When I Was Twelve Summary Class 6 English Skylark

Key Points of the Story

• We attended a prestigious Kannada Municipal school with exceptional teachers.
• A strict arithmetic teacher caused fear among students, leading to a caricature incident.
• The protagonist discovered a knack for caricature art through a classroom episode.
• During his sister's wedding, a cook was unintentionally offended by a caricature, causing a stir.

Detailed Summary

The chapter "When I was Twelve" is about the author's experience with caricature drawing. He describes his school days in a Kannada Municipal school, where he had a particularly nasty arithmetic teacher who punished him for drawing a caricature of him. This incident made him realize the art of caricature, and from then on, he began to liken human figures to inanimate objects or animals.

The author also narrates another incident that occurred during his sister's wedding. The cook, who was considered the most important person at the wedding, was being entertained, and the author was drawing caricatures in a corner of the room. One of his cousins saw the sketch and began to laugh. The laughter spread, and everyone wanted to see the sketch. However, the cook did not find the caricature amusing and decided to leave, believing he was being insulted. The family members had to run after him to convince him to stay.
The author reflects that caricature drawing is an art that rubs everyone the wrong way, from the prime minister to the policeman, but it is a profession he has chosen. Although he gained nothing from the arithmetic lesson in school, he considers the experience invaluable as it helped him discover the art of caricature.

Theme/ Message

Theme: The theme revolves around the power of art to unveil hidden aspects of personalities and situations, often leading to unexpected consequences.

Message: Through the protagonist's experiences, the story highlights how creativity can inadvertently impact relationships and events, showcasing the delicate balance between humor and unintended consequences.

Difficult Words

• Caricature - a picture or imitation of a person's features or mannerisms exaggerated in a comic or absurd way
• Compassion - a feeling of deep sympathy and sorrow for another who is stricken by misfortune
• Formidable - inspiring fear or respect through being impressively large, powerful, intense, or capable
• Piercing - having a sharp or high-pitched sound
• Compulsive - resulting from or relating to an irresistible urge, especially one that is against one's conscious wishes
• Grimly - in a very serious, gloomy, or depressing manner
• Insult - speak to or treat with disrespect or scornful abuse
• Catastrophe - an event causing great and often sudden damage or suffering; a disaster
• Woo - try to gain the love of someone, especially with a view to marriage
• Enlightened - having or showing a rational, modern, and well-informed outlook

Conclusion

In "When I was Twelve," the author shares two incidents related to his passion for caricature. The first incident occurred when he was in school and drew a caricature of his mean arithmetic teacher, who recognized himself and punished the author. However, this incident made the author realize that caricature is an art form that captures the essence of a person's personality. The second incident took place during the author's sister's wedding, where he drew a caricature of the cook who was treated like a prince. The caricature spread throughout the family, and the cook saw it, became angry, and refused to cook for the wedding. These incidents show that caricature can be a powerful tool to express oneself but also can have consequences.