The writer’s mother was married in the year 1939, the beginning of the Second World War. The same year she bought the teacups as gifts that were later given to the daughter. Hampl sees a connection between herself and her mother. The teacup reminds her of her mother’s history because her mother bought it in 1939. Through the cup, the mother transfers the culture and history of her time to the daughter. So, the cup is historical memory only. It was made in Czechoslovakia, which was taken over and destroyed by the armies of Adolf Hitler.
The essay associates and removes the objective description and subjective feeling of author and teacup. The author can express lots of feeling and ideas making the teacup as a medium. She tries to compare the falling of flower in the teacup as the destruction of beauty due to falling bombs. There was also cultural and social degradation. The style of this essay is the stream of consciousness. So, the reader feels somehow puzzled to track down the plot of the essay. She expresses all her feelings try to compete for each other. So, some sentences are fragmented. Logically they do not follow each other. The writing is beautifully decorated but the meanings deviate.
There is symbolic meaning of the things. ‘Falling flowers’ implies the degrading situation and ‘teacups’ were human rituals and arts. Certainly, the essayist refers the fall and break of culture. ‘Falling bodies’ were dying people in the war and ‘beds’ have the meaning of the battlefield where the falling bodies lay. ‘The falling of bombs onto women’ means the tragic fate of these women. They had a disturbed married life. Fates of women were accused by the war and their destiny was darkened by the war and their destiny. ‘Falling countries’ refers to the degradation of humanity, peace, progress, brotherhood, culture, etc. of the countries involved in the war. This essay presents the reality of war and shows the real picture of the world caused by the destruction due to war.
Understanding (page 69)
1. Explain "The cup is a detail, a small uncharred finger from the mid-century bonfire".
Ans. The second world war was so violent that every form of life was destroyed. The entire Czechoslovakian culture and tradition was destroyed during the war and hence the cup being compared to a a burnt body which showed that the cup is a detail of a small uncharred finger from the mid-century bonfire.
2. What do you mean by "Many things fell that year"?
2. What do you mean by "Many things fell that year"?
Ans. That year is referred to the second world war (1939). During that year, almost the entire of Europe was destroyed. Many lives were lost and many were homeless. The bombings by the planes were the main reason for it. The bombings destroyed every building and institutions. Many women's were brutally raped and murdered in their homes while their husband's were lying dead in the battlefield. Not even the children's were spared. That year, many culture, identities and even traditions too were all lost after Czechoslovakia was captured by Germany. But mostly humanity was the main thing that fell that year.
1. Discovering meaning of this essay depends on discovering a thread of associations. Discuss.
Ans. In the year 1939, the writers mother purchased a cup from Czechoslovakia. Also she got married with a Czech- American man. After a few months began the second world war. But just few months before it, she gave birth to a baby girl to whom she later handed over a cup to that baby girl i.e her daughter as it would help her to understand the past & the history. The daughter figures out the past and finds out all her answers with just the cup. Later on, after the end of the World War 2, the entire Czech culture, tradition and humanity was lost to the Germans. And the cup alone had the last few information about the culture and tradition. Hence the cup is used as the main subject to show how devastating the war was to the entire humanity.
2. What is the relationship among falling flowers and teacups, falling bodies and beds, and the falling of bomb onto women and falling countries?
Discussion Questions (Page-69)
1. Discovering meaning of this essay depends on discovering a thread of associations. Discuss.
Ans. In the year 1939, the writers mother purchased a cup from Czechoslovakia. Also she got married with a Czech- American man. After a few months began the second world war. But just few months before it, she gave birth to a baby girl to whom she later handed over a cup to that baby girl i.e her daughter as it would help her to understand the past & the history. The daughter figures out the past and finds out all her answers with just the cup. Later on, after the end of the World War 2, the entire Czech culture, tradition and humanity was lost to the Germans. And the cup alone had the last few information about the culture and tradition. Hence the cup is used as the main subject to show how devastating the war was to the entire humanity.
2. What is the relationship among falling flowers and teacups, falling bodies and beds, and the falling of bomb onto women and falling countries?
Ans. Falling flowers and teacups shows the falling of the entire czechoslovakia into the hands of the Germans. It also refers to the falling of the teacup making tradition of the czech people. Falling bodies and beds represents the falling of soldiers who were killed by the enemy fire. It refers to the soldiers injured and lay on bed getting the treatment. The falling of bed and bodies also refers to the falling of husband and wife into physical relationship. Falling of the bombs onto women refers to the bombs which the plane's dropped over the women's and the children's killing them all. Falling countries refers to the fall of czechoslovakia into the hands of Germany. Women's were harassed, tortured, raped and even murdered during the war.
3. How does Hampl see herself and her mother connected by the teacup?
3. How does Hampl see herself and her mother connected by the teacup?
Ans. Hampl herself has a thought for the modern way of life where as her mother dosen't support the modern day life. Her daughter feels that marriage isn't important to have a physical relationship which her mother disagrees to. But the teacup somehow connects both the mother and daughter in some way related to culture and thought.
4. How can writing sharpen an image that is only dimly recalled?
4. How can writing sharpen an image that is only dimly recalled?
Ans. Writing can sharpen an image that is only dimly recalled since the writing has more information stored in it compared to a dimly recalled image.
5. What does this essay/ story tell us about marriage? About mother-daughter relationship? About the importance of family about women?
5. What does this essay/ story tell us about marriage? About mother-daughter relationship? About the importance of family about women?
Ans. This story has two different opinions related to marriage. One is from the mother's point of view where she claims that marriage is an important part of life and the people should only involve any physical relationships only after it. But the daughter disagrees to her mother's views and say's that marriage isn't necessary for someone to get into a physical relationship.
About the mother-daughter relationship, this essay tells us that both mother-daughter were both closely related but had different views on certain critical issues but again was related by the teacup. The story also tells us that keeping and having a great family is the main part of everyone's life. And about women's story tells us that the women's must be brave enough to take care of their family while her husband is out for work.
6. What does the story tell us about being a woman?
About the mother-daughter relationship, this essay tells us that both mother-daughter were both closely related but had different views on certain critical issues but again was related by the teacup. The story also tells us that keeping and having a great family is the main part of everyone's life. And about women's story tells us that the women's must be brave enough to take care of their family while her husband is out for work.
6. What does the story tell us about being a woman?
Ans. From this story we learn that being a woman is no child's play. They go through a lot of pressure a day from doing house works till keeping their family safe and happy. Overall being a woman isn't easy and it takes a lot of courage and effort to fulfill their duties.
Example::What is the relationship among falling flowers and teacups, falling bodies and beds, and the falling of bomb onto women and falling countries? [10 Marks]
Patricia Hampl, in her essay "Look at a Teacup" she talks only about a cup which connects she and her mother as well as the past and the present .The two major themes of this essay are the relationship between a mother and her daughter and a connection between the past generation and present generation. Both these things are represented by a teacup.
Tips for exam
* The same above questions are asked in exam but for 5 marks or sometime for 10 marks
You should elaborate the answers.
You should elaborate the answers.
* To Elaborate Every time you write a short summary in 1st paragraph,
* Now give the answer of asked questions in 2nd paragraph,
* If you don't feel bore writing answers you can make it of 3 paragraphs by concluding the main theme of answer in 3rd paragraph.
Patricia Hampl, in her essay "Look at a Teacup" she talks only about a cup which connects she and her mother as well as the past and the present .The two major themes of this essay are the relationship between a mother and her daughter and a connection between the past generation and present generation. Both these things are represented by a teacup.
Falling flowers and teacups shows the falling of the entire czechoslovakia into the hands of the Germans. It also refers to the falling of the teacup making tradition of the czech people. Falling bodies and beds represents the falling of soldiers who were killed by the enemy fire. It refers to the soldiers injured and lay on bed getting the treatment. The falling of bed and bodies also refers to the falling of husband and wife into physical relationship. Falling of the bombs onto women refers to the bombs which the plane's dropped over the women's and the children's killing them all. Falling countries refers to the fall of czechoslovakia into the hands of Germany. Women's were harassed, tortured, raped and even murdered during the war.
‘Falling flowers’ implies the degrading situation and ‘teacups’ were human rituals and arts. Certainly, the essayist refers the fall and break of culture. ‘Falling bodies’ were dying people in the war and ‘beds’ have the meaning of the battlefield where the falling bodies lay. ‘The falling of bombs onto women’ means the tragic fate of these women. They had a disturbed married life. Fates of women were accused by the war and their destiny was darkened by the war and their destiny. ‘Falling countries’ refers to the degradation of humanity, peace, progress, brotherhood, culture, etc. of the countries involved in the war. This essay presents the reality of war and shows the real picture of the world caused by the destruction due to war.
