All Summer in A Day: Summary Solutions Meanings

‘All Summer in a day’ is a science fiction written by one of the most famous sci-fi writers Douglas Brad Burry. the story is set on the planet Venus where it rains continuously for seven years with 2-hour break of sun shine between such seven-year rain-periods. The summary of the story along with word-meanings and textbook solutions of the chapter ‘All Summer in a Day’ are given here.

All Summer in a Day: Video with Hindi Explanation

Summary

This story is set on the planet Venus, where the Sun shines for only two hours once every seven years. It opens on the day that the Sun is due to make its appearance once again. Margot and the other children in her school on Venus are nine years old. Margot came from Earth to Venus five years ago. Therefore, she accurately recalls the Sun and the way it looked and felt as it shone on her when she was back in Ohio. However, this is not the case with the other children. They were far too young to remember what the Sun was like when last it shone upon them. They can only imagine the warmness of that Sun upon their arms and legs. Margot tells the others that the Sun is round like a penny and hot like a fire in the stove. The other children accuse her of lying, and they show their resentment of her seeming superiority by locking her in a closet. When the Venus rains finally stop and the Sun comes out, it sends a flaming bronze colour throughout the jungle growth. The children soak up the life-giving Sunshine until the rains start to fall again. The children now know that Margot was telling the truth about the Sun. Then and only then do they remember that Margot is still locked in the closet

Word Meanings

dystopia – imaginary place where conditions and situations are bad and unpleasant (Opposite of utopia)

peer – to look carefully so that it is clearly visible

compounded – complicated or worsened the situations

gush of water – fast flow of water in large amount from a narrow space

concussion – a violent jerk blow or shock

stunned – surprised and shocked

stir – to move

recall – to remember

protest – to show your disapproval or disagreement

slackening – loosening, falling off

feverish – very excited, full of passion and emotion

shove – to push in a rough way

drenched – completely wet

penny – coin

clutch – to hold or grip tightly

scream – to give a loud shout or cry

dimly – slowly and gradually

pale and snow face – looked worried and afraid

muffled – not clearly audible

repercussion – result and impact of any happening or action (generally bad impact)

rip – cut or tear apart

tremor – shaking and trembling

immense – large and great

blazing – burning and shining bright

release – let free

caught out – found doing something wrong

vanish – disappear

cluster up – to group together

resilient – springy

savoured – feeling delighted in, enjoying fully

boom of thunder – a loud deep noise of thunder

gigantic – very large or huge

solemn – serious and not happy, grave

Textbook Solutions

Comprehension

A. Answer these questions briefly.

1. Where did the children live?
2. What were the children getting ready for?
3. Who was Margot? Where did she come from?
4. In what way was Margot different from the other children?
5. Why didn’t the children believe what Margot said about the Sun?
6. How did the children treat Margot and why?
7. How is Venus described in the story?
8. What do the children do to Margot?
9. What happens when the Sun comes out?
10. Why do the children free Margot in the end?

Answers:

1. The setting of the story takes place on the planet Venus.
2. The children were preparing for the anticipated appearance of the Sun.
3. Margot, a girl from planet Earth, was a student at the same school as the other children.
4. Margot, a delicate and melancholic girl, felt isolated on Venus as she reminisced about her life on Earth, where the Sun used to shine.
5. The other children doubted Margot’s claims about the Sun because their own experience with it was limited.
6. The children treated Margot as an outsider, fuelled by jealousy over her connection to the Sun and the possibility of returning to Earth.
7. Venus is depicted as a perpetually rainy place where the Sun is a rarity, causing destructive effects like tidal waves and repeated destruction and regrowth of forests.
8. The children subjected Margot to bullying and confined her in a closet.
9. When the Sun finally emerges, the children enthusiastically immerse themselves in its warmth, engaging in playful activities and enjoying its presence.
10. Eventually, overwhelmed by the experience of being in the Sun, the children realize the truth of Margot’s words and release her from the closet, acknowledging their mistake in mistreating her.

B. Answer these questions with reference to the context.

1. But then they always awoke to the tatting drum, the endless shaking down of clear bead necklaces upon the roof, the walk, the gardens, the forests, and their dreams were gone.
   a. Whom does ‘they’ refer to?
   b. Where did ‘they’ live?
   c. What were their dreams about?
   d. Why were their ‘dreams’ gone?
2. That was Margot’s poem, read in a quiet voice in the still classroom while the rain was falling outside.
   a. What was Margot’s poem about?
   b. Why was she able to write such a poem?
   c. How did other children react to her poem?
   d. What is the significance of the words ‘while the rain was falling outside’ in this context?
3. Behind the closet door was only silence.
   They unlocked the door, even more slowly, and let Margot out.
   a. Why was there silence behind the closet door?
   b. Who are ‘they’ here?
   c. Who had sent Margot there?
   d. Why did they ‘let Margot out’?

Answers:

1. a. ‘They’ refer to the children.
b. They lived on Venus
c. Their dreams were about how life would be if the Sun came out.
d. Their dreams were gone because the climate had changed so much that the Sun never shone. It only rained all the time.

2. a. The poem was about the Sun and how it looked like a flower.
b. She could write it because she had seen the Sun when she was on the planet Earth.
c. The children did not believe that Margot could have written the poem.
d. The words are significant as they strike a contrast to what Margot had written in the poem. Her poem was about the Sun and the truth was that it rained all the time outside.

3. a. Margot had been shut up behind the door. She was all alone. So it was silent.
b. They are the children who had locked Margot up.
c. One of the boys had suggested it and all the children had sent her there.
d. When they realised that Margot had been right about the Sun they let her out

C. Answer these questions.

1. What was special about the day the story occurred?
2. What does the story tell you about human nature?
3. Comment on the title ‘All Summer in a Day’.
4. How do the children react to the Sun? What does it reveal about their lives?
5. List some characteristics used to describe Margot’s appearance in the story.
6. In what way is this story about the environment? Do you think the author is trying to share a message here? If so, what is the message?
7. Do you see any connection between the Sun coming out and the change in the way the children behave towards Margot? Discuss. Use details from the story to support your answer.
8. How would you explain Margot’s reaction to shower in the school shower rooms?
9. When the children remembered Margot was still in the closet, do you think they felt bad? Comment.
10. What does the author mean when he says, ‘…the children, released from their spell, rushed out, yelling into the springtime’?

Answers:

1. The day was significance as it marked the anticipated return of the Sun after seven consecutive years of rain.

2. The short story “All Summer in a Day” by Ray Bradbury tells us a lot about human nature. It shows how quickly people can turn on each other when they are faced with scarcity. The children in the story are so desperate to see the sun that they are willing to bully and exclude Margot, the only one who remembers what it is like. They are also quick to forget their excitement when the sun finally does come out, and they start to fight over who gets to play in the sunlight.

The story also shows how people can be cruel to those who are different. Margot is different from the other children because she remembers the sun, and she is also more sensitive to the beauty of nature. The other children resent her for this, and they take pleasure in tormenting her.

The story is a reminder that we need to be careful not to let our worst impulses take over, and that we should always treat others with kindness and compassion.

3. All summer occurred in a day as the Sun shone only for a few hours and it seemed that summer had
arrived. It stayed only for a few hours in a day.

4. The children welcome the Sun and rejoice when it comes out. This reveals that they are deprived of
the rays of the Sun and they long for the same.

5. She is depicted as weak and pale, resembling someone who has been drenched in rain for an extended period. The rain has drained all colour from her eyes, hair, and complexion, giving her an eerie, ghost-like appearance. The narrative focuses on the negative consequences of climate change, highlighting the constant rain and absence of sunlight as signs of an abnormal and unusual climate. The underlying message emphasizes the importance of caring for our planet and safeguarding the environment to mitigate the adverse effects of global warming.

6. The story is a cautionary tale about the dangers of climate change. The constant rain and lack of sun are a sign that the climate has become unstable and unpredictable. This is a warning to us all that we must take care of our planet and protect the environment. If we do not, the ill-effects of global warming will only get worse.

7. The connection is that the Sun brought hope and joy. In the same manner, the cold hearts of other children also thawed and they felt sorry for Margot. They realised their mistake and set her free.

8. To Margot the sound of the shower sounded like the sound of the rain and the sound disturbed her. She missed the Sun as it used to shine on the Earth.

9. Yes, they felt bad. They realised that she had been right all the time. The fact that they released her
shows that they felt bad.

10. The author describes the children’s happiness as being so intense that it felt like a severe lifelong punishment had been lifted. They rejoiced as they played in the open, basking in the sunlight.

Vocabulary

A. Using these prefixes create words and use any five of them in sentences of your own.

Answers:

B. Change these words by adding suitable suffixes.

Answers:

Grammar

A. Underline the dependent clauses and circle the independent clauses in these sentences.

1. He asked me what I knew.
2. Beena works well when she is on her own.
3. This is the house that we bought last year.
4. They will meet me after they arrive.
5. He was happy as he had done very well in his exams.
6. Let me know when you are ready.
7. My mother baked a cake because she wanted to make me happy.
8. Since we didn’t have any milk, we could not make any tea for you.
9. Until I learn how to cook, I couldn’t even make a sandwich.
10. I tried to see her, but I couldn’t.
11. You may sit here as long as you don’t disturb anyone.
12. Although I don’t remember his name, I am sure that man is a famous writer.

Answers:

1. He asked me (ind.) what I knew (dep.)
2. Beena works well (ind.) when she is on her own (dep.).
3. This is the house (ind.) that we bought last year (dep.).
4. They will meet me (ind.) after they arrive (dep.).
5. He was happy (ind.) as he had done very well in his exams (dep.).
6. Let me know (ind.) when you are ready (dep.).
7. My mother baked a cake (ind.) because she wanted to make me happy (dep.).
8. Since we didn’t have any milk, we could not make any tea for you (ind.) (dep.).
9. Until I learn how to cook, I couldn’t even make a sandwich(ind.) (dep.).
10. I tried to see her, (ind.) but I couldn’t (dep.).
11. You may sit here (ind.)as long as you don’t disturb anyone (dep.).
12. Although I don’t remember his name, (ind.)I am sure that man is a famous writer (dep.).

B. Complete these sentences using suitable dependent clauses.

1. She could not go home …………………………………………………..
2. I went to the market …………………………………………………..
3. My mother gave me a gift …………………………………………………..
4. Many people visit this place …………………………………………………..
5. My sister went to school …………………………………………………..
6. The doctor will deliver a speech …………………………………………………..
7. I woke up at noon …………………………………………………..
8. Harnam works hard …………………………………………………..
9. My dog ran away …………………………………………………..
10. We will meet you …………………………………………………..
11. Please join us at the table …………………………………………………..
12. The children will not be able to go out …………………………………………………..

Answers:

C. Create main clauses of your own to make complete sentences with these dependent or subordinate clauses.

1. after they finished painting
2. before I go to London
3. since he arrived
4. which inspired me to take this class
5. as soon as you reach
6. after work tomorrow
7. although it was hot and humid yesterday
8. while he rode the bus to work
9. if you decide to cook lunch
10. because it was too cheap

Answers:

1. After they finished painting, they cleaned up the brushes and canvases.
2. Before I go to London, I need to pack my bags and check my flight details.
3. Since he arrived, he has been staying with his cousin in the city.
4. The breathtaking artwork, which inspired me to take this class, was displayed in the gallery.
5. As soon as you reach the station, give me a call, and I’ll come to pick you up.
6. After work tomorrow, we’ll meet up for dinner at our favorite restaurant.
7. Although it was hot and humid yesterday, we managed to enjoy our day at the beach.
8. While he rode the bus to work, he listened to his favorite podcast.
9. If you decide to cook lunch, I’ll be more than happy to help with the preparation.
10. Because it was too cheap, I couldn’t resist buying two pairs of shoes.