NCERT Solutions for Class 11 English for chapter Father to Son by Elizabeth Jennings

Father to Son - Elizabeth Jennings

Think It Out

1. Does the poem talk of an exclusively personal experience or is it fairly universal?

Answer

The poem talks of an exclusively personal experience but we can also consider it fairly universal as this kind of conflict is quite common in many households. Some people call it a generation gap.

2. How is the father's helplessness brought out in the poem?

Answer

In the poem, we can find the depiction of the helplessness and the emotional struggle that the father undergoes. Though he is aware of the problem, he is unable to resolve it. He feels that there is a lack of proper communication with his son who is away from him so the emotional bond between them is broken.

3. Identify the phrases and lines that indicate distance between father and son.

Answer

The following Phrases/lines indicate distance between the father and the son:

1. 'I know / Nothing of him'

2. 'I do not understand this child'

3. 'We speak like strangers'4.

4. 'Silence surrounds us.'

5. 'there's no sign/ Of understanding in the air'

4. Does the poem have a consistent rhyme scheme?

Answer

No, the poem does not follow a consistent rhyme scheme.