.Answer any one of the following in 80-100 words :
Both Nicola and Jacopo have grown up and are successful and respectable citizens. They were asked to inaugurate a 'HOME' for the abandoned children. Imagine yourself to be Nicola, address the gathering expressing your views on 'Child Care'.
OR
What message does the poet wish to convey through the poem 'Mirror' ?
Answers
A very good morning to all present here. Today, we are very happy to be here among you and a part of the inauguration ceremony of 'HOME' - a place for abandoned children. We both are of the opinion that childhood is the most precious time of a person's life but it sometimes gets blotted by the curse of child-labour. The reasons for child labour like poverty, lack of education, lack of parental care, wasteful war, etc., mar the innocence of the children. Even we had a bad childhood. We had got destroyed in the German war. Our father was killed in the war and we turned orphans at the tender age of 13 years and 12 years. We can't forget the day when we came to know that our sister Lucia was suffering from tuberculosis of the spine. We had no money for her medical expenses. We decided to work day and night for it but there was scarcity of jobs in Verona. Yet we did not lose courage. We did all sorts of odd jobs to make both ends meet and finally the day arrived when our sister got well. We were very happy. I personally feel that the government should come forward to help the needy children and provide them education so that they can lead a happy and prosperous life. Educated children will definitely blossom into responsible adults. I hope 'HOME' will also work to help the abandoned children so that they don't lose their childhood.
Thank you. (4)
OR
'Mirror' is a reflective poem. The mirror reflects the life of human beings in all its reality. Its reflection is neither twisted nor distorted. It describes the true nature and function. It has no pre-conceptions and personal likes or dislikes and gives an exact image of what comes before it. It is not affected by any feelings of love or hatred. In this modern era, everyone is living under an illusion. Everyone feels like the woman who looks into the mirror which is a lake for her, who feels like a fish out of water and is not prepared to accept the reality of advancing age. Old age or ugliness is a hard and cruel fact that can't be escaped. Here the idea and the message of ageing is conveyed through the poem 'The Mirror' by the poet Sylvia Plath.