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Chapter Notes›Class 10 English Language & Literature

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Class 10 English Language & LiteratureChapter Notes

8 chapters · Definitions, key points, formulas & exam tips

Ch 1 Ch 2 Ch 3 Ch 4 Ch 5 Ch 6 Ch 7 Ch 8

Ch 1

A Letter to God

Key Definitions

Irony: A situation where the outcome is opposite to what is expected. The men who helped Lencho are called 'a bunch of crooks' by him.

Naive Faith: Lencho's simple, unquestioning belief in God despite all evidence.

Key Points to Remember

→Author: G.L. Fuentes (translated from Spanish).
→Lencho's crops are destroyed by a hailstorm — he writes a letter to God asking for 100 pesos.
→Post office employees collect 70 pesos and send it to Lencho.
→Lencho, thinking God sent 100 pesos, writes again accusing the post office workers of stealing 30 pesos.
→Theme: Unshakeable faith vs. human cynicism.

Exam Tips

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Central irony: the people who helped Lencho are called thieves by him.

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Character traits: Lencho — innocent, deeply religious; Post office workers — kind, helpful.

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Moral: Faith is powerful but must be tempered with gratitude and realism.

Ch 2

Nelson Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom

Key Definitions

Apartheid: A system of racial segregation in South Africa where Black people were denied rights.

Reconciliation: Restoring friendly relations. Mandela pursued reconciliation, not revenge.

Key Points to Remember

→Autobiography extract — describes inauguration as President of South Africa.
→ANC (African National Congress): Mandela's party that fought against apartheid.
→Mandela: imprisoned for 27 years on Robben Island.
→Two obligations: family + people/community.
→Mandela's definition of freedom: not just personal freedom but freedom for all.
→Twin obligations: to family and to his community/nation.
→Courage is not absence of fear but triumph over it.

Exam Tips

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Contrast: apartheid vs. freedom — before and after 1994.

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Mandela's definition of a great man vs. a saint.

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Values: courage, sacrifice, resilience — mention in long answers.

Ch 3

Two Stories About Flying

Key Definitions

His First Flight: Story of a young seagull who is afraid to fly and must overcome his fear.

Black Aeroplane: Story of a pilot who encounters a strange black aeroplane in storm clouds and is guided to safety.

Key Points to Remember

→His First Flight (Liam O'Flaherty): seagull overcomes fear by diving for food; mother uses hunger as motivation.
→Theme: Courage, overcoming fear, trust.
→Black Aeroplane (Frederick Forsyth): pilot in old Dakota encounters mysterious black aeroplane; mystery — no such plane appears in the record.
→Theme: Mystery, gratitude, unexplained help.

Exam Tips

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Contrast the two stories: both deal with flight but have different themes.

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The mystery in Black Aeroplane — who was the pilot? Open to interpretation.

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Role of hunger/motivation in overcoming fear (seagull story).

Ch 4

From the Diary of Anne Frank

Key Definitions

Holocaust: The genocide of Jewish people by Nazis during World War II.

Diary as Confidante: Anne treats her diary (Kitty) as her only true friend.

Key Points to Remember

→Anne Frank: Jewish girl hiding in Amsterdam with family during WWII.
→Diary written between 1942–1944 while hiding from Nazis.
→Anne's frustration: she cannot talk to anyone truly; her diary is her only friend.
→Paper has more patience than people — key quote.
→Theme: Loneliness, hope in hopeless times, growing up.
→Anne died in Bergen-Belsen concentration camp in 1945, aged 15.

Exam Tips

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Why does Anne consider paper more patient than people?

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What does the diary reveal about Anne's personality — intelligent, sensitive, hopeful.

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Historical context of Holocaust — mention in 5-mark questions.

Ch 5

Glimpses of India

Key Definitions

Coorg: A hill station in Karnataka — 'Scotland of India'. Known for coffee and spices.

Tea from Assam: Story about a train journey and the history of tea in Assam.

Key Points to Remember

→A Baker from Goa (Lucio Rodrigues): Portuguese influence in Goa, bread-making tradition, the 'pader' (baker).
→Coorg (Lokesh Abrol): People of Coorg — Greek/Arabic origin theory, coffee, spices, Kaveri river, Coorg regiment.
→Tea from Assam (Arup Kumar Datta): Rajvir and Pranjol's journey, legend of tea discovery, Brahmaputra valley.

Exam Tips

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Each sub-part is independent — identify which story the question refers to.

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Coorg's martial tradition: only civilians allowed to carry firearms; Coorg regiment.

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The legend of tea: Chinese emperor / Buddhist monk — know both versions.

Ch 6

Mijbil the Otter

Key Definitions

Otter: A semi-aquatic mammal. Mijbil was a Marsh otter from Iraq.

Key Points to Remember

→Author: Gavin Maxwell.
→Mijbil brought from the Tigris marshes in Iraq.
→Mijbil's journey: Basra → London; airliner incident — Mij escaped from box.
→Mij's habits: played with marbles, obsession with running along the skirting board.
→People's reactions to Mij on London streets — curiosity, funny names given.
→Theme: Human-animal bond, unconventional pets.

Exam Tips

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How did Mij travel from Iraq to London? What happened on the plane?

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Describe Mij's playful nature with examples.

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Why does the author say 'Maxwell's otter' became a recognisable term?

Ch 7

Madam Rides the Bus

Key Definitions

Death: Valli's first encounter with death — the cow hit by a fast-moving vehicle.

Key Points to Remember

→Author: Vallikkannan (Tamil).
→Valli: eight-year-old girl fascinated by the bus.
→Saves sixty paise by not spending on treats.
→Her first solo bus ride — planned secretly from mother.
→On the return journey, sees the dead cow — her excitement turns to sadness.
→Theme: Childhood curiosity, growing up, first encounter with death.

Exam Tips

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How did Valli plan her trip? Detail of saving money and gathering information.

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Valli's refusal to look out of the window on return — why?

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Significance of the dead cow — loss of innocence.

Ch 8

The Sermon at Benares

Key Definitions

Nirvana: In Buddhism — freedom from suffering and the cycle of rebirth.

Mustard Seed: Kisa Gotami asked to bring a mustard seed from a house that has never known death — impossible task that teaches acceptance.

Key Points to Remember

→Author: Betty Renshaw.
→Siddhartha Gautama becomes the Buddha.
→Kisa Gotami: loses her son, wants him revived; Buddha asks her to bring mustard seed from a house where no one has died.
→Lesson: Death is universal; grief is overcome through acceptance.
→Theme: Suffering, acceptance, wisdom.

Exam Tips

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What is the parable of the mustard seed? What does it teach?

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How did Buddha attain enlightenment? — sat under peepal tree in Bodh Gaya.

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The Buddha's teachings on grief — 'the living are few, the dead are many.'

More resources for Class 10 English Language & Literature

NCERT Solutions →Chapter Summaries →Important Questions →Revision Checklist →Sample Papers →