REVIEW
REVIEW of ‘His First Flight’ Liam O’Flaherty’s ‘His First Flight’ is one of his most famous works. It is a parable (a short moral story). It symbolizes the nervousness we experience before doing something new. The theme is ‘Overcoming fears in life’. We need to be independent and confident in life. We must not live away from family. Our family is a source of inspiration and motivation. Parental guidance, encouragement and discipline have a major role in shaping the future of children. Mother seagull does the trick to get her young son to fly. Leaving him alone on the ledge without food did not work well. She decided to exploit his hunger. A piece of fish right in front; he went for it, and he was in the air, making his first flight. The baby seagull faced a crisis, a do-or-die situation, fall or fly. He had good wings. But he was in a state of fear and ignorance. He had no belief in the strength of his wings. He knew their strength only when his life was in danger. Flaherty creates effective word pictures. We have the feeling that we see what we read. Each and every movement of the birds is given in all its details. Bird life and habits are revealed clearly in the story. Flaherty’s seagull is not a bird. It is every beginner, always afraid of taking the first step. The story gives the message ‘Conquer fear; and we realize that we are born with wings’.
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
1, What are the requirements to attain success in life?
Answer: To succeed in life means to achieve our life goals. We must know our potential (കഴിവ്). We need to build self-confidence. It will help us set our goal in life. Good planning and hard work with patience should follow. We must be ready to take risks. Motivation will help the start. Parental guidance and support are also necessary.
2: identify the factors that prevented the seagull from flying and those that favoured his flight. Answer: Failure: Lack of self confidence, fear and parents’ care. Success: Need, hunger, motivation and attempt.
3. Why was the young seagull afraid to fly? Do you think all young birds are afraid to make their first flight? Do you think a human baby also finds it a challenge to take its first steps?
Answer: The young seagull had the fear of falling into the sea. It is not a simple act of flying. It is about growing independent. Any animal or bird, including humans, is afraid to take the first step. A child cries on his first day to school. The child is going to face the outside world. Parents are not there to protect the child. So, the kid has some fear. Once you enter the college, you are anxious in the first few days. But overcoming that nervousness will give you confidence.
4. “The sight of the food maddened him.” What does this suggest? What compelled the young seagull to finally fly?
Answer: If the seagull’s parents had continued to feed him, he would not have tried to fly. But hunger, along with the sight of food, compelled him to fly and reach for the sky. Too much of help from parents will not do good to children.
are. Success: Need, hunger, motivation and attempt.
5, What lesson do you learn from this story?
Answer: The writer talks about a young seagull that is afraid to fly. Through the story gives the moral of confidence and self-reliance. Parents cannot take the responsibility of looking after their children forever. So everyone should try to become independent. No task is too difficult to achieve; but we must take risk and try.
6. Why do first attempts always appear difficult? Answer: It is very difficult to do something for the first time because of the fear of failure. It always seems impossible until it is done.
7. Prepare a write-up on your initial attempts at learning a new skill. Answer: Experiences build our confidence. Like everyone, I too had difficult experiences in my high school classes. I was very nervous on facing and talking to others. But when days passed, that day came. Each student must make a speech. It was part of CE work. I was heartbroken when the teacher told us about the speech. I went home and talked to myself looking at the mirror. I took a topic for speech and prepared. Then I presented my speech before my family. Then that day came. I went to school. Then it was my turn. When my speech was over, the class was filled with applause.
Prepared By Bhagyaraj.V.B
