CBSE FREAK

ON THE FACE OF IT                                   - Susan Hill Scene one Lonely Derry avoids people Fourteen-year-old Derry, in an attempt to hide from the hustle-bustle and yet unfriendly world, jumps over the wall to Mr. Lamb’s garden. Unaware of Mr. Lamb’s presence, Derry stumbles upon him and is dumbfounded as he expected the house as well the garden to be unoccupied. Derry has a distorted face, a side of which was burnt by acid, and this crushed his self-confidence. Unconcerned about the way he looked, Mr. Lamb easily starts a conversation with the boy. The friendly Mr. Lamb Mr. Lamb, even without knowing him or his name, considers Derry as a friend.  The play highlights how he kept the gate of the garden always open, welcoming everyone. His house did not have any curtains as he did not like “shutting things out, shutting things in”. While talking to Derry, he said, ...

SHOULD WIZARD HIT MOMMY?                                                     - John Updike The story telling saga Jo, a four-year-old girl, is accustomed to hearing stories from her father, Jack, every evening and for Saturday naps. Although the initial purpose of this session was to make her sleep, it is getting diluted with every passing day. Jack has customized a basic story structure for his daughter. By merely introducing a different character with a new problem in this structure, he creates a new story every time. The first name of the protagonist is always Roger but with a different second name. Roger consults a wise owl for a solution to his problem who in turn directs him to a wizard. The wizard solved the problem through his...

AUNT JENNIFER’S TIGERS                                                  – Adrienne Rich In the poem, Aunt Jennifer knits an alternate world for herself, which is free from the patriarchal constraints of her real life. She is knitting a green forest with prancing tigers, embroidered in bright yellow colour. The fearless, ferocious and gallant tigers seem unaffected by the presence of the men standing beneath a tree. Aunt Jennifer, who had grown quite old and weak, struggles with her needle and wool to create the scenes. The trembling of her fingers indicates her oppressed, timid and terrified mental condition. Her fingers are burdened by the ‘massive’ weight of her wedding ring that makes it difficult for her to even pull the ivory needle. The reference to the weight of her wedding ring indicates the obligations and ordeals of her married life. E...

A THING OF BEAUTY                                          – John Keats The poem explains how beauty, found in every part of life, gives a never ending joy and solace. The poet says that a beautiful object leaves an ever-lasting impression. Its appeal never fades in our mind but increases with each passing day. Its memory refreshes the mind and makes our life easy, healthy and serene. It instills sweet dreams in our sleep. With each following day, the pleasure derived from the beautiful object builds our bond with the earth as with a flowery band. In this melancholic world, full of depression, despair and paucity of noble souls, the joy of having experienced the beauty provides relief. The poet believes that there are innumerable elements of beauty in nature that help us escape pessimism and give us hope and optimism to live such a dim, unhealthy and mysterious lif...