The poets here described the life of slum children. In the stanza 1 the poet says the poet metaphorically explains that the lives of slum children are different from normal lives. In the stanza 2 poet described the description of class. He says the walls of the classroom are of white-yellowish colour which symbolizes their dull future. And in stanza 3 he described Shakespeare as wicked, the map as a bad example, which tempts slum children to steal. Slums are considered as cramped holes because they only surrounded with dirtiness and slum. In the stanza 4, he seeks for governor, inspector, visitor to bring some changes in the lives of slum children. And make their world beautiful as a normal people have.
(a) (ii) is ill and exhausted
(b) (ii) thin, hungry and weak
(c) (i) has an inherited disability
(d) (iii) distracted from the lesson
(e) (iii) are wasters
The colour of ‘sour cream’ is referred to the white-yellowish colour which appears on the walls of the classroom. And the poet used this expression to show that the these slum children don’t have bright future and is faded just like the colour of the walls.
The pictures of ‘shakespeare’ on the walls reflect that they would be getting good and quality education but in reality there was nothing like that. Children were living in the slum. They get half education. The buildings with domes reflect the civilized world which is unknown to them. The world map has no meaning to them because of slum, this world map shows here that history is only created by rich and powerful people not by slum people. The beautiful valley is meaningless to them as they can only see the polluted sky through the broken window panes and shows their dark future.
The poet wants that these children should also get good education as other children gets. They should also get a bright future, they should the break the boundaries of their slums and experience a better life just like a other people.
The poet feels that the governor, inspector and visitor should take a initiative against their current situation to bring some changes for them and to ensure a better way of living for them, they should provide a proper education and provide freedom from their present confines. They only need some opportunities and encouragement to be able to live life freely and with zest.