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A Friend Found in Music

NCERT Class 9 · English Based on NCERT Class 9 English textbook · Free CBSE study kit

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Chapter Notes

Overview
This poem, written by Bryanna T. Perkins, celebrates the profound and healing power of music in the poet's life. It is part of the CBSE Class 9 English curriculum and explores how music serves as a constant companion, a source of therapy, and a dependable friend during both joyful and sorrowful times. The central message for board exam preparation is that music is a universal, therapeutic force that provides emotional support, lifts spirits, and helps one endure difficult moments when no one else seems to care.
Key Concepts (10)
Metaphor
A figure of speech that directly compares two unlike things without using 'like' or 'as'. In this poem, music is directly compared to several things to show its various roles.
e.g. Music is the ocean / Music is the rhythm / Music is the therapy / Music is the needed friend
Personification
Attributing human qualities or emotions to an inanimate object or abstract idea. The poet gives music the human ability to be a 'friend' and to 'care'.
e.g. Music is the needed friend / When no one seems to care.
Repetition
The deliberate use of the same word or phrase multiple times for emphasis and to create rhythm. The poet repeats the word 'Music' at the start of several lines.
e.g. Music is the ocean... / Music is the rhythm... / Music is the therapy... / Music lifts my spirits...
Rhyme Scheme
The pattern of rhyming words at the end of each line in a poem. This poem follows an ABCB pattern in each stanza.
e.g. Stanza 1: shore (A), core (B) — Stanza 2: blue (C), through (C) — Stanza 3: there (D), care (D)
Mood
The overall feeling or atmosphere created by the poem for the reader. The mood here is thoughtful and appreciative.
e.g. The poet reflects on music's role in her life with gratitude and introspection.
Theme
The central idea or underlying message of the poem. The main theme is the healing and comforting power of music as a constant companion.
e.g. Music is portrayed as a therapy for sadness and a friend in loneliness.
Imagery
The use of vivid or figurative language to represent objects, actions, or ideas, appealing to the senses. The poet creates strong visual and emotional images.
e.g. Music is the ocean / That pulls me to the shore.
Symbolism
The use of symbols to represent ideas or qualities. The 'ocean' symbolizes the vast, overwhelming, yet inviting nature of music.
e.g. Music is the ocean — the ocean symbolizes depth, vastness, and a force that draws the poet in.
Tone
The poet's attitude toward the subject, conveyed through word choice and style. The tone is grateful, reflective, and deeply personal.
e.g. The poet uses words like 'therapy', 'lifts my spirits', and 'needed friend' to express gratitude.
Alliteration
The repetition of initial consonant sounds in nearby words. It adds musicality to the poem.
e.g. moves me / music / make sure / most cheerful
How It Works
Stanza 1 — Music as a Natural Force and Inner Rhythm
  1. Line 1-2: 'Music is the ocean / That pulls me to the shore.' — Music is compared to a vast ocean that irresistibly draws the poet toward it, suggesting a magnetic, calming pull.
  2. Line 3-4: 'Music is the rhythm / That moves me to the core.' — Music is the internal beat that deeply affects the poet emotionally and physically, reaching her innermost self.
💡 Students often think 'ocean' means music is dangerous or overwhelming. Actually, it represents a welcoming, irresistible force that brings the poet to a safe place (the shore).
Stanza 2 — Music as Emotional Healing and Strength
  1. Line 1-2: 'Music is the therapy / I need when I feel blue.' — Music acts as a cure or treatment for sadness ('feeling blue').
  2. Line 3-4: 'Music lifts my spirits / To make sure I pull through.' — Music actively raises the poet's mood and gives her the strength to overcome difficult times.
💡 Students may miss that 'pull through' is a phrasal verb meaning to survive or recover from a hardship, not a literal pulling action.
Stanza 3 — Music as a Constant Companion in Joy and Loneliness
  1. Line 1-2: 'The times when I’m most cheerful, / It’s clear, music was there.' — Music is present even during happy moments, not just sad ones.
  2. Line 3-4: 'Music is the needed friend / When no one seems to care.' — Music becomes a reliable, essential friend during times of isolation and neglect.
💡 Students often think music is only for sad times. The poem clearly states music is also present during cheerfulness, making it a constant companion.
Exam Traps — Don't Make These Mistakes
⚠ Confusing Metaphor with Simile
✗ Students write that 'Music is the ocean' is a simile because it compares two things.
→ A simile uses 'like' or 'as'. The poem uses direct comparison without these words, making it a metaphor.
✓ It is a metaphor because music is directly called an ocean without using 'like' or 'as'.
⚠ Misinterpreting 'Feel Blue'
✗ Students think 'feel blue' means feeling cold or physically unwell.
→ 'Feel blue' is an idiom meaning to feel sad or depressed.
✓ The phrase 'feel blue' indicates sadness or melancholy.
⚠ Wrong Rhyme Scheme Identification
✗ Students write the rhyme scheme as AABB or ABAB.
→ The poem follows an ABCB pattern where only the second and fourth lines of each stanza rhyme.
✓ The rhyme scheme is ABCB (e.g., shore/core, blue/through, there/care).
⚠ Thinking Music is Only a Friend in Sadness
✗ Students say music is only a friend when the poet is sad or lonely.
→ The third stanza explicitly states music is present during times of cheerfulness too: 'The times when I’m most cheerful, / It’s clear, music was there.'
✓ Music is a constant friend present in both happiness and sadness.
⚠ Confusing 'Mood' with 'Tone'
✗ Students describe the mood as 'happy' or 'joyful'.
→ While the poem is uplifting, the overall mood is thoughtful and reflective, not purely happy.
✓ The mood of the poem is thoughtful and appreciative.
Compare & Contrast
Role of music
Ocean (Stanza 1)
Therapy (Stanza 2)
The ocean represents music as a natural, irresistible force that draws the poet in, while therapy represents music as a deliberate cure for emotional pain.
How music affects the poet
Rhythm (Stanza 1)
Friend (Stanza 3)
Rhythm moves the poet internally ('to the core'), while as a friend, music provides external companionship and care when others are absent.
Emotional states in the poem
Feeling Blue (Stanza 2)
Most Cheerful (Stanza 3)
Feeling blue represents sadness and the need for therapy, while most cheerful represents happiness where music is acknowledged as a constant presence.
Exam Focus
Marks pattern: This poem typically appears in the Literature section for 5-8 marks, often as a combination of extract-based questions (3-4 marks) and short answer questions (2-4 marks).
Most asked: Identification and explanation of metaphors used for music · Rhyme scheme and its effect · Central theme and message of the poem · Meaning of idiomatic expressions like 'feel blue' and 'pull through' · Poet's attitude towards music · Difference between metaphor and simile
Don't skip: Explain the metaphors used in the poem and rewrite them as similes.; What is the central message of the poem? Support your answer with evidence.; How does the poet show that music is a 'needed friend'?; Analyze the rhyme scheme and its impact on the poem's mood.
Safe to skip: Nothing can be safely skipped. Every stanza and poetic device is important for board exams.
One-Line Revision (read aloud before the exam)
  1. The poem 'A Friend Found in Music' is written by Bryanna T. Perkins.
  2. The poem uses metaphors to compare music to an ocean, rhythm, therapy, and a friend.
  3. The rhyme scheme of the poem is ABCB.
  4. The phrase 'feel blue' is an idiom meaning to feel sad.
  5. The phrase 'pull through' means to survive or recover from a difficult situation.
  6. Music is described as a 'needed friend' when no one else seems to care.
  7. The poet uses repetition of the word 'Music' to emphasize its importance.
  8. The mood of the poem is thoughtful and appreciative.
  9. The central theme is the healing and comforting power of music.
  10. Music is present in both cheerful and sad moments in the poet's life.
  11. The line 'That moves me to the core' shows music's deep emotional impact.
  12. Personification is used when music is called a 'friend' that 'cares'.
  13. The ocean metaphor suggests music is vast, inviting, and irresistible.
  14. The poem has universal appeal because music is a common human experience.

MCQs — 10 Questions with Answers

Q1. Which of the following is a metaphor used in the poem?

  • A. Music is the ocean that pulls me to the shore ✓
  • B. Music is like an ocean
  • C. Music sounds like the ocean
  • D. Music reminds me of the ocean

Answer: A — Option A is a metaphor as it directly compares music to an ocean without using like or as.

Q2. What does the phrase feel blue indicate?

  • A. Feeling sad and depressed ✓
  • B. Feeling cold and shivering
  • C. Feeling calm and peaceful
  • D. Feeling excited and energetic

Answer: A — Feel blue is an idiom that means to feel sad, unhappy, or emotionally low.

Q3. The rhyme scheme of the poem is:

  • A. ABAB
  • B. AABB ✓
  • C. ABCB
  • D. AAAA

Answer: B — Consecutive lines rhyme with each other: shore/core, blue/through, following AABB pattern.

Q4. Which line shows that music makes the poet happy?

  • A. Music is the therapy I need when I feel blue
  • B. Music lifts my spirits to make sure I pull through ✓
  • C. Music is the needed friend when no one seems to care
  • D. Music is the rhythm that moves me to the core

Answer: B — This line directly states that music lifts spirits and helps the poet overcome difficulties, indicating happiness.

Q5. What is the central idea of the poem?

  • A. Music brings comfort during sadness ✓
  • B. Music is a necessity in times of happiness
  • C. Music improves the ability to work hard
  • D. Music is a source of knowledge and excitement

Answer: A — The poem emphasizes music's therapeutic role during emotional hardship and loneliness, not happiness alone.

Q6. Which of the following is NOT an emotion expressed in the poem?

  • A. Sadness
  • B. Gratitude
  • C. Anger ✓
  • D. Loneliness

Answer: C — The poem expresses sadness, gratitude, and loneliness but does not mention anger or rage.

Q7. The poet compares music to a needed friend because:

  • A. Music is always available when the poet feels lonely ✓
  • B. Music costs nothing and sounds beautiful
  • C. Music is popular among all people in society
  • D. Music teaches important life lessons

Answer: A — The poem states music is a needed friend when no one seems to care, showing music's constant availability during loneliness.

Q8. What does the phrasal verb pull through mean in the context of the poem?

  • A. To physically move something
  • B. To survive or overcome difficulty ✓
  • C. To attract someone's attention
  • D. To withdraw from a situation

Answer: B — Pull through means to successfully survive or overcome a difficult, challenging situation.

Q9. Scenario: A student is stressed before exams. According to the poem's message, how can music help? [HOTS]

  • A. Music will improve the student's grades automatically
  • B. Music acts as therapy, lifts spirits, and provides emotional strength during stress ✓
  • C. Music will eliminate the need to study
  • D. Music makes exams easier to understand

Answer: B — The poem's message emphasizes music's therapeutic power to provide emotional support and strength during challenging times.

Q10. Which statement about the poem is FALSE?

  • A. The poet sees music as essential to survival
  • B. Music is compared to both ocean and therapy
  • C. The poet views music only as entertainment ✓
  • D. Music helps the poet during loneliness

Answer: C — The poem treats music as deeply essential and therapeutic, not merely as entertainment or pastime.

Flashcards

What does the poem title mean?

Music is personified as a friend who provides emotional support and companionship to the poet.

Name one metaphor from the poem.

Music is the ocean that pulls the poet to the shore, comparing music to a vast, powerful force.

What does feel blue mean?

Feel blue means to feel sad, unhappy, or emotionally depressed about something.

Define phrasal verb with example.

A phrasal verb combines a verb with preposition or adverb; pull through means to survive difficult times.

What is the rhyme scheme of the poem?

The poem follows AABB rhyme scheme where consecutive lines rhyme with each other throughout.

How does music lift spirits?

Music provides emotional therapy by comforting sadness, giving strength, and restoring hope during difficult moments.

What message does the poet convey?

Music is essential for emotional well-being and acts as a reliable friend during loneliness and hardship.

Identify the mood of the poem.

The mood is thoughtful and nostalgic, reflecting gratitude for music's role in emotional healing.

Who is the author of this poem?

The poem is written by Bryanna T. Perkins about the therapeutic power of music.

What does pull through mean?

Pull through is a phrasal verb meaning to survive or overcome a difficult, challenging situation successfully.

Important Board Questions

Fill in the blanks: Music is the _____ I need when I feel _____. What emotions do these words express? [2 marks]

Answer: therapy, blue. These words express negative emotions (sadness) that music helps heal.

Identify two metaphors from the poem and rewrite them as similes. What effect do the metaphors have on the poem? [3 marks]

Metaphors: Music is ocean; Music is rhythm. Metaphors create stronger, more powerful imagery than similes by direct comparison.

How does the poet's use of repetition of the word music strengthen the poem's message? Explain the central theme and support with evidence from the text. [HOTS] [5 marks]

Repetition emphasizes music's importance throughout life. Theme: Music is essential emotional companion. Evidence: repeated in each stanza; described as therapy, friend, ocean, rhythm showing multiple roles.

Assertion-Reason Questions for A Friend Found in Music

Q1. Assertion (A):

The poem 'A Friend Found in Music' uses repetition of the word 'music' as a literary technique.

Reason (R):

Repetition in poetry is used to create emphasis and rhythm, making certain ideas memorable and important to the reader.

Answer: A — Both A and R are true, and R is the correct explanation of A — Both the assertion and reason are true, and the reason correctly explains why the poet uses repetition. By repeating 'music' at the start of multiple lines, the poet emphasizes its centrality to her emotional life, and this technique does create rhythm and memorability.

Q2. Assertion (A):

The metaphor 'Music is the ocean that pulls me to the shore' suggests that music has an irresistible attractive force on the poet.

Reason (R):

The word 'pulls' in this metaphor indicates the power of music to draw and attract the poet emotionally.

Answer: B — Both A and R are true, but R is NOT the correct explanation of A — Both statements are true—the metaphor does suggest music's irresistible attraction, and 'pulls' does indicate drawing power. However, the reason doesn't fully explain the assertion. The 'ocean' comparison (vast, powerful, natural force) also contributes to showing music's magnetic quality, not just the word 'pulls' alone.

Q3. Assertion (A):

The poem indicates that music serves the same function as a human friend in the poet's life.

Reason (R):

The poet explicitly states 'Music is the needed friend / When no one seems to care,' suggesting music replaces human relationships entirely.

Answer: C — A is true but R is false — The assertion is true—the poem does compare music to a friend. However, the reason is false because the poet is describing music as support during absence of human care, not suggesting it replaces human relationships entirely. The poem acknowledges music as a substitute for absent human support, not a replacement of relationships when they exist.

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Case-Based Questions (CBQ) for A Friend Found in Music

Case Study:

Ravi, a 14-year-old student, has been struggling with anxiety and academic stress. His school counselor recommended that he engage in activities that could improve his mental well-being. Ravi's mother suggested he start listening to instrumental music during study breaks. Within two weeks, Ravi noticed he felt calmer, more focused, and better able to handle his workload. He began to see music not just as entertainment but as an essential part of his daily routine. Ravi now believes that music helps him 'pull through' difficult periods and acts as his 'needed friend' when stress overwhelms him.

Q1. How does Ravi's experience relate to the theme of the poem 'A Friend Found in Music'?

  • A. Ravi uses music purely for entertainment, unlike the poet who uses it for therapy
  • B. Ravi discovers that music serves as therapeutic support and emotional companionship, similar to the poet's experience ✓
  • C. Ravi's experience contradicts the poem because music doesn't actually help with academic stress
  • D. Ravi only benefits from instrumental music, while the poem discusses all types of music

Answer: B

Q2. Which phrase from the poem best describes Ravi's experience with music during stressful times?

  • A. Music is the rhythm that moves me to the core
  • B. Music is the therapy I need when I feel blue ✓
  • C. The times when I'm most cheerful, it's clear, music was there
  • D. Music is the ocean that pulls me to the shore

Answer: B

Q3. What does Ravi's transformation suggest about music's universal appeal?

  • A. Music only helps people who are naturally musical
  • B. Music's therapeutic benefits are limited to poets and artists
  • C. Music can benefit people from different backgrounds facing various emotional challenges, supporting the poem's universal message ✓
  • D. Music is a substitute for professional mental health treatment

Answer: C

Q4. If Ravi were to explain his experience using phrasal verbs from the lesson, which would be most appropriate?

  • A. Music helps me to move on from my anxiety
  • B. Music helps me to pull through difficult periods ✓
  • C. Music helps me to break down my emotions
  • D. Music helps me to look over my problems

Answer: B

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