The Ball Poem/ John Berryman

                                                Poem 5/ The Ball Poem/ John Berryman 

                                                                       SUMMARY:

 Once a boy was playing with his ball. It was bouncing in the street up and down. The boy was happily enjoying the game. While bouncing, suddenly it fell into the water and was lost. Without the ball, the boy became full of grief. The poet said and that there were other balls. He could purchase another since it was not a great loss. There was no need to worry. But, the boy had that ball for a long time so he was deeply grieved due to his attachment with it. It was linked to his memories. The poet thinks that it is of no use to purchase another ball. He must feel his responsibility of the loss. 

Q1. Read the stanza given below and answer the questions that follow: 

Money is external. He is learning, well behind his desperate eyes, 

The epistemology of loss, how to stand up  

Knowing what every man must one day know 

And most know many days, how to stand up. 

(a) Who is He here? 

(b) What is the boy learning?

 (c) What does the word epistemology mean? 

(d) What does one learn in life? 

Ans :

(a) A small child. 

(b) He is learning worldly things. 

(c) The study of the nature of knowledge itself. 

(d) One should learn how to stand up in life. 

Q2. Read the stanza given below and answer the questions that follow:

 I would not intrude on him; 

A dime, another ball, is worthless. 

He senses first responsibility 

In a world of possessions.

(a) Pick out the word from the stanza that means the same as encroach upon. 

(b) What does the poet mean by first responsibility?

 (c) What does I want to teach the boy? 

(d) Why does the poet not want to intrude on the boy? 

Ans : 

(a) intrude

(b) To look after his things properly 

(c) To be able to bear the loss of things

 (d) The poet does not want to intrude on the boy because he wants him to learn his responsibility. 

Q3. ‘He senses first responsibility? What responsibility is referred to here? 

The poet thinks that it is of no use to purchase another ball. The child must feel his responsibility of taking care of his things and learn to cope up with the loss.  

Q4 What is the deep meaning hidden in the poem “The Ball Poem?  

Ans. The deep meaning of the poem is that our childhood quickly flies as here a ball is lost. Also we grow up unsuspectedly and face hardships like loss.  

Q5. What is the boy’s state of mind at the loss of his ball? 

 Ans. The boy is very disturbed at the loss of his ball. He keeps staring at the ball with his desperate eyes. 

Note: Also Revise Question-Answers Given in the English Notebook. 

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