Page 1 - Summary- Mind Map- The Table and the chair

SAI INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL

STD-5 ENGLISH LITERATURE

CHAPTER-14-THE TABLE AND THE CHAIR

MIND MAP AND NOTES

‘The Table and the chair’, is a funny verse poem by Edward Lear about the friendship between the
Table and the Chair. The poet uses clear language and diction in order to tell a fun, image-rich story
about two inanimate objects’ discovery of their own abilities. The Table and the Chair are taking a
chance and trying something new.

Walking, allowed them to reinvent a new aspect of their characters. This poem showed how to
experience something they never thought they could.
The poem is a fairly straightforward depiction of the Table’s desire to go outside, the Chair’s
resistance, and then their discovery of their ability to walk. The two “toddle” on two of their four
legs outside to “take the air”. Everyone celebrates this and the poem is quite light-hearted until the
two get lost. This is quickly remedied by three small creatures who direct them back home.

st
1 stanza: The poet begins by describing what the “Table” said to the “Chair”. The poet created the
characters and allowed them to talk and act as human beings would. The Table complained to the
chair about the heat and the sores on its “feet”. The Table suggested that they should go out for a
walk and get some fresh air and asked the chair to accompany him.
nd
2 stanza: The Chair responded and reminded the Table that they were only pieces of furniture and
couldn’t walk even if they wanted to. The Table wasn’t deterred. It determined that it would “do no
harm to try” to walk on the legs that they had. They expected that at least two out of the four should
be good enough. This created the possibility of a very humorous image where the table and the chair
tried to walk on the road.
rd
3 stanza: The Table and the Chair attempted to walk and were quite successful. They were out to
“take the air”.The astonished spectator cried out in excitement when they saw them. The two
“toddled” on their legs but enjoyed it all the same. The two were certainly having a remarkable
moment.

th
4 Stanza: Suddenly, their adventure took a darker turn. They got lost as they wandered around. In
their excitement, they forgot how to get back to their home. Luckily for them, the duck, beetle, and
mouse helped them and took them to their house.
th
5 stanza: Finally, the two came back to their home. They recalled about their wonderful experience
and spent time with one another again. They’re excited but also exhausted by the end of the day.
Their new friends, the “Browny-Mousy” and “Beetle” and “Ducky” stayed with them until it was time
to go to bed. The word “toddled” appears again in the last line, suggesting that the two were not
going to give up their new-found walking ability.