Write the explanations of the essay entitled "On the Pleasures of

Write the explanations of the essay entitled “On the Pleasures of No Longer Being Very Young”.

Ans.

Explanations

(1) There are advantages in the advance through middle age into later life which are very seldom stated in a sensible way. Generally, they are stated in a sentimental way; in a general suggestion that all old men are equipped with beautiful snowy beards like Father Christmas and rejoice in unfathomable wisdom like Nestor. all this has caused the young people to be sceptical about the real advantages of the old people, and the true statement of those advantages sounds like a paradox.

Reference to the Context: These lines presenting the advantages of the age of maturity and old age, have been extracted from the essay entitled On the Pleasures of No Longer Being Very Young, written by G. K. Chesterton.

Here the essayist describes the advantages of the mature and old age, but these advantages and experiences are not given importance by the young men.

Explanation: As the man grows into old age from the middle age, he gains a lot of experiences and advantages related to this practical world. But these advantages are rarely expressed clearly in a reasonable way. While expressing the advantages of the old age, the emotional attitude is adopted. Many old men are generally adorned with an attractive snowy beard. In their white long beard they look like the legendry figure of Santa Claus. They have a great treasure of knowledge and wisdom like the eldest and wisest of the Greek Chieftains who besieged Troy. As on the occasion of Christmas, Santa Claus brings a lot of gifts for the children, similarly, the old men have many experiences and knowledge for the welfare of the young men. The old men seem great embodiment of perfection. They can endow their blessings to those wretched young men who have gone very far from their ancient culture, tradition and beliefs. But it is very unfortunate that they are badly neglected by the young men as meaningless objects. The young men are very doubtful about the advantages of the old men. They are unable to know the depth of the old men.

Critical Comments: 1. The old men are undoubtedly embodiment of knowledge and wisdom.

2. Father Christmas: The legendry figure of Santa Claus.

3. Nestor: The eldest and wisest of the Greek Chieftains.

(2) I would not say that old men grow wise. for men never grow wise; and many old men retain a very attractive childishness and cheerful innocence. Elderly people are often much more romantic than young people, and sometimes even more adventurous, having begun to realize how many things they do not know. It is a true proverb, no doubt, which says “There is no fool like an old fool.” Perhaps there is no fool who is half so happy in his own fool’s paradise. But, however this may be, it is true that the advantages of maturity are not those which are generally urged even in praise of it, and when they are truly urged they sound like an almost comic contradiction.

Reference to the Context: These lines presenting the essayist’s disagreement about the advantages of the old men, have been extracted from the essay entitled On the Pleasures of No Longer Being Very Young, written by G. K. Chesterton.

Here the essayist seems to be rejecting this idea that a man grows wiser with the advancement of the age. He also tells us that the feelings of youth in the old men never decline. Their aspirations of youth remain alive.

Explanation: According to the essayist, it would be wrong to say that as a man grows old with the declining years, he becomes wiser. The essayist does not approve the idea of wisdom, knowledge and experience of the old age. He has observed many old men retaining a very attractive childishness and cheerful innocence. The signs of simplicity and innocence can be seen in many old men. Their child-like behaviour and attitude can be seen. Sometimes they are seen involved in many activities of children. At this place we have to change our thinking about the old men. Even the old men seem to be more romantic than the young men. Their longings of the youth never die. In spite of being physically weak, their hearts are full of the aspirations of the youth. Due to realizing themselves an embodiment of perfection and remaining under this impression that they have learnt and seen many things in the world, they try to show themselves more courageous and bold than the young men. It is a true proverb that there is no fool like an old fool. It means that the old men, because of having old ideas and maxims are considered to be fool. Their old method of thinking and their advice do not suit the young men. The old men are the victims of neglect, so they live in their own world where they do not feel happy for their loneliness.

Critical Comments: 1. The essayist’s denying the fact that with the advancing years, the old men gain much knowledge, experience and wisdom.

2. The old men also have the romantic feelings and aspirations.

3. The advantages of maturity of old age become the subject of comic contradiction.

(3) For instance, one pleasure attached to growing older is that many things seem to be growing younger: growing fresher and more lively than we once supposed them to be. We begin to see significance, or (in other words) to see life, in a large number of traditions, institutions, maxims, and codes of manners that seem in our first days to be dead. A young man grows up in a world that often seems to him intolerably old. He grows up among proverbs and precepts that appear to be quite stiff and senseless. He seems to be stuffed with stale things; to be given the stones of death instead of the bread of life; to be fed on the dust of the dead past; to live in a town of tombs.

Reference to the Context: These lines presenting the old men’s attitude and feelings towards the world of the youth, have been extracted from the essay entitled On the Pleasures of No Longer Being Very Young. written by G. K. Chesterton.

The essayist tells us that when the man grows older, he finds a kind of freshness in the world because he sees the growth of those things which he has already enjoyed and experienced in this world.

Explanation: When a man advances to the age of maturity, many things seem to him to be growing younger. For him everything looks fresh with the approach of old age. He begins to show firm belief in traditions. institutions, maxims and code of manners which seemed to him dead in his youth age. The world in which a young man grows up. often seems to him (old man) intolerably old. The old man grows up in the world of proverbs which appear to be quite stiff and senseless. In the romantic world of the youth, the old man is regarded the meaningless and rotten thing. The young men do not give him more importance. He is badly neglected by the young men. Sometimes the old man has to become the subject of the rude behaviour of the young men. The young men completely avoid the company of the old men. They think him to be only the burden in this world. The old man seems to be stuffed with stale material. He is supposed to be nearing to death. Instead of getting the bread to sustain his life, the old man gets only unendurable and bitter remarks from the young man. The old man is left alone, so he is always surrounded with the memories of the past. His past recollections become his best companions of loneliness. He is left to live in the town of tombs.

Critical Comments: 1. Old age makes one practical and wise.

2. Old age teaches man to show reverence for his old tradition, custom and culture.

(4) It is a very natural mistake, but it is a mistake. The advantage of advancing years lies in discovering that traditions are true, and therefore alive; indeed a tradition is not even traditional except when it is alive. It is great fun to find out that the world has not repeated proverbs because they are proverbial, but because they are practical.

Reference to the Context: These lines presenting the importance of traditional proverbs, have been extracted from the essay entitled On the Pleasures of No Longer Being Very Young, written by G. K. Chesterton.

Here the essayist tells us that the old men have firm faith in their culture, tradition, custom and codes of manners. Their minds are stuffed with the importance of proverbs.

Explanation: According to the essayist, the old man is ignored as the useless thing in this world. He is considered to be completely a dead thing. Inspite of being a living man he is forced to live a life of a dead man. In the age of modernity it is greatest mistake. As the man grows to maturity, he is completely involved in the business of discovering the ethical value of the traditions. As the years roll, he comes to know that the traditions have great importance in the lives of human beings. They (traditions) have also great contribution in the prosperity of nation. Without traditions, human life will be hollow and meaningless. Indeed it is funny to think that this modern world has forgotten to repeat the proverbs which carry very precious meanings. Under excessive modernity, the young men do not follow the traditional proverbs. They think these proverbs only the sentences. Indeed a great truth is hidden in every proverb but this truth can be known only when it is applied in a practical way. Due to having universal truth, these proverbs still maintain their ancient existence in this modern world. But the value of these proverbs is only recognized by the older people. The young men are not convinced with these proverbs.

Critical Comments: 1. Only the mature age knows the value of traditions.

2. Ill treatment with the old men is not a good thing in this modern world.

3. The proverbs have universal importance and they are ever true, but the practical implementation is their requirement.

(5) Until I owned a dog. I never knew what is meant by the proverb about letting a sleeping dog lie, or the fable about the dog in the manger. Now those dead phrases are quite alive to me, for they are parts of a perfectly practical psychology. Until I went to live in the country, I had no notion of the meaning of the maxim, “It’s an ill wind that blows nobody good.” Now it seems to me as pertinent and even pungent as if it were a new remark just made to me by a neighbour at the garden gate. It is something to come to live in a world of living and significant things instead of dead and unmeaning things.

Reference to the Context: These lines presenting the importance and universal truth of the proverbs, have been extracted from the essay entitled On the Pleasures of No Longer Being Very Young, written by G. K. Chesterton.

Here the essayist points out the traditional and practical importance of the proverbs. He tells us that every proverb carries a kind of truth that is very deep and serious. In this world where the practicality is given greater importance, these proverbs seem to be true on the global base.

Explanation: The essayist observes that the importance of the proverb can be understood only when they are applied in practical world. The essayist could never understand the meaning of the proverb “letting a sleeping dog lie” (which means to refrain from action which would alter an existing situation for fear of unfavourable results) or the fable about the dog in manger (which means an obstinate and selfish person who cannot use a thing for himself and at the same time does not allow others to use it) until he (the essayist) owned a dog. Having owned the dog, he was able to understand the precious meanings and value of the proverbs. He knew what secret sense and truth was hidden in the proverbs. Next the essayist had no feeling of the meaning of the proverb “It’s an ill wind that blows nobody good” (which means there is something good even in that object which one considers to be absolutely bad) until he went to live in the country. After knowing the importance of the proverbs, he thinks that he has been living in the world which is full of significant things instead of dead and unmeaning things.

Critical Comments: 1. The proverbs uttered by the learned people have great value in this practical world.

2. The meaning and truth of the proverbs cannot be cleared out until hey are implemented in the practical world.