Chapter 16. The Ball Poem-Poem English First Flight class 10 in English Medium ncert book solutions NCERT SOLUTION

 Chapter 16. The Ball Poem-Poem                                                  

NCERT SOLUTION

Thinking About The Poem

The Ball Poem – Question Answers (Class 10 English)

The Ball Poem written by John Berryman describes a small boy who loses his ball in the water. The poem explains how the boy experiences the pain of losing something valuable for the first time. Through this incident, he learns an important lesson about responsibility and the reality of life. Below are the NCERT textbook questions and answers from the chapter The Ball Poem.

Q1. Why does the poet say, “I would not intrude on him”? Why doesn’t he offer him money to buy another ball?

The poet says “I would not intrude on him” because he understands that the boy is going through an important emotional experience. The boy is learning about loss and responsibility. If the poet offered him money to buy another ball, the boy would not understand the real meaning of losing something valuable. Therefore, the poet does not interfere and allows the boy to learn the lesson of life on his own.

Q2. “… staring 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?

Yes, the boy probably had the ball for a long time. The ball represents many happy memories of his childhood. When the ball falls into the harbour, the boy remembers the joyful days he spent playing with it. Therefore, the loss of the ball also reminds him of the happy moments connected with it.

Q3. What does “in the world of possessions” mean?

The phrase “in the world of possessions” refers to the world where people own material things such as toys, money, and other belongings. It means that when we have possessions, we must also be ready to face the pain when those things are lost. The boy is beginning to understand that losing possessions is a natural part of life.

Q4. Do you think the boy has lost anything earlier? Pick out the words that suggest the answer.

No, the boy seems to have never lost anything important before. The poem suggests this in the line “He senses first responsibility.” This shows that the boy is experiencing the feeling of loss for the first time in his life.

Q5. What does the poet say the boy is learning from the loss of the ball?

The poet says that the boy is learning the “epistemology of loss,” which means the knowledge or understanding of loss. The boy realizes that people lose things they love, and they must learn to accept such losses. This experience teaches him to become more responsible and emotionally stronger.

Q6. Have you ever lost something you liked very much? Describe how you felt.

Yes, once I lost my favourite watch that my father had given me as a birthday gift. I felt very sad and disappointed because the watch was very special to me. For some time, I kept remembering the moments when I used to wear it. Slowly, I accepted the loss and understood that such things happen in life. This experience taught me to take better care of my belongings.

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