SCHOLARS’ ACADEMY
‘Discover the scholar within you’
Near Samarpan Circle
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Name: ____________________________________Class________Subject______Topic___Date: _______
(MINDMAP & All Previous Year Questions
_____________________________________________________________________________
Extract 1
"What is the boy now, who has lost his ball,
What, what is he to do? I saw it go
Merrily bouncing, down the street, and then
Merrily over — there it is in the water!"
Q1. What has happened to the boy?
He has lost his ball, which bounced into the water.
Q2. How does the ball go away from him?
It bounces cheerfully down the street and falls into the water.
Q3. What emotion is reflected in the boy’s reaction?
Sadness, helplessness, and a sense of loss.
Q4. What poetic device is used in “merrily bouncing”?
Personification – the ball is given a cheerful quality.
Q5. What does the ball symbolize?
The ball symbolizes the boy’s first loss and his childhood.
Extract 2
"No use to say ‘O there are other balls’:
An ultimate shaking grief fixes the boy
As he stands rigid, trembling, staring down
All his young days into the harbour where
His ball went."
Q1. Why can't the boy be consoled with another ball?
Because the loss is deeply emotional, not just physical.
Q2. What is the “ultimate shaking grief”?
A strong, overwhelming sorrow the boy feels after losing his ball.
Q3. What poetic device is used in “shaking grief”?
Metaphor – grief is compared to a physical tremor.
Q4. What does “staring down all his young days” mean?
He reflects on his childhood, seeing it lost along with the ball.
Q5. What is the tone in this extract?
Melancholic and reflective.
Short Answer Type Questions (2/3 Marks)
Q1. How does the boy react to the loss of his ball?
Key Points:
• He is shocked and still, unable to move.
• Trembles with grief, stares at the water.
• Represents his realization of loss.
Q2. What does the poet want to convey through the ball’s loss?
Key Points:
• Loss is inevitable in life.
• Everyone must learn to deal with it.
• It is a part of growing up.
Q3. Why does the poet say “No use to say ‘O there are other balls’”?
Key Points:
• Consolation cannot replace emotional value.
• The ball is unique to the boy’s memory and childhood.
• Teaches about irreplaceable things in life.
Q4. How does the poem connect to the theme of growing up?
Key Points:
• First experience of loss shapes maturity.
• Shows emotional development.
• Letting go is part of life’s journey.
Q5. What poetic devices are used in the poem?
Key Points:
• Symbolism – Ball symbolizes childhood/loss.
• Personification – Ball bouncing “merrily.”
• Imagery – Visual of the ball going into the water.
Long Answer Questions (6 Marks)
Q1. The poem “The Ball Poem” deals with the theme of loss and growing up. Explain.
Key Points:
• Loss of ball = loss of innocence/childhood.
• Boy’s grief shows emotional maturity.
• Accepting loss is essential for growing up.
• Poet presents it as a universal experience.
Q2. How does the poet use the incident of a lost ball to highlight a deeper philosophical message?
Key Points:
• Ball is symbolic of deeper things we lose – relationships, innocence.
• Loss teaches responsibility and acceptance.
• The incident is simple, but the impact is lifelong.
Q3. Do you think the boy learns an important lesson? Justify.
Key Points:
• He realizes not everything can be replaced.
• Learns that life moves on despite loss.
• Grows emotionally through this experience.
Competency-Based / Analytical Questions
Q1. How is the poem relevant to the life of a teenager?
Key Points:
• Teenagers often face emotional transitions.
• First lessons of responsibility and detachment.
• Helps relate personal losses to life’s bigger picture.
Q2. If you were in the boy’s place, how would you feel and react?
Key Points:
Sad, shocked, helpless – like the boy.
Would try to understand why some things can't return.
Learn from the experience.
Q3. What message does the poet leave for the reader?
Key Points:
• Loss is a part of life – accept it.
• Emotional maturity comes with time.
• We must move on despite what we lose.
Summary of Poetic Devices in “The Ball Poem”
Device Example Effect
Symbolism The ball symbolizes childhood/loss Deepens the meaning of the poem
Imagery “Merrily bouncing, down the street” Visualizes movement and emotion
Personification “merrily bouncing” Gives the ball a life-like character
Enjambment Lines flow without full stop Smooth rhythm and natural storytelling
Metaphor “Shaking grief” Emotion is compared to physical tremble
Repetition “What, what is he to do?” Emphasizes confusion and helplessness
PRACTICE WORKSHEET
🔹 Section A – Extract-Based Questions (4 marks)
"He is learning, well behind his desperate eyes,
The epistemology of loss, how to stand up
Knowing what every man must one day know
And most know many days, how to stand up."
(i) What is the boy learning behind his ‘desperate eyes’?
(ii) What does ‘epistemology of loss’ refer to in the poem?
(iii) What must everyone learn in life, according to the poet?
(iv) Identify the poetic device used in the line “behind his desperate eyes.”
✍️ Section B – Short Answer Type Questions (2 × 2 = 4 marks)
Answer the following questions in 30–40 words each:
Q1. Why is the boy deeply troubled by the loss of his ball? What does it signify?
Q2. Explain how the poem uses the simple incident of a lost ball to convey a universal truth.
✨ Section C – Long Answer Type Question (1 × 2 = 2 marks)
Answer in 50–60 words:
Q3. How does the poem reflect the theme of growing up and facing reality? Give your views with reference to
the poem and your own understanding Competency-Based Extension Question
Q4. Imagine you are the boy from the poem. Write a short diary entry expressing your thoughts after losing
the ball and realizing what it meant. (50–60 words)
✅ Answer Key / Hints (for reference)
Extract-Based:
(i) He is learning to accept loss and deal with it.
(ii) It refers to the understanding or theory of loss.
(iii) Everyone must learn to cope with losses in life.
(iv) Metaphor – “desperate eyes” reflect inner turmoil.
