Introduction
to A Doctor’s Journal Entry for August 6, 1945
A Doctor’s Journal Entry for August 6,
1945, describes the destruction caused by the dropping of an atomic bomb on
Hiroshima by America, during the Second World War on August 6, 1945. (August 9
1945, Nagasaki)
The dropping of atomic bombs on Hiroshima
and Nagasaki made Japan surrender and led to the end of the Second World War.
The infamous day on which the first atomic bomb took place over Hiroshima
changed everyone’s worldview.
In this poem, we see an entry made in a
journal by a doctor for keeping records. It gives a picture of how people were
taken by surprise when the bombs were dropped on Hiroshima on August 6, in
1945.
A
Doctor’s Journal Entry for August 6, 1945 Summary: At a Glance
The narrator stretches himself on a warm
peaceful morning admiring nature.
He
suddenly sees two strong flashes of light.
Then
he sees destruction all around him and his clothes vanish.
The
narrator calls his wife, who is also blood-stained and scared.
The
poet sees people suffering all around him.
Yecko-san,
the narrator’s wife, goes to the hospital.
Suffering,
anguish and silence of people due to utter shock.
Detailed Summary:
The poem “A Doctor’s Journal Entry for
August 6, 1945” by Vikram Seth isn’t actually a real journal entry, but it is
written in a diary form to capture the experience of a doctor after the
dropping of the atomic bomb on Hiroshima.
The poem starts with a peaceful scene: a
calm, beautiful, and warm morning. The narrator describes what he sees outside
as the morning light filters through the leaves. This scene is shattered by a
sudden, blinding flash, followed by another. Shocked, the narrator notices a
previously familiar object – an old stone lantern which is now illuminated in
an unnatural way.
The poem describes a sudden and violent
event. The speaker is shocked by a bright flash, possibly mistaking it for
magnesium flares (flashes/ flames). Before they can fully determine the source,
there’s a devastating collapse. The world around them crumbles, leaving them
surrounded by dust and debris. In the chaos, the speaker even notices the
strange disappearance of their clothing.
Then the narrator describes a scene of
injury and confusion. A splinter (particle/ piece/ sheard/ shard) pierces the
doctor’s thigh, bleeding his right side, and he also suffers a torn cheek.
Despite the pain and damage, the speaker remains focused on understanding what
had happened.
The poem depicts a scene of panic and
injury. The doctor, amidst the disaster, searches for his wife, Yecko-san. He
shouts for her, then mentions his own serious injury, a severed artery (vein/ blood
vessel) in his neck. Despite his fear, he tries to reassure his wife, who
appears wounded as well.
The doctor and his wife are fleeing from
their house and going towards the hospital. Their escape is disrupted when they
trip over (fall over/ bump into/ lose your footing) something on the ground.
The horror unfolds as the speaker realises that it is a severed head, belonging
to someone who was crushed by a gate. This gruesome discovery adds a layer of
shock and fear to their situation.
The house in front of the narrator
collapses, followed by a fire. This shakes him and his wife and makes them
realise that they need medical attention and should head to the hospital. The
narrator also feels a responsibility to help the staff, although reflecting
back, he questions how he was even able to think straight in such a chaotic
situation.
The doctor’s legs were hurt, he collapsed
from exhaustion and thirst, but slowly regained his strength and rose again.
The doctor was still naked and felt no shame. Then a soldier offered him a
towel, he showed kindness and covered up the doctor.
The doctor was injured and weak, his legs
refusing to move due to dried blood. The doctor made the difficult decision to
send Yecko-san ahead for help. Despite the fear of being alone, they had no
other choice.
The poem describes a group of silent,
suffering people. Their bodies are shadowy and like ghosts and scarecrows,
hinting at their weak condition. The stretched arms, described as dangling, (hanging)
reveal a burn so severe that even the slightest touch is unbearable. Injured
people are slowly moving towards a hospital. The narrator witnesses a woman and
child, both unclothed, and wonders if they had come straight from bath. Looking
away doesn’t help the narrator understand the situation. Seeing another naked
person clarifies that something strange has left everyone without clothes.
The poem depicts an old woman lying on the
ground, her face shows that she is in a lot of pain. Despite her suffering, she
remains silent. This silence seems to be a shared experience of all the
suffering people, with no cries or words escaping anyone.
Explanation of the Poem:
The
morning stretched calm, beautiful, and warm.
Sprawling
half-clad, I gazed out at the form
Of
shimmering leaves and shadows. Suddenly
A
strong flash, then another, startled me.
I
saw the old stone lantern brightly lit.
Glossary:
Shimmering: sparkling/ shining/
gleaming
stretched:
spread
gazed:
looked intently
startled:
frightened/ alarmed
Half-clad:
dressed in less clothes
Explanation:
The
poem is in the form of a journal entry made on August 6, 1945 by a doctor. The
poet begins the narration on a peaceful note. He says that when the day dawned,
it was calm, beautiful and warm. He was not fully clothed when he got up and
stretched himself and saw shining leaves and shadows outside. However, he was
suddenly taken by surprise by two sudden flashes of light. He saw the old
lantern made of stone light up.
Magnesium
flares? While I debated it,
The
roof, the walls and, as it seemed, the world
Collapsed
in timber and debris, dust swirled
Around
me – in the garden now – and, weird,
My
drawers and undershirt disappeared.
Glossary:
Magnesium
flares: When ignited, it produces bright light
collapsed:
fell down
timber:
pieces of broken wood
weird:
eerie/ strange
Explanation:
The
narrator wondered whether the flashes were magnesium flares that are seen
during a war. While he was still thinking over those flares, the roof and the
wall of the building fell down and the debris scattered all over and dust
started blowing around him. Furthermore, his drawers and undershirt
disappeared, implying that they also got burnt.
A
splinter jutted from my mangled thigh.
My
right side bled, my cheek was torn, and I
Dislodged,
detachedly, a piece of glass,
All
the time wondering what had come to pass.
Glossary:
splinter:
a small, thin, sharp piece of wood, glass, or similar material broken off from
a larger piece.
mangled:
crushed/ damaged
jutted:
stuck out
dislodged:
took out
detachedly:
indifferently
Explanation:
A
thin piece of metal or glass pierced the narrator’s right thigh and then, the
right side of his body started to bleed. His cheek was hurt too. He removed a
piece of glass from his body and wondered what had happened to him. He was in a
state of confusion and shock regarding what was happening.
Where
was my wife? Alarmed, I gave a shout,
‘Where
are you, Yecko-san?’ My blood gushed out.
The
artery in my neck? Scared for my life,
I
called out, panic-stricken, to my wife.
Pale,
bloodstained, frightened, Yecko-san emerged,
Holding
her elbow. ‘We’ll be fine,’ I urged –
Glossary:
gushed
out: flowed quickly
scared:
frightened
emerged:
came out
Explanation:
The
narrator looked for his wife Yecko-san. Shocked and alarmed, he called for her.
Meanwhile blood kept flowing quickly out of his body. The blood flow was so
sudden and quick that it made the doctor wonder if it was the artery in his
neck that bled. Being a doctor he feared bleeding to death. He called out for
his wife again. Yecko-san appeared, holding her elbow. She was pale,
bloodstained and scared. Despite his own injury, the narrator assured her that
they would be fine and told her that they should go out quickly.
‘Let’s
get out quickly.’ Stumbling to the street
We
fell, tripped by something at our feet.
I
gasped out, when I saw it was a head:
‘Excuse
me, please excuse me -’ He was dead:
A
gate had crushed him. There we stood, afraid.
Glossary:
stumbling:
tripping
tripped:
caught your foot on something and almost fell
gasped
out: breathed with difficulty
Explanation:
When
they were walking to the hospital, they hit their feet against the head of a
man who had been crushed to death under a gate. This sight frightened the
doctor and his wife.
A
house standing before us tilted, swayed,
Toppled,
and crashed. Fire sprang up in the dust,
Spread
by the wind. It dawned on us we must
Get
to the hospital: we needed aid –
And
I should help my staff too. (Though this made
Sense
to me then, I wonder how I could)
Glossary:
tilted:
bent to one side
Explanation:
There
was a house standing before the narrator which tilted, shook from side to side
and crashed in front of their eyes. It caught fire and the fire spread widely
due to the wind. The couple thought of running to the hospital as they needed
help for themselves. They thought of their staff. Though it was a good idea,
the narrator wondered how he could help the staff when he himself was injured.
My
legs gave way. I sat down on the ground.
Thirst
seized me, but no water could be found.
My
breath was short, but bit by bit my strength
Seemed
to revive, and I got up at length.
Explanation:
The
narrator’s legs were weak and he sat down on the ground. He was thirsty but
there was no water to drink. His breath was short but little by little his
strength was being restored and he got up on his legs.
I
was still naked, but I felt no shame.
This
thought disturbed me somewhat, till I came
Upon
a soldier, standing silently,
Who
gave the towel round his neck to me
Explanation:
The
narrator was still undressed but he was not ashamed. This situation disturbed
him but he kept on walking till he met a soldier who was standing on the side.
The soldier had a towel around his neck which he gave to the narrator.
My
legs, stiff with dried blood, rebelled. I said
To
Yecko-san she must go on ahead.
She
did not wish to, but in our distress
What
choice had we? A dreadful loneliness
Came
over me when she had gone. My mind
Ran
at high speed, my body crept behind.
Glossary:
distress:
misery
crept:
moved very slowly
Explanation:
The
narrator’s legs were stiff with dried blood and he was unable to move them. He
said that Yecko-san must go ahead alone to the hospital. She was unwilling to
go, but in their situation, they had no other choice. After his wife’s
departure, the narrator felt lonely. His mind was working fast but his body
could not keep up its speed with the mind.
I
saw the shadowy forms of people, some
Were
ghosts, some scarecrows, all were wordless dumb –
Arms
stretched straight out, shoulder to dangling hand;
It
took some time for me to understand
The
friction on their burns caused so much pain
They
feared to chafe flesh against flesh again.
Glossary:
scarecrows:
the people are compared to the dummy human forms placed in fields to frighten
crows
Explanation:
The
narrator saw the shadow-like appearances of people, some looked like ghosts,
the others like the scarecrows but everyone was silent as if they were dumb.
Some were walking with arms stretched out and a shoulder or a hand dangling
loose from their body. It took some time for him to understand the situation.
The friction on their wounds caused so much pain when the burnt wounds rubbed
against each other.
Those
who could, shuffled in a blank Parade
Towards
the hospital. I saw, dismayed,
A
woman with a child stand in my path –
Both
naked. Had they come back from the bath?
Glossary:
dismayed:
shocked
Explanation:
The
narrator was stunned to see people in huge numbers, walking without clothes,
towards the hospital. He saw with deep anguish a woman and child on his way,
both naked. He wondered whether they had come out straight after a bath as they
were unclothed.
I
turned my gaze, but was at a loss
That
she should stand thus, till I came across
A
naked man – and now the thought arose|
That
some strange thing had stripped us of our clothes.
Glossary:
came
across: met
gaze
: stare
Explanation:
The
narrator ignored them but he did not understand the situation till he saw
another naked man. Then he realised that some strange thing had happened
because of which people’s clothes had got burnt.
The
face of an old woman on the ground
Was
marred with suffering, but she made no sound.
Silence
was common to us all. I heard
No
cries of anguish, or a single word.
Glossary:
marred:
damaged/ruined
anguish:
pain
Explanation:
Then
the narrator saw an old woman lying on the ground, whose face was disfigured
with suffering. But she did not complain. Silence was a common feature of all
the suffering men and women. All were shocked and they had become speechless.
They were unable to cry despite their pain.
Title
Analysis of the Poem A Doctor’s Journal Entry for August 6, 1945
The
title, “A Doctor’s Journal Entry for August 6, 1945,” immediately sets the
stage for a personal account of a day in history. The specific date, August 6,
1945, suggests the entry will deal with the aftermath of the atomic bombing of
Hiroshima in World War II. “Doctor’s Journal Entry” implies the perspective (viewpoint/
standpoint/ perception) will be from a medical professional who likely
witnessed the horrific consequences of the bomb.
Here’s
a breakdown of the title’s elements:
Doctor’s
perspective: The title immediately restricts the viewpoint to that of a medical
professional. This suggests a firsthand account of the events, potentially
focusing on the medical response to a critical situation.
Journal
entry format: “Journal entry” implies a personal record of experiences and
reflections.
Specific
date: August 6, 1945: This particular date holds immense historical weight,
marking the bombing of Hiroshima in World War II. It sets the stage for a
narrative likely connected to the aftermath of the bombing.
Theme
of A Doctor’s Journal Entry for August 6, 1945
Destruction
caused by the Bomb
The poem revolves around the theme of
destruction caused by the bombing of Hiroshima. The narration in the poem is
carried out by a doctor on the spot, who describes how everybody was leading a
normal life, when sudden calamity fell on them. The poem begins on a calm note
with a beautiful morning.
The poet has depicted the gruesome reality
of the first-ever nuclear explosion. The bombings were so sudden that people
were shocked when it unleashed a situation of complete horror.
I saw the shadowy forms of people, some
Were
ghosts, some scarecrows, all were wordless dumb –
Arms
stretched straight out, shoulder to dangling hand
Human
Goodness
Despite
intense suffering and chaos, the goodness in human nature does not vanish.
There is hope for care and concern in the attitude of the doctor who bleeds and
is scared but calls out for his wife. He thinks of his staff but finds himself
helpless-
It
dawned on us we must
Get
to the hospital: we needed aid –
And
I should help my staff too. (Though this made
Sense
to me then, I wonder how I could)
Answer the following questions by choosing the most appropriate options.
1. Who is the speaker in the poem?
(a) the poet
(b) a wounded person
(c) a doctor
(d) none of the above
2. What kind of morning was referred to by the doctor?
(a) hot and sultry
(b) rainy
(c) calm and warm
(d) chilly
3. Which of these statements is NOT true?
(a) The doctor lit up his stone lantern.
(b) The doctor’s clothes were inexplicably gone.
(c) The doctor’s wife came out, numb and scared.
(d) One of the doctor’s cheeks was torn by a piece of glass.
4. What was it that made the couple trip?
(a) a stone
(b) a dead body
(c) a piece of wood
(d) the head of a dead man
5. The idea of helping his staff reveals that the doctor was …… by nature.
(a) generous
(b) conscientious and selfless
(c) silly
(d) weird
6. The doctor’s wife left him quite ………… .
(a) reluctantly
(b) indifferently
(c) ruthlessly
(d) willingly
7. Who provided the towel to the doctor?
(a) a soldier
(b) an injured man
(c) a woman
(d) his wife
8. ‘I was still naked, but I felt no shame’.
The line shows that the doctor was ………. .
(a) shameless
(b) numb and dazed
(c) indifferent
(d) strong-willed
9. How did the doctor feel when his wife had gone?
(a) sad
(b) sorrowful
(c) terribly lonely
(d) cheerful
10. What kind of tone is adopted by the speaker?
(a) sentimental
(b) detached
(c) ironic
(d) sarcastic
11. What time of day does the poem begin?
(a) Night
(b) Dawn
(c) Afternoon
(d) Morning
12. What does the doctor compare the initial flashes to?
(a) Lightning
(b) Fireworks
(c) Magnesium Flares
(d) Exploding Cars
13. Who is the author of the poem?
(a) Vikram Seth
(b) Salman Rushdie
(c) Ruskin Bond
(d) Preeti Shenoy
14. The poem is written in the form of a –
(a) journal entry
(b) diary entry
(c) folklore
(d) ballad
15. Identify the poetic device- “Of shimmering leaves and shadows. Suddenly.”
(a) Onomatopoeia
(b) Alliteration
(c) Metaphor
(d) Simile
16. Identify the poetic device- “The morning stretched calm.”
(a) Onomatopoeia
(b) Alliteration
(c) Metaphor
(d) Personification
17. Identify the poetic device- “I saw the shadowy forms of people, some
Were ghosts, some scarecrows, all were wordless dumb “
(a) Onomatopoeia
(b) Alliteration
(c) Metaphor
(d) Personification
18. Identify the poetic device- “Stumbling to the street
We fell, tripped by something at our feet.”
(a) Onomatopoeia
(b) Enjambment
(c) Metaphor
(d) Personification
19. Which of the following sentences best describes the meaning of ‘tripped’ as has been used in the poem?
(a) All the kids tripped up the stairs.
(b) I tripped over the tiny pet dog several times.
(c) A mischievous boy tripped off the alarm.
(d) While tripping through the Himalayas, do stop at Rohtang pass.
20. Which of the following words mean “shocked”?
(a) dismayed
(b) distressed
(c) dislodged
(d) detachedly
Answer:
1. (c) a doctor
2. (c) calm and warm
3. (a) The doctor lit up his stone lantern.
4. (d) the head of a dead man
5. (b) conscientious and selfless
6. (a) reluctantly
7. (a) a soldier
8. (b) numb and dazed
9. (c) terribly lonely
10. (b) detached
11. (d) Morning
12. (c) Magnesium Flares
13. (a) Vikram Seth
14. (a) journal entry
15. (b) Alliteration
16. (d) Personification
17. (c) Metaphor
18. (b) Enjambment
19. (b) I tripped over the tiny pet dog several times.
20. (a) dismayed
Extract: 1
Read the extract given below and answer the questions that follow:
The morning stretched calm, beautiful, and warm.
Sprawling half-clad, I gazed out at the form
Of shimmering leaves and shadows. Suddenly
A strong flash, then another, startled me.
I saw the old stone lantern brightly lit.
Magnesium flares? While I debated it,
The roof, the walls and, as it seemed, the world
Collapsed in timber and debris, dust swirled
Around me – in the garden now – and, weird,
My drawers and undershirt disappeared.
(i) Who is the speaker? Where was he at the moment? What pleased him?
Ans. The speaker is a doctor. Perhaps, he was in his garden at the time of the bombing. The calmness, beauty, and warmth of the morning pleased him.
(ii) What happened suddenly? What thought came across the speaker’s mind?
Ans. A strong flash, followed by another, startled him. He wondered if these were magnesium flares, used in the wars.
(iii) What happened to the house and the speaker’s clothes?
Ans. The roof, walls, and seemingly the narrator’s entire world collapsed in debris and dust. The narrator mentions finding himself in the garden with his clothes gone.
(iv) Whom did he call later in panic? What were his fears?
Ans. The narrator called out to his wife, Yecko-san. His fear stemmed from the sudden destruction and the potential injury to his wife.
(v) Describe the physical condition of the doctor and his wife.
Ans. The doctor mentions a splinter sticking out of his thigh and bleeding on his right side with a burnt cheek. The wife’s condition is described as pale, bloodstained, and frightened.
Extract: 2
Read the extract given below and answer the questions that follow:
A splinter jutted from my mangled thigh.
My right side bled, my cheek was torn, and I
Dislodged, detachedly, a piece of glass,
All the time wondering what had come to pass.
Where was my wife? Alarmed, I gave a shout,
‘Where are you, Yecko-san?’ My blood gushed out.
The artery in my neck? Scared for my life,
I called out, panic-stricken, to my wife.
(i) What had happened on that calm morning?
Ans. A sudden and massive explosion happened on that calm morning.
(ii) What did the doctor notice about his injuries?
Ans. The doctor had a splinter sticking out from his mangled thigh and his right side was bleeding. He also had a torn cheek.
(iii) Why did the doctor think he would die?
Ans. The doctor mentions his bleeding and fears it might be his neck artery. Being a doctor himself, this could explain his fear of dying.
(iv) What did the doctor decide? What happened as he and his wife came out of their house?
Ans. Despite his injuries, the doctor worried about his wife and called out to her. After a panicked call, his wife emerged. While escaping the debris, they tripped over something.
(v) What should have been a cause of shame to the speaker? Why did he not feel any shame?
Ans. The speaker mentions finding himself naked after the explosion. This would typically be a source of shame, but the doctor was too shocked and focused on survival to feel it.
Extract: 3
Read the extract given below and answer the questions that follow:
Pale, bloodstained, frightened, Yecko-san emerged,
Holding her elbow. ‘We’ll be fine,’ I urged –
‘Let’s get out quickly.’ Stumbling to the street
We fell, tripped by something at our feet.
I gasped out, when I saw it was a head:
‘Excuse me, please excuse me -’ He was dead:
A gate had crushed him. There we stood, afraid.
A house standing before us tilted, swayed,
Toppled, and crashed. Fire sprang up in the dust,
Spread by the wind. It dawned on us we must
Get to the hospital: we needed aid –
(i) Where was the speaker? Why was he afraid of his life?
Ans. The speaker was likely near his house after escaping the destruction (“Stumbling to the street”). He was afraid because of the devastation he witnessed and his own injuries
(ii) Why did the speaker have to assure his wife that they would be fine?
Ans. The wife emerged frightened and in shock. The doctor’s reassurance was an attempt to calm her down and motivate them to escape the dangerous situation which they were in and seek medical help.
(iii) What startled them on the way?
Ans. The doctor and his wife were startled when they tripped and fell over something on the street, which turned out to be a dead man’s head.
(iv) Why did the doctor feel no shame at this nakedness?
Ans. The doctor mentions finding himself naked after the explosion. The doctor was in shock and he focused on survival which numbed him towards such concerns like wearing clothes.
(v) What did the doctor notice about the wounded people heading towards the hospital?
Ans. All the wounded people heading towards the hospital did not have their clothes on.
Extract: 4
Read the extract given below and answer the questions that follow:
And I should help my staff too. (Though this made
Sense to me then, I wonder how I could)
My legs gave way. I sat down on the ground.
Thirst seized me, but no water could be found.
My breath was short, but bit by bit my strength
Seemed to revive, and I got up at length.
I was still naked, but I felt no shame.
This thought disturbed me somewhat, till I came
Upon a soldier, standing silently,
Who gave the towel round his neck to me
My legs, stiff with dried blood, rebelled. I said
To Yecko-san she must go on ahead.
(i) Who was the speaker by profession? Who was with him? Where were they going and why?
Ans. The speaker is a doctor. He is with his wife, Yecko-san. They are on their way to the hospital because they need medical attention for their injuries
(ii) How did he feel about his physical condition at the time?
Ans. The doctor feels weak and exhausted. His legs hurt, forcing him to sit on the ground.
He experiences thirst and shortness of breath.
(iii) ‘I was still naked, but I felt no shame’. What does this statement reveal about the speaker’s state of mind?
Ans. This statement reveals that the doctor is in a state of shock. Basic concerns like clothing become secondary to survival and seeking medical help.
(iv) Why did he ask his wife to leave him and go ahead?
Ans. The doctor’s legs are stiff and weak. He believes it would be faster for his wife to reach the hospital on her own and get medical attention sooner.
(v) What did he observe about a woman with a child later in the extract?
Ans. The doctor observed that the woman and her child were both naked as if they had come straight from the bath.
Extract: 5
Read the extract given below and answer the questions that follow:
She did not wish to, but in our distress
What choice had we? A dreadful loneliness
Came over me when she had gone. My mind
Ran at high speed, my body crept behind.
I saw the shadowy forms of people, some
Were ghosts, some scarecrows, all were wordless dumb –
Arms stretched straight out, shoulder to dangling hand;
It took some time for me to understand
The friction on their burns caused so much pain
(i) Why was the doctor’s wife reluctant to leave him?
Ans. The doctor’s wife didn’t want to leave him because of their distress. It suggests she wanted to stay by his side for support and comfort.
(ii) ‘My mind/Ran at high speed, my body crept behind’. What does this reveal about the speaker’s condition?
Ans. This line describes a disconnect between the doctor’s mental state and physical capabilities. His mind races with worry and the urgency to reach the hospital, but his body is weak and struggles to keep pace. It highlights the toll the injuries and shock have taken on him.
(iii) What did people look like? What had happened to them?
Ans. The doctor describes them as “shadowy forms”. Some appear ghost-like, some like “scarecrows,” suggesting a skeletal appearance. This portrays the severity of their injuries and the shock they are experiencing.
(iv) Why were some people moving with outstretched hands?
Ans. The doctor discovers that the people with outstretched arms are doing so because the friction on their burns caused so much pain if they rubbed against their body.
(v) What common thing among the victims of the holocaust was noticed by the doctor on his way to the hospital?
Ans. They were all naked.
Extract: 6
Read the extract given below and answer the questions that follow:
They feared to chafe flesh against flesh again.
Those who could, shuffled in a blank Parade
Towards the hospital. I saw, dismayed,
A woman with a child stand in my path –
Both naked. Had they come back from the bath?
I turned my gaze, but was at a loss
That she should stand thus, till I came across
A naked man – and now the thought arose
That some strange thing had stripped us of our clothes.
The face of an old woman on the ground
Was marred with suffering, but she made no sound.
Silence was common to us all. I heard
No cries of anguish, or a single word.
(i) What had happened on that fateful day? What had happened to the speaker?
Ans. On that day, an atomic bomb was dropped on Hiroshima which caused widespread devastation. The speaker sustained injuries, including a splinter in his thigh, bleeding on his right side, and a torn cheek
(ii) Why did the speaker ask his wife to come out of the house immediately?
Ans. The speaker feared for his wife’s safety after the explosion and the potential collapse of the house. He urged her to leave quickly to avoid further danger and seek medical help.
(iii) What did he observe on the way to the hospital?
Ans. The doctor witnessed scenes of horror and suffering. He saw injured people, some resembling ghosts or scarecrows, all struggling to move.
(iv) What was the doctor’s reaction on seeing a woman with a child, both naked?
Was it appropriate in the context?
Ans. The doctor was horrified and taken aback on seeing a woman with a child, both naked.
(v) Explain the last two lines of the extract.
Ans. The last two lines of the extract paint a picture of suffering and shock. The old woman’s face reflects the physical and emotional trauma, but her silence speaks volumes. The overall silence signifies the overwhelming nature of the devastation. People are too injured, stunned, or in shock to express their pain verbally.
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