Flamingo (Prose)

1. The Last Lesson (Alphonse Daudet)

Setting: A small village in Alsace, annexed by Prussia.

Theme: Loss of cultural and linguistic identity under foreign rule.

Key Points:

Franz regrets wasting time and not valuing his French lessons.

M. Hamel delivers his last lesson with deep emotion, instilling the
importance of one’s language as part of one’s identity.

The villagers attend as a mark of respect, showing their silent grief for
the loss of their freedom.

2. Lost Spring (Anees Jung)

Theme: Poverty and child labor.

Key Points:

Saheb, a ragpicker, yearns for a better life but ends up working at a tea
stall.

Mukesh, a bangle-maker, dreams of breaking free from his family’s

oppressive trade and becoming a motor mechanic.

Highlights the harsh realities of children deprived of their innocence

and education due to poverty.
3. Deep Water (William Douglas)

Theme: Fear and the human spirit’s ability to overcome it.

Key Points:

The author’s fear of water stems from two incidents: a misadventure at

the YMCA pool and an earlier near-drowning experience.

Through rigorous training and determination, Douglas learns to

overcome his fear, finding liberation in swimming.

A motivational account of conquering personal fears.

4. Indigo (Louis Fischer)

Theme: Leadership, justice, and self-reliance.

Key Points:

Gandhiji leads the Champaran movement, helping indigo farmers fight

exploitation by British landlords.

Advocates for non-violence and self-reliance, inspiring confidence in

the peasants.

Highlights Gandhiji’s ability to bring social and political change.

5. The Rattrap (Selma Lagerlöf)

Theme: Human kindness and redemption.

Key Points:
The peddler views the world as a rattrap that lures people with
materialistic temptations.

The kindness of Edla, the ironmaster’s daughter, transforms him, giving

him the courage to redeem himself.

A touching story of second chances and human compassion.

6. Poets and Pancakes (Asokamitran)

Theme: Insights into the film industry.

Key Points:

The author humorously narrates his experiences working at Gemini

Studios.

Describes the eccentricities of people in the studio, from makeup artists

to actors.

Reflects on the quirky contradictions in the Indian film industry.

7. The Interview (Christopher Silvester)

Theme: The impact of interviews on understanding individuals.

Key Points:

Divided into two parts: the history of interviews and a conversation

with Umberto Eco.

Explores how interviews can reveal or distort a person’s ideas and

personality.
Umberto Eco shares insights on his writing style and his fascination with
simplicity.

8. Going Places (A. R. Barton)

Theme: Adolescent dreams and harsh realities.

Key Points:

Sophie dreams of meeting her idol, Danny Casey, which reflects her
longing to escape her mundane life.

Her fantasies clash with the financial and social constraints of her
family.

A story highlighting the gap between dreams and reality.

Flamingo (Poetry)

1. My Mother at Sixty-Six (Kamala Das)

Theme: Fear of losing a loved one and acceptance of aging.

Key Points:

The poet reflects on her mother’s frailty during a car journey.

The juxtaposition of the vibrant outside world with her mother’s pale,
lifeless appearance intensifies her emotions.

Ends with a note of hope and acceptance.

2. Keeping Quiet (Pablo Neruda)

Theme: Introspection and the importance of stillness for harmony.

Key Points:

The poet calls for a moment of silence to reflect on our actions and
their impact on the world. Highlights the destructive nature of human
activities like war and environmental damage.

Promotes peace, unity, and introspection.

3. A Thing of Beauty (John Keats)

Theme: Beauty as a source of eternal joy and solace.

Key Points:

Celebrates the power of beauty to uplift and inspire humans in the face
of sorrow and despair.

Nature and art are depicted as everlasting sources of happiness.

Emphasizes the importance of preserving beauty in life.

4. A Roadside Stand (Robert Frost)

Theme: Rural poverty and the indifference of urban society.

Key Points:
A rural family sets up a stand to sell their produce, hoping for economic
upliftment.

Reflects the apathy of city dwellers towards the struggles of rural

people.

Critiques the growing disconnect between urban and rural lives.

5. Aunt Jennifer’s Tigers (Adrienne Rich)

Theme: Feminism and the desire for freedom.

Key Points:

Aunt Jennifer’s embroidered tigers symbolize strength and freedom,

contrasting with her own oppressed life.

Highlights patriarchal oppression and a longing for liberation.

A powerful commentary on gender roles.

Vistas (Supplementary Reader)

1. The Third Level (Jack Finney)

Theme: Escapism and blending of fantasy with reality.

Key Points:

Charley, the protagonist, accidentally discovers a “third level” at Grand

Central Station, connecting him to the 1890s.
The third level symbolizes his longing for a simpler and peaceful past,
away from the stress of modern life.

His psychiatrist friend rationalizes it as a mental escape.

The story highlights human tendencies to seek solace in fantasies

during turbulent times.

2. The Tiger King (Kalki)

Theme: Arrogance of power, satire on human greed, and the futility of

overconfidence.

Key Points:

The King of Pratibandapuram, obsessed with defying a prophecy that a

tiger would kill him, hunts tigers excessively.

His reckless pursuit of power leads to the destruction of wildlife and his
eventual death due to a wooden tiger.

The story satirizes the arrogance and absurdity of rulers misusing their
power.

3. Journey to the End of the Earth (Tishani Doshi)

Theme: Environmental awareness and the interconnectedness of

ecosystems.

Key Points:
The author describes her journey to Antarctica as part of a program to
study climate change.

The pristine environment of Antarctica highlights the impact of human

activities on the planet.

Emphasizes the need for sustainable development to protect

ecosystems.

4. The Enemy (Pearl S. Buck)

Theme: Humanity transcending national and racial boundaries.

Key Points:

Dr. Sadao, a Japanese surgeon, faces a moral dilemma when he shelters

and saves an American soldier during World War II.

Despite his loyalty to his country, his duty as a doctor compels him to
save the soldier.

The story emphasizes the universal values of compassion and ethical

responsibility.

5. On the Face of It ( Susan Hill)

1. Derry's Insecurity:

Derry, a young boy with a burnt face, feels insecure and rejected due to
his appearance.

2. Mr. Lamb’s Optimism:

Mr. Lamb, an old man with a prosthetic leg, lives alone and has a
positive outlook on life despite his disability.

3. Their Conversation:

Derry meets Mr. Lamb in his garden. Mr. Lamb encourages Derry to
focus on the positive aspects of life and not to be bogged down by
others' opinions.

4. Transformation of Derry:

Derry starts to change his mindset, deciding to stop isolating himself

and embracing life despite his flaws.

5. Mr. Lamb's Death:

Mr. Lamb dies in an accident, leaving Derry with a lesson in living fully
and positively.

6. Moral:

The story teaches the importance of self-acceptance, looking beyond

physical appearance, and living life with optimism.

7. Memories of Childhood

Part 1: The Cutting of My Long Hair (Zitkala-Sa)

1. Zitkala-Sa, a Native American girl, narrates her traumatic experience

at a missionary school.

2. Her long hair, a symbol of her cultural identity, is forcibly cut, causing
her immense distress.
3. Highlights the oppression and loss of identity due to cultural
assimilation.

Part 2: We Too Are Human Beings (Bama)

1. Bama, a Dalit girl, observes caste discrimination in her village when a

man carries food without touching it for a landlord.

2. Inspired by her brother, she focuses on education to fight injustice

and gain dignity.

3. Stresses the importance of education in overcoming caste prejudices.

Moral: The lesson emphasizes resilience, the fight against social

injustice, and the power of education in achieving equality.