NCERT Class 9 English Chapter 6 No Men Are Foreign
NCERT Solutions for Class 9 English Poem Chapter 6 No Men Are Foreign
NCERT Textbook Questions
Thinking about the poem
(Page 81)
1. (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 ?
2. In stanza 1, find five ways in which we all are alike. Pick out the words.
3. How many common features can you find in stanza 2 ? Pick out the words.
4. “… whenever we are told to hate our brothers…” When do you think this happens ? Why ? Who ‘tells’ us ? Should we do as we are told at such times ? What does the poet say ?
Answers
1. (i) The poet is speaking about ‘uniforms’ as different nationalities all over the world,
(ii) He suggests that a single human body breathes beneath different nationalities.
2.
- No men are strange.
- No countries foreign.
- A single body breathes beneath all uniforms.
- The land is the same everywhere.
- The land is the same where all shall lie.
The words are : A single body breathes, the earth is like this etc.
3.
- They are aware of sun, air and water.
- They Are fed by peaceful harvests.
- Their hands are ours.
- Their lines in the palms are the same as these (there) are in our hands.
The words are : They, too, are aware of sun and air and water ; are fed by peaceful harvests, their hands are ours etc.
4. Sometimes, some persons with vested interests incite the masses. Due to this we start hating our brothers. They do so to serve their own selfish interests. They tell us to create riots. We should not do so as we are told. Instead, we should remain peaceful. If we obey them, we help them in their anti-social activities. This will mean a great loss to the people and the country.
The poet says that all the human beings of the world are our brothers and sisters. We should love them all. We should not fight with them as enemies. They are our own.
Additional Questions
Short answer type questions
Question 1.
What message does the poet want to convey?
Answer:
The poet wants to say that there should be no discrimination between people on the basis of their appearance, religion or region. It is inhuman to tease one because of one’s different background. The poet wants that the people should discourage this malpractice and love their fellow human beings from the bottom of their heart.
Question 2.
How does the poet prove that there are no foreign countries?
Answer:
The poet proves it with the help of nature. Everyone shares the same sun, earth and air. They have the same body structure and its functioning elements. So there should be no biased attitude towards anyone.
Question 3.
What does the poet ask us to remember in the last stanza?
Answer:
The poet warns the ordinary and innocent people whose emotions and sentiments are stirred by some selfish people. Their immoral acts and poisonous views don’t deserve attention.
Question 4.
How are we responsible for war?
Answer:
Everyone is responsible for war. If we start hating our brethren, 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 towards the fellow human beings becomes the cause of unnecessary wars.
Question 5.
How do all men living on the earth share the same fate?
Answer:
All men living on this earth live and die the same way. They share the same fate. Beneath different kinds of colourful dresses and faces, all have the heart of man. While they live, they walk on the same earth. After their death, they will be buried under the same earth. The apparent differences of lands and race are only superficial and not real.
Question 6.
Nature doesn’t differentiate between men of different lands and races. Do you agree with the given statement?
Answer:
Nature never differentiate between men and men. It transcends the differences based on geography, race or religion. The sun gives its heat and energy to all. Similarly, all of them need air and water to survive. Dining peace they prosper and have plenty of food to eat. However, long wars starve them. They labour hard to survive with the same kinds of limbs and hands.
Question 7.
How can we recognise and understand ‘common life’ in every land?
Answer:
All human beings are woven in the wreath of humanity. If our vision is not clouded by narrow ideas, we can recognise and understand ‘common life’ in every land. All men are bom and brought up in the same way. They love, hate and sleep in the same way. Peace and love bind them together.
Question 8.
Hating our brother means hating ourselves and taking arms against them means fighting with ourselves. Is it true?
Answer:
Wars are imposed on lands and people. The poison of hate divide men and nations. They go to wars, kill and destroy one another. Hating our brothers means hating ourselves. Similarly, raising arms against the people of one land means raising arms against humanity.
Question 9.
How do we defile and outrage the ‘human earth’ that is ours?
Answer:
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.
Long answer type questions
Question 1.
How are we alike? Explain in context with the poem.
Answer:
We all are alike. We have same body structure. All of us need air to breathe, sun to get sunlight and warmth and water for many purposes. Our daily routine is also almost the same. We get up in the morning take a bathe, 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.