NCERT MCQ Solutions for Class 5 English Marigold Chapter 3 My Shadow, Robinson Crusoe Discovers a Footprint

Robert Louis Stevenson is the author of the famous poem “My Shadow”. He was a Scottish novelist, poet and travel writer who lived in the 19th century. Stevenson is also known for his adventure novels like “Treasure Island” and “Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde”. The poem “My Shadow” is one of his most beloved children’s poems that explores a child’s fascination with their shadow.

In the poem, the speaker clearly states that the shadow looks exactly like him “from the heels up to the head”. This similarity between the child and his shadow is one of the central themes of the poem. The shadow mimics every movement and appearance of the child, making it appear as an exact replica or copy of the speaker, which fascinates the young narrator throughout the poem.

The poem mentions that when the speaker goes to bed, the shadow falls on the bed before he can get into it, making it appear as if the shadow “jumps into bed” first. This happens because shadows are cast by light, and when the child approaches the bed with a light source behind him, his shadow is projected onto the bed surface before his physical body reaches it.

The shadow is tallest in the morning because during sunrise, the sun’s rays are more slanted and come from a lower angle in the sky. When light hits an object at a low angle, it creates longer shadows. This is a basic principle of how shadows are formed – the lower the light source, the longer the shadow appears on the ground.

Throughout the poem, the speaker expresses curiosity about what purpose his shadow serves. The child observes his shadow constantly following him and mimicking his movements but cannot understand what practical use or function it has.
This reflects a child’s natural curiosity about the world around them and their desire to understand the purpose of everything they observe.

When the poem states that the shadow “goes in and out” with the speaker, it means that the shadow accompanies the child wherever he goes. Whether the child goes inside a building or outside, the shadow is always present with him (when there is light). This constant companionship is what makes the shadow so fascinating to the young narrator.

The speaker describes his shadow as being very active and constantly following him around. The shadow mimics all his movements and actions, making it appear lively and energetic.
This active behavior of the shadow creates a sense of companionship for the child, as if the shadow is a playful friend who copies everything he does.

The phrase “from the heels up to the head” describes how the shadow perfectly resembles the speaker’s entire body shape and form. This complete similarity from the bottom (heels) to the top (head) emphasizes how the shadow is an exact silhouette of the child’s physical appearance, capturing every detail of his body outline.

Throughout the poem, the speaker displays a sense of wonder, curiosity and fascination toward his shadow. He observes it carefully, notices its behavior and tries to understand its purpose.
There is no fear or negative emotion expressed; instead, the child seems delighted by this constant companion that mirrors his every move and appearance.

The poem is clearly written from a child’s perspective, as evidenced by the innocent curiosity, simple observations and wonder expressed about the shadow. The language used is simple and childlike, focusing on basic observations about how the shadow looks and behaves.
This perspective makes the poem relatable to young readers and captures the natural inquisitiveness of children about the world around them.

Daniel Defoe wrote the original novel “Robinson Crusoe” in 1719. The story in the NCERT textbook is an adaptation of this classic novel. Defoe was an English writer, journalist and spy who is considered one of the founders of the English novel.
“Robinson Crusoe” is often cited as the first English novel and tells the story of a castaway who spends years on a remote tropical island.

Robinson Crusoe discovers the mysterious footprint on the sand near the beach of the island where he is stranded.
This discovery on the sandy shore is significant because it proves to him that another human being had been on his island, which both excites and frightens him after years of solitude on what he believed was an uninhabited island.

When Robinson Crusoe first discovers the footprint, he becomes confused and frightened. After living alone on the island for many years, the sudden evidence of another human presence creates fear and uncertainty.
He doesn’t know who made the footprint, whether they are friend or foe, or if they might return, which causes him great anxiety and fear for his safety.

Robinson Crusoe concludes that the footprint belongs to a savage. In the context of the story and the time period, this reflects the colonial-era perspective of the character.
He fears that savages might come to the island with others and potentially harm him, which causes him to become extremely cautious and start praying for his safety and protection.

Robinson Crusoe identifies the print as a human footprint because it has all the distinctive features of a human foot – toes, heel, and the complete shape and structure that exactly resembles a human foot.
This clear resemblance to human anatomy convinces him that another person had been on his island, rather than it being an animal track or natural formation.

After discovering the footprint and realizing its implications, Robinson Crusoe becomes afraid for his safety and begins to pray. This reaction shows his fear and concern about the potential danger he might face from whoever made the footprint.
Prayer becomes his way of seeking protection and comfort in this frightening situation, reflecting his reliance on faith during times of distress.

After discovering the footprint, Robinson Crusoe becomes much more suspicious and careful about his surroundings. The story mentions that he starts to mistake every bush and tree for a person, showing how paranoid and cautious he has become.
This change in behavior demonstrates how the discovery has affected his sense of security and peace of mind on the island.

After seeing the footprint, Robinson Crusoe becomes so paranoid and frightened that he starts mistaking every bush and tree for a person. This shows how the discovery has affected his mental state, making him see potential threats everywhere.
His fear has made him hypervigilant, causing him to misinterpret natural objects as human figures who might pose a danger to him.

The story teaches us about the complex nature of human behavior – while Robinson Crusoe has been lonely and isolated for years, craving human companionship, when faced with the possibility of unknown human presence, he chooses his safety over the potential for company.
This reflects how survival instincts often override our desire for social connection when we perceive potential danger.

The main theme of this story revolves around fear, survival instincts and human nature. It explores how isolation affects a person’s psychology, how fear can change one’s behavior and how the basic human need for safety can override other desires like companionship.
The story also examines the complex emotions that arise when faced with the unknown, showing both the vulnerability and resilience of human nature in extreme circumstances.