How does the writer try to learn it? Mention any two ways. (Deep Water)

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Q. How does the writer try to learn it? Mention any two ways. (Deep Water)

CBSECBSE Class XII Board 2024Subjective· 1mImportance★★★★★

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Concept understanding — Literary Symbolism Analysis

Literary Symbolism Analysis: A First Look

Think of a time you saw a red traffic light and instantly knew to stop. The colour red itself isn't the command — it stands for the command. That's the seed of symbolism: one thing representing something else. In literature, authors do this deliberately, layering ordinary objects, characters, or events with extra meaning.

The Everyday Intuition

You already use symbols daily. A national flag isn't just cloth — it represents a country, its history, its people. A wedding ring isn't just metal — it stands for commitment and love. Literature works the same way, but the author chooses what to make symbolic and what that symbol means within the story.

For example, in a story, a storm might not just be weather. It could represent conflict, emotional turmoil, or an impending change. The author isn't telling you directly — they're showing you through the symbol.

What the NCERT Textbook Says

The NCERT English curriculum (Class XI and XII, particularly in Hornbill and Vistas) treats symbolism as a literary device where an object, person, or situation has a deeper meaning beyond its literal sense. The textbook emphasises that symbols are not random — they are woven into the narrative to reinforce themes, character development, or the author's message.

Note

NCERT distinguishes between conventional symbols (widely recognised, like a dove for peace) and contextual symbols (meaning specific to that story, like the 'old man' in The Old Man and the Sea representing endurance). Most exam questions test your ability to identify and explain contextual symbols.

How to Analyse a Symbol

When you encounter a potential symbol in a text, ask yourself three questions:

What is it literally? (e.g., a river, a bird, a colour)
What does it do in the story? (e.g., it separates two characters, it appears at a key moment)
What idea or feeling does it connect to? (e.g., freedom, danger, memory)

The answer to the third question is the symbolic meaning. But here's the key: a symbol can have more than one meaning, and its meaning can shift as the story progresses.

Why It Matters for Exams

In your prose exam, you won't be asked to "find all symbols." Instead, you'll be given a passage or asked about a character/event, and you need to recognise when something is being used symbolically. For instance:

In The Last Lesson by Alphonse Daudet, the school itself is a symbol of French culture and identity being taken away.
In The Rattrap by Selma Lagerlöf, the rattrap is a symbol of the world's temptations and traps.

Important

Never force a symbol where none exists. Not every object is symbolic. The author must give it repeated emphasis or place it at a crucial moment for it to qualify. If you invent a symbol, you lose marks. Stick to what the text supports.

A Simple Framework for Your Answer

When writing an answer on symbolism, follow this structure:

Identify the symbol clearly (name the object/event).
State its literal role in the story.
Explain its deeper meaning, linking it to the theme.
Provide one specific example from the text that proves your point.

Example (from The Last Lesson): …

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The writer first tried to learn swimming by himself at the YMCA pool, mimicking others, but this failed due to his deep-seated fear. He then hired an instructor who taught him systematically, step-by-step, over several months.

The writer, William Douglas, developed a profound aversion to water after two terrifying experiences: first, being knocked down by waves at a California beach when he was three or four, and later, being thrown into the deep end of the YMCA pool by an older boy. This fear, which he calls his "handicap," haunted him for years, preventing him from enjoying water sports. He was determined to overcome it because he loved the water and wanted to reclaim the joy of fishing, canoeing, and swimming. His attempts to learn were driven by this strong desire to conquer his fear and participate fully in life.

Here are two ways the writer tried to learn swimming:

Attempting to learn by himself at the YMCA pool:

Initially, Douglas decided to learn to swim at the YMCA pool in Yakima. He chose this pool because it was safer than the Yakima River, being only two or three feet deep at the shallow end and nine feet at the deep end. He would go to the pool, watch other boys, and try to imitate them. He would paddle with his new water wings, trying to get accustomed to the water. He would put his face under water, exhale, and inhale when he came up. This self-taught method was an attempt to gradually build confidence and overcome his fear through exposure and imitation. However, this approach was abruptly halted and his fear intensified when an older boy threw him into the deep end, leading to a near-drowning experience. This incident solidified his terror of water, making self-learning impossible.
Hiring an instructor for systematic training:

After the terrifying incident at the YMCA pool, Douglas's fear of water became overwhelming, preventing him from enjoying any water-related activities. He realised he needed professional help. In October, he hired an instructor. The instructor adopted a systematic and gradual approach to teach Douglas how to swim. …

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Same / Similar Concept — real previous-year questions on the same or a closely similar concept, not this exact question.

CBSE 2026Set 1/1/11 markMCQ
$Q. What does the phrase 'Cheese rinds' from the extract showcase? (A) temptation (B) affirmation (C) gluttony (D) deprivation (The Rattrap)$
›Reveal solutionSolution

The phrase 'cheese rinds' in The Rattrap showcases deprivation, highlighting the extreme poverty and hunger of the peddler who is forced to eat discarded scraps.

In Selma Lagerlöf's story The Rattrap, the peddler is introduced as a man who has fallen to the very bottom of society. He goes from door to door, selling rattraps, but his real struggle is for survival. The text tells us he is "hungry" and "penniless," and that his clothes are in rags. When the crofter offers him shelter and food, the peddler's reaction is telling — he does not simply accept a meal; he devours it. The author specifically mentions that he eats the "cheese rinds" that the old man sets before him.

Cheese rinds are the hard, outer edges of a block of cheese — the part that is often thrown away or given to animals. For a person to eat them eagerly, it means they are in a state of such acute hunger that even the most meagre, discarded scraps are a feast. This detail is not about temptation (the peddler is not tempted by luxury) or gluttony (he does not overeat out of greed). It is not even about affirmation (he is not seeking validation). It is a stark, physical sign of his deprivation.

Note

The crofter himself is a poor man, living alone in a cottage. The fact that he offers cheese rinds — not a full slice of cheese — shows that even his hospitality is limited by his own modest means. The peddler's acceptance of this humble food underscores how low his circumstances have sunk. …

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CBSE 2024Set 1/3/11 mark
$Q. How does the writer try to learn it? Mention any two ways. (Deep Water)$
›Reveal solutionSolution
The writer first tried to learn swimming by himself at the YMCA pool, mimicking others, but this failed due to his deep-seated fear. He then hired an instructor who taught him systematically, step-by-step, over several months.

The writer, William Douglas, developed a profound aversion to water after two terrifying experiences: first, being knocked down by waves at a California beach when he was three or four, and later, being thrown into the deep end of the YMCA pool by an older boy. This fear, which he calls his "handicap," haunted him for years, preventing him from enjoying water sports. He was determined to overcome it because he loved the water and wanted to reclaim the joy of fishing, canoeing, and swimming. His attempts to learn were driven by this strong desire to conquer his fear and participate fully in life.

Here are two ways the writer tried to learn swimming:

Attempting to learn by himself at the YMCA pool:

Initially, Douglas decided to learn to swim at the YMCA pool in Yakima. He chose this pool because it was safer than the Yakima River, being only two or three feet deep at the shallow end and nine feet at the deep end. He would go to the pool, watch other boys, and try to imitate them. He would paddle with his new water wings, trying to get accustomed to the water. He would put his face under water, exhale, and inhale when he came up. This self-taught method was an attempt to gradually build confidence and overcome his fear through exposure and imitation. However, this approach was abruptly halted and his fear intensified when an older boy threw him into the deep end, leading to a near-drowning experience. This incident solidified his terror of water, making self-learning impossible.

Hiring an instructor for systematic training:

After the terrifying incident at the YMCA pool, Douglas's fear of water became overwhelming, preventing him from enjoying any water-related activities. He realised he needed professional help. In October, he hired an instructor. The instructor adopted a systematic and gradual approach to teach Douglas how to swim. …
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Q.How does the writer try to learn it? Mention any two ways. (Deep Water)

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