English Poem 2. The Brook

 Poem 2. The Brook

Date: 21.04.21

Topics taught: Read the poem and explanation of stanza 1.

Date: 22.04.21

Explanation of poem and textual answers discussion.

Textual Answers:
Q 1	Read the extracts given below and answer the questions that follow.
a)
i.	The letter ‘I’ refers to the brook which has been personified in the poem. The brook is describing its journey from the place of origin to the river that it joins.
ii	In this part of its journey, the brook covers a vast expanse of land as it travels through ‘thirty hills, twenty thorpes and half a hundred bridges and a little town.
iii	The speed of the brook is rapid as it moves through the hills, ridges and villages.
iv	slip
b)
i	The brook flows in a zigzag manner.
ii	On its journey, the brook carries pebbles, flowers, fish, different plants and foam along with it.
iii	The brook carries all the things with it to the brimming river which it joins.
iv	flower
Q 2	Answer the following questions in 30-40 words.
a.	Student response The term 'netted sunbeam' refers to the sun's rays that fall on the waters of the brook through the leaves. The sunbeams breaking through the foliage gives an impression of a net of light. The light that is reflected in all directions gives one the impression that the rays are dancing.

b.	The poet wants to convey that the brook can sometimes flow quietly. The term 'steal' is used to convey the stealthy movement of the river. The word 'slide' creates a mental picture of the river sliding along its path with the smooth movements of a snake. The sound of its movement is undetectable.
c.	The word ‘chatter’ means to talk quickly in a friendly manner without giving a pause. The poet uses this word repeatedly to denote the nonstop sound made by the brook while passing through its stony ways.
d.	Generations after generations of men come and pass away from the earth, but the brook continues to flow forever. This means that the existence of man is transitory while that of the brook is eternal.
e.	The brook is a symbol of the struggle of human life. The poet wishes to point out that just as ups and down in our life do not deter the brook from its journey, similarly, human beings should also take the hurdles and sorrows in their stride.
Q 3	Answer the following questions in 100-120 words.
a.	In the poem 'The Brook', the poet has very realistically drawn a parallelism between the journey of the brook and the life of man. When the brook begins its journey from its source, it emerges suddenly and flows with a lot of noise and speeds down the valley. It hurries down the hills and slips down the ridges. Similarly, in his youth, a man is very active and agile. The brook continues to move quickly in its early stages in spite of all the stones, pebbles and other obstacles that come in its way. Similarly, a man in his youth is very energetic and is able to face all the challenges and obstacles with great gusto. The hazel covers and forget-me-nots that the brook flows by stand for the joys one experiences in life. As the brook passes the bramble bushes in the wild, it murmurs (complains). Similarly in life, when one has sorrows and face danger, we too complain and move slowly past them. As the brook comes closer to the river, it slows down. It steals, slides, slips, lingers and loiters. This is similar to a man at the age of maturity

 

	and old age. His movements slow down and he becomes calm and less energetic.
b.	The poet provides us a visual treat of sight and sound using words like— bicker, murmur, chatter, babble and trebles for sound. Murmur means making soft sounds, bicker means to flow with a loud noise, treble is a high pitched sound in music. Chatter means making a meaningless sound, so the brook chatters in little sharps and trebles, it babbles on the pebbles thus giving us a treat of sound. The visual treats are conveyed by — I make a sudden sally and sparkle among the fern, I steal by lawns. I slide by hazel covers. I move the sweet forget-me-nots. I slip, I slide, I gloom, I glance — sometimes it moves gently, sometimes forcefully. ‘It moves in and out’ mean it makes a zigzag movement like a snake.
c.	The brook is an inanimate object but the poet by introducing the device of personification makes it tell its experiences as it flows down hills, valley, villages and fields and finally joins a river. The brook relates the tale of its journey in detail and with accuracy. Its movements and the sounds it makes as it moves over pebbles, grassy plots, as it cuts its own banks and lets the beams of sun dance on its waters and carries flowers and fish along with it to the big river. There is vividness, liveliness and an effectively painted picture of a brook taking its natural course which comes alive before our eyes.
Q 4	Identify the words used by the poet to describe the movement and the sounds made by the brook as it flows on its way.
	steal, bubble, slip, loiter, wind, chatter, babble, trebles, sharps, bicker
Q 5	Fill in the blanks with suitable prepositions.
a	between
b	over, into
c	upon
d	among
e	against
Q 6	Students’ answers may vary.