Question

Read the extract given below and answer the questions that follow:

Then in the middle of the open sheet Cower down in desperation to accept Whatever I accorded it offate. I have none of the tenderer-than-thou Collectivistic regimenting love With which the modern world is being swept. But this poor microscopic item now! Since it was nothing I knew evil of I let it lie there till I hope it slept.

1. What position did the mite take eventually? In what state was it? (Understanding)
2. Explain ‘Collectivistic regimenting love’? (Analysis)
3. Which ideology is implicitly criticised here and why? (Analysis)
4. What made the poet let the mite ‘lie there till ... it slept’? (Understanding and Analysis)
5. Why does the poet choose a ‘considerable speck’ to express his appreciation of the mind, its imagination and creativity? (Analysis and Evaluation)

Answer 1

1. The mite eventually cowered down in the middle of the open sheet. It was in a state of fear and helplessness, waiting for whatever the poet decided to do with it.
2. ‘Collectivistic regimenting love’ refers to a kind of love that treats everyone equally without considering individual qualities or differences. The poet rejects this idea because he believes that each creature has its own identity, intelligence, and worth.
3. The poet implicitly criticises the ideology of collectivism, which gives importance to the group rather than individual identity. He criticises it because he values individual intelligence, independent thought, and uniqueness.
4. The poet let the mite remain alive because he realised it was a living creature with its own mind. Since he found no harmful intention in the mite, he chose not to kill it and allowed it to rest peacefully.
5. The poet chooses a tiny mite to show that intelligence and individuality are not dependent on size or importance. Even a tiny creature can possess awareness, preferences, and a mind of its own. The mite becomes a symbol of the value of independent thought and creativity.