Question

“Can we get some husk from the Centre, too, To make toys with it? I don’t know.” The poem ‘Rice’ ends with these sarcastic lines. Do you think the poem is a satire? If so, what does the poet try to satirise? Consider the poem as a satire and prepare a paragraph on your views.

Answer 1

Chemmanam Chacko’s “Rice” is not just a satire but a biting satire. It shows the greed of some people and how they misguide farmers to change their crop from rice to cash crops like rubber. We can’t eat rubber! For our rice we have to depend on our neighbouring States and the rice we get is contaminated in so many ways. The height of the satire is that the boy went to North India to get his doctorate degree by researching the uses of husk. He spent 4 years there researching on the topic of making toys with husk.

Because his father is a farmer producing rice, there would be plenty of husk even in his own house to work with. But when he comes back with his doctorate degree what does he see? The rice fields have been converted to rubber plantations. Where will he get the husk now? Maybe he will ask the Central Government to give him some husk to make toys! His four years’ research is rendered useless now!