Is Jack a brave soldier in ‘The Hero’ by Siegfried Sassoon?

Soldiers who fight in a war far from their homes and near ones are different from the common run of men.  The words ‘brave’ and ‘courageous’ are associated with the image of a soldier. But, Jack is not a true soldier in terms of bravery and fearlessness. He is an ordinary person of flesh and blood with fear of death. He makes a lame excuse to go back home and tries to cross the trench. Then a mine explodes and blows him into pieces. Evidently Jack is not a hero as he lacks the essential qualities of a true solider.   

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Relevance of the Title: The Hero by Siegfried Sassoon

By the word ‘Hero’, we think of a brave and courageous person. Jack the protagonist (principal character) is glorified as a hero in the poem. But the close reading of the poem reveals that Jack is a ‘cold-footed, useless swine’. From this perspective the title of the poem sounds irrelevant and illogical. However, the title ‘The Hero’ is reflective of the poet’s satirical attitude to war. By giving such an ironical title the poet Siegfried Sassoon has exposed the truth of a soldier’s unpleasant death and satirized the tradition of glorifying a coward solider as a hero. So the title of the poem ‘The Hero’ is substantial and relevant.     

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Life without Electricity in City

Life without electricity is unimaginable in the present decade of 21^st century. Machines drive the ways of our daily life. Machines from a handy gadget to a massive appliance need electricity. Electricity fuels all sorts of gadgets and gizmos directly or indirectly to ensure their proper functioning. 

Life comes to a standstill without electricity in cities and towns. In cities, modern household gadgets like washing machine, refrigerator, home theater system, air conditioner, kitchen appliances like oven, hand blender, mixer, drinking water purifier; official gadgets like computers, printers, scanners, internet devices run on electricity. Mobiles phones, digital cameras, iPods and laptops are integral parts of our city lifestyle. Batteries of phones, laptops, cameras need to be charged with electricity from time to time. 

Cellphone and Internet are two major mediums of communication in the present time. If supply of electricity is cut off for a few hours, communication is disrupted slowing the pace of life in cities. AC is a must need to keep the confined atmosphere cool and comfortable at workplaces where there are many computers. The functional operation comes to a stop during power cut. Lift is the only means for smooth movement from bottom to top in high rises. Without electricity lifts and escalators do not work, and therefore all movement stops. 

The picture of life without electricity in villages is not as grim as in cities. However, the necessity of electricity is undeniable in some fields of rural life. For example, water pumps which run on electricity are used to irrigate agricultural fields. Evidently life depends on electricity as we depend on gadgets, and gadgets depend on electricity for functioning. To say it brief, life with no electricity is a nightmare.    

                                                                   by Aditya Roy Choudhury, a class VI student                          

Notes on ‘The Road Not Taken’ by Robert Frost

Describe the two roads which Robert Frost had once come across 

Once the poet Robert Frost on the way of his journey, halted at a point where the road was divided into two. One of the roads was much trodden and therefore, it was rough. The other road was hardly trodden by anyone and so, it looked fair and was covered with green grass. To the poet the less trodden path was more luring than the much trodden one.  

Which of the two roads did Robert Frost choose? Why? 

The poet Robert Frost chose the road which was less trodden and covered with grass. Initially, the poet was full of doubts about that less trodden path because it might not be safe to walk on a less trusted path. The next moment he thought that he should take this road to reach his destination and it might make a difference in his life. The poet had the confidence and courage to meet the challenge of treading the path which was hardly walked on by any traveler. Indifferent to the fate and the future consequences, Robert Frost dared to go different from the common lot. 

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Explanatory Note on ‘The Road Not Taken’ by Robert Frost

Synopsis of ‘The Road Not Taken’ by Robert Frost

Once Robert Frost was confronted with a situation which required him to make a choice during his journey to a destination. At times in life, making a choice or decision is an uphill task, if there is more than one option and all the options seem to be luring. The poet had to choose one of the two roads in order to reach his destination. After a little toing and froing, he decided to choose the road which as less travelled and therefore, covered with grass. Initially, he had doubt if he would be able to reach his goal and come back safely. Then, he desired to go different from the common run of mill, and gathered courage to take the challenge of treading the less trodden path. In later life, the poet Robert Frost had no regrets for his decision. His choice made all the difference in his life. If he walked down the much travelled road, he would have to share the fate of the common lot. His choice was influenced by none but his mind and his insight into future. Therefore, the poet was happy about his decision. 

The kernel of the poem “The Road Not Taken” is that we face mental conflict while taking a decision at some or the other turn in human life, and that the way to get out of that mental conflict is only the right decision. To be facing mental conflict when time and situation require us to choose between two options is an integral part of human existence.   

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