For Every Hill I’ve Had to Climb - English Access Coursebook - Class 8 - English

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Back Questions - For Every Hill I’ve Had to Climb | English Access Coursebook | Class 8 Literature | English

The purpose of the poet in writing this poem was to:
i. tell an entertaining story
ii. provide interesting information on a particular subject
iii. Motivate the reader with an inspirational message

iii. Motivate the reader with an inspirational message

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After reading the poem, we get the impression that the difficulties and struggles the poet has faced in life:
i. have transformed him into a better person
ii. have disheartened and demoralized him
iii. have not affected him in any way

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The poet ends the first stanza of the poem with the following line: These were the things that made me strong! Express in one sentence, using no words from the poem, what ‘things’ the poet refers to in this line.

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  1. Poets often use a poetic device known as a ‘Metaphor’. Define the term ‘metaphor’.

  2. Identify four metaphors used by the poet in the first stanza of the poem taken from the world of nature.

  3. Explain why you consider them to be metaphors.

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I do give thanks, for now I know

  1. Quote the line from the first stanza which echoes the poet’s sentiments expressed in the line quoted above.

  2. What do you find unusual about the poet’s attitude as expressed in these two lines?

  3. How does the poet go on to explain why he gives thanks?

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  1. In three sentences of your own, without using key words or expressions from the poem, summarize the conclusion draw by the poet in the final stanza.

  2. How far do you agree with the poet’s conclusion?

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In the table on the next page, column A describes typical hardships and difficulties people face in their lives. In column B fill in words or phrases from the second stanza of the poem that relate to each of these situations. You may use an expression more than once in the table. The first has been done for you as an example.

A

Real – life Challenges and Hardships

B

Expressions from the Poem

a.    The loss of a loved one

anguish; pain

b.    Working for many years at a job without receiving a promotion or appreciation

c.     Dreams of success in one’s chosen field failing to become a reality

d.    Joyless days, filled with negative thoughts

e.    Failure in an important examination

f.     A clash in a relationship with a loved one

g.    Loss of a job; inability to get a new one

h.    A business loss or failure

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Back Exercises - For Every Hill I’ve Had to Climb | English Access Coursebook | Class 8 Literature | English

Write a poem of your own of two stanzas with four lines in each stanza using any of the following phrases as an anaphora device.
1. I’m bored ...
2. Thank you for ...
3. I will remember you for your ...

I'm bored with the routine, the same old song,
I'm bored with right that still feels wrong.
I'm bored of days no different from the night,
I'm bored of shadows posing as the light.

I will remember you for your unwavering grace,
I will remember you for your gentle embrace.
I will remember you for your constant cheer,
I will remember you, as love's purest veneer.

Extra Questions - For Every Hill I’ve Had to Climb | English Access Coursebook | Class 8 Literature | English

For every hill I’ve had to climb,
For every stone that bruised my feet,
For all the blood and sweat and grime,
For blinding storms and burning heat
My heart sings but a grateful song –
These were the things that made me strong!

  1. What is the underlying theme of this stanza?

  2. What does the speaker mean by "My heart sings but a grateful song"?

  3. How does the speaker view their hardships according to this stanza?

  4. Which poetic devices are present in these lines?

  5. What could "the hill" symbolize in this context?

  6. How does the poet use imagery in this stanza?

  7. How does the poet convey the physical and mental struggle experienced by the speaker?

1. The underlying theme of this stanza is perseverance, resilience, and finding strength from overcoming challenges and difficulties.

2. "My heart sings but a grateful song" implies that the speaker is grateful for the challenges they have faced because it made them stronger.

3. The speaker views their hardships as positive prerequisites for growth and strength.

4. The poet uses a number of poetic devices such as the use of metaphor ("hill", "stone"), simile ("blood and sweat and grime"), alliteration ("blinding", "burning"), and personification.

5. The "hill" could symbolize the obstacles or challenges the speaker has faced in their life.

6. The poet uses vivid and powerful imagery to describe the speaker's journey, depicting their struggles and hardships with phrases such as "blood and sweat and grime" and "blinding storms and burning heat".

7. The poet conveys the physical and mental struggle through graphic descriptions such as "every stone that bruised my feet" and "for all the blood and sweat and grime", respectively.

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For all the heartaches and the tears,
For all the anguish and the pain,
For gloomy days and fruitless years,
And for the hopes that lived in vain,
I do give thanks, for now I know
These were the things that helped me grow!

  1. What are some examples of hardships detailed in the stanza?

  2. How does the speaker portray pain and suffering in the poem?

  3. Which literary devices are used in this stanza?

  4. What is the overall theme of the stanza?

  5. How does the speaker's understanding of his adversities change over the course of the stanza?

  6. What does the phrase "hopes that lived in vain" mean in the context of the stanza?

  7. What is the significance of the phrase "These were the things that helped me grow"?

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Quiz - For Every Hill I’ve Had to Climb | English Access Coursebook | Class 8 Literature | English

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Vocabulary - Flashcards - For Every Hill I’ve Had to Climb | English Access Coursebook | Class 8 Literature | English

Grime
Dirt or soot that accumulates on surfaces.

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For Every Hill I’ve Had to Climb - Line by line explanation in Hindi | English Access Coursebook | Class 8 Literature | English

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About the Poet - For Every Hill I’ve Had to Climb | English Access Coursebook | Class 8 Literature | English

Ernest Lawrence Thayer, better known as E.L. Thayer, was a renowned American writer and poet best remembered for writing the poem "Casey" (or "Casey at the Bat"), a piece often celebrated as the most famous baseball poem ever penned.

Born on August 14, 1863, in Lawrence, Massachusetts, Thayer was raised in Worcester, close by. He excelled academically, graduating magna cum laude in philosophy from Harvard University in 1885. Thayer contributed to the Harvard Lampoon and was part of the Hasty Pudding theatrical society. His connections at Harvard helped foster a friendship with William Randolph Hearst, who later hired Thayer as a humour columnist for The San Francisco Examiner.

Thayer's last piece for the Examiner in 1888 was the ballad "Casey at the Bat." He published the poem under the pseudonym "Phin," meaning his fame for the piece didn't come until several months later. Despite the enduring popularity of the poem, the real-life inspirations for the characters and setting remain a mystery.

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Summary - For Every Hill I’ve Had to Climb | English Access Coursebook | Class 8 Literature | English

"In 'For Every Hill I’ve Had to Climb,' the speaker reflects on the experiences of their past, particularly focusing on the struggles, pain, heartbreaks, and fruitless endeavours that they have faced. The poem is a testament to human resilience and the ability to evolve through adversity. It is not a reminiscence steeped in sorrow for bygone times, but it is rather an appreciation for the trials and tribulations that have chiselled the speaker into the person they are today.

The physical and emotional hardships symbolically represented as the 'hills,' 'stones,' 'blood,' 'sweat,' and 'grime' are seen not as obstacles but stepping stones towards personal growth and development. The 'blinding storms' and 'burning heat' depict difficulties and adversities, yet the speaker does not wail in despair but sings a 'grateful song' because these are the things that build strength.

Stepping into the sphere of emotional pain, the speaker tackles 'heartaches,' 'tears,' 'anguish,' and 'pain.' Again, the same perspective prevails, acknowledging that these emotional tribulations contributed towards their personal growth. The 'gloomy days' and 'fruitless years,' along with hopes that lived 'in vain,' represent futile efforts and aspirations.

The speaker responds to these not with resentment but with gratitude. They recognize that the painful experiences, the struggles, the endless battles of life have all contributed to sculpting their character, making them stronger and wiser. The trials are integral to their journey, moulding them into a person who appreciates life in its entirety, including its ups and downs.

The poem exudes a triumph of spirit, a testament to the resilience and tenacity inherent in humans, which allows them to look past the pain and perceive it as a catalyst for personal growth. Throughout the poem, the speaker maintains an optimistic stance and emphasizes the importance of these challenges, crediting these experiences as crucial elements that helped them grow."

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Themes - For Every Hill I’ve Had to Climb | English Access Coursebook | Class 8 Literature | English

1. Adversity and Struggle:

The poem depicts adversity and struggles in both physical and emotional forms. This could be literal, as in the physical hardships of climbing a hill or getting hurt by stones, or it could be metaphorical, referring to the struggles we all face in life. The speaker does....

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Symbols - For Every Hill I’ve Had to Climb | English Access Coursebook | Class 8 Literature | English

In "For Every Hill I’ve Had to Climb," the speaker utilizes a variety of potent symbols to represent personal experiences, struggles, and growth.

1. Hill: The "hill" symbolizes obstacles or challenges that the speaker had to overcome. The action of climbing represents the effort....

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Poetic Devices - For Every Hill I’ve Had to Climb | English Access Coursebook | Class 8 Literature | English

The poem "For Every Hill I’ve Had to Climb" utilizes various poetic devices which contribute to its overall meaning and rhythm. Here are some that are found throughout:

1. Rhyme: The poem follows a clear rhyming pattern of...

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Vocabulary - For Every Hill I’ve Had to Climb | English Access Coursebook | Class 8 Literature | English

  1. Grime: Dirt or soot that accumulates on surfaces.

    Sentence: After a day of playing outside, the children's clothes were covered in grime.

  2. Anguish: Severe mental or emotional distress.

    Sentence: She experienced great anguish when her pet went missing.

  3. Fruitless: Not producing the desired results; unsuccessful.

    Sentence: Despite their efforts...................

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