The March King Summary and Explanation
PSEB Class 12 English Chapter 2 The March King Summary, Theme, Explanation along with Difficult Word Meanings from A Rainbow of English Book
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PSEB Class 12 English Chapter 2 – The March King
by Katherine Little Bakeless
“The March King” by Katherine Little Bakeless is a story about John Philip Sousa, a famous American composer and bandmaster. The story gives a view of his early love for music, his struggles, mistakes, and how he discovered his true passion.
- The March King Summary
- The March King Summary in Hindi
- The March King Theme
- The March King Lesson Explanation
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The March King Summary
“The March King” by Katherine Little Bakeless is an inspirational story based on the early life of John Philip Sousa, who later became a world-famous American composer and the leader of the United States Marine Band. The story highlights the ups and downs of his childhood, his passion for music, and how he discovered his true path through experiences, mistakes, and guidance.
The story begins with a young Philip Sousa watching his father march with the Marine Band in a parade. Philip feels proud and decides he wants to become a musician. At the age of seven, he starts attending a neighborhood music school and learns to play the violin. He is naturally talented. However, like many young boys, he also enjoys playing baseball, which sometimes distracts him from his music practice.
One day, Philip is selected to perform a violin solo at the school concert. On the same day, he plays baseball and comes home dirty and tired. His mother is not home, and there is no clean shirt available. His music teacher’s wife gives him a shirt that is too big, and she pins it to make it fit. During the performance, the pins come loose, and the oversized shirt creates a funny scene. The audience laughs, and Philip, feeling humiliated, runs off the stage. This incident leaves a deep impact on him.
So, after a fight with his music teacher, Mr. Esputa, Philip tells his dad he’s done with music. He wants to bake instead. His dad’s cool with it and gets him a job at a bakery. At first, Philip is excited but the hours are long, and it’s hard work, and he is tired. He can’t keep up.
Mr. Sousa, his father, gently guides him back toward music, advising him to make peace with his teacher and continue learning. Philip agrees and works hard at his music, developing a close bond with Mr. Esputa. He became a skilled violinist by the age of thirteen.
Later, a man from a circus band offers Philip a chance to join without telling his father. Though tempted, Philip tells his friend Ed, who accidentally reveals the secret. The next morning, Mr. Sousa surprises Philip by enrolling him as an apprentice in the U.S. Marine Band, believing in his talent and strong sense of duty. Years later, Philip grows up to become the leader of the Marine Band, serving five U.S. Presidents. He composed more than 100 marches and became known as “The March King.” His most famous work, “The Washington Post March,” was loved by many, especially children who dreamed of becoming musicians like him.
Summary of the Lesson The March King in Hindi
कैथरीन लिटिल बेकलेस की “द मार्च किंग” जॉन फिलिप सूसा के शुरुआती जीवन पर आधारित एक प्रेरणादायक कहानी है, जो बाद में एक विश्व-प्रसिद्ध अमेरिकी संगीतकार और यूनाइटेड स्टेट्स मरीन बैंड के नेता बने। कहानी उनके बचपन के उतार-चढ़ाव, संगीत के प्रति उनके जुनून और अनुभवों, गलतियों और मार्गदर्शन के माध्यम से उनके द्वारा अपने सच्चे मार्ग की खोज पर प्रकाश डालती है।
कहानी की शुरुआत एक युवा फिलिप सूसा से होती है जो अपने पिता को मरीन बैंड के साथ एक परेड में मार्च करते हुए देखता है। फिलिप को गर्व होता है और वह संगीतकार बनने का फैसला करता है। सात साल की उम्र में, वह पड़ोस के एक संगीत विद्यालय में जाने लगता है और वायलिन सीखता है। वह स्वाभाविक रूप से प्रतिभाशाली है। हालाँकि, कई युवा लड़कों की तरह, उसे बेसबॉल खेलना भी पसंद है, जो कभी-कभी उसके संगीत अभ्यास से उसका ध्यान भटका देता है।
एक दिन, फिलिप को स्कूल के संगीत कार्यक्रम में वायलिन एकल प्रस्तुति के लिए चुना जाता है। उसी दिन, वह बेसबॉल खेलता है और घर गंदा और थका हुआ आता है। उसकी माँ घर पर नहीं होती है, और कोई साफ कमीज़ उपलब्ध नहीं होती है। उसके संगीत शिक्षक की पत्नी उसे एक बहुत बड़ी कमीज़ देती है, और उसे फिट करने के लिए पिन लगा देती है। प्रदर्शन के दौरान, पिन खुल जाती हैं और ओवरसाइज़्ड शर्ट एक मज़ेदार दृश्य पैदा करती है। दर्शक हँसते हैं और फिलिप अपमानित महसूस करते हुए मंच से भाग जाता है। इस घटना का उस पर गहरा असर पड़ता है।
अपने संगीत शिक्षक, श्री एस्पुता से झगड़े के बाद, फिलिप अपने पिता से कहता है कि अब उसका संगीत से मन भर गया है। अब वह बेकिंग करना चाहता है। उसके पिता को यह ठीक लगता है और वे उसे एक बेकरी में नौकरी दिला देते हैं। पहले तो फिलिप उत्साहित होता है, लेकिन काम के घंटे लंबे होते हैं, मेहनत लगती है और वह थक जाता है। वह आगे नहीं बढ़ पाता।
उसके पिता, श्री सूसा, उसे धीरे से संगीत की ओर वापस ले जाते हैं और उसे अपने शिक्षक के साथ सुलह करने और सीखना जारी रखने की सलाह देते हैं। फिलिप मान जाता है और अपने संगीत पर कड़ी मेहनत करता है, जिससे श्री एस्पुता के साथ उसका गहरा रिश्ता बन जाता है। तेरह साल की उम्र तक वह एक कुशल वायलिन वादक बन गया।
बाद में, एक सर्कस बैंड का एक आदमी फिलिप को उसके पिता को बताए बिना ही शामिल होने का मौका देता है। हालाँकि फिलिप ललचाता है, फिर भी वह अपने दोस्त एड को बता देता है, जो गलती से राज़ बता देता है। अगली सुबह, श्री सूसा ने फिलिप की प्रतिभा और कर्तव्यनिष्ठा पर विश्वास करते हुए, उसे अमेरिकी मरीन बैंड में प्रशिक्षु के रूप में नामांकित करके उसे आश्चर्यचकित कर दिया। वर्षों बाद, फिलिप बड़ा होकर मरीन बैंड का नेता बन गया और पाँच अमेरिकी राष्ट्रपतियों की सेवा की। उसने 100 से ज़्यादा मार्च गीत रचे और “द मार्च किंग” के नाम से प्रसिद्ध हुआ। उसकी सबसे प्रसिद्ध रचना, “द वाशिंगटन पोस्ट मार्च”, बहुतों को पसंद आई, खासकर उन बच्चों को जो उसके जैसे संगीतकार बनने का सपना देखते थे।
Theme of the lesson The March King
The lesson “The March King” by Katherine Little Bakeless is a beautiful and inspiring story that talks about the early life of John Philip Sousa, one of America’s most famous music composers and bandleaders. The story is not just a biography, but a motivation that explores passion, discipline, guidance, failure, and self-discovery.
The story highlights the importance of choosing a career based on one’s natural talent and interest. Philip, the young boy who shows an early love and passion for music. His admiration for his father, who leads the Marine Band, motivates him to pursue music and learn to play the violin. However, like many children, Philip gets distracted. He enjoys baseball, makes foolish decisions, and even temporarily loses interest in music. Philip’s early mistakes, like playing baseball before an important concert, highlight the ignoring responsibilities. The embarrassing incident during the concert teaches him a valuable life lesson about preparation and commitment.
The March King Lesson Explanation
Passage: John Philip Sousa stood on the corner with his mother, watching a parade pass by. The United States Marine Band was rapidly coming closer to where they stood. Philip jumped up and down and cried excitedly, “Look, Mama, there’s Papa now!”
Marching along in the brass section, Mr. Sousa looked very handsome. He winked as he went by, Philip grinned back.
Word meanings
march: a musical composition composed for a march
grin: a broad smile
Explanation of the passage: Young John Philip Sousa stood with his mother, excitedly watching a parade. As the United States Marine Band approached, Philip spotted his father marching proudly in the brass section. Filled with joy, he jumped and shouted, “Look, Mama, there’s Papa!” His father, looking smart and confident, noticed them and gave a playful wink. Philip smiled back happily. This moment reflects Philip’s admiration for his father and his early interest in music and bands.
Passage: Philip loved bands, and the nation’s capital was a fine place to hear them during the early 1860’s. Washington was full of bands, and Philip loved them all. Now, with rapture in his eyes, he watched the Marine Band in all its glory. And as it disappeared down the street, he vowed to become a musician.
Word meanings:
rapture: a feeling of extreme pleasure and happiness or delight
vowed: to make a formal and serious promise to do something.
Explanation of the passage: Philip was deeply in love with music bands, and living in Washington, D.C. during the 1860s gave him sevearl chances to enjoy them. The city had many bands, and he admired each one. As he watched the grand Marine Band perform with great excitement, he felt truly inspired. The experience touched him so much that, as the band marched away, he made a strong decision that he wanted to become a musician when he grew up.
Passage: Soon seven-year-old Philip started to attend a school of music in his neighbourhood. He liked all his studies but he particularly enjoyed learning to play the violin. It was not very long before he excelled in playing that instrument, for he was both talented and eager to learn.
But Philip did not spend all his time playing the violin. He loved to play baseball, too. And that is why he got into trouble one evening when he was eleven years old.
Every year an evening concert was given by the music school. This year Philip had been chosen to play a violin solo. For several months he had been earning money by directing a small band. So the thought of playing in the concert did not make him the least bit nervous. And because he did not feel nervous, he did a foolish thing.
On the very day of the concert, Philip pitched a game of baseball. He was tired and puffing as he came dashing home at supper time. Dirt was streaked across his moist forehead. His clothes were dusty and wrinkled.
Word meanings:
puff: to breathe loudly and quickly especially after you have been running
streak: to mark or cover something with streaks. (His face was streaked with mud.)
Explanation of the passage: Philip, a talented and eager 7-year-old, began learning violin at a local music school and quickly excelled. Though passionate about music, he also loved playing baseball. At age 11, he was selected to perform a violin solo at the school concert. Confident and unbothered by nervousness, he made the mistake of playing a baseball game on the same day. He returned home tired, sweaty, and dirty unprepared for the concert, which led to trouble due to his lack of seriousness.
Passage: “I’m starved!” he cried as he passed the kitchen on his way upstairs. There was no answer, and suddenly Philip realized that something was wrong. The house was so quiet that he could hear the slow ticking of the big clock in the hall.
“Where is everybody?” he yelled.
Word meanings:
yelled: shouted loudly because of anger, excitement or pain.
Explanation of the passage: Philip returns home feeling very hungry and tired after playing baseball. He shouts that he was starved while passing the kitchen but gets no response. He can even hear the ticking of the clock. This strange quietness makes him realize that something is wrong. Worried and confused, he loudly asks where everybody is, showing his growing concern.
Passage: Puzzled by the silence of the household, Philip ran into the kitchen. On the table he found some sandwiches and a note from his mother. She had been called away suddenly by the illness of a friend. She would not be back until late evening.
Philip looked at the clock. He would have to hurry to get to the concert on time. He washed, gobbled a sandwich, and ran to his room to dress.
Word meanings:
gobble: to eat something very fast.
Explanation of the passage: Philip was confused by the quiet house and went to the kitchen, where he found a note and sandwiches. The note from his mother said that she had left suddenly because her friend was ill and wouldn’t return until late evening. Realizing he had a short time for the concert, Philip quickly checked the clock, ate a sandwich in a hurry, and rushed to his room to get ready.
Passage: He looked for a shirt in the drawer where his clean laundry was kept. The drawer was empty! The laundry had not yet come back. “Oh,” Philip moaned forlornly, “what shall I do? I can’t play without a clean shirt!”
Word meanings:
moaned: to make a low sound because you are in pain, very sad, etc
forlornly: appearing lonely and unhappy
Explanation of the passage: Philip searches for a clean shirt in his drawer but finds it empty because the laundry hasn’t returned. He feels helpless and worried because he has to perform in a concert. His reaction shows his panic and disappointment. This moment highlights how small problems can feel big during important events.
Passage: Suddenly Philip realized that he ought to tell his music teacher, Professor Esputa, at once. He ran over to the school and gasped out his story.
At first the professor scowled with concern. But then he said, “That’s all right. Run to my house. Tell my wife to give you one of my shirts.
Mrs. Esputa quickly fetched one of her husband’s white shirts. But when Philip put it on, she began to exclaim, “Oh, dear! Gracious!” The shirt was so large that Philip was almost lost in it.
Hastily Mrs. Esputa found a box of pins. In a twinkling, her nimble fingers pinned enough tucks in the shirt to make it fit Philip. They both heaved a big sigh of relief when the job was finished. Then, free from anxiety, Philip hurried back to the school.
Words meanings:
Ought: used to indicate duty or correctness, typically when criticizing someone’s actions.
Gasped: to have difficulty in breathing
scowled: to look at someone or something with a very annoyed expression
fetched: to go to a place and bring back somebody/something
nimble: agile or able to move quickly and easily
Explanation of the passage: Philip realized he had no clean shirt for the concert and quickly ran to tell his music teacher, Professor Esputa. The professor sent him to his house for a spare shirt. Mrs. Esputa gave him her husband’s shirt, but it was too big for him. She quickly used pins to adjust it, making it fit properly. Both felt relieved when the shirt was fixed. With his worries gone, Philip rushed back to school in time for the concert, feeling more confident and prepared.
Passage: The concert finally began, and soon it was time for Philip’s also. He stood up, placed the violin under his chin, and raised his bow. With horror he felt a pin pulling loose in the back of his shirt. But he recalled how many pins had been inserted in the shirt and thought, “Losing one won’t matter.”
Philip started to play. At first his right arm moved back and forth slowly, then more swiftly. Before long the pins that were holding his collar pulled out. The loose, large shirt collar began to creep up the back of Philip’s head. Then the unruly sleeves grew looser and longer. Suddenly the shirt fell away from his neck.
The audience began to laugh. In embarrassed confusion, Philip forgot what he was playing and stopped completely. The disaster so upset him that he rushed off the stage and sulked in a dark corner. Fighting back tears, he mumbled gloomily, “I wish I were dead!”
Word meanings:
creep up: to move slowly nearer to somebody usually from behind, without being seen or heard.
sulk: to look angry and refuse to speak or smile.
mumble: to speak or say something in a quiet voice in a way that is not clear, or mutter
Explanation of the passage: During the concert, Philip began playing his violin, but one of the pins holding his oversized shirt came loose. As he played, more pins fell off, causing the shirt to slip and look funny. The collar of Philip’s shirt slowly moved up his head, and the sleeves became loose and messy. The audience started laughing. Feeling shy and confused, Philip forgot how to play and ran off the stage. He felt very ashamed, sat alone in a corner, and, with tears in his eyes, quietly said he wished he were dead.
Passage: Refreshments were served after the concert, but Philip was too busy to have any. He mingled with the crowd as quickly as he could, hoping to avoid Mr. Esputa. After a wistful look at the ice cream, Philip was about to slink out when a booming voice behind him scoffed, “Well, Philip, you made a nice mess of it.” Philip turned and found himself face to face with his glowering teacher.
Word meanings:
slink: creep or to move somewhere very quietly and slowly, especially because you are ashamed
scoff: to talk in a way that makes it clear that you think they are ridiculous
glower: to look in an aggressive or angry way trudge (v) to walk slowly or with heavy steps because you are tired.
Explanation of the passage: After the concert, snacks were served but Philip, feeling embarrassed about his performance, avoids eating. He tries to move through the crowd quickly, hoping not to face his music teacher, Mr. Esputa. As he sadly looks at the ice cream and prepares to quietly leave, he is suddenly stopped by Mr. Esputa’s harsh voice, criticizing his mistake. Philip turns around and finds his angry teacher standing before him, making him feel even more ashamed and uncomfortable.
Passage: With no sympathy for poor Philip, Mr. Esputa continued unreasonably, “No refreshments for you! You shouldn’t have spent the day playing ball. You should have been preparing for the important work of the evening. You ought to be ashamed!
Philip hung his head, sighed heavily, and trudged home. The incident left such an impression on him that he always remembered it. He never again tried to mix work and play.
But that was not the last time that he got himself into trouble with Mr. Esputa. One day when Philip was twelve, both he and his teacher were feeling tired and cross. They got into a heated argument over a trifle. As a result, Philip returned home convinced that he no longer wanted to take music lessons.
Word meanings:
trudged: to walk with slow, heavy steps, for example because you are very tired
trifle: slight or small and not important, or trivial
Explanation of the passage: Philip is scolded by his music teacher, Mr. Esputa, for playing baseball instead of preparing for his concert. Embarrassed and ashamed, Philip walks home, deeply affected by the incident. He learns an important lesson not to mix fun with responsibility. However, the conflict with his teacher continues. At age twelve, after a minor disagreement due to tiredness and irritation, Philip decides to quit music lessons, feeling discouraged and upset with both his teacher and his own progress.
Passage: He discussed the matter with his father.
“Well,” commented Mr. Sousa, “it seems that you don’t want to be a musician. Is there anything else you would prefer to be?”
“Yes,” said Philip. “I want to be a baker.”
Mr. Sousa’s eyebrows flew up. “A baker?” he asked in surprise.
“Yes, a baker,” Philip answered firmly.
“If that’s what you want,” replied Mr. Sousa, “I will see what I can do to get you a suitable position in a bakery. I’ll go and attend to it right away.” And he went out of the house.
Soon Mr. Sousa came back. “Well, son,” he informed Philip, “I’ve been talking to Charlie, the baker. His shop is a few blocks away, and he’ll be glad to teach you how to bake bread and pies. He is expecting you tonight at half- past eight.”
“Good,” said Philip, but with little enthusiasm.
Word meanings:
Firmly: In a strong and confident way
Explanation of the passage: Philip talked to his father about not wanting to be a musician anymore. Mr. Sousa calmly asked what else he wanted to become. Philip replied with confidence that he wanted to be a baker. Mr. Sousa was surprised, but he didn’t scold him. Instead, he said he would help Philip find a bakery job. Mr. Sousa then went out and spoke to Charlie, a local baker nearby. He came back and told Philip that Charlie was ready to teach him baking and expected him at 8:30 that evening. Philip like idea but he didn’t sound very excited.
Passage: Mr. Sousa put his hand on Philip’s shoulder and continued more seriously. “Philip, I’ve noticed that bakers aren’t always well educated. I believe that it would be profitable for you to educate yourself beyond the level of most bakers. Perhaps you will then be more successful in your business. For this reason I must insist that you keep on with your education even though you stop taking your music lessons. When you have finished school. You can become a full-time baker.”
Philip willingly agreed to continue his education.
At eight-thirty that evening, Philip went to the bakery. There he watched the bakers at work mixing bread and making pies. Everything he saw was new to him, and for a while it seemed very interesting. The bakers impressed Philip with their speed and skill, and he was amazed at the amount of bread that was being made. Later he grew tired and slept while the bread was baking.Very early the next morning Philip helped load the big bakery wagon. Then he went out with the driver to deliver the bread. By eight o’clock he was through and went home to breakfast.
Word meanings:
Insist: To strongly say that something must be done
Amazed: Very surprised or impressed
Explanation of the passage: Mr. Sousa, Philip’s father, gently placed his hand on Philip’s shoulder and spoke seriously. He told Philip that most bakers were not very educated. So, if Philip still wanted to become a baker, he should continue his studies to become smarter and more successful than other bakers. Mr. Sousa said Philip must continue his education even if he stopped taking music lessons. Philip agreed. That evening at 8:30, Philip went to the bakery to watch how the bakers worked. At first, everything looked new and exciting. He enjoyed watching them mix dough and make pies. The bakers worked quickly and skillfully, and Philip was surprised to see how much bread they were making. But later, he started feeling tired and fell asleep while the bread was still baking.
Early in the morning, Philip helped in loading the big bakery cart with bread. After that, he went along with the delivery man to give the bread to customers. They finished the deliveries by 8 o’clock. Then, Philip returned home to eat his breakfast.
Passage: Philip kept his agreement with his father and went to school that morning. After school he did not feel like playing baseball. Too tired to do anything else, he went home and sat around until after supper. Then it was time to return to the bakery, where he spent another evening very much like the first.
After helping with the morning delivery, he went to school again. But he was too tired to learn much. When evening came, he dejectedly dragged himself off for his third night of work at the bakery. Watching the bakers no longer seemed interesting.
About midnight the baker’s baby started to cry. The baker’s wife said to Philip, “Go upstairs and rock the cradle.” Only half awake, poor Philip did as she requested.
The cradle swam before Philip’s sleepy eye as he began to rock it. In a twinkling, he had fallen asleep, ignoring the baby’s loud yells.
Word meanings:
twinkling: in a very short time
Dejectedly: In a sad or depressed way
Cradle: A small bed for a baby that can be moved to and fro
Explanation of the passage: Philip kept the promise he made to his father and went to school the next morning. But he felt very tired after school and didn’t want to play baseball. He went home, rested, and after dinner, returned to the bakery to work again. The second evening at the bakery was just like the first. The next day, after helping with the morning bread delivery, he went to school again. But he was so tired that he couldn’t concentrate or learn much in class. That night, he went to the bakery again, but this time he felt even more exhausted and uninterested. Around midnight, the baker’s baby started crying. The baker’s wife asked Philip to go upstairs and rock the baby’s cradle. Philip was half asleep, but he went anyway. As he started rocking the cradle, it blurred in front of his sleepy eyes, and within seconds, he had fallen asleep even though the baby was crying loudly.
Passage: When the baby continued to cry, its mother ran upstairs to see what was wrong. She aroused Philip and scolded him.
When Philip got home after delivering bread on the third morning, he was utterly exhausted. His father said, “How do you feel this morning?” But Philip fell sound asleep before he could answer.
In a low voice Mr. Sousa murmured instructions to Mrs. Sousa. “Give the lad some breakfast and put him to bed. Let him sleep all day.”
That evening he said to his son, “Of course you still want to be a baker, don’t you, Philip?”
“No!” groaned the weary boy. “I’d rather die than be a baker!”
Word meanings:
aroused: Awakened or stirred up (a feeling or response)
utterly: Completely or totally
exhausted: Extremely tired; worn out
weary: very tired, especially after you are working hard. (She suddenly felt old and weary.)
groan: to make a long deep sound when you are annoyed, upset or in pain (We all groaned at his terrible jokes.)
Explanation of the passage: Philip was so tired after working at the bakery that he fell asleep while rocking the crying baby. The baby’s mother scolded him. After delivering bread the next morning, he was completely exhausted and fell asleep before answering his father. Mr. Sousa told his wife to give Philip breakfast and let him rest all day. Later, Mr. Sousa asked if he still wanted to be a baker. Philip, feeling miserable, replied, “No! I’d rather die than be a baker!”
Passage: “Then,” concluded his father gently, “I think that the only practical course of action is to make up with Esputa and start your music lessons again.”
After that, Philip and his music teacher became the best of friends. The youngster studied hard and because he possessed remarkable ability, he had gained a reputation as a fine violin player by the time he was thirteen years old.
One day while Philip was busy practising, a man came to the door. He said, “I have been listening for five minutes. You play the violin very nicely.”
“Won’t you come in?” asked Philip.
“Thank you, I will,” said the man. He stepped inside and continued, “Have you ever thought of joining a circle ?”
“Why, no, sir,” said Philip in surprise.
“I’m the leader of the band in the circus that is showing near Pennsylvania Avenue,” said the man. “If you should care to join us, I’d be most happy to employ you.”
Visions of a wonderful life in the circus flashed through Philip’s mind. “I’d like to do it,” he said wistfully. “But I don’t think my father would let me go.”
Word meanings:
wistful: thinking sadly about something that you would like to have
Explanation of the passage: Philip’s father advises him to make peace with his music teacher, Mr. Esputa, and start learning music again. Philip follows his advice, works hard, and becomes a skilled violinist by the age of 13. One day, while he is practicing, a man hears him play and praises his talent. The man turns out to be the leader of a circus band and offers Philip a job. Philip is excited and imagines the fun life of a circus, but he hesitates because he knows his father would not allow him to leave home for such a job.
Passage: “Don’t tell him,” said the man.
The circus man’s suggestion shocked Philip.
“Oh, I couldn’t just go off without asking him,” Philip answered.
“But often fathers don’t understand what a very fine future there is for a boy who is travelling with a circus,” the man argued. “I’ll tell you what to do. Tomorrow night you bring your fiddle and go along with us when we leave. After we have been away for a day or two, you can write your father and tell him what a wonderful time you are having. Perhaps he won’t interfere then. Otherwise, if you tell him now, he might forbid you to go.”
Word meanings:
fiddle: violin.
Explanation of the passage: A circus man is trying to convince Philip to leave home secretly and join the circus. He tells Philip not to inform his father because he might stop him. The man says that many fathers don’t understand how great a career in the circus can be for a young boy. He suggests that Philip should bring his violin and leave with them the next night. Once they’ve traveled a bit, Philip can write to his father about the fun he’s having. The man believes that by then, Philip’s father won’t try to bring him back or stop him.
Passage: Philip finally agreed to report the following night. The more he thought about his decision and about the glory in store for him, the more elated he felt. At last he could keep quiet no longer. He went next door to see his best friend.
Word meanings:
elated: very happy and excited
Explanation of the passage: Philip finally decided to go with the circus the next night. As he thought more about the exciting life and fame he might get, he became very happy and excited. He couldn’t keep the secret to himself anymore. So, he went to his best friend’s house to share the news.
Passage: Tingling with excitement, Philip told his secret. “I am going to join a circus tomorrow night, Ed. I’ll make a lot of money and become the leader of a circus band.” Then he cautioned Ed not to tell.
Word meanings:
tingling: an exciting feeling of emotion
Explanation of the passage: Philip was very excited and shared a secret with his friend Ed. He said that he planned to join the circus the next night. He believed he would earn a lot of money and eventually become the leader of the circus band. After telling this exciting plan, Philip asked Ed to keep it a secret and not tell anyone. He trusted Ed with this information and didn’t want anyone, especially his father, to find out about his decision just yet.
Passage: Ed’s eyebrows arched, and his mouth flew open. The news impressed him greatly. It was so much on his mind that he accidentally let the secret out at supper time. Later that evening, after Ed was asleep, his mother paid a visit to Mrs. Sousa.
The next morning Philip lay in his bed dreaming a delightful dream about being the director of a big circusband. Suddenly he heard his father’s gentle voice saying, “Good morning, Son.”
“Good morning. Papa,” Philip replied.
“When you dress today,” Mr. Sousa said, “put on your Sunday clothes.”
Philip was certain that it was not Sunday. But he obeyed his father’s request. As he went down stairs to eat breakfast, he kept wondering, “Why did Papa want me to put on my Sunday clothes?”
Mr. Sousa chatted with Philip in a friendly way until the end of the meal. Then he said abruptly, “We will take a walk.”
They had walked only a few blocks when Philip realized that they were headed towards the United States Marine Barracks. The boy wondered why his father was taking him there. He soon learned. Within an hour Philip was enlisted as an apprentice to study music in the Marine Band.
Word meanings:
barracks: a large building or group of buildings for soldiers to live in (The troops were ordered back to barracks.)
apprentice: a young person who works for an employer for a fixed period of time in order to learn the particular skills needed in their job
Explanation of the passage: Ed was shocked when Philip told him he planned to join the circus, and without meaning to, Ed told the secret at dinner. That night, Ed’s mother informed Mrs. Sousa. The next morning, Philip was dreaming about joining the circus when his father woke him and asked him to wear his best clothes. They went for a walk, and to Philip’s surprise, they reached the Marine Barracks. There, Philip was enrolled to learn music in the Marine Band.
Passage: Mr. Sousa had confidence in his son’s strong sense of duty. He knew the boy would not desert the Marines to run away with a circus.
Years sped by, and eventually John Philip Sousa became the leader of the Marine Band. This band is the official band of the President of the United States. Sousa served as bandmaster for five different presidents. During these years the big band went abroad several times and became famous all over the world.
Sousa also became famous as a composer. He wrote more than a hundred marches, and he was known as the March King.
He wrote one of his finest marches for a special occasion. The Washington Post, a newspaper that is published in the nation’s capital, held an essay contest. Prizes were offered for the best essays written by pupils in the Washington schools.
A big day was planned for awarding the prizes. One of the events was to be a programme of music played by the Marine Band. Sousa was asked to compose a march in honour of the happy occasion. The idea appealed to him greatly; so he set about composing this march.
The great day finally came. The blue sky was dotted with fluffy clouds, and a breeze was blowing. People poured into the area around the big band. Soon thousands were waiting to hear the music.
The children of Washington had been looking forward to this day for a long time. And nearly all of them were there. The trees around the bandstand were filled with boys who had climbed up to get a good view of the famous March King.
After “The Washington Post March” was played, everybody applauded wildly. The boys in the trees listened and watched with sparkling eyes. As they applauded, perhaps some of them vowed to become musicians, just as John Philip Sousa had done many years before.
Words meanings:
Pupils: Students, especially in school.
Appealed: Was attractive or interesting.
Fluffy: Soft and light in texture.
Vowed: Made a strong promise.
Explanation of the passage: John Philip Sousa grew up to lead the U.S. Marine Band and became world-famous for his music. He served five presidents and wrote over a hundred marches, earning the title “The March King.” One special march, The Washington Post March, was composed for a school essay prize event. On the big day, thousands gathered, and children watched excitedly. When the march was played, the crowd cheered, and many young boys were inspired to become musicians, just like Sousa once dreamed as a child.
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Conclusion
This post provides the summary, word meanings and lesson notes of The March King from Punjab School Education Board Class 12 English, A Rainbow in English book Chapter 2. Students can get a quick recap of the story with the help of this post