Summary
Part 1: Santosh Yadav
Santosh Yadav was born in a small village called Joniyawas in Haryana, into a wealthy family. However, being the sixth child and a girl, she faced gender discrimination. Despite the societal expectations and pressure to conform to traditional roles, Santosh decided to challenge the system. When she was sixteen, her parents pressured her to marry, but she stood firm and insisted on continuing her education. She even told her parents that if they refused to fund her education, she would work part-time jobs to support herself.
She succeeded in enrolling in a school in Delhi and later moved to Maharani College in Jaipur. Her passion for mountaineering developed during her time at the Nehru Institute of Mountaineering in Uttarkashi. Santosh participated in expeditions every year and, in 1992, at the age of 20, she became the youngest woman to scale Mount Everest. She also saved a fellow climber during the expedition. Santosh’s extraordinary achievement earned her the Padma Shri, one of India’s highest civilian honors.
Part 2: Maria Sharapova
Maria Sharapova, born in Siberia, Russia, started her tennis journey at a very young age. At just nine years old, she moved to Florida with her father to pursue professional tennis training. Her father worked hard to support her dreams, and Maria faced many challenges, including being bullied as a foreigner. Despite these obstacles, Maria remained determined and focused on her goal.
Through rigorous training and sacrifices, Maria became the number one player in women’s tennis by the age of eighteen. Along with tennis, she also enjoyed hobbies such as fashion, singing, and dancing. Although she admits that money motivates her, her ultimate goal was to become the best in the world. Maria’s dedication and commitment to tennis led her to achieve global recognition and success.
Conclusion of “Reach for the Top”
The chapter Reach for the Top highlights the inspiring journeys of Santosh Yadav and Maria Sharapova. Both women defied societal expectations and worked tirelessly to achieve their dreams. The chapter teaches the importance of perseverance, dedication, and hard work, showing that anyone who is determined to succeed can reach the top. It encourages readers to stay motivated and committed to their goals, regardless of the challenges they may face.
Summary
This poem vividly describes the destructive actions of humans towards trees and nature. The poet compares the cutting of a tree to a brutal crime, emphasizing that a tree is a living being, and its destruction should be seen as a grave wrongdoing. While a tree may appear to die when it is chopped, the poet explains that it doesn’t truly die until it is uprooted from the earth, where its roots provide life. The tree has deep roots that have taken years to develop, and it grows through a long process of absorbing nutrients from the soil, sunlight, and air. Simply cutting the tree with an axe or knife only causes it pain and may hurt it temporarily, but it doesn’t destroy the tree entirely. It will continue to grow back, just as human wounds heal.
The real way to kill a tree, according to the poet, is by uprooting it entirely. The roots of the tree are its life force, and if they are pulled out from the soil, the tree loses its source of nutrients. This is described as the tree’s death sentence, as its roots are the most vital and hidden part of its being, the “Earth Cave.” Once the roots are exposed, the tree can no longer survive. The poet further explains that without roots, the tree will dry up under the sun, its trunk will turn brown, and eventually, the tree will wither away, losing all its strength.
The poem serves as a metaphor for the destruction of nature and reminds us of the deep connections between living beings and the environment. It highlights how the actions of humans, such as cutting and uprooting trees, harm not only the trees but also the delicate balance of nature itself. The poet calls attention to the cruelty of such actions and urges us to reconsider the impact of our choices on the environment.