Class 11 English Hornbill Laburnum Top (Ted Hughes)

 

NCERT Solutions For Class 11 English

Hornbill

Laburnum Top (Ted Hughes)

 

CONTENTS

Ø Theme

Ø Summary

Ø Poetic Device

Ø Stanza based Q-Ans

Ø Question Answers

Ø Word Meaning

 

Theme/Central idea

The poem "The Laburnum Top" by Ted Hughes portrays a symbiotic relationship between a solitary, yet magnificent Laburnum Tree and an entertaining, beautiful goldfinch bird in search of shelter. The Laburnum Tree graciously allows the goldfinch and its offspring to nestle amidst its branches, and in return, the once silent tree is infused with vitality. The poet employs the Laburnum Tree and the goldfinches as symbols representing the ebb and flow of life.

The narrative unfolds as the goldfinch's presence triggers a transformation in the Laburnum tree, bringing it to life as the fledglings of the goldfinch animate the surroundings with their rustling and chirping. However, once the goldfinch departs, the tree returns to its quiet and still state. The Laburnum tree becomes a metaphor for the typical monotony and lifelessness inherent in our existence. The goldfinch, acting as an agent of change, disrupts this predictable pattern, infusing vitality into the otherwise dull scene.

Without the goldfinch, the Laburnum tree is reduced to just another ordinary tree. The poem subtly suggests that it is one's perspective and approach toward life that imbues it with meaning and makes it worthwhile. The goldfinch symbolizes the potential for joy and vibrancy, highlighting how individual attitudes can profoundly impact the overall quality of life.

Summary

The poet vividly recounts his observations of the Laburnum tree, commencing with the striking yellow hue of its leaves during the autumn season. Despite being in September, the treetop remains eerily still and silent. The autumnal shedding of leaves and the presence of fallen seeds contribute to the tree's desolate appearance. Notably, the poet employs the color 'yellow' to convey not only the leaf and sunlight hues but also symbolizes silence, death, and beauty, creating a nuanced portrayal of the scene.

 

The desolation of the tree takes a transformative turn when a goldfinch bird alights upon it, breaking the death-like stillness. The sudden chirrup sound emanating from the tree signifies a shift in atmosphere. Drawing a comparison to a lizard, the poet highlights the bird's agility and alertness as it moves towards the branch's thickness, prompting the nestlings to chirp and flap their wings. The tree, mirroring this lively activity, begins to shake and thrill. This stark contrast illustrates the dual nature of the tree – initially lifeless, then animated by the presence of the bird.

 

The poet discerns the profound role played by the goldfinch and the Laburnum tree in the family dynamic. The bird, described as the engine of her family, brings food for her chicks, fostering a nurturing relationship. The bird's appearance, with a dark striped face and a yellow body blending with the tree's leaves, is meticulously detailed. As the goldfinch departs, making a sweet chirping sound reminiscent of a whisper, the Laburnum tree reverts to its silent and death-like state. The poet eloquently captures the symbiotic relationship between the tree and the bird, emphasizing their vital roles in each other's lives.

 

Explanation:

 

Paragraph 1:

The poet paints a picture of a sunny autumn day, describing the Laburnum tree laden with yellow leaves and flowers in September. The yellowing leaves signify the arrival of autumn, and the tree stands silent and still.

 

Paragraph 2:

The arrival of a goldfinch brings a dynamic shift to the scene. The bird makes short, high-pitched sounds, revealing her nest in the Laburnum tree with her chicks. The sudden movement and chirruping of the chicks bring life to the once silent tree. The poet compares the bird's movement to that of a lizard and metaphorically refers to her as the engine of her family, jumpstarting the nest's activity.

 

Paragraph 3:

After feeding her chicks, the goldfinch rests on a branch, hidden behind the yellow foliage. Her departure, marked by a distinct sound, leaves the Laburnum tree silent once again, returning everything to its pre-goldfinch state.

Poetic/literary Device

Alliteration involves the repetition of consonant sounds at the beginning of consecutive words. Notable instances in the poem include:

 

September sunlight

Tree trembles

 

A simile is a comparison between two things using "like" or "as."

 

Sleek as a lizard

A metaphor is an indirect comparison between two things, often highlighting a quality. Examples from the poem include:

 

"She enters the thickness, and a machine starts up" – comparing the noise of bird movement to a machine's noise

"It is the engine of her family."

"Showing her barred face identity mask"

 

Personification involves attributing personal or human characteristics to something non-human.

 

The entire tree trembles and thrills.

 

Transferred epithet is a figure of speech where an adverb is shifted to another noun.

 

Her barred face becomes an identity mask

 

Stanza based Q-Ans

Extract-based questions 

Stanza 1

 

A. The Laburnum top is silent, quite still
In the afternoon yellow September sunlight,
A few leaves yellowing, all its seeds fallen.

 

Q1. During which part of the day does the poem begin?

Ans. The poem commences in the afternoon.

 

Q2. What is the state of the Laburnum top?

Ans. The Laburnum top is in a state of silence.

 

Q3. What is the significance of the term 'yellowing' in this context?

Ans. In this context, the term 'yellowing' signifies the process of turning yellow.

 

Q4. What season does the month of September imply?

Ans. The month of September implies the season of autumn.

 

 

Stanza 2

 

B. Till the goldfinch comes, with a twitching chirrup
A suddenness, a startlement, at a branch end.
Then sleek as a lizard, and alert, and abrupt,
She enters the thickness,

 

Q1. What is the impact created when the mother goldfinch bird perches on the branch end?

Ans. The sitting of the mother goldfinch bird on the branch end produces a sudden and startling effect.

 

Q2. Why does the mother goldfinch bird exhibit 'alertness' when entering the thickness?

Ans. The mother goldfinch bird is 'alert' while entering the thickness to prevent potential predators from discovering the presence of the baby goldfinch birds.

 

Q3. Which literary device is employed to depict the movement of the mother goldfinch bird?

Ans. The literary device utilized to describe the movement of the mother goldfinch bird is a "simile."

 

Q4. What is the meaning of the term 'twitching'?

Ans. The term 'twitching' denotes making slight, quick, and jerky movements with the body.

 

Stanza 3

 

C. She enters the thickness, and a machine starts up
Of chitterings, and a tremor of wings, and trillings —
The whole tree trembles and thrills.

 

Q1. How do the baby goldfinch birds respond when the mother goldfinch bird arrives?

Ans. Upon the arrival of the mother goldfinch bird, the baby goldfinch birds engage in chattering, body shaking, and produce high-pitched sounds.

 

Q2. What does the term 'thickness' refer to in this context?

Ans. In this context, 'thickness' refers to the inner part of the Laburnum top in general, and specifically, the branch on which the Goldfinch perches.

 

Q3. What is the meaning of the term 'thrills'?

Ans. The term 'thrills' signifies shaking violently or experiencing intense and sudden excitement.

 

Q4. Why are the baby goldfinch birds likened to a machine?

Ans. The baby goldfinch birds are compared to a machine because they exhibit a mechanism akin to a machine with a discernible start and stop, mirroring their patterns of activity.

 

Stanza 4

 

D. It is the engine of her family.
She stokes it full, then flirts out to a branch-end
Showing her barred face identity mask

 

Q1. What is being referred to as "the engine" in this context?

Ans. In this context, the mother goldfinch bird is referred to as "the engine."

 

Q2. To where does the mother goldfinch bird extend or move towards?

Ans. The mother goldfinch bird flirts out to the end of a branch.

 

Q3. In what way is the 'face' of the mother goldfinch bird described as 'barred'?

Ans. The 'face' of the mother goldfinch bird is considered 'barred' as it is predominantly yellow but features a black spot on it.

 

Q4. What serves to conceal the identity of the mother goldfinch bird?

Ans. The yellowing leaves and yellow flowers act as a 'mask,' concealing the 'identity' of the mother goldfinch bird.

 

Stanza 5

 

E. Then with eerie delicate whistle-chirrup whisperings
She launches away, towards the infinite
And the laburnum subsides to empty.

Q1. In which direction does the mother goldfinch bird launch away?

Ans. The mother goldfinch bird launches away towards the infinite.

 

Q2. What transformation occurs at the Laburnum top following the departure of the mother goldfinch bird?

Ans. Following the departure of the mother goldfinch bird, the Laburnum top reverts to silence once again.

 

Q3. What is the meaning of the term 'whistle-chirrup'?

Ans. The term 'whistle-chirrup' refers to the whistle-like sound produced by the mother goldfinch bird.

 

Q4. Why does the poet opt for the term 'eerie'?

Ans. The poet uses the term 'eerie' to convey the unsettling or mysterious nature of the sound made by the mother goldfinch bird, as he struggles to comprehend the underlying message.

 

Question Answers

Question 1:

 

What do you observe about the commencement and conclusion of the poem?

 

Answer:

 

The poem opens with profound stillness on the top of the Laburnum tree, and it concludes with the tree descending back into silence. In between, the tree experiences a lively interlude with the arrival of the goldfinch and the animated sounds of the young birds.

 

Question 2:

 

To what is the bird’s motion likened, and what forms the basis for this comparison?

 

Answer:

 

The bird's movements are likened to the swift motion of a lizard. This comparison is rooted in their shared characteristics of sleekness, smoothness, and a glossy appearance.

 

Question 3:

 

Why does the poet evoke the image of an engine?

 

Answer:

 

The poet likens the sudden activity of the young ones to the noise generated by a steam engine during its startup. The bird seems to fuel the metaphorical engine, igniting the excitement of her offspring, who chirp collectively.

 

Question 4:

 

What stands out to you the most about the poem?

 

Answer:

 

The poem's simplicity and commonplace action are notable. What I appreciate the most is the vivid description and imagery crafted by the poet, who skillfully paints a delightful scene using minimal words.

 

Question 5:

 

What does the phrase ‘her barred face identity mask’ signify?

 

Answer:

 

The phrase refers to the goldfinch's facial features marked by colored stripes. These stripes resemble a mask or covering, aiding in the identification and recognition of the birds.

 

Question 6:

 

Summarize in approximately 80 words the scene portrayed in the poem ‘Laburnum Top.’

 

Answer:

 

The Laburnum tree, secluded and tranquil, witnesses a burst of activity with the arrival of a goldfinch. The tree comes alive momentarily, resonating with the noise of the bird's young ones, akin to an engine. However, the excitement fades as the bird departs, restoring silence to the tree's top.

 

Question 7:

 

What imparts a distinctive character to the Laburnum tree top?

 

Answer:

 

The Laburnum tree top, initially solitary and quiet in the forest, undergoes a sudden transformation with the arrival of a goldfinch. The tree springs to life momentarily, resembling the activation of an engine. However, this lively episode is short-lived, and the tree returns to silence when the mother bird departs.

 

Question 8:

 

What occurs to the Laburnum tree in September?

 

Answer:

 

In September, an autumnal month, the Laburnum tree undergoes a seasonal change. Its leaves, like those of other trees, turn pale and fall to the ground, marking the shedding of leaves in preparation for new growth.

 

Question 9:

 

What causes the entire tree to tremble and thrill?

 

Answer:

 

The boisterous chirruping of the little birds, filled with excitement upon seeing and hearing their mother, induces a sense of tremor and thrill throughout the entire Laburnum tree.

 

Question 10:

 

Why does the poet describe the whispering of the bird as 'eerie'?

 

Answer:

 

The soft and subtle noises made by the goldfinch, though seemingly gentle, disrupt the prevailing silence abruptly. This unexpected and sudden disturbance creates an eerie or unsettling effect, as it is surprising and appears unnatural.

 

Question 11:

 

How does the poem commence and conclude?

 

Answer:

 

The poem begins with the line 'The Laburnum Top is silent, quite still.' and concludes with 'And the Laburnum subsides to empty.' The tree starts in complete stillness, experiences a lively interlude with the goldfinch, and returns to silence when the bird departs.

 

 

 

 

Word Meanings

 

1.         Abrupt – rapid

2.         Chirrup – a bird making repeated high-pitched sounds

3.         Chitterings – to make a chattering sound

4.         Eerie – weird and strange

5.         Goldfinch – a small singing birds with yellow feathers on its wings

6.         Laburnum – a short tree with hanging branches, yellow flowers, and poisonous seeds

7.         Startlement – feeling or showing sudden shock

8.         Subsides – diminishes

9.         Thrills – a sudden feeling of excitement

10.       Trembles – to shake

11.       Tremor of wings – involuntary vibration of the wings

12.       Twitching – sudden jerk movement

13.       Whistle-chirrup – gentle whisper like the chirping of the bird

Class 11 English Hornbill A Photograph (Shirley Toulson)

 

NCERT Solutions For Class 11 English

Hornbill

A Photograph (Shirley Toulson)

 

CONTENTS

Ø Theme

Ø Summary

Ø Poetic Device

Ø Stanza based Q-Ans

Ø Question Answers

Ø Word Meaning

 

Theme

 

The poem commences with the depiction of a photograph featuring the poet's mother and her two cousins during a seaside vacation. This particular holiday held a special place in her mother's heart as a cherished memory. While the photograph encapsulates a singular moment in her mother's life, the inexorable march of time inevitably brings change. Over the years, the visage of her mother underwent transformations, yet the unchanging sea persistently lapped at their feet. This serves as a poignant illustration of the alterations time imposes upon human existence. Although her mother has departed, frozen in eternal youth and beauty, she endures within the confines of the photograph. The poet experiences joy at glimpsing her mother's smile through the image, but the painful reality of her absence remains irreplaceable.

Summary

 

The poem serves as a homage to the poet's mother. The poet gazes at an antiquated photograph of her mother encased in a cardboard frame. The image features three girls, with the central figure being the eldest and tallest, portraying the poet's mother at around twelve years old. Flanking her on both sides are her younger cousins, Betty and Dolly, captured during a beach holiday where they engaged in paddling. The photograph, taken by her uncle, reveals her mother's sweet countenance, and the transient touch of the sea on her feet symbolizes the passage of time, highlighting her evolving nature against the backdrop of an unchanging sea.

In the subsequent decades, the poet's mother would fondly reflect on the photograph, sharing memories of how their parents attired them for those beach vacations. The beach holiday became a cherished recollection for her mother, and the poet holds dear the memory of her mother's laughter. Both mother and poet experienced loss, unable to reclaim those cherished moments.

 

These once-sweet moments have now transformed into memories. Presently, the poet's mother has been deceased for a dozen years, equivalent to her age in the photograph. The poet grapples with an indescribable grief over her mother's absence, unable to articulate the profound loss that has marked the passing of twelve years since her mother's demise

Poetic Device

1) Alliteration involves the recurrence of a consonant sound at the start of successive words. Notable instances in the poem include:

 

Stood still

Through their

My mother’s

Terribly transient

Silence silences

 

2) An epithet is a descriptive phrase that captures a particular quality of a person or object.

 

Terribly transient

3) An oxymoron is a figure of speech where contradictory terms are combined.

 

Laboured ease

Stanza based Q-Ans

Stanza 1

 

 “The cardboard shows me how it was
When the two girl cousins went paddling,
Each one holding one of my mother’s hands,
And she the big girl- some twelve years or so”

 

Read the given stanza and answer the following questions

 

What is the meaning of cardboard in this context?

A. A thick paper on which the poet’s photograph was pasted

B. A thick envelope

C. A thick piece of paper with a photo of the poet’s mother attached

D. A paper boat

Ans: C. A thick piece of paper with a photo of the poet’s mother attached

 

What does the cardboard depict?

A. A scenery

B. The picture of a house

C. The picture of a school

D. The picture of three girls

Ans: D. The picture of three girls

 

Who is the big girl mentioned here?

A. The poet herself

B. The poet’s mother

C. The poet’s relative

D. The poet’s friend

Ans: B. The poet’s mother

 

In the picture, what are the three of them doing?

A. playing in the sand

B. standing beside the house

C. holding hands

D. holding hands and paddling

Ans: C. holding hands

 

Stanza 2

 

 “All three stood still to smile through their hair
At the uncle with the camera.
A sweet face, My mother’s,
that was before I was born.
And the sea, which appears to have changed less.
Washed their terribly transient feet.

 

Read the given stanza and answer the following questions

 

What does the phrase “smiling through their hair” signify in the poem?

A. The girls who were photographed had their hair decorated

B. The photographed girls were wearing a mask

C. When the girls were smiling for the camera, their hair was covering their faces.

D. The hair of the girls in the picture was smiling as well

Ans: C. When the girls were smiling for the camera, their hair was covering their faces.

 

What has remained constant over time?

A. The photo

B. The cardboard

C. The girls

D. The sea

Ans: D. The sea

 

Identify a term in the extract that describes something as “lasting only briefly”?

A. Still

B. Transient

C. Changed

D. Less

Ans: B. Transient

 

What poetic device involving epithets was used in the poem?

A. Terribly transient

B. Through their

C. Both wry

D. Laboured ease

Ans: A. Terribly transient

 

 

Stanza 3

 

 “Some twenty-thirty-years later
She’d laugh at the snapshot.
“See Betty And Dolly, she’d say, “and look how they
Dressed us for the beach
The sea holiday Was her past, mine is her laughter
Both wry With the laboured ease of loss.”

 

Read the given stanza and answer the following questions

 

Why did she laugh?

A. Seeing the absurd dresses they were sporting while on holiday by the sea

B. One of them cracked a joke

C. Seeing the weird dresses they were wearing at the party

D. Because they saw a funny man at the sea holiday

Ans: A. Seeing the absurd dresses they were sporting while on holiday by the sea

 

Who are Betty and Dolly?

A. They are poet’s cousins

B. They are poet’s friends

C. They are poet’s mother’s friends

D. They are poet’s mother’s cousins

Ans: D. They are poet’s mother’s cousins

 

The word ___________ in the extract is the synonym of photograph.

A. Snapshot

B. Picture

C. Mine

D. Laboured

Ans: A. Snapshot

 

What do you mean by the word ‘wry’?

A. Ironic

B. Cry

C. Sad

D. None of the above

Ans: A. Ironic

 

Stanza 4

 

 “Now she’s been dead nearly as many years
As that girl lived
And of this circumstance
There is nothing to say at all
Its silence silences”

 

Read the given stanza and answer the following questions

 

Who does she refer to?

A. The poet’s dead aunt

B. The poet’s dead mother

C. The poet’s dead cousin

D. The poet’s sister

Ans: B. The poet’s dead mother

 

Why is there nothing to be said regarding the poet’s mother’s passing?

A. The poet is perplexed

B. When her mother passed away, the poet was not in her senses

C. The death of the poet’s mother has left a deep void in the poet’s heart

D. The poet and her mother did not get along well

Ans: C. The death of the poet’s mother has left a deep void in the poet’s heart

 

The phrase “events that change your life, over which you have no control” is synonymous with which word in the extract?

A. Silences

B. Circumstances

C. Situation

D. Circumstance

Ans: D. Circumstance

 

What does the author feel in the last phase?

A. Pain and grief

B. Happy and nostalgic

C. Sad and nostalgic

D. Pain and nostalgic

Ans: A. Pain and grief

 

Question Answers

 

Question 1 What does the word ‘cardboard’ denote in the poem? Why has this word been used?

 

Answer: The term ‘cardboard’ signifies that the photograph is a quick snapshot with a cardboard backing. This word has been employed to indicate the early stages of photography.

 

Question 2 What has the camera captured?

 

Answer: The camera has captured three individuals—two girls and the poet's mother—enjoying a holiday by the seaside.

 

Question 3 What has not changed over the years? Does this suggest something to you?

 

Answer: The sea hasn't changed over the years. This suggests a stark contrast with the rapid changes that human beings undergo.

 

Question 4 The poet’s mother laughed at the snapshot. What did this laugh indicate?

 

Answer: The poet's mother laughed upon seeing the photograph because, though she was young and charming at the time, the attire she wore in the funny mode of the sea holiday appeared amusing.

 

Question 5 What is the meaning of the line ‘Both wry with the laboured ease of loss’?

 

Answer: The line suggests that both, the poet and her mother, are ironically experiencing the sorrowful and burdensome ease that comes with loss. The laughter and moments captured in the photograph are now tinged with the weight of grief.

 

Question 6 What does ‘this circumstance’ refer to?

 

Answer: 'This circumstance' refers to the period since the poet's mother's passing. It denotes the dull span of time with no memorable experiences, leaving the poet with little to say about it.

 

Question 7 The three stanzas depict three different phases. What are they?

 

Answer: The three stanzas depict distinct phases: the first portrays the mother's youthful days captured in the photograph; the second reflects the poet's childhood memories associated with her mother's laughter at the snapshot; and the third describes the extended period following the mother's death, marked by a lack of noteworthy events.

 

Question 8 The face of the poet’s mother was sweet and glowing. Why?

 

Answer: The mother's face appeared sweet and glowing because, during the period captured in the photograph, she was young and still childless.

 

Question 9 What does the poet mean by ‘terribly transient feet’?

 

Answer: The phrase 'terribly transient feet' refers to the impermanence and transience of the human body. The sea waves washing the feet in the photograph symbolize the changes that occur with the passage of time.

 

Question 10 Its silence silences. Elaborate.

 

Answer: The phrase "its silence silences" conveys that the prolonged period after the mother's death has been so uneventful and devoid of excitement that the silence of time itself has silenced the poet. There is nothing noteworthy or remarkable to express during this time.

 

Question 11 Sum up the main features of the poem ‘A Photograph’ in about 80 words.

 

Answer: "A Photograph" portrays the poet's melancholic reflection on a photograph of her late mother. The poem unfolds in three phases—youthful memories captured in the photograph, recollections of the mother laughing at it during the poet's childhood, and the extended period after the mother's death. The sea remains unchanged, symbolizing the constancy against human transience. The poet grapples with grief, emphasizing the silence and emptiness of the time that followed her mother's demise.

 

Question 12. The three stanzas delineate distinct phases. What are they?

Answer: The initial stanza unfolds her mother's early years, around the age of twelve, captured in a photograph during a beach holiday with her cousins. The second stanza delves into the poet's childhood, reflecting on her mother's interactions with the photograph and reminiscing about the events mentioned earlier. In the final stanza, the poet discloses her mother's demise, which occurred twelve years ago, corresponding to the age captured in the photograph. The poet grapples with pain, recalling her mother's bygone memories while viewing the photograph, unable to articulate her sorrow.

Word Meanings

1.         Paddling – walking

2.         Silences – a complete absence of sound

3.         Snapshot – photograph

4.         Transient – short-term; temporary

5.         Wry – ironic; mocking