This MCQ module is based on: A Friend Found in Music – Bryanna T. Perkins
TOPIC 17 OF 24
A Friend Found in Music – Bryanna T. Perkins
🎓 Class 9
English
CBSE
Theory
Ch 6 — Twin Melodies
⏱ ~30 min
🌐 Language: [gtranslate]
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This assessment will be based on: A Friend Found in Music – Bryanna T. Perkins
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Reading for Appreciation — Getting Ready
Before reading the poem, explore your relationship with music.
1. What kind of music do you prefer — vocal or instrumental? Name your favourite musician(s) and give reasons for your choice.
This is a personal reflection question. Consider: Does music help you concentrate when studying? Does it lift your mood? Do you listen to it when you feel sad? Your answers connect to the poem's central theme — music as a reliable emotional companion.
2. The poem is called "A Friend Found in Music." What qualities do you look for in a good friend? How might music possess those qualities?
A good friend listens, comforts, celebrates with you, and supports you through hard times. Music can do all of this — it is available whenever you need it, it responds to your emotions, and it never judges. The poem explores exactly these qualities of music.
3. Vocabulary Warm-up: Match these emotional words to their meanings — elation, despondence, melancholy, jubilant, nostalgia.
Elation: intense happiness and excitement. Despondence: a state of hopelessness or low spirits. Melancholy: a deep, gentle sadness. Jubilant: expressing great joy. Nostalgia: a sentimental longing for the past. These emotional shades appear in the poem's exploration of how music intersects with feeling.
A Friend Found in Music
Stanza 1
1Music is the ocean
2That pulls me to the shore. Personification
3Music is the rhythm
4That moves me to the core. Imagery
Stanza 1 — Paraphrase and Analysis
The poet opens with two powerful metaphors. First, music is likened to an ocean — vast, deep, and irresistible — that draws her towards it as a tide draws to the shore. Second, music is the beat of life itself (rhythm) that stirs her deepest emotions ("moves me to the core"). Both metaphors convey music's overwhelming, elemental power over the poet.
Stanza 2
5Music is the therapy
6I need when I feel blue. Imagery
7Music lifts my spirits Personification
8To make sure I pull through.
Stanza 2 — Paraphrase and Analysis
In the second stanza, the poet presents music as a healer. When she feels sad ("feel blue" — an idiom for sadness), music acts as therapy, easing her pain. Personification is used when music "lifts my spirits" — as if it reaches out and physically raises her mood. "Pull through" (a phrasal verb) means to survive or overcome hardship. Music, the stanza says, gives the strength to endure.
Stanza 3
9The times when I'm most cheerful, Imagery
10It's clear, music was there.
11Music is the needed friend
12When no one seems to care. Imagery
Stanza 3 — Paraphrase and Analysis
The final stanza reveals a pattern: music has always been present during the poet's happiest moments. More powerfully, when the poet feels alone and unsupported ("when no one seems to care"), music steps in as a "needed friend" — dependable, present, and compassionate. The word "needed" is carefully chosen: not just any friend, but the one you need most at your lowest point. The poem ends on a note of emotional intimacy and gratitude.
Theme Web — Music as Friend
The Central Themes of "A Friend Found in Music"
Click on a theme node to see how it connects to the poem.
Check Your Understanding — Reading for Meaning
1. Complete the poet's diary: "Music is like an ocean that calls me to its 1.____, Music is the 2.____ that harmonises with my 3.____, moving me in ways I can't explain. When I feel sad, music is the 4.____ that eases the ache. It lifts my 5.____ and gives me strength to pull through. I know music's effect when I feel 6.____. Music is the 7.______, dependable friend when there is no one to 8.______."
1. shore 2. rhythm 3. core 4. therapy 5. spirits 6. cheerful 7. needed 8. care
2. "The phrase 'moves me' in the line 'That moves me to the core' is an example of ___________."
Personification — "moves me" gives music a human ability (to physically move or emotionally stir a person). Music is treated as if it has the active power to act upon the poet.
3. What is the rhyme scheme of the poem? What impact does it have?
The rhyme scheme is ABCB (lines 2 and 4 rhyme: shore/core; lines 6 and 8 rhyme: blue/through; lines 10 and 12 rhyme: there/care). This alternate rhyme gives the poem a gentle, flowing rhythm — mimicking the steady, comforting quality of music itself.
4. What is the poet's purpose in using the word "music" repetitively at the start of each stanza?
This is an example of anaphora — the deliberate repetition of a word at the beginning of successive lines or stanzas. By beginning each stanza with "Music is the…", the poet creates emphasis, builds momentum, and reinforces the centrality of music in every aspect of her emotional life. It gives the poem a chant-like quality.
5. What mood does this poem convey? Choose from: nostalgic / thoughtful / amused / playful.
Thoughtful — the poem is reflective and introspective, examining how music has shaped the poet's emotional life across different moments. Though warm and positive in tone, it is primarily contemplative rather than nostalgic, amused, or playful.
Vocabulary in Context
Emotions, Metaphors and Phrasal Verbs
feel blue
idiom (negative emotion)
To feel sad, low-spirited, or depressed.
She felt blue after hearing the disappointing news.
lift my spirits
expression (positive emotion)
To make someone feel happier and more cheerful; to raise one's mood.
A walk in the park always lifts my spirits.
pull through
phrasal verb
To succeed in surviving or overcoming a difficult or dangerous situation.
With her family's support, she was able to pull through the crisis.
to the core
expression
Completely; to the very centre of one's being — deeply, profoundly.
The performance moved the audience to the core.
nostalgia
noun
A sentimental longing for the past; a wistful affection for a former time.
The familiar tune stirred a rush of nostalgia in the old listeners.
melancholy
noun / adjective
A deep, gentle sadness; a pensive mood of quiet sorrow.
The pianist played a soulful melody that created an ambience of melancholy.
jubilant
adjective
Feeling or expressing great joy and triumph.
The festive symphony filled the room with jubilant tones.
therapy
noun
Treatment intended to heal or restore wellbeing, physical or psychological.
For many, music is a form of therapy that heals emotional wounds.
Literature CBQ — Critical Reflection
Extract — Stanzas 2 and 3
Music is the therapy
I need when I feel blue.
Music lifts my spirits
To make sure I pull through.
The times when I'm most cheerful,
It's clear, music was there.
Music is the needed friend
When no one seems to care.
I need when I feel blue.
Music lifts my spirits
To make sure I pull through.
The times when I'm most cheerful,
It's clear, music was there.
Music is the needed friend
When no one seems to care.
L1 Remember
(i) Complete the sentence: "The phrase 'feel blue' indicates ___________."
The phrase "feel blue" indicates a state of sadness or low spirits. Blue is conventionally associated with melancholy and unhappiness in the English language.
L2 Understand
(ii) Identify the line which shows that music makes the poet happy.
"Music lifts my spirits" — this line directly shows that music elevates the poet's mood and makes her feel happier. The word "lifts" conveys a physical raising of her emotional state.
L3 Apply
(iii) What does the last line of the extract — "When no one seems to care" — signify?
It signifies that music fills the void left by human indifference or absence. When the poet feels alone, ignored, or unsupported, music steps in as the one constant companion. This makes the poem's portrayal of music profoundly human — music is most precious precisely when human connections fail.
L4 Analyse
(iv) State whether true or false: "Music plays a vital role in the poet's life." Justify your answer.
True. Music is present in every emotional dimension of the poet's life — in sadness (therapy for the blues), in resilience (helping her pull through), in joy (present during her happiest times), and in loneliness (the needed friend). No aspect of her emotional life is untouched by music.
L5 Evaluate
(v) Select the central idea of the extract: A. Music brings comfort during sadness. B. Music is a necessity in times of happiness. C. Music improves our ability to carry heavy loads. D. Music is a source of knowledge and excitement.
A. Music brings comfort during sadness — this is the dominant idea across both stanzas. Music acts as therapy, lifts spirits, and serves as a "needed friend" during emotional hardship.
Critical Reflection — Long Answer Questions
Q1.
How is music able to move the poet "to the core"?
The phrase "to the core" means to the very deepest, innermost part of the self. Music moves the poet there because it bypasses conscious thought and reaches directly into emotion. Like the rhythm of a heartbeat, music resonates with the body and soul simultaneously. The poet suggests that music's effect is not merely pleasant — it is transformative, touching aspects of her inner being that everyday life cannot reach.
Q2.
Why does the poet compare music to a "needed friend"?
The poet chooses the word "needed" rather than simply "good" or "close" because it implies necessity and urgency. A needed friend is one whose presence is essential at a moment of crisis. Music, for the poet, is not merely pleasant company — it is a lifeline when human support fails. The comparison also suggests music's unconditional availability: unlike a human friend who may be absent or indifferent, music is always accessible.
Q3.
Support the opinion that this poem has a universal appeal.
The poem has universal appeal because it speaks to experiences shared by all human beings regardless of culture, age, or background. Everyone has felt sad (blue), everyone has been cheered by music, and everyone has experienced loneliness when "no one seems to care." The metaphors of ocean and rhythm are also universally understood. By writing in the first person but describing emotions that are universal, Perkins creates a poem that feels personal to every reader — as if she is expressing what they themselves have felt about music.
Q4.
The poet uses metaphors for music. List the metaphors and rewrite them as similes.
Metaphors from the poem:
1. "Music is the ocean that pulls me to the shore" → Music is like an ocean that pulls me to the shore.
2. "Music is the rhythm that moves me to the core" → Music is as powerful as a rhythm that moves me to the core.
3. "Music is the therapy I need when I feel blue" → Music is as healing as therapy when I feel sad.
4. "Music is the needed friend" → Music is like a needed friend when no one seems to care.
Metaphors are more direct and emphatic than similes — they state identity ("Music IS the ocean") rather than comparison ("Music is LIKE an ocean"), making the poet's bond with music feel stronger and more absolute.
1. "Music is the ocean that pulls me to the shore" → Music is like an ocean that pulls me to the shore.
2. "Music is the rhythm that moves me to the core" → Music is as powerful as a rhythm that moves me to the core.
3. "Music is the therapy I need when I feel blue" → Music is as healing as therapy when I feel sad.
4. "Music is the needed friend" → Music is like a needed friend when no one seems to care.
Metaphors are more direct and emphatic than similes — they state identity ("Music IS the ocean") rather than comparison ("Music is LIKE an ocean"), making the poet's bond with music feel stronger and more absolute.
Writing Task
Invitation Letter — World Music Day
Your school is organising a musical evening on 21 June (World Music Day). You are performing a Sitar recital. Write an invitation letter to your grandparents requesting them to attend.
Letter Format
[Sender's Address]
[House No., Street, City, PIN]
[Date]
Salutation: Dear Dada and Dadi, / Dear Nana and Nani,
Body (Para 1): Ask about their well-being.
Body (Para 2): Mention the event — date, time, venue, nature of performance.
Body (Para 3): Request them to attend; express how much it would mean to you.
Complimentary Close: Yours affectionately,
[Your Name]
42, Pratap Nagar, Jaipur – 302001
19 June 2026
Dear Dada and Dadi,
I hope this letter finds you both in the very best of health and happiness. It has been too long since we spent time together, and I think of you both very often.
I am writing with exciting news. Our school, Springdale Public School, is organising a musical evening on 21 June 2026 — World Music Day — in the school auditorium at 6:00 PM. I am privileged to perform a Sitar recital as part of this event. I have been practising Raga Yaman for the past several months, and my music teacher says I am ready.
It would mean the world to me if you could both be present to hear me perform. Your presence would encourage me beyond measure, and I would love to share this special moment with you. Please do let me know if you are able to come — I will arrange your travel details.
Yours affectionately,
Priya
Frequently Asked Questions
What is A Friend Found in Music – Bryanna T. Perkins about in NCERT Class 9 Kaveri?
A Friend Found in Music – Bryanna T. Perkins is from NCERT Class 9 English Kaveri (NEP 2020 textbook) covering literary and language concepts with vocabulary, devices, and CBSE-aligned exercises.
What vocabulary is in A Friend Found in Music – Bryanna T. Perkins?
Key words from A Friend Found in Music – Bryanna T. Perkins are highlighted with contextual meanings, parts of speech, and usage examples in interactive vocabulary modals.
What literary devices are used in A Friend Found in Music – Bryanna T. Perkins?
A Friend Found in Music – Bryanna T. Perkins uses imagery, symbolism, metaphor, and figurative language identified with coloured tags throughout the lesson.
What exercises are included for A Friend Found in Music – Bryanna T. Perkins?
Exercises include extract-based comprehension questions, grammar workshops, vocabulary activities, and writing tasks with model answers.
How does A Friend Found in Music – Bryanna T. Perkins help CBSE Class 9 exam preparation?
A Friend Found in Music – Bryanna T. Perkins includes CBSE-format extract questions, 100-120 word long answer practice, and grammar exercises following Bloom's L1-L6.
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