-Liam O' Flaherty
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Summary:
"His First Flight" is a story by Liam O' Flaherty revolving around a bird's fear for flying.The author narrates this story that how a little bird's dilemma of flying.
The young seagull was the lone occupant of the ledge.His siblings had already flown away the day before and he had been afraid to fly with them.The vast expanse of the sea had made all the fear in him go live.He could n't muster up the courage to take that step.It appeared to him as a desperate plunge.
The seagull's parents called him and upbraided him for his cowardice and even threatened him to leave him on the ledge alone.In fact,there came a time when his older brother caught a fish and the whole family cheered for him.
Slowly,the Sun was ascending the horizon and he saw his family.He saw that his siblings were dozing off,his father preening his wings and his mother toring the small scraps of fish.The sight of the food excited him.He started making noises to bring him some food.
Her mother picked up a piece of fish in her beak and started flying towards the seagull.He was becoming more eager every moment for getting the food.But,his mother actually played a trick on him.
Just when she was very near to the ledge,she stopped and her wings completely motionless.He waited for a moment but the food maddened him and he dived for it.However,he remembered his fear for flying again and let out8 a loud scream.The next moment his wings flew open and he could feel his wings cutting the air.
His entire family cheered around him and he was flying all around.He was flying over the green sea now and his family had already landed on that expanse of sea.
He has successfully made his first flight.The story gives us an important life lesson.There are many things which could be beneficial for us but we don't go for it fearing the consequences.But, actually turning our faces away from the prevailing situation can damage us more.
Difficult Words:
1)Ledge:A narrow horizontal surface projecting from a wall, cliff, or other surface.
2)Brink:The extreme edge of land before a steep slope or a body or water.
3)Plunge:Jump or dive quickly and energetically.
4)Skim:To move quickly just above a surface without touching it.
5)Herring:A fairly small silvery fish which is most abundant in coastal waters.
6)Cackle:Laugh in a loud, harsh way.
7)Cliff:A steep rock face, especially at the edge of the sea.
8)Preening:(of a bird)Tidy and clean its feathers with its beak.
9)Hump:A rounded raised mass of earth or land.
10)Derisively:In a manner expressing contempt or ridicule.
11)Headlong:With the head foremost.
12)Curveting:Leap gracefully or energetically.
13)Shrieking:High-pitched piercing cries or sounds.
14)Cawed:To utter a caw.
15)Dog-fish:a small sand-coloured bottom- dwelling shark with a long tail, common on European coasts.
About Author:
Liam O’Flaherty, (born August 28, 1896, Inishmore, Aran Islands, County Galway, Ireland—died September 7, 1984, Dublin), Irish novelist and short-story writer whose works combine brutal naturalism, psychological analysis, poetry, and biting satire with an abiding respect for the courage and persistence of the Irish people. He was considered to be a leading figure of the Irish Renaissance.
NCERT Questions:
A)Thinking about the Text.
1)The young seagull was afraid to fly because he couldn't muster up courage to take the flight.He thought his wings were weak and the vast expanse of sea was also adding to his fears.
•There is always some amount of fear and hesitation in doing a work in doing a work or an action for a first time.Some people are timid and learn slowly whereas others are fast in learning things.
•I think it is equally challenging for a human baby to take his first step.He always has this apprehension in mind that he might fall.
2)"The sight of the maddened him" suggests how hungry the bird was.For almost 2 days,he had n't anything and this was completely messing him up both mentally and physically.When his sight fell on the scrap of fish in his mother's beak,he was very excited and started making bird noises.
We think that this was a temptation which made take the dive.
3)The seagull's parents were quite concerned for him.They were doing them everything from upbraiding to cajoling him to make him fly.It was an instinctive avian trait to fly and he will not be able to do so,a lot of problems would arise for him.As he was a bird,all his movements would be governed by the fact that if he would be able to fly or not.
4)This story presents us with a very important message which can prove to be game-changer for you.There are many moments in our lives when fear overpowers us.But,we must remain resilient during those times. We need to move forward and must not let fear take the steering wheel of our life. One needs to gain confidence and overcome fear in order to succeed in one' efforts if he has no wrongdoings.
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Disclaimer:
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