Poets and Pancakes Pyqs

POETS AND PANCAKES PYQS
Short Qs 2 marks
1. What does the story of Subbu's success in the film industry reveal about the importance of
loyalty, creativity, and versatility in this field? [CBSE SQP 2023]
ANS. Subbu's success in the film industry reveals that loyalty, creativity and versatility are all
crucial for a person to exhibit in order to be successful in any industry. Subbu was an
extremely loyal employee who identified himself completely with his principal and turned his
entire creativity to his principal's advantage He was quite versatile when it came to solve a
problem. He had the ability to. work well with others and was tailor-made for the film
industry.
2. What is the fiery misery to those subjected to pancake make-up? [CBSE 2020]
ANS. Gemini Studios's make-up room had half a dozen mirrors and many incandescent
lights. These lights also gave off heat. With the direct and reflected heat and light, the actors
would feel extremely hot and uncomfortable under layers of Pancake. That is the 'fiery
misery' that the author refers to.
3. Why did the author appear to be doing nothing at the studios? [CBSE 2020]
ANS. The author was hired to cut and keep a record of all articles about Gemini Studios in
the papers. This was fairly light work when compared to work done by others. So, it
appeared to the others that the author was doing nothing.
4. Why was the office boy frustrated? Who did he direct his frustration on? [CBSE 2020]
ANS. The office boy's unfulfilled cinematic ambitions were the root cause of his frustration.
He tended to direct his frustration at Subbu, the No. 2 at Gemini Studios. He irrationally
believed that Subbu was the reason for all his worries and woes.
5. What caused the lack of communication between the Englishman and the people of
Gemini Studio? [CBSE 2020]
ANS. Firstly, the staff of gemini studio had only heard of more popular poets like Keats,
Tennyson and Shelley Stephen Spender was completely unknown to them. In his speech, R.
Vasan, the boss, failed to clarify the identify and exploits of Stephen Spender satisfactorily
exploits for he too, was quite confused. Moreover, the audience failed to comprehend the
poet's own speech, due to his strong and in fathomable English accent. This newspaper,
The Encounter wasn't very popular in Madras as well.
6. How was the make-up room in the Gemini Studios a fine example of national integration?
[CBSE 2020]
ANS. The make-up department was first headed by a Bengali who became too big for a
studio and left. He was succeeded by a Maharashtrian who was assisted by a Dharwar
Kannadiga, an Andhra, a Madras Indian Christian, an Anglo- Burmese and the usual local
Tamils. All this shows that there was a great deal of national integration.
Long Qs 5 marks
1. What caused the lack of communication between the Englishman and the people at
Gemini Studios? Why is the Englishman's visit referred to as an unexplained mystery?
[CBSE 2020]
ANS. First, no one told the Gemini staff who this Englishman was. All they were told was that
he was a poet or editor. Someone said that the Boss also ran a popular Tamil weekly
'Ananda Vikatan' so he had invited an editor. It was all very nebulous. Then, the introduction
that the Boss read out did not make this issue any clearer as he himself did not know much
about the poet. And when the Englishman spoke, no one could understand the content of his
speech. The poet's accent was a big obstacle to understanding as well. For an hour, people
listened to him and were none the wiser after that. The author referred to the Englishman's
visit as 'mysterious' since he could not see any connection between an English poet and a
Tamil audience.
2. The author has used gentle and subtle humour to point out human foibles and
idiosyncrasies in the lesson "Poets and Pancakes". Elucidate. [CBSE SQP 2019]
ANS. There are a number of instances of gentle humour in this piece. For instance, the
description that one can see the office boy mixing his paint in a giant vessel and slapping it
on the crowd players is quite interesting. The team of makeup artists is referred to as 'gang
of nationally integrated make up men' who could turn any decent looking person into a
hideous crimson hued monster. There is a comment on Subbu's exposure to affluent
situations. He ridicules his virtue- the virtue of being a Brahmin. His inefficiency is pointed
out subtly with a comment 'he always had work for somebody'. The rapidity with which
Subbu offered his Boss alternatives when he got stuck up is very amusing. The author also
pokes fun at the ignorance of all the people. People did not know who Stephen Spenders
was and why had he arrived.

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