LIFE (Textbook Q/A)

LIFE 

(Textbook Questions & Answers)

 

1.    What does ‘transient’ mean, and what specifically, according to the poet, is transient in life?

Ans: The word „transient‟ means to last for only a short time. It also implies something which quickly comes to an end.

In the poem, „Life‟, the poet says that the “clouds of gloom” are transient in life. Clouds of gloom” refers to the sorrowful and adverse times in our lives. According to the poet, there are both happy and adverse times in our lives, but both are temporary in nature. We must keep in mind that if happiness is short-lived, so is sorrow.

 

 

2.    Why is the phrase ‘Clouds of gloom’ apt?

Ans:  The phrase “clouds of gloom‟ is apt because throughout the poem the poet talks about the troubles and hard times that we encounter in our lives. The gloomy clouds of troubles hover above our lives thereby obstructing the sunshine of happiness. However, the poet also says that these bad times are only ephemeral.

 

3.    What remark does the poet make about rain?

Ans: The poet‟s remark on the rain is both positive and negative. According to her, sometimes a soft morning drizzle may bring a pleasant day, while at other times the sky may be filled with dark clouds indicating a heavy shower. Moreover, the poet tells us that if the rain will make the roses to bloom we should not lament its fall considering the fact that it will bloom again.

4.    What message is the poet trying to give us?

Ans:   In the poem,  „Life‟, Charlotte  Bronte tells  us to  view  life  optimistically as happiness and sorrows are part of our lives. We must be hopeful and courageous and face all the difficulties that we may encounter. In other words, the theme of the poem  is  focussing  on  life‟s  meaning,  expressing  that  life  has  both  upsides  and downfalls to it. Throughout the poem, Charlotte Bronte describes a negative feeling, and the positive that could come out of it.

5.    If we had to give the poem another title, what would you suggest?

Ans: (Answer is based on your understanding of the poem)

B. Reference to the context:

1.    Life, believe..... sages say;

 

a.    Who is being asked to believe?

Ans: The readers are being asked to believe that life is not so bad as some intellectuals portray it to be. According to the poet, life has both upsides and downfalls to it. The poet advises us to view life optimistically.

b.   Which of the following is true?

Ans (iii): Life is not a dark dream.

c.    What analogy does the poet use later to clarify her statement about life?

Ans: According to the poet, life is not so bad as some intellectuals portray it to be. She is seeking to dispel the myth, or any dark thoughts one might believe in, that life is bad, dark, and unpleasant. According to the poet, life has both upsides and downfalls to it. The poet advises us to view life optimistically. To clarify her statement about life, the poet uses the analogy of a rain. The poet‟s remark on the rain is both positive and negative. According to her, sometimes a soft morning drizzle may bring a pleasant day, while at other times the sky may be filled with dark clouds indicating a heavy shower. Moreover, the poet tells us that if the rain will make the roses to bloom we should not lament its fall considering the fact that it will bloom again.

 

2.    What though Death.... Best away?

a.    Why do you think the words ‘Death’ and ‘Best’ begin with a capital letter? Is it for the same reason?

 

Ans: The third stanza in this poem conquers the more daunting part of life which  is Death. Death is considered to be the hardest truth of our life. The word „Best‟ implies  our  most  beloved  ones.  Both  „Death‟  and  „Best‟  carry  an  immense significance in our life. The poet rightly emphasizes this significance by capitalizing the two words.

Yes, it is for the same reason.

b.   How might we rephrase this question so it makes perfect sense?

Ans: We might rephrase this question by asking what significance the word

„Death‟ and „Best‟ carried in our life.

c.    What emotion ot feeling does the poet say we might feel by this?

Ans: The third stanza in this poem conquers the more daunting part of life which  is Death. Death is considered to be the hardest truth of our life. Thus, the poet brings out the inevitability of death. The poet challenges death and declaims that it does not matter even if it snatches away our beloved ones.

d.   How, according to the poet, might we overcome this condition?

Ans: The poet states that though death takes our beloved ones away from us we must overcome this grief with courage and acknowledge the fact that death is inevitable and universal.