AN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL CLASSROOM IN A SLUM

The poem, by Stephen Spender, advocates to improve the living condition of the children and provide them equal opportunities.
The central theme deals with poverty, education and childhood.

1. AN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
CLASSROOM IN A SLUM By STEPHEN SPENDER
Elementary: Primary classesup to Class V
Slum: A a highly populated urban residential congested areawith dense population and unhygenic atmosphere.

2. STEPHEN SPENDER
The Poet
Born : February 28, 1909, in London
Education:University College, Oxford (But left without degree)
1920 :Began his life as a poet and writer
Spender’s Interests and field : Politics, associated with the Socialist and
Communist movements
Spender’s autobiography: World within World(1951)
Works:
Co-editor of magazines:
Horizon(published from 1939 to 1941) &
Encounter(published from 1953 through 1966)
Poetry:
Collected Poems 1928-1985(1986) (Includes this poem)
Collected Poems, 1928-1953(1955)
Twenty Poems(1930),
Vienna(1934),
The Still Centre(1939),
Poems of Dedication(1946), and
The Generous Days(1971)
Several plays, novels, and short stories and many nonfiction works.
Worked as professor of English at University College in London (1970-77).
Awarded Queen's Gold Medal for Poetry in 1973
Death on July 16, 1995
Bio-sketch

3. ABOUT THE POEM:
Thepoemquestionsthesocio-economicsetupofthe
peoplelivingintheslumarea.Themainideadealswith
therighttoeducationandnutritiousfoodforthe
childrenlivinginslums.Thestudentsintheschoolare
sufferingfrommalnutrition.Inthispoem,Spender
expresseshisstrongideologicalpositionsongovernment,
economics,andeducation.Thus,thepoemadvocatesto
improvethelivingconditionofthechildrenandprovide
themequalopportunities.
Thus the central theme deals
with poverty,educationandchildhood.

4. STANZA -1:
Far farfrom gusty waves these children's faces.
Like rootless weeds, the hair torn round their pallor:
The tall girl with her weighed-down head. The paper-
seeming boy, with rat's eyes. The stunted, unlucky heir
Of twisted bones, reciting a father's gnarled disease,
His lesson, from his desk. At back of the dim class
One unnoted, sweet and young. His eyes live in a dream
Of squirrel's game, in tree room, other than this.

5. Distance from the
developed area.
(Very far away)
STANZA -1:
Far farfrom gusty waves these children's faces.
Like rootless weeds, the hair torn round their pallor:
Strong and forceful
waves of the ocean
(energy, strength)
The children who live in the slum
and study in the Elementary
school.
Dull and
disappointed
Use of
poetic
device
‘SIMILE’
Lack of nutritious
food. Suffering
from malnutrition.
These children are treated
as unwanted elements of the
society, just like a weed.
Like
unwanted
grass.
Without any
support, help, food
etc. to survive
An unhealthy
pale
appearance.Uncombed, not properly
maintained, unclean and
rough hair
Repetition

6. The tall girl with her weighed-down head. The paper-
seeming boy, with rat's eyes.
She is thin,
weak, tall
and
unhappy as
she is a
victim of
poverty.
Suffering
from
malnutrition.
STANZA -1:
She is not able to bear the
burden of poverty.
As the boy is
suffering from
poverty. Tries to hide
as a rat does
in the hole.
Use of
‘METAPHOR’
in ‘Paper
seeming boy’
The boy
is so thin
that he
appears
as if he is
made of
paper
The boy is thin, weak and
scared.

7. The stunted, unlucky heir
Of twisted bones, reciting a father's gnarled disease,
His lesson, from his desk.
The topic of
study.
STANZA -1:
Inherited from
his previous
generations,
like parents,
grandparents
etc.He is suffering
from a disease
of twisted
bones that he
has inherited
from his father.
A genetic
disorder.
He cannot
stand and
remains
seated
while
reciting
the lesson.
Disease that
make bones
rough, and
twisted.
Having been prevented
from growing or
developing properly.
Because he is not lucky
enough to escape acquiring his
father’s misery (disease)
He is also
suffering from
the disease
that his
parents had.
His lesson may
indicate the
gnarled
disease also
that is
reflected.
He reflects
the genetic
disease.

8. He dreams of the world which is
not like his own slum area. Which
is full of activity, healthy
atmosphere and freedom.
Looks physically fit and
having shine on his face as
compared to the rest of the
students of the class.
At back of the dim class
One unnoted, sweet and young. His eyes live in a dream
Of squirrel's game, in tree room, other than this.
Unobserved
and hidden.
STANZA -1:
Active world outside
the classroom
attracts him.
One student
who is sitting
alone on the
last bench.
He dreams
of happy and
peaceful
shelter.
At the last benches of
the classroom.
He is not
mentally
present in
the class.
The class with less light. The class
which doesn’t provide the scope of
making the future bright.

9. STANZA -2:
On sour cream walls, donations. Shakespeare's head,
Cloudless at dawn, civilized dome riding all cities.
Belled, flowery, Tyrolese valley. Open-handed map
Awarding the world its world. And yet, for these
Children, these windows, not this map, their world,
Where all their future's painted with a fog,
A narrow street sealed in with a lead sky
Far farfrom rivers, capes, and stars of words.

10. Shakespeare’s
bust –one of the
donated things.
The
classroom is
full of bad
smell (sour)
and the
painting on
the walls
has also
faded
(cream
walls) and
become
dull.
On sour cream walls, donations. Shakespeare's head,
Cloudless at dawn, civilized dome riding all cities.
Belled, flowery, Tyrolese valley.
STANZA -2:
The pictures of various splendid
structures and buildings of the
cities that depict the civilized
world which is just contrast to the
slum area.
Various donated things
are displayed on the wall
of the class
This refers to the beautiful and
attractive places of the world
which are just an imagination for
the slum dwellers.
Shakespeare
is a symbol of
knowledge.
The donated
things mock
at the
students
sitting in the
class as the
children
belong to
uneducated
society.
Donations made
by the oppressors
of slum people
Shakespeare’s
head brings
before a hope of
a new beginning
the lives of
these children.
This portrays
the world
beyond this
slum area which
is
knowledgeable.
This is the version of the world provided
to the students. This doesn’t match the
world they actually live in.
METAPHOR
ASSONANCE (Repetition of vowel ‘e’
ALLUSION: Reference to well known person or place.

11. Map showing the
outer world and all
the other donations.
The scene of the narrow and sealed
slum area as seen from the window
of the classroom. The donations
inside the classroom don’t match
with the reality of the real
surrounding seen outside the
window.
The map shown to the students doesn’t match with
the world of these children. The map doesn’t provide
the exact and real portrayal of the real world. Open-handed map
Awarding the world its world. And yet, for these
Children, these windows, not this map, their world,
Where all their future's painted with a fog,
The children are
trapped in their
social and
economical
status which
restrict them from
doing anything to
be free and live a
better life.
STANZA -2:
The students studying in the
Elementary school in the slum have a
bleak and uncertain future. They don’t
see any future prospects open for
them. Their future is as unclear as our
vision is unclear in a fog.
The students
do not
perceive
their world as
like the one
depicted in
the
classroom's
donations.
The room isfilled with donations: a Shakespeare’s bust, anopen handed map and a painting of
thebeautiful Tyrolese valley.
The world of the slum children is not like the belled,
flowery, Tyrolese valley but it is a foggy, narrow
street sealed in with a lead sky. Their future is
miserable, unknown, and dull.

12. These children are far away
from the beautiful and attractive
world that is presented before
them through pictures and
words in the class.
For these children, the rivers,
capes and stars are in words
only as the narrow streets of the
slum block them from reaching
there.
A narrow street sealed in with a lead sky
Far farfrom rivers, capes, and stars of words.
Narrow
opportunities in
the slum area.
STANZA -2: The limits beyondwhich the children will never be able
to move. The prospect of advancing is blocked/sealed.
Very far away from the world of the rivers, capes
and stars told to them using the words. The world
presented before the children is just imaginary for
them as they have neither seen it nor do they have
any opportunity to see the world.
Beyond the reach
of these children.
Their sky
is not
normal as
they live
in
limitations
. The sky
seals
them into
the slum
to bear
the
miseries.
REPETITION

13. STANZA -3:
Surely, Shakespeare is wicked, the map a bad example.
With ships and sun and love tempting them to steal —
For lives that slyly turn in their cramped holes
From fog to endless night? On their slag heap, these children
Wear skins peeped through by bones and spectacles of steel
With mended glass, like bottle bits on stones.
All of their time and space are foggy slum.
So blot their maps with slums as big as doom.

14. Surely, Shakespeare is wicked, the map a bad example.
With ships and sun and love tempting them to steal —
The children
firmly believe or
realize
STANZA -3:
Shakespeare’s head displayed in the classroom doesn’t take them away from the
dismal condition of the darkness of ignorance. So the children say that Shakespeare
is cruel for them as they don’t receive anything from him that changes their lives.
As it is not possible for these
students to achieve the ship, sun
and love, these examples lure
them and drag them into a life of
crime.
The examples of the
ships, sun and love
presented before the
children tempt/attract the
children. No one loves
them.
The attractive map
displayed in the class
doesn’t portray the real
picture before the
children. The map
provides a bad example
of the world which the
children of the slum might
never be able to inhabit.
These glimpse of unattainable things
incite the children of the slum to
commit crimes.
These things
suggest
prosperity,
freedom and
right to live
happily. These
things are not
available in the
slum area
They need
nutritious food
more than
education.

15. For lives that slyly turn in their cramped holes
From fog to endless night?
The future of these children is full of darkness.
None of the donations displayed in the
classroom and the promises made by the
authority to uplift their standard of life and
provide them the facilities to live a better life is
of any use to these children. Their one night
brings another night. The darkness in their
lives remains as usual.
STANZA -3:
Life of the children play a tricky game
with them by not providing the things
they see in their classroom
The life of
these children
is full of
scarcity. There
is constant
night in their
lives. They
don’t have the
sun of hope
and freedom to
sail freely.
The children
have unclear
future. Their
future is
unpredictable.
Children of slum live
in suffocating small
dwellings/ houses.
Metaphor is
used here.
Alliteration is
used here in
“From fog” (f..f)

16. Suggests the poverty
condition of these
children. Heavy
spectacles, that too
mended.
The bones come out of the skins.
There is no muscles and flesh in
the bones of these children.
Again, acute suffering due to
malnutrition is explained here.
They
appear
as if they
are
wearing
skin.
Their
skins are
loose
due to
mal –
nutrition.
On their slag heap, these children
Wear skins peeped through by bones and spectacles of steel
With mended glass, like bottle bits on stones.
STANZA -3:
Their poverty shapes the lens
with which theyview the
worldand all they can actually
see is the foggy sight of the
awful slums they live in. Small
bits/pieces of the spectacles’
glass forbid the vision.
The children have very weak physique. It is evident that the bodies of
these children have undergone severe malnutrition process. Their
bodies appear like a heap of waste materials.
They have very weak eye-
sight. They don’t have
sufficient money to buy
light weight spectacles.
They wear heavy
spectacles.
The spectacles
suggest that they
have suffered acute
malnutrition.
The mended glass
and heavy frame
suggest the limited
opportunities.
Simile is
used

17. All of their time and space are foggy slum.
So blot their maps with slums as big as doom.
STANZA -3:
The life-span and the place (slum) of these
children (suffering from malnutrition).
Fill the
area of
slum.
No humanity is
shown by the
authority on
these children
These slums are getting
bigger and bigger. The
future of these children will
get destroyed in this slum.
Full of scarcity
with unclear
and uncertain
future.
The slums are getting
bigger and bigger. It is like
doom for these children.

18. STANZA -4:
Unless, governor, inspector, visitor,
This map becomes their window and these windows
That shut upon their lives like catacombs,
Break O break open till they break the town
And show the children to green fields, and make their world
Run azure on gold sands, and let their tongues
Run naked into books the white and green leaves open
History theirs whose language is the sun.

19. Tomakethe
world
displayedin
themapthe
reality for
these
children. The
surrounding
of these
children
should be
also made
as beautiful
as shown in
the map.
The poet appeals the Government authority and public to
change the conditions of the children. It is the responsibility of
the Govt. authority to improve the prevailing condition.
Unless, governor, inspector, visitor,
This map becomes their window and these windows
That shut upon their lives like catacombs,
The situation as seen outside
the windows has confined these
children to the slum area. Their
growth is restricted and they
appear as if they live in
underground cemetery where
no light of knowledge and
progress is seen.
STANZA -4:
It isnotonly an appeal, it’s a
challenging duty also.
The authority
should help the
children learn from
the nature and
nurture their
childhood.
The world of slum as seen
from the windows of the
classroom. The area which
is uneducated, without
proper food, hygiene, future
and facility prevailing in the
slum area.
Simile is
used here.

20. It is
required to
break the
restrictions
imposed
on the
children
due to
their
poverty
and lack of
resources.
Break O break open till they break the town
And show the children to green fields, and make their world
Run azure on gold sands,
STANZA -4:
The windows need to be broken which
confine these children to the slum area
and deprive them of all the rights.
These children must be free to enjoy
the pleasure of theblue sky. They
should have unlimited opportunities
before them to avail. ‘Gold sands’
symbolises financial condition. The
economic condition of these children
must be improved so that they can
excel using their skills and change
their living condition. Financial aid
must be provided to these children.
Till they are free and
well equipped.
Provide the children
the opportunities
they deserve.
Thesechildren must have anaccess to green
fields, theopen skyand all thewonders of
nature. They must be given all the facilities as
the children outside their world are enjoying.

21. The people who have learned the language of
the sun (Freedom and availability of resources)
have made a history. If this happens, the children
will be able to think on their own, reclaim their
lives and write a history of their own. They will
surely be able to write theirownhistoryand
make a brighter future for themselves.
Let these children will have
the resources to read books
and have the neat and clean
surrounding full of natural
beauty. These children will
be free to avail these things.
These
children will
be able to
read and
understand
the books and
make their
future bright.
This will help
them break
the limitations
surrounding
them.
and let their tongues
Run naked into books the white and green leaves open
History theirs whose language is the sun.
STANZA -4: Then these children will be able to think on
their own as they will be educated. They will
be able to read and understand everything and
be literate enough to acquire more knowledge.
‘White’ refers
to ‘Books’ and
‘Green’ refers
to ‘the nature’

22. REPETITIONconsists of repeating a word, phrase, or sentence, and is common
in both poetry and prose. It is a rhetorical technique to add emphasis, unity,
and/or power.
Eg: Far farfrom gusty waves…
ALLITERATIONis the repetition of the same consonant sounds at the
beginning of words that are in close proximity to each other.
Eg: From fogto endless night?
SIMILEis an explicit comparison between two unlike things through the use of
connecting words, usually “like” or “as.”
Eg: These children’s faces Likerootless weeds
LITERARY DEVICES:

23. METAPHORis a rhetorical figure of speech that compares two subjects without
the use of “like” or “as.”
Eg: The paper seeming Boy, with rat’s eyes
ASSONANCE is the repetition of a vowel sound or diphthong in non-rhyming
words.
Eg: Belled, flowery, Tyrolesevalley.
IMAGERYconsists of descriptive language that can function as a way for the
reader to better imagine the world of the piece of literature and also add
symbolism to the work. Imagery draws on the five senses, namely the details
of taste, touch, sight, smell, and sound.
Eg:make their world Run azure on gold sands
: A narrow street sealed in with a lead sky
LITERARY DEVICES:

24. ANAPHORA is a literary and rhetorical device in which a word or group of
words is repeated at the beginning of two or more successive clauses or
sentences.
Eg: Runazure on gold sands, and let their tongues
: Runnaked into books the white and green leaves open
ALLUSIONis a literary device used to reference another object outside of the
work of literature. The object can be a real or fictional person, event,
quote, or other work of artistic expression.
Eg: Shakespeare’s head, Tyrolese valley.
LITERARY DEVICES: