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Maharashtra State BoardSSC (English Medium) 10th Standard Board Exam
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Syllabus

Complete the following table. Scorpion Many images of the scorpion contrast in the opening lines of the poem. Find examples of each and add them to the columns below. Timid Dangerous (1) hides - English

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Question

Complete the following table.

Scorpion
Many images of the scorpion contrast in the opening lines of the poem. Find examples of each and add them to the columns below.
Timid Dangerous

(1) hides _________

(2) ___________ back

(i) Diabolic ____________

(ii) ____________
Chart

Solution

B. Scorpion

Many images of the scorpion contrast in the opening lines of the poem. Find examples of each and add them to the columns below.

Timid

Dangerous

(1) Hides beneath a sack of rice

(1) Diabolic tail

(2) Is afraid of the people and goes back

(2) The Evil One
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Night of the Scorpion
  Is there an error in this question or solution?
Q 2. (b)
Chapter 3.1: Night of the Scorpion - English Workshop [Page 103]

APPEARS IN

Balbharati English - Kumarbharati 10 Standard SSC Maharashtra State Board
Chapter 3.1 Night of the Scorpion
English Workshop | Q 2. (b) | Page 103

RELATED QUESTIONS

Brainstorm what you know about Scorpions. Use the points given below.


Complete the following table.

Background/setting of the poem
Type

Evidence

(Quote lines from the poem
Rural/Urban ______________________

Complete the following table.

Imagery
Look at the description of the village peasants.
What does the imagery suggest about them?
The Images What images suggest
They came like swarms of flies.  
They buzzed the name of God.  
They threw giant scorpion shadows on the mud-baked walls.  
They clicked their tongues.  

Choose the correct alternative.

His father and the villagers panic and hastily suggest _____________.


Choose the correct alternative.

The poet seems to see the villagers as impractical and almost irritating which suggests that ________________.


Choose the correct alternative.

The poem does not have a rhyme scheme, which means the poem is a perfect example of a ___________.


From the poem provide evidence for the following:

Stages Evidence (lines from the poem)
(a) the attempts by the peasants to help alleviate the mother’s pain.  
(b) the action of these same peasants to kill the scorpion  
(c) the reaction of the rational father.  
(d) the various superstitions versus the ‘scientific’  
(e) evil versus good.  

Prepare a Presentation (on paper or on a PC) as a piece of reference to other students. Make use of the following points.


Read the following extract and complete the given activities:

A1. From the following extract of the poem provide evidence that it set in a rural background:

Evidence: 

  1. ______
  2. ______

With candles and with lanterns
throwing giant scorpion shadows
on the mud-baked walls
they searched for him; he was not found.
they clicked their tongues.
With every movement that the scorpion made his poison
moved in Mother’s blood, they said.

May he sit still, they said
May the sins of your previous birth
be burned away tonight, they said.
May your suffering decrease
the misfortunes of your next birth, they said.
May the sum of all evil
balanced in this unreal world
against the sum of good
become diminished by your pain.

A2. How did the peasants console the poet’s mother? (02)

A3. Pick out an example of Antithesis from the extract: (01)


Read the following poem and write an appreciation of it with the help of the given points in a paragraph format:

Night of the Scorpion

I remember the night my mother
was stung by a scorpion. Ten hours
of steady rain had driven him
to crawl beneath a sack of rice.
Parting with his poison - flash
of diabolic tail in the dark room -
he risked the rain again.
The peasants came like swarms of flies
And buzzed the name of God a hundred times
to paralyse the Evil One.
With candles and with lanterns
throwing giant scorpion shadows
on the mud-baked walls
they searched for him: he was not found.
They clicked their tongues.
With every movement that the scorpion made his poison
moved in Mother's blood, they said.
May he sit still, they said
May the sins of your previous birth
be burned away tonight, they said.
May your suffering decrease
the misfortunes of your next birth, they said.
May the sum of all evil
balanced in this unreal world
against the sum of good
become diminished by your pain.
May the poison purify your flesh
of desire, and your spirit of ambition,
they said, and they sat around
on the floor with my mother in the centre,
the peace of understanding on each face.
More candles, more lanterns, more neighbours,
more insects, and endless rain.
My mother twisted through and through,
groaning on a mat.
My father, sceptic, rationalist,
trying every curse and blessing,
powder, mixture, herb and hybrid.
He even poured a little paraffin
upon the bitten toe and put a match to it.
I watched the flame feeding on my mother.
I watched the holy man perform his rites to tame the
poison with an incantation.
After twenty hours
it lost its sting.
My mother only said
Thank God the scorpion picked on me
And spared my children.

Points:

  • The title and the poet of the poem
  • Rhyme scheme
  • Figures of speech
  • Central Idea/Theme

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