Class 11 English NCERT Book Woven Words Poetry Lesson 4 Telephone Conversation Questions and Answers.
Understanding the poem
1. State the central issue in the poem.
2. There are intervals of silence in the interaction between the landlady and the prospective tenant. What are the reasons for this?
3. How is colour highlight in the poem and why? List all the words in the poem that suggest colour.
4. Which are the lines in the poem that impressed you the most and why?
5. You know what ‘hide-and-seek is. What would ‘hide-and-speak’ mean?
6. Certain words in the poem are in capital letters-why?
7. Why do you think that the poet has chosen the title ‘Telephone Conversation’? If you were to suggest another title for the poem, what would it be?
8. The power of poetry lies in suggestion and understatement. Discuss this with reference to the poem.
Answer:
Understanding the Poem:
1. State the central issue in the poem.
The central issue in the poem is racial discrimination. The poem highlights the subtle yet powerful racism encountered by the speaker, an African man, during a telephone conversation with a landlady when she questions him about the color of his skin.
2. There are intervals of silence in the interaction between the landlady and the prospective tenant. What are the reasons for this?
The silences represent moments of shock, discomfort, and hesitation. When the speaker reveals he is African, the landlady pauses, possibly processing the information and trying to mask her racist thoughts. The silences also reflect the tension between the two, showing how racism and prejudice create awkward barriers in communication.
3. How is color highlighted in the poem and why? List all the words in the poem that suggest color.
Color is a central theme of the poem, used to highlight racial differences and the absurdity of judging people based on their skin tone. Words that suggest color include:
4. Which are the lines in the poem that impressed you the most and why?
The lines that stand out are:
“Facially, I am brunette, but madam, you should see
The rest of me. Palm of my hand, soles of my feet
Are a peroxide blonde.”
These lines are impressive because of their sharp irony and humor. The speaker mocks the landlady’s fixation on skin color by exaggerating the absurdity of racial distinctions. It reflects the speaker’s wit and frustration while highlighting the ridiculousness of racism.
5. You know what ‘hide-and-seek’ is. What would ‘hide-and-speak’ mean?
‘Hide-and-speak’ refers to a conversation where the true feelings or intentions are hidden, and people say things indirectly. In the poem, the landlady is not being open and honest about her prejudice, speaking in a manner that disguises her racist assumptions, which could be called ‘hide-and-speak.’
6. Certain words in the poem are in capital letters—why?
The words in capital letters (“HOW DARK?”, “ARE YOU LIGHT OR VERY DARK?”) represent the landlady’s raised voice, emphasizing her blunt, almost aggressive questioning about the speaker’s skin color. The capital letters highlight the insensitivity and racial prejudice in her words.
7. Why do you think the poet has chosen the title ‘Telephone Conversation’? If you were to suggest another title for the poem, what would it be?
The poet chose the title ‘Telephone Conversation’ to show how even a simple interaction like a phone call can reveal deep-seated racial biases. The conversation is supposed to be about renting a property, but it quickly shifts to a discussion about skin color, exposing the landlady’s prejudice.
Another possible title could be “The Colour Question” as it captures the landlady’s main concern in the conversation.
6. The power of poetry lies in suggestion and understatement. Discuss this with reference to the poem.
In the poem, Soyinka uses subtle irony and understatement to address a serious issue like racism. The speaker does not directly accuse the landlady of racism but uses humor and wit to expose her prejudice. His sarcastic remarks, like comparing his skin color to “milk chocolate” or “West African sepia,” suggest how ridiculous it is to reduce someone to their skin tone. The understated way the poet deals with the landlady’s rudeness makes the impact of the poem even stronger, as it forces readers to think about the deeper meaning behind the words. The poem’s suggestion and light tone mask the heavy theme of racial discrimination, making it more powerful.
Try this out
1. Enact the conversation bits with your partner.
2. Attempt a description of
a. the place from which the call was made
b. the lady at the other end
c. the speaker in the poem
3. The poem evokes a mental picture of the scene. Draw a rough sketch to illustrate the episode.
Answer:
1. Enact the conversation bits with your partner:
To enact the conversation from the poem, take turns playing the roles of the speaker (the African man) and the landlady. Focus on emphasizing the pauses, hesitations, and the rising tension in the conversation. The speaker should sound polite but increasingly frustrated, while the landlady’s tone should shift from casual inquiry to blunt, insensitive questioning about skin color. Use pauses to highlight the moments of silence in the poem, reflecting the awkwardness and discomfort.
2. Attempt a description of: a. The place from which the call was made:
The speaker is calling from a public telephone booth—likely a cramped, isolated, red booth. The setting is urban, with the noise of the street surrounding him. The environment has a faint smell of tar and smoke from passing vehicles, and the booth itself feels confining, with a musty odor of lingering breath from previous callers. Nearby, a red pillar-box (postbox) and a red double-decker bus squelching through tar add to the city’s crowded, suffocating atmosphere. b. The lady at the other end:
The landlady, though unseen, is suggested to be well-off and refined, but also detached and indifferent. Her voice is described as lipstick-coated and long gold-rolled cigarette-holder pipped, hinting at an image of a woman from a high social class. She comes across as polite but cold, with her tone turning inquisitive and harsh when she questions the speaker’s skin color. Her manner suggests someone who is outwardly civilized but harboring underlying racial prejudices. c. The speaker in the poem:
The speaker is an African man who is polite, articulate, and straightforward. He is attempting to rent a property but is cautious, aware that his race may provoke a negative reaction. His tone is respectful, but he becomes frustrated and sarcastic as the conversation shifts toward the topic of his skin color. He uses humor and irony to deflect the landlady’s insensitivity, showing his intelligence and wit. However, the poem also reveals his vulnerability in the face of such prejudice.
The poem evokes a mental picture of the scene. Draw a rough sketch to illustrate the episode:
Imagine a scene with the red phone booth in the foreground. The speaker is standing inside the cramped booth, holding the telephone receiver, with a slightly frustrated expression on his face. Nearby, a red postbox and a red double-decker bus are visible on the street. On the other end of the line, an image of the landlady can be imagined—a well-dressed woman with a cigarette holder and a slightly disapproving expression, sitting in a comfortable, well-furnished room, perhaps with a phone in hand.