No Men Are Foreign Extra Questions

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Extra Questions, Notes, Assignment and study material for Class 9^th as Per CBSE Syllabus

Chapter-6.1 English Language and Literature

No Men Are Foreign Extra Questions

By- James Kirkup

INTRODUCTION OF NO MEN ARE FOREIGN

We often feel that some people are strange or foreign. Most of us share the belief that people who are different from “us,” those who don’t speak our language and come from a different country, may not be as humane or valuable. But in this poem, Joseph teaches us to understand that there’s beauty in every person on Earth. Races like the chimps aren’t considered human, but that doesn’t mean they are not living things with equal potentials for happiness and natural rights.

(क्या आपने कभी सोचा है कि कुछ लोग अजीब होते है और कुछ देशों को हम ‘विदेश’ कहते है ं? हम कईं प्रकार से दूसरे लोगों को अपने से भिन्न मान सकते हैं और अपने -आपको उनसे भिन्न । हो सकता है “उनका संबंध किसी दूसरे देश के साथ हो और वे कोई दूसरी भाषा बोलते हों । इस कविता के माध्यम से कवि हमें कई विधियों के बारे में बताता है, जिससे हम अपने-आपको दूसरे के समान मान सकते हैं । इनमें सबसे बड़ा कारण हमारा इंसान होना है ।)

INTRODUCTION OF NO MEN ARE FOREIGN (2):-

“No Men are Foreign” by James Kirkup is a poem about the inherent equality in all humans and how the species have been divided due to cultures and emotions. By embracing our similarities, we can lead towards coexistence that everyone desires. Also, the poem discusses how these emotions, race, and culture are unnecessary.

THEME OF NO MEN ARE FOREIGN: –

“No Men are Foreign” is about the oneness of mankind and against what superficial differences people have by race, nationality and faith or belief. The poem talks about condemnation for crimes that are committed against humanity, as well as compassion for love, accord, friendship, and amity that unite all humans.

TITLE OF NO MEN ARE FOREIGN

“No Men Are Foreign” explores the theme of what it means to be human by discussing the concept that humans in all parts of the world are equal, and will always act in a way that reflects love. As with everything in life, we all have feelings, similar ones that everyone else has as well. Humans inherently respond to love. Hence, no one is foreign or outside of love.

MESSAGE OF NO MEN ARE FOREIGN

This is a peace poem that provides a strong message to stop all wars and look upon humanity as unified entity. The poet warns the rulers of all countries, who wage war with their enemies, that they not only injure the interests of those whom they hate but also their own interests, through injury to themselves. War always harms human society, so those who use or refuse to use to technology to help make the world a better place are actually doing harm. Those who spread hatred and cause war against their brothers and sisters in different parts of the world actually harm the cause of peaceful mutual coexistence.

LITERARY DEVICES OF NO MEN ARE FOREIGN

Alliteration

Alliteration is the close repetition of consonant sounds at the beginning of successive words (initial alliteration) and within words (internal alliteration).

Examples:

a single body breathes

(‘ b’ sound is repeated at the beginning of each word)

Or sleep, and strength

(‘ s’ sound is repeated)

Metaphor

A figure of speech in which a word or phrase (which is not linked directly) is used to describe an object or action through comparison.

Examples:

Beneath all uniforms, a single body breathes

‘Uniforms’ here basically stand for militaries that different countries in the world have. These uniforms may be different in colour, design, shape and culture, but people donning them are the same anywhere in the world.

war’s long winter starv’ d

Here the starvation experienced during unproductive and harsh winters describes the want and hunger faced during war-time. Both these conditions lead to ultimate destruction.

Repetition

Poets often repeat single words or phrases, lines, and sometimes, even whole stanzas at intervals to create a musical effect; to emphasize a point; to draw the readers’ attention or to lend unity to a piece. In “No Men are Foreign” James Kirkup repeats the word ‘Remember’ five times in the poem to emphasize the serious message the poem has to convey. Similarly, the last line of the last stanza (“Remember, no men are foreign, and no countries strange”) though reversed, is the same as the first line of the first stanza (“Remember, no men are strange, no countries foreign”). This repetition emphasizes the core message of the oneness of mankind.

RHYME SCHEME OF NO MEN ARE FOREIGN

The poem doesn’t have any specific rhyme scheme. It is written in free verse.

POETIC DEVICES OF NO MEN ARE FOREIGN

Metaphor

This device is used when a covert comparison is made between two different things or ideas. In the third line of this poem, the poet uses metaphor to make the comparison from members of his own species to humans. He uses it in the 6th line when he compares war with winter since resources are both reduced on both sides. He uses it for the last time in the 18th, when he compares wars with hells.

Transferred Epithet

When a speaker uses an eponymous metaphor, it is often one that describes how a person or thing prescribes to the needs of another. This poem exemplifies the transferral of epithet in the 6th line when the poet writes “peaceful harvests”. It is not the harvests themselves that are peaceful; it’s peaceful conditions like avoiding famine and droughts that make harvest possible.

VALUE POINTS OF NO MEN ARE FOREIGN

The central idea of this poem is that we have the same father — God.
As we are the children of God, we should believe in universal brotherhood.
We all have a common right to the earth — a common property.
We should not treat ourselves as the citizens of a particular country.
We should not support narrow nationalism.
Instead, we should think that we are the citizens of the world.
Wars are not good for us. During wars, we suffer and in peace we make progress. So, we should try to live peacefully.

USEFUL EXPRESSION OF NO MEN ARE FOREIGN

Beneath all uniforms, … — the people of different countries wear various dresses but the human body is the same beneath them.
… in their lines we read — we all have same hands by which we all produce the same type of goods, products and literature.
In every land is common life — in every country, the people are leading the same life. They feel pain and sorrow similarly.
whenever we are told To hate our brothers, … — the selfish people instigate the innocent to harm each other.
Remember, no men are foreign, and no countries strange — We should not forget that we all are the citizens of the world. Here, no one is a foreigner and no countries are strange. We have similar body and mind everywhere.

PARAPHRASING OF NO MEN ARE FOREIGN

STANZA

MEANING

Remember, no men are strange, no countries foreign

Beneath all uniforms, a single body breathes Like ours: the land our brothers walk upon Is earth like this, in which we all shall lie.

The poet says that all people are similar irrespective of whatever country they belong to. People from different countries may wear various dresses but beneath them, we can find the same human beings. The same earth is present everywhere. And the people of all countries will be buried into the same earth one day. So, differences among us are useless.

They, too, aware of sun and air and water,

Are fed by peaceful harvests, by war’s long winter starv’d.

Their hands are ours, and in their lines, we read

Labour not different from our own.

The poet tells us that the people of different countries have similar resources. They get light from the same sun, breathe air and drink the same water. In peace, they prosper and during wars, they suffer hunger similarly. Moreover, they have hands like us and all do the same work, occupy themselves in the production of the same products, good, and literature. They also work for the nation like us. Thus, we are the same and the entire world is our home.

Remember they have eyes like ours that wake

Or sleep, and strength that can be won

By love. In every land is a common life

That all can recognise and understand.

The poet says that the people of other countries have similar body structure like us. They also sleep and walk as we do. They can also understand love. Moreover, every country has the same type of life that can be easily noticed and appreciated. Thus, the poet finds no difference in body structure and feelings.

Let us remember, whenever we are told

To hate our brothers, it is ourselves

That we shall dispossess, betray, condemn. Remember, we who take arms against each other

The poet advises us that we should not be influenced by other people so that we may hate the people of other countries. If we do so, we hate ourselves only. We only neglect, betray and condemn ourselves by doing such acts against the people of other countries. Moreover, we should not forget that sometimes we even take arms against them. We have to know the reality of such acts. We are the citizens of the world.

It is the human earth that we defile.

Our hells of fire and dust outrage the innocence Of air that is everywhere our own,

Remember, no men are foreign, and no countries strange.

The poet makes us aware that the earth belongs to all human beings. The hatred and anger spread all over the world are damaging peace only. We should not distinguish the people of one country from others for we have no reason to do so. We must not forget that all men are equal and they belong to the same world. Thus, the poet equally treats the people of different countries of the world.

VOCABULARY OF NO MEN ARE FOREIGN

Strange—Unusual; Foreign—belonging to a country that is not your own; Beneath—under; Feed—give food; Peaceful—calm; Harvest—the act of collecting grains, foods, etc.; Starv’d—to suffer due to lack of food; Labour—work; Wake—arise; Strength—power; Common—usual; Recognise- know; Understand— know; Whenever —every time; Hate—dislike; Dispossess—to take somebody’s property, land. etc.; Betray— to deceive; Condemn— criticise, Arms— weapons; Defile— spoil; Hell— the place believed to be the some of the devils and where bad people go after death. Outrage— great anger; Innocence—purity.

WORD MEANING OF NO MEN ARE FOREIGN

Word-Meanings : Foreign = of other country/the other country, दूसरे देश का या दूसरा देश ; beneath =under, नीचे ; uniform = (here) skin, चमड़ी I Aware = conscious, जागरूक ; fed = given food to eat, भोजन करना ; harvest = reaping corn,फसल एकत्र करना ; starved = die with hunger, भूख से मरना l Strength = power:बल या शक्ति ; land =country, देश ; recognise = know,पहचानना l Dispossess – to put out of possession, अधिकार मुक्त कर देना ; betray = cheat,धोखा देना ; condemn = criticise, निंदा करना I Defile = make dirty/pollute, प्रदूषित करते है ं; outrage = excessive violence, अत्यधिक अत्याचार; innocence = homelessness, पवित्रता I

SUMMARY OF NO MEN ARE FOREIGN

‘No Men Are Foreign’ is an inspiring poem that unites all people of this world through its message of unity. The poet says that in this world, no men are strange and there aren’t any foreign countries. Talking about humans, we are one and share the same soul. Our skin may be different but in essence, we are the same. We may come from different countries and speak a different language but all of us enjoy nature’s beauty. It is true that we recognize and identify the same emotions that are present with each other–whether they are seen in people’s eyes, heard in their voice, or detected by their gestures. When we hate others we also hate how we see ourselves. In the end, the poet says that humans are polluting this earth by their deeds. There are many reasons we should preserve the atmosphere and be mindful that this universe is a creation of God. We all share in the responsiblity of upholding such a place.

SUMMARY OF NO MEN ARE FOREIGN (2) :

‘

In “No Men are Foreign,” James Kirkup tells us that all different types of people should accept each other for who they are and never punish others for the faults in their character. This is important because wars would be pointless and have no good outcome if everyone has morals like these. People wear clothing in different ways around the world, but their bodies are similar underneath. Different countries may have diverse cultural practices and customs, but working conditions are always the same for most people. When the day comes that all of us die, it is natural to return back on earth. When people anywhere in the world gets sunlight, air, and water, they usually prospered during peace, but had to suffer poverty and hunger during wars like us. The same jobs are done to earn their livelihoods as we do. Like humans, corporations are built to work just like themselves. They too love and care for their fellow employees, family members and the customers who are loyal to them. We must remember that when we hate others, betray or forcibly take away land, property or rights from them, we actually harm ourselves. This poem talks about the damage caused during war not only to people, but also to the environment. It urges us to think about developing a peaceful co-existence and not to fight or hate others.

Go to the NCERT Solution “My Childhood”

SUMMARY IN HINDI OF NO MEN ARE FOREIGN

‘No Men Are Foreign’ संसार के सभी लोगों और राष्ट्रों के बीच एकता और समरसता का संदेश देने वाली एक सुंदर कविता है । कवि कहता है कि इस संसार में कोई भी व्यक्ति अजीब नहीं है और कोई भी राष्ट्र परदेस नहीं है । हम सभी इंसान है । हम सभी की आत्मा एक समान है । यह सच है कि हमारी चमड़ी तो अलग-अलग रंगों की हो सकती है परंतु हमारी आत्मा तो एक जैसी है । हो सकता है कि हम किसी दूसरे देश में रहते हो और कोई दूसरी भाषा बोलते हो लेकिन हम सभी प्रकृति का पूर्ण रूप से आनंद लेते है ।

हमें यह याद रखना चाहिए कि हमारी आँखें जो जागने सोने और प्यार करने का कार्य करती है । सारे संसार में एक समान है ।यह एक तथ्य है कि चाहे हम कहीं पर भी रहें हम ताकत को प्यार से पराजित कर सकते है । हमें अपने मन में यह बात रखनी चाहिए कि यदि हम दूसरों से घृणा करते है तो इसका अर्थ यह है कि हम स्वयं से ही घृणा करते है । अंत में कवि कहता है कि लोग अपने कार्यों से इस धस्ती को प्रदूषित रहे हैं । हमें अपने पर्यावरण को बचाना चाहिए और यह बात ध्यान में रखनी चाहिए कि यह सारा ब्रम्हांड भगवान की सृजना है और हम सभी एक हैं ।

EXTRACTS OF NO MEN ARE FOREIGN

(I)

Remember, no men are strange, no countries foreign,

Beneath all uniforms, a single body breathes

Like ours; the land our brothers walk upon

Is earth like this, in which we all shall lie.

Emphasising the value of universal brotherhood, the poet draws our attention to the absence of any differences amongst the people of different countries. He asks us never to forget that people living in other countries are not strange or unfamiliar. Under their different types of clothes, all human beings are the same. All human bodies live and breathe in a similar fashion. We are all brothers because we walk upon the same earth that we have divided into countries. Also, we all shall meet this same earth in the end when we shall be buried in it after death.

1. What makes men strange and countries foreign?

Due to geographical borders, different countries often seem ‘foreign’ and the people from those countries are thought of as strange.

2. Explain: ‘Beneath all uniforms, a single body breathes’.

The line means that though the outward appearance of people varies because of the difference in their attire, there is an inherent similarity between all human beings. All people live and breathe in a similar fashion. Militaries in the world may don different uniforms but they comprise of human beings who essentially are the same anywhere in the world.

3. Who is referred to as ‘our brothers’ in this stanza?

People in countries other than ours tend to be referred to as our brothers because basically, we all feel emotions such as joy, worry and sadness.

4. Explain: “In which we all shall lie.”

The poet in the text discusses how everyone will die, regardless of the nationality. He draws our attention to the common fate we are all faced with.

5. What lesson can we learn from these lines?

These lines teach us the lesson of peace, universal brotherhood and harmony. We learn that since all people in the world are like our brothers and sisters, there are no enemies or strangers to be afraid of.

(II)

They, too, aware of sun and air and water,

Are fed by peaceful harvests, by war’s long winter starv’d.

Their hands are ours, and in their lines, we read

A labour was not different from our own.

All the people of the world are nourished and nurtured equally by the elements of Nature like sun, air and water. Everyone is united by the sameness of spirit. Like us, the people in other countries too enjoy the harvests in peaceful times and dread starvation caused by long-drawn wars. They too toil to earn the livelihood and their destiny is similar to ours.

1. Who does ‘they’ refer to in the first line?

‘They’ refers to the people of countries other than ours, whom we consider being strange.

2. What are they aware of?

“They” to consume the benefits of sunlight, air and water. They, just like us, also rely on these elements of nature for sustenance.

3. Explain the expression: ‘Their hands are ours’.

‘We share the same hands,’ means that we both work hard with our hands to earn our livelihood. By this, it is clear that humans are all physiologically similar.

4. Which poetic device has been used in “war’s long winter starv’d”? Why has war’s winter been called long?

The poetic device used in “war’s long winter starv’d” is a ‘metaphor’. Here the starvation caused by the harsh winter season has been compared indirectly to the destructive period of wartime. The winter of war has been called ‘long’ because unlike the natural phenomenon of the winter season, it is self-inflicted trouble that not only robs the warmth of peace but also seems unending.

5. Explain: ‘A labour not different from our own’.

The hard work done by people in other countries is no different from the one that we do. All of us have to toil and work hard in a similar way for survival.

(III)

Remember they have eyes like ours that wake

Or sleep, and strength that can be won By love.

In every land is the common life

That all can recognise and understand.

The poet asks us to remember that the so-called ‘strange’ and ‘foreign’ people experience sleep and wakefulness like us. Like us, they too can be won over by love and not by force.T heir experiences of life are similar to that of ours. Hence, we all find something familiar in each other’s life and identify with each other.

1. Who do the words ‘they’ and ‘ours’ refer to?

“They” refers to people we consider to be strange. “Ours” refers to the people living in our country whom we consider to be similar to us.

2. Explain: ‘they have eyes like ours that wake or sleep’.

The poet is trying to bring home the idea that those people whom we consider strange or foreign are similar to us in every way. They sleep and wake up each new day just like us. Even though the colour and shape of their eyes is different from ours, they perform a similar function.

3. According to the poet, how can we win other people?

The poet says that the strength of other people can be won by love and kindness, not by force or war.

4. What do you understand by ‘common life’?

‘Common life’ means life anywhere in the world that has similar patterns and features – birth and death, joys and sorrows, youth and old age, and so on and so forth. This commonness of ‘common life’ is experienced by all the people of the world regardless of the country in which they live.

(IV)

Let us remember, whenever we are told

To hate our brothers, it is ourselves

That we shall dispossess, betray, condemn.

Remember, we who take arms against each other.

The poet says whenever we are asked by our leaders or rulers to hate and exploit the people of other countries, we must remember that this hatred would have a negative effect on us. We would find ourselves cheated as it would deprive us of the S bliss of universal brotherhood. We would condemn ourselves to a life of enmity and strangeness.

1. Who do you think tells us to hate our brothers?

The opportunist and power-hungry leaders and politicians, who are at the helm of affairs during wartime, tell us to hate our brothers.

2. Why do we sometimes hate our brothers?

We sometimes hate our brothers because we allow vested and unscrupulous politicians and religious leaders to instigate us. We are taken in by their lies about our differences and begin to consider our brothers as strange and foreign.

3. How shall we dispossess ourselves?

We shall dispossess ourselves by hating our brothers in other parts of the world when we are told by the politically motivated people to do so. These brothers are not foreign or strange just because they belong to different countries, races and cultures.

4. What advice does the poet give us in these lines?

The poet advises us to ignore the directions of those who incite us to hate and exploit others because by doing so we harm ourselves.

(V)

It is the hurt earth that we defile,

Our hells of fire and dust outrage the innocence

Of air that is everywhere our own.

Remember, no men are foreign, and no countries strange.

The poet again reminds us that war is futile as it spoils the very earth for which we take up arms against each other. The deadly weapons emit fire and ashes that spread all over and pollute the environment. This robs the air of its purity and the world become a more difficult place to live in. It is, therefore, important not to consider any human being as foreign and any country as strange. We must build mutual respect and trust.

1. What is ‘human earth’?

‘Human earth’ is the human world that is comprised of all countries, races, cultures and creeds.

2. How do we define human earth?

We defile or pollute the human earth by using arms and ammunition to cause widespread death and destruction. Modern day weapons and modem industries cause irreparable damage to the environment.

3. Whom do we harm by going to war?

By going to war, we harm ourselves as much as we harm the enemy. The environmental pollution makes this earth an equally unhealthy place to live in for both sides that go to war.

4. Explain: ‘hells of fire and dust’ and ‘the innocence of air’.

‘Hells of fire and dust’ stands for the devastation created and caused by the arms and ammunition used in wars. ‘Innocence of air’ means the freshness and purity of air that nature has blessed us with. It also indicates the innocence of the human mind. The dust and smoke thus caused pollute the very air we breathe.

5. What does the poet want to convey by telling us that “It is the human earth that we defile”?

The poet wants to convey that wars cause massive destruction of life and property. They ruin the clean and green environment of the earth and breed hatred and enmity. Hence, no one benefits from war because the damage caused to earth is to be borne equally, for we all share the same earth.

COMPREHENSION STANZAS OF NO MEN ARE FOREIGN

STANZA 1

Remember, no men are strange, no countries foreign

Beneath all uniforms, a single body breathes

Like ours: the land our brothers walk upon

Is earth like this, in which we all shall lie.

हिंदी अनुवाद – कवि कहता है कि हमारे लिए कोई भी व्यक्ति अजनबी नहीं है और कोई भी देश विदेश नहीं है I हम सभी मानव होने के नाते एक समान है और प्रत्येक के नीचे एक ही प्रकार का शरीर होता है l हमारी भाँति हमारे भाई भी इस धरती पर चलते है और इसी धरती में ही हम सभी को समा जाना है I

Questions :

(a) What should we remember?

(b) What uniforms is the poet talking about?

(c) Where do our brothers walk?

(d) Where shall we all lie at the end of our life?

(e) Name the poem and the poet.

Answers :

(a) We should remember that no men are strange and no country is foreign.

(b) The different uniforms by different kind of people.

(d) We all shall lie in the earth at the end of our life.

(e) The name of the poem is ‘No Men Are Foreign’ and the name of the poet is ‘James Kirkup’.

STANZA 2

They, too, aware of sun and air and water,

Are fed by peaceful harvests, by war’s lone winter starv’d.

Their hands are ours, and in their lines, we read

A labour not different from our own.

हिंदी अनुवाद– सभी को धूप, हवा और जल का ज्ञान है और उनका समृद्ध फसलों के द्वारा पोषण होता है और अब शीत काल के भुखमरी वाले दिन बीत गए हैं l हम सभी एक समान हैं l

Questions :

(a) Who do they refer to in this stanza?

(b) What are they fed by?

(c) What are they starved by?

(d) How is labourer different from us?

(e) Name the poet.

Answers :

(a) They refer to the other people of the world.

(b) They are fed by peaceful harvests.

(d) A labour is little different from any one of us.

(e) The name of the poet is ‘James Kirkup’.

STANZA 3

Remember they have eyes like ours that wake

Or sleep, and strength that can be won

By love. In every land is common life ‘

That all can recognise and understand.

हिंदी अनुवाद – याद रखो कि अन्य देशों में रहने वाले लोगों की ऑंखें भी हमार्री ही आँखों की तरह जागती और सोती हैं I और हम उन लोगों के बल को भी प्यार की ताकत से जीत सकते हैं I प्रत्येक देश में जीवन एक समान है और हम इसको अच्छी तरह से पहचान और समझ सकते हैं I

Questions

(a) What do the eyes do ?

(b) How can strength be won ?

(c) What is common in every land ?

(d) What can all recognise and understand ?

(e) Name of the poem .

Answers :

(a) The eyes wake and sleep.

(b) Strength can he win with love.

(d) All can recognise and understand that life is common in every land.

(e) The name of the poem is ‘No Men Are Foreign’.

Go to the NCERT Solution “Packing”

STANZA 4

Let us remember, whenever we are told

To hate our brothers, it is ourselves

That we shall dispossess, betray, condemn.

Remember, we who lake arms against each other

हिंदी अनुवाद – आओ , हम हमेशा याद रखें कि जब कभी भी हमें अपने भाइयों से घृणा करते हैं और हम अपने आपको ही अधिकार मुक्त करते हैं और अपने आपको ही धोखा देते हैं और अपना ही अपमान करते हैं I याद रखो हम एक-दूसरे के खिलाफ हथियार उठाते हैं I वे हम अपने खिलाफ उठाते हैं I

Questions :

(a) Who are we told to hate?

(b) Whom do we hate when we hate others?

(C) What are we doing to our fellow beings?

(d) Write the Name of the poem.

(e) Write the Name of the poet.

Answers :

(a) Who are told to hate our brothers?

(b) When we hate others we hate ourselves.

(d) The name of the Poem is ‘No Men Are Foreign’.’

(e) The name of the Poet is ‘James Kirkup’.

STANZA 5

It is the human earth that we defile.

Our hells of fire and dust outrage the innocence

Of air that is everywhere our own,

Remember, no men are foreign, and no countries strange.

हिंदी अनुवाद – हम अपने कार्यों से धरती माता को प्रदूषित करते जा रहे हैं I हम ज्वाला और धूल से इस वायु की पवित्रता को , जो हमारे जीवन का आधार है , नष्ट करते जा रहे हैं I याद रखो , कोई भी व्यक्ति विदेशी नहीं है और कोई भी देश अजीब नहीं हैं I

Questions :

(a) What are we doing to the earth?

(b) What is outraging this earth?

(c) What can we call our own?

(d) Is there any strange country?

(e) What should we remember?

Answers :

(a) We are polluting this earth.

(b) Hells of fire and dust are outraging this earth.

(d) No,.there is not any strange country.

(e) We should remember that no men are foreign and no country is strange.

VERY SHORT ANSWER OF NO MEN ARE FOREIGN

1. What should we remember about men?

Ans. We should remember that no men are strange.

2. What should we remember about countries?

Ans. We should remember that no countries are foreign.

3. Where do we all walk upon?

Ans. We all walk on the same earth.

4. Where shall we all lie in the end

Ans. In the end, we all shall lie in the earth.

5. What are all men fed by?

Ans. All men are fed by peaceful harvests.

6. What do you mean by peaceful harvest?

Ans. By peaceful harvests, we mean the crops grown during the period of peace.

7. What do you mean ‘wars’ long winter?

Ans. It means the painful days of the war when we are kept indoors.

8. What are we doing to the human earth?

Ans. We are polluting the human earth.

9. Why should we not hate others?

Ans. We should not hate others because they all are our brothers.

10. What do you mean by ‘hells of fire and dust’?

Ans. ‘Hells of fire and dust’ means the wars that cause a lot of destruction.

SHORT ANSWER QUESTIONS OF NO MEN ARE FOREIGN

Q1.”Beneath all uniforms…” What uniforms do you think the poet is speaking about? (Textual)

Ans:- The poet is speaking about the dresses or uniforms that armies of different countries wear. Though these ‘uniforms’ are absolutely different in appearance the bodies under them are the same. The poet tries to convey that the differences among the people of different countries are superficial. Essentially, all human beings are the same.

Q2.Whom does the poet refer to as ‘our brothers’ and why?

Ans:-The poet refers to the people living in other countries as ‘our brothers’. He says so because the superficial dissimilarities of complexion, language, dress, culture and nationality do not, and must not, segregate us as human beings. Human wants, human needs, human hopes, human emotions are the same anywhere in the world.

Q3.How does the poet suggest (in the first stanza) that all people on earth are the same? (Textual)

Ans:-In the first stanza, the poet suggests that no human being is strange or different. Beneath the superficial surface of our bodies, we all have similar hearts, minds and souls. We all breathe and live in a similar manner. The earth is our common asset and one day we all shall die and be buried in the same way.

Q4.What does the poet mean when he says, ‘in which we all shall lie’?

Ans:-The poet means that we all shall lie under the same earth. Here ‘lie’ means to be buried after death. This is to highlight that all of us have to meet the same fate, sooner or later, hence there is no point in hating each other.

Q5. In stanza 1, find five ways in which we are alike. Pick out the words phrases suggesting these similarities. (Textual)

Ans:-Following are the five phrases that suggest that we are all alike.

(1) No men are strange

(2) No countries foreign

(3) a single body breathes like ours

(4) the land our brothers walk upon is earth like this

(5) in which we all shall lie

Q6. Why does the poet call harvests ‘peaceful’ and war as ‘winter’?

Ans:-Harvests are called ‘peaceful’ because they bring abundance and prosperity and they thrive in peaceful times only. War, on to the other hand, is like the severe and harsh ‘winter’ that ruins the crops and starves people. It is only the peaceful times that bring harmony and contentment. War destroys everything and forces people to face hunger, poverty, disease and death.

Q7. How many common features can you find in stanza 2? Pick out the words. (Textual)

Ans:-The common features listed in stanza 2 are:

Like us, the people in other countries too enjoy

(i) sun (ii) air (iii) water (iv) peaceful harvests

Like us, they too hate starvation caused by long drawn wars
Like us, they too work hard for their livelihood by using their hands.

Q8. ‘They have eyes like ours’. What similarity does the poet find in the eyes of people all over the world?

Ans:-The poet finds that eyes of men all over the world have similar sights and scenes to see, and experience the phenomena of waking up and sleeping in a similar way. Hence, the so-called strange and foreign people to have eyes just like us. Even though the colour and shape of their eyes are different from ours, they bring us identical experiences and perform a similar function.

Q9.”…whenever we are told to hate our brothers….” When do you think this happens and why? (Textual)

Ans:-Whenever their own importance or existence is in danger, politicians and religious leaders make us believe that our existence and our interests are in danger and, provoke us to hate our fellow human beings. This happens when we allow our reason to be swayed by our fears and hatred.

Q10. In one of the stanzas, the poet finds similarity in human hands. What is it?

Ans:-The poet feels that people of all countries have to work hard in a similar fashion to earn their livelihood. This is done by them with the help of their hands. It is the hands that do all the work in the world and it is the hands that are a source of all creativity.

Q11.Who tells us ‘to hate our brothers’? Should we do as we are told at such times? What does the poet say? (Textual)

Ans:-The politically motivated and power-hungry people tell us to hate our brothers during wartime. The poet says that we should not get swayed by such provocation. If we do so, it would result in our own dispossession, betrayal and condemnation.

Q12.How does man pollute this earth by going to war?

Ans:-Man pollutes the earth by causing death and destruction and by spreading hatred and enmity through wars. The war also causes irreparable damage to the earth’s environment by polluting it with dust, debris and smoke caused by war weapons.

Q13. What does the poet say about ‘hating our brothers’?

Ans:-The poet strongly condemns ‘hating our brothers’. He feels that when we indulge in such negativity, we actually harm ourselves. We deprive ourselves of the love of our brothers and earn condemnation for such depravity.

Q14. Why does the poet say that people of the world should live in peace and not go to war?

Ans:-The poet advocates living in peace because peace brings progress, prosperity and cheer in this world. He advises mankind to shun wars because wars bring death, exploitation, want, poverty and starvation. They also defile the earth and pollute the very air we all breathe.

Q15.How does the poet propose to win over other countries?

Ans:-The poet proposes to win over other countries through the divine force of love. It is a universal fact that this world responds positively to love and kindness. So the poet plans to use it to end all hatred and war and create peaceful heaven on earth.

Q16.Who, according to you, is the speaker in this poem?

Ans:-The speaker in this poem is the poet himself who stands for the goodness of the human heart that propagates love, peace and universal brotherhood. He is a champion of love, peace and joy.

Q17.In four stanzas out of five, the poet uses the word “Remember”. Why do you think he has repeated this word so many times?

Ans:-By repeating the word ‘remember’, the poet wishes us never to forget that our ideas, emotions and experiences are similar to that of the people we conventionally think of as ‘strange’ or ‘foreign’. He wants to emphasise that all human beings are identical in nature and phases of human life are the same anywhere in the world.

Q18. Mention any two ways in which people living in other countries are similar to us.

Ans:-All people of the world have eyes similar to ours. They too experience the phenomena of sleeping and waking up like us. The emotion of love too is experienced and responded to in a similar manner by all the people. Everyone’s physical strength can be countered with the power of love.

Q19. What is the central idea of the poem?

Ans:-The central idea of the poem is that all human beings are similar and equal. Hence, we should love one another and live in peace and harmony. Universal brotherhood and harmonious co-existence will not only unite us but will also save our mother earth from getting polluted and damaged.

Q20. Why do countries engage in wars and to what effect?

Ans:-Vested interests of the power-hungry people instigate the common man to hate fellow-beings living in different parts of the world. This narrow approach leads to wars and results in bloodshed and irreparable loss of innocent lives.

Q21.How does the title sum up the theme of the poem “No Men are Foreign”?

Ans:-Right through the poem, the poet talks about the concept of universal brotherhood and peaceful co-existence, without any place for any kind of prejudice. He emphasises the fact that all human beings are inherently the same and divisions based on nation, caste, colour, creed or religion are baseless. James Kirkup, the poet, has beautifully conveyed these ideas through the title of the poem “No Men Are Foreign”.

Q22. “No Men are Foreign” is an anti-war poem. Comment.

Ans:-“No Men Are Foreign” is a peace poem which propagates the idea of human brotherhood and peaceful co-existence by annihilating all war and hatred. War harms both the suppressed and the suppressor. It brings about death, destruction, deprivation’ starvation and pollution. Hence, wars should be shunned forever.

Q23. (i) “Beneath all uniforms…” What uniforms do you think the poet is speaking about?

(ii) How does the poet suggest that all people on earth are the same?

Ans. (i) The poet thinks about the various dresses that people of various countries wear but beneath these dresses, the human body is the same.

(ii) The poet says that nobody is different and unique. No country is foreign. A single body breathes beneath all uniforms. Moreover, the land is the same everywhere.

Q24. How does the poet suggest that all people on earth are the same?

Ans. The poet suggests that all people on earth are the same. They breathe, eat and walk in the same way. They all use the same light of the sun, air and water. They all love peace and hate war and have similar eyes. The poet says:

No men are foreign and no countries strange;

we all have a common entity of being humans.

Q25. When do we defile the earth?

Ans. When we take arms against each other, we defile the earth. Wars cause enormous suffering without yielding any result.

Q26. How do all human beings live and suffer the same on the earth?

Ans. The poet says that all live and suffer the same. The human body is the same everywhere. All live under the same sun, use the same air and water. All prosper when there is peace. All starve when there is war. War destroys everyone equally.

Q27. How do we defile and outrage the ‘human earth’ that is ours?

Ans. Hate breeds hatred. Narrow ideas pollute and defile this earth which belongs to all mankind. ‘Hells of fire and dust’ are our own creations. They pollute and outrage the ‘innocence of air that is our own’. We should remember that the mother earth belongs to all lands and all people.

Q28. Explain: ‘Are fed by peaceful harvests’.

Ans. It means the fact that humanity or the world progresses only in peaceful conditions. It is only in the time of harmony and satisfaction that brings prosperity for all.

Q29. What is the air full of? How is it polluted?

Ans. The air is full of innocence. It is polluted by wars and hatred and it also controls the innocent minds of people. Thus, wars and hatred are not good for us.

Q30. What will happen if we hate our brothers?

Ans. Hatred is our biggest enemy in the world. If we hate our brothers it means we deprive ourselves of what we are. It means our self-betrayal and self-condemnation only.

LONG ANSWER QUESTIONS OF NO MEN ARE FOREIGN

Q1. How does the poem justify that people in all countries of the world are essentially the same?

Ans:-The poet justifies the statement that people living in different countries are essentially the same by asserting that ‘no men are strange’. Every single body breathes and functions in the same way as ours. Each one of us equally needs the sun, air and water. Human hands too are used for the similar purpose of toiling for livelihood. Eyes too perform the similar function of sleeping and waking up. Love wins us all and we all recognise its power. In peace times, we all flourish and wars starve us. Hatred leads us astray and when we take up arms against each other, the entire earth is defiled and destroyed. Therefore, we all like peace which showers abundance and prosperity on us. Therefore, essentially we all are the same.

Q2. ‘Wars have always brought total ruin in this world, yet they are fought repeatedly.’ Discuss.

Ans:- Wars are the result of over-ambition and greed of irresponsible rulers of the world. They bring ruin both to the victor and the vanquished by shattering the economy of the warring countries. In the past, wars were localised but now they are global and hence more dangerous and destructive. The memories of the First and the Second World Wars are still fresh in our minds. The horrific after-effects of the bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki in 1945 can still be seen. Still, it is appalling to note that people of the world do not learn from history. The danger of yet another war lurks all the time. The divisive forces are even stronger in the present times and the mad race for armaments too is scary. Hope lies in the strength of the common people who should refuse to be fooled by vested and unscrupulous leaders. Instead, people of the world should look at the world as a global village that offers innumerable opportunities and reasons for peaceful coexistence.

Q3. How does the poet James Kirkup prove that no men are foreign? How far is he able to convince his reader about it?

Ans:-The poet, James Kirkup, cites various examples to prove that no men are foreign. The very title of the poem is thought-provoking and compels the reader to think about the issue of people living in other countries as foreigners and strangers. As the poem progresses, the poet repeatedly emphasises that all human beings are identical in their nature and approach. All live on the same earth; enjoy air, sun and water; love peace and are averse to war. They all have common experiences and toil in a similar manner to earn the livelihood. The logical reasoning put forth by the poet and the frequent reminders fully convince the reader that no men are foreign. He gets the message that alienation from fellow brethren is equally damaging to himself. He also understands that by treating other men as foreign, the world stands exposed to the risk of war which can lead to irreversible destruction and pollution of mother earth. Q4. In what way do we dispossess, betray and condemn ourselves by hating our brothers and taking up arms against them? By hating our brothers and taking up arms against them, we ‘dispossess’ ourselves as we deprive ourselves of their love. When we hate them, they too retaliate negatively and cease to love us. Mutually, we deprive each other of the noble emotion of love. We betray ourselves as our hatred leads to wars, and wars cause widespread death and destruction. This leads to the piling up of trash that pollutes our own mother earth. The dust and smoke from war choke the air that we breathe. So, hatred of fellow beings, in fact, leads to betrayal of our own selves. Further, this earns us condemnation as we violate the purity of the elements of nature. We threaten our own existence by ruining the systems that sustain us. Hence, hating our brothers and taking up arms against them does more damage to us.

Q4.How, according, to the poet, the human earth is ‘defiled’ and the innocence of air ‘outraged’?

Ans:- The weapons of war make the earth dirty and spoil its atmosphere. The deadly ammunition destroys the fertility of the earth and makes it barren. Explosives cause destructive fires sending ashes all over. This pollutes the land as well as the air and the water. It leads to the spread of hunger and innumerable diseases. Both earth and air lose their purity. Thus, the victor, as well as the vanquished, find the Earth and its environment hostile and unfriendly. The kind mother Nature becomes absolutely helpless and is unable to shower her gifts on human beings. It is tarnished and robbed of its bounties. The innocence of air is signified by its purity. But wars strip the air of this innocence and fill it with smoke and dirt. The air then becomes unsuitable for human survival. Thus ‘human earth’ is ‘defiled’ and ‘innocence of air’ is ‘outraged’ by wars.

Q5. A great persons tell us to live cordially and as brothers. But we people tend to fight over trivial issues. Why don’t we live with others harmoniously? What makes us fight and hurt others?

Ans. It is true that many people have been telling us to live harmoniously since long. We never follow their message. We also know that our greed to get more wealth and power cannot give us a peaceful life. But some deep-rooted evils in our society make us draw a distinction between people. We know that all customs and conventions have been made by people. God has made all people equal. But we make differences between people for our selfish motives. We start to hate even our family members due to our ego to be more powerful. By doing so, we, at last, harm ourselves. We become objects of hatred for society. In society, people dislike selfish people.

So before going to hurt other’s feeling, first of all, we should think whether doing such act with others is justified by other people or society. We should learn to live with others as brothers. We should learn to tolerate, forgive and compromise. Only in this way, our life would be happy and peaceful.

Q6. How are we responsible for war? Explain with reference to the poem No Men are Foreign’.

Ans. Everyone is responsible for the war. If we start hating our brothers, we will become the cause of tension. And the tension is converted into war one day. So nobody should hate and despise anyone. Our biased and impolite behaviour toward fellow human beings becomes the cause of unnecessary wars.

Q7. The land our brothers walk upon. Is earth like this, in which we all shall lie!’ What does the poet mean to say the above lines? Explain.

Ans. The poet means to say in these lines that it is the same land on which we walk and after our death, we would be buried in the same earth. Through these lines, the poet tells us that we do all our activities on the same land. We get food from this land. We make our houses on this land and we get many other things from the same land, then why do we say to some people to be `others’?. No one is other. We live in the same house or universe as a family. Then why do we create discrimination against some people? Why do we fight with our brothers? It is all because of our greed to get more wealth and power. We want to have more wealth and power than others. In the pursuit to fulfil this desire, we fight with others and hurt them.

The poet also tells us that one day all of us have to die. Nothing would remain ours. We will have to leave all the things on the same earth. At last, we all will be buried in the same earth.

Q8. How are we alike? Explain in context with the poem.

Ans. We all are alike. We have the same body structure. All of us need the same air to breathe, the same sun to get sunlight and warmth and the same water for many purposes. Our daily routine is also almost the same. We get up in the morning, take a bath, have breakfast and go to work or school. All of us long for love. We all sleep at night and wake up in the morning.

When our needs and feelings are the same, then we should treat all people equally.

We should not look down upon anybody on the basis of his/her colour, caste, region or gender. We should treat everyone as our brother and sister.

Unfortunately, some self-centred people fight with others and try to hurt them. They think that others have harmed them. We should not think that other people are ‘others’. They are also our brothers. If they make any mistake, we should forgive them or compromise with them.

Go to the NCERT Solution “ Reach for the top Part I”

QUICK REVIEW OF THE POEM NO MEN ARE FOREIGN

1. What should we remember?

(A) No men are strange (B) No countries are foreign

Ans. (C) both (A) and (B)

2. A single body breathes beneath all ………..

(A) uniforms (B) souls

Ans. (A) uniforms

3. In the end, we all shall lie in

(A) earth (B) water

Ans. (A) Earth

4. What are all people aware of?

(A) sun (B) air

Ans. (D) all of the above

5. What are we doing to the human earth?

(A) defiling (B) saving

Ans. (A) defiling

6. We should we bate?

(A) our brothers (B) our enemies

Ans. (D) we should hate none

7. What message does the poet want to convey in the poem ‘No Men Are Foreign’?

(A) all men are our brothers (B) all men are good

(C)all men are bad (D) God is everywhere

Ans. (A) all men are our brothers

8. Who is the poet of the poem ‘No Men Are Foreign’?

(A) James Kirkup (B) W.B.Yeats

Ans. (A) James Kirkup

9. How can strength be won?

(A) by War (B) by hatred

Ans. (C) by love

10. What should we not do to others?

(A) love (B) hate

Ans. (B) hate