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Read the given extract and answer the questions
I would have him prodigal, returning to
His father's house, the home he knew,
Rather than see him make and move
His world. I would forgive him too,
Shaping from sorrow a new love.
(Father to Son)
Question (i)
What does the word "prodigal" mean in this context?
Answer:
As written by the student:
The word "prodigal" means wasteful or reckless in this context.
Step-by-step explanation of the answer:
- 📝 The word "prodigal" comes from the Latin word "prodigus", which means lavish or extravagant.
- 📝 It is often used to describe someone who spends money or resources in a careless or excessive way, without thinking of the consequences.
- 📝 In this context, the father uses the word "prodigal" to refer to his son, who has left his father's house and gone away to live his own life.
- 📝 The father implies that his son has wasted his opportunities and talents, and has been reckless with his choices and actions.
- 📝 The father also alludes to the biblical story of the prodigal son, who left his father's home and squandered his inheritance, but later returned and was forgiven by his father.
Question (ii)
What literary device is used in the phrase "shaping from sorrow a new love"?
Answer:
As written by the student:
T he literary device used in the phrase "shaping from sorrow a new love" is a metaphor.
Step-by-step explanation of the answer:
- 📝 A metaphor is a figure of speech that compares two things that are not alike, without using words like "as" or "like".
- 📝 A metaphor creates an image or an idea in the reader's mind by suggesting that one thing is another thing.
- 📝 In this phrase, the father compares his sorrow to a material that can be shaped into something new, such as clay or metal.
- 📝 He also compares his new love to a product or a result of shaping his sorrow, such as a sculpture or a jewel.
- 📝 The metaphor implies that the father has transformed his negative emotions into positive ones, and that he has found a new way to love his son despite their differences.
Question (iii)
Why does the father want his son to return to his father's house rather than make and move his world?
Answer:
As written by the student:
The father wants his son to return to his father's house rather than make and move his world because he misses him and wants to reconnect with him.
Step-by-step explanation of the answer:
- 📝 The phrase "return to his father's house" means to come back to the place where he grew up and where he was loved and cared for by his father.
- 📝 The phrase "make and move his world" means to create and pursue his own goals and dreams, and to live independently from his father.
- 📝 The father feels that his son has abandoned him and has become a stranger to him. He does not understand or approve of his son's choices and actions.
- 📝 The father wishes that his son would come back to him and restore their relationship. He wants to share his life and his love with his son again.
Question (iv)
Select the option that is NOT true about the lack of punctuation at the end of line 1 in the extract.
- (a) It creates a sense of incompleteness
- (b) It shows the father's hesitation and uncertainty
- (c) It indicates a pause or a break in the father's speech
- (d) It emphasizes the contrast between the two lines
Answer:
As written by the student:
The option that is NOT true about the lack of punctuation at the end of line 1 in the extract is (d) It emphasizes the contrast between the two lines
Step-by-step explanation of the answer:
- 📝 The lack of punctuation at the end of line 1 in the extract is called enjambment. It is a poetic technique that occurs when a sentence or a phrase runs over from one line to another without a pause or a break.
- 📝 Enjambment can create different effects depending on how it is used. In this case, it creates a sense of incompleteness (A), as the father's wish is not fully expressed in one line. It also shows the father's hesitation and uncertainty (B), as he does not seem confident or sure about his desire. It also indicates a pause or a break in the father's speech (C), as he may be struggling to find the right words or emotions to convey his feelings.
- 📝 However, enjambment does not emphasize the contrast between the two lines (D). In fact, it does the opposite. It connects the two lines and makes them flow together, rather than creating a sharp or clear distinction between them. The contrast between the two lines is created by other elements, such as word choice and tone.
Question (v)
How does the father's attitude change from line 1 to line 5 in the extract?
Answer:
As written by the student:
The father's attitude changes from wishful to hopeful in the extract.
Step-by-step explanation of the answer:
- 📝 In line 1, the father expresses his wish that his son would return to his father's house. He uses the word "would", which indicates a conditional or hypothetical situation that is unlikely to happen.
- 📝 In line 5, the father expresses his hope that he can forgive his son and shape a new love from his sorrow. He uses the word "would", which indicates a potential or possible situation that he is willing to make happen.
- 📝 The change in the father's attitude shows that he has moved from a passive to an active stance. He has realized that he cannot change his son's choices or actions, but he can change his own feelings and reactions. He has decided to let go of his resentment and bitterness, and to embrace his love and compassion.
Question (vi)
Complete the sentence:
The rhyme scheme of the extract is _____.
Answer:
As written by the student:
The rhyme scheme of the extract is ABABC.
Step-by-step explanation of the answer:
- 📝 The rhyme scheme is the pattern of sounds that end each line of a poem. It is usually represented by letters that correspond to each rhyme.
- 📝 To find the rhyme scheme of a poem, we need to look at the last words of each line and identify which ones rhyme with each other. We assign a letter to each rhyme and write it next to the line.
- 📝 For example, in the extract, the last words of each line are: to, knew, move, too, love. We can see that "to" and "too" rhyme with each other, so we assign them the letter A. We can also see that "knew" and "move" do not rhyme with anything else, so we assign them different letters, B and C. Finally, we can see that "love" rhymes with "move", so we assign it the same letter as "move", C.
- 📝 The rhyme scheme of the extract is ABABC, as shown below:
I would have him prodigal, returning to A
His father's house, the home he knew, B
Rather than see him make and move C
His world. I would forgive him too, A
Shaping from sorrow a new love. C
