The Snail Summary, Explanation, Difficult Words | WBBSE Class 10 English Lesson 8

by | Jul 4, 2024 | General | 0 comments

 

The Snail Summary

 

West Bengal Board Class 10 English The Snail Summary, Lesson Explanation with difficult word meanings from Bliss Book

 

The Snail– Are you looking for Summary and Lesson Explanation for West Bengal Board Class 10 English Lesson 8 The Snail from Bliss Book. Get notes, summary of the Lesson followed by line by line explanation of the lesson along with the meanings of difficult words.

 

The Snail West Bengal Board Class 10 English 

William Cowper 

 

 

Related Link :The Snail Question Answers WBBSE Class 10 English Bliss Book

The Snail Introduction

The poem “The Snail” by William Cowper tells us about the life and habits of a snail. It portrays the snail as a creature that attaches itself to various surfaces like grass, leaves, fruits, and walls without the fear of falling. The poem explains how the snail finds security within its own shell when faced with danger from storms or other harms. Even the slightest touch causes the snail to retreat into its shell with displeasure. The poem emphasizes the snail’s solitary nature, content with itself as its only possession. 

Theme of the Lesson The Snail

The theme of “The Snail” by William Cowper revolves around solitude, resilience, and self-sufficiency in the face of adversity. Through the metaphor of the snail, the poem explores themes of independence and contentment with one’s own company. The snail is portrayed as a creature that sticks closely to various surfaces, finding security in its shell when threatened by danger. It lives alone and is depicted as being self-satisfied with itself as its only possession. The poem celebrates the snail’s ability to survive and thrive in its environment, highlighting its resilience and simplicity amidst the challenges of nature.

The Snail Summary

The poem “The Snail” by William Cowper talks about the life and habits of a snail. The poem shows how the snail clings to different surfaces like grass, leaves, fruits, and walls without any fear of falling. It gives the impression that the snail and its shell are one, growing together with the surface it attaches to. When danger approaches, such as a storm or any other harmful weather, the snail retreats into its shell for safety. The poem emphasizes the snail’s sensitivity by describing how it quickly withdraws into its shell at the slightest touch on its horns, showing its displeasure. The snail is portrayed as a solitary creature, living alone without any possessions except itself. Despite this solitude, the snail is content and self-sufficient, satisfied with being its own treasure. The poem emphasizes the snail’s resilience, independence, and simplicity, celebrating its ability to live in its environment despite its solitary and minimalistic existence.

The Snail Summary in Hindi

विलियम काउपर की कविता “द स्नेल” घोंघे के जीवन और आदतों के बारे में बात करती है। कविता दिखाती है कि कैसे घोंघा गिरने के डर के बिना घास, पत्तियों, फलों और दीवारों जैसी विभिन्न सतहों से चिपक जाता है। इससे यह आभास होता है कि घोंघा और उसका खोल एक ही हैं, जिस सतह से वह जुड़ा हुआ है, उसके साथ-साथ बढ़ रहे हैं। जब खतरा आता है, जैसे कि तूफान या कोई अन्य हानिकारक मौसम, तो घोंघा सुरक्षा के लिए अपने खोल में छिप जाता है। कविता घोंघे की संवेदनशीलता पर जोर देते हुए बताती है कि कैसे वह अपने सींगों पर हल्का सा स्पर्श होते ही अपनी नाराजगी दिखाते हुए तुरंत अपने खोल में समा जाता है। घोंघे को एक अकेले प्राणी के रूप में चित्रित किया गया है, जो अपने अलावा किसी भी संपत्ति के बिना अकेला रहता है। इस अकेलेपन के बावजूद, घोंघा संतुष्ट और आत्मनिर्भर है, अपना खजाना होने से संतुष्ट है। कविता घोंघे के लचीलेपन, स्वतंत्रता और सादगी पर जोर देती है, इसके एकान्त और न्यूनतम अस्तित्व के बावजूद अपने वातावरण में रहने की क्षमता का जश्न मनाती है।

The Snail Poem Explanation

 

Poem: 

To grass, or leaf, or fruit, or wall

The snail sticks close, nor fears to fall

As if he grew there, house and all,

Together.

 

Word Meanings:

snail (n): a small creature with a soft, wet body and a round shell, that moves very slowly and often eats garden plants

 

Explanation: The poet describes how a snail attaches itself firmly to various surfaces such as grass, leaves, fruits, or walls. The snail is not afraid of falling because it sticks so securely to these surfaces. It seems as though the snail and its shell have become a part of whatever it is attached to, as if they have grown together with the surface. This emphasizes the snail’s strong grip and the sense of safety and stability it finds in its surroundings.

 

Poem: 

Within that house secure he hides

When danger imminent betides

Of storm, or other harm besides

Of weather.

 

Word Meanings:

imminent (adj.): likely to happen soon

betides (v): to happen

 

Explanation: The snail retreats into its shell for protection. The “house” refers to the snail’s shell, where it feels safe and secure. Whenever danger is near, such as an approaching storm or other harmful weather conditions, the snail hides inside its shell. This shows the snail’s instinct for self-preservation and its ability to protect itself from threats by using its shell as a refuge.

 

Poem: 

Give but his horns the slightest touch,

His self-collecting pow’r is such,

He shrinks into his house with much

Displeasure.

 

Word Meanings:

pow’r (n): power

shrinks (v): to become smaller

displeasure (n): a feeling of being annoyed or angry

 

Explanation: The snail’s sensitivity and defensive reaction to being touched and its instinct to protect itself from perceived threats is described here. The “horns” refer to the snail’s antennae. If these are touched even slightly, the snail immediately retracts into its shell. This quick withdrawal demonstrates the snail’s “self-collecting power,” or its ability to protect itself quickly. The snail does this with “much displeasure,” indicating that it finds the experience unpleasant and prefers to stay undisturbed. 

Poem: 

Where’re he dwells, he dwells alone,

Except himself has chatells none,

Well satisfied to be his own

Whole treasure.

 

Word Meanings: 

chatells (n): personal belongings

dwells (v): to live in a place 

treasure (v): very valuable things

 

Explanation: The solitary and self-sufficient nature of the snail is described by the poet here. Wherever the snail lives, it lives alone. It has no possessions (“chatells”) except for itself. Despite having no belongings, the snail is satisfied with just being itself. It considers itself to be its own “whole treasure,” meaning it finds value and completeness in its own existence without needing anything else. 

 

WBBSE Class 10 English Lesson 8 The Snail Figures of Speech

 

  1. Metaphor: It is a figure of speech in which an implied comparison is made between objects that are different in nature.
  • The entire poem uses the snail as a metaphor for self-sufficiency and contentment.

 

  1. Imagery: Imagery is used to make readers perceive things involving their five senses. 
  • “To grass, or leaf, or fruit, or wall / The snail sticks close, nor fears to fall”- Visual imagery of the snail on different surfaces

 

  1. Parallelism: It refers to using similar words, clauses, phrases, sentence structure, or other grammatical elements to emphasize similar ideas in a sentence.
  • “Where’re he dwells, he dwells alone, / Except himself has chatells none”- Parallel structure in describing the snail’s solitary existence

 

  1. Simile: It is a literary device that compares two unlike or different things. 
  • “As if he grew there, house and all, Together” – The snail is compared to something that grows in place.

 

  1. Personification: Personification is the representation of an abstract quality or idea in the form of a person, creature, etc., as in art and literature.
  • “Within that house secure he hides”
  • “He shrinks into his house with much displeasure”

The snail is given human characteristics, such as the ability to “hide” and feel “displeasure.”

 

 

Also See : 

 

WBBSE Class 10 English Summary, Explanation, Difficult Words

 

 

WBBSE Class 10 English Question Answers

 

 

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