The Grumble Family

"And then, be our station high or humble,
We'll never belong to the family of Grumble!"

1. What does 'our station' refer to?
Ans: 'Our station' refers to our social rank or position in life, whether we are rich and important (high) or poor and ordinary (humble).

2. Who is the family of Grumble? Why are they called so?
Ans: The family of Grumble is a fictional family that loves to complain about everything. They are called so because 'grumble' means to complain in a bad-tempered way, which is exactly what they do all the time.

3. Why does the poet not want to belong to them?
Ans: The poet does not want to belong to them because they are perpetually unhappy, dissatisfied, and find fault in everything. They live on a "gloomy Complaining Street," and the poet wants to live a life of positivity and cheerfulness instead.

4. What does the poet suggest as to be able not to belong to them?
Ans: The poet suggests that to avoid belonging to the Grumble Family, we should learn to "walk with a smile and a song" and not complain even if things sometimes go wrong.

1. Where does the Grumble Family live?
Ans: The Grumble Family lives on Complaining Street, in the city of Never-Are-Satisfied, beside the River of Discontent.

2. Why are they called the Grumble Family?
Ans: They are called the Grumble Family because they are known for grumbling and complaining about everything, no matter what happens.

3. How are the folks on Complaining Street?
Ans: The folks on Complaining Street are gloomy and dissatisfied. Nothing ever goes right for them, and they growl at both rain and sun.

4. What is the queerest thing the poet talks about?
Ans: The queerest (strangest) thing is that no member of the Grumble Family will ever admit or acknowledge that their name is "Grumble."

5. Why is getting adopted in the Grumble Family the worst thing that can happen to someone?
Ans: It is the worst thing because if someone stays among them for too long, they will learn their complaining ways and become a Grumbler themselves, trapped in a "terrible jumble" of negativity.

6. What, according to the poet, is the wisest thing to do?
Ans: According to the poet, the wisest thing to do is to keep our feet from wandering into Complaining Street and to avoid grumbling, so we are not mistaken for Grumblers too.

1. The Grumble Family: nobody likes to meet, growl, something amiss, known by the name of Grumble, weather is always too hot or cold, summer and winter alike they scold, their growling is never done.

2. Complaining Street: gloomy, nothing goes right with the folks you meet.

1. say something in a harsh voice -> Growl

2. being modest -> Humble

3. cheerless and joyless -> Gloomy

4. a feeling of uncertainty -> Doubt

5. an untidy collection or pile of things -> Jumble

6. one's social rank or position -> Station

1. What is the name of the street where the Grumble Family lives?
Ans: They live on Complaining Street.

2. What is the name of the city mentioned in the poem?
Ans: The city is named 'Never-Are-Satisfied'.

3. What do the Grumble family members do at everything?
Ans: They growl at whatever comes.

4. What is always "amiss" for them?
Ans: Whatever comes, there is always something amiss (wrong).

5. How do they react to summer and winter?
Ans: They scold both summer and winter alike.

6. Do they prefer rain or sun?
Ans: They prefer neither; they growl at both the rain and the sun.

7. When does their growling stop?
Ans: Their growling is never done.

8. What would the Grumble family do if they were pleased?
Ans: Even if they were pleased, they would grumble that there was nothing to grumble about.

9. Will a Grumbler ever admit their family name?
Ans: No, a Grumbler will never own that he is connected with the family name.

10. What happens before a person even dreams of the "terrible jumble"?
Ans: Before they even dream of it, they are adopted into the family of Grumble.

11. What is the poet's first piece of advice to the reader?
Ans: The poet's first piece of advice is to keep our feet from wandering into Complaining Street.

12. Why should we never growl, according to the poet?
Ans: We should never growl, lest we be mistaken for Grumblers too.

13. What should we learn to do, no matter what goes wrong?
Ans: We should learn to walk with a smile and a song.

14. What does the poet say we will never do if we stay positive?
Ans: We will never belong to the family of Grumble.

15. Does it matter if our 'station' is high or humble?
Ans: No, it does not matter; the advice applies to everyone regardless of their social position.

1. Describe the location where the Grumble Family lives in your own words.
Ans: The Grumble Family lives in a place that is defined by negativity. Their address is on "Complaining Street," which is located in the "City of Never-Are-Satisfied." This imaginary city is situated next to the "River of Discontent." These names show that their entire world revolves around dissatisfaction and complaining.

2. What is the attitude of the Grumble Family towards the weather?
Ans: The Grumble Family's attitude towards the weather is consistently negative. They are never happy with it. The poem states, "The weather is always too hot or cold; Summer and winter alike they scold." This means they complain if it's hot and also if it's cold, showing that no weather condition can ever please them.

3. The poem says, "Nothing goes right with the folks you meet / Down on that gloomy Complaining Street." What does this line imply?
Ans: This line implies that the problem is not with the world, but with the people themselves. It's not that things are actually always going wrong for them, but rather that their negative perspective makes them believe nothing is ever right. Their gloominess colours their perception of everything around them.

4. Explain the irony of the Grumblers complaining about having nothing to grumble about.
Ans: The irony is that complaining is so essential to their nature that they would be unhappy without something to complain about. If everything was perfect, they would complain about the absence of problems. This shows how deeply ingrained their habit of grumbling is; their only source of "satisfaction" comes from being dissatisfied.

5. Why is it dangerous to stay with the Grumble Family for too long?
Ans: It is dangerous because their negative attitude is contagious. The poem warns that if anyone stays with them for too long, they will "learn their ways." Before they even realize what's happening, they will be "adopted" into the family, meaning they will become a habitual complainer just like them.

6. What is the final message or advice the poet gives in the last stanza?
Ans: The final message is a call for positivity. The poet advises us to learn to face life's challenges "with a smile and a song." He says that no matter if things go wrong sometimes, and regardless of our social status ("station high or humble"), we should maintain a cheerful attitude. By doing this, we can ensure we never become part of the negative "family of Grumble."

7. What does the term "terrible jumble" refer to?
Ans: The "terrible jumble" refers to the confusing and messy state of mind a person gets into when they become a Grumbler. It represents a life filled with negativity, dissatisfaction, and constant complaining, where nothing is clear or positive, and one is trapped in a cycle of unhappiness.

8. Why do you think "nobody likes to meet" the Grumble Family?
Ans: Nobody likes to meet them because they are always negative and complaining. Being around people who constantly find fault and are never happy is emotionally draining and unpleasant. Their gloomy and bad-tempered nature makes others want to avoid them.

9. How does the poet use personification in describing the setting?
Ans: The poet gives human qualities of emotion and behaviour to places. The street is not just a street; it's a "Complaining" street. The city is defined by the emotion of being "Never-Are-Satisfied," and the river is one of "Discontent." This technique makes the setting itself a character that reflects the personality of its inhabitants.

10. What contrast does the poet create between the Grumble Family and the ideal person?
Ans: The poet creates a strong contrast. The Grumble Family "growls," "scolds," and finds everything "amiss." They live in gloom and discontent. In contrast, the ideal person "walks with a smile and a song," remains cheerful even when "things do sometimes go wrong," and maintains a positive outlook regardless of their station in life.

1. The poem is an allegory. Explain what the "Grumble Family" and their home represent in real life.
Ans: An allegory is a story where characters and settings are symbols for ideas or qualities. In this poem, the "Grumble Family" is not a real family, but an allegory for all people in the world who have a perpetually negative and complaining attitude. They represent the personality trait of being a habitual complainer.

Their home is also symbolic. "Complaining Street" represents a way of life dominated by complaints. The "City of Never-Are-Satisfied" symbolizes a state of mind where contentment is impossible to achieve. The "River of Discontent" symbolizes the constant flow of unhappiness that runs through their lives. The poem uses these fictional places to warn readers against adopting such a negative mindset in their own lives.

2. Discuss the psychological lesson the poet is trying to teach. Why is it "wisest to keep our feet from wandering" there?
Ans: The psychological lesson is about the power of habit and the contagious nature of negativity. The poet is teaching that complaining can become a deeply ingrained habit that traps a person in a cycle of unhappiness. The warning that "if anyone stays among them too long, he will learn their ways" is a psychological truth; we are often influenced by the attitudes of the people we spend time with.

It is "wisest to keep our feet from wandering" there because once you adopt this negative mindset (get "adopted into the family of Grumble"), it is very difficult to escape. You lose the ability to see the good in life and get caught in a "terrible jumble" of discontent. The poem advises us to proactively choose positivity to protect our own mental well-being.

3. What, according to the poem, is the "queerest thing" about Grumblers, and what does this reveal about human nature?
Ans: The "queerest thing" about the Grumblers is that "not one of them can be brought to acknowledge his family name." This means that people who complain all the time will never admit that they are complainers. They are blind to their own negativity.

This reveals a common aspect of human nature: it is often easier to see faults in others than in ourselves. People who are habitually negative often believe their complaints are justified and that the problem lies with the world, not with their own attitude. They lack self-awareness. The poem cleverly points out that the first step to changing a bad habit is to acknowledge it, something the Grumble Family is completely unable to do.

4. How does the poet use language and tone to create a contrast between the world of the Grumblers and the world of the cheerful person?
Ans: The poet uses contrasting language and tone effectively. To describe the world of the Grumblers, the tone is dark and heavy. He uses negative words like "discontent," "complaining," "amiss," "scold," "gloomy," "growl," and "terrible jumble." These words create a feeling of oppressive unhappiness.

In contrast, when describing the solution, the tone becomes light, positive, and musical. The poet uses cheerful words and phrases like "wisest," "smile and a song," "walk," and "never belong." The final stanza has a hopeful and uplifting rhythm. This sharp shift in language and tone emphasizes the choice we have between a life of gloomy complaining and a life of cheerful positivity.

5. Do you know anyone who behaves like a member of the Grumble Family? How can you apply the poem's advice to deal with such a person or to ensure you don't become one yourself?
Ans: (This is a personal response, but here is a sample answer.)
Yes, I know people who tend to complain a lot, focusing on what's wrong rather than what's right. It can be tiring to be around them. The poem's advice is very practical. Firstly, to deal with such a person, the poem suggests keeping a distance ("keep our feet from wandering"). This doesn't mean being rude, but perhaps limiting the time spent with them so their negativity doesn't affect me.

Most importantly, to ensure I don't become a Grumbler myself, I can follow the poem's final advice. I can consciously try to "walk with a smile and a song," which means actively choosing a positive outlook. When things go wrong, instead of immediately complaining, I can try to find a solution or focus on something good. By practicing gratitude and positivity, I can make sure I never get "adopted" into the Grumble Family.