Summary
The poem, “The Rebel’ describes the character of a rebel, a person who does not conform to the norms of the society. The rebel is described as a person who would contradict others in order to be different. The character of the rebel in the poem is not based on a political activist, but seems to be a character sketch of a young adolescent, trying to be different. All the instances in the poem are repetitive affirmations of this fact.
If a rebel sees a group of people with short hair, he would let his hair grow long. On seeing others with long hair, the rebel would cut short his hair. Seeing everybody talk during the lesson, the rebel would become absolutely mute. On realising that everybody is silent the rebel would create a disturbance.
Similarly, on various such issues, the rebel would be seen contradicting others and doing things that no one would be doing. He would refuse to wear the uniform when the others would be wearing it, praise the dogs when in the company of cat lovers, appreciate the sun on rainy days and rains on the sunny days. He would do just anything but not what others are doing.
Stanzawise Explanation of the Poem
Stanza 1
When everybody has short hair,
The rebel lets his hair grow long.
When everybody has long hair,
The rebel cuts his hairs short.
Reference The above lines have been taken from the poem, The Rebel’ by DJ Enright.
Context In the given lines, the poet highlights the rebel’s nature.
Explanation When the rebel encounters a group of people with short hair, he would allow his hair to grow long because he derives pleasure and satisfaction by going against the grain. However, he is not constant and therefore when he sees people growing their hair long, he would end up cutting his short.
Stanza 2
When everybody talks during the lesson,
The rebel doesn’t say a word.
When nobody talks during the lesson,
The rebel creates a disturbance.
Reference Same as in Stanza 1
Context In the given lines, the poet reemphasizes the rebellious nature of the rebel as how he rebels against others.
Explanation Seeing everybody talk during the lesson, the rebel suddenly finds his silence most valuable. However, because he is a rebel, he cannot help but create disturbances and make a series of interjections, when he sees that everybody else has become quiet. The rebel constantly seeks attention by doing that what others don’t do.
Stanza 3
When everybody wears a uniform,
The rebel dresses in fantastic clothes,
When everybody wears fantastic clothes,
The rebel dresses soberly.
Reference Same as in Stanza 1
Context The poet in these lines shows the rebels need to exhibit himself as different.
Explanation Because the rebel always wants to showcase and exhibit himself as different, he would wear colourful clothes when everybody else is dressed up in a common uniform. However, the moment he sees others dressed up in different and colourful clothes, he would be unable to control his urge to wear the uniform.
Stanza 4
In the company of dog lovers,
The rebel expresses a preference for cats.
In the company of cat lovers,
The rebel puts in a good word for dogs.
Reference Same as in Stanza 1
Context In the above lines, the poet discusses how the rebel’s preferences never match with the others in the group.
Explanation When the rebel finds himself in the company of dog lovers, he begins to prefer the cats. On the other hand, on being surrounded by cat lovers, he will put in a favorable word for dogs. His preferences and choices never seem to match with anyone else in the group.
Stanza 5
When everybody is praising the sun,
The rebel remarks on the need for rain.
When everybody is greeting the rain,
The rebel regrets the absence of sun.
Reference Same as in Stanza 1
Context The poet goes on to offer examples of different instances in which the rebel fairs in similar ways.
Explanation Even with respect to the weather, it is difficult to bring the rebel on board for he would appreciate the sun while all others would be welcoming the rains and miss the rains while others would be enjoying the sun.
Stanza 6
When everybody goes to the meeting,
The rebel stays at home and reads a book.
When everybody stays at home and reads a book,
The rebel goes to the meeting.
Reference Same as in Stanza 1
Context The poet in these lines further highlights that the rebels are usually alone.
Explanation The rebels are people who are usually all alone for they prefer to tread on a different path than others. So, when others go for meeting, they stay at home and read a book. When the others stay at home, they go to the meeting.
Stanza 7
When everybody says, Yes please,
The rebel says, No thank you.
Reference Same as in Stanza 1
Context The poet is merely highlighting how it is impossible to make the rebel agree with anyone at all.
Explanation Saying yes when everybody says no and saying no when everybody says yes is another character trait of the rebel.
Stanza 8
When everybody says, No thank you,
The rebel says, Yes please.
It is very good that we have rebels.
You may not find it very good to be one.
Reference Same as in Stanza 1
Context The poet in these lines discusses what it is to be a rebel.
Explanation It seems that having rebels around us is beneficial as they train us to acknowledge differences. However, it is not good to be a rebel because they are not accepted by the society.
Word Meaning
Word Meaning in English
Soberly dull not bright
Preference a liking for
NCERT Solutions
Working with the Poem (NCERT Page 34)
1.Answer the following questions.
(i) If someone doesn’t wear a uniform to school, what do you think the teacher will say?
Ans. The teacher would scold the student who would not be dressed in the school uniform while coming to the school.
(ii) When everyone wants a clear sky, what does the rebel want most?
Ans. When everyone wants a clear sky, the rebel wants the sun.
(iii) If the rebel has a dog for a pet, what is everyone else likely to have?
Ans. If a rebel has a dog for a pet, the others are most likely to be cat lovers.
(iv) Why is it good to have rebels?
Ans. It is good to have rebels because they are different and they teach us to be able to accept and tolerate differences.
(v) Why is it not good to be a rebel oneself?
Ans. It is not good to be a rebel oneself because the society never accepts a rebel and always critiques his behaviour.
(vi) Would you like to be a rebel? If yes, why? If not , why not?
Ans. I would like to be a rebel because a rebel is able to think individually rather than following the herd mentality.
However, it is not easy to be a rebel as the rebels are always critiqued by the society for their different behaviour.
2.Find in the poem an antonym (a word opposite in meaning) for each of the following words.
(i) long …………………..
(ii) grow ………………..
(iii) quietness ………
(iv) sober …………….
(v) lost …………………
Ans.
(i) long – short
(ii) grow – cut
(iii) quietness – disturbance
(iv) sober – fantastic
(v) lost – find
3.Find in the poem lines that match the following.
Read both one after the other.
(i) The rebel refuses to cut his hair.
(ii) He says cats are better.
(iii) He recommends dogs.
(iv) He is unhappy because there is no sun.
(v) He is noisy on purpose.
Ans.
(i) The rebel lets his hair grow long.
(ii) He puts in a good word for dogs.
(iii) He has a preference for cats.
(iv) When everybody is greeting the rain
(v) When nobody talks during the lesson.
Questions and Answers
Very Short Answer Type Questions
1.What does the rebel do when everybody talks during the lessons?
Ans. When everybody talks during the lessons, the rebel becomes absolutely silent.
2.Why does the rebel choose to wear fantastic clothes?
Ans. When the rebel sees everybody dressed in uniform, the rebel chooses to wear fantastic clothes
3.Are the rebels rain lovers?
Ans. The rebels become rain lovers when they realise that the others are enjoying the sun.
Short Answer Type Questions
1.Why do rebels always contradict the others?
Ans. The rebels always contradict others because they wish to stand out be different and stand out from the rest of the crowd. They wish to retain their voice and preferences as well as opinions rather than blindly following the crowd.
2.Why does the society disapprove of the rebels?
Ans. The rebels do not conform to the standard decisions and choices made by the society at large. They have their own opinions, unique thinking, are different and at times even go to the extent to contradicting others merely to highlight themselves as unique.
Extra Questions and Answers
Extract 1
Directions (Q. Nos. 1-6) Read the extract given below and answer the following questions.
When everybody talks during the lesson,
The rebel doesn’t say a word.
When nobody talks during the lesson,
The rebel creates a disturbance.
1.With reference to the above extract, do you think it is good to be a rebel?
Ans. No, to go against the flow just to show that you are different or to prove your superiority is wrong. Unnecessarily breaking the rule unless there is some noble cause is not acceptable.
2.Can there be a good reason behind staying silent when everybody is talking?
Ans. Yes, sometimes people keep on arguing unnecessarily out of their ignorance of the entire and actual situation. In such situations, a wise man would stay silent.
3.Can there be a good reason behind speaking when everybody else is silent?
Ans. Yes, sometimes people do not dare to raise voice against the wrong happening. But a rebel cannot tolerate unfair things and raises voice against it. If nobody dares to speak, the once who do wrong are encouraged to do so ever again.
4.What do you think, the rebel doesn’t like?
(a) Opposing the authority.
(b) Going with the flow.
(c) Taking lessons in a classroom.
(d) Taking advice of an illiterate person.
Ans. (b) Going with the flow.
5.What must be the main motto of a rebel, in your opinion?
(a) Teaching the society to be dutiful.
(b) Obeying the rules.
(c) Bringing disharmony.
(d) Bringing about the change.
Ans. (d) Bringing about the change.
6.What does a rebel do when nobody talks during the class?
(a) Creates a disturbance.
(b) Spoils the atmosphere.
(c) Teaches the teacher.
(d) Runs away.
Ans. (a) Creates a disturbance.
Extract 2
Directions (Q. Nos. 1-6) Read the extract given below and answer the following questions.
“When everybody says, Yes please,
The rebel says, No thank you.
When everybody says, No thank you,
The rebel says, Yes please.
It is very good that we have rebels.
You may not find it very good to be one.
1.What decides the choices made by the rebel?
Ans. The society’s opinion can never be a rebel’s choice. The rebel’s choices are based on what the society would not accept or agree to.
2.Why does the poet say it is not good to be a rebel oneself?
Ans. The poet says that it is not good to be a rebel oneself because one would not be accepted by the society.
3.Use the word ‘rebel’ in a sentence of your own.
Ans. Jimmy always disagrees to what others say. He is a rebel.
4.Who do you think is the character of rebel based on?
(a) A political activist
(b) The poet
(c) The school teacher
(d) A young child
Ans. (d) A young child
5.What does the rebel do?
(a) Defy others
(b) Disobey others
(c) Trust others
(d) Love others
Ans. (a) Defy others
6.Who does not like the rebels?
(a) The poet
(b) The political activists
(c) The society
(d) The rebels
Ans. (c) The society
7.Why does the rebel demand for the rain when everybody is praising the sun?
(a) He is craving for rain.
(b) He hates the sun.
(c) He is not happy with what everybody likes.
(d) None of the above
Ans. (c) He is not happy with what everybody likes.