Odisha State Board CHSE Odisha Class 11 Approaches to English Book 2 Solutions Short Stories Chapter 1 The Rainbow-Bird Textbook Exercise Questions and Answers.
CHSE Odisha 11th Class Alternative English Solutions Short Stories Chapter 1 The Rainbow-Bird
Section- I
Questions For Discussion:
Question 1.
Why was Maggie unmindful in the classroom the whole afternoon?
Answer:
Maggie was unmindful in the classroom the whole after-noon because her mind had been filled with the vision of the Rain-bow bird.
Question 2.
“The hands crawled down the cracked face of the clock with aggravating slowness….”. What does this expression suggest ?
Answer:
Maggie felt as if the hands of the c,ock were consider ably slow. A small spare of time seemed very long to her. Waiting makes time longer. And therefore she felt that the hands of the clock were very slow in their movement as her mind was preoccupied with the thought of the bird.
Question 3.
Why did Maggie avoid the other girls of the class?
Answer:
Maggie avoided the other girls of the class because she never wished them to find out her secret. She looked down upon their empty faces and their coldly-mocking eyes. They also made fun of her because she carried beetles.
Question 4.
What did Maggie do when the school was over?
Answer:
When the school was over, Maggie had a look at Don. She also raced down to the bottom fence along through the bushes that covered the side of the hill.
Question 5.
How did Maggie feel at the sight of the rainbow bird and the world of the school? What do they signify?
Answer:
However, Maggie felt exulted and Proud at the sight of the rainbow bird and she felt nervous and at the world of the school. However, the former signifies the world of happiness and the latter the world, of unhappiness.
Question 6.
Which lines present a contrast between the world of the bird and the world of the school? What do they signify?
Answer:
The lines 13 to 21 present a contrast world of the bird and the world of the school. They signify the dullness of the world of the bird.
Question 7.
“It is a bird now”. In which context does Maggie’s mother say so? Why ‘now’? Does it imply that Maggie had other obsessions earlier? Which ones? (See Paragraph 5)
Answer:
Maggie’s mother says so when she hears the girl mutter on the pillow. It is “now” because, she chirps like at the moment, Maggie had other obsessions also, because she carried beetle wings and cowries about in her matchbox to stare at under the dark.
Focusing Questions:
Question 1.
What does this section of the story tell us about Maggie’s preoccupation with the bird?
Answer:
“The Rainbow Bird” is, undoubtedly, Vance Palmer’s outstanding and typical short story. The first section of the story explains us about Maggie’s preoccupation with the bird. We know that Maggie’s mind has been filled with the vision of the bird. The bird is blue-green shot with gold, its tail an arrow. The girl could scarcely know what she was writing. It has become a regular feature with her. When the school was over, she had. a look at Don. She raced down to the bottom fence along through the bushes that covered the side of the hill. Don was limping because of his sore toe, flushed and breathless Maggie had reached the bottom of the gully before he came out of the undergrowth.
However from the end if the playground, she could hear the other girls her classmates calling her. She did not pay any heed to their voices: She looked down upon their empty faces, their coldly mocking’ eyes. They made fun with her because she carried beetle wings and cowries about in her matchbox to stare at under the desk. Maggie walked along with Don. They went up the other hills across a cleared paddock that lay beside the beach, Before the eyes of both of them won die deep cleft left by the store truck when it was bogged months before and the title round hole with a heap of sand in front of it. Such a tinny tunnel in the side of the rut that no of could notice unless he saw the bird fly out. There had been a sudden burr of wing almost beneath their feet. A shimmer of opal in the sun-bright ajr and then a stillness as the bird settled on the sbe-oak thirty yards away, making their hearts turn over with the sheer beauty of its bronze and luminous green.
It was a rainbow bird which had come from that rounded tunnel in the sandy earth where the couch grass was growing over the old rut, Moreover, the strange bird was shining out of the grainy grey branches. It was only rarely they surprised her in the nest for as usually seemed to feel the puttering the vibration of their feet along the ground and sleep out unobserved. But, they never had to look far for her. There in the she-oak, she shone, flame-bright and radiant as if she had just dropped from the blue sky. The vision came back to Maggie each night before the closed her eyes in sleep. It seemed that it belonged to a different world from that of the school. As a matter of fact, the section 1 deals with the imaginative aspects, of Maggie whose mind gets preoccupied with the thought of the bird. Her farfetched ‘imagination caries her forwards and her vision drags her to the world of the bird,” a world of brightness, joy and soothing.
Question 2.
How does the storyteller show the contrast between the real world of the school and ‘ the’ world of Maggie’s dreams?
Answer:
Vance Palmer is an eminent and outstanding master in the art of storytelling. In this discussing story “The Rainbow Bird”, he displays a sharp contrast between the real world of the school with the dreamy and imaginative world of Maggie very intensely in the first section of the story. The two world have been beautifully gestaposed and a succinct picture of the both has been trickily extricated.
Actually, the world of the school was real. But Maggie was preoccupied with the imagination of the rainbow bird and she feels herself out off from the real and physical world devoting herself wholeheartedly to the world of imagination. While at school, she scarcely knew what she was writing. It was usual with her every day. She was impatient with the passage of time, which she thought passed very slowly. The teacher’s voice for her was like the droning of a blowfly against the window pane.
As a matter of fact, the world of the school was regarded, here, as dull, drab, monotonous, gloomy, pale, colourless and charmless. The life has been routined and schemed. It is traditional, prosaic and uninteresting. On the whole, the imaginative world is more flamboyant, gorgeous, enjoyable, rapturous, elusive and devoting them the real world.
Vocabulary:
A. Use the following in sentences of your own:
squirm
beg
skim
rut
cavern
burr
growl
shimmer
blaze
mutter
Answer:
Squirm – He squirmed as a ball hit his head.
skim – I like skim milk.
cavern – I Having seen a tiger, the hare hit itself in the cavern.
growl – The servant did a mistake and so he growled like a dog.
blaze – People telephoned the fire brigade as the house was in blaze.
bog – He, unfortunately, bogged in the marshy land.
rut – This wheel has ruts on the soft soil.
burn – The madman burred at me.
shimmer – The light shimmer due to power disturbance.
mutter – The dull student muttered the answer due to the fear of a mistake.
B. Write the noun forms of the following:
mental
deep
hairy
monthly
momentary
sandy
empty
miraculous
impatient
different
Answer:
mental – mind
deep – depth
hairy – hait
monthly – month
momentary – moment
sandy – sand
empty – emptiness
miraculous – miracle
impatient – impatience
different – difference
Grammar:
Fill in the blanks with suitable prepositions.
1. In my way to school, I saw a soldier _________uniform.
2. He married a lady _________ thirty.
3. He is a man _________ quiet temperament.
4. I saw him going to the field _______ spade.
5. Skill comes _________ practice.
6. The shop was destroyed ________ a fire.
7. The case is investigated __________ police.
8. This letter is written __________ink, not _________pencil.
9. This picture is drawn ________ pencil.
10. He wrote ________ left hand.
11. They won the game _________ case.
12. The world is heading __________another war.
13. When I was going __________marked I saw a beggar ________a broken leg.
14. The train ________ Ambala leaves at 2 p.m.
15. He is __________ London, He wants __________visit Konark.
16. The boys threw stones __________the beggar.
17. Don’t laugh _________ others.
18. Wine is made ___________grape.
19. Your ring is made ___________ gold.
20. Her mother died _________pneumonia.
21. Her father is living __________ New York today.
22. subash Bose was born ___________Cuttack.
23. Now, she is living __________a beautiful house just _________the end of the street.
24. We met __________ Padhihari Pathagar.
25. Her husband works _________a factory.
26. They are living ___________ a flat ___________ Bhubaneswar.
27. He was brought up ___________ a village.
28. He is working _________ a tea plantation.
29. His brother is __________ a bank.
30. They live ___________ 23, Lajpat Road.
31. The monk is living _________ a forest __________the end of the village.
32. She teaches English __________ a school.
33. All know he is not ___________homte. He is __________his office.
34. All who live ________ India are IndiAnswer:
35. The plane landed _________ an island _____________the Indian Ocean.
36. His father works __________ the railways.
37. What’s the distance in miles __________Bhubaneswar and Delhi.
38. The Chief Guest distributed sweets ________ students.
39. He is known all _______ the world as a champion of the poor.
40. Put your signature________ nine.
41. Your pen is __________ your desk.
42. His portrait is handing __________ the fire place.
43. The box is __________ the rack.
44. There is a garden _______my house.
45. His house is just _______ the road.
46. The road is _________ repair.
47. He is _________ criticism. All knew __________ his honesty.
48. Now, twenty men are working ___________him.
49. He can’t sign the contract as he ___________ age.
50. Banki is __________Cuttack, on the Mahanadi.
51. He has no command ________himself.
52. Fix a revenue stamp and sign _________ it.
53. To wear long hair has becoihe a fashion _________young people.
54. He has no command _________himself.
55. We shall start _________ dinner.
56. A woman is _________ gold necklace.
57. I saw a soldier_________ uniform.
58. A farmer was going to field __________a plough on his soldier.
59. He is a man _________ quiet habits.
60. The woman __________pimples on her face quarrelled with your aunt yesterday.
Answer:
1. In my way to school, 1 saw a soldier in uniform.
2. He married a lady of thirty.
3. He is a man of quiet temperament.
4. I saw him going to the field with a spade.
5. Skill comes from practice.
6. The shop was destroyed by a fire.
7. The case is investigated by police.
8. This letter is written in ink, not in pencil.
9. This picture is drawn with pencil.
10. He wrote by left hand.
11. They won the game with ease.
12. The world is heading towards another war.
13. When I was gring to market I saw a beggar with a broken leg.
14. The train for Ambala leaves at 2 p.m.
15. He is from London, He wants to visit Konark.
16. The boys threw stones at the beggar.
17. Don’t laugh at others.
18. Wine is made from grape.
19. Your ring is made of gold.
20. Her mother died of pneumonia.
21. Her father is living for New York today.
22. Subash Bose was bom in Cuttack .
23. Now, she is living m a beautiful house just at the end of the street.
24. We met at Padhihari Pathagar.
25. Her husband works in a factory.
26. They are living in a flat in Bhubaneswar.
27. He was brought up in a village.
28. He is working on a tea plantation.
29. His brother is in a bank.
30. They live at 23, Lajpat Road.
31. The monk is living in a forest at the end of the village.
32. She teaches English in a school.
33. All know he is not at home. He is in his office.
34. All who live m India are IndiAnswer:
35. The plane landed on an Island in the Indian Ocean.
36. His father works on the railways.
37. What’s the distance in miles between Bhubaneswar and Delhi.
38. The Chief Guest distributed sweets among students.
39. He is known all over the world as a champion of the poor.
40. Put your signature below nine.
41. Your pen is under your desk.
42. His portrait is hanging over the fire place.
43. The box is before the rack.
44. There is a garden across my house.
45. His house is just under the road.
46. The road is above repair.
47. He is under criticism. All knew about his honesty.
48. Now, twenty men are working under him.
49. He can’t sign the contract as he is above age.
50. Banki is under Cuttack on the Mahartadi.
51. He has no command oyter himself.
52. Fix a revenue stamp and sign among if.
53. To wear long hair has become a fashion over young people.
54. He has no command after himself.
55. We shall start before dinner.
56. A woman is m gold necklace.
57. 1 saw a soldier in uniform.
58. A farmer was going tja field with a plough on his soldier.
59. He is a man of quiet habits.
60. The woman with pimples on her face quarrelled with your aunt yesterday.
Section – II
Questions For Discussion:
Question 1.
Whom did Maggie and Don meet near the she_oak? What he was What he was doing there?
Answer:
Maggie and Dgn met Cafferty, the honey Man near the she_oak. He was standing almost the nest and looking down into the she-oak by the beach.
Question 2.
How was Maggie shocked on? How her feeling of excitement and joy changed suddenly to one of fear anger and hatred for the man?[Note: Horror laid an icy hand on the girl’s heart, ‘Try to understand’ the significance of this statement.
Answer:
Actually, Maggie had run covering a long distance so as to see the rainbow bird. But she was highly surprised to find something unreal that diminished he excitement. She found Cafferty the Honey man Man standing with a gun who had already hunted a Rainbow bird and kept it in pocket. She ran away in fear and fell on ground in sorrow. His lively spirit depressed.
Question 3.
“Beast! that’s what you are…A beast”. How do these words characterise the feelings of the small girl when she finds that her world of joy and wonder had been destroyed?
Answer:
Maggie had cherished a great joy and excitement to see the colorful Rainbow bird for which she had run a long distance from school. But, to her utter dismay, she found that the bird had been hunted down by Cafferty, the Honey Man. This caused a heavy shock to her. She felt nervous and terrified and knew that her world of joy and wonder had been shattered by Honey Mali. Her state of grief remained no bound. She could not utter a single word. She murmured calling him a beast.
Question 4.
Why did Cafferty swear to wipe the birds off the face of earth?
Answer:
Actually, Cafferty was a Honey Man who was much concerned with the bees, But the Rainbow birds which are very bright and colorful relish in eating bees. This makes a problem to both the bees and Cafferty. For this reason, he was determined to wipe the birds off the face of earth.
Question 5.
“There was dull passion in his absorbed eyes, a sense of warning against evil.” How does this sentence portray the attitude of the Honey Man. What contrast do you mark between the world of Maggie and the world of Cafferty?
Answer:
This statement is the reaction of the Honey Man against the innocent birds. It actually, a war against the evils as the ‘ in-bow birds for the Honey Man are evils, fact, the world of Maggie and that offerty are poles apart. However, Maggie’s role is one of love, joy and beauty whereas that of Cafferty is one of cruelty, hatred and destruction.
Question 6.
What /difference do you mark between the attitudes of Maggie and Don? Does Don support Cafferty? Explain, You’ll now come to the last part of the story while reading it, try to find answers to the following questions.
(i) What happens to Honey Man after the bird is killed?
(ii) How does Maggie look at the happening?
Answer:
Maggie and Don had the urge to visit the brightly coloured Rainbow birds. But Don was rather more practical whereas Maggie lived in a world of fantasy and imagination. She forgot everything for the bird. She felt sony and perplexed at die killing of the bird by Cafferty. On the other hand, Don although supported Maggie and was also against the Honey Man proved to be more practical and consoled her to cope with the- situation come whatever it may be.
Vocabulary:
A. Derive adjectives from the following words in the text, earth, death, suddenly, contempt, heat, hair, fire, home, solidity, stormy, people, moment, thought, obey, color, bag, proudly, sand, sheep, fear, trouble, child, confuse, heart, boy, eye, bewilder, .air, satisfied, color, face, horror, passion, hand, war, right, winter, shadows, superiority, father.
Answer:
earth – earthly
death – dead
suddenly – sudden
contempt – contemptuous
heat – hot
hair – hairy
fire – fiery
home – homely
solidity – solid
storm – stormy
people – popular
moment – momentary
thought – thoughtful
obey – obedient
colour – colourful
bag – baggy
proudly – proud
sand – sandy
sheep – sheepish
fear – fearful
trouble – troublesome
child – childish
confuse – confused
heart – hearty
boy – boyish
eye – ocular
bewilder – bewildered
air – airy
satisfied – satisfactory
colour – colourful
face – facial
horror – horrible
passion – passionate
hand – handy
war – warring
right – rightful
winter – wintry
shadow – shadowy
superiority – superior
father – paternal
B. Derive nouns from the following words in the text:
bathe, red, sure, obey, close, sandy, warm, new, intense, good, wonderful, green, dark, desperate, wooden, different, believe, reveal, hot, grow, thick, distant, solid, die, proudly, pretend, small, occasional, bewilder, noisy, satisfied, thoughtful, rob, drowsy, soft, gracious, heavy, serve, dull, hopeful, absorb, oppress, awkward, visible, dead, lustrous, feel, triumphant, airy.
Answer:
words – Noun
bathe – bath
red – redness
sure – surety
obey – obedience
close – closeness
sandy – sand
warm – warmth
new – newness
intense – intensity
good – goodness
wonderful – wonder
airy – air
dark – darkness
desperate – despair
wooden – wood
different – difference
believe – belief
reveal – revelation
hot – heat
grow – growth
thick – thickness
distant – distance
solid – solidity
die – death
proudly – pride
pretend – pretense
small – smallness
occasional – occasion
bewilder – bewilderment
noisy – noise
satisfied – satisfaction
thoughtful – thought
rob – robber
drowsy – drowsiness
soft – softness
gracious – grace
heavy – heaviness
serve – service
dull – dullness
hopeful – hope
absorb – absorption
oppress – oppression
awkward – awkwardness
visible – vision
dead – death
luster – lustrous
feel – feeling
triumphant – triumphantly
Grammar
A. Replace the Adverbs with Suitable adverb phrases.
1. Our guest will arrive
2. He spoke
3. Park your car
4. Read the book
5. The soldiers fought
6. He spoke on disarmament
7. The boys played
8. She completed the work
9. Their team played
10. He worked
11. My friend responded
12. She met her friend
13. Who was present with you
14. Corruption is the cheapest thing
15. She went away
B. Replace the following adverb phrases with suitable adverbs:
1. In India flourished a glorious civilization
2. Now we live in a
3. The workers completed the work
4. Pursue your aim
5. My mother treated the beggars
6. The thief entered into the room
7. The deer vanished into the forest
8. He broke his misfortune
9. The old man blessed me with
10. I shall join you r
11. He does it :
12. I called them .
13. She waited
14. He sold his commodities
15. The winning team returned
C. Fill in the blanks With “fairly” or “rather”.
1. His son is _________ clever.
2. Jatin’s answer is _________ better than’ Minu’s.
3. His daughter is __________a stupid girl.
4. He is __________ kind. You can approach him for help.
5. This packet is __________ small. I can easily take it in my pocket.
6. This packet is ___________ big. I can’t take it .
7. Your box is __________ small to contain all these articles.
8. This room is _________ precious. I like it.
9. This room is___________ spacious. I don’t like, such room.
10 The weather is _________ better today.
11. This room is _________ difficult to solve.
12. Your performance is _________ satisfactory.
13. Your son is a __________intelligent boy
14. He gave me a ________ silly book.
15. It is a __________good remark.
D. Complete the following sentences by adding suitable to infinite.
1. Do you like …………..
2. She agreed………..
3. The principal allowed us ………………
4. The society expects you……………
5. This dog is too heavy……………….
6. This bag is small enough ………………
7. The old woman wants someone ……………..
8. Will you give me something……………
9. Her story is too tragic…………..
10. She has an interesting story………………..
11. This essay is too difficult………………
12. I have nothing……………….
13. She does not know how………………
14. He didn’t know where …………………
15. We have many problems………………..
16. This poem is too philosophical………………
17. This pencil is too hard………………..
18. I do not know where……………………….
19. I request him…………………
20. I consented him……………………..
Answers:
A. The adverbs are replaced with suitable adverb phrases.
1. Our guest will arrive soon.
2. He spoke gently.
3. Park your car there.
4. Read the book thoroughly.
5. The soldiers fought bravely.
6. He spoke eloquently on disarmament.
7. The tyjys played cheerfully:
8. She completed the work satisfactorily.
9. Their team played carelessly.
10. He worked industriously.
11. My friend responded promptly.
12. She met her friend here.
13. Who was present with you then?
14. Corruption is the cheapest thing every where.
15. She went away hurriedly.
B. The given adverb phrases are replaced with suitable adverbs.
1. Once upon a time in India flourished a glorious civilization.
2. Now he lived in a foreign country.
3. The workers completed the work with satisfaction.
4. Pursue your aim with resolution.
5. My mother treated the beggars with kindness.
6. The thief entered into the room in silence.
7. The deer vanished into the forest at a great speed.
8. He bore his misfortune with patience.
9. The old man blessed me with all his heart.
10. I shall join you in a short while.
11. He does it as a habit.
12. I called them in a loud voice.
13. She waited with great anxiety.
14. He sold his commodities with profit.
15. The winning team returned in triumph.
C. The blanks are filled with ‘fairly’ or ‘rather’.
1. His son is fairly clever.
2. Jatin’s answer is rather better than Minu’s.
3. His daughter is rather a stupid girl.
4. He is fairly kind. You can approach him for help.
5. This packet is fairly small. can easily take it in my pocket.
6. This packet is rather big. I can’t take it
7. Your box is rather small to contain all these articles.
8. This room is fairly precious. 1 like it.
9. This room is rather specious. I don’t like such room.
10. The weather is fairly better today.
11. This sum is rather difficult to solve.
12. Your performance is fairly satisfactory.
13. Your son is fairly intelligent hoy.
14. He gave me a rather silly look.
15. It is a fairly good remark.
D. The sentences are completed by adding suitable to infinite.
1. Do you like to organise a party?
2. She agreed to help his friend.
3. The principal allowed us to fill in the forms.
4. The society expects you to do something spectacular.
5. This dog is too heavy to lift.
6. This bag is small enough to contain all these items.
7. The old woman wants someone to help her.
8. Will you give me something to eat?
9. Her story is too tragic to listen to.
10. She has an interesting stoiy to tell.
11. This essay is too difficult to write.
12. I have nothing to say.
13. She does not know how to drive.
14. He didn’t know where to go.
15. We have many problems to solve.
16. This poem is too philosophical to understand.
17. This pencil is too hard to write with.
18. I do not know where to go.
19. I request him to come.
20. I consented him to give money
Section – III
Questions For Discussion:
Question 1.
What ideas sweep Maggie’s mind after she returned home and threw herself on the bed? Do you mark the difference between Maggie’s feelings in Section-I and those in Section III? (Note: Wonder and Magic – they had gone out of everything: this line is a key to the understanding of the changed world of Maggie).
Answer:
After returning from the field, Maggie went upstairs, she threw herself down Upon the bed and she started thinking of the cruel face of the Honey Man and the bleeding dead bird came to her eyes repeatedly.
Question 2.
What did Maggie imagine when she heard voices between broken drift of sleep?
Answer:
Maggie imagined when she heard voices between broken drifts of sleep that perhaps the Honey Man had died.
Question 3.
How did she react when she was told that Cafferty had been injured ?’ Why did she think “everything had come right”?
Answer:
When Maggie came to know that Cafferty was injured she thought that he should die. She meant that right thing befalls a right man at right time.
Question 4.
Do you find in her a vengeful attitude? Does she feel that justice has been done? What impression do you form about her from her reaction to the Honey Man’s suffering?
Answer:
There is certainly a tone of vengeful attitude. She feels that justice has been meted out. This proves that Maggie’s reaction against killing the rainbow bird is at the apex.
Question 5.
What change do you mark in her in the last paragraph? Has there been a restoration of her world of joy and wonder? How did she imagine about the rainbow bird and the Honey Man.
Answer:
The deadly reaction of Maggie against the Honey Man continued up to the last stanza. She went on with the thought that the Honey Man was standing in the same place is before. The restoration is possible in dream. The rainbow bird and the Honey Man are antagonistic
Questions For Composition:
Question 1.
How does the rainbow bird created a world of wonder and magic for Maggie?
Answer:
The short story “The Rainbow Bird” is written by Vance Palmer, an eminent and outstanding storyteller. His stories are imaginative, thought-provoking and using. In this discussion story, his presentation of an Australian bird that is a Rainbow bird creating a world of wonder and magic for a little girl Maggie is really superb and fantastic. Actually, the rainbow bird automatically aggravated a World of wonder and magic in the psych of Maggie. The imaginative and attractive colour of the beautiful bird has already captivated her delicate mind. So her tender psyche is preoccupied with the idea of the bird and she thinks about it in every breath of her life. She feels disinterested like reading at home and school. In fact, she remains brooding’ over the fascinating bird which is undoubtedly for her a world of wonder and magic.
However, the imagination of the attractive coloured rainbow-bird has entirely captured her mind. She does not cherish any interest in her study at school. Whenever she gets a little bit of leisure, she starts brooding over the thought of seeing the bird. She gets enticed and bewitched by the bird and so runs to see it straightforwardly. She is accompanied by Don. The other students, of the school follow suit. She rushed to the spot to see the bird. But she discovers Cafferty the Honey Man there holding a gun. He has already hunted a rainbow bird before they arrive. The bird is blood-drenched. It is inside the Honey Man’s pocket. He dangles it in front of them. Maggie stands perplexed and shocked. Her heart becomes hardened and stupefied at the uncompromising shock. Out of utter disgust and irritation, she calls the Honey Man a ‘Beast’.
On the other hand, the Honey Man is determined to wipe all such type of tribes off the earth, because they are beefeaters. He moves away. Maggie and Don returned home. Father had been waiting /or their arrival outside. She scarcely eats any thing at home. Her mind has been highly sorrow-stricken by the thought of the dead bird and uncompromising hatred for the Honey Man. She goes upstairs directly without doing his home task’s. After a few minutes her mother arrives with a candle light. But she is being hunted by sleeplessness. She has nothing in her mind but the dead bird and the hideous man. Her mother informs her about that hideous man’s accident. So she starts thinking that such a brutal and hateful man should die.
Her mother marks that she has not slept till then. Even Maggie wanted to know whether he had died. She does not pay any heed to her mother saying that he is a good man. After all she returns to the dreamy state thinking about the dead bird and the brutal and hideous man like the, Cafferty. She thinks God must punish such a cruel man. As a matter of fact, the depiction of the imaginative and dreamy psyche of a little child. Maggie is superb and fantastic. Although imaginative, it on the other hand, carries a bit of truth which straightforwardly expresses the brutality of the man against the natural animals.
Question 2.
Discuss how the story comes full circle with restoration of Maggie’s world of joy and wonder.
Answer:
In fact, it is undoubtedly, accepted that the story “The Rainbow Bird” is one of the superb and fantastic creation of Vance Palmer, a prominent and outstanding story teller. Palmer’s description of Maggie’s world of joy and wonder is really inspiring and heart-enduring. The main character of the story is the little girl Maggie. She is school going. She remains under the hangover of dream and joy throughout the story. She remains in undated the thought of the bird anywhere atod everywhere. She only thinks of the beautiful bird at school. The thought of beautiful bud has disinterested her from her study. She only thinks about die bird on and on. She, is not at all aware of, anything else., Even she runs to see the bird whenever she gets a little bit of chance.
Actually, she is highly fascinated by the vision of this rainbow bird. She galloped with Don to see the bird. She was extremely surprised to discover Cafferty, the Honey Man there. It was that Honey Man who had already killed the rainbow bird. It was because such type of birds like rainbow bird eat the bees. He was standing there with a gun. He had already hunted a beautiful rainbow bird with his gun and kept it in one of his pockets. She was vehemently perplexed and shocked by the sight of that Honey Man. That man showed them the dead blood-drenched rainbow bird dangling it before their eyes. Maggie was entirely irritated by this and ran away with terror and nervousness. She fell
down on the grassy ground. She feels as if she were dead. She was so vexed and sorry that she could not express this by any words. She called him a ‘beast’. On the other hand, the cruel man only said that he was determined to wipe such birds from the earth because these are bee-eaters. Telling this, he departed from the place.
However, Don tried to console her and they returned home. Father had been waiting for them. They reached home and she went upstairs and laid on her bed. She started brooding over the dead hunted bird and about that hideous and brutal man. She came down for supper and then returned back to upstairs. she laid into the but sleep could not come to her eyes. The image 0f that crooked and brutal Honey Man pinched her mind again and over again. She saw the dangling of mat blood-drenched hunting bird in front of her eyes. she abuses on, Her mother marked her abnormal and odd behaviours. Her mother said m Honey Man would be taken to the hospital, as, he was injured hts though by an accident. Maggie thought that it was Gods not judgment for a hideous and cruel man like him. she got relieved because, the birds would be rescued from the clutches of a killer.
As a matter of fact, Palmer’s treatment of the story is really full circle with the restoration of Maggie’s world of joy and wonder. The opening of the story depicting Maggie’s world of joy and wonder ends with be same world of joy and wonder. The conclusion of the story at least provides solace and consolation and pacification to her perplexed and perverted mind of the middle of the story. In short, Palmer’s treatment of the story is superb, thought-provoking and alluring.
Question 3.
Give an account of the contrasting attitudes of Maggie and the other around her to the rainbow bird.
Answer:
In fact, the outstanding storyteller Vance Palmer of the story “The Rainbow Bird” is a superb master in his portrayal of contrasting characters. However, he has vividly observed the attitude of the contrasting characters who are varied and different in tone and temper. He has beautifully contrasted the characters in the following three sets –
i) Maggie and the other school children.
ii) Maggie and Don and
iii) Maggie and Cafferty.
Let us now discuss these contrasting characters in detail.
(i) Maggie and the other school children:
However, Maggie and the other schoolchildren stand in sharp contrast to one another. Maggie’s mind was only concerned with the vision of the beautiful rainbow bird at school. Her hair followed her intense, grape-dark eyes and she scarcely knew what she was writing. This was happening incessantly with her every day at school. On the other hand, die other students were not responsive as her; the colorful and fascinating bird. They squirmed in their seats and folded papers darts to throw across the room. Maggie lived for the intense attraction of seeing the colorful shape of the beautiful bird. After the school was over, she had a look at Don and raced down to the bottom fence along through the bushes that covered the side of the hill.
(ii) Maggie and Don:
Again, the second set of characters are Maggie and Don. They are also contrasted in their attitude towards the beautiful rainbow bird. It is certain that Don consented Maggie to escort her in order to see the GFC rainbow bird, but in reality, he was not so much esthetically bewitched by it. Again he was also not equally burr as Maggie was when they discovered Cafferty at the place having with a gun. Maggie’s running out in great sorrow and terror and falling down on the grass proved out of intense shock whereas Don kept on standing looking at the bereaved Maggie unconcerned with the blood-drenched dead rainbow bird.
(iii) Maggie and Cafferty:
However, the third set of contrasting characters and Maggie and Cafferty, the Honey Man. They are deeply contrasted in the story. They are just like two poles apart. They stand at the extreme ends in their attitudes towards the rainbow bird. In one hand, Maggie loves the little bright colourful beautiful bird, on the other hand, the Cafferty looks down upon such birds. It is because, they eat away the bees. Even he is determined to wipe the birds off the earth. Therefore, when Maggie is portrayed as love-incarnate and live-incarnate, the Honey Man is portrayed as death incinerate for the innocent beautiful birds. As a matter of fact, Palmer, depiction of the above contrasting set of characters is superb and excellent. Even he portrays them with their variegated and contrasting attitude. On the whole, Palmer’s portrayal is inspiring, alluring and heart-rendering.
Grammar:
Supply Preposition:
They panted ___________ the other hill and ____________ a cleared that lay_ them and the beach. Before the eyes __________ both __________. them was the deep cleft left by the store truck when it was bogged months before and the little round hole _________ a heap _________ sand __________ front __________ it. Such a tiny turned ___________ the side __________ the rut that no one would notice unless she saw the bird fly__________ They had cone ___________ it together when they were looking ___________ mushrooms, there had a sudden burr ____________ wings almost ____________ their feet, a shimmer___________ opal ____________ the sun-bright air and then a stillness as the bird settled ____________ the she-oak thirty yards away, making their hearts turn _________ the sheer beauty ___________ its bronze and luminous green.
Answer:
They panted up the other hill and across a cleared paddock that lay between them and the beach. Before the eyes, of both of them was the deep cleft left by the store truck when it was bogged months before and the little round hole with a heap of sand in front of it. Such a tiny turned m the side of the rut that no one would notice unless he saw the bird fly put. They had come on it together when, they were looking for mushrooms, there had a sudden burr of wings almost beneath their feet, a shimmer of opal in the sun-bright air and then a stillness as the bird settled on the sea-oak thirty yards away, making their hearts turn over with the shear beauty of its bronze and luminous green.
Notes on the story-writer and the Story:
Vance Palmer (1885-1959) is a Australian story writer who had considerable reputation among the Common Wealth literary figures. His writings are marked by an interesting portrait of the phenomenal world with its amazing beauty and wonder. With his deft sketch of manners and behavior especially the responses of the young, and tender minds, some of the stories are very impressively drawn. lie excels in the study of “the innocence of the oneself-conscious years” and ‘‘the beginning makes towards discoveries and disappointments which are an essential part of growing up”. His narrative is very often enriched by an evocative use of symbols.
The story in the beginning depicts the innocent joys of childhood days a visionary world of beauty and wonder. The rainbow bird with its multiple shining colours has a magic spell on the small girl. But, the joy and wonder does not last long: to the utmost shock and depression of the child it is totally demolished with the killing of the rainbow bird that represents for her entire world of enthralling beauty and splendor. The Honey Man for her Satan bent upon destroying God’s beautiful creation and design through to others beautiful creation and design through to others accident of the Honey Man, in her opinion, is retributive, and it signifies the ultimate triumph of good over evil.
With the grant of poetic and divine Justice,’ there is a restoration of the earlier world of magic and music, of course at the imaginative and psychic level of the child. The contrast between the two worlds is quite transparent. The rainbow bird has a symbolic significance, most of the lines in the story with their alliterative system have a poetic effect and serve as appropriate expression of the child’s shimmering world of beauty and wonder.
Section- I
Pre-reading Activity:
It is always a pleasure to remember how in your childhood days you ran after the colorful butterflies, how you wanted to keep pets and spend most of your time in their company and how you developed an attachment to the birds and animals. Here is a story depicting a small girl’s love and concern for a colorful Australian bird befittingly called the rainbow bird.
Gist:
Paragraphs: 1-9
Maggie’s mind had been deeply thinking about the sight of a bird. The bird was blue-green shot with gold, its tail an arrow. After the school was over, she had a look at Don. She was racing down to the bottom fence along through the bushes. Don was limping because of his sore toe. She ran breathlessly. She heard her friends call her to wait. She did not listen to them. She was coming back with beetle wings and cowries about in her matchbox.
Paragraphs: 10-14
They went up the bill across a cleared 21) small grass field. They encountered a crack which was sunk month .before. It was a little 22) round hole with a heap of sand before it. A 23) bird flew out of it. It was a rainbow bird. It 24) had come out of the rounded tunnel. Don had 25) wanted to put his hand in and feel if there were any young ones, but Maggie had caught his arm in despair. Her eyes were filled with tear. The bird was seen skimming through the air.
Analytical outlines:
- Maggie’s mind had been filled with the sight of a bird.
- The bird was blue-green shot with gold its tail an arrow.
- She did not know what she was writing.
- After the school was over, she had a look at Don.
- They raced towards the fence
- They raced through the bushes that covered the side of the hill.
- Don was limping.
- Because His toe was sore.
- Maggie had reached the bottom of the gully.
- Her friends woe calling her from the end of the playground.
- But she tried to shut their voices from her ears.
- None of them must find out her secret.
- She looked down upon their empty faces.
- She also despaired their coldly-mocking eyes.
- They made fun of her.
- Because she carried beetle wings.
- She cowries about in her matchbox.
- She did this to stare at under her desk.
- Maggie and Don went up the other hills.
- They went across a cleared paddock.
- The paddock was situated by the side of the beach.
- They had come on it together.
- They were looking for mushrooms.
- They heard a sudden burr of wings.
- They saw a shimmer of opal in die sun bright air.
- Then a stillness profiled the place.
- It was because the bird Settled on the she-oak tree.
- It was thirty yards away from them.
- It was a rainbow bird.
- It had come from the rounded tunnel in the sandy, place.
- The couch grass was growing there.
- Don had wanted to put his hand in.
- He felt of there were any young ones.
- But Maggie had caught his arm.
- She was looking desperate.
- The strange bird sat shining Put of the greenly-grass branches.
- She seemed to feel the puttering vibration of their feet along the ground.
- She stop and unobserved.
- It seemed as if the bird had fallen from the blue sky.
- Sometimes they saw her skimming through the air.
- While flying, it took long, sweeping curves and pausing at the top of the curve.
- The vision came back to Magg night before she closed her eyes in sleep.
- It belonged to a different world from the school the each.
Meanings of difficult words:
Blowfly – an insect that deposits its larval or carrier, excrement etc., or in the wounds of living animals.
squirmed – twisted the’ body as in pain or discomfort.
dart – a pointed missile, arrow.
skim – a thin layer, or film formed on a liquid.
cavern – a deep cave, hollow place.
gully – a water-worn ravine, a narrow channel made by rainwater.
beetle – an insect with hard horny forewings.
cowries -highly polished and usually brightly coloured shells,
growl – to utter a deep rough sound like a dog.
blazes – flames of fire.
paddock – a small grass field.
chafed – divided into two, crack.
bogged – sunk and stuck fast in a marsh or quagmire.
rut – a furrow made by wheels on soft ground.
burr – whisper or murmur.
shimmer – shine with a soft unsteady light.
opal – a type of white stone with changing colours in it.
she-oak – a variety of oak tree.
thistledown – the’ tufted feathery parachutes of thistle seeds,
luminous – clear, bright, shining.
desperate – furious, state of utter despair.
Section – II
Gist:
Paragraphs: 15-20
Maggie and Don quickly passed across the road. They went away the spindle-legged house with no fence around it. They also went away the red-roofed cottage where the bathing suits hung to dry. They thought that they would surely be out that afternoon. It was, indeed, surprising to observe those bits f of living colour down there in the dark. Of course, it would be much more amazing when/they would come out into the light. All on a sudden. Maggie started running snatching 1 Don’s arm. But Don prohibited her running. He said her that somebody was there. So they were to wait for some-time. Don stood glancing at the dark big figure on the slope ever looking the sea. It was Cafferty the Honey Man. He was standing almost on the nest looking down into the sea-oak by the beach. They saw him having a gun with him. The girl was terrified.
Paragraphs: 21-32
All on a sudden, Maggie started running. She became out of breath when she reached Cafferty. She asked him what he was doing with the gun there. She wanted to know whether he was shooting something. Actually, he had already killed a rainbow bird and put it in his pocket. He was waiting for its mate which would be killed within a short time. He I took the bird out of his pocket and dangled it. before her eyes. The girl fell on the turf calling him a ‘beast’.
Paragraphs: 33-36
Cafferty moved off down the beach. He was moving off shouldering his gun. His gait had a lumbering heaviness. Maggie was still lying prone on the turf, her face in her arms. Don watched her a while and ill-at-ease. Picking up the dead bird that Cafferty had thrown on the grass, he fingered it clum silly. He wondered if there were any bees in its crop. The boy called Maggie to rise because the other kids would be coming along very soon. She rose from the grass looking at the bird with reddened eyes. She told him to clutch away, but the boy insisted that he would make it home and skin it. But he hesitated for moment and then obeyed her.
Analytical outlines:
- Maggie and Don quickly passed across the road.
- They went away the spindle-legged house.
- It was having no fence around it.
- They also went away the red roofed cottage.
- In this, the bathing suits were hung to diy.
- They thought that they would surely be out that afternoon.
- It was, indeed, very surprising to observe these bits of living colour down there in the dark.
- Of course, it would be much more amazing.
- At any moment, they would come out into the light.
- Suddenly, Maggie started running.
- She snatched Don’s arm.
- But Don prohibited her running.
- He said her that somebody was there.
- So they were to wait for sometime.
- Don stood glancing at the dark big figure on the slope overlooking the sea.
- It was Cafferty, the Honey Man.
- He was standing almost on the nest.
- He was looking down into the sea-oak by the beach.
- They saw him having a gun with hint.
- The girl was terrified.
- All at sudden, Maggie started running.
- She became out of breath.
- She reached near Cofferty.
- She asked him what he was doing with the gun there.
- She wanted to know whether he was shooting something.
- Actually, he had already killed a Rambow bird.
- He put it in his pocket.
- He was waiting for its mate.
- He would kill its mate very soon.
- He took the bird out of his pocket.
- He dangled it before her eyes.
- The girl fell on the turf.
- She called him a ‘beast’.
- Cafferty moved off down the beach.
- He was moving off shouldering his gun.
- His gait had a lumbering heaviness.
- Maggie was still lying prone on the turf.
- Don watched her a while.
- He marked she was ill at ease.
- Picking up the dead bird, the Cafferty had thrown on the grass.
- He fingered it clumsily.
- He wondered if there were any bees in its crop.
- The boy called Maggie to rise.
- Because, the other kids would be coming along very soon
- She rese from the grass looking at the bird with reddened eyes.
- She told him to clutch it away.
- But the boy insisted that he would take it home.
- He would skin it at home.
- But he hesitated for a moment.
- At last, he obeyed her words.
Meaning of the difficult words:
cheeping – the chirping of a young bird, twittering of a bird.
mullet – a kind of sea-fish.
turf – surface of land matted with roots of grass.
dangled – hung in the air
ruffled – wrinkled, disordered.
plumage – a natural covering of feathers.
sheepish – embarrassed, in a trance.
hulking – bulky, heavy and clumsy.
humy – (Australian) any crude aborigine hut of shelter.
creek – small in let of sea or river, a watercourse smaller than a river.
vermin – harmful, small-sized disgusting insects difficult to control.
DinKum – (Australian) a swear meaning genuinely or honestly speaking.
Shanghai – drug applied to make somebody unconscious.
lumbering – moving clumsily or heavily.
crop – throat of a bird.
Section-III
Gist:
Paragraphs: 37-40
Father was waiting for Maggie and Don at the bowser outside the store. Don had to go for orders on his pony. Maggie went upstairs and threw herself down on the bed. Whenever she closed her eyes she could see the Honey Man’s evil face. After her evening meal she went upstairs again without doing her homework. Her mother shouted for her but Maggie was still lying awake. She imagined herself running down the slope and stopping suddenly to see the bird. But she could recall nothing but the Honey Man and the bleeding dead bird.
Paragraphs: 41-50
It was raining lightly. So it was making scarcely any sound upon the roof. People were coming and going in the store below. All other noises were dumped. She thought of buying the dead bird. Her mother appeared there with a candle. Her mother asked why she was not asleep till then.‘She also said that Mr. Cafferty had a little accident of When he had been waiting at the shop for ambulance in order to be taken into hospital. Listening to this Maggie’s eyes got widened. She wanted to know whether he was dead. Her mother replied negatively. He had an Injury on the thigh. So Maggie said that he had to die. Her mother could not grasp anything and was wanted to know why the child Was saying that. She also added that everybody loved the Honey Man and he would be right very soon. Her mother told her to sleep.’Maggie again kept thinking of the event.
Analytical outlines:
- Father was waiting for Maggie and Don.
- He was waiting at the bowser outside the store.
- Don had to go for orders on his pony.
- Maggie went upstairs
- She threw herself down on the bed.
- She tried to close her eyes.
- But she could see the Honey Man’s evil face.
- After her evening meal, she went upstairs again.
- She had not done her homework.
- Her mother shouted for her.
- But Maggie was still lying .awake.
- She imagined herself running down the slope.
- She stopped suddenly to see the bird.
- But she could remember nothing.
- She could recall Only the Honey Man.
- She could also remember the bleeding dead bird.
- It was raining lightly.
- So it was making scarcely any sound upon the roof.
- People were coming and going in the store below.
- All other tortoises were silent.
- She was thinking about buying the dead bird.
- Her mother appeared there with a candle.
- Listening to this, Maggie’s eyes got widened.
- Maggie wanted to know whether he.
- Her mother asked why she was not asleep till then.
- She also said that Mr. Cafferty had little accident.
- So, he had been waiting at the shop for ambulance.
- He wanted it in order to go to hospital.
- Listening to this, Maggie’s eyes got widened.
- Maggie wanted to know whether he was dead.
- Her mother replied negatively.
- She fold that he had an injury on the thigh.
- So Maggie said that he had to die.
- Her mother could not understand anything.
- She wanted to know about it.
- She added that everybody loved the Hopey Man.
- She wished that he would be all right very soon.
- Her mother told her to sleep.
- At last Maggie again kept thinking of that event.
Meaning of difficult words:
bowser – truck filled with a tank.
trudge – to walk with labour or effort.
flung – threw
swaggering round – walking with a sense of superiority.