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Extract from the Letter
When did I write to you last? I have trouble even remembering! In today’s fast-paced world we have become so addicted to instant communication that we prefer to use a telephone. But speaking on the telephone only gives us an immediate but fleeting joy. Writing is different. Writing—even if it is a letter—not only conveys our present concerns and views of the events taking place around us but it becomes a possession that can be treasured and re-read over the years, with great, abiding pleasure .
Summary in Bullet Points
- Kurien begins by comparing quick telephone communication with writing.
- A phone call gives an immediate feeling, but that feeling may pass quickly.
- A written letter can be kept, read again years later, and preserve thoughts from a particular time.
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For Kurien, writing has lasting value because it becomes something a person can return to.
fleeting
= short-lived
abiding pleasure = happiness that lasts for a long time
NCERT Poorvi page 86–87
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Answer: A telephone call gives immediate communication but, according to Kurien, its joy is fleeting. A written letter can be preserved, re-read years later and continue to give lasting pleasure.
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Answer: Writing fixes a person’s thoughts, concerns and view of events at a particular time. Because the written words can be kept and returned to years later, they become a possession that carries memory across time.
