II.

Q.1. How does the author describe ()his father (ii) his mother, (ii) himself ?
Ans. () Kalam's father, Jainulabdeen did not have any formal education nor did he have much wealth
but had great innate wisdom and a true generosity of spirit.However,he was extremelyhonest
and generous.He was austere and avoided all inessential comforts and luxuries. However, he
ensured that all necessities were provided for,in terms of food,medicine or clothes. Therefore,
Kalam had a very secure childhood materiallyand emotionally.
 (ii) Kalam's mother, Ashiamma, was an ideal helpmate to his father. Kalam cannot rememberhow
many outsiders shefed daily but heremembersthey werefar more than all themembers of the
family put together.She used to tell Kalam and other children in the family, bedtime stories
from Ramayana and the life of the Prophet.
(iii) Kalam describes himself as a short boy with rather undistinguished looks, born to tall and
handsome parents. He had a secure childhood materially and emotionally. He believed in
dignity of labour and so,during World War in 1939, he sold tamarind seeds and earned wages

by helping his cousin catch newspaperbundles from a moving train. He was deeply influenced
by his friends, and his science teacher.
Ac o cav heinherited from his parents ?
 ceremony,Kalam's family used to arrange boats, withaspecial platform for carrying the idols
of Rama from thetemple to the marriage site which was situated in the middle of a pond called
Rama Tirtha, close to their house.

(in) The author speaks both of people who were very aware of the differences among them and
those who tried to bridge these differences. Can you identify such people in the text ?
Ans. People who were very aware of the differences among them were a young, new teacher in
Kalam's school, whocame to teach Kalam's class and Kalam's science teacher's wife, who was
a Hindu Brahmin and very conservative. She refused to serve food to Kalam in her kitchen
just because he was a Muslim.Those who tried to bridge these differences were Lakshmana

Sastry, Kalam's friend's father, and Sivasubramania, his science teacher. Lakshmana Sastry,

who summoned the new teacher and told him not spread the poison of social inequality and
Communal intolerance in the minds of innocent children. Sivasubramania invited Kalam to his
to eathis meal. He
house and served food to Kalam with his own hands and also sat beside him
did his best tobreak the social barrierwhich existed in the society so thatpeople from varying
the gap
socialbackgrounds could easily mingle with each other. Both did their best to bridge
in reforming others with their conviction.
between the two communities and also succeeded
alsohow they can be
incidentsthat show how differences can be created, and
(i0) Narrate two
?
resolved. How can people change their attitudes

217
 Ans. When Kalam was in Class V, in the Rameswaram Elementary school, a young, new teacher

came to teach his class. On observing Kalam with his cap, sitting in the front row with his
friend Ramanadha Sastry, who wore a sacred thread, he could not stomach a Hindu priest's
son sitting next to a Muslim so he asked Kalam to sit in the last row, in accordance with his

social ranking.

Ramanadha Sastry's father, summoned the teacher and asked him not to spread the poison
of communaldisharmony.He bluntly asked him to apologise or resign and leave the island
of Rameswaram for good. His conviction sent a strong message to the young teacher and
reformed him.

Sivasubramania Iyer, the science teachers conservative wife refused to serve food to Kalam

in her kitchen,just because he was a Muslim. Sivasubramania reformed his wife and other

narrow-minded people in the society by setting an example. Moreover,he being a teacher, had
the power of education to transform the society by instilling the rightvalues in his students.
Q.2. () Why did Abdul Kalam want to leave Rameswaram ?
Ans. Abdul Kalam wanted to leave Rameswaram because he wanted to pursue higher education at

the District Headquarters in Ramanathapuram.

Ans. His father said that he knew Kalam had to go away and grow. He consoled him by giving the
example of a seagull which flies across the sun, alone and without a nest. He also quoted Khalil
Gibran, to Kalam's hesitant mother saying that their children were not their children. They are
sons and daughters of life's longing for itself. They come through them but not from them.
They can give them their love but not their thoughts for they have their own thoughts.
(ii) What do you think his words mean ?Why do you think he spoke those words?
Ans. His words were fullof wisdom. He mearnt that it was necessary for Kalam to leave them and find

his own path in life. He could not grow under the shadow of his parents. He also consoled his

wife by quoting from Khalil Gibran. He tried to make her understand thatKalam's journey in life
was his own and they as parents should love their children but not try to live their life for them.
Answerthe followingquestions in about 100-120 words :

Q.1. Kalam's science teacher told him, "Onceyou decide to change the system, such problems have
to be confronted." What problems did Kalam face in his childhood? How did his teacher help
him to betolerant andbroad-minded?
Ans. Kalam's childhood was though secure buthe had toface many social problems like social inequality,

injustice and communal intolerance. The snmall society of Rameswaramwas very rigid in terms of
social segregation of different social groups but individuals like his science teacher made all the

difference. He helpedKalam to understand the psyche of orthodox and conservative people. And
also, made him rise above religious differences. He madeit easierfor him to accept the society,
as it was, but not to surrender before the system which was responsible for spreading the venom
of social intolerance. He taughthim courage, showed him the way to change the system not by
getting angry or being but by being tolerant and setting an example as a role model.
disillusioned
Kalam learnt the lesson of communalharmony from him and how to work towards establishing it.
 olsyodt
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