Chapter-11         Sympathy


1. Who is the poet of the poem Sympathy?

Answer:
The poet is M. Johnson.

2. What are the two main characters in the poem?

Answer:
A little girl and a little bird.

3. Where were the little girl and the bird?

Answer:
They were in the meadows.

4. How is the girl described in the poem?

Answer:
She is described as a plump little girl.

5. How is the bird described in the poem?

Answer:
It is described as a thin little bird.

6. What was the weather like?

Answer:
It was sunshiny weather.

7. What did the girl think about the bird?

Answer:
She thought the bird must be feeling cold.

8. Why did the girl think the bird was cold?

Answer:
Because the bird had no clothes.

9. What did the bird think about the girl?

Answer:
The bird thought the girl must be cold.

10. Why did the bird think the girl was cold?

Answer:
Because she had no feathers.

11. What quality of the girl is shown in the poem?

Answer:
Kindness and sympathy.

12. What quality of the bird is shown in the poem?

Answer:
Concern and sympathy.

13. What does the word sympathy mean?

Answer:
Feeling concern for the suffering of others.

14. Did the girl and the bird understand each other’s situation fully?

Answer:
No, they did not fully understand each other.

15. What makes the poem humorous?

Answer:
Each thinks the other is cold though the weather is sunny.

16. What does “shivered” mean in the poem?

Answer:
To tremble with cold or emotion.

17. Why did both shiver?

Answer:
They shivered thinking about the other’s condition.

18. Was the weather actually cold?

Answer:
No, it was sunny.

19. What contrast is shown in the poem?

Answer:
Sunny weather and the feeling of cold.

20. What message does the poem convey?

Answer:
We should care for others and be sympathetic.

21. What does the girl’s clothing symbolize?

Answer:
Human comfort and protection.

22. What do the bird’s feathers symbolize?

Answer:
Natural protection.

23. Is sympathy shown only by humans in the poem?

Answer:
No, even the bird shows sympathy.

24. What kind of poem is Sympathy?

Answer:
A short lyrical poem with a moral.

25. What feeling does the poem create in the reader?

Answer:
Warmth, kindness, and gentle humor.

26. What lesson can children learn from this poem?

Answer:
To be kind and caring towards others.

27. What poetic device is used in giving thoughts to the bird?

Answer:
Personification.

28. Why is the poem easy and enjoyable to read?

Answer:
Because of simple language and gentle humor.

29. How are the girl and the bird similar?

Answer:
Both care for each other.

30. What is the central theme of the poem Sympathy?

Answer:
True sympathy means thinking about others’ comfort and feelings.

Answer by Dimpee Bora