My Father Travels By Dilip Chitre
Q.1 Give the central idea of the poem and comment on its mood?
Ans. The poem ‘My Father Travels’ has been written by the prolific Indian writer Dilip Chitre. This is a touching poem highlighting the ironies of modern civilization. The poet shows the face of the dehumanised Urban world in this poem. By mean of an old man, he throws light on the crumbling traditional value system and human relationships. In this poem, an old man, who represents the entire older generation, is thoroughly ignored on the part of his children. When he gets back home from his day’s work, he hopes to spend some good time with his children. He shows the eagerness to go back home and be with his family but all his hopes turn into despair every day. His children don’t find time to share with him. The old man finds himself alone in his own family. The poet says that we have separated our parents from the family and left them to live all alone. The poem calls for concern for the older generation on the part of the younger generation.
Q.2 Why does the poet refer to the father ‘thinking of nomads entering ………… narrow pass”?
Ans. In the poem ‘My father travels’ the poet Dilip Chitre depicts the image of an old man who is thoroughly ignored on the part of his children and family. The poet says that the old man works all day and goes back home by the late evening train. He is in a hurry to get back home because he hopes that his children will spend some time with him. But as usual, his hopes do not get fulfilled. He is treated very badly in his own Family. The poet refers to the father thinking of nomads entering a subcontinent through a narrow pass because the old man is hurt by the behaviour of his children in his own family. He thinks as if uncivilized people have entered the civilized world secretly. The poet refers to the attitude and approach of the younger generation which does not give the older generation due respect. They are left alone and forced to live with their loneliness in the last part of their lives.
Q.3 What light does the poem throw on the decline of social values?
Ans. ‘My father Travels’ is a touching poem by Dilip Chitre which highlights the ironies of modern civilization. The poem throws light on the decline of social values. The poet says that our traditional value system and culture is crumbling in modern civilization. The nuclear families have taken the place of joint families. Children don’t want to live with their parents. The old people, who sacrifice their joy and happiness for the future of their children do not get love and respect which they deserve. The human relationships which are losing its worth also add woes of the poet. In the poem, the father, who represents the entire older generation suffers at the hands of his children. He is left alone with his loneliness and no one in the family is ready to share time with him. The poem captures the predicament of this aged man in a dehumanized urban world. It is hurting to see the old people being ignored by their own children. The poem calls for concern for the older generation as well as the age-old values according to our cultural priorities.
Q.4 What does ‘yellow’ stand for in the line standing among ………. Light?
Ans. The poet has used many symbols to describe the pathetic condition of the older generation represented by an old man. He says that the old man is standing among silent commuters in the yellow light. The world ‘yellow’ stands for frightened people in a depressive mood. The old man is frightened because of the treatment which he gets in his family by his children. He has lost faith in relations.
The word expresses agony and fear of the old man.
Q.5 Why does the father hurry on?
Ans. The father who is going back home by the late evening train shows his eagerness to reach home. He hurries on after getting down the train. He crosses the railway line and enters the lane. He is in a hurry because he wants to spend some time with his family. He wants to be with his children sharing joy and sorrow of his life. He hopes that his children will give him time from their busy lives.
Q.6 Why does the father tremble at the sink?
Ans. The father is maltreated in his own family by his children. They are not ready to share their lives with the old man. He is alone in his own family. When he goes to the toilet to relax, he ponders about his separation from his own family. He finds the relations worthless for which he sacrificed all his life. This makes him so depressed that when he comes out, he trembles at the sink.
Q.7 Why does the poet call the children sullen?
Ans. The poet depicts the image of an old man in this poem who actually represents the older generation. The poet says that the old man lives a pathetic life because his children ignore him and he is left alone in his house. The poet calls such children sullen because they are disapproving and bad-tempered They have no feelings and sentiments their father. They don’t find time to share with him. The old man, being ignored reads a book and listens to the static on the radio, passes his time. The children are not ready to speak to him.
Q.8 What does the poet suggest through the line – A few droplets cling the greying pair on his wrists?
Ans. The old man is broken at heart because his children misbehave with him and do not spend time with him. He finds the relations worthless and trembles at the sink. The cold water runs over brown hands and a few droplets cling the greying hair on his wrist. The poet here suggests that the relations of the old man have scattered like the water droplets. The word cold is used to show that there is no warmth left in his relations. His life is in dismay in his own family with his own children.