Chapter 2.4
1. ‘The Pulley’ is a mechanical device.
Try and write down places where it can be used, and for what purpose.
Answer : (i) In a cargo lift system that allows items to be hoisted to higher floors.
(ii) Wells use the pulley to hoist the bucket out of the well.
(iii) Many types of exercise equipments use pulleys in order to function at the gym.
(iv) At the construction sites pulleys are used to lift and place heavy material.
(v) Modern elevators use pulleys to pull the weight of people against gravity.
(vi) Flagpoles on a sailboat or a ship uses a pulley system to hoist a flag or bring it down.
2. What did God’s glass of blessings contain?
Answer : God’s glass of blessings contained all the world’s riches man could crave for.
3. What would the human being do if God gifted him with ‘Rest’?
Answer : If God gifted man ‘Rest’, the human being would become conceited and rebellious and would
forget ‘God’.
4. Choose the correct alternative from the following.
(a) Herbert’s poem ‘The Pulley’ displays ______ as the two main themes.
(i) Origin of Morality/Spirituality
(ii) Origin of species
(iii) Origin of the universe/galaxy
(iv) Origin of the earth/space
Answer : (i) Origin of Morality/Spirituality
(b) The theme of the poem ‘The Pulley’ is ______
(Find two correct statements from the given alternatives.)
(i) to focus on the mechanical operation of a pulley.
(ii) to teach a lesson to a creation (man) by the Creator (God)
(iii) to know the different gifts bestowed on man by God.Gift baskets
(iv) to remind man about his creator in his exhaustion.
(v) God pulled man towards Him by making him restless and weary.
Answer : (ii) to teach a lesson to a creation (man) by the Creator (God)
(iv) to remind man about his creator in his exhaustion.
(c) In the poem, ‘The Pulley’ is considered ______
(i) a mechanical device.
(ii) a gift to mankind
(iii) an image to lift objects.
(iv) an image by which God compels people to become devout.
Answer : (iv) an image by which God compels people to become devout.
(d) ______ is an example of Pun from the poem.
(i) Rest in the bottom lay.
(ii) So strength first made a way.
(iii) Having a glass of blessings
(iv) So both should losers be
Gift baskets
Answer : (i) Rest in the bottom lay.
(e) ______ is an example of Paradox from the poem.
(i) And rest in Nature, not the God of Nature
(ii) He would adore my gifts instead of me
(iii) Let him be rich and weary
(iv) When God at first made man
Answer : (iii) Let him be rich and weary
(f) ______ is an example of Synecdoche from the poem.
(i) So both should losers be
(ii) Then beauty flowed
(iii) “Let us” said he “pour on him”
(iv) May toss him to my breast
Answer : (iv) May toss him to my breast
(g) ______ is an example of Alliteration from the poem.
(i) Made a way
(ii) Bottom lay Gift baskets
(iii) Repining restlessness
(iv) Keep the rest
Answer : (iii) Repining restlessness
(h) ______ is an example of Inversion from the poem.
(i) Contract into a span
(ii) So both should losers be
(iii) Bestow this jewel
(iv) And rest in nature
Answer : (ii) So both should losers be
(i) The rhyme scheme of the poem is ______
(i) a a b b c
(ii) a b c b c
(iii) a b c c b
(iv) a b a b a
Answer : (iv) a b a b a
3. Discuss and answer in your own words, and write in your notebook.
(a) The poet has used the word “REST” thrice in the poem. Write what the word implies in each of the three lines it occurs.
answer : (i) Rest in the bottom lay – Here, “rest” stands for peace of mind and inner satisfaction, symbolised as a hidden treasure.
(ii) And rest in Nature, not the God of Nature – In this line, “rest” means finding delight and contentment in the beauty and comforts of nature instead of worshipping its Creator.
(iii) Yet let him keep the ‘rest’ – Here, “rest” refers to all the remaining blessings and virtues granted to mankind.
(b) What does God want in return from man, for the gifts He has bestowed upon him?
answer : God wishes that man should acknowledge His kindness, show gratitude, and offer worship for all the blessings given to him.
(c) Why did God withhold the gift of ‘Rest’ from man?
answer : God did not give “Rest” to man because He foresaw that possessing all gifts would make man proud and selfish, causing him to forget his Creator.
(d) Besides those given in the poem, what other gifts has God blessed mankind with above his other creations?
answer : In addition to the gifts mentioned in the poem, God has given man the gift of speech, the power of logical reasoning, imagination, creativity, and intelligence—enabling inventions from the simplest tool like the wheel to the most complex technology like the computer.
(e) When does man generally turn to God? Give one example to support your response.
answer : Man usually remembers God during hardship, suffering, or danger. For example, a person facing a serious illness or natural calamity often prays earnestly to God for help, even if they ignore Him during happy times.
4. (A) Discuss with your group and justify the title of the poem ‘The Pulley’ in your own words.
answer : The Pulley is a scientific representation of man’s helplessness and reliance on God for salvation. The poem invokes a visual imagery of a heavy object being lifted up by a Pulley to the desired place. The Pulley in the poem is man’s restlessness and weariness which acts as a Pulley to reach God.
(B) Pick out 3 lines that contain Monologues of God.
Answer : (i) Let us “pour on him all we can”.
(ii) Let the worlds’ riches, which dispersed lie.
(iii) For if I should bestow.
(iv) Let him be rich and weary.
5. (A) Pick out two lines that contain the following figures of speech.
(a) Antithesis
Answer : 1. Let the world’s riches, which dispersed lie, contract into a span.
2. Yet let him keep the rest, But keep them with repining restlessness.
(b) Alliteration
Answer : 1. When God at first made man.
2. But keep them with repining restlessness
(c) Inversion
Answer : 1. Rest in the bottom lay.
2. So both should losers be.
(B) Explain the Figures of Speech in the following lines.
(a) Rest in the bottom lay – PUN because
Answer : rest means ‘the remaining’ it also means ‘to relax, sleep or have peace of mind’.
(b) Bestow this jewel also on my creature – METAPHOR because
Answer : ‘rest’ is indirectly compared to ‘a jewel’.
(c) And rest in nature, not the God of Nature – REPETITION because
Answer : the word ‘nature’ has been repeated for better poetic effect.
6. Write Critical Appreciation of the poem in a paragraph format. (Refer to page no. 5)
Answer : The title of the poem is ‘The Pulley’. The poet is George Herbert. The central idea of the poem is the reason for man’s continual restlessness throughout his life. According to the poet, this is because God withheld the quality of rest from man so that man’s thoughts would ultimately turn towards God, his Creator. Each verse of the poem has five lines. The rhyme scheme of each verse is Ababa. The main figure of speech used in the poem is a metaphor. The ‘glass of blessings’ signifies the sum of all human qualities bestowed on man. The quality of’rest’ or ‘contentment’ is implicitly compared to a ‘jewel’. This is a poem with a message. The message states that however rich we may be, or whatever the abundance of qualities we may have, we must always turn our thoughts to God and thank Him for the many blessings He has bestowed on us. My favorite line in this poem is ‘Let him be rich and weary’. This brings out the paradox of man’s nature very well. Even the richest man in the world finally gets tired and experiences discontentment. This is what God intended for man. I like this poem because it teaches me not to be self-satisfied and content but to always remember and thank God for all the blessings He has bestowed on me.
Answer by Dimpee Bora
