4.3 Around The World In Eighty Days

 Characters : 

Main Characters -

1) Phileas  Fogg  - Protagonist

2) Passepartout - A loyal servant/valet

3)  Aouda - Indian Princess

4) Detective Fix - Detective

Minor Characters - 

1) John Sullivan  - A banker

2) Samuel Fallentin  - A banker

3) Andrew Stuart - An  engineer

4)Gauthier Ralph - The Director of the Bank of England

5) Thomas Flanagan -The brewer

6) James Strand -A bank robber

7) Reverend Samual Wilson - A clergyman

A wager (bet)  among 5 Reform club friends( Sullivan, Fallentin, Andrew Stuart, Ralph, Flanagan) and Fogg .

Wager Amount : Twenty thousand pounds 

ROUTE : London --> Venice (Italy) -->Brindisi --> Suez (Egypt) --> Bombay ( Mumbai, India) --> Allahabad  (India) --> Calcutta (Kolkata, India) --> Singapore --> Hong Kong --> Shanghai ((China) --> Yokohama (Japan) --> San Francisco (USA) --> Omaha -->  New York (USA) -->to Queenstown  (Ireland)--> Dublin -->Liverpool --> London.

Journey started on 2nd October at 8:45 p.m. ended on 21st December at 8:45 p.m.

Character Sketch :

1)  Phileas Fogg : Phileas Fogg  is the protagonist of the novel 'Around  The World In Eighty Days.' He is calculative person, very punctual, living isolated life. He did not have any close friend or any relative.He was a member of Reform Club. He had a bet with his Reform Club friends of Twenty Thousand Pounds of travelling around the world in eighty days. He started his journey on  2nd October and it should be ended on 21st Dec. Nobody was sure that it is possible as there would be many unexpected hurdles. But he anyhow overcome all the obstacles and completed this journey within 79 days.Thus he won the wager unexpectedly as well as got a loyal valet in the form of Passepartout and a love in the form of Aouda.

2) Aouda :  Aouda is another major character. She was the daughter of Parsi merchant.She married to the old Raja of Bundelkhand. When Raja dies, she is about to be sacrificed as a Sati. When the protagonist  and his butler - Passepartout were in India, they rescued her. Thus, they kept her with them as they wanted to send her to her distant relative. But in  Hong Kong, they found out that  her distant relative has moved to Holland, so they decided to take her with them to Europe. Aouda feels indebted for her companions and gradually falls in love with Fogg. At the end of the novel, she proposes Fogg for marriage, though they believe  he has lost the wager, thus he became penniless. He accepts  and tells her that he also loves her. Then he wins the bet and they get married. Their marriage reveals the actual date. In this way, because of her, Fogg realises he has time to reach the Reform Club and Wins the wager.

3) Passepartout :  Passepartout is a newly appointed French butler/ valet of Phileas Fogg. He is one of the major characters in the novel. He is loyal, honest, selfless person who accompanies Fogg on his journey around the world. He is obedient, innocent, comical, softspoken, impulsive fellow. He helps the protagonist to accomplish the wager.

Themes : 

1) Adventure and excitement

2) Time

3) Importance of human connections

4) Honour

5) Presence of mind and wit

2.8 Small Towns and Rivers - Poetic Appreciation

 Write a poetic appreciation of the poem 'Small Towns and Rivers' with the help of following points:

* About the poem poet and the title

* The theme

* The language features, style, poetic devices used in the poem

* Message, values, morals in the poem

* Opinion about the poem 

* About the poem, poet and the title: The poem 'Small Towns and Rivers' is written by a great poet, novelist, journalist and a former civil servant from Itanagar, Arunachal Pradesh, Mamang Dai, who writes in English as well as Adi language. She is the recipient of Padmashree award and Sahitya Akademi Award. This present poem, 'Small Towns  and Rivers' is taken from the collection of the poems 'The River Poems', published in 2004. The poem describes a landscape and Nature where river is a dominant phenomenon. Here the poetess makes us aware that river is also a live thing around her hometown. She uses the sentences like 'river has soul' and 'river knows immortality of water'.

* The theme : The theme of this poem is 'death'. The poem is based on the belief of the tribal people from the North East, that the souls of the beloved ones always continue to dwell in the natural elements around. So she remembers death when she sees the emerging towns. Here she states that when the towns prosper, the nature has been destroyed. The poet has expressed anxiety at the development in the small towns.

* The language features, style, poetic devices used in the poem : The poem consists  seven stanzas. It is in free verse. There is the use of unusual length of poetic lines- some lines are short, some are little lengthier. The poet has used very simple, easy and lucid language so that the readers can easily understand the poem. The poetic devices like Metaphor, Onomatopoeia,Transferred Epithet, Repetition, Simile and Personification are used here in this poem. Here river has given a human quality of having a soul. The poem has an excellent visual imagery where she depicts river during summer and winter season. 

* Message, values, morals in the poem : The poet has mixed feelings for the Nature and towns. Through this poem, she appeals the people to conserve the Nature.

* Opinion about the poem : In my opinion this poem is simple, easy to understand with great message to conserve Nature. We have to take care of it.

2.7 She Walks In Beauty - Poetic Appreciation

 Poetic Appreciation of 'She Walks In Beauty'

 *About the poem/ poet/ title: "She Walks In Beauty" is a poem written by a famous English Romantic Poet, George Gordon Byron who is also known as Lord Byron.The poet belongs to the group of 'Younger Romantic'. The poem appreciates the enchanting beauty of an unnamed woman who is truly remarkable, having an aura or cloud.

* Theme : The theme of the poem is Beauty and Harmony. The poet not only praises her external beauty but also her I ner goodness which makes her so captivatingly attractive and flawless. The poet compares her to the night sky describing her serene and perfect beauty.

* Poetic devices, language and style : This is a short 18 lime lyrical poem celebrating female beauty. This poem consists three stanzas of six lines ie sestets of attractive rhymes. The rhyme scheme used in it is 'ababab'. The language is rich and complex which gives mystical quality to the woman in the poem. The poetic devices like Simile, Alliteration, Antithesis, Metaphor, Repetition, Personification, Inversion, Synecdoche add complexity of the poem. The poem is with full of visual imagery. He uses the pairs of contradictory words to describe the enchanting beauty of the woman.

* Values, message : The poet, Lord Byron gives message to the readers that the external beauty is the reflection of inner goodness.

* Opinion about the poem :  In my opinion, the poem is full of elegance. It creates the powerful impact on the readers' minds, making them understand the meaning of  being 'really beautiful'.

Writing Skill - Interview

 INTERVIEW WRITING

Important tips :

1) In interview, interviewer and interviwee are needed.

2) Interview duration should be 30 - 45 mins and should be short and compact.

3) Area of success of the interviwee should be mentioned clearly.

4) Venue,Date and time of the interview should be mentioned.

5) Interview questions (8 - 10) must be written along with background sentences.

6) The questions should be Wh- questions and  relevant to the situation.

7) Proper sequence of the interview questions should be followed.

8) The questions should be polite. Simpler questions should come first.

9) Suitable format  and presentation should be followed.

Example :

1) Imagine you have to conduct  an interview of a teacher who recently received the Ideal Teacher Award from the state government. Frame out introductory, probing and concluding questions.

Name of the interviewee
Area of success/reputation
Date/Venue/Time
Duration of interview

 

Decision
Idols
Support
Education
Training
Success
Dream/goals
Message

 Ans: 

Name of the interviewee	Shri. Arun Patil
Area of success/reputation	Teaching
Date/Venue/Time	6th Sept, 2025, Pragati College Auditorium
Duration of interview	45 Min.

Good morning, Sir. Congratulations on winning the Ideal Teacher Award.Sir, shall we proceed?

 Good

Decision	It is said  "Every career begins with an important choice."So what inspired you to choose this teaching profession?
Idols	"Great teachers are often guided bu their role models." then who has been your greatest role model in your teaching journey?
Support	"Behind every accomplishment lies strong support." In your case, who supported you the most  and how important was this support?
Education	"Education builds the foundation of  a teacher's career." How has your learning journey helped you to become a successful teacher?
Training	Sir, I am eager to know about how do you keep updating your knowledge and skills?
Success	You are honoured with Ideal Teacher Award and every award is a symbol of hard work, dedication and perseverance.Sir, according to you, what is the true measure of a teacher's success?
Dream/goals	What goals do you still wish to achieve in the field of education?
Message	What message would you like to give to the young hearts who wish to join this profession?

Marking Scheme :

Appropriate framing of questions      2 marks

Language and style                             1 marks

Overall impression                              1 marks

                                                     ----------------

Total                                                     4 marks

4.2 To Sir, With Love

GIST OF THE NOVEL

'To Sir, With Love' is an autobiographical novel by  E. R. Braithwaite, a Guyanese-born British- American novelist, teacher and diplomat. The narrator is an engineer who worked in an oil refinery,He served in the Royal British Air Force in the World  War II. After the war, being a black person he could not get a job.But to make both ends meet he accepts the job of a teacher at the Greenslade School in London's East End. The school is full of all notorious students who have been rejected from other schools for their behaviour.

Though he served in the Royal Air Force, the British do not consider him as one of them. He faced discrimination and racism  in London. This leads bitterness about the British, colonialism and his white students. He considers his students disrespectful, ill-mannered and mischievous while  his students consider him to be an arrogant outsider, unfamiliar with the social environment.

He uses different tactics to bring positive change in the behaviour of the students.He suggests the students to call girl students as 'miss' and boy students as 'sir'. Thus, he wants to nurture the feeling of adulthood and respectable person in his students. He also organises field trips and excursions to museums and theatres to increase the cultural exposure. In this way, he develops good bonding with his students. 

His students frequently disappoint and hurt  him but he learns to forgive them. The students constantly surprise him with their maturity, empathy and knowledge. Finally we observe positive change in the behaviour of the students.

 

CHARACTERS : 

Teachers -

        1) Ricky Braithwaite

        2) Mr. Weston

        3) Mrs.Dale-Evans

        4) Miss Phillips 

        5) Mr. Florian

   Students - 

        1)Denham 

         2) Miss Joseph 

         3) Potter 

        4) Sapiano 

        5) Miss Pegg 

        6) Jackson 

        7) Fernman 

        8) Miss Dare 

        9) Miss Dodd 

THEMES :

       1) Students-teacher relationship 

       2) Prejudice 

       3) Racism 

SETTING : 

      Period - Mid 1940's

       Time - 15th November, morning 10:00 am

       Place - Greenslade School, London's East End.

                     ( School Auditorium)

       Occasion - The Half -Yearly Report Presentation Programme 

Character Sketch -

1) Ricky Braithwaite : E R  Braithwaite is also known as Ricky Braithwaite. He is the writer and narrator of the novel 'To Sir ,With Love'. Being Black it was not possible for him to get a job after World War II. So he accepted a job of a teacher in Greenslade School in East London.  Many notorious students were admitted in this school.In the beginning the students were not ready to accept him as a teacher but finally using different tactics he became successful to bring positive changes in the behaviour of the students.

2) Denham : Denham was one of the most notorious students in the class of Braithwaite.He was a trained boxer. He represented the class of Braithwaite . He proceeded the Half Yearly Report Presentation Programme along with Miss Joseph. He raised the query related to PT and games class. But when Miss Philips,one of the panelists convinced him the importance of having the lecture of PT and gams, he accepted his defeat. 

Q1) Describe 'The half yearly report programme '.

Ans : The half yearly report program of the students' council was on 15th November in Greenslade School auditorium at 10:00 a.m. On this day, there was no assembly. The students arrived smartly dressed and polished.Miss Joseph and Denham were the important officials for the occasion. Meeting their colleagues, they were ensuring that each one was ready to play his or her part.  The program started with the inaugural address by the H.M. Mr Florian. Then Miss Joseph explained the purpose and its activities. Each class presented the report, through its representatives, on the studies. The reports began with the lowest class first. Class after class was represented. When all the classes had completed their reports, a panel of teachers had been invited and answered the questions raised by the students. Thus, this programme was arranged, presented and controlled by the students only.

Q2) 'To Sir, With Love' is an autobiographical novel. Elaborate. 

Ans : 'To Sir, With Love' is an autobiographical novel. This novel is written by the protagonist of the novel  E. R. Braithwaite. In this novel, the protagonist gives his personal experiences after the second world war in England. He was an engineer but being a black person he has been rejected at various job places because of racism. Finally he manages to get a job in Greenslade school, East End of London. There, he found out that the students in his class are very disrespectful and ill mannered. But when he changes his teaching techniques and the way to tackle the students, brought positive change in the behaviour of the students. This, this novel is an excellent example of students-teacher relationship.

Q3) Describe how Ricky Braithwaite manage to bring about a change in the behaviour of the students. 

Ans : Ricky Braithwaite used to scold the students but he discovered that scolding or outburst of anger is of no use. So he changed his methods of teaching and handling, he believed that they must be respected so that after if you weaks students start using expressions like "Miss" and "Sir" .Thus, they learn to respect each other. Hence, they develop good habits, manners and attitude. 

Q4) Describe in brief the plot of the extract from "To Sir, With Love".

Ans : The narrator of the novel,Ricky Braithwaite was an engineer by profession but being a black person he was not getting a job. So  he accepted the job of a teacher to earn his bread and butter.  Here also he was rejected by the students because of his colour. Later he changed the approach of students with his innovative techniques and ideas and won the heart of the students.

Q5) Miss Phillips justifies  the importance of PT to Denham. Elaborate.

Ans :  Miss Phillips justify the importance of PT to then him by explaining that it promotes physical health, teamwork and self confidence and discipline among the students. She also emphasizes that this qualities are essential for their all round development and success in life. 

Q6) How does Mr Braithwaite manage to increase the cultural exposure of the class?

Ans : To increase the cultural exposure, Ricky Braithwaite goes out of the way of traditional teaching and focuses on practical knowledge so he takes them on field trips and excursions to museums and theatres. He finds out that many of the students have never been visited these places.

Q7) How does the setting of the extract "To Sir, With Love" contribute to the theme of the novel?

Ans : The setting of the extract is in the Greenslade School in London 's East End. Students - teacher  relationship is one of the themes of the novel. It shows that the students are very notorious and they are  in no mood to change their attitude and behaviour. But Braithwaite with his novel and creative ideas, innovative techniques and understanding the students' psychology , brings positive change in their behaviour. The setting of the novel is in the school auditorium which contributes to the theme of the novel.

Q8) Fernman brought a comic relief in the Students' Council programme. Explain.

Ans : As usual Fernman had a trump card up his sleeve. When called, he explained  the reality using human skeleton. He added humour by hanging the skeleton in air.Then he started explaining the futility of the discrimination based on the colour of the skin saying that basically all people were the same, the trimmings might be different but the foundations were all laid out according to the same blueprint. This was somewhat like comic relief.

Q9) Match the following 

        A                                   B

1) Sapiano                            a) History 

2) Miss Dodd                       b) Arithmetic 

3) Denham                           c) Geography 

4) Potter                               d) Nature Study 

5) Miss Date and  Fernman e)PT and Games 

6) Miss Joseph                     f) Physiology 

7) Miss Pegg and Jackson     g) Domestic Science 

8) Mr Florian                         h) One of the panelists 

9) Mr Weston                         i) Head Master 

Ans:

1) Sapiano -  d) Nature Study                       

2) Miss Dodd - a) History               

3) Denham - e)PT and Games                         

4) Potter - b) Arithmetic                            

5) Miss Date and  Fernman -  f) Physiology 

6) Miss Joseph - g) Domestic Science                  

7) Miss Pegg and Jackson -  c) Geography     

8) Mr Florian - i) Head Master                      

9) Mr Weston -  h) One of the panelists       

Q10) 'When the turn of my class came I sat up anxiously.' Explain why was the narrator anxious.

Ans : The narrator knew his students very well. He feels anxious when they came on the stage. The students are following the lessons taught by Mr Ricky Braithwaite. Denham addresses the girls by using the prefix 'Miss' which is the reflection of courtesy towards them. The narrator felt sure that this would in itself be something for the younger ones to aim at,  a sort of badge of young adulthood. As their names were called they walked up to the stage and took their seats with laudable seriousness. His students presented their reports gracefully. 

Thus, he was released seeing the positive change and maturity in his students.

Writing Skill - Appeal Writing

 Why to prepare an appeal?

1) To make people aware of social issues and to make them to take an active part in movements, missions or rallies etc. 

2) To involve people in general social activities.

Important tips:

1) Appeal should be in a box.

2) Address directly to the readers.

3) Give a suitable title in catchy, attractive and in bold letters.

4) Make a persuasive appeal with suitable picture.

5) Use a rhetorical questions to emphasize the point to draw the attention of the people.

6) Ask for  assistance, contribution, support of the people.

7) Use attractive and catchy slogan or punch line.

8) Give reason to support the cause you are appealing for.

9) If it's a rally, write time,day , date and venue etc.

10) Use logo at the down right hand side.

11) Write the name of organizers and the address.

Example : 

Prepare an appeal to make the general public awareness of the need for 'Eye Donation'.Make use of following points : 

* Use an attractive picture, slogan or any punch line.

* Make a persuasive appeal.

* Mention the importance of eye donation.

* Add your own points.

Marking Scheme :                             

                                       

          Presentation                                      02.           

          Convincing Language.                     01            

         Inspiring/Motivational Message     01           

--------------------------------------------------------------

                                                             04

2.4 Have You Earned Your Tomorrow - Poetic Appreciation

 Write an appreciation of the poem considering the following points.

* About the poem/poet/ title

* Theme

* Poetic devices, language,style

* Special features - tone and type

* Values, Message

* Your opinion about the poem

About the poem/poet/ title: 'Have You Earned Your Tomorrow'  is a poem written by a well known poet -Edger Guest. He is also known as 'People's poet' for his simple style and optimistic tone of writing. This is an inspirational poem.

Theme: In this poem, the speaker asks direct questions to the readers whether they have done anything good to improve the life of another human being or not. If they have done anything good for people it means they have earned their future ie tomorrow. Thus the speaker keeps on reminding the impact of good deeds on one's life. If  a small gesture of us bring smile and hope in the minds of others, it means we succeed to please God to grant a new tomorrow.In this way, we have to earn our tomorrow.

Poetic devices, language and style: This poem consists four stanzas. Each stanza is of the quatrain. The poet uses Interrogation as the main figure of speech because he puts all queries in the form of direct question. Along with Interrogation, the poet uses poetic devices like Alliteration, Oxymoron,Synecdoche etc. The rhyme scheme of the four stanzas are aabb,ccaa, ddee, ffaa. 

Special features - tone and type:  In this poem, the poet uses simple,easy to understand tone as whenever we read, we get the same interpretation. Here, the Poet uses optimistic tone of writing. He  uses some homonyms like 'spoke',  'deed',' fast', 'heart', 'leave', 'slumber' etc.

Values,message: The poem gives us the message that good work always pay you so always do good with others. People will remind you as per your behaviour. So it is essential to behave well with others. It reminds me one saying 'As you sow, so shall you reap'.