The Ball Poem Class 10 Questions and Answers
Textbook Questions
Thinking about the Poem :
Question 1.
Why does the poet say, ‘I would not intrude on him ? Why doesn’t he offer him money to buy another ball ?
कवि क्यों कहता है, ‘मैं उसमें कोई हस्तक्षेप नहीं करूँगा?’ वह उसे दूसरी गेंद खरीदने के लिए पैसे भेंट क्यों नहीं करता?
Answer:
When a person is trying to come over his grief on his own, he is busy making himself understand certain things, if then someone intrudes or disturbs, his chain of thoughts is broken. It makes him irritated. Moreover, self consolation, realisation or understanding is more effective and lasting than when it is done by an external agency or a person. The poet knows it. So he does not intrude on him.
His offer of money to buy another ball is useless for the boy wants the same ball he is attached to and have been playing for a long time. No other ball will be able to take its place.
Question 2.
starting, down/All his young days into the harbour where/His ball went’ …. Do you think the boy has had the ball for a long time? Is it linked to memories of days when he played with it?
‘नीचे जहाँ उसकी गेंद गिरी थी, वहाँ उन सब लड़कपन के दिनों को जो उसने बन्दरगाह पर बिताये थे, घूरते हुए ….. आपके विचार में क्या लड़के के पास गेंद काफी देर से थी? क्या वह उसकी उन दिनों की यादों से सम्बन्धित है जो उसने उस गेंद के साथ खेलते हुए बिताए थे?
Answer:
Yes, I think the boy had that ball for a long time. The expression–all his young days into the harbour’ suggests this. It is linked with old memories when he used to play with it, that is why, he is so upset on losing it.
Question 3.
What does ‘in the world of possessions’ means ?
‘अधिकार में लेने वाले संसार’ से क्या अभिप्राय है?
Answer:
It implies that this world is full of persons who want to possess more and more strength, wealth and power.
Question 4.
Do you think the boy has lost anything earlier ? Pick out the words that suggest the answer.
आपके विचार में क्या लड़के ने पहले भी कुछ खोया था? उन शब्दों को चुनिये जो उत्तर सुझाते हैं।
Answer:
I don’t think the boy has lost anything earlier. The first loss is shocking and full of griefthe line-An ultimate shaking grief fixes the boy’ reflects it. Also in the ‘senses first responsibility-the word first shows that it was his first loss.
Question 5.
What does the poet say the boy is learning from the loss of the ball? Try to explain this in your own words.
कवि क्या कहता है कि लड़का गेंद खोने से क्या सीख रहा है? अपने शब्दों में इसकी व्याख्या करने का प्रयत्न करो।
Answer:
The poet says that from the loss of the ball, the boy is learning how to stand up the loss in other words, how to bear the loss. In life one has to lose many things one is attached to. One must learn on his own how not to get disheartened and griefstricken. One must learn to bear the loss and remain calm under these circumstances.
Additional questions short answer type questions
Answer the following questions in about 30-40 words.
Question 1.
What is the theme of the poem – The Ball Poem’?
Answer:
In this world, sometimes we lose things which we love and are attached to. We must not feel disheartened, dejected and desperate but try to stand up and bear the loss through self-understanding as the boy who lost the ball he loved was trying to learn.
Question 2.
Express your views on the title of the poem, The Ball Poem’.
Answer:
When one reads the title “The Ball Poem’, one assumes that the poem may be a light-hearted one but perhaps about the joys of childhood. We must not feel disheartened, dejected and desperate but try to stand up and bear the loss through selfunderstanding
Question 3.
A ball is an easily available, inexpensive thing. Then, why is the boy so sad to lose it?
Answer:
No doubt the ball is an easily available and inexpensive item but the ball, the boy has lost is valuable for him. His memories of young days are associated with it for he had been playing with it for a long time. It was not an ordinary but special a ball for him. No other ball could take its place. So, he is sad to lose it.
Question 4.
Express your views on the title of the poem, “The Ball Poem’.
Answer:
When one reads the title “The Ball Poem’, one assumes that the poem may be a light-hearted one, perhaps about the joys of childhood. However, as the reader reads the poem, the seriousness of the topic comes forth, as does the title’s appropriateness.
Question 5.
What shows that the ball was valuable for the boy ?
Answer:
The ball was valuable for the boy is obvious (clear) from the way he reacts after losing it. He was shocked, remained fixed, trembled with grief staring at the place where the ball had fallen. All this shows that he loved the ball and it was valuable for him.
Question 6.
‘He senses first responsibility-what responsibility is referred to here?
Answer:
The responsibility referred to here is how to stand up or bear the loss through self-understanding and trying to console oneself on his own as the boy who lost his ball was trying to do.
Long answer type questions
Answer the following questions in about 100-150 words:
Question 1.
‘What is the boy now, who has lost his ball,
What, what is he to do?”
Should the boy be allowed to grieve for his ball? If his loss is irreparable or irretrievable then how should one handle it? What lessons can be learnt ?
Answer:
Yes, the boy should be allowed to grieve for his ball, as he had that ball for a long time. He had many old memories associated with it since his childhood. Moreover, when a person is trying to overcome his grief on his own, then one should not intrude or disturb him as it may break his chain of thoughts and may irritate him.
One should have self-consolation, and self-understanding in order to bear the loss. Self-realisation and understanding is more effective and lasting than when realisation is done by an external agency or a person.
Question 2.
‘An ultimate shaking grief fixes the boy
Ashestandsrigid, trembling, staring down..!
How did the boy really react on the loss of the ball or was he fearful of something or someone ……? Can our attention be directed towards his family and other people ? Are there any lessons to be learnt ?
Answer:
i. The boy was not fearful of anyone, in fact, he was really upset due to the loss of the ball. The ball was valuable for him. He was shocked, remained fixed, trembled with grief staring at the place where the ball had fallen. His family must not have been affected by the loss as a ball is an easily available and inexpensive item.
ii. The loss of the ball teaches us a lesson. Money is external in the sense that it can give you only outer happiness or pleasure not inner. Money cannot buy the emotions and heavenly virtues. It cannot be linked with old memories. Moreover, selfconsolation, realisation or understanding is more effective and lasting than when we are consoled or made to understand or realise something by an external agency or a person.
Summary :
This poem is about a boy who loses his ball while “playing. He saw it bouncing down the street and then it fell into water and he lost it forever. He stares down the water where the ball had fallen. A ball does not cost much, nor it is difficult to buy another ball then why he is so upset and sad? Perhaps he had been playing with it for a long time.
He must have become attached and used to its possession. He doesn’t want anyone to console or buy him another ball. He is trying to learn to bear the loss. This will help him in his later life.
यह कविता एक लड़के की है जो खेलते-खेलते अपनी गेंद गंवा बैठता है। उसने उसे सड़क पर उछलते देखा था और फिर वह पानी में गिर गई और उसने उसे सदा के लिए गंवा दिया। वह उस जगह पानी को धूरता है जहाँ उसकी गेंद गिरी थी। गेंद की अधिक कीमत नहीं होती और न ही दूसरी गेंद खरीदना कठिन है फिर वह इतना व्याकुल और उदास क्यों है? शायद वह उसके साथ लम्बे अर्से से खेल रहा है।
उसका उसके साथ लगाव हो गया होगा और उसे पास रखने की आदत बन गई होगी। वह नहीं चाहता कि कोई उसे सांत्वना दे व दूसरी (गेंद) खरीद दे। वह खोने को सहन करना सीखने का प्रयत्न कर रहा है। यह सीख उसे आगामी जीवन में सहायता करेगी।
Complete text with hindi translation and extract based short answer type questions :
Stanza – I
What is the boy now, who has lost his ball, What, what is he to do? I saw it go Merrily bouncing, down the street, and then Merrily over-there it is in the water! No use to say ‘o there are other balls’:
Vocabulary :
- merrily (मेरिली) – happily (खुशी)।
अनुवाद : लड़का जिसकी गेंद गुम हो गई है अब क्या है (उदासी की प्रतिमूर्ति)? अब वह क्या करेगा? मैंने उसे देखा सड़क पर खुशी-खुशी उछलते हुए, और फिर सड़क के पार-वहाँ अब वह पानी में है!
Question i.
What happened to the ball the boy had been playing with?
Answer:
The ball had bounced down the street and it had fallen into the water along the harbor, and thus the ball could not be got back.
Question ii.
How did the boy react on losing the ball? Why?
Answer:
On losing the ball, the boy stood there looking at the harbor in which the ball had fallen. He became rigid and started trembling as he might be scolded by his parents for losing the ball.
Stanza – II
No use to say ‘Othere are other balls’ : An ultimate shaking grief fixes the boy As he stands rigid, trembling, staring down All his young days into the harbour where His ball went.
Vocabulary :
- ultimate (अल्टीमेट) last (अन्तिम)
- grief (ग्रीफ) – sorrow (दुःख)
- shaking grief (शेकिंग ग्रीफ) – sadness which greatly affects (the boy, here) (उदासी जो बुरी तरह हिला देती है)
- ‘o there are other balls’ (अरे देयर आर अदर बॉल्स) – words to suggest that the loss is not important enough (शब्द यह जतलाने के लिए कि नुकसान/खोना इतना महत्वपूर्ण नहीं है कि चिन्ता करो)
- rigid (रिजिड) – stiff (दृढ़/न मुड़ने वाला)
- staring (स्टेयरिंग) – look fixedly with anger / grief (घूरना)
- harbour (हारबर) – a port for ships (बन्दरगाह)
अनुवाद : कोई लाभ नहीं अगर कोई कहे कि दूसरी गेंदे भी हैं-गेंद का खोना इतना महत्वपूर्ण नहीं है कि चिन्ता करो। अन्तिम बार दुःख से सिहर कर लड़का निश्चल कांपता हुआ, बन्दरगाह पर खड़ा अपने समस्त बालपन के दिनों को (याद करता हुआ) उस स्थान को घूरता है जहाँ उसकी गेंद गिरी थी।
Question i.
Why was there no use to say about other balls?
Answer:
It was no use because a ball lost has its own value. The loss, though compensated by replacement, will remain in the memory and make the boy sad.
Question ii.
Why does the poet call it an ultimate shaking grief”?
Answer:
The poet calls it an ultimate shaking grief because the lost ball cannot be compensated. Even if it is replaced by another ball, the loss would be there in the memory for ever. Whenever he looks at the harbor, the boy would remember his lost ball.
Stanza – III
I would not intrude on him, A dime, another ball, is worthless. Now He senses first responsibility In a world of possessions. People will take Balls, Balls will be lost always, little boy. And no one buys a ball back. Money is external.
Vocabulary:
- intrude (इन्ट्रयूड) interfere (दखल देना)
- dime (डाईम) ten cents (US) (अमेरिका के दस सैन्ट)
- worthless (वर्थलेस) useless (व्यथ)
- possessions (पोजेशन्स) to have under control (अधिकार करना)
- external (एक्सटर्नल) outword (बाहरी)
अनुवाद : मैं उसमें दखल नहीं दूंगा। दस सैन्ट की दूसरी गेंद व्यर्थ है। अब वह पहला उत्तरदायित्व महसूस करता है अधिकार में लेने वाले संसार में। छोटे लड़के, लोग गेंदें लेंगे, गेंदें सदा गुम होंगी। और कोई गेंद वापस नहीं खरीदता। धन बाहरी वस्तु है।
Question i.
Why would not the poet intrude on the boy?
Answer:
The poet would not intrude on the boy by getting another ball which would cost just a dime. This was because he wants the boy to realize the worth of the lost ball.
Question ii.
Comment on the line, ‘first responsibility in a world of possessions’
Answer:
The boy lost his ball while playing. Though the loss could be overcome by buying a new ball, it will be worthless. For, he will not know the value of a loss or his responsibility to stand up to a loss.
Question iii.
What is the first responsibility that the poet is referring to here? Why does he call it so?
Answer:
The first responsibility is how to face a loss and stand up to it. In this materialistic world, it is easy to replace anything lost. But by replacing thus, one does not learn how to stand up to a loss.
Question iv.
What idea about a loss does the poet try to highlight in these lines?
Answer:
According to a poet, the loss of a ball could teach a child his first responsibility. Buying a new ball would go on because balls are lost very often. But the actual lost ball and the responsibility it teaches cannot be bought back. For, money is external but the responsibility to stand up to a loss is internal.
Stanza – IV
He is learning, well behind his desperate eyes, The epistemology of loss, how to stand up Knowing what everyman must one day know And most know many days, how to stand up.
Vocabulary :
- desperate (डैस्पीरेटे) – extremely disappointed/having no hope (हताशा)
- epistemology of loss (एपिस्टीमोलोजी ऑफ लौस) – understanding the nature of loss, what it means to lose something (कुछ खोने काक्या अर्थ है, खोने की प्रकृति समझना)
- stand up (स्टैंड अप) – to bear (सहन करना )
अनुवाद : उन हताश आँखों के पीछे वह सीख रहा है कि खोने का अर्थ क्या है और उसे कैसे सहन करना है। जानते हुए कि हर इन्सान को यह जानना है और कई बहुत दिनों से जानते भी हैं कि कुछ खोना कैसे सहन करना है।
Question i.
What does ‘he’ learn and how?
Answer:
A boy, on losing his ball, his priced possession at that age, learns to grieve for his loss. He also learns how to face the loss when he does not buy a new ball in its place.
Question ii.
Explain the epistemology of loss’
Answer:
The expression means knowing or understand the loss. The boy in this poem has lost his ball. The poet does not want to buy a new one its place. For, money is external and worthless. The loss whereas gives knowledge to the boy. It teaches him his first responsibility of how to stand up to a loss.