Chapter 3 – Autumn Solutions

Content Structure

  • 1. About the author – John Clare
  • 2. Theme of the Autumn
  • 3. Summary of the Autumn
  • 4. Explanation of the Autumn
    • Stanza – 1
    • Stanza – 2
    • Stanza – 3
    • Stanza – 4
  • 5. Word meanings
  • 5. Exercise Solutions
    • Exercise – 1
    • Exercise – 2
  • 6. Grammar in use
    • Exercise – 3
    • Exercise – 4
    • Exercise – 5
  • 7. Composition
    • Exercise – 6
    • Exercise – 7

1. About the author – John Clare

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John Clare was an English poet, often called the “peasant poet.” He was born on 13 July 1793 in Helpston, Northamptonshire. His poetry captures the beauty of fields, birds, and seasons with great care. He was famous for his celebratory descriptions of the English countryside and for lamenting its destruction. Some of his notable collections of poetry are First Love, Snow Storm, The Village Minstrel and Other Poems, etc. He died on 20 May 1864.

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2. Theme of the autumn

  • The poet, John Clare, expresses his deep love for nature. He enjoys the wind shaking the window, the falling leaves, the sound of sparrows, and the smoke rising from cottages.
  • The poem shows that beauty is not only found in grand things but also in simple like a cock crowing, pigeons resting near their cote, or pigs scrambling for acorns.
  • The poem captures the quiet charm of late autumn and early winter. The leaves fall, the trees are bare, and the weather is dull, reminding us that each season has its own special beauty.
  • The poet carefully notices small things, like a feather falling from a raven or smoke curling through naked trees and finds joy in them which create a warm and peaceful picture of village life.
  • The poem reflects how humans, birds, and animals all share the same environment. The sparrows, pigeons, ravens, pigs, and people in cottages all live together in the countryside, showing balance and harmony between human life and the natural world.

3. Summary of the Autumn

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John Clare describes the countryside in late autumn, especially in November, in his poem Autumn. The speaker talks about how much he enjoys the little things that happen during this time of year, like the strong wind shaking the windows and blowing old leaves off the trees, the branches moving in the wind, and the sparrow chirping as if pretending spring is still here. The smoke from cottage chimneys rising into the sky and pigeons sitting near their homes are also comforting sights. The speaker enjoys everyday farm sounds too like a rooster crowing and a windmill turning. He notices feathers and acorns falling from trees and pigs rushing to eat the acorns, which make the season feel special. The poem shows how peaceful and beautiful life in the countryside in autumn.

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4. Explanation

Stanza – 1

“I love the fitful gust that shakes
The casement all day,
And from the mossy elm-tree takes
The faded leaves away,
Twirling them by the window pane
With thousand others down the lane.”

Explanation: In this stanza, the poet says he loves the strong wind, called a “fitful gust,” that shakes his window all day. The wind blows away the faded leaves from the elm tree, which is covered with moss. These leaves move round near the window before flying down the lane and joining many others. The poet enjoys this simple sight of autumn. The restless wind and the flying leaves make the scene full of life and joy. It shows how the poet finds beauty not only in big things but also in small, everyday things in nature.

Stanza 2

“I love to see the shaking twig
Dance till the shut of eve
The sparrow on the cottage rig,
Whose chirp would make believe
That spring was just now flirting by
In summer’s lap with flowers to lie.”

Explanation: The poet enjoys watching the small twigs of trees shake in the wind until evening. A sparrow sits on the roof of the cottage, chirping happily, as if spring had returned. Its cheerful song makes it seem as though spring is playing with summer, and flowers are ready to bloom. The poet shows that even small things, like a twig moving in the breeze, can give joy. The sparrow’s chirping is full of hope and makes the dull autumn day feel like spring. The poet shows that when he says spring is “flirting by in summer’s lap,” he means the sparrow’s song reminds him of warm days filled with flowers.

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Stanza 3

“I love to see the cottage smoke
Curl upwards through the naked trees,
The pigeons nestled round the cote
On dull November days like these;
The cock upon the dung-hill crowing,
The mill sails on the heath a-going.”

Explanation: The poet loves to see the smoke rising softly from the cottages, going up through the bare trees that have no leaves. He also notices pigeons sitting close together near their cote, which is their home. These small sights make the village look calm and homely. On dull November days, the poet enjoys the sound of the cock crowing on the dung-hill and the sight of the mill sails turning slowly on the open heath. The poet shows that even on quiet and cloudy days, simple country scenes can still feel warm and beautiful.

Stanza 4

“The feather from the raven’s breast
Falls on the stubble lea,
The acorns near the old crow’s nest
Fall pattering down the tree;
The grunting pigs, that wait for all,
Scramble and hurry where they fall.”

Explanation: The poet shows how even the smallest things in nature can be interesting. A single black feather falling from a raven makes the quiet field look alive. The dropping acorns remind us that autumn is the season of plenty. The pigs rushing to eat them add movement, sound, and fun to the scene. In this picture, the poet shows that animals, birds, and even simple objects like feathers and acorns all add to the beauty and life of the countryside in autumn.

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5. Word meanings

 WordMeaning
1.Fitful gustA sudden, irregular blow of wind
2.ShakesMoves fast
3.CasementWindow
4.MossyCovered with soft green moss
5.TwirlingSpinning
6.Window paneThe flat glass part of a window
7.LaneA small, narrow road
8.TwigA very small thin branch of a tree
9.EveThe evening before a special day
10.Cottage rigSmall house
11.FlirtingPlayfully showing interest in someone
12.Naked treesTrees without leaves
13.NestledSettled or rested comfortably in a safe place
14.coteA small shelter for birds or animals
15.Dung-hillA heap of animal waste or rubbish
16.CrowingThe loud call made by a rooster
17.StubbleShort stalks of crops left after harvest
18.HeathWild land
19.AcornsNuts from an oak tree
20.PatteringLight tapping sound, like rain on a roof
21.GruntingA low, rough sound made by pigs
22.ScrambleClimb quickly
23.MillA building where grain is ground into flour

6. Exercise solutions

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Exercise – 1

Tick the correct answer from the given alternatives:

1. All through the day the fitful gust shake the:
(a) Window pane
(b) Curtains
(c) Casement
(d) Door

Ans: (c) Casement

2. The poet loves to see the shaking twig dance till the
(a) Coming of dawn
(b) End of night
(c) End of afternoon
(d) Shut of eve

Ans: (d) Shut of eve

3. The sparrow sat on the
(a) Cottage-rig
(b) House-top
(c) Mossy elm tree
(d) Casement

Ans: (a) Cottage-rig

4. The pigeons nestled round the
(a) Cage
(b) Cote
(c) Branch
(d) Heath

Ans: (b) Cote

5. The crock was crowing upon the
(a) Dunghill
(b) Lea
(c) Tree tops
(d) Mill-sails

Ans: (a) Dunghill

6. The grunting pigs
(a) Walk slowly
(b) Scamper by
(c) Scramble and hurry
(d) Dive and swim

Ans: (c) Scramble and hurry

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Exercise – 2

Answer the following questions within twenty-five words:

(i) What happens to the leaves of the mossy elm-tree in autumn?
Ans: In autumn, the leaves of the mossy elm-tree fall down, and the bare twigs keep shaking in the wind till evening.

(ii) What are the things the poet loves to see on November days?
Ans: The poet loves to see the shaking twigs, sparrows on the cottage, pigeons in the cote, the cock crowing, and pigs scrambling.

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7. Grammar in use:

Exercise – 3

State whether the following sentences are in Active or Passive voice:

(a)Anil will visit his grandmother’s house.
Ans: Active voice

(b) The president has left his office.
Ans: Active voice

(c) The project will have been finished by the students.
Ans: Passive voice

(d) Promita’s leave has been sanctioned by the school authority.
Ans: Passive voice

Exercise – 4

Change the voice of the following sentences:

(a)The boy has read out the letter.
Ans: The letter has been read out by the boy.

(b) I shall have bought a cricket bat by tomorrow.
Ans: A cricket bat will have been bought by me by tomorrow.

(c) Sohini’s friends had organized a picnic.
Ans: A picnic had been organized by Sohini’s friends.

(d) The football team will put up a brave fight.
Ans: A picnic had been organized by Sohini’s friends.

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Exercise – 5

Change the following sentences into indirect speech:

(a) I said to him, “Will you share your tiffin with me?”
Ans: I asked him if he would share his tiffin with me.

(b) Anjan’s mother said, “Your father has left for Mumbai.”
Ans: Anjan’s mother said that his father had left for Mumbai.

(c) The girls triumphantly said, “Hurrah! I have won the match.”
Ans: The girls exclaimed with joy that they had won the match.

(d) He says, “Let you be successful in life.”
Ans: He wishes that I may be successful in life.

(e) The captain informed, “The tournament was postponed last month.”
Ans: The captain informed that the tournament had been postponed the previous month.

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8. Composition

Exercise – 6

Use the following flow-chart to write paragraph within 100 words on how to make paper:

Cutting down of bamboos – making pulp – adding chemicals – rolling into sheets – adding colour – drying – ready for use

Paper making

Paper is made through several steps. First, bamboos are cut down and converted into pulp. Then, different chemicals are added to the pulp to make it stronger. The pulp is rolled into thin sheets which form the base of paper. Sometimes colour is added to make the paper attractive. Finally, the sheets are dried carefully. After drying, the paper becomes strong and smooth. In this way, paper is prepared and becomes ready for use in writing, printing, and many other purposes.

Exercise – 7

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Write a biography of Annie Besant within 100 words based on the hints given below:

Hints: born on 1st of October 1847 in London – famous British writer – Well known Socialist, activist for the rights of woman – Participate in Indian politics – Joined the Indian national congress – became the first woman president of the Indian National Congress in 1917 – passed away of 20th of September 1933 in Madras, India.

Annie Besant

Annie Besant was born on 1st October 1847 in London. She was a famous British writer and also a well-known Socialist. She worked actively for women’s rights and social justice. Later, she came to India and took part in Indian politics. Annie Besant joined the Indian National Congress and worked hard for India’s freedom struggle. In 1917, she created history by becoming the first woman President of the Indian National Congress. She continued her service to society until her death on 20th September 1933 in Madras, India.

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