Why I Like the Hospital: ISC Class 11 English (Rhapsody) solutions

Get notes, line-by-line explanation, summary, questions and answers, critical analysis, word meanings, extras, and pdf of the poem Why I Like the Hospital- Tony Hoagland which is part of ISC Class 11 English (Rhapsody). However, the notes should only be treated for references and changes should be made according to the needs of the students.

Line-by-line explanation

Because it is all right to be in a bad mood there,

This line means that in a hospital, it’s acceptable to not be cheerful or upbeat because of the generally gloomy and intense atmosphere. It’s okay to not pretend to be happy.

slouching along through the underground garage,
riding wordlessly on the elevator with the other customers,
staring at the closed beige doors like a prison wall.

In these lines, the common experiences of being in a hospital are described, including walking with an exhausted posture in the parking lot, riding silently in the lift with other patients or visitors, and gazing at the unremarkable hospital doors that can resemble prison walls due to the confinement and restrictions found there.

I like the hospital for the way it grants permission for pathos

The speaker is saying they appreciate how the hospital allows for deep, often sorrowful emotions.

— the mother with cancer deciding how to tell her kids,
the bald girl gazing downward at the shunt
installed above her missing breast,
the crone in her pajamas, walking with an IV pole.

These lines show different touching moments one might witness in a hospital: a mom trying to figure out how to tell her kids about her cancer, a young woman dealing with the loss of her hair and breast because of cancer treatment, and an older lady moving around with the help of an IV pole. These scenes create a depressing mood that promotes empathy and understanding.

I don’t like the smell of antiseptic,
or the air-conditioning set on high all night,
or the fresh flowers tossed into the wastebasket,

These lines point to the unpleasant aspects of the hospital environment: the strong smell of cleaning products, uncomfortably cold temperatures, and the sad sight of fresh flowers (likely gifts for patients) being thrown away, symbolizing fleeting hope or unfulfilled expectations.

but I like the way some people on their plastic chairs
break out a notebook and invent a complex scoring system
to tally up their days on earth,
the column on the left that says, Times I Acted Like a Fool,
facing the column on the right that says,
Times I Acted Like a Saint.

These lines highlight how some people in the hospital reflect on their lives, as if measuring their actions, good and bad. This could be a coping mechanism, a way of self-reflection or an attempt to find meaning in their circumstances.

I like the long prairie of the waiting;
the forced intimacy of the self with the self;
each sick person standing in the middle of a field,
like a tree wondering what happened to the forest.

The speaker finds value in the long periods of waiting that occur in hospitals. He sees these moments as an opportunity for individuals to engage in deep introspection and reflection. It’s like being a single tree in a wide open field (hospital), which used to be part of a forest (the outside world).

And once I saw a man in a lime-green dressing gown,
hunched over in a chair; a man who was not
yelling at the doctors, or pretending to be strong,
or making a murmured phone call to his wife,
but one sobbing without shame,

The speaker recalls a specific moment of a man, in his hospital gown, openly crying instead of trying to appear strong. He was not arguing with doctors or making quiet phone calls to his wife to tell her that he was okay. The man’s honest expression of sadness is memorable to the speaker.

pumping it all out from the bottom of the self,
the overflowing bilge of helplessness and rage,
a man no longer expecting to be saved,

The man is openly sharing his intense feelings of helplessness, and anger. He is not hiding or suppressing anything, and it appears that he has reached a point where he feels there is no chance for improvement.

but if you looked, you could see
that he was holding his own hand in sympathy,
listening to every single word,
and he was telling himself everything.

Upon taking a closer look, the speaker notices that the man is comforting himself by holding his own hand. He is carefully listening to his own emotional expression, acknowledging and validating his feelings. This shows that he is being kind and understanding to himself, even when he is feeling hopeless.

Glossary/word meaning

Pathos: A quality that evokes pity, sadness, or compassion.

Shunt: A medical device used to redirect fluid flow within the body.

Crone: An old woman, often associated with wisdom or witchcraft.

IV pole: A stand or pole used to hold intravenous (IV) bags or equipment.

Antiseptic: A substance that inhibits the growth of microorganisms and is used to prevent infections.

Scoring system: A method of assigning points or values to evaluate or measure something.

Times I Acted Like a Fool: Instances or occasions when the person behaved in a foolish manner.

Times I Acted Like a Saint: Instances or occasions when the person behaved in a virtuous or saintly manner.

Forced intimacy: The sense of closeness or familiarity that arises from being in a confined or limited space with others.

Bilge: Referring to the bottom section of a ship’s hull, which often collects water and debris.

Rage: Intense anger or fury.

Sobbing: Crying uncontrollably with audible sounds of distress.

Sympathy: Understanding, compassion, or sharing of emotions with another person.

Expecting to be saved: Hoping or relying on someone or something to rescue or help.

Holding his own hand: Symbolic of self-comfort or self-support.

Summary of the poem

Tony Hoagland’s poem “Why I Like the Hospital” is a touching analysis of the human experience within a hospital. It’s a place where we are frequently at our weakest, yet the poet discovers a special beauty in the frank honesty it provokes.

The poem starts by noting that a hospital is a place where it’s okay to feel down. The poet talks about moving quietly and thoughtfully through the hospital’s dull, practical spaces like the underground garage and the elevator, comparing the beige elevator doors to a prison wall. This highlights how trapped we often feel when we or our loved ones are in ill health.

Yet, in spite of the sterility and the sadness, the poet appreciates the hospital for providing a space for intense emotional moments. He provides glimpses of different patients – a mother with cancer, a young girl with a missing breast, and an older woman walking with an IV pole. These are snapshots of people grappling with life-altering situations, facing their fears and contemplating their own mortality.

The hospital, despite its harsh environment with its antiseptic smell and relentless air conditioning, is also a place where people take a hard look at their lives. The poet talks about people inventing scoring systems, assessing their actions, and perhaps reevaluating their past choices. They confront the aspects of themselves where they’ve been foolish and where they’ve been noble.

The slow passage of time in the hospital is described in the poem as a “long prairie of waiting,” a place where each sick individual is like a tree standing alone, likely feeling disconnected from their usual lives and relationships. As the hospital removes distractions and forces the focus inside, this might lead to forced self-exploration and a deeper awareness of oneself.

The poem depicts a man openly crying, expressing his powerlessness and rage. This individual is not pretending to be fine or expecting to be saved. He’s only expressing his emotions and releasing pent-up feelings. He’s also soothing himself, sympathetically holding his own hand, listening to himself, and speaking his truth.

“Why I Like the Hospital” is a deeply human and emotional look at the hospital experience. It shows us that despite the often harsh realities, the hospital can also be a place of introspection, emotional honesty, and self-care, and it can offer a strange kind of beauty in the face of struggle.

Critical analysis of the poem

Tony Hoagland’s poem “Why I Like the Hospital” addresses the speaker’s unusual appreciation for hospitals and the emotions they generate. The poem explores the environment, sensations, and introspective moments found in a hospital setting.

The speaker begins by professing his love for hospitals because they allow people to be in a foul mood without being judged. They describe ordinary actions that generate a sensation of confinement and separation, such as going through the garage or riding the lift silently with other patients. Closed beige doors are reminiscent of prison walls, emphasising feelings of solitude and sadness.

The hospital’s ability to evoke emotion is one of the reasons the speaker appreciates it. They see many people dealing with unpleasant situations, such as a cancer-stricken mother considering how to convey the news to her children, a bald girl reflecting on her missing breast, and an old woman in pyjamas strolling with an IV pole. These moments create empathy and emphasise human vulnerability and strength in the face of hardship.

The speaker expresses displeasure with the antiseptic odour, the constant high air-conditioning, and the needless discarding of fresh flowers. They are, however, intrigued by how some patients use the occasion to reflect on their lives. They depict people sitting on plastic chairs, developing complicated scoring systems in notebooks to keep track of their deeds, distinguishing between times they performed foolishly and times they acted virtuously. Even in the midst of disease, this introspection demonstrates a desire for self-improvement and self-awareness.

The poem then talks about what it’s like to wait in a hospital. People are made to face themselves in a unique way because they have to wait for long periods of time. The speaker says that each person is like a tree standing alone in a field and asks what has happened to the bigger forest. This metaphor shows how a hospital waiting room can make you feel alone and give you time to think.

When the speaker thinks back to seeing a man in a lime-green dressing gown, it shows a sad moment. This man openly cries instead of yelling or trying to be strong like most patients are shown to do. His tears show that he feels powerless and angry and has lost hope that he will be saved. But when you look closer, it’s clear that he’s just trying to comfort himself. He comforts himself by holding his own hand and listening carefully to his own thoughts. This act of self-compassion and self-reflection shows that someone is willing to face and accept their feelings and experiences.

“Why I Like the Hospital” praises the hospital as a place where different feelings can be shown. It accepts the sadness that comes from difficult situations and shows self-reflection and kindness in a hospital setting. The poem asks readers to think about how complicated life is and how strong we can be when we recognise and accept our weaknesses.

Themes of the poem

Permission to Feel: This theme reflects the understanding that hospitals are a place where people can fully express their emotional state. In the outside world, people often mask their feelings to adhere to societal norms, but in a hospital setting, individuals are given the allowance to show their true emotions – whether it’s fear, sadness, or anger. It’s a space that legitimizes vulnerability, as encapsulated by the patients’ various emotional struggles.

Human Suffering and Pain: The poem features characters experiencing physical and emotional distress, illuminating the universal experience of suffering. It shows that pain is part of the human condition, as seen in the descriptions of the cancer-stricken mother, the young girl with a missing breast, and the old woman tethered to her IV pole. These characters embody the raw reality of human pain, making it a prominent theme.

Self-Reflection: The poet illustrates how hospitals often become spaces for self-reflection. In the face of life-altering conditions, individuals begin to evaluate their past actions and choices. They construct mental lists, reckoning with times they have acted foolishly or saintly. This theme emphasizes introspection as a crucial step toward understanding oneself and reevaluating life’s priorities.

Loneliness and Isolation: The poet refers to the hospital experience as a “long prairie of the waiting,” symbolizing the isolation that patients experience. The imagery of a single sick person standing alone like a tree in the middle of a field underlines the existential loneliness that often accompanies illness, when one is stripped away from the buzz of normal life.

Self-Compassion: The man sobbing openly and holding his own hand in comfort in the poem represents self-compassion, a powerful theme in the poem. It shows that in moments of distress and despair, offering kindness and understanding to oneself can be a coping mechanism. The man’s act of self-comfort suggests that there’s strength in acknowledging and tending to one’s emotional pain.

Mortality: Though not explicitly stated, the theme of mortality looms throughout the poem. The hospital setting, the illnesses, and the raw emotions all highlight the fragility of human life. Confronting mortality is an integral part of the hospital experience, forcing individuals to grapple with the impermanence of life.

Figure of speech

Simile: The poet uses a simile when he says the hospital patients are like “a tree wondering what happened to the forest.” This comparison illustrates the feeling of loneliness and isolation a person can experience in the hospital, as if they’re a single tree left standing where a whole forest used to be.

Metaphor: The hospital is described as having “the long prairie of the waiting,” which is a metaphor that compares the hospital waiting area to a vast, empty prairie. This image gives the sense of endless waiting and the emotional exhaustion that comes with it.

Personification: When the poet talks about the patients breaking out a notebook and inventing a “scoring system” for their lives, this can be seen as a form of personification. Notebooks can’t break out on their own, but this way of speaking helps to vividly illustrate the patients’ self-reflection process.

Imagery: The poet uses vivid imagery throughout the poem, painting a picture of the hospital setting and the people in it. One example is the “man in a lime-green dressing gown, hunched over in a chair,” which helps us visualize the scene and the emotions involved.

Hyperbole: When the poet says “pumping it all out from the bottom of the self,” it’s an exaggeration, or hyperbole, used to emphasize the depth of the man’s emotional release. It gives a sense of the extreme emotional state the man is in.

About the author

Tony Hoagland was a famous poet from America. His dad was a doctor in the Army, so Tony lived in many different places when he was young, like Hawaii, Alabama, Ethiopia, and Texas. According to a writer named Don Lee, Tony went to many colleges but didn’t finish, he picked apples and cherries in the Northwest, lived with groups of people, followed a band called the Grateful Dead, and started practicing Buddhism. He taught creative writing at the University of Houston and also taught at Warren Wilson College.

Tony won many awards for his poetry, including the Jackson Poetry Prize, the Mark Twain Award, and the O. B. Hardison, Jr. Award. He passed away in 2018.

Tony wrote many books of poetry, like “Sweet Ruin” in 1992, “Donkey Gospel” in 1998, “What Narcissism Means to Me” in 2003, “Rain” in 2005, and “Priest Turned Therapist Treats Fear of God” in 2018. He also wrote two books about poetry. His last book of poems, “Turn Up the Ocean,” was published in 2022 and he’s been called one of the most special voices of our time.

Tony’s poems are known for being sharp and funny, often commenting on modern life in a direct way. In 2010, a critic for the New York Times named Dwight Garner said that Tony’s clever, educated poems often end with feelings of sadness and desire and that they can surprise you with emotional pain on even the happiest days.

“Turn Up the Ocean” is a book of poems that honestly and humorously look at what it’s like to live and die in a world that often ignores our feelings and thoughts. The poems suggest that in order to keep going, we need to be sceptical and find humour, seek real connections with others, and find comfort in nature.

Workbook solutions/answers

Multiple Choice Questions (MCQs)

1. Because it is all right to be in a bad mood there’. To which place is the speaker referring to by ‘there?

(a) Garage
(b) Hospital
(c) Elevator
(d) Prison

Answer: (b) Hospital

2. Who are the ‘other customers’ referred to by the speaker?

(a) Other patients
(b) Those parking their cars
(c) The speaker’s clients
(d) The families of patients

Answer: (a) Other patients

3. Why was the speaker ‘slouching along’ in the garage?

(a) He was feeling sleepy
(b) He was under the spell of sleeping pills
(c) He was sick
(d) None of the above

Answer: (c) He was sick

4. Which figure of speech is used in the phrase ‘like a prison wall’?

(a) Metaphor
(b) Metonymy
(c) Allusion
(d) Simile

Answer: (d) Simile

5. The speaker is referring to ‘the closed beige doors’ of which of the following?

(a) Hospital
(b) Prison
(c) Garage
(d) None of the above

Answer: (a) Hospital

6. The use of word ‘customers’ in the first stanza of the poem is suggestive of which of the following?

(a) A satire on people lacking courage to admit their disease
(b) A satire on the loneliness suffered by patients
(c) A satire on the present day healthcare institutions
(d) All of the above.

Answer: (c) A satire on the present day healthcare institutions

7. What sort of feelings are aroused in the speaker on seeing the patients in the cancer ward?

(a) Pity and sadness
(b) Pity and annoyance
(c) Frustration and anger
(d) All of the above

Answer: (a) Pity and sadness

8. Why was the girl with a ‘shunt’ described as bald?

(a) Due to an injury on her head
(b) Due to chemotherapy
(c) Due to an infection on her scalp
(d) None of the above

Answer: (b) Due to chemotherapy

9. Who is referred to as a ‘crone’, walking with an IV pole?

(a) An old man
(b) A man suffering from a fatal disease
(c) An old woman
(d) None of the above

Answer: (c) An old woman

10. Which of the following is NOT true about the speaker?

(a) He does not like the smell of antiseptic
(b) He does not like to visit a hospital
(c) He does not like the air-conditioner set on high throughout the night
(d) None of the above

Answer: (b) He does not like to visit a hospital

11. Which of the following imagery is used in the line— ‘I don’t like the smell of antiseptic’?

(a) Visual imagery
(b) Auditory imagery
(c) Tactile imagery
(d) Olfactory imagery

Answer: (d) Olfactory imagery

12. What is referred to as the ‘complex scoring system’ invented by the patients in a hospital?

(a) To count the number of times when they acted foolishly and when they acted wisely.
(b) To count the days in a year spent in a hospital
(c) To count the number of days they are going to live
(d) To count the number of days they visited a hospital

Answer: (a) To count the number of times when they acted foolishly and when they acted wisely.

13. What does the visit to a hospital allow the patients to do?

(a) To live and act in a crowd
(b) To be with themselves
(c) To be surrounded by patients
(d) None of the above

Answer: (b) To be with themselves

14. Which figure of speech is used in the line—’each sick person standing in the middle of a field,’ like a tree…?

(a) Metaphor
(b) Simile
(c) Personification
(d) Synecdoche

Answer: (b) Simile

15. What does the phrase ‘the long prairie of waiting’ suggest?

(a) The time spent in waiting for their turn to see a doctor
(b) The queue outside the examination room in the hospital
(c) The continuous wait of the patients for their near and dear ones
(d) None of the above.

Answer: (c) The continuous wait of the patients for their near and dear ones

16. Which of the following is NOT correct about the terminally ill patient wearing a lime-green gown?

(a) He was pretending to be strong
(b) He was not shouting at the doctor
(c) He was crying inconsolably
(d) He was hunched over in a chair

Answer: (a) He was pretending to be strong

17. What was the man trying to do by sobbing without any shame?

(a) To show his mental health
(b) To show his grief
(c) To pour his heart out to show his helplessness and anger
(d) All of the above.

Answer: (c) To pour his heart out to show his helplessness and anger

18. Which figure of speech is used in the following line? ‘…. he was holding his own hand in sympathy.’

(a) Metaphor
(b) Alliteration
(c) Simile
(d) Metonymy

Answer: (b) Alliteration

19. What does the speaker want to convey by saying that the patient was ‘holding his own hand in sympathy’?

(a) The patient was all alone, with nobody to take care of him.
(b) The patient was full of grief
(c) The patient was trying to help himself
(d) None of the above

Answer: (a) The patient was all alone, with nobody to take care of him.

20. The poem Why I Like the Hospital is a satire on which of the following?

(a) The lack of respect for terminally ill patients
(b) The treatment given to the patients in a hospital
(c) The lack of empathy in people for the patients
(d) The lack of desire to live in the patients

Answer: (c) The lack of empathy in people for the patients

21. The words ‘but if you looked, you could see’ are addressed by the speaker to whom?

(a) The terminally ill patients
(b) The doctors
(c) The relatives of the patients
(d) The readers

Answer: (d) The readers

Complate the sentences

1. The speaker feels that it is all right to be in a bad mood in the hospital because ______

Answer: everyone there seems to be in the same boat, suffering from some disease, which creates a shared understanding.

2. The speaker was slouching along in the garage because ______

Answer: he was sick and likely feeling the fatigue and illness that brought him to the hospital.

3. When the speaker enters the lift he feels there were other customers also because ______

Answer: he sees other patients like himself in the elevator, realizing he is not the only one who has been singled out by illness.

4. The speaker in the poem Why I Like the Hospital calls the other patients in the lift as customers because ______

Answer: he is satirizing the modern healthcare system, which often treats patients not as people in need of care but as sources of profit.

5. The speaker in the poem likes to visit the hospital because ______

Answer: it grants permission for genuine pathos, allows patients to show their pain without pretense, and provides the opportunity for deep introspection about their lives.

6. The mother in the hospital was in a dilemma because ______

Answer: she was suffering from cancer and was contemplating how to tell her children about her fatal condition.

7. The girl looking downward at her shunt was bald because ______

Answer: she had likely undergone chemotherapy for breast cancer, which caused her to lose her hair.

8. The speaker in the poem does not like the fresh flowers thrown away in the dustbins because ______

Answer: it represents the apathy and carelessness of the hospital environment, where symbols of care from friends and relatives are discarded without thought.

9. The speaker in the poem likes the way patients in the hospital are writing their score in a notebook because ______

Answer: it shows them using their waiting time to contemplate their lives, taking an honest account of their past actions now that they face the knowledge that their days may be numbered.

10. The speaker in the poem says that the hospital induces ‘forced intimacy of the self with the self’ because ______

Answer: the environment strips away normal distractions, forcing each sick person into a close and direct interaction with their own thoughts, feelings, and life choices.

11. The terminally ill patient in the hospital sobs without shame because ______

Answer: he had no hope left of being saved and was pumping out all his accumulated grief, helplessness, and anger over his fatal illness.

12. The terminally ill patient was holding his own hand in sympathy because ______

Answer: he was completely alone with no one to provide moral support, so he was trying to console himself and muster his own inner strength to face his impending death.

Short answer questions

1. Why was the speaker in the poem, Why I Like the Hospital in a bad mood when he entered the hospital? What happened when he entered the lift?

Answer: The speaker was in a bad mood because he had fallen sick and had to go to the hospital all alone. When he parked his car in the underground garage, he felt that he had been unfairly singled out, taken from his healthy life, and thrown into a place that seemed like a prison to him.

When he entered the lift, or elevator, he saw other patients, whom he calls ‘other customers’. He then realized that he was not the only one who had fallen sick. He noticed that there was complete silence in the lift and nobody was talking to anyone, which showed a general apathetic attitude of the people towards one another.

2. How does the speaker feel when he sees the ‘closed beige doors’ in the hospital? Why?

Answer: When the speaker sees the closed beige doors, he feels that he is in a prison. He uses a simile to compare the doors to a prison wall.

This feeling comes from his belief that he has been unfairly taken from his healthy life and put into the hospital. The closed doors make the hospital feel like a restrictive and confining place, much like a jail.

3. Which scenes of human suffering arouse pathos in the speaker?

Answer: The speaker feels pathos, which is a feeling of pity and sadness, when he sees the suffering of patients in the cancer ward. The specific scenes that affect him are:

• A mother with cancer who is trying to decide how to tell her children about her condition.
• A young girl who has become bald from chemotherapy for breast cancer. She is sadly looking down at the shunt, or small tube, installed where her breast was removed.
• An old woman, called a crone, who is in her pajamas and walking with an IV pole that administers fluids to her.

4. Why does the speaker like the people in the hospital who were taking down something in their notebooks? What does it show about the state of mind of the patients?

Answer: The speaker likes these people because they are using their waiting time to think about their lives. They are contemplating the choices they have made. They invent a complex scoring system to count how many times they acted foolishly and how many times they acted wisely, like a saint.

This shows that the patients are in an introspective state of mind. They are thinking deeply about their past actions. Their actions suggest that they know their days on earth are numbered, and so they are taking a final account of their lives.

5. What does the speaker want to convey by—’forced intimacy of the self with the self’?

Answer: The phrase ‘forced intimacy of the self with the self’ means that the hospital environment forces a person to have a close interaction with oneself. It is an opportunity to know oneself, one’s thoughts, and one’s feelings more deeply.

The speaker compares the long hallways to meadows where each sick person stands alone, like a tree wondering what happened to the other trees in the forest. This comparison shows the loneliness and isolation that leads to this self-reflection. The waiting and quietness of the hospital create a situation where patients have no choice but to look inward.

6. In what state of mind was the terminally ill patient? How did he give vent to his feelings?

Answer: The terminally ill patient was in a state of grief, helplessness, and anger. He had no hope left that he would recover from his illness and was no longer expecting to be saved.

He gave vent to his feelings by sobbing without any shame. He was not shouting at the doctors or pretending to be strong. Instead, he was crying openly, pumping out all his sorrow and rage from the bottom of his self.

7. What does the terminally ill patient’s act of holding his own hand in sympathy reflect about the attitude of the people towards such patients? How does it affect the patients?

Answer: The patient’s act of holding his own hand in sympathy shows that there is nobody else to provide him with moral support. It reflects the apathy of people, including relatives, friends, and fellow citizens, who are ignorant and unconcerned about the needs of the sick.This lack of support affects patients by making them feel intense loneliness, even when they are surrounded by others. The patient is forced to console himself, listen to his own thoughts, and try to build his own inner strength to face his suffering. Ultimately, it means that the patient has to suffer and die alone.

Long answer questions

1. How is the poem Why I Like the Hospital a satire on the present day healthcare system and the apathy of the people? Discuss.

Answer: The poem Why I Like the Hospital is a satire on the modern healthcare system and the general apathy of people. The satire on the healthcare system is evident when the speaker refers to other patients as “other customers.” By using this word, the speaker suggests that the medical system has become commercialized, viewing patients not as people in need of care but as sources for making a profit. The poem also points to the apathy of the hospital staff, who leave the air-conditioning on high all night without considering the discomfort of the patients, and carelessly throw fresh flowers from relatives into the dustbins.

The poem also satirizes the apathy of people in general. This is first seen in the elevator, where there is complete silence and no one speaks to one another, showing a general lack of concern. This apathy makes people ignorant and unconcerned about the needs of their relatives, friends, and fellow citizens, leading to the profound loneliness felt by the patients. The poem suggests that this stark reality of being treated like a customer and being surrounded by apathy makes individuals vulnerable to mental health issues.

2. Discuss the aptness of the title Why I Like the Hospital by Tony Hoagland?

Answer: The title Why I Like the Hospital is unusual but very apt for the poem. The title itself is a form of satire because nobody normally wishes to visit a hospital. However, the poet provides several reasons for this strange affection, making the title fitting. At the very beginning, the poet states that it is a place where it is acceptable to be in a bad mood, because everyone there is in the same situation, suffering from some disease. This shared experience creates a unique environment of understanding.

Furthermore, the poet likes the hospital because it allows him to witness the suffering of others, which in turn arouses pathos, a feeling of pity and sadness. He sees a mother with cancer, a bald girl who has lost her breast, and an old woman with an IV pole. The hospital also provides patients with the chance to contemplate their lives, a luxury they do not have in their busy schedules. They can reflect on their past choices, both foolish and wise. Finally, the poet likes the hospital because it allows patients to show their true pain and helplessness without pretending to be strong, offering a space for genuine emotion and self-acceptance in the face of suffering and death.

3. Describe the scenes of human suffering as depicted in the poem, Why I Like the Hospital? What feelings does it arouse in the speaker?

Answer: The poem depicts several moving scenes of human suffering, particularly within what seems to be a cancer ward. The first scene is of a mother with cancer who is struggling with the difficult decision of how to tell her children about her fatal disease. The second is of a young girl who has become bald from chemotherapy and is sadly looking at the shunt installed where her breast was removed after a mastectomy. The third image is of an old woman, described as a crone, dressed in pajamas and walking slowly with an IV pole that administers fluids to her.

A final, powerful scene describes a man in a lime-green dressing gown, hunched over in a chair. He is not shouting or pretending to be strong, but is sobbing without shame. He seems to be releasing all his grief, helplessness, and anger, knowing he has no hope of being saved. These scenes of suffering arouse a deep sense of pathos in the speaker, which is a feeling of pity and sadness. The speaker likes the hospital precisely because it grants permission for this feeling, making it a place of emotional honesty.

4. Discuss the things which the speaker likes and dislikes about the hospital. Do you agree with his choices? Give reasons to support your answer.

Answer: The speaker clearly outlines what he likes and dislikes about the hospital. He dislikes the impersonal and sterile aspects of the institution. These include the strong smell of antiseptic used everywhere, the air-conditioning being set on high all night, and the sight of fresh flowers, brought by friends and relatives, being carelessly thrown into dustbins. These things represent the cold, institutional nature of the hospital that ignores individual comfort and sentiment.

On the other hand, the speaker likes the hospital for the human experiences it permits. He likes that it is a place where being in a bad mood is acceptable. He appreciates that it grants “permission for pathos,” allowing him to feel pity and sadness for others. He also likes watching people in the waiting area use the time to reflect on their lives, creating a “complex scoring system” to tally their good and bad deeds. This “forced intimacy of the self with the self” is something he values.

Yes, I agree with the speaker’s choices. His dislikes are understandable because they point to the cold and wasteful nature of a large institution. His likes are also very relatable because he finds a deeper meaning in a place of suffering. He values the emotional honesty, the shared human connection, and the opportunity for deep self-reflection that the hospital environment unexpectedly provides. He finds humanity and truth in a place often associated only with pain.

5. Why I Like the Hospital is a poem of despair and hopelessness. Do you agree? Give reasons.

Answer: I agree that the poem contains strong elements of despair and hopelessness, but I do not believe it is only about these feelings. The poem is filled with a sad and depressing atmosphere, exploring the loneliness that comes with severe illness and the approach of death. The descriptions of the patients, such as the bald girl and the old woman, create a sense of deep sadness. The most direct example of hopelessness is the man sobbing without shame, who is described as being “a man no longer expecting to be saved” and who knows he must “suffer and die alone.”

However, the poem also finds value and a strange comfort within this despair. The very title, Why I Like the Hospital, suggests that the speaker finds something positive in the experience. The hospital is a place that allows for emotional honesty; patients do not have to pretend to be strong. It is also a place for deep introspection, where people “tally up their days on earth,” reflecting on their lives. The man who is crying is also described as “holding his own hand in sympathy,” an act of self-compassion that counters pure despair. The poem shows that even in a hopeless situation, there can be moments of truth, self-awareness, and a shared humanity that are meaningful.

Additional questions and answers

1. What is the central theme of the poem?

Answer: The central theme of the poem is the human experience of suffering, vulnerability, and self-reflection in the context of a hospital.

2. How does the poet use imagery to convey the atmosphere of the hospital?

Answer: The poet uses vivid imagery to convey the sterile, impersonal, and somber atmosphere of the hospital. Phrases like “underground garage”, “closed beige doors like a prison wall”, and “air-conditioning set on high all night” paint a picture of a cold, clinical environment. Yet, amidst this, the poet also highlights the human element with images of patients in various states of distress and introspection.

3. What does the poem suggest about the human capacity for self-compassion in times of suffering?

Answer: The poem suggests that in times of suffering, humans have the capacity to extend compassion towards themselves. This is seen in the final lines where a man, in his despair, holds his own hand in sympathy and listens to his own words. This act of self-compassion is a powerful testament to the human ability to find comfort and understanding within oneself, even in the most dire of circumstances.

4. Does the poet’s depiction of the hospital environment contribute to or detract from the poem’s overall impact?

Answer: The poet’s depiction of the hospital environment significantly contributes to the poem’s overall impact. The stark contrast between the sterile, impersonal hospital setting and the deeply personal human experiences of suffering and introspection heightens the emotional resonance of the poem.

5. How does the poet use the concept of ‘waiting’ in the poem, and what does it signify?

Answer: The poet uses the concept of ‘waiting’ as a metaphor for the state of being a patient in a hospital. Described as “the long prairie of the waiting”, it signifies a state of uncertainty, vulnerability, and introspection. It’s a time when individuals are forced to confront their own mortality, reflect on their lives, and grapple with their emotions. This period of waiting becomes a profound experience of self-discovery and self-compassion.

6. What does the poem suggest about the human experience of suffering?

Answer: The poem suggests that suffering is an integral part of the human experience, and it is during these times of hardship that individuals confront their deepest fears, regrets, and hopes, leading to profound self-understanding and compassion.

7. Who is the speaker in the poem?

Answer: The speaker in the poem is an observer, possibly the poet himself, who is reflecting on the experiences and emotions of the people in the hospital.

8. How does the poet use contrast in the poem?

Answer: The poet uses contrast effectively to highlight the disparity between the cold, clinical environment of the hospital and the raw, emotional experiences of its patients. This contrast serves to amplify the human element within the impersonal setting.

9. What does the poem suggest about the role of hospitals in our society?

Answer: The poem suggests that hospitals, while primarily places of healing, are also spaces where individuals confront their mortality, reflect on their lives, and experience deep emotional transformations. They are places where the veneer of everyday life is stripped away, revealing the raw essence of human existence.

10. How effective is the poet’s use of metaphor in conveying the emotional landscape of the poem?

Answer: The poet’s use of metaphor is highly effective in conveying the emotional landscape of the poem. Metaphors such as “a tree wondering what happened to the forest” and “the long prairie of the waiting” evoke a sense of isolation, vulnerability, and introspection, encapsulating the emotional journey of the patients.

11. How does the poet depict the concept of self-reflection in the poem?

Answer: The poet depicts self-reflection as a profound and necessary process that arises in times of hardship. The hospital setting, with its inherent vulnerability and isolation, provides a backdrop for this introspection. The patients, in their waiting and suffering, reflect on their lives, tallying their regrets and virtues, and in the process, gain a deeper understanding of themselves.

12. What does the poem suggest about the human response to adversity?

Answer: The poem suggests that in the face of adversity, humans have the capacity for deep introspection, self-compassion, and emotional resilience.

13. What does the poem suggest about the relationship between suffering and self-understanding?

Answer: The poem suggests that suffering, while painful, can lead to profound self-understanding. In the midst of their suffering, the patients in the hospital reflect on their lives, confront their regrets and virtues, and extend compassion towards themselves, leading to a deeper understanding of their own humanity.

14. What insights does the title of the poem, “Why I Like the Hospital,” provide?

Answer: The title of the poem, “Why I Like the Hospital,” provides an initial insight into the poet’s perspective. It suggests a counterintuitive affection for a place typically associated with suffering and pain, sparking curiosity about the reasons behind this sentiment.

15. What reasons does the poet give for his affinity towards the hospital?

Answer: The poet appreciates the hospital for its raw honesty. It is a place where it’s acceptable to be in a bad mood, where human vulnerability is laid bare. The hospital also provides a space for deep introspection and self-compassion, as seen in the man holding his own hand in sympathy.

16. What instances of human suffering are portrayed in the poem?

Answer: The poem portrays several instances of human suffering: a mother with cancer contemplating how to break the news to her children, a young girl looking at the shunt above her missing breast, an elderly woman walking with an IV pole, and a man sobbing uncontrollably, among others.

17. How would you describe the mindset of the patient nearing the end of his life, and how does he behave?

Answer: The mindset of the terminal patient is one of despair, resignation, and profound self-compassion. He is not pretending to be strong or complaining; instead, he is sobbing without shame, expressing his helplessness and anger. Remarkably, he is seen comforting himself, holding his own hand, and listening to his own words.

18. The poet seems to critique the common tendency to feign strength. Could you elaborate on this?

Answer: The poet indeed critiques the common tendency to feign strength, particularly in the face of adversity. He highlights the authenticity of the man who, instead of pretending to be strong, allows himself to openly express his despair. This critique suggests that there is strength in vulnerability and authenticity.

19. Despite the hospital’s typically unlikable aspects, the poet professes his liking for it. Could you discuss this paradox with reference to the text?

Answer: The poet likes the hospital not for its physical attributes, but for the emotional and psychological experiences it fosters. Despite the antiseptic smell, the high air-conditioning, and the discarded fresh flowers, the hospital is a place where people are allowed to be vulnerable, to reflect on their lives, and to express their emotions freely. It’s this raw honesty and introspection that the poet appreciates.

20. Could you describe the depictions of human sorrow and suffering in the hospital as portrayed in the poem?

Answer: The poem vividly depicts scenes of human sorrow and suffering: a mother grappling with her cancer diagnosis, a young girl confronting her physical loss, an elderly woman tethered to an IV pole, and a man in a lime-green dressing gown sobbing without restraint. These scenes underscore the raw emotional landscape of the hospital.

21. Could you comment on the use of humour and satire in the poem?

Answer: While the poem primarily deals with serious themes, there are subtle elements of humour and satire. For instance, the poet satirically describes patients inventing a complex scoring system to tally up their days on earth, a commentary on our human tendency to quantify and categorize experiences. This use of humour and satire adds depth to the poem, highlighting the complexity of the human experience even in the face of suffering.

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