Written by: Terence Rattigan

Table of contents:

• Summary

• Glossary

• Textbook Questions and answers

Summary:

• This play is an extract from the play "The Browning Version' written by Terence Rattigan.

• Taplow is a student. He has been asked to stay behind by Mr Crocker-Harris, one of the teachers in a school.

• That day was the last day of the school before the holidays.

• Since the student had been ill for a day during the week and missed his class, Mr Crocker-Harris had given him some extra work and so he was still in school.

• The had told Taplow that he would be back by 6:30 before he left.

• Till then Taplow had to remain in school. It is now 6:40. But Mr Crocker-Harris had not returned.

• Another teacher Mr Frank came there and saw Taplow waiting for Mr Crocker-Harris. Mr Frank tells Taplow to go as Mr. Crocker had not arrived then.

• But Taplow refuses to do that as he is afraid of Mr Crocker.

• Mr Frank envies Mr Crocker Harris for the fear the students had developed for Mr Crocker.

• He also encourages Taplow to make fun of Mr Crocker-Harris.

• At that time Mrs Crocker-Harris arrives at the scene.

• She informs Taplow that her husband had gone somewhereand would take some time to be back.

• She also tells Taplow to go and play untill Mr Crocker. Harris came back. But Taplow was afraid to leave

• That instance Mrs Crocker assures Taplow that she would take the blame on her if he would to the chemist and buy some medicines for her.

• She actually intended to send Taplow from there.

• She was not urgently in need of the medicines.

• She only had a strong urge to help the poor boy to enjoy his freedom.

• Mr Crocker would not mind because the prescription given by the doctor was for him and not Mrs Millie Crocker-Harris.

• Taplow's marks are to be given by Mr Crocker. He was yet to declare marks for Taplow.

• If Mr Crocker would not find Taplow on his arrival then he would not give him (results) the required division.

• In such a case Taplow would not be promoted.

• It was for this reason that Taplow did not want to take a chance of leaving the school before the arrival of Mr Crocker-Harris.

• When he comes to know that the medicines are for Mr Crocker he is convinced to go to the chemist and leaves the school.

Glossary:

1. I gather-I understand

2. I believe - I understand, I take for granted

3. to know your fate-to know the things that will happen to someone

4. to be good deal more exciting-to be exciting in a large way

5. to have a considered view- that one thinks is right

6. words strung together words put together, joined together

7. to sound a little bitter- to express dislike for something

8. to ask outright - to ask in a direct way and without trying to hide anything

9. to have a throaty voice - a voice sounding low and rough

10. to mark someone down-to reduce the marks given to someone in the examination

11. to look severe - not having the look of kindness or sympathy

12. not in the least like him- not at all like him

13. before lock up-before the school is shut down for the day

14. to be scared to death- to be very scared

Textbook Questions and answers:

1) Comment on the attitude shown by Taplow towards Crocker-Harris.

Ans.

• Crocker-Harris is Taplow's teacher. According to Taplow and me also; Mr Crocker Harris is a strict disciplinarian.

• He was a hard working teacher and fully devoted to his duty as he called Taplow even on the last day of school to make up for his missed class.

• No student in his entire career has a courage to 'cut' Mr Crocker-Harris.

• He is neither partial nor biased; he will give Taplow whatever he deserves.

• He tries to maintain an appropriate distance from his students.

• He never responds the feelings shown by his students and remains shrivel.

• He is a man of principals and keeps the rules of the school.

• His students like him even after his strict behaviour.

• His colleagues, even Frank, envy him for the effect he has on the students.

• He is strict but not a sadist that he seems to be.

2) Does Frank seem to encourage Taplow's comments on Crocker-Harris?

Ans.

• Frank encourages Taplow to comment on Mr Crocker-Harris by cleverly asking Taplow several questions.

• He appreciated Taplow's imitation of Mr Crocker-Harris and also asks him to repeat it.

3) What do you gather about Crocker Harris from the play?

Ans.

• Mr Harris is a teacher who would not compromise on the rules and regulations to suffice the sentiments of students.

• He believes in fair assessment of his students and is not swayed by emotions, as the man is hardly human.

• He is not a sadist, but strict in performance of his duties.

• Even on his last day at school, when he is over busy in own affairs he does not neglect his duty towards students.

4) Where did Taplow meet Frank?

Ans.

• Taplow had been asked to do some extra work by Mr Crocker-Harris.

• He was waiting for the master in the school. Frank also came there and meet Taplow.

5) What subjects does Taplow want to opt for? Why?

Ans.

• Taplow feels if his grades are good, he would opt for science.

• He feels science is more interesting than the study of classics.

6) What does Mr Frank suggest Taplow to do because Mr Crocker-Harris is ten minutes late?

Ans.

• Frank asked Taplow not to wait for Mr Crocker-Harris and play golf but Taplow is really shocked and is afraid that Mr Crocker-Harris may follow him home or do something else.

POEM 4: CHILDHOOD

Written by: Markus Natten

Table of contents:

• Summary

• Glossary

• Textbook Questions and answers.

Summary:

• In the first stanza the poet becomes pensive and want to know when he had lost his childhood.

• He feels that it may be the day when he had entered the twelfth year of his life. His parents must have given him the idea of Heaven and Hell.

• He had conceived this idea in his early days.

• But as he gained understanding he was unable to trace these anywhere and so he doubted their existance.

• All the same he is unsure if he had lost his childhood on that particular day.

• His parents often told him to follow certain modes of behaviour.

• The adults in his neighbourhood also instructed him to follow a set path of life.

• But he observed that they themselves did not pursue the same objectives.

• They were far from what they preached. They preached love but did not practise it.

• The poet questions himself if itwas the day when this realization dawned a grown up.

• The poet wants to know if he had own him that he ceased to be a child and became lost his childhood when he began to take his decisions and practise his own thinking and not depend on the thinking of others.

• It was perhaps on this day that he lost his childhood.

• The poet has now changed his mode of questioning.

• Now he wants to know where he has lost his childhood.

• The answer is easy. He says that it has gone hiding into some infant's face.

• Towards the end of the poem the poet expresses that the childhood is a lost memory.

• The fantacies and the moments associated with the childhood are recalled by us.

• All the same the innocence of the childhood is irrevocably lost.

• We can conclude that childhood has gone into oblivion.

Glossary:

1. Go: (here) leave , depart, disappear

2. Cease: discontinue to live, stop happening

3. Realise: understand, to become aware of

4. Seemed: appeared to be

5. Preached: told something is good or necessary.

Textbook Questions and answers:

1) What according to the poem is involved in the process of growing up?

Ans.

• According to the poem, the process of growing up involves the attainment of mental maturity.

• A person is said to be grown up when he has become logical, rational and is able to build his thoughts.

• A grown up has the power to distinguish between reality and fantasy.

• A grown up individual understands the actions of others just as the poet recognises the hiatus between the preaching and the practice of the adults.

• He realises the hypocrisy and the double standards maintained by the adults.

• A mature individual also asserts his thoughts and opinions.

2) What is the poet's feeling towards childhood?

Ans.

• The poet does not appear to feel sad or upset at the loss of his childhood.

• He only seems to be puzzled at the disappearance of childhood and the arrival of adulthood.

• He expresses his confusion when he asks the questions 'When and Where did my childhood go'?

3). Which do you think are the most poetic lines? Why?

Ans.

• The lines that seem to be the most poetic are: 'It went to some forgotten place, That's hidden in an infant's face; That's all I know.'

• These lines sum up beautifully the process of growth and the disappearance of a particular stage of life.

• These lines express metaphorically that an infant's innocent face hides many things behind its smiles.

• Perhaps the childhood also lies hidden somewhere in the child's consciousness.

4) How does the poem expose man and presents him in true colours?

Ans.

• Childhood symbolizes innocence, purity, softness and love.

• As a child grows, these qualities start receding.

• Man becomes impure, cunning, shrewd and hypocrite.

• Grown-ups become blatant liars. They talk of love but practice hatred.

• They preach brotherhood of mankind but perpetuate hatred and killing.

• Simplicity and honesty evaporate into thin air, the moment man crosses the threshold of innocent childhood.

5) What is the poet's feeling towards the childhood?

Ans.

• The poet regards childhood as a period of heavenly innocence.

• A child sincerely feels that there is god above.

• He is free from all earthly evils. He believes that there is really a Hell and a Heaven.

• He is truly religious in his soul. A child knows no hypocrisy. He always means what he says.

• There is no difference between his thoughts and actions.

• A child is free from any sense of ego.

• He does not think himself to be different from or superior to others.

• In short, childhood is a state of heavenly innocence and purity of heart.