Class 12 English Notes Short Story 5 (One Centimetre) – Kaliedoscope Book

Alright class, let's turn our attention to a very insightful short story from your Kaleidoscope textbook, 'One Centimetre' by Bi Shu-min. This story, translated from Chinese, offers a powerful commentary on parental anxiety, societal pressures, and the crucial importance of integrity. For your exam preparation, focus on the characters, themes, and the central conflict.

'One Centimetre' by Bi Shu-min: Detailed Notes

1. Author and Context:

• Author: Bi Shu-min, a contemporary Chinese writer, often known for her background in medicine and psychology, which informs her exploration of human emotions and societal issues.
• Context: The story reflects pressures within modern societies (specifically hinted at within a Chinese context, though the themes are universal) where benchmarks, competition, and conformity can place immense stress on both children and parents. The 'Young Pioneers' mentioned is a real youth organization in China.

2. Plot Summary:

• The Problem: The narrator's son, Cong Cong, is slightly below the minimum height requirement (one centimetre short) to join the prestigious Young Pioneers organization at his school. Membership is highly desired and seen as a mark of honour and belonging.
• Parental Anxiety: The mother becomes intensely anxious, fearing her son will be ostracized and feel inadequate. She feels his exclusion would be a personal failure.
• Attempts to Increase Height: She tries various methods – nutritional food, milk, stretching exercises, hanging from bars – but Cong Cong doesn't grow the required centimetre in time.
• The Deceptive Solution: Desperate, the mother takes Cong Cong to a shoe shop. While trying on shoes, she conceives the idea of inserting a felt pad into his shoe to artificially increase his height by the needed centimetre. She buys the pad secretly.
• Internal Conflict: The mother experiences significant guilt and moral conflict. She knows she is teaching her son to cheat and lie, contradicting the very values (honesty, integrity) that organizations like the Young Pioneers supposedly uphold. She rationalizes her actions by focusing on her son's happiness and avoiding his disappointment.
• The Measurement Day: On the day of the height measurement at school, the mother carefully inserts the pad into Cong Cong's shoe. She instructs him on how to stand to maximize his height.
• Confrontation and Realization: Teacher Zhang measures Cong Cong. The mother watches anxiously. Although the immediate outcome of the measurement isn't explicitly stated as a pass or fail because of the pad, the focus shifts to the mother's interaction with the teacher. Teacher Zhang seems aware or suspicious, and her gentle but firm demeanour makes the mother confront the reality and shame of her actions. The teacher's subtle disapproval and Cong Cong's innocent questioning ("Why did you put this in my shoe, Mum?") amplify her guilt.
• Resolution & Moral Lesson: The mother realizes the potential long-term damage of her deceptive act on her son's character is far worse than the temporary disappointment of not joining the Young Pioneers immediately. She understands that true 'growth' is moral, not just physical. The story ends with her acknowledging her mistake and the importance of honesty. The actual centimetre becomes insignificant compared to the moral lesson learned.

3. Characters:

• The Narrator (Mother):
  • Motivation: Deep love for her son, intense fear of his social exclusion, desire for him to fit in and succeed according to societal standards.
  • Flaw: Allows her anxiety and societal pressure to override her moral judgment, leading her to attempt deception.
  • Transformation: Experiences profound guilt and ultimately realizes the importance of integrity over superficial achievement. Her journey is one of moral awakening.
• Cong Cong (Son):
  • Role: Represents childhood innocence. He desires the red scarf of the Young Pioneers but is largely unaware of the complex anxieties and moral compromises involved.
  • Significance: His simple existence and potential corruption by the mother's actions highlight the stakes of her ethical dilemma. His innocent questions often act as a catalyst for the mother's guilt.
• Teacher Zhang:
  • Role: Represents the system and its rules, but also embodies quiet authority and moral wisdom.
  • Significance: She acts as the catalyst for the mother's final realization. Her non-confrontational but knowing attitude is more effective than direct accusation would be.

4. Themes:

• Parental Anxiety and Societal Pressure: The story powerfully depicts how societal expectations (like joining an organization) can create immense pressure on parents, sometimes leading them to compromise their values.
• Integrity vs. Deception: This is the central conflict. The mother struggles between the desire for her son's immediate 'success' (achieved through cheating) and the long-term importance of honesty and character.
• The Meaning of Growth: The story contrasts physical growth (the literal centimetre) with moral and ethical growth. It argues that character development is far more significant.
• Childhood Innocence: Cong Cong's innocence starkly contrasts with the adult world's complexities, anxieties, and moral compromises. The mother's actions threaten this innocence.
• Conformity: The desire for Cong Cong to join the Young Pioneers reflects a pressure to conform and be accepted within a social group.

5. Literary Style and Devices:

• First-Person Narration: Allows direct access to the mother's thoughts, anxieties, rationalizations, and guilt, making the internal conflict palpable.
• Symbolism:
  • One Centimetre: Represents the small margin between meeting a standard and falling short, but also the seemingly small step into dishonesty that carries significant moral weight.
  • The Felt Pad: Symbolizes the deception itself, the artificial solution to a problem.
  • The Young Pioneers Scarf: Symbolizes belonging, honour, conformity, and the societal benchmark causing the initial anxiety.
• Irony: The mother tries to help her son get into an organization supposedly promoting good character by teaching him to cheat. She tries to make him 'measure up' physically while potentially stunting his moral growth.

6. Key Takeaways for Exams:

• Understand the mother's motivations and her internal moral struggle.
• Be able to discuss the major themes, especially integrity vs. expediency and the critique of societal pressures.
• Analyze the significance of the title and key symbols.
• Explain how the first-person perspective shapes the reader's understanding.
• Consider the story as a commentary on modern parenting and education.

Multiple Choice Questions (MCQs):

1. What is the primary reason the narrator is anxious at the beginning of the story?
   a) Cong Cong is performing poorly in academics.
   b) Cong Cong is one centimetre too short to join the Young Pioneers.
   c) Cong Cong is being bullied at school.
   d) The family is facing financial difficulties.

2. Which organization is Cong Cong trying to join?
   a) The School Band
   b) The Red Cross Youth
   c) The Young Pioneers
   d) The Boy Scouts

3. What method does the mother not use in her initial attempts to help Cong Cong grow taller?
   a) Providing nutritious food and milk.
   b) Making him do stretching exercises.
   c) Taking him to a doctor for growth hormones.
   d) Encouraging him to hang from bars.

4. Where does the mother get the idea for the deceptive solution?
   a) From Teacher Zhang
   b) From another parent
   c) While visiting a shoe shop
   d) From a medical journal

5. What object does the mother use to artificially increase Cong Cong's height?
   a) A thick pair of socks
   b) A wooden block
   c) A felt pad
   d) Cotton wool

6. The narrator's internal conflict primarily revolves around:
   a) Spending too much money on Cong Cong.
   b) Her desire for her son's acceptance versus her knowledge that she is cheating.
   c) Whether Teacher Zhang likes her son or not.
   d) Her disagreement with her husband over parenting methods.

7. The title 'One Centimetre' is significant because it represents:
   a) The exact amount Cong Cong grows naturally.
   b) The thickness of the rule book for the Young Pioneers.
   c) The small physical margin causing large ethical distress.
   d) The distance Cong Cong has to walk to school.

8. How does Teacher Zhang react during the measurement (as perceived by the mother)?
   a) She angrily accuses the mother of cheating.
   b) She seems unaware of any issue.
   c) She appears quietly knowing or suspicious, making the mother feel ashamed.
   d) She praises the mother for her dedication.

9. What is the ultimate realization or lesson the mother learns?
   a) That Teacher Zhang is unfair.
   b) That Cong Cong doesn't really want to join the Young Pioneers.
   c) That physical standards are the most important thing for success.
   d) That honesty and moral integrity are more important than superficial achievements or conformity.

10. The story critiques:
    a) The quality of shoes available for children.
    b) The lack of physical education in schools.
    c) Societal and parental pressure that can compromise ethical values.
    d) The irrelevance of youth organizations in modern times.

Answer Key for MCQs:

1. b
2. c
3. c
4. c
5. c
6. b
7. c
8. c
9. d
10. c

Study these notes carefully, paying attention to the nuances of the mother's character and the story's central message about integrity. Good luck with your preparation!