Question 3

III. Discuss these questions in class with your teacher and then write down your answers in two or three paragraphs each.

1. “On the whole, the small society of Rameswaram was very rigid in terms of the segregation of different social groups,” says the author.

(i) Which social groups does he mention? Were these groups easily identifiable (for example, by the way they dressed)?
(ii) Were they aware only of their differences or did they also naturally share friendships and experiences? (Think of the bedtime stories in Kalam’s house; of who his friends were; and of what used to take place in the pond near his house.)
(iii) The author speaks both of people who were very aware of the differences among them and those who tried to bridge these differences. Can you identify such people in the text?
(iv) Narrate two incidents that show how differences can be created, and also how they can be resolved. How can people change their attitudes?

2. (i) Why did Abdul Kalam want to leave Rameswaram?
(ii) What did his father say to this?
(iii) What do you think his words mean? Why do you think he spoke those words?

Answer

1. (i) The social groups that are mentioned by author were, hindus and the muslims. Yes, these groups were distinguishable easily. About kalam similarly wore a cap, which pointed him as a muslim. His friend whose name was Ramanadha sastry, wore the scared thread as he was a hindu.

(ii) As a child, nobody felt the difference amongst themselves because of their religious differences and their upbringing. They shared special friendship and their experiences. Abdul kalam was a muslim and lived on the mosque street and his friends belonged to orthodox hind Brahmin families. However, they had very closed friendship. During the annual shri sita rama kalyanam ceremony, kalam’s family arranged boats with a special arrangement of platform to carry idols of the lord from the temples to the marriage hall sites.

(iii) Two people were very much aware of the differences between them. The new teacher who came to the class when kalam was in the fifth standard and did not allow him to sit with Ramanadha sastry later became his friend, was a Brahmin and the son of hindu priest. Also the wife of Sivasubramania iyer was very orthodox who belongs to a conservative family and did not allow kalam to eat in her pure hindu kitchen. The people who tried to resolve these differences were Lakshmana sastry and Sivasubramania iyer.

(iv) When kalam was in the 5th standard then a new teacher came to his class. Kalam used to sit in the front row with Ramanandha sastry who belongs to a muslim community. The teacher was not be able to accept the fact that a hindu priest’s son was sitting next to a muslim boy. The teacher immediately asked kalam to sit on the back bench which made both kalam and ramanandha very sad and disappointed. When they told this story to their parents, lakshman sastry called for the teacher and told him that he should not spread social non- equality amongst the children. He also said that the thought of communal intolerance shouldn't be instigated in the minds of innocent children. The teacher ask for forgiveness and felt sorry his behavior. In another incident, kalam ‘s science teacher sivasubramania Iyer invited him for the food to his house. His wife was very conservative, so didn't like his idea of a muslim boy eating in her ritually pure hindu kitchen. She denied to serve kalam in her kitchen. However, iyer decided to serve kalam with his own hands and sat down besides him to eat the food. When kalam was going from his house then he again gave a invitation him for a dinner on the next weekend. But kalam was hesitant. Still kalam told him not to get upset and said that once has decided to change the system, these types of problems will be solved. When kalam visited his teacher’s house the next week, his teacher’s wife took him inside her kitchen and served him food with her own hands. So, differences could be resolved and many people’s attitudes could be changed slowly.

2. (i) kalam wanted to left rameswaram for future studies. He wanted to study at the ramanathapuram's district headquarters.

(ii) kalam’s father said that he knew that for the further growth he had to go away one day. He gave him the example of seagull which flies across the sun alone and lives without a nest. He also gave an example of khalil Gibran to kalam’s mother by saying that her children are not their her own. They were the sons and daughters of life’s longing for itself. The children thought that their parents, but not like them. He was very determined that children have their own thoughts. But cannot force their thoughts on them.

(iii) His words defines that children have to become independent and be separated from their parents at some further stages of life. They need to be independent to be set free at some point of their life. Only they can got to understand the world realize their thoughts, goals and dreams. He gave him the example of a seagull which flies alone and finds its food by their own and nest. Parents give unconditional love to their children but they can't put their thoughts on them. The children have their own dreams and thoughts. Kalam’s father spoke these words because his mother was reluctant about him leaving rameswaram.

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