Poets N Pancakes Notes


Q1 What does the writer mean by ‘the fiery misery’ of those subjected to make-up’?
Ans:
There was a big light in the make-up room which produced a lot of heat and brings
discomfort for all the actors. And all this problem and pain is considered as ‘fiery misery’.
Q2 What is the example of national integration that the author refers to?
Ans:
Gemini Studio had a make-up division which was an example of national integration.
Author describes that various people who belonged from different regions and religious
groups used to work there together. The department was being headed by a Bengali who
was succeeded by a Maharashtrian. And the other helpers and crews includes from Dharwar
Kannadiga, an Andhra, a Madras Indian Christian, an Anglo-Burmese and the local Tamils.
Q3 What work did the ‘office boy’ do in the Gemini Studios? Why did he join the studios? Why
was he disappointed?
Ans:
The office boy used to do make-up the co-artists who played the crowd. During crowd days,
the office- boy used to mix his paint in a big vessel and apply it quickly and noisily on the
faces of players. He joined the studio in the hope that he would become a star actor or a
screen writer, director or lyrics writer. But he disappointed as he failed to achieve his dream.
Q4 Why did the author appear to be doing nothing at the studios?

Ans:
The author used to do a duty in which he cut out the newspaper clippings on a huge variety
of subjects and stored them into a file. Many of these had to be written out in hand. But the
onlookers saw him tearing the newspaper so they thought that he do nothing.
Exercise 2 ( Page No. : 61 )

Q1 Why was the office boy frustrated? Who did he show his anger on?
Ans:
The office boy helped a lot for getting a good opening, but instead getting
some promotions he remained a office boy that’s why he got frustrated. He
was an educated man and able to write good scripts and poetry but it all
was going waste. He showed his anger on Kothamangalam Subbu.
Q2 Who was Subbu’s principal?

Ans:
The founder of the Gemini Studios was Mr. S.S Vasan and he was the
principal of Subbu.
Q3 Subbu is described as a many-sided genius. List four of his special

abilities.
Ans:
The abilities of Subbu were:
Subbu was seemed to be happy all the time and could make anyone happy.
He had a good sense of directions and idea which helped the film making
easy into his direction.
He was a good poet and novelist. He was an good actor too.
He used to help for charity and had a loving nature.
Q4 Why was the legal adviser referred to as the opposite by others?

Ans:
The lawyer used work in story department. He was known as the legal
adviser. But he didn’t provide any benefits to others. He had destroyed the
career of many actresses by terrorizing them. Therefore he was called an
illegal adviser.
Why was the Moral Rearmament Army welcomed at the Studios?

Ans:
The Moral Rearmament Army was
welcomed at the studios because they
were come there for plays. But their
main intention was to spread hate and
stood against the communism. Later
the boss of Gemini Studios understood
their intentions of plays.
Q3 Name one example to show that Gemini

studios was influenced by the plays staged
by MRA.
Ans:
MRA performed two plays ‘Jotham
Valley’ and ‘the Forgotten Factor’. The
costumes, music and sunrise and sunset
scene impressed the Tamil community
so much that they were started playing
the same scene with a white
background curtain and a tune playing
on the flute.
Q4 Who was The Boss of Gemini Studios?

Ans:
Mr. S.S. Vasan was the boss of Gemini Studios.
Who
was the
English
visitor
to the
studios?
Ans:
The English visitor to the studios was the poet Stephen Spender or a editor of British
periodical ‘The Encounter’.
Q2 How did the author discover who the English visitor to the studios was?
Ans:
During going to British Council Library he discovered his identity by reading his name
on the pages of magazine ‘The Encounter’. While going through an issue of that
periodical, he discovered that its editor was Stephen Spender who once visited the
studio.
Q3 What does The God that Failed refer to?

Ans:
‘The God that Failed’ was a book with a compilation of six essays by six eminent
writers. In each of the essays the writers described about their journeys into
Communism and their disillusioned return.
Exercise 5

Q1 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.
Ans:
The author used a gentle humour on the different instances which make the story more
eccentric. For the very instance the author framed the make-up artists and pancakes in
interesting manner. The character view of Subbu was amazing. In the manner he uses his
principal and give solutions to the problems was amazing. In the same manner the
frustration of office boy, the praising of Gandhi, the episode of illegal adviser causing end
of career of actress, hate against communism and the mystery surrounding Stephen Spender
are the some instances where the author has incorporated gentle humour.
Q2 Why was Kothamangalam Subbu considered No. 2 in Gemini Studios?

Ans:
Kothamangalam Subbu considered No. 2 because he was very loyal to the boss and was a
cheerful and lovable in nature and easily gives solution to various problems to boss in which
he feels getting stuck.
Q3 How does the author describe the incongruity of an English poet addressing the audience at Gemini
Studios?
Ans:
The majority of the audience at the studios were only known with the Tamil language, but
the Englishman was addressing the audience only in English language with some distinct
accent which created a lack of communications between Englishman and the audience. This
was the incongruity because his audience didn’t understand him at all.
Q4 What do you understand about the author’s literary inclinations from the account?
Ans:
The writer was a fiction-writer. He wanted to send a short story for the short story contest
organized by a British periodical by the name ‘The Encounter’.

Poets N Pancakes Notes

Uploaded by

Document Information

Original Title

Copyright

Available Formats

Share this document

Share or Embed Document

Sharing Options

Did you find this document useful?

Is this content inappropriate?

Copyright:

Available Formats

Poets N Pancakes Notes

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats



Q4 Why did the author appear to be doing nothing at the studios?

Exercise 2 ( Page No. : 61 )

Q2 Who was Subbu’s principal?

Q3 Subbu is described as a many-sided genius. List four of his special

Q4 Why was the legal adviser referred to as the opposite by others?

Why was the Moral Rearmament Army welcomed at the Studios?

Q3 Name one example to show that Gemini

Q4 Who was The Boss of Gemini Studios?

Q3 What does The God that Failed refer to?

Q2 Why was Kothamangalam Subbu considered No. 2 in Gemini Studios?

You might also like