On Saying Please – Part 1
Introduction to the Chapter & About the Author Class 12 English | Maharashtra Board
🌟 Have You Ever Thought About This?
Imagine these two situations:
👉 Situation 1:
"Give me a glass of water." 👉 Situation 2: "Could you please give me a glass of water?"
Which sentence sounds more polite? Obviously, the second one!
But have you ever wondered why one small word like "Please" can make such a big difference?
That is exactly what we are going to learn in today's lesson.
Welcome to Chapter 1.2 – On Saying Please.
This essay teaches us that good manners and polite words cost nothing, but they can win hearts and make our relationships stronger.
✍️ About the Author
Alfred George Gardiner (1865–1946), popularly known as A. G. Gardiner, was a renowned English journalist, editor, and essayist.
He wrote under the pen name "Alpha of the Plough."Gardiner believed that ordinary incidents from daily life could teach extraordinary lessons. His essays are simple, interesting, and filled with practical wisdom.Instead of preaching, he used real-life examples to encourage readers to become kind, respectful, and responsible individuals.His essays continue to inspire readers because their messages are timeless and relevant even today.
📖 Introduction to the Chapter
"On Saying Please" is a thoughtful essay that highlights the importance of courtesy, politeness, and respect in our daily lives.The author explains that words like "Please," "Thank you," and "Sorry" are very small, but they have the power to build friendships, reduce misunderstandings, and make society more pleasant. The essay begins with a simple incident on a bus. Through this incident, the author shows that while laws can punish bad behaviour, they cannot force people to be polite. True courtesy comes from our values, character, and respect for others. This essay reminds us that our behaviour often speaks louder than our words.
Part 1 Summary – The Liftman Incident
The essay begins with an interesting incident involving a liftman and a passenger.One day, a passenger entered a lift and asked the liftman to take him to the top floor. However, he spoke in a rude and impolite manner. He did not use polite words such as "Please." The liftman became angry because of the passenger's rude behaviour. Instead of quietly ignoring him, the liftman lost his temper and threw the passenger out of the lift. As a result, the liftman was punished because he had no legal right to remove the passenger by force.
Through this incident, A. G. Gardiner explains an important lesson. The law can punish a person for physical violence, but it cannot punish someone simply for being rude or discourteous. Bad manners are not a legal offence, but they make society unpleasant.
This incident introduces the main message of the essay—that courtesy and politeness are essential for happy social relationships, even though they cannot be enforced by law.
Key Lesson
- Being rude may not be a crime, but it hurts relationships.
- Good manners create a pleasant atmosphere.
- Politeness costs nothing but has great value.
- We should always speak respectfully and use words like "Please," "Thank you," and "Sorry."
Key Points
- Author: A. G. Gardiner
- Pen Name: Alpha of the Plough
- Genre: Essay
- Central Idea: The importance of politeness and courtesy in everyday life.
- Main Message: Good manners create a happy and peaceful society.
💡 Did You Know?
A. G. Gardiner's essays are famous because they teach important life lessons through simple everyday situations, making them easy to understand and remember.
📢 Coming Next
In Part 2, we will learn:
✅ Complete Summary
✅ Theme
✅ Moral
Stay tuned!
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