10th Std ANIMALS

10th Std ANIMALS

Answer the following questions:-

1. Why does the poet show a preference for living with the animals?

Ans. The poet says that it is better to live with animals as they show tokens of goodness. They are peaceful, self-contained and happy. Animals show innate goodness which is lacked in human beings. Animals do not grumble about their lives for doing that cry over their sins.

2. What is the relevance of ‘tokens’ in the poem ‘Animals’? Who brings them to the poet?

Ans. Animals show tokens of goodness. They are self-contained, peaceful, thankful and happy creatures. Animals are not unhappy and neither they have expectations.
So, they indeed, bring out tokens of man’s good nature lost long ago. Animals do not grumble about their lives.

3. Write the central idea of the poem `Animals’.

Ans. The central idea of the poem is the difference between human beings and animals. While they both were initially similar in their innate goodness, the man had lost it over the years, while animals remain the same. They show these tokens of goodness — peaceful, self-contained and happy, and compel the poet to contemplate on man’s lost goodness.

Q.4. How are animals better than humans, according to the poet?

Ans. According to the poet, the animals are more humane than humans. They have no such bad qualities as humans have. In their world, all are happy, equal and content. They show their relations to the poet and he accepts them.

Q5. What is the theme of the poem ‘Animals’?

Or

What is the Central Idea of the poem ‘Animals’?                                           [H.B.S.E. March 2017 (Set-D)]

Ans. The theme/Central idea of the poem is the superiority of animals life over to human beings. The poet, Whitman, compares animals with human beings. He finds animals far better than human beings. The poet finds the reasons for human suffering. Human beings are always dissatisfied. All their actions are with a selfish motive. But animals are far-far away from these bad qualities. So the poet wishes to turn and live with the animals.

Q.6. Why does the poet want to live with animals? [S.B.S.E. March. 2017 (Set-B)]

Ans. The poet thinks that animals are very peaceful and self-confident. They do not complain about their condition. They don’t weep for their sins. That is why; he wants to live with the animals.

Q.7. What is the difference between animals and humans regard their attitude to their condition, sins and God?

Ans. Human beings cry about their condition. They lie awake at night in the dark and weep for their sins. They make the poet sick by discussing their duty about God. But animals do not do any of these things. That is why the poet likes them.

Q.8. How are animals different from humans about owning things or kneeling to one another?

Ans. Human beings are mad about possessing things. But animals do not care for possession. It is madness only for humans. They do not kneel to others as humans do. For them all are equal.

Q9. Why does the poet want to take a turn?

Ans. The poet is fed up living in the world of humans. They are always confused. They are arrogant. They don’t have a clear conscience and weep over their sins throughout the night. On the other hand, animals are contented, calm and possess all the ‘tokens’ of virtue that humans have given up. So, he wants to exchange places and live with animals.

Q10. Why is the poet so much impressed with animals?

Ans. Animals possess all the noble virtues that are necessary for an ideal living. They are contented and never complain about their fate. They are independent and don’t show unnecessary respect for their ancestors or to their fellow beings. They are not selfish and don’t suffer from the mania of possessing and owning things. So, he is highly impressed with animals.

Q11. Why do humans keep awake in the dark and weep for their sins while animals never do such things?

Ans. Animals have a clear conscience. They are not confused or muddle-headed. Humans are ambitious, greedy and suffer from the mania of possessing and owning things. Their sins and misdeeds don’t allow them to enjoy a sound sleep at night. They weep over their sins.

Q12. Why do animals don’t kneel down to their fellow beings or ancestors? How do humans react to them?

Ans. Animals don’t show unnecessary respect to their fellow beings and to their ancestors. They don’t indulge in such unnecessary civilities and formalities. On the other hand, humans express their respect not only to their ancestors but also to their fellow beings. They have a tendency to indulge in unnecessary civilities and decencies.

Q13. Why does the poet say “They bring me tokens of myself”? What are those `tokens’?

Ans. There was a time when both humans and animals possessed noble virtues of love, peace, contentment and, simplicity. With the passage of time, humans gave up all such tokens of noble virtues. They indulged in greed, arrogance and the mania of possession. The road of noble virtue, which humans and the poet himself, left long ago, is still followed by animals. They are contented, humble and free from the burden of conscience. They remind the poet of those noble qualities which he has lost.

Q14. How have humans dropped those `tokens’ which are plainly in the `possession’ of animals?

Ans. Those tokens of love, sympathy and contentment which humans shared with animals at one time, have been `negligently’ dropped by humans. Greed, overambition, arrogance, confusion and vulgarity took the place of those ‘tokens’ which humans once shared with animals.

Q15. What is the message that Walt Whitman wants to give to the readers through this poem?

Ans. There is nothing great about being humans. They have degraded themselves to the extent that animals appear to be noble and superior beings in their comparison. No doubt, humans did possess those ‘tokens’ of love, innocence, simplicity, contentment and independence. But they have given up such ‘tokens’ long ago. Animals still share those noble virtues and appear to be nobler than humans.

Q16. How, according to the poet, are animals superior to humans?

Ans. The animals are superior to animals in that they are calm and contented. They commit no sin. They do not run after wealth like a man. They never complain about their condition.

Q17. Why does the poet wish to live with animals?

Ans. The animals are placid and self-contained. They are satisfied with their lot and never complain about it. The poet is disgusted with living among human beings. So he wishes to live with animals because he likes them.

Q18. They do not sweat and whine about their condition. Who are “they”? What are the things they do not do?

Ans. “They” refer to animals. They never commit mistakes nor do they complain about their condition or situation.

19.”Human beings are called the most civilised species in the entire world. But sometimes they lack the values which are better exhibited by the animals.” Elucidate the statement with reference to the poem, ‘Animals’.

Ans. Human beings are called the most civilised species in the entire world. But sometimes, they lack the values which are better exhibited by the animals. Human beings lack the qualities of being respectable, happy, contented and peace-loving which is still reflected in animals. Animals do not grumble about their lives, lie awake at night, cry over their sins or discuss their duty towards God as humans do. Animals do not have a mania for “owning things”, nor do they kneel before others like humans. Moreover, the tokens of goodness, love, respect and happiness have been dropped by human beings.

20. The poem, `Animals’ tells us that civilisation has made humans false to their own true nature. Which values will help you revive your basic nature?

Ans. In the race of human civilisation, humans have lost their own nature. The men have Dist their innate goodness over the years. They have become selfish, jealous, restless, unhappy, cribbing and grumbling creatures. They grumble about their lives, lie awake at night, cry over their sins and discuss their duty towards God. In a race to earn more luxuries and comfort. they have lost their sound sleep. They have become unhappy and most of the time unable to enjoy even small joys and happiness in life. On the contrary, animals are peaceful, self-contained, thankful and happy creatures. They are not unhappy and indeed bring out tokens of man’s good nature lost long ago, when he possessed qualities like love, respect, contentment and happiness.

21. How is the poem, ‘Annuals’, a contrast between humans and animals?

Ans. Humans can be described as selfish, jealous, restless, unhappy, cribbing, and grumbling creatures. In contrast, animals are peaceful, self-contained, thankful and happy creatures. They do not grumble about their lives, lie awake at night, cry over their sins or discuss their duty towards God as humans do. Also, they don’t have a mania for “owning things”; nor do they kneel before others. Animals, on the whole, are not unhappy and indeed bring out tokens of man’s good nature lost long ago, when he possessed qualities like love, respect, contentment and happiness.