Poem Television Summary in English by Roald Dahl

Summary

In this video, English Vanessa explores Roald Dahl's poem 'Television,' where he critiques the addictive nature of TV, particularly its negative impact on children. Dahl, a renowned children's author, emphasizes the harm of letting children become entranced by television, advocating instead for the joys of reading. He suggests replacing TV sets with bookshelves, promising that children will eventually appreciate the wisdom and imagination that books provide, fostering a lifelong love for reading.

Takeaways

• 📚 The author, Roald Dahl, is celebrated as one of the greatest storytellers for children of the 20th century, known for his novels, short stories, and screenplays.
• 📺 'Television' is a poem by Roald Dahl that criticizes the impact of television on children, suggesting it should be kept away from them.
• 👀 The poem describes children as being hypnotized by the television, staring for long hours and becoming idle, which Dahl views as harmful.
• 🧠 Dahl argues that television viewing dulls a child's mind, stifles imagination, and clogs the mind with inappropriate content.
• 📚 Before television, children were engaged in reading, spending significant portions of their lives immersed in books.
• 📚 The script highlights the richness of children's literature, mentioning popular adventure stories and characters from classic children's books.
• 📚 The poem encourages parents to replace the television with a bookshelf, promoting reading as a healthier and more enriching activity for children.
• 👶 The initial resistance from children to the absence of a television is expected, but Dahl assures that they will eventually turn to reading out of boredom.
• 📚 Once children start reading, they will experience joy and a sense of fulfillment that television cannot provide, according to the poem.
• 🌟 The long-term effect of fostering a love for reading in children will be their appreciation for the wisdom and knowledge books offer, as opposed to the superficial entertainment of television.
• 👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Parents are urged to make the switch for the benefit of their children, as they will be loved and appreciated for providing a more enriching environment.

Q & A

Who is the author of the poem 'Television' discussed in the video?

The author of the poem 'Television' is Roald Dahl, a British novelist, short story writer, fighter pilot, and screenwriter.

What is Roald Dahl widely recognized for?

Roald Dahl is widely recognized as one of the greatest storytellers for children of the 20th century.

What awards did Roald Dahl receive?

Roald Dahl received several awards, including the Edgar Allan Poe Award, the World Fantasy Award for Life Achievement, the Children's Author of the Year Award, and the Millennium Children's Book Award.

What perspective does the poem 'Television' address from?

The poem 'Television' addresses its subject from a third-person perspective.

What is the main criticism of the television in the poem?

The main criticism of the television in the poem is that it makes children and everyone else addicted to it, causing them to do nothing but stare at the screen.

What does the speaker in the poem suggest should be done about televisions in households?

The speaker in the poem suggests that children should not be allowed near the television set and that it would be better not to install the television at all.

What are the negative impacts on children from watching television as described in the poem?

The negative impacts on children from watching television include becoming hypnotized by the screen, having their imagination killed, and becoming dull and blind to fantasy and fairy tales.

What does the poet suggest as an alternative to television for children's entertainment?

The poet suggests reading books as an alternative to television for children's entertainment.

What kind of books did children read in the past according to the poem?

According to the poem, children in the past read books with fantastic stories of dragons, gypsies, queens, whales, treasure islands, smugglers, pirates, elephants, and cannibals.

What is the poet's final advice to parents regarding television and books?

The poet's final advice to parents is to remove the television set and replace it with a bookshelf filled with books, as this will eventually lead to children discovering the joy of reading and appreciating the wisdom that books provide.

How does the poet describe the transformation children will undergo once they start reading books?

The poet describes the transformation as children growing keen on reading, finding it more interesting than the television, and eventually wondering what they ever saw in the 'ridiculous machine' of television.

Outlines

00:00

📺 The Impact of Television on Children

The first paragraph introduces the poem 'Television' by Roald Dahl, a renowned British author known for his storytelling prowess, particularly for children. The poem is presented from a third-person perspective, criticizing the television as an addictive object detrimental to children. It emphasizes the poet's plea to parents to keep their children away from the 'idiotic box' of television, highlighting its negative impacts, such as making children passive viewers who stare blankly at the screen. The poet uses vivid imagery to describe children's enraptured state in front of the television, suggesting that it hinders their physical activity and intellectual growth.

05:02

🧠 The Detrimental Effects of Television on Imagination

The second paragraph delves deeper into the negative effects of television on children's minds. It suggests that television viewing dulls the senses, stifles imagination, and clutters the mind with unrealistic and inappropriate content. The poet argues that television replaces children's natural curiosity and creativity with a passive acceptance of whatever is shown on screen. This leads to a loss of the ability to engage with fantasy and fairy tales, as the child's mind becomes preoccupied with the fictional narratives presented by television. The poet also addresses the concern of parents about how to entertain their children without television, advocating for the return to traditional forms of entertainment that existed before the advent of television.

10:04

📚 The Power of Reading and the Joy of Books

The final paragraph of the script extols the virtues of reading as a superior alternative to television. It encourages parents to replace the television set with a bookshelf filled with a variety of books. Despite initial resistance from children, the poet assures that they will eventually find joy and enrichment in reading. The paragraph celebrates the imaginative worlds and knowledge that books provide, contrasting this with the passive consumption of television. The poet envisions a future where children will appreciate the wisdom and pleasure of reading, and will thank their parents for introducing them to the world of literature over the shallow entertainment of television.

Keywords

💡Television

Television is an electronic device that receives and displays visual images and sound, often used for entertainment or information. In the video's theme, it is portrayed negatively as an addictive object that can be harmful to children's development. The script uses phrases like 'idiotic box' and 'hypnotized by it' to illustrate the passivity and potential harm caused by excessive television watching.

💡Addiction

Addiction refers to a compulsive engagement in an activity, substance, or behavior that can be harmful. In the context of the video, addiction is associated with television, where it is suggested that both children and adults can become overly reliant on it for entertainment, leading to negative consequences as described in the poem 'Television' by Roald Dahl.

💡Imagination

Imagination is the ability to form new ideas, images, or concepts not based on immediate experience. The video emphasizes the importance of nurturing a child's imagination, which is threatened by the passive consumption of television. The script warns that television 'kills the imagination' and makes children 'dull and blind' to fantasy and creativity.

💡Hypnotized

To be hypnotized means to be in a state of focused attention or concentration, often associated with a trance-like state. In the script, the term is used metaphorically to describe how children become so engrossed in watching television that they seem to be in a trance, oblivious to their surroundings.

💡Fantasy

Fantasy is a genre of literature or film that involves imaginative and fantastical themes, often including magic and supernatural elements. The video script mentions fantasy as something that children should be encouraged to explore through reading, as opposed to the unreal and often inappropriate content they might encounter on television.

💡Reading

Reading is the process of looking at written or printed matter and understanding its meaning. The video advocates for reading as a healthier alternative to television, emphasizing the educational and imaginative benefits of books. The script provides examples of classic children's literature that can inspire young minds.

💡Storyteller

A storyteller is someone who tells stories, often with imaginative or creative elements. Roald Dahl, the author of the poem 'Television,' is described as one of the greatest storytellers for children of the 20th century, known for his engaging narratives and unique storytelling style.

💡Award

An award is a token of recognition given as a result of victory in a contest or competition. The script mentions several awards received by Roald Dahl, including the Edgar Allan Poe Award and the World Fantasy Award, highlighting his accomplishments and contributions to children's literature.

💡Nursery

A nursery is traditionally a room in a house for the care of young children. In the script, the nursery is depicted as a place filled with books, symbolizing a nurturing environment for a child's intellectual and imaginative growth, contrasting with the passive experience of watching television.

💡Bewitch

To bewitch means to attract or affect someone with a magical or compelling charm. The video uses the term to describe the seductive power of television, which can captivate children's attention to the detriment of other activities, such as reading and physical play.

💡Bookshelf

A bookshelf is a piece of furniture used for storing books. The video suggests replacing the television with a bookshelf as a way to encourage a love for reading and learning. The script describes the transformation of a space from one dominated by a television to one enriched with books.

Highlights

The poem 'Television' by Roald Dahl criticizes the addictive nature of television, especially on children.

Roald Dahl is recognized as one of the greatest storytellers for children of the 20th century and received multiple awards for his work.

The poem is written from a third-person perspective, emphasizing the poet's observations and opinions on television's impact.

Dahl suggests that children should not be allowed near television, labeling it as an 'idiotic thing'.

The poem describes children 'gaping' at the television screen, highlighting their fixation and inactivity.

Dahl uses vivid imagery, such as 'eyes pop out', to portray the excessive time children spend watching TV.

The poem argues that television hypnotizes children, filling their minds with 'shocking, ghastly junk'.

Dahl points out that television watching leads to a lack of physical activity and interaction with the real world.

The poet suggests that television stultifies children's minds, making them 'dull and blind' to fantasy and creativity.

Dahl criticizes television for killing imagination and making children believe in a preset imaginary world.

The poem questions the impact of television on children's cognitive development, making their minds 'soft as cheese'.

Dahl proposes that parents consider the long-term effects of television on their children's imagination and intellect.

The poet contrasts the passivity of television watching with the active engagement of reading books.

Dahl reminisces about the rich children's literature of the past, encouraging a return to reading as a form of entertainment.

The poem ends with a plea to parents to replace the television with a bookshelf, fostering a love for reading in their children.

Dahl assures that children will eventually appreciate the removal of the television and the introduction of books in their lives.

The final message is that books provide true wisdom and joy, unlike the superficial entertainment of television.

Transcripts

hello everyone and welcome back to

English Vanessa in this video we are

going to discuss poem television by Ral

so before moving further let us know

about the author rall was a British

novelist short story writer fighter

pilot and a screenwriter rall widely

recognized as one of the greatest

storytellers for children of the 20th

century he received several Awards

including the Edgar Alano award World

fantasy award for life achievements

children's author of The Year award and

Millennium children's books

award the poet addresses this poem in a

third person

perspective in the poem television Ral

criticizing the object which has made

not only the kids but everyone addicted

to it he says outright that the children

should not be allowed anywhere near your

television head the speaker then goes to

describe the reason why it's

harmful as the kids do nothing but Gap

at the screen point this out at the the

first negative impact on kids from

television here he portrays the

dangerous threat which a television

possess for everyone especially the kids

and through this poem author pleads the

parents not to put their kids in front

of the idiotic box that is television so

now let's start the poem it is a lengthy

poem with a single sentence we don't

have a stanas in this let's start this

the most important thing we have learned

so far as children are concerned is

never never let them near the television

set or better is still just don't

install the idiotic thing at all so here

in this poem Dal advises from his

experience that people should never ever

allow their children to go near the

television set it is even better not to

install the idiotic thing which is

called television but why is the

television an idiotic thing according to

the poet so that only throughout the

entire poem Dal attempt to answer

it let's see the further lines in almost

every house we have been we have watched

them gaping at the screen the LA and

slope and Lounge about and stare until

their eyes pop out last week in

someone's place we saw a dozen eyeballs

on the floor now first of all let's see

the meaning of these hard words so here

the meaning of gaping nothing but

watching something by wide open eyes and

the meaning of LOL slop and Lounge is

nothing but sit or lie in a lazy or

relaxed way and pop out means come out

the eyes come out so here in these lines

the poet shares his experience that in

almost every house he visited he has

watched children gaping at the screen

they were staring with their eyes wide

open and with Absolut concentration of

mind for sitting a long time before the

television said they become tired

sometime they sit or lie in a lazy and

Casual manner that LA and slope and

Lounge about that means they sit and lie

in a lazy Manner and they get Sloopy but

still they stare at the television until

their eyes are too tired to watch

anymore means they watch television

until their eyes are pop

out and all these are not dal's

imagination he indeed saw a dozen

eyeballs that is half a dozen children

who are sitting on the floor and

watching television at someone's house

very recently when the poet visited them

last week now let's see the fourth lines

they sit and stare and stare and sit

until they are hypnotized by it until

they are absolutely drunk with all that

shocking gasly

junk so when the children are before the

television set means in front of the

television set they sit and stare and

stare and sit for long hours they don't

seem to be moving from there as they

probably forget everything around them

in the real world rather the one they

watch in the television that becomes

real for time

being they are almost hypnotized by this

idiotic box they are absolutely strung

their minds and fill those shocking

gasly junk which are mostly unreal and

inappropriate for their age those TV

shows kill their valuable time and make

them lazy with no room for the physical

play and exercise they have no scope of

spending time with books and nature and

interacting with others their mind

filled with the stories and images of a

virtual

world oh yes we know it keep keep them

still they don't climb out the window

sill they never fight or kick or punch

they leave you free to cook the lunch

and wash the dishes in the

sink now here the poet says that he

knows that the television keeps the

naughty children calm means when they

are in front of the television set they

no more do mischievous things like

climbing out the window sill fighting

kicking and punching to each other they

let the mother free to cook the lunch

and wash the dishes in the sink without

any disturb

but but that can't be an excuse to let

them sit before the television sit

because the poet thinks that the idiotic

device does more harm than good then he

further asked but did you ever stop to

think to wonder just exactly what this

does to your beloved to now the meaning

of t here the kid so here poet the

speaker asked the parents whether they

ever spent a moment to think exactly

what harm this tell Vision does to their

beloved child he himself answered in a

brilliant way it draws the sense in the

head it kills the imagination did it

clogs a clutter up the mind it makes a

child so dull and blind can no longer

understand a fantasy a fairy land so

here poet described the negative impact

of watching television like watching

television regularly damages the sense

in the head children are drawn away from

the reality the real world around them

them they just believe what they watches

without considering the context their

own environment hardly matches with the

ones the scenes on the screen like in my

childhood I used to believe in the Magic

Pencil one of the show I used to watch

in my childhood that shakalaka boom boom

the things the children watch in the

television that are unreal but the

things that are real and it also kills

the power of imagination in the mind

children start to live in a preset

imaginary world that they see on the

screen they slowly lose their own

creative thinking their own

imagination and here Ral continues to

argue on how television affect a child's

mind children watch different shows on

different Channel sometime they are

contradictory ideas sometime it does not

match with the reality and they surprise

these things clock and clutter up their

mind mess up with organized ideas and

thoughts moreover the child forget to

think on his own his entire mind is full

of images he has seen on the television

so how would he get the time and scope

to think over other things his important

time is wasted in the thoughts that are

fictional and not related to his own

life thus his study and thoughts on how

to improve his skill and personality are

neglected this is as if the child

gradually becomes dull and

blind he can no longer understand a

fantasy a fairy

land the poet here feels that due to

imposed imitation on THS the children

can no longer understand a fantasy or

fairy tale they cannot extend their

imaginative power to the level they are

now used to see an image of the likely

real world a virtual

reality his brain becomes as soft as

cheese his power of thinking rust and

freeze he cannot think he only sees Dal

no here says that by watching television

the brain of the children becomes soft

like a cheese children now believe

everything they watch or hear on

television they cannot find their own

logic to analyze and interpret the thing

power of thinking the thought process

freezes and gets Rusty they cannot think

on their own all they do is watching and

believing what others say on the

television all right he'll cry all right

he'll say but if we take the set away

what shall we do to entertain our

darling children please explain now here

poet say is that he knows what the

parents would ask him the question is

how parents shall entertain their

affectionate children if they take the

TV set away for them the poet has answer

in the following lines we'll answer this

by asking you what use the darling wants

to do how use the keep thems content

before this monster was invented have

you forgotten don't you know Bill say it

very loud and slow so here the poet

answered the above question only by

throwing a question what people people

used to do to keep themsel entertained

when television was not invented

television set is a dreaded device a

monster to him he wants people here to

remind that what they used to do in the

absence of such

device say it very loud and slow they

used to read they read and read and read

and read and then proceed to read some

more great scad gadzooks one half their

lives was reading books so here the poet

himself remind us that that children in

earlier times used to read lots of books

surprisingly people then spent half of

their lifetime by reading books like

Great Scot and

gadzooks the nursery shelves held books

gallore books clutter up the nursery

floor and in the bedroom by the bed more

books were waiting to be

read so here poet describing in those

earlier days the nursery shelves were

full of books the in their Nursery means

Library books remain scattered on the

floor even in their bedroom and by the

Bed Books clutter up everywhere such

wonders find pantastic Tales of dragons

gypsies queens and whales and treasures

is and Distant Shores where where

Smugglers rod with a muffled ORS and

Pirates wearing purple Pines and sailing

ships and sailing ships and elepants and

cannibals crouching around the part

stiring away something hot it is it is

smells so good what can it be good greci

is is penlop penlop means wife in Greek

so here you can see the poet talks about

the popular books of adventurist that

children used to read in the past time

in those days boys and girls read

fantastic stories of dragons gypsies

Queens whales Treasure Island or

Smugglers Like pirat Pirates ships

elephants and cannibals and so on

the younger ones had berrick poter with

Mr Todd and dirty rter and Squid and

nutkin pigling brand and Mrs tigy Winkle

and just How the Camel Got His Hump and

how the monkey lost his rump and Mr Toad

and bless my soul there is Mrs rat there

is Mr rat and Mr mole oh books what

books they used to know those children

leaving long ago so the younger children

used to read stories written by Helen

berrick spotter he's the author of

children's

book which featuring animals with a

colorful illustration so Dal here pays a

tribute to the children's author for her

fantastic stories on animals he also

mentions some of the stories like how

the Camel Got His Hump and some

characters like Mr Toad Mrs twinkle Etc

from those stories so this shows that

poet's love for those books and how he

enjoyed them in his Childhood Days

please we beg we pray go through your TV

set away and in its place you can

install a lovely bookshelf on the wall

then fill the shelves with a lots of

books ignoring all the dirty looks their

screams and yells their bites and kicks

and children hitting you with sticks the

poet nor request the parents for their

own good to throw away the television

set and install and install a bookshelf

in its place after installing a

bookshelf in place of a television set

the parents will face some dirty looks

screams yells bites and kicks from their

children they may even hit them with

stick but the poet insist on filling

that shelf with lots of books on various

topic ignoring all the dirty looks fear

not because we promise you that in about

a week or two of having nothing else to

do they will now begin to feel the need

of having something to read and once

they start oh boy oh boy you watch the

slowly growing joy that fills their

hearts so here the poet assures us that

after a week or two those children would

find nothing to do without a television

set around so they will finally feel the

need to read

books they will come closer to books on

their own and once they start reading

the only way is ahead of them they will

find it interesting to read more and

more books that books will give them

imagination and thoughts the knowledge

and wisdom the satisfaction of mind and

heart they they will grow so Keen they

will wonder what they had ever seen in

that ridiculous machine that no setting

fall unclean repulsive television screen

so here at one stage they will grow so

keen on reading books that they will

wonder what they had found in that silly

machine called television they will find

the television screen disused Ing and

unclean as they will discover the real

Joy of reading

books and later every kid will love you

more for what you did and finally each

and every kid will love the parents for

giving them the opportunity to find real

joy in reading the books even when they

would grow up they would thank the

parents for taking the television set

away and installing the bookshelf there

so here The Poets advocates for reading

and only reading

because all things television can never

be a substitute for books books are the

only things that can deliver real

wisdom so I hope it would be helpful for

you stay tuned for more videos and

thanks for watching