Character Sketch from Class 7 English Poorvi Book Unit 1 – Learning Together Chapter 2 Try Again of King Bruce of Scotland and the Spider
A character sketch defines what the character is like and how he/she evolves or develops throughout the story. In this post you can find the Character Sketch of King Bruce of Scotland and the Spider from Class 7 English Poorvi Book Unit 1 – Learning Together Chapter 2 Try Again.
- Questions related to the Character of King Bruce of Scotland
- Questions related to the Character of the Spider
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Questions related to the Character of King Bruce of Scotland
Question: What do we learn from King Bruce’s character?
Ans. King Bruce was unable to lead Scotland properly, and he was falling into despair because of his failures. We learn the importance of hope through his character. When everything seemed hopeless, King Bruce did not give up hope. The spider’s persistence gave him new hope, and he realised that if even a tiny creature could succeed, he could too. A powerful king learned a life-changing lesson from a tiny spider. This shows that we should always be open to learning, no matter who or what the source is.
Therefore, Bruce’s character teaches us that success does not come to those who are just lucky or strong but to those who keep trying with patience and courage, and to those who are willing to learn a lesson from anyone, even a tiny spider.
Question: What unusual qualities can be seen in the king in ‘Try Again’? How does an unusual encounter change his feelings?
Ans. Even though King Bruce is a powerful monarch, the poem shows him with various unusual qualities that make his character complex and more human. He feels deep sadness and despair like an ordinary person. Despite wearing a crown and being a king, he is grief-stricken and discouraged after repeated failures. We see that he is an emotionally vulnerable person. He is willing to learn from a tiny creature. It is unusual for a great king to get life-changing inspiration from a small spider. This shows his open-mindedness and humility. He is at the point of giving up completely, yet he is able to change his mind and try again. This shows inner strength and the capacity to change.
The unusual encounter is when King Bruce, hiding in a cave, sees a tiny spider trying to reach its web. Before the encounter, he is sad, hopeless, and discouraged. His heart is sinking, and he is in a lonely, defeated mood. He is thinking of giving up forever. However, during the encounter, he watches the spider fall multiple times but never loses hope. On the tenth attempt, the spider succeeds. This surprises and moves him deeply. After the encounter, he decides to try again after regaining hope and courage. The spider’s persistence changes his mood from despair to determination, and from wanting to give up to wanting to try again.
In short, the unusual encounter with the spider transforms King Bruce from a defeated, hopeless king into a brave, hopeful, and determined leader who believes in trying again.
Question: “King Bruce of Scotland flung himself down in a lonely mood to think.”
Explain this line and what it reveals about King Bruce’s state of mind.
Ans. The line “King Bruce of Scotland flung himself down in a lonely mood to think” comes from the opening of Eliza Cook’s poem “Try Again”. It sets the emotional tone and shows King Bruce at his lowest point. The phrase “flung himself down” is a forceful, dramatic action that shows that the king is not calmly sitting but throwing himself down in a state of distress, exhaustion, and despair. He is “in a lonely mood”, meaning he is alone, isolated, and emotionally cut off.
He is trying to reflect on his situation, his failures, and his future. He is deeply contemplating whether to continue or give up. This shows that despite being a king and wearing a crown, his heart is beginning to sink. He has been trying to do a great deed for his people but has failed repeatedly. This failure has made him very sad and discouraged.
Question: Compare King Bruce’s attitude before and after seeing the spider. How does his mindset change?
Ans. King Bruce is hiding in a cave when he sees a tiny spider trying to reach its web. Before seeing the spider, he is sad, hopeless, and discouraged. His heart is sinking, and he is in a lonely, defeated mood. He is thinking of giving up forever. However, when he is watching the spider, he watches the spider fall multiple times but never loses hope. He is watching with rapt attention and does not believe the spider will succeed. However, when he is proven wrong, he feels surprised and is moved him deeply by the spider’s persistent efforts and determination. After that, he decides to try again after regaining hope and courage. The spider’s persistence changes his mood from despair to determination and from wanting to give up to wanting to try again.
Question: Describe King Bruce’s mood at the beginning of the poem.
Ans. At the beginning of the poem “Try Again”, King Bruce’s mood is one of deep sadness, despair, and hopelessness. He has been trying to do a great deed to make his people happy but has failed many times. This has made him very sad and disheartened. Even though he is a monarch wearing a crown, his heart is beginning to sink. This shows he is losing confidence and hope. He flings himself down in low despair and is deep in thought and contemplation. He is in isolation and solitude, adding to his hurt and weakness of spirit. Therefore, at the start of the poem, King Bruce is defeated, discouraged, lonely, and ready to give up.
Questions related to the Character of the spider
Question: What traits does the spider possess?
Ans. The spider in the story of King Bruce possesses several admirable traits that make it a powerful symbol of perseverance and hope. The spider has perseverance because it tries again and again to reach its web. It falls many times, but it never gives up until it finally succeeds. The spider is courageous, as despite repeated failures, the spider continues to try bravely. It does not shrink from difficulty or danger. The spider is strong-willed and determined to reach its goal. It believes in reaching the ceiling dome and never gives up. The spider works slowly and steadily, without rushing. It is patient enough to keep trying even when progress is very slow. Even though it is small and fragile, it shows great strength. The spider always keeps hope that it will succeed. It has self-belief that it will reach its home, even with a thin thread and a long distance. The spider is portrayed as hardworking, constantly making an effort to build its web. The spider is persistent, courageous, determined, patient, resilient, hopeful, adaptable, and hardworking. These traits make it a tiny but mighty inspiration for King Bruce and for readers.
Question: The spider teaches the king. What message does this convey?
Ans. The spider teaches King Bruce a much-needed lesson in perseverance and determination. The spider is portrayed to be a teacher despite being much smaller than King Bruce. The spider is struggling to climb a fine thread of spider silk to reach the cobweb. The task seems insignificant and easy, but the spider has to put a lot of effort and hard work in completing it. The spider being a teacher while achieving its goal conveys various messages. We learn that while one task might seem easy to one person but it can be a tremendous task for the other. We should keep an open mind and should not undermine a small goal. The spider being a teacher conveys that even a tiny creature can be a teacher. A powerful man like King Bruce can learn something new and important from something like a spider. Therefore, any creature can be a teacher and it is important to be humble enough to accept that and allow other living beings and nature to guide them.
All in all, the message being conveyed is valuing every single task or goal and acknowledging small creatures and moments happening in nature.
Question: What does the spider represent in the poem?
Ans. In the poem “King Bruce and the Spider,” the spider represents:
Perseverance – the spirit of never giving up despite repeated failures
Persistence – kept trying to reach its cobweb even after falling multiple times
Courage/Bravery – showed bravery in the face of adversity
Hope – became a powerful symbol of hope that inspired King Bruce
Determination – teaches that success comes through continuous effort and courage
The spider’s struggle to spin its web inspires King Bruce to renew his efforts after being defeated in battle. Despite being a tiny creature, it becomes a powerful symbol showing that even the smallest being can teach great lessons — that success comes to those who keep trying no matter how difficult the journey.
In short: The spider = perseverance, courage, and hope against all odds.
Question: Describe the spider’s effort to reach its web in the lesson ‘Try Again’, in your own words.
Ans. The spider made repeated, determined attempts to climb up and reach its web. Each time it tried to ascend, it fell back down. But instead of giving up, it immediately started climbing again. With each failure, the spider learnt its mistake and carefully tried different ways to climb up the delicate silk thread. This happened again and again, with the spider falling multiple times, yet it never lost hope or stopped trying. Finally, after many failed attempts, the spider succeeded in reaching its web and completing its task. This relentless cycle of falling, getting back up, and trying again without giving in to discouragement is what inspired King Bruce to realise that failure is not the end and that persistence ultimately leads to success.
Question: Do you think the spider’s success is more inspiring than King Bruce’s success? Why or why not?
Ans. Both successes are inspiring in different ways. I think the spider’s success is more fundamentally inspiring because it’s the catalyst for everything else. The spider shows pure perseverance. The spider had no awareness of being a symbol. It simply kept doing what it needed to do, falling again and again but never questioning whether to try. This raw, instinctive persistence is deeply moving. The spider’s efforts are universally relatable. The spider is trying to accomplish the small task of reaching the cobweb. Unlike King Bruce, who is a king and has tremendous responsibility, the spider is simply trying to reach its home and that too is a struggle. This is relatable because it reminds us that we can encounter failure even in the simplest tasks and that is fine. Additionally, anyone who has ever failed at something can connect with the spider’s struggle. Then, the spider’s struggle is the source of King Bruce’s hope and the moral lesson in the poem. Moreover, the spider’s struggles and King Bruce’s observations from it show that we can learn from nature and apply lessons to our own struggles.
Therefore, the spider’s success is more inspiring because it demonstrates that persistence works regardless of who you are and what you are doing. King Bruce’s success stems from the spider’s example. The tiny creature teaches a mighty king that even the smallest effort, repeated enough times, can change everything and bring forth the desired outcome.