Chapter 5 – The School Boy

Content Structure

1. About the author – (William Blake)
2. Theme of the poem
3. Summary of the poem
4. Stanza wise explanation
- Stanza 1
- Stanza 2
- Stanza 3
- Stanza 4
- Stanza 5
- Stanza 6
5. Word meanings
6. passage based questions & answers
7. Exercise questions & answers
- Working with the poem
8. Additional questions & answers
- Multiple choice questions & answers (MCQs)
- Fill in the blanks
- True or false
- Match the following
- Short-type questions & answers
- Long-type questions & answers

1. About the author – (William Blake)

William Blake was born in 1757. He is known as an English poet, artist, and printmaker. He believed in the power of thoughts. His books inspired many people. He showed beautiful pictures in his books by carving them on metal. He wrote about nature, deep thoughts, life, and other things in the world. His books and songs reflect two types of thoughts one about childhood happiness and the other about the struggles of life. His famous works include The Tyger, The Lamb, and The Chimney Sweeper. He died in 1827.

2. Theme of the poem

Firstly, the poem highlights the mental state of children when they go to school after summer vacation.
Secondly, the poem shows that both children and birds do not experience freedom.
Thirdly, the poem teaches parents that children are like flowers; if they feel sad, they will not enjoy life and will not grow properly.

3. Summary of the poem

William Blake, in his poem “The School Boy,” shows the child’s mental health and the reason for the child’s sadness. In the poem, the author describes a young child feeling refreshed on a beautiful summer morning, where birds were singing, and the air was full of happiness. The child felt free. However, after some time, when the parents forced the child to go to school, he became very sad because he did not like his strict teacher, who made him study boring lessons for long hours. He compared himself to a caged bird, unable to enjoy the freedom he once had as a young boy.

The author tells strict parents that children are like flowers. If they do not receive love, joy, and freedom, they cannot grow happily. Therefore, the author encourages strict parents to recognize the importance of happiness, freedom, and the overall well-being of children.

4. Stanza wise explanation

Stanza 1

I love to rise in a summer morn,
When the birds sing on every tree;
The distant huntsman winds his horn,
And the skylark sings with me.
O! what sweet company.

Explanation:
In the poem, the narrator talks about a beautiful summer morning and how a boy feels happy and excited to start the day. He loves hearing the birds sing in the trees, a hunter blowing his horn from far away, and the sweet songs of the skylark. These sounds make him feel like he has good friends around him. He enjoys nature and the quiet, peaceful morning but he does not like going to school because he wants to enjoy nature rather than going to school.

Stanza 2

But to go to school in a summer morn,
O! it drives all joy away;
Under a cruel eye outworn,
The little ones spend the day,
In sighing and dismay.

Explanation:
The boy doesn’t like going to school on summer mornings because his teacher is very strict and teaches for long hours. He feels unhappy and bored at school because there are many rules to follow and no time to play. The boy describes the teacher’s eyes as ‘outworn,’ meaning tired or stern, which makes him feel uncomfortable. He is sad and frustrated because school takes away the joy of summer, and he feels forced to follow all strict rules.

Stanza 3

Ah! then at times I drooping sit,
And spend many an anxious hour.
Nor in my book can I take delight,
Nor sit in learning’s bower,
Worn thro’ with the dreary shower.

Explanation:
The narrator feels very sad and bored in school so he sits in class without happiness. He cannot find any joy in his book and wishes that learning could take place in a beautiful garden where students could learn about nature in an exciting and joyful way. He thinks studying outside would make learning more enjoyable. The boy feels trapped in the dull classroom and longs to escape to enjoy the beauty of summer.

Stanza 4

How can the bird that is born for joy,
Sit in a cage and sing.
How can a child when fears annoy,
But droop his tender wing,
And forget his youthful spring.

Explanation:
The narrator asks an important question: How can a bird, born to be happy and free, sing while being trapped in a cage? He compares himself to the caged bird, feeling that school takes away his joy. He also wonders how a child can be happy when he is afraid of his strict teacher and parents. The boy desires freedom, just like a bird that spreads its wings and flies freely in the sky.

Stanza 5

O! Father and Mother, if buds are nip’d,
And blossoms blown away,
And if the tender plants are strip’d
Of their joy in the springing day,
By sorrow and cares dismay,

Explanation:
The boy feels frustrated by the strict rules at school, so he complains to his parents. The author compares the boy to a bud that could grow into a flower. If young branches were broken, they would never grow properly. Similarly, if a child is always sad and unhappy, they won’t grow up with joy. Just as a plant needs care to bloom, a child needs freedom and happiness to grow.

Stanza 6

How shall the summer arise in joy,
Or the summer fruits appear?

Explanation:
In the poem The School Boy, the narrator shares the thoughts of a young boy. He wonders how summer can be joyful if flower buds are cut off, flowers are discarded, and stems are broken. Similarly, how can children be happy if they are forced to go to school, and their fun and freedom are taken away by parents and teachers? Just as trees need care to grow, children need happiness and freedom to truly enjoy life.

5. Word meanings

Word	Meaning
Nipped	stop at an early stage of development
Stripped	Taken away
Plants stripped of joy	If happiness is taken away from plants
Skylark	A small bird that sings when it is flying high in the sky.
Sighing	Breathing out sadly
Dismay	Feeling upset
Anxious	Worried
Dreary	Sad
Annoy	Make someone unhappy
Tender wing	Showing gentleness
Springing	Growing up quickly

6. passage based questions & answers

Read the passage carefully and answer the questions given below.
I love to rise in a summer morn,
When the birds sing on every tree;
The distant huntsman winds his horn,
And the skylark sings with me.
O! what sweet company.

1. Which bird sings with the boy?
(a) Parrot
(b) Crow
(c) Skylark
(d) Eagle

Ans: (c) Skylark

2. When does the boy love to wake up?
(a) Winter morning
(b) Summer morning
(c) Rainy night
(d) Cold evening

Ans: (b) Summer morning

3. What do the birds do in the trees?
(a) Sing
(b) Fly away
(c) Sleep
(d) Hide

Ans: (a) Sing

4. Why was the narrator happy in the morning?
Ans: The narrator was happy in the morning because he enjoyed the sounds of birds chirping, the distant horn of a huntsman, and the skylark singing along with him.

Read the passage carefully and answer the questions given below.
But to go to school in a summer morn,
O! it drives all joy away;
Under a cruel eye outworn,
The little ones spend the day,
In sighing and dismay.

1. How does the boy feel about going to school?
(a) Excited
(b) Happy
(c) Sad and unhappy
(d) Surprised

Ans: (c) Sad and unhappy

2. What kind of eye watches over the children?
(a) Kind and loving
(b) Cruel and strict
(c) Sleepy and tired
(d) Happy and friendly

Ans: (b) Cruel and strict

3. Why was the boy sad?
Ans: The boy was sad because he did not like going to school because his teacher was very strict and the lesson was too long and boring.

Read the passage carefully and answer the questions given below.
Ah! then at times I drooping sit,
And spend many an anxious hour.
Nor in my book can I take delight,
Nor sit in learning’s bower,
Worn thro’ with the dreary shower.

1. What does “drooping sit” mean?
(a) Sitting with excitement
(b) Playing with friends
(c) Sitting and laughing
(d) Sitting sadly and tired

Ans: (b) Sitting sadly and tired

2. How does the boy feel while sitting in class?
(a) Happy and excited
(b) Curious and eager
(c) Tired and sad
(d) Energetic and playful

Ans: (c) Tired and sad

3. What does the boy not enjoy?
(a) Playing outside
(b) Goes to school
(c) Singing songs
(d) Reading his book

Ans: (d) Reading his book

4. Why did the boy feel bored in the school?
Ans: The boy felt bored in the school because he did not like his strict teacher’s rules and the long, boring lessons.

Read the passage carefully and answer the questions given below.
How can the bird that is born for joy,
Sit in a cage and sing.
How can a child when fears annoy,
But droop his tender wing,
And forget his youthful spring.

1. What does the bird in the poem represent?
(a) A teacher
(b) A child
(c) A strict parent
(d) A school

Ans: (b) A child

2. What is the bird supposed to do?
(a) Fly freely
(b) Stay in a cage
(c) Sleep all day
(d) Play with other birds

Ans: (a) Fly freely

3. What does “troop tender wing” mean?
Ans: The troop tender wing means feeling weak and sad.

4. Why does the child forget the joy of his childhood?
Ans: The child forgets the joy of his childhood because he is always scared and unhappy due to the strict rules and no freedom at school.

Read the passage carefully and answer the questions given below.
O! Father and Mother, if buds are nip’d,
And blossoms blown away,
And if the tender plants are strip’d
Of their joy in the springing day,
By sorrow and cares dismay,

1. What are the tender plants compared to?
(a) Happy children
(b) Birds
(c) Trees
(d) Flowers

Ans: (a) Happy children

2. What happens if buds are nipped?
(a) They grow bigger
(b) They cannot bloom
(c) They turn into trees
(d) They change colour

Ans: (b) They cannot bloom

3. What takes away joy from the plants?
(a) Rain
(b) Sunlight
(c) Sorrow and worries
(d) Fresh air

Ans: (c) Sorrow and worries

4. Why was the boy complaining about her parents?
Ans: The boy complained to his parents because they were forcing him to go to school and follow strict rules, which took away his freedom.

Read the passage carefully and answer the questions given below.
How shall the summer arise in joy,
Or the summer fruits appear?

1. What is needed for summer to be joyful?
(a) Sunlight
(b) Happiness and freedom
(c) Cold weather
(d) More school days

Ans: (b) Happiness and freedom

2. What does the poet compare children to?
(a) Birds and flowers
(b) Books and pencils
(c) Teachers and schools
(d) Clouds and rain

Ans: (a) Birds and flowers

3. What does the narrator want?
Ans: The narrator wants freedom and happiness from his parents.

7. Exercise questions & answers

Working with the poem

1. Find three or four words/phrases in stanza 1 that reflect the child’s happiness and joy.
Ans: Words that show happiness in stanza 1

“I love to rise in a summer morn” (Shows excitement for the summer morning)
“The birds sing on every tree” (Shows happy sounds of nature)
“The skylark sings with me” (Shows feeling happiness like the bird)
“O! what sweet company.” (Shows enjoying the summer beautiful morning)

2. In stanza 2, the mood changes. Which words/phrases reflect the changed mood?
Ans: Words that show sadness in stanza 2

“It drives all joy away” (Shows losing happiness)
“Under a cruel eye outworn” (Shows feeling unhappy)
“The little ones spend the day, in sighing and dismay” (Shows children feeling tired )

3. ‘A cruel eye outworn’ (stanza 2) refers to
(i) the classroom which is shabby/noisy.
(ii) the lessons which are difficult/uninteresting.
(iii) the dull/uninspiring life at school with lots of work and no play.
Mark the answer that you consider right.
Ans:
(iii) the dull/uninspiring life at school with lots of work and no play.

4. ‘Nor sit in learning’s bower
worn thro’ with the dreary shower’
Which of the following is a close paraphrase of the lines above?
(i) Nor can I sit in a roofless classroom when it is raining.
(ii) Nor can I learn anything at school, though teachers go on lecturing and explaining.
(iii) Nor can I sit in the school garden for fear of getting wet in the rain.
Ans:
(ii) Nor can I learn anything at school though teachers go on lecturing and explaining.

Comparison of The School Boy and The One Furrow

Point of Comparison	The School Boy	The One Furrow
Main idea	In the poem, the boy loves nature but does not love going to school.	In the poem, the farmer works hard on the land with patience and care.
Nature role	The boy loves nature and wants to enjoy it.	The farmers work on the land depending on nature.
Feelings in the Poem	The boy feels sad because he loses her freedom.	The farmers work with calm and patience because they accept her work.
Lesson from the Poem	Learning should be fun, and children should not lose their joy.	Hard work and patience were help people to live a good life

8. Additional questions & answers

Multiple choice questions & answers (MCQs)

1. What do the children love from summer mornings?
(a) Sleeping late
(b) Birds singing and fresh air
(c) Doing homework
(d) Going to school

Ans: (b) Birds singing and fresh air

2. What does “a cruel eye outworn” mean?
(a) A strict and tired teacher
(b) A kind teacher
(c) A bright morning
(d) A fun class

Ans: (a) A strict and tired teacher

3. What does the huntsman do?
(a) Claps
(b) Rings a bell
(c) Sings
(d) Blows a horn

Ans: (d) Blows a horn

4. What does “learning’s bower” mean?
(a) A garden
(b) A learning place
(c) A fun place
(d) A bird’s nest

Ans: (b) A learning place

5. How do children feel at school?
(a) Happy
(b) Excited
(c) Tired and sad
(d) Free

Ans: (c) Tired and sad

6. What is the child compared to?
(a) A caged bird
(b) A tree
(c) A lion
(d) A horse

Ans: (a) A caged bird

7. What happens if a bud is “nipped”?
(a) It grows
(b) It turns into a bird
(c) It changes color
(d) It stops growing

Ans: (d) It stops growing

8. What does the author request parents to do?
(a) Give more homework
(b) Make children happy
(c) Send kids to school early
(d) Teach hunting

Ans: (b) Make children happy

9. What happens when a child has fears?
(a) Feels strong
(b) Sings more
(c) Feels weak
(d) Plays more

Ans: (c) Feels weak

10. What is the poem’s message?
(a) School is fun
(b) Kids need happiness to grow
(c) Birds shouldn’t sing
(d) Summer is boring

Ans: (b) Kids need happiness to grow

Fill in the blanks

1. The ___________ sings with the child in the morn. (Skylark)
2. The children spend the day in sighing and _______. (Dismay)
4. The poem says that if buds are _______, they cannot grow. (Nipped)
6. The child cannot take delight in __________. (Studies)
7. If blossoms are ______, their beauty is lost. (Blown away)

True or false

1. The poet wants children to have happiness and freedom. (True)

2. The huntsman blows his bow in the morning. (False)

3. The children spend the school day weak and tired. (True)

4. The child feels happy when fears annoy him. (False)

5. The author told children it was a butterfly. (False)

Match the following

Column A	Column B
(i) Dreary	a) Unkind
(ii) Cruel	b) A peaceful and shady place.
(iii) Tender	c) Unopened flowers
(iv) Buds	d) Soft and gentle
(v) Bower	e) Sad

Ans:

Column A	Column B
(i) Dreary	a) Unkind
(ii) Cruel	e) Sad
(iii) Tender	d) Soft and gentle
(iv) Buds	c) Unopened flowers
(v) Bower	b) A peaceful and shady place.

Short-type questions & answers

1. How was the summer day described in the poem?
Ans: The author describes a beautiful summer morning that brings happiness and joy to children. In the morning, birds sing in every tree, a hunter blows his horn in the distance, and everything looks fresh and bright.

2. Why did the children feel sad?
Ans: The children feel sad because on a beautiful summer day they have to go to school.

3. Why was the child compared to caged birds?
Ans: The child compared himself to a caged bird because the bird did not enjoy its freedom and happiness just like the young boy who had to learn with a strict teacher for long hours.

4. Why did the children feel sad in his school?
Ans: The children feel sad in school because of a strict and tired teacher who teaches boring lessons for a long time.

5. Why did the author say parents and teachers were strict?
Ans: The author said parents and teachers were strict because they always focused on the child’s learning and never thought about her happiness or the need for free play.

Long-type questions & answers

1. What was the reason for stopping children’s development?
Ans: William Blake, in his poem, describes the child as a beautiful flower. The author teaches parents not to force children because if a child feels sad, they will not develop properly. As an example, the author compares the child to a caged bird. The child is taught for long hours by a strict teacher at school, with no time for play or other activities. This makes the child feel sad and trapped, just like a caged bird, because the child and the bird both cannot live freely. For this reason, children do not develop in the right way. The author encourages parents to think about their children’s happiness because they need love and freedom to grow properly.