FLAMINGO

CHAPTER (POETRY) - 1
MY MOTHER AT SIXTY-SIX

SUMMARY
My mother at sixty-six is a poem whose author is Kamala Das. This poem defines the
fear of the author of losing her mother. Ageing is an inescapable phase of every human’s
life. A person enters their childhood, experiences adolescence when they are energetic
and have so many dreams. Finally, every person approaches their old age and then they
die. Relationships between people become much stronger in every phase of life. No one
can’t bear the separation from their loved ones just because of ageing. Firstly, when the
author is going to the Cochin airport with her mother she looks at her carefully and
presents before us her image. As she looks at her mother’s soft and whitish face, she gets
stuck with the fear of losing her mother. Her mother with a sleepy face and open mouth is
comparable to a corpse. Here, the author shows love and affection in a relationship
between a mother and a daughter. The poet is hurt and sad and shifts her attention outside
the car for driving out the undesirable feelings. She changes her bad mood. The scene
from the window of the car is of rising life and energy. The fast sprinting green and huge
trees alongside the cheerfully playing kids represent life, youth, and vitality in contrast to
her mother who symbolizes lifelessness. The poet here is remembering her own
childhood. In her childhood, her mother was young and beautiful. Whereas now her
mother is surrounded by the fear of losing her life and that made her insecure and sad.

VOCABULARY
1. Sprinting - running
2. Wan - colorless
3. Corpse - dead body
4. Spillling - coming out (here)
THINK IT OUT
Q1. What is the kind of pain and ache that the poet feels?
When the poet sees the pale and corpse-like face of her mother, her old familiar pain or
the ache returns. Perhaps she has entertained this fear of being separated from her mother
since her childhood. Ageing is a natural process. Time and ageing spare none. Time and
ageing have not spared the poet’s mother and may not spare her as well. With this ageing,
separation and death become inevitable. This thought of her mother aging and losing her
caused the poet pain.

Q2. Why are the young trees described as ‘sprinting’?

The poet is driving to the Cochin airport, accompanied by her mother, she realizes that
her mother is aging and has a sudden fear of losing her to death. She tries to get distracted
from this terrifying thought by looking out of the car window and sees the young trees
sprinting. Sprinting here meand running fast. The trees appear to run faster than ever and
move backwards as the car moves ahead.

Q3. Why has the poet brought in the image of the merry children ‘spilling out of their
homes’?
The author on the way to Cochin airport sees children coming out of their homes from the
window of her car. When the poet sees the pale and corpse-like face of her mother, her
old familiar pain or the ache returns. Perhaps she has entertained this fear since her
childhood. Ageing is a natural process. Time and ageing spare none. Time and ageing
have not spared the poet’s mother and may not spare her as well. With this ageing,
separation and death become inevitable.

Q4. Why has the mother been compared to the ‘late winter’s moon’?
The poet’s mother is sixty-six years old. Her shrunken ‘ashen’ face resembles a corpse.
She has lost her shine and strength of youth. Similarly the late winter’s moon looks hazy
and obscure. It too lacks shine and strength. The comparison is quite natural and
appropriate.

Q5. What do the parting words of the poet and her smile signify?
The poet realizes that her mother is aging and getting older which brings her close to
death. She has a fear of losing her mother. Her parting words, “see you soon, Amma” are
a deliberate attempt to hide her pain and fear from childhood’s familiar ache. Similarly,
here smiles are a way to overcome the pain and to provide assurance to her mother.
CHAPTER - 1
THE LAST LESSON

SUMMARY
The last lesson is by the author Alphonse Daudet. The narration of this story is by a
French boy, Franz. Franz is a lazy boy. However, in spite of his laziness, Franz likes to
play and is of a sensitive nature. Furthermore, Franz hates his teacher M. Hamel is in his
school and has no interest in studying French. An order has come from Berlin after taking
over the districts of Alsace and Lorraine in France that the German language rather than
the French should be taught in the schools there. Furthermore, it is the school French
teacher M. Hamel’s last day. This teacher has been working there for forty years.
Moreover, the teacher has feelings of patriotism. He is also full of nostalgia and grief.
The village men also attend his ‘last lesson’ so as to honor and respect him. The village
is regretting and is sad that they didn’t learn their mother tongue in their childhood. Franz
receives a big shock when he learns that this is his last lesson in French. He is shocked
because he does not know French. Furthermore, on learning about the last lesson, a
sudden interest arises in him learning French. Moreover, he pays careful attention and
learns everything taught on this last day. Instantly, he develops a liking for the teacher M.
Hamel. His feelings of hatred for him suddenly came to an end. Moreover, Franz
develops respect for the hard work and sincerity of his teacher. Franz is sad and ashamed
for being unable to recite his lesson. Hamel explains that they all are at fault for lacking
eagerness to learn. Furthermore, he also includes himself in this fault. He blames himself
for lack of sincerity in teaching them. There is a reflection of his patriotism in his praise
for the French language. He says that the French language is the most logical and
beautiful language in the world. It seems that M. Hamel got emotional on this occasion.
Furthermore, he asks the class to guard their language. He says that being close to one’s
language is a way to escape the clutches of slavery. This language will assist them in
attaining freedom from the Germans. The people realize the significance of their mother
tongue. Moreover, they feel the reason for their defeat is illiteracy. Franz feels that it is
impossible to remove one’s language from a person. This is because it is something that
is natural to a person. This means that no matter how hard the opposition may try, they
will fail to remove one’s language. The Last Lesson summary reflects on the importance
of one’s language for any race and why it is crucial to safeguard it.
VOCABULARY -
1. Dread - great fear
2. Participles - lesson in French Grammar
3. Sawmill - a factory where you cut woods
4. Drilling - exercising
5. Town Hall - a government building
6. Apprentice - trainee
7. Great bustle - loud noise made by many people
8. Unison - same time
9. Rapping - striking
10. Commotion - noise, disturbance and confusion
11. Solemn - serious
12. Primer - basic read
13. Wrenches- unfortunate happenings

THINK AS YOU READ

Q1. What was Franz expected to be prepared for the day?
Franz was expected to prepare for French participles as M.Hamel was going to question
the students on participles on the day of the last lesson. But, Franz did not know the first
word about them and ran late for school that day.

Q2. What did Franz notice that was unusual about the school that day?
Franz describes that usually when school starts, there is great bustle; the sound of
opening and closing of desks; lessons are repeated in unison and the teacher is usually
rapping his great ruler on the table. But, on the day he was late there was something
unusual, the class was so silent. Everyone was quietly sitting on the seats. The second
thing was that M.Hamel normally scolds on being late to the class or punishes them with
his terrible iron rod but that day he didn't shout Franz and calmly let him in the class.

Q3. What had been put up on the bullet-in board?

For the last two years all the bad news had come from the bulletin-board. That day, an
order had come from Berlin to teach only German in the schools of Alsace and Lorraine.
This is the notice that the Germans had put up on the bulletin-board.

Q4. What changes did the order from Berlin cause in the school that day?
Berlin had conquered over the two cities of France, Lorraine and Alsace. They had been
ordered to cease teaching French in school and start teaching only German in the schools
of Alsace and Lorraine. This order made by Berlin caused many changes in the school. It
was the school's last lesson by M.Hamel. The students regretted not taking French
seriously. Even the villagers including, Mayor, Postmaster and old hauser attended the
lecture as they realized they had not given their mother language French so much
importance.

Q5. How did Franz’s feelings about M.Hamel and school change?
Franz was a lazy but sensitive boy. He hated his French teacher, M.Hamel. When he
learnt that it was M.Hamel’s last lesson and that he wouldn’t learn French again as Berlin
had ordered to start teaching German, he regretted that he had never learnt his lessons
properly. On the day of the last lesson, his attitude towards MHamel and school changed.
He realized the importance of learning French as he understood that he hardly knew how
to read or write French, that day he paid keen attention to the last class of M.Hamel and
easily understood everything taught on that day.

UNDERSTANDING THE TEXT

Q1. the people in this story suddenly realize how precious their language is to them.
What shows you this? Why does this happen?
After the districts of Alsace and Lorraine became part of Prussia, an order was passed
from Berlin that henceforth only German would be taught in the schools. While teaching
his last French lesson in the school, M. Hamel expressed his sadness over the fact that
Frenchmen would not be able to speak or write their own language. He praised French as
the most beautiful, clear and logical language. He asked his fellow Frenchmen to protect
their language as it is like a key to the prison they were about to be in. This made the
people realize how precious their language was to them. They attended the last lesson of
French.This also shows the people’s love for their country and culture which is reflected
through their love for the French language.

Q2. Franz thinks, “Will they make them sing in German, even the pigeons?” What could
this mean?
Language is inherent to culture and identity.Franz was quite shaken on hearing the news
that only German would be taught in the schools of Alsace and Lorraine. When Franz
wonders if the conquerors would even make the pigeons sing in German, it shows the
extent of his concern regarding the loss of his native language. He was worried that the
Germans would go to any lengths to establish their linguistic superiority and force the
French people to cut off ties with their motherland by depriving them of learning the
French language. This also means that no matter
VISTAS
CHAPTER - 1
THE THIRD LEVEL
SUMMARY
In New York, the Grand Central Station has two levels. Nonetheless, Charley a
31-year-old city resident talks that there exists a third level. Also, he claims that he has
been there. To talk about this problem he visits a psychiatrist friend. He calls it a
“walking-dream wish fulfilment” and explains Charley’s psychology by saying that “the
modern world is full of fear, insecurity, war, and worry…..” and everybody wants to
escape to some “temporary refuge from reality.” As for him, hobbies like stamp
collection is an indicator of this escape. At times the Grand Central Station seems like a
maze to Charley. While taking the subway earlier he had lost his way a couple of times.
One time he entered the lobby of the Roosevelt Hotel. While the other time he appeared
at an office building that was three blocks away. However, this time he loses his way and
something unique occurs. Charley visits the third level! In the silent hallway, Charley
keeps walking, turning left, and sloping downward, until he touches an architecturally old
station, which is totally different from the two familiar levels. Moreover, this old small
room with fewer ticket counters and train gates, a wooden information booth, wavering
open flame gas lights and brass spittoons. All this remind him of the architecture of the
1800s. Further, he sees people in outdated outfits. When he noticed the date in the
newspaper ‘The World’ he sees 11 June 1894. When he tries to buy two tickets, he
realizes that he needs old currency. He always wanted to travel to Galesburg with his
wife, Louisa. Back in his head, it is “a wonderful town still, with big old frame houses,
huge lawns, and tremendous trees….” The place has pleasant and long summer dusks and
where people have ample of time. Hence, the next day during lunch, he exchanges three
hundred dollars for old currency amounting to some two hundred only. In addition, the
amount doesn’t bother him as he believes that everything there will be cheaper. However,
he could never again find the corridor that leads him to the third level. When her wife
came to know about this she asks him to stop looking. Unexpectedly, his friend Sam
Weiner also disappear and his wife keeps on looking for him for in the weekends.
Moreover, Sam was the one whom Charley shares his idea about Galesburg. Charley
inherited the hobby of stamp collection from his grandfather. And someday while looking
at the stamp collection, Charley finds a letter that was earlier not there. Also, it has the
postmark on a faded six-cent stamp with a picture of President Garfield. Further, the
envelop read as 18 July 1894 to Charley’s grandfather in Galesburg and it addresses
Charley. In the letter, Sam tells Charley that he has reached Galesburg and he invites
Charley and Louisa there. After going to stamp and coin shop he gets to know that Sam
exchange eight hundred dollars for old currency bills to establish his business in
Galesburg. Besides, Sam was none other than Charley’s psychiatrist!
VOCABULARY

1. Waking dream wish fulfillment - in reality it is not there but you wish for it to
happen by seeing dream with open eyes.

READ AND FIND OUT

1. What does the third level refer to?

Answer. The third level is the place where Charley dreams and fantasizes about things, to
escape from reality. The third level does not exist in the real sense, it is just a place where
Charley interweaves fantasy with reality.

2. Would Charley ever go back to the ticket counter on the third level to buy tickets
to Galesburg for himself and his wife?

Answer. No, Charley did not go back to the ticket counter on the third level to buy tickets
to Galesburg for himself and his wife because he realized that the third level was his
imagination, his way of escaping from reality. Moreover, he could not find the door to the
third level the second time he reached the Grand Central with old currency.

READING WITH INSIGHT

1. Do you think that the third level was a medium of escape for Charley? Why?

Answer. Yes, the third level was a medium of escape for Charley since he hallucinated
the entire thing to get away from the burden, stress, and tension. The story says that the
night he had reached the third level, he was overworked in the office. This shows that he
was stressed. The story continues to tell us that he wanted to get back home to his wife
Louisa, which shows his desperation to find peace and escape from the situation he is in.
Additionally, the third level was an imagination of the time when life was peaceful,
people were less stressed, tensed, and used to live calm and peaceful lives. Thus, all of
this shows that Charley wanted an escape from the stress, and the third level kind of
fulfilled it for him by letting him escape from that stressful situation.
2. What do you infer from Sam’s letter to Charley?

Answer. Sam’s letter to Charley is again an escapism from reality. It’s an imagination and
extension of Charley’s hallucination. The letter dates back to 1894, again the time when
life was peaceful, it was sent to him by Sam, his friend and it talked about all the peaceful
things such as people playing piano, sitting on the porch, and Sam being invited for
lemonade. All these are indicators of peace and peaceful life, that Charley has been
craving for. The story also mentions that the letter was found in the box with cover letters
of his grandfather and that this was the first time Charley came across it. So, it can also
be looked at from the perspective that since Charley was going through the collection of
letters, which dated back to the time of his grandfather, he again found an escape from
reality and went on to hallucinate that Sam is asking for him and his wife to reach the
third level, to find peace.

3. ‘The modern world is full of insecurity, fear, war, worry and stress.’ What are the
ways in which we attempt to overcome them?

Answer. Yes, the statement is absolutely correct that today’s world is full of insecurity,
fear, war, worry, and stress. We are living in an era that relies on technology and the
technicalities associated with it. Since, we have started living a life filled with
smartphones, screens around us, fewer people, and more isolation, all of this will
eventually happen. In order to overcome these people should start accepting things,
accepting reality, adapting to it, taking time for yourself and your family, finding a
work-life balance, decreasing your screen time, and doing activities that bring you peace,
and make you feel at home.

4. Do you see an intersection of time and space in the story?

Answer. Yes, in multiple circumstances throughout the story, the intersection of time and
space can be seen. It starts from the third level, which does not even exist in the present
time but Charley feels that he is in the third level of the Grand Central station. The
description of the station, the ticket counters, the currency, the lamps, the people, their
dressing styles, the mustache, and the newspaper which dated back to 1894, are all
representations of the intersection between time and space. Since all of these things date
back to the 80s and 90s and Charley belongs to the present time, it is clear that there was
an intersection of time and space. Charley had gone to the third level to buy tickets for
him and his wife Louisa but the currency again belonged to the older times. At last, the
letter of 1894 which was written by Sam to Charley again is a representation of the
intersection of time and space since both of them belong to the present times but the letter
dates back to 1894.
5. Apparent illogicality sometimes turns out to be a futuristic projection. Discuss.

Answer. Yes, apparent illogicality sometimes turns out to be a futuristic projection

because illogicality needs inventions and discoveries. One person has to be illogical and
plan things to make inventions. All the inventions made in the world were just illogical
ideas before they actually turned into reality. An illogical idea is the seed for future
projection.

6. Philately helps keep the past alive. Discuss other ways in which this is done. What
do you think of the human tendency to constantly move between the past, the
present and the future?

Answer. Another way in which philately helps to keep the past alive is by storing things
that do not exist anymore. Such as letters, currencies, manuscripts, ancient utensils, etc.
should be saved and kept. Museums should be built to preserve such ancient and historic
items. This helps to keep the past alive, pass on the knowledge to future generations, and
extract knowledge about what was done, where we have come now, and what can be done
in the future. I think the human tendency to constantly move between the past, present,
and future is quite amazing, since it develops a connection between different time spaces.
People often long from where they have come and still want to grow in the future. The
curiosity about what our past was about led to discoveries of various monuments,
concepts, functions, and lifestyles of ancient people. We were able to learn about our
evolution. The curiosity of what will happen in the future also helps us prevent some
major mishappenings from taking place or maybe it can be used to reduce the effect of
the mishappening. For example: weather forecasting.