5. Account & Lists Sign in Account & Lists Returns & Orders. So we realize that poet takes generation gap as the theme and uses humour and satire, visual images, dialogue pattern, questioning, and answering system, dramatic effects, regular rhyming pattern as well to bring the theme vividly. The old man is not only happy and healthy, but he clowns around, he stands on his head, he somersaults, he balances an eel on his nose, he eats as much as he pleases; at the end of the poem, he tells the boy he’s had enough of his questions, and that he’d better go away. 3. He asked “the youth” if he would like “a couple” “box[es]” of the “ointment” that he credited for his “limbs” having been “very supple.” This is an insult because it was telling “the youth” that the “old[er]” generation was in fine shape, but the “young[er]” group could have used the assistance of “this ointment” to boost their strength. Context: ‘You Are Old, Father William’ appears in Carroll’s most famous book Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, which was published in the year 1865.It is recited by Alice in Chapter 5 of the book, entitled ‘Advice from a Caterpillar’. He asks his father how he balances an eel on the end of his nose and how he got to be so smart. What advice did the young man give to Father William?Ans. International House, 24 Holborn Viaduct, London, EC1A 2BN, United Kingdom, You Are Old, Father William by Lewis Carroll. You are Old, Father William: Lewis CARROLL: 9781776795208: Books - Amazon.ca. It is recited by Alice in Chapter 5, "Advice from a Caterpillar". It is an answer that was more mirror-like than honest, in that “the son” got a response that was meant to be his own reflection rather than an actual rationalization for the “Father[‘s]” actions. Perhaps “Father William” believed he had lost his mind, but it was still not an accurate account since the “brain” would have been intact. The young man once again points out that his father is old and that his eyesight should be weak by now. Contains answers to end-of-chapter questions. (seeing a theme with Mr Carroll’s work! What was Father William’s reply?Ans. Ans. He brings this theme for our focus sarcastically through the dialogue between the old man and the young man who represent the older generation and the younger generation. This lashing out, as it happened, came after what might have been the most unusual inquiry from “the youth” when he asked “his father” about “balanc[ing] an eel on the end of [his] nose,” commenting that this was “clever.” In reality, however, the idea was not “clever,” but bizarre, and it was this extended absurdity that caused the “father” to break “enough” to tell the “son” to “[b]e off.”. The young man told Father William that he was old and his hair had become white and he advised him should not carry on doing what made him happy because it could be dangerous and he might hurt himself at his old age. I think the father is poking fun at his son. Because of this dialogue pattern and visual images, the poem has become high dramatically. Every single person that visits Poem Analysis has helped contribute, so thank you for your support. After logging in you can close it and return to this page. Still, there are discrepancies present, like the fact that Stanza One indicates that the “old[er]” fellow had “very white” “hair,” but in Stanza Three, he had “grey locks.” It is possible, with this in mind, that the poem has revealed itself to be about “youth” in general and an “old[er]” generation, rather than a specific pair of speakers, like an ongoing commentary that the “young” does not understand the generations who came before them. You are old, father William," the young man said, "And your hair has become very white; And yet you incessantly stand on your head -- Do you think, at your age, it is right?" Your Tinder profile reads as if written by Nixon, Do you think father William gave his son all the right answer ? He asks him why he constantly stands on his head. The poem is a parody of Robert Southey's didactic poem "The Old Man's Comforts and How He Gained Them", originally published in 1799. His son asks him many questions about what he does in his old age. The lack of clarity for significant plot elements continues in these stanzas since what was noted as “Father William” is now referred to as “the sage.” While on instinct, the reader might assume that this was a new person in the conversation, the idea that “the youth” said “as I mentioned before” makes it clear that this was a continuance of the previous stanzas’ dialogue. Prime Cart. Just relax and enjoy the fun. 4. “You Are Old, Father William” is a poem by Lewis Carroll written in a question-and-answer format. This may be found on the internet and it is a case of the parody eclipsing the original. He even misuses his authority, and as the man with the bigger stick, tells the boy to go away, because he’s asking too many questions, like most boys his age. Some more humorous expression are: ‘Allow me to sell you a couple’, ‘yet you finished the goose’, ‘and argued each case with my wife’, ‘you balance an eel on the end of your nose’, ‘be off’, ‘sage’, etc. Please continue to help us support the fight against dementia. • Yes – he should carry on doing what makes him happy while he still can. List two other ways the poet has shown that father William is an old man. The old man also takes advantage of the young boy’s fears of age by trying to sell him some ointment which he says will keep his limbs supple when he gets old. In the fifth stanza, the young man once more indulges in his questioning of Father William. The old man uses his age as an excuse to do whatever he pleases, to play around, to eat as much as he wants. But, now that I’m perfectly sure I have none, The structure of ‘You Are Old, Father William’ is a dialogue between an “old” man named “Father William” and “his son.” In the first stanza, the “son” pointed out that “Father William” was “age[d]” and posed the “question” of why he “incessantly stand[s] on [his] head.” When asked if this was “right” because of his “age,” “Father William” contended that when he was in his “youth,” he was afraid to do this, but “age” taught him he did not have a “brain” to “injure.” Because of this detail, he had taken to performing the action “again and again.”. Sorry, your blog cannot share posts by email. 2. Q. Belowstairs, 10. "You are old, father William," the young man said, "And your hair has become very white; And yet you incessantly stand on your head -- Do you think, at your age, it is right? Write a short paragraph on Father William. Do you think I can listen all day to such stuff? You are Old, Father William by Lewis Carroll "You are old, Father William," the young man said, "And your hair has become very white; And yet you incessantly stand on your head— Do you think, at your age, it is right?" It is important as well to note that for every answer thus far in ‘You Are Old, Father William’, the response has essentially been that the “old[er]” generation thought similar to “the youth,” but “age” showed them the error of their trains of thought. 1. Said his father; “don’t give yourself airs! He is an old man. You are old, Father William Like all the poems in Alice in Wonderland, 'You are old, Father William' is a parody of another poem that was popular at the time. Stairway, 5. When we study the poem we see the old man in our minds as a strong, healthy one and also the young one as a lethargic, ill healthy person. In the first stanza, the “son” pointed out that “Father William” was “age [d]” and posed the “question” of why he “incessantly stand [s] on [his] head.”. Father William replies that he had been a lawyer when he making about himself by saying was younger and that, far from being weak, his jaws were that he uses his strong jaws to exercised by arguing all of his law cases twice – once for talk, not to eat? His family was predominantly northern English, with Irish connections, Conservative, Anglican, High Church, upper middle class, and inclining towards the two good old upper middle class professions of the army and the Church. In the end, the gap was so defined that at a certain point, all that could be done was to have “enough” and “[b]e off” from the conversation. The old people sometimes stronger than younger. Answer: The father … This is really heavy going. 1. A narrative hook appears at the beginning of a piece of literature and is used to “hook” or capture the reader’s attention. The Caterpillar then tells her to repeat “You Are Old, Father William” in order to test her memory. “You are old,” said the youth, “and your jaws are too weak, Yet you finished the goose, with the bones and the beak –. Backstairs, 8. 1. The father replies that when he was younger he used a cream that kept his arms and legs flexible and offers to sell his son a couple of boxes of the cream. It seems, then, the “father[‘s]” frustration grew as time went along. As a representation of the generational gap, this speaks volumes in that “the youth” and the elderly seem to make less sense to each other as time goes on, to the point where each generation’s stance is wondered over or mocked. Alice, in her disoriented state, proceeds to mix up the poem. We know that in modern society, people surrender to their wives. Lewis Carroll You Are Old Father William: one of many verses from an anthology of much-loved poems from the English-speaking world that includes important work from major poets, memorable lines, sources for study guides and poetry for every occasion and mood - verse that can inspire you and rhymes that you remember from your childhood. Stairsteps, 9. The rhyming words are said-head, white-right, son-none, brain-again, before-door, fat-that, locks-box, supple-couple, weak-beak, suet-do it, law-jaw, wife-life, suppose-nose, ever-clever, enough-stuff, airs-stairs. There is no better method of representing these concepts than by trading such unusual back-and-forth dialogue, meaning Carroll has showcased the strangeness of both generations to one another with precision. practice with his wife, and once before the court. Looking through the extract of the poem, do you think Father William should continue to stand on his head? 2. By asking this “question,” the “young” person attacked the “father” on a critical level because eating is necessary. It really shows the gap between the older generation and the younger generation. But he can’t understand it. ‘Downstairs’ is a compound word used in the last line of the poem which is made up of ‘down’ + ‘stairs’ = ‘downstairs’. In this, the superiority of “age” is showcased to elevate the mocking tone of the responses. As always, he begins by mentioning that Father William has grown old, and so he anticipates that Father William’s teeth are not strong enough to consume anything other than suet – raw beef or mutton fat. He does not mention eating but emphasizes the fact that he uses his strong jaws for effective talking. Stanza 3The son repeats his statement that Father William is old, “excessively fat”? Karnataka 2nd PUC English Textbook Answers Springs Chapter 6 When You Are Old When You Are Old Questions and Answers, Notes, Summary When You are Old Comprehension I The funny thing that Father William did in his old age was that he used to stand on his head. Try. Father William says that three questions are enough for him to answer and criticizes his son for “giving himself airs,” or being self-important and conceited. Please log in again. The answers all the questions of his son in a funny manner. Question 1. Search the world's information, including webpages, images, videos and more. “In my youth,” Father William replied to his son. If such is the case, the mocking between the speakers is geared toward generations so that, for this pair of stanzas, “the sage[‘s]” answer to the “question” of why he “turned a back-somersault in at the door” becomes an insult toward “youth” overall. His answers are laden with sarcasm. But this line shows that old people weren’t like that and the husband was respectable. adds to it the statement that he is extremely fat, and asks why his father is still doing gymnastics. haha. Father William, in the poem, is a humorous character. Read the text and paraphrase of the poem to understand it well. Furthermore, “Father William” being able to think on these levels is evidence that his mind was sharp and able when he had this conversation with “his son,” as if he was being witty and mischievous. In the poem, we find that Father William’s son seemed to be inquisitive and caring. Thanks for your feedback. Stairmaster. Multiple choice, short answer questions, and writing questions - you can print the unit along with the poem "You Are Old, Father William" review activity printable - print all section questions at once (options for multiple keys) Extended activities List of extended activities for You Are Old, Father William We also understand that the young man can’t stand on head through the below lines. Lewis Carroll would have had some choice words for you. “You are old, Father William,” the young man said, And yet you incessantly stand on your head –. Even “nonsense poems” deserve due reverence, look at iconic poems such as the Jabberwocky! In the poem, we come to understand the fact that young people think that, when people become old, they become very week. This answer generates humour and satire. I have used these as whole class exercises and for specific groups in guided reading to great effect. His son found it very dangerous and thought he might hurt his brain if he stood on his head He complained to him not to attempt such things in his old age. Stairhead, 6. The “father[‘s]” frustration became more apparent when he insisted his previous replies were “enough,” and then threatened violence on “the youth” if he did not stop with the “questions.” It is also clear that he considered “the youth[‘s]” mindset to be inferior and a bother since he posed his own “question:” “Do you think I can listen all day to such stuff?” By asking this, the “father” basically told the “son” that his wonderings were a waste of time. Your comments and questions are welcomed. Support for class exercises and extra questions will be provided free-of-cost. Q. And the muscular strength, which it gave to my jaw, Rather than criticize the elder’s mobility in this pair of stanzas, “the youth” instead posed the “question” of how the “father” could eat “the goose, with the bones and the beak” since his “jaws [were] too weak.” This takes the generational gap to a new level since the topic is no longer related to moving about, but something as needful as eating. Good grief, you actually wrote all that rubbish about a much-loved nonsense rhyme? The poem is structured in the conversational tone between a father … "You Are Old, Father William" is a poem by Lewis Carroll that appears in his 1865 book Alice's Adventures in Wonderland. Dr Jonson rightly said, ‘to write on their plan it was at least necessary to read and think’. Enter your email address to subscribe to this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email. Reading the original, then Carroll’s version, adds to the amusement. Too much analysis for a nonsense poem by Carroll. It might hurt him because he had been getting old and fatty day by day. When he was young, Father William rubbed on an ointment in order to keep his limbs flexible. In the poem, there are two voices: that of a father and his son exchanging conflicting views. ‘You Are Old, Father William’ by Lewis Carroll is a poem that is structured as a dialogue between a “father” and “his son,” though the details given for the pair vary and cause confusion in regard to who is involved in this exchange. "In my youth," father William replied to his son, "I feared it would injure the brain; But now that I'm perfectly sure I have none, Why, I do it again and again." "In my youth," Father William replied to his son, "I feared it might injure the brain; But, now that I'm perfectly sure I have none, Why, I do it again and again." Post was not sent - check your email addresses! Father William’s son seems to have developed certain rigid ideas of how his parent should look and act and think in old age, while Father William, himself, has kept an agile mind and a flexible approach that keep him involved in life rather than death like the Father William in Southey’s poem. “In my youth,” said the sage, as he shook his grey locks, By the use of this ointment – one shilling the box –. In the poem, there are two voices: that of a father and his son exchanging conflicting views. However, the manner in which the “question” was addressed is, again, unusual since “the bones and the beak” were referenced as reasons why the “father” should not have been capable of eating “the goose.” If there was no need to eat these hard elements of “the goose” to have a meal, there was no logical reason to bring these details up to prove the meal was unbefitting someone his “age.”. Other rhyming words used in the poem are: The rhyming words are son-none, brain-again, before-door, fat-that, locks-box, supple-couple, weak-beak, suet-do it, law-jaw, wife-life, suppose-nose, ever-clever, enough-stuff, airs-stairs. Why/why not? The rationalization of the response the “father” provided proves just as confusing since he stated he “argued each case with [his] wife” which built “the muscular strength” in his “jaw” to allow him the ability to eat “the goose.” As debating with anyone would not likely make him capable of consuming things as solid as “the bones and the beak,” the reasoning did not quite make sense. Then he asks his father how he was able to finish all of the goose they ate at dinner, including the tough parts which usually are not eaten. The idea is practically cliché, and by presenting it as the rationalization, the “father” made a commentary on what he thought of the “the youth[‘s]” “question.” To him, it seems, the “question” was pitiful, so it deserved nothing beyond a cliché answer—one that did not even make a rational reply. Get an answer for 'the theme of this poem i want to know how Lewis Carol had brought out the theme of this poem" You are old Father William'??' The son asks the father many questions about his odd behaviour in his old age. Google has many special features to help you find exactly what you're looking for. The structure of ‘ You Are Old, Father William’ is a dialogue between an “old” man named “Father William” and “his son.”. What did the young man say to Father William?Ans. It was related to similar concepts since eating and talking both involve the “jaw,” but capability in one does not mean the same for the other. Ans. “I feared it would injure my brain;But now that I’m perfectly sure I have none”. ), Discover the best-kept secrets behind the greatest poetry. It is a lovely poem. And yet we went and did it anyway! 'You are old, father William,' the young man said, 'And your hair has become very white; And yet you incessantly stand on your head - Do you think, at your age, it is right?' If such was the case, “Father William” could have been mocking “his son[‘s]” concern, and by extension, using this idea of being without a “brain” as a criticism toward “his son.” Essentially, this could have been “Father William” insulting the “son” for being “brain[less]” for “question[ing]” the “Father[s’]” actions. Absolutely not. Users who buy this package will automatically receive new answers without any extra charges. Discuss this in your class. It is recited by Alice in Chapter 5, "Advice from a Caterpillar." It is a nonsense poem and doesn’t lend itself to such meticulous analysis. This expression generates humour and satire. When asked if this was “right” because of his “age,” “Father William” contended that when he was in his “youth,” he was afraid to do …