A Concrete Example — Class 8 English (Poorvi)
"Be the change you wish to see in the world." — Mahatma Gandhi
1. About the Chapter
This is the second chapter of Unit 1 (Wit and Wisdom) in the new Poorvi textbook. While the first chapter celebrated WIT (intelligent expression), this chapter celebrates ACTION — the wisdom of LIVING what you BELIEVE.
Key Idea
A concrete example is more powerful than a thousand words. The chapter introduces students to people who didn't just TALK about values — they LIVED them.
Themes
- Leading by example
- Action vs talk
- One person's impact
- Indian heroes of action
- Personal responsibility
2. What Does 'A Concrete Example' Mean?
Concrete vs Abstract
- Abstract: idea, theory, words (e.g., "Honesty is important")
- Concrete: action, demonstration, deed (e.g., returning a lost wallet)
Why Concrete Matters
- People LEARN more from what they SEE than what they HEAR
- Children imitate elders' actions, not just their words
- "Walk the talk" — be consistent
3. Famous Concrete Examples
Mahatma Gandhi — Salt March (1930)
Instead of just ARGUING against British salt tax, Gandhi WALKED 240 miles to make his own salt on the beach.
- 80,000+ Indians arrested for following his example
- Worldwide attention to Indian independence
- Concrete action > thousands of speeches
Dr B.R. Ambedkar — Drafted the Constitution
Ambedkar didn't just SAY India should have equality — he WROTE the Constitution embodying it.
- Most progressive Constitution of its time
- Equality, fraternity, justice as fundamental rights
- Concrete legal foundation for a nation
Mother Teresa — Calcutta
She didn't just SPEAK about helping the poor — she LIVED among them, founded the Missionaries of Charity, served the dying for decades.
- Nobel Peace Prize 1979
- Inspired millions worldwide
- Action defined her, not speeches
Verghese Kurien — White Revolution
Didn't just THEORISE about Indian dairy — he CREATED Amul, transforming India from milk-deficit to world's largest milk producer.
- Concrete result: 200 million dairy farmers prospered
- (Detailed in Poorvi Chapter 6!)
A.P.J. Abdul Kalam — Missile Man
Didn't just dream about Indian self-reliance in defence — he LED the missile programme, the Pokhran-II tests, India's space dreams.
- Concrete missiles, satellites, vision
- Became 11th President of India
4. Modern Concrete Examples
Indian Environmental Action
- Chipko Movement (1973): Uttarakhand women HUGGED trees to prevent felling
- Swachh Bharat: PM Modi launched and visibly cleaned to show example
- Sundarlal Bahuguna: lived in Himalayas, walked thousands of km for environment
Indian Sport
- PT Usha: trained tirelessly, won Asian Games gold
- Sachin Tendulkar: daily practice, 100 international centuries
- Mary Kom: trained while raising children, won boxing world championships
- Mirabai Chanu: weightlifting Olympic silver after years of practice
Indian Science
- C.V. Raman: tireless lab work won Nobel
- Manjul Bhargava: years of research won Fields Medal
- Ramanujan: notebooks full of identities (concrete proof of genius)
5. Lessons from the Chapter
1. Live Your Values
What you DO matters more than what you SAY.
2. Be Patient
Concrete change takes TIME. Gandhi worked for 30+ years to free India.
3. Be Consistent
One-time action doesn't create change. SUSTAINED effort does.
4. Lead by Example
Don't ASK others to do what you wouldn't do yourself.
5. Small Actions Add Up
You don't need to be Mahatma Gandhi. Plant ONE tree. Help ONE person. Multiplied by millions, change happens.
6. Activities
Activity 1: Hero Profile
Choose an Indian hero whose ACTIONS inspire you. Write 200 words on what they DID, not just what they SAID.
Activity 2: Personal Commitment
Choose ONE value you believe in (honesty, kindness, environmental care). For 1 week, ACT on it daily. Journal your experiences.
Activity 3: Class Discussion
Discuss: "Why are some people remembered for their actions while others (who said similar things) are forgotten?"
Activity 4: Writing
Write a short essay: "An action of mine that I am proud of and why."
7. Vocabulary
- CONCRETE: tangible, real, demonstrated
- ABSTRACT: not physical; in the mind only
- DEMONSTRATE: show by action
- EMBODY: represent in physical form
- EXEMPLIFY: serve as a good example
- WALK THE TALK: live up to what you say
- PROFESS: claim to believe (often without acting)
- PRACTISE: do regularly
8. Quotations to Remember
"Be the change you wish to see in the world." — Mahatma Gandhi
"Your beliefs become your thoughts. Your thoughts become your words. Your words become your actions. Your actions become your habits. Your habits become your values. Your values become your destiny." — Gandhi
"Action speaks louder than words." — Proverb
"Don't tell people about your dreams; SHOW them your dreams." — A.P.J. Abdul Kalam
"It always seems impossible until it's done." — Nelson Mandela
9. Conclusion
'A Concrete Example' teaches that the world is changed not by SPEECHES but by ACTIONS. From Gandhi's Salt March to Dr Kurien's milk co-operatives to your own daily kindness — every concrete example matters.
The Poorvi textbook (NEP 2020) emphasises VALUES IN ACTION. Class 8 is the perfect age to begin building habits of action — to BECOME the concrete example of what you believe.
As you read further chapters in Poorvi, look for people who LIVED their values. And ask yourself: how can YOU live yours?
Words inspire. Actions transform. Concrete examples change the world.
