The Pot Maker (Part 2) Summary, Theme, Analysis & Question Answers | Class 9 English
This part of The Pot Maker tells the story of how Sentila finally becomes a skilled pot maker after years of struggle and emotional conflict with her mother, Arenla.
Arenla takes Sentila to the riverbank and begins teaching her the traditional process of pot making, from collecting clay to shaping pots. Although Sentila quickly learns how to prepare the clay, she struggles to shape it into pots properly. Arenla silently watches her repeated failures and easily creates beautiful pots herself. Despite practicing for almost a year, Sentila feels ashamed and frustrated because she cannot master the skill.
Later, when Sentila stays in a girls’ dormitory as part of a custom, she meets Onula, a kind widow who understands her difficulties. One evening, Onula notices Sentila trying unsuccessfully to make a pot and realizes that the girl is too tense and afraid. Encouraging her with patience and confidence, Onula teaches Sentila gently. Under her guidance, Sentila successfully creates a beautiful pot, though she still struggles with shaping the rim. Onula advises her to carefully observe her mother’s technique.
Following this advice, Sentila closely watches Arenla during their next pot-making session and learns the finer details of shaping pots. One day, Arenla pretends to have a headache and leaves Sentila alone to continue working. Surprisingly, Sentila suddenly discovers her rhythm and skill, making pots with speed and perfection almost equal to her mother’s.
However, when Sentila goes inside for lunch, she finds her mother dead. Heartbroken, she cries out in guilt, believing her success somehow came at the cost of her mother’s life. At the funeral, only Onula understands the deeper meaning of Sentila’s words. Later, Onula sees two rows of perfectly crafted pots in the shed and realizes that Sentila has finally become a true pot maker. The story ends with the symbolic birth of a new artist, continuing the family tradition.
The Pot Maker (Part-2)
Theme Explanation
1. Tradition and Inheritance of Skills
The story highlights how traditional skills and cultural practices are passed down through generations. Pot making is not merely a profession but a family heritage, and Sentila eventually inherits her mother’s craftsmanship.
2. Patience, Learning, and Self-Confidence
Sentila struggles for years to learn pot making. Her success comes only when she gains confidence through Onula’s encouragement and careful observation. The story shows that patience and belief in oneself are essential for learning.
3. Mother–Daughter Relationship and Sacrifice
The relationship between Arenla and Sentila is central to the story. Though strict and silent, Arenla secretly helps her daughter become skilled. Her final act of leaving Sentila to work alone suggests a silent sacrifice and trust in her daughter’s ability to continue the tradition.
Textual Analysis
TEXT
THE POT MAKER ( PART-II)
The following year, Arenla took Sentila to the riverbank where the grey and red clay was found. She taught Sentila how to dig the clay with a dao, load it on to her carrying basket and soak it in the trough in the work shed before stuffing it into the bamboo cylinder in the right proportion to pound it. Sentila was a quick learner and turned the clay into malleable dough. But when she tried her hand at the shaping of the lump into a pot, she could not even hold the lump of dough properly. The mother simply sat in a corner and watched the girl try again and again. While Sentila hung her head in shame and frustration, Arenla took over the job, and transformed the lump into a beautiful pot. These sessions continued for almost a year but Sentila was unable to learn anything from her mother.
The next year, when Sentila matured, according to custom, she was sent to stay for some nights in one of the girls’ dormitories supervised by a kind, middle-aged widow whom the girls called ‘Onula’ or Aunty. She had heard of the discord in Sentila’s family and resolved to help the girl in every possible way. One evening, when everyone except Sentila went to attend a musical evening, Onula saw her taking out some clay and the implements from her basket quietly. She watched Sentila’s clumsy efforts to make a pot and noticed that Sentila was too tense. As a result, the clay seemed unable or unwilling to yield the right shape.
WORD MEANING
- Dao – a sharp cutting tool like a knife or machete
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Trough – a long container used to hold liquid or material
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Bamboo cylinder – a hollow tube made of bamboo
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Malleable – soft and easy to shape
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Lump – a small mass or piece of something
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Shame – feeling embarrassed or guilty
- Dormitory – a place where people sleep together, especially students
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Widow – a woman whose husband has died
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Discord – disagreement or conflict
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Resolved – decided firmly
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Clumsy – awkward and unskilled
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Tense – nervous or anxious
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Yield – to produce or give way
EXPLANATION
In this part of the story, Arenla begins teaching Sentila the traditional art of pot making. She shows her every step—from collecting clay at the riverbank to preparing it for shaping. Sentila quickly learns how to prepare the clay and turn it into soft dough. However, she struggles to shape the clay into pots properly. Despite practicing for nearly a year, she cannot master the skill and feels ashamed and frustrated. Arenla silently observes her failures and then easily transforms the clay into a beautiful pot, showing her expertise.
According to village custom, Sentila stays in a girls’ dormitory supervised by a kind woman named Onula. Knowing about the tension between Sentila and her mother, Onula decides to help her. One evening, she notices Sentila secretly trying to make a pot. Sentila’s nervousness prevents her from shaping the clay properly. Onula understands that the girl’s lack of confidence, rather than inability, is stopping her from learning.
TEXT
When Sentila wearily let the misshapen lump fall flat on the ground, Onula went to her and said, “Don’t worry, little one, I shall teach you how to make a perfect pot.” Sentila watched in amazement as Onula fashioned a beautiful pot and asked her to try again. Sentila took another lump of clay and with a confidence she had never felt before, started the process all over again following the instructions she had just received. She created a beautiful pot! When it was done, she sat there admiring her work but Onula said, “The mouth of the pot is all wrong.” Sentila looked at Onula in frustration who smiled and said, “When you work with your mother next time, watch her carefully when she is shaping the mouth of the pot. You are a quick learner and you will do well.”
During the next pot making session, Sentila observed how her mother held the left hand and the spatula, how she slackened the rhythm when fashioning the mouth of the pots and how a strip of elongated dough was added to the mouth to make the rim. Then, on a bright sunny day, Arenla told Sentila that they should try to make as many pots as they could, otherwise they would not have enough days of sunshine to dry them. They went to the shed quite early to begin. As usual, Arenla completed a batch quickly and asked Sentila to take over. Complaining that she had a headache and a backache, she went out telling Sentila to try and make as many pots as she could. Sentila was surprised and reluctantly began to beat the dough in perfect coordination with her left hand.Before long, she realised that the pot was ready. She started on the next one, and like a sprinter who had suddenly found momentum, she continued making pot after pot with the same speed and dexterity that she had noticed in her mother’s hands. Finally, when she looked at her row of pots, she saw that she had made just one short of her mother’s tally.
WORD MEANING
- Wearily – in a tired manner
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Misshapen – having an imperfect shape
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Fashioned – made or shaped
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Admiring – looking at with pleasure or appreciation
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Frustration – disappointment or irritation
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Spatula – a flat tool used for shaping or spreading
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Slackened – slowed down or reduced
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Elongated – stretched or lengthened
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Rim – the edge or border of something
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Coordination – smooth and balanced movement
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Dexterity – skill and quickness in using hands
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Tally – total number or count
EXPLANATION
When Sentila becomes discouraged, Onula kindly teaches her how to make a pot. With encouragement and confidence, Sentila successfully shapes a beautiful pot for the first time. However, Onula points out that the mouth of the pot still needs improvement and advises Sentila to observe her mother carefully. Later, Sentila follows this advice and learns the finer techniques of shaping the pot’s rim.
One sunny day, Arenla suddenly leaves Sentila alone to continue making pots. Surprisingly, Sentila gains confidence and begins making pot after pot with great skill, almost matching her mother’s speed and perfection. This moment marks Sentila’s breakthrough as a pot maker.
TEXT
Exhausted from the labour, she decided to go into the house and join her mother for lunch. When she reached the threshold, she found her mother lying on the floor. She was not breathing. Sentila ran towards the common area in the village for help.
The villagers raced to the house, and sent for Mesoba. When Arenla’s body was being carried out of the house the next morning, Sentila ran after it, shouting, “Mother, I did not wish it to happen this way; it simply came to me. Please forgive me.” Those who heard her, did not understand what she meant, except for Onula. She intuitively sensed that something momentous had happened. On her way back, Onula noticed that the door to the work shed was slightly ajar. Out of curiosity, she stepped inside and abruptly stopped in her tracks; two neat rows of newly-made pots stood side by side. She could find nothing to tell one batch from the other. She was sure that it was not the handiwork of one person alone. Onula stood there for a long time as if trying to absorb a new phenomenon. Slowly she walked away from this place of wonder, as she considered it to be, because she believed that she had just witnessed a profound revelation in the two batches of still moist pots, standing side by side in perfect symmetry inside the shed. A new pot maker was born.
Temsula Ao
(An abridged version of the original story)
WORD MEANING
- Exhausted – extremely tired
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Threshold – entrance of a house or doorway
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Villagers – people living in a village
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Intuitively – understanding something naturally without explanation
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Momentous – very important or significant
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Ajar – slightly open
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Abruptly – suddenly
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Handiwork – something made by a person
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Phenomenon – an unusual or remarkable event
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Profound – deep and meaningful
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Revelation – sudden realization or discovery
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Symmetry – balanced and equal arrangement
EXPLANATION
After finishing her work, Sentila goes inside and discovers that her mother has died. Shocked and heartbroken, she calls for help. During the funeral, Sentila cries out in guilt, believing that her sudden mastery of pot making came at the cost of her mother’s life.
Only Onula understands the deeper meaning of her words. Later, when she sees two identical rows of pots in the shed, she realizes that Sentila has finally become as skilled as Arenla. The perfectly matched pots symbolize the passing of knowledge from mother to daughter. The story ends on an emotional note, showing the birth of a new pot maker and the continuation of tradition.
Textual Question Answers
Check Your Understanding
I. Do you think Onula’s support helped Sentila? If yes, why? If no, why not?
Answer: Yes, Onula’s support greatly helped Sentila. Onula encouraged her when she had lost confidence and patiently guided her in the art of pot making. She understood that Sentila’s nervousness was stopping her from learning. Her encouragement gave Sentila confidence and helped her improve her skills.
II. Sentila observes her mother making pots. What does this tell us about her?
Answer: This tells us that Sentila was determined, observant, and eager to learn. Even after repeated failures, she did not give up and carefully watched her mother to improve her technique.
III Arrange the following events of the story in the correct
sequence. Share your answer with your classmates
and teacher.
| 1. The village council called Mesoba to
know about Arenla’s unwillingness to
teach pottery to Sentila. |
|
| 2. Arenla made a new batch of pots and
asked Sentila to continue the work as she
was unwell. |
|
| 3. Sentila observed how other expert potters
crafted beautiful pots. |
|
| 4. Sentila was passionate about pottery but
did not share it with her mother. |
|
| 5. Onula guided Sentila in the art of pot
making. |
|
| 6. Sentila overheard her mother saying that
pot making was a tiring job and that she
earned very little from it. |
|
| 7. Onula observed two rows of pots inside
the work shed, which she felt was the
work of two people. |
|
| 8. Sentila learnt the art of pot making
for a year from her mother, but was
unsuccessful. |
|
| 9. Sentila was able to make pots quickly and
skillfully, just one less than her mother’s. |
|
Answer:
Correct order:
4 → 3 → 6 → 1 → 8 → 5 → 2 → 9 → 7
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Sentila was passionate about pottery but did not share it with her mother. (4)
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Sentila observed how other expert potters crafted beautiful pots. (3)
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Sentila overheard her mother saying that pot making was a tiring job and earned little. (6)
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The village council called Mesoba regarding Arenla’s unwillingness to teach pottery. (1)
-
Sentila learnt pot making from her mother for a year but failed. (8)
-
Onula guided Sentila in pot making. (5)
-
Arenla made pots and asked Sentila to continue because she was unwell. (2)
-
Sentila made pots skillfully, just one less than her mother’s tally. (9)
-
Onula saw two rows of pots and realized two people had made them. (7)
Critical Reflection
I Read the extracts given below and answer the questions
that follow.
1. Pounding the stubborn clay inside bamboo cylinders
to soften it, is also tedious. So many times I’ve dropped the mould out of sheer exhaustion and have had to
start all over again. It takes months to bring out a
batch of pots after so much labour. And the reward?
A few rupees. But if Sentila learns weaving, she can
make much more money besides providing enough
cloth for the family. Weaving is not messy like pot
making and can be done indoors in all seasons. Also,
the time spent on weaving one shawl is much less
and the return is handsome.
(i) Choose the correct reason for the given
assertion.
(A): The effort in making pots is far greater
than the returns.
- A. The process of pot making is quite tiresome
and long, and one hardly earns much.
- B. The process of pot making is exhausting,
takes a long time, yet gives a sense
of satisfaction.
Answer: Correct Answer: A
Reason: Pot making is tiring, time-consuming, and brings very little money in return.
(ii) Why does Arenla want Sentila to learn
weaving?
Answer: Arenla wants Sentila to learn weaving because it is less tiring, cleaner, more profitable, and can be done indoors in all seasons.
(iii) State one advantage that weaving has over pot
making, as per the extract.
Answer: One advantage is that weaving gives better financial returns in less time.
(iv) Choose the sentence that uses the word
‘handsome’ in the same way as in the extract.
- A. My father is a handsome man.
- B. They will make a handsome profit selling
this property.
Answer: Correct Answer: B
“They will make a handsome profit selling this property.”
(Handsome here means large or substantial, similar to the extract.)
(v) ‘And the reward?’ What is the author’s purpose
of using a question mark here?
Answer: The author uses a question mark to express disappointment and emphasize the poor reward received after so much hard work.
2. Onula saw her taking out some clay and the
implements from her basket quietly. She watched
Sentila’s clumsy efforts to make a pot and noticed
that Sentila was too tense. As a result, the clay
seemed unable or unwilling to yield the right shape.
When Sentila wearily let the misshapen lump fall flat
on the ground, Onula went to her and said, “Don't
worry, little one, I shall teach you how to make a
perfect pot.” Sentila watched in amazement as Onula
fashioned a beautiful pot and asked her to try again.
(i) Complete the sentence with an appropriate
reason.
Onula feels Sentila’s effort at making a pot is
clumsy because ______________.
Answer: Onula feels Sentila’s effort at making a pot is clumsy because she was too tense and lacked confidence.
(ii) Choose the correct option to complete the
following sentence.
‘Don’t worry, little one, I shall teach you how to
make a perfect pot.’
This shows that Onula was _____________.
A. sincere and generous
B. forgiving and thoughtful
C. thoughtful and generous
D. forgiving and sincere
Answer: C. thoughtful and generous
(iii) Which among the following is the effect of
a cause?
A. As a result, the clay seemed unable or
unwilling to yield the right shape.
B. Onula saw her taking out some clay and
the implements from her basket quietly.
Answer:“
A. As a result, the clay seemed unable or unwilling to yield the right shape.”
(iv) ‘Onula fashioned a beautiful pot.’ Here,
the word ‘fashioned’ means ______________.
(created/styled)
Answer: created
(v) How might Sentila have felt when she saw ‘the
misshapen lump fall flat on the ground’?
Answer: Sentila might have felt disappointed, frustrated, embarrassed, and hopeless when the misshapen lump fell on the ground.
II Answer the following questions.
1. Describe the process of pot making followed by
expert pot makers, as observed by Sentila.
Answer: Expert pot makers first collected grey and red clay from the riverbank using a dao. The clay was carried in baskets and soaked in a trough before being stuffed into a bamboo cylinder and pounded into soft dough. The clay was then shaped carefully into pots, with special attention given to shaping the mouth and rim using a spatula and an elongated strip of dough.
2. What warning was given to Mesoba by the
village council?
Answer: The village council warned Mesoba that if Arenla did not teach Sentila the art of pottery, the traditional skill of pot making might disappear from their community, which would be a great loss to their culture and history.
3. How did Sentila feel when she failed at pot making
even after a year of training with her mother?
Answer: Sentila felt ashamed, frustrated, and disappointed. Despite trying repeatedly, she could not learn the skill and often hung her head in sadness.
4. ‘Onula stood there for a long time as if trying to
absorb a new phenomenon’. Explain.
Answer: Onula stood there amazed because she saw two rows of perfectly made pots that looked almost identical. She realized that Sentila had finally mastered the skill of pot making and had become as talented as her mother. This discovery deeply moved her.
5. ‘The tradition and history of the people did not
belong to any individual,’ what does this symbolise?
Answer:This symbolises that culture and traditions belong to the entire community and must be passed down from one generation to another, rather than being kept by one person alone.
6.
What is the significance of the concluding line of
the story, ‘A new pot maker was born’?
Answer: The line signifies Sentila’s transformation into a skilled pot maker. It also represents the continuation of family tradition and the successful passing of knowledge from mother to daughter.
7. What is the role of perseverance in pursuing one’s
dreams? Elaborate with reference to Sentila.
Answer: Perseverance plays an important role in achieving dreams. Sentila never gave up despite repeated failures and discouragement. She continued practicing pot making, observed her mother carefully, and accepted Onula’s guidance. Her hard work and determination finally helped her become a skilled pot maker, proving that persistence leads to success.
