4.1. The World is Mine - Std X - Mah Board - My English Coursebook - Semi English and Marathi Medium

SECTION 1 — Chapter Information / पाठ परिचय

मराठी टीप: हा पाठ परीक्षेत Reading Skills Textual विभागात येतो — एकूण 20 गुण.

SECTION 2 — About the Poet / कवी परिचय

Joy Lovelet Crawford is an inspiring poet known for her deeply emotional and reflective writing. In this poem, she highlights a very common human tendency: the habit of complaining about trivial things. Through encounters with three differently-abled young people—a girl with one leg, a blind boy, and a deaf child—the poet realizes how incredibly blessed she is to have all her physical senses intact. The poem serves as a powerful reminder to practice gratitude for the simple, everyday gifts of life that we often take for granted.  

मराठी टीप: जॉय लव्हलेट क्रॉफर्ड या एक उत्तम कवयित्री आहेत. या कवितेत त्यांनी माणसाच्या तक्रार करण्याच्या सवयीवर बोट ठेवले आहे. अपंग परंतु आनंदी मुलांना पाहिल्यानंतर कवयित्रीला जाणीव होते की, देवाने दिलेले आपले परिपूर्ण शरीर हीच आपली सर्वात मोठी संपत्ती आहे.

Exam Tip: Poet introduction may be asked as part of Poem Appreciation (5 marks) or as a short answer (2 marks).

SECTION 3 — Full Text / पूर्ण पाठ्यांश

Stanza 1

Stanza 2

Stanza 3

Stanza 4

SECTION 4 — Stanza-wise Meaning / कडव्यांचा अर्थ

Stanza 1

English Meaning: The poet sees a beautiful, cheerful girl on a bus and feels jealous of her lovely silken hair and fairness. However, when the girl gets up to leave, the poet is shocked to see her hobble down the aisle with a crutch, as she has only one leg, yet she passes with a smile. The poet feels guilty for complaining about her own life and asks God for forgiveness, realizing she is fully blessed with two healthy legs.

मराठी अर्थ: बसमध्ये कवयित्री एका सुंदर मुलीला पाहते आणि तिच्या रेशमी केसांचा हेवा करते. पण जेव्हा ती मुलगी बसमधून उतरण्यासाठी उठते, तेव्हा कवयित्रीला समजते की तिला एकच पाय आहे आणि ती कुबडीच्या (crutch) साहाय्याने चालत आहे. तरीही तिच्या चेहऱ्यावर हास्य असते. कवयित्री देवाची क्षमा मागते आणि म्हणते, "माझ्याकडे दोन धडधाकट पाय आहेत, हे जग माझे आहे."

Exam Tip: Questions identifying the girl's physical condition and the meaning of 'hobble' or 'whine' are common from this stanza.  

Stanza 2

English Meaning: The poet stops to buy sweets from a young, charming, and extremely calm boy. She speaks with him for a while. As she leaves, the boy thanks her for being kind and talking to him, revealing that he is actually blind. Overwhelmed again, the poet asks God to forgive her habit of complaining, as she has the priceless gift of sight.

मराठी अर्थ: कवयित्री एका मुलाकडून मिठाई घेते. तो मुलगा खूप शांत आणि मनमिळाऊ असतो. ती त्याच्याशी गप्पा मारते. निघताना तो मुलगा तिला सांगतो की तो अंध (blind) आहे आणि तिच्यासारख्या लोकांशी बोलायला त्याला खूप आवडते. हे ऐकून कवयित्री पुन्हा देवाची क्षमा मागते, कारण तिला हे जग पाहण्यासाठी दोन डोळे मिळाले आहेत.

Exam Tip: Pay attention to how the boy reacted to the poet's conversation. He was grateful for her time.  

Stanza 3

English Meaning: While walking down the street, the poet notices a little boy with blue eyes standing alone, silently watching other children play. When she encourages him to join the game, he stares straight ahead without a word. She realizes the boy is deaf. Once again, she prays to God for forgiveness for her unnecessary whining, grateful that she can hear.

मराठी अर्थ: रस्त्यावरून चालताना कवयित्रीला एक निळ्या डोळ्यांचा मुलगा दिसतो. तो इतर मुलांना खेळताना फक्त पाहत असतो. कवयित्री त्याला खेळायला जाण्यास सांगते, पण तो काहीच बोलत नाही. तेव्हा तिला समजते की तो बहिरा (deaf) आहे. कवयित्री पुन्हा देवाचे आभार मानते कारण तिला ऐकण्यासाठी दोन कान मिळाले आहेत.

Exam Tip: The reason why the boy did not join the others is explicitly asked in the textbook.  

Stanza 4

English Meaning: In the concluding stanza, the poet summarizes her blessings. She is profoundly thankful for her legs to walk, eyes to witness the beauty of a glowing sunset, and ears to hear the sounds of the world. She accepts that she is truly blessed and has no right to complain about anything in life.

मराठी अर्थ: शेवटच्या कडव्यात कवयित्री सर्व गोष्टींची बेरीज करते. चालण्यासाठी पाय, सूर्यास्ताचे सौंदर्य पाहण्यासाठी डोळे आणि जगातील गोष्टी ऐकण्यासाठी कान या सर्व देणग्यांबद्दल ती स्वतःला भाग्यवान (blessed) मानते आणि तक्रार न करण्याचा निश्चय करते.

Exam Tip: This stanza perfectly sums up the central theme (Gratitude) of the poem.  

SECTION 5 — Poetic Devices / काव्यात्मक उपकरणे

मराठी टीप: Figures of Speech हे Poem Appreciation मध्ये 5 गुणांसाठी विचारले जातात. किमान 3 सांगणे आवश्यक आहे.

SECTION 6 — Central Theme and Values / केंद्रीय भाव आणि मूल्ये

Theme Table / विषय सारणी

Values / मूल्ये

• Appreciation (कदर करणे) — Valuing our basic physical abilities (sight, hearing, walking) which we normally take for granted.

• Empathy (सहानुभूती) — Understanding the hidden struggles of the smiling girl, the calm boy, and the silent child.

• Positivity (सकारात्मकता) — Finding the "world is mine" by focusing on blessings rather than lacking items.  

Central Message / केंद्रीय संदेश

The poem strongly conveys that we should stop complaining about the minor things we lack, and start appreciating the incredible blessings—like good health and physical abilities—that God has freely given us.

मराठी टीप: आपल्याकडे जे नाही त्याबद्दल रडत बसण्यापेक्षा, देवाने आपल्याला जे परिपूर्ण शरीर आणि आरोग्य दिले आहे, त्याबद्दल आपण नेहमी कृतज्ञ असले पाहिजे.

SECTION 7 — Poem Appreciation / कविता कौतुक

Model Poem Appreciation (5 Marks)

The poem 'The World is Mine' is written by Joy Lovelet Crawford. The title beautifully suggests that having a healthy body and senses is equal to owning the entire world.  

The poem consists of 4 stanzas. The first three stanzas have 6 lines each, and the final stanza has 5 lines .  

RHYME SCHEME: The rhyme scheme of the first three stanzas is aabbcc. For example, in the first stanza, the rhyming words are hair/fair (a), aisle/smile (b), and whine/mine (c) . The final stanza follows an aabbb pattern.  

FIGURES OF SPEECH:

1. Apostrophe: The poet uses Apostrophe when she writes, "O God, forgive me when I whine". She is directly addressing God.  

2. Repetition: The lines "O God forgive me when I whine" and "the world is mine" are repeated at the end of each stanza to emphasize the core message.  

3. Imagery: The poet uses visual imagery in the line "With eyes to see the sunset's glow", creating a beautiful mental picture.  

THEME: The central theme of the poem is gratitude and contentment. The poet meets a girl with one leg, a blind boy, and a deaf child, yet notices how calm and happy they are. This makes her realize that she has no right to complain because she is blessed with all her physical senses. She concludes that having a healthy body means she truly has everything.  

FAVOURITE LINES: My favourite lines from the poem are: "O God forgive me when I whine I'm blessed, indeed, the world is mine" I like these lines because they teach me a very practical life lesson. They remind me to stop complaining about small problems and start appreciating the incredible gift of good health.  

मराठी टीप — कविता कौतुक कसे लिहावे:

Rhyme Scheme: पहिल्या तीन कडव्यांमध्ये aabbcc अशी यमक योजना आहे (hair-fair, aisle-smile, whine-mine).

Figures of Speech: निदान 3 सांगा — नाव + poem मधील ओळ + एक वाक्यात परिणाम. Apostrophe आणि Repetition नक्की लिहा.

Favourite Lines: 2-3 ओळी लिहा आणि त्या का आवडल्या ते 2-3 वाक्यात सांगा (उदा. यातून तक्रार न करण्याची शिकवण मिळते).

SECTION 8 — Extract-Based Questions / उताऱ्यावर आधारित प्रश्न

Extract 1

Q.(A)(i) — State whether the following are True or False: (2 marks)

1. The poet felt jealous of the lovely girl. — True   

2. The girl had injured both her legs. — False   

3. The girl left the bus crying loudly. — False   

4. The poet asks God for forgiveness. — True   

मराठी टीप: True आणि False नीट वाचून ठरवा — मुलीला एकच पाय होता (one leg) आणि ती हसत (smile) गेली होती.

Q.(A)(ii) — Choose the correct alternative: (2 marks)

1. Why did the poet envy the girl at first?

   (a) She was rich (b) She had a crutch

   (c) She had lovely silken hair and was fair (d) She had sweets

   Answer: (c) She had lovely silken hair and was fair

     

2. What does the word 'whine' mean in the extract?

   (a) To laugh loudly (b) To complain in a crying tone

   (c) To dance (d) To walk unsteadily

   Answer: (b) To complain in a crying tone   

Q.(B)(i) — Answer in 2-3 sentences: (2 marks) Describe the young girl in the bus. Answer: The young girl in the bus was extremely lovely and had beautiful silken hair. She seemed very cheerful and happy, but the poet soon noticed that she had only one leg and had to use a crutch to hobble down the aisle.

मराठी टीप: बसमधील मुलीचे वर्णन करा: ती सुंदर होती, तिचे केस रेशमी होते, पण तिला एकच पाय होता आणि ती कुबडीने (crutch) चालत होती.  

Q.(B)(ii) — Answer in 3-4 sentences: (2 marks)

Why does the poet say "the world is mine"?

Answer: The poet realizes that she has two healthy, functioning legs, unlike the disabled girl who had to use a crutch to walk. Having a complete and healthy body makes the poet feel so blessed and capable that she feels as though she has conquered the whole world and possesses everything she needs.

मराठी टीप: 'हे जग माझे आहे' असे कवयित्री का म्हणते? कारण अपंग मुलीला पाहिल्यावर तिला जाणवते की तिच्याकडे दोन निरोगी पाय आहेत, ज्यामुळे ती कुठेही जाऊ शकते. हीच तिची सर्वात मोठी संपत्ती आहे.  

Extract 2

Q.(A)(i) — State whether the following are True or False: (2 marks)

1. The poet stopped to buy some fruits. — False   

2. The lad selling the sweets was deaf. — False   

3. The lad seemed very calm and charming. — True   

4. The boy thanked the poet for talking to him. — True   

मराठी टीप: उताऱ्यात कवयित्रीने मिठाई (sweets) विकत घेतली आहे आणि तो मुलगा अंध (blind) होता, बहिरा नाही.

Q.(A)(ii) — Choose the correct alternative: (2 marks)

1. What did the lad say as the poet left?

   (a) Pay me more money (b) I thank you, you have been so kind

   (c) Buy more sweets (d) Do not be late

   answer: (b) I thank you, you have been so kind   

   
   

2. Which body part is the poet thankful for in this extract?

   (a) Legs (b) Ears

   (c) Eyes (d) Hair

   Answer: (c) Eyes  

    

Q.(B)(i) — Answer in 2-3 sentences: (2 marks)

What did the speaker in the poem not realize while chatting with the young lad?

Answer: While chatting with the sweet-selling lad, the speaker did not realize that the boy was completely blind. He appeared so calm and engaged in the conversation that his physical disability was not immediately obvious to her. मराठी टीप: गप्पा मारताना कवयित्रीच्या काय लक्षात आले नाही? तो मुलगा इतका शांत आणि छान बोलत होता की तो अंध (blind) आहे, हे तिच्या लक्षातच आले नाही.  

Q.(B)(ii) — Answer in 3-4 sentences: (2 marks)

Why does the poet ask God for forgiveness in this stanza?

Answer: The poet asks God for forgiveness because she frequently complains about trivial problems in her life. Meeting a blind boy who was cheerful, calm, and incredibly polite made her realize how ungrateful she had been despite having the precious gift of sight. मराठी टीप: कवयित्री देवाची क्षमा का मागते? अंध असूनही तो मुलगा किती आनंदी आणि नम्र आहे, हे पाहून कवयित्रीला स्वतःची लाज वाटते. डोळ्यांसारखी मोठी देणगी असूनही आपण कुरकूर (whine) करतो, म्हणून ती क्षमा मागते.  

SECTION 9 — Short Answer Questions / लघु उत्तरे

Q1. Why did the blue-eyed boy not join the others in their game?

Answer: The blue-eyed boy stood alone and watched the other children play because he could not hear. Being deaf, he did not know how to interact or join the game, causing him to stay isolated while observing the others.

मराठी टीप: निळ्या डोळ्यांचा मुलगा इतरांसोबत का खेळत नव्हता? कारण तो बहिरा (could not hear) होता आणि त्याला काय चालले आहे हे समजत नव्हते.  

Q2. What does the speaker thank God for in the final stanza?

Answer: In the final stanza, the speaker sincerely thanks God for all her physical senses. She expresses deep gratitude for having strong legs to take her places, clear eyes to see the sunset's glow, and functioning ears to hear the world .

मराठी टीप: शेवटच्या कडव्यात कवयित्रीने देवाचे आभार का मानले आहेत? चालण्यासाठी पाय, पाहण्यासाठी डोळे आणि ऐकण्यासाठी कान या तिन्ही गोष्टींसाठी तिने देवाचे आभार मानले आहेत.  

Q3. Explain the meaning of the word 'hobble' and 'aisle' in the context of the first stanza. Answer: In the poem, 'hobble' means to walk with a limp or unsteadily, which the girl did because she only had one leg and used a crutch. The word 'aisle' refers to the narrow passage between the two rows of seats in the bus where she was walking.

मराठी टीप: Hobble म्हणजे लंगडत चालणे आणि Aisle म्हणजे बसच्या दोन रांगांमधील चालण्याची मोकळी जागा.  

Q4. What does the poet mean when she says 'The World is Mine'? Explain the importance of the title.

Answer: When the poet says "The World is Mine", she means that she has everything she needs to be happy and successful. The title is highly important because it shifts the focus from materialistic desires to the ultimate wealth—a healthy, able-bodied life. Having all our senses is truly like owning the world.

मराठी टीप: 'हे जग माझे आहे' याचा अर्थ काय? निरोगी शरीर आणि सर्व अवयव धडधाकट असणे हीच सर्वात मोठी संपत्ती आहे. हे असेल तर जणू आपण संपूर्ण जग जिंकू शकतो.  

SECTION 10 — Long Answer Questions / दीर्घ उत्तरे

Q1. Write a complete appreciation of the poem 'The World is Mine'.

Answer: The poem 'The World is Mine' is a thought-provoking piece written by Joy Lovelet Crawford. The title asserts that a healthy person possesses everything they need in the world. The poem consists of four stanzas . The rhyme scheme for the first three stanzas is aabbcc, and the final stanza is aabbb. The poet uses Figures of Speech effectively; for instance, Apostrophe is used in the repeated line "O God, forgive me when I whine", directly addressing the Almighty. The central theme revolves around gratitude. The poet encounters a girl with one leg, a blind lad, and a deaf boy. Observing their calmness makes her deeply ashamed of her habit of complaining. My favourite lines are: "With eyes to see the sunset's glow / With ears to hear what I would know". I love these lines because they remind us to appreciate the simple miracles of life, like sight and hearing, which are our truest wealth.

मराठी टीप: हे उत्तर Poem Appreciation (Section 7) चे परिच्छेद (paragraph) स्वरूप आहे. परीक्षेत जर तुम्हाला Appreciation मुद्द्यांऐवजी परिच्छेदात लिहायला सांगितले, तर या उत्तराचा वापर करा. यात Title, Poet, Rhyme Scheme, Figures of speech, Theme आणि Favourite lines हे सर्व मुद्दे सलग परिच्छेदात मांडले आहेत.  

Q2. What is the central theme of the poem? How does the poet's attitude change from the first stanza to the last?

Answer: The central theme of the poem is deep gratitude for God's gifts and overcoming the human tendency to complain. At the beginning of the poem, the poet's attitude is extremely negative and materialistic. While sitting on a bus, she looks at a girl and immediately feels jealous, wishing she had similar silken hair and fairness. However, as the poem progresses, she experiences a massive shift in perspective. She encounters three disabled individuals—a girl with a crutch, a blind boy, and a deaf child. Shockingly, none of them are complaining; instead, they are smiling, calm, and polite. This stark contrast makes the poet deeply ashamed of her "whining". By the final stanza, her jealousy is completely replaced by profound thankfulness. She realizes that her legs, eyes, and ears are her greatest treasures, making her feel incredibly blessed .

मराठी टीप:  

1. सुरुवात: कवितेचा मुख्य विषय (Gratitude) सांगा.

2. मध्य: पहिल्या कडव्यात कवयित्रीला दुसऱ्या मुलीचा हेवा वाटतो (jealousy). पण नंतर तिला अपंग परंतु आनंदी लोक भेटतात.

3. शेवट: या लोकांकडे पाहून कवयित्रीचा दृष्टिकोन कसा बदलतो आणि ती तक्रार करणे सोडून देवाचे आभार कसे मानते (blessed), हे सांगा.

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