Proverb-Type Essays.

A Clumsy Workman Blames His Tools.

Expansion of Ideas.

Human nature is such that none is prepared to accept his own deficiency, drawbacks and blemishes. A typist who often commits mistakes would blame the quality of the typewriters. Similarly an inefficient mechanic condemns the entire auto-mobile industry. This is because we are used to finding fault with everyone and everything else except ourselves.

On the other hand, a piece of work can be thoroughly accomplished only when the person carrying it out is true to his job. If the workman does not concentrate on his task, he makes a shoddy job of it, but he is not willing to take responsibility of his failure and calls his tools imperfect. Thus instead of improving himself, a clumsy workman looks for scapegoats to thrust his faults on.

This is perhaps most evident in a student who does not fare well in his examinations. Instead of looking for reasons within himself, he looks outside for someone or something to blame such as a difficult question paper, a leaky pen or a wrathful examiner. Similarly a dancer who fails to perform well a particular event attributes his poor performance to the incompetent musicians, accompanists or to the poor stage management.

A farmer who does not tend his crops blames his poor produce on everything and everyone other than his negligence. An employee who fails to get promoted is a common example of this proverb. Instead of self-analysis, he accuses his superior of favoritism and his promoted colleagues of sycophancy. He fails to realize that reward is proportional to input.

Therefore it is important for people to accept the existence of their faults, if any, and correct them. This is the only way up the ladder of success. The proverb aptly reflects normal human behaviour.

Difficult Words & Meanings:

Deficiency: A lack or shortage of something; a failing or shortcoming.
Drawbacks: Disadvantages or the negative parts of a situation.
Blemishes: Flaws or imperfections that spoil the appearance of something.
Typist: A person who types, especially for a living.
Inefficient: Not achieving maximum productivity; wasting or failing to make the best use of time or resources.
Condemns: Expresses complete disapproval of, typically in public.
Auto-mobile industry: The business sector involved in the design, development, manufacturing, marketing, and selling of motor vehicles.
Accomplished: Successfully completed or achieved.
Concentrate: Focus all one's attention on a particular object or activity.
Shoddy: Badly made or done.
Responsibility: The state or fact of having a duty to deal with something or of having control over someone; blame for something that has gone wrong.
Scapegoats: People who are blamed for the wrongdoings, mistakes, or faults of others.
Thrust: To push (something or someone) suddenly or violently in a specified direction; in this context, to force blame onto.
Fare well: To be successful or perform well.
Wrathful: Full of or characterized by intense anger.
Examiner: A person who sets or marks an examination.
Attributes: Regards something as being caused by (someone or something).
Incompetent: Not having or showing the necessary skills to do something successfully.
Accompanists: People who play a musical accompaniment for a soloist or group.
Stage management: The organization and coordination of a theatrical production.
Tend (crops): To care for or look after (crops).
Produce (noun): Farm products, especially fresh fruits and vegetables.
Negligence: Failure to take proper care over something.
Self-analysis: The examination of oneself, one's own motives, and one's own character.
Accuses: Claims that (someone) has done something wrong or illegal.
Superior (noun): A person of higher rank or status.
Favoritism: The practice of giving unfair preferential treatment to one person or group at the expense of others.
Colleagues: People with whom one works, especially in a profession or business.
Sycophancy: Behaving or doing something in an obsequious way in order to gain advantage; flattering someone powerful.
Proportional: Corresponding in size or amount to something else.
Input: What is put in, taken in, or operated on by any process or system; effort or contribution.
Aptly: In a manner that is appropriate or suitable in the circumstances.