Punjab State Board PSEB 11th Class English Book Solutions Poem 3 Television Textbook Exercise Questions and Answers.
PSEB Solutions for Class 11 English Poem 3 Television
Question 1.
Why does the poet not want to let children go near the television ?
Answer:
The poet feels that television is doing a great harm to our children. He says that this ridiculous invention has killed all the imaginative faculties of children. It has made them dullards and they have lost all their power to think. That is why he. does not want to let the children go near the television.
कवि महसूस करता है टेलीविज़न हमारे बच्चों को बहुत नुकसान पहुंचा रहा है। वह कहता है कि इस बेहूदा सी खोज ने बच्चों की कल्पना संबंधी सारी क्षमताओं को मार डाला है। इसने उन्हें मंदबुद्धि बना दिया है और वे अपनी सोचने समझने की सारी शक्ति गंवा चुके हैं। यही कारण है कि कवि नहीं चाहता कि बच्चों को टेलीविज़न के निकट जाने दिया जाए।
Question 2.
The poet gives a still better option. What is it?
Answer:
As an alternative to watching television, the poet suggests the reading of books. He says that the reading of books is a better option. Watching television dulls the mind. It kills the imagination. On the other hand, the reading of books stirs the imagination. Books enrich our mind and give food for thought.
टेलीविज़न देखने के विकल्प के रूप में कवि किताबें पढ़ने का सुझाव देता है। वह कहता है कि किताबें पढ़ना एक बेहतर विकल्प है। टेलीविज़न देखने से हमारा दिमाग़ सुस्त हो जाता है। यह हमारी कल्पना शक्ति को मार डालता है। दूसरी ओर पुस्तकें पढ़ने से कल्पना में हलचल सी मच जाती है। किताबें हमारे दिमाग को तेज़ करती हैं और हमारे विचारों को खुराक देती हैं।
Question 3.
How does the television hypnotize children ?
Answer:
Children in every house keep sitting in front of the television set staring at its screen for hours. The ghastly junk that appears on the screen of the television keeps them hypnotised. They seem to have gone drunk with the shocking junk.
प्रत्येक घर में बच्चे टेलीविज़न के आगे बैठे रहते हैं, घण्टों इसकी स्क्रीन को घूरते हुए। स्क्रीन पर दिखाई देने वाला भयानक सा कबाड़ उन्हें सम्मोहित किए रखता है। वे ऐसे दिखाई देते हैं मानो उस आश्चर्यजनक कबाड़ ने उन्हें वशीभूत कर लिया हो।
Question 4.
Mention any three damages done if a child goes on watching television ?
Answer:
Television causes following damages to a child :
- It rots all sense a child has in his head. It spoils his mind.
- It kills all his imagination. The child loses the ability to think any new thoughts of his own.
- It clogs and clutters his mind. The child becomes a dullard.
टेलीविज़न एक बच्चे को निम्नलिखित नुकसान पहुंचाता है –
- यह उसकी सोचने-समझने की सारी शक्ति जो उसके दिमाग़ में है, उसे नष्ट कर देता है। यह उसके दिमाग को दूषित कर देता है।
- यह उसकी सारी कल्पना-शक्ति को मार डालता है। बच्चा अपने स्वयं के नए विचारों को सोचने की योग्यता गंवा देता है।
- यह उसके दिमाग को अवरुद्ध बना देता है और व्यर्थ के विचारों से भर देता है। बच्चा एक बुद्धू बन जाता है।
Question 5.
What shall we do to entertain our darling children?
Answer:
We should entertain our children with good books. We should give them different storybooks. We should provide them the books containing the wonderful tales of dragons, gypsies, queens, whales, treasure isles, smugglers, sea robbers, etc. Such stories will stir their imagination and transport them to the charming fairylands.
हमें अच्छी पुस्तकों से अपने बच्चों का मनोरंजन करना चाहिए। हमें उन्हें भिन्न-भिन्न प्रकार की कहानियों की किताबें देनी चाहिएं। हमें उन्हें वे किताबें देनी चाहिएं, जिनमें ड्रैगनों, खानाबदोश जातियों, रानियों, व्हेल मछलियों, खजाने वाले टापुओं, तस्करों, समुद्री डाकुओं, आदि की अद्भुत कहानियां शामिल हों। ऐसी कहानियां उनकी कल्पना-शक्ति में हलचल मचा देंगी और उन्हें सुन्दर परीलोकों में पहुंचा देंगी।
Question 6.
What should we replace the television with ?
Answer:
We should replace the television set with a lovely bookshelf.
हमें टेलीविज़न को हटा कर इसकी जगह एक सुन्दर-सी किताबें रखने वाली शैल्फ लगा लेनी चाहिए।
Question 7.
What will the children learn in the absence of television ?
Answer:
The children will learn reading books in the absence of television.
टेलीविज़न के न होने पर बच्चे किताबें पढ़ना सीख जाएंगे।
Question 8.
Complete the sentences in Column A, filling in the blanks with the words most suitable given in Column B :
A — B
1. It ……. in the head — he only sees
2. It …… dead. — as soft as cheese
3. It ….. up the mind — kills imagination
4. It makes a child so — rust and freeze
5. His brain becomes — rots the sense
6. His powers of thinking — clogs and clutters
7. He cannot think, — dull and blind
Answer:
1. It kills imagination in the head.
2. It rots the sense dead.
3. It clogs and clutters up the mind.
4. It makes a child so dull and blind.
5. His brain becomes as soft as cheese.
6. His powers of thinking rust and freeze.
7. He cannot think, he only sees.
Question 9.
Read the following pairs of rhyming words :
1. cheese — freeze
2. understand — fairyland
3. install — wall.
Now find out at least ten more such pairs of rhyming words used in this poem.
Answer:
1. let – set
2. been – screen
3. drunk – junk
4. punch – lunch
5. sink – think
6. know – slow
7. tales – whales
8. potter – rotter
9. pray – away
10. books – looks.
Important Stanzas For Comprehension
Note : A complete Answer Key has been given at the end of the stanzas.
Stanza 1.
The most important thing we’ve learned,
So far as children are concerned,
Is never, NEVER, NEVER let
Them near your television set –
Or better still, just don’t install
The idiotic thing at all.
Questions
1. Give the name of the poet and the poem from which this stanza has been taken.
2. What, according to the poet has been found about the television ?
3. What does the poet say about the television ?
4. Give the rhyme scheme of the given stanza.
Answers:
1. This stanza has been taken from the poem, “Television, written by Roald Dahl.
2. It has been found that children should in no case be allowed to go near a television set.
3. He says that there should not be any television set in the house.
4. aa bb cc.
Stanza 2.
In almost every house we’ve been,
Weve watched them gaping at the screen.
They loll and slop and lounge about,
And stare until their eyes pop out.
(Last week in someone’s place we saw
A dozen eyeballs on the floor.)
They sit and stare and stare and sit
Until they’re hypnotised by it,
Until they’re absolutely drunk
With all that shocking ghastly junk.
Questions
1. Give the name of the poet and the poem from which this stanza has been taken.
2. What is common in almost every house?
3. What is meant by ‘a dozen eyeballs on the floor’?
4. Write the figure of speech used in the following line : “They sit and stare and stare and sit’.
Answers:
1. This stanza has been taken from the poem, Television, written by Roald Dahl.
2. In every house, children keep sitting or lying lazily in front of a television set.
3. It means six children sitting or lying on the floor and staring at the screen.
4. Alliteration.
Stanza 3.
Oh yes, we know it keeps them still,
They don’t climb out the window sill,
They never fight or kick or punch,
They leave you free to cook the lunch
And wash the dishes in the sink —
But did you ever stop to think,
To wonder just exactly what
This does to your beloved tot ?
Questions
1. Give the name of the poet and the poem from which this stanza has been taken.
2. What, according to the parents, is the use of watching television ?
3. What can the mothers do when their children are busy watching television ?
4. Give the rhyming words of the given stanza.
Answers:
1. This stanza has been taken from the poem, “Television’, written by Roald Dahl.
2. Here the poet presents the viewpoint of some parents who do feel that television is of not much use for kids, still they find one advantage of it.
3. They can do their cooking and washing in peace.
4. (still – sill) ; (punch – lunch) ; (sink – think) ; (what – ‘tot).
Stanza 4.
It rots the sense in the head !
It kills imagination dead !
It clogs and clutters up the mind !
It makes a child so dull and blind !
He can no longer understand A fantasy, A fairyland !
His brain becomes as soft as cheese!
His powers of thinking rust and freeze !
He cannot think – he only sees !
Questions
1. Give the name of the poet and the poem from which this stanza has been taken.
2. How does the television kill the imagination of a child ?
3. What does the endless viewing of television do to a child’s brain ?
4. “His brain becomes as soft as cheese’. Give the figure of speech used in this line.
Answers:
1. This stanza has been taken from the poem, “Television, written by Roald Dahl.
2. The child loses the ability to think any new thoughts of his own.
3. It makes a child’s brain as soft as cheese. In other words, the child loses the ability to think hard. He becomes mentally almost dead.
4. Simile.
Stanza 5.
All right ! you’ll cry. All right ! you’ll says
‘But if we take the set away,
What shall we do to entertain
Our darling children ? Please explain !’
We’ll answer this by asking you,
What used the darling ones to do?
How used they keep themselves contented
Before this monster was invented ?
Have you forgotten ? Don’t you know?
We’ll say it very loud and slow :
THEY … USED …. TO …. READ ! They’d READ and READ,
AND READ and READ, and then proceed
TO READ some more.
Questions
1. Give the name of the poet and the poem from which this stanza has been taken.
2. What would the parents, according to the poet, ask him ?
3. What harm does the television do to the children ?
4. Write the figure of speech used in the line : Before this monster was invented’.
Answers:
1. This stanza has been taken from the poem, ‘Television, written by Roald Dahl.
2. They would ask him if they removed the television, how they would entertain their children then.
3. It kills all the mental faculties of a child.
4. Personification.
Stanza 6.
Oh, books, what books they used to know,
Those children living long ago !
So please, oh please, we beg, we pray,
Go throw your TV set away
And in its place you can install
A lovely bookshelf on the wall.
Then fill the shelves with lots of books,
Ignoring all the dirty looks,
The screams and yells, the bites and kicks,
And children hitting you with sticks –
Questions
1. Give the name of the poet and the poem from which this stanza has been taken.
2. What, according to the poet, could be the reaction of the children if television is taken away from them ?
3. What does the poet advise the parents ?
4. Give the words that rhyme in the given stanza.
Answers:
1. This stanza has been taken from the poem, ‘Television, written by Roald Dahl.
2. The children can cry and yell against it. They can even behave rudely and hit their parents with sticks.
3. He advises the parents to ignore all such rude acts and protests of their children.
4. (know — ago) ; (pray — away) ; (install — wall) ; (books — looks) ; (kicks — sticks).
Stanza 7.
Fear not, because we promise you
That, in about a week or two
Of having nothing else to do,
They’ll now begin to feel the need
Of having something to read.
Questions
1. Give the name of the poet and the poem from which this stanza has been taken.
2. What is the ‘fear the poet is talking about ?
3. Why do you think that the children will start reading books ?
4. What is the rhyme scheme of the given stanza ?
Answers:
1. This stanza has been taken from the poem, “Television, written by Roald Dahl.
2. The parents fear that if they throw away the television, the children would cry and yell against it. They might even behave rudely and hit them with sticks.
3. When the children would not have television for entertainment, they would start reading books.
4. aaa bb.
Stanza 8.
And once they start — oh boy, oh boy!
You watch the slowly growing joy
That fills their hearts.
They’ll grow so keen
They’ll wonder what they’d ever seen
In that ridiculous machine,
That nauseating, foul, unclean,
Repulsive television screen !
And later,’ each and every kid
Will love you more for what you did.
Questions :
1. Give the name of the poet and the poem from which this stanza has been taken.
2. How will the children look at the television when they start finding enjoyment in reading books ?
3. Why will the children start loving their parents even more ?
4. Write the figure of speech that has been used in the first line of the given stanza.
Answers:
1. This stanza has been taken from the poem, “Television’, written by Roald Dahl.
2. They will look at the television as a repulsive thing.
3. They will start loving their parents even more for getting them books to read.
4. Alliteration.
Television Poem Summary in English
Television Introduction:
This poem is an extract from Dahl’s Charlie and Chocolate Factory’. Here the poet describes in detail the damage that television is doing to little children. He says that this ridiculous invention has killed all the imaginative faculties of children.
It has made them dullards, and they have lost all the power to think. Parents feel helpless since they find no other means of entertainment for their children, which can keep them away from mischief. To this, the poet makes a very useful suggestion.
He says that before the television was invented, children entertained themselves through reading books which had in them very interesting stories. The poet suggests that instead of the television set, parents should get for their children interesting books to read, and thus save the little ones from becoming dull and blind.
Television Summary in English:
The poet calls the television an idiotic thing which serves no useful purpose. It makes one dull and stupid. So he suggests that children should in no case be allowed to go near a television set. In almost every house, children are found sitting lazily in front of a television set.
They keep staring at the television screen for hours. They remain hypnotised by all the ghastly junk that appears on the screen. Some parents do feel that the television is of not much use for kids, still they find at least one advantage of it. They say that it keeps the kids calm and quiet.
They don’t make any mess in the house. They don’t keep jumping in and out of the windows. They don’t indulge in fights. Their mothers can thus do their cooking and washing in peace. The poet asks such parents if they have ever realized what effect this addiction to television has on their little kids. He says that it makes the child a dullard.
It rots all sense in his head. It kills all his imagination. The child loses the ability to think. He becomes the proverbial ass. Some parents do agree that television is doing no good to children. They do want to take the television away from home.
But they find no other way to entertain their kids. At this, the poet wants parents to think of the children of former times, before the television was invented. He wants them to think what the children of those days did for their entertainment.
They would read and read and read. Just as the present-day children do nothing but watch television all the time, the children in earlier days did nothing but read and read and read. Reading was for them the biggest entertainment. They spent almost half of their time in reading books only. They had books and books on their nursery shelves.
They had books in their bedroom also. They had books by their bed. They read books before they went to sleep. Those books, specially written for children, had in them wonderful stories of dragons, gypsies, queens, whales, treasure isles, smugglers and sea robbers.
The poet calls upon the parents of today to throw away the TV set that they have in their homes. He wants them to install a lovely bookshelf in its place. He adds that they should fill the shelves with lots of books. It is possible that in the beginning, the children will cry and yell in protest, but parents should ignore all that.
The poet feels certain that in about a week or two, the children would get used to the reading of books. By and by, they would begin to find great entertainment in the reading of books.
The poet feels confident that once the children start reading books, they will slowly begin to enjoy them. They will begin to find in their hearts an ever-increasing joy.
They will then wonder what they had ever seen in that ridiculous screen. They will begin to look upon the television as a nauseating and repulsive thing. They will start loving their parents even more for getting them books to read.
Television Poem Summary in Hindi
Television Introduction:
यह कविता दहल की एक रचना, ‘चार्ली एण्ड चॉकलेट फैक्टरी’, में से लिया गया एक अंश है। यहां कवि उस नुकसान का विस्तारपूर्वक वर्णन करता है जो टेलीविज़न छोटे-छोटे बच्चों को पहुँचा रहा है। वह कहता है कि इस बेहूदा सी खोज ने बच्चों की कल्पना संबंधी सारी क्षमताओं को मार डाला है।
इसने उन्हें मंदबुद्धि वाला बना दिया है और वे अपनी सोचने की सारी शक्ति गंवा चुके हैं। माता-पिता स्वयं को बहुत विवश महसूस करते हैं क्योंकि उन्हें अपने बच्चों के लिए मनोरंजन का कोई और दूसरा साधन दिखाई नहीं देता, जो उनके बच्चों को शरारतों से दूर रख सके। इसके लिए कवि एक बहुत बढ़िया सुझाव देता है।
वह कहता है कि टेलीविज़न का आविष्कार होने से पहले, बच्चे पुस्तकें पढ़ कर अपना मनोरंजन करते थे, जिनमें बहुत मजेदार कहानियां होती थीं। कवि सुझाव देते हुए कहता है कि टेलीविज़न सैट की बजाए माता-पिता को चाहिए कि वे अपने बच्चों को मनोरंजक पुस्तकें पढ़ने के लिए ला कर दें, और इस प्रकार इन नन्हे-मुन्ने बच्चों को मंदबुद्धि वाला होने से तथा अन्धे होने से बचाएं।
Television Summary in Hindi:
कवि टेलीविज़न को एक मूर्खतापूर्ण वस्तु कहता है जो किसी काम नहीं आता। वह व्यक्ति को मंदबुद्धि वाला तथा मूर्ख बना देता है। इसलिए वह सुझाव देता है कि बच्चों को किसी भी हालत में टेलीविज़न सैट के नजदीक नहीं जाने दिया जाना चाहिए। लगभग हर घर में बच्चों को देखें तो वे टेलीविज़न सैट के सामने आलस्यपूर्वक बैठे मिलेंगे। वे अपने मुंह खोले टेलीविज़न की स्क्रीन को एकटक देखते रहते हैं। वे स्क्रीन पर दिखाई देने वाले उस भयानक कबाड़ (व्यर्थ की चीज़ों) से सम्मोहित हुए रहते हैं।
कुछ माता-पिता ऐसा जरूर महसूस करते हैं कि टेलीविज़न उनके बच्चों के लिए कुछ ज्यादा काम की चीज़ नहीं है, परन्तु फिर भी उन्हें इसका एक फायदा तो दिखाई देता ही है। वे कहते हैं कि यह बच्चों को शान्त तथा निश्चेष्ट बनाए रखता है। वे घर में कोई गड़बड़-सड़बड़ नहीं करते। वे खिड़कियों से अंदर-बाहर कूदते नहीं रहते। वे लड़ाई-झगड़ों में नहीं उलझते। इस तरह उनकी माँएं अपना खाना पकाने का काम तथा कपड़े धोने का काम शान्तिपूर्वक कर सकती हैं।
कवि ऐसे माता-पिता से पूछता है कि क्या उन्हें कभी एहसास हुआ है कि टेलीविज़न की इस लत का उनके नन्हे-मुन्ने बच्चों पर क्या प्रभाव पड़ता है। वह कहता है कि यह बच्चों को बुद्ध बना देता है। यह उसके दिमाग की सोचने-समझने की सारी शक्ति को नष्ट कर देता है। यह उसकी सारी कल्पना-शक्ति को मार डालता है। बच्चा सोचने की शक्ति गंवा देता है। वह लोकोक्तियों में वर्णित एक गधा बन के रह जाता है।
कुछ माता-पिता इस बात को मानते हैं कि टेलीविज़न बच्चों के साथ कुछ अच्छा नहीं कर रहा। वे भी टेलीविज़न सैट को अपने घर से दूर करना चाहते हैं। परन्तु उन्हें अपने बच्चों का मनोरंजन करने का कोई अन्य तरीका नजर नहीं आता। इस बात पर कवि चाहता है कि मां-बाप उस जमाने के बच्चों के बारे में सोचें, जब टेलीविज़न का आविष्कार नहीं हुआ था। वह चाहता है कि वे इस बारे में सोचें कि उस जमाने के बच्चे अपने मनोरंजन के लिए क्या किया करते थे।
वे हर समय किताबें ही पढ़ते रहते। जैसे आजकल के बच्चे और कुछ नहीं करते, बल्कि हर समय टेलीविज़न ही देखते रहते हैं, वैसे ही पहले जमाने के बच्चे और कुछ नहीं करते थे, बल्कि हर समय किताबें ही पढ़ते रहते थे। किताबें पढ़ना उनके लिए सबसे बड़ा तथा सबसे प्रिय मनोरंजन था। अपना लगभग आधा समय तो वे सिर्फ किताबें पढ़ने में ही गुजारा करते थे। उनकी नर्सरी की शैल्फों पर किताबें ही किताबें होतीं थीं।
उनके शयन-कक्ष में भी किताबें होती थीं। वे किताबों को अपने बिस्तर की बगल में रखते थे और सोने से पहले उन्हें पढ़ा करते थे। विशेष रूप से बच्चों के लिए लिखी गई उन किताबों में ड्रैगनों, खानाबदोश जातियों, रानियों, व्हेल मछलियों, खजाने वाले टापुओं, तस्करों और समुद्री डाकुओं की अदभुत कहानियाँ होती थीं। कवि आज के माता-पिताओं से कहता है कि उनके घरों में जो टी० वी० सैट पड़ा है, वे उसे उठा कर परे फेंक दें।
वह चाहता है कि वे इसकी जगह एक सुन्दर सी किताबें रखने की शैल्फ लगवा लें। वह यह भी कहता है कि उन्हें चाहिए कि वे शैल्फों को बहुत सी किताबों से भर दें। ऐसा हो सकता है कि बच्चे शुरू में इसके विरुद्ध रोएं और चिल्लाएं, परन्तु माता-पिता को चाहिए वे ऐसी सभी बातों की तरफ ध्यान ही न दें। कवि को पूर्ण विश्वास है कि एक या दो हफ्तों में बच्चे किताबें पढ़ने के आदी हो जाएंगे। धीरे-धीरे, उन्हें किताबें पढ़ने में ही बहुत मनोरंजन प्राप्त होने लगेगा।
कवि को पूर्ण विश्वास है कि एक बार जब बच्चे किताबें पढ़ना शुरू कर देंगे तो धीरे-धीरे उन्हें उनमें आनन्द आने लगेगा। वे अपने दिलों में एक निरन्तर बढ़ती हुई खुशी को महसूस करेंगे। उन्हें तब इस बात पर हैरानी होगी कि टेलीविज़न कही जाने वाली उस व्यर्थ सी मशीन की स्क्रीन पर वे क्या देखते थे। अब वे टेलीविज़न को एक घिनौनी और अरुचिकर चीज़ के रूप में देखने लगेंगे। उन्हें पढ़ने के लिए किताबें लाकर देने के कारण वे अपने माता-पिता से और ज़्यादा प्यार करने लगेंगे।
Television Poem Translation in Hindi
(Lines 1-6)
The most important thing we’ve learned,
So far as children are concerned,
Is never, NEVER, NEVER let
Them near your television set –
Or better still, just don’t install
The idiotic thing at all.
Explanation : The poet says that, as far as children are concerned, one important thing has been found about television. It has been found that children should in no case be allowed to go near a television set. The poet says that it would be even better if there is no television set at all in the house. He calls the television an idiotic thing which serves no useful purpose. It is rather something that makes one dull and stupid.
कवि कहता है कि जहां तक बच्चों का संबंध है, टेलीविज़न के बारे में एक बहुत महत्त्वपूर्ण बात पता चली है। इस बात का पता चला है कि बच्चों को किसी भी हालत में टेलीविज़न सैट के नजदीक नहीं जाने दिया जाना चाहिए। कवि कहता है कि बेहतर होगा यदि घर में कोई टेलीविज़न सैट हो ही नहीं। वह कहता है कि टेलीविज़न एक मूर्खतापूर्ण चीज़ है जिससे कोई भी उपयोगितापूर्ण काम नहीं होता। यह तो बल्कि वह चीज़ है, जो व्यक्ति को मंदबुद्धि और मूर्ख बना देती है।
(Lines 7-16)
In almost every house we’ve been,
We’ve watched them gaping at the screen.
They loll and slop and lounge about,
And stare until their eyes pop out.
(Last week in someone’s place we saw
A dozen eyeballs on the floor.)
They sit and stare and stare and sit
Until they’re hypnotised by it,
Until they’re absolutely drunk
With all that shocking ghastly junk.
Explanation : The poet says that they have seen that in almost every house, children keep sitting or lying lazily in front of a television set. They keep looking at the television screen with their mouths wide open. They keep staring at it till their eyes get swollen and pop out.
The poet says that last week, they saw six children, all sitting or lying on the floor at one place. In fact, children in every house keep sitting in front of a television set, staring at its screen for hours. They remain hypnotised by all the ghastly junk that appears on the screen.They remain unaware of anything around them, as if they were absolutely drunk with that shocking junk.
कवि कहता है कि उन्होंने देखा है कि लगभग हरेक घर में बच्चे टेलीविज़न सैट के सामने आलस्यपूर्वक बैठे रहते हैं अथवा लेटे रहते हैं। वे अपने मुंह खोले टेलीविज़न की स्क्रीन को एकटक देखते रहते हैं। वे तब तक इसे घूरते रहते हैं जब तक कि उनकी आंखें सूज नहीं जातीं और बाहर नहीं निकल आतीं। कवि कहता है कि पिछले सप्ताह उन्होंने छ: बच्चों को (टेलीविज़न के सामने) एक ही जगह पर फर्श के ऊपर लेटे हुए अथवा बैठे हुए देखा।
वास्तव में, हर घर में बच्चे टेलीविज़न सैट के सामने बैठे रहते हैं, घण्टों इसकी स्क्रीन पर नजरें टिकाए। वे स्क्रीन पर दिखाई देने वाले उस भयानक कबाड़ (व्यर्थ की चीजों) से सम्मोहित हुए रहते हैं। वे अपने इर्द-गिर्द होने वाली किसी भी चीज़ के प्रति यूं बेसुध रहते हैं मानो उस भयानक कबाड़ ने उन्हें वशीभूत कर लिया हो।
(Lines 17-24)
Oh yes, we know it keeps them still,
They don’t climb out the window sill,
They never fight or kick or punch,
They leave you free to cook the lunch
And wash the dishes in the sink –
But did you ever stop to think,
To wonder just exactly what
This does to your beloved tot ?
Explanation : Here the poet projects the viewpoint of some parents who do feel that television is of not much use for kids, still they find at least one advantage of it. They say that it keeps the kids calm and quiet. They don’t make any mess in the house.
They don’t keep jumping in and out of the windows. They don’t indulge in fights. They don’t kick or punch each other. They keep watching the television and don’t indulge in little acts of mischief. Their mothers can thus do their cooking and washing in peace.
The poet asks such parents a very pertinent question. He asks the parents if they have ever stopped to think what exactly this endless viewing of television does to their beloved ones. He asks if they ever realize what effect this addiction to television has on their little kids.
यहां कवि कुछ ऐसे माता-पिता के विचारों को व्यक्त करता है जो ऐसा महसूस करते हैं कि टेलीविज़न उनके बच्चों के लिए कुछ ज्यादा काम की चीज़ नहीं है, परन्तु फिर भी उन्हें इसका एक फायदा तो दिखाई देता ही है। वे कहते हैं कि यह बच्चों को शान्त तथा निश्चेष्ट बनाए रखता है। वे घर में कोई गड़बड़-सड़बड़ नहीं करते।
वे खिड़कियों से अंदर-बाहर कूदते नहीं रहते। वे लड़ाई-झगड़ों में नहीं उलझते। वे एक-दूसरे को लातें अथवा मुक्के नहीं मारते। वे टेलीविज़न देखते रहते हैं और शरारत की छोटी-छोटी बातों में नहीं पड़ते। इस तरह उनकी माँएं खाना पकाने तथा कपड़े धोने का अपना काम शान्तिपूर्वक कर सकती हैं। कवि ऐसे माता-पिता से एक बहुत प्रासंगिक प्रश्न पूछता है।
वह माता-पिता से पूछता है कि क्या उन्होंने कभी रुक कर यह सोचा है कि टेलीविज़न को निरन्तर इस प्रकार देखते रहना उनके जिगर के टुकड़ों के साथ वास्तव में क्या कर रहा है। वह पूछता है कि क्या उन्हें कभी यह एहसास होता है कि टेलीविज़न की इस लत का उनके नन्हेमुन्ने बच्चों पर क्या प्रभाव पड़ता है।
(Lines 25-33)
It rots the sense in the head !
It kills imagination dead !
It clogs and clutters up the mind !
It makes a child so dull and blind !
He can no longer understand
A fantasy, A fairyland !
His brain becomes as soft as cheese!
His powers of thinking rust and freeze !
He cannot think – he only sees !
Explanation : Here the poet describes in detail the terrible harm that the television can do to little kids. He says that it rots all sense one has in one’s head. In other words, it spoils a child’s mind. It kills all his imagination. The child loses the ability to think any new thoughts of his own. It clogs and clutters the mind. The child becomes a dullard. It makes the child so dull that he becoms blind to all sense.
He can no longer understand the beauty of imagination. He can’t understand what a fairyland one has in one’s imagination a fairyland that can be visited any time one likes. The television makes a child’s brain as soft as cheese. In other words, the child loses the ability to think hard. His powers of thinking rust and freeze. The child becomes almost dead mentally. He cannot think; he only sees. He becomes the proverbial ass.
यहां कवि उस भयंकर क्षति का विस्तारपूर्वक वर्णन करता है जो टेलीविज़न नन्हे-मुन्ने बच्चों को पहुँचा सकता है। वह कहता है कि यह व्यक्ति की सोचने-समझने की सारी शक्ति जो उसके दिमाग़ में है, उसे नष्ट कर देता है। अन्य शब्दों में, यह एक बच्चे के दिमाग को दूषित कर देता है। यह उसकी सारी कल्पना-शक्ति को मार देता है।
बच्चा अपने स्वयं के नए विचारों को सोचने की योग्यता गंवा देता है। यह दिमाग़ को अवरुद्ध कर देता है तथा इसे व्यर्थ के विचारों से भर देता है। बच्चा एक बुद्ध बन जाता है। यह बच्चे को इतना मन्दबुद्धि का बना देता है कि वह सभी प्रकार की चेतनता (विवेकशीलता) के प्रति अन्धा हो जाता है।
अब वह कल्पना की सुन्दरता को नहीं समझ पाता। वह समझ ही नहीं पाता कि किसी व्यक्ति की कल्पना का परीलोक कैसा होता है – वह परीलोक जहां व्यक्ति जब चाहे आ-जा सकता है। टेलीविज़न बच्चे के दिमाग़ को पनीर के जितना कोमल बना देता है। अन्य शब्दों में, बच्चा ज़्यादा सोचने की योग्यता खो देता है।
उसकी सोचने की शक्तियों को जंग लग जाता है और वे सुन्न हो जाती हैं। बच्चा मानसिक रूप से लगभग मृत सा हो जाता है। वह सोच नहीं सकता; वह सिर्फ देखता है। वह लोकोक्तियों में वर्णित एक गधा बन के रह जाता है।
(Lines 34 – 41)
‘All right !’ you’ll cry. All right !’ you’ll say,
‘But if we take the set away,
What shall we do to entertain
Our darling children ? Please explain !’
We’ll answer this by asking you,
What used the darling ones to do ?
How used they keep themselves contented
Before this monster was invented ?’
Explanation : The poet imagines what the parents of children could say in spite of their agreeing about the harmful effects of television on children. They agree that television is doing no good to children. They are also willing to take the television set away from their home. But they want to know what they would then do to entertain their kids.
The poet answers this question by asking the parents a counter-question. He asks : ‘What used the children to do before this monster of television was invented ?’ The poet calls the television a monster because, he says, it kills all the mental faculties of a child.
कवि कल्पना करता है कि बच्चों के माता-पिता क्या कह सकते हैं, इस बात पर सहमत होने के बावजूद भी कि टेलीविज़न बच्चों पर बहुत बुरे प्रभाव डाल रहा है। वह मानते हैं कि टेलीविज़न बच्चों के साथ कुछ अच्छा नहीं कर रहा। वे टेलीविज़न सैट को अपने घर से दूर भी करना चाहते हैं।
परन्तु वे जानना चाहते हैं कि फिर वे अपने बच्चों के मनोरंजन के लिए क्या करेंगे। – कवि इस प्रश्न का उत्तर माता-पिता से बदले में एक प्रश्न पूछ कर देता है। वह पूछता है : ‘तब बच्चे क्या किया करते थे जब इस राक्षस (टेलीविज़न) का आविष्कार नहीं हुआ था ?’ कवि टेलीविज़न को एक राक्षस का नाम देता है जो बच्चे की सारी मानसिक क्षमताओं का नाश कर देता है।
(Lines 42-47)
Have you forgotten ? Don’t you know ?
We’ll say it very loud and slow :
THEY …….. USED …….. TO ……. READ !
They’d READ and READ,
AND READ and READ, and then proceed .
To READ some more. Great Scott ! Gadzooks !
Explanation : The poet reminds the parents of childern that before the television was invented, children used to entertain themselves through reading. They would read and read and read. Just as present-day children do nothing but watch television all the time, the children in earlier times did nothing but read and read and read. After reading one set of books, they would pick up another set and start reading it. Reading was for them the biggest and the most loved entertainment.
कवि बच्चों के माता-पिता को याद दिलाता है कि टेलीविज़न का आविष्कार होने से पहले बच्चे किताबें पढ़ कर अपना मनोरंजन किया करते थे। वे हर समय किताबें ही पढ़ते रहते। जैसे आजकल के बच्चे और कुछ नहीं करते, बल्कि हर समय टेलीविज़न ही देखते रहते हैं, वैसे ही पहले जमाने के बच्चे और कुछ नहीं करते थे, बल्कि हर समय किताबें ही पढ़ते रहते थे। किताबों का एक सैट पढ़ने के बाद वे दूसरा सैट उठा लेते और उसे पढ़ना शुरू कर देते। किताबें पढ़ना उनके लिए सबसे बड़ा तथा सबसे प्रिय मनोरंजन था।
(Lines 48-62)
One half their lives was reading books !
The nursery shelves held books galore !
Books cluttered up the nursery floor !
And in the bedroom, by the bed,
More books were waiting to be read !
Such wondrous, fine, fantastic tales
Of dragons, gypsies, queens, and whales
And treasure isles, and distant shores
Where smugglers rowed with muffled’ oars,
And pirates wearing purple pants,
And sailing ships and elephants,
And cannibals crouching ’round the pot,
Stirring away at something hot.
(It smells so good, what can it be ?
Good gracious, it’s Penelope.)
Explanation : Continuing with his account of how children entertained themselves before the television was invented, the poet says that the children then read lots of books. They spent almost half of their time in reading books only. They had books and books on their nursery shelves. The floor of their nursery remained cluttered with books.
They had books in their bedroom also. They kept their books by the bed, and read them before they went to sleep. Then the poet details the kind of material these books contained. He says that these books had wonderful stories of dragons, queens, gypsies, whales, treasure isles, smugglers, sea robbers, and cannibals crouching round the pot.’
अपनी उस बात का वर्णन जारी रखते हुए कि बच्चे तब अपना मनोरंजन कैसे किया करते थे, जब टेलीविज़न का आविष्कार नहीं हुआ था, कवि कहता है कि बच्चे तब बहुत सी किताबें पढ़ा करते थे। अपना लगभग आधा समय तो वे सिर्फ किताबें पढ़ने में ही गुजारा करते थे। उनकी नर्सरी की शैल्फों पर किताबें ही किताबें होती थीं। उनकी नर्सरी के फर्श पर किताबें बेतरतीब ढंग से बिखरी पड़ी रहती थीं।
उनके शयन-कक्ष में भी किताबें होती थीं। वे किताबों को अपने बिस्तर की बगल में रखा करते थे और सोने से पहले उन्हें पढ़ा करते थे। फिर कवि उस विषयसामग्री की किस्म का विस्तारपूर्वक वर्णन करता है, जो उन किताबों में होती थी। वह कहता है कि इन किताबों में ड्रैगनों, खानाबदोश जातियों, रानियों, व्हेल मछलियों, खजाने वाले टापुओं, तस्करों, समुद्री डाकुओं और ‘हांडी के गिर्द रेंगते हुए आदमखोर व्यक्तियों’ की अद्भुत कहानियाँ होती थीं।
(Lines 63-70)
The younger ones had Beatrix
Potter With Mr Tod, the dirty rotter,
And Squirrel Nutkin, Pigling Bland,
And Mrs Tiggy-Winkle and
Just How The Camel Got His Hump,
And How The Monkey Lost His Rump,
And Mr Toad, and bless my soul,
There’s Mr Rat and Mr Mole —
Explanation : Continuing with the kind of interesting stories children used to read in their books, the poet mentions the names of some well-known writers of children’s books, like Beatrix Potter. The poet also names some popular classics for children and some wellknown characters in these books.
उन मनोरंजक कहानियों की किस्मों का वर्णन जारी रखते हुए, जो बच्चे अपनी किताबों में पढ़ा करते थे, कवि बच्चों की किताबों के सुप्रसिद्ध लेखकों के नामों का जिक्र करता है, जैसे कि बीट्रिक्स पॉटर । कवि बच्चों की कुछ प्रसिद्ध साहित्यिक रचनाओं के नाम लेता है और इन पुस्तकों में वर्णित कुछ जाने-माने पात्रों के भी नाम लेता है।
(Lines 71- 85)
Oh, books, what books they used to know,
Those children living long ago !
So please, oh please, we beg, we pray,
Go throw your TV set away,
And in its place you can install
A lovely bookshelf on the wall.
Then fill the shelves with lots of books,
Ignoring all the dirty looks,
The screams and yells, the bites and kicks,
And children hitting you with sticks –
Fear not, because we promise you
That, in about a week or two
Of having nothing else to do,
They’ll now begin to feel the need
Of having something to read.
Explanation : Recalling the good old times when children used to have wonderful books to read, the poet calls upon today’s parents to throw away their TV sets and install a lovely bookshelf in its place. He adds that they should fill the shelves with lots of books.
It is possible that the children cry and yell against this. They can even behave rudely and hit you with sticks. The poet advises parents to ignore all such rude acts and protests of their children. He says that they should not get afraid of it at all.
He feels certain that in about a week or two, the children would get used to the reading of books. Having nothing else to do, they would begin to feel the need of having something to read. Thus, by and by, they would begin to find great entertainment in the reading of books.
उन पुराने अच्छे दिनों को याद करते हुए, जब बच्चों के पास पढ़ने के लिए किताबें हुआ करती थीं, कवि आज के माता-पिताओं से कहता है कि वे अपने टी० वी० सैटों को उठा कर फेंक दें और इसकी जगह एक सुन्दर सी किताबें रखने की शैल्फ लगवा लें। वह आगे कहता है कि उन्हें चाहिए कि वे शैल्फों को बहुत सी किताबों से भर लें।
ऐसा हो सकता है कि बच्चे इसके विरुद्ध रोएं और चिल्लाएं। वे बदतमीजी भी कर सकते हैं और आपको छड़ी से मार भी सकते हैं। कवि माता-पिता को समझाता है कि वे अपने बच्चों की ऐसी सभी बदतमीजीपूर्ण बातों तथा उनके विद्रोहों की तरफ ध्यान ही न दें। वह कहता है कि उन्हें इस सबसे बिल्कुल भी डरना नहीं चाहिए।
उसे पूर्ण विश्वास है कि एक या दो हफ्तों में बच्चे किताबें पढ़ने के आदी हो जाएंगे। करने के लिए कुछ और पास न होने के कारण उन्हें इस बात की ज़रूरत महसूस होने लगेगी कि पढ़ने के लिए कुछ तो पास हो। इस प्रकार, धीरे-धीरे, उन्हें किताबें पढ़ने में ही बहुत मनोरंजन प्राप्त होने लगेगा।
(Lines 86-94)
And once they start — oh boy, oh boy!
You watch the slowly growing joy
That fills their hearts.
They’ll grow so keen
They’ll wonder what they’d ever seen
In that ridiculous machine,
That nauseating, foul, unclean,
Repulsive television screen!
And later, each and every kid
Will love you more for what you did.
Explanation : The poet feels confident that once the children start reading books, they will slowly begin to enjoy them. They will begin to feel that reading fills their hearts with growing joy. They will then wonder what they had ever seen in the screen of that ridiculous machine, called the television.
Now they will look upon the television as a nauseating, foul, unclean and repulsive thing. Now each and every kid will start loving his parents even more. They will love them for getting them books to read, and which they will find to be the greatest source of entertainment.
कवि को पूर्ण विश्वास है कि एक बार जब बच्चे किताबें पढ़नी शुरू कर देंगे तो धीरे-धीरे उन्हें उनमें आनन्द आने लगेगा। उन्हें ऐसा महसूस होने लगेगा कि किताबें पढ़ने से उनके दिल निरन्तर बढ़ती हुई खुशी से भर जाते हैं। उन्हें तब हैरानी होगी कि टेलीविज़न कही जाने वाली उस व्यर्थ सी मशीन की स्क्रीन पर वे क्या देखते थे।
अब वे टेलीविज़न को एक घिनौनी, बदबूदार, गंदी और अरुचिकर चीज़ के रूप में देखेंगे। अब प्रत्येक बच्चा अपने मातापिता से और भी ज्यादा प्यार करने लगेगा। वे उनसे प्यार करेंगे क्योंकि उन्होंने उन्हें पढ़ने के लिए किताबें लाकर दी हैं और जो उनके लिए सबसे बड़ा मनोरंजन का साधन साबित हुई हैं।
Central Idea Of The Poem in English
In this poem, the poet wants to convey the idea that television is doing a great harm to little children. It has killed all the imaginative faculties of children. It has made them dullards, and they have lost all the power to think. Parents feel helpless since they find no other means of entertainment for their children.
To this, the poet says that before the television was invented, children entertained themselves through reading books. He suggests to the parents that instead of the television set, they should get for their children interesting books to read, and thus save them from becoming dull and blind.
Central Idea Of The Poem in Hindi
इस कविता में कवि यह विचार प्रस्तुत करना चाहता है कि टेलीविज़न छोटे-छोटे बच्चों को बेहद नुकसान पहुंचा रहा है। इस ने बच्चों की कल्पना संबंधी सारी क्षमताओं को मार डाला है। इसने उन्हें मंदबुद्धि वाला बना दिया है
और वे अपनी सोचने की सारी शक्ति गंवा चुके हैं। माता-पिता स्वयं को बहुत विवश महसूस करते हैं क्योंकि उन्हें अपने बच्चों के लिए मनोरंजन का कोई और दूसरा साधन दिखाई नहीं देता।
इस पर कवि कहता है कि टेलीविज़न का आविष्कार होने से पहले बच्चे पुस्तकें पढ़ कर अपना मनोरंजन किया करते थे। कवि माता-पिता को सुझाव देते हुए कहता है कि टेलीविज़न सैट की बजाए उनको चाहिए कि वे अपने बच्चों को मनोरंजक पुस्तकें पढ़ने के लिए लाकर दें और इस प्रकार उन्हें मंदबुद्धि वाला होने से तथा अन्धे होने से बचाएं।