3.3. Truth - My English Book - Std 8 - Marathi and Semi-English Medium - Maharashtra Board
- Jul 4
- 8 min read
Chapter Information / पाठ परिचय
Chapter: | Unit 3 — Chapter 3.3: Truth |
Type: | Poetry |
Poet: | Barrie Wade |
Textbook: | My English Book, Std 8, Maharashtra State Board |
Assessment: | School-level examination following MSBSHSE guidelines |
मराठी टीप: हा पाठ शालेय परीक्षेत येतो. हे पाठ्यपुस्तक इयत्ता ८ वी साठी आहे — MSBSHSE च्या मार्गदर्शक तत्त्वांनुसार तयार केलेले.
About the Poet / कवी परिचय
Barrie Wade is the poet of this meaningful poem. This poem is about the power of our words. The poet explains that physical injuries can heal, but the pain caused by harsh and bitter words stays in our minds forever. He advises us to be very careful with what we say.
मराठी टीप: बॅरी वेड या कवीने या कवितेत शब्दांची ताकद सांगितली आहे. शरीरावरील जखमा बऱ्या होतात, पण कठोर शब्दांमुळे मनाला झालेल्या जखमा कायम राहतात. त्यामुळे आपण नेहमी चांगले शब्द वापरले पाहिजेत.
Exam Tip: The central idea that words hurt more than physical injuries is a very common question for this poem.
Full Text / पूर्ण कविता
Stanza 1
Sticks and stones may break my bones, But words can also hurt me. Stones and sticks break only skin, While words are ghosts that haunt me.
Stanza 2
Slant and curved the fall word-swords To pierce and stick inside me. Bats and bricks may ache through bones. But words can mortify me.
Stanza 3
Pain from words has left its scar On mind and heart that's tender Cuts and bruises now have healed; It's words that I remember.
Stanza-wise Meaning / कडव्यांचा अर्थ
Stanza 1
Sticks and stones may break my bones, But words can also hurt me. Stones and sticks break only skin, While words are ghosts that haunt me.
English Meaning: Sticks and stones can break our bones and hurt our skin. However, harsh words can hurt us deeply from the inside. Bad words act like ghosts that trouble and worry us again and again.
मराठी अर्थ: काठ्या आणि दगड आपली हाडे मोडू शकतात. पण कठोर शब्द आपल्याला आतून दुखावतात आणि भुतासारखे आपल्याला वारंवार त्रास देतात. Exam Tip: Be ready for questions on what words are compared to (ghosts) in this stanza.
Stanza 2
Slant and curved the fall word-swords To pierce and stick inside me. Bats and bricks may ache through bones. But words can mortify me.
English Meaning: Bad words fall on us like sharp swords that stab and stick inside our minds. Things like bats and bricks can give us physical pain, but harsh words make us feel deeply ashamed and embarrassed.
मराठी अर्थ: वाईट शब्द तलवारीसारखे आपल्या मनाला टोचतात. बॅट आणि विटांमुळे शरीराला वेदना होतात, पण शब्दांमुळे आपल्याला खूप अपमानित (mortify) वाटते. Exam Tip: Word meanings for 'pierce' and 'mortify' often come from this stanza.
Stanza 3
Pain from words has left its scar On mind and heart that's tender Cuts and bruises now have healed; It's words that I remember.
English Meaning: Physical cuts and skin injuries heal over time. But the pain from bitter words leaves a permanent mark on a soft and tender heart, and we remember those bad words forever.
मराठी अर्थ: शरीरावरील जखमा वेळेनुसार बऱ्या होतात. पण कटू शब्दांमुळे कोमल मनावर कायमची खूण राहते आणि आपण ते शब्द कधीच विसरत नाही. Exam Tip: A 2-mark question usually asks what heals and what is remembered.
Poetic Devices / काव्यात्मक उपकरणे
Device / उपकरण | Example from poem | Simple Effect | मराठी स्पष्टीकरण |
Metaphor (रूपक) | "words are ghosts" | Compares words directly to ghosts without using 'like' or 'as'. | 'like' किंवा 'as' न वापरता शब्दांची तुलना थेट भुतांशी केली आहे. |
Metaphor (रूपक) | "fall word-swords" | Compares harsh words to sharp swords. | कठोर शब्दांची तुलना तलवारीशी केली आहे. |
Alliteration (अनुप्रास) | "Sticks and stones" | Repetition of the 's' sound sounds musical. | एकाच अक्षराच्या ध्वनीची (उदा. 's') पुनरावृत्ती. |
Rhyme (यमक) | tender / remember | Creates a rhythmic flow at the end of the lines. | ओळींच्या शेवटी येणारे समान उच्चारांचे शब्द. |
मराठी टीप: या पाठातील अलंकार लक्षात ठेवा — परीक्षेत नाव आणि एक उदाहरण विचारले जाऊ शकते.
Central Theme and Values / केंद्रीय भाव आणि मूल्ये
Theme Table / विषय सारणी
Theme / विषय | How it appears |
The Power of Words (शब्दांची ताकद) | Words are compared to ghosts and swords to show how deeply they can hurt someone's mind. |
Physical vs Emotional Pain (शारीरिक विरुद्ध भावनिक वेदना) | Physical cuts and bruises heal easily, but the scars left by harsh words are permanent. |
Values / मूल्ये
Kindness (दयाळूपणा): We should always use polite and kind words so we do not scar someone's tender heart.
Self-Control (संयम): We must control our anger and think before speaking, because words cannot be taken back.
Central Message / केंद्रीय संदेश
The central message is that physical injuries from sticks or stones can heal over time, but emotional injuries caused by harsh words leave permanent scars. Therefore, we must choose our words very carefully.
मराठी टीप: शारीरिक जखमा बऱ्या होतात, पण कठोर शब्दांमुळे मनाला झालेल्या जखमा कधीच बऱ्या होत नाहीत. त्यामुळे नेहमी चांगले शब्द वापरावेत, हाच या कवितेचा संदेश आहे.
Practice Questions / सराव प्रश्न
The questions for Types 1 to 6 are based on Stanza 3.
TYPE 1 — True/False (1M each)
State True or False: 'Pain from words leaves a scar on the mind.' Answer: True
State True or False: 'Physical cuts and bruises never heal.' Answer: False
State True or False: 'The poet's heart and mind are tender.' Answer: True
State True or False: 'The poet easily forgets the bad words people say.' Answer: False
State True or False: 'It is words that the poet remembers in the end.' Answer: True
मराठी टीप: उताऱ्यातील/कवितेतील माहितीवरूनच उत्तर द्या.
TYPE 2 — Choose the Correct Alternative (1M each)
What has left a scar on the poet's mind? (A) bats (B) bricks (C) pain from words (D) a stone Answer: (C)
How does the poet describe the heart and mind? (A) strong (B) tender (C) hard (D) heavy Answer: (B)
What has healed now? (A) the scar (B) the tender heart (C) cuts and bruises (D) the pain of words Answer: (C)
What is it that the poet remembers? (A) words (B) stones (C) sticks (D) bruises Answer: (A)
Which word from the stanza means 'soft or delicate'? (A) heal (B) scar (C) tender (D) pain Answer: (C)
मराठी टीप: चुकीचे पर्याय ओळखून बरोबर उत्तरापर्यंत पोहोचा.
TYPE 3 — Answer in One Word/Phrase (1M each)
According to the poem, what leaves a scar? Answer: Pain from words
According to the poem, what is tender? Answer: Mind and heart
According to the poem, what has healed? Answer: Cuts and bruises
According to the poem, what does the poet remember? Answer: Words
मराठी टीप: उत्तर एका शब्दात किंवा वाक्यांशात द्या.
TYPE 4 — Complete the Lines (1M each)
Complete the line: 'Pain from words has left its _____' Answer: scar
Complete the line: 'On mind and heart that's _____' Answer: tender
Complete the line: 'Cuts and bruises now have _____' Answer: healed
Complete the line: 'It's words that I _____' Answer: remember
मराठी टीप: यमक जुळणारे शब्द आठवा (उदा. tender आणि remember).
TYPE 5 — Answer in 2-3 Sentences (2M each)
Where does the pain from words leave its scar?
Answer: The pain from bad words leaves a permanent scar deep inside us. It damages our tender mind and our soft heart. मराठी टीप: कठोर शब्दांच्या वेदना आपल्या नाजूक मनावर आणि हृदयावर कायमची खूण (scar) सोडतात.
What happens to cuts and bruises over time?
Answer: Cuts and bruises are physical injuries on our body. Over a period of time, they completely heal and go away.
मराठी टीप: शरीरावरील ओरखडे आणि जखमा वेळेनुसार पूर्णपणे बऱ्या (healed) होतात.
Why is the poet not worried about physical injuries?
Answer: The poet is not worried about physical injuries because they are only on the skin. Cuts and bruises heal quickly, but the mental pain from bad words lasts much longer.
मराठी टीप: शरीरावरील जखमा बऱ्या होतात, त्यामुळे कवीला त्यांची जास्त काळजी वाटत नाही.
What does Stanza 3 tell us about the human heart?
Answer: Stanza 3 tells us that the human heart is very tender and sensitive. It can easily be scarred forever if someone uses harsh and insulting words.
मराठी टीप: मानवी हृदय खूप नाजूक (tender) असते आणि वाईट शब्दांमुळे ते सहज दुखावले जाते.
What is the difference between physical pain and emotional pain according to the poem?
Answer: According to the poem, physical pain from sticks or stones is temporary and heals eventually. But emotional pain from words stays in our memory and hurts us for a lifetime.
मराठी टीप: शारीरिक वेदना तात्पुरत्या असतात, पण शब्दांमुळे होणाऱ्या भावनिक वेदना आयुष्यभर लक्षात राहतात.
TYPE 6 — Answer in 4-5 Sentences (3M each)
Explain the meaning of the lines: "Cuts and bruises now have healed; / It's words that I remember."
Answer: In these lines, the poet highlights the lasting impact of harsh words. If someone hits us and gives us physical cuts, the skin repairs itself and the pain stops. However, the hurtful words spoken to us are stored safely in our memory. Long after our bodies have healed, our minds still remember the insult, proving that words are more powerful than weapons.
मराठी टीप: १) शरीरावरील जखमा निसर्गतः बऱ्या होतात. २) पण अपमानास्पद शब्द आपल्या स्मरणात कायम राहतात. ३) यातून सिद्ध होते की शब्द शस्त्रांपेक्षा जास्त वेदनादायी असतात.
Why do you think the poet calls the heart and mind 'tender'?
Answer: The poet uses the word 'tender' to show that our feelings are very soft and delicate. Unlike our tough bones that can quickly heal after breaking, our emotions are fragile. When someone says bitter words, they directly pierce this soft part of our being. Therefore, a tender heart needs to be protected from verbal abuse because it scars easily.
मराठी टीप: १) आपले मन आणि भावना खूप कोमल (tender) असतात. २) हाडांसारखे ते कडक नसतात, त्यामुळे ते लवकर दुखावतात. ३) वाईट शब्द थेट मनाला लागतात.
What is the central message of Stanza 3?
Answer: The central message of this final stanza is to warn people about the danger of speaking without thinking. The poet proves that the physical pain is nothing compared to the emotional trauma caused by words. The scars on a tender heart never truly go away because memory keeps them alive. Thus, we must always choose kind and positive words when talking to others.
मराठी टीप: १) न विचार करता बोलणे धोकादायक असते. २) शब्दांचे घाव कायम स्मरणात राहतात. ३) म्हणून नेहमी लोकांशी दयाळूपणे आणि आदराने बोलले पाहिजे.
TYPE 7 — Word Meanings / Vocabulary in Context (1M each)
(Questions are based on the whole poem)
The word 'haunt' means...
Answer: trouble or worry again and again मराठी अर्थ: भुतासारखे वारंवार त्रास देणे मराठी टीप: वाईट शब्द आपल्याला भुतांसारखे त्रास देतात.
The word 'slant' means...
Answer: lean or slope to one side मराठी अर्थ: तिरपे मराठी टीप: वाईट शब्द तिरप्या तलवारीसारखे पडतात.
The word 'pierce' means...
Answer: stab मराठी अर्थ: भोसकणे किंवा आत टोचणे मराठी टीप: शब्दांच्या तलवारी (word-swords) मनाला टोचतात.
The word 'mortify' means...
Answer: make one feel ashamed and embarrassed मराठी अर्थ: अपमानित करणे मराठी टीप: वाईट शब्दांमुळे माणसाला खूप अपमानित वाटते.
The word 'bruises' means...
Answer: injuries, cuts on the skin मराठी अर्थ: त्वचेवरील जखमा किंवा ओरखडे मराठी टीप: शरीरावरील जखमा (bruises) बऱ्या होतात.
TYPE 8 — Personal Response (2M each)
(Questions are based on the whole poem)
Have words ever hurt you more than a physical injury? Explain shortly.
Answer: Yes, once a friend said something very mean to me in front of others. I got over the scrape on my knee the next day, but I felt mortified and sad about those words for many weeks. The poem is absolutely correct.
मराठी टीप: होय, जेव्हा मित्राने मला वाईट शब्द बोलले तेव्हा मला खूप दुःख झाले. शारीरिक जखम लवकर बरी झाली, पण शब्दांचे दुःख खूप काळ राहिले. (तुम्ही तुमचा अनुभव लिहू शकता.)
Why should we take care of using proper words while speaking?
Answer: We should take care because words are like sharp swords. Once they are spoken, they cannot be taken back. If we use proper and kind words, we will spread happiness instead of leaving painful scars on someone's tender heart.
मराठी टीप: बोललेले शब्द परत घेता येत नाहीत. चांगले शब्द वापरल्याने आपण इतरांना आनंद देतो, नाहीतर त्यांच्या मनावर कायमची जखम होऊ शकते.
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