1. Based on your understanding of the poem answer the following questions in one or two sentences each:

 

Question (i) what do you associate with the title of the poem?

Answer: The title of the poem is associated with fables of the past when good prevailed not only in the society but in the hearts of people.

 

Question (ii) what is the relationship between the narrator and the listener?

Answer: The narrator is the father. The son is the listener.

 

Question (iii) what happens to the poet when he visits someone for the third time?

Answer: The third time the poet visits someone, the door is shut on his face.

 

Question (iv) Pick out the expressions that indicate conflicting ideas.

Answer: Conflicting ideas are expressed in the following phrases found in the poem: laugh with their teeth; shake hands without hearts; like a fixed portrait smile; "Glad to meet you without really being glad and "Ifs been Nice talking to you'.

 

Question (v) How does the poet compare his face with dresses?

Answer: One keeps changing the dresses everyday according to fashion and season; likewise, the author keeps changing his faces. He has a different face for office, home, friends, party and street.

 

Question (vi) What does the poet mean when he says 'good bye'?

Answer: When the poet says 'good bye' he really means "good riddance".

 

Question (vii) What pleasantries does the poet use to fake cordiality?

Answer: The poet says "glad to meet you" when the poet means the visit is disturbing him. When one's talk is boring, the poet says, "It's nice talking to you". He says "Goodbye" when he actually wants to say "good riddance'. The poet says the above to fake cordiality.

 

Question (viii) What does he desire to unlearn and relearn?

Answer: The poet desires to unlearn the hypocrisies or unreal things he has learnt to keep up appearances. He wants to relearn how to laugh and smile as he had done early during his own childhood days.

 

Question (ix) How is the poet's laugh reflected in the mirror?

Answer: The poet's laugh in the mirror shows only his teeth, not his heart or human warmth. The teeth appear like a snake's fangs. The false laughter could conceal enough poison to kill a person.

 

Question (x) What does the poet long for?

Answer: The poet longs for the innocence of childhood days when he laughed with his heart.

 

Question (xi) Mention the qualities the child in the poem symbolizes.

 

Question (xi) Mention the qualities the child in the poem symbolizes.

Answer: A child is guileless. He /she is innocent. He multiplies his joy and halves his sorrow by sharing them with friends. A child does not have lasting anger and is quick to forgive and forget wrongs done to him. His friendship is genuine and laughter natural and spontaneous.

 

2. Fill in the blanks choosing the words from the box given and complete the summary of the poem:

Answer:

(a) Falsity

(b) Adults

(c) Genuine

(d) Superficially

(e) Duplicity

(f) Personal

(g) Pleasantries

(h) facial

(i) Masks

0) fakes

(k) Child

(I) unlearn

(m) Relearn

(n) Mirror

(o) Fangs

 

(3) A. Interpret each of the following expressions used in the poem, in one or two lines.

Question (i) laugh with their eyes

Answer: Eyes are the gateways of souls. The love for fellow humans was explicit in the eyes when people laughed with their eyes.

 

Question (ii) shake hands without hearts

Answer: In modem times, a handshake is just a sign of cordiality. There is no human warmth. So, the poet says people laugh without heart.

 

Question (iii) like a fixed portrait smile

Answer: People have a fixed ready made smile for all occasions. Their smiles are enigmatic and inscrutable. One can't say whether smile is meant to exhibit warmth or love.

 

Question (iv) hands search my empty pockets

Answer: Human contacts are not focused on building or creating a bond of love. When courtesies are being exchanged one weighs the other's social status and financial position. It is like a business ritual.

 

Question (v) to unlearn all these muting things

Answer: The hypocrisies of people who feign to have love and respect for fellow humans need to be dispensed with. The poet realizes that he must unlearn all superficial and unnatural behaviors like portrait smiles and heartless handshakes.

 

B. Read the lines given below and answer the questions that follow:

Question (i) 'But now they only laugh with their teeth, while their ice-block-cold eyes...'

 

Question (a) who ‘are they?

Answer:

'They refer to modem people.

Question (b) Explain: ice-block-cold eyes

Answer: Ice-block cold eyes' means eyes lacking a feeling of warmth or endearing feelings like love, sympathy and empathy.

 

Question (c) Identify the figure of speech used here.

Answer: 'Ice block cold eyes' has been used as a metaphor. It implies that the man who laughs with his ice cold block eyes has no real emotions. He looks through people.

(d) 'Most of all. I want to relearn. How to laugh, for my laugh in the mirror shows only my teeth like a snake's bare fangs! '

 

Question (a)

Why does the poet want to relearn how to laugh?

Answer: The poet has forgotten to laugh naturally. He wants to relearn to laugh because his laugh in front of the mirror shows his teeth like a snake's bare fangs.

Question (b) whom does the poet want to relearn from? Answer: The poet wants to relearn from his little son.

 

Question (c) Mention the figure of speech used here.

Answer: Simile is the figure of speech employed here in the last line.

 

C. Explain the following lines with reference to the context:

 

Question (i) Once upon a time, son they used to laugh with their eyes:

Answer: Reference: These lines are from the poem, "Once upon a time" written by Gabriel Okara. Context: The poet says these words to his son while discussing his own happy, childhood days. Explanation: The poet compares the behavior of people in the past and those in modem times. He tells his son that people in the past used to laugh with their eyes. There was an expression of genuine warmth among f people when they laughed.

 

Question (ii) there will be no thrice.

Answer: Reference: This line is from the poem, "Once upon a time" written by Gabriel — Okara. Context: People would say "feel at home" "come again" to keep appearances.' This would cease if one visits a third time.

Explanation: The semblance of cordiality will disappear if one visits for the third; time to meet the people who used the aforesaid kind words. In fact, they would shut the door on his face. One should not believe those words and visit their houses frequently. I have learned to wear my faces like dresses of changing their facial expressions according to the situations merely to ensure social acceptance. The poet also has started wearing faces like dresses, changing them according to fashion and season and almost daily. He regrets his hypocrisy but is helpless.

 

Question (iii)

I have learned to wear my faces like dresses...

Reference: These lines are from the poem "Once Upon a Time" written by Gabriel Okara.

Context: The poet says these words while admitting how he himself started putting on appearances to conform to the changed attitude of people in modem times.

Explanation: The poet registers his displeasure over the negative changes that have influenced the behavior of adults. The adults have mastered the art

 

Question (iv) I want to be what I used to be Reference: This line is from the poem "Once upon a time" written by Gabriel Okara.

Context: The poet says these words while contrasting the present hypocrisy with his past genuine relationships.

Explanation: During childhood the poet, like any child, laughed with human warmth. He used to express his love through his eyes. Now, he is changing his faces like dresses to suit the occasions and to ensure social acceptance. So, he wants to be what he used to be in the childhood.