Character Sketch of the Boy and the Poet (John Berryman) from Class 10 English First Flight Book Poem 5 The Ball Poem
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Character Sketch of the Boy
The boy was playing with his ball when it skipped from his hand and went into the nearby water body. The boy is inconsolable. He loses hope in himself and becomes depressed and hopeless. He stands still, trembling and looking at the point where his ball has gone down into the harbour. He experiences grief at the loss of his much-loved ball and thinks about the happy memories associated with it. The little boy seems resigned to the fact that loss is a truth of life. He will learn how to accept loss and move on in life.
The Ball Poem Overview – John Berryman’s poetry “The Ball Poem” has childhood, grief, and the quest for innocence as its themes. The poem expresses the speaker’s nostalgia for those carefree, innocent days when he or she used to play with a ball. The poem also explores themes of mortality and the inevitable loss of youth’s unfettered joys as a result of growing up. The importance of learning the ways to accept loss and keep on moving with life.
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Some Questions on Character Sketch of the Boy
Q1. How did the boy react after losing the ball?
Q2. How does the boy senses first incident of responsibility?
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Character Sketch of the Poet (John Berryman)
The poet in the ball poem is observant and prudent. The poet shows his empathetic side when he decides not to ‘intrude’ upon, that is, approach the boy. The poet stops himself from consoling the boy that he may get new balls nor he gave him some money to buy another ball. He understands the boy’s grief and knows that the lost ball cannot be replaced. He gave a very positive message – Gain and loss, getting and losing are the essentials in the cycle of life. He wants us to understand that in this materialistic world nothing is forever.
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Some Questions on Character Sketch of the Poet (John Berryman)
Q1. How does the poet describe the boy?
Q2. What is the message of the poet in the ball poem?
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Also See:
Class 10 English Syllabus
Character Sketches of Class 10 English
CBSE Class 10 English Lesson Explanation, Summary
CBSE Class 10 English Question Answers (Important)
CBSE Class 10 English MCQs
Class 10 English Complete Study Guide
Class 10 English First Flight book Prose word meanings
Class 10 English First Flight Poems word meanings
Class 10 English Footprints without Feet word meanings
List of Poetic Devices in Class 10 Poems (Poem-wise)
10 Important Poetic Devices for Class 10