Geography Lesson

Chapter Summary

The poet Zulfikar Ghose, in the poem “Geography Lesson” portrays the actual state of India when it was under the dominance of British rule. In this poetic masterpiece, the poet mainly focuses on three factors such as what is the process of looking at everything beautiful, how the civilization of this planet was set up and what is the main reason for hating people each other.

The poet realizes this thought when he saw the city form a jet and he finds that the city is not at all properly planned. He thinks that the most essential thing about this planet is water should be used for multiple activities like agricultural purposes, transportation as well as business performances. The poet reflects on the various habitats of the people when he moves higher in the sky. The poet realizes from here that the people have created boundaries and hate one another.

The poem shows his great concern about the division along with the continuous friction among the country's people. From the jet, the poet sees that the city is not planned accurately and is much disorganized. The city is located by a river so the poet also finds that water, the most essential natural resource is not playfully used in the city.

Finally, the poet finds from the jet that people build walls, boundaries as well as fences and live in them. Here the poet says that the people should be aware of the shape of the earth along with the emergence of different civilizations, sets up of cities as well as nations. He does not find any reason why the people on this planet hate one another. The poet also feels that people become more selfish, jealous as well as narrow-minded. According to the poet, if people forget the differences and live peacefully together then the earth will be a wonderful, exciting and lovable place.

Find three or four phrases in stanzas one and two which are likely to occur in a geography lesson.

The three or four phrases that are found in the poem Geography Lesson are the city had developed the way it had and it scaled six inches to the mile. Besides this, the poet has also used some phrases like the country had cities where the rivers ran and land and water attracted man in this poem.

Mention two things that are

• Clear from the height

• Not clear from the height.

In this poem, the poet Zulfikar Ghose looks from the height that it is clear that the cities along with the values of multiple countries are very much populated especially the portion beside rivers. Besides this, it is also implied to the poet that the earth is mostly round and it consumed more sea compared to land.

In the poem Geography Lesson, the poet looks at the surface of the city in a poetic sight and that is what he saw several things, which are not to have happened on this planet. According to the poet, it is very harmful to the people along with the city. The poet looks from the height of several things and it is very difficult for the poet for making out the reason why the people in this city hate one another. The people of the city create boundaries, fences as well as walls and live into them.

They have forgotten that nature does not imply any boundaries or restrictions. The human being in this city increases their wealth but become more insecure. Gradually they become jealous, selfish as well as self-centred as they live within a small boundary with their small thoughts. Nature is fair to everyone and it is equal to all but the human being does not understand it. The people are always trying hard and soul to divide the countries and cities by making some boundaries and walls.

FAQs

Q1. What type of geographic lessons did the poet learn from the jet journey when it is just taking off?

Ans. In this poem, the poet learned many geographic lessons from the jet journey when it is just taking off. At first, the poet puts forward some of the common assumptions about the geographic lessons such as that human beings have developed a lot but they become more selfish, jealous and self-centred. Besides this, the poet also finds that the city is not at all well planned and the natural resources are not used properly. It is also felt by the poet that the lands of the city are used as per necessity.

Q2. What did the poet try to apprehend from the height of ten thousand feet?

Ans. The poet tried to apprehend from the height of ten thousand feet that the city mainly grew as per the necessity of water. Water successfully fulfils all the necessities such as agricultural purposes along with transportation and several business perspectives. Besides this, the poet also finds that the valleys of the city are very much populated and they live by the river as per the requirements of water for different purposes. Moreover, the poet has realised that water and land, which are the most important natural sources, are not used with proper planning.

Q3. What is the principal geographic logic provided by the poet in this poem?

Ans. The poet after reaching the highest feet the poet mainly apprehends the simple fact that the city mainly grows because of the necessity of water resources. Water mainly fulfilled all the necessities of human beings from different perspectives. The poet finds the main differences between men because of each other and it is seen by the poet that it is the reason for the division of the earth. The people are detached from one another because of some shallow reasons.