Class 12 - Short Story (Capsule Study) 1. Atithi – Rabindranath Tagore Theme Conflict between freedom and social bonds Love for nature and wanderlust Resistance to domestic responsibility Individual desire vs. social expectations Transience of human relationships Plot (in brief) Tarapada is a young wanderer who loves freedom. He stays with a zamindar and grows close to the family. Charushashi, the zamindar’s daughter, becomes emotionally attached to him. A marriage is planned to settle Tarapada. On the wedding day, Tarapada leaves silently . He chooses freedom over domestic life . Characterization Tarapada Free-spirited and restless Deeply connected to nature Fears emotional and social confinement Symbol of individual freedom Charushashi Innocent, affectionate, and emotional Expresses love through jealousy and stubbornness Breaks Tarapada’s flute – symbolism of possessive love Represents domestic ...
Class 12 - ISC Poetry - Capsule Study 1. Telephone Conversation – Wole Soyinka Theme: Racial Discrimination Poem exposes racial bias in housing. Landlady reduces the speaker’s identity to skin colour . Speaker’s politeness and qualifications become irrelevant. Highlights institutional racism masked by polite society. Theme: Prejudice Landlady’s obsession with colour shows deep-rooted prejudice. Speaker is stereotyped without personal interaction. Prejudice appears casual and normalized, making it more dangerous. Significance of Silence (Three Places) Before revealing colour – silence reflects fear and anticipation. After “Are you dark or light?” – silence shows shock and disbelief. Before final response – silence becomes a weapon of satire. Silence exposes the moral emptiness of the listener. Satire and Irony Speaker uses exaggerated politeness and humour. Irony in treating ski...