Samacheer Kalvi solutions for English Class 12 TN Board chapter 5.2 - A Father to his Son [Latest edition]

Every parent is anxious about the welfare of his/her children. Parents express their anxiety by advising them almost all the time. What kind of advice do you frequently receive from your parents? Fill in the bubbles. Tick the ones you like to follow implicitly and give reasons for the ones you don’t like to follow.

Fill in the blanks choosing the words from the box given and complete the summary of the poem.

Lines 1-25

The poet Carl Sandburg gives a vivid description of a father’s worldly (1)______ in directing a son who is at the threshold of his (2) ______.

Here the father motivates his son to be like a hard(3) ______and withstand life’s (4)______ and sudden betrayals. (5)______is like a fertile soil. We can make our life fruitful if we are gentle, and take life as it comes. At times(6)______ overtakes harshness. The growth of a (7)______can split a rock. One should have a (8) ______and strong will to achieve. Greed for(9)______has left men dead before they really die. Good men also have fallen prey in quest for (10) ______money. Time for (11)______is not a waste. When you seek knowledge never feel ashamed to be called a(12)______for not knowing, at the same time learn from your (13) ______and never (14)______it.

Lines 26-44

Do (15)______often, and do not hesitate to accept your shortcomings, avoid(16) ______to protect self against other people. Solitude helps to be (17)______and(18) ______ are taken in silent rooms. Instead of being one among many, be (19)______, if that is your nature. The son may need lazy days to find his (20)______abilities, to seek what he is born for. He will then know how free imaginations bring (21)______to the world, which (22)______ change. During such resentment, let him know that it is time for him to be on his own, and (23)______to achieve like Shakespeare, the Wright brothers, Pasteur, Pavlov, and Michael Faraday.

How would the poet’s advice help his son who is at the threshold of the manhood?

‘A tough will counts.’ Explain.

What happened to the people who wanted too much money?

What has twisted good men into thwarted worms?

How would his being alone help the boy?

Where are the final decisions taken?

What are the poet’s thoughts on ‘being different’?

Why does the poet advise his son to have lazy days?

The poet says

‘Without rich wanting nothing arrives’ but he condemns ‘the quest of lucre beyond a few easy needs.’ Analyse the difference and write.

Here are a few poetic device used in the poem.

Antithesis- It is a literary device that emphasises the idea of contrast.

Here are a few poetic device used in the poem.

Transferred Epithet- It is a figure of speech in which an epithet grammatically qualifies a noun other than the person or a thing, it is actually meant to describe.

Here are a few poetic device used in the poem.

Repetition- It is a figure of speech.

Read the line given below and answer the question that follow.

“Life is hard; be steel; be a rock.”

1. How should one face life?
2. Identify the figure of speech in the above line.

Read the line given below and answer the question that follow.

“Life is a soft loam; be gentle; go easy.” And this too might serve him.

1. Why does the poet suggest to take life easy?
2. Identify the figure of speech in the above line.

Read the line given below and answer the question that follow.

Tell him solitude is creative if he is strong and the final decisions are made in silent rooms.

1. Can being in solitude help a strong human being? How?
2. Identify the figure of speech in the above line.

Read the line given below and answer the question that follow.

Tell him time as a stuff can be wasted.

Tell him to be a fool every so often

1. Why does the poet suggest that time can be wasted?
2. Identify the figure of speech in the above line.

Read the line given below and answer the question that follow.

Tell him to be a fool ever so often

and to have no shame over having been a fool

yet learning something out of every folly

hoping to repeat none of the cheap follies

1. Is it a shame to be a fool at times?
2. What does one learn from every folly?

Read the line given below and answer the question that follow.

..........Free imaginations

Bringing changes into a world resenting change.

1. How does free imagination help the world?
2. Identify the figure of speech.

Pick out the alliterated words from the poem and write.

And this might stand him for the storms

Explain the following line with reference to the context.

and guide him among sudden betrayals

and tighten him for slack moments.

Explain the following line with reference to the context.

Brutes have been gentled where lashes failed.

Explain the following line with reference to the context.

Yet learning something out of every folly

hoping to repeat none of the cheap follies

Explain the following line with reference to the context.

He will be lonely enough

to have time for the work

Explain how the poet guides his son who is at the threshold of manhood, to face the challenges of life.

How according to the poet is it possible for his son to bring changes into a world that resents change?

Listen to the poem read by the teacher or to the recorded version and write a synopsis in about 100 words. The teacher can choose any three stanzas.

Lincoln’s Letter to his Son’s Teacher:
He will have to learn, I know, that all men are not just, all men are not true. But teach him also that for every scoundrel there is a hero; that for every selfish politician, there is a dedicated leader...Teach him for every enemy there is a friend,

Steer him away from envy, if you can, teach him the secret of quiet laughter.

Let him learn early that the bullies are the easiest to lick…. Teach him, if you can, the wonder of books... But also give him quiet time to ponder the eternal mystery of birds in the sky, bees in the sun, and the flowers on a green hillside.

In the school teach him it is far honorable to fail than to cheat…Teach him to have faith in his own ideas, even if everyone tells him they are wrong. Teach him to be gentle with gentle people, and tough with the tough.

Try to give my son the strength not to follow the crowd when everyone is getting on the bandwagon…Teach him to listen to all men.. .but teach him also to filter all he hears on a screen of truth, and take only the good that comes through.

Teach him if you can, how to laugh when he is sad…Teach him there is no shame in tears, Teach him to scoff at cynics and to beware of too much sweetness…Teach him to sell his brawn and brain to the highest bidders but never to put a price tag on his heart and soul. Teach him to close his ears to a howling mob and to stand and fight if he thinks he’s right. Treat him gently, but do not cuddle him, because only the test of fire makes fine steel.

Let him have the courage to be impatient.. .let he has the patience to be brave. Teach him always to have sublime faith in himself, because then he will have sublime faith in mankind. This is a big order, but see what you can do...He is such a fine little fellow, my son!

Given below is a well-known quotation.

“Cowards die many times before their death”.

Study the quotations and identify the adverse human qualities that are worse than ‘death’ and discuss the underlying message conveyed.