NCERT Solutions For Class 11 English Hornbill: We are Not Afraid to Die if We Can All Be Together
Understanding the text
Question 1: List the steps taken by the captain (i) to protect the ship when rough weather began. (ii) to check the flooding of the water in the ship.
Answer-
(i) The steps taken to protect the ship when the gigantic waves began:
(a) To slow the boat down, they dropped the storm jib and lashed a heavy mooring rope in a loop across the stern.
(b) They double-lashed everything.
(c) They went through their life-raft drill, attached lifelines, and donned oilskins and life jackets.
(ii) The steps taken to check the flooding of the water in the ship after the wave hit:
(a) The captain managed to find a hammer, screws and canvas.
(b) He stretched canvas and secured waterproof hatch covers across the gaping holes in the starboard hull to deflect water.
(c) When the hand pumps blocked and the main electric pump short-circuited, he found the spare electric pump under the chartroom floor, connected it to an out-pipe, and was thankful that it worked.
Question 2: Describe the mental condition of the voyagers on 4 and 5 January.
Answer-
(a) January 4: The voyagers felt a significant, though short-lived, sense of relief and hope. The pumps had the water level sufficiently under control for them to take two hours’ rest in rotation. They ate their first meal in almost two days and focused on steering toward the two small islands—the pinpricks in the vast ocean—which represented their only hope.
(b) January 5: Their situation was again desperate. The weather deteriorated, and the wind returned to 40 knots. The parents felt deep despair; Mary and the narrator sat together holding hands, believing the end was very near. However, the children displayed extraordinary courage. Jon assured his father that they were not afraid of dying if we can all be together. The narrator left the cabin determined to fight the sea with everything I had.
Question 3: Describe the shifts in the narration of the events as indicated in the three sections of the text. Give a subtitle to each section.
Answer-
The narrative shifts can be broken into three distinct chronological phases:
(a) The Dream and Preparation for the Voyage (July 1976 – January 1): This section details the initial motivation—the dream of duplicating Captain James Cook’s round-the-world voyage—and the preparation involved, including honing our seafaring skills and spending months fitting out the wooden-hulled beauty, Wavewalker. It also covers the pleasant first leg to Cape Town and the initial encounter with strong gales.
(b) The Catastrophic Wave and the Struggle for Survival (January 2 – January 4 morning): The narration abruptly shifts to the moment of impending disaster when the enormous wave hit, causing the tremendous explosion and smashing the deck and hull. It focuses heavily on the immediate, continuous, and bitterly cold routine of pumping, steering and the urgent necessity of making repairs to the starboard hull.
(c) Courage, Calculation, and Rescue (January 4 afternoon – January 6): The final section emphasizes human spirit and navigational challenge. It highlights the children's remarkable courage (Jon’s statement, Sue’s card) and the captain’s detailed calculations to locate the tiny Ile Amsterdam in the vast ocean. The shift culminates in the relief of sighting the island, described as the most beautiful island in the world.
Talking about the text
Question 1: What difference did you notice between the reaction of the adults and the children when faced with danger?
Answer-
There was a notable difference in the focus of the adults' and children's reactions to the danger:
(a) Adults' Reaction: The adults focused on physical and logistical survival. Mary, Larry, Herb, and the narrator worked incessantly, engaged in pumping like madmen, steering, and making desperate repairs. Their reaction was characterized by determination and resilience under the direst stress. The parents also experienced moments of despair, feeling the end was very near.
(b) Children's Reaction: The children focused on emotional survival and unity. Seven-year-old Sue showed selflessness by hiding her severe injuries, stating she didn’t want to worry you when you were trying to save us all. Six-year-old Jon offered the crucial motivational statement that they were not afraid of dying if we can all be together. Sue further provided encouragement by creating a card with caricatures and a thank you message. Their matter-of-fact courage provided strength to the captain.
Question 2: How does the story suggest that optimism helps to endure “the direst stress”?
Answer-
Optimism is portrayed as a crucial element in maintaining the will to survive the direst stress:
(a) The Crewmen’s Example: The two crewmen, American Larry Vigil and Swiss Herb Seigler, are remembered by the narrator for being cheerful and optimistic throughout the ordeal, despite the immense damage and continuous exhausting work.
(b) The Children’s Faith: The children's unwavering optimism provided psychological support to the adults. Jon’s statement that they were not afraid of dying if we can all be together served as a turning point, inspiring the narrator to leave the cabin determined to fight the sea. Sue's quiet certainty at the end, saying, “You found the island,” showed a complete faith in her father’s ability, which was immediately rewarded with the sight of Ile Amsterdam.
(c) Maintaining Hope: Despite knowing that their chances of reaching the islands were slim indeed, the captain steered the ship toward the pinpricks in the vast ocean, driven by the necessity of hope.
Question 3: What lessons do we learn from such hazardous experiences when we are face-to-face with death?
Answer-
Facing death in hazardous experiences emphasizes several crucial human values and survival lessons:
(a) The Power of Unity and Love: The most profound lesson is contained in Jon’s statement that they were not afraid of dying if we can all be together. This highlights that shared determination and familial love are the greatest resources against overwhelming danger.
(b) Selflessness and Courage: The experience teaches the value of selflessness, demonstrated by Sue’s choice not to mention her painful injuries to reduce her father’s burden. It underscores that courage is often expressed through quiet endurance.
(c) Resourcefulness and Determination: The experience demands absolute resourcefulness (connecting the spare electric pump, improvising the sea anchor) and the relentless determination to continue fighting even when the hope is minimal.
Question 4: Why do you think people undertake such adventurous expeditions in spite of the risks involved?
Answer-
People undertake such expeditions due to the fulfillment of a long-held dream and the challenge of testing human limits:
(a) Fulfillment of a Dream: The narrator and his wife, Mary, had dreamt of sailing in the wake of the famous explorer, Captain James Cook, for the longest time. The expedition was the realization of this passion, cultivated over 16 years spent honing our seafaring skills.
(b) Thirst for Adventure: Such voyages fulfill the desire for grand, ambitious adventures, such as attempting to duplicate the round-the-world voyage.
(c) Testing Limits: These hazardous experiences allow individuals to test their own preparation, skill, and endurance against the power of nature, finding satisfaction in overcoming the direst stress.
Thinking about language
Question 1: We have come across words like ‘gale’ and ‘storm’ in the account. Here are two more words for ‘storm’: typhoon, cyclone. How many words does your language have for ‘storm’?
Answer-
This question prompts the reader to reflect on the variety of terms for a particular item in different languages. While the account uses the keywords gales and storm, the source material does not contain the specific information required to count the equivalents for 'storm' in the reader's native language.
Question 2: Here are the terms for different kinds of vessels: yacht, boat, canoe, ship, steamer, schooner. Think of similar terms in your language.
Answer-
The sources mention the vessel Wavewalker as a boat and a ship. This question is designed for the reader to consider similar terminology for different kinds of vessels in their own language. The sources, however, do not contain terms from languages other than English necessary to fulfill this request.
Question 3: ‘Catamaran’ is a kind of a boat. Do you know which Indian language this word is derived from? Check the dictionary.
Answer-
This question asks about English words derived from Indian languages. Although the source mentions this query, it does not provide the specific Indian language from which the word 'Catamaran' is derived.
Question 4: Have you heard any boatmen’s songs? What kind of emotions do these songs usually express?
Answer-
This question is intended to link language to music, specifically boatmen’s songs. The source material focuses on the technical and emotional aspects of the survival ordeal and does not provide information about boatmen’s songs or the emotions they typically express.