The Eyes Have It (also known as The Girl on the Train & The Eyes Are Not Here) is

a short story byRuskin Bond that was originally published in Contemporary

Indian English Stories. The narrator of this story, a blind man whose eyes were
sensitive only to light and darkness, was going to Dehradun by train when he met
a girl and had a chit-chat with her. It was only after she left and another
passenger came into the compartment that the narrator realizes the girl was
blind. SummaryUp to Rohana, the narrator was alone in the compartment. A girl
boarded towards the compartment . Her parents bid her goodbye at the station
and were anxious about her well-being and advised her a lot regarding where to
keep her belongings, not to lean out of the windows and to avoid talking to
strangers.
Once the train left the station, the narrator started a conversation asking if she
too was going to Dehra. The voice startled her as she thought her to be alone in
the compartment. The girl told him that she was going to Saharanpur where her
aunt would come to take her home. She also envied the narrator as the hills of
Mussoorie, where he was headed to, presented a lovely sight in October (the
present month).
After some more chit-chats, the narrator told her, quite daringly (as he was blind
and couldn't have known her face for sure) that she had an interesting face. She
was happy at this and replied that it was indeed a welcome deviation from the
often repeated phrase: "You have a pretty face".
Soon it was time for the girl to bid goodbye as the train arrived at her destination.
After her departure, a man entered the compartment and apologized, as a matter
of fact, for not being as attractive a traveling companion as his predecessor.
When the narrator asked him if the girl had her hair long or short, he replied with
intrest that he had noticed only her eyes, which were beautiful but of no use, as
she was completely blind.

The Eyes Are Not Here [also known as The Girl on the Train and The Eyes
Have It] is a short story by Ruskin Bond, an Indian writer. The story exudes
irony. The story uses first person point of view. Not far into the story, the reader
discovers that the narrator is blind but apparently has not always been. Riding
on a train and sitting in a compartment provides the setting of the story.
This story is an excellent example of situational irony which employs a plot
device in which events turn out contrary to expectation yet are contrarily
appropriate. Further use of irony involves verbal irony when a character says
one thing but means another.

The narrator listens as a couple sends their daughter off on the train to visit an
aunt. Initiating the conversation, the narrator becomes intrigued by the girls
voice. She is quite surprised to find someone else in the compartment.
Hoping to keep her from realizing that he is blind, he describes the scenery from
his memories. He asks the girl a question, and she tells him to look out the
window for himself.
To continue the ruse, the narrator tells the girl that she has an interesting face.
She remarks that people normally tell her that she has a pretty face. Her trip is
short, so soon she gathers her things and bids good-bye to the blind man. One
thing that he remembered after she left was her perfume.
You may break, you may shatter the vase if you will, but the scent of the roses will
linger there still
A man coming into the berth runs into the girl. The blind man decides to play a
game with this new train companion. Pretending to be observing the scenery, the
blind man stays silent. Finally, the other man comments that the narrator must be
disappointed that the new fellow traveler is not as nice looking as the girl.
Remarking that she was interesting, the narrator ask about the girls hair.
Finally, the cat is out of the bag:
I dont remember, he said, sounding puzzled. It was her eyes I noticed, not her
hair. She had beautiful eyes but they were of no use to her. She was completely
blind. Didnt you notice?
Much like the endings of O. Henry, the reader receives an extra jolt at the end of
the story when he learns as does the narrator that the girl was blind. The blind
man was not only able to fool the young girl but himself as well. Both blind-neither realizes that the other one is as well. Ironically, the narrator makes a
statement that had he not been trying to fool the girl, it might have clued him into
her blindness:
Well, it often happens that people with good eyesight fail to see what is right in
front of them.
The new travel mate does not grasp that the man is blind either until he admits
that he did not know how long the girls hair was.

Mason Cooley stated: Irony regards every simple truth as a challenge. The truth
here is that everyone was duped. Ironically, Bond employs two blind people as
his main characters, yet neither knows that the other is blind. After listening to
the parents conversation with the daughter, the narrator could not distinguish
any unusual advice or information that led him to believe the girl had any
handicap herself. The narrator fooled himself. Apparently, he also misleads the
girl because she did not realize that her fellow traveler was blind either.
STALLED OX

and won awards.

His paintings such as Noontide Peace, A Midday Sanctuary, Where the
Gad-flies Cease from troubling, were some of Eshleys masterpieces.
His neighbor Adela too had a garden and she could die for her flowers.

One afternoon, Adela ran into his house and requested his help in getting
an ox out of her garden.

A stray ox had crossed her gate and was eating her dear plants and
flowers.

The painter had no idea how to get an ox out of a garden but Adela had
hoped he could do something.

Eshley tried to get the ox out by shooing and throwing pea-sticks but the
huge beast didnt move.

Once the ox had eaten all the dear plants and flowers up, it walked out with
Eshley showing it the way.

Instead of going out, the ox went directly into Adelas morning room to eat
all the flowers in the pots.

Extremely angry with Eshley, quite sarcastically Adela said he could do

nothing but painting the ox in her room.

The funny man brought his writing equipment and began to paint the ox
eating flowers in a house.

The painting received heavy awards. Though Eshley brought some

expensive plants for Adela, she never forgave him.

Humor the Saki Style

Sakis Stalled Ox is a non-stop, humor-packed story. From the chancepainter Theophil Eshley, his neighbor Adela to the Ox, all characters make
the reader laugh at once or reserve laughter for another time.

The circumstances the led to the making of a cattle-painter out of Eshley

may not be as such funny but the episode of Eshley chasing the ox out with
pea-sticks, Adelas rising rage at the sight of the cattle experts leading the
oxs way into her parlour, his painting the ox in his neighbors parlour, etc.
are Sakis wonderful contribution to humor and literature.

Adelas replies are rude but when they are weighed against Eshleys absent
minded queries, the reader joins Adela for her support because such
questions as those Eshley asked are not only irrelevant, they are foolish.
Eshleys asking, wont it go? is another reason for laughter because his
question was quite childish.

Apart from Eshleys kind of questions, Adelas helplessness adds fun to

the story although the reader feels like the helpless neighbor. Eshleys
remark, its eating a chrysanthemum, and the desperate response on
Edlas side evoke myrth and anger in the reader. The author has been able to
present an artist under utmost thoughtlessness with a huge ox eating a
plant-lovers most expensive flowers one by one. Adela says, you shoo
beautifully, and the painter goes on shooing without registering her
sarcasm. Her making a note that the ox was eating a Mademoiselle Louise
Bichot in icy calm can be understood as an expression of maximum rage.

Eshleys failure to get a grasp of the ladys sarcasm leads him to telling her
that the ox was an Ayrshire ox. It is extraordinarily ironical that the ox was a
degree more sensible than the artist, for, it was able to understand what the
artist and the lady were trying to communicate with it.

This follows another instance of laughter Eshley leads the ox into the
ladys morning room! The way the author narrates the oxs mistaken
movement is humorous and hilarious. Finally there is this artist who runs to
his house to bring his painting implements just because he failed to read
Adelas sarcasm and this appears more than humor.

Phatik Chakravorti was ringleader among the boys of the village. A new mischief
got into his head. There was a heavy log lying on the mud-flat of the river waiting
to be shaped into a mast for a boat. He decided that they should all work together

to shift the log by main force from its place and roll it away. The owner of the log
would be angry and surprised, and they would all enjoy the fun. Every one
seconded the proposal, and it was carried unanimously.
But just as the fun was about to begin, Makhan, Phatik's younger brother,
sauntered up, and sat down on the log in front of them all without a word. The
boys were puzzled for a moment. He was pushed, rather timidly, by one of the
boys and told to get up but he remained quite unconcerned. He appeared like a
young philosopher meditating on the futility of games. Phatik was furious.
"Makhan," he cried, "if you don't get down this minute I'll thrash you!"
Makhan only moved to a more comfortable position.
Now, if Phatik was to keep his regal dignity before the public, it was clear he
ought to carry out his threat. But his courage failed him at the crisis. His fertile
brain, however, rapidly seized upon a new manoeuvre which would discomfit his
brother and afford his followers an added amusement. He gave the word of
command to roll the log and Makhan over together. Makhan heard the order, and
made it a point of honour to stick on. But he overlooked the fact, like those who
attempt earthly fame in other matters, that there was peril in it.
The boys began to heave at the log with all their might, calling out, "One, two,
three, go," At the word "go" the log went; and with it went Makhan's philosophy,
glory and all.
All the other boys shouted themselves hoarse with delight. But Phatik was a little
frightened. He knew what was coming. And, sure enough, Makhan rose from
Mother Earth blind as Fate and screaming like the Furies. He rushed at Phatik and
scratched his face and beat him and kicked him, and then went crying home. The
first act of the drama was over.
Phatik wiped his face, and sat down on the edge of a sunken barge on the river
bank, and began to chew a piece of grass. A boat came up to the landing, and a
middle-aged man, with grey hair and dark moustache, stepped on shore. He saw
the boy sitting there doing nothing, and asked him where the Chakravortis lived.
Phatik went on chewing the grass, and said: "Over there," but it was quite
impossible to tell where he pointed. The stranger asked him again. He swung his
legs to and fro on the side of the barge, and said; "Go and find out," and
continued to chew the grass as before.
But now a servant came down from the house, and told Phatik his mother wanted
him. Phatik refused to move. But the servant was the master on this occasion. He
took Phatik up roughly, and carried him, kicking and struggling in impotent rage.

When Phatik came into the house, his mother saw him. She called out angrily:
"So you have been hitting Makhan again?"
Phatik answered indignantly: "No, I haven't; who told you that? "
His mother shouted: "Don't tell lies! You have."
Phatik said suddenly: "I tell you, I haven't. You ask Makhan!" But Makhan thought
it best to stick to his previous statement. He said: "Yes, mother. Phatik did hit
me."
Phatik's patience was already exhausted. He could not hear this injustice. He
rushed at Makban, and hammered him with blows: "Take that" he cried, "and that,
and that, for telling lies."
His mother took Makhan's side in a moment, and pulled Phatik away, beating him
with her hands. When Phatik pushed her aside, she shouted out: "What I you little
villain! would you hit your own mother?"
It was just at this critical juncture that the grey-haired stranger arrived. He asked
what was the matter. Phatik looked sheepish and ashamed.
But when his mother stepped back and looked at the stranger, her anger was
changed to surprise. For she recognised her brother, and cried: "Why, Dada!
Where have you come from? "As she said these words, she bowed to the ground
and touched his feet. Her brother had gone away soon after she had married, and
he had started business in Bombay. His sister had lost her husband while he was
In Bombay. Bishamber had now come back to Calcutta, and had at once made
enquiries about his sister. He had then hastened to see her as soon as he found
out where she was.
The next few days were full of rejoicing. The brother asked after the education of
the two boys. He was told by his sister that Phatik was a perpetual nuisance. He
was lazy, disobedient, and wild. But Makhan was as good as gold, as quiet as a
lamb, and very fond of reading, Bishamber kindly offered to take Phatik off his
sister's hands, and educate him with his own children in Calcutta. The widowed
mother readily agreed. When his uncle asked Phatik If he would like to go to
Calcutta with him, his joy knew no bounds, and he said; "Oh, yes, uncle! " In a
way that made it quite clear that he meant it.
It was an immense relief to the mother to get rid of Phatik. She had a prejudice
against the boy, and no love was lost between the two brothers. She was in daily
fear that he would either drown Makhan some day in the river, or break his head
in a fight, or run him into some danger or other. At the same time she was
somewhat distressed to see Phatik's extreme eagerness to get away.

Phatik, as soon as all was settled, kept asking his uncle every minute when they
were to start. He was on pins and needles all day long with excitement, and lay
awake most of the night. He bequeathed to Makhan, in perpetuity, his fishing-rod,
his big kite and his marbles. Indeed, at this time of departure his generosity
towards Makhan was unbounded.
When they reached Calcutta, Phatik made the acquaintance of his aunt for the
first time. She was by no means pleased with this unnecessary addition to her
family. She found her own three boys quite enough to manage without taking any
one else. And to bring a village lad of fourteen into their midst was terribly
upsetting. Bishamber should really have thought twice before committing such
an indiscretion.
In this world of human affairs there is no worse nuisance than a boy at the age of
fourteen. He is neither ornamental, nor useful. It is impossible to shower affection
on him as on a little boy; and he is always getting in the way. If he talks with a
childish lisp he is called a baby, and if he answers in a grown-up way he is called
impertinent. In fact any talk at all from him is resented. Then he is at the
unattractive, growing age. He grows out of his clothes with indecent haste; his
voice grows hoarse and breaks and quavers; his face grows suddenly angular
and unsightly. It is easy to excuse the shortcomings of early childhood, but it is
hard to tolerate even unavoidable lapses in a boy of fourteen. The lad himself
becomes painfully self-conscious. When he talks with elderly people he is either
unduly forward, or else so unduly shy that he appears ashamed of his very
existence.
Yet it is at this very age when in his heart of hearts a young lad most craves for
recognition and love; and he becomes the devoted slave of any one who shows
him consideration. But none dare openly love him, for that would be regarded as
undue indulgence, and therefore bad for the boy. So, what with scolding and
chiding, he becomes very much like a stray dog that has lost his master.
For a boy of fourteen his own home is the only Paradise. To live in a strange
house with strange people is little short of torture, while the height of bliss is to
receive the kind looks of women, and never to be slighted by them.
It was anguish to Phatik to be the unwelcome guest in his aunt's house, despised
by this elderly woman, and slighted, on every occasion. If she ever asked him to
do anything for her, he would be so overjoyed that he would overdo it; and then
she would tell him not to be so stupid, but to get on with his lessons.
The cramped atmosphere of neglect in his aunt's house oppressed Phatik so
much that he felt that he could hardly breathe. He wanted to go out into the open
country and fill his lungs and breathe freely. But there was no open country to go
to. Surrounded on all sides by Calcutta houses and walls, be would dream night

after night of his village home, and long to be back there. He remembered the
glorious meadow where he used to By his kite all day long; the broad river-banks
where he would wander about the livelong day singing and shouting for joy; the
narrow brook where he could go and dive and swim at any time he liked. He
thought of his band of boy companions over whom he was despot; and, above
all, the memory of that tyrant mother of his, who had such a prejudice against
him, occupied him day and night. A kind of physical love like that of animals; a
longing to be in the presence of the one who is loved; an inexpressible
wistfulness during absence; a silent cry of the inmost heart for the mother, like
the lowing of a calf in the twilight;-this love, which was almost an animal instinct,
agitated the shy, nervous, lean, uncouth and ugly boy. No one could understand
it, but it preyed upon his mind continually.
There was no more backward boy in the whole school than Phatik. He gaped and
remained silent when the teacher asked him a question, and like an overladen ass
patiently suffered all the blows that came down on his back. When other boys
were out at play, he stood wistfully by the window and gazed at the roofs of the
distant houses. And if by chance he espied children playing on the open terrace
of any roof, his heart would ache with longing.
One day he summoned up all his courage, and asked his uncle: "Uncle, when can
I go home?"
His uncle answered; "Wait till the holidays come."But the holidays would not
come till November, and there was a long time still to wait.
One day Phatik lost his lesson-book. Even with the help of books he had found it
very difficult indeed to prepare his lesson. Now it was impossible. Day after day
the teacher would cane him unmercifully. His condition became so abjectly
miserable that even his cousins were ashamed to own him. They began to jeer
and insult him more than the other boys. He went to his aunt at last, and told her
that he bad lost his book.
His aunt pursed her lips in contempt, and said: "You great clumsy, country lout.
How can I afford, with all my family, to buy you new books five times a month?"
That night, on his way back from school, Phatik had a bad headache with a fit of
shivering. He felt he was going to have an attack of malarial fever. His one great
fear was that he would be a nuisance to his aunt.
The next morning Phatik was nowhere to be seen. All searches in the
neighbourhood proved futile. The rain had been pouring in torrents all night, and
those who went out in search of the boy got drenched through to the skin. At last
Bisbamber asked help from the police.

At the end of the day a police van stopped at the door before the house. It was
still raining and the streets were all flooded. Two constables brought out Phatik in
their arms and placed him before Bishamber. He was wet through from head to
foot, muddy all over, his face and eyes flushed red with fever, and his limbs all
trembling. Bishamber carried him in his arms, and took him into the inner
apartments. When his wife saw him, she exclaimed; "What a heap of trouble this
boy has given us. Hadn't you better send him home ?"
Phatik heard her words, and sobbed out loud: "Uncle, I was just going home; but
they dragged me back again,"
The fever rose very high, and all that night the boy was delirious. Bishamber
brought in a doctor. Phatik opened his eyes flushed with fever, and looked up to
the ceiling, and said vacantly: "Uncle, have the holidays come yet? May I go
home?"
Bishamber wiped the tears from his own eyes, and took Phatik's lean and burning
hands in his own, and sat by him through the night. The boy began again to
mutter. At last his voice became excited: "Mother," he cried, "don't beat me like
that! Mother! I am telling the truth!"
The next day Phatik became conscious for a short time. He turned his eyes about
the room, as if expecting some one to come. At last, with an air of
disappointment, his head sank back on the pillow. He turned his face to the wall
with a deep sigh.
Bishamber knew his thoughts, and, bending down his head, whispered: "Phatik, I
have sent for your mother." The day went by. The doctor said in a troubled voice
that the boy's condition was very critical.
Phatik began to cry out; "By the mark! --three fathoms. By the mark-- four
fathoms. By the mark-." He had heard the sailor on the river- steamer calling out
the mark on the plumb-line. Now he was himself plumbing an unfathomable sea.
Later in the day Phatik's mother burst into the room like a whirlwind, and began
to toss from side to side and moan and cry in a loud voice.
Bishamber tried to calm her agitation, but she flung herself on the bed, and cried:
"Phatik, my darling, my darling."
Phatik stopped his restless movements for a moment. His hands ceased beating
up and down. He said: "Eh?"
The mother cried again: "Phatik, my darling, my darling."

Phatik very slowly turned his head and, without seeing anybody, said: "Mother,
the holidays have come."

TEACHER TEACHER
Introduction
Here there are two teachers Hamilton Cade and Carter, the first one a trained
teacher and the other one, an ex-US Air force officer who is employed as a handyman at present. The plot moves around a boy, Freddie, of thirteen years, slow
learner, whom the two men try to teach. Following his professional skills and
experience, Hamilton Cade manages to teach Freddie alphabets and small words
but fails to make learning interesting for this exceptional child while Carter takes
Freddie to a practical and joyous world.
A very prominent question is this why do we all think that the handy-man, Mr.
Carter, turns out to be the real teacher!
Bit/Bits

Teacher, Teacher is a play by Ellison Carroll in two acts which explores two
different ways of teaching and learning. The traditional method of teaching
is exemplified by Hamilton Cade, a young man who has been a teacher at
many schools. The second method which is activity based learning or
practical learning is tried by Charles Carter, an air force pilot but currently a
handyman.

Both Cade and Carter are hired by Niles Putnam, an architect, to teach and
take care of his challenged son, thirteen year old Freddie Putnam. Freddie is
a slow learner and has never been to school. The only reason for not
sending Freddie to a proper school or allowing him to mix with other boys is
because Putnam doesnt want anybody to taunt or pity him.

Cade has an unsuccessful teaching career because of his drinking habit.

He is badly in need of a job and when he gets to know that the exceptional
child is mentally challenged, he hesitates to take up the job offered by
Mr.Putnam .But finally Cade heeds to Putnams request and decides to take
up the challenge.

Cade believes in using flash cards and pictures to teach simple words. He
is keen to teach Freddie to read and write because he feels that it is
important for him to learn them to face the real world. Carter on the other
hand teaches Freddie how to use a jack, move a screwdriver, make a small
house, read with a helper and write simple words. Carter believes in
teaching through activities in a fun-filled way. He also brings his nephew,

Joey, to Putnams estate so that Freddie gets a chance to interact with

another boy of his age.

Though Cade tries different ways and means to help the boy, he is more
inclined to learn simple skills that are taught by Carter. This makes Cade feel
jealous of Carter and eventually tells him that he is at the Putnams to teach
Freddie and Carter must not interfere with his work.

Carter leaves Putnams estate after a tiff with Cade. Freddie leaves the
house alone and goes out looking for his friend Carter and his nephew Joey.
On the way he helps a lady change the car tyre and gets paid a dollar for it.
He even finds Carter.

Niles Putnam learns that Freddie should venture into the outside world to
lead a normal life. He decides to send him with Carter and his nephew to get
acquainted with the world that is new to him.

Characters

Freddie Putnam A boy of 13, ruined by his fathers slightly abnormal in

behavior, is able to respond to changes, not good at formal education,

Nile Putnam A very busy architect. He is a widower and in possession of

a son whom he calls retarded.

Hamilton Cade A teacher, a habitual drunkard, very much confident and

self important, temparament.

Carter The handy man. He is not a trained teacher but he understands a

student. He believes in an informal teaching style.
TEACHER , TEACHER

Teacher, Teacher is a play by Ellison Carroll in two acts which explores two
different ways of teaching and learning. The traditional method of teaching
is exemplified by Hamilton Cade, a young man who has been a teacher at
many schools. The second method which is activity based learning or
practical learning is tried by Charles Carter, an air force pilot but currently a
handyman.

Both Cade and Carter are hired by Niles Putnam, an architect, to teach and
take care of his challenged son, thirteen year old Freddie Putnam. Freddie
is a slow learner and has never been to school. The only reason for not

sending Freddie to a proper school or allowing him to mix with other boys
is because Putnam doesnt want anybody to taunt or pity him.

Cade has an unsuccessful teaching career because of his drinking habit.

He is badly in need of a job and when he gets to know that the
exceptional child is mentally challenged, he hesitates to take up the job
offered by Mr.Putnam .But finally Cade heeds to Putnams request and
decides to take up the challenge.

Cade believes in using flash cards and pictures to teach simple words. He
is keen to teach Freddie to read and write because he feels that it is
important for him to learn them to face the real world. Carter on the other
hand teaches Freddie how to use a jack, move a screwdriver, make a small
house, read with a helper and write simple words. Carter believes in
teaching through activities in a fun-filled way. He also brings his nephew,
Joey, to Putnams estate so that Freddie gets a chance to interact with
another boy of his age.

Though Cade tries different ways and means to help the boy, he is more
inclined to learn simple skills that are taught by Carter. This makes Cade
feel jealous of Carter and eventually tells him that he is at the Putnams to
teach Freddie and Carter must not interfere with his work..

Carter leaves Putnams estate after a tiff with Cade. Freddie leaves the
house alone and goes out looking for his friend Carter and his nephew
Joey. On the way he helps a lady change the car tyre and gets paid a dollar
for it. He even finds Carter.

Niles Putnam learns that Freddie should venture into the outside world to
lead a normal life. He decides to send him with Carter and his nephew to
get acquainted with the world that is new to him.
My Mother at 66

While driving from her parents home to Cochin, Kamala Das notices that
her mother who was sitting by her sleeping with her mouth open. Her
mothers face was colourless like a dead body and her thoughts far away.
There was a sudden fear and pain which crops up in the poets mind and
she realizes that her mother is old now and could pass away leaving her all
alone. The reality is hard to accept and at the same time, the realization is
alarming.

The poet puts her thoughts aside and looks out to see the trees scurrying
down. The trees racing past and the speeding car are just grim reminders
that time has flown by. She looks at the children playing outside which
gives her a respite and probably she is reminded of her childhood and
when her mother was young.

After the security check at the airport, Kamala Das looks back at her
mother standing a few yards away looking pale and grey like the winter
moon. The poetess senses a familiar pain and childhood fear of the
thought of losing her mother. Beset with sorrow and fear, she bids her old
mother goodbye and keeps smiling to hide her real feelings.

Themes:
Fear of loss: The poem composed in blank verse expresses the anguish of
a daughter over her mothers advancing age and the fear of permanent
separation from her. My Mother at Sixty Six symbolizes the fast running
of life and the inevitable death of our childhood and youth. The poet is
agonized by her mothers advancing age and her imminent death.
Nostalgia: The poet is carried away by the childhood premonition of losing
her mother.

The poem The secret of the machines by Rudyard Kiplingdeals

with the problem of modern technology andautomation.
In the beginning the reader gets informed about how machines are
produced and what kind of treatment they need. Afterwards the machines explain
how they can serve humanity. But machines are not only useful; they can also
lead to big disasters, if they arent used in a right way. The poem ends
with the statement that machines, although capable of great deeds, are still
nothing more than creations of the human brain.
The poem is divided into eight stanzas, of which four consist of eight
lines and the other four have four lines each. The structure of the poem is rather
regular. The rhyme scheme follows the pattern of ababab throughout the entire
poem with no exceptions.
Hearing the title of this poem (The secret of the machines), one could ask
himself: whatsecret? This question is given an answer to throughout the poem.
The poem can be divided into three parts according to their content. In the first
part, which consists of ll.1-24 the evolution of machines and the privileges

given to mankind thanks tothem are described. The second part, which
comprises ll.25-36, deals with all theextraordinary works machines are capable of
doing, like for example landscape-shaping. Thethird part, consisting of ll. 37-49,
talks about the dangers humans are exposed to as a result of machinery use. To
analyze the poem more detailed I want to concentrate on the distinct stanzas now.
In the first stanza several stylistic devices are used. A very distinguishing feature
for thefirst stanza is the anaphora, which is used in the beginning of ll. 1-4 we
were. There are also plenty of enumerations e.g. l. 5 some water, coal and oil
is all we ask. This stanza refers tothe use of machines in different departments,
such as industrial production, agriculture andadministration.
In the second stanza an anaphora can be found at the beginning of each line
again (ll. 9-12 we can). What follows then, are only enumerations
throughout the whole stanza, which say what kind of different jobs can by done
by machines, for example: l. 10 we can
print andplough and weave and heat and light. The author chose this structure
in order to emphasize on how many various works can be done with the help
of machines. The repeated word and in the second stanza makes it more
eurhythmic.
In the third stanza metaphors are used. One example is l.16 the arch of heaven
which wants to show us that people can communicate over a really long distance
thanks to the machines.The machines spoken of in this stanza
are the telephone, the telegraph and the transportmachines, like for example
ships. When these machines were invented it was for the first time possible to
communicate over long distances. In this stanza the machines address directly
to the reader, as a representative of mankind.
A stylistic device that is used in the fourth stanza is the ellipsis in l.24 neath.
In this stanza is talked about the enormousness of machines. Like for example of
big ships which have nine decks which is metaphorically called a monstrous
nine-decked city in thetext.
The fifth and sixth stanza is talking about the relation
of the machines to the environment.Machines can change landscapes, as written
in l. 36 and the valley we have dammed becomes a lake. Machines help
humans to deformate the landscape the way they want it to be. For example they
dry up lakes or they flood valleys according to their specific needs.
The seventh stanza tells us that machines are emotionless and have no
feelings. And most important: it tells us about how dangerous machines are. That
if you just make a simple mistake you could even die.
In the last stanza the typography changes, because the dream of the perfect
machinery suddenly seems to fade away. Machines arent perfect after
all and nature always wins over.And after all, machines arent miraculous

creations, but nothing more than creations of thehuman brain.

In my opinion we can rely upon machines in transport and communication, which
are getting more complicated all the time. This is inevitable as we move further
into a technological age of computers and increasing automation. We must
accept the fact that our lives depend onmachines more and more. But then
suddenly some simple apparatus fails. The ball-point pen wont
function; the computer will not be ready to execute your orders. It can be
exasperating. If the machine is faulty, the simple job of mowing the lawn turns
into a battle of you and the mower, which assumes a life of its own, thwarts your
efforts and refuses to cooperate. The once efficient machine, your
friend and servant, has become your enemy.
I think that it is very important not to over cross the limits and think rational about
machinery. We shouldnt give machines so big responsibilities, per se automatic
control of space shuttles with humans inside.