NCERT Solutions for Class 12 English (Kaleidoscope) Non Fiction 4 Why the Novel Matters

NCERT
SOLUTIONS
CLASS - 12th

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Book : Kaliedoscope - Non Fiction Ncert Solutions | Chapter - 4 English - Non Fiction

Class : 12th

Subject : English

Chapter : 4

Chapter Name : Why the Novel Matters

Q1 How does a novel reflect the wholeness of a human being?

Answer. A novel, like most other literary genres, consists of characters. The characters are the
manifestations of real human beings on paper. The liveliness of the novel depends entirely upon
its characters. There are several personality traits of the characters that the novel displays. It
does not build up flat characters. Instead, it gives an insight into every deed of the character
whether good or flawed and leaves it upto the interpretation of the readers. Thus, this is how the
novel reflects the wholeness of the human being.

Page : 172 , Block Name : Understanding the Text

Q2 Why does the author consider the novel superior to philosophy, science or even poetry?

Answer. The author considers the novel to be a superior genre among books. He believes that
not all books possess the liveliness that a novel has. A novel induces a kind of liveliness in the
readers which makes the entire man-alive tremble. In other words, it induces life in the readers
which the other types of books like poetry, philosophy or science fail to do. Thus it is considered
superior by the author.

Page : 172 , Block Name : Understanding the Text

Q3 What does the author mean by ‘tremulations on ether’ and ‘the novel as a tremulation’?

Answer. When the author says the novel is a ‘tremulations on the ether’ he means that it
induces a kind of life in the readers which the other books are not capable of doing. Reading the
other type of books is very similar to reading messages or hearing news being read over the
radio. One can hear them and at the most feel sorry for them. However, one can never identify
with them on a personal level. However, the novel provides a multidimensional view of the

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Book : Kaliedoscope - Non Fiction Ncert Solutions | Chapter - 4 English - Non Fiction

characters and the readers can relate with them on a personal level. A novel gives the readers a
crucial insight into valuable life lessons that the individual can then induce in their lives and
mould their decisions. Thus, the novel is a life inducing agent of the writer’s thought processes
which have considerable effects on the readers.

Page : 172 , Block Name : Understanding the Text

Q4 What are the arguments presented in the essay against the denial of the body by spiritual
thinkers?

Answer. Lawrence does not believe that a body is a mere vessel for containing the soul and that
the soul is the only alive entity. He provides the example of a hand. A hand writes the words. It
has a life of its own. It hops from word to word like a grasshopper and knows the universe
through the sensory route of touch. It numbs and slows down if the author writes for too long
and it is just as much active and alive as the mind which dictates the words to be written.
Hence, denying the hand to be a lifeless object only to be used as a medium of writing is
completely incorrect according to the author. Similarly, a parson talks about the importance of
souls in heaven. How- ever, being a novelist, Lawrence says that ‘paradise is in the palm of
your hand’. A philosopher talks about infinity and the pure spirit who knows everything.
However, Lawrence says that “infinity is just a handle to this self-same jug of a body of mine”. A
burning finger brings such incitement and knowing that it renders the concept of Nirvana as a
mere conjecture. Hence, the body is alive, perhaps more alive than any other entity and denying
it is an erroneous decision by spiritual thinkers.

Page : 172 , Block Name : Understanding the Text

Q1 The interest in a novel spring from the reactions of characters to circumstances. It is more
important for characters to be true to themselves (integrity) than to what I expected of them
(consistency). (“A foolish consistency is the hobgoblin of little minds”- Emerson.)

Answer. The backbone of any literary text, especially that of the novel is its characters. The plot,
the storyline all revolve around the characters depicted in the novel. Hence, it is crucial for the
characters to be true to their integrity and this is what essentially juices up the characters. If not,
they lose their charm and become dull and flat characters. Every novel consists of two types of
characters- round characters and flat characters. Flat characters are those that remain
unaffected during the entire course of the novel. Not a single incident changes them or has any
impact on them. Round characters on the other hand keeping on developing with the
progression of the storyline. They help in peaking the interest level and keeping the readers
glued to the novel. Thus, if every character is flat i.e. sticking to ‘what should be done’ rather
than being round i.e. following their instincts, the novel will lose its charm and become

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Book : Kaliedoscope - Non Fiction Ncert Solutions | Chapter - 4 English - Non Fiction

monotonous. Hence, Bergman believes, “It is more important for characters to be true to
themselves (integrity) than to what I expected of them (consistency).”

Page : 172 , Block Name : Talking about the Text

Q2 ‘The novel is the one bright book of life’. ‘Books are not life’. Discuss the distinction between
the two statements. Recall Ruskin’s definition of ‘What is a Good Book?’ in Woven Words Class
XI.

Answer. The novel, unlike the other books on philosophy, science, etc. portrays the real issues
in life and depicts life in its truest form to its readers. The readers get an insight into life by
reading it. They acquire several lessons in life. Hence, the novel has been called ‘the bright
book of life’. However, the author is quick to point out that ‘Books are not life’. He means to say
that although the novel portrays real-like issues and characters, yet it is not reality itself. It is a
figment of someone’s imagination which might have been inspired by real-life issues and
characters. But it is a product of imagination after all. Thus, although it portrays reality, the novel
isn’t reality itself.

Ruskin Bond in his work, ‘What is a Good Book?’, says that it is important for the readers to
understand what the author has wanted to convey. This idea is similar to Lawrence, who asks
the reader to take inspiration from the novel.

Page : 172 , Block Name : Talking about the Text

Q1 Certain catchphrases are recurrently used as pegs to hang the author’s thoughts throughout
the essay. List these and discuss how they serve to achieve the argumentative force of the
essay.

Answer. The catchphrases are:

1. Body- the author portrays the importance of the body and depicts how it is the ultimate phase
of being in learner mode.

2. Spirit- the author feels that the spirit is a misleading concept. It makes a man delve deep into
vagueness. It leads men to things that are unreal.

3. Man alive- this is a realistic concept of the author and he believes that everything happens
due to man being alive. From the tip of the hair to the tip of the toe a man is portrayed to be
alive by the author and it is as if his entire body has a mind of its own. 4. Tremulations on the

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Book : Kaliedoscope - Non Fiction Ncert Solutions | Chapter - 4 English - Non Fiction

ether- here tremulations are the ideas of the saints and philosophers because of which a man
may be influenced to change.

5. Change- the only constant.

Page : 172 , Block Name : Appreciation

Q2 The language of argument is intense and succeeds in convincing the reader through
rhetorical devices. Identify the devices used by the author to achieve this force.

Answer. Given below is the list of rhetorical devices used to intensify the language of argument:

1. Allusion- The mention of the Bible.

2. Amplification- The repetitive use of words like man-alive, spirit, tremulations, etc. to
emphasise the perspective of the author.

Page : 172 , Block Name : Appreciation

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