Notes Chapter 1.2 An Encounter of a Special Kind Class 10 English Maharashtra Board

Notes For All Chapters – English Class 10

Introduction to the Chapter

• Author: Tapan Mukherjee.
• Theme: The bond between humans and animals, trust, compassion, and interspecies communication.
• Setting: Raniganj, West Bengal, in a bungalow surrounded by natural beauty.

Characters

1. Narrator: A compassionate and courageous child who narrates the story.
2. Narrator’s Family: Parents and younger sisters.
3. Male Langur: A dominant and aggressive leader.
4. Baby Langur: An innocent victim saved by the narrator.
5. Mother Langur: A symbol of maternal love and gratitude.

Key Events in the Story

1. Description of the Campus

• The narrator’s family lived in a bungalow with a lush garden, tall trees, and colorful flowers.
• The area was home to birds, squirrels, and a group of langurs.

2. Peaceful Afternoon Disrupted

• During the Puja vacation, the narrator was reading a storybook in the serene afternoon.
• Loud barking of street dogs and the cries of crows broke the silence.

3. The Shocking Sight

• The narrator saw a dominant male langur attacking a baby langur on the roof of the club.
• Other langurs and the baby’s mother watched helplessly.
• The narrator recalled the animal custom where dominant males kill male babies to maintain dominance.

4. Narrator’s Brave Intervention

• Using a stout stick and stones, the narrator attacked the male langur to protect the baby.
• The baby fell from the roof, appearing lifeless, and the narrator caught its tail before it hit the ground.

5. Saving the Baby Langur

• The narrator placed the injured baby langur in a poultry coop.
• With his father’s help, the wounds were treated, and cold water revived the baby.
• The baby trembled and sobbed like a human child, showing signs of trauma.

6. The Mother’s Trust and Gratitude

• The mother langur silently observed the narrator’s actions from a distance.
• Once assured of safety, she descended, inspected her baby, and held him close.
• Her gaze conveyed silent gratitude to the narrator for saving her child.

7. The Emotional Ending

• The mother langur took her baby and left, carefully avoiding the dominant male langur.
• The narrator was deeply moved by the incident and realized the depth of interspecies trust and compassion.

Moral and Key Learnings

1. Compassion and Courage
   • The narrator’s courage and empathy saved the baby langur’s life.
2. Trust Between Humans and Animals
   • The mother langur’s gratitude demonstrated the possibility of mutual trust between humans and animals.
3. Value of Coexistence
   • The incident highlights the importance of living in harmony with nature and respecting all life forms.

Important Vocabulary

1. Commotion: Noise and confusion.
2. Mercilessly: Cruelly, without pity.
3. Trauma: Great distress or emotional shock.
4. Gratitude: Thankfulness or appreciation.
5. Compassion: Sympathy and kindness towards others.

Figures of Speech in the Story

1. Personification: The baby langur is described with human-like emotions (trembling, sobbing).
2. Imagery: Vivid descriptions of the lush campus and the horrifying attack.
3. Symbolism: The mother langur represents universal maternal love and gratitude.