ISC English Literature, Notes of Advice to Youth, Mark Twain

 

Chapter 2: Advice to Youth

Mark Twain

 

 

1.    What did the organisers ask Mark Twain to speak about? 

They said that the talk should be something didactic, instructive, or something in the nature of good advice.

2.    Briefly describe Twain's advice on obeying parents. 

He is sarcastic in his advice and says that the young should always obey their parents when they are present. He feels that this is the best policy because if they don’t obey the parents when they are present, they will force them to do so. He says that it is more beneficial to go along with the belief that the parents know better than the young and pretend to agree with their opinions or superstitions, rather than acting on one's own better judgement. The underlying idea is that conforming to the parents' views may bring more advantages or rewards than asserting one's own independent thinking.

3.    Briefly describe Twain’s on being respectful.

He says that the young should be respectful to their superiors, strangers, and others. If a person offends the young and they are not sure if it was intentional or not, he advises that they should not resort to extreme measures but wait for their chances and hit him with a brick. Later on, if you find that the offence was not intentional, be frank and confess your mistake without any inhibition. You can tell him you made the wrong impression when you struck him. He concludes his advice with a sarcastic note: Avoid violence because we live in an age of charity and kindness.

 

 

4.    What is Twain’s opinion about getting up early?

He says that it is wise to get up early. There are many instructions regarding the same given by the wise men: Get up with the sun, get up with one thing, get up with another, etc. Twain feels that a lark is the best thing to get up with because it gives you splendid reputation that you get up with the lark. He further says that if you get up with right kind of lark, and train it well, you can wake up at half past nine with the lark.

5.    Briefly describe Twain’s opinion on the art of lying.

He opines that the young should be very careful about lying because they can be easily caught. If they are caught, they will never again be, in the eyes of the good and pure, what they were before. Many have lost their reputations through a single clumsy and ill-finished lie. He does not agree with the opinion that the young should not lie, but rather he feels that the young ought to be temperate in the use of this great art until practise and experience give them confidence, elegance, and precision. Patience, diligence, and painstaking attention are the most important requirements for crafting an enduring lie. The truth is not hard to kill, and a lie well told is immortal. The young should avoid feeble, leaky lies because such a lie has no more real permanence than an average truth. A feeble, stupid, or preposterous lie will not live more than two years, except a slander. A lie that is a slander against someone will be very difficult to disprove, and it can be very damaging to the person who is slandered.  Twain also says that a slander is "indestructible." This means that it can never be truly forgotten. Even if the person who was slandered is able to clear their name, the slander will always be there in the minds of some people. young should begin the practise of this great art as early as possible.

6.    What is Twain’s comment on the monument in Boston?

The sentence is referring to the Ether Monument in Boston, which is a monument to William T. G. Morton, who is credited with discovering the anesthetic properties of ether. However, there is some debate about whether Morton was actually the first person to discover the anesthetic properties of ether. Some historians believe that the credit should go to Crawford Long, who used ether to perform surgery in 1842, two years before Morton's famous demonstration at the Massachusetts General Hospital.

Twain's point in the sentence is that even though there is a monument to Morton in Boston, many people now know that he did not actually discover anesthesia. This is a reminder that even the most famous and respected people in history can be flawed. It is also a warning to young people not to be too quick to believe everything they hear.

The sentence is also a humorous way of pointing out the irony of the situation. A monument is a symbol of honor and respect, but in this case, the monument is honoring a man who may not have deserved it. This is a reminder that even the most well-intentioned actions can have unintended consequences.

7.    Briefly explain the expression ‘The most majestic compound fracture of fact which any of woman born has yet achieved.

The sentence "the most majestic compound fracture of fact which any of woman born has yet achieved" is a humorous and ironic statement that makes a point about the dangers of believing false statements. Twain is suggesting that people should be skeptical of statements that sound too good to be true, and that they should not blindly believe everything they hear.

The phrase "compound fracture" refers to a bone that is broken in multiple places. A "majestic" fracture would be one that is large and impressive. By saying that the statement "Truth is mighty and will prevail" is "the most majestic compound fracture of fact which any of woman born has yet achieved," Twain is saying that it is a lie that is so big and obvious that it is almost impressive.

Twain is also using the word "fact" in a double sense. In the literal sense, "fact" means something that is true. However, in the context of the sentence, "fact" can also mean a statement that is made to seem true, but is actually false. By using the word "fact" in this way, Twain is highlighting the fact that the statement "Truth is mighty and will prevail" is a lie.

8.    Describe the scene of the grandmother and the armed  grandson in your own words taking into account Twain’s humour.

Four days ago, adjacent to the farm house where Twain was summering, an old and sweet grandmother, one of the loveliest spirits in the land, was sitting at her work when her young grandson crept in and pointed at her an old and rusty gun that was not supposed to be loaded, laughing and threatening to shoot. In her fright, she ran screaming and pleading towards the door on the other side of the room, but as she passed him, he placed the gun almost against her breast and pulled the trigger. And nothing unexpected happened, as the boy believed the gun was not loaded.

First, the situation itself is inherently humorous. A young boy, thinking that an old gun is not loaded, points it at his grandmother and pulls the trigger. The grandmother is understandably terrified, but the gun is not loaded, so no one is hurt. The juxtaposition of the boy's thoughtless actions and the grandmother's fear creates a sense of absurdity that is the source of much of the humor in the passage.

Second, Twain's language in describing the incident is often playful and ironic. For example, he describes the gun as "an old, battered, rusty gun which had not been touched for many years and was supposed not to be loaded." The use of the word "supposed" here suggests that Twain is aware of the danger that the gun poses, even though it is not loaded. This creates a sense of suspense that adds to the humor of the passage.

Finally, Twain's tone in describing the incident is one of bemused amusement. He does not condemn the boy's actions, but rather seems to find them mildly amusing. This tone helps to create a light-hearted atmosphere that makes the humor in the passage more enjoyable.

In addition to the humor in the situation itself, Twain also uses a number of literary devices to create a humorous effect. For example, he uses hyperbole when he describes the grandmother's reaction to being threatened with the gun. He says that she "ran screaming and pleading toward the door on the other side of the room," which is a bit of an exaggeration. This hyperbole helps to make the grandmother's fear more comical.

Twain also uses understatement when he describes the boy's actions. He says that the boy "placed the gun almost against her very breast and pulled the trigger." This understatement makes the boy's actions seem more innocent and harmless than they actually are. This contrast between the boy's actions and the grandmother's reaction helps to create the humor in the passage.

Overall, the humor in Twain's narration of the incident of the boy who threatens his grandmother with a gun is derived from a number of sources. The situation itself is inherently humorous, Twain's language is playful and ironic, and his tone is one of bemused amusement. These factors combine to create a humorous passage that is both entertaining and thought-provoking.

9. Describe Mark Twain’s advice about the use firearms.

In his essay "Advice to Youth," Mark Twain offers some humorous but pointed advice about the use of firearms. He begins by telling a story about a young boy who points an unloaded gun at his grandmother. The boy believes that the gun is unloaded, and there is no harm done. However, Twain warns that even unloaded guns can be dangerous, and that young people should never point them at anyone.

Twain then goes on to describe the inaccuracy of young people with guns. He says that even a young person who cannot hit a cathedral with a Gatling gun can still "bag his grandmother every time" with an old musket. This is because young people are often careless and reckless when handling guns, and they do not take the time to aim properly.

Twain concludes his advice by saying that young people should stay away from guns altogether. He says that guns are "the most deadly and unerring things that have ever been created by man," and that they can cause "sorrow and suffering" to the innocent.

Twain's advice about firearms is still relevant today. Guns are still dangerous weapons, and young people should be careful when handling them. It is important to teach young people about gun safety, and to make sure that they understand the risks involved in using firearms.

 

 10.Briefly describe Mark Twain’s advice about reading.

In his essay "Advice to Youth," Mark Twain offers some advice about reading. He begins by saying that young people should read great works of literature, especially those that deal with morality and religion. He says that these works will help young people to build their character and to become better people.

Twain then goes on to warn young people about the dangers of reading "trashy" literature. He says that trashy literature is full of "falsehoods and obscenities," and that it can corrupt young people's minds. He urges young people to be selective about what they read, and to only read books that will enrich their lives.

Here are some specific books that Twain recommends:

Robertson's Sermons

Baxter's Saint's Rest

The Innocents Abroad

These books are all full of moral and religious instruction, and they can help young people to build their character. However, Twain also says that young people should not be limited to these books. They should read a wide variety of literature, and they should find books that they enjoy and that will challenge them intellectually.

 

 

Complete the following sentences by providing a reason for each in brief.

 

1.    Mark Twain said that he had a  few things in my mind which he had often longed to say for the instruction of the young because ……………………………………………………………

It is in one’s tender early years that such things will best take root and be most enduring and most valuable.

2.    Mark Twain advised the young to always obey the parents, when they are present because…………………………………..

This is the best policy in the long run, because if don’t obey the parents they will make you do so.

3.    Mark Twain advised the youth to get up with the lark because…………………..

It gives a reputation  with everybody that you get up with the lark

4.    Mark Twain said that you get up with the lark; and if you get the right kind of lark, you can work at him right because …………………….

You can train the lark to get up at half past nine every time.

5.    Twain says that young should be very careful about lying because…………………

They can be easily get caught. Once you get caught, you can never again in the eyes of the good and the pure, what you were before.

6.    Twain says that many a young person has injured himself permanently through  a single clumsy  and ill finished lie because…..

Of carelessness born of incomplete training

7.    Twain says that the young should be temperate in the use of the art of lying because…………….

Because only practice and experience shall give them the confidence, elegance and precision which alone can make  the accomplishment through lying graceful and profitable.

8.    Twain says that never handle firearms carelessly because…………………………………………

The sorrow and suffering that have been caused through the innocent and careless handling of firearms are terrible.

9.    Twain says that the young shouldn’t meddle with old unloaded firearms because………….

They are the most deadly  and unerring things that have ever been created by man.

10.                       Twain says that the young should read books because….

They are great, an inestimable, and unspeakable means of improvement.

 

Johnichan J

Department of English

St. Francis Junior College

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India's Heroes, Comprehension Level Questions and Answers

India's Heroes

Extract I.

“ Wonderful” Mrs Baruah said……a person and wish to emulate.”

(i)             Who is Mrs Baruah? Give her full name. Why does she exclaim ‘Wonderful’?

 Mrs. Baruah is a teacher, teaching the students of Class Eight. Her full name is Mrs. Reeta Baruah. She exclaims ‘wonderful’ when, in response to her question about the number of students who have completed their assignment, all the forty students raise their hand in affirmation.

(ii) What assignment did Mrs. Baruah give and to whom? What is the strength of the class? How do we know that the children had done the assignment?

Mrs. Baruah gave an assignment to the students of Class Eight to write what they would like to be when they grew up. There were forty students in the class. All the forty student raised their hands in affirmation when Mrs. Baruah asked them if they had completed their assignment.

(ii)           What else does the author write at the start of the story, which tells us that the students were eager to speak in front of the classmates? What does their eagerness indicate?

 According to the author, the students fidgeted and shifted in their seats before Mrs. Baruah entered. This shows their eagerness to speak in front of their classmates. Their eagerness indicated that they had completed their assignment and were interested in sharing it with their classmates.

(iv) Who was the first speaker? What did he speak of? Who was his idol?

Ajit Basu was the first speaker. He spoke about his desire of becoming the best cricketer in the world. Sachin Tendulkar was his idol.

(v) Name the next two speakers. What did they want to be when they grew up?

The next two speakers were Gayatri Chhabra and Sanjay Damle. Gayatri wanted to become a social worker, whereas Sanjay Damle wanted to become a pilot.

(vi) What is your opinion of Mrs. Baruah with regard to her profession? Give reasons for your answer.

 Mrs. Baruah was an accomplished teacher, who had a student-centred approach of teaching.

(a) She gave the students an assignment with which they could relate themselves, i.e., to write what they would like to be when they grew up. Consequently, all the students brought their completed assignments.

(b) She was a strict disciplinarian. That is why the students maintained strict discipline in her class and spoke only when their turn came.

Extract II.

Clearing his throat, he began…..who laid down his life fighting the terrorists in Mumbai in November, 2008.

 (i) Whom does ‘he’ refer to in the extract? How would you describe him as a student?

‘He’ refers to Kabeer. Kabeer seems to be a hard working and intelligent student. Though he was shy at making speeches before the entire class, he put in extra efforts to complete his assignment. He not only wrote something different from his classmates but also presented it with such confidence that he drew everybody’s attention and evoked the emotions of both his classmates and his teacher.

 (ii) Was ‘he’ very confident as ‘he’ stoop up to speak before the entire class? What tells you so?

No, he was not confident when he stood up to speak before the entire class. This is evident from the fact that his hands shook slightly and beads of perspiration appeared on his forehead, both being signs of nervousness.

(iii) What did the other children speak about? How was this speaker’s speech different from that of the other students?

The other children spoke about becoming social workers, pilots, movie stars, sportsmen and politicians. The speaker, unlike his classmates who spoke about the famous and successful personalities, spoke about the unsung heroes of India who laid down their lives to save the lives of their fellow countrymen, during the 2008 terrorist attacks on Mumbai.

(iii)         When did Major Sandeep Unnikrishanan become a part of the NSG? How had he served in the army before he joined the NSG?

 Major Sandeep Unnikrishnan joined NSG in January 2007. Before joining the NSG, he served two tenures with his battalion in counter-insurgency and counter-terrorist operations.

(v) Write, in your own words, the reaction of the students as the speaker spoke about the life of Major Unnikrishnan. What do you think could be the reason for such a reaction?

When the speaker spoke about the life of Major Unnikrishnan, there was complete silence in the class and everybody listened attentively. This was because the students were listening about the extraordinary sacrifice of a braveheart, who laid down his life, fighting the terrorists. It was different from the accounts of people about whom they had listened from their other classmates.

Extract III.

“ He guessed that something was wrong………Vishnu Zende’s cabin, but it missed him.”

(i)             Who was Vishnu Zende? What made him guess that something was wrong?

 Vishnu Zende was an announcer with the Mumbai railways for ten years. When he heard a loud explosion at one end of the railway platform and saw bloodstains on the clothes of some people, he guessed that something was wrong.

(ii)  What does Vishnu Zende’s staying at his position, in the face of danger, tell us about him? How did his announcements help the people?

Vishnu Zende’s act of staying in his position, in the face of danger speaks volumes of his courage, his selfless devotion to his duty and his presence of mind in the face of calamity. Vishnu Zende’s announcements from the public address system at the railway plaform helped hundred of passengers to move out of the platform from a different exit and thus saved their lives.

(ii)           What is the scene outside the classroom as Kabeer speaks about Mr Zende? Are the students affected by it?

The scene outside the classroom was noisy with the chirping of the birds, honking of cars and the younger childen enjoying their recess. No, the students were not affected by it. They remained unconcerned with what was happening outside and focussed their attention on Kabeer’s speech.

(iv) Who is the next hero that Kabeer speaks about? What role did he play during the terrorist attacks on Mumbai?

The next hero Kabeer spoke about was Karambir Singh Kang, the General Manager of the Taj Hotel, Mumbai. He helped in evacuating the guests and his staff from the hotel. He continued his duty even on being informed that his own wife and children had died of suffocation in the same hotel.7

(iv)         What loss did this hero suffer in the terrorist attacks? How? What was his  reaction  to that irreparable loss?

 This hero lost his wife and his children, as they died of suffocation on being trapped in a room in the Taj Hotel, which was attacked by the terrorists. Despite suffering an irreparable loss of losing his entire family, Karambir Kang did not give up his duty and continued to evacuate the guests safely from the hotel.

(v)           What qualities of this hero does Kabeer mention in his speech? Why does he attribute these qualities to him?

 Kabeer mentioned Karambir Kang’s loyalty and devotion to his duty. He attributed these qualities to him because even after suffering an irreparable loss of losing his entire family, he did not quit his job and remained at the Taj hotel and helped to restore the heritage structure of the hotel.

Extract IV.

Hemant Karkare was a brave office……………to make our tomorrow terror-free.

(i)             What was Hemant Karkare’s designation during the Mumabi terrorist attacks? How did he do his duty during the attacks?

 Hemant Karkare was the Chief of the Anti-Terrorism Squad. He pursued the terrorists in a jeep, without caring for his own life.

(ii) Who were Hemant Karkare’s other two companions? How did the three lose their lives?

Hemant Karkare’s companions included DIG Ashok Kamte and Vijay Salaskar. The three lost their lives, when they were gunned down by terrorists, whom they were pursuing in a jeep.

(iii) What does the role of Hemant Karkare and his comrades during the Mumbai terrorist attacks tell us about them?

Hemant Karkare and his two comrades DIG Ashok Kamte and Vijay Salaskar, were true patriots, who considered their duty before self and sacrificed their lives while fighting the terrorists.

(iv) What is the reaction of the speaker, the students and the teacher at this point in the story?

 The speaker had goose bumps on his arms whereas the students in his class became emotional. Their teacher, Mrs. Baruah became so emotional that tears welled up in her eyes.

(vi)         Who does Kabeer speak about next? What role did he play during the Mumbai terrorist attacks?

 Kabeer next spoke about Mohammed Taufeeq Sheikh, popularly known as Chottu Chaiwala, who ran a tea stall outside CST station, Mumbai. He helped to transport the victims of the terrorist attack to the nearby St. George Hospital and thus, saved their lives.

Extract V.

Sandra saved Moshe……..terrorists to be buried there.

(i)             Who was Sandra? How was she associated with Moshe?

 Sandra Samuel was an Indian nanny to two-year-old Moshe Holtzberg, who neither belonged to her nationality nor her religion. She saved Moshe’s life during the 2008 terrorist attacks in Mumbai, in which Moshe’s parents were killed.

(ii)  What does the action of the caretakers of Kabristans tell us about these people? What did they prove by their action?

The action of the caretakers of the Kabristans in refusing to allow the dead terrorists to be buried there tells us that they were above all social barriers. They proved by their action that man’s supreme duty is to love and respect other human beings and that no religion is above humanity.

(iii)  What, according to Kabeer, is the only true religion in this world? What do you think of him from his speech?

According to Kabeer, the only true religion in the world is love and respect for all human beings. From his speech, Kabeer comes out to be a person, who not only values courage, fearlessness, selflessness and caring for other but also practises it.

(iv)  What was the reaction of the class when Kabeer’s speech ended? What effect did his speech have on Mrs Baruah?

The whole class was touched by Kabeer’s speech. It stirred up their emotions and tears welled up in their eyes. Mrs. Baruah was on the verge of crying but she hid her tears from her students by dabbing her eyes with a handkerchief to wipe her tears.

(v) What was Mrs. Baruah’s opinion of the students as she stood watching them at the end of Kabeer’s speech?

Mrs. Baruah felt proud to see her students cherish the virtues of peace, tolerance, sense of duty and selflessness. She was of the opinion that her students would act as pillars to uphold the virtues of peace, tolerance and selflessness in an India that would one day be terror free and lead the world.

The Professor, Comprehension Level Questions and Answers

The Professor

Extract I

By God’s grace……..family must have black sheep.

(i) What does the speaker mean by saying ‘all my children are well settled in life”?

The speaker wants to say that all his children, i.e., his sons are economically well off and his two daughters are happily married.

(ii) What does the speaker want to convey when he says, “ Both have cars?” What does it convey about the Indian society?

By saying, “Both have cars”, the speaker wants to convey that both his sons are well off and have a status in society. It conveys that in Indian society the worth of an individual is measured more by his financial status than anything else.

(iii) Who is the ‘Other’ referred to in the above lines? Why does the speaker  say that he is not  doing ‘so well’?

The “other” is a reference for the speaker’s third son. The speaker says that he is not doing “so well” because in comparison to his

other two sons, who have managerial jobs and are economically well off, he is not as successful as they are.

(iv) What does the speaker mean by ‘Every family must have black sheep”? Who is the black sheep in the speaker’s family? Why?

By saying, “Every family must have black sheep”, the speaker intends to say that in every family there is a person, who is different from the rest of the family and is an embarrassment to the family. The speaker considered his third son as the black sheep in his family because he was not as well off as his other two sons.

(v) How does the extract show that many Indians value economic success more than academic success?

The extract shows that Indians value economic success more than academic success through the speaker’s attitude, who measures the success of his two sons by their managerial jobs and the cars they owned.

Extract II

Sarala and Tarala are…….I am not against.

 (i) Who are ‘Sarala and Tarala’? Which practice of naming do they show in our society?

Sarala and Tarala are the speaker’s daughters. The practice of giving rhyming names to the siblings like ‘Sarala and Tarala’ is shown in this extract.

(ii) What does the speaker say about the marriage of his daughters? What trait of the Indian society is hinted at by the speaker’s comment about the marriage of Sarala and Tarala?

The speaker says that his two daughters ‘Sarala and Tarala’ are happily married to nice boys. The speaker’s comment about the marriage of Sarala and Tarala hints at the gender bias prevalent in Indian society, which considers the success of a man by his economic status and a woman’s by getting married to a nice boy.

(iii) What does the speaker mean when he says “ how many issues you have?” Whom is he asking this question?

 By saying, “How many issues you have”, the speaker wants to enquire from his student about the number of children he has. He is directing this question to his former student.

(iv) Why does the speaker say ‘That is good’? What is the ‘good’ that he is talking about?

 In reply to his former student’s remark that he has three children, the speaker says “That is good”. The speaker considers his student having three children as “good”.

(v) What is that which the speaker is not against? What is the irony in this statement?

The speaker is not against family planning. The irony in this statement is the fact that though the speaker says that he is not against family planning, yet he feels proud at having eleven grandchildren.

(vi)How far is the poem a satire on the urban Indian way of life?

 The poem The Professor is a satire on the urban Indian way of life as it satirises:

(a) the urban Indian society, which measures the success of a man by his economic success rather than his academic excellence.

(b) gender bias present in Indian society which believes that woman should be happily married and confined within the four walls of their domestic life.

(c) the pretence of the urban Indians, who consider it as a prestige to speak in a foreign language rather than their mother tongue.19

Extract III

We have to change……with leaps and bounds.

 (i) Why does the speaker say that ‘ We have to change with times?” What does it show about the character of the speaker?

The speaker says that “we have to change with times” because he feels that since the whole world is changing, so we should also change with the changing times. It shows the pretence of the speaker, who feels that we should change with the changing times, but in reality, he himself clings to the old traditions and does not want to change.

(ii) What is that with which India is also ‘keeping up’?

 India is “keeping up” with the changes and development going on in the world.

(iii)  What according to the speaker is happening  to ‘values’? Why?

According to the speaker, new values are replacing the old ones. He feels so because of the rapid changes taking place in society.

(iv) Why according to the speaker ‘Everything is happening with leaps and bounds’?

According to the speaker, “Everything is happening with leaps and bounds” because of the rapid changes and development that is taking place in Indian society and the world at large.

(v) The poet use of Present Continuous tense for simple present indicates the incorrect use of English by the Indians. Give two examples from the above extract of such usage.

 Examples of the use of Indian English in the extract are:

(a) We are keeping up. Our progress is progressing.

(b) Old values are going, new values are coming

Extract IV

I am going out rarely…..sound habits in youth.

(i) Why does the speaker say that he rarely goes out? What is the ‘price of old age’ which the speaker has to pay?

The speaker says that he rarely goes out because of his old age. The “price of old age” which the speaker has to pay is that he rarely goes out.

(ii) What does the speaker tell us about his health in the above lines?

 The speaker says that apart from usual aches and pains associated with old age, he is hale and hearty without any major disease like diabetes, blood pressure or heart attack.

(iii) What reason does the speaker ascribe for his good health?

The speaker ascribes his good health to sound habits practised by him in his youth.

(iv) What according to you might have been the ‘sound habits’ followed by the speaker  in his youth?

The sound habits followed by the speaker in his youth might have been — eating balanced diet, regular exercise and abstaining from smoking and drinking.

(v)  Explain the main theme of the poem.

The main theme of the poem is the hypocrisy and pretence of the urban Indian middle class, which measures the success of an individual in terms of wealth and status rather than academic excellence.

Extract V

This year I am sixty-nine….house’s backside

(i)  What does the speaker mean by saying ‘hope to score a century’?

By saying “hope to score a century”, the speaker wants to say that he hopes to live upto the age of hundred.

(ii) What is meant by ‘man of weight and consequecne’? To whom and why does the speaker say that he is a ‘man of weight and consequence?”

“Man of weight and consequence” means a man, who is physically healthy, economically sound and has a status in society. The speaker says these words to his former student because he finds him physically healthier than what he was earlier and also because of his status in society.

(iii) What is the ‘good joke’ the speaker is referring to in the above lines?

The “good joke” referred to by the speaker is that his former student, who is now healthier, once used to be thin like a stick.

(iv) Give an example of Indian English used by the speaker in the above lines.

Example of Indian English used by the speaker in the given lines is:

(a) You were so thin, like stick. (Stock usage of Indian English)

(b) If you were coming this side by chance. (Use of Present Continuous Tense instead of Simple Present Tense)

(c) I am living just on opposite house’s backside. (Direct translation of the local language)

(v) How far is the title of the poem appropriate?

 The title of the poem is quite apt because:

(a) the entire poem revolves around the character of a retired Professor, his life, his thoughts and actions.

(b) through the character of the Professor, the poet has ridiculed the urban, educated, middle class of India, its hypocrisy and pretense.