4. Explanation of stanza 3 and 4

Explanation:

 

Montgomery lists instances that the family would make up, just because they could find fault with it and complain. When something bad happens, one can choose to see the positive in it and work on coming out of it stronger, or they can sit and analyse all the things that went wrong and crib about it. But the cribbing part does not help them to overcome the situation. Negative people look for reasons to start with their complaining cycle. The grumble family looks at the weather and no matter what temperature or season it is, it is never perfect for them. The poet says that it is either too hot nor too cold for them. These are the only binaries that exist in temperature. But even when it is spring, they complain about the weather being too hot, and when it is drizzling, it is too cold for them. Nothing is good enough as they scold both summer and winter alike. This shows that the weather is not the problem, rather their perspective is.

 

 

The poet also says that there is nothing that could possibly go right with the people one might meet, who live down the gloomy complaining street. The right kind of folks can see a ray of hope even in the darkest times, and these people tend to see only the missing parts even in the greatest of the blessings. Where there is so much negativity, the place is filled with a gloomy atmosphere. When positive people see the rain, they get overjoyed by the fact that the crops are receiving water, there is cool weather, and that it is pleasant, whereas the negative person would complain how they are not able to step out and how summer was always warm. But when it is summer, the same people complain that it is too hot and that it would be nice if it were raining. And if they were not able to find anything to complain about, and everything went on as they pleased, then they would grumble about not having anything to grumble about. People who are so used to grumbling about anything might become restless if they do not do so often.

 

Words with difficult meaning: