Class 12 English (Elective) Non Fiction Chapter 4 – Why the Novel Matters Important Question Answers from Kaleidoscope Book
Class 12 English (Elective) Why the Novel Matters Question Answers – Looking for questions and answers for CBSE Class 12 English (Elective) Non Fiction Chapter 4 – Why the Novel Matters? Look no further! Our comprehensive compilation of important questions will help you brush up on your subject knowledge. Practising Class 12 English question answers can significantly improve your performance in the exam. Improve your chances of scoring high marks by exploring Non Fiction Chapter 4 – Why the Novel Matters now. The questions listed below are based on the latest CBSE exam pattern, wherein we have given NCERT solutions to the chapter’s extract-based questions, multiple choice questions and Extra Question Answers
Also, practising with different kinds of questions can help students learn new ways to solve problems that they may not have seen before. This can ultimately lead to a deeper understanding of the subject matter and better performance on exams.
- Why the Novel Matters NCERT Solutions
- Why the Novel Matters Grammar Exercise
- Why the Novel Matters Extra Question Answers
- Why the Novel Matters Multiple Choice Questions
- Why the Novel Matters Extract Based Questions
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Why the Novel Matters Textbook Questions (NCERT Solutions)
Stop and Think
1. What are the things that mark animate things from the inanimate?
Ans. Living things have life. They move, feel, breathe, reproduce, and grow. In contrast, non-living things do none of these; they are stuck in one state, like a corpse.
2. What is the simple truth that eludes the philosopher or the scientist?
Ans. The simple truth that escapes philosophers or scientists is that paradise is not found outside of life. It exists here, in the heart of living. It comes from the experiences we have and the values we learn. That is what makes up paradise. It is not beyond life. Infinity is just a concept connected to their own body. Nirvana is uncertain; these concepts exist only with the body. Everything important is in living people. Moreover, the scientist sees no value unless a person is dead so they can dissect and put it into a microscope. Lawrence does not see humans as just a soul, body, mind, or intelligence. He believes that the whole person is greater than any single part. A living person is more than just his spirit, body, or mind.
3. How does Lawrence reconcile inconsistency of behaviour with integrity?
Ans. Lawrence says there is no absolute truth, and nothing is completely right. Everything is always changing, and even change itself is not constant. He means that being human involves continuous changes. These changes can happen on purpose, like breaking a bad habit, or naturally over time, like shifting interests. Lawrence also notes that even a simple response like “yeah” can feel different each day. It is these changes that bring new experiences into our lives and make us feel alive. Our changing habits and actions help form the relationships we have with people who love us, which is important. If we stayed the same from start to finish, we would be like a lifeless pen.
Understanding the Text
1. How does the novel reflect the wholeness of a human being?
Ans. The essence of a novel lies in its characters, who serve as the soul of the story, much like humans in reality. A novel truly comes to life through its characters, each displaying various traits and complexities. In a novel, characters exist solely to live out their stories. If they consistently exhibit goodness, badness, or volatility without any change, they risk becoming stagnant, and the novel itself can feel lifeless. A character must evolve and grow; otherwise, they become insignificant. Similarly, humans must embrace life to find purpose, or they, too, can feel empty. A novel does not merely depict a single aspect of a character; it provides readers with a comprehensive view of each individual. Both their flaws and commendable actions are laid bare, offering a reflection of the entirety of the human experience. This depth is what allows a novel to truly mirror the complexity of humanity.
2. Why does the author consider the novel superior to philosophy, science or even poetry?
Ans. The narrator is a novelist and he believes that he is superior to a saint, scientist, philosopher, or poet. Most of the books are ‘tremulation on the ether’ whereas novel’s tremulation can tremble the whole man. While these forms of writings excel in certain aspects of life, they don’t capture the whole person. The novelist through novels could represent the full experience of life.
3. What does the author mean by ‘tremulations on ether’ and ‘the novel as a tremulation’?
Ans. When the author talks about “tremulation on ether” they mean that most books are like news on the radio. You can hear them and feel emotions about certain stories for a short time, but you can’t really connect with the news. In contrast, when they describe “the novel as a tremulation” they refer to a deeper, multi-dimensional view of the characters in the story. Through the actions of these characters, a reader can learn what to do and what to avoid in life. This approach offers insight into important life moments without needing to experience them firsthand. This way, a person can shape their decisions and grow positively.
4. What are the arguments presented in the essay against the denial of the body by spiritual thinkers?
Ans. Lawrence says that people who ignore the importance of the body are only focused on their own physical existence. Every person’s life ends with their body. There is no bigger truth because the ideas that come from a philosopher’s mind are not alive. They are just vibrations in the air. However, if these vibrations reach another living person, that person might take them in and their life could change, like a chameleon moving from a brown rock to a green leaf. Still, the fact remains that the spirit, message, or teaching of the philosopher or saint is not actually alive. It is just a vibration in the air, like a radio signal. If someone is inspired by another’s ideas and begins a new life, it is because that person is truly alive.
Talking about the Text
Discuss in pairs
1. The interest in a novel springs from the reactions of characters to circumstances. It is more important for characters to be true to themselves (integrity) than to what is expected of them (consistency). (A foolish consistency is the hobgoblin of little minds—Emerson.)
Ans. The characters are the backbone of any novel. The plot and events revolve around them, so characters need to stay true to their integrity. If they don’t, they will lose their charm and become flat characters. There are two main types of characters: round and flat. Flat characters behave consistently throughout the story without changing. No events or incidents affect them. On the other hand, round characters change and develop over the course of the story. They keep readers engaged and help clarify the plot’s motives. If every character just follows what they think should be done instead of being true to who they are, the novel will become dull and predictable. Therefore, characters need to maintain their integrity rather than just doing what is expected of them.
2. ‘The novel is the one bright book of life’. ‘Books are not life’. Discuss the distinction between the two statements. Recall Ruskin’s definition of ‘What is a Good Book?’ in Woven Words Class XI.
Ans. The phrase “The novel is the bright book of life” means that the novel shines a light on real aspects of life and tells these stories so people can learn from them. However, the author also warns that even though the novel reflects real-life events, it is not actual “life.” It is meant to offer experiences and teach important lessons. This idea connects to what Ruskin said in “What is a Good Book?” He emphasized the importance of reading between the lines to understand the deeper meaning that a good author wants to share.
Appreciation
1. Certain catch phrases are recurrently used as pegs to hang the author’s thoughts throughout the essay. List these and discuss how they serve to achieve the argumentative force of the essay.
Ans. Body: The author highlights the importance of the body and explains that it represents the final stage of being in a learning state.
Spirit: The author views the spirit as a confusing idea that leads people to unclear thoughts and unrealistic concepts.
Man alive: This concept focuses on the fact that everything happens because a person is alive.
Tremulations: These are the discussions by saints and philosophers that can inspire a person to make changes.
Change: Change is the only constant in life.
2. The language of argument is intense and succeeds in convincing the reader through rhetorical devices. Identify the devices used by the author to achieve this force.
Ans. Allusion: It is an implied or indirect reference to a person, event, or thing or to a part of another text. The biblical reference to The Ten Commandments, A Sermon on the Mount and Francis of Assisi.
Amplification: Amplification is a rhetorical device where a statement is elaborated or expanded upon to emphasize a point, add detail, or create a stronger impression. In Why the Novel Matters, catchphrases like “body, spirit, man-alive, and tremulation” have been used repeatedly, with each repetition adding a new layer of meaning and emphasis.
Metaphor: A figure of speech in which a word or phrase is applied to an object or action to which it is not literally applicable. The phrase ‘Evan Francis of Assisi turns himself into a sort of angel-cake, of which anyone may take a slice’ is a metaphor, suggesting that Francis, a figure known for his humility and selflessness, makes himself entirely available and accessible to everyone, offering his help and presence freely, like a delicious treat that anyone can partake in.
Metonymy: A figure of speech consisting of the use of the name of one thing for that of another of which it is an attribute or with which it is associated. Specifically, phrases like “The novel is the one bright book of life” utilize the book (a metonym for the novel) to suggest the novel’s profound impact on our understanding of life. The phrase elevates the novel to a source of knowledge, guidance, and illumination in our lives.
Why the Novel Matters: Grammar Exercises
Language Work
A. Vocabulary
1. There are a few non-English expressions in the essay. Identify them and mention the language they belong to. Can you guess the meaning of the expressions from the context?
Ans. Mens sana in corpore sano is a Latin phrase, which means ‘a healthy mind in a healthy body’.
C’est la vie! is a French phrase to express acceptance or resignation in the face of a difficult or unpleasant situation.
2. Given below are a few roots from Latin. Make a list of the words that can be derived from them.
mens (mind) corpus(body) sanare (to heal)
Ans. Mind– remind, mastermind, never mind, mindful, single-minded
body– somebody, nobody, anybody, busybody
to heal– to heal up, to heal over, to healthy, to healthily
B. Grammar: Some Verb Classes
A sentence consists of a noun phrase and a verb phrase. The verb phrase is built around a verb. There are different kinds of verbs. Some take only a subject. They are intransitive verbs.
Look at these examples from the text in this unit
(1a) The grass withers.
(1b) The chameleon creeps from a brown rock onto a green leaf.
Notice that an intransitive verb can be followed by prepositional phrases that have an adverbial function, as in (1b). Such phrases that follow an intransitive verb are called its complements.
A kind of intransitive verb that links its subject to a complement is called a ‘linking verb’ or a copula. The most common copulas in English are be, become and seem.
The copula be occurs very often in the text in this unit. Its complement may be a noun phrase or an adjective phrase. Here are a few examples
- My hand is alive. (be+adjective)
- The novel is supremely important. (be+adjective phrase)
- You’re a novelist. (be+noun phrase)
- The novel is the book of life. (be+noun phrase)
Other examples of copulas from the text are given below
- It seems important.
- The Word becomes more and more boring.
Can you say what the category of the complement is, in the examples above?
Ans. It seems important. (be+adjective)
The Word becomes more and more boring. (be+adjective phrase)
TASK
1. Identify the intransitive verbs and the copulas in the examples below, from the text in this unit. Say what the category of the complement is. You can work in pairs or groups and discuss the reasons for your analysis.
- I am a thief and a murderer.
- Right and wrong is an instinct.
- The flower fades.
- I am a very curious assembly of incongruous parts.
- The bud opens.
- The Word shall stand forever.
- It is a funny sort of superstition.
- You’re a philosopher.
- Nothing is important.
- The whole is greater than the part.
- I am a man, and alive.
- I am greater than anything that is merely a part of me.
- The novel is the book of life.
Ans.
- I am a thief and a murderer. (be+adjective phrase)
- Right and wrong is an instinct. (be+adverb)
- The flower fades. (be+adverb)
- I am a very curious assembly of incongruous parts. (be+adjective phrase)
- The bud opens. (be+adverb)
- The Word shall stand forever. (be+adverb phrase)
- It is a funny sort of superstition. (be+adjective phrase)
- You’re a philosopher. (be+noun phrase)
- Nothing is important. (be+adjective)
- The whole is greater than the part. (be+adjective)
- I am a man, and alive. (be+noun phrase)
- I am greater than anything that is merely a part of me. (be+adverb phrase)
- The novel is the book of life. (be+adverb)
2. Identify other sentences from the text with intransitive verbs and copulas.
Ans. My hand, as it writes.
Whatever is me alive is me.
C. Spelling and Pronunciation
Let us look at the following letter combinations and the sounds they represent
- ch
- gh
ch is used for the sounds /k/ as in ‘character’, / tʃ / as in ‘chart’, or/ഽ/ as in ‘champagne’.
Word initial position
| Ch/k/character | Ch/ tʃ /church | Ch/ഽ /champagne |
| chameleon
chord chemical charisma chorus |
char
chase chin chalk chore |
chiffon
chateau chef chauffeur chandelier |
While ‘ch’ is pronounced / tʃ / in most words, it is pronounced /k/ in many others. Generally words with Latin or Greek origins are pronounced /k/. Words of French origin are pronounced /ഽ /. Words beginning with ‘ch’, followed by a consonant, are always pronounced /k/, for example chlorine, chrysanthemum, Christian, etc.
Word medial position
| /k/ archive | / tʃ / mischief | /ഽ / sachet |
| ochre
mechanic lichen bronchitis architecture |
achieve
hatchet ketchup eschew penchant |
crochet machineparachute Michigan schedule |
Word final position
| /k/ | / tʃ / | /ഽ / |
| Hi-tech Bachloch (lake) |
catch spinach preachstitch march |
cache papier mache niche pastiche panache |
‘Ch’ is not pronounced in ‘schism’ but pronounced as /k/ in ‘schizophrenia’. gh is pronounced /g/ as well as /f/ and sometimes not pronounced at all. In the initial position it is always pronounced /g/. In the medial and final positions it may be /f/ or silent.
| /g/ ghost/ | /f/ rough | Silent |
| ghoul
ghastly ghetto ghat ghee |
cough laughtertough draught |
taught ploughborough drought slough |
Look for other words with ‘ch’, ‘gh’ letter combinations and guess how they are pronounced.
Ans. (a) ch
| ch = /tʃ/ (hard “ch” sound) | ch = /k/ (hard “k” sound) | ch = /ʃ/ (soft “sh” |
| cheer | character | machine |
| church | chaos | chef |
| child | psychology | champagne |
| choice | echo | Chicago |
(b) gh
| gh = silent | gh = /f/ | hard sound/g/ |
| Light | cough | ghost |
| weight | enough | ghastly |
| fight | tough | ghoul |
CBSE Class 12 English (Elective) Non Fiction Chapter 4- Why the Novel Matters Extra Question and Answers
Answer the following questions.
Q1. Why does the narrator believe novels are better than other forms of writings?
Ans. The narrator is a novelist and he believes that he is superior to a saint, scientist, philosopher, or poet. While these figures excel in certain aspects of life, they don’t capture the whole person. The novelist through novels could represent the full experience of life.
Q2. How Plato’s work describes the perfect being that resonates with the narrator?
Ans. Plato describes the perfect being which resonates within the narrator, but this is only a part of who he is. The Sermon on the Mount evokes feelings of selflessness, but this is also just a part of him. The Ten Commandments make him aware of his flaws, reminding him that he can be a thief or a murderer if he’s not careful.
Q3. Why has D.H Lawrence called the Bible a ‘great confused novel’?
Ans. A novel can really move a person. This is because a novel focuses on real human experiences. Lawrence even calls the Bible a “great confused novel.” All its characters like Adam, Eve, Sarai, Abraham, Isaac including God, reflect real human life.
Q4. How does Lawrence believe novels help readers?
Ans. Novels foster empathy and understanding, allowing readers to experience different perspectives and connect with the complexities of human nature.
Q5. According to Lawrence, what is a limitation of poetry compared to the novel?
Ans. He believes poetry tends to capture single themes or emotional states, while the novel can encompass the full flow and complexity of life.
Class 12 Why the Novel Matters Multiple Choice Questions
Q1. Which part of the body the narrator considers as important as the mind?
A. Hands
B. Freckle
C. Hair
D. Fingertips
Ans. A. Hands
Q2. Which part of the body is considered to have ‘its own rudiments of thought’?
A. Hair
B. Fingertips
C. Mind
D. Hands
Ans. Hands
Q3. What does the narrator consider as not alive?
A. Hands
B. Mind
C. Pen
D. Hair
Ans. C. Pen
Q4. What does the narrator do for a living?
A. Scientists
B. Saint
C. Philosopher
D. Novelist
Ans. D. Novelist
Q5. Who is superior in nature according to the narrator?
A. Novelist
B. Philosopher
C. Saint
D. Scientists
Ans. A. Novelist
Q6. What has been considered as ‘tremulations on the ether’?
A. Novels
B. Scientists
C. Books
D. Philosopher
Ans. C. Books
Q7. Whose tremulation has been referred to this line ‘tremulation can make the whole man alive tremble’?
A. Novels
B. Scientists
C. Books
D. Philosopher
Ans. A. Novels
Q8. Who has referred to the lines ‘the perfect ideal being tremble in me’?
A. Saint
B. Philosopher
C. Plato
D. Scientists
Ans. C. Plato
Q9. What does The Sermon on the Mount do to the narrator?
A. Evoke feelings of selflessness
B. Evoke feelings of selfishness
C. Ignore his flaws
D. Aware him of his flaws
Ans. A. Evoke feelings of selflessness
Q10. What does The Ten Commandments do to the narrator?
A. Evoke feelings of selflessness
B. Evoke feelings of selfishness
C. Ignore his flaws
D. Aware him of his flaws
Ans. D. Aware him of his flaws
Q11. What is D.H. Lawrence ‘Why the Novel Matters’ is about?
A. Philosophy being superior to other arts
B. Science being superior to other arts
C. Poetry being superior to other arts
D. Novels being superior to other arts
Ans. D. Novels being superior to other arts
Q12. What is being referred to as ‘tremulation on the ether’?
A. Novel
B. Books
C. Pen
D. Signals
Ans. Books
Q13. What is being referred to as ‘tremulation’?
A. Novel
B. Books
C. Signals
D. Pen
Ans. A. Novel
Q14. What does Lawrence consider to be a limitation of philosophy?
A. Focus on soul and mind, neglecting the body
B. Emphasises on emotional experience
C. Emphasizes on social issues
D. Use of complicated terms
Ans. A. Focus on soul and mind, neglecting the body
Q15. What is the strength of the novel over other writings?
A. Symbolism
B. Ability to capture entirety of human experience
C. Adherence to moral guidelines
D. Single theme
Ans. B. Ability to capture entirety of human experience
Q16. What is Lawrence’s view of poetry in relation to the novel?
A. Superior to novel
B. poetry to be more realistic than the novel.
C. poetry can capture the whole of human experience
D. focuses on single themes or states, unlike the novel
Ans. D. focuses on single themes or states, unlike the novel
Q17. According to Lawrence, what does the novel do with the complexities and contradictions of human nature?
A. It simplifies them
B. Judge them harshly
C. Embraces and portrays them as essential parts of reality
D. ignores them in favor of idealizing characters
Ans. C. Embraces and portrays them as essential parts of reality
Q18. How novels can help readers?
A. Understand themselves and others
B. Find simple answers to complex questions
C. Become more judgmental
D. Escape from reality
Ans. A. Understand themselves and others
Q19. What is Lawrence’s perspective on the relationship between the mind and body?
A. completely separate entities
B. mind is superior to the body
C. fundamental interconnectedness and unity
D. body is merely a vessel for the mind
Ans. C. fundamental interconnectedness and unity
Q20. According to D.H. Lawrence, what is the primary strength of the novel as a literary form?
A. Its adherence to strict moral principles
B. Its lyrical language
C. Its focus on abstract ideas
D. Its ability to portray the “whole man”
Ans. D. Its ability to portray the “whole man”
CBSE Class 12 English (Elective) Non Fiction Chapter 4- Why the Novel Extract-Based Questions
1. Answer the following extract-based questions.
A.
For this reason I am a novelist. And being a novelist, I consider myself superior to the saint, the scientist, the philosopher, and the poet, who are all great masters of different bits of man alive, but never get the whole hog.
The novel is the one bright book of life. Books are not life. They are only tremulations on the ether. But the novel as a tremulation can make the whole man alive tremble. Which is more than poetry, philosophy, science, or any other book tremulation can do.
The novel is the book of life. In this sense, the Bible is a great novel. You may say, it is about God. But it is really about man alive.
I do hope you begin to get my idea, why the novel is supremely important, as a tremulation on the ether. Plato makes the perfect ideal being tremble in me. But that’s only a bit of me. Perfection is only a bit, in the strange make-up of man alive. The Sermon on the Mount makes the selfless spirit of me quiver. But that, too, is only a bit of me. The Ten Commandments set the old Adam shivering in me, warning me that I am a thief and a murderer, unless I watch it. But even the old Adam is only a bit of me.
I very much like all these bits of me to be set trembling with life and the wisdom of life. But I do ask that the whole of me shall tremble in its wholeness, some time or other.
And this, of course, must happen in me, living.
Q1. What does the narrator believe?
Ans. The narrator believes he is superior to a saint, scientist, philosopher, or poet. While these figures excel in certain aspects of life, they don’t capture the whole person.
Q2. How novels are superior to books, poetry, philosophy and science?
Ans. The novel represents the full experience of life. Books themselves are not life; they are just vibrations in the air. However, a novel can make the entire person feel alive, more so than poetry, philosophy, or science can.
Q3. How is the Bible a great novel?
Ans. The Bible is a great novel. It might focus on God, but ultimately, it is about humanity.
Q4. What is the narrator’s opinion about Plato’s work?
Ans. Plato describes the perfect being which resonates within the narrator, but this is only a part of who he is. The Sermon on the Mount evokes feelings of selflessness, but this is also just a part of him. The Ten Commandments make him aware of his flaws, reminding him that he can be a thief or a murderer if he’s not careful. Yet, even this side of him is just part of the whole person.
He feels connected to all these aspects of himself and wants to experience the fullness of life and its wisdom.
Q5. What does the narrator hope for?
Ans. He hopes to feel the entirety of his being vibrate with life at some point.
Ultimately, this experience must happen within him while he is living.
B.
And that’s what you learn, when you’re a novelist. And that’s what you are very liable not to know, if you’re a parson, or a philosopher, or a scientist, or a stupid person. If you’re a parson, you talk about souls in heaven. If you’re a novelist, you know that paradise is in the palm of your hand, and on the end of your nose, because both are alive; and alive, and man alive, which is more than you can say, for certain, of paradise. Paradise is after life, and I for one am not keen on anything that is after life. If you are a philosopher, you talk about infinity; and the pure spirit which knows all things. But if you pick up a novel, you realise immediately that infinity is just a handle to this self-same jug of a body of mine; while as for knowing, if I find my finger in the fire, I know that fire burns with a knowledge so emphatic and vital, it leaves Nirvana merely a conjecture. Oh, yes, my body, me alive, knows, and knows intensely. And as for the sum of all knowledge, it can’t be anything more than an accumulation of all the things I know in the body, and you, dear reader, know in the body.
Q1. What does the novelist learn?
Ans. A novelist learnt a lesson that a truly alive person experiences life fully, not just as a vessel or object, but as a whole, vibrant entity.
Q2. What does the parson think about paradise?
Ans. A parson talks about souls in heaven, a novelist knows that paradise is right here, in their hands and experiences, because these are real and alive. Paradise comes after life.
Q3. What is the Philosopher’s opinion on paradise?
Ans. Philosophers think about infinity and a pure spirit that knows everything.
Q4. How did the narrator debunked the Philosopher’s perception about infinity?
Ans. Philosophers think about infinity and a pure spirit that knows everything. Lawrence emphasizes if one reads a novel, they realize that infinity is just a concept connected to their own body. If they touch fire, they learn quickly that it burns. This understanding is strong and real, making ideas like Nirvana feel uncertain.
Q5. What is the narrator’s opinion on paradise?
Ans. For a novelist paradise is right here, in their hands and experiences, because these are real and alive.
C.
The novel is the one bright book of life. Books are not life. They are only tremulations on the ether. But the novel as a tremulation can make the whole man alive tremble. Which is more than poetry, philosophy, science, or any other book tremulation can do.
The novel is the book of life. In this sense, the Bible is a great novel. You may say, it is about God. But it is really about man alive.
I do hope you begin to get my idea, why the novel is supremely important, as a tremulation on the ether. Plato makes the perfect ideal being tremble in me. But that’s only a bit of me. Perfection is only a bit, in the strange make-up of man alive. The Sermon on the Mount makes the selfless spirit of me quiver. But that, too, is only a bit of me. The Ten Commandments set the old Adam shivering in me, warning me that I am a thief and a murderer, unless I watch it. But even the old Adam is only a bit of me.
Q1. What does the narrator mean by calling the novel “the one bright book of life”?
Ans. The narrator means that the novel, among all forms of writings, most vividly and effectively captures the essence and vitality of human existence.
Q2. What does the narrator mean by “Books are not life. They are only tremulations on the ether”?
Ans. The narrator suggests that books, as physical objects or abstract ideas, are not the same as lived experience, which is portrayed by the novels, but are merely representations or echoes of it.
Q3. What is the effect that a novel’s “tremulation” can have?
Ans. It can make the “whole man alive tremble”, meaning it can deeply affect and move the reader on a profound, holistic level.
Q4. What does this extract reveal about the narrator’s view of the novel?
Ans. It reveals that the narrator’s views the novel as a powerful and transformative medium, capable of bringing the reader to a heightened awareness of life.
Q5. What contrast is being drawn in this extract?
Ans. A contrast is drawn between books as mere objects or abstractions and the novel’s unique power to evoke a living, emotional response.
D.
But as far as it can happen from a communication, it can only happen when a whole novel communicates itself to me. The Bible—but all the Bible—and Homer, and Shakespeare: these are the supreme old novels. These are all things to all men. Which means that in their wholeness they affect the whole man alive, which is the man himself, beyond any part of him. They set the whole tree trembling with a new access of life, they do not just stimulate growth in one direction.
I don’t want to grow in any one direction any more. And, if I can help it, I don’t want to stimulate anybody else into some particular direction. A particular direction ends in a cul-de-sac. We’re in a cul-de-sac at present.
I don’t believe in any dazzling revelation, or in any supreme Word. ‘The grass withereth, the flower fadeth, but the Word of the Lord shall stand for ever.’ That’s the kind of stuff we’ve drugged ourselves with. As a matter of fact, the grass withereth, but comes up all the greener for that reason, after the rains. The flower fadeth, and therefore the bud opens. But the Word of the Lord, being man-uttered and a mere vibration on the ether, becomes staler and staler, more and more boring, till at last we turn a deaf ear and it ceases to exist, far more finally than any withered grass. It is grass that renews its youth like the eagle, not any Word.
Q1. Why did the narrator call the bible, Homer, and Shakespeare as ‘the supreme old novels’?
Ans. Communication only happens fully when a whole novel speaks to the narrator. The Bible, along with works by Homer and Shakespeare, are the greatest examples of this. They have something to offer to everyone. Their entire messages touch every part of a person, affecting their whole being. They bring new life to all aspects of a person, rather than just encouraging growth in a single direction.
Q2. What does the narrator learn from these novels?
Ans. These novels bring new life to all aspects of a person, rather than just encouraging growth in a single direction. The narrator does not want to grow in just one direction anymore. He also doesn’t want to push anyone else in a specific direction. Focusing on a single path leads to a dead end, and humans are stuck in one now.
Q3. Which form of writings Lawrence has critiqued in the given context?
Ans. Lawrence has critiqued Philosophy in the given context.
Q4. What is the narrator’s opinion about ‘Word of the Lord’?
Ans. The narrator doesn’t believe in any sudden insights or in a perfect truth. People have numbed themselves with ideas like, ‘The grass withers, the flower fades, but the Word of the Lord lasts forever’. In reality, while the grass withers, it grows back even stronger after rain. The flower fades, but that is when new buds come to life. However, the Word of the Lord is the man-made words, being just sounds in the air, grow stale and boring over time. Eventually, we stop listening, and those words fade away more completely than any withered grass. It is the grass that renews itself, not mere words.
Q5. How did the narrator debunked Isaiah’s saying?
Ans. People have numbed themselves with ideas like, ‘The grass withers, the flower fades, but the Word of the Lord lasts forever’. In reality, while the grass withers, it grows back even stronger after rain. The flower fades, but that is when new buds come to life.