Jammu and Kashmir Board Class 10 English Tulip Book Poem 8 Last Lesson of the Afternoon Question Answers
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- Last Lesson of the Afternoon Textbook Questions
- Last Lesson of the Afternoon Multiple Choice Questions
- Last Lesson of the Afternoon Extract Based Questions
Jammu and Kashmir Board Class 10 English Tulip Book Poem Last Lesson of the Afternoon Textbook Questions
Exercise
Question Answers
Thinking about the Poem
- What is the tone in the opening line of the poem?
Ans. The tone is weary and frustrated, showing the teacher’s exhaustion.
- Who is the speaker of the poem?
Ans. The speaker is a disillusioned teacher.
- What are the pupils regarded as? Why has the teacher failed to ‘haul them and urge them’ any more?
Ans. The pupils are regarded as ‘unruly hounds’ because they resist the teacher’s attempts to engage them in learning.
- Which words and phrases in stanza 2 convey the mood of the speaker?
Ans. Phrases like “I am sick” and “what on earth is the good of it all?” convey a disheartened and defeated mood.
- Why doesn’t the speaker want to consume his fuel anymore?
Ans. The speaker feels that expending more effort is futile since his students show no interest or appreciation.
- What do you think ‘take the toll of their insults in punishment’ means?
Ans. It suggests the teacher’s consideration of punishing the students, but he ultimately rejects this idea.
- Why does the teacher feel that his teaching and the pupils’ learning are both purposeless? Pick out words and phrases which show that he shares his pupils’ indifference to their work.
Ans. The teacher feels both teaching and learning are purposeless because they “all go down the same abyss.” He shares their indifference by saying, “I shall sit and wait for the bell.”
- Do you find any connection between the beginning and the ending of the poem?
Ans. Yes, both the beginning and end show the teacher’s exhaustion and lack of motivation, waiting for the lesson to end.
- After reading this poem, write an account of your opinion / idea in 100 – 200 words about this poem?
Ans. “Last Lesson of the Afternoon” gives us a reflection on the frustrations of a teacher whose efforts seem wasted on indifferent students. Lawrence captures the weariness that comes with unrewarding work. Through metaphors like “unruly hounds” and “dross of indifference,” the teacher’s sense of despair and helplessness comes through powerfully. The poem resonates with anyone who has felt unappreciated in their work, showing the internal struggle between caring deeply and the necessity of self-preservation. Ultimately, the teacher’s decision to “wait for the bell” symbolizes his choice to withdraw emotionally, marking a sobering conclusion about the limits of dedication.
Learning about the Literary Device/s
- What is the metaphor used by the poet in stanza 1?
Ans. The students are compared to “unruly hounds,” indicating their resistance and lack of discipline.
- Identify the metaphor in stanza 3.
Ans. The teacher’s energy and efforts are likened to “fuel of life,” implying he has limited reserves of passion and enthusiasm.
Jammu and Kashmir Board Class 10 English Tulip Book Poem Last Lesson of the Afternoon Extra Questions
Multiple Choice Questions
- What is the speaker waiting for in the opening line of the poem?
(A) The students to leave
(B) The lesson to begin
(C) The bell to ring
(D) A visitor to arrive
- What metaphor does the poet use to describe the students?
(A) Lazy animals
(B) Unruly hounds
(C) Knowledgeable students
(D) Fearful creatures
- Why does the teacher feel the students dislike learning?
(A) They are indifferent to his efforts
(B) They enjoy learning but don’t show it
(C) They are exhausted from other activities
(D) The lessons are too easy
- In stanza 2, the teacher describes the work on the desks as:
(A) Worthwhile efforts
(B) Pointless tasks
(C) Exciting challenges
(D) Thoughtful questions
- Which of these best reflects the teacher’s attitude toward teaching by the end of the poem?
(A) Passionate
(B) Indifferent
(C) Encouraged
(D) Humiliated
- The term “last dear fuel of life” implies:
(A) The teacher’s last effort or energy
(B) His favorite student
(C) His last lesson plan
(D) A source of his frustrations
- What does the phrase “dross of indifference” refer to?
(A) The lack of interest among the students
(B) His enthusiasm for teaching
(C) Positive energy
(D) High quality of work
- In the final stanza, the teacher decides to:
(A) Punish the students
(B) Continue his efforts
(C) Wait for the bell and keep his strength
(D) Encourage the students to improve
- The phrase “it is all my aunt” suggests the teacher’s feelings of:
(A) Indifference
(B) Deep care
(C) Humor
(D) Anger
- How does the teacher ultimately view his role in the students’ learning?
(A) He believes he has a critical role
(B) He feels his role is futile and pointless
(C) He enjoys the challenge
(D) He wants to inspire the students
Answers:
- (C) The bell to ring
- (B) Unruly hounds
- (A) They are indifferent to his efforts
- (B) Pointless tasks
- (B) Indifferent
- (A) The teacher’s last effort or energy
- (A) The lack of interest among the students
- (C) Wait for the bell and keep his strength
- (A) Indifference
- (B) He feels his role is futile and pointless
Extract- Based Questions
A. “When will the bell ring, and end this weariness?
How long have they tugged the leash, and strained apart
My pack of unruly hounds! I cannot start
Them again on a quarry of knowledge they hate to hunt,
I can haul them and urge them no more.”
- What does the teacher mean by “When will the bell ring, and end this weariness?”
Ans. The teacher is exhausted and impatiently waiting for the class to end. The “weariness” represents his frustration and fatigue.
- Why does the teacher refer to the students as “a pack of unruly hounds”?
Ans. The teacher compares the students to hounds to illustrate their lack of discipline and unwillingness to learn, as though they are wild and difficult to control.
- What is the ‘quarry of knowledge’ the teacher refers to?
Ans. The ‘quarry of knowledge’ represents the academic knowledge or learning objectives the teacher is trying to teach, which the students resist pursuing.
- What does the phrase “I can haul them and urge them no more” suggest about the teacher’s feelings?
Ans. It suggests that the teacher feels he has exhausted his energy and efforts, and can no longer push or motivate the students.
- How does the imagery in this extract set the tone of the poem?
Ans. The imagery of weariness and resistance sets a tone of frustration and hopelessness, highlighting the teacher’s strained relationship with his students.
B. “No longer now can I endure the brunt,
Of the books that lie out on the desks; a full threescore
Of several work that they have offered me.
I am sick, and what on earth is the good of it all?
What good to them or me, I cannot see.”
- What does “endure the brunt” mean in the context of this extract?
Ans. “Endure the brunt” refers to bearing the heavy burden or difficulty of managing the students’ work and attitudes.
- How many pieces of work does the teacher have to review, and what does this signify?
Ans. The teacher mentions “a full threescore,” which means sixty. This signifies the overwhelming workload and the monotonous task of checking numerous assignments.
- What does the teacher mean by “I am sick, and what on earth is the good of it all?”
Ans. The teacher expresses a sense of futility, feeling that his teaching efforts and the students’ learning bring no benefit or satisfaction.
- How does the teacher’s view on teaching change in this extract?
Ans. The teacher starts to question the purpose of his work, showing increasing disillusionment and disinterest in the impact of his teaching.
- What is the tone of this extract, and how does it contribute to the poem’s message?
Ans. The tone is one of despair and resignation, emphasizing the teacher’s sense of disconnection from his purpose as an educator.
C. “My last dear fuel of life to heap on my soul
And kindle my will to a flame that shall consume
Their dross of indifference, and take the toll
Of their insults in punishments? —I will not —”
- What does “last dear fuel of life” symbolize in this line?
Ans. It symbolizes the teacher’s remaining passion or energy for teaching, which he feels is nearly depleted.
- What does the teacher mean by “kindle my will to a flame”?
Ans. He means to reignite his motivation or determination to overcome the students’ indifference.
- What is “dross of indifference,” and who does it refer to?
Ans. “Dross of indifference” refers to the students’ apathy toward learning, which the teacher finds disappointing and discouraging.
- What does the teacher decide in this line about consuming his “last dear fuel of life”?
Ans. He decides that he will not waste his remaining energy or passion on students who are uninterested.
- What does this extract reveal about the teacher’s emotional state?
Ans. This extract reveals the teacher’s frustration and reluctance to continue investing emotionally and mentally in unresponsive students.
D. “I will not waste my soul and my strength for this.
What do I care for all that they do amiss?
What is the point of their teaching of mine, and of this
Learning of theirs? It all goes down the same abyss.
What does it matter to me, if they can write
A description of a dog, or if they can’t?”
- What does the teacher mean by “I will not waste my soul and my strength for this”?
Ans. The teacher refuses to expend any more energy on trying to engage students who are indifferent.
- How does the teacher’s tone reflect his view of the students’ work?
Ans. His tone is apathetic and dismissive, as he feels that whether or not they succeed is ultimately meaningless to him.
- What does “it all goes down the same abyss” suggest?
Ans. This phrase suggests that the teacher feels his and the students’ efforts are wasted, as they lead to no productive outcome.
- Why does the teacher question the purpose of his teaching and the students’ learning?
Ans. The teacher questions their purpose because he feels their collective efforts are futile, lacking any significant impact.
- What is the significance of the phrase “a description of a dog”?
Ans. It symbolizes the trivial nature of the assignments that the teacher feels hold no real value for himself or the students.
E. “I do not, and will not, they won’t and they don’t and that’s all!
I shall keep my strength for myself; they can keep theirs as well
Why should we beat our heads against the wall
Of each other? I shall sit and wait for the bell.”
- What does the teacher mean by “they won’t and they don’t and that’s all”?
Ans. The teacher has accepted that his students will not change their attitude or behavior towards learning, and he can no longer try to change it.
- How does the teacher plan to preserve his energy?
Ans. The teacher decides to keep his strength for himself instead of trying to engage his disinterested students.
- What does “beat our heads against the wall” imply?
Ans. It implies the futility of the teacher and students forcing their opposing wills on each other, leading nowhere productive.
- Why does the teacher choose to “sit and wait for the bell”?
Ans. The teacher has given up trying to teach effectively and decides to passively wait for the end of the lesson.
- What is the tone of this final extract, and how does it contribute to the poem’s theme?
Ans. The tone is one of resignation, creating the theme of disillusionment and the futility of teaching students who do not care.