Chapter
- 6
On Reading in
Relation to Literature Lafcadio Hearn
Short Question Answers
Q 1. Who are able to read very well even before reaching the
age of twenty-five year?
ANS- Some rare people, through a kind of inherited literary instinct, can read very well even before
reaching the age of twenty-five years because they have an addiction of
reading.
Q 2. How much is retained in the mind of a reader who reads
only for amusement?
ANS- One or two unclear thoughts remain in the mind of a
reader who only reads for fun.
Q 3. Why are most of the persons unable to express their
original opinion about a book?
ANS- Most people keep turning the pages up for hours of the
book so that their time passes. That’s why most of the persons unable to
express their original opinion about a book.
Q 4. What does the author mean by hard reading?
ANS- By hard reading the author means a detailed study i.e. to read very thoroughly, studying all the meanings and bearing of the text, slowly and thinking about it.
Q 5. Explain how, according to Lafcadio Hearn, amusement and
study are two different things.
ANS- According to Lafcadio Hearn, entertainment and study
are two different things. After classroom studying a story or poem, just to while away time is
entertainment. But on the other hand knowing the meaning of each word, a detailed study, as we do in case of Science or Philosophy, in a scientific manner, is called
actual study.
Q 6. What are the chief characteristics of a science book?
ANS- Some characteristics of a scientific book are
following-
- It
is necessary to read carefully.
- There
is a good amount of valuable information in it.
- Its
composition is based on the best theory of science.
Q 7. What is the author opinion about a half educated
person?
ANS- The author’s opinion about half-educated people is that they can’t understand the qualities of great literature. They read only for fun.
Q 8. What is the result of the habit of discipline formed in
a person?
ANS- The result of a person’s discipline is that he will find it difficult to read for mere amusement. He will throw away the book from which he cannot obtain any intellectual food, any book which does not make an appeal to his higher emotions and intellect.
Q 9. What do we find when we re-read a book?
ANS- When we read a book, again and again, we get new
meanings new beauty every time. As age increases, the pleasure from such a book increases.
Q 10. Why has reading for amusement been compared with
narcotic?
ANS- Reading a book for entertainment is compared with drugs
because both of these help only pass the time. They keep up a perpetual condition of dreaming, something that eventually results in destroying all capacity for thought, giving exercise only to the surface parts of mind and leaving the deeper springs of feeling and higher faculties of perception unemployed.
Long Question Answers
Q 11. How does a great critic differ from a common person?
ANS-Great critics differ from a common person because he
does not read-only for entertainment or to spend time. When he reads the book,
his attention is on the book. He reads carefully. A good critic finds new
hidden meanings every time. After reading a book, he is able to express an
original opinion. A normal reader takes a superficial interest in the book. He
is unable to express an original opinion about the book that he has read and even if he expresses an opinion, that is generally a repetition of what he has read somewhere or heard somebody say.
Q 12. “A good book of fiction or romance or poetry is
scientific work” Explain.
ANS- All books worth reading should be read carefully as a scientific book. A good book is read for knowledge, not for amusement. A book of literature i.e.
of fiction romance or poetry has the same value as a scientific book has though the value may be of a different kind. Literature is also composed on the rule of different sciences, particularly the
science of life or the knowledge of human nature. Thus a good book if fiction,
romance, or poetry is a scientific book.
Q 13. How is the greatness of a book determined?
ANS – A great book gives us mental food. We want to read it
again and again. When we read it then we find new meanings and new beauties every time. It withstands the test of time. As age
increases, the pleasure from such a book increases. A great book grows exactly
in proportion to the reader’s mind. It delights the reader more and more, again
and again.
Q 14. Mention the qualities of a good book.
ANS – A good book has lots of qualities. A good book always contains good knowledge. Readers want to read it again and again.. A good book has the same value as a scientific book has. It is created on the best principles of
science. It gives mental food. It survives the test of time. It
enhances the understanding of the reader with the passage of time.
Q 15. What should guide us in the choice of our readings?
ANS- We should only read the book which we want to read more
often. We should only read valuable books. We should read books that give us
new meaning on reading it again and again. We should read books that grow with
the readers’ minds. We should buy the book only when we want to read it. The book should contain some intellectual food.
Q 16. What does the author mean by “A great book grows
exactly in proportion to the growth of the reader’s mind?”
ANS – The author means by “A great book grows exactly in
proportion to the growth of the reader’s mind is,- With age grows the experience and understanding of a person; his outlook broadens which enables him to see which he was unable to notice earlier in his life. The good book is never
old and does not die. It offers new meaning every time it is read. It gives the
reader pleasure every time. Along with age the enjoyment of the book also
increases. Any reader can enjoy only according to his capacity. When his
understanding increases, happiness also increases.
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