Study Guide: Appreciation of English

Literary Texts
Poetry Analysis
Theme: Nature

 To the Nile - John Keats:Identify the speaker's initial perception of the Nile and how it changes.
 Analyze the use of apostrophe and what it reveals about the speaker's relationship with the Nile.
 Discuss the imagery used to depict both the barrenness and the fertility associated with the Nile.
 A Bird Came Down the Walk - Emily Dickinson:Describe the bird's actions and the speaker's
observations.
 Analyze the use of personification in the poem.
 Discuss the significance of the final stanza and the bird's departure.
 The Eagle (A Fragment) - Alfred Lord Tennyson:Analyze the vivid imagery used to portray the
eagle's physical presence and location.
 Discuss the contrast between the eagle's stillness and its sudden action.
 Identify the literary devices that contribute to the poem's powerful effect.
 To the Evening Star - William Blake:Identify the speaker's address to the Evening Star and the
qualities attributed to it.
 Analyze the imagery of light and darkness in the poem.
 Discuss the role of the Evening Star as a protector.

Theme: Conflict

 War is Kind - Stephen Crane:Analyze the use of irony in the title and throughout the poem.
 Discuss the different perspectives presented on war (maiden, babe, soldiers).
 Identify the emotional impact of the repetitive refrain "War is kind."
 The Terrorist, He’s Watching - Wislawa Szymborska:Describe the detached and observant
perspective of the terrorist.
 Analyze the focus on mundane details and the passage of time.
 Discuss the chilling effect created by the delayed revelation of the terrorist's purpose.
 Farewell to Barn and Stack and Tree - A.E. Housman:Identify the speaker's act of farewell and
the reasons implied for his departure.
 Analyze the tone of the poem and the emotions conveyed.
 Discuss the symbolism of the barn, stack, and tree.
 Breakfast - Jacques Prevert (Translated by Regi Siriwardene):Describe the actions of the man at
breakfast.
 Analyze the significance of the lack of communication and interaction.
 Discuss the emotional impact on the "I" in the poem.

Theme: Society

 Once Upon a Time - Gabriel Okara:Contrast the past and present ways of laughing and
interacting.
 Analyze the use of repetition and the development of the speaker's disillusionment.
 Discuss the theme of societal change and loss of sincerity.
 Richard Cory - Edwin Arlington Robinson:Describe the townspeople's perception of Richard
Cory.
 Analyze the irony in the poem's ending.
 Discuss the theme of appearances versus reality.
 Life - Yasmine Gooneratne:Identify the personal and societal anxieties expressed in the poem.
 Analyze the imagery of destruction and loss.
 Discuss the speaker's emotional state and reflections on life.
 The Earthern Goblet - Harindranath Chattopadhyaya:Analyze the goblet's feelings about its
creation and former state.
 Discuss the metaphor of the potter and the goblet.
 Identify the goblet's longing for its natural form.
 Father and Son - Cat Stevens:Contrast the perspectives and desires of the father and the son.
 Analyze the dialogue and the underlying tensions.
 Discuss the theme of generational differences and the struggle for independence.
 The Cameelious Hump - Rudyard Kipling:Identify the "Cameelious Hump" and its symptoms.
 Analyze the suggested cure for this ailment.
 Discuss the tone and message of the poem.
 Upside-Down - Alexander Kushner (translated by Margaret Wettin):Describe the behavior of the
"Upside-Down" individual.
 Analyze the reactions of the townspeople and the aunt.
 Discuss the theme of nonconformity and societal expectations.
 The Huntsman - Anonymous:Analyze the brief dialogue between the huntsman and the skull.
 Discuss the meaning and impact of the skull's reply.
 Identify the central theme of the poem.

Prose Analysis
 The Nightingale and the Rose - Oscar Wilde:Summarize the plot and the student's dilemma.
 Analyze the nightingale's sacrifice and its motivation.
 Discuss the student's reaction and the themes of love, sacrifice, and the appreciation of art.
 An extract from ‘Colin Cowdrey Lecture - The Lahore Attack’ - Kumar Sangakkara:Identify the
context of the lecture and the event being discussed.
 Analyze Sangakkara's emotional response to the attack.
 Discuss the significance of cricket and cricketers in Sri Lankan society as portrayed in the extract.
 The Lumber Room - Saki:Describe Nicholas's character and his conflict with his aunt.
 Analyze Nicholas's actions and motivations regarding the frog and the lumber room.
 Discuss the themes of childhood curiosity, adult authority, and the power of imagination.
 An extract from ‘Wave’ - A Memoir of Life after the Tsunami - Sonali Deraniyagala:Describe the
sensory details and the chaotic experience of the tsunami.
 Analyze the narrator's physical and emotional state in the immediate aftermath.
 Discuss the impact of the event and the initial feelings of loss and disorientation.

Drama Analysis
 Twilight of a Crane - Yu Zuwa Junji Kinoshita:Identify the main characters and their relationships.
 Analyze the mystery surrounding Tsu and the precious cloth.
 Discuss the themes of love, innocence, greed, and the conflict between the human and the mythical.
 The Bear - Anton Chekhov:Describe the initial conflict between Popova and Smirnov.
 Analyze the development of their relationship and the shift in their emotions.
 Discuss the use of humor and irony in the play.

Quiz: Short Answer Questions

1. In "To the Nile," how does the speaker's initial "seeing's inward span" contrast with the reality of the
Nile's fruitfulness?
2. What actions of the bird does the speaker in Dickinson's poem observe before its "rowing in Eden"?
3. Describe the two contrasting actions of the eagle depicted in Tennyson's "The Eagle."
4. In Crane's "War is Kind," what is the ironic message conveyed through the repeated line and the
examples provided?
5. What is the terrorist in Szymborska's poem primarily doing in the moments leading up to the unseen
event?
6. In Okara's "Once Upon a Time," what physical actions does the speaker note as having lost their
sincerity over time?
7. What unexpected event happens to Richard Cory in the final lines of Robinson's poem?
8. In the excerpt from Deraniyagala's "Wave," what are some of the immediate sensations the narrator
experiences?
9. What secret does Unzu reveal to Sodo regarding Tsu's weaving in "Twilight of a Crane"?
10. What is the initial reason for Smirnov's visit to Popova in Chekhov's "The Bear"?

Quiz Answer Key

1. Initially, the speaker's "seeing's inward span" is filled by a "desert," suggesting barrenness. However,
the speaker then questions this perception and acknowledges the Nile's fruitfulness in nurturing
nations and its green surroundings.
2. The speaker observes the bird hop down the walk, eat a worm, drink a dew, and then glance around
with cautious and quick movements before flying away.
3. The poem depicts the eagle in a state of powerful stillness, clasping the crag, high up and ringed by
the sky. This contrasts with its sudden and forceful descent, likened to a thunderbolt.
4. The repeated line "War is kind" is ironic because the examples given are of loss, death, and grief
experienced by a maiden, a babe, and the fallen soldiers, highlighting the cruelty of war.
5. The terrorist is primarily observing the everyday activities of people on the street, noting details like
their clothing, actions, and the time, creating a sense of anticipation before the planned event.
6. The speaker notes that the ways of laughing have changed from laughing with their hearts and eyes
to only laughing with their teeth, and shaking hands has changed from a heartfelt gesture to one
done without sincerity, while the left hand searches pockets.
7. Despite being admired and envied by the townspeople, Richard Cory unexpectedly takes his own
life.
8. The narrator experiences the feeling of being curled up and spinning fast, the sensation of being
dragged along, and the inability to see water despite the feeling of being submerged in something
smoky and gray.
9. Unzu reveals to Sodo that Tsu is weaving the precious cloth using crane feathers, confirming the
rumors and adding a mystical element to her ability.
10. Smirnov's initial reason for visiting Popova is to collect a debt of one thousand two hundred roubles
owed to him by her deceased husband.

Essay Format Questions

1. Explore the different ways in which nature is portrayed as both a nurturing and a powerful, potentially
destructive force in the selected poems. Support your answer with specific textual examples.
2. Analyze the various forms of conflict presented in the chosen poems and the extract from "The
Lumber Room." Consider both external conflicts (e.g., war, interpersonal disagreements) and
internal conflicts (e.g., disillusionment, moral dilemmas).
3. Discuss how the theme of societal expectations and individual identity is explored in at least three of
the provided texts (poems or prose).
4. Compare and contrast the characters of Popova and Smirnov in Chekhov's "The Bear." How do their
initial interactions and evolving relationship contribute to the play's comedic and thematic elements?
5. Analyze the symbolism of Tsu's weaving and her true identity as a crane in Kinoshita's "Twilight of a
Crane." How does this symbolism relate to the play's central themes of love, greed, and loss?

Glossary of Key Terms

 Apostrophe: A figure of speech in which a speaker directly addresses an absent person, an
inanimate object, or an abstract idea.
 Imagery: The use of vivid and descriptive language to create mental pictures or sensory
experiences for the reader.
 Personification: The attribution of human qualities or characteristics to inanimate objects, animals,
or abstract concepts.
 Irony: A literary device in which there is a contrast or incongruity between what is said and what is
actually meant (verbal irony), what is expected and what actually occurs (situational irony), or what
the audience knows and what a character believes (dramatic irony).
 Symbolism: The use of objects, people, or ideas to represent something else; a deeper or more
abstract meaning.
 Theme: The central idea or underlying message of a literary work.
 Tone: The attitude of the writer or speaker towards the subject matter or the audience, conveyed
through word choice and style.
 Refrain: A line or group of lines that is repeated at regular intervals in a poem or song.
 Metaphor: A figure of speech in which a word or phrase is applied to an object or action to which it
is not literally applicable, without using "like" or "as."
 Simile: A figure of speech involving the comparison of one thing with another thing of a different
kind, used to make a description more emphatic or vivid, using "like" or "as."