Poet And Pancakes
NCERT 12th class English Flamingo Lesson – 6 Poet And Pancakes solved by expert teachers as per NCERT(CBSE)Book Guidelines. All exercise questions with a solution to help you to revise the complete syllabus and marks more score in your examinations.
Question and Answers
Q.1 What does the writer mean by “the fiery misery of those subjected to make up?
Ans. There were incandescent lights, at all angles in the makeup room. These lights gave fiery heat. Sitting in the make-up room with these lights on, was like sitting close to a furnace. This was the fiery misery the sitting actors had to endure.
Q.2 What was the example of National integration that the author refers to?
Ans. At first the make-up room was headed by a Bengali, then by a Maharashtrian who was assisted by Kannadiga, an Andhra, a Madras an Indian Christian and local Tamils. Thus it symbolizes national integration.
Q.3 What work did the office boy do in Gemini Studios? Why was he disappointed
Ans. The office boy’ did the makeup of the players who played as a crowd. He was disappointed because he did not get the right opportunity of being a writer, a director or producer, etc. of which he thought he was very much capable.
Q.4 Why did the author appear to be doing nothing at the studios?
Ans. The author was seen all day taking cuttings from newspapers. Most of the people did not know the importance of his work and they took it as useless work. Moreover, they thought it was not appropriate work for an educated person. So, the people who saw thought that we had done nothing all day.
Q.5 Why was the office boy frustrated? Whom did he show his anger on?
Ans. The office boy was not satisfied with his profession. Many years ago he joined the studios in order to become a star of silver Screen or a lyrics writer or any other famous personality of film studios. But he failed to achieve his ambition. That was why he was frustrated. He showed his anger on Kothamangalam Subbu.
Q.6 Who was Subbu’s Principal?
Ans. The Boss S.S. Vasan, the founder of Gemini Studios was Subbu’s Principal.
Q.7 Subbu is described as a many-sided genius. List four of his special abilities?
Ans. Subbu was the No.2 at the Gemini Studios. Following are the four special abilities of Subbu:
(1)He had the ability to look cheerful all the time.
(2) His sense of loyalty made him use all his creativity to his Principal’s advantage.
(3) He was tailor-made for films.
(4) He was a man of charitable and improvident nature.
Q.8 Why was the legal adviser referred to as the opposite by others?
Ans. The legal advisor was referred to as the opposite by others because of his behavior and activities. These were different from other people. In one of the incidents, he recorded all the wordings of an extremely talented actress, when she was blowing over on the sets. When she heard her voice again. she was struck dumb. That brought the end of a brief and brilliant acting career The legal thought about that sad end unwittingly.
Q.9 What made the lawyer stand out from the others at Gemini Studio?
Ans. The lawyer’s viewpoints were different from others His logic and his dressing sense were also different from others. These things were different from those of Gandhiites and Khadilites. This made him stand out from the others at Gemini Studios.
Q.10 Did the people at Gemini Studios have any political affiliation?
Ans. No, the people at Gemini Studios had not any political affiliation.
Q.11 Why was the Moral Rearmament Army welcomed at the studios?
Ans. The Moral Rearmament Army was welcomed at the studios because the M.R.A. was the counter-movement to international communism. The big bosses of Madras,(including Gemini Studios) all supported it because they were all averse to communism. Moreover entertaining them afforded the Gemini staff a good diversion from their dull routine.
Q.12 Name one example to show that Gemini Studios was influenced by the plays staged by MRA?
Ans. Madras and the Tamil drama community were greatly impressed by the MRA plays. For some years almost all Tamil plays had scenes of sunrise and sunset with a base white background curtain and a tune played on the flute.
Q.13 Who was the Boss of Gemini Studios?
Ans. The Boss of the Gemini Studios was Mr. S.S. Vasan.
Q.14 What caused the lack of communication between the Englishman and the people at Gemini Studios?
Ans. Language and culture were the main things that caused the lack of communication between the Englishman and the people at Gemini Studios.
Q.15. Why is the Englishman’s visit referred to as unexplained mystery?
Ans. The Englishman was a poet. It was difficult to understand why he came to a film studio that made Tamil films for simple people. They could have no last for English poetry. Moreover, the Englishman was too confused to experience such incongruity.
Q.16 When was the English visitor to the studios?
Ans. Stephen Spender, the English poet, and editor was the English visitor to the studios.
Q.17 How did the author discover who the English visitor to the studios was?
Ans. The author discovered the visitor’s name by reading the editor’s name of the British periodical The Encounter. When he read the editor’s name, he heard a bell ringing in his ears. It was the poet who had visited the Gemini Studios. His name was ‘Stephen.Spender
Q.18 What does The God that Failed refer to?
Ans. The God that Failed” is the name of a book. Six men of letters have contributed their six separate essays, for this book. In their essays, they have described their journey into communism and their disillusioned return. Whatever dreams of communism were shown to the people of the world, proved to dream never to become realities.
Q.19 The author has used gentle humor to point out human foibles. Pick out instances of this to show how this serves to make the piece interesting.
Ans. The man is full of errors and shortcomings. Some people are very much ambitious and sometimes they curse others for their own failures. Sometimes some people curse the particular situation and time for their Some of the members of Gemini Studio like the office boy were not happy with their status. He thought that his job was not suitable for his caliber. On the other hand members like. Subbu had the ability to look cheerful at all times even after having had hand in a flop film.
Q.20 Why was Kothamangalam Subbu considered No.2 in Gemini Studios?
Ans. Kothamangalam Subbu was considered No 2 in Gemini Studios because of his extraordinary quality of managing the affairs of Gemini Studios.
Q.21 How does the author describe the incongruity of an English poet addressing the audience at Gemini Studios?
Ans. Stephen Spender the English poet visited Gemini Studios. He delivered a long speech but because of the communication gap and accent, he could not make the audience understand, what he wanted to convey. In this way, the author describes the incongruity of an English poet addressing the audience sat Gemini Studios.
Q.22 What do you understand about the author’s literary inclinations from the account?
Ans. After going through the lesson, the author’s character comes out to be a man of literary inclination. He has reflected his experiences and observations in the company. These feelings have been projected in his book “My years with Boss”. Outwardly it appears that his work is not of great importance to his writing. He has also a keen interest in reading new books. That is why he is attracted by low price books. He is shown to have bought one “The God that Failed. It is his literary inclination that made him study good books and write books:
Q.23 What is a pancake?
Ans. Pancake is the brand name of the make up material in Gemini Studios,
Q.24 Who founded Gemini Studios?
Ans. The editor of Tamil watch Ananda Vikatan Mr.S.S.Vasan found Gemini Studios
Q.25 Describe the structure of the story Department.
Ans. The story Department has a lawyer and an assembly of writers and poets.
Q.26 What did the legal adviser look like in a crowd of dreamers?
Ans. The legal adviser was a man of cold logic in the crowd of dreamers.He looked alone and helpless as he was neutral Gandhiites and Khadiites.
Q.27 Explain the following
(1) Film-production today has come a long way from the early days of the Gemini Studios
Ans. In the early days of Indian cinema, there was the fashion of Indoor shooting. These days film production is scientific, refined, and easier. The job of film production in modern times is more lively, more attractive, more realistic, and more natural than it has been in its early days of Gemini Studios. But there is also a sharp contrast to the quality of literature. The quality of the songs and dialogues are going to be contrary to our cultural values.
(2) Poetry and Films.
Ans. According to the great critic and poet T.S. Eliot, poetry can be defined as an escape from emotions. Similarly, different poets define poetry in their own way. But it is true that a poet sees things differently as they are seen by ordinary people. Indian cinema has been using poetry and songs from its very beginning. The Gemini Studios had an assembly of poets in its story department. They were responsible for the quality songs and suiting to the situational settings of scenes. It was not only in the days of the cinema of the early days of Gemini Studio. But in the present time, the success of the film on the box office also depends upon its songs. The journey of poetry from the early days of film production to the present time has changed its role and colors. There is a lack of decency and rich literary development. The present-day poetry hardly has an enlightening impact on the audience, which the earlier one had.
(3) Humour and criticism
Ans. Humour is one of the effective tools of entertainment used by writers and filmmakers. Entertainment is increased through the light and gentle humor present in the films. Though humor and criticism go side by side in films, plays, and dramas, yet people prefer the former. Humour develops interest and attraction and brings out the hidden talent of the character. Criticism points out the drawbacks, follies, and even other properties. At last, we can say that without a touch of humor life appears dull and monotonous. Without criticism it becomes imbalanced.
