Unit
-2 – Poem – The Grumble Family
There's
a family nobody likes to meet;
They
live, it is said, on Complaining Street
In
the city of Never-Are-Satisfied,
The
River of Discontent beside.
They
growl at that and they growl at this;
Whatever
comes, there is something amiss;
And
whether their station be high or humble,
They
are all known by the name of Grumble.
The
weather is always too hot or cold;
Summer
and winter alike they scold.
Nothing
goes right with the folks you meet
Down
on that gloomy Complaining Street.
They
growl at the rain and they growl at the sun;
In
fact, their growling is never done.
And
if everything pleased them, there isn't a doubt
They'd
growl that they'd nothing to grumble about!
But
the queerest thing is that not one of the same
Can
be brought to acknowledge his family name;
For
never a Grumbler will own that he
Is
connected with it at all, you see.
The
worst thing is that if anyone stays
Among
them too long, he will learn their ways;
And
before he dreams of the terrible jumble
He's
adopted into the family of Grumble.
And
so it were wisest to keep our feet
From
wandering into Complaining Street;
And
never to growl, whatever we do,
Lest
we be mistaken for Grumblers, too.
Let
us learn to walk with a smile and a song,
No
matter if things do sometimes go wrong;
And
then, be our station high or humble,
We'll
never belong to the family of Grumble!
About
the Poet
L.
M. Montgomery, (1874–1942) was a
Canadian author best
known
for a series of novels beginning in 1908 with Anne of Green
Gables.
Montgomery went on to publish 20 novels as well as 530 short
stories,
500 poems, and 30 essays. A prolific writer, Montgomery
published
over 100 stories between 1897 and 1907. Montgomery's
work,
diaries and letters have been read and studied by scholars and
readers
worldwide.
A.
Read the following lines from the poem and answer the questions given below.
- There's a family nobody likes
to meet;
They live, it is said, on Complaining Street
a. Where does the family live?
→ The family lives on Complaining Street.
b. Why do you think the street is named as ‘Complaining Street’?
→ The street is called ‘Complaining Street’ because the people living there always complain and grumble about everything. - They growl at that and they
growl at this;
Whatever comes, there is something amiss;
a. What does the word ‘growl’ mean here?
→ Here, ‘growl’ means to grumble or complain angrily.
b. Why do they find everything amiss?
→ They find everything amiss because they are never satisfied with anything and always focus on the negative side. - Nothing goes right with the
folks you meet
Down on that gloomy Complaining Street.
a. What is the opinion about the folks you meet down the street?
→ The people you meet on that street are always dissatisfied and unhappy.
b. What does the word ‘gloomy’ mean here?
→ ‘Gloomy’ means sad, dull, and depressing, describing the negative atmosphere of the street. - The worst thing is that if
anyone stays
Among them too long, he will learn their ways;
a. What is the worst thing that can happen if anyone stays with them?
→ The worst thing is that the person will start behaving like them and become a grumbler too.
b. What are the ways of the Grumble family?
→ Their ways include constant complaining, dissatisfaction, and negativity. - And so it were wisest to keep
our feet
From wandering into Complaining Street;
a. What is the wisest thing that the poet suggests?
→ The poet suggests that it is wise to avoid negative company and stay away from people who always grumble.
b. What does the phrase ‘to keep our feet from wandering’ refer to?
→ It means to avoid going near or getting involved with such negative and complaining people. - Let us learn to walk with a
smile and a song,
No matter if things do sometimes go wrong;
a. What does the poet expect everyone to learn?
→ The poet expects everyone to stay positive and cheerful in all situations.
b. What should we do when things go wrong sometimes?
→ We should smile and stay happy, instead of grumbling or complaining.
B.
Answer the following questions in about 80–120 words.
- Write a paragraph on ‘The
Grumble Family’ and their attitude towards other folks.
→ The Grumble Family is known for their habit of constant complaining. They live on Complaining Street in the city of Never-Are-Satisfied. These people are always unhappy and find fault in everything, whether it’s the weather, people, or situations. They scold both summer and winter and are never pleased with anything. Their attitude spreads negativity and gloom. They do not accept their faults and never admit they are part of the Grumble family. Their constant dissatisfaction makes them unpleasant to be around, and they even influence others who stay with them for long, turning them into grumblers too. - If you were to live in the
Complaining Street, how would you deal with the people who grumble?
→ If I had to live on Complaining Street, I would try to avoid becoming like the Grumble family. I would stay cheerful and optimistic, even if things went wrong. I would not allow their negativity to affect me. Instead, I would try to influence them positively by speaking kindly and showing gratitude for the good things. I would ignore the complaints and focus on solutions. By keeping a smile and maintaining a positive attitude, I would hope to set an example and maybe change some of their negative thinking. - From the poem ‘The Grumble
Family’, what kind of behaviour does the poet want the readers to possess?
→ The poet encourages readers to be optimistic and cheerful. She wants us to avoid complaining and not be like the Grumble family. Instead of focusing on what’s wrong, we should be thankful for what we have and face life’s challenges with a smile and a song. The poet warns that being around negative people for too long can influence our thoughts and behaviour. So, it is better to stay away from constant grumblers and maintain a joyful, positive attitude in all situations, whether good or bad.
C.
Answer the following:
- And whether their station be
high or humble,…
Pick out the alliteration from the above line.
→ “high or humble” is the alliteration (repetition of the ‘h’ sound). - Pick out other examples for
alliteration from the poem.
→ Some examples of alliteration in the poem: - “smile and a song”
- “family of Grumble”
- “Summer and winter alike they scold”
- “Complaining Street”
- The weather is always too hot
or cold;
Summer and winter alike they scold.
Nothing goes right with the folks you meet
Down on that gloomy Complaining Street.
→ Rhyming words: - cold – scold
- meet – street
→ Rhyme scheme: - AABB
