English - Lesson 22: " The Truth" - a poem by Barrie Wade (PUBLIC EXAMINATION)

 

TRUTH

Sticks and stones may break my bones

But words can also hurt me.

Stones and sticks break only skin

While words are ghosts that haunt me.

Slant and curved the word swords fall

To pierce and stick inside me.

Bats and bricks may ache through bones

But words can mortify me.

As you know when we are physically hurt people see our wounds and express sympathy for us. But can people see our suffering when we go through emotional or mental pain? No, they cannot. So, we suffer alone. In this stanza the poet speaks about the pain caused by weapons and the hurt caused by unkind language. Sticks and stones hurt us physically.

But we get hurt emotionally by rude and harsh language. We feel mentally upset (meaning of mortify -to subject to severe and vexing embarrassment & shame) and disturbed. The wounds caused to our body heal up fast, but the insult caused by words disturbs our mind for a long period of time.

Pain from words has left its scar

On mind and heart that’s tender.

Cuts and bruises now have healed;

It’s words that I remember.

- Barrie Wade

You have been treated unfairly by someone. How do you feel? Do you think being intolerant and aggressive is always an effective way of dealing with people?

The stanza describes the intense pain caused by bitter words. But don’t you think

that angry and harsh words can also hurt equally. Don’t you think that such words can humiliate us and make our life miserable?

Think of a physical injury you have suffered in the past. Think of some unkind words someone said to you, and which hurt you badly. Which experience did you forget earlier? In this stanza the poet explains that the damage caused by harsh language is more than the damage caused by physical injury. Both leave scars - one on the body and the other on the mind and heart. But the scars on the mind and heart do not let us forget the experience.

Find out if the poet could overcome the pain caused by bitter words.

Terminal Questions

1. State the theme or central idea of the poem in 50-60 words.

The impact of words on the mind is powerful. Unkind words are more painful than wounds caused by weapons. Physical wounds heal up, but emotional injury lasts long because words linger and haunt us, and never allow us to be at peace.

2. Why do you think the poet has titled this poem “Truth”? Write your answer in 50-60 words.

Being truthful in our lives is very important. But if a truth is conveyed in ugly words, it leaves a scar on the heart and becomes painful. It is important to be truthful but also to be kind.

3. Which word has been repeated? How many times has it been repeated in the poem. Why has the poet repeated it?

The word ‘words’ has been repeated six times. It has been repeated to emphasize its

importance and significance. The effect of words on us is the focal point in the poem.

4. What literary devices has the poet used? How have the literary devices in the poem helped you to understand and enjoy the poem?

The poet has used:

metaphors - Metaphors help to feel the intensity of pain caused by words by comparing words with a sword.

alliteration - Alliteration contributes the sound effect.

repetition - Repetition helps to emphasize the central idea.

5. What do you think is the strong emotion that prompts us to be aggressive and intolerant?

Tick one of the four emotions below. Give reasons for your choice in 50-60 words:

1. Anger 2. Ambition 3. Hatred 4. Jealousy

6. Think of a situation in which your relationship with your friend becomes unpleasant. You want to maintain your friendship. What would you do to be good friends again? Write your answer in 50 - 60 words.

Show empathy, be understanding of the reason for his /her behaviour, communicate the desire to normalize relations.

7. Describe in 50-60 words how would you feel if someone used harsh and hurtful

words to you.

8. (a) Given below is a list of emotions and values. Put them in appropriate columns in the space provided below. Refer to the dictionary if necessary to understand the

meaning of each word before doing the exercise.

greed respect for others / lust /abusive language /jealousy /compassion /empathy /

pleasant communication /sharing and caring /violence /revenge /gratitude / forgiveness /selflessness /tolerance /kindness /selfishness

(b) Which one of the above positive qualities would you like to develop in yourself

and which negative quality would you like to give up?

9. Read the following dialogue between a student passenger and the bus conductor.

Rewrite it to make it an effective communication.

Student Passenger: Give me a ticket for the Red Fort.

(gives a 50 rupee note)

Conductor: Give me Rs 15 only.

Student Passenger: I have a 50 rupee note only.

Conductor: Didn’t you know that you need coins to pay?

Student Passenger: You already have so many coins in your pouch. You want to harass me.

Conductor: Give me the change or else get down from the bus.

Student Passenger: Why should I get down? I have to reach there on time.

Conductor: I’ll throw you out.

Student Passenger: How dare you! You are a public servant. Don’t forget it.

Stanza 1

Answer the following questions

1. Which objects mentioned in the stanza can cause physical injury?

sticks and stones

2. What have “words” in the poem been compared with? ghosts

3. Complete the following statement in your own words.

Words are called ghosts that haunt us because _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

(i) they trouble our mind for a long time.

(ii) they are invisible.

(iii) we cannot fight them or overcome them.

4. Words, sticks and stones hurt us. In what way do they differ in their impact? Write your answer in about 50-60 words.

5. Your sister takes your pen without your permission to write her examination. This

causes inconvenience for you. Hence, you are angry with her. How would you react to her action?

(a) Given below are four options. Choose one out of them to complete the sentence. You will…

(i) scold her in strong words.

(ii) forgive her but make her understand that it is a bad habit.

(iii) punish her so that she does not repeat it in future.

(iv) not talk to her for three days.

(b) Now based on your chosen option write one positive and one negative reaction

you might expect from your sister in the spaces provided below.

Your Chosen option:

Your sister's reaction: Positive______________Negative___________

Stanza 2

1. Words have been called ‘swords’ in Stanza II. Why?

Both swords and unkind words are sharp and hurt deeply.

2. Which two words describe the ‘swords?

slant and curved

3. Select the meaning out of the ones given below that best explains the line ‘pierce and stick inside’ in Stanza II.

(a) The impact of bitter words is deep and long lasting.

(b) Swords injure sharply.

(c) The wound caused by a sword doesn’t heal up.

4. Identify the word from Stanza II that describes the effect of ‘words’ on the poet.

mortify

Answer the following questions.

1. Where has the pain left the scar?

on his mind and tender heart

2. What happened to the poet’s physical injury?

It got healed.

3. Why could he not forget the words?

They were painful.

4. Why do words hurt more than weapons?

Physical injuries caused by weapons heal up, but pain caused by words does not go

away.

How to write Appreciation of the Poem?

In this poem the poet says a lot in a few words. He does this by using literary devices such as metaphor, alliteration and repetition. These literary devices create an impact and help the readers to infer the meaning on their own.

Literary devices used by the poet:

Metaphor: It compares two things that are not very similar. 

It describes two things in terms of a single quality or feature that they both share.

Example: The road was a ribbon of light.

Maharaja Ranjit Singh was the Lion of Punjab.

Alliteration: It is the repetition of the initial sounds in words to create an emphasis

and a pleasing and musical effect. It helps the reader to appreciate &

enjoy the poem.

Example: Seema’s seven sisters slept soundly by the sea.

Lovely lilies in lush lawns send out the sweet sound of songs.

Repetition: It is the repetition of words that emphasizes important ideas.

Example: Humpty Dumpty sat on a wall

Humpty Dumpty had a great fall

Do You Know?

The Atharva Veda is one of the four Vedas, which are the Hindu scriptures. The four

Vedas are the Rig Veda, the Yajur Veda, the Sam Veda and the Atharva Veda. The

Hindus believe that the origin of all knowledge and wisdom lies in these Vedas.

Read a few lines from the ‘Atharva Veda’ below and think over them.

Words can confer strength

They can drown it off

Words can gain friends

They can turn them

Into enemies

Words can elevate or

Lower the individual

One must learn the habit

Of making one’s words

Sweet, soft and pleasant

Our Holy Scriptures, reformers and preachers have always emphasised the need for

controlling strong emotions and ambitions, in order to maintain a calm and peaceful attitude.

Strong negative emotions like anger, jealousy etc., if uncontrolled, are destructive in life.

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