A Handful of Clay
by Henry Van Dyke
Start Here
Look at the given pictures and steps for making something out of clay. Neither are in the right order. Number the steps correctly and match them to the corresponding pictures.
[4] painting/decorating;
[1] clay preparation;
[3] clay over firing;
[5] drying time;
[2] pottery wheel work;
Comprehension
Read and answer
1. Complete the following sentences.
a. The coarse clay dreamt that it would fill a great place when the time came for its virtues to be discovered.
b. The glory descended upon the trees when the delicate blossoms and leaves began to expand, and the forest glowed with fair, clear colours, as if the dust of thousands of rubies and emeralds were hanging, in soft clouds, above the earth.
c. The flowers bent towards each other when the wind caressed them, and said: "Sisters, how lovely you have become. You make the day bright."
d. The river murmured to the source about its mighty work which was to turn the wheels of many mills and float great ships to the sea.
e. One day the clay felt its journey to glory had began when a flat blade of iron passed beneath it, and lifted it, and tossed it into a cart with other lumps of clay, and it was carried far way over a rough and stony road.
2. State whether true (T) or false (F).
a. The clay knew that it would suffer much before it could reach its final grandeur. [F]
b. But the clay soon lost hope and could not wait to go back to the riverbank. [F]
c. The clay looked in the pool and saw it had become an ornament of a temple. [F]
d. The clay was discontented because it knew that was made into something coarse, common and ugly. [T]
e. It was bemused because it felt the admiring gaze of many people upon its rough body. [T]
3. Which of the following statements about the clay is supported by information in the passage?
a. The handful of clay was born beautiful and received admiration from all from the very beginning. [ ]
b. The clay went through many trials and tribulations before it could become an object worthy of love and admiration. [✓]
c. The clay felt lonely and lost as soon as it was taken from the place of its origin. [ ]
4. The paragraph on the river talks about its journey from the source to its final end. Describe the journey.
= The river was glad to have new strength and it was rejoicing the unison of all its water. It was murmuring to the shores and telling its story. The river released from icy fetters.
Reference to context
5. "My time will come," it said.
a. Who speaks these words? To whom are they said?
= The handful of clay speaks these words.
These words are said to the river on the bed of which the clay was lying.
b. What caused these words to be said? What this tell you about the speaker?
= The handful of clay was lying in the bank of the river. It had high thoughts of filling some great place in the world. The mighty works done by the river inspired the clay and made it utter these words.
The speaker is a very simple thing. But it has huge aim in life. To some extent, it can be criticised as ambitious. But on the other point of view, it has the noble longing to be a part of this good great world.
c. Did the speaker's time come? Explain how.
= One day the handful of clay was taken from the place it had been lying for long. A flat blade of iron passed beneath it, and lifted it, and tossed it into a cart with other lumps of clay. Then it seemed that it was carried far away over a rough and stony road.
Then the clay was put into a trough and mixed and beaten and stirred and trampled. Then it was put upon a swiftly turning wheel and whirled around. A strange power pressed it and moulded it. Then an unknow hand put it into an oven, and fires were kindled about it. It had been made as a flower-pot.
6. "The clay rebelled at the new disgrace."
a. Why did the clay think that it was facing a new disgrace?
= The clay thought that it was facing a new disgrace as it had been filled with earth and something rough and brown and dead-looking was thrust into the middle of the earth and covered over.
b. Was it right in thinking so? What was actually happening to the clay?
= No, it was not right in thinking so.
Actually a single stem, with multiple flowers, had been planted in it. And it was placed in a great church.
c. What conclusion did the clay come to upon facing this situation?
= The clay came upon the conclusion that it was the worst of all that had happened to it, to be filled with dirt and rubbish. And it finally considered itself to be a failure.
7. "Do you not know?"
a. Who is the speaker? Where is this line spoken?
= Another vessel of clay, close beside it, is the speaker.
This line is spoken in a great church.
b. What does the listener not know?
= The listener does not know that it is carrying a royal sceptre of lilies. Their petals are white as snow, and the heart of them is like pure gold. The people look this way to it because the flower is the most wonderful in the world. And the root of it is in the listener's heart.
c. What is the listener's response to hearing the speaker's full explanation?
= To hearing the speaker's full explanation, the speaker was content and silently thanked its maker. Though it was an earthen vessel, it was carrying a very great treasure.
Reflect and answer
8. Which of the following statements would the lump of clay be most likely to agree with?
a. Hope is the thing with feathers
That perches in the soul
And sings the tune without the words [✓]
And never stops at all.
- Emily Dickinson, Hope Is the Thing with Feathers.
b. Life ….. is a tale
Told by an idiot, full of sound and fury, [ ]
Signifying nothing.
- William Shakespeare, Macbeth.
c. The whole thing is quite hopeless,
so it's no good worrying about tomorrow. [ ]
It probably wouldn't come.
- J. R. R. Tolkien, The Return of the King.
9. After immense suffering and patient waiting when the clay saw itself in the pool, was it elated of frustrated? Why?
= After immense suffering and patient waiting when the clay saw itself in the pool, it was totally frustrated.
As the clay suffered immensely and waited patiently, it thought that it was fashioned for the ornament of a temple, or a precious vase for the table of a king.
10. Is this just the story of a handful of clay? Is it an analogy of something else? What can it be? Explain why you think so.
= No, this is not the story of a handful clay.
It is an analogy of human life, hope, disappointment and gratitude.
Humans are social animals. They live with many contemporaries. They have ambitions. They wish for something good and great to happen in their lives. They propose something and god disposes them.
About the author :
Henry Van Dyke (1852 - 1933), American author, educator and clergyman, graduated from Princeton University and later taught there. Before that he joined the church at the age of 27. He began to write at the same time. His first article was published in the Harper's Monthly Magazine.