DOCTOR’S JOURNAL ENTRY FOR AUGUST 6, 1945; SUMMARY AND QUESTION ANSWERS

 

Text 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.

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.

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.

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 –

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.

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

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.

Glossary

• stretched – extended peacefully or continuously (फैली हुई)
• calm – peaceful, without disturbance (शांत)
• beautiful – pleasing to the senses or mind (सुंदर)
• warm – comfortably hot (गर्म, सुखद ताप वाला)
• sprawling – lying with arms and legs spread out carelessly (फैला हुआ, लापरवाही से लेटा हुआ)
• half-clad – partly dressed (आधे कपड़े पहने हुए)
• gazed – looked steadily and with concentration (टकटकी लगाकर देखा)
• form – shape or outline (आकृति, रूप)
• shimmering – shining with a soft trembling light (झिलमिलाता हुआ)
• leaves – parts of a plant or tree (पत्तियाँ)
• shadows – dark shapes caused by light being blocked (परछाइयाँ)
• suddenly – quickly and without warning (अचानक)
• flash – a brief burst of bright light (तेज़ चमक)
• startled – surprised or shocked suddenly (चौंक गया)
• stone lantern – a decorative stone lamp, often found in Japanese gardens (पत्थर की लालटेन, जापानी बगीचों में प्रयुक्त)
• brightly lit – glowing with strong light (तेज़ी से जली हुई)
• magnesium flares – bright lights produced by burning magnesium, used in photography or war (मैग्नीशियम की जलती रोशनी, जो बहुत चमकदार होती है)
• debated – thought about or considered (विचार किया, मन में सोचा)
• roof – top covering of a building (छत)
• walls – upright structures enclosing a space (दीवारें)
• collapsed – fell down suddenly (ढह गया, गिर पड़ा)
• as it seemed – as it appeared (जैसा लगा)
• timber – wood used for building (लकड़ी, इमारती लकड़ी)
• debris – broken pieces from destruction (मलबा, टूटे टुकड़े)
• swirled – moved round and round quickly (घूम गया, बवंडर की तरह उड़ गया)
• weird – strange, unnatural (अजीब, विचित्र)
• drawers – underpants (अंडरवियर, नीचा वस्त्र)
• undershirt – vest or inner shirt (बनियान)
• disappeared – vanished (गायब हो गया)
• splinter – small sharp broken piece (कांटा, तीखा टुकड़ा)
• jutted – stuck out (बाहर निकला हुआ)
• mangled – badly crushed or torn (कुचला या फटा हुआ)
• thigh – upper part of the leg (जांघ)
• bled – lost blood (खून बहा)
• cheek – side of the face (गाल)
• torn – ripped apart (फटा हुआ)
• dislodged – removed or forced out (निकाला, हटाया)
• detachedly – without emotion, calmly (उदासीनता से, बिना भावना के)
• wondering – feeling curiosity (सोचता हुआ, अचरज करता हुआ)
• come to pass – happened (घटित हुआ)
• alarmed – frightened or worried (डरा हुआ, चिंतित)
• shout – loud cry (चिल्लाया)
• Yecko-san – respectful way of saying Mrs. Yecko (जापानी पत्नी का संबोधन)
• gushed out – flowed out suddenly and forcefully (तेज़ी से बह निकला)
• artery – main blood vessel (धमनी)
• scared – frightened (डरा हुआ)
• panic-stricken – overcome with sudden fear (भय से ग्रस्त)
• pale – without color, white-faced (पीला पड़ा हुआ)
• bloodstained – marked with blood (खून से सना हुआ)
• emerged – came out (बाहर आई)
• holding – supporting (पकड़े हुए)
• elbow – joint in the middle of the arm (कोहनी)
• urged – tried to comfort or persuade (समझाया, कहा)
• stumbling – walking unsteadily (लड़खड़ाते हुए)
• street – road (सड़क)
• tripped – fell because of hitting something (ठोकर खाई)
• gasped – breathed in suddenly in shock (साँस रोककर चौंक गया)
• excuse me – expression of apology (माफ कीजिए)
• crushed – pressed and broken (कुचला हुआ)
• afraid – fearful (डरे हुए)
• tilted – leaned or slanted (झुका हुआ)
• swayed – moved from side to side (डगमगाया)
• toppled – fell over (गिर पड़ा)
• crashed – broke noisily (धड़ाम से गिरा)
• sprang up – suddenly appeared (अचानक फैल गया)
• dawned on – became clear to (समझ में आया)
• aid – help (सहायता)
• staff – assistants, workers (कर्मचारी)
• though – however (हालाँकि)
• sense – logic or reason (तर्क, समझ)
• gave way – collapsed, became weak (कमज़ोर होकर गिर गया)
• seized – took hold suddenly (पकड़ लिया, ग्रस्त किया)
• bit by bit – gradually (धीरे-धीरे)
• strength – physical power (शक्ति)
• revive – regain strength (फिर से जी उठा, सुध में आया)
• at length – finally (आख़िरकार)
• naked – without clothes (नंगा)
• shame – embarrassment (लज्जा, शर्म)
• disturbed – mentally troubled (व्यथित, परेशान)
• somewhat – to some extent (कुछ हद तक)
• soldier – army man (सैनिक)
• silently – quietly (चुपचाप)
• towel – piece of cloth to wipe (तौलिया)
• round his neck – around his neck (उसकी गर्दन पर लिपटा हुआ)
• stiff – hard, not flexible (कठोर, अकड़ा हुआ)
• dried blood – coagulated blood (सूखा हुआ खून)
• rebelled – resisted, refused to move (विद्रोह किया, नहीं चला)
• ahead – forward (आगे)
• wish to – want to (चाहती थी)
• distress – extreme suffering (कष्ट, दुःख)
• dreadful – terrible (भयानक)
• loneliness – feeling of being alone (अकेलापन)
• came over – overtook emotionally (छा गया)
• ran at high speed – thought rapidly (तेज़ी से सोचने लगा)
• crept – moved slowly (धीरे-धीरे चला)
• shadowy – dim, indistinct (धुंधले, अस्पष्ट)
• forms – shapes or figures (आकृतियाँ)
• ghosts – spirits of the dead (भूत)
• scarecrows – straw figures used to frighten birds (काकभुशुंडि, कौवा भगाने की मूर्ति)
• wordless – silent (निर्वाक)
• dumb – unable to speak (गूंगे)
• stretched – extended (फैले हुए)
• dangling – hanging loosely (लटकते हुए)
• understand – realize, grasp meaning (समझना)
• friction – rubbing (घर्षण)
• burns – injuries from fire (जलन, जलने के घाव)
• chafe – rub painfully (घिसना, रगड़ना)
• shuffled – walked dragging feet (घसीटते हुए चले)
• blank parade – expressionless procession (निर्जीव जुलूस)
• towards – in the direction of (की ओर)
• dismayed – shocked and saddened (हक्का-बक्का, निराश)
• gaze – look (दृष्टि, नजर)
• at a loss – puzzled, not understanding (असमझ, भ्रमित)
• thus – in this way (इस प्रकार)
• came across – met or found by chance (सामना हुआ)
• arose – came to mind (उठा, उत्पन्न हुआ)
• stripped – removed (उतार दिया)
• marred – spoiled, damaged (बिगड़ा हुआ, विकृत)
• suffering – pain (पीड़ा)
• cries – loud calls (रोने की आवाज़ें)
• anguish – deep pain or sorrow (तीव्र पीड़ा, कष्ट)
• single word – even one word (एक शब्द तक नहीं)

Text with paraphrase

The morning stretched calm, beautiful, and warm.
The poet describes a peaceful and serene morning, setting a tranquil scene.

Sprawling half-clad, I gazed out at the form
The poet was relaxing, partially dressed, looking out and observing his surroundings.

Of shimmering leaves and shadows. Suddenly
He was admiring the play of light on leaves and the shadows they cast when suddenly,

A strong flash, then another, startled me.
He was jolted by two bright flashes of light, indicating the explosion of the atomic bomb.

I saw the old stone lantern brightly lit.
An old stone lantern in his vicinity was illuminated by the intense light of the explosion.

Magnesium flares? While I debated it,
He wondered if they were magnesium flares, trying to make sense of the sudden brightness.

The roof, the walls and, as it seemed, the world
Suddenly, his surroundings, including his home and seemingly the entire world,

Collapsed in timber and debris, dust swirled
Crumbled and fell apart, with dust and debris filling the air.

Around me – in the garden now – and, weird,
He found himself in the garden amidst the chaos, and strangely,

My drawers and undershirt disappeared.
His clothing was blown away by the force of the explosion

A splinter jutted from my mangled thigh.
He was injured, with a piece of wood or metal embedded in his thigh.

My right side bled, my cheek was torn, and I
He describes his injuries: bleeding and a torn cheek.

Dislodged, detachedly, a piece of glass,
He removed a shard of glass from his body, seemingly in shock and detached from the situation.

All the time wondering what had come to pass.
Throughout this, he was trying to understand what had just happened.

Where was my wife? Alarmed, I gave a shout,
Concerned for his wife, he called out for her.

‘Where are you, Yecko-san?’ My blood gushed out.
He called her by name, and as he did, he noticed more of his blood pouring out.

The artery in my neck? Scared for my life,
He feared that an artery in his neck had been severed, which could be fatal.

I called out, panic-stricken, to my wife.
In his panic and fear, he continued to call for his wife.

Pale, bloodstained, frightened, Yecko-san emerged,
His wife appeared, looking pale and covered in blood, clearly terrified.

Holding her elbow. ‘We’ll be fine,’ I urged –
She was holding her injured elbow, but he tried to reassure her.

‘Let’s get out quickly.’ Stumbling to the street
He urged that they leave immediately. As they tried to move, they stumbled.

We fell, tripped by something at our feet.
They tripped over an obstacle on the ground.

I gasped out, when I saw it was a head:
To his horror, he realized they had tripped over a person’s head.

‘Excuse me, please excuse me -‘ He was dead:
He apologized to the deceased, a reflexive gesture of respect.

A gate had crushed him. There we stood, afraid.
The man had been crushed by a fallen gate. They stood there, paralyzed by fear.

A house standing before us tilted, swayed,
A nearby house was unstable, swaying dangerously.

Toppled, and crashed. Fire sprang up in the dust,
The house collapsed, and fires ignited amidst the debris.

Spread by the wind. It dawned on us we must
The fires spread rapidly due to the wind. They realized the urgency of their situation.

Get to the hospital: we needed aid –
They needed to get to the hospital for medical assistance.

And I should help my staff too. (Though this made
He also thought of his responsibility to help his staff at the hospital.

Sense to me then, I wonder how I could)
Reflecting on it, he wonders how he could even think of helping others given his own injuries.

My legs gave way. I sat down on the ground.
His injuries and exhaustion caused him to collapse.

Thirst seized me, but no water could be found.
He was extremely thirsty, but there was no water available.

My breath was short, but bit by bit my strength
He struggled to breathe, but gradually,

Seemed to revive, and I got up at length.
He began to recover some strength and managed to stand up.

I was still naked, but I felt no shame.
Despite being without clothes, he felt no embarrassment, highlighting the gravity of the situation

This thought disturbed me somewhat, till I came
He was troubled by his lack of self-consciousness until he encountered

Upon a soldier, standing silently,
A soldier, who stood silently amidst the chaos.

Who gave the towel round his neck to me
The soldier offered his towel to the poet, a gesture of kindness.

My legs, stiff with dried blood, rebelled. I said
His legs, covered in dried blood, were hard to move.

To Yecko-san she must go on ahead.
He told his wife to move ahead without him.

She did not wish to, but in our distress
She was reluctant, but given their dire situation,

What choice had we? A dreadful loneliness
They had no other option. He felt a deep sense of isolation.

Came over me when she had gone. My mind
Once she left, he felt an overwhelming loneliness.

Ran at high speed, my body crept behind.
His mind raced with thoughts, but his injured body moved slowly.

I saw the shadowy forms of people, some
He observed the silhouettes of survivors.

Were ghosts, some scarecrows, all were wordless dumb –
Some looked like ghosts or scarecrows, and all were silent, in shock.

Arms stretched straight out, shoulder to dangling hand;
Their arms were outstretched, possibly due to burns or injuries.

It took some time for me to understand
He took a while to realize

The friction on their burns caused so much pain
That the reason for their posture was to avoid the pain of their burns rubbing against each other.

They feared to chafe flesh against flesh again.
They didn’t want their injured skin to touch and cause more pain.

Those who could, shuffled in a blank parade
The survivors moved slowly, like a somber procession.

Towards the hospital. I saw, dismayed,
They were heading to the hospital. The poet observed with sadness,

A woman with a child stand in my path –
A woman and her child standing in his way.

Both naked. Had they come back from the bath?
Both were without clothes. He wondered if they had been bathing when the explosion occurred.

I turned my gaze, but was at a loss
He looked away, but was confused

That she should stand thus, till I came across
By the woman’s nakedness, until he saw

A naked man and now the thought arose
Another naked man, which made him realize

That some strange thing had stripped us of our clothes.
That the explosion had somehow removed their clothing.

The face of an old woman on the ground
He saw an elderly woman on the ground,

Was marred with suffering, but she made no sound.
Her face showed immense pain, but she was silent.

Silence was common to us all. I heard
This silence was shared by everyone around.

No cries of anguish, or a single word.
Despite the devastation, there were no screams or words, only a haunting silence.

Summary

The morning of August 6, 1945, began in complete peace. The doctor describes the scene as calm, beautiful, and warm. He was lying lazily, only half-dressed, gazing at the lovely play of light and shadow among the leaves. It was a moment of serenity, like any normal day.

But suddenly, his life was shattered. Out of nowhere came an intense flash of light — in fact, two flashes — so strong and startling that he did not know what to make of them. He wondered if they might be magnesium flares, the kind used in photography or in war, because of their silver-white brightness. But before he could settle on an explanation, an even more terrifying light burst forth — a blinding white flame that consumed everything.

In seconds, his roof and walls collapsed, crashing down as if the entire world were falling apart. Dust rose in choking swirls, and fragments of timber and broken objects rained down. He found himself in the garden, strangely unclothed — the bomb’s scorching heat had burned away even his underwear.

As he tried to make sense of the devastation, he noticed injuries on his body. A wooden splinter had pierced his thigh; blood was flowing from his right side; his cheek was torn open. Yet, in a state of shock, he behaved almost mechanically: he even pulled out a piece of glass from his body with a kind of detached curiosity, all the while asking himself what had happened to cause this nightmare.

Suddenly his thoughts turned to his wife, Yecko-san. Fear gripped him. He shouted out her name, terrified that she might be dead. Blood continued to gush from his wounds, and he feared that an artery in his neck might have been cut, which could mean certain death. Overcome with panic, he called to her again.

At last, Yecko-san emerged. She was pale, frightened, and covered in blood, holding her hurt elbow. Though his own condition was critical, he tried to give her courage, telling her they would be all right and that they must escape quickly. Together, leaning on one another, they stumbled into the street. But their escape was blocked by something lying on the ground. They tripped over it — and to their horror, they realized it was not an object, but a severed human head.

The doctor’s journal captures the shocking contrast between the peaceful morning and the unimaginable destruction that followed in mere seconds. It highlights the helplessness of ordinary people caught in the horror of the atomic bomb.

Q. 1. Multiple Choice Questions (1)

1. The poem A Doctor’s Journal Entry for August 6, 1945 is set in:

a) Hiroshima

b) Nagasaki

c) Tokyo

d) Kyoto

Answer: a) Hiroshima

2. The form of the poem is:

a) A ballad

b) A diary/journal entry

c) A narrative play

d) A sonnet

Answer: b) A diary/journal entry

3. The first impression of the morning is described as:

a) Stormy and violent

b) Calm, beautiful, and warm

c) Misty and cold

d) Silent and dull

Answer: b) Calm, beautiful, and warm

4. The “strong flash” the doctor sees is:

a) Lightning

b) Magnesium flares

c) Atomic bomb explosion

d) Shooting stars

Answer: c) Atomic bomb explosion

5. The stone lantern appeared:

a) Broken

b) Brightly lit

c) Melting

d) Blackened

Answer: b) Brightly lit

6. The doctor’s first injuries were:

a) Burnt hair

b) Mangled thigh, torn cheek, and bleeding side

c) Blindness

d) Broken arm

Answer: b) Mangled thigh, torn cheek, and bleeding side

7. What did the doctor detach from his body?

a) A wooden splinter

b) A piece of glass

c) A metal rod

d) A nail

Answer: b) A piece of glass

8. The doctor’s wife is called:

a) Yoshi-san

b) Yecko-san

c) Keiko-san

d) Natsu-san

Answer: b) Yecko-san

9. The doctor was afraid that the bomb had damaged:

a) His lungs

b) His artery in the neck

c) His brain

d) His spine

Answer: b) His artery in the neck

10. Yecko-san emerged:

a) Unharmed

b) Pale, bloodstained, frightened

c) Laughing

d) With broken glass in her hand

Answer: b) Pale, bloodstained, frightened

11. What part of her body was Yecko-san holding?

a) Her knee

b) Her head

c) Her elbow

d) Her chest

Answer: c) Her elbow

12. The couple stumbled when they reached the street because of:

a) Rubble

b) A dead man

c) Severed head

d) A wall collapse

Answer: c) Severed head

13. The poem was written by:

a) Vikram Seth

b) Rabindranath Tagore

c) R.K. Narayan

d) Nissim Ezekiel

Answer: a) Vikram Seth

14. The poem’s tone can best be described as:

a) Humorous

b) Detached yet horrifying

c) Romantic

d) Joyful

Answer: b) Detached yet horrifying

15. The poem depicts the bombing of Hiroshima on:

a) 9th August 1945

b) 6th August 1945

c) 5th August 1945

d) 7th August 1945

Answer: b) 6th August 1945

16. The imagery in the poem mostly appeals to:

a) Taste

b) Sound

c) Sight

d) Smell

Answer: c) Sight

17. The “calm and beautiful morning” is contrasted with:

a) A bright rainbow

b) A violent explosion

c) A gentle breeze

d) A morning prayer

Answer: b) A violent explosion

18. Which emotion dominates the doctor’s reaction?

a) Anger

b) Wondering confusion

c) Hatred

d) Pride

Answer: b) Wondering confusion

19. The poem captures the horrors of:

a) World War I

b) World War II

c) The Cold War

d) The Korean War

Answer: b) World War II

20. The main theme of the poem is:

a) Nature’s beauty

b) Nuclear destruction and human suffering

c) Love and sacrifice

d) Traditional Japanese culture

Answer: b) Nuclear destruction and human suffering

Q. 1. MCQs (2)

Q1. Who is the speaker in the poem?

(a) A soldier

(b) A doctor

(c) A farmer

(d) A teacher

Ans: (b) A doctor

Q2. Who crushed a man mentioned in the extract?

(a) A house

(b) A car

(c) A gate

(d) A fire

Ans: (c) A gate

Q3. What sprang up in the dust after the house fell?

(a) Smoke

(b) Fire

(c) Blood

(d) Storm

Ans: (b) Fire

Q4. Why did the doctor want to go to the hospital?

(a) To escape fire

(b) To get water

(c) To get help and aid staff

(d) To hide

Ans: (c) To get help and aid staff

Q5. What seized the doctor after the blast?

(a) Sleep

(b) Anger

(c) Thirst

(d) Fear

Ans: (c) Thirst

Q6. What disturbed the doctor when he was naked?

(a) Lack of clothes

(b) He felt no shame

(c) Pain in legs

(d) Dust in air

Ans: (b) He felt no shame

Q7. Who helped the doctor by giving a towel?

(a) Yecko-san

(b) A nurse

(c) A soldier

(d) A passerby

Ans: (c) A soldier

Q8. The doctor’s legs were stiff with—

(a) Water

(b) Dried blood

(c) Dust

(d) Burns

Ans: (b) Dried blood

Q9. Whom did the doctor ask to go ahead?

(a) Soldier

(b) Nurse

(c) Yecko-san

(d) His staff

Ans: (c) Yecko-san

Q10. Why did Yecko-san go ahead?

(a) She was afraid

(b) Doctor was slow

(c) To seek aid

(d) Both (b) and (c)

Ans: (d) Both (b) and (c)

Q11. What did the doctor feel after Yecko-san left?

(a) Joy

(b) Hope

(c) Dreadful loneliness

(d) Anger

Ans: (c) Dreadful loneliness

Q12. “My mind ran at high speed, my body crept behind” means—

(a) He was eager to escape but weak physically

(b) He was dreaming

(c) He was walking fast

(d) None of these

Ans: (a) He was eager to escape but weak physically

Q13. How did the people appear to the doctor?

(a) Healthy

(b) Like shadows, ghosts, scarecrows

(c) Strong soldiers

(d) Children

Ans: (b) Like shadows, ghosts, scarecrows

Q14. Why were people walking with arms stretched?

(a) To balance

(b) To show surrender

(c) Because burns caused pain on touching body

(d) To protect faces

Ans: (c) Because burns caused pain on touching body

Q15. Who is Yecko-san?

(a) The doctor’s wife

(b) A nurse

(c) A servant

(d) His patient

Ans: (a) The doctor’s wife

Q16. What did the doctor long for most after collapse?

(a) Food

(b) Sleep

(c) Water

(d) Clothes

Ans: (c) Water

Q17. The soldier who gave the towel was—

(a) Silent

(b) Shouting

(c) Crying

(d) Running

Ans: (a) Silent

Q18. The poem describes events after—

(a) Hiroshima bombing

(b) Nagasaki bombing

(c) World War I

(d) Vietnam War

Ans: (a) Hiroshima bombing

Q19. “Some were ghosts, some scarecrows” suggests—

(a) People were dressed as ghosts

(b) Survivors looked half-dead and burnt

(c) There were real ghosts

(d) None

Ans: (b) Survivors looked half-dead and burnt

Q20. The extract reflects—

(a) Love story

(b) War heroism

(c) Suffering after atomic blast

(d) Medical achievements

Ans: (c) Suffering after atomic blast

Q. 2 One-Mark Questions (1)

1. Who is the poet of A Doctor’s Journal Entry for August 6, 1945?

Vikram Seth

2. What city does the poem describe?

Hiroshima

3. On what date was the atomic bomb dropped on Hiroshima?

6th August 1945

4. What was the weather like in the morning?

Calm, beautiful, and warm

5. What startled the doctor?

A strong flash, then another

6. What did the doctor mistake the flash for?

Magnesium flares

7. What happened to the roof and walls?

They collapsed in dust and debris

8. What happened to the doctor’s clothes?

His drawers and undershirt disappeared

9. What jutted from his thigh?

A splinter

10. What did the doctor detach from his cheek?

A piece of glass

11. What was the doctor worried about in his neck?

His artery might have been damaged

12. What is the name of the doctor’s wife?

Yecko-san

13. How did Yecko-san look when she emerged?

Pale, bloodstained, and frightened

14. What part of her body was hurt?

Elbow

15. What gushed out of the doctor’s body?

Blood

16. What did the couple stumble over in the street?

A head

17. What is the structure of the poem?

Diary/journal-like free verse

18. Which war does it describe?

World War II

19. What kind of tone is used in the poem?

Detached, observational, journal-like

20. What is the central theme?

Horrors of the atomic bombing

Q. 2. One-Mark Questions & Answers (2)

Q1. What crushed the man?

Ans: A gate.

Q2. What spread fire in the dust?

Ans: The wind.

Q3. Why did the doctor want to go to the hospital?

Ans: To get aid and help staff.

Q4. What seized the doctor after injury?

Ans: Thirst.

Q5. Could water be found?

Ans: No.

Q6. What revived slowly in the doctor?

Ans: His strength.

Q7. Who gave the doctor a towel?

Ans: A soldier.

Q8. What disturbed the doctor when naked?

Ans: He felt no shame.

Q9. With what were his legs stiff?

Ans: Dried blood.

Q10. Whom did he ask to go ahead?

Ans: Yecko-san.

Q11. Did Yecko-san want to leave him?

Ans: No.

Q12. How did the doctor feel after Yecko-san left?

Ans: Dreadfully lonely.

Q13. What did the doctor’s mind and body do?

Ans: Mind ran fast, body moved slowly.

Q14. How did the survivors appear?

Ans: Like shadows, ghosts, scarecrows.

Q15. Why were people stretching arms?

Ans: To avoid friction from burns.

Q16. What had caused the doctor’s weakness?

Ans: Injuries and blood loss.

Q17. What disturbed him about his emotions?

Ans: Not feeling shame despite nakedness.

Q18. Who is Yecko-san in relation to the doctor?

Ans: His wife.

Q19. What was the soldier doing when he gave towel?

Ans: Standing silently.

Q20. Which historical event is described?

Ans: Hiroshima atomic bombing (6th August 1945).

Q. 2. One-Mark Questions (3)

1. How does the poet create irony in the opening stanza?

The morning is described as calm and beautiful, which sharply contrasts with the sudden, violent destruction caused by the bomb.

2. What did the doctor initially think the flash was? Why?

He thought it was magnesium flares, as soldiers often used such lights in wartime.

3. What was the doctor’s physical condition after the blast?

He had a mangled thigh, torn cheek, bleeding side, and glass lodged in his flesh.

4. Why was the doctor alarmed about his neck?

He feared that the artery in his neck had been cut, which could cause death from heavy bleeding.

5. How is Yecko-san portrayed in the poem?

She is pale, bloodstained, and frightened, yet emerges bravely, showing resilience despite her injuries.

6. Why does the poet use a detached tone?

To reflect the shock, numbness, and disbelief of survivors who couldn’t process the sudden horror.

7. What kind of imagery is used in the poem?

Vivid visual imagery—flashes, debris, mangled body, blood, severed head—creates horror and realism.

8. How does the poem highlight human suffering?

By describing the doctor and his wife’s injuries, confusion, and panic amidst mass destruction.

9. What is the significance of the severed head?

It symbolizes the sheer brutality and inhuman destruction caused by the atomic bomb.

10. Why is the poem titled “A Doctor’s Journal Entry”?

Because it reads like a factual, unemotional diary entry, yet reveals

Q. 3. Two-Mark Questions (1)

1. Discuss how Vikram Seth balances beauty and horror in the poem.

The calm, beautiful morning sharply contrasts with the sudden, horrifying destruction. This juxtaposition intensifies the impact of the tragedy, showing how life changed within seconds.

2. Explain the significance of the doctor’s detached narration style.

His tone reflects shock and numbness; survivors couldn’t fully grasp the horror. The plain, factual narration makes the horror more chilling.

3. How does the poem depict the effects of the atomic bomb on civilians?

Through imagery of mangled bodies, collapsed houses, blood, injuries, and death, Seth shows the helplessness of ordinary people caught in destruction.

4. What role does Yecko-san play in the poem?

She represents the silent suffering of civilians. Despite her injuries, she supports her husband, symbolizing resilience amidst despair.

5. How does the poem convey the theme of war’s futility?

By showing the sudden end to peace and beauty, turning life into chaos and death, it highlights how war only brings destruction without meaning.

3. Two-Mark Questions (2)

Q1. How does the extract highlight the destruction caused by the atomic bomb?

Ans: The extract shows buildings collapsing, fire spreading, people crushed and injured, bodies burnt, survivors resembling ghosts and scarecrows, and the doctor himself weak, thirsty, and naked. It captures both physical and emotional devastation.

Q2. What does the soldier’s silent gesture symbolize?

Ans: His act of giving the towel symbolizes silent compassion amidst chaos. Even in catastrophe, humanity and dignity survived.

Q3. Why was the doctor disturbed by his lack of shame at nakedness?

Ans: He realized that extreme suffering and survival instinct had numbed his natural emotions. This unnatural reaction troubled him deeply.

Q4. How is contrast shown between the doctor’s mind and body?

Ans: His mind was determined and fast with thoughts of survival and duty, but his body was weak, slow, and injured, creating a painful contrast.

Q5. What role does Yecko-san play in the extract?

Ans: She is the doctor’s support and companion, unwilling to leave him behind, but forced by circumstances to go ahead for help, leaving the doctor lonely and distressed.

unimaginable human tragedy.

4. Three-Mark Question Answers

Q1. Why did the doctor wonder at his thought of helping staff?

Ans: The doctor found it strange that in such a broken state, with his legs failing, breath short, and body covered in wounds, he could still think of helping others. He realized later that his mind was clinging to duty even when his strength was gone.

Q2. What shows the doctor’s physical suffering?

Ans: His body displayed unbearable weakness: legs gave way under him, his breath came in gasps, thirst tormented him without relief, and his legs had stiffened with dried blood. These details vividly reflect his condition of near collapse, showing the cruel effects of shock, injury, and exhaustion.

Q3. How did the soldier’s towel help the doctor?

Ans: A kind soldier, noticing the doctor’s helpless nakedness, gave him a towel. This small act restored the doctor’s dignity, shielding him from shame in the public eye. Though still weak and bleeding, he felt momentarily human again, not simply a shattered, wounded body exposed before other sufferers.

Q4. Why did the doctor ask Yecko-san to go ahead?

Ans: The doctor was too weak to walk quickly and feared he would slow her down. By asking Yecko-san to go ahead, he gave her the chance to reach safety sooner and possibly seek help for him. It reflected both his helplessness and his concern for her.

Q5. How does the line “mind ran at high speed, body crept behind” reveal his state?

Ans: The line captures the contrast between the doctor’s mental and physical condition. His thoughts raced with urgency about reaching the hospital, helping others, and surviving, but his body dragged painfully behind. It illustrates his sharp mental clarity trapped inside an exhausted, broken frame unable to respond.

Q6. How does the imagery of “ghosts” and “scarecrows” describe survivors?

Ans: Survivors of the blast were thin, burnt, disfigured, and staggering. By comparing them to “ghosts” and “scarecrows,” the poet conveys their skeletal, half-dead appearance and the haunting impression they left. They seemed like lifeless shadows rather than human beings, reflecting the terrible physical destruction caused by the bomb.

Q7. Why did people walk with arms stretched?

Ans: People whose skin had been burned and blistered kept their arms stretched outward, away from their bodies. If their arms touched the raw, injured flesh of their sides, it would cause unbearable pain. Thus, they moved awkwardly, shuffling forward in agony, resembling a strange, mournful procession of sufferers.

Q8. What did the doctor long for most after collapse?

Ans: When he collapsed from weakness, the doctor yearned desperately for water. His thirst consumed him, but in the devastated city, none was available. This longing symbolized both his physical torment and the wider misery of survivors, who, in a ruined landscape, could not find even the simplest relief.

Q9. How was the doctor’s dignity temporarily restored?

Ans: Naked, wounded, and ashamed in front of others, the doctor regained a sense of dignity when a compassionate soldier gave him a towel to cover himself. Though his condition remained pitiful, the gesture provided comfort, reminding him that even in disaster, kindness could restore human pride.

Q10. What was the emotional impact on the doctor after Yecko-san left?

Ans: When Yecko-san, his assistant, went ahead to find help, the doctor was suddenly overwhelmed by a deep sense of loneliness. Surrounded by ruins and ghostlike figures, he felt abandoned and painfully vulnerable. Her departure left him more aware of his helplessness in the desolate, tragic landscape around him.

Q. 5. Reference to Context (1)

Extract 1:

“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.”

Q1. How does the poet set the mood in the beginning? (2m)

By describing a peaceful morning before the sudden shock of destruction.

Q2. What startled the doctor? (1m)

A strong flash from the atomic bomb.

Q3. Identify the figure of speech in “shimmering leaves and shadows.” (1m)

Imagery / Alliteration.

Extract 2:

“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.”

Q1. What caused the collapse? (1m)

The atomic bomb blast.

Q2. What is the effect of the description “as it seemed, the world”? (2m)

It shows the scale of destruction, as if the entire world collapsed.

Q3. What happened to the doctor’s clothes? (1m)

They disappeared in the blast.

Extract 3:

“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.”

Q1. What injuries did the doctor sustain? (2m)

Mangled thigh, bleeding side, torn cheek, and glass lodged in his flesh.

Q2. Explain “dislodged, detachedly.” (1m)

He removed the glass without emotion, in shock.

Q3. What does this reveal about his state of mind? (2m)

He was numb, unable to react emotionally to the horror.

Extract 4:

“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.”

Q1. What was the doctor’s greatest fear? (1m)

That his neck artery was cut.

Q2. What does this extract reveal about his relationship with Yecko-san? (2m)

His first thought was about her safety, showing love and concern.

Q3. Identify the figure of speech in “My blood gushed out.” (1m)

Imagery (visual).

Extract 5:

“We fell, tripped by something at our feet.

I gasped out, when I saw it was a head.”

Q1. What does the “head” symbolize in the poem? (2m)

The inhuman horror and brutality of nuclear war.

Q2. What emotion does the doctor express here? (1m)

Shock and horror.

Q3. How does the poet intensify the effect in this line? (2m)

By using simple, factual language to describe something terrifying, making it more chilling.

Q. 5. Reference To Context Questions (2)

Extract 1:

“A gate had crushed him.

There we stood, afraid,

A house standing before us tilted, swayed,

Toppled, and crashed.”

Q1. Who is the speaker here?

Ans: The doctor, the narrator of the poem.

Q2. What had crushed the man?

Ans: A gate.

Q3. What happened to the house mentioned here?

Ans: It swayed, toppled, and crashed.

Q4. Which historical event is being described?

Ans: The destruction after the Hiroshima atomic bomb blast.

Q5. How do these lines reflect the chaos? (3 marks – interpretative)

Ans: The sudden collapse of houses, death of people, and fire spreading show the widespread destruction and fear.

Extract 2:

“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.”

Q1. What physical suffering is described here?

Ans: Thirst, breathlessness, and weakness.

Q2. What revived in the doctor gradually?

Ans: His strength.

Q3. What figure of speech is used in “thirst seized me”?

Ans: Personification (thirst is given human quality).

Q4. Why was no water available?

Ans: Because the city was destroyed and basic necessities were missing.

Q5. What human quality is shown by the doctor’s revival of strength?

Ans: Courage and resilience in the face of disaster.

Extract 3:

“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.”

Q1. Why was the doctor naked?

Ans: His clothes were destroyed by the blast.

Q2. What disturbed him about his nakedness?

Ans: That he felt no shame.

Q3. Who helped him, and how?

Ans: A soldier gave him his towel.

Q4. What does this soldier’s act symbolize?

Ans: Humanity and silent compassion even in times of disaster.

Q5. Give one antonym for “silent” from the passage.

Ans: “Afraid” / “crashed” (depending on interpretation).

Extract 4:

“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?”

Q1. Who is Yecko-san?

Ans: The doctor’s wife.

Q2. Why were the doctor’s legs stiff?

Ans: They were covered with dried blood due to injuries.

Q3. Why did the doctor ask Yecko-san to go ahead?

Ans: Because he was too weak and slow.

Q4. What does this situation show about Yecko-san’s character?

Ans: She was loyal and unwilling to leave her husband, but accepted reality in distress.

Q5. What poetic device is used in “legs… rebelled”?

Ans: Personification (legs are described as if they could rebel).

Extract 5:

“I saw the shadowy forms of people, some

Were ghosts, some scarecrows, all were wordless,

Arms stretched straight out, shoulder to dangling hand.”

Q1. How did the survivors appear to the doctor?

Ans: Like shadows, ghosts, and scarecrows.

Q2. Why were they walking with arms stretched?

Ans: Their burnt skin caused pain if arms touched the body.

Q3. What mood is created by the imagery of “ghosts” and “scarecrows”?

Ans: Horror, despair, and hopelessness.

Q4. What does the phrase “all were wordless” suggest?

Ans: Survivors were too shocked and traumatized to speak.

Q5. Identify one simile or metaphor in this passage.

Ans: People compared to “ghosts” and “scarecrows.”

Q. 1. MCQs with Answers

Q1. The people avoided “chafing flesh against flesh” because

(a) they were modest

(b) they were injured and in pain

(c) they were angry with one another

(d) they were playing a game

Answer: (b) they were injured and in pain

Q2. How did the survivors walk after the explosion?

(a) Running fast

(b) Sliding and shuffling their feet

(c) Jumping quickly

(d) Crawling on all fours

Answer: (b) Sliding and shuffling their feet

Q3. The “blank parade” refers to

(a) a festival procession

(b) a military march

(c) a crowd of shocked, silent people

(d) a funeral procession

Answer: (c) a crowd of shocked, silent people

Q4. What sight dismayed the speaker?

(a) A burning house

(b) A naked woman with a child

(c) Soldiers marching

(d) People crying loudly

Answer: (b) A naked woman with a child

Q5. The speaker initially thought the woman and child were naked because

(a) they had returned from a bath

(b) they were beggars

(c) they were sleeping on the street

(d) they were mad

Answer: (a) they had returned from a bath

Q6. What realization came upon the speaker later?

(a) They had lost their homes

(b) Some strange force had stripped their clothes

(c) They had lost their memory

(d) They had fainted in the heat

Answer: (b) Some strange force had stripped their clothes

Q7. The old woman on the ground had a face

(a) shining with joy

(b) marred with suffering

(c) painted with colours

(d) hidden under cloth

Answer: (b) marred with suffering

Q8. Despite the pain, what was absent among the people?

(a) Hope

(b) Anguish and cries

(c) Fear

(d) Smoke

Answer: (b) Anguish and cries

Q9. The silence after the disaster is described as

(a) eerie but common to all

(b) a natural calm

(c) joyful silence

(d) noisy confusion

Answer: (a) eerie but common to all

Q10. This extract mainly depicts

(a) the beauty of Hiroshima

(b) the horror and trauma of the bomb blast

(c) the celebrations after the war

(d) the rebuilding of the city

Answer: (b) the horror and trauma of the bomb blast

Q. 2. One-Mark Questions with Answers

Q1. Who is the poet of this extract?

Ans: Vikram Seth.

Q2. From which poem is this extract taken?

Ans: A Doctor’s Journal Entry for August 6, 1945.

Q3. Why did people shuffle their feet instead of lifting them?

Ans: Because of weakness, burns, and injuries.

Q4. Who stood in the poet’s path?

Ans: A naked woman with a child.

Q5. What did the poet first think about the naked woman and child?

Ans: That they had just come back from a bath.

Q6. What realization did the poet have later?

Ans: That some strange force had stripped everyone’s clothes.

Q7. Whose face was marred with suffering?

Ans: An old woman lying on the ground.

Q8. Did the old woman cry out in pain?

Ans: No, she made no sound.

Q9. What was common to all survivors?

Ans: Silence.

Q10. What was absent despite great suffering?

Ans: Cries of anguish or words.

Q. 3. Two-Mark Questions with Answers

Q1. Explain the phrase “blank parade.”

Ans: It refers to the silent, stunned crowd of survivors moving like a procession, blank with shock and trauma after the atomic explosion.

Q2. Why did the poet mistake the nakedness of the woman and the child?

Ans: He initially thought they were unclothed because they had come back from a bath, but later realized it was due to the bomb’s effects stripping clothes.

Q3. How is the old woman’s suffering described?

Ans: Her face was marred with pain, yet she remained silent, symbolizing the numbness and shock of the survivors.

Q4. What atmosphere is created by the silence?

Ans: An eerie, unnatural atmosphere of shared trauma and numbness, where even pain could not find expression.

Q5. How does this extract highlight the dehumanizing effect of the bomb?

Ans: Survivors lost clothes, voices, and human dignity—reduced to silent, suffering figures moving like shadows.

Q. 4. Three-Mark Questions with Answers

Q1. Describe the behaviour and condition of the survivors as shown in the extract.

Ans: Survivors shuffled weakly, avoiding touching one another, moving in silence like a blank parade. Many were stripped of clothes, burned, injured, and in shock. Despite immense suffering, they uttered no cries, showing the depth of their trauma.

Q2. What role does silence play in this extract?

Ans: Silence symbolizes collective shock and numbness. It represents the inexpressible horror of the bomb, where even unbearable pain could not find voice, making the scene more haunting.

Q3. How does the poet use imagery to depict the aftermath of the bomb?

Ans: The poet uses stark imagery: “shuffling feet,” “blank parade,” “naked woman and child,” “face marred with suffering,” and “silence” to vividly convey destruction, loss of dignity, and human agony.

Q. 5. RTC (Reference to Context) Questions with Answers

Extract 1:

“They feared to chafe flesh against flesh again.

Those who could, shuffled in a blank parade Instead of lifting them off towards the hospital.”

Q1. What does “chafe flesh against flesh” imply here?

Ans: It implies the survivors’ fear of rubbing against each other’s burned and wounded bodies.

Q2. Why were they shuffling?

Ans: They were weak, injured, and traumatized, so they dragged their feet instead of lifting them.

Extract 2:

“I saw, dismayed, a woman with a child stand in my path—both naked. Had they come back from the bath?”

Q1. Why was the poet dismayed?

Ans: Because seeing a woman and child completely naked in public was shocking and unnatural.

Q2. What mistaken assumption did he make?

Ans: He thought they were naked because they had just bathed.

Extract 3:

“The face of an old woman on the ground

Was marred with suffering, but she made no sound. Silence was common to us all.”

Q1. What does “marred with suffering” mean?

Ans: It means her face was disfigured and marked by pain.

Q2. What was common among all the survivors?

Ans: Silence and an inability to cry out despite pain.

 

COURTESY: Meta AI & ChatGPT

Compiled by Dr. Shankar D Mishra

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