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Poets and Pancakes NCERT Solutions for Class 12 English Flamingo Chapter 6
Poets and Pancakes NCERT Text Book Questions and Answers
Poets and Pancakes Think as you read
Chapter 6 Poets And Pancakes Question Answer Question 1.
What does the writer mean by ‘the fiery misery’ of those subjected to make-up?
Answer:
The make-up room had incandescent lights at all angles. These lights gave fiery heat. Sitting in the make-up room with these lights was sitting near furnace. It was a fiery misery the boys and girls had to endure.
Question 2.
What is the example of national integration that the author refers to?
Answer:
The make-up department included people from all parts of India. Initially a Bengali headed it. He was succeeded by a Maharashtrian who was assisted by a Dharwar Kannadiga, an Andhra, Madras Indian Christian, an Anglo-Burmese and the local Tamils. So it presented a picture of national integration.
Question 3.
What work did the ‘office boy’ do in the Gemini Studios? Why did he join the studios? Why was he disappointed?
Answer:
The office boy painted the faces of the actors who acted for crowd. He had joined the studios years ago with the hope of becoming a star actor or a top screenplay writer, director or lyricist. However, he was disappointed as he felt his great literary talent was being wasted.
Question 4.
Why did the author appear to be doing nothing at the studios?
Answer:
The writer used to sit at his desk and cut newspapers clippings. So everyone thought that he was doing nothing.
Question 5.
Why was the office boy frustrated? Who did he show his anger on?
Answer:
The office boy had the belief that he possessed a great literary talent. He was frustrated as his talent had not been recognised and he was given work fit only for barbers and perverts. He showed his anger on Kothamangalam Subbu who was No. 2 at Gemini Studios. The office boy thought that Subbu was responsible for this neglect.
Question 6.
Who was Subbu’s principal?
Answer:
The producer was Subbu’s principal.
Question 7.
Subbu is described as a many-sided genius. List four of his special abilities.
Answer:
- Subbu had the ability to keep cheerful every time.
- He was tailor-made for films.
- He could completely identify himself with his principal.
- He possessed a great poetic talent.
Question 8.
Why was the legal adviser referred to as the opposite by others?
Answer:
Others referred to him as ‘illegal adviser’ as he did not help others. On the contrary, he created legal hurdles for others.
Question 9.
What made the lawyer stand out from the others at Gemini Studios?
Answer:
Every member of the story department where the lawyer worked wore khadi dhoti and an oversized khadi kurta. However, the lawyer wore pants and a tie. Sometimes, he even wore a coat. Thus, he looked different from others.
Question 10.
Did the people at Gemini Studios have any particular political affiliations?
Answer:
They did not have any particular political affiliations. However, they were averse to communism.
Question 11.
Why was the Moral Rearmament Army welcomed at the Studios?
Answer:
The Moral Rearmament Army was welcomed as they presented two plays in the most professional manner. The staff of the Gemini Studios used to have a nice time hosting two hundred people of at least twenty nationalities.
Question 12.
Give one example to show that Gemini Studios was influenced by the plays staged by MRA.
Answer:
The MRA depicted beautiful scenes of sunrise and sunset in their play, ‘Jotham Valley”. The studios were greatly impressed by these scenes, and imitated it for years to come.
Question 13.
Who was the boss of Gemini Studios?
Answer:
Mr. Vasan was the boss of Gemini Studios.
Question 14.
What caused the lack of communication between the Englishman and the people at Gemini Studios?
Answer:
The audience at Gemini Studios did not understand what the Englishman talked about as his accent was different.
Question 15.
Why is the Englishman’s visit referred to as unexplained mystery?
Answer:
The Englishman had been a poet. It became quite difficult to understand as to why he had come in a film studio that made Tamil films for simple people. They could have no taste for English poetry. The author even thinks that the Englishman too was baffled by this incongruity.
Question 16.
Who was the English visitor to the studios?
Answer:
The English visitor to the studios was a poet called Stephen Spender.
Question 17.
How did the author discover who the English visitor to the studios was?
Answer:
A notice came out in the Hindu announcing a short story contest organised by a British periodical named The Encounter. The writer wanted to join the contest. As he had no idea of the periodical, he went to the British Council Library. There he located The Encounter. Its editor was Stephen Spender. Immediately, he realised that Stephen Spender was the poet who had visited Gemini Studios.
Question 18.
What does ‘The God that Failed’ refer to?
Answer:
“The God that Failed” is a collection of six essays by separate men of letters. They portray about the writers’ visits into Communism and their disillusioned return.
Poets and Pancakes Understanding the Text:
Question 1.
The author has used gentle humour to point out human foibles. Pick out instances of this to show how this serves to make the piece interesting.
Answer:
The office boy depicts an example of a man who had been in the studios for years, but did not rise. However, all the time he dreamt of becoming a star actor or director or lyrics writer. This was not a mere dream. His talent seemed to be all rolled in one. He thought himself to be a poet who could write long poems and pestered the author by reciting his boring poems to him. He often used to complain that his talent went waste in the make-up department as it was fit for only barbers and perverts. The author only prayed that shooting went on all the time so the office boy was busy and did not have time to recite his poems to him. Oddly enough he held Subbu responsible for his neglect. In reality, he was frustrated and required someone to direct his anger to.
Question 2.
Why was Kothamangalam Subbu considered No. 2 in Gemini Studios?
Answer:
Though Kothamangalam Subbu had been a member of the story department, he had always been seen with the boss. The boss gave him prominence as he was a talented person. Subbu’s opinion was taken on every problem. Subbu was always ready with suitable suggestions and with Subbu film making was not a problem.
Question 3.
How does the author describe the incongruity of an English poet addressing the audience at Gemini Studios?
Answer:
The Gemini Studios’ films were for simple folks in Tamil. These movie-goers were not expected to develop a taste for English poetry. The author did not understand what an English poet was doing in Gemini Studios. Further surprise was that even the boss knew very little about the Englishman as his speech was mostly in general terms.
Englishman’s speech baffled everybody as his accent made it difficult for them to understand what he said. Even the Englishman perhaps felt baffled by the incongruity of his presence among the simple members of Gemini family. The purpose behind his visit to the studios was an unexplained mystery.
Question 4.
What do you understand about the author’s literary inclinations from the account?
Answer:
This story tells that the author had the capability of writing in gentle satire. His job had +been to cut newspaper clippings on wide variety of subjects. It gave him an opportunity to read a lot and know a lot. He had been a prose writer and sent his articles and stories to several newspapers. He even sent a short story to The Encounter to take part in the contest. Being a good reader, he did not give up his habit even after he had retired. He saw a low-priced book The God that Failed and purchased a copy to read immediately.
Poets and Pancakes Talking about the Text
Discuss in small groups taking off from points in the text.
Question 1.
Film-production today has come a long way from the early days of the Gemini Studios.
Answer:
Nowadays, film production is more technical than before. Earlier, only five per cent of the shooting was done outdoors, but nowadays outdoor shooting is no more limited to such a negligible percentage. The cameras and other equipment are more advanced. This makes the presentation more varied and accurate. Even the quality of make-up has improved a lot from the days of the Gemini Studios, where only pancake was used. Nowadays, the people involved in various departments are experts in their specialised work, be it the director, producer scriptwriter, lyricist or the actors.
Question 2.
Poetry and films
Answer:
In India, poetry and films are intricately linked. The people at Gemini Studios claimed to have the talents of a poet because it was their monotonous and leisurely life at the studios. However, they were not knowledgeable or educated to be poets. Films can be enjoyed by people with little resources, unlike poetry.
Question 3.
Humour and criticism
Answer:
The story is interspersed with instances dipped in subtle humour. The humorous instances, however, make interesting and relevant comments on the behaviour of general people. A humorous story has more readers, a humorous film has more viewers. This is because they provide entertainment and a respite from the tedious existence. Criticism by means of humour is more effective, hence writers and film-makers often use humorous elements in their works and make sarcastic comments and criticism.
Poets and Pancakes Extra Questions and Answers
Poets and Pancakes Short Answer Questions
Question 1.
Describe the make-up room of Gemini Studios.
Answer:
The make-up room of Gemini Studios looked more like a hair-cutting salon with incandescent lights at all angles and half a dozen large mirrors. The lights made the room so hot that those subjected to make-up had to put up with its ‘fiery misery’.
Question 2.
How was strict hierarchy maintained in the make-up room?
Answer:
Each make-up man was allotted his task according to his designation. The chief make¬up man put make-up on the chief actors and actresses, his senior assistant attended to the “second” hero and heroine, the junior assistant the main comedian. The actors who played the crowd were the responsibility of the office boy.
Question 3.
Why did the office boy go to the author? Why was the author praying for crowd s*hooting?
Answer:
The author worked in a cubicle, apparently with nothing to do. The office boy, frequently barged in to enlighten him on how Gemini Studios was allowing his great literary talent to go waste in a department fit for barbers and perverts. The author’s only hope of reprieve was to pray that make-up for crowd shooting would call him away.
Question 4.
What advantage did the office boy think Subbu had?
Answer:
The office boy believed that Subbu’s advantage was by virtue of being born a Brahmin. This would have given him greater exposure to a more affluent society, greater opportunities and better openings.
Question 5.
What were Subbu’s literary achievements?
Answer:
Subbu was an accomplished poet who addressed his poetry to the masses, in spite of being talented enough to write higher forms of poetry. His works included several ‘story poems’, and a full length novel, ‘Thilana Mohanambal’.
Question 6.
Who was Subbu’s enemy? Why?
Answer:
Subbu’s success and his undisputed position as No. 2 of Gemini Studios made the office boy his enemy. He firmly believed that Subbu was responsible for all his woes, humiliating neglect, and ignominy.
Question 7.
Subbu was charitable and generous. Why did he have enemies?
Answer:
Subbu’s closeness to the Boss and his desire to please him, made him appear to be a sychophant. His readiness to say nice things about everyone was misconstrued as cunning. So Subbu had enemies like the office boy who wished the direct things for him.
Question 8.
How did the legal advisor ruin an actress’ career?
Answer:
When an extremely talented but temperamental actress lost her temper and blew up the producer on the sets, the lawyer quietly recorded the outburst. He then played back the recording. Utterly shocked and dumbfounded, this actress was unable to deal with the shock and terror she experienced, and her career ended.
Question 9.
How did the lawyer lose his job?
Answer:
The lawyer lost his job when the story department of Gemini Studios was closed down. This was the first time in human history that a lawyer lost his job because the poets were asked to go home.
Question 10.
What did the khadi clad poets believe about Communism?
Answer:
Though none of them had any abiding political ideology, they worshipped Gandhiji and were averse to Communism. To them, a Communist was a man with no filial or conjugal love, could easily kill his parents and children, and was always out to spread unrest and violence.
Question 11.
What role does the MRA play in the narrative?
Answer:
Frank Buchman’s Moral Rearmament army was a kind of counter-movement to international Communism. They presented two plays in the Gemini Studios, with simple and homely messages, in an effort to counter the spread of communism in southern India.
Question 12.
Why was the English poet who visited Gemini Studios as baffled as his audience?
Answer:
The poet was baffled to address an audience that was utterly dazed and silent. No one understood his accent or the content of his speech. The audience was baffled as they had no idea why an English poet had been invited to a film studio that made Tamil films for the simplest sort of people.
Question 13.
Why did Stephen Spender visit Gemini Studios?
Answer:
Stephen Spender was a disillusioned communist. He had been invited to talk on his journey into Communism and his disillusioned return to the people of Gemini Studios who too were anti-communism.
Question 14.
Why does Asokamitran say that prose writing is not the true pursuit of a genius?
Answer:
Asokamitran feels that prose writing requires a lot of patience and perseverance.The prose writer’s mind should be so shrunken that no rejection can disappoint him. Nothing breaks his resolve to keep making fresh copies of his prose writings to send to one editor after, another.
Question 15.
The boss of Gemini Studios had nothing to do with Spender’s poetry but not with his ‘God that failed’. Explain.
Answer:
Years later, the mystery of Stephen Spender’s visit to Gemini Studios became clear to the author when he chanced upon the book,‘The God That Failed’, and read Spender’s essay. He realised that the Boss, S.S.Vasan, had deliberately brought the English poet to Gemini Studios to destroy all illusions about Communism among its simple inmates.
Question 16.
What does the author refer to as Pancake? Name the actresses who must have used it.
Answer:
Pancake was the brand name of a make-up material. Truckloads of this material were used by Gemini Studios. Greta Garbo, Miss Gohar and Vyajayantimala might have used it. But Rati Agnihotri might not have even heard of it.
Question 17.
Where was the make-up department of the Gemini Studios? Does the author think the building was what it was believed to be?
Answer:
The make-up department was located in the upstairs of a building that was believed to have been Robert Clive’s stables. But the author does not think it was actually so. There were many buildings in the city supposed to have been Clive’s residences.
Question 18.
In what sense was Subbu loyal to the boss?
Answer:
Subbu was totally loyal to the boss. He fully identified himself with him. He put all his creativity to the benefit of his boss. He felt inspired whenever commanded. He could suggest to the boss a number of ways to deal with a difficult scene or situation in a film.
Question 19.
In what way was Subbu better than the office boy?
Answer:
Subbu was No. 2 at Gemini Studios. However, in reality he was in no better position than the office boy. He had to face more difficulties. But Subbu had more affluent exposure and many abilities.
Question 20.
What was the poet’s preconceived idea about a Communist?
Answer:
The poet’s thought that a Communist was a godless person. He loved neither his children nor his wife. He was a terrorist, always prepared to cause violence and unrest among innocent and ignorant people.
Poets and Pancakes Long Answer Questions
Question 1.
Describe the make-up department of the Gemini Studios. How did it prepare the players for a movie?
Answer:
The make-up department of the Gemini Studios was located in the upstairs of Robert Clive’s stables. They bought and lavishly used truckloads of a make-up material called Pancake. The make-up room contained large mirrors and bright lights set at various angles. It looked like a hair-cutting salon. It was a terrible experience for an actor or actress to undergo the make-up.
The lights generated intense heat. The members of the make-up department represented different parts of India. It symbolised national integration. Ninety-five per cent of the shooting of a film during those days was done on the sets. It demanded that every pore of the actors’ faces should be closed. Thus, they were painted, and looked ugly. A strict hierarchy was maintained. The chief make-up man made the hero and the heroine ugly. The office boy painted the crowd players ugly.
Question 2.
What was Moral Rearmament Army? Describe their visit to the Gemini Studios.
Answer:
Frank Buchman’s Moral Rearmament Army visited the Gemini Studios in 1952. It was a
drama company. In reality, it was a counter movement to international communism. It had two-hundred players and was called an international circus. The players belonged to twenty different nationalities.
They presented two plays in the most professional manner. The plays represented simple homilies and the costumes and sets were superb. Their play, ‘Jotham Valley” impressed the Tamil theatre. They imitated the sunrise and sunset scenes in their manner for years. The scenes were played on a bare stage with a white background and a tune played on the flute.Though the MRA was anti-communist and the anti-communist feeling existed at the Studios, the coming of the MRA had no impact on the attitude of the bosses; their enterprises went on as usual.