O Where are you Going? Poem Notes - Main Idea and Questions -FA/ICS/FSc 11th/1st Year English

Main Idea of O Where are you Going? Poem

The reader tries to stop a rider from going on a dangerous journey. He tries to frighten him by telling him, that the way is full of trials and troubles. He says that there is a fatal valley, a dunghill, a big gap, and darkness. There is lack of things. He would have to walk on rough grass and stones. Then he reminds him of a ghost in the thick trees. He tells the rider that he would face diseases. But the rider says that troubles are for those who are afraid of them. The brave men face them and leave them behind for the coward.

Answer the following questions of O Where are you Going? Poem

i. What Kind of feelings does the poet create in the mind of readers?

Ans: The poet gives us the lesson of courage and valor. He urges us not to be afraid of the troubles of the world. The fears are for the cowards only. He urges us to
take bold steps.

ii. What do you feel after reading the poem?

Ans: We feel excited. We get ready to take bold steps. We become courageous and brave. We learn that we should not be cowards

iii. What does the title of the poem signify?

Arts: The title of the poem signifies a sense of alarm.We suddenly feel that we are going in the wrong direction and someone is trying to stop us.

iv. Write down the rhyming words in the poem.

Arts: “burn, return”; “pass, grass”; “trees, disease”; “fearer, there”.

V. Explain the third stanza of the poem In your own words?

An:: The horrified man reminds the traveler of a bird, a horrible shape that they had seen. He says that the ghost would follow him. He tells him that the spot on his skin is a horrible disease. He tries to stop him from going onward.

Additional Questions of O Where are you Going? Poem

Q1: Whom does the reader represent?

He represents cowards who always fear to take brave steps.

Q2: Whom does the rider represent?

Ans. He represents brave men who are ever ready to take daring steps.

Q 3: What does the reader tell about the gap?

Ans. He says that there is a gap on the way. It is very wide. None could jump over it. Those who tried to cross it fell into it. So the gap became their grave.

Q 4: Can the Reader stop the Rider from undertaking his adventure?

Ans: The Reader cannot succeed in stopping the Rider from undertaking his adventure. The Rider remains fearless and goes to his destination.

Q 5: Does the rider finally have his adventure or not?

Ans. He does not follow the advice of the reader and takes his adventure. He leaves all the fears for the reader and goes to his destination.

Q 6: Write the central idea/theme of the poem?

Ans: It is a story of courage. A coward tries to stop the brave man from having an
adventure. But the adventurer rejects his advice and goes his journey.

Q 7: What does ‘the reader’ tell ‘the rider about the valley?

Ans. The reader tells the rider that the valley becomes fatal when the furnaces burn. He means to say that the valley becomes hot like a furnace when the sun shines.

Q 8; How does the reader frighten the rider?

Ans. The reader tries to frighten the rider by telling him about a fatal valley, a dunghill, a big gap, darkness, rough trick, ghosts diseases and lack of eatables.

Q 9: Who are the two imaginary persons personified In the poem?

Ans.There are two persons mentioned in the pom. One is the reader and the other is the rider. The reader represents cowards and the rider rider represents brave men.

Q 10: Point out the qualities of the rider?

Ans: The rider is a brave person. He wants to go to his destination. The reader tries to frighten him but the rider remains fearless. The rider finally undertakes his adventure.

Q 11: Point out the qualities of the reader?

Ans: The reader is a coward. He does not take any risk. He is afraid of the unseen
things even. He rather tries to frighten others.

Q 12: How does the fearer tries to frighten the farer?

Ans: The fearer says that the farer would face darkness, lack of food and water on the way. He would have to walk on the rough grass or on stones. In this way the fearer tries to frighten the farer.

Saturday, 25 February 2017