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I WONDER
Jeannie Kirby
Persona(Speaker)
- a naive child
Point of view
- First person (I Wonder)
Setting
1
Theme
- Curiosity of a child
- The wonders of nature
- The longing of knowledge
- The Power of Creator
Moral Values
Structure
6 stanzas (6 couplets)
Rhyme Scheme
Tone
questioning, curiosity
Mood
reflective
Language
- simple, Wh-words/questions
Imagery
Literal meaning
A child is wondering about the natural happenings, asking why the grass is green
(instead of the other colours) and why the wind is invisible. He or she continues to ponder the
person who teaches the birds to build nest and the trees stop growing. He or she also wonders
when the moon is in crescent shape, where the other part of the moon is.
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He or she proceeds to question about the person who makes the stars shining and how
the lightning flash about. He or she keeps on asking who colours the rainbow and puts the
clouds high in sky. He or she cannot get the answers, thus, directs the questions to the other.
Lastly, the child wonders why father doesnt tell him or her if he knows the answers
Exercise 1
Read the following passage. Fill in the blanks with ONE suitable word.
The poem is about a child wondering of nature. As he walks he looks ____________ (1)
him. He does not know why the _______ (2) is green, and the wind can be ___________ (3)
but not seen. He would like to know who teaches the birds to build the __________(4). He also
notices that the moon is not always ____________(5). There are so many ______________ (6)
on his mind, such as who __________(7) clouds so high and who ______________ (8) the
rainbow in the sky. If he ________ (9) his father all these questions, he wonders why his father
will not tell him the ______________ (10).
Exercise 2
1. What does the use of the word wonder in the poem show?
A. thinking
B. solving problems
C. making silly remarks
D. feeling of shock
2. The phrase how the wind looks like tells us that the writer is.
A. curious
B. confused
C. passionate
D. angry
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3. What is hanging according to the persona?
A. stars
B. clouds
C. rainbow
D. wind
8. What is invisible?
A. The lightning
B. The wind
C. The clouds
D. The moon
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9. The word fluffy means
A. light
B. feathery
C. thin
D. crispy
MODEL QUESTION
Read the poem `I Wonder and answer the questions that follow.
SET 1
_____________________________________________________ (1 mark)
________________________________________________________________ (2 marks)
SET 2
________________________________________________________________ (2 marks)
2. Which phrase in the extract shows that the persona is inquisitive about nature?
_____________________________________________________ (1 mark)
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SET 3
_____________________________________________________ (1 mark)
2. Do you think the boys father knows the answer to his questions? Quote a line / two to
support your answer.
________________________________________________________________ (2 marks)
SET 4
_____________________________________________________ (1 mark)
________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________ (2 marks)
SET 5
1. Based on the poem, what element of Nature can be felt but can never be seen?
_____________________________________________________ (1 mark)
________________________________________________________________ (2 marks)
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Poem: `HEIR CONDITIONING By M. SHANmughalingam
HEIR CONDITIONING
Grandchild we lived
before your age. Because
of our ignorance,
we did not know
pollution, stress, traffic jams
destruction of forests, streams and hills
we feared God and nature
now nature fears you and
money is your new God.
M SHANmughalingam
SETTING
The poem is written in a twentieth century setting as there are references to modern
gadgets such as air cons and faxes. The problems mentioned in the poem also allude to current
problems faced by today generation. These include stress, pollution and traffic jams. The
dialogue could have taken place in the living room or any place that allow two parties to discuss
certain issues.
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PERSONA
There are two personas in the poem. They are the grandparents and the grandchild.
The poem Heir Conditioning is a dialogue between the grandparents and their
grandchild about the differences in their generations. The poet offers two different views from
two different generations through the dialogue. The grandchild asks his or her grandparents
about what life was like in the old days and they explain that life was much simpler and they id
not have to face the problems of today's world. This is because they were not advanced enough
to invent many technological inventions during their time. The poem further explores the
differences between the two generations by giving examples of the problems the grandchild has
to face now such as pollution, stress and traffic jams. The poem ends with a strong message in
the last two lines. The message is those living in the grandchild's have become more
materialistic and that they have to pay the price for the progress.
STANZA 1
In the first stanza, the poet asks his grandparents about the life before the technology
arouse and become the important usage in the world nowadays. He asks his grandfather was it
complicated to live in the life without technology as he refers the technology to the invention of
the air cons. Then he asks his grandmother regarding the condition when she used paper fans
to cool herself. He also asks his grandmother what were the possibilities for them to
communicate without faxes and long distance calls compared to the world nowadays.
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STANZA 2
Grandchild we lived
before your age. Because
of our ignorance,
we did not know
pollution, stress, traffic jams
destruction of forests, streams and
hills
we feared God and nature
now nature fears you and
money is your new God.
The second stanza shows the answers given by the poets grandparents that sum up all
the questions in one simple answer. The reason on why they did not experience all the pollution,
stress, traffic jams, and destruction of forests, streams and hills is because of their ignorance;
they were lack of knowledge by that time. His grandparents add, the only thing that they fear is
God and nature but now, the nature turns to fear the entire human race and money is the only
obsession to human.
THEMES
The poem is concerned about the price one has to pay for progress. With the
development, one has to face many problems that can affect the quality of life. The younger
generation has to face greater challenges in life because they have many wants. The poet
highlights the challenges in the present world and attributes them to our own greed and
materialistic ways.
MORAL VALUES
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TONE AND MOOD
The tone is matter-of-fact and honest. The grandchild poses the questions honestly and
directly to the grandfather. The grandchild asks questions in an innocent and nave tone did
you,was itwerent youCould you The grandfather explains and answers in a firm and
serious tone , the voice of someone scolding, preaching and teaching an ignorant person.
(we did not ). However in the last two lines we could sense that the grandfather is unhappy
with the present generation as they have become more materialistic in life and their values have
changed.
Exercise 1
4. In stanza 1, the grandparents did not have all the following except
A. air conditioners C. fax machine
B. telephone D. paper fans
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6. What is meant in the line we feared God and nature now nature fears you?
10. What can you infer from the line Grand child we lived before your age?
A. Grandparents enjoyed a long life
B. Grandparents have more experience than grandchild
C. Grandparents have lived a difficult life for a long time.
D. Grandparents do not understand grandchilds lifestyle
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MODEL QUESTION
Read the poem `Heir Conditioning and answer the questions that follow.
SET 1
1. What is the poem about?
_____________________________________________________ (1 mark)
________________________________________________________________ (2 marks)
SET 2
1. In the first stanza, what does the grandchild wonder?
________________________________________________________________ (2 marks)
_____________________________________________________ (1 mark)
SET 3
1. How did the grandparents live before?
_____________________________________________________ (1 mark)
________________________________________________________________ (2 marks)
SET 4
_____________________________________________________ (1 mark)
________________________________________________________________ (2 marks)
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SET 5
1. Which line in the last stanza means that nature is being destroyed by the
young generation?
_____________________________________________________ (1 mark)
2. Now nature fears you and money is your new God What value indicated here?
________________________________________________________________ (2 marks)
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