Notes Chapter 1.3 “Basketful of Moonlight” Class 10 English Maharashtra Board

Notes For All Chapters – English Class 10

Introduction

• Poet: Sunil Sharma
• Theme: The poem reflects a child’s emotional longing for light, safety, and togetherness.
• Tone: The poem has a heartfelt, innocent, and imaginative tone, showcasing the child’s love for his father and his concern for their village.

Summary

• The child in the poem requests the moon to give him a basketful or two of moonlight.
• He wishes to sow the moonlight along the dark, dangerous path from the city to his village.
• The village path is unsafe, filled with snakes and scorpions, and lacks transportation facilities.
• The child’s father comes home late at night when the child is asleep and leaves early in the morning before the child wakes up.
• The child’s desire to light the path symbolizes hope, safety, and his wish to spend time with his father.
• The moonlight in the poem represents a solution to the struggles of rural life and a brighter future.

Key Points

1. Request to the Moon:
   • The poet’s appeal for a “basketful of moonlight” signifies the child’s imaginative thinking.
   • He envisions sowing seeds of moonlight to light up the dark path.
2. Dangerous Village Path:
   • The path is far, rough, and dangerous, making the villagers’ commute difficult.
   • It is filled with snakes and scorpions, creating a life-threatening situation for the people.
3. Father-Son Relationship:
   • The poem highlights the emotional bond between the child and his father.
   • The child’s longing to spend time with his father shows the impact of work-life hardships on family relationships.
4. Symbolism:
   • The moon symbolizes hope, safety, and light.
   • The basketful of moonlight reflects the child’s dream of solving real-world problems with creativity.
5. Rural Struggles:
   • The poem sheds light on the challenges faced by rural communities, such as lack of transportation, safety concerns, and family separations due to work.

Literary Devices

1. Personification:
   • The moon is personified as a being capable of lending light (“Give me moonlight… on loan”).
2. Imagery:
   • Vivid descriptions of the “dark path,” “snakes and scorpions,” and “seeds of moonlight” create a visual representation of the child’s thoughts.
3. Symbolism:
   • Moonlight is a symbol of hope, safety, and light in darkness.
4. Repetition:
   • Lines like “Give me moonlight, basketful or two baskets full” emphasize the child’s earnest desire.
5. Alliteration:
   • Examples include “small, small moons” and “basketful of moonlight.”

Character Analysis

1. The Child:
   • Innocent and imaginative.
   • Deeply cares for his father and his village.
   • Symbolizes hope and love for family.
2. The Father:
   • A hardworking villager who travels long distances for work.
   • Represents the struggles of rural workers.
3. The Moon:
   • A symbol of light, beauty, and a solution to the child’s problems.

Key Messages

• Importance of safety and infrastructure in rural areas.
• Emotional impact of work-related separations on family relationships.
• The power of a child’s imagination to dream of a better world.
• Hope and love can light even the darkest paths in life.

Vocabulary

1. Plies: Travels regularly over a route.
2. Sow: To plant seeds.
3. Scorpions: Insects with venomous stingers.
4. Illuminate: To light up or brighten.
5. Symbolize: To represent something deeper or abstract.