This blog is exclusively meant for students and teachers who follow ICSE syllabus. It deals with ICSE English Language and Literature
Wednesday 19 July 2017
Monday 3 July 2017
Notes of Chief Seattle's Speech
Extract I
“Yonder sky that
has swept tears of compassion upon……..sends us greetings of friendship
and goodwill.
1. Who
speaks these words? Give the meaning of:
“Yonder sky that has swept tears of
compassion upon my people for centuries untold.”
These are words are spoken by Chief
Seattle. She says that nature has sympathised with his people for many
centuries.
2. Why
does the speaker say “ tomorrow it may be overcast with clouds”?
Chief Seattle feels that things are
fine at present. However, the scenario will change in the future as the Great
Chief in Washington wishes to buy their land with words of feigned ‘goodwill
and friendship.’
3. Who
is the ‘Great Chief at Washington’? What has the Great Chief done to Seattle and his people?
George Washington, the first President
of the United States of America, is the
Great Chief at Washington. The Great Chief at Washington wishes to buy the land
of the Native Americans with words of feigned ‘goodwill and friendship.’
4. How
much are Seattle’s words reliable as far as the Great Chief is concerned?
His words are like the stars that
never change. The Great Chief at Washington can rely upon his words with as
much certainty as he can upon the return of the sun or the seasons.
5. Briefly
state the reaction of the Chief Seattle to the greetings sent by the Big Chief
at Washington?
The Great Chief sends Chief Seattle
and his people words of goodwill and friendship. Seattle feels that he is in
little need of their help and friendship, as his people are strong and powerful
as compared to the natives.
Extract II
His people are many. They are
like…..no longer in need of an extensive
country.
1. Compare
the number of Chief Seattle’s people with that of the White Chief. How does the
narrator illustrate this act?
Seattle
says that there was a time when his people were large in number now they are
nothing more than a mournful memory. He compares the Whites to the grass that
covers the vast prairies, large in number. His people are few and they resemble
the scattering trees of a storm-swept plain.
2. What
message does the White Chief send to the
native people?
The
White Chief informs that they must get ready for land settlement treaty between
the US government and Native American tribe. According to the treaty, the
Native Americans should surrender their land to the Whites and move farther
from their ancestors’ land.
3. A
little later, how does Seattle describe that his people were numerous once upon
a time?
He
says that once the Native Americans covered the land as the waves of a
wind-ruffled sea cover its shell-paved floor.
4. State
the message sent by the White Chief to the native people. What is the reaction
of Chief Seattle to the message?
The
White Chief wishes to buy the land of
the Native Americans. Seattle says that the proposition seems to be just, kind and generous s the Red man
no longer has rights. The offer appears to be wise since the Native Americans
are less in number and don’t require a vast territory.
5. What
happened when the White man began to push the natives westward? Should the native
people take revenge on the White men? Why?
They
young turned violent and indulged in revengeful acts when the white men pushed
the westward. There is no use in taking revenge on the White men because they
are large in number as well as more powerful. In times of war, they even lose
their own lives, but the family that wants for the m at home bears the loss.
Extract
III
Our
good father in Washington…..will cease to frighten our women, children and old
men.
1. Who
is referred to as our father in Washington? Since when he has become ‘our
father and your father’?
George
Washington. Since King George has moved his boundaries further north, he has
become the father the Native Americans.
2. A
little earlier, Chief Seattle exclaims that ‘youth is impulsive.’ Why does he
say that? What does it reflect about his character?
Youth
is impulsive because they grow angry at real or imaginery wrong and they often
become cruel and relentless. They become hostile and lose their lives in
violent acts.
Seattle
discourages such kind of behaviour from the youth and it indicates his love for
peace and friendly relationship. He is against war and he does not glorify war
but condemns it.
3. Under
what condition is the good father going to protect the native people? What is
meant by ‘bristling wall of strength’?
If
the Native Americans surrender or sell their land to the White settlers, he
will protect them from foreign enemies like Haidas and Tsimshians.
Bristling
wall refers to the vigorous and
energetic white people’s brave men who will provide them strength and will
protect them from their ancient enemies.
4. Who
are Haidas and Tsimshians? How they will cease to frighten the natives?
They
are two tribes who constantly at the Suquamish tribe. Haidas are indigenous
people of North America. Tsimshains are
North American Indians of the North-west Coast.
The
White Chief’s brave men will provide the natives strength and his ships would
fill their harbours so that Hidas and Tsimshians cease to frighten the natives.
5. How
does Chief Seattle prove that the White man’s God is not the God of the
natives?
The
God of the White man loves his people and hates Seattle’s people. He protects
them lovingly and leads them like a father leads his infant son. But he has
forsaken Seattle and his people.
Extract
IV
Our
God, the Great Spirit…….renew our prosperity and awaken in us dreams of
returning greatness?
1. Who
is referred to as the God of the natives? Why does he seem to have forgotten
them?
The
Great Spirit is referred to as the God of the natives. The Great Spirit has
forgotten his people because Suquamish tribe has almost become extinct and
their number is declining rapidly. The Great Spirit is no longer a father
figure to them; “they seem to be orphans who can look nowhere for help.”
2. Why
are the natives compared to the receding
tide and are called orphans?
Their
population is rapidly reducing and they have almost become extinct. They are
called orphans because their God, the Great Spirit has forgotten them.
3. Why
does the Chief say ‘that if there was a common father for both races, he must
be partial?
Because
He came to the help of His paleface children and never came to the help of Red Man. He gave them laws to
be followed but none to his Red children. They have separate origin and
separate destinies. He makes the White people stronger every day but does
nothing for the well being of the natives.
4. Finally,
the Chief says ‘We are two distinct races with separate origins and separate
destinies.’ Give examples to prove this statement.
They are two distinct
races-the native Americans and the White colonists.
The
natives’ origin is the American land that is being contested; the Whites here
originally belonged to Europe who came and colonized these native Americans.
Their
destinies are different-the natives are receding every day while the Whites are
like the grass that covers vast prairies.
5. How
does the speech of the Chief show that his people were oppressed?
The
Whites unjustly exercising authority over the Native Americans. It is the
natives’ land that the Big Chief in Washington ‘wishes’ to buy but ‘wish’ is a
word sarcastically used by Chief Seattle. The Whites are so powerful in terms
of their army and navy that the Red Indians need to bow down. Chief Seattle
says that Whites are willing to allow them enough land to live comfortably
which is symbolic of their master-slave relationship.
Extract
V
Your
religion was written upon tablets…….is written in the hearts of our people.
1. Give
the meaning of :
a) Tablet
of stone
Refers
to the words written on to stone tablets that later were brought down from
Mount Sinai by Moses. The tablets were also
known as the Ten Commandments.
b) Iron
finger: Biblical phrase which means Finger of God.
2. What
was the Red Man’s religion?
The
religion of the Red Man is the traditions of their ancestors-the dreams of
their old men, given them in solemn hours of the night by the Great Spirit; and
the visions of their sachems, and is written in the hearts of their people.
3. Compare
the religion of the White man with that of the Red man.
The
religion of the Red Man is the traditions of their ancestors-the dreams of
their old men, given them in solemn hours of the night by the Great Spirit; and
the visions of their sachems, and is written in the hearts of their people.
The White men followed Christianity and it was
written by the iron finger of their God, symbolising strict adherence to rules
and principles. The God of this religion is partial and has forsaken his Red
children. Seattle says that this God loves only his paleface children and not
the natives.
4. How
can you conclude that the natives are more dependent on their ancestors than
the White men?
Seattle
says that the ashes of his ancestors are sacred and their resting place is
hallowed ground. They love to stay in the land where their ancestors’ memories
are alive. Whereas the Whites wander far from their ancestors’ graves. The
Whites once they are dead, forget their native land and never return. The dead
of the Red men will never forget their native land and year to visit this
beautiful land.
5. What
does Seattle say about Christianity?
The
White men followed Christianity and it was written by the iron finger of their
God, symbolising strict adherence to rules and principles. The God of this
religion is partial and has forsaken his Red children. Seattle says that this
God loves only his paleface children and not the natives.
Extract
VI
Your
dead cease to love you and the land…….console them.
1. Why
do the dead of the White men cease to love their land and their people?
This
is because they never connect with their land their people spiritually. Their
relationship with their land and their people is not sacred or holy; it is materialistic. As soon as they die, the link to their
earthly life breaks and devoid of spiritualism they are incapable of an
afterlife.
2. On
the other hand, what do the dead of the Red man do to their living?
The
dead of the Red man never forget their native land where they lived. They still
love its verdant valleys, its murmuring rivers, its magnificent mountains,
sequestered valleys and verdant lined lakes and bays, and ever yearn to visit
this place again. Moreover the spirits of the dead keep visiting to guide,
console and comfort the living.
3. What
propel was put forward to the Red man by the Great Chief?
The
Red men should surrender their native land to the Whites. In return of this,
the Whites will protect them foreign attack from the Haidas and Tsimshians. The
Whites are willing to allow them to enough land to live comfortably.
4. What
is the impact of the proposal on the Red man and the White man?
The
Native Americans will have to leave
their native land where their ancestors are resting in eternal peace. They lose
their land which is full of memories. The land that they have been asked to
sell is sacred for them.
The
Whites unjustly exercising authority over them. The Whites are powerful in
terms of their army and navy that the Red Indians need to bow down. The Whites
are willing to allow them enough land to live comfortably which is symbolic of
their master-slave relationship.
5. What
role do the dead Red men play for the living? How do the dead Red men show that
they are an intimate part of nature?
The
Native Americans would be transported to a reality beyond what is felt by the senses. The ‘shores’, ‘the pathless
woods’, ‘the field’ would never be empty
of their spirits. This land will make them eternal. “In all the earth there is
no place dedicated to solitude,’ and hence they will be a part of land forever.
Their spirits would still love ‘this beautiful land’ and its ‘magnificent
mountains’ and ‘sequestered vales.’ Their death here would not be death but
only a gateway to the eternal world.
Extract
VII
Tribe
follows tribe, ad nation……we may be brothers after all. We will see.
1. How
has the Chief shown earlier that he is not happy about the fate of his people?
He
feels as if not a single star of hope hovers above the natives’ horizon. The
winds moan and grim fate follows them. Their situation is similar to a wounded
doe that is being hunted down. Moreover he feels that in a few more years,
their race will disappear. This is how he reflects his unhappiness about the
fate of his people.
2. How
is the order of nature referred to by the Chief? How does he hint that justice
will be done at the end?
Every
person, tribe, or culture that is risen to great glory would definitely meet
its fall one day and that would be surely be the day of justice. Seattle
believes that time will come when the Whites would also be moving towards their inevitable doom.
3. What
is referred to: ‘White man’s God who walked and talked with him?’
This
is a reference to the Biblical God and his ten commandments that always
supported and guided the White men.
4. Give
the meaning and significance of:
‘We
may be brothers after all.’
Seattle
believes that White settlers too will have their decay one day. It would be
then that the White men and Red men would share a common destiny. They would be brothers only when the Whites
would be able to empathise the Red men.
5. What
could be the common destiny of man? Give the hints given in the extract to show
that the Chief foresees the unity of all human beings?
The
common destiny of man is that his decay is inevitable. It is through the White
man’s decay the Seattle foresees the unity of all beings. He says: ‘we may be
brothers after all. We will see.’
Extract
VIII
In
all the earth there is no place dedicated…..the White man will never be alone.
1. Explain
why there is no place dedicated to solitude.
This
is because even after the last native has perished ‘shores will swarm with the
invisible dead’ of Seattle’s tribe. The natives’ love for their land makes them immortal. Thus, the Whites
will never be alone.
2. When
do the shadowy spirits visit the places?
The
shadowy spirits visit the places at nights when the streets of the Whites’
cities are silent and it is falsely believed that they are deserted.
3. When
would the memory of the tribe be a myth among the White men?
The
memory of the tribe would become a myth among the White men when the last Red
man shall have perished from the natives’ land, but this would be momentary as
it would the ‘swarm with the invisible
dead of the tribe.’
4. What
is the attitude of the dead towards the objects of nature?
Native
Americans even after death don’t forget
the world that gave them their being and identity. They keep on loving its
valleys, its rivers, its magnificent mountains, and its lakes. The dead feel
one with the nature and its surroundings.
5. Explain
how does the speech of the Chief reflect upon the theme of changing human life
to another form.
The
Native Americans would be transported to a reality beyond what is felt by the senses. The ‘shores’, ‘the pathless
woods’, ‘the field’ would never be empty
of their spirits. This land will make them eternal. “In all the earth there is
no place dedicated to solitude,’ and hence they will be a part of land forever.
Their spirits would still love ‘this beautiful land’ and its ‘magnificent
mountains’ and ‘sequestered vales.’ Their death here would not be death but
only a gateway to the eternal world. They will only change their world and
hence will become immortal. He ends his speech with the assertion that ‘there
is no death, only a change of worlds.’
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)