Class 12 English Flamingo Chapter 6
Question Answer
Poets and Pancakes Question Answer

Here we are providing the question and answers for the 6th chapter of Class 12 English, “Poets and Pancakes”. This chapter studies the main features related to “Poets and Pancakes“.

These notes will prove useful for students preparing for the board examinations this year. Prepared in simple and organized language, this material will help in quickly revising the chapter and remembering the key points.

Class 12 English Flamingo Chapter 6 Question Answer, Poets and Pancakes Question Answer

Class 12 english Chapter 6 Question answer

Think as you read

Q1. What does the writer mean by 'the fiery misery' of those subjected to make-up'?

Ans. Fiery misery refers to the unbearable discomfort faced by the actors and actresses due to the heat produced by the incandescent lights, reflected from half a dozen mirrors inside the make-up room.

Q2. What is the example of national integration that the author refers to?

Ans. The author refers to the make-up department of Gemini Studios as an example of national integration. The make-up department was first headed by a Bengali and later by a Maharashtrian. a Dharwar Kannadiga, an Andhra, a Madras Indian Christian, an Anglo-Burmese and the usual local Tamils assisted him.

Q3. What work did the 'office boy' do in the Gemini Studios? Why did he join the studios? Why was he disappointed?

Ans. The ‘office boy’ would apply make-up on the faces of crowd players on the crowd shooting days. He joined the studios years ago in the hope of becoming a star actor or a top screenwriter, director or lyrics writer. He was disappointed because his aspirations were unfulfilled.

Q4. Why did the author appear to be doing nothing at the studios?

Ans. The author appeared to be doing nothing at the studios because his job was to tear up important news clippings from the newspaper. This gave the impression to the others that the author’s work was easier than theirs.

Q5. Why was the office boy frustrated? Who did he show his anger on?

Ans. He was frustrated because he could not become what he aspired after having joined the Gemini Studios. He remained only an office boy. He showed his anger on Kothamangalam Subbu. He thought that Subbu was behind all his woes, ignominy and neglect.

Q6. Who was Subbu's principal?

Ans. Mr. S.S. Vasan founder of the Gemini studio was Subbu’s principal.

Q7. Subbu is described as a many-sided genius. List four of his special abilities.

Ans. The four special abilities are given below.

1. He had the ability to look cheerful at all times even after having had a hand in a flop film.

2. He was an amazing actor and poet.

3. He always worked for somebody.

4. He was a charitable and improvident man.

Q8. Why was the legal adviser referred to as the opposite by others?

Ans. The legal advisor was referred to as the opposite by others because his action brought a brilliant actress’s career to an end by recording her voice without being informed to her

Q9. What made the lawyer stand out from the others at Gemini Studios?

Ans. Some facts made the lawyer stand out from others.

1. He wore pants and a tie, while others wore a khadi dhoti and a khadi shirt.

2. He was the only man with logic among dreamers and creatives.

3. He looked alone and helpless.

Q10. Did the people at Gemini Studios have any particular political affiliations?

Ans. People at Gemini Studios did not have any particular political affiliations, although they wore khadi and worshipped Gandhiji.

Q11. Why was the Moral Rearmament Army welcomed at the Studios?

Ans. The Moral Rearmament Army was welcomed at the Studios because it was a kind of counter-movement of international communism. Their two plays were widely acclaimed. Studios’ boss played into their hands, and people at the Studios had aversion to communism.

Q12. Name one example to show that Gemini studios was influenced by the plays staged by MRA.

Ans. Gemini Studios was influenced by the two plays ‘Jotham Valley’ and ‘The Forgotten Factor’. Gemini family of 600 hundred saw those plays over and over again. The staff of Gemini Studios had a nice time hosting two hundred people of at least twenty nationalities.

Q13. Who was The Boss of Gemini Studios?

Ans. Mr. S.S. Vasan was The Boss of Gemini Studios.

Q14. What caused the lack of communication between the Englishman and the people at Gemini Studios?

Ans. The accent of the Englishman caused the lack of communication between the Englishman and the people at Gemini Studios. They were unable to distinguish words and to understand each other.

Q15. Why is the Englishman's visit referred to as unexplained mystery?

Ans. The Englishman’s visit was referred to as an unexplained mystery because people could not understand the identity and purpose of his visit. The Englishman’s work and the field were different to theirs. People at Gemini Studio could not decipher the Englishman’s accent also.

Q16. Who was the English visitor to the studios?

Ans. Stephen Spender, An English poet essayist, was the English visitor to the studios.

Q17. How did the author discover who the English visitor to the studios was?

Ans. ‘The Hindu’ published an announcement that ‘The Encounter’ was organizing a storytelling contest, in which the author was interested to contest. He went to the British Council Library to discover about ‘the Encounter’. He found the copies of the periodical and discovered that its editor was Stephen Spender, the poet that had once visited the studio.

Q18. What does 'The God that failed' refer to?

Ans. ‘The God that Failed’ refers to a book consisting of essays by six eminent authors Andre Gide, Richard Wright, Ignazio Silone, Arthur Koestler, Louis Fischer and Stephen Spender who wrote about their journey into Communism, one of them being Stephen Spender.

Understanding the text

Q1. The author has used gentle humour to point out human foibles. Pick out instances of this to show how this serves to make the piece interesting

Ans. The author describes the work and culture of Gemini Studio. He humorously points out the weakness of the people working there without hurting with his language. Some instances are given below.

1. He describes the make-up men as the ‘gang’ who turn any decent looking person into a ‘monster’.

2. The office boy prepared the paint in a giant vessel and slapped over the faces of the crowd actors.

3. Subbu could look cheerful at all times even having had a hand in a flop film. He always had many alternative ideas about the scene if one idea got rejected.

4. He satirically describes the legal advisor. Others thought of him as the illegal advisor who ended up a bright actress’s career.

Q2. How does the author describe the incongruity of an English poet addressing the audience at Gemini Studios?

Ans. The author describes the addressing of the English poet at Gemini Studios as incongruous. Most of the people working at Gemini Studios were not interested in literature or poetry. They were baffled to find an English poet in a film studio that makes Tamil films for the simplest sort of people. They were not familiar with the English poet’s accent, so they did not understand what he was saying.

Q3. What do you understand about the author's literary inclinations from the account?

Ans. The account shows that the author had literary inclinations. He wanted to send a story to ‘The Encounter’ story contest. He was a prose-writer and presented the most obvious things in Gemini Studios in a satirical and humorous way.

Long Type Question answer

1. Why was Kothamangalam Subbu considered No. 2 in Gemini Studios?(Imp)

OR

What light does "Poet and Pancakes" throw on the versatilely of Kothamangalam Subbu?

OR

Write a character sketch of Subbu.

OR

Subbu was 'Tailor- made for films'. How did he use his genius in various activities in the Gemini Studios?

OR

Subbu is described as many sided genius. Describe his character in the light of this remark.

Ans. Kothamanagalam Subbu was the No. 2 at Gemini Stu-dios. Subbu was the man who gave direction and definition’ to Gemini studios. He was a man of many sided genius. He was the right hand man of ‘the boss.’

Subbu was a self made man. He faced difficult and un-certain times. He could be cheerful at all times, He turned all his energy and creativity to the advantage of his ‘Boss’. Subbu was tailor made for films. If the producer was not satisfied with a scene, he would come out with four-teen more alternatives. He was a good poet. He wrote for the common people.

Subbu was an ‘amazing’ actor. He never aspired to the lead roles. He always performed better than the main players.

2. What made the author pray for crowd shooting all the time in 'Poets and Pancakes'?

Ans. In the lesson ‘Poets and Pancakes’ the author not only describes the production of films at the Gemini Studios but also gives a detail of some other activities. The production department at Gemini Studios had two main departments. These were make – up department, and the story department. The make up department of the Gemini Studios was in the upstairs of a building. Different types of the make up material were bought in truck – loads and pancake was the brand name of the make up material. Strict hierarchy system was maintained in the make up department. In those days film shooting was mainly conducted indoors. Only five percent of the film was shot outdoors. If ever there was a man who gave direction and definition to Gemini Studios during its golden years, it was Subbu. Subbu had a separate identity as a poet.

Class 12 English Flamingo Chapter 6
Question Answer
Poets and Pancakes Question Answer