Back to: Tamil Nadu Class 8 English Guide & Notes
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Introduction
Mary Ann Evans, known by her pen name George Eliot, was an English novelist, poet, journalist, translator, and one of the leading writers of the Victorian era. She wrote seven novels. The poem Making Life Worth While aspires the readers to learn something virtuous from every person they come across. The poem consists of twelve lines and is a free verse poem.
Poem
Every soul that touches yours - Be it the slightest contact - Get there from some good; Some little grace; one kindly thought; One aspiration yet unfelt; One bit of courage For the darkening sky; One gleam of faith To brave the thickening ills of life; One glimpse of brighter skies - To make this life worthwhile And heaven a surer heritage.
Summary
It is a rather beautiful and inspiring poem that revolves around the themes of learning virtues and facing problems boldly. The poem aspires one to gain some good values from every soul they come in contact with, no matter how brief the acquaintance was.
A little grace, a kind thought, an aspiration that was missing until then, learn it all. Many people come into our lives, each one with their own dynamic persona and traits, we must learn to adopt at least one good trait or even a thought from them. It helps us to grow as a person and evolve.
Sometimes we think our life hard but then we meet someone and realise that they have had harder times. In such moments we must learn from them and borrow some courage and faith. The phrases darkening sky and thickening ills of life can be understood as the varioustroubles of life. However, one must toughen up and become brave.
After all these troubles, it only takes one glimpse of brighter skies to make us forget our miseries and make life worthwhile, in essence, worth living. If we pass the tests that life puts forward and make life worthwhile, we will surely ascend to heaven.
