A Concrete Example - Summary, Theme Analysis, Textual Analysis & Textual Question Answers

📚 Table of Contents

• 👉 Summary of The Text
• 👉 Theme Explanation
• 👉 Textual Analysis
• 👉 Textual Question Answer

Summary of the Text

Theme Explanation

Textual Analysis

Textual Question Answer

Summary of the Poem

“A Concrete Example” is a light, humorous poem that describes the unusual garden of Mrs. Jones, who prefers stones and tiny, almost invisible plants over typical flowers. The poem playfully shows how her idea of beauty is very different from the speaker’s.

The poem describes the speaker’s next-door neighbour, Mrs. Jones, who has a very unusual garden filled mostly with stones instead of typical plants. Her garden includes a rocky path, a lily pond, a rockery, and even a sundial, which she finds attractive.

Mrs. Jones grows very tiny and delicate plants between the stones. These plants are so small that they are almost invisible and seem insignificant to the speaker. The speaker humorously wonders how she even manages to plant them, joking that she might use a pin.

One day, Mrs. Jones invites the speaker to see her garden. While discussing a flower for a long time, the speaker becomes confused because they cannot see it. Finally, Mrs. Jones reveals that the speaker is actually standing on the flower, highlighting just how tiny and subtle the plants are.

A Concrete Example 

Theme Explanation

• Different Perspectives of Beauty
  What Mrs. Jones finds beautiful (tiny plants and stones), the speaker finds strange or unimpressive.
• Appreciation of Small Things
  The poem suggests that beauty can exist in very small and delicate forms, often overlooked.
• Humour and Irony
  The situation is humorous, especially when the speaker stands on the flower without noticing it.

Textual Analysis

My next-door neighbour, Mrs. Jones,
has got a garden full of stones: 
A crazy path, a lily pond, 
a rockery and, just beyond 
A sundial with a strange device, 
which Mrs. Jones thinks rather nice. 

My next-door neighbour, Mrs. Jones, 
puts little plants between the stones 
They are so delicate and small, 
they don’t mean anything at all. 
I can’t think how she gets them in, 
unless she plants them with a pin. 

My next-door neighbour, Mrs. Jones, 
once asked me round to see her stones. 
We stood and talked about a flower 
for quite a quarter of an hour. 
“Where is this lovely thing?” I cried. 
“You’re standing on it,” she replied.

                                                    [Reginald Arkell]

Stanza 1

“My next-door neighbour, Mrs. Jones… which Mrs. Jones thinks rather nice.”

The speaker introduces his neighbour, Mrs. Jones, and describes her unusual garden. Instead of a typical garden full of flowers, it is filled with stones, a rocky path, a lily pond, a rockery, and a sundial. The speaker finds these features strange, but Mrs. Jones admires them and thinks they are beautiful. This stanza highlights the difference in taste between the speaker and Mrs. Jones.

Stanza 2

“My next-door neighbour, Mrs. Jones… unless she plants them with a pin.”

In this stanza, the speaker talks about the tiny plants that Mrs. Jones grows between the stones. These plants are so small and delicate that they seem insignificant to him. He humorously exaggerates by saying that she might plant them with a pin because they are so tiny. This shows his amusement and inability to appreciate her idea of beauty.

Stanza 3

“My next-door neighbour, Mrs. Jones… ‘You’re standing on it,’ she replied.”

Here, the speaker visits Mrs. Jones’s garden. They spend a long time discussing a flower, but the speaker cannot see it. When he finally asks where it is, Mrs. Jones tells him that he is actually standing on it. This creates a humorous and ironic ending, emphasizing how small and subtle the plants are and how differently Mrs. Jones sees beauty.

Textual Question Answer

Let us discuss

I Complete the following summary with exact words from the poem. One example has been done for you. Share your answers with your classmates and teacher.

 The poem describes Mrs. Jones, the speaker’s next-door neighbour, who has a unique garden filled with 1. _________. Her garden includes a peculiar 2. _________, a pond, and a rockery, along with an unusual 3. _________ that she finds charming. Mrs. Jones plants tiny, 4. _________ plants between the stones, which the speaker thinks must be so small that they are planted with a 5. _________. One day, Mrs. Jones invites the speaker to see her garden, and they discuss a 6. _________ that Mrs. Jones treasures. When the speaker asks where the 7. _________ flower is, Mrs. Jones says that the speaker has been 8. _________ on it all along.

Answer: 

1. stones
2. crazy path
3. sundial
4. delicate and small
5. pin
6. flower
7. lovely
8. standing

II Select the correct option to fill in the blanks for the following sentences

1. The tone of the poem is ____________. 

(i) mocking 

(ii) humorous 

(iii) mournful 

(iv) amusing 

(v) light-hearted 

A. (i), (ii), and (iii) 

B. (i), (ii), and (v) 

C. (ii), (iii), and (iv) 

D. (ii), (iv), and (v) 

Answer:   D (ii), (iv), and (v)

          → humorous, amusing, light-hearted

2. The speaker in the poem is

(i) Mrs. Jones 

(ii) the poet 

(iii) a gardener 

(iv) a child

Answer:  (ii) the poet 

3. The rhyme scheme of the poem is _________. 

(i) AABBCC

(ii) ABABCC 

(iii) AABCAC 

(iv) ABBACC

Answer: (i) AABBCC

III Complete the following sentences by choosing the correct answer given in the brackets. 

1. The poet uses the word ‘stones’ in all stanzas in order to emphasise her ________. (obsession with a stony garden/pride in gardening skills) 

Answer: obsession with a stony garden

2. The poet uses imagery to describe the features of the garden that help readers _____________. (understand Mrs. Jones’ love for plants/visualise the garden’s peculiar nature) 

Answer: visualise the garden’s peculiar nature

IV Pick examples of alliteration from the poem

Answer: 

1. “stones… small”
2. “plants… pin”

V A refrain is a repeated line or phrase that appears in each stanza. Identify the refrain from the poem. 

Answer:      “My next-door neighbour, Mrs. Jones”

VI Irony is a literary device that emphasises the difference between what is expected and what actually happens. It often involves a situation where the outcome is the opposite of what is expected, creating a surprising or a humorous effect. For example, Mrs. Jones’ excitement about her garden contrasts with the speaker’s disappointment on how ordinary it is. 

Identify the line(s) from the poem that display(s) situational irony.

Answer: “You’re standing on it,” she replied.

 VII Complete the following sentences appropriately. 

1. The word ‘concrete’ can refer to ______________ in Mrs. Jones’ garden.

Answer:   stones or hard, rock-like surfaces

 2. The title also has a symbolic meaning, as the poem provides a clear or ‘concrete’ example of Mrs. Jones’ ______________ gardening habits.

Answer: unusual or unique

Let us think and reflect 

I Read the given extract and answer the questions that follow. 

1. My next-door neighbour, Mrs. Jones, 
 has got a garden full of stones: 
A crazy path, a lily pond, 
 a rockery and, just beyond 
A sundial with a strange device, 
 which Mrs. Jones thinks rather nice.

(i) What can be inferred about Mrs. Jones’s taste in gardening from the description of her garden being ‘full of stones’?

Answer: Mrs. Jones has an unusual and unconventional taste in gardening, as she prefers stones over typical plants and flowers.

(ii) Identify whether the following statement is true or false. The garden serves as a means to reveal more about Mrs. Jones herself.

Answer: True

(iii) What does the poet mean by ‘crazy path’? 

Answer:  “Crazy path” means an irregular, oddly designed or unusual pathway.

(iv) What does the sundial with a ‘strange device’ suggest about Mrs. Jones’ personality? 

A. She has a fascination with unusual items. 

B. She prefers traditional garden decorations. 

C. She is uninterested in her garden’s appearance. 

D. She likes modern and expensive items.

Answer: A. She has a fascination with unusual items.

II Answer the following questions. 

1. How does Mrs. Jones feel about her garden? Support your answer with evidence from the poem. 

Answer: Mrs. Jones feels proud and happy about her garden. This is shown when she thinks the sundial is “rather nice” and when she enthusiastically talks about her plants.

2. Why do you think the speaker describes the plants as being so small that they could be planted with a pin? 

Answer: The speaker exaggerates to show how extremely small and delicate the plants are, adding humour to the poem.

3. What do we get to know about Mrs. Jones—based on her gardening style and her interaction with the speaker? 

Answer: She is unique, creative, and has a different sense of beauty. She appreciates small and unusual things and takes pride in her garden.

4. The poem portrays Mrs. Jones in a positive light. Support this statement. 

Answer: The poem presents her as passionate and appreciative of nature. Her individuality and love for her garden make her admirable.

5. What does the poem tell us about the way people think differently about the world around them?

Answer: The poem shows that people have different perspectives. What one person finds beautiful or valuable may seem strange to another, highlighting individuality in thinking.