Dust of Snow

 

• Summary:
• The speaker, feeling down and burdened, is suddenly lifted out of his despair by the unexpected sight of a crow shaking off a dusting of snow from a tree branch.
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• The crow and the snow both symbolize nature and its power to transform a person's mood or outlook. The act of shaking off the snow represents a small moment of beauty and redemption that can change the speaker's perspective on life.
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• Literary meaning:
• "Dust of Snow" can be read as a meditation on the power of small moments of grace or beauty to break through the monotony or despair of everyday life. It suggests that even in the midst of hardship, one can find moments of clarity and renewal.
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• Theme:
• The theme of the poem is the idea that nature has the power to heal and transform us, even in small ways. It also suggests that we should be open to the beauty around us, as it has the potential to lift us out of our troubles.
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• Literary device:
• Frost employs a metaphor when he describes the crow as "pressing" and "throwing" the dust of snow. This creates a vivid image of the crow's actions and emphasizes the forcefulness of nature's power to transform. He also uses alliteration in the opening line, with the repetition of the "d" sound in "Dust of Snow" creating a sense of heaviness or weight that is contrasted by the lightness of the snow being shaken off.
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• "The way a crow / Shook down on me / The dust of snow": The poem opens with the speaker describing how a crow shaking snow off a tree branch has showered him with a small amount of snow. The phrase "dust of snow" creates an image of something insignificant or small, but it is also suggestive of a sense of freshness or purity. The crow's action is unexpected and interrupts the speaker's routine, prompting him to take notice of his surroundings.
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• "From a hemlock tree": The tree is not just any tree, but a hemlock tree, which can be read as a symbol of death or sorrow. This sets up a contrast between the bleakness of the tree and the sudden lightness of the snow being shaken off by the crow.
• "Has given my heart": The use of the verb "has given" suggests that the speaker has not actively sought out this moment of beauty, but has been gifted it by chance. The reference to the heart emphasizes the emotional impact of the moment.
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• "A change of mood": The phrase "change of mood" is significant because it suggests a deeper transformation than simply feeling momentarily cheered up. The snow has the power to alter the speaker's entire outlook on life.
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• "And saved some part / Of a day I had rued": The poem concludes with the speaker reflecting on the significance of this moment. The use of the verb "saved" emphasizes the idea that the snow has had a redemptive effect. The phrase "a day I had rued" suggests that the speaker has been struggling with negative emotions for some time, but this moment of beauty has given him hope and a new perspective.
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Overall, "Dust of Snow" is a brief but powerful meditation on the capacity of nature to transform us, even in small ways. The contrast between the heavy hemlock tree and the light snow being shaken off by

 

A Letter to God

Main Points

1. Lencho was a farmer living on a hill with his family and had a field full of ripe corn.

2. He eagerly waited for rain so he could have a good harvest and earn money for his family.

3. When it started raining, he was happy and compared the raindrops to silver coins.

4. But soon, the rain turned into hailstones and ruined his crops, turning his joy into despair.

5. Despite his loss, Lencho had firm faith in God and decided to write a letter asking for help.

6. He requested a hundred pesos to sow his field and support his family until the new crops were harvested.

7. The postmaster read Lencho's letter and, despite laughing at first, decided to help him by collecting seventy pesos and giving it to Lencho.

Lencho was angry when he saw less money in the envelope and wrote another letter to God, requesting the rest of the money and not to send it through the post office as he did not trust them.

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Plot Summary

• Lencho, a poor farmer, writes a letter to God requesting money to help him after a storm destroys his crops.
• Lencho sends the letter through the post office, addressed to God.
• The postmaster and his employees are amused by the letter and decide to help Lencho by pooling their money together.
• Lencho receives the money from the post office and believes it is a miracle from God.
• Lencho later writes another letter to God, asking why he only received a portion of the money he requested.
• The postmaster and his employees are touched by Lencho's faith and generosity.

• Themes
  • Faith and Belief
  • Generosity and Kindness
  • Irony and Humor
• Characters
  • Lencho, a poor farmer
  • The postmaster, who reads Lencho's letter to God and decides to help him
  • The postmaster's employees, who contribute to the collection for Lencho
• Symbols
  • The letter to God, which represents Lencho's faith and belief in a higher power
  • The money collected by the post office, which represents the generosity and kindness of others
  • The storm that destroys Lencho's crops, which represents the unpredictability of life and the need for help from others

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CHARACTER SKETCH

LENCHO:
Innocence
Unbroken faith
Simplicity
Optimism

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POSTMASTER:

Empathy

Sensitivity

softhearted

Helpfulness

Generosity

1. Who is Lencho?

• Lencho is a farmer who lives on a hill with his family.
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2. What does Lencho hope for regarding his crops?

• Lencho hopes for rain so he can have a good harvest and earn money for his family.

3. What happens to Lencho's crops during the rain?

• The rain turns into hailstones and ruins his crops.
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4. How does Lencho react to his ruined crops?

• Lencho is initially joyful when it starts raining but becomes despairing when the hailstones ruin his crops.
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5. What does Lencho do after his crops are ruined?

• Lencho writes a letter to God asking for help.
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6. What does Lencho request in his letter to God?

• Lencho requests a hundred pesos to sow his field and support his family until the new crops are harvested.
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7. What does the postmaster do when he receives Lencho's letter?

• The postmaster reads Lencho's letter and decides to help him by collecting seventy pesos and giving it to Lencho.
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8. How does Lencho react when he receives the money from the post office?

• Lencho is angry when he sees less money in the envelope and writes another letter to God, requesting the rest of the money and not to send it through the post office as he does not trust them.
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9. What does Lencho think of the people who work at the post office?

• Lencho thinks that the people who work at the post office are thieves.
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10. What is the irony in the story?

• The irony of the situation was that the post office employees about whom Lencho complained to God thinking that they had stolen the money, actually made contributions to help him.

• 11. Why did Lencho write a letter to God? Lencho wrote a letter to God because a hailstorm destroyed his crops, and he needed money to survive until the next harvest. He was convinced that God would answer his prayer and send him the money.

  12. What did Lencho write in his letter to God? Lencho asked for 100 pesos to help him and his family survive until the next harvest in his letter to God.

  13. What was Lencho's reaction when he received only 70 pesos? Lencho was confused and disappointed when he received only 70 pesos, as he was sure that he had asked for 100 pesos. He even wrote another letter to God, expressing his doubts about whether God had really sent him the money.

  14. What did Lencho write in his second letter to God? In his second letter to God, Lencho expressed his doubts about whether God had really sent him the money. He wrote that he was sure that someone had stolen the rest of the money along the way.

  15. What did God write in response to Lencho's second letter? In response to Lencho's second letter, God wrote to him and told him that he should not lose faith in God, as he had.

The Best Christmas Present in the World Class 8 English

 Theme and Significance

1. The story "The Best Christmas Present in the World" was written by Michael Morpurgo, a British author known for his children's books.

2. The story is about a man named Jim, who finds a 100-year-old letter in a discarded desk. The letter tells the story of a soldier named Jim Macpherson who was fighting in World War I and his encounter with a German soldier on Christmas Day.

3. The two soldiers exchanged gifts and celebrated Christmas together before returning to their respective trenches to continue fighting.

4. The story emphasizes the importance of peace and humanity even in times of war. It also highlights the shared experiences and emotions that connect people despite their differences.

5. The letter serves as a reminder of the sacrifices made by soldiers in wars and the need to work towards a more peaceful future.

6. The story also emphasizes the power of storytelling and how it can connect people across time and space.

7. The narrative structure of the story involves multiple layers, including the story of Jim who finds the letter, the letter itself, and the story of Jim Macpherson and the German soldier.

8. The Best Christmas Present in the World teaches important lessons about empathy, compassion, and the importance of valuing human life, even in the midst of conflict.

Main Points

1. 1. The author buys an old, run-down roll-top desk and finds a secret drawer while restoring it.

   2. Inside the drawer, he finds a letter from a soldier named Jim to his wife Connie dated December 26, 1914, during World War I.

   3. The letter talks about how on Christmas Day, Jim and a German soldier named Hans Wolf put their differences aside and celebrated Christmas together with food, drinks, and football.

   4. They both agreed that countries should resolve conflicts peacefully and Jim promised Connie that they would reunite next Christmas.

   5. The author tries to find Connie and discovers she is now 101 years old and living in a nursing home.

   6. He visits her and gives her the letter, which brings her immense joy, and she calls him "The Best Christmas Present in the World."

   7. The story highlights the importance of peace and humanity even in times of war and the power of storytelling to connect people across time and space.

   8. It also reminds us of the true meaning of Christmas and the importance of goodwill towards all.