THE UNSEEN PLAYMATE :
Reference to the context:
Read the following lines and answer the questions.
1. His is a picture you never could draw...
a. Whom does 'his' refer to in the above lines?
b. Why can't anyone draw his picture?
c. What is special about this person?
2. Whene'er you are happy and cannot tell why...
a. What happens whenever you are happy and cannot tell why?
b. Where does He lie? Where does He run?
c. When does He sing
Answers
Explanation:
I suppose this is the poem "The Unseen Playmate" by Robert Louis Stevenson. This poem is quite different from his usually eerie poems, since this expresses a child-like and playful attitude. Stevenson wrote this poem targeting this child audience. Here, 'he' is just an entity, a feeling, an emotion. A feeling of joy and happiness. Whenever children play and have fun together, they are bound to be happy and smiling. Here 'he' refers to that same feeling of joy. That is why 'he' cannot be drawn, or imagined. Because 'he' is something that a child experiences, something a child feels; not something they see or hear. This 'he' is special because 'he' brings joy to the children. When they play together, they enter paradise. They are carefree and enjoy their childhood as much as they can with each other. 'He' is happiness that manifests in children. That is why he is described as the 'Friend of the Children'. Stevenson had a pretty lonely childhood. This poem was also written to compensate for his loneliness. He also wishes for friends to play with, and to experience such playful joy. He expresses his own feelings too through this poem.
2. a) Whenever you are happy and cannot tell why, the Friend of the Children, which is the 'he' mentioned in the poem, who is actually representing joy, peace or child-like playfulness and calm, is sure to manifest 'himself' in the children's heart, making them realize their feelings and become happier. (This is my interpretation, this answer can be wrong.)
b) He lies on the laurels, which means a group of shrubs, and runs on the grass.
c) He sings when we (could be referring to the reader or the children in the poem) tinkle the musical glass.
Once more, this is all my interpretation. It cannot always be true. Please feel free to correct anything or share your own opinions. But I hope this gives you some insight and ideas.
Answer:
because no one saw him before