2. An Elementary school classroom In A slum class 12th CBSE NCERT poem
summary with explanation and questions answers
(Stephen spender)
[ Introduction]
The poem ‘An Elementary school classroom in a slump’ deals with social injustice and inequality. In this poem, spender expresses his ideological position on government, economics and education. The poem was written in support of the civil right movement in America. The poet was concerned about the racial discrimination and the denial of opportunities to the poor people living in pathetic conditions. He attacks the capitalistic economics which is driven by profit motive and which helps only the rich to be become richer while pushing the poor to a corner where all the Windows of opportunities are shut upon them. The poem is a socialist proclamation against capitalism and social injustice in general. According to the poet, the fruits of education and the freedom should reach the downtrodden society if it has to be of any use.
SUMMARY WITH EXPLANATION
In the first stanza, he describes the miserable condition of the children in a school located in a slump area. They are malnourished, sick and hungry. They look like rootless weeds and are very thin due to abject poverty. What they have inherited from their parents is poverty and disease. Their physical and mental growths have been stunted. Even the classroom in which they is painted in a very dull cream color symbolizing the bleak future of these children.
On the other hand, in the second stanza, the poet gives us a glimpse about the world of the rich and prosperous through the pictures that are hung on the wall. These have been donated by some rich people, but ironically these children who live in this’ dark holes’ of the slum are only tempted to steel by seeing this prosperous world. In the third stanza, the poet calls Shakespeare wicked because his picture is hung in a classroom where no quality education is imparted. In the last stanza, he urges all concerned to take appropriate measures so that these children too can get good education which in the long run can give them quality life and open before them the doors of opportunities.
EXTRACT FROM COMPREHENSION
Read the extracts and answer the question that follows :
1. Far far from gusty waves these children’s faces.
Like rootless weeds,the hair torn round their pallor :
Seeming boy, with rats eyes.
Questions :
(i) where do you think are these children sitting?
(ii) why is the head of the tall girl weighed-down?
(iii) what do you understand by ‘The paper-seeming boy, with rat’s eyes?
(iv) Described the appearance of the children.
Answers :
(i) These children are sitting in an elementary school classroom in a slum.
(ii) The head of the tall girl, sitting in the class is weighed-down because she is depressed and keeps her head down under the burden of sad thoughts.
(iii) One of the boys sitting in the classroom is as thin as paper and there is hunger in his eyes. Like a rat he is greedily looking for food.
(iv)The faces of the children appeared to be pale with the unkempt and untidy hair scattered all over.
2 …………………. And yet, for these
Children, these windows, not this map,
their world,
Where all their future’s painted with a fog,
A narrow street sealed in with a lead sky
Far far from rivers, capes, and stars of words.
Questions :
(i) what does the map on the wall signify?
(ii) who are “these” children? What is their world like?
(iii) what kind of future does the poet foresee for them?
(iv) Explain ‘Far far from rivers, capes and stars of words’.
Answers :
(i) The map on the wall signifies the exclusive world of the rich and prosperous people.
(ii) “These” are the poor and deprived children who study in an elementary school in a slum area. For these children, their classroom and its Windows constitute their world. They are confined to this slum and are denied of the opportunities of the outside world.
(iii) The future of the children of the slum school is uncertain and bleak. It is covered with the fog of ignorance and uncertainty. There is no hope for them as they are not getting quality education.
(iv) ‘stars of words’ refers to the world of literature. The type of the education these children receive has nothing to do with the world of literature. In this school they receive hardly any education.
3. ………………………….. And yet, for these
Children these windows not this map their world
Where all their future’s painted with a fog,
A narrow street sealed in with a lead sky
Far far from rivers, capes and words.
Questions :
(i) what do the ‘windows’ and the ‘map’ symbolize?
(ii) what the children hold for these children?
(iii) Explain the phase ‘stars of words’.
(iv) what does the fog mean in the above lines?
Answers :
(i) ‘windows’ symbolize the life of these children which is confined to this slum. They are undernourished, and underprivileged . They lead a poverty stricken life. On the other hand, ‘map’symbolize the world of opportunities outside where the rich live and prosper. This is the world of the privileged and the rich where the children have no access.
(ii) There future is bleak dreary,dull and depressing. It is uncertain, hazy and not bright or promising.
(iii) ‘stars of words’ refers to the light of education, literacy which is far away from these children’s world.
(iv) ‘Fog’ in the above line refers to the polluted air hanging above the slum area. It also means hazy and unclear. The poet means to say that the future of these children is uncertain and bleak.
4. ……………………… On their slag heap, these children
Wear skins peeped through by bones and spectacles of steel
With mended glass, like bottle bits on stones.
All of their time and space are foggy slum.
So blot their maps with slum as big as doom.
Questions :
(i) which two images are used to describe these slums?
(ii) what sort of life do these children lead?
(iii) what idea does the poet convey through the expression ‘ wear skins peeped through by bones’?
(iv) pick out the synonym of’ have a look’ from the extract.
Answers :
(i) ‘slag heap’ and ‘mended’ glass, like bottle bits on stones are used to describe these slums which highlight the dreary condition of this place.
(ii) They lead a life of deprivation and hunger. They are denied of quality education to improve their living conditions in the long run.
(iii) Through the expression ‘wear skins peeped through by bones’ the poet convey the idea that these children are malnourished and bonny. They have hardly any flesh on their body and one can see their bones projected out through the skin.
(iv) peeped.
5. Unless, governor, inspector, visitor,
This map becomes their window and these windows
That shut open their lives like catacombs,
Break O break open till they break the town.
Questions :
(i) what do the windows and the map symbolize ?
(ii) what role should the governor, inspector and visitor play?
(iii) Explain the reference to ‘catacombs’.
(iv) Give the name of the poem and poet.
(i) ‘windows’ symbolize the life of these children which is confined to this slum. Here they are undernourished and underprivileged. They lead a poverty stricken life. On the other hand’ map’ symbolize the world of opportunities where the rich live. This is the world of the privileged and the rich where these children have no access.
(ii) The governor, inspector and visitor are all the makers of policy. If they frame education their future can be changed. The door of opportunities Can be opened to them too.
(iii) ‘catacombs’ are subterranean cemeteries. Like the ‘black holes’ of Kolkata, these children live in crowded slums which are like catacombs. Catacombs also symbolize darkness and illiteracy that surrounds them.
(iv) Poem : An Elementary school classroom in slum
Poet: Stephen spender.
( Textbook Questions)
Q1. Tick the item which best answers the following :
(a) The tall girl with her head weighed-down means
The girl __________.
(i) is ill and exhausted
(ii) has her head bend with shame
(iii) has untidy hair
(b) The paper seeming boy with rat’s eyes means_______.
The boy is
(i) sly and secretive
(ii). Thin, hungry and week
(iii) unpleasant looking
(C) The stunted, unlucky heir of twisted bones means
The boy_______.
(i) has an inherited disability
(ii) was shot and bonny
(d) his eyes live in a dream, A squirrel’s game in tree room other than this means
The boy is_______.
(i) full of hope in the future
(ii) mentally ill
(iii) destructed from the lesson
(e) The children’s face are compared to ‘rootless weeds’
This means they_________.
(i) are insecure
(ii) are ill- fed
(iii) are wasters
Ans.( a) ( i ) is ill and exhausted
(b) ( ii ) thin, hungry and week
(C) ( i ) has an inherited disability
(d) ( i ) distracted from the lesson
(e) ( i ) are ill-fed.
Q2. What do you think is the color of ‘sour cream’? Why do you think the poet has used this expression to describe the classroom walls?
Ans. The color of ”sour cream”. The poet has used this expression to highlight the future of children who study here which is dull like the cream walls of the classroom. As they are defined of a quality education their future is bleak and uncertain.
Q3. The walls of the classroom are decorated with the pictures of “Shakespeare”,
“building with domes”, “world map” and beautiful valleys. How do these contrast with the world of these children?
Ans. The pictures of Shakespeare, buildings with domes, world maps and beautiful valleys represent the civilized world. These are in complete contrast to the world of these children sitting in the classroom. They are poor, underfed and deprived in every way. They live in grim and pathetic conditions. This world of the children is obviously in contrast to the civilized world as represented by the pictures on the walls around. Ironically, Shakespeare’s portrait does not offer any hope for these children.
Q4. What does the poet want for the children of the slum? How can their lives be made to change?
Ans. In this poem, the poet concentrates on the theme of social injustice and class inequalities. He carves out a realistic picture of the poverty stricken children living and studying in a slum area. They do not have the basic amenities. Their lives are full of miseries and pain. According to him, the lives of these children can be changed if only those who control the economic policies take appropriate measures so that good quality education is imparted to these poor children who can reap benefit of it in the long run and re- write the history of poverty with that of development and prosperity.
(Some other Questions)
Q1. What theme does the poet explore in the poem ‘An Elementary school classroom in slum’?
Ans. The poet explores the themes of social injustice and class inequality. According to him, the students who study in the school situated in the slum area don’t benefit out of it. On the classroom walls are the pictures of the outside world which is very prosperous. But the fate of these children is that they are inclined to stealing rather than change the fate of their lives with quality education.
Q2. Describe the condition of the children in the elementary classroom in a slum.
Ans. The children in the elementary school classroom have their faces looking like rootless weeds, and their hair has fallen around their pallor face. There is tall girl weighed-down with lot of responsibilities of life. There is another boy with rat’s eyes, stunted, and he narrates the woes of his father’s sickness. At end the classroom there sits a small child who looks playful and he has got dreams in his eyes.
Q3. What does the poet wish for the children of the slums?
Ans. The poet wishes that the children of the slums must be allowed to breathe in the open air and be a part of the civilized world. They should be properly educated. Their world should extend to the sky, blue waves, rising over the golden sands.