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Question
Walt Whitman speaks of the human race with a tinge of sarcasm. Which are the two reasons that you agree with?
Solution
The poet claims that once upon a time, both people and animals shared the beautiful attributes of love, serenity, contentment, and simplicity. As time went on, people abandoned all such signs of morality. Even now, animals travel the path of great virtues. Instead, people have a maniacal need to own stuff that other animals do not.
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RELATED QUESTIONS
What are the ‘tokens’ that the poet says he may have dropped long ago, and which the animals have kept for him? Discuss this in class .
(Hint Whitman belongs to the Romantic tradition that includes Rousseau and Wordsworth,which holds that civilisation has made humans false to their own true nature.
What could be the basic aspects of our nature as living beings that humans choose to ignore or deny?)
Get into pairs and attempt the following :
“The more I learn about people, the more I like my dog.”- Mark Twain. - Discuss with your partner what Mark Twain means from the above quote. Write in your own words.
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At times, especially when you are frustrated, you wish you were an animal/ a bird/ a fish/ a butterfly and not a human being. Say which of the above you would choose to transform to and give 3 or 4 reasons for your choice.
I wish I could be a ______________________________
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We come across many animals in our vicinity. We have also read about different animals in books. Make a list of all animals that fall under various categories. One is given to you.
| Amphibians | Mammals | Wild Animals | Aquatic Animals | Pet Animals |
| frog | cow | lion | octopus | cat |
Encourage students to read/use reference material to complete the activity.
Complete the following.
Animals are not crazy about ________________.
State whether the following statement is true or false.
Animals quarrel for their possessions.
State whether the following statement is true or false.
Humans have given up many good qualities.
State whether the following statement is true or false.
Animals suffer humiliation.
Read the poem again and write an appreciation of the poem in a paragraph format with the help of given points.
Points
- Title
- Poet
- Rhyme scheme
- Favourite line
- Theme/Central idea
- Figures of speech
- Special features - Type of the poem, language, tone, implied meaning, etc.
- Why I like/ dislike the poem.
Read the following poem and write an appreciation of it with the help of the given points in a paragraph format:
|
Animals I think I could turn and live with animals, they are |
You can use the following points while appreciating the given poem.
- The title and the poet of the poem (01)
- Rhyme scheme (01)
- Figures of speech (01)
- Central Idea/Theme (02)
Read the following extract and do the given activities.
A1. State whether the following statements are true or false: (2)
- Animals show their relations to us.
- Humans have given up many good qualities.
- Animals sweat and whine about their condition.
- Animals are placid and self-contained.
| I think I could turn and live with animals, they are so placid and self-contain'd, I stand and look at them long and long. They do not sweat and whine about their condition, They do not lie awake in the dark and weep for their sins, They do not make me sick discussing their duty to God, Not one is dissatisfied, not one is demented with the mania of owning things. Not one kneels to another, nor to his kind that lived thousands of years ago, Not one is respectable or unhappy over the whole earth, So they show their relations to me and I accept them, They bring me tokens of myself, they evince them plainly in their possession. I wonder where they get those tokens, Did I pass that way huge times ago and negligently drop them? |
A2. Answer the following question with the help of the given extract: (2)
(i) What craze do animals never display? Why?
A3. Pick out one example of Rhetorical question from the extract. (1)
Mention any two reasons why Walt Whitman appreciates animals more than humans.
List any two things that animals do and humans don't.
What two attributes of the Animals please the poet?
