet Union, was committed to the ideology of socialism and communism.
2. Read the passage (NCERT Textbook, pages 2-3) given below carefully and answer the questions:
In April 1961… the Soviet Union were worried that the United States of America would invade communist ruled Cuba and overthrow the Cuban President Fidel Castro…. Nikita Khrushchev, the leader of Soviet Union, decided to convert Cuba into a Russian base. In 1962, placed nuclear missiles… Three weeks after the Soviet Union had placed the nuclear weapons in Cuba, the Americans became aware of it. They became reluctant to do anything that might lead to full scale war between the two countries… A clash seemed imminent in what came to be known as “Cuban Missile Crisis”. The prospects of this clash made the whole world nervous.

Questions
1. Why was the Soviet Union worried about America invading Cuba?
2. In response to the action taken by America, what did Nikita Khrushchev do?
3. Why were the two superpowers reluctant to start nuclear war? 
Answer:
1. The Soviet Union was worried about America invading Cuba that the US world overthrew Cuban President Fidel Castro to capture power in Cuba.
2. They became reluctant to do anything that might lead to to full scale war between the two countries.
3. The two superpowers became reluctant because both of them knew that it might lead only a massive destruction and will not justify any gain for them.
3. Read the passage given below carefully and answer the questions:
The Western alliance was formalised into an organisation, the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO), which came into existence in April 1949. It was an association of twelve states which declared that armed attack on any one of them would be regarded as an attack on all of them. Each of these status would be obliged to help each other. The eastern alliance known as the Warsaw Pact was led by Soviet Union, created in 1955 and its principal function was to counter NATO’s forces in Europe.

Questions
1. What does NATO stand for?
2. What was NATO’s policy?
3. What was Warsaw Pact?
4. Mention the main function of Warsaw Pact.
Answer:
1. NATO stands for North Atlantic Treaty Organisation.
2. NATO was an association of twelve states which declared that armed attack on any one of them would be regarded as an attack on all of them and each of them would be obliged to help each other.
3. Warsaw Pact was eastern alliance, led by Soviet Union, created in 1955.
4. Main function of Warsaw Pact was to counter NATO’s forces in Europe.

Long Answer Type Questions [6 Marks]
1. Describe any six factors responsible for the disintegration of USSR.
Or
What is meant by New International Economic Order? Mention any four reforms of the global trading system proposed by UNCTAD in 1972.
Answer: Six factors responsible for the disintegration of USSR are—
(i) The internal weaknesses of Soviet political and economic institutions failed to meet the aspirations of the people.
(ii) Economic stagnation for many years led to severe consumer shortages and a large section of Soviet society began to doubt and question the system and to do so openly.
(iii) The Soviet Union had become stagnant in an administrative and political sense as well. The Communist Party that had ruled the Soviet Union for over 70 years was not accountable to the people. Ordinary people were alienated by slow and stifling administration, rampant corruption, the inability of the system to correct mistakes it had made, the unwillingness to allow more openness in government and the centralisation of authority in a-vast land.
(iv) The Soviet economy used much of its resources in maintaining a nuclear and military arsenal and the development of its satellite states in Eastern Europe and within the Soviet system. This led a huge economic burden that the system could not cope with.
(v) When Gorbachev became the President, he carried out reforms and loosened the system. He set in motion forces and expectations that few could have predicted and became virtually impossible to control. There were sections of Soviet society which felt that Gorbachev should have moved much faster and were disappointed and impatient with his methods. Others, especially members of the Communist Party and those who were served by the system, took exactly the opposite view. In this tug of war, Gorbachev lost support on all sides.
(vi) The rise of nationalism and the desire for sovereignty within various republics including Russia and the Baltic Republics, Ukraine, Georgia, and others proved to be the final and most immediate cause for the disintegration of the USSR.
Or
The non-aligned countries were more than merely mediators during the’ Cold War. The challenge for most of the non-aligned countries — a majority of them were categorised as the Least
Developed Countries (LDCs) — was to be more developed economically and to lift their people out of poverty. Economic development was also vital for the independence of the new countries. Without sustained development, a country could not be truly free. It would remain dependent on the richer countries including the colonial powers from which political freedom had been achieved. The idea of a New International Economic Order (NIEO) originated with this realisation.
The UNCTAD brought out a report in 1972 entitled Towards a New Trade Policy for Development. The report proposed a reform of the global trading system so as to:
(i) give the Least Developed Countries (LDCs) control over their natural resources exploited by the developed western countries.
(ii) obtain access to western markets so that LDCs would sell their products and, therefore, make trade more beneficial for the poorer countries.
(iii) reduce the cost of technology from the western countries, and
(iv) provide the LDCs with a greater role in international economic institutions.

2. What led to the emergence of bipolar world? What were the arenas of Cold War between the two power blocs?
Answer: Emergence of bipolar world:
1. Two superpowers expanded their own spheres of influence in different parts of the world.
2. It divided the world into two alliances namely Western and Eastern alliance headed by the US and Soviet Union respectively.
3. The smaller states in alliances got the promise of protection of weapons and economic aid against their local rivals, hence they remained tied to its protective superpowers to limit influence of other superpower and its allies.
Arenas of Cold War:
1. Crisis and war occurred between alliance systems but did not cross certain limits.
2. Many lives were lost in Korea, Vietnam and Afghanistan, but world was spared from nuclear war and global hostilities.
3. The Cold War led to several shooting wars but it did not lead to another World War despite direct confrontations in Korea (1950-53), Berlin (1958-62) and the Congo (the early 1960s).

3. How did Europe become main arena of conflict between the superpowers?
Answer: 1. Superpowersusedtheirmilitarypower to bring countries into their respective alliances.
2. Soviet Union used its influence in Eastern Europe so that the eastern half of Europe remained within its sphere of influence.
3. In East and Southeast Asia and in West Asia, the US built an alliance called South East Asian Treaty Organisation (SEATO) and the Central Treaty Organisation (CENTO).
4. The Soviet Union responded by having close relations with regional countries such as North Vietnam, North Korea and Iraq.

4. “India’s policy of non-alignment was criticised on a number of counts.” Explain.
Answer: A non-aligned posture also served India’s interests very directly as well as India intervened in world affairs to soften cold war rivalries by reducing differences between the alliances and from escalating into a full scale war. Though India’s policy of non-alignment was criticised on a number of counts:
1. India’s non-alignment was said to be ‘unprincipled’ in the name of persuing in national interest.
2. India often refused to take firm stand on crucial international issues.
! 3. Sometimes India took contradictory postures, having criticised others for joining alliances, Indian signed the Treaty of friendship in August 1971 with the USSR for 29 years
4. During Bangladesh crisis also India developed good relations even with the US in the name of diplomatic and military support.

5. Explain various arms control treaties.
Or
Define the various treaties to control arms.
Answer: 1. Limited Test Ban Treaty: Banned nuclear weapon tests in the atmosphere, in outer space and under water signed by the US, UK and USSR in Moscow on 5 August 1963 came into force on 10 October, 1963.
2. Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty:
It allows only nuclear weapon states to have nuclear weapons and stops others from acquiring them. A nuclear weapon state is one which had manufactured and exploded nuclear explosive device prior to 1 Janaury, 1967. So there are five nuclear weapon states: US, USSR, Britain, France and China.
3. Strategic Arms Limitation Talks I and II (Salt I and II): The first round began in November 1969. The Soviet Union leader Leonid Brezhnev and the US President Kichard Nixon signed the following in Moscow on 26 May 1972— (a) Anti Ballistic Missile System Treaty, (b) Interim Agreement on limitation of strategic offensive arms.
It came into force on 3 October, 1972. The second round started in November 1972. The US President Jimmy Carter and the Soviet leader Brezhnev signed Treaty on limiting strategic offensive arms in Vienna on 18 June, 1979.
4. Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty I and II (START I and II): Treaty I signed by the USSR president Mikhail Gorbachev and the’ US president George Bush (Senior) on the reduction and limitation of strategic offensive arms in Moscow on 31 July 1991.
Treaty II was signed for same purpose in Moscow on 3 January, 1993 between Russian President Boris Yeltsin and the US President George Bush (Senior).

 

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.