His First Flight
– Liam O’ Flaherty
Introduction:
The story by “Liam O’ Flaherty” is an account of a young bird that is afraid to fly for the first time. He
believes that his wings would not support him. Despite his younger siblings flying fearlessly with much
shorter wings, he could not gather the courage to do the same. He was punished to stay hungry if he did not
try. Thus, it was his mother that compelled him to fly by using food as a trap. The lesson reflects how one
hesitates to take the first step and that fear is all in the mind. One should trust one’s abilities because “the
fear of suffering is worse than the suffering itself”.
Theme of the Lesson:
The topic of “His First Flight” is bravery and self-assurance. It emphasises the value of tackling one’s
concerns head-on and emphasises the need to instil a never-give-up mentality in order to succeed. The story
gives an important lesson that fear exists only in one’s mind.
Justification of the Title:
The title "His First Flight" by Liam O'Flaherty tells the story of a young seagull's brave adventure as he
learns to fly for the first time. It's a tale about facing fears and finding freedom. Through this flight, the
seagull discovers courage and grows stronger. The title captures the excitement of this important moment in
the seagull's life, showing how he overcomes challenges and learns to soar. It's a story that teaches us about
bravery and the joy of spreading our wings.
Story in points:
The Young Seagull’s Fear of Flying
The Young Seagull Left Alone on the Ledge
Increasing Hunger and Heat
The Young Seagull’s Dive
The Young Seagull’s Flight
Joy of Flight and Reuniting with Family
Practice Questions:
Q1. Read the following extracts carefully and answer the questions that follow:
A. He felt certain that his wings would never support him; so he bent his head and ran away back to the little
hole under the ledge where he slept at night. Even when each of his brothers and his little sister, whose
wings were far shorter than his own, ran to the brink, flapped their wings, and flew away, he failed to muster
up courage to take that plunge which appeared to him so desperate. His father and mother had come around
calling to him shrilly, upbraiding him, threatening to let him starve on his ledge unless he flew away.
1: What did the seagull's brothers and sister do?
2: What did the young seagull's parents tell him?
3: Name the chapter.
4: Which word in the passage means 'scolding/reapproaching'?
B. He just felt a bit dizzy. Then he flapped his wings once and he soared upwards. "Ga, ga, ga, Ga, ga, ga,
Gaw-col-ah," his mother swooped past him, her wings making a loud noise. He answered her with another
scream. Then his father flew over him screaming. He saw his two brothers and his sister flying around him
curveting and banking and soaring and diving. Then he completely forgot that he had not always been able
to fly, and commended himself to dive and soar and curve, shrieking shrilly.
1: The extract refers to the many movements of the young gull's brothers and sister. Choose the option that
correctly sequences these movements.
2: How would you describe the screams of the gulls in the given extract?
3: Pick the most appropriate reason why the young gull felt dizzy.
4: The line "he completely forgot that he had not always been able to fly" implies the:
5: Which of the following mirrors the use of the literary device in "shrieking shrilly"?
Q2. Answer the following in 40 to 50 words:
1. Why was the young seagull afraid to fly?
2. When did the seagull get over his fear of flying over the sea?
3. How did the young seagull and his family celebrate his first flight?
Q3. Answer the following in 100 to 120 words:
1. Describe the tricks used by the seagull family to help the young seagull overcome his fear and fly.
2. Do you think that the seagull’s family loved him? Justify their attitude towards him?