Making Life Worth While — Class 8 English (Samacheer Kalvi)
TN State Board (Samacheer Kalvi) Class 8 English, Poem 3, by George Eliot. A moral poem on learning good from every person we meet.
1. About the poem
Making Life Worth While is a moral poem by George Eliot — the pen name of Mary Ann Evans, a leading Victorian-era English novelist and poet who wrote seven novels.
2. Summary
The poem teaches that every person we meet — even for a short time — leaves some impression on us, so from each one we should learn something good. It may be a little grace, a kind thought, an aspiration, a bit of courage, a gleam of faith or a glimpse of brighter hope.
These small virtues, passed on and learned, help us to brave the thickening ills (growing troubles) of life. The poet says that if we make our life worthwhile in this way, we will glimpse brighter skies, and heaven itself will become our inheritance.
3. Theme
The theme is learning virtues from everyone and facing life's troubles bravely — making life meaningful through goodness, kindness, courage and faith.
4. Poetic devices
- Repetition: the structure repeats "one little grace, one kindly thought…" to stress each virtue.
- Metaphor: "brighter skies" and "heaven as our property/inheritance" stand for a good and rewarding life.
5. Glossary
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| grace | charm / goodness |
| aspiration | a strong desire to achieve something |
| brave (verb) | to face bravely |
| thickening ills | growing troubles |
| inherit | to receive as one's own |
6. Book-back questions (Samacheer Kalvi)
A. Read and answer
- Who wrote Making Life Worth While? — George Eliot (Mary Ann Evans).
- What should we learn from every soul we meet? — Something good.
- Name three virtues the poet mentions. — A kind thought, courage and faith (also grace, aspiration, hope).
- What do these virtues help us to do? — To brave the thickening ills of life.
- What does the poet assure if we make our life worthwhile? — That heaven will become our inheritance.
B. Appreciation 6. Why should we make this life worthwhile? — To have a glimpse of the brighter skies. 7. What does "every soul that touches yours" mean? — That every person we meet affects us in some way.
7. Common mistakes
- Mistake: Naming the wrong poet. Fix: The poet is George Eliot (pen name of Mary Ann Evans).
- Mistake: Thinking we should learn only from great people. Fix: We should learn something good from every person, even a brief acquaintance.
- Mistake: Reading "heaven as property" literally. Fix: It is a metaphor for the reward of a good, worthwhile life.
8. Quick revision
- Poem 3 · Making Life Worth While by George Eliot (Mary Ann Evans).
- Theme: learn a virtue from everyone you meet and face life's troubles bravely.
- Virtues: grace, kind thought, aspiration, courage, faith, hope.
- These help us brave the thickening ills of life and glimpse brighter skies.
- Reward: a worthwhile life makes heaven our inheritance.
