Somebody’s Mother Summary and Explanation
CBSE Class 8 English Unit 2 – Values and Dispositions Chapter 2 – Somebody’s Mother Summary, Explanation along with Difficult Word Meanings from Poorvi Book
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CBSE Class 8 English Unit 2 Values and Dispositions Chapter 2 – Somebody’s Mother
by Mary Dow Brine
The poem is about a noble and kind schoolboy helping an old woman cross the road when no one else does. Thus, he considers her to be somebody’s mother and hopes someone else would help his mother in the same way.
- Somebody’s Mother Summary
- Somebody’s Mother Summary in Hindi
- Somebody’s Mother Theme
- Somebody’s Mother Explanation
- Somebody’s Mother Poetic Devices
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Somebody’s Mother Summary
There was a woman who was standing at a zebra crossing. She was old, gray and frail, and the snow had made the streets wet and slippery. She was afraid of crossing the road on her own, as the weather made her slower than before. She was lonely, and even though she was surrounded by many people, no one came to help her. Then, she heard a couple of schoolboys walking past her, not even noticing her need and the anxiety in her eyes. Then, one cheerful and lively schoolboy approached her and offered to help her. His steps were firm, and he provided strong support to the weak old woman. When he went back to his friends, he told them that the old woman was somebody’s mother. He always hoped that when his mother got old and he wasn’t around to take care of her, there would be someone to help her. So, he treated the old woman with the same kindness that he wanted his own mother to receive. When the old woman reached her home, she prayed to God to bless the boy who was somebody’s son.
Summary of the Poem Somebody’s Mother in Hindi
एक महिला ज़ेबरा क्रॉसिंग पर खड़ी थी। वह बूढ़ी, भूरे बालों वाली और कमज़ोर थी, और बर्फ़बारी ने सड़कों को गीला और फिसलन भरा बना दिया था। वह अकेले सड़क पार करने से डर रही थी, क्योंकि मौसम ने उसे पहले से ज़्यादा धीमा कर दिया था। वह अकेली थी, और कई लोगों से घिरी होने के बावजूद, कोई भी उसकी मदद के लिए नहीं आया। तभी, उसने दो स्कूली लड़कों को अपने पास से गुज़रते हुए सुना, जो उसकी ज़रूरत और उसकी आँखों में चिंता को ज़रा भी नहीं समझ पाए। तभी, एक खुशमिजाज़ और ज़िंदादिल स्कूली लड़का उसके पास गया और उसकी मदद करने की पेशकश की। उसके कदम मज़बूत थे, और उसने कमज़ोर बुज़ुर्ग महिला को मज़बूत सहारा दिया। जब वह अपने दोस्तों के पास वापस गया, तो उसने उन्हें बताया कि वह बुज़ुर्ग महिला किसी की माँ थी। उसे हमेशा उम्मीद थी कि जब उसकी माँ बूढ़ी हो जाएँगी और वह उनकी देखभाल करने के लिए आस-पास नहीं होगा, तो कोई उनकी मदद के लिए होगा। इसलिए, उसने उस बुज़ुर्ग महिला के साथ वैसा ही व्यवहार किया जैसा वह अपनी माँ के साथ चाहता था। जब बुज़ुर्ग महिला अपने घर पहुँची, तो उसने ईश्वर से प्रार्थना की कि वह उस लड़के को आशीर्वाद दे जो किसी का बेटा था।
Theme of the Poem Somebody’s Mother
The poem is centred around kindness, nobility, selflessness, and helpfulness. It highlights the importance of the youth from the perspective of senior citizens. The schoolboy shows kindness towards the elderly. He leaves his friends to help the old woman cross the road. It teaches the necessity of knowing what is more important: laughing with friends or helping someone in urgent need. The poet conveys the idea that one must consider the old woman to be someone’s mother and as her son is not around, she must be helped.
Somebody’s Mother Poem Explanation
Poem:
The woman was old and ragged and grey
And bent with the chill of the Winter’s day.
Word-meanings:
ragged: shaggy, unkempt
Explanation: The poem shows an old woman who had a shabby appearance and completely grey hair. She was bent as she was slouching due to old age and the chilly weather of a winter day.
Poem:
The street was wet with a recent snow
And the woman’s feet were aged and slow.
Explanation: The street was covered with snow because it had recently snowed. So, the roads were wet and slippery. The woman was old, and so she was even slower and had more trouble walking.
Poem:
She stood at the crossing and waited long,
Alone, uncared for, amid the throng
Word-meanings:
throng: a crowd
Explanation: The old woman stood at the start of the zebra crossing and waited for a long time for an opportunity to cross the road safely. She was alone and felt uncared for in a massive crowd of people.
Poem:
Of human beings who passed her by
Nor heeded the glance of her anxious eyes.
Word-meanings:
heed: to take notice of
Explanation: The old woman was anxious of having to cross roads without any support. The old woman was surrounded by human beings who did not notice her anxiety and nervousness.
Poem:
Down the street, with laughter and shout,
Glad in the freedom of “school let out,”
Explanation: Down the street from the old woman, there was a school. The school had just been over, and students were laughing and celebrating that school was over for that day.
Poem:
Came the boys like a flock of sheep,
Hailing the snow piled white and deep.
Word-meanings:
Hailing: welcoming
Explanation: The schoolboys came in groups, and they seemed to group like sheep. They made their way down the snow-covered street towards the old woman and welcomed the white heaps of snow.
Poem:
Past the woman so old and grey
Hastened the children on their way.
Word-meanings:
hasten: to be quick
Explanation: The children walked past the old grey woman quickly, not noticing the anxiety and need of the old woman.
Poem:
Nor offered a helping hand to her
So meek, so timid, afraid to stir
Word-meanings:
meek: quiet and gentle
timid: lacking courage or confidence
stir: move slightly
Explanation: The schoolboys did not stop by her to offer support and help her cross the road. The old woman was too quiet, gentle, and lacking in confidence to ask for help. She did not want to disturb the children.
Poem:
Lest the carriage wheels or the horses’ feet
Should crowd her down in the slippery street.
Word-meanings:
lest: in case
Explanation: The old woman was afraid and nervous. She did not know what to do in case a car or a horse came down the road she was crossing.
Poem:
At last came one of the merry troop,
The gayest laddie of all the group;
Word-meanings:
merry: lively
gayest: the most cheerful
laddie: young boy
Explanation: Then, one of the lively schoolboys, who seemed to be the most cheerful one of all, came to the old woman.
Poem:
He paused beside her and whispered low,
“I’ll help you cross, if you wish to go.”
Explanation: The cheerful schoolboy stood beside her and whispered in a low voice. He offered to help the old woman cross the road.
Poem:
Her aged hand on his strong young arm
She placed, and so, without hurt or harm,
Explanation: The old woman kept her old and weak hand on his young, youthful, and strong arm. Both the old woman and the schoolboy interact with each other without the intention of hurting one another.
Poem:
He guided the trembling feet along,
Proud that his own were firm and strong.
Word-meanings:
trembling: shaking
Explanation: The schoolboy supported the old woman across the road. The old woman’s footsteps were shaky, but the boy’s footsteps were strong. The young boy was proud that he was strong enough to guide the old woman and felt satisfied.
Poem:
Then back again to his friends he went,
His young heart happy and well content.
Explanation: After helping her, the schoolboy went back to his friends. His young heart was happy and satisfied that he had helped someone in their time of need.
Poem:
“She’s somebody’s mother, boys, you know,
For all she’s aged and poor and slow”,
Explanation: When the boy reached his friends and other schoolboys, he told them that it was their duty to help people. The old woman was once a mother, a person who gave her life to nurture the future generations. Now, the woman needed someone to take care of her like how she took care of her children.
Poem:
“And I hope some fellow will lend a hand
To help my mother, you understand”,
“If ever she’s poor and old and grey,
When her own dear boy is far away.”
Explanation: The boy hoped that one day, when his own mother would be old and he would not be there to protect her, someone would be there to help his mother in his place.
Poem:
And “somebody’s mother” bowed low her head
In her home that night, and the prayer she said
Explanation: The old woman, who was somebody’s mother, bowed her head towards the boy in gratitude and blessing. When she reached home, she prayed to God to bless the boy.
Poem:
Was “God be kind to the noble boy,
Who is somebody’s son, and pride and joy!”
Explanation: She asked God to be kind to selfless and noble boy, who was somebody’s son. Pride and joy means a child that makes a parent proud and happy.
Somebody’s Mother Poetic Devices
Rhyming Scheme: AABBCCDDEEFFAAGGHHIIBBJJCCKKBBLLAA
Simile: It is used to directly compare an object or person to its attributes. It is used with ‘as’ and ‘like.’ For example, “Came the boys like a flock of sheep.”
Alliteration: It is the repetition of a consonant sound in two or more consecutive words. For example, “helping hand” and “slippery street.”
Repetition: This poetic device is used to repeat a sentence or a phrase in the poem to put more emphasis on its significance. For example, “old and grey.”
Conclusion
This post on the poem Somebody’s mother from the Unit Values and Dispositions of Class 8 English, Poorvi Book, will help students get a summary and explanation of the poem.