O Captain! My Captain!

- Walt Whitman

O CAPTAIN! my Captain! our fearful trip is done;

The ship has weather'd every rack, the prize we sought is won;
The port is near, the bells I hear, the people all exulting,
While follow eyes the steady keel, the vessel grim and daring:
But O heart! heart! heart!
O the bleeding drops of red,
Where on the deck my Captain lies,
Fallen cold and dead.

O Captain! my Captain! rise up and hear the bells;

Rise up--for you the flag is flung--for you the bugle trills;10
For you bouquets and ribbon'd wreaths--for you the shores a-crowding;
For you they call, the swaying mass, their eager faces turning;
Here Captain! dear father!
This arm beneath your head;
It is some dream that on the deck,
You've fallen cold and dead.

My Captain does not answer, his lips are pale and still;
My father does not feel my arm, he has no pulse nor will;
The ship is anchor'd safe and sound, its voyage closed and done;
From fearful trip, the victor ship, comes in with object won;20
Exult, O shores, and ring, O bells!
But I, with mournful tread,
Walk the deck my Captain lies,
Fallen cold and dead.

Poem Summary

Lines 1-4
The first lines of the poem serve to begin the controlling metaphor upon which the rest of the poem builds. A metaphor is
simply a figure of speech in which one thing is substituted for another, and a controlling metaphor is a metaphor that impacts,
controls, or unifies the entire poem. In this poem, the “Captain” is a substitute for Abraham Lincoln, and the “ship” is the United
States of America. “The fearful trip” is the Civil War, which had ended just prior to Lincoln’s assassination. Thus the ship is
returning home to cheering crowds having won “the prize” of victory, just as the Union, led by Lincoln, had returned victorious
from the Civil War. The utterance “O Captain! my Captain” is particularly interesting in this light. In one sense the speaker is
addressing his Captain directly, but in another respect he seems to be speaking to himself about his Captain. The repetition
helps to assert the uncertainty he feels at the Captain’s loss.

Lines 5-8
Lines 5-8 communicate the unpleasant news that the Captain has somehow fallen dead after the battle. More importantly, the
repetition of “heart! heart! heart!” communicates the speaker of the poem’s dismay and horror at realizing that his Captain has
died. The poem is then as much about the “I” of the poem and how he comes to terms with his grief, how he processes this
information, as it is about the central figure of the Captain. The “bleeding drops of red” are both the Captain’s bleeding wounds
and the speakers wounded heart. Finally, these lines function as a broken heroic couplet, a two-line rhymed verse that
originated in heroic epic poetry and is usually, as is the case with these lines, written in iambic pentameter. The broken lines are
called hemistiches and are commonly used, as they are here, to the underlying rhythm of the poem and to suggest emotional
upheaval.

Lines 9-12
In this pivotal second stanza, the speaker of the poem entreats his Captain to “Rise up and hear the bells.” In essence the
speaker laments that his Captain, having led his crew bravely to victory, will not receive the fanfare that is his just due. At the
same time Whitman blends two distinct scenes: one in which crowds gather to receive and celebrate the Captain (Lincoln) upon
his return from military victory; and the second in which people gather to lament him as a fallen hero.
The bells of the second stanza are presumably the bells rung in celebration of military victory; however, knowing the great
Captain and leader have died the bells might also symbolize funeral bells tolled in mourning. Similarly, the “flag,” is flown in
honor of the Captain both as a symbol of rejoicing and victory and as a symbol of lamentation — as in the tradition of flying the
American flag at half-mast when a respected American dies. The bugle, a quintessentially military musical instrument, alludes to
both military victory and to “Taps,” the requiem traditionally played at funerals of fallen soldiers. Bouquets and wreathes are
also common to both celebratory receptions and funerals. Finally, the throngs of people become symbolic as well. Not only are
they representative of the people who welcomed and rejoiced at the Union’s victory in the Civil War, but they represent the
throngs of people who gathered across the nation to mournfully view Lincoln’s coffin as it was taken by train from Washington,
D.C., to Springfield, Illinois. The crowds remind the reader that the speaker of the poem is not alone in lamenting his Captain’s
death, but rather shares this experience with the masses. In this manner the poem is in keeping with Whitman’s experience.
While he himself had a powerful personal reaction to the news of Lincoln’s death, Lincoln was the Captain and father-figure of
an entire nation and so the poet’s grief, while central to the poem, is shared by the rest of the country.

Lines 13-14
In the next group of lines, the speaker of the poem again entreats his Captain to “hear.” In this case he may be referring to the
bells of the first stanza, or perhaps to himself, his pleas. More importantly, the speaker for the first time calls his Captain
“father.” In this manner, Whitman expands the metaphor for Lincoln beyond the more limited scope of a military leader of men
into a father figure, one whose wisdom and teachings led his children into adulthood. The poem celebrates Lincoln as more
than simply a great military leader who led the Union to victory during the Civil War and attaches to him a broader significance
as the father of this new, post-slavery country.

Lines 15-16
In Lines 15-16 the speaker asserts that this must all be a bad dream. Here the poem captures the speaker’s denial; the
emotional impact of Lincoln’s demise has made it almost impossible for the speaker to accept. The refrain “fallen cold and
dead,” is slightly altered in this stanza in that it is apparently addressed to the Captain. The effect is to again reinforce the
speaker’s difficulty in coming to terms with his Captain’s death; even though his Captain is dead, the speaker continues to speak
to him as though he were alive.

Lines 17-18
The speaker of the poem, no longer able to hold out hope, faces up to the reality of his Captain’s death. The details and images
evoked in these lines all serve to reiterate that the Captain is deceased: his pallid lips, lack of a pulse, and lack of will. Unlike me
two previous stanzas, the speaker in no way addresses his Captain directly but speaks of him entirely in the third-person. In this
sense, he has finally accepted that his Captain is dead.

Lines 19-24
Having finally faced up to his Captain’s death, the speaker then turns his attention back to the recent victory. Lines 19-24
suggest again the internal division suffered by the speaker of the poem. Having accepted that his Captain is indeed dead it
would seem he can now return his attention to the military victory. After all, one could surely argue that the plight of an entire
nation of people far outweighs the fate of a single man. Nevertheless, the speaker of the poem chooses the individual over the
larger nation. While “Exult O shores, and ring O bells” is explicitly a call for rejoicing, the speaker himself will not celebrate but
will walk “with mournful tread,” knowing that his Captain is indeed “Fallen cold and dead.” The speaker thus celebrates the end
of the Civil War but continues to express his need to mourn his fallen hero.

Short Summary:

On April 14, 1865, Abraham Lincoln, President of the United States of America, who had done so much to maintain the unity
and integrity of the country, was assassinated then war-weary nation was plunged into shock. There was a great out pouring of
grief across the country and poem and songs were written mourning the nation’s loss.

One American who grieved for the fallen president was the poet Walt Whitman. Whitman lived in Washington D.C. during the
American Civil War and assisted the wounded. He has become known as the poet of democracy because he stated in his poem
that all men are brothers and sister and most work together. The poet, who admired his leadership considerably, mourns in this
poem, the death of his captain. His grief is all the keener, because just before his death Lincoln was able to bring the end to
Civil War that raged in his country. Lincoln by bringing unity among the warring states of the North and South managed to
preserve the unity of the country.

In this poem, O Captain! My Captain, Walt Whitman has created a figure of ship (USA) where he is addressing to the captain
(Abraham Lincoln). The addressing words in the poem like ‘O Captain! My Captain’, ‘dear father’, ‘O heart’ also proves that he
was the great admirer of the captain. He calls for the dead body of the captain to stand where whole of the nation is mourning
by his death. The flag is flung as well as different types of bugle trills (musical brass instrument) are blown. All are sinking to
mourn and grief. He uses his more attempts to rise him up by his arm beneath is head but the captain neither peaks nor feel his
arm instead his lips are pale and he is in peace.

The Dilemma of the Scientist

- Jacob Bronowski

Notes:
 On August 1939, Einstein wrote to President Roosevelt to tell him that he thought an atomic bomb can be made and
he feared that the Germans were trying to make one.
 The atomic scientists believed that they were in a race against Germany whose out come might decide the war in its
last week.
 The Nazis had made fundamental science a poor relation.
 They believed that the fast chain reaction of an atomic bomb was impossible.
 There were not enough conventional ideas in the German atomic prospects.
 Under any system of government the responsibility for the world in yours and mine and we do not change the world
by what we wish but how we act.
 The dissenting scientist must be free to give his reasons and speak his mind.
 Today the man who has warned on the issues of life and death, a guided missile or the hydrogen bomb, is seldom free
to speak as he would like.

Summary

Jacob Bronowski (1908-1947) was born in Poland and had his higher education at Cambridge University. He has written
extensively in the impact of science on modern society and thought. He tells us that the dropping of the atomic bomb on
Hiroshima and Nagasaki became desserts in seconds. Now scientists have invented the hydrogen bomb which is more deadly
than the atomic bomb. This realization should make scientists think twice. The need of the hour is sanity (the state of normal
healthy mind) on the part of scientists and society.

No war brings peace in the world. After the WWI, Germany had to take more responsibility about the loss of war. The
‘Versailles Treaty’ was not satisfactory for Germany. That’s why they had waited for the time to take the revenge with the
hostile country.

Secretly, there was a competition to make different types of bombs in Germany, America, Canada and England. In the year
1939, the scientists of America, Canada and England work together to make the atomic bomb. The atomic scientists believed
that they were in a race against the Germans whose outcome might decide the war even in last weeks. The allies tested the first
atomic bomb in July of 1945. By this time, Germany was defeated and Hitler was dead. The atomic scientists who had made the
bomb were shot and distressed to hear that it was still intended to use it against the Japanese. They had suggested using the
deserts for the demonstration of the bomb. But the thoughts of the scientists were ignored and two of the most important
cities of Japan, Hiroshima and Nagasaki were deserted.

No weapon can support the nation. The result of the atomic bombs is unthinkable. The war is the evil root which creates the
weapons. In the democratic system of government all the citizens are responsible to develop the nation where they need to use
this contribution different ways. Neither community nor scientists should have the dictatorship to each other on the issue of
nations making bomb, to create war and son on. The votes of the community decide that there shall be research for war and
employ the scientists to do it.

The different opinion of scientists must be free to give their reason and speak their mind. He should be made free by which he
can fulfill their responsibility. The faith of our democracy is that every man has his ability to form a judgment. In this present
world, especially the people who are working on the issues of life and death, a guided missile or the hydrogen bomb are never
free to speak as they would like. They cannot produce the truth from the depth.
Q/A:

Q: When did the author make a visit to Nagasaki?

A: The author made a visit to Nagasaki on a warm evening in 1945.

Q: Why did the blood draw from the heart of Bronowski?

A: The blood drew from the heart of Bronowski because of the scale of the damage of Nagasaki.

Q: Where was the atomic bomb first tested?

A: The atomic bomb was first tested in Germany in July 1945.

Q: What was the effect of this testing?

A: There was the great effect of this testing in which Germany was defeated and Hitler was dead.

Q: When did Einstein write a letter to President Roosevelt?

A: Einstein wrote a letter to President Roosevelt on 2 August 1939.

Q: Why did the scientist plead against the use of atom bomb?
A: The scientist plead against the use of atom bomb because there was the great loss of Germany when it was first used and
still it was intended to use it, against the Japanese.

Q: What is the responsibility of the democratic committee in the matter of use of bombs?
A: In the matter of the use of bombs, there is responsibility of democratic committee which decides that there shall be research
of war, and employs the scientists to do it.

Q: What is the duty of the scientist engaged in making destructive weapons?

A: The scientist engaged in making destructive weapons should be responsible to the society. They have no right to dictate the
society.

What is science?
- George Orwell

Q/A

Q: What is science generally taken to mean?

A: Science is generally taken as meaning either a)the exact science such as Chemistry, Physics Biology etc. or b) a method or
thought which obtain verifiable results by reasoning logically from observed facts.

Q: What does science mean in everyday life?

A: In everyday life science means both speaking and writing the exact science such as Chemistry, Physics etc.

Q: Who are not considered scientists by common people?

A: A statesman, a poet, a journalist and a philosopher are not considered scientists by common people.

Q: What is ordinarily mean by scientific education?

A: Ordinarily scientific education means the exact science such as Chemistry, Physics, etc.

Q: What does Orwell mean by scientific education?

A: Scientific education means the implanting of a rational, skeptical, experimental habit of mind. It ought to mean acquiring a
method.

Q: Who described science as ‘making nasty smells in laboratory’?

A: Charles Kingsley described science as ‘making nasty smells in laboratory’.
Q: Who voluntarily exiled themselves or were persecuted (mistreated) the Nazi regime?
A: Apart Jews, German scientists exiles themselves or were persecuted the Nazi regime.

The Origin of Science

- Will Durant
Notes:

 The Tasmanian counted up to two: Parmery, Calabawa, Cardia [one, two, and many].
 The Guarani [Brazil] adventured further and said- one two, three, four, innumerable.
 The New Hollanders had no words for three or four.[Three they called ‘two-one’, four was ‘two-two’]
 Counting by the fingers- decimal system
 The idea of twelve.
 Some measurements:
o 1 gross = 20 items
o 12 inches = 1 foot
o 1 dozen = 12 items
o 13 number = unlucky
o Score = 20 items
o 1 thumb = 1 inch
 Polynesians has 15 months in years.
 Sorcerer – one who practices magic or sorcery.
 A person who knows at a glance which plant is poison and which are not and uses subtle (good) herbs ills of the flesh.
 Nature uses the disease while the remedy amuses the patient.
 There is nothing men will not do, there is nothing they have not done, to recover their health and save their lives.

Q: How accordingly to Herbert Spencer did science begin?

A: According to Herbert Spencer, science begun like letters with priests, originated in astronomic observations, governing
religious festivals and was preserved in the temples and transmitted across the generations as part of the clerical heritage.

Q: What was the earliest form of speech?

A: Counting was probably the earliest form of speech.

Q: Why did the Damara natives not exchange two sheep for four sticks?
A: The Damara natives did not exchange two sheep for four sticks because they did not have the idea to exchange two with four
but they used to exchange one sheep with two sticks.

Q: What is duodecimal system?

A: The system in which the method of computing by twelve instead of tens.

Q: Why did thirteen become disreputable and unlucky?

A: Thirteen became disreputable and unlucky because it refused to be divided in duodecimal system.

Q: How did the idea of score originate?

A: The idea of score [twenty] originated after adding toes with fingers.

Q: What did Thoreau long for?

A: Thoreau longed for the primitive simplicity and well expressed a universally recurrent mood.

Q: How did astronomy begin?

A: Astronomy began about the measurement of time by the movements of the heavenly bodies was probably the beginning of
astronomy.

Q: Why did Polynesian have calendar of thirteen months?

A: Polynesian had a calendar of thirteen months because of the regulations of the moon, when their lunar year diverged too
flagrantly from the procession of the season they dropped a moon, and the balance was restored.

Q: What did the natural man know at a glance?

A: The natural man knew at a glance about which plants were poisons and which were food and used subtle herbs to heat the
ills of the flesh.

Q: How did the Brazilians Bororos heat their children?

A: People used to believe on ‘Nature cures the disease while the remedy amuses the patient’. The Brazilian Bororos carried the
science to a higher stage by having the father take the medicine in order to cure the sick child, almost invariably [always the
same] the child get well.

Q: Which operation was invariably fatal at the Hotel- Dieu in Paris?

A: Trephining of the skull was invariably fatal at the Hotel- Dieu in Paris in 1786.

Q: When did the Primitive sick resort to the medicine man?

A: The primitive sick resorted to the medicine man when the women failed.

The Luncheon
- Somerset Maugham

Summary

The narrator of this story ‘The Luncheon’ meets with his friend-by-correspondence at Foyot’s (restaurant) on Thursday at half-
past twelve. This story narrates the story of a talkative woman, who orders at luncheon hosted by the narrator, though always
insisting that she never eat anything for luncheon. In the beginning of the story, she just shows that she is the woman of noble
character who always cares her health while taking food. She denies taking the food items but later on there is the flood of her
demand one after another. Firstly, she is interested to take the expensive little fish salmon, then Caviare, Champagne,
Asparagus, ice-cream and coffee as well as basketful of peaches. In every moment she keeps on telling that she doesn’t take
anything for luncheon. The difference between her speech and behavior is the cause of great humor. The narrator of this story
is young and struggling writer who frightens every demand of his friend. He spends eighty francs to host the luncheon for the
woman. Still, her parting advice to the narrator is “Follow my example; never eat more than one thing.”

Q/A:

Q: What made the narrator to startle up after entering Foyot’s?

A: The bill of fare made him to startle up after entering Foyot’s.

Q: What was the assurance given by the woman to the narrator when he reached Foyot’s?
A: The woman assured him that she would never take anything for luncheon.

Q: Why did the narrator choose mutton chop?

A: The narrator chose mutton chop because it was the cheapest.

Q: What did the woman wanted to eat before leaving Paris?

A: The woman wanted to eat Asparagus before leaving Paris.

Q: What according to the woman ruined the palate of the narrator?

A: According to the woman, the palate of the narrator was ruined by eating heavy things like mutton chop.

Q: What was the time appointed for the luncheon?

A: The time was fixed on Thursday at half past twelve for the luncheon.

Q: What did the woman’s doctor allow her to drink?

A: the woman’s doctor allowed her to drink champagne.
The Axe
- R.K. Narayan

Summary

This story ‘The Axe’ is written by R.K. Narayan, one of the most reputed of Indian English writers. His short stories have
appeared in several collections are based on the same materials as novels. His concern is mainly sociological. He selects
incidents and characters that reveal the human comedy and the uninterrupted flow of his narrative carries with it a delightful
air of disengagement. The main character of his story is Velan who is very simple villager. By his fate, he reaches towards a
town where he looks after garden. He shows his performance well. That’s why he gets more responsibility in that house as well
as in the garden. When the house is empty, Velan takes all responsibility and looks after everything. Each plant in the garden is
like a child for him. He loves them very much and talks and encourages growing faster and faster.

But one day, the property is sold to a builder who decides to cut off most of the trees and uproot the garden. None of them
knows the value of Velan. They behave him badly and give him the ultimatum of fifteen days to leave the house. Actually it is
not tolerable for Velan to see the fall of axe on his beloved tree Margosa. He does not want to hear the chopping sound of the
fall of axe on his trees. So he requests to these workers not to start there work before he leaves the garden. It is so remarkable
as well as tragic that he requests them fro very far of the distance that he hears the sound from there also.

JC BOSE

Jagadish Chandra bose (1858-1937) is one of the greatest scientist that india has produced.
After completeing his education in Calcutta and Cambridge her joined as professor of physical
sciences at presidency college, Calcutta. He was outstanding physicist and his work in the realm
of wireless transmission was pioneering .his most significant invention is the instrument called
cresograph which magnifies the movements of plant tissue ten million times. In the present
extract Huxley provides is a brilliant account of the wonderful discoveries of bose about plant
life.
Bose has studied as well as practically he has proved about the plant life and the impacts on the
different situation .like in the presence of sunlight, shade, using stimulant, trasock. In one of the
laboratories he had shown the instrument which records the bearing of a plant heart. Bose’s
instruments have made visible things that it has been hitherto impossible to see, even with the
aid of the most powerful microscope.
The normal vegetable heartbeat as we saw it recording itself point by point on the moving
plate, is very slow. A grain of caffeine or of camphor affects the plants heart in exactly the same
way as it affects the plant s heart.
It makes us very difficult and painful while observing the dying animals,its struggle and
sympathetically, some thing if its pain. In the same way it is also distreming of the bose’s
instrument.
Those who changes the menu to vegetarian after the impact of entering slaughter home , can
easily reduce their menu from the vegetarianism after entering into bose’s institute.

Paragraph writing
Television
The advantages of television. The first benefit is that it helps you to relax
after you have been studying or working hard. The second is that it gives you
something to talk about with your gang at school. If you didn’t know what
the others were talking about . Finally I think that there is an educational
benefit as well. You can see many interesting programmes on Tv that tell
you about other places in the world too. So it really helps you with your
studies .The people who have a Tv set have a lot of advantages.

College
There are many advantages of secondary colleges.The main thing in my
opinion, is the friendly relationship that college students have with their
teachers.another good thing is the wide choice of subjects.besides
academics subjects ,you can do practical ones if you like.also,I think it is
better for older students who are nearly grown up not to be with year seven
students who have just come from primary school.so,eventhrough you have
to work very hard ,I am very much in favour of secondary colleges.
encyclopedia
Use of encyclopedia in study. For one g ,I haven’t got a room to myself.i
have to share it with my noisy little brother ,for another thing , I always
have to do a lot of jobs after school . finally ,we haven’t got an encyclopedia
at our place . everyone needs an encyclopedia to help them when they are
doing assignments.

Human Rights
Human rights are the rights which every human being is entitled to enjoy and have protected
Though the right to life, liberty and security of person is equally recognize, an estimate 120
million were killed in the 20th century both in peacetime and assured conflict as a result of
government intervention
Some 14 million children a=die every year before they search the age of five.
Slavery has been banned the world over, but some 200 million people are held in condition
amounting to slavery, including 100 million children existing through labor and beggary as well
as bonded labors and women forced into prostitution.
The universal deceleration of human rights was adopted by the united nation general assembly
on 10th December, 1948.
The terrible experience of the War and by the experience of the New Deal in the USA, Franklin
D, and Roosevelt in 1941 announced his “Four essential freedom”
The first is the freedom of speech and expression – everywhere in the world
The second id freedom of every person to worship in his own way –everywhere in the
world
The third is freedom from want –everywhere in the world
The fourth is the freedom from fear
The Universal Deceleration of human right cover two broad sets of rights. One set is known as
Civil and political rights. The others is known as economic, social, and cultural rights. There two
sets of rights aim to give all people freedom from fear and want .Both sets of rights must be
protected as the foundation of freedom, justice and peace in the world
Under the heading of civil and political rights all government are to protect the life ,liberty and
security of their citizens ,They should guarantee that no one is enslaved and that no one is just
subjected to arbitrary detention and arrest r to torture
Under the heading of economic, social and culture rights all government are expected to try
progressively to improve the living condition of their citizens. They should try to guarantee the
right to food, clothing, housing, and medical facilities education and employment
The Vienna declaration of 1993 reaffirmed ( to state the positively and definitely) the universal
nature of these rights .it says “All human rights are universal. Indivisible, interdependent and
interrelated
The last leaf

O. Henry was born in North Carolina, United States of America. He was prolific, humorous and
highly ingenious, especially in his use of coincidence and became the most famous writer of his kind of
the day.

The main characteristics of this story are Sue and Johnsy. They both live together. In the
beginning Johnsy, who suffer from pneumonia gradually changed in depression. ‘The last leaf’ tells us
the story of a struggling artist Behrman, who saved the life of an artist, making a masterpiece. The way
he produced a painted leaf and thereby saved the life of a girl in the clutches of depression is admirable
indeed. Johnsy was counting every moment of her life as the leaves of the ivy vine. She was completely
upset when there remained only a single leaf. Her life was hanging on that leaf. She didn’t have courage
and ambition in life. And later on these two girls knew that Behrman an expert in painting, died of
pneumonia suffering from two days. Behrman was found helpless with pain on the morning of the first
day in his room downstairs. His shoes and clothing were wet through and icy cold. They couldn’t imagine
where he had been on such a dreadful night. And then they found a lantern, still lighted and a ladder
that had been dragged from its place and some scattered branches and palette with green and yellow
colors mixed on it. And they looked out of the window and the last leaf was still on the wall. Finally they
knew the secret why the leaf never fluttered or moved when the wind blew. Behrman painted it the
Stopping by woods on snowy evening
-Robert Frost
Stopping by wood on an evening was the emotional and philosophic poem written by a
great American poet, Robert Frost. (He has cultivated the art of the meditative lyric and
attained even in short poem both emotional and ). He has said that a poem begins in delight
and ends in wisdom. He shares basically the view of life as a new England farmer and several of
his poems combine simplicity of style with profoundity of thought.
This poem is one of the most popular and typical of frost. It starts with a concrete situation
arising from the ordinary life of an ordinary man, but moves on to philosophic speculation
about the relation between man and nature. It presents the call of duty and the call of beauty.
Frost as a rule avoids exaggerations and is very fond of under statements. Apparent simplicity
of the poem should not make us blind to the death and inner complexcity of his understanding
of life. Every little experience raises fundamental questions about life and man’s role in the
world.
The poet has used different kinds of symbols which have farther meaning from the materialistic
world. He has satired to the people who always use their effort only to gather the properties.
Actually there is no meaning and existence of them. There is not the reality of life. There are
different obstracles(in this poem dark forest, snowy evening, frozen lake) in life. There is beauty
in nature, this should not be busy on it. Each of the individual duty in life.