II BTech Life Language and Culture : The Hawk and the Tree

Literary concept: Theme 

1. The cobbler says,……..Do you agree with the narrator?

1. Yes, the cobbler was cruel. He was very happy to see his sparrow hawk dead. But of course, the hawk too is cruel, as it cheerfully ate the live sparrows.

2. What is your reaction …………..to another being’s death?

1. The crowd has indirectly made this comment through their behaviour. It is a heinous act to take pleasure at the sufferings of others. The innate sadism of a man made them insensitive to another being’s death. Moreover, they took joy because they haven’t been in that crucial situation.

3. Revisit the lines………………..apathy shown by the characters?

1. The author used the line when he saw the hawk hanging from the dead tree. He felt, as if the hawk was talking to him through its lifeless eyes. This line signifies the need of apathy under all circumstances. The characters have no concern for others and hence the same thing happened to them in the narrator’s imagination. “As we sow, so we reap.” We get whatever we give to others.

4. The refrain……………more responsive to those around them?

1. The author’s aim is to persuade the readers to do exactly the opposite. He wants the readers to attain moral values and be sympathetic to others. He sarcastically exploited the human nature which takes pleasure at others’ sufferings.

  By repeating the words ‘cannot break it’, he doesn’t convey that it is useless or unable to do. He wants the reader to get rid of the negative emotions like ego,   jealousy, apathy, insecurity and so on. According to him, we should respond to others’ sufferings and pains; and we shouldn’t be the reason for other’s pain.

Culture point : Class and social Attitudes  (P.No.37)

1. The author does not……………..behaviour as well?

1. Yes, he surely does. He hints the readers to introspect themselves, come out with their short comings and try to overcome them. He makes it clear that every human has his own faults and one need to check oneself at all the times and should make an attempt to change his unfavourable behaviour.

2. comment on………………..author’s attitude towards them.

1. All the characters in the story reflect the moral stillness of the society. The jobless men hang around all day long at cobbler’s shop. They have no work to do. They can’t think on their own. They lack individuality. That’s why they always tend to imitate the cobbler. The writer feels that they are so stupid and idiotic who don’t get bored of imitating the cobbler.

3. What exactly does the author mean by ‘string’?

     A.  The author symbolizes a wide variety of feelings and emotions as ‘strings’. It symbolizes ego, social irresponsibility, insecurity, jealousy, apathy, sadism and above  all, the result of our deeds.

4. The deeper meaning………………life in general?

A. The author brings out the inhuman attitude of the people towards the society. He opines that the society lacks moral and social responsibilities. People are insensitive  for others’ sufferings. No one tries to be a better human being but expects others to be better. Life goes accordingly with our chosen path. Tragic end of life is a mere result of our actions. One has to get rid of the strings that tie one’s feet and move forward with a sense of freedom.

Literary concept : Point of view (P.No.40)

By now you are aware that……..work on their short comings.The author describes that everyone has his own short comings. We should identify and try to rectify them rather than pointing at others’ mistakes. We should trace out the strings that bind us and try to release ourselves from them.

Literary concept : Symbolism  (P.No.40)

1. What does the string of sparrows………victim of its ego too?

A. The hawk didn’t really return. Everything was his imagination. The hawk too was a victim of its ego. It cheerfully ate the live sparrows. The narrator indirectly says  that the dreadful death of the hawk is a result of the sufferings of the sparrows.Feeding on live sparrows resulted in its death.

2. What do you think the string……..symbolic of?

A.      The hawk symbolizes a merciless individual bound by ego. The sparrows not only symbolize the actions of an individual, but also weakness, lack of individuality, cowardly nature and the act of easily falling prey to others. The string represents the consequences of our actions. The dead tree is a symbolic representation of this emotionless and merciless society. It reflects barrenness, unproductiveness, unfruitfulness and uselessness. It represents the  society that remains still, not bothering about the happenings.

3. What do you think is the author’s comment……………….of this story?

A.      The author wants to resemble the society through his story. He compares his characters to the merciless society which stays still without any sensitivity to the  happenings. He comments that the society is the culprit of all the evils and sins.Irresponsibility and insensitivity remains the root cause for the moral bankruptcy of the society. Life, too, according to author is a reflection of our deeds. No one can escape from the past deeds which result in present rewards.

Reading Journal  (P.No.43)

1. Would this story hold true……….why?

A.      The story holds true for a democratic country like India. People, here, are pre occupied with their own routines neglecting the other things. People have become so egotistic that they dare to do anything for their own well-being, never considering the morals. They take pleasure at the suffering of others.

2. Besides ego……………..insensitive?

A.      Being self-centered, always interested in self upcoming, getting green-eyed at the success of others, having a pre-occupied nature, having completely absorbed in themselves neglecting others, lack of social responsibilities, lack of moral attitude are the other traits besides ego, that cause people to become indifferent and insensitive.