Chapter- 6 Poets and Pancakes
Question: What is the title of the lesson?
Answer: The title of the lesson is “Poets and Pancakes”.
Question: Who is the author of “Poets and Pancakes”?
Answer: The author of “Poets and Pancakes” is Asokamitran.
Question: What was Asokamitran’s real name?
Answer: Asokamitran’s real name was Jagadisa Thyagarajan.
Question: In which field did Asokamitran work?
Answer: He worked in the field of writing and cinema.
Question: Where did Asokamitran work during his early career?
Answer: He worked at Gemini Studios.
Question: What kind of organisation was Gemini Studios?
Answer: Gemini Studios was a famous film-making studio in Chennai.
Question: What does the title “Poets and Pancakes” refer to?
Answer: It humorously refers to poets working in a film studio and the brand name of a make-up material.
Question: What was “Pancake” in the lesson?
Answer: “Pancake” was the name of a brand of make-up used in Gemini Studios.
Question: Who used Pancake make-up in the studio?
Answer: Actors, actresses, and junior artistes used Pancake make-up.
Question: Why was Pancake make-up important?
Answer: It was important to hide the effects of strong studio lights on actors’ faces.
Question: Which department caused confusion among the staff?
Answer: The make-up department caused confusion and mystery.
Question: What did the author initially think his job was?
Answer: He thought his job was insignificant and mechanical.
Question: What work was Asokamitran assigned in the studio?
Answer: He was assigned to cut newspaper clippings.
Question: Why did the author feel unhappy at his job?
Answer: He felt unhappy because he did not understand the purpose of his work.
Question: Who was the “office boy” mentioned in the lesson?
Answer: The office boy was a man who worked in the make-up department.
Question: Why was the office boy frustrated?
Answer: He was frustrated because he believed he deserved a higher position.
Question: What dream did the office boy have?
Answer: He dreamed of becoming a famous actor or a screenwriter.
Question: How did the office boy express his frustration?
Answer: He expressed it through long and emotional speeches.
Question: What political belief did the office boy hold?
Answer: He believed that Subbu was responsible for his failure.
Question: Who was Subbu?
Answer: Subbu was a close associate of the studio owner.
Question: Why was Subbu disliked by many?
Answer: He was disliked because he was successful and always in favour.
Question: What special quality did Subbu have?
Answer: He was creative, loyal, and always helpful.
Question: Why did the author later understand Subbu better?
Answer: He realized that Subbu sacrificed his own talent for the studio.
Question: Which writer visited Gemini Studios?
Answer: A famous English poet visited Gemini Studios.
Question: Who was that poet?
Answer: The poet was Stephen Spender.
Question: Why did his visit confuse the staff?
Answer: The staff could not understand his purpose or speech.
Question: What was the reaction of the staff to the poet’s speech?
Answer: They were puzzled and uninterested.
Question: What theme runs through “Poets and Pancakes”?
Answer: The theme is irony, human ambition, and life behind the scenes.
Question: How is humour used in the lesson?
Answer: Humour is used to describe people and situations lightly.
Question: What picture of film studios does the lesson present?
Answer: It presents a realistic and humorous picture of studio life.
Question: What is the tone of the lesson?
Answer: The tone of the lesson is humorous, reflective, and ironic.
Answer by Dimpee Bora
