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Chapter 6 of 20
Syllabus

Sadness Comes

ICSE · Class 12 · English- Short Stories : Perspectives and Reflections

Complete topic list for Sadness Comes in ICSE Class 12 English- Short Stories : Perspectives and Reflections. Key concepts, sub-topics, and what to focus on for board exams.

5 concepts

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4 Topics · ICSE Class 12 English- Short Stories : Perspectives and Reflections

Topics in Sadness Comes

1

About the Poet: Donna Ashworth

  • Scottish poet who rose to prominence during the UK COVID-19 lockdown in 2020
  • Her poem 'History Will Remember When The World Stopped' went viral and resonated with millions globally
  • Published 'To The Women' which sold 100,000 copies and secured a publishing deal with Bonnier in 2021
2

Key Themes and Central Message

  • Personification of sadness as an unwelcome yet familiar visitor challenges our typical responses to emotions
  • The poem reframes sadness from something to hide from others to something we can share and accept
  • Mental health acceptance: learning to live with difficult emotions rather than fighting or denying them
3

Literary Devices and Poetic Techniques

  • Personification: Sadness is portrayed as a character with physical presence, emotions, manners, and agency
  • Metaphor: The gathering with friends is a 'feast' representing happiness and normalcy
  • Metaphor: Sadness is described as a 'spectre' (ghost) and a 'beast' suggesting something frightening
4

Detailed Stanza-by-Stanza Analysis

  • Stanza 1 (Lines 1-4): Introduction of the problem - sadness arrives, speaker tries to reject her, establishes personification
  • Stanza 2 (Lines 5-9): Speaker's initial response - makes excuses, tries to exclude sadness, showing her unwelcome nature
  • Stanza 3 (Lines 10-14): Sadness's persistence - she doesn't accept the rejection, follows the speaker, shows her determination

Key Concepts

The poem's primary literary deviceThe poem uses extended metaphorThe poem's tone shifts throughoutThe poem celebrates vulnerability as strengthThe poem addresses the stigma surrounding

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the important topics in Sadness Comes for ICSE Class 12 English- Short Stories : Perspectives and Reflections?
Sadness Comes covers several key topics that are frequently asked in ICSE Class 12 board exams. Focus on the core concepts listed on this page and practise related questions to build confidence.
How to score full marks in Sadness Comes — ICSE Class 12 English- Short Stories : Perspectives and Reflections?
Start by understanding all key concepts. Practise previous year questions from this chapter. Revise formulas and definitions regularly. Use flashcards for quick revision before the exam.

Sources & Official References

Content is aligned to the official syllabus. Refer to the board website for the latest curriculum.

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