Theme = repeated idea + central conflict + writer’s final message.
Ask: What issue returns repeatedly? What suffering or disagreement is shown? What message does the text leave?
Tone = word choice + emotional images + situation.
Ask: Are the words hopeful, fearful, sorrowful, critical or peaceful? Which images create that feeling?
Character or participant = identity + action + relationship to the conflict.
Ask: Who is present? What does the person or group do? How does that action reveal the situation?
Device = noticeable expression + literal meaning + effect.
Ask: Is a word or line repeated? Is one thing described as another? Is an abstract idea given a human action? What feeling or emphasis does the expression create?
| Textual feature | Question to ask | Evidence from the text |
|---|---|---|
| Theme | What central idea returns? | “Can make it out here alone.” |
| Tone | What attitude do the words create? | “The race of man is suffering” |
| Participant | Who is involved? | “different teams within an organization” |
| Device | What unusual wording is used? | “hearts of stone” |
৯.৩ Type-১ : সারসংক্ষেপ ও ঘটনাক্রম
এই অধ্যায়ে শান্তি ও সংঘাতকে মানবজীবনের গুরুত্বপূর্ণ বাস্তবতা হিসেবে দেখানো হয়েছে। সংঘাতের পেছনে বিরোধী স্বার্থ, ভুল বোঝাবুঝি, চাপ, হতাশা এবং যোগাযোগের অভাব কাজ করতে পারে। সম্পদের সীমাবদ্ধতা, ভিন্ন মূল্যবোধ এবং প্রভাব বিস্তারের আকাঙ্ক্ষা থেকে অর্থনৈতিক, মূল্যভিত্তিক ও ক্ষমতাকেন্দ্রিক সংঘাত সৃষ্টি হয়; আবার ব্যক্তি, মনের ভেতর, দলের মধ্যে এবং দলের পারস্পরিক সম্পর্কেও সংঘাত দেখা যায়। সংঘাত মানুষের কাজ, সিদ্ধান্ত ও সামাজিক আচরণকে প্রভাবিত করে, কিন্তু তৃতীয় পক্ষের হস্তক্ষেপে তা সবসময় লড়াইয়ে পরিণত হয় না। ডালাই লামার বক্তব্যে শান্তিকে মতভেদের বিলোপ নয়, বরং মানবিক ও শান্তিপূর্ণ উপায়ে মতভেদ সমাধান হিসেবে উপস্থাপন করা হয়েছে—“Peace means solving these diffarences”.
| ক্রম | ঘটনা | গুরুত্ব |
|---|---|---|
| ১ | ডালাই লামা শান্তির অর্থ ব্যাখ্যা করেন। | শান্তি যে মতভেদহীনতা নয়, তা স্পষ্ট হয়। |
| ২ | সংঘাতের সংজ্ঞা, কারণ ও তীব্র হওয়ার উপাদান আলোচনা করা হয়। | সংঘাতের প্রকৃতি ও বিস্তারের পটভূমি বোঝা যায়। |
| ৩ | সংঘাতের অর্থনৈতিক, মূল্যভিত্তিক ও ক্ষমতাকেন্দ্রিক কারণ চিহ্নিত করা হয়। | বিভিন্ন সংঘাতের মূল চালিকা শক্তি আলাদা করে দেখা যায়। |
| ৪ | আন্তঃব্যক্তিক, অন্তর্ব্যক্তিক, অন্তর্দলীয় ও আন্তর্দলীয় সংঘাতের ধরন ব্যাখ্যা করা হয়। | সংঘাতে অংশগ্রহণকারী ব্যক্তি বা দলের সম্পর্ক নির্ণয় করা যায়। |
| ৫ | “Alone” কবিতায় একাকিত্ব, মানবিক সম্পর্ক ও একসঙ্গে থাকার প্রয়োজনীয়তা প্রকাশ পায়। | সামাজিক বিচ্ছিন্নতার বিরুদ্ধে কবিতার মানবিক বার্তা স্পষ্ট হয়। |
| ৬ | “September 1, 1939” অংশে ভয়, ক্রোধ, মৃত্যু ও অন্ধকারাচ্ছন্ন পৃথিবীর চিত্র আসে। | সংঘাতের মানসিক ও সামাজিক নিষ্ঠুরতা অনুভব করা যায়। |
| ৭ | “The Old Man at the Bridge”-এর সূচনায় যুদ্ধের মধ্যে অসহায় বৃদ্ধের উপস্থিতি দেখা যায়। | যুদ্ধ যে সাধারণ মানুষ ও জীবন্ত প্রাণীদেরও বিপন্ন করে, তা উদ্ভাসিত হয়। |
সারসংক্ষেপ = মূল বিষয় + প্রধান কারণ বা সংঘাত + পরিণতি বা লেখকের বার্তা।
ঘটনাক্রম নির্ণয় = সূচনা বক্তব্য → সংঘাতের কারণ ও ধরন → মানবিক প্রভাব → শান্তি বা চূড়ান্ত বার্তা।
প্রমাণ যাচাই = প্রতিটি ব্যাখ্যার সঙ্গে পাঠ্যাংশের সংক্ষিপ্ত উদ্ধৃতি মিলিয়ে দেখো।
জেনে রাখুন: সারসংক্ষেপে বিচ্ছিন্ন তথ্যের তালিকা না করে ধারণাগুলোর অগ্রগতি দেখাতে হবে। প্রথমে বিষয়টি কী, পরে সমস্যা বা সংঘাত কেন তৈরি হয়, এরপর তা ব্যক্তি ও সমাজকে কীভাবে প্রভাবিত করে এবং শেষে পাঠ্যটি কী মানবিক বার্তা দেয়—এই ধারাটি অনুসরণ করো। যেমন, শান্তির ধারণার ক্ষেত্রে উদ্ধৃতি “differences will always be thers.” দেখায় যে মতভেদ থাকবে; আর “through humane ways.” সমাধানের পদ্ধতিকে মানবিক করে তোলে।
সমাধানকৃত উদাহরণ: প্রশ্ন: অধ্যায়টির সারসংক্ষেপ কীভাবে ঘটনাক্রমের সঙ্গে যুক্ত?
উত্তর: প্রথমে শান্তিকে মতভেদ সমাধানের মানবিক পদ্ধতি হিসেবে উপস্থাপন করা হয়েছে। এরপর সংঘাতের সংজ্ঞা, কারণ এবং বিভিন্ন ধরন ব্যাখ্যা করা হয়েছে। তারপর কবিতা ও গল্পের অংশে সংঘাতের মানসিক, সামাজিক ও মানবিক প্রভাব দেখানো হয়েছে। “Conflict is an inevitable part of life.” বক্তব্যটি সংঘাতের অনিবার্যতা প্রকাশ করে, কিন্তু শেষ পর্যন্ত “a thd party intervention offen Tesolyes a conflict.” দেখায় যে সংঘাতের শান্তিপূর্ণ সমাধান সম্ভব। তাই অধ্যায়টির কেন্দ্রীয় বার্তা হলো—ভিন্নতা স্বাভাবিক হলেও তা নিষ্ঠুরতার বদলে মানবিক উপায়ে সমাধান করা উচিত।
অনুশীলন প্রশ্ন: “Alone” কবিতার ঘটনাক্রম ও কেন্দ্রীয় বার্তা সংক্ষেপে লেখো।
সমাধান: কবিতার শুরুতে বক্তা আত্মার জন্য এমন একটি আশ্রয় খোঁজেন যেখানে জল তৃষ্ণার্ত নয় এবং রুটি পাথর নয়। এরপর তিনি উপলব্ধি করেন যে কেউ একা জীবনের পরিস্থিতি সামলাতে পারে না—“Can make it out’ here alone.” কবিতার পরের অংশে সম্পদশালী মানুষের emotional isolation এবং “hearts of stone” প্রকাশ পায়। শেষাংশে ঝড়ের মেঘ, বাতাস ও মানবজাতির suffering-এর চিত্র আসে। পুনরাবৃত্ত “Alone, all alone” একাকিত্বকে জোরালো করে, আর সমাপ্ত বার্তা মানবিক সম্পর্ক ও togetherness-এর অপরিহার্যতা প্রতিষ্ঠা করে।
২. এরপর বিষয়টিকে ঘিরে থাকা সমস্যা, সংঘাত বা পরিস্থিতি নির্ণয় করো।
৩. শব্দচয়ন, চিত্রকল্প ও বক্তব্যের ভঙ্গি দেখে লেখকের মনোভাব বোঝো।
৪. ব্যক্তি, দল, গোষ্ঠী বা কণ্ঠগুলো আলাদা করে চিহ্নিত করো।
৫. প্রতিটি ব্যাখ্যার সমর্থনে পাঠ্যাংশের সংক্ষিপ্ত ও হুবহু উদ্ধৃতি দাও।
৬. শেষে ঘটনাগুলোর অগ্রগতি দেখিয়ে কেন্দ্রীয় মানবিক বার্তায় পৌঁছাও।
সারসংক্ষেপে বিচ্ছিন্ন তথ্যের তালিকা না দিয়ে বিষয়ের ক্রমবিকাশ দেখাতে হবে: শান্তির ধারণা → সংঘাতের সংজ্ঞা ও কারণ → সংঘাতের ধরন → ব্যক্তি ও সমাজের ওপর প্রভাব → মানবিক সমাধানের বার্তা।
সমাধানকৃত উদাহরণ
ধাপ ২: এরপর সংঘাতকে ব্যক্তি বা গোষ্ঠীর বিরোধ হিসেবে চিহ্নিত করা হয়েছে এবং এর পেছনে বিরোধী স্বার্থ, ভুল-বোঝাবুঝি, চাপ, হতাশা ও যোগাযোগের অভাব দেখানো হয়েছে। প্রমাণ: “opposing interests or needs, misunderstandings, stress and frustration and a lack of communication”.
ধাপ ৩: অর্থনৈতিক, মূল্যভিত্তিক ও ক্ষমতার সংঘাতের পাশাপাশি আন্তঃব্যক্তিক, অন্তর্ব্যক্তিক, অন্তর্দলীয় ও আন্তর্দলীয় সংঘাতের ধরন ব্যাখ্যা করা হয়েছে। প্রমাণ: “Conflicts are basically of three types arising out of three different causes.”
ধাপ ৪: কবিতা ও গল্পের অংশে সংঘাতের মানসিক ও মানবিক ফল প্রকাশ পেয়েছে। “Alone” কবিতায় সামাজিক বিচ্ছিন্নতা এবং “September 1, 1939” অংশে ভয় ও মৃত্যুর অন্ধকার ফুটে উঠেছে। প্রমাণ: “The race of man is suffering” এবং “The unmentionable odour of death”.
উত্তর: অধ্যায়টি প্রথমে মানবিক উপায়ে শান্তির অর্থ নির্ধারণ করেছে। তারপর সংঘাতের সংজ্ঞা, কারণ ও ধরন ব্যাখ্যা করে দেখিয়েছে যে সংঘাত ব্যক্তি ও সমাজের আচরণকে প্রভাবিত করে। কবিতা ও গল্পের অংশে এই সংঘাতের একাকিত্ব, ভয়, মৃত্যু ও অসহায়তার রূপ প্রকাশ পেয়েছে। তাই অধ্যায়টির অগ্রগতি হলো—মতভেদ স্বাভাবিক, কিন্তু তার সমাধান হওয়া উচিত শান্তিপূর্ণ ও মানবিক উপায়ে।
অনুশীলন প্রশ্ন ও সমাধান
পরবর্তী পর্যায়ে ব্যক্তি-ব্যক্তির বিরোধকে আন্তঃব্যক্তিক সংঘাত, ব্যক্তির মনের দ্বন্দ্বকে অন্তর্ব্যক্তিক সংঘাত, একই দলের সদস্যদের মতভেদকে অন্তর্দলীয় সংঘাত এবং পৃথক দলের ভুল-বোঝাবুঝিকে আন্তর্দলীয় সংঘাত বলা হয়েছে। আন্তর্দলীয় সংঘাতের প্রমাণ: “a misunderstanding arises among different teams within an organization.” ফলে সংঘাতের ক্রম হলো—কারণ নির্ধারণ, অংশগ্রহণকারীর সম্পর্ক চিহ্নিতকরণ এবং বিরোধের ধরন বোঝা।
পরের অংশে অর্থবান মানুষের বাহ্যিক সাফল্যের বিপরীতে তাদের মানসিক বিচ্ছিন্নতা দেখানো হয়েছে। তাদের অর্থ থাকলেও তা ব্যবহার করতে পারে না এবং চিকিৎসকেরা তাদের “hearts of stone” সারাতে পারে না। শেষাংশে ঝড়ের মেঘ, বাতাস ও মানবজাতির suffering-এর চিত্রে বৃহত্তর সামাজিক সংকট প্রকাশ পেয়েছে। প্রমাণ: “Storm clouds are gathering” এবং “The race of man is suffering”.
“Alone, all alone” এবং “Nobody, but nobody” পুনরাবৃত্তির মাধ্যমে কবিতার মূল বক্তব্য জোরালো হয়েছে। কেন্দ্রীয় বার্তা হলো—সম্পদ বা সামাজিক অবস্থান একা জীবনকে অর্থপূর্ণ করতে পারে না; সুস্থ মানবিক সম্পর্ক ও একসঙ্গে থাকা অপরিহার্য।
“The Old Man at the Bridge” অংশের শুরুতে যুদ্ধের মধ্যে এক অসহায় বৃদ্ধকে রাস্তার পাশে বসে থাকতে দেখা যায়। প্রমাণ: “An old man with steel rimmed spectacles and very dusty clothes sat by the side of the road.” সেতু পার হওয়া গাড়ি, সৈনিক, নারী ও শিশুর চলাচলের বিপরীতে বৃদ্ধের স্থিরতা যুদ্ধের মধ্যে সাধারণ মানুষের অসহায়তা প্রকাশ করে। তাই অধ্যায়ের ঘটনাক্রমে প্রথমে সংঘাতের কারণ ব্যাখ্যা করা হয়েছে, পরে তার ভয়, মৃত্যু, সামাজিক কষ্ট ও সাধারণ মানুষের বিপন্নতার চিত্র দেখানো হয়েছে।
৯.৫ Type-২ : চরিত্র বিশ্লেষণ
Character analysis explains a person or group through identity, action and relationship to the conflict. In this unit, the old man is the central figure of The Old Man at the Bridge, while the poem Alone presents a speaker who speaks for human togetherness. Each interpretation below is supported by a short quotation from the selected texts.
Character or participant = identity + action + relationship to the conflict.
Step 1 → Identify who is present.
Step 2 → Note what the person or group does or experiences.
Step 3 → Explain how that action reveals the conflict or message.
Step 4 → Support every point with a short, exact quotation.
Keep in mind: Do not describe a character with unsupported personal opinion. Distinguish a central figure from background participants, and use contrast when the text places stillness beside movement, wealth beside isolation, or suffering beside the need for relationship.
| Character or participant | Feature | Textual evidence |
|---|---|---|
| The old man | A vulnerable civilian whose helpless stillness contrasts with the movement of war. | “An old man with steel rimmed spectacles and very dusty clothes sat by the side of the road.” |
| The speaker in Alone | A reflective voice that argues for human relationship and togetherness. | “nobody, But nobody / Can make it out’ here alone.” |
| The millionaires | Wealthy people who remain emotionally isolated and unable to use their money meaningfully. | “There are some millionaires / With money they can’t use” |
| The soldiers and travellers | Moving participants in the wartime scene; their activity emphasizes the old man’s immobility. | “The mule-drawn carts staggered up the steep bank from the bridge with soldiers helping” |
Question: How does the contrast between the old man’s stillness and the movement around the bridge characterize him?
Step 1 — Identity: He is an old civilian sitting beside a road during wartime.
Step 2 — Action: He remains seated while carts, vehicles, soldiers, women and children cross the bridge.
Evidence: “An old man with steel rimmed spectacles and very dusty clothes sat by the side of the road.”
Step 3 — Contrast: The active crossing represents the pressure and disorder of war, whereas his stillness suggests weakness and displacement.
Step 4 — Relationship to conflict: He is not presented as a fighter; he is a civilian affected by the movement of war around him.
Answer: The old man is characterized as a helpless and vulnerable civilian. His motionless position beside the road contrasts with the carts and soldiers crossing the bridge, making the human cost of war visible through one quiet figure.
Practice question: How does the speaker in Alone function as a representative voice for the poem’s central message?
- Identity: who is present?
- Action: what does the character do or experience?
- Conflict: how is the character affected by the situation?
- Evidence: which exact words prove the interpretation?
Character or participant = identity + action or experience + relationship to the conflict.
Question: How are the millionaires characterized in Alone?
Step 1 — Identity: They are wealthy people presented in the poem.
Step 2 — Experience: Their money cannot solve their personal and emotional problems.
Evidence: “There are some millionaires / With money they can't use”
Step 3 — Character significance: Their wealth is contrasted with emotional hardness and suffering.
Evidence: “They've got expensive doctors / To cure their hearts of stone”.
Answer: The millionaires are characterized as materially rich but emotionally isolated and uncaring. Their money is unable to cure their “hearts of stone”, so the poem suggests that wealth alone cannot provide meaningful human connection.
Solution: The old man is presented as an elderly civilian beside the road during wartime. He is not described as a fighter; instead, he remains beside the crossing while people and military movement pass around him. The evidence is: “An old man with steel rimmed spectacles and very dusty clothes sat by the side of the road.” His dusty clothes and isolated position show his vulnerability. Therefore, he functions as a quiet civilian figure through whom the human effect of war becomes visible.
Solution: The participants are individuals belonging to the same team. Their conflict develops from disagreements or differences in views and ideas. The text states: “It arises from interpersonal disagreements or differences in views and ideas.” These members may use the disagreement to help make decisions and reach a team objective. However, if the conflict disrupts harmony, outside guidance becomes necessary. Thus, the team members are both participants in the disagreement and possible contributors to its resolution.
Solution: In intrapersonal conflict, the participant is a single individual, and the struggle takes place within that person’s mind. The text identifies it as “a type of conflict that is psychological”. The conflict involves “the individual’s thoughts, values, principles, and emotions”. Therefore, the individual is presented as both the participant and the place where the conflict occurs. This distinguishes intrapersonal conflict from a disagreement between separate people or groups.
Solution: A third party functions as an external participant who can help the conflicting parties reach a settlement. The text makes clear that conflict does not always lead to physical fighting because “a thd party intervention offen Tesolyes a conflict”. This intervention is important when the original parties cannot agree on a peaceful resolution. Therefore, the third party serves as a possible mediator and supports the peaceful settlement of conflict.
৯.৭ Type-৩ : মূলভাব ও বার্তা (Theme)
Step 1 → Identify the subject and the repeated concern.
Step 2 → Locate the central conflict or human problem.
Step 3 → Observe the situation, actions and descriptive words.
Step 4 → Support each interpretation with a short, exact quotation.
Step 5 → State the theme as a clear message, not as a broad personal opinion.
Solved example: What is the central theme of the opening passage of The Old Man at the Bridge?
Step 1: The passage presents an old man sitting beside a road while wartime movement takes place around the bridge.
Step 2: The central concern is the vulnerability and helplessness of an ordinary civilian in a situation shaped by war.
Step 3: The details of his age, dusty clothes and isolated position make his condition visible.
Evidence: “An old man with steel rimmed spectacles and very dusty clothes sat by the side of the road.”
Answer: The central theme is the human vulnerability of civilians during war. The old man’s stillness and worn appearance place an ordinary human life beside the movement created by conflict. The quotation presents him as exposed and powerless, so the passage draws attention to the quiet suffering of people who are caught in war without being fighters.
Sub-theme: The passage also contrasts stillness with forced movement. The old man remains beside the road, whereas the bridge is used by people, vehicles and soldiers moving away from danger. This contrast suggests that conflict disturbs ordinary life and leaves vulnerable people behind. The descriptive evidence, “very dusty clothes,” reinforces the impression of hardship and neglect. Therefore, the sub-theme is the disruption of civilian life by war.
Practice question: How does the opening scene convey a message about the effects of conflict?
Solution: The opening scene conveys that conflict affects civilians even when they do not participate in fighting. The old man is placed beside the road in a condition of physical weariness and isolation. His appearance is captured in the words, “steel rimmed spectacles and very dusty clothes”. The scene therefore presents war through the suffering and helplessness of an ordinary person. Its message is that the effects of conflict are human and personal, not limited to battles or military actions.
৯.৯ Type-৪ : ভাষা, অলংকার ও সুর
Literary language becomes meaningful when its noticeable expression, literal meaning and effect are examined together. In the unit, “like banshees” is a simile because the wives of the millionaires are compared to banshees through “like”. “A heart of stone” is a metaphor: the stone suggests emotional cruelty and lack of care. The phrase “Storm clouds are gathering” also creates an image of approaching danger and suffering.
| Device | Example | Effect |
|---|---|---|
| Simile | “Their wives run round like banshees” | It presents restless and disturbing behaviour through a vivid comparison. |
| Metaphor | “To cure their hearts of stone” | It suggests that wealth cannot remove emotional coldness or cruelty. |
| Imagery | “Storm clouds are gathering” | It creates a threatening visual picture of danger and human suffering. |
| Repetition | “Alone, all alone” | It strongly emphasizes isolation and the need for togetherness. |
Analysis framework: First, locate the noticeable expression. Next, identify its literal meaning and implied comparison or image. Then explain its effect on the theme or feeling. Finally, support the interpretation with a short quotation. For example, the repeated words “nobody” and “alone” connect the poem’s language with its central message that human beings cannot live meaningfully without healthy relationships.
Tone is identified from diction, imagery and situation. The passage on conflict has a realistic and analytical tone because it states, “Conflict is an inevitable part of life.” In “Alone”, the tone is sorrowful and warning when the poet writes, “The race of man is suffering”, yet the repeated appeal “Can make it out here alone” keeps a serious hope for human connection. In Auden’s stanza, “Uncertain and afraid” directly establishes a fearful tone, while “Waves of anger and fear” extends that anxiety across private and public life.
- Simile: comparison using “like” or “as”.
- Metaphor: an implied comparison without “like” or “as”.
- Imagery: words that create a sensory picture or emotional scene.
- Always connect the device and tone to an exact quotation from the text.
Type-১ : Identifying the Theme
Theme = repeated idea + central conflict + writer’s final message.
জেনে রাখুন: Find the idea that returns throughout the passage, connect it with the main conflict, and finish with the writer’s final message. Do not replace textual evidence with a broad personal opinion.
Solved example: What is the central theme of the passage explaining conflict?
Step 1: The passage repeatedly presents conflict as a normal part of human life.
Step 2: It connects conflict with different opinions, ideas and beliefs.
Step 3: It shows that conflict affects conduct, decisions and social behaviour.
Evidence: "Conflict is an inevitable part of life."
Answer: The central theme is that conflict is an unavoidable human experience arising from differences in opinions, ideas and beliefs. It also influences how people act and make decisions. The statement "Conflict thus influences our actions and decisions" supports this interpretation.
Practice question: What is the central theme of the section on intergroup conflict?
Solution: The central theme is that conflict between separate groups develops from differing goals, interests and competition. The situation becomes serious when misunderstanding appears among teams in the same organization. Evidence: "It takes place when a misunderstanding arises among different teams within an organization."
Type-২ : Identifying the Tone
Tone = word choice + emotional images + situation.
জেনে রাখুন: Notice whether the diction is peaceful, fearful, critical, sorrowful or analytical. Then connect the words and images with the situation. A tone must be supported by an exact quotation.
Solved example: What is the tone of the Dalai Lama’s quotation?
Step 1: The quotation accepts that differences cannot be completely removed.
Step 2: It rejects violent responses and presents a humane solution.
Step 3: The words "peaceful means" and "humane ways" create a conciliatory tone.
Evidence: "Peace means solving these diffarences through peaceful means: and through humane ways."
Answer: The tone is peaceful, humane and conciliatory. The speaker does not deny the existence of differences; instead, the quotation recommends resolving them without violence.
Practice question: What is the tone of the paragraph describing the causes of hostility?
Solution: The tone is analytical and cautionary. The writer lists opposing interests, misunderstandings, stress, frustration and poor communication as causes, while the phrase "an escalation of hostility" warns about the possible result.
Type-৩ : Analysing Character and Participant
Participant = identity + action or position + relationship to the conflict.
জেনে রাখুন: Identify only the people or groups directly mentioned. Explain what each participant does or wants, and show how that action or desire connects with the conflict.
Solved example: Analyse the participants in an intragroup conflict.
Step 1: The participants are individuals within the same team.
Step 2: Their disagreement grows from different views and ideas.
Step 3: The conflict may assist decision-making, but serious disagreement can disturb team harmony.
Evidence: "It arises from interpersonal disagreements or differences in views and ideas."
Answer: The participants are members of one team. They are connected by a common group identity, but their different views and ideas create disagreement. The conflict may be useful when it helps the team reach its objectives; however, it requires guidance when harmony is disrupted.
Practice question: Who are the participants in a power conflict, and what do they seek?
Solution: The participants may be individuals, groups or nations. They are involved because they want to increase their influence in a social setting. Evidence: "Such a situation can happen among individuals, groups or even nations." Their purpose is shown in the phrase "intend to maximize what influence they have."
Type-৪ : Identifying Literary Devices
Device = noticeable expression + literal meaning + effect on the theme or tone.
জেনে রাখুন: A simile uses "like" or "as"; a metaphor gives an implied comparison; imagery creates a sensory or emotional picture; repetition adds emphasis. Always explain the effect with a short quotation.
Solved example: Identify the device and effect in "Water is not thirsty / And bread loaf is not stone."
Step 1: The lines use concrete images of water, bread and stone.
Step 2: The images contrast natural nourishment with unnatural hardness or deprivation.
Step 3: This imagery expresses the speaker’s search for a secure and meaningful home.
Evidence: "How to find my soul a home / Where water is not thirsty"
Answer: The expression uses imagery and contrast. Water normally satisfies thirst and bread normally provides nourishment, but the unusual images suggest a world where basic comfort has lost its ordinary meaning. The effect is to make the speaker’s spiritual search vivid and serious.
Practice question: Identify the literary device in "Waves of anger and fear" and explain its effect.
Solution: The expression is a metaphor. Anger and fear are presented as waves that move across a wide area. This implied comparison shows that these emotions spread powerfully through both private and public life. Evidence: "Waves of anger and fear / Circulate over the bright / And darkened lands of the earth."
| Expression | Device | Effect |
|---|---|---|
| "Waves of anger and fear" | Metaphor | Shows the wide and forceful spread of anxiety. |
| "Storm clouds are gathering" | Imagery | Creates a threatening picture of approaching suffering. |
- Conflict is broader than physical fighting because “not all conflicts lead to fights.”
- A complete answer should connect the cause of conflict with the parties involved and its consequence.
- The text presents conflict as unavoidable when people hold different opinions, ideas, beliefs and ways of viewing situations.
- Economic conflict concerns competition for limited resources, not merely personal dislike.
- Value conflict is identified through different principles, preferences and ideologies.
- Power conflict is connected with the wish to increase influence in a social setting.
- Intrapersonal conflict occurs within one individual’s mind and is psychological in nature.
- Intragroup conflict occurs among members of the same team, whereas intergroup conflict occurs among different teams.
- Peace in the quotation means humane and peaceful settlement of differences, not the disappearance of all differences.
- A literary-device answer must name the device, explain its literal image and state its effect on the meaning or tone.
| Wrong approach | Why it is wrong | Correct method |
|---|---|---|
| “Conflict always means a fight.” | The passage clearly says that some conflicts are settled without fighting. | Explain conflict as disagreement and mention that “a thd party intervention offen Tesolyes a conflict.” |
| Calling a disagreement inside one team an intergroup conflict. | Intergroup conflict requires different teams within an organization. | Use intragroup conflict when the parties are “individuals within a team.” |
| Treating a person’s inner struggle as interpersonal conflict. | Interpersonal conflict is between two individuals; an inner struggle occurs within one person. | Identify intrapersonal conflict through the evidence “within an individual” and “in the person’s mind.” |
| Writing that peace requires everyone to think alike. | The quotation accepts that differences will remain. | Define peace as solving differences “through peaceful means” and “through humane ways.” |
| Explaining only that resources are scarce when asked about economic conflict. | A complete response must also show that individuals or groups compete to possess the resources. | Mention limited resources, competing parties and the resulting hostile behaviour. |
| Describing “Waves of anger and fear” as a simile. | The expression does not use “like” or “as”; it directly presents emotions as waves. | Identify it as a metaphor and explain that it shows the forceful spread of anxiety. |
| Retelling the poem without explaining the repeated words “alone” and “nobody.” | A summary of events does not analyse the poem’s emphasis or message. | Discuss repetition as emphasis on the necessity of human relationship and togetherness. |
| Giving a personal opinion without textual evidence. | Interpretation must be supported by a short, exact quotation from the passage. | State the claim, add one precise quotation and explain how it proves the claim. |
Theme = repeated idea + central conflict + writer’s final message. Identify the idea that returns, connect it with the disagreement or suffering, and confirm it through the final message.
Step 2: It presents peace as a humane way of dealing with those differences.
Step 3: The final message focuses on peaceful settlement rather than forced agreement.
Evidence: “differences will always be thers.”
Answer: The central message is that peace does not require the disappearance of differences. It requires solving differences through peaceful and humane methods. The evidence is “Peace means solving these diffarences through peaceful means: and through humane ways.”
Tone = word choice + emotional images + situation. Notice the diction, examine the images, and relate both to the situation before naming the tone.
Step 2: It explains that insufficient communication increases hostility.
Step 3: The explanatory diction makes the tone serious and analytical rather than emotional.
Evidence: “a lack of communication contribute to an escalation of hostility.”
Answer: The tone is serious and analytical. The writer explains how several causes gradually increase hostility, and the phrase “an escalation of hostility” gives the discussion a warning quality.
Participant = identity + action + relationship to the conflict. Identify who is present, state what the person or group does, and explain how that action reveals the conflict.
Step 2: Their disagreement develops from different views and ideas.
Step 3: The conflict may help the team make decisions, but serious disagreement can disturb harmony.
Evidence: “happens among individuals within a team.”
Answer: The participants are members of the same team. Their different views create an intragroup conflict, not an intergroup conflict. The conflict may support decision-making when it remains constructive, but guidance from a different party may be needed when it disrupts harmony.
Device = noticeable expression + literal image + effect. Check whether a line repeats a word, gives an abstract idea a human action, or directly compares one thing with another.
Step 2: The expression does not use “like” or “as”.
Step 3: The direct comparison suggests that these emotions spread forcefully across human lives.
Evidence: “Waves of anger and fear”.
Answer: The device is a metaphor. Anger and fear are directly presented as waves, suggesting their powerful and spreading influence. This image creates an anxious tone and shows how conflict affects private lives.
Comparison = parties + location of conflict + cause + consequence. Identify who is involved, where the conflict occurs, why it develops, and what result it produces.
Step 2: Intrapersonal conflict occurs within one individual’s mind.
Step 3: The first develops from differences among people, while the second involves thoughts, values, principles and emotions.
Evidence: “an antagonism between two individuals.”
Answer: Interpersonal conflict is an external conflict between two individuals and usually results from differences among people. Intrapersonal conflict is an internal psychological conflict experienced by one person. The text identifies the internal location through the words “within an individual” and “in the person’s mind.”