What I Require from Life
Understanding the text
Answer the following questions.
a. How does the writer distinguish between a peaceful age and a heroic age?
The writer distinguishes between a peaceful age and a heroic age. He does by the time before and after 1914. He recalls his birth time a peaceful age and the time of 1914 when the First World War took place is remarked as heroic age.
b. Why does the writer want more freedom of speech than most people?
The writer wants more freedom of speech than most people because it is important for the people to express and explain what they feel and want to say than anything else. He himself wants to do that so he wants more freedom of speech than most people.
c. According to the writer, what are the four general human needs?
According to the writer, there are four general human needs: Work, Freedom, Health and Friendship.
d. What is the difference between desire and demand according to the writer?
According to the writer, the difference between desire and demand. There are things he desires to have like a room with some books. motor car and a daily bath, garden, a bathing pool, a beach, or a river. These are the things he desires for himself but he demands security than adventure for others.
e. Why does the writer demand security?
He thinks peace and security are rightful aims. War has been spreading since 1914. He thinks due to war non of the individuals are secure. So when perfect peace is violated by war it is necessary to fulfill the rightful aim i.e is security.
Reference to the context
Explain the following lines with reference to the context:
a. “The satisfaction of adventure is something much more solid than a thrill.”
Haldane thinks adventure is not a mere source of thrill that lasts for a certain period. It enriches people with solid experience. He compares thrill with amusement he has got from reading Rimbaud's poetry. His solid experience is his visit in Madrid for 6 weeks during the war period.
b. “I want the workers to see the fruit of their own work not in profits for others,
but in their own and their friends’ well-being.”
The line shows the writer's support for Socialism. He asserts the hardworking should be rewarded directly to a considerable extent. He wants democracy within the working environment. He is a socialist who wants industry to be controlled by the workers. They should be free to work and share profit among themselves too. Because they work in a risky place which risks their health and time. He compares the nature of industrial work with hunting and gardening like that of paleolithic and neolithic. To create an even and pleasing working atmosphere the profits of work should remain among working people.
c. Why do you think the essayist has taken reference from the ancient philosophers?
I think the essayist has taken reference from the ancient philosophers like Aristotle, Lord Blank, Mr Dash, and Sir John Asterisk to convenience the reader on the subject matter from all generations.
d. Discuss the essay in terms of its language, purpose, subject, point of view and
mode of writing.
The language us simple and lucid in the essay.
Haldane's style is typically straightforward and vigorous. As a science popularizer, he is accustomed to writing about complex matters in a simple language so that any reader can understand. Here, when writing on a non-technical subject, he retains this simplicity, with short, forceful, declarative sentences and clear explanations.
His subject at first appears to be personal and his mode of writing descriptive. However, in the second part of his essay, it becomes clear that he is putting forward a political argument. Freedom, for instance, is not merely a personal preference of Haldane's but a universal requirement. This means that society should be structured in such a way as to maximize freedom for everyone.
His viewpoint is that of a social critic, setting forth a general program of the principles that should underlie a civilized society.
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