Believe that Books will Never Disappear Question and Answers

Believe that Books Will Never Disappear Question and Answers

Question 1.
‘A poet’s task is to discover metaphors’. How does Borges explain this in ‘Books will never Disappear’?
OR
What are Borges’ views on metaphors?
Answer:
While giving his views about ‘poetry’, Borges calls poetry as the aesthetic act. He opines that the poetic act takes place when the poet writes it and when the reader reads it. At this point, Alifano says that finding the precise words is very important in the art of poetry because it is the precise words that elicit the emotion. Such precise words exist naturally in the form of metaphors. According to Borges, true metaphors have been in existence from the beginning of time. Then he says that all the existing metaphors can be grouped under five or six essential metaphors, like time and a river, life and dreams, death and sleep, stars and eyes, and flowers and women. But it is the poet who has to discover metaphors though they may already exist.

Question 2.
How does Borges reconcile with his blindness? Explain.
Answer:
According to Borges, people must think that whatever happens to a person is a resource and such things have been given to us for a purpose. He opines that all that happens to us, including humiliations, misfortunes, and embarrassments are given to us as raw material like clay, so that we may shape our art out of it. Therefore, he has taken blindness as a way of life, which is not entirely unhappy. He believes that it is his duty to accept it as far as possible and enjoy it. Therefore, he still continues to pretend that he is not blind and buys books to fill his house with.

Question 3.
Why does Borges define poetry as intimate and essential and that which cannot be defined without oversimplifying?
Answer:
According to Borges, poetry is the aesthetic act that takes place when the poet writes it, and when the reader reads it, which happens in a slightly different manner. That is why he calls it something so intimate, and so essential that it cannot be defined without oversimplifying it. If we try to define it, it would be like attempting to define the colour yellow or love or the fall of leaves in autumn.

Question 4.
Why does Borges say blindness is a way of life and a resource?
OR
How does Borges define ‘blindness’?
OR
How does Borges look upon his blindness? Explain.
OR
What are the views of Borges on blindness?
Answer:
Borges defines ‘blindness’ as a way of life that is not entirely unhappy. He also calls it a resource because he believes that all things have been given to us for a purpose and an artist must feel this more intensely. He believes that all that happens to us including humiliations, our misfortunes, and our embarrassments are given to us as raw material, as clay so that we may shape our art, eternal work, or work that aspires to be so. Therefore, he has taken blindness as a way of life, which is not entirely unhappy. He believes that it is his duty to accept it as far as possible and enjoy it.

Question 5.
How does Borges describe the happiness of re-reading books?
Answer:
Borges endorses the idea of Bernard Shaw expressed in the statement, “Every book worth being re-read has been written by the spirit”. In this context, Borges opines that a book goes beyond its author’s intention. He opines that in ever ‘-ook there appears to be a need for something more, which is mysterious. He then says that when we read an ancient book we feel as though we are reading all time that has passed from the day it was written to our present-day because the book always retains something sacred, something mortal and something magical which brings happiness.

Question 6.
What are Luis Borges’ views on books?
OR
What is the significance of the book in a man’s life, according to Jorge Luis Borges? According to Borges, a book is only an extension of our imagination and memory. We get access to literature through books. Literature is a dream, a controlled dream. Borges believes that we owe literature almost everything we are, what we have been and what we will be. Our past is nothing but a sequence of dreams. He believes that there is no difference between dreaming and remembering the past.

Books are undoubtedly the most astounding invention of man. It is books that serve as the repositories of great memories of all centuries and nothing else can replace books. Therefore, if books disappear, surely history would disappear and along with history man would also disappear. He says that books always retain something sacred, mortal and magical which brings happiness. Therefore, literature is very important for preserving the future of mankind.

Question 7.
What does Borges tell us about his mother in particular and all mothers in general?
Answer:
Borges says that his mother was an extraordinary person who showed him a great deal of kindness in his life. Then he confesses in a remorseful tone that he could not make his mother happy because he himself was not a happy man. He also confesses that he should have shown a better understanding of his mother.

This experience can be generalized because what Borges says is true of all children. It is not surprising to know, when their mothers die, most children express that they had taken their mother for granted while they were alive like they do with the moon or the sun or the seasons and are guilty that they had abused their mothers.

Question 8.
How, according to Borges, does a book go beyond its author’s intention?
Answer:
According to Borges, though a book is only an extension of our imagination and memory, a book goes beyond its author’s intention. He opines that the author’s intention is a meager thing – a fallible thing. In every book, there is a need for something more, which is always mysterious. When we read an ancient book we feel as though we are reading all time that has passed from the day it was written to our present day because the book always retains something sacred, something mortal and something magical which brings happiness. That is why he endorses the opinion of Bernard Shaw, who made the statement, “Every book worth being re-read has been written by the spirit”.

Believe that Books Will Never Disappear is a timeless essay that can help us to think about the importance of books and literature in our lives, and the challenges that they face in a digital age.