Glossary:
ethics : moral values of human conduct
fall (n) : autumn
rembrandt : Rembrandt Harmenszoonvan Rijn (1606-69), Dutch painter, noted for his handling of shade and light, especially in his portraits
opt : choose
report : tell about
drafty (adj) : characterized by or admitting currents of air, usually uncomfortable.
eschew : avoid
C1. Answer the following questions in a se ntence each:
- What question did the teacher ask every time?
Answer: The question did the teacher ask every time is “If there is a fire in a museum, which would you save, a Rembrandt painting or an old woman who hadn’t many years live?”
2. Were the children able to answer the question correctly?
Answer: No, The children were not able to answer the question correctly. Sometimes children answer a Rembrandt painting and many times they choose the answer as an old woman.
3. The children responded to the question ____ half- heartedly. _______.
a) by debating on the question enthusiastically
b) half- heartedly.
c) by giving different answers at different times.
Answer: half- heartedly.
4. Where is the speaker working when the speaker narrates this incident?
Answer: The speaker working in the museum when the speaker narrates this incident.
5. What had the speaker realized after many years?
Answer: The speaker realized after many years that woman and painting and season are almost one and all beyond saving by children.
C2. 1. Pick out the expression in the poem that indicates that the question did not interest the children.
Answer: The expression in the poem that indicates that the question did not interest the children are,
i)The expression ‘half heartedly’ in the poem that indicates that the question did not interest the children.
ii) ‘Restless on hard chairs caring little for pictures or old age’ also indicates that the question did not interest the children.
2. The children were “restless on hard chairs” because
a) they were eager to answer the question immediately.
b) they were unable to understand the ethics dilemma.
c) the hardness of the chair affected their calmness.
Answer: they were unable to understand the ethics dilemma.
3. The images “half-heartedly” and “half-imagined” could mean
a) the children perceived the idea of ethical responsibility very faintly.
b) the ethical dilemma was beyond their understanding and experience.
c) children could not understand the gravity of the question.
[Note: There could be more than one currect option.]
Answer: the ethical dilemma was beyond their understanding and experience.
C3. Discuss with your friends if the poem is only about a lesson of ethics learnt in school or if it offers something higher than this.
School is not a only place to learn a lesson of ethics. Like this poem in a museum also children can learn a lesson of ethics. We can learn ethics everywhere in between the people. The Poem suggests that Old people and is like a painting in a museum; need to be taken care of their children and people. It is the responsibility of our society. All things are cannot be learned inside the classroom and such lessons learn by experience and some places like museum. Old age is the time when they need to be protected and somebody taken care of like we do to old portraits in the museum. The story of the poem begins with classroom and it ends in museum. This indicates that we can learn lessons of ethics in outside the classroom also.
C4. List a few ethics you have to follow in the situations given below:
a) Place of work.
Answer: 1. Time – punctuality 2) Behaviour 3) Friendly and cooperative with colleagues 4) Morality
b) Place of learning (a school / class).
1) Time – punctuality 2) Prayer 3) Behaviour 4) Respect to teachers 5) Discipline 6) Helping others 7) neatness 8) Obedient
c) Place of worship.
1) Prayer 2) Neatness 3) Silence to make surroundings calm and quiet
d) Place of living.
1) Neatness and clean 2) be cooperative 3) Good human relationship
About the poet :
Linda Pastan was born in 1932 to a Jewish family in Bronx, New York. She graduated from Radcliffe College and received an MA from Brandeis University. She has many awards and honours to her credit. Pushcart Prize, Dylan Thomas Award, Alice Fay di Castagnola Award, the bess Hokin Prize are a few to name. She served as the Poet Laureate of Maryland. Linda Pastan now lives in Potomac, Maryland.
