Poets and Pancakes Summary and Important Questions for class 12th

Poets and Pancakes Summary and Important Questions for class 12th


Poets and Pancakes, written by Tamil writer Asokamitran, is a narrative about his time working at Chennai's Gemini Studios. It was one of the most significant film-producing companies in India when it was founded in 1940. The writer's responsibility was to cut out newspaper articles on a variety of subjects and file them. As unimportant as his work was, he knew everything about everyone and everything at Gemini Studios. The reader is given a thorough overview of all the characters at the studios in Poets and Pancakes.

Poets and Pancakes Summary and Important Questions

It discusses people's goals, failings, virtues, and vices, which makes it an ideal study of character development and human behavior set in the middle of 20th-century Indian filmmaking. He also discusses the difficulties he had as a writer while working at Gemini Studios. The author's viewpoint on the world and society in the 1900s is shown in Poets and Pancakes Summary. People at Gemini Studios at the time seemed to have a simplistic mindset and were blissfully ignorant of complex political issues based on their actions and reactions.

Poets and Pancakes Summary

Asokamitran introduces the course by introducing us about Gemini Studios. We discover the existence of the highly well-known makeup line called Pancakes. The Gemini Studios buys truckloads of merchandise from this brand and uses it extensively. He then continues by informing the readers of the difficulties that actors and actresses encounter.

Poets and Pancakes Summary and Important Questions-We find out that they have numerous lights shining in their faces while getting ready in the makeup room. Additionally, he talks about how the cosmetics crew heavily applies makeup to make them appear unattractive. He also informs us about the makeup department office boy. His task is to slap paint on players' faces during crowd-shooting.

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We also find out that the author is a poet who works as a lyricist, screenwriter, actor, or director in a studio. He works in a cubicle and is required to gather newspaper cuttings. The author would often receive complaints from the office lad. The author believes that the person bothering him is Subbu. The author believes he has the upper hand because Subbu is a Brahmin.

Poets and Pancakes Summary and Important Questions-We see that Subbu is a resourceful man with a loyalty that sets him apart. Subbu is the perfect one for films and film-making is impossible without him. Everyone loves Subbu for being friendly and hospitable. Along with many others, Subbu also does poetry. He works for the story department that also has a lawyer. However, people considered him to be the exact opposite of a legal consultant.

Moreover, he is a logical man with a neutral mindset in a group where there are only dreamers. After that, we learn how the Gemini Studios got the opportunity to host the Moral Rearmament Army. They are a group of international performers named Moral Rearmament Army. While they did not have very complex plots or messages, their sets and costumes were almost perfect.

Poets and Pancakes Summary and Important Questions-Further, another guest, Stephen Spender, makes a visit to Gemini Studios. However, turns out, he is not that famous and many people have not even heard of him. Moreover, owing to language barriers, many could not understand him. Thus, his visit remained a mystery until after many years the author saw Stephen’s name in a book and recognized him from his visit to the studio.

Characters in Poets and Pancakes

Ashokamitran: a well-known author and prolific writer in Tamil literature. He approaches writing with passion, and his dedication to his craft is evident in the careful edits he makes until he is happy with the final product. He is quiet and modest, and he would rather fit in than stand out. He is a guy of few words, but when he does speak, they are insightful and well-chosen. His art demonstrates his understanding of the human condition and his ability to relate to people on a deep level. He is a great observer of life, and the people and events he runs across in his daily life often serve as inspiration for his novels.

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Kothamangalam Subbu : It has been said that he was a highly esteemed man at Gemini Studios. Being a Brahmin by birth, he may have been Gemini Studios' No. 2 because of this attribute. He was in touch with wealthy individuals. Despite being a part of a poorly received movie, he maintained his composure and never showed signs of sadness or unhappiness. He had a constant smile on his face. His supervisor liked him since he was an extremely devoted employee. When ordered, he was a man who could be inspired.

His creative ability was evident when he could think of fourteen different ways to tackle a given scene with ease. Subbu was a poet of calibre and had a separate identity as a poet. His success in films overshadowed his literacy achievements. He was an amazing actor yet never aspired to play lead roles. He loved everyone genuinely and selflessly. He was charitable and improvident. The author Asokamitran has portrayed him as an extremely talented, creative and lovable human being.

Office Boy: The office boy was a forty year old makeup artist in Gemini studios, who was not satisfied with his present job as he wanted to become a successful director. He was jealous of Subbu, as he was closer to his boss. Due to his unsuccessful career, he had a tendency to criticize others. The office boy demonstrates the plight of those people who are not able to realise their dreams and spend their life in misery.

Stephen Spender: This well-known British poet and scholar was significant to the 20th-century literary and cultural landscape. After receiving his education at Oxford University, he joined the "Auden Group," a group of writers. Throughout his career, he authored a great deal of novels, essays, and poetry..

The Lawyer : Poets and the Pancakes portrays the character as crafty and shrewd. He's known for taking on ethically questionable projects that have the potential to make him wealthy and well-known. The attorney is a confident and captivating public speaker who knows how to take advantage of the legal system. He also shows that he has the ability to search for chances that he could take advantage of. He's known to be a little bit of a rude and insensitive person. He will take on clients who have committed horrific acts of brutality as long as they can pay his fees. He also seems unconcerned about using his legal knowledge to further his career or take advantage of others.

Poets and Pancakes Important Questions and Answers

Who was Subbu’s enemy? Why? 

Subbu had a problem with someone in the makeup department. He was really mad at this boy and felt very frustrated. The person, who we’ll call “the boy,” thought that Subbu was the reason for all his problems and unhappiness. This “boy” was envious of Subbu because he was doing well at work, getting promotions, and had a good relationship with the boss

Why is Subbu described as a many-sided genius? Give a reasoned answer. 

 The author portrays a character named Kothamangalam Subbu as someone who pretends to be very talented but actually isn’t. Subbu works in the Story Department at Gemini Studios but spends most of his time with his boss. He puts all his effort into making his boss look good. Subbu acts like he is a great storyteller, a skilled actor, and a problem solver in filmmaking, even though he’s not really that talented. He makes filmmaking seem easy for his boss. So, Subbu takes advantage of his boss trust and presents himself as a versatile genius with many skills.

Why and how was the Moral Re-Armament Army welcomed at the Gemini Studios? 

In 1952, a group of around 200 individuals from 20 different countries, led by Frank Buchman and known as the Moral Re-Armament Army (MRA), visited Madras. This MRA group was seen as a response to international communism, which was not well-regarded at Gemini Studios. However, Mr. Vasan, the head of Gemini Studios, was intrigued by the MRA, making Gemini Studios a welcoming host in India for them.

During their visit, the MRA presented two plays, “Jotham Valley” and “The Forgotten Factor,” with great professionalism. These plays had straightforward messages but were impressively staged, with top-notch sets and costumes. They left a strong impression on both the local Tamil drama community and the staff at Gemini Studios.

Notably, the scenes depicting sunrise and sunset in “Jotham Valley” were so well-done that they served as inspiration for similar scenes in other productions for years to come.

 

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