ICSE-X-English
01: Chief Seattle’s Speech
Note: Please signup/signin free to get personalized experience.
Note: Please signup/signin free to get personalized experience.
10 minutes can boost your percentage by 10%
Note: Please signup/signin free to get personalized experience.
- Qstn #1On what basis Chief Seattle denies that the Whites and Red Indians were brothers? OR
Why the Natives are called orphans?Ans : Seattle remarks that his people were reducing in number rapidly like the receding tide that will never return. The White Man's God was indifferent towards the Red Indians. He had no sympathy for His Red children. He did not protect them from enemies. They were like orphans in the vast world. So how could they be brothers when one race got so much of support and benefits and the other was forsaken.
- Qstn #2If both the races had a common God, what type of God it would be?Ans : If both the races had a common God, He would have been impartial. He would love and shower blessings over the people of both the tribe. He would not favour only a particular race or tribe and would give strength and punishments to the deserved one regardless of his race, on being judged by his deeds.
- Qstn #3Why did Seattle say that they were two different races? OR
Why there was little in common between the two races?Ans : The two races were different in their skin color, culture, traditions, religion and beliefs. The White settlers were called as 'White Man', 'paleface whereas the Natives were known as 'Red Man' or 'Red children'. That was why Seattle said that they were two distinct races with separate origins and separate destinies. There was little in common between them.
- Qstn #4How did the Red Man regard the ashes of their ancestors? OR
What was the religion of the Red Man? OR
What was the value of the ancestors in the Red Man's hearts?Ans : Even the ashes of the Red Man's ancestors were precious and valuable to them. It was sacred for them and the resting place was hallowed ground. Their religion was the tradition of their ancestors. It carried the dreams of their old men, given them in solemn hours of the night by the Great Spirit and was written in the hearts of his people.
- Qstn #5How as the religion of the White men different from the Red men?Ans : The religion of the White men was different from that of the Red men in the sense that they did not have much attachment to their ancestors. Where the ashes of the Red Men's ancestors were sacred to them, the Whites wandered away from the graves of their ancestors. They did not have any regret too. Their religion was written upon tablets of stone by the iron fingers of their God but the religion of Red Men was the tradition of their ancestors.
- #Section : IVDay and night cannot dwell together. The Red Man has ever fled the approach of the White Man, as the morning mist flees before the morning sun. However, your proposition seems fair and I think that my people will accept it and will retire to the reservation you offer them. Then we will dwell apart in peace, for the words of the Great White Chief seem to be the words of nature speaking to my people out of dense darkness.
- Qstn #1Why did the dead of the White Men cease to love them?Ans : The culture and traditions of the Whites were entirely different from those of the Red Men. They were materialistic and wanted to buy the native land of the Red Man. The religion to them was mere set of rules. They did not have sentiments for their motherland. Once they were dead, they stop loving their fellow men. They wander away beyond the stars. They were soon forgotten and would never return.
- Qstn #2How the ancestors of Red Indians were attached to their land? OR
How do the dead of 'Red Man' keep loving the beautiful world?Ans : As per their beliefs, although the ancestors of the Red Indians had left their bodies still their souls dwelled on the land. They permanently reside in the land and could never forget that land because it was not just a piece of land but everything for them. For them the simple pleasures of earth were more precious and important than anything else. They still loved its valleys, murmuring rivers, its magnificent mountains, sequestered vales and verdant lined lakes and bays. They still guided, consoled and comforted their people on Earth.
- Qstn #3Why would Red Indians likely to accept the propositions made by the White Chief?Ans : The propositions made by the whites seemed to be fair to Chief Seattle and therefore he thought of accepting them. He said that day and night could not dwell together. By this he referred to the Red Indians and whites. The Red Men could not stand before the Americans and flee as the morning mist flees before the rising sun. So the propositions would be agreeable to them and would follow whatever had been told to them. The White Chiefs words were the words of nature spoken to his people from darkness.
- Qstn #4Why did Seattle say, "Grim fate seems to be on the Red Man's trail"? OR
Why was the Chief sad about the fate of his tribe?Ans : Chief Seattle was a spiritual man who believed in the sacredness of the land in which the spirits of his ancestors dwelled. It was a resting place of the dead of his tribe. But now that was to be bought by the Americans. The nights were going to be dark for them i.e., they won't find solitude now. The Whites' attitude was such empowering that they did not let a single star of hope to hover above Red Man's horizon. He could hear the voice of sad winds moaning in the distance. He exclaims that, "Grim fate seems to be on the Red Man's trail". Moreover they are compared to the wounded doe that hears the approaching footsteps of the hunter.
- Qstn #5Chief Seattle believed in the vicious circle of change. Explain it. OR
Why did Seattle say that he should not mourn over the 'untimely fate of his people'?Ans : Chief Seattle tried to figure out the future of his men at the very thought of selling his land to the White Chief. He could hear the sad voices of the moaning winds from far. The Red Indian would soon meet their doom. Only few days were left before their land would be overtaken by others. The once mighty dwellers of the land would be lost in oblivion and would mourn over the graves of the deceased. But then he said to himself that it was not right to lament over the untimely fate of his people. Tribes and nature follow each other like the waves of the sea. It was the order of nature and regret was useless. He believed that as their time was over, one day the Whites would also perish as nature takes a turn.
- #Section : VEvery part of this soil is sacred in the estimation of my people. Every hillside, every valley, every plain and grove, has been hallowed by some sad or happy event in days long vanished. Even the rocks, which seem to be dumb and dead as they swelter in the sun along the silent shore, thrill with memories of stirring, events connected with the lives of my people, and the very dust upon which you now stand responds more lovingly to their footsteps than yours, because it is rich with the blood of our ancestors, and our bare feet are conscious of the sympathetic touch.
- Qstn #1On what conditions did the speaker agree to accept the proposition put forth by the White Chief?Ans : There was no other option left for the Natives except to accept the proposal made by the White Chief. Seattle remarked that he would ponder over the proposition and let them know. But he was little apprehensive so further added that he would accept only if his tribe was not denied the privilege without molestation of visiting any time the tombs of their ancestors, friends and children.
- Qstn #2How was every part of the soil sacred Seattle's men?Ans : Every part of the soil of the Natives' land was sacred in the estimation of Seattle's tribe. Every hillside, every valley, every plain and grove has been hallowed by some sad or happy event in days long vanished. Even the dumb and dead rocks which swelter in the sun along the silent shore, thrill with memories of stirring events related to the lives of the tribal people.
- Qstn #3Why did the dust upon which the White Settlers stood, respond lovingly to the footsteps of the tribal people?Ans : The ancestors of the Red Man were deeply connected with their land. After their death, they still wandered around and loved the mountains, valleys, lakes, bays and all and often visited from the happy hunting ground to guide, console and comfort their people. Every hill, valley, rocks and plains that seemed to be lifeless, contained the happy and sad stories of the dead. The sand responds more lovingly to their footsteps as it was rich with the blood of their ancestors and their bare feet were conscious of the sympathetic touch.